Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
18/10/2023Cynnwys
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 i bawb ac fe wnawn ni gychwyn ar ein gwaith. Cyn inni symud i'r eitem gyntaf, dwi eisiau cyhoeddi canlyniad y balot ar gyfer Bil Aelod a gynhaliwyd heddiw, ac mae'n bleser gen i gyhoeddi y gall James Evans ofyn am gytundeb y Senedd ar ei gynnig ar gyfer Bil iechyd meddwl (Cymru). Felly, pob dymuniad da i James Evans yn dilyn ennill y balot yna.
Good afternoon, all, and we'll begin. Before we move to our first item, I want to announce the result of the ballot for the Member's Bill that took place today, and I'm pleased to announce that James Evans may seek the Senedd's agreement on his proposal for a mental health (Wales) Bill. So, I wish James Evans well, following that ballot result.
Yr eitem gyntaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i Weinidog yr Economi. Y cwestiwn cyntaf, Jayne Bryant.
The first item, therefore, is questions to the Minister for Economy. The first question is from Jayne Bryant.
1. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gefnogi safleoedd treftadaeth yng Ngorllewin Casnewydd? OQ60122
1. What is the Welsh Government doing to support heritage sites in Newport West? OQ60122
Can I thank Jayne Bryant for that question? Newport has a rich and diverse heritage of international significance, ranging from the Caerleon Roman fortress and baths to the Newport transporter bridge. The Welsh Government will continue to invest in Newport’s heritage in the interest of the Welsh public, international visitors and, of course, future generations.
A gaf fi ddiolch i Jayne Bryant am ei chwestiwn? Mae gan Gasnewydd dreftadaeth gyfoethog ac amrywiol o arwyddocâd rhyngwladol, yn amrywio o gaer a baddondai Rhufeinig Caerllion i bont gludo Casnewydd. Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i fuddsoddi yn nhreftadaeth Casnewydd er budd y cyhoedd yng Nghymru, ymwelwyr rhyngwladol, ac wrth gwrs, cenedlaethau’r dyfodol.
Thank you for that answer, Deputy Minister. Last month, I attended a free tour of Newport castle, organised by Cadw as part of their open-door session. This was really a fantastic opportunity and the first time it had been done for many years. The tour was done in conjunction with the Newport Market Arcade, which worked really well. Will Davies from Cadw brought the history of the castle to life, and his energy and passion for the castle shone through during his talk, and I can’t speak highly enough about that event thanks to his expertise. While only 30 people were able to join, I’ve been inundated with requests from people who would like to take part in the future, and there is really a strong appetite from people from Newport to have a look around the castle. I’d like to take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to you, Deputy Minister, at a future tour of Newport castle and to meet with me to discuss how the Welsh Government can support the rich, cultural offer in Newport, from the medieval ship, Chartism, Caerleon Roman fortress and the transporter bridge to Tredegar House, and there’s so much more. And with the changes proposed to the Old Green roundabout, as part of the plans by the Burns delivery unit, what opportunities are being looked at to open up the castle, because it would be a really good opportunity in the immediate area to improve that area by the castle and to deter anti-social behaviour and heritage crime?
Diolch am eich ateb, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Fis diwethaf, bûm ar daith am ddim o amgylch castell Casnewydd, a drefnwyd gan Cadw fel rhan o’u sesiwn drysau agored. Roedd hwn yn gyfle gwych, a dyma'r tro cyntaf i hyn ddigwydd ers blynyddoedd lawer. Cynhaliwyd y daith ar y cyd ag Arcêd y Farchnad, Casnewydd, a weithiodd yn dda iawn. Daeth Will Davies o Cadw â hanes y castell yn fyw, ac roedd ei egni a’i angerdd dros y castell yn amlwg drwy gydol ei gyflwyniad, ac rwy'n canmol y digwyddiad hwnnw'n fawr, diolch i’w arbenigedd ef. Er mai 30 o bobl yn unig a allai ymuno, rwyf wedi cael llu o geisiadau gan bobl a hoffai gymryd rhan yn y dyfodol, ac mae awydd cryf gan bobl Casnewydd i ddod i ymweld â'r castell. Hoffwn achub ar y cyfle hwn i estyn croeso cynnes i chi, Ddirprwy Weinidog, ar daith o amgylch castell Casnewydd yn y dyfodol ac i gyfarfod â mi i drafod sut y gall Llywodraeth Cymru gefnogi’r cynnig diwylliannol cyfoethog yng Nghasnewydd, o’r llong ganoloesol, Siartiaeth, caer Rufeinig Caerllion a’r bont gludo i Dŷ Tredegar, a chymaint mwy. A chyda'r newidiadau a gynigir i gylchfan Old Green, fel rhan o'r cynlluniau gan uned gyflawni Burns, pa gyfleoedd sy'n cael eu hystyried i agor y castell, gan y byddai'n gyfle da iawn yn yr ardal gyfagos i wella'r ardal honno ger y castell ac i atal ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol a throseddau treftadaeth?
Can I thank you, Jayne, for that supplementary question? And can I say that I was absolutely delighted seeing your positive experience of the open-door visit at Newport castle? I did see it on social media as well—you looked really chuffed to be there, so, I did see that. And you were with Will Davies, who is such a really passionate historian, who knows so much about that period of history. Any visit to a medieval site with Will will really, really make it come alive, as you’ve said.
What I can say is that Cadw and Newport City Council’s museum and heritage services are keen to raise the profile of Newport castle and improve the access for that particular monument. So, what they’ve done is they’ve agreed to establish a collaborative schedule of monthly guided tours now on the site, which, as you say, sadly, is otherwise inaccessible due to the concerns that there have been about anti-social behaviour, which is why the castle was closed to general access in the first place. And as the site is not staffed, as you know, it would become a bit of a health and safety hazard if we just allowed people to walk in and out without that kind of supervision. But officials from those two bodies are also in talks about approving the setting of the monument and producing a guide book for the castle as well.
The redesign of transport arrangements, which you’ve talked about, Jayne, in the centre of Newport, does give the opportunity to restore the castle to its proper prominence in the city centre. So, Cadw will be discussing that with colleagues in the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales and Newport City Council to see how we can maximise those opportunities that that new road development provides to improve the access to the castle. And, yes, of course I’d love to come and visit. It’s somewhere I’ve passed many times, but, obviously, because it’s not been accessible, I’ve not gone in, but it’ll add to my list of visits in Newport, from the transporter bridge to the Roman fort that I’ve also been to with you as well. So, yes, I’d be absolutely delighted to do that. Thank you.
A gaf fi ddiolch i chi, Jayne, am eich cwestiwn atodol? Ac a gaf fi ddweud fy mod wrth fy modd yn gweld eich profiad cadarnhaol o'r ymweliad drysau agored yng nghastell Casnewydd? Fe'i gwelais ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol hefyd—roeddech yn edrych yn falch iawn o fod yno, felly, fe welais hynny. Ac roeddech gyda Will Davies, sy'n hanesydd mor angerddol, sy'n gwybod cymaint am y cyfnod hwnnw. Bydd unrhyw ymweliad â safle canoloesol gyda Will yn gwneud iddo ddod yn fyw, fel y dywedoch chi.
Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud yw bod Cadw a gwasanaeth amgueddfa a threftadaeth Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd yn awyddus i godi proffil castell Casnewydd a gwella mynediad at yr heneb benodol honno. Felly, yr hyn y maent wedi'i wneud yw cytuno i sefydlu amserlen gydweithredol o deithiau tywys misol ar y safle, sydd, fel y dywedwch, yn anhygyrch fel arall, yn anffodus, oherwydd y pryderon ynghylch ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol, a dyna pam y caewyd y castell i'r cyhoedd yn y lle cyntaf. A chan nad oes staff ar y safle, fel y gwyddoch, byddai caniatáu i bobl fynd a dod heb oruchwyliaeth o'r fath yn berygl iechyd a diogelwch. Ond mae swyddogion o’r ddau gorff mewn trafodaethau hefyd ynglŷn â chymeradwyo safle'r gofeb a chynhyrchu teithlyfr ar gyfer y castell yn ogystal.
Mae ailgynllunio trefniadau trafnidiaeth yng nghanol Casnewydd, sy'n rhywbeth rydych wedi sôn amdano, Jayne, yn rhoi cyfle i ailsefydlu amlygrwydd priodol y castell yng nghanol y ddinas. Felly, bydd Cadw yn trafod hynny gyda swyddogion yn Llywodraeth Cymru a Trafnidiaeth Cymru a Chyngor Dinas Casnewydd i weld sut y gallwn wneud y mwyaf o’r cyfleoedd y byddai'r datblygiad ffordd newydd yn eu darparu i wella mynediad at y castell. A buaswn wrth fy modd yn dod i ymweld wrth gwrs. Mae'n rhywle rwyf wedi bod heibio iddo lawer gwaith, ond yn amlwg, gan nad yw wedi bod yn hygyrch, nid wyf wedi mynd i mewn, ond byddaf yn ei ychwanegu at fy rhestr o ymweliadau yng Nghasnewydd, o'r bont gludo i'r gaer Rufeinig y bûm yn ei gweld gyda chi hefyd. Felly, buaswn wrth fy modd yn gwneud hynny. Diolch.
I'd like to second and concur with everything that the Member for Newport West has just said. I think Newport castle has always been overlooked and undervalued as a site and it adds to a very interesting history of Newport once you start delving into it. So, it's something that we should all be proud of and celebrate and promote better. So, I welcome what you said too, Deputy Minister.
Our region and Wales are home to a number of UNESCO world heritage sites. I'm just wondering what steps the Government is taking to encourage more residents, and tourists of course, to visit these wonderful places.
Hoffwn eilio a chytuno â phopeth a ddywedodd yr Aelod dros Orllewin Casnewydd. Credaf fod castell Casnewydd bob amser wedi cael ei anwybyddu a’i danbrisio fel safle, a phan ddechreuwch ymchwilio iddo, mae’n ychwanegu at hanes diddorol iawn Casnewydd. Felly, mae’n rhywbeth y dylai pob un ohonom fod yn falch ohono a’i ddathlu a’i hyrwyddo’n well. Felly, rwy'n croesawu'r hyn a ddywedoch chi hefyd, Ddirprwy Weinidog.
Mae ein rhanbarth ni a Chymru yn gartref i nifer o safleoedd treftadaeth y byd UNESCO. Tybed pa gamau y mae'r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i annog mwy o drigolion, a thwristiaid wrth gwrs, i ymweld â'r lleoedd gwych hyn.
Thank you, Laura Anne Jones, for that supplementary. Generally, the encouragement to visit sites is part of the core work of Cadw, in promoting access to the sites, promoting the sites that are in the custody of Cadw—and not just Cadw, but our historic sites more generally. But certainly through Cadw's website you will find that promotion, and it's something that is now part of the Visit Wales strategy, around attracting tourists to Wales and making heritage sites part of the significant and unique tourism offer that Wales has to offer.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn atodol, Laura Anne Jones. Yn gyffredinol, mae annog pobl i ymweld â safleoedd yn rhan o waith craidd Cadw yn hyrwyddo mynediad at y safleoedd, hyrwyddo’r safleoedd sydd yng ngofal Cadw—ac nid yn unig Cadw, ond ein safleoedd hanesyddol yn fwy cyffredinol. Ond yn sicr, drwy wefan Cadw, fe welwch y gwaith hyrwyddo hwnnw, ac mae’n rhywbeth sydd bellach yn rhan o strategaeth Croeso Cymru ar ddenu twristiaid i Gymru a gwneud safleoedd treftadaeth yn rhan o’r cynnig twristiaeth arwyddocaol ac unigryw sydd gan Gymru i’w gynnig.
2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am fargen twf canolbarth Cymru? OQ60109
2. Will the Minister provide an update on the mid Wales growth deal? OQ60109
Thank you. We have released the first tranche of funding to the growth deal. This is a crucial milestone and an important step forward, signalling to investors that the deal is entering its early delivery phase. This should act as a catalyst to secure further investment, which will contribute to economic prosperity in the region.
Diolch. Rydym wedi rhyddhau’r gyfran gyntaf o gyllid i’r fargen twf. Mae hon yn garreg filltir hollbwysig ac yn gam pwysig ymlaen, sy’n arwydd i fuddsoddwyr fod cyfnod cyflawni cynnar y fargen ar gychwyn. Dylai hyn fod yn gatalydd i sicrhau buddsoddiad pellach, a fydd yn cyfrannu at ffyniant economaidd yn y rhanbarth.
Thank you for your answer, First Minister. I am delighted that progress has been made on the mid Wales growth deal. It's been a long time coming, and it's taken a considerable amount of time to get to the point it has, but I very much welcome the progress that's been made. You'll be aware, Minister, of the significant funding through the UK Government's levelling-up fund that's been awarded for the restoration of the Montgomery canal project, and I certainly hope that the Montgomery canal restoration project will improve that tourism offer. Now, through the mid Wales growth deal, I hope additional funding can be levied as well, because this is a key project in the mid Wales growth deal—a project, of course, as a partnership between the Welsh and the UK Governments. But what I specifically want to ask, Minister, is, in terms of that investment into my constituency through the growth deal, how the Welsh Government can then lever in further private investment, and what it is doing to facilitate and encourage private sector support on the back of that taxpayer-funded incentive through various projects. I think, for example, of the Montgomery canal—the opportunities that that can bring to the private sector in enhancing the investment that the Welsh Government is bringing.
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Rwy’n falch iawn fod cynnydd wedi’i wneud ar fargen twf canolbarth Cymru. Mae wedi cymryd cryn dipyn o amser, ond rwy'n croesawu'r cynnydd a wnaed yn fawr. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol, Weinidog, o’r cyllid sylweddol drwy gronfa ffyniant bro Llywodraeth y DU a ddyfarnwyd ar gyfer prosiect adfer camlas Maldwyn, ac rwy’n sicr yn gobeithio y bydd prosiect adfer camlas Maldwyn yn gwella’r cynnig twristiaeth hwnnw. Nawr, drwy fargen twf canolbarth Cymru, rwy'n gobeithio y gellir codi arian ychwanegol hefyd, gan fod hwn yn brosiect allweddol ym margen twf canolbarth Cymru—prosiect, wrth gwrs, sy'n bartneriaeth rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU. Ond yr hyn yr hoffwn ei ofyn yn benodol, Weinidog, yw, o ran y buddsoddiad hwnnw yn fy etholaeth drwy’r fargen twf, sut y gall Llywodraeth Cymru wedyn ysgogi buddsoddiad preifat pellach, a beth mae’n ei wneud i hwyluso ac annog cymorth gan y sector preifat yn dilyn y cymhelliad hwnnw a ariennir gan y trethdalwr drwy brosiectau amrywiol. Rwy’n meddwl, er enghraifft, am gamlas Maldwyn—y cyfleoedd y gall honno eu cynnig i’r sector preifat o ran gwella’r buddsoddiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud.
I think the Member makes two important and distinct points. The first is around the levelling-up fund. There are a range of projects that, individually, people will want to support. But the levelling-up fund, and the way it was actually delivered, does not take away from the budget reductions overall, and it's not a partnership—it was not agreed in partnership with us or, indeed, with local authorities. The growth deal, in contrast, is a partnership, where the Welsh Government and the UK Government have co-funded to put that money in, and working together with local authorities to make sure there is a plan for how to do that. And it's important, as I think you get more from that partnership, where people do sit down and work together. And I think that, when you look at what they're looking to do—. They're looking to create up to 1,400 new jobs over the next 10 years or so, but, crucially, that money, as the Member has made clear, is to secure an additional investment from the private sector, to lever in additional investment. The target that the mid Wales growth deal has is to try to secure a further £400 million over the next 10 years or so. Now, I think that, whilst they started later than other parts of Wales, despite the fact there's been an election and a change in the leadership of both local authorities, they're both committed to the growth deal, and I think everyone, regardless of party, should have some confidence that they're entering the delivery phase. And I'm optimistic that we'll be able to report not just on the release of the public funds from both the Welsh and UK Governments going into it, but I think that we can have some confidence we'll be able to report back on that investment reaching projects and helping to deliver the extra private sector investment and the jobs that we all want to see. I'd be more than happy to update the Chamber again on direct progress of the growth deal as I and the Wales Office Minister continue to work alongside the growth deal to deliver on its objectives.
Credaf fod yr Aelod yn gwneud dau bwynt pwysig a gwahanol. Mae'r cyntaf yn ymwneud â'r gronfa ffyniant bro. Ceir amrywiaeth o brosiectau y bydd pobl, yn unigol, yn awyddus i'w cefnogi. Ond nid yw’r gronfa ffyniant bro, a’r ffordd y’i darparwyd, yn tynnu oddi ar y gostyngiadau yn y gyllideb yn gyffredinol, ac nid yw’n bartneriaeth—ni chytunwyd arni mewn partneriaeth â ni, nac yn wir, gydag awdurdodau lleol. Mae’r fargen twf, mewn cyferbyniad, yn bartneriaeth, lle mae Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU wedi cyd-ariannu’r cyllid hwnnw, a chydweithio ag awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod cynllun ar waith ar gyfer sut i wneud hynny. Ac mae'n bwysig, gan y credaf eich bod yn cael mwy allan o'r bartneriaeth honno, lle mae pobl yn eistedd i lawr ac yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd. A phan edrychwch ar yr hyn y maent yn gobeithio ei wneud—. Maent yn gobeithio creu hyd at 1,400 o swyddi newydd dros y tua 10 mlynedd nesaf, ond yn hollbwysig, diben yr arian hwnnw, fel y mae’r Aelod wedi’i nodi'n glir, yw sicrhau buddsoddiad ychwanegol gan y sector preifat, er mwyn denu buddsoddiad ychwanegol. Y targed sydd gan fargen twf canolbarth Cymru yw ceisio sicrhau £400 miliwn ychwanegol dros y 10 mlynedd nesaf. Nawr, er iddynt ddechrau yn hwyrach na rhannau eraill o Gymru, ac er bod etholiad wedi bod a newid yn arweinyddiaeth y ddau awdurdod lleol, credaf fod y ddau ohonynt wedi ymrwymo i’r fargen twf, a chredaf y dylai fod gan bawb, ni waeth o ba blaid, hyder eu bod yn dechrau ar y cyfnod cyflawni. Ac rwy'n obeithiol y byddwn yn gallu adrodd nid yn unig ar y cyllid cyhoeddus sy'n cael ei ryddhau ar gyfer hyn gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU, ond credaf y gallwn fod â hyder y byddwn yn gallu adrodd ar y buddsoddiad hwnnw’n cyrraedd prosiectau ac yn helpu i gyflawni’r buddsoddiad ychwanegol gan y sector preifat a’r swyddi y mae pob un ohonom am ei weld. Rwy'n fwy na pharod i roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i’r Siambr eto am gynnydd uniongyrchol y fargen twf wrth i mi a'r Gweinidog o Swyddfa Cymru barhau i weithio ochr yn ochr â’r fargen twf i gyflawni ei hamcanion.
Good afternoon, Minister. Thank you to Russell George for raising the issue around the mid Wales growth deal and the growth of businesses in mid Wales. One of the massive challenges we face in mid Wales is the lack of infrastructure, which means that businesses are lacking, literally, the power and the energy to be able to grow. That has an effect on them as businesses, but also on the opportunity in order to employ people as well in mid Wales. So, companies don't move in because of that particular challenge, and the projects don't develop either.
I was pleased to read in the 'Future Energy Grids for Wales' report that constructing a north-south transition link would support distribution reinforcement in mid Wales, and we should look at all the options that are before us, including the option of building a more local distributed power grid, which means that local businesses can get the energy they need. So, what we need is local power generation in mid Wales to support projects such as the one that Russell is supporting, and other mid Wales growth bids as well, but, also, we need that local power generation. So, would you be supporting that, and what would be your view on how we get more energy and more local distribution into mid Wales? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Weinidog. Diolch i Russell George am godi’r mater ynghylch bargen twf canolbarth Cymru a thwf busnesau yng nghanolbarth Cymru. Un o’r heriau enfawr sy’n ein hwynebu yn y canolbarth yw’r diffyg seilwaith, sy’n golygu bod busnesau yn brin, yn llythrennol, o bŵer ac egni i allu tyfu. Mae hynny’n cael effaith arnynt fel busnesau, ond hefyd ar y cyfle i gyflogi pobl yn y canolbarth. Felly, nid yw cwmnïau’n symud i'r ardal oherwydd yr her benodol honno, ac nid yw’r prosiectau’n datblygu ychwaith.
Roeddwn yn falch o ddarllen yn adroddiad 'Gridiau Ynni'r Dyfodol i Gymru’ y byddai adeiladu cyswllt pontio rhwng y gogledd a’r de yn helpu i gefnogi'r gwaith o atgyfnerthu'r rhwydwaith dosbarthu yn y canolbarth, a dylem edrych ar yr holl opsiynau ger ein bron, gan gynnwys yr opsiwn o adeiladu grid dosbarthu pŵer mwy lleol, sy'n golygu y gall busnesau lleol gael yr ynni sydd ei angen arnynt. Felly, yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom yw gwaith cynhyrchu pŵer lleol yn y canolbarth i gefnogi prosiectau fel yr un y mae Russell yn ei gefnogi, a chynigion twf eraill yn y canolbarth hefyd, ond hefyd, mae angen y gwaith cynhyrchu pŵer lleol hwnnw arnom. Felly, a fyddech yn cefnogi hynny, a beth fyddai eich barn ar sut rydym yn sicrhau mwy o ynni a mwy o ddosbarthu lleol yn y canolbarth? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
I think it's a really important point, and, as with 'mid Wales', you could read 'other parts of the country' too. The current infrastructure we have for delivering energy to homes and to businesses isn't actually fit for the medium-term, never mind the longer term, future. So, we do require significant investment in that power infrastructure, and it will open up more economic development opportunities. Lots of the businesses of the future are actually quite power hungry. That's an opportunity for us here in Wales, and we expect we'll generate more electricity as we move away from fossil fuels progressively towards a net-zero future.
What we need with the work that we've done on the Wales future energy grid is to actually have a plan where a UK Government, alongside the grid, are able to invest in that future, because without that significant investment and a pipeline to do so, we won't see the confidence from businesses who want to move into the sector, as well, of course, as the opportunities in delivering grid infrastructure, where Welsh businesses can be part of delivering that infrastructure itself. I recently visited Prysmian Cables & Systems Ltd in north Wales, and they're actually delivering lots of the physical cabling to help deliver those power networks. So, there's a number of different opportunities.
What we need is a reliable partner at a UK level with some clarity of vision and a real plan to work alongside as well. And, whatever your politics, when you listen to businesses, one of their big frustrations has been the lack of a plan and the lack of certainty, and the churn in Ministers at a UK level has meant they haven't had partners to work with. We're keen that the work we have done, led by the climate change Minister, on the future grid for Wales can lead to a real plan to invest in our future in Wales, because, otherwise, we won't see the opportunities to both generate cleaner and greener power and then to be able to use it on a much more local level right across the country, including, of course, in mid Wales.
Credaf ei fod yn bwynt pwysig iawn, ac fel gyda chanolbarth Cymru, mae'r un peth yn wir am rannau eraill o’r wlad hefyd. Nid yw'r seilwaith presennol sydd gennym ar gyfer darparu ynni i gartrefi ac i fusnesau yn addas ar gyfer y dyfodol tymor canolig, heb sôn am y tymor hwy. Felly, mae angen buddsoddiad sylweddol arnom yn y seilwaith pŵer hwnnw, a bydd yn arwain at fwy o gyfleoedd datblygu economaidd. Mae llawer o fusnesau'r dyfodol yn eithaf ynni-ddwys. Mae hynny'n gyfle i ni yma yng Nghymru, a disgwyliwn y byddwn yn cynhyrchu mwy o drydan wrth inni ymbellhau oddi wrth danwydd ffosil, yn gynyddol, tuag at ddyfodol sero net.
Yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom gyda’r gwaith rydym wedi’i wneud ar grid ynni'r dyfodol yng Nghymru yw cynllun lle gall Llywodraeth y DU, ynghyd â’r grid, fuddsoddi yn y dyfodol hwnnw, oherwydd heb y buddsoddiad sylweddol hwnnw a’r llwybr i wneud hynny, ni fyddwn yn gweld hyder gan fusnesau sydd am symud i mewn i’r sector, yn ogystal, wrth gwrs, â’r cyfleoedd o ran darparu seilwaith grid, lle gall busnesau Cymru fod yn rhan o'r gwaith o ddarparu’r seilwaith hwnnw. Yn ddiweddar, ymwelais â Prysmian Cables & Systems Ltd yng ngogledd Cymru, ac maent yn darparu llawer o'r ceblau ffisegol i helpu i ddarparu'r rhwydweithiau pŵer hynny. Felly, mae yna nifer o wahanol gyfleoedd.
Yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom yw partner dibynadwy ar lefel y DU, gydag eglurder o ran gweledigaeth, a chynllun gwirioneddol i weithio ochr yn ochr ag ef hefyd. A beth bynnag y bo eich gwleidyddiaeth, pan fyddwch yn gwrando ar fusnesau, un o'u rhwystredigaethau mawr yw'r diffyg cynllun a'r diffyg sicrwydd, ac mae'r newid mynych mewn Gweinidogion ar lefel y DU wedi golygu nad ydynt wedi cael partneriaid i weithio gyda nhw. Rydym yn awyddus i’r gwaith a wnaethom ar gridiau ynni'r dyfodol i Gymru dan arweiniad y Gweinidog newid hinsawdd arwain at gynllun gwirioneddol i fuddsoddi yn ein dyfodol yng Nghymru, oherwydd, fel arall, ni fyddwn yn gweld cyfleoedd i gynhyrchu pŵer glanach a gwyrddach, ac yna i allu ei ddefnyddio ar lefel lawer mwy lleol ledled y wlad, gan gynnwys y canolbarth wrth gwrs.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Natasha Asghar.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Natasha Asghar.
Thank you so much, Presiding Officer. Minister, this week is Wales Tech Week, with a hybrid international tech summit taking place at the International Convention Centre Wales in my region of south-east Wales. I know you're fully aware of this conference, as I believe you gave a speech on Monday. There's no denying that technology is advancing at a rapid speed and can bring benefits to all areas of society. This is something I saw first-hand when I attended the world's biggest tech conference earlier this year. I came back full of ideas of how we can bring this tech benefit to Wales, and our residents, particularly when it comes to health tech—something I have raised with the health Minister previously, Minister. So, Minister, I'd be interested to know what your main takeaway points were from this conference and what we can see this Welsh Government delivering as a result.
Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Weinidog, yr wythnos hon yw Wythnos Dechnoleg Cymru, gydag uwchgynhadledd dechnoleg ryngwladol hybrid yn cael ei chynnal yng Nghanolfan Gynadledda Ryngwladol Cymru yn fy rhanbarth i yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru. Gwn eich bod yn gwbl ymwybodol o'r gynhadledd hon, gan y credaf ichi roi araith ddydd Llun. Ni ellir gwadu bod technoleg yn datblygu'n gyflym ac yn gallu darparu manteision i bob rhan o gymdeithas. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth a welais drosof fy hun pan fynychais gynhadledd dechnoleg fwyaf y byd yn gynharach eleni. Deuthum yn ôl yn llawn syniadau ynglŷn â sut y gallwn ddod â’r budd technolegol hwn i Gymru, ac i’n trigolion, yn enwedig technoleg iechyd—rhywbeth rwyf eisoes wedi’i godi gyda’r Gweinidog iechyd, Weinidog. Felly, Weinidog, byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn gwybod beth oedd y prif bwyntiau a nodwyd gennych yn y gynhadledd hon, a'r hyn y gallwn weld Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei gyflawni o ganlyniad.
I think the main takeaway is that we have a vibrant tech sector covering a whole range of areas. It will be even more important in the future to stay internationally relevant, but there'll be a whole range of areas in life where we're going to need to be capable in a whole range of technologies, and we have advantages where I think Wales is internationally excellent already.
And, actually, on medtech and life science, I think we punch well above our weight as a country, and there are people who are interested in the opportunities to do more here as well. If you look at fintech, and the cyber sector as well, you've also got lots of opportunity there as well. Our challenge will be how we gather together the ambition that we have for the future, and the talent and the skills of people, so that for people who are either from Wales, or come to study in Wales, we have a home for them to actually stay here as well, and to build on the achievements that already exist as well.
When going around the opening conference event for Wales Tech Week, I was really struck by the buzz and the international interest in what we're doing, and I had the opportunity to meet the Australian ambassador, who was visiting for Wales Tech Week, and the potential synergies for us. So, I think this is an area where there's real opportunity for the future, and, again, stability at a Welsh Government level and a UK Government level will allow us to achieve even more, with really good jobs for people right across the country.
Credaf mai'r prif bwynt a nodais yw bod gennym sector technoleg bywiog sy'n cwmpasu ystod eang o feysydd. Yn y dyfodol, fe fydd yn bwysicach fyth parhau i fod yn berthnasol yn rhyngwladol, ond bydd ystod eang o feysydd mewn bywyd lle bydd angen inni fod â gallu mewn ystod gyfan o dechnolegau, ac mae gennym fanteision lle credaf fod Cymru eisoes yn rhagori yn rhyngwladol.
Ac mewn gwirionedd, ar dechnoleg feddygol a gwyddor bywyd, credaf ein bod yn cyflawni y tu hwnt i'r disgwyl fel gwlad, ac mae gan bobl ddiddordeb yn y cyfleoedd i wneud mwy yma hefyd. Os edrychwch ar dechnoleg ariannol, a'r sector seiber hefyd, mae gennych lawer o gyfleoedd yno. Yr her i ni fydd sut y byddwn yn dwyn yr uchelgais sydd gennym ar gyfer y dyfodol a thalent a sgiliau pobl ynghyd, fel bod gennym gartref i bobl sydd naill ai’n dod o Gymru, neu sy’n dod i astudio yng Nghymru, er mwyn iddynt aros yma hefyd, ac i adeiladu ar y llwyddiannau sydd eisoes yn bodoli.
Wrth fynd o gwmpas y gynhadledd agoriadol ar gyfer Wythnos Dechnoleg Cymru, roeddwn yn falch iawn o weld y bwrlwm a’r diddordeb rhyngwladol yn yr hyn rydym yn ei wneud, a chefais gyfle i gyfarfod â llysgennad Awstralia, a oedd yn ymweld ar gyfer Wythnos Dechnoleg Cymru, a'r synergedd posibl i ni. Felly, credaf fod hwn yn faes lle mae cyfle gwirioneddol ar gyfer y dyfodol, ac unwaith eto, bydd sefydlogrwydd ar lefel Llywodraeth Cymru, a lefel Llywodraeth y DU, yn caniatáu inni gyflawni mwy eto, gyda swyddi da iawn i bobl ledled y wlad.
Excellent. Thanks for that answer, Minister. Sticking with the Wales Tech Week theme for the moment, one of the big billed events was celebrating Welsh women in tech. It's absolutely right that we celebrate those women who are leading the way in this industry, which many see as a male dominated industry. A recent survey carried out of more than 500 people working in the tech sector found that 91 per cent believe that there are more men than women in tech, and a staggering 76 per cent of respondents revealed that they had experienced gender bias or discrimination in the workplace at least once. So, Minister, as I said, it's absolutely right that we do celebrate those women already in the tech industry, but I'd be interested to know what action the Welsh Government is specifically taking to attract more women to the sector in the first place.
Ardderchog. Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Gan gadw at thema Wythnos Dechnoleg Cymru am y tro, un o'r prif ddigwyddiadau oedd dathlu menywod Cymru ym myd technoleg. Mae'n gwbl briodol ein bod yn dathlu'r menywod sy'n arwain y ffordd yn y diwydiant hwn, y mae llawer yn ei ystyried yn ddiwydiant sy'n cael ei ddominyddu gan ddynion. Canfu arolwg diweddar a gynhaliwyd o fwy na 500 o bobl sy’n gweithio yn y sector technoleg fod 91 y cant yn credu bod mwy o ddynion na menywod yn gweithio ym maes technoleg, a datgelodd nifer syfrdanol o 76 y cant o ymatebwyr eu bod wedi wynebu rhagfarn neu wahaniaethu ar sail rhywedd yn y gweithle o leiaf unwaith. Felly, Weinidog, fel y dywedais, mae'n gwbl briodol ein bod yn dathlu'r menywod sydd eisoes yn rhan o'r diwydiant technoleg, ond byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn gwybod pa gamau penodol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i ddenu rhagor o fenywod i'r sector yn y lle cyntaf.
We do a number of things and, actually, you are right that it is still a sector where you're likely to find more men than women. That isn't how talent is distributed. It isn't how a desire to achieve is distributed either. So, there's a challenge about shifting working culture. Some parts of the tech sector are better at it than others. To make sure you continue to see that change, there's a need to both visibly promote the leadership that exists—. The chair of FinTech Wales, for example, is a woman who helped to set up Starling Bank here in Wales. So, you've got visible leadership there from different figures. What we also need to do, and what FinTech is a really good example of, is the way that they engage with people at a younger age, so not just post 16 and at university, but throughout a school career. The top end of primary school and into early high school are really important times to show that there are good careers to be had and, actually, it's a sector that often thrives on its diversity. If you look at west coast America, they are proud of the fact they're very diverse and they talk about it as a business strength.
The really good news yesterday that PwC are going to invest at least 1,000 extra jobs here, in and around Cardiff, is really good news, and that is a business that prides itself on where it falls within the diversity index of major businesses. They see diversity as a strength and we have lots of that to offer here. It's about making sure people understand there really is a career for them. That's not just young people themselves; it's often people of my age and younger—I recognise I'm getting older with every day—but, actually, a parental generation, to understand there are really good jobs to have here that they may not have recognised, certainly for people of my age and a bit older. But, actually, it's a really, really good opportunity.
Rydym yn gwneud nifer o bethau, ac mewn gwirionedd, rydych yn llygad eich lle ei fod yn dal i fod yn sector lle rydych yn debygol o ddod o hyd i fwy o ddynion na menywod. Nid felly y dosberthir talent. Nid felly y dosberthir yr awydd i lwyddo ychwaith. Felly, mae yna her ynghylch newid diwylliant gweithio. Mae rhai rhannau o'r sector technoleg yn ei wneud yn well nag eraill. I sicrhau eich bod yn parhau i weld y newid hwnnw, mae angen mynd ati mewn ffordd weladwy i hyrwyddo'r arweinyddiaeth sy'n bodoli—. Mae cadeirydd FinTech Cymru, er enghraifft, yn fenyw a helpodd i sefydlu Banc Starling yma yng Nghymru. Felly, mae gennych arweinyddiaeth weladwy yno gan wahanol bobl. Yr hyn y mae angen i ni ei wneud hefyd, a’r hyn y mae FinTech yn enghraifft dda iawn ohono, yw’r ffordd y maent yn ymgysylltu â phobl yn iau, felly nid yn unig ar ôl 16 ac yn y brifysgol, ond drwy gydol eu gyrfa yn yr ysgol. Mae diwedd yr ysgol gynradd a dechrau'r ysgol uwchradd yn adegau pwysig iawn i ddangos bod gyrfaoedd da i'w cael, ac mewn gwirionedd, mae'n sector sy'n aml yn ffynnu ar ei amrywiaeth. Os edrychwch ar arfordir gorllewinol America, maent yn falch o'r ffaith eu bod yn amrywiol iawn ac maent yn ei ystyried yn gryfder busnes.
Mae’r newyddion da iawn ddoe fod PwC yn mynd i fuddsoddi o leiaf 1,000 o swyddi ychwanegol yma, yng Nghaerdydd a’r cyffiniau, yn newyddion da iawn, ac mae hwnnw’n fusnes sy’n ymfalchïo yn ei safle ym mynegai amrywiaeth busnesau mawr. Maent yn ystyried amrywiaeth yn gryfder, ac mae gennym lawer o hynny i'w gynnig yma. Mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau bod pobl yn deall bod gyrfa go iawn ar gael iddynt. Nid pobl ifanc yn unig; mae'n aml yn cynnwys pobl fy oedran i ac iau—rwy'n cydnabod fy mod yn heneiddio bob dydd—ond mewn gwirionedd, cenhedlaeth rhieni, i ddeall bod swyddi da iawn i'w cael yma, rhywbeth nad oeddent yn ei sylweddoli efallai, yn sicr i bobl fy oed i ac ychydig yn hŷn. Ond mewn gwirionedd, mae'n gyfle gwirioneddol dda.
Thanks, Minister, for the answer. Minister, several towns up and down the country have become smart towns. These digital infrastructure projects see different types of electronic methods and sensors used to collect data, which then, in turn, help shape assets, resources and services to boost town centres. The overarching aim is to regenerate our high streets and futureproof them, something that I'm sure everyone in this Chamber will want to see. I must admit, Minister, it's a project that has really fascinated and intrigued me as shadow Minister for technology. And I'd be interested to know, Minister, in your opinion, what your thoughts are on smart towns: have they proved successful and will we be seeing more roll-out of this happening in the future across Wales?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Weinidog, mae sawl tref ledled y wlad wedi dod yn drefi clyfar. Mae’r prosiectau seilwaith digidol hyn yn defnyddio gwahanol fathau o synwyryddion a dulliau electronig i gasglu data, sydd wedyn, yn eu tro, yn helpu i lunio asedau, adnoddau a gwasanaethau i roi hwb i ganol trefi. Y nod trosfwaol yw adfywio ein strydoedd mawr a’u diogelu at y dyfodol, rhywbeth yr hoffai pawb yn y Siambr hon ei weld, rwy’n siŵr. Mae'n rhaid imi gyfaddef, Weinidog, mae'n brosiect sydd wedi fy nghyfareddu'n fawr fel Gweinidog technoleg yr wrthblaid. A byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn gwybod, Weinidog, beth yw eich barn am drefi clyfar: a ydynt wedi bod yn llwyddiannus ac a fyddwn yn gweld mwy o hyn yn cael ei gyflwyno yn y dyfodol ledled Cymru?
I hope we will, because technology is going to become more and more a part of everyday life. I see it with my own son, the way he thinks about technology and answers. He's regularly bemused when I explain that things he takes for granted just didn't exist when I was his age. Every now and again, when he says, 'In the olden days when you were my age', it's a bit painful, but there we are.
When you look at what we're looking to do, transforming towns and the funding that's gone in there, a lot of that is about how you understand footfall, using technology to understand that, using technology to actually improve people's experience when they're going through a town centre as well. So, I don't think this has to be a threat to the high street and, actually, when the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and I were meeting with the retail sector yesterday, to take forward the retail action plan, how you make better use of technology and skills is part of what will, I think, deliver us a viable future for our high streets in towns, villages and city centres as well. So, I think we're definitely going to be seeing more of this not less of it, and it's how we make sure we take advantage of the future that's coming, rather than trying to stick our finger in the dyke and thinking it isn't going to happen and that you can hold that wall back. That will, actually, I think, be a road to decline for our town centres, not the future we want for them.
Rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn, gan y bydd technoleg yn dod yn rhan fwy a mwy o fywyd bob dydd. Rwy'n ei weld gyda fy mab fy hun, y ffordd y mae'n meddwl am dechnoleg ac atebion. Mae'n rhyfeddu'n gyson pan fyddaf yn egluro nad oedd rhai pethau y mae'n eu cymryd yn ganiataol yn bodoli pan oeddwn ei oedran ef. Bob hyn a hyn, pan ddywed, 'Yn yr hen ddyddiau, pan oeddet ti fy oedran i', mae braidd yn boenus, ond dyna ni.
Pan edrychwch ar yr hyn rydym yn bwriadu ei wneud, trawsnewid trefi a'r cyllid a roddwyd tuag at hynny, mae llawer o hynny'n ymwneud â sut rydych yn deall niferoedd ymwelwyr, yn defnyddio technoleg i ddeall hynny, yn defnyddio technoleg i wella profiad pobl pan fyddant yn mynd drwy ganol y dref hefyd. Felly, ni chredaf fod yn rhaid i hyn fod yn fygythiad i’r stryd fawr, ac mewn gwirionedd, pan gyfarfu'r Dirprwy Weinidog Partneriaeth Gymdeithasol a minnau â’r sector manwerthu ddoe, i fwrw ymlaen â’r cynllun gweithredu manwerthu, credaf y bydd y ffordd rydych yn gwneud gwell defnydd o dechnoleg a sgiliau yn rhan o’r hyn a fydd yn sicrhau dyfodol hyfyw ar gyfer ein strydoedd mawr mewn trefi, pentrefi a chanol dinasoedd hefyd. Felly, credaf y byddwn yn sicr yn gweld mwy o hyn yn hytrach na llai ohono, a dyna sut rydym yn sicrhau ein bod yn manteisio ar y dyfodol sydd ar y ffordd, yn hytrach na cheisio gwthio bys i’r morglawdd a meddwl nad yw hyn yn mynd i ddigwydd ac y gallwch ei atal. Credaf y byddai hynny'n arwain at ddirywiad canol ein trefi yn hytrach na'r dyfodol rydym am ei weld ar eu cyfer.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Heledd Fychan. I'w ateb gan y Dirprwy Weinidog.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Heledd Fychan. To be answered by the Deputy Minister.
Diolch, Llywydd. Over the past decade, both the National Library of Wales and Amgueddfa Cymru have written to Welsh Government and the culture committee to warn of the risks to national collections because of budgetary constraints. Both the committee and I have raised this with you since you became Deputy Minister on a number of occasions. What steps have you personally taken to ensure our national collections are safeguarded?
Diolch, Lywydd. Dros y degawd diwethaf, mae Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru ac Amgueddfa Cymru wedi ysgrifennu at Lywodraeth Cymru a’r pwyllgor diwylliant i rybuddio am y risgiau i gasgliadau cenedlaethol oherwydd cyfyngiadau cyllidebol. Mae’r pwyllgor a minnau wedi codi hyn gyda chi ers ichi ddod yn Ddirprwy Weinidog ar sawl achlysur. Pa gamau rydych chi’n bersonol wedi’u cymryd i sicrhau bod ein casgliadau cenedlaethol yn cael eu diogelu?
Well, thank you, Heledd, for that question. I have regular conversations with both the library and the museum, as you would expect. They are arm's-length bodies, so I meet with them on a regular basis. And the conversations that I've had with them about safeguarding the collections have primarily been around the maintenance of the buildings, and fire security in the case of the library. So, it has not been so much an issue around the security of collections from theft or the like, it's been more about being worried that if building maintenance is not done correctly, then collections can suffer from water ingress, and so on. And as I say, in the case of the library, they were particularly concerned about fire security.
Now, in the last budgetary round, we allocated nearly £5 million of capital money to the national museum specifically for the purpose of building maintenance and part of that would be helping to secure the collections. And for the library, we also allocated money for them to introduce a new fire security system, which they are now in the process of doing. And in my recent conversations with them, they've both indicated that they have no further concerns around the securities of their collections. In terms of security around collections being stolen or mislaid, and so on—I don't know whether you were talking about that—I've had various conversations with them about that as well.
Wel, diolch am eich cwestiwn, Heledd. Rwy’n cael sgyrsiau rheolaidd gyda’r llyfrgell a’r amgueddfa, fel y byddech yn ei ddisgwyl. Maent yn gyrff hyd braich, felly rwy'n cyfarfod â nhw'n rheolaidd. Ac mae'r sgyrsiau a gefais gyda nhw ynglŷn â diogelu'r casgliadau wedi ymwneud yn bennaf â chynnal a chadw'r adeiladau, a diogelwch tân yn achos y llyfrgell. Felly, nid yw wedi bod yn gymaint o broblem o ran diogelu casgliadau rhag lladrad neu rywbeth felly, mae wedi ymwneud i raddau mwy â phoeni, os na chaiff y gwaith cynnal a chadw adeiladau ei wneud yn gywir, y gallai'r casgliadau gael eu difrodi gan ddŵr, ac yn y blaen. Ac fel y dywedaf, yn achos y llyfrgell, roeddent yn arbennig o bryderus ynghylch diogelwch tân.
Nawr, yn y cylch cyllidebol diwethaf, dyrannwyd bron i £5 miliwn o arian cyfalaf gennym i’r amgueddfa genedlaethol yn benodol at ddibenion cynnal a chadw adeiladau, a byddai rhan o hynny ar gyfer helpu i ddiogelu'r casgliadau. Ac ar gyfer y llyfrgell hefyd, fe wnaethom ddyrannu arian iddynt gyflwyno system ddiogelwch tân newydd, ac maent wrthi'n gwneud hynny bellach. Ac yn fy sgyrsiau diweddar gyda nhw, mae'r ddau gorff wedi nodi nad oes ganddynt unrhyw bryderon pellach ynghylch diogelwch eu casgliadau. O ran diogelwch mewn perthynas â chasgliadau'n cael eu dwyn neu eu colli, ac ati—nid wyf yn gwybod a oeddech chi'n sôn am hynny—rwyf wedi cael amryw o sgyrsiau gyda nhw ynglŷn â hynny hefyd.
Many thanks. It would be worth perhaps having another conversation, because I've had correspondence with the national library over the past week, and if I can quote in Welsh—and it's in relation to further budgetary cuts, if there are any:
Diolch yn fawr. Byddai’n werth cael sgwrs arall efallai, gan fy mod wedi cael gohebiaeth gyda’r llyfrgell genedlaethol dros yr wythnos ddiwethaf, ac os caf ddyfynnu yn Gymraeg—ac mae'n ymwneud â thoriadau cyllidebol pellach, os oes rhai:
'Mi fydd y risg i'n hetifeddiaeth ddogfennol yn cynyddu'n sylweddol iawn a hynny'n bennaf drwy golli nifer helaeth o swyddi sy'n cynnal y casgliadau, a'n hanallu i gynnal a diogelu adeilad y llyfrgell. Ni fu erioed y fath fygythiad i'n casgliadau.'
'The risk to our documentary heritage will increase substantially, mainly through the loss of a number of jobs that maintain these collections, and our inability to safeguard the library building. There has never been such a threat to our collections.'
So, the national library are saying that there's never been a greater risk to our collections, and this is something that they have communicated as well. So, we all know, and can remember, I'm sure, the National Museum of Brazil in 2018 when there was that horrific fire, where 20 million items from collections and artefacts were lost, and that was because of a faultily installed air conditioning unit. I'm fully aware that both the national library and Amgueddfa Cymru have told the committee that they are concerned. So, can I ask again: you've said that there's no risk, on what basis do you say that there's no risk when we're told otherwise?
Felly, mae’r llyfrgell genedlaethol yn dweud na fu erioed fwy o risg i’n casgliadau, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth y maent wedi’i gyfleu hefyd. Felly, mae pob un ohonom yn gwybod, ac yn gallu cofio, rwy’n siŵr, y tân erchyll hwnnw yn Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Brasil yn 2018, lle collwyd 20 miliwn o eitemau o gasgliadau ac arteffactau, o ganlyniad i uned aerdymheru a osodwyd yn anghywir. Rwy’n gwbl ymwybodol fod y llyfrgell genedlaethol ac Amgueddfa Cymru wedi dweud wrth y pwyllgor eu bod yn bryderus. Felly, a gaf fi ofyn eto: rydych wedi dweud nad oes risg, ar ba sail y dywedwch nad oes risg pan ddywedir wrthym fel arall?
To be absolutely clear, Heledd, what I'm saying: I'm not saying that there is no risk, I'm telling you what the museum and the library have said to me. I met with the library. I'd be interested to see the correspondence that you've had with the library, because I have my regular meetings with the library—the chair and the chief executive—and the most recent of those meetings was last week, and I specifically asked them about their concerns for the security of their collections and they told me quite explicitly that they have no current concerns for their collections. Now, I can only tell you what they tell me. If they're telling you something different, I'd like to know why that is.
I fod yn gwbl glir, Heledd, yr hyn rwy'n ei ddweud yw: nid wyf yn dweud nad oes risg, rwy’n dweud wrthych yr hyn y mae’r amgueddfa a’r llyfrgell wedi’i ddweud wrthyf innau. Cefais gyfarfod â'r llyfrgell. Byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn gweld yr ohebiaeth a gawsoch gyda’r llyfrgell, gan fy mod yn cael fy nghyfarfodydd rheolaidd â’r llyfrgell—y cadeirydd a’r prif weithredwr—ac roedd y diweddaraf o’r cyfarfodydd hynny yr wythnos diwethaf, a gofynnais yn benodol iddynt am eu pryderon ynglŷn â diogelwch eu casgliadau, ac roeddent yn dweud wrthyf yn gwbl glir nad oes ganddynt unrhyw bryderon ar hyn o bryd am eu casgliadau. Nawr, ni allaf ond dweud wrthych yr hyn y maent yn ei ddweud wrthyf i. Os ydynt yn dweud rhywbeth gwahanol wrthych chi, hoffwn wybod pam.
3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am genhadaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i gryfhau ac ailadeiladu'r economi? OQ60090
3. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's economic resilience and reconstruction mission? OQ60090
Prynhawn da. We are working across Government to deliver upon our economic mission aims of a fairer, greener and more prosperous Wales. I will be making a further statement on 28 November that will outline a renewed set of priority areas to reflect the current economic climate.
Prynhawn da. Rydym yn gweithio ar draws y Llywodraeth i gyflawni nodau ein cenhadaeth economaidd ar gyfer Cymru decach, wyrddach a mwy llewyrchus. Byddaf yn gwneud datganiad pellach ar 28 Tachwedd a fydd yn amlinellu cyfres newydd o feysydd blaenoriaeth i adlewyrchu’r hinsawdd economaidd bresennol.
Thank you very much, Minister. That's great to hear. And can I just thank you for coming to Clwyd South recently, to Kronospan, where we met with the Wrexham industrial alliance? I think we had an extremely constructive and productive discussion about the economy and about infrastructure matters as well, connected to economic growth. Minister, you've given an outline of the time frame for when you'll be updating the mission, but can you give us a flavour of what we should expect from it?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Weinidog. Mae'n wych clywed hynny. Ac a gaf fi ddiolch i chi am ddod i Dde Clwyd yn ddiweddar, i Kronospan, lle cyfarfuom â chynghrair ddiwydiannol Wrecsam? Credaf inni gael trafodaeth hynod adeiladol a chynhyrchiol am yr economi ac am faterion seilwaith hefyd, yn gysylltiedig â thwf economaidd. Weinidog, rydych wedi rhoi amlinelliad o’r amserlen ar gyfer diweddaru’r genhadaeth, ond a allwch chi roi blas i ni o’r hyn y dylem ei ddisgwyl ganddi?
What I think you should expect from the renewed mission is a refresh that takes account of what's happened in the last few years. Now, we've had a very difficult time, both post pandemic and more than that, with 13 years of austerity and falls in living standards—they're real challenges for businesses—and there's still the long tail of Liz Truss's time in Government. The autumn statement will be delivered about a week before. So, what we're going to try to do is set out the challenges that we have—you know, 13 years of economic vandalism with the Tories, but we still, despite that, will have real opportunities for growth and progress as well. And what I want to be able to do, in refreshing the mission, is to set out what we are looking to do alongside businesses and trade unions to try to grow the economy for Wales, and what we could do if we had a reliable partner in the UK Government to work with, instead of the challenges that we continue to face. So, it'll recognise the honesty of the challenge, but also, I hope, set a renewed path for what we can do in Wales to grow the economy with the good jobs that all of us want to see for people right across the country.
Yr hyn y credaf y dylech ei ddisgwyl o'r genhadaeth ar ei newydd wedd yw diweddariad sy'n ystyried yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf. Nawr, rydym wedi cael amser anodd iawn, ar ôl y pandemig a mwy na hynny, gyda 13 mlynedd o gyni a gostyngiadau mewn safonau byw—maent yn heriau gwirioneddol i fusnesau—ac mae effaith cyfnod Liz Truss yn y Llywodraeth yn parhau. Bydd datganiad yr hydref yn cael ei gyflwyno oddeutu wythnos ynghynt. Felly, yr hyn rydym yn mynd i geisio'i wneud yw nodi'r heriau sy'n ein hwynebu—hynny yw, 13 mlynedd o fandaliaeth economaidd gyda'r Torïaid, ond er gwaethaf hynny, bydd gennym gyfleoedd gwirioneddol ar gyfer twf a chynnydd hefyd. A’r hyn yr hoffwn allu ei wneud, wrth adnewyddu’r genhadaeth, yw nodi’r hyn y bwriadwn ei wneud ochr yn ochr â busnesau ac undebau llafur i geisio tyfu’r economi i Gymru, a’r hyn y gallem ei wneud pe bai gennym bartner dibynadwy yn Llywodraeth y DU i weithio gyda nhw, yn hytrach na'r heriau rydym yn parhau i’w hwynebu. Felly, bydd yn cydnabod gonestrwydd yr her, ond hefyd, gobeithio, yn nodi llwybr newydd ar gyfer yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud yng Nghymru i dyfu’r economi gyda’r swyddi da y mae pob un ohonom am eu gweld ar gyfer pobl ledled y wlad.
The previous speaker was the previous economy Minister, and he announced an economic resilience mission from the Welsh Government and that put extra money into the Development Bank of Wales, £250 million, pushing the flexible investment fund up to £500 million. I've spoken to businesses that say they are struggling to access this fund, so what I'd like to know from you, Minister, is: can you confirm today how many businesses have accessed this scheme, and what promotion has the Welsh Government done to highlight this to businesses across the country, to make sure we have more economic resilience across our business community here in Wales?
Mae'r siaradwr blaenorol yn gyn-Weinidog yr economi, a chyhoeddodd genhadaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru i gryfhau'r economi a roddodd arian ychwanegol i Fanc Datblygu Cymru, £250 miliwn, gan gynyddu'r gronfa buddsoddi hyblyg i £500 miliwn. Rwyf wedi siarad â busnesau sy’n dweud eu bod yn ei chael hi'n anodd cael mynediad at y gronfa hon, felly yr hyn yr hoffwn ei wybod, Weinidog, yw: a allwch gadarnhau heddiw faint o fusnesau sydd wedi cael mynediad at y cynllun hwn, a pha waith hyrwyddo y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud i dynnu sylw busnesau ledled y wlad at hyn, er mwyn sicrhau bod gennym fwy o gadernid economaidd ar draws ein cymuned fusnes yma yng Nghymru?
I think the Development Bank of Wales has been a real success story in terms of filling a gap that existed and I will happily—happily—write to the Member and publish the number of businesses that have been supported by the development bank. In every single region and every single constituency across Wales, there are people who would not have found the support that the development bank has provided. If the Member has businesses who have found it hard to access the development bank, I'd be very interested to hear the individual examples to understand what's happened. There's always a point of learning where something doesn't work, to understand how that happens, but, overall, the development bank is a definite success. You can see that from regions of England and, indeed, the Federation of Small Businesses in England who want something like the development bank in regions of England as well, to fill a gap that exists within the market.
There's always more we could do, of course, but I think we can be proud of what the development bank has done, for example, the green business loan scheme. There's a lot of demand that has gone into it, a product that has come because we have a bank to work with here that is interested in developing, interested in developing Welsh businesses and in dealing with the mission that this Government has set as well. So, I look forward to writing to the Member and setting out in great detail what the development bank has done to support businesses within his own constituency.
Credaf fod Banc Datblygu Cymru wedi bod yn llwyddiant ysgubol o ran llenwi bwlch a oedd yn bodoli, a buaswn yn falch—yn falch—o ysgrifennu at yr Aelod a chyhoeddi nifer y busnesau sydd wedi cael eu cefnogi gan y banc datblygu. Ym mhob un rhanbarth a phob un etholaeth yng Nghymru, mae pobl na fyddent wedi cael y cymorth y mae’r banc datblygu wedi’i ddarparu. Os oes gan yr Aelod fusnesau sydd wedi cael trafferth cael mynediad at y banc datblygu, byddai gennyf gryn ddiddordeb mewn clywed yr enghreifftiau unigol i ddeall beth sydd wedi digwydd. Mae gwersi i'w dysgu bob amser lle nad yw rhywbeth yn gweithio, i ddeall sut y mae hynny'n digwydd, ond ar y cyfan, mae'r banc datblygu yn llwyddiant diamheuol. Gallwch weld hynny drwy ranbarthau Lloegr, ac yn wir, y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach yn Lloegr sy'n dymuno cael rhywbeth tebyg i'r banc datblygu ar gyfer rhanbarthau Lloegr hefyd, i lenwi bwlch sy’n bodoli yn y farchnad.
Mae mwy y gallem ei wneud bob amser, wrth gwrs, ond credaf y gallwn fod yn falch o'r hyn y mae'r banc datblygu wedi'i wneud, er enghraifft, y cynllun benthyciad busnes gwyrdd. Mae llawer o alw wedi mynd i mewn iddo, cynnyrch sydd wedi'i greu am fod gennym fanc i weithio gydag ef yma sydd â diddordeb mewn datblygu, diddordeb mewn datblygu busnesau yng Nghymru ac mewn ymwneud â’r genhadaeth y mae’r Llywodraeth hon wedi’i nodi hefyd. Felly, edrychaf ymlaen at ysgrifennu at yr Aelod a nodi’n fanwl iawn yr hyn y mae’r banc datblygu wedi’i wneud i gefnogi busnesau yn ei etholaeth ef.
Minister, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai will soon be opening up a new building focused on developing engineering skills in Rhyl. The centre will include a section for the RWE wind turbine apprentices, and this fantastic new £30 million development has been funded by the group, supported with a 65 per cent contribution from the Welsh Government's sustainable communities for learning fund. How important is such a development for the economy of Rhyl and the surrounding area?
Weinidog, cyn bo hir, bydd Grŵp Llandrillo Menai yn agor adeilad newydd sy’n canolbwyntio ar ddatblygu sgiliau peirianneg yn y Rhyl. Bydd y ganolfan yn cynnwys adran ar gyfer prentisiaid tyrbinau gwynt RWE, ac mae’r datblygiad newydd gwych £30 miliwn hwn wedi’i ariannu gan y grŵp, gyda chymorth cyfraniad o 65 y cant gan gronfa cymunedau dysgu cynaliadwy Llywodraeth Cymru. Pa mor bwysig yw datblygiad o’r fath i economi’r Rhyl a’r cyffiniau?
I'm really delighted the Member has raised the significant investment that has taken place here. It's an investment in the future, an investment in a part of Wales where I think that you can look at what will happen in the economy of the future, you can look at the opportunities around renewable energy and the power supply we heard about earlier. But this means we're equipping those people with the skills and the facilities to do just that. It will mean working with local, national and international companies as well.
I think there's something about raising a sense of ambition as well, about demonstrating that communities in Rhyl deserve this investment, it's been delivered by this Government, and there should be good jobs for people to have as a result of that partnership we have with both the further education college and, indeed, businesses in the area. I am very optimistic about what that centre will do, and I look forward to visiting, to meet people who are actually now making use of that facility and the businesses they're going to go and work for in the future.
Rwy'n falch iawn fod yr Aelod wedi codi'r buddsoddiad sylweddol a wnaed yma. Mae’n fuddsoddiad yn y dyfodol, yn fuddsoddiad mewn rhan o Gymru lle credaf y gallwch edrych ar yr hyn a fydd yn digwydd yn economi’r dyfodol, gallwch edrych ar y cyfleoedd mewn perthynas ag ynni adnewyddadwy a’r cyflenwad pŵer y clywsom amdano’n gynharach. Ond golyga hyn ein bod yn rhoi'r sgiliau a'r cyfleusterau i'r bobl hynny wneud yn union hynny. Bydd yn golygu gweithio gyda chwmnïau lleol, cenedlaethol a rhyngwladol hefyd.
Credaf fod rhywbeth ynglŷn â chodi ymdeimlad o uchelgais hefyd, ynglŷn â dangos bod cymunedau yn y Rhyl yn haeddu’r buddsoddiad hwn, mae wedi’i ddarparu gan y Llywodraeth hon, a dylai fod swyddi da i bobl eu cael o ganlyniad i’r bartneriaeth sydd gennym gyda’r coleg addysg bellach, a chyda busnesau yn yr ardal. Rwy'n obeithiol iawn ynglŷn â'r hyn y bydd y ganolfan honno'n ei wneud, ac edrychaf ymlaen at ymweld, i gyfarfod â phobl sy'n defnyddio'r cyfleuster hwnnw nawr a'r busnesau y byddant yn gweithio iddynt yn y dyfodol.
4. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i annog twf economaidd yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ60107
4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to encourage economic growth in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ60107
Thank you. Our economic mission sets out clearly the values and priorities that shape decisions that we are taking to help grow our economy across the whole of Wales. An excellent example in south-west Wales is the Swansea bay city deal, a £1.2 billion investment with the aim of creating 9,000 new jobs.
Diolch. Mae ein cenhadaeth economaidd yn nodi’n glir y gwerthoedd a’r blaenoriaethau sy’n llywio'r penderfyniadau a wnawn i helpu i dyfu ein heconomi ledled Cymru. Enghraifft wych yn ne-orllewin Cymru yw bargen ddinesig bae Abertawe, buddsoddiad o £1.2 biliwn sydd â'r nod o greu 9,000 o swyddi newydd.
Minister, you'll be well aware of my interest in free ports, namely the Celtic free port in my constituency, an economic policy that could directly improve Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales and Wales as a whole. Their benefits are well versed: an estimated 20,000 jobs and up to £4.9 billion in both public and private investments could be seen across Wales. Again, I'll take the opportunity to congratulate both the Welsh Government and the UK Government for working together to deliver this policy so far, a model that I think could be replicated, as collaboration is always better than conflict. But with reports stating that in the Chancellor's autumn statement there is likely to be an extension of English free ports to 2031, what representations has the Welsh Government made to the UK Treasury to ensure parity between Welsh and English free ports, so that the benefits, especially those benefits around tax relief, can be seen for greater and longer periods? Diolch, Llywydd.
Weinidog, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol iawn o fy niddordeb mewn porthladdoedd rhydd, yn enwedig y porthladd rhydd Celtaidd yn fy etholaeth, polisi economaidd a allai wella sir Benfro, de-orllewin Cymru a Chymru gyfan yn uniongyrchol. Mae eu buddion yn glir iawn: amcangyfrifir y gallent sicrhau 20,000 o swyddi a hyd at £4.9 biliwn mewn buddsoddiadau cyhoeddus a phreifat ledled Cymru. Unwaith eto, rwyf am achub ar y cyfle i longyfarch Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU am gydweithio i gyflawni’r polisi hwn hyd yn hyn, model y credaf y gellid ei ailadrodd, gan fod cydweithio bob amser yn well na gwrthdaro. Ond gydag adroddiadau’n nodi ei bod yn debygol y bydd porthladdoedd rhydd Lloegr yn cael eu hymestyn i 2031 yn natganiad hydref y Canghellor, pa sylwadau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi’u gwneud i Drysorlys y DU i sicrhau cydraddoldeb rhwng porthladdoedd rhydd Cymru a Lloegr, fel bod y manteision, yn enwedig y buddion mewn perthynas â rhyddhad treth, i'w gweld am gyfnodau hirach? Diolch, Lywydd.
I thank the Member for his question. Of course, we had an opportunity to talk about free ports when I was at the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee last week, and we're getting to the stage where the outline business case should be with us towards the end of next month. I’m looking forward to both those business cases—for the Celtic free port and the Ynys Môn free port as well. I think the point you make around parity is an important one, and it was part of the challenge in the difficult phase of getting to a free port where the two Governments weren’t agreeing, because part of our concern was not having parity on the investment and what would go around the free port. The agreement that we reached—and I’m pleased that we’ve reached it, because I agree with you that collaboration is better than conflict—meant that we had parity on the investment.
I have, though, raised the issue of what might happen if there was a change in reliefs for free ports in England. I had a meeting with the Secretary of State for levelling-up and the Secretary of State for Wales last week, and I raised this during that meeting—that if there were to be a change, we’d want parity for Welsh free ports. There shouldn’t be a differential offer with a less advantageous proposition for free ports in Wales for us to deliver on the potential benefits they could have. I look forward to providing a further update on our assessment of the outline business case once we receive it. That will probably be into the new year. There’ll be a joint assessment again with officials from the UK Government and I’m keen to see the real opportunities for a free port taken up with good and sustainable jobs right across south-west Wales and beyond.
Diolch i’r Aelod am ei gwestiwn. Wrth gwrs, cawsom gyfle i sôn am borthladdoedd rhydd pan oeddwn ym Mhwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig yr wythnos diwethaf, ac rydym yn agosáu at y cam lle dylai’r achos busnes amlinellol fod gennym erbyn diwedd y mis nesaf. Edrychaf ymlaen at y ddau achos busnes—ar gyfer y porthladd rhydd Celtaidd a phorthladd rhydd Ynys Môn hefyd. Credaf fod y pwynt a wnewch ynghylch cydraddoldeb yn un pwysig, ac roedd yn rhan o’r her yn ystod y broses anodd o sicrhau porthladd rhydd lle nad oedd y ddwy Lywodraeth yn cytuno, gan mai rhan o’n pryder oedd na fyddem yn cael cydraddoldeb o ran y buddsoddiad a'r hyn a fyddai o amgylch y porthladd rhydd. Roedd y cytundeb y daethom iddo—ac rwy'n falch ein bod wedi cytuno arno, gan y cytunaf â chi fod cydweithio'n well na gwrthdaro—yn golygu bod gennym gydraddoldeb o ran y buddsoddiad.
Serch hynny, rwyf wedi codi’r mater ynghylch yr hyn a allai ddigwydd pe bai newid yn y rhyddhad ar gyfer porthladdoedd rhydd yn Lloegr. Cefais gyfarfod gyda’r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros ffyniant bro ac Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru yr wythnos diwethaf, a chodais hyn yn ystod y cyfarfod hwnnw—pe bai newid, y byddai arnom eisiau cydraddoldeb ar gyfer porthladdoedd rhydd Cymru. Ni ddylai fod cynnig gwahaniaethol gyda chynnig llai buddiol ar gyfer porthladdoedd rhydd yng Nghymru inni allu cyflawni’r manteision posibl a allai fod iddynt. Edrychaf ymlaen at roi diweddariad pellach ar ein hasesiad o’r achos busnes amlinellol ar ôl iddo gael ei gyflwyno i ni. Mae'n debyg y bydd hynny yn y flwyddyn newydd. Bydd asesiad ar y cyd eto gyda swyddogion o Lywodraeth y DU, ac rwy’n awyddus i sicrhau y manteisir ar y cyfleoedd gwirioneddol ar gyfer porthladd rhydd, gyda swyddi da a chynaliadwy ar draws de-orllewin Cymru a thu hwnt.
5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y gefnogaeth sydd ar gael i fusnesau bach yng Nghanol De Cymru? OQ60123
5. Will the Minister provide an update on the support available to small businesses in South Wales Central? OQ60123
Diolch am y cwestiwn.
Thank you for the question.
Our Business Wales service provides entrepreneurs and businesses with access to a wide range of information, guidance and support, both financial and non-financial, to support small businesses across Wales.
Mae ein gwasanaeth Busnes Cymru yn darparu mynediad i entrepreneuriaid a busnesau at ystod eang o wybodaeth, arweiniad a chymorth, ariannol a heb fod yn ariannol, i gefnogi busnesau bach ledled Cymru.
I’m sure you’ll be very, very aware of the huge challenges a number of our small businesses are facing as a result of inflation and also specifically energy costs as well. We know of a number of businesses that are now warning that they just cannot continue, or are closing, which will have a massive impact. Specifically, though, there are some schemes that are being funded by the Welsh Government at the moment that are impacting some small businesses in my region. I'm thinking of Ton Pentre and Treorchy businesses in particular, because of all the Transport for Wales work going on, and some roadworks and so on. It has had a massive impact on these smaller businesses, resulting in lower footfall and so on, people not able to reach appointments—the same is true in Hirwaun, with all of the roadworks currently—people taking their dogs to be groomed elsewhere et cetera, but having a massive impact on the small businesses. I understand there is no compensation scheme available for those businesses, but what support, perhaps, is available from the Welsh Government, given it is, in fact, investment in this area that is creating difficulties for these small businesses?
Rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn ymwybodol iawn o'r heriau enfawr y mae nifer o'n busnesau bach yn eu hwynebu o ganlyniad i chwyddiant a chostau ynni yn benodol hefyd. Gwyddom am nifer o fusnesau sydd bellach yn rhybuddio na allant barhau, neu eu bod yn cau, a fydd yn cael effaith enfawr. Yn benodol, fodd bynnag, mae rhai cynlluniau sy'n cael eu hariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar hyn o bryd yn effeithio ar rai busnesau bach yn fy rhanbarth. Rwy'n meddwl am fusnesau Tonpentre a Threorci yn enwedig, oherwydd yr holl waith Trafnidiaeth Cymru sy'n mynd rhagddo, a gwaith ar y ffordd ac yn y blaen. Mae wedi cael effaith enfawr ar y busnesau llai hyn, gan arwain at lai o ymwelwyr ac yn y blaen, a phobl yn methu cyrraedd apwyntiadau—mae'r un peth yn wir yn Hirwaun, gyda'r holl waith ffordd ar hyn o bryd—pobl yn mynd â'u cŵn i gael eu trin mewn mannau eraill ac yn y blaen, ond mae'n cael effaith enfawr ar y busnesau bach. Rwy'n deall nad oes cynllun iawndal ar gael i'r busnesau hynny, ond pa gefnogaeth, efallai, sydd ar gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru, o ystyried mai buddsoddiad yn yr ardal hon sy'n creu anawsterau i'r busnesau bach hyn mewn gwirionedd?
When you invest in an area, there is often some disruption, and then you will ultimately get a better environment once the investment has been delivered. If there are businesses with specific challenges, then they could and should approach Business Wales, and we may be able to help them, together with the local authority. I actually think that Rhondda Cynon Taf local authority is quite proactive in wanting to help businesses as well. Today, there’s a jobs fair that RCT are taking a lead on, together with Business Wales and the Department for Work and Pensions, looking at opportunities for jobs for people. That’s targeted in particular at those people who have been made redundant at UK Windows & Doors. But I would want to see what we can do together, working with the local authority, to understand how we can help support businesses in a practical way. So, if the Member wants to write to me with businesses that have been in touch with her, I’d be happy to try to make sure there’s a co-ordinated response.
Pan fyddwch yn buddsoddi mewn ardal, yn aml mae rhywfaint o darfu, ac yna byddwch yn cael gwell amgylchedd yn y pen draw pan fydd y buddsoddiad wedi'i gyflawni. Os oes yna fusnesau sydd â heriau penodol, fe allent ac fe ddylent gysylltu â Busnes Cymru, ac efallai y gallwn eu helpu, ynghyd â'r awdurdod lleol. Rwy'n credu mewn gwirionedd fod awdurdod lleol Rhondda Cynon Taf yn eithaf rhagweithiol yn y ffordd y maent eisiau helpu busnesau hefyd. Heddiw, mae RhCT yn cynnal ffair swyddi, gyda Busnes Cymru a'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau, i edrych ar gyfleoedd ar gyfer swyddi i bobl. Mae hynny wedi'i dargedu'n benodol at y bobl a ddiswyddwyd gan gwmni UK Windows & Doors. Ond hoffwn weld beth y gallwn ei wneud gyda'n gilydd, gan weithio gyda'r awdurdod lleol, i ddeall sut y gallwn helpu i gefnogi busnesau mewn ffordd ymarferol. Felly, os yw'r Aelod eisiau ysgrifennu ataf gyda'r busnesau sydd wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â hi, rwy'n hapus i geisio sicrhau ymateb cydlynol.
As the Minister will be aware, this week is Business Finance Week, hosted by the British Business Bank, of which Business Wales is a supporting member. I’m pleased to see there are a number of events being hosted in Wales, and a large proportion of these are virtual, which will mean that they’re also available to small businesses and can help them to understand financing and the options accessible to them as well. Whilst these training and financing options are available, unfortunately it doesn’t necessarily follow that Welsh small businesses are predominantly successful in applying for this funding. With this in mind, Minister, what assessment has the Welsh Government made of the success rate of small businesses in accessing funding, and what current trends have you identified as the type and amount of funding that is being accessed by small businesses in South Wales Central and the wider country? Thank you.
Fel y gŵyr y Gweinidog, yr wythnos hon yw Wythnos Cyllid Busnes, a gynhelir gan Fanc Busnes Prydain y mae Busnes Cymru yn aelod cefnogol ohono. Rwy'n falch o weld bod nifer o ddigwyddiadau'n cael eu cynnal yng Nghymru, ac mae cyfran fawr o'r rhain yn rhai rhithwir, sy'n golygu y byddant hefyd ar gael i fusnesau bach ac y gallant eu helpu i ddeall cyllid a'r opsiynau sydd ar gael iddynt hefyd. Er bod yr opsiynau hyfforddi ac ariannu hyn ar gael, yn anffodus, nid yw hynny o reidrwydd yn golygu bod busnesau bach Cymru yn llwyddiannus bob amser wrth wneud cais am y cyllid hwn. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, Weinidog, pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o ba mor llwyddiannus yw busnesau bach wrth gael gafael ar gyllid, a pha dueddiadau cyfredol a nodwyd gennych o ran y math o gyllid a swm y cyllid y mae busnesau bach yng Nghanol De Cymru a'r wlad ehangach yn gallu cael mynediad ato? Diolch.
I think that's a really broad question, given the whole range of different financial institutions that are engaged, because you can gain that support from a whole range of different people, from high-street banks to challenger banks to angel investors to the British Business Bank, potentially the Development Bank of Wales, and beyond. I think it would be more helpful if there was more focus in the areas in which the Member is asking for that access to finance. We do talk, though, to all of the major financial institutions, and, indeed, to business organisations like the Federation of Small Businesses, around the challenge of access to finance.
One of the big challenges, of course, is that in the last year or so, access to finance has got more expensive. If you were looking to invest in your business more than a year ago, you would have found an interest rate of between 2 and 3-and-a-bit per cent. After the events of a year ago and the budget that was then reversed, the cost of business loans, as well as loans for home owners, has increased significantly and permanently. And the increase to more like 6 per cent plus makes a really big difference for businesses about their willingness to take on loans and debt and what that means and their ability to pay it back. So, when we talk about the permanent damage done by the Truss Government, it's there and it's real, and small businesses know it.
I should say, though, on the positive front, the Development Bank of Wales and the British Business Bank are undertaking more work together to try to make sure that their own interventions complement each other, rather than contradicting each other. And I was very pleased to see the British Business Bank having a stand at Wales Tech Week, because I think there are many opportunities to carry on investing in that sector of our economy.
Rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n gwestiwn eang iawn, o ystyried yr ystod gyfan o wahanol sefydliadau ariannol sy'n gysylltiedig, oherwydd fe allwch gael y gefnogaeth honno gan ystod eang o wahanol bobl, o fanciau'r stryd fawr i'r banciau newydd modern sy'n cystadlu â nhw, o angylion buddsoddi i Fanc Busnes Prydain, a Banc Datblygu Cymru o bosibl, a thu hwnt. Rwy'n credu y byddai'n fwy defnyddiol pe bai mwy o ffocws ar y meysydd y mae'r Aelod yn gofyn am fynediad at gyllid ar eu cyfer. Fodd bynnag, rydym yn siarad â'r holl sefydliadau ariannol mawr, ac yn wir, â sefydliadau busnes fel Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach, ynglŷn â her cael mynediad at gyllid.
Un o'r heriau mawr, wrth gwrs, yw bod mynediad at gyllid wedi mynd yn ddrutach yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Pe byddech chi eisiau buddsoddi yn eich busnes dros flwyddyn yn ôl, byddech wedi cael cyfradd llog o rhwng 2 a 3 ac ychydig y cant. Ar ôl digwyddiadau y llynedd, ac ar ôl i'r gyllideb gael ei gwrthdroi, mae cost benthyciadau busnes, yn ogystal â benthyciadau i berchnogion tai, wedi cynyddu'n sylweddol ac yn barhaol. Ac mae'r cynnydd i oddeutu 6 y cant a mwy yn gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr iawn i fusnesau o ran eu parodrwydd i ysgwyddo benthyciadau a mynd i ddyled a'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu a'u gallu i'w ad-dalu. Felly, pan fyddwn yn siarad am y niwed parhaol a wnaed gan Lywodraeth Truss, mae'n niwed go iawn, ac mae busnesau bach yn gwybod hynny.
Dylwn ddweud, fodd bynnag, ar nodyn cadarnhaol, fod Banc Datblygu Cymru a Banc Busnes Prydain yn gwneud mwy o waith gyda'i gilydd i geisio sicrhau bod eu hymyriadau eu hunain yn ategu ei gilydd, yn hytrach na gwrthddweud ei gilydd. Ac roeddwn yn falch iawn o weld bod gan Fanc Busnes Prydain stondin yn Wythnos Technoleg Cymru, oherwydd credaf fod llawer o gyfleoedd i barhau i fuddsoddi yn y sector hwnnw o'n heconomi.
6. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch pontio teg tuag at economi sero net yng Nghymru? OQ60091
6. What discussions has the Minister had with the UK Government regarding a just transition to a net-zero economy in Wales? OQ60091
Thank you for the question. The Welsh Government continues to promote a just transition to net zero, including the promotion of the requisite training and infrastructure. Given the importance of the UK Government powers that they hold in the delivery of this, it is essential that they engage fully with the Welsh Government. There is no doubt that not having an inter-ministerial meeting for over 10 months, and the lack of engagement, for example, from the UK Government regarding Tata, is far from ideal. I will, however, be making these views clear when the transition board for Tata meets, which I will be taking part in.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i hyrwyddo pontio teg tuag at sero net, gan gynnwys hyrwyddo'r seilwaith a'r hyfforddiant gofynnol. O ystyried pwysigrwydd pwerau Llywodraeth y DU wrth gyflawni hyn, mae'n hanfodol eu bod yn ymgysylltu'n llawn â Llywodraeth Cymru. Nid oes amheuaeth nad yw'n ddelfrydol peidio â chael cyfarfod rhyngweinidogol am dros 10 mis, a'r diffyg ymgysylltiad, er enghraifft, gan Lywodraeth y DU ynghylch Tata. Fodd bynnag, byddaf yn gwneud y safbwyntiau hyn yn glir yng nghyfarfod y bwrdd pontio ar gyfer Tata y byddaf yn cymryd rhan ynddo.
I thank the Minister for that response and for mentioning Tata as well, but I want to focus on something else, because flip-flopping on a UK level on a clear trajectory to net zero has real implications for green growth and for green jobs as well, and that just transition. So, moving the goalposts on things like electrical vehicles, on heat pump regulations at short notice with no consultation, the frequent changes around energy efficiency—the green deal, the green homes grant, and so on—and the recent failure of the offshore auction with the contracts for difference shows just what this does to investor confidence.
In fact, the Government's own independent review of net zero, which is on their website, gave a firm warning against a stop-start approach to net zero policy. It said that sudden policy changes reduce investor and developer confidence, increase the cost of capital and the overall cost of decarbonisation. There isn't a single friend of the Government on this, Minister. The Institute for Public Policy Research says that it's bad for consumers, bad for the economy, it derails the UK's net zero 2050 ambition, which we play a part in, and it's likely to be unpopular with the public as well, who are actually supportive of decarbonisation. So, Minister, how on earth do we get back to a place where not only Wales, not only the devolved nations and not only the great city metropolises like Manchester and so on, but the UK Government understands that to create green jobs, you give certainty to investors and you create those foundational economy jobs in every single community across the land? Where have they gone wrong?
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ymateb hwnnw ac am sôn am Tata hefyd, ond rwyf am ganolbwyntio ar rywbeth arall, oherwydd mae newid meddwl ar lefel y DU ar drywydd clir tuag at sero net yn arwain at oblygiadau gwirioneddol ar gyfer twf gwyrdd ac ar gyfer swyddi gwyrdd hefyd, a'r pontio teg hwnnw. Felly, mae symud y pyst gôl mewn perthynas â phethau fel cerbydau trydanol, a rheoliadau pympiau gwres ar fyr rybudd ac heb unrhyw ymgynghoriad, y newidiadau aml mewn perthynas ag effeithlonrwydd ynni—y fargen werdd, y grant cartrefi gwyrdd, ac yn y blaen—ac mae methiant diweddar yr arwerthiant ar gyfer ynni gwynt ar y môr, gyda'r contractau ar gyfer gwahaniaeth, yn dangos yn union beth mae hyn yn ei wneud i hyder buddsoddwyr.
Mewn gwirionedd, roedd adolygiad annibynnol y Llywodraeth ei hun o sero net, sydd ar eu gwefan, yn darparu rhybudd cadarn yn erbyn dull o weithredu anghyson ar bolisi sero net. Dywedai fod newidiadau polisi sydyn yn lleihau hyder buddsoddwyr a datblygwyr ac yn cynyddu cost cyfalaf a chost gyffredinol datgarboneiddio. Nid oes gan y Llywodraeth unrhyw gefnogwyr ar hyn, Weinidog. Mae'r Sefydliad Ymchwil Polisi Cyhoeddus yn dweud ei fod yn ddrwg i ddefnyddwyr, yn ddrwg i'r economi, ei fod yn chwalu uchelgais sero net 2050 y DU yr ydym yn rhan ohono, ac mae'n debygol o fod yn amhoblogaidd hefyd gyda'r cyhoedd, sy'n cefnogi datgarboneiddio mewn gwirionedd. Felly, Weinidog, sut ar y ddaear y gallwn ddychwelyd i sefyllfa lle mae nid yn unig Cymru a'r gwledydd datganoledig a'r dinasoedd mawr fel Manceinion ac yn y blaen, ond Llywodraeth y DU hefyd, yn deall, os ydym am greu swyddi gwyrdd, fod angen rhoi sicrwydd i fuddsoddwyr a chreu swyddi economi sylfaenol ym mhob cymuned ar draws y wlad? Beth sydd wedi mynd o'i le gyda nhw?
I think they've gone wrong by not doing what the Member said at the end: providing certainty—a plan for the future and the consistency that that allows other people to plan around it, the skills you need. A consistent target and a consistent ambition is essential to do that, and the certainty for business investors as well. If you think about Rishi Sunak's recent announcement on shifting a whole range of goalposts, it isn't just the Climate Change Committee who said, 'There is no plan to undo the damage that has been done', but actually the auto industry, and there are a range of different voices. You'll have heard very clearly Ford and others saying that, actually, they're going to carry on with their investment and it's undone all of the certainty they had. They've looked to invest in reaching something by 2030, and now they have to consider, 'Is that certain, can we believe you?' And all, of course, with only about a year or so at most for the current Government to run at a UK level.
The contracts for difference round, I think, is an even bigger problem. This is where you can actually support new renewables, essentially, as well to get into the market with demonstrator products especially. And that isn't what happened on floating offshore wind. Not a single floating offshore wind provider bid in for that round, and they had told the UK Government loud and clear that they would not do so. There are bigger incentives on offer in other parts of Europe, on our doorstep. They don't have to build things here. The danger is that we could lose the advantage we potentially have if there isn't a more grown-up, joined-up and certain approach to that investment. The UK Government do have an opportunity to put this right, actually, within this year, and I would urge them to do so. Otherwise, we risk not seeing the economic benefits that should come to us, in addition to our path to genuine net zero, where a just transition is something we could and should achieve. I fear, though, it will take a change of Government before that is possible.
Rwy'n credu mai'r hyn a wnaethant o'i le oedd peidio â gwneud yr hyn a ddywedodd yr Aelod ar y diwedd: darparu sicrwydd—cynllun ar gyfer y dyfodol a chysondeb sy'n caniatáu i bobl eraill gynllunio o'i gwmpas, y sgiliau sydd eu hangen arnoch. Mae targed cyson ac uchelgais cyson yn hanfodol i wneud hynny, a'r sicrwydd i fuddsoddwyr busnes hefyd. Os meddyliwch am gyhoeddiad diweddar Rishi Sunak ar symud ystod eang o byst gôl, nid y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd yn unig a ddywedodd, 'Nid oes cynllun i ddadwneud y niwed sydd wedi'i wneud', fe ddywedodd y diwydiant ceir hynny hefyd mewn gwirionedd, a cheir amrywiaeth o wahanol leisiau. Fe fyddwch wedi clywed Ford ac eraill yn dweud yn glir iawn eu bod am barhau â'u buddsoddiad a'i fod wedi dadwneud yr holl sicrwydd a gawsant. Maent wedi ceisio buddsoddi i gyrraedd rhywbeth erbyn 2030, a nawr mae'n rhaid iddynt ystyried, 'A yw hynny'n sicr, a allwn ni eich credu?' A hyn oll, wrth gwrs, gyda dim ond blwyddyn ar y mwyaf i'r Llywodraeth bresennol barhau ar lefel y DU.
Rwy'n credu bod y cylch contractau ar gyfer gwahaniaeth yn broblem hyd yn oed yn fwy. Dyma lle gallwch gefnogi ynni adnewyddadwy newydd, yn y bôn, yn ogystal â mynd i'r farchnad gyda chynhyrchion arddangos yn enwedig. Ac nid dyna a ddigwyddodd mewn perthynas ag ynni gwynt arnofiol ar y môr. Ni wnaeth yr un darparwr gwynt arnofiol ar y môr wneud cais ar gyfer y cylch hwnnw, ac roeddent wedi dweud yn glir wrth Lywodraeth y DU na fyddent yn gwneud hynny. Mae cymhellion mwy o faint i'w cael mewn rhannau eraill o Ewrop, ar garreg ein drws. Nid oes raid iddynt adeiladu pethau yma. Y perygl yw y gallem golli'r fantais a allai fod gennym os nad oes dull mwy aeddfed, mwy cydgysylltiedig a mwy sicr o weithredu'r buddsoddiad hwnnw. Mae gan Lywodraeth y DU gyfle i unioni hyn o fewn y flwyddyn hon, a hoffwn eu hannog i wneud hynny. Fel arall, rydym mewn perygl o beidio â gweld y manteision economaidd y dylem eu cael, yn ychwanegol at ein llwybr tuag at sero net gwirioneddol, lle mae pontio teg yn rhywbeth y gallem ac y dylem ei gyflawni. Fodd bynnag, rwy'n ofni y bydd angen Llywodraeth newydd cyn y bydd hynny'n bosibl.
Last week, California was awarded up to £1.2 billion from the United States Department of Energy to build and expand projects focused on clean energy, with the ultimate goal of achieving a net-zero-carbon economy by 2045. The seven US hydrogen hubs deliver £7 billion of Government investment, £40 billion of private investment, hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs, and 25 million tonnes of carbon dioxide savings. During the recent World Hydrogen Week, the experts were clear that the Welsh Government need to speed up and scale up support for hydrogen in Wales. So, will you follow the lead of the USA, working with the Minister for Climate Change, by driving forward a transition to a net-zero economy by working to make Wales one big hydrogen hub?
Yr wythnos diwethaf, dyfarnwyd hyd at £1.2 biliwn i Califfornia gan Adran Ynni yr Unol Daleithiau i adeiladu ac ehangu prosiectau sy'n canolbwyntio ar ynni glân, gyda'r nod yn y pen draw o sicrhau economi carbon sero net erbyn 2045. Mae saith hyb hydrogen yr Unol Daleithiau yn darparu £7 biliwn o fuddsoddiad y Llywodraeth, £40 biliwn o fuddsoddiad preifat, cannoedd o filoedd o swyddi o ansawdd uchel, a 25 miliwn tunnell o arbedion carbon deuocsid. Yn ystod Wythnos Hydrogen y Byd yn ddiweddar, roedd yr arbenigwyr yn glir fod angen i Lywodraeth Cymru gyflymu a chynyddu cefnogaeth i hydrogen yng Nghymru. Felly, a wnewch chi ddilyn arweiniad UDA, gan weithio gyda'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd, drwy ysgogi pontio i economi sero net a gweithio i wneud Cymru yn un hyb hydrogen mawr?
I'm very keen to see more investment in hydrogen, and actually the north Wales growth deal has indicated its support for the Holyhead hydrogen hub. We want to see that right across north Wales, and indeed in south Wales too. But for this to happen, it will require real UK Government investment. You can't create the hydrogen networks required without UK investment, and that is what is lacking. It's fascinating that the Member has pointed out to what is happening in the United States. That is happening because the US Government has actually introduced a significant and sustained investment in the future. Over $500 billion is being invested in the United States in future technologies. You won't see anything of that scale in the UK. It's the lack of ambition and the lack of awareness, and without that investment we won't deliver the sort of future we could do with all of the natural advantages we have. I want to see us being able to do that. I want a reliable partner within the UK Government for us to work with, and I want the sort of investment and the scale of it required to deliver the future we could have, the Wales we want, and the UK we could have as well, with the sort of green, high-quality jobs that would come from it.
Rwy'n awyddus iawn i weld mwy o fuddsoddiad mewn hydrogen, ac mewn gwirionedd mae bargen twf gogledd Cymru wedi nodi ei chefnogaeth i hyb hydrogen Caergybi. Rydym eisiau gweld hynny ar draws gogledd Cymru, ac yn wir yn ne Cymru hefyd. Ond er mwyn i hyn ddigwydd, bydd angen buddsoddiad gwirioneddol gan Lywodraeth y DU. Ni allwch greu'r rhwydweithiau hydrogen sydd eu hangen heb fuddsoddiad y DU, a'r buddsoddiad hwnnw sy'n brin. Mae'n hynod ddiddorol fod yr Aelod wedi tynnu sylw at yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn yr Unol Daleithiau. Mae hynny'n digwydd oherwydd bod Llywodraeth UDA wedi cyflwyno buddsoddiad sylweddol a pharhaus yn y dyfodol. Mae dros $500 biliwn yn cael ei fuddsoddi yn yr Unol Daleithiau yn nhechnolegau'r dyfodol. Ni welwch unrhyw beth ar y raddfa honno yn y DU. Mae'n ymwneud â diffyg uchelgais a diffyg ymwybyddiaeth, a heb y buddsoddiad hwnnw ni fyddwn yn sicrhau'r math o ddyfodol y gallem ei wneud gyda'r holl fanteision naturiol sydd gennym. Rwyf eisiau i ni allu gwneud hynny. Rwyf eisiau partner dibynadwy o fewn Llywodraeth y DU i weithio gyda nhw, ac rwyf eisiau'r math o fuddsoddiad ar y raddfa sydd ei hangen i wireddu'r dyfodol y gallem ei gael, y Gymru yr ydym ei heisiau, a'r DU y gallem ei chael hefyd, gyda'r math o swyddi gwyrdd o ansawdd uchel a fyddai'n deillio o hynny.
7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gymorth Llywodraeth Cymru i fusnesau ym Mlaenau Gwent? OQ60103
7. Will the Minister make a statement on Welsh Government support for businesses in Blaenau Gwent? OQ60103
Thank you. There is an extensive range of support available for businesses in Blaenau Gwent through our Business Wales service. We also work with partners to support Blaenau Gwent businesses in a range of ways. The includes our business productivity enhancement programme, which is making a real difference to local companies within Blaenau Gwent.
Diolch. Mae ystod eang o gymorth ar gael i fusnesau ym Mlaenau Gwent drwy ein gwasanaeth Busnes Cymru. Rydym hefyd yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid i gefnogi busnesau Blaenau Gwent mewn amrywiaeth o ffyrdd. Mae hynny'n cynnwys ein rhaglen gwella cynhyrchiant busnes, sy'n gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol i gwmnïau lleol ym Mlaenau Gwent.
It's the business productivity enhancement programme that I wanted to ask you about this afternoon, Minister. Yesterday, in a statement on regional economies, I thought you were very clear in terms of how the Welsh Government wanted to invest in the economy of Blaenau Gwent and the Heads of the Valleys, to ensure that we maximise the value of the A465 dualling project. But that also means investing in people and investing in businesses. The £1.6 million that the Welsh Government has invested in 12 businesses in Blaenau Gwent—I believe you've now extended it beyond the borough, because of its success—has meant that we've got new skills, which lead to increased wages. We have new technology and new products, delivering for businesses within the borough. This provides not only the connectivity through the dualling project, but investment in the future of those businesses, and I know those businesses are very grateful to the Welsh Government for that investment. That was delivered through Tech Valleys and through European Union funding. What that was investing in was our future economy. How, now, Minister, will you be able to build on that programme to ensure that we can continue to maximise Welsh Government support for businesses within the borough and ensure that we continue to invest in the economic future of Blaenau Gwent and the rest of the Heads of the Valleys?
Y prynhawn yma, Weinidog, rwyf am ofyn i chi ynglŷn â'r rhaglen gwella cynhyrchiant busnes. Ddoe, mewn datganiad ar economïau rhanbarthol, roeddwn yn meddwl eich bod chi'n glir iawn ynglŷn â sut roedd Llywodraeth Cymru eisiau buddsoddi yn economi Blaenau Gwent a Blaenau'r Cymoedd, er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn gwneud y gorau o werth prosiect deuoli'r A465. Ond mae hynny hefyd yn golygu buddsoddi mewn pobl a buddsoddi mewn busnesau. Mae'r £1.6 miliwn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i fuddsoddi mewn 12 busnes ym Mlaenau Gwent—rwy'n credu eich bod chi bellach wedi ei ymestyn y tu hwnt i'r fwrdeistref, oherwydd ei lwyddiant—wedi golygu bod gennym sgiliau newydd, sy'n arwain at gyflogau uwch. Mae gennym dechnoleg newydd a chynhyrchion newydd, sy'n darparu ar gyfer busnesau yn y fwrdeistref. Mae hyn yn darparu cysylltedd drwy'r prosiect deuoli, yn ogystal â buddsoddiad yn nyfodol y busnesau hynny, a gwn fod y busnesau hynny'n ddiolchgar iawn i Lywodraeth Cymru am y buddsoddiad hwnnw. Cafodd hynny ei gyflawni drwy'r Cymoedd Technoleg a thrwy gyllid yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Roedd hwnnw'n fuddsoddiad yn ein heconomi yn y dyfodol. Weinidog, sut y gallwch adeiladu ar y rhaglen honno nawr i wneud yn siŵr y gallwn barhau i sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu'r gefnogaeth fwyaf sy'n bosibl i fusnesau yn y fwrdeistref a sicrhau ein bod yn parhau i fuddsoddi yn nyfodol economaidd Blaenau Gwent a gweddill Blaenau'r Cymoedd?
It's part of what we want to do, working with corporate joint committees, working with growth deals as well, to make sure we're not simply looking at growth, for example, in the capital region that takes place south of the M4. It's part of the conversation that I signalled yesterday in my written statement as well, to make sure there is significant effort on Valleys economic development, and the business productivity enhancement programme is a good example of that. Targeted investment with 12 different businesses has made a real difference to them, and 83 per cent of them have seen improvements in productivity—something that we've discussed before that is key to the future of economic development and prosperity. In all the difficult choices that we have to make and that I have to make as a Minister in the next budget round, I am keen that we continue to invest in skills and in businesses to make sure that there are good jobs with a real future, and we help those people to gain more from their world of work—not simply the time, not simply longer hours, but greater value, greater productivity. And I think we have an example of how to do that with the programme you've highlighted today.
Mae'n rhan o'r hyn rydym eisiau ei wneud, gan weithio gyda chyd-bwyllgorau corfforaethol, a gweithio gyda bargeinion twf hefyd, i sicrhau nad ydym yn edrych ar dwf yn unig, er enghraifft, yn y brifddinas-ranbarth i'r de o'r M4. Mae'n rhan o'r sgwrs a nodais ddoe yn fy natganiad ysgrifenedig hefyd, i sicrhau ein bod yn gwneud ymdrech sylweddol mewn perthynas â datblygu economaidd yn y Cymoedd, ac mae'r rhaglen gwella cynhyrchiant busnes yn enghraifft dda o hynny. Mae buddsoddiad wedi'i dargedu gyda 12 o fusnesau gwahanol wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth go iawn iddynt, ac mae 83 y cant ohonynt wedi gweld gwelliannau mewn cynhyrchiant—rhywbeth rydym wedi'i drafod o'r blaen a rhywbeth sy'n allweddol i ddyfodol datblygu economaidd a ffyniant. Yn yr holl ddewisiadau anodd y mae'n rhaid i ni eu gwneud ac y mae'n rhaid i mi eu gwneud fel Gweinidog yng nghylch nesaf y gyllideb, rwy'n awyddus ein bod yn parhau i fuddsoddi mewn sgiliau ac mewn busnesau i wneud yn siŵr fod gennym swyddi da gyda dyfodol go iawn, a'n bod yn helpu'r bobl hynny i elwa mwy o'u byd gwaith—nid dim ond amser, nid oriau hwy yn unig, ond mwy o werth, mwy o gynhyrchiant. Ac rwy'n credu bod gennym enghraifft o sut i wneud hynny gyda'r rhaglen rydych chi wedi tynnu sylw ati heddiw.
Yn olaf, cwestiwn 8—Luke Fletcher.
Finally, question 8—Luke Fletcher.
8. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am weithrediad cronfa busnes Cymru? OQ60102
8. Will the Minister make a statement on the operation of the Wales business fund? OQ60102
The Wales business fund, managed by the Development Bank of Wales, provides loans and makes equity investments into businesses. The greater part of the capital being deployed through this fund, £186 million, was from former EU funding from the European regional development fund, which comes to an end in December of this year.
Mae cronfa fusnes Cymru, sy'n cael ei rheoli gan Fanc Datblygu Cymru, yn darparu benthyciadau ac yn gwneud buddsoddiadau ecwiti mewn busnesau. Daw'r rhan fwyaf o'r cyfalaf sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio drwy'r gronfa hon, sef £186 miliwn, o gyllid blaenorol yr UE, o gronfa datblygu rhanbarthol Ewrop, sy'n dod i ben ym mis Rhagfyr eleni.
Diolch am yr ateb, Gweinidog.
Thank you for that response, Minister.
The Wales business fund, of course, as the Minister mentioned, is coming into its final term, ending at the end of this year, and with those EU funds disappearing as well, it's of course coming to an end. I have noted that, as of September of this year, there was £19 million left in the fund. It's crucial, of course, that we spend the money within this fund. Therefore, what plans are there to spend this in full before the investment end date in December? And has the Minister given any thought to any potential successor fund as well?
Mae cronfa fusnes Cymru, wrth gwrs, fel y soniodd y Gweinidog, ar fin mynd i'w thymor olaf, gan ddod i ben ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn hon, a chyda chronfeydd yr UE yn diflannu hefyd, fe fydd yn dod i ben wrth gwrs. Rwyf wedi nodi, o fis Medi eleni, fod £19 miliwn ar ôl yn y gronfa. Mae'n hanfodol, wrth gwrs, ein bod yn gwario'r arian sydd yn y gronfa hon. Felly, pa gynlluniau sydd ar y gweill i wario'r arian i gyd cyn dyddiad terfynu'r buddsoddiad ym mis Rhagfyr? Ac a yw'r Gweinidog wedi rhoi unrhyw ystyriaeth i gronfa olynol bosibl hefyd?
Yes, I'm confident that we will be able to use all of the investment that’s been placed into the current fund. We've actually been acting to fill some of the gap, and this has been the really difficult challenge. So, it's a matter of fact, not opinion, that we're over £1 billion worse off because of the way that former EU funds have been managed. The replacements that have been provided do not fully replace what we had. That means we are at risk of not being able to deliver on all of our programmes.
I made a choice, not just to protect some services like Business Wales, like the investment we're trying to make in apprenticeships and skills, but it also meant that we've put extra funds into the Wales flexible investment fund—a different fund, but to make sure that we're able to have support for businesses through the development bank itself. Now, that means I can't spend that money somewhere else, but I'm convinced we'll carry on seeing a real return for those businesses and for the jobs that they will provide for people exactly in the way we're talking about in the previous question with Alun Davies, to make sure we're supporting a business environment and supporting really good jobs for the future. So, I hope it gives the Member some confidence, both about the fund that it's having its investment come to an end because former EU funds will come to an end, but also we're continuing to see what we can do with the development bank to make sure there is real support for jobs and businesses right across the country.
Ie, rwy'n hyderus y gallwn ddefnyddio'r holl fuddsoddiad sydd wedi'i roi yn y gronfa bresennol. Rydym wedi bod yn gweithredu i lenwi rhywfaint o'r bwlch, ac mae wedi bod yn heriol iawn. Felly, ffaith, nid barn, yw ein bod dros £1 biliwn yn waeth ein byd oherwydd y ffordd y cafodd arian blaenorol yr UE ei reoli. Nid ydym yn cael cymaint o gyllid yn lle'r hyn a gaem. Mae hynny'n golygu ein bod mewn perygl o fethu cyflawni ein holl raglenni.
Fe wneuthum ddewis, nid yn unig i ddiogelu rhai gwasanaethau fel Busnes Cymru, fel y buddsoddiad rydym yn ceisio ei wneud mewn prentisiaethau a sgiliau, ond roedd hefyd yn golygu ein bod ni'n rhoi arian ychwanegol i gronfa buddsoddi hyblyg Cymru—cronfa wahanol, ond roedd hynny er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr ein bod yn gallu cael cefnogaeth i fusnesau drwy'r banc datblygu ei hun. Nawr, mae hynny'n golygu na allaf wario'r arian hwnnw yn rhywle arall, ond rwy'n argyhoeddedig y byddwn yn parhau i weld elw go iawn i'r busnesau hynny ac ar gyfer y swyddi y byddant yn eu darparu i bobl yn yr un ffordd ag y buom yn siarad amdani yn y cwestiwn blaenorol gydag Alun Davies, i sicrhau ein bod yn cefnogi amgylchedd busnes ac yn cefnogi swyddi da iawn ar gyfer y dyfodol. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yn rhoi rhywfaint o hyder i'r Aelod am y gronfa y mae ei buddsoddiad yn dod i ben oherwydd y bydd arian blaenorol yr UE yn dod i ben, ond hefyd rydym yn parhau i weld beth y gallwn ei wneud gyda'r banc datblygu i sicrhau bod cefnogaeth go iawn i swyddi a busnesau ledled y wlad.
Diolch yn fawr i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, fydd y cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol. Mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Andrew R.T. Davies.
The next item, therefore, will be the questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services. The first question is from Andrew R.T. Davies.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y ddarpariaeth gwasanaethau dialysis arennau i drigolion Canol De Cymru? OQ60114
1. Will the Minister make a statement on the provision of kidney dialysis services for the residents of South Wales Central? OQ60114
Diolch yn fawr. The Welsh Kidney Network commission renal services in Wales, with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board providing renal services in south-east Wales. Treatment and support for people with kidney disease should be provided as close to home as possible, with home dialysis being a first choice if kidney transplant is not possible.
Diolch yn fawr. Mae Rhwydwaith Arennau Cymru yn comisiynu gwasanaethau arennol yng Nghymru, gyda Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro yn darparu gwasanaethau arennol yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru. Dylid darparu triniaeth a chymorth i bobl â chlefyd yr arennau mor agos â phosibl at eu cartref, a dylid sicrhau bod dialysis cartref yn ddewis cyntaf os nad yw trawsblaniad aren yn bosibl.
Thank you, Minister, for your answer. I've been approached by some constituents because, in the western part of the Vale, many patients are referred to the Princess of Wales Hospital where kidney dialysis, as I understand it at the moment, does not happen. It is the intention, as I understand it, for the health board to commence dialysis services, either on that site or at a site to be identified within the Bridgend area. Could you update me today so I can update my constituents as progress is being made to commission these services? And do you have a start date when those services will commence in the Bridgend area, because, at the moment, constituents are having to travel to Swansea to receive the dialysis treatment that they require for their kidney complaint?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Mae rhai etholwyr wedi cysylltu â mi oherwydd, yn rhan orllewinol y Fro, mae llawer o gleifion yn cael eu cyfeirio at Ysbyty Tywysoges Cymru lle nad oes gwasanaeth dialysis arennol ar gael, yn ôl yr hyn rwy'n ei ddeall ar hyn o bryd. Y bwriad, fel rwy'n ei ddeall, yw i'r bwrdd iechyd ddechrau rhoi gwasanaeth dialysis, naill ai ar y safle hwnnw neu ar safle arall yn ardal Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr. A allech roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i mi heddiw i mi allu dweud wrth fy etholwyr wrth i gynnydd gael ei wneud ar gomisiynu'r gwasanaethau hyn? Ac a oes gennych ddyddiad pan fydd y gwasanaethau hynny'n dechrau yn ardal Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr, oherwydd, ar hyn o bryd, mae etholwyr yn gorfod teithio i Abertawe i gael y driniaeth ddialysis y maent ei hangen ar gyfer eu anhwylderau arennol?
Thanks very much. What we know is that kidney disease affects about 6 to 8 per cent of the Welsh population. What I can tell you is that there are several examples of increased capacity in South Wales Central recently. Three new dialysis stations opened in Merthyr, in April 2023. Initial pilots in Cardiff South and Pontypool opened last week. And in summer, so summer 2024, two new dialysis units will be opened—one in Bridgend and one in Neath Porth Talbot—and they'll be providing 21 new stations in the one that you're interested in in Bridgend.
Diolch yn fawr. Yr hyn a wyddom yw bod clefyd yr arennau yn effeithio ar tua 6 i 8 y cant o boblogaeth Cymru. Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrthych yw bod sawl enghraifft o gynyddu capasiti yng Nghanol De Cymru yn ddiweddar. Agorwyd tair uned ddialysis newydd ym Merthyr ym mis Ebrill 2023. Dechreuodd cynlluniau peilot cychwynnol yn Ne Caerdydd a Phont-y-pŵl yr wythnos diwethaf. Ac yn yr haf, felly haf 2024, bydd dwy uned ddialysis newydd yn cael eu hagor—un ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr ac un yng Nghastell-nedd Porth Talbot—a byddant yn darparu 21 uned newydd yn yr un y mae gennych chi ddiddordeb ynddi ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr.
Thank you.
Diolch.
2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y ddarpariaeth iechyd cymunedol yn Nyffryn Clwyd? OQ60106
2. Will the Minister make a statement on community health provision in the Vale of Clwyd? OQ60106
In line with 'A Healthier Wales', I expect people to have access to an increasingly wide range of health services in their communities. Services are integrated with local authority and third sector services designed to support people to stay well, and live independently at home for as long as possible.
Yn unol â 'Cymru Iachach', rwy'n disgwyl i bobl gael mynediad at ystod gynyddol eang o wasanaethau iechyd yn eu cymunedau. Mae gwasanaethau wedi'u hintegreiddio â gwasanaethau awdurdodau lleol a gwasanaethau'r trydydd sector a luniwyd i gefnogi pobl i aros yn iach, a byw'n annibynnol yn eu cartrefi cyhyd ag y bo modd.
Thank you very much for your response, Minister, but I can't help feeling a sense of profound melancholy when trying to project the need of enhanced community health provision in Denbighshire, particularly with the attitude you've previously displayed in discussions in times gone by on this matter.
As I've previously mentioned to you in this Senedd Chamber, I've been conducting a programme of care home visits in the Vale of Clwyd to look for common themes and issues affecting the most vulnerable people in my constituency, and the common theme that keeps being raised is the chronic understaffing of care homes, particularly in Rhyl and Prestatyn, due to the lack of career scope, training, and low pay, which makes the sector uninviting for prospective candidates to be recruited by respected care home owners. And the bottom line is that we have a health and social care crisis, not only in my constituency, but across Wales. So, can the Minister outline her assessment of the current health and social care crisis affecting the people of the Vale of Clwyd and across Wales, and what steps she and the Welsh Government are taking to address this issue and make careers in health and social care more attractive, to act as a remedy to the chronic waiting times and bedblocking under this Labour Government?
Diolch yn fawr iawn am eich ymateb, Weinidog, ond ni allaf beidio â theimlo ymdeimlad o dristwch dwys wrth geisio rhagweld yr angen am well darpariaeth iechyd cymunedol yn sir Ddinbych, yn enwedig gyda'r agwedd rydych chi wedi'i dangos o'r blaen mewn trafodaethau ar y mater hwn.
Fel rwyf eisoes wedi'i grybwyll wrthych yn Siambr y Senedd, rwyf wedi bod yn cynnal rhaglen o ymweliadau â chartrefi gofal yn Nyffryn Clwyd i chwilio am themâu a materion cyffredin sy'n effeithio ar y bobl fwyaf agored i niwed yn fy etholaeth, a'r thema gyffredin sy'n parhau i gael ei chodi yw problem barhaus prinder staff mewn cartrefi gofal, yn enwedig yn y Rhyl a Phrestatyn, oherwydd diffyg cyfleoedd gyrfa, hyfforddiant a chyflog isel, sy'n gwneud y sector yn anneniadol i ymgeiswyr posibl gael eu recriwtio gan berchnogion cartrefi gofal sydd ag enw da. A'r gwir amdani yw bod gennym argyfwng iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, nid yn unig yn fy etholaeth i, ond ledled Cymru. Felly, a all y Gweinidog amlinellu ei hasesiad o'r argyfwng iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol presennol sy'n effeithio ar bobl Dyffryn Clwyd a ledled Cymru, a pha gamau y mae hi a Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn a gwneud gyrfaoedd ym maes iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn fwy deniadol, i weithredu fel ateb i'r amseroedd aros cronig a'r blocio gwelyau sy'n digwydd o dan y Llywodraeth Lafur hon?
Well, thanks very much. What you know is that, actually, it's one of the priorities of the Labour Government in Wales: we introduced the real living wage, and it was not an insignificant amount of money for us to invest in what we know is a very challenged sector. I'm very pleased that we were able to do that. Of course, since then, we've seen inflation have an impact on lots of people and, actually, the fact that lots of people have left from eastern Europe has also put pressure on the service because, actually, the numbers leaving, for example, from eastern Europe, have left gaps in other sectors, so lots of care workers have gone to work in those alternative sectors in relation to hospitality and other areas. So, we are very aware, and I know my colleague Julie Morgan has worked consistently on this issue. We've got a framework that's being developed, a national framework in relation to care that puts in place the need for registration and ability to progress within the care sector. And what you'll also be aware of is that, actually, we've got a fund, a £144 million fund, to integrate health and care, and that, of course, is something that we provide on an annual basis.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Fe wyddoch ei fod yn un o flaenoriaethau'r Llywodraeth Lafur yng Nghymru: fe wnaethom gyflwyno'r cyflog byw gwirioneddol, ac nid oedd yn swm dibwys o arian i ni ei fuddsoddi mewn sector y gwyddom ei fod yn heriol iawn. Rwy'n falch iawn ein bod wedi gallu gwneud hynny. Wrth gwrs, ers hynny, rydym wedi gweld chwyddiant yn cael effaith ar lawer o bobl, ac mewn gwirionedd, mae'r ffaith bod llawer o bobl o ddwyrain Ewrop wedi gadael hefyd wedi rhoi pwysau ar y gwasanaeth oherwydd mae'r niferoedd o ddwyrain Ewrop, er enghraifft, sy'n gadael wedi gadael bylchau mewn sectorau eraill, felly mae llawer o weithwyr gofal wedi mynd i weithio yn y sectorau amgen hynny ym maes lletygarwch a meysydd eraill. Felly, rydym yn ymwybodol iawn, ac rwy'n gwybod bod fy nghyd-Aelod Julie Morgan wedi gweithio ar y mater hwn yn gyson. Mae gennym fframwaith sy'n cael ei ddatblygu, fframwaith cenedlaethol mewn perthynas â gofal sy'n sefydlu'r angen i gofrestru a'r gallu i gamu ymlaen yn y sector gofal. Ac fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol hefyd fod gennym gronfa gwerth £144 miliwn i integreiddio iechyd a gofal, ac mae'r gronfa honno, wrth gwrs, yn rhywbeth rydym yn ei ddarparu bob blwyddyn.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Russell George.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. Welsh Conservative spokesperson, Russell George.
Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, I heard the exchange yesterday in First Minister's questions between the First Minister and the leader of the opposition with regard to calls from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine to publish NHS data on emergency department times without the application of breach exemptions. Now, Minister, what I want to understand is—. As I understand it, you stop the clock, as I understand it, for clinical exemptions. So, essentially, we're stopping the clock for those that are waiting in accident and emergency departments, and therefore the number of hours spent in an emergency department is misleading. Now, the royal college claims that you are the only Government in the UK to count in this way. Now, in the past, you've told me in response to questions, 'Of course, in Wales, we count very differently. I think we're more honest with the public in Wales.' So, Minister, do you think that you record data in a transparent way in terms of the length of time that people spend waiting in an A&E department, and why don't you want to know and publish the true picture of how long patients are waiting in A&E departments in Wales?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, clywais y ddadl ddoe yng nghwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog rhwng y Prif Weinidog ac arweinydd yr wrthblaid mewn perthynas â galwadau gan y Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys i gyhoeddi data'r GIG ar amseroedd adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys heb gymhwyso'r eithriadau a ganiateir. Nawr, Weinidog, yr hyn rwyf eisiau ei ddeall yw—. Fel rwy'n ei ddeall, rydych chi'n stopio'r cloc, fel rwy'n ei ddeall, ar gyfer eithriadau clinigol. Felly, yn y bôn, rydym yn stopio'r cloc ar gyfer y rhai sy'n aros mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, ac felly mae nifer yr oriau sy'n cael eu treulio mewn adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys yn gamarweiniol. Nawr, mae'r coleg brenhinol yn honni mai chi yw'r unig Lywodraeth yn y DU i gyfrif yn y ffordd hon. Nawr, yn y gorffennol, rydych wedi dweud wrthyf mewn ymateb i gwestiynau, 'Wrth gwrs, yng Nghymru, rydym yn cyfrif yn wahanol iawn. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n fwy gonest gyda'r cyhoedd yng Nghymru.' Felly, Weinidog, a ydych chi'n credu eich bod chi'n cofnodi data mewn ffordd dryloyw o ran faint o amser y mae pobl yn ei dreulio yn aros mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, a pham nad ydych chi eisiau gwybod a chyhoeddi'r darlun go iawn o ran pa mor hir mae cleifion yn aros mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yng Nghymru?
Well, you can continue to trot out something that is fundamentally wrong, if you'd like, but the fact is that we have made it absolutely clear to health boards that breach exemptions should not be excluded from published emergency department statistics, and we have had assurances from all the relevant health boards, which have assured us that that is indeed the case. Now, you can keep on banging on about this story. The fact is, there is no truth to the allegation that we miscount. It's very important, I think, that people understand that this was something that we have looked at in detail, and we have been reassured by health boards that we count and that those numbers should not be excluded from emergency department statistics. And another thing I think is important for you to note is that, in terms of the Office for National Statistics, they have said that Wales's statistics and the way we count are comparable to all major emergency departments. The way we count is very similar to the way that England counts.
Wel, gallwch barhau i ailadrodd rhywbeth sy'n sylfaenol anghywir os hoffwch, ond y gwir amdani yw ein bod wedi'i gwneud yn gwbl glir i fyrddau iechyd na ddylid eithrio eithriadau rhag tramgwydd o ystadegau cyhoeddedig adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, ac rydym wedi cael sicrwydd gan yr holl fyrddau iechyd perthnasol, sydd wedi ein sicrhau nad ydynt yn gwneud hynny. Nawr, gallwch barhau i rygnu ymlaen ar y stori hon. Y gwir amdani yw, nid oes unrhyw wirionedd i'r honiad ein bod yn camgyfrif. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn fod pobl yn deall bod hyn yn rhywbeth rydym wedi edrych arno'n fanwl, ac rydym wedi cael sicrwydd gan fyrddau iechyd ein bod yn cyfrif ac na ddylai'r niferoedd hynny gael eu heithrio o ystadegau adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys. A pheth arall y credaf ei bod hi'n bwysig i chi ei nodi, o ran y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol, yw eu bod wedi dweud bod ystadegau Cymru a'r ffordd rydym yn cyfrif yn debyg i holl brif adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys. Mae'r ffordd rydym yn cyfrif yn debyg iawn i'r ffordd y mae Lloegr yn cyfrif.
Minister, I'm sorry, but you are not being transparent. I stand by what I said earlier on my questions to you. The royal college are calling for you, as the last Government in the UK, to change the way that you are counting. You are not counting accurately so the health service can properly plan. You need to have accurate data in terms of how long people are waiting in A&E departments, especially as we plan for the winter, and that is absolutely crucial. Now, this is the question, Minister, in response to what you've said today: can you explain the difference between performance data in responses provided by health boards to the royal college and the emergency department performance data published by the Welsh Government, because they vary greatly? Can you explain that, Minister?
Weinidog, mae'n ddrwg gennyf, ond nid ydych yn bod yn dryloyw. Rwy'n glynu wrth yr hyn a ddywedais yn gynharach yn fy nghwestiynau i chi. Mae'r coleg brenhinol yn galw arnoch chi, fel y Llywodraeth ddiwethaf yn y DU, i newid y ffordd rydych chi'n cyfrif. Nid ydych yn cyfrif yn gywir fel y gall y gwasanaeth iechyd gynllunio'n iawn. Mae angen i chi gael data cywir ynglŷn â pha mor hir mae pobl yn aros mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, yn enwedig wrth i ni gynllunio ar gyfer y gaeaf, ac mae hynny'n gwbl hanfodol. Nawr, dyma'r cwestiwn, Weinidog, mewn ymateb i'r hyn rydych chi wedi'i ddweud heddiw: a allwch chi esbonio'r gwahaniaeth rhwng data perfformiad mewn ymatebion a ddarparwyd gan fyrddau iechyd i'r coleg brenhinol a data perfformiad adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, oherwydd maent yn amrywio'n fawr? A allwch chi egluro hynny, Weinidog?
What I can tell you is that the question that was asked by the royal college, in its wording, was flawed. They made an assumption that data did not include patients who had breached the exemptions. The fact is that that is not the case. So, they made an assumption, when they got the response, they added those on top. It was incorrect in the way they did it. I am more than happy for an independent person to come in to analyse our data, because I stand by our data; we have looked at this in detail. You can keep on asking questions about it, but I am more than happy to be transparent about this. And the ONS has stood by us and said that, actually, the way we count our data is very similar to the way that they do so in England.
Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrthych yw bod y cwestiwn a ofynnwyd gan y coleg brenhinol, o ran ei eiriad, yn wallus. Roedd ganddynt ragdybiaeth nad oedd data yn cynnwys cleifion a oedd eithriadau rhag tramgwydd. Y gwir amdani yw nad yw hynny'n wir. Felly, fe wnaethant ragdybio, pan gawsant yr ymateb, ac fe wnaethant ychwanegu'r rheini atynt. Roedd yr hyn a wnaethant yn anghywir. Rwy'n fwy na pharod i berson annibynnol ddod i mewn i ddadansoddi ein data, oherwydd rwy'n glynu wrth ein data; rydym wedi edrych ar hyn yn fanwl. Gallwch barhau i ofyn cwestiynau amdano, ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i fod yn dryloyw ynglŷn â hyn. Ac mae'r Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol wedi ein cefnogi ac wedi dweud bod y ffordd rydym yn cyfrif ein data yn debyg iawn i'r ffordd y maent yn cyfrif eu data yn Lloegr mewn gwirionedd.
Well, thank you, Minister, for giving me permission to ask questions during spokespersons' question times. This is a fundamental question. You've not address the specific question I asked, Minister, so I will ask again. I'll ask you again—you can say I can keep asking. I want to know the answer, that's what I want to know. Can you explain the difference—it's not a difficult question—between the performance data in responses provided by health boards to the royal college and the emergency department performance data published by the Welsh Government? The two vary considerably, and it is important that we have that response to it. Now, you've said you've looked at this very accurately, with your officials, so why can you not provide an answer to my question today?
Wel, diolch i chi, Weinidog, am roi caniatâd i mi ofyn cwestiynau yn ystod cwestiynau'r llefarwyr. Mae hwn yn gwestiwn sylfaenol. Nid ydych wedi ateb y cwestiwn penodol a ofynnais, Weinidog, felly rwyf am ei ofyn eto. Rwy'n gofyn i chi eto—gallwch ddweud y gallaf barhau i ofyn. Rwyf eisiau gwybod yr ateb, dyna rwyf eisiau ei wybod. A allwch chi egluro'r gwahaniaeth—nid yw'n gwestiwn anodd—rhwng y data perfformiad mewn ymatebion a ddarparwyd gan fyrddau iechyd i'r coleg brenhinol a data perfformiad adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru? Mae'r ddau'n amrywio'n sylweddol, ac mae'n bwysig ein bod yn cael yr ateb i hynny. Nawr, rydych chi wedi dweud eich bod chi wedi edrych ar hyn yn fanwl iawn, gyda'ch swyddogion, felly pam na allwch chi roi ateb i fy nghwestiwn heddiw?
I just have provided you with an answer. I told you that the question that was asked by the royal college was fundamentally flawed. That was the problem. The question they asked was fundamentally flawed. It said—. The question they asked was: the data include the patients that were removed from the published data, due to breach exemptions. They made an assumption that they were excluded. They were not.
Rwyf newydd roi ateb i chi. Dywedais wrthych fod y cwestiwn a ofynnwyd gan y coleg brenhinol yn sylfaenol wallus. Dyna oedd y broblem. Roedd y cwestiwn a ofynnwyd ganddynt yn sylfaenol wallus. Dywedai—. Y cwestiwn a ofynnwyd oedd: mae'r data'n cynnwys y cleifion a gafodd eu tynnu o'r data a gyhoeddwyd, oherwydd eithriadau rhag tramgwydd. Roeddent yn rhagdybio eu bod wedi'u heithrio. Nid oeddent wedi cael eu heithrio.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Mabon ap Gwynfor.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor.
Diolch, Llywydd. I'll follow on from Russell George's questions, if I may. And following that response from the Minister, the Minister and the Government have tried to frame the debate around A&E waiting times and breach exemptions as a matter of presentational semantics. This is intentional to distract from the real issue—the breach exemption policy itself is simply not fit for purpose. Wales, as we've been told, is the only constituent part of the UK that continues with this policy, and the policy is leading to suboptimal outcomes for NHS staff and patients. If the clock is stopped when recording the duration of patients' emergency care, for whatever reason listed in the breach exemption guidelines, the policy doesn't alter the fact that they remain in A&E, with the resourcing and capacity implications that this entails. This is compromising the ability of emergency services to plan and manage their resources. But concerns have been expressed for many years about this policy, and the Government has repeatedly refused to listen. So, to change tack a little from what Russell George was asking there: what is the Minister's rationale for continuing with this policy, against the express advice of healthcare professionals working in emergency departments?
Diolch, Lywydd. Rwyf am ddilyn cwestiynau Russell George, os caf. Ac yn dilyn yr ymateb gan y Gweinidog, mae'r Gweinidog a'r Llywodraeth wedi ceisio fframio'r ddadl ynghylch amseroedd aros adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys ac eithriadau rhag tramgwydd fel mater o semanteg gyflwyniadol. Mae hwn yn gam bwriadol i dynnu sylw oddi wrth y broblem go iawn—nid yw'r polisi eithrio rhag tramgwydd ei hun yn addas i'r diben. Cymru, fel y dywedwyd wrthym, yw'r unig ran gyfansoddol o'r DU sy'n parhau â'r polisi hwn, ac mae'r polisi yn arwain at ganlyniadau is-optimaidd i staff a chleifion y GIG. Os yw'r cloc yn cael ei stopio wrth gofnodi hyd gofal brys cleifion, am ba reswm bynnag a restrir yn y canllawiau eithrio rhag tramgwydd, nid yw'r polisi'n newid y ffaith eu bod yn parhau i fod mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, gyda goblygiadau hynny i adnoddau a chapasiti. Mae hyn yn peryglu gallu'r gwasanaethau brys i gynllunio a rheoli eu hadnoddau. Ond mynegwyd pryderon ers blynyddoedd lawer am y polisi hwn, ac mae'r Llywodraeth wedi gwrthod gwrando dro ar ôl tro. Felly, i newid cyfeiriad ychydig o'r hyn roedd Russell George yn ei ofyn: beth yw rhesymeg y Gweinidog dros barhau â'r polisi hwn, yn erbyn cyngor datganedig gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol sy'n gweithio mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys?
So, it was the consultants and the clinicians themselves who asked us to introduce a mechanism through which they would not have to run against the clock. It was they themselves who wanted us to introduce that. So, we were complying with what they asked us to do back in 2011. Now, as you will see in the statement that I put out yesterday, we are actively engaging clinical leaders and service users on how we can improve the quality of care in emergency departments and this includes exploring more meaningful ways of measuring patient experience and outcomes.
Felly, y meddygon ymgynghorol a'r clinigwyr eu hunain a ofynnodd i ni gyflwyno mecanwaith fel na fyddai'n rhaid iddynt weithio yn erbyn y cloc. Nhw eu hunain oedd eisiau i ni gyflwyno hwnnw. Felly, roeddem yn cydymffurfio â'r hyn y gwnaethant ofyn i ni ei wneud yn ôl yn 2011. Nawr, fel y gwelwch yn y datganiad a gyhoeddais ddoe, rydym wrthi'n ymgysylltu ag arweinwyr clinigol a defnyddwyr gwasanaethau i weld sut y gallwn wella ansawdd y gofal mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys ac mae hyn yn cynnwys archwilio ffyrdd mwy ystyrlon o fesur profiad a chanlyniadau cleifion.
The Minister says that the consultants and clinicians were asking back in 2010-11 for this to be introduced, but, since then, 82 per cent of clinicians have said that they oppose this policy of breach exemptions. The fact that the Welsh Government is sticking with the policy, in contrast with other UK nation, implies that the Government believes that the policy can actually ease A&E waiting times. But, since being introduced in 2011, this simply hasn’t materialised. In August 2011, 8.8 per cent of Welsh patients were waiting more than four hours in A&E. In August 2023, which is the latest month for which we’ve got data, that figure was 31 per cent. In August 2011, 1.7 per cent of Welsh patients were waiting longer than eight hours in A&E. In August 2023, that figure was 17.4 per cent. In April 2013, which is the earliest point for available data on the 12-hour waiting times, 2.7 per cent were waiting longer than 12 hours for emergency care. In August 2023, that figure was 10.9 per cent. On every metric, therefore, A&E waiting times have worsened since the policy was introduced over 10 years ago. So, how much will things have to get worse before you acknowledge that the breach exemption policy is not actually improving A&E waiting times, and will the Minister today agree to scrap that policy?
Dywed y Gweinidog fod y meddygon ymgynghorol a'r clinigwyr yn gofyn yn ôl yn 2010-11 i hyn gael ei gyflwyno, ond ers hynny, mae 82 y cant o glinigwyr wedi dweud eu bod yn gwrthwynebu'r polisi eithrio rhag tramgwydd. Mae'r ffaith bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn glynu wrth y polisi, mewn cyferbyniad â gwledydd eraill y DU, yn awgrymu bod y Llywodraeth yn credu y gall y polisi liniaru amseroedd aros damweiniau ac achosion brys mewn gwirionedd. Ond ers cael ei gyflwyno yn 2011, nid yw hyn wedi digwydd. Ym mis Awst 2011, roedd 8.8 y cant o gleifion Cymru yn aros mwy na phedair awr mewn adrannau brys. Ym mis Awst 2023, sef y mis diweddaraf y mae gennym ddata ar ei gyfer, roedd y ffigur yn 31 y cant. Ym mis Awst 2011, roedd 1.7 y cant o gleifion Cymru yn aros mwy nag wyth awr mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys. Ym mis Awst 2023, roedd y ffigur yn 17.4 y cant. Ym mis Ebrill 2013, sef y pwynt cynharaf ar gyfer y data sydd ar gael ar yr amseroedd aros 12 awr, roedd 2.7 y cant yn aros mwy na 12 awr am ofal brys. Ym mis Awst 2023, roedd y ffigur yn 10.9 y cant. Ar bob mesur, felly, mae amseroedd aros damweiniau ac achosion brys wedi gwaethygu ers i'r polisi gael ei gyflwyno dros 10 mlynedd yn ôl. Felly, faint fydd yn rhaid i bethau waethygu cyn i chi gydnabod nad yw'r polisi eithrio rhag tramgwydd yn gwella amseroedd aros damweiniau ac achosion brys, ac a wnaiff y Gweinidog gytuno i gael gwared ar y polisi hwnnw heddiw?
I've said in the statement yesterday that we are already exploring more meaningful ways of measuring the patient experience and outcomes and we’re happy to continue with that dialogue with the Royal College on that issue. But breach exemptions are there because clinicians quite often want, for example, to keep people in for observation and they don’t want to be pushing them out of the door in order to comply with four-hour targets or 12-hour targets, which are targets that we have set for them. But what I can tell you is that we have a whole range of measures in place to take the pressure off A&E, including the six goals programme, including the fact that we’ve introduced urgent primary care centres across the whole of Wales, and including the fact that we now have same day emergency care centres. And the fact is that the pressure on A&E has increased everywhere. We have an ageing population. We’ve just been through a pandemic. This is not something that is unique to Wales. The fact is that the pressure is intense; it will continue to be intense, which is why we’ve introduced the six goals programme.
Fe ddywedais yn y datganiad ddoe ein bod eisoes yn archwilio ffyrdd mwy ystyrlon o fesur profiad a chanlyniadau cleifion ac rydym yn hapus i barhau â'r ddeialog gyda'r Coleg Brenhinol ar y mater hwnnw. Ond mae eithriadau rhag tramgwydd yno oherwydd bod clinigwyr yn aml yn dymuno cadw pobl i mewn ar gyfer arsylwi arnynt, er enghraifft, ac nid ydynt am eu gwthio allan drwy'r drws er mwyn cydymffurfio â thargedau pedair awr neu dargedau 12 awr, sef targedau rydym ni wedi'u gosod ar eu cyfer. Ond yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrthych yw bod gennym ystod eang o fesurau ar waith i dynnu'r pwysau oddi ar adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, gan gynnwys y rhaglen chwe nod, a'r ffaith ein bod wedi cyflwyno canolfannau gofal sylfaenol brys ledled Cymru gyfan, a'r ffaith bod gennym bellach ganolfannau gofal argyfwng yr un diwrnod. A'r ffaith yw bod y pwysau ar adrannau ac achosion brys wedi cynyddu ym mhobman. Mae gennym boblogaeth sy'n heneiddio. Rydym newydd ddod trwy bandemig. Nid yw hyn yn rhywbeth sy'n unigryw i Gymru. Y gwir amdani yw bod y pwysau'n ddwys; bydd yn parhau i fod yn ddwys, a dyna pam ein bod wedi cyflwyno'r rhaglen chwe nod.
3. Beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i leihau'r pwysau ar adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ60126
3. What is the Government doing to ease pressure on accident and emergency departments in South Wales East? OQ60126
Mae ein rhaglen chwe nod ar gyfer gofal brys a gofal mewn argyfwng yn helpu pobl i gael y gofal iawn, yn y lle iawn, y tro cyntaf. Rŷn ni wedi darparu £25 miliwn, gan gynnwys £3 miliwn yr un i’r byrddau iechyd, i wella’r gwasanaeth 111 ar-lein, i greu llwybrau iechyd meddwl newydd, sefydlu canolfannau gofal sylfaenol brys a gwasanaethau gofal argyfwng yr un diwrnod.
Our six goals for urgent and emergency care programme is supporting people to access the right care, in the right place, first time. We have made £25 million available, including £3 million to each health board, to deliver improvements to 111 online, new mental health pathways, urgent primary care centres and same day emergency care services.
Diolch am yr ateb yna ac mi fyddwn i'n licio mynd i mewn i ychydig bach o fanylder ar hynny.
Thank you for that response and I would like to go into a little more detail on that.
We all know that A&E is under incredible pressure throughout the country and we've heard questions about that from the two spokesmen just now. This creates a miserable experience, not just for patients, but also for staff who work there. I'm surprised therefore to see that the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is proposing to reduce the opening times of two of their minor injuries units, Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach. In the case of Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, it's proposing making permanent what was billed as a temporary reduction of hours during COVID. Given that minor injury units are seen as a key component in a strategy to ease pressure on A&E departments, is it not a retrograde step, and will this make the Grange University Hospital an even longer and more frustrating experience for anyone visiting their A&E department and heap more pressure on the staff working there?
Rydym i gyd yn gwybod bod adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys o dan bwysau anhygoel ledled y wlad ac rydym newydd glywed cwestiynau am hynny gan y ddau lefarydd. Mae hyn yn creu profiad diflas, nid yn unig i gleifion, ond hefyd i staff sy'n gweithio yno. Rwy'n synnu felly o weld bod Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan yn cynnig lleihau amseroedd agor dwy o'u hunedau mân anafiadau, Ysbyty Nevill Hall yn y Fenni ac Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr yn Ystrad Mynach. Yn achos Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, mae'n cynnig gwneud yn barhaol yr hyn y bwriadwyd iddo fod yn drefniant dros dro i leihau oriau yn ystod COVID. O ystyried bod unedau mân anafiadau yn cael eu gweld yn elfen allweddol mewn strategaeth i leddfu'r pwysau ar adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, onid yw'n gam yn ôl, ac a fydd hyn yn gwneud Ysbyty Athrofaol y Faenor yn brofiad hyd yn oed yn hirach ac yn fwy rhwystredig i unrhyw un sy'n ymweld â'u hadran damweiniau ac achosion brys ac yn rhoi mwy o bwysau ar y staff sy'n gweithio yno?
Well, thanks very much and it's obviously something that I know the health board has considered very seriously. But the fact is, in relation in particular to the Abergavenny minor injury unit, on average, there was one patient there overnight. Now, in these financial pressurised situations, it's very difficult to justify that on the basis of value for money. And that is one of the reasons why, certainly, they have moved to close that facility, and to move people to and encourage people to go to the new Grange hospital, where in fact we've put significant investment, and will be making significant additional investment in future years. We've put an extra £3.5 million capital funding to establish a same day emergency care centre, for example, in the Grange.
Wel, diolch yn fawr iawn ac mae'n amlwg yn rhywbeth rwy'n gwybod bod y bwrdd iechyd wedi ei ystyried o ddifrif. Ond y ffaith amdani yw, yn enwedig mewn perthynas ag uned mân anafiadau'r Fenni, ar gyfartaledd, roedd un claf yno dros nos. Nawr, yn y sefyllfaoedd hyn o bwysau ariannol, mae'n anodd iawn cyfiawnhau hynny ar sail gwerth am arian. Ac yn sicr dyna un o'r rhesymau pam eu bod wedi cau'r cyfleuster hwnnw, a symud pobl, ac annog pobl i fynd i ysbyty newydd y Faenor, lle rydym wedi buddsoddi'n sylweddol, a byddwn yn gwneud buddsoddiad ychwanegol sylweddol yn y blynyddoedd i ddod. Rydym wedi rhoi £3.5 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf ychwanegol tuag at sefydlu canolfan gofal argyfwng yr un diwrnod, er enghraifft, yn ysbyty'r Faenor.
Minister, it's no secret, and you know better than anyone, that our health service is already under immense pressure, as was laid bare with the release of the data this week. With winter around the corner, it would appear things are set to get a lot worse. You mentioned the Grange, and I'm going to take the line as well: if we use it as an example, it just cannot cope with the demand of things as it stands, as I unfortunately found out first-hand when I visited the hospital with my mother with a serious health issue just a few weeks ago. Patients were left sitting around in any available space for hours on end, with staff who were doing their absolute best under the stressful circumstances—I must give them 10 out of 10—being pulled from pillar to post without any doctor in sight. Minister, this really isn't acceptable for any hospital, but especially not a hospital that's been hailed as the Government's flagship and has been open for less than three years. I understand that this is something that you did inherit, but, if this is what things are looking like at the moment, I hate to think what's looming as winter's going to be taking hold of all of us. I understand that the key issue for hospitals is the inability to discharge patients who require social care, going forward. So, Minister, I know you mentioned £3.5 million, but what additional moneys have been provided to health boards, particularly the Aneurin Bevan health board, to release the pressure in A&E? And what measures are the Welsh Government going to be taking to hold local authorities to account regarding the delivery of their statutory responsibilities?
Weinidog, nid yw'n gyfrinach, ac rydych chi'n gwybod yn well na neb, fod ein gwasanaeth iechyd eisoes o dan bwysau aruthrol, fel y datgelwyd wrth ryddhau'r data yr wythnos hon. Gyda'r gaeaf ar y gorwel, mae'n ymddangos y bydd pethau'n gwaethygu'n fawr. Fe wnaethoch chi grybwyll ysbyty'r Faenor, ac rwy'n mynd i ddatgan hefyd: os defnyddiwn hwnnw fel enghraifft, ni all ymdopi â'r galw fel y mae pethau, fel y gwneuthum ddarganfod drosof fy hun, yn anffodus, pan ymwelais â'r ysbyty gyda fy mam gyda phroblem iechyd ddifrifol ychydig wythnosau yn ôl. Câi cleifion eu gadael i eistedd o gwmpas mewn unrhyw ofod a oedd ar gael am oriau bwy'i gilydd, gyda staff a oedd yn gwneud eu gorau glas o dan amgylchiadau llawn straen—mae'n rhaid i mi roi 10 allan o 10 iddynt—yn cael eu tynnu i bob cyfeiriad heb unrhyw feddyg yn y golwg. Weinidog, nid yw hyn yn dderbyniol i unrhyw ysbyty, ond yn enwedig ysbyty sy'n cael ei ystyried yn un blaenllaw gan y Llywodraeth ac sydd wedi bod ar agor ers llai na thair blynedd. Rwy'n deall mai rhywbeth y gwnaethoch ei etifeddu yw hyn, ond os mai dyma sut mae pethau'n edrych ar hyn o bryd, mae'n gas gennyf feddwl beth sydd ar y gorwel wrth i'r gaeaf ddod ar ein gwarthaf. Rwy'n deall mai'r broblem allweddol i ysbytai yw'r anallu i ryddhau cleifion sy'n mynd i fod angen gofal cymdeithasol. Felly, Weinidog, gwn eich bod wedi sôn am £3.5 miliwn, ond pa arian ychwanegol sydd wedi'i ddarparu i fyrddau iechyd, yn enwedig bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan, i leddfu'r pwysau mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys? A pha fesurau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i ddwyn awdurdodau lleol i gyfrif mewn perthynas â chyflawni eu cyfrifoldebau statudol?
Thanks very much. And thanks, first of all, for recognising the incredible work that staff at emergency departments undertake. I know that there's been a recent Public Health Wales survey that has demonstrated that 86 per cent of people agreed that emergency department staff treat them with kindness and respect, and I think we have absolutely got to pay tribute to those people, who are supporting people on the front line. We know that the whole system is under incredible pressure. That's why the health board has had an additional £6 million over the past two years. They have received, as I say, £3.5 million for that additional same day emergency care service in the Grange. And what's happened is about 600 patients a month have, effectively, been diverted from the emergency department, and around 75 per cent of them are avoiding admission. So, I think that's really important that we recognise that. We're expecting a submission from the health board in terms of expansion of the Grange emergency department; we're expecting a business justification case to be submitted by the end of this calendar year.
Diolch yn fawr. A diolch, yn gyntaf oll, am gydnabod y gwaith anhygoel y mae staff adrannau brys yn ei wneud. Rwy'n gwybod bod Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru wedi cynnal arolwg yn ddiweddar a ddangosodd fod 86 y cant o bobl yn cytuno bod staff adrannau brys yn eu trin â charedigrwydd a pharch, ac rwy'n credu bod yn rhaid i ni dalu teyrnged i'r bobl hynny, sy'n cefnogi pobl ar y rheng flaen. Rydym yn gwybod bod y system gyfan o dan bwysau anhygoel. Dyna pam mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi cael £6 miliwn ychwanegol dros y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf. Maent wedi derbyn £3.5 miliwn ar gyfer gwasanaeth ychwanegol gofal argyfwng yr un diwrnod yn y Faenor. A'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yw bod tua 600 o gleifion y mis, i bob pwrpas, wedi cael eu dargyfeirio o'r adran achosion brys, ac mae tua 75 y cant ohonynt wedi llwyddo i beidio â chael eu derbyn i'r ysbyty. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn cydnabod hynny. Rydym yn disgwyl cyflwyniad gan y bwrdd iechyd ar ehangu adran frys y Faenor; rydym yn disgwyl i achos cyfiawnhau busnes gael ei gyflwyno erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn galendr hon.
Post Brexit and post COVID, health-needed demand, as the Minister knows, has rocketed across the UK and Wales. The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board covers the most dense areas of industrial ill health, a former Objective 1 area, and of course the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation scalic need. So, the health board has stated:
'Like every other Health Board in Wales, we are facing the biggest financial challenge we have ever experienced and are doing everything we can to make efficiency savings without compromising the safety of patients and communities'.
So, Minister, there is no doubt that one factor impacting on pressures on accident and emergency departments is patients using A&E as that first port of call, and the additional £6 million from Welsh Government, as has been stated, is welcomed, as is the multi-million pound new SDEC unit. So, my question is: what dialogue is the Welsh Government having with general practitioners, therefore, and our pharmacies and the health board itself, to ensure that coherent working model that is communicated consistently to patients and my constituents?
Ar ôl Brexit ac ar ôl COVID, mae galw iechyd, fel y gŵyr y Gweinidog, wedi cynyddu ledled y DU a Chymru. Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan yn cynnwys yr ardaloedd mwyaf dwys o ran afiechyd diwydiannol, hen ardal Amcan 1, ac wrth gwrs angen graddfaol Mynegai Amddifadedd Lluosog Cymru. Felly, mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi dweud:
'Fel pob Bwrdd Iechyd arall yng Nghymru, rydym yn wynebu'r her ariannol fwyaf a brofasom erioed ac rydym yn gwneud popeth yn ein gallu i wneud arbedion effeithlonrwydd heb beryglu diogelwch cleifion a chymunedau.'
Felly, Weinidog, nid oes amheuaeth mai un ffactor sy'n effeithio ar bwysau ar adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yw cleifion sy'n defnyddio adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys fel y man galw cyntaf, ac mae'r £6 miliwn ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth Cymru i'w groesawu, fel y nodwyd, fel y mae'r uned gofal argyfwng yr un diwrnod newydd gwerth miliynau o bunnoedd. Felly, fy nghwestiwn i yw: pa ddeialog y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei chael gydag ymarferwyr cyffredinol, felly, a'n fferyllfeydd a'r bwrdd iechyd ei hun, i sicrhau bod y model gweithio cydlynol yn cael ei gyfleu'n gyson i gleifion a fy etholwyr?
Thanks very much, Rhianon. You're quite right to point out the fact that we are in a very difficult situation financially at the moment, so we've got to make absolute best use of the resources that we have, we've got to try and avoid people using the emergency departments as their first port of call. And that's why we've had a comprehensive programme now of Help Us Help You—there'll be a new communications programme that will be going out very soon—so that people are aware of those alternatives. The 111 service—it's quite incredible, I think, the numbers of people using the 111 service: about 71,000 people using that, 399,000 hits on the website. So, that's an example of where, actually, a lot of people might have been going to A&E and now they're not, but only about 15 per cent are diverted from 111 and actually sent to A&E.
We also have, of course, a very comprehensive community pharmacy system in place now, which is very different and far more advanced than it is England, and, of course, many of those now are able to prescribe. As I say, we've got the same day emergency care service, and we also have the urgent primary care services. So, all of those have come into play in the past two years, and all of that is taking pressure off the service. And I just imagine what the service might have looked like had we not put those measures in place.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Rhianon. Rydych yn llygad eich lle i dynnu sylw at y ffaith ein bod mewn sefyllfa anodd iawn yn ariannol ar hyn o bryd, felly mae'n rhaid inni wneud y defnydd gorau o'r adnoddau sydd gennym, mae'n rhaid inni geisio osgoi cael pobl yn defnyddio'r adrannau brys fel eu man galw cyntaf. A dyna pam ein bod wedi cael rhaglen gynhwysfawr Helpwch Ni i'ch Helpu Chi—bydd yna raglen gyfathrebu newydd yn mynd allan yn fuan iawn—fel bod pobl yn ymwybodol o'r dewisiadau amgen. Mae'r gwasanaeth 111—mae niferoedd y bobl sy'n defnyddio'r gwasanaeth 111 yn eithaf anhygoel yn fy marn i: mae tua 71,000 o bobl yn defnyddio hwnnw, 399,000 o ymweliadau â'r wefan. Felly, mae honno'n enghraifft o ble gallai llawer o bobl fod wedi bod yn mynd i adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys ac nad ydynt yn gwneud hynny bellach, ond dim ond tua 15 y cant sy'n cael eu dargyfeirio o 111 a'u hanfon i adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys mewn gwirionedd.
Mae gennym system fferylliaeth gymunedol gynhwysfawr iawn ar waith nawr hefyd, sy'n wahanol iawn ac yn llawer mwy datblygedig nag yn Lloegr, ac wrth gwrs, mae llawer o'r rheini bellach yn gallu presgripsiynu. Fel y dywedais, mae gennym y gwasanaeth argyfwng yr un diwrnod, ac mae gennym hefyd y gwasanaethau gofal sylfaenol brys. Felly, mae'r rheini i gyd wedi dod yn weithredol yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf, ac mae hynny i gyd yn tynnu pwysau oddi ar y gwasanaeth. Ac rwy'n dychmygu sut y gallai'r gwasanaeth fod wedi edrych pe na baem wedi rhoi'r mesurau hynny ar waith.
4. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am oruchwyliaeth reoleiddiol iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yng ngogledd Cymru? OQ60127
4. Will the Minister make a statement on the regulatory oversight of health and social care in north Wales? OQ60127
Mae Deddf Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol (Cymru) 2006 yn cyfuno nifer o ofynion rheoleiddio o ran hyrwyddo a darparu’r gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru. Rhaid i holl gyrff y gwasanaeth iechyd hefyd weithredu o fewn y fframwaith deddfwriaethol ehangach sy’n llywodraethu holl sefydliadau’r Deyrnas Unedig. Deddf Rheoleiddio ac Arolygu Gofal Cymdeithasol (Cymru) 2016 sy’n llywodraethu gofal cymdeithasol.
The NHS (Wales) Act 2006 consolidates a range of regulatory requirements relating to the promotion and provision of the health service in Wales. All NHS bodies must also operate within the wider legislative framework governing all UK organisations. The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 governs social care.
Diolch, Weinidog. I want to highlight to you how a family, while grieving the loss of their father, have had a further exhausting battle to understand why he deteriorated so quickly when he was in care. Colin had dementia and he was getting one-to-one care. He was happy, his family were trying to arrange for a care package to have him home, but, instead, he was transferred to another care home and that one-to-one care ceased. Now, within just eight days in the new care home, his condition deteriorated until he was found collapsed. He was given naloxone, a drug administered for opiate overdoses and he made a rapid recovery. However, none of Colin's prescribed medications were actually opiate-based. Now, this begs the question of how he got opiates in his system. And the family have tried to get answers from the health board, social services, from the care home. They've been rebuffed by Care Inspectorate Wales, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and the ombudsman, as it's not in their remit to investigate an individual case. Every door is closed for a family who just want to challenge what happened to their dad. There is no accountability and no focus on the patient. So, Minister, could you tell me where do families like Colin's go to get full accountability and answers from those involved?
Diolch, Weinidog. Rwyf am dynnu eich sylw at sut mae teulu, wrth alaru yn sgil colli eu tad, wedi cael brwydr luddedig bellach i ddeall pam y dirywiodd mor gyflym pan oedd mewn gofal. Roedd gan Colin ddementia ac roedd yn cael gofal un i un. Roedd yn hapus, roedd ei deulu'n ceisio trefnu pecyn gofal i'w gael adref, ond yn hytrach, cafodd ei drosglwyddo i gartref gofal arall a daeth y gofal un i un i ben. Nawr, o fewn wyth diwrnod yn unig i gyrraedd y cartref gofal newydd, dirywiodd ei gyflwr nes y daethpwyd o hyd iddo'n anymwybodol. Rhoddwyd naloxone iddo, cyffur sy'n cael ei ddarparu ar gyfer trin gorddosau o opiadau ac fe wellodd yn gyflym. Fodd bynnag, nid oedd yr un o feddyginiaethau presgripsiwn Colin yn cynnwys opiadau. Nawr, rhaid gofyn y cwestiwn sut yr aeth opiadau i mewn i'w system. Ac mae'r teulu wedi ceisio cael atebion gan y bwrdd iechyd, y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, a'r cartref gofal. Maent wedi cael eu gwrthod gan Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru, Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru a'r ombwdsmon, am nad yw ymchwilio i achosion unigol yn rhan o'u cylch gorchwyl. Mae pob drws ar gau i deulu sydd eisiau herio'r hyn a ddigwyddodd i'w tad. Nid oes unrhyw atebolrwydd na ffocws ar y claf. Felly, Weinidog, a allech chi ddweud wrthyf lle dylai teuluoedd fel un Colin fynd i gael atebolrwydd ac atebion gan y rhai sydd ynghlwm wrth y mater?
Thanks very much. I think—. Look, I can't comment on an individual case, of course, but, if there is a gap in the system, we obviously need to look at that. Obviously, Social Care Wales is the social care workforce regulator in Wales, but this might not fall within their remit. Audit Wales is another avenue that they could go down, but that's more, perhaps, to do with the public sector. So, if you can write to me about that, and at least we'll make sure that there's an understanding of what system they should be going down.
Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n meddwl—. Edrychwch, ni allaf wneud sylw ar achos unigol wrth gwrs, ond os oes bwlch yn y system, mae'n amlwg fod angen inni edrych ar hynny. Yn amlwg, Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru yw rheoleiddiwr y gweithlu gofal cymdeithasol yng Nghymru, ond efallai na fydd hyn o fewn eu cylch gwaith. Mae Archwilio Cymru yn llwybr arall y gallent ei ddilyn, ond mae hynny'n ymwneud mwy â'r sector cyhoeddus o bosibl. Felly, os gallwch ysgrifennu ataf am hynny, ac fe wnawn sicrhau o leiaf fod yna ddealltwriaeth o ba system y dylent ei dilyn.
Minister, you'll be aware that regulators are only as good as the data and reporting available to them. And you'll also be aware that one of the significant issues identified in health services in north Wales in recent times has been the accuracy and transparency of data and reporting up to the board level, certainly making decision making and certainty very challenging. A recent live example of this showed itself in the £122 million fraud investigation at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and we've even heard again today about, at the very least, a level of confusion, perhaps, when it comes to reporting of emergency department data. So, going back to that point that regulators are only as good as the data and reporting available to them, are you confident that regulators here in Wales are receiving and working with data that is accurate?
Weinidog, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol nad yw rheoleiddwyr ond cystal â'r data a'r adroddiadau sydd ar gael iddynt. Ac fe fyddwch hefyd yn ymwybodol mai un o'r materion sylweddol a nodwyd mewn gwasanaethau iechyd yng ngogledd Cymru yn ddiweddar oedd cywirdeb a thryloywder data ac adrodd hyd at lefel y bwrdd, yn sicr roedd gwneud penderfyniadau a darparu sicrwydd yn heriol iawn. Roedd enghraifft ddiweddar o hyn i'w gweld yn yr ymchwiliad twyll gwerth £122 miliwn ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, ac rydym wedi clywed eto heddiw am lefel o ddryswch, fan lleiaf, o ran adrodd data adrannau brys. Felly, gan fynd yn ôl i'r pwynt nad yw rheoleiddwyr ond cystal â'r data a'r adroddiadau sydd ar gael iddynt, a ydych chi'n hyderus fod rheoleiddwyr yma yng Nghymru yn derbyn ac yn gweithio gyda data sy'n gywir?
Thanks very much. Well, look, we've got to depend on the accuracy of the data. We get that data from the health boards; they have to follow guidelines that have been set for them. Obviously, if they don't, then there are consequences. So, what's important is that those consequences are followed through, as they are being at the moment in Betsi. So, there's a huge amount of work being done to make sure that that kind of situation doesn't arise again.
Look, I'm unhappy about, once again, the Conservatives trying to muddy the waters on the accuracy of our data that we've been given by health boards in relation to emergency departments. We are very clear that the assurances that we've been given by the health boards should be exactly those. And, as I say, independent data analysts can come in and ensure that the accuracy of that data stands up to scrutiny.
Diolch yn fawr. Wel, edrychwch, mae'n rhaid inni ddibynnu ar gywirdeb y data. Rydym yn cael y data hwnnw gan y byrddau iechyd; mae'n rhaid iddynt ddilyn canllawiau sydd wedi'u gosod ar eu cyfer. Yn amlwg, os nad ydynt yn gwneud hynny, mae yna ganlyniadau i hynny. Felly, yr hyn sy'n bwysig yw bod y canlyniadau hynny'n cael eu dilyn, fel y maent ar hyn o bryd yn Betsi Cadwaladr. Felly, mae llawer iawn o waith yn cael ei wneud i sicrhau nad oes sefyllfa o'r fath yn codi eto.
Edrychwch, unwaith eto, rwy'n anhapus ynglŷn â'r Ceidwadwyr sy'n ceisio cymylu'r dyfroedd ynghylch cywirdeb y data a roddwyd i ni gan fyrddau iechyd mewn perthynas ag adrannau brys. Rydym yn glir iawn mai dyna'r sicrwydd y dylem ei gael gan y byrddau iechyd. Ac fel y dywedais, gall dadansoddwyr data annibynnol ddod i mewn a sicrhau bod cywirdeb y data hwnnw'n gallu gwrthsefyll craffu.
5. Pa waith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â'r prinder parhaus o feddyginiaeth ADHD? OQ60125
5. What work is the Welsh Government doing to address the ongoing shortage of ADHD medication? OQ60125
The current supply disruption to ADHD medicines is expected to be resolved between October and December 2023. The medicines shortage letter issued on 27 September sets out recommended actions for health professionals to support patient care until the current supply issues are resolved.
Disgwylir i'r tarfu presennol ar y cyflenwad o feddyginiaethau anhwylder diffyg canolbwyntio a gorfywiogrwydd (ADHD) gael ei ddatrys rhwng mis Hydref a mis Rhagfyr 2023. Mae'r llythyr prinder meddyginiaethau a gyhoeddwyd ar 27 Medi yn nodi'r camau a argymhellir i weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol i gefnogi gofal cleifion hyd nes y caiff y problemau presennol gyda'r cyflenwad eu datrys.
Thank you very much, Minister. As you said, the shortage has impacted as well, apparently, the UK particularly hard, especially with Elvanse. Takeda holds a near market monopoly in this sector, with no generic forms of this drug available on the market, hence why this is causing such distress to many people across Wales. And, as we know, attention deficit disorder associations say that untreated ADHD makes focusing, remembering details and controlling impulses harder, and ADHD UK state that one in 10 men or boys with ADHD and one in four women or girls with ADHD will, at some point, try to take their own life. Yet, I am being told that there is not very much support for them at the moment as they're being put onto smaller doses to get them through whilst we have this shortage. But my main question is, Minister, as the patent for Takeda UK to make Elvanse ran out on 24 February of this year, would it be worth the Welsh Government exploring the possibility of finding funding to support Elvanse being produced here in Wales so that we never have to be dependent like this again and so that the people of Wales never have to go short on their ADHD medication again. Diolch.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Weinidog. Fel y dywedoch chi, mae'r prinder wedi effeithio ar y DU yn arbennig o galed hefyd mae'n debyg, yn enwedig gydag Elvanse. Mae gan Takeda fonopoli bron yn y farchnad yn y sector hwn, heb fod unrhyw ffurfiau generig ar y cyffur ar gael ar y farchnad, a dyna pam mae hyn yn achosi cymaint o ofid i lawer o bobl ledled Cymru. Ac fel y gwyddom, mae cymdeithasau anhwylder diffyg canolbwyntio yn dweud bod ADHD heb ei drin yn gwneud canolbwyntio, cofio manylion a rheoli mympwyon yn anos, ac mae ADHD UK yn datgan y bydd un o bob 10 dyn neu fachgen ag ADHD ac un o bob pedair menyw neu ferch ag ADHD, ar ryw adeg, yn ceisio cyflawni hunanladdiad. Ac eto, rwy'n deall nad oes llawer iawn o gefnogaeth iddynt ar hyn o bryd wrth iddynt gael eu rhoi ar ddosau llai i'w cynnal drwy'r prinder. Ond fy mhrif gwestiwn yw hwn, Weinidog: gan fod y patent i Takeda UK wneud Elvanse wedi dod i ben ar 24 Chwefror eleni, a fyddai'n werth i Lywodraeth Cymru archwilio'r posibilrwydd o ddod o hyd i gyllid i gefnogi Elvanse i gael ei gynhyrchu yma yng Nghymru fel nad oes raid i ni fod yn ddibynnol fel hyn eto ac fel nad oes raid i bobl Cymru fynd yn brin o'u meddyginiaeth ADHD eto? Diolch.
Well, thanks very much to Sarah Murphy for drawing the attention of everyone to the impact that this is having on people, and I know that it is an extremely serious situation for them. You will be aware that the supply of medicines is a responsibility of the UK Government, not the Welsh Government, and we won't be stepping into that space. It is their responsibility and we think it's right that it remains there. What I do know is that the Department of Health and Social Care has added all ADHD medications to the list of medicines that can't be exported, and that means that they will be prioritising available supplies for the UK market.
Wel, diolch yn fawr iawn i Sarah Murphy am dynnu sylw pawb at yr effaith y mae hyn yn ei chael ar bobl, ac rwy'n gwybod ei bod yn sefyllfa hynod ddifrifol iddynt. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fod y cyflenwad o feddyginiaethau yn gyfrifoldeb i Lywodraeth y DU, nid Llywodraeth Cymru, ac ni fyddwn yn camu i'r gofod hwnnw. Eu cyfrifoldeb nhw yw hyn a chredwn ei bod yn iawn ei fod yn parhau felly. Yr hyn rwy'n ei wybod yw bod yr Adran Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol wedi ychwanegu holl feddyginiaethau ADHD at y rhestr o feddyginiaethau na ellir eu hallforio, ac mae hynny'n golygu y byddant yn blaenoriaethu cyflenwadau sydd ar gael ar gyfer marchnad y DU.
Minister, sadly medicine shortages do happen from time to time. This time it is due to increased global demand as well as manufacturing issues. Supply shortages are expected to be resolved within weeks or months, as you said. However, this is of little comfort to patients, as Sarah has said, particularly those prescribed guanfacine, which cannot be stopped suddenly. That's important in that drug. Minister, as GPs and ADHD services are being told not to start new patients on medication, how will this be managed to ensure ADHD patients receive the proper treatment as soon as possible?
Weinidog, yn anffodus mae prinder meddyginiaeth yn digwydd o bryd i'w gilydd. Y tro hwn mae'n ganlyniad i fwy o alw byd-eang yn ogystal â materion gweithgynhyrchu. Disgwylir i brinder cyflenwadau gael eu datrys o fewn wythnosau neu fisoedd, fel y dywedoch chi. Fodd bynnag, nid yw hyn o fawr o gysur i gleifion, fel y dywedodd Sarah, yn enwedig y rhai sy'n cael guanfacine ar bresgripsiwn, cyffur na ellir rhoi'r gorau i'w ddefnyddio'n sydyn. Mae hynny'n bwysig gyda'r cyffur hwnnw. Weinidog, gan fod meddygon teulu a gwasanaethau ADHD yn cael eu cyfarwyddo i beidio â dechrau cleifion newydd ar feddyginiaeth, sut y bydd hyn yn cael ei reoli i sicrhau bod cleifion ADHD yn cael y driniaeth briodol cyn gynted â phosibl?
Thanks very much. Well, I'm sure you will be pleased to hear that I've published a written statement on this matter today. You're absolutely right to say that the issue here is an increase in global demand. That is what's happening here, and the consequence is that the demand exceeds the manufacturer's capacity to produce a particular medicine. Sometimes there's a disruption to the supply of raw materials and problems encountered during the manufacturing process. I think it will be important for clinicians to make decisions in terms of when it's appropriate and how it's appropriate, but they have been given guidance in terms of what they should be prescribing from the pharmacy team in the Welsh Government.
Diolch yn fawr. Wel, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn falch o glywed fy mod wedi cyhoeddi datganiad ysgrifenedig ar y mater hwn heddiw. Rydych chi'n hollol gywir i ddweud mai'r hyn sy'n codi yma yw cynnydd yn y galw byd-eang. Dyna beth sy'n digwydd yma, a'r canlyniad yw bod y galw yn fwy na gallu'r gwneuthurwr i gynhyrchu meddyginiaeth benodol. Weithiau mae yna darfu ar y cyflenwad o ddeunyddiau crai a phroblemau a wynebir yn ystod y broses weithgynhyrchu. Rwy'n credu y bydd yn bwysig i glinigwyr wneud penderfyniadau ynglŷn â phryd mae'n briodol a sut mae'n briodol, ond maent wedi cael arweiniad ar yr hyn y dylent ei roi ar bresgripsiwn gan y tîm fferyllol yn Llywodraeth Cymru.
6. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gefnogi hosbisau yng Ngorllewin De Cymru? OQ60124
6. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support hospices in South Wales West? OQ60124
Taking action to support hospices continues to be a priority for this Government and a programme for government commitment. We have delivered on phase 1 of that commitment, providing an additional £2.2 million for hospices on a recurrent basis from April 2022. We are now in the third phase of that commitment.
Mae cymryd camau i gefnogi hosbisau yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth hon ac yn ymrwymiad yn y rhaglen lywodraethu. Rydym wedi cyflawni cam 1 yr ymrwymiad hwnnw, gan ddarparu £2.2 miliwn ychwanegol i hosbisau ar sail reolaidd o fis Ebrill 2022. Rydym bellach ar drydydd cam yr ymrwymiad hwnnw.
Thank you, Minister, for the answer. We know the incredible work that hospices do right across Wales in providing comfort, dignity and genuine quality care, and I want to place on record my thanks to those involved in the hospice sector, and to Mark Isherwood as well for his work chairing the cross-party group. They also take a huge amount of pressure off our NHS, which would otherwise be under even more pressure, allowing doctors and nurses within the health service to devote more time to caring for their patients. However, after meeting with hospice providers last week here in the Senedd, they informed me they don't receive the parity of funding with the NHS that they need to adequately recruit and retain staff within the sector. It's especially concerning as, following the pandemic, fundraising activity amongst volunteers has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, placing even greater strain on hospices to provide the services that so many people rely on. So, looking ahead with an increasing elderly population and a shrinking taxable working-age population, particularly here in Wales, these pressures are only going to get worse, and they will get worse and worse over the decades to come unless serious action is taken. So, Minister, how is the Welsh Government working collaboratively with the hospice care sector to ensure that they have the tools that they need to undertake their vital work?
Diolch yn fawr am yr ateb, Weinidog. Rydym yn gwybod am y gwaith anhygoel y mae hosbisau'n ei wneud ledled Cymru i ddarparu cysur, urddas a gofal o ansawdd gwirioneddol, ac rwyf am gofnodi fy niolch i'r rhai sy'n gysylltiedig â'r sector hosbis, ac i Mark Isherwood hefyd am ei waith yn cadeirio'r grŵp trawsbleidiol. Maent hefyd yn cymryd llawer iawn o bwysau oddi ar ein GIG, a fyddai fel arall dan fwy fyth o bwysau, gan ganiatáu i feddygon a nyrsys o fewn y gwasanaeth iechyd neilltuo mwy o amser i ofalu am eu cleifion. Fodd bynnag, ar ôl cyfarfod â darparwyr hosbis yr wythnos diwethaf yma yn y Senedd, fe wnaethant fy hysbysu nad ydynt yn derbyn yr arian cydradd â'r GIG sydd ei angen arnynt i recriwtio a chadw digon o staff yn y sector. Mae'n arbennig o bryderus oherwydd, yn dilyn y pandemig, nid yw gweithgaredd codi arian ymhlith gwirfoddolwyr wedi gwella i lefelau cyn y pandemig, gan roi hyd yn oed mwy o straen ar hosbisau i ddarparu'r gwasanaethau y mae cymaint o bobl yn dibynnu arnynt. Felly, wrth edrych ymlaen at boblogaeth oedrannus sy'n cynyddu a phoblogaeth oedran gweithio trethadwy sy'n crebachu, yn enwedig yma yng Nghymru, gwaethygu fydd y pwysau hyn, a bydd yn gwaethygu fwyfwy dros y degawdau i ddod oni bai bod gweithredu'n digwydd o ddifrif. Felly, Weinidog, sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cydweithio â'r sector gofal hosbis i sicrhau bod ganddynt yr adnoddau sydd eu hangen arnynt i gyflawni eu gwaith hanfodol?
Thanks very much. Well, you'll be very aware of the financial pressures that you heard all about yesterday, and, obviously, that's caused partly by inflation, partly by the calamity that was inflicted on us all by Liz Truss. I think it's really important that we recognise that there is a lot of pressure on palliative care and end-of-life care. We invest £10.5 million a year in palliative care, and we've provided an additional £2.2 million recently. And, obviously, we're now working towards the third phase of the commitment to review the situation. And, of course, you'll be aware that, during the pandemic, we allocated £13.8 million of emergency funding. Everyone is under pressure as a result of inflation. I spoke to some of those people who were in the Senedd last week, very aware of the pressure they're under. You'll be aware that we're not in a position at the moment to be handing additional money out; we're in a position where we're actually looking at every single penny that we spend. So, that is going to be very, very challenging for us, but I'm very pleased that what is happening is that Dr Idris Baker is leading our assessment of end-of-life care, and we'll wait to hear what he comes up with in terms of proposals.
Diolch yn fawr. Wel, fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol iawn o'r pwysau ariannol y clywsoch amdano ddoe, ac yn amlwg, mae hynny wedi'i achosi'n rhannol gan chwyddiant, yn rhannol gan y drychineb a achoswyd i ni i gyd gan Liz Truss. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn cydnabod bod llawer o bwysau ar ofal lliniarol a gofal diwedd oes. Rydym yn buddsoddi £10.5 miliwn y flwyddyn mewn gofal lliniarol, ac rydym wedi darparu £2.2 miliwn ychwanegol yn ddiweddar. Ac yn amlwg, rydym bellach yn gweithio tuag at drydydd cam yr ymrwymiad i adolygu'r sefyllfa. Ac wrth gwrs, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol ein bod wedi dyrannu £13.8 miliwn o gyllid brys yn ystod y pandemig. Mae pawb dan bwysau o ganlyniad i chwyddiant. Siaradais â rhai o'r bobl a oedd yn y Senedd yr wythnos diwethaf, yn ymwybodol iawn o'r pwysau sydd arnynt. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod nad ydym mewn sefyllfa ar hyn o bryd i ddosbarthu arian ychwanegol; rydym mewn sefyllfa lle rydym yn edrych ar bob ceiniog a wariwn. Felly, mae hynny'n mynd i fod yn heriol iawn i ni, ond rwy'n falch iawn mai'r hyn sy'n digwydd yw bod Dr Idris Baker yn arwain ein hasesiad o ofal diwedd oes, ac arhoswn i glywed beth mae'n ei ystyried o ran cynigion.
Tŷ Olwen Hospice is based in Swansea East about a mile away from where I live. The specialist palliative care team based at Tŷ Olwen provides a service to Singleton, Morriston, Neath Port Talbot and outlying community hospitals. It also provides a community service to the people of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, for which I and my constituents are very grateful. Will the Minister join with me in congratulating and thanking the volunteers who are an integral part of the work at Tŷ Olwen, and, on her next visit to Morriston Hospital, will she arrange to visit Tŷ Olwen?
Mae Hosbis Tŷ Olwen wedi'i leoli yn Nwyrain Abertawe tua milltir o ble rwy'n byw. Mae'r tîm gofal lliniarol arbenigol yn Nhŷ Olwen yn darparu gwasanaeth i ysbytai Singleton, Treforys, Castell-nedd Port Talbot ac ysbytai cymunedol mwy pellennig. Mae hefyd yn darparu gwasanaeth cymunedol i bobl Abertawe a Chastell-nedd Port Talbot, ac rwyf fi a fy etholwyr yn ddiolchgar iawn amdano. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ymuno â mi i longyfarch a diolch i'r gwirfoddolwyr sy'n rhan annatod o'r gwaith yn Nhŷ Olwen, ac ar ei hymweliad nesaf ag Ysbyty Treforys, a wnaiff hi drefnu i ymweld â Thŷ Olwen?
Thanks very much, Mike, and, certainly, I know last week was Hospice Care Week, and I think that was a really opportune time for people to thank the workforce and to celebrate the incredible work and difficult work that is done in hospice care. I know first-hand, from speaking to families and carers, about the importance of receiving the right support from hospice staff and volunteers in Wales. We know that good palliative care can make a huge difference to the quality of life of patients at the end of their days, and helping them to die with dignity is important. So, I'd be happy to consider a visit to Tŷ Olwen, of course, if my diary commitments allow that to happen.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Mike, ac yn sicr, rwy'n gwybod ei bod hi'n Wythnos Gofal Hosbis yr wythnos diwethaf, ac rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n amser da iawn i bobl ddiolch i'r gweithlu ac i ddathlu'r gwaith anhygoel a'r gwaith anodd sy'n cael ei wneud mewn gofal hosbis. Rwy'n gwybod o lygad y ffynnon, o siarad â theuluoedd a gofalwyr, am bwysigrwydd cael y cymorth cywir gan staff a gwirfoddolwyr hosbis yng Nghymru. Gwyddom y gall gofal lliniarol da wneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i ansawdd bywyd cleifion ar ddiwedd eu hoes, ac mae eu helpu i farw gydag urddas yn bwysig. Felly, rwy'n hapus i ystyried ymweliad â Thŷ Olwen wrth gwrs, os yw fy ymrwymiadau dyddiadur yn caniatáu i hynny ddigwydd.
7. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi cleifion strôc? OQ60098
7. How is the Welsh Government supporting stroke patients? OQ60098
A huge amount of work is already being undertaken across Wales to improve both access to stroke services and outcomes for people following a stroke. This is being guided by the expectations set out in our stroke quality statement.
Mae llawer iawn o waith eisoes yn cael ei wneud ledled Cymru i wella mynediad at wasanaethau strôc a chanlyniadau i bobl yn dilyn strôc. Mae hyn yn cael ei arwain gan y disgwyliadau a nodir yn ein datganiad ansawdd ar strôc.
Can I thank the Minister for that answer this afternoon and also the answers to some of my written questions on stroke this week? You'll be aware, Minister, that the first few hours are critical after any patient suffers a stroke, and I recently met with a constituent of mine, Peter Hooper, who, following a stroke, had a thrombectomy within three hours. The speed of this emergency surgery made a huge difference to Peter's life. He's now gone on to run two half marathons. Without the thrombectomy in those three hours he would have been most seriously disabled. So, he's gone on to raise the money through those half marathons, indeed, but there are still so many patients out there who are missing out on this important treatment. They could be walking out of hospital and they are being disabled or, unfortunately and very sadly, they are dead because of the lack of the service and access to this life-saving procedure. Minister, can I thank you for answers in response to my written questions, which set out in detail what the Welsh Government is doing on stroke services, but what more can you do to ensure quick access to this life-saving surgery, thrombectomy?
A gaf fi ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb hwnnw y prynhawn yma a hefyd yr atebion i rai o fy nghwestiynau ysgrifenedig ar strôc yr wythnos hon? Fe fyddwch yn gwybod, Weinidog, fod yr ychydig oriau cyntaf yn hanfodol ar ôl i glaf ddioddef strôc, ac yn ddiweddar fe wneuthum gyfarfod ag etholwr i mi, Peter Hooper, a oedd wedi cael thrombectomi o fewn tair awr yn dilyn strôc. Gwnaeth cyflymder y feddygaeth frys hon wahaniaeth enfawr i fywyd Peter. Mae bellach wedi mynd ymlaen i redeg dau hanner marathon. Heb y thrombectomi yn y tair awr hynny, byddai wedi bod ag anabledd difrifol iawn. Felly, mae wedi mynd ymlaen i godi arian drwy'r hanner marathonau hynny, ond mae cymaint o gleifion yn cael eu hamddifadu o'r driniaeth bwysig hon. Gallent fod yn cerdded allan o'r ysbyty, ond yn lle hynny cânt eu hanablu neu, yn anffodus ac yn drist iawn, maent yn marw oherwydd diffyg gwasanaeth a mynediad at y weithdrefn achub bywyd hon. Weinidog, a gaf fi ddiolch i chi am atebion mewn ymateb i fy nghwestiynau ysgrifenedig, sy'n nodi'n fanwl yr hyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud ar wasanaethau strôc, ond beth arall y gallwch ei wneud i sicrhau mynediad cyflym at y llawdriniaeth hon sy'n achub bywydau, thrombectomi?
Thanks very much, and it's good to hear about the incredible recovery. I had an incredible presentation last week from our leads on stroke across Wales. There is a really comprehensive programme of work that is being done. It’s not going to be switched on overnight, but there is a plan. Thrombectomy is absolutely central to that plan, and developing regional centres is important to that plan. I think we’ve got to acknowledge this is a highly specialised and skilled area. This is not going to be on every street corner in Wales. You’re going to have to have people who really know how to do this; we have to upskill people. But it is absolutely life changing, not just in terms of their quality of life, but also for the costs to their families, but also the costs to wider society, which are absolutely huge. Last week, I set out some of the projected costs for, I think, something like a 40 per cent increase in the number of people we expect to survive strokes in future. So, getting them to survive well is absolutely fundamental, and I just want to thank you for your real interest in this area.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, ac mae'n dda clywed am yr adferiad anhygoel. Cefais gyflwyniad anhygoel yr wythnos diwethaf gan ein harweinwyr strôc ar draws Cymru. Mae rhaglen waith wirioneddol gynhwysfawr yn cael ei gwneud. Nid yw'n mynd i fod yn weithredol dros nos, ond mae yna gynllun. Mae thrombectomi yn gwbl ganolog i'r cynllun hwnnw, ac mae datblygu canolfannau rhanbarthol yn bwysig i'r cynllun hwnnw. Rwy'n credu bod yn rhaid i ni gydnabod bod hwn yn faes arbenigol a medrus iawn. Nid yw'n mynd i fod ar gael ar bob cornel stryd yng Nghymru. Bydd yn rhaid i chi gael pobl sy'n gwybod yn iawn sut i wneud hyn; mae'n rhaid i ni wella sgiliau pobl. Ond mae'n newid bywyd yn llwyr, nid yn unig o ran ansawdd eu bywyd, ond hefyd o ran y costau i'w teuluoedd, a'r costau i'r gymdeithas ehangach, sy'n hollol enfawr. Yr wythnos diwethaf, nodais rai o'r costau rhagamcanol ar gyfer rhywbeth fel cynnydd o 40 y cant yn nifer y bobl y mae disgwyl iddynt oroesi strôc yn y dyfodol. Felly, mae eu cael i oroesi'n dda yn gwbl allweddol, a hoffwn ddiolch i chi am eich diddordeb gwirioneddol yn y maes hwn.
8. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddyfodol meddygfa Waunfawr yn Arfon? OQ60097
8. Will the Minister make a statement on the future of Waunfawr surgery in Arfon? OQ60097
Dwi'n ymwybodol o gynigion ar gyfer meddygfa newydd yn Waunfawr, a'r trafod sy'n digwydd rhwng swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru, y bwrdd iechyd a'r bwrdd partneriaeth rhanbarthol i sicrhau ateb integredig ar gyfer Waunfawr.
I am aware of proposals for a new surgery in Waunfawr and of the ongoing discussions between Welsh Government officials, the health board and the regional partnership board to find an integrated solution for Waunfawr.
Mi gefais i gyfarfod efo meddygon a staff meddygfa Waunfawr i drafod yr oedi efo datblygu’r feddygfa newydd. Maen nhw, fel fi, yn siomedig iawn nad oes unrhyw gynnydd efo’r cynllun hwn, sydd, fel y gwyddoch chi, ar y gweill ers blynyddoedd. Roedd o’n un o’r materion cyntaf i mi ymdrin ag o fel Aelod o’r Senedd newydd yn 2016, ac eto, mynd yn waeth yn lle gwella mae’r sefyllfa. Mae’r feddygfa bresennol, sydd â 6,000 o gleifion, mewn cyflwr gwael ac angen ei hadnewyddu. Mae’r feddygfa’n gwbl annigonol ar gyfer cynnal yr holl wasanaethau sydd ar gael, ac yn aml mae’n rhaid cynnal clinigau yn y gegin neu’r cyntedd oherwydd diffyg gofod, ac mae yna brinder gofod hefyd yn amharu ar allu’r feddygfa i dderbyn myfyrwyr meddygaeth o ysgol feddygol Bangor ar gyfer hyfforddiant. Felly, beth fedrwch chi fel Llywodraeth ei wneud i gefnogi datblygu cynllun hirdymor, ond hefyd i ymateb i sefyllfa sydd wedi gwaethygu dros dro ym meddygfa Waunfawr? Dwi wir yn pryderu am ddyfodol y practis ac, felly, am ofal cleifion ar draws ardal eang.
I had a meeting with doctors and staff at the Waunfawr surgery to discuss the delays in the development of the new surgery. They, like me, are very disappointed that there's been no progress with this plan, which, as you know, has been in the pipeline for years. It was one of the first issues that I dealt with as a Member of the new Senedd back in 2016, but things have been deteriorating rather than improving since then. The current surgery, which has 6,000 patients, is in poor condition and needs to be redeveloped. It is entirely inadequate for providing all of the services available, and often clinics have to be held in the hallway because of a lack of space. There's also a lack of space that is having an impact on the ability of the surgery to take medical students from the Bangor school of medicine for training. So, what can you as a Government do to support the development of a long-term plan, but also to respond to a situation that has deteriorated over a period of time at Waunfawr? I am truly concerned about the future of the practice and patient care across a broad area.
Wel, diolch yn fawr. Rŷch chi’n ymwybodol bod ymrwymiad yn ein rhaglen llywodraethu i fuddsoddi mewn cenhedlaeth newydd o adeiladau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol integredig, ac mae hwn yn cael ei gefnogi gan yr integration and rebalancing capital fund, yr IRCF. Dwi’n gwybod bod y bwrdd iechyd nawr yn gweithio gyda’r bartneriaeth yna yn adolygu'r cynnig a ddaeth o'u blaen nhw, ac maen nhw'n trial ailgyflwyno hwnna i’r panel. Bydd y panel nesaf yn cwrdd ym mis Rhagfyr, felly gobeithio, trwy gydweithredu gwell gyda’r bartneriaeth leol, y bydd hi’n haws i’r bwrdd iechyd dderbyn ac i’r IRCF dderbyn yr hyn a fydd yn dod o’u blaenau nhw. Ond beth sy’n bwysig, dwi’n meddwl, yw pwysleisio elfennau integreiddio’r cynllun, a dwi’n meddwl roedd angen sicrhau bod hwnna’n cael ei gryfhau yn yr hyn ddaeth o flaen y bwrdd sydd yn penderfynu.
Thank you. You're aware that we have a commitment in our programme for government to invest in a new generation of health and care buildings, which are integrated buildings. This is supported by the integration and rebalancing capital fund, the IRCF. I know that the health board is working with that partnership to review the proposal that came before them, and they are trying to resubmit that to the panel. The next panel will meet in December, so hopefully, through better co-operation with local partners, it will be easier for the health board and the ICRF to accept what comes before them. But what's important, I think, is to emphasise the integrated elements of the scheme, and I think that we needed to ensure that that was strengthened in what came before the board making the decision.
9. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gydag awdurdodau lleol ynglŷn â therfynu'r arfer o godi llog ar gostau gofal perthynas, yn enwedig ar ôl marwolaeth y berthynas? OQ60095
9. What discussions has the Minister had with local authorities about ending the practice of charging interest on the care costs of a relative, especially following the relative's death? OQ60095
Local authorities may apply interest on social care charges in limited circumstances, including deferred payment agreements on properties of persons in residential care, and in relation to outstanding repayments of charges after their death. It is right that authorities, covering such payments in a person’s lifetime, may levy appropriate interest.
Gall awdurdodau lleol godi llog ar daliadau gofal cymdeithasol mewn amgylchiadau cyfyngedig, gan gynnwys cytundebau taliadau gohiriedig ar eiddo unigolion mewn gofal preswyl, ac mewn perthynas ag ad-daliadau heb eu talu wedi iddynt farw. Mae'n iawn fod awdurdodau, sy'n gwneud taliadau o'r fath yn ystod oes unigolyn, yn cael codi llog priodol.
Diolch, Dirprwy Weinidog. This issue was brought to my attention by a constituent who has been corresponding with me for a few months. Her family were assured that her grandmother's care fees would be paid through her grandmother's pension and then topped up by the local authority. The family were not allowed to care for their grandmother and she was moved from NHS care to a private care home. They're now facing care fees of over £100,000. On top of this, the council is now charging them interest on those fees. It just feels really wrong, Dirprwy Weinidog. Can you justify the reasoning for this practice, which impacts the most vulnerable, impoverished and the most bereaved in our society? Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Tynnwyd fy sylw at y mater hwn gan etholwr sydd wedi bod yn gohebu â mi ers ychydig fisoedd. Sicrhawyd ei theulu y byddai ffioedd gofal ei mam-gu yn cael eu talu drwy bensiwn ei mam-gu a bod yr awdurdod lleol yn cyfrannu swm ychwanegol. Nid oedd y teulu yn cael gofalu am eu mam-gu ac fe gafodd ei symud o ofal y GIG i gartref gofal preifat. Maent yn wynebu ffioedd gofal o dros £100,000 nawr. Ar ben hynny, mae'r cyngor bellach yn codi llog ar y ffioedd hynny. Mae'n teimlo'n hollol anghywir, Ddirprwy Weinidog. A allwch chi gyfiawnhau'r rhesymeg dros yr arfer hwn, sy'n effeithio ar y rhai mwyaf agored i niwed, y bobl dlotaf a'r rhai sy'n galaru yn ein cymdeithas? Diolch yn fawr.
Well thank you, Rhys ab Owen, for that question. Under legislation local authorities have discretion to apply interest on a social care charge in some limited circumstances. The interest rate must be set in line with legal requirements and can accrue until the debt is repaid, which could be following a person's death.
Other limited circumstances where a local authority recovers a debt for outstanding care costs, and where interest can also be applied, are also set in legislation. So, it is legal to be able to do this. And the ability of local authorities to recover interest in some situations where, for example, they have covered the full amount of a person's social care charges during their lifetime is an important part of the framework for charging, and I don't have any immediate plans to change this. The code of practice is clear that the levying of interest is to be done in order to allow such things as deferred payment agreements to operate on a cost-neutral basis, including covering such things as the administration of the agreement.
So, I'm very sorry for the situation that your constituent finds herself in, but it's clear that this is a legal thing that is able to be done, and I don't think we have any plans to change it.
Wel diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn hwnnw, Rhys ab Owen. O dan ddeddfwriaeth, mae gan awdurdodau lleol ddisgresiwn i godi llog ar dâl gofal cymdeithasol mewn rhai amgylchiadau cyfyngedig. Rhaid gosod y gyfradd llog yn unol â gofynion cyfreithiol a gall gronni tan bod y ddyled yn cael ei had-dalu, a allai fod yn dilyn marwolaeth rhywun.
Mae amgylchiadau cyfyngedig eraill lle mae awdurdod lleol yn adennill dyled am gostau gofal sy'n ddyledus, a lle gellir codi llog hefyd, wedi eu gosod mewn deddfwriaeth. Felly, mae'n gyfreithiol i wneud hyn. Ac mae gallu awdurdodau lleol i adennill llog mewn rhai sefyllfaoedd lle maent, er enghraifft, wedi talu swm llawn taliadau gofal cymdeithasol unigolyn yn ystod eu hoes yn rhan bwysig o'r fframwaith codi tâl, ac nid oes gennyf unrhyw gynlluniau ar unwaith i newid hyn. Mae'r cod ymarfer yn glir fod codi llog yn digwydd er mwyn caniatáu i bethau fel cytundebau taliadau gohiriedig weithredu ar sail niwtral o ran cost, gan gynnwys talu am bethau fel gweinyddu'r cytundeb.
Felly, mae'n ddrwg iawn gennyf am y sefyllfa y mae eich etholwr ynddi, ond mae'n amlwg fod hyn yn beth cyfreithiol y gellir ei wneud, ac nid wyf yn credu bod gennym unrhyw gynlluniau i'w newid.
Yn olaf, cwestiwn 10. Huw Irranca-Davies.
Finally, question 10. Huw Irranca-Davies.
10. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y ganolfan diagnosteg a thriniaeth newydd sydd wedi'i chynllunio ar gyfer parc iechyd Llantrisant? OQ60088
10. Will the Minister provide an update on the new diagnostics and treatment centre planned for Llantrisant health park? OQ60088
Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB and its regional partners are developing the business case for the Llantrisant health park. The current forecast date for construction is 2025, with all parties looking at how this can be brought forward. Alongside this, plans are being developed to provide temporary diagnostic capacity on the site by April 2024.
Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg a'i bartneriaid rhanbarthol yn datblygu'r achos busnes ar gyfer parc iechyd Llantrisant. Y dyddiad cyfredol ar gyfer y gwaith adeiladu yw 2025, gyda'r holl bartïon yn edrych ar sut y gellir dod â hyn ymlaen. Ochr yn ochr â hyn, mae cynlluniau'n cael eu datblygu i ddarparu capasiti diagnostig dros dro ar y safle erbyn mis Ebrill 2024.
Minister, you'll be please to know that I and several other local and regional MSs had a sneak preview of this development in the last few weeks. I've got to say, it's very exciting because as this rolls into being over the next months and years, they're actually bringing together specialists, consultants and their wider teams in one unit to do diagnostics and treatment that will definitely have an impact on waiting times and waiting lists.
But we don't have to wait for that. I think there are other innovations going on. And could I ask the Minister whether she's seen the results of the orthopaedic surgeon Keshav Singhal and his team in the Princess of Wales Hospital, where they are doing day surgery and then getting people home much more rapidly, without taking up in-patient beds? Well patients going home where they want to be, but also getting earlier then into recuperation and literally on their feet, so avoiding other problems such as deep-vein thrombosis or loss of mobility as well.
We can do some of these things now, these innovations, in our current structure. How do we roll these out more across hospitals throughout Wales?
Weinidog, fe fyddwch yn falch o wybod fy mod i a sawl Aelod lleol a rhanbarthol arall o'r Senedd wedi cael cipolwg ar y datblygiad hwn yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, mae'n gyffrous iawn oherwydd wrth i hyn ddod i fodolaeth dros y misoedd a'r blynyddoedd nesaf, maent yn dod ag arbenigwyr, ymgynghorwyr a'u timau ehangach ynghyd mewn un uned i wneud gwaith diagnostig a thriniaeth a fydd yn bendant yn cael effaith ar amseroedd aros a rhestrau aros.
Ond nid oes rhaid inni aros am hynny. Rwy'n credu bod datblygiadau arloesol eraill yn digwydd. Ac a gaf fi ofyn i'r Gweinidog a yw wedi gweld canlyniadau'r llawfeddyg orthopedig Keshav Singhal a'i dîm yn Ysbyty Tywysoges Cymru, lle maent yn gwneud llawdriniaethau dydd ac yna'n cael pobl adref yn llawer cyflymach, heb ddefnyddio gwelyau cleifion mewnol? Cleifion iach yn mynd adref lle maent eisiau bod, ond hefyd yn adfer yn gynt wedyn ac yn dod yn ôl ar eu traed yn llythrennol, ac felly'n osgoi problemau eraill fel thrombosis gwythiennau dwfn neu golli symudedd.
Gallwn wneud rhai o'r pethau hyn nawr, y datblygiadau arloesol hyn, yn ein strwythur presennol. Sut mae cyflwyno'r rhain ymhellach ar draws ysbytai ledled Cymru?
Thanks very much, Huw. And I know, I've heard that lots of you have had a little sneak preview and I'm looking forward to having a sneak preview myself. So, the great thing about this is that it's very much being led by the clinical teams and this is very much a regional approach to how we're going to deal with diagnostics in future, which is fundamental to so many things, but in particular, cancer. And I'm really worried about cancer, and how we drive forward, because the number of people whom we are referring for cancer diagnostics is increasing significantly. So, the development of the three regional hubs, the first one of which is going to be in Llantrisant, is really important and really significant.
Kesh is doing incredible work, in particular in relation to orthopaedics. We need to see a significant increase in the amount of day surgery we see, in particular in relation to orthopaedics. We know that GIRFT, which is the Getting It Right First Time approach, gives chapter and verse in terms of how we should be and could be improving productivity. There's a long way to go on improving productivity in relation to orthopaedics in particular, and if you look at the number of day cases there are real opportunities for increasing that. I think GIRFT suggests it could be up to 70 per cent; we are a long way from that in Wales at the moment. I know that things are improving. We're really pleased to see, for example, in Abergele, an absolute sea change in the way that things are happening in Abergele. But we need to see that being embedded and rolled out across the whole of Wales.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Huw. Ac rwy'n gwybod, rwyf wedi clywed bod llawer ohonoch wedi cael cipolwg bach ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at gael cipolwg fy hun. Felly, y peth gwych am hyn yw ei fod yn cael ei arwain i raddau helaeth gan y timau clinigol ac mae hwn yn ddull rhanbarthol i raddau helaeth o ymdrin â diagnosteg yn y dyfodol, sy'n sylfaenol i gynifer o bethau, ond yn enwedig canser. Ac rwy'n poeni'n fawr am ganser, a sut rydym yn datblygu hynny, oherwydd mae nifer y bobl rydym yn eu hatgyfeirio at ddiagnosteg canser yn cynyddu'n sylweddol. Felly, mae datblygu'r tair canolfan ranbarthol, gyda'r gyntaf yn Llantrisant, yn bwysig iawn ac yn arwyddocaol iawn.
Mae Kesh yn gwneud gwaith anhygoel, yn enwedig mewn perthynas ag orthopedeg. Mae angen inni weld cynnydd sylweddol yn nifer y llawdriniaethau dydd a welwn, yn enwedig mewn perthynas ag orthopedeg. Fe wyddom mai dull 'ei wneud yn iawn y tro cyntaf' yw'r ffordd y dylem ac y gallem wella cynhyrchiant. Mae ffordd bell i fynd i wella cynhyrchiant mewn perthynas ag orthopedeg yn enwedig, ac os edrychwch ar nifer yr achosion dydd, mae cyfleoedd gwirioneddol i gynyddu hynny. Rwy'n credu bod 'ei wneud yn iawn y tro cyntaf' yn awgrymu y gallai olygu hyd at 70 y cant; rydym ymhell o hynny yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd. Rwy'n gwybod bod pethau'n gwella. Rydym yn falch iawn o weld gweddnewidiad llwyr yn Abergele, er enghraifft, yn y ffordd y mae pethau'n digwydd yno. Ond mae angen inni weld hynny'n ymsefydlu ac yn cael ei gyflwyno ar draws Cymru gyfan.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, fydd y cwestiwn amserol. Mae'r cwestiwn heddiw i'w ateb gan y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol ac i'w ofyn gan Sam Rowlands.
The next item will be the topical question. The question today is going to be answered by the Minister for Finance and Local Government and is to be asked by Sam Rowlands.
1. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog yn eu cael gydag arweinydd Cyngor Sir Ddinbych yn dilyn ei rybudd fod y cyngor yn wynebu methdaliad oni bai bod gwasanaethau a swyddi yn cael eu torri? TQ882
1. What discussions is the Minister having with the leader of Denbighshire County Council following his warning that the council is facing bankruptcy unless services and jobs are cut? TQ882
I work closely with local authorities to understand the pressures they face. I meet regularly with leaders, individually and through relevant groups such as the partnership council and the finance sub-group. I'm meeting the leader of Denbighshire council tomorrow and the finance sub-group on 25 October.
Rwy'n gweithio'n agos gydag awdurdodau lleol i ddeall y pwysau sy'n eu hwynebu. Rwy'n cyfarfod yn rheolaidd ag arweinwyr, yn unigol a thrwy grwpiau perthnasol fel y cyngor partneriaeth a'r is-grŵp cyllid. Rwy'n cyfarfod ag arweinydd Cyngor Sir Ddinbych yfory a'r is-grŵp cyllid ar 25 Hydref.
Thank you for your initial response, Minister. You will know, Minister, that councils and the services they provide are some of the most important in our communities, from schools and social care right through to emptying bins and filling potholes. So, clearly, it's very worrying for residents, staff and locally elected councillors when their council leader says,
'The main priority for cabinet at this point is to stop the council from going bankrupt,'
because, of course, it's trying to fill a £26 million shortfall.
So, I have a number of questions I'd like you to be able to answer this afternoon, please, Minister. The first one is: is this statement a surprise to you? If not, what have you been doing to ensure that the council is properly supported? If it is a surprise, are you confident that you have the right reporting systems in place to detect these concerns?
The second question is: this position of potential bankruptcy has been revealed through a private letter, which has found itself in the press. Now, opposition members have raised concerns that there's a lack of transparency and openness with Denbighshire's budget. Do you share these same concerns?
A final question, Minister, is that I've raised in this Chamber a number of times the need for an independent review of the funding formula, because whilst we have Denbighshire County Council on the edge of bankruptcy, we know that places like Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cardiff and Carmarthenshire have hundreds of millions of pounds squirreled away in reserves. So, will you accept today, as a result of a Labour leader of a council in north Wales, that this funding formula needs to be independently reviewed to ensure councils are not in this position in the future?
Diolch am eich ymateb cychwynnol, Weinidog. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod, Weinidog, fod cynghorau a'r gwasanaethau y maent yn eu darparu ymhlith y pethau pwysicaf yn ein cymunedau, o ysgolion a gofal cymdeithasol i wagio biniau a llenwi tyllau mewn ffyrdd. Felly, yn amlwg, mae'n peri pryder mawr i drigolion, staff a chynghorwyr a etholwyd yn lleol pan fydd arweinydd eu cyngor yn dweud,
'Prif flaenoriaeth y cabinet ar hyn o bryd yw atal y cyngor rhag methdaliad,'
oherwydd, wrth gwrs, mae'n ceisio llenwi diffyg o £26 miliwn.
Felly, mae gennyf nifer o gwestiynau yr hoffwn i chi eu hateb y prynhawn yma, os gwelwch yn dda, Weinidog. Y cyntaf yw: a yw'r datganiad hwn yn syndod i chi? Os na, beth rydych chi wedi bod yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod y cyngor yn cael ei gefnogi'n briodol? Os yw'n syndod, a ydych chi'n hyderus fod gennych y systemau adrodd cywir ar waith i ganfod y pryderon hyn?
Yr ail gwestiwn yw: datgelwyd y sefyllfa hon o fethdaliad posibl trwy lythyr preifat a ddaeth i sylw'r wasg. Nawr, mae aelodau'r gwrthbleidiau wedi mynegi pryderon fod diffyg tryloywder ac agwedd agored ynghylch cyllideb sir Ddinbych. A ydych yn rhannu'r un pryderon?
Y cwestiwn terfynol, Weinidog, yw fy mod wedi cyfeirio yn y Siambr hon sawl gwaith at yr angen am adolygiad annibynnol o'r fformiwla gyllido, oherwydd er bod gennym Gyngor Sir Ddinbych ar fin wynebu methdaliad, fe wyddom fod gan leoedd fel Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerdydd a sir Gaerfyrddin gannoedd o filiynau o bunnoedd wedi'u cadw mewn cronfeydd wrth gefn. Felly, a wnewch chi dderbyn heddiw, o ganlyniad i arweinydd Llafur un o gynghorau gogledd Cymru, fod angen adolygu'r fformiwla gyllido hon yn annibynnol i sicrhau nad yw cynghorau yn y sefyllfa hon yn y dyfodol?
Well, just to reassure the Member and people living in Denbighshire, and all colleagues in the Chamber, I have been assured by the leader of the council today that Denbighshire will present a balanced budget. What the communication referred to does is, essentially, highlight the severe pressure that local government is under and the difficult decisions that they're going to have to take in order to balance the budget. That's not different in Denbighshire; that's the same pressure that is being experienced across local government.
Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. Difficult decisions, like the ones that we've heard about, do not need to be taken. All of this is avoidable. The UK Government can, on 22 November, at its autumn statement, invest in public services and provide the Welsh Government with the funding that we need to provide to local government. The UK Government is no friend of local government, we know that, whereas we work really hard with local government to understand their pressures.
So, in terms of that question about the reporting mechanisms that we have, we work constantly, and my officials are in constant contact with the treasurers right across local government here in Wales, and we understand the pressures. We have regular reports; we've got the finance sub-group meeting next week, where we'll be taking another paper that goes in detail through the pressures that local government is facing here in Wales. But it is avoidable, the UK Government can take action on 22 November, and I hope that the Member will join us in pressing the UK Government to invest in public services when it has the opportunity to do so.
We have done everything that we can to support local government. You will all be aware that the increase to the local government settlement this year was 7.9 per cent. That was a generous settlement and it was absolutely the furthest that we could go. This Government protected the revenue support grant when we undertook that very painful exercise reprioritising funding across Government—again, recognising the important services that we've heard about: schools, waste collection, social services. So, this Government will do everything that it can to protect public services, but it obviously needs the support of the UK Government to give us the funding to do so.
Wel, os caf sicrhau'r Aelod a'r bobl sy'n byw yn sir Ddinbych, a phob cyd-Aelod yn y Siambr, rwyf wedi cael sicrwydd gan arweinydd y cyngor heddiw y bydd sir Ddinbych yn cyflwyno cyllideb wedi'i mantoli. Yn y bôn, yr hyn y mae'r cyfathrebiad y cyfeirir ato yn ei wneud yw amlygu'r pwysau difrifol sydd ar lywodraeth leol a'r penderfyniadau anodd y bydd yn rhaid iddynt eu gwneud er mwyn mantoli'r gyllideb. Nid yw hynny'n wahanol yn sir Ddinbych; dyna'r pwysau sy'n cael ei brofi ar draws llywodraeth leol.
Wrth gwrs, nid oes rhaid i hyn fod felly. Nid oes angen gwneud penderfyniadau anodd, fel y rhai y clywsom amdanynt. Gellir osgoi hyn i gyd. Gall Llywodraeth y DU, ar 22 Tachwedd, yn natganiad yr hydref, fuddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a darparu'r cyllid i Lywodraeth Cymru sydd angen i ni ei ddarparu i lywodraeth leol. Nid yw Llywodraeth y DU yn gyfaill i lywodraeth leol, rydym yn gwybod hynny, ond rydym ni'n gweithio'n galed iawn gyda llywodraeth leol i ddeall y pwysau arnynt.
Felly, ar y cwestiwn am y mecanweithiau adrodd sydd gennym, rydym yn gweithio'n gyson, ac mae fy swyddogion mewn cysylltiad cyson â'r trysoryddion ar draws llywodraeth leol yma yng Nghymru, ac rydym yn deall y pwysau. Rydym yn cael adroddiadau rheolaidd; mae gennym gyfarfod is-grŵp cyllid yr wythnos nesaf, lle byddwn yn trafod papur arall sy'n edrych yn fanwl ar y pwysau y mae llywodraeth leol yn eu hwynebu yma yng Nghymru. Ond gellir osgoi hynny, gall Llywodraeth y DU weithredu ar 22 Tachwedd, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr Aelod yn ymuno â ni i bwyso ar Lywodraeth y DU i fuddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus pan fydd yn cael cyfle i wneud hynny.
Rydym wedi gwneud popeth yn ein gallu i gefnogi llywodraeth leol. Fe fyddwch i gyd yn ymwybodol fod y cynnydd i'r setliad llywodraeth leol eleni yn 7.9 y cant. Roedd hwnnw'n setliad hael a dyna'n sicr oedd y pellaf y gallem fynd. Diogelodd y Llywodraeth hon y grant cynnal refeniw pan wnaethom gyflawni'r ymarfer poenus iawn ar ailflaenoriaethu cyllid ar draws y Llywodraeth—eto, gan gydnabod y gwasanaethau pwysig y clywsom amdanynt: ysgolion, casglu gwastraff, gwasanaethau cymdeithasol. Felly, bydd y Llywodraeth hon yn gwneud popeth yn ei gallu i ddiogelu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, ond yn amlwg mae angen cefnogaeth Llywodraeth y DU arni i roi'r cyllid i ni allu gwneud hynny.
Let's be clear what the leader of Denbighshire council has said. He said,
'I just want to clarify: in no way are we saying that Denbighshire is going bankrupt,'
for the avoidance of doubt.
'What I wanted to stress was that what we've seen in England is councils going bust because they can't balance the books. But we are going to avoid that',
he says. So, let's not get ahead of ourselves and think that they're expecting to go bankrupt. But let's neither fool ourselves that it is a very challenging set of financial circumstances that all local authorities find themselves in. And I know for a fact, actually, that there are some local authorities in Wales that are in deeper waters and financial troubles than Denbighshire.
Now, that will require cuts in services and that will require increases in council tax, regrettably, because that is the only way that they can balance the books. And the Wales Governance Centre has illustrated to us the scale of challenge caused by a decade of Westminster austerity. The funding gap in local finance projected by 2027-28 is £0.75 billion. So, that's the scale of the challenge, and Denbighshire and others will have to grapple with that. But as the leader of Denbighshire says, the first priority is to make sure that they don't go bankrupt and that they do balance the books. Unlike, of course, some councils in England that have gone bankrupt.
Now, you've addressed, somewhat, what arrangements you might have in place were it to come to the worst in any local authority in Wales. So, I'll just ask, maybe, if I may, Minister, as council taxes, regrettably, are likely to go up in many councils in Wales, we know that that hits the poorest the hardest, doesn't it, because it is a regressive tax and the regressive nature of council tax means that it's those less well-off who carry a disproportionate burden when those taxes go up. So, would you not agree with me that this, again, underlines the need to reform council tax in Wales to make it fairer, so that it isn't the least well-off in society who are, once again, paying the price for Tory austerity?
Gadewch inni fod yn glir beth mae arweinydd Cyngor Sir Ddinbych wedi'i ddweud. Dywedodd
'Rwyf am egluro: nid wyf yn dweud o gwbl fod sir Ddinbych yn wynebu methdaliad,'
er mwyn osgoi amheuaeth.
'Yr hyn roeddwn am ei bwysleisio oedd mai'r hyn a welsom yn Lloegr yw cynghorau'n wynebu methdaliad oherwydd nad ydynt yn gallu mantoli'r cyfrifon. Ond rydym yn mynd i osgoi hynny,'
meddai. Felly, gadewch inni beidio â mynd o flaen gofid a meddwl eu bod yn disgwyl wynebu methdaliad. Ond gadewch inni beidio â thwyllo ein hunain nad yw pob awdurdod lleol yn wynebu cyfres heriol iawn o amgylchiadau ariannol. Ac rwy'n gwybod bod rhai awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru mewn dyfroedd dyfnach a thrafferthion ariannol gwaeth na sir Ddinbych.
Nawr, bydd hynny'n galw am doriadau mewn gwasanaethau a bydd hynny'n galw am godi'r dreth gyngor, yn anffodus, oherwydd dyna'r unig ffordd y gallant fantoli'r cyfrifon. Ac mae Canolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru wedi dangos i ni beth yw maint yr her a achoswyd gan ddegawd o gyni ariannol yn San Steffan. Y bwlch ariannol mewn cyllid lleol a ragwelir erbyn 2027-28 yw £0.75 biliwn. Felly, dyna yw maint yr her, a bydd yn rhaid i sir Ddinbych ac eraill fynd i'r afael â hynny. Ond fel y dywed arweinydd sir Ddinbych, y flaenoriaeth gyntaf yw sicrhau nad ydynt yn wynebu methdaliad a'u bod yn mantoli'r cyfrifon. Yn annhebyg, wrth gwrs, i rai cynghorau yn Lloegr sydd wedi wynebu methdaliad.
Nawr, rydych wedi nodi pa drefniadau a allai fod gennych ar waith pe bai'r senario waethaf yn digwydd mewn unrhyw awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru. Felly, fe ofynnaf, os caf, Weinidog, gan fod trethi cynghorau yn debygol o godi mewn llawer o gynghorau yng Nghymru, yn anffodus, fe wyddom fod hynny'n taro'r tlotaf yn waeth na neb arall, onid yw, oherwydd ei bod yn dreth anflaengar ac mae natur anflaengar y dreth gyngor yn golygu mai'r rhai llai cefnog sy'n ysgwyddo baich anghymesur pan fydd y trethi hynny'n codi. Felly, oni fyddech yn cytuno bod hyn, unwaith eto, yn tanlinellu'r angen i ddiwygio'r dreth gyngor yng Nghymru i'w gwneud yn decach, fel nad y lleiaf cefnog mewn cymdeithas sydd, unwaith eto, yn talu'r pris am gyni Torïaidd?
I'm very grateful to the Member for the question. I'm very proud of the work that we've been doing in partnership with Plaid Cymru as part of our co-operation agreement on making council tax fairer. And I'd just like to put on record, really, my appreciation for the work that has been done in that space. Now, we're coming to the point when we will be having our phase 2 consultation, so I'll be saying more about that shortly, and that will help us look more closely at what the road ahead looks like. Having done phase 1 consultation and gotten broad views, it's now about narrowing down the horizon in terms of the choices that we will make. But as colleagues recognise, council tax is a regressive tax; we want to make it a fairer council tax and we are very committed to doing so.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn. Rwy'n falch iawn o'r gwaith y buom yn ei wneud mewn partneriaeth â Phlaid Cymru fel rhan o'n cytundeb cydweithio ar wneud y dreth gyngor yn decach. A hoffwn gofnodi fy ngwerthfawrogiad o'r gwaith sydd wedi'i wneud ar hynny. Nawr, rydym yn dod at y pwynt pan fyddwn yn cynnal ein hymgynghoriad cam 2, felly byddaf yn dweud mwy am hynny cyn bo hir, a bydd hynny'n ein helpu i edrych yn agosach ar sut fydd y ffordd sydd o'n blaenau yn edrych. Ar ôl gwneud ymgynghoriad cam 1 a chael safbwyntiau eang, mae bellach yn ymwneud â lleihau'r gorwel o ran y dewisiadau y byddwn yn eu gwneud. Ond fel y mae cyd-Aelodau'n cydnabod, mae'r dreth gyngor yn dreth anflaengar; rydym am ei gwneud yn dreth gyngor decach ac rydym yn ymrwymedig iawn i wneud hynny.
I thank Sam Rowlands for tabling this important subject in the Senedd today. As the local Member for the vast majority of Denbighshire, I'm personally horrified to read of this news of trying to avoid bankruptcy in the council. And to me, it sums up the weak, lethargic and febrile Labour leadership of this council since the local elections in 2022, coupled with a Labour Welsh Government who can't see the wood for the trees in working up a solution to this ever-growing problem.
I was a member of Denbighshire council for five years and it's sad to see the current state of this council under this new leadership, which has been failure after failure since day 1. And quite frankly, the leadership are out of their depth and out of ideas on how to manage this council, and some have been using their senior positions to promote their own political ambitions.
For many years, politicians of all persuasions have argued the case for a fair funding formula for north Wales authorities to match that of those in south Wales and we are desperately short-changed in comparison to other areas, leaving difficult decisions to be made on the day-to-day running of services, which have an impact on people's everyday lives. So, will the Minister finally accept that a review of the Welsh Government's funding formula to councils is in need of radical reform to ensure that a fair system is in place for everyone in Wales, no matter where they live?
Diolch i Sam Rowlands am gyflwyno'r pwnc pwysig hwn yn y Senedd heddiw. Fel yr Aelod lleol dros y mwyafrif helaeth o sir Ddinbych, yn bersonol rwy'n arswydo wrth ddarllen y newyddion am y ffordd mae'r cyngor yn ceisio osgoi wynebu methdaliad. Ac i mi, mae'n crynhoi arweinyddiaeth Lafur wan, swrth a gwael y cyngor hwn ers yr etholiadau lleol yn 2022, ynghyd â Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru nad yw'n gweld yr hyn sydd o'i blaen wrth geisio dod o hyd i ateb i'r broblem gynyddol hon.
Bûm yn aelod o Gyngor Sir Ddinbych am bum mlynedd ac mae'n drist gweld ei gyflwr presennol o dan yr arweinyddiaeth newydd hon, sydd wedi cael methiant ar ôl methiant ers y diwrnod cyntaf. A dweud y gwir, mae'r arweinyddiaeth mewn dyfroedd dyfnion a heb syniad sut i reoli'r cyngor hwn, ac mae rhai wedi bod yn defnyddio eu swyddi uwch i hyrwyddo eu huchelgeisiau gwleidyddol eu hunain.
Ers blynyddoedd lawer, mae gwleidyddion o bob lliw wedi dadlau'r achos dros fformiwla gyllido deg i awdurdodau'r gogledd i gyd-fynd ag awdurdodau de Cymru ac rydym ar ein colled yn enbyd o'i gymharu ag ardaloedd eraill, gan adael penderfyniadau anodd i'w gwneud ynghylch gweithredu gwasanaethau o ddydd i ddydd, sy'n cael effaith ar fywydau pob dydd pobl. Felly, a wnaiff y Gweinidog dderbyn o'r diwedd fod angen diwygio fformiwla gyllido cynghorau Llywodraeth Cymru yn radical er mwyn sicrhau bod system deg ar waith i bawb yng Nghymru, ni waeth ble maent yn byw?
I'll begin by saying that the start of the contribution was a very lazy contribution to what is a really, really serious issue. I actually commend the leader of Denbighshire council for the work that he's done in identifying the pressures early on and working to seek a solution. There is no suggestion at all that any part of Wales on a geographic basis is disadvantaged by the funding formula. Of course, four of the six north Wales authorities received increases to their budgets that were in excess of the average across Wales in this financial year. So, we do look at the formula all of the time; we look at the data, we make changes, the distribution sub-group makes a whole range of recommendations on an annual basis. We're not looking at a whole-scale review of the funding formula at the moment; obviously, if the Welsh Local Government Association wanted to come forward with that suggestion, we would be open to that. But let's remember, the last question was in relation to council tax reform. Council tax reform has a potential—depending on which option is taken, of course—to quite drastically change the tax base of local authorities, so there would be significant churn there. That, on top of a review of the funding formula, which could take a number of years, I think would introduce a lot of uncertainty into the system. We are, therefore, concentrating at the moment on making council tax fairer and updating the funding formula to make sure that it uses the latest information.
Fe ddechreuaf drwy ddweud bod dechrau'r cyfraniad yn ymateb diog iawn i'r hyn sy'n fater hynod o ddifrifol. Rwy'n canmol arweinydd Cyngor Sir Ddinbych am y gwaith y mae wedi'i wneud yn nodi'r pwysau'n gynnar a gweithio i ddod o hyd i ateb. Nid oes awgrym o gwbl fod unrhyw ran o Gymru ar sail ddaearyddol dan anfantais yn sgil y fformiwla gyllido. Wrth gwrs, fe welodd pedwar o'r chwe awdurdod yng ngogledd Cymru gynnydd i'w cyllidebau a oedd yn fwy na'r cyfartaledd ledled Cymru yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Felly, rydym yn edrych ar y fformiwla trwy'r amser; rydym yn edrych ar y data, rydym yn gwneud newidiadau, mae'r is-grŵp dosbarthu yn gwneud amrywiaeth eang o argymhellion yn flynyddol. Nid ydym yn edrych ar adolygiad cyflawn o'r fformiwla gyllido ar hyn o bryd; yn amlwg, pe bai Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru am gyflwyno'r awgrym hwnnw, byddem yn agored i hynny. Ond gadewch inni gofio, roedd y cwestiwn olaf mewn perthynas â diwygio'r dreth gyngor. Mae gan ddiwygio'r dreth gyngor allu—yn dibynnu ar ba opsiwn a ddewisir, wrth gwrs—i newid sylfaen dreth awdurdodau lleol yn helaeth, felly byddai newidiadau sylweddol o ganlyniad i hynny. Rwy'n credu y byddai hynny, ar ben adolygiad o'r fformiwla gyllido, a allai gymryd nifer o flynyddoedd, yn cyflwyno llawer o ansicrwydd i'r system. Felly, rydym yn canolbwyntio ar hyn o bryd ar wneud y dreth gyngor yn decach a diweddaru'r fformiwla gyllido i sicrhau ei bod yn defnyddio'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf.
As a former leader of a north Wales council, my colleague Sam Rowlands knows just as well as I do, as a former deputy leader and cabinet member, the pressures local authorities are under following 13 years of Tory austerity. Councils right across the UK have been pushed to breaking point by a toxic combination of more than a decade of cuts, huge inflationary pressures, a cost-of-living crisis and a total mismanagement of the economy. There will be red lines that they are looking at now; I remember that—year upon year of facing this. You don't want to cut education; I remember that. Some councils did take the decision to cut education funding. These red lines are really difficult to cross, and this is probably why the leader has said they could be facing bankruptcy—this is how serious it is. But I know that Denbighshire will set a balanced budget, as councils always have to do, but they will be forced to make these very difficult decisions. I know I've asked for you to look at the funding formula—the pie is too small coming from here, but coming from the UK Government. And I'm sure that councils right across the UK will be faced with these really tough decisions. So, Minister, have your UK counterparts given you any reassurances that they may truly understand the chaos they have caused and are willing to take mitigation to help our front-line services—not just in Wales, but across the UK? Thank you.
Fel cyn-arweinydd cyngor yng ngogledd Cymru, mae fy nghyd-Aelod Sam Rowlands yn gwybod cystal â mi, fel cyn-ddirprwy arweinydd ac aelod cabinet, am y pwysau sydd ar awdurdodau lleol yn dilyn 13 mlynedd o gyni Torïaidd. Mae cynghorau ledled y DU wedi cael eu gwthio i'r eithaf gan gyfuniad gwenwynig o fwy na degawd o doriadau, pwysau chwyddiant enfawr, argyfwng costau byw a chamreoli'r economi yn llwyr. Bydd yna linellau coch y maent yn edrych arnynt yn awr; rwy'n cofio hynny—flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn o wynebu hyn. Nid ydych am dorri addysg; rwy'n cofio hynny. Fe wnaeth rhai cynghorau benderfynu cwtogi cyllid addysg. Mae'n anodd iawn croesi'r llinellau coch hyn, a dyma pam fod yr arweinydd wedi dweud y gallant fod yn wynebu methdaliad, mae'n debyg—dyma pa mor ddifrifol yw hyn. Ond rwy'n gwybod y bydd sir Ddinbych yn gosod cyllideb wedi'i mantoli, fel y mae'n rhaid i gynghorau ei wneud bob amser, ond fe fyddant yn cael eu gorfodi i wneud penderfyniadau anodd iawn. Rwy'n gwybod fy mod wedi gofyn i chi edrych ar y fformiwla gyllido—mae'r swm sy'n dod o'r fan hyn yn rhy fach, ond yr hyn sy'n dod o Lywodraeth y DU. Ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd cynghorau ledled y DU yn wynebu'r penderfyniadau anodd iawn hyn. Felly, Weinidog, a yw swyddogion cyfatebol y DU wedi rhoi unrhyw sicrwydd i chi y gallant wir ddeall yr anrhefn y maent wedi'i achosi a'u bod yn barod i roi mesurau lliniarol ar waith er mwyn helpu ein gwasanaethau rheng flaen—nid yn unig yng Nghymru, ond ledled y DU? Diolch.
Thank you very much for the question. There's no indication at all from the UK Government that it understands the struggles that local governments are facing—certainly not in England, and I know that they're not interested in the trials of local authorities here in Wales. But that said, we will continue to make the case very strongly to them. I've already written to the Chancellor ahead of the 22 November autumn statement setting out what our asks are for Wales, and right at the top of that is the investment in public services so that we are able to provide local government and the NHS with the funding that they need to be able to deliver the kind of services that we want for everybody in Wales.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am y cwestiwn. Nid oes awgrym o gwbl gan Lywodraeth y DU ei bod yn deall y trafferthion y mae llywodraeth leol yn eu hwynebu—yn sicr nid yn Lloegr, a gwn nad oes ganddynt ddiddordeb yn nhrafferthion awdurdodau lleol yma yng Nghymru. Ond wedi dweud hynny, byddwn yn parhau i gyflwyno'r achos yn gryf iawn iddynt. Rwyf eisoes wedi ysgrifennu at y Canghellor cyn datganiad yr hydref ar 22 Tachwedd yn nodi beth yw ein gofynion ar gyfer Cymru, ac ar y brig yn hynny, mae'r buddsoddiad mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus er mwyn inni allu darparu'r cyllid sydd ei angen ar lywodraeth leol a'r GIG i ddarparu'r math o wasanaethau rydym eisiau i bawb yng Nghymru eu cael.
Minister, it's very clear that the comments from the leader of Denbighshire council were unwise, unhelpful, alarmist and have stoked some fear amongst the local population about what their council tax might look like next year. In fact, these comments appear to me to be nothing more than paving the way for another huge and inflation-busting council tax increase for local residents. So, can I ask you: will you do the sensible thing, as is the case in England, and set a clear cap on council tax for the forthcoming new financial year—next year—so that excessive increases can be the subject of a local referendum? I think local people deserve a say on these matters, and I think it's wrong that they haven't had one in the past.
Weinidog, mae'n amlwg iawn fod sylwadau arweinydd Cyngor Sir Ddinbych yn annoeth, yn ddi-fudd, yn ceisio dychryn ac wedi ennyn rhywfaint o ofn ymhlith y boblogaeth leol ynghylch sut y gallai eu treth gyngor edrych y flwyddyn nesaf. Mewn gwirionedd, mae'n ymddangos nad yw'r sylwadau hyn yn ddim mwy na pharatoi'r ffordd ar gyfer codiad enfawr arall uwchlaw chwyddiant yn y dreth gyngor i drigolion lleol. Felly, a gaf fi ofyn i chi: a wnewch chi wneud y peth synhwyrol, fel sy'n digwydd yn Lloegr, a gosod cap clir ar y dreth gyngor ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol newydd sy'n dod—y flwyddyn nesaf—fel bod codiadau gormodol yn gallu bod yn destun refferendwm lleol? Rwy'n credu bod pobl leol yn haeddu cael dweud eu barn ar y materion hyn, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn anghywir nad ydynt wedi cael un yn y gorffennol.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
Just to be clear, setting a cap wouldn't lead to a referendum in any case, but a cap is a tool that Welsh Ministers do have if they feel that, in any case, a local authority is intending to introduce a council tax increase that is palpably excessive. Obviously, every year, we take a look at that afresh, so we have no idea yet what kind of increases local government is expecting to make. That's partly because we haven't yet had the autumn statement, we haven't published our Welsh Government budget, so they don't have the figures to plan on yet. Obviously, they'll be undertaking preliminary work with some assumptions, but until we have actual proposals from local government, it's impossible to take a view on whether or not we would introduce a cap.
I fod yn glir, ni fyddai gosod cap yn arwain at refferendwm beth bynnag, ond mae cap yn offeryn sydd gan Weinidogion Cymru os ydynt yn teimlo bod awdurdod lleol yn bwriadu cyflwyno codiad yn y dreth gyngor sy'n amlwg yn ormodol. Yn amlwg, bob blwyddyn, rydym yn edrych ar hynny o'r newydd, felly nid oes gennym syniad eto pa fath o gynnydd y mae llywodraeth leol yn disgwyl ei wneud. Mae hynny'n rhannol oherwydd nad ydym wedi cael datganiad yr hydref eto, nid ydym wedi cyhoeddi ein cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru, felly nid oes ganddynt ffigurau i gynllunio arnynt eto. Yn amlwg, byddant yn gwneud gwaith rhagarweiniol gyda rhai rhagdybiaethau, ond tan y bydd gennym gynigion gwirioneddol gan lywodraeth leol, mae'n amhosibl ystyried a fyddem yn cyflwyno cap ai peidio.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Eitem 4 yw'r datganiadau 90 eiliad, ac yn gyntaf Natasha Asghar.
Item 4 is the 90-second statements. First, Natasha Asghar.
Thank you so much, Deputy Presiding Officer. This week is Irlen Syndrome Awareness Week, a worldwide effort to make more people aware of the syndrome and its symptoms. Irlen syndrome is a problem with the brain's ability to process visual information and tends to run in families. The most common symptoms include light sensitivity, reading problems, headaches and migraines, attention and concentration issues, as well as fatigue.
I must admit I didn't know much about Irlen syndrome until I was contacted by Jennifer Owen, one of my constituents. I want to pay tribute to Jennifer, who was diagnosed with Irlen syndrome in 2012, for her tireless work in raising awareness about the condition. She has given countless presentations and talks, become an Irlen ambassador, created the Voice for People with Irlen Syndrome group and has held many events. She was also recognised by the high sheriff of Mid Glamorgan for her wonderful work.
Jennifer could not read or write properly without words disappearing or going back and forth, but since getting Irlen spectral filters, her life has been transformed, and now she's helping transform the lives of others. She is truly an inspiration, so I want to say a huge 'thank you' to Jennifer for everything that she's done and continues to do. I'd encourage everyone to visit www.irlen.com to see how they can get involved in Irlen awareness week going forward.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Yr wythnos hon yw Wythnos Ymwybyddiaeth Syndrom Irlen, ymdrech fyd-eang i wneud rhagor o bobl yn ymwybodol o'r syndrom a'i symptomau. Mae syndrom Irlen yn broblem gyda gallu'r ymennydd i brosesu gwybodaeth weledol ac mae'n tueddu i redeg yn y teulu. Mae'r symptomau mwyaf cyffredin yn cynnwys sensitifrwydd i olau, problemau gyda darllen, cur pen a meigryn, problemau canolbwyntio, yn ogystal â blinder.
Rhaid imi gyfaddef nad oeddwn yn gwybod llawer am syndrom Irlen tan i Jennifer Owen, un o fy etholwyr gysylltu â mi. Rwyf am dalu teyrnged i Jennifer, a gafodd ddiagnosis o syndrom Irlen yn 2012, am ei gwaith diflino yn codi ymwybyddiaeth o'r cyflwr. Mae hi wedi rhoi cyflwyniadau a sgyrsiau dirifedi, wedi dod yn llysgennad Irlen, wedi creu'r grŵp Llais i Bobl â Syndrom Irlen ac mae wedi cynnal llawer o ddigwyddiadau. Cafodd ei chydnabod hefyd gan uchel siryf Morgannwg Ganol am ei gwaith gwych.
Ni allai Jennifer ddarllen nac ysgrifennu'n iawn heb eiriau'n diflannu neu'n symud yn ôl ac ymlaen, ond ers cael hidlwyr sbectrol Irlen, mae ei bywyd wedi cael ei drawsnewid, a nawr, mae hi'n helpu i drawsnewid bywydau pobl eraill. Mae hi'n ysbrydoliaeth go iawn, felly hoffwn ddweud 'diolch' enfawr i Jennifer am bopeth y mae hi wedi'i wneud ac y mae hi'n parhau i'w wneud. Carwn annog pawb i ymweld â www.irlen.com i weld sut y gallant gymryd rhan yn wythnos ymwybyddiaeth Irlen yn y dyfodol.
Today is World Menopause Day, observed every year to raise awareness about the impact of the menopause on the lives of women around the world. To mark this occasion, I'm pleased to say that all further education colleges in Wales have signed the menopause workplace pledge. The pledge was created by the Wellbeing of Women charity to encourage employers to take positive action in making sure everyone going through the menopause is supported. Menopause is often not talked about in the workplace, and many people don't understand it until it happens to them or to someone close to them. While some will have no problems, others will struggle with debilitating side effects that impact on all aspects of their lives. Many will feel they have no alternative but to leave a job they love. By signing the pledge, all colleges in Wales are committed to recognise that the menopause can be an issue in the workplace and women need support; to talk openly, positively and respectfully about the menopause; and to actively support and inform employees affected by the menopause. The sector has responded to the need to put in place support and guidance for staff, and I'm pleased to acknowledge our colleges for their continued commitment to making further education a safe and inclusive sector in which to work.
Mae Diwrnod Menopos y Byd yn cael ei ddathlu bob blwyddyn i godi ymwybyddiaeth am effaith y menopos ar fywydau menywod ledled y byd. I nodi'r achlysur hwn, rwy'n falch o ddweud bod pob coleg addysg bellach yng Nghymru wedi llofnodi adduned menopos y gweithle. Crëwyd yr adduned gan elusen Wellbeing for Women i annog cyflogwyr i roi camau cadarnhaol ar waith i sicrhau bod pawb sy'n mynd trwy'r menopos yn cael eu cefnogi. Yn aml, nid oes sôn am y menopos yn y gweithle, ac mae llawer o bobl nad ydynt yn ei ddeall nes iddo ddigwydd iddyn nhw neu i rywun sy'n agos atynt. Er na fydd rhai yn cael unrhyw broblemau, bydd eraill yn cael trafferth gyda sgil-effeithiau gwanychol sy'n effeithio ar bob agwedd ar eu bywydau. Bydd llawer yn teimlo nad oes dewis arall ganddynt ond gadael swydd y maent yn ei charu. Drwy lofnodi'r adduned, mae pob coleg yng Nghymru wedi ymrwymo i gydnabod y gall y menopos fod yn broblem yn y gweithle ac mae angen cymorth ar fenywod; i siarad yn agored, yn gadarnhaol ac yn barchus am y menopos; ac i gefnogi ac addysgu gweithwyr y mae'r menopos yn effeithio arnynt. Mae'r sector wedi ymateb i'r angen i roi cymorth ac arweiniad ar waith i staff, ac rwy'n falch o gydnabod ymrwymiad parhaus ein colegau i wneud addysg bellach yn sector diogel a chynhwysol i weithio ynddo.
The Pembrokeshire Lottery was set up 30 years ago to provide a fund that Pembrokeshire businesses could access at no cost to invest in their futures, creating and retaining jobs in Pembrokeshire. It was the brainchild of the late Danny Fellows, who joined with Mike Peake and Bob Clarke to launch a local lottery that predated the National Lottery by a year. Danny asked local oil refinery managers to provide seed funding to provide the first few months of prize money and encouraged large employers to offer the option of a small monthly salary deduction of £4.34 to fund ongoing prize money, a purchase option that remains to this day. It's a true example of local people raising money to grow their local communities and economy.
The first draw was made in November 1993, and few back then would ever have believed that in 2023 we would be celebrating the Pembrokeshire Lottery's thirtieth birthday. Having grown up with the Pembrokeshire Lottery, its forces for good can be felt right across the county. Over 500 businesses have been supported with over £8.2 million in interest-free loans, creating and safeguarding over 2,500 jobs. Award-winning hospitality companies such as the Grove hotel and Cafe Môr are just two examples of businesses that have benefited from the lottery in their early years. From humble beginnings in 1993, the loan fund now stands at over £2 million, and that is mainly due to the phenomenal support the Pembrokeshire Lottery has received from local people. The lottery is one of the most successful such schemes in the UK, and one that we all should be extremely proud of. Happy thirtieth birthday to the Pembrokeshire Lottery, and here’s to the next 30 years. Diolch.
Sefydlwyd Loteri Sir Benfro 30 mlynedd yn ôl i ddarparu cronfa y gallai busnesau sir Benfro gael mynediad ati heb unrhyw gost i fuddsoddi yn eu dyfodol, gan greu a chadw swyddi yn sir Benfro. Syniad y diweddar Danny Fellows ydoedd, gŵr a ymunodd â Mike Peake a Bob Clarke i lansio loteri leol, a ffurfiwyd flwyddyn cyn y Loteri Genedlaethol. Gofynnodd Danny i reolwyr purfa olew leol i ddarparu cyllid sbarduno i ddarparu'r misoedd cyntaf o arian gwobrau ac annog cyflogwyr mawr i gynnig opsiwn o ddidyniad cyflog misol bach o £4.34 i ariannu arian gwobrau parhaus, opsiwn prynu sy'n parhau hyd heddiw. Mae'n enghraifft wirioneddol o bobl leol yn codi arian i dyfu eu cymunedau a'u heconomi leol.
Tynnwyd y raffl gyntaf ym mis Tachwedd 1993, ac ychydig o bobl bryd hynny a fyddai byth wedi credu y byddem yn dathlu pen-blwydd Loteri Sir Benfro yn 30 oed yn 2023. Ar ôl tyfu i fyny gyda Loteri Sir Benfro, gellir teimlo ei grym er daioni ar draws y sir. Mae dros 500 o fusnesau wedi cael eu cefnogi gan dros £8.2 miliwn o fenthyciadau di-log, gan greu a diogelu dros 2,500 o swyddi. Mae cwmnïau lletygarwch arobryn fel gwesty'r Grove a Cafe Môr yn ddwy enghraifft yn unig o fusnesau sydd wedi elwa o'r loteri yn eu blynyddoedd cynnar. O ddechreuadau diymhongar ym 1993, mae'r gronfa fenthyciadau bellach dros £2 filiwn, ac mae hynny yn bennaf oherwydd y gefnogaeth aruthrol y mae Loteri Sir Benfro wedi'i chael gan bobl leol. Mae'r loteri yn un o'r cynlluniau mwyaf llwyddiannus o'i fath yn y DU, ac yn un y dylem i gyd fod yn hynod falch ohono. Pen-blwydd hapus yn 30 oed i Loteri Sir Benfro, ac ymlaen i'r 30 mlynedd nesaf. Diolch.
Symudwn ymlaen yn awr at eitem 5, dadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai, 'Gwasanaethau Hamdden a Llyfrgelloedd Awdurdodau Lleol’, a galwaf ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig—John Griffiths.
We move on now to item 5, a debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee report, 'Local Authority Library and Leisure Services', and I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion—John Griffiths.
Cynnig NDM8379 John Griffiths
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
Yn nodi adroddiad y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai, ‘Gwasanaethau Hamdden a Llyfrgelloedd Awdurdodau Lleol’, a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 20 Gorffennaf 2023.
Motion NDM8379 John Griffiths
To propose that the Senedd:
Notes the report of the Local Government and Housing Committee, ‘Local Authority Library and Leisure Services’, which was laid in the Table Office on 20 July 2023.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I’m pleased to open this debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee’s report on local authority leisure and library services. I’d like to start by thanking all those who contributed to our inquiry, and to those who facilitated visits to libraries and leisure sites across Wales.
Leisure centres and libraries enrich people’s lives and their communities. They provide a place to meet, to expand knowledge and support health and well-being. But councils have found it increasingly challenging to maintain these services due to budget cuts and global financial and health crises. As a result, many councils have sought to deliver services differently by establishing local authority trading companies, or transferring them to social enterprises or community groups.
We firstly considered whether there is a need to strengthen statutory and policy frameworks to protect these vital services from further cuts and closures. There is already a statutory duty on councils under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, but we heard that this has not prevented the erosion of funding, or indeed prevented library closures. Stakeholders told us that the Act doesn’t do an awful lot, and that the provisions are too broadly defined. We called on the Welsh Government to explore whether it should strengthen the Act to protect libraries. The Welsh Government hasn’t committed to a full review of the provisions in the Act, but rather emphasised the role of the Welsh public library standards in delivering on the duties within the legislation. The Welsh Government has committed to exploring our recommendation further, however, and I would be grateful if the Deputy Minister could explain how this recommendation will be taken forward.
The Welsh public library standards set out how the Welsh Government’s expectations on local authorities in terms of their library provision will be met. We heard the current standards expired in 2020, and are concerned about the lack of progress on developing new standards to support the library sector. Some stakeholders called for a complete revamp of the standards given recent developments in how services are used and new innovations to deliver them. We recommended that work on the new standards should be progressed as a matter of urgency. We are pleased that this recommendation has been accepted, but note that the new Welsh public library framework will not be implemented until 2025, five years after the standards expired.
We are concerned that library services are often overlooked or undervalued within the wider context of public service provision. We were therefore pleased to hear that the new library standards are being developed in tandem with the new culture strategy. However, there are questions around how that will work in practice, and I would be grateful if the Deputy Minister could provide more detail on how that culture strategy will dovetail with the new standards, and how she is working with the Minister for Finance and Local Government and respective officials on this.
Unlike library services, leisure services are provided on a discretionary basis. While we were not convinced of the need for legislation, we would like to see a policy framework for public leisure provision, which links to health and well-being services. We believe this would support better joined-up policies focused on prevention and positive health outcomes and go with the grain of much current development, where lots of leisure providers are increasingly becoming health and well-being services. We are therefore pleased that the Welsh Government accepted this recommendation.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n falch o agor y ddadl hon ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai ar wasanaethau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd awdurdodau lleol. Hoffwn ddechrau drwy ddiolch i bawb a gyfrannodd at ein hymchwiliad, ac i'r rhai a hwylusodd ymweliadau â llyfrgelloedd a safleoedd hamdden ledled Cymru.
Mae canolfannau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd yn cyfoethogi bywydau pobl a'u cymunedau. Maent yn darparu lle i gyfarfod, i ehangu gwybodaeth a chefnogi iechyd a lles. Ond mae cynghorau wedi ei chael hi'n fwyfwy heriol i gynnal y gwasanaethau hyn oherwydd toriadau cyllidebol ac argyfyngau ariannol ac iechyd byd-eang. O ganlyniad, mae llawer o gynghorau wedi ceisio darparu gwasanaethau'n wahanol drwy sefydlu cwmnïau masnachu awdurdodau lleol, neu eu trosglwyddo i fentrau cymdeithasol neu grwpiau cymunedol.
Yn gyntaf, fe wnaethom ystyried a oes angen cryfhau fframweithiau statudol a pholisi i ddiogelu'r gwasanaethau hanfodol hyn rhag toriadau a chau pellach. Mae dyletswydd statudol eisoes ar gynghorau o dan Ddeddf Llyfrgelloedd Cyhoeddus ac Amgueddfeydd 1964 i ddarparu gwasanaeth llyfrgell cynhwysfawr ac effeithlon, ond clywsom nad yw hyn wedi atal erydu cyllid, nac yn wir wedi atal cau llyfrgelloedd. Dywedodd rhanddeiliaid wrthym nad yw'r Ddeddf yn gwneud llawer iawn, a bod y darpariaethau wedi'u diffinio'n rhy eang. Galwasom ar Lywodraeth Cymru i archwilio a ddylai gryfhau'r Ddeddf i ddiogelu llyfrgelloedd. Nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i adolygiad llawn o'r darpariaethau yn y Ddeddf, ond yn hytrach, pwysleisiodd rôl safonau llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus Cymru yn cyflawni'r dyletswyddau o fewn y ddeddfwriaeth. Fodd bynnag, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i archwilio ein hargymhelliad ymhellach, a buaswn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Dirprwy Weinidog egluro sut y bydd yr argymhelliad hwn yn cael ei ddatblygu.
Mae safonau llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus Cymru yn nodi sut y bydd disgwyliadau Llywodraeth Cymru ar awdurdodau lleol o ran eu darpariaeth llyfrgelloedd yn cael eu bodloni. Clywsom fod y safonau presennol wedi dod i ben yn 2020, ac rydym yn pryderu am y diffyg cynnydd ar ddatblygu safonau newydd i gefnogi'r sector llyfrgelloedd. Galwodd rhai rhanddeiliaid am ailwampio'r safonau'n llwyr o ystyried datblygiadau diweddar yn y modd y caiff gwasanaethau eu defnyddio a datblygiadau arloesol newydd i'w cyflawni. Argymhellwyd y dylid symud y gwaith ar y safonau newydd yn ei flaen ar frys. Rydym yn falch fod yr argymhelliad hwn wedi'i dderbyn, ond nodwn na fydd fframwaith llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus newydd Cymru yn cael ei weithredu tan 2025, bum mlynedd ar ôl i'r safonau ddod i ben.
Rydym yn pryderu bod gwasanaethau llyfrgell yn aml yn cael eu hanwybyddu neu eu tanbrisio o fewn cyd-destun ehangach y ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau cyhoeddus. Roeddem yn falch felly o glywed bod y safonau llyfrgelloedd newydd yn cael eu datblygu ochr yn ochr â'r strategaeth ddiwylliant newydd. Fodd bynnag, mae cwestiynau'n codi ynghylch y modd y bydd hynny'n gweithio'n ymarferol, a byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Dirprwy Weinidog roi rhagor o fanylion ynglŷn â sut y bydd y strategaeth ddiwylliant honno'n cydblethu â'r safonau newydd, a sut mae hi'n gweithio gyda'r Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol a swyddogion perthnasol ar hyn.
Yn wahanol i wasanaethau llyfrgelloedd, darperir gwasanaethau hamdden ar sail disgresiwn. Er nad oeddem yn argyhoeddedig o'r angen am ddeddfwriaeth, hoffem weld fframwaith polisi ar gyfer darpariaeth hamdden gyhoeddus, sy'n cysylltu â gwasanaethau iechyd a lles. Credwn y byddai hyn yn cefnogi polisïau wedi'u cydgysylltu'n well sy'n canolbwyntio ar atal a chanlyniadau iechyd cadarnhaol ac sy'n cyd-fynd â llawer o ddatblygiadau cyfredol, lle mae llawer o ddarparwyr hamdden yn dod yn wasanaethau iechyd a lles yn gynyddol. Rydym yn falch felly fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn yr argymhelliad hwn.
We explored the various models of service delivery in use and their advantages and disadvantages. There was a clear message that there should not be a one-size-fits-all approach. Different models will suit different local authorities, depending on geography, needs of the community, resources and many other factors. We agree it should be up to local authorities to decide what delivery model suits them. However, we would like to see more sharing of good practice and experiences. So, we called for the Welsh Government to work with local authorities to support this, and I welcome the Welsh Government’s acceptance of this recommendation.
We heard of the significant social value of leisure and library services. Sport Wales told us that for every £1 spent on sport, there was a social return of £2.88. And according to Community Leisure UK Wales, leisure trusts create £101 of social value per person using their facilities and services, which is measured through savings to the NHS, reduced crime levels and improved mental and physical health of communities.
However, we heard that insufficient emphasis is placed on social value when local authorities determine how best to deliver leisure and library services. We want to see Welsh Government working with councils to consider what social value outcomes they want to achieve through public leisure and library services, and design and deliver services accordingly. Having up-to-date, Wales-specific data on social value that is shared with local authorities would help them make informed decisions about service delivery. We are therefore grateful that Welsh Government accepted our calls for collating and analysing social value and return on investment of library and leisure services.
Dirprwy Lywydd, we also looked at the increased use of community hubs, whereby local authorities are co-locating some of their services to save on costs and to improve accessibility. We heard that, to date, evidence suggests that co-location may have increased the use of services, reduced costs and contributed to the resilience of services. However, we also heard of challenges in co-locating services in rural areas due to transport issues. Those issues, including community transport, should be a key consideration in any decision to co-locate. As hubs are a relatively new innovation, we recommend that the Welsh Government continues to monitor and evaluate their success, and that findings are shared with local authorities in order to inform their decision making. We believe that local authorities must adopt an intelligent approach to decision making on co-location, particularly in relation to library services.
And as is so important in the current context, we looked at the financial and operational challenges currently facing local authorities and delivery partners to maintain these vital services. Rising energy costs have had a significant impact on leisure facilities in particular, especially those with swimming pools. Leisure and library services are in need of immediate support to help them navigate the current crisis. We recommended that the Welsh Government allocates the £3.5 million it will receive in consequential funding to swimming pools, especially those that may be unviable without additional support.
We also endorsed the recommendation made by the culture committee in its November 2022 report on increasing costs and the impact on culture and sport. That committee recommended that the Welsh Government should provide additional targeted funding to the sports and cultural sectors to help venues and organisations that face closure, but have a sustainable future beyond the immediate crisis. We are disappointed with the Welsh Government’s response in relation to additional financial support to help leisure and library services deal with the current cost pressures.
We were also concerned to hear that the cost-of-living crisis is having an impact on participation levels in sport. The cost of swimming lessons has doubled since the pandemic, making it unaffordable for some families, particularly those on lower incomes. We were surprised and disappointed to hear that only 50 per cent of primary schools in Wales take part in school swimming, and that some schools with pools may not even deliver those lessons. Given the increased costs, it is more important than ever that children have free lessons in school time, especially as swimming and water safety are life skills. We asked the Welsh Government to update us on how it is addressing these issues and how it is working with leisure providers on strategy. Welsh Government refers to statutory guidance within the curriculum for Wales that schools must consider. And this includes learners engaging in physical activity, including within water. I also note that Welsh Government officials are working with Swim Wales to support schools and local authorities with their swimming offer.
While there are immediate financial hurdles for councils and delivery partners to navigate, there are also longer term challenges, particularly in relation to decarbonisation. A clear need for substantial investment in the decarbonisation and modernisation of leisure and library facilities exists, and current funding simply does not go far enough. We are concerned that decarbonisation appears to be less of a priority compared to other local authority services, such as the Sustainable Communities for Learning programme. And we do believe that all sectors deserve this support. Dirprwy Lywydd, while we were pleased with the Welsh Government accepting our recommendation that it should invest in supporting the decarbonisation and refurbishment of leisure and library services across Wales, there does need to be significant scale and urgency to that programme.
In conclusion, Dirprwy Lywydd, the importance of library and leisure services to our communities, and the wider social benefits they provide, cannot be underestimated and cannot be overstated. They deserve meaningful investment as a matter of urgency.
Fe wnaethom archwilio'r modelau cyflenwi gwasanaeth amrywiol a ddefnyddir a'u manteision a'u hanfanteision. Roedd neges glir na ddylai fod un ateb sy'n addas i bawb. Bydd modelau gwahanol yn addas ar gyfer gwahanol awdurdodau lleol, yn dibynnu ar ddaearyddiaeth, anghenion y gymuned, adnoddau a llawer o ffactorau eraill. Rydym yn cytuno mai mater i awdurdodau lleol yw penderfynu pa fodel cyflenwi sy’n addas iddyn nhw. Fodd bynnag, hoffem weld mwy o rannu arferion da a phrofiadau. Felly, fe wnaethom alw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i gefnogi hyn, ac rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn yr argymhelliad hwn.
Clywsom am werth cymdeithasol sylweddol gwasanaethau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd. Dywedodd Chwaraeon Cymru wrthym fod elw cymdeithasol o £2.88 am bob £1 a werir ar chwaraeon. Ac yn ôl Community Leisure UK Cymru, mae ymddiriedolaethau hamdden yn creu £101 o werth cymdeithasol am bob unigolyn sy'n defnyddio eu cyfleusterau a’u gwasanaethau, sy’n cael ei fesur drwy arbedion i’r GIG, lefelau troseddu is a gwell iechyd meddyliol a chorfforol cymunedau.
Fodd bynnag, clywsom na roddir digon o bwyslais ar werth cymdeithasol pan fydd awdurdodau lleol yn penderfynu ar y ffordd orau o ddarparu gwasanaethau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd. Rydym am weld Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda chynghorau i ystyried pa ganlyniadau gwerth cymdeithasol y maent am eu cyflawni drwy wasanaethau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus, a llunio a darparu gwasanaethau yn unol â hynny. Byddai cael data cyfredol, penodol i Gymru ar werth cymdeithasol i'w rannu ag awdurdodau lleol yn eu helpu i wneud penderfyniadau gwybodus am ddarparu gwasanaethau. Rydym yn ddiolchgar, felly, fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn ein galwadau i goladu a dadansoddi gwerth cymdeithasol ac elw ar fuddsoddiad mewn gwasanaethau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, buom hefyd yn edrych ar y defnydd cynyddol o hybiau cymunedol, lle mae awdurdodau lleol yn cydleoli rhai o'u gwasanaethau er mwyn arbed costau a gwella hygyrchedd. Hyd yma, clywsom fod tystiolaeth yn awgrymu y gallai cydleoli fod wedi cynyddu’r defnydd o wasanaethau, lleihau costau a chyfrannu at gadernid gwasanaethau. Fodd bynnag, clywsom hefyd am heriau o ran cydleoli gwasanaethau mewn ardaloedd gwledig oherwydd problemau trafnidiaeth. Dylai’r materion hynny, gan gynnwys trafnidiaeth gymunedol, fod yn ystyriaeth allweddol mewn unrhyw benderfyniad i gydleoli. Gan fod hybiau'n ddatblygiad cymharol newydd, rydym yn argymell bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i fonitro a gwerthuso eu llwyddiant, a bod y canfyddiadau’n cael eu rhannu ag awdurdodau lleol er mwyn llywio eu penderfyniadau. Credwn fod yn rhaid i awdurdodau lleol fabwysiadu dull deallus o wneud penderfyniadau ar gydleoli, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â gwasanaethau llyfrgell.
Ac fel sydd mor bwysig yn y cyd-destun presennol, fe wnaethom edrych ar yr heriau ariannol a gweithredol sy’n wynebu awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid cyflawni ar hyn o bryd i gynnal y gwasanaethau hanfodol hyn. Mae costau ynni cynyddol wedi cael effaith sylweddol ar gyfleusterau hamdden yn arbennig, yn enwedig y rheini â phyllau nofio. Mae angen cymorth ar unwaith ar wasanaethau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd i'w helpu i ymdopi â'r argyfwng presennol. Fe wnaethom argymell bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn dyrannu’r £3.5 miliwn y bydd yn ei gael mewn cyllid canlyniadol i byllau nofio, yn enwedig y rheini a allai fod yn anhyfyw heb gymorth ychwanegol.
Hefyd, fe wnaethom gymeradwyo’r argymhelliad a wnaed gan y pwyllgor diwylliant yn ei adroddiad ym mis Tachwedd 2022 ar gostau cynyddol a’r effaith ar ddiwylliant a chwaraeon. Argymhellodd y pwyllgor hwnnw y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ddarparu cyllid ychwanegol wedi’i dargedu at y sectorau chwaraeon a diwylliannol i helpu lleoliadau a sefydliadau sy’n wynebu gorfod cau, ond sydd â dyfodol cynaliadwy y tu hwnt i’r argyfwng uniongyrchol. Rydym yn siomedig ynghylch ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru mewn perthynas â chymorth ariannol ychwanegol i helpu gwasanaethau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd i ymdopi â’r pwysau ariannol presennol.
Roedd hi hefyd yn flin gennym glywed bod yr argyfwng costau byw yn cael effaith ar lefelau cyfranogiad mewn chwaraeon. Mae cost gwersi nofio wedi dyblu ers y pandemig, sy'n eu gwneud yn anfforddiadwy i rai teuluoedd, yn enwedig y rheini ar incwm is. Roeddem yn synnu ac yn siomedig o glywed mai dim ond 50 y cant o ysgolion cynradd Cymru sy’n darparu gwersi nofio, ac nad yw rhai ysgolion a chanddynt byllau nofio hyd yn oed yn darparu'r gwersi hynny. O ystyried y costau cynyddol, mae'n bwysicach nag erioed fod plant yn cael gwersi am ddim yn ystod amser ysgol, yn enwedig gan fod nofio a diogelwch dŵr yn sgiliau bywyd. Fe wnaethom ofyn i Lywodraeth Cymru roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni ynglŷn â sut mae’n mynd i’r afael â’r materion hyn a sut mae’n gweithio gyda darparwyr hamdden ar strategaeth. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyfeirio at ganllawiau statudol o fewn y cwricwlwm i Gymru y mae'n rhaid i ysgolion eu hystyried. Ac mae hyn yn cynnwys dysgwyr yn cymryd rhan mewn gweithgarwch corfforol, gan gynnwys yn y dŵr. Nodaf hefyd fod swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda Nofio Cymru i gefnogi ysgolion ac awdurdodau lleol gyda’u cynnig nofio.
Er bod cynghorau a phartneriaid cyflawni yn wynebu rhwystrau ariannol uniongyrchol, ceir heriau mwy hirdymor hefyd, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â datgarboneiddio. Mae angen amlwg am fuddsoddiad sylweddol yn y gwaith o ddatgarboneiddio a moderneiddio cyfleusterau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd, ac nid yw’r cyllid presennol yn mynd yn ddigon pell. Rydym yn pryderu bod datgarboneiddio, yn ôl pob golwg, yn llai o flaenoriaeth o gymharu â gwasanaethau eraill awdurdodau lleol, megis rhaglen Cymunedau Dysgu Cynaliadwy. Ac rydym yn credu bod pob sector yn haeddu'r cymorth hwn. Ddirprwy Lywydd, er ein bod yn falch fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn derbyn ein hargymhelliad y dylai fuddsoddi mewn cefnogi datgarboneiddio ac adnewyddu gwasanaethau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd ledled Cymru, mae angen i'r rhaglen honno fod ar raddfa fawr ac mae angen ei rhoi ar waith ar frys.
I gloi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ni ellir tanbrisio na gorbwysleisio pwysigrwydd gwasanaethau hamdden a llyfrgelloedd i'n cymunedau, a'r manteision cymdeithasol ehangach y maent yn eu darparu. Maent yn haeddu buddsoddiad ystyrlon fel mater o frys.