Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
05/02/2019Cynnwys
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.
Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni'r prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Janet Finch-Saunders.
The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Janet Finch-Saunders.
1. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am amseroedd aros y gwasanaeth iechyd ar draws gogledd Cymru? OAQ53374
1. Will the First Minister make a statement on health service waiting times across north Wales? OAQ53374
Llywydd, despite increased demand, there has been a reduction over the last year of nearly 30 per cent in the number of people waiting over 36 weeks for treatment in Betsi Cadwaladr. Further work, however, is required and is being undertaken in order to bring all waiting times within Welsh Government targets.
Llywydd, er gwaethaf galw cynyddol, bu gostyngiad dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf o bron i 30 y cant i nifer y bobl a fu'n aros am fwy na 36 wythnos am driniaeth yn Betsi Cadwaladr. Mae angen rhagor o waith, fodd bynnag, ac mae'n cael ei wneud i sicrhau bod yr holl amseroedd aros o fewn targedau Llywodraeth Cymru.
Thank you, First Minister, and I do actually appreciate the acknowledgment about further work required, but, let's be honest, direct interventions by your Welsh Government into the Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board were implemented in June 2015, pending a number of vast improvements that were required. In reality, patients across north Wales are still seeing increased waiting time misery. We have just seen the worst ever percentage of patients seen within the four-hour target time for A&E; ear nose and throat—an almost 9 point increase in the percentage of patients' pathways waiting over 36 weeks to start treatment, as is the case for pain management. And those waiting over 24 weeks for a flexible sigmoidoscopy has increased in percentage terms by 4,900 per cent.
Now, I have a number of cases where constituents are waiting sadly far too long for treatment, such as one elderly lady who fell in June last year, shattering her shoulder, and who has now been advised that she's likely to wait at least another nine months in agonising pain. First Minister, there are waiting time issues across this health board for various treatments and services. Now, it is clear to me, and I think to other Members in this Chamber, and, indeed, to our patients in north Wales, that after three and a half years, your own health Minister continues to fail as regards the functions and workings of this health board. As the FM, with ultimate responsibility—[Interruption.]
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, ac rwyf i wir yn gwerthfawrogi'r gydnabyddiaeth bod angen gwneud rhagor o waith, ond, gadewch i ni fod yn onest, gweithredwyd ymyraethau uniongyrchol gan eich Llywodraeth Cymru chi ym Mwrdd Iechyd Lleol Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr ym mis Mehefin 2015, tra'n aros am nifer o welliannau mawr a oedd yn ofynnol. Mewn gwirionedd, mae cleifion ar draws y gogledd yn dal i ddioddef digalondid amseroedd aros cynyddol. Rydym ni newydd weld y ganran waethaf erioed o gleifion a welwyd o fewn yr amser targed o bedair awr ar gyfer adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys; clust, trwyn a llwnc—cynnydd o bron i 9 pwynt i ganran y llwybrau cleifion sy'n aros am fwy na 36 wythnos i ddechrau triniaeth, ac mae'r un peth yn wir o ran rheoli poen. Ac mae'r rhai sy'n aros am fwy na 24 wythnos am sigmoidosgopi hyblyg wedi cynyddu 4,900 y cant mewn termau canrannol.
Nawr, mae gen i nifer o achosion lle mae etholwyr yn aros yn llawer rhy hir am driniaeth yn anffodus, fel un wraig oedrannus a gwympodd ym mis Mehefin y llynedd, gan dorri ei hysgwydd yn yfflon, ac a hysbyswyd erbyn hyn y bydd hi'n debygol o fod yn aros am o leiaf naw mis arall mewn poen arteithiol. Prif Weinidog, mae problemau o ran amseroedd aros ar draws y bwrdd iechyd hwn ar gyfer gwahanol driniaethau a gwasanaethau. Nawr, mae'n amlwg i mi, ac i Aelodau eraill yn y Siambr hon rwy'n credu, ac, yn wir, i'n cleifion yn y gogledd, bod eich Gweinidog iechyd eich hun, ar ôl tair blynedd a hanner, yn parhau i fethu o ran swyddogaethau a gweithrediad y bwrdd iechyd hwn. Fel y Prif Weinidog, sydd â'r cyfrifoldeb yn y pen draw—[Torri ar draws.]
I think you do need to get to the question.
Rwy'n meddwl bod angen i chi ddod i'r cwestiwn.
Okay. As the First Minister with ultimate responsibility for all portfolios—[Interruption.]
Iawn. Fel y Prif Weinidog sydd â'r cyfrifoldeb am bob portffolio yn y pen draw—[Torri ar draws.]
When I ask you to come to the question, I don't intend you to carry on reading what you have you in front of you. Can you ask the question, please?
Pan fy mod i'n gofyn i chi ddod at y cwestiwn, nid wyf i'n bwriadu i chi barhau i ddarllen yr hyn sydd gennych chi o'ch blaen. A wnewch chi ofyn y cwestiwn, os gwelwch yn dda?
Okay. As the First Minister with ultimate responsibility, is it not time now that you started to take more of a hold on what's going on in this health board, and perhaps look at a better way of managing the direct interventions into this health board?
Iawn. Fel y Prif Weinidog sydd â'r cyfrifoldeb yn y pen draw, onid yw hi'n bryd erbyn hyn i chi ddechrau cymryd mwy o afael ar yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn y bwrdd iechyd hwn, ac efallai ystyried ffordd well o reoli'r ymyraethau uniongyrchol yn y bwrdd iechyd hwn?
Well, Llywydd, I continue to take a direct interest in everything that goes on in the health service, including in north Wales. At the time that Betsi Cadwaladr was put into special measures, there were real concerns about its maternity services. Those have improved and are no longer regarded as in need to be in special measures. There were real concerns about out-of-hours services, which have improved significantly. There were concerns about delayed transfers of care, and they were down by 22 per cent in November and 24 per cent in December. There are many things that are getting better in Betsi Cadwaladr, but we recognise that there are people who wait too long for treatment, despite the fact that 36-week waits are down, 26-week waits are down, and the median waiting time for treatment in the health board is 8.4 weeks from the point that someone is referred for treatment to the point when that treatment has been carried out.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n parhau i gymryd diddordeb uniongyrchol ym mhopeth sy'n digwydd yn y gwasanaeth iechyd, gan gynnwys yn y gogledd. Ar yr adeg y gwnaed Betsi Cadwaladr yn destun mesurau arbennig, roedd pryderon gwirioneddol ynghylch ei wasanaethau mamolaeth. Mae'r rheini wedi gwella ac ni ystyrir mwyach eu bod angen bod mewn mesurau arbennig. Roedd pryderon gwirioneddol ynghylch gwasanaethau y tu allan i oriau, sydd wedi gwella'n sylweddol. Roedd pryderon ynghylch oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal, ac roedd hynny wedi gostwng gan 22 y cant ym mis Tachwedd a chan 24 y cant ym mis Rhagfyr. Mae llawer o bethau sy'n gwella yn Betsi Cadwaladr, ond rydym ni'n cydnabod y ceir pobl sy'n aros yn rhy hir am driniaeth, er gwaethaf y ffaith bod amseroedd aros o 36 wythnos wedi gostwng, bod amseroedd aros o 26 wythnos wedi gostwng, ac mai 8.4 wythnos o'r adeg y caiff rhywun ei atgyfeirio am driniaeth i'r adeg pan fydd y driniaeth honno wedi ei chyflawni yw'r amser aros canolrifol ar gyfer triniaeth yn y bwrdd iechyd.
Fel rhan o'r ymateb i bwysau'r gaeaf, mae'r Groes Goch wedi bod yn mynd mewn i adrannau brys rhai o ysbytai Cymru. Maen nhw wedi bod yn gymorth mawr mewn dau o'r tri phrif ysbyty yn y gogledd, ac wedi cynorthwyo bron 5,500 o gleifion, sy'n cynrychioli mwy na hanner yr holl gleifion sydd wedi cael eu cynorthwyo yng Nghymru, yn Wrecsam Maelor ac yn Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. Nawr, efallai eich bod chi'n dweud bod y darlun cyffredinol yn gwella, ond mae'n rhaid i fi siarad o brofiad fan hyn, Brif Weinidog. Mi ges i fy nghyfeirio i'r uned frys yn Wrecsam Maelor ddydd Llun diwethaf. Roeddwn i'n cyrraedd am 5 o'r gloch y prynhawn a doeddwn i ddim yn cael fy ngweld tan 5 o'r gloch y bore—12 awr fues i'n aros yn yr uned frys. [Torri ar draws.] Mae e'n digwydd yn gyson, dwi'n gwybod, ac mae'r darlun yn cael ei bortreadu fan hyn bod pethau'n gwella. Efallai eu bod nhw yn gyffredinol, ond yr ateb dwi'n ei roi i chi yw bod yna brofiadau cwbl annerbyniol mae pobl yn dal yn gorfod eu goddef.
Rŷn ni yn cydnabod y gwaith mae rhywun fel y Groes Goch yn ei wneud, ond mae'r gwasanaeth penodol yna yn dod i ben fis nesaf. Felly, gaf i ofyn i chi ydych chi'n meddwl y dylai fod y math yna o wasanaeth yn parhau a'n bod ni'n dibynnu ar y Groes Goch yn y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru, a pha effaith rŷch chi'n credu bydd dod â'r gwasanaeth yna i ben yn ei chael ar y gwasanaethau a fydd yn cael eu gadael ar ôl?
As part of the response to winter pressures, the Red Cross has been going into A&E departments in some Welsh hospitals. They have been of great assistance in two of the three main hospitals in North Wales and have assisted almost 5,500 patients, which represents more than half of the patients that have been assisted in Wales, in Wrexham Maelor and Glan Clwyd hospitals. You may say that the general picture is improving, but I’m going to have to speak from experience here, First Minister. I was referred to A&E in Wrexham Maelor last Monday. I got there at 5 o’clock in the afternoon and I wasn’t seen until five in the morning—12 hours I waited in A&E. [Interruption.] Yes, it does happen regularly, and the picture being portrayed here is one of improvements being made. Perhaps there are improvements on a general level, but my response is that there are some unacceptable experiences that people still have to go through.
We do recognise the work that those such as the Red Cross are doing, but that specific service will come to an end next month. So, may I ask you whether you think that sort of service should continue and that we should rely on the Red Cross in our NHS in Wales? And what impact do you think that bringing that service to a close will have on the services left behind?
Wel, Llywydd, diolch i Llyr Gruffydd am beth ddywedodd e am waith y Groes Goch. Ac mae beth mae'r Groes Goch yn ei wneud yn y gogledd yn rhan o dri pheth rŷn ni'n ei wneud dros y gaeaf—pethau newydd i drio helpu'r system, a gwneud pethau mewn ffyrdd newydd. Ac mae'r gwaith y mae'r Groes Goch yn ei wneud, ond hefyd beth rŷn ni'n ei wneud gyda Care and Repair a chael pobl newydd yn yr adrannau brys i helpu, mae hwnna'n rhywbeth lle rŷn ni'n mynd i dynnu gwersi mas o'r profiadau yn y gogledd a thrio gweld a ydyn ni'n gallu gwneud hwnna ledled Cymru. Dwi'n cydnabod, fel y dywedais i wrth Janet Finch-Saunders, fod rhai pobl yn aros yn rhy hir yn yr adrannau brys dros y gaeaf. Maen nhw wedi dod o dan bwysau wrth gwrs, ac mae lot o bethau rŷn ni eisiau eu gwneud, ac yn eu gwneud, gyda'r bwrdd i wella'r sefyllfa yn y gogledd.
Well, Llywydd, I thank Llyr Gruffydd for what he said about the work being done by the Red Cross. And what the Red Cross is doing in north Wales is part of what we are doing over the winter—new initiatives to try and assist the system, and also to do things in new ways. The work that the Red Cross is doing, but also what we’re doing with Care and Repair, and having new people in emergency departments to assist, that is something that we are going to learn lessons from, and from those experiences in north Wales and to try and see whether we can do it across Wales. I recognise, as I told Janet Finch-Saunders, that some people wait too long in emergency departments over the winter. They have come under pressure, of course, and there are many things we want to do with the board to improve the situation in the north.
2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gynnydd bargeinion twf yng Nghymru? OAQ53379
2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the progress of growth deals in Wales? OAQ53379
I thank the Member for his question. Growth deals are at different stages of maturity across Wales, reflecting different starting times. We remain committed to being a full partner in the development and delivery of successful deals for all parts of Wales.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn. Mae bargeinion twf ar wahanol gamau aeddfedrwydd ledled Cymru, gan adlewyrchu gwahanol amseroedd cychwyn. Rydym ni'n dal i fod wedi ymrwymo i fod yn bartner llawn yn natblygiad a darpariaeth bargeinion llwyddiannus i bob rhan o Gymru.
One of the challenges of growth deals in Wales, compared to in England, where many were going previously, is that the Welsh Government is another significant partner in the room, whose agreement is needed to progress deals, and will legitimately have different emphases, and perhaps in some areas, different priorities to the UK Government. What can Welsh Government do to ensure its presence, and the requirement for that additional sign-off, actually is used to help drive growth deals forward rather than in any way impeding or slowing them down, and in particular giving support to councils where they may not perhaps have the same degree of infrastructure and budget as some of the other growth deals?
Un o heriau bargeinion twf yng Nghymru, o'i gymharu â Lloegr, lle'r oedd llawer yn mynd o'r blaen, yw bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn bartner pwysig arall yn yr ystafell, y mae angen ei chytundeb i gyflawni bargeinion, a bydd ganddi, yn briodol, wahanol bwysleisiau, ac efallai mewn rhai meysydd, gwahanol flaenoriaethau i Lywodraeth y DU. Beth all Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i sicrhau bod ei phresenoldeb, a'r gofyniad hwnnw am gadarnhad ychwanegol, yn cael eu defnyddio mewn gwirionedd i helpu i fwrw ymlaen â bargeinion twf yn hytrach na'u rhwystro neu eu harafu nhw mewn unrhyw ffordd, ac yn benodol rhoi cymorth i gynghorau lle efallai nad oes ganddyn nhw yr un lefel o seilwaith a chyllideb â rhai o'r bargeinion twf eraill?
Well, Llywydd, I recognise the additional complexity that Mark Reckless points to, but we have always been positive and willing partners in the effort to create growth deals in different parts of Wales. The previous First Minister jointly signed off the Swansea city deal with the Prime Minister, in a mark of the work that had gone in jointly with local authorities, with other interests, and with the private sector, in that part of Wales. And we intend to play the same positive role in the north of Wales as well, where my colleague Ken Skates was meeting with the economic ambitions board within the last 10 days. The Member will be aware of the event that happened here in the Assembly last week in relation to a deal for mid Wales. And in all those contexts, which are different and have different challenges, the Welsh Government will be a constant presence, and a constantly positive presence as well.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n cydnabod y cymhlethdod ychwanegol y mae Mark Reckless yn cyfeirio ato, ond rydym ni wedi bod yn bartneriaid cadarnhaol a pharod erioed yn yr ymdrech i greu bargeinion twf mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru. Cadarnhawyd bargen ddinesig Abertawe gan y Prif Weinidog blaenorol ar y cyd â Phrif Weinidog y DU, gan ddangos y gwaith a wnaed ar y cyd gydag awdurdodau lleol, a gydag eraill â buddiant, a chyda'r sector preifat, yn y rhan honno o Gymru. Ac rydym ni'n bwriadu chwarae rhan gadarnhaol yn y gogledd hefyd, lle bu fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates yn cyfarfod â'r bwrdd uchelgais economaidd yn ystod y 10 diwrnod diwethaf. Bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol o'r digwyddiad a gynhaliwyd yma yn y Cynulliad yr wythnos diwethaf o ran bargen ar gyfer y canolbarth. Ac yn yr holl gyd-destunau hynny, sy'n wahanol ac yn peri gwahanol heriau, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn bresenoldeb cyson, ac yn bresenoldeb cadarnhaol gyson hefyd.
Dwi wedi galw am arian ychwanegol a ffocws ychwanegol i fargen twf y gogledd, o ganlyniad i gyhoeddiad Hitachi ynglŷn â Wylfa Newydd, ac mi ellid ychwanegu cyhoeddiad Rehau yn Amlwch at hynny hefyd. A thra mod i'n nodi a chroesawu ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i fod yn barod i roi rhagor o arian i'r fargen twf yn y gogledd, os daw arian ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, dwi yn ymwybodol o bryderon y gallai newid y fargen twf rŵan arwain at oedi yn y broses. Os felly, ydy'r Prif Weinidog yn fodlon ystyried rhyw fath o gynllun cyllido yn ychwanegol at y fargen twf, ac yn rhedeg mewn paralel â'r fargen twf, er mwyn dod â'r hwb angenrheidiol yna i Ynys Môn, ar yr adeg heriol yma?
I’ve called for additional funding and an additional focus on the north Wales growth deal, as a result of the Hitachi announcement on Wylfa Newydd, and we could add the Rehau announcement in Amlwch to that too. And whilst I note and welcome the Welsh Government’s commitment to being willing to provide more funding to the north Wales growth deal, if additional funding is made available by the UK Government, I am aware of concerns that a change to the growth deal now could lead to delays in the process. If so, is the First Minister willing to consider some sort of additional funding plan in addition to the growth deal, and in parallel with it, in order to provide that necessary boost to Anglesey at this challenging time?
Diolch i Rhun ap Iorwerth am y cwestiwn. Wrth gwrs, rŷn ni'n gallu gweld beth ddywedodd e am y pryderon yn y gogledd, ar ôl Wylfa, os bydd hwnna'n cael effaith ar y fargen twf, sy'n tynnu pethau yn ôl. Mae'r Gweinidog hefyd wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig i roi mwy o arian i fewn i'r fargen twf yn y gogledd nawr, ar ôl Wylfa. Ac rŷn ni wedi dweud, fel Llywodraeth yma yng Nghymru, os bydd mwy o arian yn dod o'r Deyrnas Unedig, ein bod ni'n fodlon edrych a allwn ni roi mwy o arian i fewn i'r fargen hefyd, i helpu pobl yn y gogledd ar ôl beth sydd wedi digwydd yn Wylfa, ac yn ehangach ar yr ynys yn benodol.
Thank you to Rhun ap Iorwerth for the question. Of course, I can see what he says about the concerns in north Wales, following Wylfa, if that is going to have an impact on the growth deal as regards drawing things back. The Minister also has called on the UK Government to provide more funding into the growth deal in north Wales following Wylfa. And we have said, as a Government here in Wales, if more funding comes from the UK, we are willing to look to see whether we can provide more funding into the growth deal to support people in north Wales following what’s happened in Wylfa, and more broadly on the island specifically.
First Minister, for my constituents in Islwyn, the Cardiff capital region city deal offers the real prospect of transforming our communities. The city deal aims to deliver up to 25,000 new jobs and lever in an additional £4 billion of private sector investment. What additional support, then, and oversight can the Welsh Government offer the 10 local authorities that comprise the Cardiff capital region city deal, and what can the communities of Islwyn realistically expect to see from the fruits of these endeavours?
Prif Weinidog, i'm hetholwyr i yn Islwyn, mae bargen ddinesig prifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd yn cynnig y posibilrwydd gwirioneddol o weddnewid ein cymunedau. Nod y fargen ddinesig yw darparu hyd at 25,000 o swyddi newydd ac ysgogi gwerth £4 biliwn ychwanegol o fuddsoddiad sector preifat. Pa gymorth ychwanegol, felly, a goruchwyliaeth y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu cynnig i'r 10 awdurdod lleol sy'n rhan o fargen ddinesig prifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd, a beth all cymunedau Islwyn ei ddisgwyl ei weld yn realistig o ffrwyth yr ymdrechion hyn?
Well, I thank Rhianon Passmore for that. Just as in my answer to Mark Reckless, I point to the continued involvement of the Welsh Government in city deals across Wales. I know that, yesterday, the Minister for the economy met with Andrew Morgan, the leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf council and the chair of the Cardiff capital city deal board, to discuss progress in that deal and things that we can do to continue to assist it. I know that the Cardiff capital city deal has ambitious plans to invest in housing in the area, to bring stalled sites into beneficial use; to add further investment to the transport infrastructure of the area, to go alongside that pivotal part of the Cardiff deal which is the metro plan. In that, people who live in the Member's area, and more broadly, can look forward to better connectivity, new economic opportunities, increased skill levels amongst people who live in Torfaen, and all of that is part of the ambitious plan that we have jointly with the 10 local authorities that make up the Cardiff capital city deal.
Wel, diolch i Rhianon Passmore am hynna. Yn union fel yn fy ateb i Mark Reckless, cyfeiriaf at gyfranogiad parhaus Llywodraeth Cymru mewn bargeinion dinesig ledled Cymru. Gwn fod Gweinidog yr economi wedi cyfarfod ddoe ag Andrew Morgan, arweinydd Cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf a chadeirydd bwrdd bargen ddinesig prifddinas Caerdydd, i drafod cynnydd o ran y fargen honno a phethau y gallwn ni eu gwneud i barhau i'w chynorthwyo. Gwn fod gan fargen ddinesig prifddinas Caerdydd gynlluniau uchelgeisiol i fuddsoddi mewn tai yn yr ardal, i ddod â safleoedd segur i ddefnydd buddiol; i ychwanegu rhagor o fuddsoddiad at seilwaith trafnidiaeth yr ardal, i fynd ochr yn ochr â'r rhan ganolog honno o fargen Caerdydd sef y cynllun metro. Yn hynny o beth, gall pobl sy'n byw yn ardal yr Aelod, ac yn ehangach, edrych ymlaen at well cysylltedd, cyfleoedd economaidd newydd, lefelau sgiliau uwch ymhlith pobl sy'n byw yn Nhorfaen, ac mae hynny i gyd yn rhan o'r cynllun uchelgeisiol sydd gennym ni ar y cyd â'r 10 awdurdod lleol sy'n rhan o fargen ddinesig prifddinas Caerdydd.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd yr wrthblaid, Paul Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. The leader of the opposition, Paul Davies.
Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, when will you make a decision about the future of the M4 relief road?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, pryd fyddwch chi'n gwneud penderfyniad am ddyfodol ffordd liniaru'r M4?
Well, I will make a decision, Llywydd, when I am in the right position to do so. I know it's frustrating for Members, but the position is the one that I've set out on the floor of the Assembly previously. There was a major local public inquiry. It has produced a report, which I believe is substantial in scale and nature. Officials continue to consider that report and to make sure that, when they provide advice to me, it is secure as far as the legal aspects are concerned, the financial aspects are concerned, the policy aspects are concerned, and I have said to them that I want the best possible advice. Now, I believe that advice will be with me before too long, but I'm still prepared to make sure that the advice is the right advice, and then—to be clear with the Member—when the advice arrives I will need time to study that advice, because the advice will be complex and it will be significant, and I will put the time in necessary to make sure that the right decision is made.
Wel, byddaf yn gwneud penderfyniad, Llywydd, pan fydda i yn y sefyllfa iawn i wneud hynny. Gwn ei bod hi'n rhwystredig i'r Aelodau, ond mae'r sefyllfa yr un fath ag yr wyf i wedi ei hamlinellu ar lawr y Cynulliad o'r blaen. Bu ymchwiliad cyhoeddus lleol mawr. Mae wedi llunio adroddiad, yr wyf i'n credu sy'n sylweddol o ran maint a natur. Mae swyddogion yn parhau i ystyried yr adroddiad hwnnw ac i wneud yn siŵr, pan fyddan nhw'n rhoi cyngor i mi, ei fod yn ddiogel cyn belled ag y mae'r agweddau cyfreithiol yn y cwestiwn, y mae'r agweddau ariannol yn y cwestiwn, y mae'r agweddau polisi yn y cwestiwn, ac rwyf i wedi dweud wrthyn nhw fy mod i eisiau'r cyngor gorau posibl. Nawr, rwy'n credu y bydd y cyngor hwnnw gen i cyn bo hir, ond rwy'n dal yn fodlon gwneud yn siŵr mai'r cyngor hwnnw yw'r cyngor iawn, ac yna—i fod yn eglur gyda'r Aelod—pan ddaw'r cyngor, byddaf angen amser i astudio'r cyngor hwnnw, oherwydd bydd y cyngor yn gymhleth a bydd yn sylweddol, a bydd yn neilltuo'r amser sy'n angenrheidiol i wneud yn siŵr bod y penderfyniad iawn yn cael ei wneud.
Llywydd, all we've had from successive Labour Governments is dither, dither, dither, and that answer is just further dithering from you, First Minister. It's quite clear that, despite £44 million of taxpayers' money being spent on the inquiry into solutions for the M4 relief road, the details are now gathering dust on your desk, First Minister, given that it has been months since the report was published. Your Government is continuing to drag its heels on finding a viable solution, and the uncertainty that this is creating is hurting Welsh businesses and is damaging investment. Now, last week, more than 90 major businesses, who represent a quarter of the Welsh workforce, wrote to you urgently seeking clarification on this issue. You must end this uncertainty by finally telling Wales what your plans are. So, can you be clear here today? If the findings of the inquiry recommend the black route, will your Government then accept the outcome and actually deliver on the black route?
Llywydd, y cwbl yr ydym ni wedi ei gael gan Lywodraethau Llafur olynol yw gogor-droi, gogor-droi, gogor droi, a'r cwbl yw'r ateb yna yw mwy o ogor-droi gennych chi, Prif Weinidog. Mae'n eithaf eglur, er gwaethaf y ffaith fod £44 miliwn o arian trethdalwyr wedi cael ei wario ar yr ymchwiliad i atebion ar gyfer ffordd liniaru'r M4, bod y manylion yn hel llwch ar eich desg chi erbyn hyn, Prif Weinidog, o gofio y bu misoedd ers cyhoeddi'r adroddiad. Mae eich Llywodraeth yn parhau i lusgo eich traed o ran dod o hyd i ateb ymarferol, ac mae'r ansicrwydd y mae hyn yn ei greu yn niweidio busnesau Cymru ac yn niweidio buddsoddiad. Nawr, yr wythnos diwethaf, ysgrifennodd mwy na 90 o fusnesau mawr, sy'n cynrychioli chwarter gweithlu Cymru, atoch chi yn gofyn am eglurhad ar y mater hwn ar frys. Mae'n rhaid i chi roi terfyn ar yr ansicrwydd hwn trwy ddweud wrth Gymru o'r diwedd beth yw eich cynlluniau. Felly, a allwch chi fod yn eglur yn y fan yma heddiw? Os bydd canfyddiadau'r ymchwiliad yn argymell y llwybr du, a wnaiff eich Llywodraeth dderbyn y canlyniad wedyn a darparu'r llwybr du mewn gwirionedd?
Well, the Member cannot possibly imagine that I'm going to give him an answer to that question on the floor of the Assembly when I have neither seen the report nor seen any of the accompanying advice that would be necessary for me. It would be reckless in the extreme to do so, and it would simply put whatever I said in legal jeopardy by those who might wish to challenge it. Of course I saw what the CBI and others have said, and the answer that I give to them must be the same as I've given to you: I will make a decision in the best possible way. I will do it in full consideration of all the factors that go into making it, and I will make it in the best way that I can.
Wel, does bosib bod yr aelod yn dychmygu fy mod i'n mynd i roi ateb iddo i'r cwestiwn hwnnw ar lawr y Cynulliad pan nad wyf i wedi gweld yr adroddiad nac wedi gweld dim o'r cyngor ategol a fyddai'n angenrheidiol i mi. Byddai gwneud hynny yn anghyfrifol dros ben, a'r cwbl y byddai'n ei wneud fyddai rhoi beth bynnag a ddywedais mewn perygl cyfreithiol gan y rhai a allai ddymuno ei herio. Wrth gwrs, gwelais yr hyn a ddywedodd y CBI ac eraill, ac mae'n rhaid i'r ateb a roddaf iddyn nhw fod yr un fath ag yr wyf i wedi ei roi i chi: byddaf yn gwneud penderfyniad yn y ffordd orau bosibl. Byddaf yn ei wneud gan roi ystyriaeth lawn i'r holl ffactorau sy'n cyfrannu at ei wneud, a byddaf yn ei wneud yn y ffordd orau y gallaf.
First Minister, my question was a straightforward question, but, again, you can't give a straightforward answer. Welsh Labour have now stalled on this issue for almost 20 years, and appear as incapable as ever of driving forward a solution to the problem. It's beginning to look, from where I'm standing, like this project walked out the door with the previous First Minister. The damaging effects of your policy failures on developing an effective transport system are clear. Welsh gross value added is at the bottom of the UK league table; productivity is at the bottom of the UK league table; wages are at the bottom of the UK league table. And we can't underestimate how important this infrastructure project is for improving the economic fortunes of Wales. So, First Minister, if you're not going to deliver on the black route, can you tell us what solutions you will then bring forward as a Government, because the people of Wales have waited long enough?
Prif Weinidog, roedd fy nghwestiwn yn gwestiwn syml, ond, unwaith eto, ni allwch chi roi ateb syml. Mae Llafur Cymru wedi oedi ar y mater hwn ers bron i 20 mlynedd erbyn hyn, ac mae'n ymddangos fel pe byddai mor analluog ag erioed i fwrw ymlaen ag ateb i'r broblem. Mae'n dechrau edrych, o'm safbwynt i, fel pe byddai'r prosiect hwn wedi cerdded drwy'r drws gyda'r Prif Weinidog blaenorol. Mae effeithiau niweidiol eich methiannau polisi o ran datblygu system drafnidiaeth effeithiol yn eglur. Mae gwerth ychwanegol gros Cymru ar waelod tabl cynghrair y DU; mae cynhyrchiant ar waelod tabl cynghrair y DU; mae cyflogau ar waelod tabl cynghrair y DU. Ac ni allwn danbrisio pa mor bwysig yw'r prosiect seilwaith hwn ar gyfer gwella ffyniant economaidd Cymru. Felly, Prif Weinidog, os nad ydych chi'n mynd gyflwyno'r llwybr DU, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni pa atebion y byddwch chi'n eu cynnig fel Llywodraeth, oherwydd mae pobl Cymru wedi aros yn ddigon hir?
Llywydd, it is difficult sometimes to listen to what the Member says without remembering that his party's the one that failed to bring electrification of the railways, that has presided over the delays in Wylfa—[Interruption.] And when it comes, Llywydd, to waiting to act on a report, how many months, and, eventually, into years went by before his Government acted to turn down the report that itself had commissioned in relation to the Swansea bay tidal lagoon? So, I think he's got plenty to think about in his party's own record.
Let me say this to him: his question to me was the absolute opposite of straightforward. It pretended that it is possible to give a simple answer to a complex question, that without having considered any of the advice or the report itself that I should come to a conclusion here on the floor of the Assembly. It would be the absolute opposite of sensible ways of proceeding for me to have taken his advice.
Llywydd, mae'n anodd gwrando weithiau ar yr hyn y mae'r Aelod yn ei ddweud heb gofio mai ei blaid ef yw'r un sydd wedi methu â thrydaneiddio'r rheilffyrdd, sydd wedi bod yn gyfrifol am oediadau yn Wylfa—[Torri ar draws.] A phan ddaw, Llywydd, i aros i weithredu ar adroddiad, sawl mis, ac, yn y pen draw, blwyddyn aeth heibio cyn i'w Lywodraeth ef weithredu i wrthod yr adroddiad yr oedd hi ei hun wedi ei gomisiynu o ran morlyn llanw bae Abertawe? Felly, credaf fod ganddo ddigon i feddwl amdano o ran hanes ei blaid ei hun.
Gadewch i mi ddweud hyn wrtho: roedd ei gwestiwn i mi y gwrthwyneb llwyr i syml. Roedd yn esgus ei bod yn bosibl rhoi ateb syml i gwestiwn cymhleth, y dylwn ddod i gasgliad yma ar lawr y Cynulliad heb ystyried dim o'r cyngor na'r adroddiad ei hun. Byddai hynny i'r gwrthwyneb yn llwyr o ffyrdd synhwyrol o weithredu i mi fod wedi dilyn ei gyngor.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.
The leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.
Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, can you assure the Senedd that your leading civil servant, Permanent secretary Dame Shan Morgan, has not indicated in conversation with you, or Cabinet or other colleagues that she is willing to leave her position before her contract ends in 2022?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi sicrhau'r Senedd nad yw eich gwas sifil blaenllaw, yr ysgrifennydd Parhaol y Fonesig Shan Morgan, wedi dweud mewn sgwrs gyda chi, neu'r Cabinet neu gydweithwyr eraill ei bod yn fodlon gadael ei swydd cyn i'w chontract ddod i ben yn 2022?
I give the Member an assurance that no such conversations have taken place.
Rhoddaf sicrwydd i'r Aelod na fu unrhyw sgyrsiau o'r fath.
First Minister, I'm afraid I have to press you again on this point, and this is because of the nature of the way this alleged departure has emerged in the media, as reported last Thursday by the Western Mail's chief reporter, Martin Shipton. He refers to a number of senior, and, as he puts it, well-placed sources in the Welsh Government providing him with the information that there have been discussions about Dame Shan Morgan's early departure. Now, there are two possibilities arising from the story as reported: either it is true, in which case the Permanent Secretary might have a case to claim constructive dismissal, or it is not, in which case someone is trying to deliberately undermine the Permanent Secretary. The Government, under your predecessor, had to deny allegations of briefing against individuals. Aren't you just a bit concerned that this practice seems to be continuing?
Prif Weinidog, mae gen i ofn bod yn rhaid i mi bwyso arnoch chi unwaith eto ynghylch y pwynt hwn, ac mae hyn oherwydd natur y mae'r ymadawiad honedig hwn wedi dod i'r amlwg yn y cyfryngau, fel yr adroddwyd ddydd Iau diwethaf gan brif ohebydd y Western Mail, Martin Shipton. Mae'n cyfeirio at y ffaith fod nifer o ffynonellau uwch, ac, fel y mae ef yn ei eirio, rhai sydd mewn sefyllfa dda yn Llywodraeth Cymru wedi rhoi'r wybodaeth iddo y bu trafodaethau ynghylch ymadawiad cynnar y Fonesig Shan Morgan. Nawr, ceir dau bosibilrwydd sy'n deillio o'r stori fel y'i hadroddwyd: naill ai mae'n wir, sy'n golygu y gallai fod gan yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol achos i hawlio diswyddiad adeiladol, neu nid yw'n wir, ac felly mae rhywun yn ceisio tanseilio'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol yn fwriadol. Bu'n rhaid i'ch Llywodraeth chi, o dan eich rhagflaenydd, wadu honiadau o friffio yn erbyn unigolion. Onid ydych chi rhywfaint yn bryderus ei bod yn ymddangos bod yr arfer hwn yn parhau?
Well, Llywydd, as far as that story's concerned, I think I'm as well placed a source as the Member will ever have. What I wanted to do—. I'm not going to be drawn into speculation about how other people may have come across information they think they have and so on. What I will do is simply report the direct conversations that I have had with the individual that the Member has named, and I give him this assurance absolutely that the things that he has read in the newspaper have never once arisen in any conversation that I have had with the Permanent Secretary, and that the correction that was issued by the Welsh Government and carried in that story 100 per cent represents the position of the Welsh Government.
Wel, Llywydd, cyn belled ag y mae'r stori honno yn y cwestiwn, rwy'n credu fy mod i'n ffynhonnell sydd mewn cystal sefyllfa ag y bydd gan yr Aelod fyth. Yr hyn yr oeddwn i eisiau ei wneud—. Nid wyf i'n mynd i gael fy nhynnu i mewn i ddyfalu ynghylch sut y mae pobl eraill wedi dod o hyd i wybodaeth y maen nhw'n credu sydd ganddyn nhw ac yn y blaen. Yr hyn a wnaf, yn syml, yw hysbysu am y sgyrsiau uniongyrchol yr wyf i wedi eu cael gyda'r unigolyn y mae'r Aelod wedi ei henwi, a rhoddaf iddo'r sicrwydd llwyr hwn nad yw'r pethau y mae wedi eu darllen yn y papur newydd erioed wedi codi mewn unrhyw sgwrs yr wyf i wedi ei chael gyda'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol, a bod y cywiriad a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ac a gafodd ei gynnwys yn y stori honno yn cynrychioli safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru 100 y cant.
First Minister, when John Howard famously sacked all his departmental heads 20 years ago in Australia, it was dubbed 'the night of the long knives'. Now your Government is denying all knowledge of conversations several senior sources have maintained did happen. It seems to be a night of the short memories. Now, it said in the article that you're anxious to have a fresh start, but to give what you said now, today, on the record, added credence, can you confirm that neither you nor anyone acting on your behalf will either request or agree to the Permanent Secretary terminating her contract early? There is, after all, a very important principle here—the clue is in the name 'permanent' secretary. In order to protect the impartiality and independence of the civil service, politicians should never be able to sack the senior civil service. So, does the First Minister agree that, if there is no fresh start over the next two and a half years, it's the people then who will be the judge, and the person then who should be sacked under those circumstances will be you?
Prif Weinidog, yn yr achos enwog pan wnaeth John Howard ddiswyddo ei holl benaethiaid adrannol 20 mlynedd yn ôl yn Awstralia, cyfeiriwyd ato fel 'noson y cyllyll hir'. Nawr mae eich Llywodraeth chi yn gwadu pob gwybodaeth am sgyrsiau y mae sawl ffynhonnell uwch wedi mynnu eu bod wedi digwydd. Mae'n ymddangos mai noson y cofion byr yw hon. Nawr, roedd yn dweud yn yr erthygl eich bod chi'n awyddus i gael dechrau newydd, ond i roi mwy o hygrededd i'r hyn a ddywedasoch nawr, heddiw, ar y cofnod, a allwch chi gadarnhau na fyddwch chi nac unrhyw un sy'n gweithredu ar eich rhan naill ai'n gwneud cais nac yn cytuno i'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol derfynu ei chontract yn gynnar? Wedi'r cyfan, mae egwyddor bwysig iawn yn y fan yma—mae'r cliw yn yr enw ysgrifennydd 'parhaol'. Er mwyn gwarchod natur ddiduedd ac annibyniaeth y gwasanaeth sifil, ni ddylai gwleidyddion byth allu diswyddo'r gwasanaeth sifil uwch. Felly, a yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno, os na fydd unrhyw ddechrau newydd yn ystod y ddwy flynedd a hanner nesaf, mai'r bobl fydd y barnwr wedyn, ac mai chi fydd yr unigolyn a ddylai gael ei ddiswyddo wedyn o dan yr amgylchiadau hynny ?
Well, let me try and rescue something from the Member's final question that would be worth a sensible response. I completely agree with what Adam Price said that the independence and the impartiality of the civil service is central to the way that we do business, and it is central to the way that this Government does business here in Wales, and there is nothing that I will do or any Member of my Government will do to cast any doubt on that principle. Of course, the Member was right that, in the end, we all work for the people who elect us, and every one of us—every one of us—is in a position at the end of an Assembly term where a verdict will be passed on us by the people who sent us here in the first place, and so that should be.
Wel, gadewch imi geisio achub rhywbeth o gwestiwn olaf yr Aelod a fyddai'n werth ymateb synhwyrol. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r hyn a ddywedodd Adam Price bod annibyniaeth a natur ddiduedd y gwasanaeth sifil yn ganolog i'r ffordd yr ydym ni'n cyflawni busnes, ac mae'n ganolog i'r ffordd y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn cyflawni busnes yma yng Nghymru, ac nid oes dim y byddaf i'n ei wneud nac y bydd unrhyw Aelod o'm Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i godi unrhyw amheuon ynghylch yr egwyddor honno. Wrth gwrs, roedd yr Aelod yn iawn ein bod ni i gyd, yn y pen draw, yn gweithio i'r bobl sy'n ein hethol ni, ac mae pob un ohonom ni—pob un ohonom ni—mewn sefyllfa ar ddiwedd tymor Cynulliad lle bydd dyfarniad yn cael ei wneud arnom ni gan y bobl a'n hanfonodd ni yma yn y lle cyntaf, ac felly y dylai hi fod.
Arweinydd grŵp UKIP, Gareth Bennett.
Leader of the UKIP group, Gareth Bennett.
Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, Cardiff's bus services are in a crisis. The council-run Cardiff Bus lost nearly £2 million last year and is haemorrhaging money. Cardiff Bus has responded by cutting routes and raising fares, which affects passengers, and by downgrading pay and conditions for its own staff. It still hasn't filed its accounts for last year. What are your reflections on Cardiff's bus crisis and its implications for bus services in the rest of Wales?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, mae gwasanaethau bws Caerdydd mewn argyfwng. Fe wnaeth Bws Caerdydd, sy'n cael ei redeg gan y cyngor, golled o bron i £2 filiwn y llynedd ac mae'n colli arian ar gyfradd aruthrol. Mae Bws Caerdydd wedi ymateb trwy dorri llwybrau a chodi prisiau tocynnau, sy'n effeithio ar deithwyr, a thrwy israddio tâl ac amodau ar gyfer ei staff ei hun. Mae'n dal i fod heb ffeilio ei gyfrifon ar gyfer y llynedd. Beth yw eich myfyrdodau ar argyfwng bysiau Caerdydd a'i oblygiadau ar gyfer gwasanaethau bysiau yng ngweddill Cymru?
I thank the Member for the question. The points he raises are important ones to people who live in the capital city particularly. It is because of the situation in Cardiff Bus company that my colleague Ken Skates has asked Transport for Wales to go to the company to offer advice to them, to make sure that they have whatever support they need to try to make sure that they respond to the commercial pressures that they face and to make decisions that promote the long-term health of bus services in the capital city.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn. Mae'r pwyntiau y mae'n eu codi yn rhai pwysig i bobl sy'n byw yn y brifddinas yn arbennig. Oherwydd y sefyllfa yng nghwmni Bws Caerdydd y mae fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates wedi gofyn i Trafnidiaeth Cymru gysylltu â'r cwmni i gynnig cyngor iddyn nhw, i wneud yn siŵr eu bod nhw'n cael pa bynnag gymorth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw i geisio gwneud yn siŵr eu bod nhw'n ymateb i'r pwysau masnachol y maen nhw'n ei wynebu ac i wneud penderfyniadau sy'n hybu iechyd hirdymor gwasanaethau bysiau yn y brifddinas.
I'm glad that action has been taken already and I'm glad that your transport Minister is already on the case and there is going to be discussion with Cardiff Council. But problems with transport in Cardiff have been going on for some time, so I think perhaps I can give some pointers—I know he's a very able Cabinet Minister, but perhaps I can offer some pointers on this occasion. It's Cardiff Council that oversees the operation of Cardiff Bus and scrutinises it, but I wonder how effective that scrutiny actually is. Cardiff Council, which is run by your Welsh Labour Party has no transport committee to oversee the bus operations. Cardiff Bus is actually overseen by the environment committee, which seems to be a very wide-ranging committee, and I wonder how far they look at the bus operations. Also, it is chaired by Ramesh Patel, who until recently was the council cabinet member for transport. So, to some extent, he's effectively scrutinising decisions that he made himself not so long ago as the cabinet member. Of course, you will be aware of this, First Minister, since when he has time to do so Councillor Patel also works for you at the Assembly. Are you confident that Cardiff Council's Labour-dominated environment committee actually has the ability to oversee what Cardiff Bus is doing and help to turn around this staggering mess?
Rwy'n falch bod camau wedi eu cymryd eisoes ac rwy'n falch bod eich Gweinidog trafnidiaeth eisoes yn rhoi sylw i'r mater ac y bydd trafodaeth gyda Chyngor Caerdydd. Ond mae problemau gyda thrafnidiaeth yng Nghaerdydd wedi bodoli ers cryn amser, felly rwy'n credu efallai y gallaf i gynnig rhai awgrymiadau—gwn ei fod yn Weinidog Cabinet galluog iawn, ond efallai y gallaf i gynnig rhai awgrymiadau y tro hwn. Cyngor Caerdydd sy'n goruchwylio gweithrediad Bws Caerdydd ac yn craffu arno, ond tybed pa mor effeithiol yw'r craffu hwnnw mewn gwirionedd. Nid oes gan Gyngor Caerdydd, sy'n cael ei redeg gan eich Plaid Llafur Cymru chi bwyllgor trafnidiaeth i oruchwylio gweithrediadau bysiau. Caiff Bws Caerdydd ei oruchwylio gan bwyllgor yr amgylchedd mewn gwirionedd, sy'n ymddangos fel pwyllgor eang iawn, a tybed pa mor drylwyr maen nhw'n ystyried y gweithrediadau bysiau. Hefyd, caiff ei gadeirio gan Ramesh Patel, ac fe oedd aelod cabinet y cyngor dros drafnidiaeth tan yn ddiweddar. Felly, i ryw raddau, mae'n craffu i bob pwrpas ar benderfyniadau a wnaed ganddo ef ei hun nid mor bell yn ôl fel yr aelod cabinet. Wrth gwrs, byddwch yn ymwybodol o hyn, Prif Weinidog, oherwydd pan fo ganddo'r amser i wneud hynny, mae'r Cynghorydd Patel hefyd yn gweithio i chi yn y Cynulliad. A ydych chi'n ffyddiog fod gan bwyllgor yr amgylchedd Cyngor Caerdydd, sy'n llawn aelodau Llafur, y gallu mewn gwirionedd i oruchwylio'r hyn y mae Bws Caerdydd yn ei wneud a helpu i roi trefn ar y llanastr syfrdanol hwn?
Well, Llywydd, there is a proper arrangement in which there is a board that looks after Cardiff Bus and the relationship between it and the city council is one for the city council itself to be satisfied with, not for me. Insofar as I see it from the outside, I believe those scrutiny arrangements are robust. Following the White Paper that my colleague Ken Skates has published and its debate here in the Assembly, it may lead to a joint transport authority, which would further reinforce the scrutiny arrangements over what goes on in Cardiff but more widely across the whole of the south Wales region and beyond.
Wel, Llywydd, mae trefniant priodol lle ceir bwrdd sy'n gofalu am Bws Caerdydd ac mae'r berthynas rhwng y cwmni a chyngor y ddinas yn un i gyngor y ddinas ei hun i fod yn fodlon â hi, nid i mi. Cyn belled ag y gwelaf i o'r tu allan, rwy'n credu bod y trefniadau craffu hynny yn gadarn. Yn dilyn y Papur Gwyn y mae fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates wedi ei gyhoeddi ac yn y ddadl yn ei gylch yma yn y Cynulliad, gallai arwain at awdurdod trafnidiaeth ar y cyd, a fyddai'n atgyfnerthu'r trefniadau craffu ymhellach dros yr hyn sy'n digwydd yng Nghaerdydd ond yn fwy eang ar draws holl ranbarth de Cymru a thu hwnt.
I'm interested in what you say about the joint transport authority. I think that's something, and it's better than simply saying, 'It's a matter for the local council', which is the kind of response that Ministers here tend to usually hide behind. But it is interesting, is it not, that when you campaigned for the job of First Minister, one of your policies was to agree with Jeremy Corbyn that we need to return to having more municipal bus companies here in Wales? If you did what you said you would do and you went for more municipal bus companies, would this not simply be extending Cardiff's failing model across the whole of Wales and causing more problems for the hard-pressed Welsh taxpayer?
Mae gen i ddiddordeb yn yr hyn yr ydych chi'n ei ddweud am yr awdurdod trafnidiaeth ar y cyd. Credaf fod hynny'n rhywbeth, ac mae'n well na dim ond dweud, 'Mater i'r cyngor lleol yw hwn', sef y math o ymateb y mae Gweinidogion yn y fan yma yn tueddu i guddio y tu ôl iddo fel rheol. Ond mae'n ddiddorol, onid yw, pan wnaethoch chi ymgyrchu ar gyfer swydd y Prif Weinidog, mai un o'ch polisïau oedd cytuno gyda Jeremy Corbyn bod angen i ni ddychwelyd i gael mwy o gwmnïau bysiau trefol yma yng Nghymru? Pe byddech chi'n gwneud yr hyn y dywedasoch chi y byddech chi'n ei wneud ac yn ceisio cael mwy o gwmnïau bysiau trefol, onid yw'n wir mai'r cwbl y byddai hyn yn ei wneud yw ymestyn model aflwyddiannus Caerdydd ledled Cymru gyfan ac achosi mwy o broblemau i drethdalwyr Cymru, sydd eisoes o dan bwysau?
Well, the answer to that, Llywydd, is: of course not. Because if we were in a position, as we hope to be able to be, to reintroduce re-regulation of the bus services to bring services that depend almost entirely on the investment that the public makes in them already back under the control of the public, then we would do it in a way that avoids many of the difficulties that the current model provides for the municipal bus service here in Cardiff. I am very pleased indeed to align myself with those proposals that are being developed to bring bus services in Wales back within the control of the public and those people who pay for them already, and the White Paper that my colleague has published is a major step forward on that journey.
Wel, yr ateb i hynny, Llywydd, yw: nac ydy siŵr iawn. Oherwydd pe byddem ni mewn sefyllfa, fel yr ydym ni'n gobeithio gallu bod ynddi, i ailgyflwyno ail-reoleiddiad y gwasanaethau bysiau i ddod â gwasanaethau sy'n dibynnu bron yn gyfan gwbl ar y buddsoddiad y mae'r cyhoedd yn ei wneud ynddynt eisoes yn ôl o dan reolaeth y cyhoedd, yna byddem ni'n gwneud hynny mewn ffordd sy'n osgoi llawer o'r anawsterau y mae'r model presennol yn ei achosi i'r gwasanaeth bysiau trefol yma yng Nghaerdydd. Rwy'n falch iawn yn wir o gysylltu fy hun â'r cynigion hynny sy'n cael eu datblygu i ddod â gwasanaethau bysiau yng Nghymru yn ôl o dan reolaeth y cyhoedd a'r bobl hynny sydd eisoes yn talu amdanyn nhw, ac mae'r Papur Gwyn a gyhoeddwyd gan fy nghyd-Weinidog yn gam mawr ymlaen ar y daith honno.
3. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n sicrhau'r gwerth gorau am arian ar gyfer caffael cyhoeddus? OAQ53333
3. How is the Welsh Government ensuring best value for money for public procurement? OAQ53333
I thank the Member for the question. The Welsh Government's approach to best value from procurement includes maximising spend in the Welsh economy, securing wider community benefits from that spend, and ensuring that fair work and ethical standards of employment are maintained when money is spent on behalf of the Welsh public.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn. Mae dull Llywodraeth Cymru o sicrhau'r gwerth gorau o gaffael yn cynnwys sicrhau cymaint â phosibl o wariant yn economi Cymru, sicrhau manteision cymunedol ehangach o'r gwariant hwnnw, a sicrhau bod gwaith teg a safonau cyflogaeth moesol yn cael eu cynnal pan fydd arian yn cael ei wario ar ran y cyhoedd yng Nghymru.
In November I hosted an Assembly event with 3SC, a social enterprise established to bid for public and other contracts, harnessing the power of the third sector to deliver those contracts via organisations that otherwise lose out. At the event they launched their position paper, 'The Crisis in Public Sector Contracting and How to Cure It: A Wales Perspective', highlighting some of the challenges the third sector face in relation to public sector procurement in Wales and some thoughts on how these could be addressed. They said that whilst the social enterprise sector is growing in Wales, the sector remains small and unfulfilled in reaching its full potential, and the presence of an internal monopoly in many local authorities is just as restrictive of innovation and diversity as if the service was being provided by a big private sector outsourcer. How, therefore, will you engage with this report to look at its proposals for greater sensitivity in how services are procured and an explicit commitment for third sector and smaller organisations to secure a reasonable share of the public procurement pie? Finally, where they say problems such as reoffending, housing, disability and employment need co-operation, patience and clear thinking as well as money, but money that is spent not just with an eye to getting the cheapest solution, but the best solution—in other words, partnerships with purpose—will you consider this report?
Ym mis Tachwedd, cynhaliais ddigwyddiad yn y Cynulliad gyda 3SC, menter gymdeithasol a sefydlwyd i wneud ceisiadau am gontractau cyhoeddus ac eraill, gan harneisio grym y trydydd sector i ddarparu'r contractau hynny drwy sefydliadau a fyddai ar eu colled fel arall. Yn y digwyddiad, lansiwyd eu papur safbwynt, 'The Crisis in Public Sector Contracting and How to Cure It: A Wales Perspective', ganddyn nhw gan dynnu sylw at rai o'r heriau y mae'r trydydd sector yn eu hwynebu o ran caffael sector cyhoeddus yng Nghymru a rhai syniadau ynghylch sut y gellid mynd i'r afael â'r rhain. Er bod y sector mentrau cymdeithasol yng Nghymru yn tyfu, dywedasant bod y sector yn dal i fod yn fach a heb ei fodloni o ran cyrraedd ei botensial llawn, a bod presenoldeb monopoli mewnol mewn llawer o awdurdodau lleol yr un mor gyfyngol o ran arloesi ac amrywiaeth â phe byddai'r gwasanaeth yn cael ei ddarparu ar gontract allanol gan gwmni sector preifat mawr. Sut, felly, y gwnewch chi ymgysylltu â'r adroddiad hwn i ystyried ei gynigion ar gyfer mwy o sensitifrwydd o ran sut y caiff gwasanaethau eu caffael ac ymrwymiad pendant i'r trydydd sector a sefydliadau llai i sicrhau cyfran resymol o'r bastai caffael cyhoeddus? Yn olaf, lle maen nhw'n dweud bod problemau fel aildroseddu, tai, anabledd a chyflogaeth yn gofyn am gydweithrediad, amynedd a meddyliau clir yn ogystal ag arian, ond arian sy'n cael ei wario nid yn unig gyda golwg ar gael yr ateb rhataf, ond yr ateb gorau—mewn geiriau eraill, partneriaethau â phwrpas iddynt—a wnewch chi ystyried yr adroddiad hwn?
Llywydd, I'm not familiar with the report, but I'd certainly be keen to study it, and I'm grateful to the Member for drawing it to my attention. He's right, of course: we know that winning contracts for small organisations can be a struggle. It's why the Welsh Government has worked with the Centre for Local Economic Strategies to find ways in which small organisations, whether they be small and medium-sized enterprises or whether they be third sector organisations, can come together to collaborate on bids, to create consortiums, to form joint ventures, and in that way improve their chances of getting work through the public procurement process. The Member will be encouraged, I'm sure, to know that 58 per cent of businesses that came through the Sell2Wales website over the last 12 months have gone to Welsh SMEs, and that's a significantly higher percentage than, let us say, three years ago. But if there are interesting and new ideas in the report, then I'd be very keen to study it, and I'm grateful to him for drawing it to my attention.
Llywydd, nid wyf i'n gyfarwydd â'r adroddiad, ond byddwn yn sicr yn awyddus i'w astudio, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Aelod am dynnu fy sylw ato. Mae'n iawn, wrth gwrs: rydym ni'n gwybod y gall ennill contractau fod yn anodd i sefydliadau bach. Dyna pam mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio gyda'r Ganolfan Strategaethau Economaidd Lleol i ddod o hyd i ffyrdd y gall sefydliadau bach, pa un a ydyn nhw'n fentrau bach a chanolig eu maint neu'n sefydliadau trydydd sector, ddod at ei gilydd i gydweithio ar geisiadau, i greu consortia, i ffurfio mentrau ar y cyd, ac yn y modd hwnnw gwella eu cyfleoedd o gael gwaith drwy'r broses caffael cyhoeddus. Bydd yr Aelod yn cael ei galonogi o glywed, rwy'n siŵr, bod 58 y cant o fusnesau a ddaeth drwy wefan GwerthwchiGymru dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf wedi mynd at BBaChau yng Nghymru, ac mae honno'n ganran sylweddol uwch na, gadewch i ni ddweud, dair blynedd yn ôl. Ond os oes syniadau diddorol a newydd yn yr adroddiad, yna byddwn yn awyddus iawn i'w astudio, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iddo am dynnu fy sylw ato.
First Minister, the question focused on value for money, but one of the other important areas is value for the Welsh economy. As you pointed out, it's also looking at how we can use public procurement to actually support the Welsh economy and small independent businesses. My colleague Mike Hedges has often raised this with you. An example could also be ensuring that Welsh steel is used in infrastructure projects for the public in Wales. Will you look at what is happening there and can you give us a progress statement on how the procurement process is changing to ensure that as many Welsh businesses and products in Wales are used in Welsh procurement?
Prif Weinidog, roedd y cwestiwn yn canolbwyntio ar werth am arian, ond un o'r meysydd pwysig eraill yw gwerth i economi Cymru. Fel y nodwyd gennych, mae hefyd yn ystyried sut y gallwn ddefnyddio caffael cyhoeddus i gefnogi economi Cymru a busnesau annibynnol bach. Mae fy nghyd-Aelod Mike Hedges wedi codi hyn yn aml gyda chi. Enghraifft hefyd allai fod sicrhau bod dur Cymru yn cael ei ddefnyddio mewn prosiectau seilwaith ar gyfer y cyhoedd yng Nghymru. A wnewch chi edrych ar yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn hynny o beth, ac a allwch chi roi datganiad ar gynnydd i ni o ran sut mae'r broses gaffael yn newid i sicrhau bod cymaint o fusnesau Cymru a chynhyrchion yng Nghymru yn cael eu defnyddio wrth gaffael yng Nghymru?
I thank David Rees for that. As he will know, following the difficulties in the steel industry back in 2016, a particular procurement note was produced for Welsh public buyers to make sure that we maximised the amount of Welsh steel that goes into the buildings and other infrastructure investment that is made on behalf of the public here in Wales. A whole series of things have been done, as the Member knows, to make sure that we extract not simply best value for money but best value in that wider sense.
The community benefits scheme in Wales now covers more than 500 schemes, and that has been very successful in making sure that local jobs, apprenticeships, training and spend on that wider set of community benefits are derived from the way in which public money is spent. Our code of practice on ethical employment in the supply chain was marked by an event in January that Ken Skates attended to celebrate 150 organisations in Wales signing up to that code, which is a real, practical example of that wider sense of how what we mean by best value can be found in the Welsh economy.
Diolchaf i David Rees am hynna. Fel y bydd yn gwybod, yn dilyn yr anawsterau yn y diwydiant dur yn ôl yn 2016, lluniwyd nodyn caffael penodol ar gyfer prynwyr cyhoeddus Cymru i wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n sicrhau bod cymaint â phosibl o ddur Cymru yn mynd i'r adeiladau a'r buddsoddiadau seilwaith eraill a wneir ar ran y cyhoedd yma yng Nghymru. Gwnaed cyfres gyfan o bethau, fel y mae'r Aelod yn ei wybod, i wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n sicrhau nid yn unig y gwerth gorau am arian ond y gwerth gorau yn yr ystyr ehangach hwnnw.
Mae'r cynllun manteision cymunedol yng Nghymru yn cwmpasu mwy na 500 o gynlluniau erbyn hyn, ac mae hwnnw wedi bod yn llwyddiannus iawn o ran gwneud yn siŵr bod swyddi lleol, prentisiaethau, hyfforddiant a gwariant ar y gyfres ehangach honno o fuddiannau cymunedol yn deillio o'r ffordd y caiff arian cyhoeddus ei wario. Nodwyd ein cod ymarfer ar gyflogaeth foesol yn y gadwyn gyflenwi drwy ddigwyddiad ym mis Ionawr yr oedd Ken Skates yn bresennol ynddo i ddathlu'r ffaith fod 150 o sefydliadau yng Nghymru wedi ymrwymo i'r cod hwnnw, sy'n enghraifft ymarferol wirioneddol o'r synnwyr ehangach hwnnw o sut y gellir dod o hyd i'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei olygu wrth ddweud gwerth gorau yn economi Cymru.
4. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'u cael ynghylch lliniaru tagfeydd traffig yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru? OAQ53372
4. What discussions has the First Minister had about alleviating traffic congestion in south-east Wales? OAQ53372
I thank Jayne Bryant for that. I hold regular meetings with the Minister for Economy and Transport, discussing key transport issues, including those that affect south-east Wales.
Diolchaf i Jayne Bryant am hynna. Rwy'n cynnal cyfarfodydd rheolaidd gyda Gweinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth, gan drafod materion trafnidiaeth allweddol, gan gynnwys y rhai sy'n effeithio ar dde-ddwyrain Cymru.
Thank you, First Minister. Air pollution caused by the regular idling traffic congestion on the M4 in the Newport area is already at high levels. It's a long-standing problem, which continues to deteriorate, representing a significant health risk to my constituents. Regular, reliable and affordable improved public transport is important for Newport, but will not solve the problem alone. The traffic statistics are clear that the people of Newport are not the main cause of the congestion, but are the ones who must live with the consequences of it on a daily basis.
When there are incidents on the motorway, like there were this morning in both directions, congestion and air pollution further choke Newport. First Minister, this is an issue that requires short-term tactical and long-term strategic solutions. As I've said before, doing nothing is not an option. While we eagerly await the results of the independent public inquiry, will you consider forming an expert taskforce, involving local people, businesses and representatives, to look at the immediate options available?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Mae llygredd aer a achosir gan dagfeydd traffig llonydd rheolaidd ar yr M4 yn ardal Casnewydd eisoes ar lefelau uchel. Mae'n broblem hirsefydlog, sy'n parhau i waethygu, ac yn cynrychioli risg sylweddol i iechyd fy etholwyr i. Mae cludiant cyhoeddus gwell, rheolaidd, dibynadwy a fforddiadwy yn bwysig i Gasnewydd, ond ni fydd yn datrys y broblem ar ei ben ei hun. Mae'r ystadegau traffig dangos yn eglur nad pobl Casnewydd yw prif achos y tagfeydd, ond nhw yw'r rhai sy'n gorfod byw gyda'i ganlyniadau yn feunyddiol.
Pan fo digwyddiadau ar y draffordd, fel yr oedd y bore yma i'r ddau gyfeiriad, mae tagfeydd a llygredd aer yn tagu Casnewydd ymhellach. Prif Weinidog, mae hwn yn fater sy'n gofyn am atebion tactegol byrdymor a strategol hirdymor. Fel yr wyf i wedi ei ddweud o'r blaen, nid yw gwneud dim yn ddewis. Tra ein bod ni'n aros yn eiddgar am ganlyniadau'r ymchwiliad cyhoeddus annibynnol, a wnewch chi ystyried ffurfio tasglu o arbenigwyr, sy'n cynnwys pobl, busnesau a chynrychiolwyr lleol, i ystyried y dewisiadau uniongyrchol sydd ar gael?
Llywydd, can I say that the Member makes a really important point that, while the debate on the floor of the Assembly is absolutely understandably focused upon the local public inquiry report and what that might do in the future, that is inevitably some years away, whatever the outcome of that might be, whereas the problems that the Member points to are problems that are happening here and now in Newport? I know that she met, in the last few days, with the Minister to discuss those steps that are already being taken in the Newport area to address the issues that Jayne Bryant has pointed to.
Now, the idea of forming an expert taskforce to look, as she said, at the immediate options seems to me to be a very attractive one. I'll ask the Minister, Ken Skates, to discuss it with Jayne Bryant directly and further. There is work that has already gone on with the local authority in relation to local air quality plans, so such a task and finish group would have work to draw on in trying to devise some here-and-now solutions to the difficulties that are faced in that part of Wales, and I'm grateful to her for raising that possibility with us this afternoon.
Llywydd, a gaf i ddweud bod yr Aelod yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn, er bod y ddadl ar lawr y Cynulliad yn canolbwyntio yn gwbl ddealladwy ar adroddiad yr ymchwiliad cyhoeddus lleol a'r hyn y gallai hwnnw ei wneud yn y dyfodol, mae hynny rai blynyddoedd i ffwrdd, yn anochel, beth bynnag fydd canlyniad hynny, tra bod y problemau y mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio atyn nhw yn broblemau sy'n digwydd ar hyn o bryd yng Nghasnewydd? Gwn ei bod wedi cyfarfod gyda'r Gweinidog yn y diwrnodau diwethaf i drafod y camau hynny sydd eisoes yn cael eu cymryd yn ardal Casnewydd i fynd i'r afael â'r materion y mae Jayne Bryant wedi tynnu sylw atynt.
Nawr, mae'r syniad o ffurfio tasglu o arbenigwyr i edrych, fel y dywedodd, ar y dewisiadau uniongyrchol yn ymddangos i mi fel un deniadol iawn. Gofynnaf i'r Gweinidog, Ken Skates, ei drafod gyda Jayne Bryant yn uniongyrchol ac ymhellach. Mae gwaith a wnaed eisoes gyda'r awdurdod lleol o ran cynlluniau ansawdd aer lleol, felly byddai gan grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen o'r fath waith y byddai'n gallu manteisio arno wrth geisio llunio rhai atebion ar unwaith i'r anawsterau a wynebir yn y rhan honno o Gymru, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iddi hi am godi'r posibilrwydd hwnnw gyda ni y prynhawn yma.
First Minister, last week a statement was issued, signed by dozens of businesses and council leaders, calling on the Welsh Government to press ahead with the M4 relief road around Newport. Signatories included Sir Terry Matthews and bosses of businesses such as Aston Martin, Tata and Admiral—companies described by the director of the Confederation of British Industry in Wales as people who have their finger on the pulse of the Welsh economy.
One company accused your Government of stalling for time and looking for reasons not to build the relief road. First Minister, do you agree with these businesses and council leaders that delaying a decision is holding back the Welsh economy and will you take this opportunity to provide a date by which this matter will be brought before this Assembly? It's been going on for the last nearly eight to 10 years, and every day passing by is mounting up the extra cost of building, or whichever way you want to think of it. It's desperately needed for this road to be developed and make sure of this congestion, which would improve our economy, health, education and, more than anything else, our sports. Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, cyhoeddwyd datganiad yr wythnos diwethaf, wedi ei lofnodi gan ddwsinau o fusnesau ac arweinwyr cyngor, yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i fwrw ymlaen â ffordd liniaru'r M4 o amgylch Casnewydd. Roedd y llofnodwyr yn cynnwys Syr Terry Matthews a phenaethiaid busnesau fel Aston Martin, Tata ac Admiral—cwmnïau a ddisgrifiwyd gan gyfarwyddwr Cydffederasiwn Diwydiant Prydain yng Nghymru fel pobl sydd â'u bys ar guriad calon economi Cymru.
Cyhuddodd un cwmni eich Llywodraeth o oedi i roi amser i'w hun a chwilio am resymau i beidio ag adeiladu'r ffordd liniaru. Prif Weinidog, a ydych chi'n cytuno â'r busnesau a'r arweinyddion cyngor hyn bod gohirio penderfyniad yn dal economi Cymru yn ôl ac a wnewch chi fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i roi dyddiad pan fydd y mater hwn yn cael ei ddwyn gerbron y Cynulliad hwn? Mae wedi bod ar y gweill ers yr wyth i 10 mlynedd diwethaf bron, ac mae bob diwrnod sy'n mynd heibio yn ychwanegu at y gost o adeiladu, neu ba ffordd bynnag yr hoffech chi feddwl amdano. Mae angen taer i'r ffordd hon gael ei datblygu, a gwneud yn siŵr o'r tagfeydd hyn, a fyddai'n gwella ein heconomi, ein hiechyd, ein haddysg ac, yn fwy nag unrhyw beth arall, ein chwaraeon. Diolch.
Well, Llywydd, I was listening when the Member's leader asked me those identical questions earlier on this afternoon and I don't think I'll take Members' time by repeating the same answers, Members having already heard the same questions.
Wel, Llywydd, roeddwn i'n gwrando pan ofynnodd arweinydd yr Aelod yr union gwestiynau hynny i mi yn gynharach y prynhawn yma ac nid wyf i'n credu y gwnaf i gymryd amser yr Aelodau drwy ailadrodd yr un atebion, gan fod yr Aelodau wedi clywed yr un cwestiynau eisoes.
5. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog nodi beth yw polisi Llywodraeth Cymru o ran datganoli gweinyddol mewn cysylltiad â lles? OAQ53335
5. Will the First Minister set out the Welsh Government’s policy on the administrative devolution of welfare? OAQ53335
I thank the Member for that. We will explore the case for devolving administration of aspects of the benefit system to Wales. In doing so, we will take into account the work of Assembly committees on this matter and experience elsewhere. Any transfer of functions would have to be accompanied by the necessary funding.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am hynna. Byddwn yn ystyried yr achos dros ddatganoli gweinyddu agweddau ar y system fudd-daliadau i Gymru. Wrth wneud hynny, byddwn yn cymryd i ystyriaeth gwaith pwyllgorau'r Cynulliad ar y mater hwn a phrofiad mewn mannau eraill. Byddai'n rhaid i'r cyllid angenrheidiol fod ar gael ar y cyd ag unrhyw drosglwyddo swyddogaethau.
The question of whether the administrative devolution of aspects of welfare can bring benefits by better aligning welfare with Welsh Government policies to tackle poverty and to deal with providing opportunity for all is one that's been around for a while. But there was a frisson of excitement last week, I have to say, at the welcome response of the First Minister to the question of my colleague John Griffiths on 15 January that the case has been made to explore the devolution of the administrative aspects of welfare. It's something I believed we should be open to consider when I was a Minister and I still believe it now. So, whilst recognising there are dangers, flagged indeed by the devolution of council tax benefit, where the UK Government short-changed us badly—that is a lesson learnt—I would urge him to explore this seriously, but with due diligence, with patience, neither to succumb to the over-enthusiasm of those who would ignore any dangers and seek this devolution at any cost to our Welsh exchequer base and our Welsh citizens, nor to succumb to the over-cautious who would say this is too perilous even to consider. Could the First Minister now indicate for us how he might take this work forward, and perhaps to what broad timescale, and whether he'll draw on the report of the Bevan Foundation in doing so?
Mae'r cwestiwn o ba un a all datganoli gweinyddol agweddau ar les ddod â manteision trwy gyfochri lles yn well gyda pholisïau Llywodraeth Cymru i drechu tlodi ac i ymdrin â darparu cyfle i bawb yn un sydd wedi bod o gwmpas ers peth amser. Ond roedd gwefr o gyffro yr wythnos diwethaf, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, yn sgil ymateb y Prif Weinidog, yr oedd croeso mawr iddo, i gwestiwn fy nghyd-Aelod John Griffiths ar 15 Ionawr bod yr achos wedi ei wneud dros ymchwilio i ddatganoli'r agweddau gweinyddol ar les. Mae'n rhywbeth yr oeddwn i'n credu ddylai fod yn agored i'w ystyried pan yr oeddwn i'n Weinidog ac rwy'n dal i'w gredu nawr. Felly, gan gydnabod bod peryglon, y tynnwyd sylw atyn nhw yn wir gan ddatganoli budd-dal y dreth gyngor, pryd y gwnaeth Llywodraeth y DU dro gwael iawn â ni—dyna wers a ddysgwyd—byddwn yn ei annog i ymchwilio o ddifrif i hyn , ond gyda diwydrwydd dyledus, gydag amynedd, heb ildio i or-frwdfrydedd y rhai a fyddai'n anwybyddu unrhyw beryglon ac yn ceisio sicrhau'r datganoli hwn ar unrhyw gost i'n sylfaen ariannol yng Nghymru a dinasyddion Cymru, nac ildio i'r gor-ofalus a fyddai'n dweud bod hyn yn rhy beryglus i'w ystyried hyd yn oed. A allai'r Prif Weinidog ddweud wrthym ni nawr sut y gallai fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith hwn, ac yn unol â pha amserlen gyffredinol efallai, a pha un a wnaiff ef fanteisio ar adroddiad Sefydliad Bevan wrth wneud hynny?
Can I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for the supplementary question, because the spirit in which he suggests we should go about this is exactly the way that I want us to do it? I want us to do it seriously, I want us to do it positively, but I want us to do it in a way that recognises that there will be difficulties in the path as well as advantages to be gained. The Member is right to point to the fact that administering parts of the benefit system is not a wholly new idea as far as Wales is concerned. The fact that we have preserved a council tax benefit scheme here in Wales, the fact that we have a discretionary assistance fund, the fact that we are taking action to abolish imprisonment as a consequence of not paying council tax and to absolve care leavers under the age of 25 from paying the council tax—those are all examples of how, when we have the ability to do it, we are using the powers we already have in the benefit administration field. The report that our colleague John Griffiths's committee produced pointed to some of the impacts on people in Wales, for example, of the benefit sanctioning regimen. And we know the punitive way in which that has been administered in Wales and in other parts of the United Kingdom and that's why I am committed to exploring whether there are further ways in which we could do things differently and better here in Wales. I hope to explore with the Wales Centre for Public Policy whether they may be the best way in which we can take these first steps forward, looking further at the evidence the committees have considered, looking at the experience of Scotland to date, and then providing an evidence base for us of the sort that Huw Irranca-Davies has pointed to, one where we have courage to look at things that may be new to us but are sufficiently alert to the dangers that might still be there.
A gaf i ddiolch i Huw Irranca-Davies am y cwestiwn atodol yna, gan mai'r ysbryd y mae'n awgrymu y dylem ni fynd ati i wneud hyn yw'r union ffordd yr wyf i eisiau i ni ei wneud? Rwyf i eisiau i ni ei wneud o ddifrif, rwyf i eisiau i ni ei wneud mewn modd cadarnhaol, ond rwyf i eisiau i ni ei wneud mewn ffordd sy'n cydnabod y bydd anawsterau ar y ffordd yn ogystal â manteision i'w hennill. Mae'r Aelod yn iawn i dynnu sylw at y ffaith nad yw gweinyddu rhannau o'r system fudd-daliadau yn syniad hollol newydd cyn belled ag y mae Cymru yn y cwestiwn. Mae'r ffaith ein bod ni wedi cadw cynllun budd-dal treth gyngor yma yng Nghymru, y ffaith bod gennym ni gronfa cymorth dewisol, y ffaith ein bod ni'n cymryd camau i ddiddymu carchar fel canlyniad o beidio â thalu'r dreth gyngor ac i ryddhau'r rhai iau na 25 oed sy'n gadael gofal rhag gorfod talu'r dreth gyngor—mae'r pethau hynny i gyd yn enghreifftiau o sut, pan fydd y gallu gennym ni i'w wneud, yr ydym ni'n defnyddio'r pwerau sydd gennym ni eisoes yn y maes gweinyddu budd-daliadau. Cyfeiriodd yr adroddiad a luniwyd gan bwyllgor ein cyd-Aelod John Griffiths at rai o'r effeithiau ar bobl yng Nghymru, er enghraifft, y drefn cosbau budd-dal. Ac rydym ni'n ymwybodol o'r ffordd gosbol y mae hynny wedi cael ei weinyddu yng Nghymru ac mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig a dyna pam yr wyf i wedi ymrwymo i ystyried a oes ffyrdd eraill y gallem ni wneud pethau'n wahanol ac yn well yma yng Nghymru. Rwy'n gobeithio ymchwilio gyda Chanolfan Polisi Cyhoeddus Cymru pa un ai nhw a allai fod y ffordd orau y gallwn ni gymryd y camau cyntaf hyn ymlaen, gan edrych ymhellach ar y dystiolaeth y mae'r pwyllgorau wedi ei hystyried, edrych ar brofiad yr Alban hyd yn hyn, ac yna darparu sail dystiolaeth i ni o'r fath y mae Huw Irranca-Davies wedi cyfeirio ati, un lle mae gennym ni ddewrder i ystyried pethau a allai fod yn newydd i ni ond yn ddigon effro i'r peryglon a allai fod yno o hyd.
I think, frankly, First Minister, that administrative devolution in this area would be a very meagre thing. Now, since 1945, the social contract that's been the bedrock of the welfare state is that a citizen has a direct relationship with the state for a level of economic security and, no matter where he or she lives in the United Kingdom, they have the same basic economic rights to benefits. If we mess about with this principle, we could end up breaking that consensus we currently enjoy and that sustains a welfare state. We need to be very, very careful about this sort of fragmentation.
Rwy'n credu, a bod yn blaen, Prif Weinidog, mai rhywbeth pitw iawn fyddai datganoli gweinyddol yn y maes hwn. Nawr, ers 1945, y contract cymdeithasol a fu'n sylfaen i'r wladwriaeth les yw bod gan ddinesydd berthynas uniongyrchol â'r wladwriaeth ar gyfer lefel o ddiogelwch economaidd ac, ni waeth ble mae ef neu hi yn byw yn y Deyrnas Unedig, bod ganddo'r un hawliau economaidd sylfaenol i fudd-daliadau. Os byddwn ni'n ymyrryd â'r egwyddor hon, gallem ni yn y pen draw chwalu'r consensws hwnnw yr ydym ni'n ei fwynhau ar hyn o bryd ac sy'n cynnal gwladwriaeth les. Mae angen i ni fod yn ofalus dros ben ynghylch y math hwn o ddarnio.
Well, Llywydd, this is not a principle that appealed to the Member's own Government when they forced administration of council tax onto us here in Wales, when they devolved the social fund to us against our wishes, when they insisted that we took responsibility for the disability living allowance without having asked us at all for it first. But, actually—. See, I happen to agree with what the Member says, but I make a different distinction to him. I don't want to see the break-up of the tax benefit system; I think it is part of the glue that holds the United Kingdom together. I am not talking about devolution of policy responsibility for these matters; I am talking about administrative devolution—the ability not for us to have a different system in Wales, but for the way in which that system is delivered on the ground to be in Welsh hands—and I think that's a different matter to the danger that the Member points to, and a danger that, actually, I happen to share.
Wel, Llywydd, nid yw hon yn egwyddor a oedd yn apelio i Lywodraeth yr Aelod ei hun pan orfodwyd gweinyddu'r dreth gyngor arnom ni yma yng Nghymru ganddynt, pan wnaethant ddatganoli'r gronfa gymdeithasol i ni erbyn ein dymuniadau, pan wnaethant fynnu ein bod ni'n cymryd cyfrifoldeb am y lwfans byw i'r anabl heb ofyn i ni o gwbl amdano yn gyntaf. Ond, a dweud y gwir—. Welwch chi, rwy'n digwydd cytuno â'r hyn y mae'r Aelod yn ei ddweud, ond rwy'n gwneud gwahanol wahaniaethiad iddo ef. Nid wyf i eisiau gweld y system budd-daliadau treth yn cael ei chwalu; rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n rhan o'r glud sy'n dal y Deyrnas Unedig at ei gilydd. Nid wyf i'n sôn am ddatganoli cyfrifoldeb polisi am y materion hyn; rwy'n sôn am ddatganoli gweinyddol—y gallu nid i ni gael system wahanol yng Nghymru, ond am y ffordd y mae'r system honno yn cael ei darparu ar lawr gwlad i fod yn nwylo Cymru—ac rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n fater gwahanol i'r perygl y mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio ato, a pherygl yr wyf i'n digwydd ei rannu, mewn gwirionedd.
I welcome the recent shift from the Labour Government when it comes to the devolution of the administration of welfare benefits. There's no doubt in my mind, nor in the minds of many people who work for homeless support agencies, that austerity is linked to the shocking rise in visible rough-sleeping on our streets, and it's no wonder that this has been described as reaching crisis point by Shelter Cymru. Scotland already has extensive powers over welfare, thanks to the proactive Government from the Scottish Nationalist Party in power there, and they are doing much better on the homelessness front. So, will you commission a study to look at how they mitigated welfare cuts from Westminster so that, if we are able to have those powers in Wales, there is a plan of action ready and waiting? And will you also agree to review what the Government can do in the meantime, using your existing powers, to provide some relief to the growing homelessness crisis we have here in this country?
Rwy'n croesawu'r newid diweddar gan y Llywodraeth Lafur pan ddaw i ddatganoli gweinyddu budd-daliadau lles. Nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth yn fy meddwl i, nac ym meddyliau llawer o bobl sy'n gweithio i asiantaethau cynorthwyo pobl ddigartref, bod cyni cyllidol yn gysylltiedig â'r cynnydd syfrdanol i gysgu ar y stryd amlwg ar ein strydoedd, ac nid yw'n syndod y dywedwyd gan Shelter Cymru bod hyn yn cyrraedd pwynt argyfwng. Mae gan yr Alban bwerau helaeth dros les eisoes, diolch i'r Llywodraeth ragweithiol gan Plaid Genedlaethol yr Alban sydd mewn grym yno, ac maen nhw'n gwneud yn llawer gwell o ran digartrefedd. Felly, a wnewch chi gomisiynu astudiaeth i ystyried sut y gwnaethant liniaru toriadau lles o San Steffan fel bod cynllun gweithredu yn barod i fynd os byddwn ni'n gallu cael y pwerau hynny yng Nghymru? Ac a wnewch chi gytuno hefyd i adolygu'r hyn y gall y Llywodraeth ei wneud yn y cyfamser, gan ddefnyddio eich pwerau presennol, i roi rhywfaint o ryddhad i'r argyfwng digartrefedd cynyddol sydd gennym ni yma yn y wlad hon?
I absolutely agree with Leanne Wood that the rise in rough-sleeping is the most visible outcrop of the age of austerity, and it is a profound change in the way that we see that crisis in people's lives in front of us every day, compared to a decade ago. I do want to learn from the experience of devolution of welfare in Scotland. It's a process she will know that isn't due to be completed until 2021, so it is at the very early stages of it, but, nonetheless, in the sort of study that I referred to in my answer to Huw Irranca-Davies, I think capturing the experience of Scotland is important for us. Here in Wales, as far as rough-sleeping is concerned, we are putting more money into homelessness services next year as well as this year, and there are a whole range of initiatives that the Minister then responsible for it, Rebecca Evans, announced before Christmas. We've seen some figures published very recently that have some very small first signs that those initiatives are beginning to make a difference, and I want us to go on doing more to address those very, very disturbing signs that we see around us of people who are forced to live their lives in circumstances none of us would be prepared to see as acceptable.
Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â Leanne Wood mai'r cynnydd i'r niferoedd sy'n cysgu ar y strydoedd yw'r arwydd mwyaf gweladwy o'r oes o gyni cyllidol, ac mae'n newid sylweddol i'r ffordd yr ydym ni'n gweld yr argyfwng hwnnw ym mywydau pobl o'n blaenau bob dydd, o'i gymharu â degawd yn ôl. Rwyf i eisiau dysgu o'r profiad o ddatganoli lles yn yr Alban. Mae'n broses y bydd hi'n ymwybodol nad oes disgwyl iddi gael ei chwblhau tan 2021, felly mae ar y camau cynnar iawn, ond, serch hynny, yn y fath o astudiaeth y cyfeiriais ati yn fy ateb i Huw Irranca-Davies, rwy'n credu bod dysgu am brofiad yr Alban yn bwysig i ni. Yma yng Nghymru, cyn belled ag y mae cysgu ar y stryd yn y cwestiwn, rydym ni'n rhoi mwy o arian i wasanaethau digartrefedd y flwyddyn nesaf yn ogystal ag eleni, a cheir amrywiaeth eang o fentrau a gyhoeddwyd gan y Gweinidog a oedd yn gyfrifol amdano ar y pryd, Rebecca Evans, cyn y Nadolig. Rydym ni wedi gweld rhai ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar iawn bod rhai arwyddion cyntaf bach iawn bod y mentrau hynny yn dechrau gwneud gwahaniaeth, a hoffwn i ni barhau i wneud mwy i fynd i'r afael â'r arwyddion annymunol dros ben yr ydym ni'n eu gweld o'n cwmpas o bobl sy'n cael eu gorfodi i fwy eu bywydau o dan amgylchiadau na fyddai yr un ohonom ni'n barod i'w hystyried fel bod yn dderbyniol.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gategoreiddio ysgolion? OAQ53376
6. Will the First Minister make a statement on the categorisation of schools? OAQ53376
I thank Suzy Davies for that. Categorisation is not a mark of success or failure but a means of identifying the level of support a school needs. Last week’s figures showed that an increasing proportion of schools are becoming self-sustaining and requiring less external support. That is an upward trend from the year 2015 onwards.
Diolch i Suzy Davies am hynna. Nid yw categoreiddio yn arwydd o lwyddiant na methiant ond mae'n fodd o nodi lefel y cymorth sydd ei hangen ar ysgol. Dangosodd ffigurau yr wythnos diwethaf bod cyfran gynyddol o ysgolion yn dod yn hunan-gynhaliol ac angen llai o gymorth allanol. Mae honno'n duedd ar i fyny o flwyddyn 2015 ymlaen.
Yes, and I hope we would all like to join in congratulating those schools who find that they are no longer in need of support; as you say, the purpose of categorisation is to identify whether schools need extra support. In view of some of the GCSE and A-level results we saw this year, though, and the revised figures on the attainment gap between children eligible for free school meals and their peers, were you surprised that fewer schools are now seen as needing some support? And I'd also be keen to know whether you think the system serves well those schools who are good but could be excellent, because good shouldn't be enough for our most able, talented staff and students?
Ydy, ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddem ni i gyd yn hoffi ymuno i longyfarch yr ysgolion hynny sy'n canfod nad oes angen cymorth arnyn nhw mwyach; fel y dywedwch, diben categoreiddio yw nodi pa un a oes angen cymorth ychwanegol ar ysgolion. O ystyried rhai o'r canlyniadau TGAU a Safon Uwch a welsom eleni, fodd bynnag, a'r ffigurau diwygiedig ar y bwlch cyrhaeddiad rhwng plant sy'n gymwys i dderbyn prydau ysgol am ddim a'u cyfoedion, a gawsoch chi eich synnu yr ystyrir bod llai o ysgolion angen rhywfaint o gymorth erbyn hyn? A byddwn hefyd yn awyddus i gael gwybod pa un a ydych chi'n credu bod y system yn gwasanaethu'n dda yr ysgolion hynny sy'n dda ond a allai fod yn rhagorol, oherwydd ni ddylai da fod yn ddigon i'n staff a'n myfyrwyr mwyaf galluog a dawnus?
I think there's a danger that the Member may be confusing two different issues—the performance in relation to exam results, which are very important, and the need for a school to have support. Because the important point she made is this—that there may be a school that appears to have very good exam results, but where those results should be better still, given the nature of the intake it has. And that school may need support. It may need support in order to make sure that it delivers the added value that a school ought to provide, depending upon the nature of its catchment. So, in that sense, I'm not surprised at the figures we see here, because I don't think the two things are quite as directly correlated as the supplementary question suggested.
Of course, I am pleased to see that more schools need fewer days of support, because I think that is a marker of improvement in the system. And where that isn't happening, and where we have a very small, but concerning, number of schools that are stuck in the red category, I know that my colleague Kirsty Williams is requiring local authorities to provide her with an account, at school level, of the plans that are there to make sure that those schools get the support they need to make sure that they are part of this improving picture as well.
Rwy'n credu bod perygl efallai fod yr Aelod yn cymysgu dau wahanol fater—y perfformiad o ran canlyniadau arholiadau, sy'n bwysig iawn, a'r angen i ysgol gael cymorth. Oherwydd y pwynt pwysig a wnaeth yw hwn—y gallai fod ysgol y mae'n ymddangos ei bod wedi cael canlyniadau arholiadau da iawn, ond lle dylai'r canlyniadau hynny fod yn well byth, o ystyried natur y disgyblion sy'n mynychu. Ac efallai fod angen cymorth ar yr ysgol honno. Efallai y bydd angen cymorth arni er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr ei bod yn cynnig y gwerth ychwanegol y dylai ysgol ei gynnig, yn dibynnu ar natur ei dalgylch. Felly, yn yr ystyr hwnnw, nid wyf i'n synnu at y ffigurau yr ydym ni'n eu gweld yn y fan yma, oherwydd nid wyf i'n credu bod cysylltiad mor uniongyrchol rhwng y ddau beth ag yr oedd y cwestiwn atodol yn ei awgrymu.
Wrth gwrs, rwy'n falch o weld bod mwy o ysgolion angen llai o ddiwrnodau o gymorth, oherwydd rwy'n credu bod hynny'n dangos gwelliant yn y system. A lle nad yw hynny'n digwydd, a lle mae gennym ni nifer fach, ond sy'n peri pryder, o ysgolion nad ydyn nhw'n gallu dianc o'r categori coch, gwn fod fy nghyd-Weinidog Kirsty Williams yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i awdurdodau lleol ddarparu datganiad iddi, ar lefel ysgol, o'r cynlluniau sydd ar gael i wneud yn siŵr bod yr ysgolion hynny yn cael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt i wneud yn siŵr eu bod hwythau hefyd yn rhan o'r darlun hwn sy'n gwella.
7. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o effaith Brexit heb fargen ar y sector modurol yng Nghymru? OAQ53378
7. What assessment has the First Minister made of the impact of a 'no deal' Brexit on the automotive sector in Wales? OAQ53378
I thank Lynne Neagle. Our assessment continues to demonstrate that leaving the European Union without a deal would be disastrous for the automotive sector. Such a possibility should be taken off the table by the UK Government and an extension sought now to the article 50 timetable.
Diolchaf i Lynne Neagle. Mae ein hasesiad yn parhau i ddangos y byddai gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd heb gytundeb yn drychinebus i'r sector modurol. Dylai Llywodraeth y DU gymryd posibilrwydd o'r fath oddi ar y bwrdd a dylid ceisio estyniad nawr i'r amserlen erthygl 50.
Thank you, First Minister. Would you agree with me that the lesson from the weekend, and the very bad news from Nissan, is that while no deal would be the very worst outcome of all for the automotive industry, the reality is that any Brexit will see arguments and uncertainty continue for years, and every day of uncertainty is a day when investors stay away and jobs are under threat, especially in constituencies like mine? And would the First Minister also agree that whatever Brexit deal is agreed, it will only ever be a blindfold Brexit, because the political declaration that accompanies the withdrawal agreement is just a political wish list, the equivalent of motherhood and apple pie, and that whether it's Mrs May's deal, or Norway plus, or any other sort of Brexit, the negotiations and damaging uncertainty will likely continue for years to come?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. A fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi mai'r wers o'r penwythnos, a'r newyddion drwg iawn gan Nissan, yw er mai dim cytundeb fyddai'r canlyniad gwaethaf un i'r diwydiant modurol, y gwir amdani yw y bydd unrhyw Brexit yn golygu y bydd dadleuon ac ansicrwydd yn parhau am flynyddoedd, a bod bob dydd o ansicrwydd yn ddiwrnod pan fo buddsoddwyr yn aros i ffwrdd ac mae swyddi o dan fygythiad, yn enwedig mewn etholaethau fel fy un i? Ac a fyddai'r Prif Weinidog hefyd yn cytuno, pa bynnag gytundeb Brexit a wneir, mai dim ond Brexit dall y bydd beth bynnag, gan mai dim ond rhestr o ddymuniadau gwleidyddol yw'r datganiad gwleidyddol sy'n ategu'r cytundeb ymadael, sy'n cyfateb i bethau cysurus fel bod yn fam a theisen afal, a pha un a fydd yn gytundeb Mrs May, neu Norwy a mwy, neu'n unrhyw fath arall o Brexit, ei bod yn debygol y bydd y trafodaethau a'r ansicrwydd niweidiol yn parhau am flynyddoedd i ddod?
Well, Llywydd, the Member is absolutely right that uncertainty is the enemy of investment and that is a message that the CBI and other industry-leading bodies have said for months and months and months. Brexit for them is not something that will happen after 29 March, Brexit is something that has been happening now for many months, and decisions are being made in businesses across Wales and across the United Kingdom, where things that would have been done and would have been in place and prosperity would have been supported—those things are not being done because of the uncertainty and the way in which this UK Government has managed to bungle Brexit right up to the very final line. And, of course, the Member is right—she will remember the debate we had here on the floor of the Assembly when Mrs May first declared her deal. There are things that are wrong with the withdrawal agreement, and we pointed to those here. But the things that are wrong with the political declaration are even more significant, and expecting this Assembly or anybody else to sign up to that flimsy document without any sorts of guarantees about the type of future that we need the other side of the European Union—no wonder she ended up with the defeat that she had, and no wonder that this Assembly was not willing to support it either.
Wel, Llywydd, mae'r Aelod yn hollol iawn mai ansicrwydd yw gelyn buddsoddiad ac mae honno'n neges y mae Cydffederasiwn Diwydiant Prydain a chyrff eraill sy'n arwain eu diwydiannau wedi ei chyfleu ers misoedd ar fisoedd ar fisoedd. Iddyn nhw, nid yw Brexit yn rhywbeth a fydd yn digwydd ar ôl 29 Mawrth, mae Brexit yn rhywbeth sydd wedi bod yn digwydd ers misoedd lawer erbyn hyn, ac mae penderfyniadau yn cael eu gwneud mewn busnesau ledled Cymru a ledled y Deyrnas Unedig, lle mae pethau a fyddai wedi cael eu gwneud ac a fyddai wedi bod ar waith a byddai ffyniant wedi cael ei gefnogi—nid yw'r pethau hynny yn cael eu gwneud oherwydd yr ansicrwydd a'r ffordd y mae Llywodraeth bresennol y DU wedi llwyddo i wneud smonach o Brexit hyd at y llinell olaf un. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae'r Aelod yn iawn—bydd hi'n cofio'r ddadl a gawsom ni yma ar lawr y Cynulliad pan wnaeth Mrs May gyhoeddi ei chytundeb gyntaf. Mae pethau sydd yn anghywir gyda'r cytundeb ymadael, a chyfeiriwyd at y rheini gennym ni yn y fan yma. Ond mae'r pethau sy'n anghywir gyda'r datganiad gwleidyddol yn fwy arwyddocaol fyth, ac mae disgwyl i'r Cynulliad hwn neu unrhyw un arall i gytuno i'r ddogfen simsan honno heb unrhyw fath o sicrwydd ynghylch y math o ddyfodol sydd ei angen arnom ni yr ochr arall i'r Undeb Ewropeaidd—does dim rhyfedd ei bod hi wedi dioddef y trechiad a wnaeth, a does dim rhyfedd nad oedd y Cynulliad hwn yn barod i'w gefnogi ychwaith.
Cwestiwn 8 yn olaf, John Griffiths.
Finally, question 8, John Griffiths.
8. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog amlinellu blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru o ran datblygu cyfranogiad mewn chwaraeon? OAQ53371
8. Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's priorities with regard to developing participation in sport? OAQ53371
Amongst our priorities are increasing participation in sport by traditionally under-represented groups, the delivery of community sport and the strengthening of the relationship between physical activity and well-being.
Ymhlith ein blaenoriaethau y mae cynyddu cyfranogiad mewn chwaraeon gan grwpiau a dangynrychiolir yn draddodiadol, y ddarpariaeth o chwaraeon cymunedol a chryfhau'r berthynas rhwng gweithgarwch corfforol a llesiant.
First Minister, success at a professional level is very important in terms of inspiring greater grass-roots participation, and in that context, I wonder if you would join me in acknowledging the success of Newport County in returning to the football league in recent times, in achieving a miraculous escape from relegation and then going on to the fourth round of the FA Cup last year, defeating Leeds United, drawing with Tottenham Hotspur and going to Wembley for the replay, and now tonight facing Middlesbrough in the fourth round of the FA Cup having defeated Leicester City in the last round. Would you agree with me that this is a fine example to those considering participation in football at the grass-roots level in Newport, First Minister? And will you also join me in sending all good wishes to Newport County for tonight's game?
Prif Weinidog, mae llwyddiant ar lefel broffesiynol yn bwysig iawn o ran ysbrydoli mwy o gyfranogiad ar lawr gwlad, ac yn y cyd-destun hwnnw, tybed a wnewch chi ymuno â mi i gydnabod llwyddiant Clwb Pêl-droed Casnewydd yn dychwelyd i gynghrair pêl-droed Lloegr yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, yn cyflawni dihangfa wyrthiol rhag cwympo o'r gynghrair ac yna cyrraedd pedwaredd rownd Cwpan Lloegr y llynedd, gan drechu Leeds United, cael gêm gyfartal â Tottenham Hotspur a mynd i Wembley ar gyfer y gêm ailchwarae, a heno eto yn wynebu Middlesbrough ym mhedwaredd rownd Cwpan Lloegr ar ôl trechu Dinas Caerlŷr yn y rownd ddiwethaf. A fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi bod hyn yn gosod esiampl wych i'r rhai sy'n ystyried cymryd rhan mewn pêl-droed ar lawr gwlad yng Nghasnewydd, Prif Weinidog? Ac a wnewch chi hefyd ymuno â mi i anfon dymuniadau da i Gasnewydd ar gyfer y gêm heno?
I thank John Griffiths very much for that question. I absolutely join with him in sending, I'm sure, the best wishes of the whole Assembly to Newport County in their replay against Middlesbrough this evening, part of that remarkable record that Newport County has developed in recent years in cup competitions. And, of course, he is absolutely right that their success goes on to inspire people more widely in the area, the county. The community trust of Newport County we know is really active—48 per cent of young people in Wales participate in sport at least three times a week, but the figure for Newport is 58 per cent, and part of that undoubtedly is due to the inspirational effect of having successful professional sport in the area. We wish them the very best of luck in their replay this evening.
Diolchaf yn fawr iawn i John Griffiths am y cwestiwn yna. Rwy'n sicr yn ymuno ag ef i anfon, rwy'n siŵr, dymuniadau gorau'r Cynulliad cyfan i Gasnewydd yn eu gêm ailchwarae yn erbyn Middlesbrough heno, sy'n rhan o'r hanes rhyfeddol hwnnw y mae Casnewydd wedi ei ddatblygu yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf mewn cystadlaethau cwpan. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae e'n hollol iawn bod eu llwyddiant yn ysbrydoli pobl yn fwy eang yn yr ardal, yn y sir. Gwyddom fod ymddiriedolaeth gymunedol Clwb Pêl-droed Casnewydd yn weithgar iawn—mae 48 y cant o bobl ifanc yng Nghymru yn cymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon o leiaf dair gwaith yr wythnos, ond mae'r ffigur ar gyfer Casnewydd yn 58 y cant, ac nid oes amheuaeth bod hynny'n rhannol oherwydd effaith yr ysbrydoliaeth o fod â chwaraeon proffesiynol llwyddiannus yn yr ardal. Dymunwn bob lwc iddyn nhw yn eu gêm ailchwarae heno.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, a galwaf ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad a'r cyhoeddiad—Rebecca Evans.
The next item is the business statement and announcement and I call on the Trefnydd to make the statement and announcement—Rebecca Evans.
Two additional statements have been added to today's agenda, one on homelessness and rough-sleeping and an update on the Welsh mutual investment model. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out in the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Mae dau ddatganiad ychwanegol wedi eu hychwanegu at agenda heddiw, un ar ddigartrefedd a chysgu ar y stryd a'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ar y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol yng Nghymru. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos nesaf wedi ei gynnwys yn y datganiad a'r cyhoeddiad busnes y gellir ei weld ymysg papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau yn electronig.
Minister, may I ask for a statement from the Minister for Health and Social Services on the latest waiting time statistics for accident and emergency patients in Welsh hospitals? Last month saw the lowest rate ever recorded for the month of December, with only 77.8 per cent of patients being seen within the four-hour waiting time target. Over 18,000 patients waited longer than four hours, with already 4,000 waiting over 12 hours to be seen by health professionals. Given that the waiting time target was set in 2008 and has never been met, can we have a statement from the Minister on the reasons why A&E waiting times last month were the worst on record for many previous Decembers? Thank you.
Gweinidog, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ar yr ystadegau amseroedd aros diweddaraf ar gyfer cleifion damweiniau ac achosion brys mewn ysbytai yng Nghymru? Y mis diwethaf, gwelwyd y gyfradd isaf a gofnodwyd erioed ar gyfer mis Rhagfyr, gyda 77.8 y cant o gleifion yn unig yn cael eu gweld o fewn yr amser aros targed o bedair awr. Arhosodd dros 18,000 o gleifion am fwy na phedair awr, gyda 4,000 eisoes yn aros dros 12 awr cyn iddyn nhw gael eu gweld gan weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol. O gofio mai yn 2008 y pennwyd yr amser aros targed, ac nad yw erioed wedi ei fodloni, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog ynghylch y rhesymau pam mai amseroedd aros damweiniau ac achosion brys y mis diwethaf oedd y gwaethaf ar gofnod ers mis Rhagfyr llawer o flynyddoedd? Diolch.
Thank you for that. I can confirm that the health Minister will be bringing forward a statement next week on unscheduled care winter pressures.
Diolch am hynny. Gallaf gadarnhau y bydd y Gweinidog iechyd yn cyflwyno datganiad yr wythnos nesaf ar bwysau'r gaeaf ar ofal heb ei drefnu.
I'd like some clarity, please, from the Welsh Government about your policy when it comes to care homes and protecting and retaining public care homes in the public sector. I raise this matter because Labour-led Rhondda Cynon Taf council is looking to outsource public service provision to the private sector on the back of an alleged modernisation programme for services to the elderly, and this means that residential homes in Pentre, Treorchy, Gelli, Trealaw, Porth and Ferndale, along with some day-care services are under review and therefore under threat. This has caused a great deal of understandable concern to local people who I've spoken with, so could you please bring some clarity to this issue by bringing forward a statement from the Government on its care strategy?
I've just met Imam Sis, a Kurdish Plaid Cymru member who's been on hunger strike since 16 December in protest of Turkish oppression of his people. Central to this campaign is the bid to get the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, Abdullah Öcalan, freed from a Turkish prison. He's been incarcerated since 1999 under the most appalling conditions. Shamefully, the UK Government has looked the other way. Will you please join Plaid Cymru in extending solidarity with the Kurdish citizens of Wales who are protesting against oppression and standing for freedom?
I was disturbed to hear of Gilbert Watt, the case of a traveller from Cardiff who, with the assistance of the police, was ejected from a National Express coach that he had a valid ticket for. Mr Watt is a black Rastafarian, who was visiting his partner from London, and he'd made the journey with an e-ticket a number of occasions before without any problems. The fact that National Express has now apologised and offered him a refund, along with 10 complimentary journeys is very telling to me. Do you, like me, suspect that racism was behind this incident? And will you make a strong statement against such actions, which clearly discriminate against people?
Finally, I would be grateful if you would join me in acknowledging the work of Elfed Wyn Jones, Osian Hedd Harris, Aron Tudur Dafydd, Grisial Hedd Roberts, Iestyn Phillips and Caleb Siôn Davies after they took swift and positive action to reinstate the 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' graffiti in Llanrhystud? This is a landmark of national importance, so I, like many people across Wales, was appalled to hear that it had been defaced. These young people worked through the night on Sunday to right this wrong, and they've shown a knowledge of their own history but also a determination to effect positive change. Examples like this fill me with great hope for the future of this country, so will you join me in congratulating these young people for the action they took over the weekend?
Hoffwn i gael rhywfaint o eglurder gan Lywodraeth Cymru, os gwelwch yn dda, ar eich polisi o ran cartrefi gofal a diogelu a chadw cartrefi gofal cyhoeddus yn y sector cyhoeddus. Rwyf yn codi’r mater hwn oherwydd bod cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf, dan arweiniad Llafur, yn bwriadu trefnu darpariaeth gwasanaethau cyhoeddus i'r sector preifat ar gontract allanol yn sgil rhaglen foderneiddio honedig ar gyfer gwasanaethau i'r henoed. Mae hyn yn golygu bod cartrefi preswyl ym Mhentre, Treorci, y Gelli, Trealaw, y Porth a Glynrhedynog, ynghyd â rhai gwasanaethau gofal dydd, yn cael eu hadolygu, ac felly, dan fygythiad. Mae hyn wedi achosi llawer iawn o bryder dealladwy i’r bobl leol yr wyf wedi siarad â nhw. Felly, a oes modd ichi roi rhywfaint o eglurder ar y mater hwn drwy gyflwyno datganiad gan y Llywodraeth ar ei strategaeth gofal?
Rwyf newydd gwrdd ag Imam Sis, aelod Cwrdaidd o Blaid Cymru, sydd wedi bod ar streic newyn ers 16 Rhagfyr mewn protest oherwydd gorthrwm Twrci ar ei phobl. Yn ganolog i'r ymgyrch hon, ceir yr ymgais i ryddhau arweinydd Plaid Gweithwyr Kurdistan, Abdullah Öcalan, o garchar yn Nhwrci. Carcharwyd ef ers 1999, dan yr amodau mwyaf ofnadwy. Yn gywilyddus, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi anwybyddu hyn. A wnewch chi ymuno â Phlaid Cymru wrth ddangos undod â dinasyddion Cwrdaidd Cymru sy'n protestio yn erbyn gorthrwm ac yn sefyll dros ryddid?
Cefais fy ysgwyd wrth glywed am achos y teithiwr o Gaerdydd, Gilbert Watt, a gafodd, gyda chymorth yr heddlu, ei daflu allan oddi ar fws National Express yr oedd ganddo docyn dilys ar ei gyfer. Rastaffariad du yw Mr Watt, a oedd yn ymweld â'i bartner o Lundain, ac roedd wedi bod ar y daith hon gan ddefnyddio e-docyn nifer o weithiau o’r blaen heb unrhyw broblemau. Mae'r ffaith bod National Express bellach wedi ymddiheuro ac wedi cynnig i’w ad-dalu, ynghyd â 10 taith am ddim, yn arwyddocaol iawn i mi. A ydych chi, fel fi, yn amau bod hiliaeth y tu ôl i’r digwyddiad hwn? Ac a wnewch chi ddatganiad cryf yn erbyn gweithrediadau o'r fath, sy’n amlwg iawn yn gwahaniaethu yn erbyn pobl?
Yn olaf, byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe byddech chi’n ymuno â mi i gydnabod gwaith Elfed Wyn Jones, Osian Hedd Harris, Aron Tudur Dafydd, Grisial Hedd Roberts, Iestyn Phillips a Caleb Siôn Davies ar ôl iddyn nhw gymryd camau cyflym a chadarnhaol i adfer y graffiti ‘Cofiwch Dryweryn’ yn Llanrhystud? Mae hwn yn arwyddnod o bwys cenedlaethol. Felly, fel llawer o bobl ledled Cymru, roeddwn i wedi dychryn pan glywais ei fod wedi cael ei ddifwyno. Gweithiodd y bobl ifanc hyn drwy'r nos, nos Sul, i unioni'r camwedd hwn, ac maen nhw wedi dangos gwybodaeth o’u hanes eu hunain ond hefyd wedi dangos eu bod nhw’n benderfynol o gyflawni newid cadarnhaol. Mae enghreifftiau fel hyn yn rhoi gobaith mawr i mi ar gyfer dyfodol y wlad hon, felly a wnewch chi ymuno â mi wrth longyfarch y bobl ifanc hyn am y camau a gymerwyd ganddyn nhw yn ystod y penwythnos?
Thank you very much for raising these issues. I will certainly join you in congratulating those young people for the actions that they took over the weekend in the face of what I think was a particularly senseless and insensitive act with regard to the 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' memorial.
I would certainly say that Cadw, I think, has looked in the past at whether or not it should be a listed structure, and I know that even being a listed structure wouldn't prevent this kind of thing from happening again. But I know that Welsh Government would be keen to have some discussions with Llanrhystud Community Council and any other interested parties in terms of what we could do to better protect the site in future.
On the issue you raised regarding the Kurdish citizens of Wales, I can confirm that the international relations Minister did bring this matter up with the Turkish ambassador just last week, and perhaps she will be able to write to you with some more confirmation of those conversations that took place.
On the issue of discrimination, clearly, we would oppose discrimination wherever it takes place, and, certainly, organisations and businesses would have a responsibility to ensure that their staff always act in a manner that is very much within the letter and the spirit of all equalities legislation, and I would be concerned to hear of any examples where that wasn't taking place.
On the matter of the care strategy, I know that you'll have the opportunity to raise these concerns in health questions, which will be taking place tomorrow.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am godi'r materion hyn. Yn sicr, rwy'n ymuno â chi i longyfarch y bobl ifanc hynny am y gweithredu dros y penwythnos yn wyneb yr hyn yr wyf yn ei gredu oedd yn weithred arbennig o ddisynnwyr a dideimlad ynglŷn â’r gofeb ‘Cofiwch Dryweryn’.
Byddwn yn sicr yn dweud bod Cadw, rwy'n credu, wedi edrych yn y gorffennol i weld a ddylai fod yn strwythur rhestredig ai peidio, a gwn na fyddai bod yn strwythur rhestredig hyd yn oed yn atal y math hwn o beth rhag digwydd eto. Ond gwn y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn awyddus i gael trafodaethau gyda Chyngor Cymuned Llanrhystud ac unrhyw bartïon eraill â diddordeb ynghylch yr hyn y gallem ei wneud i warchod y safle yn well yn y dyfodol.
Ar y mater a godwyd gennych am ddinasyddion Cwrdaidd yng Nghymru, gallaf gadarnhau bod y Gweinidog cysylltiadau rhyngwladol wedi codi’r mater hwn gyda llysgennad Twrci yr wythnos diwethaf, ac efallai y bydd hi’n gallu ysgrifennu atoch gyda mwy o gadarnhad ynghylch y sgyrsiau hynny a gafodd hi.
Ar y mater gwahaniaethu, yn amlwg, byddem ni’n gwrthwynebu gwahaniaethu lle bynnag y bo hynny'n digwydd. Ac, yn sicr, byddai gan sefydliadau a busnesau gyfrifoldeb i sicrhau bod eu staff yn ymddwyn mewn ffordd sy’n cadw at lythyren ac ysbryd y ddeddfwriaeth gydraddoldeb i raddau helaeth bob amser, a byddwn yn pryderu o glywed am unrhyw enghreifftiau lle nad oedd hynny’n digwydd.
Ar y mater strategaeth gofal, gwn y bydd gennych gyfle i godi’r pryderon hyn yn y cwestiynau iechyd a fydd yn digwydd yfory.
I would like to raise two issues and ask for two statements. Firstly, can we have a statement from the economy and transport Minister regarding road safety on the M4 between junction 44, which is in my constituency, and junction 46, which I believe is in the Minister's? There have been a large number of accidents, and locals have said about water drainage and the road surface in that area.
Secondly, can I return to the job losses at Virgin Media call centre in Swansea? In January, you told me that the first tranche of those staff did leave in November and there were a further two phases planned for this year. Virgin Media's outplacement support team has taken on responsibility for providing staff with on-site access to key partners of our Welsh Government taskforce, including Careers Wales, the Department for Work and Pensions and local employers. The jobs fair in October took place on the Virgin Media site and there are further job fairs planned to coincide with the initial tranches of staff who will be leaving. So, those further jobs fairs will be timed in relation to those further tranches of people who will be leaving the company. Can we now have a Government statement, or can you make a response and provide a further update on what is happening there, which affects your constituency, Julie James's, mine and many others?
Hoffwn godi dau fater a gofyn am ddau ddatganiad. Yn gyntaf, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog economi a thrafnidiaeth ynghylch diogelwch ar y ffyrdd ar yr M4 rhwng cyffordd 44, sydd yn fy etholaeth i, a chyffordd 46 sydd, rwy'n credu, yn etholaeth y Gweinidog? Mae nifer fawr o ddamweiniau wedi digwydd, ac mae’r bobl leol wedi sôn am ddraenio dŵr ac wyneb y ffordd yn yr ardal honno.
Yn ail, a gaf i fynd yn ôl at y swyddi sy’n cael eu colli yng nghanolfan alwadau Virgin Media yn Abertawe? Ym mis Ionawr, fe ddywedasoch chi wrthyf fod y gyfran gyntaf o staff hynny wedi gadael ym mis Tachwedd a bod dau gam arall wedi eu cynllunio ar gyfer y flwyddyn hon. Mae tîm cymorth all-leoli Virgin Media wedi cymryd y cyfrifoldeb o ddarparu mynediad ar gyfer staff ar y safle i bartneriaid allweddol tasglu Llywodraeth Cymru, gan gynnwys Gyrfa Cymru, yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau a chyflogwyr lleol. Cynhaliwyd ffair swyddi ar safle Virgin Media ym mis Hydref a chynlluniwyd rhagor o ffeiriau swyddi i gyd-fynd â’r cyfrannau cychwynnol o staff fydd yn gadael. Felly, bydd y ffeiriau swyddi eraill hynny yn cael eu hamseru i gyd-fynd â’r cyfrannau eraill o bobl a fydd yn gadael y cwmni. A gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth nawr, neu a allwch chi ymateb a rhoi rhagor o wybodaeth ar yr hyn sy'n digwydd yno, sy'n effeithio ar eich etholaeth chi, Julie James, ar fy etholaeth innau, a llawer o rai eraill?
Thank you very much for raising both of these issues. Certainly, there is concern over the accidents that have recently taken place between junctions 44 and 46 on the motorway, and, certainly, I was very sorry indeed to hear about the recent fatal accident that occurred at junction 45, and, clearly, we would want to pass on our sympathies to the family of the person involved. Ensuring safety on our road network is our primary concern here, and officials are currently awaiting the police's detailed report and investigation into that particular collision. I can say that maintenance work is planned on this section of the M4 between junctions 45 and 46—eastbound and westbound carriageways—and programming of work will depend on prioritisation and the availability of funding. But in the meantime, our agent will continue to inspect the section on a regular basis and repair safety-related defects as and when they arise.
On the matter of Virgin Media and the job losses, I don't have much further to add to that information that you have given us this afternoon, other than to confirm that the further two phases of redundancies will be planned for later this year, and we will have those jobs fairs to coincide with those leaving dates. I know that Mike Hedges and Julie James and others are very closely involved in this issue and talking to the workforce, and so, it would be useful to know of any other additional issues that are outstanding that Welsh Government might be able to help with.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am godi'r ddau fater hyn. Yn sicr, mae pryder ynghylch y damweiniau sydd wedi digwydd yn ddiweddar rhwng cyffordd 44 a 46 ar y draffordd, ac, yn sicr, roedd yn ddrwg calon gen i glywed am y ddamwain angheuol a ddigwyddodd yn ddiweddar ar gyffordd 45, ac, yn amlwg, byddem yn dymuno cydymdeimlo â theulu’r unigolyn dan sylw. Sicrhau diogelwch ar ein rhwydwaith ffyrdd yw ein prif bryder yn y fan hon, ac mae swyddogion yn aros am adroddiad manwl ac ymchwiliad yr heddlu ynghylch y gwrthdrawiad penodol hwnnw ar hyn o bryd. Gallaf ddweud bod gwaith cynnal a chadw wedi ei gynllunio ar y rhan hon o'r M4 rhwng cyffyrdd 45 a 46—ar y ffyrdd tua'r dwyrain a thua'r gorllewin—a bydd rhaglennu'r gwaith yn dibynnu ar flaenoriaethu a’r arian fydd ar gael. Ond yn y cyfamser, bydd ein hasiant yn parhau i arolygu’r rhan hon o’r briffordd yn rheolaidd gan atgyweirio diffygion sy’n ymwneud â diogelwch fel y byddan nhw’n codi.
Ynghylch mater Virgin Media a’r swyddi sy’n cael eu colli, nid oes gen i lawer mwy i’w ychwanegu at yr wybodaeth yr ydych chi wedi ei rhoi inni y prynhawn yma. Ond gallaf gadarnhau y bwriedir cael dau gam o ddiswyddiadau pellach yn ddiweddarach eleni, ac y byddwn yn cynnal y ffeiriau swyddi hynny fel eu bod nhw’n cyd-fynd â’r dyddiadau gadael hynny. Gwn fod Mike Hedges a Julie James ac eraill yn ymwneud yn agos iawn â’r mater hwn ac yn siarad â'r gweithlu, ac felly, byddai'n ddefnyddiol gwybod am unrhyw faterion ychwanegol eraill sydd angen sylw y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru fod yn gallu helpu gyda nhw.
Organiser, could we have two statements, please? One in relation to the Welsh Government-proposed and Vale of Glamorgan Council-proposed new road from Sycamore Cross to the M4 in Miskin. We've had a change of Government, I would suggest—not a change of party, but a change of Government—with a new Minister and a new First Minister, and it would be interesting, certainly for residents in the area affected to know whether there has been any change of policy in the transport plan, because, obviously, we're conscious that the new deputy Minister is road averse, I would suggest, and residents would like to understand if there's any change in planning, and indeed, change of planning and the support that might come from Welsh Government to pay for this project.
And, secondly, could we have a statement from the Minister for rural affairs in relation to her consultation around Lucy's Law, i.e. third-party puppy sales? This is an area of great debate across Wales. Most local authorities have endorsed the proposal around Lucy's Law. Those who haven't, I'm confidently told, will be coming on board shortly. I do understand that the Minister is proposing to bring a consultation forward. To date, that consultation hasn't come into the public domain yet, so an understanding of how that might proceed in the near future would be very welcome indeed.
Trefnydd, a gawn ni ddau ddatganiad, os gwelwch yn dda? Un ohonynt mewn cysylltiad â ffordd newydd sydd wedi ei chynnig gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Chyngor Bro Morgannwg rhwng Sycamore Cross a'r M4 ym Meisgyn. Rydym wedi cael newid Llywodraeth, byddwn i’n awgrymu—nid newid plaid, ond newid Llywodraeth—gyda Gweinidog newydd a Phrif Weinidog newydd, a byddai’n ddiddorol i drigolion yr ardal yr effeithir arni yn sicr pe byddai modd cael gwybod a oes unrhyw newid polisi yn y cynllun trafnidiaeth. Oherwydd, yn amlwg, rydym yn ymwybodol bod y dirprwy Weinidog newydd, byddwn i'n awgrymu, yn wrthwynebus i ffyrdd, a byddai’r trigolion yn hoffi deall a oes unrhyw newid o ran cynllunio, ac yn wir, newid i’r cynllunio a'r cymorth a allai ddod gan Lywodraeth Cymru er mwyn talu am y prosiect hwn.
Ac, yn ail, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog dros faterion gwledig mewn cysylltiad â’i hymgynghoriad ynghylch Cyfraith Lucy, hynny yw, gwerthu cŵn bach trydydd parti? Mae hyn yn destun dadl fawr ledled Cymru. Mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r awdurdodau lleol wedi cefnogi'r cynnig sy’n ymwneud â Chyfraith Lucy. Dywedir wrthyf yn hyderus y bydd y rhai nad ydyn nhw wedi ei gefnogi yn dod i gytundeb arno cyn bo hir. Deallaf fod y Gweinidog yn bwriadu cyflwyno ymgynghoriad. Hyd yma, nid yw'r ymgynghoriad hwnnw wedi dod i sylw'r cyhoedd, felly byddai dealltwriaeth o sut y gallai hynny fynd rhagddo yn y dyfodol yn cael ei chroesawu yn fawr iawn.
Thank you very much for those questions. On the issue of the new road in Miskin, I think perhaps it might be most appropriate for you to write to the Minister with responsibility for transport to get the clarity that you're seeking on behalf of your constituents there.
And on the issue of Lucy's Law, I'll certainly have a conversation with the Minister to explore when further detail on that consultation and any proposed actions following it might be forthcoming.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am y cwestiynau hynny. Ar fater y ffordd newydd ym Meisgyn, rwy'n credu efallai mai'r peth mwyaf priodol i'w wneud fyddai ichi ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am drafnidiaeth er mwyn cael yr eglurder yr ydych yn ei geisio ar ran eich etholwyr yn y fan honno.
Ac ynghylch mater Cyfraith Lucy, byddaf yn sicr yn cael sgwrs gyda'r Gweinidog i gael gwybod pryd y cawn ragor o fanylion ynghylch yr ymgynghoriad hwnnw ac unrhyw gamau arfaethedig sy'n ei ddilyn.
Hoffwn i godi materion yn ymwneud â thryloywder peirianwaith Llywodraeth Cymru ac atebolrwydd gweinidogol priodol i'r Senedd hon. Ers peth amser bellach, mae yna amwysedd ynglŷn â pha Weinidog sy'n atebol i'r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol am y gwasanaeth sifil sy'n cefnogi gwaith Gweinidogion. Yn San Steffan, mae'r cyfrifoldeb hwnnw wedi ei roi yn glir iawn i'r Prif Weinidog, ond dydy'r rhestr o gyfrifoldebau gweinidogol diweddaraf ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru ddim yn rhoi llawer o oleuni ar y mater. Ac mae gen i ymateb i ddau gwestiwn ysgrifenedig a oedd wedi eu cyflwyno gan Adam Price, arweinydd Plaid Cymru, yn gofyn i'r Prif Weinidog, Mark Drakeford, egluro sut y mae peirianwaith adrannau'r gwasanaeth sifil wedi newid yn dilyn penodi ei Gabinet newydd. Ac mae o'n dweud mewn ymateb fod cyfrifoldebau staffio wedi'u dirprwyo i'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol ac y bydd Shan Morgan yn ysgrifennu at Adam Price efo ateb. Ac mewn ateb i gwestiwn penodol arall, yn gofyn yn blwmp ac yn blaen pa Weinidog sy'n gyfrifol i'r Cynulliad hwn am y gwasanaeth sifil, yr un ydy'r ateb, sef fod materion staffio wedi'u dirprwyo i'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol. Rŵan, dwi'n gofyn i chi, felly, am eglurder: pa Weinidog sy'n ateb i'r Cynulliad yma am y gwasanaeth sifil yn ei gyfanrwydd a'r weinyddiaeth yn ei chyfanrwydd sydd yn cefnogi Llywodraeth Cymru?
Ac ar fater cysylltiedig yn ymwneud â thryloywder y gwasanaeth sifil, dwi wedi bod yn bryderus ers tro am y diffyg gallu i gael gwybodaeth am lefelau staffio a strwythurau staffio o ran safonau'r Gymraeg, achos mae hynny'n gallu effeithio'n uniongyrchol ar bolisi'r Llywodraeth yn y maes yna a chyflawni polisi'r Llywodraeth. Mi fu yn arfer gan y Llywodraeth i gyhoeddi siart strwythur o'r prif adrannau a'r prif uwch-weision sifil arweiniol. Ond dwi wedi bod yn chwilio am siart tebyg, ac mae'r un diweddaraf dwi'n medru dod o hyd iddo fo yn dyddio yn ôl i Fai 2017, ac wedi dyddio hefyd, ac roedd yn rhaid i fi fynd i grombil gwefan Llywodraeth Cymru ac archif o'r cyfnod hwnnw i ddarganfod y siart yma. Mae Llywodraeth Mark Drakeford wedi bod yn awyddus iawn, ar yr wyneb beth bynnag, i bwysleisio ymagwedd newydd at Lywodraeth agored, ac yn yr ysbryd hwnnw felly, allwch chi sicrhau bod yna fersiwn gyfredol o siart strwythur lefel uwch y Llywodraeth a'i hadrannau ar gael ar fyrder i Aelodau'r Cynulliad a phobl Cymru?
I’d like to raise issues regarding the transparency of the machinery of Welsh Government and proper ministerial accountability to this Senedd. For some time now, there has been some ambiguity as to which Minister is accountable to the National Assembly for the civil service, which supports ministerial work. In Westminster, that responsibility is given very clearly to the Prime Minister, but the list of ministerial responsibilities recently published by the Welsh Government doesn’t throw much light on this issue, and I have a response to two written questions that were tabled by Adam Price, the leader of Plaid Cymru, asking the First Minister, Mark Drakeford, to explain how the mechanisms of the civil service have changed following the appointment of his new Cabinet. He states in response that staffing responsibilities are delegated to the Permanent Secretary and that Shan Morgan will write to Adam Price with a response. And in response to another particular question, asking quite clearly which Minister is responsible to this Assembly for the civil service, the response is the same, namely that staffing issues are delegated to the Permanent Secretary. Now, I ask you, therefore, for some clarity on this issue: which Minister does account to this Assembly for the civil service and the administration in their entirety that supports the Welsh Government?
On an issue related to the transparency of the civil service, I’ve been concerned for some time about the inability to access information about staffing levels and staffing structures in terms of Welsh language standards, because that can have a direct impact on Government policy in that area and on the delivery of Government policy. It used to be Government practice to publish a structural chart of the main departments and the senior civil servants. I have searched for such a chart but the latest I’ve been able to find dates back to May 2017, and it is dated. I had to search the very depths of the Welsh Government website, and the archive, indeed, to discover this. The Mark Drakeford Government has been very eager, on the face of it at least, to emphasise a new approach to open Government. In that spirit, therefore, can you ensure that there is a current, up-to-date version of a senior civil servant structural chart, as well as their departments, available as a matter of urgency to Assembly Members and the people of Wales?
Thank you for raising these issues. On the first, I don't think I can add anything further to that which was in both of the answers to the written questions to Adam Price. I've seen the answers myself, and I know that there is the intention, as you say, for Shan Morgan to write to Adam Price in response to his queries as well.
I'll certainly explore the issue you've raised about transparency in relation to the Welsh language standards, with regard to the senior civil service particularly, and I will write to you with further information.
Diolch am godi'r materion hyn. Ynghylch y cyntaf, nid wyf yn credu y gallaf ychwanegu unrhyw beth at yr hyn a oedd yn y ddau ateb i'r cwestiynau ysgrifenedig i Adam Price. Rwyf wedi gweld yr atebion fy hun, a gwn ei fod yn fwriad, fel y dywedwch, i Shan Morgan ysgrifennu at Adam Price mewn ymateb i'w ymholiadau yntau hefyd.
Byddaf yn sicr yn archwilio'r mater yr ydych wedi ei godi ynghylch tryloywder mewn cysylltiad â safonau'r Gymraeg, o ran yr uwch wasanaeth sifil yn arbennig, a byddaf yn ysgrifennu atoch gyda rhagor o wybodaeth.
Leader of the house, last Saturday I attended a meeting of the Neath Port Talbot 1950s Women—make sure I get that terminology right. It was a packed meeting, with over 400 in attendance. Now, I appreciate that pensions, and this issue in particular, is a Westminster matter, but the consequences actually come in devolved competencies. If we have women who are no longer able to retire at the time they thought, and they have caring responsibilities, where are those caring responsibilities going to lie? They will rely on services offered within Wales. So, there are many issues that actually are within our devolved competencies. It's important that we get fair deals for these women, and I declare an interest, Llywydd as I have family members—I won't name them, in case I get shot when I go home—who are in that bracket. But it is important that we are seeing many, many women disadvantaged to the level where they may not be able to finish work simply because they could not afford to finish work. They may have other responsibilities, which puts an added pressure upon them. It is time now we do as much as we can to help them. Can you give a statement from the Welsh Government as to what action it has taken to raise these issues with the UK Government, to ensure that Welsh citizens who are in this bracket are actually going to be benefiting from the deals? There are various deals being discussed, but they deserve what they expected, and that is a pension from the state at the age of 60.
Arweinydd y Tŷ, ddydd Sadwrn diwethaf roeddwn i mewn cyfarfod o Fenywod Castell-nedd Port Talbot yr 1950au—gan wneud yn siŵr fod y derminoleg honno'n gywir gennyf i. Roedd yn llawn dop yn y cyfarfod, gyda dros 400 yn bresennol. Nawr, rwy'n sylweddoli mai mater i San Steffan yw pensiynau, a'r mater hwn yn benodol, ond mae'r canlyniadau yn digwydd mewn gwirionedd yn y cymwyseddau datganoledig. Os oes gennym ni fenywod na allant bellach ymddeol pryd yr oedden nhw wedi bwriadu gwneud, ac mae ganddyn nhw gyfrifoldebau gofalu, pwy fydd yn gyfrifol am y cyfrifoldebau gofalu hynny? Byddan nhw'n dibynnu ar y gwasanaethau a gynigir yng Nghymru. Felly, mae nifer o faterion sydd mewn gwirionedd o fewn ein cymwyseddau datganoledig. Mae'n bwysig inni gael bargen deg ar gyfer menywod hyn, ac rwy'n datgan diddordeb yma, Llywydd, gan fod gennyf fi aelodau o'm teulu i—ni fyddaf yn eu henwi nhw, rhag ofn y caf fy saethu pan af i adref—sydd yn y sefyllfa honno. Ond mae'n bwysig ein bod yn sylweddoli bod llawer iawn o fenywod yn cael cam i'r fath raddau fel na fyddan nhw'n gallu gadael eu gwaith oherwydd na allan nhw fforddio i adael eu gwaith. Gall fod ganddyn nhw gyfrifoldebau eraill, sy'n rhoi pwysau ychwanegol arnyn nhw. Mae'n bryd i ni nawr wneud cymaint ag y gallwn i'w helpu nhw. A wnewch chi roi datganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch pa gamau a gymerwyd i godi'r materion hyn gyda Llywodraeth y DU, i sicrhau y bydd dinasyddion Cymru sydd yn y sefyllfa hon yn elwa mewn gwirionedd ar y cytundebau? Mae cytundebau amrywiol yn cael eu trafod, ond maen nhw'n haeddu'r hyn yr oedden nhw'n ei ddisgwyl, a hynny yw pensiwn gan y wladwriaeth yn 60 oed.
Thank you very much for raising this issue. As you say, pension matters are not devolved, but the impact that it's having on the women concerned is very much a concern for Welsh Government. Welsh Government has written to the UK Government to express our concerns about the impact that the pension Acts of 1995 and 2011 are disproportionately having on women who have had their state pension age raised significantly, without effective or sufficient notification. And, as you say, many women in this particular age group have worked in part-time jobs, often low-paid jobs, taken time off work to look after children and elderly relatives, and have also been subject to gender inequality in terms of pay for most of their working lives. So, it's clearly a great unfairness that is being done to this particular cohort of women. As I say, we've already written to the UK Government on this, but you've raised it here in the Chamber, and I'd be certainly pleased to do so again.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi am godi'r mater hwn. Fel y dywedwch, nid yw materion pensiwn wedi cael eu datganoli, ond mae'r effaith a gaiff hyn ar y menywod dan sylw yn ofid mawr i Lywodraeth Cymru heb unrhyw amheuaeth. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ysgrifennu at Lywodraeth y DU i fynegi ein pryderon ynghylch yr effaith anghymesur a gaiff Deddfau pensiwn 1995 a 2011 ar fenywod sydd wedi gweld yr oedran y byddan nhw'n cael pensiwn gan y wladwriaeth yn cael ei godi'n sylweddol, heb rybudd effeithiol na digonol. Ac, fel y dywedwch, mae llawer o fenywod yn y grŵp oedran arbennig hwn wedi gweithio mewn swyddi rhan-amser, swyddi ar gyflog isel yn aml, ac wedi cymryd amser i ffwrdd o'r gwaith i ofalu am blant a pherthnasau oedrannus, a hefyd wedi gweld anghydraddoldeb rhwng y rhywiau o ran cyflog am y rhan fwyaf o'u gyrfa. Felly, mae'n amlwg mai annhegwch mawr yw'r hyn sy'n cael ei wneud i'r garfan arbennig hon o fenywod. Fel y dywedaf, rydym eisoes wedi ysgrifennu at Lywodraeth y DU ar y mater hwn, ond rydych chi wedi ei godi yma yn y Siambr, ac yn sicr byddwn i fy hunan yn hapus i godi hynny unwaith eto.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
I thank the Trefnydd.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r datganiad gan y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth leol ar ddigartrefedd a chysgu allan. Dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog i wneud ei datganiad—Julie James.
The next item is the statement by the Minister for Housing and Local Government on homelessness and rough-sleeping. I call on the Minister to make her statement—Julie James.
Diolch, Llywydd. Llywydd, this Government is committed to ensuring everyone lives in a home that meets their needs. Meeting this commitment is made all the more challenging by the continuing austerity and uncertainty. The most pressing and difficult challenge is in meeting the needs of those who are furthest from secure, suitable housing, in particular those sleeping rough on our streets in tents and doorways, but also those whose homelessness is less visible but just as real.
We have this morning published the annual rough-sleeper count for Wales. The annual count aims to identify rough-sleepers on a particular night. It also includes the findings of a two-week data gathering exercise, using information from a range of services, to provide evidence of the levels of rough-sleeping over a longer time period. The data provides a snapshot of a continuously changing picture. In broad terms, the data indicates that our collective efforts may be beginning to have an impact. In the face of increasing pressures on households, the number of people sleeping rough appears to be stabilising overall, and, in some areas, numbers show a decrease. However, even one person sleeping rough on our streets is one person too many. Like all other Assembly Members who are familiar with the reality on the streets of our towns and cities, I know that rough-sleeping remains at a persistent and unacceptable level in Wales.
This is not a situation unique to Wales. Rough-sleeping is sadly evident in all major towns and cities. This is not acceptable and, in my view, it is not inevitable. Decent housing ought to be a basic human right in a rich country like ours, but the impact of welfare reform, coupled with almost a decade of austerity, is adding to the pressure on households and their access to affordable accommodation. The Welsh Government has invested significantly in preventing and tackling homelessness over the last three years. We are building on that investment, with over £30 million more this year and next. We are also committed to building more affordable housing and to protecting our social housing stock. There are signs that the combination of our groundbreaking homelessness legislation and this financial investment are making a difference.
Almost 19,700 households were successfully prevented from becoming homeless between April 2015 and the end of September 2018. This is particularly positive given that the numbers of households assessed as threatened with homelessness rose by 12 per cent compared to the same quarter the previous year. Despite this significant increase in demand, local authorities managed to maintain service levels, preventing homelessness in 65 per cent of cases. Rough-sleeping is the most acute and visible form of homelessness. People sleeping on our streets often have a range of complex needs that accommodation alone will not address. If we believe the numbers of rough-sleepers to be persistent and unacceptably high, we must then question whether our service models are responding adequately to the needs of people who find themselves on our streets. We must learn from people’s lived experience and seek innovative responses that have individuals at their centre.
We need to ask ourselves whether the additional funding has had an impact, and whether service models adequately support the complex needs of people to help them off the streets and into long-term accommodation. I want local authorities to be bold and brave. I commend them and every single individual who works so hard to support rough-sleepers and help them turn their lives around.
There are some innovative approaches being trialled across Wales. In Wrexham, the community care hub is one such example. As the First Minister recently saw first-hand, it offers rough-sleepers unique access to GP, mental health, substance misuse, housing, outreach, job centre and other support services all in one room. Wrexham council is also seeing early signs of success with its 'assertive outreach' approach. The approach focuses on multidisciplinary support that is persistent and purposeful, with the primary aim of ending homelessness.
I am pleased to report real progress in taking forward Housing First in Wales. Although still early days, we are already seeing evidence of its success with some of our most complex rough-sleepers. We are working with local authorities and the wider sector to roll out a further programme of Housing First trailblazers, supported by over £700,000 of additional funding next year. We are also focusing on how we co-ordinate and share best practice from these early projects.
Housing First breaks with our traditional staircase, earned rewards approach to helping people off the street. Its success is couched in the fact that it puts the individual at the centre. It does not require them to earn the next step on the journey. It accepts that individuals may have a complex mix of issues and needs. Fundamentally, it recognises that individuals may be better able to manage or address issues such as mental ill health or substance misuse and engage with services when they have a stable place to call home.
A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Salvation Army Housing First project in Cardiff and was able to speak to one of the service users and hear about how Housing First has made a dramatic difference to his life. It was evident that the success of Housing First lies in bringing together a range of services, each working in new, flexible and responsive ways to meet the needs of homeless people.
The importance of multi-agency buy-in and flexibility is also being recognised in Ceredigion. They see the importance of all services and partners working together, actively seeking solutions to the complex needs of individuals. Ceredigion aims to prove that a shared commitment to tailoring services to individuals, rather than the other way around, can really reap rewards.
As well as encouraging local authorities to ask themselves hard questions, learn from one another and change their delivery models, I will also be encouraging them to work alongside my own department to reflect on what we may need to do differently. The aim, longer term, is to align our funding to local authority statutory homelessness strategies. It will be important that these plans clearly demonstrate how public and third sector organisations will work together strategically to deliver greatest impact. I want to see genuine collaboration between all partners across a locality. I will be asking myself and my ministerial colleagues to provide the same level of purpose, commitment and strategic cohesion. The unacceptable circumstances of every homeless and roofless citizen requires, and deserves, nothing less.
Diolch, Llywydd. Llywydd, mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod pawb yn byw mewn cartref sy'n diwallu eu hanghenion. Mae gwireddu'r ymrwymiad hwn wedi bod yn fwy heriol byth oherwydd y cyni ac ansicrwydd parhaus. Yr her fwyaf enbyd a'r fwyaf anodd yw diwallu anghenion y rheini sydd ymhell oddi wrth dai diogel, addas, yn arbennig y rheini sy'n cysgu allan ar ein strydoedd mewn pebyll ac wrth ddrysau siopau, ond hefyd y rhai y mae eu digartrefedd yn llai gweladwy ond yr un mor wir.
Rydym wedi cyhoeddi'r bore 'ma gyfrifiad blynyddol ar gyfer Cymru o'r rhai sy'n cysgu allan. Bwriad y cyfrifiad blynyddol yw nodi pwy sy'n cysgu allan ar noson benodedig. Mae hefyd yn cynnwys canfyddiadau'r ymarferiad o gasglu data am bythefnos, gan ddefnyddio gwybodaeth o ystod o wasanaethau, i ddwyn tystiolaeth ynghyd am niferoedd y rhai sy'n cysgu allan dros gyfnod mwy estynedig o amser. Mae'r data yn rhoi cipolwg ar ddarlun sy'n newid yn barhaus. Yn gyffredinol, mae'r data yn dangos y gall ein hymdrechion ni ar y cyd fod yn dechrau cael effaith. Yn wyneb y pwysau cynyddol ar aelwydydd, ymddengys bod nifer y bobl sy'n cysgu allan yn sefydlogi yn gyffredinol, ac, mewn rhai ardaloedd, mae'r niferoedd wedi gostwng. Er hynny, mae hyd yn oed un person yn cysgu allan ar ein strydoedd yn un yn ormod. Fel pob Aelod Cynulliad arall sy'n gyfarwydd â'r sefyllfa hon ar strydoedd yn ein trefi a'n dinasoedd, gwn fod cysgu allan yn dal i ddigwydd yn barhaus ac ar lefel annerbyniol yng Nghymru.
Nid yw hon yn sefyllfa sy'n unigryw i Gymru. Yn anffodus, mae cysgu allan i'w weld ym mhob tref a dinas fawr. Nid yw hyn yn dderbyniol ac, yn fy marn i, nid yw'n anochel. Dylai tai addas fod yn un o'r hawliau dynol sylfaenol mewn gwlad gyfoethog fel ein gwlad ni, ond mae effaith diwygio budd-daliadau, ynghyd â bron i ddegawd o gyni, yn ychwanegu at y pwysau ar aelwydydd a'u gallu i sicrhau lle i aros sy'n fforddiadwy. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi buddsoddi'n sylweddol o ran atal a mynd i'r afael â digartrefedd dros y tair blynedd diwethaf. Rydym yn ychwanegu at y buddsoddiad hwnnw, gyda thros £30 miliwn eto eleni a'r flwyddyn nesaf. Rydym hefyd wedi ymrwymo i adeiladu mwy o dai fforddiadwy ac amddiffyn ein stoc o dai cymdeithasol. Gwelir arwyddion bod y cyfuniad o'n deddfwriaeth arloesol ar ddigartrefedd a'r buddsoddiad ariannol hwn yn gwneud gwahaniaeth.
Llwyddwyd i rwystro bron 19,700 o aelwydydd rhag mynd yn ddigartref rhwng mis Ebrill 2015 a diwedd mis Medi 2018. Mae hyn yn arbennig o gadarnhaol o ystyried bod nifer yr aelwydydd sydd dan fygythiad digartrefedd wedi codi 12 y cant o'i gymharu â'r un chwarter yn y flwyddyn flaenorol. Er gwaethaf y cynnydd sylweddol hwn yn y galw, llwyddodd awdurdodau lleol i gynnal lefelau gwasanaeth, gan atal digartrefedd mewn 65 y cant o achosion. Cysgu allan yw'r ffurf fwyaf eithafol a gweladwy o ddigartrefedd. Yn aml mae pobl sy'n cysgu ar ein strydoedd ag ystod o anghenion cymhleth na fydd llety ar ei ben ei hun yn eu datrys. Os ydym ni o'r farn fod niferoedd y rhai sy'n cysgu allan yn digwydd yn barhaus ac yn annerbyniol o uchel, yna bydd yn rhaid inni holi a yw'r modelau ar gyfer ein gwasanaethau yn ymateb yn ddigonol i anghenion y rhai sy'n eu cael eu hunain ar ein strydoedd ni. Mae'n rhaid inni ddysgu o brofiad bywydau pobl a cheisio cael ymatebion arloesol sy'n canolbwyntio ar unigolion.
Mae'n rhaid i ni ofyn i ni ein hunain a yw'r cyllid ychwanegol wedi cael effaith, ac a yw'r modelau ar gyfer gwasanaeth yn cefnogi anghenion cymhleth pobl yn ddigonol i helpu i'w dwyn nhw oddi ar y strydoedd ac i lety tymor hir. Rwy'n awyddus i awdurdodau lleol fod yn ddewr ac eofn. Rwy'n eu cymeradwyo nhw a phob un unigolyn sy'n gweithio mor galed i gefnogi pobl sy'n cysgu allan a'u helpu i drawsnewid eu bywydau.
Mae rhai dulliau arloesol o weithredu arloesol yn cael eu treialu ledled Cymru. Yn Wrecsam, mae'r ganolfan gofal cymunedol yn un enghraifft o hyn. Fel y gwelodd y Prif Weinidog ei hunan yn ddiweddar, i'r rheini sy'n cysgu allan, mae'n cynnig iddynt ofal gan feddyg teulu, gofal iechyd meddwl, gofal i atal camddefnyddio sylweddau, gyda thai, ac allgymorth, canolfan waith a gwasanaethau cymorth eraill, a'r cyfan i gyd mewn un ystafell. Mae Cyngor Wrecsam yn gweld arwyddion cynnar hefyd o lwyddiant gyda'i ddull o 'allgymorth grymusol'. Mae'r dull hwn yn canolbwyntio ar gymorth amlddisgyblaethol sy'n barhaus a phwrpasol, gyda'r prif nod o roi terfyn ar ddigartrefedd.
Rwy'n falch o adrodd ar gynnydd gwirioneddol wrth gyflwyno Tai yn Gyntaf yng Nghymru. Er ei bod yn ddyddiau cynnar, rydym eisoes yn gweld tystiolaeth o lwyddiant gyda rhai o'n cysgwyr allan sydd â'r problemau mwyaf cymhleth. Rydym yn gweithio gyda'r awdurdodau lleol a'r sector ehangach i gyflwyno rhaglen arall o arloeswyr Tai yn Gyntaf, gyda chymorth mwy na £700,000 o gyllid ychwanegol y flwyddyn nesaf. Rydym hefyd yn canolbwyntio ar sut y byddwn yn cydlynu ac yn rhannu'r arfer gorau o'r prosiectau cynnar hyn.
Mae Tai yn Gyntaf yn rhoi'r gorau i'n dull traddodiadol ni o flaenoriaethu ar sail teilyngdod i helpu i ddwyn pobl oddi ar y stryd. Mae ei lwyddiant yn dibynnu ar y ffaith ei fod yn rhoi'r unigolyn yn y canol. Nid oes angen iddyn nhw ennill teilyngdod i fod ar gam nesaf y daith. Mae'n derbyn y gall unigolion fod â chymysgedd gymhleth o broblemau ac anghenion. Yn y bôn, mae'n cydnabod y gall unigolion reoli neu ymdrin yn well â materion fel salwch meddwl neu gamddefnyddio sylweddau ac ymgysylltu â gwasanaethau pan fo ganddyn nhw le sefydlog i'w alw'n gartref.
Wythnos neu ddwy yn ôl, ymwelais â phrosiect Tai yn Gyntaf Byddin yr Iachawdwriaeth yng Nghaerdydd a chefais gyfle i siarad ag un o ddefnyddwyr y gwasanaeth a chlywed sut y gwnaeth Tai yn Gyntaf wahaniaeth dramatig i'w fywyd. Roedd yn amlwg fod llwyddiant Tai yn Gyntaf yn tarddu o ddwyn amrywiaeth o wasanaethau ynghyd, a phob un yn gweithio mewn ffyrdd newydd, hyblyg ac ymatebol er mwyn diwallu anghenion pobl ddigartref.
Cydnabyddir pwysigrwydd ymrwymiad amlasiantaeth a hyblygrwydd yng Ngheredigion hefyd. Maen nhw'n gweld pwysigrwydd cael pob gwasanaeth a'r partneriaid i gydweithio, ac yn chwilio'n ddyfal am atebion i anghenion cymhleth yr unigolion. Mae Ceredigion yn ceisio profi y gall ymrwymiad cyffredin i deilwra gwasanaethau i unigolion, yn hytrach nag o'r tu arall, ddwyn ffrwyth gwirioneddol.
Yn ogystal ag annog awdurdodau lleol i ofyn y cwestiynau anodd iddyn nhw eu hunain, a dysgu oddi wrth ei gilydd a newid eu modelau cyflenwi, byddaf hefyd yn eu hannog i weithio ochr yn ochr â'm hadran i er mwyn ystyried yr hyn y bydd angen ei wneud yn wahanol. Y nod, yn y tymor hwy, yw alinio ein cyllid â strategaethau digartrefedd statudol yr awdurdodau lleol. Bydd yn bwysig i'r cynlluniau hyn ddangos yn eglur sut mae sefydliadau'r sector cyhoeddus a'r trydydd sector yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd yn strategol i gyflawni'r effaith fwyaf dymunol. Rwy'n awyddus i weld cydweithio gwirioneddol rhwng yr holl bartneriaid mewn ardal. Byddaf yn gofyn i'm cyd-Weinidogion ac i fi fy hun ddarparu'r un lefel o bendantrwydd, ymrwymiad a chydlyniant strategol. Mae amgylchiadau annerbyniol pob dinesydd digartref sydd heb do uwch ei ben yn mynnu hynny, ac nid yw'n haeddu dim llai.
I would like to start with areas of what I think are profound agreement, probably, across the Chamber, on this most important of issues, I think—a whole barometer for the sort of civility we have in society, or otherwise. I think rough-sleepers are the most vulnerable, in terms of being so far from secure, suitable housing. I was pleased to hear that from the Minister. While rough-sleeping remains persistent, it is unacceptable and it is not inevitable, and that is the view we need to hear from Government. Decent housing is a basic human right. I think that was a very clear statement after the second world war, but it perhaps has been lost in recent decades to some extent, and we do need to reassert it. We must be bold and brave—I like those words and I commend you for them—and test our current service models. On these principles, we can build a robust consensus and approach to this challenging issue.
The Minister referred to the success of the housing Act in shifting Wales to a focus on prevention, and I've heard a lot of people commend the Government's approach. So, in concentrating on a couple of deficiencies, I do still want to be balanced and say that I have heard people commend the approach and urge it on other parts of the UK. However, I have also repeatedly heard that a key deficiency of the 2014 Act is that local authorities are only required to assist those who actively seek assistance. Now, of course, many do go beyond that, but the requirement in the law is to respond to those who actively seek assistance, and local authorities can end their homelessness duties if an individual fails to co-operate with the local authority—again, it doesn't say that they must, but they can. And, finally, nor do rough-sleepers in the legislation automatically acquire priority-need status.
Now, the Minister has endorsed the housing first model, and I agree with her that it is probably the best way forward in terms of tackling rough-sleepers, but I do think some of the things that have now been, if not enshrined, then permitted in the legislative approach don't quite align with that. In fairness, I think you made reference to some of the difficulties of an earned approach in granting housing, but I do think that we need to carefully look at the legislation to see how it is operating at this level of bringing relief to rough-sleepers, and the need currently to seek assistance and then to, in an ongoing way, co-operate can't be there as the central principle of the legislation. That should not be how it is interpreted, because, obviously, rough-sleepers have very, very complex needs, as you said, and their circumstances are also highly complex.
I think the Wrexham model is genuinely encouraging because they have what you've called 'assertive outreach' and that does seem to me where we need to be going in terms of how we interpret the legislation, and so I hope that you will confirm that.
Finally, I emphasise innovative work found in the voluntary sector. I hope Members have had a chance to read Lindsay Cordery-Bruce's insightful and compassionate article in yesterday's Western Mail. I have to say, Llywydd, I think this was one of the best commentary articles I've read in many years in any newspaper, frankly, on this subject, and I do urge Members who've not had a chance to read it to do so. Lindsay emphasises the need for an active approach to, quote,
'put compassion back into commissioning'.
End quote. And that ACEs—adverse childhood experiences—need particular attention. Now, I know the Government is looking at ACEs, and I think to bring it into this sector is very important. She also says that homelessness has become a crisis of leadership as much as a crisis of housing, and I think it's for us now to try and combine and have this vigorous consensus and move things along.
And I'll just finish from another part of the voluntary sector, with Crisis's chief executive, John Sparks, who said, after the statistics were published today, and I quote:
'It's nothing short of a national scandal that night after night there are still people forced to sleep rough on our sleeps, especially when we know that if we take the right steps it could be ended for good.'
We all need to work to that end.
Hoffwn i ddechrau gyda'r meysydd yr wyf yn credu bod cytundeb llwyr â nhw, fwy na thebyg, ar draws y Siambr, ar y mater hwn o'r pwys mwyaf, yn fy marn i—baromedr cyflawn ar gyfer y math o warineb sydd gennym mewn cymdeithas, neu fel arall. Credaf mai cysgwyr allan yw'r rhai sydd fwyaf agored i niwed, o ran bod mor bell o dai diogel ac addas. Roeddwn i'n falch o glywed hynny gan y Gweinidog. Er bod cysgu allan yn rhywbeth parhaus, mae'n beth annerbyniol ac nid yw'n anochel, a dyna'r farn y mae angen inni ei chlywed gan y Llywodraeth. Mae tai gweddus yn hawl dynol sylfaenol. Credaf fod hynny wedi ei ddatgan yn eglur iawn ar ôl yr ail ryfel byd, ond efallai ei fod wedi mynd ar goll dros y degawdau diwethaf i ryw raddau, ac mae angen inni ei ailddatgan. Mae angen inni fod yn ddewr ac eofn—rwy'n hoffi'r geiriau hynny, ac rwy'n eich cymeradwyo amdanynt—a phrofi ein modelau gwasanaeth presennol. Ar yr egwyddorion hyn, gallwn adeiladu consensws a dull cadarn o weithredu ar y mater heriol hwn.
Cyfeiriodd y Gweinidog at lwyddiant y Ddeddf tai o ran ysgogi Cymru i ganolbwyntio ar atal, ac rwyf wedi clywed llawer o bobl yn canmol dull y Llywodraeth. Felly, gan ganolbwyntio ar un neu ddau o ddiffygion, rwy'n awyddus iawn i fod yn gytbwys a dweud fy mod wedi clywed pobl yn canmol y dull gweithredu ac yn ei wthio ar rannau eraill o'r DU. Serch hynny, clywais hefyd dro ar ôl tro mai diffyg allweddol yn Neddf 2014 yw nad yw ond yn ofynnol i awdurdodau lleol helpu'r rhai sy'n mynd ati i geisio cymorth. Nawr, wrth gwrs, mae llawer yn mynd y tu hwnt i hynny, ond y gofyniad yn ôl y gyfraith yw ymateb i'r rheini sy'n mynd ati i geisio cymorth, a gall yr awdurdodau lleol roi'r gorau i'w dyletswyddau o ran digartrefedd pe na fyddai unigolyn yn cydweithredu â'r awdurdod lleol—unwaith eto, nid yw hynny'n dweud bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw, ond y bydden nhw yn gallu gwneud felly. Ac, yn olaf, nid yw'r rhai sy'n cysgu allan yn ennill statws angen blaenoriaethol yn awtomatig yn ôl y ddeddfwriaeth.
Nawr, mae'r Gweinidog wedi cymeradwyo model Tai yn Gyntaf, ac rwy'n cytuno â hi mai honno yw'r ffordd orau ymlaen fwy na thebyg o ran mynd i'r afael â'r rhai sy'n cysgu allan. Ond credaf nad yw rhai o'r pethau sydd bellach, os nad ydynt wedi eu hymgorffori, yna wedi eu caniatáu, yn y dull deddfwriaethol yn cyd-fynd yn hollol â hynny. Er tegwch, rwy'n credu ichi gyfeirio at rai o'r anawsterau yn y dull o ennill teilyngdod wrth roi tai. Ond rwyf i'n credu bod angen inni edrych yn ofalus ar y ddeddfwriaeth i weld sut mae'n gweithredu ar y lefel hon o ddod â chymorth i'r rhai sy'n cysgu allan, ac na all yr angen cyfredol i ofyn am gymorth ac yna, mewn ffordd barhaus, gydweithredu fod yno fel prif egwyddor yn y ddeddfwriaeth. Ni ddylid ei ddehongli fel yna, oherwydd, yn amlwg, mae gan y rhai sy'n cysgu allan anghenion cymhleth iawn, iawn, fel y dywedoch chi, ac mae eu hamgylchiadau yn gymhleth iawn hefyd.
Credaf fod y model yn Wrecsam yn wirioneddol galonogol oherwydd mae ganddyn nhw yno yr hyn a alwoch yn 'allgymorth grymusol'. A dyna'r ffordd ymlaen, mae'n ymddangos i mi, o ran sut y byddwn yn dehongli'r ddeddfwriaeth, ac felly rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch chi'n cadarnhau hynny.
Yn olaf, rwyf am bwysleisio'r gwaith arloesol yn y sector gwirfoddol. Rwy'n gobeithio bod yr Aelodau wedi cael cyfle i ddarllen erthygl graff a theimladwy Lindsay Cordery-Bruce yn y Western Mail ddoe. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, Llywydd, fy mod o'r farn mai hon yw un o'r erthyglau sylwebaeth gorau i mi ei darllen ers blynyddoedd lawer mewn unrhyw bapur newydd, a dweud y gwir, ar y pwnc hwn, ac rwy'n annog yr Aelodau nad ydyn nhw wedi cael cyfle i'w darllen i wneud hynny. Mae Lindsay yn pwysleisio'r angen am ddull gweithredu, rwy'n dyfynnu
sy'n rhoi'r tosturi yn ôl yn y comisiynu.
Diwedd y dyfyniad. Ac mae angen rhoi sylw arbennig i brofiadau niweidiol yn ystod plentyndod. Nawr, gwn fod y Llywodraeth yn edrych ar brofiadau niweidiol yn ystod plentyndod, a chredaf fod hynny'n bwysig iawn i'r sector hwn. Mae hi'n dweud hefyd bod digartrefedd wedi mynd yn argyfwng o ran arweinyddiaeth lawn cymaint ag yn argyfwng o ran tai, a chredaf mai ein dyletswydd ni bellach yw ceisio cyfuno'r consensws egnïol hwn a symud pethau yn eu blaenau.
Ac rwyf am orffen mewn maes arall yn y sector gwirfoddol, gyda Phrif Weithredwr Crisis, John Sparks, a ddywedodd, ar ôl yr ystadegau a gyhoeddwyd heddiw, ac rwy'n dyfynnu:
Mae'n ddim llai na sgandal cenedlaethol fod pobl, noson ar ôl noson, yn dal i orfod cysgu allan ar ein strydoedd, yn enwedig gan y gwyddom pe cymerid y camau cywir y gellid rhoi diwedd ar hynny am byth.
Mae angen i bob un ohonom ni weithio tuag at hynny.
Thank you for those remarks. I don't disagree with any of them, really. I think there's some small degree of emphasis, perhaps—very nuanced—that we would disagree with, but, in general, I think we're going in the right way.
I think there's lots to be learned from how far we've come, what's been effective and what hasn't been effective and, in fairness, all over the western world, we have a similar problem, and the models that are being developed—we seek to learn from the best of those models. So, Housing First seems to me a very self-evidently sensible solution. It can take many months, however, to get somebody who has been rough-sleeping with a number of complex problems into the secure accommodation that they need. But we are very much looking to move away from the, sort of, staircase of earned reward that we've hitherto had. Not that that hasn't worked for some people. It will have worked for some people, but, really, what we're looking at is what's called trauma-centred approaches, individualised to the individual person, because every individual is different. So, I'm sure that there are perfectly good housing opportunities available that would make me very unhappy but that might make somebody else very happy. The point is to try and discover what that person is most likely to be able to sustain and what support services they require to do so. It may be, for some people, that being put into a flat and given a basic level of income is enough, and for others they will need a lot more support than that.
So, the model is centered around that person-centered approach, and I was very privileged to meet a gentleman who had benefited from that and was very sure that without that he would not have been able to come in off the street. So, I agree with that. We are looking and we have various reviews going on, started by my colleague Rebecca Evans when she was the housing Minister—reviews into priority need and several of the other things that David Melding mentioned, looking to see what has been effective and what we need to do to shift the conversation onwards. I'm glad you like the Wrexham model because I think there is much to be said for that kind of assertive outreach, as it's called. Having said that, though, in the end, we have also got to respect what the individual themselves thinks that they need and is able to express to us. So, it is about the careful balance between that person's individual rights and our need to support that individual back into sustainable accommodation.
Diolch i chi am y sylwadau hynny. Nid wyf i'n anghytuno ag unrhyw un ohonyn nhw, mewn gwirionedd. Ceir mymryn bach o bwyslais, efallai—rhyw arlliw bychan—y byddem yn anghytuno ag ef, ond, yn gyffredinol, rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n mynd i'r cyfeiriad iawn.
Rwy'n credu bod llawer iawn i'w ddysgu o'r daith hyd yma, yr hyn sydd wedi bod yn effeithiol a'r hyn nad yw wedi bod yn effeithiol ac, er tegwch, ledled y byd gorllewinol, mae gennym ni broblem gyffelyb, a'r modelau sy'n cael eu datblygu—rydym ni'n ceisio dysgu oddi wrth y gorau yn y modelau hynny. Felly, mae Tai yn Gyntaf yn ymddangos i mi yn ateb synhwyrol iawn yn amlwg ynddo'i hun. Gall fod yn fisoedd lawer, serch hynny, cyn i rywun sydd wedi bod yn cysgu allan gyda nifer o broblemau cymhleth gael y llety diogel sydd ei angen arno. Ond rydym yn golygu ymbellhau i raddau helaeth iawn oddi wrth y math o flaenoriaethu sydd wedi bodoli hyd yn hyn. Er bod hynny wedi gweithio i rai. Bydd hynny wedi gweithio i rai, ond, mewn gwirionedd, yr hyn yr ydym yn edrych arno yw'r dulliau sy'n canolbwyntio ar drawma, sy'n unigryw i'r unigolyn, oherwydd mae pob unigolyn yn wahanol. Felly, rwy'n siŵr bod cyfleoedd tai pur dda ar gael y bydden nhw'n fy ngwneud i'n ddigalon iawn ond fe allen nhw wneud rhywun arall yn hapus iawn. Y pwynt yw ceisio darganfod yr hyn y mae'r unigolyn hwnnw'n fwyaf tebygol o allu ei gynnal a pha wasanaethau cymorth y bydd eu hangen i wneud hynny. Mae'n bosibl, i rai, y byddai cael lle mewn fflat a chynnig lefel sylfaenol o incwm yn ddigonol, a byddai angen llawer iawn mwy o gymorth na hynny ar eraill.
Felly, mae'r model yn canolbwyntio ar ddull sydd wedi ei ganoli ar yr unigolyn hwnnw, ac roedd hi'n fraint fawr i gwrdd â gŵr bonheddig a oedd wedi elwa ar hynny ac a oedd yn siŵr iawn na fyddai ef wedi gallu dod i mewn oddi ar y stryd oni bai am hynny. Felly, rwy'n cytuno â hynny. Rydym ni'n edrych, ac mae gennym wahanol adolygiadau yn digwydd, a ddechreuwyd gan fy nghyd-Aelod, Rebecca Evans pan oedd hi'n Weinidog Tai—adolygiadau i angen blaenoriaethol a nifer o bethau eraill y soniodd David Melding amdanyn nhw, yn ystyried yr hyn sydd wedi bod yn effeithiol a'r hyn sydd ei angen arnom ni i'w wneud i symud y drafodaeth yn ei blaen. Rwy'n falch eich bod yn hoffi model Wrecsam gan fy mod yn credu bod llawer i'w ddweud dros y math hwnnw o allgymorth grymusol, fel y'i gelwir. Wedi dweud hynny, eto i gyd, yn y pen draw, mae'n rhaid i ni hefyd barchu'r hyn y mae'r unigolyn yn ei farnu sy'n angenrheidiol iddo ac yn gallu ei fynegi i ni. Felly, ystyr hyn yw cydbwysedd gofalus rhwng hawliau unigol yr unigolyn hwnnw a'n hangen ni i gynorthwyo'r unigolyn hwnnw'n ôl i gartref sy'n gynaliadwy.
Your statement claims that the number of rough-sleepers appears to be stabilising, but that's based on the rough-sleeping count, which still shows a 45 per cent increase since 2015. Furthermore, whilst those counts are useful in some respects, they can miss rough-sleepers who've been driven from the areas where people are being counted, which we know is happening as a result of over-zealous policing, and in some cases bad policy as well. The other data that we have suggests the problem is still on the increase. A 27 per cent increase in households threatened with homelessness since 2015, for example, does indicate the sheer numbers that we're talking about here. So, would you accept that it's too soon to say that the pressures that cause homelessness appear to be stabilising? After all, we don't have universal credit rolled out completely yet, and we know that that's likely to increase homelessness even further.
Secondly, your statement refers to the groundbreaking legislation, legislation that of course retains the Pereira test and priority need categories, despite the advice that the entire sector was giving to you. The Wales Audit Office have highlighted that, and I quote,
'Local authorities are reacting to the problems caused by homelessness with varying degrees of success, but there is limited focus on preventing the fundamental causes of homelessness'.
Now, your statement does imply that you know this, because you say that local authorities need to ask themselves some very, very hard questions. So, can you tell us what those questions would be, please?
Thirdly, I can't see any mention of the recent Crisis report on how to end homelessness in the UK, which is the most comprehensive plan that I've seen. Do you intend to read that plan? And finally, your statement mentions a number of housing first projects, and housing first is a philosophy that we endorse. Your statement notes that adopting this model is a move away from traditional staircase approaches, but can you elaborate on this, please, in terms of how the Welsh Government will be using its powers and, for example, funding to ensure a move towards Housing First? Can you also explain how retaining priority need is compatible with the housing first policy, please?
Mae eich datganiad yn honni bod nifer y rhai sy'n cysgu ar y stryd yn ymddangos fel pe bai'n sefydlogi, ond mae hynny'n seiliedig ar y cyfrifiad cysgu allan, sy'n parhau i ddangos cynnydd o 45 y cant ers 2015. At hynny, er bod y cyfrifiadau hynny'n ddefnyddiol mewn rhai ffyrdd, maen nhw'n gallu methu â chyfrif y rhai sy'n cysgu allan sydd wedi eu gyrru i ffwrdd o'r mannau lle mae pobl yn cael eu cyfrif, sy'n digwydd fel y gwyddom o ganlyniad i blismona gorfrwdfrydig, ac mewn rhai achosion hefyd o ganlyniad i bolisi diffygiol. Awgryma'r data eraill sydd gennym fod y broblem ar gynnydd o hyd. Mae cynnydd o 27 y cant yn yr aelwydydd sydd dan fygythiad digartrefedd ers 2015, er enghraifft, yn dangos y niferoedd enfawr yr ydym yn sôn amdanyn nhw yn y cyswllt hwn. Felly, a fyddech chi'n derbyn ei bod yn rhy fuan i ddweud yr ymddengys bod y pwysau sy'n achosi digartrefedd yn sefydlogi? Wedi'r cwbl, nid yw credyd cynhwysol wedi cael ei gyflwyno'n llawn eto, ac rydym yn gwybod y bydd hynny'n debygol o gynyddu digartrefedd eto hyd yn oed.
Yn ail, mae eich datganiad yn cyfeirio at y ddeddfwriaeth arloesol, deddfwriaeth sydd wrth gwrs yn cadw'r prawf Pereira a'r categorïau angen blaenoriaethol, er gwaethaf y cyngor yr oedd y sector cyfan yn ei roi i chi. Mae Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru wedi tynnu sylw at hynny, ac rwy'n dyfynnu,
Mae awdurdodau lleol yn ymateb i'r problemau a achosir gan ddigartrefedd gyda graddau amrywiol o lwyddiant, ond ychydig o bwyslais sydd ar atal achosion sylfaenol digartrefedd.
Nawr, mae eich datganiad yn awgrymu eich bod chi'n gwybod am hyn, oherwydd rydych yn dweud bod angen i'r awdurdodau lleol ofyn rhai cwestiynau anodd iawn, iawn i'w hunain. Felly, a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym pa gwestiynau fyddai'r rheini, os gwelwch chi'n dda?
Yn drydydd, ni allaf weld unrhyw gyfeiriad at adroddiad diweddar Crisis ar sut i roi terfyn ar ddigartrefedd yn y DU, sef y cynllun mwyaf cynhwysfawr yr wyf i wedi ei weld. A ydych chi'n bwriadu darllen y cynllun hwnnw? Ac yn olaf, mae eich datganiad yn sôn am nifer o brosiectau Tai yn Gyntaf, ac mae Tai yn Gyntaf yn feddylfryd yr ydym ni'n ei gymeradwyo. Mae eich datganiad yn nodi bod mabwysiadu'r model hwn yn ymbellhau oddi wrth ddulliau blaenoriaethu traddodiadol, ond a wnewch chi ymhelaethu ar hyn, os gwelwch yn dda, o ran sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio ei phwerau ac, er enghraifft, ei chyllid i sicrhau symudiad tuag at Dai yn Gyntaf? A wnewch chi esbonio hefyd sut mae cadw at angen blaenoriaethol yn gydnaws â pholisi Tai yn Gyntaf, os gwelwch yn dda?
Yes, thank you for those remarks. I'd be very happy to try and do my best for those. We are having a review of the priority need system, which Rebecca Evans commissioned, and we are expecting to report back in April of this year, with a view to seeing very much largely what the Member has talked about—what's happening on the ground, what we should be doing to change it, if anything, and so on. So, I'm going to wait and see what that brings, but it was commissioned with a view to many of the things that she set out in her remarks.
In terms of the Crisis report, I've met with Crisis already. I'm very interested in what they've got to say. We have a number of pilots running. We want to see how those are evaluated. We are very, very interested in looking to see what we can do with a view to some of the things—the Housing First approach, the person-centred arrangements that are set out in that report.
The questions the local authorities should ask themselves are: are they learning from the best practice around them? I mentioned a number of authorities—Ceredigion, Wrexham, just to name two—we have good practice in our local authorities. It's not in every local authority. So, in working with the Welsh Local Government Association more generally, actually, for local authorities, not just in housing, we are looking to push good practice across the local authority sector in a number of ways. I'll be looking to local authorities to work together properly to make sure that we are having the best practice spread across Wales, and that we are not going at the pace of the slowest, so to speak, and that's not just in housing, that's across a range of services. Because we do have excellent practice in Wales, but that's not as universal as you and I would both very much like to see.
In terms of the universal credit roll-out, I absolutely take her point. I said in my statement that the rough-sleeper count is a snapshot of a very movable feast. We know that it hides a number of statistics of people who are not in secure accommodation but who are still able to sofa-surf or are at the behest of friends or family. We know that it hides those things. We know that local authorities have made some strides in preventing homelessness, but they are fighting a rising tide of poverty driven by austerity, and universal credit roll-out is certainly not helping that. So, I concur with everything she said there.
It's for us to see what we can do to help local authorities not just hold the tide, if you like, but actually accelerate it in the other direction, and that's very much what the reviews that we've commissioned will be looking to do over the next year.
Ie, diolch i chi am y sylwadau hynny. Byddwn yn hapus iawn i geisio gwneud fy ngorau ynglŷn â'r rhain. Rydym yn cynnal adolygiad o'r system angen blaenoriaethol, a gomisiynwyd gan Rebecca Evans, ac rydym yn gobeithio adrodd yn ôl ym mis Ebrill eleni, gyda golwg ar weld i raddau helaeth iawn yr hyn y mae'r Aelod wedi sôn amdano—yr hyn sy'n digwydd ar lawr gwlad, yr hyn y dylem ni ei wneud i'w newid, os oes unrhyw beth, ac ati. Felly, rwy'n mynd i aros i weld beth ddaw o hwnnw, ond fe'i comisiynwyd gyda golwg ar lawer o'r pethau a nododd hi yn ei sylwadau.
O ran adroddiad Crisis, rydw i wedi cyfarfod eisoes â Crisis. Rwy'n ymddiddori'n fawr yn yr hyn sydd ganddyn nhw i'w ddweud. Mae gennym ni nifer o gynlluniau peilot ar waith. Rydym yn awyddus i weld sut y caiff y rheini eu gwerthuso. Mae gennym ddiddordeb mawr iawn, iawn o ran edrych i weld beth y gallwn ni ei wneud gyda golwg ar rai o'r pethau—dull Tai yn Gyntaf, y trefniadau sy'n canolbwyntio ar yr unigolyn a nodir yn yr adroddiad hwnnw.
Y cwestiynau y dylai'r awdurdodau lleol ofyn i'w hunain yw: a ydyn nhw'n dysgu o'r arfer gorau o'u cwmpas? Roeddwn i'n sôn am nifer o awdurdodau—Ceredigion, Wrecsam, i enwi dim ond dau—mae gennym ni arfer da yn ein hawdurdodau lleol. Nid yw hynny i'w gael ym mhob awdurdod lleol. Felly, wrth weithio gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru yn fwy cyffredinol, mewn gwirionedd, ar gyfer awdurdodau lleol, nid yn unig ym maes tai, rydym yn bwriadu gwthio arfer da ledled y sector awdurdod lleol mewn nifer o ffyrdd. Byddaf yn disgwyl i awdurdodau lleol weithio gyda'i gilydd yn gywir i wneud yn siŵr ein bod yn gweld yr arfer gorau yn ymestyn ledled Cymru, ac nad ydym yn mynd ar yr un cyflymder â'r arafaf, fel petai, ac nid yn unig o ran tai, mae hynny ar draws amrywiaeth o wasanaethau. Mae gennym ni arferion rhagorol yng Nghymru, ond nid yw hynny mor gyffredinol ag y byddech chi a minnau yn hoffi ei weld yn fawr iawn.
O ran cyflwyno'r credyd cynhwysol, rwy'n derbyn ei phwynt hi'n gyfan gwbl. Dywedais yn fy natganiad mai cipolwg yw'r cyfrifiad cysgu allan ar ŵyl symudol iawn. Rydym yn gwybod ei fod yn cuddio nifer o ystadegau ynglŷn â phobl nad ydyn nhw mewn llety diogel ond sy'n cael cysgu ar soffa rhywun neu gyda ffrindiau neu deulu. Gwyddom ei fod yn cuddio'r pethau hynny. Gwyddom fod awdurdodau lleol wedi cymryd rhai camau i atal digartrefedd, ond maen nhw'n ymladd yn erbyn y cynnydd mewn tlodi sydd yn cael ei yrru gan gyni, ac yn sicr nid yw cyflwyno'r credyd cynhwysol yn gymorth yn hynny o beth. Felly, rwy'n cytuno â phopeth a ddywedodd hi nawr.
Ein gwaith ni yw gweld beth y gallwn ei wneud i helpu'r awdurdodau lleol nid yn unig i ddal y llanw, os hoffech chi, ond mewn gwirionedd i'w gyflymu i'r cyfeiriad arall. A dyna, i raddau helaeth iawn, y mae adolygiadau yr ydym wedi eu comisiynu yn bwriadu ei wneud dros y flwyddyn nesaf.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.
First, can I welcome the ministerial statement? Can I also welcome some of the comments made by colleagues earlier? I especially welcome distinguishing between homelessness and rough-sleeping. Homelessness includes those of no fixed abode who sofa-surf thanks to the kindness of friends and family, but in many cases they are just one night away from sleeping rough. There are also those who are inadequately housed in overcrowded accommodation, often staying with family or friends, and are neither homeless nor rough-sleepers but need different accommodation. And that, sadly, includes children.
There are a number of hostels that do a good job but some individuals would prefer the street to the hostels for all sorts of personal reasons, which I know the Minister is well aware of. Does the Minister agree with me that the only way we are going to reduce homelessness and rough-sleeping is by building council houses in sufficient numbers to meet demand, providing support to get the homeless and rough-sleepers into permanent accommodation, ending no-fault evictions, and developing co-operative housing initiatives?
Yn gyntaf, a gaf i groesawu datganiad y Gweinidog? A gaf i groesawu hefyd rai o'r sylwadau a wnaeth cyd-Aelodau yn gynharach? Rwy'n croesawu yn arbennig y gwahaniaethu rhwng digartrefedd a chysgu allan. Mae digartrefedd yn cynnwys y rhai sydd heb gartref sefydlog sy'n symud rhwng y naill soffa a'r llall drwy garedigrwydd teulu a ffrindiau, ond mewn llawer o achosion maen nhw o fewn un noson i fod yn cysgu allan. Ceir rhai hefyd mewn cartrefi anaddas a'r llety'n orlawn, yn aros gyda theulu neu ffrindiau'n aml, ac nid ydyn nhw'n ddigartref nac yn cysgu allan ond mae angen llety amgen arnyn nhw. Ac mae hynny, yn anffodus, yn cynnwys plant.
Ceir nifer o hosteli sy'n gwneud gwaith da ond byddai'n well gan rai unigolion fod ar y stryd na mewn hostel am resymau personol o bob math, a gwn fod y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol iawn o hynny. A yw'r Gweinidog yn cytuno â mi mai'r unig ffordd y gallwn ni leihau digartrefedd a chysgu allan yw drwy adeiladu digon o dai cyngor i fodloni'r galw, gan roi cymorth i ddod â'r digartref a'r rhai sy'n cysgu allan i gartref parhaol, gan roi'r gorau i droi pobl allan yn ddi-fai, a datblygu mentrau tai cydweithredol?
The very short answer to that is 'yes'. I do entirely agree with the Member. We absolutely are determined both to deliver our affordable homes target, but much more importantly build homes for social rent at scale. Now that the UK Government has come back to the 1945 consensus, if I can put it that way, and removed the housing revenue account caps and so on, it means that our authorities are freed up to build the housing that we so very much need.
The big thing will be for us to build the right sort of housing in the right places. So, some of it will just be standard social homes for rent, but some of it will be supported accommodation, and that will be both for people coming back in off the streets, and the right sorts of support and so on—and as I said, one size certainly doesn't fit all there—and it will also be step-down accommodation, so freeing up our NHS, for example, in allowing assisted placements out into the community. It will also mean building sustainable communities once more. Now, this is a point where David Melding and I don't agree, I have to say. I bitterly regret what happened with the right to buy and what happened in the council estates where I grew up, which have turned from sustainable mixed communities into communities where we have one socioeconomic group isolated away from everyone else. I think that is the wrong thing to have done, it did not work, and I would very much like to drive sustainable mixed communities back into those estates by building and adapting those houses so that a number of different uses can be put back there, so that, without wanting to seem nostalgic for my childhood, it resembles much more the estate that I grew up on than the isolated social groups that we currently see. Mike Hedges set out beautifully, actually, the things we need to do in order to achieve that, and we're very determined to do them.
'Ydw' yw'r ateb cryno iawn i hynny. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr gyda'r Aelod. Rydym yn gwbl benderfynol o gyflawni ein targed tai fforddiadwy ond, yn llawer pwysicach na hynny, i adeiladu tai i'w rhoi ar rent cymdeithasol ar raddfa fawr. Nawr fod Llywodraeth y DU wedi dychwelyd at gonsensws 1945, os gallaf ei rhoi hi felly, ac wedi diarddel y capiau ar gyfrifon refeniw tai ac ati, mae hynny'n golygu bod ein hawdurdodau yn cael eu rhyddhau i adeiladu'r tai y mae cymaint o'u hangen arnom ni.
Y peth mawr fydd i ni adeiladu'r math iawn o dai yn y mannau iawn. Felly, bydd rhywfaint o hyn y golygu tai safonol cymdeithasol i'w rhentu, ond bydd rhywfaint ohono'n golygu llety â chymorth, a bydd hynny ar gyfer pobl sy'n dod oddi ar y strydoedd, a'r gefnogaeth addas ac yn y blaen— ac fel y dywedais, nid yw'r un peth yn addas i bawb yn sicr yn y sefyllfa honno—a bydd hefyd yn llety o ofal llai dwys, a fydd yn rhyddhau ein GIG, er enghraifft, i ganiatáu lleoliadau â chymorth allan i'r gymuned. Bydd hefyd yn golygu adeiladu cymunedau cynaliadwy unwaith yn rhagor. Nawr, dyma bwynt lle nad yw David Melding a minnau'n cytuno, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud. Yn fy marn i, anffodus tu hwnt oedd yr hyn a ddigwyddodd gyda'r hawl i brynu a'r hyn a ddigwyddodd yn yr ystadau cyngor lle cefais i fy magu, a drodd cymunedau cymysg cynaliadwy i fod yn gymunedau lle ceir un grŵp economaidd-gymdeithasol sydd wedi ei ynysu oddi wrth bawb arall. Credaf mai'r peth anghywir i'w wneud oedd hynny, ac nid oedd yn gweithio. Hoffwn yn fawr iawn gymell y cymunedau cymysg cynaliadwy yn ôl i'r ystadau hynny drwy adeiladu ac addasu'r tai fel y gall nifer o ddefnyddiau gwahanol gael eu rhoi'n ôl yno, fel ei bod, heb eisiau ymddangos fy mod yn hiraethu am fy mhlentyndod, yn ymdebygu llawer mwy â'r ystad dai y tyfais i fyny ynddi na'r grwpiau cymdeithasol ynysig a welwn ni ar hyn o bryd. Fe nododd Mike Hedges yn hyfryd, mewn gwirionedd, y pethau y mae angen i ni eu gwneud i gyflawni hynny, ac rydym yn benderfynol iawn i'w gwneud nhw.
Thanks, Minister, for your statement today. We did have an inquiry on the problems of homelessness and rough-sleeping on the communities committee last year, and as David Melding mentioned, in many cases it is a complex picture, and you've alluded to this in your statement today. So, sometimes it needs complex and cross-cutting approaches to solve these problems, and I was heartened by your references to the approach in Wrexham, where obviously you'll need to monitor how the outcomes pan out. But it seems that you do often need some sort of cross-cutting approach, and that may well be what they're doing with their community care hubs. So, that might be some example that perhaps we can draw on when we look at this across the breadth of Wales.
Now, one visible issue that we have witnessed recently is the increase in people living in tents in urban centres, which is becoming a controversial issue. Clearly, people would seem to be better off in tents than living outside exposed to the elements—that would appear to be clear—but I think we do need to be mindful that people within the housing sector have raised issues over this, with the potential problem that what appears to be a short-term solution of living in a tent might turn into a long-term solution, and might actually deter people in the long run from seeking more viable long-term housing solutions.
So, people in organisations like the Wallich are raising issues over this. I think we need to investigate why sometimes people are more willing to live in tents rather than seek shelter at the overnight shelters. Now, there is some anecdotal evidence from the recent media reports, and some of the people who have been interviewed—some of the homeless people living in the tents—have pointed out that sometimes the overnight shelters are not as attractive for them as living in a tent and sometimes they find the situations that they're in in an overnight shelter are not that safe. So, I think we do have to try to work out how to make it more viable for people to actually be housed in the overnight shelter.
I think drug use is becoming an issue—there is some evidence that the longer people stay homeless the harder it is for them to reintegrate and the more likely they are to be exploited on the streets by drug pedlars. Actually, many of the people who are in the tents—the ones who have been quoted—seem to be saying that one of the reasons they don't want to go into the overnight shelters is to avoid interaction with drug users. But, actually, if they stay in the tents, there is some evidence that they could end up getting involved with drug users even against their own wishes.
So, these are complex problems, and I appreciate that the solutions are not always that easy. I think there is some evidence that rough-sleeping in Scotland—the figures may have stabilised, so I wonder whether there are lessons that we can learn from their approach there. Some people have also noted that a lot of charities, possibly, on occasion, seem to be competing against each other. Can we work to ensure that the charities do work together to help to resolve these issues? Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch, Gweinidog, am eich datganiad heddiw. Cafwyd ymchwiliad ar broblemau digartrefedd a chysgu allan yn y pwyllgor cymunedau y llynedd, ac fel y soniodd David Melding, mewn llawer o achosion darlun cymhleth yw hwn, ac rydych chi wedi cyfeirio at hynny yn eich datganiad heddiw. Weithiau mae angen dulliau cymhleth a thrawsbynciol i ddatrys y problemau hyn, a chefais fy nghalonogi gan eich cyfeiriadau at y dull yn Wrecsam, lle, yn amlwg, bydd gofyn i chi fonitro sut y bydd y canlyniadau yn datblygu. Ond mae'n ymddangos fod angen rhyw fath o ddull trawsbynciol arnoch chi yn aml, ac efallai'n wir mai dyna maen nhw'n ei wneud gyda'u canolfannau gofal cymunedol yno. Felly, gallai honno fod yn enghraifft y gallwn ni ei defnyddio o bosib wrth edrych ar hyn ledled Cymru.
Nawr, un mater amlwg a welsom ni'n ddiweddar yw'r cynnydd mewn pobl sy'n byw mewn pebyll yng nghanol trefi, sy'n mynd yn fater dadleuol. Yn amlwg, mae'n ymddangos ei bod yn well eu byd ar y rhai mewn pebyll na'r rhai sy'n byw y tu allan ac yn agored i'r elfennau—mae hynny i'w weld yn amlwg—ond credaf fod angen inni fod yn ymwybodol bod rhai o fewn y sector tai wedi codi materion ynglŷn â hyn, sef bod yr hyn sy'n ymddangos yn ddatrysiad dros dro o fyw mewn pabell yn troi yn ateb hirdymor, a gallai hynny mewn gwirionedd atal pobl yn y diwedd rhag chwilio am ddatrysiadau o ran tai mwy hyfyw i'r hirdymor.
Felly, mae pobl mewn sefydliadau fel y Wallich yn codi materion am hyn. Credaf fod angen i ni ymchwilio i'r rhesymau pam mae pobl yn fwy parod weithiau i fyw mewn pebyll yn hytrach na cheisio lloches mewn llochesi dros nos. Nawr, ceir rhywfaint o dystiolaeth anecdotaidd o adroddiadau diweddar yn y cyfryngau, a rhai o'r bobl sydd wedi cael eu cyfweld—rhai o'r bobl ddigartref sy'n byw yn y pebyll—wedi nodi nad yw llochesi dros nos weithiau mor ddeniadol iddyn nhw â byw mewn pabell ac weithiau nid ydynt yn teimlo'n ddiogel yn y llochesi dros nos. Felly, rwyf i o'r farn ei bod yn rhaid inni geisio datrys sut i'w gwneud yn fwy hyfyw i gael llety i bobl mewn lloches dros nos.
Rwy'n credu bod defnyddio cyffuriau yn mynd yn broblem—ceir rhywfaint o dystiolaeth ei bod yn mynd yn fwy anodd i bobl ailintegreiddio wedi bod yn ddigartref am amser maith ac maen nhw'n fwy tebygol o gael eu hecsbloetio ar y strydoedd gan rai sy'n gwerthu cyffuriau. Mewn gwirionedd, mae llawer o'r rhai sydd yn y pebyll—y rhai a ddyfynnwyd—yn dweud mai un o'r rhesymau nad ydyn nhw'n dymuno mynd i'r llochesi dros nos yw eu bod eisiau osgoi cwrdd â defnyddwyr cyffuriau. Ond, mewn gwirionedd, os byddan nhw'n aros yn y pebyll, mae rhywfaint o dystiolaeth y gallan nhw ddod ar draws defnyddwyr cyffuriau hyd yn oed yn groes i'w dymuniadau.
Felly, mae'r rhain yn broblemau cymhleth, ac rwy'n sylweddoli nad yw'r atebion bob amser mor hawdd â hynny. Credaf fod yna rywfaint o dystiolaeth bod cysgu allan yn yr Alban—efallai fod y ffigurau wedi sefydlogi, felly tybed a oes gwersi i'w dysgu o'u dulliau nhw yno. Mae rhai wedi nodi hefyd bod llawer o elusennau, o bosib, ar adegau, yn cystadlu â'i gilydd. A gawn ni weithio i sicrhau bod yr elusennau yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd i helpu i ddatrys y materion hyn? Diolch yn fawr.
I think the Member highlights very well the sheer complexity of the difficulties that face us. I would certainly not want to criticise anyone who helps a homeless person have a tent that stops them sleeping in a doorway, because it can make the difference between life and death. However, clearly that is not a sustainable solution. The whole purpose of the housing first approach is to be able to offer people secure permanent accommodation and not have to have them go in and out of night shelters and so on, which, clearly, is only a minor step up from sleeping in the street.
Having said that, the night shelters are a very important part of the mix. We are helping many of the charities that run the night shelters with things like more security and better living space, if you like, but one size doesn't fit all. For some people, that will just not be an acceptable place to go—for others, it will be a lifeline. So, you know—. The Member highlights the complexity, and what I've said in my statement and in answering questions across the floor is: it is quite clear to me, and as clear as the nose on your face, really, that each individual will have a different set of needs, and you need to design a different set of interventions for that individual. The idea that you can have some kind of universal service that fits everybody—clearly, that just does not work.
As I've said very clearly, I'm absolutely convinced that a suitable accommodation offer for the Deputy Presiding Officer, for example, might not be anything that I would find suitable accommodation, because we are very different individuals. We need to be able to recognise the humanity of the person who's homeless and get them the sort of home that they would be able to sustain long term, and that has a huge range of complexities associated with it.
I'd just like to say two other things, though. The first is, just to be clear, that not all people who are rough-sleepers have substance abuse problems—some of them do and some of them don't, so that's not a universal characteristic either. And that isn't the problem in every night shelter either, so the problem is that it's very complex and looks very different depending on where you shine your searchlight.
Mae'r Aelod yn tynnu sylw'n dda iawn, rwy'n credu, at y cymhlethdodau mawr yn yr anawsterau sy'n ein hwynebu. Ni fyddwn yn sicr yn dymuno beirniadu unrhyw un sy'n helpu drwy roi pabell i unigolyn digartref er mwyn ei rwystro rhag gorfod cysgu wrth ddrws, oherwydd gall fod yn wahaniaeth rhwng bywyd a marwolaeth i hwnnw. Fodd bynnag, mae'n amlwg nad yw hynny'n ateb cynaliadwy. Holl ddiben dull Tai yn Gyntaf yw rhoi'r gallu i gynnig llety parhaol diogel i bobl ac nid eu gorfodi i fynd i mewn ac allan o'r llochesi nos ac ati sydd, yn amlwg, ond yn un cam bychan oddi wrth gysgu ar y stryd.
Wedi dweud hynny, mae'r llochesi nos yn rhan bwysig iawn o'r gymysgedd. Rydym yn helpu llawer o'r elusennau sy'n rhedeg llochesi nos gyda phethau fel diogelwch gwell a lle gwell i fyw, fel petai, ond nid yw'r un peth yn gweithio i bawb. I rai, ni fydd hwnnw'n lle derbyniol i fynd iddo—i eraill, bydd yn fodd i fyw. Felly, wyddoch chi—. Mae'r Aelod yn tynnu sylw at y cymhlethdodau, a'r hyn yr wyf i wedi ei ddweud yn fy natganiad i ac wrth ateb cwestiynau ar draws y llawr yw: mae'n amlwg iawn i mi, ac mor blaen ag y gallai hi fod, mewn gwirionedd, fod gan bob unigolyn wahanol set o anghenion, a bydd yn rhaid dylunio set unigryw o ymyriadau ar gyfer yr unigolyn hwnnw. Mae'r syniad y gallwch chi gael rhyw fath o wasanaeth cyffredinol a fydd yn gweddu i bawb—yn amlwg, ni fyddai hynny'n gweithio.
Ac fel y dywedais yn eglur, rwy'n berffaith siŵr na fyddai cynnig o lety addas i'r Dirprwy Lywydd, er enghraifft, yn rhywbeth y byddwn i yn ei ystyried yn llety addas efallai, gan ein bod yn unigolion gwahanol iawn i'n gilydd. Mae angen i ni allu cydnabod dynoliaeth yr unigolyn sy'n ddigartref a rhoi'r math o gartref iddo y gall ei gynnal yn y tymor hir, ac mae amrywiaeth enfawr o gymhlethdodau yn gysylltiedig â hynny.
Hoffwn ddweud dau beth arall, serch hynny. Y cyntaf yw, er eglurder, nad oes gan bob person sy'n cysgu allan broblemau camddefnyddio sylweddau—mae gan rai ac nid oes gan eraill, felly nid yw honno'n nodwedd gyffredinol chwaith. Nid yw honno'n broblem ym mhob lloches nos ychwaith, felly y broblem yw ei bod yn hynod gymhleth ac yn ymddangos yn wahanol iawn yn dibynnu ar ble y byddwch chi'n chwilio.
I'd just like to pay tribute, first of all, to all of the people, both staff and volunteers, who every single day and night are averting people from becoming homeless and supporting those who are on the streets. Every single night, there is a hot meal available to people who are destitute, and there's a huge amount of work going on and people working their socks off. Cardiff council's homeless outreach team helped no less than 54 people on one night last week into emergency accommodation—obviously, when we had the most extreme weather. We still have 90 emergency places available for people who can be persuaded to go into emergency accommodation in what was very dangerously cold weather a few days ago. I also pay tribute to fact Cardiff outperforms the Welsh average.
Three quarters of the people who sought early advice about becoming homeless were actually helped into alternative accommodation rather than waiting until they were on the streets. So, obviously that's a really important message to anybody in that situation.
Unfortunately, we know that the main cause of homelessness is not addictions of one sort or another. It is, unfortunately, mortgage and rent arrears and that is because of a deliberate policy by the UK Government not to allow in-work benefits to keep pace with prices, and family breakdown will instantly lead to people not being able to pay their rent.
So, there's been a 247 per cent increase in the last year in Cardiff, compared with the previous year, as a result of mortgage and rent arrears, and that is a cause for concern. So, the desperate need for more social housing, I think, is top of my list of concerns, because people who are in temporary accommodation are waiting too long before being able to be moved into permanent accommodation, because we simply don't have enough. We've already got a lot of people inappropriately housed who do have a roof over their heads.
So, really—I know that there are intermediate pods being built as part of the innovative housing programme in Cardiff by Cadwyn, and I wondered if you can tell us when they might become available, because they're a bit like Ikea pods—everything available, privacy, security. And also you mentioned the trailblazer Salvation Army Housing First project that you visited recently. It would be very useful to hear a bit more about that. Otherwise, does the Government have any concrete plans to abolish section 21, which is forcing many people to become homeless, because they are simply unable to provide alternative accommodation when their private landlord decides they don't want to house them any longer?
Hoffwn dalu teyrnged, yn gyntaf oll, i'r holl bobl, yn staff a gwirfoddolwyr, sydd bob dydd a nos yn atal pobl rhag bod yn ddigartref ac yn cefnogi'r rhai sydd ar y strydoedd. Bob un noson, mae pryd o fwyd twym ar gael i bobl anghenus, ac mae llawer iawn o waith yn digwydd a phobl yn gweithio fel lladd nadredd. Helpodd tîm allgymorth digartref Cyngor Caerdydd ddim llai na 54 o bobl ar un noson yr wythnos diwethaf i mewn i lety argyfwng—yn amlwg, pan oedd y tywydd ar ei fwyaf eithafol. Mae gennym 90 o leoedd brys ar gael o hyd i bobl a all gael eu perswadio i fynd i mewn i lety argyfwng yn ystod yr hyn oedd yn dywydd peryglus iawn o ran yr oerfel ychydig ddyddiau'n ôl. Rwy'n rhoi teyrnged hefyd i'r ffaith bod Caerdydd yn perfformio'n well na'r cyfartaledd yng Nghymru.
Cafodd tri chwarter y rhai a aeth i ofyn am gyngor cynnar o ran bod yn ddigartref eu helpu i lety amgen yn hytrach nag aros nes eu bod ar y stryd. Felly, mae'n amlwg fod honno'n neges bwysig iawn i unrhyw un yn y sefyllfa honno.
Yn anffodus, gwyddom nad prif achos digartrefedd yw dibyniaeth o ryw fath neu ei gilydd. Y prif achos, yn anffodus, yw ôl-ddyledion morgais a rhent ac mae hynny oherwydd polisi bwriadol gan Lywodraeth y DU i beidio â chaniatáu i fudd-daliadau mewn gwaith gadw i fyny â phrisiau, a bydd teuluoedd yn chwalu yn arwain ar unwaith at bobl yn methu â thalu eu rhent.
Felly, bu cynnydd o 247 y cant yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf yng Nghaerdydd, o'i chymharu â'r flwyddyn flaenorol, o ganlyniad i ôl-ddyledion morgais a rhent, ac mae hynny'n peri pryder. Felly, mae'r angen dybryd am fwy o dai cymdeithasol, yn fy marn i, ar ben fy rhestr o bryderon. Mae pobl sydd mewn llety dros dro yn aros yn rhy hir cyn cael eu symud i lety parhaol, oherwydd nid oes digon ar gael. Eisoes mae gennym lawer o bobl sydd wedi cael eu cartrefu yn amhriodol ond sydd â tho uwch eu pennau, serch hynny.
Felly, mewn gwirionedd—gwn fod yna bodiau canolraddol yn cael eu hadeiladu fel rhan o'r rhaglen tai arloesol yng Nghaerdydd gan Cadwyn, tybed a allech chi ddweud wrthym pryd fyddan nhw'n barod, oherwydd maen nhw braidd fel podiau Ikea—popeth ar gael, preifatrwydd, diogelwch. Ac roeddech chi'n sôn hefyd am brosiect arloesol Tai yn Gyntaf Byddin yr Iachawdwriaeth, yr ymwelsoch ag ef yn ddiweddar. Byddai'n ddefnyddiol iawn i ni gael clywed ychydig mwy am hynny. Fel arall, a oes gan y Llywodraeth unrhyw gynlluniau pendant i ddiddymu adran 21, sy'n gorfodi llawer o bobl i fynd yn ddigartref, oherwydd nad ydyn nhw'n gallu cynnig llety amgen pan fydd eu landlordiaid preifat yn penderfynu nad ydyn nhw'n dymuno eu cartrefu mwyach?
So, starting with that one, we are actively pursuing any legislative opportunity that would arise in order for us to deal with the section 21 issues. I'm not actually in a position to say what that is but we are very actively pursuing the various options that are available to us, within the legislative programme, to be able to address some of those issues.
We're also, as you heard me saying in response to other questions, looking to have a very serious mass social housing build policy, and we're looking to work with local authorities as fast as possible to free up public land in order to be able to do that. We're working very hard—Rebecca Evans and I are working very hard to make sure that the cap arrangements for the housing revenue account are removed from every authority that currently has one. I think we've got four left to go, but anyway it's not very many more to go. We're very much encouraging local authorities to step up to that plate and use their prudential borrowing powers in order to start the build for houses for social rent.
We're also, of course, pursuing our affordable homes policy, which—we're confident that we will get to our 20,000 affordable homes. But that's not the only solution that's needed, as Jenny Rathbone rightly says. We have a very bad housing shortage and that is driving some of the homelessness. But also we have a rising tide of poverty driven by austerity, which is also contributing to the family breakdown, stress and so on that she very ably outlined, I think.
So, I go back to saying we need to learn from those very good authorities that have got excellent programmes. We need to spread the best practice across Wales. And I would like to finish by saying what I did say in my statement: to express the Government's very enormous gratitude to all of the people who work in this sector—the third sector, the local authorities, the volunteers and so on—without whom we would have had very many more deaths on the streets.
Felly, gan ddechrau gyda hynny, rydym ni'n gweithio'n galed i fynd ar drywydd unrhyw gyfle deddfwriaethol a fyddai'n codi er mwyn ymdrin â'r materion yn sgil adran 21. Nid wyf i mewn sefyllfa i allu dweud mewn gwirionedd beth yw hynny ond rydym yn mynd ar drywydd y dewisiadau amrywiol sydd ar gael i ni, o fewn y rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol, i allu mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r materion hynny.
Rydym hefyd, fel y clywsoch chi fi'n dweud mewn ymateb i gwestiynau eraill, yn golygu cael polisi adeiladu tai cymdeithasol o swmp mawr iawn, ac rydym yn bwriadu gweithio gyda'r awdurdodau lleol mor gyflym ag y bo modd i ryddhau tir cyhoeddus er mwyn iddyn nhw allu gwneud hynny. Rydym yn gweithio'n galed iawn—mae Rebecca Evans a minnau'n gweithio'n galed iawn i wneud yn siŵr bod y trefniadau i roi capiau ar y cyfrif refeniw tai yn cael eu codi ym mhob awdurdod lle ceir hynny ar hyn o bryd. Credaf fod gennym ni bedwar ar ôl, ond beth bynnag does yna ddim llawer ar ôl eto. Rydyn ni'n annog awdurdodau lleol i raddau helaeth iawn i fynd ati a defnyddio eu pwerau benthyca darbodus i ddechrau'r adeiladwaith ar gyfer tai ar rent cymdeithasol.
Rydym hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn dilyn ein polisi tai fforddiadwy,—rydym yn hyderus y byddwn yn cyrraedd ein nod o 20,000 o gartrefi fforddiadwy. Ond nid dyna'r unig ateb sydd ei angen, fel y dywed Jenny Rathbone yn gywir. Mae gennym brinder tai dybryd iawn ac mae hynny'n achosi peth o'r digartrefedd. Ond mae gennym gynnydd mewn tlodi a achoswyd gan gyni, sydd hefyd yn cyfrannu at deuluoedd yn chwalu, a'r pwysau arnynt ac ati a amlinellwyd ganddi yn fedrus iawn, rwy'n credu.
Felly, rwy'n mynd yn ôl at ddweud bod angen inni ddysgu oddi wrth yr awdurdodau da iawn hynny sydd â rhaglenni campus. Mae angen inni ledu'r arfer gorau ledled Cymru. Hoffwn i orffen drwy ddweud yr hyn a ddywedais yn fy natganiad: a mynegi gwir ddiolchgarwch y Llywodraeth i'r holl bobl sy'n gweithio yn y sector hwn—y trydydd sector, yr awdurdodau lleol, gwirfoddolwyr ac ati—hebddyn nhw byddem wedi gweld llawer iawn mwy o farwolaethau ar y strydoedd.
I'm grateful to you for your statement, Minister, and I very much welcome the focus on enabling a greater supply of social housing. I think that's absolutely essential to get to resolve many of the issues we've been debating this afternoon. But also I would like to seek your views on talking about homeless people as human beings, and not simply numbers and statistics. Has the Government plans to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824? We're aware that the Vagrancy Act is still in force in parts in Wales, and it does criminalise people who are attempting to live on the streets and who are attempting to create survival strategies whilst living on the street. And we know that this is a pernicious piece of nineteenth century legislation that has no place on the modern statute book. So, I'd be grateful if the Government would outline any plans they would have to repeal that Act, but also, then, introduce new rights for people who are living on the streets. We know, for example, that people who are rough-sleeping do not have access to the medical support that they require, but neither do they have access to things that many of us would take for granted in our daily lives, like access to fresh, clean drinking water, for example. So, as well as repealing the legislation that criminalises people, we also need to ensure that people have the sorts of rights that many people take for granted.
And, finally, Minister, I heard your replies earlier on issues around substance misuse, but I would emphasise to you that I believe that creating a holistic approach to dealing with substance misuse and mental health, which does affect and impact many, many people who are homeless, would impact the ability of people then to sustain their lives in the future. We recognise—I think there's a wide recognition—that at the moment we simply do not have a holistic approach to policy in place; we deal with substance misuse in one place, we deal with mental health, and we deal with housing separately. We need to bring these areas together to enable us to ensure that people who have found themselves homeless are able to be sustained not simply for one night, but able to rebuild their lives.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am eich datganiad, Gweinidog, ac rwy'n croesawu'r pwyslais ar alluogi'r gallu i gyflenwi mwy o dai cymdeithasol. Credaf fod hynny'n gwbl hanfodol i ddatrys llawer o'r materion yr ydych wedi eu trafod y prynhawn yma. Ond hoffwn i hefyd ofyn eich barn am gyfeirio at bobl ddigartref fel bodau dynol, ac nid yn unig fel niferoedd ac ystadegau. A oes gan y Llywodraeth gynlluniau i ddiddymu Deddf Crwydraeth 1824? Rydym yn ymwybodol bod y Ddeddf Crwydraeth yn parhau mewn grym mewn ardaloedd yng Nghymru, ac mae hynny'n gwneud troseddwyr o'r rhai sy'n ceisio byw ar y strydoedd ac sy'n ceisio creu strategaethau i oroesi wrth iddyn nhw fyw ar y stryd. Ac rydym yn gwybod bod hwn yn ddarn niweidiol o ddeddfwriaeth o'r bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg nad oes lle iddo ar y llyfr statud modern. Felly, byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe bai'r Llywodraeth yn amlinellu unrhyw gynlluniau a allai fod ganddyn nhw i ddiddymu'r Ddeddf honno, ond hefyd, wedyn, i gyflwyno hawliau newydd ar gyfer pobl sy'n byw ar y strydoedd. Gwyddom, er enghraifft, nad oes gan bobl sy'n cysgu allan gyfle i dderbyn y cymorth meddygol sydd ei angen arnyn nhw, ond ni allan nhw gael gafael ychwaith ar rai pethau y byddai llawer ohonom ni'n eu cymryd yn ganiataol yn ein bywydau bob dydd, fel bod â dŵr glân a ffres i'w yfed, er enghraifft. Felly, yn ogystal â diddymu'r ddeddfwriaeth sy'n gwneud pobl yn droseddwyr, mae angen inni sicrhau hefyd bod pobl yn cael y mathau o hawliau y mae llawer yn eu cymryd yn ganiataol.
Ac, yn olaf, Gweinidog, clywais eich atebion yn gynharach ar faterion yn ymwneud â chamddefnyddio sylweddau. Ond hoffwn bwysleisio fy mod yn credu y byddai llunio dull cyfannol o ymdrin â chamddefnyddio sylweddau ac iechyd meddwl, sy'n effeithio ac yn dylanwadu ar lawer, llawer o bobl sy'n ddigartref, yn effeithio ar allu pobl wedyn i ddal eu bywydau at ei gilydd i'r dyfodol. Rydym yn cydnabod—rwy'n credu fod yna gydnabyddiaeth eang—nad oes gennym ar hyn o bryd ddull cyfannol o roi polisi ar waith; rydym yn ymdrin â chamddefnyddio sylweddau mewn un lle, yn ymdrin ag iechyd meddwl, ac yn ymdrin â thai ar wahân i'w gilydd. Mae angen inni ddod â'r meysydd hyn at ei gilydd fel y gallwn sicrhau y bydd pobl sy'n eu cael eu hunain yn ddigartref yn gallu cael eu cynnal nid yn unig am un noson, ond eu bod yn gallu ailadeiladu eu bywydau.
Yes indeed, I completely agree with that. That's, in fact, the complete basis on which the housing first strategy is based. I mentioned the innovative project in Wrexham that brings all of the services into a single room so that people have ease of access and so on. And the whole purpose of the housing first approach is that getting somebody into a secure, long-term home that they can regard as home makes it much more obvious that they will be able to access the decent services that come with having an address and a place you call home, whereas, if you're in a ladder of temporary accommodation and so on, you continue to experience the difficulties of not having those permanent services that people have when they have a decent, secure place to live. So, I completely agree with him, and we are looking across the Government at how we can improve the access to services for people who are right on the acute end, the rough-sleepers, but, actually, all the people that Mike Hedges mentioned—the people who are sofa-surfing—and the people that Jenny Rathbone mentioned—family breakdown as a result of serious financial difficulties and so on— that we are all aware of in our communities.
And can I just finish by agreeing with him absolutely that the whole purpose of this is to treat the poor, unfortunate human being who has found themselves in that position as a human being because, frankly, it could happen to any one of us. It's only luck that you don't end up in that circumstance, and so I think we absolutely have to treat each individual as the individual human that they are, and we have to make sure that we have a trauma-centred approach that gives that individual a tailored response.
And, in terms of the Act that he mentioned, we are looking across the piece at the interaction of various legislation, some of which we have the powers to do something about, others that have had unintended consequences—the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, for example, is having unintended consequences in this space—that we will need to work with the UK Government on to secure the changes that we need.
Ie wir, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â hynny. Dyna, mewn gwirionedd, yw holl sail y strategaeth Tai yn Gyntaf. Roeddwn i'n sôn am y prosiect arloesol yn Wrecsam sy'n dwyn yr holl wasanaethau ynghyd i un ystafell fel y bydd pobl yn cael y cwbl yn hwylus ac ati. A holl ddiben y dull Tai yn Gyntaf yw bod cael rhywun i gartref diogel a hirdymor, y gall ei ystyried yn gartref iddo, yn ei gwneud yn llawer mwy amlwg iddyn nhw y gallan nhw gael gafael ar y gwasanaethau addas sy'n deillio o fod â chyfeiriad a man i'w alw'n gartref, tra byddwch, os ydych ar yr ysgol o lety dros dro ac ati, yn parhau i wynebu anawsterau a methu cael y gwasanaethau parhaol hynny sydd ar gael i bobl pan fydd ganddyn nhw le gweddus a diogel i fyw ynddo. Felly, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr ag ef, ac rydym yn edrych ledled y Llywodraeth ar y modd y gallwn ni wella darpariaeth y gwasanaethau ar gyfer y bobl sydd ar begwn eithaf yr ymylon, y rhai sy'n cysgu allan, ond, mewn gwirionedd, yr holl bobl a grybwyllodd Mike Hedges—y bobl sy'n symud o un soffa i'r llall—a'r bobl a grybwyllodd Jenny Rathbone—teuluoedd yn chwalu o ganlyniad i anawsterau ariannol difrifol ac ati—rydym ni i gyd yn ymwybodol o hynny yn ein cymunedau.
A gaf i orffen drwy gytuno ag ef i'r carn mai holl ddiben hyn yw trin yr unigolyn truenus ac anffodus sy'n cael ei hunan yn y sefyllfa honno fel bod dynol oherwydd, a dweud y gwir, gallai hynny ddigwydd i unrhyw un ohonom ni. Ddim ond trwy lwc y byddwch chi'n osgoi'r amgylchiadau hynny yn y pen draw, ac felly rwy'n llawn gredu y dylem drin pob unigolyn fel bod dynol unigol, ac mae'n rhaid i ni wneud yn siŵr fod gennym ni ddull sy'n canolbwyntio ar drawma ac sy'n rhoi i'r unigolyn hwnnw yr ymateb sy'n addas iddo.
Ac, o ran y Ddeddf a grybwyllodd, rydym yn edrych yn gyffredinol ar ryngweithio deddfwriaethau amrywio. Mewn rhai achosion, mae gennym bwerau i wneud rhywbeth amdanyn nhw, ac mae achosion eraill wedi arwain at ganlyniadau anfwriadol—mae Deddf Camddefnyddio Cyffuriau 1971, er enghraifft, yn cael canlyniadau anfwriadol yn hyn o beth—bydd angen inni weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i sicrhau'r newidiadau sydd eu hangen arnom ni.
Thank you for your statement, Minister. Homelessness and rough-sleeping are one of the nation’s greatest shames. The fact that we don’t have enough housing for our citizens is bad enough, but the fact that we neglect those in mental anguish, leading to them sleeping in shop doorways, is disgraceful, and I hope you'll agree with me. A large percentage of those forced to sleep rough are ex-forces. They leave service, often suffering from the physical and mental wounds inflicted upon them during conflict, expecting to be housed by a grateful nation, only to be abandoned, untreated and homeless.
People who were prepared to give their lives defending us and our nation are now treated badly, pushed aside, as if out of sight, out of mind. And this, by God, isn’t good enough. Politicians of all persuasions have attacked rough-sleepers as detritus to be moved from our streets without tackling the underlying causes, without thinking about the terrible suffering rough-sleepers experience. People don’t choose to sleep in shop doorways—they are forced to. We shouldn't be making them feel ashamed, as it is us who should feel the shame. I know of several veterans who feel forced to hide away their rough-sleeping behind bins or in bushes because of how they're treated. Where is the compassion for those less fortunate than ourselves?
When I worked at HMP Parc, people were in prison for vagrancy. They should not have been in prison; they should have been helped within our community. Unfortunately, successive Governments have failed to provide sufficient affordable housing, leading to this rise in homelessness. Minister, how is your Government increasing the supply of affordable housing this year? Welsh Labour have been in power in Wales for nearly two decades and yet homelessness has increased. So, will you accept that your policies are to blame for the increase?
Helsinki has virtually eliminated rough-sleeping over the last couple of decades, and since 2007, the Finnish Government has based its homeless policies on the policies of housing first. Minister, what lessons have you learnt from the Finnish experience?
According to Shelter, housing first accommodation is a better option for people with long-term mental health issues or substance misuse problems, yet Wales has very little housing first accommodation. Minister, can you outline how you plan to rectify this?
And finally, Minister, what specific action will your Government take to support homeless veterans and ensure that military personnel receive help, support and treatment upon discharge, in order to prevent their eventual homelessness and rough-sleeping?
Diolch i chi am eich datganiad, Gweinidog. Mae digartrefedd a chysgu allan yn gywilydd mawr i'r genedl. Mae'r ffaith nad oes gennym ni ddigon o dai ar gyfer ein dinasyddion yn beth digon gwael, ond mae'r ffaith ein bod yn esgeuluso rhai â phoen meddwl, gan arwain atyn nhw'n cysgu yn nrysau siopau, yn warthus, ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch chi'n cytuno â mi. Mae canran fawr o'r rhai sy'n cael eu gorfodi i gysgu ar y stryd yn gyn-filwyr. Maen nhw'n gadael y lluoedd arfog, yn aml yn dioddef o glwyfau corfforol a meddyliol a gawsant mewn brwydrau, yn disgwyl cael eu cartrefu gan genedl ddiolchgar, ddim ond i gael eu gadael, yn ddiymgeledd ac yn ddigartref.
Mae'r rhai a oedd yn barod i aberthu eu bywydau i'n hamddiffyn ni a'n cenedl yn cael eu trin yn wael erbyn hyn, ac yn cael eu gwthio o'r neilltu, fel nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu gweld ac felly'n mynd yn angof. Nid yw hyn yn ddigon da, er mwyn y nefoedd. Mae gwleidyddion o bob tuedd wedi ymosod ar rai sy'n cysgu allan fel sbwriel i'w olchi o'n strydoedd heb fynd i'r afael â'r achosion sydd wrth wraidd hynny, heb feddwl am y dioddefaint ofnadwy y mae pobl sy'n cysgu allan yn ei brofi. Nid yw pobl yn dewis cysgu yn nrysau siopau—gorfod gwneud hynny y maen nhw. Ni ddylem godi cywilydd arnyn nhw, gan mai arnom ni y dylai'r cywilydd fod. Rwy'n gwybod am sawl cyn-filwr sy'n teimlo ei fod dan orfodaeth i guddio'r ffaith ei fod yn cysgu allan y tu ôl i finiau neu mewn llwyni oherwydd y ffordd y cân nhw eu trin. Ble mae'r cydymdeimlad â'r rhai sy'n llai ffodus na ni?
Pan oeddwn i'n gweithio yng ngharchar Parc, roedd pobl yn y carchar am grwydraeth. Ni ddylen nhw fod yn y carchar; dylen nhw fod wedi cael cymorth yn ein cymuned. Yn anffodus, mae Llywodraethau olynol wedi methu â darparu digon o dai fforddiadwy, sy'n arwain at y cynnydd hwn mewn digartrefedd. Gweinidog, sut mae eich Llywodraeth chi yn bwriadu cynyddu'r cyflenwad o dai fforddiadwy eleni? Mae Llafur Cymru wedi bod mewn grym yng Nghymru am bron i ddau ddegawd ac eto mae digartrefedd wedi cynyddu. Felly, a wnewch chi dderbyn bod eich polisïau chi ar fai am y cynnydd?
Mae Helsinki bron â chael gwared yn gyfan gwbl ar gysgu allan dros y ddau ddegawd diwethaf, ac ers 2007, mae Llywodraeth y Ffindir wedi seilio ei pholisïau digartrefedd ar sail polisïau Tai yn Gyntaf. Gweinidog, pa wersi yr ydych chi wedi eu dysgu o brofiad y Ffindir?
Yn ôl Shelter, mae llety Tai yn Gyntaf yn ddewis amgen i bobl â phroblemau iechyd meddwl hirdymor neu broblemau o ran camddefnyddio sylweddau, ac eto nid oes yng Nghymru ond ychydig iawn o lety Tai yn Gyntaf. Gweinidog, a wnewch chi amlinellu sut y bwriadwch gywiro hynny?
Ac yn olaf, Gweinidog, pa gamau penodol fydd eich Llywodraeth chi'n eu cymryd i gefnogi cyn-filwyr digartref a sicrhau bod milwyr yn cael help, cymorth a thriniaeth ar ôl gadael y lluoedd arfog, er mwyn atal eu digartrefedd a chysgu allan yn y pen draw?
Well, Deputy Presiding Officer, I think I covered quite a lot of what the Member asked me in answers to previous Assembly Members. I didn't, however, address the issue about veterans, which I think is something that she's right to raise. Under the priority need legislation, the priority need for armed services personnel only applies at the point of discharge from the regular armed forces, and it doesn't apply to reservists, spouses or other members of the extended family. We have, however, within the code of guidance, suggested local authorities, when considering urgent housing need, give additional preference to anyone who has a serious injury, medical condition, or any impairment, which they or a member of their household has sustained as a result of service in the armed forces. And we also have a specific housing pathway for ex-service personnel, which provides information and signposting for services and cross-tenure housing options available for service personnel and their families on transfer back to civilian life.
We also developed, published and disseminated advice cards, leaflets and posters to publicise the pathway within the armed forces community and with existing rough-sleepers, including the contact details for the veterans' gateway service, which provides a one-stop shop for veterans and family members to access services and support in one place. So, I would very much like to highlight that Members, if they are encountering somebody from an armed forces personnel background, should be directing them towards the veterans' gateway service, which will help connect them with the right support and right people who will be able to deal with their very specific need.
Wel, Dirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n credu i mi grybwyll llawer o'r hyn a ofynnodd yr Aelod i mi mewn atebion blaenorol gan Aelodau Cynulliad. Er hynny, wnes i ddim ymdrin â mater y cyn-filwyr, a chredaf fod hynny'n rhywbeth y mae'n iawn iddi ei godi. O dan y ddeddfwriaeth blaenoriaeth angen, mae'r flaenoriaeth angen ar gyfer personél y lluoedd arfog yn berthnasol wrth iddyn nhw adael y lluoedd arfog rheolaidd, ac nid yw hynny'n berthnasol i filwyr wrth gefn, gwŷr a gwragedd priod neu aelodau eraill o'r teulu estynedig. Rydym ni, er hynny, o fewn y cod canllawiau, wedi awgrymu bod awdurdodau lleol, wrth ystyried yr angen am dai ar fyrder, yn rhoi blaenoriaeth ychwanegol i unrhyw un sydd ag anaf difrifol, neu â chyflwr meddygol, neu unrhyw nam, y maen nhw neu aelod o'u haelwyd wedi ei ddioddef o ganlyniad i wasanaethu yn y lluoedd arfog. Ac mae gennym hefyd lwybr tai penodol i gyn-filwyr, sy'n darparu gwybodaeth ac yn cyfeirio at ddewisiadau llety ar eu cyfer nhw, ac mae croes ddeiliadaeth ar gael i bersonél y lluoedd arfog a'u teuluoedd wrth drosglwyddo yn ôl i fywyd sifil.
Hefyd datblygwyd, cyhoeddwyd a dosbarthwyd cardiau cynghori, taflenni a phosteri i roi cyhoeddusrwydd i'r llwybr o fewn cymuned y lluoedd arfog a chyda'r cysgwyr allan presennol, gan gynnwys manylion cyswllt ar gyfer gwasanaeth porth y cyn-filwyr, sy'n darparu un safle holl gynhwysol i gyn-filwyr ac aelodau o'u teuluoedd fel y gallant gael gafael ar wasanaethau a chymorth yn yr un man. Felly, hoffwn i'n fawr iawn dynnu sylw'r Aelodau, os ydyn nhw'n dod ar draws rhywun o gefndir personél y lluoedd arfog, y dylen nhw eu cyfeirio at wasanaeth porth y cyn-filwyr, a fydd yn eu helpu i gysylltu â'r cymorth iawn a'r bobl iawn a fydd yn gallu ymdrin â'u hanghenion penodol nhw.
Minister, I think many people do share a very strong feeling that it is simply morally indefensible that in the fourth, fifth, sixth biggest economy in the world, we have so many people homeless and sleeping rough, and I think that manifests itself in the sort of voluntary response that Jenny Rathbone mentioned earlier. And I know that at Christmas time, for example, so many people came forward to help with some of the temporary services that have been set up in city and town centres, that they were asked to return home because they were tripping over themselves. But their commitment was very much welcome, obviously, nonetheless. But people really are at a loss to understand how, as a UK, within Wales, we're unable to organise ourselves as a state, as a country, as a society, in a way that prevents increasing homelessness and rough-sleeping. We obviously need to do a lot, lot better.
In terms of the committee that I chair, the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, Minister, I just wanted to ask some questions in terms of some of the work we've done, in terms of some of your responses, your predecessor's responses and where we are at the current time. In terms of the action plan, more information was going to be sought through research on the causes of the recent increase in rough-sleeping, and I just wonder whether that work has identified any opportunities for stronger measures around prevention. Also, the rough-sleeping action plan is intended to be a living document, and I just wonder to what extent it has evolved and what the current developments are.
And on responses to recommendations within our committee report, Welsh Government noted that there would be an updated code of guidance for local authorities on the allocation of accommodation and homelessness and that that would be published around the end of last year and that it would be subject to consultation. So, given that we haven't had the publication, I just wonder where we are with those matters.
Finally, the Welsh Government's response noted that it was in the process of commissioning an independent assessment of the potential implications and risks associated with changing the current priority need approach. So, Minister, could you provide an update on that work and an indication of when findings will be published?
Gweinidog, rwy'n credu bod llawer o bobl yn rhannu'r ymdeimlad cryf iawn ei bod yn foesol anghyfiawn fod gennym ni yn y bedwaredd, y bumed, neu chweched economi fwyaf yn y byd lawer o bobl yn ddigartref ac yn cysgu allan, a chredaf fod hynny'n cael ei amlygu yn y math o ymateb gwirfoddol y cyfeiriodd Jenny Rathbone ato'n gynharach. Gwn ar adeg y Nadolig, er enghraifft, fod llawer o bobl wedi dod i helpu gyda rhai o'r gwasanaethau dros dro a sefydlwyd yng nghanol y dinasoedd a'r trefi, a'u bod wedi cael eu cynghori i fynd adref am eu bod yn baglu dros ei gilydd. Ond roedd eu hymrwymiad yn sicr i'w groesawu, yn amlwg, serch hynny. Ond mewn gwirionedd mae pobl yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn deall sut, fel Teyrnas Unedig ac yng Nghymru, yr ydym ni'n analluog i'n trefnu ein hunain fel gwladwriaeth, fel gwlad, fel cymdeithas, mewn ffordd sy'n atal digartrefedd a chysgu allan cynyddol. Mae'n amlwg bod angen inni wneud yn llawer, llawer iawn gwell.
O ran y pwyllgor yr wyf i'n ei gadeirio, sef y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau, Gweinidog, hoffwn i ofyn rhai cwestiynau o ran rhywfaint o'r gwaith a wnaethom ni, o ran rhai o'ch ymatebion chi ac ymatebion eich rhagflaenydd a'r sefyllfa yr ydym ni ynddi ar hyn o bryd. O ran y cynllun gweithredu, roedd ceisio cael mwy o wybodaeth yn mynd i ddigwydd drwy wneud ymchwil i achosion y cynnydd diweddar mewn cysgu allan. Tybed a yw'r gwaith hwnnw wedi nodi unrhyw gyfleoedd ar gyfer mesurau atal mwy cadarn. Hefyd, bwriedir i'r cynllun gweithredu cysgu allan fod yn ddogfen fyw, ac rwy'n holi i ba raddau y mae honno wedi esblygu a pha ddatblygiadau sy'n digwydd ar hyn o bryd.
Ac ar yr ymatebion i'r argymhellion yn adroddiad ein pwyllgor, nododd Llywodraeth Cymru y byddai cod o ganllawiau yn cael ei ddiweddaru ar gyfer awdurdodau lleol ynglŷn â dyrannu llety a digartrefedd, ac y byddai hwnnw'n cael ei gyhoeddi tua diwedd y llynedd ac y byddai'n destun ymgynghoriad. Felly, o gofio nad ydym wedi gweld ei gyhoeddi, rwy'n holi ynglŷn â'n sefyllfa ni gyda'r materion hynny.
Yn olaf, nododd ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru ei bod yn y broses o gomisiynu asesiad annibynnol o'r goblygiadau a risgiau posib sy'n gysylltiedig â newid y dull blaenoriaeth angen presennol. Felly, Gweinidog, a wnewch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ar y gwaith hwnnw a rhoi syniad o ba bryd y cyhoeddir y canfyddiadau?
I'll try and do those in reverse order, just because that's how my memory works. So, in terms of the priority need research, that's due back in April, commissioned by my predecessor Rebecca Evans. We're expecting that back in April.FootnoteLink I know that the new guidance is delayed, but we want to make sure that we've got all of the right collaborations and so on, and we had, obviously, a change of Minister in between as well. So, I will write to the Member and tell him exactly what the plan is, because we've been having some discussion about making sure that we've got the right input from all of our collaborative partners—third sector, local authorities and so on—before we issue the new guidance. And we are working, as I say, to shift to a housing first secure accommodation model, so we are looking to see what the evaluations of the various pilots bring us. Also, as I said in response to Leanne Wood, we are looking to see what the experience elsewhere with housing first models has been.
I didn't say in response to Caroline Jones, but the Finnish model is very interesting, but, of course, people cherry-pick what they like out of models, and one of the things about the Finnish model is that it's one of the most equal societies in the world and is not in its ninth year of austerity, which drives very many of the issues that the Finnish model is able to deal with, whereas we are in a very different position in terms of the stress that many of our families find themselves under, particularly those who are in minimum wage jobs, where the universal credit roll-out is having a severe impact on their ability to maintain their secure accommodation. That's why our legislation is groundbreaking, because we have swapped around to looking at the prevention of people falling out of accommodation. I have very much the ambition to end evictions from any kind of social housing in Wales and that we put the support services in place so that people are not evicted from social housing, because when they are, they become homeless—that is the end of that line. So, we need to work hard with our councils that still have their own housing and with our registered social landlords to make sure that we can maintain people in social rented accommodation, that we can meet their needs and that we ensure that they are in suitable accommodation, because, often, it can be that you're just simply in the wrong place away from your support network and all the rest of it. So, we'll be working very hard to put those matters in place.
We've also got to address the supply side, as he rightly says and the report says, and I've answered various Members about what we're doing on the supply side, but that is, of course, very important: to get the right kind of supply side and the right kind of housing for people so that they have their needs met as part of that secure accommodation. That's absolutely fundamental, and in places like Finland, that is the centre of what they do. Those are things that we're very keen to learn from.
Rwyf am ddechrau gyda'r un olaf a gweithio'n ôl gyda'r pwyntiau hynny, a gomisiynwyd gan fy rhagflaenydd Rebecca Evans, sydd i ddod yn ei ôl ym mis Ebrill. Rydym ni'n disgwyl hwnnw'n ei ôl ym mis Ebrill.FootnoteLink Rwy'n gwybod bod y canllawiau newydd wedi eu gohirio, ond rydym eisiau gwneud yn siŵr bod gennym ni'r cydweithrediadau cywir i gyd ac ati, ac rydym ni, yn amlwg, wedi gweld newid Gweinidog yn y cyfamser hefyd. Felly, byddaf yn ysgrifennu at yr Aelod ac yn dweud wrtho beth yn union yw'r cynllun, oherwydd cawsom rywfaint o drafodaeth ynghylch gwneud yn siŵr ein bod wedi cael mewnbwn priodol gan bob un o'n partneriaid cydweithredol—y trydydd sector, awdurdodau lleol ac ati—cyn i ni gyhoeddi'r canllawiau newydd. Ac rydym yn gweithio, fel y dywedaf, i symud at fodel llety diogel Tai yn Gyntaf, felly rydym am roi ystyriaeth i'r hyn a ddaw yn sgil y gwerthusiadau o'r cynlluniau treialu amrywiol. Hefyd, fel y dywedais wrth ymateb i Leanne Wood, rydym am roi ystyriaeth i'r profiad a gafwyd mewn mannau eraill gyda modelau Tai yn Gyntaf.
Ni ddywedais hynny wrth ymateb i Caroline Jones, ond mae model y Ffindir yn ddiddorol iawn. Ond, wrth gwrs, bydd pobl yn dewis a dethol yr hyn y maen nhw'n ei hoffi yn y modelau, ac un o'r ystyriaethau ym model y Ffindir yw ei bod yn un o'r cymdeithasau mwyaf cyfartal yn y byd ac nad yw yn ei nawfed flwyddyn o gyni, sy'n ysgogi llawer iawn o'r materion y mae model y Ffindir yn gallu ymdrin â nhw. Mae ein sefyllfa ni yn wahanol iawn o ran y pwysau sydd ar lawer o'n teuluoedd, yn enwedig y rhai sydd mewn swyddi isafswm cyflog, lle mae cyflwyniad y credyd cynhwysol yn cael effaith ddifrifol ar eu gallu i gynnal eu llety diogel. Dyna pam mae ein deddfwriaeth ni'n torri tir newydd, oherwydd rydym wedi newid i edrych ar atal pobl rhag mynd yn ddigartref. Mae gennyf i'r uchelgais fawr iawn o weld diwedd ar droi unrhyw un allan o unrhyw fath o dŷ cymdeithasol yng Nghymru a'n bod yn gosod y gwasanaethau cymorth yn eu lle fel na fydd neb yn cael ei droi allan o dŷ cymdeithasol, oherwydd pan ddigwydd hynny, bydd yn ddigartref—a dyna yw diwedd y daith honno. Felly, mae angen inni weithio'n galed gyda'r cynghorau sydd â'u tai eu hunain o hyd a chyda'n landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig i wneud yn siŵr y gallwn gynnal pobl mewn cartref ar rent cymdeithasol, y gallwn ddiwallu eu hanghenion a sicrhau eu bod mewn llety addas. Oherwydd, yn aml, gall fod yn fater o fod yn y man anghywir y tu allan i'ch rhwydwaith cymorth ac yn y blaen. Felly, byddwn yn gweithio'n galed iawn i gael trefn ar y materion hynny.
Mae'n rhaid inni fynd i'r afael â'r ochr gyflenwi hefyd, fel y dywed ef ac y fel y dywed yr adroddiad yn briodol, ac rwyf wedi ateb aelodau amrywiol o ran yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud ar yr ochr gyflenwi, ond mae hynny, wrth gwrs, yn bwysig iawn: cael y math cywir o ochr gyflenwi a'r math addas o dai ar gyfer pobl fel bod modd diwallu eu hanghenion yn sgil y llety diogel hwnnw. Mae hynny'n gwbl sylfaenol, ac mewn lleoedd fel y Ffindir, dyna graidd yr hyn a wnân nhw. Rydym yn awyddus iawn i ddysgu'r pethau hynny oddi wrthyn nhw.
Thank you. And finally, Jack Sargeant.
Diolch i chi. Ac yn olaf, Jack Sargeant.
Diolch, Deputy Llywydd, and can I start by thanking the Minister for bringing forward this statement today? I also welcome the comments you've made to Members across the Chamber. I'd also like to just join Jenny Rathbone in paying tribute to those who help with this situation we have day in, day out. It pains me that, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, rough-sleeping happens every single day, and it's simply an unacceptable injustice that damages and destroys thousands of lives. And it isn't just unique to the streets of Cardiff or London. It's happening in towns right across the UK, including my own. So, I want to see our communities, as well as the Government, work to end the epidemic of homelessness once and for all. Minister, would you agree with me that businesses can have some involvement in this—businesses like Dandy's Topsoil in my own constituency, which actually offered a position to a rough-sleeper? He didn't have a curriculum vitae, he didn't have a suit, but they offered him a job, an interview and a position, which started to change the way he was living his life.
Also, can I draw your attention to a report by Shelter, which is called 'Trapped on the Streets'? This report importantly notes that, although there are some common causes described by people sleeping rough, the population is actually diverse and each person's needs, as we've mentioned before, and experiences are vastly different. So, will you consider these findings in the report, because I think it's actually an excellent report and I think Members from across the Chamber should take note of that as well.
Finally, I know we're running out of time, Minister, I'm really pleased that you mentioned the work on Housing First, because this is something I called for last year, and sat down with the previous Minister last year as well to discuss that. So, will you commit to continuing that conversation in the coming months with myself, to see how we can develop this for Wales?
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, ac a gaf i ddechrau drwy ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am gyflwyno'r datganiad hwn heddiw? Rwy'n croesawu'r sylwadau a wnaethoch i'r Aelodau ar draws y Siambr hefyd. Hoffwn ymuno hefyd â Jenny Rathbone i dalu teyrnged i'r rhai sy'n helpu gyda'r sefyllfa hon sydd gennym ni o ddydd i ddydd. Mae'n achos gofid mawr i mi, yn un o'r gwledydd cyfoethocaf yn y byd, fod cysgu allan yn digwydd bob dydd, ac mae'n anghyfiawnder annerbyniol sy'n niweidio ac yn difa miloedd o fywydau. Ac nid yw'n unigryw i strydoedd Caerdydd neu Lundain. Mae'n digwydd mewn trefi ledled y DU, gan gynnwys fy nhref fy hun. Felly, rwy'n awyddus i weld ein cymunedau, yn ogystal â'r Llywodraeth, yn gweithio i roi terfyn ar yr epidemig o fod yn ddigartref unwaith ac am byth. Gweinidog, a fyddech yn cytuno â mi y gall busnesau fod â rhan yn hyn—busnesau fel Dandy's Topsoil yn fy etholaeth i, a gynigiodd swydd, mewn gwirionedd, i un a oedd yn cysgu allan? Nid oedd curriculum vitae ganddo, nid oedd ganddo siwt, ond cynigiwyd gwaith iddo, cyfweliad a swydd, a dechreuodd hynny newid y ffordd yr oedd ef yn byw ei fywyd.
Hefyd, a gaf i dynnu eich sylw at adroddiad gan Shelter, a elwir yn 'Yn Gaeth ar y Stryd'? Mae'r adroddiad yn nodi'n bwysig iawn, er bod rhai achosion cyffredin yn cael eu disgrifio gan bobl sy'n cysgu allan, mae'r boblogaeth yn amrywiol mewn gwirionedd ac mae anghenion pob unigolyn, fel yr ydym wedi crybwyll o'r blaen, a phrofiadau unigolion yn amrywio'n aruthrol fawr. Felly, a roddwch chi ystyriaeth i'r canfyddiadau yn yr adroddiad hwn, oherwydd rwyf i o'r farn ei fod mewn gwirionedd yn adroddiad rhagorol a chredaf y dylai'r Aelodau ar draws y Siambr roi sylw iddo hefyd.
Yn olaf, gwn ein bod yn mynd yn brin o amser, Gweinidog, rwy'n hynod o falch i chi grybwyll y gwaith gyda Tai yn Gyntaf, oherwydd mae hyn yn rhywbeth y gelwais amdano'r llynedd, ac fe wnes i eistedd i lawr gyda'r Gweinidog blaenorol y llynedd hefyd i drafod hynny. Felly, a wnewch chi ymrwymo i barhau â'r drafodaeth honno yn y misoedd nesaf gyda mi, i weld sut y gallwn ddatblygu hyn ar gyfer Cymru?
Yes, of course. I'm very happy to commit to that and to speaking with any Member who has an interest in how we develop these policies. We have a range of actions, as Jack Sargeant has pointed out—I'm very heartened to hear of the business that he mentioned. Sadly, many of the people sleeping rough on the streets have got jobs, because, actually, you need more than that. And one of the things we will be doing shortly is going to Stage 3 of our Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill, which will abolish many of the fees that are a serious barrier to people getting into private sector rented accommodation, because we have anecdotal evidence of people having to come up with about £3,000 in terms of deposits and fees and guarantor credit arrangements and all the rest of it, and that's just out of the reach of a large number of people who then end up sofa-surfing and all the rest of it. So, that's very much the purpose of that Act. So, as I hope that demonstrates, we're attempting to attack this absolutely heinous scourge on our society in a large number of different ways.
In particular, I want to point out the trauma-centred approach that we're having where each individual is an individual human being and has their particular circumstances addressed, and that we don't have a one-size-fits-all, 'Oh yes, you're a rough-sleeper; you fit into this category' approach, because people very clearly don't fit into those categories, as I've said a number of times. So, we'll be looking to see that the action plan reflects that; that we review with our local authorities that their action plans also reflect that and we will shortly, as I said to John Griffiths, be publishing a number of best practice guides and the advice papers and so on, that will underline this approach once we've got the research and evaluations back, so that we can make sure that we put the best advice and guidance out there for all of our third sector and local authority partners.
Gwnaf, wrth gwrs. Rwy'n hapus iawn yn ymrwymo i hynny ac i siarad ag unrhyw Aelod sydd â diddordeb yn y ffordd yr ydym ni'n datblygu'r polisïau hyn. Mae gennym ni amrywiaeth o gamau gweithredu, fel y nododd Jack Sargeant—mae'n galonogol clywed am y busnes y cyfeiriodd ato. Yn drist iawn, mae swyddi gan lawer o'r bobl sy'n cysgu ar y strydoedd, gan eich bod, mewn gwirionedd, angen mwy na hynny. Ac un o'r pethau y byddwn ni'n ei wneud cyn bo hir yw dechrau ar Gam 3 ein Bil Rhentu Cartrefi (Ffioedd etc.) (Cymru), a fydd yn diddymu llawer o'r ffioedd sy'n rhwystr difrifol rhag i bobl rentu yn y sector preifat, oherwydd bod gennym ni dystiolaeth ar lawr gwlad o bobl yn gorfod dod o hyd i oddeutu £3,000 o ran blaendaliadau a ffioedd a threfniadau gwarantwr credyd ac yn y blaen, ac nid yw hynny'n bosib i nifer fawr o bobl sydd wedyn yn gorfod mynd o un soffa i'r llall ac yn y blaen. Felly, dyna ddiben y Ddeddf honno i raddau helaeth iawn. Felly, fel rwy'n gobeithio bod hynny yn ei ddangos, rydym ni'n ceisio mynd i'r afael â'r pla gwbl erchyll hwn ar ein cymdeithas mewn nifer fawr o wahanol ffyrdd.
Yn benodol, fe hoffwn i gyfeirio at y modd yr ydym ni'n canolbwyntio ar drawma pan ymdrinnir â phob unigolyn fel bod dynol unigol ac yr eir i'r afael â'u hamgylchiadau penodol nhw, ac nad ydym ni'n mynd ati mewn un ffordd yn unig, 'o ie, rydych chi'n cysgu ar y stryd; rydych chi'n perthyn i'r categori hwn', oherwydd ei bod hi'n amlwg iawn nad yw pobl yn perthyn i'r categorïau hynny, fel rwyf wedi dweud droeon. Felly, byddwn yn ceisio sicrhau bod y cynllun gweithredu yn adlewyrchu hynny; ein bod ni'n adolygu gyda'n hawdurdodau lleol i weld os yw eu cynlluniau gweithredu nhw hefyd yn adlewyrchu hynny, a byddwn ni cyn bo hir, fel y dywedais wrth John Griffiths, yn cyhoeddi nifer o ganllawiau arfer gorau a'r papurau cynghori ac ati, a fydd yn pwysleisio'r dull hwn o weithredu unwaith y cawn ni'r ymchwil a'r gwerthusiadau yn ôl, fel y gallwn ni sicrhau bod y cyngor a'r arweiniad gorau ar gael gennym ni ar gyfer pob rhan o'n trydydd sector a'n holl bartneriaid awdurdod lleol.
Thank you very much, Minister.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Gweinidog.
Item 4 on the agenda this afternoon is a statement by the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd: update on the Welsh mutual investment model. I call on the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd—Rebecca Evans.
Eitem 4 ar yr agenda y prynhawn yma yw datganiad gan y Gweinidog Cyllid a'r Trefnydd: y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am fodel buddsoddi cydfuddiannol Cymru. Galwaf ar y Gweinidog Cyllid a'r Trefnydd—Rebecca Evans.
Thank you. Last year, the former finance Minister published a written statement about the development of the mutual investment model to help us realise our ambitious plans for public infrastructure.
Both the First Minister and I have described many times in this Chamber how our capital budgets have shrunk as a result of the UK Government’s relentless pursuit of austerity. Our capital budget has been cut by 10 per cent in real terms as a result of these austerity policies. In 2019-20, this means we will have £200 million less to spend than we did in 2010-11, but our plans and demand for capital investment in Wales have continued to grow.
Just a few months ago, the Chancellor of the Exchequer was proclaiming that austerity was over and that he was publishing a budget to unleash investment to drive future prosperity. He proceeded then to give this Assembly just £2.6 million extra capital to address every unmet investment need that we have in the coming year. It's against this backdrop that this Government has looked to make full use of all sources of capital funding available to us, and to develop new and innovative sources of funding, including the power to issue bonds and the Welsh mutual investment model.
Whilst I want to focus my time this afternoon on the mutual investment model and the latest developments, I also want to say a few words about access to funding from the European Investment Bank and our future relationship after Brexit.
Diolch. Y llynedd, cyhoeddodd y cyn-weinidog cyllid ddatganiad ysgrifenedig ynghylch datblygiad y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol i'n helpu i wireddu ein cynlluniau uchelgeisiol ar gyfer seilwaith cyhoeddus.
Mae'r Prif Weinidog a minnau wedi disgrifio droeon yn y Siambr hon sut mae ein cyllidebau cyfalaf yn crebachu o ganlyniad i bwyslais digyfaddawd Llywodraeth y DU ar gyni. Torrwyd 10 y cant oddi ar ein cyllideb cyfalaf mewn termau real o ganlyniad i'r polisïau cynni hyn. Yn 2019-20, mae hyn yn golygu y bydd gennym ni £200 miliwn yn llai i'w wario nag oedd gennym ni yn 2010-11, ond mae ein cynlluniau a'n galw am fuddsoddiad cyfalaf yng Nghymru wedi parhau i dyfu.
Ychydig fisoedd yn ôl, roedd Canghellor y Trysorlys yn datgan fod cyni ar ben a'i fod yn cyhoeddi cyllideb i ryddhau buddsoddiad i sbarduno ffyniant ar gyfer y dyfodol. Aeth yn ei flaen wedyn i roi dim ond £2.6 miliwn o gyfalaf ychwanegol i'r Cynulliad hwn fynd i'r afael â phob angen buddsoddiad sydd heb ei ddiwallu sydd gennym ni yn y flwyddyn i ddod. Dyma'r cyd-destun y bu'r Llywodraeth hon yn gweithio ynddo i geisio gwneud defnydd llawn o'r holl ffynonellau o gyllid cyfalaf sydd ar gael i ni, ac i ddatblygu ffynonellau newydd ac arloesol o ariannu, gan gynnwys y pŵer i gyhoeddi bondiau a model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol Cymru.
Er bod arnaf i eisiau canolbwyntio yn yr amser sydd gennyf y prynhawn yma ar y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol a'r datblygiadau diweddaraf, fe hoffwn i hefyd ddweud ychydig eiriau o ran gallu cael arian gan Fanc Buddsoddi Ewrop a'n perthynas yn y dyfodol ar ôl Brexit.
The Welsh Government has been extremely clear about its position on the EIB. We called for the UK to remain a subscribing partner in the bank—something we believe would have been achievable had the UK shown the political will to bring it about. After all, we all benefit from EIB finance: borrowers benefit from a lower cost of capital and member states in their role as investors benefit from a steady return on investment. As things stand, with or without a deal, on 29 March, the UK will crash out of the EIB. The UK Government has failed to put in place any safeguard, with the exception of an offer to put an additional £200 million of capital into the British Business Bank in 2019. I need only point out that over the last 10 years, the EIB has invested on average over £5 billion per annum in the UK to demonstrate how paltry a safeguard this is. Just last week, the House of Lords concluded with a degree of understatement that the lack of any meaningful proposals from the Conservative Government on a future relationship with the EIB or domestic alternatives was disappointing. As an absolute minimum, this Government wants the UK to make good on its commitment to bring about a meaningful relationship with the EIB. That relationship must include a clear mandate for the EIB to continue investing here, providing the funds and the expertise that public and private borrowers have been able to count on for over four decades.
Turning to the mutual investment model, I'd like to thank in particular the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee and the Finance Committee for their respective consideration of the mutual investment model towards the end of last year. Members will know that we are committed to delivering three schemes using this form of innovative funding: completing the dualling of the A465, additional investment in the next phase of the twenty-first century schools and education programme, and the new Velindre Cancer Centre. Together, these schemes have a capital value of more than £1 billion, and would not be affordable from our current, denuded capital budgets. Had we not developed the model, projects such as these would have to wait in line until enough capital became available, and despite what we've heard from Westminster about the end of austerity, the budgetary arithmetic just does not bear this out.
From the outset, our intention has always been to ensure that the mutual investment model promotes the public interest in the widest possible definition of that term. To that end, the model will deliver positive, additional outcomes in relation to well-being, value for money and transparency, and in doing so will avoid many of the criticisms levied at historic forms of public-private partnership—in some cases, criticisms that the Welsh Government was among the first to raise. For example, you'll recall that successive Welsh Governments have criticised the now discredited form of PFI. Indeed, last week in this Chamber, you will have heard the First Minister say that he expects all contracting authorities in Wales to conduct reviews of their historic PFI contracts and to identify the scope to make savings.
In relation to well-being, private partners with whom we contract using the mutual investment model will be obliged to help the Government deliver the objectives of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. They will need to deliver stretching community benefits, with penalties for non-delivery. They will need to adopt the code of practice for ethical employment in supply chains. And they will need to build our infrastructure with long-term sustainability and environmental efficiency in mind. We will require all MIM schemes to be subject to the rigorous investment appraisal of the five-case model—an internationally accredited appraisal tool, co-owned by the Welsh Government. The G20 finance Ministers have adopted the model’s principles as the basis for a global standard for infrastructure investment appraisal.
We've also developed a new project assurance tool that all MIM schemes will be subject to—commercial approval point checks. We have run two of these checks on the dualling of the A465. These checks have been supported by experts from the European Investment Bank and the UK Infrastructure and Projects Authority. I am convinced that rigorous investment appraisal, coupled with robust project assurance delivered by undoubted experts, will result not only in a better understanding of the risks involved in the delivery of major infrastructure projects, but also in a more credible appreciation of the value for money of such projects, and their affordability. To increase the value for money of our schemes, we have taken a conscious decision not to use the mutual investment model to finance soft services, such as cleaning and catering, which was one of the major criticisms of previous PFI contracts, and nor will it be used to finance capital equipment.
With regard to transparency, the Government intends to invest a small amount of risk capital in each scheme, ensuring that the public sector participates in any return on investment. This shareholding will be managed by a director appointed under the direction of Welsh Ministers onto the boards of those companies delivering our assets.
I agreed last month that, subject to the satisfactory completion of due diligence, the Welsh Government would invest 15 per cent of the total risk capital requirement for the A465 dualling scheme, pending a decision to proceed to construction. This investment will be on pari passu terms, with private equity investors. While all risk capital is, by definition, invested at a risk, we expect our investment to earn a return for the public sector that can be reinvested in other public projects.
The Minister for Economy and Transport has taken the decision to make the orders for this scheme. Notification letters were issued yesterday. He will provide further details on progress on this project in the coming weeks.
The Government has recognised the real pressures local authorities are facing, and we have been resolute in our commitment to do all that we can to protect them from the worst effects of the UK Government’s damaging policy of austerity. Alongside the three-year package of additional financial measures we announced ahead of the final budget, we have agreed that, for the next phase of the twenty-first century schools and education programme, we will increase the intervention rates for both capital and mutual investment model-funded projects.
Capital projects will benefit from a Welsh Government contribution of 65 per cent of the costs, and mutual investment model projects will benefit from a broadly comparable Welsh Government contribution of 81 per cent of the costs. Taking more of the load onto our shoulders, whilst challenging, will provide valuable additional support to our delivery partners in these times of austerity. It also offers a fantastic opportunity for us to deliver more in partnership. The Minister for Education will set out further details about the intervention rate in a written statement shortly. Thank you.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn glir iawn ynghylch ei safbwynt ynglŷn â Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop. Fe wnaethom ni alw ar y DU i aros yn bartner tanysgrifio yn y banc—rhywbeth yr ydym ni'n credu a fyddai wedi bod yn gyraeddadwy pe byddai'r DU wedi dangos yr ewyllys gwleidyddol i wneud hynny. Wedi'r cyfan, rydym ni i gyd yn elwa o gyllid Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop: mae benthycwyr yn elwa o gost cyfalaf llai ac mae aelod-wladwriaethau yn eu swyddogaeth fel buddsoddwyr yn elwa o adenillion graddol ar fuddsoddiadau. Fel y mae pethau, gyda neu heb gytundeb, ar 29 Mawrth, bydd y DU yn gadael Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop yn ddisymwth. Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi methu â rhoi unrhyw drefniant diogelu ar waith, ac eithrio cynnig i roi £200 miliwn o gyfalaf ychwanegol i Fanc Busnes Prydain yn 2019. Does dim ond angen imi nodi bod Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop dros y 10 mlynedd diwethaf wedi buddsoddi ar gyfartaledd mwy na £5 biliwn y flwyddyn yn y DU i ddangos pa mor bitw yw'r trefniant diogelu hwn. Dim ond yr wythnos diwethaf dywedodd Tŷ'r Arglwyddi, yn gynnil braidd, bod diffyg unrhyw gynigion ystyrlon gan y Llywodraeth Geidwadol ynglŷn â pherthynas gyda Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop yn y dyfodol neu ddewisiadau domestig amgen yn siomedig. Ar y lleiaf, mae'r Llywodraeth hon eisiau i'r Deyrnas Unedig anrhydeddu ei hymrwymiad i sicrhau perthynas ystyrlon gyda Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop. Rhaid i'r berthynas honno gynnwys mandad clir i Fanc Buddsoddi Ewrop barhau i fuddsoddi yma, gan ddarparu'r arian a'r arbenigedd y mae benthycwyr cyhoeddus a phreifat wedi gallu dibynu arnyn nhw ers mwy na phedwar degawd.
Gan droi at y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol, fe hoffwn i ddiolch yn arbennig i'r Pwyllgor Economi, Seilwaith a Sgiliau a'r Pwyllgor Cyllid am roi ystyriaeth briodol i'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol tuag at ddiwedd y llynedd. Bydd Aelodau'n gwybod ein bod ni wedi ymrwymo i gyflawni tri chynllun gan ddefnyddio'r ffurf arloesol hon o gyllid: cwblhau'r gwaith o ddeuoli'r A465, buddsoddiad ychwanegol yng ngham nesaf rhaglen addysg ac ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, a Chanolfan Ganser newydd Felindre. Gyda'i gilydd, mae gan y cynlluniau hyn werth cyfalaf o fwy na £1 biliwn, ac ni fyddent yn fforddiadwy o'n cyllidebau cyfalaf cyfredol, sydd wedi'u disbyddu. Pe na byddem ni wedi datblygu'r model, byddai prosiectau fel y rhain yn gorfod aros eu tro nes bod digon o gyfalaf ar gael, ac er gwaethaf yr hyn yr ydym ni wedi'i glywed gan San Steffan ynglŷn â diwedd cyni, nid yw'r rhifyddeg gyllidebol yn adlewyrchu hyn o gwbl.
O'r cychwyn cyntaf, ein bwriad erioed fu sicrhau bod y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol yn hyrwyddo budd y cyhoedd yn y diffiniad ehangaf posib o'r term hwnnw. Yn hynny o beth, bydd y model yn sicrhau canlyniadau cadarnhaol, ychwanegol mewn cysylltiad â llesiant, gwerth am arian a thryloywder, ac wrth wneud hynny bydd yn osgoi llawer o'r beirniadu a fu ar ffurfiau hanesyddol o bartneriaethau cyhoeddus-preifat—mewn rhai achosion, beirniadaeth yr oedd Llywodraeth Cymru ymhlith y cyntaf i'w mynegi. Er enghraifft, fe gofiwch chi fod un llywodraeth ar ôl y llall yng Nghymru wedi beirniadu'r ffurf ar fenter cyllid preifat sydd wedi ei hanghymeradwyo bellach. Yn wir, yr wythnos diwethaf yn y Siambr hon, byddwch wedi clywed y Prif Weinidog yn dweud ei fod yn disgwyl i bob awdurdod contractio yng Nghymru gynnal adolygiadau o'u contractau menter cyllid preifat hanesyddol a chanfod ble mae modd gwneud arbedion.
O ran llesiant, bydd partneriaid preifat yr ydym ni'n contractio gyda nhw gan ddefnyddio'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol yn gorfod helpu'r Llywodraeth i gyflawni amcanion Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015. Bydd angen iddyn nhw gynnig manteision cymunedol eang, gyda chosbau am fethu â gwneud hynny. Bydd angen iddyn nhw fabwysiadu'r cod ymarfer ar gyfer cyflogaeth foesegol mewn cadwyni cyflenwi. A bydd angen iddyn nhw adeiladu ein seilwaith gan ystyried cynaliadwyedd hirdymor ac effeithlonrwydd amgylcheddol. Byddwn yn gofyn i holl gynlluniau'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol gael arfarniad buddsoddi trwyadl y model pum achos—dull arfarnu achrededig rhyngwladol, y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gydberchennog arno. Mae Gweinidogion Cyllid y G20 wedi mabwysiadu egwyddorion y model yn sail ar gyfer safon fyd-eang o ran arfarnu buddsoddi mewn seilwaith.
Rydym ni hefyd wedi datblygu dull sicrwydd prosiect newydd y bydd pob cynllun sy'n defnyddio'r model buddsoddi cyddfuddiannol yn ddibynol arno—gwiriadau adeg cymeradwyo masnachol. Rydym ni wedi cynnal dau o'r gwiriadau hyn ar y gwaith o ddeuoli'r A465. Cefnogwyd y gwiriadau hyn gan arbenigwyr o Fanc Buddsoddi Ewrop ac Awdurdod Seilwaith a Phrosiectau'r DU. Rwy'n argyhoeddedig y bydd arfarniadau buddsoddi trwyadl, ynghyd â sicrwydd prosiect cadarn gan arbenigwyr diamheuol, nid yn unig yn esgor ar well dealltwriaeth o'r peryglon dan sylw wrth ddarparu prosiectau seilwaith mawr, ond hefyd yn arwain at werthfawrogiad mwy credadwy o werth am arian prosiectau o'r fath, a pha mor fforddiadwy ydyn nhw. Er mwyn cynyddu gwerth am arian ein cynlluniau, rydym ni wedi penderfynu'n fwriadol i beidio â defnyddio'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol i ariannu gwasanaethau meddal, megis glanhau ac arlwyo, a oedd yn un o'r beirniadaethau mawr ar gontractau menter cyllid preifat blaenorol, ac ni chaiff ei ddefnyddio chwaith i ariannu offer cyfalaf.
O ran tryloywder, mae'r Llywodraeth yn bwriadu buddsoddi swm bach o gyfalaf risg ym mhob cynllun, gan sicrhau bod y sector cyhoeddus yn cael cyfran o unrhyw elw o fuddsoddiad. Caiff y cyfranddaliad hwn ei reoli gan gyfarwyddwr a benodir o dan gyfarwyddyd Gweinidogion Cymru i fyrddau'r cwmnïau hynny sy'n darparu ein hasedau.
Cytunais y mis diwethaf, yn ddibynol ar gwblhau gwaith diwydrwydd dyladwy yn foddhaol, y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn buddsoddi 15 y cant o gyfanswm y gofyniad cyfalaf risg ar gyfer y cynllun i ddeuoli ffordd yr A465, wrth ddisgwyl penderfyniad i ddechrau adeiladu. Bydd y buddsoddiad hwn ar delerau cydradd, gyda buddsoddwyr ecwiti preifat. Er bod pob cyfalaf risg, drwy ddiffiniad, yn fuddsoddiad gydag elfen o risg, rydym ni'n disgwyl i'n buddsoddiad ennill elw i'r sector cyhoeddus y gellir ei ailfuddsoddi mewn prosiectau cyhoeddus eraill.
Mae'r Gweinidog Economi a Thrafnidiaeth wedi penderfynu gwneud y gorchmynion ar gyfer y cynllun hwn. Cyhoeddwyd llythyrau hysbysu ddoe. Bydd yn rhoi manylion pellach am gynnydd y prosiect hwn yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf.
Mae'r Llywodraeth wedi cydnabod y pwysau gwirioneddol y mae awdurdodau lleol yn eu hwynebu, ac rydym ni wedi bod yn benderfynol yn ein hymrwymiad i wneud popeth yn ein gallu i'w hamddiffyn rhag effeithiau gwaethaf polisi cyni niweidiol Llywodraeth y DU. Ochr yn ochr â'r pecyn tair blynedd o fesurau ariannol ychwanegol a gyhoeddwyd gennym ni cyn y gyllideb derfynol, rydym ni wedi cytuno, ar gyfer cam nesaf rhaglen ysgolion ac addysg yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, y byddwn yn cynyddu'r cyfraddau ymyrryd ar gyfer prosiectau sy'n cael eu hariannu drwy'r model cyfalaf a'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol ill dau.
Bydd prosiectau cyfalaf yn elwa o gyfraniad gan Lywodraeth Cymru o 65 y cant o'r costau, a bydd prosiectau sy'n defnyddio'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol yn elwa o gyfraniad lled-gymharol gan Lywodraeth Cymru o 81 y cant o'r costau. Bydd ysgwyddo rhagor o faich, er yn heriol, yn darparu cymorth ychwanegol gwerthfawr i'n partneriaid darparu yn y cyfnod hwn o gyni. Mae hefyd yn cynnig cyfle gwych i ni gyflawni mwy mewn partneriaeth. Bydd y Gweinidog Addysg yn nodi manylion pellach am y gyfradd ymyrraeth mewn datganiad ysgrifenedig cyn bo hir. Diolch.
Can I thank the finance Minister for today's statement? I think it was only last week that I asked the First Minister for an update on the mutual investment model—I think you were sitting in the Chamber at the same time, Minister—so that's certainly efficiency. Leaving aside the usual preamble that features in many Ministers' statements about austerity, there are some very important issues that you've touched upon in your statement. I'd like to touch on a few of those myself.
Firstly, can I welcome your position on the European Investment Bank? The Welsh Conservatives have long been calling on the Welsh Government to make greater use of the bank, and we know that other countries, such as Spain, have long been utilising funding for road and rail schemes and other infrastructure projects. So, my party's role has been to call for more of that EIB investment for a long, long time. We haven't done the same, not just in Wales, but in the UK either. And I think you're right—we do need to push for continued membership, or partnership, or associate partnership, or whatever that might be, with the EIB. Let's not forget that the Republic of Ireland will remain in the European Union and Welsh and UK roads will still be needed to get there—at least I imagine that's how it will work—once we do exit the European Union. So, investment is required in UK roads, as part of a wider European, if not European Union, infrastructure.
Turning to the substantive aspect of your statement: we do, of course, support the use of the mutual investment model for programmes such as completing the dualling of the A465, which you mentioned; the twenty-first century schools programme—again, widely supported—which you mentioned; and also the new Velindre Cancer Centre. So, can you update us on the timescales for these projects, and indeed the timescales for getting the mutual investment models fully in place and finalised?
The monitoring of these projects is going to be all-important, given some of the cases of poor value for money—again, that you alluded to, and the First Minister did last week—of previous PFI projects, which happened over considerable lengths of time, under Governments of different hues, to be honest. I do recognise as well that, before, often, the Welsh Government had an input into those schemes, so monitoring is going to be all-important here, as the First Minister did tell us last week.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the five-case model? It's clearly important that this monitoring is robust, and this sounds impressive on the face of it, but, of course, thinking back to when PFI projects were originally brought in, there were a lot of very, on the face of it, sensible cases made for PFI and the sort of efficiencies those would deliver, and that certainly didn't happen, did it? So, let's make sure that the mutual investment model doesn't suffer from some of the problems that were faced by PFI and that lessons have been learned.
Also, you mentioned soft services and you mentioned not using money for capital equipment—I don't doubt that you're right in some or many cases, but I'm just wondering is it right to have that blanket opposition to using mutual investment money for all capital equipment, for instance. You might well be able to make the case for that, but I'm just concerned that we might end up with a situation where the MIM model is actually so inflexible that perhaps in the future—if we want to futureproof, this is important—certain schemes might not be viable that otherwise might. So, I'd be grateful for some clarity on that.
Could you tell us a little bit more about your efforts to improve transparency? You say that the Government's shareholding in each scheme will be managed by a director appointed by Ministers. What process is going to be used to select those directors and how transparent will those processes be?
But thank you for your statement. I think there's wide support across this Chamber for the mutual investment model, and I welcome what you've had to say today. I'd be grateful if you could give us some answers to some of the questions raised.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog Cyllid am ddatganiad heddiw? Rwy'n credu mai dim ond yr wythnos diwethaf y gofynnais i'r Prif Weinidog am y newyddion diweddaraf ynglŷn â'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol—rwy'n credu eich bod chi'n eistedd yn y Siambr ar yr un pryd, Gweinidog—felly yn sicr dyna effeithlonrwydd. Gan hepgor y rhagymadrodd arferol sy'n nodwedd o ddatganiadau nifer o Weinidogion am gyni, ceir rhai materion pwysig iawn yr ydych chi wedi cyfeirio atyn nhw yn eich datganiad. Fe hoffwn i sôn am rai o'r rheini fy hun.
Yn gyntaf, a gaf i groesawu eich safbwynt ar Fanc Buddsoddi Ewrop? Bu'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn galw ers tro ar Lywodraeth Cymru i wneud mwy o ddefnydd o'r banc, ac fe wyddom ni fod gwledydd eraill, fel Sbaen, wedi bod yn defnyddio'r cyllid ers talwm ar gyfer cynlluniau ffyrdd a rheilffyrdd a phrosiectau seilwaith eraill. Felly, swyddogaeth fy mhlaid fu galw am fwy o fuddsoddiad o Fanc Buddsoddi Ewrop ers tro byd. Nid ydym ni wedi gwneud yr un peth, nid yn unig yng Nghymru, ond yn y DU ychwaith. Ac rwy'n credu eich bod chi'n gywir—mae angen i ni bwyso am aelodaeth barhaus, neu bartneriaeth neu bartneriaeth gyswllt, neu beth bynnag y gallai hynny fod, gyda Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop. Gadewch inni beidio ag anghofio y bydd Gweriniaeth Iwerddon yn aros yn yr Undeb Ewropeaidd ac y bydd angen ffyrdd Cymru a'r DU i gyrraedd yno o hyd—o leiaf rwy'n tybio mai dyna sut fydd hynny'n gweithio—unwaith y byddwn ni yn gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Felly, mae angen buddsoddi yn ffyrdd y DU, yn rhan o seilwaith Ewropeaidd, os nad Undeb Ewropeaidd, ehangach.
Gan droi at yr agwedd ar eich datganiad sy'n ymwneud â sylwedd: rydym ni, wrth gwrs, yn cefnogi'r defnydd o'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol ar gyfer rhaglenni megis cwblhau'r gwaith o ddeuoli'r A465, a grybwyllwyd gennych chi; rhaglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain—unwaith eto, y mae cefnogaeth eang iddi—a grybwyllwyd gennych chi; a hefyd Canolfan Ganser newydd Felindre. Felly, a wnewch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni am yr amserlenni ar gyfer y prosiectau hyn, ac yn wir yr amserlenni ar gyfer cael y modelau buddsoddi cydfuddiannol hynny ar waith yn llawn ac yn derfynol?
Mae monitro'r prosiectau hyn yn mynd i fod yn hollbwysig, o gofio rhai o'r achosion o werth gwael am arian—unwaith eto, y cyfeiriasoch chi atyn nhw, ac y cyfeiriodd y Prif Weinidog atyn nhw'r wythnos diwethaf—prosiectau menter cyllid preifat blaenorol, a ddigwyddodd dros gyfnodau sylweddol o amser, o dan Lywodraethau o liwiau gwahanol, a bod yn onest. Rwyf yn cydnabod hefyd, o'r blaen, yn aml, roedd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyfrannu at y cynlluniau hynny, felly bydd monitro yn hollbwysig yn hyn o beth, fel y dywedodd y Prif Weinidog wrthym ni'r wythnos diwethaf.
A wnewch chi ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni am y model pum achos? Mae'n amlwg yn bwysig bod y gwaith monitro yn gadarn, ac mae hyn yn swnio'n drawiadol ar yr wyneb ond, wrth gwrs, gan feddwl yn ôl i'r adeg pan gyflwynwyd prosiectau menter cyllid preifat yn wreiddiol, roedd llawer, ar yr wyneb, o ddadleuon synhwyrol iawn ar gyfer y model menter cyllid preifat a'r math o effeithlonrwydd a fyddai'n dod yn sgil hynny, ac yn sicr ni ddigwyddodd hynny, naddo? Felly, gadewch i ni wneud yn siŵr nad yw'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol yn dioddef rhai o'r problemau a wynebwyd gan y model menter cyllid preifat a bod gwersi wedi'u dysgu.
Hefyd, fe wnaethoch chi sôn am wasanaethau meddal ac fe wnaethoch chi sôn am beidio â defnyddio arian ar gyfer cyfarpar cyfalaf—nid oes amheuaeth gennyf nad ydych chi'n gywir mewn rhai neu nifer o achosion, ond dim ond meddwl wyf i tybed a yw'n briodol cael gwrthwynebiad cyffredinol i ddefnyddio arian buddsoddi cydfuddiannol ar gyfer pob cyfarpar cyfalaf, er enghraifft. Efallai'n wir y gallwch chi ddadlau dros hynny, ond rwyf ychydig yn bryderus y gallem ni gael sefyllfa yn y pen draw lle mae'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol mewn gwirionedd mor anhyblyg yna, efallai yn y dyfodol—os ydym ni eisiau sicrhau ei fod yn addas ar gyfer y dyfodol, mae hyn yn bwysig—efallai na fydd rhai cynlluniau yn hyfyw pryd y gallen nhw fod fel arall. Felly, fyddwn i'n ddiolchgar i gael rhywfaint o eglurder ynglŷn â hynny.
A wnewch chi ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni am eich ymdrechion i wella tryloywder? Rydych chi'n dweud y caiff cyfranddaliad y Llywodraeth ym mhob cynllun ei reoli gan gyfarwyddwr a benodir gan Weinidogion. Pa broses gaiff ei defnyddio i ddewis y cyfarwyddwyr hynny a pha mor dryloyw fydd y prosesau hynny?
Ond diolch am eich datganiad. Rwy'n credu bod cefnogaeth eang ym mhob rhan o'r Siambr hon i'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol, ac rwy'n croesawu'r hyn yr ydych chi wedi ei ddweud heddiw. Fe fyddwn i'n ddiolchgar petaech chi'n rhoi ychydig o atebion i rai o'r cwestiynau a holwyd.
Thank you very much for raising those questions this afternoon, and thank you very much also for your support for our position on the European Investment Bank, because it is clearly a really important source of both funding and expertise for us here in Wales. It's provided us with a key role, really, in supporting long-term investment to improve social housing here in Wales, education, energy, infrastructure, transport and water infrastructure. It's included backing investment by Welsh Water, for example, right across the country, including Stebonheath Primary School in Llanelli, where the RainScape project is helping to reduce sewage overflow into the Bristol channel. It also helped to fund the second Severn crossing and the A55 dual carriageway from Chester to Holyhead, as well as new roads in south and west Glamorgan, Dyfed and Gwent, and the Member talked about the importance of investing in that infrastructure.
Recent European Investment Bank lending has supported education investment in Wales, including backing the new Swansea University bay campus, and cutting heating costs at Bangor University, for example, and has also provided support for our social housing programme, providing new homes and also improving existing properties, working with 10 different housing associations right across Wales. And, of course, the EIB has also backed key investment at Ford in Bridgend as well. So, clearly, it's an important source of finance, but also an important source of expertise too. And those additional benefits of expertise have very much come to the fore through the work that we've been doing to develop the south-Wales metro project, for example, which has very, very strongly benefited from the commercial expertise, which has informed the procurement process, whilst other previous investments in Wales have also benefited from the best practice that the EIB has been able to identify for us as well.
In terms of the specific projects, I can provide an update on the A465. As you know, the public local inquiry concluded at the end of May 2018. I mentioned in my statement that the Minister has agreed to make the orders. So, a decision to proceed with the next stage now of procurement will be taken in the coming weeks, and an update will be forthcoming from the economy and transport Minister in respect of that.
With regard to the Velindre project, the current status is that Velindre University NHS Trust is developing a suite of outline business cases for the delivery of the new Velindre Cancer Centre on the Northern Meadows site in Whitchurch, and Welsh Government is supporting the trust to deliver this major project to ensure that appropriate monitoring for that is in place. Work is being prioritised to secure site access at the moment, and there are some detailed negotiations going on with a range of third parties to make sure that can happen, and in parallel, then, the enabling works business case is being developed, pending the conclusion of those negotiations. The latest plan reports a completion date at the end of 2023, with an opening due in the first half of 2024.
Again, we are at an early stage with the mutual investment model in terms of its approach to supporting our twenty-first century schools programme, and Kirsty Williams does intend to issue a further statement on this issue shortly.
You referred to transparency, and that's one of the benefits of the mutual investment model— transparency will be key—also access to information for Assembly Members, and I'm really keen that we do take all opportunities to provide good information to Assembly Members on this, and there will be specific reporting requirements to Welsh Government as a shareholder and also as a client as well. Those specific details will be set out in the project agreements that are agreed with our partners in terms of delivering on these projects.
In terms of capital equipment, I think it is the right decision not to use the mutual investment model for that, but clearly there are other options in terms of how we would fund that. It's just a question, really, of finding the most appropriate source of funding for the kind of things that we wish to procure.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am godi'r cwestiynau hynny'r prynhawn yma, a diolch yn fawr i chi hefyd am eich cefnogaeth i'n safbwynt ni ynglŷn â Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop, oherwydd, yn amlwg, mae'n ffynhonnell bwysig o arian ac arbenigedd i ni yma yng Nghymru. Mae wedi darparu swyddogaeth allweddol inni, mewn gwirionedd, yn cefnogi buddsoddiad tymor hir i wella tai cymdeithasol yma yng Nghymru, addysg, ynni, seilwaith, trafnidiaeth a seilwaith dŵr. Mae wedi cynnwys cefnogi buddsoddiad gan Dŵr Cymru, er enghraifft, ar draws y wlad, gan gynnwys Ysgol Gynradd Stebonheath yn Llanelli, lle mae'r prosiect Glawlif yn helpu i leihau gorlif carthion i Fôr Hafren. Roedd hefyd yn gymorth i ariannu ail bont Hafren a ffordd ddeuol yr A55 o Gaer i Gaergybi, yn ogystal â ffyrdd newydd yn ne a gorllewin Morgannwg, Dyfed a Gwent, a soniodd yr Aelod am bwysigrwydd buddsoddi yn y seilwaith hwnnw.
Mae benthyciadau diweddar o Fanc Buddsoddi Ewrop wedi cefnogi buddsoddi mewn addysg yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys cefnogi campws newydd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe, a thorri costau gwresogi ym Mhrifysgol Bangor, er enghraifft, ac mae hefyd wedi darparu cymorth ar gyfer ein rhaglen tai cymdeithasol, gan ddarparu cartrefi newydd yn ogystal â gwella tai presennol, gan weithio gyda 10 o gymdeithasau tai gwahanol ledled Cymru. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop hefyd wedi cefnogi buddsoddiad allweddol yng nghwmni Ford ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr. Felly, yn amlwg, mae'n ffynhonnell bwysig o gyllid, ond hefyd yn ffynhonnell bwysig o arbenigedd. Ac mae'r manteision ychwanegol hynny o arbenigedd wedi dod i'r amlwg i raddau helaeth iawn drwy'r gwaith yr ydym ni wedi'i wneud i ddatblygu prosiect metro de Cymru, er enghraifft, sydd wedi elwa'n fawr iawn yn wir ar yr arbenigedd masnachol, sydd wedi cyfrannu at y broses gaffael, tra bod buddsoddiadau blaenorol eraill yng Nghymru wedi elwa hefyd ar arferion gorau y mae Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop wedi gallu dwyn ein sylw ni atyn nhw hefyd.
O ran y prosiectau penodol, gallaf roi'r newyddion diweddaraf am yr A465. Fel y gwyddoch chi, daeth yr ymchwiliad lleol cyhoeddus i ben ar ddiwedd mis Mai 2018. Soniais yn fy natganiad bod y Gweinidog wedi cytuno i wneud y gorchmynion. Felly, bydd penderfyniad i fwrw ymlaen â'r cam nesaf yn awr o ran caffael yn yr wythnosau nesaf, a bydd y newyddion diweddaraf ar gael gan y Gweinidog Economi a Thrafnidiaeth mewn cysylltiad â hynny.
O ran y prosiect yn Felindre, y sefyllfa ar hyn o bryd yw bod Ymddiriedolaeth GIG Prifysgol Felindre yn datblygu cyfres o achosion busnes amlinellol ar gyfer darparu Canolfan Ganser newydd Felindre ar safle'r Northern Meadows yn yr Eglwys Newydd, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynorthwyo'r ymddiriedolaeth i gwblhau'r prosiect pwysig hwn i sicrhau bod monitro priodol ar gyfer hynny ar waith. Mae gwaith yn cael ei flaenoriaethu i sicrhau mynediad i'r safle ar hyn o bryd, ac mae rhai trafodaethau manwl yn digwydd gydag amrywiaeth o gyrff a sefydliadau eraill i wneud yn sicr y gall hynny ddigwydd, ac ochr yn ochr â hynny, wedyn, mae achos busnes y gwaith galluogi yn cael ei ddatblygu, tra bo'r trafodaethau hynny'n mynd rhagddynt. Mae'r cynllun diweddaraf yn sôn am ddyddiad cwblhau ar ddiwedd 2023, gydag agoriad yn hanner cyntaf 2024.
Unwaith eto, dim ond megis dechrau yr ydym ni gyda'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol o ran sut y gall hynny gefnogi ein rhaglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, ac mae Kirsty Williams yn bwriadu cyhoeddi datganiad arall ar y mater hwn cyn bo hir.
Fe wnaethoch chi gyfeirio at dryloywder, a dyna un o fanteision y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol—bydd tryloywder yn allweddol—hefyd y sicrwydd y bydd gwybodaeth ar gael i Aelodau'r Cynulliad, ac rwy'n awyddus iawn ein bod ni yn achub ar bob cyfle i roi gwybodaeth drylwyr i Aelodau'r Cynulliad ynglŷn â hyn, a bydd gofynion adrodd penodol i Lywodraeth Cymry fel cyfranddaliwr a hefyd fel cleient. Caiff y manylion penodol hynny eu nodi yn y cytundebau prosiect a gytunir arnyn nhw gyda'n partneriaid o ran cyflawni'r prosiectau hyn.
O ran cyfarpar cyfalaf, rwy'n credu mai'r penderfyniad cywir yw peidio â defnyddio'r model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol ar gyfer hwnnw, ond yn amlwg mae dewisiadau eraill o ran sut y byddwn ni'n ariannu hwnnw. Mae'n fater mewn gwirionedd, o ddod o hyd i'r ffynhonnell fwyaf priodol o gyllid ar gyfer y math o bethau yr ydym ni eisiau eu caffael.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am y datganiad. Wrth gwrs, dwi'n cytuno efo'r bwriad yn fan hyn, sef yr angen i chwilio am ffyrdd arloesol o hybu buddsoddiad yn ein hisadeiledd ni: isadeiledd sydd yn dangos ôl clir o danfuddsoddi yn hanesyddol—a'r tanfuddsoddiad yna, dwi'n eich atgoffa chi, yn dod gan Lywodraethau Llafur a Cheidwadol dros y blynyddoedd. Er, wrth gwrs, dwi'n cytuno bod oes llymder wedi dyfnhau'r broblem.
Felly, oes, mae eisiau edrych ar ystod o fodelau sydd ar gael neu a all gael eu datblygu. Dwi'n edrych ymlaen i weld datblygiad yr egwyddor o godi arian drwy fondiau Llywodraeth. Gaf i hefyd ddweud fy mod i'n falch o glywed cyfeiriad yn y datganiad at ein perthynas ni efo Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop, yr EIB? Mae'n bryderus iawn bod diffyg sylw na sicrwydd yng nghanol llanast Brexit i sut i ddiogelu'r math o fuddsoddiad sydd ar gael drwy'r EIB ar hyn o bryd, a dwi'n cytuno y dylid sicrhau bod y berthynas efo'r EIB yn parhau yn y dyfodol. Dwi wedi bod i bencadlys yr EIB yn Lwcsembwrg, ynghyd â nifer o aelodau'r Pwyllgor Menter a Busnes yn y Cynulliad diwethaf, a sylweddoli'r awch sydd yna a'r gallu sydd yna o fewn y Banc Buddsoddi Ewropeaidd i chwilio am brosiectau y gallen nhw eu cefnogi er budd buddsoddiad hirdymor yn cryfhau ein hisadeiledd ni, a dwi'n ofni beth sy'n digwydd os ydy hynny'n cael ei golli.
Ond, i droi at y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol, mae fy mhlaid i wedi rhoi croeso gofalus i ddatganiadau Llywodraeth Cymru ar y model hyd yma. Yn wir, un rhwystredigaeth dŷn ni wedi ei leisio ydy diffyg uchelgais, o bosib, o ran faint y gallwn ni edrych i'w godi neu ei fuddsoddi yn defnyddio'r model yma. Ond, wrth gwrs, mae eisiau bod yn ofalus iawn a nodi mor, mor bwysig ydy cael y model yn iawn. Dŷn ni yn, yn annatod, mae'n siŵr, yn mynd i fod yn dwyn cymariaethau efo PFI, ac mae'r Gweinidog wedi dwyn cymariaethau heddiw er mwyn ceisio tawelu rhai ofnau. Mae rhai pobl yn mynd i edrych ar beth ydy diffiniad y model yma a beth ydy diffiniad PFI a'u gweld nhw yn eithaf tebyg, ond dwi'n meddwl mai'r hyn dŷn ni'n chwilio amdano fo ydy sicrwydd bod risg yn gorwedd yn y lle iawn, achos, a bod yn blaen, mi oedd llawer gormod o gynlluniau PFI yn dangos mai bach iawn oedd y risg oedd yn cael ei chymryd gan fuddsoddwyr preifat, a hynny tra yn eu gweld nhw'n gwneud elw mawr.
Felly, allaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog, yn dilyn cyfres o addewidion bod hwn yn wahanol, pa gamau sydd yn mynd i fod yn cael eu cymryd i werthuso'r cytundebau wrth iddyn nhw fynd yn eu blaenau i sicrhau bod y cydbwysedd risg wedi cael ei daro yn iawn ac nad oes yna or-elwa? Achos partneriaeth, cydfuddsoddiad a system gydfuddiannol ydy hon i fod, ac mi ydyn ni drwy'r amser angen bod yn gwerthuso i sicrhau mai dyna sydd gennym ni, achos tra bod buddsoddwyr, yn deg iawn, angen gweld bod yna return hirdymor teg i ddod o wneud buddsoddiad, dŷn ni angen sicrwydd bod yna werth am arian i'r pwrs cyhoeddus.
Ac, yn ail, o bosib yn cyfeirio yn ôl at ein rhwystredigaeth ni ynglŷn â diffyg uchelgais ar hyn o bryd, allwch chi roi awgrym i ni o'r camau nesaf ar gyfer chwilio am fuddsoddiadau pellach yn defnyddio'r model newydd yma a rhoi gair o eglurhad ynglŷn â sut mae blaenoriaethu'n mynd i ddigwydd? Oherwydd, cyn yr etholiad diwethaf, mi oeddem ni ym Mhlaid yn sôn am roi'r pŵer i flaenoriaethu ym maes isadeiledd i gorff hyd braich o'r Llywodraeth. Mi fyddai gen i ddiddordeb mewn gwybod i ba raddau mae'r Llywodraeth yn mynd i fod yn edrych am gyngor ac arweiniad a thrafodaeth civic ynglŷn â gosod y blaenoriaethau ar gyfer defnyddio'r model newydd yma yn y ffordd mwyaf effeithiol.
I thank the Minister for the statement. Of course, I agree with the intention here, namely the need to look for innovative ways to boost investment in our infrastructure: infrastructure that shows the clear evidence of under-investment historically—and that under-investment, I remind you, has come from Labour and Conservative Governments over the years. Although I do agree that the age of austerity has deepened this problem.
So, yes, we need to look at the range of models that are available or that can be developed. I look forward to seeing the development of the principle of raising money through Government bonds. Could I also say that I’m pleased to hear a reference in the statement to our relationship with the EIB? It’s a great concern that there's a lack of attention or certainty, in terms of the Brexit debate, in terms of safeguarding the investment that’s available through the EIB at present, and I do agree that we should ensure that that relationship between the EIB should continue in the future. I have been to the headquarters of the EIB in Luxembourg, along with a number of other members of the Enterprise and Business Committee of the last Assembly, and realised the appetite there is and the ability there is within the EIB to look for projects that they can support for the benefit of long-term investment in strengthening our infrastructure, and I fear for what will happen if that is lost.
But, turning to the mutual investment model, our party has given a careful welcome to the statements by the Welsh Government on the model so far. One frustration that we have voiced is the lack of ambition, possibly, in terms of how much we can look to raise or invest using this model. But, of course, we need to be careful and note how important it is to get the right model. We are, naturally, going to be having comparisons with PFI, and the Minister has made those comparisons in order to try to ease our concerns. Some people are going to look at the definition of this model and the definition of PFI and they’re going to find them quite similar, but I think that what we’re looking for is assurance that risk does reside in the right place, because, clearly, to be plain, far too many PFI projects showed that there was very little risk that was undertaken by private investors while they were making great profits.
So, could I ask the Minister, following a series of commitments that this is different, what steps are going to be taken to evaluate the contracts as they proceed to ensure that that balance of risk has been struck appropriately and that there are not excessive profits? Because this is a mutual investment model and we always need to be evaluating this to ensure that that’s what we have, because while investors, quite fairly, need to see a return in the long term from an investment, we need certainty that there is value for money for the public purse.
And, secondly, possibly referring back to our frustration about a lack of ambition at present, could you give us an idea of the next steps for looking for further investments using this new model and give us some explanation about how prioritisation is going to happen? Because, before the last election, we in Plaid Cymru were talking about giving the power to prioritise in the area of infrastructure to an arm’s-length body, and I would have a great interest in knowing to what extent the Government is going to be looking for advice and leadership and a civic discussion on setting the priorities for using this new model in the most effective way.
Thank you very much for those questions. I would begin, really, by saying there is no lack of ambition in terms of our infrastructure ambitions for Wales. In terms of where we would see things going next, obviously we have our Wales infrastructure investment plan, our national development framework, which is currently under way, and the infrastructure commission, and I think, together, these three things will help us really pinpoint and focus where we need to be making the most strategically important investments across Wales in the coming years.
With regard to bonds, yes, certainly, Welsh Government can issue bonds, and we have gained those new powers to do so to help fund our infrastructure investment, and, certainly, at a time when our capital budgets are continuing to fall, these do provide us with the full suite of borrowing levers that we could use to realise those ambitious infrastructure investment plans across Wales, but the important thing to remember is that our ability to issue bonds doesn't increase our ability to borrow. So, specific details of bonds here that we might want to issue in future in Wales are yet to be determined because we would only use those bonds when all other cheaper forms of capital have been exhausted, and any funds raised by Welsh Government bonds would obviously be counted against our borrowing limit as well, which is one of the attractions of other forms of finance that we would certainly go to first.
With regard to your comments on the European Investment Bank, I very much welcome them. I think we set out very clearly together in 'Securing Wales' Future' that our interests here in Wales would certainly be best served by remaining a subscribing partner of the EIB because of the direct benefits it brings to our economy, not only in investment, but also in that expertise that I've previously referred to. And, of course, just last week, the House of Lords adopted a report where it noted that UK infrastructure investment had been the beneficiary of more than €118 billion of lending from the EIB, but it also, unfortunately, noted the marked decline in funding from the EIB since the referendum and the triggering of article 50 and lamented the fact that, despite losing our access to the EIB after Brexit, the Conservative Government has said very little about any future relationship with the EIB or any possible domestic alternatives.
The Member referred to the differences between the mutual investment model and PFI, and there are some really key differences that I referred to in my statement. The first will be that we will be requiring very stretching community benefits to be delivered from our mutual investment model projects. I think this is an important and key differentiation. For example, we'll be looking at jobs created, training and apprenticeship opportunities, including for graduate work placements, pupil placements. We'll be looking for school engagement, community initiatives, supply chain initiatives, work with social enterprises, and, also, obviously, support for our small and medium-sized enterprises as well. So, there are some really key differences between PFI and the mutual investment model.
Another one of those key differences, really, will be the requirements that we're making regarding sustainability and the environment. So, for example, to provide environmental sustainability, key design principles for Velindre Cancer Centre will include the use of natural resources and energy efficiency in all possible areas. The A465—while improving the safety, connectivity and congestion of the local area, it will also improve the resilience of other Welsh roads by becoming an alternative route during periods of congestion, maintenance or major incidents and the local area will also see improvements in footways, cycleways, increasing permeability and aiming to improve physical fitness and active travel. And notable environmental enhancements will also be delivered by the scheme in regard to reduced flood risk and reduced pollution risks to watercourses. And those new environments—the new learning environments built through the twenty-first century schools programme must achieve an EPC rating of A and BREAM excellence. So, we can use these levers in the discussions that we have with possible partners in future.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am y cwestiynau hynny. Fe hoffwn i ddechrau, mewn gwirionedd, drwy ddweud nad oes diffyg uchelgais o ran ein huchelgeisiau seilwaith ar gyfer Cymru. O ran i ba gyfeiriad yr awn ni nesaf, mae'n amlwg bod gennym ni ein cynllun buddsoddi yn seilwaith Cymru, ein fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol, sydd ar y gweill ar hyn o bryd, a'r comisiwn seilwaith, ac rwy'n credu, gyda'i gilydd, y bydd y tri pheth hyn yn ein helpu ni mewn gwirionedd i glustnodi a chanolbwyntio ar ble mae angen inni wneud y buddsoddiadau mwyaf strategol bwysig ledled Cymru yn y blynyddoedd i ddod.
O ran bondiau, gall, yn sicr, fe all Llywodraeth Cymru gyhoeddi bondiau, ac rydym ni wedi ennill y pwerau newydd i wneud hynny er mwyn helpu i ariannu ein buddsoddiad mewn seilwaith, ac, yn sicr, ar adeg pan fo ein cyllidebau cyfalaf yn parhau i ostwng, mae'r rhain yn rhoi inni'r gyfres lawn o bwerau benthyca y gallwn ni eu defnyddio i wireddu'r cynlluniau buddsoddi seilwaith uchelgeisiol hynny ledled Cymru, ond y peth pwysig i'w gofio yw nad yw ein gallu i gyhoeddi bondiau yn cynyddu ein gallu i fenthyca. Felly, mae manylion penodol y bondiau yma y gallem ni fod yn dymuno eu cyhoeddi yn y dyfodol yng Nghymru eto i'w penderfynu oherwydd ni fyddem ni ond yn defnyddio'r bondiau hynny pan fo'r holl ffurfiau eraill rhatach o gyfalaf wedi eu disbyddu, a byddai unrhyw arian a godir gan fondiau Llywodraeth Cymru yn amlwg yn cael ei gyfrif yn erbyn ein terfyn benthyca hefyd, sydd yn un o atyniadau mathau eraill o gyllid y byddem yn sicr yn eu dewis yn gyntaf.
O ran eich sylwadau ynglŷn â Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop, rwy'n eu croesawu'n fawr. Rwy'n credu inni nodi'n glir iawn gyda'n gilydd yn 'Diogelu Dyfodol Cymru' y byddai hi'n fwy buddiol inni yma yng Nghymru pe byddem ni'n aros yn bartner tanysgrifio gyda Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop oherwydd y manteision uniongyrchol i'n heconomi yn sgil hynny, nid yn unig o ran buddsoddi, ond hefyd yr arbenigedd hwnnw yr wyf i wedi cyfeirio ato o'r blaen. Ac, wrth gwrs, yr wythnos diwethaf, mabwysiadodd Tŷ'r Arglwyddi adroddiad a oedd yn dweud bod buddsoddi yn seilwaith y DU wedi elwa ar fwy na €118 biliwn o arian a fenthycwyd gan Fanc Buddsoddi Ewrop, ond, yn anffodus, roedd hefyd yn sôn am y gostyngiad sylweddol mewn cyllid gan Fanc Buddsoddi Ewrop ers y refferendwm a sbarduno Erthygl 50 ac yn cwyno am y ffaith, er gwaethaf colli ein mynediad i Fanc Buddsoddi Ewrop ar ôl Brexit, nad yw'r Llywodraeth Geidwadol wedi dweud fawr ddim am unrhyw berthynas â Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop yn y