Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
05/12/2017Cynnwys
Contents
Cyfarfu’r Cynulliad am 13:30 gyda’r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Assembly met at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Galw'r Aelodau i drefn.
I call Members to order.
Rwyf wedi derbyn cwestiwn brys o dan Reol Sefydlog 12.67, a galwaf ar Mick Antoniw i ofyn y cwestiwn brys. Mick Antoniw.
I have accepted an emergency question under Standing Order 12.67, and I call on Mick Antoniw to ask the emergency question. Mick Antoniw.
A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am y goblygiadau i Gymru o gael trefniadau pwrpasol i Ogledd Iwerddon o ran ei ffin? (EAQ0001)
Will the First Minister make a statement on the implications for Wales of bespoke border arrangements for Northern Ireland? (EAQ0001)
Well, we can't allow different parts of the UK to be more favourably treated than others. If one part of the UK is granted continued participation in the single market and customs union, then we fully expect to be made the same offer. Things seem to have moved on though. Where the UK Government was clearly looking to do a deal with the EU yesterday, that deal was torpedoed by the DUP, which asks the question why it is that a small party in Northern Ireland has the ability to have a veto over what is good for the UK in terms of negotiations with the EU. My colleague from behind says, 'That is not strong and stable'. I agree entirely with him. But, really, the question is this: is the Prime Minister really in charge of the UK, or is the UK in the charge of 10 MPs from Northern Ireland?
Wel, ni allwn ni ganiatáu i wahanol rannau o'r DU gael eu trin yn fwy ffafriol na rhannau eraill. Os yw un rhan o'r DU yn cael caniatâd i barhau i gymryd rhan yn y farchnad sengl a'r undeb tollau, yna rydym ni'n bendant yn disgwyl cael yr un cynnig. Fodd bynnag, ymddengys bod pethau wedi datblygu. Roedd yn amlwg bod Llywodraeth y DU yn bwriadu dod i gytundeb â'r UE ddoe, ond cafodd y cytundeb hynny ei chwalu gan y DUP, ac mae hynny'n peri i ni ofyn pam mae gan blaid fach o Ogledd Iwerddon y gallu i atal yr hyn sydd o fudd i'r DU o ran negodiadau â'r UE. Mae fy nghyd-Aelod o'r tu ôl yn dweud, 'Nid yw hynny'n gadarn a sefydlog'. Cytunaf yn llwyr ag ef. Ond, mewn gwirionedd, y cwestiwn yw hyn: a yw'r Prif Weinidog mewn gwirionedd yn rheoli'r DU, neu a yw'r DU yn cael ei rheoli gan 10 Aelod Seneddol o Ogledd Iwerddon?
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. You , like me, might have been under the misapprehension that we were living in a parliamentary democracy, that Parliament was there to represent all the interests of all the parts of the United Kingdom, and we now find, First Minister, that it is apparently being run and dictated to by just 10 people, who have strong right-wing and homophobic views, historic links to terrorism, and who are opposed even to the majority decision of the people of Northern Ireland in respect of the European Union. So, when the people of Wales were encouraged to leave the European Union because it would make Parliament sovereign again, do you think this is what they had in mind?
Diolch i chi am yr ateb yna, Brif Weinidog. Efallai eich bod chi, fel finnau, dan gamargraff ein bod yn byw mewn democratiaeth seneddol, bod y Senedd yno i gynrychioli holl fuddiannau pob rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig, ac rydym ni'n gweld yn awr, Prif Weinidog, ei bod yn ymddangos ei bod yn cael ei rheoli a'i llywio gan 10 person yn unig, sydd â safbwyntiau adain dde a homoffobig cryf, cysylltiadau hanesyddol â therfysgaeth, ac sydd hyd yn oed yn gwrthwynebu penderfyniad y mwyafrif o bobl Gogledd Iwerddon o ran yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Felly, pan gafodd pobl Cymru eu hannog i adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd oherwydd y byddai'r Senedd yn sofran unwaith eto, a ydych chi'n credu mai dyma oedd ganddyn nhw mewn golwg?
'No' is the answer. I don't think they had in mind a scenario where, first of all, the UK Government could be shaken down for £1.67 billion, and, secondly, the UK Government was not able to negotiate with the European Union because of a veto held by a small number of Members of Parliament. I don't think that's at all what people had in mind when they voted last year.
'Na' yw'r ateb. Nid wyf yn credu eu bod wedi rhagweld sefyllfa pryd, yn gyntaf oll, y gellid perswadio Llywodraeth y DU i dalu £1.67 biliwn am gefnogaeth, ac, yn ail, sefyllfa pan na fyddai Llywodraeth y DU yn gallu negodi gyda'r Undeb Ewropeaidd oherwydd feto gan nifer fach o Aelodau Seneddol. Dwi ddim yn credu mai dyna a oedd gan bobl mewn golwg o gwbl, pan wnaethon nhw bleidleisio y llynedd.
Clearly, as successive Welsh Governments know, working in coalitions, which you are a de facto head of, and we've had two previous Governments in coalition, that is the reality of coalition government. But, last night, the Taoiseach said, 'We don't want a border in the Irish sea.' At lunchtime today, David Davis stated in the House of Commons that they are now close to concluding the first phase of negotiations, bringing forward trade negotiations, and the Government does not want a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The UK Government recognises the integrity of the EU single market but also of UK borders, and that they will not be treating any part of the UK differently. He also noted that Labour Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, has said that staying in the single market would be interpreted as not respecting the referendum.
Noting, therefore, that, last week, Bertie Ahern, the former Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, stated that technology would be a partial solution to managing movements across the Irish border after Brexit, and the number of times you've raised this disparagingly, what research has your Government actually undertaken on the technologies being applied in many parts of the world that are managing goods and transporting across borders on precisely this basis?
Yn amlwg, fel y gŵyr Llywodraethau blaenorol Cymru, wrth weithio mewn clymbleidiau, yr ydych chi'n bennaeth de facto ohonynt, ac rydym ni wedi cael dwy Lywodraeth flaenorol mewn clymblaid, dyna yw realiti Llywodraeth glymblaid. Ond neithiwr, dywedodd y Taoiseach, 'Nid ydym ni eisiau ffin ym Môr Iwerddon.' Yn ystod amser cinio heddiw, dywedodd David Davis yn Nhŷ’r Cyffredin, eu bod nhw bellach yn agos at gwblhau cam cyntaf y negodiadau, gan symud ymlaen at drafodaethau masnach, ac nid yw'r Llywodraeth eisiau gweld ffin galed rhwng Iwerddon a Gogledd Iwerddon. Mae Llywodraeth y DU yn cydnabod uniondeb marchnad sengl yr UE, ond hefyd uniondeb ffiniau'r DU, ac na fyddan nhw yn trin unrhyw ran o'r DU mewn ffordd wahanol. Nododd hefyd fod Canghellor yr Wrthblaid Llafur, John McDonnell, wedi dweud y byddai aros yn y farchnad sengl yn cael ei ddehongli fel amharchu'r refferendwm.
Gan nodi, felly, yr wythnos diwethaf, bod Bertie Ahern, cyn Taoiseach Gweriniaeth Iwerddon, wedi datgan y byddai technoleg yn ateb rhannol i reoli symudiadau ar draws ffin Iwerddon ar ôl Brexit, a'r cynifer o weithiau yr ydych chi wedi codi'r pwynt hwn yn ddilornus, pa waith ymchwil mewn gwirionedd y mae eich Llywodraeth wedi ei gyflawni ar y technolegau sy'n cael eu defnyddio mewn nifer o rannau o'r byd, sy'n rheoli nwyddau ac yn eu cludo ar draws ffiniau ar yr union sail hon?
I'm not sure it's our responsibility to do that, quite frankly, and the UK Government has said consistently that it's exploring the technology. In other words, it has no idea what technology might be used. Can I say to the Member that there is one example of an entity that is outside the customs union having a border with an entity within the customs union, and that is Gibraltar, and that border is very, very hard. It's far from being a soft border. Really, he seemed to be reading out a statement they should have delivered yesterday afternoon, and that is that the UK Government is close to a deal with the EU. Well, that clearly isn't the case after we saw the collapse of the negotiations last night. I'm surprised to hear that the DUP are actually in a coalition with the Conservative Government. I wasn't aware that they were actually in a coalition and had Ministers in a coalition.
But isn't the point this: that the UK Government has a responsibility to secure a deal that is good for the whole of the UK? It was quite clear yesterday—quite clear yesterday—that they were looking to arrange a special deal or special status for Northern Ireland. That was where the UK Government was yesterday lunchtime. Arlene Foster picks up the phone and says 'Theresa, sorry, we're not going to allow you to do this' and Theresa May then capitulates. Is there not a danger here that the whole of the UK and its interests will be made subject to the views of the largest party in Northern Ireland—true—but not a party that represents the majority of people in Northern Ireland? Can the Member not see there are dangers in that?
Nid wyf yn siŵr os mai ein cyfrifoldeb ni yw gwneud hynny, a dweud y gwir, ac mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi dweud dro ar ôl tro ei bod yn archwilio'r dechnoleg. Mewn geiriau eraill, nid oes ganddi unrhyw syniad pa dechnoleg y gellid ei defnyddio. A gaf i ddweud wrth yr Aelod, bod un enghraifft lle y ceir endid sydd y tu allan i'r undeb tollau, sydd â ffin gydag endid sydd o fewn yr Undeb Tollau, a Gibraltar yw honno, ac mae'r ffin honno yn galed iawn, iawn. Mae'n bell o fod yn ffin feddal. Mewn gwirionedd, ymddengys ei fod yn darllen datganiad y dylen nhw fod wedi ei gyflwyno brynhawn ddoe, a hynny yw bod Llywodraeth y DU yn agos iawn at ddod i gytundeb gyda'r UE. Wel, yn amlwg, nid dyna yw'r achos ar ôl i ni weld y trafodaethau yn chwalu neithiwr. Rwy'n synnu clywed bod y DUP mewn gwirionedd mewn clymblaid gyda'r Llywodraeth Geidwadol. Nid oeddwn i'n ymwybodol eu bod nhw mewn gwirionedd mewn clymblaid a bod gannddyn nhw Weinidogion mewn clymblaid.
Ond, nid dyma yw'r pwynt: bod gan Lywodraeth y DU gyfrifoldeb i sicrhau cytundeb sydd yn dda i'r DU gyfan? Roedd yn eithaf clir ddoe—yn eithaf clir ddoe—eu bod nhw'n ceisio gwneud trefnu bargen arbennig neu statws arbennig ar gyfer Gogledd Iwerddon. Dyna oedd sefyllfa Llywodraeth y DU amser cinio ddoe. Mae Arlene Foster yn codi'r ffôn ac yn dweud 'Theresa, mae'n flin gen i, nid ydym ni yn mynd i ganiatáu i chi wneud hyn' ac yna mae Theresa May yn ildio. Onid oes perygl y bydd y DU gyfan a'i buddiannau yn ddarostyngedig i farn y blaid fwyaf yng Ngogledd Iwerddon—gwir—ond nid plaid sy'n cynrychioli'r mwyafrif o bobl yng Ngogledd Iwerddon? Onid yw'r Aelod yn gallu gweld bod peryglon yn hynny?
We've seen over the past 24 hours the prospect of one part of the UK getting a unique deal, and I reiterate that we in Plaid Cymru want Wales too to be able to benefit from any kind of distinct or special arrangements that would allow us also to be in the single market and the customs union. And nobody in their right minds would want to see a hard border on Ireland—I know the First Minister agrees with me on that. But shifting the hard border eastwards is not a solution that would work for Wales, and certainly not for my constituents and the port of Holyhead.
Yn ystod y 24 awr diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld y posibilrwydd o un rhan o'r DU yn cael bargen unigryw, a dywedaf eto ein bod ni ym Mhlaid Cymru eisiau i Gymru hefyd elwa ar unrhyw fath o drefniadau penodol neu arbennig a fyddai'n caniatáu i ninnau hefyd fod yn rhan o'r farchnad sengl a'r Undeb Tollau. Ac ni fyddai unrhyw un yn ei iawn bwyll yn dymuno gweld ffin galed ar Iwerddon—gwn fod y Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi ynglŷn â hynny. Ond nid yw symud y ffin galed tua'r dwyrain yn ateb a fyddai'n gweithio i Gymru, ac yn sicr nid i'm hetholwyr i a phorthladd Caergybi.
Mae yna oblygiadau difrifol iawn, iawn, iawn i fy etholaeth i, a'r 1,000 o bobl sy'n gweithio yn uniongyrchol, neu'n anuniongyrchol, ym mhorthladd Caergybi, o weld ffin galed yng Nghaergybi. Caergybi yw'r ail borthladd prysuraf ym Mhrydain o ran fferis yn cario nwyddau. Mae masnach yn gwbl ddibynnol ar lif rhwydd o nwyddau, ac mi fydd masnach yn chwilio am lwybrau haws. Mae yna dystiolaeth yn barod o chwilio am ffyrdd mwy uniongyrchol i fynd â llongau o gyfandir Ewrop i borthladd Caergybi.
Rŵan, mae'n rhaid ystyried pob opsiwn erbyn hyn. Aros yn y farchnad sengl rydym ni yn y fan hyn yn ei ffafrio. Pa ystyriaeth, er enghraifft, os methwn ni â chael y nod honno, sy'n cael ei rhoi i greu ardal masnach rydd yng Nghaergybi, neu yn Ynys Môn gyfan, neu mae yna ardaloedd porthladdoedd eraill yng Nghymru, fel ffordd ymlaen? Rydw i angen sicrwydd bod y Llywodraeth yma yn mynd i fod yn edrych ar bob opsiwn, yn cynnwys hynny. Ac a gaf i hefyd sicrwydd y bydd ffawd ein porthladdoedd ni yn gwbl ganolog rŵan i waith Llywodraeth Cymru o drio dwyn perswâd ar Lywodraeth Prydain i ddangos eu bod nhw'n rhoi unrhyw ystyriaeth i'n buddiannau ni fel cenedl, achos, ar hyn o bryd nid ydw i'n gweld tystiolaeth o hynny o gwbl?
There are very grave implications for my own constituency, and the 1,000 people working either directly or indirectly in the port of Holyhead, in seeing a hard border at Holyhead. Holyhead is the second most busy port in Britain, in terms of ferries transporting goods. Now, trade is entirely reliant on the free flow of goods, and trade will seek simpler and easier routes. There is already evidence of more direct routes being sought for ships travelling from the European continent to the port of Holyhead.
Now, we have to consider all options. We would favour remaining in the single market. What consideration is being given, if we can’t achieve that, to creating a free trade area in Holyhead, or in Anglesey as a whole, or in other port areas in Wales as a way forward? I want an assurance that this Government will be looking at all options, including that one, and can I also ask for an assurance that the fate of our ports will be now be central to the work of the Welsh Government in persuading the UK Government to demonstrate that they are giving any consideration at all to our interests as a nation, because, at the moment, I see no evidence of that at all?
Wel, mae llawer o beth ddywedodd yr Aelod yn iawn. Rydym ni wedi gweud sawl gwaith bod 70 y cant o'r masnach rhwng Prydain Fawr ac ynys Iwerddon yn mynd drwy borthladdoedd Cymru. Byddai unrhyw beth sydd yn stopio hynny, neu'n pwyso ar hynny, yn rhywbeth sy'n mynd i gostio i Gaergybi, Doc Penfro ac Abergwaun, ynglŷn â swyddi ac ynglŷn â masnach. Beth yw'r ateb? Mae'r ateb i fi yn gwbl glir, sef y dylai'r Deyrnas Unedig aros yn y farchnad sengl a hefyd wrth gwrs aros yn yr undeb tollau. Felly, wrth gwrs, ni fyddai eisiau cael unrhyw fath o ffin ynglŷn â thollau rhwng Prydain ac Iwerddon, neu rhwng Gogledd Iwerddon a Gweriniaeth Iwerddon. Dyna beth yw'r ateb, a dyna beth, wrth gwrs, rydym ni wedi bod yn ei ddweud wrth Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig—nad oes yn rhaid dehongli canlyniad y llynedd fel canlyniad sydd yn ganlyniad i gael y Brexit mwyaf caled sydd yn bosib. Mae'n bosib i adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, ond mewn ffordd sydd ddim yn peryglu swyddi yng Nghymru ac sy'n sicrhau ein bod ni'n gallu gwerthu yn y farchnad sengl, a bod yn rhan o'r undeb tollau.
Well, a great deal of what the Member has said is correct. We have said on several occasions that 70 per cent of the trade between Great Britain and the island of Ireland goes through Welsh ports, and anything that stops that, or is a barrier to that, is something that will cost Holyhead, Pembroke Dock and Fishguard a great deal in jobs and in trade. What is the answer? Well, it’s quite clear: the United Kingdom should remain within the single market and also in the customs union. So, we wouldn’t want any kind of border as regards tariffs between Britain and Ireland, or between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. That is the answer. And, of course, we’ve been telling the United Kingdom that they don’t have to interpret last year’s result as a result that has to lead to the hardest Brexit possible. It is quite possible to leave the European Union in a way that doesn’t endanger jobs in Wales and which keeps us in the single market and part of the customs union.
The only thing we've learned out of the fiasco of the weekend is that Theresa May isn't terribly good at politics, which we knew anyway from the last general election result. It would be inconceivable for the DUP ever to countenance the kind of deal that we read about, whereby there would be a special deal for Northern Ireland on trade, because that would compromise the integrity of the United Kingdom, which is the main purpose of the DUP's existence. So, that was never a runner. Eighty-five per cent of Northern Ireland's trade with the British Isles as a whole is done with the United Kingdom, not with the Irish republic, so it's not even in Ireland's economic interest to have the kind of deal that the EU would want. But I think the other lesson we draw from the events of the weekend is that a handful of Northern Irish MPs have far more influence with the British Government than the Welsh Government has, and I think that that's an indictment of the Welsh Government rather than the DUP.
Yr unig beth yr ydym ni wedi ei ddysgu o'r llanast a ddigwyddodd ar y penwythnos yw nad yw Theresa May yn dda iawn am wleidyddiaeth, ac roeddem ni'n gwybod hynny beth bynnag ar ôl canlyniad yr etholiad cyffredinol diwethaf. Byddai'n amhosibl i'r DUP fyth ystyried y math o fargen yr ydym yn darllen amdano, lle y byddai bargen arbennig o ran masnach, ar gyfer Gogledd Iwerddon, oherwydd byddai hynny yn peryglu uniondeb y Deyrnas Unedig, sef prif ddiben bodolaeth y DUP. Felly, ni fu hynny erioed yn bosibl. Mae 85 y cant o fasnach Gogledd Iwerddon gydag Ynysoedd Prydain yn eu cyfanrwydd, yn cael ei gwneud gyda'r Deyrnas Unedig, ac nid â Gweriniaeth Iwerddon, felly nid yw hyd yn oed o fudd economaidd i Iwerddon gael y math o gytundeb y byddai'r UE yn dymuno ei gael. Ond rwy'n credu mai'r wers arall yr ydym yn ei dysgu o ganlyniad i ddigwyddiadau'r penwythnos, yw bod gan lond dwrn o Aelodau Seneddol Gogledd Iwerddon lawer mwy o ddylanwad ar Lywodraeth Prydain nag sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, a chredaf fod hynny'n adlewyrchiad gwael ar Lywodraeth Cymru yn hytrach nag ar y DUP.
[Inaudible.]—the Conservative Party, and the weakness of the Prime Minister. It is worrying to hear the leader of UKIP say, 'Well, the Prime Minister isn't terribly good at politics'—that perhaps is not the strongest attribute that somebody might have when they are in fact the Prime Minister.
There are two options here. Either, first of all, the DUP weren't asked their views, and then made their views very, very clear, or they were asked their views and went back on some kind of agreement with the UK Government. There are no other options available here. Either way, it's a sign of mismanagement by the UK Government of the situation. I thought what was being proposed yesterday was something that was interesting, in terms of a solution. Nobody wants to have a hard border—it's impossible to have a hard border, actually, on that island. I know that area well. It's impossible; it can't be done, and I thought there were ways of looking for a solution. But what we now seem to have is there is a veto on the part of one party, which represents roughly 37, 38 per cent of the population in Northern Ireland, in terms of what the future might hold, and that, surely, is not a situation that is sustainable as far as the future is concerned. And I would expect the UK Government to have dealt with this with the DUP beforehand in order to gain the DUP's support. It seems to me that either that didn't happen or it did happen and the DUP changed their minds. What other option could there be?
[Anghlywadwy.]—y Blaid Geidwadol, a gwendid y Prif Weinidog. Mae'n destun pryder mawr clywed arweinydd UKIP yn dweud, 'Wel, nid yw'r Prif Weinidog yn arbennig o dda am wleidyddiaeth'—efallai nad hynny fyddai'r nodwedd orau i berson feddu arni pan ei fod, mewn gwirionedd, yn Brif Weinidog.
Ceir dau ddewis yma. Naill ai, yn gyntaf oll, ni ofynnwyd am farn y DUP, ac wedyn fe wnaethon nhw fynegi eu barn yn glir iawn, iawn, neu gofynnwyd am eu barn ac yna fe wnaethon nhw gefnu ar ryw fath o gytundeb gyda Llywodraeth y DU. Nid oes unrhyw ddewisiadau eraill posibl yn y sefyllfa hon. Boed hynny y naill ffordd neu'r llall, mae'n arwydd o gamreolaeth gan Lywodraeth y DU o'r sefyllfa. Roeddwn i'n credu bod yr hyn a gafodd ei gynnig ddoe yn rhywbeth diddorol, o ran datrysiad. Nid oes neb eisiau gweld ffin gadarn—mae'n amhosibl cael ffin gadarn, mewn gwirionedd, ar yr ynys honno. Rwy'n adnabod yr ardal honno yn dda. Mae'n amhosibl; ni ellir ei wneud, ac roeddwn i'n credu bod ffyrdd o chwilio am ddatrysiad. Ond yr hyn y mae'n ymddangos ein bod ni'n ei wynebu erbyn hyn yw bod gan un blaid feto, plaid sy'n cynrychioli tua 37, 38 y cant o'r boblogaeth yng Ngogledd Iwerddon, o ran beth fydd yn digwydd yn y dyfodol, a does bosib bod honno'n sefyllfa gynaliadwy cyn belled ag y mae'r dyfodol yn y cwestiwn. A byddwn i'n disgwyl y byddai Llywodraeth y DU wedi ymdrin â'r mater hwn gyda'r DUP ymlaen llaw er mwyn cael cefnogaeth y DUP. Mae'n ymddangos i mi, naill ai na ddigwyddodd hynny neu, fod hynny wedi digwydd a bod y DUP wedi newid eu meddwl. Pa ddewis arall allai fod?
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
Y cwestiynau nawr i'r Prif Weinidog sydd ar yr agenda ac, felly, cwestiwn 1, Darren Millar.
Questions to the First Minister now as listed on the agenda, and the first question is from Darren Millar.
1. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog gadarnhau'r broses ar gyfer ymdrin â chwynion nad yw'r Prif Weinidog wedi cadw at god y gweinidogion? OAQ51393
1. Will the First Minister confirm the process for addressing complaints regarding the First Minister's adherence to the ministerial code? OAQ51393
Yes. Any complaints regarding adherence to the ministerial code should be submitted to me as First Minister.
Gwnaf. Dylid cyflwyno unrhyw gwynion ynghylch cadw at god y gweinidogion i mi fel Prif Weinidog.
As you will be aware from our exchange, First Minister, last week, I hope to provide evidence to the independent investigator looking at the allegations of bullying in the Welsh Government. What assurances can you provide to this Assembly, Carl Sargeant's family and others that any AM with information will be able to contribute without fear of reprisals and that the collective responsibility, which usually binds members of the Welsh Government, will be waived for the purposes of all the investigations that you have announced?
Fel y byddwch yn gwybod o'n trafodaeth yr wythnos diwethaf, Prif Weinidog, rwy'n gobeithio darparu tystiolaeth i'r ymchwilydd annibynnol sy'n ystyried yr honiadau o fwlio yn Llywodraeth Cymru. Pa sicrwydd allwch chi ei roi i'r Cynulliad hwn, i deulu Carl Sargeant ac i eraill y bydd unrhyw AC sydd â gwybodaeth yn cael cyfrannu heb fod ofn dial ac y bydd y cyd-gyfrifoldeb, sy'n rhwymo aelodau Llywodraeth Cymru fel rheol, yn cael ei hepgor at ddibenion yr holl ymchwiliadau yr ydych chi wedi eu cyhoeddi?
Well, all Members can provide such evidence as they think they have. It's a matter ultimately, of course, for the adviser to decide how the process is then taken forward.
Wel, gall pob Aelod ddarparu'r dystiolaeth y credant sydd ganddynt. Mater i'r cynghorydd yn y pen draw, wrth gwrs, yw penderfynu sut i fwrw ymlaen â'r broses wedyn.
Section 2.9 of the ministerial code states that responsibility for special advisers rests with the First Minister and the First Minister alone, and that's been reflected in the First Minister's entry in the list of ministerial responsibilities, where there's an explicit reference to special advisers. That has been the case up until the amended version of ministerial responsibilities, which now under the First Minister's entry omits that reference to special advisers. Why is that, First Minister? Are you trying to conceal or evade your responsibilities?
Mae adran 2.9 cod y gweinidogion yn nodi mai'r Prif Weinidog a'r Prif Weinidog yn unig sydd â chyfrifoldeb am gynghorwyr arbennig, ac adlewyrchwyd hynny yng nghofnod y Prif Weinidog yn y rhestr o gyfrifoldebau'r gweinidogion, lle ceir cyfeiriad penodol at gynghorwyr arbennig. Dyma fu'n wir hyd at y fersiwn ddiwygiedig o gyfrifoldebau'r gweinidogion, sydd o dan gofnod y Prif Weinidog erbyn hyn yn hepgor y cyfeiriad hwnnw at gynghorwyr arbennig. Pam mae hynny, Prif Weinidog? A ydych chi'n ceisio cuddio neu osgoi eich cyfrifoldebau?
No, of course not. That's nonsense. It's to do with the situation of senior civil servants. I'm not responsible for senior civil servants or any other part of—. Sorry, it's not senior civil servants; it's those who are not senior civil servants. I'm not responsible for the civil service. I appoint special advisers. The line manager of special advisers is somebody different in terms of their pay and conditions, but I appoint them and that will remain the case in the future.
Nac ydw, wrth gwrs nad ydw i. Lol yw hynny. Mae'n ymwneud â sefyllfa uwch weision sifil. Nid wyf i'n gyfrifol am uwch weision sifil nac unrhyw ran arall o—. Mae'n ddrwg gen i, nid uwch weision sifil; y rheini nad ydynt yn uwch weision sifil. Nid wyf yn gyfrifol am y gwasanaeth sifil. Rwy'n penodi cynghorwyr arbennig. Mae rheolwr llinell cynghorwyr arbennig yn rhywun gwahanol o ran ei dâl a'i amodau, ond fi sy'n eu penodi a bydd hynny'n parhau i fod yn wir yn y dyfodol.
First Minister, you've finally referred yourself for investigation under the ministerial code. I've been asking you to do so for months, on three separate occasions when I believe you've misled this Senedd. You've either ignored the calls or just smeared me instead. Now, the ministerial code is clear: if you knowingly mislead the Assembly, you will be expected to tender your resignation. If you are found to have misled this Assembly, will you resign? And will you now refer yourself for investigation under the ministerial code on the other matters that I've raised previously?
Prif Weinidog, rydych chi wedi atgyfeirio eich hun ar gyfer ymchwiliad o dan god y gweinidogion o'r diwedd. Rwyf i wedi bod yn gofyn i chi wneud hynny ers misoedd, ar dri gwahanol achlysur pan fy mod yn credu eich bod chi wedi camarwain y Senedd hon. Rydych chi naill ai wedi anwybyddu'r galwadau neu, yn hytrach, wedi taflu baw ataf i. Nawr, mae cod y gweinidogion yn eglur: os ydych chi'n camarwain y Cynulliad yn fwriadol, bydd disgwyl i chi ymddiswyddo. Os canfyddir eich bod chi wedi camarwain y Cynulliad hwn, a wnewch chi ymddiswyddo? Ac a wnewch chi atgyfeirio eich hun nawr ar gyfer ymchwiliad o dan god y gweinidogion ar y materion eraill yr wyf i wedi eu codi yn y gorffennol?
No, because all the Member raises is frivolous nonsense, as well he knows, and without any basis in fact at all. The adviser is there. I have said that I will refer myself to the adviser in terms of a suggested breach of the ministerial code and that's exactly what will happen.
Na wnaf, oherwydd y cwbl y mae'r Aelod yn ei godi yw lol wamal, fel y mae'n gwybod yn iawn, ac heb unrhyw sail mewn gwirionedd o gwbl. Mae'r cynghorydd yno. Rwyf i wedi dweud y gwnaf atgyfeirio fy hun at y cynghorydd o ran achos arfaethedig o fethu â chadw at god y gweinidogion, a dyna'n union fydd yn digwydd.
2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am recriwtio athrawon yng Nghanol De Cymru? OAQ51417
2. Will the First Minister make a statement on teacher recruitment in South Wales Central? OAQ51417
Yes. We want teaching in Wales to be a first choice profession so that we can attract the very best. In addition to our incentives, we are working with the sector, including the regional consortia, to actively promote the profession, to recruit the very best and brightest individuals into teaching.
Gwnaf. Rydym ni eisiau i addysgu yng Nghymru fod yn broffesiwn dewis cyntaf fel y gallwn ni ddenu'r goreuon. Yn ogystal â'n cymhellion, rydym ni'n gweithio gyda'r sector, gan gynnwys y consortia rhanbarthol, i hyrwyddo'r proffesiwn yn ymarferol, i recriwtio'r unigolion gorau a mwyaf disglair i faes addysgu.
First Minister, I'm pleased to say that, in the South Wales Central region, there were two gold award winners and a silver award winner in the Pearson teaching awards that were announced in October. These are very prestigious awards, as you know. However, despite these outstanding examples of best practice, recent Welsh Government figures have shown that, since 2007, the number of job adverts across Wales for teachers has risen by 9.4 per cent, while the number of applications has dropped by nearly 19 per cent. Do you believe the Welsh Government has got a role to play in highlighting what a rewarding profession teaching is and how much best practice there is in some of our schools?
Prif Weinidog, rwy'n falch o ddweud, yn rhanbarth Canol De Cymru, bod dau enillydd gwobr aur ac enillydd gwobr arian yng ngwobrau addysgu Pearson a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Hydref. Mae'r rhain yn wobrau uchel iawn eu parch, fel y gwyddoch. Fodd bynnag, er gwaethaf yr enghreifftiau rhagorol hyn o arfer gorau, mae ffigurau diweddar Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dangos, ers 2007, bod nifer yr hysbysebion swyddi ledled Cymru ar gyfer athrawon wedi cynyddu 9.4 y cant, tra bod nifer y ceisiadau wedi gostwng gan bron i 19 y cant. A ydych chi'n credu bod gan Lywodraeth Cymru ran i'w chwarae o ran tynnu sylw at faint o foddhad y mae addysgu yn ei gynnig fel proffesiwn a faint o arfer gorau sydd i'w gael yn rhai o'n hysgolion?
Yes, I do, and, just to give the Member some idea of what we've been doing: we've been working with regional consortia to actively promote a recruitment and retention offer to support recruitment to initial teacher education in Wales; there's £20,000 available to graduates with a first or postgraduate degree undertaking secondary postgraduate ITE programmes in maths, Welsh, computer science, physics and chemistry; there's £15,000 available for those who are modern language students who fit the same criteria. In Wales, we have seen a 3.9 per cent increase in UCAS applications for Wales ITE providers in 2016 compared to 2015. So, that is encouraging news and shows that the incentives that I've mentioned, along with the other things that we are doing, are proving to be attractive to potential teachers.
Ydw, mi ydwyf, a, dim ond i roi rhyw syniad i'r Aelod o'r hyn yr ydym ni wedi bod yn ei wneud: rydym ni wedi bod yn gweithio gyda chonsortia rhanbarthol i hyrwyddo cynnig recriwtio a chadw i gynorthwyo gwaith recriwtio i addysg gychwynnol athrawon yng Nghymru; mae £20,000 ar gael i raddedigion â gradd gyntaf neu ôl-raddedig sy'n ymgymryd â rhaglenni ITE ôl-raddedig eilaidd ym mhynciau mathemateg, y Gymraeg, gwyddoniaeth gyfrifiadurol, ffiseg a chemeg; mae £15,000 ar gael ar gyfer y rheini sy'n fyfyrwyr ieithoedd modern sy'n bodloni'r un meini prawf. Yng Nghymru, rydym ni wedi gweld cynnydd o 3.9 y cant i geisiadau UCAS ar gyfer darparwyr ITE Cymru yn 2016 o'i chymharu â 2015. Felly, mae hynny'n newyddion calonogol ac yn dangos bod y cymhellion yr wyf i wedi eu crybwyll, ynghyd â'r pethau eraill yr ydym ni'n eu gwneud, yn ddeniadol i ddarpar athrawon.
You'll be aware of the debate about supply teachers, and some of our most experienced teachers are earning poor wages because of the situation whereby agencies take a large chunk of the pay available to them from schools. In Denmark, it's against the law to make a profit out of education, First Minister. Legislation like that here would solve the problem with regard to supply teachers. As a matter of principle, would you be open to such legislation here in Wales?
Byddwch yn ymwybodol o'r ddadl am athrawon cyflenwi, ac mae rhai o'n hathrawon mwyaf profiadol yn ennill cyflogau gwael oherwydd y sefyllfa lle mae asiantaethau yn cymryd cyfran fawr o'r cyflog sydd ar gael iddyn nhw gan ysgolion. Yn Nenmarc, mae yn erbyn y gyfraith i wneud elw o addysg, Prif Weinidog. Byddai deddfwriaeth o'r fath yma yn datrys y broblem o ran athrawon cyflenwi. Fel mater o egwyddor, a fyddech chi'n agored i ddeddfwriaeth o'r fath yma yng Nghymru?
I think that goes a step, perhaps, too far. What I am interested in is what we can do when pay and conditions are devolved, which has been the problem for us, how we can then improve the conditions of supply teachers as well. In the meantime, I know the Cabinet Secretary, on 5 October, announced in Plenary £2.7 million to support a school-based supply cluster arrangement. That'll see recently qualified teachers, who might otherwise find themselves in supply roles, employed in maintained schools on a supernumerary basis and paid at national pay rates. But, yes, it is right to say that, when we see pay and conditions devolved, there will be then the opportunity to look again at whether the current arrangements for supply teaching are adequate.
Rwy'n meddwl bod hynny mynd gam yn rhy bell, efallai. Yr hyn y mae gen i ddiddordeb ynddo yw'r hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud pan fydd cyflog ac amodau wedi eu datganoli, sydd wedi bod yn broblem i ni, sut gallwn ni wella amodau athrawon cyflenwi hefyd wedyn. Yn y cyfamser, gwn fod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ar 5 Hydref, wedi cyhoeddi £2.7 miliwn yn y cyfarfod llawn i gefnogi trefniant clwstwr cyflenwi wedi ei leoli mewn ysgolion. Bydd hynny'n arwain at athrawon sydd newydd gymhwyso, a allai ganfod eu hunain mewn swyddi cyflenwi fel arall, yn cael eu cyflogi mewn ysgolion a gynhelir ar sail ychwanegol ac yn cael eu talu ar sail cyfraddau cyflog cenedlaethol. Ond, ydy, mae'n iawn i ddweud, pan fyddwn ni'n gweld cyflog ac amodau yn cael eu datganoli, y bydd cyfle wedyn i ystyried eto pa un a yw'r trefniadau presennol ar gyfer athrawon cyflenwi yn ddigonol.
There have been problems with the retention of teaching assistants, or TAs. Often, TAs qualify as higher level TAs, but find that they aren't given the salary or responsibilities appropriate to the new level. This has contributed to many leaving the profession. What steps can the Welsh Government take to address this problem?
Bu problemau o ran cadw cynorthwywyr addysgu. Yn aml, mae cynorthwywyr addysgu yn gymwys fel cynorthwywyr addysgu lefel uwch, ond yn canfod nad ydynt yn cael y cyflog na'r cyfrifoldebau sy'n briodol i'r lefel newydd. Mae hyn wedi cyfrannu at lawer yn gadael y proffesiwn. Pa gamau all Llywodraeth Cymru eu cymryd i ddatrys y broblem hon?
It's a matter, of course, for schools in terms of what they do. The local management of schools means that schools have a certain degree of autonomy in terms of how they employ people, but it is clearly in the interests of schools to ensure that they provide the right terms and conditions in order to retain the teaching assistants that they need.
Mae'n fater i ysgolion, wrth gwrs, o ran yr hyn y maen nhw'n ei wneud. Mae rheoli ysgolion yn lleol yn golygu bod gan ysgolion lefel benodol o ymreolaeth o ran sut y maen nhw'n cyflogi pobl, ond mae'n amlwg er budd ysgolion i sicrhau eu bod yn darparu'r telerau ac amodau priodol er mwyn cadw'r cynorthwywyr addysgu sydd eu hangen arnynt.
First Minister, the education Cabinet Secretary recommitted in the Chamber on 24 October the Welsh Government's mission to promote teaching in Wales as a high-status, valued and flexible profession. I know personally, as a former teacher and visiting lecturer, how demanding and challenging, as well as exciting and satisfying, the teaching profession can be.
First Minister, the Welsh Labour Government has announced, as you said, support of £2.7 million across the current and next academic years to fund 15 local authorities in supporting the school-based supply cluster arrangements across 86 schools and in times of austerity. That will enable the appointment of approximately 50 recently qualified teachers on a supernumerary basis to work across school clusters, covering for teacher absence and ensuring a high level of localised teaching.
In addition, savings will be realised from school supply budgets. First Minister, how then will the Welsh Government measure the success of this highly innovative approach and what possibility will there be for its roll-out to cover my constituency in Islwyn, so the benefits are felt by all schools in the Gwent valleys?
Prif Weinidog, ailymrwymodd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros addysg yn y Siambr ar 24 Hydref genhadaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i hyrwyddo addysgu yng Nghymru fel proffesiwn statws uchel, hyblyg, a werthfawrogir. Gwn yn bersonol, fel cyn-athrawes a darlithydd gwadd, pa mor anodd a heriol, yn ogystal â chyffrous a llawn boddhad, y gall y proffesiwn addysgu fod.
Prif Weinidog, mae Llywodraeth Llafur Cymru wedi cyhoeddi, fel y dywedasoch, cymorth o £2.7 miliwn ar draws y blynyddoedd academaidd presennol a nesaf i ariannu 15 o awdurdodau lleol i gefnogi trefniadau clwstwr cyflenwi wedi eu lleoli mewn ysgolion ar draws 86 o ysgolion a hynny mewn cyfnod o gyni cyllidol. Bydd hynny'n galluogi penodi tua 50 o athrawon newydd gymhwyso ar sail ychwanegol i weithio ar draws clystyrau ysgolion, fel cymorth wrth gefn pan fydd athrawon yn absennol a chan sicrhau lefel uchel o addysgu lleol.
Hefyd, bydd arbedion yn cael eu cyflawni o gyllidebau cyflenwi ysgolion. Prif Weinidog, sut felly y gwnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru fesur llwyddiant y dull hynod arloesol hwn a pha bosibilrwydd fydd yna i'w gyflwyniad gynnwys fy etholaeth i yn Islwyn, fel bod y manteision yn cael eu teimlo gan bob ysgol yng nghymoedd Gwent?
Can I thank the Member for her question and the passionate way in which she represents her constituency and the people who live in it? I can say to her the response from schools and local authorities involved in the £2.7 million supply cluster project, or pilot, rather, has been extremely positive. Arrangements are in place to closely monitor and evaluate the initiative, including commissioning a formal research project to evidence the benefits of the pilot as a catalyst and to look at viable future alternative supply models.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei chwestiwn a'r ffordd angerddol y mae hi'n cynrychioli ei hetholaeth a'r bobl sy'n byw ynddi? Gallaf ddweud wrthi bod yr ymateb gan ysgolion ac awdurdodau lleol sy'n cymryd rhan yn y prosiect clwstwr cyflenwi gwerth £2.7 miliwn, neu'r treial, yn hytrach, wedi bod yn hynod gadarnhaol. Mae trefniadau ar waith i fonitro'r fenter yn agos a'i gwerthuso, gan gynnwys comisiynu prosiect ymchwil ffurfiol i ddangos manteision y treial fel catalydd ac i ystyried modelau cyflenwi amgen eraill ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd grŵp UKIP, Neil Hamilton.
Questions now from the party leaders. Leader of the UKIP group, Neil Hamilton.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. On 13 November, Adam Price tabled a written question, which asked the First Minister if
'he continues to be responsible for "staffing including the terms and conditions of Special Advisers'.
The answer came 10 days later:
'I retain a close interest in staffing but responsibility rests with the Permanent Secretary.'
But the code of conduct for special advisers says something that is diametrically the opposite of that:
'The responsibility for the management and conduct of special advisers, including discipline, rests with the First Minister who made the appointment.'
So, how does the First Minister reconcile what that said on paper with what he's just told Adam Price?
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Ar 13 Tachwedd, cyflwynodd Adam Price gwestiwn ysgrifenedig, a ofynnodd i'r Prif Weinidog a
yw'n dal i fod yn gyfrifol am staffio gan gynnwys telerau ac amodau Cynghorwyr Arbennig.
Daeth yr ateb 10 diwrnod yn ddiweddarach:
Rwy'n cadw diddordeb agos mewn staffio ond yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol sy'n gyfrifol.
Ond mae'r cod ymddygiad ar gyfer cynghorwyr arbennig yn dweud rhywbeth sy'n gwbl groes i hynny:
'Cyfrifoldeb y Prif Weinidog a wnaeth y penodiad yw rheoli cynghorwyr arbennig a'u hymddygiad, gan gynnwys disgyblaeth.'
Felly, sut mae'r Prif Weinidog yn cysoni'r hyn a ddywedodd hynny ar bapur gyda'r hyn y mae newydd ei ddweud wrth Adam Price?
I'm not responsible for the civil service in any way shape or form; I am responsible for special advisers and for their appointment. In terms of their pay and conditions as a line manager, that's the responsibility of somebody else.
Nid wyf i'n gyfrifol am y gwasanaeth sifil mewn unrhyw ffordd o gwbl; rwy'n gyfrifol am gynghorwyr arbennig ac am eu penodi. O ran eu cyflog a'u hamodau fel rheolwr llinell, cyfrifoldeb rhywun arall yw hynny.
Conduct.
Ymddygiad.
Conduct, yes, I am responsible for the conduct of special advisers.
Ymddygiad, ie, fi sy'n gyfrifol am ymddygiad cynghorwyr arbennig.
Good. In which case, can the First Minister then confirm that the inquiry that is being undertaken, one of many—another day, another inquiry today—by James Hamilton will involve, also, an inquiry into the conduct of special advisers, because they are specifically responsible to him, the First Minister, ultimately, for their political conduct?
Da iawn. Felly, a all y Prif Weinidog gadarnhau felly bod yr ymchwiliad sy'n cael ei gynnal, un o blith llawer—diwrnod arall, ymchwiliad arall heddiw—gan James Hamilton yn cynnwys, hefyd, ymchwiliad i ymddygiad cynghorwyr arbennig, gan eu bod nhw'n atebol yn benodol iddo fe, y Prif Weinidog, yn y pen draw, am eu hymddygiad gwleidyddol?
No. The inquiry will look at whether I have breached the ministerial code in relation to the answers I gave in November 2014 and November 2017.
Na. Bydd yr ymchwiliad yn ystyried pa un a wyf i wedi torri cod y gweinidogion o ran yr atebion a roddais ym mis Tachwedd 2014 ac ym mis Tachwedd 2017.
So, is the First Minister saying that the conduct of special advisers will not be part of the terms of the inquiry of James Hamilton?
Felly, a yw'r Prif Weinidog yn dweud na fydd ymddygiad cynghorwyr arbennig yn rhan o delerau ymchwiliad James Hamilton?
Well, I've referred myself, under the ministerial code, to the adviser. It will be a matter for the independent adviser to decide how, then, to take the inquiry forward.
Wel, rwyf i wedi atgyfeirio fy hun, o dan god y gweinidogion, i'r cynghorydd. Bydd yn fater i'r cynghorydd annibynnol benderfynu sut, wedyn, i fwrw ymlaen â'r ymchwiliad.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood.
Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood.
First Minister, as you said earlier, the Democratic Unionist Party torpedoed the UK's attempt to move on to the next stage in the Brexit talks, and the border in Ireland is the sticking point. None of us want a return to a hard border, but neither do we want to see barriers between Wales and our nearest neighbours. Barriers will be bad news for the port of Holyhead, as we heard earlier, for Stena Line, for Irish Ferries, for jobs, and bad news for other Welsh ports as well. There will be delays to business, and gridlock for passengers is the risk. We all know how much influence the DUP has. What influence can you use to protect the port of Holyhead from a new hard border?
Prif Weinidog, fel y dywedasoch yn gynharach, chwalwyd ymgais y DU i symud ymlaen i'r cam nesaf yn y trafodaethau Brexit gan y Blaid Unoliaethol Ddemocrataidd, a'r ffin yn Iwerddon yw'r maen tramgwydd. Nid oes yr un ohonom ni eisiau dychwelyd i ffin galed, ond nid ydym ychwaith eisiau gweld rhwystrau rhwng Cymru a'n cymdogion agosaf. Bydd rhwystrau yn newyddion drwg i borthladd Caergybi, fel y clywsom yn gynharach, i Stena Line, i Irish Ferries, i swyddi, ac yn newyddion drwg i borthladdoedd eraill yng Nghymru hefyd. Bydd oediadau i fusnes, a thagfeydd i deithwyr yw'r risg. Rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod faint o ddylanwad sydd gan y DUP. Pa ddylanwad allwch chi ei ddefnyddio i ddiogelu porthladd Caergybi rhag ffin galed newydd?
Well, we have spoken to the Irish Government about this and informed them, of course, of our concerns and they share our concerns. The last thing they want to see is a hard border between Wales and Ireland as a maritime border, and we are working with them in order to ensure that doesn't happen.
Wel, rydym ni wedi siarad gyda Llywodraeth Iwerddon am hyn ac wedi eu hysbysu nhw, wrth gwrs, am ein pryderon ac maen nhw'n rhannu ein pryderon. Y peth olaf y maen nhw eisiau ei weld yw ffin galed rhwng Cymru ac Iwerddon fel ffin arforol, ac rydym ni'n gweithio gyda nhw er mwyn sicrhau na fydd hynny'n digwydd.
First Minister, I used the word 'influence' on purpose. The Welsh national interest can only be protected if our MPs vote the right way on crucial Brexit divisions. Plaid Cymru's solution to the border problem, as you'll be aware, is for the UK to stay in the customs union. The UK Labour Party is supposed to be the official opposition in Westminster. You've just said, earlier on, that you want Wales to remain in the single market and that membership of the customs union is the solution to this problem. We heard earlier, also, about the importance of parliamentary democracy. Can you tell us, therefore, why Labour MPs voted against the UK membership of the customs union as recently as 20 November?
Prif Weinidog, defnyddiais y gair 'dylanwad' ar bwrpas. Gellir gwarchod ein budd cenedlaethol Cymru dim ond os bydd ein ASau yn pleidleisio y ffordd iawn ar raniadau Brexit hollbwysig. Ateb Plaid Cymru i broblem y ffin, fel y byddwch yn ymwybodol, yw i'r DU aros yn yr undeb tollau. Plaid Lafur y DU yw'r wrthblaid swyddogol yn San Steffan i fod. Rydych chi newydd ddweud, yn gynharach, eich bod chi eisiau i Gymru aros yn y farchnad sengl ac mai aelodaeth o'r undeb tollau yw'r ateb i'r broblem hon. Clywsom yn gynharach, hefyd, am bwysigrwydd democratiaeth seneddol. A allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni, felly, pam y gwnaeth ASau Llafur bleidleisio yn erbyn aelodaeth y DU o'r undeb tollau mor ddiweddar â'r ugeinfed o Dachwedd?
First of all, it is gratifying to see that Labour and Plaid Cymru MPs have worked together in order to make sure that we look to try and get our amendments through the Commons and the Lords, which I very much welcome. She will know my view, and that is that I believe we should have full, unfettered access to the single market. We've agreed the same position. I also believe that the UK is best served by staying within the customs union. There will be different views in my party in London, and those views are well known, as some Members have put them. But my view is, as First Minister, that we are best served by staying in the customs union and having that access to the single market.
Yn gyntaf oll, mae'n braf gweld bod ASau Llafur a Phlaid Cymru wedi cydweithio er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n ceisio cael ein gwelliannau trwy Dŷ'r Cyffredin a Thŷ’r Arglwyddi, ac rwyf i'n croesawu hynny yn fawr iawn. Bydd hi'n gwybod fy marn i, sef fy mod i'n credu y dylai fod gennym ni fynediad llawn a dilyffethair at y farchnad sengl. Rydym ni wedi cytuno ar yr un safbwynt. Credaf hefyd mai'r dewis gorau i'r DU yw aros yn yr undeb tollau. Bydd gwahanol safbwyntiau yn fy mhlaid i yn Llundain, ac mae'r safbwyntiau hynny yn hysbys, gan fod rhai Aelodau wedi eu mynegi. Ond fy marn i, fel Prif Weinidog, yw mai'r dewis gorau i ni yw aros yn yr undeb tollau a chael y mynediad hwnnw at y farchnad sengl.
The problem here is that we have a number of Labour views. We don't have clarity as to what the Labour position is, and there has been a failure by Labour MPs to protect our interests here in Wales, by the way that they vote. We're facing a weak and divided Tory Government, but a consensus has been allowed to be built over leaving the single market and the customs union. You've said that if a distinct deal is offered to another UK country, you expect that to be offered to Wales. Perhaps I trust Westminster a lot less than you do, First Minister, but as things stand, I expect Westminster not to offer us such a deal. But we can change that situation if we want to. In the absence of any action or initiative from the UK Labour Party, this Assembly can speak out. You have the power to ensure that Wales doesn't settle for second best here. As First Minister of this country, will you ensure that, when the time comes, Labour MPs in Westminster will back a distinct deal for Wales?
Y broblem yma yw bod gennym ni nifer o safbwyntiau Llafur. Nid oes gennym ni eglurder ynghylch beth yw safbwynt y Blaid Lafur, a bu methiant gan ASau Llafur i ddiogelu ein buddiannau yma yng Nghymru, drwy'r ffordd y maen nhw'n pleidleisio. Rydym ni'n wynebu Llywodraeth Dorïaidd wan a rhanedig, ond caniatawyd i gonsensws gael ei ddatblygu ynghylch gadael y farchnad sengl a'r undeb tollau. Rydych chi wedi dweud os caiff cytundeb ar wahân ei gynnig i wlad arall yn y DU, eich bod yn disgwyl i hwnnw gael ei gynnig i Gymru. Efallai fy mod i'n ymddiried llawer llai yn San Steffan nag yr ydych chi, Prif Weinidog, ond fel mae pethau'n sefyll, rwy'n disgwyl i San Steffan beidio â chynnig cytundeb o'r fath i ni. Ond gallwn newid y sefyllfa honno os ydym ni eisiau. Yn absenoldeb unrhyw weithredu neu flaengarwch gan Blaid Lafur y DU, gall y Cynulliad hwn leisio ei farn. Mae'r grym gennych chi i sicrhau nad yw Cymru'n setlo am ail orau yn y fan yma. Fel Prif Weinidog y wlad hon, a wnewch chi sicrhau, pan ddaw'r amser, y bydd ASau Llafur yn San Steffan yn cefnogi cytundeb ar wahân i Gymru?
Well, I think they've shown that through their actions last night, in fairness.
Wel, rwy'n meddwl eu bod nhw wedi dangos hynny trwy eu gweithredoedd neithiwr, er tegwch.
No, they haven't.
Nac ydyn, dydyn nhw ddim.
It's not as if they haven't been supportive of the amendments that we have put down. But the perspective I have is this: I want to see a good deal for the whole UK. I think that's by far the easiest solution. Having a deal specifically for Wales is more difficult; there's no question about that. It's more difficult. It's not impossible; it's certainly more difficult. I would like to see the UK as a whole remain in the customs union, have full and unfettered access to the single market, and that means, of course, that Welsh businesses will be able to access the UK market, which is hugely important for them, and the EU market at the same time. I don't see that there needs to be any kind of competition between those two aims.
Nid yw fel pe nad ydynt wedi bod yn gefnogol o'r gwelliannau yr ydym ni wedi eu cyflwyno. Ond dyma'r safbwynt sydd gen i: rwyf i eisiau gweld cytundeb da i'r DU gyfan. Rwy'n credu mai dyna'r ateb hawddaf o bell ffordd. Mae cael cytundeb penodol i Gymru yn fwy anodd; nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth am hynny. Mae'n fwy anodd. Nid yw'n amhosibl; mae'n yn sicr yn fwy anodd. Hoffwn weld y DU yn ei chyfanrwydd yn aros yn yr undeb tollau, yn cael mynediad llawn a dilyffethair at y farchnad sengl, ac mae hynny'n golygu, wrth gwrs, y bydd busnesau Cymru yn gallu cael mynediad at farchnad y DU, sy'n bwysig dros ben iddyn nhw, a marchnad yr UE ar yr un pryd. Nid wyf i'n gweld bod angen unrhyw fath o gystadleuaeth rhwng y ddau nod hynny.
Arweinydd yr wrthblaid, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Leader of the opposition, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, did Leighton Andrews make a complaint of any nature in 2014 about the conduct or behaviour of members of staff in the Welsh Government or your office?
Diolch i chi, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, a wnaeth Leighton Andrews gŵyn o unrhyw fath yn 2014 ynghylch ymddygiad aelodau o staff yn Llywodraeth Cymru neu yn eich Swyddfa chi?
No.
Naddo.
First Minister, why have you subsequently, then, when we've been questioning you in this Chamber, indicated that you had issues brought to your attention by the individual I named and others, and that you dealt with those issues at that time? Because there are quite clearly two stories running here, and it is difficult for the impartial observer to try and get to the truth of what people want to hear, which is what was actually going on in 2014 and what action was taken by you. So, can you clear up who is telling the truth: Leighton Andrews or yourself?
Prif Weinidog, pam ydych chi felly, wedi hynny, pan yr ydym ni wedi wedi bod yn eich holi chi yn y Siambr hon, wedi dweud y tynnwyd eich sylw at faterion gan yr unigolyn a enwais ac eraill, a'ch bod chi wedi ymdrin â'r materion hynny ar yr adeg honno? Oherwydd mae'n gwbl eglur bod dwy stori ar y gweill yn y fan yma, ac mae'n anodd i'r sylwedydd diduedd geisio cael at wirionedd yr hyn y mae pobl eisiau ei glywed, sef beth oedd yn digwydd mewn gwirionedd yn 2014 a pha gamau a gymerwyd gennych chi. Felly, a allwch chi egluro pwy sy'n dweud y gwir: Leighton Andrews neu chi?
I just answered your question. There were no allegations of bullying.
Rwyf i newydd ateb eich cwestiwn. Ni fu unrhyw honiadau o fwlio.
So, you're saying that, in the answers you gave this Chamber over the last several weeks, where you identified—and these were your words—issues were addressed and actions were taken, that those issues were not related to behaviour of the nature that has been described by Leighton Andrews, by the special adviser or by other individuals who've gone to the press indicating such an atmosphere existed on the fifth floor, and they were brought to your attention. And you did say, in this Chamber, that you did take action. So, what action did you take, and what were the issues you were referring to in your previous answers?
Felly, rydych chi'n dweud, yn yr atebion a roesoch chi i'r Siambr hon dros yr wythnosau diwethaf, pan wnaethoch chi nodi—a'ch geiriau chi oedd y rhain—y rhoddwyd sylw i faterion ac y cymerwyd camau, nad oedd y materion hynny yn ymwneud ag ymddygiad o'r natur a ddisgrifiwyd gan Leighton Andrews, gan y cynghorydd arbennig neu gan unigolion eraill sydd wedi mynd at y wasg i ddweud bod awyrgylch o'r fath yn bodoli ar y pumed llawr, ac y tynnwyd eich sylw atynt. A dywedasoch, yn y Siambr hon, y cymerwyd camau gennych chi. Felly, pa gamau wnaethoch chi eu cymryd, a beth oedd y materion yr oeddech chi'n cyfeirio atynt yn eich atebion blaenorol?
Issues that did not involve bullying. I've said no allegation was made by Leighton Andrews to me in regard to bullying. Were there issues that arose? Yes, there would be conflicts now and again between people—disputes about the titles of Bills, for example. When you have a talented team of people, sometimes they will rub up against each other.
Let me just make one thing clear: the narrative, the political narrative he's trying to create is that somehow the Government—[Interruption.] Oh, he's not, is he? That somehow, in 2014, the Government was in chaos and has been ever since. We delivered on all our manifesto promises between 2011 and 2016. We got back into power in 2016. The people of Wales trusted us to do that. Far from being ineffective, far from being a Government where people constantly spent their time arguing with each other, we were a Government that delivered for the people of Wales and delivered our manifesto as we promised.
Materion nad oeddent yn ymwneud â bwlio. Rwyf i wedi dweud na wnaed unrhyw honiad gan Leighton Andrews i mi o ran bwlio. A oedd materion a gododd? Oedd, byddai achosion o wrthdaro rhwng pobl nawr ac yn y man—anghydfodau ynghylch teitlau Biliau, er enghraifft. Pan fo gennych chi dîm o bobl ddawnus, byddant yn gwrthdaro weithiau.
Gadewch i mi wneud un peth yn eglur: y naratif, y naratif gwleidyddol y mae'n ceisio ei lunio yw bod y Llywodraeth rywsut—[Torri ar draws.] O, nid yw'n gwneud hynny, nag yw? Bod y Llywodraeth, yn 2014, mewn anhrefn rywsut a bod hynny'n wir byth ers hynny. Rydym ni wedi cyflawni pob un o'n haddewidion maniffesto rhwng 2011 a 2016. Llwyddasom i fynd yn ôl i mewn i rym yn 2016. Ymddiriedodd pobl Cymru ynom i wneud hynny. Ymhell o fod yn aneffeithiol, ymhell o fod yn Llywodraeth lle'r oedd pobl yn treulio eu hamser yn dadlau gyda'i gilydd drwy'r amser, rydym ni'n Llywodraeth a gyflawnodd dros bobl Cymru ac a gyflawnodd ein maniffesto fel yr addawyd gennym.
3. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am drafodaethau ford gron Llywodraeth Cymru ynghylch gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd? OAQ51414
3. Will the First Minister provide an update on Welsh Government round-table discussions on leaving the European Union? OAQ51414
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Ynni, Cynllunio a Materion Gwledig sy'n cadeirio bord gron Brexit ar gyfer ei phortffolio. Mae'r bwrdd wedi bod yn cwrdd yn rheolaidd ers Gorffennaf 2016, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd yn trafod y trefniadau pontio Ewropeaidd gan randdeiliaid ym mhob maes polisi.
The Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs chairs the Brexit round table for her portfolio. It has met on a regular basis since July 2016, and the Welsh Government also engages with stakeholders across all policy areas on EU transition through established forums.
Diolch. Mae'n bwysig, wrth gwrs, yng nghyd-destun beth rydym ni wedi bod yn ei drafod y prynhawn yma yn barod fod y Llywodraeth ar bob lefel yn ymwneud ym mhob ffordd bosibl â gwarchod buddiannau Cymru. Rydw i'n gwybod, ym Mhwyllgor Materion Allanol a Deddfwriaeth Ychwanegol y Cynulliad ar 20 Tachwedd, mi wnaeth yr Ysgrifennydd cyllid sôn am drefniadau bord gron yr Ysgrifennydd dros amaeth. Mi gyfeiriodd at grŵp gweithio yr Ysgrifennydd addysg ar Brexit. Mi gyfeiriodd at y grŵp y mae Ysgrifennydd yr economi yn ei gadeirio ar Brexit. Maes arall fydd yn sensitif iawn i'n hymadawiad ni o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd ydy maes iechyd a gwasanaethau a gofal cymdeithasol. Mewn staffio, mi fydd angen gwthio am visas ar gyfer gallu denu staff i weithio yng Nghymru yn benodol. Mae yna bryderon yn sgil colli'r Asiantaeth Feddyginiaethau Ewropeaidd, am sut y gallai Cymru greu cytundebau bilateral efo'r asiantaeth newydd yn Ewrop er mwyn parhau i wneud profion ar feddyginiaethau yng Nghymru, ac ati. Mae yna ystod eang o feysydd a fydd angen edrych arnyn nhw.
Pa waith, allech chi ddweud wrthym ni, y mae'r Ysgrifennydd iechyd yn ei wneud o ran arwain tîm gweithredol ar Brexit? Oherwydd mae yna bryder o fewn y maes iechyd yng Nghymru fod hwn yn un maes sy'n cael ei esgeuluso rhywfaint ar hyn o bryd, ac ni allwn ni, yn syml iawn, fforddio hynny.
Thank you. It's important, of course, in the context of what we’ve been discussing this afternoon, that the Government at every level is involved in all ways possible in terms of defending Wales’s interest. I know that in the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee of the Assembly on 20 November, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance mentioned the round-table arrangements for the Minister for agriculture. He talked about the working party of the Cabinet Secretary for Education. He talked about a group chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for the economy. And another area that will be very sensitive to our departure from the European Union will be health and social care. In staffing, we’ll have to push for visas in order to attract staff to work in Wales specifically. There are concerns, as a result of losing the European Medicines Agency, in terms of how Wales can make bilateral agreements with the new agency in Europe in order to continue to test medicines in Wales, and so on. So, there’s a broad range of areas that will need to be addressed.
So, can you tell us what work the health Secretary is doing in leading a team on Brexit? Because there is concern within the health sector in Wales that this is one area that is being neglected somewhat at the moment, and we simply can’t afford that to happen.
Rydym yn gweithio yn agos iawn ar hyn o bryd gyda chyrff iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol er mwyn inni ddeall beth yw impact gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, ac fel eu bod nhw hefyd yn deall beth yw'r impact arnyn nhw, a'u bod nhw'n deall ym mha ffordd y gallwn ni drafod hynny. Ers y refferendwm ei hun, mae'r Llywodraeth wedi gweithio gyda chyrff iechyd a gofal er mwyn ystyried pa rannau sy'n mynd i gael eu heffeithio gan Brexit. Mae yna weithdai hefyd wedi cymryd lle rhwng Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig a Llywodraeth Cymru i ystyried yr impact cyfreithiol a hefyd gweithredol o adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd ynglŷn â sawl peth. So, mae yna sawl peth wedi digwydd er mwyn sicrhau bod y gwasanaeth iechyd yn ystyried pa broblemau a allith godi o achos Brexit, yn enwedig Brexit caled.
We are working extremely closely at the moment with health and social care organisations in order to understand the impact of Brexit, and so they can also understand the impact on themselves and how we can discuss that. Since the referendum itself, the Government has been working with health and care organisations in order to consider which parts will be impacted by Brexit. Also, workshops have been held between the UK Government and Welsh Government to consider the legal and executive impact of Brexit as regards a number of issues. So, a number of things have taken place in order to ensure that the health service can consider what problems can arise because of Brexit, especially a hard Brexit.
In his letter yesterday to the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee, the UK Parliament's Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union said
‘The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union has held numerous discussions with the Welsh Government—including a number of bilateral discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government’
but
‘There is agreement between the Scottish, Welsh and UK Governments that common frameworks will be necessary in some areas and we have together agreed a set of principles that will underpin our work’.
And that
‘We have agreed a programme of intense discussions with the Welsh Government, led by the First Secretary of State, to take this forward.’
Could you tell us a little bit more about what that programme of discussions is and how you'll be informing this Assembly about the developments that arise from them?
Yn ei lythyr ddoe at y Pwyllgor Materion Allanol a Deddfwriaeth Ychwanegol, dywedodd Is-Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Senedd y DU dros Adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd
Mae'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd wedi cynnal nifer o drafodaethau gyda Llywodraeth Cymru—gan gynnwys nifer o drafodaethau dwyochrog gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyllid a Llywodraeth Leol
ond
Ceir cytundeb rhwng Llywodraethau'r Alban, Cymru a'r DU y bydd fframweithiau cyffredin yn angenrheidiol mewn rhai meysydd ac rydym wedi cytuno gyda'n gilydd ar gyfres o egwyddorion a fydd yn sail i'n gwaith.
Ac
Rydym ni wedi cytuno ar raglen o drafodaethau dwys gyda Llywodraeth Cymru, dan arweiniad y Prif Ysgrifennydd Gwladol, i fwrw ymlaen â hyn.
A allech chi ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni o ran beth yw'r rhaglen honno o drafodaethau a sut y byddwch chi'n hysbysu'r Cynulliad hwn am y datblygiadau sy'n deillio ohonynt?
The discussions are not with the Secretary of State, particularly, for Wales, but the different Secretaries of State who have portfolio responsibilities in Whitehall. They are called 'deep dives', for reasons that escape me, actually, but what they are looking to do is to see where there is a need—first of all, is there a need for a common framework, secondly, what should that common framework look like. But key to this all, of course, is that any common framework in any area must be agreed and not imposed by the UK Government.
Nid yw'r trafodaethau gydag Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru yn benodol, ond y gwahanol Ysgrifenyddion Gwladol sydd â chyfrifoldebau portffolio yn Whitehall. Fe'u gelwir yn 'deep dives', am resymau nad wyf i'n eu cofio ar hyn o bryd, a dweud y gwir, ond yr hyn y maen nhw'n ceisio ei wneud yw gweld lle mae angen—yn gyntaf oll, a oes angen fframwaith cyffredin, yn ail, sut dylai'r fframwaith cyffredin hwnnw edrych. Ond yn allweddol i hyn oll, wrth gwrs, yw bod yn rhaid i unrhyw fframwaith cyffredin mewn unrhyw faes gael ei gytuno ac nid ei orfodi gan Lywodraeth y DU.
4. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gynlluniau i hyrwyddo bod yn agored a thryloyw o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru? OAQ51403
4. Will the First Minister make a statement on plans to promote openness and transparency within the Welsh Government? OAQ51403
We are committed to maximising transparency and openness through our publication scheme.
Rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau cymaint â phosibl o dryloywder a natur agored drwy ein cynllun cyhoeddi.
Thank you, First Minister. As you will be aware, the last few months have seen some pretty torrid times in politics, and I think the esteem in which we are held is suffering. I think the Welsh public will expect us to be far more open and transparent going forward. I have recently received an answer to a written question from the Cabinet Secretary for health and well-being that contradicts an almost identical question tabled by my colleague David Melding less than two months earlier. What can you do to ensure that your Government is providing consistent information to questions tabled by Assembly Members? It is merely our attempt to conduct proper scrutiny, which is our duty on behalf of the public, for whom we are the elected representatives.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Fel y byddwch chi'n ymwybodol, bu'n gyfnod ofnadwy ym myd gwleidyddiaeth yn y misoedd diwethaf, a chredaf fod y parch yr ydym ni'n ei fwynhau yn dioddef. Rwy'n credu y bydd y cyhoedd yng Nghymru yn disgwyl i ni fod yn llawer mwy agored a thryloyw yn y dyfodol. Cefais ateb yn ddiweddar i gwestiwn ysgrifenedig gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd a llesiant sy'n gwrthddweud cwestiwn a oedd bron yn union yr un fath a gyflwynwyd gan fy nghyd-Aelod David Melding lai na dau fis yn gynharach. Beth allwch chi ei wneud i sicrhau bod eich Llywodraeth yn darparu gwybodaeth gyson i gwestiynau a gyflwynir gan Aelodau'r Cynulliad? Y cwbl yw hyn yw ein hymdrech ni i wneud gwaith craffu priodol, sef ein dyletswydd ar ran y cyhoedd, yr ydym ni'n gynrychiolwyr etholedig iddynt.
The Member has me at a disadvantage. I don't know what the questions were or what the answers were, but if she provides me with those questions I will, of course, investigate.
Mae'r Aelod yn fy rhoi dan anfantais. Nid wyf yn gwybod beth oedd y cwestiynau na beth oedd yr atebion, ond os gwnaiff hi ddarparu'r cwestiynau hynny i mi byddaf, wrth gwrs, yn ymchwilio.
Wrth chwilio am yr ateb mwyaf tryloyw posibl i rai o'r materion sydd fwyaf pwysig i'r Cynulliad heddiw, rydw i'n mynd yn ôl at yr hyn a ofynnwyd gan Andrew R.T. Davies, achos pan wnaethoch chi ateb Andrew Davies fe wnaethoch chi ddweud yn glir iawn nad ydych chi'n delio ag unrhyw gyhuddiadau o fwlian, ond fe ofynnwyd cwestiwn llawer mwy eang i chi. Felly, a gaf i ofyn y cwestiwn eto? A dderbynioch chi unrhyw gwyn neu sylw gan Leighton Andrews o gwmpas Hydref 2014 a oedd yn ymwneud ag ymddygiad—nid jest bwlian, ond ymddygiad yn gyffredinol—unrhyw aelod o'ch staff neu o'r Llywodraeth? Ac a wnaethoch chi, wrth ddelio â cwyn neu sylw gan Leighton Andrews, addo iddo fe y byddai rhywun yn edrych i mewn i'r sylwadau hynny?
As we seek the most transparent answer possible on some of the issues that are most important to the Assembly today, I return to the question asked by Andrew R.T. Davies, because, when you responded to Andrew R.T. Davies, you said very clearly that you weren’t dealing with any accusations of bullying, but a far broader question was asked of you. So, may I ask that question again? Did you receive any complaint or comment by Leighton Andrews around October 2014 that related to behaviour—not just bullying, but behaviour in general—of any member of your staff or Government? And, in dealing with such a comment or complaint from Leighton Andrews, did you promise him that someone would look into those comments?
Wel, mae pethau'n symud nawr, achos roedd yna gwynion yn cael eu gwneud gan bawb, weithiau. Roedd pobl yn dweud, 'Fi'n moyn cael fy ngwrando arno; nid ydw i'n hapus â hyn'. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth hollol naturiol. Mae e'n gyfarwydd â hyn—mae ef yn gyfarwydd ag e, fel rhywun a oedd yn ymgynghorydd yn y Llywodraeth cyn hynny. Wedyn, wrth gwrs, roedd yna lot fawr o drafod tu fewn i'r Llywodraeth honno ynglŷn â rhai o'r problemau a oedd yn codi, ynglŷn â pobl yn dweud, 'Wel, dylai hwn ddigwydd', 'Dylai hyn ddigwydd yn lle hynny.' Mae hynny'n rhywbeth hollol naturiol ynglŷn â'r ffordd mae Llywodraeth yn cael ei rhedeg. A fel bydd pobl yn mesur Llywodraeth? Wel, yn ôl sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn gweithredu, ac ar hynny mae record da gyda ni. Ynglŷn ag a oedd yna unrhyw fath o gyhuddiad—achos hwn oedd y cwestiwn ar y dechrau, mae'n rhaid inni gofio—o fwlio gan Leighton Andrews, yr ateb yw 'na'.
Well, things are shifting now, because there were complaints made by everybody on occasion. Some people said, 'I want to be listened to; I’m not happy with this'. That’s quite natural. He is familiar with this, as one who was a special adviser in the previous Government. And there was a great deal of discussion within the Government then about some of the problems that were arising, and people were saying, 'Well, this should happen', 'That should happen instead.' That’s quite a natural process in the way a Government is run. And how do you judge a Government? Well, by their actions, and we have a good record. In terms of was there any kind of allegation—because that was the original question, remember—of bullying from Leighton Andrews, the answer is 'no'.
First Minister, you're now investigating a potential leak after it was alleged that many people knew about your Cabinet reshuffle before it happened. It also seems that there are many people here who know who the complainants are against Carl Sargeant and the nature of the complaints. It can't be raised here because of data protection laws. By Friday there were—. On the Monday of the week in question, you said you had no complaints over the last months against your AMs. By Friday, you said that you had three. So, I'd like you to state on the record whether or not you're aware of those complaints being co-ordinated in any way.
Prif Weinidog, rydych chi'n ymchwilio nawr i ddatgeliad cyfrinachau posibl ar ôl yr honiad bod llawer o bobl yn gwybod am ad-drefniant eich Cabinet cyn iddo ddigwydd. Ymddengys hefyd bod llawer o bobl yma sy'n gwybod pwy yw'r achwynwyr yn erbyn Carl Sargeant a natur y cwynion. Ni ellir ei godi yma oherwydd cyfreithiau diogelu data. Erbyn dydd Gwener roedd—. Ar ddydd Llun yr wythnos dan sylw, dywedasoch nad oeddech chi wedi cael unrhyw gwynion dros y misoedd diwethaf yn erbyn eich ACau. Erbyn dydd Gwener, dywedasoch eich bod wedi cael tri. Felly, hoffwn i chi ddatgan ar y cofnod pa un a ydych chi'n ymwybodol ai peidio o'r cwynion hynny'n cael eu cydgysylltu mewn unrhyw ffordd.
That's a remarkable suggestion, I have to say. I hope he has evidence for that. First of all, I'm not sure what he's talking about on the Monday—he's not clear about that. If he is saying that, if it wasn't for data protection, he would out complainants, then he needs to take a long serious hard look at his own character.
Mae hwnna'n awgrym rhyfeddol, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud. Rwy'n gobeithio bod ganddo dystiolaeth o hynny. Yn gyntaf oll, nid wyf yn siŵr am beth y mae'n sôn ar y dydd Llun—nid yw'n eglur ynghylch hynny. Os yw'n dweud, pe na byddai wedi bod am ddiogelu data, y byddai'n enwi achwynwyr, yna mae angen iddo edrych yn ofalus iawn ar ei gymeriad ei hun.
5. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ddyfodol gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol yng Nghymru? OAQ51401
5. Will the First Minister make a statement on the future of perinatal mental health services in Wales? OAQ51401
Yes. The Welsh Government is committed to supporting mental well-being before, during and after pregnancy. As well as developing community perinatal mental health teams across Wales since 2015, we have committed to providing in-patient care in Wales as part of the draft budget agreement.
Gwnaf. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i gefnogi llesiant meddyliol cyn, yn ystod ac ar ôl beichiogrwydd. Yn ogystal â datblygu timau iechyd meddwl amenedigol cymunedol ledled Cymru ers 2015, rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i ddarparu gofal i gleifion mewnol yng Nghymru yn rhan o gytundeb y gyllideb ddrafft.
I thank the First Minister for that answer. As he mentioned, because of the agreement between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government, there will be a return of in-patient perinatal mental health services in this country. It was expected, though, that by now the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee would have come back with a report on how in-patient perinatal mental health services could be delivered. I wonder if he could outline the reasons for this delay, and perhaps could elaborate on what timeline he expects to be followed in the new year.
Diolchaf i'r Prif Weinidog am yr ateb yna. Fel y soniodd, oherwydd y cytundeb rhwng Plaid Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru, bydd gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol i gleifion mewnol yn dychwelyd yn y wlad hon. Disgwyliwyd, fodd bynnag, y byddai Pwyllgor Gwasanaethau Iechyd Arbenigol Cymru wedi dod yn ôl gydag adroddiad erbyn hyn ar sut y gellid darparu gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol i gleifion mewnol. Tybed a allai amlinellu'r rhesymau am yr oedi hwn, ac ymhelaethu efallai ar ba amserlen y mae'n disgwyl iddi gael ei dilyn yn y flwyddyn newydd.
We have invested since 2015-16 an additional £1.5 million each year to provide a community mental health service within every health board in Wales. Each health board now has a community service in place, with more than 2,300 women being seen across Wales since the start of last year. Those new teams do help to improve perinatal mental health outcomes for new mothers, as well as their babies and families. We have also committed to providing specialist in-patient care in Wales within the draft budget for 2018-19 and 2019-20, and the all-Wales steering group on perinatal mental health has been asked to draw up options for in-patient care in Wales by the end of January.
Rydym ni wedi buddsoddi £1.5 miliwn ychwanegol bob blwyddyn ers 2015-16 i ddarparu gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl cymunedol ym mhob bwrdd iechyd yng Nghymru. Mae gan bob bwrdd iechyd wasanaeth cymunedol ar waith erbyn hyn, gyda mwy na 2,300 o fenywod yn cael eu gweld ledled Cymru ers dechrau'r flwyddyn diwethaf. Mae'r timau newydd hynny'n helpu i wella canlyniadau iechyd meddwl amenedigol i famau newydd, yn ogystal â'u babanod a'u teuluoedd. Rydym ni hefyd wedi ymrwymo i ddarparu gofal cleifion mewnol arbenigol yng Nghymru yn y gyllideb ddrafft ar gyfer 2018-19 a 2019-20, a gofynnwyd i grŵp llywio Cymru gyfan ar iechyd meddwl amenedigol lunio dewisiadau ar gyfer gofal cleifion mewnol yng Nghymru erbyn diwedd mis Ionawr.
Given that up to one in five women are affected by perinatal mental illness, the view of—the Royal College of Psychiatrists have stated that there has always been a shortfall of perinatal mental health services in Wales and that is a worry. The recent report of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, published in October, noted that the Betsi board had still not filled the majority of posts within their new perinatal mental health service teams, despite funding having been provided to them for that, and that was the same month that you actually took them into special measures. Can you now confirm, First Minister, whether, after 30 months of your Government's intervention, this board has now completed recruitment to this service and that it is now fully operational?
O gofio bod hyd at un o bob pump o fenywod yn dioddef salwch meddwl amenedigol, safbwynt—mae Coleg Brenhinol y Seiciatryddion wedi dweud y bu diffyg gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol yng Nghymru erioed, ac mae hynny'n peri pryder. Nododd adroddiad diweddar y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Hydref, nad oedd bwrdd Betsi wedi llenwi'r rhan fwyaf o swyddi yn ei dimau gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl amenedigol newydd o hyd, er gwaethaf y ffaith fod cyllid wedi ei ddarparu iddyn nhw ar gyfer hynny, ac roedd hynny yn ystod yr un mis, mewn gwirionedd, ag y gwnaethoch chi ei wneud yn destun mesurau arbennig. A allwch chi gadarnhau nawr, Prif Weinidog, a yw'r bwrdd hwn, ar ôl 30 mis o ymyrraeth eich Llywodraeth, wedi cwblhau'r gwaith o recriwtio i'r gwasanaeth hwn erbyn hyn, a'i fod bellach yn gwbl weithredol?
The evidence base suggested that there wouldn't be sufficient demand to provide a unit in north Wales alone. WHSSC, it's right to say, was asked to work with Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board to consider options in the north of Wales, and the Cabinet Secretary has committed to establish a clinician-led managed clinical network to help drive forward improvements to perinatal mental health services in Wales.
Roedd y sail dystiolaeth yn awgrymu na fyddai digon o alw i ddarparu uned yn y gogledd yn unig. Gofynnwyd i WHSSC, mae'n iawn i ddweud, weithio gyda Bwrdd Iechyd Lleol Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr i ystyried dewisiadau yn y gogledd, ac mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi ymrwymo i sefydlu rhwydwaith clinigol a reolir o dan arweiniad clinigwyr er mwyn helpu i fwrw ymlaen â gwelliannau i wasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol yng Nghymru.
First Minister, like all mental health services, perinatal mental health services in Wales are facing the twofold pressure of increased demand and staff shortages. In evidence to the Children, Young People and Education Committee, nearly all local health boards highlighted the fact that a lack of sufficient clinical psychologists is impacting their ability to provide a comprehensive service to new mothers. First Minister, can you outline the steps your Government is taking to increase the numbers of clinical psychologists in Wales? Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, fel pob gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl, mae gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol yng Nghymru yn wynebu'r pwysau deublyg o alw cynyddol a phrinder staff. Mewn tystiolaeth i'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, tynnodd bron i bob bwrdd iechyd lleol sylw at y ffaith fod diffyg seicolegwyr clinigol digonol yn effeithio ar eu gallu i ddarparu gwasanaeth cynhwysfawr i famau newydd. Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi amlinellu'r camau y mae eich Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i gynyddu nifer y seicolegwyr clinigol yng Nghymru? Diolch.
I think I've answered the question in terms of the money that we have put forward. I can say that, with the establishment of community teams across Wales, we're well placed to recognise severe postpartum mental ill health. The consensus is that there's now sufficient demand to re-establish specialist in-patient care in the south of Wales, and I know that last week the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Children, Young People and Education Committee in response to its recent inquiry into perinatal mental health in Wales.
Rwy'n credu fy mod i wedi ateb y cwestiwn o ran yr arian a gyflwynwyd gennym. Gallaf ddweud, yn dilyn sefydliad timau cymunedol ledled Cymru, ein bod ni mewn sefyllfa dda i nodi salwch meddwl ôl-enedigol difrifol. Y consensws yw bod digon o alw erbyn hyn i ailsefydlu gofal arbenigol cleifion mewnol yn y de, a gwn fod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi ysgrifennu at y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yr wythnos diwethaf mewn ymateb i'w ymchwiliad diweddar i iechyd meddwl amenedigol yng Nghymru.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad mewn ymateb i'r cyhoeddiad bod y cyfanwerthwr Palmer a Harvey wedi mynd i ddwylo'r gweinyddwyr? OAQ51438
6. Will the First Minister make a statement in response to the announcement that wholesaler Palmer and Harvey has gone into administration? OAQ51438
I have been made aware that wholesaler Palmer and Harvey has gone into administration. For any business in Wales impacted by the announcement, guidance and support are available through the Business Wales service.
Fe'm hysbyswyd bod y cyfanwerthwr Palmer and Harvey wedi mynd i ddwylo'r gweinyddwyr. Mae cyfarwyddyd a chymorth ar gael i unrhyw fusnes yng Nghymru sy'n cael ei effeithio gan y cyhoeddiad trwy wasanaeth Busnes Cymru.
Thank you. I was contacted last week by a constituent who was extremely concerned about the impact that this will have on their small family-owned business. Palmer and Harvey is the main supplier, and that is the case for hundreds of convenience stores in rural areas. I was informed by the constituent that Palmer and Harvey customers do have accounts with agreed terms that allow shops to pay either monthly or fortnightly. So, even if an alternative supplier does have the stock to supply affected businesses, they're concerned that it could take time to put in place necessary financial and licence checks to allow new accounts to be opened, certainly this side of Christmas. So, it is the case that the only option available to businesses would be cash purchases, and many of those won't be in that position. So, my constituents do fear that the cash-and-carrys local to them will simply not, in the short term, be able to set up delivery schedules for services to meet their needs and, in turn, the needs of those local constituents. So, First Minister, is it possible in any way for the Welsh Government to make enquiries and give what assurances they can to affected businesses and individuals in mid and west Wales and elsewhere at this time?
Diolch. Cysylltwyd â mi yr wythnos diwethaf gan etholwr a oedd yn hynod bryderus am yr effaith y bydd hyn yn ei chael ar ei fusnes teuluol bach. Palmer and Harvey yw'r prif gyflenwr, ac mae hynny'n wir i gannoedd o siopau mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Fe'm hysbyswyd gan yr etholwr bod gan gwsmeriaid Palmer and Harvey gyfrifon â thelerau a gytunwyd sy'n galluogi siopau i dalu naill ai bob mis neu bob pythefnos. Felly, hyd yn oed os oes gan gyflenwr arall y stoc i gyflenwi busnesau a effeithiwyd, maen nhw'n pryderu y gallai gymryd amser i roi archwiliadau ariannol a thrwydded angenrheidiol ar waith i ganiatáu i gyfrifon newydd gael eu hagor, yn sicr cyn y Nadolig. Felly, mae'n wir mai'r unig ddewis fyddai ar gael i fusnesau fyddai prynu gydag arian parod, ac ni fydd llawer ohonynt yn gallu gwneud hynny. Felly, mae fy etholwyr yn ofni na fydd siopau talu a chario lleol iddyn nhw yn gallu trefnu amserlenni dosbarthu ar gyfer gwasanaethau i ddiwallu eu hanghenion yn y byrdymor ac, yn sgil hynny, anghenion yr etholwyr lleol hynny. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a yw'n bosibl mewn unrhyw ffordd i Lywodraeth Cymru wneud ymholiadau a rhoi pob sicrwydd posibl i fusnesau ac unigolion sy'n cael eu heffeithio yn y canolbarth a'r gorllewin ac mewn mannau eraill ar hyn o bryd?
I can say that Business Wales is available to provide information, guidance and support to any business impacted by the announcement, and I would encourage them to make contact. Business Wales advises and supports businesses on all aspects of their operation, including evaluating their supply chains to identify alternative suppliers, which includes Welsh companies. And supporting the development of local supply chains and clusters so that more economic value and employment is retained locally will be part of the new regionally-focused model of economic development, which we will set out in the economic action plan.
Gallaf ddweud bod Busnes Cymru ar gael i ddarparu gwybodaeth, cyfarwyddyd a chymorth i unrhyw fusnes sy'n cael ei effeithio gan y cyhoeddiad, a byddwn yn eu hannog i gysylltu. Mae Busnes Cymru yn cynghori ac yn cynorthwyo busnesau ar bob agwedd ar eu gweithrediad, gan gynnwys gwerthuso eu cadwyni cyflenwi i nodi cyflenwyr amgen, sy'n cynnwys cwmnïau o Gymru. A bydd cefnogi datblygiad cadwyni cyflenwi a chlystyrau lleol fel bod mwy o werth economaidd a chyflogaeth yn cael eu cadw'n lleol yn rhan o'r model datblygu economaidd newydd â phwyslais rhanbarthol, y byddwn yn ei gyflwyno yn y cynllun gweithredu economaidd.
First Minister, 10,000 firms went out of business last year in Wales. The number of firms still in business after five years is just 43 per cent, which is below the UK average. Now, understandably, some firms will go out of business due to changes in the market and for other reasons, but can I ask what your explanation is to why businesses are more likely to go out of business in Wales, and can I also ask how the Government is addressing this trend?
Prif Weinidog, aeth 10,000 o gwmnïau i'r wal yng Nghymru y llynedd. Dim ond 43 y cant yw nifer y cwmnïau sydd dal mewn busnes ar ôl pum mlynedd, sy'n is na chyfartaledd y DU. Nawr, yn ddealladwy, bydd rhai cwmnïau yn mynd i'r wal oherwydd newidiadau yn y farchnad ac am resymau eraill, ond a gaf i ofyn beth yw eich esboniad chi o pam mae busnesau yn fwy tebygol o fynd i'r wal yng Nghymru, ac a gaf i ofyn hefyd sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn mynd i'r afael â'r duedd hon?
In terms of why businesses in Wales, some businesses, fail, we know that that will happen from time to time, unfortunately. The latest phase of Business Wales aims to create 10,000 new businesses, 28,300 new jobs and provide support to help inspire the next generation, and that service provides support right across Wales for aspiring entrepreneurs, start-ups and existing microbusinesses and small and medium-sized enterprises, including social enterprises.
O ran pam mae busnesau yng Nghymru, rhai busnesau, yn methu, rydym ni'n gwybod y bydd hynny'n digwydd o bryd i'w gilydd, yn anffodus. Nod cam diweddaraf Busnes Cymru yw creu 10,000 o fusnesau newydd, 28,300 o swyddi newydd a darparu cymorth er mwyn helpu i ysbrydoli'r genhedlaeth nesaf, ac mae'r gwasanaeth hwnnw'n darparu cymorth ar draws Cymru gyfan i ddarpar entrepreneuriaid, busnesau newydd a microfusnesau a busnesau bach a chanolig sy'n bodoli eisoes, gan gynnwys mentrau cymdeithasol.
7. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am effaith credyd cynhwysol yn Nhorfaen? OAQ51439
7. Will the First Minister provide an update on the impact of universal credit in Torfaen? OAQ51439
I'm extremely concerned about the time claimants are waiting for their first payment, and the fact that many of our most vulnerable people in Torfaen and elsewhere are struggling to deal with the complexities of universal credit, and we have called on the UK Government to halt the roll-out.
Rwy'n bryderus iawn am yr amser y mae hawlwyr yn gorfod aros am eu taliad cyntaf, a'r ffaith fod llawer o'n pobl fwyaf agored i niwed yn Nhorfaen ac mewn mannau eraill yn cael trafferth i ymdopi â chymhlethdodau credyd cynhwysol, ac rydym ni wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i roi terfyn ar y cyflwyniad.
Thank you, First Minister. As you've highlighted, in July Torfaen became the second part of Wales to go live with the full service operation of universal credit, and after just two months our main housing provider, Bron Afon Community Housing Limited, had recorded £27,000-worth of arrears, with 300 tenants in arrears. Citizens Advice Torfaen is monitoring closely the impact locally, which has, as you've alluded to, included delays and difficulties accessing payments, and particular problems for young people. Now, in Torfaen we are fortunate in that the local authority, CAB and housing providers are all working together in partnership to support people through these difficulties, but, with the UK Government intent on continuing with this ill-conceived roll-out of universal credit, it's going to be essential that similar arrangements are put in place throughout Wales. What more can the Welsh Government do to ensure that there is that planning in place across Wales to ensure that all communities are supported through this process?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Fel yr ydych chi wedi ei ddweud, ym mis Gorffennaf, Torfaen oedd yr ail ran o Gymru lle'r rhoddwyd credyd cynhwysol ar waith yn llawn, ac ar ôl dim ond dau fis roedd ein prif ddarparwr tai, Tai Cymunedol Bron Afon Cyfyngedig, wedi cofnodi gwerth £27,000 o ôl-ddyledion, gyda 300 o denantiaid mewn ôl-ddyledion. Mae Cyngor ar Bopeth Torfaen yn monitro'r effaith leol yn ofalus, sydd, fel yr ydych chi wedi ei nodi, wedi cynnwys oedi ac anawsterau o ran cael mynediad at daliadau, a phroblemau arbennig i bobl ifanc. Nawr, rydym ni'n ffodus yn Nhorfaen gan fod yr awdurdod lleol, Cyngor ar Bopeth a darparwyr tai i gyd yn cydweithio mewn partneriaeth i gynorthwyo pobl drwy'r anawsterau hyn, ond, gan fod Llywodraeth y DU yn benderfynol i barhau â'r cyflwyniad byrbwyll hwn o gredyd cynhwysol, mae'n mynd i fod yn hanfodol bod trefniadau tebyg yn cael eu rhoi ar waith ledled Cymru. Beth arall all Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i sicrhau bod y gwaith cynllunio hwnnw ar waith ledled Cymru i sicrhau bod pob cymuned yn cael eu cynorthwyo drwy'r broses hon?
The Minister has written to the Minister of State for Employment requesting more details in relation to the UK autumn budget changes, particularly where universal claimants are in receipt of housing costs, to understand how the new support arrangements will work for claimants in relation to the universal credit. The Minister is also seeking reassurance that the Department for Work and Pensions will be able to offer financial support to universal credit claimants over the Christmas period. As far as we're concerned, there is £5.97 million of grant funding in place this year to provide advice on social welfare issues, delivered through three projects.
Mae'r Gweinidog wedi ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog Gwladol dros Gyflogaeth yn gofyn am fwy o fanylion o ran newidiadau cyllideb yr hydref y DU, yn enwedig pan fo hawlwyr cynhwysol yn derbyn costau tai, i ddeall sut y bydd y trefniadau cymorth newydd yn gweithio i hawlwyr o ran y credyd cynhwysol. Mae'r Gweinidog hefyd yn ceisio sicrwydd y bydd yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau yn gallu cynnig cymorth ariannol i hawlwyr credyd cynhwysol dros gyfnod y Nadolig. Cyn belled ag yr ydym ni yn y cwestiwn, mae £5.97 miliwn o gyllid grant ar gael eleni i ddarparu cyngor ar faterion lles cymdeithasol, sydd wedi ei ddarparu trwy dri phrosiect.
First Minister, you say you support the principle of universal credit, and the aim of universal credit and the UK Government's wider welfare reforms is to help people get in and stay in work. Given that unemployment in Torfaen is historically low and has fallen further in the past year, isn't that something you should be supporting constructively and trying to work with the UK Government?
Prif Weinidog, rydych chi'n dweud eich bod chi'n cefnogi egwyddor credyd cynhwysol, a nod credyd cynhwysol a diwygiadau lles ehangach Llywodraeth y DU yw helpu pobl i gael cyflogaeth ac aros mewn cyflogaeth. O gofio bod diweithdra yn Nhorfaen yn hanesyddol o isel ac wedi gostwng ymhellach yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, onid yw hynny'n rhywbeth y dylech chi fod yn ei gefnogi'n adeiladol ac yn ceisio gweithio arno gyda Llywodraeth y DU?
Well, it doesn't work; that's the problem. Regardless of what the principle is, it clearly doesn't work. There'll be people left high and dry without any money. We know that it's a mess. We know that there are members of his own party—well, I don't know if he is a member of the Conservative party or not—there are members who sit in the same party on that side in Westminster who have made the same points to the UK Government. The point is that this is a mess of the UK Government's making, and ordinary people are suffering.
Wel, nid yw'n gweithio; dyna'r broblem. Ni waeth beth yw'r egwyddor, mae'n amlwg nad yw'n gweithio. Bydd pobl yn cael eu gadael yn ddiamddiffyn heb unrhyw arian. Rydym ni'n gwybod ei fod yn llanast. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod Aelodau ei blaid ei hun—wel, nid wyf yn gwybod a yw e'n aelod o'r Blaid Geidwadol ai peidio—bod aelodau sy'n eistedd yn yr un blaid ar yr ochr honno yn San Steffan sydd wedi gwneud yr un pwyntiau i Lywodraeth y DU. Y pwynt yw bod hwn yn llanast a grëwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU ei hun, ac mae pobl gyffredin yn dioddef.
8. A yw'r Prif Weinidog wedi ceisio cyngor cyfreithiol ar y cyfamod sy'n bodoli ar y tir ym mharc diwydiannol Baglan y mae'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder yn dymuno adeiladu carchar newydd arno? OAQ51428
8. Has the First Minister sought legal advice on the covenant that exists on land in Baglan industrial park on which the Ministry of Justice wishes to build a new prison? OAQ51428
As the Member will be aware, this question relates to legal information that's privileged, so I can't respond to him on that point.
Fel y bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol, mae'r cwestiwn hwn yn ymwneud â gwybodaeth gyfreithiol sy'n freintiedig, felly ni allaf ymateb iddo ar y pwynt yna.
First Minister, I asked your Counsel General the same type of question about a fortnight ago and I got a typical lawyer's answer, or perhaps a typical Counsel General's answer. My constituents want clarity. There's a debate tomorrow afternoon in this Chamber about that prison, and they're seeking that clarity, particularly on the Welsh Government's views on its responsibilities under the covenant. Can the First Minister reassure my constituents that the Welsh Government has no plans to change the covenant and will seek to abide by its principles of keeping the use of the land for industrial purposes, and to avoid nuisance for neighbours, which would mean telling the MOJ 'no' when they wish to purchase or lease the land for the development of a prison, which, in my book, does not come under an industrial development?
Prif Weinidog, gofynnais yr un math o gwestiwn i'ch Cwnsler Cyffredinol tua pythefnos yn ôl, a chefais ateb cyfreithiwr nodweddiadol, neu ateb Cwnsler Cyffredinol nodweddiadol efallai. Mae fy etholwyr eisiau eglurder. Ceir dadl brynhawn yfory yn y Siambr hon am y carchar hwnnw, ac maen nhw'n gofyn am yr eglurder hwnnw, yn enwedig ynghylch safbwyntiau Llywodraeth Cymru ar ei chyfrifoldebau o dan y cyfamod. A all y Prif Weinidog sicrhau fy etholwyr i nad oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru unrhyw gynlluniau i newid y cyfamod ac y bydd yn ceisio glynu wrth ei egwyddorion o gadw'r defnydd o dir at ddibenion diwydiannol, ac i osgoi niwsans i gymdogion, a fyddai'n golygu dweud 'na' wrth y Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder pan fyddant yn dymuno prynu neu brydlesu'r tir ar gyfer datblygu carchar, nad yw, yn fy nhyb i, yn cynrychioli datblygiad diwydiannol?
What I can say to the Member is this: the Ministry of Justice have not asked the Welsh Government to sell them the land at the Baglan site, and no decision on the future of the site has been made. I can say that a letter was written by Carl Sargeant to David Lidington, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, on 26 October 2017. That letter sought confirmation whether it's still the intention that the proposed prison at Baglan would be a category C establishment or whether there are plans to house other prisoners in the proposed prison. In addition, the letter requested confirmation of the effect that a new prison in south Wales would have on the prisons of Cardiff and Swansea. We have not received a response to that letter. And there will be no further action from the Welsh Government until that response is forthcoming.
Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrth yr Aelod yw hyn: nid yw'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder wedi gofyn i Lywodraeth Cymru werthu'r tir ar y safle ym Maglan iddyn nhw, ac nid oes unrhyw benderfyniad ar ddyfodol y safle wedi ei wneud. Gallaf ddweud bod llythyr wedi ei ysgrifennu gan Carl Sargeant i David Lidington, yr Arglwydd Ganghellor a'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Gyfiawnder, ar 26 Hydref 2017. Roedd y llythyr yn gofyn am gadarnhad o ba un ai'r bwriad o hyd yw y byddai'r carchar arfaethedig ym Maglan yn sefydliad categori C neu a oes cynlluniau i roi carcharorion eraill yn y carchar arfaethedig. Hefyd, gofynnodd y llythyr am gadarnhad o'r effaith y byddai carchar newydd yn ne Cymru yn ei chael ar garchardai Caerdydd ac Abertawe. Nid ydym wedi derbyn ymateb i'r llythyr hwnnw. Ac ni fydd unrhyw weithredu pellach gan Lywodraeth Cymru tan i'r ymateb hwnnw gael ei dderbyn.
That's a very interesting answer, First Minister. I think, however, you are possibly able to tell us—as it's a matter of public record—which parties would be entitled to enforce the covenant that's in the documentation at the moment. Are you able to tell us, as well, how many expressions of interest have been made in that land during the period of Welsh Government ownership, and which have been put off by the existence of the covenant?
Mae hwnna'n ateb diddorol iawn, Prif Weinidog. Credaf, fodd bynnag, ei bod yn bosibl y gallwch chi ddweud wrthym—gan ei fod yn fater o gofnod cyhoeddus—pa bartïon fyddai â hawl i orfodi'r cyfamod sydd yn y dogfennau ar hyn o bryd. A allwch chi ddweud wrthym, hefyd, sawl datganiad o ddiddordeb sydd wedi ei wneud ar gyfer y tir hwnnw yn ystod cyfnod perchnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru, ac sydd cael eu hatal gan fodolaeth y cyfamod?
It's very difficult to give a view on whether an expression of interest has been put off, because, of course, you wouldn't know of the expression of interest in the first place. What I can say is that it's the Ministry of Justice—that her party, of course, are responsible for—who want to build on this land. From our perspective, we are quite clear that until and unless we get the clarification that we wish to have, we will take no further steps in relation to this land. We will examine very carefully whether this land is, in fact, the right place for a prison to go.
Mae'n anodd iawn cynnig safbwynt ar ba un a yw datganiad o ddiddordeb wedi cael ei atal, oherwydd, wrth gwrs, ni fyddech chi'n gwybod am y datganiad o ddiddordeb yn y lle cyntaf. Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud yw mai'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder—y mai ei phlaid hi, wrth gwrs, yn gyfrifol amdani—sydd eisiau adeiladu ar y tir hwn. O'n safbwynt ni, rydym ni'n gwbl eglur na fyddwn yn cymryd unrhyw gamau pellach o ran y tir hwn tan i ni dderbyn yr eglurhad yr ydym ni'n dymuno ei gael. Byddwn yn ystyried yn ofalus ai'r tir hwn, mewn gwirionedd, yw'r lle cywir i garchar gael ei leoli.
Legal advice I've received, and I quote, says: 'Assuming this is correct, there is a covenant and that covenant is legally valid. It means that the site is affected by an obligation in favour of a third party limiting its use to an industrial park only. In those circumstances, building a prison on the site could be a breach of the covenant. In the event of a breach, the party with the benefit of the covenant could take steps to enforce it, e.g. by seeking an injunction restraining the development and/or claiming compensation.'
So, from this legal advice, which clearly shows there are many tools within the Welsh Government's box to block the proposed prison and force the MOJ into compulsory purchase, the only reason not to do this, as far as I could understand, would be that the Welsh Government wants to have this prison in Baglan. Will you seek a commitment here today that the Welsh Government will oppose releasing this land to the MOJ, so that, therefore, posing the question to the UK Government is no longer necessary in future?
Mae cyngor cyfreithiol yr wyf i wedi ei dderbyn, ac rwy'n dyfynnu, yn dweud: O dybio bod hyn yn gywir, mae cyfamod yn bodoli ac mae'r cyfamod hwnnw yn ddilys yn gyfreithiol. Mae'n golygu bod y safle yn cael ei effeithio gan rwymedigaeth o blaid trydydd parti yn cyfyngu ei ddefnydd i barc diwydiannol yn unig. O dan yr amgylchiadau hynny, gallai adeiladu carchar ar y safle fod yn ddiffyg cydymffurfiad â'r cyfamod. Mewn achos o ddiffyg cydymffurfiad, gallai'r parti â'r fantais o gyfamod gymryd camau i'w orfodi, e.e. trwy geisio gwaharddeb yn atal y datblygiad a/neu'n hawlio iawndal.
Felly, o'r cyngor cyfreithiol hwn, sy'n dangos yn eglur bod llawer o ddulliau ar gael i Lywodraeth Cymru atal y carchar arfaethedig a gorfodi'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder i brynu gorfodol, a'r unig reswm i beidio â gwneud hyn, cyn belled ag y gallwn i ddeall, fyddai bod Llywodraeth Cymru eisiau'r carchar hwn ym Maglan. A wnewch chi geisio ymrwymiad yma heddiw y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwrthwynebu rhyddhau'r tir hwn i'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder, fel na fydd gofyn y cwestiwn i Lywodraeth y DU, felly, yn angenrheidiol mwyach yn y dyfodol?
We await the response from the UK Government. I'd say quite clearly to the Member that there will be no action on this point unless there is a satisfactory response to that letter, and even then, we will consider whether, in fact, this land is the right place for a prison.
Rydym ni'n aros am yr ymateb gan Lywodraeth y DU. Byddwn yn dweud yn gwbl eglur wrth yr Aelod na fydd unrhyw weithredu ar y pwynt hwn os na cheir ymateb boddhaol i'r llythyr hwnnw, a hyd yn oed wedyn, byddwn yn ystyried ai'r tir hwn, mewn gwirionedd, yw'r lle cywir ar gyfer carchar.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
A point of order arising out of questions. Simon Thomas.
Pwynt o drefn yn deillio o'r cwestiynau. Simon Thomas.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I seek your advice as much as anyone's as to whether Standing Orders can help us actually get the correct answers to questions in this Chamber. You will have heard my question was very specific to the First Minister about whether he'd received any comments about the behaviour of his staff from Leighton Andrews, to which he gave no reply—[Interruption.]
Diolch, Llywydd. Gofynnaf am eich cyngor chi cymaint ag unrhyw un arall ynghylch pa un a all Rheolau Sefydlog ein helpu ni i gael yr atebion cywir i gwestiynau yn y Siambr hon mewn gwirionedd. Byddwch wedi clywed bod fy nghwestiwn yn benodol iawn i'r Prif Weinidog ynghylch pa un a oedd wedi cael unrhyw sylwadau am ymddygiad ei staff gan Leighton Andrews, ac ni wnaeth roi unrhyw ateb—[Torri ar draws.]
I'm listening to this point of order in order to decide whether it is a point of order or not.
Rwy'n gwrando ar y pwynt o drefn hwn er mwyn penderfynu a yw'n bwynt o drefn ai peidio.
Thank you. I think we'll listen to the current Presiding Officer in these regards, if we may. In the last 15 minutes, Leighton Andrews has issued his own statement saying as follows:
'In November 2014, I told the First Minister face to face that I believed that the Code for Special Advisers had been broken. I asked him to carry out a formal investigation. He said he would.'
He said he would. Can we reconcile these two questions by giving the First Minister an opportunity to add to what he told myself, Angela Burns and Andrew Davies?
Diolch. Rwy'n credu y gwnawn ni wrando ar y Llywydd presennol yn hyn o beth, os cawn ni. Yn y 15 munud diwethaf, mae Leighton Andrews wedi cyhoeddi ei ddatganiad ei hun yn dweud fel a ganlyn:
Ym mis Tachwedd 2014, dywedais wrth y Prif Weinidog wyneb yn wyneb fy mod i o'r farn y bu diffyg cydymffurfiad â Chod y Cynghorwyr Arbennig. Gofynnais iddo gynnal ymchwiliad ffurfiol. Dywedodd y byddai'n gwneud hynny.
Dywedodd y byddai'n gwneud hynny. A allwn ni gysoni'r ddau gwestiwn trwy roi cyfle i'r Prif Weinidog ychwanegu at yr hyn a ddywedodd wrthyf i, Angela Burns ac Andrew Davies?
The Member knows that we can't use points of order just in order to extend First Minister's questions. Your comments, or the comments of former AMs, are now on the record this afternoon.
Mae'r Aelod yn gwybod na chawn ni ddefnyddio pwyntiau o drefn, dim ond er mwyn ymestyn y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog. Mae eich sylwadau, neu sylwadau cyn-Aelodau'r Cynulliad, yn awr ar y Cofnod y prynhawn yma.
We now move on to business questions. The leader of the house—Julie James.
Symudwn ymlaen yn awr at y cwestiynau busnes. Arweinydd y Tŷ — Julie James.
Diolch, Llywydd. The only change to this week's business is the timings for oral Assembly questions tomorrow. Business for the next three weeks is shown on the business statement and announcement, found amongst the meeting papers that are available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Yr unig newid i fusnes yr wythnos hon, yw'r amseroedd ar gyfer cwestiynau llafar y Cynulliad yfory. Dangosir busnes y tair wythnos nesaf ar y datganiad a'r cyhoeddiad busnes, y gellir ei weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau yn electronig.
May I ask for a statement from the Welsh Government on the UK Government's industrial strategy, published last month? The strategy commits the UK Government to work in partnership across all four nations to create the conditions where successful businesses can emerge and grow to help young people develop the skills they need to do the highly paid and highly skilled jobs of the future. Can I ask for a statement from the Welsh Government confirming their willingness to engage in a constructive manner with Westminster to meet the aims of the industrial strategy in Wales, please?
A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar strategaeth ddiwydiannol Llywodraeth y DU, a gyhoeddwyd y mis diwethaf? Mae'r strategaeth yn ymrwymo Llywodraeth y DU i weithio mewn partneriaeth ledled y pedair gwlad i greu'r amodau sy'n golygu y gall busnesau llwyddiannus ddatblygu a thyfu i helpu pobl ifanc i ddatblygu'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen arnynt i gyflawni swyddi â chyflog uchel a medrus iawn y dyfodol. A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn cadarnhau ei bod yn fodlon ymgysylltu mewn modd adeiladol â San Steffan i fodloni nodau'r strategaeth ddiwydiannol yng Nghymru, os gwelwch yn dda?
I was very glad to see the industrial strategy published. It had a number of things of great interest to the Welsh Government in it, not least the emphasis on digital and data, which is very welcome indeed. The Cabinet Secretary for economy and infrastructure, who isn't here today to hear your question, will be bringing forward his own economic action plan, which will of course detail how it dovetails with the UK industrial strategy, amongst a number of other things.
Roeddwn i'n falch iawn o weld y strategaeth ddiwydiannol a gyhoeddwyd. Roedd yn cynnwys nifer o bethau sydd o ddiddordeb mawr i Lywodraeth Cymru, yn enwedig y pwyslais ar y maes digidol a data, a chroesewir hynny'n fawr. Bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi a'r seilwaith, nad yw'n bresennol heddiw i glywed eich cwestiwn, yn cyflwyno ei gynllun gweithredu economaidd ei hun, a fydd wrth gwrs yn cynnwys y manylion ynghylch sut y mae'n cydweddu â strategaeth ddiwydiannol y DU, ymhlith nifer o bethau eraill.
I've received many, many representations from parents in the Port Talbot area whereby they're claiming that specialist provision of a playgroup for children with additional learning needs at Action for Children at Neath Port Talbot Hospital is under threat and that it may lead to closure. Also they've told me that the autism family support worker is under threat of losing their position. This scheme is obviously funded by the Welsh Government through Families First, and this has raised its head previously a few years ago. One parent has told me, and I quote: 'Action for Children's services were a lifeline that was most important to us when we were thrust into an unfamiliar world, facing the uncertainty of the diagnosis process and the task of learning a whole new set of skills. The difference that this provision made to us was marked and indispensable.'
Would it be possible for the Minister with responsibility for this area to give a statement to AMs as a matter of urgency, for us to understand whether it's closing full stop or whether there will be another provider coming instead of it? What I understand is that the criteria for the application process has changed, so it may not be that it's going altogether, but it may be that somebody else is coming in to provide it. Whatever the issue is, we need to know, because people are becoming anxious in the area about what provision is going to be provided for their children in the hospital. Any advice or any support that the Welsh Government can give would be very useful indeed.
Rwyf wedi clywed llawer iawn o sylwadau gan rieni yn ardal Port Talbot, lle y maen nhw'n datgan bod darpariaeth arbenigol o gylch chwarae ar gyfer plant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn Gweithredu dros Blant yn Ysbyty Castell-nedd Port Talbot, o dan fygythiad, ac efallai y bydd yn cael ei gau. Maen nhw hefyd wedi dweud wrthyf fod y gweithiwr cymorth i deuluoedd awtistiaeth o dan fygythiad o golli ei swydd. Mae'r cynllun hwn yn amlwg yn cael ei ariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru drwy Teuluoedd yn Gyntaf, ac fe ddaeth hyn i'r amlwg o'r blaen ychydig flynyddoedd yn ôl. Mae un rhiant wedi dweud wrthyf, a dyfynnaf: ' Roedd gwasanaethau Gweithredu dros Blant yn elfen bwysig iawn i ni ar adeg pan gawsom ni ein taflu i fyd anghyfarwydd, gan wynebu ansicrwydd o ran y broses diagnosis a'r dasg o ddysgu cyfres newydd o sgiliau. Roedd y gwahaniaeth a wnaeth y darpariaeth hon i ni yn sylweddol ac yn angenrheidiol i ni.'
A fyddai modd i'r Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am y maes hwn roi datganiad i Aelodau'r Cynulliad fel mater o frys, i ni ddeall pa un a yw'n cau, a dyna ben arni, neu a fydd darparwr arall yn dod yn ei le? Yr hyn yr wyf i'n ei ddeall, yw bod y meini prawf ar gyfer y broses ymgeisio wedi newid, felly mae'n bosibl na fydd yn diflannu yn gyfan gwbl, ond yn hytrach bod rhywun arall yn dod yn ei le i'w ddarparu. Beth bynnag sy'n digwydd, mae angen inni wybod, oherwydd mae pobl yn yr ardal yn pryderu ynghylch pa ddarpariaeth a gaiff ei darparu ar gyfer eu plant yn yr ysbyty. Byddai unrhyw gyngor neu unrhyw gymorth y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei roi yn ddefnyddiol iawn.
I'm familiar with the scheme, as it happens, and it's a very good scheme indeed. I know that there are a large number of parents who have relied very heavily on the scheme in the past and I've had similar representations to the Member made to me about the benefit that the scheme has brought to families. The Minister responsible is here and has listened very carefully to your comments. I'm sure he'll be able to bring something forward in due course that will allay people's fears.
Rwyf yn gyfarwydd iawn â'r cynllun, fel y mae'n digwydd, ac mae'n gynllun da iawn yn wir. Gwn fod nifer fawr o rieni sydd wedi dibynnu'n helaeth iawn ar y cynllun yn y gorffennol, ac rwyf innau wedi cael sylwadau tebyg i'r Aelod gan bobl am fudd y cynllun i deuluoedd. Mae'r Gweinidog â chyfrifoldeb yn bresennol ac mae wedi gwrando'n ofalus iawn ar eich sylwadau. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd ef yn gallu cyflwyno rhywbeth maes o law a bydd yn tawelu ofnau pobl.
Leader of the house, the Cabinet Secretary for rural affairs is aware of concerns raised about the complexity of the application process for rural development grants via the WEFO website for third sector organisations who've been allocated funding in the current round. Can the Welsh Government assure me that these concerns are being addressed in order to facilitate the draw-down of rural development grants for local projects such as the Ogmore village hall association?
Arweinydd y Tŷ, mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros faterion gwledig yn ymwybodol o'r pryderon a godwyd ynghylch cymhlethdod y broses ymgeisio ar gyfer grantiau datblygu gwledig drwy gyfrwng gwefan WEFO ar gyfer sefydliadau'r trydydd sector y mae cyllid wedi ei neilltuo iddynt yn y rownd bresennol. A all Llywodraeth Cymru roi sicrwydd imi bod y pryderon hyn yn cael sylw er mwyn hwyluso cael gafael ar grantiau datblygu gwledig ar gyfer prosiectau lleol megis Cymdeithas Neuadd Bentref Aberogwr?
Thank you very much for that question. The current system is not new; WEFO Online has been used for the successful management of EU-funded projects since 2008. The majority of applicants have successfully completed the online claims process with the existing guidance and support. However, we are aware that some applicants do have issues submitting their claims and officials work closely with them on a case-by-case basis. The guidance explains that the claims process is being reviewed by officials in response to feedback from applicants to that effect. We're not aware that any applicants have actually dropped out because of that process, but with regard to Ogmore, I can confirm that officials met with the trustees last Thursday to support them in submitting their claim.
Diolch yn fawr iawn ichi am y cwestiwn yna. Nid yw'r system bresennol yn newydd; defnyddiwyd WEFO Ar-lein i reoli prosiectau a ariennir gan yr UE yn llwyddiannus, ers 2008. Mae'r rhan fwyaf o ymgeiswyr wedi cwblhau'r broses hawliadau ar-lein yn llwyddiannus gyda'r arweiniad a'r cymorth presennol. Fodd bynnag, rydym ni'n ymwybodol bod rhai ymgeiswyr yn cael trafferth wrth gyflwyno eu hawliadau ac mae swyddogion yn gweithio'n agos gyda hwy fesul achos. Mae'r canllawiau yn esbonio bod y broses hawliadau yn cael ei hadolygu gan swyddogion mewn ymateb i adborth gan ymgeiswyr i'r perwyl hwnnw. Nid ydym yn ymwybodol bod unrhyw ymgeiswyr mewn gwirionedd wedi rhoi'r ffidil yn y to oherwydd y broses honno, ond o ran Aberogwr, gallaf gadarnhau bod swyddogion wedi cyfarfod â'r ymddiriedolwyr ddydd Iau diwethaf i'w cynorthwyo i gyflwyno eu cais.
Dramatic pause. Suzy Davies.
Saib dramatig. Suzy Davies.
Dramatic questions. Diolch, Llywydd. I wonder if we could have an update from the Cabinet Secretary for health, please, on the draft dementia strategy, now that he's had time to hear concerns raised at the cross-party group from dementia representatives. It's not published yet, of course, but some concerns were raised that perhaps it wasn't as innovative as they were expecting or that it was still too clinical in its model. I'm wondering whether—I see that you're here—you might agree to do that fairly soon.
Secondly, in September, following some pressure from my party, the Government undertook to review how potential conflicts of interest were managed in the case of a former civil servant with links to a film production company that subsequently received a Welsh Government loan. On 1 November, which is two months later, I was told that the review was being finalised, and, as of today, I'm still not sure what the outcome of that was and whether it has been finalised. I think this was probably a very straightforward review, but there's still a—. I think you'd have to agree that it's unacceptable not just in terms of transparency but in terms of uncertainty for the individual who was the subject of that review, and I'm wondering if you could arrange for an urgent update to the Assembly on that, please.
Finally, I wonder if I could ask for your assistance as business manager, actually. On 29 September and 4 October, I submitted a total of 16 written questions about film policy and its delivery process to the Cabinet Secretary for the economy, of which two have been answered. I've been told more than once that I will get a full set of answers to remaining questions, and I haven't. An attempt to resubmit some of those questions via a freedom of information request were rebuffed on the basis that they required explanations that were not held in a recorded form, and that is completely unacceptable when they relate, amongst other things, to conflicts of interests managing that, which, of course, should be minuted. I wonder if you could investigate, please, why I haven't had an answer to those questions.
Cwestiynau dramatig. Diolch, Llywydd. Tybed a allwn ni gael diweddariad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd, os gwelwch yn dda, ar y strategaeth dementia drafft, gan ei fod bellach wedi cael amser i glywed pryderon a godwyd yn y grŵp trawsbleidiol gan gynrychiolwyr dementia. Nid yw wedi'i chyhoeddi eto, wrth gwrs, ond codwyd rhai pryderon nad oedd efallai mor arloesol ag yr oedden nhw'n ei ddisgwyl neu ei bod yn rhy glinigol o ran ei model. Roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed—rwy'n gweld eich bod yn bresennol—a allech chi gytuno i wneud hynny yn weddol fuan.
Yn ail, ym mis Medi, yn dilyn rhywfaint o bwysau gan fy mhlaid, ymrwymodd y Llywodraeth i adolygu'r ffordd y cafodd gwrthdaro buddiannau posibl ei reoli yn achos cyn was sifil gyda chysylltiadau â chwmni cynhyrchu ffilmiau, a gafodd wedyn fenthyciadau gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Ar 1 Tachwedd, sef dau fis yn ddiweddarach, dywedwyd wrthyf fod yr adolygiad yn cael ei gwblhau, ac, hyd yn oed heddiw, nid wyf yn siŵr o hyd beth oedd canlyniad hynny ac os yw wedi ei gwblhau. Credaf mai adolygiad syml iawn oedd hwn fwy na thebyg, ond mae o hyd—. Rwy'n credu y byddai'n rhaid ichi gytuno ei bod yn annerbyniol, nid yn unig o ran tryloywder, ond o ran ansicrwydd ar gyfer yr unigolyn a oedd yn destun yr adolygiad hwnnw, ac roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a allwch chi drefnu diweddariad brys i'r Cynulliad ynghylch hynny, os gwelwch yn dda.
Yn olaf, tybed a gaf i ofyn am eich cymorth fel rheolwr busnes, mewn gwirionedd. Ar 29 Medi a 4 Hydref , fe wnes i gyflwyno cyfanswm o 16 o gwestiynau ysgrifenedig i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi ynghylch polisi ffilm a'r broses o'i gyflawni, ac o'r cwestiynau hynny, atebwyd dau ohonynt. Rwyf wedi clywed mwy nag unwaith y byddaf yn cael cyfres gyfan o atebion i'r cwestiynau eraill, ond nid wyf wedi cael hynny. Gwrthodwyd yr ymgais i ailgyflwyno rhai o'r cwestiynau hynny drwy gais rhyddid gwybodaeth, ar y sail bod arnynt angen esboniadau nad ydynt ar gael ar ffurf cofnod, ac mae hynny'n gwbl annerbyniol pan eu bod yn ymwneud, ymhlith pethau eraill, â gwrthdaro buddiannau a rheoli hynny, y dylid, wrth gwrs, ei gofnodi. Tybed a allech chi ymchwilio, os gwelwch yn dda, pam nad wyf i wedi cael ateb i'r cwestiynau hynny.
In terms of the dementia strategy, I've had myself several meetings with the health Secretary about the dementia strategy, and I'm very aware that he's taken on board a large number of the issues that were raised with him by the various groups, including groups of people who have dementia themselves, and that he's on course to publish the new strategy, taking into account all of those views, in the new year. I see he's nodding at me, so that remains the case.
In terms of the conflicts of interest, I don't know whether that's related to the second one or not, but it's obviously the same topic—[Interrupion.] Different subjects, same topic. I think the best thing for us to do there is to actually discuss it outside and I will undertake to broker with the Member meetings with the various people she's mentioned to see if we can reach a satisfactory solution.
O ran y strategaeth dementia, rwyf i fy hun wedi cael sawl cyfarfod gyda'r Ysgrifennydd Iechyd ynghylch y strategaeth dementia, ac rwy'n ymwybodol iawn ei fod ef wedi rhoi sylw i nifer fawr o'r materion a godwyd gydag ef gan y gwahanol grwpiau, gan gynnwys grwpiau o bobl sydd â dementia eu hunain, a'i fod ar y trywydd iawn i gyhoeddi strategaeth newydd, gan gymryd i ystyriaeth yr holl sylwadau hynny, yn y flwyddyn newydd. Gwelaf ei fod yn siglo'i ben i gytuno â mi, felly dyna'r sefyllfa o hyd.
O ran gwrthdaro buddiannau, nid wyf yn gwybod pa un a yw hynny'n gysylltiedig â'r ail un ai peidio, ond mae'n amlwg mai'r un pwnc ydyw—[Torri ar draws.] Pynciau gwahanol, yr un testun. Rwy'n credu mai'r peth gorau i ni ei wneud yw ei drafod y tu allan mewn gwirionedd ac rwy'n addo y byddaf yn trefnu i'r aelod i gael cyfarfodydd gyda'r gwahanol bobl y mae hi wedi sôn amdanynt, i weld os gallwn ni gael ateb boddhaol.
Could I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services following the news yesterday that the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales, CSSIW, has classed 14 care homes in Wales as services of concern, meaning there's a possibility of suspending the service or, indeed, of cancelling their registration? I'm particularly concerned about the disproportionate nature or spread of those homes, with 10 of the 14 being located in north Wales, which, of course, is an area that I represent. I previously called for the expansion of the remit of CHCs, community health councils, to include social care, rather than abolishing them, which is the proposal of the Government at this moment in time. The intention of the Government is, of course, to create what could be a remote national body, no doubt based in Cardiff. My question is: why not use the boots on the ground that the CHCs already have, and that they are, certainly in north Wales, using very, very effectively, to scrutinise the service? Let's extend that to scrutinising care homes so that we can ultimately raise their standards.
North Wales Newspapers was one of the largest independent newspaper companies remaining before it was recently taken over by Newsquest, employing around 250 workers, publishing 13 newspapers, including the daily Leader in north-east Wales. Newsquest has announced now 20 job losses, and the entire production department is being outsourced to Oxford. There are fears, of course, that other departments will follow, as we've seen when other newspapers have been taken over by Newsquest. Newsquest and Trinity Mirror together have complete control now over all six daily papers that we have here in Wales and around 60 per cent of our local newspapers. We've argued here for greater media coverage in Wales to better reflect our lives in a devolved context, so how can that happen when jobs are being outsourced by Newsquest to Oxford and the largest newspaper chain in the north could now be left with what could be effectively a skeleton staff? So, I'd like to hear from the relevant Minister what the Government is doing to protect these jobs that are clearly now at risk, to ensure that we protect what local news coverage we have across Wales, and also to ensure that what limited plurality we still have within Welsh media isn't eroded further.
A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn dilyn y newyddion ddoe bod Arolygiaeth Gofal a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol Cymru, AGGCC, wedi disgrifio 14 o gartrefi gofal yng Nghymru fel gwasanaethau sy'n peri pryder, sy'n golygu ei bod yn bosibl y bydd gwasanaeth yn cael ei atal dros dro neu, yn wir, gellid dileu'r cofrestriad? Rwyf yn arbennig o bryderus ynghylch natur anghymesur neu wasgariad y cartrefi hynny, gan fod 10 o'r 14 o'r cartrefi hynny wedi eu lleoli yn y gogledd, sef, wrth gwrs, ardal yr wyf i yn ei chynrychioli. Fe wnes i alw yn flaenorol am ehangu cylch gwaith Cynghorau Iechyd Cymuned, i gynnwys gofal cymdeithasol, yn hytrach na chael gwared arnynt, sef cynnig y Llywodraeth ar hyn o bryd. Bwriad y Llywodraeth yw, wrth gwrs, creu yr hyn a allai fod yn gorff cenedlaethol o bell, a fydd wedi ei leoli yng Nghaerdydd yn ôl pob tebyg. Fy nghwestiwn i yw: pam na allan nhw ddefnyddio y bobl hynny y mae Cynghorau Iechyd Cymuned eisoes yn eu defnyddio ar lawr gwlad, ac yn eu defnyddio, yn sicr yn y gogledd, yn effeithiol iawn, iawn i graffu ar y gwasanaeth? Beth am i ni ymestyn hynny i gynnwys craffu ar gartrefi gofal, fel y gallwn godi eu safonau yn y pen draw.
Papurau Newydd Gogledd Cymru oedd un o'r cwmnïau papur newydd annibynnol mwyaf a oedd yn dal yn bodoli, cyn i Newsquest, sy'n cyflogi tua 250 o weithwyr, ac yn cyhoeddi 13 o bapurau newydd, gan gynnwys y Leader dyddiol yn y gogledd-ddwyrain, gymryd drosodd yn ddiweddar. Mae Newsquest wedi cyhoeddi erbyn hyn y bydd 20 o swyddi yn cael eu colli, a bod yr adran gynhyrchu gyfan yn cael ei lleoli'n allanol yn Rhydychen. Mae nifer yn ofni, wrth gwrs, y bydd adrannau eraill yn dilyn, yn debyg i'r hyn yr ydym eisoes wedi'i weld pan fo Newsquest wedi cymryd papurau newydd eraill drosodd. Mae Newsquest a Trinity Mirror gyda'i gilydd, bellach â rheolaeth lwyr o bob un o'r chwe phapur newydd dyddiol sydd gennym ni yma yng Nghymru ac oddeutu 60 y cant o'n papurau newydd lleol. Rydym wedi bod yn dadlau yma i gael mwy o sylw yn y cyfryngau yng Nghymru i adlewyrchu ein bywydau yn well mewn cyd-destun datganoledig, felly sut y gall hynny ddigwydd, pan fo swyddi yn cael eu rhoi ar gontract yn allanol i Rydychen gan Newsquest, a gallai'r gadwyn papurau newydd fwyaf yn y gogledd gael ei gadael â nifer fach iawn o staff mewn gwirionedd? Felly, hoffwn glywed gan y Gweinidog perthnasol, beth y mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i ddiogelu'r swyddi hyn sydd yn amlwg mewn perygl erbyn hyn, i sicrhau ein bod yn amddiffyn y sylw newyddion lleol sydd gennym ledled Cymru, a hefyd i sicrhau nad yw'r luosogrwydd cyfyngedig sydd gennym o hyd yng Nghymru, yn dirywio ymhellach.
Thank you for those two very important questions. In terms of the community health councils and their role in social care, the Minister was listening carefully all the way through. The Member characterised the consultation in not quite the way I understand it to be, and I think we do need to let the consultation take its course and see where we go with that. It is a consultation about the future of the CHCs, and I'm sure the Member, like me, has met with the CHC in his area and has had a number of representations. We need to let that consultation take its course.
In terms of the specifics about the care homes, I'm afraid I don't know very much about that at all, but the health Secretary was here listening to you, as was the Minister, and I'm sure, between them, they'll be able to address some of the concerns you raise.
In terms of the news issue, I share the Member's concern about the lack of diversity in local news, and a similar fate has befallen my own local newspaper and radio station, as it happens. I think that it would be very appropriate for the Minister in question to take a view and report back to the Assembly in due course when she has something that she can say usefully to us on that subject.
Diolch i chi am y ddau gwestiwn pwysig iawn yna. O ran y cynghorau iechyd cymuned a'u swyddogaeth mewn gofal cymdeithasol, roedd y Gweinidog yn gwrando'n astud drwy gydol yr amser. Fe wnaeth yr Aelod nodweddu'r ymgynghoriad nid yn union yn yr un modd ag yr wyf i yn ei ddeall, a chredaf bod angen i ni adael i'r ymgynghoriad fynd rhagddo a gweld beth fydd ein cam nesaf ar ôl hynny. Mae'n ymgynghoriad sy'n ymwneud â dyfodol cynghorau iechyd cymuned, ac rwyf yn siŵr bod yr Aelod, fel finnau, wedi cwrdd â'r cyngor iechyd cymuned yn ei ardal, ac wedi cael nifer o sylwadau. Mae angen inni adael yr ymgynghoriad hwnnw fynd rhagddo.
O ran y manylion am gartrefi gofal, mae arnaf ofn nad wyf i'n gwybod llawer iawn am hynny o gwbl, ond roedd yr Ysgrifennydd iechyd yma yn gwrando arnoch, fel yr oedd y Gweinidog, ac rwyf yn siŵr, rhyngddynt, y byddan nhw'n gallu mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r pryderon yr ydych chi'n eu codi.
O ran problem y newyddion, rwy'n rhannu pryder yr Aelod ynghylch y diffyg amrywiaeth o ran newyddion lleol, ac mae rhywbeth tebyg wedi digwydd gyda fy mhapur newydd lleol i, a'r orsaf radio, fel mae'n digwydd. Credaf y byddai'n briodol iawn i'r Gweinidog dan sylw ystyried hyn ac adrodd yn ôl i'r Cynulliad maes o law, pan fydd ganddi rywbeth defnyddiol i'w ddweud wrthym ni ar y pwnc hwnnw.
I have two items I wanted to raise with the leader of the house. Over the weekend, we all heard the news from the Royal Bank of Scotland that so many more bank closures would be taking place, and I think it's 20 in Wales. Two of them are in my constituency of Cardiff North, in Whitchurch and in the Heath hospital, and already I've been contacted, and I'm sure other Members have been, about what a loss this is to the community. I know that RBS are saying that fewer people are using the bank branches, and I'm sure that is true, but, for elderly and disabled people, it's very important that they do have a bank to go to. And of course, there's the issue of the contribution to the high street and the importance for local businesses. So, I wondered if we could have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for the economy about this further detrimental step, because we have debated this in the Assembly many times before, but the value of these banks to the community just does not seem to be recognised. So, that was the one statement I wanted.
And, then, the other issue was, on Saturday, I visited Organicafé, as part of Small Business Saturday. It is a very innovative, organic cafe in Birchgrove in my constituency, which has just won Best Cafe in the Welsh Italian Awards. The owners only actually came from Italy two years ago, and they've made a fantastic success there, so I was really pleased to visit it and highlight their achievements. But it made me think that there has been a big growth in cafe culture, and I just wondered whether it would be worth looking at the value of the cafe culture to our economy as well.
Mae gennyf i ddwy eitem yr wyf eisiau eu codi gydag arweinydd y tŷ. Yn ystod y penwythnos, fe wnaethom ni i gyd glywed y newyddion gan y Royal Bank of Scotland y bydd llawer mwy o fanciau yn cael eu cau, ac rwy'n credi mai 20 fydd yn cau yng Nghymru. Mae dau ohonyn nhw yn fy etholaeth i, sef Gogledd Caerdydd, yn yr Eglwys Newydd ac yn Ysbyty Mynydd Bychan, ac mae pobl eisoes wedi cysylltu â mi, ac rwyf yn siŵr bod pobl wedi cysylltu ag aelodau eraill hefyd, ynghylch cymaint o golled yw hyn i'r gymuned. Gwn fod RBS yn dweud bod llai o bobl yn defnyddio canghennau banc, ac rwy'n siŵr bod hynny'n wir, ond, ar gyfer yr henoed a phobl anabl, mae'n bwysig iawn bod ganddyn nhw fanc i fynd iddo. Ac wrth gwrs, mae'r hyn y mae'n ei gyfrannu at y stryd fawr yn fater i'w ystyried, a pha mor bwysig yr ydyw i fusnesau lleol. Felly, tybed allwn ni gael datganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi ynghylch y cam niweidiol arall hwn, gan ein bod wedi trafod hyn yn y Cynulliad sawl gwaith o'r blaen, ond mae'n ymddangos nad yw gwerth y banciau hyn i'r gymuned yn cael ei gydnabod o gwbl. Felly, dyna oedd un datganiad yr oeddwn i ei eisiau.
Ac yna, y mater arall yw, ddydd Sadwrn, ymwelais ag Organicafé, yn rhan o Ddydd Sadwrn y Busnesau Bach. Mae'n gaffi arloesol, organig iawn yn Llwyn Bedw yn fy etholaeth i, sydd newydd ennill gwobr y Caffi Gorau yng Ngwobrau Eidalaidd Cymru. Yn wir, dim ond dwy flynedd yn ôl y daeth y perchnogion o'r Eidal, ac maen nhw wedi bod yn llwyddiannus iawn yno, felly roeddwn i'n falch iawn o ymweld â'r caffi ac i dynnu sylw at eu cyflawniadau. Ond gwnaeth imi feddwl ein bod wedi gweld twf mawr mewn diwylliant caffi, a tybed a fyddai'n werth ystyried gwerth diwylliant caffi i'n heconomi hefyd.
I can't resist answering that one first because I'm familiar with the cafe, and I would like to congratulate them on their award—it's well deserved. My son put me in the knowledge on the cafe, and it is indeed a fantastic little place, for those people who haven't visited it yet. Italian cafes have played an enormous role in the growth of cafe culture in Wales for a very long time, in fact, and certainly in the village I grew up in, in north Swansea, the Moruzzis were very instrumental in both kindling my love of ice cream, which possibly wasn't as good for me as it might have been, which I continue to have, and also, actually, just in promoting cafe culture in general as a place to meet and often discuss really quite progressive politics. So, I'm grateful to them for that as well. And I think that they do make a big contribution to our economy, and I'm sure that the Cabinet Secretary for the economy will be taking that into account when he produces his action plan in the future.
In terms of banking, I share the Member's concern about the closure of bank branches. I've had a number of meetings myself with a number of the big banks around their closure policy. They do produce statistics about the use of branch banking and so on, and a number of them do have good policies in terms of contacting older people and people with particular problems in mobility and so on about their banking. There is an arrangement in place with Post Office Counters, in actual fact, to do some banking, and we've made representations to them, I know, in my previous role, about ensuring that the Post Office Counters staff have the right training and that there are appropriate premises in which to conduct what might be a quite personal transaction in some cases for people who want to conduct banking transfers there. But I don't see any reason at all why we couldn't ask the Cabinet Secretary for the economy to make this Assembly's concerns known again.
Ni allaf beidio ag ateb y cwestiwn yna yn gyntaf, gan fy mod i'n gyfarwydd â'r caffi, a hoffwn eu llongyfarch ar eu gwobr—mae'n gwbl haeddiannol. Fy mab ddywedodd wrthyf am y caffi, ac yn wir mae'n lle bach gwych, i'r rhai hynny nad ydynt wedi ymweld ag ef hyd yma. Mae caffis Eidalaidd wedi chwarae rhan enfawr yn nhwf diwylliant caffi yng Nghymru am gyfnod hir iawn, mewn gwirionedd, ac yn sicr yn y pentref lle cefais i fy magu, yng ngogledd Abertawe, roedd y Moruzzis yn rhan allweddol o feithrin fy hoffter o hufen iâ, nad yw o bosibl mor dda i mi ag y gallai fod wedi bod, ac rwyf yn parhau i'w gael, a hefyd, mewn gwirionedd, yn rhan o hyrwyddo diwylliant caffi yn gyffredinol fel lle i gyfarfod ac yn aml i drafod gwleidyddiaeth flaengar iawn. Felly, rwyf yn ddiolchgar iddyn nhw am hynny hefyd. A chredaf eu bod nhw'n gwneud cyfraniad mawr i'n heconomi, ac rwyf yn siŵr y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi yn ystyried hynny pan fydd yn llunio ei gynllun gweithredu yn y dyfodol.
O ran bancio, rwy'n rhannu pryder yr Aelod ynghylch cau canghennau banc. Rwyf i wedi cael nifer o gyfarfodydd gyda nifer o'r banciau mawr ynghylch eu polisi cau. Maen nhw yn cynhyrchu ystadegau am y defnydd o fancio cangen ac ati, ac mae gan nifer ohonynt bolisïau da o ran cysylltu â phobl hŷn a phobl sydd â phroblemau penodol gyda symudedd ac ati, am eu bancio. Mae trefniant ar waith gyda gwasanaeth cownteri Swyddfa'r Post, mewn gwirionedd, i wneud peth bancio, ac rydym wedi gwneud sylwadau iddyn nhw, mi wn, yn fy swydd flaenorol, ynghylch sicrhau bod staff cownteri Swyddfa'r Post yn cael yr hyfforddiant cywir a bod yna safle priodol ar gyfer cynnal yr hyn a allai fod yn drafodiad eithaf personol mewn rhai achosion ar gyfer pobl sydd eisiau gwneud trosglwyddiadau banc yn y fan honno. Ond nid wyf yn gweld unrhyw reswm o gwbl pam na allwn ni ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi fynegi pryderon y Cynulliad hwn unwaith eto.
Can I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for health on the situation faced by emergency departments in north Wales? The leader of the house will be aware that there were reports in the media over the weekend about tweets from the emergency department at Ysbyty Gwynedd, which claimed that some people were spending up to two days or more in the emergency department whilst waiting for medical beds. Now, we know that there is a problem at other north Wales hospitals. The poorest-performing hospital as far as the four-hour emergency department target is concerned in the whole of Wales is Glan Clwyd Hospital, in Bodelwyddan. This appears to be a significant problem in north Wales, which, clearly, people will want to have addressed prior to the very cold weather that may come over the winter period. Now, we heard a statement a few weeks ago, which was issued by the Cabinet Secretary for health, on winter preparedness, and he gave the impression that everything was fine. Well, things clearly aren't fine in north Wales. We need to know precisely what additional support is going to be put into place to make sure that patients, in an emergency, can get the services that they need.
A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd ar y sefyllfa a wynebir gan adrannau achosion brys yn y gogledd? Bydd arweinydd y tŷ yn ymwybodol y bu adroddiadau yn y cyfryngau yn ystod y penwythnos am negeseuon trydar gan yr adran achosion brys yn Ysbyty Gwynedd, a oedd yn honni bod rhai pobl yn treulio hyd at ddau ddiwrnod neu fwy yn yr adran achosion brys, wrth aros am welyau meddygol. Nawr, gwyddom fod problem mewn ysbytai eraill yn y gogledd. Yr ysbyty sy'n perfformio waethaf o ran y targed pedair awr yn yr adrannau achosion brys yng Nghymru gyfan, yw Ysbyty Glan Clwyd ym Modelwyddan. Ymddengys bod hyn yn broblem sylweddol yn y gogledd, sydd, yn amlwg, yn broblem y bydd pobl eisiau iddi gael ei ddatrys, cyn i'r tywydd oer iawn y gallwn ni ei gael yn ystod y gaeaf gyrraedd. Nawr, clywsom ddatganiad ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, a gyhoeddwyd gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd, ar barodrwydd ar gyfer y gaeaf, a rhoddodd yr argraff fod popeth yn iawn. Wel, yn amlwg nid yw popeth yn iawn yn y gogledd. Mae angen inni wybod yn union pa gymorth ychwanegol sydd am gael ei roi ar waith i sicrhau bod cleifion, mewn argyfwng, yn gallu cael y gwasanaethau sydd eu hangen arnynt.
That's a very important point that the Member raises, obviously. The Cabinet Secretary for health has made a number of contributions in this place to winter preparedness, and indeed to delayed transfers of care, and a number of other issues affecting waiting lists, and so on, in north Wales. He was here listening to your point and I'm sure he'll take it to account the next time he addresses us on the subject.
Mae hwnna'n bwynt pwysig iawn y mae'r Aelod yn ei godi, yn amlwg. Mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd wedi gwneud nifer o gyfraniadau yn y lle hwn o ran parodrwydd ar gyfer y gaeaf, ac yn wir o ran oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal, a nifer o broblemau eraill sy'n effeithio ar restrau aros, ac ati, yn y gogledd. Roedd ef yma yn gwrando ar eich pwynt ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd ef yn ystyried hynny y tro nesaf y bydd ef yn ein hannerch ar y pwnc.
I'm looking at two statements from the leader of the Chamber. The Government has rightly issued statements about terrorist atrocities over the past 18 months. We have a Yemenese community in Cardiff, and in Wales, and civilians in the Yemen are being bombed and starved to death every single day. I'm wondering what the Welsh Government position is on this, and the daily terror—Saudi Arabian-backed terror—that the civilian population of the Yemen have to face every single day.
The second one is about mesh implants. I'm looking for a Government statement on the number of people who have received these mesh implants in Wales over the last seven years, and also the number of people who have had those implants without actually giving their consent and are in a lot of pain now. I'm wondering also what recourse is available to those people and what treatment they can be offered to help with their chronic symptoms.
Rwyf yn edrych ar ddau ddatganiad gan arweinydd y Siambr. Mae'r Llywodraeth yn ddigon teg wedi cyhoeddi datganiadau am erchyllterau terfysgol yn ystod y 18 mis diwethaf. Mae gennym ni gymuned o bobl o'r Yemen yng Nghaerdydd, ac yng Nghymru, ac mae dinasyddion yn yr Yemen yn cael eu bomio ac yn cael eu llwgu i farwolaeth bob un dydd. Roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed beth yw safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru ar hyn, a'r terfysg dyddiol—terfysg a gefnogir gan Saudi Arabia—y mae poblogaeth sifil yr Yemen yn gorfod ei wynebu bob dydd.
Mae'r ail un yn ymwneud â mewnblaniadau rhwyll. Rwyf yn gofyn am ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth ar nifer y bobl sydd wedi cael y mewnblaniadau rhwyll hyn yng Nghymru yn ystod y saith mlynedd diwethaf, a hefyd nifer y bobl sydd wedi cael y mewnblaniadau hynny heb roi eu cydsyniad mewn gwirionedd, ac sydd yn dioddef llawer o boen erbyn hyn. Ys gwn i hefyd pa gymorth sydd ar gael i'r bobl hynny a pha driniaeth y gellir ei gynnig iddynt i'w helpu â'u symptomau cronig.
Well, on that second one, the Cabinet Secretary has already made a commitment to bring forward a statement on mesh implants, which—he's nodding at me—I'm sure he will be doing very soon.
In terms of various war situations and other atrocities, around the world, obviously the Welsh Government shares your concern that people have to live in such appalling situations. We don't have, obviously, foreign policy powers here. What we do have though is a policy that welcomes refugees and asylum seekers from all over the globe, where we can provide them with sanctuary. And I'm very proud that we're a nation that can do so.
Wel, o ran y ail un, mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet eisoes wedi ymrwymo i gyflwyno datganiad ar fewnblaniadau rhwyll, y bydd —mae'n siglo'i ben i gytuno â mi—rwy'n siŵr, yn ei wneud yn fuan iawn.
O ran gwahanol sefyllfaoedd rhyfel ac erchyllterau eraill, ledled y byd, yn amlwg mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhannu eich pryder bod pobl yn gorfod byw mewn sefyllfaoedd mor ofnadwy. Nid oes gennym, yn amlwg, bwerau polisi tramor yn y fan yma. Yr hyn sydd gennym, er hynny, yw polisi sy'n croesawu ffoaduriaid a cheiswyr lloches o bedwar ban byd, lle gallwn ddarparu lloches iddyn nhw. Ac rwyf yn falch iawn ein bod ni'n genedl sy'n gallu gwneud hynny.
Diolch i arweinydd y tŷ.
I thank the leader of the house.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r datganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg ar fudd y cyhoedd a Chymru ffynnianus—yr ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad. Rwy'n galw ar yr Ysgrifennydd i wneud y datganiad—Kirsty Williams.
The next item is the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education on public good and a prosperous Wales—consultation response. I call on the Secretary to make the statement—Kirsty Williams.
Llywydd, in the summer, I published a White Paper on the reform of the post-compulsory education and training system. The consultation closed in late October, and I'd like to take this opportunity to update Members on progress and to announce that we are moving forward to a technical consultation.
In the White Paper, I set out the Government’s proposals for reform, covering further and higher education, research and innovation, work-based learning and adult community learning, and we sought views on the way forward. At the heart of the proposal for a reformed system is a new body: the tertiary education and research commission for Wales. Not only would this replace the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, but it would also take on a wider set of functions, many of which are currently undertaken by the Government. In doing so, the new commission would provide oversight, strategic direction and leadership for the whole sector.
Over recent months, officials held a number of stakeholder events across the nation. This provided a dedicated opportunity for detailed discussions on the proposals. In addition, a separate learner consultation series of events was held in both north and south Wales, and a young persons consultation was also undertaken, because it is this group that will be most affected by the proposed changes.
I would like to thank all those who attended for sharing their views with us and helping to shape the next stage of our proposals. Although I cannot hope to do justice to the rich detail of the responses here today, I’m pleased to say that the proposals have received broad support. A summary of the responses will be published on the Government’s website.
Llywydd, yn ystod yr haf, fe wnes i gyhoeddi Papur Gwyn ar ddiwygio system hyfforddiant addysg ôl-orfodol. Daeth yr ymgynghoriad i ben ddiwedd mis Hydref, a hoffwn achub ar y cyfle hwn i roi'r newyddion diweddaraf i Aelodau ar y cynnydd a chyhoeddi ein bod yn symud ymlaen i ymgynghoriad technegol.
Yn y Papur Gwyn, rwy'n nodi cynigion y Llywodraeth ar gyfer diwygio, sy'n cwmpasu addysg uwch ac addysg bellach, ymchwil ac arloesi, dysgu seiliedig ar waith a dysgu oedolion yn y gymuned, ac fe wnaethom geisio barn ynghylch y ffordd ymlaen. Wrth wraidd y cynnig ar gyfer system ddiwygiedig mae corff newydd: y comisiwn ymchwil ac addysg drydyddol ar gyfer Cymru. Byddai hwn nid yn unig yn disodli Cyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru, ond byddai hefyd yn cymryd cyfrifoldeb dros gyfres ehangach o swyddogaethau, y mae llawer ohonynt yn cael eu gwneud gan y Llywodraeth ar hyn o bryd. Wrth wneud hynny, byddai'r Comisiwn newydd yn darparu goruchwyliaeth, cyfeiriad strategol ac arweinyddiaeth ar gyfer y sector cyfan.
Yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf, cynhaliodd swyddogion nifer o ddigwyddiadau ar gyfer rhanddeiliaid ledled y wlad. Rhoddodd hyn gyfle pwrpasol ar gyfer trafodaethau manwl ar y cynigion. Hefyd, cynhaliwyd cyfres o ddigwyddiadau ymgynghoriad ar wahân yn y gogledd a'r de, a chynhaliwyd ymgynghoriad ar gyfer pobl ifanc hefyd, gan mai'r grŵp hwn fydd yn cael ei effeithio fwyaf gan y newidiadau arfaethedig.
Hoffwn ddiolch i bawb a oedd yn bresennol am rannu eu safbwyntiau â ni, a'n helpu i lunio cam nesaf ein cynigion. Er nad oes gobaith i mi allu gwneud cyfiawnder â manylder cyfoethog yr ymatebion yma heddiw, rwyf yn falch o ddweud bod y cynigion wedi cael cefnogaeth eang. Cyhoeddir crynodeb o'r ymatebion ar wefan y Llywodraeth.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.
The strategic planning role of the proposed commission was welcomed. There was agreement that funding from the commission to learning and training providers should be made dependent in some way on Welsh Ministers’ agreement to its strategic plan. The majority of respondents outside the higher education sector in principle supported the introduction of outcome agreements but wanted more detail on their operation. We will develop further detail on this approach for stakeholders’ consideration. Respondents saw a role for the proposed commission in supporting students to change courses and providers, and to protect students in the case of provider failure. A majority also agreed that widening access for underrepresented groups remains an issue, as does the lack of opportunities for part-time study. Members will know that these are driving principles for our student support reforms.
Turning to the quality of provision, the vast majority of stakeholders supported a role for the commission in enhancing quality. Opinion was, however, divided on whether one common quality assurance framework for the whole of the PCET system would be the right way forward. Clearly, more work is needed here, and the complementary review that is being undertaken by Professor Harvey Weingarten will contribute much to the development of these proposals as we go forward.
Whether or not the proposed commission should have responsibility for sixth forms was a specific question asked in the consultation. Again, this is an area where we will look to do further work, but it should be said that a majority of respondents were of the opinion that sixth forms should be treated as part of the PCET system. Some respondents felt that sixth forms should be phased in at a later date rather than being part of the commission’s remit at the outset. I thank respondents for raising these and other matters that we will now consider further in developing our proposals for the next stage of consultation.
As well as what stakeholders have told us in response to the White Paper, we also need to consider other developments and their impact on our proposals for PCET reform. The recent review of the activities of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol recommended that it broadens its remit from higher education to cover the whole of the PCET sector. I am delighted that this is very much in tune with our proposals for PCET reform, and the relationship between the proposed commission and the Coleg will be a key consideration as we move forward.
The proposals for Research and Innovation Wales to be a statutory committee of the commission is clearly going to be influenced by stakeholder responses but also by the outcomes of the Reid review. This will report early in the new year and we will of course take Professor Reid’s views on board as we move forward. In the light of the responses to our initial White Paper proposals, I propose to issue a further technical consultation document early in the new year, setting out in more detail how we envisage the new commission might work. We are a Government that is committed to listening and I recognise that issues may yet emerge that are not covered by the technical consultation. I am, therefore, committed to continuing close engagement with stakeholders and across the Chamber as we move forward with our reforms.
I am heartened that, in the light of our proposals to reform the PCET system, stakeholders from the different sectors are already seeking out ways to work more effectively together in partnership, and that augurs really well for the future. Within Government we are also laying the foundations for a smooth transition to a transformed PCET system. We are taking an important first step towards that transition by making a series of new appointments to the current HEFCW council. The first of the new members joined the council on 1 December and the other new appointees will take up their roles early in 2018 as current members stand down.
These appointments will be for three years in the first instance and will help broaden the council’s reach and perspective. I am delighted that we have been able to attract such high-calibre individuals to these roles, which will be critical to helping us realise our ambitions for tertiary education, research and training. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the members of the HEFCW council who will be stepping down as a result of these changes. They have made a significant contribution to Welsh higher education over many years.
Deputy Presiding Officer, there is no doubting the scale of our ambitions and the scale of these reforms. I welcome the broad consensus that exists and the agreement that simply maintaining the status quo is not a viable option. It's not a viable option for learners, for providers or the nation as a whole. We are committed to working in partnership to get this right and to ensuring a PCET system that will meet the needs of all and help build a more prosperous and successful Wales.
Roedd croeso i swyddogaeth y comisiwn arfaethedig o ran cynllunio strategol. Cafwyd cytundeb y dylai cyllid gan y comisiwn i ddarparwyr addysg a hyfforddiant fod yn ddibynnol mewn rhyw ffordd ar gytundeb Gweinidogion Cymru i'w gynllun strategol. Roedd mwyafrif yr ymatebwyr y tu allan i'r sector addysg uwch yn cefnogi mewn egwyddor gyflwyniad cytundebau canlyniadau ond yn eiddgar i gael mwy o fanylion am eu gweithrediad. Byddwn yn datblygu rhagor o fanylion am y dull hwn i'w hystyried gan y rhanddeiliaid. Roedd ymatebwyr yn gweld swyddogaeth i'r comisiwn arfaethedig o ran cefnogi myfyrwyr i newid cyrsiau a darparwyr, ac amddiffyn myfyrwyr yn achos methiant y darparwr. Cytunodd mwyafrif hefyd fod ehangu'r hygyrchedd i grwpiau nad oes ganddyn nhw gynrychiolaeth ddigonol yn broblem o hyd, fel y mae'r diffyg cyfleoedd i astudio'n rhan-amser. Bydd yr Aelodau yn gwybod fod y rhain yn egwyddorion ysgogol i'n diwygiadau ni o ran cymorth i fyfyrwyr.
Gan droi at ansawdd y ddarpariaeth, roedd mwyafrif llethol y rhanddeiliaid yn gefnogol i swyddogaeth i'r comisiwn o ran gwella ansawdd. Roedd gwahaniaeth barn, er hynny, ynghylch a fyddai un fframwaith cyffredin i sicrhau ansawdd y system Addysg a Hyfforddiant Ôl-orfodol (PCET) yn ei chyfanrwydd yn ffordd gywir o fwrw ymlaen. Mae'n amlwg fod angen gwaith eto yn hyn o beth, a bydd yr adolygiad ategol gan yr Athro Harvey Weingarten yn cyfrannu llawer i ddatblygiad y cynigion hyn wrth inni symud ymlaen.
Cwestiwn penodol a gafodd ei ofyn yn yr ymgynghoriad oedd a ddylai fod gan y comisiwn arfaethedig gyfrifoldeb dros y chweched dosbarth neu beidio . Eto, mae hwn yn faes y byddwn yn gwneud rhagor o waith arno, ond dylid dweud bod mwyafrif yr ymatebwyr o'r farn y dylai'r chweched dosbarth gael ei drin fel pe bai'n rhan o'r system PCET. Teimlai rhai ymatebwyr y dylid cyflwyno'r chweched dosbarth yn raddol yn ddiweddarach yn hytrach na bod yn rhan o gylch gwaith y comisiwn o'r dechrau. Rwy'n diolch i'r ymatebwyr am godi hynny a materion eraill y byddwn yn eu hystyried ymhellach wrth inni ddatblygu ein cynigion ar gyfer cam nesaf yr ymgynghoriad.
Yn ogystal â'r hyn y mae rhanddeiliaid wedi ei dweud wrthym ni yn eu hymateb i'r Papur Gwyn, mae angen hefyd inni ystyried yr adolygiad diweddar o ddatblygiadau eraill a'u heffaith ar ein cynigion ar gyfer diwygio PCET. Argymhellodd yr adolygiad diweddar o weithgareddau'r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol ei fod yn ehangu ei gylch gwaith o fod yn cwmpasu addysg uwch i gwmpasu'r sector PCET yn ei gyfanrwydd. Rwyf wrth fy modd am fod hyn yn cyd-fynd â'n cynigion i ddiwygio PCET, a bydd y berthynas rhwng y comisiwn arfaethedig a'r Coleg yn ystyriaeth allweddol wrth i ni fwrw ymlaen.
Bydd y cynigion i wneud Ymchwil ac Arloesi Cymru yn bwyllgor statudol y comisiwn yn amlwg yn cael eu dylanwadu gan ymatebion y rhanddeiliaid ond hefyd ganlyniadau adolygiad Reid. Bydd hwn yn adrodd yn fuan yn y flwyddyn newydd a byddwn wrth gwrs yn cymryd barn yr Athro Reid i ystyriaeth wrth inni symud ymlaen. Yng ngoleuni'r ymatebion i'r cynigion cychwynnol yn ein Papur Gwyn, rwy'n bwriadu cyhoeddi dogfen ymgynghoriad technegol pellach yn gynnar yn y flwyddyn newydd, yn nodi'n fwy manwl sut yr ydym yn rhagweld y gallasai'r comisiwn newydd weithio. Rydym yn Llywodraeth sydd wedi ymrwymo i wrando ac rwy'n cydnabod efallai y bydd materion yn dod i'r amlwg eto na fydd yr ymgynghoriad technegol yn ymdrin â nhw. Rwyf i, felly, wedi fy ymrwymo i barhau i ymgysylltu yn agos â rhanddeiliaid ac ar draws y Siambr wrth inni symud ymlaen gyda'n diwygiadau.
Yng ngoleuni ein cynigion i ddiwygio'r system PCET, mae'n codi fy nghalon i fod rhanddeiliaid o'r gwahanol sectorau eisoes yn chwilio am ffyrdd o weithio'n fwy effeithiol gyda'i gilydd mewn partneriaeth, ac mae hynny'n argoeli'n dda iawn i'r dyfodol. Yn ein Llywodraeth rydym yn gosod y sylfeini ar gyfer trosglwyddo yn llyfn i system PCET sydd wedi ei gweddnewid. Rydym yn cymryd cam cyntaf pwysig tuag at y cyfnod pontio hwnnw drwy wneud cyfres o benodiadau newydd i gyngor cyfredol CCAUC. Ymunodd aelodau newydd cyntaf y Cyngor ar 1 Rhagfyr, a bydd aelodau newydd eraill yn dechrau yn eu swyddi yn gynnar yn 2018 fel y bydd yr aelodau presennol yn rhoi'r gorau iddi.
Bydd y penodiadau hyn am dair blynedd yn y lle cyntaf a byddant yn helpu i ehangu cyrhaeddiad a gwelediad y Cyngor. Rwyf wrth fy modd ein bod wedi gallu denu unigolion o'r fath safon uchel i'r swyddi hyn, a fydd yn hanfodol i helpu inni wireddu ein huchelgais ar gyfer addysg drydyddol, ymchwil a hyfforddiant. Hoffwn achub ar y cyfle hwn i roi teyrnged i Aelodau Cyngor CCAUC, a fydd yn ymadael â'u swyddi o ganlyniad i'r newidiadau hyn. Maen nhw wedi gwneud cyfraniad sylweddol i addysg uwch yng Nghymru dros nifer o flynyddoedd.
Dirprwy Lywydd, ni ellir amau ehangder ein huchelgais nac ehangder y diwygiadau hyn. Rwy'n croesawu'r consensws eang sy'n bodoli, a'n bod yn cytuno hefyd nad yw cadw pethau fel ag y maen nhw yn ddewis ymarferol. Nid ydyw'n ddewis ymarferol ar gyfer dysgwyr, nac ar gyfer darparwyr na'r genedl gyfan. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i weithio mewn partneriaeth i wneud hyn yn iawn a sicrhau system PCET a fydd yn diwallu anghenion pawb ac yn helpu i saernïo Cymru sy'n fwy llewyrchus a llwyddiannus.
Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement today and for advance notice of that statement, and, indeed, all of the individuals who responded to the public consultation on the White Paper?
As the Cabinet Secretary knows, the proposal to establish a tertiary education and research commission for Wales is one that we Welsh Conservatives fully support. And whilst I appreciate the notice that the Government is now going to move forward to a technical consultation, I think it's very important to make clear that we're facing serious challenges in the post-compulsory education sector right now, and we have to move towards improving that situation as soon as possible.
So, these reforms, I believe, give us a crucial opportunity to create the flexible and agile education and training system that we all want to see and that was alluded to in the Government's White Paper.
I just wondered, though, whether you could give us a clear timescale for the completion of the technical consultation and when you expect to be able to implement any recommendations that emerge from that, once you've considered those consultation responses, in order that we can get to the place that we all want to be as soon as possible.
You didn't refer to vocational pathways in your statement today, and you did briefly mention part-time study, but only very briefly. As you know, the new commission, I believe, gives us an exciting opportunity to champion vocational qualifications and, indeed, part-time study. I know that they've been given a bit of lip service in the past, I think it's fair to say, from some of your predecessors—not you, I hasten to add—but we need some bold changes in the post-compulsory education system if we're going to fulfil the ambition that we've got for part-time students and, indeed, for vocational learners as well.
So, I just wonder whether you could outline if there are any plans to ensure that the new commission gives equal priority to vocational and part-time learning, to make sure that there's not an overemphasis by that new commission on higher education which, I think it's fair to say, there has been, potentially, in the past.
You also mentioned widening access for underrepresented groups—another thing that I very much welcome. One of the things that sometimes puts a barrier up for underrepresented groups is the flexibility of courses and the financing that is sometimes needed to support people in accessing those courses. So, I think that we clearly need to see some change in terms of how education courses can be accessed and delivered. Some of those groups that face those barriers are, of course, Gypsy/Traveller groups, ethnic minority groups and, indeed, looked-after children—they're significantly underrepresented in post-compulsory education. So, I wonder whether you could tell us what precisely you're going to do, in particular to support those groups and what you'll be tasking the new commission with in terms of improving access to post-compulsory education for those individuals.
In addition, in terms of the financing and the flexibility arrangements, clearly we need to be looking at how people access courses and how people can switch, perhaps, from one course to another if their circumstances change. Sometimes, people are knocked out of the system because they've got a health need for a period, and obviously it's important that they have the opportunity to be able to pick back up their studies. Sometimes, people relocate from one part of the country to another during the middle of a course and it's important that they can take and bank some credits with them from the courses that they've started. And yet, these are currently big issues that are not easily resolved with the current post-compulsory education system. So, I wonder whether these will be particular issues that you'll want the commission to focus on.
The other thing that I didn't hear you refer to today was something that really underpins the whole purpose of this reform, and that is careers. We know that we want to match people with appropriate careers that they can enjoy and have fulfilled lives in, but we also know that there's a dearth, frankly, of high-quality careers advice available to people in Wales, particularly those who are beyond compulsory education age. So, I'm talking adults, perhaps, in later life who are hoping to return to the workforce, or have been made redundant, or through circumstances are having to switch careers and may need some support, advice and guidance in order to get them into the right place. So, again, I wonder whether the commission could have a role in this and whether that is something that you would want them to have a look at.
Just finally, if I may, on the Welsh language, I know that there is a separate piece of work that is being done in terms of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and its role, but can you assure us that the role of the college will be integral, really, to the way that this commission operates, so that we can all ensure that there's a concerted effort, across the whole of the education sector, to support the ambition that we all have in this Chamber, which is to see those 1 million Welsh speakers within the time frame set by the Welsh Government of 2050? Thank you.
A gaf i ddiolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am ei datganiad heddiw ac am hysbysiad ymlaen llaw am y datganiad hwnnw, ac, yn wir, i bob un o'r unigolion a wnaeth ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus ar y Papur Gwyn?
Fel y gŵyr Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae'r cynnig i sefydlu Comisiwn ymchwil ac addysg drydyddol i Gymru yn un y mae'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn ei lwyr gefnogi. Ac er fy mod i'n gwerthfawrogi'r hysbysiad fod y Llywodraeth bellach yn mynd i symud ymlaen at ymgynghoriad technegol, rwyf i o'r farn ei bod yn bwysig iawn egluro ein bod yn wynebu heriau difrifol yn y sector addysg ôl-orfodol ar hyn o bryd, a'i bod yn rhaid inni symud tuag at wella'r sefyllfa honno cyn gynted ag y bo'r modd.
Felly, mae'r diwygiadau hyn, yn fy marn i, yn rhoi cyfle hollbwysig i greu'r system addysg a hyfforddiant hyblyg ac ystwyth yr ydym ni i gyd yn awyddus i'w gweld, a chyfeiriwyd at hynny ym Mhapur Gwyn y Llywodraeth.
Tybed, er hynny, a fyddai modd ichi roi amserlen glir inni ar gyfer dod â'r ymgynghoriad technegol i ben a phryd yr ydych yn disgwyl y gallwch weithredu ar unrhyw argymhellion sy'n deillio o hynny, ar ôl ichi ystyried yr ymatebion hynny i'r ymgynghoriad, er mwyn inni allu cyrraedd y man sy'n ddymunol inni i gyd mor fuan â phosibl.
Ni wnaethoch gyfeirio at lwybrau galwedigaethol yn eich datganiad heddiw, ac fe wnaethoch chi sôn yn fyr am astudiaeth ran-amser, ond ddim ond yn fyr iawn oedd hynny. Fel y gwyddoch chi, bydd y comisiwn newydd, yn fy marn i, yn gyfle cyffrous i hyrwyddo cymwysterau galwedigaethol ac, yn wir, astudiaeth ran-amser. Rwy'n gwybod eu bod wedi cael tipyn o wefus-wasanaeth yn y gorffennol, credaf ei bod yn ddigon teg dweud hynny, gan rai o'ch rhagflaenwyr—nid y chi, rwy'n prysuro i ychwanegu—ond bydd angen rhai newidiadau mentrus yn y system addysg ôl-orfodol os ydym yn awyddus i wireddu'r uchelgais sydd gennym ar gyfer myfyrwyr rhan-amser ac, yn wir, ar gyfer dysgwyr galwedigaethol hefyd.
Felly, tybed a allech chi amlinellu a oes unrhyw gynlluniau ar y gweill i sicrhau bod y comisiwn newydd yn rhoi'r un flaenoriaeth i addysg alwedigaethol a rhan-amser, er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr nad yw'r comisiwn newydd hwnnw yn gorbwysleisio addysg uwch sydd, rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud, wedi bodoli, o bosibl, yn y gorffennol.
Roeddech chi hefyd yn sôn am ehangu'r hygyrchedd ar gyfer grwpiau nad oes ganddyn nhw gynrychiolaeth ddigonol—rhywbeth arall yr wyf yn ei groesawu'n fawr iawn. Un o'r pethau hynny sydd weithiau yn faen tramgwydd i grwpiau heb gynrychiolaeth ddigonol yw hyblygrwydd y cyrsiau a'r ariannu sydd ei angen weithiau i helpu pobl i gael mynd ar y cyrsiau hynny. Felly, rwy'n credu bod angen amlwg inni weld rhywfaint o newid o ran hygyrchedd a'r modd y caiff cyrsiau addysg eu cyflwyno. Rhai o'r grwpiau sy'n wynebu'r rhwystrau hynny, wrth gwrs, yw grwpiau Sipsiwn a Theithwyr, grwpiau lleiafrifoedd ethnig ac, yn wir, blant sy'n derbyn gofal—nid yw'r rhain yn cael eu cynrychioli'n ddigonol o bell ffordd mewn addysg ôl-orfodol. Felly, tybed a allech chi ddweud wrthym beth yn union yr ydych yn mynd i'w wneud, yn arbennig i gefnogi'r grwpiau hynny, a beth fyddwch chi yn eu rhoi yn dasgau i'r comisiwn newydd o ran gwella hygyrchedd i addysg ôl-orfodol ar gyfer yr unigolion hynny.
Yn ogystal â hynny, o ran ariannu a threfniadau hyblygrwydd, mae angen amlwg fod angen inni edrych ar sut y mae pobl yn defnyddio'r cyrsiau a sut y gall pobl newid, efallai, o un cwrs i un arall pe bai eu hamgylchiadau'n newid. Weithiau, mae pobl yn cael eu taflu allan o'r system am fod ganddyn nhw angen iechyd am gyfnod, ac yn amlwg mae'n bwysig fod cyfle iddynt allu ailafael yn eu hastudiaethau. Weithiau, mae pobl yn symud o un rhan o'r wlad i ran arall ar ganol eu cwrs ac mae'n bwysig eu bod yn gallu cymryd y credydau hynny gyda nhw o'r cyrsiau y maen nhw wedi eu dechrau. Ac eto i gyd, mae'r rhain yn faterion mawr nad ydyn nhw ar hyn o bryd yn cael eu datrys yn hawdd yn y system bresennol o addysg ôl-orfodol. Felly, tybed a fydd y rhain yn faterion penodol y byddwch chi'n awyddus i'r comisiwn ganolbwyntio arnyn nhw.
Y peth arall na chlywais i chi'n cyfeirio ato heddiw oedd rhywbeth sydd mewn gwirionedd yn sail i holl bwrpas y diwygiad hwn, sef gyrfaoedd. Gwyddom ein bod eisiau paru pobl â gyrfa briodol y gallan nhw ei mwynhau a chael bywyd bodlon ynddi hi, ond gwyddom hefyd fod prinder cyngor gyrfaoedd o ansawdd uchel ar gael i bobl yng Nghymru, yn enwedig y rhai sydd y tu hwnt i oedran addysg orfodol. Felly, sôn yr wyf am oedolion sydd o bosibl yn ddiweddarach yn eu bywyd yn gobeithio dychwelyd i'r gweithlu, neu sydd wedi cael eu diswyddo neu, oherwydd amgylchiadau, sy'n gorfod newid gyrfa ac efallai y bydd angen cymorth, cyngor a chanllawiau i'w rhoi ar ben y ffordd. Felly, eto, tybed a allai'r comisiwn gael swyddogaeth yn hyn o beth ac a yw hynny'n rhywbeth y byddech yn awyddus iddyn nhw edrych arno.
Ac yn olaf, os y caf i, ar fater yr iaith Gymraeg, rwy'n gwybod bod darn o waith ar wahân yn cael ei wneud o ran y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol a'i swyddogaeth, ond a wnewch chi sicrhau y bydd swyddogaeth y coleg yn rhan annatod, yn wir, o'r ffordd y mae'r comisiwn hwn yn gweithredu, fel y gall pob un sicrhau bod yna ymdrech ar y cyd, ledled yr holl sector addysg, i gefnogi'r uchelgais sydd gennym ni yn y Siambr hon, hynny yw, gweld yr 1 filiwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg hynny o fewn yr amserlen a bennwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, sef 2050? Diolch.
Can I thank Darren Millar for that series of questions, and for his in principle support for the reform agenda that we have before us? Darren, like me, understands that the status quo is not an option, and some of the problems and commentary that Darren has just made about some of the challenges that face students are one of the driving factors behind the reform.
We need a system that is truly listening to student voice, that recognises that simply seeing students as traditional 18-year-old school leavers is not appropriate any more, and we need to develop a system of post-compulsory education that recognises that people will come in and out of education throughout their lives and their careers as we adapt to an ever-changing economy. Students will need the flexibility to be able to study, sometimes full time, or sometimes part time, alongside working or, perhaps, caring responsibilities. The whole focus of creating a single body to oversee this entire sector gives us the opportunity to be able to establish such a system, and I welcome his support for it.
If I could turn to some of the specific issues that he raises, Darren, like you, I think we have to acknowledge that, despite many debates in this Chamber and many speeches by Ministers, Cabinet Secretaries and, indeed, opposition politicians, academic and vocational routes through education are still not regarded as equally valuable. That is something that I regret very much. Evidence suggests that learners—young learners, especially—and their parents are not always receiving the best information and advice to steer them towards learning and career choices that are right for them. That was one of the strongest messages that we had as a result of our learner consultation: young people are saying, 'We're not getting the advice that we need to be able to make those choices.' Again, one of the rationales behind this reform is to say that these courses, these pathways into employment, into learning and studying, are of equal status. Depending on what your aspirations are, what your career ambitions are, then there is no single right way or wrong way, or better way or less good way of achieving that. Again, that's one of the rationales behind this reform.
But we have to get information right; we have to get it right for young people, and we have to get it right for older people who may be facing career changes or may be looking for new opportunities as a result of redundancy or a change in life circumstances. I think it's fair to say that, perhaps, we have not developed this as much as we would like, and it's something that is a constant source of conversation between myself and the Minister, as well as the Cabinet Secretary for the economy, as we look at employability programmes and economic development in the round. We will need to do further work in this area to get the offer right, because if we listen to students and young people, they're not getting it at the moment. We have to be honest about that, otherwise there's no point in carrying out the consultation if we're not prepared to take on board what people are telling us.
Access, of course, is at the heart of our student support reforms. That's why we will be unique in the UK when we will offer pro rata support for part-time learners in higher education. For those who are in the further education field, we have maintained our commitment to the EMA, to the education maintenance allowance that allows children and young people from a poorer background to access financial support in the FE sector. Looked-after children, of course, will be eligible for the highest level of maintenance support that this Welsh Government will offer: in excess of £9,000 to allow them to study at a higher education level. The bigger challenge, I believe, for us, is to ensure more looked-after children have the opportunity to apply for that maintenance grant. That goes back to the action across the education department to support looked-after children in their education, because I want more of them to be able to access that maintenance grant. We also have a support system for disabled students, which has recently been independently reviewed, and that review has found it to be a very successful scheme that is really helping those people with a disability to go on into higher education.
It is my intention that, as a result of these reforms, it should be easier for students to be able to switch courses, carry credits forward, have a blended nature to their study—part time, full time, depending on their circumstances. With regard to the coleg, as you know, I think the coleg Cymraeg has done a great job in broadening access to higher education courses through the medium of Welsh. I believe that the principle of extending that to FE and work-based learning, so that people have the opportunity to undertake their learning and their training in Welsh is particularly crucial in certain sectors where we have a dearth of professionals. Only recently, in the additional learning needs debate, we talked about a whole raft of professionals that need Welsh language skills that we don't currently have at the moment. It's absolutely crucial that we develop the role of the coleg in line with our PCET reforms and I believe that they are attuned.
But I have to say, Deputy Presiding Officer, I'm very grateful for the way in which Darren Millar has engaged in this. Like me, he has high ambitions for this particular part of our education and training sector, and I look forward to continuing to work with Darren on the technical consultation, which will be released in the new year. I'm a Minister who is keen to get on with things, and we will try and make progress as quickly as possible, but recognising this is a significant set of reforms and we need to get them right.
A gaf i ddiolch i Darren Millar am y gyfres hon o gwestiynau, ac am ei gefnogaeth mewn egwyddor i'r agenda o ddiwygio sydd gennym ni gerbron? Mae Darren, fel finnau, yn deall nad yw'r sefyllfa sydd ohoni yn ddewis o gwbl, ac un o'r ffactorau sydd wedi ysgogi'r diwygio yw rhai o'r problemau a'r sylwadau y mae Darren newydd eu gwneud am rai o'r heriau sy'n wynebu myfyrwyr.
Mae angen inni gael system sy'n gwrando'n wirioneddol ar lais y myfyrwyr, sy'n cydnabod nad yw'n gymwys bellach ystyried myfyriwr fel rhywun sy'n gadael ysgol yn draddodiadol yn 18 mlwydd oed. Mae angen inni ddatblygu system addysg ôl-orfodol sy'n cydnabod bod pobl yn gallu mynd i mewn ac allan o addysg gydol eu hoes a'u gyrfaoedd wrth inni addasu i economi sy'n newid yn barhaus. Bydd angen hyblygrwydd ar fyfyrwyr i allu astudio, weithiau'n amser llawn neu weithiau'n rhan amser, yn gyfochrog â'r gwaith neu, efallai, gyfrifoldebau gofalu. Mae'r holl ganolbwyntio ar greu un corff i oruchwylio'r sector cyfan hwn yn rhoi cyfle inni allu sefydlu system o'r fath, ac rwy'n croesawu ei gefnogaeth ef i hynny.
Os caf i droi at rai o'r materion penodol sy'n cael eu codi ganddo, Darren, fel chithau, rwyf i o'r farn ei bod yn rhaid inni gydnabod, er gwaethaf llawer o'r dadleuon yn y Siambr hon a llawer o areithiau gan Weinidogion, Ysgrifenyddion y Cabinet ac, yn wir, wleidyddion y gwrthbleidiau, nad yw llwybrau academaidd a galwedigaethol drwy addysg yn cael eu hystyried yr un mor werthfawr â'i gilydd. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth sy'n ofid mawr i mi. Mae tystiolaeth yn awgrymu nad yw dysgwyr—dysgwyr ifanc, yn arbennig—na'u rhieni bob amser yn cael yr wybodaeth na'r cyngor gorau i'w tywys nhw tuag at y dewisiadau addysg a gyrfa mwyaf priodol iddyn nhw. Dyna oedd un o'r negeseuon cryfaf a gawsom ni o ganlyniad i'n hymgynghoriad â dysgwr: mae pobl ifanc yn dweud, 'Nid ydym yn cael y cyngor sydd ei angen arnom i wneud y dewisiadau hynny.' Eto i gyd, un o'r seiliau rhesymegol y tu ôl i'r diwygio hwn yw dweud bod y cyrsiau hyn, y llwybrau hyn i gyflogaeth, i addysg ac astudiaeth, o'r un gwerth â'i gilydd. Gan ddibynnu ar eich dyheadau, eich uchelgeisiau gyrfaol, yna nid un ffordd gywir neu anghywir, neu un ffordd well neu waeth, sydd o gyflawni hynny. Eto i gyd, dyna un o seiliau rhesymegol y tu ôl i'r diwygio hwn.
Ond mae'n rhaid inni gael yr wybodaeth yn iawn; mae'n rhaid inni gael hynny'n iawn ar gyfer pobl ifanc, a rhaid inni ei chael yn iawn ar gyfer pobl hŷn sydd efallai yn wynebu newidiadau yn eu gyrfa neu efallai eu bod yn chwilio am gyfleoedd newydd o ganlyniad i golli eu swyddi neu newid yn amgylchiadau eu bywyd. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud, efallai, nad ydym wedi datblygu hyn i'r graddau y byddem wedi ei hoffi, ac mae'n rhywbeth sy'n ffynhonnell gyson o drafodaeth rhyngof i a'r Gweinidog, yn ogystal ag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi, wrth inni edrych ar raglenni cyflogadwyedd a datblygiad economaidd yn gyffredinol. Bydd angen inni wneud rhagor o waith yn y maes hwn i wneud y cynnig iawn, oherwydd os gwrandawn ni ar fyfyrwyr a phobl ifanc, nid ydyn nhw'n cael hynny ar hyn o bryd. Mae'n rhaid inni fod yn onest am hynny, fel arall nid oes unrhyw bwynt inni gynnal yr ymgynghoriad os nad ydym yn barod i ystyried yr hyn y mae pobl yn ei ddweud wrthym.
Mae hygyrchedd, wrth gwrs, wrth wraidd y diwygiadau cymorth i fyfyrwyr. Dyna pam y byddwn ni'n unigryw yn y DU pan fyddwn yn cynnig cymorth pro rata ar gyfer dysgwyr rhan-amser mewn addysg uwch. I'r rhai sydd yn y maes addysg bellach, rydym wedi cynnal ein hymrwymiad i'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, sy'n caniatáu i blant a phobl ifanc o gefndir tlotach gael cymorth ariannol yn y sector addysg bellach. Bydd plant sy'n derbyn gofal, wrth gwrs, yn gymwys i gael y lefel uchaf o gymorth cynhaliaeth y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei gynnig: dros £9,000 i'w galluogi i astudio ar lefel addysg uwch. Yr her fwy i ni, rwy'n credu, yw sicrhau bod mwy o blant sy'n derbyn gofal yn cael cyfle i wneud cais am y grant cynhaliaeth. Mae hynny'n mynd yn ôl at y camau gweithredu ar draws yr adran addysg i gefnogi plant sy'n derbyn gofal yn eu haddysg, oherwydd rwy'n awyddus bod mwy ohonyn nhw'n gallu cael gafael ar y grant cynhaliaeth hwnnw. Mae gennym hefyd system cymorth i fyfyrwyr anabl, a adolygwyd yn annibynnol yn ddiweddar, a chanfu'r adolygiad hwnnw ei fod yn gynllun llwyddiannus iawn sy'n helpu'r bobl hynny ag anableddau i fynd ymlaen i addysg uwch.
O ganlyniad i'r diwygiadau hyn, fy mwriad i yw y dylai fod yn haws i fyfyrwyr allu newid cyrsiau, cario credydau ymlaen, a chael dull cyfunol o astudio—rhan-amser, amser llawn, gan ddibynnu ar eu hamgylchiadau. O ran y coleg, fel y gwyddoch, rwyf i o'r farn fod y coleg Cymraeg yn gwneud gwaith rhagorol yn ehangu hygyrchedd i gyrsiau addysg uwch drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Credaf fod yr egwyddor o ymestyn hynny i addysg bellach ac addysg sy'n seiliedig ar waith, fel bod cyfle i bobl gael eu haddysg a chael eu hyfforddi trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg, yn arbennig o hanfodol mewn rhai sectorau lle mae prinder gweithwyr proffesiynol. Dim ond yn ddiweddar, yn y ddadl ar anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, roeddem yn sôn am lu o weithwyr proffesiynol y mae angen sgiliau iaith Gymraeg arnyn nhw ar hyn o bryd nad oes gennym ar hyn o bryd. Mae'n gwbl hanfodol inni ddatblygu swyddogaeth y coleg yn unol â'n diwygiadau PCET ac rwy'n credu eu bod mewn cytgord.
Ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, Dirprwy Lywydd, fy mod yn ddiolchgar iawn am y modd y mae Darren Millar wedi chwarae ei ran yn hyn. Fel finnau, mae ganddo uchelgais mawr ar gyfer y rhan arbennig hon o'n sector addysg a hyfforddiant, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at barhau i weithio gyda Darren ar yr ymgynghoriad technegol, a fydd yn cael ei ryddhau yn y flwyddyn newydd. Gweinidog wyf i sy'n awyddus i fwrw ymlaen â phethau, a byddwn yn ceisio gwneud cynnydd cyn gynted ag y bo modd, ond gan gydnabod mai cyfres sylweddol o ddiwygiadau yw hon ac mae angen inni eu cael nhw'n iawn.
A gaf innau hefyd ategu'r diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet am ei datganiad? Rydw i'n edrych ymlaen at weld cynnydd yn y broses yma dros y misoedd a'r blynyddoedd nesaf ar hyd yr un llinellau ag sydd eisoes wedi cael eu mynegi. Yn sicr, mae hi yn daith sy'n mynd i'r cyfeiriad iawn. Mae'n debyg, efallai, y byddwn ni angen trafod ymhellach pan ddaw'r glo mân i'r amlwg ond, yn sicr, rydym ni'n gefnogol i'r bwriad yn y pen draw. A gaf i ddiolch hefyd i'r Ysgrifennydd am ei datganiad ei bod hi'n ymrwymo i ymwneud agos â budd-ddeiliad ac i ymwneud ar draws y Siambr, hefyd, wrth i'r diwygiadau yma symud yn eu blaenau?
May I also endorse the thanks given to the Cabinet Secretary for the statement? I look forward to seeing progress in this sector along the lines that have been outlined. It is certainly a journey that is travelling in the right direction. We may have to discuss this further when we deal with the minutiae, but we’re certainly supportive of the ambition. And I also thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement that she is committed to working closely with stakeholders and working across the Chamber as these reforms make progress?
The previous questioner asked particularly about the timescale of the technical consultation. I'm just interested in your confirmation, maybe, that you still intend for this legislation to have completed its journey through this Assembly by the end of this Assembly, and maybe you could map out some key milestones for us on that journey if that's possible, just so that we have that broad timetable a bit more clearly in our minds, because there are a number of hares running here, really. You mentioned a number of reviews: the technical consultation itself, of course; the Reid review, which will feed into this; the Weingarten review, as well. I'd be interested in hearing how you think all of these can actually come together and be aligned effectively to ensure that all of these are taken into full consideration.
I've raised with you before the sixth-form question, and it was in the White Paper, and rightly so. You say that the majority of respondents were in favour of including sixth forms under the proposed system, although some made a pitch, if you like, to phase them in at a later date. I'm just wondering if you could tell us what more information or what further discussions you need to come to a decision around that and how that could potentially affect the timetable. Would that require legislation later on? Or would you incorporate that into your proposed legislation for something that will be brought in at a later point? Because, clearly, many of us are hoping that this will be a coherent and comprehensive reform of the sector. There's a danger that if we start hiving certain bits off that it becomes piecemeal. I understand the difficulties around that particular issue, but I'd just like to hear a bit more about your thinking in that respect.
You did mention adult community learning—or you namechecked it—at the beginning of your statement. There's not much more and, clearly, we've heard one or two things in your last response. Clearly, the decline in part-time adult provision is very worrying, and adult community learning, some people feel, is very much on its knees at the moment. So, the sector is telling me that it can't wait for these changes, although there was very little, actually, in the White Paper on adult community learning. There is a risk that we end up talking too much about sixth-form colleges, universities—we need to talk about them, of course, but I think we need to get the balance right. So, I'd just be interested in hearing a bit more about how we can really incorporate the sector's voice into the discussions from now on, and not fall into the trap of paying lip service—I think that is the second time that phrase has been used—and how that voice will be heard within the commission's role, because we come back to this parity-of-esteem principle that we're all pursuing, and it'd be good to have greater clarity, again, on that.
You touched on the extension of the role of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. I would reiterate that we need to make sure that the role isn't eroded in any way, that it retains its existing responsibility, its enhanced responsibility and its distinct role within the new landscape. Maybe you could acknowledge—or will you acknowledge—that additional responsibilities have to mean additional resources as well, albeit we're in a very difficult time, I know, in that respect. But one, one would expect, would have to follow the other.
On that point, it probably is too early to start talking about budgets and all that kind of thing for the proposed new body, but I remember well, when discussions were being had around the establishment of Natural Resources Wales, that one of the reasons being put forward was that it would create an efficiency of savings. I'm not sure whether that is part of your consideration or to what extent that might be driving some of what is playing out now. I'd be interested to hear whether you envisage some sort of projected efficiency saving from the new arrangement—or is that not part of your consideration at all? It'd be interesting to know, actually, at what point you think that might become clearer.
We've touched on addressing the barriers to post-compulsory education and training, and the cuts that have had a disproportionate effect on a number of groups. I presume that the outcome agreements that you mention in the statement would maybe look to address some of those in terms of ensuring that maybe some people with care-giving responsibilities, or those requiring particular kinds of support, are offered that. You say that it's a driving principle for your student support reforms in terms of addressing some of these barriers, and I'm just looking for confirmation that that will be embedded into the commission's remit.
Gofynnodd yr holwr blaenorol yn benodol am amserlen yr ymgynghoriad technegol. Mae gennyf ddiddordeb yn eich cadarnhad, efallai, ei bod yn dal yn fwriad gennych y bydd y ddeddfwriaeth hon wedi cwblhau ei thaith drwy'r Cynulliad hwn erbyn diwedd y Cynulliad hwn. Efallai y gallech nodi rhai cerrig milltir allweddol i ni ar y daith honno os oes modd, fel y gallwn gael yr amserlen fras honno ychydig yn fwy eglur yn ein meddyliau, gan fod yna nifer o gychod yn y dŵr yma, mewn gwirionedd. Roeddech chi'n sôn am nifer o adolygiadau: yr ymgynghoriad technegol ei hunan, wrth gwrs; adolygiad Reid, a fydd yn bwydo i mewn i hwnnw; ac adolygiad Weingarten, hefyd. Byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn clywed sut yr ydych chi'n credu y bydd y rhain i gyd yn dod at ei gilydd mewn gwirionedd ac yn cyd-fynd â'i gilydd yn effeithiol i sicrhau y byddant i gyd yn cael eu hystyried yn llawn.
Rwyf i wedi codi'r cwestiwn am y chweched dosbarth gyda chi o'r blaen, ac roedd yn y Papur Gwyn, ac yn gwbl briodol felly. Rydych chi'n dweud bod y rhan fwyaf o'r ymatebwyr o blaid cynnwys y chweched dosbarth yn y system arfaethedig, er bod rhai wedi dadlau'r achos, os mynnwch chi, dros ei gyflwyno'n ddiweddarach gam wrth gam. Tybed a fyddai modd ichi ddweud wrthym pa wybodaeth neu drafodaethau sydd eu hangen arnoch chi eto ar gyfer dod i benderfyniad a sut y gallai hynny o bosibl effeithio ar yr amserlen. A fyddai hynny'n gofyn am ddeddfwriaeth yn ddiweddarach? Neu a fyddech chi'n ymgorffori hynny yn eich deddfwriaeth arfaethedig ar gyfer rhywbeth sydd yn mynd i gael ei gyflwyno'n ddiweddarach? Oherwydd, yn amlwg, mae llawer ohonom yn gobeithio y bydd hwn yn ddiwygio cydlynol a chynhwysfawr o ran y sector. Os byddwn yn dechrau dosrannu darnau ohono y perygl yw y bydd yn dameidiog. Rwy'n deall yr anawsterau ynglŷn â'r mater penodol hwnnw, ond hoffwn i glywed ychydig rhagor am eich syniadau chi i'r perwyl hwn.
Roeddech chi'n sôn am ddysgu oedolion yn y gymuned—clywsom ei enw gennych chi—ar ddechrau eich datganiad. Nid oes llawer mwy i'w gael ac, yn amlwg, rydym clywed un neu ddau o bethau gennych yn eich ymateb diwethaf. Yn amlwg, mae'r gostyngiad mewn darpariaeth addysg ran-amser i oedolion yn peri pryder mawr, ac mae rhai pobl yn teimlo bod dysgu cymunedol i oedolion ar ei liniau i raddau helaeth iawn ar hyn o bryd. Felly, mae'r sector yn dweud wrthyf i na all aros am y newidiadau hyn, er mai ychydig iawn oedd, mewn gwirionedd, yn y Papur Gwyn am addysg i oedolion yn y gymuned. Mae 'na berygl y byddwn yn sôn gormod am golegau chweched dosbarth, prifysgolion—mae angen inni eu trafod nhw, wrth gwrs, ond rwyf i o'r farn fod angen inni gael y cydbwysedd iawn. Felly, byddai gennyf i ddiddordeb mewn clywed ychydig yn fwy am sut y gallwn mewn gwirionedd ymgorffori llais y sector yn y trafodaethau o hyn ymlaen, a pheidio â syrthio i fagl gwefus-wasanaeth—credaf mai dyna'r ail dro y defnyddiwyd yr ymadrodd hwnnw—a sut y bydd y llais hwnnw yn cael ei glywed yn swyddogaeth y comisiwn, gan ein bod yn dod yn ôl at yr egwyddor hon o barch cydradd yr ydym ni i gyd yn ei geisio, a byddai'n dda o beth cael mwy o eglurder, eto, ar hynny.
Roeddech chi'n cyffwrdd ag ymestyn swyddogaeth y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. Hoffwn ailadrodd bod angen inni wneud yn siŵr nad yw'r swyddogaeth hon yn cael ei herydu mewn unrhyw ffordd, a'i bod yn cadw ei chyfrifoldeb presennol, ei chyfrifoldeb ychwanegol a'i swyddogaeth unigryw yn y dirwedd newydd. Efallai y gallech chi gydnabod—neu a fyddech chi'n cydnabod—bod yn rhaid i gyfrifoldebau ychwanegol olygu adnoddau ychwanegol hefyd, er ein bod mewn cyfnod anodd iawn yn hynny o beth. Ond byddai rhywun yn disgwyl fod yn rhaid i un ddilyn y llall.
Ar y pwynt hwnnw, mae'n debyg ei bod yn rhy gynnar inni ddechrau siarad am gyllidebau a phethau o'r fath ar gyfer y corff newydd arfaethedig. Ond cofiaf yn iawn, pan gafwyd trafodaethau am sefydlu Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, mai un o'r rhesymau a gyflwynwyd oedd y byddai'n creu arbedion effeithlonrwydd. Nid wyf i'n siŵr a yw hynny'n rhan o'ch ystyriaeth chi neu i ba raddau y gallai fod yn tywys peth o'r hyn sy'n cael ei chwarae i'r diwedd nawr. Byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn clywed a ydych chi'n rhagweld unrhyw fath o arbedion effeithlonrwydd arfaethedig yn sgil y trefniant newydd—neu efallai nad yw hynny'n rhan o'ch ystyriaeth o gwbl? Byddai'n ddiddorol cael gwybod, mewn gwirionedd, ar ba bwynt y credwch chi y daw hynny'n fwy eglur.
Rydym wedi crybwyll mynd i'r afael â'r rhwystrau i addysg ôl-orfodol a hyfforddiant, a'r toriadau sydd wedi cael effaith anghymesur ar nifer o grwpiau. Rwy'n tybio y byddai'r cytundebau canlyniad yr ydych yn sôn amdanyn nhw yn y datganiad yn bwriadu mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r rheini i sicrhau y bydd pobl â chyfrifoldebau gofal, neu'r rheini sydd angen mathau penodol o gymorth, yn cael cynnig hynny. Rydych chi'n dweud ei bod yn egwyddor ysgogol ar gyfer eich diwygiadau cymorth i fyfyrwyr i fynd i'r afael â rhai o'r rhwystrau hyn, a dim ond ceisio cadarnhad yr wyf i y bydd yn rhan annatod o gylch gwaith y comisiwn.
Can I thank Llyr again for the support in principle that he has for this reform agenda? The consensus that we seem to have in the Chamber today is reflective of the consensus that there is out there across Wales of the need to move forward in this regard, and is reflected in the consultation.
With regard to timescales, what I have learnt over the last 18 months is to be very circumspect in committing myself to be able to deliver to certain timescales, because what I have also learned is that these things take a lot longer than you initially anticipate in Government. But it is my intention to go out to technical consultation in the new year, and it is still my absolute intention to bring forward legislation and, with the co-operation of this Chamber and the legislative processes that we have, to complete that process before the end of this Assembly term. That's what I'm setting out to do. But, already, in beginning to scope the legislation that may arise out of this—and we're at a very early stage. It's already looking like it could be the largest single piece of legislation that the National Assembly's ever ever had to deal with, at a time when there's lots of legislation going through the Assembly. But it is my absolute intention and my sincere hope that we can get to the end of it before the Assembly term.
With regard to finances, costs will be fully considered as part of the policy development process and will eventually, of course, need to be set out, as is required by Standing Orders, in the regulatory impact assessment. Costs, of course, will be determined by the powers and functions of the body that we intend to set up, and because we're still in the process of determining that, I'm not at this stage able to give the Member very much detail. But what I can say to the Member is that I hope to publish a partial regulatory assessment, setting out the methodology for establishing the costs, alongside the technical consultation. So, that's what my intention is to do, to be able to give Members an opportunity to see how the Government will eventually arrive at budget considerations associated with this. I hope that that will be welcomed by Members of all sides and will assist Members in their scrutiny role that they have here.
Just to provide clarity, the Reid review, which is looking at research and innovation, will again be published very early in the new year, and that is integral to our thinking of how we develop that very important piece of what the commission will be in charge of. The Weingarten review is specifically to look at the issue of outcome agreements. As I said in my statement, there is not a consensus at the moment about whether a single—you know, how exactly the outcome agreements would work, given the complexity and the diverse nature of the sector. And so the Weingarten review, of course from an eminent person who has significant experience in this field in Canada and in systems around the world, will be crucial in helping us to provide greater detail and greater insight into how those outcome agreements will work in practice.
Sixth forms—well, Deputy Presiding Officer, I think the Member said that he's in favour of sixth forms being in. I note he didn't put that in writing in the consultation, but I think he was hinting at that as his preference. It certainly is the preference of the majority of people who responded to the consultation, but, of course, that is at odds with the recommendation of Ellen Hazelkorn, who actually did not recommend that way forward and demonstrated, in other international systems that she looked at, that sixth forms were not part of that system. And that's why we need to give, again, considerable thought to the advantages and disadvantages of inclusion.
What is true to say from the consultation is that people were very much of the opinion that, if we are to break down this artificial divide and this perceived difference in parity of esteem between vocational and academic, it's very important that sixth forms go in. But it could be the case, given that this commission is going to have such a big task, that we could legislate in a way that would allow for sixth forms to enter into the commission at a later date—not requiring additional primary legislation, but to create the circumstances in the original legislation that would allow that to happen later. But we need, again, to have really thoughtful discussions with stakeholders about the advantages and disadvantages of those particular proposals.
I think that's addressed most of the issues. With regard to adult and part-time, that's one of the reasons why we are welcoming new members onto the HEFCW board, because we can't just wait for the new commission to be set up; we need to be developing thinking in this area now. We need HEFCW and other stakeholders to be working towards this agenda now. That's why I'm very pleased to say that we have work-based-learning experts going onto HEFCW from 1 December, and we will also have experts in adult learning and part-time learning joining the HEFCW board later on this year as a vacancy arises.
A gaf i ddiolch i Llŷr eto am ei gefnogaeth mewn egwyddor i'r agenda ddiwygio hon? Mae'r consensws yr ymddengys sydd gennym yn y Siambr heddiw yn adlewyrchu'r consensws ledled Cymru o ran yr angen i symud ymlaen yn hyn o beth, a chaiff hynny ei adlewyrchu yn yr ymgynghoriad.
O ran amserlenni, yr hyn yr wyf wedi ei ddysgu dros y 18 mis diwethaf yw bod yn ochelgar iawn wrth ymrwymo i amserlenni penodol. Yr hyn yr wyf wedi ei ddysgu hefyd yw fod y pethau hyn yn cymryd llawer mwy o amser nag y byddech chi'n ei ragweld yn wreiddiol yn y Llywodraeth. Ond fy mwriad yw cynnal ymgynghoriad technegol yn y flwyddyn newydd, a'm bwriad pendant o hyd yw cyflwyno deddfwriaeth, a chyda chydweithrediad y Siambr cyn diwedd tymor y Cynulliad hwn. Dyna'r hyn yr wyf yn bwriadu ei wneud wrth gychwyn. Ond, eisoes, wrth ddechrau pennu cwmpas y ddeddfwriaeth a allai ddeillio o hyn—ac rydym ar gam cynnar iawn. Mae eisoes yn edrych fel y gallai hwn fod y darn mwyaf oll o ddeddfwriaeth y mae'r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol erioed wedi gorfod ymdrin ag ef, ar adeg pan fo llawer o ddeddfwriaeth yn mynd drwy'r Cynulliad. Ond fy mwriad pendant i a'm gobaith yw y gallwn gyrraedd y diwedd cyn tymor y Cynulliad.
O ran cyllid, caiff y costau eu hystyried yn llawn yn rhan o'r broses datblygu polisi ac yn y pen draw, wrth gwrs, bydd angen eu nodi, fel y mae'n ofynnol gan y Rheolau Sefydlog, yn yr asesiad effaith rheoleiddiol. Wrth gwrs, caiff y costau eu pennu gan bwerau a swyddogaethau'r corff yr ydym yn bwriadu ei sefydlu, a chan ein bod ni'n dal wrthi'n penderfynu ar hynny, nid wyf yn ystod y cam hwn yn gallu rhoi llawer iawn o fanylion i'r Aelod. Ond yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrth yr Aelod yw fy mod yn gobeithio cyhoeddi asesiad rheoleiddiol rhannol, gan nodi'r fethodoleg ar gyfer pennu costau, ochr yn ochr â'r ymgynghoriad technegol. Felly, dyna'r hyn yr wyf yn bwriadu ei wneud, er mwyn rhoi cyfle i'r Aelodau weld sut y bydd y Llywodraeth yn y pen draw yn cyrraedd yr ystyriaethau cyllideb sy'n gysylltiedig â hyn. Rwy'n gobeithio y caiff hynny groeso gan Aelodau o bob ochr ac y bydd yn cynorthwyo Aelodau yn y swyddogaeth graffu sydd ganddyn nhw yma.
I egluro, bydd adolygiad Reid, sy'n edrych ar ymchwil ac arloesedd, yn cael ei gyhoeddi yn gynnar iawn yn y flwyddyn newydd, ac mae hynny'n rhan annatod o'n meddylfryd o ran sut y gallwn ni ddatblygu'r darn pwysig iawn hwnnw o'r hyn y bydd y comisiwn yn gyfrifol amdano. Mae adolygiad Weingarten yn edrych yn benodol ar fater cytundebau canlyniadau. Fel y dywedais yn fy natganiad, nid oes consensws ar hyn o bryd ynghylch a oes modd i un—wyddoch chi, sut yn union fyddai'r cytundebau canlyniadau yn gweithio, o ystyried cymhlethdod a natur amrywiol y sector. Ac felly bydd adolygiad Weingarten, gan ŵr enwog iawn wrth gwrs yn y maes hwn yng Nghanada a systemau ledled y byd, yn hollbwysig i'n helpu ni i roi mwy o fanylion a gwell golwg ar sut y bydd y cytundebau canlyniadau hynny'n gweithio'n ymarferol.
Y chweched dosbarth—wel, Dirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n credu bod yr Aelod wedi dweud ei fod o blaid cynnwys y chweched dosbarth. Nodaf nad oedd wedi nodi hynny'n ysgrifenedig yn yr ymgynghoriad, ond credaf ei fod yn awgrymu mai dyna yw ei ddewis. Nid dyna ddewis y rhan fwyaf yn sicr o'r bobl a wnaeth ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad, ond, wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n mynd yn groes i argymhelliad Ellen Hazelkorn, nad oedd mewn gwirionedd yn argymell y ffordd honno ymlaen ac a ddangosodd, mewn systemau rhyngwladol eraill y bu hi'n edrych arnyn nhw, nad oedd y chweched dosbarth yn rhan o'r system honno. A dyna pam y mae angen inni, unwaith eto, roi gryn ystyriaeth i fanteision ac anfanteision ei gynnwys.
Yr hyn sy'n wir ei ddweud o'r ymgynghoriad yw bod pobl i raddau helaeth iawn o'r farn, os ydym i chwalu'r rhaniad artiffisial hwn a'r gwahaniaeth ymddangosiadol hwn o ran parch cydradd rhwng y galwedigaethol a'r academaidd, ei bod yn bwysig iawn fod y chweched dosbarth yn cael ei gynnwys. Ond gallai fod yn wir, o ystyried y bydd gan y Comisiwn hwn dasg mor fawr, bod modd inni ddeddfu mewn ffordd a fyddai'n caniatáu i'r chweched dosbarth gael ei gynnwys yn y comisiwn yn ddiweddarach—heb angen deddfwriaeth sylfaenol ychwanegol, ond i greu amgylchiadau yn y ddeddfwriaeth wreiddiol a fyddai'n caniatáu i hynny ddigwydd yn ddiweddarach. Ond mae angen inni, unwaith eto, gael trafodaethau ystyriol iawn â rhanddeiliaid ynghylch manteision ac anfanteision y cynigion penodol hynny.
Rwy'n credu bod hynny wedi mynd i'r afael â'r rhan fwyaf o'r materion. O ran oedolion a rhan-amser, mae hynny'n un o'r rhesymau dros groesawu Aelodau newydd ar Fwrdd CCAUC, oherwydd ni allwn eistedd yn ôl ac aros nes i'r comisiwn newydd gael ei sefydlu; mae angen inni fod yn datblygu syniadau nawr yn y maes hwn. Mae angen inni gael CCAUC a rhanddeiliaid eraill yn gweithio tuag at yr agenda hon ar hyn o bryd. Dyna pam yr wyf i'n falch iawn o ddweud y bydd gennym arbenigwyr yn y maes addysg seiliedig ar waith yn ymuno â CCAUC o 1 Rhagfyr, a bydd gennym hefyd arbenigwyr ym maes addysg oedolion ac addysg ran-amser yn ymuno â bwrdd CCAUC yn ddiweddarach eleni pan fydd swydd yn dod yn wag.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement and your announcement of the abolition of HEFCW and the creation of a new commission. I would be interested to know how you foresee these commissioners will be appointed. Will it be put out to an open tender, advertising for applicants, or will it be, essentially, an in-departmental appointment of the commissioners? We've seen the results of appointed boards in the form of the failures in care at Betsi Cadwaladr in north Wales, so how are you going to ensure that the commission is properly accountable?
There's been engagement with stakeholders, and I note a range of educational establishments, organisations and learners took part in the consultation exercise, including the stakeholder events. Widening access for under-represented groups and the lack of opportunity for part-time study were issues for the respondents, as you said in your statement, but I'm sorry, Cabinet Secretary, I don't really see any signs of you tackling the problem so far.
According to the responses to the consultation, the biggest barrier to entering post-compulsory education was considered to be fear of debt, and we've had conversations about this before. This is obviously going to be more of a barrier to older people looking to change career or resume their education later in life, but, I'm sorry, you've done nothing to remove this barrier. In fact, you're making it worse. The stakeholders who took part in the consultation do really have—they have so valid views about the system and are to be commended for their work in contributing to the consultation exercise. However, I'd suggest that, if you want to widen access to education, the people you really need to be speaking to are those who aren't currently involved in the education system. Those people already engaged in the education system obviously have a great deal of knowledge and experience that can contribute to your decisions about that sector, but it doesn't really inform you in massive detail, from a very personal point of view, why people are discouraged from resuming their education and upskilling or improving their skills in other ways once they've actually left compulsory education and that kind of window in people's heads for going into post-compulsory education has ended. So, I'd like to see you consult with those people who aren't currently engaged with the education system to investigate what might encourage them to become engaged in the education system.
I'm not surprised that advice and support provided to learners was a key concern, and, given the Cabinet Secretary's recent decision to saddle Welsh students with debt, it's vital that the Welsh Government gets this right. I appreciate that so much detail isn't going to be here right now, inevitably, because of the stage of the process you're at, so—. I see you've announced a detailed consultation on how the commission will actually work and I really do look forward to seeing that consultation and the responses there too. Thank you.
Diolch i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, am eich datganiad a'ch cyhoeddiad am ddiddymu'r CCAUC a chreu comisiwn newydd. Byddai'n dda gennyf wybod sut yr yr ydych yn rhagweld y modd y penodir y comisiynwyr hyn. A gaiff ei roi i dendr agored, gan hysbysebu am ymgeiswyr, neu a fydd, yn y bôn, yn apwyntiad mewnol drwy adran y comisiynwyr? Rydym wedi gweld canlyniadau byrddau a benodwyd yn sgil y methiannau o ran gofal yn ardal Betsi Cadwaladr yn y Gogledd, felly sut fyddwch chi'n sicrhau y bydd y Comisiwn yn briodol atebol?
Cafwyd ymgysylltiad â rhanddeiliaid, ac rwy'n nodi bod amrywiaeth o sefydliadau addysgol, sefydliadau a dysgwyr wedi cymryd rhan yn yr ymgynghoriad, gan gynnwys y digwyddiadau i randdeiliaid. Mae cynyddu hygyrchedd ar gyfer grwpiau nad oes ganddyn nhw gynrychiolaeth ddigonol a diffyg y cyfleoedd ar gyfer astudio rhan-amser yn faterion o bwys i'r ymatebwyr, fel y dywedwyd gennych yn eich datganiad, ond mae'n ddrwg gennyf, Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, nad wyf mewn gwirionedd yn gweld unrhyw arwyddion eich bod chi'n ymdrin â'r broblem hyd yn hyn.
Yn ôl yr ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad, ofn mynd i ddyled oedd yn cael ei ystyried yn rhwystr pennaf i ymgymryd ag addysg ôl-orfodol, ac rydym wedi cael trafodaethau am hynny o'r blaen. Mae'n amlwg y bydd hyn yn fwy o rwystr i bobl hŷn sy'n dymuno newid gyrfa neu ailgydio yn eu haddysg yn ddiweddarach yn eu hoes, ond mae'n ddrwg gennyf i, nid ydych chi wedi gwneud dim i gael gwared ar y rhwystr hwn. Yn wir, rydych chi'n gwneud pethau'n waeth. Mae gan y rhanddeiliaid a gymerodd ran yn yr ymgynghoriad—mae ganddyn nhw safbwyntiau mor ddilys am y system ac maen nhw i'w canmol am eu gwaith yn cyfrannu at yr ymgynghoriad. Fodd bynnag, byddwn i'n awgrymu, os ydych yn awyddus i gynyddu hygyrchedd addysg, y bobl y mae angen i chi siarad â nhw mewn gwirionedd yw'r rhai nad ydyn nhw'n cymryd rhan yn y system addysg ar hyn o bryd. Mae gan y bobl hynny sydd eisoes yn cymryd rhan yn y system addysg lawer iawn o wybodaeth a phrofiad a all gyfrannu'n amlwg at eich penderfyniadau am y sector hwnnw. Ond mewn gwirionedd nid yw'n eich hysbysu gyda manylder enfawr, o safbwynt personol iawn, am yr hyn sy'n gwneud i bobl ddigalonni a methu ag ailgydio yn eu haddysg ac uwchsgilio neu wella eu sgiliau mewn ffyrdd eraill pan fyddan nhw wedi gadael addysg orfodol ac mae'r syniad hwnnw sydd ganddynt o ddilyn addysg ôl-orfodol wedi dod i ben. Felly, hoffwn eich gweld chi'n ymgynghori gyda'r bobl hynny nad ydyn nhw'n ymgysylltu ar hyn o bryd â'r system addysg i ymchwilio i beth allai eu hannog i gymryd rhan yn y system addysg.
Nid wyf wedi fy synnu bod y cyngor a'r cymorth a roddir i ddysgwyr yn bryder allweddol, ac, o ystyried penderfyniad diweddar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet i lethu myfyrwyr Cymru â dyledion, mae'n hanfodol bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael hyn yn iawn. Rwy'n sylweddoli na fydd cymaint o fanylion ar gael yma ar hyn o bryd, yn anochel, oherwydd y cam yr ydych arni yn y broses, felly—. Rwy'n gweld eich bod wedi cyhoeddi ymgynghoriad manwl ar sut y bydd y comisiwn yn gweithio mewn gwirionedd ac rwyf i wir yn edrych ymlaen at weld yr ymgynghoriad hwnnw a'r ymatebion iddo hefyd. Diolch.
With regard to the establishment of the commission, as I said, we will go out to a technical consultation. It is my intention that the executive of that commission will be appointed in normal open competition procedures. As to the members of the commission, they will be subject to the public appointment process that we have here in Wales, a process that has just been undertaken to recruit new members to the HEFCW board, a board that has done tremendous work in supporting higher education in Wales, work that I'm very, very grateful for. I'm particularly pleased that we've been able to attract high-calibre candidates to take up new positions on the HEFCW board, people from within and without Wales who want to give of their time and want to be part of this exciting period of reform in Welsh education.
Deputy Presiding Officer, it seems to me there is little point in me explaining once again to the Member the principles of our Diamond reform. To be absolutely clear to the Member once again: we will be the only part of the United Kingdom that will provide support—including maintenance support that is non-repayable—for part-time students. It isn't going to happen in Scotland, it isn't going to happen in England, and it's not going to happen in Northern Ireland. In fact, those countries and those parts of the sector that work outside of Wales are looking on with envy at the way in which we are going to support the part-time sector, because we recognise, in this Government, that part-time study is crucial, not just to those individuals, but to the economic wealth of this country. One of this nation's problems is around productivity and you improve productivity not just by investing in kit and machinery—you improve productivity by investing in your workforce, and we will help provide the environment to allow people to study on a part-time basis, and my challenge to the business sector will be to engage with the many schemes that the Welsh Government has to help them support to train their workers in greater levels of skills so that we can raise the Welsh economy. But I have explained this time and time again to the Member. She seems determined not to recognise what we are doing. [Interruption.]
O ran sefydlu'r comisiwn, fel y dywedais i, byddwn yn cynnal ymgynghoriad technegol. Fy mwriad i yw y bydd bwrdd gweithredol y comisiwn hwnnw'n cael ei benodi gan ddilyn gweithdrefnau arferol cystadleuaeth agored. O ran aelodau'r comisiwn, byddan nhw'n ddarostyngedig i'r broses penodiadau cyhoeddus sydd gennym ni yma yng Nghymru, proses yr ymgymerwyd â hi'n ddiweddar ar gyfer recriwtio aelodau newydd i fwrdd y CCAUC, bwrdd sydd wedi gwneud gwaith ardderchog yn cefnogi addysg uwch yng Nghymru, gwaith yr wyf i'n ddiolchgar iawn, iawn amdano. Rwy'n arbennig o falch ein bod wedi gallu denu ymgeiswyr o safon uchel i gymryd swyddi newydd ar fwrdd CCAUC, pobl o Gymru a thu draw i'r ffin sydd yn dymuno rhoi o'u hamser ac yn awyddus i fod yn rhan o'r cyfnod cyffrous hwn o ddiwygio addysg yng Nghymru.
Dirprwy Lywydd, mae'n ymddangos i mi nad oes fawr o bwynt i mi egluro unwaith eto i'r Aelod egwyddorion diwygio Diamond. I fod yn gwbl glir i'r Aelod unwaith eto: ni fydd yr unig ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig a fydd yn rhoi cymorth—gan gynnwys cymorth cynhaliaeth nad yw'n ad-daladwy—i fyfyrwyr rhan-amser. Ni fydd hyn yn digwydd yn yr Alban, nac yn digwydd yn Lloegr, nac yn digwydd yng Ngogledd Iwerddon. Yn wir, mae'r gwledydd hynny a'r rhannau hynny o'r sector sy'n gweithio y tu allan i Gymru yn edrych yn genfigennus ar y ffordd yr ydym yn mynd i gefnogi'r sector rhan-amser, oherwydd rydym ni, yn y Llywodraeth hon, yn cydnabod bod astudio'n rhan-amser yn hollbwysig, nid yn unig i'r unigolion hynny, ond i gyfoeth economaidd y wlad. Un o broblemau Cymru yw cynhyrchiant ac rydych yn gwella cynhyrchiant nid yn unig drwy fuddsoddi mewn offer a pheiriannau—ond drwy fuddsoddi yn eich gweithlu, a byddwn yn helpu i greu'r amgylchedd fydd yn galluogi pobl i astudio yn rhan-amser. Fy her i i'r sector busnes fydd ymgysylltu â llawer o gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i helpu i roi cymorth i hyfforddi eu gweithwyr ar gyfer lefelau uwch o sgiliau fel y gallwn ni godi economi Cymru. Ond rwyf wedi esbonio hyn i'r Aelod dro ar ôl tro. Ymddengys yn benderfynol i beidio â chydnabod yr hyn yr ydym yn ei wneud. [Torri ar draws.]
Carry on. Carry on, Cabinet Secretary, please.
Yn eich blaen. Yn eich blaen, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, os gwelwch yn dda.
I appreciate that the Member doesn't agree with it. What is more important to me is that NUS Cymru agrees with it, the higher education sector in Wales agrees with it and higher education experts across the United Kingdom consistently say, 'If you're interested in progressive HE and FE policy, then look to Wales.' Because it is us, and us alone, who are doing something interesting in the field. With all due respect, it's those voices that I think are the ones that we really need to listen to as a Government.
Rwy'n sylweddoli nad yw'r Aelod yn cytuno â hyn. Yr hyn sy'n bwysicach i mi yw bod Undeb Cenedlaethol Myfyrwyr Cymru yn cytuno â hyn, mae'r sector addysg uwch yng Nghymru yn cytuno â hyn, ac mae arbenigwyr addysg uwch ledled y Deyrnas Unedig yn dweud yn gyson, 'os oes gennych chi ddiddordeb mewn polisi blaengar ar gyfer addysg uwch ac addysg bellach, yna edrychwch tuag at Gymru.' Oherwydd ni, a dim ond ni, sy'n gwneud rhywbeth diddorol yn y maes. Gyda phob dyledus barch, yn fy marn i, y lleisiau hynny yw'r rhai y mae angen inni wrando arnyn nhw fel Llywodraeth.
Thank you very much, Cabinet Secretary.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.
Item 4 on our agenda is the Stage 4 debate on the Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill. I call on the Minister for Housing and Regeneration to move the motion—Rebecca Evans.
Eitem 4 ar yr ein hagenda yw dadl Cyfnod 4 ar Fil Diddymu'r Hawl i Brynu a Hawliau Cysylltiedig (Cymru). Galwaf ar y Gweinidog Tai ac Adfywio i gynnig y cynnig—Rebecca Evans.
Cynnig NDM6607 Rebecca Evans
Cynnig bod Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 26.47:
Yn cymeradwyo'r Bil Diddymu'r Hawl i Brynu a Hawliau Cysylltiedig (Cymru).
Motion NDM6607 Rebecca Evans
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales in accordance with Standing Order 26.47:
Approves the Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Thank you, Deputy Llywydd. I formally move the motion. I am pleased to introduce the fourth and final stage of the Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill before the Assembly today. I'd like to start by thanking Assembly Members for their robust scrutiny of the Bill and for their support, which has ensured its passage through to Stage 4. In particular, I'd like to thanks members of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee and the Finance Committee for their thorough and considered scrutiny of the Bill through stages 1 and 2. I'd also like to acknowledge all stakeholders who provided evidence during the scrutiny process and thank them for their contribution to the legislative process. My thanks also to Assembly Commission staff and Welsh Government officials for their support throughout the Bill process. I'd also like to say how pleased Carl Sargeant would have been to see the Bill reach the final stage. He believed passionately in protecting our social housing stock for those who need it most, and he worked extremely hard to bring this legislation forward. I'm delighted to be able to steer it through its final stages and onto the Welsh statute book.
This Bill forms a key part of the Government's housing policy, and was a manifesto commitment in 2016. This Government is committed to ending the right to buy and to protecting our social housing for those in the greatest need. Ending the right to buy will give local authorities and housing associations the confidence to invest in new developments to help to meet the need for quality affordable housing in Wales. The right to buy has been a feature of social housing for many years in Wales, and this has resulted in the loss of a significant number of homes—more than 139,000 between 1981 and 2016. In recent years, although sales of social housing have slowed, social housing stock is still being lost at a time of considerable housing supply pressure. Measures taken by the previous Welsh Government to address the impact of homes lost through the right to buy, and the continued pressure on social housing, included introducing the Housing (Wales) Measure 2011. This enabled a local authority to apply to suspend the right to buy and the right to acquire in its area. While the right to buy has been suspended in some parts of Wales, significant housing pressure still continues across the country.
This Bill was introduced last March following a White Paper consultation in 2015 to address the continued housing pressure and ensure that social housing is protected throughout Wales on a permanent basis. The Bill abolishes all variations of the right to buy, including the preserved right to buy and the right to acquire. Provisions in the Bill also allow at least a year after Royal Assent before final abolition on existing properties, but, to encourage investment in new homes, the rights will end for homes that are new to the social housing stock, and, therefore, have no existing tenants, two months after Royal Assent. One year is a fair and reasonable amount of time for tenants to decide whether they wish to exercise their rights and to take appropriate financial and legal advice. The Bill contains provisions to ensure that all tenants are given information within two months of Royal Assent, and that this information is supplied in the most appropriate format to meet their needs. This provision ensures that all tenants will be fully aware of the impact of the legislation before it comes into force.
This Government remains committed to enabling home ownership for those who want to enter the property market. We are well on our way to delivering our manifesto commitment of an extra 20,000 homes during this Assembly term. Government schemes, such as Help to Buy, homebuy and rent to own, are designed to help people on modest incomes into home ownership, but not at the expense of reducing the social housing stock. Ending the right to buy ensures that we safeguard the investment made in social housing over many generations for Welsh families now and in the future, and I ask Members to support the motion.
Diolch i chi, Dirprwy Lywydd. Cynigiaf y cynnig yn ffurfiol. Rwy'n falch o gyflwyno'r pedwerydd cam, sef cam olaf Bil Diddymu'r Hawl i Brynu a Hawliau Cysylltiedig (Cymru), gerbron y Cynulliad heddiw. Hoffwn i ddechrau trwy ddiolch i Aelodau'r Cynulliad am eu gwaith craffu cadarn ar y Bil ac am eu cefnogaeth, sydd wedi sicrhau ei hynt drwodd i Gyfnod 4. Yn benodol, hoffwn i ddiolch i Aelodau'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau, y Pwyllgor Materion Cyfansoddiadol Deddfwriaethol ac i'r Pwyllgor Cyllid am eu gwaith craffu trylwyr ac ystyriol ar y Bil drwy gyfnodau 1 a 2. Hoffwn i hefyd gydnabod yr holl randdeiliaid a roddodd dystiolaeth yn ystod y broses graffu a diolch iddynt am eu cyfraniad i'r broses ddeddfwriaethol. Hoffwn ddiolch hefyd i staff Comisiwn y Cynulliad a swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru am eu cymorth drwy gydol proses y Bil. Hoffwn hefyd ddweud pa mor falch y byddai Carl Sargeant o weld y Bil yn cyrraedd y cam terfynol. Bu'n frwdfrydig iawn dros ddiogelu ein stoc o dai cymdeithasol ar gyfer y rhai sydd ei hangen fwyaf, a gweithiodd yn eithriadol o galed i gyflwyno'r ddeddfwriaeth honno. Rwyf wrth fy modd yn gallu ei llywio drwy ei chamau terfynol ac ar y llyfr statud i Gymru.
Mae'r Mesur hwn yn ffurfio rhan allweddol o bolisi tai'r Llywodraeth, ac roedd yn ymrwymiad maniffesto yn 2016. Mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn ymrwymo i roi terfyn ar yr hawl i brynu ac i ddiogelu ein tai cymdeithasol ar gyfer y rheini sydd eu hangen fwyaf. Bydd rhoi terfyn ar yr hawl i brynu yn rhoi i awdurdodau lleol a chymdeithasau tai yr hyder i fuddsoddi mewn datblygiadau newydd ac yn helpu i ddiwallu'r angen am dai fforddiadwy o ansawdd yng Nghymru. Mae'r hawl i brynu wedi bod yn nodwedd o dai cymdeithasol yng Nghymru ers blynyddoedd lawer, ac mae hyn wedi arwain at golli nifer sylweddol o gartrefi—mwy na 139,000 rhwng 1981 a 2016. Yn y blynyddoedd diweddar, er bod gwerthiannau tai cymdeithasol wedi arafu, mae'r stoc o dai cymdeithasol yn dal yn cael ei cholli ar adeg o gryn bwysau ar gyflenwi tai. Roedd mesurau a gymerwyd gan y Llywodraeth Cymru flaenorol i fynd i'r afael ag effaith colli cartrefi drwy'r cynllun hawl i brynu, a'r pwysau parhaus ar dai cymdeithasol, yn cynnwys cyflwyno Mesur Tai (Cymru) 2011. Roedd hyn yn galluogi'r awdurdod lleol i wneud cais i atal yr hawl i brynu a'r hawl i gaffael yn ei ardal. Er bod yr hawl i brynu wedi ei atal mewn rhai rhannau o Gymru, mae pwysau oherwydd prinder tai sylweddol yn parhau i fod yn bresennol ledled y wlad.
Cyflwynwyd y Bil hwn ym mis Mawrth yn dilyn ymgynghoriad Papur Gwyn yn 2015 i fynd i'r afael â phwysau parhaus ar dai a sicrhau bod tai cymdeithasol yn cael eu diogelu ledled Cymru ar sail barhaol. Mae'r Bil yn diddymu'r holl amrywiadau o ran yr hawl i brynu, gan gynnwys yr hawl i brynu a gadwyd a'r hawl i gaffael. Mae'r darpariaethau yn y Bil hefyd yn caniatáu o leiaf blwyddyn ar ôl Cydsyniad Brenhinol cyn diddymu'n derfynol eiddo sydd eisoes yn bodoli. Ond, er mwyn annog buddsoddiad mewn cartrefi newydd, daw'r hawliau i ben ar gyfer cartrefi sy'n newydd i'r stoc tai cymdeithasol ac, felly, nad oes tenantiaid ynddynt, ddeufis ar ôl y Cydsyniad Brenhinol. Mae un flwyddyn yn gyfnod o amser teg a rhesymol i denantiaid benderfynu a ydynt yn dymuno arfer eu hawliau ac i gael cyngor cyfreithiol ac ariannol priodol. Mae'r Bil yn cynnwys darpariaethau i sicrhau bod pob tenant yn cael gwybodaeth o fewn dau fis i Gydsyniad Brenhinol, a bod yr wybodaeth hon yn cael ei darparu ar y fformat mwyaf priodol i ddiwallu eu hanghenion. Mae'r ddarpariaeth hon yn sicrhau y bydd pob tenant yn gwbl ymwybodol o effaith y ddeddfwriaeth cyn iddi ddod i rym.
Mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i alluogi perchentyaeth i'r rhai sy'n dymuno cael mynediad i'r farchnad eiddo. Rydym ar y ffordd i gyflawni ein hymrwymiad maniffesto o 20,000 o gartrefi ychwanegol yn ystod tymor y Cynulliad hwn. Cafodd cynlluniau'r Llywodraeth, megis Cymorth i Brynu, Cymorth Prynu a Rhent i Brynu, eu creu i helpu pobl ar incwm cymedrol i allu fod yn berchen ar eu cartrefi, ond nid ar draul lleihau'r stoc tai cymdeithasol. Mae rhoi terfyn ar yr hawl i brynu yn sicrhau ein bod yn diogelu'r buddsoddiad a wnaed mewn tai cymdeithasol dros nifer o genedlaethau ar gyfer teuluoedd yng Nghymru nawr ac yn y dyfodol, a gofynnaf i'r Aelodau gefnogi'r cynnig.
The right-to-buy policy has been extremely successful across the UK, and especially in Wales, because it responded to the aspirations of those on lower incomes to purchase their own homes. As I have consistently argued, the problems with the housing market have arisen due to a lack of housing supply, and especially in Wales—not because of the 300 or 400 homes that are now annually sold under the right-to-buy schemes. Some 139,000 council and housing association homes in Wales have been sold since the right to buy was introduced in 1980 under Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Government—139,000 homes in Wales; a remarkably successful policy. How could you have a better test of a policy's relevance and success?
The Welsh Conservatives, Deputy Llywydd, have tried to offer sensible ideas of reform for this popular policy so that abolition could be avoided. The Welsh Government has not been prepared to listen, and we regret this. We then attempted to make this right to buy abolition Bill fairer. We tried to provide a fairer outcome for those tenants in the currently suspended areas so that they, too, could get one last chance to purchase their property—denied to them.
We also offered an amendment with the intention of limiting the Act's operation to 10 years, following which the Welsh Ministers may lay regulations proposing that the abolition is made permanent. We did this because the Welsh Government made it clear in committee that it was not against the right to buy in principle. So, I tested this point—but alas, again, denied. No response.
Another amendment that would've ensured that the abolition of the right to buy and associated rights may not have come into effect until at least two years after the Bill receives Royal Assent was also denied, despite the fact that this was what happened in Scotland to allow a calm period of transition. These amendments were laid in response to the views of tenants throughout Wales who want more house building and would prefer alternative solutions to permanent abolition. Instead, this Bill intends to take their aspiration of home ownership away from them forever.
Deputy Presiding Officer, should we get the opportunity, the Welsh Conservatives will aim to reintroduce the right-to-buy policy with a reformed structure for the modern housing climate. These reforms would include ring-fencing the right-to-buy receipts so that they are reinvested into new social housing stock and removing the right to buy's applicability to new housing stock until it has been rented to a social tenant for a certain number of years.
In conclusion, this Bill does not serve the people of Wales well. It serves rather a narrow, left-wing ideology, oblivious to all the evidence and decades of success in its application as a policy. We will go on reflecting the aspirations of many tenants. Even at this stage, I urge Members to reject this Bill.
Bu'r polisi hawl i brynu yn hynod lwyddiannus ledled y DU, ac yn enwedig yng Nghymru, oherwydd ei fod yn ymateb i ddyheadau pobl ar incwm is i brynu eu cartrefi eu hunain. Fel yr wyf wedi dadlau yn gyson, mae problemau gyda'r farchnad dai wedi codi oherwydd diffyg cyflenwad tai, ac yn arbennig yng Nghymru—nid oherwydd y 300 neu 400 o gartrefi sydd ar hyn o bryd yn cael eu gwerthu bob blwyddyn o dan y cynlluniau hawl i brynu. Gwerthwyd rhyw 139,000 o gartrefi cyngor a chartrefi chymdeithasau tai yng Nghymru ers cyflwyno'r hawl i brynu yn 1980 o dan Lywodraeth Geidwadol Margaret Thatcher —139,000 o gartrefi yng Nghymru; polisi hynod o lwyddiannus. Sut y gellid cael gwell prawf o berthnasedd a llwyddiant polisi?
Ceisiodd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Dirprwy Lywydd, gynnig syniadau synhwyrol i ddiwygio'r polisi poblogaidd hwn fel y gellid osgoi diddymu. Nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn fodlon gwrando, er mawr ofid inni. Gwnaethom wedyn geisio gwneud diddymu'r Bil hawl i brynu hwn yn decach. Gwnaethom geisio darparu canlyniad tecach ar gyfer y tenantiaid hynny yn yr ardaloedd sydd wedi eu hatal ar hyn o bryd, er mwyn iddyn nhw, hefyd, gael cyfle olaf i brynu eu heiddo—a wrthodwyd iddynt.
Fe wnaethom hefyd gynnig gwelliant gyda'r bwriad o gyfyngu gweithrediad y Ddeddf i 10 mlynedd, ac ar ôl hynny caiff Gweinidogion Cymru osod rheoliadau yn cynnig bod y bwriad i diddymu'n cael ei wneud yn barhaol. Gwnaethom hyn oherwydd i Lywodraeth Cymru ei gwneud yn glir yn y Pwyllgor nad oedd yn erbyn yr hawl i brynu mewn egwyddor. Felly, profais y pwynt hwn—ond yn anffodus, unwaith eto, gwrthodwyd. Ni chafwyd ymateb.
Gwrthodwyd gwelliant arall a fyddai wedi sicrhau na fyddai diddymu'r hawl i brynu a'r hawliau cysylltiedig wedi dod i rym tan o leiaf ddwy flynedd yn dilyn Cydsyniad Brenhinol i'r Bil er gwaethaf y ffaith mai dyna a ddigwyddodd yn yr Alban i ganiatáu cyfnod pontio didrafferth. Gosodwyd y gwelliannau hyn mewn ymateb i farn tenantiaid ledled Cymru sydd eisiau i ragor o dai gael eu hadeiladu a byddai'n well iddyn nhw weld atebion amgen i ddiddymu parhaol. Yn hytrach, mae'r Bil hwn yn bwriadu cymryd eu dyhead i fod yn berchen ar dŷ oddi arnynt am byth.
Dirprwy Lywydd, pe byddem ni'n cael y cyfle, nod y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig fydd ailgyflwyno'r polisi hawl i brynu gyda strwythur diwygiedig ar gyfer y sefyllfa tai cyfoes. Byddai'r diwygiadau hyn yn cynnwys clustnodi derbyniadau hawl i brynu er mwyn eu hailfuddsoddi mewn stoc tai cymdeithasol newydd a chael gwared ar berthnasedd hawl i brynu i stoc tai newydd hyd nes y bydd wedi ei rhentu gan denant cymdeithasol am nifer penodol o flynyddoedd.
I gloi, nid yw'r Bil hwn yn gwasanaethu pobl Cymru'n dda. Mae'n gwasanaethu yn hytrach ideoleg adain chwith gul, sy'n anwybyddu'r holl dystiolaeth a degawdau o lwyddiant wrth weithredu'r polisi. Byddwn ni'n parhau i adlewyrchu dyheadau llawer o denantiaid. Hyd yn oed ar y cam hwn, rwy'n annog yr Aelodau i wrthod y Bil hwn.
Gair byr iawn gen i wrth i'r Bil gyrraedd diwedd ei daith yma yn y Cynulliad. Mae Plaid Cymru wedi cefnogi'r Bil yn llawn ar hyd yr amser ac wedi helpu i'w wella drwy'r broses graffu. Mae dileu'r hawl i brynu wedi bod yn bolisi gan ein plaid ni ers degawdau. Roedden ni'n grediniol y byddai'r hawl i brynu'n gweithio yn erbyn y rhai sy'n methu â fforddio prynu tŷ, yn gweithio yn erbyn y rhai sy'n ddibynnol ar rentu yn y sector cymdeithasol er mwyn cael to uwch eu pennau. Ac yn anffodus, dyna sydd wedi digwydd. Mae'r nifer o dai cymdeithasol wedi haneru, bron, yng Nghymru, sydd wedi arwain at restrau aros maith, wedi arwain at ormod o bobl yn byw dan yr un to, wedi arwain at bobl yn byw mewn tai anaddas ac wedi arwain at gynnydd mewn digartrefedd. Gyda phasio'r Bil, mae'n bryd rŵan i'r Llywodraeth hon roi ffocws clir ar yr angen i adeiladu mwy o dai cymdeithasol a rhoi ffocws yr un mor glir i'r ymdrechion i ddileu tlodi ac anghyfartaledd—ffocws sydd ar goll ar hyn o bryd.
Just a very brief word as the Bill reaches the end of its journey through this Assembly. Plaid Cymru has supported the Bill fully throughout the process, and has assisted in improving it through the scrutiny process. Abolishing the right to buy has been a policy of our party over a period of decades. We were convinced that the right to buy would militate against those who can’t afford to buy their own homes, and militate against those who are reliant on renting in the social sector in order to get a roof above their heads, and unfortunately, that is what has happened. The number of social homes has almost halved in Wales, which has led to lengthy waiting lists, has led to too many people living under the same roof, has led to people living in inappropriate homes, and has led to an increase in homelessness. With the passing of this Bill, it is now time for this Government to focus clearly on the need to build more social housing, and to provide just as clear a focus on the efforts to eradicate poverty and inequality—a focus that is lacking at the moment.
I won't be supporting this legislation. I asked in this Chamber what is wrong with selling a council house as long as all the money is used to build new ones, and I still haven't had a satisfactory answer. I'm not prepared to vote to take away an option for working class people to own their own home without any new ways for them to buy a house being introduced. The legislation is part of an unhealthy trend of keeping people dependent on the state and reinforcing inequality.
So, here are some suggestions on where the Government would be better off putting its efforts. Between 2012 and 2016, Cardiff council run by Labour didn't build a single council house—not one. That was their choice. Other councils manage it. This legislation does nothing to address that. We should ensure that local people are the absolute priority for housing lists, and social housing stock in Wales should be used to cater for local demands. I hope that's a principle we can all get behind.
We need to build a lot more affordable housing, and that means really affordable. Better planning laws could force building companies to build a higher proportion of genuinely affordable housing, but we're in a situation now where just a few developers dominate the housing sector, leading to bad development plans where green fields are destroyed and local culture ignored. An industry where smaller local house builders build housing based on local need and local characteristics is surely a good thing, but the high cost of land and the complexity of Labour's planning laws prevent this.
If we really want to do something about the battle against the housing crisis, let's do something about the 23,000 long-term empty properties in Wales. They're sat empty and they're a blot on our communities. If those houses were used with an average of two people then we'd quickly get 50,000 people housed very quickly.
Now, credit where credit's due, because Torfaen council managed to bring a third of long-term empty properties back into use last year, but Cardiff council managed just 0.8 per cent, but will let rich developers build unaffordable housing all over green fields instead. So, why doesn't the Government get focused on every council in Wales, getting families into these empty houses?
Home ownership is part of the Welsh dream. Some here will say that ownership is just a UK obsession. I see nothing wrong with that. It's part of our culture, and I want to encourage it. That's why I cannot support this Bill.
Ni fyddaf yn cefnogi'r ddeddfwriaeth hon. Gofynnais yn y Siambr hon beth sydd o'i le ar werthu tŷ cyngor cyhyd ag y defnyddir yr arian i adeiladu rhai newydd, ac nid wyf wedi cael ateb boddhaol. Nid wyf yn barod i bleidleisio i gael gwared ar opsiwn i bobl dosbarth gweithiol fod yn berchen ar eu cartref eu hunain heb gyflwyno unrhyw ffyrdd newydd iddyn nhw brynu tŷ. Mae'r ddeddfwriaeth yn rhan o duedd afiach o gadw pobl yn ddibynnol ar y wladwriaeth ac atgyfnerthu anghydraddoldeb.
Felly, dyma rai awgrymiadau ynghylch lle y byddai'n well i'r Llywodraeth ddefnyddio ei hymdrechion. Rhwng 2012 a 2016, ni wnaeth Cyngor Caerdydd, a gaiff ei weithredu gan y Blaid Lafur, adeiladu unrhyw dai cyngor—dim un. Dyna oedd eu dewis. Mae cynghorau eraill yn llwyddo i wneud hynny. Nid yw'r ddeddfwriaeth hon yn gwneud dim i fynd i'r afael â hynny. Dylem ni sicrhau mai pobl leol yw'r flaenoriaeth lwyr ar gyfer rhestrau dai, a dylid defnyddio stoc tai cymdeithasol yng Nghymru i ddarparu ar gyfer galw lleol. Rwy'n gobeithio bod hynny'n egwyddor y gallwn ni i gyd ei gefnogi.
Mae angen inni adeiladu llawer mwy o dai fforddiadwy, ac mae hynny'n golygu gwirioneddol fforddiadwy. Gallai gwell cyfreithiau cynllunio orfodi cwmnïau adeiladu i adeiladu cyfran uwch o dai gwirioneddol fforddiadwy, ond rydym ni mewn sefyllfa erbyn hyn lle ceir ychydig iawn o ddatblygwyr yn rheoli'r sector tai, gan arwain at gynlluniau datblygu gwael lle caiff caeau gwyrdd eu dinistrio, a diwylliant lleol ei anwybyddu. Peth da, heb os, yw cael diwydiant lle mae cwmnïau adeiladu lleol llai yn adeiladu tai yn seiliedig ar angen lleol a nodweddion lleol, ond mae cost uchel tir ynghyd â chymhlethdod deddfau cynllunio y Blaid Lafur yn atal hyn.
Os ydym ni o ddifrif yn dymuno gwneud rhywbeth o ran y frwydr yn erbyn yr argyfwng tai, gadewch inni wneud rhywbeth am y 23,000 o eiddo sy'n wag yn hirdymor yng Nghymru. Maen nhw'n eistedd yn wag ac maen nhw'n staen ar ein cymunedau. Pe byddai'r tai hynny'n cael eu defnyddio gan ddau berson ar gyfartaledd, yna byddem yn rhoi cartref i 50,000 o bobl yn gyflym iawn.
Nawr, dylid rhoi clod pan fo clod yn ddyledus, oherwydd llwyddodd Cyngor Tor-faen ddod â thraean o eiddo gwag hirdymor yn ôl i ddefnydd y llynedd, ond llwyddodd Cyngor Caerdydd i wneud hyn gyda dim ond 0.8 y cant, ond mae'n caniatáu i ddatblygwyr cyfoethog adeiladu tai nad ydynt yn fforddiadwy ym mhobman ar gaeau gwyrdd yn lle hynny. Felly, pam nad yw'r Llywodraeth yn canolbwyntio ar bob cyngor yng Nghymru, a chael teuluoedd yn y tai gwag hyn?
Mae perchentyaeth yn rhan o freuddwyd Cymru. Bydd rhai yma yn dweud mai obsesiwn y DU yw perchentyaeth. Ni welaf ddim o'i le ar hynny. Mae'n rhan o'n diwylliant, ac rwyf i eisiau ei annog. Dyna pam na allaf i gefnogi'r Bil hwn.
Thank you. I call on the Minister for Housing and Regeneration to reply to the debate—Rebecca Evans.
Diolch. Galwaf ar y Gweinidog Tai ac Adfywio i ymateb i'r ddadl—Rebecca Evans.
Thank you. I've welcomed the opportunity to debate the Bill and I thank Members for their contributions. I always look to find common ground where there is some, and I think there is some in terms of the wider ambitions for housing. For example, there's no argument from Welsh Government on the importance of building homes, supporting people to buy a home, increasing affordable housing and turning empty houses into homes as well, but there is a fundamental disagreement between ourselves and the Conservatives and others about whether or not losing 139,000 houses from the social housing stock is actually a cause to celebrate, because on these benches it's certainly not.
What is a cause to celebrate is the fact that we are taking this important action to protect social housing stock for the future for the people who need it most, and I'd like to thank Siân Gwenllian for explaining why it is important that we're taking this forward, and take this opportunity to put on record my thanks to Plaid Cymru for the constructive way in which you have engaged with us throughout the passing of this Bill. And so, I'd like to ask Members to support the motion to pass the Bill. Thank you.
Diolch. Rwy'n croesawu'r cyfle i drafod y Bil a diolch i'r Aelodau am eu cyfraniadau. Rwyf bob amser yn ceisio dod o hyd i dir cyffredin lle y mae'n bosibl, a chredaf fod rhywfaint o dir cyffredin o ran dyheadau ehangach ar gyfer tai. Er enghraifft, nid oes dadl gan Lywodraeth Cymru pa mor bwysig yw adeiladu cartrefi, helpu pobl i brynu cartref, sicrhau mwy o dai fforddiadwy a throi tai gwag yn gartrefi hefyd, ond mae anghytundeb sylfaenol rhwng ein hunain a'r Ceidwadwyr ac eraill ynghylch a yw colli 139,000 o dai o'r stoc tai cymdeithasol yn achos ddathlu mewn gwirionedd neu beidio, oherwydd nad yw hi ar y meinciau yma , yn sicr.
Yr hyn sy'n achos i ddathlu yw'r ffaith ein bod yn cymryd y cam pwysig hwn i ddiogelu stoc tai cymdeithasol ar gyfer y dyfodol ar gyfer y bobl sydd ei hangen fwyaf, a hoffwn ddiolch i Siân Gwenllian am esbonio pam mae'n bwysig ein bod ni'n cymryd hyn ymlaen , ac rwy'n achub ar y cyfle hwn i gofnodi fy niolch i Blaid Cymru ar gyfer y ffordd adeiladol yr ydych chi wedi ymgysylltu â ni yn ystod pasio'r Bil hwn. Ac felly, hoffwn i ofyn i Aelodau gefnogi'r cynnig i basio'r Bil. Diolch.
Thank you very much. In accordance with Standing Order 26.50C, a recorded vote must be taken on Stage 4 motions, and so I defer voting on this motion until voting time.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 26.50 C, mae'n rhaid cymryd pleidlais wedi'i chofnodi ar gynigion cyfnod 4, ac felly gohiriaf y bleidlais ar y cynnig hwn tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Voting deferred until voting time.
Detholwyd y gwelliant canlynol: gwelliant 1 yn enw Paul Davies.
The following amendment has been selected: amendment 1 in the name of Paul Davies.
We now move on to item 5, which is the debate on the draft budget. I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Finance to move the motion—Mark Drakeford.
Symudwn ymlaen at eitem 5, sef y ddadl ar y gyllideb ddrafft. Galwaf ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyllid i gynnig y cynnig—Mark Drakeford.
Cynnig NDM6603 Julie James
Cynnig bod Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 20.12:
Yn nodi'r Gyllideb Ddrafft ar gyfer blwyddyn ariannol 2018-2019 a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyllid a Llywodraeth Leol ar 3 a 24 Hydref 2017.
Motion NDM6603 Julie James
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 20.12:
Notes the Draft Budget for the financial year 2018-2019 laid in the Table Office by the Cabi