Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
17/03/2020Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu’r 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 the Members to order.
Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni heddiw yw'r cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Vikki Howells.
And the first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Vikki Howells.
1. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am recriwtio i'r GIG yng Nghymru? OAQ55242
1. Will the First Minister provide an update on NHS recruitment in Wales? OAQ55242
Llywydd, NHS organisations continue to recruit staff from within the UK and from overseas, with record levels of investment in health professional education and training. As a result, there are now more doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals working in the NHS in Wales than at any previous time.
Llywydd, mae sefydliadau'r GIG yn parhau i recriwtio staff o'r DU ac o dramor, gyda'r lefelau uchaf erioed o fuddsoddi mewn addysg a hyfforddiant i weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol. O ganlyniad, mae mwy o feddygon, nyrsys a gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol eraill yn gweithio yn y GIG yng Nghymru nawr nag ar unrhyw adeg o'r blaen.
Thank you, First Minister, for your answer. There are currently over 1,000 vacant A&E consultant posts across England and Wales. Now, this is a concern for all of us, of course, but particularly in my local health board area of Cwm Taf Morgannwg, where the ability to recruit consultants to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital—or inability, I should say—has left that A&E department under threat of reduced opening hours or even closure. That's of considerable concern to my constituents in normal times, but especially now during the coronavirus outbreak.
What reassurance can you provide that the Welsh Government is doing all that it can to recruit A&E consultants in this very difficult and competitive jobs market?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, am eich ateb. Mae dros 1,000 o swyddi meddygon ymgynghorol damweiniau ac achosion brys gwag ledled Cymru a Lloegr ar hyn o bryd. Nawr, mae hyn yn bryder i bob un ohonom ni, wrth gwrs, ond yn enwedig yn ardal fy mwrdd iechyd lleol i sef Cwm Taf Morgannwg, lle mae'r gallu—neu'r anallu, ddylwn i ddweud—i recriwtio meddygon ymgynghorol i Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg wedi gadael yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys honno o dan fygythiad o oriau agor mwy cyfyngedig neu hyd yn oed o gau. Mae hynny'n peri cryn bryder i'm hetholwyr i mewn cyfnod normal, ond yn enwedig yn awr yn ystod yr argyfwng coronafeirws.
Pa sicrwydd allwch chi ei roi bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud popeth o fewn ei gallu i recriwtio meddygon ymgynghorol damweiniau ac achosion brys yn y farchnad swyddi hynod anodd a chystadleuol hon?
Well, Llywydd, the Member is absolutely right to say that the recruitment of A&E consultants is competitive right across the United Kingdom, and there are vacancies in every one of the four home nations. Nonetheless, the number of A&E consultants working in the Welsh NHS has more than doubled over the last decade, and that suggests that despite the very real challenges, there has been some success in the recruitment efforts of individual health boards, and in the efforts that are being made to grow our own pipeline of doctors coming through the system who will be the consultants of the future.
My colleague, Vaughan Gething, has decided that the 'Train. Work. Live' campaign, which has been very successful in recruitment to the Welsh NHS, will have a particular focus on the recruitment of emergency medicine staff over the year ahead, and that will reinforce the efforts that health boards themselves are making to recruit to vacancies.
Wel, Llywydd, mae'r Aelod yn llygad ei lle wrth ddweud bod recriwtio meddygon ymgynghorol damweiniau ac achosion brys yn gystadleuol ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig, a bod swyddi gwag ym mhob un o'r pedair gwlad gartref. Er hynny, mae nifer y meddygon ymgynghorol damweiniau ac achosion brys sy'n gweithio yn y GIG yng Nghymru wedi mwy na dyblu dros y degawd diwethaf, ac mae hynny'n awgrymu, er gwaethaf yr heriau gwirioneddol iawn, y bu rhywfaint o lwyddiant o ran ymdrechion recriwtio byrddau iechyd unigol, ac o ran yr ymdrechion sy'n cael eu gwneud i dyfu ein llif ein hunain o feddygon sy'n dod drwy'r system a fydd yn feddygon ymgynghorol y dyfodol.
Mae fy nghyd-Weinidog, Vaughan Gething, wedi penderfynu y bydd gan yr ymgyrch 'Hyfforddi. Gweithio. Byw', sydd wedi bod yn llwyddiannus iawn o ran recriwtio i GIG Cymru, bwyslais penodol ar recriwtio staff meddygaeth frys yn ystod y flwyddyn i ddod, a bydd hynny'n atgyfnerthu'r ymdrechion y mae'r byrddau iechyd eu hunain yn eu gwneud i recriwtio i swyddi gwag.
I'd like to just take a tiny liberty with this question, if I may, First Minister, and start off by extending my heartfelt thanks, and I'm sure the thanks of all of us, to our NHS and social care staff, who know that they're about to face the battle of their lives on our behalf, and they are doing so. And I am very grateful for all that they have done and will do.
And, again, a slight liberty with the word 'recruitment' because, of course, I'd like to talk about the staff and the help that we need now facing the coronavirus. And I just wondered if you could tell us whether—. We've made much about perhaps recruiting or re-recruiting back into the workforce people who've just left us, just retired, and I wondered if you might be able to give us any update on whether you've had thoughts about approaching final-year medical students, final-year nursing students, and obviously their representative bodies, because these people will be very au fait with current policy and they'll certainly be very, very adept at doing ventilators, respiratory work and all the rest of it, and seeing if, perhaps, with their goodwill, and obviously, the right conditions, we might be able to recruit them into helping to supplement our current workforce.
Hoffwn fod ychydig bach yn hy gyda'r cwestiwn hwn, os caf, Prif Weinidog, a dechrau drwy ddiolch o galon, a diolch dros bob un ohonom ni rwy'n siŵr, i'n staff GIG a gofal cymdeithasol, sy'n gwybod eu bod nhw ar fin wynebu brwydr eu bywydau ar ein rhan , ac maen nhw'n gwneud hynny. Ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am bopeth y maen nhw wedi ei wneud ac y byddan nhw yn ei wneud.
Ac, unwaith eto, rwyf yn bod braidd yn hy gyda'r gair 'recriwtio' oherwydd, wrth gwrs, hoffwn siarad am y staff a'r cymorth sydd eu hangen arnom ni nawr wrth i ni wynebu'r coronafeirws. Ac roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a allech chi ddweud wrthym ni a yw—. Rydym ni wedi sôn llawer, efallai, am recriwtio neu ail-recriwtio yn ôl i'r gweithlu pobl sydd newydd ein gadael ni, newydd ymddeol, ac roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a allech chi roi unrhyw ddiweddariad i ni ynghylch pa un a ydych chi wedi cael syniadau am gysylltu â myfyrwyr meddygol blwyddyn olaf, myfyrwyr nyrsio blwyddyn olaf, ac yn amlwg y cyrff sy'n eu cynrychioli, oherwydd bydd y bobl hyn yn gyfarwydd iawn â'r polisi cyfredol a byddan nhw'n sicr yn fedrus dros ben o ran awyryddion, gwaith anadlu a'r gweddill i gyd, a gweld os, efallai, gyda'u hewyllys da, ac yn amlwg, yr amodau cywir, a allem ni eu recriwtio nhw, efallai, i helpu i ategu ein gweithlu presennol.
I thank Angela Burns for both the points she's made. She's absolutely right that staff in our health and social care sectors know that they face an enormous challenge over the weeks ahead. One of the reasons why we announced on Friday of last week that we were going to remove some of the obligations on general practitioners to carry out routine screening and monitoring appointments, to reduce the number of routine appointments in out-patients, as well as freeing up capacity to see other patients with more urgent needs—. Those actions were also designed to free up the time of clinicians who will need retraining in the workplace to be able to deal with the urgent problems they will now face.
As far as final-year students in medicine and in nursing are concerned, we are engaged with our UK colleagues on that agenda. It's one of those things where I think, if at all possible, we should move together on it, because there will be royal college considerations, there will be licensing considerations. And we need to make sure that those relatively technical but quite important if you're a practicing clinician to know that you're protected in the decisions you make—that we resolve those problems on a UK basis, to make the very most of, as Angela Burns has said, people who are just completing their training, and very well equipped, in the right circumstances, to step in and assist.
Diolchaf i Angela Burns am y ddau bwynt y mae hi wedi eu gwneud. Mae hi yn llygad ei lle bod staff yn ein sectorau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn gwybod eu bod nhw'n wynebu her enfawr yn ystod yr wythnosau i ddod. Un o'r rhesymau pam y gwnaethom ni gyhoeddi ddydd Gwener yr wythnos diwethaf ein bod ni'n mynd i gael gwared ar rai o'r rhwymedigaethau ar feddygon teulu i gynnal apwyntiadau sgrinio a monitro rheolaidd, i leihau nifer yr apwyntiadau rheolaidd ymhlith cleifion allanol, yn ogystal â rhyddhau capasiti i weld cleifion eraill ag anghenion mwy brys—. Cynlluniwyd y camau hynny hefyd i ryddhau amser y clinigwyr y bydd angen eu hailhyfforddi yn y gweithle i allu ymdrin â'r problemau brys y byddan nhw'n eu hwynebu nawr.
Cyn belled ag y mae myfyrwyr meddygaeth a nyrsio blwyddyn olaf yn y cwestiwn, rydym ni'n ymgysylltu â'n cydweithwyr ar lefel y DU ar yr agenda honno. Mae'n un o'r pethau hynny lle'r wyf i'n credu, os oes modd o gwbl, y dylem ni gymryd camau arno gyda'n gilydd, gan y bydd ystyriaethau coleg brenhinol, bydd ystyriaethau trwyddedu. Ac mae angen i ni wneud yn siŵr bod y pethau gweddol dechnegol ond eithaf pwysig hynny, os ydych chi'n glinigydd sy'n ymarfer, yn bethau yr ydych chi'n eu gwybod er mwyn sicrhau eich bod chi wedi eich diogelu yn y penderfyniadau yr ydych chi'n eu gwneud—ein bod ni'n datrys y problemau hynny ar sail y DU, er mwyn cael y mwyaf, fel y dywedodd Angela Burns, o bobl sydd ar fin cwblhau eu hyfforddiant, ac sydd â sgiliau da iawn, o dan yr amgylchiadau iawn, i gamu i mewn a chynorthwyo.
2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am weledigaeth strategol Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer datblygu economaidd ym Mlaenau'r Cymoedd? OAQ55276
2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s strategic vision for economic development in the Heads of the Valleys? OAQ55276
I thank the Member for that question, Llywydd. The Welsh Government's strategy for economic development in the Heads of the Valleys focuses on investment in places, people and in infrastructure. In that way, we support new jobs in industries of the future, in which improved productivity feeds prosperity in that part of Wales.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Mae strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer datblygu economaidd ym Mlaenau'r Cymoedd yn canolbwyntio ar fuddsoddi mewn lleoedd, pobl ac mewn seilwaith. Yn y modd hwnnw, rydym ni'n cefnogi swyddi newydd yn niwydiannau'r dyfodol, lle mae gwell cynhyrchiant yn bwydo ffyniant yn y rhan honno o Gymru.
I recognise, First Minister, that the work of the Welsh Government is currently focused on the coronavirus, and the impact that's having on people across the whole of the country. And I think many people are grateful to you for your leadership in addressing these matters. But in terms of the wider economic issues, I had an excellent meeting last week with the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, where we discussed the opportunities that are there across the whole of the Heads of the Valleys, and where we're able to target investment in ensuring that we have the economic infrastructure to sustain employment and industrial activity into the future. Clearly, all our minds are on other matters at the moment, but could you, First Minister, outline your vision for how we can ensure that, when we're getting the country back on its feet again, after this crisis, we will continue to invest in areas such as the Heads of the Valleys, and that that investment will continue post the crisis that we're currently facing?
Rwy'n cydnabod, Prif Weinidog, bod gwaith Llywodraeth Cymru yn canolbwyntio ar y coronafeirws ar hyn o bryd, a'r effaith y mae hwnnw'n ei chael ar bobl ar draws y wlad i gyd. Ac rwy'n credu bod llawer o bobl yn ddiolchgar i chi am eich arweinyddiaeth wrth fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn. Ond o ran y materion economaidd ehangach, cefais gyfarfod gwych yr wythnos diwethaf gyda Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru, pryd y gwnaethom ni drafod y cyfleoedd sydd yno ar draws Flaenau'r Cymoedd i gyd, a lle y gallwn ni dargedu buddsoddiad i sicrhau bod gennym ni'r seilwaith economaidd i gynnal cyflogaeth a gweithgarwch diwydiannol yn y dyfodol. Yn amlwg, mae meddyliau pob un ohonom ni ar faterion eraill ar hyn o bryd, ond a allech chi, Prif Weinidog, amlinellu eich gweledigaeth ar gyfer sut y gallwn ni sicrhau, pan fyddwn ni'n cael y wlad yn ôl ar ei thraed eto, ar ôl yr argyfwng hwn, y byddwn ni'n parhau i fuddsoddi mewn ardaloedd fel Blaenau'r Cymoedd, ac y bydd y buddsoddiad hwnnw'n parhau ar ôl yr argyfwng yr ydym ni'n ei wynebu ar hyn o bryd?
Llywydd, can I thank Alun Davies for that? Of course, he is right that we are focused relentlessly on the challenge that is immediately in front of us. But there will be a future for Wales, and for the United Kingdom, the other side of coronavirus, and we have to continue to do what we can to make sure that the opportunities that we need for the future are still being thought about, still being promoted, where we are able to do that. I thank the Member for Blaenau Gwent for coming to that meeting last week, and for contributing to the pool of ideas that we will need, to make sure that the economy of the Heads of the Valleys area in Wales is as equipped as it can be to meet the opportunities that the future will bring.
That's why, in the strategy that we are pursuing, we continue to attract cutting-edge technology companies to that part of Wales, but also, Llywydd, to focus on existing local businesses, helping them to apply new technologies and processes, to improve productivity, to develop higher value products, and to diversify their consumer base. And there is a very specific piece of work that the Welsh Government wants to continue to do with our partners in that part of Wales, to increase productivity in those indigenous businesses. And that's why we are working with Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, Coleg Gwent, and Cardiff University, to translate into the workplace the ideas we know are there, and which can make those firms more productive, and therefore better able to take advantage of future economic opportunities. And even in the difficult days ahead, I know that there are very dedicated people in that part of Wales who will want to continue their efforts in that direction.
Llywydd, a gaf i ddiolch i Alun Davies am hynna? Wrth gwrs, mae e'n iawn ein bod ni'n canolbwyntio'n ddiflino ar yr her sy'n ein hwynebu'n uniongyrchol. Ond bydd dyfodol i Gymru, ac i'r Deyrnas Unedig, yr ochr arall i coronafeirws, ac mae'n rhaid i ni barhau i wneud yr hyn a allwn ni i wneud yn siŵr bod y cyfleoedd sydd eu hangen arnom ni ar gyfer y dyfodol yn dal i gael eu hystyried, yn dal i gael eu hyrwyddo, pan ein bod ni'n gallu gwneud hynny. Diolchaf i'r Aelod dros Flaenau Gwent am ddod i'r cyfarfod hwnnw yr wythnos diwethaf, ac am gyfrannu at y gronfa o syniadau y bydd ei hangen arnom ni, i sicrhau bod economi ardal Blaenau'r Cymoedd yng Nghymru mor barod ag y gall fod i fanteisio ar y cyfleoedd a fydd yn dod yn y dyfodol.
Dyna pam, yn y strategaeth yr ydym ni'n ei dilyn, yr ydym ni'n parhau i ddenu cwmnïau technoleg blaengar i'r rhan honno o Gymru, ond hefyd, Llywydd, i ganolbwyntio ar fusnesau lleol presennol, gan eu helpu i ddefnyddio technolegau a phrosesau newydd, i wella cynhyrchiant, i ddatblygu cynhyrchion gwerth uwch, ac i arallgyfeirio eu sylfaen defnyddwyr. Ac mae darn penodol iawn o waith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru eisiau parhau i'w wneud gyda'n partneriaid yn y rhan honno o Gymru, i gynyddu cynhyrchiant yn y busnesau cynhenid hynny. A dyna pam yr ydym ni'n gweithio gyda Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent, Coleg Gwent, a Phrifysgol Caerdydd, i drosglwyddo i'r gweithle y syniadau yr ydym ni'n gwybod sydd yno, ac a all wneud y cwmnïau hynny'n fwy cynhyrchiol, ac felly'n fwy abl i fanteisio ar gyfleoedd economaidd yn y dyfodol. A hyd yn oed yn y dyddiau anodd sydd o'n blaenau, gwn fod pobl ymroddedig iawn yn y rhan honno o Gymru a fydd yn awyddus i barhau â'u hymdrechion i'r cyfeiriad hwnnw.
Under the current circumstances, it's right and proper that the Government's efforts are focused solely on the coronavirus, and the support that can be given, both in the health field, but in the economy as well. Meeting businesses in my own region yesterday, along with the constituency Member for the Vale of Glamorgan, information obviously is the gold dust that those businesses are crying out for. And I welcome the support that the Minister has put on the table around business rates today, but the caveat around that support was that more information will be coming, how it will be delivered into businesses. Can you give us a timeline when that support might be made available to businesses, and the mechanism it will be delivered in? Because, as I said, this isn't a criticism; this is a plea from the meeting that we held yesterday that the gold dust that businesses require at the moment to make informed choices about the employment status of employees and the direction of their businesses, is how that support and when that support will be available.
O dan yr amgylchiadau presennol, mae'n iawn ac yn briodol bod ymdrechion y Llywodraeth yn canolbwyntio'n llwyr ar y coronafeirws, a'r cymorth y gellir ei roi, ym maes iechyd, ond yn yr economi hefyd. O gyfarfod â busnesau yn fy rhanbarth fy hun ddoe, ynghyd â'r Aelod etholaeth dros Fro Morgannwg, mae'n amlwg mai gwybodaeth yw'r llwch aur y mae'r busnesau hynny'n ei grefu. Ac rwy'n croesawu'r cymorth y mae'r Gweinidog wedi ei gyflwyno ynghylch ardrethi busnes heddiw, ond y cafeat yn gysylltiedig â'r cymorth hwnnw oedd y bydd mwy o wybodaeth yn dod, sut y bydd yn cael ei roi i fusnesau. A allwch chi roi llinell amser i ni o ran pryd y gallai'r cymorth hwnnw fod ar gael i fusnesau, a'r dull a fydd yn cael ei ddefnyddio i'w ddarparu? Oherwydd, fel y dywedais, nid yw hon yn feirniadaeth; apêl yw hon o'r cyfarfod a gynhaliwyd gennym ni ddoe mai'r llwch aur sydd ei angen ar fusnesau ar hyn o bryd i wneud dewisiadau cytbwys am statws cyflogaeth gweithwyr a chyfeiriad eu busnesau, yw sut y bydd cymorth hwnnw ar gael a phryd.
Well, I thank Andrew R.T. Davies for that and I heard, indeed, from my colleague, Jane Hutt, of the meeting that she and he attended in Cowbridge yesterday. What yesterday's announcement makes clear, Llywydd, is that every penny that has comes to Wales through the UK Government for business support will be spent for those purposes here in Wales.
We took a major decision in relation to business rate relief, and that has taken the bulk of the money that has come to Wales. We remain in discussion with the Treasury about the use of the Barnett formula, as the way to distribute that resource across the United Kingdom, because we have more than the ordinary share of small businesses in particular in Wales, and we are putting the argument to the Treasury that the way that funding is distributed should reflect the realities of need on the ground, rather than a formula, which everybody has agreed, is long past its effective use.
What we have left out of the sum of money that came in the budget, when we've made the decisions on business rate relief, is just over £100 million. We hope that that sum will go up as a result of our discussions with the Treasury, but we are in discussions this week with businesses, and my colleague, Ken Skates, particularly, meeting the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Institute of Directors, the Chambers of Commerce, Road Haulage Association and so on in order to get a strong sense from them about the most effective way in which that £100 million can be deployed.
If there is no further money, we will make decisions about the deployment of the £100 million as fast as we can. We thought that it was right to make sure that the voice of businesses is directly put to us, so that if there are better ideas than the ones we already have in the mix, we learn them from them, make the decisions thereafter and get the money from us into the hands of people who need it.
Wel, diolchaf i Andrew R.T. Davies am hynna, a chlywais, yn wir, gan fy nghyd-Weinidog, Jane Hutt, am y cyfarfod yr oedd hi ac yntau yn bresennol ynddo yn y Bont-faen ddoe. Yr hyn y mae cyhoeddiad ddoe yn ei wneud yn eglur, Llywydd, yw y bydd pob ceiniog sydd wedi dod i Gymru trwy Lywodraeth y DU ar gyfer cymorth busnes yn cael ei gwario at y dibenion hynny yma yng Nghymru.
Fe wnaethom benderfyniad pwysig yng nghyswllt rhyddhad ardrethi busnes, ac mae hynny wedi cymryd y rhan fwyaf o'r arian sydd wedi dod i Gymru. Rydym ni'n parhau i drafod gyda'r Trysorlys am y defnydd o fformiwla Barnett, fel y ffordd o ddosbarthu'r adnodd hwnnw ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig, gan fod gennym ni fwy na'r gyfran gyffredin o fusnesau bach yn arbennig yng Nghymru, ac rydym ni'n gwneud y ddadl i'r Trysorlys y dylai'r modd y caiff cyllid ei ddosbarthu adlewyrchu realiti'r angen ar lawr gwlad, yn hytrach na fformiwla, y mae pawb wedi cytuno, sydd wedi mynd ymhell y tu hwnt i'w defnydd effeithiol.
Ychydig dros £100 miliwn yw'r hyn sydd gennym ni'n weddill o'r swm o arian a ddaeth yn y gyllideb, pan ein bod ni wedi gwneud y penderfyniadau ar ryddhad ardrethi busnes. Rydym ni'n gobeithio y bydd y swm hwnnw'n codi o ganlyniad i'n trafodaethau gyda'r Trysorlys, ond rydym ni mewn trafodaethau yr wythnos hon gyda busnesau, ac mae fy nghyd-Weinidog, Ken Skates, yn arbennig, yn cyfarfod â Chydffederasiwn Diwydiant Prydain, y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach, Sefydliad y Cyfarwyddwyr, y Siambrau Masnach, y Gymdeithas Cludiant Ffyrdd ac yn y blaen er mwyn cael synnwyr cryf ganddyn nhw o'r ffordd fwyaf effeithiol o ddefnyddio'r £100 miliwn hwnnw.
Os nad oes rhagor o arian ar gael, byddwn yn gwneud penderfyniadau ynghylch defnyddio'r £100 miliwn mor gyflym ag y gallwn. Roeddem ni'n meddwl ei bod hi'n iawn gwneud yn siŵr bod llais busnesau'n cael ei fynegi'n uniongyrchol i ni, felly os oes syniadau gwell na'r rhai sydd gennym ni yn y gymysgfa eisoes, byddwn ni'n dysgu ohonyn nhw, yn gwneud y penderfyniadau ar ôl hynny ac yn mynd â'r arian oddi wrthym ni i ddwylo'r bobl sydd ei angen.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Ar ran arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap iorwerth.
Questions now from party leaders. On behalf of the leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Can I place on record Plaid Cymru's gratitude to front-line workers in the health and care sector and elsewhere for their work at this challenging time? Can I also thank those who are working within their communities, setting up community groups and helping some of the most vulnerable people loving among us? They should be supported in that work.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. A gaf i gofnodi diolchgarwch Plaid Cymru i weithwyr rheng flaen yn y sector iechyd a gofal ac mewn mannau eraill am eu gwaith yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn? A gaf i hefyd ddiolch i'r rhai sy'n gweithio yn eu cymunedau, gan sefydlu grwpiau cymunedol a helpu rhai o'r bobl fwyaf agored i niwed yn ein plith? Dylid eu cynorthwyo yn y gwaith hwnnw.
Felly, diolch yn fawr iawn i chi.
So, thank you very much.
Thank you, all.
First Minister, Plaid Cymru supports the strengthened guidelines that were announced yesterday. We'd called for firmer measures; we'll work with you at these unprecedented times. But it is, of course, important that we continue to scrutinise the Welsh Government's approach.
In that spirit, can you give clear guidance, firstly, on testing policy? Will you commit to follow the World Health's Organization's guidance on the importance of testing more in order to break the chains of infection, which it refers to as 'the backbone of the response'? And can you give concrete assurances to increase testing capacity with real urgency to ensure that key workers, in particular health and care workers, but also others offering vital public services, are able to avoid having to take time off work unnecessarily?
Diolch i bob un ohonoch.
Prif Weinidog, mae Plaid Cymru yn cefnogi'r canllawiau cryfach a gyhoeddwyd ddoe. Roeddem ni wedi galw am fesurau cadarnach; byddwn yn gweithio gyda chi yn y cyfnod digynsail hwn. Ond mae'n bwysig, wrth gwrs, ein bod ni'n parhau i graffu ar ddull gweithredu Llywodraeth Cymru.
Yn yr ysbryd hwnnw, a allwch chi roi arweiniad eglur, yn gyntaf, ar bolisi profi? A wnewch chi ymrwymo i ddilyn canllawiau Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd ar bwysigrwydd profi mwy er mwyn torri cadwyni haint, y mae'n cyfeirio ato fel 'asgwrn cefn yr ymateb'? Ac a allwch chi roi sicrwydd pendant i gynyddu'r gallu i gynnal profion, a hynny ar fyrder gwirioneddol, i sicrhau bod gweithwyr allweddol, yn enwedig gweithwyr iechyd a gofal, ond hefyd eraill sy'n cynnig gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol, yn gallu osgoi gorfod cymryd amser i ffwrdd o'r gwaith yn ddiangen?
Well, I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for that, and thank you to him and to Adam Price for their participation in discussions on this yesterday. As far as testing policy is concerned, the advice that I have to follow is the advice provided to me by the Chief Medical Officer for Wales and those representatives from Wales who sit on the scientific advisory group. There are many different views, I understand that. There are many serious scientists who have nuanced views on testing policy. I cannot pick and choose between different views that are there in the mix on this matter. I have to rely on those people who are employed to provide the Welsh Government with the most expert advice they are able to provide, and who have a fine-grained understanding of the circumstances here in Wales. Their advice yesterday, it was the advice of other chief medical officers as well, is that this is not the point in the progress of the disease where using considerable resources for mass testing is the most effective way of putting safeguards in place. Other people may disagree, I understand that, but what I am saying is that I don't have a choice but to follow the advice of those people who we employ to advise us. If I move away from that, then the rock on which the advice that I provide to people in Wales and to the health service has been kicked away from under us, and I will not do that. Their advice is under development—the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization was talking about this matter again today—and if that advice changes in view of further evidence and further debate inside the expert community then, of course, we will follow that changing advice. But, as of yesterday, the advice was clear and I will follow that advice in Wales.
As far as key workers as concerned, I know that the Member will be aware that we are making an announcement today about testing key clinical workers in order to facilitate their return as rapidly as possible to the workplace. We will identify those groups of clinical workers who we are able to do that with immediately, and then there will be an increase in capacity so that we can bring more key workers within that testing regime.
Wel, diolchaf i Rhun ap Iorwerth am hynna, a diolch iddo ef ac i Adam Price am gymryd rhan mewn trafodaethau ar hyn ddoe. O ran polisi profi, y cyngor y mae'n rhaid i mi ei ddilyn yw'r cyngor a roddwyd i mi gan Brif Swyddog Meddygol Cymru a'r cynrychiolwyr hynny o Gymru sy'n aelodau o'r grŵp cynghori gwyddonol. Ceir llawer o wahanol safbwyntiau, rwy'n deall hynny. Ceir llawer o wyddonwyr profiadol sydd â safbwyntiau gwahanol ar bolisi profi. Ni allaf ddewis a dethol rhwng gwahanol safbwyntiau sydd yn y gymysgedd o ran y mater hwn. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddibynnu ar y bobl hynny sy'n cael eu cyflogi i roi'r cyngor mwyaf arbenigol y gallan nhw ei ddarparu i Lywodraeth Cymru, ac sydd â dealltwriaeth hynod fanwl o'r amgylchiadau yma yng Nghymru. Eu cyngor ddoe, dyna oedd cyngor prif swyddogion meddygol eraill hefyd, yw nad dyma'r adeg yn hynt y clefyd pan mai defnyddio adnoddau sylweddol ar gyfer profion torfol yw'r ffordd fwyaf effeithiol o roi mesurau diogelwch ar waith. Efallai fod pobl eraill yn anghytuno, rwy'n deall hynny, ond yr hyn yr wyf i'n ei ddweud yw nad oes gen i ddewis ond dilyn cyngor y bobl hynny yr ydym ni'n eu cyflogi i'n cynghori. Os byddaf i'n symud oddi wrth hynny, yna mae'r graig y mae'r cyngor yr wyf i'n ei roi i bobl yng Nghymru ac i'r gwasanaeth iechyd ar ei sail wedi cael ei chicio oddi tanom ni, ac nid wyf i'n mynd i wneud hynny. Mae eu cyngor wrthi'n cael ei ddatblygu—roedd y Grŵp Cynghori Strategol o Arbenigwyr ar Imiwneiddio yn trafod y mater hwn eto heddiw—ac os bydd y cyngor hwnnw'n newid yng ngoleuni tystiolaeth ychwanegol a thrafodaethau pellach yn y gymuned arbenigol, yna, wrth gwrs, byddwn yn dilyn y cyngor newydd hwnnw. Ond, ddoe, roedd y cyngor yn eglur a byddaf yn dilyn y cyngor hwnnw yng Nghymru.
Cyn belled ag y mae gweithwyr allweddol yn y cwestiwn, gwn y bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol ein bod ni'n gwneud cyhoeddiad heddiw ar brofi gweithwyr clinigol allweddol er mwyn sicrhau eu bod nhw'n dychwelyd mor gyflym â phosibl i'r gweithle. Byddwn yn nodi'r grwpiau hynny o weithwyr clinigol y gallwn ni wneud hynny â nhw ar unwaith, ac yna bydd cynnydd i gapasiti fel y gallwn ni ddod â mwy o weithwyr allweddol i mewn i'r drefn brofi honno.
Diolch. I recognise certainly the role played by SAGE, but I would appeal for the recognition of particular Welsh demographic factors when it comes to measuring the need here in Wales.
So, perhaps one of big unanswered questions now. It looks increasingly likely that school closures is now a matter of 'when' not 'if'; for teachers and parents the question of 'when' obviously is very, very important. It would have been good to have a statement from the Minister for Education today, but in the absence of that and ahead of ministerial questions on education tomorrow, can I ask you to clarify a number of issues? Is it the working assumption now that schools will close sometime before the Easter break, or afterwards? Can you give statutory guidance in order to assist those who may be in a position to voluntarily keep their children away from school now, or who may feel compelled to do so, that these will not be recorded as absences? How will Welsh Government support pupils who receive free school meals? And crucially, when schools close, what provision will be made in school settings or elsewhere to enable key workers to continue to work?
Diolch. Rwy'n cydnabod yn sicr y rhan y mae SAGE yn ei chwarae, ond byddwn yn apelio am gydnabyddiaeth i ffactorau demograffig penodol Cymru pan ddaw'n fater o fesur yr angen yma yng Nghymru.
Felly, efallai, un o'r cwestiynau mawr sydd heb eu hateb nawr. Mae'n edrych yn fwyfwy tebygol bod cau ysgolion yn fater bellach o 'pryd' nid 'os'; i athrawon a rhieni mae'r cwestiwn 'pryd' yn amlwg yn bwysig dros ben. Byddai wedi bod yn dda cael datganiad gan y Gweinidog Addysg heddiw, ond yn niffyg hynny a chyn cwestiynau i'r gweinidog ar addysg yfory, a gaf i ofyn i chi egluro nifer o faterion? Ai'r dybiaeth weithiol nawr yw y bydd ysgolion yn cau rhywbryd cyn gwyliau'r Pasg, neu ar ôl hynny? A allwch chi roi canllawiau statudol er mwyn cynorthwyo'r rhai a allai fod mewn sefyllfa i gadw eu plant adref o'r ysgol yn wirfoddol nawr, neu a allai deimlo rheidrwydd i wneud hynny, na fydd y rhain yn cael eu cofnodi fel absenoldebau? Sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynorthwyo disgyblion sy'n cael prydau ysgol am ddim? Ac yn hollbwysig, pan fydd ysgolion yn cau, pa ddarpariaeth fydd yn cael ei gwneud mewn ysgolion neu fannau eraill i alluogi gweithwyr allweddol i barhau i weithio?
Well, Llywydd, largely because of those final two considerations, the position of the four UK Governments is that schools should remain open. I'm not going to anticipate when that advice might change because I don't think that is helpful to anybody. That advice remains under review at every meeting. The current position is clear: schools are remaining open in Wales, partly to make sure that key workers who otherwise would have to be diverted into caring for their own children are available to be in clinical settings; partly because a sudden decision to close schools would leave those many pupils who depend upon a free school breakfast and a free school meal vulnerable if schools were to remain closed over an extended period of time.
What I can provide the Member and other Members with an assurance of is this: we are using the time that we have now, while schools remain open in the way they are, to plan for the future. So, if we reach a point in the progress of this disease where closing schools becomes the right thing to do, we will have arrangements in place that will meet the needs of those children who rely on a meal in school for their general welfare, and that we will have attended to the needs of key workers. There are a number of other very important considerations in relation to schools and those are actively under consideration here in Wales and elsewhere. For now, schools remain open. That is the clear advice to parents. Unless your child has an underlying, medical condition that means they should be at home, schools are open and available to them.
Wel, Llywydd, yn bennaf oherwydd y ddwy ystyriaeth olaf hynny, safbwynt pedair Llywodraeth y DU yw y dylai ysgolion aros ar agor. Nid wyf i'n mynd i ragweld pryd y gallai'r cyngor hwnnw newid oherwydd nid wyf i'n meddwl bod hynny o gymorth i neb. Mae'r cyngor hwnnw'n dal i gael ei adolygu ym mhob cyfarfod. Mae'r safbwynt presennol yn eglur: mae ysgolion yn aros ar agor yng Nghymru, yn rhannol i sicrhau bod gweithwyr allweddol y byddai'n rhaid eu dargyfeirio i ofalu am eu plant eu hunain fel arall ar gael i fod mewn lleoliadau clinigol; yn rhannol oherwydd y byddai penderfyniad sydyn i gau ysgolion yn gadael y nifer fawr o ddisgyblion hynny sy'n dibynnu ar frecwast am ddim yn yr ysgol a phrydau ysgol am ddim yn agored i niwed pe byddai ysgolion yn aros ar gau am gyfnod estynedig o amser.
Yr hyn y gallaf roi sicrwydd yn ei gylch i'r Aelod ac Aelodau eraill yw hyn: rydym ni'n defnyddio'r amser sydd gennym ni nawr, tra bod ysgolion yn dal i fod ar agor yn y modd y maen nhw, i gynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol. Felly, os byddwn ni'n cyrraedd adeg yn natblygiad y clefyd hwn lle mai'r peth iawn i'w wneud yw cau ysgolion, bydd gennym ni drefniadau ar waith a fydd yn diwallu anghenion y plant hynny sy'n dibynnu ar bryd bwyd yn yr ysgol ar gyfer eu lles cyffredinol, ac y byddwn ni wedi rhoi sylw i anghenion gweithwyr allweddol. Ceir nifer o ystyriaethau pwysig iawn eraill yng nghyswllt ysgolion, ac mae'r rheini'n cael eu hystyried yma yng Nghymru ac mewn mannau eraill. Am nawr, mae ysgolion yn dal ar agor. Dyna'r cyngor eglur i rieni. Oni bai bod gan eich plentyn gyflwr meddygol sylfaenol sy'n golygu y dylai fod gartref, mae'r ysgolion ar agor ac ar gael iddyn nhw.
Finally, as well as being a health risk, this is also developing into an extremely worrying time financially for individuals and businesses. One small business in my constituency has already reported revenue losses of £120,000—a small business—as a direct result of the virus. Another sees costs and losses mounting for his business to the extent that he can't see how he can afford to buy food for himself for much longer. Scotland has a COVID-19 helpline dedicated to business. Can we as a matter of urgency have one in Wales? We should be following the lead of President Macron, I think, who has promised that no business will go under because of COVID-19. I know you will be in agreement with me that UK Government should provide similar assurances, but if it delays, will you seek to act by, for example, asking for long-term borrowing powers, access to Treasury reserves? Businesses, the self-employed, workers in the gig economy, those on zero-hours contracts—there are many people feeling vulnerable or worse, and they now need more than ever to see firm and bold steps being taken by Welsh Government.
Yn olaf, yn ogystal â bod yn berygl i iechyd, mae hwn hefyd yn troi'n gyfnod eithriadol o bryderus yn ariannol i unigolion a busnesau. Mae un busnes bach yn fy etholaeth i eisoes wedi cyhoeddi colledion refeniw o £120,000—busnes bach—o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i'r feirws. Mae un arall yn gweld costau a cholledion yn cynyddu i'w fusnes i'r graddau nad yw'n gallu gweld sut y gall fforddio prynu bwyd iddo'i hun am lawer yn hwy. Mae gan yr Alban linell gymorth COVID-19 wedi ei neilltuo i fusnesau. A allwn ni fel mater o frys gael un yng Nghymru? Dylem ni fod yn dilyn esiampl yr Arlywydd Macron, rwy'n credu, sydd wedi addo na fydd unrhyw fusnes yn mynd i'r wal oherwydd COVID-19. Gwn y byddwch chi'n cytuno â mi y dylai Llywodraeth y DU roi sicrwydd tebyg, ond os bydd yn oedi, a wnewch chi geisio gweithredu drwy, er enghraifft, ofyn am bwerau benthyg hirdymor, mynediad at gronfeydd wrth gefn y Trysorlys? Busnesau, pobl hunan-gyflogedig, gweithwyr yn yr economi gìg, y rhai sydd ar gontractau dim oriau—mae llawer o bobl yn teimlo'n agored i niwed neu'n waeth, ac nawr, mwy nag erioed, maen nhw angen gweld camau cadarn a beiddgar yn cael eu cymryd gan Lywodraeth Cymru.
I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for those further questions. There is a dedicated helpline for businesses here in Wales; it is the Business Wales telephone helpline. We're using that helpline because it's already well known in the sector. There's no need to find something separate, new and different: use the Business Wales helpline. It is set up to respond to people in these circumstances.
On the wider points, of course, I agree with the points that Rhun ap Iorwerth has made. The impact of coronavirus on our economy is absolutely enormous. The efforts that are needed to combat it to make sure that the economy remains solvent, that businesses that are viable today will still be viable after the crisis is over, and that individuals whose incomes are affected are provided with incomes now to see them through the crisis—all of those are very important points. All of them are covered in the letter that I sent earlier today to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in advance of what we are promised will be his statement later in the afternoon. This is classically the moment at which the levers that lie in the hands of the UK Government—fiscal levers as well as monetary levers—are used, and are used in a way that is commensurate with the scale of the challenge that we face. Nobody wants a business that is viable today and will be viable afterwards to go out of business during the crisis. Nobody wants a livelihood and a family that is thriving today not to be able to go on thriving the other side of coronavirus, and it is to the UK Government that we have to look to take the actions that will secure those futures.
Diolchaf i Rhun ap Iorwerth am y cwestiynau ychwanegol yna. Mae llinell gymorth benodol ar gael ar gyfer busnesau yma yng Nghymru, sef llinell gymorth Busnes Cymru. Rydym ni'n defnyddio'r llinell gymorth honno gan ei bod hi eisoes yn adnabyddus yn y sector. Nid oes angen dod o hyd i rywbeth ar wahân, newydd a gwahanol: defnyddiwch linell gymorth Busnes Cymru. Mae wedi ei threfnu i ymateb i bobl sydd yn yr amgylchiadau hyn.
O ran y pwyntiau ehangach, wrth gwrs, rwy'n cytuno â'r pwyntiau y mae Rhun ap Iorwerth wedi eu gwneud. Mae effaith coronafeirws ar ein heconomi yn hollol enfawr. Mae'r ymdrechion sydd eu hangen i'w frwydro i wneud yn siŵr bod yr economi yn parhau yn solfent, y bydd busnesau sydd yn hyfyw heddiw yn dal i fod yn hyfyw ar ôl i'r argyfwng ddod i ben, a bod yr unigolion y mae eu hincymau yn cael eu heffeithio yn cael incymau nawr i'w helpu drwy'r argyfwng—mae'r rhain i gyd yn bwyntiau pwysig iawn. Mae pob un ohonyn nhw'n cael eu trafod yn y llythyr a anfonais yn gynharach heddiw at Ganghellor y Trysorlys cyn yr hyn yr addawyd i ni a fydd ei ddatganiad yn ddiweddarach yn y prynhawn. Yn glasurol, dyma'r adeg pan ddefnyddir yr ysgogiadau sydd yn nwylo Llywodraeth y DU—ysgogiadau cyllidol yn ogystal ag ysgogiadau ariannol—ac fe'u defnyddir mewn ffordd sy'n gymesur â maint yr her yr ydym ni'n ei hwynebu. Nid oes neb eisiau busnes sy'n hyfyw heddiw ac a fydd yn hyfyw wedyn i fynd i'r wal yn ystod yr argyfwng. Nid oes neb eisiau i fywoliaeth a theulu sy'n ffynnu heddiw fethu â gallu parhau i ffynnu yr ochr arall i coronafeirws, ac at Lywodraeth y DU y mae'n rhaid i ni edrych i gymryd y camau a fydd yn sicrhau'r dyfodol hwnnw.
Arweinydd yr wrthblaid, Paul Davies.
Leader of the opposition, Paul Davies.
Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, it's vitally important that we all put party politics to one side and work together in the public interest as the threat of coronavirus increases, and so can I thank you for the ongoing briefings and communication on this matter, and can I make it absolutely clear that my colleagues and I will do all that we can to work with the Government to tackle the spread of coronavirus in Wales? Can I also take this opportunity to thank front-line NHS staff for everything that they are doing and will do in the coming weeks and months to tackle this virus, and to keep us all safe? I'd also like to add my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the patient who died from COVID-19 in north Wales as well.
Now, like many Members across this Chamber, I've received calls and correspondence from worried constituents, organisations and businesses about how they minimise the impact that the virus may have on their families and livelihoods, and some people are justifiably worried and genuinely frightened. I'm sure you're also aware of some of the unfortunate scenes in shops and supermarkets across the country, where shelves were bare and customers were unable to pick essential items. First Minister, it's critical that Governments at all levels do what they can to better reassure the public, but can you also tell us what steps the Welsh Government is taking to ensure that those people who are now self-isolating are able to get the essential items that they need on a regular basis?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, mae'n hanfodol bwysig ein bod ni i gyd yn rhoi gwleidyddiaeth bleidiol o'r neilltu ac yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd er budd y cyhoedd wrth i fygythiad coronafeirws gynyddu, ac felly a gaf i ddiolch i chi am y sesiynau briffio a'r cyfathrebu parhaus ar y mater hwn, ac a gaf i ei gwneud yn gwbl eglur y bydd fy nghyd-Aelodau a minnau'n gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i weithio gyda'r Llywodraeth i fynd i'r afael â lledaeniad coronafeirws yng Nghymru? A gaf i hefyd fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i staff rheng flaen y GIG am bopeth y maen nhw'n ei wneud ac y byddan nhw yn ei wneud yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf i fynd i'r afael â'r feirws hwn, ac i gadw pob un ohonom ni'n ddiogel? Hoffwn hefyd ychwanegu fy nghydymdeimlad diffuant â theulu a chyfeillion y claf a fu farw o COVID-19 yng ngogledd Cymru hefyd.
Nawr, fel llawer o Aelodau ar draws y Siambr hon, rwyf i wedi cael galwadau a gohebiaeth gan etholwyr, sefydliadau a busnesau sy'n bryderus ynghylch sut i fynd ati i leihau'r effaith y gallai'r feirws ei chael ar eu teuluoedd a'u bywoliaeth, ac mae rhai pobl, gyda phob cyfiawnhad, yn bryderus ac wir yn ofnus. Rwy'n siŵr eich bod chithau hefyd yn ymwybodol o rai o'r golygfeydd anffodus mewn siopau ac archfarchnadoedd ar hyd a lled y wlad, lle'r oedd silffoedd yn wag a chwsmeriaid yn methu â chael gafael ar eitemau hanfodol. Prif Weinidog, mae'n hanfodol bod Llywodraethau ar bob lefel yn gwneud popeth yn eu gallu i dawelu meddyliau'r cyhoedd yn well, ond a allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni hefyd pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod y bobl hynny sydd bellach yn ynysu eu hunain yn gallu cael yr eitemau hanfodol y mae nhw eu hangen yn rheolaidd?
I thank Paul Davies for that. Can I too, Llywydd, extend my sympathy to the family and friends of the first person to die from coronavirus here in Wales? Can I thank him and Angela Burns as well for attending the meeting we had yesterday, but also for the opportunities I've had over the last couple of weeks to discuss the unfolding crisis with the leader of the opposition? I'm grateful for his thoughts and advice during those telephone calls. I completely agree with what he said. This is a crisis that we will get through by working together across parties and across administrations, and my aim is to do exactly that whenever we are able to do so.
Can I agree with him? Panic buying is not a solution to coronavirus. We have to urge our fellow citizens to think about the consequences of their actions. Any crisis brings out good and bad things in people, doesn't it? And there's been an enormous upswelling of generosity around coronavirus as well, with people volunteering to look after others, asking what they can do, wanting to find ways in which they can help to look after other people who are more vulnerable than themselves. So, we see all of that, and yet sometimes people act in that, sort of, group way: they see other people doing things, they think they must copy what they see other people doing, and we end up with a problem that need never have happened in the first place.
Now, we are, to an extent, well-prepared for some of this because of the preparation that went on last year in the Brexit context. Had we left the European Union without a deal, then there would inevitably have been impacts on the supply of goods and services and we have reactivated the machinery that we had in those contexts to make sure that we're always well in-touch with the retail industry and the logistics industry, and my colleague Julie James issued a statement on this last week. The clear message from the sector is that provided people behave rationally, there is no shortage of food to go around.
There was then the second question that Paul Davies raised about how we make sure that help can be given to those people who will need to get food and other things because of the constraints on their own behaviour. I want to let him and other Members know that we are working closely with our local authority colleagues and our colleagues in the third sector here in Wales to make sure that we put a bit of a system around the offers of help that we know are there in Wales, so that people know where to go in order to access the help that can be made available to them. We will be meeting tomorrow with representatives of those sectors and with community councils as well. There are a series of organisations that have a part to play in making sure that help can be mobilised at that individual level. We'll be bringing people around the table, making sure that we're able to provide consistent and reliable advice to people in Wales as to how they can get that help with social circumstances while they're attending to the medical impact of the coronavirus.
Diolchaf i Paul Davies am hynna. A gaf innau hefyd, Llywydd, gydymdeimlo â theulu a chyfeillion y person cyntaf i farw o coronafeirws yma yng Nghymru? A gaf i ddiolch iddo ef ac i Angela Burns hefyd am ddod i'r cyfarfod a gawsom ddoe, ond hefyd am y cyfleoedd yr wyf i wedi eu cael dros yr wythnos neu ddwy ddiwethaf i drafod yr argyfwng sy'n datblygu gydag arweinydd yr wrthblaid? Rwy'n ddiolchgar am ei syniadau a'i gyngor yn ystod y galwadau ffôn hynny. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r hyn a ddywedodd. Mae hwn yn argyfwng y byddwn ni'n ymdopi ag ef trwy gydweithio ar draws pleidiau ac ar draws gweinyddiaethau, a fy nod yw gwneud yr union beth hwnnw pryd bynnag y byddwn ni'n gallu gwneud hynny.
A gaf i gytuno ag ef? Nid yw prynu panig yn ateb i coronafeirws. Mae'n rhaid i ni bwyso ar ein cyd-ddinasyddion i feddwl am ganlyniadau eu gweithredoedd. Mae unrhyw argyfwng yn dod â phethau da a drwg allan ym mhobl, onid yw? A bu cynnydd aruthrol i haelioni yn gysylltiedig â coronafeirws hefyd, gyda phobl yn gwirfoddoli i ofalu am eraill, yn gofyn beth y gallan nhw ei wneud, yn awyddus i ddod o hyd i ffyrdd o helpu i ofalu am bobl eraill sy'n fwy agored i niwed na nhw eu hunain. Felly, rydym ni'n gweld hynny i gyd, ac eto mae pobl weithiau yn ymddwyn yn y ffordd honno, fel grŵp: maen nhw'n gweld pobl eraill yn gwneud pethau, maen nhw'n meddwl bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw gopïo'r hyn y maen nhw'n gweld pobl eraill yn ei wneud, ac mae gennym ni broblem na fu erioed angen iddi ddigwydd yn y lle cyntaf.
Nawr, rydym, i raddau, yn barod iawn ar gyfer rhywfaint o hyn oherwydd y gwaith paratoi a wnaed y llynedd yng nghyd-destun Brexit. Pe byddem ni wedi gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd heb gytundeb, yna mae'n anochel y byddai effeithiau wedi bod ar y cyflenwad o nwyddau a gwasanaethau ac rydym ni wedi ail-gychwyn y drefn a oedd gennym ni yn y cyd-destunau hynny i wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni bob amser mewn cysylltiad da â'r diwydiant manwerthu a'r diwydiant logisteg, a chyhoeddodd fy nghyd-Weinidog Julie James ddatganiad ar hyn yr wythnos diwethaf. Y neges eglur gan y sector yw nad oes unrhyw brinder bwyd i fynd o gwmpas cyn belled ag y bo pobl yn ymddwyn yn rhesymol.
Yna'r ail gwestiwn a gododd Paul Davies ynglŷn â sut yr ydym ni'n gwneud yn siŵr y gellir rhoi cymorth i'r bobl hynny y bydd angen iddyn nhw gael bwyd a phethau eraill oherwydd y cyfyngiadau ar eu hymddygiad eu hunain. Hoffwn roi gwybod iddo ef a'r Aelodau eraill ein bod ni'n gweithio'n agos â'n cydweithwyr mewn awdurdodau lleol a'n cydweithwyr yn y trydydd sector yma yng Nghymru i wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n rhoi dipyn o system o amgylch y cynigion o gymorth yr ydym ni'n gwybod sydd yno yng Nghymru, fel bod pobl yn gwybod ble i fynd er mwyn cael gafael ar y cymorth y gellir ei roi ar gael iddyn nhw. Byddwn yn cyfarfod yfory gyda chynrychiolwyr o'r sectorau hynny a gyda chynghorau cymuned hefyd. Mae cyfres o sefydliadau sydd â rhan i'w chwarae i wneud yn siŵr y gellir rhoi cymorth ar waith ar y lefel unigol honno. Byddwn yn dod â phobl o amgylch y bwrdd, gan wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n gallu rhoi cyngor cyson a dibynadwy i bobl yng Nghymru ynglŷn â sut y gallan nhw gael y cymorth hwnnw gydag amgylchiadau cymdeithasol tra byddan nhw'n rhoi sylw i effaith feddygol y coronafeirws.
First Minister, as the number of cases of coronavirus continues to increase, so too does the demand for hospital treatment, and I know the Welsh Government has agreed a framework of actions so that the health service can start accelerating its decision making. That framework will hopefully allow for services and beds to be reallocated and for staff to be redeployed and retrained in particular priority areas.
At this stage, though, First Minister, can you specifically confirm the number of intensive care unit beds and high dependency beds Wales actually has in operation? Can you also tell us what immediate discussions are taking place to consider alternative options to increase bed capacity should Wales become overwhelmed with serious cases? How will the Welsh Government use any additional funding filtered down from the UK Government to help increase the number of beds available for people affected by the coronavirus?
Prif Weinidog, wrth i nifer yr achosion o coronafeirws barhau i gynyddu, felly hefyd y mae'r galw am driniaeth mewn ysbyty, a gwn fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cytuno ar fframwaith o gamau gweithredu fel y gall y gwasanaeth iechyd ddechrau cyflymu'r broses o wneud penderfyniadau. Bydd y fframwaith hwnnw, gobeithio, yn caniatáu i wasanaethau a gwelyau gael eu hailddyrannu ac i staff gael eu hadleoli a'u hailhyfforddi mewn meysydd blaenoriaeth penodol.
Fodd bynnag, ar hyn o bryd, Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi gadarnhau'n benodol nifer y gwelyau mewn unedau gofal dwys a gwelyau dibyniaeth uchel sydd ar waith yng Nghymru mewn gwirionedd? A allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni hefyd pa drafodaethau sy'n cael eu cynnal ar unwaith i ystyried dewisiadau eraill i gynyddu nifer y gwelyau pe byddai Cymru yn cael ei llethu gan achosion difrifol? Sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio unrhyw gyllid ychwanegol a gaiff ei hidlo i lawr gan Lywodraeth y DU i helpu i gynyddu nifer y gwelyau sydd ar gael i bobl sy'n cael eu heffeithio gan y coronafeirws?
Well, I thank Paul Davies. I want to give him the number of critical care beds that we have here in Wales, but I want to make sure I give it to him accurately. In my mind, the figure is 136, but I'll confirm that with him if I've not remembered that correctly. The health service already has, Llywydd, surge capacity, as it's called, for intensive care, to double that number of beds. That's part of the routine planning of the health service, but we know that even if you double the number we have, it will not meet the likely level of requirement. So, of course discussions are going on with our intensive care colleagues about alternative ways in which different sorts of decisions can be made to treat people who need that level of intervention. In other parts of the hospital, part of the reason for cancelling routine operations is that some of the equipment that you would need is often located in theatres and can be put to use in that way. But in the way that I think Paul Davies was suggesting, it's a cascade, really. In order to create more capacity at the most intense end, you have to free capacity up all through the system.
I'm very grateful to our colleagues in local government in Wales, who are doing some very important work to be able to free up capacity in the care home sector, so the people who are in hospital beds in Wales today, ready to leave—there's no medical reason for them to be there—there will be places for those people to go, so we create capacity in that way too. So, right through the system, we need to find ways of moving people down the hierarchy of intervention in order to create capacity at the place where it may be most needed for those with the most intense conditions.
Wel, diolchaf i Paul Davies. Hoffwn roi nifer y gwelyau gofal critigol sydd gennym ni yma yng Nghymru iddo, ond rwyf i eisiau gwneud yn siŵr fy mod yn ei rhoi iddo'n gywir. Yn fy meddwl, 136 yw'r ffigur, ond byddaf yn cadarnhau hynny gydag ef os nad wyf i wedi cofio hynny'n gywir. Mae gan y gwasanaeth iechyd, Llywydd, gapasiti ymchwydd, fel y'i gelwir, eisoes ar gyfer gofal dwys, i ddyblu'r nifer honno o welyau. Mae hynny'n rhan o waith cynllunio arferol y gwasanaeth iechyd, ond rydym ni'n gwybod hyd yn oed os byddwch chi'n dyblu'r nifer sydd gennym ni, na fydd yn bodloni lefel debygol y galw. Felly, wrth gwrs mae trafodaethau'n cael eu cynnal gyda'n cydweithwyr gofal dwys am ffyrdd eraill o wneud gwahanol fathau o benderfyniadau i drin pobl sydd angen y lefel honno o ymyrraeth. Mewn rhannau eraill o'r ysbyty, rhan o'r rheswm am ganslo llawdriniaethau arferol yw bod rhywfaint o'r offer y byddai ei angen arnoch chi yn aml wedi ei leoli mewn theatrau ac y gellir ei ddefnyddio yn y ffordd honno. Ond yn y ffordd yr wyf i'n credu bod Paul Davies yn ei awgrymu, mae'n fater o raeadru, a dweud y gwir. Er mwyn creu mwy o gapasiti ar y pen mwyaf dwys, mae'n rhaid i chi rhyddhau capasiti dryw'r system gyfan.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i'n cydweithwyr mewn llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru, sy'n gwneud gwaith pwysig iawn i allu rhyddhau capasiti yn y sector cartrefi gofal, fel bod y bobl sydd mewn gwelyau ysbyty yng Nghymru heddiw, sy'n barod i adael—nid oes rheswm meddygol iddyn nhw fod yno—bydd lleoedd i'r bobl hynny fynd, felly rydym ni'n creu capasiti yn y ffordd honno hefyd. Felly, drwy'r system gyfan, mae angen i ni ddod o hyd i ffyrdd o symud pobl i lawr yr hierarchaeth ymyraethau er mwyn creu capasiti yn y fan y gallai fod ei angen fwyaf i'r rhai sydd â'r cyflyrau mwyaf dwys.
First Minister, I've previously raised the impact that coronavirus could have on Wales's social care sector with you. As the threat of the virus increases, it's more important than ever that those providing care to people living in care homes have access to the latest guidance and advice available. You quite rightly said that Wales's social care sector is dominated by small owners of one or two residential care homes and that getting messages out to people is a bigger challenge when you have larger numbers of people involved and people who may not necessarily be as attuned to dealing with demands as large companies, who are well set up and equipped to do this.
There is also the issue of those who need home carers, and the risks of virus transmission to carers and their service users. Therefore, perhaps you can tell us a bit more about the dialogue that the Government is having with the social care sector and how effective you think the Government is at getting its messages out. Could you also provide some more information about the next stage of contingency planning that the Welsh Government has done to better safeguard those living in social care settings from coronavirus, and whether there is capacity within the system for local authorities to effectively manage an outbreak of the virus at this point in time? What additional resources and assistance is the Welsh Government providing the sector so that those living in social care settings can be confident that they are as protected as possible?
Prif Weinidog, rwyf i wedi sôn o'r blaen am yr effaith y gallai coronafeirws ei chael ar sector gofal cymdeithasol Cymru gyda chi. Wrth i fygythiad y feirws gynyddu, mae'n bwysicach nag erioed bod gan y rhai sy'n darparu gofal i bobl sy'n byw mewn cartrefi gofal fynediad at y canllawiau a'r cyngor diweddaraf sydd ar gael. Dywedasoch yn gwbl briodol bod sector gofal cymdeithasol Cymru yn llawn perchenogion bach un neu ddau o gartrefi gofal preswyl a bod cael negeseuon allan i bobl yn fwy o her pan fydd gennych chi niferoedd mwy o bobl dan sylw a phobl efallai nad ydyn nhw o reidrwydd mor effro i ymdrin â gofynion â chwmnïau mawr, sydd wedi eu trefnu'n dda ac yn barod ar gyfer gwneud hyn.
Ceir y mater o'r rhai sydd angen gofalwyr cartref hefyd, a'r risgiau o drosglwyddo feirysau i ofalwyr a'u defnyddwyr gwasanaeth. Felly, a allwch chi ddweud ychydig yn rhagor wrthym ni efallai am y ddeialog y mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei chael gyda'r sector gofal cymdeithasol, a pha mor effeithiol yr ydych chi'n credu yw'r Llywodraeth o ran cyfleu ei negeseuon. A allech chi hefyd roi rhywfaint yn rhagor o wybodaeth am gam nesaf gwaith cynllunio wrth gefn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei wneud i ddiogelu'r rhai sy'n byw mewn lleoliadau gofal cymdeithasol yn well rhag coronafeirws, ac a oes capasiti o fewn y system i awdurdodau lleol i reoli i achosion o'r feirws yn effeithiol ar hyn o bryd? Pa adnoddau a chymorth ychwanegol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu darparu i'r sector fel y gall y rhai sy'n byw mewn lleoliadau gofal cymdeithasol fod yn ffyddiog eu bod nhw mor ddiogel â phosibl?
I thank Paul Davies. Those are all very important questions. He will know that, earlier this week, CIW—Care Inspectorate Wales—announced that it was pausing routine inspections in the social care field in order to make sure that front-line staff are able to concentrate on the job immediately at hand, and we are able to use the inspectorate, which has contacts right across the sector, to help us with the cascading of messages, as we are able to use Care Forum Wales. We're very grateful to the forum for the work that it is doing to make sure that key messages are made available, not just to big providers, but to the much wider number of small providers of residential care services.
The leader of the opposition makes a very important point about domiciliary care, and I can't answer questions this afternoon, Llywydd, and simply provide assurances that everything will be fine everywhere, because that is just not the reality of coronavirus. We already know that some other measures—the correct measures that have been agreed across the United Kingdom in terms of self-isolation—haven't had an impact on the workforce in domiciliary care, with fewer people turning up to do these important jobs. But we are in very direct conversation with the sector and with local authorities, and know that the sector is working hard to prioritise the calls it has to make with the available workforce that it has, and that is part of our ongoing conversation with local authorities, as is the help that we will be able to provide them.
I haven't mentioned this afternoon, as yet, Llywydd, the anticipated emergency Bill that we expect to see published on Thursday of this week. It will provide powers to Welsh Ministers that will lift some of the current regulatory requirements from the sector and allow them to respond to the crisis in a way that has greater flexibility than would otherwise be the case. We will look to make use of those powers here in Wales, in close consultation with the sector itself.
Diolchaf i Paul Davies. Mae'r rheini i gyd yn gwestiynau pwysig iawn. Bydd yn gwybod bod AGGCC—Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru—wedi cyhoeddi, yn gynharach yr wythnos hon, ei bod yn oedi cyn cynnal arolygiadau rheolaidd ym maes gofal cymdeithasol i wneud yn siŵr bod staff rheng flaen yn gallu canolbwyntio ar y gwaith pwysicaf sydd ganddyn nhw, a'n bod ni'n gallu defnyddio'r arolygiaeth, sydd â chysylltiadau ar draws y sector cyfan, i'n helpu i raeadru negeseuon, fel yr ydym ni'n gallu defnyddio Fforwm Gofal Cymru. Rydym ni'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r fforwm am y gwaith y mae'n ei wneud i wneud yn siŵr bod negeseuon allweddol yn cael eu rhoi ar gael, nid yn unig i ddarparwyr mawr, ond i'r nifer llawer ehangach o ddarparwyr gwasanaethau gofal preswyl bach.
Mae arweinydd yr wrthblaid yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn am ofal cartref, ac ni allaf ateb cwestiynau y prynhawn yma, Llywydd, a rhoi sicrwydd pendant y bydd popeth yn iawn ym mhob man, oherwydd nid dyna realiti coronafeirws. Rydym ni eisoes yn gwybod nad yw rhai mesurau eraill—y mesurau iawn y cytunwyd arnyn nhw ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig o ran hunan-ynysu—wedi cael effaith ar y gweithlu ym maes gofal cartref, gyda llai o bobl yn ymddangos i wneud y swyddi pwysig hyn. Ond rydym ni'n sgwrsio'n uniongyrchol iawn gyda'r sector a chydag awdurdodau lleol, ac yn gwybod bod y sector yn gweithio'n galed i flaenoriaethu'r penderfyniadau y mae'n rhaid iddo eu gwneud gyda'r gweithlu sydd ar gael iddo, ac mae hynny'n rhan o'n sgwrs barhaus gydag awdurdodau lleol, ac felly hefyd y cymorth y byddwn ni'n gallu ei ddarparu iddyn nhw.
Nid wyf i wedi sôn y prynhawn yma, hyd yn hyn, Llywydd, am y Bil brys yr ydym ni'n disgwyl iddo gael ei gyhoeddi ddydd Iau yr wythnos hon. Bydd yn rhoi pwerau i Weinidogion Cymru a fydd yn cymryd rhai o'r gofynion rheoleiddio presennol oddi wrth y sector ac yn eu galluogi nhw i ymateb i'r argyfwng mewn ffordd sy'n fwy hyblyg nag a fyddai ar gael iddyn nhw fel arall. Byddwn yn ceisio defnyddio'r pwerau hynny yma yng Nghymru, gan ymgynghori'n agos â'r sector ei hun.
Ar ran y Blaid Brexit, Caroline Jones.
On behalf of the Brexit Party, Caroline Jones.
Diolch, Llywydd. We would also like to place on record our thanks to all staff in the NHS and beyond who are striving to work through this time, and I'd like to thank you, First Minister, for the briefings you are providing. You can be assured of our ongoing support. Also, we send our condolences to the family and friends of the person who has passed due to this virus.
First Minister, the impact COVID-19 is having on society we are now beginning to see. My colleague Mark Reckless is in self-isolation due to developing symptoms consistent with the disease. So, in the meantime, if you put up with me asking leader's questions, I would be grateful.
First Minister, we have a small window of opportunity to control the path of this disease that is wreaking havoc around the globe. The best course we can take is to follow the advice of medical experts, and I for one am comforted that the four nations of the UK are working together on our strategy, following the advice of epidemiologists. The advice to stay at home for 14 days if anyone in your household has symptoms is aimed at curbing the spread of this disease, which modelling predicts could be as much as 80 per cent of our population. While I accept that we simply don't have the resources to test everyone, and that widespread testing would divert vital resource away from assisting those at greatest risk, we do have to ensure we maintain testing for essential key workers. First Minister, we can't afford to have hundreds, possibly thousands, of key staff in self-isolation. Will you therefore commit to ensure that priority testing is carried out on family members and staff working in our hospitals, our care homes and our schools? Our prisons also, the police, fire and ambulance services. These people are vital to the functioning of our society, and we can't afford to lose them unless they have a confirmed exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
Diolch, Llywydd. Hoffem ninnau hefyd gofnodi ein diolch i holl staff y GIG a thu hwnt sy'n ymdrechu i weithio drwy'r cyfnod hwn, a hoffwn ddiolch i chithau, Prif Weinidog, am y sesiynau briffio yr ydych chi'n eu darparu. Gallwch fod yn sicr o'n cefnogaeth barhaus. Hefyd, anfonwn ein cydymdeimlad at deulu a chyfeillion y person a fu farw yn sgil y feirws hwn.
Prif Weinidog, rydym ni'n dechrau gweld yr effaith y mae COVID-19 yn ei chael ar gymdeithas. Mae fy nghyd-Aelod Mark Reckless yn hunan-ynysu oherwydd iddo datblygu symptomau sy'n gyson â'r clefyd. Felly, yn y cyfamser, os gwnewch chi fod yn fodlon gyda mi yn gofyn cwestiynau'r arweinydd, byddwn yn ddiolchgar.
Prif Weinidog, mae gennym ni gyfnod bach iawn o gyfle i reoli trywydd y clefyd hwn sy'n creu hafoc ledled y byd. Y peth gorau y gallwn ni ei wneud yw dilyn cyngor arbenigwyr meddygol, ac rwyf i'n un yn cael fy nghysuro gan y ffaith fod pedair gwlad y DU yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd ar ein strategaeth, gan ddilyn cyngor epidemiolegwyr. Nod y cyngor i aros gartref am 14 diwrnod os oes gan unrhyw un yn eich cartref symptomau yw atal lledaeniad y clefyd hwn, y mae modelu yn rhagweld y gallai effeithio ar gymaint ag 80 y cant o'n poblogaeth. Er fy mod i'n derbyn nad yw'r adnoddau gennym ni i brofi pawb, ac y byddai profion eang yn dargyfeirio adnoddau hanfodol i ffwrdd oddi wrth cynorthwyo'r rhai sy'n wynebu'r perygl mwyaf, mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau ein bod ni'n cynnal profion ar gyfer gweithwyr allweddol hanfodol. Prif Weinidog, ni allwn fforddio cael cannoedd, efallai miloedd, o staff allweddol yn hunan-ynysu. A wnewch chi ymrwymo felly i sicrhau bod profion blaenoriaeth yn cael eu cynnal ar aelodau teulu a staff sy'n gweithio yn ein hysbytai, ein cartrefi gofal a'n hysgolion? Ein carchardai hefyd, yr heddlu, y gwasanaethau tân ac ambiwlans. Mae'r bobl hyn yn hanfodol i weithrediad ein cymdeithas, ac ni allwn fforddio eu colli nhw oni bai y cadarnhawyd eu bod wedi cael eu hamlygu i SARS-CoV-2.
I thank Caroline Jones for those questions, and thank her too for attending the meeting we held yesterday. Llywydd, I want, I'm sure on behalf of other Members, to pass our best wishes to our colleagues in all parties who find themselves caught up by the advice provided yesterday, and who aren't able to be with us in the Chamber this afternoon. As far as testing is concerned, as I said earlier, there will be advice today that will extend testing to key workers in clinical roles. As capacity develops, the plan will be to see whether there are further groups who can be added to that testing regime, but the reason for beginning with people in key clinical roles is the point that Caroline Jones made—that we need those people to be in work doing the vital things that only they can do, and if testing accelerates their return to the workplace in that way, then that's why that regime will be put in place.
Diolchaf i Caroline Jones am y cwestiynau yna, a diolchaf iddi hi hefyd am ddod i'r cyfarfod a gynhaliwyd gennym ni ddoe. Llywydd, hoffwn, ar ran Aelodau eraill rwy'n siŵr, ddymuno'n dda i'n cyd-Aelodau ym mhob plaid sy'n eu canfod eu hunain wedi eu dal gan y cyngor a roddwyd ddoe, ac nad ydyn nhw'n gallu bod gyda ni yn y Siambr y prynhawn yma. O ran profi, fel y dywedais yn gynharach, bydd cyngor heddiw a fydd yn ymestyn profion i weithwyr allweddol mewn swyddi clinigol. Wrth i gapasiti ddatblygu, y bwriad fydd gweld pa un a oes grwpiau eraill y gellir eu hychwanegu at y drefn brofi honno, ond y rheswm am ddechrau gyda phobl mewn swyddi clinigol allweddol yw'r pwynt a wnaeth Caroline Jones—ein bod ni angen i'r bobl hynny fod yn y gwaith yn gwneud y pethau hanfodol mai nhw yn unig sy'n gallu eu gwneud, ac os bydd profi yn cyflymu eu dychweliad i'r gweithle yn y ffordd honno, yna dyna pam y bydd y drefn honno yn cael ei rhoi ar waith.
Thank you, First Minister. I'd like to stay with the idea of the issue of testing, if I may. The World Health Organization has said test, test, test, and I accept the rationale for not testing every case at this stage. But do you have a strategy for ramping up testing facilities in the coming months? This is a totally new virus of which we know very little, and the more data we can collect and collate, the more equipped we are to deal with it. Unfortunately, this virus is not going away anytime soon. We are still dealing with SARS nearly 20 years after it first emerged. A vaccine for COVID-19 would be another 18 months to two years away, so in the absence of a vaccine, we need to better understand the life-cycle of this virus, and for that we need accurate data on the numbers actually infected, the numbers infected who were asymptomatic, and sadly the mortality of the disease. Our future plans depend upon accurate testing. First Minister, is your Government planning on conducting wide-scale serologic testing once we're over the peak of this outbreak, and once the test being developed by Public Health England is available? Thank you.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Hoffwn barhau gyda'r syniad o'r mater o brofi, os caf i. Mae Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd wedi dweud bod angen profi, profi, profi, ac rwy'n derbyn y rhesymeg am beidio â phrofi pob achos ar hyn o bryd. Ond a oes gennych chi strategaeth ar gyfer cynyddu cyfleusterau profi yn ystod y misoedd nesaf? Mae hwn yn feirws cwbl newydd nad ydym ni'n gwybod fawr ddim amdano, a'r mwyaf o ddata y gallwn ni ei gasglu a'i grynhoi, y mwyaf parod y byddwn ni i ymdrin ag ef. Yn anffodus, nid yw'r feirws hwn yn mynd i ddiflannu'n fuan iawn o gwbl. Rydym ni'n dal i ymdrin â SARS bron 20 mlynedd ar ôl iddo ymddangos gyntaf. Byddai brechlyn ar gyfer COVID-19 yn 18 mis neu ddwy flynedd arall i ffwrdd, felly yn niffyg brechlyn, mae angen i ni ddeall cylch bywyd y feirws hwn yn well, ac ar gyfer hynny mae'n rhaid i ni gael data cywir ar y niferoedd sydd wedi eu heintio mewn gwirionedd, y niferoedd sydd wedi eu heintio nad oedd ganddyn nhw symptomau, a chyfradd marwolaethau'r clefyd yn anffodus. Mae ein cynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol yn dibynnu ar brofi cywir. Prif Weinidog, a yw eich Llywodraeth yn bwriadu cynnal profion serolegol ar raddfa eang ar ôl i ni fynd heibio uchafbwynt yr argyfwng hwn, a phan fydd y prawf sy'n cael ei ddatblygu gan Public Health England ar gael? Diolch.
Again, I thank Caroline Jones. She made a very important point, Llywydd, about the fact that our understanding of this disease is developing all the time, learning from experience in the world as well as experience domestically. And that's why I'm repeating—and I say it again this afternoon, Llywydd—that the approach we are taking as Governments across the United Kingdom is to try to make the right decision at the right time, because the timing of interventions is really important here, and strategies will alter at different times in the progress of the disease. Our strategy is the one that Caroline Jones set out at the start of her supplementary questions, which is to be guided by the advice of our chief medical officers and of the scientific group that deals with emergencies of this sort. Their current advice is the advice we are following today in Wales. If, as further information develops, as we learn more, their advice is that a different decision at a different point is necessary, of course we will follow that advice. I can't anticipate it, I don't know what that advice will be at different points, but I want people in Wales to know that what we will be doing will be to follow the best advice available to us, and then to implement it here.
Unwaith eto, diolchaf i Caroline Jones. Gwnaeth bwynt pwysig iawn, Llywydd, ynglŷn â'r ffaith bod ein dealltwriaeth o'r clefyd hwn yn datblygu drwy'r amser, gan ddysgu o brofiad yn y byd yn ogystal â phrofiad yn ddomestig. A dyna pam yr wyf i'n ailadrodd—ac rwy'n ei ddweud eto y prynhawn yma, Llywydd—mai'r dull yr ydym ni'n ei fabwysiadu fel Llywodraethau ledled y Deyrnas Unedig yw ceisio gwneud y penderfyniad iawn ar yr adeg iawn, oherwydd mae amseriad yr ymyraethau yn bwysig iawn yma, a bydd strategaethau'n newid ar wahanol adegau yn ystod datblygiad y clefyd. Ein strategaeth yw'r un a nodwyd gan Caroline Jones ar ddechrau ei chwestiynau atodol, a fydd yn cael ei harwain gan gyngor ein prif swyddogion meddygol a'r grŵp gwyddonol sy'n ymdrin ag argyfyngau o'r math hwn. Eu cyngor presennol nhw yw'r cyngor yr ydym ni'n ei ddilyn heddiw yng Nghymru. Os, wrth i ragor o wybodaeth ddatblygu, wrth i ni ddysgu mwy, mai eu cyngor yw bod angen gwahanol benderfyniad ar adeg wahanol, byddwn ni'n dilyn y cyngor hwnnw, wrth gwrs. Allaf i ddim ei ragweld, wn i ddim beth fydd y cyngor hwnnw ar wahanol adegau, ond rwyf i eisiau i bobl Cymru wybod mai'r hyn y byddwn ni'n ei wneud fydd dilyn y cyngor gorau sydd ar gael i ni, ac yna ei roi ar waith yma.
Mae cwestiwn 3 [OAQ55250] wedi'i dynnu'n ôl. Cwestiwn 4, Carwyn Jones.
Question 3 [OAQ55250] has been withdrawn. Question 4, Carwyn Jones.
4. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o effaith y coronafeirws yng Nghymru? OAQ55255
4. First Minister, what assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of the coronavirus in Wales? OAQ55255
I thank the Member for that question. As the global coronavirus pandemic unfolds, our priority is to keep people safe while minimising the social and economic impact of the disease, based on the scientific evidence. The health Minister has made regular written and oral statements on coronavirus, and will make a further statement to the Chamber this afternoon.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna. Wrth i bandemig byd-eang y coronafeirws ddatblygu, ein blaenoriaeth ni yw cadw pobl yn ddiogel gan leihau effaith gymdeithasol ac economaidd y clefyd, yn seiliedig ar y dystiolaeth wyddonol. Mae'r Gweinidog iechyd wedi gwneud datganiadau ysgrifenedig a llafar rheolaidd ar coronafeirws, a bydd yn gwneud datganiad pellach i'r Siambr y prynhawn yma.
I thank the First Minister for that answer. The statement this morning from the Welsh Government was very welcome as far as business was concerned. If I were a business, First Minister, where would I go looking? Who would I speak to, in order to access the package of support that was announced this morning?
Diolchaf i'r Prif Weinidog am yr ateb yna. Roedd y datganiad y bore yma gan Lywodraeth Cymru i'w groesawu'n fawr cyn belled ag yr oedd busnes yn y cwestiwn. Pe bawn i'n fusnes, Prif Weinidog, i ble fyddwn i'n mynd i chwilio? Gyda phwy fyddwn i'n siarad, er mwyn cael gafael ar y pecyn cymorth a gyhoeddwyd y bore yma?
I thank Carwyn Jones for that, because it allows me to make that very important point that we have a single point of entry for that advice here in Wales, and that is to use the Business Wales service. That's the number to use, that's the place to go. Behind that number, of course, lies a whole plethora of different advice and different measures that can be taken to help businesses here in Wales.
In addition to all the meetings that my colleague Ken Skates is holding with representative bodies this week, I know that he has been working with the Development Bank of Wales to make sure that they respond flexibly to people who rely on loans and credit from them. We know that businesses in Wales will have access to the services of the British Business Bank and the new possibilities that have been outlined there by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
We are looking, Llywydd, very much to the UK Government and the statement that we are expecting later today for further support to businesses to allow them to survive through the difficult weeks and months ahead, so that they, and those people who rely on them for an income, emerge the other side of coronavirus and are able to pick up their lives again, and get on with making a success of them.
Diolchaf i Carwyn Jones am hynna, gan ei fod yn caniatáu i mi wneud y pwynt pwysig iawn hwnnw bod gennym ni un pwynt mynediad ar gyfer y cyngor hwnnw yma yng Nghymru, sef defnyddio gwasanaeth Busnes Cymru. Dyna'r rhif i'w ddefnyddio, dyna'r lle i fynd. Y tu ôl i'r rhif hwnnw, wrth gwrs, ceir llu o wahanol gyngor a gwahanol fesurau y gellir eu cymryd i helpu busnesau yma yng Nghymru.
Yn ogystal â'r holl gyfarfodydd y mae fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates yn eu cynnal gyda chyrff cynrychioliadol yr wythnos hon, gwn ei fod wedi bod yn gweithio gyda Banc Datblygu Cymru i wneud yn siŵr eu bod nhw'n ymateb yn hyblyg i bobl sy'n dibynnu ar fenthyciadau a chredyd ganddyn nhw. Rydym ni'n gwybod y bydd gan fusnesau yng Nghymru fynediad at wasanaethau Banc Busnes Prydain a'r posibiliadau newydd a amlinellwyd yn hynny o beth gan Ganghellor y Trysorlys.
Rydym ni'n edrych i raddau helaeth iawn, Llywydd, at Lywodraeth y DU a'r datganiad yr ydym ni'n ei ddisgwyl yn ddiweddarach heddiw am gymorth pellach i fusnesau i ganiatáu iddyn nhw oroesi drwy'r wythnosau a'r misoedd anodd sydd i ddod, fel y byddan nhw, a'r bobl hynny sy'n dibynnu arnyn nhw am incwm, yn dod allan yr ochr arall i coronafeirws ac yn gallu parhau â'u bywydau unwaith eto, a bwrw ati i wneud llwyddiant ohonyn nhw.
First Minister, one of the industries that is likely to be hit significantly as a result of falling visitor numbers is our tourism industry. It plays a huge role in the economy, particularly in north, mid and west Wales. And, of course, it's absolutely vital that we do what we can to protect those businesses that might be adversely affected, and indeed the many jobs in those businesses, on which so many families' livelihoods depend.
Some of the businesses in the tourism industry may be slightly larger than some of the exemptions that have already been announced in the business rates regime. For example, there are unique businesses like piers, whereby the business rate support that has thus far been announced, will not be eligible for them, even though there are many smaller businesses that, perhaps, are located on those piers. I wonder whether you will be able to accommodate what are sometimes unusual arrangements within the tourism industry, given the importance of it to the Welsh economy, in order that additional support can perhaps be made available to businesses with those sorts of unusual arrangements.
Prif Weinidog, un o'r diwydiannau sy'n debygol o gael ei daro'n sylweddol o ganlyniad i ostyngiad i nifer yr ymwelwyr yw ein diwydiant twristiaeth. Mae'n chwarae rhan enfawr yn yr economi, yn enwedig yn y gogledd, y canolbarth a'r gorllewin. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae'n gwbl hanfodol ein bod ni'n gwneud yr hyn a allwn i ddiogelu'r busnesau hynny a allai gael eu heffeithio'n andwyol, ac yn wir y swyddi niferus yn y busnesau hynny, y mae cymaint o fywoliaethau teuluoedd yn dibynnu arnyn nhw.
Efallai y bydd rhai o'r busnesau yn y diwydiant twristiaeth ychydig yn fwy na rhai o'r eithriadau a gyhoeddwyd eisoes yn y drefn ardrethi busnes. Er enghraifft, ceir busnesau unigryw fel pierau, lle na fydd y cymorth ardrethi busnes a gyhoeddwyd hyd yn hyn yn gymwys iddyn nhw, er bod llawer o fusnesau llai sydd, efallai, wedi eu lleoli ar y pierau hynny. Tybed a fyddwch chi'n gallu cynnwys trefniadau sydd weithiau'n anarferol yn y diwydiant twristiaeth, o gofio ei bwysigrwydd i economi Cymru, fel y gellir darparu cymorth ychwanegol efallai i fusnesau sydd â'r mathau hynny o drefniadau anarferol.
I thank the Member for those important points. He's quite right: the tourism industry is of particular significance in Wales, as part of our economy and as a sector that employs so many people. In my letter to the Chancellor earlier today, I urged him to take an approach to supporting businesses across the United Kingdom that recognised the concentration of particular sectors in particular places. As far as the point he makes about businesses that don't fit, necessarily, the normal profile of the sector, we provided local authorities with additional funds last year that they can use for discretionary rate relief purposes, because sometimes it's the local authority closest to those unusual businesses that is able to make those decisions. We will bear that in mind and the points that he has made this afternoon when we come to make decisions about the deployment of the £100 million that we are yet to determine from the sums that came to Wales from the budget last week.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y pwyntiau pwysig yna. Mae yn llygad ei le: mae'r diwydiant twristiaeth yn arbennig o bwysig yng Nghymru, fel rhan o'n heconomi ac fel sector sy'n cyflogi cynifer o bobl. Yn fy llythyr at y Canghellor yn gynharach heddiw, fe'i hanogais i fabwysiadu dull o gynorthwyo busnesau ledled y Deyrnas Unedig sy'n cydnabod y crynodiad o sectorau penodol mewn mannau penodol. O ran y pwynt y mae'n ei wneud am fusnesau nad ydyn nhw'n cyd-fynd, o reidrwydd, â phroffil arferol y sector, darparwyd arian ychwanegol gennym ni i awdurdodau lleol y llynedd y gallan nhw ei ddefnyddio at ddibenion rhyddhad ardrethi dewisol, oherwydd weithiau yr awdurdod lleol sydd agosaf at y busnesau anarferol hynny sy'n gallu gwneud y penderfyniadau hynny. Byddwn yn cadw hynny mewn cof a'r pwyntiau y mae ef wedi eu gwneud y prynhawn yma pan fyddwn ni'n dod i wneud penderfyniadau ynghylch defnyddio'r £100 miliwn nad ydym ni wedi penderfynu sut i'w ddefnyddio eto o'r symiau a ddaeth i Gymru o'r gyllideb yr wythnos diwethaf.
As regards coronavirus, health demographics are very different here in Wales, compared to, well, even England, in terms of a far higher percentage of elderly population here in Wales, in terms of the far higher percentage of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other chronic diseases here in Wales compared to England, and in terms of far fewer intensive care unit beds per head of population here, even compared to England. It also suffers adversely in comparison with other European countries, and in terms of far fewer intensive care doctors per head of population here, far fewer than England and far fewer than Italy, which is enduring an absolute armageddon at the moment of 400 deaths per day, and far fewer ventilators and a lack of protective clothing and masks in general practice as elsewhere. So, the reality is that we are on a war footing now. Wales faces huge challenge, with fewer resources than even England. We need dedicated isolation wards now. I can think of only one ward in Wales at the moment that we can use as COVID isolation. I see exhausted medical and nursing staff now who will be asked to make horrendous decisions very shortly as regards who gets ventilated and who does not get ventilated because we haven't got the ventilators.
So, we are three weeks behind Italy. Can I ask how the First Minister is leading the charge here to specifically equip our NHS and our front-line staff to meet this greatest peacetime challenge facing Wales?
O ran coronafeirws, mae demograffeg iechyd yn wahanol iawn yma yng Nghymru, o'i chymharu â, wel, hyd yn oed Lloegr, o ran canran uwch o lawer o boblogaeth oedrannus yma yng Nghymru, o ran y ganran uwch o lawer o bobl â chlefyd rhwystrol cronig yr ysgyfaint a chlefydau cronig eraill yma yng Nghymru o'i gymharu â Lloegr, ac o ran llawer llai o welyau uned gofal dwys fesul pen o'r boblogaeth yma, hyd yn oed o'i gymharu â Lloegr. Mae hefyd yn dioddef yn andwyol o'i chymharu â gwledydd eraill Ewrop, ac o ran llawer llai o feddygon gofal dwys fesul pen o'r boblogaeth yma, llawer llai na Lloegr a llawer llai na'r Eidal, sy'n mynd trwy armagedon llwyr ar hyn o bryd o 400 o farwolaethau y dydd, a llawer llai o awyryddion a diffyg dillad diogelu a masgiau mewn ymarfer cyffredinol fel mewn mannau eraill. Felly, y gwir amdani yw ein bod ni mewn sefyllfa o ryfel nawr. Mae Cymru'n wynebu her enfawr, gyda llai o adnoddau na Lloegr hyd yn oed. Rydym ni angen wardiau ynysu penodol nawr. Ni allaf feddwl ond am un ward yn unig yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd y gallwn ni ei defnyddio fel ward ynysu COVID. Rwy'n gweld staff meddygol a nyrsio sydd wedi ymladd y bydd gofyn iddyn nhw bellach wneud penderfyniadau erchyll yn fuan iawn ynglŷn â phwy sy'n cael eu hawyru a phwy nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu hawyru gan nad yw'r awyryddion gennym ni.
Felly, rydym ni dair wythnos y tu ôl i'r Eidal. A gaf i ofyn sut y mae'r Prif Weinidog yn arwain yr ymgyrch yma i arfogi ein GIG a'n staff rheng flaen yn benodol i ymateb i'r her fwyaf hon yn ystod cyfnod o heddwch sy'n wynebu Cymru?
Well, I agree with Dr Lloyd about the human toll that coronavirus will take and the pressures already faced by people working in the sector, but I think it's very important that we say to them, and to people who will be anxious about what the coming weeks will bring, that the efforts that are being made across the United Kingdom are designed to affect the progress of the disease, so that the demand on the health service is smoothed as much as we can to make the demand on our health services, both the physical equipment but also the human resources of the health service—to be able to make that as manageable as it can be. We have huge pluses here in Wales, as well as challenges, in the dedication and the determination of our staff, of the willingness of our population to take those collective actions that will make the greatest difference. So, in the difficult days that are ahead, we have to find ways of making the most of the assets that we have, to take the right decisions that individually as well as collectively we can all take, because in that way, together, we will make the biggest difference and make the impact of this disease as capable of being managed as possible.
Wel, rwy'n cytuno â Dr Lloyd am y niwed dynol y bydd coronafeirws yn ei wneud a'r pwysau sydd eisoes yn wynebu pobl sy'n gweithio yn y sector, ond rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n dweud wrthyn nhw, ac wrth bobl a fydd yn pryderu am yr hyn a ddaw yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf, bod yr ymdrechion sy'n cael eu gwneud ledled y Deyrnas Unedig wedi eu cynllunio i effeithio ar gynnydd y clefyd, fel bod y galw ar y gwasanaeth iechyd yn cael ei leddfu cymaint ag y gallwn ni i wneud y galw ar ein gwasanaethau iechyd, offer ffisegol ond hefyd adnoddau dynol y gwasanaeth iechyd—i allu gwneud hynny mor hylaw ag y gall fod. Mae gennym ni agweddau cadarnhaol iawn yma yng Nghymru, yn ogystal â heriau, o ran ymroddiad a phenderfyniad ein staff, o ran parodrwydd ein poblogaeth i gymryd y camau cyfunol hynny a fydd yn gwneud y gwahaniaeth mwyaf. Felly, yn y dyddiau anodd sydd o'n blaenau, mae'n rhaid i ni ddod o hyd i ffyrdd o wneud y mwyaf o'r asedau sydd gennym ni, i wneud y penderfyniadau iawn y gallwn ni i gyd eu gwneud yn unigol yn ogystal â chyda'n gilydd, oherwydd yn y modd hwnnw, gyda'n gilydd, y byddwn ni'n gwneud y gwahaniaeth mwyaf ac yn sicrhau bod y gallu i reoli effaith y clefyd hwn cystal â phosibl.
5. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi cymorth i bobl â chyflyrau niwro-amrywiol yng Nghymru? OAQ55245
5. How is the Welsh Government giving support for people with neuro-diverse conditions in Wales? OAQ55245
I thank the Member for that question. Support for people with neurodiverse conditions continues to develop through, for example, the integrated autism service. A demand and capacity review of neurodevelopmental services is under way. A statutory code of practice on the delivery of autism services will be published for consultation in April.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna. Mae cymorth i bobl sydd â chyflyrau niwroamrywiol yn parhau i ddatblygu drwy, er enghraifft, y gwasanaeth awtistiaeth integredig. Mae adolygiad galw a chapasiti o wasanaethau niwroddatblygiadol ar y gweill. Bydd cod ymarfer statudol ar y ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau awtistiaeth yn cael ei gyhoeddi ar gyfer ymgynghoriad ym mis Ebrill.
Thank you. Given the circumstances, I'll postpone the question I was going to ask and instead put a question to you I've received from the independent diversity adviser who is the force co-ordinator for the National Police Autism Association in north Wales and who works with the North Wales Integrated Autism Service developing and delivering training, and who's also an independent autism rights campaigner, and he said that, as part of his advisory work with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, he suggested what he regards as a simple idea to help with the coronavirus COVID-19, which would be producing a printable A4 sheet for people to put in their window or their gate to let others know they're in isolation to allow others, such as delivery people, to know they need to be extra vigilant, and also to let other callers know they should find another way of contacting the person. I wonder how you would respond to that question, which it was suggested to him he refer to an Assembly Member for raising here.
Diolch. O ystyried yr amgylchiadau, hoffwn ohirio'r cwestiwn yr oeddwn i'n mynd i'w ofyn ac, yn hytrach, gofyn cwestiwn i chi yr wyf i wedi ei gael gan y cynghorydd amrywiaeth annibynnol, sef cydgysylltydd yr heddlu ar gyfer Cymdeithas Awtistiaeth Genedlaethol yr Heddlu yn y gogledd, ac sy'n gweithio gyda Gwasanaeth Awtistiaeth Integredig Gogledd Cymru yn datblygu a darparu hyfforddiant, ac sydd hefyd yn ymgyrchydd annibynnol dros hawliau awtistiaeth, a dywedodd, yn rhan o'i waith cynghori gyda Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, ei fod wedi awgrymu yr hyn y mae'n ei ystyried yn syniad syml i helpu gyda coronafeirws COVID-19, sef cynhyrchu taflen A4 y gellir ei hargraffu i bobl ei rhoi yn eu ffenestr neu ar eu giât i roi gwybod i eraill eu bod nhw'n ynysu i ganiatáu i bobl eraill, fel pobl sy'n danfon pethau, wybod bod angen iddyn nhw fod yn fwy gwyliadwrus, a hefyd i roi gwybod i rai eraill sy'n galw y dylen nhw ddod o hyd i ffordd arall o gysylltu â'r person. Rwy'n meddwl tybed sut y byddech chi'n ymateb i'r cwestiwn hwnnw, yr awgrymwyd iddo y dylai ei gyfeirio at Aelod Cynulliad i'w godi yn y fan yma.
Well, I'm grateful to Mark Isherwood and the person who has contacted him. I think all ideas are welcome, and need to be considered on their merits. I'm sure we would want to take advice on that particular idea, for example from police services, as to whether they would regard it as advisable to have a sign in your window that says, 'Old, vulnerable and alone'.
I know that isn't the intention of the notice at all, but you can see how it could be read by others with less benign intentions than the person who made the suggestion. So, I'm very grateful for the suggestion. I think it's great that people use their experience and their expertise to put ideas to us. We would need to test them with others to make sure that there weren't unintended downsides to the ideas that might make them less advisable than they first appeared.
Wel, rwy'n ddiolchgar i Mark Isherwood a'r person sydd wedi cysylltu ag ef. Rwy'n credu bod croeso i bob syniad, ac mae angen eu hystyried ar sail eu rhinweddau. Rwy'n siŵr y byddem ni eisiau cael cyngor ar y syniad penodol hwnnw, er enghraifft gan wasanaethau'r heddlu, o ran pa un a fydden nhw'n ei ystyried yn beth doeth cael arwydd yn eich ffenestr sy'n dweud, 'Hen, agored i niwed ac ar ben fy hun'.
Rwy'n gwybod nad dyna fwriad yr hysbysiad o gwbl, ond gallwch weld sut y gallai gael ei ddarllen gan bobl eraill â bwriadau llai diniwed na'r sawl a wnaeth yr awgrym. Felly, rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am yr awgrym. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n wych bod pobl yn defnyddio eu profiad a'u harbenigedd i roi syniadau i ni. Byddai angen i ni eu profi nhw gydag eraill i wneud yn siŵr na fyddai unrhyw anfanteision anfwriadol i'r syniadau a allai eu gwneud yn llai doeth nag yr oedden nhw'n ymddangos i fod yn y lle cyntaf.
Cwestiwn 6 [OAQ55243], 7 [OAQ55274], 8 [OAQ55251] a 9 [OAQ55266] wedi eu tynnu yn ôl. Yn olaf, cwestiwn 10—Jack Sargeant.
Questions [OAQ55243], 7 [OAQ55274], 8 [OAQ55251] and 9 [OAQ55266] withdrawn. Finally, question 10—Jack Sargeant.
10. Sut y mae'r Prif Weinidog yn sicrhau bod gwasanaethau a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn hyrwyddo cymunedau caredicach? OAQ55275
10. How is the First Minister ensuring that Welsh Government-funded services promote kinder communities? OAQ55275
Can I thank Jack Sargeant for that? Llywydd, amongst the measures the Welsh Government is taking has been the publication of our first loneliness and social isolation strategy, 'Connected Communities'. This is supported by £1.4 million over three years, beginning in the next financial year. It highlights the importance of kindness in reducing the feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
A gaf i ddiolch i Jack Sargeant am hynna? Llywydd, ymhlith y mesurau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd fu cyhoeddi ein strategaeth unigrwydd ac ynysu cymdeithasol gyntaf, 'Cysylltu Cymunedau'. Cefnogir hon gan £1.4 miliwn dros dair blynedd, yn dechrau yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf. Mae'n amlygu pwysigrwydd caredigrwydd wrth leihau'r teimladau o unigrwydd ac ynysu cymdeithasol.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. As you know, this is a subject that we've discussed before, but kindness is not a vague concept, it's actually key to the way health services are delivered. It's about ensuring that individual circumstances are taken into account when they interact with the state, and I too would like to put on record my thanks to all those public service workers who are helping us through this tough time.
First Minister, we must ensure people providing services have the freedom to recognise and support appropriately. This is particularly the case when interacting with residents who have suffered adverse childhood experiences; we know that they could have real difficulty interacting with authority. So, First Minister, these are extraordinary times: people have lost their homes due to the flooding and now we face the incredible uncertainty of coronavirus. How can we ensure that they don't experience conflict when members of the public interact with public services, and they don't feel left behind and that public service leaders ensure that empathy is key to service delivery?
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Fel y gwyddoch, mae hwn yn bwnc yr ydym ni wedi ei drafod o'r blaen, ond nid cysyniad amwys yw caredigrwydd, mae'n allweddol mewn gwirionedd i'r ffordd y caiff gwasanaethau iechyd eu darparu. Mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau bod amgylchiadau unigol yn cael eu cymryd i ystyriaeth wrth iddyn nhw ryngweithio â'r wladwriaeth, a hoffwn innau hefyd gofnodi fy niolch i'r holl weithwyr gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hynny sy'n ein helpu drwy'r cyfnod anodd hwn.
Prif Weinidog, mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau bod gan bobl sy'n darparu gwasanaethau y rhyddid i adnabod a chynorthwyo'n briodol. Mae hyn yn arbennig o wir wrth ryngweithio â thrigolion sydd wedi dioddef profiadau niweidiol yn ystod plentyndod; rydym ni'n gwybod y gallen nhw gael anhawster gwirioneddol wrth ryngweithio ag awdurdod. Felly, Prif Weinidog, mae hwn yn gyfnod eithriadol: mae pobl wedi colli eu cartrefi oherwydd y llifogydd a nawr rydym ni'n wynebu ansicrwydd anhygoel coronafeirws. Sut gallwn ni sicrhau nad ydyn nhw'n dioddef gwrthdaro pan fydd aelodau o'r cyhoedd yn rhyngweithio â gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, ac nad ydyn nhw'n teimlo eu bod nhw wedi cael eu gadael ar ôl a bod arweinyddion gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn sicrhau bod empathi yn allweddol i'r ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau?
Can I thank Jack Sargeant for that and thank him for the regular ways in which he takes the opportunity to make these points to the Senedd? And he's surely right, Llywydd, that, if ever kindness were needed, it's going to be needed by us all over the testing weeks ahead. And that will be challenging, because people who provide our public services are just as much under pressure as people who use them and, in our different ways, we are all providers of services on the one hand and users of services ourselves on others.
And I think the simple message—and it's one I heard Jack use himself before—is that we need to think always of ourselves in both capacities. If we are using a service, we need to think of how we would wish someone who is using our services to behave, and, if we're providing a service, we need to think about how the person using our service would themselves wish that service to be provided. If we do it that way with the empathy that Jack mentioned at the end of his question, then there is an opportunity there for us all to try to ground the actions we each take in that sense of wanting to respond to the unique qualities of the human being in front of us, and to put kindness at the centre of that interaction.
A gaf i ddiolch i Jack Sargeant am hynna a diolch iddo am y ffyrdd rheolaidd y mae'n manteisio ar y cyfle i wneud y pwyntiau hyn i'r Senedd? A siawns ei fod yn iawn, Llywydd, os oedd angen caredigrwydd erioed, bydd ei angen arnom ni i gyd yn ystod yr wythnosau anodd sydd i ddod. A bydd hynny'n her, gan fod pobl sy'n darparu ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus gymaint o dan bwysau â phobl sy'n eu defnyddio nhw ac, yn ein gwahanol ffyrdd, rydym ni i gyd yn ddarparwyr gwasanaethau ar y naill law ac yn ddefnyddwyr gwasanaethau ein hunain ar y llall.
Ac rwy'n meddwl mai'r neges syml—ac mae'n un y clywais Jack yn ei defnyddio ei hun o'r blaen—yw bod angen i ni feddwl bob amser am ein hunain o'r ddwy ochr. Os ydym ni'n defnyddio gwasanaeth, mae angen i ni feddwl am sut y byddem ni'n dymuno i rywun sy'n defnyddio ein gwasanaethau ni ymddwyn, ac, os ydym ni'n darparu gwasanaeth, mae angen i ni feddwl am sut y byddai'r unigolyn sy'n defnyddio ein gwasanaeth ei hun yn dymuno i'r gwasanaeth hwnnw gael ei ddarparu. Os byddwn ni'n ei wneud yn y modd hwnnw gyda'r empathi y soniodd Jack amdano ar ddiwedd ei gwestiwn, yna mae cyfle yn hynny o beth i ni i gyd geisio seilio'r camau y mae pob un ohonom ni'n eu cymryd ar yr ystyr honno o fod eisiau ymateb i rinweddau unigryw'r person sydd o'n blaenau, ac i wneud caredigrwydd yn ganolog i'r rhyngweithio hwnnw.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
I thank the First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf felly yw'r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, a dwi'n galw ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hwnnw—Rebecca Evans.
The next item, therefore, is the business statement and announcement. I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement—Rebecca Evans.
Diolch, Llywydd. There are multiple changes to this week's business. The Minister for Health and Social Services, the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, and the Minister for Housing and Local Government will all make statements on the coronavirus COVID-19. As a result, the planned statements on the Bus Services (Wales) Bill, the homelessness action group's report and a framework to improve quality and performance in urgent and emergency care have been withdrawn. Stage 3 proceedings for the Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Bill have been postponed. Finally, the Business Committee has decided that tomorrow's agenda will consist only of oral Assembly and topical questions. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae nifer o newidiadau i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Bydd y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru, a'r Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol i gyd yn gwneud datganiadau ar y coronafeirws COVID-19. O ganlyniad, mae'r datganiadau sydd wedi eu cynllunio ar y Bil Gwasanaethau Bysiau (Cymru), adroddiad y grŵp gweithredu ar ddigartrefedd a fframwaith i wella ansawdd a pherfformiad ym maes gofal brys ac mewn argyfwng wedi eu tynnu'n ôl. Mae trafodion Cyfnod 3 ar gyfer y Bil Anifeiliaid Gwyllt a Syrcasau (Cymru) wedi eu gohirio. Yn olaf, mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes wedi penderfynu y bydd agenda yfory yn cynnwys cwestiynau llafar a chwestiynau amserol gan y Cynulliad yn unig. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos nesaf wedi ei nodi yn y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfodydd sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau yn electronig.
Leader of the house, I notice there are several new statements appearing on the order paper this afternoon, and I fully appreciate there's a pressure on time. I've raised the issue in spokespersons' questions with the rural affairs Minister, and I appreciate there's something slated for next week statement-wise, but I'd appreciate some form of written statement this week if possible, given the time constraints that many farmers face when it comes to TB testing, for example. You only need to look around this Chamber at how many absences there are today, and if vets aren't available, and other helpers involved with those types of testings, then obviously that puts animal health herd status into jeopardy. These are force majeure events that we are dealing with at the moment. And also the provision of feedstocks as well and also the application for the single farm payment window, which is open now and concludes the middle of May, and farm inspections. This isn't a criticism I am making—it's an observation that I think would be greatly received if there could be clarification about what exactly will be expected of farmers and animal keepers here in Wales, given the extraordinary circumstances we find ourselves in and the unpredictable nature. As things stand at the moment, the law doesn't allow for any tolerance—a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to bovine TB testing, for example—and some clarity, certainly this week, would be gratefully received. If we could have that in written statement form from the Minister, I think that would be greatly appreciated.
Arweinydd y tŷ, rwy'n sylwi bod nifer o ddatganiadau newydd yn ymddangos ar y papur trefn y prynhawn yma, ac rwy'n deall yn iawn bod pwysau ar amser. Rwyf wedi codi'r mater yng nghwestiynau'r llefarwyr gyda'r Gweinidog materion gwledig, ac rwy'n gwerthfawrogi bod rhywbeth wedi ei nodi ar gyfer datganiad yr wythnos nesaf, ond byddwn i'n gwerthfawrogi rhyw fath o ddatganiad ysgrifenedig yr wythnos hon os yw'n bosibl, o gofio'r cyfyngiadau amser y mae llawer o ffermwyr yn ei hwynebu o ran mater profion TB, er enghraifft. Does dim ond angen i chi edrych o gwmpas y Siambr hon ar faint o absenoldebau sydd yma heddiw, ac os nad yw milfeddygon ar gael, a chynorthwywyr eraill sy'n ymwneud â'r mathau hynny o brofion, yna'n amlwg mae hynny'n peryglu statws gyrroedd anifeiliaid o ran iechyd. Mae'r rhain yn ddigwyddiadau enfawr yr ydym ni'n ymdrin â hwy ar hyn o bryd. A hefyd darpariaeth porthiant yn ogystal â'r cais ar gyfer y cyfnod taliad sengl, sydd ar agor nawr ac yn dod i ben ganol fis Mai, ac archwiliadau fferm. Nid beirniadaeth yw hon yr wyf i'n ei gwneud—sylw ydyw a fyddai'n cael croeso mawr yn fy marn i pe byddai modd cael eglurhad ynghylch beth yn union sydd i'w ddisgwyl gan ffermwyr a cheidwaid anifeiliaid yma yng Nghymru, o ystyried yr amgylchiadau eithriadol yr ydym ni'n canfod ein hunain ynddynt a'r natur na ellir ei ddarogan. Fel y mae pethau ar hyn o bryd, nid yw'r gyfraith yn caniatáu unrhyw oddefgarwch—mae dull gweithredu dim goddefgarwch o ran profion TB buchol, er enghraifft—a byddai rhywfaint o eglurder, yn sicr yr wythnos hon, i'w groesawu. Pe byddai modd i ni gael hynny ar ffurf datganiad ysgrifenedig gan y Gweinidog, rwy'n credu y byddai hynny'n cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
I thank Andrew R.T. Davies for raising this issue, and he will see that the Minister does have a coronavirus update on the agenda for next week's Plenary. Obviously, she'll be giving some thought as to how to respond to that particular issue, and I know that she'll be in discussion with her officials and taking the views of the farming unions and others in this.
Diolch i Andrew R.T. Davies am godi'r mater hwn, a bydd yn gweld bod gan y Gweinidog eitem ar yr agenda ar gyfer Cyfarfod Llawn yr wythnos nesaf i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ynghylch coronafeirws. Yn amlwg, bydd hi'n rhoi rhywfaint o ystyriaeth i sut i ymateb i'r mater penodol hwnnw, ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd hi'n trafod gyda'i swyddogion ac yn ystyried barn undebau'r ffermwyr ac eraill yn hyn o beth.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.
Mae'n amser hynod o bryderus i bawb, wrth gwrs, ond yn cynnwys rhieni, athrawon, disgyblion a gweithwyr yn ein hysgolion ni. Dwi yn ceisio rhoi fy hun yn eu hesgidiau nhw. Rydym ni'n gwybod y bydd angen i ysgolion gau ar gyfer y rhan fwyaf o ddisgyblion cyn hir, a bod hynny'n anochel er mwyn atal lledaeniad y feirws. Mae unrhyw un sy'n dweud yn wahanol—mae'n ddrwg gen i, maen nhw'n claddu eu pennau yn y tywod. Mae yna nifer o gwestiynau yn codi o hynny ond, yn anffodus, does yna ddim datganiad gan y Gweinidog addysg y prynhawn yma, sydd yn rhyfeddol i fi. Mae yna ddatganiad iechyd, datganiad economi, datganiad llywodraeth leol, ond dim byd ynglŷn ag addysg ac ysgolion. Mae'n rhaid inni gael eglurder am beth ydy'r cynllun efo ysgolion, beth ydy'r amserlen ar gyfer cau i'r mwyafrif, ond hefyd pa ddarpariaeth fydd ar gael ar gyfer plant gweithwyr allweddol. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod yn rhaid i'r plant yna ddal i gael darpariaethau er mwyn i bobl fedru mynd i'w gwaith yn y gwasanaeth iechyd ac mewn sefyllfaoedd eraill.
Mae angen eglurder ynglŷn ag ysgolion arbennig. Beth fydd y trefniadau ar gyfer plant sy'n cael cinio am ddim? Sut maen nhw'n mynd i gael bwyd? Rhaid hefyd annog y rhieni sy'n gallu i gadw eu plant adref yn wirfoddol. Does bosib y medrwn ni annog hynny ond eu bod nhw'n cael gwneud hynny heb gael eu cosbi. Beth fydd yn digwydd efo arholiadau? Mae yna nifer fawr o gwestiynau yn codi, ac yn y cyfamser mae yna gwestiynau yn dechrau cael eu gofyn rŵan ynglŷn â threfniadau hylendid yn yr ysgolion uwchradd—lot o gwestiynau. Gobeithio bod modd, ar ryw bwynt, i gael trafodaeth adeiladol ar y materion yma.
Now, it is a very concerning time for everyone, of course, including parents, teachers, pupils and workers in our schools. I am trying to put myself in their shoes here. We know that schools will need to close for the majority of pupils in due course, and that’s inevitable to prevent the spread of the virus. Now, anyone who says differently, I'm sorry, they are burying their heads in the sand on this. There are a number of questions arising from that but, unfortunately, there is no statement from the education Minister this afternoon, which is surprising. We have a health statement, an economy statement and a local government statement, but nothing with regard to education and schools. Now, we do have to have clarity about what the plan is for schools, what is the timeline for closing the majority of schools, but also what provision will be made for children of key workers. We know that those children will still need to have provisions so that people can go to their jobs in the health service and in other settings.
We need clarity about special schools. What will be the arrangements for free-school-meals children, how will they be fed? And we also need to encourage those parents who can do so to keep their children at home voluntarily. I'm sure we can encourage them to do that, but they should do so without being penalised. What will happen with exams? There is a whole host of questions arising, and in the meantime there are questions starting to be asked now about hygiene arrangements in secondary schools—many questions. Hopefully, at some point, we can have a constructive discussion on these issues.
Yes, there will be the opportunity for that on several counts. Tomorrow, of course, the Minister does have oral questions in the Chamber, and I know on the order paper there are several questions relating to coronavirus. I know that she's also in discussion with committee in terms of potentially having a bespoke session on the coronavirus and education with that committee, and I understand it's been agreed now for Thursday. And, of course, you'll see on the order paper that the education Minister will be making a further statement to the Assembly next Tuesday.
Oes, bydd cyfle ar gael ar gyfer hynny ar sawl cyfrif. Yfory, wrth gwrs, mae gan y Gweinidog gwestiynau llafar yn y Siambr, ac rwy'n gwybod bod, ar y papur trefn, sawl cwestiwn yn ymwneud â coronafeirws. Rwy'n gwybod ei bod hi hefyd yn trafod gyda'r pwyllgor o ran y posibilrwydd o gael sesiwn bwrpasol ar y coronafeirws ac addysg gyda'r pwyllgor hwnnw, ac rwy'n deall ei bod hynny wedi ei gytuno erbyn hyn ar gyfer dydd Iau. Ac, wrth gwrs, byddwch yn gweld ar y papur trefn y bydd y Gweinidog addysg yn gwneud datganiad pellach i'r Cynulliad ddydd Mawrth nesaf.
Members will have seen a letter today from the First Minister to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and we know that the Chancellor is making a statement this evening on financial support for businesses and the economy during this period. But would it be possible for us to have a statement or a debate on these matters? I think many of us have been concerned for many years that the financial structures holding together the United Kingdom are broken and that they're not delivering equality and fairness to all parts of the UK equally. We've seen what I think is some really impressive leadership in different parts of the world, certainly from Macron last night in France, putting together a very comprehensive package, which I hope the UK Government will have taken notice of.
But we're also aware and particularly what this crisis has crystallised for us and has brought into sharp focus is that Barnett is no longer fit for purpose, and that if the UK Government continues to use Barnett in order to distribute funding across the United Kingdom then we will suffer disproportionately as a consequence of that. We've also seen the Treasury making differential announcements for England, and then a considerable time before those announcements on funding are made for Wales. There is a need for the United Kingdom to work together as never before, and I am deeply concerned that the financial structures of the United Kingdom in some ways inhibit this working together rather than promote it.
So, would it be possible for us to have a statement or a debate, following the news from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to enable us to understand what that means for Wales, the response of the Welsh Government, but also, I think, more crucially, how do we address the broken financial structures that are no longer serving the whole of the United Kingdom equally?
Bydd yr Aelodau wedi gweld llythyr heddiw gan y Prif Weinidog at Ganghellor y Trysorlys, ac rydym ni'n gwybod fod y Canghellor yn gwneud datganiad heno am gymorth ariannol i fusnesau a'r economi yn ystod y cyfnod hwn. Ond a fyddai'n bosibl i ni gael datganiad neu ddadl ar y materion hyn? Rwy'n credu bod llawer ohonom ni wedi bod yn pryderu ers blynyddoedd lawer bod y strwythurau ariannol sy'n dal y Deyrnas Unedig ynghyd wedi eu torri ac nad ydyn nhw'n sicrhau cydraddoldeb a thegwch i bob rhan o'r DU yn gyfartal. Rydym ni wedi gweld arweinyddiaeth wirioneddol drawiadol mewn gwahanol rannau o'r byd, yn sicr gan Macron neithiwr yn Ffrainc, gan roi pecyn cynhwysfawr iawn at ei gilydd, a gobeithio y bydd Llywodraeth y DU wedi cymryd sylw o hynny.
Ond rydym ni hefyd yn ymwybodol o'r hyn y mae'r argyfwng hwn wedi ei grisialu i ni yn arbennig, a'i fod wedi dangos yn glir nad yw Barnett bellach yn addas i'w diben, ac os yw Llywodraeth y DU yn parhau i ddefnyddio Barnett er mwyn dosbarthu cyllid ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig, yna byddwn ni'n dioddef yn anghymesur o ganlyniad i hynny. Rydym ni hefyd wedi gweld y Trysorlys yn gwneud cyhoeddiadau gwahaniaethol ar gyfer Lloegr, ac yna mae cryn amser cyn i'r cyhoeddiadau hynny ynghylch ariannu gael eu gwneud ar gyfer Cymru. Mae angen i'r Deyrnas Unedig gydweithio yn well nag erioed o'r blaen, ac rwy'n pryderu'n fawr bod strwythurau ariannol y Deyrnas Unedig mewn rhai ffyrdd yn llesteirio'r cydweithio hwn yn hytrach na'i hyrwyddo.
Felly, a fyddai modd i ni gael datganiad neu ddadl, yn dilyn y newyddion gan Ganghellor y Trysorlys, i'n galluogi ni i ddeall yr hyn mae hynny'n ei olygu i Gymru, ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru, ond hefyd, rwy'n meddwl, yn bwysicach, sut ydym ni am fynd i'r afael â'r strwythurau ariannol sydd wedi torri ac nad ydyn nhw bellach yn gwasanaethu'r Deyrnas Unedig gyfan yn gyfartal?
Yes, I will explore the best way to update colleagues following the Chancellor's statement in terms of what any announcements might mean for Wales. The point about the Barnett formula no longer being fit for purpose, I think, is well made, especially when we consider the additional funding provided through the recent coronavirus package in the budget, which just doesn't take into account our different economy here in Wales. So, we have a larger proportion of small businesses here in Wales, for example, and we are reliant on particular sectors very heavily. So, these will all be things that we need to pursue, and that we are pursuing with the Treasury.
We're also, in a wider context, looking at the statement of funding policy and how that will be applied in future, with a view to making some improvements to that, and to ensure that we are funded in a fairer way. That's ongoing work, but, as I say, as soon as we have further information, I will seek to update colleagues.
Bydd, byddaf i'n archwilio'r ffordd orau o roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'm cydweithwyr yn dilyn datganiad y Canghellor o ran yr hyn y gallai unrhyw gyhoeddiadau ei olygu i Gymru. Mae'r pwynt ynglŷn â fformiwla Barnett ddim yn addas i'w diben mwyach, yn un da, yn enwedig pan ein bod ni'n ystyried yr arian ychwanegol a gafodd ei ddarparu drwy'r pecyn coronafeirws diweddar yn y gyllideb, nad yw'n ystyried ein heconomi wahanol yma yng Nghymru. Felly, mae gennym ni gyfran fwy o fusnesau bach yma yng Nghymru, er enghraifft, ac rydym ni'n dibynnu'n drwm iawn ar rai sectorau penodol. Felly, bydd y rhain i gyd yn bethau y mae angen i ni fynd ar eu trywydd, ac rydym ni yn eu dilyn gyda'r Trysorlys.
Rydym ni hefyd, mewn cyd-destun ehangach, yn edrych ar y datganiad polisi ariannu a sut y bydd hwnnw yn cael ei gymhwyso yn y dyfodol, gyda golwg ar wneud rhai gwelliannau i hynny, a sicrhau ein bod ni'n cael ein hariannu mewn ffordd decach. Mae hwnnw'n waith sy'n parhau, ond, fel y dywedais i, cyn gynted ag y bydd gennym ni ragor o wybodaeth, byddaf yn ceisio rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'm cyd-Aelodau.
Trefnydd, as we've heard from many contributions today in this Chamber, these are worrying, dark times, with currently little light to be seen at the end of the tunnel; we don't know where the end of that tunnel will be. As is always the case in Wales, when a crisis looms large, our communities rise to the challenge, and numerous individuals come forward to support those most in need, as evidenced by the plethora of groups that have popped up on social media, particularly on Facebook. I've just joined the Raglan COVID-19 assistance group, the aim being to develop a pool of volunteers operating within safety guidelines to support those who feel most vulnerable in our communities. I'm sure the Welsh Government is more aware of these groups than I am.
So, I wonder if we could have a statement, be that oral or written, or a communication from the Government as to how these groups, which are still in their infancy, are going to be supported over the weeks and months ahead because, as is the case often with our NHS and volunteers helping out there, these groups are often responsible for taking a lot of the burden off statutory services, and I'm sure that this will be no different.
Trefnydd, fel yr ydym ni wedi ei glywed gan lawer o gyfraniadau heddiw yn y Siambr hon, mae'r rhain yn amseroedd sy'n peri pryder, cyfnod tywyll, heb fawr o oleuni ym mhen draw'r twnnel; ni wyddom ble mae pen draw y twnnel hwnnw. Fel sydd bob amser yn wir yng Nghymru, pan fo argyfwng mawr yn digwydd, mae ein cymunedau yn ymateb i'r her, ac mae nifer o unigolion yn dod ymlaen i gynorthwyo'r rhai mwyaf anghenus, fel y mae'r lliaws o grwpiau sydd wedi codi ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol, yn enwedig ar Facebook yn ei brofi. Rwyf i newydd ymuno â grŵp cymorth COVID-19 Rhaglan, gyda'r nod o ddatblygu cronfa o wirfoddolwyr yn gweithredu o fewn canllawiau diogelwch i gefnogi'r rhai sy'n teimlo'n fwyaf agored i niwed yn ein cymunedau. Rwy'n siŵr bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn fwy ymwybodol o'r grwpiau hyn na mi.
Felly, tybed a allwn ni gael datganiad, ar lafar neu yn ysgrifenedig, neu gyfathrebiad gan y Llywodraeth ynghylch sut y bydd y grwpiau hyn, sy'n dal i fod yn newydd iawn, yn cael eu cefnogi yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd i ddod oherwydd, fel sy'n digwydd yn aml gyda'n GIG a'n gwirfoddolwyr yn helpu yn y maes, mae'r grwpiau hyn yn aml yn gyfrifol am dynnu llawer o'r baich oddi ar wasanaethau statudol, ac rwy'n siŵr na fydd hyn yn wahanol.
There will be a meeting tomorrow, as the First Minister indicated earlier, which brings together the third sector and others who will be absolutely vital in terms of our response to the coronavirus. I'll ensure that colleagues are updated following that meeting in terms of actions arising from it.
Bydd cyfarfod yfory, fel y nododd y Prif Weinidog yn gynharach, sy'n tynnu ynghyd y trydydd sector ac eraill a fydd yn gwbl hanfodol o ran ein hymateb i'r coronafeirws. Byddaf i'n sicrhau bod cyd-Aelodau yn cael yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf yn dilyn y cyfarfod hwnnw o ran y camau gweithredu a fydd yn deillio ohono.
I eagerly await the statement from the Minister with responsibility for business and the economy later, and I will be asking some questions about that. I also look forward to the statement from the Chancellor. Now I, as I'm sure have many other Members, have had scores of messages—if not hundreds—from people who are concerned about the economic impact of coronavirus. This was ramped up after the Prime Minister's announcement last night, because people were told not to go to pubs and clubs and restaurants, but pubs and clubs and restaurants have not been told to close, which obviously has implications from an insurance perspective. The latest self-isolation advice I think is good—a bit late, but good—but without support so many of those small businesses are going to go to the wall, as a result of that latest advice.
So, how is support going to be provided to those small businesses? How is support going to be provided to those people who will be forced to take time off from work, but have no other source of income? Businesses are going to need help with paying staff, with covering overheads, while they have no customers. The announcement on business rates doesn't cover a lot of businesses in the Rhondda, because they're not paying anyway, even though, for those who are affected, it's welcome.
In Ireland, there's been an emergency payment of €203 a week for all employees and self-employed people who've lost employment or business as a result of COVID-19. Now, this has been welcomed right throughout that country, and it needs to be considered here as a matter of urgency. The banks had a bailout in 2008. Businesses, the self-employed, and those on zero-hours contracts need a bailout now, of a similar size and scale. I'm talking here billions and not millions. Now, I recognise that this is a matter beyond Welsh budgets, but would the Government support a basic income along these lines? And, if you would, can we have a statement outlining what discussions you can have with Westminster to support the rolling out of such a proposal? I'd also like to know what, in the interim in terms of guarantees, can be offered to businesses to guard against them going under. I'm sure much more of this will become clear after the Chancellor's statement.
Like many communities, in the Rhondda, we've set up a community network. The idea is that we have at least one person in each street to keep an eye out on everyone who may have to stay at home, and 400 people have registered so far. Now, our volunteers will need practical best practice advice in order to keep safe and to prevent them from passing any virus on to the people they're meant to be looking after. They'll also need preferential access to basic items in the shops. In the battle of survival of the fittest, older and ill people are not winning, so we'll need also to protect people from the unscrupulous. And we will need to provide volunteers with a list of useful numbers of key professionals, in case the situation at homes deteriorates for them and professional help is needed.
So, what can the Government do to help community networks and volunteers with these questions that I've raised with you this afternoon? Will you recognise that not all areas are covered by community councils? We don't have any community councils in the Rhondda. Can we have a specific statement about community action, volunteering, and keeping everyone safe? And for anyone wanting to get involved in the Rhondda community network, please go to 'Coronavirus—Rhondda Community Network' on Facebook, and they can find out how to register as a community volunteer for their street there. Diolch yn fawr.
Rwy'n aros yn eiddgar am y datganiad gan y Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am fusnes a'r economi yn ddiweddarach, a byddaf yn gofyn rhai cwestiynau am hynny. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen hefyd at ddatganiad y Canghellor. Nawr, rwyf i, fel y mae llawer o Aelodau eraill, rwy'n siŵr, wedi cael ugeiniau o negeseuon—os nad cannoedd—gan bobl sy'n poeni am effaith economaidd coronafeirws. Cynyddodd hyn ar ôl cyhoeddiad Prif Weinidog y DU neithiwr, gan y dywedwyd wrth bobl am beidio â mynd i dafarndai a chlybiau a bwytai, ond ni ddywedwyd wrth dafarndai a chlybiau a bwytai i gau, sydd yn amlwg â goblygiadau o safbwynt yswiriant. Rwy'n credu bod y cyngor hunan-ynysu diweddaraf yn dda—braidd yn hwyr, ond da—ond heb gymorth mae cynifer o'r busnesau bach hynny yn mynd i fynd i'r wal, o ganlyniad i'r cyngor diweddaraf hwnnw.
Felly, sut bydd cymorth yn cael ei ddarparu i'r busnesau bach hynny? Sut caiff cymorth ei ddarparu i'r bobl hynny a gaiff eu gorfodi i gymryd amser i ffwrdd o'u gwaith, ond nad oes ganddyn nhw ffynhonnell arall o incwm? Bydd angen cymorth ar fusnesau i dalu aelodau staff, a thalu gorbenion, tra nad oes ganddyn nhw gwsmeriaid. Nid yw'r cyhoeddiad ynghylch ardrethi busnes yn cynnwys llawer o fusnesau yn y Rhondda, oherwydd nad ydyn nhw'n eu talu beth bynnag, er bod croeso i hynny, ar gyfer y rhai y mae'n effeithio arnyn nhw.
Yn Iwerddon, bu taliad brys o €203 yr wythnos i'r holl weithwyr a phobl hunangyflogedig sydd wedi colli swydd neu fusnes o ganlyniad i COVID-19. Nawr, mae hyn wedi cael ei groesawu ledled y wlad honno, ac mae angen ei ystyried yma fel mater o frys. Cafodd y banciau eu hachub yn 2008. Mae busnesau, pobl hunangyflogedig, a'r rhai sydd ar gontractau dim oriau angen eu hachub yn awr, ar raddfa a maint tebyg. Biliynau yr wyf i'n sôn amdanyn nhw yn y fan yma ac nid miliynau. Nawr, rwy'n cydnabod bod hwn yn fater y tu hwnt i gyllidebau Cymru, ond a fyddai'r Llywodraeth yn cefnogi incwm sylfaenol ar y llinellau hynny? Ac, os gwnewch chi, a allwn ni gael datganiad yn amlinellu pa drafodaethau y gallwch chi eu cael â San Steffan i gefnogi cyflwyno cynnig o'r fath? Hoffwn i wybod hefyd beth, yn y cyfamser o ran gwarantau, y gellir ei gynnig i fusnesau i'w hamddiffyn rhag mynd i'r wal. Rwy'n siŵr y daw llawer mwy o hyn yn eglur ar ôl datganiad y Canghellor.
Fel llawer o gymunedau, yn y Rhondda, rydym ni wedi sefydlu rhwydwaith cymunedol. Y syniad yw bod gennym ni o leiaf un person ym mhob stryd i gadw llygad ar bawb sydd efallai'n gorfod aros gartref, ac mae 400 o bobl wedi cofrestru hyd yn hyn. Nawr, bydd ein gwirfoddolwyr angen cyngor ar arfer gorau ymarferol er mwyn cadw'n ddiogel a'u hatal rhag trosglwyddo unrhyw feirws i'r bobl y maen nhw i fod i ofalu amdanyn nhw. Bydd angen iddyn nhw hefyd gael blaenoriaeth o ran cael eitemau sylfaenol yn y siopau. Mewn brwydr pan mai'r rhai mwyaf ffit sy'n goroesi nid yw pobl hŷn a sâl yn ennill, felly bydd angen i ni hefyd amddiffyn pobl rhag y rhai diegwyddor. A bydd angen i ni ddarparu rhestr o nifer ddefnyddiol o weithwyr proffesiynol allweddol i wirfoddolwyr, rhag ofn bod y sefyllfa mewn cartrefi yn dirywio iddyn nhw a bod angen cymorth proffesiynol.
Felly, beth all y Llywodraeth ei wneud i helpu rhwydweithiau cymunedol a gwirfoddolwyr o ran y cwestiynau hyn yr wyf i wedi eu codi gyda chi y prynhawn yma? A wnewch chi gydnabod nad oes gan bob ardal gynghorau cymuned? Nid oes gennym ni unrhyw gynghorau cymuned yn y Rhondda. A allwn ni gael datganiad penodol ynghylch gweithredu cymunedol, gwirfoddoli, a chadw pawb yn ddiogel? Ac i unrhyw un sydd eisiau cymryd rhan yn rhwydwaith cymunedol y Rhondda, ewch i 'Coronafeirws—Rhwydwaith Cymunedol y Rhondda' ar Facebook, a chael gwybod sut i gofrestru yn wirfoddolwr cymunedol ar gyfer eu stryd nhw yno. Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you to Leanne Wood for raising those really important issues, and of course recognising the role that volunteers will have in terms of the response to coronavirus. So, of course, the First Minister referred to a meeting that will take place tomorrow, bringing together the third sector and others who are able to mobilise that kind of response that you described. And I know that there will be the opportunity then to update colleagues on the actions that are forthcoming as a result of that meeting. And, again, that point about protecting people from unscrupulous people is so important. We started off by talking about how important it is to recognise the value of volunteers and the wonderful work that they do; but on the other hand there will be people who seek to exploit vulnerable people in this circumstance. So, we need to guard against that and work together in those areas as well.
My colleague Ken Skates has a statement shortly this afternoon, which will be an opportunity to explore some of those particular questions that you raised with regard to the economy and our economic response, but also in terms of our ask then of the UK Government in terms of what we would like to see the UK Government deliver. We very much look forward to the statement that the Chancellor will be making later on this afternoon. I will, of course, provide colleagues with an update on our approach following that.
Diolch i Leanne Wood am godi'r materion gwirioneddol bwysig yna, ac wrth gwrs, wrth gydnabod y swyddogaeth a fydd gan wirfoddolwyr o ran yr ymateb i coronafeirws. Felly, wrth gwrs, cyfeiriodd y Prif Weinidog at gyfarfod a fydd yn cael ei gynnal yfory, gan ddwyn ynghyd y trydydd sector ac eraill sy'n gallu ysgogi'r math hwnnw o ymateb yr ydych chi wedi ei ddisgrifio. Ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd cyfle wedyn i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'm cyd-Aelodau am y camau a fydd yn cael eu cymryd o ganlyniad i'r cyfarfod hwnnw. Ac, unwaith eto, mae'r pwynt hwnnw am amddiffyn pobl rhag pobl ddiegwyddor mor bwysig. Fe ddechreuasom ni drwy sôn am ba mor bwysig yw cydnabod gwerth gwirfoddolwyr a'r gwaith gwych y maen nhw'n yn ei wneud; ond ar y llaw arall bydd yna bobl sy'n ceisio cam-fanteisio ar bobl agored i niwed yn y sefyllfa hon. Felly, mae angen i ni warchod rhag hynny a gweithio gyda'n gilydd yn y meysydd hynny hefyd.
Mae gan fy nghyd-Aelod Ken Skates ddatganiad yn fuan y prynhawn yma, a fydd yn gyfle i archwilio rhai o'r cwestiynau penodol hynny yr ydych chi wedi eu codi o ran yr economi a'n hymateb economaidd, ond hefyd o ran ein cais wedyn gan Lywodraeth y DU am yr hyn yr hoffem ni weld Llywodraeth y DU yn ei gyflawni. Edrychwn ymlaen yn fawr iawn at y datganiad y bydd y Canghellor yn ei wneud yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma. Byddaf i, wrth gwrs, yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i gydweithwyr am ein dull gweithredu yn dilyn hynny.
Daeth y Llywydd i’r Gadair.
The Llywydd took the Chair.
Before I call the statement that's on the agenda by the Minister for Health and Social Services, there are reasons to delay that statement at this point. I would ask, if there is no objection, that we realign the agenda to take the statement by the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales on coronavirus first, if there is no objection. I'll make sure that business managers are aware of the reasons behind the change to the agenda item. But, believe it or not, it is not a technological reason, otherwise I would have said that. If I could blame technology at this point, I would have.
Cyn imi alw am y datganiad sydd ar yr agenda gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, mae yna resymau i ohirio'r datganiad hwnnw ar hyn o bryd. Fe fyddwn i'n gofyn, os nad oes yna wrthwynebiad, ein bod ni'n aildrefnu'r agenda i gymryd y datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru ar y Coronafeirws yn gyntaf, os nad oes yna wrthwynebiad. Fe fyddaf i'n sicrhau y bydd y rheolwyr busnes yn ymwybodol o'r rhesymau dros y newid i'r eitem ar yr agenda. Ond, credwch neu beidio, nid rheswm technolegol mohono, fel arall fe fyddwn i wedi dweud hynny. Pe byddwn i wedi gallu rhoi'r bai ar y dechnoleg yn y cyswllt hwn, fe fyddwn i wedi gwneud hynny.
So, everybody ready to move on to the statement by the Minister for economy and transport on coronavirus update. Ken Skates will make that statement.
Felly, pawb yn barod i symud ymlaen at y datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth ynglŷn â'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y coronafeirws. Ken Skates fydd yn gwneud y datganiad hwnnw.
Diolch, Llywydd. There is no doubt whatsoever that we are facing unprecedented pressures on our economy as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. There will be many companies in Wales, small and large, dealing with the fallout of this virus. From contract cancellations to increasing staff sickness rates, from major supply chain disruptions to significant cash flow challenges, this crisis will have a significant impact on the way our economy works over the coming days, weeks and months.
A significant proportion of the working population may now be off work at any one time during the outbreak, and with Wales particularly dependent on small and medium-sized businesses, the impact on our economy will be significant. As a Welsh Government, we are doing everything we can to support businesses to deal with the impact of coronavirus.
My advice to all businesses is to use the help and advice that is available. Any business affected should contact the Business Wales telephone helpline on 03000 60 3000. They can help with practical advice, from staffing to financial planning as well as supply chain support. Now, the Development Bank of Wales is also available to help. It has equity and loan funding available immediately to help businesses through the cash flow and other challenges they may face in the weeks and months to come.
On Monday, I announced that the Development Bank of Wales will give a three month capital repayment holiday to the businesses it supports. The bank currently supports around 1,000 businesses and this will help them—some of our smallest SMEs, ranging from small food retailers to the creative industries—to get the vital help that they need. Today, I spoke with the development bank chair to discuss potential further measures we may need to take in the coming weeks. And on Thursday, I will be having further discussions with high street banks and the British Business Bank. I will also be convening an emergency council for economic development on Thursday this week, to provide a forum for the sharing of business intelligence and to discuss practical solutions to the challenges that we face.
I have been having a series of conversations with business organisations and social partners, and through our three regional offices we are collating business intelligence to inform our mitigation and next steps. I met with my senior leadership team in the economy and transport department yesterday and confirmed that the regional response taskforce teams established during our Brexit preparations will now be operational to support the redundancy and skills needs as they emerge. Our ReAact and Careers Wales advice is being made available, and I am actively exploring ways in which these tools can be enhanced in the coming weeks.
Our discussions with business groups and the intelligence we have received has helped to shape the £200 million package of support announced by the Minister for Finance. As part of that package, retail, leisure and hospitality businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or less will receive a 100 per cent business rate relief, and pubs with a rateable value of between £51,000 and £100,000 will receive a £5,000 reduction on their bill. A further £100 million will be available for a new grant scheme for small businesses. Whatever further consequential funding the Welsh Government receives from the UK Government as a result of support for businesses, we will ring fence for support to businesses here in Wales through an enhancement of our package of support.
Diolch, Llywydd. Nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth o gwbl fod yna bwysau digynsail ar ein heconomi ni o ganlyniad i'r achosion o coronafeirws. Fe fydd llawer o gwmnïau yng Nghymru, rhai bach a mawr, yn ymdrin â chanlyniadau'r feirws hwn. O ganslo contractau hyd at gyfraddau cynyddol o salwch staff, o darfu mawr ar y gadwyn gyflenwi hyd at heriau sylweddol y llif arian, fe fydd yr argyfwng hwn yn cael effaith sylweddol ar y ffordd y mae ein heconomi ni'n gweithio dros y dyddiau, yr wythnosau a'r misoedd i ddod.
Mae'n bosib na fydd cyfran sylweddol o'r boblogaeth sy'n gweithio yn gallu gweithio ar unrhyw adeg yn ystod y cyfnod hwn. Gan fod Cymru yn dibynnu'n arbennig ar fusnesau bach a chanolig, fe fydd yr effaith ar ein heconomi ni yn un sylweddol. Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i gefnogi busnesau i ymdrin ag effeithiau coronafeirws.
Fy nghyngor i bob busnes yw defnyddio'r cymorth a'r cyngor sydd ar gael. Fe ddylai unrhyw fusnes yr effeithir arno gysylltu â llinell gymorth ffôn Busnes Cymru ar 03000 60 3000. Fe allan nhw helpu gyda chyngor ymarferol, o staffio hyd at gynllunio ariannol yn ogystal â chefnogaeth i'r gadwyn gyflenwi. Nawr, mae Banc Datblygu Cymru ar gael hefyd i helpu. Mae ganddo ecwiti ac arian ar gael i'w fenthyca ar unwaith i helpu busnesau drwy'r heriau llif arian a'r heriau eraill y gallan nhw fod yn eu hwynebu yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd i ddod.
Ddydd Llun, fe gyhoeddais y bydd Banc Datblygu Cymru yn rhoi seibiant o dri mis rhag gorfod ad-dalu cyfalaf i'r busnesau y maent yn eu cefnogi. Mae'r Banc yn cynnal tua 1,000 o fusnesau ar hyn o bryd ac fe fydd hyn yn eu helpu nhw—rhai o'n BBaCh lleiaf ni, sy'n amrywio o fanwerthwyr bwyd bychain i'r diwydiannau creadigol—i gael y cymorth hanfodol sydd ei angen arnynt. Heddiw, fe siaradais i â chadeirydd y Banc Datblygu i drafod mesurau pellach potensial y gallai fod angen inni eu cymryd yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Ac yna ddydd Iau, fe fyddaf i'n cael trafodaethau pellach gyda banciau'r stryd fawr a Banc Busnes Prydain. Fe fyddaf i hefyd ddydd Iau yn cael cyfarfod cyngor brys ar ddatblygiad economaidd i ddarparu fforwm ar gyfer rhannu gwybodaeth fusnes a thrafod atebion ymarferol i'r heriau sy'n ein hwynebu ni.
Rwyf wedi bod yn cynnal cyfres o drafodaethau â sefydliadau busnes a phartneriaid cymdeithasol, a thrwy ein tair swyddfa ranbarthol, rydym ni'n casglu gwybodaeth fusnes i lywio ein camau lliniaru ni a'r camau nesaf. Fe wnes i gyfarfod â'm huwch dîm arweinyddiaeth yn adran yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth ddoe ac fe gafwyd cadarnhad y bydd timau'r tasglu ymateb rhanbarthol a sefydlwyd yn ystod ein paratoadau ni ar gyfer Brexit bellach yn mynd ati i gefnogi'r anghenion o ran diswyddiadau a sgiliau wrth iddyn nhw ymddangos. Mae ein cyngor ni ar gael drwy ReAct a Gyrfa Cymru, ac rwyf wrthi'n archwilio ffyrdd o wella'r dulliau hyn yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf.
Mae ein trafodaethau ni â grwpiau busnes a'r wybodaeth a gafwyd ganddynt wedi ein helpu ni i lywio'r pecyn cymorth gwerth £200 miliwn a gyhoeddwyd gan y Gweinidog Cyllid. Yn rhan o'r pecyn hwnnw, fe fydd busnesau adwerthu, hamdden a lletygarwch sydd â gwerth ardrethol o £51,000 neu lai yn cael 100 y cant o ryddhad ardrethi, ac fe fydd tafarnau â gwerth ardrethol rhwng £51,000 a £100,000 yn cael gostyngiad o £5,000 yn eu bil. Fe fydd £100 miliwn arall ar gael ar gyfer cynllun grant newydd i fusnesau bach. Pa bynnag gyllid canlyniadol pellach y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei dderbyn gan Lywodraeth y DU o ganlyniad i gymorth i fusnesau, fe fyddwn ni'n ei glustnodi ar gyfer cymorth i fusnesau yma yng Nghymru drwy wella ein pecyn cymorth ni.
Now, the Welsh economy could be particularly affected because of the prevalence of manufacturing and the prominence of the automotive, aviation and tourism sectors. As well as this, workers will be affected in many respects, ranging from employee illness and isolation to looking after children who may not be able to attend school. Areas of the economy where home-working is not possible will face a significant challenge.
We welcome the action taken by the Bank of England. However, the scope for monetary policy levers to help is limited, not least because interest rates were already at a very low level. The scale of this challenge is now so large and so urgent that only a massive fiscal policy intervention by the UK Government can help businesses and individuals bear the burden of what is to come. Furthermore, a response co-ordinated with other major economies is now urgent and likely to be far more effective in reducing uncertainty and maintaining consumer and business confidence than countries taking individual actions.
Avoiding a major recession and long-term structural damage to our economy should be the UK Government’s major economic priority. That requires a genuine, four-nation approach to supporting the economy, and the lack of information from the UK Government is currently hampering this effort. As devolved Governments, we will play our part in helping to utilise that significant fiscal stimulus in the most effective way. Collectively, we need to find a way to hibernate viable businesses affected by this crisis; protect vital support chains and supply chains and give individuals impacted by this outbreak the financial support they need to get through it. That was very much the ask I made of the UK Government during my discussion with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy this morning and in the letter that the First Minister sent to the UK Government earlier today.
The UK Government needs to work with the Bank of England to ensure that the banking system has the required amount of funding in place, and the level of flexibility needed to ensure the survival of viable businesses experiencing cash-flow problems. I'll be stressing in my meeting with banks here in Wales the need to ensure that liquidity is available.
On statutory sick pay, the UK Government is bringing forward legislation to allow small and medium-sized businesses and employers to reclaim statutory sick pay paid for sickness absence due to COVID-19. This will be available to businesses in Wales and we will work with partners to ensure that employers over the coming months set up the right repayment mechanisms as soon as possible. Now, I strongly urge the UK Government to use this system to support the most economically exposed and vulnerable individuals.
The UK Government announced a temporary coronavirus business interruption loan scheme to be delivered by the British Business Bank. This will be available to businesses in Wales via the British Business Bank. A Time To Pay scheme has also been announced whereby all businesses and self-employed people in financial distress and with outstanding tax liabilities may be eligible to receive support with their tax affairs through HMRC's Time To Pay service. This is also available to businesses in Wales.
Our transport providers are also facing incredibly difficult challenges. I have been holding urgent conversations with senior figures across the industry as fewer fares are putting significant pressure on the finances of our major rail, bus and airport services. I have spoken a number of times to the chief executive of Transport for Wales. Now, across the UK, including in Wales, rail passenger numbers have fallen by up to 18 per cent on certain lines already. Elsewhere, Network Rail has launched a survey of its suppliers over fears of material shortages due to the coronavirus. Despite the economic impact, all our operators are continuing to follow the most up-to-date guidance from the public health authorities and industry bodies. Contingency plans are in place and TfW are examining future mitigations such as staffing and stocking, as well as issuing additional sanitizer and personnel protective equipment, and reviewing cleaning regimes.
Now, regular advice is issued to passengers, including the 'catch it, bin it, kill it' campaign, by displaying posters at key stations and sending out messages through Twitter and other social media channels. A cross-industry action team has been stood up with daily communications to ensure that they are ready to respond if the situation changes, including planning for a range of different scenarios.
The same can be said for the bus industry, with additional cleaning of buses and regular reminders to staff about hygiene good practice and additional cleaning materials, such as personal hand sanitizer, has been issued for front-line employees, depots and work areas. Officials have met with the bus industry group, and I spoke with senior figures from the industry yesterday.
In terms of Cardiff Airport, I spoke to the chief executive officer and her team over the weekend, and my officials continue to be in close contact through this week. The demise of Flybe left a 5.6 per cent gap in its revenue, and this crisis will severely test the sustainability of all airports across the world as the number of flights decline sharply. In recent times, however, Cardiff Airport has diversified its business base and carries less debt into this crisis than many of its UK neighbours.
However, as in other sectors, we should be under no illusion about the scale of the challenge ahead. Tui has said that it will suspend the majority of its operations, and there may be other operators taking the same action in the coming weeks. My thoughts are, obviously, with those affected employees and passengers who have had their travel plans disrupted. I'll remain in regular contact with Cardiff Airport and the Department for Transport on aviation and other visitor-related issues.
I hope that this statement assures Assembly Members that we are doing all we can to protect the Welsh economy and limit the impact on individuals and businesses across the length and breadth of Wales. When the worst of this crisis is over, we must soon look to the future—to the fairer, more compassionate and more equal economy that we need to build. As a Welsh Government, we will play our full part in that work.
Nawr, fe allai hyn effeithio yn arbennig ar economi Cymru oherwydd y nifer uchel sydd gennym o swyddi gweithgynhyrchu ac amlygrwydd y sectorau modurol, hedfan a thwristiaeth. Yn ogystal â hyn, fe fydd y sefyllfa'n effeithio ar y gweithwyr mewn sawl ffordd, gan amrywio o salwch gweithwyr ac ynysu hyd at ofalu am blant nad ydyn nhw'n gallu mynd i'r ysgol efallai. Fe fydd rhai meysydd yn yr economi, lle nad oes modd i bobl weithio o gartref, yn wynebu her sylweddol.
Rydym yn croesawu'r camau a gymerwyd gan Fanc Lloegr. Er hynny, prin yw'r cyfle i gael ysgogiadau polisi ariannol i helpu, yn arbennig felly gan fod y cyfraddau llog ar lefel isel iawn eisoes. Mae maint yr her hon bellach mor fawr ac yn fater o gymaint o frys fel mai dim ond ymyriad polisi cyllidol enfawr gan Lywodraeth y DU all helpu busnesau ac unigolion i ysgwyddo baich yr hyn sydd i ddod. At hynny, mae ymateb sydd wedi'i chydlynu ag economïau mawr eraill yn fater o frys bellach ac yn debygol o fod yn llawer mwy effeithiol i leihau ansicrwydd a chynnal hyder defnyddwyr a busnes na chael gwledydd yn gweithredu ar eu pennau eu hunain.
Y brif flaenoriaeth economaidd i Lywodraeth y DU yw osgoi dirwasgiad mawr a difrod strwythurol hirdymor i'n heconomi ni. Mae hynny'n gofyn am ddull diffuant, gan y pedair gwlad, o gefnogi'r economi, ac mae'r diffyg gwybodaeth o du Lywodraeth y DU yn llesteirio'r ymdrech hon ar hyn o bryd. Fel Llywodraethau datganoledig, fe fyddwn ni'n gwneud ein rhan i helpu i ddefnyddio'r ysgogiad cyllid sylweddol hwnnw yn y ffordd fwyaf effeithiol. Gyda'n gilydd, mae angen inni ddod o hyd i ffordd o roi seibiant i fusnesau hyfyw yr effeithir arnyn nhw gan yr argyfwng hwn; ac amddiffyn cadwyni cymorth hanfodol a chadwyni cyflenwi a rhoi'r cymorth ariannol sydd ei angen ar yr unigolion y mae'r achosion hyn yn effeithio arnynt er mwyn eu galluogi i ddod trwyddi. Dyna'n union a ofynnais i Lywodraeth y DU yn ystod fy nhrafodaeth i â'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol y bore yma ac yn y llythyr a anfonodd y Prif Weinidog at Lywodraeth y DU yn gynharach heddiw.
Mae angen i Lywodraeth y DU weithio gyda Banc Lloegr i sicrhau bod y swm gofynnol o arian yn cael ei roi i'r system fancio, a'r lefel o hyblygrwydd sydd ei hangen i sicrhau bod busnesau hyfyw sy'n wynebu problemau llif arian yn goroesi. Fe fyddaf i'n pwysleisio yn fy nghyfarfod i â'r banciau yma yng Nghymru yr angen i sicrhau bod yr hylifedd ariannol ar gael.
O ran tâl salwch statudol, mae Llywodraeth y DU yn cyflwyno deddfwriaeth i alluogi busnesau bach a chanolig a chyflogwyr i adfachu tâl salwch statudol a dalwyd am absenoldeb oherwydd salwch o ganlyniad i COVID-19. Fe fydd hwn ar gael i fusnesau yng Nghymru ac fe fyddwn ni'n gweithio gyda phartneriaid i sicrhau bod cyflogwyr yn sefydlu'r mecanweithiau ad-dalu cywir dros y misoedd nesaf a hynny cyn gynted ag y bo modd. Nawr, rwy'n annog Llywodraeth y DU yn gryf i ddefnyddio'r system hon i gefnogi'r unigolion mwyaf bregus a diamddiffyn yn economaidd.
Cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth y DU gynllun dros dro, sef cynllun benthyciadau ymyrraeth busnes i'w gyflenwi gan Fanc Busnes Prydain. Fe fydd hwn ar gael i fusnesau yng Nghymru drwy gyfrwng Banc Busnes Prydain. Cafodd cynllun Amser i Dalu ei gyhoeddi hefyd sy'n golygu y gall pob busnes a phobl hunangyflogedig sydd mewn trafferthion ariannol a chyda rhwymedigaethau treth dyledus fod yn gymwys i dderbyn cymorth gyda'u materion treth drwy wasanaeth Amser i Dalu Cyllid a Thollau ei Mawrhydi. Mae hwn ar gael i fusnesau yng Nghymru hefyd.
Mae ein darparwyr trafnidiaeth yn wynebu heriau hynod anodd hefyd. Rwyf wedi bod yn cynnal sgyrsiau brys gyda phenaethiaid yn y diwydiant gan fod llai o deithio'n rhoi pwysau sylweddol ar gyllid ein gwasanaethau rheilffordd, bws a meysydd awyr mawr. Rwyf wedi siarad sawl gwaith â phrif weithredwr Trafnidiaeth Cymru. Erbyn hyn, ledled y DU, gan gynnwys Cymru, mae nifer y teithwyr rheilffordd wedi gostwng hyd at 18 y cant ar rai llinellau eisoes. Mewn mannau eraill, mae Network Rail wedi lansio arolwg o'i gyflenwyr oherwydd pryderon ynglŷn â phrinder defnyddiau oherwydd y coronafeirws. Er gwaethaf yr effaith economaidd, mae ein gweithredwyr ni i gyd yn parhau i ddilyn y canllawiau diweddaraf gan yr awdurdodau iechyd cyhoeddus a chyrff y diwydiant. Fe gafodd cynlluniau wrth gefn eu sefydlu ac mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn archwilio trefniadau lliniaru ar gyfer y dyfodol fel staffio a stocio, yn ogystal â dosbarthu offer diheintio ac offer ychwanegol i ddiogelu personél, ac adolygu gweithdrefnau glanhau.
Nawr, fe roddir cyngor i deithwyr yn rheolaidd, gan gynnwys yr ymgyrch 'Daliwch e, biniwch e, lladdwch e', drwy arddangos posteri mewn prif orsafoedd ac anfon negeseuon drwy Trydar a sianelau eraill o'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Mae tîm gweithredu traws-ddiwydiant wedi ei sefydlu i gyfathrebu'n ddyddiol i sicrhau eu bod yn barod i ymateb pe byddai'r sefyllfa'n newid, gan gynnwys cynllunio ar gyfer ystod o wahanol senarios.
Fe ellir dweud yr un peth am y diwydiant bysiau, gyda mwy o lanhau ar fysiau a chyhoeddiadau rheolaidd i atgoffa staff am arferion da o ran hylendid i atgoffa'r staff a deunyddiau glanhau ychwanegol, pethau fel potel o hylif i lanhau dwylo, ar gyfer gweithwyr rheng flaen, depos ac ardaloedd gweithio. Mae swyddogion wedi cyfarfod â grŵp y diwydiant bysiau, ac fe siaradais i ag aelodau uwch y diwydiant ddoe.
O ran maes awyr Caerdydd, fe siaradais i â'r Prif Swyddog Gweithredol a'i thîm dros y penwythnos, ac mae fy swyddogion i'n parhau i fod mewn cysylltiad agos drwy gydol yr wythnos hon. Fe adawodd methiant Flybe fwlch o 5.6 y cant yn ei refeniw, ac fe fydd yr argyfwng hwn yn rhoi prawf ar gynaliadwyedd pob maes awyr ledled y byd mewn ffordd sylweddol wrth i niferoedd y rhai sy'n hedfan ostwng yn enfawr. Yn ddiweddar, serch hynny, mae maes awyr Caerdydd wedi arallgyfeirio sail ei fusnes ac fe ddaw i gwrdd â'r argyfwng hwn â llai o ddyled na llawer o'i gymdogion yn y DU.
Fodd bynnag, fel mewn sectorau eraill, ni ddylem fod dan unrhyw gamargraff o ran maint yr her sydd o'n blaenau ni. Mae Tui wedi dweud y bydd yn ymatal â'r rhan fwyaf o'i weithrediadau, ac efallai y bydd yna weithredwyr eraill yn cymryd yr un camau yn yr wythnosau nesaf. Yn amlwg, rwy'n meddwl am y gweithwyr a'r teithwyr hynny yr amharwyd ar eu trefniadau teithio. Fe fyddaf i'n dal i fod mewn cysylltiad cyson â maes awyr Caerdydd a'r adran drafnidiaeth ynglŷn â materion hedfan a materion eraill sy'n ymwneud ag ymwelwyr.
Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y datganiad hwn yn rhoi sicrwydd i Aelodau'r Senedd ein bod ni'n gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i ddiogelu economi Cymru a chyfyngu ar yr effaith ar unigolion a busnesau ledled Cymru. Pan ddaw'r gwaethaf o'r argyfwng hwn i ben, fe fydd yn rhaid inni edrych i'r dyfodol yn fuan—i'r economi decach, fwy tosturiol a mwy cyfartal sydd angen ei hadeiladu. Fel Llywodraeth Cymru, fe fyddwn yn chwarae rhan lawn yn y gwaith hwnnw.
Can I, first of all, thank the Minister for his statement today, and can I say that, from my perspective and from these benches, we want to be supportive of the Government and its approach? Clearly, there's a balance, I think, between scrutiny of Government, but also being in support of Government as well as we can be at this particular time. It's getting that right balance. I hope I strike the right balance today in my questions to you.
Minister, we're aware, of course, of the additional funding from the UK Government in terms of the £250 million to help businesses and a further £225 million in the budget last week, and I do very much welcome the Trefnydd's commitment—the finance Minister's commitment—and your commitment as well that any funding that does come as a consequential will be ring-fenced for business. That is extremely welcome, and I think businesses will be grateful for that commitment.
You talked about the one stop—I think the First Minister referred to this in his answers to questions today, as well, about the one-stop place for business support. Can I just ask: is that actually a complete one-stop shop? If a Welsh business rings Business Wales, will they also get advice on perhaps areas that are not devolved to the Welsh Government? Will they be appropriately signposted? Is it an absolute one-stop shop? I think it should be, and I hope that you can answer positively in that area.
The other issue, of course, is capacity in terms of Business Wales, because, especially when further announcements come forward, perhaps by UK Government tonight, there will be a capacity issue, I have no doubt, for Business Wales. So, perhaps you could talk about how you may be transferring officials from other departments to help on that Business Wales line and to ensure that people get a timely response. If there is a one-stop shop, perhaps you could just expand, as well, on exactly what is covered on the Business Wales line, as well.
With regard to the development bank, I'm pleased that you've had meetings, and, today, I think you mentioned you've spoken to the chair. Can I ask, perhaps, for a little bit more detail on the capacity for extra loan support from the development bank itself? I appreciate that other announcements are coming later today and I know that these next weeks might change that position, but as it stands at the moment, what capacity is there for extra loans. And perhaps you could also provide further information for businesses that currently have loans with Business Wales in terms of having a break from paying those loans for a period of time, but also support for non-customers of the development bank, which could potentially be customers of the development bank, going forward.
In terms of business rate relief, I welcome absolutely the measures that the Minister has outlined earlier today, the finance Minister. I am concerned that there are some businesses, of course, that don't pay business rates, and how they can be supported, particularly small businesses. Very often, they're businesses that are sole traders that can't access sick pay as well—how they could, perhaps, be supported. But there are some businesses as well with a rateable value of over £50,000. I was speaking to one business over the weekend with a rateable value of just over £50,000, as it happens, which has lost approximately £80,000-worth of business over the coming months, and it can't see a way through. It's having a system that tapers relief for those kinds of businesses as well. It seems that, because they're just over the threshold, they might be significantly disadvantaged, so perhaps some more information in that regard.
Bear with me, Presiding Officer, I was called a bit earlier than I expected.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad heddiw, yn gyntaf, ac a gaf i ddweud, o'm rhan i fy hunan a'r meinciau hyn, ein bod ni'n awyddus i fod yn gefnogol i'r Llywodraeth a'i dull hi o weithredu? Yn amlwg, mae cydbwysedd, rwy'n credu, rhwng craffu ar y Llywodraeth, ond hefyd bod mor gefnogol i'r Llywodraeth ag y gallwn ar yr achlysur arbennig hwn. Mae'n ymwneud â chael y cydbwysedd yn iawn. Rwy'n gobeithio y byddaf yn cael y cydbwysedd iawn heddiw yn fy nghwestiynau i chi.
Gweinidog, rydym ni'n ymwybodol, wrth gwrs, o'r cyllid ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth y DU, sef £250 miliwn i helpu busnesau a £225 miliwn ar ben hynny yn y gyllideb yr wythnos diwethaf, ac rwy'n croesawu ymrwymiad y Trefnydd yn fawr—ymrwymiad y Gweinidog Cyllid—a'ch ymrwymiad chithau hefyd y bydd unrhyw gyllid a ddaw fel swm canlyniadol yn cael ei neilltuo i fusnes. Mae hynny i'w groesawu'n fawr iawn, ac rwy'n credu y bydd busnesau yn ddiolchgar am yr ymrwymiad hwnnw.
Roeddech chi'n sôn am yr un man—rwy'n credu bod y Prif Weinidog wedi cyfeirio at hyn yn ei atebion ef hefyd i gwestiynau heddiw, am yr un man ar gyfer cael pob math o gymorth i fusnesau. A gaf i ofyn: a yw honno mewn gwirionedd yn siop un stop gyflawn? Pe byddai busnes yng Nghymru yn ffonio Busnes Cymru, a fyddai'n cael cyngor am feysydd hefyd nad ydyn nhw wedi cael eu datganoli i Lywodraeth Cymru? A fyddai'n cael ei gyfeirio'n gywir? A yw'n siop gwbl un stop? Rwyf i o'r farn mai felly y dylai fod, ac rwy'n gobeithio y gallwch chi ateb yn gadarnhaol ar y mater hwnnw.
Y mater arall, wrth gwrs, yw gallu Busnes Cymru i ymdrin â hyn, oherwydd, yn arbennig felly pan ddaw cyhoeddiadau pellach gerbron, efallai oddi wrth Lywodraeth y DU heno, fe fydd problem o ran capasiti Busnes Cymru i ymdrin â hynny. Felly, efallai y gallech chi siarad am y ffordd y byddwch chi'n trosglwyddo swyddogion o adrannau eraill i helpu ar linell Busnes Cymru ac yn sicrhau bod pobl yn cael ymateb amserol i'w ymholiadau. Os oes yna siop un stop, efallai y gallech chi ymhelaethu, hefyd, beth yn union sy'n cael ei gynnwys ar linell Busnes Cymru.
O ran y banc datblygu, rwy'n falch eich bod wedi cael cyfarfodydd ac rwy'n credu ichi sôn heddiw eich bod wedi siarad â'i gadeirydd. A gaf i ofyn, efallai, am ychydig mwy o fanylion am y capasiti i gael cymorth benthyciad ychwanegol gan y banc datblygu ei hun? Rwy'n sylweddoli bod yna gyhoeddiadau eraill i ddod yn ddiweddarach heddiw ac fe wn i y gallai'r wythnosau nesaf hyn newid y sefyllfa honno, ond fel y mae hi ar hyn o bryd, faint o gapasiti sydd yna i gynnig benthyciadau ychwanegol. Ac efallai y gallech roi rhagor o wybodaeth hefyd i fusnesau sydd â benthyciadau gyda Busnes Cymru ar hyn o bryd o ran cael saib oddi wrth dalu'r benthyciadau hynny'n ôl am gyfnod, ond cymorth hefyd i rai nad ydyn nhw'n gwsmeriaid i'r banc datblygu, ac a allai fod yn gwsmeriaid eto i'r banc datblygu o bosib.
O ran rhyddhad ardrethi busnes, rwy'n llwyr groesawu'r mesurau a amlinellodd y Gweinidog yn gynharach heddiw, y Gweinidog Gyllid. Rwy'n pryderu bod rhai busnesau, wrth gwrs, nad ydyn nhw'n talu ardrethi busnes, a sut y gellir eu cefnogi nhw, busnesau bach yn enwedig. Yn aml iawn, busnesau ydyn nhw sy'n unig fasnachwyr ac sy'n methu â chael tâl salwch hefyd—sut y gellid eu cefnogi nhw o bosib. Ond mae yna rai busnesau hefyd sydd â gwerth ardrethol o dros £50,000. Roeddwn i'n siarad ag un busnes dros y penwythnos, sydd â gwerth ardrethol o ychydig dros £50,000 fel mae'n digwydd, sydd wedi colli gwerth tua £80,000 o fusnes dros y misoedd nesaf, ac nid yw'n gallu gweld ffordd drwy hynny. Mae eisiau cael system sy'n cynnig rhyddhad yn raddol i'r mathau hynny o fusnesau hefyd. Mae'n ymddangos, oherwydd eu bod nhw ychydig dros y trothwy, y gallen nhw fod dan anfantais sylweddol, felly efallai y gallwn gael rhywfaint mwy o wybodaeth am hynny.
Rhowch eiliad imi, Llywydd, cefais fy ngalw ychydig yn gynt na'r disgwyl.
Take your time.
Cymerwch eich amser.
Thank you. Going forward, it's perhaps how the structure of Business Wales might change and develop as requirements need, as well. I think there's a particular need for helping manufacturers and the tourism industry—two very important industries for us in Wales—so, advice you can get in that regard. Also, there's the issue of the timing of announcements as well. Although I want to be as constructive as possible, I appreciate that when it comes to business rates, the UK Government for England and the Scottish Government in Scotland came forward much earlier with plans for business rate relief. I appreciate that you've got to get the balance between speaking to businesses and making the announcements, but if the announcements are delayed by just a few days, then clearly, I'm sure that Assembly Members' inboxes are filled with concerned businesses wondering how that relief will taper across to Wales. It's how you're balancing the two; I appreciate that you've got a juggling act between the two, but getting that information out as soon as possible.
With regard to public transport, Minister, if you could, perhaps, give us a little bit more about the running of public services and Transport for Wales in terms of how the issues there might differ—I appreciate that there's probably not going to be an issue with overcrowding on trains, but there is going to be an issue of some services perhaps having to be delayed and rescheduled. Also, there is some issue about school transport that needs to be considered as well, because I'm aware that, often, perhaps in rural parts of Wales particularly, minibuses run at capacity, with children in a very confined space, and I had one constituent inform me that he's a 71-year-old driver of a minibus, and this is quite common in rural Wales—for drivers to be older, or of the older age. So there clearly needs to be some thought and consideration put into that as well. Thank you, Minister.
Diolch. I'r dyfodol, mae'n bosib y gellir gofyn sut y gallai strwythur Busnes Cymru newid a datblygu yn ôl y galw, hefyd. Rwy'n credu bod gwir angen helpu gweithgynhyrchwyr a'r diwydiant twristiaeth—dau ddiwydiant pwysig iawn i ni yng Nghymru—felly, unrhyw gyngor y gallwch ei gael yn hynny o beth. Yn ogystal â hynny, mae mater amseru'r cyhoeddiadau hefyd. Er fy mod i'n dymuno bod mor adeiladol ag y bo modd, rwy'n sylweddoli o ran ardrethi busnes fod Llywodraeth y DU ar gyfer Lloegr a Llywodraeth yr Alban ar gyfer yr Alban wedi cyflwyno cynlluniau yn llawer cynharach ar gyfer rhyddhad ardrethi busnes. Rwy'n sylweddoli bod yn rhaid ichi gael y cydbwysedd rhwng siarad â busnesau a gwneud y cyhoeddiadau, ond os caiff y cyhoeddiadau eu gohirio am ychydig ddyddiau'n unig, yna mae'n amlwg bydd blychau llythyrau Aelodau'r Senedd yn orlawn gan negeseuon oddi wrth fusnesau sy'n bryderus sut fydd y rhyddhad hwnnw'n digwydd yn raddol ledled Cymru. Mae'n ymwneud â sut rydych chi'n cydbwyso'r ddau; rwy'n sylweddoli eich bod chi'n gorfod jyglo rhwng y ddau, ond mae angen cyhoeddi'r wybodaeth honno cyn gynted â phosib.
O ran trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, Gweinidog, pe gallech chi, efallai, roi ychydig yn rhagor o wybodaeth inni am gynnal y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a Thrafnidiaeth Cymru o ran sut y gallai'r problemau amrywio yno—rwy'n sylweddoli ei bod yn debygol na fydd yna broblem gyda threnau gorlawn, ond fe fydd yna broblem o ran rhai gwasanaethau, efallai, yn gorfod cael eu gohirio a'u haildrefnu. Hefyd, ceir rhywfaint o broblem ynghylch cludiant ysgolion y mae angen ei hystyried hefyd. Gwn, yn aml, efallai mewn rhannau gwledig o Gymru yn benodol, fod bysiau mini yn rhedeg yn llawn i'r ymylon, gyda phlant mewn lle cyfyng iawn. Ac fe wnaeth un etholwr fy hysbysu ei fod ef yn yrrwr bws mini ac yn 71 oed, ac mae hyn yn eithaf cyffredin yng nghefn gwlad Cymru—i yrwyr fod yn hŷn, neu o grŵp oedran hŷn. Felly mae'n amlwg bod angen rhoi ystyriaeth i hynny hefyd. Diolch ichi, Gweinidog.
Can I thank Russell George for not just his questions, but his enormously constructive contribution this afternoon? Russell George is absolutely right that we have to work collaboratively together in order to overcome the challenges that we face. Reflecting on something that Dr Dai Lloyd said a little earlier, I do believe that this is the greatest threat of our times. We are effectively on a war footing, and we have to use our collective firepower against coronavirus. That means working together with the UK Government, with local government, with the business community and with society in order to deal with this challenge in the short term, and to ensure that recovery takes place rapidly.
Llywydd, Russell George raised a number of important points. First and foremost, I'd like to touch on the role that Business Wales will have in the coming weeks and months. It is the one-stop shop for all business advice and support, and will signpost businesses towards other non-Welsh-Government-supported organisations, including, for example, the British Business Bank.
A gaf i ddiolch i Russell George nid yn unig am ei gwestiynau, ond am ei gyfraniad hynod adeiladol y prynhawn yma? Mae Russell George yn llygad ei le fod yn rhaid inni gydweithio i drechu'r heriau sy'n ein hwynebu ni. Gan fyfyrio ar rywbeth a ddywedodd Dr Dai Lloyd ychydig yn gynharach, rwy'n credu mai dyma fygythiad mwyaf ein hoes ni. Rydym mewn rhyfel i bob pwrpas, ac mae'n rhaid inni ddefnyddio ein holl allu ar y cyd i ymladd yn erbyn y coronafeirws. Mae hynny'n golygu cydweithio â Llywodraeth y DU, â llywodraeth leol, â'r gymuned fusnes a'r gymdeithas gyfan i ymdrin â'r her hon yn y byrdymor, a sicrhau y daw adferiad yn gyflym.
Llywydd, fe gododd Russell George nifer o bwyntiau pwysig. Yn gyntaf oll, fe hoffwn i grybwyll y gwaith a fydd gan Busnes Cymru yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf. Dyma'r siop un stop ar gyfer pob cyngor a chymorth i fusnesau, ac fe fydd yn cyfeirio busnesau at gyrff eraill nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu cefnogi gan Lywodraeth Cymru, gan gynnwys, er enghraifft, Banc Busnes Prydain.
I'm pleased to say that as a result of the extensive work that was conducted within Government to plan for a 'no deal' Brexit, we have been able to model various scenarios in terms of being able to deploy people to front-line services, and Russell George is absolutely right about the need to reflect in Business Wales the demand that will be coming in the weeks ahead, and the capacity, therefore, will have to be increased.
We've also got good experience of working in various taskforces in intervening across the length and breadth of Wales, and that again stands us in good stead, in terms of being able to get into businesses speedily and offer a full raft of support and advice to get them through this difficult time. We've also been looking internally at how we can, on a temporary basis, reallocate human resource in a way that supports businesses, within my department.
Now, in terms of the role that the development bank has in overcoming this challenge, I'll be meeting with the development bank again on Thursday, and I'll also have—in the same room, or on a telephone conference call—the high-street banks. It's absolutely essential that the development bank's interventions and offers tie in very neatly with what high-street banks are offering as well. And there will be, I hope, as a consequence of an announcement by the Chancellor later this afternoon, additional capital within the development bank available in the coming weeks.
In terms of business rates, I totally accept the point that the Member made. The announcement that Rebecca Evans made yesterday evening concerning the business rate support that we are offering applies to tens of thousands of businesses in Wales. However, this can only be the beginning, and we do desperately need that enormous offer of funding from UK Government that Members, including Alun Davies, have spoken of already this afternoon. That £300 billion that President Macron announced yesterday evening demonstrates why the £12 billion announced last week by UK Government is wholly insufficient, and I am hopeful that, this afternoon, the Chancellor will announce an enormous package of support.
If we do secure further resource, then we will be able to deploy it in a way that benefits businesses of all types and sizes, and I've asked officials to model various measures, including, as an example, a temporary moratorium on all business rates for three months, but it will require a significant financial resource, and that's why I'm hopeful that the Chancellor will be forthcoming this afternoon with the necessary support.
I also agree with Russell George in regard to certain sectors being particularly badly hit. In terms of the Welsh Government's role in supporting businesses, our belief is there will be two phases to this challenge: first of all, the survival phase, and then the recovery phase. In terms of the survival phase, there will be waves in which certain sectors will be in intense need of support. Right now, we are seeing that from the social economy and the social care sector and the self-employed, and that's why I'm keen to model the £100 million of support that was announced by Rebecca Evans for those specific parts of the Welsh economy. And by 'social economy', I mean tourism, hoteliers, restaurants, events, cafes and pubs, as well as, of course, certain parts of the retail sector and some other key areas of the Welsh economy. My determination is that we can utilise both Business Wales and local authorities in order to dispense vitally important money in those businesses that require it.
In terms of train services, Russell George is absolutely right that if we see a significant number of people absent from work because of sickness or self-isolation, then we will need to make very difficult decisions in regard to rail services, and equally, this would apply to bus services as well. Transport for Wales have a strategy group. They are modelling various scenarios, and on a daily basis they are meeting to determine what action may be necessary. But I will endeavour to keep Members up to date on any decisions taken by Transport for Wales. They employ thousands of people, Transport for Wales Rail Services, across the length and breadth of the country, and we are in no doubt that a significant number will self-isolate or become ill with coronavirus. Of course, there are some critical roles that are taken by those employed individuals, specifically the train drivers and the guards, and if there is a significant reduction in the availability of those particular professionals, then it will undoubtedly impact on rail services. But I will be updating Members very regularly on the impact that coronavirus has on our transport network.
Finally, I spoke with the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK yesterday with regard to the bus network, and the point that Russell George made about the workforce, the age profile of the workforce, is something that is causing us concern. We are working with the sector to identify the possibility of cover being supported in the event of many drivers becoming ill or self-isolating, and that is particularly the case, I think it's fair to say, in rural Wales, where we have a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises operating, and so our attention is being focused specifically on those rural areas right now that are already facing other forms of isolation.
Rwy'n falch o ddweud, o ganlyniad i'r gwaith helaeth a wnaed o fewn y Llywodraeth i gynllunio ar gyfer Brexit 'heb gytundeb', ein bod wedi gallu modelu senarios amrywiol o ran gallu rhoi pobl i wasanaethu ar y rheng flaen, ac mae Russell George yn hollol iawn ynghylch yr angen i adlewyrchu'r galw, yn Busnes Cymru, a ddaw yn yr wythnosau sydd i ddod, ac felly, fe fydd yn rhaid cynyddu eu capasiti nhw i ymdrin â'r galwadau.
Mae gennym ni brofiad da o weithio mewn gwahanol dasgluoedd hefyd wrth inni ymyrryd ledled Cymru, ac mae honno eto'n sylfaen dda i ni, o ran gallu ymaflyd â busnesau yn gyflym a chynnig toreth o gymorth a chyngor i'w tywys nhw drwy'r cyfnod anodd hwn. Rydym wedi bod yn edrych yn fewnol hefyd ar sut y gallwn ni, dros dro, ailddyrannu adnoddau dynol mewn ffordd sy'n cefnogi busnesau, o fewn fy adran i.
Nawr, o ran y gwaith sydd gan y banc datblygu wrth oresgyn yr her hon, fe fyddaf i'n cwrdd â'r banc datblygu eto ddydd Iau, ac fe fydd gennyf i hefyd—yn yr un ystafell, neu ar alwad cynhadledd ffôn—fanciau'r stryd fawr. Mae'n gwbl hanfodol bod ymyriadau a chynigion y banc datblygu yn plethu'n daclus gyda'r hyn y mae banciau'r stryd fawr yn ei gynnig hefyd. Ac fe fydd yna, rwy'n gobeithio, o ganlyniad i gyhoeddiad gan y Canghellor yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma, gyfalaf ychwanegol ar gael o fewn y banc datblygu yn yr wythnosau nesaf.
O ran ardrethi busnes, rwy'n derbyn y pwynt a wnaeth yr Aelod yn llwyr. Mae'r cyhoeddiad a wnaeth Rebecca Evans neithiwr ynglŷn â'r cymorth ardrethi busnes yr ydym ni'n ei gynnig yn berthnasol i ddegau o filoedd o fusnesau yng Nghymru. Eto i gyd, megis dechrau yw hyn, ac mae taer angen y cynnig enfawr hwnnw o gyllid gan Lywodraeth y DU y mae Aelodau, gan gynnwys Alun Davies, wedi sôn amdano eisoes y prynhawn yma. Mae'r £300 biliwn yna a gyhoeddodd Arlywydd Macron neithiwr yn dangos pam mae'r £12 biliwn a gyhoeddodd Llywodraeth y DU yr wythnos diwethaf yn gwbl annigonol, ac rwy'n obeithiol y bydd y Canghellor yn cyhoeddi pecyn enfawr o gefnogaeth y prynhawn yma.
Os gallwn ni sicrhau rhagor o adnoddau, fe fyddwn ni'n gallu eu defnyddio mewn ffordd sydd o fudd i fusnesau o bob math a maint, ac rwyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion fodelu amryw o fesurau, gan gynnwys, fel enghraifft, foratoriwm dros dro ar bob trethiant ar fusnes am dri mis, ond fe fyddai hynny'n gofyn am adnodd ariannol sylweddol. A dyna pam rwy'n obeithiol y bydd y Canghellor yn hael y prynhawn yma gyda'r gefnogaeth angenrheidiol.
Rwy'n cytuno â Russell George hefyd fod rhai sectorau'n cael eu taro'n arbennig o galed. O ran swyddogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru wrth gefnogi busnesau, ein cred ni yw y bydd yna ddau gam i'r her hon: yn gyntaf oll, y cyfnod o oroesi, ac yna'r cyfnod o adferiad. O ran y cyfnod o oroesi, fe fydd ton ar don lle bydd angen cefnogaeth ddwys ar rai sectorau. Ar hyn o bryd, rydym yn gweld hynny yn yr economi gymdeithasol a'r sector gofal cymdeithasol a'r hunangyflogedig, a dyna pam rwy'n awyddus i fodelu'r £100 miliwn o gefnogaeth a gyhoeddwyd gan Rebecca Evans ar gyfer y rhannau penodol hynny o economi Cymru. O ran yr 'economi gymdeithasol', yr hyn yr wyf yn ei olygu yw twristiaeth, gwestai, bwytai, digwyddiadau, caffis a thafarndai, yn ogystal â rhai rhannau o'r sector manwerthu a rhai meysydd allweddol eraill yn economi Cymru, wrth gwrs. Rwy'n benderfynol y gallwn ni ddefnyddio Busnes Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer dosbarthu arian hanfodol bwysig yn y busnesau hynny sydd ei angen.
O ran gwasanaethau trên, mae Russell George yn llygad ei le, os gwelwn ni nifer sylweddol o bobl yn absennol o'r gwaith oherwydd salwch neu hunan ynysu, yna fe fydd angen inni wneud penderfyniadau anodd iawn o ran gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd, ac yn yr un modd, fe fyddai hynny'n berthnasol i wasanaethau bysiau hefyd. Mae gan Trafnidiaeth Cymru grŵp strategaeth. Maen nhw'n modelu senarios amrywiol, ac maen nhw'n cyfarfod yn ddyddiol i benderfynu pa gamau allai fod yn angenrheidiol. Ond fe fyddaf i'n ceisio rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau am unrhyw benderfyniadau a wneir gan Drafnidiaeth Cymru. Maen nhw'n cyflogi miloedd o bobl, Gwasanaethau Rheilffordd Trafnidiaeth Cymru, ledled y wlad, ac nid oes amheuaeth gennym ni y bydd nifer sylweddol yn hunan ynysu neu'n dioddef o'r coronafeirws. Wrth gwrs, mae rhai o'r unigolion hynny a gyflogir â swyddi hanfodol ganddyn nhw, y gyrwyr trenau a'r gwarchodwyr yn benodol, ac os bydd yna ostyngiad sylweddol yn nifer y gweithwyr proffesiynol penodol hynny sy'n gallu gweithio, yna fe fydd hynny'n sicr o effeithio ar wasanaethau'r rheilffyrdd. Ond fe fyddaf i'n rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau yn rheolaidd iawn am effaith y coronafeirws ar ein rhwydwaith trafnidiaeth ni.
Yn olaf, fe siaradais i â Chydffederasiwn Cludiant Teithwyr y DU ddoe ynglŷn â'r rhwydwaith bysiau, ac mae'r pwynt a wnaeth Russell George am y gweithlu, proffil oedran y gweithlu, yn rhywbeth sy'n peri pryder i ni. Rydym yn gweithio gyda'r sector i nodi'r posibilrwydd o gael cefnogaeth i gael gyrwyr eraill pe bai llawer o yrwyr yn mynd yn sâl neu'n hunan ynysu. Mae hynny'n arbennig o wir, rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud, yng nghefn gwlad Cymru, lle mae gennym nifer fawr o fusnesau bach a chanolig yn gweithredu, ac felly rydym yn canolbwyntio ein sylw ar yr ardaloedd gwledig hynny yn benodol ar hyn o bryd sydd eisoes yn wynebu mathau eraill o ynysu.
I'm very grateful to the Minister for his statement today and for his answers to Russell George. We are, as he said, facing an absolutely unprecedented situation, and I was very pleased to hear him and the First Minister concur with the views on these benches and, I think, across the Chamber that this situation needs a massive response across the whole of the UK. We quite literally, most of us, have never faced anything like this. People talk about the second world war, but none of us can really remember what that was like, and I really think we will need some of that scale of ambition and response. The Minister is quite right to say that that has to be led by the UK Government.
I want to focus my questions, Llywydd, on those matters that are within the Welsh Government's responsibility, but potentially some of those questions will refer to discussions that he and his colleagues are having with UK Ministers. I first of all want to say that, obviously, we welcome the announcement on business rate relief, but as others have already said, there are many businesses that that will not help because they're not currently paying business rates. Can he tell us a little bit more about the proposals for the grant scheme? He may not be able to give us detail, but I think the business community would be very grateful to hear by when he will be able to give us detail, because this is a matter where businesses are going out of business as we speak, particularly those working on very narrow margins. So it's absolutely crucial that, if he can't tell us anymore in much more detail today—and I appreciate what he said about consulting with the business sector, because of course that's appropriate—if we could have an idea of what the timeline might be.
I'd like to suggest to the Minister that there may be more that can be done to make businesses aware of the fact that the usual helpline is the place to go. I think he'd probably agree with me that we're not always as successful as we'd like to be in communicating with particularly really small businesses. There may be things, of course, that we can all do as Members in our own constituencies and regions to help particularly businesses that contact us to be aware of the helpline. But I think there is more work to be done there for people to understand that that's not just a business as usual line, it's also a line that can be used in situations of crisis.
The Minister mentioned in his response to Russell George some of the absolute crisis that some hospitality businesses and theatres, cinemas and so on may find themselves in, because we are, of course, in a situation where people are being advised not to use those businesses, but, on the other hand, there is no compulsory closure of those businesses. So those businesses that might be able to access insurance if they were formally shut down are unable to do so at the moment. My understanding is that that might be a matter for the UK Government, but I wonder if I could ask the Minister, with his colleagues and with the Counsel General particularly, to look at the Welsh Government's powers under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1994, which does give the Welsh Government powers to ban events and gatherings, and to see whether it's possible, as we wait—and of course, we may get more announcements later today—for the UK Government to act, if it is possible to put such an order onto businesses so that they may be able to claim, those of them that do have business interruption insurance, for example. I ask the Minister as well what assessment he has made or can make of how many of those affected businesses do have such insurance. Of course, many of the smaller ones will not, or they won't be covered for this particular situation. I would put it to the Minister that some of those businesses are going to need grant support in the short term to get them through. Again, I was very pleased to hear the First Minister say that no business that was a viable business 10 days ago should not be there at the end of this crisis and I think there's a need for more joined-up thinking to make sure that that happens.
On another matter, it's been put to me that some businesses who do find themselves forced to close could potentially use this time to redevelop, particularly their premises. I'll ask the Minister whether he can look at whether some of the Government's current grant giving schemes—I'm thinking particularly that this has been raised with me by tourism businesses, but there may be others—whether that process could be accelerated, so that if you have got a bed-and-breakfast that has to be closed because there's nobody there and they know, medium term, they need to do developments, whether we can get some access and resources in there, so that while they are closed without the option, they can take advantage of that.
To turn briefly to public transport, the Minister refers to advice given to users of public transport. I wonder if he can think again, with the Minister for health, about whether there is more we need to say to users of public transport to help keep themselves safe. For many people, as the Minister knows, there is no option. He said himself: some of us are lucky and may be able to work from home, but there are people who can't do that, and whether also he can keep us updated about any issues with regard to measures that may be able to be made to reduce overcrowding.
Additionally with regard to public transport, he will be aware that there are many smaller bus companies in particular that will have lost a lot of business. They'll have lost their tourism based business: that's already. It's been raised with me that it may be an issue for those companies if we do go down the route of closing schools, because that is their only sustainable long-term—. Providing school transport is their sustainable long-term way of keeping their businesses viable. I wonder if he could have further discussions with appropriate Ministers to see whether we can support local government to carry on paying for those contracts, even if they're not being used. It would be very understandable, I'm sure he'd agree, for people making decisions at a local level to say, 'Well, if the children are not going to school, we're not going to pay for the buses.' But the reality is, certainly in Carmarthenshire, and I know across mid and west Wales, that if those services are not paid for, those bus companies won't still be here by the time we come out of the crisis, so we do have to think about how we can keep those sustainable.
He mentions in his statement statutory sick pay, and of course that will be helpful to those people who are out of work because they are unwell, or because they're self-isolating, but I'm sure that he'll agree with me that there are an awful lot of people who may find themselves either temporarily out of work or actually redundant because of this. And I wonder if he can have further discussions with the UK Government about how they could, for example, improve the speed at which people go through applications for universal credit, and we would argue on these benches, maybe time in the short term to be more ambitious and to look at a basic income for everybody. But within the Welsh Government's own powers, of course, we do have the emergency assistance payments, and I wonder if he can have appropriate discussions with the appropriate Ministers about that scheme, and look at whether we can put more money into that, so that families who are in crisis because they are self-isolating, for example, and may have no income, could look to receive some support from that fund, so that would need, of course, a change in the eligibility criteria.
Finally, I'm very glad to hear the Minister say that he's having discussions with the commercial banks. I think many of us would believe that they owe us: they got their bailout when the crisis was their fault. I have been told, for example, today by a constituent, that HSBC is already refusing to increase overdraft facilities for some rural businesses, because their borrowing may already be quite high because they're at the end of the winter season and they're just at the time when they may be able to make money. I'd like to ask him to raise that matter specifically because those small rural businesses, again, their margins are very slight, they know they'll have a hard time in the winter, their banks should know they'll have a hard time in the winter, and that shouldn't stop them being supported to continue to lend, and it's completely unacceptable if that is what these big banks doing, and I know HSBC is doing it in one case.
And I'd like to end my contribution, Llywydd, by again thanking the Minister for his statement, and asking him—as I'm sure he will—to keep us all updated. He will, of course, expect rigorous scrutiny from these benches, but we will also offer him our support in dealing with what, as we all agree, is a completely unprecedented situation.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad heddiw ac am ei atebion i Russell George. Rydym ni, fel y dywedodd ef, yn wynebu sefyllfa gwbl ddigynsail, ac roeddwn i'n falch iawn o'i glywed ef a'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â'r farn ar y meinciau hyn ac, yn fy marn i, ar draws y Siambr fod angen ymateb anferth i'r sefyllfa hon ledled y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan. Nid ydym ni, yn llythrennol, y rhan fwyaf ohonom ni, wedi wynebu unrhyw beth fel hyn erioed. Mae pobl yn siarad am yr ail ryfel byd, ond ni all unrhyw un ohonom ni gofio sut beth oedd hynny mewn gwirionedd, ac rwy'n credu, yn wir, y bydd angen rhywfaint o'r raddfa honno o uchelgais ac ymateb arnom. Mae'r Gweinidog yn llygad ei lle wrth ddweud bod yn rhaid i hynny gael ei arwain gan Lywodraeth y DU.
Rwy'n awyddus i ganolbwyntio fy nghwestiynau i, Llywydd, ar y materion hynny sydd o fewn cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth Cymru, ond mae'n bosib y bydd rhai o'r cwestiynau hynny'n cyfeirio at ei drafodaethau ef a'i gydweithwyr gyda Gweinidogion y DU. Yn gyntaf, fe hoffwn i ddweud ein bod ni, yn amlwg, yn croesawu'r cyhoeddiad ar ryddhad ardrethi busnes, ond fel y mae eraill wedi ei ddweud eisoes, ni fydd hynny'n helpu llawer o fusnesau oherwydd nad ydyn nhw'n talu ardrethi busnes ar hyn o bryd. A wnaiff ef ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym am y cynigion ar gyfer y cynllun grant? Efallai na all roi manylion inni, ond rwy'n credu y byddai'r gymuned fusnes yn ddiolchgar iawn o glywed pryd y bydd yn gallu rhoi manylion inni, oherwydd mater yw hwn o fusnesau yn mynd i'r wal wrth ein bod yn siarad nawr, yn enwedig y rhai sy'n gweithio ar lwfansau cynnil iawn. Felly mae'n gwbl hanfodol, os na all ef ddweud unrhyw beth mwy wrthym gyda llawer mwy o fanylder heddiw—ac rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'r hyn a ddywedodd ynglŷn ag ymgynghori â'r sector busnes, oherwydd, wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n briodol— pe gallem gael rhyw syniad o'r hyn y gallai'r amserlen fod ar gyfer hynny.
Fe hoffwn i awgrymu i'r Gweinidog y gellid gwneud mwy i hysbysu busnesau am y ffaith mai'r llinell gymorth arferol yw'r man cywir i fynd. Rwy'n credu ei fod ef, mae'n debyg, yn cytuno â mi nad ydym bob amser mor llwyddiannus ag yr hoffem fod wrth gyfathrebu â busnesau bach iawn. Mae'n bosib y bydd yna bethau, wrth gwrs, y gall pob un ohonom ni eu gwneud, yn Aelodau yn ein hetholaethau a'n rhanbarthau ni ein hunain, i helpu busnesau sy'n cysylltu â ni i fod yn ymwybodol o'r llinell gymorth. Ond rwy'n credu bod yna fwy o waith i'w wneud ynglŷn â hyn er mwyn i bobl ddeall nad dim ond llinell ar gyfer busnes fel arfer yw honno, ond ei bod hi hefyd yn llinell y gellir ei defnyddio mewn argyfyngau.
Fe soniodd y Gweinidog yn ei ymateb i Russell George am rywfaint o'r argyfwng llwyr y gall rhai busnesau lletygarwch a theatrau, sinemâu ac yn y blaen fod ynddo. Rydym ni, wrth gwrs, mewn sefyllfa lle y cynghorir pobl i beidio â defnyddio'r busnesau hyn ond, ar y llaw arall, nid yw'n orfodol i gau'r busnesau hynny. Felly, ni all y busnesau hynny a allai gael yswiriant pe byddent yn cael eu cau'n ffurfiol allu gwneud hynny ar hyn o bryd. Fy nealltwriaeth i yw y gallai hynny fod yn fater i Lywodraeth y DU. Ond tybed a gaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog, gyda'i gydweithwyr a chyda'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol yn benodol, edrych ar bwerau Llywodraeth Cymru o dan Ddeddf Iechyd y Cyhoedd (Rheoli Clefydau) 1994, sy'n rhoi pwerau i Lywodraeth Cymru wahardd digwyddiadau a chyfarfodydd, a gweld a oes modd, wrth inni aros—ac wrth gwrs, efallai y cawn ni ragor o gyhoeddiadau yn nes ymlaen heddiw—i Lywodraeth y DU weithredu, a oes modd rhoi gorchymyn o'r fath ar fusnesau fel y gallan nhw hawlio efallai, y rhai ohonyn nhw sydd ag yswiriant ymyrraeth busnes, er enghraifft. Rwy'n gofyn hefyd i'r Gweinidog pa asesiad y mae ef wedi ei wneud neu y gall ef ei wneud o faint o'r busnesau hynny yr effeithiwyd arnynt sy'n meddu ar yswiriant o'r fath. Wrth gwrs, ni fydd gan lawer o'r busnesau llai yr yswiriant hwnnw, neu ni fydd ganddynt warchodaeth yn y sefyllfa benodol hon. Fe fyddwn i'n dweud wrth y Gweinidog y bydd angen cymorth grant ar rai o'r busnesau hyn yn y byrdymor i'w cadw nhw i fynd. Unwaith eto, roeddwn i'n falch iawn o glywed y Prif Weinidog yn dweud na ddylai unrhyw fusnes a oedd yn fusnes hyfyw 10 diwrnod yn ôl beidio â bod felly ar ddiwedd yr argyfwng hwn ac rwy'n credu bod angen mwy o ystyriaeth gydlynol i wneud yn siŵr y bydd hynny'n digwydd.
Ynglŷn â mater arall, fe ddywedwyd wrthyf i y gallai rhai busnesau sy'n cael eu gorfodi i gau ddefnyddio'r amser hwn i ailddatblygu o bosib, yn benodol eu hadeiladau. Rwy'n gofyn i'r Gweinidog a all ef ystyried, o ran rhai o gynlluniau presennol y Llywodraeth ar gyfer rhoi grantiau—rwy'n credu mai busnesau twristiaeth gododd hyn gyda mi, ond efallai fod yna eraill—a ellid cyflymu'r broses honno? Oherwydd os oes gennych chi fusnes gwely a brecwast ac nad oes dewis ond ei gau oherwydd nad oes neb yno a'u bod yn gwybod, yn y tymor canolig, bod angen iddyn nhw wneud datblygiadau, a allai rhywfaint o'r adnoddau fod ar gael iddyn nhw yma, fel y gallan nhw fanteisio ar hynny, gan eu bod ar gau.
Gan droi at drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus am foment, mae'r Gweinidog yn cyfeirio at y cyngor a roddir i ddefnyddwyr trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Tybed a wnaiff ystyried eto, gyda'r Gweinidog Iechyd, a oes angen inni ddweud mwy wrth ddefnyddwyr trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus i'w helpu nhw i gadw'n ddiogel. I lawer o bobl, fel y gŵyr y Gweinidog, nid oes ganddynt ddewis. Fe ddywedodd ef ei hun: mae rhai ohonom yn lwcus ac efallai y gallwn ni weithio o gartref, ond mae yna bobl na allan nhw wneud hynny. Ac a wnaiff ef hefyd roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni am unrhyw faterion o ran mesurau y gellid eu cymryd i leihau gorlenwi.
Yn ogystal â hynny, o ran trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, fe fydd yn gwybod bod llawer o gwmnïau bysiau llai yn arbennig a fydd wedi colli llawer o fusnes. Fe fyddan nhw wedi colli eu busnes twristiaeth: mae hynny'n digwydd eisoes. Fe godwyd gyda mi y gallai hon fod yn broblem i'r cwmnïau hynny os byddwn yn mynd i lawr y llwybr o gau ysgolion, oherwydd dyna eu hunig waith hirdymor cynaliadwy—. Mae darparu cludiant ysgol yn ffordd gynaliadwy iddyn nhw o gadw busnesau yn hyfyw yn yr hirdymor. Tybed a fyddai modd iddo gael trafodaethau pellach gyda'r Gweinidogion priodol i weld a allwn ni gefnogi Llywodraeth Leol i barhau i dalu am y contractau hynny, hyd yn oed os nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu defnyddio. Fe fyddai'n ddealladwy iawn, rwy'n siŵr y byddai ef yn cytuno, i bobl sy'n gwneud penderfyniadau ar lefel leol ddweud, 'Wel, os nad yw'r plant yn mynd i'r ysgol, 'dydyn ni ddim yn mynd i dalu am y bysiau.' Ond y gwir amdani yw, yn sicr yn Sir Gaerfyrddin, ac fe wn i ledled y Canolbarth a'r Gorllewin, os na thelir am y gwasanaethau hynny, ni fydd y cwmnïau bysiau hynny'n goroesi erbyn inni ddod allan o'r argyfwng, felly mae'n rhaid inni feddwl sut y gallwn ni gadw'r rhain yn gynaliadwy.
Mae e'n sôn yn ei ddatganiad am dâl salwch statudol, ac wrth gwrs, fe fydd hwnnw o gymorth i'r bobl hynny sydd allan o waith am eu bod nhw'n sal, neu am eu bod nhw'n ynysu eu hunain. Ond rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn cytuno â mi y bydd llawer iawn o bobl a allai eu cael eu hunain allan o waith dros dro neu'n barhaol oherwydd hyn. Tybed a oes modd iddo gael trafodaethau pellach gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynglyn â sut y gallen nhw, er enghraifft, gyflymu'r broses geisiadau am gredyd cynhwysol, ac fe fyddem ni'n dadlau ar y meinciau hyn, am fwy o amser yn y tymor byr efallai i fod yn fwy uchelgeisiol ac edrych ar incwm sylfaenol i bawb. Ond o fewn pwerau Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun, wrth gwrs, mae gennym ni'r taliadau cymorth brys, a tybed a fydd ef yn cynnal trafodaethau priodol gyda'r Gweinidogion priodol ynglŷn â'r cynllun hwnnw, ac ystyried a allwn ni roi mwy o arian i mewn i hwnnw, fel y gallai teuluoedd sydd mewn argyfwng am eu bod nhw'n hunan ynysu, er enghraifft, ac nad oes ganddyn nhw incwm o bosib, geisio cael rhywfaint o gymorth o'r gronfa honno. Ac fe fyddai angen newid y meini prawf cymhwysedd ar gyfer honno, wrth gwrs.
Yn olaf, rwy'n falch iawn o glywed y Gweinidog yn dweud ei fod yn cynnal trafodaethau gyda'r banciau masnachol. Rwyf i o'r farn y byddai llawer ohonom yn credu bod arnyn nhw ddyled i ni: cafodd y banciau eu hachub mewn argyfwng a achoswyd ganddyn nhw. Fe ddywedodd etholwr wrthyf i heddiw, er enghraifft, fod yr HSBC eisoes yn gwrthod cynyddu cyfleusterau gorddrafft ar gyfer rhai busnesau gwledig, oherwydd gallai eu benthyciadau nhw fod yn eithaf mawr yn barod gan eu bod ar ddiwedd tymor y gaeaf a dim ond nawr y mae'n amser iddyn nhw allu gwneud eu harian. Fe hoffwn i ofyn iddo am godi'r mater hwnnw'n benodol oherwydd bod y busnesau bach gwledig hynny, unwaith eto, yn fychan iawn, ac maen nhw'n gwybod eu bod nhw'n cael amser caled yn y gaeaf. Fe ddylai eu banciau nhw wybod eu bod nhw'n cael amser caled yn y gaeaf, ac ni ddylai hynny eu hatal nhw rhag cael eu cefnogi i gael benthyg, ac mae'n hollol annerbyniol os yw'r banciau mawr hyn yn gwneud hynny, a gwn fod yr HSBC yn gwneud hynny mewn un achos.
Ac fe hoffwn i orffen fy nghyfraniad i, Llywydd, drwy ddiolch unwaith eto i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad, a gofyn iddo ef—fel rwy'n siŵr y gwnaiff—roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni oll. Wrth gwrs, fe fydd ef yn disgwyl cael ei graffu'n drwyadl o'r meinciau hyn, ond fe fyddwn ninnau hefyd yn cynnig ein cefnogaeth iddo ef wrth ymdrin â sefyllfa sy'n gwbl ddigynsail, fel yr ydym ni i gyd yn cytuno.
Can I thank Helen Mary Jones for the questions that she's raised this afternoon and for another constructive contribution to this discussion and this debate? Helen Mary Jones made comparisons with the war effort, and I think she's absolutely right: this requires a concerted effort across society, and just as we rebuilt the country in the aftermath of the second world war, we will have an opportunity in the recovery phase to ensure that we develop a new fairer economy, one that is more purposeful. It may well be that as part of the recovery, we will need a very significant new deal—a huge stimulus package led by the UK Government to ensure that recovery can take place at the fastest possible pace.
A gaf i ddiolch i Helen Mary Jones am y cwestiynau a godwyd ganddi hi'r prynhawn yma ac am gyfraniad adeiladol arall i'r drafodaeth hon a'r ddadl hon? Tynnodd Helen Mary Jones gymariaethau â'r ymdrech yn y rhyfel, ac rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n hollol gywir: mae hyn yn gofyn am ymdrech gydunol drwy'r gymdeithas, ac yn union fel y gwnaethom ni ailadeiladu'r wlad wedi'r ail ryfel byd, fe fydd yna gyfle i ni, yn y cyfnod o adferiad, sicrhau ein bod ni'n datblygu economi newydd sy'n decach, un sy'n fwy addas i'r diben. Yn rhan o'r adferiad, efallai y bydd angen bargen newydd sylweddol iawn arnom ni—pecyn ysgogi enfawr dan arweiniad Llywodraeth y DU i sicrhau bod yr adferiad yn gallu digwydd mor gyflym â phosib.
In terms of the timeline for getting the £100 million out to businesses, I can assure all Members that we are endeavouring to do this as fast as we possibly can do. The meeting on Thursday will be crucially important with the council for economic development. I wish to gain approval from the council, our social partners, for the purpose of the £100 million and the criteria that will be set in order to ensure that the right businesses are getting support.
I think it's worth saying, Llywydd, that businesses will be faced with a very difficult choice. Do they hibernate if they are to survive? Will they hibernate through this current crisis, or will they go on trying to raise an income through the crisis? Will they survive by staying in operation? Now, the UK Government has a role to play in both scenarios. First of all, the First Minister has asked for the UK Government to underwrite wages to ensure that businesses can maintain the employment of individuals, even if they are not in the workplace, and that's absolutely right. The First Minister has also raised the question of a role for a universal income. Again, it could be vitally important in ensuring that those who are most exposed to coronavirus in terms of their economic and welfare exposure are not those who are hardest hit.
In addition, the UK Government can play a major role in terms of tax relief and tax holidays, and this is as an ask that we have made of them today. Welsh Government is able to utilise levers with regard to business rate relief, and we can also look at supporting businesses in terms of cash flow and fixed costs other than those that are applied to wage bills, if the UK Government is willing and ready to step in as I've already outlined. And we are looking at using that £100 million for that express purpose.
I recognise that right now there are certain sectors, as I said to Russell George, that are suffering incredible pain. Those sectors include hospitality, they include the whole of the tourism sector, parts of the retail sector as well. There are also demands from social care to ensure that social care providers are able to pay for the wage costs of employees who need to be covered, and therefore potentially agency staff costs. And also, of course, self-employed people are facing very, very difficult decisions right now in terms of how they go about getting through coronavirus. But the Member is absolutely right that we need to ensure that any viable business today has a viable prospect of surviving and thriving at the end of the coronavirus crisis.
I thought it was a powerful statement that President Macron made last night when he said that no business, large or small, no matter how big you are, will be forced to close as a consequence of coronavirus. And this is a message that I repeated to UK Government. UK Government need to take action to ensure that that is the same situation in the UK. The commercial banks, as the Member said, will play an enormously important role, and as many Members have already said today, in 2008 the public bailed out the banks, and now in 2020 it's absolutely right that the banks play their part in bailing out many businesses that are viable, that have a strong future, but which are facing an incredible challenge right now.
We will be meeting with the commercial banks on Thursday. There are various questions that I'll be raising with them, including to what extent they can make discretionary decisions. Often, decisions are made in HQ. Those decisions don't necessarily reflect the different type of economy that we have here in Wales, particularly in rural areas. So, I wish to ascertain the degree to which the banks are able to make discretionary decisions. There are various other questions that I'll be raising with the banks. I will write to Members after that meeting with further information, so that all Members are able, in turn, to inform their constituency businesses in their areas. I think it's also worth saying, Llywydd, that as we go through the recovery period, there will be a significant demand for working capital, and this is something that I'll be raising with the development bank and high-street banks on Thursday.
My advice to the travelling public using public transport is that they should not use public transport unless it's absolutely vital if they consider that they may have symptoms. If they do have symptoms, they should only—only—use public transport if it is absolutely essential to get the medical support that's required. It's vitally important that all passengers follow the guidance that has been shared by Public Health Wales and that they are able to practice as best possible social distancing when using transport or when at stations.
The bus sector has already provided me, I'm pleased to say, with figures concerning the cost of maintaining services during this difficult period. We'll be considering that level of support that has been asked for, recognising, of course, that the bus network across Wales is vitally important and must be maintained for the future.
O ran yr amserlen ar gyfer dosbarthu'r £100 miliwn i fusnesau, fe allaf i sicrhau pob Aelod ein bod ni'n ceisio gwneud hyn mor gyflym ag y gallwn ni. Fe fydd y cyfarfod ddydd Iau gyda'r cyngor datblygu economaidd yn hanfodol bwysig. Rwy'n dymuno cael cymeradwyaeth y cyngor, ein partneriaid cymdeithasol ni, at ddiben y £100 miliwn a'r meini prawf a fydd yn cael eu gosod i sicrhau bod y busnesau iawn yn cael eu cynorthwyo.
Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n werth dweud, Llywydd, y bydd busnesau yn wynebu dewis anodd iawn. A oes angen cymryd cyfnod o seibiant hir i oroesi? A fydd y cyfnod o seibiant yn para trwy'r argyfwng presennol hwn, neu a fyddan nhw'n mynd ati i geisio ennill incwm drwy'r argyfwng? A fyddan nhw'n goroesi drwy barhau i weithio? Nawr, mae gan Lywodraeth y DU ran yn y ddwy senario. Yn gyntaf oll, mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi gofyn i Lywodraeth y DU warantu cyflogau i sicrhau bod busnesau'n gallu cynnal cyflogaeth unigolion, hyd yn oed os nad ydyn nhw yn y gweithle, ac mae hynny'n hollol iawn. Mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi codi'r cwestiwn hefyd ynghylch swyddogaeth i incwm cyffredinol. Unwaith eto, fe allai hyn fod yn hanfodol bwysig er mwyn sicrhau nad y rhai sy'n fwyaf agored i gael eu heintio â'r coronafeirws o ran eu lles a'u gwaith sy'n cael eu taro galetaf.
Yn ogystal â hynny, fe all Llywodraeth y DU fod â swyddogaeth bwysig o ran gostwng trethi a chael saib o dalu trethi, ac rydym wedi gofyn hyn iddyn nhw heddiw. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gallu defnyddio rhyddhad ardrethi busnes, ac fe allwn ystyried cefnogi busnesau hefyd o ran llif arian a chostau sefydlog ar wahân i'r rhain a gymhwysir i filiau cyflogau, os yw Llywodraeth y DU yn fodlon ac yn barod i gamu i mewn fel yr amlinellais i eisoes. Ac rydym ni'n ystyried defnyddio'r £100 miliwn hwnnw at y diben hwnnw.
Rwy'n cydnabod ar hyn o bryd fod rhai sectorau, fel y dywedais i wrth Russell George, mewn gwewyr ofnadwy. Mae'r sectorau hynny'n cynnwys lletygarwch, maen nhw'n cynnwys y sector twristiaeth yn ei gyfanrwydd, rhannau o'r sector manwerthu hefyd. Mae yna alwadau hefyd gan y gwasanaethau gofal cymdeithasol i sicrhau bod darparwyr gofal cymdeithasol yn gallu talu am gostau cyflog cyflogeion y mae angen i rywun weithio yn eu lle nhw, a chostau staff asiantaeth felly, o bosib. A hefyd, wrth gwrs, mae pobl hunan-gyflogedig yn wynebu penderfyniadau anodd iawn, iawn ar hyn o bryd o ran sut maen nhw am ddod drwy'r coronafeirws. Ond mae'r Aelod yn llygad ei le bod angen inni sicrhau bod gan unrhyw fusnes hyfyw heddiw obaith hyfyw o oroesi a ffynnu ar ddiwedd yr argyfwng coronafeirws.
Roeddwn i o'r farn fod y datganiad a wnaeth Arlywydd Marcon neithiwr yn rymus pan ddywedodd na fydd yna unrhyw fusnes, mawr neu fach, waeth pa mor fawr ydyw, yn cael ei orfodi i gau o ganlyniad i'r coronafeirws. Ac mae hon yn neges y gwnes i ei hailadrodd i Lywodraeth y DU. Mae angen i Lywodraeth y DU weithredu i sicrhau mai'r un fydd y sefyllfa yn y DU. Fe fydd gan y banciau masnachol, fel y dywedodd yr Aelod, swyddogaeth bwysig dros ben, ac fel y dywedodd llawer o'r Aelodau eisoes heddiw, yn 2008 fe wnaeth y cyhoedd achub croen y banciau, a nawr yn 2020 mae'n gwbl briodol fod y banciau yn gwneud eu rhan nhw drwy achub croen llawer o fusnesau sy'n hyfyw, sydd â dyfodol cryf, ond sy'n wynebu her ofnadwy ar hyn o bryd.
Fe fyddwn ni'n cyfarfod â'r banciau masnachol ddydd Iau. Mae gennyf amryw o gwestiynau i'w codi gyda nhw, gan gynnwys i ba raddau y gallan nhw wneud penderfyniadau dewisol. Yn aml, fe wneir penderfyniadau mewn pencadlys. Nid yw'r penderfyniadau hynny o reidrwydd yn adlewyrchu'r wahanol fath o economi sydd gennym ni yma yng Nghymru, yn enwedig felly mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Felly, fe hoffwn i ganfod i ba raddau y gall y banciau wneud penderfyniadau dewisol. Mae yna amryw o gwestiynau eraill y byddaf i'n eu codi gyda'r banciau. Fe fyddaf i'n ysgrifennu at yr Aelodau ar ôl y cyfarfod hwnnw i roi rhagor o wybodaeth, fel y gall yr holl Aelodau, yn eu tro, roi gwybod i'r busnesau yn eu hetholaethau neu yn eu hardaloedd nhw. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn werth dweud hefyd, Llywydd, wrth inni fynd trwy'r cyfnod adfer, y bydd galw sylweddol am gyfalaf gweithio, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth y byddaf i'n ei godi gyda'r banc datblygu a banciau'r stryd fawr ddydd Iau.
Fy nghyngor i i'r cyhoedd sy'n teithio ac yn defnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yw na ddylen nhw ddefnyddio cludiant cyhoeddus oni bai ei bod hi'n gwbl hanfodol os credant y gallai fod ganddyn nhw symptomau. Os oes ganddyn nhw symptomau, fe ddylen ddim ond—ddim ond—defnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus os yw'n gwbl hanfodol ar gyfer cael y cymorth meddygol sydd ei angen. Mae'n hanfodol bwysig bod pob teithiwr yn dilyn y canllawiau a ddosbarthwyd gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru a'u bod nhw'n gallu cadw eu pellter wrth ddefnyddio cludiant neu pan fyddan nhw mewn gorsafoedd.
Rwy'n falch o ddweud bod y sector bysiau eisoes wedi rhoi'r ffigurau ynghylch cost cynnal gwasanaethau yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn i mi. Fe fyddwn ni'n ystyried y lefel honno o gefnogaeth y gofynnwyd amdani, gan gydnabod, wrth gwrs, bod y rhwydwaith bysiau ledled Cymru yn hanfodol bwysig a bod yn rhaid ei gynnal i'r dyfodol.
Can I thank you, Minister, for the statements that you've made about Welsh Government's support for business? The details of these announcements, I'm sure, have been very comforting to the businesses in my constituency that have contacted me with their concerns, so I thank you also for the additional information you've set out today.
However, you probably won't be surprised to hear that the greatest number of businesses that have contacted me around their concerns are individual, self-employed businesses, and that's really where I want to focus my question, as I know other areas have been covered in some detail. So, if I could just give you an example: I had a constituent who's a professional musician and a music teacher. He's been in touch with me to say that, in the last 24 hours, he's lost the majority of his upcoming business due to the current Government advice, and in truth, we can only see that advice imposing further restrictions in the weeks ahead. And I guess there'll be similar circumstances that will arise for a number of self-employed individuals, and I'm thinking of people like mobile hairdressers, for instance—those types of businesses, where, as we know, business rates are not an issue for them and probably bank loans are not an issue for them. So, any announcements around those areas of assistance wouldn't be of particular help in those circumstances. Given that, as you've quite rightly already pointed out, the UK Government hasn't made any Macron-type announcement of €300 billion of support to guarantee that no businesses go under, what kind of assurance can you give to people in the position of my constituent as to what support they can expect to receive over the months ahead, given that their sources of income have basically been cut off virtually overnight?
A gaf i ddiolch i chi, Gweinidog, am y datganiadau a wnaethoch chi ynglŷn â chefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i fusnes? Mae manylion y cyhoeddiadau hyn, rwy'n siŵr, wedi bod o gysur mawr i'r busnesau yn fy etholaeth i sydd wedi cysylltu â mi i fynegi eu pryderon nhw, ac felly rwy'n diolch ichi hefyd am yr wybodaeth ychwanegol a nodwyd gennych chi heddiw.
Fodd bynnag, mae'n debyg na fyddwch chi'n synnu o glywed mai busnesau unigol, hunangyflogedig yw'r rhan fwyaf o fusnesau sydd wedi cysylltu â mi ynghylch eu pryderon, a dyna yw cnewyllyn fy nghwestiwn i mewn gwirionedd, gan fy mod i'n gwybod bod meysydd eraill wedi cael eu trafod gyda pheth manylder. Felly, os caf i roi enghraifft ichi: roedd yn o fy etholwyr yn gerddor proffesiynol ac yn athro cerdd. Mae ef wedi cysylltu â mi i ddweud, yn ystod y 24 awr ddiwethaf, ei fod wedi colli'r rhan fwyaf o'r gwaith dysgu sydd i ddod iddo oherwydd cyngor cyfredol y Llywodraeth, ac mewn gwirionedd ni allwn ni ond gweld y cyngor hwnnw'n gosod cyfyngiadau pellach yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Ac rwy'n dyfalu y bydd amgylchiadau tebyg yn siŵr o godi ar gyfer nifer o unigolion hunangyflogedig, ac rwy'n sôn am bobl fel siopau trin gwallt symudol, er enghraifft—y mathau hynny o fusnesau, fel y gwyddom, nad yw ardrethi busnes yn fater iddyn nhw ac mae'n debyg nad yw benthyciadau banc yn fater iddyn nhw. Felly, ni fyddai unrhyw gyhoeddiadau ynghylch y meysydd hynny o unrhyw gymorth penodol iddyn nhw. O ystyried hynny, fel y nodwyd yn gywir gennych chi eisoes, nid yw Llywodraeth y DU wedi gwneud unrhyw gyhoeddiad fel y gwnaeth Macron o €300 biliwn o gefnogaeth i warantu na fydd unrhyw fusnesau yn mynd i'r wal, felly pa fath o sicrwydd y gallwch chi ei roi i bobl yn yr un sefyllfa a'm hetholwr i o ran y cymorth y gallan nhw ddisgwyl ei gael dros y misoedd nesaf, o gofio bod eu ffynonellau nhw o incwm yn y bôn wedi diflannu dros nos bron?
Well, the Member makes some very powerful points about the need to support those individuals who are self-employed. As I said in response to Helen Mary Jones, we're looking specifically at the £100 million that was announced and how it can be used to support self-employed individuals at the moment. I also outlined to Helen Mary Jones how we're looking specifically at fixed costs and cash flow issues. I can assure the Member that those measures that were announced by the UK Government do apply to Wales: the statutory sick pay measures; the business interruption loan scheme; the Time to Pay scheme. They all apply to Welsh businesses, and if the UK Government do announce that hugely significant fiscal package of support this afternoon, then we will be ensuring that support for self-employed people is prioritised.
Wel, mae'r Aelod yn gwneud rhai pwyntiau pwerus iawn am yr angen i gefnogi'r unigolion hynny sy'n hunangyflogedig. Fel y dywedais i wrth ymateb i Helen Mary Jones, rydym yn edrych yn benodol ar y £100 miliwn a gyhoeddwyd a sut y gellir ei ddefnyddio i gefnogi unigolion hunangyflogedig ar hyn o bryd. Fe amlinellais hefyd i Helen Mary Jones sut yr ydym ni'n edrych yn benodol ar gostau sefydlog a materion o ran llif arian. Fe allaf i sicrhau'r aelod fod y mesurau hynny a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU yn berthnasol i Gymru: y mesurau tâl salwch statudol; y cynllun benthyciadau ymyrraeth busnes; y cynllun Amser i Dalu. Maen nhw i gyd yn berthnasol i fusnesau Cymru, ac os bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn cyhoeddi'r pecyn cymorth ariannol sylweddol iawn hwnnw y prynhawn yma, yna fe fyddwn ni'n sicrhau bod cymorth i bobl hunangyflogedig yn flaenoriaeth.
We're now close to 45 minutes into this statement and we've had one contribution from each party group. So, if Assembly Members can be reasonably succinct in your questioning and in the answers given by the Minister—a number of issues have been covered already. So, if we can be succinct, then I'll try and call as many Members as possible. You're first, Angela Burns.
Rydym ni bellach yn agos at 45 munud i mewn i'r datganiad hwn ac rydym wedi cael un cyfraniad gan bob grŵp plaid. Felly, os gall Aelodau'r Senedd fod yn weddol gryno gyda'ch cwestiynau a'r atebion a roddir gan y Gweinidog—mae yna nifer o faterion wedi eu trafod eisoes. Felly, os cawn ni fod yn gryno, yna fe fyddaf i'n ceisio galw cymaint o Aelodau ag y bo modd. Y chi sydd gyntaf, Angela Burns.
Thank you. I absolutely promise you I've got one area that I particularly want to talk to you about, which is business interruption insurance. I've been contacted by a significant number of businesses who are finding it very difficult to get insurers to do two things: (1) to understand that COVID-19 is a notifiable disease. Now, you and I know that under the Health Protection (Notification) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, it was made a notifiable disease on the fifth, and all the other home nations followed around by about the 5 or 6 March, and yet it's very difficult (1) for the businesses to find anywhere on any website—yours, the UK Government's, anybody's—that it is a notifiable disease, and (2) to get the insurance companies to recognise it's a notifiable disease. That's my first insurance question, and I know you're meeting the banks, and I wondered if you might be meeting the insurers.
My second insurance question, which, again, is very similar, is about the business interruption insurance. Again, businesses are saying to me that, for example, if somebody turns up at their hotel and they are diagnosed with COVID-19, then they will get paid, but if they cancel that hotel room, there's no business interruption insurance. Again, the insurers are playing real hardball. Minister, I wonder what you, in conjunction with the other home nations, might be able to do with insurance companies, so that business interruption insurance can apply to this kind of area.
Diolch. Rwy'n addo'n llwyr ichi mai un maes sydd gennyf yr wyf i'n awyddus iawn i siarad â chi amdano, sef yswiriant ymyrraeth busnes. Mae nifer sylweddol o fusnesau wedi cysylltu â mi sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd iawn cael yswirwyr i wneud dau beth: (1) deall bod COVID-19 yn glefyd hysbysadwy. Nawr, rydych chi a minnau yn gwybod o dan Reoliadau Diogelu Iechyd (Hysbysu) (Cymru) (Diwygio) 2020, fod hwn wedi cael ei wneud yn glefyd hysbysadwy ar y pumed o Fawrth, ac fe ddilynodd pob un o wledydd eraill y DU ar y pumed neu'r chweched o Fawrth, ac eto i gyd mae'n anodd iawn (1) i'r busnesau ddod o hyd i unman ar unrhyw wefan—eich un chi, un Llywodraeth y DU, unrhyw un—sy'n dweud ei fod yn glefyd hysbysadwy, a (2) i gael y cwmnïau yswiriant i gydnabod ei fod yn glefyd hysbysadwy. Dyna fy nghwestiwn cyntaf i o ran yswiriant, ac rwy'n gwybod eich bod chi'n cwrdd â'r banciau, ac rwy'n meddwl tybed a ydych chi'n cwrdd â'r yswirwyr efallai.
Mae fy ail gwestiwn o ran yswiriant, sydd, unwaith eto, yn debyg iawn i'r cyntaf, yn ymwneud ag yswiriant ymyrraeth busnes. Unwaith eto, mae busnesau'n dweud wrthyf i, er enghraifft, os bydd rhywun yn mynd i westy ac yn cael diagnosis o COVID-19, fe fydd y gwesty'n cael ei dalu, ond os bydd rhywun yn canslo'r ystafell westy honno, nid yw yswiriant ymyrraeth busnes yn berthnasol. Unwaith eto, mae'r yswirwyr yn chwarae gêm galed iawn. Gweinidog, tybed beth allech chi, ar y cyd â gwledydd eraill y DU, ei wneud gyda'r cwmnïau yswiriant, fel y gall yswiriant ymyrraeth busnes fod yn berthnasol yn y maes hwn.
Can I thank Angela Burns for the question concerning business interruption insurance? It's actually helpful that the Member suggests that we do with this on a four-nation basis, because it is exactly the point that I was going to be raising, amongst many other points, with my counterpart in the Scottish Government when I speak with her this afternoon. It's also something that we've been raising with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. We're already speaking with the sector and the representative body for the sector, pressing them to act responsibly, and we will ensure that they see, in plain black and white, the announcement of it being a notifiable disease, to ensure that there is no reason for them to avoid payouts.
A gaf i ddiolch i Angela Burns am y cwestiwn ynglŷn ag yswiriant ymyrraeth busnes? Mae'n ddefnyddiol mewn gwirionedd bod yr Aelod yn awgrymu ein bod yn gwneud hyn ar sail pedair gwlad, oherwydd dyma'r union bwynt yr oeddwn i'n bwriadu ei godi, ymhlith llawer o bwyntiau eraill, gyda fy Ngweinidog cyfatebol i yn Llywodraeth yr Alban pan fyddaf i'n siarad â hi y prynhawn yma. Mae hefyd yn rhywbeth yr ydym wedi bod yn ei godi gyda'r Adran Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol. Rydym ni eisoes yn siarad â'r sector a chorff y cynrychiolwyr ar ran y sector, gan bwyso arnyn nhw i weithredu'n gyfrifol, a byddwn yn sicrhau eu bod yn gweld, mewn du a gwyn, y cyhoeddiad ei fod yn glefyd hysbysadwy, er mwyn sicrhau nad oes rheswm ganddyn nhw i osgoi gwneud taliadau.
I won't dwell on the level of support, which has already been pursued by my colleague Helen Mary Jones, other than to say that we must secure that unprecedented level of support and make sure that it has impact on the ground as soon as possible.
I'd just like to outline some of the elements that have been brought to my attention to focus our minds on what we're dealing with: a small company with £120,000 revenue loss; a coast tour operator—£30,000 losses already; the tourist attraction—devastating news for them, with the loss of business. At the same time, the owner is recovering from cancer, two of the children are sitting their GCSEs this summer, other family members have serious illnesses. A drinks manufacturer that has its orders being dried up. Pubs devastated at having customers told to stay away, but not being told, as we've just heard there, that they have to close. Bus operators fearful they'll go out of business, and the long-term effects of that, with needing to carry children to school once this is all over and so on.
I appeal, more than anything now, apart from the level of support, for stronger, clearer communication from Government to businesses. That's the one thing that people are really asking for. I'm glad we've had the assurance that the Business Wales helpline is the de facto business COVID-19 helpline now. I would advise you to have a look at that website and see if that can be strengthened. I'm not sure the message is there that that is the place to go, though I am now advising my constituents to ring that number, 03000 603000. I'm also asking them to feed back to me what kind of level of service that they have, because it's going to be under severe pressure. And as one question, I'd ask you: what additional resources have been given to Business Wales in order to meet that demand that is bound to be there now that we know that's the place to go?
Ni fyddaf i'n ymhelaethu ar lefel y gefnogaeth, y mae fy nghyd-Aelod Helen Mary Jones, eisoes wedi mynd ar ei hôl, heblaw am ddweud bod yn rhaid inni sicrhau'r lefel honno o gefnogaeth ddigyffelyb a sicrhau ei bod yn cael effaith ar lawr gwlad cyn gynted â phosib.
Hoffwn amlinellu rhai o'r elfennau sydd wedi dwyn fy sylw a chanolbwyntio ar yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ymdrin ag ef: cwmni bach sydd â £120,000 o golled mewn refeniw; gweithredwr teithiau arfordir—colledion o £30,000 eisoes; yr atyniad twristaidd—newyddion torcalonnus iddyn nhw, gyda cholli busnes. Ar yr un pryd, mae'r perchennog yn gwella ar ôl canser, mae dau o'r plant yn sefyll eu harholiadau TGAU yr haf hwn, mae gan aelodau eraill o'r teulu afiechydon difrifol. Cwmni gweithgynhyrchu diodydd y mae ei archebion yn darfod. Tafarndai'n cael ergyd ofnadwy gan fod cwsmeriaid wedi cael rhybudd i gadw draw, ond neb wedi rhoi gwybod iddyn nhw, fel yr ydym ni newydd glywed nawr, bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw gau. Gweithredwyr bysiau yn poeni y bydd eu busnesau'n methu, ac effeithiau hirdymor hynny, gan fod angen cludo plant i'r ysgol ar ôl i hyn ddod i ben, ac yn y blaen.
Rwyf i'n apelio, yn fwy na dim nawr, ar wahân i lefel y gefnogaeth, am gael mwy o gyfathrebu cadarn a chlir rhwng y Llywodraeth â busnesau. Dyna'r un peth y mae pobl yn gofyn amdano mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n falch ein bod wedi cael y sicrwydd bod llinell gymorth Busnes Cymru, i bob pwrpas, yn llinell gymorth COVID-19 nawr. Byddwn i'n eich cynghori i gael golwg ar y wefan honno i weld a oes modd ei chryfhau. Nid wyf yn siŵr a yw'r neges yno mai dyna'r lle i fynd, er fy mod i bellach yn cynghori fy etholwyr i ffonio'r rhif hwnnw, 03000 603000. Rwyf hefyd yn gofyn iddyn nhw roi adborth imi ynghylch pa fath o wasanaeth sydd ganddynt, oherwydd mae'n mynd i fod dan bwysau difrifol. Ac fel un cwestiwn, byddwn i'n gofyn i chi: pa adnoddau ychwanegol sydd wedi cael eu rhoi i Fusnes Cymru er mwyn ateb y galw hwnnw sy'n siŵr o fod yno nawr ein bod yn gwybod mai dyna'r lle i fynd?
Can I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for his questions? He's absolutely right, there are businesses within Wales that have shown remarkable resilience in dealing with not just this challenge, but also, very recently, flooding in many parts of Wales and, of course, the uncertainty caused by Brexit.
In terms of Business Wales, Business Wales were offering advice as the main point of contact with regard to Brexit. Many businesses are therefore familiar with the services that it offers. I'm writing to businesses directly today through Business Wales, and I can assure Members that whatever resources are required within Business Wales to address the demand that is to come will be made available. As I said in answer to Russell George, we were able to plan, as part of our Brexit preparedness, for additional front-line human resource to be deployed, and that will happen in terms of meeting the coronavirus demand as well.
A gaf i ddiolch i Rhun ap Iorwerth am ei gwestiynau? Mae'n llygad ei le, mae yna fusnesau yng Nghymru sydd wedi dangos cadernid rhyfeddol wrth ymdrin â nid yn unig yr her hon, ond hefyd, yn ddiweddar iawn, â llifogydd mewn sawl rhan o Gymru ac, wrth gwrs, yr ansicrwydd a achoswyd gan Brexit.
O ran Busnes Cymru, roedd Busnes Cymru yn cynnig cyngor fel y prif bwynt cyswllt o ran Brexit. Mae llawer o fusnesau felly'n gyfarwydd â'r gwasanaethau y mae'n eu cynnig. Rwy'n ysgrifennu at fusnesau'n uniongyrchol heddiw drwy Busnes Cymru, a gallaf sicrhau'r Aelodau y bydd unrhyw adnoddau sydd eu hangen o fewn Busnes Cymru i fynd i'r afael â'r galw sydd i ddod yn cael eu darparu. Fel y dywedais mewn ymateb i Russell George, roeddem yn gallu cynllunio, fel rhan o'n parodrwydd ar gyfer Brexit, i ddefnyddio adnoddau dynol rheng flaen ychwanegol, a bydd hynny'n digwydd o ran ateb y galw o ran coronafeirws hefyd.
Unfortunately, the Prime Minister's statement yesterday has caused some considerable concern for many businesses, particularly those in the hospitality sector who are at a loss to know how they can continue to function in many cases. What we need, I believe, is a Marshall plan for small businesses. In the same way as—as other people have pointed out this afternoon—we bailed out the banks collectively as a society a decade ago, we now need to ensure that small businesses who are the lifeblood of our economy and our communities get the support of Government at all levels now to ensure that they survive the next period. I think people across the country welcome the statement that you made on rate relief. I think that is something that will be welcomed. But we need to go much, much further than that.
I'd be grateful, Minister, if you could raise some of these issues with the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the UK Government to ensure that businesses have the income support they require to carry them through this period, but also those people who are self-employed. I spoke this morning to taxi drivers in Ebbw Vale and in Tredegar who are concerned about the vitality and viability of their businesses, how they can sustain their families and their businesses over the coming weeks and months. I spoke to somebody who's running a bar and a cafe in Tredegar, who is concerned about the people who are going to be losing work, conceivably, over the coming weeks. How will they survive? Some of the lowest income families in the country will be affected by the economic consequences of this. This is something on which Governments at all levels need to work together to address. I hope that you will be able to lead the establishment of a UK business taskforce to ensure that all the Governments of the United Kingdom work together—where you have powers, that those powers are used.
We spoke earlier about the financial structures within the United Kingdom. The UK Government needs to make urgent changes to the way in which funding is made available to the Governments of the UK to address these matters, and that needs to be done very, very quickly. I hope also—you mentioned the Business Wales hotline—that that information is made available to Members as well to enable us to respond to our constituents, and that we ensure that there are enough resources available to Business Wales to provide that service to people who are sometimes at the end of their tether. The next few months will determine how the vitality of our communities and our economy will be able to bounce back from this crisis. And I hope that we will be able to echo what Macron said to the people of France last night: that not a job will be lost, and not a business lost because of this crisis.
Yn anffodus, mae datganiad y Prif Weinidog ddoe wedi achosi cryn bryder i lawer o fusnesau, yn enwedig y rheini yn y sector lletygarwch nad ydyn nhw'n gwybod sut y gallan nhw barhau i weithredu mewn llawer o achosion. Yr hyn sydd ei angen, rwy'n credu, yw cynllun Marshall i fusnesau bach. Yn yr un modd—fel y soniodd pobl eraill y prynhawn yma—fe wnaethom ni achub y banciau gyda'n gilydd fel cymdeithas ddegawd yn ôl, mae angen inni sicrhau nawr fod busnesau bach sydd yn anadl einioes i'n heconomi a'n cymunedau yn cael cefnogaeth y Llywodraeth ar bob lefel i sicrhau eu bod yn goroesi'r cyfnod nesaf. Rwy'n credu bod pobl ledled y wlad yn croesawu'r datganiad a wnaethoch chi ar ryddhad ardrethi. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n rhywbeth a fydd yn cael ei groesawu. Ond mae angen inni fynd ymhellach o lawer na hynny.
Byddwn i'n ddiolchgar, Gweinidog, os gallwch chi godi rhai o'r materion hyn gyda Changhellor y Trysorlys yn Llywodraeth y DU i sicrhau bod busnesau'n cael y cymorth incwm sydd ei angen arnyn nhw i'w cynnal drwy'r cyfnod hwn, ond hefyd i'r bobl hynny sy'n hunangyflogedig. Siaradais i'r bore yma â gyrwyr tacsi yng Nglynebwy ac yn Nhredegar sy'n pryderu am fywiogrwydd a hyfywedd eu busnesau, sut y gallan nhw gynnal eu teuluoedd a'u busnesau yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf. Siaradais â rhywun sy'n rhedeg bar a chaffi yn Nhredegar, sy'n pryderu am y bobl a fydd yn colli gwaith, o bosib, yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Sut y byddan nhw'n goroesi? Bydd canlyniadau economaidd hyn yn effeithio ar rai o'r teuluoedd ar yr incwm isaf yn y wlad. Mae hwn yn rhywbeth y mae angen i lywodraethau ar bob lefel weithio gyda'i gilydd i fynd i'r afael ag ef. Rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch yn gallu arwain y gwaith o sefydlu tasglu busnes yn y DU i sicrhau bod holl Lywodraethau'r Deyrnas Unedig yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd—lle bo gennych chi bwerau, bod y pwerau hynny'n cael eu defnyddio.
Fe wnaethom ni siarad yn gynharach am y strwythurau ariannol o fewn y Deyrnas Unedig. Mae angen i Lywodraeth y DU wneud newidiadau brys i'r ffordd y mae cyllid yn cael ei ddarparu i lywodraethau'r DU i fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn, ac mae angen gwneud hynny'n gyflym iawn. Rwy'n gobeithio hefyd—yr oeddech chi wedi sôn am linell gymorth Busnes Cymru—fod yr wybodaeth honno ar gael i'r Aelodau hefyd i'n galluogi ni i ymateb i'n hetholwyr, a'n bod yn sicrhau bod digon o adnoddau ar gael i Busnes Cymru i ddarparu'r gwasanaeth hwnnw i bobl sydd weithiau wedi cyrraedd pen eu tennyn. Bydd yr ychydig fisoedd nesaf yn penderfynu sut y bydd bywiogrwydd ein cymunedau a'n heconomi yn gallu adfer ar ôl o'r argyfwng hwn. Ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn ni'n gallu adleisio'r hyn a ddywedodd Macron wrth bobl Ffrainc neithiwr: na fydd swydd yn cael ei cholli, ac na fydd busnes yn cael ei golli oherwydd yr argyfwng hwn.
Can I thank Alun Davies for his contribution and for his questions? And he's absolutely right in that a four-nation approach will be needed, not just in terms of ensuring as many businesses as possible can survive, but also to plan for the period afterwards, to plan for the recovery of the economy. And I'm already giving thought to how we can form, as the Member put it, a form of taskforce, to ensure that we collectively invest in the right form of businesses across the country to drive inclusive, fair, purposeful growth in the future.
I'll write to all Members with information concerning the Business Wales services. There are dedicated pages on that website concerning COVID-19, but, clearly, given the escalated scale of the problem that we face, it is quite clear that Business Wales's role in the coming months will be almost wholly consumed with coronavirus cases. And therefore it too will have to ensure that, internally, it is structured in a way to divert as much human resource as possible to this specific challenge.
I think the Member makes an important point as well about certain sectors where homeworking just isn't possible, including, as he said, hospitality. And, for those businesses, the only viable option may be hibernation, and this is why it's vitally important that the UK Government agrees to the First Minister's calls for assistance in terms of underwriting wages to ensure that individuals are not made redundant and that companies don't go insolvent, and to ensure that the UK Government steps in in terms of holidays and relief for taxes.
A gaf fi ddiolch i Alun Davies am ei gyfraniad ac am ei gwestiynau? Ac mae e'n hollol iawn i ddweud y bydd angen dull pedair gwlad, nid yn unig o ran sicrhau bod cynifer o fusnesau â phosib yn gallu parhau, ond hefyd i gynllunio ar gyfer y cyfnod wedi hynny, er mwyn cynllunio ar gyfer adfer yr economi. Ac rwyf eisoes yn ystyried sut y gallwn ni ffurfio math o dasglu, fel y mae'r Aelod yn ei ddweud, i sicrhau ein bod ni'n buddsoddi ar y cyd yn y math priodol o fusnesau ledled y wlad er mwyn sbarduno twf cynhwysol, teg a phwrpasol yn y dyfodol.
Byddaf yn ysgrifennu at bob Aelod yn rhoi gwybodaeth ynghylch gwasanaethau Busnes Cymru. Mae tudalennau penodol ar y wefan honno sy'n ymwneud â COVID-19, ond, yn amlwg, o ystyried maint y broblem sy'n ein hwynebu ni, mae'n gwbl glir y bydd cyfraniad Busnes Cymru yn ystod y misoedd nesaf yn cael ei lyncu bron yn gyfan gwbl gan achosion coronafeirws. Ac felly bydd yn rhaid iddo hefyd sicrhau, yn fewnol, ei fod wedi'i strwythuro mewn modd sy'n ailgyfeirio cymaint o adnoddau dynol â phosib i'r her benodol hon.
Rwy'n credu bod yr Aelod yn gwneud pwynt pwysig hefyd am rai sectorau lle nad oes modd gweithio o gartref, gan gynnwys, fel y dywedodd ef, lletygarwch. Ac, i'r busnesau hynny, yr unig opsiwn ymarferol fyddai cael cyfnod o seibiant. A dyma pam ei bod yn hanfodol bwysig bod Llywodraeth y DU yn cytuno i alwadau'r Prif Weinidog am gymorth o ran gwarantu cyflogau i sicrhau na chaiff unigolion eu diswyddo ac nad yw cwmnïau'n mynd yn ansolfent, ac i sicrhau bod Llywodraeth y DU yn camu i mewn o ran gwyliau a rhyddhad trethi.
Andrew R.T. Davies.
Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. As someone in this Chamber whose own business has been through similar situations that businesses find themselves in, back on 20 March 1996, when the beef crisis struck and markets effectively shut down completely overnight, I can fully understand the true impact of what we are about to see unfold before many people. And it will be many years before this is balanced, shall we say—I wouldn't say 'rectified' because I think the economic damage, even in the last five days, has been so great that it'll be difficult to make up that ground. But there will be a future coming out of this, and we have to be prepared for that future, to shape it and create it.
I'd just like to seek two points from the Minister, if I may. I am surprised that the Minister hasn't touched on the £100 billion that the Chancellor put on the table last Wednesday in his budget in lending support through the banks and underwriting 80 per cent of the collateral should the loan go bad. I think that is an omission from the statement this afternoon. As I said, I'm very surprised that it is missing from the statement, because it is critical that people do have access to credit. And, at the time of that announcement, as far as I'm aware, that was the biggest fiscal stimulus in Europe—at the time that it was announced on Wednesday; there will be further stimulus announced this afternoon from the Chancellor. But it is vital to understand how the Minister will be engaging with banks. I heard what he says about a meeting on Thursday, but many of those decisions are taken outside Wales, and it cannot be right that businesses in Wales might be jeopardised in their applications unless that voice is heard loud and clear and decisions are taken on the specifics of the way the Welsh economy is structured, which has a very small business focus to it, rather than some of the larger entities that you find elsewhere. And I would be very pleased to understand what your key asks are going to be in that meeting that will be held on Thursday.
The second point I would like to make to the Minister is that supply of information. It is critically important. As the constituency Member for the Vale of Glamorgan and I found out yesterday, businesses at the moment feel that they're working in a void of information. Some of that information has been made available over the last 24 hours. But, as of yesterday morning, most of the businesses that we were speaking to—and the constituency Member for the Vale of Glamorgan will back this up—understood what was on offer from the UK Government, but did not understand what was available from the Welsh Government. I hear what you say about Business Wales being the main point of contact, but can you give me an assurance that they are resourced well enough? Because every single business in Wales is affected by what is unfolding before our eyes. And I don't mean this as a criticism, because the size of this is so great, but I struggle to believe that that one point is going to be resourced enough to be a one-stop shop to provide all the information that we require from the UK Government's point of view, as well as the Welsh Government's point of view. And I don't mean that as a criticism—I mean that as the scale of what we are facing in the coming days and weeks ahead of us.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Fel rhywun yn y Siambr hon y bu ei fusnes ei hun drwy sefyllfaoedd tebyg i'r rhai y mae busnesau'n canfod eu hunain ynddyn nhw, yn ôl ar 20 Mawrth 1996, pan darodd yr argyfwng cig eidion ac i bob pwrpas, caeodd marchnadoedd yn gyfan gwbl dros nos, gallaf ddeall yn llwyr gwir effaith yr hyn yr ydym ni ar fin ei weld yn datblygu o flaen llawer o bobl. A bydd yn cymryd sawl blwyddyn cyn i hyn gael ei gydbwyso, fel petai—ni fyddwn i'n dweud 'unioni' oherwydd rwy'n credu bod y difrod economaidd, hyd yn oed yn ystod y pum diwrnod diwethaf, wedi bod mor sylweddol fel y bydd yn anodd ennill y tir hwnnw yn ôl. Ond fe fydd yna ddyfodol yn deillio o hyn, a rhaid inni fod yn barod ar gyfer y dyfodol hwnnw, ei ffurfio a'i greu.
Hoffwn i holi'r Gweinidog am ddau bwynt, os caf i. Rwy'n synnu nad yw'r Gweinidog wedi sôn am y £100 miliwn y rhoddodd y Canghellor ar y bwrdd ddydd Mercher diwethaf yn ei gyllideb, sef cymorth benthyca drwy'r banciau a thanysgrifennu 80 y cant o'r sicrwydd cyfochrog pe bai'r benthyciad yn mynd yn ddrwg. Rwy'n credu bod hynny ar goll o'r datganiad y prynhawn yma. Fel y dywedais, rwy'n synnu'n fawr ei fod ar goll o'r datganiad, oherwydd mae'n hanfodol bod pobl yn gallu cael gafael ar gredyd. Ac, ar adeg y cyhoeddiad hwnnw, hyd y gwn i, dyna oedd yr ysgogiad ariannol mwyaf yn Ewrop—ar yr adeg y cafodd ei gyhoeddi ddydd Mercher; bydd y Canghellor yn cyhoeddi rhagor o ysgogiadau y prynhawn yma. Ond mae'n hanfodol deall sut y bydd y Gweinidog yn ymgysylltu â'r banciau. Clywais i'r hyn a ddywedodd am gyfarfod ddydd Iau, od mae llawer o'r penderfyniadau hynny'n cael eu gwneud y tu allan i Gymru. Ni all fod yn iawn y bydd busnesau yng Nghymru, o bosib, yn cael eu peryglu o ran eu ceisiadau oni bai bod y llais hwnnw'n cael ei glywed yn uchel a chlir a bod penderfyniadau'n cael eu gwneud yn seiliedig ar y ffordd y mae economi Cymru wedi'i strwythuro, sy'n canolbwyntio'n sylweddol ar fusnesau bach, yn hytrach na rhai o'r endidau mwy o faint yr ydych chi yn eu gweld mewn mannau eraill. A byddwn i'n falch iawn o ddeall beth fydd eich prif geisiadau yn y cyfarfod hwnnw a gynhelir ddydd Iau.
Yr ail bwynt yr hoffwn ei wneud i'r Gweinidog yw'r cyflenwad gwybodaeth hwnnw. Mae'n hanfodol bwysig. Fel y canfu'r Aelod etholaethol dros Fro Morgannwg a minnau ddoe, mae busnesau ar hyn o bryd yn teimlo eu bod yn gweithio mewn gwagle o wybodaeth. Mae rhywfaint o'r wybodaeth honno wedi'i darparu yn ystod y 24 awr ddiwethaf. Ond, bore ddoe, roedd y rhan fwyaf o'r busnesau yr oeddem ni'n siarad â nhw—a bydd yr Aelod etholaethol dros Fro Morgannwg yn cefnogi hyn—yn deall yr hyn oedd yn cael ei gynnig gan Lywodraeth y DU, ond nid oedden nhw'n deall yr hyn oedd ar gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Rwy'n clywed yr hyn sydd gennych i'w ddweud, sef mai Busnes Cymru yw'r prif bwynt cyswllt, ond a allwch chi roi sicrwydd i mi eu bod nhw wedi'u hariannu'n ddigonol? Oherwydd mae'r hyn sy'n datblygu o flaen ein llygaid yn effeithio ar bob un busnes yng Nghymru. Ac nid wyf yn golygu hyn fel beirniadaeth, oherwydd mae maint hyn mor enfawr, ond mae'n anodd credu y bydd yr un pwynt hwnnw'n cael digon o adnoddau i fod yn siop un stop i ddarparu'r holl wybodaeth sy'n ofynnol o safbwynt Llywodraeth y DU, yn ogystal â safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru. Ac nid wyf yn golygu hynny fel beirniadaeth— rwy'n golygu hynny fel graddfa'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wynebu yn y dyddiau a'r wythnosau nesaf sydd o'n blaenau.
Can I thank the Member for his questions? And of course I'd be more than willing to receive any advice that reflects on his own personal experience of overcoming the beef crisis, and in particular in terms of how he and the sector that he is part of ensured that there was a viable future at some of the darkest times that the sector faced back in the 1990s. In terms of the £100 billion that the Member refers to, that's not what businesses are necessarily calling for at the moment—they want grants, they need grant funding, in order to overcome problems with cashflows, with wage bills, and so forth. And, in terms of my meeting with the banks on Thursday, I'll be raising questions concerning forbearance, I'll be raising questions concerning—as I said to Helen Mary Jones—the ability of the banks to operate in a discretionary way here in Wales. And we'll also be discussing how we ensure that UK Government measures, Welsh Government measures, and the actions of the banks individually, tie together in the most effective way. I do take the point that the Member has made, and that other Members have made, in regard to capacity within Business Wales. But, as I've said, we will do all we can to ensure that as much of that demand that is going to come down towards Business Wales is met within that organisation.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiynau? Ac wrth gwrs, byddwn i'n fwy na pharod i dderbyn unrhyw gyngor sy'n adlewyrchu ei brofiad personol o oresgyn yr argyfwng cig eidion, ac yn arbennig o ran y modd yr oedd ef a'r sector y mae'n rhan ohono wedi sicrhau bod dyfodol hyfyw ar gael yn rhai o'r cyfnodau tywyllaf yr oedd y sector wedi'i wynebu yn ôl yn y 1990au. O ran y £100 biliwn y mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio ato, nid yw busnesau o anghenraid yn galw am hynny ar hyn o bryd—mae eisiau grantiau arnyn nhw, mae angen cyllid grant arnyn nhw, er mwyn goresgyn problemau gyda llif arian, gyda biliau cyflog, ac yn y blaen. Ac, o ran fy nghyfarfod â'r banciau ddydd Iau, byddaf i'n codi cwestiynau ynghylch goddefgarwch, byddaf i'n codi cwestiynau ynghylch—fel y dywedais i wrth Helen Mary Jones—gallu'r banciau i weithredu yn ôl disgresiwn yma yng Nghymru. A byddwn i hefyd yn trafod sut rydym yn sicrhau bod mesurau Llywodraeth y DU, mesurau Llywodraeth Cymru, a gweithredoedd y banciau'n unigol, yn cydweddu yn y ffordd fwyaf effeithiol. Rwyf i'n derbyn y pwynt y mae'r Aelod wedi'i wneud, ac y mae'r Aelodau eraill wedi'i wneud, o ran y capasiti o fewn Busnes Cymru. Ond, fel y dywedais, byddwn i'n gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i sicrhau bod cymaint â phosib o'r galw hwnnw ar Busnes Cymru yn cael ei gyflawni o fewn y sefydliad hwnnw.
Minister, my constituency of Pontypridd—and of course much of Rhondda Cynon Taf—was devastated by the floods. Treforest retail park alone—an estimated £150 million of damage. The first thing I want is an assurance that the funding that's available to recover from the flood damage isn't going to be affected in any way, because many of those businesses are now also affected by the coronavirus pandemic as well, and that has created almost a double whammy—a double hit to those particular businesses. Just as they were beginning to recover, get back on their feet, they've been hit as well, so will need very specific help. In terms of transport, there is of course a very major transport company. We've talked about small businesses and medium businesses, but I have a transport company—as you well know—within my constituency that employs around 800 people. Transport is massively affected. It ties in with the tourism trade, it ties in with holidays, and I think what is going to be required is not really a reactive response from business, but really a proactive response from Welsh Government to go out to those businesses to engage with them on what is it specifically they need to see them through the next couple of months, because there are going to be layoffs, there are going to be redundancies, across the country. I see the estimated figure is that one fifth of the entire workforce of the UK is likely to be off work at some time as a result of coronavirus.
Can I also then also ask if perhaps you could say a little bit more about the letter from the First Minister, which I think has gone to the Government, about the issue of an universal income? Because I see all the steps and measures that have been taken about sick pay and so on, but, quite frankly, someone going from a fully-employed job on to sick pay of £94.25 per week—it is not going to enable them to live, it's going to push them into poverty, and exactly the same issue in terms of universal credit.
Now, perhaps it's a disgrace that those benefit levels are so low compared with our European partners, and maybe now is the time to really push the opportunity to give every single worker or person who loses their job or is laid off as a result of coronavirus a guaranteed minimum income. Of course, this isn't a matter that Welsh Government can do, but we should be pushing it, because this seems to me the simplest and most obvious way to ensure that what happened during austerity, when it was working people and the most vulnerable who suffered during austerity for 10 years—and we know that in disasters it always seems to be the working people and the vulnerable who lose out—that that doesn't happen again as a result of coronavirus.
Of course, we protect our businesses, because we want to keep jobs. We want those jobs to be there in the post pandemic environment. But, equally so, we've got to make sure that ordinary working people do not suffer the consequences of this disaster and that—if we are a united society, a United Kingdom, a united Wales and a part of a global structure, then we've got to ensure that working people are not pushed into poverty as a result of what happens, and that their incomes and their social well-being is as important as every other aspect of this virus we're trying to deal with.
Gweinidog, mae fy etholaeth i, sef Pontypridd—a llawer o Rondda Cynon Taf, wrth gwrs— wedi cael ei distrywio gan y llifogydd. Ym mharc adwerthu Trefforest yn unig—£150 miliwn o ddifrod yw'r amcangyfrif. Y peth cyntaf y mae arnaf i ei angen yw sicrwydd na fydd y cyllid sydd ar gael i ymadfer ar ôl y difrod llifogydd yn cael ei effeithio mewn unrhyw ffordd, oherwydd mae llawer o'r busnesau hynny ar hyn o bryd hefyd yn cael eu heffeithio gan bandemig y coronafeirws, ac mae hynny wedi creu bron ddwywaith yr ergyd— ergyd ddwbl i'r busnesau penodol hynny. Yn union wrth iddyn nhw ddechrau ymadfer, dod yn ôl ar eu traed, maen nhw wedi cael eu taro hefyd, felly bydd angen help penodol iawn arnyn nhw. O ran trafnidiaeth, wrth gwrs mae yna gwmni trafnidiaeth mawr iawn. Rydym wedi sôn am fusnesau bach a busnesau canolig, ond mae gennyf i gwmni trafnidiaeth—fel y gwyddoch chi'n iawn—yn fy etholaeth i sy'n cyflogi tua 800 o bobl. Mae trafnidiaeth yn cael ei heffeithio'n ddirfawr. Mae wedi'i chysylltu â'r fasnach dwristiaeth, mae wedi'i chysylltu â gwyliau, a chredaf nad yr hyn sydd ei angen yw ymateb adweithiol gan fusnesau, ond mewn gwirionedd ymateb rhagweithiol gan Lywodraeth Cymru i fynd at y busnesau hynny ac ymgysylltu â nhw am yr hyn sydd angen ei wneud yn benodol yn ystod yr ychydig fisoedd nesaf, oherwydd mae rhai'n mynd i golli gwaith, a bydd diswyddiadau, ledled y wlad. Rwy'n gweld mai'r amcangyfrif yw bod un rhan o bump o holl weithlu'r DU yn debygol o fod i ffwrdd o'r gwaith ar ryw adeg o ganlyniad i'r coronafeirws.
A gaf i hefyd ofyn a oes modd ichi ddweud ychydig mwy am y llythyr gan y Prif Weinidog, yr wyf yn credu iddo fynd at y Llywodraeth, ynghylch y mater o incwm cyffredinol? Oherwydd rwy'n gweld yr holl gamau a mesurau sydd wedi'u cymryd ynghylch tâl salwch ac yn y blaen, ond, a bod yn onest, rhywun sy'n mynd o swydd ar gyflog llawn i dâl salwch o £94.25 yr wythnos—nid yw'n mynd i allu byw ar hynny, mae'n mynd i'w wthio i dlodi, a'r un broblem yn union o ran credyd cynhwysol.
Nawr, efallai ei bod yn warthus bod y lefelau budd-daliadau hynny mor isel o'u cymharu â'n partneriaid Ewropeaidd, ac efallai mai nawr yw'r amser i wthio'r cyfle i roi gwarant isafswm incwm i bob un gweithiwr neu berson sy'n colli ei swydd neu ei gyflogaeth yn dod i ben o ganlyniad i'r coronafeirws. Wrth gwrs, nid yw hwn yn rhywbeth y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud, ond dylem fod yn ei wthio. Oherwydd mae'n ymddangos i mi mai dyma'r ffordd symlaf a mwyaf amlwg o sicrhau bod yr hyn a ddigwyddodd yn ystod y cyfnod o gyni, pan wnaeth y bobl sy'n gweithio a'r rhai sydd fwyaf agored i niwed ddioddef am 10 mlynedd—a gwyddom yr ymddengys mai'r bobl sy'n gweithio a'r bobl sy'n agored i niwed sydd ar eu colled mewn trychinebau—nad yw hynny'n digwydd eto o ganlyniad i coronafeirws.
Wrth gwrs, rydym yn amddiffyn ein busnesau, oherwydd rydym eisiau cadw swyddi. Rydym eisiau i'r swyddi hynny fod yno yn yr amgylchedd ôl-bandemig. Ond, yn yr un modd, mae'n rhaid inni wneud yn siŵr nad y bobl sy'n gweithio sy'n dioddef canlyniadau'r trychineb hwn ac—os ydym ni'n gymdeithas unedig, yn Deyrnas Unedig, yn Gymru unedig ac yn rhan o strwythur byd-eang, yna mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau nad yw pobl sy'n gweithio yn cael eu gwthio i dlodi o ganlyniad i'r hyn sy'n digwydd, a bod eu hincwm a'u lles cymdeithasol yr un mor bwysig â phob agwedd arall ar y feirws hwn yr ydym ni'n ceisio ymdrin ag ef.
Can I thank Mick Antoniw for the hugely significant points that he makes regarding the potential of a guaranteed minimum income right now and in the weeks and the months to come? It would also enable a more rapid recovery to take place, because you would be providing money to those individuals who would be most likely to use it, supporting our high streets, supporting the foundational economy, ensuring that growth is achieved sooner, rather than would otherwise happen if we do not have a form of guaranteed minimum income.
I'll ensure that the letter from the First Minister is published, if it has not already been, so that Members can cast their eyes over the detail of what the First Minister has said. And one of the calls that we've made, as I've said to numerous Members now, is for the UK Government to underwrite the wages of employers who are affected by this virus.
The Member makes the important point about how a number of businesses in his constituency and across Wales have suffered a series of significant setbacks in recent times and, in particular, the challenge that businesses in his constituency faced in regard to flooding has already been reflected on in the Chamber in my answer to Rhun ap Iorwerth. The funding provided for that purpose is provided for that sole purpose—to assist businesses affected by the flooding that took place as a consequence of storm Ciara and storm Dennis, and that money should and will be used for that sole purpose. Any additional support in terms of coronavirus will, as I say, be additional.
And in terms of the transport company—. I know that the Member has actually raised with me already a specific case in his constituency, and I've asked officials to proactively take a look at how we might be able to assist that company. But, again, as I've said to a number of Members, it may well be that some companies choose the best course of action as being hibernation, rather than to struggle on. And it's my view that we should not have redundancies during this difficult period and, if the UK Government follow the leadership of President Macron, redundancies can be avoided. That said, it is going to be an incredibly anxious period for the entire country.
A gaf fi ddiolch i Mick Antoniw am y pwyntiau hynod o arwyddocaol y mae'n eu gwneud ynghylch y posibilrwydd o warant isafswm incwm ar hyn o bryd ac yn yr wythnosau a'r misoedd i ddod? Byddai hefyd yn galluogi adferiad cyflymach, oherwydd byddech chi'n darparu arian i'r unigolion hynny a fyddai'n fwyaf tebygol o'i ddefnyddio, gan gefnogi ein strydoedd mawr ni, cefnogi'r economi sylfaenol, sicrhau bod twf yn digwydd yn gynt, yn hytrach na fyddai'n digwydd fel arall os nad oes gennym ni unrhyw fath o warant isafswm incwm.
Byddaf yn sicrhau bod y llythyr gan y Prif Weinidog yn cael ei gyhoeddi, os nad yw wedi ei gyhoeddi eisoes, er mwyn i'r Aelodau allu bwrw golwg dros fanylion yr hyn y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i ddweud. Un o'r galwadau a wnaed gennym, fel y dywedais wrth nifer o'r Aelodau nawr, yw i Lywodraeth y DU warantu cyflogau cyflogwyr y mae'r feirws hwn yn effeithio arnyn nhw.
Mae'r Aelod yn gwneud y pwynt pwysig bod nifer o fusnesau yn ei etholaeth ef a ledled Cymru wedi dioddef cyfres o anawsterau sylweddol yn ddiweddar ac, yn benodol, mae'r her o lifogydd a wynebwyd gan fusnesau yn ei etholaeth ef eisoes wedi cael ei adlewyrchu yn y Siambr yn fy ateb i Rhun ap Iorwerth. Mae'r cyllid sy'n cael ei ddarparu at y diben hwnnw, at y diben hwnnw'n unig—i gynorthwyo busnesau y mae'r llifogydd a ddigwyddodd o ganlyniad i storm Ciara a storm Dennis wedi effeithio arnyn nhw, a dylai'r arian hwnnw, ac fe gaiff yr arian hwnnw ei ddefnyddio at y diben hwnnw'n unig. Bydd unrhyw gymorth ychwanegol o ran y coronafeirws, fel dywedais, yn ychwanegol.
Ac o ran y cwmni trafnidiaeth—. Rwy'n gwybod bod yr Aelod wedi codi achos penodol gyda mi eisoes yn ei etholaeth, ac rwyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion fwrw golwg yn rhagweithiol ar sut y gallem gynorthwyo'r cwmni hwnnw. Ond, eto, fel y dywedais wrth nifer o'r Aelodau, mae'n ddigon posib y bydd rhai cwmnïau'n dewis cymryd cyfnod o seibiant fel y ffordd orau o weithredu, yn hytrach na brwydro ymlaen. Fy marn i yw na ddylem gael diswyddiadau yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn ac, os bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn dilyn arweiniad Arlywydd Macron, byddai modd osgoi diswyddiadau. Wedi dweud hynny, mae'n mynd i fod yn gyfnod hynod bryderus i'r wlad gyfan.
We are out of time allocated by the Government for this statement, but I will take three more speakers—one from each political party. Mark Isherwood. Quick questions, please.
Mae'r amser a neilltuwyd gan y Llywodraeth i'r datganiad hwn wedi dod i ben, ond byddaf yn cymryd tri siaradwr arall—un o bob plaid wleidyddol. Mark Isherwood. Cwestiynau cyflym, os gwelwch yn dda.
Diolch, Llywydd. How are you engaging with business umbrella organisations across Wales? You'll be aware, for example, that North Wales Tourism are inundated with calls from members requesting help and guidance. Therefore, how are you maximising the opportunity to use other access points to both gather intelligence but also share information?
You've announced the relief in rateable value of 100 per cent for properties up to £51,000—rate relief. Yesterday, I visited a hotel and wedding venue in Flintshire with a rateable value of £79,000, and they said all their customers are cancelling, all their staff are being sent home. They employ 40 people, but they won't survive without help. So, what can I say to that hotel, where the rateable value falls above that £51,000 figure, and they're already hitting the buffers of crisis?
I've been contacted by another wedding venue in Denbighshire. Apparently, Denbighshire council's registrars have said that they're no longer willing to conduct weddings in either hotels or registry offices. They're questioning who made the decision, why weren't they told, and why are they going straight to customers who are now in a panic. So, I'm wondering if you've given any thought to, or could give some attention to, the announcements by registrars, at least in Denbighshire and possibly more widely, given the importance of wedding venues to many businesses across Wales?
Reference has been made to—
Diolch, Llywydd. Sut ydych chi'n ymgysylltu â sefydliadau ambarél busnes ledled Cymru? Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol, er enghraifft, bod Twristiaeth Gogledd Cymru wedi cael llif o alwadau gan aelodau yn gofyn am gymorth ac arweiniad. Felly, sut ydych chi'n manteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfle o ddefnyddio pwyntiau mynediad eraill i gasglu gwybodaeth ond hefyd i rannu gwybodaeth?
Rydych chi wedi cyhoeddi'r rhyddhad o 100 y cant mewn gwerth ardrethol ar gyfer eiddo hyd at £ 51,000—rhyddhad ardrethi. Ddoe, ymwelais â gwesty a lleoliad cynnal priodas yn Sir y Fflint gyda gwerth ardrethol o £79,000, ac fe wnaethon nhw ddweud bod eu holl gwsmeriaid yn canslo, bod eu staff i gyd yn cael eu hanfon adref. Maen nhw'n cyflogi 40 o bobl, ond fyddan nhw ddim yn goroesi heb gymorth. Felly, beth alla i ei ddweud wrth y gwesty hwnnw, lle mae'r gwerth ardrethol yn uwch na'r ffigur hwnnw o £51,000, ac maen nhw eisoes yn bwrw'r wal mewn argyfwng?
Mae lleoliad priodas arall yn Sir Ddinbych wedi cysylltu â mi. Mae'n debyg bod cofrestrwyr Cyngor Sir Ddinbych wedi dweud nad ydyn nhw bellach yn fodlon cynnal priodasau mewn gwestai na swyddfeydd cofrestri. Maen nhw'n holi pwy wnaeth y penderfyniad, pam na chawsant wybod, a pham maen nhw'n mynd yn syth at gwsmeriaid sydd mewn panig erbyn hyn. Felly, rwy'n cwestiynu tybed a ydych chi wedi rhoi unrhyw ystyriaeth i, neu a allech chi roi rhywfaint o sylw i gyhoeddiadau gan gofrestryddion, o leiaf yn Sir Ddinbych ac yn ehangach o bosib, o ystyried pwysigrwydd lleoliadau priodas i lawer o fusnesau ledled Cymru ?
Mae cyfeiriadau wedi'u gwneud at—
That was your third question now, when I'd asked for a quick question. So, I'm sure three questions are ample for the Minister to carry on with. Minister.
Dyna oedd eich trydydd cwestiwn nawr, pan ofynnais am gwestiwn cyflym. Felly, rwy'n siŵr bod tri chwestiwn yn ddigon i'r Gweinidog fwrw ymlaen â nhw. Gweinidog.
Can I thank Mark Isherwood for his three questions? If he does have any more questions, please don't hesitate to write to me. Indeed, if you have any suggestions, any ideas, any observations, any intelligence, please provide me with it.
In terms of our engagement with the umbrella organisations, I've spoken quite extensively with a number of organisations, including the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, the chambers of commerce and so forth. We'll be meeting again later this week. I spoke with officials in my colleague Dafydd Elis-Thomas's department yesterday concerning the engagement that they have with the tourism sector. I was assured that there is close contact established with the tourism sector.
I have now received a number of letters and other forms of correspondence from businesses within the hospitality sector, within other key sectors of the economy that Dafydd Elis-Thomas is responsible for, and we are reflecting on those calls that are made within the correspondence in terms of how we utilise the £100 million and any additional financial resource that we'll be able to make available as a consequence of what I hope to be a very significant announcement later today by the UK Government.
Llywydd, I'll have to reflect on the point that was made in regard to the decision made by registrars, if I may, and return to the Member with some more detail on that. This is something that I think is specific to certain areas of Wales at the moment, but I'll need to check and I'll write back to the Member as soon as I possibly can.
A gaf i ddiolch i Mark Isherwood am ei dri chwestiwn? Os oes ganddo ragor o gwestiynau, mae croeso iddo ysgrifennu ataf i. Yn wir, os oes gennych chi unrhyw awgrymiadau, unrhyw syniadau, unrhyw sylwadau, unrhyw wybodaeth, a wnewch chi eu rhoi i mi.
O ran ein hymgysylltiad â'r sefydliadau ambarél, rwyf wedi siarad yn eithaf helaeth â nifer o sefydliadau, gan gynnwys Conffederasiwn Diwydiant Prydain, y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach, y siambrau masnach ac yn y blaen. Byddwn i'n cyfarfod eto yn ddiweddarach yr wythnos hon. Siaradais â swyddogion yn adran fy nghydweithiwr, Dafydd Elis-Thomas, ddoe ynglŷn â'r ymgysylltiad sydd ganddyn nhw â'r sector twristiaeth. Cefais sicrwydd bod cysylltiad agos wedi'i sefydlu â'r sector twristiaeth.
Rwyf bellach wedi cael nifer o lythyrau a mathau eraill o ohebiaeth gan fusnesau yn y sector lletygarwch, o fewn sectorau allweddol eraill yr economi y mae Dafydd Elis-Thomas yn gyfrifol amdanynt. Rydym yn rhoi ystyriaeth i'r galwadau hynny a wnaed o fewn yr ohebiaeth, o ran sut yr ydym yn defnyddio'r £100 miliwn ac unrhyw adnodd ariannol ychwanegol y gallwn ei ddarparu o ganlyniad i'r hyn a fydd, gobeithio, yn gyhoeddiad arwyddocaol iawn yn ddiweddarach heddiw gan Lywodraeth y DU.
Llywydd, bydd yn rhaid imi ystyried y pwynt a gafodd ei wneud o ran y penderfyniad gan gofrestryddion, os caf i, a mynd yn ôl at yr Aelod gyda rhagor o fanylion ynghylch hynny. Rwy'n credu bod hyn yn rhywbeth penodol i rai ardaloedd o Gymru ar hyn o bryd, ond bydd angen imi gadarnhau hynny a byddaf yn ysgrifennu yn ôl at yr Aelod cyn gynted ag y gallaf.
I welcome the business rate announcement, but it won't help the majority of small businesses and self-employed people in the Rhondda as they're not eligible to pay business rates. I've been overwhelmed with messages from concerned people whose income has come to an abrupt end in the last few days, and many people don't have savings because they've sunk everything into their businesses. People seeking advice on what to do now have been told by authorities to go onto jobseeker's allowance. Of course, that's not going to cover overheads, mortgages and other bills. We can't forget the impact on these small businesses, and must do what we can to help them survive, and that includes help with mortgage and rent payments so that people don't lose their homes and premises as a result of this.
Just this morning, I've been approached by a business that was just getting back on its feet after a slump in sales last year. At the beginning of the year, I requested swift action from the Welsh Government to assist this significant employer in the Rhondda, and I'm pleased to say that you answered that call well, Minister, and a plan and a business model were developed that, combined with an upturn in sales, put that company on a firm footing for the future. Those plans are now likely to completely unsustainable. One thing that could be of help to this particular firm and many others in the same boat would be a full roll-out of the ProAct and ReAct schemes that came out of the economy department under Plaid Cymru's Ieuan Wyn Jones in 2008. Companies and trade unions came together after the banking crash and together put forward proposals where workers were able to keep their jobs until the financial storm passed over. You mentioned ReAct in your statement, Minister, but these summits in 2008 did much, much more than that.
I also mentioned universal basic income earlier, and I still want you to make a commitment to that. Could the Welsh Government put together urgently a package of measures that would assist the economy and keep people in work and out of poverty? This is an urgent need that needs addressing now.
And I'd finally like to ask when these grants will be available to small businesses. We've got people in the Rhondda still waiting for the Welsh Government assistance that was announced for the floods nearly a month ago. People can't afford to wait before they access this support. Businesses are crumbling now. They need this support straight away.
Rwy'n croesawu'r cyhoeddiad ynghylch ardrethi busnes, ond ni fydd hyn yn helpu'r rhan fwyaf o fusnesau bach a phobl hunangyflogedig yn y Rhondda gan nad ydyn nhw'n gymwys i dalu ardrethi busnes. Rwyf wedi cael fy llethu gan negeseuon gan bobl bryderus y mae eu hincwm wedi dod i ben yn ddisymwth yn y dyddiau diwethaf, ac nid oes gan lawer o bobl gynilion oherwydd eu bod wedi buddsoddi popeth yn eu busnesau. Mae pobl sy'n ceisio cyngor ar beth i'w wneud ar hyn o bryd wedi cael gwybod gan yr awdurdodau am fynd ar lwfans ceisio gwaith. Wrth gwrs, nid yw hynny'n mynd i dalu costau gorbenion, morgeisi a biliau eraill. Ni allwn anghofio'r effaith ar y busnesau bach hyn, a rhaid inni wneud yr hyn a allwn i'w helpu i oroesi, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys cymorth gyda thaliadau morgais a rhent fel nad yw pobl yn colli eu cartrefi a'u hadeiladau o ganlyniad i hyn.
Dim ond y bore yma, daeth busnes a oedd yn dechrau codi'n ôl ar ei draed ar ôl cwymp mewn gwerthiannau y llynedd i'm gweld i. Ar ddechrau'r flwyddyn, gofynnais i Lywodraeth Cymru weithredu'n gyflym i gynorthwyo'r cyflogwr sylweddol hwn yn y Rhondda, ac rwy'n falch o ddweud eich bod wedi ateb y galw hwnnw'n dda, Gweinidog, a chafodd cynllun a model busnes eu datblygu a oedd, ynghyd â chynnydd mewn gwerthiannau, wedi rhoi'r cwmni hwnnw ar sylfaen gadarn ar gyfer y dyfodol. Erbyn hyn mae'r cynlluniau hynny'n debygol o fod yn gwbl anghynaladwy. Un peth a allai fod o gymorth i'r cwmni arbennig hwn a nifer o rai eraill yn yr un cwch fyddai cyflwyno'r cynlluniau ProAct a ReAct a ddaeth o adran yr economi o dan Ieuan Wyn Jones o Blaid Cymru yn 2008. Daeth cwmnïau ac undebau llafur at ei gilydd ar ôl y cwymp yn y banciau a gyda'i gilydd gwnaethant gynigion lle'r oedd modd i'r gweithwyr gadw eu swyddi nes bod y storm ariannol wedi symud yn ei blaen. Fe wnaethoch chi sôn am ReAct yn eich datganiad, Gweinidog, ond gwnaeth yr uwchgynadleddau hyn yn 2008 fwy o lawer na hynny.
Soniais i hefyd am yr incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol yn gynharach, ac rwyf eisiau eich gweld yn ymrwymo i hynny o hyd. A allai Llywodraeth Cymru lunio pecyn o fesurau ar fyrder a fyddai'n cynorthwyo'r economi ac yn cadw pobl mewn gwaith ac allan o dlodi? Mae angen mynd i'r afael â hyn ar frys nawr.
Ac i orffen, hoffwn i ofyn pryd y bydd y grantiau hyn ar gael i fusnesau bach. Mae pobl yn y Rhondda yn dal i aros am gymorth Llywodraeth Cymru a gafodd ei gyhoeddi ar gyfer y llifogydd bron fis yn ôl. Nid yw pobl yn gallu fforddio aros cyn cael y cymorth hwn. Mae busnesau'n dadfeilio erbyn hyn. Mae angen y cymorth hwn arnyn nhw ar unwaith.
I thank Leanne Wood for her questions. I do recognise absolutely the urgency that's required in terms of responding to business needs. That's why the First Minister and I have been so clear in calling on the UK Government to make available a significant package of support for the economy, far greater than was announced last week, and in line with the sort of package that President Macron announced last night. I think the best way to help individuals through this crisis where they are in work, where they are self-employed, is to ensure that there is a universal guaranteed income that is supplied by the UK Government, and of course the huge cost that comes with rolling out such a guaranteed income could be met by the fact that we are part of the United Kingdom. It is a very, very significant act, and can only be delivered by the UK Government.
In terms of helping businesses, the best way to help businesses right now is to assist in terms of cash flow, their fixed costs, and their tax liabilities. Again, that is our ask of UK Government. I can assure the Member that ReAct is operating right now. It will be utilised, I am in no doubt, in the weeks and months to come. And we're looking at how we can intensify the services that are already on offer to businesses and how we may be able to remould and reshape some of those interventions that the Member has outlined, which were developed for the 2008 financial crisis.
Diolch i Leanne Wood am ei chwestiynau. Rwy'n cydnabod yn llwyr y brys sydd ei angen o ran ymateb i anghenion busnesau. Dyna pam mae'r Prif Weinidog a minnau wedi bod mor glir wrth alw ar Lywodraeth y DU i ddarparu pecyn sylweddol o gymorth i'r economi, llawer yn fwy na'r hyn a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf, ac yn unol â'r math o becyn a gyhoeddodd yr Arlywydd Macron neithiwr. Rwy'n credu mai'r ffordd orau o helpu unigolion yn ystod yr argyfwng hwn os ydyn nhw'n gweithio, os ydyn nhw'n hunangyflogedig, yw sicrhau bod yna incwm cyffredinol gwarantedig wedi ei ddarparu gan Lywodraeth y DU, ac wrth gwrs, gellid diwallu'r gost enfawr sydd ynghlwm â chyflwyno incwm gwarantedig drwy'r ffaith ein bod ni'n rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Mae'n weithred sylweddol iawn, iawn, a dim ond Llywodraeth y DU a all ei chyflawni.
O ran helpu busnesau, y ffordd orau o helpu busnesau ar hyn o bryd yw cynorthwyo o ran llif arian, eu costau sefydlog, a'u rhwymedigaethau treth. Unwaith eto, dyna ein gofyn i Lywodraeth y DU. Gallaf sicrhau'r Aelod fod ReAct yn gweithredu ar hyn o bryd. Caiff ei ddefnyddio, rwy'n sicr, yn yr wythnosau a'r misoedd i ddod. Ac rydym ni'n edrych ar sut y gallwn ni ddwysáu'r gwasanaethau sydd eisoes yn cael eu cynnig i fusnesau a sut y gallwn ni, o bosib, ddatblygu ac ail-lunio rhai o'r ymyraethau hynny y mae'r Aelod wedi eu hamlinellu, a ddatblygwyd ar gyfer argyfwng ariannol 2008.
I represent the city centre of our capital city, and clearly there are huge numbers of shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues that are likely to be affected by this. The city centre is beginning to feel like a ghost town, so I'm very grateful for the rates relief that you have announced, as well as the time to pay that you have negotiated with the inland revenue. But clearly, there are other measures that we're going to need to get us through this if we're not going to have something akin to the blitz happening to our normally vibrant city centres.
I wondered if I could just ask you about the plight of supply teachers, adding to what Dawn Bowden and Alun Davies have said, because if you're an employed teacher and you need to self-isolate you will still be paid, if you're a supply teacher needing to self-isolate you will not be paid. Equally, where schools need to close in the future, supply teachers would be without an income. So, I just would like to reiterate the points made by Mick Antoniw and others, that we really do need some clarity that sick pay is going to be statutory for everybody, regardless of their employment status, and either statutory sick pay for all or a minimum income guarantee needs to be put in place as a matter of urgency to ensure that people are self-isolating rather than taking risks.
Rwy'n cynrychioli canol dinas ein prifddinas, ac mae'n amlwg bod nifer enfawr o siopau, bwytai, bariau a lleoliadau adloniant y mae hyn yn debygol o effeithio arnyn nhw. Mae canol y ddinas yn dechrau teimlo fel tref anghyfannedd, felly rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y rhyddhad ardrethi yr ydych chi wedi ei gyhoeddi, yn ogystal â'r amser i dalu yr ydych chi wedi ei drafod gyda chyllid y wlad. Ond yn amlwg, mae mesurau eraill y bydd eu hangen arnom ni i fynd â ni drwy hyn os nad ydym ni eisiau rhywbeth tebyg i'r blitz yn digwydd i ganol ein dinasoedd, sydd fel arfer yn fannau bywiog.
Roeddwn yn meddwl tybed a allwn i eich holi ynghylch sefyllfa athrawon cyflenwi, gan ychwanegu at yr hyn y mae Dawn Bowden ac Alun Davies wedi ei ddweud, oherwydd os ydych chi'n athro cyflogedig a bod angen i chi hunanynysu cewch eich talu beth bynnag, os ydych chi'n athro cyflenwi sydd angen ynysu eich hun chewch chi ddim eich talu. Yn yr un modd, petai angen i ysgolion gau yn y dyfodol, byddai athrawon cyflenwi heb incwm. Felly, hoffwn ailadrodd y pwyntiau a wnaethpwyd gan Mick Antoniw ac eraill, bod gwir angen eglurder arnom ni y bydd tâl salwch yn statudol i bawb, beth bynnag fo'u statws cyflogaeth, ac mae angen sefydlu naill ai tâl salwch statudol i bawb neu isafswm incwm gwarantedig fel mater o frys i sicrhau bod pobl yn ynysu eu hunain yn hytrach na mentro.
Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for her question? She points to one particular area of the Welsh workforce that is suffering extreme anxiety at the moment as a result of the prospect of losing work. We estimate that something in the region of 8 per cent of individuals in Wales would not qualify for statutory sick pay. That's a very significant proportion, and therefore it needs to be given the full attention of UK Government as it is being given the full attention of Welsh Government.
A gaf i ddiolch i Jenny Rathbone am ei chwestiwn? Mae'n tynnu sylw at un maes penodol o weithlu Cymru sy'n dioddef pryder eithriadol ar hyn o bryd o ganlyniad i'r posibilrwydd o golli gwaith. Amcangyfrifwn na fyddai oddeutu 8 y cant o unigolion yng Nghymru yn gymwys i gael tâl salwch statudol. Mae hynny'n gyfran sylweddol iawn, ac felly mae angen i Lywodraeth y DU roi sylw llawn iddo, fel y mae'n cael sylw llawn Llywodraeth Cymru.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Eitem 3 fydd yr eitem nesaf. Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ar y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am coronavirus, COVID-19, yw'r datganid hynny. Mae'r Gweinidog iechyd yn hunan-ynysu ar hyn o bryd oherwydd salwch yn ei deulu, ac mae'n parhau â'i gyfrifoldeb gweinidogol ac yn atebol i'r Senedd yma. Os bydd y dechnoleg yn methu, yna mi fydd y Prif Weinidog yn cwblhau'r eitem yma. Os bydd Aelodau angen i'r sain gael ei chwyddo yn ystod yr eitem dylent ddefnyddio'r clustffonau. Dwi'n galw felly ar y Gweinidog iechyd i gyflwyno ei ddatganiad—Vaughan Gething.
Item 3 is the next item. The statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services on the latest information on coronavirus, COVID-19, is that statement. The Minister for health is self-isolating because of an illness in his family, and he's continuing with his ministerial responsibilities and is accountable to this Senedd. If the technology does fail, then the First Minister will complete this item. If Members will need the sound to be amplified during the item, please use your headsets. I call on the Minister for health to make his statement—Vaughan Gething.
Will you say something? He can't hear us. Okay. I'd like to put on record my thanks to the Minister for attempting to deliver his statement and to answer the questions of Members by Skype. I wish you well in your self-isolation, Minister, and in carrying on your work as the Minister for health—but not for the next 45 minutes, it seems. Therefore, I call on the First Minister to deliver the statement on coronavirus.
A wnewch chi ddweud rhywbeth? Dydy e ddim yn gallu ein clywed ni. Iawn. Hoffwn ddiolch ar goedd i'r Gweinidog am geisio cyflwyno ei ddatganiad ac ateb cwestiynau'r Aelodau drwy Skype. Dymunaf yn dda i chi wrth i chi hunan-ynysu, Gweinidog, ac wrth i chi barhau â'ch gwaith fel y Gweinidog iechyd—ond nid am y 45 munud nesaf, mae'n ymddangos. Felly, galwaf ar y Prif Weinidog i roi'r datganiad ynghylch y coronafeirws.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. The Health minister would have begun his statement this afternoon by reminding all Members of how much has changed over the week since he last reported to the Senedd. In that time, the World Health Organization has declared coronavirus as a pandemic. The response in Wales and the other UK nations has moved from containment to delay. Sadly, we have also had our first deaths from coronavirus here in Wales. I know that on behalf of the whole Senedd I express our sorrow and sympathy for the families who have lost loved ones. Sad as it is to say it, we have to expect that there will be more such events in the weeks ahead.
So, the aims of Governments across the United Kingdom in the delay phase of the plan to tackle coronavirus are to slow the spread of the virus and to lower the peak impact, and thus to push it away from the current end of the winter season. Both of these aims will help the NHS to cope with the challenges it will face in caring for larger numbers of very unwell people. Doing this gives us all the best chance of our NHS not being overwhelmed. That in turn means that we can save more lives in the months ahead.
Llywydd, it is inevitable that many more people will now contract the virus. The great majority of people will feel unwell for a short period before making a full recovery at home. They will not need medical intervention. Instead, we need to target our resources on the small percentage of our fellow citizens who will need that additional help. The best advice that we have as a Government is that, at this point in the process of the disease, trying to identify, monitor and contain every case, however mild, is not the best use of the resources we have.
Members here will know that at the COBRA on Monday of this week the Welsh Government agreed with the other three national Governments across the UK to advise the public to take further extraordinary measures. Our advice to people who think they may have coronavirus has strengthened. Anyone who develops a high temperature or a new continuous cough should stay at home for seven days. They should not go to their GP or to a pharmacy or to a hospital, nor should they routinely contact the NHS on 111. People should only seek help if they cannot deal with their symptoms at home, if their condition worsens significantly or if they do not recover within seven days.
As Members here will know, following Monday's COBRA meeting, the advice for people now is that if you are living with somebody in a household where someone develops a high temperature or a new continuous cough, then the whole household should stay at home for 14 days. Now, further advice on self-isolation at home is available from Public Health Wales. People are also advised to use the COVID-19 online symptom checker on the NHS Direct Wales website if you have concerns about your symptoms.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Byddai'r Gweinidog Iechyd wedi dechrau ar ei ddatganiad y prynhawn yma drwy atgoffa'r holl Aelodau o faint sydd wedi newid yn ystod yr wythnos ers iddo gyflwyno ei adroddiad diwethaf i'r Senedd. Yn y cyfnod hwnnw, mae Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd wedi datgan bod y coronafeirws yn bandemig. Mae'r ymateb yng Nghymru a gwledydd eraill y DU wedi newid o gyfyngu'r haint i oedi ei ledaeniad. Yn anffodus, rydym ni hefyd wedi cael ein marwolaethau cyntaf o achos y coronafeirws yma yng Nghymru. Gwn fy mod i, ar ran y Senedd gyfan, yn estyn ein tristwch a'n cydymdeimlad i'r teuluoedd sydd wedi colli anwyliaid. Cyn dristed ag yw dweud hyn, mae'n rhaid i ni ddisgwyl y bydd mwy o ddigwyddiadau o'r fath yn yr wythnosau i ddod.
Felly, amcanion Llywodraethau ledled y Deyrnas Unedig yng nghyfnod oedi y cynllun i fynd i'r afael â'r coronafeirws yw arafu lledaeniad y feirws ac i leihau effaith penllanw'r haint, ac felly i'w wthio o ddiwedd tymor y gaeaf presennol, sef y cyfnod yr ydym ni ynddo ar hyn o bryd. Bydd y ddau amcan hyn yn helpu'r GIG i ymdopi â'r heriau y bydd yn eu hwynebu wrth ofalu am niferoedd mwy o bobl sâl iawn. Mae gwneud hyn yn rhoi'r cyfle gorau i ni gyd na chaiff ein GIG ei lethu. Mae hynny yn ei dro yn golygu y gallwn ni achub mwy o fywydau yn y misoedd i ddod.
Llywydd, mae'n anochel y bydd llawer mwy o bobl yn dal y feirws nawr. Bydd y mwyafrif helaeth o bobl yn teimlo'n sâl am gyfnod byr cyn gwella'n llwyr gartref. Ni fydd angen ymyrraeth feddygol arnyn nhw. Yn hytrach, mae angen i ni dargedu ein hadnoddau at y ganran fach o'n cyd-ddinasyddion y bydd angen y cymorth ychwanegol hwnnw arnynt. Y cyngor gorau sydd gennym ni fel Llywodraeth yn ystod y cyfnod hwn o'r haint yw, nad ceisio adnabod, monitro a chyfyngu ar bob achos, waeth pa mor ysgafn bynnag, yw'r defnydd gorau o'r adnoddau sydd gennym ni.
Bydd Aelodau yn y fan yma yn gwybod bod Llywodraeth Cymru, yn y cyfarfod COBRA ddydd Llun yr wythnos hon, wedi cytuno â'r tair Llywodraeth genedlaethol arall ledled y DU i gynghori'r cyhoedd i gymryd camau eithriadol pellach. Mae ein cyngor i bobl sy'n credu efallai fod y coronafeirws arnyn nhw wedi cryfhau. Dylai unrhyw un sy'n datblygu tymheredd uchel neu beswch parhaus newydd aros gartref am saith diwrnod. Ni ddylen nhw fynd at eu meddyg teulu nac i fferyllfa nac i ysbyty, ac ni ddylen nhw fel rheol gysylltu â'r GIG ar 111. Ni ddylai pobl ofyn am gymorth oni bai eu bod yn methu ag ymdopi â'u symptomau gartref, bod eu cyflwr yn gwaethygu'n sylweddol neu os nad ydyn nhw'n gwella o fewn saith diwrnod.
Fel y gŵyr yr Aelodau yn y fan yma, yn dilyn y cyfarfod COBRA ddydd Llun, y cyngor i bobl nawr yw, os ydych chi'n byw gyda rhywun ar aelwyd lle mae rhywun yn datblygu tymheredd uchel neu beswch parhaus newydd, yna dylai'r aelwyd gyfan aros gartref am 14 diwrnod. Erbyn hyn, mae cyngor pellach ar hunan-ynysu yn y cartref ar gael gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru. Cynghorir pobl hefyd i ddefnyddio'r gwiriwr symptomau COVID-19 ar-lein ar wefan Galw Iechyd Cymru os ydych chi'n pryderu am eich symptomau.
Llywydd, we've also asked people across the wider population to reduce social contact. That includes working from home if you can and not going by choice into crowded areas such as pubs or restaurants. All people aged 70 and over, people under 70 with underlying health conditions and pregnant women should now actively practice social distancing measures. That's because these groups are identified as having a higher risk of becoming seriously unwell and therefore needing to limit their social interaction to reduce the risk of transmission. For those under 70 with underlying health conditions, the starting point is that, if your health condition entitles you to a free NHS flu jab, then you are covered by that advice. In the next week, the NHS will directly contact a range of vulnerable people with specific advice about risks to them. That is likely to involve even more significant measures for those whose immune systems are most significantly compromised.
The position adopted in the other parts of the United Kingdom in relation to large gatherings is now to be followed across the whole of the United Kingdom. Our emergency services will not staff or plan for large public events. They, too, like the rest of the NHS family, will focus their time on dealing with the response to coronavirus as it further develops.
Llywydd, as Members know from earlier this afternoon, there have been questions about our current approach to testing. At this point in the progress of the disease, our focus has shifted away from community testing, because that is the best advice we have. Testing will now focus on people who are admitted to hospital, in line with national guidance and based on symptoms and severity. There is strong evidence from around the world that they can and will recover. This is about ensuring that our testing capacity is focused where there is greatest need. In addition to those in hospital, testing will now be made available to people working in key NHS clinical roles to ensure that they are not taken out of the workplace longer than is necessary. The number of these roles covered will extend as our testing capacity develops. Public Health Wales will continue its surveillance work to understand the overall picture in Wales.
Llywydd, on Friday of last week, our colleague, Vaughan Gething announced far-reaching temporary measures to release NHS capacity to deal with the outbreak. Health and social service providers will suspend non-urgent out-patient appointments and surgical admissions and the monitoring and regulatory regime will be relaxed across the health and care system.
We know that the outbreak will significantly increase the demands made on hospitals, care homes and primary care practitioners, and in particular, on the staff in these organisations. The changes announced last Friday will allow our health and social care system to keep people out of hospital who do not need to be there, and it is even more important than ever before that people who do have the highest need for hospital care can be treated without delay. Friday's decisions will allow health boards and others to make the best use of capacity in priority areas, to redeploy and retrain staff for different roles to respond to the impact of coronavirus and to maintain services for other essential treatments, such as cancer services.
Today, the health Minister has approved the next set of national actions to support health and social care preparedness. These include: guidance provided on the testing of symptomatic healthcare workers in isolation; further urgency in the rolling out of video consultations in primary care; announcing forthcoming guidance on the delivery of dental services to avoid preventable exposure to patients and staff; and further work rapidly to increase critical care beds, staffing and equipment.
Llywydd, right across the Welsh Government, ministerial colleagues continue to work closely with public services across Wales to ensure that they are prepared. Last week, meetings took place with local authority leaders and they have continued into this week. Our local authorities will have all the help and support that we can provide in keeping vital public services running. They too have a hugely important leadership role and that is especially so in the way that they will work with third sector partners to co-ordinate support for the large number of people who will now be self-isolating.
This is a dynamic and rapidly evolving situation, and the Welsh Government will continue to take further measures as necessary and as the evidence dictates. The health Minister intends to publish information on which decisions have been made—the evidence—ahead of the health committee on 18 March, and I know that he still hopes to be able to answer Members' questions alongside the chief medical officer in front of that committee.
In the meantime, we need to go on reminding ourselves and all our fellow citizens of those simple measures that we can all take and that, collectively, will make a difference; those simple steps to help manage and limit the impact of the virus. Maintaining regular hand-washing and self-isolation where necessary will make a real and positive difference, as will helping family, friends and neighbours when they have to self-isolate.
Llywydd, we are asking people to make extraordinary choices to match the extraordinary times we face. We ask people to do this, to help their friends and families; we ask people to do this to help friends and families that they may never otherwise meet. The health Minister, I and ministerial colleagues will, of course, Llywydd, continue to keep Members and the people of Wales fully and regularly informed, as the progress of the disease continues.
Llywydd, rydym ni hefyd wedi gofyn i bobl o bob rhan o'r boblogaeth ehangach i leihau cyswllt cymdeithasol. Mae hynny'n cynnwys gweithio o gartref os gallwch chi a pheidio â mynd o ddewis i ardaloedd gorlawn fel tafarndai neu fwytai. Dylai pawb sy'n 70 oed a hŷn, pobl o dan 70 â chyflyrau iechyd sylweddol a menywod beichiog fynd ati'n awr i ynysu eu hunain yn gymdeithasol. Mae hynny oherwydd y caiff y grwpiau hyn eu dynodi fel rhai y mae mwy o berygl iddyn nhw fod yn ddifrifol wael ac felly mae angen iddyn nhw gyfyngu ar eu rhyngweithio cymdeithasol i leihau'r perygl o drosglwyddo. I'r rhai sydd o dan 70 sydd â chyflyrau iechyd sylfaenol, yr egwyddor greiddiol yw, os yw eich cyflwr iechyd yn rhoi'r hawl i chi gael pigiad ffliw'r GIG am ddim, yna mae'r cyngor hwnnw'n berthnasol i chi. Yn ystod yr wythnos nesaf, bydd y GIG yn cysylltu'n uniongyrchol ag amrywiaeth o bobl agored i niwed gyda chyngor penodol iddyn nhw ynglŷn â'r peryglon y gallan nhw fod yn eu hwynebu. Mae hynny'n debygol o gynnwys mesurau mwy sylweddol fyth i'r rhai y mae eu systemau imiwnedd wedi eu peryglu'n sylweddol.
Mae'r safbwynt a fabwysiadwyd mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig ynglŷn â chynulliadau mawr o bobl i'w dilyn bellach ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan. Ni fydd ein gwasanaethau brys yn mynychu nac yn cynllunio ar gyfer digwyddiadau cyhoeddus mawr. Byddant hwythau hefyd, fel gweddill gwasanaethau'r GIG, yn canolbwyntio eu hamser ar ymdrin â'r ymateb i'r coronafeirws wrth iddo ddatblygu ymhellach.
Llywydd, fel y gŵyr yr Aelodau o adeg gynharach y prynhawn yma, cafwyd cwestiynau ynglŷn â sut yr ydym ni'n mynd ati i brofi ar hyn o bryd. Ar yr adeg hon o gynnydd y clefyd, mae ein pwyslais wedi newid o gynnal profion cymunedol, oherwydd dyna'r cyngor gorau sydd gennym ni. Profir bellach drwy ganolbwyntio ar bobl sy'n cael eu derbyn i'r ysbyty, yn unol â chanllawiau cenedlaethol ac yn seiliedig ar symptomau a difrifoldeb. Mae tystiolaeth gref o bob cwr o'r byd y gallan nhw ac y byddan nhw yn gwella. Mae a wnelo hyn â sicrhau ein bod ni'n defnyddio ein gallu i brofi drwy ganolbwyntio ar y mannau lle mae'r angen mwyaf. Yn ogystal â'r rhai sydd mewn ysbytai, bydd profion ar gael nawr i bobl sy'n gweithio yn swyddogaethau clinigol allweddol y GIG er mwyn sicrhau na chânt eu tynnu o'r gweithle yn hirach nag sy'n angenrheidiol. Bydd nifer y swyddogaethau hyn fydd yn gymwys yn ymestyn wrth i'n gallu i brofi ddatblygu. Bydd Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn parhau â'i waith arolygu i ddeall y darlun cyffredinol yng Nghymru.
Llywydd, ddydd Gwener yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddodd ein cyd-Aelod, Vaughan Gething, fesurau pellgyrhaeddol dros dro i ryddhau gallu'r GIG i ymdrin â'r achosion. Bydd darparwyr iechyd a gwasanaethau cymdeithasol yn atal apwyntiadau cleifion allanol a llawdriniaethau nad ydynt yn rhai brys ac fe gaiff y drefn fonitro a rheoleiddio ei llacio ar draws y system iechyd a gofal.
Gwyddom y bydd yr haint hwn yn cynyddu'n sylweddol y galwadau a wneir ar ysbytai, cartrefi gofal a gweithwyr gofal sylfaenol, ac yn benodol, ar y staff yn y sefydliadau hyn. Bydd y newidiadau a gyhoeddwyd ddydd Gwener diwethaf yn caniatáu i'n system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol gadw pobl o'r ysbyty os nad oes angen iddyn nhw fod yno, ac mae'n bwysicach nag erioed o'r blaen bod pobl sydd â'r angen mwyaf am ofal ysbyty yn cael eu trin yn ddi-oed. Bydd penderfyniadau dydd Gwener yn caniatáu i fyrddau iechyd ac eraill wneud y defnydd gorau o'r gallu sydd ar gael mewn meysydd blaenoriaethol, i adleoli ac ailhyfforddi staff ar gyfer swyddogaethau gwahanol er mwyn ymateb i effaith y coronafeirws a chynnal gwasanaethau ar gyfer triniaethau hanfodol eraill, fel gwasanaethau canser.
Heddiw, mae'r Gweinidog Iechyd wedi cymeradwyo'r gyfres nesaf o gamau gweithredu cenedlaethol i gefnogi'r maes iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol i fod yn barod ar gyfer yr hyn sydd ar y gorwel. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys: darparu canllawiau ynglŷn â phrofi gweithwyr gofal iechyd symptomatig mewn lleoliadau ynysig; mwy o frys o ran cyflwyno ymgynghoriadau fideo mewn gofal sylfaenol; cyhoeddi canllawiau arfaethedig ynglŷn â darparu gwasanaethau deintyddol fel nad oes rhaid i gleifion a staff ymwneud â'i gilydd yn ddiangen; a gwaith pellach ar fyrder i gynyddu gwelyau, staffio ac offer gofal critigol.
Llywydd, ym mhob rhan o Lywodraeth Cymru, mae fy nghyd-Weinidogion yn parhau i weithio'n agos gyda gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ledled Cymru i sicrhau eu bod yn barod. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cynhaliwyd cyfarfodydd gydag arweinwyr awdurdodau lleol ac maen nhw wedi parhau i'r wythnos hon. Caiff ein hawdurdodau lleol yr holl gymorth a'r gefnogaeth y gallwn ni eu darparu i gadw gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol i barhau. Mae ganddynt hwythau hefyd swyddogaeth arweiniol hynod bwysig, ac mae hynny'n arbennig o arwyddocaol o ran y ffordd y byddan nhw'n gweithio gyda phartneriaid yn y trydydd sector i gydgysylltu cefnogaeth i'r nifer fawr o bobl a fydd yn ynysu eu hunain nawr.
Mae hon yn sefyllfa ddynamig sy'n datblygu'n gyflym, a bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i weithredu ymhellach fel y bo angen ac yn unol â thystiolaeth. Mae'r Gweinidog iechyd yn bwriadu cyhoeddi gwybodaeth ynglŷn â pha benderfyniadau a wnaed—y dystiolaeth—cyn cyfarfod y pwyllgor iechyd ar 18 Mawrth, a gwn ei fod yn dal i obeithio gallu ateb cwestiynau'r Aelodau gyda'r prif swyddog meddygol gerbron y pwyllgor hwnnw.
Yn y cyfamser, mae angen i ni barhau i'n hatgoffa ein hunain a'n holl gyd-ddinasyddion o'r pethau syml hynny y gallwn ni i gyd eu gwneud ac y byddan nhw, gyda'i gilydd, yn gwneud gwahaniaeth; y camau syml hynny i helpu i reoli a chyfyngu ar effaith y feirws. Bydd parhau i olchi dwylo yn rheolaidd a hunan-ynysu pan fo angen yn gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol a chadarnhaol, yn ogystal â helpu'r teulu, ffrindiau a chymdogion pan fydd yn rhaid iddyn nhw hunan-ynysu.
Llywydd, rydym ni'n gofyn i bobl wneud dewisiadau eithriadol fel sy'n gweddu i'r cyfnodau anghyffredin yr ydym yn eu hwynebu. Rydym yn gofyn i bobl wneud hyn, i helpu eu ffrindiau a'u teuluoedd; gofynnwn i bobl wneud hyn i helpu ffrindiau a theuluoedd na fydden nhw yn eu cyfarfod fel arall o bosib. Wrth gwrs, bydd y Gweinidog Iechyd, minnau a'm cyd-Weinidogion, Llywydd, yn parhau i hysbysu Aelodau a phobl Cymru yn llawn ac yn rheolaidd, wrth i'r clefyd barhau i fynd ar led.
First Minister, I'd like to thank you for your statement today, and I'd like to join with you in sending my deepest condolences to the two families that have lost people in the recent moments. And I will also think that every time I get up, I'm going to be saying a massive thank you to the health services—we can't say it enough to the front-line staff and to the social care staff, but also to the unsung heroes in the background—the researchers who are trying to find the cure for this dreadful COVID-19, and to all of those who support all of these people in this effort.
Prif Weinidog, hoffwn ddiolch i chi am eich datganiad heddiw, ac fe hoffwn innau hefyd estyn fy nghydymdeimlad dwysaf i'r ddau deulu sydd wedi colli pobl yn y dyddiau diweddar hyn. Ac rwyf hefyd yn credu, bob tro y byddaf i'n codi, y byddaf yn dweud diolch yn fawr iawn wrth y gwasanaethau iechyd—allwn ni ddim dweud hynny ddigon wrth y staff rheng flaen a'r staff gofal cymdeithasol, ond hefyd diolch i'r arwyr di-glod yn y cefndir—yr ymchwilwyr sy'n ceisio canfod iachâd o'r COVID-19 ofnadwy hwn, ac i bawb sy'n cefnogi'r holl bobl hyn yn yr ymdrech hon.
Now, I obviously listened to you very carefully during First Minister's questions. I wanted to first of all say that I absolutely support all of the actions that you've taken here, from suggesting that 70-year-olds must stay at home for self-isolation; what we need to do to keep ourselves safe; and how we look after people who've got compromised immune systems and are recovering from very difficult diseases. We are with you on that, and I think that's excellent.
But, I do want to just ask you a couple of other questions to do with the whole issue of how we proceed with tackling COVID-19. I can't not ask you again about the testing regime. I heard very clearly, and actually it chimed with me very strongly, your comment about, 'Our scientific evidence, our CSAs and our CMOs giving us the evidence that is the rock on which we must base all of our decisions, and if we shift that rock around, then we are in a very, very difficult state'. So, I'm not asking you to do that, but what I am asking you to do is perhaps tell us how you are currently evaluating, constantly, the current decision not to test greater numbers of the population. I think it's because I'm very interested in examples of places such as South Korea that have managed to drop from almost 1,000 cases a day to fewer than 100 cases a day. Their absolute ethos is that testing centrally led to early detection, it minimised spread and it quickly treated those with the virus. So, I appreciate that all of the home Governments are united that this is the way we go forward, but I would just like to know how you're looking at that and how you're evaluating that performance.
I'm also very interested in the testing issue, because I wondered whether you have any information at all about the viability of home testing kits. The reason, again, I ask that is because if we're testing our healthcare professionals, we have to retest them, retest them and retest them, because they might be well on Monday, but if they're living with someone who's got COVID-19, they might not be well on Wednesday or Friday.
Secondly, we have a very elderly population. We have a lot of people who need extra support at home. We have a lot of isolated people who will find it very difficult to get out if buses run less and if transport happens less, and if we could actually use all of these great voluntary groups that are putting themselves together—people like us—to go out and help, it would be so useful if we could be tested, because then we could, actually—even if we don't do the practical stuff of changing a dressing in someone's home, actually what we can do is see an older person and talk to them for half an hour to lift that isolation and loneliness that, after 14 weeks, could well take hold. So, if you could give us anything on that where we can look at how we might be able to help, it would be really good if we could be confident that those who are going into people's homes—helping the elderly, helping those who are pregnant and helping those with other conditions—are really safe.
I wanted to touch on access to medicines in a number of different ways, one is access to medicines from abroad. I understand that there are a few areas where medicines are being held back or production is being altered, and I wondered whether you could just give us any overview on what the home nations are doing to ensure that we can get access to medicines. But, I also wanted to talk very briefly, First Minister, about what you might put in place to ensure that general practitioners' surgeries, which would normally give somebody two weeks' worth of medication at a time, actually review their prescribing policy so that people can actually get a sufficient amount of medicine to help them if they've been self-isolated, or to stop people having to go out to keep getting these repeat prescriptions. I'm hearing quite a lot of people say, 'I can't get more than two weeks at any one time of any particular drug'.
I wondered whether you might be able to give us an outline of what support you'll be able to give additionally to the area of mental health. What plans do you have to ensure that mental health crisis care is still able to provide additional support, especially to those who need it, obviously, now? Because that actual support—and necessary support—might, in fact, be more, given the fear and concerns that people face.
This is a complete left-fielder, but I feel this actually quite strongly. People are scared. People aren't sure what's happening. We know that we talk about it and we publish it, and I wondered if you or one of your Ministers would consider talking to ITV, BBC and S4C about doing a short statement on the six o'clock news every night that just updates people with what is happening. Because I think that when you read the e-mails that come in, when you see the social media, the fake news and the general sense of panic, I just wonder if a steadying hand in the Welsh media and across the social media platforms would actually be of benefit. You don't always have to say something new; it's repeating the same old messages and telling people it's okay, they don't need to go and buy tonnes of food, they will not starve to death, they will get the medicines they need, they will get the support from all the Governments, they will be okay. I think people need to hear it daily, daily and daily.
I've left the last bit of my commentary, Presiding Officer, to pharmacies. They are under quite a lot of pressure. We have got pharmacists that still have not got any of the protective equipment that they've been promised. The protective equipment isn't great quality and there are concerns from GPs about it already, let alone the pharmacists. Pharmacists are really under pressure because what's happening is that people are phoning their GPs, GPs are saying, 'Don't come to us, we're closing our doors, we'll talk to you over the phone, we'll tell you what you want.' Well, guess where they're going? To the pharmacist. Pharmacists are feeling under immense pressure and the point they make, as they slowly fall by the wayside with this illness and have to go into self-isolation, have to close for a couple of days for a deep clean, is: what happens then? We've already got a pharmacist in Narberth who has had to close and one in Haverfordwest that's had to close. This is putting immense pressure on pharmacists. They believe that they are the ones who are having to, and do willingly—not 'having to'—give out medications for things such as diabetes, heart medication and so forth. They believe that the health boards are not supporting them. They believe that they don't really get the ramifications; they're so busy concentrating on front line in hospitals and GP surgeries that nobody is thinking about the guys who actually come along behind and sweep up a huge number of people—they're the first call if they have a problem. So, I wondered if you can perhaps address this issue because they do say that they've had no support, no advice from the actual health boards themselves.
And finally, and this is a marginally cheeky one, but of course you had a nice little warehouse stocked full of stuff ready for Brexit, and I wondered if you could actually tell us if you've still got stuff in there, what kind of stuff and would that stuff be able to be deployed in this current crisis. Thank you very much, First Minister.
Nawr, gwrandewais arnoch yn astud iawn yn amlwg yn ystod y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog. Roeddwn i eisiau dweud yn gyntaf oll fy mod i'n llwyr gefnogi popeth yr ydych chi wedi ei wneud yn y fan yma gyda hyn mewn golwg, o awgrymu bod yn rhaid i bobl 70 oed aros gartref i hunan-ynysu; yr hyn y mae angen i ni ei wneud i gadw'n hunain yn ddiogel; a sut yr ydym ni'n gofalu am bobl sydd â systemau imiwnedd gwan ac sy'n gwella o glefydau anodd iawn. Rydym ni'n eich cefnogi yn hynny o beth, a chredaf fod hynny'n ardderchog.
Ond, rwyf eisiau gofyn ychydig o gwestiynau eraill i chi am yr holl fater o sut yr ydym ni'n mynd ati i fynd i'r afael â COVID-19. Alla i ddim peidio â gofyn i chi eto am y drefn brofi. Clywais yn glir iawn, ac mewn gwirionedd, atseiniodd yn gryf iawn gyda fi, eich sylw am 'Ein tystiolaeth wyddonol, ein Prif Ymgynghorwyr Gwyddonol a'n Prif Swyddogion Meddygol yn rhoi i ni'r dystiolaeth sef y graig y mae'n rhaid i ni seilio ein holl benderfyniadau arni, ac os ydym ni'n symud y graig honno o gwmpas, yna rydym ni mewn sefyllfa anodd iawn, iawn'. Felly, nid wyf yn gofyn i chi wneud hynny, ond yr hyn yr wyf yn gofyn i chi ei wneud efallai yw dweud wrthym ni sut yr ydych chi ar hyn o bryd yn gwerthuso, yn gyson, y penderfyniad presennol i beidio â phrofi niferoedd mwy o'r boblogaeth. Rwy'n credu bod hyn oherwydd bod gen i ddiddordeb mawr mewn enghreifftiau o leoedd fel De Korea sydd wedi llwyddo i leihau eu hachosion o bron i 1,000 y dydd i lai na 100 y dydd. Eu hethos craidd nhw yw bod profi yn ganolog wedi arwain at ganfod yr haint yn gynnar, y cyfyngwyd ar y lledaeniad ac y triniwyd y rheini oedd â'r feirws arnyn nhw yn gyflym. Felly, rwy'n sylweddoli bod pob un o'r llywodraethau cartref yn gytûn mai dyma'r ffordd yr ydym ni'n mynd ati, ond hoffwn wybod sut yr ydych chi'n edrych ar hynny a sut yr ydych chi'n gwerthuso'r perfformiad hwnnw.
Mae gennyf i ddiddordeb mawr hefyd yn yr agwedd o brofi, oherwydd roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a oes gennych chi unrhyw wybodaeth o gwbl am ymarferoldeb pecynnau profi yn y cartref. Y rheswm, unwaith eto, rwy'n gofyn hynny, yw oherwydd os ydym ni'n profi ein gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol, mae'n rhaid i ni eu hailbrofi, eu hailbrofi a'u hailbrofi, gan y gallen nhw fod yn dda ar ddydd Llun, ond os ydyn nhw yn byw gyda rhywun sydd wedi cael COVID-19, efallai na fyddan nhw yn dda ar y dydd Mercher neu'r dydd Gwener.
Yn ail, mae gennym ni boblogaeth oedrannus iawn. Mae gennym ni lawer o bobl y mae angen cymorth ychwanegol arnyn nhw gartref. Mae gennym ni lawer o bobl ynysig a fydd yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn mynd allan os yw bysiau'n teithio yn llai aml ac os bydd llai o drafnidiaeth, a phe gallem ni ddefnyddio'r holl grwpiau gwirfoddol gwych hyn sy'n ymffurfio—pobl fel ni—i fynd allan a helpu, byddai mor ddefnyddiol pe gallem ni gael ein profi, oherwydd wedyn gallem ni, mewn gwirionedd—hyd yn oed os na allwn ni wneud y pethau ymarferol o newid rhwymyn yng nghartref rhywun, mewn gwirionedd, yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud yw gweld pobl hŷn a siarad â nhw am hanner awr i drechu'r unigrwydd a'r arwahanrwydd hwnnw a fydd, ar ôl 14 wythnos, o bosib iawn wedi eu meddiannu. Felly, pe gallech chi roi unrhyw wybodaeth i ni ynghylch hynny fel y gallwn ni ystyried sut y gallem ni helpu, byddai'n dda iawn pe gallem ni fod yn ffyddiog bod y rhai sy'n mynd i gartrefi pobl—yn helpu'r henoed, yn helpu'r rhai sy'n feichiog ac yn helpu'r rhai sydd â chyflyrau eraill arnyn nhw—yn ddiogel iawn.
Roeddwn i eisiau cyfeirio at allu cael gafael ar feddyginiaethau mewn nifer o ffyrdd gwahanol, un yw cael gafael ar feddyginiaethau o wledydd tramor. Deallaf fod rhai meysydd lle mae meddyginiaethau'n cael eu cadw'n ôl neu lle bu addasu o ran sut y cânt eu cynhyrchu, ac roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a allech chi roi unrhyw drosolwg i ni o'r hyn y mae gwledydd y Deyrnas Unedig yn ei wneud i sicrhau y gallwn ni gael meddyginiaethau. Ond, roeddwn i hefyd eisiau siarad yn fyr iawn, Prif Weinidog, am yr hyn y gallech chi ei wneud i sicrhau y bydd meddygfeydd meddygon teulu, a fyddai fel arfer yn rhoi gwerth pythefnos o feddyginiaeth i rywun ar y tro, yn adolygu eu polisi presgripsiynu mewn gwirionedd fel y gall bobl gael digon o feddyginiaeth i'w helpu os ydyn nhw wedi bod yn hunan-ynysu, neu i atal pobl rhag gorfod mynd allan i gael y presgripsiynau rheolaidd hyn. Rwy'n clywed cryn dipyn o bobl yn dweud, 'ni allaf gael mwy na phythefnos ar unrhyw un adeg o unrhyw gyffur penodol'.
Tybed a allech chi roi amlinelliad i ni o ba gefnogaeth y gallech chi ei rhoi hefyd i'r maes iechyd meddwl. Pa gynlluniau sydd gennych chi i sicrhau bod gofal iechyd meddwl mewn argyfwng yn dal i allu darparu cymorth ychwanegol, yn enwedig i'r rhai y mae ei angen arnyn nhw, yn amlwg, nawr? Oherwydd gallai'r cymorth gwirioneddol hwnnw—a'r cymorth angenrheidiol hwnnw—fod yn fwy, mewn gwirionedd, o ystyried yr ofn a'r pryderon y mae pobl yn eu hwynebu.
Mae hyn yn gwestiwn gwbl anarferol, ond teimlaf hyn yn eithaf cryf mewn gwirionedd. Mae pobl yn ofnus. Dydy pobl ddim yn siŵr beth sy'n digwydd. Gwyddom ein bod yn siarad am hyn ac yn cyhoeddi gwybodaeth, ac roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a fyddech chi neu un o'ch Gweinidogion yn ystyried siarad ag ITV, BBC ac S4C ynghylch gwneud datganiad byr ar y newyddion chwech o'r gloch bob nos sy'n rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i bobl am yr hyn sy'n digwydd. Oherwydd rwy'n credu pan eich bod chi'n darllen y negeseuon e-bost sy'n cyrraedd, pan eich bod chi'n gweld y cyfryngau cymdeithasol, y newyddion ffug a'r ymdeimlad cyffredinol o banig, rwy'n meddwl tybed a fyddai cael sefydlogrwydd yn y cyfryngau Cymreig ac ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn fuddiol mewn gwirionedd. Does dim rhaid i chi ddweud rhywbeth newydd bob tro; mae yn ymwneud ag ailadrodd yr un negeseuon a dweud wrth bobl ei bod hi'n iawn, nad oes angen iddyn nhw fynd i brynu tunelli o fwyd, na fyddan nhw'n llwgu i farwolaeth, byddan nhw'n cael y meddyginiaethau y mae eu hangen arnyn nhw, byddan nhw'n cael y gefnogaeth gan yr holl Lywodraethau, byddan nhw'n iawn. Rwy'n credu bod angen i bobl glywed hynny yn feunyddiol, yn feunyddiol ac yn feunyddiol.
Rwyf wedi gadael y rhan olaf o'm sylwebaeth, Llywydd, i'r fferyllfeydd. Maen nhw dan gryn dipyn o bwysau. Mae gennym ni fferyllwyr sy'n dal heb fod ganddyn nhw ddim o'r offer amddiffynnol yr addawyd iddyn nhw. Nid yw'r offer diogelu o ansawdd da iawn ac mae meddygon teulu yn pryderu yn ei gylch eisoes, heb sôn am y fferyllwyr. Mae fferyllwyr o dan bwysau gwirioneddol, oherwydd yr hyn sy'n digwydd yw bod pobl yn ffonio eu meddygon teulu, mae meddygon teulu'n dweud, 'peidiwch â dod atom ni, rydym yn cau ein drysau, byddwn yn siarad â chi dros y ffôn, byddwn yn dweud wrthych chi beth sydd ei eisiau arnoch chi.' Wel, dyfalwch i ble maen nhw'n mynd? At y fferyllydd. Mae fferyllwyr yn teimlo dan bwysau aruthrol a'r pwynt y maen nhw'n ei wneud, wrth iddyn nhw ddiffygio'n raddol gyda'r salwch hwn a gorfod hunan-ynysu, gorfod cau am ychydig ddyddiau i lanhau eu fferyllfeydd yn drwyadl, yw: beth sy'n digwydd wedyn? Rydym ni eisoes wedi gweld fferyllydd yn Arberth sydd wedi gorfod cau ac un yn Hwlffordd sydd wedi gorfod cau. Mae hyn yn rhoi pwysau aruthrol ar fferyllwyr. Maen nhw'n credu mai nhw yw'r rhai sy'n gorfod, ac sy'n fodlon—ddim 'yn gorfod'—rhoi meddyginiaeth ar gyfer pethau megis diabetes, meddyginiaeth ar gyfer y galon ac yn y blaen. Dydyn nhw ddim yn credu bod y byrddau iechyd yn eu cefnogi. Maen nhw'n credu eu bod wedi eu gadael yn ddiymgeledd; maen nhw mor brysur yn canolbwyntio ar y rheng flaen mewn ysbytai a meddygfeydd meddygon teulu fel nad oes neb yn meddwl am y bobl sydd wrth eu sodlau yn rhoi sylw i nifer fawr iawn o bobl—nhw yw'r bobl yr eir atyn nhw gyntaf os oes gan bobl broblem. Felly, tybed a allwch chi fynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn efallai gan eu bod yn dweud nad ydyn nhw wedi cael unrhyw gymorth, dim cyngor gan y byrddau iechyd eu hunain.
Ac yn olaf, ac mae hyn braidd yn ddigywilydd, ond wrth gwrs roedd gennych chi warws bach braf yn llawn pethau yn barod ar gyfer Brexit, ac roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a allech chi ddweud wrthym ni a ydych chi'n dal i fod â'r pethau hynny yno, pa fath o bethau ac a ellid defnyddio'r pethau hynny yn yr argyfwng presennol hwn. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, Llywydd. Thank you to Angela Burns, Llywydd, this afternoon, and I'll do my best to answer questions where I have the information to hand. I know Members will understand that there will be some of the more detailed questions where, not expecting to have been answering questions on this statement, I'll need to provide Members with a more informed reply.
As Angela Burns has said, while we have been sitting here this afternoon a second death of a patient in Wales has been announced and, of course, our thoughts are with all of those connected with that person. Can I also echo what Angela said in thanking not simply the front-line staff whose responsibilities we have emphasised here this afternoon, but all those who sit behind them and who mean that they can do the jobs that we need them to do?
As far as the testing regime is concerned, I can give the Member a complete assurance that the emerging evidence from around the world continues to be reviewed all the time at the scientific advisory committee. Indeed, I know that the Welsh representative was going to that committee today with some very specific questions to raise in relation to testing, and advice on testing. So, the advice that we get from our chief medical officers and our chief scientific officers is tested every day—tested internally by themselves, tested against the emerging international evidence—and, as I said in answering questions earlier, if the advice changes, then we will follow that emerging advice because that advice will be following the evidence as best it can.
In relation to extending the availability of testing to a wider range of people than front-line clinical staff, that will be something we will think about, of course. It will need to be matched against two things: the capacity we have for testing, which we want to grow, and the extent to which diverting people to do that work takes priority over other things that they could do, but it remains an open issue that we review all the time.
Thank you for the point made about repeat prescriptions, which I'll make sure we'll take up through the normal machinery. As far as mental health is concerned, Members here will know that we have a series of helplines that we have mobilised at different times for different purposes. We've turned them on particularly at times of stress in rural communities in Wales, and we intend to use the call centre and the very expert staff that we have based in it in Wrexham to make sure that when people need an immediate access because they have a mental health issue, that they need help in signposting people to get the help they need, that that helpline will be geared up to respond in the current coronavirus context.
As to appearing on the news, I think I said earlier this afternoon that the Welsh Government will be providing a daily briefing for the press in Wales. We're probably going to do it at 9:30 every morning to make sure that people have assurance and information on a daily basis. It will, as ever, be for news outlets to then decide how to use that information, but we are, in the way that Angela Burns suggested, very keen to make sure that there is the most regular possible flow of information to the Welsh public.
I want to recognise very much what she said about the importance of community pharmacies. We've always been very lucky in Wales with our network of over 700 community pharmacies. They, too, will be feeling the strain and they will be a very important part of our ability to provide a resilient service to people across Wales. I know that efforts are being made to make sure they have the equipment that they need and I'll take up the point that the Member made about the need for health boards to regard them as part of their front-line response in the coronavirus context.
Finally, to the Brexit warehouse, that does mean that we have a stock of medical supplies that we can still draw on, and that's part of the answer to the point that Angela Burns made about availability of medicines. Because we were preparing against the eventuality of a 'no deal' exit, there are some stockpiles still to draw on. The last information I saw was not alarming in relation to the availability of medicines in the immediate future. There may be a point later in the year when the fact that Chinese manufacturers, for example, will not have been working in the way they normally have, where there will be issues that we need to face, but they're not here and now issues as far as coronavirus is concerned.
Diolch, Llywydd. Diolch i Angela Burns, Llywydd, y prynhawn yma, ac fe wnaf fy ngorau i ateb cwestiynau lle mae'r wybodaeth gennyf wrth law. Rwy'n gwybod y bydd yr Aelodau yn deall y bydd rhai o'r cwestiynau manylach, yn golygu, gan nad oeddwn i'n disgwyl bod yn ateb cwestiynau ar y datganiad hwn, y bydd angen i mi roi ymateb mwy gwybodus i'r Aelodau.
Fel y dywedodd Angela Burns, tra ein bod ni wedi bod yn eistedd yn y fan yma y prynhawn yma cyhoeddwyd marwolaeth ail glaf yng Nghymru ac, wrth gwrs, mae ein meddyliau gyda phawb sy'n gysylltiedig â'r person hwnnw. A gaf i hefyd adleisio'r hyn a ddywedodd Angela wrth ddiolch nid yn unig i'r staff rheng flaen yr ydym ni wedi pwysleisio eu cyfrifoldebau yn y fan yma y prynhawn yma, ond wrth bawb sy'n eu cefnogi ac sy'n golygu y gallan nhw wneud y swyddi y mae arnom ni angen iddyn nhw eu gwneud?
O ran y gyfundrefn brofi, gallaf roi sicrwydd llwyr i'r Aelod bod y dystiolaeth sy'n dod i'r amlwg o bob cwr o'r byd yn parhau i gael ei hadolygu drwy'r amser yn y pwyllgor cynghori gwyddonol. Yn wir, gwn fod y cynrychiolydd o Gymru yn mynd i'r pwyllgor hwnnw heddiw gyda chwestiynau penodol iawn i'w holi ynglŷn â phrofion, a chyngor ar brofi. Felly, caiff y cyngor a gawn gan ein prif swyddogion meddygol a'n prif swyddogion gwyddonol ei brofi bob dydd—ei brofi'n fewnol ganddyn nhw eu hunain, ei brofi yn unol â'r dystiolaeth ryngwladol sy'n dod i'r amlwg—ac, fel y dywedais wrth ateb cwestiynau yn gynharach, os bydd y cyngor yn newid, yna byddwn yn dilyn y cyngor hwnnw sy'n dod i'r amlwg oherwydd bydd y cyngor hwnnw'n dilyn y dystiolaeth i'r graddau y gall wneud hynny.
O ran sefyllfa ehangu'r profion i ystod ehangach o bobl na staff clinigol rheng flaen, bydd hynny'n rhywbeth y byddwn ni'n meddwl amdano, wrth gwrs. Bydd angen ei ystyried yng ngoleuni dau beth: y gallu sydd gennym ni i gynnal profion, yr ydym ni eisiau ei gynyddu, ac i ba raddau y mae dargyfeirio pobl i wneud y gwaith hwnnw yn cael blaenoriaeth dros bethau eraill y gallen nhw eu gwneud, ond mae'n dal yn fater dan ystyriaeth yr ydym ni yn ei adolygu drwy'r amser.
Diolch am y sylw a wnaed am bresgripsiynau rheolaidd, y gwnaf yn siŵr y rhoddwn sylw iddo drwy'r trefniadau arferol. O ran iechyd meddwl, bydd yr Aelodau yn y fan yma yn gwybod bod gennym ni gyfres o linellau cymorth yr ydym ni wedi eu sefydlu ar wahanol adegau at wahanol ddibenion. Rydym ni wedi eu defnyddio yn arbennig ar adegau o straen mewn cymunedau gwledig yng Nghymru, a bwriadwn ddefnyddio'r ganolfan alwadau a'r staff arbenigol iawn sy'n gweithio yno yn Wrecsam i sicrhau, pan fydd angen cymorth ar unwaith ar bobl oherwydd bod ganddyn nhw broblem iechyd meddwl, bod angen cymorth arnyn nhw i gyfeirio pobl i gael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw, y bydd y llinell gymorth honno yn barod i ymateb yng nghyd-destun presennol y coronafeirws.
O ran ymddangos ar y newyddion, credaf i mi ddweud yn gynharach y prynhawn yma y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi datganiad dyddiol i'r wasg yng Nghymru. Mae'n debyg y byddwn ni'n gwneud hyn am 9:30 bob bore er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr bod pobl yn cael sicrwydd a gwybodaeth yn feunyddiol. Fel arfer, bydd y canolfannau newyddion yn penderfynu wedyn sut i ddefnyddio'r wybodaeth honno, ond rydym ni, yn y ffordd yr awgrymodd Angela Burns, yn awyddus iawn i sicrhau y ceir y llif gwybodaeth mwyaf rheolaidd posibl i'r cyhoedd yng Nghymru.
Rwyf i eisiau cydnabod yn bendant iawn yr hyn a ddywedodd am bwysigrwydd fferyllfeydd cymunedol. Rydym ni bob amser wedi bod yn ffodus iawn yng Nghymru gyda'n rhwydwaith o dros 700 o fferyllfeydd cymunedol. Byddant hwythau hefyd yn teimlo'r straen a byddan nhw'n rhan bwysig iawn o'n gallu ni i ddarparu gwasanaeth cydnerth i bobl ledled Cymru. Rwy'n gwybod bod ymdrech yn cael ei gwneud i sicrhau y cânt yr offer sydd ei angen arnyn nhw ac fe wnaf i ystyried y sylw a wnaeth yr Aelod ynglŷn â'r angen i fyrddau iechyd eu hystyried yn rhan o'u hymateb rheng flaen yng nghyd-destun y coronafeirws.
Yn olaf, y warws Brexit, mae hynny'n golygu bod gennym ni stoc o gyflenwadau meddygol y gallwn ni ddal ati i'w defnyddio, ac mae hynny'n rhan o'r ateb i'r sylw a wnaeth Angela Burns am i feddyginiaethau fod ar gael. Oherwydd y buom yn paratoi am y posibilrwydd o ymadael heb gytundeb, mae peth stoc yn dal ar gael i'w ddefnyddio. Nid oedd yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf a welais yn frawychus o ran y meddyginiaethau sydd ar gael yn y dyfodol agos. Efallai y bydd adeg yn ddiweddarach yn y flwyddyn pan na fydd gweithgynhyrchwyr Tsieineaidd, er enghraifft, wedi bod yn gweithio yn y ffordd y maen nhw fel arfer yn ei wneud, pryd y bydd problemau y bydd angen i ni eu hwynebu, ond nid ydyn nhw yn broblemau ar hyn o bryd cyn belled ag y mae'r coronafeirws yn y cwestiwn.
Dwi eisiau holi am dri maes: dau'n ymwneud efo iechyd, ond, os wnewch chi faddau i mi, mae un yn ymwneud efo addysg oherwydd bod yna ddim cyfle i drafod addysg yma y prynhawn yma, a hefyd oherwydd mae yna ddatblygiad wedi ein cyrraedd ni yn ystod yr hanner awr diwethaf yma. Rydym ni wedi dod yn ymwybodol bod yna ysgol wedi cau ei drysau'n barod i ddisgyblion.
Mae Ysgol Brynhyfryd, Rhuthun, wedi canfod bod yna 23 aelod o staff yn y categori agored i niwed, efo pump o staff ychwanegol efo partneriaid sydd yn disgyn i'r categori penodol yna. So, dyna ichi 28 o'u staff nhw, ac rydw i'n credu mai 60 o staff sydd yn Ysgol Brynhyfryd. Mae yna lythyr wedi mynd allan i'r rhieni yn dweud bod yr ysgol yn cau o yfory ymlaen ar gyfer yr holl ddisgyblion. Felly, mae'r sefyllfa yn newid wrth inni fod yn y Siambr yma heddiw yma. Mae'r llythyr yn mynd ymlaen i ddweud y bydd y dysgu yn parhau ar-lein, ac mae hynny, wrth gwrs, yn newyddion da i'r disgyblion hynny a fydd angen cario ymlaen efo'u hastudiaethau. Yn amlwg, maen nhw wedi dechrau rhoi pethau ar waith. Ond mae hwn yn codi cwestiynau mawr rŵan, onid ydy, ynglŷn ag ysgolion yn penderfynu, oherwydd y sefyllfa, eu bod nhw'n cau beth bynnag.
I want to ask about three areas: two relating to health, but if you will forgive me, one is to do with education, because there is no opportunity to discuss education here this afternoon, and also because a development has reached us in the last half an hour. We’ve become aware that there is a school that has closed its doors already to pupils.
Ysgol Brynhyfryd in Ruthin has found that 23 members of staff are in the vulnerable category, with five additional staff members having partners who are in that specific category as well. So, that’s 28 of their staff members, and I think there are only 60 members of staff in Brynhyfryd school. A letter has gone out to parents saying that the school is closing its doors from tomorrow onwards for all pupils. So, the situation is changing as we discuss issues in the Chamber here today. And the letter goes on to say that the learning and teaching will carry on online and that is very good news, of course, for those pupils who need to continue their studies. Evidently, they’ve started to put those plans in place. But this raises major questions, doesn’t it, about schools deciding, because of the situation, that they are closing anyway.
Felly, beth yn union ydy canllawiau y Llywodraeth i ysgolion sydd yn mynd i fod yn canfod eu hunain yn y sefyllfa yma lle mae yna ganran fawr o'r staff, bron i hanner o'r staff yn fan hyn, yn ffeindio eu hunain mewn categori agored i niwed? Beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei ddweud wrth yr ysgolion pan fyddan nhw'n ffeindio eu hunain yn y sefyllfa yma? Beth ydy'r canllawiau ar gyfer lefelau staffio diogel? Plant, yfory, a fuasai'n arfer cael cinio am ddim yn yr ysgol, beth sydd yn mynd i ddigwydd i'r rheini rŵan?
Rydw i'n gwybod y gwnaethoch chi ddweud yn gynharach eich bod chi'n trafod posibiliadau ynglŷn â beth i'w wneud, ac rydw i'n siŵr yn Rhuthun y bydd ganddyn nhw eu paratoadau nhw. Ond mae'r broblem yn fyw rŵan, onid ydy, ac rydych chi'n deall rŵan pam oeddem ni'n gofyn y cwestiynau yma yn ystod amser busnes a pham bod angen inni gael gwybodaeth ac eglurder am y sefyllfa.
Beth ydy'r canllawiau i rieni sydd yn gweithio yn yr NHS, a'u plant nhw rŵan yn mynd i fod adref? Beth mae'r gweithwyr yna i fod i wneud? Ydyn nhw i fod i gario ymlaen i fynd i'r gwaith ynteu ydyn nhw'n mynd i orfod gwneud rhyw drefniadau byrfyfyr rŵan yn sydyn fel bod y plant yn gallu cael eu gwarchod, achos rydyn ni eu hangen nhw yn eu gwaith? Felly, nifer fawr o gwestiynau. Roeddwn i'n bwriadu eu gofyn nhw yfory i'r Gweinidog addysg. Rydw i'n eu gofyn nhw rŵan i chi, achos mai chi ydy'r Prif Weinidog, os gallwn ni gael eglurder am hynny.
I droi at y cwestiynau eraill. Mi oedd Rhun ap Iorwerth yn mynd i wneud y sesiwn yma ac roedd o'n mynd i ofyn ichi am y ventilators. Mae'n ofnadwy o bwysig—dyna'r neges rydw i'n ei chael gan Ysbyty Gwynedd yn fy ardal i. Mae angen digonedd o ventilators yn ein hysbytai ni, ac mae, wrth gwrs, angen y staff hefyd sydd yn deall sut mae'r ventilators yn gweithio. Beth ydy eich trefniadau chi? Pa gamau ymarferol ydych chi'n gweithio arnyn nhw rŵan er mwyn sicrhau bod yna ddigon o ventilators yn mynd i fod ar gyfer y wardiau fydd eu hangen nhw? Rydyn ni'n ymwybodol bod yna un busnes yng Nghymru sydd yn dechrau cynhyrchu ventilators, neu o leiaf mae ganddyn nhw ddull o gynhyrchu ventilators yn sydyn, a buaswn i'n hapus iawn i basio manylion hynna ymlaen ichi. Mae'r fath yna o beth i'w groesawu, wrth gwrs.
Mae'r cwestiwn olaf ynglŷn â'r profi. Dwi yn dod yn ôl at hwn, at y profi yma. Mae o'n bwysig. Rydw i'n gwybod efallai fod yna deimlad na ddylai'r staff rheng flaen o'r ysbytai fod allan yn y canolfannau profi yma, ac y dylen nhw fod yn yr ysbytai yn paratoi. Rydw i'n deall hynna ac mai mater prinder staff sydd yn gyrru hyn siŵr o fod, ar ddiwedd y dydd, sydd yn gwestiwn arall. Ond heb gael y wybodaeth yma ynglŷn â faint sydd yn cael eu heffeithio gan y feirws, sut ydyn ni'n mynd i gael gwybod sut mae'r twf yma yn amlygu ei hun?
Rydw i'n deall yng Ngwynedd, er enghraifft, mi oedd Ysbyty Bryn y Neuadd ar agor ar gyfer gwneud y profion yma reit ar ddechrau hyn—wel, wythnos diwethaf, a bod yn onest. Ond y wybodaeth rŵan ydy bod hwnna ddim yn cael ei defnyddio ddim mwy—Ysbyty Alltwen yr un peth.
Felly, mae'n gwestiwn gen i oes yna unrhyw un yn fy ardal i yn cael ei brofi ar hyn o bryd. Mae'r mapiau yn dangos Gwynedd fel ardal lle does yna ddim coronafeirws ar hyn o bryd, os nad ydy o wedi newid yn yr oriau diwethaf yma. Mae o'n dangos nad oes yna ddim pobl yn cael eu heffeithio. Wel, does bosib. Does bosib bod pobl ddim yn cael eu heffeithio. A beth mae o'n golygu ydy fod pobl o ardaloedd dinesig yn edrych ar y map ac yn meddwl, 'O, mae Gwynedd yn lân. Does yna ddim byd yng Ngwynedd. Awn ni draw i'r fan honno.' Mae yna hanesion anecdotaidd fod hynny yn digwydd, ond, wrth gwrs, i fynd yn ôl at y profi, os nad ydyn ni'n gwybod beth ydy lefel y broblem, nid ydyn ni'n gwybod a ydy hyn yn cyfrannu at y broblem—ydy hyn yn rhywbeth yr ydyn ni angen bod yn meddwl amdano fo? Bydd yn broblem, mae'n debyg, a fydd yn digwydd mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig hefyd, dim jest yng Nghymru, ac mae angen edrych ar hwnna.
Jest y pwynt olaf, o ran y profi, rydych chi wedi dweud eich bod chi'n mynd i wneud rhyw fath o byramid o flaenoriaethu. Dwi'n edrych ymlaen at weld hynny yn digwydd. Gweithwyr iechyd, rydych chi'n dweud, ond mae eu teuluoedd yna hefyd. Os oes yna blentyn yn arddangos y symptomau, ac rydych chi'n gweithio yn y sector iechyd, rydych chi angen gwybod, os ydy'r plentyn yn sâl, a ydych chi'n gallu parhau i fynd i'r gwaith. Felly, dwi'n deall pam eich bod chi yn cyfyngu ar y nifer yr ydych chi'n mynd i'w profi, ond dwi yn gofyn am well esboniad ynglŷn â sut ydych chi'n mynd i fod yn mesur y twf sydd yn mynd i ddigwydd, yn anffodus. Diolch yn fawr.
So, what exactly are the guidelines of the Government for schools that are going to be finding themselves in the situation where there is a large percentage of staff—nearly half of the staff, in this case—finding themselves in the vulnerable category? And what is the Government saying to those schools when they find themselves in that situation? And what are the guidelines for safe staffing levels? Children, tomorrow, who would be having free school meals at school, what’s going to happen to them now?
I know you said earlier that you’re discussing the possibilities about what to do, and I’m sure that in Ruthin they will have their preparations, but the problem is a live problem now, isn’t it, and you understand now why we were asking these questions during the business statement and why we need to have information and clarity about the situation.
What are the guidelines for parents who are working in the NHS and their children now being at home? What are those workers supposed to do? Should they continue going to work or are they going to have to improvise some arrangements now so that children can be looked after, because we need them in the workplace? So, a great many questions. I intended to ask them tomorrow of the education Minister, but I’m asking them of you now, because you're First Minister, if we could have clarity on that.
Turning to the other questions, Rhun ap Iorwerth was going to make a contribution here and he was going to ask you about the ventilators. It’s extremely important—that's the message that I’m getting from Ysbyty Gwynedd, in my area. We need plenty of ventilators in our hospitals, and, of course, we need the staff also who understand how these ventilators work. What are your arrangements? What practical steps are you working on in order to ensure that there are enough ventilators that are going to be available for the wards that need them? We’re aware that one business in Wales is starting to manufacture ventilators, or at least they have found a way to do that quickly, and I’d be happy enough to pass those details on to you. That kind of thing is to be welcomed, of course.
And the final question is about testing. I do return to this, the issue of testing. It’s vital. I do know that there is perhaps a feeling that front-line staff in hospitals shouldn’t be out in these testing centres, and that they should be in the hospitals making preparations. I do understand that, and that it’s a staff shortage that driving this, the end of the day, which is another question. But without having this information about how many people are affected by this virus, how are we going to know how the growth is developing, or emerging?
I understand that in Gwynedd, for example, Bryn y Neuadd Hospital was open for these tests at the start of this period—well, last week, to tell you the truth. But the information now is that that isn’t being used any more—Ysbyty Alltwen the same.
Is there anyone in my area being tested at present? The maps show Gwynedd as an area where there is no coronavirus at present. I don’t know whether that’s changed in the last couple of hours, but it shows that there are no people affected. But, surely—surely—there are people who are being affected, and what that means is that people from the urban areas are looking at the map and thinking, ‘Well, Gwynedd is clean; there’s nothing in Gwynedd. We’ll go over there.’ And there are anecdotes that that is happening. But, of course, to return to the testing issue, if we don’t know the level of this problem, we don’t know whether this is contributing to the problem or is this something we need to be thinking about. It is a problem that will happen in other parts of the UK as well, not just in Wales, and we need to look at that.
And just a final point, in terms of the testing, you have said that you are going to make some kind of pyramid of priorities, and I’m looking forward to seeing that. Healthcare workers, you’ve said, but their families as well. Of course, if there is a child showing the symptoms and you work in the health sector, you need to know whether you should continue to go to your workplace. So, I understand why you’re restricting the numbers that you’re going to test, but I am asking for a better explanation about how you’re going to be measuring the growth that is going to happen, unfortunately. Thank you.
Diolch i Siân Gwenllian am y cwestiynau yna. Dwi'n clywed am Ysgol Brynhyfryd am y tro cyntaf ar fy nhraed yn fan hyn. Beth sy'n fy nharo i yw bod ysgolion yn yr un lle â meddygon teulu a'r fferyllfeydd dŷn ni wedi clywed amdanyn nhw y prynhawn yma. Os oes nifer o staff yn y cyd-destun yna—os nad oes digon o staff i redeg y fferyllfa, neu'r feddygfa teulu, wel, bydd yn rhaid iddyn nhw gau'r drws am dymor i gael staff nôl ac i agor unwaith eto.
Yn y tymor byr, y canllawiau yw yr un canllawiau y mae'r ysgolion yn eu defnyddio pan mae pethau eraill, fel eira, yn bodoli—jest i wneud pethau fel mae'r ysgolion wedi gwneud dros y blynyddoedd i ymdopi â rhywbeth sydd yn digwydd fel hyn. Wrth gwrs, bydd mwy o ganllawiau yn dod mas pan fydd pethau yn bwrw ymlaen, ond yn y tymor byr, dwi'n siŵr y bydd pobl yn yr ysgol ac yn yr awdurdodau lleol yn gallu rhoi pethau yn eu lle i ymdopi â'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn yr un ysgol. Dwi'n cydnabod, wrth gwrs, beth roedd Siân Gwenllian yn dweud am ganllawiau cyffredinol pan fydd pethau yn datblygu, a bydd y Gweinidog Addysg yn gallu ymateb cwestiynau am bethau fel yna yfory ac ar ddydd Iau hefyd.
Dwi'n cytuno yn llwyr gyda'r hyn roedd Siân Gwenllian yn dweud am ventilators. Rŷn ni'n gweithio dros y Deyrnas Unedig i gyd gyda'n gilydd, gyda'r Alban, gyda phobl yng Ngogledd Iwerddon ac yn Lloegr hefyd i wneud un ymdrech gyda'n gilydd. Byddai'n grêt i gael manylion am unrhyw gwmni sy'n gallu helpu, ac rŷn ni'n edrych am bobl eraill sy'n gallu ailaddasu beth maen nhw'n gwneud nawr i greu mwy o ventilators. Wrth gwrs, rŷn ni'n siarad am bethau eraill hefyd—non-invasive ventilators, fel dwi'n cofio, a phethau eraill mae'r meddygon yn gallu eu defnyddio. Ac fel roedd Siân Gwenllian yn dweud, rŷn ni eisiau cynyddu nifer y ventilators sydd gyda ni, ond hefyd mae'n rhaid inni hyfforddi pobl sydd wedi bod yn gwneud pethau hollol wahanol yn yr ysbytai i'w defnyddio nhw yn y ffordd gywir hefyd.
Ar brofi, wel, dwi wedi dweud beth roeddwn i'n mynd i'w ddweud am pam rŷn ni'n gwneud beth rŷn ni'n ei wneud.
Thank you, Siân Gwenllian, for those questions. It’s news to me about Ysgol Brynhyfryd, as I stand here now. What strikes me is that schools are in the same place such as the GPs and the pharmacies that we’ve talked about this afternoon. If the number of staff members in that context becomes excessive and that there is insufficient staff numbers to run the pharmacy or the GP surgery, well, they will have to close the door for a period of time to be able to reopen when the staff return.
In the short term, the guidelines are the same ones as the schools use in other emergencies such as snowfall. They are carrying on with what they do usually and, of course, there will be more guidelines issued as the time goes on. But in the short term, I am certain that people in the school, and in the local education authority, will be able to put measures in place to cope with what has occurred in the individual school. I acknowledge what Siân Gwenllian says about the more general guidelines, as things develop, and the Minister for Education will be able to respond to questions on such issues tomorrow and Thursday.
And I completely agree with what Siân Gwenllian said about ventilators. We are working across the United Kingdom, the whole of the United Kingdom, with Scotland and with people in Northern Ireland and in England, and we are making one unified effort. And it would be great to get any details about any companies that can assist and support us in this, and we are looking for others who can add to what they’re doing at present to manufacture more ventilators. We are also talking about other measures—the non-invasive ventilators, and the other items that the doctors can use. And as Siân Gwenllian said, we wish to increase the number of ventilators available, but also we must train people who have been doing completely different tasks within the hospitals so that they are able to use these ventilators too.
On testing, I've already said what I was going to say about why we have taken the approach that we have taken.
Public Health Wales continues to do its surveillance work of the disease across Wales. I think that Merthyr was another part of Wales that showed as having a very low incidence at this point in the surveillance effort. There are very sophisticated ways, Llywydd—well beyond my ability to explain—in which modelers are able to tell you the prevalence of the disease in a community from the number of people who are presenting for intensive care. There will be ratios that they can deduce from the evidence that they already have. They'll say, 'This number of people are presenting in intensive care. It means the prevalence in the community at community level is of this sort.' And all of that is going on. The change in the testing regime does not mean that there is no intelligence about what is happening at community level. But as I say, there is daily discussion as to whether or not that needs to be done differently or strengthened in other ways.
And I entirely understand the points that Siân Gwenllian made at the end about the family context in which clinical workers operate, and for that to be factored into the testing regime. There will be a circular—that I hope will be available today—that will go out to the NHS through the chief medial officer's office providing detail of how that regime is to be conducted.
Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn parhau i wneud ei waith o gadw golwg ar y clefyd ledled Cymru. Credaf fod Merthyr yn rhan arall o Gymru lle mai ychydig iawn o achosion sydd ar yr adeg hon yn yr ymdrech arolygu. Mae ffyrdd soffistigedig iawn, Llywydd—ymhell y tu hwnt i'm gallu i i esbonio—lle gall modelwyr ddweud wrthych chi pa mor gyffredin yw'r clefyd mewn cymuned o nifer y bobl sydd angen gofal dwys. Bydd cymarebau y gallan nhw eu casglu o'r dystiolaeth sydd ganddyn nhw eisoes. Byddan nhw'n dweud, 'Mae'r nifer yma o bobl yn cael gofal dwys. Mae hynny'n golygu mai dyma pa mor gyffredin yw'r haint yn y gymuned ar lefel gymunedol.' Ac mae hynny i gyd yn digwydd. Nid yw'r newid yn y drefn brofi yn golygu nad oes unrhyw wybodaeth am yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn gymunedol. Ond fel yr wyf i'n ei ddweud, ceir trafodaeth ddyddiol ynghylch pa un a oes angen gwneud hynny'n wahanol neu ei gryfhau mewn ffyrdd eraill.
Ac rwy'n deall yn llwyr y sylwadau a wnaeth Siân Gwenllian ar y diwedd am y cyd-destun teuluol y mae gweithwyr clinigol yn gweithredu oddi mewn iddo, ac am i hynny gael ei gynnwys yn y drefn brofi. Bydd cylchlythyr—rwyf yn gobeithio y bydd ar gael heddiw—a anfonir at y GIG drwy swyddfa'r Prif Swyddog Meddygol yn manylu ynghylch sut y caiff y gyfundrefn honno ei chynnal.