Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
23/10/2019Cynnwys
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 y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Addysg, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Alun Davies.
The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the Minister for Education, and the first question is from Alun Davies.
1. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gefnogi darpariaeth iechyd meddwl mewn ysgolion? OAQ54591
1. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support mental health provision in schools? OAQ54591
Thank you, Alun. Today I launched the formal consultation on an updated draft of the school and community-based counselling operating toolkit. This is an integral part of our work to embed a whole-school approach to emotional well-being, led jointly by the Minister for health and myself.
Diolch, Alun. Heddiw, lansiais yr ymgynghoriad ffurfiol ar ddrafft wedi'i ddiweddaru o'r pecyn cymorth gweithredu cwnsela mewn ysgolion a chymunedau. Mae hyn yn rhan annatod o'n gwaith i ymgorffori dull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin â lles emosiynol, o dan arweiniad y Gweinidog iechyd a minnau ar y cyd.
I'm grateful to you for that, Minister. You will remember a few weeks ago, I was very grateful to you, spending time at my old school, of course, of Tredegar comprehensive. During that visit you spent some time talking with the school council, and you will remember that the thrust of their questions to you were on issues around well-being and mental health. And I thought the conversation you had with the school council was a very good, strong and powerful conversation, and they, I'm sure, will welcome the statement that you made earlier today. But how can you build on this and make a more holistic approach, create a more holistic approach, to ensuring that the mental health and well-being of young people and children in school continues to be a priority both for the schools and for this Government?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am hynny, Weinidog. Fe fyddwch yn cofio, ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, fy mod yn ddiolchgar iawn i chi am dreulio amser yn fy hen ysgol, sef Ysgol Gyfun Tredegar, wrth gwrs. Yn ystod yr ymweliad hwnnw, fe dreulioch chi beth amser yn siarad â chyngor yr ysgol, a byddwch yn cofio bod llawer o’u cwestiynau i chi yn ymwneud â materion iechyd meddwl a lles. Ac roeddwn yn credu bod y sgwrs a gawsoch gyda'r cyngor ysgol yn sgwrs dda, gref a phwerus iawn, a byddant hwythau, rwy'n siŵr, yn croesawu'r datganiad a wnaethoch yn gynharach heddiw. Ond sut y gallwch adeiladu ar hyn a gwneud dull mwy cyfannol, creu dull mwy cyfannol, o sicrhau bod lles ac iechyd meddwl pobl ifanc a phlant mewn ysgolion yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth i ysgolion ac i'r Llywodraeth hon?
Well, thank you, Alun. I was very pleased to visit Tredegar comprehensive with you, although slightly disappointed not to see your photograph on the wall, amongst other notable ex-pupils of the school. [Laughter.] But I have to say the conversations that I had with the pupils at Tredegar are ones that I have with school pupils constantly. I've yet to go to a school council meeting where the issue of mental health and well-being isn't at the top of the agenda. And we are, of course, aware that the Youth Parliament regards mental health and well-being as one of its priorities for its term. What's important is that this Government is investing, in this year alone, £2.5 million to embed activity across a whole range of whole-school approaches, including additional resources to cut waiting times for school counselling appointments. And, as a Government, we are determined to work with schools, and those in the middle tier who support our schools, to ensure that mental health and well-being is indeed taken as not just an element of the curriculum, but underpins a culture of how education operates in our country.
Wel, diolch, Alun. Roeddwn yn falch iawn o ymweld ag Ysgol Gyfun Tredegar gyda chi, er fy mod ychydig yn siomedig na welais eich ffotograff ar y wal, ymhlith cyn-ddisgyblion nodedig eraill yr ysgol. [Chwerthin.] Ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud bod y sgyrsiau a gefais gyda'r disgyblion yn Nhredegar yn sgyrsiau a gaf gyda disgyblion ysgol yn gyson. Nid wyf wedi bod mewn cyfarfod o gyngor ysgol eto lle nad yw mater lles ac iechyd meddwl ar frig yr agenda. Ac rydym yn ymwybodol, wrth gwrs, fod y Senedd Ieuenctid yn ystyried lles ac iechyd meddwl yn un o'i blaenoriaethau ar gyfer ei thymor. Yr hyn sy'n bwysig yw bod y Llywodraeth hon yn buddsoddi £2.5 miliwn eleni er mwyn ymgorffori gweithgaredd ar draws ystod gyfan o ddulliau ysgolion cyfan, gan gynnwys adnoddau ychwanegol i gwtogi amseroedd aros ar gyfer apwyntiadau cwnsela mewn ysgolion. Ac fel Llywodraeth, rydym yn benderfynol o weithio gydag ysgolion, a'r rheini yn yr haen ganol sy'n cefnogi ein hysgolion, i sicrhau bod lles ac iechyd meddwl yn cael eu hystyried o ddifrif ac nid fel elfen o'r cwricwlwm yn unig, ond yn sail i ddiwylliant o sut y mae addysg yn gweithredu yn ein gwlad.
Minister, a survey by the mental health charity Mind Cymru of over 3,000 young people aged between 11 and 19 found that one in seven young people described their mental health as either poor or very poor. Almost half of the young people surveyed said that they would not know where to go to access support within their schools, and more than half did not even feel confident approaching a teacher or other school staff if they needed help. Minister, what is your response to Mind Cymru's call that mental health and well-being be made a statutory part of the national curriculum for all learners in schools in Wales?
Weinidog, canfu arolwg gan yr elusen iechyd meddwl Mind Cymru o dros 3,000 o bobl ifanc rhwng 11 a 19 oed fod un o bob saith o bobl ifanc yn dweud bod eu hiechyd meddwl naill ai'n wael neu'n wael iawn. Dywedodd bron i hanner y bobl ifanc a holwyd na fyddent yn gwybod ble i fynd i gael cymorth yn eu hysgolion, ac nid oedd mwy na'u hanner yn teimlo'n ddigon hyderus hyd yn oed i fynd at athro neu aelod arall o staff yr ysgol arall pe bai angen help arnynt. Weinidog, beth yw eich ymateb i alwad Mind Cymru y dylid gwneud lles ac iechyd meddwl yn rhan statudol o'r cwricwlwm cenedlaethol ar gyfer pob dysgwr mewn ysgolion yng Nghymru?
Well, Oscar, it's disappointing to hear those statistics because for the academic year 2017-18, over 11,000 young people benefited from the school counselling service. But we do know that, for some young people, there are barriers to accessing that service. That's why we are, as I said, putting new resources forward to local authorities to look at ways in which we can address more collaborative arrangements with other counselling providers rather than just traditional services, for instance, online services, which might make it easier for some children to address and to raise problems that they're experiencing.
With regard to the new curriculum, one of the six areas of learning and experience will be health and well-being, and there will be ample opportunity, and indeed an expectation, that that area of learning and experience will afford teachers and other professionals working alongside our schools to deliver really effective lessons in mental health and well-being, including encouraging a habit of help-seeking behaviour if people feel that they need to seek help.
Wel, Oscar, mae'n siomedig clywed yr ystadegau hynny, oherwydd ar gyfer y flwyddyn academaidd 2017-2018, fe wnaeth dros 11,000 o bobl ifanc elwa o'r gwasanaeth cwnsela mewn ysgolion. Ond gwyddom fod rhai pobl ifanc yn wynebu rhwystrau rhag cael mynediad at y gwasanaeth hwnnw. Dyna pam rydym ni, fel y dywedais, yn darparu adnoddau newydd i awdurdodau lleol fel y gallwn edrych ar ffyrdd y gallwn ystyried trefniadau mwy cydweithredol gyda darparwyr cwnsela eraill yn hytrach na gwasanaethau traddodiadol yn unig, er enghraifft, gwasanaethau ar-lein, a allai ei gwneud yn haws i rai plant fynd i'r afael â’u problemau.
O ran y cwricwlwm newydd, un o'r chwe maes dysgu a phrofiad fydd iechyd a lles, a bydd digon o gyfle, ac yn wir, disgwyliad, y bydd y maes dysgu a phrofiad hwnnw'n sicrhau y gall athrawon a gweithwyr proffesiynol eraill sy'n gweithio gyda'n hysgolion ddarparu gwersi effeithiol iawn mewn perthynas â lles ac iechyd meddwl, gan gynnwys annog arfer o ofyn am gymorth os yw pobl yn teimlo bod angen iddynt ofyn am gymorth.
As you may be aware, I've been looking recently at the issue of neurodevelopmental conditions, and I'm discovering that many children with neurodevelopmental conditions who are on the autism spectrum as well get referred to mental health services—to child and adolescent mental health services. Sometimes there is a co-occurring mental health problem, but often other specialist services are required. So, do you have a policy on screening for neurodevelopmental conditions in schools? Do you think it would make sense to screen pupils who present with serious mental health conditions, or substance use problems, children who are excluded, or at risk of being excluded, screening them for neurodevelopmental conditions? Because there are treatments available, and, for some people, they are very, very effective. But many of our kids who have this need are not having this need being met. They're not getting the screening, they're not getting the right diagnosis, and therefore they're not getting the treatment. Is there something you can do about this?
Fel y gwyddoch efallai, rwyf wedi bod yn edrych yn ddiweddar ar fater cyflyrau niwroddatblygiadol, ac rwy'n darganfod bod llawer o blant â chyflyrau niwroddatblygiadol sydd ar y sbectrwm awtistiaeth hefyd yn cael eu hatgyfeirio at wasanaethau iechyd meddwl—at wasanaethau iechyd meddwl plant a'r glasoed. Weithiau, mae ganddynt broblem iechyd meddwl hefyd, ond yn aml, mae angen gwasanaethau arbenigol eraill. Felly, a oes gennych bolisi ar sgrinio am gyflyrau niwroddatblygiadol mewn ysgolion? A ydych yn credu y byddai'n gwneud synnwyr sgrinio disgyblion sydd â chyflyrau iechyd meddwl difrifol, neu broblemau camddefnyddio sylweddau, plant sydd wedi'u gwahardd, neu sydd mewn perygl o gael eu gwahardd, eu sgrinio am gyflyrau niwroddatblygiadol? Oherwydd mae triniaethau ar gael, ac i rai pobl, maent yn effeithiol tu hwnt. Ond nid yw'r angen hwn yn cael ei ddiwallu i lawer o'n plant sydd â'r angen hwn. Nid ydynt yn cael eu sgrinio, nid ydynt yn cael y diagnosis cywir, ac felly nid ydynt yn cael y driniaeth. A oes rhywbeth y gallwch ei wneud ynglŷn â hyn?
Well, I think the first aspect to respond appropriately to the needs of those children is to ensure that their particular learning needs are identified early in their school career. And that's why this Government is spending resources on ensuring that more and more of our professionals are provided with training to spot signs of a range of different factors that could affect a child's well-being and their ability to learn, and to be able to seek help from other professionals, if appropriate, to meet those children's individual learning needs. But I'm happy to meet with the Member to discuss the use of screening tools and whether there is a strong evidence base that that will make a difference.
Wel, credaf mai'r agwedd gyntaf er mwyn ymateb yn briodol i anghenion y plant hynny yw sicrhau bod eu hanghenion dysgu penodol yn cael eu nodi’n gynnar yn eu gyrfa ysgol. A dyna pam fod y Llywodraeth hon yn gwario adnoddau ar sicrhau bod mwy a mwy o'n gweithwyr proffesiynol yn cael hyfforddiant fel y gallant nodi arwyddion o ystod o wahanol ffactorau a allai effeithio ar les plant a’u gallu i ddysgu, ac i allu ceisio cymorth gan weithwyr proffesiynol eraill, os yn briodol, i ddiwallu anghenion dysgu unigol y plant hynny. Ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i gyfarfod â'r Aelod i drafod y defnydd o offer sgrinio, ac i weld a oes sylfaen dystiolaeth gref y bydd hynny'n gwneud gwahaniaeth.
2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gyllidebau ysgolion uwchradd yn Sir Benfro? OAQ54562
2. Will the Minister make a statement on secondary school budgets in Pembrokeshire? OAQ54562
As at 31 March 2019, nine secondary schools in Pembrokeshire carried forward a total surplus of £455,000, and one secondary school carried forward a deficit of £120,000. Local authorities are responsible for schools funding and should closely monitor individual schools' budgets.
Ar 31 Mawrth 2019, cafodd gwarged o £455,000 ei gario ymlaen gan naw ysgol uwchradd yn Sir Benfro, a chafodd diffyg o £120,000 ei gario ymlaen gan un ysgol uwchradd. Awdurdodau lleol sy’n gyfrifol am gyllid ysgolion, a dylent fonitro cyllidebau ysgolion unigol yn agos.
Minister, in this forthcoming financial year, all of the secondary schools in Pembrokeshire are projecting deficit budgets, and the Pembrokeshire association of secondary headteachers has made it clear that this will result in reducing the number of teaching staff, reducing the breadth of the curriculum offered, and a need to increase the number of pupils in classes to enable fewer teachers to deliver to the curriculum. As a large part of the funding for schools comes from the unhypothecated funding local authorities receive from the Welsh Government in the local government settlement, it's vitally important therefore that any money that is passed on to local authorities is used for the purpose it's given and reaches front-line services. Given the importance of ensuring any and all additional funding reaches front-line services in Pembrokeshire—and, indeed, throughout Wales—can you tell us how the Welsh Government is ensuring that any funding for education that's passed on to local authorities is used for that specific purpose?
Weinidog, yn y flwyddyn ariannol sydd i ddod, mae pob un o ysgolion uwchradd Sir Benfro yn rhagamcanu diffyg yn eu cyllidebau, ac mae cymdeithas penaethiaid uwchradd Sir Benfro wedi dweud yn glir y bydd hyn yn arwain at leihau nifer y staff addysgu, lleihau ehangder y cwricwlwm a gynigir, ac angen i gynyddu nifer y disgyblion mewn dosbarthiadau er mwyn galluogi llai o athrawon i addysgu'n unol â’r cwricwlwm. Gan fod rhan fawr o'r cyllid ar gyfer ysgolion yn dod o'r cyllid heb ei neilltuo y mae awdurdodau lleol yn ei gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn y setliad llywodraeth leol, mae'n hanfodol felly fod unrhyw arian a drosglwyddir i awdurdodau lleol yn cael ei ddefnyddio at y diben a nodir ar ei gyfer ac yn cyrraedd gwasanaethau rheng flaen. O ystyried pwysigrwydd sicrhau bod unrhyw arian ychwanegol a'r holl arian ychwanegol yn cyrraedd gwasanaethau rheng flaen yn Sir Benfro—ac yn wir, ledled Cymru—a allwch ddweud wrthym sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod unrhyw gyllid ar gyfer addysg sy'n cael ei drosglwyddo i awdurdodau lleol yn cael ei ddefnyddio at y diben penodol hwnnw?
Well, the Member is absolutely right to identify the way in which the vast majority of resources that fund our schools is a matter for local authorities. I recently met with the finance distribution sub-group to discuss these issues, as well as the directors of education and the education portfolios, across the 22 local authorities, about my desire to see as much money as possible getting to the front line to support individual schools' budgets. We, of course, have a role to play in that, which is why we announced yesterday an additional £12.8 million, available in-year to help to support the cost of the teachers' pay rise this year. And our expectation is that all that money will go directly to front-line school budgets.
Wel, mae'r Aelod yn llygad ei le yn nodi'r ffordd y mae'r mwyafrif llethol o'r adnoddau sy'n ariannu ein hysgolion yn fater i awdurdodau lleol. Yn ddiweddar, cyfarfûm â’r is-grŵp dosbarthu cyllid i drafod y materion hyn, yn ogystal â’r cyfarwyddwyr addysg a’r portffolios addysg, ar draws y 22 awdurdod lleol, ynglŷn â fy awydd i weld cymaint o arian â phosibl yn cyrraedd y rheng flaen er mwyn cefnogi cyllidebau ysgolion unigol. Mae gennym ran i'w chwarae yn hyn wrth gwrs, a dyna pam y cyhoeddasom £12.8 miliwn yn ychwanegol ddoe, a fydd ar gael yn ystod y flwyddyn i gynorthwyo gyda chost codiad cyflog athrawon eleni. A'n disgwyliad yw y bydd yr holl arian hwnnw'n mynd yn uniongyrchol i gyllidebau rheng flaen ysgolion.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Bethan Sayed.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Bethan Sayed.
Diolch. Minister, the £2 million your Government announced earlier this year for mental health initiatives in university was much needed and welcomed. And you told me in July that this funding was to develop a whole-school approach that would support staff as well as students. But, at the same time, I believe you gave ColegauCymru just £175,000 for the same purpose, with regard to implementing this in further education colleges, despite there being more students in further education than higher education in Wales. How are you ensuring that students who are accessing further education are able to get the same level of support with regard to this particular mental health initiative?
Diolch. Weinidog, mawr oedd yr angen am y £2 filiwn a gyhoeddodd eich Llywodraeth yn gynharach eleni ar gyfer mentrau iechyd meddwl mewn prifysgolion, a mawr oedd y croeso iddo. Ac fe ddywedoch wrthyf ym mis Gorffennaf mai bwriad y cyllid hwn oedd datblygu dull ysgol gyfan a fyddai'n cefnogi staff yn ogystal â myfyrwyr. Ond ar yr un pryd, credaf mai £175,000 yn unig a roesoch i ColegauCymru at yr un diben, o ran rhoi hyn ar waith mewn colegau addysg bellach, er bod mwy o fyfyrwyr mewn addysg bellach nag mewn addysg uwch yng Nghymru. Sut rydych yn sicrhau y gall myfyrwyr sy'n ymgymryd ag addysg bellach gael yr un lefel o gefnogaeth mewn perthynas â'r fenter iechyd meddwl benodol hon?
The Member is absolutely right—what we're trying to develop in Welsh Government is a whole-system approach to well-being and mental health. In answer to the first questions, you've heard about work we are undertaking in schools. But, obviously, we need to continue that support as individuals make their journey through the education system. Despite constraints on the budget, I am pleased that we were able to make an allocation, both to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and to ColegauCymru. Last week, I met with members of ColegauCymru to discuss the need for ongoing support for mental health for FE students, and those discussions also are taking place within Government.
Mae'r Aelod yn llygad ei lle—yr hyn rydym yn ceisio'i ddatblygu yn Llywodraeth Cymru yw dull system gyfan o ymdrin â lles ac iechyd meddwl. Yn yr atebion i'r cwestiynau cyntaf, clywsoch am y gwaith a wnawn mewn ysgolion. Ond yn amlwg, mae angen i ni barhau â'r gefnogaeth honno wrth i unigolion gyflawni eu taith drwy'r system addysg. Er y cyfyngiadau ar y gyllideb, rwy'n falch ein bod wedi gallu sicrhau dyraniad, i Gyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru ac i ColegauCymru. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyfarfûm ag aelodau o ColegauCymru i drafod yr angen am gefnogaeth barhaus i fyfyrwyr addysg bellach mewn perthynas ag iechyd meddwl, ac mae'r trafodaethau hynny hefyd yn mynd rhagddynt yn y Llywodraeth.
Okay, and thank you for that update. When you do have more information, it would be useful to share that, because, of course, I know that the same challenges face FE students and their staff, as they do in HE.
Obviously, one of the reasons universities put forward or campaigned for money for mental health initiatives was due to the work that the National Union of Students did in part of that process, working with the Government on it. And I believe student unions are integral to the life of a university. I'm a former sabbatical officer myself at Aberystwyth University, so I know and I saw and I implemented those particular policies. But many in FE are still not experiencing that student voice or are not able to access that student voice as much as their higher education peers. And while we are going to be reducing the vote to 16—we agree on this—they will need to have access to student support services just as people who are in higher education do. So, could you tell me a bit more about what you potentially could do to ensure that there is more parity of esteem where there can be an enhancement of the student voice in further education institutions?
Iawn, a diolch am y diweddariad hwnnw. Pan fydd gennych fwy o wybodaeth, byddai'n ddefnyddiol ei rhannu, oherwydd wrth gwrs, gwn fod myfyrwyr addysg bellach a'u staff yn wynebu'r un heriau â myfyrwyr a staff addysg uwch.
Yn amlwg, un o'r rhesymau pam fod prifysgolion wedi ymgeisio neu ymgyrchu am arian ar gyfer mentrau iechyd meddwl oedd y gwaith a wnaeth Undeb Cenedlaethol y Myfyrwyr yn rhan o'r broses honno, gan weithio gyda'r Llywodraeth. A chredaf fod undebau myfyrwyr yn rhan annatod o fywyd prifysgol. Rwy'n gyn-swyddog sabothol fy hun ym Mhrifysgol Aberystwyth, felly rwy'n gyfarwydd â'r polisïau penodol hynny ac wedi eu gweld a'u rhoi ar waith. Ond mae llawer o fyfyrwyr addysg bellach yn dal i deimlo nad oes llais ganddynt fel myfyrwyr, neu nad yw llais y myfyriwr mor hygyrch iddynt ag i'w cyfoedion mewn addysg uwch. Ac er y byddwn yn gostwng yr oedran pleidleisio i 16—rydym yn cytuno ar hyn—bydd angen iddynt gael mynediad at wasanaethau cymorth i fyfyrwyr yn union yn yr un modd â'r rheini mewn addysg uwch. Felly, a allwch ddweud mwy wrthyf ynglŷn â'r hyn y gallech ei wneud o bosibl i sicrhau parch mwy cydradd lle gellir gwella llais y myfyriwr mewn sefydliadau addysg bellach?
Student voice is important at all levels of education, and what we seek to do is increase the ability for students to shape their institutions, whether that be at schools, universities or FE. I'm not so pessimistic as the Member is about the contribution that the NUS members are making to our FE. I was recently at the Graig campus at Coleg Sir Gâr in Llanelli, where we had a very productive meeting with the members of the students' union there, who are very much working in partnership with the senior management team of that college to address matters of concern to the student body in that college, and where, for instance, a very effective campaign on mental health and well-being and a very effective campaign on period poverty and period dignity within the entirety of the campuses that make up that college—. Clearly, we will want to take the opportunity of the post-compulsory education and training Bill to reinforce the importance of student voice in all aspects of post-compulsory education and training.
Mae llais y myfyriwr yn bwysig ar bob lefel o addysg, a'r hyn rydym yn ceisio ei wneud yw cynyddu'r gallu i fyfyrwyr lywio eu sefydliadau, boed hynny mewn ysgolion, prifysgolion neu addysg bellach. Nid wyf mor besimistaidd â'r Aelod ynghylch cyfraniad aelodau Undeb Cenedlaethol y Myfyrwyr i'n haddysg bellach. Yn ddiweddar, roeddwn ar gampws y Graig yng Ngholeg Sir Gâr yn Llanelli, lle cawsom gyfarfod cynhyrchiol iawn gydag aelodau undeb y myfyrwyr yno, sy'n gweithio mewn partneriaeth ag uwch dîm rheoli'r coleg hwnnw i fynd i'r afael â materion sy'n peri pryder i'r corff myfyrwyr yn y coleg hwnnw, a lle, er enghraifft, y bu ymgyrch effeithiol iawn ar iechyd meddwl a lles ac ymgyrch effeithiol iawn ar dlodi mislif ac urddas mislif ar holl gampysau'r coleg hwnnw—. Yn amlwg, byddwn yn awyddus i fanteisio ar gyfle'r Bil addysg a hyfforddiant ôl-orfodol i atgyfnerthu pwysigrwydd llais y myfyriwr ym mhob agwedd ar addysg a hyfforddiant ôl-orfodol.
Thank you for that. Just to clarify, I wasn't saying that they weren't doing their jobs effectively; I was saying they've approached me actually, saying, 'Look, we know we're doing work in further education, but we are struggling because of the patchiness of that', and so it's about how they can be helped to be more effective when they go into those institutions, not to say that they're not trying where they are having access to progressive general managers who want to try and help them.
My final question is with regard to another matter in relation to—. I raised with you institutional racism in higher education back in July, and I recently met with Cardiff University—this week—and it was a really constructive discussion, about you assuring me that there would be strategic equality plans setting out how they would be able to ensure opportunity for students with protected characteristics and these plans would make changes in terms of how people can take individual incidents of racial harassment or bullying through those institutions.
Today, you may have seen that the Equality and Human Rights Commission report has revealed that 13 per cent of students questioned had experienced racial harassment, rising to 24 per cent—almost a quarter—of students from minority ethnic backgrounds. But universities are often unaware of the true extent of the problem on these campuses, and there are huge discrepancies between the proportion of students experiencing incidents, according to the report, and the number recorded by the universities. What assurances can you give me today that those strategic plans that the universities are expected to do are going to change this? What are you doing to work with the sector to ensure that those voices are heard and that they feel that they're being listened to in any structure? They may not get to a point of reporting it formally, but they want to get to a point where they are believed and they are heard and where they can be engaged in a constructive process for the future of the university system.
Diolch. Er eglurder, nid oeddwn yn dweud nad oeddent yn gwneud eu gwaith yn effeithiol; roeddwn yn dweud eu bod wedi cysylltu â mi gan ddweud, 'Edrychwch, rydym yn gwybod ein bod yn gwneud gwaith ym maes addysg bellach, ond rydym yn ei chael hi'n anodd gan fod hwnnw mor dameidiog', ac felly mae a wnelo hyn â sut y gellir eu helpu i fod yn fwy effeithiol pan fyddant yn mynd i'r sefydliadau hynny, ac nid yw hynny'n golygu nad ydynt yn gwneud ymdrech lle mae'n rhaid iddynt gael mynediad at reolwyr cyffredinol blaengar sy'n awyddus i geisio rhoi cymorth iddynt.
Mae fy nghwestiwn olaf yn ymwneud â mater arall mewn perthynas â—. Codais hiliaeth sefydliadol mewn addysg uwch gyda chi yn ôl ym mis Gorffennaf, a chyfarfûm â Phrifysgol Caerdydd yn ddiweddar—yr wythnos hon—a bu'n drafodaeth wirioneddol adeiladol, ynglŷn â'ch sicrwydd i mi y byddai cynlluniau cydraddoldeb strategol yn nodi sut y byddent yn gallu sicrhau cyfleoedd i fyfyrwyr â nodweddion gwarchodedig ac y byddai'r cynlluniau hyn yn gwneud newidiadau o ran sut y gall pobl fynd i'r afael ag achosion unigol o fwlio neu aflonyddu hiliol yn y sefydliadau hynny.
Heddiw, efallai eich bod wedi gweld bod adroddiad y Comisiwn Cydraddoldeb a Hawliau Dynol wedi datgelu bod 13 y cant o'r myfyrwyr a holwyd wedi cael profiad o aflonyddu hiliol, gan godi i 24 y cant—bron i chwarter—y myfyrwyr o gefndiroedd lleiafrifol ethnig. Ond yn aml, nid yw prifysgolion yn ymwybodol o wir faint y broblem ar y campysau hyn, a cheir anghysonderau enfawr rhwng nifer y myfyrwyr sy'n cael profiad o ddigwyddiadau, yn ôl yr adroddiad, a'r nifer a gofnodir gan y prifysgolion. Pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi i mi heddiw y bydd y cynlluniau strategol hynny y mae disgwyl i'r prifysgolion eu llunio yn newid hyn? Beth rydych yn ei wneud i weithio gyda'r sector i sicrhau bod y lleisiau hynny'n cael eu clywed a'u bod yn teimlo bod rhywun yn gwrando arnynt mewn unrhyw strwythur? Efallai na fyddant yn cyrraedd pwynt lle byddant yn rhoi gwybod am y digwyddiad yn ffurfiol, ond maent yn awyddus i gyrraedd pwynt lle cânt eu credu a'u clywed a lle gallant fod yn rhan o broses adeiladol ar gyfer dyfodol y system brifysgolion.
I have indeed seen the report. It's an important piece of work, although it is very depressing reading. Once again we have to remind ourselves that Wales is not immune from issues of racism. More than simply seeing the report, I met with the Equality and Human Rights Commission recently, ahead of its publication, to have an early discussion with them about their expectations of what more Welsh Government can do. This morning, I found myself at Cardiff University and took the opportunity of meeting with representatives of HEFCW and the vast majority of Welsh vice-chancellors, who were also at the same meeting to raise this report, and I can assure the Member, and indeed all Members here, that I, Universities Wales and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales will want to consider very carefully the recommendations of this report and will want to act on them. One way in which I can do that is including reference in my next remit letter of my expectations on universities and HEFCW to address this point, which I intend to do.
Yn wir, rwyf wedi gweld yr adroddiad. Mae'n waith pwysig, er ei fod yn ddeunydd darllen digalon iawn. Unwaith eto, mae'n rhaid inni atgoffa'n hunain nad yw Cymru yn ddiogel rhag problemau hiliaeth. Yn ogystal â darllen yr adroddiad, cyfarfûm â'r Comisiwn Cydraddoldeb a Hawliau Dynol yn ddiweddar, cyn iddo gael ei gyhoeddi, i gael trafodaeth gynnar gyda hwy ynglŷn â'u disgwyliadau o ran beth arall y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud. Y bore yma, roeddwn ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, a manteisiais ar y cyfle i gyfarfod â chynrychiolwyr CCAUC a'r rhan fwyaf o is-gangellorion Cymru, a oedd hefyd yn yr un cyfarfod i drafod yr adroddiad hwn, a gallaf roi sicrwydd i'r Aelod, ac yn wir i'r holl Aelodau yma, y bydd Prifysgolion Cymru, Cyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru a minnau yn awyddus i ystyried argymhellion yr adroddiad hwn yn ofalus iawn ac eisiau gweithredu arnynt. Un ffordd y gallaf wneud hynny yw cyfeirio yn fy llythyr cylch gwaith nesaf at fy nisgwyliadau y bydd y prifysgolion a CCAUC yn mynd i'r afael â'r pwynt hwn, ac rwy'n bwriadu gwneud hynny.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Mohammad Asghar.
Conservative spokesperson, Mohammad Asghar.
Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Minister, last year, an independent panel claimed that the issue of teachers' workloads would only be addressed by looking at the wider structure of schooling. They pointed out that the way our schools work—their routines, patterns and systems—have more or less been unchanged since schooling for every child began in Victorian times. Minister, have you seen this report, and what is your response to its call for a commission to be set up to look at whether changing the system of school days, terms and holidays would lead to changes that would relieve the pressure on teaching staff?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, y llynedd, honnodd panel annibynnol na fyddai mater llwyth gwaith athrawon ond yn cael sylw drwy edrych ar strwythur ehangach addysg ysgol. Tynnwyd sylw at y ffaith nad yw'r ffordd y mae ein hysgolion yn gweithio—eu harferion, eu patrymau a'u systemau—wedi newid o gwbl, fwy neu lai, ers dechrau rhoi addysg ysgol i bob plentyn yn oes Fictoria. Weinidog, a ydych wedi gweld yr adroddiad hwn, a beth yw eich ymateb i'w alwad i sefydlu comisiwn i ystyried a fyddai newid y system o ran dyddiau, tymhorau a gwyliau ysgolion yn arwain at newidiadau a fyddai'n lleddfu'r pwysau ar staff addysgu?
I have to say, Presiding Officer, it would be helpful if the Member could keep up. That commission was established several months ago under the chairmanship of Mick Waters. It includes headteachers from Wales and school governors from Wales as well as independent experts outside the Welsh education system.
Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, Lywydd, y byddai'n ddefnyddiol pe gallai'r Aelod ddal i fyny. Sefydlwyd y comisiwn hwnnw sawl mis yn ôl o dan gadeiryddiaeth Mick Waters. Mae'n cynnwys penaethiaid o Gymru a llywodraethwyr ysgolion o Gymru yn ogystal ag arbenigwyr annibynnol o'r tu allan i system addysg Cymru.
The National Foundation for Educational Research says that there is an unmet demand from secondary teachers or secondary school teachers wanting to reduce or alter their hours. They estimate that one in six teachers would like to reduce their hours and urge secondary school leaders to do more to accommodate teachers who want to work part-time or flexibly. Minister, can I ask what representations you have received on this matter and what guidance you have issued to schools with regard to part-time and flexible working, the lack of which is an important factor in some teachers leaving the profession in Wales?
Dywed y Sefydliad Cenedlaethol er Ymchwil i Addysg fod galw nad yw'n cael ei ddiwallu gan athrawon uwchradd neu athrawon ysgolion uwchradd sy'n awyddus i gwtogi neu newid eu horiau. Maent yn amcangyfrif yr hoffai un o bob chwe athro gwtogi eu horiau ac maent yn annog arweinwyr ysgolion uwchradd i wneud mwy i ddarparu ar gyfer athrawon sy'n awyddus i weithio'n rhan-amser neu'n hyblyg. Weinidog, a gaf fi ofyn pa sylwadau rydych wedi'u cael ar y mater hwn a pha ganllawiau a roesoch i ysgolion mewn perthynas â gweithio'n rhan-amser ac yn hyblyg, gan fod diffyg y math hwnnw o weithio yn ffactor pwysig ym mhenderfyniad rhai athrawon i adael y proffesiwn yng Nghymru?
I've not received any representation from the teaching unions about the specifics that the Member mentions around part-time and flexible working, although workload issues in general are a standing item on the agenda every time I meet with the teaching unions. The flexibility that the Member just highlighted is indeed one of the things that the re-imagining the school day commission is actively looking at and to see whether there is a real appetite for change in this regard.
Nid wyf wedi cael unrhyw sylwadau gan undebau'r athrawon am y manylion penodol y mae'r Aelod yn eu crybwyll ynghylch gweithio'n rhan-amser ac yn hyblyg, er bod materion llwyth gwaith yn gyffredinol yn eitem sefydlog ar yr agenda bob tro y byddaf yn cyfarfod ag undebau'r athrawon. Mae'r hyblygrwydd a nodwyd gan yr Aelod yn wir yn un o'r pethau y mae'r comisiwn i ailfeddwl y diwrnod ysgol yn eu hystyried ac i weld a oes awydd gwirioneddol am newid yn hyn o beth.
Carry on, Mohammad Asghar.
Parhewch, Mohammad Asghar.
Thank you. Data from the annual school census shows that there has been a 7.5 per cent cut to primary-school support staff since 2014 and 2015. There are more than 1,000 fewer standard teaching assistants and 300 special needs support staff working in Welsh primary schools compared to four years ago.
Last week, Wales Online reported that the headteachers were calling on the Welsh Government to provide more cash directly to schools, as the cuts have reached unsustainable levels and schools are at breaking point. Minister, when will you take action to address the crisis in school funding in Wales? As I just read this morning, the real-term funding cuts from 2010 to 2018 are nearly an 8 per cent reduction in funding for primary schools, which is totally not giving the service to schools and the teachers at the same time.
Diolch. Mae data o'r cyfrifiad ysgolion blynyddol yn dangos bod toriad o 7.5 y cant wedi bod i staff cymorth ysgolion cynradd ers 2014 a 2015. Mae dros 1,000 yn llai o gynorthwywyr addysgu safonol a 300 yn llai o staff cymorth anghenion arbennig yn gweithio yn ysgolion cynradd Cymru o gymharu â phedair blynedd yn ôl.
Yr wythnos diwethaf, adroddodd Wales Online fod y penaethiaid yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddarparu mwy o arian yn uniongyrchol i ysgolion, gan fod y toriadau wedi cyrraedd lefelau anghynaliadwy ac mae ysgolion ar ben eu tennyn. Weinidog, pryd y byddwch yn gweithredu i fynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng cyllid ysgolion yng Nghymru? Fel rwyf newydd ei ddarllen y bore yma, mae'r toriadau cyllid mewn termau real rhwng 2010 a 2018 yn ostyngiad o bron i 8 y cant mewn cyllid i ysgolion cynradd, ac yn sicr, nid yw hynny'n rhoi'r gwasanaeth i ysgolion a'r athrawon ar yr un pryd.
My ability to respond positively to those issues, of course, would be helped immensely if we were to see an end to austerity originating out of the Member's own party and their Government in Westminster. Later on this afternoon, we will be able to have an extended debate on the work of the Children, Young People and Education Committee around the issue of school funding. I am determined, in the constraints of the money available to this Welsh Government, to do all I can to get as much money to the front line as possible.
Byddai fy ngallu i ymateb yn gadarnhaol i'r materion hynny, wrth gwrs, yn cael cryn dipyn o gymorth pe bai'r cyni sy'n tarddu o blaid yr Aelod ei hun a'u Llywodraeth yn San Steffan yn dod i ben. Yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma, byddwn yn cael dadl estynedig ar waith y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg ynghylch mater cyllid ysgolion. Yn wyneb y cyfyngiadau ar yr arian sydd ar gael i Lywodraeth Cymru, rwy'n benderfynol o wneud popeth a allaf i sicrhau bod cymaint o arian â phosibl yn cyrraedd y rheng flaen.
3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am gyllid addysgol fesul disgybl yng Nghymru? OAQ54583
3. Will the Minister provide an update on educational funding per pupil in Wales? OAQ54583
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies analysis, spending per pupil in Wales is just below £6,000 on average. However, this varies considerably between local authorities, reflecting differences in deprivation and sparsity, as well as choices made by individual local authorities in line with their responsibilities for setting school budgets.
Yn ôl dadansoddiad y Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid, mae gwariant fesul disgybl yng Nghymru ychydig o dan £6,000 ar gyfartaledd. Fodd bynnag, mae hyn yn amrywio'n sylweddol rhwng awdurdodau lleol, gan adlewyrchu gwahaniaethau o ran amddifadedd a theneurwydd poblogaeth, yn ogystal â dewisiadau a wneir gan awdurdodau lleol unigol yn unol â'u cyfrifoldebau dros osod cyllidebau ysgolion.
Minister, in the last 10 years, pupil spending per pupil has fallen £500, which is almost 10 per cent. Schools are really struggling financially. They're in a position where they're going to have to be laying staff off. So, as the Minister for Education in Wales, with that backdrop and with that crisis in funding, how can you justify your Government's position and what are you going to do about the problem?
Weinidog, dros y 10 mlynedd diwethaf, mae gwariant y pen ar ddisgyblion wedi gostwng £500, sef bron i 10 y cant. Mae ysgolion yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn yn ariannol. Maent mewn sefyllfa lle bydd yn rhaid iddynt ddiswyddo staff. Felly, fel y Gweinidog Addysg yng Nghymru, gyda'r cefndir hwnnw a'r argyfwng hwnnw o ran cyllid, sut y gallwch gyfiawnhau safbwynt eich Llywodraeth a beth a wnewch ynglŷn â'r broblem?
As I have just explained to Mohammad Asghar, later on this afternoon we will have an opportunity to debate the findings of the CYPE report. I don't want to pre-empt that debate, but the Member will be aware that I've accepted all the recommendations of that report, including its main recommendation, which is to establish an independent review into education funding in Wales, examining the role of the Welsh Government, the middle tier, the local authorities, who have the main responsibility for funding schools, and how we can ensure that we know that enough funding is getting into our education system and that, in the way in which that money is spent, it is used adequately.
Fel rwyf newydd egluro wrth Mohammad Asghar, yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma, byddwn yn cael cyfle i drafod canfyddiadau adroddiad y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg. Nid wyf am achub y blaen ar y ddadl honno, ond bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol fy mod wedi derbyn holl argymhellion yr adroddiad hwnnw, gan gynnwys ei brif argymhelliad, sef sefydlu adolygiad annibynnol i gyllid addysg yng Nghymru, gan archwilio rôl Llywodraeth Cymru, yr haen ganol, yr awdurdodau lleol, sydd â'r prif gyfrifoldeb am ariannu ysgolion, a sut y gallwn sicrhau ein bod yn gwybod bod digon o arian yn dod i mewn i'n system addysg a'i fod, o ran y ffordd y gwerir yr arian hwnnw, yn cael ei ddefnyddio'n briodol.
Minister, of course, the amount per pupil goes up marginally every time there's an announcement of a rise in teachers' pay and pensions. I was very grateful to you for your statement yesterday. I wonder whether you can just confirm that the £12.8 million that you mentioned in that statement is part of the £14 million mentioned last year, or whether it's coming from a completely different source. I'm sure you'll agree that the £195 million announced from the UK Government in the spending round will actually make this easier, going forward, as well, particularly as teachers' pay has now been devolved.
I just want to go back to the question Paul Davies raised with you. You, of course, have no control over this money once it hits the revenue support grant. I'm wondering what steps you will take against councils who don't actually pass this money on to schools, particularly as there's a risk that if they don't do so they will continue to lose teachers, let alone see schools affected by the wider points that, actually, Neil McEvoy was making.
Weinidog, wrth gwrs, mae'r swm fesul disgybl yn codi fymryn bob tro y ceir cyhoeddiad o gynnydd yng nghyflogau a phensiynau athrawon. Roeddwn yn ddiolchgar iawn i chi am eich datganiad ddoe. Tybed a allwch gadarnhau a yw'r £12.8 miliwn y sonioch amdano yn y datganiad hwnnw yn rhan o'r £14 miliwn a grybwyllwyd y llynedd, neu a yw'n dod o ffynhonnell hollol wahanol. Rwy'n siŵr eich bod yn cytuno y bydd y £195 miliwn a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU yn y rownd wario'n gwneud hyn yn haws hefyd yn y dyfodol, yn enwedig gan fod cyflogau athrawon bellach wedi'u datganoli.
Hoffwn ddychwelyd at y cwestiwn a ofynnodd Paul Davies i chi. Wrth gwrs, nid oes gennych unrhyw reolaeth dros yr arian hwn pan fydd yn taro'r grant cynnal refeniw. Tybed pa gamau y byddwch yn eu cymryd yn erbyn cynghorau nad ydynt yn trosglwyddo'r arian hwn i ysgolion, yn enwedig gan fod perygl, os na fyddant yn gwneud hynny, y byddant yn parhau i golli athrawon, heb sôn am weld ysgolion yn cael eu heffeithio gan y pwyntiau ehangach a wnaed gan Neil McEvoy.
Okay. So, the money that was announced yesterday, the £12.8 million in-year to support local authorities with the costs of implementing the teachers' pay rise, is new money, in addition, being made available by my colleague the finance Minister. It should be said that we have received not a single penny of consequentials from the Westminster Government to pay for the teachers' pay rise, because in England it has been paid out of a £50 million underspend within that departmental budget. Going forward, I and the Minister for local government have had conversations with colleagues in local government about the need to spend this additional money on its intended purposes, i.e. support for teachers' pay. My understanding is that both of us have received assurances from local authorities that that money will be spent for that purpose.
Iawn. Felly, mae'r arian a gyhoeddwyd ddoe, y £12.8 miliwn yn ystod y flwyddyn i gynorthwyo awdurdodau lleol gyda chostau gweithredu'r codiad yng nghyflogau athrawon, yn arian newydd ychwanegol, sy'n cael ei ddarparu gan fy nghyd-Aelod, y Gweinidog cyllid. Dylid nodi nad ydym wedi derbyn yr un geiniog o gyllid canlyniadol gan Lywodraeth San Steffan i dalu am y codiad yng nghyflogau athrawon, oherwydd yn Lloegr, fe'i talwyd o danwariant o £50 miliwn yn y gyllideb adrannol honno. Wrth symud ymlaen, mae'r Gweinidog llywodraeth leol a minnau wedi cael sgyrsiau gyda chydweithwyr mewn llywodraeth leol am yr angen i wario'r arian ychwanegol hwn ar y dibenion a fwriadwyd ar ei gyfer, h.y. cymorth tuag at gyflogau athrawon. Yn ôl fy nealltwriaeth i, mae'r ddwy ohonom wedi cael sicrwydd gan awdurdodau lleol y bydd yr arian hwnnw'n cael ei wario at y diben hwnnw.
I believe education needs a greater proportion of the Welsh budget, and that a highly educated workforce is the best economic development tool we can have. On the additional money announced for the teachers' pay award, which you announced yesterday, is it going to be distributed via the funding formula to local authorities and then on to schools, which will produce winners and losers, or allocated to schools to meet the increased costs on a cost basis? It does make a huge difference which way you do it, because if you do it by just putting it in the formula, you'll have winners and losers amongst local authorities and winners and losers amongst schools.
Credaf fod angen gwario cyfran fwy o gyllideb Cymru ar addysg, ac mai gweithlu tra addysgedig yw'r offeryn gorau y gallwn ei gael at ddibenion datblygu economaidd. O ran yr arian ychwanegol a gyhoeddwyd ar gyfer dyfarniad cyflogau athrawon, a gyhoeddwyd gennych ddoe, a fydd yn cael ei ddosbarthu drwy'r fformiwla ariannu i awdurdodau lleol ac yna ymlaen i ysgolion, rhywbeth sy'n mynd i arwain at enillwyr a chollwyr, neu a fydd yn cael ei ddyrannu i ysgolion i ddiwallu'r costau uwch ar sail cost? Mae sut rydych yn gwneud hynny'n gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr, oherwydd os gwnewch hynny drwy ei roi yn y fformiwla yn unig, bydd gennych enillwyr a chollwyr ymhlith awdurdodau lleol ac enillwyr a chollwyr ymhlith ysgolion.
I agree with you, Mike, with regard to the importance of investing in education. It is an investment; it's not a cost. If we want to develop the high skills that we will need for a successful economy in the future, the best thing that we can do is invest in our children and in those who work with them every day. The allocation is agreed between us and the local authorities, and will be done on the basis of their fair share of that additional £12.8 million that we've been able to make available to them.
Rwy'n cytuno â chi, Mike, o ran pwysigrwydd buddsoddi mewn addysg. Mae'n fuddsoddiad; nid yw'n gost. Os ydym am ddatblygu’r sgiliau uchel y bydd eu hangen arnom ar gyfer economi lwyddiannus yn y dyfodol, y peth gorau y gallwn ei wneud yw buddsoddi yn ein plant ac yn y rhai sy’n gweithio gyda hwy bob dydd. Cytunir ar y dyraniad rhyngom ni a'r awdurdodau lleol, a chaiff ei wneud ar sail eu cyfran deg o'r £12.8 miliwn ychwanegol hwnnw rydym wedi gallu ei ddarparu iddynt.
4. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i hysbysu ac addysgu pobl ifanc am ddigartrefedd drwy'r system addysg? OAQ54595
4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to inform and educate young people about homelessness through the education system? OAQ54595
Thank you very much. Preventing homelessness requires a holistic approach across all public services. However, within education, the youth service is playing a key role in tackling and preventing homelessness. This is supported through our wider education reform, including our new curriculum and the introduction of a whole-school approach to mental health and well-being.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Mae angen ymagwedd gyfannol ar draws yr holl wasanaethau cyhoeddus er mwyn atal digartrefedd. Fodd bynnag, ym maes addysg, mae'r gwasanaeth ieuenctid yn chwarae rhan allweddol yn atal a mynd i'r afael â digartrefedd. Cefnogir hyn drwy ein gwaith ehangach ar ddiwygio addysg, gan gynnwys ein cwricwlwm newydd a chyflwyno dull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin ag iechyd meddwl a llesiant.
Thank you for that encouraging answer. I'm sure you'll be encouraged by the Youth Parliament also calling for a greater focus on skills in our educational system. The skill of living, the skill of keeping a tenancy going, and the skill of knowing where to go for help when things break down is an essential one, I would say. In those classes that promote citizenship, social awareness and health and well-being, as you referred to, I really do think we need to focus on this great scourge, because one of the worst things that can happen to you is that you're homeless or, indeed, end up on the streets as a rough-sleeper. I think this is where we need to start to tackle the problem, just making people more aware of what to do, and schools and colleges have a great part to play here.
Diolch am eich ateb calonogol. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y ffaith bod y Senedd Ieuenctid hefyd yn galw am fwy o ffocws ar sgiliau yn ein system addysgol yn eich calonogi. Mae'r sgil o fyw, y sgil o gynnal tenantiaeth, a'r sgil o wybod ble i ofyn am gymorth pan fydd pethau'n mynd o chwith yn un hanfodol, yn fy marn i. Yn y dosbarthiadau sy'n hyrwyddo dinasyddiaeth, ymwybyddiaeth gymdeithasol ac iechyd a lles, fel y sonioch, rwy'n meddwl o ddifrif fod angen inni ganolbwyntio ar y broblem fawr hon, gan mai un o'r pethau gwaethaf a all ddigwydd i chi yw eich bod yn ddigartref, neu'n wir, yn cysgu allan ar y strydoedd. Credaf mai dyma lle mae angen i ni ddechrau mynd i'r afael â'r broblem, sicrhau bod pobl yn fwy ymwybodol o'r hyn y dylent ei wneud, ac mae gan ysgolion a cholegau ran hanfodol i'w chwarae yn hyn o beth.
I couldn't agree with you more, David; I'm sure all of us with an interest in these issues will have been impressed by the strength of the call from members of our Youth Parliament for reform of the education system, and the need to balance their education system, yes, with subject knowledge and qualifications, but also with those essential skills that they feel they need to be the successful adults that they want to be when they leave school. And I look forward to joining with members of the Youth Parliament on Friday of this week to discuss the contents of that report, and how our reform journey can respond as positively as possible to that call from young people themselves about what they see to be the current deficit in the education model that we have.
We also know, David, that the warning signs of potentially becoming NEET are also a good indicator of a warning sign of a young person that is in danger of becoming homeless. So, there is work that we need to do within schools about ensuring that children are participating in school, attending, and not in danger of dropping out, because that is a very good warning sign to us that they potentially could go on to be homeless. So, there are many things, as I said, that we're doing at the moment, including additional investment, specifically in the youth service, to work alongside schools and young people on a preventing homelessness agenda, which I think will deliver real benefits for children and young people, as well as our wider curriculum reform and the opportunity that affords us to address the issues of skills.
Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â chi, David; rwy'n siŵr y bydd pob un ohonom sydd â diddordeb yn y materion hyn wedi ein calonogi gan gryfder yr alwad gan aelodau o'n Senedd Ieuenctid am ddiwygio'r system addysg, a'r angen i gydbwyso eu system addysg, ie, â gwybodaeth am bynciau a chymwysterau, ond hefyd â'r sgiliau hanfodol y teimlant fod eu hangen arnynt er mwyn bod yn oedolion llwyddiannus pan fyddant yn gadael yr ysgol. Ac edrychaf ymlaen at ymuno ag aelodau o’r Senedd Ieuenctid ddydd Gwener yr wythnos hon i drafod cynnwys yr adroddiad hwnnw, a sut y gall ein taith ddiwygio ymateb mewn ffordd mor gadarnhaol â phosibl i’r alwad gan ein pobl ifanc eu hunain am yr hyn y maent yn ei ystyried yn ddiffyg ar hyn o bryd yn y model addysg sydd gennym.
Gwyddom hefyd, David, fod yr arwyddion ynghylch y posibilrwydd o ddod yn NEET hefyd yn ddangosyddion da o arwydd fod unigolyn ifanc mewn perygl o fynd yn ddigartref. Felly, mae angen inni wneud gwaith mewn ysgolion ar sicrhau bod plant yn cymryd rhan yn yr ysgol, yn mynychu, ac nid mewn perygl o adael, gan fod hynny'n arwydd da iawn i ni y gallent fynd yn ddigartref o bosibl. Felly, fel y dywedais, mae llawer o bethau rydym yn eu gwneud ar hyn o bryd, gan gynnwys buddsoddiad ychwanegol, yn benodol yn y gwasanaeth ieuenctid, i weithio ochr yn ochr ag ysgolion a phobl ifanc ar agenda atal digartrefedd, a fydd, yn fy marn i, yn sicrhau manteision gwirioneddol i blant a phobl ifanc, yn ogystal â'n diwygiadau ehangach i'r cwricwlwm a'r cyfle y mae hynny'n ei roi i ni fynd i'r afael â materion yn ymwneud â sgiliau.
Like austerity, homelessness is a political choice; it's a political choice made by politicians and by Government, and some people are of the view that homeless people themselves choose to be in that predicament, which is obviously complete rubbish. But that view is reinforced by authorities who clear homeless people out of the way, remove their belongings when they want to, and treat people generally with very little understanding and empathy. The only way to change attitudes is through education, and one of the best ways to educate is through direct experience. So, how can homeless people's direct experience help to inform young people to learn about this social disease, and do you think that links with direct experience will help people to become more sympathetic?
Fel cyni, mae digartrefedd yn ddewis gwleidyddol; mae'n ddewis gwleidyddol a wneir gan wleidyddion a chan y Llywodraeth, ac mae rhai pobl o'r farn fod pobl ddigartref eu hunain yn dewis bod yn y sefyllfa honno, sy'n amlwg yn rwtsh llwyr. Ond caiff y farn honno ei hatgyfnerthu gan awdurdodau sy'n symud pobl ddigartref allan o'r ffordd, yn cael gwared ar eu heiddo ar fympwy, ac yn trin pobl yn gyffredinol heb fawr ddim dealltwriaeth nac empathi. Yr unig ffordd o newid agweddau yw drwy addysg, ac un o'r ffyrdd gorau o addysgu yw drwy brofiad uniongyrchol. Felly, sut y gall profiadau uniongyrchol pobl ddigartref helpu i lywio pobl ifanc i ddysgu am y clefyd cymdeithasol hwn, ac a ydych yn credu y bydd cysylltiadau â phrofiad uniongyrchol yn helpu pobl i fod yn fwy sympathetig?
First of all, Leanne, can I say I have never believed, and I will never believe, that homelessness is a choice? It is the result of a set of circumstances that many of us in this Chamber hopefully will never know, but all of us could potentially be. A critical illness, a relationship breakdown, a drug or alcohol misuse problem can lead to this, so we should be very careful when we make those kinds of accusations and assertions about what leads to homelessness. It can happen to everybody regardless of where their starting position in life is, but we do know there are some people who are potentially more vulnerable to homelessness. And you're right that education can be a powerful tool in preventing homelessness, but also developing understanding of that problem for people who experience it.
There is a reason why in our new curriculum we talk about areas of learning and experience, because my expectation of the curriculum is that it will afford the space in the school day for children to exactly experience what you have talked about—to be able to meet with people and to discuss with people who have that direct experience of what it is to live without a secure home, what it is to live out on the streets. And I believe our new curriculum creates that space and the expectation that we can work with voluntary organisations, organisations of survivors of all types of issues, that we can work together in our schools to deliver that broad education that our Youth Parliament is calling upon us to do.
Yn gyntaf, Leanne, a gaf fi ddweud nad wyf erioed wedi bod o'r farn, ac ni fyddaf byth o'r farn, fod digartrefedd yn ddewis? Mae'n ganlyniad i gyfres o amgylchiadau na fydd llawer ohonom yn y Siambr hon yn eu hwynebu, gobeithio, ond fe allai ddigwydd i unrhyw un ohonom. Gall salwch difrifol, chwalfa perthynas, problemau camddefnyddio cyffuriau neu alcohol arwain at hyn, felly dylem fod yn ofalus iawn wrth wneud y mathau hynny o gyhuddiadau a honiadau ynghylch yr hyn sy'n arwain at ddigartrefedd. Gall ddigwydd i bawb, o ble bynnag y byddant yn cychwyn mewn bywyd, ond gwyddom fod rhai pobl a allai fod yn fwy agored i ddigartrefedd. Ac rydych yn iawn y gall addysg fod yn arf pwerus i atal digartrefedd, ond hefyd i ddatblygu dealltwriaeth o'r broblem i'r bobl sy'n ei hwynebu.
Mae rheswm pam ein bod yn siarad am feysydd dysgu a phrofiad yn ein cwricwlwm newydd, oherwydd fy nisgwyliad o ran y cwricwlwm yw y bydd yn darparu lle yn y diwrnod ysgol i blant brofi'r union beth y buoch yn sôn amdano—gallu cyfarfod â phobl a thrafod â phobl sydd â'r profiad uniongyrchol o fyw heb gartref diogel, o fyw ar y strydoedd. A chredaf fod ein cwricwlwm newydd yn creu'r lle hwnnw a'r disgwyliad y gallwn weithio gyda sefydliadau gwirfoddol, sefydliadau goroeswyr pob math o broblemau, y gallwn weithio gyda'n gilydd yn ein hysgolion i ddarparu'r addysg eang honno y mae ein Senedd Ieuenctid yn galw arnom i'w darparu.
5. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda'r Gweinidog Cyllid a'r Trefnydd ynghylch sicrhau bod cyrff addysg yng Nghymru yn cael digon o arian, cyn cyhoeddi cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru? OAQ54563
5. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd on ensuring that Welsh education bodies receive adequate funding, ahead of the Welsh Government's budget being announced? OAQ54563
Andrew, I continue to have discussions with the Minister for finance to ensure that the budget settlement for education is sufficient to support delivery of our priorities. This includes ensuring that our education bodies receive adequate funding.
Andrew, rwy'n parhau i gael trafodaethau gyda'r Gweinidog cyllid i sicrhau bod y setliad cyllideb ar gyfer addysg yn ddigon i gefnogi'r gwaith o gyflawni ein blaenoriaethau. Mae hyn yn cynnwys sicrhau bod ein cyrff addysg yn derbyn cyllid digonol.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. I've had correspondence with the headteacher and chairman of governors from Evenlode Primary School in Penarth who have highlighted the real difficult and challenging financial environment they and many other schools face across Wales. Hopefully, there will be consequentials flowing from the announcements made in Westminster, and some of those consequentials, obviously, are directly in your field of education. Are you confident that those consequentials, when the Welsh Government makes its decisions, will find themselves in the education budget so that the shortage of teachers that are available to fill many of the key posts that primary schools need to fill will be there and the budgets will be there to pay them? The evidence that they provided me has shown that across Wales there are nearly 1,300 extra pupils but there are 278 fewer full-time equivalent teachers and 533 fewer full-time equivalent teaching support staff. So, obviously, if the budget is there, then schools can go out and obviously make these employment choices. So, can we have an assurance that those consequentials will find their way into your budget lines?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Rwyf wedi bod yn gohebu â phennaeth a chadeirydd llywodraethwyr Ysgol Gynradd Evenlode ym Mhenarth sydd wedi tynnu sylw at yr amgylchedd ariannol gwirioneddol anodd a heriol y maent hwy a llawer o ysgolion eraill ledled Cymru yn ei wynebu. Gobeithio y bydd cyllid canlyniadol yn deillio o'r cyhoeddiadau a wnaed yn San Steffan, ac mae peth o'r cyllid canlyniadol hwnnw, yn amlwg, yn rhan uniongyrchol o'ch maes chi, sef addysg. A ydych yn hyderus y bydd y cyllid canlyniadol hwnnw, pan fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud ei phenderfyniadau, yn cyrraedd y gyllideb addysg fel y bydd yr athrawon ar gael i lenwi llawer o'r swyddi allweddol y mae angen i ysgolion cynradd eu llenwi ac y bydd y cyllidebau yno i'w talu? Mae'r dystiolaeth a ddarparwyd ganddynt wedi dangos bod bron i 1,300 o ddisgyblion ychwanegol ledled Cymru, ond bod 278 yn llai o athrawon cyfwerth ag amser llawn a 533 yn llai o staff cymorth addysgu cyfwerth ag amser llawn. Felly, yn amlwg, os yw'r gyllideb yno, gall ysgolion, yn amlwg, wneud y dewisiadau hyn ynghylch cyflogaeth. Felly, a allwn gael sicrwydd y bydd y cyllid canlyniadol hwnnw'n cyrraedd eich llinellau cyllideb?
As I said in answer to earlier questions, Andrew, we are working across Government to prioritise front-line services, whether that be education, social services or the range of other public services that the members of the public expect this Welsh Government to deliver. The vast majority of education funding does not come from the education department. It comes, as was identified by your leader earlier on in questions, via the revenue support grant for local government. We will do everything that we can to ensure both education and local government get a great deal in this budget.
Fel y dywedais wrth ateb cwestiynau cynharach, Andrew, rydym yn gweithio ar draws y Llywodraeth i flaenoriaethu gwasanaethau rheng flaen, boed hynny'n addysg, gwasanaethau cymdeithasol neu'r ystod o wasanaethau cyhoeddus eraill y mae aelodau'r cyhoedd yn disgwyl i Lywodraeth Cymru eu darparu. Nid yw'r mwyafrif llethol o gyllid addysg yn dod o'r adran addysg. Mae'n dod, fel y nodwyd gan eich arweinydd yn gynharach mewn cwestiynau, drwy'r grant cynnal refeniw ar gyfer llywodraeth leol. Byddwn yn gwneud popeth a allwn i sicrhau bod addysg a llywodraeth leol yn cael yn dda yn y gyllideb hon.
Thank you, Andrew, for raising this very important question. Like Andrew R.T. Davies, I too have had many talks with local high schools and primary schools but also with the local authority as well, and I welcome the announcement made yesterday, and that was actually my line of questioning to that. So, I welcome that and thank you, Minister, but can you just reassure the Assembly that those cross-Cabinet conversations will continue over the next few years? It's clearly uncertain and worrying times for local authorities and school providers.
Diolch am godi'r cwestiwn pwysig hwn, Andrew. Fel Andrew R.T. Davies, rwyf innau hefyd wedi cael llawer o sgyrsiau gydag ysgolion uwchradd lleol ac ysgolion cynradd ond hefyd gyda’r awdurdod lleol, a chroesawaf y cyhoeddiad a wnaed ddoe, ac roedd fy nghwestiynau'n ymwneud â hynny, mewn gwirionedd. Felly, rwy'n croesawu hynny a diolch, Weinidog, ond a allwch roi sicrwydd i'r Cynulliad y bydd y sgyrsiau traws-Gabinet hynny'n parhau dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd nesaf? Mae'n amlwg yn adeg ansicr a phryderus i awdurdodau lleol a darparwyr ysgolion.
Presiding Officer, can I thank Jack Sargeant for his welcome of the additional resources that we've been able to make available to help cover the costs of teachers' pay rises? And, yes, I absolutely can confirm that those discussions, on a cross-Cabinet basis, will continue and there is a determination across the entirety of Welsh Government to prioritise front-line spending on those public services that mean the most to our constituents.
Lywydd, a gaf fi ddiolch i Jack Sargeant am groesawu'r adnoddau ychwanegol rydym wedi gallu eu darparu i helpu i dalu am gostau'r codiadau yng nghyflogau athrawon? A gallaf, fe allaf gadarnhau’n bendant y bydd y trafodaethau hynny, ar sail draws-Gabinet, yn parhau a bod agwedd benderfynol ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru i flaenoriaethu gwariant rheng flaen ar y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus sy’n golygu fwyaf i’n hetholwyr.
6. Sut y mae'r Gweinidog yn sicrhau bod y canllawiau newydd ar siarad am hunanladdiad yn cael eu rhoi ar waith ym mhob ysgol yng Nghymru? OAQ54602
6. How is the Minister ensuring that the new guidance on talking about suicide is implemented in all schools in Wales? OAQ54602
Thank you, Lynne. As you know, we launched together on 10 September the new guidance and we will continue to work with partners, including the national advisory group, to ensure that it is promoted extensively amongst professionals, not just in schools but more widely across the system. And as part of our whole-school approach, we will consider how best to monitor its implementation, take-up and impact.
Diolch yn fawr, Lynne. Fel y gwyddoch, fe wnaethom lansio'r canllawiau newydd gyda'n gilydd ar 10 Medi a byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda phartneriaid, gan gynnwys y grŵp cynghori cenedlaethol, i sicrhau eu bod yn cael ei hyrwyddo'n helaeth ymhlith gweithwyr proffesiynol, nid yn unig mewn ysgolion ond yn ehangach ar draws y system. Ac fel rhan o'n dull ysgol gyfan, byddwn yn ystyried y ffordd orau o fonitro'r broses o'u rhoi ar waith, eu defnydd a'u heffaith.
Thank you, Minister. I was delighted to join you at the launch and also to welcome the guidance, but, as I said, of course, it is a first step. It's excellent guidance prepared by Professor Ann John, but it will only be as good as the implementation. I wondered, too, whether you were aware of guidance issued this week by Public Health England, which stated that a single suicide in a school should be treated as a potential cluster because of the higher risk to young people. Would you agree with me that that emphasises just how urgent it is that where there has been a suicide in a school, that that school embraces proper postvention measures, such as the Step by Step programme, which is so successful with the Samaritans?
Diolch, Weinidog. Roeddwn yn falch iawn o ymuno â chi yn y lansiad a chroesawu'r canllawiau, ond fel y dywedais, wrth gwrs, cam cyntaf yw hwn. Maent yn ganllawiau rhagorol a luniwyd gan yr Athro Ann John, ond ni fyddant ond cystal â'r broses o'u gweithredu. Tybed hefyd a ydych yn ymwybodol o ganllawiau a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos hon gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Lloegr, a nododd y dylid trin un achos o hunanladdiad mewn ysgol fel clwstwr posibl oherwydd y risg uwch i bobl ifanc. A fyddech yn cytuno â mi fod hynny'n pwysleisio pa mor bwysig yw hi, lle bu hunanladdiad mewn ysgol, fod yr ysgol honno'n croesawu mesurau ôl-ymyrraeth addas ar frys, fel rhaglen Cam wrth Gam, sydd mor llwyddiannus gyda'r Samariaid?
Yes. I am very well aware of the report that the Member refers to but the Member is also right in saying that the publication of our guidance is only the first step of the process. We will need to ensure, via the ministerial task and finish group, of which Lynne Neagle is a member, to develop robust implementation and monitoring systems, but it is also my intention to co-produce further resources with Professor Ann John and the expert group that sits around her, with a specific emphasis on making resources available for young people themselves. What we've made available in September of this year is very much a resource aimed at professionals working with young people, but it is now my intention to move to the next stage to make sure that there are more resources available for young people themselves.
Buaswn. Rwy’n ymwybodol iawn o’r adroddiad y cyfeiria'r Aelod ato ond mae’r Aelod hefyd yn llygad ei lle wrth ddweud mai cam cyntaf y broses yn unig yw cyhoeddi ein canllawiau. Bydd angen i ni sicrhau, drwy'r grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen gweinidogol y mae Lynne Neagle yn aelod ohono, y caiff systemau gweithredu a monitro cadarn eu datblygu, ond rwyf hefyd yn bwriadu cydgynhyrchu adnoddau pellach gyda'r Athro Ann John a'r grŵp arbenigol o'i chwmpas, gyda phwyslais penodol ar sicrhau bod adnoddau ar gael i'r bobl ifanc eu hunain. Mae'r hyn rydym wedi'i ddarparu ym mis Medi eleni yn adnodd sydd wedi'i anelu at weithwyr proffesiynol sy'n gweithio gyda phobl ifanc, ond fy mwriad bellach yw symud i'r cam nesaf i sicrhau bod mwy o adnoddau ar gael i'r bobl ifanc eu hunain.
Minister, I think the fact we are able to discuss this previously taboo subject in the open and transparent way we do shows how far we've come as a country, and I think that's to be welcomed. We, of course, in this Chamber have our own direct experience of losing our much loved colleague, Carl Sargeant, in this tragic way, so I think there's an onus on all of us to do what we can to try and get the message out there, to tell people that they don't have to feel so lost that they have to turn to this course of action.
It's been good to see recently that television programmes such as EastEnders have been dealing with the issue of suicide with the moving storylines surrounding Bex Fowler and her stress over moving on to university. We know that young people are particularly vulnerable at the time of exams and, in a way, it's hard to avoid all of that stress, but it's important that those young people are signposted at the earliest opportunity, and that window of opportunity—and sometimes it is only a window—is taken the most advantage of to reach out to them.
So, can you tell us how you are ensuring, with this guidance that Lynne Neagle has mentioned, and you have mentioned, that young people are signposted as soon there are issues arising, and they do feel that there are people that they can turn to when sometimes they feel that all is lost?
Weinidog, credaf fod y ffaith ein bod yn gallu trafod y pwnc hwn, a arferai fod yn bwnc tabŵ, yn y ffordd agored a thryloyw hon yn dangos pa mor bell rydym wedi dod fel gwlad, a chredaf fod hynny i'w groesawu. Rydym ninnau, wrth gwrs, yn y Siambr hon wedi cael ein profiad uniongyrchol ein hunain o golli ein cyd-Aelod annwyl, Carl Sargeant, yn y ffordd drasig hon, felly credaf fod cyfrifoldeb ar bob un ohonom i wneud yr hyn a allwn i geisio cyfleu'r neges honno, i ddweud wrth bobl nad oes yn rhaid iddynt deimlo ar chwâl i'r fath raddau fel bod yn rhaid iddynt weithredu yn y fath fodd.
Mae wedi bod yn dda gweld yn ddiweddar fod rhaglenni teledu fel EastEnders wedi bod yn ymdrin â mater hunanladdiad gyda'r stori deimladwy am Bex Fowler a'r straen arni wrth iddi fynd i'r brifysgol. Gwyddom fod pobl ifanc yn arbennig o agored i niwed yn ystod cyfnod arholiadau, ac mewn ffordd, mae'n anodd osgoi'r holl straen hwnnw, ond mae'n bwysig fod y bobl ifanc hynny'n cael eu cyfeirio cyn gynted â phosibl, ac y manteisir ar y cyfle hwnnw—ac weithiau dim ond cyfle am gyfnod byr ydyw—i estyn allan atynt.
Felly, a allwch ddweud wrthym sut rydych yn sicrhau, gyda'r canllawiau hyn y cyfeiriodd Lynne Neagle atynt, ac y sonioch chi amdanynt, fod pobl ifanc yn cael eu cyfeirio cyn gynted ag y bydd problemau'n codi, a'u bod yn teimlo bod pobl y gallant droi atynt pan fyddant weithiau'n teimlo bod popeth wedi'i golli?
Well, Nick, I think it is true to say that we have come some way in talking about suicide, but there is still a huge amount of stigma attached to suicide. And there is often a great nervousness amongst professionals to talk about what are very, very sensitive issues. Often they fear that what they may say may make matters worse, and that is the reason why we commissioned these resources in the first place to give confidence to our professionals working with young people about how it is really important to have these conversations—you can't make it worse—and to skill and empower them to have these discussions. But, of course, we need support services around when teachers and young people identify a problem. That's why we are making additional resources available for our counselling service. That's why we've recently announced a decision to extend our child and adolescent mental health services inreach pilot that was supposed to finish in July 2020; that will run now till the end of the year. And there are additional resources going into those pilots as we speak.
It's important that we don't medicalise the process of growing up—that is also a very important point. But we know that for some children who are under stress, we need timely and impactful interventions. Moving into higher education is yet again another potential trigger point: many people living away from home for the first time, having to establish new friendship groups as well as the academic pressures. And that's why we have made, in this year, £2 million available to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales to support mental health projects in universities.
Wel, Nick, credaf ei bod yn wir dweud ein bod wedi gwneud rhywfaint o gynnydd wrth siarad am hunanladdiad, ond mae llawer iawn o stigma ynghlwm wrth hunanladdiad o hyd. Ac yn aml ceir cryn dipyn o nerfusrwydd ymhlith gweithwyr proffesiynol wrth siarad am faterion sy'n sensitif tu hwnt. Yn aml, maent yn ofni y gallai'r hyn y gallant ei ddweud waethygu'r sefyllfa, a dyna'r rheswm pam y gwnaethom gomisiynu'r adnoddau hyn yn y lle cyntaf er mwyn rhoi hyder i'n gweithwyr proffesiynol sy'n gweithio gyda phobl ifanc ei bod yn wirioneddol bwysig cael y sgyrsiau hyn—ni allwch wneud pethau'n waeth—a'u sgilio a'u grymuso i gael y trafodaethau hyn. Ond wrth gwrs, mae angen gwasanaethau cymorth arnom pan fydd athrawon a phobl ifanc yn nodi problem. Dyna pam rydym yn darparu adnoddau ychwanegol ar gyfer ein gwasanaeth cwnsela. Dyna pam rydym wedi cyhoeddi penderfyniad yn ddiweddar i ymestyn ein cynllun peilot mewngymorth ar gyfer gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl plant a'r glasoed a oedd i fod i ddod i ben ym mis Gorffennaf 2020; bydd hwnnw bellach yn parhau tan ddiwedd y flwyddyn. Ac mae adnoddau ychwanegol yn cael eu dyrannu i'r cynlluniau peilot hynny ar hyn o bryd.
Mae'n bwysig nad ydym yn meddygoliaethu'r broses o dyfu i fyny—mae hwnnw hefyd yn bwynt pwysig iawn. Ond gwyddom fod angen ymyriadau amserol ac effeithiol ar rai plant sydd o dan straen. Mae symud i addysg uwch yn sbardun posibl arall: llawer o bobl yn byw oddi cartref am y tro cyntaf, yn gorfod sefydlu grwpiau newydd o ffrindiau yn ogystal â'r pwysau academaidd. A dyna pam rydym wedi darparu £2 filiwn eleni i Gyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru i gefnogi prosiectau iechyd meddwl mewn prifysgolion.
Minister, one of my staff members has just completed an ASIST training course—that is, an applied suicide intervention skills training. This involved having very uncomfortable conversations about suicide, and it's aiming to keep people safe for now. Are there any plans to roll this sort of scheme out with your own programmes to teachers and appropriate staff in Welsh schools?
Weinidog, mae un o fy aelodau staff newydd gwblhau cwrs Hyfforddiant Sgiliau Ymyriadau Hunanladdiad Cymwysedig. Roedd hyn yn golygu cael sgyrsiau anghyfforddus iawn am hunanladdiad, a'i nod yw cadw pobl yn ddiogel am nawr. A oes unrhyw gynlluniau i gyflwyno'r math hwn o gynllun gyda'ch rhaglenni eich hun i athrawon a'r staff priodol yn ysgolion Cymru?
Well, there are a plethora of training programmes and interventions that are available, and that sometimes causes problems for our schools—knowing which is the best training and the most appropriate and evidence-based approach to undertake. And that's why, as part of our whole-school approach to mental health, we are developing a toolkit for schools and a resource base for schools to try and simplify that process, so that they know what is available, what works and what there is a strong evidence base for. And, of course, we are making available additional resources for professional learning, thus creating the space for teaching professionals and other people working in our schools to undertake that training.
Wel, mae llu o raglenni hyfforddi ac ymyriadau ar gael, ac mae hynny weithiau'n achosi problemau i'n hysgolion—gwybod pa un yw'r hyfforddiant gorau a'r dull mwyaf addas a seiliedig ar dystiolaeth i'w ddefnyddio. Ac fel rhan o'n dull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin ag iechyd meddwl, dyna pam ein bod yn datblygu pecyn cymorth i ysgolion a sylfaen adnoddau i ysgolion er mwyn ceisio symleiddio'r broses honno, fel eu bod yn gwybod beth sydd ar gael, beth sy'n gweithio a'r hyn y mae sylfaen dystiolaeth gref ar ei gyfer. Ac wrth gwrs, rydym yn sicrhau bod adnoddau ychwanegol ar gael ar gyfer dysgu proffesiynol, a thrwy hynny, rydym yn creu lle i addysgwyr proffesiynol a phobl eraill sy'n gweithio yn ein hysgolion gyflawni'r hyfforddiant hwnnw.
7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddysgu dinasyddiaeth ryngwladol mewn ysgolion? OAQ54605
7. Will the Minister make a statement on teaching international citizenship in schools? OAQ54605
Diolch yn fawr, Rhun. Learners currently have opportunities to study international citizenship through education for sustainable development and global citizenship, the Welsh baccalaureate, and personal and social education. Ensuring that learners become ethical, informed citizens, who are ready to be citizens of Wales and the world, is, of course, one of our four purposes in our new curriculum.
Diolch yn fawr, Rhun. Ar hyn o bryd, mae cyfleoedd ar gael i ddysgwyr astudio dinasyddiaeth ryngwladol drwy addysg ar gyfer datblygu cynaliadwy a dinasyddiaeth fyd-eang, bagloriaeth Cymru, ac addysg bersonol a chymdeithasol. Mae sicrhau bod dysgwyr yn dod yn ddinasyddion moesegol, gwybodus, sy'n barod i fod yn ddinasyddion Cymru a'r byd, wrth gwrs, yn un o'n pedwar diben yn ein cwricwlwm newydd.
Diolch. Mae'r cwestiwn atodol dwi am ei ofyn ychydig yn wahanol i'r un roeddwn i wedi'i fwriadu yn wreiddiol. Dwi'n falch o weld y Gweinidog cysylltiadau rhyngwladol wrth eich ymyl chi. Mi oedd y cwestiwn gwreiddiol yn deillio o gyfarfod y cawsom ni o'r grŵp trawsbleidiol dwi'n ei gadeirio, Cymru Ryngwladol, lle roedden ni'n trafod strategaeth ryngwladol drafft y Llywodraeth. A'r cwestiwn oedd: yng nghyd-destun Brexit a'r drafodaeth honno, sut allwn ni werthu strategaeth ryngwladol i bobl sydd, efallai, ddim eisiau bod yn rhyngwladol? Mae'r cwestiwn hwnnw yn sefyll, ond beth dwi am fynd ar ei ôl, yn hytrach—ac mae newid pwyslais oherwydd yr hyn rydyn ni wedi'i glywed heddiw, y newyddion erchyll am 39 o bobl yn cael eu canfod yn farw mewn lori a oedd wedi pasio drwy Gaergybi. Mae rhai o'r sylwadau dwi wedi'u darllen am y digwyddiad yn erchyll. Maen nhw'n nodweddu, dwi'n meddwl, y diffyg goddefgarwch sydd wedi bod yn nodwedd o'r disgẃrs cyhoeddus dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf.
Felly, sut allwn ni sicrhau bod y math o addysg ddinasyddiaeth sydd yn cael ei chyflwyno yn ysgolion Cymru yn gwneud llawer mwy i ddysgu pobl am le Cymru yn y byd—perthynas Cymru â'r byd? Sut mae pobl yn cyd-berthyn i'w gilydd, fel nad ydy pobl yn teimlo'i bod hi'n dderbyniol i fynd ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol a gwneud datganiadau cyhoeddus, cwbl erchyll, am ddigwyddiadau fel yr hyn rydyn ni wedi clywed amdano fo heddiw?
Thank you. My supplementary question is slightly different to the one that I had originally intended to ask. I'm pleased to see the Minister for international relations by your side. The original question emerged from a meeting that we had of the cross-party group that I chair, Wales International, where we were discussing the draft international strategy produced by Government. And the question was: in the context of Brexit and that discussion, how can we sell the international strategy to those people who, perhaps, don’t want to work internationally? That question still stands, but what I want to pursue instead—and I changed the emphasis because of what we’ve heard today, that appalling news about 39 people who were found dead in a lorry container that had passed through Holyhead. Some of the comments that I’ve read about the incident are appalling. They characterise the lack of tolerance that has been part of the public discourse over the past few years.
So, how can we ensure that the kind of citizenship education that is presented in Welsh schools does far more to teach people about Wales’s place in the world, its relationship with the rest of the world, and how people interact with each other, so that people don’t feel that it is acceptable to go on social media and make public statements that are quite, quite appalling about events such as the one we’ve heard about today?
Rhun, there are no adequate words to express the horror of the discovery of those individuals in the back of that lorry. It is a truly shocking thing to have happened, and then to have that reinforced by the comments that you have referred to—I have not seen them myself, but I can well imagine what they have said. As I said in answer to your original question, we are moving to a purpose-led curriculum that articulates the kind of citizens, the attributes, the type of people that we want to emerge as a result of their time in the Welsh education system, and I want them to be those ethical and informed citizens of Wales and the world.
Your comments come on top of the question that was raised by your colleague Bethan Sayed around the report today into racism in our universities. We have a problem here in Wales and we have to use all aspects of Welsh Government public policy to be able to address that. There is a huge responsibility on education to ensure that these views are challenged when they're expressed, and we can give children the opportunity to understand and to develop empathy and respect, and the reasons why those 39 people felt desperate enough to climb into the back of the lorry in the first place.
Rhun, nid oes geiriau a all fynegi pa mor arswydus yw'r newyddion am ddarganfod yr unigolion hynny yng nghefn y lori honno. Mae'n beth gwirioneddol frawychus, a chael hynny wedi'i atgyfnerthu gan y sylwadau y cyfeirioch chi atynt—nid wyf wedi eu gweld fy hun, ond gallaf ddychmygu'r hyn y maent wedi'i ddweud. Fel y dywedais wrth ateb eich cwestiwn gwreiddiol, rydym yn newid i gwricwlwm a arweinir gan ddiben sy'n diffinio'r math o ddinasyddion, y priodoleddau, y math o bobl rydym am eu gweld o ganlyniad i'w profiad yn system addysg Cymru, ac rwyf am iddynt fod yn bobl foesegol a gwybodus sy'n ddinasyddion Cymru a'r byd.
Daw eich sylwadau ar ôl y cwestiwn a ofynnwyd gan eich cyd-Aelod, Bethan Sayed, ynglŷn â'r adroddiad heddiw ar hiliaeth yn ein prifysgolion. Mae gennym broblem yma yng Nghymru ac mae'n rhaid i ni ddefnyddio pob agwedd ar bolisi cyhoeddus Llywodraeth Cymru i allu mynd i'r afael â hi. Mae cyfrifoldeb enfawr ar addysg i sicrhau bod y safbwyntiau hyn yn cael eu herio pan gânt eu mynegi, a gallwn roi cyfle i blant ddeall a datblygu empathi a pharch, a'r rhesymau pam roedd y 39 o bobl hynny'n teimlo'n ddigon anobeithiol i ddringo i gefn y lori yn y lle cyntaf.
8. Pa gymorth sydd ar gael ar gyfer disgyblion ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yng Nghymru? OAQ54570
8. What support is available for pupils with additional learning needs in Wales? OAQ54570
Thank you, Mark. Local authorities are responsible for providing a suitable education for all children and young people, including those with additional learning needs. Our ambitious additional learning needs reforms will completely overhaul the system for supporting learners with ALN, and it will drive improvements and ensure that all learners achieve their full potential, whatever that is.
Diolch, Mark. Mae awdurdodau lleol yn gyfrifol am ddarparu addysg addas i bob plentyn a pherson ifanc, gan gynnwys y rheini ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol. Bydd ein diwygiadau uchelgeisiol mewn perthynas ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn ailwampio'r system ar gyfer cefnogi dysgwyr ag ADY yn llwyr, a bydd yn gyrru gwelliannau ac yn sicrhau bod pob dysgwr yn cyflawni eu potensial llawn, beth bynnag y bo.
Thank you. At the beginning of this month, all Members received an e-mail from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists highlighting the risks if speech and language communication is underdeveloped. I'll mention a couple of things they did, but, for example, without effective help, one in three children with speech, language and communication difficulties will need treatment for mental health; 88 per cent of long-term unemployed young men have speech, language and communication needs; and up to 60 per cent of young people in the youth justice estate have similar speech, language and communication needs.
It's nearly two decades since I fought this battle on behalf of one of my children to get interventions that he was otherwise being denied, and two decades later, we're still receiving e-mails with these horrifying statistics. Beyond the ALN Act, what specific action can you take with your colleagues—because this is a cross-departmental issue—to recognise the essential need for speech and language therapy for a wide range of children in the school environment, also recognising Welsh data on the economic value of speech and language therapy, that every £1 invested in enhanced speech and language therapy generates £6.43 through increased lifetime earnings, because it enables access to the curriculum and creates opportunities for individuals, and that every £1 invested in enhanced speech and language therapy for autistic pupils generates £1.46 through lifetime cost savings created by improved communication?
Diolch. Ar ddechrau’r mis, derbyniodd yr holl Aelodau e-bost gan Goleg Brenhinol y Therapyddion Lleferydd ac Iaith a oedd yn tynnu sylw at y risgiau os yw cyfathrebu lleferydd ac iaith heb ddatblygu'n llawn. Rwyf am sôn am ychydig o bethau a wnaethant, ond er enghraifft, heb gymorth effeithiol, bydd angen triniaeth iechyd meddwl ar un o bob tri phlentyn ag anawsterau lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu; mae gan 88 y cant o ddynion ifanc sy'n ddi-waith yn hirdymor anghenion lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu; ac mae gan hyd at 60 y cant o bobl ifanc mewn sefydliadau cyfiawnder ieuenctid anghenion lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu tebyg.
Mae bron i ddau ddegawd wedi bod ers i mi ymladd y frwydr hon ar ran un o fy mhlant er mwyn sicrhau ei fod yn cael yr ymyriadau a oedd yn cael eu gwrthod iddo fel arall, a ddau ddegawd yn ddiweddarach, rydym yn dal i dderbyn e-byst gyda'r ystadegau arswydus hyn. Y tu hwnt i'r Ddeddf ADY, pa gamau penodol y gallwch eu cymryd gyda'ch cyd-Aelodau—gan fod hwn yn fater trawsadrannol—i gydnabod yr angen hollbwysig am therapi lleferydd ac iaith ar gyfer ystod eang o blant yn amgylchedd yr ysgol, gan gydnabod data Cymreig hefyd ar werth economaidd therapi lleferydd ac iaith, fod pob £1 a fuddsoddir mewn gwell therapi lleferydd ac iaith yn cynhyrchu £6.43 drwy enillion uwch dros oes gyfan, gan ei fod yn galluogi mynediad at y cwricwlwm ac yn creu cyfleoedd i unigolion, a bod pob £1 a fuddsoddir mewn gwell therapi lleferydd ac iaith ar gyfer disgyblion awtistig yn cynhyrchu £1.46 drwy arbedion cost dros oes gyfan yn sgil gwell cyfathrebu?
Well, Mark, I would not want to take issue with you at all about the importance of developing oracy skills at the earliest possible age for our children. We know that a good basis in speaking skills is a platform to success later on in their educational journey.
You say that, apart from the ALN programme, what else is going on, but the ALN transformation programme is absolutely crucial to driving forward better interdepartmental working between education and healthcare professionals, ensuring earlier identification of additional learning needs for every child and creating the expectation, and delivering on that expectation, that those services will be available. I continue to have discussions with colleagues in health—and the Minister for health is in his seat—about how we can ensure, when a school identifies a healthcare need for a particular child, that that support will be there at the appropriate time to influence positive outcomes in terms of learning for that child.
Wel, Mark, nid wyf am ddadlau â chi o gwbl ynghylch pwysigrwydd datblygu sgiliau llafaredd ar yr oedran cynharaf posibl i'n plant. Gwyddom fod sylfaen dda mewn sgiliau siarad yn arwain at lwyddiant yn nes ymlaen yn eu taith addysgol.
Ar wahân i'r rhaglen ADY, rydych yn gofyn beth arall sy'n digwydd, ond mae'r rhaglen drawsnewid ADY yn gwbl hanfodol i hybu gwaith rhyngadrannol gwell rhwng addysgwyr proffesiynol a gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol, gan sicrhau bod anghenion dysgu ychwanegol ar gyfer pob plentyn yn cael eu nodi'n gynharach a chreu'r disgwyliad, a bodloni'r disgwyliad hwnnw, y bydd y gwasanaethau hynny ar gael. Rwy’n parhau i gael trafodaethau gyda chyd-Aelodau ym maes iechyd—ac mae’r Gweinidog iechyd yn ei sedd—ynglŷn â sut y gallwn sicrhau, pan fydd ysgol yn nodi bod gan blentyn penodol angen gofal iechyd, y bydd y gefnogaeth honno yno ar yr adeg briodol i sicrhau canlyniadau cadarnhaol i'r plentyn hwnnw mewn perthynas â dysgu.
Ac, yn olaf, Alun Davies.
Finally, Alun Davies.
Thank you very much, Presiding Officer, and can I place my personal interest on the record? You said, Minister, in answer to Mark Isherwood, that all local authorities have responsibility for delivering on this agenda. You know and I know, from your constituency workload and from my constituency workload, that children with additional learning needs are being failed every day of the week in schools in this country. You know and I know that local authorities are not delivering on the support that children with additional learning needs require to fulfil their potential. You and I worked together in Government to deliver a restructured and a new, transformed process for supporting children and young people with additional learning needs. Do you not believe now, Minister, that the time is here for us to ensure that there are ring-fenced resources, specific streams of funding, available to schools to deliver additional learning needs education? Because I do not have the confidence—. My personal experience and, I think, your personal experience, as the Member for Brecon and Radnorshire, tells you and tells me that the current system, even a reformed system, unless there is additional funding in it, specifically ring-fenced funding, will not deliver.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Lywydd, ac a gaf fi ddatgan buddiant personol? Fe ddywedoch chi, Weinidog, mewn ateb i Mark Isherwood, fod gan bob awdurdod lleol gyfrifoldeb am gyflawni'r agenda hon. Fe wyddoch chi ac fe wn i, o'ch llwyth gwaith etholaethol chi ac o fy llwyth gwaith etholaethol innau, fod plant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn cael cam bob dydd o'r wythnos mewn ysgolion yn y wlad hon. Fe wyddoch chi ac fe wn i nad yw awdurdodau lleol yn darparu'r gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen ar blant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol i gyflawni eu potensial. Fe fuoch chithau a minnau'n gweithio gyda'n gilydd yn y Llywodraeth i ddarparu proses newydd wedi'i thrawsnewid a'i hailstrwythuro ar gyfer cefnogi plant a phobl ifanc ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol. Onid ydych yn credu bellach, Weinidog, ei bod yn bryd inni sicrhau bod adnoddau wedi'u clustnodi, ffrydiau cyllid penodol, ar gael i ysgolion fel y gallant ddarparu addysg anghenion dysgu ychwanegol? Oherwydd nid oes gennyf hyder—. Mae fy mhrofiad personol, a'ch profiad personol chithau, rwy'n credu, fel yr Aelod dros Frycheiniog a Sir Faesyfed, yn dweud wrthych chi ac yn dweud wrthyf finnau na fydd y system bresennol, hyd yn oed system ddiwygiedig, oni bai fod cyllid ychwanegol ynddi, cyllid wedi’i glustnodi'n benodol, yn llwyddo i wneud hynny.
Presiding Officer, the Member refers to specific incidents in Powys. Members will be aware, if they have an interest in education in Powys, of the findings of the recent Estyn report into the performance of the local education authority. Special mention in that Estyn report was made of support for additional learning needs and special educational needs and the requirement of Powys County Council to do better in this regard. Welsh Government is continuing to discuss with Estyn and with Powys how best we will respond to the contents of that Estyn report, and I foresee an enhanced role for Welsh Government in seeking assurance from Powys around improvements as a result of the Estyn report. I continue to discuss with officials what more we can do on the financial side, on top of the £20 million that is already made available for the ALN transformation programme, to address these issues.
But let me be clear to every single local authority in Wales: whilst we wait for the implementation of the ALN Act, they have legal and statutory responsibilities to children in their schools now, and our expectation is that they will meet the statutory and legal requirements of them in supporting every individual child who has an additional learning need. They don't need to wait for the Act—they have legal responsibilities in the here and now, and I expect them to fulfil them.
Lywydd, mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio at ddigwyddiadau penodol ym Mhowys. Bydd yr Aelodau'n ymwybodol, os oes ganddynt ddiddordeb mewn addysg ym Mhowys, o ganfyddiadau adroddiad diweddar Estyn ar berfformiad yr awdurdod addysg lleol. Roedd yr adroddiad hwnnw gan Estyn yn cynnwys cyfeiriad penodol at gefnogaeth i anghenion dysgu ychwanegol ac anghenion addysgol arbennig a'r angen i Gyngor Sir Powys wneud yn well yn hyn o beth. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i drafod gydag Estyn a Phowys ynghylch y ffordd orau o ymateb i gynnwys yr adroddiad hwnnw gan Estyn, ac rwy'n rhagweld rôl fwy i Lywodraeth Cymru wrth geisio sicrwydd gan Powys ynghylch gwelliannau o ganlyniad i adroddiad Estyn. Rwy’n parhau i drafod gyda swyddogion beth arall y gallwn ei wneud ar yr ochr ariannol, yn ychwanegol at yr £20 miliwn sydd eisoes ar gael ar gyfer y rhaglen drawsnewid ADY, er mwyn mynd i’r afael â’r materion hyn.
Ond gadewch imi ddweud yn glir wrth bob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru: wrth inni aros i Ddeddf ADY gael ei rhoi ar waith, mae ganddynt gyfrifoldebau cyfreithiol a statudol am blant yn eu hysgolion yn awr, a'n disgwyliad yw y byddant yn bodloni eu gofynion statudol a chyfreithiol i gefnogi pob plentyn sydd ag angen dysgu ychwanegol. Nid oes angen iddynt aros am y Ddeddf—mae ganddynt gyfrifoldebau cyfreithiol yn awr, ac rwy'n disgwyl iddynt eu cyflawni.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Neil Hamilton.
The next item is questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services, and the first question is from Neil Hamilton.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am amseroedd aros yn adrannau achosion brys ysbytai Cymru? OAQ54596
1. Will the Minister provide an update on waiting times in Welsh hospital emergency departments? OAQ54596
Yes. This year has been the busiest on record for Welsh emergency care services. Last month was the busiest September on record for emergency department attendances and for the most urgent ambulance calls. Despite the 7 per cent rise in emergency department attendances compared to last September, we actually saw, treated or discharged more people within four hours, and the median wait was two hours and 35 minutes.
Gwnaf. Eleni fu'r flwyddyn brysuraf erioed ar gyfer gwasanaethau gofal brys Cymru. Y mis diwethaf oedd y mis Medi prysuraf erioed o ran mynychu adrannau brys ac o ran galwadau brys am ambiwlans. Er y cynnydd o 7 y cant yn y nifer a fynychodd adrannau brys o gymharu â'r mis Medi diwethaf, cafodd mwy o bobl eu gweld, eu trin neu eu rhyddhau gennym o fewn pedair awr, a'r amser aros canolrifol oedd dwy awr a 35 munud.
I thank the Minister for that reply, but can I supply a translation for the benefit of the Assembly of what he's just said? The figures released last Friday showed that waiting times in Welsh A&E departments are the worst on record. That is, more people than ever before are waiting longer than the target waiting time set by the Welsh NHS. Twenty-five per cent of admissions to A&E spent more than four hours waiting; the target was 5 per cent. Over 6 per cent of admissions spent more than 12 hours waiting; the target for that is zero. And that was in September, which is, of course, not going to be the biggest challenge in the winter. The Minister has said before that there are real people behind the figures, and he suggested that it was one of the things that keeps him awake at night. Can I suggest that one way to improve his sleep pattern, perhaps, is to resign his office and let somebody else have a go at improving things?
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ateb, ond a gaf fi ddarparu cyfieithiad er budd y Cynulliad o'r hyn a ddywedodd? Dangosodd y ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd ddydd Gwener diwethaf mai'r amseroedd aros yn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys Cymru yw'r rhai gwaethaf erioed. Hynny yw, mae mwy o bobl nag erioed o'r blaen yn aros yn hwy na'r amser aros targed a osodwyd gan GIG Cymru. Treuliodd 25 y cant o bobl a dderbyniwyd i adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys fwy na phedair awr yn aros; y targed oedd 5 y cant. Treuliodd dros 6 y cant o bobl a dderbyniwyd fwy na 12 awr yn aros; y targed ar gyfer hynny yw sero. Ac roedd hynny ym mis Medi, wrth gwrs, ac nid hwnnw fydd mis mwyaf heriol y gaeaf. Mae’r Gweinidog wedi dweud o'r blaen fod pobl go iawn y tu ôl i’r ffigurau, ac awgrymodd fod hynny'n un o’r pethau sy’n ei gadw’n effro yn y nos. A gaf fi awgrymu mai un ffordd o wella ei batrwm cysgu, efallai, yw ymddiswyddo a gadael i rywun arall roi cynnig ar wella pethau?
Well, that's a fairly predictable and not at all helpful way to try and address a very problem that exists as we face into winter. There are challenges right across the UK system. I'm responsible for the challenges here in Wales. There are a range of measures that are already being taken—for example, work being taken in two boards with a particular challenge, both the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, and Swansea, who are making use of GP services to assist with some of triage so those people who don't need to be in an emergency department aren't there, and, equally, that people aren't waiting longer than they'd want to be. So, I have an understanding of the very real challenges that our staff face in my regular engagement with them, and an understanding of the very real challenges that members of the public face in getting the care and the treatment and the dignity they deserve. I'm determined to do all I could and should do as a health Minister to improve the position as we face what will inevitably be a difficult winter.
Wel, mae honno'n ffordd eithaf rhagweladwy ac annefnyddiol o geisio mynd i'r afael â phroblem wirioneddol sy'n bodoli wrth inni wynebu'r gaeaf. Ceir heriau ar draws system gyfan y DU. Rwy'n gyfrifol am yr heriau yma yng Nghymru. Mae ystod o gamau eisoes yn cael eu cymryd—er enghraifft, y gwaith sy'n mynd rhagddo mewn ardaloedd dau fwrdd sy'n wynebu heriau penodol, sef Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan, ac Abertawe, sy'n defnyddio gwasanaethau meddygon teulu i gynorthwyo gyda rhywfaint o waith brysbennu fel nad yw'r bobl nad oes angen iddynt fod mewn adran achosion brys yno, ac yn yr un modd, nad yw pobl yn aros yn hwy nag y byddent yn dymuno aros. Felly, mae gennyf ddealltwriaeth o'r heriau real iawn y mae ein staff yn eu hwynebu wrth i mi ymgysylltu'n rheolaidd â hwy, a dealltwriaeth o'r heriau real iawn y mae aelodau'r cyhoedd yn eu hwynebu wrth cael y gofal a'r driniaeth a'r urddas y maent yn haeddu eu cael. Rwy'n benderfynol o wneud popeth y gallaf ac y dylwn ei wneud fel Gweinidog iechyd i wella'r sefyllfa wrth inni wynebu'r hyn a fydd, heb os, yn aeaf anodd.
Well, perhaps, Minister, part of the answer to this lies in what's happening in the minor injury units, and I look forward to a statement on that fairly shortly. But, in the meantime, I recently visited Bridgend's Princess of Wales Hospital to find out more about why the average time it takes an ambulance to hand over a patient is significantly longer than in other parts of Cwm Taf, and you may remember me raising this with you. Two things came to my attention—the first is that, while the patient may not be in the ambulance, they still remain in the charge of paramedics, in which case those patients are not added to the A&E waiting times, disguising the actual figures, and the second is—and I'm sure this is true of other hospitals—it's sometimes impossible to move patients to a ward elsewhere because there are medically fit people waiting to be discharged occupying acute beds while waiting for a care package, and that means that those individuals are waiting in A&E for follow-up medical treatment when they shouldn't be there. That's tying up A&E beds, and that means that the increasing number, as you say, of walk-in arrivals have to wait longer. The root of the problem still seems to be delayed transfer of care. You've invested in better working between health and social care so why aren't we feeling the benefits in A&E?
Wel, efallai, Weinidog, fod rhan o'r ateb i hyn yn ymwneud â beth sy'n digwydd yn yr unedau mân anafiadau, ac edrychaf ymlaen at ddatganiad ar hynny cyn bo hir. Ond yn y cyfamser, ymwelais yn ddiweddar ag Ysbyty Tywysoges Cymru, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr i ddarganfod mwy ynglŷn â pham fod yr amser y mae'n ei gymryd ar gyfartaledd i ambiwlans drosglwyddo claf yn sylweddol hirach nag mewn rhannau eraill o Gwm Taf, ac efallai y cofiwch i mi godi hyn gyda chi. Daeth dau beth i fy sylw—y cyntaf yw, er nad yw'r claf yn yr ambiwlans o bosibl, maent yn dal i fod yng ngofal parafeddygon, ac os felly, ni chaiff y cleifion hynny eu hychwanegu at gofnodion amseroedd aros adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, gan guddio'r ffigurau go iawn, a'r ail beth yw—ac rwy'n siŵr bod hyn yn wir am ysbytai eraill—weithiau mae'n amhosibl symud cleifion i ward yn rhywle arall am fod pobl sy'n ffit yn feddygol ac sy'n aros i gael eu rhyddhau yn gorwedd mewn gwelyau acíwt wrth aros am becyn gofal, a golyga hynny fod yr unigolion hynny'n aros yn yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys am driniaeth feddygol ddilynol pan na ddylent fod yno. Mae hynny'n atal gwelyau adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys rhag cael eu defnyddio, a golyga hynny fod yn rhaid i'r nifer cynyddol, fel y dywedwch, o bobl sy'n cerdded i mewn yn gorfod aros am fwy o amser. Ymddengys mai gwraidd y broblem o hyd yw oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal. Rydych wedi buddsoddi mewn gwaith gwell rhwng iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, felly pam nad ydym yn teimlo'r manteision mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys?
Actually, on delayed transfers of care, we're at historic lows. When I became the Deputy Minister more than five years ago now, one of the subjects that I did address at that time was the challenge that we had in delayed transfers of care, and that was about bringing health and social care together, about recognising there is a shared challenge, not meeting them separately, and we have seen some sustained improvement. We're starting to see that creep back up, so there's work that I and the Deputy Minister will be doing with health boards and their partners. It is a whole health and social care system issue. That's why, of the £30 million that I made available across the health and social care system this winter, some of it went direct to health boards; £17 million of it, though, went to regional partnership boards to decide together how it should be used across the system. Because every time I visit a hospital and look at the front door, the reality is that I know—and I regularly raise it with each of the hospital directors; I ask how many medically fit patients there are and the challenge of moving them on. Sometimes, that is to the social care system. That is a big part of our challenge. But, equally, there are times when it's within another part of the national health service. So, it's about seeing the whole system, about understanding what more we can do to get people to the right point for the next stage of their care.
The other honest challenge is that we do genuinely have more people who are coming to our emergency departments who are seriously unwell, and, if you had a conversation with each of the health boards about the people coming into their emergency departments, they themselves would say that. They'd also tell you there are more people making their own way to emergency departments; you're having walk-ins who are significantly unwell. It's the challenge we have and it's our ability to keep on extending our ability to meet that right across the whole system that really matters.
Mewn gwirionedd, o ran oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal, rydym ar lefelau is nag erioed. Pan ddeuthum yn Ddirprwy Weinidog dros bum mlynedd yn ôl bellach, un o’r pynciau y cyfeiriais atynt bryd hynny oedd yr her a oedd yn ein hwynebu mewn perthynas ag oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal, ac roedd hynny’n ymwneud â dod ag iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ynghyd, a chydnabod bod yno her a rennir, yn hytrach na mynd i'r afael â'r ddau beth ar wahân, ac rydym wedi gweld rhywfaint o welliant parhaus. Rydym yn dechrau gweld hynny'n gwella, felly bydd y Dirprwy Weinidog a minnau'n gwneud gwaith gyda byrddau iechyd a'u partneriaid. Mae'n fater i'r system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol gyfan. Dyna pam, o'r £30 miliwn a ddarperais ar draws y system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol y gaeaf hwn, fod peth ohono wedi mynd yn uniongyrchol i fyrddau iechyd; fodd bynnag, aeth £17 miliwn ohono i fyrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol i benderfynu gyda'i gilydd sut y dylid ei ddefnyddio ar draws y system. Oherwydd bob tro y byddaf yn ymweld ag ysbyty ac yn edrych ar y drws blaen, y gwir amdani yw fy mod yn gwybod—ac rwy'n codi hyn yn rheolaidd gyda phob un o gyfarwyddwyr yr ysbyty; rwy'n gofyn faint o gleifion yno sy'n ffit yn feddygol a'r her o'u symud yn eu blaenau. Weithiau, mae'n golygu eu symud i'r system gofal cymdeithasol. Mae hynny'n rhan fawr o'n her. Ond yn yr un modd, mae hynny weithiau'n golygu eu symud i ran arall o'r gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol. Felly, mae'n ymwneud ag edrych ar y system gyfan, a deall beth arall y gallwn ei wneud i sicrhau bod pobl yn cyrraedd y pwynt cywir ar gyfer cam nesaf eu gofal.
Yr her onest arall yw fod gennym fwy o bobl sy'n ddifrifol wael yn dod i'n hadrannau brys, a phe baech yn cael sgwrs gyda phob un o'r byrddau iechyd am y bobl sy'n dod i'w hadrannau brys, byddent hwythau'n dweud hynny. Byddent hwy hefyd yn dweud wrthych fod mwy o bobl yn gwneud eu ffordd eu hunain i adrannau brys; rydych yn cael pobl sâl iawn yn cerdded i mewn. Dyma'r her sy'n ein hwynebu a'n gallu i ddal ati i ehangu ein gallu i ddiwallu hynny ar draws y system gyfan sy'n bwysig mewn gwirionedd.
Minister, I appreciate your answers to Suzy Davies, particularly on delayed transfers of care, but also the answer you said to Neil Hamilton in relation to the type of individuals who are going there. But we have a problem, because we are having people who are going to A&E because the out-of-hours service is not delivering for them or they can't get a GP appointment or they now feel, in fact, that it's easier. Because I've been on the phone 45 minutes waiting to get hold of a GP just for an appointment for a five-year-old child. Now, this is causing people to go into A&E. So, the Choose Well agenda you had as to who you should go to is great, but the problem is that you can't get to them—they're not available. Can you therefore look at the actions taken to ensure that, if we are going to choose well, they are available to choose to go to, because that is the big problem?
Weinidog, rwy’n derbyn eich atebion i Suzy Davies, yn enwedig ynghylch oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal, ond hefyd yr ateb a roesoch i Neil Hamilton mewn perthynas â’r math o unigolion sy’n mynd yno. Ond mae gennym broblem, gan fod gennym bobl sy'n mynd i adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys gan nad yw'r gwasanaeth y tu allan i oriau yn cyflawni ar eu cyfer neu ni allant gael apwyntiad â'r meddyg teulu neu am eu bod yn teimlo bellach, mewn gwirionedd, fod hynny'n haws. Oherwydd rwyf innau wedi bod ar y ffôn am 45 munud yn aros i gael gafael ar feddyg teulu er mwyn trefnu apwyntiad i blentyn pump oed. Nawr, mae hyn yn achosi i bobl fynd i adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys. Felly, mae'r agenda Dewis Doeth a oedd gennych o ran pwy y dylech fynd atynt yn wych, ond y broblem yw na allwch eu cyrraedd—nid ydynt ar gael. A allwch edrych felly ar y camau a gymerwyd i sicrhau, os ydym am wneud dewis doeth, eu bod ar gael i chi ddewis mynd atynt, gan mai dyna'r broblem fawr?
We’ve got a variety of challenges to try and address, and something we are deliberately doing is exactly that on our Choose Well message, and to better equip the wider primary care team to do so, whether that’s the steps we’re taking on eye care, with the emergency eye care service we have, which they don’t have across the border—it’s widely recognised as being a positive—whether that’s about making better use of pharmacy, and the roll-out of Choose Pharmacy, and the minor ailments service is an important part of that. We’re diverting more and more people not just away from GPs and from the emergency department, but to somewhere that is actually appropriate for them to receive the right care and support. And also, as we continue to roll out 111, in each of the areas where the 111 roll-out has taken place, there is a more robust primary care system in hours and out of hours as a result. It is still, as I say, about our ability to constantly keep pace. So, yes, it is something that I look at. It is something that I will look at as I will be meeting a number of the health board and local government departments with the most significant pressures within their systems to understand what is taking place earlier on within the system and how the additional moneys we’ve made available are actually addressing the very real challenges that I know that you’ve set out.
Mae gennym amrywiaeth o heriau i geisio mynd i'r afael â hwy, a rhywbeth rydym yn ei wneud yn fwriadol yw hynny'n union ar ein neges Dewis Doeth, ac arfogi'r tîm gofal sylfaenol ehangach yn well i wneud hynny, boed yn gamau rydym yn eu cymryd ar ofal llygaid, gyda'r gwasanaeth gofal llygaid brys sydd gennym, rhywbeth nad oes ganddynt dros y ffin—ac mae cryn dipyn o gydnabyddiaeth fod hwnnw'n beth cadarnhaol—boed yn wneud gwell defnydd o fferylliaeth, a chyflwyno Dewis Fferyllfa, ac mae'r gwasanaeth mân anhwylderau yn rhan bwysig o hynny. Rydym yn dargyfeirio mwy a mwy o bobl, nid yn unig oddi wrth y meddygon teulu ac oddi wrth adrannau achosion brys, ond i rywle sy'n briodol iddynt dderbyn y gofal a'r gefnogaeth gywir. A hefyd, wrth i ni barhau i gyflwyno 111, ym mhob un o'r ardaloedd lle mae'r gwasanaeth 111 wedi'i gyflwyno, ceir system gofal sylfaenol fwy cadarn yn ystod oriau arferol a'r tu allan i oriau o ganlyniad i hynny. Mae'n dal i ymwneud, fel y dywedaf, â'n gallu i ddal i fyny'n gyson. Felly, ydy, mae'n rhywbeth rwy'n edrych arno. Mae'n rhywbeth y byddaf yn edrych arno wrth i mi gyfarfod â nifer o adrannau'r bwrdd iechyd a llywodraeth leol sy'n wynebu'r pwysau mwyaf sylweddol yn eu systemau i ddeall yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn gynharach yn y system, a sut y mae'r arian ychwanegol rydym wedi'i ddarparu yn mynd i'r afael â'r heriau real iawn a nodwyd gennych.
2. Sut y mae'r Gweinidog yn sicrhau bod cleifion yng Nghymru yn gallu cael triniaethau newydd ar gyfer canser? OAQ54603
2. How is the Minister ensuring access to new cancer treatments for patients in Wales? OAQ54603
Thank you. We have an absolute commitment in Wales to the provision of recommended and proven effective cancer treatments. This is achieved through the new treatment fund for medicines. By August of this year the new treatment fund had provided rapid access to 205 medicines, including 86 for cancer, and has cut the time it takes to provide newly-recommended medicines from an average of 90 days to just 12. Whilst there is much focus on new drugs, it is also worth recalling that surgery can be curative as a treatment for cancer. That is often not highlighted within this Chamber. That's why we continue to invest in both improvements in surgery as well, of course, as therapy provision.
Diolch. Rydym wedi ymrwymo'n llwyr yng Nghymru i ddarparu triniaethau canser a argymhellir ac y profwyd eu bod yn effeithiol. Cyflawnir hyn drwy'r gronfa triniaethau newydd ar gyfer meddyginiaethau. Erbyn mis Awst eleni, roedd y gronfa triniaethau newydd wedi darparu mynediad cyflym at 205 o feddyginiaethau, gan gynnwys 86 ar gyfer canser, ac mae wedi cwtogi'r amser y mae'n ei gymryd i ddarparu meddyginiaethau a argymhellir o'r newydd o 90 diwrnod ar gyfartaledd i ddim ond 12. Er bod llawer o ffocws ar gyffuriau newydd, mae'n werth cofio hefyd y gall llawfeddygaeth fod yn wellhaol fel triniaeth ar gyfer canser. Yn aml, nid yw hynny'n cael ei nodi yn y Siambr hon. Dyna pam rydym yn parhau i fuddsoddi mewn gwelliannau mewn llawfeddygaeth, yn ogystal â darparu therapi wrth gwrs.
Minister, I’ve been raising concerns about the individual patient funding process with you throughout your time as Minister. I did the same with your predecessor and the same with his predecessor too. My constituent, Gemma Williams, a young mother with two young children, has stage 3 breast cancer. Her oncologist wants to treat her with Kadcyla to prevent the progression of the disease. Like most patients told she needs a drug for a life-threatening illness, she and, apparently, her oncologist, thought it would be straightforward. Now, after two successive refusals by the IPFR panel in Gwent, Gemma is having to launch a fundraising campaign to raise the money to pay for her treatment. Now, even though the difference in cost between Kadcyla and the drugs she is on—which her clinician has acknowledged are unlikely to help her—is a small difference, she will, of course, have to fundraise the full cost of the treatment, some £45,000. Minister, I still don’t believe that the IPFR process is working for my constituents, and it certainly isn’t working for Gemma Williams. Can I ask you whether you can look again at this to ensure that all patients in Wales, including my constituents, are getting the access to the new treatments that their clinicians believe they need?
Weinidog, bûm yn lleisio pryderon wrthych am y broses gyllido cleifion unigol drwy gydol eich amser fel Gweinidog. Bûm yn gwneud yr un peth â'ch rhagflaenydd a'r un peth gyda'i ragflaenydd yntau hefyd. Mae gan fy etholwr, Gemma Williams, mam ifanc â dau o blant ifanc, ganser y fron cam 3. Mae ei honcolegydd yn awyddus i'w thrin gyda Kadcyla i atal y clefyd rhag gwaethygu. Fel y rhan fwyaf o gleifion sy'n clywed bod angen cyffur arnynt i drin salwch lle mae bywyd yn y fantol, roedd hi a'i honcolegydd, mae'n debyg, o dan yr argraff y byddai'n broses syml. Bellach, ar ôl cael ei gwrthod ddwywaith yn olynol gan y panel Ceisiadau Cyllido Cleifion Unigol yng Ngwent, mae'n rhaid i Gemma lansio ymgyrch i godi arian i dalu am ei thriniaeth. Nawr, er bod y gwahaniaeth yn y gost rhwng Kadcyla a'r cyffuriau y mae'n eu cymryd—sy'n annhebygol o'i helpu, yn ôl ei chlinigydd—yn wahaniaeth bach, bydd yn rhaid iddi hi, wrth gwrs, godi'r arian i dalu am gost lawn y driniaeth, tua £45,000. Weinidog, rwy'n dal i fod o'r farn nad yw proses y ceisiadau cyllido cleifion unigol yn gweithio i fy etholwyr, ac yn sicr, nid yw'n gweithio i Gemma Williams. A gaf fi ofyn i chi edrych eto ar hyn i sicrhau bod pob claf yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys fy etholwyr, yn cael mynediad at y triniaethau newydd y mae eu clinigwyr o'r farn sydd eu hangen arnynt?
Look, we had a review at the start of this Assembly term because of issues that Members around the Chamber have raised about the apparent inequalities in access, and people’s inability to understand the system. And, to be fair, the system wasn’t an easy one to understand for clinicians or indeed for members of the public. Following the review, we’ve implemented all of the 27 recommendations that came up, and it’s very clear now the clinician has to support the individual patient funding request to go to a review.
Now, I can’t comment on the individual circumstance that the Member is directly engaged with. Across the system, more than seven in 10 applications for medicines under the IPFR process are agreed. I think it would be helpful if we had yet another conversation with you about what’s happened in this case and about how the health board's IPFR process does and doesn’t work, and about the level of clarity in the explanation provided by both the health board and the clinician about any reasons for refusal and why that is. The awful truth is, from a whole-system point of view, you understand there will be times when there is a refusal to provide a treatment on the national health service. It is always a much more difficult matter to be the individual, to be told by one person in our healthcare system, ‘I think this is what you need’, and to be told overall by the system, ‘You still can’t have it’. I’m happy to sit down to try and understand what that looks like with your constituent, but I really think we need to go back to the clinicians making choices together with the health board, and have real clarity in the decision-making process.
Edrychwch, cawsom adolygiad ar ddechrau tymor y Cynulliad hwn oherwydd materion y mae Aelodau o bob rhan o'r Siambr wedi’u codi ynghylch yr anghydraddoldebau amlwg o ran mynediad, ac anallu pobl i ddeall y system. Ac a bod yn deg, nid oedd y system yn un hawdd i glinigwyr nac yn wir aelodau'r cyhoedd ei deall. Yn dilyn yr adolygiad, rydym wedi gweithredu pob un o'r 27 argymhelliad a nodwyd, ac mae'n amlwg iawn bellach fod yn rhaid i'r clinigydd gefnogi cais cyllido'r claf unigol er mwyn cael adolygiad.
Nawr, ni allaf wneud sylwadau ar yr amgylchiadau unigol y sonia'r Aelod amdanynt. Ar draws y system, mae mwy na saith cais o bob 10 am feddyginiaethau o dan broses y ceisiadau cyllido cleifion unigol yn cael eu derbyn. Credaf y byddai'n ddefnyddiol pe baem yn cael sgwrs arall gyda chi ynglŷn â'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn yr achos hwn ac ynglŷn â sut y mae proses ceisiadau cyllido cleifion unigol y bwrdd iechyd yn gweithio a ddim yn gweithio, ac ynglŷn â lefel yr eglurder o ran yr esboniad a ddarperir gan y bwrdd iechyd a'r clinigydd ynghylch unrhyw resymau dros wrthod a pham. Y gwir ofnadwy amdani yw, o safbwynt system gyfan, rydych yn deall y bydd yna adegau pan fydd y gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol yn gwrthod darparu triniaeth. Mae bob amser yn fater llawer anos i'r unigolyn sy'n cael gwybod gan un unigolyn yn ein system gofal iechyd, 'Rwy'n credu mai dyma sydd ei angen arnoch', a chael gwybod gan y system yn gyffredinol, 'Ni allwch ei gael'. Rwy'n fwy na pharod i geisio deall beth yw hynny gyda'ch etholwr, ond rwy'n credu o ddifrif fod angen i ni ddychwelyd at glinigwyr yn gwneud dewisiadau ar y cyd â'r bwrdd iechyd, a chael eglurder gwirioneddol yn y broses o wneud penderfyniadau.
Minister, in yesterday's business statement, I raised the issue of a constituent, Mr Jim Sweet, whose wife passed away on the day she was going to begin treatment for stage 4 ovarian cancer—clearly, a very sensitive issue. There are many people involved, many people suffering from ovarian cancer in Wales, and part of the problem with this cancer is that early diagnosis before stage 4 is more difficult because the disease masquerades as other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. So, I wonder if you could tell us what actions you're taking to try and support more research into this particular form of cancer, not as often spoken about as other types of cancer are, but one which leaves victims and families of victims of the disease really struggling with this cancer quite late on in a diagnosis situation, and I think they look to the Assembly and the Welsh Government to see if the situation can be eased a little bit for them.
Weinidog, yn y datganiad busnes ddoe, codais fater etholwr, Mr Jim Sweet, a gollodd ei wraig ar y diwrnod roedd hi'n mynd i ddechrau triniaeth ar gyfer canser yr ofari cam 4—yn amlwg, mater sensitif iawn. Mae llawer o bobl yn y sefyllfa hon, llawer o bobl yn dioddef o ganser yr ofari yng Nghymru, a rhan o'r broblem gyda'r canser hwn yw bod diagnosis cynnar cyn cam 4 yn anos am fod y clefyd yn edrych fel cyflyrau eraill, fel syndrom coluddyn llidus. Felly, tybed a allech ddweud wrthym pa gamau rydych yn eu cymryd i geisio cefnogi mwy o ymchwil i'r math penodol hwn o ganser, nad yw'n cael ei drafod mor aml â mathau eraill o ganser, ond mae'n un sy'n golygu bod dioddefwyr y clefyd a theuluoedd y dioddefwyr mewn sefyllfaoedd anodd iawn ar ôl cael diagnosis eithaf hwyr o'r canser hwn, a chredaf eu bod yn edrych at y Cynulliad a Llywodraeth Cymru i weld a ellir lliniaru eu sefyllfa i raddau.
There are a range of cancer groups taking part in the cancer alliance, including those interested in ovarian cancer, and it's part of our research, interest and activity. I'll happily write to the Member with specifics on what we're doing in the research activity in this area, but we're not in control of all that research activity, of course; that depends on where those clinical studies do and don't take place, and the collaboration that takes place right across the UK healthcare and university sectors as well. But I'll happily provide the Member with some more of what I hope will be helpful detail about the nature of that research here in Wales.
Mae ystod o grwpiau canser yn rhan o'r gynghrair canser, gan gynnwys y rhai sydd â diddordeb mewn canser yr ofari, ac mae'n rhan o'n hymchwil, ein diddordeb a'n gweithgarwch. Rwy'n fwy na pharod i ysgrifennu at yr Aelod gyda manylion penodol ynglŷn â'r hyn rydym yn ei wneud o ran gweithgarwch ymchwil yn y maes hwn, ond nid ydym yn rheoli'r holl weithgarwch ymchwil hwnnw, wrth gwrs; mae hynny'n dibynnu ar ble mae'r astudiaethau clinigol hynny'n digwydd a ddim yn digwydd, a'r cydweithredu sy'n digwydd ar draws sectorau gofal iechyd a phrifysgolion y DU hefyd. Ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i ddarparu mwy o fanylion defnyddiol, gobeithio, am natur y gwaith ymchwil hwnnw yma yng Nghymru i'r Aelod.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Angela Burns.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Angela Burns.
Diolch, Presiding Officer. Minister, you'll be very familiar with the core principles of NHS Wales, and I'm sure that, like me, you will have read the various mission statements and heard the aims being promoted by health boards. Ambitions such as putting people at the heart of everything we do, and caring for people, keeping people well, and my personal favourite and the new mantra that's often quoted at me now is 'to be kind'. And the principles themselves make much of putting patients and users of the service first, then learning from experience, and so on.
My constituent, Georgina, was scheduled for an urgent spinal operation in January of this year. Without it, her spine would deteriorate to such an extent that her temporary paralysis would become permanent. From January, Georgina's operation was cancelled five times by Swansea Bay University Health Board, until we had a result last week, and a result pretty much because members of my staff camped on the door of that hospital. Not only was the quality of her life going forward compromised, but, and I'm now quoting directly from a letter from a consultant who says,
'I regret to inform you that the situation with access to spinal surgery in Swansea is creating such delays that I am witnessing people coming to harm. These cases have been appropriately reported as they occur.'
This is deeply concerning, Minister, for clinical safety. I don't think this is a service that adheres to the principles and mission statements often touted by NHS Wales and our health boards. Do you?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, fe fyddwch yn gyfarwydd iawn ag egwyddorion craidd GIG Cymru, ac rwy'n siŵr eich bod chithau, fel finnau, wedi darllen y gwahanol ddatganiadau cenhadaeth ac wedi clywed y nodau sy'n cael eu hyrwyddo gan y byrddau iechyd. Uchelgeisiau fel sicrhau bod pobl wrth wraidd popeth a wnawn, a gofalu am bobl, cadw pobl yn iach, a fy ffefryn personol a'r mantra newydd a ddyfynnir yn aml wrthyf bellach yw 'bod yn garedig'. Ac mae'r egwyddorion eu hunain yn sôn llawer am roi cleifion a defnyddwyr gwasanaeth yn gyntaf, a dysgu o brofiad, ac ati.
Roedd llawdriniaeth asgwrn cefn frys wedi'i threfnu ar gyfer fy etholwr, Georgina, ym mis Ionawr eleni. Hebddi, byddai ei hasgwrn cefn yn dirywio i'r fath raddau fel y byddai ei pharlys dros dro yn dod yn barhaol. O fis Ionawr ymlaen, cafodd llawdriniaeth Georgina ei chanslo pum gwaith gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe, tan inni gael canlyniad yr wythnos diwethaf, a hynny i raddau helaeth am fod aelodau o fy staff wedi gwersylla wrth ddrws yr ysbyty hwnnw. Nid yn unig fod ansawdd ei bywyd yn y dyfodol wedi'i gyfaddawdu, ond, a dyfynnaf yn uniongyrchol o lythyr gan feddyg ymgynghorol sy’n dweud,
Mae'n ddrwg gennyf roi gwybod i chi fod y sefyllfa o ran mynediad at lawdriniaeth asgwrn cefn yn Abertawe yn creu cymaint o oedi fel fy mod yn gweld pobl yn cael niwed. Adroddwyd yn briodol am yr achosion hyn wrth iddynt ddigwydd.
Mae hyn yn peri cryn bryder ynghylch diogelwch clinigol, Weinidog. Ni chredaf fod hwn yn wasanaeth sy'n cadw at yr egwyddorion a'r datganiadau cenhadaeth sy'n cael eu crybwyll yn aml gan GIG Cymru a'n byrddau iechyd. A ydych chi?
Well, obviously, I'm not aware of the individual circumstances the Member has referred to, but I wouldn't try to defend five cancellations for serious surgery. I'd want to understand what's happened and why. And, in each of these cases where our system doesn't deliver the outcomes in the timely manner that we'd want, there is always learning for what to do in the future, as well as a need to reflect back to that person and be honest about the fact that they haven't had the care or support that we would want them to have. But if the Member wants to write to me with more specific details, I'll happily look at it in more detail to understand what has happened in this case, as well as what that tells us in the future. And of course I'm concerned that an individual clinician says that people are coming to harm.
Wel, yn amlwg, nid wyf yn ymwybodol o'r amgylchiadau unigol y cyfeiria'r Aelod atynt, ond ni fuaswn yn ceisio amddiffyn achos o ganslo llawdriniaeth ddifrifol bum gwaith. Buaswn yn awyddus i ddeall beth sydd wedi digwydd a pham. Ac ym mhob un o'r achosion hyn lle nad yw ein system yn cyflawni'r canlyniadau y byddem yn dymuno'u cael mewn modd amserol, mae gwersi i'w dysgu bob amser ynglŷn â beth i'w wneud yn y dyfodol, yn ogystal ag angen i roi gwybod i'r unigolyn dan sylw a bod yn onest am y ffaith nad ydynt wedi cael y gofal na'r gefnogaeth y byddem am iddynt eu cael. Ond os dymuna'r Aelod ysgrifennu ataf gyda manylion mwy penodol, rwy'n fwy na pharod i ystyried hynny'n fwy manwl er mwyn deall beth sydd wedi digwydd yn yr achos hwn, yn ogystal â'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei ddweud wrthym yn y dyfodol. Ac wrth gwrs, rwy'n poeni bod un clinigydd yn dweud bod pobl yn cael niwed.
Minister, my constituent, Mr Chell, was 91 years old. He fell in St Non's ward, which is situated opposite the main Withybush hospital, and, for those of you who may not know, the distance would be roughly the same from this Chamber to the fifth floor of Tŷ Hywel. Poor Mr Chell, already unwell and very frail, with the added complications of three fractures of the hip, waited on the floor of St Non's ward for five hours until an ambulance came to transport him the 380 yards to Withybush. Mr Chell was then forced to wait in the ambulance for a further two hours because of delays with ambulance handovers. Now, following a freedom of information request, I found out that, at the same time that poor Mr Chell was trying to get to Withybush, there were 13 ambulances waiting to offload at Withybush. I don't think that this is a service that adheres to the principles and mission statements often touted by that particular health board, and by NHS Wales. What do you say to Mr Chell's family, and do you think that this is acceptable service?
Weinidog, roedd fy etholwr, Mr Chell, yn 91 oed. Syrthiodd ar ward Santes Non, sydd gyferbyn â phrif adeilad ysbyty Llwynhelyg, ac i'r rhai ohonoch nad ydych yn gwybod, efallai, byddai'r pellter fwy neu lai yr un peth â'r pellter rhwng y Siambr hon a phumed llawr Tŷ Hywel. Bu Mr Chell druan, a oedd eisoes yn sâl ac yn fregus iawn, gyda chymhlethdodau ychwanegol tri thoriad i'w glun, yn aros ar lawr ward Santes Non am bum awr tan i ambiwlans ddod i'w gludo'r 380 llath i ysbyty Llwynhelyg. Yna, bu'n rhaid i Mr Chell aros yn yr ambiwlans am ddwy awr arall oherwydd oedi wrth drosglwyddo o ambiwlansys. Nawr, yn dilyn cais rhyddid gwybodaeth, darganfûm, tra bu Mr Chell druan yn ceisio cyrraedd ysbyty Llwynhelyg, fod 13 ambiwlans yn aros i drosglwyddo cleifion yn ysbyty Llwynhelyg. Ni chredaf fod hwn yn wasanaeth sy'n glynu at yr egwyddorion a'r datganiadau cenhadaeth sy'n cael eu crybwyll yn aml gan y bwrdd iechyd penodol hwnnw, a GIG Cymru. Beth a ddywedwch wrth deulu Mr Chell, ac a ydych yn credu bod hwn yn wasanaeth derbyniol?
Again, I can't obviously comment on an individual case that I haven't heard about before. But, again, I'm not going to try and defend what doesn't sound like appropriate care and what doesn't sound like the sort of experience or outcome that any of us would want to have. I'm interested in understanding the individual's circumstances and what that tells us about the whole system. And, as you know, it is entirely possible to have a very poor experience, and yet the system overall delivers high-quality care the overwhelming majority of the time. We know from the national survey that most people's experience of the health service, in hospital or in primary care, much more than 90 per cent of the time, is a very positive one. That does not mean that we ignore those cases where that doesn't happen, and it does not mean we ignore the pressure within our system, and, of course, our responsibility to improve that.
Unwaith eto, yn amlwg, ni allaf wneud sylwadau ar achos unigol nad wyf wedi clywed amdano o'r blaen. Ond unwaith eto, nid wyf yn mynd i geisio amddiffyn yr hyn nad yw'n swnio fel gofal priodol a'r hyn nad yw'n swnio fel y math o brofiad neu ganlyniad y byddai unrhyw un ohonom yn dymuno'i gael. Mae gennyf ddiddordeb mewn deall amgylchiadau'r unigolyn a beth y mae hynny'n ei ddweud wrthym am y system gyfan. Ac fel y gwyddoch, mae'n gwbl bosibl cael profiad gwael iawn, ac eto mae'r system yn gyffredinol yn darparu gofal o ansawdd uchel y rhan fwyaf o'r amser. Gwyddom o'r arolwg cenedlaethol fod profiad y rhan fwyaf o bobl o'r gwasanaeth iechyd, mewn ysbyty neu mewn gofal sylfaenol, yn un cadarnhaol iawn dros 90 y cant o'r amser. Nid yw hynny'n golygu ein bod yn anwybyddu'r achosion lle nad yw hynny'n digwydd, ac nid yw'n golygu ein bod yn anwybyddu'r pwysau yn ein system nac wrth gwrs ein cyfrifoldeb i wella hynny.
Minister, I've been an Assembly Member for 12 and a half years, and in that 12 and a half years I've had a pretty good life, actually. But one of my constituents—and you know her—Ayla Haines, in 12 and a half years has been treated more like a prisoner than a person in need of healthcare. She was a young lady when I first met her—she was 17 years old. She's now 25. She's in a secure unit in Northampton. She was sent there in 2016 to get her off her medications. Since she has been up there, her health has deteriorated. She is self-harming, she is losing weight, she has been assaulted, so she's fighting back, so now she's an assaulter as well as an assaulted. Staff know that she has OCD, for example, but tell her to hurry up and try to stop her from the middle of doing a routine, so she then gets worse. She's losing weight, she's on worse medication and tougher medication than she was on when she went there. Her physical being is being compromised.
But what really, really, really gets me, and why I've brought this to you today, is because I cannot, after 12 and a half years, get anybody to admit to saying, 'This problem, this girl, is on my desk and I'm going to sort out her issue.' I've written to you, the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, Hywel Dda University Health Board—all of them: 'Not my problem, not my problem, not my problem'. You, thankfully—thank you—have finally said her placement in Northampton is under the direct oversight of Hywel Dda health board. Right. Meetings are held; nobody from Wales goes, nobody from the health board goes, her advocate doesn't go, her parents aren't allowed to go—they've been marginalised. That girl's mental health, frail then, is even worse now, because she's over 200 miles away from her support network. Her family are not very wealthy, they live in Llansteffan, they cannot afford to go up there and see her. By the way, they're not allowed to, because they're told by Northampton that her telephone calls are monitored, they're cancelled at short notice, they're not allowed visits, they've got to be supervised. This girl is being driven into a small hole.
I don't know, clinically, what's wrong with her, but what I do know is that nobody here in Wales is actually taking the responsibility for monitoring that, for oversight, to make sure that she's constantly in the right place, being seen, with the right treatment, by the right people. Everyone's washed their hands of her—she's hundreds of miles away, she doesn't matter anymore. But she does matter—she matters to me, because I think of her most weeks. You said the other day, on television, that it keeps you awake at night, wondering about the waiting times for certain things. Well, Ayla Haines keeps me awake at night. She's 25; how many more years is she going to spend there? And all I want is one person in Wales who says, 'She is my job. I'm just going to check that she is having the best possible treatment'. The lack of accountability, the lack of responsibility—. And I'll tell you what it is: it's the consequence of being one. If you've got a big problem, like we have in Cwm Taf—task and finish groups, ad infinitum. But, as one poor person, there's no-one who'll actually advocate for them. Please, Minister, will you look at this? These health boards spend all their time telling us that they put people at the centre of what they do. But again, and again, and again, and again, they fail. That's three failures—everybody here will be able to tell you of more. At some point, we've got to hold these people to account. That's your job—please do so.
Weinidog, rwyf wedi bod yn Aelod Cynulliad ers 12 mlynedd a hanner, ac yn y 12 mlynedd a hanner hynny rwyf wedi cael bywyd eithaf da, mewn gwirionedd. Ond mae un o fy etholwyr—ac rydych yn ei hadnabod—Ayla Haines, mewn 12 mlynedd a hanner, wedi cael ei thrin yn debycach i garcharor na rhywun sydd angen gofal iechyd. Dynes ifanc oedd hi pan gyfarfûm â hi gyntaf—roedd hi'n 17 oed. Mae hi bellach yn 25. Mae hi mewn uned ddiogel yn Northampton. Fe’i hanfonwyd yno yn 2016 er mwyn iddi allu dod oddi ar ei meddyginiaethau. Ers iddi fod yno, mae ei hiechyd wedi dirywio. Mae hi'n hunan-niweidio, mae hi'n colli pwysau, mae rhywun wedi ymosod arni, felly mae hi'n ymladd yn ôl, ac mae hi bellach yn ymosodwr yn ogystal â rhywun yr ymosodwyd arni. Mae'r staff yn gwybod bod ganddi OCD, er enghraifft, ond maent yn dweud wrthi am frysio a cheisio ei hatal rhag cwblhau ei harferion, felly mae hi'n gwaethygu. Mae hi'n colli pwysau, mae hi ar feddyginiaeth waeth a meddyginiaeth gryfach na'r feddyginiaeth roedd hi arni pan aeth yno. Mae'n wynebu peryglon corfforol.
Ond yr hyn sy'n dân ar fy nghroen, a'r rheswm pam rwyf wedi tynnu eich sylw at hyn heddiw, yw oherwydd na allaf, ar ôl 12 mlynedd a hanner, gael unrhyw un i gyfaddef a dweud, 'Mae'r broblem hon, y ferch hon, ar fy nesg i ac rwy'n mynd i ddatrys ei phroblem.' Rwyf wedi ysgrifennu atoch chi, Pwyllgor Gwasanaethau Iechyd Arbenigol Cymru, Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda—pob un ohonynt: 'Nid fy mhroblem i, nid fy mhroblem i, nid fy mhroblem i'. Rydych chi, diolch byth—diolch—wedi dweud o'r diwedd fod ei lleoliad yn Northampton o dan oruchwyliaeth uniongyrchol bwrdd iechyd Hywel Dda. Iawn. Mae cyfarfodydd yn cael eu cynnal; nid oes unrhyw un o Gymru yn eu mynychu, nid oes unrhyw un o'r bwrdd iechyd yn mynd, nid yw ei heiriolwr yn mynd, ni chaniateir i'w rhieni fynd—maent wedi eu hymyleiddio. Mae iechyd meddwl y ferch honno, a oedd yn fregus bryd hynny, yn waeth byth bellach, gan ei bod dros 200 milltir oddi wrth ei rhwydwaith cymorth. Nid yw ei theulu'n gyfoethog iawn, maent yn byw yn Llansteffan, ni allant fforddio mynd yno i'w gweld. Gyda llaw, nid ydynt yn cael gwneud hynny, gan fod Northampton yn dweud wrthynt fod ei galwadau ffôn yn cael eu monitro, maent yn cael eu canslo ar fyr rybudd, nid ydynt yn cael ymweld â hi, mae'n rhaid i'w hymweliadau gael eu goruchwylio. Mae'r ferch hon yn cael ei gyrru i mewn i dwll bach.
Nid wyf yn gwybod, yn glinigol, beth sy'n bod arni, ond yr hyn a wn yw nad oes unrhyw un yma yng Nghymru yn derbyn cyfrifoldeb am fonitro hynny, am oruchwylio, i sicrhau ei bod yn y lle iawn yn gyson, yn cael ei gweld, gyda'r driniaeth iawn, gan y bobl iawn. Mae pawb wedi golchi eu dwylo ohoni—mae hi gannoedd o filltiroedd i ffwrdd, nid oes ots amdani mwyach. Ond mae ots amdani—mae ots gennyf fi amdani, gan fy mod yn meddwl amdani y rhan fwyaf o wythnosau. Fe ddywedoch chi y diwrnod o'r blaen, ar y teledu, fod meddwl am yr amseroedd aros am rai pethau yn eich cadw'n effro'r nos. Wel, mae Ayla Haines yn fy nghadw innau'n effro'r nos. Mae hi'n 25; sawl blwyddyn arall mae hi'n mynd i'w treulio yno? A'r unig beth rwy'n dymuno'i weld yw un unigolyn yng Nghymru yn dweud, 'Fy nghyfrifoldeb i yw hi. Rwy'n mynd i wneud yn siŵr ei bod hi'n cael y driniaeth orau bosibl'. Mae'r diffyg atebolrwydd, y diffyg cyfrifoldeb—. Ac fe ddywedaf wrthych beth yw'r broblem: dyma ganlyniad bod yn un person. Os oes gennych broblem fawr, fel sydd gennym yng Nghwm Taf—grwpiau gorchwyl a gorffen hyd dragwyddoldeb. Ond fel un person tlawd, nid oes unrhyw un i ddadlau ar eu rhan mewn gwirionedd. Os gwelwch yn dda, Weinidog, a wnewch chi edrych ar hyn? Mae'r byrddau iechyd hyn yn treulio eu holl amser yn dweud wrthym eu bod yn rhoi pobl yn y canol yn yr hyn a wnânt. Ond eto, ac eto, ac eto, ac eto, maent yn methu. Dyna dair enghraifft o fethiant—gall pob un yma sôn wrthych am ragor. Ar ryw bwynt, mae'n rhaid inni ddwyn y bobl hyn i gyfrif. Dyna'ch swydd chi—gwnewch hynny.
Well, I think it was unfortunate in the reference to Cwm Taf, because we're dealing with a system failure there with real individual harm it's caused, and we're looking at it at a system level. There's never been an incident where I've tried to say that the healthcare system does not have responsibility to individuals throughout it, and I expect our system to be able to deal with those.
In the figures that I referred to earlier, about satisfaction with the health service, those themselves don't say that every single person says that every single interaction has left them satisfied. There is always learning in where things go wrong. And in the individual case that you referred to, again, you know that I can't comment on it. I am, of course, interested in every single person who has cause to complain and cause for concern about the health service. But it does not matter whether they are physically being treated or cared for in England or within Wales. I expect people who commission and have responsibility for that care to maintain their interest in the quality of the care that's being provided as well, because a number of the statements you've made today are of real concern, about the quality of care and about what the relevant inspectorates both here and in England should be interested in, given the seriousness that you've outlined.
I will check through my office about the interest that the health board continues to take and the responses to the concerns being raised by your constituent, her family and her advocates. I recognise that I have responsibility for the whole system, both the good and the part that needs improving. I don't walk away from that, and I'll certainly take up the individual matters. I'd be grateful if you could raise all three of them in writing with me and I'll make sure that they are dealt with.
Wel, credaf fod y cyfeiriad at Gwm Taf yn anffodus, gan ein bod yn ymdrin â methiant yn y system yno gyda'r niwed gwirioneddol y mae wedi'i achosi i unigolion, ac rydym yn ystyried y broblem ar lefel system. Nid oes digwyddiad wedi bod erioed lle rwyf wedi ceisio dweud nad oes gan y system gofal iechyd gyfrifoldeb am unigolion drwyddi draw, ac rwy'n disgwyl i'n system allu ymdrin â'r rheini.
Yn y ffigurau y cyfeiriais atynt yn gynharach, ynglŷn â boddhad â'r gwasanaeth iechyd, nid yw'r rheini ynddynt eu hunain yn dweud bod pob unigolyn yn dweud eu bod yn fodlon â phob un dim. Ceir gwersi i'w dysgu bob amser pan fo pethau'n mynd o chwith. Ac yn yr achos unigol y cyfeirioch chi ato, unwaith eto, fe wyddoch na allaf wneud sylwadau arno. Mae gennyf ddiddordeb, wrth gwrs, ym mhob unigolyn sydd â rheswm i gwyno a rheswm i bryderu am y gwasanaeth iechyd. Ond nid oes wahaniaeth a ydynt yn cael eu trin neu'n derbyn gofal yng Nghymru neu yn Lloegr. Rwy'n disgwyl i bobl sy'n comisiynu ac sy'n gyfrifol am y gofal hwnnw gynnal eu diddordeb yn ansawdd y gofal a ddarperir hefyd, gan fod nifer o'r datganiadau rydych wedi'u gwneud heddiw yn peri pryder gwirioneddol ynglŷn ag ansawdd y gofal ac ynglŷn â'r hyn a ddylai fod o ddiddordeb i'r arolygiaethau perthnasol yma ac yn Lloegr, o ystyried difrifoldeb yr hyn a ddisgrifiwyd gennych.
Drwy fy swyddfa, fe edrychaf i weld faint o sylw y mae'r bwrdd iechyd yn parhau i'w roi i hyn a'r ymatebion i'r pryderon a godwyd gan eich etholwr, ei theulu a'i heiriolwyr. Rwy'n cydnabod mai fi sy'n gyfrifol am y system gyfan, y rhannau da a'r rhannau y mae angen eu gwella. Nid wyf yn troi cefn ar hynny, a byddaf yn sicr yn mynd i'r afael â'r materion unigol. Buaswn yn ddiolchgar pe gallech ysgrifennu ataf gyda manylion am y tri mater, a byddaf yn sicrhau eu bod yn cael sylw.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Helen Mary Jones.
The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Helen Mary Jones.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I'd like to take the Minister back again to the situation in Cwm Taf. I am aware, of course, that a further statement was made to this Assembly a fortnight ago—I think it was a fortnight ago. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to be present then, but I have had the opportunity to read the Record. And I do accept, as the Minister said in his response to the remarks of my colleague Dr Dai Lloyd, that it isn't possible to entirely transform a culture in a matter of months, but I wonder if the Minister will accept that it's very difficult for people to understand why a service can't be made safe within six months. And can the Minister tell us today when he expects to be able to reassure the people of Merthyr Tydfil and the surrounding areas that that service is safe?
Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Hoffwn holi'r Gweinidog eto am y sefyllfa yng Nghwm Taf. Rwy'n ymwybodol, wrth gwrs, fod datganiad pellach wedi'i wneud i'r Cynulliad hwn bythefnos yn ôl—credaf mai pythefnos yn ôl y'i gwnaed. Yn anffodus, nid oedd modd i mi fod yn bresennol bryd hynny, ond rwyf wedi cael cyfle i ddarllen y Cofnod. Ac rwy'n derbyn, fel y dywedodd y Gweinidog yn ei ymateb i sylwadau fy nghyd-Aelod, Dr Dai Lloyd, nad yw'n bosibl trawsnewid diwylliant yn llwyr mewn ychydig fisoedd, ond tybed a wnaiff y Gweinidog dderbyn ei bod yn anodd iawn i bobl ddeall pam na ellir gwneud gwasanaeth yn ddiogel o fewn chwe mis. Ac a all y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym heddiw pryd y mae'n disgwyl gallu rhoi sicrwydd i bobl Merthyr Tudful a'r cyffiniau fod y gwasanaeth hwnnw'n ddiogel?
Well, I've set out a process of intervention to provide the appropriate reassurance that everyone would want to have, whether they live within the Cwm Taf area or not, about the safety and the prospects for the future of that service, and I've set out not just the independent oversight panel, but the work being done around the board. And I will make statements when I'm in a position to do so. It's really important that I don't give artificial timelines that are about the convenience for me, rather than actually providing the robust reassurance that people would expect and want to see. There's regular engagement that is ongoing between officials and the Government and the health board and between the oversight panel, and, with their next quarterly report, we'll have a view of what's happened within the last quarter as well. That's the honest and objective process set up and it's the one that I'll stick to.
Wel, rwyf wedi nodi proses o ymyrraeth i roi'r sicrwydd priodol y byddai pawb yn dymuno'i gael, p'un a'u bod yn byw yn ardal Cwm Taf ai peidio, ynghylch diogelwch y gwasanaeth hwnnw a'r rhagolygon ar gyfer ei ddyfodol, ac rwyf wedi nodi nid yn unig y panel trosolwg annibynnol, ond y gwaith sy'n mynd rhagddo o amgylch y bwrdd. A byddaf yn gwneud datganiadau pan fyddaf mewn sefyllfa i wneud hynny. Mae'n bwysig iawn nad wyf yn darparu amserlenni artiffisial sy'n gyfleus i mi, yn hytrach na darparu'r sicrwydd cadarn y byddai pobl yn ei ddisgwyl ac yn dymuno'i weld. Mae swyddogion a'r Llywodraeth a'r bwrdd iechyd a'r panel trosolwg yn parhau i ymgysylltu'n rheolaidd, a chyda'u hadroddiad chwarterol nesaf, bydd gennym syniad o'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn ystod y chwarter diwethaf hefyd. Dyna'r broses onest a gwrthrychol sydd wedi'i sefydlu a dyna'r un y byddaf yn cadw ati.
I accept what the Minister says, of course, about not wanting to create artificial timelines, but I certainly know that if I was a woman of child-bearing age living in that region, I would want to know that there was a timeline and that at some point I could expect that service to be safe.
I've received representations, and I know that other colleagues have, suggesting to me—well, proving to me—that the cultural issues, which again I accept can't be changed overnight, in Cwm Taf extend well beyond maternity services. I recently met a family who gave me evidence of grave issues regarding the treatment of both of their elderly parents separately in different parts of the Cwm Taf service over a period of a couple of years. Now, these issues raise similar themes as to some of the issues around women's experiences in the maternity service—issues around lack of respect, around not listening to patients and their families, lack of basic care, like supporting eating and drinking for older people. This family then went on to have a very unsatisfactory experience, again similar to some of those who used maternity services, of the complaints procedure. Can I ask the Minister today whether his current interventions that he has put in place in Cwm Taf will pick up wider concerns like these about culture within the organisation beyond maternity services? And does he accept that there may be a need for him to extend his intervention if such issues are made public?
Rwy’n derbyn yr hyn a ddywed y Gweinidog, wrth gwrs, ynglŷn â pheidio â chreu amserlenni artiffisial, ond rwy’n sicr yn gwybod, pe bawn yn ddynes o oedran cael plant ac yn byw yn y rhanbarth hwnnw, buaswn yn awyddus i wybod bod amserlen ar waith ac y gallwn ddisgwyl i'r gwasanaeth hwnnw fod yn ddiogel ar ryw adeg.
Rwyf wedi derbyn sylwadau, a gwn fod cyd-Aelodau eraill wedi derbyn sylwadau, a oedd yn awgrymu i mi—wel, yn profi i mi—fod y problemau diwylliannol, ac rwy'n derbyn unwaith eto na ellir eu newid dros nos, yng Nghwm Taf yn ymestyn ymhell y tu hwnt i wasanaethau mamolaeth. Yn ddiweddar, cyfarfûm â theulu a roddodd dystiolaeth i mi ynghylch materion difrifol yn ymwneud â thriniaeth eu rhieni oedrannus ar wahân mewn gwahanol rannau o wasanaeth Cwm Taf dros gyfnod o ddwy flynedd. Nawr, mae'r materion hyn yn codi themâu tebyg i rai o'r problemau mewn perthynas â phrofiadau menywod yn y gwasanaeth mamolaeth—problemau sy'n ymwneud â diffyg parch, diffyg gwrando ar gleifion a'u teuluoedd, diffyg gofal sylfaenol, fel cynorthwyo pobl hŷn i fwyta ac yfed. Cafodd y teulu hwn brofiad anfoddhaol iawn, unwaith eto'n debyg i rai o'r bobl a oedd wedi defnyddio gwasanaethau mamolaeth, wrth ddefnyddio'r weithdrefn gwyno. A gaf fi ofyn i'r Gweinidog heddiw a fydd yr ymyriadau presennol a roddwyd ar waith ganddo yng Nghwm Taf yn nodi pryderon ehangach, fel y rhain, ynglŷn â'r diwylliant yn y sefydliad y tu hwnt i wasanaethau mamolaeth? Ac a yw'n derbyn y gallai fod angen iddo gynyddu ei ymyrraeth os daw pethau o'r fath yn gyhoeddus?
In terms of the work that's already being done, you will no doubt have read the comments made by not just the independent oversight panel, but they do extend and they do recognise the more broad improvements that are being made under the leadership of the interim chief executive, and that change in culture is taking place at board level, from the reports provided by David Jenkins. I'm not sure if he's actually given his evidence yet to the health committee. If he hasn't, then I know that's imminent. And you'll understand that there is a real recognition that they need to look across the services provided to reassure themselves at board level that the work they are doing to put right, in particular, challenges in the complaints function actually addresses also the culture and the provision of the service. That's both for staff within the system as well as the people that they care for.
Now, I'm not going to give a hostage to fortune about what may or may not happen in the future. I am, of course, guided and make judgments based on advice, advice given by officials, but also about the tripartite process, along with the chief executive of NHS Wales, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and the Wales Audit Office. If new issues come to light that require further intervention, then I will do that. If those issues do not require further intervention, but still require improvement, I expect that improvement to take place without the need for direct Government intervention.
O ran y gwaith sy'n mynd rhagddo eisoes, mae'n siŵr y byddwch wedi darllen y sylwadau a wnaed nid yn unig gan y panel trosolwg annibynnol, ond maent yn ymestyn ac maent yn cydnabod y gwelliannau mwy eang sy'n cael eu gwneud o dan arweinyddiaeth y prif weithredwr dros dro, a bod newid mewn diwylliant yn digwydd ar lefel y bwrdd, o'r adroddiadau a ddarparwyd gan David Jenkins. Nid wyf yn siŵr a yw wedi rhoi tystiolaeth i'r pwyllgor iechyd eto. Os nad yw wedi gwneud hynny, gwn ei fod ar fin digwydd. Ac fe fyddwch yn deall bod cydnabyddiaeth wirioneddol fod angen iddynt edrych ar draws y gwasanaethau a ddarperir i dawelu eu meddyliau eu hunain ar lefel y bwrdd fod y gwaith y maent yn ei wneud i unioni, yn benodol, heriau yn y swyddogaeth gwyno yn mynd i'r afael hefyd â'r diwylliant a darpariaeth y gwasanaeth. Mae hynny ar gyfer staff yn y system yn ogystal â'r bobl y maent yn gofalu amdanynt.
Nawr, nid wyf am ddenu helynt drwy sôn am yr hyn a allai neu na allai ddigwydd yn y dyfodol. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n cael fy arwain ac yn ffurfio barn ar sail cyngor, cyngor a roddir gan swyddogion, ond hefyd y broses deirochrog, ynghyd â phrif weithredwr GIG Cymru, Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru a Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru. Os daw materion newydd i'r amlwg sy'n gofyn am ymyrraeth bellach, byddaf yn gwneud hynny. Os nad oes angen ymyrraeth bellach ar y materion hynny, ond bod angen eu gwella o hyd, disgwyliaf i'r gwelliannau hynny ddigwydd heb yr angen am ymyrraeth uniongyrchol gan y Llywodraeth.
I'm grateful to the Minister for his response and I'm glad that he mentions the health board himself. I don't know if the Minister has had an opportunity to review the proceedings of last week's health committee, but I can't be the only person who was shocked by some of what David Jenkins, the independent adviser, had to say about the state of the local health board. He was very clear that the scrutiny was profoundly inadequate and when pressed on that, he said that the independent members were only human and could be expected to be told what they believed.
These people are employed to scrutinise the executives. The chair gets paid a minimum of £55,000 a year; the vice-chair a minimum of £45,000; and there are seven independent members paid £10,000 a year each. And yet, David Jenkins was very clear that they were not fit—they are not able to effectively scrutinise. They now, as I understand it—and just as an example of their inability to effectively scrutinise—this summer, let the failed chief executive walk away scot free with no stain on her character whatsoever.
I understand that the board is now being given a 12-month development programme, provided by Deloitte UK. I can't imagine that's coming cheap and I understand that that comes out of the Minister's budget. I have to say that I am at a loss to understand how this number of people who were not capable of scrutinising their executive were allowed to be appointed in the first place. Again, in response to questions from the committee, David Jenkins said that he felt that there were real issues with the appointments process. But, Presiding Officer, I have to say that the Minister has to take responsibility for this. He appointed all those people. He sets the process and yet, they were only human and could be expected to believe what they were told.
Now, we have a situation where we have five out of the seven local health boards in some kind of special measures—
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am ei ymateb ac rwy'n falch iddo sôn am y bwrdd iechyd. Nid wyf yn gwybod a yw'r Gweinidog wedi cael cyfle i adolygu trafodion y pwyllgor iechyd yr wythnos diwethaf, ond does bosibl mai fi oedd yr unig un a gafodd sioc wrth glywed yr hyn oedd gan David Jenkins, y cynghorydd annibynnol, i'w ddweud am gyflwr y bwrdd iechyd lleol. Dywedodd yn glir iawn fod y gwaith craffu yn dra annigonol, a phan gafodd ei holi ynglŷn â hynny, dywedodd mai pobl yw'r aelodau annibynnol wedi'r cyfan ac y gellid disgwyl dweud wrthynt beth roeddent yn ei gredu.
Cyflogir y bobl hyn i graffu ar y swyddogion gweithredol. Mae'r cadeirydd yn cael o leiaf £55,000 y flwyddyn; mae'r is-gadeirydd yn cael o leiaf £45,000; ac mae saith aelod annibynnol yn cael £10,000 y flwyddyn yr un. Ac eto, dywedodd David Jenkins yn glir iawn nad oeddent yn gymwys—nid ydynt yn gallu craffu'n effeithiol. Bellach, yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf—ac fel enghraifft o’u hanallu i graffu’n effeithiol—yr haf hwn, gwnaethant adael i’r prif weithredwr aflwyddiannus ddianc yn ddi-gosb heb unrhyw frycheuyn o gwbl ar ei chymeriad.
Deallaf bellach fod y bwrdd yn cael rhaglen ddatblygu 12 mis, a ddarperir gan Deloitte UK. Ni allaf ddychmygu bod hynny'n rhad a deallaf fod hynny'n dod allan o gyllideb y Gweinidog. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud na allaf ddeall sut y caniatawyd i'r bobl hyn nad oeddent yn gallu craffu ar eu gweithrediaeth gael eu penodi yn y lle cyntaf. Unwaith eto, mewn ymateb i gwestiynau gan y pwyllgor, dywedodd David Jenkins ei fod yn teimlo bod problemau gwirioneddol gyda'r broses benodi. Ond Lywydd, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud bod yn rhaid i'r Gweinidog dderbyn cyfrifoldeb am hyn. Ef a benododd yr holl bobl hynny. Ef sy'n pennu'r broses, ac eto, pobl ydynt wedi'r cyfan a gellid disgwyl iddynt gredu'r hyn a ddywedir wrthynt.
Nawr, mae gennym sefyllfa lle mae gennym bump o'r saith bwrdd iechyd lleol mewn rhyw fath o fesurau arbennig—
That isn't true.
Nid yw hynny'n wir.
—we have people being appointed, who clearly cannot do their job, and then have to have a very, very expensive intervention to enable them to do it. Is it not time for the Minister to acknowledge that the local health board system isn't working? The whole point of it was to have independent scrutiny to be able to scrutinise the professionals. It's clearly not working. Isn't it time for a radical rethink about how our health and care services are governed?
—mae gennym bobl yn cael eu penodi pan fo'n amlwg na allant wneud eu gwaith, ac yna mae'n rhaid iddynt gael ymyrraeth ddrud iawn i'w galluogi i'w wneud. Onid yw'n bryd i'r Gweinidog gydnabod nad yw system y byrddau iechyd lleol yn gweithio? Ei holl bwynt oedd galluogi gwaith craffu annibynnol ar y gweithwyr proffesiynol. Mae'n amlwg nad yw'n gweithio. Onid yw'n bryd ailfeddwl yn sylfaenol ynglŷn â sut y caiff ein gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal eu llywodraethu?
Well, I really do regret the tone and the content of a significant amount of what the Member said.
Wel, rwy'n gresynu at gywair a chynnwys cryn dipyn o'r hyn a ddywedodd yr Aelod.
I bet you do.
Rwy'n siŵr eich bod.
When the Member says that five health boards are in a form of special measures, that is simply not true—simply not true—
Pan ddywed yr Aelod fod pum bwrdd iechyd mewn rhyw ffurf ar fesurau arbennig, nid yw hynny'n wir o gwbl—nid yw'n wir o gwbl—
Well, it's what your independent adviser said.
Wel, dyna a ddywedodd eich cynghorydd annibynnol.
The Member should deal with the range of the facts of the matter and the reality of the commitment to improvement and the reality of what is said. I don't take the Member's recollection and recounting for all of the exact language used by David Jenkins, but I do know, in the meetings that I've had directly with him, his view is that they've done all you could expect them to do to make the improvements that are required. They've shown insight; they've shown a commitment to behave differently and they are behaving differently in the level of scrutiny and oversight you would expect them to have.
We have made changes to the induction process and to how independent members understand the nature of their role and their job. So, we are listening to and learning about what is happening within our system. I don't share the Member's view that a wholesale reorganisation of the way we deliver healthcare and oversight is required. That is exactly what the health service in Wales does not require. And, in fact, all of the independent reviews we've had into our healthcare system, including of course the parliamentary review, have said that actually that is not what we need to do to deliver improvements in our service. I'm committed to improvement in the healthcare system for our staff and the public they serve and I look forward to doing so with all reasonable people across the Chamber and outside it.
Dylai'r Aelod ymdrin â ffeithiau'r mater a realiti'r ymrwymiad i wella, a realiti'r hyn a ddywedir. Nid wyf yn derbyn disgrifiad yr Aelod o union eiriau David Jenkins, ond yn y cyfarfodydd a gefais gydag ef yn uniongyrchol, gwn mai ei farn ef yw eu bod wedi gwneud popeth y gallech ddisgwyl iddynt ei wneud i sicrhau'r gwelliannau sy'n ofynnol. Maent wedi dangos mewnwelediad; maent wedi dangos ymrwymiad i ymddwyn yn wahanol ac maent yn ymddwyn yn wahanol o ran y lefel o graffu a throsolwg y byddech yn ei disgwyl ganddynt.
Rydym wedi gwneud newidiadau i'r broses sefydlu a sut y mae aelodau annibynnol yn deall natur eu rôl a'u swydd. Felly, rydym yn gwrando ar yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn ein system ac yn dysgu amdano. Nid wyf yn rhannu barn yr Aelod fod angen ad-drefnu'r ffordd rydym yn darparu gofal iechyd a throsolwg yn gyfan gwbl. Dyna'n union nad oes ei angen ar y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru. Ac mewn gwirionedd, mae'r holl adolygiadau annibynnol rydym wedi'u cael o'n system gofal iechyd, gan gynnwys yr adolygiad seneddol wrth gwrs, wedi nodi nad dyna sydd angen inni ei wneud i sicrhau gwelliannau yn ein gwasanaeth. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i wella'r system gofal iechyd ar gyfer ein staff a'r cyhoedd y maent yn eu gwasanaethu ac edrychaf ymlaen at wneud hynny gyda'r holl bobl resymol ar draws y Siambr a'r tu allan iddi.
Llefarydd Plaid Brexit, Caroline Jones.
Brexit Party spokesperson, Caroline Jones.
Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, we are, once again, battling an outbreak of measles and mumps amongst university students. Around 30 suspected cases of mumps have hit students at Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University and the University of South Wales. This follows the loss of the UK's measles-free status earlier this year, just three years after we were rid of one of the world's most contagious diseases. The rise of these terrible diseases can be attributed to too few people getting vaccinated. We are ahead of the rest of the UK in vaccine rates, with 92 per cent of the children in Wales receiving the MMR vaccine, but this is still below the target. Minister, what new measures are you considering to increase vaccination rates in Wales, particularly amongst university students?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, unwaith eto, rydym yn brwydro yn erbyn achosion o'r frech goch a chlwy'r pennau ymhlith myfyrwyr prifysgol. Cafwyd oddeutu 30 o achosion tybiedig o glwy'r pennau ymhlith myfyrwyr ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, Prifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd a Phrifysgol De Cymru. Mae hyn yn dilyn colli statws heb frech goch y DU yn gynharach eleni, dair blynedd yn unig ar ôl i ni gael gwared ar un o afiechydon mwyaf heintus y byd. Gellir priodoli'r cynnydd yn y clefydau ofnadwy hyn i'r niferoedd rhy isel o bobl sy'n cael eu brechu. Rydym ar y blaen i weddill y DU o ran cyfraddau brechu, gyda 92 y cant o blant Cymru yn cael y brechlyn MMR, ond mae hyn yn dal i fod yn is na'r targed. Weinidog, pa fesurau newydd rydych yn eu hystyried i gynyddu cyfraddau brechu yng Nghymru, yn enwedig ymhlith myfyrwyr prifysgol?
Actually, the first port of call is to look at the childhood immunisation rates in addition to the potential for catch-up, because if we do safely vaccinate an even higher portion of the population, then that is the best protection for all of us. Public Health Wales, working together with colleagues and public health teams in each of the health boards, are looking again at what to do to raise again the high level of vaccination we already have to improve that even further. But the reason why the UK lost its measles-free status from the World Health Organization was because of the particularly low level of vaccinations being achieved over a period of time in England, where they're down to about 85 per cent. And it does show both the impact of investing in the earlier years part of our health and care system, but it also shows the real damage that has been done by the anti-vaxxer movement, and in particular by the legacy of Dr Wakefield, who is now disgraced and has been struck off, but there are still people prepared to support and promote his work. The real impact is in the compromise that that has left on public health right across United Kingdom, in particular in England, but there are parts of Wales where there are real gaps as well.
Mewn gwirionedd, y dasg gyntaf yw edrych ar gyfraddau imiwneiddio plant yn ychwanegol at y potensial i ddal i fyny, oherwydd pe baem yn brechu cyfran hyd yn oed yn uwch o'r boblogaeth yn ddiogel, dyna fyddai'r amddiffyniad gorau i bob un ohonom. Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, gan weithio gyda chydweithwyr a thimau iechyd y cyhoedd ym mhob un o'r byrddau iechyd, yn edrych eto ar beth y gellir ei wneud i godi'r lefel uchel o frechu sydd gennym eisoes er mwyn gwella hynny hyd yn oed ymhellach. Ond y rheswm pam y collodd y DU ei statws heb frech goch gan Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd oedd oherwydd y lefel arbennig o isel o frechlynnau a gafwyd dros gyfnod o amser yn Lloegr, lle maent wedi cwympo i tua 85 y cant. Ac mae'n dangos effaith buddsoddi yn rhan y blynyddoedd cynnar o'n system iechyd a gofal, ond mae hefyd yn dangos y niwed gwirioneddol a wnaed gan y mudiad gwrth-frechu, ac yn enwedig gan waddol Dr Wakefield, sydd bellach yn destun cywilydd ac wedi'i ddiswyddo, ond mae rhai pobl yn barod i gefnogi a hyrwyddo ei waith o hyd. Yr effaith wirioneddol yw'r perygl y mae hynny wedi'i achosi i iechyd y cyhoedd ledled y Deyrnas Unedig, yn enwedig yn Lloegr, ond ceir bylchau go iawn mewn rhannau o Gymru hefyd.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. Of course, one of the biggest hurdles to increasing vaccination rates is the rise of online misinformation and, as you mentioned, the anti-vax movement. When celebrities and so-called experts are spreading myths and indeed telling lies about vaccines on Facebook and Twitter, it makes the job of Public Health Wales so much harder. Minister, what discussions have you had with your counterparts in the rest of the UK to tackle the misinformation about vaccines, and have you considered a public information campaign to talk about the safety and efficacy of vaccines?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Wrth gwrs, un o'r rhwystrau mwyaf o ran cynyddu cyfraddau brechu yw cynnydd mewn gwybodaeth anghywir ar-lein, ac fel y dywedoch chi, y mudiad gwrth-frechu. Pan fo enwogion ac arbenigwyr honedig yn lledaenu mythau ac yn dweud celwyddau yn wir am frechu ar Facebook a Twitter, mae'n gwneud gwaith Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn llawer anos. Weinidog, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch gyda'ch swyddogion cyfatebol yng ngweddill y DU i fynd i'r afael â gwybodaeth anghywir am frechlynnau, ac a ydych wedi ystyried ymgyrch wybodaeth gyhoeddus i sôn am ddiogelwch ac effeithiolrwydd brechlynnau?
We regularly provide statements to reassure the public about the safety and efficacy of all the vaccines that are provided and the science and the evidence base behind them, as opposed to the suspicion and the growth of fake news in particular, a range of its proponents in a variety of different positions of influence. We're not in a position where we need to consider what Matt Hancock has talked about in terms of trying to make vaccination compulsory. I think that is very difficult to achieve and I think that may cause more harm than good for those who are already not having their children vaccinated, it may drive them even further away.
I think it is about how we persuade and provide evidence from people that they trust, which is why again investing in our earliest years and in services when people are pregnant really matters, about the level of trust that is provided and the assurance about what that means for doing the right thing for them and their children. We'll continue to do so. I think the challenge with wider public information campaigns is that often there's a very poor return. We need to understand where people get their information and who they're likely to be persuaded by to have the biggest return on any investment that we make.
Rydym yn gwneud datganiadau rheolaidd i dawelu meddwl y cyhoedd ynghylch diogelwch ac effeithiolrwydd yr holl frechlynnau a ddarperir a'r wyddoniaeth a'r sylfaen dystiolaeth sy'n sail iddynt, yn hytrach na'r amheuaeth a'r twf mewn newyddion ffug yn enwedig, gydag ystod o'i gefnogwyr sy'n ddylanwadol mewn gwahanol ffyrdd. Nid ydym mewn sefyllfa lle mae angen i ni ystyried yr hyn y mae Matt Hancock wedi sôn amdano o ran ceisio gwneud brechu'n orfodol. Credaf fod hynny'n anodd iawn i'w gyflawni a chredaf y gallai hynny achosi mwy o niwed nag o les i'r rhai nad ydynt eisoes yn brechu eu plant, gan y gallai eu gyrru hyd yn oed ymhellach i ffwrdd.
Credaf fod hyn yn ymwneud â sut rydym yn perswadio ac yn darparu tystiolaeth gan bobl y maent yn ymddiried ynddynt, a dyna pam, unwaith eto, fod buddsoddi yn ein blynyddoedd cynharaf ac mewn gwasanaethau pan fydd pobl yn feichiog yn wirioneddol bwysig, o ran lefel yr ymddiriedaeth a ddarperir a'r sicrwydd ynglŷn â beth y mae hynny'n ei olygu o ran gwneud y peth iawn iddynt hwy a'u plant. Byddwn yn parhau i wneud hynny. Credaf mai'r her gydag ymgyrchoedd gwybodaeth gyhoeddus ehangach yw na cheir fawr ddim enillion yn aml. Mae angen inni ddeall o ble y mae pobl yn cael eu gwybodaeth a chan bwy y maent yn debygol o gael eu perswadio er mwyn sicrhau'r enillion mwyaf ar unrhyw fuddsoddiad a wnawn.
3. Beth yw ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i adroddiad Carers Wales, 'Dilyn y Ddeddf'? OAQ54593
3. What is the Welsh Government's response to the Carers Wales 'Track the Act' report? OAQ54593
It is essential that there is good information about carers' experiences, which is why we funded Carers Wales to produce the 'Track the Act' survey. The recommendations and data are being considered and will be used to shape national carers policy and our work with service providers and stakeholders.
Mae'n hanfodol fod gwybodaeth dda i'w chael am brofiadau gofalwyr, a dyna pam rydym wedi ariannu Gofalwyr Cymru i gynhyrchu arolwg 'Dilyn y Ddeddf'. Mae'r argymhellion a'r data yn cael eu hystyried ac fe'u defnyddir i lunio polisi gofalwyr cenedlaethol a'n gwaith gyda darparwyr gwasanaethau a rhanddeiliaid.
Can I just congratulate Carers Wales, and indeed the Government, on the approach to having post-legislative scrutiny not done by us but done by a key charity? The findings really are quite sobering, saying that parts of the Act are not yet working as we would like. The Minister may have seen that only 45 per cent of those who responded said they'd seen or been given information to help them care, that's a real failing, and that was a drop of 8 per cent on last year. Additionally, 57 per cent of carers responding to the survey said they did not get any support, and indeed only 4 per cent said their own support had come from a package as a result of a carers assessment.
We know unpaid carers are at the heart of our care system, and it's a vital group to be supported. We have good legislation, but we've got to ensure that the support is coming forward. I'm particularly concerned to see even basic things like information giving are still not at a level that we can expect. So, I do hope the Government will be responding thoroughly to the 'Track the Act' report, and that we will get that response and the chance to debate it again here in the Chamber.
A gaf fi longyfarch Gofalwyr Cymru, a'r Llywodraeth yn wir, ar y dull o sicrhau mai elusen allweddol yn hytrach na ni sy'n gwneud y gwaith craffu ôl-ddeddfwriaethol? Mae'r canfyddiadau'n ddigon i'ch sobri, gan y dywedant nad yw rhannau o'r Ddeddf yn gweithio fel yr hoffem iddynt ei wneud hyd yma. Efallai fod y Gweinidog wedi gweld mai 45 y cant yn unig o'r rhai a ymatebodd a ddywedodd eu bod wedi gweld neu wedi cael gwybodaeth i'w helpu i ofalu, ac mae hynny'n fethiant go iawn, ac roedd yn ostyngiad o 8 y cant o gymharu â'r llynedd. Yn ogystal, dywedodd 57 y cant o'r gofalwyr a ymatebodd i'r arolwg nad oeddent yn cael unrhyw gefnogaeth, ac yn wir, 4 y cant yn unig a ddywedodd fod eu cefnogaeth eu hunain wedi dod o becyn o ganlyniad i asesiad gofalwyr.
Gwyddom fod gofalwyr di-dâl yn ganolog i'n system ofal, ac mae'n grŵp hanfodol i'w gefnogi. Mae gennym ddeddfwriaeth dda, ond mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau bod y gefnogaeth yn cael ei darparu. Rwy'n arbennig o bryderus o weld nad yw hyd yn oed pethau sylfaenol fel darparu gwybodaeth ar lefel y gallwn ei disgwyl o hyd. Felly, gobeithiaf y bydd y Llywodraeth yn ymateb yn drylwyr i adroddiad 'Dilyn y Ddeddf', ac y byddwn yn cael yr ymateb hwnnw a'r cyfle i'w drafod eto yma yn y Siambr.
I thank David Melding very much for that question. The information that has come from 'Track the Act' is, obviously, absolutely crucial in taking forward our policies. Some of the recommendations that 'Track the Act' has made we are already carrying out or are committed to. For example, they're very concerned that we do make people more aware of their rights as carers, and we are planning a campaign on awareness this autumn. We're also improving the way that we are able to get data. There's going to be a new performance and improvement framework, which will improve the collection of data from April 2020. We consulted on that in the summer. So, we are taking up many of the recommendations.
Obviously, the reality of how carers experience their day-to-day life is absolutely vital for us, because we want to, as a Government, acknowledge our huge indebtedness to the love and care of carers who, of course, make a huge contribution to Wales. So, all that is in 'Track the Act', and it's the third time we've funded this survey, and of course the other measurements that we're taking, for example, Measuring the Mountain, which again reveals the day-to-day experience of carers. All of that has got to inform our policies.
Of course, some of the figures and some of the issues are very disappointing, really, I think. We're obviously taking that into account. There are other, better figures that have emerged from other reports, for example, the Wales Audit Office report, which did show that, I think, 70 per cent of those who were looking for information, advice and assistance felt that it was an easy thing to do to approach the local authority. So, there are other statistics as well, but I think there's absolutely no doubt that we've got to take into account the views of carers.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i David Melding am ei gwestiwn. Mae'r wybodaeth a gafwyd o 'Dilyn y Ddeddf' yn amlwg yn gwbl hanfodol wrth ddatblygu ein polisïau. Rydym eisoes yn cyflawni neu wedi ymrwymo i rai o'r argymhellion a wnaed gan 'Dilyn y Ddeddf'. Er enghraifft, maent yn awyddus iawn inni sicrhau bod pobl yn fwy ymwybodol o'u hawliau fel gofalwyr, ac rydym yn cynllunio ymgyrch godi ymwybyddiaeth yr hydref hwn. Rydym hefyd yn gwella'r ffordd y gallwn gasglu data. Bydd fframwaith perfformiad a gwella newydd a fydd yn gwella'r broses o gasglu data yn weithredol o Ebrill 2020. Cawsom ymgynghoriad ar hynny yn yr haf. Felly, rydym yn rhoi llawer o'r argymhellion ar waith.
Yn amlwg, mae realiti bywyd gofalwyr o ddydd i ddydd yn gwbl hanfodol i ni, gan ein bod yn awyddus, fel Llywodraeth, i gydnabod ein dyled enfawr i gariad a gofal y gofalwyr sydd, wrth gwrs, yn gwneud cyfraniad enfawr i Gymru. Felly, mae hynny oll wedi'i gynnwys yn 'Dilyn y Ddeddf', a dyma'r trydydd tro i ni ariannu'r arolwg hwn, ac wrth gwrs, y mesuriadau eraill rydym eu gwneud, er enghraifft, Mesur y Mynydd, sydd eto'n datgelu profiadau gofalwyr o ddydd i ddydd. Mae'n rhaid i'r rhain oll lywio ein polisïau.
Wrth gwrs, mae rhai o'r ffigurau a rhai o'r materion yn siomedig iawn, a dweud y gwir. Rydym yn amlwg yn ystyried hynny. Mae ffigurau eraill gwell wedi dod i'r amlwg o adroddiadau eraill, er enghraifft, adroddiad Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru, a ddangosai, rwy'n credu, fod 70 y cant o'r rhai a oedd yn chwilio am wybodaeth, cyngor a chymorth yn teimlo bod mynd at yr awdurdod lleol yn beth hawdd i'w wneud. Felly, mae ystadegau eraill i'w cael hefyd, ond ni chredaf fod unrhyw amheuaeth fod yn rhaid i ni ystyried safbwyntiau gofalwyr.
Unpaid carers are our unsung heroes. Group such as the Newport Carers Forum provide incredibly important work in supporting local carers and their families. They also provide an invaluable platform for carers to support each other and share their experiences. It was a great pleasure for me, along with John Griffiths, to welcome the Deputy Minister to the forum last month to hear first-hand how vital the group is to so many. I know the forum were incredibly grateful that you listened to their concerns and were taking carers' real experiences on board.
One of the issues that was raised was the importance of carers knowing their rights. I'm pleased to hear that there will be a campaign in the autumn, but what further action will the Minister take to ensure that our carers are equipped and that they can find out the information they need when they need it?
Gofalwyr di-dâl yw ein harwyr di-glod. Mae grwpiau fel Fforwm Gofalwyr Casnewydd yn gwneud gwaith hynod bwysig yn cefnogi gofalwyr lleol a'u teuluoedd. Maent hefyd yn darparu llwyfan hynod werthfawr i ofalwyr gefnogi ei gilydd a rhannu eu profiadau. Roedd yn bleser mawr i mi groesawu’r Dirprwy Weinidog, gyda John Griffiths, i’r fforwm y mis diwethaf i glywed o lygad y ffynnon pa mor hanfodol yw’r grŵp i gynifer o bobl. Gwn fod y fforwm yn hynod ddiolchgar i chi am wrando ar eu pryderon ac am ystyried profiadau real y gofalwyr.
Un o'r materion a godwyd oedd pwysigrwydd sicrhau bod gofalwyr yn ymwybodol o'u hawliau. Rwy'n falch o glywed y bydd ymgyrch yn yr hydref, ond pa gamau pellach y bydd y Gweinidog yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod ein gofalwyr wedi'u harfogi ac y gallant gael mynediad at y wybodaeth sydd ei hangen arnynt pan fydd angen?
I thank Jayne Bryant for that question. I found visiting the Newport carers, along with Jayne and John Griffiths, such a valuable occasion. The information, again, directly from carers' experiences is probably the most powerful thing in terms of shaping Government policy.
We are planning, as Jayne has said, to have an awareness campaign on carers' rights. But, we've also revived our ministerial advisory group, with the plan of having an action plan for carers that will be launched next year. One of the key points I hope that we will have in that action plan is maybe a charter or something of that nature, so that carers can be absolutely aware of what all their rights are. I think there are many carers who are not aware of their rights, and we've got to do all we possibly can.
I'd like to thank Jayne and John for the support they're obviously giving to that group and the trust that the members of the group did have in them. I hope that we will be able to use the proposals that they made when we move forward with our action plan.
Diolch i Jayne Bryant am ei chwestiwn. Roedd ymweld â gofalwyr Casnewydd gyda Jayne a John Griffiths yn achlysur mor werthfawr. Mae'n debyg mai'r wybodaeth uniongyrchol am brofiadau gofalwyr yw'r peth mwyaf pwerus o ran llunio polisi'r Llywodraeth.
Fel y dywedodd Jayne, rydym yn bwriadu cael ymgyrch i godi ymwybyddiaeth o hawliau gofalwyr. Ond rydym hefyd wedi adfywio ein grŵp cynghori gweinidogol, gyda'r bwriad o lunio cynllun gweithredu ar gyfer gofalwyr i'w lansio y flwyddyn nesaf. Un o'r pwyntiau allweddol a fydd gennym yn y cynllun gweithredu hwnnw, rwy'n gobeithio, yw siarter efallai, neu rywbeth o'r fath, fel y gall gofalwyr fod yn gwbl ymwybodol o'u holl hawliau. Credaf fod llawer o ofalwyr nad ydynt yn ymwybodol o'u hawliau, ac mae'n rhaid inni wneud popeth yn ein gallu.
Hoffwn ddiolch i Jayne a John am y gefnogaeth y maent yn amlwg yn ei rhoi i'r grŵp hwnnw a'r ffydd oedd gan aelodau'r grŵp ynddynt. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd modd inni ddefnyddio'r argymhellion a luniwyd ganddynt wrth inni fwrw ymlaen gyda'n cynllun gweithredu.
4. A wnaiff y Gweinidog amlinellu sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi arloesi digidol o fewn gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal? OAQ54576
4. Will the Minister outline how the Welsh Government is supporting digital innovation within health and care services? OAQ54576
Yes, thank you. Digital innovation is a key driver of change. 'A Healthier Wales' sets out our commitment to support the use of digital technologies to improve health and care services in Wales. This includes significant additional investment in digital priorities and builds on existing support for technology innovation and adoption.
Iawn, diolch. Mae arloesi digidol yn allweddol i sbarduno newid. Mae 'Cymru Iachach' yn nodi ein hymrwymiad i gefnogi'r defnydd o dechnolegau digidol i wella gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru. Mae hyn yn cynnwys buddsoddiad ychwanegol sylweddol mewn blaenoriaethau digidol ac yn adeiladu ar y gefnogaeth sy'n bodoli eisoes i arloesi technolegol a mabwysiadu technoleg.
Thank you, Minister. I was pleased to read your written statement from 30 September on digital health and care and showing that progress is being made, and it's certainly something that I see as making a real difference on the front line in visits that I have carried out to various projects within my constituency. I've previously raised issues around how digital health and care can support my constituents through things like electronic referrals, but also exciting examples that I've seen such as the neighbourhood nursing model, using the Malinko software, which is being piloted in the north Cynon cluster. I note in your written statement your comments around ensuring that stakeholders are fully signed up to this agenda, and it seems to me that we have a plethora of good practice in certain areas in Wales. So, I'd be interested to learn more about how you intend to ensure that this good practice can be spread, and that all stakeholders can be signed up to this really important agenda.
Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. Roeddwn yn falch o ddarllen eich datganiad ysgrifenedig ar 30 Medi ar iechyd a gofal digidol a ddangosai fod cynnydd yn cael ei wneud, ac yn sicr mae'n rhywbeth y gwelaf ei fod yn gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol ar y rheng flaen mewn ymweliadau â gwahanol brosiectau yn fy etholaeth. Rwyf wedi tynnu sylw o'r blaen at sut y gall iechyd a gofal digidol gefnogi fy etholwyr drwy bethau fel atgyfeiriadau electronig, ac enghreifftiau cyffrous hefyd a welais megis y model nyrsio cymdogaeth, gan ddefnyddio meddalwedd Malinko, sy'n cael ei dreialu yng nghlwstwr gogledd Cynon. Sylwaf yn eich datganiad ysgrifenedig ar eich sylwadau ynghylch sicrhau bod rhanddeiliaid yn ymrwymo'n llwyr i'r agenda hon, ac mae'n ymddangos i mi fod gennym lawer iawn o arferion da mewn rhai ardaloedd yng Nghymru. Felly, hoffwn ddysgu mwy ynglŷn â sut y bwriadwch sicrhau y gellir lledaenu'r arfer da hwn, ac y gall pob rhanddeiliad ymrwymo i'r agenda wirioneddol bwysig hon.
Some of it is looking at how we are reforming our digital architecture in Wales, the successor role to NHS Wales Informatics Service, as part of a special health authority, but more broadly, again, about the culture, and the role that we think that the chief digital officer for health and care can play to both advise the Government on future strategy, but also to lead the digital health and care profession in Wales and to be a champion for the future of digital health and care here in Wales. It also goes into one of the recommendations from the Health and Social Care Committee inquiry into community and district nursing—the one we accepted about making sure there's proper investment to enable people to have hand-held devices with appropriate technology to enable them to do their job more effectively. So, this is not necessarily about innovation that is entirely new and different; it's actually about how we help them to be even more effective in their job with the way that we go about living our everyday lives and using hand-held devices. You can expect to see more of that and to see it more consistently adopted through our system. The challenge will be not to choke off innovation, but to be able to make choices in—[Inaudible]—to make sure we really do have adaptability between each of the different parts of our health and care system.
Mae rhywfaint ohono'n ymwneud ag ystyried sut y diwygiwn ein pensaernïaeth ddigidol yng Nghymru, y rôl sy'n olynu Gwasanaeth Gwybodeg GIG Cymru, fel rhan o awdurdod iechyd arbennig, ond yn fwy cyffredinol, unwaith eto, ynghylch y diwylliant, a'r rôl y credwn y gallai'r prif swyddog digidol ar gyfer iechyd a gofal ei chwarae i gynghori'r Llywodraeth ar strategaeth yn y dyfodol, ond hefyd i arwain y proffesiwn iechyd a gofal digidol yng Nghymru ac i hyrwyddo dyfodol iechyd a gofal digidol yma yng Nghymru. Mae hefyd yn ymwneud ag un o argymhellion ymchwiliad y Pwyllgor Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol i nyrsio cymunedol a nyrsys ardal—yr un a dderbyniwyd gennym ynglŷn â sicrhau buddsoddiad priodol i alluogi pobl i gael dyfeisiau llaw gyda thechnoleg briodol i'w galluogi i wneud eu gwaith yn fwy effeithiol. Felly, nid yw hyn o reidrwydd yn ymwneud ag arloesi sy'n hollol newydd a gwahanol; mewn gwirionedd, mae'n ymwneud â sut rydym yn eu helpu i fod hyd yn oed yn fwy effeithiol yn eu gwaith gyda'r ffordd yr awn ati i fyw ein bywydau bob dydd a defnyddio dyfeisiau llaw. Gallwch ddisgwyl gweld mwy o hynny a'i weld yn cael ei fabwysiadu'n fwy cyson drwy ein system. Yr her fydd peidio â thagu arloesedd, ond i allu gwneud dewisiadau mewn—[Anghlywadwy]—i wneud yn siŵr bod gennym hyblygrwydd go iawn rhwng pob un o'r gwahanol rannau o'n system iechyd a gofal.
Minister, I do actually acknowledge the work that you have undertaken to digitalise some patient records through the Welsh community care information system. However, serious problems do remain. During a recent meeting of elected Members in north Wales with the health board, there was unanimous support for the need to take action to address the fact that hospitals are simply not able to communicate with each other. For instance, if I was to go into Ysbyty Gwynedd with an issue, and perhaps I'd been in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd a couple of weeks ago, the notes in Bangor wouldn't pick up on the fact. In other words, the hospitals don't talk to one another. The health board chief exec and the chairman of the board have said it's a real problem when wanting to deliver safe and practical healthcare.
But in addition to hospitals struggling, I know that care homes are struggling to access patient information too, and nursing homes. That just sounds in this day and age really bizarre, and this could actually be negatively affecting over 15,000 people aged 65 or over who actually are residing in care homes. So, what consideration have you given to ensuring that our care homes and nursing homes are able to tap into the health systems on their patients, and also that they have relevant access to digital patient records and that, most importantly, we do have clear digitalised information that is able to translate across all our hospitals.
Weinidog, rwy'n cydnabod y gwaith a wnaethoch ar ddigidoleiddio rhai cofnodion cleifion drwy system wybodaeth gofal cymunedol Cymru. Fodd bynnag, mae problemau difrifol yn parhau. Yn ystod cyfarfod diweddar rhwng Aelodau etholedig yng ngogledd Cymru a'r bwrdd iechyd, cafwyd cefnogaeth unfrydol i'r angen i weithredu er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r ffaith nad yw ysbytai'n gallu cyfathrebu â'i gilydd. Er enghraifft, pe bawn i'n mynd i Ysbyty Gwynedd oherwydd problem, ac efallai i mi fod yn Ysbyty Glan Clwyd ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, ni fyddai'r nodiadau ym Mangor yn nodi'r ffaith honno. Mewn geiriau eraill, nid yw'r ysbytai'n siarad â'i gilydd. Mae prif weithredwr y bwrdd iechyd a chadeirydd y bwrdd wedi dweud ei bod yn broblem wirioneddol pan fo angen darparu gofal iechyd diogel ac ymarferol.
Ond ar wahân i'r ysbytai sy'n cael trafferth, gwn fod cartrefi gofal yn ei chael hi'n anodd cael gafael ar wybodaeth am gleifion hefyd, a chartrefi nyrsio. Mae hynny'n swnio'n rhyfedd iawn yn yr oes sydd ohoni, a gallai hyn gael effaith negyddol ar dros 15,000 o bobl 65 oed neu hŷn sy'n byw mewn cartrefi gofal. Felly, pa ystyriaeth a roesoch i sicrhau bod ein cartrefi gofal a'n cartrefi nyrsio yn gallu manteisio ar y systemau iechyd ar eu cleifion, a hefyd eu bod yn cael mynediad perthnasol at gofnodion digidol ar gyfer cleifion ac yn bwysicaf oll, fod gennym wybodaeth wedi'i digidoleiddio'n glir y gellir ei throsglwyddo i'n holl ysbytai.
There are two quite different things that the Member said there. One is about making sure that parts of our healthcare system can talk to each other—in particular, in the hospital-based part of the system. That certainly is work that is ongoing with further investment and expectations being made, and I've actually seen examples of innovation in exactly this space on my recent visit to north Wales.
The second point you made I think is rather more confusing and, actually, to make sure that we get a proper answer, it might be helpful to be really clear about what the Member's asking for. So, I'd ask you to follow up in writing, because access to care homes, and who in a care home has access to that—well, you need to understand who that actually is. Are you talking about registered healthcare professionals providing direct care or healthcare, or are you talking about the management level? It's really important to understand who has ownership of that data, if it's the person, and how that data is shared, and our systems to allow that to be undertaken, with proper information governance around that. It might be helpful if the Member wrote to me on the particular issue that she sees, and then I'll get her a proper answer to deal with that.
Fe ddywedodd yr Aelod ddau beth cwbl wahanol yn y fan honno. Mae a wnelo un â sicrhau bod rhannau o'n system gofal iechyd yn gallu siarad â'i gilydd—yn benodol, yn y rhan o'r system sydd wedi'i lleoli yn yr ysbyty. Yn sicr, mae hwnnw'n waith sy'n mynd rhagddo gyda buddsoddiad a disgwyliadau pellach, a gwelais enghreifftiau o arloesi yn yr union faes hwn ar fy ymweliad â gogledd Cymru yn ddiweddar.
Rwy'n credu bod yr ail bwynt a wnaethoch yn fwy dryslyd ac mewn gwirionedd, er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn cael ateb priodol, efallai y byddai'n ddefnyddiol bod yn glir iawn ynglŷn â'r hyn y mae'r Aelod yn gofyn amdano. Felly, rwyf am ofyn i chi fynd ar drywydd hyn yn ysgrifenedig, gan fod mynediad at gartrefi gofal, a phwy mewn cartref gofal sy'n cael mynediad at hynny—wel, mae angen i chi ddeall pwy a olygir mewn gwirionedd. A ydych yn sôn am weithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol cofrestredig sy'n darparu gofal uniongyrchol neu ofal iechyd, neu a ydych chi'n sôn am y lefel reoli? Mae'n bwysig iawn deall pwy sy'n berchen ar y data, os mai'r person, a sut y rhennir y data hwnnw, a'n systemau i ganiatáu i hynny gael ei wneud, a llywodraethu gwybodaeth yn briodol o gwmpas hynny. Efallai y byddai'n ddefnyddiol pe bai'r Aelod yn ysgrifennu ataf ynghylch y mater penodol y mae'n ei weld, ac yna fe roddaf ateb priodol i ymdrin â hynny.
5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am hygyrchedd cyfleusterau ar gyfer y rhai ag anableddau corfforol ym Mhowys? OAQ54571
5. Will the Minister make a statement on the accessibility of facilities for those with physical disabilities in Powys? OAQ54571
We're committed to ensuring equal access to facilities for disabled people in Wales, in line with our recently published framework of action on independent living. I understand Powys Teaching Health Board is undertaking some positive work across its sites to improve access to facilities for disabled people.
Rydym wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau mynediad cyfartal at gyfleusterau i bobl anabl yng Nghymru, yn unol â'n fframwaith gweithredu ar fyw'n annibynnol a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar. Rwy'n deall bod Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys yn gwneud gwaith cadarnhaol ar draws ei safleoedd i wella mynediad at gyfleusterau i bobl anabl.
Thank you for your answer, Deputy Minister. No doubt you will agree with me that the standard accessible toilet does not meet the needs of all people with physical disabilities, such as those suffering from spinal injuries or multiple sclerosis, for example, and, often, people, of course, need the extra equipment and space to allow them to use a toilet safely and comfortably. My understanding is that in NHS trusts in England there is specific funding that can be applied for to install changing places, toilet facilities. I wonder if could you outline, Deputy Minister, what the Welsh Government is doing to improve the accessibility of Changing Places toilet facilities for use by those people who have physical or multiple learning difficulties, which, I think, are certainly few and far between across Wales. That's certainly the case in my Montgomeryshire constituency.
Diolch am eich ateb, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Mae'n siwr y cytunwch â mi nad yw'r toiled hygyrch safonol yn diwallu anghenion pawb sydd ag anableddau corfforol, megis y rhai sy'n dioddef o anafiadau i'r cefn neu sglerosis ymledol er enghraifft, ac yn aml, mae angen cyfarpar a lle ychwanegol ar bobl i ganiatáu iddynt ddefnyddio toiled yn ddiogel ac yn gysurus. Yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, mewn ymddiriedolaethau GIG yn Lloegr ceir cyllid penodol y gellir gwneud cais amdano i osod cyfleusterau toiled Changing Places. Tybed a allech amlinellu, Ddirprwy Weinidog, beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella hygyrchedd cyfleusterau toiled Changing Places i bobl sydd ag anawsterau corfforol neu anawsterau dysgu lluosog, cyfleusterau sy'n sicr yn brin iawn ledled Cymru. Mae hynny'n bendant yn wir yn fy etholaeth i yn Sir Drefaldwyn.
I thank Russell George for that question. It is obviously very important that we do have Changing Places widely available for people who do need them and I'm pleased to say that we've got one in the National Assembly for Wales and we've got one in Aberystwyth, in our building in Aberystwyth. I believe there are 45 across Wales, and I know that in your local health board that there's a Changing Places at Brecon hospital, which is the first fully accessible facility across Powys's hospital sites. So, that is progress, and also I understand as part of major refurbishment works at Llandrindod.
But it's obviously really important that we do enable and help this to happen. Building regulations are already encouraging in certain buildings the provision of enlarged, unisex toilets, incorporating an adult changing table, and my colleague Julie James, the Minister for Housing and Regeneration, has instructed officials to consider options to increase the provision of Changing Places toilets where the building regulations apply. So, it is possible to use the building regulations to ensure that Changing Places toilets are available.
Diolch i Russell George am y cwestiwn hwnnw. Mae'n amlwg yn bwysig iawn i ni sicrhau bod toiledau Changing Places ar gael yn eang i bobl sydd eu hangen ac rwy'n falch o ddweud bod gennym un yng Nghynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru a bod gennym un yn ein hadeilad yn Aberystwyth. Credaf fod 45 ar draws Cymru, ac rwy'n gwybod bod toiled Changing Places yn eich bwrdd iechyd lleol, yn Ysbyty Aberhonddu, sef y cyfleuster cyntaf sy'n gwbl hygyrch ar draws safleoedd ysbyty Powys. Felly, mae hynny'n gynnydd, a hefyd fel rhan o waith adnewyddu mawr yn Llandrindod, rwy'n deall.
Ond mae'n amlwg yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn galluogi ac yn helpu hyn i ddigwydd. Mae rheoliadau adeiladu eisoes yn annog darparu toiledau neillryw mwy o faint mewn rhai adeiladau, sy'n cynnwys bwrdd newid i oedolion, ac mae fy nghyd-Aelod Julie James, y Gweinidog Tai ac Adfywio, wedi cyfarwyddo swyddogion i ystyried opsiynau i gynyddu'r ddarpariaeth o doiledau Changing Places lle mae'r rheoliadau adeiladu yn gymwys. Felly, mae'n bosibl defnyddio'r rheoliadau adeiladu i sicrhau bod toiledau Changing Places ar gael.
6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i bobl yng Nghymru sydd wedi cael diagnosis o glefyd Parkinson? OAQ54592
6. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's support for people in Wales diagnosed with Parkinson's disease? OAQ54592
Yes. I recognise the challenges that people living with Parkinson’s disease face and the impact it has on carers, friends and families. That is why we are working with our health board’s specialist Parkinson’s teams to help people living with Parkinson’s disease and their carers to get the support they need and deserve.
Iawn. Rwy'n cydnabod yr heriau y mae pobl sy'n byw gyda chlefyd Parkinson yn eu hwynebu a'r effaith y mae'n ei chael ar ofalwyr, ffrindiau a theuluoedd. Dyna pam rydym yn gweithio gyda thimau Parkinson arbenigol ein byrddau iechyd i helpu pobl sy'n byw gyda chlefyd Parkinson a'u gofalwyr i gael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt ac y maent yn ei haeddu.
I was recently made aware of an organisation called the Cure Parkinson's Trust, which funds significant research in its mission to improve therapies and ultimately find a cure for Parkinson's disease. My grandfather passed away with Parkinson's disease many years ago. A constituent, David Murray, who is a former member of Newport City Council, is a trustee of the organisation. He lives himself with Parkinson's. I went to see him just the other day. He campaigns tirelessly for people with this condition. The trust is holding an important research update meeting in London next Monday, 28 October, and the life sciences sector is an increasingly important part of Wales's economy and there's a need to develop and better co-ordinate joint neurological research efforts for the benefit of the people of Wales with those that are going on across the border, and that's part of the purpose of the meeting that's taking place. I appreciate it's very short notice for the Minister, but would he be willing to either attend that meeting himself or send officials to that meeting in order to hold discussions about how approaches to research into Parkinson's can be better co-ordinated?
Cefais wybod yn ddiweddar am sefydliad o'r enw Cure Parkinson's Trust, sy'n ariannu ymchwil sylweddol yn ei genhadaeth i wella therapïau a chanfod gwellhad yn y pen draw i glefyd Parkinson. Bu farw fy nhad-cu o glefyd Parkinson flynyddoedd lawer yn ôl. Mae un o fy etholwyr, David Murray, sy'n gyn-aelod o Gyngor Dinas Casnewydd, yn un o ymddiriedolwyr y sefydliad. Mae'n byw gyda chlefyd Parkinson ei hun. Euthum i'w weld y diwrnod o'r blaen. Mae'n ymgyrchu'n ddiflino dros bobl sydd â'r cyflwr hwn. Mae'r ymddiriedolaeth yn cynnal cyfarfod diweddaru ymchwil pwysig yn Llundain ddydd Llun nesaf, 28 Hydref, ac mae'r sector gwyddorau bywyd yn rhan gynyddol bwysig o economi Cymru ac mae angen datblygu a chydgysylltu cydymdrechion ymchwil niwrolegol yn well â'r rhai sy'n digwydd dros y ffin er budd pobl Cymru, a dyna ran o bwrpas y cyfarfod sy'n digwydd. Rwy'n sylweddoli nad yw'n rhoi llawer o rybudd i'r Gweinidog, ond a fyddai'n fodlon mynychu'r cyfarfod ei hun neu anfon swyddogion i'r cyfarfod er mwyn cynnal trafodaethau ynglŷn â sut y gellir cydgysylltu agweddau ar ymchwil i glefyd Parkinson yn well?
Yes, I can confirm that I've got a full programme of ministerial business that means that I won't be able to attend myself. I'll check with my officials about the level of our engagement with the Cure Parkinson's Trust. I don't think there has been official engagement with officials at present, but I want to say it's not just about whether they can or can't attend the short-notice event next week, but to understand the ongoing work that is already going in this field and a potential role, or otherwise, for the Cure Parkinson's Trust.
I think it is important to recognise that with the range of conditions we have today, it is possible there will be not just treatments to slow down the progression of the disease but actually the potential for curative treatments in the future. So, I will maintain an interest and I'll ask my officials to keep me up to date. And I'll happily meet the Member afterwards to get him up to date on where we are together with the Cure Parkinson's Trust.FootnoteLink
Gallaf gadarnhau bod gennyf raglen lawn o fusnes gweinidogol sy'n golygu na fyddaf yn gallu mynychu fy hun. Fe holaf fy swyddogion am lefel ein hymgysylltiad â Cure Parkinson's Trust. Nid wyf yn credu bod unrhyw gysylltiad swyddogol â swyddogion ar hyn o bryd, ond rwyf am ddweud nad mater syml o allu neu fethu mynd i'r digwyddiad ar fyr-rybudd yr wythnos nesaf yw hyn, ond yr angen i ddeall y gwaith parhaus sydd eisoes yn mynd rhagddo yn y maes hwn a rôl bosibl, neu fel arall, i Cure Parkinson's Trust.
Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig cydnabod, gyda'r ystod o gyflyrau sydd gennym heddiw, ei bod yn bosibl nid yn unig y bydd triniaethau ar gael i arafu datblygiad y clefyd ond hefyd y potensial ar gyfer triniaethau iachaol yn y dyfodol. Felly, byddaf yn parhau i fod â diddordeb a byddaf yn gofyn i fy swyddogion roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i mi. Ac rwy'n fwy na pharod i gyfarfod â'r Aelod wedyn i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf iddo ynglŷn â ble rydym arni o ran ein cysylltiad â Cure Parkinson's Trust.FootnoteLink
7. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? OAQ54585
7. How is the Welsh Government supporting mental health services in Mid and West Wales? OAQ54585
We're providing support in a number of ways, including increasing our investment in the mental health ring fence across Wales to £679 million in 2019-20. We're also investing in prevention and early intervention in mid and west Wales, for example through our schools inreach and social prescribing pilots.
Rydym yn darparu cymorth mewn nifer o ffyrdd, gan gynnwys cynyddu ein buddsoddiad mewn trefniadau clustnodi ar gyfer iechyd meddwl ledled Cymru i £679 miliwn yn 2019-20. Rydym hefyd yn buddsoddi mewn atal ac ymyrraeth gynnar yng nghanolbarth a gorllewin Cymru, er enghraifft drwy ein cynlluniau mewngymorth ysgolion a chynlluniau presgripsiynu cymdeithasol.
Thank you for that answer, but this month the innovative out-of-hours mental health service, the Twilight Sanctuary, is being launched in Llanelli, and the service that is run by Mind and Hafal was commissioned by Hywel Dda health board, Dyfed-Powys Police and Carmarthenshire council. And it's one of the first projects from the transforming mental health programme and the first of its kind in Wales. It's a great example of what can be achieved by working collaboratively. It'll allow people with deteriorating mental health to access help when services are usually closed, and that would be Thursday to Sunday, between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. in the morning. Minister, what I'd be keen to know is if you are aware, after this pilot—if that's what it is—has been assessed, to launch similar programmes across mid and west Wales.
Diolch am eich ateb, ond y mis hwn mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl arloesol y tu allan i oriau arferol, The Twilight Sanctuary, yn cael ei lansio yn Llanelli, ac fe gomisiynwyd y gwasanaeth sy'n cael ei redeg gan Mind a Hafal gan fwrdd iechyd Hywel Dda, Heddlu Dyfed-Powys a Chyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin. Ac mae'n un o brosiectau cyntaf y rhaglen trawsnewid iechyd meddwl a'r cyntaf o'i fath yng Nghymru. Mae'n enghraifft wych o'r hyn y gellir ei gyflawni drwy weithio ar y cyd. Bydd yn galluogi pobl ag iechyd meddwl sy'n dirywio i gael help pan fydd gwasanaethau fel arfer ar gau, sef rhwng dydd Iau a dydd Sul, rhwng 6 p.m. a 2 a.m. yn y bore. Weinidog, rwy'n awyddus i weld a ydych yn gwybod, ar ôl i'r cynllun peilot hwn—os mai dyna ydyw—gael ei asesu, a fwriedir lansio rhaglenni tebyg ar draws canolbarth a gorllewin Cymru.
Yes, I will be interested in the evaluation from the pilot to understand not if it's applicable to mid and west Wales but, actually, if it's potential national learning as well. In the transformation fund that we launched alongside 'A Healthier Wales', we were really clear about wanting to understand projects that weren't just applicable to a small community but had the potential to scale up to a region and across the country. I'm always interested in supporting and understanding innovation, including understanding when that innovation may not lead to that wider spread, but to understand what learning we can take from that and what we do about the whole system. It is worth noting that the transforming mental health services programme that Hywel Dda started and launched in September 2017 is aligned with the vision and the values that underpin 'A Healthier Wales'. So, yes, I'll maintain an interest and, at some point, it may be possible to visit together with the constituency Member.
Bydd gennyf ddiddordeb yn y gwerthusiad o'r peilot, nid i weld a oes modd ei ddefnyddio yng nghanolbarth a gorllewin Cymru, ond i weld a yw'n cynnig gwersi cenedlaethol hefyd. Yn y gronfa drawsnewid a lansiwyd gennym ochr yn ochr â 'Cymru Iachach', roeddem yn glir iawn ynglŷn â'n hawydd i ddeall prosiectau a oedd nid yn unig yn gymwys i gymuned fach ond a oedd â photensial i gael eu gwneud ar raddfa fwy ar gyfer rhanbarth ac ar draws y wlad. Mae gennyf ddiddordeb bob amser mewn cefnogi a deall arloesedd, gan gynnwys deall pan na fydd arloesedd o'r fath yn arwain at ledaeniad ehangach o bosibl, ond i ddeall pa wersi y gallwn eu dysgu ohono a beth a wnawn am y system gyfan. Mae'n werth nodi bod y rhaglen trawsnewid gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl a ddechreuwyd ac a lansiwyd gan Hywel Dda ym mis Medi 2017 yn cyd-fynd â'r weledigaeth a'r gwerthoedd sy'n sail i 'Cymru Iachach'. Felly, byddaf yn parhau i fod â diddordeb ac ar ryw adeg, efallai y bydd yn bosibl ymweld â'r prosiect gyda'r Aelod etholaeth.
Cwestiwn 8, yn olaf, Llyr Gruffydd.
Finally, question 8, Llyr Gruffydd.
8. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y defnydd o ymgynghorwyr allanol gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr? OAQ54597
8. Will the Minister make a statement on the use of external consultants by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board? OAQ54597
The health board uses external consultants to provide additional expertise in specific areas. This has recently included specialist turnaround expertise to urgently address its financial position and deliver on the recommendations and feedback from the Public Accounts Committee and the finance delivery unit.
Mae'r bwrdd iechyd yn defnyddio ymgynghorwyr allanol i ddarparu arbenigedd ychwanegol mewn meysydd penodol. Yn ddiweddar, mae hyn wedi cynnwys arbenigedd datrys problemau i fynd i'r afael â'i sefyllfa ariannol ar frys a chyflawni'r argymhellion ac adborth gan y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus a'r uned cyflenwi cyllid.
Wel, un o’r bobl hynny yw Philip Burns, sydd wedi cael ei gyflogi gan y bwrdd, mae’n debyg, i fod yn rhan o’r broses o geisio adnabod cyfleoedd i arbed pres. Nawr, yn ôl y sôn, mae e’n cael ei dalu £2,000 y dydd, ynghyd â chostau i deithio nôl ac ymlaen o Marbella. Dwi wedi gofyn i’r bwrdd iechyd i gadarnhau ydy hyn yn wir ers dros fis. Dwi ddim wedi cael ymateb, ac felly dwi wedi cael fy ngorfodi i gyflwyno cais rhyddid gwybodaeth.
Nawr, dyma’r gŵr, wrth gwrs, mae’n debyg, sydd y tu ôl i’r bwriad i newid rotas nyrsys—rhywbeth sydd wedi achosi cryn ofid ymhlith nyrsys yn y gogledd ac, yn wir, wedi tanseilio llawer o’r ewyllys da sydd rhwng nyrsys a’u cyflogwyr. Nawr, mae’n debyg bod ei gyflog e’n fwy sylweddol na’r arbedion fydd hynny’n yn eu cynhyrchu. Ond ta waith am hynny, fy nghwestiwn i yw: oni ddylai fod yna fwy o dryloywder o gwmpas y modd y mae’r bobl allanol yma yn cael eu cyflogi? Ac onid ydych chi’n cytuno â fi ei bod hi’n gwbl annerbyniol fy mod i wedi cysylltu ers dros fis â’r bwrdd i ofyn am y manylion hynny a fy mod i dal heb gael ateb?
Well, one of those people is Philip Burns, who has been employed by the board, it would seem, to be part of the process of identifying opportunities to save money. Now, apparently, he is paid £2,000 per day, along with travel costs back and forth from Marbella. I’ve asked the health board to confirm whether this is true for over a month, and I’ve not received a response, and therefore I’ve been forced to present a freedom of information request.
Now, this is the man who is, apparently, behind the intention to change nursing rotas, apparently, which is something that’s caused great concern among nurses in north Wales and does undermine much of the goodwill that has existed between nurses and their employers. Now, it appears that his salary is greater than the savings that that would generate. But never mind about that, my question is: shouldn’t there be more transparency around the way these external consultants are employed? And wouldn’t you agree with me that it’s entirely unacceptable that I contacted the board over a month ago to ask for those details but still haven’t had a response?
I think there are a couple of different points. I'm not at all aware whether the interim recovery director is responsible for the ongoing consultation with trade unions around nursing rosters. I don't think that's a fair point to make in this debate.
There is an entirely legitimate question, though, about the transparency on information about the terms on which consultants are engaged and the costs of them. I should point out, though, that the costs in terms of the annual increase are higher within the Welsh system, pretty expected within the English system. We need to deliver a significant turnaround and recovery in the finance function of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and we're at a point where the previous interventions have not worked to deliver the real traction that is required. I expect that health board to deliver against that—not just to come up with a list of opportunities that have not been taken, but actually to make progress on opportunities that do exist to improve their finance function. That does not mean that every single one of those compromises the ability to deliver healthcare of the quality that you and everyone else in this Chamber expects.
Yes, I will, though, talk to the health board about the provision of information, because you should not have to ask over quite such a long period of time for them to provide information that should be available to you and other public representatives.
Rwy'n credu bod yna un neu ddau o wahanol bwyntiau yn codi. Nid wyf yn ymwybodol o gwbl a yw'r cyfarwyddwr adfer dros dro yn gyfrifol am yr ymgynghoriad parhaus ag undebau llafur ynghylch rhestrau dyletswyddau nyrsys. Nid wyf yn credu bod hwnnw'n bwynt teg i'w wneud yn y ddadl hon.
Mae cwestiwn cwbl ddilys, serch hynny, yn codi ynghylch tryloywder gwybodaeth ynglŷn â thelerau cyflogi ymgynghorwyr a'u costau. Er bod y costau o ran y cynnydd blynyddol yn uwch yn y system yng Nghymru, dylwn nodi eu bod at ei gilydd yn debyg i'r disgwyl yn y system yn Lloegr. Mae angen i ni sicrhau bod problemau'n cael eu datrys ac adferiad sylweddol yn digwydd yn swyddogaeth gyllidol Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, ac rydym ar bwynt lle nad yw'r ymyriadau blaenorol wedi gweithio i sicrhau'r newid gwirioneddol sydd ei angen. Disgwyliaf i'r bwrdd iechyd gyflawni hynny—nid yn unig i gynnig rhestr o gyfleoedd nad ydynt wedi'u cymryd, ond i wneud cynnydd mewn gwirionedd ar gyfleoedd sy'n bodoli i wella eu swyddogaeth gyllidol. Nid yw hynny'n golygu bod pob un o'r rheini'n ddieithriad yn peryglu'r gallu i ddarparu gofal iechyd o'r ansawdd rydych chi a phawb arall yn y Siambr hon yn ei ddisgwyl.
Er hynny, byddaf yn siarad â'r bwrdd iechyd ynglŷn â darparu gwybodaeth, oherwydd ni ddylech orfod gofyn dros gyfnod mor hir iddynt ddarparu gwybodaeth a ddylai fod ar gael i chi a chynrychiolwyr cyhoeddus eraill.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau amserol ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf i'w ateb gan y Gweinidog Brexit ac i'w ofyn gan Andrew R.T. Davies.
The next item is the topical questions and the first question is to be answered by the Brexit Minister, and the question is to be asked by Andrew R.T. Davies.
1. Yng ngoleuni Tŷ'r Cyffredin neithiwr yn cymeradwyo bargen Brexit am y tro cyntaf ers y refferendwm ar ffurf Bil Cytundeb Ymadael y Prif Weinidog, a wnaiff y Cwnsler Cyffredinol ddatganiad i'r Cynulliad? 356
1. In light of the House of Commons last night approving a Brexit deal for the first time since the referendum in the form of the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement Bill, will the Counsel General make a statement to the Assembly? 356
Parliament did not approve the damaging Brexit deal. It merely voted in favour of the legislation to progress to the next phase, where I fully expect significant amendments to be made. I'm pleased that Parliament has agreed with this National Assembly that we reject the attempt to bounce this legislation through just to satisfy an artificial deadline set by the Prime Minister.
Ni wnaeth y Senedd gymeradwyo'r cytundeb Brexit niweidiol. Dim ond pleidleisio o blaid y ddeddfwriaeth i symud ymlaen i'r cam nesaf a wnaeth, lle rwy'n llawn ddisgwyl i welliannau sylweddol gael eu gwneud. Rwy'n falch bod y Senedd wedi cytuno â'r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol hwn ein bod yn gwrthod yr ymgais i wthio'r ddeddfwriaeth hon drwodd i gyd-fynd â therfyn amser artiffisial a bennwyd gan y Prif Weinidog.
What was pleasing last night was the Prime Minister recognising, in his closing remarks, that, for the first time since the referendum, Parliament had actually agreed something in wanting the withdrawal agreement to go forward to further stages. What is not entirely clear is exactly why the First Minister here is so hell bent on blocking any progress on this particular issue. Today, for example, he has stood shoulder to shoulder with Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland, and called the withdrawal agreement either 'in purgatory', but it is 'not yet dead'—those are his words that he used at the press conference. Do you not think a more appropriate description of the Bill is that:
'One way or another we will leave the EU with this deal to which this House has just given its assent',
which is what the Prime Minister has said? And, instead of blocking the will of the Welsh people, which was shown in the referendum of 2016, the First Minister should be putting his shoulder to the wheel and working with the Prime Minister to deliver on that referendum result and to deliver on this withdrawal agreement that is agreed with the European Union and is endorsed by the Republic of Ireland as well?
Roedd hi'n braf gweld y Prif Weinidog yn cydnabod neithiwr, yn ei sylwadau i gloi, fod y Senedd, am y tro cyntaf ers y refferendwm, wedi cytuno ar rywbeth drwy fod eisiau i'r cytundeb ymadael symud ymlaen i gyfnodau pellach. Nid yw'n gwbl glir pam yn union y mae Prif Weinidog Cymru mor benderfynol o rwystro unrhyw gynnydd ar y mater hwn. Heddiw, er enghraifft, mae wedi sefyll ysgwydd wrth ysgwydd â Nicola Sturgeon, Prif Weinidog yr Alban, ac wedi dweud bod y cytundeb ymadael 'ym mhurdan', ond 'nad yw'n farw eto'—dyna'r geiriau a ddefnyddiodd yn y gynhadledd i'r wasg. Oni chredwch mai disgrifiad mwy priodol o'r Bil yw:
Un ffordd neu'r llall byddwn yn gadael yr UE gyda'r cytundeb hwn y mae'r Tŷ newydd roi ei gydsyniad iddo,
sef yr hyn a ddywedodd Prif Weinidog y DU? Ac yn hytrach na rhwystro ewyllys pobl Cymru, fel y'i dangoswyd yn refferendwm 2016, dylai Prif Weinidog Cymru arwain y ffordd a gweithio gyda'r Prif Weinidog i gyflawni canlyniad y refferendwm hwnnw a chyflawni'r cytundeb ymadael hwn a gytunwyd gyda'r Undeb Ewropeaidd ac a gymeradwyir gan Weriniaeth Iwerddon hefyd?
Can I just first gently welcome the fact that the Member is choosing to bring a matter related to Brexit to the Chamber? He has spent the last few weeks decrying the fact that the Welsh Government has sought opportunities to discuss Brexit here, so I welcome his conversion to the cause of scrutiny and transparency in the context of Brexit, and maybe he could seek—[Interruption.]—maybe he could seek to persuade his colleagues in Parliament of the virtues of scrutiny and transparency in the same way.
I don't know what it is about this deal that the Member thinks is remotely in the interests of Wales. We would like to be able to debate this on the basis of economic evidence, but, of course, the UK Government hasn't provided that. But what we do know is that the deal does not contain any meaningful guarantee of alignment with the kind of rights that people in Wales are entitled to expect. It contains a 'no deal' trapdoor at the end of 2020 and a deferred 'no deal' prospect. And it fails to provide for the kind of final say on this deal, which, if the Prime Minister had any confidence in the strength of his deal, he'd have no hesitation in putting to the people.
A gaf fi yn gyntaf fentro croesawu'r ffaith bod yr Aelod yn dewis dod â mater sy'n ymwneud â Brexit i'r Siambr? Mae wedi treulio'r wythnosau diwethaf yn dilorni'r ffaith bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi chwilio am gyfleoedd i drafod Brexit yma, felly rwy'n croesawu ei dröedigaeth o blaid craffu a thryloywder yng nghyd-destun Brexit, ac efallai y gallai geisio—[Torri ar draws.]—efallai y gallai geisio perswadio ei gyd-Aelodau yn y Senedd ynglŷn â rhinweddau craffu a thryloywder yn yr un modd.
Nid wyf yn gwybod beth y mae'r Aelod yn credu sydd o fudd i Gymru mewn unrhyw fodd yn y cytundeb hwn. Hoffem allu trafod hyn ar sail tystiolaeth economaidd, ond wrth gwrs, nid yw Llywodraeth y DU wedi darparu hynny. Ond fe wyddom nad yw'r cytundeb yn cynnwys unrhyw warant ystyrlon o ymlyniad wrth y math o hawliau y mae gan bobl yng Nghymru hawl i'w disgwyl. Mae'n cynnwys trapddor 'dim cytundeb' ar ddiwedd 2020 a rhagolwg o 'dim cytundeb' wedi'i ohirio. Ac nid yw'n darparu'r math o lais terfynol ar y cytundeb hwn, na fyddai'r Prif Weinidog, pe bai ganddo unrhyw hyder yng nghryfder ei gytundeb, yn petruso dim cyn ei gyflwyno i'r bobl.
Minister, I don't know whether you had a chance to watch Prime Minister's Questions before today's Plenary session. If you did, you will have seen the SNP Westminster leader ask the Prime Minister whether he conceded that the consent of the devolved Parliaments would be necessary for the withdrawal agreement Bill to proceed. Now, we in this Chamber would normally take that for granted, since they've actually contacted us asking for our explicit consent for the withdrawal agreement Bill to go on, which is what we would expect under the Sewel convention. But Boris Johnson told the House of Commons that the Scottish Parliament, and by extension the Senedd, have no role in approving the deal.
Now, let's be clear what this entails. He's asked this place to give its explicit consent, but he's already now said that he will take no heed of what we say before we've even voted on the LCM, which has only just been published. So, that's really a serious breach of the Sewel convention. Actually, I'd go so far as to say it's constitutional vandalism by a Prime Minister willing to destroy the principles of devolution just to get what he wants—this billionaire's Brexit. So, I'd ask you, Minister—you recently published a set of minimum reforms that should be put in place to save the union. These included putting Sewel on a statutory, even codified, footing, so that Westminster could not legislate in devolved areas without our permission. Do you agree with me that Boris Johnson's trashing of Sewel today means that your proposals, however well meaning, have not only been ignored, but maliciously undermined?
Now, Plaid Cymru's solution to this is clear: we want an independence referendum so all decisions affecting Wales can be made in Wales, guaranteeing that no Westminster Government can damage our country ever again. I know you don't agree with independence, Minister, but could you tell me how you will react to this blatant attack on the Senedd's powers? I'm not talking of words, I'm talking of actions: what will you do to protect our institutional integrity in the face of these continual assaults on devolution by Boris Johnson's morally bankrupt Government?
Weinidog, nid wyf yn gwybod a gawsoch gyfle i wylio'r Cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog cyn y Cyfarfod Llawn heddiw. Os gwnaethoch, byddwch wedi gweld arweinydd yr SNP yn San Steffan yn gofyn i'r Prif Weinidog a oedd yn cyfaddef y byddai angen cydsyniad y Seneddau datganoledig er mwyn i'r Bil cytundeb ymadael fynd yn ei flaen. Nawr, byddem ni yn y Siambr hon fel arfer yn cymryd hynny yn ganiataol, gan eu bod wedi cysylltu â ni yn gofyn am ein cydsyniad penodol i'r Bil cytundeb ymadael fynd yn ei blaen, sef yr hyn y byddem yn ei ddisgwyl o dan gonfensiwn Sewel. Ond dywedodd Boris Johnson wrth Dŷ'r Cyffredin nad oes gan Senedd yr Alban, ac yn sgil hynny, y Senedd hon, unrhyw rôl yn cymeradwyo'r cytundeb.
Nawr, gadewch i ni fod yn glir beth y mae hyn yn ei olygu. Mae wedi gofyn i'r lle hwn roi ei gydsyniad penodol, ond mae eisoes wedi dweud yn awr na fydd yn gwrando ar yr hyn a ddywedwn cyn i ni hyd yn oed bleidleisio ar y cynnig cydsyniad deddfwriaethol sydd newydd ei gyhoeddi. Felly, mae hynny'n achos difrifol o dorri confensiwn Sewel. Mewn gwirionedd, buaswn yn mynd mor bell â dweud ei fod yn fandaliaeth gyfansoddiadol gan Brif Weinidog sy'n barod i ddinistrio egwyddorion datganoli er mwyn cael yr hyn y mae ei eisiau—y Brexit hwn i biliwnyddiwn. Felly, rwyf am ofyn i chi, Weinidog—yn ddiweddar, fe gyhoeddoch chi set o ddiwygiadau sylfaenol y dylid eu rhoi ar waith er mwyn achub yr undeb. Roedd y rhain yn cynnwys rhoi Sewel ar sail statudol, wedi'i chodeiddio hyd yn oed, fel na allai San Steffan ddeddfu mewn meysydd datganoledig heb ein caniatâd ni. A ydych yn cytuno â mi fod y modd mae Boris Johnson wedi diystyru Sewel heddiw yn golygu bod eich cynigion chi, waeth pa mor dda yw eu bwriad, nid yn unig wedi'u hanwybyddu, ond wedi'u tanseilio'n faleisus?
Nawr, mae ateb Plaid Cymru i hyn yn glir: rydym eisiau refferendwm annibyniaeth fel bod modd gwneud pob penderfyniad sy'n effeithio ar Gymru yng Nghymru, gan warantu na all unrhyw Lywodraeth San Steffan niweidio ein gwlad byth eto. Gwn nad ydych yn cytuno ag annibyniaeth, Weinidog, ond a allech ddweud wrthyf sut y byddwch yn ymateb i'r ymosodiad digywilydd hwn ar bwerau'r Senedd hon? Nid wyf yn sôn am eiriau, rwy'n sôn am weithredoedd: beth fyddwch chi'n ei wneud i ddiogelu ein huniondeb sefydliadol yn wyneb yr ymosodiadau parhaus hyn ar ddatganoli gan Lywodraeth anfoesol Boris Johnson?
Well, the UK Government has, of course, written to the Welsh Government seeking the consent of the National Assembly in relation to the withdrawal agreement Bill, and, as she will know from the legislative consent memorandum that the Government has laid, the Government's view is that there are a range of other consents beyond those that the UK Government has sought from the Assembly that we are entitled to expect to be considered. I just don't know, quite candidly, what grasp the Prime Minister has of any of this. It seems to me that he has scant regard for any of the things that we would have regarded as constitutionally uncontroversial at any point in the last century. His attempt to exclude Parliament from consideration of these matters was itself extraordinary, and it comes as no surprise to me that he fails to understand the actions taken by other parts of his Government to seek the consent of this Assembly.
She is right to say that the Welsh Government's position is that Sewel needs reform, and I appreciate her reference to the First Minister's paper published two weeks ago. I think the case made in that document is strengthened by the remarks that she has just reported to this Assembly.
Wel, mae Llywodraeth y DU, wrth gwrs, wedi ysgrifennu at Lywodraeth Cymru yn gofyn am gydsyniad y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol mewn perthynas â Bil y cytundeb ymadael, ac fel y bydd hi'n gwybod o'r memorandwm cydsyniad deddfwriaethol a gyflwynwyd gan y Llywodraeth, barn y Llywodraeth yw bod amryw o gydsyniadau eraill y tu hwnt i'r rhai y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi'u ceisio gan y Cynulliad y mae gennym hawl i ddisgwyl iddynt gael eu hystyried. Yn hollol onest, nid wyf yn gwybod pa ddealltwriaeth sydd gan Brif Weinidog y DU o ddim o hyn. Mae'n ymddangos i mi nad yw'n malio rhyw lawer am nemor ddim o'r pethau y byddem wedi eu hystyried yn annadleuol yn gyfansoddiadol ar unrhyw adeg yn y ganrif ddiwethaf. Roedd ei ymgais i eithrio'r Senedd rhag ystyried y materion hyn ynddo'i hun yn anhygoel, ac nid yw'n syndod i mi nad yw'n deall y camau a gymerwyd gan rannau eraill o'i Lywodraeth i geisio cydsyniad y Cynulliad hwn.
Mae hi'n iawn i ddweud mai safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru yw bod angen diwygio Sewel, ac rwy'n derbyn ei chyfeiriad at bapur Prif Weinidog Cymru a gyhoeddwyd bythefnos yn ôl. Rwy'n credu bod yr achos a wnaed yn y ddogfen honno wedi'i gryfhau gan y sylwadau y mae hi newydd eu hadrodd i'r Cynulliad hwn.
Whilst I share the Welsh Government's reservations about having a line drawn in the middle of the Irish sea, and therefore making Northern Ireland effectively part of the EU, rather than the UK, for trade purposes, isn't the real problem here that the Labour Party, and indeed all of the remainer-supporting parties in the House of Commons, fundamentally will do everything they possibly can—they will use every excuse, however tawdry, threadbare or moth-eaten—to try to prevent Brexit actually being delivered? The people of this country, as he knows, voted in 2016— 17.5 million of them—in the largest democratic vote ever in Britain, to leave the EU. We have remainer Parliaments at Westminster, in Edinburgh and here in Wales, and they are the ones who are putting a spanner in the works. So, all the excuses that he gives for opposing this agreement must be seen in the light of that. Whatever the Government presents, they will be against it, because they want Britain to remain in the EU, unlike the people of this country, who voted to leave.
Er fy mod yn rhannu amheuon Llywodraeth Cymru ynghylch tynnu llinell yng nghanol môr Iwerddon, a gwneud Gogledd Iwerddon yn rhan o'r UE i bob pwrpas, yn hytrach na'r DU, at ddibenion masnach, onid y broblem go iawn yma yw y byddai'r Blaid Lafur, a phob un o'r pleidiau yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin sy'n cefnogi aros yn wir, yn gwneud popeth yn eu gallu yn y bôn—byddant yn defnyddio pob esgus, waeth pa mor denau, gwan a thila—i geisio atal Brexit rhag digwydd mewn gwirionedd? Pleidleisiodd pobl y wlad hon, fel y gŵyr, yn 2016—17.5 miliwn ohonynt—yn y bleidlais ddemocrataidd fwyaf erioed ym Mhrydain, o blaid gadael yr UE. Mae gennym Seneddau yn San Steffan, yng Nghaeredin ac yma yng Nghymru sy'n ffafrio aros, a hwy yw'r rhai sy'n llesteirio pethau. Felly, rhaid gweld yr holl esgusodion a rydd dros wrthwynebu'r cytundeb hwn yng ngoleuni hynny. Beth bynnag a gyflwynir gan y Llywodraeth, byddant yn ei erbyn, oherwydd maent am i Brydain aros yn yr UE, yn wahanol i bobl y wlad, a bleidleisiodd dros adael.
I think there's something quite remarkable about elected representatives and parliamentarians who are prepared to connive and attempt to deny elected representatives the opportunity to scrutinise important legislation. I just think that fails to meet up to the standards the public expect of us. I'll remind the Member, if he needs reminding, that not a single member of the public have been asked to vote on the deal that he has agreed with the European Union—not a single member of the public had that deal in front of them when they cast their vote in 2016, and, if the Prime Minister is as confident as he claims to be about the virtues and value of that deal to the UK, it's about time he put it to the public.
Rwy'n credu bod rhywbeth digon rhyfeddol ynglŷn â chynrychiolwyr etholedig a seneddwyr sy'n barod i gydgynllwynio a cheisio gwadu cyfle i gynrychiolwyr etholedig graffu ar ddeddfwriaeth bwysig. Yn fy marn i, mae hynny'n dangos methiant i gyrraedd y safonau y mae'r cyhoedd yn eu disgwyl gennym. Fe atgoffaf yr Aelod, os oes angen ei atgoffa, na ofynnwyd i unrhyw aelod o'r cyhoedd bleidleisio ar y cytundeb y mae wedi ei gytuno gyda'r Undeb Ewropeaidd—ni chafodd yr un aelod o'r cyhoedd weld y cytundeb hwnnw wrth iddynt fwrw eu pleidlais yn 2016, ac os yw'r Prif Weinidog mor hyderus ag y mae'n honni ei fod ynghylch rhinweddau a gwerth y cytundeb i'r DU, mae'n hen bryd iddo ei roi gerbron y cyhoedd.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog Brexit.
Mae'r cwestiwn nesaf i'w ofyn i'r Gweinidog Economi a Thrafnidiaeth, ac mae'r cwestiwn i'w ofyn gan Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Thank you to the Brexit Minister.
The next question is to be asked of the Minister for Economy and Transport, and the question is to be asked by Rhun ap Iorwerth.
2. Pa drafodaethau fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cynnal gyda’r awdurdodau perthnasol yng ngoleuni’r newyddion trasig bod cyrff 39 o bobl wedi’u darganfod mewn cynhwysydd lori yn Essex ar ôl iddynt ddod i mewn i’r DU trwy Gaergybi? 357
2. What discussions will the Welsh Government hold with the relevant authorities in light of the tragic news that the bodies of 39 people were found in a lorry container in Essex, having entered the UK via Holyhead? 357
Llywydd, I'd like to begin by putting on the record the thoughts of myself and the entire Welsh Government—our thoughts are with the families who are suffering truly horrific news today. You'll understand that I don't have all of the details of this terrible incident, and I think it is right and proper that a full police investigation takes place into the incident. Suffice it to say that, as a Welsh Government, we will, of course, play our full and collaborative part in that investigation relating to our areas of responsibility, in any passage that the vehicle involved may have made through Wales.
Lywydd, hoffwn ddechrau drwy gofnodi fy meddyliau i a holl Lywodraeth Cymru—mae ein meddyliau gyda'r teuluoedd sy'n dioddef yn sgil y newyddion gwirioneddol erchyll heddiw. Fe fyddwch yn deall nad yw'r holl fanylion am y digwyddiad ofnadwy hwn gennyf, ac rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n iawn ac yn briodol fod ymchwiliad llawn yn cael ei gynnal gan yr heddlu i'r digwyddiad. Digon yw dweud wrth gwrs, fel Llywodraeth Cymru, y byddwn yn chwarae ein rhan lawn a chydweithredol yn yr ymchwiliad mewn perthynas â'n meysydd cyfrifoldeb, o ran unrhyw daith y gallai'r cerbyd dan sylw fod wedi'i wneud drwy Gymru.
Diolch am yr ymateb yna, Weinidog. Mae hwn yn achos sy'n torri calon, bod 39 o bobl wedi teimlo'r angen i roi eu bywydau mewn perig fel hyn, a bod y 39 wedi colli eu bywydau mewn ffordd mor erchyll. Mae fy nghydymdeimlad innau efo nhw a'u teuluoedd. Waeth pa mor bell o gartref mae rhywun yn colli bywyd, yr un ydy'r galar. Mae yna lawer o gwestiynau yn codi o'r hyn—cwestiynau dyngarol, yn sicr, am pam mae'r unigolion wedi cael eu gyrru i gymryd y cam yma, ond mae yna gwestiynau ymarferol yn codi hefyd, wrth gwrs.
Thank you for that response, Minister. This is a heartbreaking case, that 39 people felt the need to put their lives at risk in this way and that those 39 people lost their lives in such a horrific manner. My sympathies are with them and their families. No matter how far from home they may have been, the grief is the same. Now, there are many questions arising from this—humanitarian questions, certainly, about why these individuals had been driven to take this step, but there are also practical questions arising too.
What we need to do immediately, I think, is to start to ask some of the practical questions about how and why. These questions need to be asked alongside the police investigations that clearly will be beginning immediately. How is it that this lorry was able to pass through Holyhead undetected in this way? Why did those on board, or others associated with this tragedy, decide that Dublin-Holyhead was to be the chosen crossing? I've heard people complain that somehow EU membership was to blame for Holyhead being a rather too open border. Let me say that decisions to cut jobs over the years at Holyhead have been nothing to do with the EU and far predate any discussions on Brexit; they've been about cuts and austerity and nothing else. So, what assurances have you sought, Minister, about the level of border control staffing at Holyhead, including a lack of permanent immigration enforcement officers? I and others, like the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, Arfon Jones, have long raised concerns about fears of a lack of border resources at Holyhead. The commissioner got a response from the Home Office when he pursued this, saying the Government is aware of the vulnerabilities of the common travel area—aware, perhaps, but what did they do about it in terms of increasing resource?
Alex Carlile QC, when he was a reviewer of anti-terror legislation, was raising issues around border policing and anti-terror measures at Holyhead 20 years ago. In so many ways, Holyhead has been overlooked as a port, I fear. Whilst Dover is firmly on the agenda as the UK's busiest roll-on, roll-off ferry port, Holyhead seems ignored as the second busiest, with about 400,000 lorries passing through annually. This is not acceptable, either in the context of Brexit and the ignoring of Holyhead in the Yellowhammer document, for example, or now in the context of immigration and this tragic loss of human life. As we know, it's thought that the lorry came from Bulgaria and arrived in Wales on Saturday in Holyhead. Seamus Leheny, Northern Ireland policy manager for the Freight Transport Association, is quoted by the Press Association today as saying:
'If the lorry came from Bulgaria,'—
as we believe it did—
'getting into Britain via Holyhead is an unorthodox route.'
He went on to say:
'People have been saying that security and checks have been increased at places like Dover and Calais, so it might be seen as an easier way to get in by going from Cherbourg or Roscoff over to Rosslare, then up the road to Dublin.'
It's a long way around, he said, and it'll add an extra day to the journey. The question I think we need to ask is: has a lack of resource put in by the Home Office in Holyhead made our ports vulnerable and in so doing added to the already significant vulnerability of these 39 who have now been found dead? I spoke with one Holyhead councillor earlier today, Councillor Trefor Lloyd Hughes, about how he too had been raising these concerns for some time. Will you join him and me in inviting Home Office Ministers to Holyhead to see for themselves why this port needs real investment and to impress on the Home Office the prioritisation that Holyhead deserves as Wales's busiest and the UK's second-busiest roll-on, roll-off ferry port?
Yr hyn y mae angen i ni ei wneud ar unwaith, rwy'n meddwl, yw dechrau gofyn rhai o'r cwestiynau ymarferol ynghylch sut a pham. Mae angen gofyn y cwestiynau hyn ochr yn ochr ag ymchwiliadau'r heddlu a fydd yn amlwg yn dechrau ar unwaith. Sut y gallodd y lori hon fynd drwy Gaergybi heb ei darganfod fel hyn? Pam y penderfynai'r rheini a oedd ynddi, neu eraill a oedd yn gysylltiedig â'r drasiedi hon, mai Dulyn-Caergybi fyddai'r man croesi a ddewiswyd? Rwyf wedi clywed pobl yn cwyno rywsut mai aelodaeth o'r UE oedd ar fai am fod Caergybi yn ffin braidd yn rhy agored. Gadewch i mi ddweud nad oes a wnelo penderfyniadau i dorri swyddi dros y blynyddoedd yng Nghaergybi ddim byd â'r UE ac maent yn mynd yn ôl ymhellach o lawer nag unrhyw drafodaethau ar Brexit; maent wedi ymwneud â thoriadau a chyni a dim byd arall. Felly, pa sicrwydd rydych wedi'i geisio, Weinidog, ynghylch lefel staffio rheoli ffiniau yng Nghaergybi, gan gynnwys diffyg swyddogion gorfodi parhaol ar gyfer mewnfudo? Rwyf fi ac eraill, fel Comisiynydd Heddlu a Throseddu Gogledd Cymru, Arfon Jones, wedi mynegi pryderon ers tro byd ynglŷn ag ofnau ynghylch diffyg adnoddau ffiniau yng Nghaergybi. Cafodd y comisiynydd ymateb gan y Swyddfa Gartref pan aeth ar drywydd hyn, yn dweud bod y Llywodraeth yn ymwybodol o natur fregus yr ardal deithio gyffredin—yn ymwybodol, efallai, ond beth a wnaethant yn ei gylch o ran cynyddu adnoddau?
Roedd Alex Carlile QC, pan oedd yn adolygu deddfwriaeth wrth-derfysgaeth, yn cyfeirio at broblemau gyda phlismona ffiniau a mesurau gwrth-derfysgaeth yng Nghaergybi 20 mlynedd yn ôl. Mewn cymaint o ffyrdd, mae arnaf ofn fod Caergybi wedi cael ei ddiystyru fel porthladd. Er bod Dover yn gadarn ar yr agenda fel porthladd prysuraf y DU ar gyfer llongau fferi gyrru mewn ac allan, ymddengys bod Caergybi yn cael ei anwybyddu fel yr ail brysuraf, gyda thua 400,000 o lorïau yn pasio drwyddo bob blwyddyn. Nid yw hyn yn dderbyniol, yng nghyd-destun Brexit ac anwybyddu Caergybi yn nogfen Yellowhammer, er enghraifft, na nawr yng nghyd-destun mewnfudo a'r fath golli bywyd trasig. Fel y gwyddom, credir bod y lori wedi dod o Fwlgaria ac wedi cyrraedd Cymru ddydd Sadwrn yng Nghaergybi. Dyfynnir Seamus Leheny, rheolwr polisi Gogledd Iwerddon ar gyfer y Sefydliad Trafnidiaeth Cludo Nwyddau, gan Gymdeithas y Wasg heddiw yn dweud:
Pe bai'r lori wedi dod o Fwlgaria—
fel y credwn ei bod—
mae dod i mewn i Brydain drwy Gaergybi yn llwybr anarferol.
Aeth ymlaen i ddweud:
Mae pobl wedi bod yn dweud bod diogelwch ac archwiliadau wedi cynyddu mewn mannau fel Dover a Calais, felly efallai y gellid ei gweld fel ffordd haws i ddod i mewn drwy fynd o Cherbourg neu Roscoff draw i Rosslare, yna i fyny ar hyd y ffordd i Ddulyn.
Mae'n ffordd bell o gwmpas, meddai, ac fe fydd yn ychwanegu diwrnod ychwanegol at y daith. Rwy'n credu mai'r cwestiwn sydd angen i ni ei ofyn yw: a yw'r diffyg adnoddau gan y Swyddfa Gartref i Gaergybi wedi gwneud ein porthladdoedd yn fregus ac wedi ychwanegu at fregusrwydd sylweddol y 39 o bobl a ganfuwyd yn farw yn awr? Siaradais â chynghorydd o Gaergybi yn gynharach heddiw, y Cynghorydd Trefor Lloyd Hughes, ynglŷn â sut y bu yntau hefyd yn mynegi'r pryderon hyn ers cryn amser. A wnewch chi ymuno ag ef a minnau i wahodd Gweinidogion y Swyddfa Gartref i Gaergybi i weld drostynt eu hunain pam y mae angen buddsoddi'n iawn yn y porthladd hwn ac i bwysleisio wrth y Swyddfa Gartref fod Caergybi'n haeddu cael blaenoriaeth fel y porthladd llongau fferi gyrru mewn ac allan prysuraf yng Nghymru, a'r prysuraf ond un yn y DU?
Can I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for his questions? Of course we will be inviting Home Office Ministers to Holyhead port. Is the port vulnerable? Well, let's allow the investigators to answer that following a thorough inquiry into what's happened. But I can say that, from my experience, there is no lack of professionalism at Holyhead with border security. Whether there is a question about capacity, well, let's let the investigators look closely into that.
I think Rhun ap Iorwerth raises a very serious question of why did 39 people apparently feel the need to put their lives at risk. I do hope that we take time just to acknowledge the terrible loss of life and the damage that this is causing to many families. We don’t know where yet. We don't know their identities, we don't know whether they were indeed from Bulgaria. But I would say this: sometimes it's easy for us to talk about borders in abstract and artificial ways, but the reality is that borders and the arrangements at them are also about people; they're about human lives. And we should, I think, never forget the grave seriousness and the tragic human costs that can occur at those points of crossing. We saw back in 2000 a significant number of lives lost again when more than 50 people, I believe it was, suffocated in the back of a lorry and were discovered in Dover. Numerous people have died in lorries since, and I think we should reflect on the reasons why, most often because people are escaping from appalling conditions.
Llywydd, I don't wish to speculate on the reasons why the lorry appears to have entered the UK through Holyhead. I know that there are certain comments being made by transport experts about it being an unorthodox route, if it was found that the lorry went through Cherbourg to Rosslare then up to Dublin. I really do feel that it's right and proper that the police should investigate the circumstances surrounding this absolute tragedy.
A gaf fi ddiolch i Rhun ap Iorwerth am ei gwestiynau? Wrth gwrs, byddwn yn gwahodd Gweinidogion y Swyddfa Gartref i borthladd Caergybi. A yw'r porthladd yn fregus? Wel, gadewch i ni ganiatáu i'r ymchwilwyr ateb hynny yn dilyn ymchwiliad trylwyr i'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd. Ond o'm profiad i, gallaf ddweud nad oes diffyg proffesiynoldeb yng Nghaergybi o ran diogelwch y ffin. A oes cwestiwn ynglŷn â chapasiti, wel, gadewch i'r ymchwilwyr edrych yn fanwl ar hynny.
Rwy'n meddwl bod Rhun ap Iorwerth yn codi cwestiwn difrifol iawn ynglŷn â pham y mae'n ymddangos bod 39 o bobl wedi teimlo'r angen i beryglu eu bywydau. Rwy'n gobeithio ein bod yn mynd i roi amser i gydnabod y bywydau a gollwyd mor ofnadwy a'r drallod y mae hyn yn ei achosi i lawer o deuluoedd. Ni wyddom ymhle eto. Ni wyddom pwy oeddent, ni wyddom a oeddent yn dod o Fwlgaria yn wir. Ond hoffwn ddweud hyn: weithiau mae'n hawdd i ni siarad am ffiniau mewn ffyrdd haniaethol ac artiffisial, ond y realiti yw bod ffiniau a'r trefniadau wrthynt hefyd yn ymwneud â phobl; maent yn ymwneud â bywydau dynol. Ac ni chredaf y dylem fyth anghofio pa mor ddifrifol yw hyn a'r costau dynol trasig a all ddigwydd yn y mannau croesi hynny. Gwelsom nifer sylweddol o fywydau'n cael eu colli yn ôl yn 2000 pan gafodd mwy na 50 o bobl, rwy'n credu, eu mygu yng nghefn lori a'u darganfod yn Dover. Mae nifer o bobl wedi marw mewn lorïau ers hynny, a chredaf y dylem ystyried y rhesymau pam, gan amlaf oherwydd bod pobl yn dianc rhag amgylchiadau brawychus.
Lywydd, nid wyf am ddyfalu'r rhesymau pam y mae'n ymddangos bod y lori wedi dod i mewn i'r DU drwy Gaergybi. Gwn fod rhai sylwadau'n cael eu gwneud gan arbenigwyr trafnidiaeth ei fod yn llwybr anarferol, os canfyddir bod y lori wedi mynd drwy Cherbourg i Rosslare ac yna i fyny i Ddulyn. Rwy'n teimlo o ddifrif ei bod hi'n iawn ac yn briodol i'r heddlu ymchwilio i'r amgylchiadau sy'n gysylltiedig â'r drasiedi enfawr hon.