Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
28/02/2023Cynnwys
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 yn y Siambr a thrwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da. Wrth i ni gychwyn y prynhawn yma, ac, ar eich rhan chi i gyd, dwi'n siŵr, os caf i groesawu'r Prif Weinidog yn ôl i'n plith ni, a'r eitem gyntaf, felly, fydd y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog y prynhawn yma, a'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Ken Skates.
Good afternoon. As we begin this afternoon's session, and, on behalf of you all, I'm sure, I would like to welcome the First Minister back to Plenary. And the first item will be questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Ken Skates.
1. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i helpu pobl ifanc i gael gwaith yn Ne Clwyd? OQ59159
1. What is the Welsh Government doing to help young people into employment in Clwyd South? OQ59159
Llywydd, the continued buoyancy of the economy in north-east Wales is the single greatest help to young people entering employment in the Member’s constituency. For those further from the labour market, the young person’s guarantee provides a range of assistance to prepare young people for, and place them in, the world of work.
Llywydd, bywiogrwydd parhaus yr economi yn y gogledd-ddwyrain yw'r cymorth gorau un i bobl ifanc sy'n dechrau gweithio yn etholaeth yr Aelod. I'r rhai ymhellach o'r farchnad lafur, mae'r warant i bobl ifanc yn cynnig amrywiaeth o gymorth i baratoi pobl ifanc ar gyfer byd gwaith, a'u gosod ynddo.
Thank you, First Minister. The young people's guarantee really has been a tremendous success in the year that it's been operating, having found work for 11,000 people across Wales. And the unemployment rate in Wales continues to track below the UK unemployment rate average as well. What can employers do to attract the workforce of the future, alongside, obviously, the range of excellent Welsh Labour Government schemes such as the young people's guarantee?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Mae'r warant i bobl ifanc wir wedi bod yn llwyddiant ysgubol yn y flwyddyn y mae wedi bod yn gweithredu, ar ôl dod o hyd i waith i 11,000 o bobl ledled Cymru. Ac mae'r gyfradd ddiweithdra yng Nghymru yn parhau i fod yn is na chyfartaledd cyfradd ddiweithdra'r DU hefyd. Beth all cyflogwyr ei wneud i ddenu gweithlu'r dyfodol, ochr yn ochr, yn amlwg, â'r amrywiaeth o gynlluniau rhagorol Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru fel y warant i bobl ifanc?
Well, Llywydd, Welsh Government officials have been engaged recently in a series of meetings with employers in different parts of Wales, including in north Wales. And the story out there, as you know, is no longer a shortage of work, but a shortage of workers. There are 330,000 fewer people in the workforce across the United Kingdom than there were in 2016. And that means that young people in particular are sought after by employers, and the nature of the discussion has been about the sorts of things that young people say to employers that they are looking for. And they're looking for a career path and progression, they're looking for flexibility in the workplace, they're looking for the values that they see an employer bringing—a commitment to fair work, a commitment to climate responsibilities. So, I think there are lessons, very clearly, from young people themselves, about the sorts of things that they will find attractive in a workplace where they are a scarce resource.
The responsibility of Government, Llywydd, comes in making sure that those young people who are not yet ready to enter the workplace get every help that they can through the young person's guarantee, whether that is a place in training, whether it's skill development, whether it's supported placements in the workplace, so that we can make sure that all those young people in Wales, looking to make their contribution to our economy, are fully equipped to do so.
Wel, Llywydd, mae swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cymryd rhan yn ddiweddar mewn cyfres o gyfarfodydd â chyflogwyr mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru, gan gynnwys yn y gogledd. Ac nid prinder gwaith yw'r stori allan yna, fel y gwyddoch, erbyn hyn, ond prinder gweithwyr. Mae 330,000 yn llai o bobl yn y gweithlu ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig nag yr oedd yn 2016. Ac mae hynny'n golygu bod cyflogwyr yn chwilio am bobl ifanc yn arbennig, ac mae natur y drafodaeth wedi bod am y mathau o bethau y mae pobl ifanc yn eu dweud wrth gyflogwyr eu bod nhw'n chwilio amdano. Ac maen nhw'n chwilio am lwybr a datblygiad gyrfaol, maen nhw'n chwilio am hyblygrwydd yn y gweithle, maen nhw'n chwilio am y gwerthoedd y maen nhw'n gweld cyflogwr yn eu cynnig—ymrwymiad i waith teg, ymrwymiad i gyfrifoldebau hinsawdd. Felly, rwy'n credu bod gwersi, yn eglur iawn, gan bobl ifanc eu hunain, am y math o bethau y byddan nhw'n eu hystyried yn ddeniadol mewn gweithle lle maen nhw'n adnodd prin.
Daw cyfrifoldeb y Llywodraeth, Llywydd, o wneud yn siŵr bod y bobl ifanc hynny nad ydyn nhw'n barod eto i fentro i'r gweithle yn cael yr holl gymorth y gallant ei gael drwy'r warant i bobl ifanc, pa un a yw hynny'n lle hyfforddi, yn datblygu sgiliau, yn lleoliadau a gynorthwyir yn y gweithle, fel y gallwn wneud yn siŵr bod yr holl bobl ifanc hynny yng Nghymru, sydd eisiau gwneud eu cyfraniad at ein heconomi, wedi'u paratoi'n llawn i wneud hynny.
I'm grateful to Ken Skates for submitting today's important question. I would like to echo the comments made by him, and by you as well, First Minister, in relation to the young person's guarantee, something which, on these sides of the benches, we have been supporting. Of course, as you outlined, it's that offer there for everyone under the age of 25—the offer of work, education, training or self-employment. And, last week, First Minister, I had the privilege of joining the vice-chancellor and her team at Wrexham Glyndŵr University to hear about all the good work taking place in the business school in particular at the university, and to hear about their relationship with industry, and with businesses in Wrexham and Clwyd South, and in north Wales as a region. So, First Minister, will you join me in recognising the importance of that relationship between higher education and business and industries in north Wales, and in Wales as a whole, and how do you think that that important relationship can be built on to ensure that young people have the opportunity for employment in my region of north Wales?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i Ken Skates am gyflwyno cwestiwn pwysig heddiw. Hoffwn adleisio'r sylwadau a wnaed ganddo, a gennych chithau hefyd, Prif Weinidog, o ran y warant i bobl ifanc, rhywbeth yr ydym ni, ar yr ochrau hyn i'r meinciau, wedi bod yn ei gefnogi. Wrth gwrs, fel y gwnaethoch chi ei amlinellu, mae'n gynnig sydd yno i bawb dan 25 oed—y cynnig o waith, addysg, hyfforddiant neu hunangyflogaeth. Ac, yr wythnos diwethaf, Prif Weinidog, cefais y fraint o ymuno â'r is-ganghellor a'i thîm ym Mhrifysgol Glyndŵr Wrecsam i glywed am yr holl waith da sy'n cael ei wneud yn yr ysgol fusnes yn arbennig yn y brifysgol, ac i glywed am eu perthynas gyda diwydiant, a chyda busnesau yn Wrecsam a De Clwyd, ac yng ngogledd Cymru fel rhanbarth. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a wnewch chi ymuno â mi i gydnabod pwysigrwydd y berthynas honno rhwng addysg uwch a busnes a diwydiannau yn y gogledd, ac yng Nghymru yn ei chyfanrwydd, a sut ydych chi'n credu y gellir adeiladu ar y berthynas bwysig honno i sicrhau bod pobl ifanc yn cael y cyfle o gyflogaeth yn fy rhanbarth i yn y gogledd?
Well, Llywydd, I thank Sam Rowlands for that and absolutely agree with the point he's making, and not just higher education, but further education as well, and north Wales is particularly blessed, I think, in the quality of further education that is provided to young people in those regions.
We know that the experience of the pandemic means that even young people who have attended higher education have a sense of needing to build confidence back in order to be in the workplace. And it is interesting that a number of the schemes that run under the remit of the youth guarantee are actually taking young people who have graduated already under their wing in order to give them that start. And the relationship between the providers of further and higher education and the world of work, I think, is fundamentally important in making sure that those young people who need just that extra step on their journey early on, to make up for some of the experiences that they will have had to navigate over recent times, that that extra help is available to them, and supported from both sides.
Wel, Llywydd, diolch i Sam Rowlands am hynna ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r pwynt y mae'n ei wneud, ac nid addysg uwch yn unig, ond addysg bellach hefyd, ac mae'r gogledd yn arbennig o wyn ei byd, rwy'n credu, o ran ansawdd yr addysg bellach sy'n cael ei darparu i bobl ifanc yn y rhanbarthau hynny.
Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod profiad y pandemig yn golygu bod gan hyd yn oed bobl ifanc sydd wedi mynychu addysg uwch synnwyr o fod angen magu hyder yn ôl er mwyn bod yn y gweithle. Ac mae'n ddiddorol bod nifer o'r cynlluniau sy'n rhedeg o dan gylch gwaith y warant i bobl ifanc yn cymryd pobl ifanc sydd eisoes wedi graddio o dan eu hadain er mwyn rhoi'r cychwyn hwnnw iddyn nhw. Ac mae'r berthynas rhwng darparwyr addysg bellach ac uwch a byd gwaith, rwy'n credu, yn sylfaenol bwysig o ran gwneud yn siŵr bod y bobl ifanc hynny sydd angen y cam ychwanegol hwnnw ar eu taith yn gynnar, i wneud yn iawn am rai o'r profiadau y byddan nhw wedi gorfod mynd drwyddyn nhw yn ystod y cyfnod diweddar, bod y cymorth ychwanegol hwnnw ar gael iddyn nhw, ac yn cael ei gefnogi o'r ddwy ochr.
2. Pa drafodaethau mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi eu cael gyda Chyngor Sir Ddinbych ynglŷn â chynlluniau i ailosod pont Llannerch rhwng Trefnant a Thremeirchion? OQ59153
2. What discussions has the First Minister had with Denbighshire County Council regarding plans to replace the Llannerch bridge between Trefnant and Tremeirchion? OQ59153
I thank the Member for that question, Llywydd. Following discussions with Welsh Government officials, I can confirm that the council has bid for funding via our resilient roads fund to assist with the replacement of the bridge.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Yn dilyn trafodaethau gyda swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru, gallaf gadarnhau bod y cyngor wedi gwneud cais am gyllid trwy ein cronfa ffyrdd cydnerth i gynorthwyo gydag ailosod y bont.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. A public meeting was recently held at the White House in Rhuallt, regarding progress with the much-needed reconstruction of Llannerch bridge, following its erosion through natural causes with storm Christoph, back in 2021. Local Denbighshire residents, councillors, council leaders, and departmental heads from the authority engaged productively on officers' strategy to complete a replacement by 2026, pending Welsh Government's approval of Denbighshire County Council's recently submitted, as you've mentioned, business case for funding. As you know, residents of rural communities such as Trefnant and Tremeirchion have been isolated for two years since the bridge's collapse, and the lack of a replacement continues to prove a barrier to the Welsh Government's own climate change policy on banning road building in Wales, also necessitating lengthy road diversions and adding to burdensome costs to family budgets and various council departmental budgets. The overwhelming character of the public meeting was of a united endeavour and wish to work across the political divide to ensure that this key piece of local and historic infrastructure is restored at the earliest juncture. So, First Minister, can you today provide details of your observations of the business case from Denbighshire County Council, and detail your strategy for making sure that the good people of rural Denbighshire can stay connected, with the replacement of Llannerch bridge, to ensure the safe movement of rural residents in Denbighshire? Thank you.
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Cynhaliwyd cyfarfod cyhoeddus yn ddiweddar yn y White House yn Rhuallt, ynglŷn â chynnydd o ran y gwaith o ailadeiladu pont Llannerch yr oedd mawr ei angen, yn dilyn ei herydiad drwy achosion naturiol yn sgil storm Christoph, yn ôl yn 2021. Cafodd trigolion lleol, cynghorwyr, arweinwyr cyngor, a phenaethiaid adrannol o'r awdurdod yn sir Ddinbych drafodaeth gynhyrchiol ar strategaeth y swyddogion i gwblhau gwaith ailosod erbyn 2026, yn amodol ar gymeradwyaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i achos busnes Cyngor Sir Ddinbych, a gyflwynwyd yn ddiweddar, fel yr ydych chi wedi sôn, am gyllid. Fel y gwyddoch, mae trigolion cymunedau gwledig fel Trefnant a Thremeirchion wedi cael eu hynysu am ddwy flynedd ers cwymp y bont, ac mae diffyg pont newydd yn parhau i fod yn rhwystr i bolisi newid hinsawdd Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun ar wahardd adeiladu ffyrdd yng Nghymru, a hefyd yn gwneud dargyfeiriadau ffyrdd maith yn angenrheidiol ac yn ychwanegu at gostau beichus i gyllidebau teuluol a gwahanol gyllidebau adrannol y cyngor. Roedd cymeriad pendant y cyfarfod cyhoeddus yn un o ymdrech unedig a dymuniad i weithio ar draws y rhaniad gwleidyddol i sicrhau bod y darn allweddol hwn o seilwaith lleol a hanesyddol yn cael ei adfer cyn gynted â phosibl. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi ddarparu manylion heddiw o'ch arsylwadau o'r achos busnes gan Gyngor Sir Ddinbych, a rhoi manylion eich strategaeth i wneud yn siŵr bod pobl dda cefn gwlad sir Ddinbych yn gallu parhau wedi'u cysylltu, trwy ailosod pont Llannerch, i sicrhau symudiad diogel trigolion cefn gwlad sir Ddinbych? Diolch.
Llywydd, I thank Gareth Davies for those further questions. I agree with him—it's certainly not a matter of political contention that the needs of those local residents need to be attended to. The resilient roads fund, Llywydd, normally only takes applications from pre-existing schemes, but in this case, with the bridge having been destroyed by natural causes, an exception has been made so that a bid can be made to that fund. And the bid, as the Member said, has now been received. It looks for some hundreds of thousands of pounds in the next financial year in order to do the necessary preparation work, because while the proposal, as I understand it, is essentially for a like-for-like replacement, with some additional active travel components, even a like-for-like bridge will require design work, and there will need to be modelling, given that it was flooding that caused the destruction of the bridge, and it's possible that some modest land acquisition will be needed to take it forward. Those are the components of work that Denbighshire County Council look to complete in the next financial year. Now, I have to just say to the Member that there are a large number of bids, as you would expect, for that fund, and officials are having to assess all the bids that come in, in the fairest possible way, and then will look to see whether it is possible to provide the funding that is being looked for next year, so that that necessary preparatory work can be completed and residents in the Member's constituency can look forward to a positive plan for the bridge to be replaced.
Llywydd, diolch i Gareth Davies am y cwestiynau pellach yna. Rwy'n cytuno ag ef—yn sicr nid yw'n fater o ddadlau gwleidyddol bod angen diwallu anghenion y trigolion lleol hynny. Fel rheol, Llywydd, mae'r gronfa ffyrdd cydnerth yn cymryd ceisiadau gan gynlluniau sy'n bodoli eisoes yn unig, ond yn yr achos hwn, gan fod y bont wedi cael ei dinistrio gan achosion naturiol, gwnaed eithriad fel bod modd gwneud cais i'r gronfa honno. Ac mae'r cais, fel y dywedodd yr Aelod, bellach wedi dod i law. Mae'n gofyn am rai cannoedd o filoedd o bunnau yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf er mwyn gwneud y gwaith paratoi angenrheidiol, oherwydd er bod y cynnig, fel yr wyf i'n ei ddeall, ar gyfer pont sydd yr un fath yn ei hanfod, gyda rhai elfennau teithio llesol ychwanegol, bydd angen gwaith dylunio ar bont sydd yr un fath hyd yn oed, a bydd angen modelu, o gofio mai llifogydd a achosodd chwalfa'r bont, ac mae'n bosibl y bydd angen rhywfaint o gaffael tir cymedrol i fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith. Dyna'r elfennau gwaith y mae Cyngor Sir Ddinbych eisiau eu cwblhau yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf. Nawr, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud wrth yr Aelod bod nifer fawr o geisiadau, fel y byddech chi'n ei ddisgwyl, i'r gronfa honno, ac mae'n rhaid i swyddogion asesu'r holl geisiadau sy'n dod i mewn, yn y ffordd decaf bosibl, ac yna byddan nhw'n edrych i weld a yw'n bosibl darparu'r cyllid y gofynnir amdano ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf, fel y gellir cwblhau'r gwaith paratoi angenrheidiol hwnnw ac y gall trigolion yn etholaeth yr Aelod edrych ymlaen at gynllun cadarnhaol i ailosod y bont.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. First Minister, the news that the Welsh Government was putting Betsi Cadwaladr into special measures yesterday took some people by surprise, but wasn't unexpected, given the auditor general's report from the week before. The actions of the health Minister in requesting the resignations of the independent board members, given the content of that report, were surprising, because in the report it talks of the cohesiveness of the independent board members in their ability to hold the executive members to account and their frustration at the executive members not being able to engage fully. The chief executive or chief operating officer of the community health council up there has said he was shocked to see that the independent board members had to resign. Why did the independent board members, bearing in mind the words in the report about the cohesiveness and the work that they were doing as independent board members, have to resign?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, cafodd rhai pobl eu synnu gan y newyddion bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud Betsi Cadwaladr yn destun mesurau arbennig ddoe, ond nid oedd yn annisgwyl, o ystyried adroddiad yr archwilydd cyffredinol o'r wythnos flaenorol. Roedd gweithredoedd y Gweinidog iechyd yn gofyn am ymddiswyddiadau aelodau annibynnol y bwrdd, o ystyried cynnwys yr adroddiad hwnnw, yn syndod, oherwydd yn yr adroddiad mae'n sôn am gydlyniant aelodau annibynnol y bwrdd yn eu gallu i ddwyn yr aelodau gweithredol i gyfrif a'u rhwystredigaeth at anallu'r aelodau gweithredol i ymgysylltu'n llawn. Mae prif weithredwr neu brif swyddog gweithredu'r cyngor iechyd cymuned i fyny yn y fan honno wedi dweud ei fod wedi cael ei synnu o weld y bu'n rhaid i aelodau annibynnol y bwrdd ymddiswyddo. Pam y bu'n rhaid i aelodau annibynnol y bwrdd, gan gofio'r geiriau yn yr adroddiad am y cydlyniant a'r gwaith yr oedden nhw'n ei wneud fel aelodau annibynnol o'r bwrdd, ymddiswyddo?
Well, I don't think, myself, Llywydd, that it could have come as a shock to anybody who was reasonably well-informed about the operation of the board. I'm looking now at the letter sent by Janet Finch-Saunders, a member of the leader of the opposition's own group, to the Minister in which she called for the entire removal of the board, including independent members who are found to be unable to deliver what is required by internal interventions. If it was apparent to a local Conservative Member that independent members needed to be removed, I find it difficult to imagine that it was shocking news to anybody else in the north of Wales. What the Minister did was to make an assessment of what the auditor general had said, plus other sources of information that concluded that the fractured relationships within the board were clear, ongoing, deep-seated and intractable and that working relations could not be repaired. That is the basis on which the Minister made her decision.
Wel, nid wyf i'n credu, fy hun, Llywydd, y gallai fod wedi bod yn syndod i unrhyw un a oedd yn weddol gyfarwydd â gweithrediad y bwrdd. Rwy'n edrych nawr ar y llythyr a anfonwyd gan Janet Finch-Saunders, aelod o grŵp arweinydd yr wrthblaid ei hun, at y Gweinidog pan alwodd am gael gwared ar y bwrdd yn gyfan gwbl, gan gynnwys aelodau annibynnol y canfyddir nad ydyn nhw'n gallu cyflawni'r hyn sy'n ofynnol trwy ymyraethau mewnol. Os oedd yn amlwg i Aelod Ceidwadol lleol bod angen cael gwared ar aelodau annibynnol, rwy'n ei chael hi'n anodd dychmygu ei fod yn newyddion syfrdanol i unrhyw un arall yn y gogledd. Yr hyn a wnaeth y Gweinidog oedd gwneud asesiad o'r hyn yr oedd yr archwilydd cyffredinol wedi ei ddweud, yn ogystal â ffynonellau eraill o wybodaeth a ddaeth i'r casgliad bod y perthnasoedd a oedd wedi torri o fewn y bwrdd yn eglur, yn barhaus, yn ddwfn ac yn anhydrin ac nad oedd modd trwsio perthnasoedd gwaith. Dyna'r sail y gwnaeth y Gweinidog ei phenderfyniad arni.
The point I was making about the special measures, First Minister, was that residents in north Wales, given that the health board was only recently taken out of special measures, would understandably be shocked that it's going back into special measures after being in special measures for six years. The independent members of the board, by the words of the report of the auditor general, were working in a cohesive manner to hold the executive to account. Now, I hear what you say about my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders, the Member for Aberconwy, and I'm sure, through her interactions, she has formed an opinion, but the comments from the health Minister, stating that these independent members had to resign, do not bear fruit with the evidence that the auditor general had in his report. The point I am making to you is that, throughout that report, the executive members were held to be deficient in their work and their responsibilities, and, actually, the arguments and discussions that were held within the board, very often, were at the feet of those executive members being poorly informed, not across the issues that they had executive responsibility for, and yet each and every one of those individuals is still in place. So, can you not see where the ability to understand the logic of demanding the independent members resign—? But executive members, who are criticised right the way through this report—right the way through this report—are still in post.
Y pwynt yr oeddwn i'n ei wneud am y mesurau arbennig, Prif Weinidog, oedd y byddai trigolion yn y gogledd, o gofio mai dim ond yn ddiweddar y cafodd y bwrdd iechyd ei dynnu allan o fesurau arbennig, yn cael eu synnu, yn ddealladwy, ei fod yn dychwelyd i fesurau arbennig ar ôl bod mewn mesurau arbennig am chwe blynedd. Roedd aelodau annibynnol y bwrdd, yn ôl geiriau adroddiad yr archwilydd cyffredinol, yn gweithio mewn ffordd gydlynol i ddwyn y weithrediaeth i gyfrif. Nawr, rwy'n clywed yr hyn yr ydych chi'n ei ddweud am fy nghyd-Aelod Janet Finch-Saunders, yr Aelod dros Aberconwy, ac rwy'n siŵr, drwy ei rhyngweithio, ei bod wedi ffurfio barn, ond nid yw'r sylwadau gan y Gweinidog iechyd, yn dweud bod yn rhaid i'r aelodau annibynnol hyn ymddiswyddo, yn gyson â'r dystiolaeth a oedd gan yr archwilydd cyffredinol yn ei adroddiad. Y pwynt yr wyf i'n ei wneud i chi yw, drwy gydol yr adroddiad hwnnw, nodwyd bod yr aelodau gweithredol yn ddiffygiol yn eu gwaith a'u cyfrifoldebau, ac, mewn gwirionedd, roedd y dadleuon a'r trafodaethau a gynhaliwyd o fewn y bwrdd, yn aml iawn, wrth draed y ffaith fod yr aelodau gweithredol hynny yn anwybodus, nid ar draws y materion yr oedd ganddyn nhw gyfrifoldeb gweithredol amdanyn nhw, ac eto mae pob un o'r unigolion hynny yn dal yn ei swydd. Felly, oni allwch chi weld lle mae'r gallu i ddeall rhesymeg mynnu bod yr aelodau annibynnol yn ymddiswyddo—? Ond mae'r aelodau gweithredol, sy'n cael eu beirniadu yr holl ffordd drwy'r adroddiad hwn—yr holl ffordd drwy'r adroddiad hwn—yn dal yn eu swyddi.
I understand a number of the points that the Member makes, and what I think he needs to do is to allow the story to continue to unfold. What you saw yesterday was the first set of measures that the Minister has taken. There are very real criticisms of executive members and those, too, will need to be attended to. The fact that those actions were not taken yesterday should not be taken as meaning that no action will be taken at all. It's just that things have to be done in a way that respects people's legal rights and in a way that would stand up to external scrutiny. The board, however, has to operate as a coherent whole, and you cannot, I think, sensibly separate the responsibilities of the executive and the independent members. When you have reports of a breakdown in those relationships, when you read of the way in which the conduct and behaviour of the board has itself become part of the problem of providing health services in north Wales, then actions to deal with the whole of the board, including its independent members, who are not exonerated in any way by the auditor general's report, nor by other information from north Wales—. What you saw yesterday was a starting point. There is a good deal more to do.
Rwy'n deall nifer o'r pwyntiau y mae'r Aelod yn eu gwneud, a'r hyn yr wyf i'n credu y mae angen iddo ei wneud yw caniatáu i'r stori barhau i ddatblygu. Yr hyn a welsoch chi ddoe oedd y gyfres gyntaf o fesurau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi eu cymryd. Ceir beirniadaethau gwirioneddol iawn o aelodau gweithredol a bydd angen rhoi sylw i'r rheini hefyd. Ni ddylid cymryd y ffaith na chymerwyd y camau hynny ddoe fel pe bai'n golygu na fydd unrhyw gamau yn cael eu cymryd o gwbl. Dim ond bod yn rhaid gwneud pethau mewn ffordd sy'n parchu hawliau cyfreithiol pobl ac mewn ffordd a fyddai'n sefyll i fyny i graffu allanol. Fodd bynnag, mae'n rhaid i'r bwrdd weithredu fel cyfanwaith cydlynol, ac ni allwch, rwy'n credu, wahanu'n synhwyrol cyfrifoldebau'r weithrediaeth a'r aelodau annibynnol. Pan fydd gennych adroddiadau o fethiant yn y cysylltiadau hynny, pan fyddwch chi'n darllen am y ffordd y mae ymddygiad a gweithredoedd y bwrdd eu hunain wedi dod yn rhan o'r broblem o ddarparu gwasanaethau iechyd yn y gogledd, yna mae camau i ymdrin â'r bwrdd cyfan, gan gynnwys ei aelodau annibynnol, nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu rhyddhau o fai mewn unrhyw ffordd gan adroddiad yr archwilydd cyffredinol, na chwaith gan wybodaeth arall o'r gogledd—. Man cychwyn oedd yr hyn a welsoch chi ddoe. Mae llawer iawn mwy i'w wneud.
With the point about 'a good deal more to do', First Minister, what is the vision for the Welsh Government's thinking when it comes to health provision in north Wales? It isn't right. It isn't fair for the staff within that health board, and importantly the patients and people of north Wales who depend on their primary and acute care for delivery by Betsi Cadwaladr health board. Can the existing model be resurrected, reinvigorated and re-energised to deliver that healthcare, or is the thinking of the Welsh Government that a clean break is required, and, ultimately, over the medium to long term, given the evidence that has accumulated to date, something completely different needs to emerge about providing health in north Wales?
Gyda'r pwynt am 'lawer iawn mwy i'w wneud', Prif Weinidog, beth yw'r weledigaeth ar gyfer meddylfryd Llywodraeth Cymru pan ddaw hi at ddarpariaeth iechyd yn y gogledd? Nid yw'n iawn. Nid yw'n deg i'r staff yn y bwrdd iechyd hwnnw, ac yn bwysig, i gleifion a phobl yn y gogledd sy'n dibynnu ar eu gofal sylfaenol ac acíwt sy'n cael ei ddarparu gan fwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr. A oes modd atgyfodi'r model presennol, ei ailfywiogi a'i ailsbarduno i ddarparu'r gofal iechyd hwnnw, neu ai meddylfryd Llywodraeth Cymru yw bod angen toriad llwyr, ac, yn y pen draw, dros y tymor canolig i'r hirdymor, o ystyried y dystiolaeth sydd wedi dod i'r amlwg hyd yma, bod angen i rywbeth hollol wahanol ddod i'r amlwg o ran darparu iechyd yn y gogledd?
Well, Llywydd, the immediate action is to appoint a small number of individuals to discharge the legal functions and to stabilise the organisation. You know that a chair has been appointed and there will be three other members alongside the chair, and their job in the short term is to stabilise the organisation, to concentrate on the appointment of a new chief executive.
What I would say to the leader of the opposition is this: I think one of the things that we have learned from the difficult experience from time to time at Betsi Cadwaladr, a board, by the way, which does go on, through its staff, providing successful treatment to thousands of patients every single day, is that reliance on heroic individuals, the idea that a new chair, by him or herself, will solve the problems of the organisation, or a new chief executive by her or himself is the answer—I think we've learnt that that is not a sufficient response to the way in which services over such a diverse population, with cultural differences between the north-west and the north-east, that our reliance on the idea that if you could only get the right person that that would solve the issues that have been there now over a persistent period of time, that, by itself, is not the answer. It will need something that is more fundamental than that, and the actions the Minister took yesterday and the statement she'll make later this afternoon will explain how that more fundamental reform of the organisation will be taken forward in the future.
Wel, Llywydd, y cam cyntaf yw penodi nifer fach o unigolion i gyflawni'r swyddogaethau cyfreithiol ac i sefydlogi'r sefydliad. Rydych chi'n gwybod bod cadeirydd wedi ei benodi a bydd tri aelod arall ochr yn ochr â'r cadeirydd, a'u gwaith yn y tymor byr yw sefydlogi'r sefydliad, i ganolbwyntio ar benodi prif weithredwr newydd.
Yr hyn y byddwn i'n ei ddweud wrth arweinydd yr wrthblaid yw hyn: rwy'n credu mai un o'r pethau yr ydym ni wedi ei ddysgu o'r profiad anodd o bryd i'w gilydd yn Betsi Cadwaladr, bwrdd, gyda llaw, sy'n parhau, drwy ei staff, i ddarparu triniaeth lwyddiannus i filoedd o gleifion bob un dydd, yw'r ddibyniaeth honno ar unigolion arwrol, y syniad y bydd cadeirydd newydd, ar ei ben neu ei phen ei hun, yn datrys problemau'r sefydliad, neu mai prif weithredwr newydd ar ei phen neu ei ben ei hun yw'r ateb—rwy'n credu ein bod ni wedi dysgu nad yw hwnnw'n ymateb digonol i'r ffordd y mae gwasanaethau dros boblogaeth mor amrywiol, gyda gwahaniaethau diwylliannol rhwng y gogledd-orllewin a'r gogledd-ddwyrain, y byddai ein dibyniaeth ar y syniad, pe gallech chi dim ond cael y person iawn y byddai hynny'n datrys y problemau a fu yno nawr dros gyfnod parhaus o amser, nad dyna, ar ei ben ei hun, yw'r ateb. Bydd angen rhywbeth sy'n fwy sylfaenol na hynny, a bydd y camau a gymerodd y Gweinidog ddoe a'r datganiad y bydd yn ei wneud yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma yn esbonio sut y bydd diwygiad mwy sylfaenol y sefydliad yn digwydd yn y dyfodol.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.
Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price.
Diolch, Llywydd. Betsi Cadwaladr is a failing health board. It's failing patients and it's failing staff. The Tawel Fan inquiry found a catalogue of shocking and unacceptable failures in the care of some of the most vulnerable patients, some with dementia, left to lie naked on the floor. Patient safety risks have been identified, with several critical reports into vascular services. An amputee's wife had to carry him to the toilet after he was sent home from hospital without a care plan. There are fractured working relationships, as you've just referred to, First Minister, fundamentally compromising the health board's ability to deal with the significant challenges it faces—not my words, but those of the auditor general. I've highlighted just three reports, but that's just the tip of the iceberg, as you yourself have just intimated. How many more damning reports are you willing to accept on your watch before a Labour health Minister takes responsibility?
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae Betsi Cadwaladr yn fwrdd iechyd sy'n methu. Mae'n methu cleifion ac mae'n methu staff. Daeth ymchwiliad Tawel Fan o hyd i restr o fethiannau dychrynllyd ac annerbyniol yng ngofal rhai o'r cleifion mwyaf agored i niwed, rhai â dementia, a adawyd i orwedd yn noeth ar y llawr. Nodwyd risgiau diogelwch cleifion, gyda sawl adroddiad beirniadol ar wasanaethau fasgwlaidd. Bu'n rhaid i wraig gŵr trychedig ei gario i'r tŷ bach ar ôl iddo gael ei anfon adref o'r ysbyty heb gynllun gofal. Ceir perthnasoedd gwaith sydd wedi torri, fel yr ydych chi newydd gyfeirio atyn nhw, Prif Weinidog, sy'n peryglu'n sylfaenol gallu'r bwrdd iechyd i ymdrin â'r heriau sylweddol y mae'n eu hwynebu—nid fy ngeiriau i, ond rhai'r archwilydd cyffredinol. Rwyf i wedi tynnu sylw at dri adroddiad yn unig, ond dim ond crib y rhewfryn yw hynny, fel yr ydych chi eich hun newydd ei awgrymu. Faint yn fwy o adroddiadau damniol ydych chi'n fodlon eu derbyn o dan eich goruchwyliaeth cyn i Weinidog iechyd Llafur gymryd cyfrifoldeb?
Well, Llywydd, the Labour health Minister took responsibility yesterday, and there are 60 minutes for Members to ask questions of the Minister later this afternoon.
Wel, Llywydd, cymerodd y Gweinidog iechyd Llafur gyfrifoldeb ddoe, a cheir 60 munud i'r Aelodau ofyn cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma.
Your Government's decision to take Betsi out of special measures was a blatant attempt to pull the wool over people's eyes. Two years ago, and with an election looming, you wanted to give the impression that you had guided the health board through significant reform, that you had done your job. It was premature. It's proved to be reckless, and it demonstrated a lack of judgment and leadership. In a BBC interview last night, the health Minister said, 'I can't be there doing the operations myself.' It was, to say the least, a glib response. There's no expectation that the Minister wears scrubs, but at the very least we should expect Ministers to show the necessary leadership to turn the health board around. This morning, the Minister said:
'It wasn't my job to have a grasp on things, they were in charge.'
Will there ever be a point where the buck stops with the Minister? Or is it just the board that can be hired and fired?
Roedd penderfyniad eich Llywodraeth i dynnu Betsi allan o fesurau arbennig yn ymgais amlwg i daflu llwch i lygaid pobl. Ddwy flynedd yn ôl, a chydag etholiad ar y gorwel, roeddech chi eisiau rhoi'r argraff eich bod chi wedi llywio'r bwrdd iechyd trwy ddiwygiad sylweddol, eich bod chi wedi gwneud eich gwaith. Roedd yn rhy gynnar. Profwyd ei fod yn fyrbwyll, a dangosodd ddiffyg crebwyll ac arweinyddiaeth. Mewn cyfweliad gyda'r BBC neithiwr, dywedodd y Gweinidog iechyd, 'Ni allaf i fod yno'n cyflawni'r llawdriniaethau fy hun.' Roedd yn ymateb gwamal, a dweud y lleiaf. Nid oes unrhyw ddisgwyliad i'r Gweinidog wisgo sgrybs, ond dylem ni o leiaf ddisgwyl i Weinidogion ddangos yr arweinyddiaeth angenrheidiol i droi'r bwrdd iechyd o gwmpas. Y bore yma, dywedodd y Gweinidog:
'Nid fy nghyfrifoldeb i oedd cael gafael ar bethau, nhw oedd wrth y llyw.'
A fydd adeg fyth pan fydd y Gweinidog â'r cyfrifoldeb terfynol? Neu ai dim ond y bwrdd y gellir ei gyflogi a'i ddiswyddo?
Well, given his contribution so far this afternoon, I think the Member will wish to reflect on his use of the word 'glib' in relation to anybody else's contributions. Let me tell him now that that I utterly reject what I regard as a disgraceful charge that the decisions made in November 2020 were motivated by anything other than the advice that the Welsh Government received from the tripartite system on which we rely. The decision, and it is a decision of Ministers, to take the board out of special measures was because we were advised that that is what we should do by the auditor general, by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and by Welsh Government officials whose job it is to provide Ministers with the advice.FootnoteLink That was the basis of the decision, and I think the Member should withdraw what he has said by casting, I think, a slur on the reputation of those bodies. He's happy enough for us to follow their advice when it suits him, and when it doesn't suit him he wants to cast aspersions on the motives of Welsh Government Ministers. He should know better.
Wel, o ystyried ei gyfraniad hyd yn hyn y prynhawn yma, rwy'n credu y bydd yr Aelod yn dymuno myfyrio ar ei ddefnydd o'r gair 'gwamal' yng nghyswllt cyfraniadau unrhyw un arall. Gadewch i mi ddweud wrtho nawr fy mod i'n gwrthod yn llwyr yr hyn yr wyf i'n ei ystyried yn gyhuddiad gwarthus bod y penderfyniadau a wnaed ym mis Tachwedd 2020 wedi'u hysgogi gan unrhyw beth heblaw'r cyngor a gafodd Llywodraeth Cymru gan y system dair ochrog yr ydym ni'n dibynnu arni. Daethpwyd i'r penderfyniad, ac mae'n benderfyniad gan Weinidogion, i dynnu'r bwrdd allan o fesurau arbennig oherwydd i ni gael ein cynghori mai dyna ddylem ni ei wneud gan yr archwilydd cyffredinol, gan Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru a chan swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n gyfrifol am ddarparu'r cyngor i Weinidogion.FootnoteLink Dyna oedd sail y penderfyniad, ac rwy'n credu y dylai'r Aelod dynnu yn ôl yr hyn y mae wedi ei ddweud drwy sarhau, yn fy marn i, enw da'r cyrff hynny. Mae'n ddigon hapus i ni ddilyn eu cyngor pan fydd yn ei siwtio ef, a phan nad yw'n ei siwtio mae eisiau lladd ar gymhellion Gweinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru. Dylai wybod yn well.
The King's Fund that was working with the health board on governance, this is how they described things in the winter of 2020, when you decided it was fit to take the health board out of special measures: the fund observed deteriorating executive behaviour, with individual executive team members criticising each other to the chair and independent members, deepening independent member concern about executive team cohesion. How, on the basis of that informed judgment on behalf of the King's Fund, who were working with the board at the time, could you decide that it was right to take them out of special measures?
I have to say to the First Minister, this is part of a wider pattern, isn't it, of a catastrophic mismanagement on the part of this Government of healthcare. And after 25 years of responsibility for delivering healthcare in Wales, isn't it true that you've simply run out of ideas? You're throwing money at short-term, sticking-plaster solutions, with ever diminishing returns. Are you prepared, in looking at a root-and-branch review and reform of Betsi Cadwaladr, are you prepared to consider the option to break up the board completely and have a different structure, as Plaid Cymru has consistently advocated, rather than simply, once again, rearranging the deck chairs on a sinking ship?
Y King's Fund a oedd yn gweithio gyda'r bwrdd iechyd ar lywodraethu, dyma sut y gwnaethon nhw ddisgrifio pethau yn ystod gaeaf 2020, pan wnaethoch chi benderfynu ei bod hi'n briodol tynnu'r bwrdd iechyd allan o fesurau arbennig: fe welodd y gronfa ymddygiad gweithredol a oedd yn dirywio, gydag aelodau unigol o'r tîm gweithredol yn beirniadu ei gilydd i'r cadeirydd ac aelodau annibynnol, gan ddwysau pryderon aelodau annibynnol am gydlyniant y tîm gweithredol. Sut, ar sail y dyfarniad cytbwys hwnnw ar ran y King's Fund, a oedd yn gweithio gyda'r bwrdd ar y pryd, allech chi benderfynu ei bod hi'n iawn eu tynnu nhw allan o fesurau arbennig?
Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud wrth y Prif Weinidog, mae hyn yn rhan o batrwm ehangach, onid yw, o gamreolaeth drychinebus ar ran y Llywodraeth hon o ofal iechyd. Ac ar ôl 25 mlynedd o gyfrifoldeb am ddarparu gofal iechyd yng Nghymru, onid yw'n wir eich bod chi wedi rhedeg allan o syniadau? Rydych chi'n taflu arian at atebion byrdymor, plaster glynu, gydag enillion sy'n lleihau'n barhaus. A ydych chi'n barod i edrych ar adolygiad o'r bôn i'r brig a diwygio Betsi Cadwaladr, a ydych chi'n barod i ystyried yr opsiwn o chwalu'r bwrdd yn llwyr a chael gwahanol strwythur, fel y mae Plaid Cymru wedi ei hyrwyddo'n gyson, yn hytrach nac aildrefnu, unwaith eto, y cadeiriau cynfas ar long sy'n suddo?
Well, Llywydd, the King's Fund report was published in November 2022, not in November 2020, when the decision was made. I advise the Member to read what was said by the British Medical Association on 6 December, when they said that the problem of the Welsh NHS was that 'wolf' had been cried too often, including by them, and I think he's just at it again today. The Welsh NHS, every single day, provides successful treatment. I know he wants to shake his head, but this is simply the truth of the matter, isn't it? To his constituents, to my constituents, and to constituents of every other Member here, the health service in Wales provides, every single day, effective treatment provided by dedicated people who go far beyond what could be expected of them to do. We don't get more out of the health service or tend to the very real challenges that it faces in north Wales and elsewhere by not recognising that it is a system that continues to succeed far more than it fails. Where there is a need for action, as there was yesterday, the Minister took that action, and she's here in the Senedd this afternoon to explain to Members and to answer further questions on why her action was necessary and what will now take place.
Wel, Llywydd, cyhoeddwyd adroddiad y King's Fund ym mis Tachwedd 2022, nid ym mis Tachwedd 2020, pan wnaed y penderfyniad. Rwy'n cynghori'r Aelod i ddarllen yr hyn a ddywedwyd gan Gymdeithas Feddygol Prydain ar 6 Rhagfyr, pan wnaethon nhw ddweud mai problem GIG Cymru oedd y bloeddiwyd 'blaidd' yn rhy aml, gan gynnwys ganddyn nhw, ac rwy'n credu ei fod ef yn gwneud hynny eto heddiw. Mae GIG Cymru, bob un dydd, yn darparu triniaeth lwyddiannus. Gwn ei fod eisiau ysgwyd ei ben, ond dyma, yn syml, yw gwirionedd y mater. I'w etholwyr ef, i fy etholwyr i, ac i etholwyr pob Aelod arall yma, mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru yn darparu, bob un dydd, driniaeth effeithiol a ddarperir gan bobl ymroddedig sy'n mynd ymhell y tu hwnt i'r hyn y gellid disgwyl iddyn nhw ei wneud. Dydyn ni ddim yn cael mwy allan o'r gwasanaeth iechyd nac yn rhoi sylw i'r heriau gwirioneddol iawn y mae'n eu hwynebu yn y gogledd ac mewn mannau eraill trwy beidio â chydnabod ei bod hi'n system sy'n parhau i lwyddo llawer mwy nag y mae'n methu. Lle mae angen gweithredu, fel yr oedd ddoe, fe wnaeth y Gweinidog gymryd y camau hynny, ac mae hi yma yn y Senedd y prynhawn yma i egluro i'r Aelodau ac i ateb cwestiynau pellach ynglŷn â pham roedd ei chamau yn angenrheidiol a'r hyn a fydd yn digwydd nawr.
3. Pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n eu cymryd i leihau'r defnydd o blaladdwyr niweidiol? OQ59154
3. What action is the Welsh Government taking to reduce the use of harmful pesticides? OQ59154
Llywydd, our policy is to reduce, to the lowest possible level, the effect of pesticide on people, wildlife, plants and the wider environment. There has been a steady reduction in agricultural pesticide use in Wales over the devolution period, but there is more that we can and will do in the future.
Llywydd, ein polisi yw lleihau, i'r lefel isaf bosibl, effaith plaladdwyr ar bobl, bywyd gwyllt, planhigion a'r amgylchedd ehangach. Bu gostyngiad cyson yn y defnydd o blaladdwyr amaethyddol yng Nghymru dros y cyfnod datganoli, ond mae mwy y gallwn ni, ac y byddwn ni'n ei wneud yn y dyfodol.
Can I thank the First Minister for that response? All chemical pesticides are potentially harmful to people and the environment. Of course, some are worse than others, but none are completely safe. Whilst all pesticides are designated to kill targeted pests and problems, unfortunately it's much, much more than those specific targets that are affected; many are washed into rivers, creating problems. The worst pesticides include atrazine, hexachlorobenzene, glyphosate, methomyl and rotenone. Based on World Health Organization data, they're particularly hazardous because of bioaccumulation, persistence in water, soil and sediment, toxicity to aquatic organisms, and toxicity to bees and the ecosystem. Glyphosate is regularly used. Will the First Minister look either to ban the aforementioned pesticides or suggest that they are not used by public bodies in Wales?
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Prif Weinidog am yr ymateb yna? Mae pob plaladdwr cemegol o bosibl yn niweidiol i bobl a'r amgylchedd. Wrth gwrs, mae rhai yn waeth nag eraill, ond nid oes yr un ohonyn nhw'n gwbl ddiogel. Er bod pob plaladdwr wedi'i ddynodi i ladd plâu a phroblemau wedi'u targedu, yn anffodus effeithir ar lawer iawn mwy na'r targedau penodol hynny; mae llawer yn cael eu golchi i mewn i afonydd, gan greu problemau. Mae'r plaladdwyr gwaethaf yn cynnwys atrasin, hecsaclorobensen, glyffosad, methomyl a rotenon. Yn seiliedig ar ddata Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd, maen nhw'n arbennig o beryglus oherwydd biogasglu, dyfalbarhad mewn dŵr, pridd a gwaddodion, gwenwyndra i organebau dyfrol, a gwenwyndra i wenyn a'r ecosystem. Defnyddir glyffosad yn rheolaidd. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ystyried naill ai i wahardd y plaladdwyr y cyfeiriais atyn nhw neu awgrymu nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu defnyddio gan gyrff cyhoeddus yng Nghymru?
Well, I thank Mike Hedges for that further question. I think these are really important issues that deserve to be more thoroughly and regularly publicly aired. There's good news, I think, in responding to him: the note that I have tells me that atrazine, hexachlorobenzene and methomyl are already banned for use in the United Kingdom and here in Wales. Rotenone has its use limited now to dealing only with invasive fish species, and I think that probably points to the dilemma at the heart of the debate that Mike Hedges has opened for us this afternoon, which is, while pesticides can cause harm, sometimes there are genuine uses for them that prevent even larger harm, and dealing with invasive species is one of the ways in which those powerful chemical pesticides can still have a beneficial use.
Glyphosate is the most commonly used of the pesticides that Mike Hedges referred to. We have up until now followed the rules used in the European Union. The European Union extended its existing permissions for the use of glyphosate for a further 12 months in November of last year, and it's expected that they will issue fresh advice on that before the end of this calendar year. That will feed into a new United Kingdom national action plan for sustainable use of pesticides. We're expecting that by the middle of 2023.
Wales can go further than that plan if we are not satisfied with its scope, and I very much agree with the point that Mike Hedges made towards the end of his supplementary question: in the policy world that surrounds pesticides, they talk of three different use classes. There is agriculture, there is amateur use—you can buy glyphosate in any garden centre—and then there is amenity use, the use of such pesticides by local authorities and others. That's the area that I am keen that we focus on. I don't believe there is a case for using that sort of chemical, for example, on a school playing field, but we don't yet have a rulebook in Wales that prevents that from happening. There's a great deal of good work that goes on to reduce the use of pesticides in that way; there are opportunities in this calendar year to make that more formally part of the system that we have in Wales.
Wel, diolch i Mike Hedges am y cwestiwn pellach yna. Rwy'n credu bod y rhain yn faterion pwysig iawn sy'n haeddu cael eu trafod yn gyhoeddus yn fwy trylwyr a rheolaidd. Mae newyddion da, rwy'n credu, yn yr ymateb iddo: mae'r nodyn sydd gen i yn dweud wrthyf fod y defnydd o atrasin, hecsaclorobensin a methomyl eisoes wedi ei wahardd yn y Deyrnas Unedig ac yma yng Nghymru. Mae'r defnydd o rotenon bellach wedi'i gyfyngu i ymdrin â rhywogaethau pysgod ymledol yn unig, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny, mae'n debyg, yn cyfeirio at y cyfyng-gyngor sydd wrth wraidd y ddadl y mae Mike Hedges wedi ei hagor i ni y prynhawn yma, sef, er bod plaladdwyr yn gallu achosi niwed, weithiau ceir defnyddiau dilys iddyn nhw sy'n atal niwed mwy fyth, ac mae ymdrin â rhywogaethau ymledol yn un o'r ffyrdd y gall y plaladdwyr cemegol grymus hynny fod â defnydd buddiol o hyd.
Glyffosad yw'r plaladdwr mwyaf cyffredin a ddefnyddir o'r rhai y cyfeiriodd Mike Hedges atyn nhw. Hyd yma, rydyn ni wedi dilyn y rheolau sy'n cael eu defnyddio yn yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Fe wnaeth yr Undeb Ewropeaidd ymestyn ei ganiatâd presennol ar gyfer defnyddio glyffosad am 12 mis arall ym mis Tachwedd y llynedd, a disgwylir y byddan nhw'n cyhoeddi cyngor newydd ar hynny cyn diwedd y flwyddyn galendr hon. Bydd hynny'n cyfrannu at gynllun gweithredu cenedlaethol newydd y Deyrnas Unedig ar gyfer defnydd cynaliadwy o blaladdwyr. Rydyn ni'n disgwyl hwnnw erbyn canol 2023.
Gall Cymru fynd ymhellach na'r cynllun hwnnw os na fyddwn yn fodlon â'i gwmpas, ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r pwynt a wnaeth Mike Hedges tua diwedd ei gwestiwn atodol: yn y byd polisi sy'n ymwneud â phlaladdwyr, maen nhw'n sôn am dri gwahanol ddosbarth defnydd. Ceir amaethyddiaeth, ceir defnydd amatur—gallwch brynu glyffosad mewn unrhyw ganolfan arddio—ac yna ceir defnydd amwynder, y defnydd o blaladdwyr o'r fath gan awdurdodau lleol ac eraill. Dyna'r maes yr wyf i'n awyddus ein bod ni'n canolbwyntio arno. Nid wyf i'n credu bod dadl dros ddefnyddio'r math hwnnw o gemegyn, er enghraifft, ar gae chwarae ysgol, ond nid oes gennym ni lyfr rheolau yng Nghymru eto sy'n atal hynny rhag digwydd. Mae llawer iawn o waith da yn cael ei wneud i leihau'r defnydd o blaladdwyr yn y ffordd honno; ceir cyfleoedd yn y flwyddyn galendr hon i wneud hynny'n rhan fwy ffurfiol o'r system sydd gennym ni yng Nghymru.
I'm pleased to hear that the Welsh Government is committed to reducing the use of harmful pesticides, particularly when a threat is posed to human health, but science, technology and innovation can be the answer here, and that's why I was left frustrated that consent was not given to the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill. This legislation can aid our resilience against some of the most significant challenges ahead of us, including the protection of plants and crops against pests, diseases and climate change. By taking what occurs naturally over hundreds of years, precision breeding can expedite the process in a controlled, ethical and safe way, building that resilience in plants and crops and reducing our reliance upon harmful pesticides. Given this, can I ask if the Welsh Government is to bring forward Welsh legislation in this field to ensure that we can build that resilience into our crops, utilising Welsh academia such as the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University? Diolch.
Rwy'n falch o glywed bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i leihau'r defnydd o blaladdwyr niweidiol, yn enwedig pan fo bygythiad i iechyd pobl, ond gall gwyddoniaeth, technoleg ac arloesi gynnig yr ateb yma, a dyna pam cefais fy ngadael yn rhwystredig gan na roddwyd caniatâd i'r Bil Technoleg Enetig (Bridio Manwl). Gall y ddeddfwriaeth hon gynorthwyo ein cydnerthedd yn erbyn rhai o'r heriau mwyaf sylweddol sydd o'n blaenau, gan gynnwys amddiffyn planhigion a chnydau rhag plâu, clefydau a'r newid hinsawdd. Trwy gymryd yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn naturiol dros gannoedd o flynyddoedd, gall bridio manwl hwyluso'r broses mewn ffordd a reolir, ffordd foesegol a diogel, gan adeiladu'r cydnerthedd hwnnw mewn planhigion a chnydau a lleihau ein dibyniaeth ar blaladdwyr niweidiol. O ystyried hyn, a gaf i ofyn a fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyflwyno deddfwriaeth i Gymru yn y maes hwn i sicrhau y gallwn adeiladu'r cydnerthedd hwnnw yn ein cnydau, gan ddefnyddio byd academaidd Cymru fel Sefydliad y Gwyddorau Biolegol, Amgylcheddol a Gwledig ym Mhrifysgol Aberystwyth? Diolch.
Diolch i Sam Kurtz am y cwestiwn.
I thank Sam Kurtz for the question.
Llywydd, the National Assembly, as it was then, and the Senedd, has always taken always taken a precautionary approach to the issue of genetic modification of plants; I think we are right to do so. I think if we could be guaranteed that it would be done in the way that Sam Kurtz outlined, that would be a different matter, but we can't be guaranteed, because these are inherently and intrinsically experimental ways of interfering with the genetic make-up of plants and other substances. Our view has been that we shouldn't do that until the science is fundamentally proven to be safe. I think the Senedd made the right decision in relation to withholding legislative consent.
Llywydd, mae'r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol, fel yr oedd ar y pryd, a'r Senedd, wedi mabwysiadu dull rhagofalus o ymdrin â'r mater o addasu planhigion yn enetig erioed; rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n iawn i wneud hynny. Rwy'n credu pe gallem ni fod yn sicr y byddai'n cael ei wneud yn y ffordd yr amlinellodd Sam Kurtz, byddai hynny'n fater gwahanol, ond ni allwn fod yn sicr, oherwydd mae'r rhain yn ffyrdd hanfodol a chynhenid arbrofol o ymyrryd â chyfansoddiad genetig planhigion a sylweddau eraill. Ein safbwynt ni fu na ddylem ni wneud hynny tan y profir yn sylfaenol bod y wyddoniaeth yn ddiogel. Rwy'n credu bod y Senedd wedi gwneud y penderfyniad cywir o ran gwrthod cydsyniad deddfwriaethol.
4. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi diweddariad am y cynllun i greu canolfan iechyd a lles yng nghanol Bangor? OQ59158
4. Will the First Minister provide an update on the plan to create a health and well-being centre in the centre of Bangor? OQ59158
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd, i Siân Gwenllian am y cwestiwn. Roedd y ganolfan yn rhan o gais Cyngor Gwynedd i gronfa ffyniant bro Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig; doedd y cais ddim yn llwyddiannus. Mae swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn helpu partneriaid lleol i chwilio am gyllid arall. Bydd Gweinidog yr Economi yn trafod hyn yn ei gyfarfod gydag arweinydd Cyngor Gwynedd ar 6 Mawrth.
Thank you very much, Llywydd, to Siân Gwenllian for that question. The proposed centre formed part of the bid made by Gwynedd Council to the UK Government's levelling-up fund; the bid was unsuccessful. Welsh Government officials are helping local partners to pursue alternative funding. The Minister for Economy will discuss this during his meeting with the leader of Gwynedd Council on 6 March.
Roeddwn i yn siomedig iawn o glywed fod Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig wedi gwrthod y cais am £15 miliwn tuag at y cynllun pwysig yma. Unwaith eto, dyma'r Torïaid yn anwybyddu Bangor ac yn dangos cyn lleied maen nhw'n poeni am bobl Arfon a phobl yng ngogledd-orllewin Cymru. Ond dwi yn benderfynol o barhau i ymgyrchu dros y cynllun yma a chefnogi ymdrechion Cyngor Gwynedd, a'r holl bartneriaid, i ddod â chanolfan iechyd newydd i ganol y ddinas a fyddai'n rhoi hwb anferth i siopau'r stryd fawr yn ogystal â gwella cyfleusterau iechyd. Fel roeddech chi yn ei ddweud, mae'ch Llywodraeth chi hefyd yn gefnogol i'r cynllun yma ac wedi ymrwymo i roi arian tuag ato fo. A fedrwch chi gadarnhau bod yr arian hwnnw yn dal ar y bwrdd, er gwaethaf y ffaith na welodd y Torïaid yn dda i gwblhau'r pecyn ariannol? Ac a wnewch chi ymrwymo i wneud popeth posib er mwyn gwireddu'r prosiect pwysig yma?
I was extremely disappointed to hear that the UK Government had rejected the bid for £15 million towards this important project. Once again, we see the Tories ignoring Bangor and showing just how little they care about the people of Arfon and the north-west of Wales. But I am determined to continue campaigning for this plan and to support the efforts of Gwynedd Council, and all the other partners, to bring a new health centre to the centre of this city, which would give a huge boost to high-street shops as well as improving health facilities in the area. As you said, your Government too is supportive of this proposal and is committed to contributing funding for it. Can you confirm that that funding is still on the table, despite the fact that the Tories didn't see fit to complete this financial package? And will you commit to doing everything possible in order to deliver this important project?
Wel, Llywydd, diolch yn fawr i Siân Gwenllian am y cwestiwn ychwanegol. Dwi'n cytuno, wrth gwrs: siomedig oedd e fod Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig ddim yn fodlon cefnogi'r cais roedd Cyngor Gwynedd wedi'i roi i mewn. Llywydd, fe ges i'r cyfle nôl ym mis Ionawr i gwrdd ag arweinydd y cyngor ac eraill yng nghanol Bangor ac i glywed oddi wrth yr arweinydd am y prosiectau sydd yna i adfywio canol y ddinas ac i glywed yn fwy cyffredinol am y cynllun meistr sydd wedi'i greu at y pwrpas hwnnw.
Nawr, bydd swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn cydweithio â phobl leol i edrych am bosibiliadau eraill i gario ymlaen â'r broses o ddewis safle ar gyfer canolfan iechyd a llesiant newydd a mwy o arian i wneud y gwaith yna. Mae'n debygol mai un o'r llwybrau ar gyfer cyllid pellach fydd trwy'r bwrdd partneriaeth rhanbarthol, ac rŷn ni'n edrych ymlaen at y dyfodol i weld cais yn dod i mewn i gronfa gyfalaf integreiddio Llywodraeth Cymru, os bydd y bwrdd partneriaeth rhanbarthol yn rhoi'r cynllun am ganolfan newydd ym Mangor fel un o'u blaenoriaethau nhw.
Llywydd, I thank Siân Gwenllian for that supplementary question. I agree, of course, that it was very disappointing that the UK Government wasn't prepared to support the bid that Gwynedd Council had submitted. Llywydd, I had the opportunity back in January to meet with the council leader and others in the centre of Bangor and to hear from the council leader about the projects that are there to regenerate the town centre and to hear more generally about the masterplan that was created for that purpose.
Now, Welsh Government officials will collaborate with local people to look for other possibilities in terms of continuing with the process of choosing a site for a new health and well-being centre and more funding to complete that work. It's likely that one of the routes for further funding will be through the regional partnership board, and we are looking forward to the future and to seeing a bid coming in to the integration capital fund of the Welsh Government, if the regional partnership board does include the plan for the new centre in Bangor as one of their priorities.
5. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n ei wneud i sicrhau bod gan blant fynediad at ddeintyddiaeth o ansawdd da? OQ59157
5. What is the Welsh Government doing to make sure children have access to good-quality dentistry? OQ59157
Llywydd, prevention not intervention has to be the aim of good-quality dental care for children. The Designed to Smile scheme is now operating fully again, and nearly 240,000 children have been treated in general dental services since April 2022. Of that number, over 55,000 are new patients.
Llywydd, mae'n rhaid i atal nid ymyrryd fod y nod i ofal deintyddol o ansawdd da i blant. Mae'r Cynllun Gwên yn gweithredu'n llawn eto bellach, ac mae bron i 240,000 o blant wedi cael eu trin mewn gwasanaethau deintyddol cyffredinol ers mis Ebrill 2022. O'r nifer hwnnw, mae dros 55,000 yn gleifion newydd.
Thank you, First Minister, for your answer. In my constituency, accessing a dentist is extremely difficult, and even if you get a dentist, the travelling times to those dentists can be very lengthy. So, will the First Minister look at actually bringing mobile dentists into schools, so that we can actually have them in the school, so that they can get the check-ups they need to ensure that their oral health is in good condition, because we all know that good oral health leads to the overall good health and well-being of our children? Diolch.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, am eich ateb. Yn fy etholaeth i, mae cael gafael ar ddeintydd yn anodd dros ben, a hyd yn oed os cewch chi ddeintydd, gall yr amseroedd teithio i'r deintyddion hynny fod yn hir iawn. Felly, a wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ystyried mewn gwirionedd dod â deintyddion symudol i ysgolion, fel y gallwn ni eu cael nhw yn yr ysgol, fel y gallan nhw gael yr archwiliadau sydd eu hangen arnyn nhw i sicrhau bod eu hiechyd y geg mewn cyflwr da, gan ein bod ni i gyd yn gwybod bod iechyd y geg da yn arwain at iechyd a llesiant cyffredinol da ein plant? Diolch.
I thank James Evans for that, Llywydd. Members will know that originally on the order paper today was a statement from the Minister on advances in dental services in Wales, and one of the things that she would have reported to the Senedd was ideas for dealing with dental services in rural areas, and the possibility of mobile dentistry in secondary schools. So, the Member has slightly anticipated what the Minister would have said, amongst other things that she will have to say when the statement comes forward. It's to be rescheduled for two weeks' time, and I know that the Member will be listening carefully to what the Minister has to say.
In the meantime, in his part of Wales, the local health board is taking steps now to increase capacity for dental services for children. A new dental therapist has been appointed and that post is already making inroads into children who have been waiting for appointments. And a new paediatric specialist dentist has been appointed so that more children are able to receive treatment inside the county of Powys, rather than, as has been the case in the past, needing to be referred to specialist treatments further afield.
Diolch i James Evans am hynna, Llywydd. Bydd yr Aelodau yn gwybod yn wreiddiol ar y papur trefn heddiw bod datganiad gan y Gweinidog ar ddatblygiadau ym maes gwasanaethau deintyddol yng Nghymru, ac un o'r pethau y byddai wedi eu hadrodd i'r Senedd oedd syniadau ar gyfer ymdrin â gwasanaethau deintyddol mewn ardaloedd gwledig, a'r posibilrwydd o ddeintyddiaeth symudol mewn ysgolion uwchradd. Felly, mae'r Aelod wedi rhagweld ychydig o'r hyn y byddai'r Gweinidog wedi ei ddweud, ymhlith pethau eraill y bydd yn rhaid iddi eu dweud pan gaiff y datganiad ei gyflwyno. Bydd yn cael ei aildrefnu ar gyfer pythefnos o nawr, a gwn y bydd yr Aelod yn gwrando'n astud ar yr hyn sydd gan y Gweinidog i'w ddweud.
Yn y cyfamser, yn ei ran ef o Gymru, mae'r bwrdd iechyd lleol yn cymryd camau nawr i gynyddu capasiti o ran gwasanaethau deintyddol i blant. Penodwyd therapydd deintyddol newydd ac mae'r swydd honno eisoes yn gwneud cynnydd o ran plant sydd wedi bod yn aros am apwyntiadau. Ac mae deintydd arbenigol pediatrig newydd wedi cael ei benodi fel bod mwy o blant yn gallu cael triniaeth o fewn sir Powys, yn hytrach nag, fel sydd wedi digwydd yn y gorffennol, bod angen iddyn nhw gael eu cyfeirio at driniaethau arbenigol ymhellach i ffwrdd.
Good afternoon, First Minister. Just following up on the question from James Evans, it is the case that when children require intervention in dentistry, there are long waiting lists for that NHS treatment, particularly in the areas that we cover. During the pandemic, we know that the number of children receiving treatment fell by more than 80 per cent, so there is catch-up to be done. And here's a statistic that I find really shocking: tooth extraction remains the biggest cause of surgery under general anaesthetic in children. More than 7,000 operations were carried out in 2018. Now, I don't know about you, but I remember when I was waiting for an operation and at the thought of going under a general anaesthetic, I was quite anxious, but imagine being a child waiting for that treatment—mostly orthodontic treatment. In Powys alone, nearly 800 children are on waiting lists for NHS treatment.
You will, of course, be aware that the Westminster Government has capped funding for remuneration in dentistry for staff at 3.5 per cent—a figure that is far below inflation. And so, we struggle not just here in Wales, but in England as well, to recruit our dentists, and that's a decision by the Conservative Government. So, would you join me in calling for more resources from Westminster to ensure that we have a robust NHS dental system not just here in Wales, but across the country, for everybody, including our children? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Prif Weinidog. Dim ond i ddilyn y cwestiwn gan James Evans, mae'n wir pan fydd plant angen ymyrraeth ym maes deintyddiaeth, bod rhestrau aros hir am y driniaeth GIG honno, yn enwedig yn yr ardaloedd yr ydym ni'n eu cynrychioli. Yn ystod y pandemig, rydyn ni'n gwybod bod nifer y plant a oedd yn cael triniaeth wedi gostwng dros 80 y cant, felly mae gwaith dal i fyny i'w wneud. A dyma ystadegyn sy'n syfrdanol i mi: tynnu dannedd yw'r achos mwyaf o lawdriniaeth o dan anesthetig cyffredinol ymhlith plant o hyd. Cwblhawyd dros 7,000 o lawdriniaethau yn 2018. Nawr, wn i ddim amdanoch chi, ond rwy'n cofio pan oeddwn i'n aros am lawdriniaeth ac wrth feddwl am gael anesthetig cyffredinol, roeddwn i'n eithaf pryderus, ond dychmygwch fod yn blentyn yn aros am y driniaeth honno—triniaeth orthodontig yn bennaf. Ym Mhowys yn unig, mae bron i 800 o blant ar restrau aros am driniaeth gan y GIG.
Wrth gwrs, byddwch yn ymwybodol bod Llywodraeth San Steffan wedi capio cyllid ar gyfer taliad cydnabyddiaeth ym maes deintyddiaeth i staff ar 3.5 y cant—ffigur sy'n llawer is na chwyddiant. Ac felly, rydyn ni'n ei chael hi'n anodd nid yn unig yma yng Nghymru, ond yn Lloegr hefyd, i recriwtio ein deintyddion, ac mae hwnnw'n benderfyniad gan y Llywodraeth Geidwadol. Felly, a wnewch chi ymuno â mi i alw am fwy o adnoddau gan San Steffan i sicrhau bod gennym ni system ddeintyddol GIG gadarn nid yn unig yma yng Nghymru, ond ledled y wlad, i bawb, gan gynnwys ein plant? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
I thank Jane Dodds for that, and of course I agree with the basic proposition that she has set out that further investment across the United Kingdom in dental services would be very welcome. The Welsh Government did not set an affordability limit in our evidence to the pay review body, so the 3.5 per cent affordability level that she mentioned is advice provided by the UK Government for England only, and not advice that we have provided here in Wales.
If there were to be further investment, then as I've debated with the Member previously, my priority is for the diversification of the dental profession. And the good news is that in September of this year, we will have double the number of dental therapists emerging from Cardiff University, and that in Bangor we will have a wholly new course, again providing dental therapists for the future. What we don't need to see is the most highly trained and the most expensive part of the workforce carrying out activity that does not require that level of skill or experience to carry it out clinically appropriately and satisfactorily. We need dentistry to follow what has already happened in primary care, and to have a more diverse profession, so that the dentists we have can be concentrated on providing treatment to those patients who really need that level of care and complexity. And the future for dental services in Wales, I think, very much rests on our ability to move the profession in that direction, in the way that other parts of primary care have already managed to do successfully.
Diolch i Jane Dodds am hynna, ac wrth gwrs rwy'n cytuno gyda'r gosodiad sylfaenol y mae hi wedi ei gyflwyno y byddai croeso mawr i fuddsoddiad pellach ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig mewn gwasanaethau deintyddol. Ni osododd Llywodraeth Cymru derfyn fforddiadwyedd yn ein tystiolaeth i'r corff adolygu cyflogau, felly cyngor a ddarparwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU ar gyfer Lloegr yn unig yw'r lefel fforddiadwyedd o 3.5 y cant y soniodd amdani, ac nid cyngor yr ydym ni wedi ei ddarparu yma yng Nghymru.
Pe bai buddsoddiad pellach, yna fel yr wyf i wedi ei drafod gyda'r Aelod o'r blaen, fy mlaenoriaeth i yw arallgyfeirio'r proffesiwn deintyddol. A'r newyddion da yw y bydd gennym ni, ym mis Medi eleni, ddwbl nifer y therapyddion deintyddol yn dod allan o Brifysgol Caerdydd, ac ym Mangor y bydd gennym ni gwrs newydd sbon, eto yn darparu therapyddion deintyddol ar gyfer y dyfodol. Yr hyn nad oes angen i ni ei weld yw'r rhan fwyaf hyfforddedig a'r rhan ddrytaf o'r gweithlu yn cyflawni gweithgaredd nad yw'n gofyn am y lefel honno o ddawn na phrofiad i'w gyflawni yn glinigol briodol a boddhaol. Rydyn ni angen i ddeintyddiaeth ddilyn yr hyn sydd eisoes wedi digwydd ym maes gofal sylfaenol, a chael proffesiwn mwy amrywiol, fel y gall y deintyddion sydd gennym ni ganolbwyntio ar ddarparu triniaeth i'r cleifion hynny sydd wir angen y lefel honno o ofal a chymhlethdod. Ac mae'r dyfodol i wasanaethau deintyddol yng Nghymru, rwy'n credu, wir yn dibynnu ar ein gallu i symud y proffesiwn i'r cyfeiriad hwnnw, yn y ffordd y mae rhannau eraill o faes gofal sylfaenol eisoes wedi llwyddo i'w wneud yn llwyddiannus.
6. Beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i hyrwyddo teithio cynaliadwy yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ59163
6. What is the Government doing to promote sustainable travel in South Wales East? OQ59163
Llywydd, implementation of the Burns commission proposals provides the most effective way of promoting sustainable travel. Publication this month of the Burns delivery unit annual report sets out the real progress already made, and future plans for walking, cycling and using public transport in south-east Wales.
Llywydd, gweithredu cynigion comisiwn Burns sy'n darparu'r ffordd fwyaf effeithiol o hyrwyddo teithio cynaliadwy. Mae'r cyhoeddiad y mis hwn yn adroddiad blynyddol uned gyflawni Burns yn nodi'r cynnydd go iawn a wnaed eisoes, a chynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol o ran cerdded, beicio a defnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn y de-ddwyrain.
Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog. The recent news that road projects in Wales would not be funded was a bitter pill to swallow for some. It would have been a bit easier to understand if it had not been accompanied by the announcement a day later that the bus emergency scheme is going to be phased out in June. For many of the communities I represent, the bus service is a lifeline. For older people, it represents independence; for young people, it represents education; and for people who do not have a car, it represents employment. I fear your Government's decision is going to have a huge detrimental impact on people's lives. It would also run counter to efforts to promote sustainable transport at a time when we should be doing all we can in this field. First Minister, what impact studies have been conducted into this decision, and will you reconsider the decision on behalf of the many communities that will be worse off as a result, until the full consequences of the decision are known?
Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog. Roedd y newyddion diweddar na fyddai prosiectau ffyrdd yng Nghymru yn cael eu hariannu yn fater chwerw i rai. Byddai wedi bod ychydig yn haws ei ddeall pe na bai wedi cael ei ategu gan y cyhoeddiad ddiwrnod yn ddiweddarach bod y cynllun brys ar gyfer y sector bysiau yn mynd i gael ei derfynu'n raddol ym mis Mehefin. I lawer o'r cymunedau yr wyf i'n eu cynrychioli, mae'r gwasanaeth bysiau yn achubiaeth. I bobl hŷn, mae'n cynrychioli annibyniaeth; i bobl ifanc, mae'n cynrychioli addysg; ac i bobl sydd heb gar, mae'n cynrychioli cyflogaeth. Rwy'n ofni bod penderfyniad eich Llywodraeth yn mynd i gael effaith niweidiol enfawr ar fywydau pobl. Byddai hefyd yn mynd yn groes i ymdrechion i hyrwyddo trafnidiaeth gynaliadwy ar adeg pan ddylem ni fod yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu yn y maes hwn. Prif Weinidog, pa astudiaethau effaith sydd wedi cael eu cynnal ar y penderfyniad hwn, ac a wnewch chi ailystyried y penderfyniad ar ran y cymunedau niferus a fydd yn waeth eu byd o ganlyniad, tan fod canlyniadau llawn y penderfyniad yn hysbys?
Llywydd, I think it's important just to set the record straight here: it was emergency funding, as the Member said. And emergency funding cannot be indefinitely extended beyond the point where the emergency led to the millions and millions of pounds that have been found by the Welsh taxpayer to support the bus industry while the emergency was in operation. Over £150 million, over and above the millions of pounds that are already invested in bus services, have been provided to the industry since the COVID pandemic began. It was always going to be gap funding to help the industry while the pandemic was having its impact.
We have already announced an extension of that scheme for a further three months—an initial three months, as the announcement said—while we are able to discuss with the industry, with local authorities, how we can focus the bus services support grant for the future, moving the industry away, as it has to move, from reliance on emergency funding and towards the future that the bus Bill that we will bring forward to the floor of the Senedd will fashion for bus services, a future in a way that matches the money that the public provides with the public's interest in an effective bus service in all parts of Wales.
Llywydd, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig unioni'r cofnod yma: cyllid brys oedd ef, fel dywedodd yr Aelod. Ac ni ellir ymestyn cyllid brys am gyfnod amhenodol y tu hwnt i'r pwynt lle arweiniodd y sefyllfa frys at y miliynau ar filiynau o bunnau y mae trethdalwyr Cymru wedi dod o hyd iddyn nhw i gynorthwyo'r diwydiant bysiau tra oedd y sefyllfa frys yn weithredol. Darparwyd dros £150 miliwn, yn ychwanegol at y miliynau o bunnau sydd eisoes yn cael eu buddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau bysiau, i'r diwydiant ers dechrau pandemig COVID. Roedd yn mynd i fod yn gyllid llenwi bwlch o'r cychwyn, i helpu'r diwydiant tra bod y pandemig yn cael ei effaith.
Rydyn ni eisoes wedi cyhoeddi estyniad i'r cynllun hwnnw am dri mis arall—tri mis cychwynnol, fel y dywedodd y cyhoeddiad—tra byddwn ni'n gallu trafod gyda'r diwydiant, gydag awdurdodau lleol, sut y gallwn ni ganolbwyntio'r grant cymorth i wasanaethau bysiau ar gyfer y dyfodol, gan symud y diwydiant oddi wrth, fel y mae'n rhaid iddo symud, ddibyniaeth ar gyllid brys a thua'r dyfodol y bydd y Bil bysiau y byddwn ni'n ei gyflwyno ar lawr y Senedd yn ei lunio ar gyfer gwasanaethau bysiau, dyfodol mewn ffordd sy'n cydweddu â'r arian y mae'r cyhoedd yn ei ddarparu, er budd y cyhoedd mewn gwasanaeth bysiau effeithiol ym mhob rhan o Gymru.
First Minister, after your Government's economically damaging new policy on roads, it's becoming clearer than ever before that we need to promote and have functioning sustainable travel in place, yet we are seeing bus services cut in reality, as my fellow Member for South Wales East has just outlined, and rail services that have become a laughing stock, as I'm sure north Wales Members will also agree. This is without even mentioning the fact that you're refusing to build new roads and are way behind on electric vehicle charging points. Promoting the use of a few bus lanes here and there really isn't going to cut the mustard, as much as the Member for Llanelli would like to think it does. My question is simple, First Minister: how are you promoting sustainable travel without roads being built, without bus services increasing now, and without a functioning rail service?
Prif Weinidog, yn dilyn polisi newydd economaidd niweidiol eich Llywodraeth ar ffyrdd, mae'n dod yn fwy eglur nag erioed o'r blaen bod angen i ni hyrwyddo a chael teithio cynaliadwy sy'n gweithio ar waith, ac eto rydyn ni'n gweld gwasanaethau bysiau yn cael eu torri mewn gwirionedd, fel y mae fy nghyd-Aelod dros Ddwyrain De Cymru newydd ei amlinellu, a gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd sydd wedi dod yn destun sbort, fel yr wyf i'n siŵr y bydd Aelodau dros y gogledd hefyd yn cytuno. Mae hyn heb hyd yn oed sôn am y ffaith eich bod chi'n gwrthod adeiladu ffyrdd newydd ac ymhell ar ei hôl hi o ran pwyntiau gwefru cerbydau trydan. Nid yw hyrwyddo'r defnydd o ychydig o lonydd bysiau yma ac acw yn mynd i fod yn ddigon da o gwbl, cymaint ag yr hoffai'r aelod dros Lanelli feddwl ei fod. Mae fy nghwestiwn yn syml, Prif Weinidog: sut ydych chi'n hyrwyddo teithio cynaliadwy heb i ffyrdd gael eu hadeiladu, heb i wasanaethau bysiau gynyddu nawr, a heb wasanaeth rheilffyrdd sy'n gweithio?
Llywydd, the Member's party went to the people of Wales in the last Senedd election promising the largest road-building programme ever in the history of Wales, and that proposition was roundly rejected by the people of Wales. Of course, the Member can continue to put in front of people the thing that people have rejected many times already. There is a fundamental difference of view between the sort of future that she sees, in which Wales will be concreted over and the climate emergency ignored in the process, and the proposals of the Welsh Government, which, by the way, Llywydd, are never that no new roads would be built—it is just that the roads we will build will be roads where there is a safety case for doing so, and where roads contribute positively to the reduction of emissions and make the contribution that Wales has to make to tackling the greatest emergency that our children and grandchildren will see.
As part of that, I reject entirely her idea that we don't have a functioning rail service here in Wales. It is a great shame that her party in Wales has not succeeded in persuading their Members at Westminster that the £5 billion we miss out on because of the misclassification of the high speed 2 line should come to Wales; that would help us to provide a better rail service in Wales, wouldn't it? In the meantime, just this week—just yesterday—in the Member's own region, new Stadler trains began work on the Rhymney line. There will be eight such trains in May. It is a small demonstration of the major investment that is being made in Wales in the rail service, despite the deliberate denial of the investment that people in Wales ought to have and that is being provided to people elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
Llywydd, aeth plaid yr Aelod at bobl Cymru yn etholiad diwethaf y Senedd yn addo'r rhaglen adeiladu ffyrdd fwyaf erioed yn hanes Cymru, a gwrthodwyd y cynnig hwnnw yn bendant gan bobl Cymru. Wrth gwrs, gall yr Aelod barhau i roi'r peth y mae pobl wedi ei wrthod lawer gwaith yn barod gerbron pobl. Mae gwahaniaeth barn sylfaenol rhwng y math o ddyfodol y mae hi'n ei weld, lle bydd Cymru yn cael ei gorchuddio mewn concrit a'r argyfwng hinsawdd yn cael ei anwybyddu yn y broses, a chynigion Llywodraeth Cymru, nad oedden nhw, gyda llaw, Llywydd, erioed yn dweud na fyddai unrhyw ffyrdd newydd yn cael eu hadeiladu—dim ond y bydd y ffyrdd y byddwn ni'n eu hadeiladu yn ffyrdd pan fo dadl ddiogelwch dros wneud hynny, a phan fo ffyrdd yn cyfrannu'n gadarnhaol at leihau allyriadau ac yn gwneud y cyfraniad y mae'n rhaid i Gymru ei wneud at fynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng mwyaf y bydd ein plant a'n hwyrion a'n hwyresau yn ei weld.
Yn rhan o hynny, rwy'n gwrthod yn llwyr ei syniad nad oes gennym ni wasanaeth rheilffyrdd sy'n gweithio yma yng Nghymru. Mae'n drueni mawr nad yw ei phlaid hi yng Nghymru wedi llwyddo i berswadio eu Haelodau yn San Steffan y dylai'r £5 biliwn nad ydym ni'n ei dderbyn oherwydd camddosbarthiad y rheilffordd cyflymder uchel 2 ddod i Gymru; byddai hynny'n ein helpu i ddarparu gwell gwasanaeth rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru, oni fyddai? Yn y cyfamser, dim ond yr wythnos hon—dim ond ddoe—yn rhanbarth yr Aelod ei hun, dechreuodd trenau Stadler newydd weithio ar linell Rhymni. Bydd wyth trên o'r fath ym mis Mai. Mae'n arwydd bach o'r buddsoddiad mawr sy'n cael ei wneud yng Nghymru yn y gwasanaeth rheilffyrdd, er gwaethaf y gwrthodiad bwriadol o'r buddsoddiad y dylai pobl yng Nghymru ei gael ac sy'n cael ei ddarparu i bobl mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
I thank the First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf fydd y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, a dwi'n galw ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hwnnw—Lesley Griffiths.
The next item will be the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement—Lesley Griffiths.
Diolch, Llywydd. There are four changes to this week's business. Later today, the Minister for Health and Social Services will make a statement on Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. To accommodate this, the oral statement on dental reform has been postponed. Additionally, the Business Committee has agreed to reduce the time allocated to Senedd Commission questions tomorrow in line with the number of questions tabled. Finally, the Business Committee has also agreed to change the order of debates tomorrow so that the Plaid Cymru motion is debated before the Conservative motion. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out in the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae pedwar newid i'r busnes yr wythnos hon. Yn ddiweddarach heddiw, bydd y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn gwneud datganiad am Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr. I wneud lle ar ei gyfer, mae'r datganiad llafar ar ddiwygio deintyddol wedi'i ohirio. Yn ogystal â hyn, mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes wedi cytuno i leihau'r amser a ddyrannwyd i gwestiynau Comisiwn y Senedd yfory yn unol â nifer y cwestiynau a gyflwynwyd. Yn olaf, mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes hefyd wedi cytuno i newid trefn y dadleuon yfory fel bod cynnig Plaid Cymru'n cael ei drafod cyn cynnig y Ceidwadwyr. Mae busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos nesaf wedi'i nodi yn y cyhoeddiad a'r datganiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau yn electronig.
Can I ask for a statement, please, Trefnydd, from the Deputy Minister for arts and sport, who has just taken over responsibility for the tourism sector here in Wales? We know that when tourism sat under the economy Minister, the economy Minister proposed a tourism tax on the sector. The Government's own report said that it would cost the sector £100 million and 2,500 jobs. VisitBritain called it inadvisable, saying that it discouraged the highest spending overnight visitors from coming to Wales. So, can I ask for a statement where the Deputy Minister will outline her priorities for the tourism sector, in the hope that with a new Minister we'll see a new set of priorities?
A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad, os gwelwch yn dda, Trefnydd, gan Ddirprwy Weinidog y celfyddydau a chwaraeon, sydd newydd gymryd cyfrifoldeb dros y sector twristiaeth yma yng Nghymru? Rydym yn gwybod, pan oedd twristiaeth yn dod o dan Weinidog yr economi, bod Gweinidog yr economi wedi cynnig treth dwristiaeth ar y sector. Dywedodd adroddiad y Llywodraeth ei hun y byddai'n costio £100 miliwn a 2,500 o swyddi i'r sector. Fe wnaeth VisitBritain ei galw'n anfaddeuol, gan ddweud ei bod yn atal yr ymwelwyr dros nos sy'n gwario fwyaf rhag dod i Gymru. Felly, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad lle bydd y Dirprwy Weinidog yn amlinellu ei blaenoriaethau ar gyfer y sector twristiaeth, yn y gobaith y byddwn, gyda Gweinidog newydd, yn gweld set newydd o flaenoriaethau?
No, that will not be happening. The policy is as set out by the previous Minister with responsibility for tourism.
Na, fydd hynny ddim yn digwydd. Mae'r polisi fel y nodwyd gan y Gweinidog blaenorol â'r cyfrifoldeb am dwristiaeth.
Mae teuluoedd dros Gymru yn wynebu dyfodol agos sy'n eithriadol o ansicr fel canlyniad i'r sefyllfa benagored ynghylch a fydd San Steffan yn parhau gyda'r help sydd ar gael i aelwydydd gyda'u biliau ynni, ac mae'r sefyllfa'n mynd o ddrwg i waeth. Ddoe, ges i sgwrs â rhywun sy'n rhedeg banc bwyd yn fy rhanbarth, ac mi wnaeth e ddweud bod nifer y bobl sy'n mynychu'r banc bwyd wedi cynyddu 20 y cant dros y gaeaf diwethaf. Mae'r bobl sy'n mynd yno yn siarad am yr ofn sydd ganddyn nhw am y llinell derfyn yna ym mis Ebrill. Tra bod y galw am wasanaethau wedi cynyddu, mae'r rhoddion weithiau'n mynd i lawr achos y pwysau sydd ar bobl yr ardal. A fydd y Llywodraeth yn cyhoeddi datganiad, plis, yn gosod mas pa drafodaethau argyfyngus y byddwch yn eu cael â San Steffan i fynnu bod y cymorth ar gyfer biliau ynni yn parhau ar ôl mis Ebrill? Os na fydd San Steffan yn ildio, a fydd y datganiad yn cadarnhau beth fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i lenwi'r bwlch? Diolch.
Families across Wales are facing an extremely uncertain near-term future as a result of the deadlock over whether Westminster will continue to help households with their energy bills, and the situation is going from bad to worse. Yesterday, I had a conversation with someone who runs a foodbank in my region, and he said that the number of people attending that foodbank had increased by 20 per cent over the past winter. The people who go there talk about the fear that they have about that April deadline. While the demand for food has increased, the donations sometimes decline because of the pressures faced by people in the area. Will the Government make a statement, please, setting out what emergency discussions it will have with Westminster to demand that the support with energy bills continues after April? If Westminster does not accede to this demand, will the statement confirm what the Welsh Government will do to fill that gap? Thank you.
Thank you. The Minister for Social Justice does continue to have discussions with her counterpart in the UK Government. As you know, the price cap announcement will have no impact at all on energy prices for the period from April to June, because the actual prices are currently being set by the UK Government's energy price guarantee. What we would like to see is the UK Government reverse the decision to increase the EPG price from £2,500 to £3,000 from 1 April, and, of course, they'll have the opportunity to do that in the budget next month.
Diolch. Mae'r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol yn parhau i gael trafodaethau gyda'i gweinidog cyfatebol yn Llywodraeth y DU. Fel y gwyddoch chi, ni fydd cyhoeddiad y cap prisiau yn cael unrhyw effaith o gwbl ar brisiau ynni am y cyfnod rhwng Ebrill a Mehefin, oherwydd bod y prisiau gwirioneddol yn cael eu gosod ar hyn o bryd gan warant prisiau ynni Llywodraeth y DU. Yr hyn yr hoffem ei weld yw Llywodraeth y DU yn gwrthdroi'r penderfyniad i gynyddu pris EPG o £2,500 i £3,000 o 1 Ebrill, ac, wrth gwrs, byddan nhw'n cael y cyfle i wneud hynny yn y gyllideb fis nesaf.
We've all either observed or seen the steep spike in the price of vegetables and the empty shelves in our shops. The horticulture start-up and horticulture development grant schemes led last year to 19 new entrants into commercial horticulture and the expansion of 12 existing schemes. I wondered if we could have a debate in Government time on whether this is merely a short-term problem provoked by bad weather and the spike in energy costs, as described in the press, or symptomatic of an ongoing food security issue caused by our changing climate, Brexit barriers disrupting the importing of perishable goods and the domination of our food supplies by multinational companies who are mainly interested in profitability rather than ensuring supplies of nourishing food. We really do need to assess whether this demands beefing up our legislative programme or investing in more vegetables grown in Wales.
Rydyn ni i gyd naill ai wedi arsylwi neu wedi gweld y cynnydd aruthrol ym mhris llysiau a'r silffoedd gwag yn ein siopau. Arweiniodd y cynlluniau grant dechrau busnes garddwriaeth a datblygu garddwriaeth y llynedd i 19 o newydd-ddyfodiaid yn dod i arddwriaeth fasnachol ac ehangu 12 cynllun sydd eisoes yn bodoli. Tybed a allwn i gael dadl yn amser y Llywodraeth ynghylch a yw hon dim ond yn broblem tymor byr wedi'i achosi gan dywydd gwael a'r cynnydd mawr mewn costau ynni, fel y'i disgrifiwyd yn y wasg, neu ydy hyn yn symptomatig o broblem diogeledd bwyd parhaus a achosir gan ein hinsawdd sy'n newid, rhwystrau Brexit yn amharu ar fewnforio nwyddau darfodus a'r ffaith bod cwmnïau rhyngwladol sydd â diddordeb yn bennaf mewn proffidioldeb yn hytrach na sicrhau cyflenwadau o fwyd maethlon yn dominyddu ein cyflenwadau bwyd. Mae gwir angen i ni asesu a yw hyn yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i ni gryfhau ein rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol neu fuddsoddi mewn mwy o lysiau sy'n cael eu tyfu yng Nghymru.
Thank you. As you know, growing the horticultural part of the agricultural sector in Wales is something I'm particularly interested in. It's a very small part of our agricultural sector, only 1 per cent. The reason I had the two schemes that you referred to was because of the demand. People were telling me they wanted to see more windows within those schemes, and it was very good to have those new 19 new entrants and to have that take-up.
There is, clearly, some widespread shortage of some fresh products: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers. Yesterday, I was told there is a shortage of leeks, which is pretty unfortunate, I think, this week with St David's Day. I think it is the supermarkets where we are seeing shortages particularly. I think in local grocer shops, for instance, we're not seeing that shortage.
Next Monday, the Welsh Government is chairing the next inter-ministerial group with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I've asked for food supply and food security to be put on the agenda. I know that the Minister for food and farming in the UK Government, Mark Spencer, is meeting the supermarkets this week. We haven't been invited to participate, but I've certainly asked to have a note on that to see how widespread this is.
Diolch. Fel y gwyddoch chi, mae tyfu y rhan arddwriaethol o'r sector amaethyddol yng Nghymru yn rhywbeth y mae gen i ddiddordeb arbennig ynddo. Mae'n rhan fach iawn o'n sector amaethyddol, dim ond 1 y cant. Y rheswm yr oedd gen i'r ddau gynllun yr oeddech chi'n cyfeirio atyn nhw oedd oherwydd y galw. Roedd pobl yn dweud wrtha i eu bod nhw eisiau gweld mwy o ffenestri o fewn y cynlluniau hynny, ac roedd hi'n dda iawn cael y 19 o newydd-ddyfodiaid yna a chael y nifer yna yn derbyn grant.
Mae yna, yn amlwg, brinder eang o rai cynhyrchion ffres: tomatos, pupurau, ciwcymbrau. Ddoe, cefais wybod fod prinder cennin, sy'n eithaf anffodus, rwy'n credu, yr wythnos hon a hithau'n Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi. Rwy'n credu mai yn yr archfarchnadoedd yn benodol yr ydyn ni'n gweld prinder. Rwy'n credu mewn siopau bwyd lleol, er enghraifft, dydyn ni ddim yn gweld y prinder yna.
Ddydd Llun nesaf, Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n cadeirio'r grŵp rhyng-weinidogol nesaf gydag Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig ac rwyf wedi gofyn am roi'r cyflenwad bwyd a diogeledd bwyd ar yr agenda. Rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog bwyd a ffermio yn Llywodraeth y DU, Mark Spencer, yn cwrdd â'r archfarchnadoedd yr wythnos hon. Dydyn ni ddim wedi cael gwahoddiad i gymryd rhan, ond yn sicr rwyf wedi gofyn i gael nodyn ar hynny i weld pa mor eang yw hyn.
I would like to request a statement from the Deputy Minister for Climate Change. Over two weeks ago, the T19 between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog was terminated. Employees have been left unable to access work, students are relying on private transport to get to school and residents are struggling to reach medical appointments. This morning, along with my colleague Mabon ap Gwynfor, we were in a very good meeting with bus operators, Welsh Government officials, the cabinet member from Conwy County Borough Council and Transport for Wales. But what came across loud and clear was that there seems to be an overwhelmed workforce within Transport for Wales. Criticisms were aimed at them, with bus operators trying to get this route back working again, but Transport for Wales not very good at responding. Their standard of communication with private bus operators was described as appalling, with e-mails not responded to, and that TfW actually lack experience in the bus marketplace. We now have a situation where the T19 is desperately needed to be reinstated. The response from TfW this morning was that they're going to go out to the public to see how in demand this service is. Well, I'm sure my colleague Mabon and I can actually say from our mailboxes that we know, we have data, but also the bus company who's had to suspend their bus operation has all the data. We made the point that it's not more talking we need; we need that bus reinstated. So, will the Deputy Minister now come forward with a statement and a plan for how we can actually get this bus route back firmly on its wheels? Thanks.
Hoffwn ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd. Dros bythefnos yn ôl, daeth y T19 rhwng Llandudno a Blaenau Ffestiniog i ben. Mae cyflogeion wedi eu gadael yn methu â chyrraedd eu gwaith, mae myfyrwyr yn dibynnu ar drafnidiaeth breifat i gyrraedd yr ysgol ac mae trigolion yn ei chael hi'n anodd cyrraedd apwyntiadau meddygol. Y bore 'ma, ynghyd â fy nghyd-Aelod Mabon ap Gwynfor, roeddem mewn cyfarfod da iawn gyda gweithredwyr bysiau, swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru, yr aelod cabinet o Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy a Trafnidiaeth Cymru. Ond yr hyn ddaeth yn amlwg iawn oedd ei bod yn ymddangos bod gweithlu wedi'i lethu o fewn Trafnidiaeth Cymru. Roedd y feirniadaeth wedi ei hanelu atyn nhw, gyda gweithredwyr bysiau yn ceisio cael y llwybr yma yn ôl yn gweithio eto, ond dydy Trafnidiaeth Cymru ddim yn dda iawn am ymateb. Disgrifiwyd eu safon cyfathrebu gyda gweithredwyr bysiau preifat yn echrydus, gyda dim ymateb i negeseuon e-bost, a bod diffyg profiad gan TrC yn y farchnad fysiau mewn gwirionedd. Bellach, mae gennym sefyllfa lle mae dirfawr angen adfer y T19. Ymateb TrC y bore 'ma oedd eu bod nhw'n mynd i fynd allan at y cyhoedd i weld faint o alw sydd am y gwasanaeth hwn. Wel, rwy'n siŵr y gall fy nghyd-Aelod Mabon a minnau ddweud mewn gwirionedd o'n blychau post ein bod yn gwybod, mae gennym ni ddata, ond hefyd mae gan y cwmni bysiau sydd wedi gorfod atal eu gweithrediad bws yr holl ddata. Fe wnaethom ni'r pwynt nad mwy o siarad rydyn ni ei angen; mae angen i'r bws hwnnw gael ei adfer. Felly, a wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog nawr gyflwyno datganiad a chynllun ar gyfer sut y gallwn ni gael y llwybr bws hwn yn ôl yn gadarn ar ei olwynion mewn gwirionedd? Diolch.
I don't think there's a need for an oral statement. I think you've done absolutely the right thing. I was aware of the meeting this morning. Clearly the data will help, because we certainly haven't seen patronage return to bus services post the COVID pandemic as was there pre the COVID pandemic. So, surely, if they get the data, they will be able to see, and if you say the data is there, then I think that will enable them to look at whether this service should be reinstated as quickly as possible.
Dydw i ddim yn credu bod angen datganiad llafar. Rwy'n credu eich bod wedi gwneud y peth iawn yn llwyr. Roeddwn i'n ymwybodol o'r cyfarfod y bore 'ma. Yn amlwg bydd y data'n helpu, oherwydd yn sicr nid ydym wedi gweld nifer y defnyddwyr yn dychwelyd i wasanaethau bysiau ar ôl pandemig COVID fel yr oedden nhw cyn pandemig COVID. Felly, heb os nac oni bai, os cant y data, byddan nhw'n gallu gweld, ac os ydych chi'n dweud bod y data yno, yna rwy'n credu y bydd hynny'n eu galluogi i ystyried a ddylid adfer y gwasanaeth hwn cyn gynted â phosibl.
Gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd ynglŷn â'r mater o godi tâl am ddelifro presgripsiynau gan fferyllfeydd? Mae'n gwbl resymol i godi tâl mewn sefyllfa lle dyw unigolyn ddim yn barod i drafferthu i fynd i gasglu presgripsiwn, ond dwi wedi cael cyswllt gan rai pobl sy'n byw yn fy rhanbarth i sydd oherwydd eu cyflwr meddygol yn methu â mynd i nôl presgripsiwn ac wedi ffeindio nawr bod yna ofyn iddyn nhw dalu am hynny. Yn y lle cyntaf, dyw nifer ohonyn nhw ddim yn gallu fforddio gwneud hynny, a chanlyniad anochel hynny yw na fyddan nhw felly yn derbyn y feddyginiaeth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw. Mae hynny, wrth gwrs, yn tanseilio'r polisi rŷn ni i gyd yn falch ohono fe, bod presgripsiynau am ddim yng Nghymru. Felly dwi'n meddwl bod angen eglurder o gyfeiriad y Gweinidog ynglŷn â beth yw disgwyliad y Llywodraeth ar y fferyllfeydd: oes angen cefnogaeth naill ar y fferyllfeydd neu ar yr unigolion efallai sydd yn trio cael mynediad i'r presgripsiynau yma? A hefyd dwi'n meddwl bod angen gwell cysondeb ar draws Cymru, oherwydd mewn rhai ardaloedd maen nhw'n codi, ac mewn ardaloedd eraill dydyn nhw ddim.
May I ask for a statement from the health Minister on the issue of charging for delivering prescriptions from pharmacies? It's entirely reasonable to charge in a scenario where an individual can't be bothered to collect a prescription, but I've been contacted by some people in my region who, because of their medical condition, can't go and fetch their prescriptions, and have now found that they are required to pay for that. In the first instance, many of them can't afford to do so, and the inevitable upshot of that is that they will not, therefore, be receiving the medicines that they need. And that, of course, undermines the policy that we're all proud of, that prescriptions are free of charge in Wales. So, I think we need some clarity from the Minister on what the Government expects from pharmacies: do the pharmacists or the individuals trying to access prescriptions need support? And I think we need more consistency across Wales, because in some areas they charge, and in others they don't.
Thank you. I will certainly ask the Minister to provide some clarity via a written statement. You're absolutely right that the whole point of having that policy of free prescriptions is to keep people well and to make sure that those who are employed are able to stay in employment. If we do have this disparity, I think you're quite right; you don't want to see that inconsistency or a postcode lottery, where you have some areas charging. So, I will certainly ask the health Minister to bring forward a written statement with that clarity.
Diolch. Yn sicr, fe ofynnaf i'r Gweinidog roi rhywfaint o eglurder drwy ddatganiad ysgrifenedig. Rydych chi'n hollol iawn mai holl bwynt bod â'r polisi hwnnw o bresgripsiynau am ddim yw cadw pobl yn iach a gwneud yn siŵr bod y rhai sydd wedi'u cyflogi yn gallu aros mewn cyflogaeth. Os oes gennym yr anghyfartaledd hwn, rwy'n credu eich bod chi'n hollol iawn; dydych chi ddim eisiau gweld yr anghysondeb yna na loteri cod post, lle mae gennych chi rai ardaloedd yn codi tâl. Felly, yn sicr, fe ofynnaf i'r Gweinidog iechyd gyflwyno datganiad ysgrifenedig i egluro hynny.
A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd ynghylch diweddariad i'r system gyfrifiadurol o fewn y gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol? Mae gen i, er enghraifft, glaf canser yn Ninas Mawddwy sydd wedi gorfod mynd i gael triniaeth gychwynnol drwy fynd i weld y meddyg yn lleol yn Nolgellau, ac yna yn gorfod mynd i'r ysbyty ym Mronglais yn Aberystwyth, ac yna yn ei dro yn mynd lawr i Glangwili yng Nghaerfyrddin, ac yna yn ôl i fyny i Ysbyty Gwynedd ym Mangor, yna draw am driniaeth i Lanidloes, sydd yn rhan o fwrdd iechyd Powys, ac yna mae'n gorfod mynd i, dwi'n meddwl, Clatterbridge ger Lerpwl. A'r hyn mae o wedi ffeindio ydy bod pob un o'r darparwyr yma, yr ysbytai gwahanol, ddim yn siarad efo'i gilydd, a hwyrach bod y nodiadau ddim ganddyn nhw, eu bod nhw hwyrach ddim yn barod am y claf i gyrraedd, ddim yn gwybod yn union hanes y claf yna, oherwydd bod y systemau cyfrifiadurol, yn un peth, ddim yn siarad efo'i gilydd a bod yna ddim ffordd rwydd iddyn nhw rannu'r wybodaeth yna ymhlith ei gilydd. Felly a gawn ni ddatganiad i weld beth ydy'r drefn, pa gynlluniau sydd ar y gweill i sicrhau bod y system yna'n integredig yng Nghymru er mwyn osgoi hyn yn y dyfodol? Diolch.
May I ask for a statement from the health Minister on an update to the computer system within the national health service? I have a cancer patient in Dinas Mawddwy who's had to go to have initial treatment and gone to see a doctor locally in Dolgellau, and then had to go to hospital in Bronglais in Aberystwyth, and then in turn down to Glangwili in Carmarthen, and then back up to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, and then over to Llanidloes, which is part of the Powys health board, and now has to go to Clatterbridge near Liverpool, I believe. And what he's found is that every one of these providers, the different hospitals, aren't communicating with each other, and they don't share notes; they're not ready for the patient's arrival, they don't know that patient's history, because the ICT systems don't communicate, and there's no easy way to share that information. So, can we have a statement to see what the system is, and what plans are in place to ensure that that system is properly integrated in Wales to avoid this happening in the future? Thank you.
It's an ongoing piece of work to make sure that computers talk to computers and health boards talk to health boards here in Wales. It is absolutely vital that patients don't have to repeat their story every time they go to a different hospital, for instance. I know there were some difficulties between Wales and England, but as far as I was aware those systems should be able to talk to each other within Wales.
Mae'n ddarn o waith parhaus i sicrhau bod cyfrifiaduron yn siarad â chyfrifiaduron a byrddau iechyd yn siarad â byrddau iechyd yma yng Nghymru. Mae'n gwbl hanfodol nad oes rhaid i gleifion ailadrodd eu stori bob tro y maen nhw'n mynd i ysbyty gwahanol, er enghraifft. Rwy'n gwybod bod rhai anawsterau rhwng Cymru a Lloegr, ond hyd y gwn i dylai'r systemau hynny allu siarad â'i gilydd o fewn Cymru.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
Thank you, Trefnydd.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi ar y strategaeth arloesedd. Dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog i wneud ei ddatganiad—Vaughan Gething.
The next item is the statement by the Minister for Economy on the innovation strategy. I call on the Minister to make his statement—Vaughan Gething.
Diolch, Llywydd. I welcome this opportunity to update Members on 'Wales innovates', our new innovation strategy, which has been co-developed with the Ministers for health and social services, education and Welsh Language and, of course, climate change. It was officially launched yesterday. Firstly, I'd like to acknowledge and thank the Plaid Cymru designated Members and their leader in the development of the strategy, which is all the stronger for their work and input and fulfils a commitment in the co-operation agreement.
We've developed this strategy following more than a year of independent research and extensive engagement across Wales, including a statutory public consultation where over 160 submissions were received from industry, academia, the public sector and individual citizens. We have put developing a culture of innovation at the heart of this strategy and across every Government department. That means we're committed to working together to achieve a vision that will create a stronger and more resilient economy, better educational outcomes—particularly in tertiary education and research—effective, sustainable health and social care, with better services for vulnerable people, and an ability to respond to the separate emergencies of climate and nature in everything that we do. We intend for innovation to be a major enabler for Wales that will deliver outcomes like better health, better jobs and prosperity for all. We want citizens and communities to feel the benefits, regardless of where they are in Wales, but we have to do this in the face of a new and evolving funding landscape.
Diolch, Llywydd. Rwy'n croesawu'r cyfle hwn i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i Aelodau ar 'Cymru'n arloesi', ein strategaeth arloesedd newydd, sydd wedi ei chyd-ddatblygu gyda'r Gweinidogion iechyd a gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, addysg a'r Gymraeg ac, wrth gwrs, newid hinsawdd. Fe'i lansiwyd yn swyddogol ddoe. Yn gyntaf, hoffwn gydnabod a diolch i Aelodau dynodedig Plaid Cymru a'u harweinydd yn natblygiad y strategaeth, sy'n gymaint cryfach yn sgil eu gwaith a'u mewnbwn ac yn cyflawni ymrwymiad yn y cytundeb cydweithredu.
Rydym wedi datblygu'r strategaeth hon yn dilyn mwy na blwyddyn o ymchwil annibynnol ac ymgysylltu helaeth ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus statudol lle cafwyd dros 160 o gyflwyniadau gan ddiwydiant, academia, y sector cyhoeddus a dinasyddion unigol. Rydym wedi rhoi datblygu diwylliant o arloesi wrth wraidd y strategaeth hon ac ar draws pob adran o'r Llywodraeth. Mae hynny'n golygu ein bod ni wedi ymrwymo i weithio gyda'n gilydd i gyflawni gweledigaeth a fydd yn creu economi gryfach a mwy cadarn, canlyniadau addysgol gwell—yn enwedig mewn addysg drydyddol ac ymchwil—iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol effeithiol, cynaliadwy, gyda gwell gwasanaethau ar gyfer pobl agored i niwed, a gallu i ymateb i argyfyngau ar wahân hinsawdd a natur ym mhopeth a wnawn. Rydym yn bwriadu i arloesedd fod yn brif alluogwr i Gymru a fydd yn sicrhau canlyniadau fel gwell iechyd, gwell swyddi a ffyniant i bawb. Rydyn ni eisiau i ddinasyddion a chymunedau deimlo'r manteision, ni waeth ble maen nhw yng Nghymru, ond mae'n rhaid i ni wneud hyn yn wyneb tirwedd ariannu newydd ac esblygol.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
We know that the traditional source of much of Wales’s investment in research and development—the former EU structural funds—is no more. We know that we will have less money to invest, and less control over how it is invested. Engagement with the EU over the Horizon Europe programme remains unresolved. But we do have positive relationships with EU regions through our ongoing involvement with networks like the Vanguard Initiative with European regional governments. A strategy that is genuinely collaborative and points the way to a different approach is needed now more than ever. So, we are adopting a mission-based approach, which will require recognition and discipline from our stakeholders that we have to prioritise some areas of research and innovation more than others. If we recognise that we can’t support all research, we can prioritise work that is translational. But we can only succeed if all the innovation stakeholders in Wales work together in the collaborative way that we set out in the strategy.
Our four main themes of education, economy, health and well-being, climate and nature will allow us to explore cutting-edge opportunities; to enable us to compete more effectively for UK and international funding and investment; to focus on our evidence-based areas of strength, and to make a contribution for Wales that also adds to the stated UK vision for innovation. Our strategy makes a firm commitment to driving up investment from the UK Government and beyond, which is even more crucial in the world of post-EU funding. I look forward to working with UK innovation agencies, where we have shared ambitions, and to seeing their stated intention made real to significantly increase research, development and innovation investment outside the south-east of England.
We will also have a new approach to funding. Our innovation support will no longer be restricted to businesses and research organisations. It will be open to any established organisation wishing to engage and invest in research, development and innovation. That includes the third sector, local authorities and health boards. By supporting an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset across all sectors, we can approach problems in new ways through the eyes of different and diverse people. We call for equality, both in terms of demographic and regional investment and impact. I want all of our universities, our businesses, our public bodies, and our citizens to collaborate even more closely to create an environment that turns research questions into real-world answers, and inspires our next generation of students, scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs.
As a Government, we understand that our future is inextricably linked to the education of our young people and our ability to embrace a tech-driven entrepreneurial economy. Our new curriculum will help to nurture entrepreneurial skills within our children and young people throughout their educational journey. We can harness the talent, enthusiasm and incredible potential of our young people who, in the future, will not only contribute to the Welsh economy, but will make a real impact with and for people’s lives. We’ll also invest in skills within our workforce, in digital, to service the latest industrial revolution, and in net zero skills. Our plans for these are set out in the net zero skills plan. Embedding net zero skills, in partnership with our industry bodies and delivery organisations, is key to delivering against our climate and nature mission.
Tackling climate change and protecting nature should be at the forefront of our choices in all areas. We need innovation to transform the food, energy and transportation systems in Wales. We also need innovation in other areas to be carried out in a carbon-neutral and resource-efficient way. We’ll require organisations receiving support to measure and understand their impact, and we’ll look to help them on that journey. We will use innovation as a tool to improve our health and care services, prioritising action to help further tackle delayed transfers of care, improve provision across primary, community, emergency and planned care, as well as in cancer and mental health services.
I’m pleased that our vision for innovation will now turn to further action. These will shortly be pulled together in a practical delivery plan. This will be a living document, setting out specific goals, actions, milestones, and it will be monitored and refined to measure impact. In an ever-changing funding landscape, we’ll need to revisit our progress and keep an open mind for what we hope will be different and better opportunities. This strategy is an exemplar of how the Welsh Government’s approach to innovation can benefit the people, environment and businesses of Wales. I look forward to reporting to Members on progress.
Rydyn ni'n gwybod nad yw ffynhonnell draddodiadol llawer o fuddsoddiad Cymru mewn ymchwil a datblygu—hen gronfeydd strwythurol yr UE—yn bodoli bellach. Rydyn ni'n gwybod y bydd gennym ni lai o arian i fuddsoddi, a llai o reolaeth dros sut mae'n cael ei fuddsoddi. Mae ymgysylltu â'r UE dros raglen Horizon Europe yn parhau i fod heb ei ddatrys. Ond mae gennym berthynas gadarnhaol â rhanbarthau'r UE trwy ein cysylltiad parhaus â rhwydweithiau fel Menter Vanguard gyda llywodraethau rhanbarthol Ewrop. Mae angen strategaeth sy'n wirioneddol gydweithredol ac sy'n arwain y ffordd at ddull gwahanol nawr yn fwy nag erioed. Felly, rydyn ni'n mabwysiadu dull sy'n seiliedig ar genhadaeth, a fydd angen cydnabyddiaeth a disgyblaeth gan ein rhanddeiliaid bod yn rhaid i ni flaenoriaethu rhai meysydd ymchwil ac arloesedd yn fwy nag eraill. Os ydym yn cydnabod na allwn gefnogi pob ymchwil, gallwn flaenoriaethu gwaith sy'n trosi i feysydd eraill. Ond gallwn dim ond llwyddo os yw'r holl randdeiliaid arloesi yng Nghymru yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd yn y ffordd gydweithredol yr ydym yn ei nodi yn y strategaeth.
Bydd ein pedair prif thema sef addysg, economi, iechyd a llesiant, hinsawdd a natur yn ein caniatáu i archwilio cyfleoedd blaengar; i'n galluogi i gystadlu'n fwy effeithiol am gyllid a buddsoddiad a chyllid y DU a rhyngwladol; i ganolbwyntio ar ein meysydd o gryfder sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth, ac i wneud cyfraniad i Gymru sydd hefyd yn ychwanegu at weledigaeth ddatganedig y DU ar gyfer arloesi. Mae ein strategaeth yn gwneud ymrwymiad cadarn i sbarduno buddsoddiad gan Lywodraeth y DU a thu hwnt, sydd hyd yn oed yn fwy hanfodol ym myd cyllid ar ôl yr UE. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weithio gydag asiantaethau arloesi'r DU, lle mae gennym uchelgeisiau a rennir, ac at weld eu bwriad datganedig yn cael ei wneud yn real i gynyddu buddsoddiad ymchwil, datblygu ac arloesi yn sylweddol y tu allan i dde-ddwyrain Lloegr.
Bydd gennym hefyd ddull newydd o ariannu. Ni fydd ein cymorth arloesi bellach yn gyfyngedig i fusnesau a sefydliadau ymchwil. Bydd yn agored i unrhyw sefydliad sefydledig sy'n dymuno cymryd rhan a buddsoddi mewn ymchwil, datblygu ac arloesi. Mae hynny'n cynnwys y trydydd sector, awdurdodau lleol a byrddau iechyd. Drwy gefnogi meddylfryd arloesol ac entrepreneuraidd ar draws pob sector, gallwn fynd at broblemau mewn ffyrdd newydd drwy lygaid pobl wahanol ac amrywiol. Rydym yn galw am gydraddoldeb, o ran buddsoddiad ac effaith ddemograffig a rhanbarthol. Rwyf eisiau i'n holl brifysgolion, ein busnesau, ein cyrff cyhoeddus, a'n dinasyddion gydweithio'n agosach fyth i greu amgylchedd sy'n troi cwestiynau ymchwil yn atebion yn y byd go iawn, ac yn ysbrydoli ein cenhedlaeth nesaf o fyfyrwyr, gwyddonwyr, ymchwilwyr ac entrepreneuriaid.
Fel Llywodraeth, rydyn ni'n deall bod ein dyfodol wedi'i gysylltu'n anorfod ag addysg ein pobl ifanc a'n gallu i groesawu economi entrepreneuraidd sy'n cael ei hysgogi gan dechnoleg. Bydd ein cwricwlwm newydd yn helpu i feithrin sgiliau entrepreneuraidd yn ein plant a'n pobl ifanc drwy gydol eu taith addysgol. Gallwn ni harneisio talent, brwdfrydedd a photensial anhygoel ein pobl ifanc a fydd, yn y dyfodol, nid yn unig yn cyfrannu at economi Cymru, ond yn cael effaith wirioneddol ar fywydau pobl ac ar eu cyfer. Byddwn ni hefyd yn buddsoddi mewn sgiliau o fewn ein gweithlu, yn ddigidol, i wasanaethu'r chwyldro diwydiannol diweddaraf, ac mewn sgiliau sero net. Mae ein cynlluniau ar gyfer y rhain wedi'u nodi yn y cynllun sgiliau sero net. Mae gwreiddio sgiliau sero net, mewn partneriaeth â'n cyrff diwydiant a'n sefydliadau cyflawni, yn allweddol i gyflawni o'i gymharu â'n cenhadaeth hinsawdd a natur.
Dylai mynd i'r afael â newid hinsawdd a gwarchod natur fod ar flaen ein dewisiadau ym mhob maes. Mae angen arloesi arnom i drawsnewid y systemau bwyd, ynni a chludiant yng Nghymru. Mae angen i arloesi hefyd mewn meysydd eraill gael ei wneud mewn ffordd garbon-niwtral ac effeithlon o ran adnoddau. Byddwn yn gofyn i sefydliadau sy'n derbyn cefnogaeth, fesur a deall eu heffaith, a byddwn yn ceisio eu helpu ar y daith honno. Byddwn yn defnyddio arloesedd fel dull o wella ein gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal, gan flaenoriaethu camau i helpu i fynd i'r afael ymhellach ag oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal, gwella'r ddarpariaeth ar draws gofal sylfaenol, gofal cymunedol, gofal brys a gofal wedi'i gynllunio, yn ogystal â gwasanaethau canser ac iechyd meddwl.
Rwy'n falch y bydd ein gweledigaeth ar gyfer arloesi nawr yn troi at weithredu pellach. Cyn bo hir, bydd y rhain yn cael eu tynnu at ei gilydd mewn cynllun cyflawni ymarferol. Bydd hon yn ddogfen fyw, sy'n nodi nodau, gweithredoedd, cerrig milltir penodol, a bydd yn cael ei monitro a'i mireinio i fesur effaith. Mewn tirwedd ariannu sy'n newid yn barhaus, bydd angen i ni edrych eto ar ein cynnydd a chadw meddwl agored am yr hyn rydyn ni'n gobeithio bydd yn gyfleoedd gwahanol a gwell. Mae'r strategaeth hon yn batrwm o sut gall dull Llywodraeth Cymru o arloesi, fod o fudd i bobl, amgylchedd a busnesau Cymru. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at adrodd i'r Aelodau ar gynnydd.
Can I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon? I'm very pleased to hear that this strategy has now been published—this document—and that there will be a delivery plan that is going to sit alongside it. You said, Minister, in your remarks there, that the delivery plan will be published shortly, and it would be useful, I think, for us all to have a timescale by which you expect to be able to publish that.
You didn't refer in your statement to the central innovation team that the strategy document refers to, which appears to me to be quite central to wanting to drive the delivery of this agenda forward across the Welsh Government's different departments and policy areas. That team is going to be critical, I think, to the success of the implementation, and it's going to need to have some teeth and resources. So, can you tell us who and how that team will be made up of, and what resources you're going to put in place behind that team, in order to make sure that it does the job of delivery? It would also be useful, Minister, I think, if you could tell us whether there's going to be any external presence on that team, or whether it's going to be a wholly in-house sort of operation. I do think that having an arm's-length organisation in order to hold the Government to account can sometimes be useful. And it would be helpful to know whether there's any external expertise that you might be able to bring in.
You've referred to the four different specific mission areas, if you like: education, economy, health and well-being, and climate and nature. And obviously, we do have a changing new curriculum. I know that the Welsh Government has done some work trying to promote the digital skills agenda and engagement with STEM subjects, but I cannot see in the new curriculum specifically how innovation is necessarily promoted. I think it would be useful to have some more information on how you see that being embedded in the new curriculum, because I personally don't see that sufficiently emphasised enough at the moment.
In addition to the strategy document, I know that the Welsh Government's going to be expanding its offer to micro, small and medium-sized businesses with some funding and advice. You made reference to the fact, in the launch yesterday, that there will be a new service launched later in the year for those small, micro and medium-sized businesses. Can you tell us whether a launch date has actually been set, and what you're going to do in order to make sure that people are aware of the support that they can get in those smaller businesses, in order that they can access it, and we can all see this innovation flow through into our economy?
Now, I'm very pleased to see the references in the document to a more equal Wales, and that the strategy recognises that there needs to be a fairer geographical distribution of investment in innovation activities. That's music to my years, particularly in north Wales, where we often feel overlooked by Welsh Government investment. But obviously, there are partners in different parts of Wales who the Welsh Government will need to engage with to deliver on this important agenda—you've got regional partnerships, you've got local authorities, you've got business groups, sometimes the chambers of commerce in particular areas. Can you tell us what role they will have in ensuring the roll-out of this vision nationwide, to make sure that there is that local delivery element in addition to the national framework that you've set out?
I'm very pleased to see the emphasis as well on health and well-being. We all know that the NHS in Wales is lagging behind some of its counterparts elsewhere in the UK, in terms of the use of some of the digital technology that's available. We heard reference earlier on today in terms of simple things, like electronic prescriptions, which we don't have in Wales but people have the benefit of elsewhere. We saw during the pandemic there were huge leaps forward in terms of engagement with technology in order to address some of the problems that could arise with the distance that people might have to travel in order to access appointments. But one of the things that the Welsh NHS Confederation raised in response to the draft strategy was that they said that there needed to be more visible links between patient safety, quality and outcomes in the strategy going forward. Have you now addressed those concerns? And if so, can you tell us how you have addressed them?
And then, finally, just in relation to this issue of EU funding, as you will know, my colleague, Paul Davies, has often referred to the fact that we need to get on and implement the recommendations of Professor Graeme Reid's review of government funded research and innovation, and he's not the only one. Many other stakeholders have also said precisely the same. So, can you tell us whether the Welsh Government will finally listen to that chorus of voices that is out there and finally get to grips and make a commitment with implementing the review's recommendations? I think that people want nothing more and nothing less.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad y prynhawn 'ma? Rwy'n falch iawn o glywed bod y strategaeth hon bellach wedi'i chyhoeddi—y ddogfen hon—ac y bydd yna gynllun cyflawni fydd yn eistedd ochr yn ochr â hi. Fe ddywedoch chi, Gweinidog, yn eich sylwadau yn y fan yna, y bydd y cynllun cyflawni yn cael ei gyhoeddi'n fuan, a byddai'n ddefnyddiol, rwy'n credu, i ni i gyd gael amserlen yn nodi erbyn pryd yr ydych yn disgwyl gallu cyhoeddi hwnnw.
Wnaethoch chi ddim cyfeirio yn eich datganiad at y tîm arloesi canolog y mae'r ddogfen strategaeth yn cyfeirio ati, sy'n ymddangos i mi yn eithaf canolog i fod eisiau ysgogi'r gwaith o gyflawni'r agenda hon ar draws gwahanol adrannau a meysydd polisi Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae'r tîm hwnnw'n mynd i fod yn allweddol, rwy'n credu, i lwyddiant y gweithredu, a bydd angen iddo fod â rhywfaint o rym ac adnoddau. Felly, allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni pwy fydd y tîm hwnnw'n ei gynnwys a sut fydd hynny'n digwydd, a pha adnoddau fyddwch chi'n eu rhoi ar waith y tu ôl i'r tîm hwnnw, er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr ei fod yn gwneud y gwaith o gyflawni? Byddai hefyd yn ddefnyddiol, Gweinidog, rwy'n credu, pe gallech ddweud wrthym a fydd unrhyw bresenoldeb allanol ar y tîm hwnnw, neu a yw'n mynd i fod yn fath o weithrediad cwbl fewnol. Rwy'n credu bod cael sefydliad hyd braich er mwyn dwyn y Llywodraeth i gyfrif yn gallu bod yn ddefnyddiol weithiau. A byddai'n ddefnyddiol gwybod a oes unrhyw arbenigedd allanol y gallech chi ei gyflwyno.
Rydych chi wedi cyfeirio at y pedwar gwahanol faes cenhadaeth penodol, os mynnwch chi: addysg, economi, iechyd a llesiant, a hinsawdd a natur. Ac yn amlwg, mae gennym gwricwlwm newydd sy'n newid. Rwy'n gwybod bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud rhywfaint o waith yn ceisio hybu'r agenda sgiliau digidol ac ymgysylltu â phynciau STEM, ond ni allaf weld yn y cwricwlwm newydd yn benodol sut y mae arloesi o reidrwydd yn cael ei hybu. Rwy'n credu y byddai'n ddefnyddiol cael ychydig mwy o wybodaeth am sut rydych chi'n gweld hynny'n cael ei ymgorffori yn y cwricwlwm newydd, oherwydd dydw i'n bersonol ddim yn gweld bod hynny wedi'i bwysleisio'n ddigonol ar hyn o bryd.
Yn ogystal â'r ddogfen strategaeth, rwy'n gwybod y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ehangu ei chynnig i fusnesau micro, bach a chanolig gyda rhywfaint o arian a chyngor. Fe wnaethoch chi gyfeirio at y ffaith, yn y lansiad ddoe, y bydd gwasanaeth newydd yn cael ei lansio yn ddiweddarach yn y flwyddyn ar gyfer y busnesau bach, micro a chanolig hynny. A allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni a oes dyddiad lansio wedi'i bennu mewn gwirionedd, a beth rydych chi'n mynd i'w wneud i sicrhau bod pobl yn ymwybodol o'r gefnogaeth y gallan nhw ei gael yn y busnesau llai hynny, er mwyn iddynt gael mynediad ato, ac y gallwn ni i gyd weld yr arloesedd hwn yn llifo drwodd i'n heconomi?
Nawr, rwy'n falch iawn o weld y cyfeiriadau yn y ddogfen at Gymru fwy cyfartal, a bod y strategaeth yn cydnabod bod angen dosbarthiad daearyddol tecach o fuddsoddiad mewn gweithgareddau arloesi. Mae hynny'n dda iawn i'w glywed, yn enwedig yn y gogledd, lle rydym yn aml yn teimlo ein bod yn cael ein hanwybyddu gan fuddsoddiad Llywodraeth Cymru. Ond yn amlwg, mae yna bartneriaid mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru y bydd angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ymgysylltu â nhw i gyflawni'r agenda bwysig hon—mae gennych chi bartneriaethau rhanbarthol, mae gennych chi awdurdodau lleol, mae gennych chi grwpiau busnes, weithiau'r siambrau masnach mewn meysydd penodol. A allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni pa rôl fydd ganddyn nhw wrth sicrhau cyflwyno'r weledigaeth hon ledled y wlad, i wneud yn siŵr bod yr elfen gyflenwi leol honno yn ychwanegol at y fframwaith cenedlaethol rydych chi wedi'i nodi?
Rwy'n falch iawn o weld y pwyslais hefyd ar iechyd a llesiant. Rydyn ni i gyd yn gwybod bod y GIG yng Nghymru ar ei hôl hi o'i gymharu â rhai o'i sefydliadau cyfatebol mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU, o ran defnyddio rhywfaint o'r dechnoleg ddigidol sydd ar gael. Clywsom gyfeirio'n gynharach heddiw o ran pethau syml, fel presgripsiynau electronig, nad oes gennym ni yng Nghymru ond y mae pobl yn cael budd ohono yn rhywle arall. Gwelsom yn ystod y pandemig y cafwyd camau enfawr ymlaen o ran ymgysylltu â thechnoleg er mwyn mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r problemau a allai godi gyda'r pellter y gallai pobl orfod ei deithio er mwyn dod i apwyntiadau. Ond un o'r pethau a gododd Conffederasiwn GIG Cymru mewn ymateb i'r strategaeth ddrafft oedd eu bod yn dweud bod angen mwy o gysylltiadau gweladwy rhwng diogelwch cleifion, ansawdd a chanlyniadau'r strategaeth wrth symud ymlaen. Ydych chi bellach wedi mynd i'r afael â'r pryderon hynny? Ac os felly, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni sut rydych chi wedi mynd i'r afael â nhw?
Ac yna, yn olaf, ynghylch y mater hwn o gyllid yr UE, fel y gwyddoch chi, mae fy nghyd-Aelod, Paul Davies, yn aml wedi cyfeirio at y ffaith bod angen i ni fwrw ymlaen a gweithredu argymhellion adolygiad yr Athro Graeme Reid o ymchwil ac arloesi a ariennir gan y llywodraeth, ac nid ef yw'r unig un. Mae llawer o randdeiliaid eraill hefyd wedi dweud yr union yr un peth. Felly, a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym ni a fydd Llywodraeth Cymru o'r diwedd yn gwrando ar y corws hwnnw o leisiau sydd allan yno ac o'r diwedd yn mynd i'r afael â gweithredu argymhellion yr adolygiad? Rwy'n credu bod ar bobl eisiau dim mwy a dim llai.
Thank you for the long series of questions. I won't test the Deputy Presiding Officer's patience by giving a long answer to each of, I think the 10 different areas. Look, on the action and delivery plan, I'm expecting that that will be provided in a matter of months, and that should help us, as it's supposed to be a living document, to make sure that we do have milestones and measures within that to go alongside the broader missions. We've made choices in this strategy. Look at those areas where we've got real strengths that already exist in Wales and in different parts of Wales—north, south, east and west—but also look at potential areas for strength in the future. Now, that's about how we look to build on what we can do and what we're really good at here in Wales, rather than trying to do a bit of everything, and so, you'll see that as we go forward with the delivery plan that you've referred to.
Now, I'll try to deal with some of your points about other outcomes as well. We want to see outcomes and see things translated. The reviews we'll undertake at one, three and five years—the first-year review is really important to understand that we are still making the progress that we set out in the mission, but, also, because a number of the funding pieces are uncertain still at this point in time. There's a point about whether the UK Government will really deliver on its mission to use a significant amount of headline budget on innovation to make sure that it doesn't just go into the golden triangle around Oxbridge and a couple of universities in Scotland. It will also be important to see what's happening with the relatively confused landscape—I'll be as polite as I can—in post-EU funds, and, actually, there's policy confusion in there as well with things that are contradictory. We're going to look to try to have a more coherent approach, and we've been working with a range of people in doing that in the run-up to the launch of this strategy as well. That includes businesses being involved in that, it includes higher and further education, and it includes a range of people already engaged. There's also an unfinished piece of work in the UK Government and there's a review that Sir Paul Nurse has been doing—that will have an impact on the funding landscape and some priorities that we'll need to be cognisant of as well.
I do expect that, when we get to the innovation team that is based in my department, and their work not only to co-ordinate what takes place within the Government, but their work with external stakeholders as well—. Because, often, in a country the size of Wales, people are looking for the Welsh Government to carry on with some leadership to help hold the ring, but to draw in those other stakeholders, which is what we've already been doing. But we're also, though, looking to have a joint delivery plan, a joint action plan, with Innovate UK, and that's the first time that we've been able to do that, to secure agreement on that, and they're looking to do that on the basis of the strategy we've launched today. So, we've tried to have a coherent approach to what we're going to do. That should help us with future funding streams.
In the new curriculum—I just don't accept the Member's characterisation. I think, within the areas of learning and entrepreneurship and innovation, they are there, and it's about how we build on that practically in the work that we do. Much of what business says at this point in time, when they look at the future with all the risks and challenges and opportunities they have, they talk lots about labour and skills and about how we need to be able to get to people not just at 16, 17, 18 and beyond, but actually earlier, to keep those minds open to potential careers that exist. That's not just a point about skills; it is about how we value and embed a culture of innovation and challenge. It was fascinating yesterday, at the launch, to have a range of young people in different parts of Wales saying what they are already doing in looking at innovative ways, so they are thinking about problem solving to go through that, and they're not just—even though Jack Sargeant is in the room—engineers; there is a range of other people thinking about how to deal with challenges in the future.
And, look, when it comes to the launch of the micro and SME funding, you expect it to happen within the coming months. Again, I will make clear when that fund is being launched. Members will know and will look to go to work with stakeholders. I doubt, sadly, it'll be a headline on television news when we launch that fund, but the people who need to will know about that and the business networks we have are how we're going to be able to try to promote that. And, obviously, for Members from all sides, it would be helpful if they could promote it, because you will all have constituents who will be interested in when that fund comes to launch.
We definitely care about innovation in all areas across Wales. We've invested lots in innovation in north Wales in a whole range of areas. I was talking with Siemens earlier today, and, with the investment we've done with them in Llanberis, they're engaged in not just manufacturing but really interesting, innovative research as well. So, that is something that has a reach in every part of Wales. And it's one of the points we've made to the UK Government, so they don't perceive research, science, development and innovation as something that takes place in Cardiff and Newport in the semiconductor cluster; we have had to tell them that there are many more areas of strength across Wales, and Sam Kurtz mentioned earlier today the work of IBERS in Aberystwyth. I should say, Llywydd, that's my former undergraduate institution; there's no bias there, obviously.
Finally, though, on the Reid review, we just need to be honest: we're not going to be able to deliver on what the Reid review suggested we would do, because the funding realities at that time have been completely capsized by not just our leaving the European Union but by the failure to deal, the failure to honour the very clear promises that were made on not a penny being lost to Wales. Our budget has taken real pressure. We're going to be talking about the final budget in the coming weeks, and within that you know very well there is not extra money looking for a home. Our challenge is actually how we prioritise and deal with the things we need to do, the opportunities we can take up, rather than all the things that Members across different parties would want to do. So, I'm not going to engage in a dishonest conversation and pretend we're still in the same position as when the Reid review was published. And Conservative Members need to take some responsibility for the fact that more money has been taken out of Wales and we now have less say over less money.
Diolch am y gyfres hir o gwestiynau. Wnaf i ddim rhoi prawf ar amynedd y Dirprwy Lywydd drwy roi ateb hir i bob un o, rwy'n credu, y 10 maes gwahanol. Edrychwch, ar y cynllun gweithredu a chyflawni, rwy'n disgwyl y bydd hwnnw'n cael ei ddarparu mewn mater o fisoedd, a dylai hynny ein helpu, gan ei bod i fod yn ddogfen fyw, i wneud yn siŵr bod gennym gerrig milltir a mesurau o fewn hynny i fynd ochr yn ochr â'r cenadaethau ehangach. Rydym wedi gwneud dewisiadau yn y strategaeth hon. Edrychwch ar y meysydd hynny lle mae gennym ni gryfderau gwirioneddol sydd eisoes yn bodoli yng Nghymru ac mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru—y gogledd, y de, y dwyrain a'r gorllewin—ond sydd hefyd yn edrych ar ardaloedd posibl ar gyfer cryfder yn y dyfodol. Nawr, mae hynny'n ymwneud â sut rydyn ni'n ceisio adeiladu ar yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud a'r hyn rydyn ni'n dda iawn yn ei wneud yma yng Nghymru, yn hytrach na cheisio gwneud ychydig o bopeth, ac felly, fe welwch chi hynny wrth i ni fwrw ymlaen â'r cynllun cyflawni rydych chi wedi cyfeirio ato.
Nawr, fe geisiaf i ymdrin â rhai o'ch pwyntiau am ganlyniadau eraill hefyd. Rydyn ni eisiau gweld canlyniadau a gweld pethau'n cael eu trosi. Mae'r adolygiadau y byddwn yn eu cynnal ar ôl un, tair a phum mlynedd—mae'r adolygiad blwyddyn gyntaf yn bwysig iawn i ddeall ein bod ni'n dal i wneud y cynnydd a nodir gennym yn y genhadaeth, ond, hefyd, oherwydd bod nifer o'r darnau ariannu yn ansicr o hyd ar hyn o bryd. Mae pwynt o ran a fydd Llywodraeth y DU wir yn cyflawni ei chenhadaeth i ddefnyddio cryn dipyn o brif gyllideb ar arloesi i wneud yn siŵr nad yw'n mynd i'r triongl euraidd o amgylch Oxbridge a chwpl o brifysgolion yn yr Alban. Bydd hefyd yn bwysig gweld beth sy'n digwydd gyda'r dirwedd gymharol ddryslyd—byddaf mor gwrtais ag y gallaf—mewn cronfeydd ôl-UE, ac, mewn gwirionedd, mae dryswch polisi yn y fan honno yn ogystal â phethau sy'n anghyson. Rydyn ni'n mynd i geisio bod â dull mwy cydlynol, ac rydyn ni wedi bod yn gweithio gydag ystod o bobl wrth wneud hynny yn y cyfnod cyn lansio'r strategaeth hon hefyd. Mae hynny'n cynnwys busnesau yn ymwneud â hynny, mae'n cynnwys addysg uwch ac addysg bellach, ac mae'n cynnwys amrywiaeth o bobl sydd eisoes wedi ymgysylltu. Mae yna hefyd ddarn o waith anorffenedig yn Llywodraeth y DU ac mae yna adolygiad y mae Syr Paul Nurse wedi bod yn ei wneud—bydd hynny'n cael effaith ar y dirwedd ariannu a rhai blaenoriaethau y bydd angen i ni fod yn ymwybodol ohonyn nhw hefyd.
Rwy'n disgwyl, pan fyddwn ni'n dod at y tîm arloesi sydd wedi'i leoli yn fy adran i, a'u gwaith nhw nid yn unig i gydlynu'r hyn sy'n digwydd o fewn y Llywodraeth, ond eu gwaith nhw gyda rhanddeiliaid allanol hefyd—. Oherwydd, yn aml, mewn gwlad maint Cymru, mae pobl yn edrych at Lywodraeth Cymru i barhau â rhywfaint o arweiniad i helpu i fonitro a rheoli, ond denu'r rhanddeiliaid eraill hynny, sef yr hyn yr ydyn ni eisoes wedi bod yn ei wneud. Ond rydyn ni hefyd, er hynny, yn gobeithio bod â chynllun cyflawni ar y cyd, cynllun gweithredu ar y cyd, gydag Innovate UK, a dyna'r tro cyntaf i ni allu gwneud hynny, i sicrhau cytundeb ar hynny, ac maen nhw'n gobeithio gwneud hynny ar sail y strategaeth yr ydyn ni wedi'i lansio heddiw. Felly, rydyn ni wedi ceisio bod ag agwedd gydlynol at yr hyn rydyn ni'n mynd i'w wneud. Dylai hynny ein helpu ni gyda ffrydiau ariannu yn y dyfodol.
Yn y cwricwlwm newydd—dydw i ddim yn derbyn disgrifiad yr Aelod. Rwy'n credu, o fewn y meysydd dysgu ac entrepreneuriaeth ac arloesi, maen nhw yno, ac mae'n ymwneud â sut rydyn ni'n ategu hynny'n ymarferol yn y gwaith rydyn ni'n ei wneud. Mae llawer o'r hyn y mae busnes yn ei ddweud ar hyn o bryd, pan fyddan nhw'n edrych ar y dyfodol gyda'r holl risgiau a heriau a chyfleoedd sydd ganddyn nhw, maen nhw'n siarad llawer am lafur a sgiliau ac am sut mae angen i ni allu cyrraedd pobl nid yn unig rhai 16, 17, 18 a thu hwnt, ond yn gynharach mewn gwirionedd, i gadw'r meddyliau hynny'n agored i yrfaoedd posib sy'n bodoli. Nid pwynt am sgiliau yn unig yw hynny; mae'n ymwneud â sut rydyn ni'n gwerthfawrogi ac yn gwreiddio diwylliant o arloesi a herio. Roedd hi'n ddiddorol iawn ddoe, yn y lansiad, i gael amrywiaeth o bobl ifanc mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru yn dweud beth maen nhw eisoes yn ei wneud wrth edrych ar ffyrdd arloesol, felly maen nhw'n meddwl am ddatrys problemau i fynd drwy hynny, ac nid dim ond—er bod Jack Sargeant yn yr ystafell—peirianwyr ydyn nhw; mae yna amrywiaeth o bobl eraill yn meddwl am sut i ymdopi â heriau yn y dyfodol.
Ac, edrychwch, o ran lansio'r cyllid micro a busnesau bach a chanolig, rydych chi'n disgwyl iddo ddigwydd o fewn y misoedd nesaf. Unwaith eto, byddaf yn ei gwneud yn glir pan fydd y gronfa honno'n cael ei lansio. Bydd yr aelodau yn gwybod a byddant yn ceisio mynd i weithio gyda rhanddeiliaid. Rwy'n amau, yn anffodus, na fydd yn bennawd yn y newyddion ar y teledu pan fyddwn ni'n lansio'r gronfa honno, ond bydd y bobl sydd angen gwybod am hynny yn gwybod amdano a'r rhwydweithiau busnes sydd gennym yw sut y byddwn ni'n gallu ceisio hyrwyddo hwnnw. Ac, yn amlwg, i Aelodau o bob ochr, byddai'n ddefnyddiol pe gallen nhw ei hyrwyddo, oherwydd bydd gennych chi i gyd etholwyr a fydd â diddordeb mewn pryd y caiff y gronfa honno ei lansio.
Rydym yn bendant yn credu bod arloesi yn bwysig ym mhob ardal ledled Cymru. Rydyn ni wedi buddsoddi llawer mewn arloesedd yn y gogledd mewn ystod eang o feysydd. Roeddwn i'n siarad â Siemens yn gynharach heddiw, a gyda'r buddsoddiad rydyn ni wedi'i wneud gyda nhw yn Llanberis, maen nhw'n cymryd rhan mewn nid dim ond gweithgynhyrchu ond ymchwil diddorol, arloesol iawn hefyd. Felly, mae hynny'n rhywbeth sydd â chyrhaeddiad ym mhob rhan o Gymru. Ac mae'n un o'r pwyntiau rydyn ni wedi'i wneud i Lywodraeth y DU, fel nad ydyn nhw'n gweld ymchwil, gwyddoniaeth, datblygiad ac arloesedd fel rhywbeth sy'n digwydd yng Nghaerdydd a Chasnewydd yn y clwstwr lled-ddargludyddion; bu'n rhaid i ni ddweud wrthyn nhw fod llawer mwy o ardaloedd o gryfder ledled Cymru, a soniodd Sam Kurtz yn gynharach heddiw am waith IBERS yn Aberystwyth. Dylwn i ddweud, Llywydd, mai dyna'r sefydliad lle gwnes i fy ngradd; does dim rhagfarn yn y fan yna, yn amlwg.
Yn olaf, er hynny, ar adolygiad Reid, mae angen i ni fod yn onest: dydyn ni ddim yn mynd i allu cyflawni'r hyn yr awgrymodd adolygiad Reid y byddem ni'n ei wneud, oherwydd mae'r gwirioneddau cyllido bryd hynny wedi eu dymchwel yn llwyr nid yn unig gan inni adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd ond gan y methiant i ymdrin, y methiant i anrhydeddu'r addewidion clir iawn a wnaed na fyddai Cymru geiniog yn waeth ei byd. Mae ein cyllideb wedi cymryd pwysau gwirioneddol. Rydyn ni'n mynd i fod yn siarad am y gyllideb derfynol yn yr wythnosau nesaf, ac o fewn hynny rydych chi'n gwybod yn iawn nad oes yna arian ychwanegol yn chwilio am gartref. Ein her mewn gwirionedd yw sut rydyn ni'n blaenoriaethu ac yn ymdrin â'r pethau y mae angen i ni eu gwneud, y cyfleoedd y gallwn ni eu cymryd, yn hytrach na'r holl bethau y byddai Aelodau ar draws gwahanol bleidiau eisiau eu gwneud. Felly, dydw i ddim yn mynd i gymryd rhan mewn sgwrs anonest ac esgus ein bod ni'n dal yn yr un sefyllfa â phan gyhoeddwyd adolygiad Reid. Ac mae angen i Aelodau Ceidwadol gymryd rhywfaint o gyfrifoldeb am y ffaith bod mwy o arian wedi ei dynnu allan o Gymru a bellach mae gennym lai o lais dros lai o arian.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad.
Thank you to the Minister for his statement.
As the Minister rightly pointed out, our departure from the EU has had a detrimental impact on our ability to access funding. What was it, 'Not a penny less, not a power lost'? Now, at least, the innovation strategy launch allows us to have a shared mission across party lines that joins our attention to making Wales a dynamic nation for the future.
Now, innovation strategies across Europe have seen success and they aren't a new idea. Finland, in 1967, established Sitra, which is a body committed to innovating, regardless of which party is in power. And within 10 years, Sitra achieved education reform, which just so happens to be the same structure that we, as well as much of the world, have followed. So, there is tremendous potential for a Wales innovation strategy like Finland's to not just impact domestic policy but to influence international change as well.
Now, for Wales, we have an abundance of green energy potential. If we do this right, this innovation strategy has the capability to not only revitalise parts of Wales that have—and still do—experienced economic stagnation but to also place Wales as a leading nation in green innovation and policies. So, to that end, how does the Minister see the strategy feeding into supporting community-owned energy projects? It's important that the strategy links in with many of the projects up and running around Wales already, but also with those that are still in the works. We know already that community energy projects often find it difficult to get off the ground. I would also ask: how does the innovation strategy factor in the need for a just transition as we head towards a greener economy?
Now, by establishing well-defined goals within the strategy, policy makers will have the opportunity to not just influence green economic growth but to also influence the direction, the impact and the purpose of each goal. And, on the point of economic growth, how will this strategy support and assess requests not just from local businesses and SMEs but also social partnerships and co-operatives that might want to conduct research and development but simply haven't got the capital? There lies a way of developing truly homegrown innovation.
Now, although we look forward to future innovations, we must also acknowledge the recent past. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly had a negative impact on the progress of innovations across Wales, and as a result we must also understand that the mission areas such as the health and care system need critical attention, and we need to act swiftly to remedy this. So, I would be interested to understand how Government might prioritise or be flexible with the missions within this strategy.
Looking at another international comparison, the Research Council of Norway has five core strategic areas. Now, these five strategic areas are intrinsically linked and cannot be achieved without societal change, both within and outside of Norway. As a result, societal change is at the heart of innovation strategy as a whole. Now, if Wales as a society has not bought into policies, then it will be very difficult for them to succeed. A key requirement for success is therefore to have actors and a variety of stakeholders with sufficient knowledge and resources to help connect and embed innovations and novel practices within existing structures and institutions. So, to that end, this will of course be key to achieving the four missions set out, and I'd be interested in hearing the Government's work in bringing those stakeholders together to date.
Fel y nododd y Gweinidog yn gywir, mae ein hymadawiad â'r UE wedi cael effaith niweidiol ar ein gallu i gael cyllid. Beth oedd e', 'Dim ceiniog yn llai, dim pŵer a gollwyd'? Nawr, o leiaf, mae lansiad y strategaeth arloesedd yn ein galluogi i gael cenhadaeth gyffredin ar draws y pleidiau sy'n uno ein sylw i wneud Cymru'n genedl ddeinamig ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Nawr, mae strategaethau arloesi ledled Ewrop wedi gweld llwyddiant a dydyn nhw ddim yn syniad newydd. Sefydlodd y Ffindir, ym 1967, Sitra, sy'n gorff sydd wedi ymrwymo i arloesi, ni waeth pa blaid sydd mewn grym. Ac o fewn 10 mlynedd, cyflawnodd Sitra ddiwygiad addysg, sydd fel mae'n digwydd yr un strwythur ag yr ydym ni, yn ogystal â llawer o'r byd, wedi'i ddilyn. Felly, mae potensial aruthrol i strategaeth arloesedd Cymru fel un y Ffindir i nid yn unig effeithio ar bolisi domestig ond dylanwadu ar newid rhyngwladol hefyd.
Nawr, i Gymru, mae gennym doreth o botensial ynni gwyrdd. Os gwnawn ni hyn yn iawn, mae gan y strategaeth arloesedd hon y gallu i adfywio rhannau o Gymru sydd wedi—ac sy'n dal—i brofi diffyg twf economaidd ond hefyd i osod Cymru fel cenedl flaenllaw ym maes arloesi a pholisïau gwyrdd. Felly, i'r perwyl hwnnw, sut mae'r Gweinidog yn gweld y strategaeth yn cyfrannu at gefnogi prosiectau ynni sy'n eiddo i'r gymuned? Mae'n bwysig bod y strategaeth yn cysylltu gyda nifer o'r prosiectau sy'n weithredol o amgylch Cymru yn barod, ond hefyd gyda'r rheiny sy'n dal i fod yn yr arfaeth. Rydyn ni'n gwybod eisoes bod prosiectau ynni cymunedol yn aml yn ei chael hi'n anodd cychwyn arni. Byddwn hefyd yn gofyn: sut mae'r strategaeth arloesedd yn ffactor yn yr angen am bontio teg wrth i ni fynd tuag at economi wyrddach?
Nawr, drwy sefydlu nodau sydd wedi'u diffinio'n dda o fewn y strategaeth, bydd gan lunwyr polisi gyfle i ddylanwadu ar dwf economaidd gwyrdd a hefyd i ddylanwadu ar gyfeiriad, effaith a phwrpas pob nod. Ac ar y pwynt am dwf economaidd, sut fydd y strategaeth hon yn cefnogi ac yn asesu ceisiadau nid yn unig gan fusnesau lleol a busnesau bach a chanolig ond hefyd partneriaethau cymdeithasol a chydweithredwyr a allai fod eisiau cynnal ymchwil a datblygu ond yn syml sydd heb y cyfalaf? Mae yna ffordd o ddatblygu arloesedd gwirioneddol gartref.
Nawr, er ein bod yn edrych ymlaen at ddatblygiadau arloesol yn y dyfodol, mae'n rhaid i ni hefyd gydnabod y gorffennol diweddar. Heb os, mae pandemig COVID-19 wedi cael effaith negyddol ar gynnydd datblygiadau arloesol ledled Cymru, ac o ganlyniad, mae'n rhaid i ni ddeall hefyd bod angen sylw beirniadol ar feysydd y genhadaeth fel y system iechyd a gofal, ac mae angen i ni weithredu'n gyflym i gywiro hyn. Felly, byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn deall sut y gallai'r Llywodraeth flaenoriaethu neu fod yn hyblyg gyda'r cenadaethau o fewn y strategaeth hon.
Wrth edrych ar gymhariaeth ryngwladol arall, mae gan Gyngor Ymchwil Norwy bum maes strategol craidd. Nawr, mae'r pum maes strategol hyn wedi'u cysylltu'n gynhenid ac ni ellir eu cyflawni heb newid cymdeithasol, o fewn a thu allan i Norwy. O ganlyniad, mae newid cymdeithasol wrth wraidd strategaeth arloesedd yn ei chyfanrwydd. Nawr, os nad yw Cymru fel cymdeithas yn cefnogi polisïau, yna bydd yn anodd iawn iddynt lwyddo. Gofyniad allweddol felly ar gyfer llwyddiant yw bod â gweithredwyr ac amrywiaeth o randdeiliaid sydd â digon o wybodaeth ac adnoddau i helpu i gysylltu a gwreiddio datblygiadau arloesol ac arferion newydd o fewn strwythurau a sefydliadau presennol. Felly, i'r perwyl hwnnw, bydd hyn wrth gwrs yn allweddol i gyflawni'r pedair cenhadaeth a nodir, a byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn clywed am waith y Llywodraeth wrth ddod â'r rhanddeiliaid hynny at ei gilydd hyd yma.
Thank you for the questions and comments.
Diolch am y cwestiynau a'r sylwadau.
Diolch am y cwestiynau.
Thank you for the questions.
I heard much about Finland yesterday, the leader of Plaid Cymru referred to Finland at length in his contribution, and of course we have taken an interest in the way that other countries, including Finland, have used innovation as a tool for national improvement and in a range of policy areas. Finland and other Scandinavian countries have had an explicit influence on the way that we've developed policy—not just the foundation phase, but many others as well—and the way that we seek to use our natural assets for the future of the country as well.
I think that goes into the points you were making about green innovation. If you think about the four missions, climate, nature and the economy, there's a really obvious overlap in this area, and it's one of the areas we spent lots of time talking about in this Chamber, not just about the unresolved issues around free ports, but about what we think we can do. With the large energy generation projects around floating offshore wind, there will be more innovation to come, and actually we've seen, in the Deputy Presiding Officer's own constituency, some of that innovation in a range of turbine technology and in different parts of Wales, and some of that could come back to the point about community generation as well, because there is something for us to learn about where we've been successful and where we haven't been as successful as we want to be, and it's also something where I think there's more room for more co-ops. Much of the community generation that has been successful has actually been co-operative, ballot-backed developments as well, and we have a really vibrant co-operative community in Wales. You'd expect me to say that as a Labour and Co-op member, but lots of that innovation does take place. The way we're looking to open up, as I set out in my statement, the ability to access some of that smart funding, should mean there is more opportunity for those organisations, not less, in the way they can access innovation spend in the future, and there are a range of services available to them: Cwmpas Cymru, very obviously, but also Business Wales too.
All of this does take in your point about the just transition. We'll talk about it more in the next statement as well. The transition we wish to make isn't to leave people behind, but how we see innovation improving the lives of people—people whether they're living in communities and the services that they may receive, or indeed people in the world of work and beyond. I want to give you the reassurance that the just transition is something that is a regular feature in the minds of Ministers about the choices we make and about the fact that there's a lot more disruption to come in the future. That can be an opportunity as well as a real risk for the people that we represent.
On your point about COVID-19 innovation, it did prevent a range of areas and innovations that were in train, work that was happening—much of that was interrupted. But I think there's an important point to make here, that actually, because of COVID-19, we had to innovate in a whole range of areas, and we did. There's the way in which, for example, the Welsh ambulance service were able to think again about how they could re-prepare vehicles to be able to go out. That had to happen and, because of the forced innovation, we've ended up with the better system that we have in place now, and, in a range of other areas, the innovation that was forced has actually led people to make different choices. Sometimes it's about products. Sometimes it's about services. Sometimes it's the way that people work. If you look at the innovation that has taken place just in terms of the way we work on a hybrid basis, not just in this place, but it's commonplace in the world of work, where it's possible to do so, three years ago we would not have thought that's the way that people would expect to work in an office environment, for example, today. So, there's much more innovation that is to come. It's not just about, if you like, the obvious people-in-white-coats end of innovation. Much of the innovation that improves our lives come from when we rethink the way we approach the world and the way that we work as well, and then the consistent application of it. And that's one of the things we are talking to our stakeholders about, because sometimes it's about the new and the difficult things, the cutting-edge part of it. At other times, it's about how we translate what we know works much more consistently and effectively. So, we have a new discovery challenge and opportunity. We then also have an implementation and application challenge, which is just as much an issue in the private sector as it is in public services. But, I can honestly say stakeholders are very positive about where we've got to now, and, in the next phase, I look forward to keeping them on board with us.
Clywais lawer am y Ffindir ddoe, cyfeiriodd arweinydd Plaid Cymru at y Ffindir yn helaeth yn ei gyfraniad, ac wrth gwrs rydyn ni wedi ymddiddori yn y ffordd mae gwledydd eraill, gan gynnwys y Ffindir, wedi defnyddio arloesedd fel arf ar gyfer gwella cenedlaethol ac mewn amryw o feysydd polisi. Mae'r Ffindir a gwledydd eraill Sgandinafia wedi cael dylanwad amlwg ar y ffordd rydyn ni wedi datblygu polisi—nid yn unig y cyfnod sylfaen, ond llawer o rai eraill hefyd—a'r ffordd yr ydyn ni'n ceisio defnyddio ein hasedau naturiol ar gyfer dyfodol y wlad hefyd.
Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n rhan o'r pwyntiau roeddech chi'n eu gwneud am arloesi gwyrdd. Os ydych chi'n meddwl am y pedair cenhadaeth, yr hinsawdd, natur a'r economi, mae gorgyffwrdd amlwg iawn yn y maes hwn, ac mae'n un o'r meysydd y gwnaethom ni dreulio llawer o amser yn siarad amdanyn nhw yn y Siambr hon, nid yn unig am y materion sydd heb eu datrys ynghylch porthladdoedd rhydd, ond am yr hyn yr ydym ni'n credu y gallwn ni ei wneud. Gyda'r prosiectau cynhyrchu ynni mawr ym maes gwynt arnofiol ar y môr, bydd mwy o arloesi i ddod, ac mewn gwirionedd rydyn ni wedi gweld, yn etholaeth y Dirprwy Lywydd ei hun, rhywfaint o'r arloesi hwnnw mewn amrywiaeth o dechnoleg tyrbinau ac mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru, ac fe allai rhywfaint o hwnnw ddod yn ôl i'r pwynt am gynhyrchu cymunedol hefyd, achos mae rhywbeth i ni ddysgu am ble rydyn ni wedi bod yn llwyddiannus a ble nad ydyn ni wedi bod mor llwyddiannus ag yr ydyn ni eisiau bod, ac mae hefyd yn rhywbeth lle rwy'n credu bod mwy o le i fwy o gydweithrediadau. Mae llawer o'r cynhyrchu cymunedol a fu'n llwyddiannus mewn gwirionedd wedi bod yn ddatblygiadau cydweithredol, wedi'u cefnogi gan bleidlais hefyd, ac mae gennym gymuned gydweithredol fywiog iawn yng Nghymru. Fe fyddech chi'n disgwyl i mi ddweud hynny fel aelod Llafur a Chyd-weithredol, ond mae llawer o'r arloesi hwnnw'n digwydd. Dylai'r ffordd rydyn ni'n bwriadu agor i fyny, fel y nodais yn fy natganiad, y gallu i gael gafael ar rywfaint o'r cyllid craff hwnnw, olygu bod mwy o gyfle i'r sefydliadau hynny, nid llai, yn y ffordd y gallan nhw gael gafael ar wariant ar arloesedd yn y dyfodol, ac mae amrywiaeth o wasanaethau ar gael iddyn nhw: Cwmpas Cymru, yn amlwg iawn, ond hefyd Busnes Cymru.
Mae hyn i gyd yn cynnwys eich pwynt am y pontio teg. Byddwn ni'n siarad mwy amdano yn y datganiad nesaf hefyd. Nid gadael pobl ar ôl yw'r pontio yr ydym ni eisiau ei wneud, ond sut rydyn ni'n gweld arloesedd yn gwella bywydau pobl—pobl p'un a ydyn nhw'n byw mewn cymunedau a'r gwasanaethau y gallan nhw eu derbyn, neu yn wir pobl ym myd gwaith a thu hwnt. Rwyf eisiau rhoi'r sicrwydd i chi fod y pontio teg yn rhywbeth sy'n nodwedd reolaidd ym meddyliau Gweinidogion am y dewisiadau rydyn ni'n eu gwneud ac am y ffaith bod llawer mwy o darfu i ddod yn y dyfodol. Gall hwnnw fod yn gyfle yn ogystal ag yn risg gwirioneddol i'r bobl rydyn ni'n eu cynrychioli.
Ar eich pwynt am arloesi COVID-19, fe wnaeth atal ystod o feysydd ac arloesedd a oedd wedi cychwyn, gwaith a oedd yn digwydd—torrwyd ar draws llawer o hynny. Ond rwy'n credu bod pwynt pwysig i'w wneud yma, y bu'n rhaid i ni mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd COVID-19, arloesi mewn ystod gyfan o feysydd, ac fe wnaethon ni. Mae'r ffordd y bu modd i wasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru, er enghraifft, allu meddwl eto am sut y gallen nhw ail-baratoi cerbydau i allu mynd allan. Bu'n rhaid i hynny ddigwydd ac, oherwydd yr arloesedd gorfodol, mae gennym ni erbyn hyn system well ar waith nawr, ac, mewn ystod o feysydd eraill, mae'r arloesedd a orfodwyd wedi arwain pobl i wneud dewisiadau gwahanol mewn gwirionedd. Weithiau mae'n ymwneud â chynhyrchion. Weithiau mae'n ymwneud â gwasanaethau. Weithiau, y ffordd y mae pobl yn gweithio ydyw. Os edrychwch chi ar yr arloesi sydd wedi digwydd dim ond o ran y ffordd rydyn ni'n gweithio ar sail hybrid, nid yn unig yn y lle hwn, ond mae'n gyffredin ym myd gwaith, lle mae'n bosib gwneud hynny, dair blynedd yn ôl fydden ni ddim wedi meddwl mai dyna'r ffordd y byddai pobl yn disgwyl gweithio, er enghraifft, mewn amgylchedd swyddfa, erbyn heddiw. Felly, mae llawer mwy o arloesi sydd i ddod. Nid yw'n ymwneud dim ond, os mynnwch chi, â'r bobl-mewn-cotiau-gwyn ym maes arloesi. Mae llawer o'r arloesi sy'n gwella ein bywydau yn dod o'r adegau pan fyddwn ni'n ailfeddwl ein hymagwedd tuag at y byd a'r ffordd rydyn ni'n gweithio hefyd, ac yna'i gymhwyso'n gyson. A dyna un o'r pethau rydyn ni'n siarad â'n rhanddeiliaid amdano, oherwydd weithiau mae'n ymwneud â'r pethau newydd a'r pethau anodd, y rhan flaengar ohono. Ar adegau eraill, mae'n ymwneud â sut rydyn ni'n trosi'r hyn rydyn ni'n ei wybod sy'n gweithio'n llawer mwy cyson ac effeithiol. Felly, mae gennym her darganfod a chyfle newydd. Yna, mae gennym hefyd her gweithredu a chymhwyso, sy'n gymaint o broblem yn y sector preifat ag y mae mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Ond, gallaf ddweud yn onest bod rhanddeiliaid yn gadarnhaol iawn ynglŷn â ble yr ydym wedi cyrraedd nawr, ac, yn y cyfnod nesaf, rwy'n edrych ymlaen at sicrhau eu bod yn parhau i'n cefnogi.
I very much welcome this statement. If you study successful nations and regions, you find three common themes—the three legs of a successful economy. Innovation, research and development is leg 1, entrepreneurship is leg 2, and high-quality education and highly educated graduates is leg 3. I've got two questions. How are the Welsh Government working with universities to support research and innovation? What financial support is the Welsh Government giving to support testing and patent applications? Without the patent, the benefit of innovation is lost, and we know in Britain, quite often, we've innovated and other countries have actually turned it into a very successful industry.
We've had mention of Finland, which I think has had great successes, but Finland also gives you a warning. Nokia were the biggest makers of mobile phones in the world. You can't buy a Nokia phone today. You can get it wrong as well.
Can I just throw out three areas that you perhaps can think about? Cambridge, Silicon Valley in California, and Mannheim—these are successful areas. Perhaps we can learn from them as well.
Rwy'n croesawu'r datganiad hwn yn fawr. Os ydych chi'n astudio cenhedloedd a rhanbarthau llwyddiannus, rydych chi'n dod o hyd i dair thema gyffredin—tair coes economi lwyddiannus. Arloesedd, ymchwil a datblygu yw coes 1, entrepreneuriaeth yw coes 2, ac addysg o ansawdd uchel a graddedigion addysgedig iawn yw coes 3. Mae gen i ddau gwestiwn. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n gweithio gyda phrifysgolion i gefnogi ymchwil ac arloesedd? Pa gymorth ariannol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n ei rhoi i gefnogi ceisiadau profi a phatent? Heb y patent, collir budd arloesi, ac rydyn ni'n gwybod ym Mhrydain, yn aml iawn, rydym wedi arloesi ac mae gwledydd eraill wedi ei droi'n ddiwydiant llwyddiannus iawn mewn gwirionedd.
Rydyn ni wedi clywed sôn am y Ffindir, sydd, yn fy marn i, wedi cael llwyddiannau mawr, ond mae'r Ffindir hefyd yn rhoi rhybudd i chi. Nokia oedd y gwneuthurwyr mwyaf o ffonau symudol yn y byd. Allwch chi ddim prynu ffôn Nokia heddiw. Gallwch ei gael yn anghywir hefyd.
A gaf i gynnig tair ardal y gallech chi eu hystyried efallai? Caergrawnt, Silicon Valley yng Nghaliffornia, a Mannheim—mae'r rhain yn ardaloedd llwyddiannus. Efallai y gallwn ni ddysgu oddi wrthyn nhw hefyd.
On your final point, part of our challenge is that the three areas you mention have had new ideas, they've had a conference of lots of people, and capital has then gone into lots of those new ideas and it's been kept there. Part of our challenge in the way innovation funding works in the UK is that Oxbridge is one of the areas in the golden triangle, with some London institutions, where it continues to crowd in more funding and investment. Our challenge is not just to say, 'We want to stop money going there.' Actually, we're going to need to see more money going to other parts of the UK as well, rather than a reductive competition that simply takes money out of what is already successful. And that's difficult for us, actually, but it's the mission that the UK Government have set when they've increased, I think by over £20 billion, the innovation money they're prepared to spend. That's a good thing. You don't often hear me say good things about the UK Government, but it's a good thing they've been prepared to do that. They've then got to make sure it isn't just about geographic equity in where it's invested in the rest of the UK, but that they recognise the areas of very real strength and opportunity that exist in other parts of the UK, and it's also the consistency of acting in those three areas you've mentioned as well that have been consistent.
I know very well the Member's warning about Nokia. I used to have a Nokia phone, as indeed did all of my friends at one point in time, but none of us do now.
On patents, it's one of the things we want to work on with a range of people to make sure they have got patents. In my former life as a health Minister, I was really interested in what we were doing in life sciences not just to change and improve treatment outcomes and care outcomes for people, but in making sure that people protected their intellectual property. It's one of the risks, actually, for some of the free trade agreements that are being done, to make sure we do have consistent rules that are enforceable in all countries about intellectual property protection as well. And it's certainly something that we do talk to, through our advice services to business and innovators.
And on your point about universities, there's a warning from your local institution about what's happening with the change in funding. Swansea University have been clear that good, high-quality jobs are going because of the change in funding. Now, we've deliberately worked with the university sector. The vice-chancellor of Swansea takes a lead role on some of these areas, on how we're looking to make sure they're alongside us. And part of my challenge to them has been about what universities will do in the future about gaining access to UK funding sources, because, even in the past, before the non-keeping of promises on replacement EU funds, we still wanted our university sector to be better at gaining access to UK funding competition as well. Now there's a real imperative to do so, and that's part of the conversation we've had.
But also, for the higher education sector—further education has a role in innovation as well; I'm not saying it doesn't, but the question was on higher education—part of it is their collective understanding of where they recognise the sector is strong and that there will be different strengths in different institutions, so that we don't have universities competing to knock over each other and say, 'Actually, there are six institutions claiming to be world-leading in the same area in Wales', because we know that's unlikely to be true, but to have a coherent profile from them that will lead into the missions as well, and actually that has informed the areas of strength that we've identified. So, we're in a good place in our relationship with higher education, and I look forward to that being the case through the delivery of this strategy and the delivery plan.
Ar eich pwynt olaf, rhan o'n her ni yw bod y tri maes rydych chi'n sôn amdanyn nhw wedi cael syniadau newydd, maen nhw wedi cael cynhadledd o lawer o bobl, ac mae cyfalaf wedyn wedi mynd i lawer o'r syniadau newydd hynny ac mae wedi ei gadw yno. Rhan o'n her ni yn y ffordd y mae cyllid arloesedd yn gweithio yn y DU yw bod Oxbridge yn un o'r ardaloedd yn y triongl aur, gyda rhai sefydliadau yn Llundain, lle mae'n parhau i bentyrru mwy o arian a buddsoddiad. Ein her ni yw nid dim ond dweud, 'Rydyn ni eisiau atal arian rhag mynd yno.' Mewn gwirionedd, bydd angen i ni weld mwy o arian yn mynd i rannau eraill o'r DU hefyd, yn hytrach na chystadleuaeth ostyngol sydd, yn syml, yn tynnu arian allan o'r hyn sydd eisoes yn llwyddiannus. Ac mae hynny'n anodd i ni, mewn gwirionedd, ond dyna'r genhadaeth mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi'i gosod pan fo nhw wedi cynyddu, rwy'n credu o dros £20 biliwn, yr arian arloesi y maen nhw'n barod i'w wario. Mae hynny'n beth da. Dydych chi ddim yn aml yn fy nghlywed i'n dweud pethau da am Lywodraeth y DU, ond mae'n beth da eu bod nhw wedi bod yn barod i wneud hynny. Yna mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw sicrhau nad yw'n ymwneud ag ecwiti daearyddol yn unig lle mae'n cael ei fuddsoddi yng ngweddill y DU, ond eu bod yn cydnabod yr ardaloedd o gryfder a chyfle go iawn sy'n bodoli mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU, a hefyd y cysondeb gweithredu yn y tri maes hynny yr ydych chi wedi'u crybwyll hefyd sydd wedi bod yn gyson.
Rwy'n gwybod yn iawn am rybudd yr Aelod am Nokia. Roedd gen i ffôn Nokia ar un adeg, fel yn wir yr oedd gan fy ffrindiau i gyd ar un adeg, ond does gan yr un ohonon ni un nawr.
Ar batentau, mae'n un o'r pethau rydyn ni eisiau gweithio arno gydag amrywiaeth o bobl i sicrhau eu bod wedi cael patentau. Yn fy mywyd blaenorol fel Gweinidog Iechyd, roedd gen i ddiddordeb mawr yn yr hyn yr oeddem ni'n ei wneud mewn gwyddorau bywyd nid yn unig i newid a gwella canlyniadau triniaethau a chanlyniadau gofal i bobl, ond wrth sicrhau bod pobl yn amddiffyn eu heiddo deallusol. Mae'n un o'r risgiau, mewn gwirionedd, i rai o'r cytundebau masnach rydd sy'n cael eu gwneud, i wneud yn siŵr bod gennym reolau cyson sy'n orfodadwy ym mhob gwlad am ddiogelu eiddo deallusol hefyd. Ac yn sicr mae'n rhywbeth rydyn ni'n siarad amdano, drwy ein gwasanaethau cyngor i fusnes ac arloeswyr.
Ac ar eich pwynt am brifysgolion, mae yna rybudd gan eich sefydliad lleol am yr hyn sy'n digwydd gyda'r newid mewn cyllid. Mae Prifysgol Abertawe wedi bod yn glir bod swyddi da o safon uchel yn mynd oherwydd y newid mewn cyllid. Nawr, rydyn ni wedi gweithio'n fwriadol gyda sector y brifysgol. Mae is-ganghellor Abertawe yn cymryd rôl arweiniol ar rai o'r meysydd hyn, ynglŷn â sut rydyn ni'n bwriadu sicrhau eu bod nhw ochr yn ochr â ni. A rhan o fy her i iddyn nhw fu ynglŷn â'r hyn y bydd prifysgolion yn ei wneud yn y dyfodol i gael mynediad at ffynonellau ariannu'r DU, oherwydd, hyd yn oed yn y gorffennol, cyn peidio â chadw addewidion ar gronfeydd newydd yr UE, roeddem ni'n dal eisiau i'n sector prifysgol fod yn well wrth gael mynediad at gystadleuaeth ariannu'r DU hefyd. Nawr mae rheidrwydd gwirioneddol i wneud hynny, ac mae hynny'n rhan o'r sgwrs rydyn ni wedi ei chael.
Ond hefyd, i'r sector addysg uwch—mae gan addysg bellach rôl mewn arloesedd hefyd; nid wyf yn dweud nad oes ganddo, ond roedd y cwestiwn ar addysg uwch—rhan ohono yw eu cyd-ddealltwriaeth o ble maen nhw'n cydnabod bod y sector yn gryf ac y bydd gwahanol gryfderau mewn gwahanol sefydliadau, fel nad oes gennym brifysgolion yn cystadlu i daro ei gilydd i lawr a dweud, 'Mewn gwirionedd, mae yna chwe sefydliad yn honni eu bod yn arwain y byd yn yr un ardal yng Nghymru', oherwydd rydyn ni'n gwybod nad yw hynny'n debygol o fod yn wir, ond i gael proffil cydlynol ganddyn nhw a fydd yn arwain i'r cenadaethau hefyd, ac mewn gwirionedd mae hynny wedi llywio'r meysydd cryfder yr ydym wedi'u nodi. Felly, rydyn ni mewn lle da yn ein perthynas ag addysg uwch, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at hynny fod yn wir trwy gyflawni'r strategaeth hon a'r cynllun cyflawni.
Hoffwn i ddatgan budd, sef bod fy ngŵr yn gyflogedig gan Brifysgol Abertawe.
I'd like to declare an interest, namely that my husband is employed by Swansea University.
I would like to talk a little bit in more detail about how the strategy will mitigate the impact of the withdrawal of UK structural funds on Welsh universities specifically. You just mentioned the warning that we've had from Swansea University that up to 240 researchers are facing redundancy in that institution alone. I'm sure you'd agree that redundancies on this scale—and many of them are early-years researchers—would fatally undermine confidence in the research sector in South Wales West and across Wales. Here are the words of one of the researchers who has already been made redundant from one of the programmes. He said, 'I could see so much being achieved each week. Beyond the measurable outcomes, the project was a conduit for connectivity and the development of translational expertise', something you've referred to today as being so key to this strategy and is so important, of course, in the development of the research and technology sector in a small country. So, I'd like to know, Minister, are you developing any medium- and long-term solutions as a part of this strategy, and will you explore short-term bridging measures in the meantime that could perhaps include a match-funded package to stabilise employment and underpin R&D in our universities to stem this loss of intellectual capital?
Hoffwn siarad ychydig yn fwy manwl am sut y bydd y strategaeth yn lliniaru effaith tynnu'n ôl cronfeydd strwythurol y DU ar brifysgolion Cymru yn benodol. Fe wnaethoch chi sôn am y rhybudd rydyn ni wedi'i gael gan Brifysgol Abertawe bod hyd at 240 o ymchwilwyr yn wynebu colli eu swyddi yn y sefydliad hwnnw yn unig. Rwy'n siŵr y byddech chi'n cytuno y byddai diswyddiadau ar y raddfa hon—a llawer ohonyn nhw yn ymchwilwyr blynyddoedd cynnar—yn tanseilio hyder yn y sector ymchwil yng Ngorllewin De Cymru a ledled Cymru yn angheuol. Dyma eiriau un o'r ymchwilwyr sydd eisoes wedi'i ddiswyddo o un o'r rhaglenni. Meddai, 'Roeddwn i'n gallu gweld cymaint yn cael ei gyflawni bob wythnos. Y tu hwnt i'r canlyniadau mesuradwy, roedd y prosiect yn gyfrwng ar gyfer cysylltedd a datblygu arbenigedd pontio', rhywbeth yr ydych chi wedi cyfeirio ato heddiw fel bod mor allweddol i'r strategaeth hon ac mae mor bwysig, wrth gwrs, wrth ddatblygu'r sector ymchwil a thechnoleg mewn gwlad fach. Felly, hoffwn wybod, Gweinidog, ydych chi'n datblygu unrhyw atebion tymor canolig a hirdymor fel rhan o'r strategaeth hon, ac a fyddwch chi'n archwilio mesurau pontio tymor byr yn y cyfamser a allai efallai gynnwys pecyn o arian cyfatebol i sefydlogi cyflogaeth a bod yn sail i ymchwil a datblygiad yn ein prifysgolion i atal y golled hon o gyfalaf deallusol?
I wouldn't say it'll fatally undermine confidence in the sector. I don't think it'll kill off everything that exists, but it will cause real damage—damage that is avoidable as well. But the problem is that choices that have been made at a UK level take that money out of the sector, and the deliberate design of the shared prosperity fund in particular was to exclude higher education from that. And if we were having this debate in England, they'd have exactly the same complaints about how they've been carved out of it, and it's a real problem; it's a real and undeniable problem, and you don't normally hear higher education vice chancellors talking about the fact that hundreds of well-paid jobs that we want more of, not less of, in Wales and in every region of the UK, are going because of that funding choice.
Now, the UK Government are aware of that, and, in the conversations I've had directly with George Freeman, the science Minister in the UK Government, they're aware there's a problem, and the challenge is that different parts of the UK Government are not connected with each other in the choices they're all making. I think it'll be too late for some of those people, I'm afraid, and, even with all of the ways that we have tried to work alongside people, the reality is our budgets only stretch so far and we can't fill in all of the damage that has been done. It's why we're looking for a stable relationship with the UK Government, and one where there's honesty about how money will be spent, and to move away from some of the damaging and short-sighted competitive processes and just some honesty about keeping their promises on the money. We will be clear about how we're using the money that we have; we will be working with the university sector on how we use that money on the missions and how we're going to move to look forward, and how that has a genuine translational impact into Welsh communities now and in the future. There are still opportunities, but we could do so much more if we weren't starting from a position where damage has been done with foresight and knowledge of what was to come.
Fyddwn i ddim yn dweud y bydd yn tanseilio hyder yn y sector yn angheuol. Dydw i ddim yn meddwl y bydd yn lladd popeth sy'n bodoli, ond bydd yn achosi difrod go iawn—difrod y mae modd ei osgoi hefyd. Ond y broblem yw bod dewisiadau sydd wedi'u gwneud ar lefel y DU yn tynnu'r arian yna allan o'r sector, a chynllun bwriadol y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin yn benodol oedd eithrio addysg uwch o hynny. A phe byddem ni'n cael y ddadl hon yn Lloegr, byddai ganddyn nhw yr union yr un cwynion am sut maen nhw wedi cael eu gadael allan ohoni, ac mae'n broblem wirioneddol; mae'n broblem go iawn a diymdroi, a dydych chi ddim fel arfer yn clywed is-gangellorion addysg uwch yn sôn am y ffaith bod cannoedd o swyddi sy'n talu'n dda yr ydym eisiau mwy ohonyn nhw, nid llai, yng Nghymru ac ym mhob rhanbarth o'r DU, yn mynd oherwydd y dewis cyllido hwnnw.
Nawr, mae Llywodraeth y DU yn ymwybodol o hynny, ac yn y sgyrsiau yr wyf i wedi'u cael yn uniongyrchol gyda George Freeman, y Gweinidog gwyddoniaeth yn Llywodraeth y DU, maen nhw'n ymwybodol bod yna broblem, a'r her yw nad yw gwahanol rannau o Lywodraeth y DU yn gysylltiedig â'i gilydd yn y dewisiadau y maen nhw i gyd yn eu gwneud. Rwy'n credu y bydd hi'n rhy hwyr i rai o'r bobl hynny, mae gen i ofn, ac, hyd yn oed gyda'r holl ffyrdd yr ydyn ni wedi ceisio gweithio ochr yn ochr â phobl, y realiti yw bod ein cyllidebau dim ond yn ymestyn hyn a hyn ac ni allwn lenwi'r holl ddifrod sydd wedi'i wneud. Dyna pam yr ydyn ni'n chwilio am berthynas sefydlog gyda Llywodraeth y DU, ac un pan geir gonestrwydd ynghylch sut y bydd arian yn cael ei wario, ac i symud i ffwrdd o rai o'r prosesau cystadleuol niweidiol a cibddall a dim ond ychydig o onestrwydd ynglŷn â chadw eu haddewidion ynghylch yr arian. Byddwn ni'n glir ynghylch sut yr ydym yn defnyddio'r arian sydd gennym ni; byddwn yn gweithio gyda sector y brifysgol ar sut rydym yn defnyddio'r arian hwnnw ar y cenadaethau a sut yr ydym yn mynd i symud i edrych ymlaen, a sut mae hynny'n cael effaith bontio go iawn i gymunedau Cymru nawr ac yn y dyfodol. Mae yna gyfleoedd o hyd, ond gallem ni wneud cymaint mwy pe na baem ni'n dechrau o sefyllfa lle mae difrod wedi'i wneud gyda rhagwelediad a gwybodaeth am yr hyn a oedd i ddod.
Thank you, Minister. I was really pleased to read the strategy showing how we're seeking to embed innovation across all aspects of Government; it's a very welcome approach, and I think it shows why innovation is vital both for our economy and for other sectors as well.
I was very interested to read the section on the circular economy and on the environmental impact of the foundational economy in particular, which you'll know is an area of great interest to me. From my discussions with businesses in Cynon Valley, I know that many of these smaller, family-run businesses are very keen to invest in, for example, renewable energy sources, or more modern energy-efficient machinery, but this can be really expensive. So, how can we better support these businesses to innovate and modernise?
My second question is around the strategy's rhetoric for creating critical mass clusters for innovation. I understand that completely, and it might sound like a bit of a paradox, but I also think it's important that we take a whole-Wales approach to that as well. I'll give an example: a business I've mentioned here in this Chamber before in my constituency is Pontus Research Ltd, who do some really cutting-edge, world-leading work on the aquaculture sector, which is not something you'd expect to find on an industrial estate in Hirwaun. So, I note the commitment in another section of the strategy that, quote, 'nobody or place', end quote, is left behind. And so, bearing in mind that example I've given to you—and I know there'll be many others—I'd be keen for details on how Welsh Government will work to really embed these opportunities across Wales, providing support but also proactively reaching outwards to businesses as well.
Diolch, Gweinidog. Roeddwn i'n falch iawn o ddarllen y strategaeth sy'n dangos sut yr ydym yn ceisio ymgorffori arloesedd ar draws pob agwedd ar y Llywodraeth; mae'n ddull sydd i'w groesawu'n fawr, ac rwy'n credu ei fod yn dangos pam mae arloesi'n hanfodol i'n heconomi ac i sectorau eraill hefyd.
Roedd gen i ddiddordeb mawr i ddarllen yr adran ar yr economi gylchol ac ar effaith amgylcheddol yr economi sylfaenol yn benodol, y byddwch chi'n gwybod ei fod yn faes sydd o ddiddordeb mawr i mi. O fy nhrafodaethau gyda busnesau yng Nghwm Cynon, rwy'n gwybod bod llawer o'r busnesau llai, teuluol hyn yn awyddus iawn i fuddsoddi mewn, er enghraifft, ffynonellau ynni adnewyddadwy, neu beiriannau mwy modern ynni-effeithlon, ond gall hyn fod yn ddrud iawn. Felly, sut gallwn ni gefnogi'r busnesau hyn yn well i arloesi a moderneiddio?
Mae fy ail gwestiwn yn ymwneud â rhethreg y strategaeth ar gyfer creu clystyrau màs critigol ar gyfer arloesi. Rwy'n deall hynny'n llwyr, ac efallai ei fod yn swnio fel ychydig o baradocs, ond rwyf hefyd yn credu ei bod hi'n bwysig ein bod ni'n cymryd agwedd Cymru gyfan at hynny hefyd. Fe roddaf enghraifft: busnes yr wyf i wedi'i grybwyll yma yn y Siambr hon o'r blaen yn fy etholaeth yw Pontus Research Ltd, sy'n gwneud gwaith blaengar iawn sy'n arwain y byd yn y sector dyframaethu, nad yw'n rhywbeth y byddech chi'n disgwyl dod o hyd iddo ar ystad ddiwydiannol yn Hirwaun. Felly, rwy'n nodi'r ymrwymiad mewn adran arall o'r strategaeth na chaiff, rwy'n dyfynnu, 'neb na dim lle', diwedd y dyfyniad, ei adael ar ôl. Ac felly, gan gofio'r enghraifft honno rydw i wedi'i rhoi i chi—ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd llawer o bobl eraill—byddwn i'n awyddus i gael manylion am sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru'n gweithio i wreiddio'r cyfleoedd hyn ledled Cymru mewn gwirionedd, gan ddarparu cefnogaeth ond hefyd estyn allan yn rhagweithiol at fusnesau hefyd.
Great. Thank you. Thank you for the two questions. I think, on your last point first, there's a recognition that clusters aren't just geographic; the clusters of industry sectors and how we draw people together and the connectivity between them as well—. You're right, you wouldn't expect aquaculture in the Cynon Valley necessarily to be a big deal, but it's a big opportunity for Wales when you think about what we already do and what we can do better, and there is really interesting research on that up in Bangor as well. So, it's about how we connect those people up. That's why the point about how we connect—one of those jargon phrases—the innovation ecosystem. But understanding who's doing what where, that's partly our role in the Government; it's also about how we work with business and other organisations to understand where that excellence exists in different parts of Wales and then to make it easier for people to know who they are and who and where they can collaborate with people as well. And, actually, Members do have a really important role in that, in understanding what works really well in their own constituency or region, and then how to promote that across the country, and, you know, the relationships with Ministers in being able to point out that there are opportunities to do more in that.
It's also about how they work with Business Wales as the front door to all of the advice and support, and to direct people to where they can get that support as well. And that also links into your question, I think, about the circular economy and the foundational economy, how we keep more money local. But there's real innovation that takes place there, and it comes back to my point about that some things already work really well but aren't translated into every single business. So, it's what already works, how do you apply it in your own business. And, actually, one of the things, in terms of moving forward, is the Development Bank of Wales and the green business loans scheme they work, because it deals with exactly your point: how do you get more energy efficient, how do you reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your bottom line? It isn't just that loans are available from £1,000 upwards; it's also the consultancy support and advice that exists for those businesses. If you do have businesses that want to improve the way they work and are thinking about energy efficiency to reduce their bottom line as well, definitely go to Business Wales and consider the green business loans scheme that I'm delighted we launched just two weeks ago with the Development Bank of Wales.
Gwych. Diolch. Diolch am y ddau gwestiwn. Rwy'n credu, ar eich pwynt olaf yn gyntaf, bod cydnabyddiaeth nad yw clystyrau yn ddaearyddol yn unig; clystyrau o sectorau diwydiant a sut rydyn ni'n tynnu pobl at ei gilydd a'r cysylltedd rhyngddyn nhw hefyd—. Rydych chi'n iawn, ni fyddech chi'n disgwyl i dyframaethu yng Nghwm Cynon o reidrwydd fod yn beth mawr, ond mae'n gyfle mawr i Gymru pan fyddwch chi'n meddwl am yr hyn y byddwn ni eisoes yn ei wneud a'r hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud yn well, ac mae ymchwil diddorol iawn ar hynny i fyny ym Mangor hefyd. Felly, mae'n ymwneud â sut rydyn ni'n cysylltu'r bobl hynny. Dyna pam mae'r pwynt am sut rydyn ni'n cysylltu—un o'r ymadroddion jargon hynny—yr ecosystem arloesi. Ond deall pwy sy'n gwneud beth yn lle, dyna'n rhannol ein rôl ni yn y Llywodraeth; mae hefyd yn ymwneud â sut rydyn ni'n gweithio gyda busnesau a sefydliadau eraill i ddeall ble mae'r rhagoriaeth honno yn bodoli mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru ac yna ei gwneud hi'n haws i bobl wybod pwy ydyn nhw a gyda phwy ac yn ble y gallan nhw gydweithio gyda phobl hefyd. Ac, mewn gwirionedd, mae gan Aelodau rôl bwysig iawn yn hynny, wrth ddeall beth sy'n gweithio'n dda iawn yn eu hetholaeth neu ranbarth eu hunain, ac yna sut i hyrwyddo hynny ar draws y wlad, ac, wyddoch chi, y berthynas â Gweinidogion wrth allu tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod cyfleoedd i wneud mwy yn hynny.
Mae hefyd yn ymwneud â sut maen nhw'n gweithio gyda Busnes Cymru fel y drws ffrynt i'r holl gyngor a'r gefnogaeth, ac i gyfeirio pobl i le gallan nhw gael y gefnogaeth honno hefyd. Ac mae hynny hefyd yn cysylltu â'ch cwestiwn, rwy'n credu, am yr economi gylchol a'r economi sylfaenol, sut rydyn ni'n cadw mwy o arian yn lleol. Ond mae yna arloesi go iawn yn digwydd yno, ac mae'n dod yn ôl i fy mhwynt bod rhai pethau eisoes yn gweithio'n dda iawn ond heb eu trosi i bob un busnes. Felly, dyna sydd eisoes yn gweithio, sut ydych chi'n ei gymhwyso yn eich busnes eich hun. Ac, mewn gwirionedd, un o'r pethau, o ran symud ymlaen, yw Banc Datblygu Cymru a'r cynllun benthyciadau busnes gwyrdd y maen nhw'n ei weithredu, oherwydd mae'n ymdrin â'ch union bwynt: sut mae cael mwy o effeithlonrwydd ynni, sut ydych chi'n lleihau eich ôl troed carbon a lleihau eich gwaelodlin? Nid dim ond bod benthyciadau ar gael o £1,000 i fyny; dyma hefyd y cymorth a'r cyngor ymgynghori sy'n bodoli i'r busnesau hynny. Os oes gennych chi fusnesau sydd eisiau gwella'r ffordd maen nhw'n gweithio a'u bod yn ystyried effeithlonrwydd ynni i leihau eu gwaelodlin hefyd, ewch i Busnes Cymru yn bendant ac ystyried y cynllun benthyciadau busnes gwyrdd yr wyf yn falch iawn ein bod ni wedi'i lansio gwta bythefnos yn ôl gyda Banc Datblygu Cymru.
Ac yn olaf, Ken Skates.
Finally, Ken Skates.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Minister, thank you for your statement today and for publishing the innovation strategy. I was particularly keen to read the section on and the focus given to innovation assets. Now, we have many of these in existence around Wales, and they're proving to be fabulous magnets for investment in many communities. One that is currently in development, of course, is the Global Centre for Rail Excellence, and, when it opens in 2025, it will be one of the finest of its kind in western Europe. Indeed, this £400 million programme of work will involve the construction of two test loops and it will be the UK's first-ever net zero in operation railway. Minister, how do you envisage these innovation assets contributing to community cohesion, to prosperity and to innovation in general, not just in the areas where they are based but more widely across Wales, across the UK and around the world? And how would you assess your relationship so far with UK Government Ministers in regard to ensuring that we get as much research, development and innovation pulled away from the golden triangle that you've identified today and which swallows up such a huge proportion of UK Research and Innovation funding? Diolch.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Gweinidog, diolch am eich datganiad heddiw ac am gyhoeddi'r strategaeth arloesi. Roeddwn yn arbennig o awyddus i ddarllen yr adran ar asedau arloesi a'r pwyslais a roddwyd arnynt. Nawr, mae gennym lawer o'r rhain mewn bodolaeth o amgylch Cymru, ac maen nhw'n profi i fod yn fagnetau gwych ar gyfer buddsoddi mewn sawl cymuned. Un sy'n cael ei ddatblygu ar hyn o bryd, wrth gwrs, yw'r Ganolfan Ragoriaeth Fyd-eang ar gyfer Rheilffyrdd, a phan fydd yn agor yn 2025, bydd yn un o'r goreuon o'i math yng ngorllewin Ewrop. Yn wir, bydd y rhaglen waith gwerth £400 miliwn hon yn cynnwys adeiladu dwy ddolen brawf a dyma fydd y rheilffordd sero net gyntaf erioed yn y DU. Gweinidog, sut ydych chi'n rhagweld y bydd yr asedau arloesi hyn yn cyfrannu at gydlyniant cymunedol, i ffyniant ac i arloesedd yn gyffredinol, nid yn unig yn yr ardaloedd lle maent wedi'u lleoli ond yn ehangach ledled Cymru, ledled y DU a ledled y byd? A sut fyddech chi'n asesu eich perthynas hyd yma gyda Gweinidogion Llywodraeth y DU o ran sicrhau ein bod yn gweld cymaint o ymchwil, datblygu ac arloesi yn cael ei dynnu i ffwrdd o'r triongl euraidd yr ydych chi wedi'i nodi heddiw ac sy'n llyncu cyfran mor enfawr o gyllid Ymchwil ac Arloesedd y DU? Diolch.
Thank you for the questions. Your point about innovation assets and the example of GCRE, the Global Centre for Rail Excellence, is exactly what I had in my mind, about something where the Welsh Government took a lead, made a choice and saw a gap where something did not exist and we had the potential to create something in Wales, and that's actually levered in money directly from the UK Government, and there'll be private sector money coming in as well. And it will not just be an interesting innovation experiment, but Birmingham, which has Birmingham University, which is one of the leading universities, if not the leading university, on rail innovation in the UK, they're interested; they want to be part of that. We can expect there to be really good jobs in a rural part of Wales directly being created because of the way that we have, as a Government, selected that site with a real gap. And that will produce not just opportunities within the UK, but right across Europe there'll be people, I think, who will want to come to that innovation centre. It means there's more development that will take place not just directly in the rail sector, and not just an opportunity potentially for a museum there, but, actually, because you're going to look at other accommodation needs alongside that, you should have different opportunities, if we think about the environment that it exists in as well.
So, I'm very keen that we see each of these areas as opportunities to improve the economy in that area, and also to add to the economy of Wales as a whole. And it's all about the story we want to tell about Wales, to not just shout about our own successes but with other parts of the world to see that these things really do happen in Wales and they make a practical difference, as you say, not just for Wales but in other parts of the UK and beyond. And in my conversations with UK Ministers, they're very practical and constructive with a number of them when it comes to what we think we can do, and, thus far, the science Ministers—plural—that I have dealt with have been open minded about recognising they don't have a full picture of where there's innovation excellence in Wales.
The challenge is the consistency in action, and, whilst I'd like to see a different UK Government entirely, I'd welcome a period of stability for at least a few months, which we haven't had for a number of years, because the chopping and the changing of Ministers makes it really difficult to get a consistent answer, and we'll then need to see if the budget in just a few weeks' time actually follows through on the stated good intentions of Ministers involved in the innovation area. It's actually somewhere where we could add to what we're doing with a more grown-up and pragmatic relationship, in direct contrast to what's happened on shared prosperity. This should be an area where there are real strengths not just for Wales, but for the wider UK as well.
Diolch am y cwestiynau. Eich pwynt am asedau arloesi ac enghraifft GCRE, y Ganolfan Ragoriaeth Fyd-eang ar gyfer Rheilffyrdd, yw'r union beth oedd gen i yn fy meddwl, rhywbeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i arwain, gwneud dewis a gweld bwlch lle nad oedd rhywbeth yn bodoli ac roedd gennym ni'r potensial i greu rhywbeth yng Nghymru, ac mae hynny mewn gwirionedd wedi denu arian yn uniongyrchol gan Lywodraeth y DU, a bydd arian o'r sector preifat yn dod i mewn hefyd. Ac nid arbrawf arloesi diddorol yn unig fydd hi, ond Birmingham, sydd â Phrifysgol Birmingham, sy'n un o'r prifysgolion mwyaf blaenllaw, os nad y brifysgol flaenllaw, ar arloesi rheilffyrdd yn y DU, mae ganddyn nhw ddiddordeb; maen nhw eisiau bod yn rhan o hynny. Gallwn ni ddisgwyl y bydd swyddi da iawn mewn rhan wledig o Gymru yn cael eu creu'n uniongyrchol oherwydd y ffordd yr ydyn ni, fel Llywodraeth, wedi dewis y safle hwnnw gyda bwlch go iawn. A bydd hynny'n cynhyrchu nid yn unig cyfleoedd o fewn y DU, ond ar draws Ewrop bydd pobl, rwy'n credu, a fydd eisiau dod i'r ganolfan arloesi honno. Mae'n golygu bod mwy o ddatblygiad a fydd yn digwydd nid yn unig yn uniongyrchol yn y sector rheilffyrdd, ac nid dim ond cyfle o bosibl i amgueddfa yno, ond, mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd eich bod chi'n mynd i edrych ar anghenion llety eraill ynghyd â hynny, dylech gael gwahanol gyfleoedd, os ydym ni'n meddwl am yr amgylchedd y mae'n bodoli ynddo hefyd.
Felly, rwy'n awyddus iawn ein bod yn gweld pob un o'r meysydd hyn fel cyfleoedd i wella'r economi yn y maes hwnnw, a hefyd i ychwanegu at economi Cymru gyfan. Ac mae'r cyfan yn ymwneud â'r stori rydyn ni eisiau ei hadrodd am Gymru, nid yn unig i weiddi am ein llwyddiannau ein hunain ond gyda rhannau eraill o'r byd i weld bod y pethau hyn wir yn digwydd yng Nghymru ac maen nhw'n gwneud gwahaniaeth ymarferol, fel y dywedwch chi, nid yn unig i Gymru ond mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU a thu hwnt. Ac yn fy sgyrsiau gyda Gweinidogion y DU, maen nhw'n ymarferol ac yn adeiladol iawn gyda nifer ohonyn nhw o ran yr hyn yr ydyn ni'n meddwl y gallwn ni ei wneud, ac, hyd yma, mae'r Gweinidogion gwyddoniaeth—lluosog—yr wyf wedi ymwneud â nhw wedi bod â meddwl agored ynghylch cydnabod nad oes ganddyn nhw ddarlun llawn o ble mae yna ragoriaeth arloesi yng Nghymru.
Yr her yw'r cysondeb ar waith, ac er y byddwn i'n hoffi gweld Llywodraeth y DU wahanol yn gyfan gwbl, byddwn i'n croesawu cyfnod o sefydlogrwydd am o leiaf ychydig fisoedd, nad ydym wedi ei gael am nifer o flynyddoedd, oherwydd mae'r newidiadau parhaus i'r Gweinidogion yn ei gwneud hi'n anodd iawn cael ateb cyson, a bydd angen i ni wedyn weld a yw'r gyllideb ymhen ychydig wythnosau yn cyflawni mewn gwirionedd ar fwriadau da datganedig Gweinidogion sy'n ymwneud â'r maes arloesi. Mewn gwirionedd mae'n rhywle lle gallem ni ychwanegu at yr hyn rydyn ni'n ei wneud gyda pherthynas fwy aeddfed a phragmataidd, mewn cyferbyniad uniongyrchol â'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd ar ffyniant cyffredin. Dylai hyn fod yn faes lle mae yna gryfderau go iawn, nid yn unig i Gymru, ond i'r DU yn ehangach hefyd.
Eitem 4 y prynhawn yma yw'r ail ddatganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi, strategaeth sgiliau sero net, a galwaf ar y Gweinidog, Vaughan Gething, unwaith eto.
Item 4 this afternoon is the second statement by the Minister for Economy, net-zero skills strategy, and I call on the Minister, Vaughan Gething, once again.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm pleased to publish the net-zero skills action plan today. The plan is an important first step in understanding the role of skills in making a just transition to net zero. Our net-zero ambitions include a better, fairer and greener future for us all. Skills are a key enabler to deliver on these ambitions, to ensure the transition is fair and that the most vulnerable in society are not unfairly burdened with the costs of change.
The challenge to meet our net-zero commitment is huge, and our future skills needs will require a collaborative approach across the whole economy. In shaping the plan, we have worked cross-Government, with external stakeholders and key partners to gain a picture of the net-zero skills landscape against the eight emission sectors set out in Net Zero Wales. This plan is the start of a journey. We do not pretend to have all the answers yet. The plan prioritises seven key areas and contains 36 actions. It sets out this Government’s commitment to support the just transition to net zero through a more co-ordinated approach.
Understanding the current skills position and future skills needs for each emission sector in Wales is mixed. Some sectors are further ahead in their direction of travel than others, and there is a level of confusion in some sectors on how net zero will impact the future needs of their workforce. As we transition to a net-zero economy, the skills needs will evolve and become clearer. However, in the meantime, uncertainty will mean the picture will not be static and we recognise that further work is needed to understand the changing skills landscape.
So, we'll start by looking at the skills landscape in more granular detail. l'll undertake a public consultation on the sector-specific skills requirements. This will set out our current understanding of the skills position for each sector, what skills are needed in the short, medium and long term, and how to achieve this with continued partnership work. The outcome of the consultation will support the development of a skills road map for each emission sector, which will support the development and investment of skills in the future.
Our engagement with stakeholders has suggested that there is a level of confusion and a lack of understanding amongst some businesses, employees and school leavers about what is meant by green or net-zero jobs and the skills required. We need to build a shared understanding of net-zero skills across Wales. We have, to date, interpreted net-zero skills broadly as the skills needed to support each sector on their path to net zero across the whole economy. As a result, all jobs have the potential to make a contribution to help meet our net-zero commitment. There is a strong and urgent need to narrow the definition and to gain a common understanding of the jobs and skills required with a clear flow of information between Government, public and private sectors and employees on the skills needed. We will use the outcome of the Office for National Statistics’ consultation and their upcoming definition of a 'green job' to help inform the definition for Wales.
We need to grow a skilled and diverse workforce and create quality jobs to meet our net-zero commitments in what is a rapidly changing economy. The skills challenges of our workforce are very real now. We need to respond to the growing demand from different sectors for more people to have net-zero skills. Without taking further actions our own net-zero commitments will not be achieved. Supporting people to upskill in existing sectors and to use their existing skills and qualifications will be key to help transition within sectors.
That is why we have invested an additional £10 million in personal learning accounts this year to help upskill employed individuals to help meet our skills gaps, to help secure their own futures. Within this, an extra £1.5 million has been allocated to the green personal learning account pilot that I launched in October. This will provide a total investment of £3.5 million this year to directly support skills in the construction, energy, manufacturing and engineering sectors.
However, it is clear that we are not starting from scratch. There are many successes across Wales, some of which are contained within the plan as examples. These show the positive impacts and benefits that can be made by delivering change and investing in skills. Working with industry bodies and key partners, we will continue to explore opportunities for new and innovative approaches to grow our future workforce.
We recognise that we need to strengthen the skills system to meet the rapidly growing skills demand from across all sectors. Collaboration between further and higher education, apprenticeships, wider learning provision, trade unions and industry will help us provide the right offer and progression for learners in a more co-ordinated way.
As we know, apprenticeships raise skills levels, help to drive greater productivity, and create more resilient communities. We are exploring options on how the apprenticeship frameworks can further meet our net-zero commitments, but building on these strong foundations, we will look to strengthen the offer of short courses to supplement and enhance net-zero skills for young apprentices in new and emerging technologies and techniques with our personal learning accounts.
We recognise that we need to promote opportunities for early years and young people to realise their potential. Our children and young people are obviously a key part of the future workforce, and we must motivate, engage and equip them to effectively understand their career opportunities in the changing world of work. The new Curriculum for Wales roll-out is a great opportunity to align our priorities. This plan sets out actions to work with partners to promote engagement to build confidence and knowledge of the world of work.
We know that we can’t tackle the challenge alone, so cross-Government and partnership working will be the cornerstone of our approach. As we move into the implementation phase, we will continue that partnership approach across the whole economy, looking to draw on the strength provided by our social partnership way of working. Delivering a just transition should mean that no-one is left behind, so we would encourage individuals to be part of the conversation, to promote a positive culture that champions fairness and equality in the way that we drive change forward.
Our long-term plan remains to deliver a fairer, stronger, greener Wales for all of us, and invest in the skills to do so. I look forward to working with Members across the Chamber to deliver on this net-zero skills action plan, and of course businesses, trade unions and other partners outside of this Chamber.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n falch o gyhoeddi'r cynllun gweithredu sgiliau sero net heddiw. Mae'r cynllun yn gam cyntaf pwysig i ddeall swyddogaeth sgiliau wrth bontio'n deg i sero net. Mae ein huchelgeisiau sero net yn cynnwys dyfodol gwell, tecach a gwyrddach i bawb ohonom. Mae sgiliau yn un o'r prif ysgogiadau i gyflawni'r uchelgeisiau hyn, i sicrhau bod y pontio yn deg ac nad yw'r rhai mwyaf agored i niwed yn y gymdeithas yn profi baich annheg o ran costau'r newid.
Mae'r her o ran ein hymrwymiad sero net yn enfawr, ac fe fydd angen dull cydweithredol ar ein hanghenion sgiliau yn y dyfodol ar draws yr economi gyfan. Wrth lunio'r cynllun, rydyn ni wedi gweithio ar draws y Llywodraeth, gyda rhanddeiliaid allanol a phartneriaid allweddol i fod â darlun o'r dirwedd sgiliau sero net yn ôl yr wyth sector allyriadau a nodir yn Cymru Sero Net. Dechrau'r daith yw'r cynllun hwn. Nid ydym ni'n honni bod â'r atebion i gyd eisoes. Mae'r cynllun yn blaenoriaethu saith maes allweddol ac yn cynnwys 36 o gamau. Mae'n nodi ymrwymiad y Llywodraeth hon i gefnogi pontio teg i sero net trwy ymagwedd sy'n fwy cydgysylltiedig.
Mae'r ddealltwriaeth yn gymysg o ran y sefyllfa sgiliau gyfredol a'r anghenion o ran sgiliau yn y dyfodol ar gyfer pob sector allyriadau yng Nghymru. Mae rhai sectorau wedi mynd ymhellach ar eu taith nag eraill, ac mae rhywfaint o ddryswch mewn rhai sectorau o ran sut y bydd sero net yn effeithio ar anghenion eu gweithlu yn y dyfodol. Wrth i ni drosglwyddo at economi sero net, fe fydd yr anghenion o ran sgiliau yn esblygu ac yn dod yn fwy eglur. Serch hynny, yn y cyfamser, fe fydd yr ansicrwydd yn golygu nad yw'r darlun yn sefydlog ac rydyn ni'n cydnabod yr angen am ragor o waith i ddeall y dirwedd sgiliau newidiol.
Felly, rydyn ni am ddechrau drwy edrych ar y dirwedd sgiliau mewn mwy o fanylder. Fe fyddaf i'n cynnal ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus ar ofynion sgiliau penodol y sector. Fe fydd hwnnw'n nodi ein dealltwriaeth bresennol o'r sefyllfa o ran sgiliau ar gyfer pob sector, pa sgiliau sydd eu hangen yn y tymor byr, canolig a hir, a sut i gyflawni hynny gyda gwaith parhaus mewn partneriaeth. Fe fydd canlyniad yr ymgynghoriad yn cefnogi'r gwaith o ddatblygu map ffordd sgiliau ar gyfer pob sector allyriadau, a fydd yn cefnogi'r gwaith o ddatblygu a buddsoddi sgiliau yn y dyfodol.
Mae ein hymgysylltiad ni â rhanddeiliaid yn awgrymu bod rhywfaint o ddryswch a diffyg dealltwriaeth ymhlith rhai busnesau, gweithwyr a'r rhai sy'n gadael yr ysgol ynglŷn â'r hyn a olygir gan swyddi gwyrdd neu sero net a'r sgiliau angenrheidiol. Mae angen i ni feithrin dealltwriaeth gyffredin ynglŷn â sgiliau sero net ledled Cymru. Hyd yn hyn, rydyn ni wedi dehongli sgiliau sero net yn fras fel sgiliau y mae eu hangen i gefnogi pob sector ar eu llwybr hyd sero net ledled yr economi gyfan. O ganlyniad i hynny, mae i bob swydd bosibiliadau o ran cyfrannu at helpu i gyflawni ein hymrwymiad sero net. Mae taer angen i fanylu ar y diffiniad a chael dealltwriaeth gyffredin o'r swyddi a'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen gyda llif eglur o wybodaeth rhwng y Llywodraeth, sectorau cyhoeddus a phreifat a gweithwyr ynglŷn â'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen. Fe fyddwn yn defnyddio canlyniad ymgynghoriad y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol a'r diffiniad arfaethedig o 'swydd werdd' i helpu i lywio'r diffiniad i Gymru.
Mae angen i ni feithrin gweithlu medrus ac amrywiol a chreu swyddi o ansawdd i gyflawni ein hymrwymiadau sero net mewn economi sy'n newid yn gyflym fel hon. Mae'r heriau o ran sgiliau ein gweithlu yn real iawn ar hyn o bryd. Mae angen i ni ymateb i'r galw cynyddol o wahanol sectorau fel y bydd mwy o bobl yn ennill sgiliau sero net. Heb gymryd camau pellach ni fydd ein hymrwymiadau sero net yn cael eu cyflawni. Bydd cynorthwyo pobl i uwchsgilio yn y sectorau presennol a defnyddio eu sgiliau a'u cymwysterau presennol yn allweddol i helpu pontio o fewn sectorau.
Dyna pam rydyn ni wedi buddsoddi £10 miliwn ychwanegol mewn cyfrifon dysgu personol eleni i helpu i uwchsgilio unigolion cyflogedig i helpu i fodloni'r bylchau sydd gennym ni mewn sgiliau, i'w helpu i sicrhau eu dyfodol eu hunain. O fewn hynny, dyrannwyd £1.5 miliwn ychwanegol i'r cynllun peilot cyfrif dysgu personol gwyrdd a lansiwyd gennyf i ym mis Hydref. Fe fydd hynny'n darparu buddsoddiad o gyfanswm o £3.5 miliwn eleni i gefnogi sgiliau uniongyrchol yn y sectorau adeiladu, ynni, gweithgynhyrchu a pheirianneg.
Fodd bynnag, mae hi'n amlwg nad ydym ni'n dechrau o'r dechrau. Ceir llawer o lwyddiannau ledled Cymru, a rhai ohonyn nhw'n enghreifftiau yn y cynllun. Mae'r rhain yn dangos yr effeithiau a'r manteision adeiladol y gellir eu sicrhau drwy gyflawni newidiadau a buddsoddi mewn sgiliau. Gan weithio gyda chyrff y diwydiant a phartneriaid allweddol, fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i archwilio cyfleoedd ar gyfer dulliau newydd ac arloesol o feithrin ein gweithlu yn y dyfodol.
Rydyn ni'n cydnabod yr angen i ni gryfhau'r system sgiliau i fodloni'r galw am sgiliau sy'n cynyddu yn gyflym o bob rhan o'r sector. Fe fydd cydweithio rhwng addysg bellach ac addysg uwch, prentisiaethau, darpariaeth ddysgu ehangach, undebau llafur a diwydiant yn ein helpu ni i ddarparu'r cynnig a'r dilyniant addas i ddysgwyr mewn ffordd sy'n fwy cydlynol.
Fel y gwyddom ni, mae prentisiaethau yn codi lefelau sgiliau, yn helpu i ysgogi mwy o gynhyrchiant, a chreu cymunedau sy'n fwy cadarn. Rydyn ni'n archwilio dewisiadau o ran sut y gall y fframweithiau prentisiaethau gyflawni ein hymrwymiadau sero net ymhellach, ond gan adeiladu ar y sylfeini cryf hyn, ac rydyn ni'n ystyried ymestyn y cynnig o gyrsiau byr i ychwanegu at a mireinio sgiliau sero net i brentisiaid ifanc mewn technolegau a thechnegau newydd a datblygol gyda'n cyfrifon dysgu personol ni.
Rydyn ni'n cydnabod yr angen i ni hyrwyddo cyfleoedd ar gyfer y blynyddoedd cynnar a phobl ifanc i wireddu eu posibiliadau. Mae ein plant a'n pobl ifanc yn amlwg yn rhan allweddol o weithlu'r dyfodol, ac mae'n rhaid i ni eu hysgogi nhw, ymgysylltu â nhw a'u harfogi i ddeall eu cyfleoedd gyrfaol yn effeithiol mewn byd gwaith newidiol. Mae cyflwyno'r Cwricwlwm i Gymru newydd yn gyfle rhagorol i gysoni ein blaenoriaethau. Mae'r cynllun hwn yn nodi camau gweithredu i weithio gyda phartneriaid i hyrwyddo ymgysylltiad ar gyfer magu hyder a bod â gwybodaeth am fyd gwaith.
Rydyn ni'n gwybod na allwn ni fynd i'r afael â'r her ar ein pennau ein hunain, felly bydd gwaith trawslywodraeth a gweithio mewn partneriaeth yn gonglfeini yn ein dull ni o weithredu. Wrth i ni symud at y cyfnod gweithredu, fe fyddwn ni'n parhau â'r dull partneriaeth hwnnw ar draws yr economi gyfan, gan geisio defnyddio'r cryfderau sy'n cael eu darparu gan ein ffordd ni o weithio mewn partneriaeth gymdeithasol. Fe ddylai cyflwyno pontio teg olygu nad oes neb yn cael ei adael ar ôl, felly fe fyddem ni'n annog unigolion i fod yn rhan o'r sgwrs, i hyrwyddo diwylliant adeiladol sy'n annog tegwch a chydraddoldeb yn y ffordd yr ydym ni'n ysgogi newid.
Ein cynllun hirdymor ni o hyd yw cyflawni Cymru decach, gryfach, wyrddach i bob un ohonom ni, a buddsoddi yn y sgiliau i wneud hynny. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weithio gydag Aelodau ar draws y Siambr i gyflawni'r cynllun gweithredu sgiliau sero net hwn, ac wrth gwrs busnesau, undebau llafur a phartneriaid eraill y tu allan i'r Siambr hon.
Can I thank the Minister for an advance copy of his statement? As you’ll know, we on these benches have been calling for you to bring forward your net-zero skills strategy for many months, so we’re finally glad that it has been published. Because you're quite right: we have a huge job to do if we’re to get to net zero by 2050, and we have many skills that our workforce needs to be able to get us over the line.
It never ceases to surprise me how quickly things that were once rare, such as solar panels on people's roofs, are adopted by people, particularly when energy prices have been so high. The skills shortage just in terms of that doesn't compare to the huge shortage that we're going to have in terms of the wider renewable energy commitments that we've got—to be able to install new wind capacity, both on and offshore, and, of course, to realise our ambitions to ensure that we take advantage of the energy that can be produced by the tides around the coast of Wales too.
Now, clearly, you've mentioned lots of things in your strategy. We certainly welcome the extra investment that's going into people's personal learning accounts. It's important that we promote those with employers because of the benefits that they can bring to their workforce as well as the individuals themselves, who will, hopefully, take advantage of those new resources.
Yet again, you've referred to the new curriculum and the opportunities that that presents. We know that climate change is something that features in that curriculum, and, hopefully, that will energise our young people to look for opportunities and careers in areas that can help address the climate change challenge. But, we need to do so by taking them with us, and one of the things that you haven't mentioned in your statement is careers advice, and the importance of careers advice when people are making choices about the future. I have to say, my own view is that our careers advice, particularly for young people in schools, is pretty appalling; it's not very good and it doesn't always promote the wider opportunities that there are, particularly with apprenticeships. I think that we do need a greater focus on it by the Welsh Government in order to improve that offer and improve the quality of that careers advice.
You've mentioned apprenticeships, obviously, and the role that they can play in addressing the skills gap. It is important to have those industry links, and I know that the Welsh Government has tried to nurture those links, particularly with larger employers. But there are many, many smaller employers that don't always think that they've got the time to be able to develop apprenticeship opportunities within their own workforce—they don't realise the benefits that that can bring. So, I wonder whether you could tell us what you're going to do to reach out to those smaller and medium-sized companies, perhaps where the owners and directors of those businesses are busy rushing around doing all sorts of other things, and the last thing they want on their plate is to have to try and develop an apprenticeship programme, when, actually, it can be pretty straightforward, with the right support and engagement by local further education colleges and others in order to help deliver those programmes.
In addition to that, you've made reference to the need to monitor on an ongoing basis the skills that will be needed, because, of course, there'll be different skills needed in 2040 than we need now, because technologies will move on. So, will this be a document that is refreshed now on a regular basis? Because, clearly, it will need to be looked at fairly regularly, I would hope, in order that we can have a workforce that is fit for the future and meets the aspirations that we all have.
We know that we've already got a skills shortage in some areas. When you try to get hold of contractors to do some of the work at the moment, even on home adaptations for renewables, it can be difficult to get things scheduled in a timely manner. Of course, that then puts additional risk into the system, because people can go to cowboys and others, which then undermines the success of any programmes that we want to see. So, what action are you taking in the shorter term to make sure that there are proper assurance schemes in place, when skills are out there that people can recognise, in the same way that we recognise CORGI plumbers and things like that, so that we can recognise those people who are accredited to deliver some of the work that is going to be done, certainly in the next five or six years, when people are looking for those home adaptations in particular?
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am roi copi ymlaen llaw o'i ddatganiad? Fel y gwyddoch chi, rydyn ni ar y meinciau hyn wedi bod yn galw am gyflwyno eich strategaeth sgiliau sero net am fisoedd lawer, felly rydyn ni'n falch ei fod wedi'i gyhoeddi o'r diwedd. Oherwydd rydych chi yn llygad eich lle: mae gennym ni waith enfawr i'w wneud os ydyn ni am gyrraedd sero net erbyn 2050, ac mae gennym ni lawer o sgiliau y mae eu hangen ar ein gweithlu er mwyn gallu mynd â ni dros y llinell derfyn.
Nid yw byth yn peidio â fy synnu pa mor gyflym y caiff pethau a oedd yn brin ar un adeg, fel paneli solar ar doeau pobl, eu mabwysiadu gan bobl, yn enwedig pan fo prisiau ynni wedi bod mor uchel. Nid yw'r prinder sgiliau yn hynny o beth yn cymharu â'r prinder enfawr y byddwn yn ei gael o ran yr ymrwymiadau ynni adnewyddadwy ehangach sydd gennym ni—ar gyfer gallu gosod ffermydd gwynt newydd, ar y tir ac ar y môr fel ei gilydd, ac, wrth gwrs, ar gyfer gwireddu ein huchelgeisiau ni i sicrhau y byddwn ni'n manteisio ar yr ynni y gellir ei gynhyrchu gan y llanw o gwmpas arfordir Cymru hefyd.
Nawr, yn amlwg, rydych chi wedi sôn am lawer o bethau yn eich strategaeth. Yn sicr, rydyn ni'n croesawu'r buddsoddiad ychwanegol sydd am fynd i gyfrifon dysgu personol pobl. Mae hi'n bwysig ein bod ni'n hyrwyddo'r rhai sydd â chyflogwyr oherwydd y buddion y gallan nhw eu cyflwyno i'w gweithlu yn ogystal â'r unigolion eu hunain, a fydd, gobeithio, yn manteisio ar yr adnoddau newydd hynny.
Unwaith eto, rydych chi wedi cyfeirio at y cwricwlwm newydd a'r cyfleoedd y mae hwnnw'n eu cyflwyno. Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod newid hinsawdd yn rhywbeth sy'n ymddangos yn y cwricwlwm hwnnw, a gobeithio y bydd hynny'n ysgogi ein pobl ifanc ni i chwilio am gyfleoedd a gyrfaoedd mewn meysydd a all helpu i fynd i'r afael â her newid hinsawdd. Ond, mae angen i ni wneud hynny drwy ddod â nhw gyda ni, ac un o'r pethau na wnaethoch chi ei grybwyll yn eich datganiad yw cyngor gyrfaoedd, a phwysigrwydd cyngor gyrfaoedd pan fydd pobl yn gwneud dewisiadau ar gyfer y dyfodol. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, fy marn bersonol yw bod ein cyngor ar yrfaoedd, yn enwedig i bobl ifanc mewn ysgolion, braidd yn siomedig; nid yw'n dda iawn nac yn hyrwyddo'r cyfleoedd ehangach sydd ar gael bob amser, yn enwedig o ran prentisiaethau. Rwy'n credu bod angen mwy o ganolbwyntio ar hyn gan Lywodraeth Cymru i wella'r cynnig hwnnw a gwella ansawdd y cyngor hwnnw o ran gyrfaoedd.
Fe wnaethoch chi sôn am brentisiaethau, yn amlwg, a'u swyddogaeth wrth fynd i'r afael â'r bwlch sgiliau. Mae hi'n bwysig bod â'r cysylltiadau hynny â'r diwydiant, ac rwy'n gwybod bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ceisio meithrin y cysylltiadau hynny, yn enwedig gyda chyflogwyr mwy. Ond mae yna lawer iawn o gyflogwyr llai nad ydyn nhw bob amser yn meddwl bod amser ganddyn nhw i allu datblygu cyfleoedd prentisiaeth o fewn eu gweithluoedd eu hunain—nid ydyn nhw'n sylweddoli pa fanteision a ddaw yn sgil hynny. Felly, tybed a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym ni beth rydych chi am ei wneud i estyn allan i'r cwmnïau llai a chanolig hynny, efallai lle mae perchnogion a chyfarwyddwyr y busnesau hynny'n brysur yn rhuthro o gwmpas yn gwneud pob math o bethau eraill, a'r peth diwethaf sydd ei angen arnyn nhw yw'r gwaith ychwanegol o ran ceisio datblygu rhaglen brentisiaeth, pan, mewn gwirionedd, fe allai hynny fod yn weddol syml, gyda'r gefnogaeth a'r ymgysylltu priodol gan golegau addysg bellach lleol ac eraill i helpu i ddarparu'r rhaglenni hynny.
Yn ogystal â hynny, rydych chi wedi cyfeirio at yr angen am fonitro parhaus o ran y sgiliau angenrheidiol, oherwydd, wrth gwrs, fe fydd angen sgiliau amgen yn 2040 nag sydd eu hangen nawr, oherwydd fe fydd y technolegau yn datblygu. Felly, a fydd hon yn ddogfen nawr a fydd yn cael ei hadnewyddu yn rheolaidd? Oherwydd, yn amlwg, fe fydd angen edrych ar hyn yn weddol reolaidd, fe fyddwn i'n gobeithio, er mwyn i ni fod â gweithlu sy'n addas i'r dyfodol ac sy'n bodloni'r dyheadau sydd gan bob un ohonom ni.
Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod prinder sgiliau gennym ni mewn rhai meysydd eisoes. Pan fyddwch chi'n ceisio cael gafael ar gontractwyr i wneud rhywfaint o waith ar hyn o bryd, hyd yn oed o ran addasiadau cartref ar gyfer ynni adnewyddadwy, fe all hi fod yn anodd cael trefn ar bethau mewn modd amserol. Wrth gwrs, mae hynny wedyn yn cyflwyno risg ychwanegol i'r system, oherwydd fe all pobl ofyn i rai diegwyddor, sydd wedyn yn tanseilio llwyddiant unrhyw raglenni yr ydym ni'n dymuno eu gweld. Felly, pa gamau ydych chi'n eu cymryd yn y tymor byrrach i wneud yn siŵr bod cynlluniau priodol ar waith i roi sicrwydd, pan fydd sgiliau ar gael y gall pobl eu hadnabod, yn yr un ffordd ag yr ydym yn gwybod pwy sy'n blymwyr CORGI a phethau felly, fel y gallwn ni wybod pwy yw'r bobl hynny a achredwyd i gyflawni peth o'r gwaith a fydd yn cael ei wneud, yn sicr yn y pump neu chwe blynedd nesaf, pan fydd pobl yn chwilio am yr addasiadau hynny i'w cartrefi yn arbennig felly?
Thank you for the questions. I think on your final point, there's a point that goes beyond trading-standards work and is more about public-facing accreditation to give people assurance. If you think about the way that—. On your point about solar panels, when I was genuinely young, growing up, on our house we had two solar panels. It was very, very unusual, yet now there's been a real explosion in the industry and in fitters. One of the things we're doing in the green business loan scheme I was talking about with Vikki Howells earlier is that we're looking at ways to keep more of that money local, and part of our challenge is the number of people who can do the work and are available. There is still something about working with that industry on making sure there is proper quality assurance. So, it is part of what we're looking to do to make sure those skills don't just become more commonplace, as they will need to be, but will then maintain the level of public-facing assurance. So, that is definitely something we are looking at. It goes a bit beyond the statement, but it is an important and obvious next step.
In terms of the horizon we're going to have with the action plans we're going to draw up, of course, Members across the Chamber will know that the regional skills partnerships are on the same footprint as our economic regions, which also map on the same areas as the growth deals that exist as well. So, we already have areas where we work more broadly on the skills that exist. Within this document, we're also going to look at a short, medium and longer term horizon, so we will need to keep on making sure that we have provision that matches need for people, for businesses and for public services.
Part of the challenge is how dynamic the system is and whether we get regular engagement between skills providers, but also the businesses and public services who need them as well. As I move around the country and talk to different people, every now and again, I hear someone saying, 'I'm really unhappy with my local FE college', and other people saying, 'My local FE college is brilliant, we get exactly what we want and have a really good relationship.' Well, some of that is actually about the nature of the engagement and the relationship, and often it's that the two people who are unhappy don't talk to each other, or the college isn't aware there's a business complaining. So, it is about how we get people into a more regular and constructive dialogue, rather than waiting until things have gone wrong or not worked at all for them.
On apprenticeships, we've been running a public-facing campaign for businesses to take up apprentices. I recognise that, for some businesses, they understand what they need to do, they see the value in doing it. Yesterday, I was talking to businesses in my own constituency, one of them was a hospitality business, and they were saying that, actually, in terms of the local college and the apprentices that come out of that, they're scooped up by larger businesses very quickly. So, there's a challenge about supply there. There's a good career to be had, but the challenge is getting enough of them, whereas other much smaller businesses don't know that they exist. It's why we've been looking to not just promote apprenticeships as an opportunity, but we're looking more at shared apprenticeships as well between more than one employer, potentially. It's something that I saw when I was up in Deeside in the not-too-distant past: people who work with more than one employer to get a full, rounded apprenticeship experience. So, we're looking to do more in that area in the future as well.
On your point about careers advice, I think you're being a little unkind, but I do recognise that there is always more for us to do and to understand how the advice that people give—. People of our vintage, as it were, can remember careers advice was pretty rudimentary, and it was often a teacher who said, 'I think you should do this,' or 'Go and look over there and look at a book and decide what you want to do.' Actually, we are much better than that. Our challenge is, and it's partly about budget, it's also, though, about the capacity to give people, I think, really good work experience during their time in school. But it's also, in a number of our growth areas, the opportunity to keep people's minds open to the future, and it really does come back to lots of things that happen in the curriculum, because most people have made choices, often subconsciously, by the time they're 15 and 16. So, doing everything then is too late for too many people. But to understand the skills you need to have different jobs, there's a conversation we're having with my colleague the education Minister, but also with people in different growth sectors, including in these areas of green skills, to make sure that the information that schools get, that young people get, keep their minds open to genuine career choices for the future.
On climate, just finally, my son's eight, and he is a great deal more climate and environmentally conscious than I ever recall being when I was eight years old. So, we're already seeing that young people do have a different view on the world, and the new curriculum, I think, will enhance that. It'll help them to see the world even more as they do already, but I think and I hope, certainly, that will add to what we're trying to do with this skills plan, for people to think about those opportunities to change and recreate the world, and make sure it's there for their children and not just ours.
Diolch i chi am y cwestiynau. Rwy'n credu o ran eich pwynt olaf, mae yna bwynt sy'n mynd y tu hwnt i waith safonau masnach ac sy'n ymwneud yn fwy ag achrediad gweladwy i'r cyhoedd i roi sicrwydd i bobl. Os ydych chi'n meddwl am y ffordd y mae—. Ar eich pwynt chi am baneli solar, pan oeddwn i'n wirioneddol ifanc, yn tyfu i fyny, roedd gennym ni ddau banel solar ar ein tŷ ni. Roedd hynny'n anarferol dros ben ond eto nawr mae ymchwydd gwirioneddol fawr wedi bod yn y diwydiant a'r gosodwyr. Un o'r pethau yr ydym ni'n ei wneud yn y cynllun benthyciadau busnes gwyrdd yr oeddwn i'n siarad amdano gyda Vikki Howells yn gynharach yw ein bod ni'n ystyried ffyrdd o gadw mwy o'r arian hwnnw yn yr ardal leol, a rhan o'n her ni yw niferoedd y bobl sy'n gallu gwneud y gwaith ac sydd ar gael i'w wneud. Mae rhywbeth eto i'w wneud ynglŷn â gweithio gyda'r diwydiant hwnnw i wneud yn siŵr y bydd sicrwydd gan bobl o ansawdd priodol. Felly, mae hyn yn rhan o'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ystyried ei wneud i sicrhau nad yw'r sgiliau hynny nid yn unig yn mynd yn fwy cyffredin, fel bydd angen iddyn nhw fod, ond y byddwn ni wedyn â chyfradd ddigonol o sicrwydd sy'n weladwy i'r cyhoedd. Felly, mae hynny'n rhywbeth yr ydym ni'n bendant yn edrych arno. Mae hyn yn mynd ychydig y tu hwnt i gwmpas y datganiad, ond mae hwnnw'n gam nesaf pwysig ac amlwg.
O ran y gorwel a welwn ni gyda'r cynlluniau gweithredu y byddwn ni'n eu llunio, wrth gwrs, fe ŵyr yr Aelodau ar draws y Siambr bod y partneriaethau sgiliau rhanbarthol yn rhannu ôl troed â'n rhanbarthau economaidd ni, sy'n cael eu mapio ar yr un meysydd â'r bargeinion twf sy'n bodoli hefyd. Felly, mae gennym ni feysydd eisoes lle rydym ni'n gweithio mewn ffordd fwy eang ar y sgiliau sy'n bodoli. Yn y ddogfen hon, fe fyddwn ni'n edrych hefyd ar y gorwel yn y tymor byr, canolig a hirach, ac felly fe fydd angen i ni ddal ati i sicrhau bod y ddarpariaeth sydd gennym ni'n cyfateb i anghenion pobl, busnesau a'r gwasanaethau cyhoeddus.
Rhan o'r her yw pa mor ddeinamig yw'r system ac a oes gennym ni ymgysylltu rheolaidd rhwng darparwyr sgiliau, ond busnesau a'r gwasanaethau cyhoeddus sydd eu hangen hefyd. Wrth i mi fynd o amgylch y wlad a siarad gyda gwahanol bobl, bob hyn a hyn, fe fyddaf i'n clywed rhywun yn dweud, 'Rwy'n anhapus iawn gyda fy ngholeg AB lleol', a phobl eraill yn dweud, 'Mae fy ngholeg AB lleol i'n wych, rydyn ni'n cael yr union beth sydd ei eisiau ac mae gennym ni berthynas dda iawn.' Wel, ystyr hynny'n rhannol mewn gwirionedd yw natur yr ymgysylltu a'r berthynas, ac yn aml mae hynny oherwydd nad yw'r ddau unigolyn sy'n anhapus yn siarad â'i gilydd, neu nad yw'r coleg yn ymwybodol bod yna fusnes sy'n cwyno. Felly, mae hyn yn ymwneud â sut rydyn ni'n tynnu pobl i mewn i ddeialog fwy rheolaidd ac adeiladol, yn hytrach nag aros nes bod pethau wedi mynd o chwith neu heb weithio o gwbl iddyn nhw.
O ran prentisiaethau, rydyn ni wedi bod yn cynnal ymgyrch weladwy i'r cyhoedd er mwyn i fusnesau dderbyn prentisiaid. Rwy'n cydnabod, i rai busnesau, eu bod nhw'n deall yr hyn y mae angen iddyn nhw ei wneud, eu bod nhw'n gweld y gwerth yn hynny. Ddoe, roeddwn i'n siarad â busnesau yn fy etholaeth i, busnes lletygarwch oedd un ohonyn nhw, ac roedden nhw'n dweud, mewn gwirionedd, o ran y coleg lleol a'r prentisiaid sy'n dod o hwnnw, maen nhw'n cael eu dihysbyddu gan fusnesau mwy yn gyflym iawn. Felly, fe geir her o ran cyflenwad yn hyn o beth. Mae gyrfa dda i'w chael, ond yr her yw cael digon ohonyn nhw, tra ceir busnesau eraill llawer llai nad ydyn nhw'n gwybod eu bod nhw'n bodoli. Dyna pam rydyn ni wedi bod yn ceisio nid yn unig hyrwyddo prentisiaethau fel cyfle, ond rydyn ni'n edrych mwy ar brentisiaethau a rennir rhwng mwy nag un cyflogwr hefyd, o bosibl. Dyna rywbeth a welais i pan oeddwn i fyny yng Nglannau Dyfrdwy yn y gorffennol agos: pobl sy'n gweithio gyda mwy nag un cyflogwr i gael profiad prentisiaeth llawn, cyflawn. Felly, rydyn ni'n ystyried gwneud mwy yn y maes hwnnw yn y dyfodol hefyd.
Ynglŷn â'ch pwynt chi am gyngor gyrfaoedd, rwy'n credu eich bod chi ychydig yn ddidrugaredd, ond rwy'n cydnabod bod mwy i ni ei wneud bob amser a deall sut mae'r cyngor y mae pobl yn ei roi—. Fe all pobl o'n hoedran ni, fel petai, gofio cyngor gyrfaoedd gweddol gyntefig, ac yn aml athro a fyddai'n dweud, 'Rwy'n credu y dylech chi wneud hyn,' neu 'Ewch i edrych draw fanna ac edrychwch ar lyfr a phenderfynwch beth rydych chi am ei wneud.' Mewn gwirionedd, rydyn ni'n gwneud yn llawer gwell na hynny. Ein her ni, ac mae hynny'n ymwneud yn rhannol â'r gyllideb, a hefyd, serch hynny, mae;n ymwneud â'r gallu i roi profiad gwaith da iawn i bobl, rwy'n credu, yn ystod eu cyfnod nhw yn yr ysgol. Ond hefyd, mewn nifer o'n meysydd twf, mae hwn yn gyfle i gadw meddyliau pobl yn agored i'r dyfodol, ac mae hynny wir yn dychwelyd at lawer o bethau sy'n digwydd yn y cwricwlwm, oherwydd mae'r rhan fwyaf o bobl wedi gwneud dewisiadau, yn aml yn ddiarwybod, erbyn iddyn nhw fod yn 15 ac 16. Felly, mae gwneud popeth bryd hynny'n rhy hwyr i lawer gormod o bobl. Ond er mwyn deall y sgiliau sydd eu hangen arnoch chi i gael gwahanol swyddi, mae yna sgwrs yr ydym ni'n ei chael gyda fy nghyd-Weinidog y Gweinidog addysg, ond gyda phobl mewn gwahanol sectorau twf hefyd, gan gynnwys yn y meysydd hyn o sgiliau gwyrdd, i wneud yn siŵr bod y wybodaeth mae ysgolion yn ei chael, a phobl ifanc yn ei chael, yn cadw eu meddyliau yn agored i ddewisiadau gwirioneddol o ran gyrfa i'r dyfodol.
O ran yr hinsawdd, dim ond i orffen, mae fy mab i'n wyth oed, ac mae'n llawer iawn mwy ymwybodol o'r hinsawdd a'r amgylchedd nag yr ydw i'n cofio bod erioed pan oeddwn i'n wyth oed. Felly, rydyn ni'n gweld eisoes bod gan bobl ifanc farn wahanol am y byd, ac fe fydd y cwricwlwm newydd, rwy'n credu, yn gwella hynny. Fe fydd yn eu helpu i amgyffred y byd hyd yn oed yn well nag y maen nhw yn barod, ond rwy'n meddwl ac yn gobeithio, yn sicr, y bydd hynny'n ychwanegu at yr hyn yr ydyn ni'n ceisio ei wneud gyda'r cynllun sgiliau hwn, sef bod pobl yn ystyried y cyfleoedd hynny i newid ac ailgreu'r byd, a sicrhau ei fod yno i'w plant nhw ac nid dim ond i'n plant ni.
Diolch am y datganiad, Gweinidog.
Thank you for the statement, Minister.
I don't think there's any doubt in the Chamber that the net-zero skills strategy is a step in the right direction. I do think we need to be clear, not just the Government, but us as opposition parties as well, about what we mean when we talk about green skills. That clarity will be all-important, especially when we turn to the FE sector to deliver those skills.
The strategy, as outlined by the Government, will focus, at least in part, on providing training and education to individuals and businesses to support the transition to a low-carbon economy, and there are a number of announcements to welcome in relation to personal learning accounts and the role of short courses. I think it's fair to say that it's not enough to rely on individuals and businesses to make the necessary changes on their own. We only need to look at the current economic and social conditions in Wales, which make it difficult for many individuals and businesses to make the necessary changes. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent and ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and the impact on supply chains, has had a significant impact on the economy, and many businesses are struggling to survive. I've raised previously with the Minister the need for green energy grants for businesses to invest in onsite renewables. Investing, of course, in sustainable infrastructure and systems can provide new opportunities for growth and employment, but this requires, of course, Government investment and support.
We heard about the skills shortage from the Conservative spokesperson, and he's right to highlight it. But we must acknowledge, in tackling this, that retention is going to be one of the biggest challenges facing our FE colleges and higher education institutions in the coming years. We can create all of the new places on courses and all the new apprenticeships we want, but if students can't afford to stay on them, then they, ultimately, will fail the Government's objectives. We are talking essentially about large swathes of students from low-income backgrounds being locked out of participating in this new green economy that we always go on about. Keeping low-income students in education is in everyone's interest.
I've talked about EMA, but I think we should also consider the need for a national apprenticeship minimum wage, though, of course, the Welsh Government is restricted, in fairness, in what it can do in relation to this. Previously, the Minister has said that we need to talk about upskilling and education as an investment, and we have rehearsed many a time why that simply won't wash with low-income students, not least because they haven't got the capacity to think that far ahead. But if we stick with that investment narrative for the moment, I'd be keen to understand how the Government will start talking to young people now about some of these jobs that might be available in the new green economy. What is the route map, essentially, available to them? We've heard about careers advice; we can't and shouldn't forget about work experience as well. It's vital that we get this right.
Finally, Dirprwy Lywydd, and of no surprise to the Minister, I'm sure, I must emphasise the need for the Government to address the issue of job security for those who work in industries that will be impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economy. We cannot expect individuals to make the necessary changes if they fear losing their livelihoods in the process. The Government must work with industries and trade unions to ensure a just transition to a low-carbon economy takes place. This means providing support for those who are impacted by the transition, creating new job opportunities in sustainable industries, and ensuring that everyone who needs to be upskilled will be upskilled. It's welcome to see the Government reflect on this today. We simply cannot repeat the mistakes of previous Governments, most notably Thatcher's Government—the effects of her decisions and lack of transition we still feel today.
Nid wyf i'n credu bod unrhyw amheuaeth yn y Siambr bod y strategaeth sgiliau sero net yn gam i'r cyfeiriad cywir. Rwy'n credu bod angen i ni fod yn eglur, nid yn unig y Llywodraeth, ond yn y gwrthbleidiau hefyd, am yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei olygu pan fyddwn ni'n sôn am sgiliau gwyrdd. Fe fydd yr eglurder hwnnw'n holl bwysig, yn enwedig pan fyddwn ni'n troi at y sector addysg bellach i ddarparu'r sgiliau hynny.
Bydd y strategaeth, fel mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei amlinellu, yn canolbwyntio, yn rhannol o leiaf, ar ddarparu hyfforddiant ac addysg i unigolion a busnesau i gefnogi'r broses o drosglwyddo at economi carbon isel, ac mae nifer o gyhoeddiadau i'w croesawu o ran cyfrifon dysgu personol a swyddogaeth cyrsiau byr. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n deg dweud nad yw hi'n ddigon i ddibynnu ar unigolion a busnesau i wneud y newidiadau angenrheidiol ar eu pennau eu hunain. Nid oes ond angen edrych ar yr amodau economaidd a chymdeithasol presennol yng Nghymru, sy'n ei gwneud hi'n anodd i lawer o unigolion a busnesau wneud y newidiadau angenrheidiol. Mae pandemig COVID-19, a'r argyfwng dilynol a pharhaus o ran costau byw, a'r effaith ar gadwyni cyflenwi, wedi cael effaith sylweddol ar yr economi, ac mae llawer o fusnesau yn ei chael hi'n anodd goroesi. Yn flaenorol, rwyf i wedi codi'r angen gyda'r Gweinidog am grantiau ynni gwyrdd i fusnesau fuddsoddi mewn ynni adnewyddadwy ar y safle. Fe all buddsoddi, wrth gwrs, mewn seilwaith a systemau cynaliadwy ddarparu cyfleoedd newydd ar gyfer twf a chyflogaeth, ond mae hyn, wrth gwrs, yn gofyn am fuddsoddiad a chefnogaeth y Llywodraeth.
Fe glywsom ni gan lefarydd y Ceidwadwyr am y prinder sgiliau, ac mae'n iawn i dynnu sylw at hynny. Ond mae'n rhaid i ni gydnabod, wrth fynd i'r afael â hyn, bod cadw pobl am fod yn un o'r heriau mwyaf a fydd yn wynebu ein colegau addysg bellach a'n sefydliadau addysg uwch yn y blynyddoedd sydd i ddod. Fe allwn ni greu'r holl leoedd newydd ar gyrsiau a'r holl brentisiaethau newydd y dymunwn ni, ond os na all myfyrwyr fforddio aros arnyn nhw, yna fe fyddan nhw, yn y pen draw, yn fethiant o ran amcanion y Llywodraeth. Rydym ni'n siarad yn ei hanfod am grwpiau mawr o fyfyrwyr o gefndiroedd incwm isel yn cael eu cloi allan o gymryd rhan yn yr economi werdd newydd hon yr ydym ni'n sôn amdani drwy'r amser. Mae cadw myfyrwyr incwm isel mewn addysg er budd pawb.
Rwyf i wedi sôn am LCA, ond rwy'n credu y dylem ni ystyried yr angen hefyd am isafswm cyflog prentisiaeth cenedlaethol, er, wrth gwrs, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei chyfyngu arni, a bod yn deg, yn yr hyn y gall hi ei wneud yn hyn o beth. Yn flaenorol, mae'r Gweinidog wedi dweud bod angen i ni siarad am uwchsgilio ac addysg fel buddsoddiad a, sawl tro, rydyn ni wedi mynd dros pam na fyddai hynny'n rhesymol yng ngolwg myfyrwyr incwm isel, yn bennaf oherwydd nad oes ganddyn nhw'r gallu i feddwl ymlaen mor bell â hynny. Ond os ydyn ni'n cadw at y naratif hwn o fuddsoddiad am y tro, fe fyddai hi'n dda iawn gennyf i ddeall sut y bydd y Llywodraeth yn dechrau siarad â phobl ifanc nawr am rai o'r swyddi hyn a allai fod ar gael yn yr economi werdd newydd. Beth yw'r llwybrau, yn ei hanfod, sydd yn agored iddyn nhw? Rydym ni wedi clywed am gyngor gyrfaoedd; ni allwn ac ni ddylwn anghofio am brofiad gwaith ychwaith. Mae hi'n hollbwysig ein bod ni'n gwneud hyn yn iawn.
Yn olaf, Dirprwy Lywydd, ac ni fydd hyn o unrhyw syndod i'r Gweinidog, rwy'n siŵr, mae'n rhaid i mi bwysleisio'r angen i'r Llywodraeth fynd i'r afael â mater diogelwch swyddi i'r rhai sy'n gweithio mewn diwydiannau y bydd y newid tuag at economi carbon isel yn effeithio arnyn nhw. Ni allwn ddisgwyl i unigolion wneud y newidiadau angenrheidiol os ydyn nhw'n ofni colli eu bywoliaeth yn y broses honno. Mae'n rhaid i'r Llywodraeth weithio gyda diwydiannau ac undebau llafur i sicrhau mai pontio teg at economi carbon isel sy'n digwydd. Mae hyn yn golygu darparu cefnogaeth i'r rhai y mae'r cyfnod pontio yn effeithio arnyn nhw, a chreu cyfleoedd gwaith newydd mewn diwydiannau cynaliadwy, a sicrhau y bydd pawb sydd angen cael eu huwchsgilio yn meddu ar y sgiliau uwch hynny. Mae hi'n dda i weld y Llywodraeth yn rhoi ystyriaeth i hyn heddiw. Yn syml, ni allwn ailadrodd camgymeriadau Llywodraethau blaenorol, Llywodraeth Thatcher yn fwyaf nodedig—effeithiau ei phenderfyniadau a'i diffyg pontio yr ydym ni'n dal i'w deimlo heddiw.
The point about the just transition is something that, as I say, is very much in Ministers' minds in the choices we make about the opportunity, but also the disruption, that moving to a different way of working in a whole range of sectors offers. I think, on the point about what are green skills, I covered that in my statement. The Office for National Statistics will be, I think, helpful in getting there. We decided not to wait for that work before publishing this statement. We've got work to do on action plans, and we can take account of that as we're moving forward.
On how we engage young people, there's a range of different ways in which we do that. There's different survey work that we do through schools. There's also work we're doing with the young person's guarantee itself, directly listening to people taking part in it. Actually, that has led to some of the changes we've made in Jobs Growth Wales+. From providers, but also from young people themselves, we've actually introduced some further financial support for people to make sure that we were taking care of, and account of, some of the points about travel, but also being able to eat during the day as well when undertaking some of that work. So, we are listening and looking to be flexible on making sure that our offer makes sense for people so they can complete the opportunities that we're providing.
I think lots of people do have the capacity to understand that there is a potential improved opportunity for them to learn and to earn at the end of those interventions. Our challenge is practically helping people to get through the course to do so, and I know that that's the perspective that the Member takes. We'll keep on looking at what we can do to be as flexible as possible within the reality of the budget constraints that we have. But our completion record on a range of our skills courses, including apprenticeships, is actually pretty good, and certainly compares better to what takes place across England. What we want to do is to not go backwards, and to still be as successful as possible. I do take on board the Member's point on work experience, which we talked about earlier today—the value of high-quality work experience and what that does.
I'll finish on this point in relation to the Member's questions about energy bills and the reality. Again, for individuals as consumers, but for businesses as well, there are real challenges and questions to be raised, and I do hope that the UK Government takes the opportunity in the budget in two weeks' time to do something. The energy Secretary was today saying he could understand that there's a choice to be made, and understands the case being made. Without that, though, a number of the businesses that we want to see survive into the future won't survive the next quarter of activity. There's a real challenge and a real opportunity for the UK Government to do the right thing, and, I think, gain some recognition from people across this Chamber and otherwise. If not, we'll be back here in three or four months' time, talking about, in every region and every constituency, the loss of jobs that should have had a future but have actually not been able to survive because of yet another increase in their energy bills, and the costs for their customers and consumers as well.
Mae'r pwynt ynglŷn â phontio teg yn rhywbeth sydd, fel rwy'n dweud, ar feddyliau Gweinidogion i raddau helaeth iawn yn y dewisiadau yr ydym ni'n eu gwneud ynglŷn â'r cyfle, ond yr amharu hefyd, wrth i bobl symud i ffordd wahanol o weithio mewn ystod gyfan o gynigion mewn sectorau. Rwy'n credu, ar y pwynt am beth yw sgiliau gwyrdd, mi wnes i sôn am hynny yn fy natganiad. Bydd y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol, rwy'n credu, yn ddefnyddiol wrth gyrraedd y nod. Fe wnaethom ni benderfynu peidio ag aros am y gwaith hwnnw cyn cyhoeddi'r datganiad hwn. Mae gennym ni waith i'w wneud ar gynlluniau gweithredu, ac fe allwn ni ystyried hynny wrth i ni symud ymlaen.
Ynglŷn â sut yr ydym ni'n ymgysylltu â phobl ifanc, mae yna amrywiaeth o wahanol ffyrdd yr ydyn ni'n gwneud hynny. Mae yna waith ar arolygon amrywiol yr ydyn ni'n ei wneud drwy'r ysgolion. Mae yna waith hefyd yr ydym ni'n ei wneud gyda'r warant i bobl ifanc ei hun, gan wrando yn uniongyrchol ar bobl sy'n cymryd rhan ynddi. Mewn gwirionedd, mae hynny wedi arwain at rai o'r newidiadau a wnaethom ni yn Twf Swyddi Cymru+. Gan ddarparwyr, ond gan y bobl ifanc eu hunain hefyd, rydyn ni mewn gwirionedd wedi cyflwyno rhywfaint o gymorth ariannol pellach i bobl wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n ymdrin â, ac yn ystyried, rhai o'r pwyntiau ynglŷn â theithio, ond hefyd gallu bwyta yn ystod y dydd hefyd wrth wneud rhywfaint o'r gwaith hwnnw. Felly, rydyn ni'n gwrando ac yn edrych er mwyn bod yn hyblyg a gwneud yn siŵr bod ein cynnig ni'n gwneud synnwyr i bobl er mwyn iddyn nhw allu cwblhau'r cyfleoedd yr ydym ni'n eu darparu.
Rwy'n credu bod llawer o bobl yn gallu deall bod gwell cyfle iddyn nhw o bosibl ddysgu ac ennill tâl ar ddiwedd yr ymyraethau hynny. Ein her ni yw helpu pobl i ddod drwy'r cwrs i wneud hynny'n ymarferol, ac rwy'n gwybod mai dyna safbwynt yr Aelod. Fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i edrych ar yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud i fod mor hyblyg â phosibl yn wyneb realiti'r cyfyngiadau cyllidebol sydd arnom ni. Ond mae ein cyfraddau ni o ran cwblhau cyrsiau a'r ystod o gyrsiau sgiliau sydd ar gael, gan gynnwys prentisiaethau, yn eithaf da mewn gwirionedd, ac yn sicr mae hynny'n cymharu yn well na'r hyn sy'n digwydd ledled Lloegr. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n dymuno ei wneud yw peidio â mynd tua nôl, a pharhau i fod mor llwyddiannus â phosibl. Rwy'n cydnabod y pwynt a wnaeth yr Aelod am brofiad gwaith, ac fe fuom ni'n siarad am hynny'n gynharach heddiw—gwerth profiad gwaith o ansawdd uchel a'r hyn y mae hwnnw'n ei gyflawni.
Rwyf i am orffen ar y pwynt hwn o ran cwestiynau'r Aelod am filiau ynni a'r sefyllfa wirioneddol. Unwaith eto, i ddefnyddwyr unigol, ond i fusnesau hefyd, mae heriau a chwestiynau gwirioneddol yn dod i'r amlwg, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn cymryd y cyfle yn y gyllideb ymhen pythefnos i wneud rhywbeth. Roedd yr Ysgrifennydd Ynni yn dweud heddiw y gallai ef ddeall bod dewis i'w wneud, a'i fod yn deall yr achos sy'n cael ei wneud. Ond, eto i gyd, heb hynny, ni fydd nifer o'r busnesau yr ydym ni'n awyddus i'w gweld yn goroesi i'r dyfodol yn llwyddo i oroesi'r chwarter nesaf o weithgarwch. Fe geir her a chyfle gwirioneddol i Lywodraeth y DU wneud y peth cyfiawn, ac, rwy'n credu, ennill rhywfaint o barch gan bobl ar draws y Siambr hon ac mewn mannau eraill. Os na wneir hynny, fe fyddwn ni'n ôl yn y fan hon ymhen tri neu bedwar mis, yn trafod, ym mhob rhanbarth ac ym mhob etholaeth, colli swyddi a ddylai fod wedi bod â dyfodol ond mewn gwirionedd nid oedden nhw wedi llwyddo i oroesi oherwydd cynnydd arall unwaith eto yn eu biliau ynni nhw, a'r costau i'w cwsmeriaid a'u defnyddwyr hefyd.
First of all, I'm having difficulty finding this new plan that's been published today on the internet. It would be great to know whether it has actually been made available to us all, because I'm very keen to understand which are the seven key areas and the 36 actions.
Following up on the points that you've just made to Luke Fletcher, we can hope that the UK Government will do the right thing about energy bills, but, really, the sustainable short-term solution has to be improving the energy efficiency of our homes. Britain has the most leaky homes in the whole of Europe, and energy bills are really a struggle for about a third of all our households. We know it's the biggest source of indebtedness. No. 1 must be reducing the amount of energy that people have to buy in order to keep their home warm.
I just wondered, within these key areas and targets, how are you planning to upskill the construction industry workforce so that we have the technical and precision skills to massively reduce the cost of heating Welsh homes? As identified by Darren Millar, there's a lot of interest in putting solar panels on people's roofs, but not very many people who know how to do it, particularly those who like to put new tiles on roofs—they're not saying, 'Oh, and by the way, you should put a solar panel on as well'. We really do need to accelerate the process of ensuring that far more people know how to do this, in order to reduce our carbon emissions, as well as the debt, which is going to foreign companies outside Wales.
Yn gyntaf i gyd, rwy'n cael trafferth dod o hyd i'r cynllun newydd hwn a gyhoeddwyd heddiw ar y we. Fe fyddai hi'n ardderchog cael gwybod a yw wedi bod ar gael i bawb ohonom ni mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd rwy'n awyddus iawn i ddeall pa rai yw'r saith maes allweddol a'r 36 o gamau.
Yn dilyn y pwyntiau yr ydych chi newydd eu gwneud wrth ateb Luke Fletcher, fe allwn ni obeithio y bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn gwneud y peth iawn ynglŷn â biliau ynni, ond, mewn gwirionedd, mae'n rhaid i'r datrysiad byrdymor cynaliadwy fod ynghylch gwella effeithlonrwydd ynni ein cartrefi ni. Ym Mhrydain y mae'r tai sy'n gollwng fwyaf o wres yn Ewrop gyfan, ac mae talu biliau ynni yn ymdrech wirioneddol i tua thraean o'n holl aelwydydd. Rydyn ni'n gwybod mai honno yw'r ffynhonnell fwyaf o ddyled. Mae'n rhaid i'r flaenoriaeth fod i leihau swm yr ynni y mae'n rhaid i bobl ei brynu ar gyfer cadw eu cartrefi nhw'n gynnes.
Tybed, o fewn y meysydd a'r nodau allweddol hyn, sut ydych chi'n bwriadu uwchsgilio gweithlu'r diwydiant adeiladu fel y bydd sgiliau technegol a manwl gennym ni i leihau llawer iawn ar gost gwresogi cartrefi Cymru? Fel y nododd Darren Millar, ceir llawer o ddiddordeb mewn gosod paneli solar ar doeau pobl, ond nid oes llawer iawn o bobl sy'n gwybod sut i wneud hynny, yn arbennig y rhai sy'n hoffi rhoi teils newydd ar doeau—nid ydyn nhw'n dweud, 'O, a gyda llaw, fe ddylech chi osod panel solar hefyd'. Mae gwir angen i ni gyflymu'r broses o sicrhau bod llawer mwy o bobl yn gwybod sut i wneud hyn, i leihau ein hallyriadau carbon, yn ogystal â dyledion pobl, sy'n mynd i gwmnïau tramor y tu hwnt i Gymru.
On the starting point, the strategy has been published, it's available on the Welsh Government website. And it's not just the actions; I think the Member would find some interest in the eight emission sectors, because one of them is residential buildings. We're looking at what happens already as an emissions sector, as well as opportunities to make sure that fewer emissions actually take place in the construction, but then in the operation of residential buildings. On your point about energy-efficient homes, my point is that we need support now for costs that people pay now—and I know that the Member will have people who are really struggling in her own constituency, as indeed will we all—as well as investing in efficiency. That's both retrofitting homes that exist already—and I look at my own constituency; there are large parts of my constituency with very old housing stock, where there's a challenge about how you retrofit—but it's also then about the new homes that we expect to be creating. On your point about solar panelling, where people have got those skills, they're very busy, because there's real demand out there. The challenge is how we can do more in that area that will help both the new homes and also retrofitting a range of other homes as well. There are real opportunities to keep that money locally as well. One of the things that we're looking to do in the green business loan scheme that I referenced is to try to make sure that we can direct people to support to help improve the energy efficiency of their business and to keep that money as locally as possible. Most businesses in Wales are keen to be able to do both of those things. So, I do have a level of optimism, as well as understanding the real imperative I know the Member regularly brings to this debate about the need to do this and the economic return in doing so, and what it will do in dealing with the climate and nature emergencies we also have as well.
Ar y pwynt cyntaf, cafodd strategaeth ei chyhoeddi, mae hi ar gael ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru. Ac nid y camau yn unig sy'n bwysig; rwy'n credu y byddai'r Aelod yn ymddiddori rhywfaint yn yr wyth sector allyriadau, oherwydd adeiladau preswyl yw un ohonyn nhw. Rydyn ni'n ystyried yr hyn sy'n digwydd eisoes yn y sector allyriadau, yn ogystal â chyfleoedd i sicrhau y bydd llai o allyriadau gwirioneddol yn digwydd oherwydd gwaith adeiladu, ond wedyn wrth gadw adeiladau preswyl. Ynglŷn â'ch pwynt chi am gartrefi ynni-effeithlon, fy mhwynt i yw bod angen cefnogaeth nawr ar gyfer costau y mae pobl yn eu talu nawr—ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd gan yr Aelod bobl yn ei etholaeth sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd iawn, yn wir fe fydd gan bob un ohonom ni—yn ogystal â buddsoddi mewn effeithlonrwydd. Mae hynny'n cynnwys ôl-osod cartrefi sy'n bodoli eisoes—ac rwy'n edrych ar fy etholaeth fy hun; mae rhannau helaeth o fy etholaeth i â stoc hen iawn o dai, ac fe geir her ynglŷn â sut rydych chi am ôl-osod—ond mae hynny hefyd wedyn ynglŷn â'r cartrefi newydd yr ydyn ni'n disgwyl eu codi. Ynglŷn â'ch pwynt am baneli solar, a phobl sydd â'r sgiliau hynny, maen nhw'n brysur iawn, oherwydd mae galw gwirioneddol ar lawr gwlad. Yr her yw sut y gallwn ni wneud mwy yn y maes hwnnw a fydd yn helpu'r cartrefi newydd ac yn ôl-osod amrywiaeth o gartrefi eraill hefyd. Fe geir cyfleoedd gwirioneddol hefyd i gadw'r arian hwnnw yn yr ardal leol. Un o'r pethau yr ydym ni'n ceisio ei wneud gyda'r cynllun benthyciadau busnes gwyrdd y cyfeiriais i ato yw ceisio sicrhau y gallwn ni gyfeirio pobl at gefnogaeth i helpu i wella effeithlonrwydd ynni eu busnesau a chadw'r arian hwnnw gymaint â phosibl yn y fro leol. Mae'r rhan fwyaf o fusnesau yng Nghymru yn awyddus i allu gwneud y ddau beth yna. Felly, mae rhywfaint o optimistiaeth gennyf i, yn ogystal â gwerthfawrogiad o'r rheidrwydd mawr yr wyf i'n gwybod bod yr Aelod yn ei bwysleisio yn y ddadl hon yn rheolaidd ynglŷn â'r angen i wneud hynny ac ennill elw economaidd wrth wneud hynny, a'r hyn y bydd hynny'n ei wneud wrth ymdrin â'r argyfyngau hinsawdd a natur sydd gennym hefyd.
Thank you, Minister, for bringing forward today's statement on the Welsh Government's net-zero skills strategy and the action plan as well. Minister, you'll be glad to hear that, last week, I had the pleasure of attending Growth Track 360's Westminster parliamentary reception, joined there also by a number of MSs, MPs, council leaders and members of the Lords as well, from across parties. During this event it was great to see highlighted the fantastic cross-border work and collaboration opportunities through organisations such as the Mersey Dee Alliance and the work of our local councils in north Wales, who are working with businesses, as you know, to help enable a net-zero economy in north Wales. Of course, all of this comes along with thousands of well-paid green jobs, which further support and enhance north Wales's economy, all of which, though, as I'm sure you agree, need those right skills to enable these jobs to happen and for the ambitions of Growth Track 360 and the Mersey Dee Alliance to come to fruition, otherwise we risk all these great ideas just becoming an academic exercise. So, Minister, how will you use this skills strategy and the action plan within it to ensure that current growth deals and future economic opportunities are fully realised? And how will you ensure this strategy is properly futureproofed for the ambitions of organisation like the Mersey Dee Alliance and for projects like Growth Track 360?
Diolch i chi, Gweinidog, am gyflwyno datganiad heddiw ar strategaeth sgiliau sero net Llywodraeth Cymru a'r cynllun gweithredu hefyd. Gweinidog, fe fyddwch chi'n falch o glywed i mi gael y pleser, yr wythnos diwethaf, o fod yn bresennol yn nigwyddiad Growth Track 360 yn senedd San Steffan, gan ymuno gyda nifer o Aelodau'r Senedd hon, Aelodau o Dŷ'r Cyffredin a Thŷ'r Arglwyddi hefyd, ac arweinwyr cynghorau, o bob plaid. Yn ystod y digwyddiad hwn roedd pwyslais hyfryd ar y gwaith trawsffiniol rhagorol a'r cyfleoedd i gydweithio trwy sefydliadau fel Cynghrair Mersi a'r Ddyfrdwy a gwaith ein cynghorau lleol ni yn y gogledd, sy'n gweithio gyda busnesau, fel y gwyddoch chi, i helpu i alluogi economi sero net yn y gogledd. Wrth gwrs, mae hyn i gyd yn cynnwys miloedd o swyddi gwyrdd sy'n talu yn dda, sy'n cefnogi ac yn gwella economi'r gogledd ymhellach, y mae pob un ohonyn nhw, er hynny, rwy'n siŵr y cytunwch chi, ag angen am y sgiliau priodol hynny i alluogi sefydlu'r swyddi hyn er mwyn i uchelgeisiau Growth Track 360 a Chynghrair Mersi a'r Ddyfrdwy ddwyn ffrwyth, oherwydd fel arall, fe fyddwn ni mewn perygl y gallai'r syniadau gwych hyn i gyd fod yn ddim byd ond ymarfer academaidd. Felly, Gweinidog, sut ydych chi am ddefnyddio'r strategaeth sgiliau hon a'r cynllun gweithredu oddi mewn iddi i sicrhau y bydd y bargeinion twf presennol a'r cyfleoedd economaidd i'r dyfodol yn cael eu gwireddu yn eu cyfanrwydd? A sut ydych chi am sicrhau y bydd y strategaeth hon yn cael ei diogelu yn llwyr ar gyfer uchelgeisiau sefydliadau fel Cynghrair Mersi a'r Ddyfrdwy a phrosiectau fel Growth Track 360?
It's part of the point about the eight emissions sectors and the action plans for each one of them, making sure they join up with not just the Net Zero Wales plan, but that we actually have some consistency and understanding within those regional skills partnerships, within the growth deal areas as well, where people are collaborating more effectively, so across north Wales as well as the Mersey Dee Alliance, in seeing the opportunities that exist. This is one of those areas where there is a risk for the future in not being able to transform our economy, in not being able to do that, not just for the climate and nature emergency, but the fact that we will have lost an opportunity economically as well if we don't do so. So, I don't see anything that is inconsistent with our desire to grow the economy in a sustainable way and the imperative to act in a way that reflects on the climate and nature emergency we have, the emission sectors, where we'll be drawing up those individual plans, and, as I said earlier to Darren Millar, the short, medium and long term perspective on what we'll need to do to actually generate the right skills for the different sectors of the economy as well as reducing emissions in those eight key sectors. I'm sure the Member will enjoy going through all 36 action areas, and to look to come back in the short, medium and longer term to see how much progress we have made.
Mae'n rhan o'r pwynt ynglŷn â'r wyth sector allyriadau a'r cynlluniau gweithredu ar gyfer pob un ohonyn nhw, gan sicrhau eu bod nhw'n ymuno â nid yn unig cynllun Cymru Sero Net, ond bod gennym ni rywfaint o gysondeb a dealltwriaeth mewn gwirionedd o fewn y partneriaethau sgiliau rhanbarthol hyn, ym meysydd y bargenion twf hefyd, lle gall pobl gydweithio yn fwy effeithiol, ac felly ledled y gogledd yn ogystal â Chynghrair Mersi a'r Ddyfrdwy, o ran gweld y cyfleoedd sydd ar gael. Dyma un o'r meysydd hynny lle ceir risg i'r dyfodol oherwydd anallu i drawsnewid ein heconomi ni, o ran peidio bod yn alluog i wneud felly, nid dim ond o ran yr argyfwng hinsawdd a natur yn unig, ond y ffaith y byddwn ni wedi colli cyfle economaidd hefyd os na fyddwn ni'n gwneud hynny. Felly, nid wyf i'n gweld unrhyw beth yma sy'n anghyson â'n hawydd ni i feithrin yr economi mewn ffordd gynaliadwy a'r rheidrwydd i weithredu mewn ffordd sy'n adlewyrchu ar yr argyfwng hinsawdd a natur sydd gennym ni, y sectorau allyriadau, lle byddwn ni'n llunio'r cynlluniau unigol hynny, ac, fel y dywedais i'n gynharach wrth Darren Millar, y persbectif tymor byr, canolig a hir o ran yr hyn y bydd angen i ni ei wneud i gynhyrchu'r sgiliau cywir mewn gwirionedd ar gyfer gwahanol sectorau'r economi yn ogystal â lleihau allyriadau yn yr wyth sector allweddol hyn. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yr Aelod yn mwynhau mynd drwy bob un o'r 36 maes gweithredu, ac y bydd yn bwriadu dychwelyd yn y tymor byr, canolig a hirach i ystyried maint y cynnydd a wnaethom ni.
Ac yn olaf, Samuel Kurtz.
And finally, Samuel Kurtz.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I thank the Minister for his statement on the net-zero skills strategy. Prior to the statement, I took the time to read through the 'Stronger, fairer, greener Wales: a plan for employability and skills' action plan and the annexe, 'Skills emission sector overview and cross-cutting themes'. I was disappointed to find no mention of Pembrokeshire or Pembrokeshire College, only one mention of Coleg Sir Gâr, and no mention of floating offshore wind. I won't read too much into this at this stage, depending on the Minister's answer to this question, as he'll know that I'm a big advocate for both my constituency and floating offshore wind, but to get the benefits for these communities that I represent we need the whole supply chain there. So, given that there are no mentions of these are there, what guarantees can you give to my constituents that your net-zero skills strategy, in aiming to get net zero by 2050, ensures those supply chains will be as local as possible? Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad ar y strategaeth sgiliau sero net. Cyn y datganiad, fe dreuliais i amser yn darllen drwy'r cynllun gweithredu 'Cymru Gryfach, wyrddach a thecach: cynllun cyflogadwyedd a sgiliau' a'r atodiad, 'Trosolwg o'r sector sgiliau allyriadau a themâu trawsbynciol'. Fe gefais i fy siomi nad oedd unrhyw sôn am sir Benfro na Choleg Sir Benfro, dim ond un cyfeiriad at Goleg Sir Gâr, a dim sôn am wynt arnofiol ar y môr. Nid wyf i am ddarllen gormod i mewn i hynny ar hyn o bryd, yn dibynnu ar ateb y Gweinidog i'r cwestiwn hwn, gan ei fod e'n gwybod fy mod i wedi gwneud llawer i hybu fy etholaeth i a gwynt arnofiol ar y môr hefyd, ond ar gyfer bod â'r manteision i'r cymunedau hyn yr wyf i'n eu cynrychioli mae angen y gadwyn gyflenwi gyfan yn ei lle. Felly, o ystyried nad oes unrhyw sôn am y rhain sydd yno, pa warantau y gallwch chi eu rhoi i fy etholwyr i fod eich strategaeth sgiliau sero net, wrth anelu at gyrraedd sero net erbyn 2050, yn sicrhau y bydd y cadwyni cyflenwi hynny mor lleol â phosibl? Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd.
That's a key objective to what we're looking to do and the opportunities the Member highlights. I've said regularly in this Chamber I don't just want to see a decarbonisation of the way that power is produced; I want to see the economic opportunities as locally as possible. I don't want to see those opportunities taken up in France and in Spain in the manufacture of the equipment and in the skills that will be needed in very long-term jobs. I want to see that investment take place in the different parts of Wales. Whether it's in south-west Wales or across north Wales we have a real opportunity to generate significant amounts of power and jobs with a long-term future. It's always the way that, when you give examples of what is taking place in different parts of Wales as examples of what's happening, some people say, 'My part of Wales hasn't been mentioned often enough.' I know that, between Sam and Samuel, you regularly talk about the parts of Wales that you currently represent, and I can give you this assurance: in delivering on the ambitions set out within this plan, in setting out the action plans for each of the emission sectors, there could and should be a real benefit to every single constituent in every single region in Wales, and this is part of what we see as a future in genuinely creating a fairer, greener and more prosperous Wales.
Mae honno'n amcan allweddol i'r hyn yr ydym ni'n bwriadu ei wneud a'r cyfleoedd y mae'r Aelod yn eu tanlinellu. Rwyf i wedi dweud yn rheolaidd yn y Siambr hon nad wyf i'n dymuno gweld dim ond datgarboneiddio'r ffordd y mae pŵer yn cael ei gynhyrchu yn unig; rwy'n dymuno gweld y cyfleoedd economaidd mor lleol â phosibl. Nid wyf i'n dymuno gweld y cyfleoedd hynny yn cael eu cymryd yn Ffrainc ac yn Sbaen wrth weithgynhyrchu'r offer a gyda'r sgiliau y bydd eu hangen mewn swyddi hirdymor iawn. Fe hoffwn i weld y buddsoddiad hwnnw'n digwydd mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru. Boed hynny yn y de-orllewin neu ar draws y gogledd, mae cyfle gwirioneddol gennym ni i gynhyrchu symiau sylweddol o bŵer a swyddi gyda dyfodol hirdymor iddyn nhw. Fel hyn y mae hi bob amser, pan fyddwch chi'n nodi enghreifftiau o'r hyn sy'n digwydd mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru fel enghreifftiau o'r hyn sy'n digwydd, ac fe fydd rhai yn dweud, 'Nid yw fy rhan i o Gymru wedi cael ei chrybwyll yn ddigon aml.' Fe wn i, rhwng Sam a Samuel, eich bod chi'n siarad yn rheolaidd am y rhannau o Gymru yr ydych chi'n eu cynrychioli ar hyn o bryd, ac fe allaf i roi'r sicrwydd hwn i chi: wrth gyflawni'r uchelgeisiau a nodir yn y cynllun hwn, wrth nodi'r cynlluniau gweithredu ar gyfer pob un o'r sectorau allyriadau, fe allai ac fe ddylai hynny fod o fudd gwirioneddol i bob etholwr unigol ym mhob rhanbarth o Gymru, a dyna ran o'r hyn a welwn ni'n ddyfodol gwirioneddol i ni wrth greu Cymru decach, wyrddach a mwy llewyrchus.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Mae'r eitem nesaf wedi ei gohirio tan 14 Mawrth.
The next item is postponed until 14 March.
Felly, symudwn ymlaen i eitem 6, datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ar yr uwchgyfeirio ac ymyrraeth bellach i wella ansawdd gwasanaethau ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr. Galwaf ar y Gweinidog i wneud y datganiad, Eluned Morgan.
So, we will move on to item 6, a statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services on the escalation and further intervention to improve the quality of services in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and I call on the Minister to make the statement, Eluned Morgan.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Further to my written statement yesterday concerning the extraordinary measures I’ve taken to stabilise and support the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, I want to explain the decisions that I’ve made, what support I’m putting in place and what I expect to happen in the next few weeks and months.
These were not decisions I took lightly. Firstly, I want to reassure the people living in north Wales that they will be able to use their local health services as normal. Every day, thousands of people across north Wales are receiving an excellent service by the NHS, but there is a lack of consistency when it comes to quality, safety and efficiency, and correcting this will be at the heart of the changes that will need to be made. I know that we also have thousands of dedicated health board workers who may be concerned at these developments, but I’d like to reassure them that their day-to-day services and activities will continue and will not be immediately affected by 'special measures' status.
In 2020, we took the controversial decision to de-escalate Betsi from special measures. Many of you will say that it was the wrong decision to take, and we’ve heard some say again today that it was a political decision and one that was premature; this was not the case. There were several reasons behind our decision to de-escalate Betsi from special measures in November 2020. The health board responded well to the COVID challenges, and we received a number of reports that signalled that the health board were taking positive strategic steps towards improvement. We were of the view that the appointment of the new chief executive and the targeted intervention support that was put in place would enable the board to continue to make the improvements that we expected to see. Indeed, the leadership from the new chief executive and developments of a new operating model all signified that the organisation was strategically taking positive steps forward.
But more recently, the health board’s responses on many issues have not provided the assurance needed, despite the considerable additional financial resources that have been provided, and Healthcare Inspectorate Wales's unannounced visits, as well as my own unannounced visits, have demonstrated that improvements are not taking place at the pace required. I have serious concerns relating to the performance and governance of the board as well as concerns about the leadership and culture in the organisation. The description of the board being ‘dysfunctional’ in the recent Audit Wales report further enhanced those concerns. We need to fundamentally change the organisational culture, and I announced my decision yesterday to place the health board into special measures. I’ve subsequently taken further action to ensure board stability.
It has become clear that there is a need for new leadership and direction. As part of being placed into special measures, I have spoken with the non-executive members and as a result, the chair, vice-chair, and independent members have stepped aside. It’s important that we do things correctly and for the right reasons, and that we do them compassionately and at pace. I’ve made four direct temporary non-executive appointments to the board to ensure stability, and they join with immediate effect. Further appointments will be made in the coming weeks and months. These appointments have extensive and wide-ranging experience, especially in the areas in which the health board needs to improve. I’m pleased to announce that they will be led by Dyfed Edwards, a former leader of Gwynedd Council, and deputy chair of the Welsh Revenue Authority. Further direct appointments will follow soon. They will undertake the statutory requirements of the board chair and independent members. In doing so, they will review executive leadership arrangements and structures and take the necessary decisions for improvements, taking into account the findings of the Audit Wales report. A campaign to recruit new independent members to the board beyond this initial period of stabilisation will commence later this year.
I am also of the view that now is not the time to make structural changes. It’s important to focus on the quality and delivery of services, which need significant and rapid improvement, and therefore I have no intention of breaking the health board into smaller organisations, in particular at a time when we are encouraging regional co-operation and working, which is needed to support better clinical outcomes for patients. A reorganisation would be hugely disruptive and would take attention away from the need to focus now on providing the best possible service to the people of north Wales.
The special measures arrangements will involve the creation of a health board intervention and support team. I am today able to update you on the appointment of four health board advisers. They are: Mick Giannasi, Alan Brace, Dr Graham Shortland, Susan Aitkenhead and—I'm sorry, there were five appointments—David Jenkins.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Yn dilyn fy natganiad ysgrifenedig ddoe ynghylch y mesurau eithriadol yr wyf i wedi eu cymryd i sefydlogi a chefnogi Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, rwyf eisiau egluro'r penderfyniadau rydw i wedi'u gwneud, pa gefnogaeth rwy'n ei rhoi ar waith a'r hyn yr wyf i'n disgwyl bydd yn digwydd yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf.
Nid penderfyniadau a gymerais yn ysgafn oedd y rhain. Yn gyntaf, rwyf am sicrhau'r bobl sy'n byw yn y gogledd y byddan nhw'n gallu defnyddio eu gwasanaethau iechyd lleol fel arfer. Bob dydd, mae miloedd o bobl ar draws y gogledd yn cael gwasanaeth ardderchog gan y GIG, ond mae diffyg cysondeb o ran ansawdd, diogelwch ac effeithlonrwydd, ac fe fydd cywiro hyn wrth wraidd y newidiadau fydd angen eu gwneud. Gwn fod gennym ni filoedd o weithwyr ymroddedig y bwrdd iechyd a allai fod yn bryderus ynghylch y datblygiadau hyn hefyd, ond hoffwn eu sicrhau nhw y bydd eu gwasanaethau a'u gweithgareddau o ddydd i ddydd yn parhau ac na fydd statws 'mesurau arbennig' yn effeithio ar unwaith arnyn nhw.
Yn 2020, gwnaethom y penderfyniad dadleuol i isgyfeirio Betsi allan o fesurau arbennig. Bydd llawer ohonoch yn dweud mai dyma'r penderfyniad anghywir i'w wneud, ac rydym wedi clywed rhai yn dweud eto heddiw ei fod yn benderfyniad gwleidyddol ac yn un a oedd yn rhy gynnar; nid felly y bu hi. Roedd sawl rheswm tu ôl i'n penderfyniad i isgyfeirio Betsi allan o fesurau arbennig ym mis Tachwedd 2020. Fe wnaeth y bwrdd iechyd ymateb yn dda i heriau COVID, a chawsom nifer o adroddiadau oedd yn arwydd bod y bwrdd iechyd yn cymryd camau strategol cadarnhaol tuag at wella. Roeddem o'r farn y byddai penodi'r prif weithredwr newydd a'r cymorth ymyrraeth wedi'i dargedu a gafodd ei roi ar waith yn galluogi'r bwrdd i barhau i wneud y gwelliannau yr oeddem yn disgwyl eu gweld. Yn wir, roedd arweinyddiaeth y prif weithredwr newydd a datblygu model gweithredu newydd i gyd yn arwydd bod y sefydliad yn cymryd camau cadarnhaol ymlaen yn strategol.
Ond yn fwy diweddar, nid yw ymateb y bwrdd iechyd ar lawer o faterion wedi rhoi'r sicrwydd sydd ei angen, er gwaethaf yr adnoddau ariannol ychwanegol sylweddol sydd wedi eu darparu, ac mae ymweliadau dirybudd Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru, yn ogystal â fy ymweliadau dirybudd fy hun, wedi dangos nad yw gwelliannau'n digwydd ar y cyflymder sydd ei angen. Mae gen i bryderon difrifol yn ymwneud â pherfformiad a llywodraethiant y bwrdd yn ogystal â phryderon ynghylch yr arweinyddiaeth a'r diwylliant yn y sefydliad. Roedd y disgrifiad o'r bwrdd yn 'gamweithredol' yn adroddiad diweddar Archwilio Cymru yn cynyddu'r pryderon hynny ymhellach. Mae angen i ni newid y diwylliant sefydliadol yn sylfaenol, ac fe gyhoeddais fy mhenderfyniad ddoe i roi'r bwrdd iechyd i mewn i fesurau arbennig. Wedi hynny rwyf wedi cymryd camau pellach i sicrhau sefydlogrwydd y bwrdd.
Daeth yn amlwg bod angen arweinyddiaeth a chyfeiriad newydd. Fel rhan o'r broses o'u rhoi mewn mesurau arbennig, rwyf wedi siarad â'r aelodau anweithredol ac o ganlyniad, mae'r cadeirydd, yr is-gadeirydd, ac aelodau annibynnol wedi camu o'r neilltu. Mae'n bwysig ein bod ni'n gwneud pethau'n iawn ac am y rhesymau iawn, a'n bod ni'n eu gwneud nhw gyda thosturi ac ar gyflymder. Rydw i wedi gwneud pedwar penodiad anweithredol uniongyrchol dros dro i'r bwrdd er mwyn sicrhau sefydlogrwydd, ac maen nhw'n ymuno ar unwaith. Bydd penodiadau pellach yn cael eu gwneud yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf. Mae gan y rhai a benodwyd brofiad helaeth ac eang, yn enwedig ym meysydd lle mae angen i'r bwrdd iechyd wella. Rwy'n falch o gyhoeddi y byddan nhw'n cael eu harwain gan Dyfed Edwards, cyn arweinydd Cyngor Gwynedd, a dirprwy gadeirydd Awdurdod Cyllid Cymru. Bydd penodiadau uniongyrchol ychwanegol yn dilyn yn fuan. Byddan nhw'n ymgymryd â gofynion statudol cadeirydd y bwrdd ac aelodau annibynnol. Wrth wneud hynny, byddant yn adolygu'r trefniadau arweinyddiaeth weithredol a strwythurau a gwneud y penderfyniadau angenrheidiol ar gyfer gwelliannau, gan ystyried canfyddiadau adroddiad Archwilio Cymru. Bydd ymgyrch i recriwtio aelodau annibynnol newydd i'r bwrdd tu hwnt i'r cyfnod cychwynnol hwn o sefydlogi yn dechrau yn ddiweddarach eleni.
Rwyf hefyd o'r farn nad nawr yw'r amser i wneud newidiadau strwythurol. Mae'n bwysig canolbwyntio ar ansawdd a'r ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau, sydd angen gwelliant sylweddol a chyflym, ac felly nid oes gennyf unrhyw fwriad i dorri'r bwrdd iechyd yn sefydliadau llai, yn arbennig ar adeg pan ydym yn annog cydweithredu a chydweithio rhanbarthol, sydd ei angen i gefnogi canlyniadau clinigol gwell i gleifion. Byddai ad-drefnu'n amharu'n aruthrol ac yn tynnu sylw oddi ar yr angen i ganolbwyntio nawr ar ddarparu'r gwasanaeth gorau posib i bobl y gogledd.
Bydd trefniadau arbennig y mesurau yn cynnwys creu tîm ymyrraeth a chefnogi byrddau iechyd. Heddiw, gallaf roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i chi ynghylch penodi pedwar cynghorwr bwrdd iechyd. Y rhain yw: Mick Giannasi, Alan Brace, Dr Graham Shortland, Susan Aitkenhead a—mae'n ddrwg gen i, roedd pum penodiad—David Jenkins.
Bydd y cynghorwyr yn cael eu contractio am chwe mis i ddechrau, gan ddechrau heddiw. Byddan nhw'n cefnogi'r bwrdd iechyd ar lywodraethiant y bwrdd ac ar faterion eraill sy'n gysylltiedig â mesurau arbennig. Bydd hyn yn cynnwys lefel o gefnogaeth bersonol i'r cadeirydd newydd a'r aelodau annibynnol ac i roi adborth lle bo'n briodol i'r bwrdd o drafodaethau ac arsylwadau. Yn ogystal, byddan nhw'n adrodd yn ffurfiol i mi fel Gweinidog mewn perthynas â'u hasesiad a'u barn am allu'r bwrdd i gyflawni a hefyd ynglŷn ag a oes angen unrhyw waith pellach i ddatblygu'r bwrdd i sicrhau bod ganddo drefniadau cyllid ac archwilio priodol. Byddwn ni hefyd yn penodi cymorth adnoddau dynol arbenigol i'r cadeirydd newydd a'r bwrdd i adolygu'r strwythur sefydliadol a'r portffolios a sicrhau ansawdd y systemau a'r prosesau sy'n sail iddynt, a darparu cefnogaeth i'r bwrdd yn ei chwe mis cyntaf.
Fel cynghorwyr annibynol, nid gwneud penderfyniadau gweithredol yw eu swyddogaeth ond dadansoddi ac asesu'r ffordd y mae'r bwrdd yn cyflawni ei benderfyniadau er mwyn cynorthwyo'r cadeirydd a'r bwrdd i gwrdd â disgwyliadau Llywodraeth Cymru. Bydd hyn hefyd yn golygu darparu eu hasesiad nhw o faterion, camau gweithredu angenrheidiol a chynnydd. Un o brif amcanion y bwrdd newydd fydd recriwtio prif weithredwr parhaol newydd ar gyfer y bwrdd iechyd. Bydd angen i'r bwrdd newydd benodi rhywun â phrofiad o droi sefydliad iechyd o gwmpas a rhywun sydd â'r pendantrwydd, y weledigaeth a'r sgiliau i sicrhau bod y bwrdd iechyd yn cwrdd â'i botensial. Mae cynlluniau eisoes ar waith ynglŷn â'r apwyntiad allweddol hwn. Byddaf hefyd yn edrych i'r bwrdd i sicrhau bod y strwythurau a'r prosesau ar waith i yrru'r gwelliannau sydd eu hangen yn eu blaen.
Er y bydd mesurau arbennig yn berthnasol i'r sefydliad, hoffwn roi sicrwydd i'r cleifion a'u cymunedau a wasanaethir gan y bwrdd iechyd, yn ogystal â'r staff sy'n gweithio ar ei gyfer, y bydd gwasanaethau a gweithgareddau dydd i ddydd yn parhau yn ôl yr arfer, gan ganolbwyntio'n gynyddol ar ansawdd a diogelwch. Dyw hyn ddim yn adlewyrchiad ar staff gweithgar ac ymroddedig rheng-flaen y bwrdd iechyd, sy'n gweithio'n ddiflino i helpu cleifion a gwella eu bywydau. Dwi am ddweud eto, fel dwi wedi sawl gwaith o'r blaen, diolch o galon i holl aelodau staff y bwrdd iechyd am eu hymrwymiad a'u hymroddiad i helpu pobl. Dwi'n gobeithio y bydd y penderfyniad a wnaed ddoe yn mynd â ni ar y llwybr at fwrdd iechyd y mae pobl gogledd Cymru yn ei haeddu, y mae ganddyn nhw hyder ynddo ac yn gallu bod yn falch ohono.
The advisers will initially be contracted for six months, starting today, and will support the health board on board governance and other issues related to special measures. This will include a level of personal support to the new chair and independent members, and to provide feedback where appropriate to the board from discussions and observations. In addition, they will report formally to me, as Minister, in respect of their assessment and views of the board’s ability to deliver and whether any further work is required to develop the board to ensure that it has appropriate finance and audit arrangements. We will also appoint specialist HR support to the new chair and the board to review the organisational structure and portfolios and to provide quality assurance for the underpinning systems and processes and provide support to the board in the first six months.
As independent advisers, their function is not to take executive decisions but to analyse and assess the way in which the board is discharging its decision making in order to assist the chair and the board to meet Welsh Government expectations. This will also involve providing Welsh Government with their assessment of issues, necessary actions and progress. One of the key objectives of this new board will be the permanent recruitment of a new chief executive for the health board. The new board will need to appoint someone with a track record of turning around a health organisation, and someone who has the determination, vision and skills to ensure that the health board meets its potential. Plans are already under way for this key appointment. I will also be looking to the board to ensure that the structures and processes are in place to drive the improvements needed.
Whilst special measures will apply to the organisation, I wish to reassure both the patients and the communities served by the health board, as well as the staff working for it, that day-to-day services and activities will continue as normal, with an increased focus on quality and safety. This is not a reflection on the hard-working and dedicated front-line staff of the health board who work tirelessly to help patients and improve their lives. I want to say again, as I have many times before, thank you to all of the staff members of the health board for their commitment and dedication to helping people. I hope that the decision taken yesterday takes us on the path to a health board that the people of north Wales deserve, that they have confidence in, and that they can be proud of. Thank you.
I have many Members who wish to contribute this afternoon, understandably on such an important statement. If I may ask all Members to keep their contributions to their time limits so that I can actually ensure that all are able to speak today. Darren Millar.
Mae gen i lawer o Aelodau sydd eisiau cyfrannu'r prynhawn yma, yn ddealladwy ar ddatganiad mor bwysig. Os caf ofyn i bob Aelod gadw eu cyfraniadau i'w terfynau amser fel y gallaf mewn gwirionedd sicrhau bod pob un yn gallu siarad heddiw. Darren Millar.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I listened very carefully to your statement, Minister, and I didn't hear an apology to the people of north Wales for the failure of this Welsh Government to sort out the deep-seated problems in our health board in the region, that have been ongoing, not just since 2015 when the Welsh Government first put Betsi Cadwaladr into special measures, but for a long time before that too. It should never have been taken out of special measures; I still believe that that decision was political, no matter what you have said today, and it should never have happened. We called in this Chamber last June for the organisation to go back into special measures, and you refused to listen to our calls. It wasn't just the calls of these benches; it was the calls of every single person representing a constituency in north Wales and every single person representing that region. We know what goes on in that health board. We see the letters that come in from constituents, and we see the whistleblowing letters that come in from staff as well. And frankly, your response to date is woefully inadequate. I have read with great interest the Audit Wales report—the Audit Wales report that you say has initiated the action that you took yesterday. I'll read some quotes from it. It says,
Diolch. Dirprwy Lywydd. Gwrandewais yn ofalus iawn ar eich datganiad, Gweinidog, a chlywais i ddim ymddiheuriad i bobl yn y gogledd am fethiant Llywodraeth Cymru hon i ddatrys problemau dwfn ein bwrdd iechyd yn y rhanbarth, sydd wedi bod yn parhau, nid dim ond ers 2015 pan roddodd Llywodraeth Cymru Betsi Cadwaladr mewn mesurau arbennig am y tro cyntaf, ond am gyfnod hir cyn hynny hefyd. Ni ddylai erioed fod wedi cael ei dynnu allan o fesurau arbennig; rwy'n dal i gredu bod y penderfyniad hwnnw'n wleidyddol, does dim ots beth rydych chi wedi ei ddweud heddiw, ac ni ddylai erioed fod wedi digwydd. Fe wnaethom ni alw yn y Siambr hon fis Mehefin diwethaf am i'r sefydliad fynd yn ôl i fesurau arbennig, ac fe wrthodoch chi wrando ar ein galwadau. Nid galwadau'r meinciau hyn yn unig oedden nhw; galwadau pob un person oedd yn cynrychioli etholaeth yn y gogledd a phob un person yn cynrychioli'r rhanbarth hwnnw. Rydyn ni'n gwybod beth sy'n digwydd yn y bwrdd iechyd yna. Rydyn ni'n gweld y llythyrau sy'n dod i mewn oddi wrth etholwyr, ac rydyn ni'n gweld y llythyrau chwythu'r chwiban sy'n dod i mewn oddi wrth staff hefyd. Ac a dweud y gwir, mae eich ymateb hyd yma yn druenus o annigonol. Rwyf wedi darllen gyda diddordeb mawr, adroddiad Archwilio Cymru—adroddiad Archwilio Cymru a roddodd gychwyn i'r camau a gymeroch chi ddoe. Fe ddarllenaf rai dyfyniadau ohono. Mae'n dweud,
'We found clear and deep-seated fractures within the Executive Team',
'we have significant doubt as to whether working relationships'—
this is within the executive team—'are reparable'.
There are
'significant problems with working relationships within the Executive Team'.
'The evidence presented to us points to dysfunctionality and factions within the team'.
It's within the executive team that this report points to these problems, not with the independent board members, who you forced to resign yesterday, instead of the very people who are responsible for the failures on the ground—that executive team, not one of whom have held themselves accountable and offered their resignation to you. I find that appalling, and I think it's about time that we had mechanisms in Wales to remove people like that who do not accept their responsibility for failures when things go wrong. We have a situation in north Wales where patients have died, where patients have come to harm, as a result of the failings that have taken place, and frankly, people are owed an apology. We've got problems in our vascular services, our emergency departments, our urology services, our ophthalmology services, our mental health services, and our cancer services too—people waiting too long for treatment, and the situation under the watch of various health Ministers in this Government has gotten worse, not better, during periods of targeted intervention.
'We need some new leadership'—yes, you're absolutely right we need new leadership. We need new leadership both in the health board on the executive team, and, frankly, we need a new Government, because this Government is incapable of being able to sort these problems out. I don't know why that is. And even when you triangulate the evidence that's in the Audit Wales report to other pieces of evidence, you can see that all of the fingers of blame for the problems and the culture in that organisation point to that executive team. So, can I ask you, Minister, why on earth would you get rid of the independent members who've been doing their best to try and hold to account that executive team in recent months? Why on earth would you ask them to resign and not ask for the resignations of those executives who have been collectively responsible for these failures?
I know, from the letter that was sent to the First Minister yesterday and shared with Members of the Senedd that the chair of the health board has written to you on a number of occasions, most recently in September of last year, raising concerns, escalating concerns to you, and of course to the director general of the department, who is also the chief executive, of course, of NHS Wales. He didn't even receive a response—didn't even receive a response, and this is a health board that is supposedly in targeted intervention. And it's not just his letters that you seem to not pay proper regard to. Geoff Ryall-Harvey of the North Wales Community Health Council wrote to you in August of last year, talking about the assurances on which you were basing your responses to that organisation. He said that the assurances weren't worth the paper that they were written on. But you defended the executive team that were giving those assurances to you to provide to him; you didn't acknowledge that there were serious concerns about the quality of those responses at all. It's unacceptable, Minister, and some of the blame for this has to be laid at your door. Now, can I ask—? The report, the Audit Wales report, refers to the fraud investigation. It talks about the Ernst & Young report, which was commissioned before the NHS Counter Fraud Authority came and had a look over the books because of this missing £122 million-worth of expenditure for which there was no proper records. And it says that that piece of work uncovered some serious problems in the health board organisation. In fact, the letter from the chair of the health board to the First Minister yesterday made specific reference that there was evidence of serious malpractice. I'd like to see a copy of that report. I think, from a transparency point of view, that the people of north Wales deserve to see a copy of that report too.
'Canfuwyd holltau eglur a dwfn gennym o fewn y Tîm Gweithredol',
'mae gennym amheuon sylweddol ynghylch a oes modd trwsio cysylltiadau gwaith',
a hynny o fewn y tîm gweithredol.
Mae
'problemau sylweddol o ran cysylltiadau gwaith o fewn y Tîm Gweithredol'.
'Mae’r dystiolaeth a gyflwynwyd i ni yn awgrymu camweithrediad a charfannau o fewn y tîm'.
Mae'r adroddiad hwn yn cyfeirio at y problemau hyn o fewn y tîm gweithredu, nid gydag aelodau annibynnol y bwrdd, a orfodwyd gennych i ymddiswyddo ddoe, yn hytrach na'r union bobl sy'n gyfrifol am y methiannau ar lawr gwlad—y tîm gweithredol hwnnw, nad yw dim un ohonyn nhw wedi dal eu hunain yn atebol a chynnig eu hymddiswyddiadau i chi. Mae hynny'n warthus i mi, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn hen bryd i ni gael systemau yng Nghymru i gael gwared ar bobl fel yna nad ydyn nhw'n derbyn cyfrifoldeb am fethiannau pan fo pethau'n mynd o chwith. Mae gennym sefyllfa yn y gogledd lle mae cleifion wedi marw, lle mae cleifion wedi cael niwed, o ganlyniad i'r methiannau a ddigwyddodd, ac a dweud y gwir, mae pobl yn haeddu ymddiheuriad. Mae gennym broblemau yn ein gwasanaethau fasgwlaidd, ein hadrannau brys, ein gwasanaethau wroleg, ein gwasanaethau offthalmoleg, ein gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl, a'n gwasanaethau canser hefyd—pobl sy'n aros yn rhy hir am driniaeth, ac mae'r sefyllfa o dan wyliadwriaeth gwahanol Weinidogion iechyd yn y Llywodraeth hon wedi gwaethygu, nid gwella, yn ystod cyfnodau o ymyrraeth wedi'i thargedu.
'Mae angen arweinyddiaeth newydd'—ie, rydych chi'n hollol iawn bod angen arweinyddiaeth newydd. Mae angen arweinyddiaeth newydd arnom yn y bwrdd iechyd ar y tîm gweithredol, ac, a dweud y gwir, mae angen Llywodraeth newydd arnom, oherwydd nid yw'r Llywodraeth hon yn gallu datrys y problemau hyn. Dydw i ddim yn gwybod y rheswm dros hynny. A hyd yn oed pan fyddwch chi'n triongli'r dystiolaeth sydd yn adroddiad Archwilio Cymru â darnau eraill o dystiolaeth, gallwch weld bod y bai i gyd am y problemau a'r diwylliant yn y sefydliad hwnnw ar y tîm gweithredol hwnnw. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i chi, Gweinidog, pam ar y ddaear fyddech chi'n cael gwared ar yr aelodau annibynnol sydd wedi bod yn gwneud eu gorau i geisio dwyn i gyfrif y tîm gweithredol hwnnw yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf? Pam ar y ddaear y byddech chi'n gofyn iddyn nhw ymddiswyddo a pheidio gofyn am ymddiswyddiadau'r swyddogion gweithredol hynny sydd wedi bod yn gyfrifol ar y cyd am y methiannau hyn?
Gwn, o'r llythyr a gafodd ei anfon at y Prif Weinidog ddoe a'i rannu gydag Aelodau'r Senedd, fod cadeirydd y bwrdd iechyd wedi ysgrifennu atoch sawl tro, fwyaf diweddar ym mis Medi'r llynedd, yn codi pryderon, uwchgyfeirio pryderon atoch chi, ac wrth gwrs at gyfarwyddwr cyffredinol yr adran, sydd hefyd yn brif weithredwr GIG Cymru, wrth gwrs. Ni chafodd ymateb hyd yn oed—ni chafodd ymateb hyd yn oed, ac mae hwn yn fwrdd iechyd sydd i fod o dan ymyrraeth wedi'i dargedu. Ac mae'n ymddangos nad ei lythyrau ef yn unig sy'n cael eu hanwybyddu gennych. Ysgrifennodd Geoff Ryall-Harvey o Gyngor Iechyd Cymuned Gogledd Cymru atoch ym mis Awst y llynedd, yn sôn am y sicrwydd yr oeddech yn seilio'ch ymatebion i'r sefydliad hwnnw. Dywedodd nad oedd y sicrwydd yn werth y papur y cawson nhw eu hysgrifennu arno. Ond fe wnaethoch amddiffyn y tîm gweithredol a oedd yn rhoi'r sicrwydd hynny i chi ar gyfer ei roi iddo; doeddech chi ddim yn cydnabod bod pryderon difrifol am ansawdd yr ymatebion hynny o gwbl. Mae'n annerbyniol, Gweinidog, ac mae'n rhaid gosod rhywfaint o'r bai am hyn wrth eich drws chi. Nawr, a gaf i ofyn—? Mae'r adroddiad, adroddiad Archwilio Cymru, yn cyfeirio at yr ymchwiliad i dwyll. Mae'n sôn am adroddiad Ernst & Young, a gomisiynwyd cyn i Awdurdod Gwrth-dwyll y GIG ddod a chael golwg dros y llyfrau oherwydd y £122 miliwn o wariant coll hwn nad oedd unrhyw gofnodion priodol ar ei gyfer. Ac mae'n dweud bod y darn yna o waith wedi datgelu rhai problemau difrifol yn sefydliad y bwrdd iechyd. Yn wir, roedd y llythyr gan gadeirydd y bwrdd iechyd at y Prif Weinidog ddoe yn cyfeirio'n benodol at dystiolaeth o gamymddygiad difrifol. Hoffwn weld copi o'r adroddiad hwnnw. O safbwynt tryloywder, rwy'n credu bod pobl yn y gogledd yn haeddu gweld copi o'r adroddiad hwnnw hefyd.
Darren, you need to conclude, please.
Darren, mae angen i chi ddod i ben, os gwelwch yn dda.
Because that will be a third report pointing to problems in that executive team. Can I ask one final question—
Oherwydd bydd hwnnw'n drydydd adroddiad sy'n cyfeirio at broblemau yn y tîm gweithredol hwnnw. A gaf i ofyn un cwestiwn olaf—
Quick.
Yn gyflym.
—if I may, Deputy Presiding Officer? Lots of these executives have a close working relationship with people, understandably, in your Government department, including, of course, the chief executive of NHS Wales. I want to know what the chief executive of NHS Wales actually does to hold those individuals responsible. Because if she's the chief executive of NHS Wales, you'd expect her to be holding these people to account for their behaviour, which is unacceptable. I want these people out. I want these people gone. The people of north Wales want to see them gone, and we're holding you accountable for not getting shot of them yesterday.
—os caf, Dirprwy Lywydd? Mae gan lawer o'r swyddogion gweithredol hyn berthynas weithio agos â phobl, yn ddealladwy, yn eich adran o'r Llywodraeth, gan gynnwys, wrth gwrs, prif weithredwr GIG Cymru. Rydw i eisiau gwybod beth mae prif weithredwr GIG Cymru mewn gwirionedd yn ei wneud i ddwyn yr unigolion hynny i gyfrif. Oherwydd os hi yw prif weithredwr GIG Cymru, byddech chi'n disgwyl iddi ddwyn y bobl hyn i gyfrif am eu hymddygiad, sy'n annerbyniol. Rwyf eisiau'r bobl yma allan. Rwyf eisiau i'r bobl yma fynd. Mae pobl yn y gogledd eisiau eu gweld nhw'n mynd, ac rydyn ni'n eich dal chi'n atebol am beidio â chael gwared arnyn nhw ddoe.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. I'm just going to give you a quick lesson in how the system works, because I think it's really important that people understand—[Interruption.]—understand how the system works. So, I am responsible for the NHS, but I delegate that responsibility to independent boards. I set them parameters, I set them goals, I set them targets. But then I appoint people to those boards to oversee independent organisations, and their job is to run the organisation. It's their job to hold the executive to account. It's not my job. That is why I appoint them—[Interruption.] If you don't mind, I will carry on. When they fail to do the job that we've asked them to do, holding the executives to account—because it's their job to do that—then I have to step in, and that's what I did.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rwyf am roi gwers gyflym i chi ynghylch sut mae'r system yn gweithio, oherwydd rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn bod pobl yn deall—[Torri ar draws.]—deall sut mae'r system yn gweithio. Felly, fi sy'n gyfrifol am y GIG, ond rwy'n dirprwyo'r cyfrifoldeb hwnnw i fyrddau annibynnol. Rwy'n gosod paramedrau iddyn nhw, rwy'n gosod nodau iddyn nhw, rwy'n gosod targedau iddyn nhw. Ond yna rwy'n penodi pobl i'r byrddau hynny i oruchwylio sefydliadau annibynnol, a'u gwaith nhw yw rhedeg y sefydliad. Eu gwaith nhw yw dwyn y weithrediaeth i gyfrif. Nid fy ngwaith i yw e. Dyna pam yr wyf i'n eu penodi nhw—[Torri ar draws.] Os nad oes ots gennych chi, mi wnaf i gario ymlaen. Pan fyddan nhw'n methu â gwneud y gwaith rydym ni wedi gofyn iddyn nhw ei wneud, gan ddwyn y swyddogion gweithredol i gyfrif—oherwydd eu gwaith nhw yw gwneud hynny—yna mae'n rhaid i mi gamu i'r adwy, a dyna wnes i.
You sacked them for doing that.
Fe wnaethoch chi eu diswyddo am wneud hynny.
The executives are still there. The executives are still there, and the whole point is—[Interruption.]—the whole point is and I think what's important is that we do listen and read carefully the Audit Wales report, which does talk about deep-seated fractures in the executive team, but it also says that there was a deeply worrying degree of dysfunctionality within the board and senior leadership in Betsi. And I think what's important is that people understand that the step I took yesterday was simply the first step, the first step in a process where I am sure the new chair will want to read very carefully that Audit Wales report, and I'm sure and I hope will take action in relation to that. And I can assure you that I very much read the riot act to some of those executives—[Interruption.] I do not have the power to—[Interruption.] I do not have the power to require executives to step down. I do not employ these people.
Mae'r swyddogion gweithredol yn dal yno. Mae'r swyddogion gweithredol yn dal yno, a'r holl bwynt yw—[Torri ar draws.]—yr holl bwynt yw ac rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig yw ein bod yn gwrando ar ac yn darllen yn ofalus adroddiad Archwilio Cymru, sy'n sôn am raniadau dwfn yn y tîm gweithredol, ond mae hefyd yn dweud bod yna rywfaint o gamweithrediad sy'n bryderus o fewn y bwrdd ac uwch arweinyddiaeth yn Betsi. Ac rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig yw bod pobl yn deall mai'r cam a gymerais i ddoe yn syml oedd y cam cyntaf, y cam cyntaf mewn proses pryd rwy'n siŵr y bydd y cadeirydd newydd eisiau darllen yn fanwl iawn, adroddiad Archwilio Cymru, ac rwy'n siŵr ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yn gweithredu yn dilyn hynny. A gallaf eich sicrhau chi fy mod i wedi rhoi rhybudd clir i rai o'r swyddogion gweithredol hynny—[Torri ar draws.] Nid oes gen i'r pŵer i—[Torri ar draws.] Nid oes gen i'r pŵer i'w gwneud hi'n ofynnol i weithredwyr gamu i lawr. Nid wyf i'n cyflogi'r bobl hyn.
Members need to allow the Minister to respond.
Mae angen i aelodau ganiatáu i'r Gweinidog ymateb.
I do not employ these people. These have legal rights that need to be respected, and there has to be a process that it is gone through. So, I think it's really important that people understand the system and understand that this is the first step of many.
Now, I think that those powers that I have actually need to be strengthened. That's one of the conclusions that is clear to me—that I do not have the tools that I need to hold some of these organisations to account. And so I have asked officials to set up a group to look at how we can improve accountability within the NHS, and I will be choosing people myself in terms of who will be involved in advising me on how to tighten up accountability within the NHS. I think we're in a position where of course it's important that people understand where responsibility lies, but the independent bodies, I appoint them to do a job. What I've done is to step in when I don't think they've done the job that I needed them to do, which was partly to hold the executive to account, to take the next step, which they'd identified, and that didn't happen.
So, can I just also respond to the issue of Ernst & Young? Let's talk about that. So, there has been an issue in relation to fraud, which is extremely concerning. I think it's probably worth underlining that this money has not gone missing; this is about poor accounting, which is also unacceptable. It is an ongoing inquiry, so it's not possible to publish that report, but what I do know is that there has been the suspension of three members of the finance team already in relation to that situation. But it's an ongoing inquiry. Again, this is something that's going to have to be at the very top of the list for those new incoming members of the health board.
Nid wyf i'n cyflogi'r bobl hyn. Mae gan y rhain hawliau cyfreithiol sydd angen eu parchu, ac mae'n rhaid bod â phroses i'w dilyn. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn bod pobl yn deall y system ac yn deall mai dyma'r cam cyntaf o lawer.
Nawr, rwy'n credu bod angen cryfhau'r pwerau hynny sydd gen i mewn gwirionedd. Dyna un o'r casgliadau sy'n glir i mi—nad oes gen i'r offer sydd eu hangen arnaf i ddwyn rhai o'r sefydliadau hyn i gyfrif. Ac felly rwyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion sefydlu grŵp i edrych ar sut y gallwn wella atebolrwydd o fewn y GIG, a byddaf yn dewis pobl fy hun o ran pwy fydd yn fy nghynghori ar sut i dynhau atebolrwydd o fewn y GIG. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni mewn sefyllfa lle mae'n bwysig wrth gwrs bod pobl yn deall lle mae'r cyfrifoldeb yn gorwedd, ond o ran y cyrff annibynnol, rwy'n eu penodi nhw i wneud swydd. Yr hyn rydw i wedi'i wneud yw camu i'r adwy pan nad ydw i'n credu eu bod wedi gwneud y gwaith yr oeddwn i angen iddyn nhw ei wneud, a oedd yn rhannol er mwyn dwyn y weithrediaeth i gyfrif, i gymryd y cam nesaf, yr oedden nhw wedi'i nodi, a ddigwyddodd hynny ddim.
Felly, a gaf i ymateb i fater Ernst & Young hefyd? Gadewch i ni siarad am hwnnw. Felly, mae problem wedi bod o ran twyll, sy'n bryderus iawn. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n werth tanlinellu mae'n debyg nad yw'r arian yma wedi mynd ar goll; mae hyn yn ymwneud â chyfrifo gwael, sydd hefyd yn annerbyniol. Mae'n ymchwiliad sy'n parhau, felly nid yw'n bosib cyhoeddi'r adroddiad hwnnw, ond yr hyn rwy'n ei wybod yw bod tri aelod o'r tîm cyllid eisoes wedi eu hatal o'r gwaith mewn cysylltiad â'r sefyllfa honno. Ond mae'n ymchwiliad sy'n parhau. Unwaith eto, mae hwn yn rhywbeth fydd yn rhaid bod ar frig y rhestr ar gyfer yr aelodau newydd hynny o'r bwrdd iechyd sy'n dod i mewn.
I'm going to start with where I agree with the Minister—that's on the placing of Betsi Cadwaladr in special measures. But it's pretty clear, isn't it, that it shouldn't have been taken out in the first place, conveniently and prematurely. But the Minister wanted to apportion blame too. She says the recent Audit Wales report was the straw that broke the camel's back; it spoke of the dysfunctionality of the board. She referred in a Radio Wales interview this morning to the huge amount of criticism of the executive board members, but it's the independent members, of course, that she decided to very publicly hang out to dry yesterday. She's defended her actions, saying, 'I don't have the powers to intervene directly in terms of the executive.' She's said that again this afternoon. But that's exactly what special measures allow the Minister to do, effectively running the health board, even supporting the chair and independent members if that's what she wanted.
Now, we have a sugar-coated description, don't we, of what happened yesterday in the Minister's statement—'spoken with the non-executive members. As a result, they've decided to step aside.' Let's be a little bit more direct, shall we, for anybody else who may be considering taking up an appointment by this Government and considering what kind of backing they can expect. The Minister may want to confirm that, having summoned them to the meeting, she told them they had 50 minutes to resign or she'd sack them, and in so doing bar them from other public appointments for two years, and that, even before the 50-minute deadline was up, a draft letter of termination had been handed to them, just to press the matter home. How could they not resign? But their dignified response will have resonated with many. In a damning public letter to the First Minister, they said,
'We have no confidence in the Welsh Government's grasp of the situation.'
Now, that was put to the Minister this morning, and let me tell you what she said:
'It wasn't my job to have a grasp'.
This is the health Minister.
'It wasn't my job to have a grasp, they were in charge',
she said. Responsibility and accountability ends with the Minister. She did actually agree with that, but said that she delegates down to others. And by the way, this isn't an unconditional defence of the independent members; this is to show the glaring difference between blame apportioned to them and the complete denial of any responsibility by the Minister.
Let's return to that meeting yesterday. I believe that the Minister told the independent members that their role was to hold the feet of the executives to the fire. But didn't they do that over vascular, urology, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, with their judgment being found right time and time again?
Let me read more from that statement of theirs after their resignation. They say they
'uncovered serious failings in the financial management of the Health Board. We commissioned a specialist review...which confirmed our concerns, found evidence of serious malpractice, and resulted in a counter fraud investigation. This is underway, but has serious implications for other NHS organisations and the Government.'
You, Minister, will be aware, no doubt, of the questions that some are asking about possible links between that and the actions taken yesterday. I will read on. 'We have also previously and repeatedly escalated concerns to Welsh Government as evidenced by way of correspondence to the director general at the start of September, which highlighted many of the matters captured in the Audit Wales board effectiveness report, which has our full support, and yet we did not receive a response, let alone support in reply to those escalations.'
That's very strange, isn't it, not receiving a response on such serious matters. Perhaps the Minister can confirm that. You'd have thought that the Minister would want to work with and listen to anyone raising concerns of that kind. I told you the Minister said her actions yesterday followed the publication of the audit report. Perhaps the Minister can confirm suggestions that there was a search on for new independent board members as much as five weeks ago, before the audit report. Now, I must say that I found it very troubling indeed that the first message I got this morning, via someone close to that audit report, was this: 'The Minister has got rid of the wrong people.' And do you know what? I think they might be on to something and I think many others will conclude that too, just as many have concluded, as I have, that Betsi, in its current form, is beyond repair.
The Minister refers to culture problems within Betsi, but I tell you that this cultural dysfunctionality runs to Betsi's core. It's years since I said, if things can't be turned around, Government should look at breaking up Betsi into smaller, more manageable parts. Well, the sand on that particular timer ran out years ago. It's been clear to me, and many staff and patients, for some time that Betsi has to go. Successive Welsh Governments, health Ministers, have tinkered, but they haven't taken that decisive action, saying, as the Minister says again today, that this would
'take attention away from the need to focus now on providing the best possible service'.
But we're going around and around in circles, spending more money on failed attempts to get things right than we would on reorganisation. She tells us that breaking it up would be wrong when we're trying to encourage regional co-operation. Betsi can't even co-operate with itself.
Rydw i'n mynd i ddechrau gyda'r hyn yr ydw i'n cytuno â'r Gweinidog yn ei gylch—sef gosod Betsi Cadwaladr mewn mesurau arbennig. Ond mae'n eithaf clir, onid yw, na ddylai fod wedi cael ei dynnu allan yn y lle cyntaf, yn gyfleus ac yn rhy gynnar. Ond roedd y Gweinidog eisiau neilltuo bai hefyd. Mae hi'n dweud mai adroddiad diweddar Archwilio Cymru oedd y pennog gyda phwn a dorrodd asgwrn cefn y ceffyl; soniodd am gamweithrediad y bwrdd. Cyfeiriodd mewn cyfweliad ar Radio Wales fore heddiw at y feirniadaeth aruthrol o aelodau'r bwrdd gweithredol, ond wrth gwrs penderfynodd mai'r aelodau annibynnol oedd i'w gadael yn y twll yn gyhoeddus iawn ddoe. Mae hi wedi amddiffyn ei gweithredoedd, gan ddweud, 'Does gen i ddim y pwerau i ymyrryd yn uniongyrchol o ran y weithrediaeth.' Mae hi wedi dweud hynny eto'r prynhawn 'ma. Ond dyna'n union mae mesurau arbennig yn caniatáu i'r Gweinidog ei wneud, rhedeg y bwrdd iechyd yn effeithiol, hyd yn oed cefnogi'r cadeirydd ac aelodau annibynnol os dyna oedd hi eisiau.
Nawr, mae gennym ddisgrifiad â chôt o siwgr, onid oes, o'r hyn a ddigwyddodd ddoe yn natganiad y Gweinidog—'wedi siarad â'r aelodau anweithredol. O ganlyniad, maen nhw wedi penderfynu camu o'r neilltu.' Gadewch i ni fod ychydig yn fwy uniongyrchol, i unrhyw un arall a allai fod yn ystyried penodiad gan y Llywodraeth hon ac yn ystyried pa fath o gefnogaeth y gallant ei disgwyl. Efallai y bydd y Gweinidog eisiau cadarnhau, ar ôl eu galw i'r cyfarfod, dywedodd wrthyn nhw fod ganddyn nhw 50 munud i ymddiswyddo neu y byddai hi yn eu diswyddo, ac wrth wneud hynny eu hatal rhag penodiadau cyhoeddus eraill am ddwy flynedd, a chyn i'r 50 munud ddod i ben, bod llythyr terfyniad drafft wedi'i roi iddyn nhw, dim ond i gadarnhau'n derfynol beth oedd y sefyllfa. Sut allen nhw beidio ag ymddiswyddo? Ond fe fydd eu hymateb urddasol wedi taro deuddeg ymhlith nifer. Mewn llythyr cyhoeddus damniol at y Prif Weinidog, medden nhw,
'Does gennym ni ddim hyder yng ngafael Llywodraeth Cymru ar y sefyllfa.'
Nawr, cafodd hynny ei roi i'r Gweinidog y bore 'ma, a gadewch i mi ddweud wrthych beth ddywedodd hi:
'Nid fy nghyfrifoldeb i oedd cael gafael ar bethau'.
Dyma'r Gweinidog iechyd.
'Nid fy nghyfrifoldeb i oedd cael gafael ar bethau, nhw oedd wrth y llyw,
meddai. Y Gweinidog yn y pen draw sy'n gyfrifol ac yn atebol. Mewn gwirionedd, cytunodd â hynny, ond dywedodd ei bod yn dirprwyo i eraill. A gyda llaw, nid yw hyn yn amddiffyniad diamod i'r aelodau annibynnol; mae'n dangos y gwahaniaeth amlwg rhwng y bai a neilltuwyd iddyn nhw a'r gwadu unrhyw gyfrifoldeb yn llwyr ar ran y Gweinidog.
Gadewch i ni ddychwelyd at y cyfarfod hwnnw ddoe. Credaf i'r Gweinidog ddweud wrth yr aelodau annibynnol mai eu rôl nhw oedd rhoi pwysau ar y swyddogion gweithredol. Ond onid oedden nhw'n gwneud hynny ynghylch fasgwlar, wroleg, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, a chanfuwyd bod eu barn yn iawn dro ar ôl tro?
Gadewch i mi ddarllen mwy o'u datganiad ar ôl eu hymddiswyddiad. Maen nhw'n dweud eu bod wedi
'dod o hyd i fethiannau difrifol yn rheolaeth ariannol y Bwrdd Iechyd. Fe wnaethom ni gomisiynu adolygiad arbenigol...a gadarnhaodd ein pryderon, daeth o hyd i dystiolaeth o gamymddygiad difrifol, ac arweiniodd at ymchwiliad gwrth-dwyll. Mae hyn ar y gweill, ond mae ganddo oblygiadau difrifol i sefydliadau eraill y GIG a'r Llywodraeth.'
Byddwch chi, Gweinidog, yn ymwybodol, heb os, o'r cwestiynau y mae rhai yn eu gofyn am gysylltiadau posibl rhwng hynny a'r camau a gymerwyd ddoe. Af ymlaen. 'Rydym hefyd wedi uwchgyfeirio pryderon o'r blaen a thro ar ôl tro i Lywodraeth Cymru fel y gwelwyd trwy ohebiaeth i'r cyfarwyddwr cyffredinol ddechrau mis Medi, a amlygodd lawer o'r materion a gofnodwyd yn adroddiad effeithiolrwydd bwrdd Archwilio Cymru, sy'n cael ein cefnogaeth lawn, ac eto ni chawsom ymateb, heb sôn am gefnogaeth mewn ymateb i'r uwchgyfeiriadau hynny.'
Mae hynny'n rhyfedd iawn, onid yw e, heb dderbyn ymateb ar faterion mor ddifrifol. Efallai y gall y Gweinidog gadarnhau hynny. Byddech chi wedi meddwl y byddai'r Gweinidog eisiau gweithio gyda nhw a gwrando ar unrhyw un sy'n codi pryderon o'r math yna. Dywedais wrthych fod y Gweinidog wedi dweud bod ei gweithredoedd ddoe yn dilyn cyhoeddi'r adroddiad archwilio. Efallai y gall y Gweinidog gadarnhau awgrymiadau bod chwilio ar droed am aelodau newydd o'r bwrdd annibynnol gymaint â phum wythnos yn ôl, cyn yr adroddiad archwilio. Nawr, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud fy mod wedi ei chael hi'n ofidus iawn yn wir mai'r neges gyntaf ges i'r bore 'ma, trwy rywun sy'n agos at yr adroddiad archwilio hwnnw, oedd hyn: 'Mae'r Gweinidog wedi cael gwared ar y bobl anghywir.' Ac a wyddoch chi beth? Rwy'n credu y gallen nhw fod ar y trywydd iawn ac rwy'n credu y bydd llawer o bobl eraill yn dod i'r casgliad hwnnw hefyd, yn union fel y mae llawer eisoes, fel yr wyf i, fod Betsi, yn ei ffurf bresennol, y tu hwnt i'w hadfer.
Mae'r Gweinidog yn cyfeirio at broblemau diwylliannol o fewn Betsi, ond rwy'n dweud wrthych chi fod y camweithrediad diwylliannol hwn yn greiddiol yn Betsi. Mae'n flynyddoedd ers i mi ddweud, os nad oes modd troi pethau o gwmpas, dylai'r Llywodraeth edrych ar chwalu Betsi yn rhannau llai, mwy hylaw. Wel, fe redodd y tywod allan yn yr amserydd arbennig hwnnw flynyddoedd yn ôl. Mae wedi bod yn glir i fi, a llawer o staff a chleifion, ers tro bod yn rhaid i Betsi fynd. Mae Llywodraethau olynol Cymru, Gweinidogion Iechyd, wedi potsian, ond dydyn nhw ddim wedi cymryd y camau pendant hynny gan ddweud, fel y dywed y Gweinidog eto heddiw, y byddai hyn yn
'tynnu sylw oddi ar yr angen i ganolbwyntio nawr ar ddarparu'r gwasanaeth gorau posib'
Ond rydyn ni'n troi mewn cylchoedd, gan wario mwy o arian ar ymdrechion aflwyddiannus i gael pethau'n iawn nag y bydden ni ar ad-drefnu. Mae hi'n dweud wrthym y byddai ei chwalu'n anghywir pan ydyn ni'n ceisio annog cydweithio rhanbarthol. Ni all Betsi hyd yn oed gydweithio â hi ei hun.
Rhun, you need to conclude now as well, please.
Rhun, mae angen i chi ddod i ben nawr hefyd, os gwelwch yn dda.