Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
24/09/2025Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu'r Senedd yn y Siambr a thrwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da. Cyn i ni gychwyn, fe gododd mater yn ystod y cyfnod pleidleisio neithiwr lle bwriodd Aelod bleidlais tra oedd mewn cerbyd, sy'n groes i'r canllawiau sydd wedi eu rhoi i Aelodau. Mae'r Aelod wedi ymddiheuro i fi, a dwi wedi penderfynu y bydd y bleidlais yn sefyll ar yr achlysur yma.
Dwi eisiau manteisio, felly, ar y cyfle i ailadrodd y canllawiau sy'n ymwneud â chyfranogiad mewn pleidleisio yn nhrafodion y Senedd. I fod yn glir, ni ddylai Aelod bleidleisio tra'i fod mewn cerbyd neu ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus neu wrth deithio. Felly, hynny fydd yn cael ei weithredu o hyn ymlaen.
Good afternoon. Before we begin, an issue arose during voting time yesterday evening where a Member voted whilst in a vehicle, which is contrary to the guidance that has been provided to Members. The Member has apologised to me, and I have decided that the vote will stand on this occasion.
I do want to take this opportunity, therefore, to reiterate the guidance related to participation in votes during proceedings. To be clear, no Member should vote whilst in a vehicle, on public transport or whilst travelling. That is what will be implemented from here on in.
Eitem 1, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Drafnidiaeth a'r Gogledd. Mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Vaughan Gething.
Item 1, therefore, is questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales. The first question is from Vaughan Gething.
1. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'u cael gydag Adran Drafnidiaeth Llywodraeth y DU a Network Rail ynghylch ailalinio traciau i helpu i ddarparu gorsaf reilffordd parcffordd Caerdydd? OQ63108
1. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the UK Government Department for Transport and Network Rail about realigning tracks to help deliver the Cardiff parkway railway station? OQ63108
I have regular discussions with Network Rail and UK Government Ministers regarding improvements to rail infrastructure in Wales. I'm delighted that the UK Government are funding the improvements necessary in south Wales to enable the delivery of the Burns stations and Cardiff parkway.
Rwy'n cael trafodaethau rheolaidd gyda Network Rail a Gweinidogion Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch gwelliannau i'r seilwaith rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru. Rwy'n falch iawn fod Llywodraeth y DU yn ariannu'r gwelliannau sy'n angenrheidiol yn ne Cymru i allu cyflawni gorsafoedd Burns a pharcffordd Caerdydd.
Thank you. As you know and you've mentioned, Cardiff parkway is a significant economic development opportunity that is enabled by a new railway station. It is the largest new economic growth project in Wales today. The new station, as you've also referenced, is part of the Burns delivery plan, and has the benefit of planning approval, which the other new Burns stations do not currently have. The track itself is and will remain a UK asset, and it will require work to ensure that the station functions and enables that wider development. Can you confirm whether the UK Government has agreed to fund that specific work on the track and, if it has, when it is likely to start?
Diolch. Fel y gwyddoch ac fel rydych chi wedi sôn, mae parcffordd Caerdydd yn gyfle datblygu economaidd arwyddocaol sy'n cael ei alluogi gan orsaf reilffordd newydd. Dyma'r prosiect twf economaidd newydd mwyaf yng Nghymru heddiw. Mae'r orsaf newydd, fel rydych chi hefyd wedi'i ddweud, yn rhan o gynllun cyflawni Burns, ac mae ganddi'r fantais o gymeradwyaeth gynllunio, nad oes gan y gorsafoedd Burns newydd eraill ar hyn o bryd. Mae'r trac ei hun yn parhau i fod yn ased sy'n eiddo i'r DU, a bydd angen gwaith arno i sicrhau bod yr orsaf yn gweithio ac yn galluogi'r datblygiad ehangach hwnnw. A allwch chi gadarnhau bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi cytuno i ariannu'r gwaith penodol hwnnw ar y trac, ac os yw wedi cytuno, pa bryd y mae'r gwaith yn debygol o ddechrau?
Can I thank the Member for his question, and say 'yes'? Yes, I can confirm that. Cardiff parkway is, obviously, a vitally important station as part of the overall Burns proposals for south-east Wales—proposals aimed at alleviating congestion on the M4. I'm working very closely with the UK Government on the delivery of the south Wales main line upgrades to enable those new stations and services. I did recently write to the leader of Cardiff Council, and I welcomed his ongoing support for the Cardiff parkway development and the significant economic and connectivity benefits that it could deliver for the region.
Network Rail are working to complete the final business case and final design for the upgrade of the south Wales relief lines, and this scheme has been fully funded in the spending review and is essential to enable the delivery of the new Burns stations and Cardiff parkway. It will start and it will be completed in this spending period. I think what's crucially important is that it will mean that more passenger and freight services can operate on the line and call at those new stations, and it'll help deliver alternatives to having to drive on the M4. Important also is the fact that that money, that £445 million, will also help to unlock further investment in future spending rounds to deliver additional stations and additional improvements across the Wales and borders network.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn, a dweud 'do'? Do, gallaf gadarnhau hynny. Mae parcffordd Caerdydd, yn amlwg, yn orsaf hanfodol bwysig fel rhan o gynigion cyffredinol Burns ar gyfer de-ddwyrain Cymru—cynigion sydd â'r nod o leddfu tagfeydd ar yr M4. Rwy'n gweithio'n agos iawn gyda Llywodraeth y DU ar gyflawni uwchraddiadau i brif linell reilffordd de Cymru er mwyn gallu cael y gorsafoedd a'r gwasanaethau newydd hynny. Ysgrifennais at arweinydd Cyngor Caerdydd yn ddiweddar, a chroesawais ei gefnogaeth barhaus i ddatblygiad Parcffordd Caerdydd a'r manteision economaidd a chysylltedd sylweddol y gallai eu darparu i'r rhanbarth.
Mae Network Rail yn gweithio i gwblhau'r achos busnes terfynol a'r cynllun terfynol ar gyfer uwchraddio llinellau lliniaru de Cymru, ac mae'r cynllun hwn wedi'i ariannu'n llawn yn yr adolygiad o wariant ac mae'n hanfodol er mwyn gallu cyflawni gorsafoedd newydd Burns a pharcffordd Caerdydd. Bydd yn dechrau a bydd yn cael ei gwblhau yn y cyfnod gwariant hwn. Credaf mai'r peth hollbwysig yw y bydd yn golygu y gall mwy o wasanaethau cludo teithwyr a nwyddau weithredu ar y llinell a galw yn y gorsafoedd newydd hynny, a bydd yn helpu i gynnig opsiynau amgen yn lle gorfod gyrru ar yr M4. Ffaith bwysig arall yw y bydd yr arian hwnnw, y £445 miliwn hwnnw, yn helpu i ddatgloi buddsoddiad pellach mewn cylchoedd gwario yn y dyfodol i ddarparu gorsafoedd ychwanegol a gwelliannau ychwanegol ar draws rhwydwaith Cymru a'r gororau.
Cabinet Secretary, the Cardiff parkway railway station will undoubtedly be a major asset to the city and to the east of Cardiff. It will provide residents with much needed access to rail services and offer a significant boost to local businesses. However, a key concern that's been raised with me is car parking. Many commuters who plan to use the station will be driving there. If dedicated parking is limited or prohibitively expensive, they may resort to parking on nearby residential streets. This is already a widespread issue in many cities and, without proper planning, it risks becoming a serious problem for local communities. Can you outline what measures are being taken to ensure Cardiff parkway offers sufficient and affordable parking for daily users? And what discussions have you had with Cardiff Council to prevent surrounding estates from being overwhelmed by station-related parking? Thank you.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, bydd gorsaf reilffordd parcffordd Caerdydd, heb os, yn ased mawr i'r ddinas ac i ddwyrain Caerdydd. Bydd yn rhoi mynediad mawr ei angen i drigolion at wasanaethau rheilffordd ac yn rhoi hwb sylweddol i fusnesau lleol. Fodd bynnag, pryder allweddol a godwyd gyda mi yw parcio ceir. Bydd llawer o gymudwyr sy'n bwriadu defnyddio'r orsaf yn gyrru yno. Os yw parcio pwrpasol yn gyfyngedig neu'n rhy ddrud, efallai y byddant yn parcio ar strydoedd preswyl cyfagos. Mae hyn eisoes yn broblem gyffredin mewn llawer o ddinasoedd, a heb gynllunio priodol, mae perygl y gallai ddod yn broblem ddifrifol i gymunedau lleol. A allwch chi amlinellu pa fesurau sy'n cael eu rhoi ar waith i sicrhau bod parcffordd Caerdydd yn cynnig digon o le parcio fforddiadwy i ddefnyddwyr dyddiol? A pha drafodaethau a gawsoch gyda Chyngor Caerdydd i atal ystadau cyfagos rhag cael eu gorlethu gan broblemau parcio sy'n gysylltiedig â'r orsaf? Diolch.
Thank you. As I said, I recently wrote to the leader of Cardiff Council and I welcomed his support for the project, his interest in the project—indeed, the interest of the Cardiff capital region in this project. I know that parking is something that the partners involved in this particular programme of works are very seriously considering. They want to make sure that they can incentivise as many people as possible to use that station, to drive up usage on the railway line, and to ensure that we generate as much economic benefit for the area as possible through new business development there. I do welcome those positive and collaborative discussions that are taking place right now to discuss potential development options for Cardiff parkway station. As I say, parking is a key concern and a key consideration in those discussions.
Diolch. Fel y dywedais, ysgrifennais at arweinydd Cyngor Caerdydd yn ddiweddar a chroesawais ei gefnogaeth i'r prosiect, ei ddiddordeb yn y prosiect—yn wir, diddordeb prifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd yn y prosiect hwn. Gwn fod parcio'n rhywbeth y mae'r partneriaid sydd ynghlwm wrth y rhaglen waith benodol hon yn ei ystyried o ddifrif. Maent eisiau sicrhau y gallant roi cymhelliant i gynifer o bobl â phosib ddefnyddio'r orsaf honno, i gynyddu defnydd o'r rheilffordd, ac i sicrhau ein bod yn cynhyrchu cymaint o fudd economaidd â phosib i'r ardal drwy gyfleoedd datblygu busnes newydd yno. Rwy'n croesawu'r trafodaethau cadarnhaol a chydweithredol sy'n mynd rhagddynt ar hyn o bryd i drafod opsiynau datblygu posib ar gyfer gorsaf parcffordd Caerdydd. Fel y dywedaf, mae parcio'n bryder allweddol ac yn ystyriaeth allweddol yn y trafodaethau hynny.
2. Pa gamau mae'r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i ddiogelu coridor rheilffordd Caerfyrddin-Aberystwyth rhag datblygiadau a allai danseilio’r posibilrwydd o’i hailagor yn y dyfodol? OQ63121
2. What action is the Government taking to safeguard the Carmarthen-Aberystwyth railway corridor from developments that may undermine the possibility of it reopening in the future? OQ63121
We are committed to improving transport links between north and south Wales, including through our TrawsCymru bus routes. Reopening the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line remains an option, but the use of planning protections on the corridor would have very significant potential costs to landowners and communities.
Rydym wedi ymrwymo i wella cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth rhwng gogledd a de Cymru, gan gynnwys drwy ein llwybrau bysiau TrawsCymru. Mae ailagor llinell reilffordd Caerfyrddin i Aberystwyth yn dal i fod yn opsiwn, ond byddai'r defnydd o amddiffyniadau cynllunio ar y coridor yn arwain at gostau posib sylweddol iawn i berchnogion tir a chymunedau.
Well, four years ago, the Welsh Government, in the co-operation agreement, did commit to looking into protecting possible travel corridors along the west Wales coast. Transport for Wales, in its last two annual plans, have talked about continuing to investigate measures and working to identify requirements to protect the alignment between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth. Minister, why don't you actually use the power, which only you have, really, to introduce a hard protection, through a Transport and Works Act 1992 Order, or through a safeguarding direction of the Town and Country Planning 1990 Act? Unless that happens, then you're removing for the future any realistic possibility of reintroducing the railway connection between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth.
Wel, bedair blynedd yn ôl, ymrwymodd Llywodraeth Cymru, yn y cytundeb cydweithio, i edrych ar ddiogelu coridorau teithio posib ar hyd arfordir gorllewin Cymru. Mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru, yn eu dau gynllun blynyddol diwethaf, wedi sôn am barhau i ymchwilio i fesurau ac i weithio i nodi gofynion i ddiogelu'r aliniad rhwng Caerfyrddin ac Aberystwyth. Weinidog, pam na wnewch chi ddefnyddio'r grym, y grym nad yw gan neb ond chi mewn gwirionedd, i gyflwyno amddiffyniad caled, drwy Orchymyn Deddf Trafnidiaeth a Gweithfeydd 1992, neu drwy gyfarwyddyd diogelu Deddf Cynllunio Gwlad a Thref 1990? Oni bai fod hynny'n digwydd, rydych chi'n dileu unrhyw bosibilrwydd realistig o ailgyflwyno'r cysylltiad rheilffordd rhwng Caerfyrddin ac Aberystwyth ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Can I thank the Member for his supplementary question? I think it's important just to reflect on why we're having this debate. People generally hanker after rail services over bus services because they see rail services as being there for the long term, whereas, under the failed deregulated environment that we live in on the bus network, we see bus services come and go, based on when commercial operators decide they're not worthy of maintaining because they're not generating enough profit. Through our bus Bill, and through the TrawsCymru network, we are addressing that cultural and historic challenge to the bus network in the way that the public perceive it. We're determined to ensure that we develop more services like the TrawsCymru services that are proving to be incredibly popular. We're keenly examining the possibility of express services as well, between key towns such as Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.
But putting land protections in place for the reopening of sections of railway lines can risk creating blight to landowners, it can have a potential economic cost to communities, and there would also be the obvious ongoing resourcing cost to maintain the protections. I'm not convinced that it would be a responsible use of taxpayers' money whilst we are still examining the line as an option for reopening in the future. But, in the meanwhile, I'm keenly pursuing alternatives, based on bus transport, which I think are proving to be incredibly popular. The TrawsCymru network has seen a huge increase in patronage. It's a reliable network, it's there for the long run, and, through bus reform, I'm confident that we will see other bus routes, as part of that base network across Wales, secured for the long term.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn atodol? Credaf ei bod yn bwysig myfyrio ar y rheswm pam ein bod yn cael y ddadl hon. Yn gyffredinol, mae pobl yn dyheu am gael gwasanaethau rheilffordd yn hytrach na gwasanaethau bysiau am eu bod yn ystyried gwasanaethau rheilffordd yn rhywbeth ar gyfer y tymor hir, ond yn yr amgylchedd dadreoleiddiedig aflwyddiannus yr ydym yn byw ynddo mewn perthynas â'r rhwydwaith bysiau, rydym yn gweld gwasanaethau bysiau yn mynd a dod ar sail pryd y mae gweithredwyr masnachol yn penderfynu nad ydynt yn werth eu cynnal am nad ydynt yn cynhyrchu digon o elw. Drwy ein Bil bysiau, a thrwy rwydwaith TrawsCymru, rydym yn mynd i'r afael â'r her ddiwylliannol a hanesyddol honno i'r rhwydwaith bysiau yng nghanfyddiad y cyhoedd ohono. Rydym yn benderfynol o sicrhau ein bod yn datblygu mwy o wasanaethau fel gwasanaethau TrawsCymru, sy'n hynod boblogaidd. Rydym yn mynd ati'n frwd i archwilio'r posibilrwydd o wasanaethau cyflym hefyd, rhwng trefi allweddol fel Aberystwyth a Chaerfyrddin.
Ond gallai rhoi amddiffyniadau tir ar waith ar gyfer ailagor rhannau o linellau rheilffordd greu risg o gryn drafferth i berchnogion tir, a gall arwain at gost economaidd bosib i gymunedau, yn ogystal â'r gost barhaus amlwg o gynnal yr amddiffyniadau. Nid wyf yn argyhoeddedig y byddai'n ddefnydd cyfrifol o arian trethdalwyr tra ydym yn dal i archwilio'r opsiwn o ailagor y llinell reilffordd yn y dyfodol. Ond yn y cyfamser, rwy'n mynd ati'n frwd i ystyried dewisiadau eraill, yn seiliedig ar drafnidiaeth fysiau, sy'n hynod boblogaidd yn fy marn i. Mae cynnydd enfawr wedi bod yn y defnydd o rwydwaith TrawsCymru. Mae'n rhwydwaith dibynadwy, mae yno am y tymor hir, a thrwy ein gwaith ar ddiwygio bysiau, rwy'n hyderus y byddwn yn gweld llwybrau bysiau eraill, fel rhan o'r rhwydwaith sylfaenol hwnnw ledled Cymru, yn cael eu diogelu ar gyfer y tymor hir.
I listened to your answer with keen interest, because Hywel Dda University Health Board is currently going through, or has been going through, a consultation on centralising some of its critical services across the Hywel Dda area, including moving some services from Bronglais hospital in Aberystwyth to Glangwili hospital in Carmarthen, with no direct rail link. So, given that the T1 service currently takes one hour and 39 minutes to go—. You mentioned the possibility of an express link. I've previously written to you and your predecessor on the need for an express link, linking the two towns. Can you give us a little bit more detail on that? How far along the journey—pardon the pun—are we in bringing in an express service, because these two towns need to be connected? In lieu of a rail service, bus is the next best thing.
Gwrandewais ar eich ateb gyda chryn ddiddordeb, gan fod Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda wrthi'n cynnal, neu wedi bod yn cynnal, ymgynghoriad ar ganoli rhai o'i wasanaethau hanfodol ar draws ardal bwrdd Hywel Dda, gan gynnwys symud rhai gwasanaethau o ysbyty Bronglais yn Aberystwyth i ysbyty Glangwili yng Nghaerfyrddin, heb gysylltiad rheilffordd uniongyrchol. Felly, o ystyried bod gwasanaeth T1 yn cymryd awr a 39 munud ar hyn o bryd i fynd—. Fe sonioch chi am y posibilrwydd o gyswllt cyflym. Rwyf wedi ysgrifennu atoch chi a'ch rhagflaenydd o'r blaen ynglŷn â'r angen am gyswllt cyflym, yn cysylltu'r ddwy dref. A allwch chi roi mwy o fanylion i ni am hynny? Pa mor bell ar hyd y daith—maddeuwch y mwyseirio—ydym ni o ran cyflwyno gwasanaeth cyflym, gan fod angen cysylltu'r ddwy dref? Yn absenoldeb gwasanaeth rheilffordd, bysiau yw'r dewis gorau.
Actually, Sam Kurtz makes a really important point—that the TrawsCymru networks serve those communities that are not served by an existing rail network, an existing rail route. On the express services that I've mentioned already, we're looking into how we can deploy those as part of the reform to bus services across Wales. Once we receive Royal Assent on the bus Bill, it will enable us to have complete control over the bus network and to be able to integrate fully the Traws network into existing routes. So, the work is ongoing. There won't be an immediate solution to the problem, because we have to first of all get the powers, through the bus Bill, to be able to control the network. In the meanwhile, we're looking at the cost-effectiveness of potential express service, and I will update Members as soon as we make further progress.
Mewn gwirionedd, mae Sam Kurtz yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn—fod rhwydweithiau TrawsCymru yn gwasanaethu'r cymunedau nad ydynt yn cael eu gwasanaethu gan rwydwaith rheilffordd presennol, llwybr rheilffordd presennol. O ran y gwasanaethau cyflym yr wyf eisoes wedi sôn amdanynt, rydym yn archwilio sut y gallwn eu defnyddio fel rhan o'r camau gweithredu i ddiwygio gwasanaethau bysiau ledled Cymru. Pan gawn Gydsyniad Brenhinol i'r Bil bysiau, bydd yn ein galluogi i gael rheolaeth lwyr dros y rhwydwaith bysiau ac i allu integreiddio rhwydwaith TrawsCymru yn llawn i lwybrau presennol. Felly, mae'r gwaith yn parhau. Ni fydd ateb cyflym i'r broblem, oherwydd yn gyntaf oll, mae'n rhaid inni gael y pwerau, drwy'r Bil bysiau, i allu rheoli'r rhwydwaith. Yn y cyfamser, rydym yn edrych ar gosteffeithiolrwydd gwasanaeth cyflym posib, a byddaf yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau cyn gynted ag y byddwn yn gwneud cynnydd pellach.
Cwestiynau llefarwyr y pleidiau nawr. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Sam Rowlands.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Welsh Conservative spokesperson, Sam Rowlands.
Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, the latest British Transport Police report shows that violence against women and girls on the rail network is rising, with over 11,000 offences recorded last year. In Wales, sexual offences on trains and at stations are up 29 per cent in the last year alone. So, what specific steps are being taken to make rail travel safer for women and girls across Wales?
Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae adroddiad diweddaraf yr Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig yn dangos bod trais yn erbyn menywod a merched ar y rhwydwaith rheilffyrdd yn cynyddu, gyda mwy nag 11,000 o droseddau wedi eu cofnodi y llynedd. Yng Nghymru, mae troseddau rhywiol ar drenau ac mewn gorsafoedd wedi cynyddu 29 y cant yn y flwyddyn ddiwethaf yn unig. Felly, pa gamau penodol sy'n cael eu cymryd i wneud teithio ar y rheilffordd yn fwy diogel i fenywod a merched ledled Cymru?
Well, can I thank Sam Rowlands for his question? It's a hugely important issue. It's something that we're taking very seriously—so too British Transport Police and Network Rail. The Member may be aware that, recently, I published the 'Travel for all' strategy, which aims to ensure that movement by all forms of transport and through active travel is safe and reliable and that public services are punctual and can be depended on.
What we found is that, particularly for women and people who face disabling barriers, the lack of safe, convenient and well-maintained infrastructure is a major factor when deciding whether or not to move around. And that's why, for this year, we've insisted that as much active travel funding as possible is spent on making upgrades in streets, on the ground, rather than having it spent on bureaucracy and administration. That means improving kerbs, and it means having tactile paving, it means dropping kerbs, it means improving pavements, installing seating and, crucially, making sure that we have well-lit, safe bus stops and safe routes to and from public transport.
Wel, a gaf i ddiolch i Sam Rowlands am ei gwestiwn? Mae'n fater hynod bwysig. Mae'n rhywbeth yr ydym o ddifrif yn ei gylch—felly hefyd yr Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig a Network Rail. Efallai fod yr Aelod yn ymwybodol fy mod, yn ddiweddar, wedi cyhoeddi strategaeth 'Teithio i bawb', sy'n anelu at sicrhau bod pob math o drafnidiaeth a theithio llesol yn ddiogel ac yn ddibynadwy, a bod gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn brydlon ac y gellir dibynnu arnynt.
Yr hyn a ganfuom, yn enwedig i fenywod a phobl sy'n wynebu rhwystrau sy’n eu hanablu, yw bod diffyg seilwaith diogel, cyfleus sy'n cael ei gynnal yn dda yn ffactor pwysig wrth benderfynu a ydynt yn symud o gwmpas ai peidio. A dyna pam ein bod wedi mynnu, ar gyfer y flwyddyn hon, fod cymaint o gyllid teithio llesol â phosib yn cael ei wario ar uwchraddio ar strydoedd, ar lawr gwlad, yn hytrach na'i wario ar fiwrocratiaeth a gweinyddu. Mae hynny'n golygu gwella cyrbiau a chael palmentydd botymog, ac mae'n golygu cyrbiau isel, mae'n golygu gwella palmentydd, gosod seddi, ac yn hollbwysig, sicrhau bod gennym safleoedd bysiau diogel wedi'u goleuo'n dda a llwybrau diogel at drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus.
Thank you for your response, Cabinet Secretary. I'm certainly grateful for any action being taken in this area, because the reality is that too many stations across Wales still don't have the lighting or CCTV or onsite presence needed to make people, and women in particular, feel safe and to deter any harmful behaviour.
The latest British Transport Police report also highlights another serious issue—and I'll declare an interest at this point as having a family member who works for Transport for Wales—and that issue is the ongoing levels of violence and anti-social behaviour faced by rail staff. Verbal abuse, physical assaults and harassment have sadly become part of the job for far too many, especially on late-night services and at busy stations. This isn't just a workplace safety problem; it creates a wider atmosphere of fear and disorder that affects everyone using the network. Both British Transport Police and unions have raised serious concerns about the risks staff face, particularly those working alone or without visible back-up. So, what specific support is the Welsh Government providing to help rail operators and British Transport Police address assaults on staff and improve the response to violent incidents at high-risk stations across Wales?
Diolch am eich ymateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Rwy'n sicr yn ddiolchgar am unrhyw gamau sy'n cael eu cymryd yn y cyswllt hwn, gan mai'r gwir amdani yw bod gormod o orsafoedd ledled Cymru yn dal i fod yn brin o'r goleuadau a'r teledu cylch cyfyng a'r presenoldeb ar y safle sydd eu hangen i wneud i bobl, a menywod yn benodol, deimlo'n ddiogel ac i atal unrhyw ymddygiad niweidiol.
Mae adroddiad diweddaraf yr Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig hefyd yn tynnu sylw at fater difrifol arall—a hoffwn ddatgan buddiant gan fod aelod o fy nheulu'n gweithio i Trafnidiaeth Cymru—sef y lefelau parhaus o drais ac ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol y mae staff rheilffyrdd yn ei wynebu. Yn anffodus, mae cam-drin geiriol, ymosodiadau corfforol ac aflonyddu wedi dod yn rhan o'r swydd i ormod lawer o weithwyr, yn enwedig ar wasanaethau hwyr y nos ac mewn gorsafoedd prysur. Nid problem diogelwch yn y gweithle yn unig yw hon; mae'n creu awyrgylch ehangach o ofn ac anhrefn sy'n effeithio ar bawb sy'n defnyddio'r rhwydwaith. Mae'r Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig ac undebau llafur wedi mynegi pryderon difrifol ynghylch y risgiau y mae staff yn eu hwynebu, yn enwedig y rheini sy'n gweithio ar eu pen eu hunain neu heb gefnogaeth weladwy. Felly, pa gymorth penodol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei ddarparu i helpu gweithredwyr rheilffyrdd a'r Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig i fynd i'r afael ag ymosodiadau ar staff a gwella'r ymateb i ddigwyddiadau treisgar mewn gorsafoedd risg uchel ledled Cymru?
Llywydd, another excellent question. Bodycams, obviously, are part of the solution, but a lot of staff choose not to wear them for various reasons. There are cultural problems within the country as well, and behavioural problems that are pretty clear. Violence is often associated with certain events as well. We know that domestic abuse, for example, increases when there are rugby internationals, and the same applies with violence towards workers on public transport—that it's around major events often that we see frustrations boiling over. But it is there, day in, day out, and this is an issue that's been raised by the unions, and it was as a result of the issue being raised by union leaders that we decided to convene, this autumn, a safety in public transport summit. That's going to take place in Pontypridd. Given the Member's keen interest in this area of work, I'll extend an invitation to Sam Rowlands to attend and, indeed, to the opposition spokesperson for Plaid Cymru.
Cwestiwn rhagorol arall, Lywydd. Mae camerâu corff yn amlwg yn rhan o'r ateb, ond mae llawer o staff yn dewis peidio â'u gwisgo am wahanol resymau. Mae problemau diwylliannol yn y wlad hefyd, a phroblemau ymddygiad sy'n eithaf clir. Mae trais yn aml yn gysylltiedig â digwyddiadau penodol hefyd. Gwyddom fod cam-drin domestig, er enghraifft, yn cynyddu pan fydd gemau rygbi rhyngwladol yn cael eu chwarae, ac mae'r un peth yn wir am drais tuag at weithwyr ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus—mai o gwmpas digwyddiadau mawr, yn aml, y gwelwn rwystredigaethau'n berwi drosodd. Ond mae yno, bob dydd, ac mae hwn yn fater sydd wedi'i godi gan yr undebau llafur, ac o ganlyniad i arweinwyr yr undebau'n codi'r mater, fe wnaethom benderfynu cynnull uwchgynhadledd diogelwch mewn trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yr hydref hwn. Bydd yn cael ei chynnal ym Mhontypridd. O ystyried diddordeb brwd yr Aelod yn y maes gwaith hwn, byddaf yn estyn gwahoddiad i Sam Rowlands fynychu, ac yn wir, i lefarydd Plaid Cymru.
Thank you for that response, Cabinet Secretary. I certainly look forward to that invite to see what action can be taken to see these issues addressed. And in sticking to this theme of crime on our rail network, the number of recorded crimes has gone up, as I've already explained, but there's still a major issue with under-reporting, especially when it comes to what may be described as some low-level assaults. Even when incidents are reported, prosecution rates remain low, and British Transport Police report, and wider public data show, that a large proportion of violence and sexual offences on trains or railway network ends with no suspect ever being charged. Of course, you will appreciate the importance of victims being able to trust the system that they are reporting into. And we need a joined-up approach, making sure that people know how to report, that victims get that real support that they need, and that communities are kept informed about what is being done. So, will you as a Welsh Government commit to working with British Transport Police, transport providers and local authorities to improve reporting transparency and outcomes for violent crimes on the Welsh rail network?
Diolch am eich ymateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Rwy'n sicr yn edrych ymlaen at y gwahoddiad i weld pa gamau y gellir eu cymryd fel y gellir mynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn. A chan lynu wrth thema troseddu ar ein rhwydwaith rheilffyrdd, mae nifer y troseddau a gofnodwyd wedi cynyddu, fel yr eglurais eisoes, ond mae problem fawr o hyd gyda thangofnodi, yn enwedig o ran yr hyn y gellir ei ddisgrifio fel ymosodiadau lefel isel. Hyd yn oed pan fydd digwyddiadau'n cael eu cofnodi, mae cyfraddau erlyn yn parhau i fod yn isel, ac mae adroddiad yr Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig a data cyhoeddus ehangach yn dangos nad yw cyfran fawr o drais a throseddau rhywiol ar drenau neu'r rhwydwaith rheilffyrdd yn arwain at unrhyw gyhuddiadau. Wrth gwrs, fe fyddwch yn deall pa mor bwysig yw hi fod dioddefwyr yn gallu ymddiried yn y system y maent yn adrodd troseddau wrthi. Ac mae angen dull cydgysylltiedig arnom, i sicrhau bod pobl yn gwybod sut i adrodd, fod dioddefwyr yn cael y gefnogaeth wirioneddol sydd ei hangen arnynt, a bod cymunedau'n cael gwybod am y camau sy'n cael eu cymryd. Felly, a wnewch chi fel Llywodraeth Cymru ymrwymo i weithio gyda'r Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig, darparwyr trafnidiaeth ac awdurdodau lleol i wella tryloywder adrodd a chanlyniadau ar gyfer troseddau treisgar ar rwydwaith rheilffyrdd Cymru?
Yes, absolutely. We regularly hear, on trains and on metro services across the UK, the plea 'to see it and to sort it' if anybody sees a crime happening or an offence, and it is vitally important that we all play our parts in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour on the transport network, including on trains. Policing and justice, obviously, are beyond my portfolio responsibilities, and British Transport Police do an outstanding job. I know that they are under incredible pressure. I've met with them to discuss the pressure, and it is increasing as well. And that's why, in part, we are hosting that safety in public transport summit, but we're also going to be discussing at that summit the issues of anti-social behaviour and violence on buses as well, because this is something that bus drivers, through the unions, have raised with us as well. So, as I say, I'll invite opposition spokespeople to that particular event.
Yn sicr. Rydym yn clywed yn rheolaidd, ar drenau ac ar wasanaethau metro ledled y DU, yr apêl 'ei weld a'i sortio' os bydd unrhyw un yn gweld trosedd yn cael ei chyflawni, ac mae'n hanfodol bwysig fod pob un ohonom yn chwarae ein rhan i leihau troseddu ac ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol ar y rhwydwaith trafnidiaeth, gan gynnwys ar drenau. Yn amlwg, mae plismona a chyfiawnder y tu hwnt i fy nghyfrifoldebau portffolio, ac mae'r Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig yn gwneud gwaith rhagorol. Gwn eu bod o dan bwysau aruthrol. Rwyf wedi cyfarfod â nhw i drafod y pwysau, ac mae'n cynyddu hefyd. A dyna pam, yn rhannol, ein bod yn cynnal yr uwchgynhadledd diogelwch mewn trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, ond byddwn hefyd, yn yr uwchgynhadledd honno, yn trafod materion yn ymwneud ag ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol a thrais ar fysiau hefyd, gan fod hyn yn rhywbeth y mae gyrwyr bysiau, drwy'r undebau llafur, wedi'i godi gyda ni yn ogystal. Felly, fel y dywedaf, byddaf yn gwahodd llefarwyr y gwrthbleidiau i'r digwyddiad penodol hwnnw.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Thank you for the invite and, if I'm able, I'll be there. So, thank you very much.
One of the defining failures of the Welsh Labour Government has been the stubborn persistence of poverty in Wales. Over the last 20 years, the figure has barely shifted, with one in five people remaining poor, with nearly half of those in the very deepest forms of poverty. Transport is not an incidental to this picture, but is fundamental, and the evidence is damning. The latest report from the Bevan Foundation shows that 30 per cent of households on less than £20,000 a year have no access to a car. They are forced into dependence on buses, which, despite being the most relied upon mode of transport for low-income families, have suffered decades of disinvestment. Meanwhile, people on low incomes who do own cars find themselves in a vicious cycle. Half say that costs are difficult to manage, yet they cannot give them up because there are no alternatives. That is why over one in 10 adults said that they had to cancel an essential journey in the last three months because they just couldn't afford it. A public transport system that forces people to choose between heating their homes or attending a hospital appointment isn't a public service. Cabinet Secretary, in light of the evidence, how can you assure the people of Wales that access to transport will not deepen existing inequalities? And how will you ensure that travel is affordable and accessible to those on lower incomes?
Diolch am y gwahoddiad, ac os gallaf, fe fyddaf yno. Felly, diolch yn fawr iawn.
Un o fethiannau diffiniol Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru yw parhad ystyfnig tlodi yng Nghymru. Dros yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf, prin fod y ffigur wedi newid, gydag un o bob pump o bobl yn parhau i fod yn dlawd, a bron i hanner y rheini yn y mathau dyfnaf o dlodi. Rhan o'r darlun hwn yw trafnidiaeth, ond mae'n rhan annatod, ac mae'r dystiolaeth yn ddamniol. Mae'r adroddiad diweddaraf gan Sefydliad Bevan yn dangos nad oes gan 30 y cant o gartrefi sydd ar lai na £20,000 y flwyddyn fynediad at gar. Cânt eu gorfodi i ddibynnu ar fysiau, sydd, er mai dyna'r dull trafnidiaeth y mae teuluoedd incwm isel yn dibynnu arno fwyaf, wedi dioddef degawdau o ddiffyg buddsoddiad. Yn y cyfamser, mae pobl ar incwm isel sy'n berchen ar geir yn sownd mewn cylch dieflig. Mae eu hanner yn dweud ei bod hi'n anodd ymdopi â'r costau, ond ni allant gael gwared ar eu ceir am nad oes opsiynau eraill i'w cael. Dyna pam y dywedodd dros un o bob 10 oedolyn eu bod wedi gorfod canslo taith hanfodol yn y tri mis diwethaf am na allent ei fforddio. Nid yw system drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus sy'n gorfodi pobl i ddewis rhwng gwresogi eu cartrefi neu fynychu apwyntiad ysbyty yn wasanaeth cyhoeddus. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yng ngoleuni'r dystiolaeth, sut y gallwch chi roi sicrwydd i bobl Cymru na fydd mynediad at drafnidiaeth yn dyfnhau'r anghydraddoldebau presennol? A sut y byddwch chi'n sicrhau bod teithio'n fforddiadwy ac yn hygyrch i bobl ar incwm is?
Can I thank the Member for his question? I think he raises a vitally important point that, actually, I discussed just last week with the Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, the issue of how transport can contribute to lifting people out of poverty, and how to avoid transport poverty, whether that's a lack of affordable services or a complete lack of services in a community.
There are a number of schemes and a number of work strands that are contributing to my portfolio in tackling poverty. Obviously, we've got the Bus Services (Wales) Bill, where we're aiming to take back control of the bus network and make better use of our substantial investment in bus services. This parliamentary term, Llywydd, we'll have spent £600 million supporting the bus network across Wales. It's a huge sum of money, but we don't yet have the full control that we need to get maximum benefit from it, so the bus Bill is going to be vitally important in driving social justice. So too is the £1 fare cap for young people on bus services. This is already proving to be immensely popular. So far, more than 24,000 additional young people have signed up to MyTravelPass and, in November, when the scheme is extended to five to 15-year-olds, around 230,000 young people across Wales, in every single community, will benefit from that particular scheme. And as I say, it's proving to be very, very popular indeed.
And then in terms of active travel, for people who walk and wheel and cycle, as I said in response to Sam Rowlands, we're investing heavily in improving the safety of our streets, and the 20 mph default speed limit is contributing to that as well. We want to make sure that, by whatever means you move around between communities and within your community, you are safe to do so and that, as you outline, public transport is affordable and is available. We're making huge strides in that area where we've got full control, for example, through TfW on the rail network. We've seen a very significant increase in the number of services that we operate with brand-new trains, as a result of the £800 million that this Government is spending on brand-new trains across Wales.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn? Credaf ei fod yn codi pwynt hanfodol bwysig a drafodais gyda'r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, Jane Hutt, yr wythnos diwethaf mewn gwirionedd, sef sut y gall trafnidiaeth gyfrannu at godi pobl allan o dlodi, a sut i osgoi tlodi trafnidiaeth, boed yn ddiffyg gwasanaethau fforddiadwy neu'n ddiffyg unrhyw wasanaethau mewn cymuned.
Mae nifer o gynlluniau a nifer o ffrydiau gwaith sy'n cyfrannu at fy mhortffolio mewn perthynas â threchu tlodi. Yn amlwg, mae gennym y Bil Gwasanaethau Bysiau (Cymru), lle rydym yn anelu at adennill rheolaeth dros y rhwydwaith bysiau a gwneud gwell defnydd o'n buddsoddiad sylweddol mewn gwasanaethau bysiau. Yn nhymor y Senedd hon, Lywydd, byddwn wedi gwario £600 miliwn ar gefnogi'r rhwydwaith bysiau ledled Cymru. Mae'n swm enfawr o arian, ond nid oes gennym y rheolaeth lawn sydd ei hangen arnom i gael y budd mwyaf ohono eto, felly bydd y Bil bysiau'n hanfodol bwysig i hybu cyfiawnder cymdeithasol. Felly hefyd y cap prisiau o £1 i bobl ifanc ar wasanaethau bysiau. Mae hyn eisoes yn hynod boblogaidd. Hyd yma, mae mwy na 24,000 o bobl ifanc ychwanegol wedi cofrestru ar gyfer FyNgherdynTeithio, ac ym mis Tachwedd, pan fydd y cynllun yn cael ei ymestyn i gynnwys plant pump i 15 oed, bydd oddeutu 230,000 o bobl ifanc ledled Cymru, ym mhob cymuned, yn elwa o'r cynllun penodol hwnnw. Ac fel y dywedais, mae'n boblogaidd tu hwnt.
Ac o ran teithio llesol, i bobl sy'n cerdded ac yn olwyno ac yn beicio, fel y dywedais mewn ymateb i Sam Rowlands, rydym yn buddsoddi'n helaeth i wella diogelwch ein strydoedd, ac mae'r terfyn cyflymder diofyn o 20 mya yn cyfrannu at hynny hefyd. Sut bynnag y byddwch chi'n symud o gwmpas rhwng cymunedau ac o fewn eich cymuned, rydym eisiau sicrhau ei bod yn ddiogel i chi wneud hynny, ac fel y nodwch, fod trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ar gael ac yn fforddiadwy. Rydym yn gwneud camau breision yn y maes hwnnw lle mae gennym reolaeth lawn, er enghraifft, drwy Trafnidiaeth Cymru ar y rhwydwaith rheilffyrdd. Rydym wedi gweld cynnydd sylweddol iawn yn nifer y gwasanaethau a weithredir gennym gyda threnau newydd sbon, o ganlyniad i'r £800 miliwn y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn ei wario ar drenau newydd sbon ledled Cymru.
Thank you for that answer, about some of those schemes that are coming forward. The £1 scheme for young people is great if you've got a bus running where you need it to go when you need it to go, but that's another aspect that we need to look at. But looking at buses, they are the most used form of public transport by people on those lower incomes that we were talking about, yet after years of decline, patronage still is less than 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. The bus Bill, as you've mentioned, contains proposals that, at face value, are very welcome, and we passed the general principles the other day. However, the ambitious aspects such as purchasing a bus fleet come with substantial financial implications. Without adequate investment in place, structural reform risks delivering little change for those who rely most on those services.
It's also the case that buses cannot be considered in isolation, as you say. The evidence demonstrates that barriers such as poor pavements, unsafe walking routes to bus stops and the absence of integrated ticketing systems all contribute to low usage. Unless investment is made simultaneously in the infrastructure and affordability measures, the potential of the Bill will not be realised. Cabinet Secretary, could you therefore clarify how the Welsh Government intends to finance the significant commitments contained within the bus Bill, and do you accept that without sufficient resources, the legislation risks being an administrative reform rather than a meaningful improvement for passengers?
Diolch am eich ateb ynglŷn â rhai o'r cynlluniau sy'n cael eu cyflwyno. Mae'r cynllun £1 ar gyfer pobl ifanc yn wych os oes gennych fws yn rhedeg lle mae ei angen arnoch pan fo'i angen arnoch, ond mae honno'n agwedd arall y mae angen inni edrych arni. Ond wrth edrych ar fysiau, dyna'r math o drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a ddefnyddir fwyaf gan y bobl ar incwm is yr oeddem yn sôn amdanynt, ond ar ôl blynyddoedd o ddirywiad, mae lefelau defnydd bysiau yn dal i fod yn llai nag 80 y cant o'r lefelau cyn y pandemig. Fel rydych chi wedi sôn, mae'r Bil bysiau'n cynnwys cynigion sydd, ar yr olwg gyntaf, i'w croesawu'n fawr, ac fe wnaethom basio'r egwyddorion cyffredinol y diwrnod o'r blaen. Fodd bynnag, mae'r agweddau uchelgeisiol fel prynu fflyd bysiau yn creu goblygiadau ariannol sylweddol. Heb fuddsoddiad digonol ar waith, mae perygl mai ychydig iawn o newid y bydd diwygio strwythurol yn ei greu i'r rhai sy'n dibynnu fwyaf ar y gwasanaethau hynny.
Mae hefyd yn wir na ellir ystyried bysiau ar wahân i bopeth arall, fel y dywedwch. Mae'r dystiolaeth yn dangos bod rhwystrau fel palmentydd gwael, llwybrau cerdded anniogel at safleoedd bysiau a diffyg systemau tocynnau integredig oll yn cyfrannu at lefelau isel o ddefnydd. Oni wneir buddsoddiad ar yr un pryd yn y seilwaith a mesurau fforddiadwyedd, ni fydd potensial y Bil yn cael ei wireddu. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a allwch chi egluro felly sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu ariannu'r ymrwymiadau sylweddol sydd wedi'u cynnwys yn y Bil bysiau, ac a ydych chi'n derbyn, heb adnoddau digonol, fod perygl mai diwygiad gweinyddol yn unig fydd y ddeddfwriaeth yn hytrach na gwelliant ystyrlon i deithwyr?
Well, first of all, the bus Bill, as I said previously, will give us control over the network. We'll have a bus network plan, which will be laid before this Parliament and will be available for full scrutiny by Members, that meets passenger needs, that serves passengers rather than a profit motive, and Transport for Wales will play a critical role in helping bus companies to acquire new, modern, zero-emissions buses. We're discussing with TfW how they may be able to purchase a fleet and then lease it to operators that can't afford the upgrade to zero-emissions vehicles. That's particularly important for small and medium-sized enterprises, which are so vitally important, especially in rural parts of Wales. The capital cost of purchasing electric buses at the moment is prohibitive for many of those businesses, so we're talking with the sector about the role that TfW could play in that regard. Of course, it's going to be for future Governments to determine the level of resource that is invested in bus transport. I would say to any future transport Minister that if you're determined to drive social justice, if you're determined to use transport as an enabler, then please invest heavily in bus services, not just in the routes, but also in the infrastructure that supports congestion-free movement of buses, to make it reliable. Ultimately, our aim is to create one network, one ticket and one timetable across public transport to have that full integration that you've just spoken about.
Wel, yn gyntaf oll, bydd y Bil bysiau, fel y dywedais, yn rhoi rheolaeth i ni dros y rhwydwaith. Bydd gennym gynllun rhwydwaith bysiau, a fydd yn cael ei gyflwyno ger bron y Senedd hon ac a fydd ar gael i'r Aelodau graffu'n llawn arno, sy'n diwallu anghenion teithwyr, sy'n gwasanaethu teithwyr yn hytrach na chymhelliad elw, a bydd Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn chwarae rhan hanfodol yn cynorthwyo cwmnïau bysiau i gaffael bysiau newydd, modern, di-allyriadau. Rydym yn trafod gyda Trafnidiaeth Cymru sut y gallent brynu fflyd ac yna ei lesio i weithredwyr na allant fforddio uwchraddio i gerbydau di-allyriadau. Mae hynny'n arbennig o bwysig i fentrau bach a chanolig eu maint, sydd mor hanfodol bwysig, yn enwedig mewn rhannau gwledig o Gymru. Mae cost cyfalaf prynu bysiau trydan yn rhwystr i lawer o'r busnesau hynny ar hyn o bryd, felly rydym yn trafod gyda'r sector y rôl y gallai Trafnidiaeth Cymru ei chwarae yn hynny o beth. Wrth gwrs, Llywodraethau'r dyfodol fydd yn pennu lefel yr adnoddau a fuddsoddir mewn trafnidiaeth fysiau. Hoffwn ddweud wrth unrhyw Weinidog trafnidiaeth yn y dyfodol, os ydych chi'n benderfynol o hyrwyddo cyfiawnder cymdeithasol, os ydych chi'n benderfynol o ddefnyddio trafnidiaeth fel galluogwr, yna buddsoddwch yn helaeth mewn gwasanaethau bysiau, nid yn unig yn y llwybrau, ond hefyd yn y seilwaith sy'n cefnogi symudiad bysiau heb dagfeydd, i'w wneud yn ddibynadwy. Yn y pen draw, ein nod yw creu un rhwydwaith, un tocyn ac un amserlen ar gyfer trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus er mwyn cyflawni'r integreiddiad llawn yr ydych chi newydd fod yn siarad amdano.
And part of those passenger needs are the needs and the challenges in particular for people with disabilities. A quarter of households where somebody is disabled are already living in poverty and transport, again, is a key factor in that disadvantage. Disabled adults take 29 per cent fewer trips than non-disabled adults. They are nearly twice as likely not to have access to a car, and for those who do own one, a far higher proportion report that the costs are very difficult to afford. Yet they are also far less able to give up their vehicles, because public transport is often not accessible or reliable. The risk now is that the transition to electric vehicles could exacerbate that inequality. Disabled people who cannot afford to switch may be left dependent on older, more expensive petrol and diesel cars, effectively penalised by a transition that is supposed to benefit all. Unless explicit measures are taken, this accessibility gap risks becoming even more stark. Cabinet Secretary, what specific measures will your Government introduce to ensure that disabled people are not left further disadvantaged with the transition to net zero?
Ac un rhan o anghenion teithwyr yw'r anghenion a'r heriau arbennig i bobl ag anableddau. Mae chwarter yr aelwydydd lle mae rhywun yn anabl eisoes yn byw mewn tlodi, ac mae trafnidiaeth, unwaith eto, yn ffactor allweddol yn yr anfantais honno. Mae oedolion anabl yn gwneud 29 y cant yn llai o deithiau nag oedolion nad ydynt yn anabl. Mae hi bron ddwywaith yn fwy tebygol na fydd ganddynt fynediad at gar, ac i'r rhai sydd â char, mae cyfran lawer uwch yn nodi ei bod yn anodd iawn fforddio'r costau. Ac eto, maent hefyd yn llawer llai abl i gael gwared ar eu cerbydau, oherwydd yn aml, nid yw trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn hygyrch nac yn ddibynadwy. Y risg nawr yw y gallai'r newid i gerbydau trydan waethygu'r anghydraddoldeb hwnnw. Gallai pobl anabl na allant fforddio newid orfod dibynnu ar geir petrol a diesel hŷn, drytach, a chael eu cosbi, i bob pwrpas, gan drawsnewidiad sydd i fod o fudd i bawb. Oni roddir mesurau penodol ar waith, mae perygl y bydd y bwlch hygyrchedd hwn yn dod yn fwy fyth. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa fesurau penodol y bydd eich Llywodraeth yn eu cyflwyno i sicrhau nad yw pobl anabl o dan anfantais bellach wrth bontio i sero net?
Well, it will be largely through investment in public transport—public transport and infrastructure that supports public transport. If you want a clearer example of how we're doing that, you can visit the metro area of Wales and see on the core Valleys lines how trains that are operating on there, the new 756s, have ramps that come down to meet station platforms, ensuring that there's step-free access, there's level boarding, for all passengers. It's that sort of investment that ensures that we leave nobody behind.
I met, actually just this week, with the new chair of the active travel board, and we had a very long and constructive discussion about how we can ensure that public transport is available and appropriate for everybody, regardless of levels of physical mobility or lack of mobility. And we also have, of course, the access and inclusion panel, which is embedded within Transport for Wales. They provide invaluable advice on service provision, on investment in infrastructure, on how to improve the public scene as well, the street scene, to ensure that nobody is left behind by public transport.
Wel, yn bennaf, bydd hynny'n digwydd drwy fuddsoddiad mewn trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus—trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a seilwaith sy'n cefnogi trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Os ydych chi eisiau enghraifft gliriach o sut y gwnawn hynny, gallwch ymweld ag ardal metro Cymru a gweld ar linellau craidd y Cymoedd sut y mae gan y trenau sy'n gweithredu yno, y trenau 756 newydd, rampiau sy'n dod i lawr i'r un lefel â phlatfformau gorsafoedd, gan sicrhau mynediad di-risiau, mynediad gwastad, i bob teithiwr. Dyma'r math o fuddsoddiad sy'n sicrhau nad ydym yn gadael unrhyw un ar ôl.
Cyfarfûm â chadeirydd newydd y bwrdd teithio llesol yr wythnos hon mewn gwirionedd, a chawsom drafodaeth hir ac adeiladol iawn ynglŷn â sut y gallwn sicrhau bod trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ar gael ac yn addas i bawb, beth bynnag fo'u lefelau symudedd corfforol neu ddiffyg symudedd. Ac mae gennym y panel mynediad a chynhwysiant, sydd wedi'i sefydlu o fewn Trafnidiaeth Cymru. Maent yn darparu cyngor amhrisiadwy ar ddarparu gwasanaethau, ar fuddsoddi mewn seilwaith, ar sut i wella'r olygfa gyhoeddus hefyd, y strydlun, i sicrhau nad oes unrhyw un yn cael eu gadael ar ôl gan drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus.
3. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad ar ddarpariaeth cludiant o'r cartref i'r ysgol? OQ63113
3. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the provision of home-to-school transport? OQ63113
The Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 requires free transport for pupils living more than set distances from school. Through the revenue support grant we continue to invest significantly in learner travel. It is for local authorities to determine whether they wish to go further than their statutory obligations.
Mae Mesur Teithio gan Ddysgwyr (Cymru) 2008 yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i ddisgyblion sy'n byw ymhellach na phellteroedd penodol o'r ysgol gael cludiant am ddim. Drwy'r grant cynnal refeniw, rydym yn parhau i fuddsoddi'n sylweddol mewn teithio gan ddysgwyr. Awdurdodau lleol sydd i benderfynu a ydynt am fynd ymhellach na'u rhwymedigaethau statudol.
Cabinet Secretary, you will be well aware that Labour-led Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council has withdrawn home-to-school transport for children living within three miles of their school. This decision, made under the guise of cost saving, has felt like a gut punch to countless families, especially when the council holds a staggering £250 million in useable reserves. The consequences are already unfolding before our eyes. Roads around schools are now choked with traffic as parents scramble to fill the gap left by school buses, air quality is deteriorating and working parents are stretched thinner than ever. What is most worrying is that children are now walking along busy and dangerous roads, and it is only a matter of time before a serious accident happens. It is not just a logical failure, but a moral one. We’re asking families to choose between safety and affordability. We are putting children at risk to save money when it is not needed. So, I ask you directly: do you support reinstating home-to-school transport in RCT? What action will you take to ensure the council reconsiders this deeply damaging decision? Thank you.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol iawn fod Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf, o dan arweiniad y Blaid Lafur, wedi cael gwared ar gludiant rhwng y cartref a’r ysgol i blant sy'n byw o fewn tair milltir i'w hysgol. Mae'r penderfyniad hwn, a wnaed dan gochl arbed costau, wedi bod yn ergyd fawr i nifer sylweddol o deuluoedd, yn enwedig pan fo gan y cyngor swm syfrdanol o £250 miliwn mewn cronfeydd wrth gefn y gellir eu defnyddio. Mae'r canlyniadau eisoes i'w gweld. Mae ffyrdd o amgylch ysgolion bellach yn llawn tagfeydd wrth i rieni ruthro i lenwi'r bwlch a adawyd gan fysiau ysgol, mae ansawdd aer yn dirywio, ac mae rhieni sy'n gweithio o dan fwy o bwysau nag erioed. Yr hyn sy'n peri'r pryder mwyaf yw bod plant bellach yn cerdded ar hyd ffyrdd prysur a pheryglus, a dim ond mater o amser yw hi cyn bod damwain ddifrifol yn digwydd. Mae'n fethiant o ran rhesymeg, ac mae'n fethiant moesol. Rydym yn gofyn i deuluoedd ddewis rhwng diogelwch a fforddiadwyedd. Rydym yn rhoi plant mewn perygl er mwyn arbed arian pan nad oes angen. Felly, gofynnaf i chi'n uniongyrchol: a ydych chi'n cefnogi ailgyflwyno cludiant rhwng y cartref a’r ysgol yn Rhondda Cynon Taf? Pa gamau y byddwch chi'n eu cymryd i sicrhau bod y cyngor yn ailystyried y penderfyniad hynod niweidiol hwn? Diolch.
Can I thank the Member for his question? Look, this is a matter for local authorities. It's their responsibility. But I do note that, in May, you made a statement on your website in which you commented on the rising costs of public transport, specifically buses, and for young people. It fails me to understand, therefore, why you didn't support the Welsh Labour budget that made provision for the £1 fare cap. That would have helped significantly, I imagine. And I think that it was in 2022 that you posted a video on YouTube, I think it was in response to the First Minister, where you raised concerns about post-16 travel and costs. I just don't understand—[Interruption.] I think I was the only person to view it, yes, you're right. But I just don't understand, therefore, why you opposed the Welsh Labour budget that made available a scheme that would only cost £1 at most for a young person to travel by bus. You should support that scheme because it is an enabling scheme; it is part of the solution to learner travel.
But learner travel doesn't have a single silver bullet. We don't have one answer to what is a very, very complicated challenge. We do know, based on an interview given by Nigel Farage this week, that he believes the solution to the learner travel conundrum is to get parents, wherever they are, to drive their children to school. I think he said something along the lines of, in the past, there were these things called parents that drove their children to school. So, he's recommending that Kent County Council significantly reduce the amount of investment that they make into school transport.
Here in Wales, we've had the learner transport summit. So, work is taking place as a result of that summit, and it was an excellent event. It did shine a light on the many, many challenges that we face with school transport. Bus reform will be part of the solution as well, which again raises the question of why you are not supporting the general principles of bus control, which will enable us to better plan a network to meet the needs of learners. So, we are taking great strides in addressing the many challenges associated with learner travel, but there is no one silver bullet to this challenge.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn? Edrychwch, mater i awdurdodau lleol yw hwn. Eu cyfrifoldeb nhw ydyw. Ond rwy'n nodi, ym mis Mai, eich bod chi wedi gwneud datganiad ar eich gwefan lle gwnaethoch chi sylwadau ar gostau cynyddol cludiant cyhoeddus, bysiau yn benodol, ac i bobl ifanc. Felly, ni allaf ddeall pam na wnaethoch chi gefnogi cyllideb Llafur Cymru a oedd yn gwneud darpariaeth ar gyfer y cap o £1 ar brisiau tocynnau. Rwy'n dychmygu y byddai hynny wedi bod o gymorth sylweddol. Ac rwy'n credu mai yn 2022 y gwnaethoch chi bostio fideo ar YouTube mewn ymateb i'r Prif Weinidog lle codoch chi bryderon ynghylch teithio a chostau ôl-16. Nid wyf yn deall—[Torri ar draws.] Rwy'n credu mai fi oedd yr unig un i'w weld, rydych chi'n llygad eich lle. Ond ni allaf ddeall, felly, pam y gwnaethoch chi wrthwynebu cyllideb Llafur Cymru a oedd yn darparu cynllun a fyddai ond yn costio £1 ar y mwyaf i unigolyn ifanc deithio ar fws. Dylech gefnogi'r cynllun hwnnw gan ei fod yn gynllun sy'n galluogi; mae'n rhan o'r ateb o ran teithio gan ddysgwyr.
Ond nid oes un ateb syml i deithio gan ddysgwyr. Nid un ateb sydd gennym i'r her gymhleth hon. Ar sail cyfweliad a roddwyd gan Nigel Farage yr wythnos hon, fe wyddom ei fod yn credu mai'r ateb i broblem teithio gan ddysgwyr yw gofyn i rieni, lle bynnag y bônt, yrru eu plant i'r ysgol. Credaf ei fod wedi dweud rhywbeth fel, yn y gorffennol, fod gennym y pethau hyn o'r enw rhieni a fyddai'n gyrru eu plant i'r ysgol. Felly, mae'n argymell bod Cyngor Sir Caint yn lleihau eu buddsoddiad mewn cludiant i'r ysgol yn sylweddol.
Yma yng Nghymru, rydym wedi cael yr uwchgynhadledd teithio gan ddysgwyr. Felly, mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo o ganlyniad i'r uwchgynhadledd honno, ac roedd yn ddigwyddiad rhagorol. Fe daflodd oleuni ar yr heriau niferus a wynebwn gyda chludiant i'r ysgol. Bydd diwygio bysiau yn rhan o'r ateb hefyd, sydd unwaith eto'n codi'r cwestiwn pam nad ydych chi'n cefnogi egwyddorion cyffredinol rheoli bysiau, a fydd yn ein galluogi i gynllunio'r rhwydwaith yn well er mwyn diwallu anghenion dysgwyr. Felly, rydym yn gwneud camau breision ar fynd i'r afael â'r heriau niferus sy'n gysylltiedig â theithio gan ddysgwyr, ond nid oes un ateb syml i'r her hon.
Well, there is no one silver bullet to this challenge, as you say, but for far too long, home-to-school transport arrangements in Wales have been letting too many young people down. In my region, for example, one local authority has told a year 12 pupil that after five years of attending a particular school and having been transported across county boundaries for those five years to attend that school, she now can no longer continue there. Instead, she has to travel nearly 20 miles away to a different school, simply because of the rules.
For years, I've heard you and other Ministers saying that you're going to sort this out. The bus Bill was initially mooted as one way of doing it directly, but your Government has chosen not to with the Bill that's before us. I know you’re consulting as well on the learner travel operational guidance, and it's good that that consultation is happening, but again, that isn't finishing now until later this year. It just feels as if you're telling us you're going to sort it out, but year after year it doesn't seem that anything is changing. So, can you explain to me how a system that forces a pupil to abandon their school halfway through their education can possibly be justified, and when will you finally sort out a system that's clearly letting too many young people down?
Wel, nid oes un ateb syml i'r her hon, fel y dywedwch, ond ers llawer gormod o amser, mae trefniadau cludiant rhwng y cartref a’r ysgol yng Nghymru wedi gwneud cam â gormod lawer o bobl ifanc. Yn fy rhanbarth i, er enghraifft, mae un awdurdod lleol wedi dweud wrth ddisgybl blwyddyn 12, ar ôl pum mlynedd o fynychu ysgol benodol a chael ei chludo ar draws ffiniau sirol am y pum mlynedd i fynychu'r ysgol honno, na all barhau yno mwyach. Yn hytrach, oherwydd y rheolau'n unig, rhaid iddi deithio bron i 20 milltir i ysgol wahanol.
Ers blynyddoedd, rwyf wedi eich clywed chi a Gweinidogion eraill yn dweud eich bod yn mynd i ddatrys hyn. Awgrymwyd y Bil bysiau'n wreiddiol fel un ffordd o wneud hynny'n uniongyrchol, ond mae eich Llywodraeth wedi dewis peidio â gwneud hynny gyda'r Bil sydd ger ein bron. Gwn eich bod yn ymgynghori hefyd ar y canllawiau gweithredol ar gyfer teithio gan ddysgwyr, ac mae'n dda fod yr ymgynghoriad hwnnw'n mynd rhagddo, ond unwaith eto, nid yw hwnnw'n dod i ben tan yn nes ymlaen eleni. Mae'n teimlo fel pe baech yn dweud wrthym eich bod yn mynd i ddatrys hyn, ond flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, nid yw'n ymddangos bod unrhyw beth yn newid. Felly, a allwch chi egluro i mi sut y gellir cyfiawnhau system sy'n gorfodi disgybl i adael eu hysgol hanner ffordd drwy eu haddysg, a phryd y byddwch chi'n mynd i'r afael o'r diwedd â system sy'n amlwg yn gwneud cam â gormod lawer o bobl ifanc?
You've got to have some brass neck to ask that sort of question after refusing to support a Welsh Labour budget that introduced a £1 fare cap for bus travel—
Mae gennych wyneb yn gofyn y math hwnnw o gwestiwn ar ôl gwrthod cefnogi cyllideb Llafur Cymru a gyflwynodd gap o £1 ar bris tocynnau bysiau—
It's nothing to do with the budget. You're legislating on buses and you're doing nothing about school transport.
Nid yw'n ymwneud â'r gyllideb. Rydych chi'n deddfu ar fysiau ac rydych chi'n gwneud dim am drafnidiaeth ysgol.
I said in response to the other Member whose question I've just answered that the £1 fare cap scheme is part of the solution, along with bus reform through the bus Bill. I do hope that you will support those measures. But there is no one single solution to this very complicated issue. I will invite you along to the next summit that we have on learner travel so that you can appreciate the complexities involved in this. Simply moving the threshold, which is, I think, what the Member wishes us to do on the distance criteria, simply moves the problem; it doesn't solve the problem. If the Member has a simple solution, then please share it with us and tell us where the additional buses would come from, where the additional land for bus bays at schools would come from, where the additional money would come from.
Fe ddywedais mewn ymateb i'r Aelod arall yr wyf newydd ateb ei gwestiwn fod cynllun y cap o £1 ar bris tocynnau yn rhan o'r ateb, ynghyd â diwygio bysiau drwy'r Bil bysiau. Gobeithio y gwnewch chi gefnogi'r mesurau hynny. Ond nid oes un ateb syml i'r mater cymhleth hwn. Rwy'n eich gwahodd i'r uwchgynhadledd nesaf a gawn ar deithio gan ddysgwyr fel y gallwch ddeall y cymhlethdodau sy'n gysylltiedig â hyn. Nid yw symud y trothwy, sef yr hyn y mae'r Aelod yn dymuno i ni ei wneud ar y meini prawf pellter, yn gwneud dim byd mwy na symud y broblem; nid yw'n datrys y broblem. Os oes gan yr Aelod ateb syml, yna rhannwch ef gyda ni a dywedwch wrthym o ble y byddai'r bysiau ychwanegol yn dod, o ble y byddai'r tir ychwanegol ar gyfer cilfannau bysiau mewn ysgolion yn dod, o ble y byddai'r arian ychwanegol yn dod.
Cabinet Secretary, I very much welcome the work that's going on in terms of learner travel in terms of looking for solutions, and this is indeed complex. I know in my constituency, the cost over the last year for Rhondda Cynon Taf has risen from £8 million to £15 million, so we obviously have to be aware of the considerable cost and the implications for budgets across the range.
There are, of course, challenges, and some of them you've recognised, in respect of the way people work now, the different shifts, getting to and from work, particularly where both parents are working. The bus Bill has been identified as one option, and, clearly, the need to integrate buses far more in terms of public need, and that involves, I think, school transport.
I wonder if you could perhaps just elucidate a little bit more how the bus Bill is going to approach and address some of these issues, and the engagement that there may be. And of course I would certainly be very happy to participate in any of the consultations that are likely to take place, or the engagement in the future, because this is a complex problem that needs addressing. I'd certainly hope that the bus Bill is one of the ways of providing an umbrella for solutions to enable that to happen.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy'n croesawu'n fawr y gwaith sy'n digwydd ar deithio gan ddysgwyr a chwilio am atebion, ac mae hyn yn wirioneddol gymhleth. Rwy'n gwybod yn fy etholaeth i, fod y gost dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf i Rondda Cynon Taf wedi codi o £8 miliwn i £15 miliwn, felly mae'n amlwg fod yn rhaid inni fod yn ymwybodol o'r gost sylweddol a'r goblygiadau i gyllidebau yn gyffredinol.
Mae yna heriau wrth gwrs, ac rydych chi wedi cydnabod rhai ohonynt, mewn perthynas â'r ffordd y mae pobl yn gweithio nawr, y gwahanol shifftiau, mynd a dod o'r gwaith, yn enwedig lle mae'r ddau riant yn gweithio. Mae'r Bil bysiau wedi'i nodi fel un opsiwn, ac yn amlwg, yr angen i integreiddio bysiau'n llawer gwell o ran angen y cyhoedd, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n cynnwys cludiant ysgol.
Tybed a allech chi egluro ychydig mwy sut y mae'r Bil bysiau'n mynd i fynd i'r afael â rhai o'r materion hyn, a'r ymgysylltiad a allai fod. Ac wrth gwrs, rwy'n sicr yn hapus iawn i gymryd rhan yn unrhyw un o'r ymgynghoriadau sy'n debygol o ddigwydd, neu'r ymgysylltu yn y dyfodol, oherwydd mae hon yn broblem gymhleth y mae angen mynd i'r afael â hi. Rwy'n sicr yn gobeithio bod y Bil bysiau'n un o'r ffyrdd o ddarparu ymbarél ar gyfer atebion i alluogi hynny i ddigwydd.
Mick Antoniw is absolutely right. What bus Bill will enable us to do is ensure that regular scheduled services are more closely aligned with home-to-school movements, so that young people will be able to use more regular scheduled services. The landscape that we operate in at the moment is overly complicated. We have too little control, and as a result of that, costs for councils in regard to learner travel are escalating. It's a staggering fact that in this financial year we'll be spending through our local authorities £204 million on school transport, and that's from a revenue support grant of around £6 billion. So, it is an incredible cost, and it is increasing, and that often means that less money is then able to be invested in education. The bus Bill will be a major component that will help us solve this problem.
Mae Mick Antoniw yn hollol iawn. Yr hyn y bydd y Bil bysiau'n ein galluogi i wneud yw sicrhau bod gwasanaethau rheolaidd wedi'u halinio'n agosach â symudiadau o'r cartref i'r ysgol, fel y bydd pobl ifanc yn gallu defnyddio gwasanaethau mwy rheolaidd. Mae'r dirwedd y gweithredwn ynddi ar hyn o bryd yn rhy gymhleth. Nid oes gennym ddigon o reolaeth, ac o ganlyniad i hynny, mae costau i gynghorau mewn perthynas â theithio gan ddysgwyr yn cynyddu. Mae'n ffaith syfrdanol y byddwn yn gwario £204 miliwn drwy ein hawdurdodau lleol ar drafnidiaeth ysgol yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon, a hynny o grant cynnal refeniw o tua £6 biliwn. Felly, mae'n gost anhygoel, ac mae'n cynyddu, ac mae hynny'n aml yn golygu na ellir buddsoddi cymaint o arian mewn addysg. Bydd y Bil bysiau'n elfen bwysig a fydd yn ein helpu i ddatrys y broblem hon.
This is obviously a very live issue. I would ask the Cabinet Secretary to reconsider in terms of the bus Bill. You are conflating the £1 fares now with school transport. Very clearly, in the budget that you put before us, learner travel was not part of that. For families in my region, it may sound very reasonable, £1 a journey, but we are making children pay to go to school. Education is supposed to be free in this country, and parents are having to make the choice as to whether they can send their child every single day to school currently. If you have more than one child, where are they finding this additional money, where previously school transport was free?
We have to come up with a solution. The bus Bill is the perfect opportunity. Will you reconsider and will you ensure that councils are using the discretionary element of the guidance? Because they are sticking to that 3-mile rule without looking at that child, that individual. We have to spend so much time appealing for those children who aren't able to access school transport and are having those decisions successfully overturned so that they are able to access transport. We have to remember that of that cost, a high level is on taxis, not on buses. We need to find solutions so that we get more people using public transport. But, surely, having a bus Bill not addressing this is a disservice to those who are not able to access education because cost is a barrier currently.
Mae hwn yn amlwg yn fater byw iawn. Hoffwn ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ailystyried y Bil bysiau. Rydych chi'n cyfuno mater y tocynnau £1 gyda thrafnidiaeth ysgol nawr. Yn amlwg iawn, yn y gyllideb a gyflwynoch chi i ni, nid oedd teithio gan ddysgwyr yn rhan o hynny. I deuluoedd yn fy rhanbarth i, efallai ei fod yn swnio'n rhesymol iawn, £1 y daith, ond rydym yn gwneud i blant dalu i fynd i'r ysgol. Mae addysg i fod yn rhad ac am ddim yn y wlad hon, ac mae rhieni'n gorfod dewis a ydynt yn gallu anfon eu plentyn i'r ysgol bob dydd ar hyn o bryd. Os oes gennych chi fwy nag un plentyn, o ble y daw'r arian ychwanegol hwn, lle roedd cludiant ysgol yn rhad ac am ddim o'r blaen?
Rhaid inni ddod o hyd i ateb. Y Bil bysiau yw'r cyfle perffaith. A wnewch chi ailystyried ac a wnewch chi sicrhau bod cynghorau'n defnyddio elfen ddewisol y canllawiau? Oherwydd maent yn cadw at y rheol 3 milltir heb edrych ar y plentyn, ar yr unigolyn. Rydym yn gorfod treulio cymaint o amser yn apelio ar ran y plant nad yw trafnidiaeth ysgol yn hygyrch iddynt a chael y penderfyniadau hynny wedi'u gwyrdroi'n llwyddiannus fel bod trafnidiaeth yn hygyrch iddynt. Rhaid inni gofio bod lefel uchel o'r gost honno ar dacsis, nid ar fysiau. Mae angen inni ddod o hyd i atebion fel bod mwy o bobl yn defnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Ond yn sicr, mae cael Bil bysiau nad yw'n mynd i'r afael â hyn yn gam â'r rhai nad yw addysg yn hygyrch iddynt am fod cost yn rhwystr ar hyn o bryd.
The issue of learner travel is out of scope of the Bill, but the Bill will contribute, as I've said repeatedly, to solving this challenge. It will contribute through having greater control of the bus network in the hands of Ministers, and we will be able to develop the network and timetables to ensure that more services are available to young people. The £1 fare scheme has made a major difference to families: 230,000 young people are going have access to that particular scheme come November. That makes a difference not just to those young people, but to their parents and their siblings as well. And yes, I would agree that £1, if you've got many, many children, can be a major consideration in terms of expenditure, but it's a lot less expensive than what people have been used to paying until recently. I would say if you care about bus services for young people and the affordability of them, celebrate the fact that we've introduced a £1 fare cap for young people across Wales. Support it.
Mae mater teithio gan dysgwyr oddi allan i gwmpas y Bil, ond bydd y Bil yn cyfrannu, fel y dywedais dro ar ôl tro, at ddatrys yr her hon. Bydd yn cyfrannu drwy gael mwy o reolaeth ar y rhwydwaith bysiau yn nwylo Gweinidogion, a byddwn yn gallu datblygu'r rhwydwaith a'r amserlenni i sicrhau bod mwy o wasanaethau ar gael i bobl ifanc. Mae'r cynllun tocynnau £1 wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr i deuluoedd: bydd 230,000 o bobl ifanc yn cael mynediad at y cynllun penodol hwnnw ym mis Tachwedd. Mae hynny'n gwneud gwahaniaeth nid yn unig i'r bobl ifanc hynny, ond i'w rhieni a'u brodyr a chwiorydd hefyd. Ac rwy'n cytuno y gall £1, os oes gennych lawer iawn o blant, fod yn ystyriaeth fawr o ran gwariant, ond mae'n llawer llai costus na'r hyn y mae pobl wedi arfer ei dalu tan yn ddiweddar. Os ydych chi'n poeni am wasanaethau bws i bobl ifanc a'u fforddiadwyedd, dathlwch y ffaith ein bod wedi cyflwyno cap o £1 ar bris tocynnau i bobl ifanc ledled Cymru. Cefnogwch hynny.
4. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad ar brosiectau ffyrdd ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ63097
4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on road projects in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ63097
In Preseli Pembrokeshire, we will deliver projects through our national transport delivery plan. We support local leadership through regional transport plans, enabling communities to shape priorities that reflect their needs.
Ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro, byddwn yn cyflawni prosiectau drwy ein cynllun cyflawni cenedlaethol ar gyfer trafnidiaeth. Rydym yn cefnogi arweinyddiaeth leol trwy gynlluniau trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol, gan alluogi cymunedau i lunio blaenoriaethau sy'n adlewyrchu eu hanghenion.
Cabinet Secretary, one road project in my constituency that continues to be a source of contention is Newgale. As you know, I've been supporting the local campaign group Stand Up For Newgale, which has developed an alternative scheme for the community that is significantly cheaper than the local authority's £40 million-plus road realignment scheme. It's also more environmentally sensitive. Cabinet Secretary, it makes no sense for Pembrokeshire County Council to push ahead with its plans when there is a more affordable and environmentally sensitive option available to them. Therefore, given that the local authority will turn to the Welsh Government for funding, can you confirm that you will not provide any further Welsh Government funding to the local authority for their scheme until proper consideration been given to the alternative community-led scheme? Cabinet Secretary, not often will you get Members asking you not to fund a project, so I hope I'll receive a favourable response.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, un prosiect ffordd yn fy etholaeth sy'n parhau i fod yn destun dadl yw Niwgwl. Fel y gwyddoch, rwyf wedi bod yn cefnogi'r grŵp ymgyrchu lleol Sefyll dros Niwgwl (STUN), sydd wedi datblygu cynllun amgen ar gyfer y gymuned sy'n sylweddol ratach na chynllun adlinio ffyrdd yr awdurdod lleol gwerth £40 miliwn a mwy. Mae hefyd yn fwy sensitif i'r amgylchedd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid yw'n gwneud unrhyw synnwyr i Gyngor Sir Penfro fwrw ymlaen â'i gynlluniau pan fydd opsiwn mwy fforddiadwy ac amgylcheddol sensitif ar gael iddynt. Felly, o ystyried y bydd yr awdurdod lleol yn troi at Lywodraeth Cymru am gyllid, a allwch chi gadarnhau na fyddwch yn darparu unrhyw gyllid pellach gan Lywodraeth Cymru i'r awdurdod lleol ar gyfer eu cynllun hyd nes y rhoddir ystyriaeth briodol i'r cynllun amgen a arweinir gan y gymuned? Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid yn aml y byddwch chi'n cael Aelodau'n gofyn i chi beidio ag ariannu prosiect, felly rwy'n gobeithio y caf ymateb ffafriol.
I thank Paul Davies for his question and the opportunity to speak about this on a number of occasions, along with members of the local campaign group STUN. I've also had discussions with the local authority, so I am very aware of the alternative that's been suggested by members of the community, and, indeed, by Paul Davies himself. We've made sure that it has been and is being appropriately considered.
I think it's fair to say that it's likely that in this case a public inquiry will be considered and needed for the particular scheme, which would then, in turn, bring further levels of scrutiny, not just of the scheme that is eventually proposed but also of all alternatives. There have also been a number of public consultations and a planning pre-application consultation.
I can confirm that the role of the Welsh Government with regard to this project has been to fund the work to date to consider those solutions, and we'll continue to do so this financial year, but only up to the point where a decision has to be made on the funding of the actual construction of the preferred solution. That will then move to the corporate joint committee to determine, as this is a local road, and this will form part of the priorities, if it does at all, of the CJC, against other important projects that it'll be competing against within the region.
Diolch i Paul Davies am ei gwestiwn a'r cyfle i siarad am hyn ar nifer o achlysuron, ynghyd ag aelodau o'r grŵp ymgyrchu lleol STUN. Rwyf i wedi cael trafodaethau gyda'r awdurdod lleol hefyd, felly rwy'n ymwybodol iawn o'r dewis arall sydd wedi'i awgrymu gan aelodau o'r gymuned, ac yn wir, gan Paul Davies ei hun. Rydym wedi gwneud yn siŵr ei fod yn cael ei ystyried yn briodol.
Rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud ei bod yn debygol y bydd ymchwiliad cyhoeddus yn cael ei ystyried ac y bydd angen un ar gyfer y cynllun penodol, a fyddai, yn ei dro, yn denu lefelau pellach o graffu, nid yn unig ar y cynllun a gaiff ei gynnig yn y pen draw ond ar yr holl ddewisiadau amgen. Cafwyd nifer o ymgynghoriadau cyhoeddus ac ymgynghoriad cyn gwneud cais cynllunio hefyd.
Gallaf gadarnhau mai rôl Llywodraeth Cymru mewn perthynas â'r prosiect hwn yw ariannu'r gwaith hyd yma i ystyried yr atebion hyn, a byddwn yn parhau i wneud hynny yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon, ond dim ond at y pwynt pan fydd rhaid gwneud penderfyniad ar ariannu adeiladu'r ateb a ffafrir. Bydd yn symud wedyn at y cyd-bwyllgor corfforedig i'w benderfynu, gan fod hon yn ffordd leol, a bydd yn rhan o flaenoriaethau'r cyd-bwyllgor corfforedig ochr yn ochr â phrosiectau pwysig eraill y bydd yn cystadlu yn eu herbyn yn y rhanbarth.
5. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda'r diwydiant bysiau i ganfod prif achosion tagfeydd? OQ63123
5. How is the Welsh Government working with the bus industry to identify the major causes of congestion? OQ63123
We recognise that traffic congestion impacts on bus service reliability, and we've made capital grant funding available to local authorities over many years to bring forward more bus priority schemes. In preparation for bus franchising, I’ve asked Transport for Wales to identify priority locations for funding.
Rydym yn cydnabod bod tagfeydd traffig yn effeithio ar ddibynadwyedd gwasanaethau bysiau, ac rydym wedi sicrhau bod cyllid grant cyfalaf ar gael i awdurdodau lleol dros nifer o flynyddoedd i gyflwyno mwy o gynlluniau blaenoriaeth bysiau. Wrth baratoi ar gyfer masnachfreinio bysiau, rwyf wedi gofyn i Trafnidiaeth Cymru nodi lleoliadau â blaenoriaeth ar gyfer cyllid.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. We can understand that reliability is key to persuading passengers to come back to using buses for those predictable journeys to school and work. What analysis has the Welsh Government done of the most disruptive pinch points on the network? Can we accelerate any action so that we are running ahead of ourselves in anticipation of the long-term benefits of the bus Bill?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Gallwn ddeall bod dibynadwyedd yn allweddol i berswadio teithwyr i ddychwelyd at ddefnyddio bysiau ar gyfer teithiau rhagweladwy i'r ysgol a'r gwaith. Pa ddadansoddiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o'r mannau cyfyng mwyaf aflonyddgar ar y rhwydwaith? A allwn ni gyflymu unrhyw weithredu fel ein bod yn achub y blaen ar bethau wrth aros am fanteision hirdymor y Bil bysiau?
Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for her question? I agree entirely. Reliability is the No. 1 factor that drives people to take public transport. It’s a more important consideration than fares, even. The new chair of Transport for Wales, Vernon Everitt, reminds me on a regular basis that the objective of Transport for Wales is to ensure that we have reliable, regular and safe public transport.
I’m pleased to say that Transport for Wales are doing some outstanding work in using detailed data on bus journey times to accurately model and identify key locations that are prone to heavy traffic congestion and require capital investment. That work will then, in turn, inform decisions around where we’re going to be prioritising investment in bus congestion solutions. So, I’ll keep the Member updated. I know that the Member is very keenly interested in this area of work, so I’ll keep the Member updated on the plans as they emerge.
A gaf i ddiolch i Jenny Rathbone am ei chwestiwn? Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr. Dibynadwyedd yw'r prif ffactor sy'n ysgogi pobl i ddefnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Mae'n ystyriaeth bwysicach na phrisiau tocynnau hyd yn oed. Mae cadeirydd newydd Trafnidiaeth Cymru, Vernon Everitt, yn fy atgoffa'n rheolaidd mai amcan Trafnidiaeth Cymru yw sicrhau bod gennym drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ddibynadwy, rheolaidd a diogel.
Rwy'n falch o ddweud bod Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn gwneud gwaith rhagorol ar ddefnyddio data manwl ar amseroedd teithio bysiau i fodelu a nodi'n gywir unrhyw leoliadau allweddol sy'n dueddol o weld tagfeydd traffig trwm ac sydd angen buddsoddiad cyfalaf. Bydd y gwaith hwnnw yn ei dro yn llywio penderfyniadau ynglŷn â ble i flaenoriaethu buddsoddiad ar gyfer datrys tagfeydd i fysiau. Felly, byddaf yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelod. Rwy'n gwybod bod gan yr Aelod ddiddordeb mawr yn y maes gwaith hwn, felly byddaf yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelod am y cynlluniau wrth iddynt ddod i'r amlwg.
Of course, the main cause of congestion in my constituency for bus routes has been the introduction of the default 20 mph limit within the Vale of Clwyd. Within Denbighshire, only 0.6 per cent of roads are exempt from the rule. Many bus stops were decommissioned by Arriva Buses along the 51 route, including the Tweedmill, which invested millions just 15 years ago in taking the bus stop off the A525 route, and also Llandegla, which was taken off the route to make up for the time that was being lost as a result of the 20 mph scheme. Will you accept that that is a part of the reason for bus congestion within my constituency? Will you commit to looking into this further to see how we can ease this problem within the community so that people who are travelling from Rhyl to Denbigh and vice versa can have more fluidity within their travel to make sure that bus timetables aren’t being impacted by the overzealous 20 mph rule?
Wrth gwrs, prif achos tagfeydd yn fy etholaeth i lwybrau bysiau yw cyflwyno'r terfyn diofyn o 20 mya yn Nyffryn Clwyd. Yn sir Ddinbych, dim ond 0.6 y cant o'r ffyrdd sydd wedi'u heithrio o'r rheol. Cafodd llawer o safleoedd bysiau eu datgomisiynu gan fysiau Arriva ar hyd llwybr 51, yn cynnwys Tweedmill, a fuddsoddodd filiynau gwta 15 mlynedd yn ôl wrth dynnu'r safle bws oddi ar lwybr yr A525, a hefyd Llandegla, a gafodd ei dynnu oddi ar y llwybr i wneud iawn am yr amser a gollwyd o ganlyniad i'r cynllun 20 mya. A wnewch chi dderbyn bod hynny'n rhan o'r rheswm dros dagfeydd bysiau yn fy etholaeth? A wnewch chi ymrwymo i edrych ymhellach ar hyn i weld sut y gallwn leddfu'r broblem o fewn y gymuned fel bod modd i bobl sy'n mynd o'r Rhyl i Ddinbych ac yn ôl deithio'n fwy hwylus i sicrhau nad yw'r rheol 20 mya yn effeithio ar amserlenni bysiau?
Can I thank the Member for his question and assure him that we take this issue very seriously indeed? We meet with bus operators, with Transport for Wales, to understand any adverse impacts of policy measures on bus services. When the Member and I met with Denbighshire local authority leaders to discuss this matter, they did assure us that they consider the data that was available from bus operators. We’ll be able to provide an assurance through a completely independent evaluation of the scheme that is being commissioned. That will look at all aspects of the policy, how it’s being implemented, how it’s delivering and the benefits that are being realised from it. But ultimately, if we look at that particular scheme, yes, it may have caused some disruption, but it has also led to in the region of 800 lives not being adversely impacted, as they would’ve been had those casualties taken place.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn a'i sicrhau ein bod o ddifrif ynglŷn â'r mater hwn? Rydym yn cyfarfod â gweithredwyr bysiau, gyda Trafnidiaeth Cymru, i ddeall unrhyw effeithiau andwyol yn sgil mesurau polisi ar wasanaethau bysiau. Pan gyfarfu'r Aelod a minnau ag arweinwyr awdurdod lleol sir Ddinbych i drafod y mater, fe wnaethant ein sicrhau eu bod yn ystyried y data a oedd ar gael gan weithredwyr bysiau. Byddwn yn gallu darparu sicrwydd drwy werthusiad cwbl annibynnol sy'n cael ei gomisiynu o'r cynllun. Bydd yn edrych ar bob agwedd ar y polisi, sut y caiff ei weithredu, sut y mae'n cyflawni a'r manteision a wireddir ohono. Ond yn y pen draw, os edrychwn ar y cynllun penodol hwnnw, efallai ei fod wedi achosi peth aflonyddwch, ond mae hefyd wedi arwain at oddeutu 800 o fywydau nad effeithiwyd yn andwyol arnynt, fel y byddem wedi'i weld pe bai'r anafiadau hynny wedi digwydd.
6. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwella seilwaith trafnidiaeth yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ63114
6. How is the Welsh Government improving transport infrastructure in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ63114
'Llwybr Newydd' sets out our vision to improve transport across Wales. We will deliver this vision in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire through the projects set out in our national transport delivery plan. We’re also empowering local leaders through regional transport plans to shape transport priorities that reflect the needs of their communities.
Mae 'Llwybr Newydd' yn nodi ein gweledigaeth i wella trafnidiaeth ledled Cymru. Byddwn yn cyflawni'r weledigaeth hon yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro drwy'r prosiectau a nodir yn ein cynllun cyflawni cenedlaethol ar gyfer trafnidiaeth. Rydym hefyd yn grymuso arweinwyr lleol trwy gynlluniau trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol i lunio blaenoriaethau trafnidiaeth sy'n adlewyrchu anghenion eu cymunedau.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Can I ask you to pass on my thanks and the thanks of Eglwyscummin Community Council to your officials, who we met with over the summer recess to discuss the junction at Red Roses on the A477? There is some investment coming to try and make that junction more safe, but this is part of a wider scheme that I’ve been leading locally to improve safety on the whole A477 from Pembroke Dock to St Clears. We've seen the investment at the Nash Fingerpost junction, which has been very welcomed by the local community, but speeding in Milton continues to be an issue, as does the junction accessing Cosheston—a small village with a fantastic school. So, the A477, as I've always called for, needs a whole root-and-branch review of its safety. That's what I've been calling for. Will you commit to that?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. A gaf i ofyn i chi drosglwyddo fy niolch a diolch Cyngor Cymuned Eglwys Gymyn i'ch swyddogion, y cyfarfuom â nhw dros doriad yr haf i drafod y gyffordd yn Rhos-goch ar yr A477? Mae buddsoddiad yn dod i geisio gwneud y gyffordd honno'n fwy diogel, ond mae'n rhan o gynllun ehangach y bûm yn ei arwain yn lleol i wella diogelwch ar yr A477 gyfan o Ddoc Penfro i Sanclêr. Rydym wedi gweld y buddsoddiad yng nghyffordd Mynegbost Nash, sydd wedi cael ei groesawu'n fawr gan y gymuned leol, ond mae goryrru yn Milton yn parhau i fod yn broblem, fel y mae'r gyffordd sy'n mynd i Cosheston—pentref bach gydag ysgol wych. Felly, mae angen adolygiad trylwyr o ddiogelwch yr A477, fel rwyf bob amser wedi galw amdano. Dyna y gelwais amdano. A wnewch chi ymrwymo i hynny?
Can I thank the Member for his kind remarks? I will certainly pass on his thanks to my officials. Officials have confirmed that a speed survey at Milton on the A477 is scheduled for this financial year, and has secured funding for it to take place. Once that survey has been completed, it'll be used to assess the site, and we'll work with Dyfed-Powys Police and GoSafe in terms of possible enforcement in the area. I've said on previous occasions that we're conducting a resilience study of the trunk road network, and that will include issues like road collisions and reliability of routes in adverse weather conditions. So, it will cover all manner of things. It's going to start with the M4 and the A55, but it will then examine other trunk roads across Wales.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei sylwadau caredig? Byddaf yn sicr yn trosglwyddo ei ddiolch i fy swyddogion. Mae swyddogion wedi cadarnhau bod arolwg cyflymder yn Milton ar yr A477 wedi'i drefnu ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol hon, a chafodd cyllid ei sicrhau er mwyn iddo ddigwydd. Ar ôl cwblhau'r arolwg hwnnw, fe gaiff ei ddefnyddio i asesu'r safle, a byddwn yn gweithio gyda Heddlu Dyfed-Powys a GoSafe ar gamau gorfodi posib yn yr ardal. Rwyf wedi dweud ar achlysuron blaenorol ein bod yn cynnal astudiaeth ar wydnwch y rhwydwaith cefnffyrdd, a bydd hynny'n cynnwys materion fel gwrthdrawiadau ffyrdd a dibynadwyedd llwybrau mewn tywydd garw. Felly, bydd yn cwmpasu pob math o bethau. Bydd yn dechrau gyda'r M4 a'r A55, ond wedyn fe fydd yn archwilio cefnffyrdd eraill ledled Cymru.
7. Beth yw gwerthusiad diweddaraf Llywodraeth Cymru o effaith y polisi terfyn cyflymder diofyn o 20 mya? OQ63130
7. What is the Welsh Government's latest evaluation of the impact of the default 20 mph speed limit policy? OQ63130
The 20 mph default speed limit aims to save lives and make our communities safer. Early evidence shows collisions have indeed fallen. We’ve commissioned an independent evaluation to provide impartial, evidence-based findings on how the policy is delivered, its impact on road safety, the value of the particular policy and wider benefits.
Nod y terfyn cyflymder diofyn o 20 mya yw achub bywydau a gwneud ein cymunedau yn fwy diogel. Mae tystiolaeth gynnar yn dangos bod nifer y gwrthdrawiadau wedi gostwng. Rydym wedi comisiynu gwerthusiad annibynnol i ddarparu canfyddiadau diduedd sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth ar sut y mae'r polisi'n cael ei gyflawni, ei effaith ar ddiogelwch ar y ffyrdd, gwerth y polisi penodol a'i fanteision ehangach.
As you know, Cabinet Secretary, along with Dr Julian Smith, I held a road safety conference at the Senedd before the summer break. Tragically, Dr Smith's daughter was killed in a road traffic collision, and he's since created a charity to campaign for better road safety right across Wales and further afield. During that conference, we had very strong evidence as to the benefit of the default 20 mph speed limit, as you've already referred to this afternoon, in terms of the prevention of deaths, accidents and collisions.
I've also, when I've visited local primary schools, heard many families and children tell me that they now feel safer walking to school because of the default 20 mph policy, and, indeed, community life, I think, in general, is encouraged through those quieter and friendlier neighbourhoods. So, would you, in the light of the clear evidence of the benefits of the policy, Cabinet Secretary, reaffirm Welsh Government's commitment to this flagship policy and agree with me that the Welsh Tories' opposition to this policy is completely irresponsible, flying in the face of the clear evidence of lives saved, injuries prevented and collisions avoided?
Fel y gwyddoch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, cynhaliais gynhadledd diogelwch ar y ffyrdd yn y Senedd, gyda Dr Julian Smith, cyn gwyliau'r haf. Lladdwyd merch Dr Smith mewn gwrthdrawiad traffig, ac ers hynny mae wedi creu elusen i ymgyrchu dros well diogelwch ar y ffyrdd ledled Cymru a thu hwnt. Yn ystod y gynhadledd honno, cawsom dystiolaeth gref iawn o fudd y terfyn cyflymder diofyn o 20 mya, fel y nodoch chi eisoes y prynhawn yma, yn atal marwolaethau, damweiniau a gwrthdrawiadau.
Rwyf hefyd wedi clywed llawer o deuluoedd a phlant yn dweud wrthyf eu bod bellach yn teimlo'n fwy diogel wrth gerdded i'r ysgol oherwydd y polisi 20 mya diofyn, ac yn wir, rwy'n credu bod bywyd cymunedol yn gyffredinol yn cael ei annog drwy'r cymdogaethau tawelach a mwy cyfeillgar hynny. Felly, yng ngoleuni'r dystiolaeth glir o fanteision y polisi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi ailddatgan ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i'r polisi blaenllaw hwn a chytuno â mi fod gwrthwynebiad y Torïaid Cymreig i'r polisi hwn yn gwbl anghyfrifol, yn gwbl groes i'r dystiolaeth glir ei fod yn achub bywydau, yn atal anafiadau ac yn arwain at lai o wrthdrawiadau?
John Griffiths, I'm not sure the Tories always oppose the policy, though, because on occasions, they've voted for it. So, I'm still not clear, in my own mind, where they actually stand on this. We know where Reform stand, but, then, it's Ryder Cup week this week, and with Russia not competing, I assume that Reform will be backing the United States rather than Europe, such is their lack of care in our continent, our country and our communities.
I think what's important with the 20 mph policy is that it's not just about making people safer, it's also about ensuring that people feel safer in their community, and it has made a great difference, from my perspective, in the community in which I live. But an independent evaluation will be carried out. That independent evaluation has been commissioned. It will be evidence based. It will be entirely impartial. It'll cover policy delivery, impacts on road safety, value for money, economic impacts, wider benefits to health and communities. It will also have a steering board, which is independent, to ensure that the evaluation is interrogated fully and properly. I am giving consideration to the membership of that steering board. I would like, for completion, people or organisations that have previously been opposed to the 20 mph default to have a role on that steering board, because I think it's essential that it’s evidence based and that, ultimately, people have confidence in its findings. It’s going to be a very important piece of work and it will be an inclusive piece of work.
John Griffiths, nid wyf yn siŵr fod y Torïaid bob amser yn gwrthwynebu'r polisi, oherwydd ar adegau, maent wedi pleidleisio drosto. Felly, nid wyf yn glir o hyd ble maent yn sefyll ar hyn mewn gwirionedd. Fe wyddom ble mae Reform yn sefyll, ond mae'n wythnos Cwpan Ryder yr wythnos hon, a chan nad yw Rwsia'n cystadlu, rwy'n tybio y bydd Reform yn cefnogi'r Unol Daleithiau yn hytrach nag Ewrop, o gofio cyn lleied y maent yn malio am ein cyfandir, ein gwlad a'n cymunedau.
Rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig gyda'r polisi 20 mya yw ei fod yn ymwneud â mwy na gwneud pobl yn fwy diogel, mae hefyd yn ymwneud â sicrhau bod pobl yn teimlo'n fwy diogel yn eu cymuned, ac o'm rhan i, mae wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr yn y gymuned rwy'n byw ynddi. Ond bydd gwerthusiad annibynnol yn cael ei gynnal. Mae'r gwerthusiad annibynnol hwnnw wedi'i gomisiynu. Fe fydd yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth. Fe fydd yn gwbl ddiduedd. Fe fydd yn cwmpasu'r modd y cyflawnir y polisïau, yr effeithiau ar ddiogelwch ar y ffyrdd, gwerth am arian, effeithiau economaidd, manteision ehangach i iechyd a chymunedau. Bydd ganddo hefyd fwrdd llywio, sy'n annibynnol, i sicrhau bod y gwerthusiad yn cael ei gyflawni'n llawn ac yn briodol. Rwy'n rhoi ystyriaeth i aelodaeth y bwrdd llywio hwnnw. Hoffwn i bobl neu sefydliadau a fu'n gwrthwynebu'r terfyn 20 mya yn y gorffennol gael rôl ar y bwrdd llywio hwnnw, oherwydd rwy'n credu ei bod yn hanfodol ei fod yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth ac yn y pen draw, fod gan bobl hyder yn ei ganfyddiadau. Mae'n mynd i fod yn waith pwysig a chynhwysol iawn.
Cabinet Secretary, before I start with my question I'd just like to say and put on record—as you know, I was previously the shadow Cabinet Secretary for transport—I, alongside all of my Conservative colleagues, have never supported the default 20 mph speed limit that has been in place. Last week marked two years since the Welsh Government's controversial 20 mph speed limit policy was rolled out across Wales. Cabinet Secretary, I'm sure you will recall it was a move that was met with public uproar and sparked countless protests and a record-breaking Senedd petition gaining nearly 500,000 signatures to have it rescinded. Part of the outcry, in my opinion, is down to the fact it cost a staggering £33 million to implement at a time where our health service is on its knees and crying out for further investment, and, of course, the £9 billion dent it is poised to put in our economy here in Wales.
Over the summer I have been out talking to various residents on the doorsteps and running various surveys in my region, focusing on 20 mph, and the verdict is evidently clear. Despite the former transport Minister declaring people would ‘get used to it’, they haven't, and the levels of anger and frustration are still very much there. To be fair, Cabinet Secretary, the blame for this shocking policy is not going to be solely laid at your door. I am going to have to give credit to Plaid Cymru and Labour, who helped you bulldoze this through. Cabinet Secretary, while some local authorities are rowing back and distancing themselves from your Government's policy, it's still not, sadly, enough. So, will you do the right thing and fully rescind this damaging policy from places where it's not needed? Or is it the case that the only way to get rid of this 20 mph policy is to vote Welsh Conservative in May 2026?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, cyn imi ddechrau gyda fy nghwestiwn, hoffwn ddweud a chofnodi—fel y gwyddoch, roeddwn yn Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yr wrthblaid dros drafnidiaeth yn y gorffennol—nad wyf i na neb o fy holl gyd-Aelodau Ceidwadol, erioed wedi cefnogi'r terfyn cyflymder diofyn o 20 mya sydd wedi bod ar waith. Yr wythnos diwethaf roedd hi'n ddwy flynedd ers i bolisi terfyn cyflymder 20 mya dadleuol Llywodraeth Cymru gael ei gyflwyno ledled Cymru. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n cofio ei fod wedi wynebu gwrthwynebiad cyhoeddus ac wedi sbarduno protestiadau dirifedi a deiseb Senedd fwy na'r un erioed o'r blaen a ddenodd bron i 500,000 o lofnodion o blaid ei ddiddymu. Yn fy marn i, mae rhan o'r gwrthwynebiad yn deillio o'r ffaith ei fod wedi costio £33 miliwn i'w weithredu ar adeg pan fo ein gwasanaeth iechyd ar ei liniau ac yn crefu am fuddsoddiad pellach, ac wrth gwrs, y diffyg o £9 biliwn y mae'n mynd i'w greu i'n heconomi yma yng Nghymru.
Dros yr haf, bûm allan yn siarad â gwahanol drigolion ar garreg y drws ac yn cynnal arolygon amrywiol yn fy rhanbarth, gan ganolbwyntio ar 20 mya, ac mae'r dyfarniad yn amlwg. Er bod y cyn-Weinidog trafnidiaeth yn datgan y byddai pobl yn 'dod i arfer ag ef', nid ydynt wedi gwneud hynny, ac mae'r lefelau o ddicter a rhwystredigaeth yn dal i fod yno. I fod yn deg, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid chi'n unig sydd ar fai am y polisi gwarthus hwn. Rwy'n mynd i orfod rhoi clod i Blaid Cymru a Llafur, a'ch helpodd i wthio hyn drwodd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, tra bo rhai awdurdodau lleol yn camu'n ôl ac yn ymbellhau oddi wrth bolisi eich Llywodraeth, nid yw'n ddigon o hyd, yn anffodus. Felly, a wnewch chi wneud y peth iawn a diddymu'r polisi niweidiol hwn yn llawn o leoedd lle nad oes ei angen? Neu a yw'n wir mai'r unig ffordd i gael gwared ar y polisi 20 mya yw pleidleisio dros y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ym mis Mai 2026?
Can I thank Natasha Asghar for her question? I said that I assumed that Tories were supporting it at some points because of the photos that were so often placed online—
A gaf i ddiolch i Natasha Asghar am ei chwestiwn? Dywedais fy mod yn rhagdybio bod y Torïaid wedi ei gefnogi ar rai pwyntiau oherwydd y lluniau a oedd i'w gweld mor aml ar-lein—
I haven't. You'll never see a picture with me in it.
Nid fi. Ni welwch unrhyw lun gyda mi ynddo.
—expressing '20's plenty'. Well, as Ronald Reagan once said, if you've got to explain it, you've lost it.
I was recently in Bwlchgwyn in my community—last Friday, in fact—with police and with elected members, local councillors. We were there discussing the deaths of two motorcyclists in the community, in horrific accidents, and the leading police officer outlined how, as a result of 20 mph, his job in dealing with casualties, in dealing with deaths, has been lifted in terms of the trauma, somewhat. But of course there are still too many people dying on our roads, and a lot of work will be taking place in terms of technological advances that will drive up safety and will reduce casualties. But there is no doubt in my mind that the horror suffered by people when there is a loss is far worse than the frustrations that people go through in having to drive a little bit slower.
That said, of course—of course—there are instances where 20 mph is not appropriate, and I'd pay credit to Wrexham council, for example, where they're undergoing at this moment in time the process of sensible and safe changes. And I do think and I do hope that we are reaching a point where we have general consensus that 20 mph is in the right communities and is in the right areas. Where it's not, changes are being made, and we're seeing, for example, in those areas where there was a very low initial exemption rate, quite significant work being undertaken. But I think it's really important to take this out of the culture wars, to be honest, and to be able to have a debate on the evidence, and that's what we'll be able to do as a result of the impartial independent group that are going to be coming together to study and interrogate the evidence.
—yn mynegi '20's plenty'. Wel, fel y dywedodd Ronald Reagan unwaith, os oes rhaid i chi esbonio, rydych chi wedi colli.
Yn ddiweddar, roeddwn ym Mwlch-gwyn yn fy nghymuned—ddydd Gwener diwethaf, mewn gwirionedd—gyda'r heddlu ac aelodau etholedig, cynghorwyr lleol. Roeddem yno'n trafod marwolaeth dau feiciwr modur yn y gymuned, mewn damweiniau erchyll, ac amlinellodd prif swyddog yr heddlu sut y mae ei swydd yn ymdrin ag anafiadau, yn ymdrin â marwolaethau, wedi cael ei gwella rywfaint o ran y trawma o ganlyniad i 20 mya. Ond wrth gwrs mae'n dal i fod gormod o bobl yn marw ar ein ffyrdd, a bydd llawer o waith yn digwydd ar ddatblygiadau technolegol a fydd yn cynyddu diogelwch ac yn lleihau nifer y rhai a anafir. Ond nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth yn fy meddwl fod yr arswyd a ddioddefir gan bobl pan fydd colled yn digwydd yn llawer gwaeth na'r rhwystredigaeth i bobl wrth orfod gyrru ychydig bach yn arafach.
Wedi dweud hynny, wrth gwrs—wrth gwrs—mae yna achosion lle nad yw 20 mya yn briodol, ac rwy'n canmol cyngor Wrecsam, er enghraifft, lle maent yn mynd drwy broses o newidiadau synhwyrol a diogel ar hyn o bryd. Ac rwy'n credu ac yn gobeithio ein bod yn cyrraedd pwynt lle mae gennym gonsensws cyffredinol fod 20 mya yn y cymunedau cywir ac yn yr ardaloedd cywir. Lle nad yw, mae newidiadau'n cael eu gwneud, ac rydym yn gweld gwaith go sylweddol yn digwydd, er enghraifft mewn ardaloedd lle roedd y gyfradd eithrio gychwynnol yn isel iawn. Ond i fod yn onest, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn tynnu hyn allan o'r rhyfeloedd diwylliant, a gallu cael dadl ar y dystiolaeth, a dyna beth y gallwn ei wneud o ganlyniad i'r grŵp annibynnol diduedd a ddaw at ei gilydd i astudio a phrofi'r dystiolaeth.
Yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Delyth Jewell.
Finally, question 8, Delyth Jewell.
8. Sut y mae'r Llywodraeth yn cefnogi awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau na fydd gwasanaethau cludiant i ysgolion yn cael eu torri? OQ63106
8. How is the Government supporting local authorities to ensure that school transport services will not be cut? OQ63106
This financial year, local authorities will receive over £6 billion from the Welsh Government in revenue funding to spend on delivering key services, which includes school transport. Councils have statutory obligations to deliver school transport, and the discretion to offer improved provision if they wish. As I've said, this current year the cost of school transport to councils and the taxpayer is currently in excess of £204 million.
Y flwyddyn ariannol hon, bydd awdurdodau lleol yn derbyn dros £6 biliwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru mewn cyllid refeniw i'w wario ar ddarparu gwasanaethau allweddol, sy'n cynnwys cludiant i ysgolion. Mae gan gynghorau rwymedigaethau statudol i ddarparu cludiant i ysgolion, a'r disgresiwn i gynnig gwell darpariaeth os dymunant. Fel y dywedais, y flwyddyn hon mae cost cludiant i ysgolion i gynghorau a'r trethdalwr ar hyn o bryd yn fwy na £204 miliwn.
Thank you for that. Well, Cabinet Secretary, as we start the new school year, many students face uncertainty about their transport from home to school. Pupils who live in Merthyr Tydfil and study in Rhondda Cynon Taf have been affected by changes in home-to-school transport, and Caerphilly council only recently scrapped their proposed changes. Now, as you've said, Cabinet Secretary, there's a statutory duty that is placed on local authorities to provide that home-to-school transport free of charge to primary school children who live 2 miles or further in walking distance from their relevant school, and to secondary school children living 3 miles or further from their relevant school, but there is no duty to ensure that that walking distance is safe. Equally, the rules don't take into account the longer travelling distances some children would need to travel to the nearest Welsh-medium school, for example. So, Cabinet Secretary, is it your aim, please, to help ensure that existing school transport services will not be cut, and that all children should have a safe and affordable way of reaching their school? Now, I appreciate this has come up already this afternoon. This is a difficult issue, but any hope that you can give to any young people or their parents who are watching will be so welcome.
Diolch am hynny. Wel, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, wrth inni ddechrau'r flwyddyn ysgol newydd, mae llawer o fyfyrwyr yn wynebu ansicrwydd ynghylch eu cludiant o'r cartref i'r ysgol. Mae disgyblion sy'n byw ym Merthyr Tudful ac sy'n astudio yn Rhondda Cynon Taf wedi cael eu heffeithio gan newidiadau i drafnidiaeth o'r cartref i'r ysgol, a dim ond yn ddiweddar y cafodd cyngor Caerffili wared ar eu newidiadau arfaethedig. Nawr, fel y dywedoch chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae dyletswydd statudol ar awdurdodau lleol i ddarparu cludiant o'r cartref i'r ysgol am ddim i blant ysgol gynradd sy'n byw 2 filltir neu ymhellach mewn pellter cerdded o'u hysgol berthnasol, ac i blant ysgol uwchradd sy'n byw 3 milltir neu ymhellach o'u hysgol berthnasol, ond nid oes unrhyw ddyletswydd i sicrhau bod y pellter cerdded hwnnw'n ddiogel. Yn yr un modd, nid yw'r rheolau'n ystyried y pellteroedd teithio hirach y byddai angen i rai plant eu teithio i'r ysgol cyfrwng Cymraeg agosaf, er enghraifft. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ai eich nod chi yw helpu i sicrhau na fydd gwasanaethau cludiant i ysgolion presennol yn cael eu torri, ac y dylai pob plentyn gael ffordd ddiogel a fforddiadwy o gyrraedd eu hysgol? Nawr, rwy'n derbyn bod hyn eisoes wedi codi y prynhawn yma. Mae hwn yn fater anodd, ond bydd croeso i unrhyw obaith y gallwch ei roi i unrhyw bobl ifanc neu eu rhieni sy'n gwylio.
Can I thank the Member for her question and for her keen interest in this particular subject matter? Active travel integrated maps play part of a role in ensuring that there is safe movement between the home and school. Also, safer routes to schools themselves play an enormous role in making sure that young people can access education safely. As I've said on a number of occasions this afternoon, there is no one simple single solution to the challenge of school transport with escalating costs. Moving the distance threshold just moves the problem, it doesn't solve it. If we were to significantly reduce the threshold, if the money was available to put on more services for more young people, then you'd still need to find the additional drivers, the additional buses, the additional bus bays. So, actually, it's through interventions like bus reform that we're going to be able to solve this particular problem, but there will be another summit. There will be an additional opportunity for Members to come and attend to discuss and debate what possible solutions not just this Government, but future Governments could bring forward. And I'll ensure that opposition Members are invited, as they were last time around.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei chwestiwn ac am ei diddordeb brwd yn y pwnc penodol hwn? Mae mapiau integredig teithio llesol yn chwarae rhan o rôl i sicrhau bod symud diogel rhwng y cartref a'r ysgol. Hefyd, mae llwybrau mwy diogel i ysgolion eu hunain yn chwarae rhan enfawr yn sicrhau bod pobl ifanc yn gallu cael mynediad at addysg yn ddiogel. Fel y dywedais ar sawl achlysur y prynhawn yma, nid oes un ateb syml i her trafnidiaeth ysgol gyda chostau cynyddol. Mae symud y trothwy pellter yn symud y broblem, nid yw'n ei datrys. Pe baem yn lleihau'r trothwy yn sylweddol, pe bai'r arian ar gael i roi mwy o wasanaethau i fwy o bobl ifanc, byddai angen i chi ddod o hyd i yrwyr ychwanegol, bysiau ychwanegol, cilfannau bysiau ychwanegol. Felly, trwy ymyriadau fel diwygio bysiau y mae datrys y broblem benodol hon mewn gwirionedd, ond fe fydd yna uwchgynhadledd arall. Bydd cyfle ychwanegol i Aelodau fynychu i drafod a dadlau pa atebion posib y gallai nid yn unig y Llywodraeth hon, ond Llywodraethau'r dyfodol eu cyflwyno. Ac fe fyddaf yn sicrhau bod Aelodau'r wrthblaid yn cael eu gwahodd, fel y tro diwethaf.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.
Y cwestiynau nesaf fydd y rhai i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Peredur Owen Griffiths.
The next set of questions will be those to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, and the first question is from Peredur Owen Griffiths.
1. Sut y mae'r Llywodraeth yn hyrwyddo cydlyniant cymunedol yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ63133
1. How is the Government promoting community cohesion in South Wales East? OQ63133
Diolch yn fawr, Peredur Owen Griffiths. Our community cohesion programme funds the Gwent east and Gwent west regional teams to build and leverage effective partnerships that promote cohesion and mitigate tensions in South Wales East. I've recently extended funding for the programme to continue our long-term approach to supporting more cohesive communities.
Diolch yn fawr, Peredur Owen Griffiths. Mae ein rhaglen cydlyniant cymunedol yn ariannu timau rhanbarthol dwyrain Gwent a gorllewin Gwent i adeiladu a denu partneriaethau effeithiol sy'n hyrwyddo cydlyniant ac yn lliniaru tensiynau yn Nwyrain De Cymru. Yn ddiweddar, fe wneuthum ymestyn y cyllid er mwyn i'r rhaglen allu parhau ein dull hirdymor o weithredu er mwyn cefnogi cymunedau mwy cydlynus.
Diolch yn fawr am yr ateb yna.
Thank you for that response.
Minister, we were both in attendance at an amazing event last week that was hosted by the Welsh Ukrainians that have come to our country to flee conflict in their homeland. Held at the Caerphilly County Borough Council headquarters to mark the opening of an art exhibition, the event also served as a 'thank you' to the people of Wales for opening their arms and their hearts to people in dire need of compassion and help. As was said during the event by one of our Welsh Ukrainians, offering sanctuary is not a weakness, it's one of Wales's greatest strengths.
When certain politicians attack the nation of sanctuary, they are attacking the support given to Ukrainian refugees, because this is where the vast majority of the cash has gone—around 83 per cent, in fact. Having spoken to many Ukrainians at the event we attended, I know that they are upset and disappointed by the comments that are made by some in this Parliament. Will you join me in acknowledging the ways in which our culture and communities have been enriched by Ukrainian people and other refugees who have made Wales their home? Will you also condemn the toxic spread of untruths told by certain politicians to further their own careers?
Weinidog, roeddem ein dau'n bresennol mewn digwyddiad anhygoel yr wythnos diwethaf a gynhaliwyd gan yr Wcreiniaid Cymreig sydd wedi dod i'n gwlad i ffoi rhag gwrthdaro yn eu mamwlad. Cynhaliwyd y digwyddiad ym mhencadlys Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili i nodi agoriad arddangosfa gelf, ac roedd hefyd yn ffordd o ddiolch i bobl Cymru am agor eu breichiau a'u calonnau i bobl sydd angen tosturi a chymorth. Fel y dywedodd un o'r Wcreiniaid Cymreig yn ystod y digwyddiad, nid gwendid yw cynnig noddfa, mae'n un o gryfderau mwyaf Cymru.
Pan fydd rhai gwleidyddion yn ymosod ar y genedl noddfa, maent yn ymosod ar y gefnogaeth a roddir i ffoaduriaid Wcráin, oherwydd dyma lle mae'r mwyafrif helaeth o'r arian wedi mynd—tua 83 y cant, mewn gwirionedd. Ar ôl siarad â llawer o Wcreiniaid yn y digwyddiad a fynychwyd gennym, rwy'n gwybod eu bod yn flin ac yn siomedig ynghylch y sylwadau a wneir gan rai yn y Senedd hon. A wnewch chi ymuno â mi i gydnabod y ffyrdd y mae ein diwylliant a'n cymunedau wedi cael eu cyfoethogi gan bobl Wcráin a ffoaduriaid eraill sydd wedi gwneud Cymru yn gartref iddynt? A wnewch chi hefyd gondemnio lledaeniad gwenwynig yr anwireddau a ddywedir gan rai gwleidyddion i hyrwyddo eu gyrfaoedd eu hunain?
Thank you very much indeed for that follow-up question, and I was indeed very pleased to join with you and colleagues from this Chamber at the Ukrainian community in Caerphilly—that's what they called it, the Ukrainian community in Caerphilly—and we could say that in every constituency across Wales; we have a Ukrainian community in all our communities. And, indeed, they addressed this as a Ukrainian community gratitude celebration, a gratitude to the people of Wales for—. And indeed, we had a wonderful exhibition, singing and gathering together, and it was something that really acknowledged the importance and the value of our nation of sanctuary.
Now, just to say that Welsh Government has, of course, a vision of Wales as a nation of sanctuary. We seek to ensure that all who come to Wales can fully contribute to Welsh community life, and we're committed to this vision, committed to harnessing the opportunities that migration brings to help our economy and communities to thrive. And just very briefly to say and remind the Senedd that Wales has welcomed around 8,000 Ukrainians to our country since the full-scale invasion in February 2022. This includes over 3,300 under our supersponsor route, and over 4,600 to Homes for Ukraine household sponsors. So, across our community, across Wales, we are supporting, and we have—and our households, our people, have—been welcoming and supporting Ukrainians. So, I very much regret those statements that have been made, indeed, over just the past two days, the fact that one significant party in this Chamber—two parties in this Chamber—have said that they do not support the nation of sanctuary, a nation of sanctuary, which—. As you say, over six years, 83 per cent of the funding that has gone to the nation of sanctuary has been to welcome Ukrainians and, indeed, to ensure that we have that wonderful cohesion that we see and the gratitude that we saw when we met Ukrainians in Caerphilly last week.
Diolch am y cwestiwn atodol, ac roeddwn yn falch iawn o ymuno â chi a chyd-Aelodau o'r Siambr hon yn y gymuned Wcreinaidd yng Nghaerffili—dyna beth roeddent yn ei galw, y gymuned Wcreinaidd yng Nghaerffili—a gallem ddweud hynny ym mhob etholaeth ledled Cymru; mae gennym gymuned Wcreinaidd yn ein holl gymunedau. Ac yn wir, fe wnaethant fynd i'r afael â hyn fel dathliad o ddiolchgarwch cymunedol Wcreinaidd, diolchgarwch i bobl Cymru am—. Ac yn wir, cawsom arddangosfa wych, canu a dod ynghyd, ac roedd yn rhywbeth a oedd yn sicr yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd a gwerth ein cenedl noddfa.
Nawr, mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru weledigaeth ar gyfer Cymru fel cenedl noddfa. Rydym yn ceisio sicrhau bod pawb sy'n dod i Gymru yn gallu cyfrannu'n llawn at fywyd cymunedol Cymru, ac rydym wedi ymrwymo i'r weledigaeth hon, wedi ymrwymo i harneisio'r cyfleoedd y mae mudo yn eu cynnig i helpu ein heconomi a'n cymunedau i ffynnu. Ac os caf atgoffa'r Senedd fod Cymru wedi croesawu tua 8,000 o Wcreiniaid i'n gwlad ers y goresgyniad llawn ym mis Chwefror 2022. Mae hyn yn cynnwys dros 3,300 o dan ein llwybr uwch-noddwyr, a dros 4,600 i noddwyr aelwydydd Cartrefi i Wcráin. Felly, ar draws ein cymuned, ledled Cymru, rydym yn cefnogi, ac rydym wedi bod—mae ein haelwydydd, ein pobl, wedi bod—yn croesawu ac yn cefnogi Wcreiniaid. Felly, rwy'n gresynu'n fawr iawn at y datganiadau a wnaed, dros y ddau ddiwrnod diwethaf yn wir, y ffaith bod un blaid amlwg yn y Siambr hon—dwy blaid yn y Siambr hon—wedi dweud nad ydynt yn cefnogi'r genedl noddfa, cenedl noddfa, sydd—. Fel y dywedwch, dros chwe blynedd, mae 83 y cant o'r cyllid sydd wedi mynd i'r genedl noddfa wedi bod yno i groesawu Wcreiniaid ac i sicrhau bod gennym y cydlyniant gwych a welwn a'r diolchgarwch a welsom pan wnaethom gyfarfod ag Wcreiniaid yng Nghaerffili yr wythnos diwethaf.
Cabinet Secretary, whilst I can genuinely see the intention behind it, and I appreciate it's received a lot of media coverage over the past 24 hours, we cannot deny that the Welsh Government's nation of sanctuary initiative has proved very divisive, and some would argue that it's doing very little for community cohesion. [Interruption.] Hold on.
The nation of sanctuary plan says the Welsh Government will make sure refugees can find new, good quality accommodation; support refugees in accessing employment or setting up their own business; help those seeking sanctuary to avoid poverty; help them have a healthy start in life; reduce mental health conditions experienced by sanctuary seekers; provide a good education; and provide equal access to the internet.
Some of the things I've just listed are many of the things people across Wales dream of. So, Cabinet Secretary, can you see why this plan has actually helped stoke community division? Whilst I, alongside my colleagues, definitely will have no objection to providing support for Ukrainian refugees, do you accept that it's acting as a pull factor for those who are not genuine refugees? Thank you.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, er fy mod yn gallu gweld y bwriad y tu ôl iddi, ac rwy'n derbyn ei bod wedi cael llawer o sylw yn y cyfryngau dros y 24 awr ddiwethaf, ni allwn wadu bod menter cenedl noddfa Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn gynhennus iawn, a byddai rhai'n dadlau nad yw'n gwneud fawr iawn i gydlyniant cymunedol. [Torri ar draws.] Arhoswch funud.
Mae'r cynllun cenedl noddfa yn dweud y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod ffoaduriaid yn gallu dod o hyd i lety newydd o ansawdd da; cefnogi ffoaduriaid i gael mynediad at gyflogaeth neu sefydlu eu busnes eu hunain; helpu'r rhai sy'n chwilio am noddfa i osgoi tlodi; eu helpu i gael dechrau iach mewn bywyd; lleihau cyflyrau iechyd meddwl a brofir gan geiswyr noddfa; darparu addysg dda; a darparu mynediad cyfartal at y rhyngrwyd.
Mae rhai o'r pethau rwyf newydd eu rhestru yn llawer o'r pethau y mae pobl ledled Cymru yn breuddwydio amdanynt. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a allwch chi weld pam y mae'r cynllun hwn wedi helpu i sbarduno rhaniadau cymunedol? Er na fydd gennyf i, na fy nghyd-Aelodau, unrhyw wrthwynebiad i ddarparu cymorth i ffoaduriaid Wcráin, a ydych chi'n derbyn ei fod yn gweithredu fel ffactor tynnu i'r rheini nad ydynt yn ffoaduriaid go iawn? Diolch.
Well, I reject all those points. I welcome the fact that you actually have welcomed Ukrainian refugees. [Interruption.] Yes, well why don't you welcome the nation of sanctuary? Eight-two per cent of the people who've come to Wales have come under the Ukrainian welcome scheme. Can I just say, in terms of the work that we've done with our Ukrainians, that our Ukrainians now are contributing to our economy, they're working, they're in our schools, they're bringing all their skills? Indeed, that has been the history of Wales as a welcoming country, and a country that takes pride in fairness and compassion. Is that shared on that side of this Chamber?
Our vision of Wales is a nation of sanctuary, and, can I just say, simply about supporting those who arrive to rebuild their lives and contribute fully to Welsh life? We're not responsible for decisions about how many people come to Wales, but we aim to harness the skills when people do come, to support our communities and the economy. We aim to support a proportional share of the sanctuary seekers to the UK, around 5 per cent. That is a proportional share. Your previous Government—we've always accepted together, inter-governmentally, that that is a proportional share. So, our policy is not about how many people come to Wales—decisions that are made by the UK Government—the nation of sanctuary is about giving anyone who arrives the best chance of integrating successfully and benefiting host communities.
In your region, Wales has such a long history of this sort of thing. In 1937, 56 young Basque children arrived in Newport, fleeing Franco's Spain, and the local community soon realised that the children would need entertainment, so the Basque Boys Association Football Club was formed, and that's been immortalised by Newport County. This is a nation of sanctuary story. On the role football can play, Llantwit Major football club in my own constituency stood up for Ukrainians in 2023 and brought communities together. Working together, led by the football club, the local community showed the true spirit of the town.
And, you know, it is the disinformation and misinformation that is stirring up the division. Of course, that is something where we have to learn lessons. We have a 'keeping safe online' area on Hwb to provide resources for young people to understand online hate. We've developed a fact-check blog, 'For the record'. Please read that, and you will see the truth, not the misinformation or the disinformation, about our nation of sanctuary.
Wel, rwy'n gwrthod yr holl bwyntiau hynny. Rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith eich bod wedi croesawu ffoaduriaid Wcráin. [Torri ar draws.] Ie, wel pam nad ydych yn croesawu'r genedl noddfa? Mae 82 y cant o'r bobl sydd wedi dod i Gymru wedi dod o dan gynllun croeso Wcráin. Ar y gwaith a wnaethom gyda'r Wcreiniaid, mae ein Wcreiniaid nawr yn cyfrannu at ein heconomi, maent yn gweithio, maent yn ein hysgolion, maent yn dod â'u holl sgiliau? Yn wir, dyna yw hanes Cymru wedi bod fel gwlad groesawgar, a gwlad sy'n ymfalchïo mewn tegwch a thosturi. A yw hynny'n cael ei rannu ar yr ochr honno i'r Siambr?
Ein gweledigaeth i Gymru yw cenedl noddfa, ac mae'n ymwneud yn syml â chefnogi'r rhai sy'n cyrraedd i ailadeiladu eu bywydau a chyfrannu'n llawn at fywyd Cymru? Nid ydym yn gyfrifol am benderfyniadau ynghylch faint o bobl sy'n dod i Gymru, ond ein nod yw harneisio'r sgiliau pan fydd pobl yn dod, i gefnogi ein cymunedau a'r economi. Ein nod yw cefnogi cyfran gymesur o'r ceiswyr noddfa i'r DU, tua 5 y cant. Mae hynny'n gyfran gymesur. Eich Llywodraeth flaenorol—rydym bob amser wedi derbyn gyda'n gilydd, yn rhynglywodraethol, fod honno'n gyfran gymesur. Felly, nid yw ein polisi yn ymwneud â faint o bobl sy'n dod i Gymru—penderfyniadau sy'n cael eu gwneud gan Lywodraeth y DU—mae'r genedl noddfa'n ymwneud â rhoi'r cyfle gorau i unrhyw un sy'n cyrraedd integreiddio'n llwyddiannus a bod o fudd i'r cymunedau sy'n eu croesawu.
Yn eich rhanbarth chi, mae gan Gymru hanes mor hir o'r math hwn o beth. Ym 1937, cyrhaeddodd 56 o blant ifanc o Wlad y Basg Gasnewydd, gan ffoi o Sbaen o dan gyfundrefn Franco, a sylweddolodd y gymuned leol yn fuan y byddai angen adloniant ar y plant, felly ffurfiwyd Clwb Pêl-droed Bechgyn y Basg, ac mae hynny wedi'i anfarwoli gan Glwb Pêl-droed Casnewydd. Stori cenedl noddfa yw hon. Ar y rôl y gall pêl-droed ei chwarae, fe wnaeth clwb pêl-droed Llanilltud Fawr yn fy etholaeth i sefyll i fyny dros Wcreiniaid yn 2023 a dod â chymunedau at ei gilydd. Gan weithio gyda'i gilydd, dan arweiniad y clwb pêl-droed, dangosodd y gymuned leol wir ysbryd y dref.
A'r dwyllwybodaeth a'r gamwybodaeth sy'n ysgogi'r rhaniadau. Wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n rhywbeth lle mae'n rhaid inni ddysgu gwersi. Mae gennym ardal 'cadw'n ddiogel ar-lein' ar Hwb i ddarparu adnoddau i bobl ifanc ddeall casineb ar-lein. Rydym wedi datblygu blog gwirio ffeithiau, 'Cofnod Cywir'. Darllenwch hwnnw, ac fe welwch y gwir, nid y gamwybodaeth neu'r dwyllwybodaeth, am ein cenedl noddfa.
2. Pa ofynion y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu gosod ar awdurdodau lleol ynghylch darparu a chydgysylltu safleoedd ar gyfer Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr? OQ63104
2. What requirements does the Welsh Government place on local authorities regarding the provision and coordination of sites for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers? OQ63104
Thank you, Russell George. The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 places a statutory duty on local authorities to assess and meet the accommodation needs of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers residing in or passing through the area.
Diolch, Russell George. Mae Deddf Tai (Cymru) 2014 yn gosod dyletswydd statudol ar awdurdodau lleol i asesu a diwallu anghenion llety Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr sy'n byw yn yr ardal neu'n pasio drwy'r ardal.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your answer. There are several authorised Gypsy and Traveller sites in Powys. I notice that there are other counties across Wales that currently have no authorised sites at all. Powys County Council is currently considering proposals for an additional site in north Powys, in and around the Welshpool area. There are several sites being looked at. Now, Powys has indicated that they are following statutory obligations. They're saying that there's no other choice but to identify these sites in this particular area. Local communities are concerned, and have expressed concern around the suggested sites, in terms of their suitability and appropriateness as well. Now, the Welsh Government is unique, as I understand it, in imposing statutory obligations on local authorities, unlike the more flexible approaches in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. So, can I ask, Cabinet Secretary: would you agree with me that a more flexible approach would be better in Wales, so that local authorities have a greater ability to take into account local concerns and situations, and, indeed, decide themselves whether a site should be built or not, or do you believe that local authorities already have that ability?
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Mae sawl safle awdurdodedig i Sipsiwn a Theithwyr ym Mhowys. Rwy'n sylwi bod yna siroedd eraill ledled Cymru sydd ar hyn o bryd heb safleoedd awdurdodedig o gwbl. Ar hyn o bryd mae Cyngor Sir Powys yn ystyried cynigion ar gyfer safle ychwanegol yng ngogledd Powys, yn ardal y Trallwng a'r cyffiniau. Mae sawl safle dan ystyriaeth. Nawr, mae Powys wedi nodi eu bod yn dilyn rhwymedigaethau statudol. Maent yn dweud nad oes dewis arall ond nodi'r safleoedd hyn yn yr ardal benodol hon. Mae cymunedau lleol yn pryderu, ac wedi mynegi pryder ynghylch y safleoedd a awgrymir, o ran eu haddasrwydd a'u priodoldeb hefyd. Nawr, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn unigryw, fel rwy'n ei ddeall, yn gosod rhwymedigaethau statudol ar awdurdodau lleol, yn wahanol i'r dulliau mwy hyblyg yn Lloegr, yr Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon. Felly, a gaf i ofyn, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet: a fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi y byddai dull mwy hyblyg yn well yng Nghymru, fel bod gan awdurdodau lleol fwy o allu i ystyried pryderon a sefyllfaoedd lleol, ac yn wir, i benderfynu drostynt eu hunain a ddylid adeiladu safle ai peidio, neu a ydych chi'n credu bod gan awdurdodau lleol y gallu hwnnw eisoes?
Well, of course, as I said, we have a duty, with the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, which this Senedd supported, which places a statutory duty on local authorities to assess and meet those accommodation needs. In fact, all Welsh local authorities, including Powys County Council, have produced their Gypsy, Traveller accommodation assessments. They've been approved by the Welsh Government, and we've notified Powys. Obviously, what's very important is that the assessment is undertaken with those who need that accommodation—our Gypsy, Roma, Traveller people—and that there is full engagement with those who need that accommodation, but also with elected members, to ensure that they can move forward positively, as we've seen, in many instances, in Powys and other parts of Wales.
So, I am aware Powys is preparing a replacement local development plan, which will guide—. It's about guiding planning decisions and growth in Powys. I do welcome the fact that Powys does plan to build a new Gypsy and Traveller site, and I welcome the fact that Powys also attended a Gypsy, Roma and Traveller stakeholder meeting, which took place in mid Wales in February. So, it's really important that voices from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities from mid Wales share their lived experiences and their needs, and I'd like to thank them for their valuable contributions, and just say as well that, of course, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people have experienced and still do experience racism and discrimination and prejudice. That's why we need a statutory duty, which we have in our legislation here in Wales, to meet their accommodation needs.
Wel, wrth gwrs, fel y dywedais, mae gennym ddyletswydd, gyda Deddf Tai (Cymru) 2014, a gefnogodd y Senedd hon, sy'n gosod dyletswydd statudol ar awdurdodau lleol i asesu a diwallu'r anghenion llety hynny. Mewn gwirionedd, mae holl awdurdodau lleol Cymru, gan gynnwys Cyngor Sir Powys, wedi cynhyrchu eu hasesiadau llety Sipsiwn, Teithwyr. Maent wedi cael eu cymeradwyo gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ac rydym wedi hysbysu Powys. Yn amlwg, yr hyn sy'n bwysig iawn yw bod yr asesiad yn cael ei gynnal gyda'r rhai sydd angen y llety hwnnw—ein pobl Sipsiwn, Roma, Teithwyr—a bod ymgysylltiad llawn â'r rhai sydd angen y llety hwnnw, ond hefyd gydag aelodau etholedig, er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn gallu symud ymlaen yn gadarnhaol, fel y gwelsom mewn llawer o achosion, ym Mhowys a rhannau eraill o Gymru.
Felly, rwy'n ymwybodol fod Powys yn paratoi cynllun datblygu lleol newydd, a fydd yn llywio—. Mae'n ymwneud â llywio penderfyniadau cynllunio a thwf ym Mhowys. Rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith bod Powys yn bwriadu adeiladu safle newydd i Sipsiwn a Theithwyr, ac rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith bod Powys hefyd wedi mynychu cyfarfod rhanddeiliaid Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr, a gynhaliwyd yng nghanolbarth Cymru ym mis Chwefror. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn fod lleisiau o gymunedau Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr o ganolbarth Cymru yn rhannu eu profiadau bywyd a'u hanghenion, a hoffwn ddiolch iddynt am eu cyfraniadau gwerthfawr, a dweud hefyd, wrth gwrs, fod Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr wedi profi ac yn dal i brofi hiliaeth a gwahaniaethu a rhagfarn. Dyna pam y mae angen dyletswydd statudol, fel sydd gennym yn ein deddfwriaeth yma yng Nghymru, i ddiwallu eu hanghenion llety.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Altaf Hussain.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. Conservatives spokesperson, Altaf Hussain.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary, Age Cymru have just released their latest research report on what matters to older people in Wales. Their findings are quite shocking. Whilst the majority of over-50s' main concerns are around health and access to healthcare, other issues fall solely within your portfolio. The cost of living is the next biggest concern facing older people. Forty-six per cent found the cost of living a challenge during the past 12 months, with many choosing to use less energy, and over a third opting to spend less on food. Cabinet Secretary, what is the Welsh Government doing to tackle poverty in Wales's older population?
Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae Age Cymru newydd ryddhau eu hadroddiad ymchwil diweddaraf ar yr hyn sy'n bwysig i bobl hŷn yng Nghymru. Mae eu canfyddiadau'n eithaf syfrdanol. Er bod y mwyafrif o brif bryderon pobl dros 50 oed yn ymwneud ag iechyd a mynediad at ofal iechyd, mae materion eraill yn perthyn i'ch portffolio chi'n unig. Costau byw yw'r pryder mwyaf nesaf sy'n wynebu pobl hŷn. Roedd 46 y cant yn teimlo bod costau byw yn her yn ystod y 12 mis diwethaf, gyda llawer yn dewis defnyddio llai o ynni, a dros draean yn dewis gwario llai ar fwyd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â thlodi ymhlith poblogaeth hŷn Cymru?
Thank you very much for that question. Clearly, this is—. And, indeed, our older people's strategy and the support that we have given to our older people's commissioner, to the over-50s forums in all our local authorities, are crucial for us to learn how we can meet the needs of older people in Wales. And this is something where—. Only today, in the cross-party group on fuel poverty, we were talking about how we can make sure that everyone, and older people particularly, can take up all the entitlements that they have, how they can also have access, for example, to our discretionary assistance fund for household expenses and unexpected financial crisis, and also to recognise that, in the winter months, which of course we face, that can also be important in terms of access to funding for off-grid oil and gas applications.
But I am pleased also to note that, as a result of decisions by the UK Government, which I do approve and support, there will be many more people who will be able to secure not only the winter fuel payment—and I think that that is a very important step forward—but also the warm home discount, and indeed benefit from the funding that we're putting into warm hubs.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Yn amlwg, mae hyn yn —. Ac yn wir, mae ein strategaeth pobl hŷn a'r cymorth yr ydym wedi'i roi i'n comisiynydd pobl hŷn, i'r fforymau dros 50 yn ein holl awdurdodau lleol, yn hanfodol i ni allu dysgu sut y gallwn ddiwallu anghenion pobl hŷn yng Nghymru. Ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth lle—. Heddiw ddiwethaf, yn y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar dlodi tanwydd, roeddem yn siarad ynglŷn â sut y gallwn wneud yn siŵr fod pawb, a phobl hŷn yn arbennig, yn gallu manteisio ar yr holl hawliau sydd ganddynt, sut y gallant hefyd gael mynediad, er enghraifft, at ein cronfa cymorth dewisol ar gyfer treuliau aelwydydd ac argyfyngau ariannol annisgwyl, a chydnabod hefyd, yn ystod misoedd y gaeaf, sy'n ein hwynebu wrth gwrs, y gall hynny fod yn bwysig o ran mynediad at gyllid ar gyfer ceisiadau olew a nwy oddi ar y grid.
Ond rwy'n falch hefyd o nodi, o ganlyniad i benderfyniadau gan Lywodraeth y DU, penderfyniadau a gymeradwyaf ac a gefnogaf, y bydd llawer mwy o bobl yn gallu sicrhau taliad tanwydd y gaeaf—ac rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n gam pwysig iawn ymlaen—a gostyngiad cartrefi clyd hefyd, ac elwa o'r cyllid a roddwn tuag at ganolfannau clyd.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Sadly, Rachel Reeves will be in the driving seat when it comes to tackling pensioners' poverty and she has already made it clear that older people will bear the brunt of welfare cuts. One in four older people in Wales receive state benefits in addition to their state pension. Age Cymru found that older people in receipt of state benefits were more likely to report other challenges than those not receiving benefits, including their physical health, the cost of living, mental and emotional health and problems with loneliness and isolation. And older people are still upset about the decision to means test their winter fuel payment, even after the partial climbdown forced on the Treasury by opposition from their own benches. Cabinet Secretary, what discussions have you had with your Westminster colleagues regarding the impact that decisions are having on older people across Wales, and will you urge the Treasury to tackle poverty among older people in its autumn budget?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Yn anffodus, bydd Rachel Reeves yn sedd y gyrrwr o ran mynd i'r afael â thlodi pensiynwyr ac mae eisoes wedi dweud yn glir y bydd pobl hŷn yn ysgwyddo pwysau toriadau lles. Mae un o bob pedwar o bobl hŷn yng Nghymru yn derbyn budd-daliadau'r wladwriaeth yn ychwanegol at bensiwn y wladwriaeth. Canfu Age Cymru fod pobl hŷn sy'n derbyn budd-daliadau'r wladwriaeth yn fwy tebygol o adrodd am heriau eraill na'r rhai nad ydynt yn derbyn budd-daliadau, gan gynnwys eu hiechyd corfforol, costau byw, iechyd meddwl ac emosiynol a phroblemau gydag unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd. Ac mae pobl hŷn yn dal i boeni am y penderfyniad i ofyn am brawf modd ar gyfer eu taliad tanwydd y gaeaf, hyd yn oed ar ôl y tro pedol rhannol a orfodwyd ar y Trysorlys gan wrthwynebiad oddi ar eu meinciau eu hunain. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi gyda'ch cymheiriaid yn San Steffan ynglŷn â'r effaith y mae penderfyniadau'n ei chael ar bobl hŷn ledled Cymru, ac a fyddwch yn annog y Trysorlys i fynd i'r afael â thlodi ymhlith pobl hŷn yng nghyllideb yr hydref?
Thank you for that question, Altaf, and, of course, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, as I already referred to, announced that pensioners in England and Wales with an annual income of £35,000 or below will now be eligible for the winter fuel payment. And that means that over three quarters of pensioners in England and Wales will receive the payment this year; 110,000 households in Wales will receive the £150 electricity bill rebate for the first time. Those are clearly in relation to means-tested benefits in terms of the warm home discount. Those are UK Government decisions. And I have mentioned the warm hubs initiative, which is a Welsh Government initiative, and we've invested £4 million in the warm hubs initiative since 2022. And these are important places, open in the community, where people can access services, advice, participate in social activities or simply get a warm cup of tea and company.
I recently visited a very imaginative digital inclusion scheme in social housing in Monmouthshire, where I could see not only a warm hub, but also engagement and training and learning for older people in terms of digital inclusion, which is crucial, of course, for accessing services now, in terms of this digital age, for older people.
Diolch am y cwestiwn hwnnw, Altaf, ac wrth gwrs, cyhoeddodd Canghellor y Trysorlys, fel y nodais eisoes, y bydd pensiynwyr yng Nghymru a Lloegr gydag incwm blynyddol o £35,000 neu lai bellach yn gymwys i gael taliad tanwydd y gaeaf. Ac mae hynny'n golygu y bydd dros dri chwarter y pensiynwyr yng Nghymru a Lloegr yn derbyn y taliad eleni; bydd 110,000 o aelwydydd yng Nghymru yn derbyn yr ad-daliad bil trydan o £150 am y tro cyntaf. Yn amlwg, mae'r rheini mewn perthynas â budd-daliadau prawf modd o ran y gostyngiad cartrefi clyd. Penderfyniadau Llywodraeth y DU yw'r rheini. Ac rwyf wedi sôn am y fenter canolfannau clyd, sy'n fenter Llywodraeth Cymru, ac rydym wedi buddsoddi £4 miliwn yn y fenter canolfannau clyd ers 2022. Ac mae'r rhain yn lleoedd pwysig, ar agor yn y gymuned, lle gall pobl gael mynediad at wasanaethau, cyngor, cymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau cymdeithasol neu ddim ond cael paned gynnes a chwmni.
Yn ddiweddar, ymwelais â chynllun cynhwysiant digidol dychmygus iawn mewn tai cymdeithasol yn sir Fynwy, lle gallwn weld nid yn unig canolfan glyd, ond ymgysylltiad a hyfforddiant a dysgu hefyd i bobl hŷn o ran cynhwysiant digidol, sy'n hanfodol ar gyfer cael mynediad at wasanaethau i bobl hŷn yn yr oes ddigidol hon.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. And coming to digital inclusion, of course, Cabinet Secretary, unless the UK Government gets a grip on inflation, which, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, is the worst in the G7, all of us will be poorer. Older people have told Age Cymru that access to cash and face-to-face banking remains a huge challenge. Digital literacy and exclusion remains a barrier to banking for older people. One respondent to the Age Cymru survey said,
'Going to the local bank and everyone tells me to go online. No idea how!'
And even if we could wave a magic wand to instantly give internet access, devices and the skills to use them to older people, online banking is not always suitable. 'What matters to you?' researchers spoke to one individual who said,
'My eyes are not good, so I don’t like online banking. My hearing isn’t good, so I don’t hear everything on the telephone. I need face-to-face communications for everything.'
This is not an isolated experience, Cabinet Secretary. How will the Welsh Government ensure that older people have access to face-to-face banking and cash across Wales?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ac i ddod at gynhwysiant digidol, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, oni bai bod Llywodraeth y DU yn mynd i'r afael â chwyddiant, sydd, yn ôl y Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd, yn waeth nag unman arall yn y G7, bydd pob un ohonom yn dlotach. Mae pobl hŷn wedi dweud wrth Age Cymru fod mynediad at arian parod a bancio wyneb yn wyneb yn parhau i fod yn her enfawr. Mae llythrennedd digidol ac allgáu digidol yn parhau i fod yn rhwystr i fancio i bobl hŷn. Dywedodd un ymatebydd i arolwg Age Cymru,
'Mynd i’r banc lleol a phawb yn dweud wrthyf am fynd ar-lein. Dim syniad sut!'
A hyd yn oed pe gallem chwifio ffon hud i roi mynediad ar unwaith i bobl hŷn at y rhyngrwyd, y dyfeisiau a'r sgiliau i'w defnyddio, nid yw bancio ar-lein bob amser yn addas. Siaradodd ymchwilwyr 'Beth sy'n bwysig i chi?' ag un unigolyn a ddywedodd,
'Nid yw fy llygaid yn dda, felly dydw i ddim yn hoffi bancio ar-lein. Nid yw fy nghlyw yn dda, felly nid wyf yn clywed popeth ar y ffôn. Mae angen cyfathrebu wyneb yn wyneb arnaf ar gyfer popeth.'
Nid yw hwn yn brofiad neilltuol, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod pobl hŷn yn cael mynediad at fancio wyneb yn wyneb ac arian parod ledled Cymru?
Thank you for that question. I think I pre-empted it slightly in my answer to your second question, because I was very pleased to visit the social housing complex with the older people's commissioner to see the value of our Welsh Government investment in digital inclusion for older people. You make important points in terms of not just digital inclusion, but the barriers as well for older people in terms of access to banks, to cash and to funding. In fact, yesterday, I did agree with one of your colleagues that I would give a statement on this in relation to our work with the major banks, but also our work that we are developing in terms of access to affordable finance through our credit unions.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Rwy'n credu fy mod wedi achub y blaen arno braidd yn fy ateb i'ch ail gwestiwn, oherwydd roeddwn yn falch iawn o ymweld â'r cyfadeilad tai cymdeithasol gyda'r comisiynydd pobl hŷn i weld gwerth ein buddsoddiad Llywodraeth Cymru mewn cynhwysiant digidol i bobl hŷn. Rydych yn gwneud pwyntiau pwysig nid yn unig ar gynhwysiant digidol, ond hefyd y rhwystrau i bobl hŷn o ran mynediad at fanciau, arian parod a chyllid. Ddoe, mewn gwirionedd, fe gytunais ag un o'ch cyd-Aelodau y byddwn yn rhoi datganiad ar hyn mewn perthynas â'n gwaith gyda'r banciau mawr, ond hefyd y gwaith yr ydym yn ei ddatblygu ar fynediad at gyllid fforddiadwy drwy ein hundebau credyd.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Sioned Williams.
The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Sioned Williams.
Diolch, Llywydd. Hoffwn i ddatgan fy mod i'n ymddiriedolwr banc bwyd ym Mhontardawe. Mae Trussell newydd gyhoeddi ymchwil 'Hunger in Wales', sy'n dangos bod yna arwyddion clir o galedi ar draws ein cymunedau a bod y sefyllfa yn gwaethygu. Roedd chwarter oedolion Cymru—660,000 o bobl—yn profi ansicrwydd bwyd yn 2024, un o bob pedwar o'n pobl yn poeni am ble y byddai eu pryd nesaf yn dod. Defnyddiodd 7 y cant o gartrefi o leiaf un math o ddarpariaeth bwyd elusennol y llynedd. Ac efallai mai'r ffigur mwyaf syfrdanol yw bod 81 y cant o'r bobl oedd yn cael eu cyfeirio at fanciau bwyd Trussell yng Nghymru yn anabl—pobl sydd eisoes yn wynebu rhwystrau a chostau byw uwch, y rhai sydd angen y gefnogaeth fwyaf. Dewis gwleidyddol yw tlodi a phwysau ar bobl o'r fath. Ac eto, Llywydd, beth yw'r ymateb gwleidyddol? Mae budd-daliadau miloedd o bobl anabl yn dal i fod yn y fantol. Mae plant yn parhau i ddioddef o dan y cap budd-daliadau a'r cap dau blentyn. Felly, rwy'n gofyn i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, beth yw eich ymateb i’r adroddiad hwn? A sut ydych chi'n bwriadu sicrhau bod banciau bwyd yn dod yn fesur dros dro yn hytrach na nodwedd barhaol o gymunedau Cymru?
Thank you, Llywydd. I would like to declare that I'm a trustee of a foodbank in Pontardawe. Trussell has just published a piece of research entitled 'Hunger in Wales', showing that there are clear signs of hardship across our communities and that the situation is deteriorating. A quarter of Welsh adults—660,000 people—experienced food insecurity in 2024, one in four of our people worrying about where their next meal will come from. Seven per cent of households used at least one type of charitable food provider last year. And perhaps the most shocking figure of all is the fact that 81 per cent of people referred to Trussell foodbanks in Wales are disabled. These are people who are already facing higher barriers and higher living costs, and who need the most support. This kind of poverty and pressure is a political choice, and yet, Llywydd, what is the political response? The benefits of thousands of disabled people are still in the balance. Children continue to suffer under the benefit cap and the two-child cap. So, I ask you, Cabinet Secretary, what is your response to this report? And how do you intend to ensure that foodbanks become a temporary measure, rather than a permanent feature of Welsh communities?
Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. We certainly would share that ambition that foodbanks should not be now, as they are, an essential place to access food in our communities for those who are most in need. One of the points that I would make in response to your question is that I think it is so important that we together—the Welsh Government with the support of Plaid Cymru—have offered those free school meals to all our primary learners. And, of course, that has meant that nearly 174,500 primary school children are newly eligible for free school meals and over 52 million additional meals have been served since the launch in 2022. I don't think we say that enough. This should be on the record more in terms of what we are trying to do to particularly address child poverty.
It's also important to recognise that this is something where we are, as you know, going to produce a progress report on our child poverty strategy for Wales. I'll be able to do that later on this year. We've had some very innovative responses from local authorities, from the third sector, on tackling child poverty with the child poverty innovation and supporting communities grant. But I think, also, I have to again make it very clear that we're committed to tackling poverty as an absolute priority, but we have to do this with all the partners who have responsibilities, and, of course, that includes the UK Government. We've consistently raised the impact on poverty levels that social security policies, such as the two-child benefit limit, may have. And we've consistently called for that change in social security and are seeking a commitment to end the two-child benefit rule.
Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. Byddem yn sicr yn rhannu'r uchelgais honno na ddylai banciau bwyd fod fel y maent nawr yn lle hanfodol i gael mynediad at fwyd yn ein cymunedau i'r rhai sydd fwyaf mewn angen. Un o'r pwyntiau yr hoffwn ei wneud mewn ymateb i'ch cwestiwn yw fy mod yn credu ei bod mor bwysig ein bod gyda'n gilydd—Llywodraeth Cymru gyda chefnogaeth Plaid Cymru—wedi cynnig prydau ysgol am ddim i'n holl ddysgwyr cynradd. Ac wrth gwrs, mae hynny wedi golygu bod bron i 174,500 o blant ysgol gynradd newydd ddod yn gymwys i gael prydau ysgol am ddim ac mae dros 52 miliwn o brydau ychwanegol wedi'u gweini ers y lansiad yn 2022. Nid wyf yn meddwl ein bod yn dweud hynny ddigon. Dylai gael ei gofnodi'n gliriach i ddangos beth y ceisiwn ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant yn arbennig.
Mae hefyd yn bwysig cydnabod bod hyn yn rhywbeth lle rydym, fel y gwyddoch, yn mynd i gynhyrchu adroddiad cynnydd ar ein strategaeth tlodi plant ar gyfer Cymru. Byddaf yn gallu gwneud hynny yn ddiweddarach eleni. Rydym wedi cael ymatebion arloesol iawn gan awdurdodau lleol, o'r trydydd sector, ar fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant gyda'r grant arloesi tlodi plant a chefnogi cymunedau. Ond rwy'n credu hefyd fod yn rhaid imi ei gwneud yn glir iawn eto ein bod wedi ymrwymo i fynd i'r afael â thlodi fel blaenoriaeth ddiamod, ond mae'n rhaid inni wneud hyn gyda'r holl bartneriaid sydd â chyfrifoldebau, ac wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n cynnwys Llywodraeth y DU. Yn gyson, rydym wedi codi'r effaith ar lefelau tlodi y gall polisïau nawdd cymdeithasol, fel y trothwy dau blentyn ar fudd-daliadau, ei chael. Ac rydym wedi galw'n gyson am y newid hwnnw i nawdd cymdeithasol ac yn ceisio ymrwymiad i roi diwedd ar y rheol dau blentyn ar gyfer budd-daliadau.
Diolch. Another thing that's become normalised, of course, is fuel poverty. The energy watchdog Ofgem today has announced it's scrapping plans to scrap standing charges, which make up a large part of people's energy bills. They've instead announced proposals that all suppliers must offer at least one tariff in which standing charges are lower, but then customers pay more for each unit of energy used. National Energy Action Wales have said this isn't going to make people's bills any lower, especially those with vulnerabilities and who have high energy needs, like older people, families with children, and disabled people. It isn't either going to address the huge regional variation in prices, which hits Wales the hardest. If you live in London, your standing charge for gas and electric, from 1 October, is £294; in south Wales, it's £314; in north Wales, £381. Even a representative of Energy UK, the body that represents suppliers, told us, in the cross-party group on fuel poverty this morning, this proposal is not in the consumer's interest. So, how will the Welsh Government be responding to Ofgem's consultation? You told us in that meeting that you'd met Ofgem last week, so what did you raise and what response did you get? Of course, they're not policy makers, so what conversations have you had with UK Government on legislative action, to ensure targeted support for people in Wales who are facing another cold winter?
Diolch. Peth arall sydd wedi cael ei normaleiddio, wrth gwrs, yw tlodi tanwydd. Mae'r corff gwarchod ynni Ofgem wedi cyhoeddi heddiw ei fod yn dileu cynlluniau i ddileu taliadau sefydlog, sy'n ffurfio rhan fawr o filiau ynni pobl. Yn hytrach, maent wedi cyhoeddi cynigion fod rhaid i bob cyflenwr gynnig o leiaf un tariff lle mae taliadau sefydlog yn is, ond wedyn bydd cwsmeriaid yn talu mwy am bob uned o ynni a ddefnyddir. Mae National Energy Action Cymru wedi dweud nad yw hyn yn mynd i wneud biliau pobl yn is, yn enwedig pobl fregus a phobl sydd ag anghenion ynni uchel, fel pobl hŷn, teuluoedd â phlant, a phobl anabl. Nid yw'n mynd i ddatrys yr amrywio rhanbarthol enfawr yn y prisiau chwaith, sy'n taro Cymru galetaf. Os ydych chi'n byw yn Llundain, eich tâl sefydlog am nwy a thrydan, o 1 Hydref, yw £294; yn ne Cymru, mae'n £314; yng ngogledd Cymru, £381. Roedd hyd yn oed cynrychiolydd o Energy UK, y corff sy'n cynrychioli'r cyflenwyr, yn dweud wrthym yn y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar dlodi tanwydd fore heddiw nad yw'r cynnig hwn o fudd i'r defnyddiwr. Felly, sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymateb i ymgynghoriad Ofgem? Roeddech chi'n dweud wrthym yn y cyfarfod hwnnw eich bod wedi cyfarfod ag Ofgem yr wythnos diwethaf, felly beth a godwyd gennych a pha ymateb a gawsoch? Wrth gwrs, nid nhw yw'r llunwyr polisi, felly pa sgyrsiau a gawsoch chi gyda Llywodraeth y DU ar weithredu deddfwriaethol, er mwyn sicrhau cymorth wedi'i dargedu i bobl yng Nghymru sy'n wynebu gaeaf oer arall?
Thank you for that question, because you raise many issues that came up in that cross-party group today. Of course, you do raise that really important point about the postcode lottery around the amounts charged and the fact that costs are applied even—. I think this is crucial, to remind everyone: when people have used very little or no electricity, they will be facing those costs. Households in north Wales—the most expensive region across Britain—are particularly hard done by, and living close to renewable sources of electricity, exported from the region through the national grid. So, I'm encouraging Ofgem and the UK Government to act across the policy landscape to reform standing charges, through measures such as the social tariff. I think that's something where all parties across this Chamber in the past have agreed—that we should press for that social tariff, equalising standing charges across the regions of Great Britain.
Diolch am y cwestiwn hwnnw, gan eich bod chi'n codi llawer o faterion a gododd yn y grŵp trawsbleidiol hwnnw heddiw. Wrth gwrs, rydych chi'n codi'r pwynt pwysig iawn am y loteri cod post ynghylch y symiau a godir a'r ffaith bod costau'n cael eu cymhwyso hyd yn oed—. Rwy'n credu bod hyn yn hanfodol, i atgoffa pawb: pan na fydd pobl wedi defnyddio fawr iawn o drydan neu ddim o gwbl, byddant yn wynebu'r costau hynny. Mae aelwydydd yng ngogledd Cymru—y rhanbarth drytaf ym Mhrydain—yn arbennig yn cael cam, ac yn byw'n agos at ffynonellau adnewyddadwy o drydan, a allforir o'r rhanbarth drwy'r grid cenedlaethol. Felly, rwy'n annog Ofgem a Llywodraeth y DU i weithredu ar draws y dirwedd bolisi i ddiwygio taliadau sefydlog, drwy fesurau fel y tariff cymdeithasol. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n rhywbeth lle mae pob plaid ar draws y Siambr hon yn y gorffennol wedi cytuno—y dylem bwyso am y tariff cymdeithasol hwnnw, gan wneud taliadau sefydlog yn gyfartal ar draws rhanbarthau Prydain.
Diolch. Families with children, of course, are among those most at risk of food insecurity and fuel poverty. Child poverty in Wales, as we know, affects a third of our children and is only set to get worse if urgent action isn't taken. Yet, as you've referenced, the Labour Westminster Government continues to enforce the cruel two-child benefit cap, pushing families in Wales deeper into poverty, harming the prospects of thousands of children across our nation. And yet, in a recent Commons debate led by the SNP, only seven Labour MPs voted to scrap the cap—not one of them represents a Welsh constituency. So, the indifference of Westminster and the Labour Welsh MPs to the struggles facing families here in Wales is evidenced for all to see. So, do you agree that Welsh Labour MPs are failing Welsh children on this measure? Would you like them to support the Welsh Government's calls on this? And with the autumn budget just around the corner, what specific new calls have you been making on the Chancellor to alleviate child poverty?
Diolch. Mae teuluoedd â phlant, wrth gwrs, ymhlith y rhai sydd fwyaf mewn perygl o ddiffyg diogeledd bwyd a thlodi tanwydd. Mae tlodi plant yng Nghymru, fel y gwyddom, yn effeithio ar draean o'n plant a bydd ond yn gwaethygu os na weithredir ar frys. Eto, fel y nodwyd gennych, mae Llywodraeth Lafur San Steffan yn parhau i orfodi'r cap dau blentyn creulon ar fudd-daliadau, gan wthio teuluoedd yng Nghymru yn ddyfnach i dlodi, a niweidio rhagolygon miloedd o blant ledled ein cenedl. Ac eto, mewn dadl ddiweddar yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin dan arweiniad yr SNP, dim ond saith AS Llafur a bleidleisiodd dros ddileu'r cap—nid oes yr un ohonynt yn cynrychioli etholaeth yng Nghymru. Felly, mae difaterwch San Steffan ac ASau Llafur Cymru ynghylch y brwydrau sy'n wynebu teuluoedd yma yng Nghymru yn amlwg i bawb ei weld. Felly, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod ASau Llafur Cymru yn gwneud cam â phlant Cymru gyda'r mesur hwn? A hoffech iddynt gefnogi galwadau Llywodraeth Cymru ar hyn? A chyda chyllideb yr hydref rownd y gornel, pa alwadau newydd penodol a wnaethoch ar y Canghellor i liniaru tlodi plant?
Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn pwysig iawn.
Thank you very much for your very important question.
I've already commented on the fact that we've called on the UK Government to end the two-child benefit rule—the First Minister has, and we have, consistently. I do think we stand a better chance of tackling child poverty in Wales by working with the UK Government, providing the evidence. I sought to do this as a Member of the four nations taskforce, meeting with Scottish colleagues, colleagues from Northern Ireland, the UK Government, and us, and we were able to share evidence of what was working in our countries to tackle child poverty. So, it is important that we do influence the UK Government in terms of the next steps to tackle child poverty. So, I actually look forward to the publication by the UK Government of their child poverty strategy. I know—and those meetings shared across four nations—that there's a recognition that social security policies are key—are key—to tackling child poverty, and it is essential that we move to the end of that two-child benefit rule.
Rwyf eisoes wedi gwneud sylwadau ar y ffaith ein bod wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i roi diwedd ar y rheol dau blentyn ar gyfer budd-daliadau—mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi, ac rydym ni wedi gwneud hynny'n gyson. Rwy'n credu bod gennym well gobaith o fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant yng Nghymru drwy weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU, gan ddarparu'r dystiolaeth. Ceisiais wneud hyn fel Aelod o dasglu'r pedair gwlad, gan gyfarfod â chymheiriaid o'r Alban, cymheiriaid o Ogledd Iwerddon, Llywodraeth y DU, a ninnau, ac roeddem yn gallu rhannu tystiolaeth o'r hyn a oedd yn gweithio yn ein gwledydd i fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant. Felly, mae'n bwysig ein bod yn dylanwadu ar Lywodraeth y DU mewn perthynas â'r camau nesaf i fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant. Felly, rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weld Llywodraeth y DU yn cyhoeddi ei strategaeth tlodi plant. Rwy'n gwybod—a'r cyfarfodydd hynny a rennir ar draws y pedair gwlad—fod cydnabyddiaeth fod polisïau nawdd cymdeithasol yn allweddol—yn allweddol—i fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant, ac mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn ceisio rhoi diwedd ar y rheol dau blentyn ar gyfer budd-daliadau.
3. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar gamau Llywodraeth Cymru i wella'r ddarpariaeth safleoedd i Sipsiwn a Theithwyr? OQ63129
3. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Welsh Government's action to improve the provision of Gypsy and Traveller sites? OQ63129
Diolch yn fawr, John Griffiths. The Welsh Government provides capital site funding to local authorities to improve their current site provision and the development of new Gypsy and Traveller sites. To date in 2025-26, we have agreed funding up to £2.4 million to seven sites, supporting a wide range of works, and further bids are under consideration.
Diolch yn fawr, John Griffiths. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu cyllid cyfalaf safleoedd i awdurdodau lleol wella eu darpariaeth bresennol o safleoedd a datblygu safleoedd newydd i Sipsiwn a Theithwyr. Hyd yma yn 2025-26, rydym wedi cytuno ar gyllid o hyd at £2.4 miliwn i saith safle, i gefnogi amrywiaeth eang o waith, ac mae ceisiadau pellach yn cael eu hystyried.
Thank you for that, Cabinet Secretary. As we know, there's a lot of work to be done to establish new sites, as well as to improve existing ones. One important way forward, I think, would be more small sites owned by Gypsies and Travellers themselves, which I know is something that that community sees as a good way forward. As you will know, Cabinet Secretary, the Local Government and Housing Committee, which I chair, believe very strongly that more focused priority is needed for this marginalised section of our society that still faces a great deal of prejudice and discrimination, and I'm very pleased that you've taken that on board and shown a new commitment and energy to making sure that we get the action that's needed.
In continuing to liaise with the Gypsy and Traveller community and those that represent them, Cabinet Secretary, one area that they've identified is the lack of clear accountability within local authorities, just for the community and those who work with them to know who is responsible for Gypsy site provision and improvement to sites. Just that clarity would be an important step forward. And I wonder, in the general work that you're doing to improve the situation, whether that's one aspect that you might give some thought to, because it's important in terms of that engagement between the community and the local authorities.
Diolch am hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Fel y gwyddom, mae llawer o waith i'w wneud i sefydlu safleoedd newydd, yn ogystal â gwella'r rhai presennol. Un ffordd bwysig ymlaen yn fy marn i fyddai mwy o safleoedd bach sy'n eiddo i Sipsiwn a Theithwyr eu hunain, rhywbeth y gwn fod y gymuned honno'n ei weld fel ffordd dda ymlaen. Fel y gwyddoch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae'r Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai, a gadeirir gennyf, yn credu'n gryf iawn fod angen blaenoriaeth â ffocws mwy ar gyfer y rhan hon o'n cymdeithas a ymyleiddiwyd sy'n dal i wynebu llawer iawn o ragfarn a gwahaniaethu, ac rwy'n falch iawn eich bod wedi ystyried hynny a dangos ymrwymiad ac egni newydd i sicrhau ein bod yn cael y camau gweithredu sydd eu hangen.
Wrth barhau i gysylltu â chymuned y Sipsiwn a Theithwyr a'r rhai sy'n eu cynrychioli, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, un maes y maent wedi'i nodi yw'r diffyg atebolrwydd clir o fewn awdurdodau lleol, er mwyn i'r gymuned a'r rhai sy'n gweithio gyda nhw wybod pwy sy'n gyfrifol am ddarparu safleoedd Sipsiwn a gwella safleoedd. Byddai'r eglurder hwnnw'n gam pwysig ymlaen. Ac yn y gwaith cyffredinol a wnewch i wella'r sefyllfa, tybed a yw honno'n un agwedd y gallech feddwl amdani, oherwydd mae'n bwysig o ran yr ymgysylltiad rhwng y gymuned a'r awdurdodau lleol.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
Thank you, John Griffiths, and thank you again to the Local Government and Housing Committee for their work, and, indeed, the Equality and Social Justice Committee. And I will be writing to you, to all Members, with an update on the delivery of recommendations from your committee.
We have 22 local authorities in Wales, and 16 currently have a Gypsy and Traveller site. What we're delivering is a rolling programme of monitoring meetings with all local authorities in Wales to discuss accommodation needs identified in their Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessment. There is unmet need in Wales, and we have this capital sites grant funding. It's £3.44 million for this financial year. We have expanded the scope of the grant to include site acquisition. That has been welcomed by local authorities, meeting their statutory duty.
But, let's face it, this isn't just about infrastructure; it's about dignity, safety, inclusion. And I'm glad that we've now launched a new initiative to look at a private planning advice pilot. Now, that's something that came from the committee, and that is being taken forward. It's offering tailored planning advice before land is purchased by families, helping families make informed decisions from the outset. So, this is actually as a result of listening to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller families, as you have in your committee. That pilot should enable us, for example, just as one point in terms of what you've said today, to help families understand what is appropriate before they commit to buying land.
Can I just, finally, say that we've commissioned an organisation to deliver a national training programme for all 22 local authorities to improve cultural competence in relation to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller ways of life, and this is being welcomed by local authorities and certainly welcomed by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people that we are meeting through our engagement in the forum.
Diolch, John Griffiths, a diolch eto i'r Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai am eu gwaith, ac yn wir, i'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol. A byddaf yn ysgrifennu atoch, at yr holl Aelodau, gyda'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am gyflawniad yr argymhellion gan eich pwyllgor.
Mae gennym 22 awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru, ac ar hyn o bryd mae gan 16 safle Sipsiwn a Theithwyr. Yr hyn a gyflwynwn yw rhaglen dreigl o gyfarfodydd monitro gyda phob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru i drafod anghenion llety a nodwyd yn eu hasesiad llety Sipsiwn a Theithwyr. Mae angen heb ei ddiwallu yng Nghymru, ac mae gennym y cyllid cyfalaf grant safleoedd. Mae'n £3.44 miliwn ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Rydym wedi ehangu cwmpas y grant i gynnwys caffael safleoedd. Mae hynny wedi cael ei groesawu gan awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer cyflawni eu dyletswydd statudol.
Ond mae a wnelo hyn â mwy na seilwaith yn unig; mae'n ymwneud ag urddas, diogelwch, cynhwysiant. Ac rwy'n falch ein bod bellach wedi lansio menter newydd i edrych ar gynllun peilot cyngor cynllunio preifat. Nawr, mae hynny'n rhywbeth a ddaeth gan y pwyllgor, ac mae'n cael ei ddatblygu. Mae'n cynnig cyngor cynllunio wedi'i deilwra cyn i dir gael ei brynu gan deuluoedd, gan helpu teuluoedd i wneud penderfyniadau gwybodus o'r cychwyn cyntaf. Felly, mae hyn yn deillio o wrando ar deuluoedd Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr, fel y gwnaethoch chi yn eich pwyllgor. Dylai'r cynllun peilot hwnnw ein galluogi, er enghraifft, fel un pwynt yn yr hyn a ddywedoch chi heddiw, i helpu teuluoedd i ddeall beth sy'n briodol cyn iddynt ymrwymo i brynu tir.
A gaf i ddweud, yn olaf, ein bod wedi comisiynu sefydliad i gyflwyno rhaglen hyfforddi genedlaethol ar gyfer pob un o'r 22 awdurdod lleol i wella cymhwysedd diwylliannol mewn perthynas â ffyrdd o fyw Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr, ac mae hyn yn cael ei groesawu gan awdurdodau lleol ac yn sicr yn cael ei groesawu gan bobl Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr yr ydym yn cyfarfod â nhw trwy ein gwaith ymgysylltu yn y fforwm.
4. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi ffoaduriaid o Wcráin yng Nghymru? OQ63100
4. How is the Welsh Government supporting Ukrainian refugees in Wales? OQ63100
Thank you very much, Mark Isherwood. Across Wales, Ukrainians have built independent lives, with local authorities and the third sector offering integration support when required. Although new arrivals are fewer, our commitment to sanctuary continues. Hosting and welcome accommodation remain available, while local authorities provide ongoing support to secure stable housing and independent living.
Diolch yn fawr, Mark Isherwood. Ledled Cymru, mae Wcreiniaid wedi adeiladu bywydau annibynnol, gydag awdurdodau lleol a'r trydydd sector yn cynnig cymorth integreiddio pan fo angen. Er bod llai o newydd-ddyfodiaid, mae ein hymrwymiad i noddfa yn parhau. Mae darpariaeth llety a chroeso yn parhau i fod ar gael, tra bod awdurdodau lleol yn darparu cymorth parhaus i sicrhau tai sefydlog a threfniadau byw'n annibynnol.
Thank you. Well, to be clear, my party recognises that all the UK nations will always play their part in offering a home to genuine refugees, having proven that they would be at risk if they returned to their home country, including very much those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
To date, 220,000 have reached safety in the UK through schemes like Homes for Ukraine and the family scheme. British Red Cross research has found that displaced Ukrainians remain more than twice as likely to experience homelessness than the general UK population, and they've highlighted a hidden homelessness crisis amongst displaced Ukrainians who fled the conflict in 2022, and came here under schemes like Homes for Ukraine, stating,
'The Ukraine schemes weren't built for longevity. Hosting arrangements sometimes faltered after six months. Barriers—including to employment and childcare—made it difficult for many Ukrainians to become financially independent.'
So, what analysis has the Welsh Government therefore taken of this in Wales? What were its findings? And what consideration has the Welsh Government given, or will it give, to the recommendations made by the Red Cross, based on what their research has shown to be best practice?
Diolch. Wel, i fod yn glir, mae fy mhlaid yn cydnabod y bydd holl wledydd y DU bob amser yn chwarae eu rhan yn cynnig cartref i ffoaduriaid go iawn, ar ôl profi y byddent mewn perygl pe baent yn dychwelyd i'w gwlad enedigol, gan gynnwys y rhai sy'n ffoi rhag y rhyfel yn Wcráin.
Hyd yma, mae 220,000 wedi cyrraedd diogelwch yn y DU trwy gynlluniau fel Cartrefi i Wcráin a'r cynllun i deuluoedd. Mae ymchwil y Groes Goch Brydeinig wedi canfod bod Wcreiniaid wedi'u dadleoli yn parhau i fod fwy na dwywaith yn fwy tebygol o brofi digartrefedd na phoblogaeth y DU yn gyffredinol, ac maent wedi tynnu sylw at argyfwng digartrefedd cudd ymhlith Wcreiniaid wedi'u dadleoli a wnaeth ffoi rhag y gwrthdaro yn 2022, ac a ddaeth yma o dan gynlluniau fel Cartrefi i Wcráin, gan ddweud,
'Nid oedd cynlluniau Wcráin wedi'u llunio i fod yn rhai hirdymor. Weithiau, roedd y trefniadau lletya wedi arafu ar ôl chwe mis. Roedd rhwystrau—gan gynnwys cyflogaeth a gofal plant—yn ei gwneud yn anodd i lawer o Wcreiniaid ddod yn annibynnol yn ariannol.'
Felly, pa ddadansoddiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o hyn yng Nghymru? Beth oedd ei ganfyddiadau? A pha ystyriaeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i rhoi, neu y bydd yn ei rhoi, i'r argymhellion a wnaed gan y Groes Goch, yn seiliedig ar yr arferion gorau a ddangoswyd gan eu hymchwil?
Thank you very much, Mark Isherwood, and thank you for that really constructive contribution to this afternoon's discussions and questions.
Securing longer term accommodation is key to provision of support for those displaced by the crisis in Ukraine, and this includes hosting, the private rented sector, and other forms of good-quality transitional accommodation. I've already mentioned how many Ukrainians we have welcomed to Wales. We need to thank also those households who continue to offer to host Ukrainians in Wales. Just in terms of accommodation, we've got lower numbers of new arrivals, but when they do arrive, if we're unable to directly allocate them to a host, we provide 75 days of accommodation, and during this time, local authorities work with the household to support guests to move on to longer term accommodation.
I think it's finally important to say that it's our priority to support Ukrainians into longer term accommodation, where they can have more independence, settle within communities, and rebuild their lives. We're providing £1.5 million this year to support with ongoing costs associated with the Ukraine response to our local authorities. Can I say how pleased I was that the new Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, decided to make her first visit to Ukraine to show the UK Government's backing for Ukraine as a Government, which we, of course, as a Welsh Government, have clearly endorsed?
Diolch yn fawr, Mark Isherwood, a diolch am y cyfraniad adeiladol hwnnw at y trafodaethau a'r cwestiynau y prynhawn yma.
Mae sicrhau llety mwy hirdymor yn allweddol i ddarparu cymorth i'r rhai sydd wedi'u dadleoli gan yr argyfwng yn Wcráin, ac mae hyn yn cynnwys darpariaeth letya, y sector rhentu preifat, a mathau eraill o lety pontio o ansawdd da. Rwyf eisoes wedi crybwyll faint o Wcreiniaid rydym wedi'u croesawu i Gymru. Mae angen inni ddiolch hefyd i'r aelwydydd hynny sy'n parhau i gynnig llety i Wcreiniaid yng Nghymru. O ran llety yn unig, mae gennym niferoedd is o newydd-ddyfodiaid, ond pan fyddant yn cyrraedd, os na allwn eu dyrannu'n uniongyrchol i letywr, rydym yn darparu 75 diwrnod o lety, ac yn ystod yr amser hwn, mae awdurdodau lleol yn gweithio gyda'r aelwyd i gefnogi gwesteion i symud ymlaen i lety mwy hirdymor.
Yn olaf, credaf ei bod yn bwysig dweud mai ein blaenoriaeth yw cefnogi Wcreiniaid i gael llety mwy hirdymor, lle gallant gael mwy o annibyniaeth, ymgartrefu mewn cymunedau, ac ailadeiladu eu bywydau. Rydym yn darparu £1.5 miliwn eleni i'n hawdurdodau lleol i gefnogi costau parhaus sy'n gysylltiedig â'r ymateb i'r sefyllfa yn Wcráin. A gaf i ddweud pa mor falch yr oeddwn fod yr Ysgrifennydd Tramor newydd, Yvette Cooper, wedi penderfynu gwneud ei hymweliad cyntaf ag Wcráin i ddangos cefnogaeth Llywodraeth y DU i Wcráin fel Llywodraeth, rhywbeth rydym ni fel Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i gymeradwyo'n llwyr, wrth gwrs?
Cabinet Secretary, of course, myself, Alun Davies and the cross-party group, the Senedd for Ukraine, will be driving to Ukraine, delivering further aid and vehicles in support of Ukrainian defenders. I welcome all the support that Members have given to that. Will you join me, though, in condemning the deliberate misinformation and the dog-whistle comments made by a former party leader in this Senedd, who appears to have gone rogue, attacking our nation of sanctuary policy, which has supported some 8,000 Ukrainians, 4,000 of whom are children, to flee Russian bombs and missiles—a policy that he previously supported? Cabinet Secretary, this attempt to compete with the racist provocation and the incitements to violence by Farage and Reform do him no credit.
Cabinet Secretary, the temporary visa scheme—and it is a temporary visa scheme—has been extended. This will now enable Ukrainians to have employment contracts, to extend rental agreements, and is very much welcome. Can you outline the representations you've made with regard to this scheme, and how this scheme will actually now operate for those Ukrainians who are in Wales under the visa scheme?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, byddaf i, Alun Davies a'r grŵp trawsbleidiol, y Senedd dros Wcráin, yn gyrru i Wcráin, i ddanfon rhagor o gymorth a cherbydau i gefnogi amddiffynwyr Wcráin. Rwy’n croesawu'r holl gefnogaeth y mae'r Aelodau wedi'i rhoi i hynny. A wnewch chi ymuno â mi, serch hynny, i gondemnio'r gamwybodaeth fwriadol a'r sylwadau 'chwiban y ci' a wnaed gan gyn-arweinydd plaid yn y Senedd hon, sydd wedi mynd ar ei liwt ei hun yn ôl pob golwg, gan ymosod ar ein polisi cenedl noddfa, sydd wedi cefnogi oddeutu 8,000 o Wcreiniaid, 4,000 ohonynt yn blant, i ffoi rhag bomiau a thaflegrau Rwsia—polisi yr arferai ei gefnogi? Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid yw'r ymgais hon i gystadlu â'r pryfocio hiliol a'r anogaeth i gyflawni trais gan Farage a Reform yn adlewyrchu'n dda arno.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae'r cynllun fisâu dros dro—a chynllun dros dro ydyw—wedi'i ymestyn. Bydd bellach yn galluogi Wcreiniaid i gael contractau cyflogaeth, i ymestyn cytundebau rhentu, ac mae i'w groesawu'n fawr. A allwch chi amlinellu'r sylwadau a wnaethoch ynghylch y cynllun hwn, a sut y bydd y cynllun yn gweithredu nawr i'r Wcreiniaid sydd yng Nghymru o dan y cynllun fisâu?
Thank you very much, Mick Antoniw. I'm sure, across this Chamber, we continue to thank you, Alun Davies and the cross-party group, who have made so many missions, so many journeys to Ukraine, with the equipment that is donated by people, organisations and institutions across Wales to support the Ukrainian defendants with their appalling and continuing oppression by Putin and Russia.
I want to welcome the UK Government's decision to extend the Ukraine permissions extension by a further 24 months. This does provide certainty to Ukrainian guests and to our local authorities and stakeholders. We're going to get more details on that from the UK Government, but it is again, let's make this very clear, the extension of the visas by a further 24 months.
I'm also pleased that we've awarded £53,100 to Settled to support the delivery of a Ukraine immigration advice service in Wales, from September of this year to July next year. This is what the nation of sanctuary is all about, and I do decry the misinformation that is being spread.
Diolch yn fawr, Mick Antoniw. Rwy'n siŵr, ar draws y Siambr hon, ein bod yn parhau i ddiolch i chi, i Alun Davies ac i'r grŵp trawsbleidiol, sydd wedi gwneud cymaint o deithiau i Wcráin, gyda'r offer a roddir gan bobl a sefydliadau ledled Cymru i gefnogi'r rhai sy'n amddiffyn Wcráin rhag y gormes erchyll a pharhaus dan ddwylo Putin a Rwsia.
Hoffwn groesawu penderfyniad Llywodraeth y DU i ymestyn cynllun estyn caniatâd Wcráin am 24 mis arall. Mae hyn yn rhoi sicrwydd i westeion o Wcráin ac i'n hawdurdodau lleol a'n rhanddeiliaid. Byddwn yn cael mwy o fanylion am hynny gan Lywodraeth y DU, ond unwaith eto, gadewch inni nodi hyn yn glir iawn, mae'r fisâu wedi eu hymestyn am 24 mis arall.
Rwyf hefyd yn falch ein bod wedi dyfarnu £53,100 i Settled i gefnogi darpariaeth gwasanaeth cynghori mewnfudo i Wcreiniaid yng Nghymru, o fis Medi eleni i fis Gorffennaf y flwyddyn nesaf. Dyma hanfod y genedl noddfa, ac rwy'n condemnio'r gamwybodaeth sy'n cael ei lledaenu.
Refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine have made their home here in Wales. They are Welsh-Ukrainians, and they are welcome. Last week, I was delighted to attend a Ukrainian gratitude event in Penallta House, alongside you, and we heard Ukrainian songs and poetry, we saw beautiful art by Olesia Miftahova, and we of course tasted beautiful Ukrainian food. Olesia's artwork celebrates her heritage as well as the mountains of Wales, and one of her paintings is particularly moving, because it depicts a person standing in the eye of a storm, fighting through it. She's told me herself that it's her favourite of her own paintings, because it speaks to the experience that she and so many Ukrainians have had to face, the horrors they have endured, and still they fight on.
Will you join me in stating again how welcome these Welsh-Ukrainians are in our communities, and perhaps urge anyone who seeks to make campaign fodder out of their plight that these are human beings, and that they have gone through things that most of us, thank God, would never have to even imagine?
Mae ffoaduriaid sy'n ffoi rhag y rhyfel yn Wcráin wedi ymgartrefu yma yng Nghymru. Maent yn Wcreiniaid Cymreig, ac mae croeso iddynt yma. Yr wythnos diwethaf, roeddwn yn falch iawn o gael mynychu digwyddiad diolchgarwch Wcreinaidd yn Nhŷ Penallta gyda chi, a chlywsom ganeuon a barddoniaeth Wcreinaidd, gwelsom gelf hardd gan Olesia Miftahova, ac wrth gwrs, fe wnaethom flasu bwyd Wcreinaidd hyfryd. Mae gwaith celf Olesia yn dathlu ei threftadaeth yn ogystal â mynyddoedd Cymru, ac mae un o'i phaentiadau yn arbennig o wefreiddiol, gan ei fod yn ddarlun o unigolyn yn sefyll yng nghanol storm, yn ymladd drwyddi. Mae wedi dweud wrthyf ei hun mai dyma ei ffefryn o'i phaentiadau, gan ei fod yn disgrifio'r profiad y mae hi a chynifer o Wcreiniaid wedi gorfod ei wynebu, yr erchyllterau y maent wedi'u dioddef, ac maent yn dal i ymladd.
A wnewch chi ymuno â mi i ddatgan eto ein croeso i'r Wcreiniaid Cymreig hyn yn ein cymunedau, ac i annog unrhyw un sy'n ceisio camfanteisio ar eu sefyllfa anodd i hybu eu hymgyrch etholiadol mai bodau dynol yw'r rhain, a'u bod wedi mynd drwy bethau na fyddai'n rhaid i'r rhan fwyaf ohonom eu dychmygu hyd yn oed, diolch byth?
Thank you very much, diolch yn fawr. I fully endorse all of the points that you have made, and I was glad to be there with you, shoulder to shoulder.
Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n cymeradwyo'r holl bwyntiau a wnaethoch yn llwyr, ac roeddwn yn falch o fod yno gyda chi, ysgwydd yn ysgwydd.
5. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau cynaliadwyedd elusennau ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ63099
5. What is the Welsh Government doing to ensure the sustainability of charities in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ63099
Diolch yn fawr, Paul Davies. Third Sector Support Wales will receive core funding of £8.6 million in 2025-26 to provide an infrastructure of support to the third sector across Wales. Of this funding, £218,000 will go to Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services to help local voluntary organisations with fundraising, good governance, safeguarding and volunteering.
Diolch yn fawr, Paul Davies. Bydd Cefnogi Trydydd Sector Cymru yn derbyn cyllid craidd o £8.6 miliwn yn 2025-26 i ddarparu seilwaith o gymorth i'r trydydd sector ledled Cymru. O'r cyllid hwn, bydd £218,000 yn mynd i Gymdeithas Gwasanaethau Gwirfoddol Sir Benfro i helpu sefydliadau gwirfoddol lleol gyda chodi arian, llywodraethu da, diogelu a gwirfoddoli.
I'm grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for that response. As you are aware, Pembrokeshire is home to many charities that provide essential services in the community, and it's also home to several national charities that support people across the county. This includes the Samaritans and, unfortunately, it's been brought to my attention that there are plans to close some offices here in Wales, including the Haverfordwest office, which has been helping people since 1976. Should closures like this go ahead, there could be significant consequences for the NHS, for volunteers and, more importantly, for vulnerable people who use these services. Given the importance of these facilities, what additional support can the Welsh Government offer to organisations like the Samaritans to help them protect these offices and, indeed, protect these services going forward?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am ei hymateb. Fel y gwyddoch, mae sir Benfro yn gartref i lawer o elusennau sy'n darparu gwasanaethau hanfodol yn y gymuned, ac mae hefyd yn gartref i sawl elusen genedlaethol sy'n cefnogi pobl ledled y sir. Mae hyn yn cynnwys y Samariaid, ac yn anffodus, cafodd ei ddwyn i fy sylw fod cynlluniau ar y gweill i gau rhai swyddfeydd yma yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys swyddfa Hwlffordd, sydd wedi bod yn helpu pobl ers 1976. Pe bai'r cynlluniau hyn yn cael eu rhoi ar waith, gallai fod canlyniadau sylweddol i'r GIG, i wirfoddolwyr, ac yn bwysicach fyth, i bobl agored i niwed sy'n defnyddio'r gwasanaethau hyn. O ystyried pwysigrwydd y cyfleusterau hyn, pa gymorth ychwanegol y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei gynnig i sefydliadau fel y Samariaid i'w helpu i ddiogelu'r swyddfeydd hyn, ac i ddiogelu'r gwasanaethau hyn, yn wir, yn y dyfodol?
Thank you for that and for drawing attention to this. The Samaritans play an amazing role and have done for many decades. I would be very happy to pick this up and look at what we can do to help in terms of the news that you've given us today about their offices in Pembrokeshire.
Diolch, a diolch am dynnu sylw at hyn. Mae'r Samariaid yn chwarae rhan anhygoel ac wedi gwneud hynny ers degawdau lawer. Rwy'n fwy na pharod i fynd i'r afael â hyn ac i edrych ar beth y gallwn ei wneud i helpu mewn perthynas â'r newyddion a roesoch i ni heddiw am eu swyddfeydd yn sir Benfro.
6. Pa gamau fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gefnogi teuluoedd a phlant sy'n byw mewn tlodi yn y Rhondda dros fisoedd yr hydref a'r gaeaf? OQ63117
6. What action will the Welsh Government take to support families and children living in poverty in Rhondda over the autumn and winter months? OQ63117
Diolch yn fawr, Buffy Williams. We continue to support families and children across Wales, including in the Rhondda, promoting the Welsh benefits charter to help maximise income and put money in their pockets. This includes streamlining the process to access free school meals, the school essentials grant, and the council tax reduction scheme.
Diolch yn fawr, Buffy Williams. Rydym yn parhau i gefnogi teuluoedd a phlant ledled Cymru, yn cynnwys yn y Rhondda, gan hyrwyddo siarter budd-daliadau Cymru i'w helpu i wneud y mwyaf o'u hincwm a rhoi arian yn eu pocedi. Mae hyn yn cynnwys symleiddio'r broses o gael mynediad at brydau ysgol am ddim, y grant hanfodion ysgol, a chynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor.
Thank you. In recent winters, some residents in Rhondda have received up to £300 through the Welsh Government's winter fuel support scheme, and have accessed help from local community centres like the Arts Factory, Cafe Croeso, the Little Shed and Valleys Veterans, thanks to Government funding. As the colder months approach, will these vital schemes continue?
And could the Cabinet Secretary also provide an update on the learner travel operational guidance consultation to date? With universal free school meals, increased education maintenance allowance payments, and the £1 bus fares for young people already introduced to ensure fairness and social justice, it's absolutely crucial that we review statutory walking distances and provide the necessary subsequent funding to local authorities so that more learners can get to school without paying a penny.
Diolch. Yn ystod y gaeafau diweddar, mae rhai o drigolion y Rhondda wedi derbyn hyd at £300 drwy gynllun cymorth tanwydd y gaeaf Llywodraeth Cymru, ac wedi cael cymorth gan ganolfannau cymunedol lleol fel y Ffatri Gelf, Caffi Croeso, y Sied Fach a Cyn-filwyr y Cymoedd, diolch i gyllid gan y Llywodraeth. Wrth i'r misoedd oerach agosáu, a fydd y cynlluniau hanfodol hyn yn parhau?
Ac a allai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am yr ymgynghoriad ar y canllawiau gweithredol teithio gan ddysgwyr hyd yma? Gyda phrydau ysgol am ddim i bawb, taliadau lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg uwch, a phris tocynnau bws o £1 i bobl ifanc eisoes wedi'u cyflwyno i sicrhau tegwch a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol, mae'n gwbl hanfodol ein bod yn adolygu pellteroedd cerdded statudol ac yn darparu'r cyllid dilynol angenrheidiol i awdurdodau lleol fel y gall mwy o ddysgwyr gyrraedd yr ysgol heb dalu ceiniog.
Thank you, Buffy Williams. Some of those points were addressed in previous questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales in terms of learner travel operational guidance, so I won't comment again on those issues. But I think it is important that our child poverty strategy sets out those long-term ambitions to tackle child poverty. And I mentioned earlier on this afternoon that we have the child poverty innovation and supporting communities grant, and four of the projects cover the Rhondda Cynon Taf area. Just to give you some examples: Mind Cwm Taf Morgannwg, exploring the emotional and behavioural causes of poverty through focus groups and other engagement, and ways in which education and advice can break the cycle of child and family poverty; Cwmpas, empowering young people to design new social business ventures; Children in Wales; StreetGames, engaging young people in local sport activities. These are all key ways in which we are supporting children and young people. And of course, it is also important that we support the Rhondda Cynon Taf food partnership, which is not only enabling people to access food, but also offering social eating opportunities, combating social isolation, and making provision for food pantries—which also prioritise dignity—and recognising that this is something where our safe, warm hubs for all generations are going to continue to be funded.
Diolch, Buffy Williams. Atebwyd rhai o'r pwyntiau hynny mewn cwestiynau blaenorol i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Drafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru o ran y canllawiau gweithredol teithio gan ddysgwyr, felly nid wyf am wneud sylwadau ar y materion hynny eto. Ond credaf ei bod yn bwysig fod ein strategaeth tlodi plant yn nodi'r uchelgeisiau hirdymor i drechu tlodi plant. A soniais yn gynharach y prynhawn yma fod gennym y grant arloesi tlodi plant a chefnogi cymunedau, ac mae pedwar o'r prosiectau'n cwmpasu ardal Rhondda Cynon Taf. Os caf roi rhai enghreifftiau i chi: Mind Cwm Taf Morgannwg, sy'n archwilio achosion emosiynol ac ymddygiadol tlodi drwy grwpiau ffocws ac ymgysylltu arall, a ffyrdd y gall addysg a chyngor dorri'r cylch o dlodi plant a thlodi teuluoedd; Cwmpas, sy'n grymuso pobl ifanc i lunio mentrau busnes cymdeithasol newydd; Plant yng Nghymru; GemauStryd, sy'n cynnwys pobl ifanc mewn gweithgarwch chwaraeon lleol. Mae'r rhain oll yn ffyrdd allweddol a ddefnyddiwn i gefnogi plant a phobl ifanc. Ac wrth gwrs, mae hefyd yn bwysig ein bod yn cefnogi partneriaeth bwyd Rhondda Cynon Taf, sydd nid yn unig yn galluogi pobl i gael mynediad at fwyd, ond hefyd yn cynnig cyfleoedd bwyta cymdeithasol i fynd i'r afael ag ynysigrwydd cymdeithasol, ac yn darparu ar gyfer pantrïau bwyd—sydd hefyd yn blaenoriaethu urddas—a chydnabod bod hyn yn rhywbeth lle bydd ein canolfannau clyd a diogel ar gyfer pob cenhedlaeth yn parhau i gael eu hariannu.
7. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar waith Llywodraeth Cymru o ran cydgysylltu ffoaduriaid, ymfudo a chydlyniant cymunedol? OQ63124
7. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Welsh Government's work around the co-ordination of refugees, migration and community cohesion? OQ63124
Thank you, Tom Giffard. While migration policy is not devolved, UK Government decisions have a clear impact on integration and community cohesion in Wales. Our devolved cohesion and migrant integration policies aim to harness the skills of those arriving, to support the whole community and economy.
Diolch, Tom Giffard. Er nad yw polisi mudo wedi'i ddatganoli, mae penderfyniadau Llywodraeth y DU yn cael effaith glir ar integreiddio a chydlyniant cymunedol yng Nghymru. Nod ein polisïau cydlyniant ac integreiddio mudwyr datganoledig yw harneisio sgiliau'r bobl sy'n cyrraedd yma, i gefnogi'r gymuned a'r economi gyfan.
You say that it's not your responsibility. I suggest that you check the Welsh Government's website, where migration, refugees and community cohesion is listed as one of your responsibilities, Cabinet Secretary. I suggest you get up to speed with that.
Over the summer, the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery gave an interview to WalesOnline, where she said, and I quote,
'The immigration thing just does my head in. I just don't understand why anyone in Wales is even remotely worried about immigration.'
She went on to say that,
'Wales should have its arms wide open and say, "Come, come, come, come, come in numbers"'.
She said 'come' five times. Is that the position of the Welsh Government when it comes to immigration in Wales? Because it is not racist for ordinary people in Wales to have concerns about the levels of immigration into this country. And if it is not the position of the Welsh Government, why is the Counsel General still in post making those claims?
Rydych chi'n dweud nad yw'n un o'ch cyfrifoldebau. Awgrymaf eich bod yn edrych ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru, lle mae mudo, ffoaduriaid a chydlyniant cymunedol wedi'u rhestru fel un o'ch cyfrifoldebau, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Awgrymaf eich bod yn ymgyfarwyddo â hynny.
Dros yr haf, rhoddodd y Cwnsler Cyffredinol a'r Gweinidog Cyflawni gyfweliad i WalesOnline, lle dywedodd hyn,
'Mae'r peth mewnfudo yn fy ngwylltio. Nid wyf yn deall pam y mae unrhyw un yng Nghymru yn poeni o gwbl am fewnfudo.'
Aeth ymlaen i ddweud,
'Dylai Cymru fod â'i breichiau'n llydan agored ac yn dweud, "Dewch, dewch, dewch, dewch, dewch yn llu".'
Dywedodd 'dewch' bum gwaith. Ai dyna safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru ar fewnfudo yng Nghymru? Oherwydd nid yw'n hiliol i bobl gyffredin yng Nghymru fod â phryderon ynghylch lefelau mewnfudo i'r wlad hon. Ac os nad dyna safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru, pam y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol yn dal yn ei swydd yn gwneud yr honiadau hynny?
It is hard to find a serious point in your question to me, as Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice. I also will again say, and I've repeated it this afternoon and I will continue to repeat it, that Wales is a welcoming country that takes pride in fairness and compassion. Our vision as a nation of sanctuary is simply about supporting those who arrive, like all the Ukrainians we've just been talking about, like the Afghans who are actually here because they were supporting British armed forces—British armed forces—and losing their lives. And I know that there are people who've arrived in my constituency whose family members were shot by the Taliban in front of their families. Do you not recognise that that is the importance of the nation of sanctuary? It is about supporting those who arrive to rebuild their lives and contribute fully to Welsh life.
Mae'n anodd dod o hyd i bwynt difrifol yn eich cwestiwn i mi, fel Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol. Dywedaf eto, ac rwyf wedi'i ailadrodd y prynhawn yma a byddaf yn parhau i'w ailadrodd, fod Cymru'n wlad groesawgar sy'n ymfalchïo mewn tegwch a thrugaredd. Mae ein gweledigaeth fel cenedl noddfa yn ymwneud yn syml â chefnogi'r rhai sy'n cyrraedd, fel yr holl Wcreiniaid rydym newydd fod yn siarad amdanynt, fel yr Affganiaid sydd yma mewn gwirionedd am eu bod yn cefnogi lluoedd arfog Prydain—lluoedd arfog Prydain—ac yn colli eu bywydau. A gwn fod pobl wedi cyrraedd fy etholaeth y cafodd aelodau o'u teulu eu saethu gan y Taliban o flaen eu teuluoedd. Onid ydych chi'n cydnabod mai dyna bwysigrwydd cenedl noddfa? Mae a wnelo â chefnogi'r rhai sy'n cyrraedd i ailadeiladu eu bywydau a chyfrannu'n llawn at fywyd Cymru.
8. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wneud datganiad am gyfraddau trais rhywiol yng Nghymru? OQ63125
8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on sexual violence rates in Wales? OQ63125
Diolch yn fawr, Mabon ap Gwynfor. I'm committed to tackling all forms of violence against women, including sexual violence rates, which are pervasive across Wales and unacceptable. The Welsh Government provides funding to all regions to commission services to support victims and survivors of sexual violence, including prevention.
Diolch yn fawr, Mabon ap Gwynfor. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i fynd i'r afael â phob math o drais yn erbyn menywod, gan gynnwys cyfraddau trais rhywiol, sy'n uchel ledled Cymru ac yn annerbyniol. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu cyllid i bob rhanbarth i gomisiynu gwasanaethau i gefnogi dioddefwyr a goroeswyr trais rhywiol, gan gynnwys gwaith atal.
Diolch am yr ateb, Ysgrifennydd Cabinet. Mae'r ffigurau a gafodd eu rhyddhau—. Fe wnaf i aros i'r cyfieithu, os caf i.
Thank you for that response, Cabinet Secretary. The figures released—. I will wait for you to access the interpretation, if I may.
Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you very much.
Dyna fo. Mae'r ffigurau a gafodd eu rhyddhau dros yr haf yn dangos bod troseddau rhywiol sy'n cael eu hadrodd i'r heddlu wedi cynyddu yn aruthrol, gydag un mewn pob wyth merch dros 16 oed ac un o bob 12 dyn wedi dioddef ymosodiad rhywiol yn y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, neu drais domestig neu stelcio. Gellid dadlau, wrth gwrs, fod mwy yn adrodd eu profiadau neu fod yr heddlu'n gwneud eu gwaith yn well, ond erys y pwynt bod y niferoedd yma yn debygol o fod yn is na'r gwir oherwydd nad ydyn nhw'n cynnwys trais yn erbyn plant neu aflonyddu rhywiol, a, serch hynny, eu bod nhw'n llawer rhy uchel. Ydych chi felly'n hyderus bod strategaeth trais yn erbyn menywod a merched Cymru yn addas i bwrpas, a pha gamau ydych chi'n eu cymryd rŵan wrth feddwl am y strategaeth newydd, sydd i fod i ddod i rym y flwyddyn nesaf?
Okay. The figures that were released over the summer showed that sex crimes reported to the police had increased staggeringly, with one in eight women over 16 and one in 12 men having suffered sexual assault in the previous year, or domestic abuse or stalking. It could be argued that more people are reporting their experiences or that the police are doing their job better, but the point remains that these numbers are likely to be lower than the reality because they don't include violence against children or sexual abuse, and that they are still far too high. Are you therefore confident that Wales’s violence against women and girls strategy is fit for purpose, and what steps are you taking now in thinking of the new strategy, which is to come into force next year?
Diolch yn fawr. Of course, it is of the utmost concern that those statistics that you quote are shown to be rising—statistics on sexual violence, sexual assault, domestic abuse. I think that that is where we have to be held to account on the actions that we can take within our powers, in terms of tackling violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. In fact, tomorrow, I am pleased that I am going to be co-chairing an event with police and crime commissioner Emma Wools from south Wales to mark the tenth anniversary of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015. It's going to be an opportunity to strengthen leadership, to recommit ourselves to tackling the scourge of violence against women across the public sector and reaffirm our joint commitment across Wales to tackle violence against women and girls, and a point where we can perhaps unite in this Chamber again. I know that, across the Senedd, all parties will engage next month in the White Ribbon campaign. I know that that will be the case, and that is a point of unity, but it is leadership that we have to show, those who are in power, to tackle the scourge as we mark that tenth anniversary.
Diolch yn fawr. Wrth gwrs, mae'n peri cryn bryder fod yr ystadegau a ddyfynnwch yn cynyddu—ystadegau ar drais rhywiol, ymosodiadau rhywiol, cam-drin domestig. Credaf mai dyna ble mae'n rhaid ein dwyn i gyfrif am y camau y gallwn eu cymryd o fewn ein pwerau, o ran mynd i'r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol. Yfory, rwy'n falch o ddweud y byddaf yn cyd-gadeirio digwyddiad gyda'r comisiynydd heddlu a throseddu Emma Wools o dde Cymru i nodi deng mlynedd o Ddeddf Trais yn erbyn Menywod, Cam-drin Domestig a Thrais Rhywiol (Cymru) 2015. Bydd yn gyfle i gryfhau arweinyddiaeth, i ailymrwymo i fynd i'r afael â phla trais yn erbyn menywod ar draws y sector cyhoeddus ac i ailddatgan ein hymrwymiad ar y cyd ledled Cymru i fynd i'r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod a merched, ac adeg pan allwn uno yn y Siambr hon unwaith eto o bosib. Ar draws y Senedd, gwn y bydd pob plaid yn cymryd rhan yn ymgyrch y Rhuban Gwyn fis nesaf. Gwn y bydd hynny'n digwydd, ac mae hwnnw'n bwynt o undod, ond rhaid inni ddangos arweinyddiaeth, y rhai sydd mewn grym, i fynd i'r afael â'r pla hwn wrth inni nodi deng mlynedd ers cyflwyno'r Ddeddf honno.
Diolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.
Eitem 3 yw'r cwestiynau i Gomisiwn y Senedd, a bydd y rhain yn cael eu hateb gan y Llywydd. Cwestiwn 1, James Evans.
Item 3 is the questions to the Senedd Commission, and these will be answered by the Llywydd. Question 1 is from James Evans.
1. A wnaiff y Comisiwn nodi costau Siambr newydd y Senedd a'r amserlenni disgwyliedig ar gyfer cwblhau'r gwaith? OQ63128
1. Will the Commision set out the costs of the new Senedd Chamber and the expected timelines for completing the work? OQ63128
Mae'r gwaith ar y Siambr yn parhau, a’r amcangyfrif mwyaf diweddar ar gost lawn y gwaith yw £4.22 miliwn. Bydd y gost yma'n cael ei hariannu'n llawn o gyllideb diwygio seneddol y flwyddyn gyfredol yma. O ran yr amserlen, rydym yn dal i fod yn hyderus y byddwn yn dychwelyd i'r Senedd ar ôl toriad mis Chwefror.
The work on the Chamber is ongoing, and the latest estimate for the full cost of the works is £4.22 million. This cost will be fully funded from the Senedd reform budget for this current year. In terms of timelines, we're still confident that we will return to the Senedd after the February recess.
Thank you very much for your answer, Llywydd. Even though I'm totally against Senedd expansion and the spending of that £4.22 million, as you've outlined, I think that it is important, if we are spending that money, that we are making sure that Welsh businesses are benefiting from the work that is being done and that we are actually using Welsh materials so that that money is being reinvested back into our economy here. So, I'd just like to know from you how many Welsh businesses have been engaged in the work in the Chamber, and what Welsh materials, in terms of timber and others, are being used to make sure that the Chamber really does reflect the best of Wales.
Diolch yn fawr am eich ateb, Lywydd. Er fy mod yn llwyr yn erbyn ehangu'r Senedd a gwario'r £4.22 miliwn hwnnw, fel rydych wedi'i amlinellu, credaf ei bod yn bwysig, os ydym yn gwario'r arian hwnnw, ein bod yn sicrhau bod busnesau Cymru'n elwa o'r gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud a'n bod yn defnyddio deunyddiau o Gymru fel bod yr arian hwnnw'n cael ei ailfuddsoddi yn ein heconomi yma. Felly, hoffwn wybod gennych faint o fusnesau Cymru sydd wedi bod cyfrannu at y gwaith yn y Siambr, a pha ddeunyddiau Cymreig, pren a deunyddiau eraill, sy'n cael eu defnyddio i sicrhau bod y Siambr yn adlewyrchu'r gorau o Gymru.
All of the public tendering work that we did was clear in our preference for Welsh companies and Welsh materials. A Welsh contractor is the main contractor for the work, and I'm pleased that that has happened. Progress on us returning to the Chamber is reliant on their good work and their goodwill in supporting us in our work. I don't have the detail in front of me at this point, but I am happy to share with all Members a breakdown of where we are in terms of any subcontracting that has happened with other Welsh firms or otherwise, and also the materials used.
Roedd yr holl waith tendro cyhoeddus a wnaethom yn glir y byddem yn ffafrio cwmnïau o Gymru a deunyddiau Cymreig. Contractwr Cymreig yw'r prif gontractwr ar gyfer y gwaith, ac rwy'n falch fod hynny wedi digwydd. Mae'r cynnydd o ran ein dychweliad i'r Siambr yn dibynnu ar eu gwaith da a'u hewyllys da yn ein cefnogi gyda'u gwaith. Nid oes gennyf y manylion o'm blaen ar hyn o bryd, ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i rannu dadansoddiad gyda'r holl Aelodau o ble rydym arni gydag unrhyw is-gontractio a wnaed gyda chwmnïau Cymreig eraill neu fel arall, ynghyd â'r deunyddiau a ddefnyddiwyd.
2. A wnaiff y Comisiwn roi diweddariad ar y defnydd o AI o ran rheoli busnes y Senedd? OQ63132
2. Will the Commission provide an update on the use of AI in managing Senedd business? OQ63132
Mae'r Senedd yn mabwysiadu deallusrwydd artiffisial yn raddol, gan gydbwyso cyfle â risg. Ar hyn o bryd rydym yn cynnal peilot strwythuredig, wedi'i reoli o ran risg, o Microsoft Copilot ar gyfer Microsoft 365 a Teams Premium, gan ddefnyddio rheolaethau cadarn o ran llywodraethiant a phreifatrwydd. Mae Aelodau o’r Senedd a’u staff cymorth wedi cael cyfle i gymryd rhan yn y peilot yma, ac rydym wedi cael adborth cadarnhaol.
The Senedd is adopting AI incrementally, balancing opportunity with caution. We are currently running a structured, risk-managed trial of Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 and Teams Premium, using strong controls in terms of governance and privacy. Members of the Senedd and their support staff have been given an opportunity to participate in this trial, and we have received positive feedback.
Diolch am eich ateb.
Thank you for your response.
I welcome what you said in terms of proceeding with caution in monitoring the trial. We know that parliaments around the world are embracing digital tools and services. In the Albanian Parliament, I believe, there was even an AI Minister, although, Llywydd, I am not advocating an AI Llywydd here. But in all seriousness, I think it is really important that we do embrace this technology to support what we do, but that we have those ethical principles at the heart of it, governance and oversight, and look at the design and operation to make sure there aren't biases in how that's done, and, of course, privacy and security. I think it's really important that we have those guardrails in place, that we support, not supplant, our democracy, and also remember this is also people's workplace, and to make sure that any approach is collaborative with those that work within our democracy here in Wales. Diolch.
Rwy'n croesawu'r hyn a ddywedoch chi ynglŷn â mynd ati'n ofalus i fonitro'r achos. Gwyddom fod seneddau ledled y byd yn defnyddio offer a gwasanaethau digidol. Yn Senedd Albania, rwy'n credu bod ganddynt Weinidog deallusrwydd artiffisial hyd yn oed, er nad wyf i'n dadlau dros gael Llywydd deallusrwydd artiffisial yma, Lywydd. Ond o ddifrif, rwy'n credu ei bod yn wirioneddol bwysig ein bod yn manteisio ar y dechnoleg hon i gefnogi'r hyn a wnawn, ond fod gennym egwyddorion moesegol wrth wraidd hynny, llywodraethu a goruchwylio, a'n bod yn edrych ar y cynllun a'r gweithrediad i sicrhau nad oes tueddiadau yn y ffordd y caiff hynny ei wneud, a phreifatrwydd a diogelwch wrth gwrs. Credaf ei bod yn wirioneddol bwysig fod gennym y camau diogelu hynny ar waith, a'n bod yn cefnogi, nid yn disodli, ein democratiaeth, gan gofio bod hwn hefyd yn weithle pobl, a sicrhau bod unrhyw ddull yn gydweithredol â'r rheini sy'n gweithio o fewn ein democratiaeth yma yng Nghymru. Diolch.
I think you've outlined perfectly the ethos of how we are seeking to progress our use of AI in our democracy and in our Senedd. It is there to assist us into the future, not to replace us, whether that's replace me as the Llywydd—if I pinch, I am not artificially generated; it hurts me. So, we need to make sure that AI is developed in our work in a way where we embrace the possibilities and the challenges that new technology provides us. We don't want to be behind the curve on any of this, but we want to do it in a collaborative way and in a way that has the right ethics and governance at heart.
Rwy'n credu eich bod wedi amlinellu ethos y ffordd y ceisiwn ddatblygu ein defnydd o ddeallusrwydd artiffisial yn ein democratiaeth ac yn ein Senedd yn berffaith. Mae yno i'n cynorthwyo i gamu tua'r dyfodol, nid i'n disodli, boed hynny'n cynnwys fy nisodli i fel Llywydd—os pinsiaf fy hun, nid wyf yn artiffisial; mae'n fy mrifo. Felly, mae angen inni sicrhau bod deallusrwydd artiffisial yn cael ei ddatblygu yn ein gwaith mewn ffordd lle rydym yn croesawu'r posibiliadau a'r heriau y mae technoleg newydd yn eu rhoi i ni. Nid ydym eisiau bod ar ei hôl hi ar hyn, ond rydym eisiau ei wneud mewn ffordd gydweithredol ac mewn ffordd sydd â moeseg a llywodraethiant cywir yn sail iddi.
Diolch i'r Llywydd.
I thank the Llywydd.
Nid oes unrhyw gwestiynau amserol wedi eu derbyn heddiw.
No topical questions have been accepted today.
Felly, byddwn yn symud ymlaen i'r eitem nesaf, datganiadau 90 eiliad. Dim ond un sydd y prynhawn yma, a dwi'n galw ar Rhys ab Owen.
So, we will move on now to our next item, the 90-second statements. There is just one this afternoon, and I call on Rhys ab Owen.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Naw cant tri deg dau o bleidleisiau ychwanegol, a byddai Phil Richards wedi dod yn Aelod yn y siambr yma yn 1999, fel yr Aelod cyntaf dros Gwm Cynon. Colled gwleidyddiaeth Cymru oedd ennill i system gyfiawnder ein gwlad. Fel nifer o genedlaetholwyr amlwg y cyfnod, cafodd Phil ddim ei eni yng Nghymru, ond nid man geni sy’n pennu cenedligrwydd, ac roedd Phil ar dân dros Gymru a'r Gymraeg.
Roedd fy nhad a Phil yn unigryw yn y blaid yng Nghaerdydd ar ddechrau'r 1960au. Doedden nhw ddim yn gapelwyr iaith Gymraeg, ac roedd rhai yn eithaf drwgdybus o'r ddau rebel yma, ond mi wnaeth y ddau daflu eu hunain i ymgyrchu yng Nghaerdydd, yn aml mewn sefyllfaoedd anodd, ac yna fe aeth Phil i Gwm Cynon flynyddoedd cyn yr etholiad cyffredinol yn 1979 i sefyll dros y blaid yn yr etholiad anodd yna. Nid ymgeisydd parasiwt oedd Phil Richards.
Fe ddefnyddiodd ei sgiliau cyfreithiol i gynorthwyo’r blaid yn y 1970au a'r 1990au, cyfnodau allweddol yn hanes datganoli. Fe ymdaflodd Phil i normaleiddio'r Gymraeg yn y llys. Byddai’n cymell tystion i roi eu tystiolaeth yn eu hiaith gyntaf. Fe wnes i lawer o achosion drwy’r Gymraeg o flaen Phil. Fe ddaeth y dysgwr Cymraeg yn farnwr cyswllt y Gymraeg yng Nghymru, gan hyrwyddo'r iaith ar bob achlysur.
Penllanw hynny oedd i Phil ddod yn aelod o'r Orsedd fel Phil Pennar. Bu Dad a Phil yn yr un cartref am gyfnod, ac er nad oedd y ddau hen gyfaill yn adnabod ei gilydd oherwydd yr afiechyd creulon, roedd yn dod â rhyw deimlad braf inni bod y ddau gyda’i gilydd, a bob tro rôn i'n gweld Phil, roedd ei wên yn para o hyd. Mae Cymru wedi colli cawr o ddyn. Cawr ar goesau bach efallai, ond cawr heb os. Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. Another 932 votes and Phil Richards would have become a Member in this Chamber in 1999 as the first Member for the Cynon Valley. This loss to Welsh politics was a boon for the justice system of our country. Like many prominent nationalists of the time, Phil was not born in Wales, but place of birth does not determine nationality, and Phil was consumed with passion for Wales and the Welsh language.
My father and Phil were unique in Plaid Cymru in Cardiff at the start of the 1960s. They weren't Welsh-speaking chapelgoers, and some were quite suspicious of these two rebels, but they both threw themselves into the task of campaigning in Cardiff, often in difficult circumstances, and then Phil moved to the Cynon valley years before the 1979 general election to stand in that very difficult election. Phil Richards wasn't a parachute candidate.
He used his legal skills to assist the party in the 1970s and the 1990s. These were key periods in the history of devolution. Phil threw himself into normalising the Welsh language in our courts. He would encourage witnesses to give their evidence in their first language, and I took many cases through the medium of Welsh before Phil. The Welsh learner became a Welsh language liaison judge, promoting the language on every occasion.
Phil also became a member of the Gorsedd as Phil Pennar. Dad and Phil were in the same care home for a while, and although these two old friends didn't recognise each other because of their cruel illness, it brought us some comfort that those two old friends were together, and every time we saw Phil, he was still smiling. Wales has lost a giant of a man, a giant short in stature, perhaps, but a giant nonetheless. Thank you.
Diolch, Rhys.
Thank you, Rhys.
Eitem 6 yw'r ddadl ar ddeiseb P-06-1494, 'Llywodraeth Cymru i ddiogelu cyllid mewn addysg rhag toriadau Llywodraeth Cymru ac Awdurdodau Lleol'. Galwaf ar Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Deisebau i wneud y cynnig. Carolyn Thomas.
Item 6 is the debate on petition P-06-1494, 'Welsh Government to protect funding in education from Welsh Government and Local Authority cuts'. I call on the Chair of the Petitions Committee to move the motion. Carolyn Thomas.
Cynnig NDM8982 Carolyn Thomas
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
Yn nodi’r ddeiseb P-06-1494 'Llywodraeth Cymru i ddiogelu cyllid mewn addysg rhag toriadau Llywodraeth Cymru ac Awdurdodau Lleol’ a gasglodd 11,040 o lofnodion.
Motion NDM8982 Carolyn Thomas
To propose that the Senedd:
Notes the petition P-06-1494 'Welsh Government to protect funding in education from WG and Local Authority cuts’, which received 11,040 signatures.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. On behalf of the Petitions Committee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss this debate. We first considered this petition in January, but delayed requesting a debate in advance of February’s budget debate. The petitioner’s comments were shared with the Cabinet Secretary and the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee during the budget scrutiny process. The petition was submitted by Catherine Drews, and closed on 7 August 2024 with 11,040 signatures. It reads:
'ALN Reform Wales call on Welsh Government to protect funding in education from WG and LA cuts. There are numerous reports of LA's putting out consultations or actual published budgets with massive cuts to education budget. Jeremy Miles pledged to invest in education. This cannot be allowed to happen to the most vulnerable members of society. Recent reports show Wales education standards have fallen. Our children's education is the best investment in social justice and a healthy economy.'
Members will be aware of a number of petitions on ALN reform during this Senedd, and we held a petitions debate on 'Reform of the additional learning needs Code of Wales 2021' last May. I also highlighted ALN petitions during the debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee report ‘Do disabled children and young people have equal access to education and childcare?' last November.
The Cabinet Secretary’s correspondence with us has set out the financial pressures and challenges, and highlighted her focus on raising educational standards. The petitioners have called for ring-fencing of funds, and stress an increasing frequency of parents’ pleas for help, saying:
'Whether this is as a result of the budget cuts or the funding going to the wrong places is unclear.'
On ring-fencing, the Cabinet Secretary says local authorities are best placed to assess local needs and fund schools accordingly and notes the statutory basis for engagement on funding through the schools forums. The Cabinet Secretary also points to additional hypothecated grant funding on top of the local government settlement.
Growing waiting times for a diagnosis were also stressed by the petitioners. Responding to the Cabinet Secretary’s focus on tackling absenteeism, petitioners point to how delayed diagnosis of neurodivergence and a lack of the right support can lead to 'school distress' and school-related trauma, resulting in non-attendance. They point out that teachers are not trained psychologists, and children are 'surviving not thriving'.
The petitioner has also raised concerns about problems with how the ALN code is applied, and the use of public funds for education tribunals:
'families are being pushed into stressful, lengthy legal processes just to secure basic educational rights for their children. These tribunal costs reflect not only financial inefficiency, but also a system where the law and guidance are being misunderstood—or worse, ignored.'
In its 2025-26 draft budget report, the CYPE committee notes £14.3 million to support the delivery of additional learning needs, and that Welsh Ministers have continued to prioritise local government funding, from which schools, along with social care, are the main recipients,
'to safeguard as far as possible core funding to schools'.
CYPE asked the Cabinet Secretary if she was confident local authorities had sufficient resources to fund schools adequately, and she stressed that the increased settlement for local government was in recognition of the pressures on schools and social care.
A review of school funding formulae across Wales has also recommended that ALN funding should form its own funding stream within the delegated budget. It said this would
'strengthen its identity and inform debate on the appropriate levels and usage of ALN funding for the benefit of this vulnerable cohort of learners.'
Pressure on education services is highlighted in the Finance Committee’s summary report of engagement with stakeholders on the Welsh Government’s draft budget for the next financial year, 2026-27. In July, the committee said:
'Schools are facing deficits and increased demands, particularly for additional needs. There is a need for reforms and better support for vulnerable learners and families.'
While the Petitions Committee’s main remit is not the scrutiny and strategic oversight of education funding, it is vital we recognise public concerns. The parents of children with additional learning needs, who may have faced great battles to secure the support their child needs to achieve their potential, have been tenacious in petitioning and advocating for their rights. We want to recognise their efforts. I look forward to Members’ contributions today, and to the Cabinet Secretary’s response. Thank you.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Ar ran y Pwyllgor Deisebau, diolch am y cyfle i drafod y ddadl hon. Fe wnaethom ystyried y ddeiseb hon gyntaf ym mis Ionawr, ond fe wnaethom ohirio gofyn am ddadl cyn y ddadl ar y gyllideb ym mis Chwefror. Rhannwyd sylwadau'r deisebydd gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet a Chadeirydd y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yn ystod y broses graffu ar y gyllideb. Cyflwynwyd y ddeiseb gan Catherine Drews, a chaeodd ar 7 Awst 2024 gydag 11,040 o lofnodion. Mae'n nodi:
'Mae Diwygio ADY Cymru yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddiogelu cyllid mewn addysg rhag toriadau Llywodraeth Cymru ac Awdurdodau Lleol. Mae nifer o adroddiadau am awdurdodau lleol yn cyhoeddi ymgynghoriadau neu gyllidebau gwirioneddol gyda thoriadau enfawr i gyllideb addysg. Mae Jeremy Miles wedi addo buddsoddi mewn addysg. Ni ellir caniatáu i hyn ddigwydd i aelodau mwyaf bregus cymdeithas. Mae adroddiadau diweddar yn dangos bod safonau addysg Cymru wedi gostwng. Addysg ein plant yw’r buddsoddiad gorau mewn cyfiawnder cymdeithasol ac economi iach.'
Bydd yr Aelodau'n ymwybodol o nifer o ddeisebau ar ddiwygio ADY yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon, a chynhaliwyd dadl ar y ddeiseb 'Diwygio Cod Anghenion Dysgu Ychwanegol Cymru 2021' ym mis Mai. Tynnais sylw hefyd at ddeisebau ADY yn ystod y ddadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg 'A yw plant a phobl ifanc anabl yn cael mynediad cyfartal at addysg a gofal plant?' fis Tachwedd diwethaf.
Mae gohebiaeth Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gyda ni wedi nodi'r pwysau a'r heriau ariannol, ac wedi tynnu sylw at ei ffocws ar godi safonau addysgol. Mae'r deisebwyr wedi galw am glustnodi arian, ac yn pwysleisio amlder cynyddol apeliadau rhieni am gymorth, gan ddweud:
'Nid yw'n glir a yw hyn yn digwydd o ganlyniad i'r toriadau cyllidebol neu fod y cyllid yn mynd i'r lleoedd anghywir.'
Ar glustnodi arian, mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn dweud mai awdurdodau lleol sydd yn y sefyllfa orau i asesu anghenion lleol ac ariannu ysgolion yn unol â hynny ac mae'n nodi'r sail statudol ar gyfer ymgysylltu ar gyllid drwy fforymau ysgolion. Mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet hefyd yn tynnu sylw at gyllid grant neilltuedig ychwanegol ar ben y setliad llywodraeth leol.
Pwysleisiodd y deisebwyr hefyd yr amseroedd aros cynyddol am ddiagnosis. Wrth ymateb i ffocws Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ar fynd i'r afael ag absenoliaeth, mae'r deisebwyr yn tynnu sylw at sut y gall oedi cyn cael diagnosis o niwrowahaniaeth a diffyg cymorth cywir arwain at 'drallod ysgol' a thrawma sy'n gysylltiedig â'r ysgol, gan arwain at absenoldeb. Maent yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith nad yw athrawon yn seicolegwyr hyfforddedig, a bod plant yn 'goroesi nid yn ffynnu'.
Mae'r deisebydd hefyd wedi codi pryderon ynghylch problemau gyda sut y caiff y cod ADY ei roi ar waith, a'r defnydd o arian cyhoeddus ar gyfer tribiwnlysoedd addysg:
'mae teuluoedd yn cael eu gwthio i mewn i brosesau cyfreithiol hirfaith a dirdynnol er mwyn sicrhau hawliau addysgol sylfaenol i'w plant. Mae'r costau tribiwnlys hyn nid yn unig yn adlewyrchu aneffeithlonrwydd ariannol, ond hefyd system lle mae'r gyfraith a'r canllawiau'n cael eu camddeall—neu'n waeth, eu hanwybyddu.'
Yn ei adroddiad ar gyllideb ddrafft 2025-26, mae'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yn nodi £14.3 miliwn i gefnogi'r ddarpariaeth o anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, a bod Gweinidogion Cymru wedi parhau i flaenoriaethu cyllid llywodraeth leol, lle mae ysgolion, ynghyd â gofal cymdeithasol, yn brif dderbynyddion,
'er mwyn diogelu cyllid craidd i ysgolion cymaint â phosib'.
Gofynnodd y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet pa mor hyderus oedd hi fod gan awdurdodau lleol ddigon o adnoddau i ariannu ysgolion yn ddigonol, a phwysleisiodd hi fod y setliad uwch i lywodraeth leol yn gydnabyddiaeth o'r pwysau ar ysgolion a gofal cymdeithasol.
Mae adolygiad o fformiwlâu ariannu ysgolion ledled Cymru hefyd wedi argymell y dylai cyllid ADY ffurfio ei ffrwd ariannu ei hun o fewn y gyllideb ddirprwyedig. Dywedodd y byddai hyn
'yn ei wneud yn fwy amlwg ac yn llywio trafodaeth ar y lefelau a’r defnydd priodol o gyllid ADY er budd y garfan fregus hon o ddysgwyr.'
Mae pwysau ar wasanaethau addysg wedi’i amlygu yn adroddiad cryno’r Pwyllgor Cyllid ar ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid ar gyllideb ddrafft Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, 2026-27. Ym mis Gorffennaf, dywedodd y pwyllgor:
'Mae ysgolion yn wynebu diffygion a mwy o alw, yn enwedig o ran anghenion ychwanegol. Mae angen diwygiadau a gwell cymorth i ddysgwyr a theuluoedd sy'n agored i niwed.'
Er nad prif gylch gwaith y Pwyllgor Deisebau yw goruchwylio strategol a chraffu ar gyllid addysg, mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn cydnabod pryderon y cyhoedd. Mae rhieni plant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, a allai fod wedi wynebu brwydrau mawr i sicrhau'r cymorth sydd ei angen ar eu plentyn i gyflawni eu potensial, wedi mynd ati'n ddygn i ddeisebu a dadlau dros eu hawliau. Rydym am gydnabod eu hymdrechion. Edrychaf ymlaen at gyfraniadau'r Aelodau heddiw, ac at ymateb Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Diolch.
Since devolution, Welsh Labour has used the education system in Wales as a vehicle to enact and press forward with its ludicrous socialist policies. They have set about changing an educational ethos that was once one of the best in the United Kingdom to one that is now one of the worst in Europe. They have removed national and exam-focused education in favour of locally developed and holistic education, prioritising well-being and inclusion over standards of excellence and accountability. The simple truth is that this socialist experiment has failed. Wales is the laughing stock of the UK in terms of educational provision. Education standards have declined ever since Welsh Labour took control of it in 1999, and it's the people of Wales who ultimately suffer for this: less able to compete for the best universities, less able to compete for jobs, and lower skills and qualifications mean they have fewer prospects, and, ultimately, fewer opportunities in life. Poverty cannot explain why education standards are so poor. Disadvantaged pupils in England outperform the average Welsh learner, even in cities with comparable poverty levels. This Welsh Labour Government has championed progressive reforms like the Curriculum for Wales, but have not bothered to match these reforms with sufficient funding for training, implementation or even infrastructure.
However, what I find the most incredible part of all of this is the Welsh Labour Government honestly believe that they're doing a good job. No doubt we will hear from them at the end of this debate how it isn't their fault, and it's the fault of 14 years of Conservate Government. But let me remind Members here that, if spending on devolved functions was completely equalised between the four nations of the UK on a per person basis, spending would fall by 16 per cent in Wales. Ultimately, our union dividend pays dividends.
We should never forget that it was Welsh Labour who negotiated the Barnett floor with the UK Government to ensure Wales receives at least 115 per cent of equivalent English spending per capita. Now, we know that this floor has never had to kick in, because the current settlement gives us 120 per cent. We get more than our English counterparts. So, I genuinely have to ask, if the Welsh Government thinks that even more money is needed, why have they never presented the evidence and negotiated for this when they've had the opportunity? They complain about a lack of funding, but can only really blame themselves.
Education standards in Wales are at an all-time low. The truth is, as the polls show, people in Wales simply can't stomach Welsh Labour and its ongoing kakistocracy any longer. Compared to all UK nations, we have reported the worst access to basic resources, such as books and IT facilities, and some of the biggest rises in teacher stress and sector abandonment. Our headteachers are under the highest reported pressure to cut staff, reduce support services and delay maintenance to keep within budget, when compared to their UK colleagues. As the Welsh Labour Government's failure lies not just in the amount of funding it has allocated, but in its inability to shield schools from escalating costs, support councils adequately and ensure reforms are properly resourced, the result is a system under strain with vulnerable students and staff bearing the full brunt.
This petition, Dirprwy Lywydd, clearly comes from a growing concern that vulnerable pupils, especially those with additional learning needs, will be the ones who disproportionately bear that brunt and cost. I fully support ALN Reform Wales in calling on the Welsh Government to protect school funding. Cuts to funding in this area will be devastating for children with additional learning needs, and its short-sightedness is all too plain to see. Without a decent standard of education and support, where does that leave people? It leaves them struggling to find employment, struggling to be a part of society and struggling to stay out of poverty. I would urge Members here to support this petition, and I would urge this Welsh Labour Government to intervene and ensure our education funding is secured for future generations. Thank you.
Ers datganoli, mae Llafur Cymru wedi defnyddio'r system addysg yng Nghymru fel cyfrwng i weithredu a symud ymlaen â'i pholisïau sosialaidd hurt. Maent wedi mynd ati i newid ethos addysgol a oedd unwaith ymhlith y goreuon yn y Deyrnas Unedig i fod yn un sydd bellach ymhlith y gwaethaf yn Ewrop. Maent wedi cael gwared ar addysg genedlaethol sy'n canolbwyntio ar arholiadau o blaid cyflwyno addysg gyfannol a ddatblygir yn lleol, gan flaenoriaethu llesiant a chynhwysiant dros safonau rhagoriaeth ac atebolrwydd. Y gwir amdani yw bod yr arbrawf sosialaidd hwn wedi methu. Mae Cymru'n destun gwawd yn y DU o ran darpariaeth addysgol. Mae safonau addysg wedi dirywio ers i Lafur Cymru gael rheolaeth dros y maes ym 1999, a phobl Cymru sy'n dioddef am hyn yn y pen draw: maent yn llai abl i gystadlu am y prifysgolion gorau, yn llai abl i gystadlu am swyddi, ac mae llai o sgiliau a chymwysterau yn golygu bod ganddynt lai o ragolygon, ac yn y pen draw, llai o gyfleoedd mewn bywyd. Ni all tlodi esbonio pam y mae safonau addysg mor wael. Mae disgyblion difreintiedig yn Lloegr yn perfformio'n well na dysgwr cyffredin yng Nghymru, hyd yn oed mewn dinasoedd â lefelau cymaradwy o dlodi. Mae Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru wedi hyrwyddo diwygiadau blaengar fel y Cwricwlwm i Gymru, ond nid ydynt wedi trafferthu darparu digon o gyllid ar gyfer hyfforddiant, gweithredu na hyd yn oed seilwaith i gyd-fynd â'r diwygiadau hyn.
Fodd bynnag, yr hyn sy'n fwyaf anghredadwy i mi am hyn oll yw bod Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru o ddifrif yn credu eu bod yn gwneud yn dda. Mae'n siŵr y byddwn yn eu clywed ar ddiwedd y ddadl hon yn dweud sut nad yw'n fai arnynt hwy, ac mai 14 mlynedd o Lywodraeth Geidwadol sydd ar fai. Ond gadewch imi atgoffa'r Aelodau yma, pe bai gwariant y pen ar swyddogaethau datganoledig yn gwbl gyfartal ym mhedair gwlad y DU, byddai gwariant yn gostwng 16 y cant yng Nghymru. Yn y pen draw, mae difidend ein hundeb yn talu ar ei ganfed.
Ni ddylem byth anghofio mai Llafur Cymru a negododd gyllid gwaelodol Barnett gyda Llywodraeth y DU i sicrhau bod Cymru'n cael o leiaf 115 y cant o wariant cyfatebol y pen yn Lloegr. Nawr, fe wyddom nad yw'r cyllid gwaelodol hwn erioed wedi gorfod dod i rym, gan fod y setliad presennol yn rhoi 120 y cant i ni. Rydym yn cael mwy na'n cymheiriaid yn Lloegr. Felly, rhaid imi ofyn o ddifrif, os yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn credu bod angen mwy fyth o arian, pam nad ydynt erioed wedi cyflwyno'r dystiolaeth a negodi am hyn pan gawsant gyfle i wneud hynny? Maent yn cwyno am ddiffyg cyllid, ond ni allant feio neb ond nhw'u hunain mewn gwirionedd.
Mae safonau addysg yng Nghymru ar eu hisaf erioed. Y gwir amdani, fel y dengys yr arolygon barn, yw na all pobl Cymru ddioddef cacistocratiaeth barhaus Llafur Cymru mwyach. O gymharu â holl genhedloedd y DU, rydym wedi cofnodi'r mynediad gwaethaf at adnoddau sylfaenol, fel llyfrau a chyfleusterau TG, a pheth o'r cynnydd mwyaf mewn straen athrawon a niferoedd yn gadael y sector. Ein penaethiaid sydd o dan y pwysau mwyaf a gofnodwyd i dorri staff, lleihau gwasanaethau cymorth a gohirio gwaith cynnal a chadw er mwyn aros o fewn y gyllideb, o gymharu â'u penaethiaid cyfatebol yn y DU. Gan fod methiant Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru nid yn unig yn y swm o gyllid y mae wedi'i ddyrannu, ond hefyd yn ei hanallu i ddiogelu ysgolion rhag costau cynyddol, i gefnogi cynghorau'n ddigonol ac i sicrhau bod diwygiadau'n cael eu hariannu'n briodol, y canlyniad yw system dan straen gyda myfyrwyr a staff agored i niwed yn ysgwyddo'r baich mwyaf.
Mae'r ddeiseb hon, Ddirprwy Lywydd, yn amlwg yn deillio o bryder cynyddol mai disgyblion agored i niwed, yn enwedig y rhai ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, fydd yn ysgwyddo'r baich a'r gost honno'n anghymesur. Rwy'n cefnogi Diwygio ADY Cymru yn llwyr gyda'u galwadau ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddiogelu cyllid ysgolion. Bydd toriadau i gyllid yn y maes yn ddinistriol i blant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, ac mae eu meddylfryd cibddall yn gwbl amlwg. Heb safon dda o addysg a chymorth, ble mae hynny'n gadael pobl? Mae'n eu gadael mewn sefyllfa ble maent yn ei chael hi'n anodd dod o hyd i waith, yn ei chael hi'n anodd bod yn rhan o gymdeithas ac yn ei chael hi'n anodd aros allan o dlodi. Hoffwn annog yr Aelodau yma i gefnogi'r ddeiseb hon, a hoffwn annog Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru i ymyrryd ac i sicrhau bod ein cyllid addysg wedi'i ddiogelu ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Diolch.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i'r deisebwr am gasglu dros 11,000 o lofnodion ac am godi'r mater pwysig hwn. Dwi'n bwriadu ymateb i ofynion y ddeiseb, yn hytrach na phregethu am faterion eraill.
Does dim dwywaith fod cyllidebau Llywodraeth Cymru ac awdurdodau addysg o dan bwysau mawr. Ond wedi dweud hynny, mae'n rhaid i addysg gael blaenoriaeth. Mae'n rhaid inni roi y cyfleoedd gorau mewn bywyd i blant drwy'r system addysg, a rhaid i honno fod yn system gadarn—rhywbeth, dwi'n siŵr, y byddem ni i gyd yn gallu cytuno arno fe.
Ond dwi yn gofidio am effaith y pwysau ar arian cyhoeddus a'r effaith y mae hynny'n mynd i'w gael ar ddysgwyr sydd ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, ac, fel y mae'r ddeiseb yn nodi, y pwysau sydd ar rieni hefyd yn wyneb yr heriau y maen nhw'n gorfod eu hwynebu oherwydd y diffyg darpariaeth sydd ar gael i'w plant sydd ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol.
Felly, dyna pam ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn, iawn fod yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, yn ei datganiad hi ar ALN yn yr hydref, yn mynd i'r afael yn uniongyrchol â'r heriau hyn. Mae hynny'n golygu, yn ein barn ni fel plaid, ar y lefel minimwm, fod cyllid digonol yn cael ei roi i gefnogi gwasanaethau anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, fod cynllun cenedlaethol clir yn cael ei gyflwyno ar gyfer gweithredu newidiadau, a bod hyfforddiant gorfodol yn cael ei roi i staff sy'n ymwneud â darparu cefnogaeth anghenion dysgu ychwanegol.
Nawr, rwy'n credu bod y rhain yn welliannau angenrheidiol i sicrhau tegwch ac urddas i bob dysgwr sydd ag anghenion. Rŷn ni wrth gwrs yn cydnabod yr anawsterau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n eu hwynebu, ac awdurdodau lleol yn arbennig, i gael y balans yna’n iawn rhwng gwariant ar wasanaethau eraill ac ar addysg yn benodol. Ac fel cyn aelod o gabinet ar awdurdod lleol, rwy'n gwybod yn bersonol pa mor anodd yw hi i wneud dewisiadau anodd rhwng gwario ar addysg a gwario ar faterion eraill. Dyna pam dwi ddim wedi cael fy argyhoeddi mai rhoi amddiffynfa, neu warchod, neu 'ring-fence-o' arian ar gyfer addysg yw'r ffordd orau ymlaen.
Thank you very much to the petitioner for gathering over 11,000 signatures and for raising this important issue. I intend to respond to the petition, rather than preach on other issues.
There's no doubt that Welsh Government and educational authorities' budgets are under huge pressures. But having said that, education must be a priority. We must give the best life opportunities for children through our education system, and that system must be robust—something that I'm sure we could all agree on.
But I am concerned about the impact of the pressures on public funding and the impact that that will have on learners with additional needs, and, as the petition notes, the pressures on parents too in light of the challenges that they have to face because of the lack of provision available for their children with additional learning needs.
So, that's why it's hugely important that the Cabinet Secretary, in her statement on ALN in the autumn, does directly address those challenges. That means, in our view as a party, at a minimum level, that sufficient funding should be provided to support additional learning needs services, that there should be a clear national plan presented in order to implement reform, and that compulsory training should be given to staff involved in providing ALN support.
Now, I think that these are necessary changes in order to ensure fairness and dignity for all learners with additional needs. We of course recognise the difficulties that the Welsh Government face, and the difficulties that local authorities in particular face, to get that balance right between expenditure on other services and expenditure specifically on education. And as a former local authority cabinet member, I know personally how difficult it is to make those difficult choices between spending on education and spending in other areas. That's why I have not been convinced that ring-fencing funding for education is the best way forward.
What the challenges facing local authorities in the conflicting pressures on budgets show quite clearly, and reinforces the need, in my opinion, to address the root cause of the problem, is that Wales is not receiving fair funding from Westminster. Now, we've long called for the replacement of the outdated Barnett formula with a needs-based funding model, and also the reversal of the increase in employers' national insurance contributions, which disproportionately impacts public services in Wales.
Now, we know that the Chancellor is going to announce her autumn statement before long. I think that must include changes to a new funding formula for Wales. Anything less is surely going to be letting down Welsh children, families and communities. I'm sure we can all agree that education is the best investment we can make in the future of our nation. We have needs in Wales that are different. We have needs in Wales that are greater. Plaid Cymru will continue to fight for the funding and the reforms needed to make that investment a reality. [Interruption.] Yes, of course.
Yr hyn y mae'r heriau sy'n wynebu awdurdodau lleol yn y pwysau croestynnol ar gyllidebau yn ei ddangos yn eithaf clir ac yn ei atgyfnerthu, yw'r angen, yn fy marn i, i fynd i'r afael ag achos sylfaenol y broblem, ac nad yw Cymru'n cael cyllid teg gan San Steffan. Nawr, rydym wedi galw ers amser maith am fodel cyllido sy'n seiliedig ar anghenion yn lle fformiwla Barnett, ac am wrthdroi'r cynnydd i gyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol cyflogwyr, sy'n effeithio'n anghymesur ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru.
Nawr, fe wyddom fod y Canghellor yn mynd i gyhoeddi ei datganiad hydref cyn hir. Rwy'n credu bod rhaid iddo gynnwys newidiadau i fformiwla ariannu newydd i Gymru. Bydd unrhyw beth llai yn gam â phlant, teuluoedd a chymunedau Cymru. Rwy'n siŵr y gallwn i gyd gytuno mai addysg yw'r buddsoddiad gorau y gallwn ei wneud yn nyfodol ein cenedl. Mae gennym anghenion yng Nghymru sy'n wahanol. Mae gennym anghenion yng Nghymru sy'n fwy. Bydd Plaid Cymru yn parhau i frwydro am y cyllid a'r diwygiadau sydd eu hangen i wireddu'r buddsoddiad hwnnw. [Torri ar draws.] Iawn, wrth gwrs.
Thank you very much, Cefin. Of course, funding is vitally important, but there are other logistical factors that could be helpful equally to that, which would be something along the lines of access to certain subject areas or syllabuses. In Wales, obviously, it's bound by a singular exam board, in the WJEC, for example, where English local education authorities can actually access WJEC material, but that isn't replicated at a vice versa level. So, would you accept that some level of greater autonomy amongst schools might be a help in that direction? If a headmaster—or a headteacher, I should say—or a teacher sees a certain syllabus that they might like to teach their children, which they think would be applicable to what they want to do, then that would be something that they could explore with greater freedom.
Diolch, Cefin. Wrth gwrs, mae cyllid yn hanfodol bwysig, ond mae yna ffactorau logistaidd eraill a allai fod yr un mor ddefnyddiol i hynny, sef rhywbeth fel mynediad at feysydd pwnc neu feysydd llafur penodol. Yng Nghymru, wrth gwrs, caiff ei rwymo gan un bwrdd arholi, y CBAC, er enghraifft, lle gall awdurdodau addysg lleol Lloegr gael mynediad at ddeunydd CBAC mewn gwirionedd, ond nid yw hynny'n wir y ffordd arall. Felly, a fyddech chi'n derbyn y gallai lefel fwy o ymreolaeth ymhlith ysgolion fod o gymorth yn hynny o beth? Os yw prifathro—neu bennaeth, dylwn ddweud—neu athro yn gweld maes llafur penodol y byddent yn hoffi ei ddysgu i'w plant, y byddant yn ei ystyried yn berthnasol i'r hyn yr hoffent ei wneud, y byddai hynny'n rhywbeth y gallent ei archwilio gyda mwy o ryddid.
I'm not quite sure how that relates to the petition that is before us today, but my understanding, just to answer your question, is that I think it is up to every school to choose which examination board they want to apply for in terms of examinations. Most seek the WJEC, but I don't think, in my understanding, that anything forbids them from doing anything else.
But I'll go back to ALN, if I can. I'll just finish off by saying that we need that funding in order to meet the needs of Wales, so that a future Welsh Government and local authorities don't have to face the almost impossible choices they have to make on how they spend their money. Diolch.
Nid wyf yn hollol siŵr sut y mae hynny'n cysylltu â'r ddeiseb sydd o'n blaenau heddiw, ond fy nealltwriaeth i, i ateb eich cwestiwn, yw fy mod yn credu mai mater i bob ysgol yw dewis pa fwrdd arholi y maent am wneud cais amdano o ran arholiadau. Mae'r rhan fwyaf yn defnyddio CBAC, ond nid wyf yn credu, yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, fod unrhyw beth yn eu gwahardd rhag gwneud rhywbeth arall.
Ond fe ddychwelaf at ADY, os caf. Rwyf am orffen drwy ddweud bod angen y cyllid hwnnw arnom er mwyn diwallu anghenion Cymru, fel nad oes rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol yn y dyfodol wynebu'r dewisiadau amhosib bron y mae'n rhaid iddynt eu gwneud ynglŷn â sut y maent yn gwario eu harian. Diolch.
The petitioner here is concerned with the needs of students with additional learning needs and highlights the backlog in appointments for autism and ADHD assessments. The number of signatories to the petition shows that there is strong feeling out there and that education is a priority for the people of Wales, and, of course, is a priority for us here in the Senedd.
But Welsh children also benefit from other local authority services and spending, such as libraries, parks, swimming pools, local sports clubs. Local authorities make difficult decisions and often know the local area far better than we do here in Cardiff Bay. I agree with the principle that we do not mandate, and we don't usually mandate, what democratically elected councils do with their own budgets. I would also like to note that diagnoses are often due to failure perhaps in the health system rather than education funding.
We also read recently in a Nation.Cymru article that some schools are facing scrutiny from local authorities for unspent funding. However, that doesn't mask the fact that the reality is that most schools report that they have faced salami-slicing cuts that have gone right to the bone now. School Cuts Cymru reported that 69 per cent of schools in Wales have less funding now in real terms than they did in 2010.
For the majority, the Cameron-Clegg austerity has continued, despite us having five Prime Ministers since then. In reality, I'm sure that everyone, from students, parents, teachers, councillors to us here in the Senedd, are concerned about the state of education funding. However, under the current funding model from Westminster, if we ring-fence education, we have to be realistic that other areas will suffer. Therefore, I, like Cefin Campbell, am not convinced that we can, at the moment, ring-fence education funding. Diolch yn fawr.
Mae'r deisebydd yma yn ymwneud ag anghenion myfyrwyr ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol ac yn tynnu sylw at yr ôl-groniad o apwyntiadau ar gyfer asesiadau awtistiaeth ac ADHD. Mae nifer llofnodwyr y ddeiseb yn dangos bod yna deimlad cryf allan yno a bod addysg yn flaenoriaeth i bobl Cymru, ac wrth gwrs, mae'n flaenoriaeth i ni yma yn y Senedd.
Ond mae plant Cymru hefyd yn elwa o wasanaethau a gwariant arall gan awdurdodau lleol, fel llyfrgelloedd, parciau, pyllau nofio, clybiau chwaraeon lleol. Mae awdurdodau lleol yn gwneud penderfyniadau anodd ac yn aml yn adnabod yr ardal leol yn llawer gwell na ni yma ym Mae Caerdydd. Rwy'n cytuno â'r egwyddor na ddylem osod mandad ar yr hyn y mae cynghorau a etholir yn ddemocrataidd yn ei wneud gyda'u cyllidebau eu hunain, ac nid ydym yn gwneud hynny fel arfer. Hoffwn nodi hefyd fod diagnosis yn aml yn deillio o fethiant yn y system iechyd yn hytrach nag o fethiant yng nghyllid addysg.
Fe wnaethom ddarllen yn ddiweddar hefyd mewn erthygl yn Nation.Cymru fod rhai ysgolion yn wynebu craffu gan awdurdodau lleol yn sgil cyllid heb ei wario. Fodd bynnag, nid yw hynny'n celu'r ffaith mai'r gwir amdani yw bod y rhan fwyaf o ysgolion yn adrodd eu bod wedi wynebu toriadau graddol sydd bellach wedi cyrraedd yr asgwrn. Adroddodd School Cuts Cymru fod gan 69 y cant o ysgolion yng Nghymru lai o gyllid nawr mewn termau real na'r hyn a oedd ganddynt yn 2010.
I'r mwyafrif, mae cyni ariannol Cameron-Clegg wedi parhau, er ein bod wedi cael pum Prif Weinidog yn y DU ers hynny. Mewn gwirionedd, rwy'n siŵr fod pawb, yn fyfyrwyr, rhieni, athrawon, cynghorwyr a ninnau yma yn y Senedd, yn pryderu am gyflwr cyllid addysg. Fodd bynnag, o dan y model cyllido presennol o San Steffan, os ydym yn clustnodi cyllid addysg, rhaid inni fod yn realistig y bydd meysydd eraill yn dioddef. Felly, fel Cefin Campbell, nid wyf yn argyhoeddedig y gallwn glustnodi cyllid addysg ar hyn o bryd. Diolch yn fawr.
Dwi'n galw nawr ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg, Lynne Neagle.
I now call on the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I want to start by acknowledging ALN Reform Wales, who have brought this petition to the Senedd. I know that this is led by parents of children and young people with ALN, and I recognise that the concerns you are raising are rooted in your lived experience. I want you to know that I am listening. As Members know, I commissioned a review of the additional learning needs legislation, and that review has been completed. I will be making a statement on the outcome of that review and our Government response to it on 14 October. I will then be appearing in front of the Children, Young People and Education Committee the following week to be scrutinised on our reforms, including ALNET. I therefore plan to use the short time I have available today to address the financial issues raised by the petitioners.
In these challenging financial times, the Welsh Government has made a clear and principled choice, this year and last, to prioritise education funding. We are continuing to increase our investment in education, with an extra £262.5 million over this year and last, bringing our education budget to £1.8 billion a year, which helps to meet the needs of learners across Wales. I've also prioritised funding that goes directly to schools. In 2025-26 over £402 million is being provided through the local authority education grant to help local authorities, schools and settings support our learners, and this does not include funding we provide for our demand-led schemes, including universal primary free school meals and the school essentials grant, which will provide a further £126 million. And our commitment to continuing to prioritise support for learners with additional learning needs is unwavering. Since 2020, we’ve significantly increased investment in ALN, with over £150 million of revenue funding to local authority schools and settings to support implementation, increase resources in schools and lead whole-school strategies to embed inclusive education. The 2025-26 budget maintained the uplift of £10 million to support local authorities and schools in delivery of provision for learners with ALN, taking the ALN funding provided through the local authority education grant to £32 million.
We’ve also invested more than £170 million capital funding to improve facilities for ALN learners through our Sustainable Communities for Learning programme in the last five years, in addition to the £80 million capital allocated directly to local authorities to improve facilities and support inclusive learning environments. Programme partners have identified the need for a further investment of £750 million over the next nine years to expand and create specialist provision. Despite the significant pressures on public finances, the Welsh Government has prioritised investment in local authorities, who are responsible for funding schools and ALN. We’ve continued to invest by providing an increase of £262 million to the local government settlement this year, an uplift of 4.5 per cent. In the letter that was issued with the funding, we were clear as a Government that the additional funding was to meet the pressures in education, including in ALN, as well as social care.
I’m really pleased that we have agreed a shared ambition for education as part of the strategic partnership agreement with local government. I know that there are concerns about the extent to which that funding is reaching our schools. To help address the inconsistencies in how schools are funded by local authorities, we carried out a detailed review to look at this. As a result, I’m making improvements to ensure better transparency, comparability and consistency. This includes changes to the way spending is reported on ALN. The consultation on these changes has just closed and I will update the Senedd further in due course. Last year, we also, as I said, made changes to our grant funding to make sure that as much money as possible ends up in school budgets.
But, Dirprwy Lywydd, this is not just about numbers; it’s about outcomes. Improving educational standards in Wales continues to be my top priority, and I'm committed to achieving this for all our learners. To support improvement in educational standards, I'm clear that we need to improve attendance and deliver sustained improvement in attainment in literacy and numeracy—
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Rwyf am ddechrau drwy gydnabod Diwygio ADY Cymru, sydd wedi cyflwyno'r ddeiseb hon i'r Senedd. Rwy'n gwybod ei fod yn cael ei arwain gan rieni plant a phobl ifanc ag ADY, ac rwy'n cydnabod bod y pryderon a godir gennych wedi'u gwreiddio yn eich profiad bywyd. Rwyf am i chi wybod fy mod i'n gwrando. Fel y gŵyr yr Aelodau, comisiynais adolygiad o'r ddeddfwriaeth anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, ac mae'r adolygiad hwnnw wedi'i gwblhau. Byddaf yn gwneud datganiad ar ganlyniad yr adolygiad hwnnw ac ymateb ein Llywodraeth iddo ar 14 Hydref. Yna byddaf yn ymddangos o flaen y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yr wythnos ganlynol i gael fy ngwaith ar ein diwygiadau wedi'i graffu, yn cynnwys Deddf Anghenion Dysgu Ychwanegol a'r Tribiwnlys Addysg (Cymru). Felly, rwy'n bwriadu defnyddio'r amser byr sydd gennyf heddiw i fynd i'r afael â'r materion ariannol a godwyd gan y deisebwyr.
Yn yr amseroedd heriol hyn yn ariannol, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud dewis clir ac egwyddorol, eleni a'r llynedd, i flaenoriaethu cyllid addysg. Rydym yn parhau i gynyddu ein buddsoddiad mewn addysg, gyda £262.5 miliwn ychwanegol eleni a'r llynedd, gan godi ein cyllideb addysg i £1.8 biliwn y flwyddyn, sy'n helpu i ddiwallu anghenion dysgwyr ledled Cymru. Rwyf hefyd wedi blaenoriaethu cyllid sy'n mynd yn uniongyrchol i ysgolion. Yn 2025-26 mae dros £402 miliwn yn cael ei ddarparu drwy grant addysg awdurdodau lleol i helpu awdurdodau lleol, ysgolion a lleoliadau i gefnogi ein dysgwyr, ac nid yw hyn yn cynnwys cyllid a ddarparwn ar gyfer ein cynlluniau sy'n seiliedig ar alw, gan gynnwys prydau ysgol am ddim i blant cynradd a'r grant hanfodion ysgol, a fydd yn darparu £126 miliwn pellach. Ac mae ein hymrwymiad i barhau i flaenoriaethu cymorth i ddysgwyr ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn ddiwyro. Ers 2020, rydym wedi cynyddu'r buddsoddiad mewn ADY yn sylweddol, gyda dros £150 miliwn o gyllid refeniw i ysgolion a lleoliadau awdurdodau lleol i gefnogi gweithrediad, cynyddu adnoddau mewn ysgolion ac arwain strategaethau ysgol gyfan i wreiddio addysg gynhwysol. Cynhaliodd cyllideb 2025-26 y cynnydd o £10 miliwn i gefnogi awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion i ddarparu darpariaeth i ddysgwyr ag ADY, gan gynyddu cyllid ADY a ddarperir drwy grant addysg awdurdodau lleol i £32 miliwn.
Rydym hefyd wedi buddsoddi mwy na £170 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf i wella cyfleusterau i ddysgwyr ADY drwy ein rhaglen Cymunedau Dysgu Cynaliadwy yn ystod y pum mlynedd diwethaf, yn ogystal â'r cyfalaf o £80 miliwn a ddyrannwyd yn uniongyrchol i awdurdodau lleol i wella cyfleusterau a chefnogi amgylcheddau dysgu cynhwysol. Mae partneriaid y rhaglen wedi nodi'r angen am fuddsoddiad pellach o £750 miliwn dros y naw mlynedd nesaf i ehangu a chreu darpariaeth arbenigol. Er gwaethaf y pwysau sylweddol ar gyllid cyhoeddus, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi blaenoriaethu buddsoddi mewn awdurdodau lleol, sy'n gyfrifol am ariannu ysgolion ac ADY. Rydym wedi parhau i fuddsoddi drwy ddarparu cynnydd o £262 miliwn i'r setliad llywodraeth leol eleni, cynnydd o 4.5 y cant. Yn y llythyr a gyhoeddwyd gyda'r cyllid, roeddem yn glir fel Llywodraeth fod y cyllid ychwanegol i fynd tuag at leddfu pwysau mewn addysg, gan gynnwys ADY, yn ogystal â gofal cymdeithasol.
Rwy'n falch iawn ein bod wedi cytuno ar uchelgais ar y cyd ar gyfer addysg fel rhan o'r cytundeb partneriaeth strategol gyda llywodraeth leol. Rwy'n gwybod bod pryderon ynglŷn ag i ba raddau y mae'r cyllid hwnnw'n cyrraedd ein hysgolion. Er mwyn helpu i fynd i'r afael â'r anghysondeb yn y ffordd y mae ysgolion yn cael eu hariannu gan awdurdodau lleol, fe wnaethom gynnal adolygiad manwl i edrych ar hyn. O ganlyniad, rwy'n gwneud gwelliannau i sicrhau gwell tryloywder, cymharedd a chysondeb. Mae hyn yn cynnwys newidiadau i'r ffordd yr adroddir ar wariant ADY. Mae'r ymgynghoriad ar y newidiadau hyn newydd ddod i ben a byddaf yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd maes o law. Y llynedd, fel y dywedais, fe wnaethom newidiadau i'n cyllid grant i wneud yn siŵr fod cymaint o arian â phosib yn mynd i gyllidebau ysgolion.
Ond Ddirprwy Lywydd, nid mater o niferoedd yn unig yw hyn; mae'n ymwneud â chanlyniadau. Mae gwella safonau addysgol yng Nghymru yn parhau i fod yn brif flaenoriaeth i mi, ac rwy'n ymrwymedig i gyflawni hyn i'n holl ddysgwyr. Er mwyn cefnogi gwelliant mewn safonau addysgol, rwy'n glir fod angen inni wella presenoldeb a chyflawni gwelliant parhaus i gyrhaeddiad mewn llythrennedd a rhifedd—
You need to conclude now, please, Cabinet Secretary.
Mae angen i chi ddod i ben nawr, os gwelwch yn dda, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.
—so that every learner can fulfil their potential.
Llywydd, I'm not suggesting for one second that the additional moneys I've referred to address all the funding pressures in our schools. I know these pressures are real, and I will continue to discuss those pressures with schools and local authorities. And I will do everything I can to protect education funding, to protect children and young people's access to the support they need to thrive in their education. I look forward to updating the Senedd on our further plans for ALN next month. Diolch.
—fel y gall pob dysgwr gyflawni ei botensial.
Lywydd, nid wyf yn awgrymu am eiliad fod yr arian ychwanegol y cyfeiriais ato'n mynd i ddatrys yr holl bwysau ariannu yn ein hysgolion. Rwy'n gwybod bod y pwysau hyn yn real, a byddaf yn parhau i drafod hynny gydag ysgolion ac awdurdodau lleol. Ac fe wnaf bopeth a allaf i ddiogelu cyllid addysg, i ddiogelu mynediad plant a phobl ifanc at y gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen arnynt i ffynnu yn eu haddysg. Edrychaf ymlaen at roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd ar ein cynlluniau pellach ar gyfer ADY fis nesaf. Diolch.
Galwaf ar Carolyn Thomas i ymateb i'r ddadl.
I call on Carolyn Thomas to reply to the debate.
I'd like to thank Members for their contributions today, and I hope that all Members will support the Welsh Government's 2026-27 budget going forward, which will provide funding for public services, including education.
The Children, Young People and Education Committee will also be aware of this petition as it goes forward through the budget-setting process. I'd like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for Education for her response, highlighting the funding given, and for the clarity as well, and also the commitment to ALN and education, which I really felt in your response. I'd like to thank the Business Committee for granting time for this important debate. I thank all of the petitioners and campaigners, who are advocating for the best possible outcome for their children and young people with additional learning needs. It has been really important, bringing this petition forward and highlighting the need for support for them through education, and it's really appreciated. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Aelodau am eu cyfraniadau heddiw, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr holl Aelodau'n cefnogi cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer 2026-27 yn y dyfodol, cyllideb a fydd yn darparu cyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, yn cynnwys addysg.
Bydd y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg hefyd yn ymwybodol o'r ddeiseb hon wrth fynd drwy'r broses o osod y gyllideb. Hoffwn ddiolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg am ei hymateb a dynnodd sylw at y cyllid a roddwyd, ac am yr eglurder a'r ymrwymiad i ADY ac addysg a deimlais yn eich ymateb. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Pwyllgor Busnes am neilltuo amser ar gyfer y ddadl bwysig hon. Diolch i'r holl ddeisebwyr ac ymgyrchwyr sy'n dadlau dros y canlyniad gorau posib i'w plant a'u pobl ifanc sydd ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol. Mae wedi bod yn bwysig iawn cyflwyno'r ddeiseb hon a thynnu sylw at yr angen am gefnogaeth iddynt drwy addysg, ac mae'n cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid nodi'r ddeiseb? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
The proposal is to note the petition. Does any Member object? No. The motion is therefore agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Eitem 7 heddiw yw'r ddadl ar adroddiad Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig, 'Deallusrwydd Artiffisial ac Economi Cymru: A all androidau Cymru freuddwydio am ddefaid trydan?' Galwaf ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig—Andrew R.T. Davies.
Item 7 today is the debate on the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee report, 'AI and the Welsh Economy: Can Welsh androids dream of electric sheep?' I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion—Andrew R.T. Davies.
Cynnig NDM8983 Andrew Davies
Cynnig bod y Senedd yn nodi:
Adroddiad Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig, ‘Deallusrwydd Artiffisial ac Economi Cymru: A all androidau Cymru freuddwydio am ddefaid trydan?’, a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 20 Mai 2025, ac y gosodwyd ymateb iddo gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar 16 Medi 2025.
Motion NDM8983 Andrew Davies
To propose that the Senedd notes:
The report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee, ‘AI and the Welsh Economy: Can Welsh androids dream of electric sheep?’, which was laid in the Table Office on 20 May 2025, and on which the Welsh Government laid its response on 16 September 2025.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and it's a pleasure to move the motion that stands in my name on the order paper this afternoon. If anyone does want to intervene, please do shout out, because my friend the pillar is blocking half of the Chamber out. [Interruption.] That's good, that is. [Laughter.]
I should note at the opening of this debate that it was the last inquiry overseen by my predecessor, Paul Davies, to whom I offer thanks for undertaking the Chairman's role in putting this report together. Paul and the committee decided that they wanted to hold a one-day inquiry into artificial intelligence and the Welsh economy because, despite the wide-ranging discourse on AI happening across the world, there was very little examination of the issue from the Welsh perspective.
Deputy Presiding Officer, as this is a short debate and I was not present at the evidence sessions, I do not want to take up too much time today with my opening remarks. [Interruption.] Nice to get a cheer. [Laughter.] I will, therefore, provide a quick overview of the issues in the report and then look forward to hearing Members' views.
Depending on who you speak to, the age of AI could usher in another industrial revolution, improving everything from economic productivity to medical diagnosis, or it could be the ultimate disaster, which will destroy our natural resources and replace us all. There is, of course, a third option—that AI may not lead to the revolutionary changes some of us are predicting, or that we might see a gradual change from it altogether. However, wherever you believe AI might take us, it is vital that there is a strong public discourse about the technology, that the policy makes understanding the changes that it brings, and that we, importantly, understand what might be needed to be done as a result of these changes.
The committee heard a lot of interesting evidence around AI. On the positive side, Members heard visions of sustainable Welsh AI models powered by our wind and cooled by our sea. On the more concerning side, the committee heard about the potential impact AI might have on the labour market. This report makes eight recommendations, based around ensuring that the Welsh Government is planning and preparing for the potential changes AI could bring.
This debate is also very timely, as we heard a lot about AI investment last week from the presidential state visit. We need to make sure that we are reaping the benefits of this technology and the potential of investments here in Wales. We can do all of this through a strong Welsh Government AI action plan, making sure we have the right skills in place.
The UK Government is establishing AI growth zones, and we have called on the Welsh Government to say how they will support these. I am pleased to see from the response that the Welsh Government have been working closely with the UK Government to submit a Welsh AI growth bid deal, and, since our inquiry took place, it has been confirmed that there will be a Welsh AI growth zone. I note that the UK Government said that they would announce the first zone in the summer, and last week there was an announcement that there is to be one in the north-east of England. So, I wonder if the Cabinet Secretary might be able to share any further details of the discussions she has had with the UK Government around AI growth zones today, and particularly if she has been given any indication of when we might hear about the Welsh bid.
Supporting businesses to understand and adopt AI technologies will be critical to maximising the potential benefits of AI. I would be grateful if the Cabinet Secretary could update us on how the Welsh Government is working to ensure that businesses can access the help they need, and how it will be working with partners to address the gaps in that support.
We also heard about the potential downsides of the technology, and we recommended that the Welsh Government make themselves aware of which jobs are at risk. The workforce also needs to be equipped with the right skills to make sure we are making the most of AI, and the Welsh Government will need to prioritise ensuring this happens over the coming months and years. I am pleased to say that the Welsh Government has accepted all our recommendations, either in full or in principle.
Before I give way and open up the debate, I just wanted to pay a brief tribute to Hefin David, as he played a key role in this inquiry, and it is deeply sad that we will not hear his contribution to this debate this afternoon. I look forward to hearing other Members' views. Thank you.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ac mae'n bleser gwneud y cynnig yn fy enw i ar y papur trefn y prynhawn yma. Os oes unrhyw un eisiau ymyrryd, codwch eich llais, oherwydd mae fy ffrind y piler yn blocio hanner y Siambr. [Torri ar draws.] Da iawn. [Chwerthin.]
Dylwn nodi wrth agor y ddadl hon mai dyma'r ymchwiliad olaf dan oruchwyliaeth fy rhagflaenydd, Paul Davies, a diolch iddo am ymgymryd â rôl y Cadeirydd wrth lunio'r adroddiad hwn. Penderfynodd Paul a'r pwyllgor eu bod am gynnal ymchwiliad undydd i ddeallusrwydd artiffisial ac economi Cymru oherwydd, er gwaethaf y drafodaeth eang ar ddeallusrwydd artiffisial sy'n digwydd ar draws y byd, ychydig iawn o archwilio a fu ar y mater o bersbectif Cymru.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, gan fod hon yn ddadl fer ac nad oeddwn yn bresennol yn y sesiynau tystiolaeth, nid wyf am dreulio gormod o amser heddiw ar fy sylwadau agoriadol. [Torri ar draws.] Braf cael cymeradwyaeth. [Chwerthin.] Fe roddaf drosolwg cyflym o'r materion sy'n codi yn yr adroddiad felly, ac edrychaf ymlaen at glywed barn yr Aelodau.
Yn dibynnu ar bwy y byddwch chi'n siarad â nhw, gallai oes deallusrwydd artiffisial arwain at chwyldro diwydiannol arall, gan wella popeth o gynhyrchiant economaidd i ddiagnosis meddygol, neu gallai fod yn drychineb a fydd yn dinistrio ein hadnoddau naturiol ac yn cael gwared ar bob un ohonom. Mae yna drydydd opsiwn wrth gwrs—na fydd deallusrwydd artiffisial yn arwain at y newidiadau chwyldroadol y mae rhai ohonom yn eu rhagfynegi, neu y gallem weld newid graddol oddi wrtho'n llwyr. Fodd bynnag, ble bynnag y credwch y gallai deallusrwydd artiffisial fynd â ni, mae'n hanfodol fod yna sgwrs gyhoeddus gref am y dechnoleg, fod y polisi'n sicrhau dealltwriaeth o'r newidiadau a ddaw yn ei sgil ac y byddwn ni, yn bwysig, yn deall beth y gallai fod angen ei wneud o ganlyniad i'r newidiadau hyn.
Clywodd y pwyllgor lawer o dystiolaeth ddiddorol ynglŷn â deallusrwydd artiffisial. Ar yr ochr gadarnhaol, clywodd yr Aelodau sawl gweledigaeth o fodelau deallusrwydd artiffisial cynaliadwy Cymreig yn cael eu pweru gan ein gwynt a'u hoeri gan ein môr. Ar yr ochr fwy gofidus, clywodd y pwyllgor am yr effaith bosib y gallai deallusrwydd artiffisial ei chael ar y farchnad lafur. Mae'r adroddiad hwn yn gwneud wyth argymhelliad, yn seiliedig ar sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynllunio ac yn paratoi ar gyfer y newidiadau posib y gallai deallusrwydd artiffisial eu cyflwyno.
Mae'r ddadl hon hefyd yn amserol iawn, gan ein bod wedi clywed llawer am fuddsoddi mewn deallusrwydd artiffisial yr wythnos diwethaf yn ystod yr ymweliad gwladwriaethol arlywyddol. Mae angen inni wneud yn siŵr ein bod yn elwa o fanteision y dechnoleg hon a photensial buddsoddiadau yma yng Nghymru. Gallwn wneud hyn i gyd drwy gynllun gweithredu cryf ar gyfer deallusrwydd artiffisial gan Lywodraeth Cymru, i sicrhau bod gennym y sgiliau cywir ar waith.
Mae Llywodraeth y DU yn sefydlu parthau twf deallusrwydd artiffisial, ac rydym wedi galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddweud sut y byddant yn cefnogi'r rhain. Rwy'n falch o weld o'r ymateb fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn gweithio'n agos gyda Llywodraeth y DU i gyflwyno cais bargen twf ar gyfer deallusrwydd artiffisial yng Nghymru, ac ers i'n hymchwiliad gael ei gynnal, cadarnhawyd y bydd parth twf deallusrwydd artiffisial yng Nghymru. Rwy'n nodi bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi dweud y byddent yn cyhoeddi'r parth cyntaf yn yr haf, a'r wythnos diwethaf, cafwyd cyhoeddiad y caiff un ei sefydlu yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Lloegr. Felly, tybed a all Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet rannu unrhyw fanylion pellach heddiw am y trafodaethau a gafodd gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch parthau twf deallusrwydd artiffisial, ac yn fwyaf arbennig, a gafodd hi unrhyw arwydd o ba bryd y cawn glywed am y cais o Gymru.
Bydd cefnogi busnesau i ddeall a mabwysiadu technolegau deallusrwydd artiffisial yn hanfodol i wneud y mwyaf o fanteision posib deallusrwydd artiffisial. Hoffwn pe gallai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni ynglŷn â sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio i sicrhau bod busnesau'n gallu cael mynediad at yr help sydd ei angen arnynt, a sut y bydd yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid i fynd i'r afael â'r bylchau yn y cymorth hwnnw.
Clywsom hefyd am anfanteision posib y dechnoleg, ac fe wnaethom argymell fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau eu bod yn ymwybodol o ba swyddi sydd mewn perygl. Mae angen i'r gweithlu fod â'r sgiliau cywir i wneud yn siŵr ein bod yn gwneud y gorau o ddeallusrwydd artiffisial a bydd angen i Lywodraeth Cymru flaenoriaethu gwaith i sicrhau bod hyn yn digwydd dros y misoedd a'r blynyddoedd nesaf. Mae'n bleser gennyf ddweud bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn ein holl argymhellion, naill ai'n llawn neu mewn egwyddor.
Cyn i mi ildio ac agor y ddadl, roeddwn eisiau talu teyrnged fer i Hefin David, gan ei fod wedi chwarae rhan allweddol yn yr ymchwiliad hwn, ac mae'n drist ofnadwy na chawn glywed ei gyfraniad i'r ddadl y prynhawn yma. Edrychaf ymlaen at glywed barn yr Aelodau eraill. Diolch.
Hoffwn i ddechrau trwy ddiolch i bawb a fu'n rhan o waith y pwyllgor.
I'd like to start by thanking everyone who was involved in the committee's work.
AI is very much the topic of our time. We could be forgiven for feeling like everybody is talking about it, from politicians to talk show pundits and, of course, those people who are on course to make millions and millions of pounds out of its proliferation. But, as the committee's report sets out, 'AI' is a widely used term that means different things to different people. It can also have multiple manifestations. In a lame attempt to sum it up somewhat simplistically, AI is, essentially, a new form, or another form, of automation. And as has been the case throughout the ages, the evolution of automation brings with it both opportunities and challenges, benefits and risks, hype and hope. So, I very much welcome being able to take part in today's debate on the committee's inquiry into AI in the Welsh economy.
The report references Institute for Public Policy Research evidence. It says that
'administrative jobs, which have a mostly female workforce, will be most exposed in the first phase of generative AI development, while more high-paying jobs are expected to be affected in future phases.'
Likewise, Trades Union Congress Cymru flagged how AI could also impact job quality in a negative way, providing examples of workers experiencing monitoring and being managed by AI systems that can set unrealistic targets that workers struggle to meet. In addition, creative workers feel their work will be used to generate supposedly new work by generative AI without their consent. So, what can we do? I was very tempted to ask ChatGPT, but our report does set out some recommendations in terms of skills and sector analysis, which should offer a baseline, alongside building on the guidance that has already been developed by the workforce partnership council. It also sets out the opportunity presented by new procurement legislation and guidance in shaping the social value of the use of AI in the public sector.
But, here in Wales, there may be further potential through the power of the public purse and support provided by Business Wales and the Development Bank of Wales. We need to develop clear expectations that could be linked to funding or included with remit letters. And in terms of the creative sector, there could be a role for Creative Wales and other bodies and the Welsh Government on the use of generative AI tools and content, and protection of back-stage, technical and support workers whose skills, labour or roles are impacted by generative AI. And of course—
Deallusrwydd artiffisial yw pwnc mawr ein hoes. Gellid maddau i ni am deimlo fel pe bai pawb yn siarad amdano, o wleidyddion i bynditiaid y rhaglenni sgwrsio ac wrth gwrs, y bobl hynny sydd ar y trywydd iawn i wneud miliynau a miliynau o bunnoedd o gynnydd deallusrwydd artiffisial. Ond fel y nodir yn adroddiad y pwyllgor, mae 'deallusrwydd artiffisial' yn derm a ddefnyddir yn eang sy'n golygu pethau gwahanol i wahanol bobl. Gall fod iddo ffurfiau amrywiol hefyd. Mewn ymgais gloff i'w grynhoi braidd yn or-syml, yr hyn yw deallusrwydd artiffisial yn y bôn yw ffurf newydd, neu ffurf arall, ar awtomeiddio. Ac fel sydd wedi digwydd ar hyd yr oesoedd, mae esblygiad awtomeiddio'n creu cyfleoedd a heriau, buddion a risgiau, siarad gwag a gobaith. Felly, rwy'n falch o gymryd rhan yn y ddadl heddiw ar ymchwiliad y pwyllgor i ddeallusrwydd artiffisial yn economi Cymru.
Mae'r adroddiad yn cyfeirio at dystiolaeth y Sefydliad Ymchwil Polisi Cyhoeddus. Mae'n dweud
'mai swyddi gweinyddol, sydd â gweithlu benywaidd yn bennaf, fydd fwyaf agored i niwed yng nghyfnod cyntaf datblygu deallusrwydd artiffisial cynhyrchiol, tra bod disgwyl i fwy o swyddi â chyflog uchel gael eu heffeithio mewn cyfnodau yn y dyfodol.'
Yn yr un modd, nododd Cyngres Undebau Llafur Cymru sut y gallai deallusrwydd artiffisial effeithio ar ansawdd gwaith mewn ffordd negyddol hefyd, a darparodd enghreifftiau o weithwyr yn cael eu monitro a'u rheoli gan systemau deallusrwydd artiffisial a all osod targedau afrealistig y bydd gweithwyr yn ei chael hi'n anodd eu cyflawni. Yn ogystal, mae gweithwyr creadigol yn teimlo y bydd eu gwaith yn cael ei ddefnyddio i gynhyrchu gwaith newydd honedig trwy ddeallusrwydd artiffisial cynhyrchiol heb eu caniatâd. Felly, beth y gallwn ni ei wneud? Cefais fy nhemtio'n fawr i ofyn i ChatGPT, ond mae ein hadroddiad yn nodi argymhellion ar gyfer sgiliau a dadansoddiadau sector, a ddylai gynnig llinell sylfaen, ochr yn ochr ag adeiladu ar y canllawiau sydd eisoes wedi'u datblygu gan gyngor partneriaeth y gweithlu. Mae hefyd yn nodi'r cyfle a gyflwynir gan ddeddfwriaeth a chanllawiau caffael newydd ar gyfer siapio gwerth cymdeithasol y defnydd o ddeallusrwydd artiffisial yn y sector cyhoeddus.
Ond yma yng Nghymru, gallai fod potensial pellach drwy bŵer y pwrs cyhoeddus a'r gefnogaeth a ddarperir gan Busnes Cymru a Banc Datblygu Cymru. Mae angen inni ddatblygu disgwyliadau clir y gellid eu cysylltu â chyllid neu eu cynnwys gyda llythyrau cylch gorchwyl. Ac o ran y sector creadigol, gallai fod rôl i Cymru Greadigol a chyrff eraill a Llywodraeth Cymru ar y defnydd o offer a chynnwys deallusrwydd artiffisial cynhyrchiol, a diogelu gweithwyr y tu ôl i'r llenni, gweithwyr technegol a gweithwyr cymorth yr effeithir ar eu sgiliau, eu llafur neu eu rolau gan ddeallusrwydd artiffisial cynhyrchiol. Ac wrth gwrs—
Will you take an intervention?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?
Yes, sure.
Gwnaf, wrth gwrs.
Thank you very much. Something that was noted in Parliament, I think it was last week, was the infiltration of Americanisms being introduced into Parliament. I think it was Tom Tugendhat who mentioned it, that MPs were using, perhaps, ChatGPT or similar apps to aid them with their contributions. I've not seen any evidence of that here in the Senedd. But, in terms of contributions and speeches being authentic, and not creeping in too many words that wouldn't often be used, would that be something that you would be happy to note?
Diolch. Rhywbeth a nodwyd yn Senedd y DU, yr wythnos diwethaf rwy'n credu, oedd ymdreiddiad tueddiadau Americanaidd yn cael eu cyflwyno i Senedd y DU. Rwy'n credu mai Tom Tugendhat a grybwyllodd hynny, fod ASau yn defnyddio ChatGPT, efallai, neu apiau tebyg i'w helpu gyda'u cyfraniadau. Nid wyf wedi gweld unrhyw dystiolaeth o hynny yma yn y Senedd. Ond o ran dilysrwydd cyfraniadau ac areithiau, a pheidio â chynnwys gormod o eiriau na fyddai'n cael eu defnyddio'n aml, a fyddai hynny'n rhywbeth y byddech chi'n hapus i'w nodi?
Yes, I hadn't picked that debate up, but I think it goes back to the crux of it: making sure that things are shaped, in a way, collaboratively, and actually that those biases are dealt with at a development stage as well. Of course, any changes that affect workplace practices and the like should be done in meaningful social partnerships, as everybody would expect me to say, and done with the workforce and organisations, not to them.
But it does actually, as we've heard, go beyond Wales, and goes beyond what we can do in Wales, and we do need monitoring and guard rails in law at a UK level, and collective action and approaches on a global scale. Productivity for the economy and protections for workers, who are the backbone of our economy, do not have to be mutually exclusive. We recognise that Wales doesn't want to be caught on the hop. AI technology is already here. It has been for some time. Indeed, the predictive text we've been so used to on our phones for a number of years now was probably an early precursor of some of that generative AI technology. But I think it's really important that nobody is left behind and that algorithms and automation are not enabled to exaggerate inequalities, whether that's in the workplace or wider society. I think, ultimately, we need to harness the power that may be there with AI to eradicate, not exacerbate, inequalities.
So, in closing, I think, Dirprwy Lywydd, because I know you're very conscious of time in this debate, it was Mark Zuckerberg who, when he established Facebook, said—. His motto was, 'Move fast and break things', to encourage rapid innovation and experimentation, with little concern for the potential negative consequences. He shifted that motto in 2014 to, 'Move fast with stable infrastructure', which doesn't quite roll off the tongue in the same way. But I would say, in closing, that I think, in Wales, with any approach we take, it should be to move fairly and use AI to make it work for Wales, and for work in Wales, for the better, and to create those workplaces and the country that we want to see and be. Diolch.
Ni nodais y ddadl honno, ond rwy'n credu ei fod yn mynd yn ôl i'r gwraidd: gwneud yn siŵr fod pethau'n cael eu siapio'n gydweithredol a bod y tueddiadau hynny'n cael eu trin ar gam datblygu hefyd. Wrth gwrs, dylid gwneud unrhyw newidiadau sy'n effeithio ar arferion yn y gweithle ac ati mewn partneriaethau cymdeithasol ystyrlon, fel y byddai pawb yn disgwyl i mi ei ddweud, a'u gwneud gyda'r gweithlu a'r sefydliadau, nid iddynt.
Ond fel y clywsom, mae'n mynd y tu hwnt i Gymru, a thu hwnt i'r hyn y gallwn ei wneud yng Nghymru, ac mae angen monitro a chanllawiau yn y gyfraith ar lefel y DU, a gweithredu ar y cyd a dulliau gweithredu ar raddfa fyd-eang. Nid oes rhaid i gynhyrchiant ar gyfer yr economi ac amddiffyniadau i weithwyr, asgwrn cefn ein heconomi, gau ei gilydd allan. Rydym yn cydnabod nad yw Cymru eisiau cael ei dal ar y droed ôl. Mae technoleg deallusrwydd artiffisial yma eisoes. Mae wedi bod ers peth amser. Yn wir, mae'n debyg mai'r testun rhagfynegol yr ydym wedi arfer ag ef ar ein ffonau ers nifer o flynyddoedd bellach oedd rhagflaenydd cynnar peth o'r dechnoleg deallusrwydd artiffisial cynhyrchiol honno. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn nad oes neb yn cael ei adael ar ôl ac nad yw algorithmau ac awtomeiddio'n cael eu galluogi i chwyddo anghydraddoldebau, boed hynny yn y gweithle neu'r gymdeithas ehangach. Rwy'n credu, yn y pen draw, fod angen i ni harneisio'r pŵer a allai fod yno gyda deallusrwydd artiffisial i ddileu, nid gwaethygu, anghydraddoldebau.
Felly, i gloi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, oherwydd rwy'n gwybod eich bod yn ymwybodol iawn o'r amser yn y ddadl hon, rwy'n credu mai Mark Zuckerberg a ddywedodd, pan sefydlodd Facebook—. Ei arwyddair oedd 'Symud yn gyflym a thorri pethau' er mwyn annog arloesedd ac arbrofi cyflym, heb fawr o bryder am y canlyniadau negyddol posib. Newidodd yr arwyddair yn 2014 i, 'Symud yn gyflym gyda seilwaith sefydlog'. Ond i gloi, yng Nghymru, gydag unrhyw ddull o weithredu a fabwysiadwn, rwy'n credu y dylai symud yn deg a defnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial er gwell i wneud iddo weithio i Gymru, ac i waith yng Nghymru, ac i greu'r gweithleoedd a'r wlad yr ydym am eu gweld. Diolch.
I really welcome the report. I think it's very timely and a serious contribution to a necessary debate. I think, as Hannah Blythyn just said, though, the whole world is talking about one subject at the moment and asking themselves the same question, about what AI can mean in terms of their economic and wider future. The task is how you separate the signal from the noise, really, and understand what it means for us specifically, and where the opportunities are. And I think, for me, it's useful to see this question through the lens of three contemporary economic thinkers, two Venezuelans and an Italian.
Ricardo Hausmann from Harvard University, his central point is that, in thinking about your economic future, you've got to think in terms of specifics rather than generalities. So, you've got to ask yourself: what do we produce and what could we produce? The ETRA report really touches on that in one of its recommendations, asking us to drill down to understand what is our competitive advantage. What do we produce well or what are we close to producing well, and how does AI help us to realise that potential? In a sense, every economy needs to know its own wiring, its own capabilities, its own networks and its tacit skills and knowledge, and that's both on the demand side and the supply side. What do I mean by that? Well, AI is both a technology that can help all sectors of the economy produce more effectively, drive up productivity, create new products and services, but it's also a supply side. So, we've got to map the Welsh economy both in terms of the broad and specific sectors at a granular level where we have that comparative advantage, and then we've got to understand our AI ecosystem as well. We're not starting from nothing: we have the likes of Amplyfi, et cetera. We have some emergent strengths in that AI ecosystem, but we need to map that space to understand where we can achieve success.
Carlota Perez is an economist about technological revolution, so she's really central to understanding the moment that we're living through. And there's some really good news here, Deputy Presiding Officer, because one of her central messages is that a technological revolution opens up a brief window when latecomers can leap, as she would say. So, in Wales’s current position, where we are relatively lower in terms of income per capita, et cetera, the technological revolution creates change, and in that moment, you can seize the opportunity. If you don't, however, she warns, if you miss the opportunity, then you end up importing somebody else's model. So, there's a crucial opportunity here, but we've got to grasp it.
And then finally, Mariana Mazzucato is a name that will be more familiar, I think. She talks about the importance of missions and, really, the centrality of government and of the state in creating innovation and economic development. The state, through its power to regulate, through its power to procure and through creating public infrastructure, can shape markets and create entire new sectors. So, that's why the Welsh Government is an absolutely central stakeholder here.
Now, taking all those together, what should we do? It chimes in some ways with the recommendations. Well, first of all we've got to map our product space. We've got to understand the Welsh economy in a more granular fashion than we currently do, to understand where we can actually apply AI and become leaders rather than laggards. As Amplyfi said in their evidence, one of the key areas is that we need access to capital, so we need an AI innovation fund that is focused—again, linking back to the product space—on where our potential is, but also where our missions are.
Linking back to Mariana Mazzucato’s work, we've got to look at public AI. So, rather than just having private sector owned data centres and, indeed, training sets, the models on which AI is based, we need to look at publicly owned opportunities there. We need to use procurement tools, creating, for example, Wales as a leader in terms of ethical AI. That's a growing sector. Wales is a good place to grow that subsector within AI. And we need to ally with others, I think, across the world who are asking the same questions. There are other small nations, cities and regions, et cetera, that are approaching this in a different way. We can learn from the best and partner with them, and hopefully catch that window that Carlota Perez has said is open to us at the moment.
Rwy'n croesawu'r adroddiad yn fawr iawn. Credaf ei fod yn amserol iawn ac yn gyfraniad difrifol mewn dadl angenrheidiol. Fel y dywedodd Hannah Blythyn, serch hynny, rwy'n credu bod y byd i gyd yn siarad am un pwnc ar hyn o bryd ac yn gofyn yr un cwestiwn iddynt eu hunain, ynglŷn â'r hyn y gall deallusrwydd artiffisial ei olygu i'w dyfodol economaidd a'u dyfodol ehangach. Y dasg yw sut y mae gwahanu'r signal oddi wrth y sŵn, mewn gwirionedd, a deall beth y mae'n ei olygu i ni'n benodol, a ble mae'r cyfleoedd. Ac i mi, mae'n ddefnyddiol ystyried y cwestiwn hwn drwy lens tri meddyliwr economaidd cyfoes, dau o Venezuela ac un o'r Eidal.
Ricardo Hausmann o Brifysgol Harvard: ei bwynt canolog ef, wrth feddwl am eich dyfodol economaidd, yw bod rhaid ichi feddwl am fanylion penodol yn hytrach nag yn gyffredinol. Felly, rhaid ichi ofyn i chi'ch hun: beth rydym yn ei gynhyrchu a beth y gallem ei gynhyrchu? Mae adroddiad Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig yn cyffwrdd â hynny mewn gwirionedd yn un o'i argymhellion, gan ofyn inni ymchwilio'n fanwl i ddeall beth yw ein mantais gystadleuol. Beth rydym yn ei gynhyrchu'n dda neu beth rydym yn agos at ei gynhyrchu'n dda, a sut y gall deallusrwydd artiffisial ein helpu i wireddu'r potensial hwnnw? Mewn un ystyr, mae angen i bob economi nodi ei rhinweddau ei hun, ei galluoedd ei hun, ei rhwydweithiau ei hun a'i sgiliau a'i gwybodaeth ddealledig, a hynny ar ochr y galw a'r ochr gyflenwi. Beth rwy'n ei olygu wrth hynny? Wel, mae deallusrwydd artiffisial yn dechnoleg a all helpu pob sector yn yr economi i gynhyrchu'n fwy effeithiol, i gynyddu cynhyrchiant, i greu cynhyrchion a gwasanaethau newydd, ond mae hefyd yn ochr gyflenwi. Felly, rhaid inni fapio economi Cymru o ran y sectorau eang a phenodol ar lefel fanwl lle mae gennym y fantais gymharol honno, ac yna mae'n rhaid inni ddeall ein hecosystem deallusrwydd artiffisial hefyd. Nid ydym yn dechrau o ddim: mae gennym bethau fel Amplyfi, ac ati. Mae gennym gryfderau sy'n dod i'r amlwg yn yr ecosystem ddeallusrwydd artiffisial honno, ond mae angen inni fapio'r gofod hwnnw i ddeall ble y gallwn sicrhau llwyddiant.
Mae Carlota Perez yn economegydd sy'n arbenigo ar y chwyldro technolegol, felly mae hi'n hollbwysig i ddeall y foment yr ydym yn byw drwyddi ar hyn o bryd. Ac mae rhywfaint o newyddion da iawn yma, Ddirprwy Lywydd, gan mai un o'i negeseuon canolog yw bod chwyldro technolegol yn agor ffenest fach o amser y gall hwyrddyfodiaid lamu drwyddi, fel y byddai hi'n ei ddweud. Felly, yn sefyllfa bresennol Cymru, lle rydym yn gymharol isel o ran incwm y pen ac ati, mae'r chwyldro technolegol yn creu newid, ac yn y foment honno, gallwch fanteisio ar y cyfle. Ond os na wnewch chi hynny, mae'n rhybuddio, os collwch y cyfle, yna bydd rhaid ichi fewnforio model rhywun arall. Felly, mae cyfle hollbwysig yma, ond mae'n rhaid inni achub arno.
Ac yna, yn olaf, mae Mariana Mazzucato yn enw a fydd yn fwy cyfarwydd o bosib. Mae hi'n sôn am bwysigrwydd cenadaethau, a pha mor bwysig yw'r llywodraeth a'r wladwriaeth i greu arloesedd a datblygiad economaidd. Gall y wladwriaeth, drwy ei phŵer i reoleiddio, drwy ei phŵer i gaffael a thrwy greu seilwaith cyhoeddus, siapio marchnadoedd a chreu sectorau cyfan o'r newydd. Felly, dyna pam y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhanddeiliad hollbwysig yma.
Nawr, o ystyried hyn oll, beth y dylem ei wneud? Mae'n cyd-fynd mewn rhai ffyrdd â'r argymhellion. Wel, yn gyntaf, rhaid inni fapio ein gofod cynnyrch. Rhaid inni ddeall economi Cymru mewn ffordd fwy manwl nag ar hyn o bryd, er mwyn deall ble y gallwn ddefnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial a dod yn arweinwyr yn hytrach na llusgo traed. Fel y dywedodd Amplyfi yn eu tystiolaeth, un o'r meysydd allweddol yw bod arnom angen mynediad at gyfalaf, felly mae arnom angen cronfa arloesi deallusrwydd artiffisial sy'n canolbwyntio—gan gysylltu'n ôl â'r gofod cynnyrch unwaith eto—ar ble mae ein potensial, ond hefyd ar ble mae ein cenadaethau.
Gan gysylltu'n ôl â gwaith Mariana Mazzucato, rhaid inni edrych ar ddeallusrwydd artiffisial cyhoeddus. Felly, yn hytrach na chael canolfannau data sy'n eiddo i'r sector preifat yn unig, a setiau hyfforddi yn wir, y modelau y mae deallusrwydd artiffisial yn seiliedig arnynt, mae angen inni edrych ar gyfleoedd sydd ym mherchnogaeth y cyhoedd. Mae angen inni ddefnyddio offer caffael, gan greu, er enghraifft, Cymru sy'n arweinydd ym maes deallusrwydd artiffisial moesegol. Mae hwnnw'n sector sy'n tyfu. Mae Cymru yn lle da i dyfu'r is-sector hwnnw ym maes deallusrwydd artiffisial. A chredaf fod angen inni gynghreirio ag eraill ledled y byd sy'n gofyn yr un cwestiynau. Mae yna genhedloedd, dinasoedd a rhanbarthau bychain eraill, ac ati, sy'n mynd ati i wneud hyn mewn ffordd wahanol. Gallwn ddysgu gan y gorau a phartneru â nhw, a gobeithio y gallwn ddal y ffenest honno y mae Carlota Perez wedi dweud sydd ar agor i ni ar hyn o bryd.
Firstly, I'd like to thank the Chair of the committee, Andrew R.T. Davies, for opening the debate; previous Chair, Paul Davies, for stewarding our one-day inquiry; and all those witnesses who gave evidence, be that written or oral. Let's be real. Everybody here in this Chamber, in this building, uses AI whether they know it or not, be that the subtitles on videos that we use on our social media, be that ChatGPT in helping us with speechwriting, and there's a lot of tells out there as well for those who know what to look out for, Dirprwy Lywydd, on whether someone is using ChatGPT. Too many hyphens; that's one of the things that ChatGPT tends to do is throw out a lot of hyphens in its text, so just something to bear in mind for those of you who just copy and paste without double-checking.
But I see huge opportunity in AI, and leading on from what Adam Price has talked about on AI integrating into our economy and what we already do well in Wales, but how do we integrate AI into that to maximise the benefits to our economy. Let's take a look at agriculture and the nitrate vulnerable zones and the water pollution regulations. The ability to integrate AI into the monitoring of nutrient levels in waterways, into when slurry should be spread or nitrate should be spread, that moves us away from a farming-by-calendar approach. That's a technological answer to what currently is a very constrictive system and set of regulations. That's where I think AI has real uses, in understanding the complexities of how the real world is, and giving that flexibility to it.
I always believe that AI has to have human interaction at the beginning and at the end. It can't be left to its own devices. I believe that wholeheartedly. As someone who uses AI within my office, I always ensure that I'm at the beginning of the process and at the end of the process, and that humans are involved in that. I think that would solve many of the issues.
And around workforce and how the workforce will change because of AI, I think one of the key things is how members of the workforce then become trained to use AI themselves. So, the reskilling and upskilling of the workforce so that it's not doing away with jobs, it's changing the jobs themselves to a higher skill set. The prompts that are needed to use AI are really important. If you're looking to feed into a generative AI certain prompts, the more descriptive, the more prescriptive you can be in deciding what you want that AI to look at, the better the outcome will be. The more generic you are, the less skill set you have in prompting AI, then the weaker the answers are going to be. So, I think that's where there's a lot of strength to be garnered, in how we upskill our workforce to be able to integrate AI, use AI as we go forward.
What I really liked as well is—. Credit to the Government for accepting or accepting in principle the eight recommendations of the committee. I think that's good. I hope that's not too high a number of committee recommendations after what the First Minister said earlier this week; I think it's about the right level, there or thereabouts. We need to maximise the opportunity here, because so many countries are at the forefront of this. Everybody's scrambling around to try and be at the forefront. Adam was completely correct in saying this is our opportunity to be looking at this, and other countries are going to be doing things specific to them. What's going to be specific to us in Wales with artificial intelligence? That's where I think there's an opportunity for Welsh Government, for a body. I think it is right that it should be Welsh Government leading where that is, working with the United Kingdom Government as well. I think there's a huge opportunity for us to strengthen our economy in Wales by using artificial intelligence.
I'm pleased that our committee took time to look into this report, and I've used no notes in this, in tribute to Hefin David, who is greatly missed. I would have liked to have heard his contribution on this. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Yn gyntaf, hoffwn ddiolch i Gadeirydd y pwyllgor, Andrew R.T. Davies, am agor y ddadl; i'r Cadeirydd blaenorol, Paul Davies, am arwain ein hymchwiliad undydd; a'r holl dystion a roddodd dystiolaeth, boed yn ysgrifenedig neu ar lafar. Gadewch inni fod yn onest. Mae pawb yma yn y Siambr hon, yn yr adeilad hwn, yn defnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial pa un a ydynt yn gwybod hynny ai peidio, boed hynny drwy'r isdeitlau ar fideos a ddefnyddiwn ar ein cyfryngau cymdeithasol, neu'n ChatGPT sy'n ein helpu i ysgrifennu areithiau, ac mae llawer o bethau sy'n datgelu hynny hefyd i'r rhai sy'n gwybod beth i edrych amdano, Ddirprwy Lywydd, gan ddangos a yw rhywun yn defnyddio ChatGPT. Gormod o gysylltnodau; un o'r pethau y mae ChatGPT yn tueddu i'w gwneud yw defnyddio llawer o gysylltnodau yn ei destun, felly rhywbeth i'w gadw mewn cof i'r rhai ohonoch sy'n copïo a gludo heb wirio.
Ond rwy'n gweld cyfle enfawr mewn deallusrwydd artiffisial, a chan ddilyn ymlaen o'r hyn y mae Adam Price wedi'i ddweud am integreiddio deallusrwydd artiffisial yn ein heconomi a'r hyn rydym eisoes yn ei wneud yn dda yng Nghymru, ond sut rydym yn integreiddio deallusrwydd artiffisial yn hynny er mwyn gwneud y mwyaf o'r manteision i'n heconomi. Gadewch inni edrych ar amaethyddiaeth a'r parthau perygl nitradau a'r rheoliadau llygredd dŵr. Y gallu i integreiddio deallusrwydd artiffisial yn y gwaith o fonitro lefelau maethynnau mewn dyfrffyrdd, pryd y dylid gwasgaru slyri neu nitradau, sy'n ein cynorthwyo i gefnu ar ddull o ffermio yn ôl y calendr. Dyna ateb technolegol i'r hyn sydd ar hyn o bryd yn system a set o reoliadau cyfyng iawn. Dyna lle credaf fod gan ddeallusrwydd artiffisial ddefnydd gwirioneddol, i ddeall cymhlethdodau'r byd go iawn, a rhoi'r hyblygrwydd hwnnw iddo.
Rwyf bob amser wedi credu bod yn rhaid i ddeallusrwydd artiffisial gael rhyngweithiad dynol ar y dechrau ac ar y diwedd. Ni ellir ei adael i fynd ar ei liwt ei hun. Rwy'n credu hynny'n gryf. Fel rhywun sy'n defnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial yn fy swyddfa, rwyf bob amser yn sicrhau fy mod i ar ddechrau'r broses ac ar ddiwedd y broses, a bod bodau dynol yn rhan o hynny. Rwy'n credu y byddai hynny'n datrys llawer o'r problemau.
Ac o ran y gweithlu a sut y bydd y gweithlu'n newid oherwydd deallusrwydd artiffisial, credaf mai un o'r pethau allweddol yw sut y mae aelodau'r gweithlu wedyn yn cael eu hyfforddi i ddefnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial eu hunain. Felly, ailsgilio ac uwchsgilio'r gweithlu fel nad yw'n dileu swyddi, mae'n newid y swyddi eu hunain i set sgiliau uwch. Mae'r promptiau sydd eu hangen i ddefnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial yn bwysig iawn. Os ydych chi'n rhoi promptiau penodol i ddeallusrwydd artiffisial cynhyrchiol, y mwyaf disgrifiadol, y mwyaf rhagnodol y gallwch fod wrth benderfynu beth rydych chi eisiau i ddeallusrwydd artiffisial edrych arno, y gorau fydd y canlyniad. Po fwyaf generig fyddwch chi, po leiaf eich set sgiliau wrth bromptio deallusrwydd artiffisial, y gwannaf fydd yr atebion. Felly, credaf mai dyna ble mae llawer o gryfder i'w ennill, o ran sut yr awn ati i uwchsgilio ein gweithlu i allu integreiddio deallusrwydd artiffisial, defnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial wrth inni symud ymlaen.
Yr hyn a hoffais yn fawr hefyd yw—. Pob clod i'r Llywodraeth am dderbyn neu dderbyn mewn egwyddor wyth argymhelliad y pwyllgor. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n dda. Rwy'n gobeithio nad yw hynny'n nifer rhy uchel o argymhellion pwyllgor ar ôl yr hyn a ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog yn gynharach yr wythnos hon; credaf ei fod oddeutu'r lefel gywir. Mae angen inni wneud y mwyaf o'r cyfle yma, gan fod cymaint o wledydd ar flaen y gad yn hyn o beth. Mae pawb yn rhuthro i geisio bod ar flaen y gad. Roedd Adam yn llygad ei le pan ddywedodd mai dyma ein cyfle i edrych ar hyn, a bydd gwledydd eraill yn gwneud pethau sy'n benodol iddynt hwy. Beth fydd yn benodol i ni yng Nghymru gyda deallusrwydd artiffisial? Dyna lle credaf fod cyfle i Lywodraeth Cymru, cyfle i gael corff. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn iawn mai Llywodraeth Cymru a ddylai arwain yn y cyswllt hwnnw, gan weithio gyda Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig hefyd. Rwy'n credu bod cyfle enfawr inni gryfhau ein heconomi yng Nghymru drwy ddefnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial.
Rwy'n falch fod ein pwyllgor wedi rhoi amser i edrych ar yr adroddiad hwn, ac nid wyf wedi defnyddio unrhyw nodiadau ar gyfer hyn, fel teyrnged i Hefin David, y gwelwn ei golli'n fawr. Byddwn wedi hoffi clywed ei gyfraniad ar hyn. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd.
Peter Fox.
Peter Fox.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thanks for indulging me. This is a really important subject, and I thank Andrew and his committee, and Paul Davies before him, for pulling this report together. AI is confronting us everywhere. We see it all day long. We don't always know we're using it, but it advises us every time we look at Google; it gives us alternatives and things like that. But we've seen how dangerous it can be as well, or rather the threats around the cyber side of things. Just look at Jaguar Land Rover and how things can happen. Ironically, it will be AI itself that will be challenging us in the future and presenting those cyber worries around AI itself. So, that's really quite concerning.
I know the committee referenced some of the good work that was happening in UK Government, in section 9 of your report, and talked about their recognition and some of the issues. But I noted in the response to your recommendations, from the Government, the Government didn't reflect on that important area of security and how they are going to pay cognisance to the future security arrangements around managing AI in our environment going forward, and I think that might be a bit remiss. So, I would ask the Cabinet Secretary to perhaps reflect on that a little and to think how they are going to make a statement, perhaps, around how they can engage in that regard going forward. Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, a diolch am y cyfle i siarad. Mae hwn yn bwnc pwysig iawn, ac rwy'n diolch i Andrew a'i bwyllgor, a Paul Davies o'i flaen, am lunio'r adroddiad hwn. Mae deallusrwydd artiffisial yn ein hwynebu ym mhobman. Rydym yn ei weld drwy'r dydd. Nid ydym bob amser yn gwybod ein bod yn ei ddefnyddio, ond mae'n ein cynghori bob tro yr edrychwn ar Google; mae'n rhoi dewisiadau eraill i ni ac yn y blaen. Ond rydym wedi gweld pa mor beryglus y gall fod hefyd, neu'n hytrach, y bygythiadau sy'n gysylltiedig â'r ochr seiber i bethau. Edrychwch ar Jaguar Land Rover a sut y gall pethau ddigwydd. Yn eironig, deallusrwydd artiffisial ei hun fydd yn ein herio yn y dyfodol ac yn cyflwyno'r pryderon seiber sy'n gysylltiedig â deallusrwydd artiffisial ei hun. Felly, mae hynny'n peri cryn bryder.
Gwn fod y pwyllgor wedi cyfeirio at beth o'r gwaith da sy'n mynd rhagddo yn Llywodraeth y DU, yn adran 9 eich adroddiad, ac wedi sôn am eu cydnabyddiaeth a rhai o'r problemau. Ond nodais yn yr ymateb gan y Llywodraeth i'ch argymhellion nad oedd y Llywodraeth wedi myfyrio ar faes pwysig diogelwch a sut y maent yn mynd i roi sylw i'r trefniadau diogelwch yn y dyfodol o ran rheoli deallusrwydd artiffisial yn ein hamgylchedd yn y dyfodol, a chredaf y gallai hynny fod braidd yn esgeulus. Felly, hoffwn ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ystyried hynny a meddwl sut y maent yn mynd i wneud datganiad, efallai, ynghylch sut y gallant roi sylw i hynny yn y dyfodol. Diolch, Ddirprwy Llywydd.
Galwaf ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a Chynllunio, Rebecca Evans.
I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans.
I'm really, really grateful to the committee for its report and also for all of the recommendations on the topic of AI and the economy. Because AI, arguably, represents the biggest technological change that our world has seen since the advent of the internet, and I think there are opportunities there that are huge, and the First Minister is certainly cognisant of those. She's taking a really strong personal interest in this particular issue.
Economic superpowers and global digital and technology companies are, at the moment, investing billions of pounds right around the world in pursuit of advancements and deploying the technology, and Wales is already playing a really, really important part in that, because we've got multibillion-pound investments here in Wales under way from Vantage Data Centers and Microsoft, and they're bringing hyperscale data centre campuses here to south Wales. The Welsh Government has actually enabled that transformative investment, and we did that through our strategic land development and also by working really closely with the sector, to ensure that the robust energy supply that they need is available.
So, in accordance with the committee's recommendation to support AI growth zone developments, and to address potential consequences relating to resources, we will continue to work with key data centre developers to ensure that there is sensitive and sensible investment across Wales, matching the development with low-carbon energy sources wherever possible, and also data centre designs that mitigate impacts on water use. The opportunities for new start-up companies to develop and exploit AI tools and services are really significant, and we're creating the supportive ecosystem to provide conditions to enable that growth to happen.
In response to the committee's recommendation for the workforce skills agenda, we will continue to work with our universities and our skills development partners to ensure that the knowledge that they hold translates into future skills pathways opportunities that are available to entrepreneurs, but also to our existing and future workforces. We know from our existing AI companies that the talent that's produced from our institutions is really highly valued, and the Development Bank of Wales is already investing in AI businesses. With all of that, I really do think that we have all the ingredients that we need to really grow the sector.
I should say though, as other colleagues have recognised, that there are some risks around AI use, including the potential for bias in the data used to deliver those AI services, disruption, impact on the labour market, and concerns about misinformation. That's why ensuring AI technologies are used in responsible, ethical, inclusive and safe ways is so vital.
We also recognise the need for change and the need to support industries that face real challenges, as AI affects the business model of companies, and the demands on the people who they employ. And that extends to the guidance required to ensure job quality and equality issues for both public and private sector. Our strategic AI advisory group, which met again today, bringing that important industry expertise to the Welsh Government, and also our social partnership approach will be really instrumental in guiding our work in this particular area, including responding to the committee's recommendation on considering how procurement of AI is incorporated into guidance.
Having recognised those risks, there are obviously huge opportunities that Wales is really well positioned to grasp, with benefits for our economy and for our wider society. I'm really determined that we do that. Innovative and effective use of data, including artificial intelligence, is a core component of our digital strategy for Wales, and it's helping to improve our public services, as well as growing the Welsh economy. We already have some really fantastic examples of how AI deployment is having a really positive impact on the citizens of Wales, with successful Welsh Government-supported trials of the Ibex AI platform to increase breast cancer detection rates and the deployment of Beam Magic Notes to enhance efficiency and improve administrative tasks, decision making and services for adult social care teams in Neath Port Talbot.
We want to inspire businesses to adopt and embrace digital and data-driven innovations to drive productivity, resilience and sustainability—futureproofing their prospects and creating well-paid jobs that will last. In line with the report's recommendations, we are already building on our support offer with partners to deliver effective provisions to businesses to ensure they adopt and benefit from AI, and we will target more tailored support where that's needed. This Government, in the delivery of our digital strategy for Wales, is working in really close collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including the UK Government, private sector technology companies and academic institutions to harness the best that each sector can bring.
In direct response to the committee's first recommendation—delivering our AI action plan and the AI growth zone—will be a collaborative effort across the Welsh Government, UK Government and local government with our wider partners in the economy, including the trade unions. Together, we really can build on the significant investments already made and those planned for the future. AI infrastructure is a necessary precondition for our future economy—
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r pwyllgor am ei adroddiad a hefyd am yr holl argymhellion ar bwnc deallusrwydd artiffisial a'r economi. Oherwydd gellid dadlau mai deallusrwydd artiffisial yw'r newid technolegol mwyaf y mae ein byd wedi'i weld ers dyfodiad y rhyngrwyd, ac rwy'n credu bod cyfleoedd enfawr i'w cael, ac mae'r Prif Weinidog yn sicr yn ymwybodol o'r rheini. Mae'n dangos diddordeb personol cryf iawn yn y mater hwn.
Mae archbwerau economaidd a chwmnïau digidol a thechnoleg byd-eang ar hyn o bryd yn buddsoddi biliynau o bunnoedd o gwmpas y byd i fynd ar drywydd datblygiadau a defnyddio'r dechnoleg, ac mae Cymru eisoes yn chwarae rhan bwysig iawn yn hynny, gan fod gennym fuddsoddiadau gwerth biliynau o bunnoedd ar y gweill yma yng Nghymru gan Vantage Data Centers a Microsoft, ac maent yn dod â champysau canolfannau data ar raddfa anferth yma i dde Cymru. Llywodraeth Cymru sydd wedi galluogi'r buddsoddiad trawsnewidiol hwnnw mewn gwirionedd, a gwnaethom hynny drwy ein datblygiad tir strategol a hefyd drwy weithio'n agos iawn gyda'r sector, i sicrhau bod y cyflenwad ynni cadarn sydd ei angen arnynt ar gael.
Felly, yn unol ag argymhelliad y pwyllgor i gefnogi datblygiadau parthau twf deallusrwydd artiffisial, ac i fynd i'r afael â chanlyniadau posib yn ymwneud ag adnoddau, byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda datblygwyr canolfannau data allweddol i sicrhau y ceir buddsoddiad sensitif a synhwyrol ledled Cymru, gan baru'r datblygiad â ffynonellau ynni carbon isel lle bynnag y bo modd, yn ogystal â chynlluniau canolfannau data sy'n lliniaru effeithiau ar ddefnydd dŵr. Mae'r cyfleoedd i gwmnïau newydd ddatblygu a manteisio ar offer a gwasanaethau deallusrwydd artiffisial yn wirioneddol arwyddocaol, ac rydym yn creu ecosystem gefnogol i ddarparu amodau i alluogi'r twf hwnnw.
Mewn ymateb i argymhelliad y pwyllgor ar gyfer agenda sgiliau'r gweithlu, byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda'n prifysgolion a'n partneriaid datblygu sgiliau i sicrhau bod y wybodaeth sydd ganddynt yn trosi'n gyfleoedd llwybrau sgiliau'r dyfodol, sydd ar gael i entrepreneuriaid, ond hefyd i'n gweithluoedd presennol a rhai'r dyfodol. Gwyddom o'n cwmnïau deallusrwydd artiffisial presennol fod y dalent sy'n cael ei chynhyrchu o'n sefydliadau yn werthfawr iawn, ac mae Banc Datblygu Cymru eisoes yn buddsoddi mewn busnesau deallusrwydd artiffisial. Gyda hyn oll, credaf yn gryf fod gennym yr holl gynhwysion sydd eu hangen arnom i dyfu'r sector.
Dylwn ddweud, serch hynny, fel y mae cyd-Aelodau eraill wedi'i gydnabod, fod rhai risgiau'n gysylltiedig â'r defnydd o ddeallusrwydd artiffisial, gan gynnwys y potensial am duedd yn y data a ddefnyddir i ddarparu'r gwasanaethau deallusrwydd artiffisial hynny, tarfu, effaith ar y farchnad lafur, a phryderon ynghylch camwybodaeth. Dyna pam ei bod mor hanfodol sicrhau bod technolegau deallusrwydd artiffisial yn cael eu defnyddio mewn ffyrdd cyfrifol, moesegol, cynhwysol a diogel.
Rydym hefyd yn cydnabod yr angen am newid a'r angen i gefnogi diwydiannau sy'n wynebu heriau real, gan fod deallusrwydd artiffisial yn effeithio ar fodel busnes cwmnïau, a'r gofynion ar y bobl y maent yn eu cyflogi. Ac mae hynny'n ymestyn i'r canllawiau sydd eu hangen i sicrhau ansawdd swyddi a materion cydraddoldeb ar gyfer y sector cyhoeddus a'r sector preifat. Bydd ein grŵp cynghori strategol ar ddeallusrwydd artiffisial, a gyfarfu eto heddiw, sy'n dod ag arbenigedd pwysig y diwydiant i Lywodraeth Cymru, a hefyd ein dull partneriaeth gymdeithasol, yn gwbl allweddol wrth arwain ein gwaith yn y maes penodol hwn, gan gynnwys ymateb i argymhelliad y pwyllgor ar ystyried sut y caiff caffael deallusrwydd artiffisial ei ymgorffori mewn canllawiau.
Ar ôl cydnabod y risgiau hynny, mae'n amlwg fod yna gyfleoedd enfawr y mae Cymru mewn sefyllfa dda iawn i fanteisio arnynt, gyda manteision i'n heconomi ac i'n cymdeithas ehangach. Rwy'n benderfynol iawn ein bod yn gwneud hynny. Mae defnydd arloesol ac effeithiol o ddata, gan gynnwys deallusrwydd artiffisial, yn elfen graidd o'n strategaeth ddigidol ar gyfer Cymru, ac mae'n helpu i wella ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, yn ogystal â thyfu economi Cymru. Eisoes, mae gennym enghreifftiau gwych o sut y mae defnydd o ddeallusrwydd artiffisial yn cael effaith gadarnhaol iawn ar ddinasyddion Cymru, gyda threialon llwyddiannus a gefnogir gan Lywodraeth Cymru o blatfform deallusrwydd artiffisial Ibex i gynyddu cyfraddau canfod canser y fron a'r defnydd o Beam Magic Notes i wella effeithlonrwydd a gwella tasgau gweinyddol, gwneud penderfyniadau a gwasanaethau ar gyfer timau gofal cymdeithasol oedolion yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot.
Rydym eisiau ysbrydoli busnesau i fabwysiadu a chroesawu arloesedd digidol ac arloesi sy'n seiliedig ar ddata i ysgogi cynhyrchiant, gwydnwch a chynaliadwyedd—gan ddiogelu eu rhagolygon ar gyfer y dyfodol a chreu swyddi â chyflogau da a fydd yn para. Yn unol ag argymhellion yr adroddiad, rydym eisoes yn adeiladu ar ein cynnig o gymorth gyda phartneriaid i ddarparu darpariaethau effeithiol i fusnesau er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn mabwysiadu ac yn elwa o ddeallusrwydd artiffisial, a byddwn yn targedu cymorth wedi'i deilwra lle bo'i angen. Mae'r Llywodraeth hon, wrth gyflawni ein strategaeth ddigidol ar gyfer Cymru, yn gweithio mewn cydweithrediad agos iawn â nifer o randdeiliaid, gan gynnwys Llywodraeth y DU, cwmnïau technoleg y sector preifat a sefydliadau academaidd i harneisio'r gorau y gall pob sector ei gynnig.
Mewn ymateb uniongyrchol i argymhelliad cyntaf y pwyllgor—cyflawni ein cynllun gweithredu ar ddeallusrwydd artiffisial a'r parth twf deallusrwydd artiffisial—bydd ymdrech gydweithredol yn cael ei gwneud ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru, Llywodraeth y DU a llywodraeth leol gyda'n partneriaid ehangach yn yr economi, gan gynnwys yr undebau llafur. Gyda'n gilydd, gallwn adeiladu ar y buddsoddiadau sylweddol a wnaed eisoes a'r rhai a gynlluniwyd ar gyfer y dyfodol. Mae seilwaith deallusrwydd artiffisial yn rhagofyniad angenrheidiol ar gyfer ein heconomi yn y dyfodol—
You need to conclude now, please, Cabinet Secretary.
Mae angen ichi ddirwyn i ben, os gwelwch yn dda, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.
—and, as the committee report recommends, we're determined to build on the ecosystem around it to reap the benefits. We'll capitalise on the strengths and the areas of competitive advantage that we have here in Wales.
—ac fel y mae adroddiad y pwyllgor yn ei argymell, rydym yn benderfynol o adeiladu ar yr ecosystem o'i gwmpas er mwyn elwa o'r manteision. Byddwn yn manteisio ar y cryfderau a'r meysydd o fantais gystadleuol sydd gennym yma yng Nghymru.
Galwaf ar Andrew R.T. Davies i ymateb i'r ddadl.
I call on Andrew R.T. Davies to reply to the debate.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank everyone who has contributed to the debate this afternoon? I'd also like to put on the record my thanks to the committee clerking team for pulling the witnesses together and pulling the final report together that we've just debated.
Many members who contributed today focused on the potential employment opportunities that exist out there, but also the drawbacks in terms of some of the jobs that IT and AI might replace. I draw Members' attention to the Nicky Campbell show that was on Monday morning. They highlighted the development of AI and how some of the graduate jobs are slowly disappearing now. Actually, people are being directed back to the traditional trades, because you still need a plumber, you still need an electrician to fix some of those bolts and nuts and things like that that AI will make no difference to. That was one of the enlightening moments of the week, I thought, from my perspective, where you heard the two sides of the argument, where there are benefits and there are clearly drawbacks from it. That was represented in all the contributions this afternoon.
Adam Price said you've got to follow the signal rather than follow the noise. That's a key requirement for any Government working with our UK colleagues at the other end of the M4, because the regulatory environment is set there, but the economic development potential and the roll-out into public services is obviously commissioned here, by the Welsh Government.
The Cabinet Secretary touched on the diagnosis opportunities that are available to the NHS, for example, with the use of AI. In many NHS provisions now, there is greater use of AI than anyone could have imagined only two or three years ago, and it will continue at pace. That creates training opportunities, as well as promotional opportunities for people who want to adopt this new technology—or not so new now.
To me, it was summed up this week, when my youngest daughter, who is out in New Zealand at the moment, at 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday night, I think it was, FaceTimed in from the top of a mountain there. She was by Ashburton in New Zealand and we were in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan. As if you were in the same room together, that technology was joining a conversation between parent and child. That really did emphasise the shrinking world that we live in at the moment, and it's something to be embraced. But we must never forget, also, the dangers in the wrong hands of this technology, and, in particular, the manipulation of that technology to darker forces that ultimately want to do harm to this country and harm to the services that many people depend on as well.
With that, I look forward to seeing the recommendations of the committee's report being implemented by the Welsh Government. Because, as Sam Kurtz highlighted, the Government have accepted the recommendations, either in their entirety or in principle, and the report is set to be a constructive report, to work with Government. I’m sure the committee, before the end of the Senedd term, will revisit to see how those recommendations are being implemented and what difference they are making. But once again, I thank everyone for contributing to this report, and in particular the positivity around the agenda that was being pursued by the committee. Thank you very much.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A gaf i ddiolch i bawb sydd wedi cyfrannu at y ddadl y prynhawn yma? Hoffwn ddiolch hefyd i dîm clercio'r pwyllgor am ddod â'r tystion ynghyd a dod â'r adroddiad terfynol rydym newydd ei drafod at ei gilydd.
Canolbwyntiodd llawer o'r Aelodau a gyfrannodd heddiw ar y cyfleoedd cyflogaeth posib sy'n bodoli, ond hefyd yr anfanteision sy'n gysylltiedig â rhai o'r swyddi y gallai TG a deallusrwydd artiffisial eu disodli. Tynnaf sylw'r Aelodau at sioe Nicky Campbell fore Llun. Fe wnaethant dynnu sylw at ddatblygiad deallusrwydd artiffisial a sut y mae rhai swyddi graddedigion yn diflannu'n araf. Mewn gwirionedd, mae pobl yn cael eu cyfeirio'n ôl at y crefftau traddodiadol, gan fod angen plymwr arnoch o hyd, mae angen trydanwr arnoch o hyd i drwsio rhai o'r bolltau a'r nytiau ac ati na fydd deallusrwydd artiffisial yn gwneud unrhyw wahaniaeth iddynt. Dyna oedd un o eiliadau dadlennol yr wythnos i mi, lle roeddech chi'n clywed y ddwy ochr i'r ddadl, lle mae manteision a lle mae anfanteision amlwg. Cafodd hynny sylw ym mhob cyfraniad y prynhawn yma.
Dywedodd Adam Price fod yn rhaid ichi ddilyn y signal yn hytrach na dilyn y sŵn. Mae hynny'n ofyniad allweddol i unrhyw Lywodraeth sy'n gweithio gyda'n cymheiriaid ar lefel y DU ar ben arall yr M4, gan fod yr amgylchedd rheoleiddiol yn cael ei osod yno, ond mae'r potensial o ran datblygu economaidd ac ymgorffori hyn mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn amlwg yn rhywbeth a gaiff ei gomisiynu yma, gan Lywodraeth Cymru.
Cyfeiriodd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet at y cyfleoedd diagnostig sydd ar gael i'r GIG, er enghraifft, drwy ddefnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial. Mewn llawer o ddarpariaethau'r GIG ar hyn o bryd, mae mwy o ddefnydd o ddeallusrwydd artiffisial nag y gallai unrhyw un fod wedi'i ddychmygu gwta ddwy neu dair blynedd yn ôl, a bydd hynny'n parhau i gynyddu'n gyflym. Mae hynny'n creu cyfleoedd hyfforddi, yn ogystal â chyfleoedd hyrwyddo i bobl sydd eisiau mabwysiadu'r dechnoleg newydd hon—neu ddim mor newydd bellach.
I mi, cafodd y mater ei grynhoi yr wythnos hon, pan wnaeth fy merch ieuengaf, sydd allan yn Seland Newydd ar hyn o bryd, am 10.30 p.m. nos Fawrth, rwy'n credu, alwad FaceTime o ben mynydd yno. Roedd hi ger Ashburton yn Seland Newydd, ac roeddem ninnau yn y Bont-faen ym Mro Morgannwg. Fel pe baech chi yn yr un ystafell â'ch gilydd, roedd y dechnoleg honno'n galluogi sgwrs rhwng rhiant a phlentyn. Fe wnaeth hynny bwysleisio'n gryf fod y byd yr ydym yn byw ynddo ar hyn o bryd yn mynd yn llai, ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth i'w ddathlu. Ond hefyd, ni ddylem anghofio peryglon y dechnoleg hon yn y dwylo anghywir, ac yn fwyaf arbennig, y camddefnydd o'r dechnoleg gan rymoedd tywyllach sydd eisiau gwneud niwed i'r wlad hon a niwed i'r gwasanaethau y mae llawer o bobl yn dibynnu arnynt.
Gyda hynny, edrychaf ymlaen at weld argymhellion adroddiad y pwyllgor yn cael eu rhoi ar waith gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Oherwydd fel y pwysleisiodd Sam Kurtz, mae'r Llywodraeth wedi derbyn yr argymhellion, naill ai yn eu cyfanrwydd neu mewn egwyddor, ac mae'r adroddiad yn debygol o fod yn adroddiad adeiladol, i weithio gyda'r Llywodraeth. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y pwyllgor, cyn diwedd tymor y Senedd, yn ailedrych i weld sut y mae'r argymhellion hynny'n cael eu rhoi ar waith a pha wahaniaeth y maent yn ei wneud. Ond unwaith eto, diolch i bawb am gyfrannu at yr adroddiad hwn, ac yn enwedig yr agwedd gadarnhaol mewn perthynas ag agenda'r pwyllgor. Diolch yn fawr.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid nodi adroddiad y pwyllgor? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig y unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
The proposal is to note the committee's report. Does any Member object? No. The motion is therefore agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Eitem 8 heddiw yw'r ddadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, yr Amgylchedd a Seilwaith: 'Gwaith craffu blynyddol: Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru 2024'. Galwaf ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig—Llyr Gruffydd.
Item 8 this afternoon is a debate on the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee's report: 'Annual scrutiny: National Infrastructure Commission for Wales 2024'. I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion—Llyr Gruffydd.
Cynnig NDM8986 Llyr Gruffydd
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
Yn nodi adroddiad y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, yr Amgylchedd a Seilwaith: Craffu blynyddol: Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru 2024, a osodwyd ar 24 Ebrill 2025.
Motion NDM8986 Llyr Gruffydd
To propose that the Senedd:
Notes the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee report: Annual scrutiny: National Infrastructure Commission for Wales 2024, laid on 24 April 2025.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae'n bleser gen i arwain y ddadl yma heddiw ar adroddiad blynyddol y pwyllgor ar Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru. Mae ein hadroddiad ni'n ystyried gwaith y comisiwn yn y flwyddyn 2023-24 a'r cynnydd tuag at ei raglen waith ehangach. Mae hefyd yn ystyried dyfodol y comisiwn yng nghyd-destun archwiliad diweddar Llywodraeth Cymru o'r gwaith y mae'r comisiwn yn ei wneud.
Fe wnaethom ni 10 o argymhellion. Mae dau o'r rhain ar gyfer y comisiwn ei hun, sydd wedi ymateb yn gadarnhaol, os caf i ddweud, ac mae wyth ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae'r Llywodraeth wedi derbyn pump o'n hargymhellion ni, ac wedi derbyn tri mewn egwyddor.
Mae Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru yn gorff, wrth gwrs, sydd wedi cael ei greu, ei ariannu a'i benodi gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Cafodd y cadeirydd a'r comisiynwyr eu penodi am dymor o dair blynedd rhwng 2021-22 a 2024-25. Ers hynny, mae tymor y comisiwn wedi cael ei ymestyn, yn gyntaf i fis Rhagfyr 2025 ac wedyn ei ymestyn ymhellach—mewn ymateb i adroddiad gan ein pwyllgor ni, fel mae'n digwydd—i fis Medi 2026. Mae'r estyniadau tymor byr hyn yn dangos peth o'r ansicrwydd, wrth gwrs, rŷn ni'n teimlo sy'n llesteirio gwaith y comisiwn. Fe wnaf i ddychwelyd at hyn yn benodol mewn munud.
Cafodd y comisiwn ei sefydlu yn gorff annibynnol, yn gorff anstatudol, yn gorff cynghorol i Weinidogion Cymru. Prif ddiben y comisiwn yw gwneud argymhellion i Lywodraeth Cymru ar anghenion seilwaith hirdymor ein gwlad ni. Yn y Senedd hon, mae wedi cyhoeddi dau adroddiad pwysig: un ar ynni adnewyddadwy, ac un arall ar liniaru llifogydd. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'n bwrw ymlaen â gwaith ar gyfathrebu hinsawdd, a hefyd mae'n bwriadu darparu asesiad seilwaith Cymru y flwyddyn nesaf.
Y llynedd, wrth gyflwyno adroddiad y pwyllgor, fe wnes i dynnu sylw at yr anawsterau wrth asesu effaith y comisiwn ar y Llywodraeth, oherwydd methiant y Llywodraeth i ddarparu ymatebion amserol a chlir i argymhellion y comisiwn. Yn ei adroddiad ar ynni adnewyddadwy, fe argymhellodd y comisiwn y dylai'r Llywodraeth ddarparu amserlen ar gyfer cynhyrchu cynllun ynni cenedlaethol i Gymru. Ymatebodd y Llywodraeth drwy ymrwymo
'i ddatblygu Cynllun Ynni Cenedlaethol i Gymru erbyn diwedd 2024.'
Mae argymhelliad 7 yn ein hadroddiad yn cymeradwyo'r nod hwnnw, wrth gwrs. Mae wedi cael ei dderbyn mewn egwyddor gan y Llywodraeth y tro hwn. Ond, yn ei hymateb, mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn dweud, a dwi'n dyfynnu:
'Ers i ni ymrwymo i gyflawni Cynllun Ynni Cenedlaethol ym mis Rhagfyr 2021, mae'r sefyllfa ledled y DU wedi newid yn sylweddol. Mae cydnabyddiaeth gynyddol wedi bod mai dim ond drwy ddull wedi'i gynllunio y byddwn yn cyflawni system ynni carbon isel a fydd yn golygu cyn lleied o gost ac effaith â phosib.'
Da iawn hyd yma. Ond yna, mewn tudalen gyfan, mae'r Gweinidog yn mynd ati i nodi pam nad oes unrhyw weithgarwch yn digwydd i gefnogi'r nod hwn, ac nad yw bellach wedi ymrwymo i ddatblygu cynllun o gwbl. Oni fyddai'n symlach cyfaddef bod y Llywodraeth, mewn gwirionedd, yn ogystal â gwrthod argymhelliad 7 yn adroddiad y pwyllgor, hefyd yn gwrthod argymhelliad y comisiwn seilwaith cenedlaethol?
Gofynnodd Llywodraeth Cymru i'r comisiwn
'asesu sut y gellir lleihau'r tebygolrwydd o lifogydd mewn cartrefi, busnesau a seilwaith ledled y wlad erbyn 2050.'
Fe gyhoeddodd ei adroddiad, gan gynnwys 17 o argymhellion ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru, ym mis Hydref 2024. Ar adeg ein hymchwiliad ni, roedd y Llywodraeth dal heb ymateb i'r adroddiad hwnnw, ac fe ddaeth ymateb o'r diwedd ym mis Ebrill.
Mae hyn yn fy arwain at argymhelliad 3 y pwyllgor:
'Rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru gytuno ar derfyn amser benodol i ymateb i adroddiadau'r Comisiwn.'
Mae'r Llywodraeth wedi derbyn yr argymhelliad hwn. Mae bellach wedi rhoi amserlen ar waith, ond yn chwe mis o hyd, ac mae hyn ddwywaith mor hir â'r hyn awgrymodd y pwyllgor. Rŷn ni'n parhau i fod o'r farn y dylid ymateb i argymhellion y comisiwn o fewn terfynau amser penodol, ond terfynau amser penodol sy'n debyg i rai pwyllgorau'r Senedd, er enghraifft, neu hefyd rhai asesydd interim diogelu'r amgylchedd Cymru.
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. It's my pleasure to lead this debate today on the annual report on the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales. Our report considers the commission's work in the 2023-24 year and progress towards its wider work programme. It also considers the commission's future in the context of the Welsh Government's recent audit of the commission's work.
We made 10 recommendations. Two of these are to the commission itself, which has responded positively to them, if I may say, and eight are for the Welsh Government. The Government has accepted five of our recommendations and has accepted three in principle.
The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales is a body created, funded, and appointed by the Welsh Government. The chair and commissioners were appointed for a three-year term from 2021-22 to 2024-25. Since then, the term of the commission has been extended, first to December 2025, and again extended further—in response to a report by this committee, as it happens—to September 2026. These short-term extensions do illustrate some of the uncertainties that we feel hamper the commission's work, and I will return to this point later on.
The commission was established to be an independent, non-statutory, advisory body to Welsh Ministers. Its primary purpose is to make recommendations to the Welsh Government about Wales's long-term infrastructure needs. In this Senedd, it has published two major reports: one on renewable energy, and another on flood mitigation. It is currently taking forward work on climate communication, and it also plans to provide a Wales infrastructure assessment next year.
Last year, in presenting the committee's report, I drew attention to the difficulties in assessing the impact of the commission on the Government due to the Government's failure to provide timely and clear responses to commission's recommendations. In its report on renewable energy, the commission recommended that the Government should provide a timeline for the production of a national energy plan for Wales. The Government responded by committing
'to develop a National Energy Plan for Wales by the end of 2024.'
Recommendation 7 in our report endorses this aim, of course. It has been accepted in principle by the Government this time. But in her response, the Cabinet Secretary says, and I quote:
'Since we committed to delivering a National Energy Plan in December 2021, the situation across the UK has changed significantly. There has been a growing recognition that we will only reach a low carbon energy system at least cost and impact through a planned approach.'
So far so good. But then, over an entire page, the Minister proceeds to set out why no activity is taking place to support this aim, and that it is no longer committed to developing a plan at all. Would it not be more straightforward to admit that the Government is, in fact, as well as rejecting recommendation 7 of the committee's report, also rejecting the recommendation of the national infrastructure commission?
The Welsh Government asked the commission to assess
'how the nationwide likelihood of flooding of homes, businesses and infrastructure can be minimised by 2050.'
It published its report, including 17 recommendations for the Welsh Government, in October 2024. At the time of our inquiry, the Government still hadn't responded to that report. The response finally came in April.
This leads me to the committee's recommendation 3:
'the Welsh Government must agree a specific timescale to respond to Commission reports.'
The Government has accepted this recommendation. It has now put in place a timescale, but at six months, this is twice as long as suggested by the committee. We remain of the view that there should be a response to the commission's recommendations within timescales that are specific and that are similar to those of Senedd committees or the interim environmental protection assessor for Wales.
Last year, the committee recommended that
'The Welsh Government must deliver on its commitment to undertake a comprehensive review of the Commission’s status, role and objectives before the end of 2024.'
The resulting internal audit service report appears to have been conducted diligently. It makes helpful suggestions for improvement, many of which are already being implemented by the commission. But the report hasn't led to any firm conclusions around its status, its remit, its objectives, or indeed its funding as a commission. In the view of the committee, a review that fails to draw conclusions on these major strategic issues can't be considered to be comprehensive.
I'm pleased that the Government has accepted our recommendation 2, and extended the term of the chair and commissioners beyond the next election. However, after the Senedd elections, a further decision point is imminent. The Welsh Government will need to consider whether the commission is strengthened, with adequate resources and powers to undertake its role, and whether this should include a national assessment of Wales's infrastructure needs for the coming decades.
The principal aim of the commission is to provide radical, challenging and evidence-informed advice and guidance to Welsh Government that will inform and futureproof decisions on infrastructure deployment from 2030 right up to 2100. The commission has delivered on the first, however we've not seen evidence that its advice is actually informing Welsh Government decisions. Without this, the commission won't have the impact that we should all expect.
Last year, the committee suggested that there's merit in the commission undertaking a national infrastructure assessment, comparable to the five-year assessments undertaken by the UK National Infrastructure Commission. And whilst the commission hasn't been given the resources to carry out a national infrastructure assessment commensurate with that undertaken by its UK counterpart, it has sought to develop an approach to this work that could present the beginnings of a work programme for the next commission.
So, frankly, what I'm saying is that our committee, our report, has one overarching theme, in reality: that it's time for the Welsh Government to treat the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales seriously. If Wales is to be ready for the challenges of the future, the Government must back the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales, giving them the resources they need to conduct an infrastructure assessment in Wales, and giving their recommendations and reports the attention they are due.
Y llynedd, argymhellodd y pwyllgor fod
'Rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru gyflawni ei hymrwymiad i gynnal adolygiad cynhwysfawr o statws, rôl/cylch gwaith ac amcanion y Comisiwn erbyn diwedd 2024.'
Ymddengys bod adroddiad y gwasanaeth archwilio mewnol a ddeilliodd o hyn wedi'i gynnal yn ddiwyd. Mae'n gwneud awgrymiadau defnyddiol ar gyfer gwella, ac mae llawer ohonynt eisoes yn cael eu rhoi ar waith gan y comisiwn. Ond nid yw'r adroddiad wedi arwain at unrhyw gasgliadau cadarn ynghylch ei statws, ei gylch gwaith, ei amcanion, nac yn wir ei gyllid fel comisiwn. Ym marn y pwyllgor, ni ellir ystyried adolygiad sy'n methu dod i gasgliadau ar y materion strategol mawr hyn yn adolygiad cynhwysfawr.
Rwy'n falch fod y Llywodraeth wedi derbyn ein hargymhelliad 2, ac wedi ymestyn tymor y cadeirydd a'r comisiynwyr y tu hwnt i'r etholiad nesaf. Fodd bynnag, ar ôl etholiadau'r Senedd, bydd angen gwneud penderfyniad arall. Bydd angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ystyried a yw'r comisiwn wedi'i gryfhau, a oes ganddo ddigon o adnoddau a phwerau i gyflawni ei rôl, ac a ddylai hyn gynnwys asesiad cenedlaethol o anghenion seilwaith Cymru ar gyfer y degawdau i ddod.
Prif nod y comisiwn yw darparu cyngor a chanllawiau radical a heriol sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth i Lywodraeth Cymru a fydd yn llywio ac yn diogelu penderfyniadau ar osod seilwaith o 2030 hyd at 2100. Mae'r comisiwn wedi cyflawni'r cyntaf o'r rheini, ond nid ydym wedi gweld tystiolaeth fod ei gyngor yn llywio penderfyniadau Llywodraeth Cymru mewn gwirionedd. Heb hyn, ni fydd y comisiwn yn cael yr effaith y dylai pob un ohonom ei disgwyl.
Y llynedd, awgrymodd y pwyllgor y byddai'n fuddiol i'r comisiwn gynnal asesiad seilwaith cenedlaethol, yn debyg i'r asesiadau pum mlynedd a gynhelir gan Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol y DU. Ac er nad yw'r comisiwn wedi cael adnoddau i gynnal asesiad seilwaith cenedlaethol sy'n gymesur â'r hyn a gynhelir gan ei gorff cyfatebol ar lefel y DU, mae wedi ceisio datblygu dull o wneud y gwaith hwn a allai fod yn ddechrau rhaglen waith ar gyfer y comisiwn nesaf.
Felly, a dweud y gwir, yr hyn rwy'n ei ddweud yw bod gan ein pwyllgor, ein hadroddiad, un thema drosfwaol mewn gwirionedd: ei bod hi'n bryd i Lywodraeth Cymru drin Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru o ddifrif. Os yw Cymru am fod yn barod ar gyfer heriau'r dyfodol, rhaid i'r Llywodraeth gefnogi Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru, gan ddarparu'r adnoddau sydd eu hangen arnynt i gynnal asesiad seilwaith yng Nghymru, a rhoi sylw dyledus i'w hargymhellion a'u hadroddiadau.
Dwi'n edrych ymlaen at glywed sylwau pawb mewn ymateb i'r adroddiad.
I look forward to hearing everyone's comments in response to the report.
Diolch i Gadeirydd y pwyllgor a thîm y pwyllgor am eu gwaith. Diolch hefyd, wrth gwrs, i'r comisiwn am eu gwaith nhw. Hoffwn i ganolbwyntio fy sylwadau ar lifogydd yn bennaf. Mae'r adroddiad yn tynnu sylw, wrth gwrs, at y risgiau real sy'n wynebu mwy a mwy o gymunedau. Mae'r adroddiadau mae ein pwyllgor ni wedi eu cyhoeddi ers blynyddoedd wedi gwneud hynny. Mae'r oedi rŷn ni'n dal i'w weld cyn cael ymateb y Llywodraeth i adroddiad y comisiwn ar lifogydd o llynedd yn dal i atal ein cymunedau rhag gwneud y gwaith angenrheidiol i ymbweru eu hunain yn wyneb yr heriau sy'n gysylltiedig gyda mwy o dywydd garw.
Wrth gwrs, rŷn ni'n trafod isadeiledd yma, ond nid rhywbeth technegol yn unig ydy isadeiledd. Mae'n gorfod cysylltu gyda phobl. Bydd yr hyn mae'r Cadeirydd wedi bod yn ei ddweud fan hyn am yr angen i'r comisiwn gael mwy o adnoddau, yr adnoddau angenrheidiol, yn gwella safon bywyd pobl, oherwydd mae sgileffeithiau llifogydd yn waeth ar bobl nag ar adeiladau. Anodd yw mesur effaith pryder a phoeni am lifogydd. Anodd yw mesur hefyd effaith ofn a thrawma. Ond mae'n rhaid inni gyfrif y costau hynny rywsut. Dyna sydd yn y fantol.
Hoffwn i wthio'r Llywodraeth am fwy o ymateb i'r argymhellion hyn. Rhaid inni gadw llifogydd ar flaen ein meddyliau. Mewn unrhyw drafodaethau am wytnwch cymunedau, rhaid cael ffocws ar ein gwytnwch pan mae'n dod i heriau llifogydd, tirlithriad, tomenni glo a'u diogelwch nhw. Ac yn yr un ffordd, mae gwytnwch llifogydd nid yn fater yn unig sydd yn ymwneud â rhwystrau a draeniad, er pa mor ddifrifol bwysig ydy'r rheini—mae e hefyd am amhariad ar fywyd, am ansicrwydd. Rhaid cyfrif cost ddynol y digwyddiadau hyn.
I gloi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n gobeithio bydd ein hadroddiad yn atgoffa pobl o'r angen am hyn. Mae'n rhaid inni gadw cymunedau wrth galon ein trafodaethau, boed hynny ar beth dŷn ni'n sôn amdano, am waith y comisiwn, neu am isadeiledd yn gyffredinol. Mae'n rhaid inni gadw eu pryder a'u poen nhw wrth galon ein trafodaethau. Mae'n rhaid inni wastad gofio'r elfen ddynol.
I thank the Chair of the committee and the committee team for their work. I would also like to thank the commission for their work. I would like to focus my comments on flooding, mainly. The report highlights the very real risks facing more and more communities. The reports published by our committee have done that many times. The delays that we are still seeing before getting a Government response to the commission on flooding from last year continue to prevent our communities from doing the necessary work to empower themselves in the face of the challenges associated with more inclement weather.
Of course, we are discussing infrastructure here, but infrastructure is not just a technical matter. It has to connect with people. So, what the Chair has been saying here about the need for the commission to have greater resources, the necessary resources, will improve the quality of life of our people, because the impacts of flooding are worse for people than they are for buildings. Because it's difficult to measure the impact of anxiety and concern in relation to flooding. It's also difficult to measure the impact of fear and trauma, but we do have to count those costs somehow. That is what is at stake.
I would like to press the Government for a greater response to these recommendations. We must keep flooding at the forefront of our minds in any discussions about community resilience. There must be a focus on resilience when it comes to the challenges of flooding, landslides and coal tip safety. Likewise, flood resilience is not just a matter related to barriers and drainage, although they are, of course, extremely important—it's also about its impact on everyday life, about uncertainty. We must count the human cost of these events.
To conclude, Dirprwy Lywydd, I hope that our report will remind people of the need for this. We must keep our communities at the heart of our discussions, be that in terms of what we're talking about, the work of the commission, or infrastructure in general. We must keep our people's pain and concern at the heart of our discussions. We must always remember the human element.
Daeth y Llywydd i’r Gadair.
The Llywydd took the Chair.
Dwi'n falch i gyfrannu at y ddadl hon, ac mi hoffwn i ddiolch i'r pwyllgor am eu gwaith. Mae Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru wedi bod yn gwneud gwaith eithriadol o bwysig, ac roeddwn i'n falch i glywed sylwadau'r Cadeirydd o ran rhoi'r sicrwydd hirdymor yna, a hefyd pwysleisio bod hwn yn waith eithriadol o bwysig os ydyn ni'n mynd i fynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng hinsawdd.
Fel Delyth, mi oeddwn i'n mynd i ganolbwyntio fy sylwadau ar lifogydd a'r adroddiad a wnaethon nhw o ran lliniaru llifogydd. Mi wnaeth aelodau o Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru ddod i ddigwyddiad gwnes i ei drefnu ym Mhontypridd, lle'r oedd hi'n bum mlynedd yn dilyn storm Dennis, ac aelodau o'r cymunedau o gwmpas Pontypridd oedd wedi dioddef llifogydd oedd yn bresennol.
Beth oedd yn galonogol ei weld, o gael y comisiynwyr yna yn siarad efo dioddefwyr llifogydd, oedd gweld eu bod nhw wedi rhoi argymhellion i'r Llywodraeth fyddai yn gwneud gwahaniaeth—nid dim ond rhoi cyngor i gymunedau o ran lle i roi eu plygiau yn uwch ac ati, ond awgrymiadau a fyddai yn golygu bod cymunedau fel yr un dwi'n byw ynddi hi, a chymunedau megis rhai yn Ynys-y-bwl ac ati, yn rhan o ddatblygu cynlluniau.
Dwi eisiau ein gweld ni'n mynd rhagddo efo cael rhyw fath o fforwm llifogydd i Gymru. Mi oedd hwnna'n ganolog i'r adroddiad hwn. A dwi innau hefyd yn rhannu'r rhwystredigaeth a fynegwyd gan y pwyllgor eu bod hi'n cymryd cyhyd i gael ymateb gan y Llywodraeth, heb sôn am weithredu wedyn ar yr argymhellion. Mi fyddwn i'n hoffi clywed gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet sut mae'r gwaith wedyn yn mynd rhagddo i roi pethau ar waith.
Dwi'n ofni—. Os ydych chi'n ystyried storm Dennis yn 2020—mi ddaeth yr adroddiad yma allan gan Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru yn 2024. Dŷn ni'n dal ddim yn gweld symud ar hyn. Ac erbyn hyn, mae rhai o'r bobl yn y cymunedau hyn wedi dioddef llifogydd efallai tair neu bedair gwaith, ac wedi gweld dim byd yn newid. Felly, mae'n hen bryd inni weld yr argymhellion yma yn mynd rhagddynt.
Mi fuaswn i'n hoffi gweld sicrwydd hirdymor o ran y comisiwn. Dwi'n meddwl ein bod ni i gyd, gobeithio, yn croesawu bod yna estyniad wedi bod. Ond ni ddylai'r ffaith fod yna etholiad yn digwydd olygu ein bod ni ddim yn symud yn gynt o ran mynd i'r afael efo'r argyfwng hinsawdd. Mi fyddwn i'n gofyn, felly, am ddiweddariad gan y Llywodraeth. Sut ydych chi'n mynd ati i roi yr argymhellion yma ar waith, a phryd bydd cymunedau fel rhai Pontypridd yn gweld y rhain yn eu cymunedau nhw yn gwneud gwahaniaeth?
I'm pleased to contribute to this debate, and I'd like to thank the committee for its work. The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales has been doing extremely important work, and I was pleased to hear the comments by the Chair in terms of giving that long-term certainty, and also emphasising that this is vital work if we're going to tackle the climate emergency.
Like Delyth, I was going to focus my comments on flooding and the report that they did in terms of flood mitigation. Members of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales did come to an event that I organised in Pontypridd, where it was five years following storm Dennis, and members of the communities around Pontypridd who had suffered flooding were present.
What was very encouraging to see, in having the commissioners there speaking with victims of the flooding, was seeing that they had presented recommendations to the Government that would make a difference—not just providing advice to communities in terms of placing their plugs higher and so forth, but suggestions that would mean that communities such as the one I live in, and such as those in Ynys-y-bwl and so forth, are part of the development of plans.
I want to see us proceeding with having some kind of flood forum for Wales. That was central to this report. And I also share the frustration that was expressed by the committee that it's taking so long to have a response from the Government, never mind implementing the recommendations. I would like to hear from the Cabinet Secretary how the work is proceeding to put things in place.
I am concerned—. If you consider storm Dennis in 2020—this report came out from the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales in 2024. We still haven't seen any movement on this. And by now, some of the people in these communities have suffered flooding maybe three or four times, and have seen nothing changing. So, it's about time for us to see these recommendations being implemented.
I would like to see long-term assurance in terms of the commission. I think that we all, hopefully, welcome the fact that there has been an extension. But the fact that an election is happening shouldn't mean that we're not moving more quickly in terms of tackling the climate emergency. I would like to ask, therefore, for an update from the Government. How are you going to proceed to implement these recommendations, and when will communities such as those in Pontypridd see these in our communities making a difference?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet nawr i gyfrannu i'r ddadl. Rebecca Evans.
The Cabinet Secretary now to contribute to the debate. Rebecca Evans.
Diolch. I'm very happy to be able to respond to the debate today and also to highlight the really important work that's being undertaken by the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales. I would like to thank the committee for the work that they've done, the report on the commission, and also their ongoing scrutiny of its work.
The Welsh Government recognises the importance of the commission's role in advising on our long-term infrastructure needs, and we really do value the commission's contributions, from its incisive renewable energy report to its recent work on flooding resilience.
I know that my colleague the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs will be particularly keen to read the commission's forthcoming report on climate adaptation and community engagement, and I know that he has been having meetings with the commission following the flooding recommendations.
The committee's report calls on us to give greater priority to Wales's future infrastructure needs, and we completely agree. Effective long-term planning is essential, and this is the space in which the commission operates. The committee highlighted examples from elsewhere where comprehensive national infrastructure assessments have helped to guide investment, and in Wales we want the commission to play a central role in this. So, to this end, as part of its 2025-26 work, the commission has been funded to carry out a short-form infrastructure assessment, which will look at the energy, digital, water, circular economy and transport sectors.
Diolch. Rwy'n hapus iawn i allu ymateb i'r ddadl heddiw a thynnu sylw at y gwaith pwysig iawn sy'n cael ei wneud gan Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r pwyllgor am y gwaith a wnaethant, yr adroddiad ar y comisiwn, a hefyd eu craffu parhaus ar ei waith.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd rôl y comisiwn yn cynghori ar ein hanghenion seilwaith hirdymor, ac rydym yn gwerthfawrogi cyfraniadau'r comisiwn, o'i adroddiad treiddgar ar ynni adnewyddadwy i'w waith diweddar ar wydnwch rhag llifogydd.
Gwn y bydd fy nghyd-Aelod, y Dirprwy Brif Weinidog ac Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig yn arbennig o awyddus i ddarllen yr adroddiad sydd ar y ffordd gan y comisiwn ar addasu i'r hinsawdd ac ymgysylltu â'r gymuned, ac rwy'n gwybod ei fod wedi bod yn cael cyfarfodydd gyda'r comisiwn yn dilyn yr argymhellion llifogydd.
Mae adroddiad y pwyllgor yn galw arnom i roi mwy o flaenoriaeth i anghenion seilwaith Cymru yn y dyfodol, ac rydym yn cytuno'n llwyr. Mae cynllunio hirdymor effeithiol yn hanfodol, a dyma'r gofod y mae'r comisiwn yn gweithredu ynddo. Tynnodd y pwyllgor sylw at enghreifftiau o fannau eraill lle mae asesiadau seilwaith cenedlaethol cynhwysfawr wedi helpu i lywio buddsoddiad, ac yng Nghymru rydym am i'r comisiwn chwarae rhan ganolog yn hyn. Felly, i'r perwyl hwn, fel rhan o'i waith yn 2025-26, mae'r comisiwn wedi cael ei ariannu i gynnal asesiad seilwaith fersiwn fer, a fydd yn edrych ar y sectorau ynni, digidol, dŵr, economi gylchol a thrafnidiaeth.
I haven't prepared anything for this debate, but I did want to speak about the national infrastructure commission. I spoke with them for advice regarding community energy and how communities could actually own a pylon to help bring their energy down, and I was really interested in what they had to say. So, I am very supportive of the work that they have done, and I wondered if you have had conversations with them regarding their report on renewable energy and how it can help to improve communities so that they can have cheaper energy bills.
Nid wyf wedi paratoi unrhyw beth ar gyfer y ddadl hon, ond roeddwn i eisiau siarad am y comisiwn seilwaith cenedlaethol. Siaradais â nhw am gyngor ynglŷn ag ynni cymunedol a sut y gallai cymunedau fod yn berchen ar beilon i helpu i ddod â'u hynni i lawr, ac roedd gennyf ddiddordeb mawr yn yr hyn a oedd ganddynt i'w ddweud. Felly, rwy'n gefnogol iawn i'r gwaith y maent wedi'i wneud, ac roeddwn yn meddwl tybed a ydych chi wedi cael sgyrsiau gyda nhw ynglŷn â'u hadroddiad ar ynni adnewyddadwy a sut y gall helpu i wella cymunedau fel y gallant gael biliau ynni rhatach.
Thank you. Yes, I have indeed met with the commission, and one of my big impressions, really, of the commission is the expertise that sits within the commission but then also the access that they have to the wider networks of expertise as well. So, if members don't know the answer, they'll certainly know somebody who does, and I think that that's one of their real strengths, really, the breadth at which they're able to access expertise across a whole range of areas, such as digital, water, the circular economy and so on. So, the work that I referred to will be reporting before March of next year so that the Welsh Government can consider what the most pressing infrastructure needs for Wales are as we look, then, to that next Senedd term.
In terms of the future role and structure of the commission, I've previously said that this will be for a new Welsh Government to consider, and that does remain my view. And there are other really important issues that have been identified by the committee, too, such as the time taken to respond to the reports. That is really important, and I do take on board the Chair's comments this afternoon. I think that, rather than just simply using an arbitrary measure of time, we do also need to consider the quality of the responses as well, and we do try to respond in the best quality way that we can. But obviously I do take on board those points about time.
In January we completed the commission's first internal review, and its positive findings do confirm that the commission remains a valuable addition to the Welsh policy-making landscape, and it does make some recommendations to strengthen the commission further. I've already addressed one of those immediate issues, and that was that, when I met with the chair and the deputy chair in July, I offered them an extension to their current roles until September 2026, which they've accepted, and we're currently going through the process now of confirming this with the other commissioners. That, then, will ensure that there is some continuity so that the commission can continue its work whilst a new Government considers the next steps for the organisation. A future administration will have its own views, but I do hope that the cross-party consensus on the need for strategic infrastructure planning will endure.
So, in closing, I just want to reiterate that the Welsh Government is fully committed to planning for Wales's future infrastructure needs. The commission has already proven its worth by publishing high-quality reports and opinion pieces and, of course, keeping up the challenge to Welsh Government Ministers and officials on the implementation of their recommendations. Wales's big infrastructure challenges do require long-term vision and decisive action, and the commission absolutely provides that long-term lens. And our job in Government, then, is to act on it. So, we'll continue to work constructively with the commission and with the committee to deliver the resilient, sustainable infrastructure that our communities and future generations both need and deserve.
Diolch. Do, rwyf wedi cyfarfod â'r comisiwn, ac un o'r argraffiadau mawr a wnaeth y comisiwn arnaf yw'r arbenigedd o'i fewn a hefyd y mynediad sydd ganddynt at y rhwydweithiau ehangach o arbenigedd hefyd. Felly, os nad yw'r aelodau'n gwybod yr ateb, byddant yn sicr yn adnabod rhywun sy'n gwybod, ac rwy'n credu mai dyna un o'u gwir gryfderau, yr arbenigedd eang y gallant gael mynediad ato ar draws ystod gyfan o feysydd, megis digidol, dŵr, yr economi gylchol ac yn y blaen. Felly, bydd adroddiad ar y gwaith y cyfeiriais ato yn cael ei gyflwyno cyn mis Mawrth y flwyddyn nesaf fel y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ystyried beth yw'r anghenion seilwaith pwysicaf i Gymru wrth inni edrych tuag at dymor nesaf y Senedd.
O ran rôl a strwythur y comisiwn yn y dyfodol, rwyf wedi dweud o'r blaen mai mater i Lywodraeth newydd Cymru ei ystyried fydd hyn, ac mae hynny'n parhau yn fy marn i. Ac mae yna faterion pwysig eraill wedi'u nodi gan y pwyllgor hefyd, fel yr amser a gymerwyd i ymateb i'r adroddiadau. Mae hynny'n bwysig iawn, ac rwy'n derbyn sylwadau'r Cadeirydd y prynhawn yma. Yn hytrach na defnyddio mesur mympwyol o amser, mae angen i ni ystyried ansawdd yr ymatebion hefyd, ac rydym yn ceisio ymateb yn y ffordd orau a allwn. Ond yn amlwg rwy'n ystyried y pwyntiau hynny sy'n cyfeirio at amser.
Ym mis Ionawr fe wnaethom gwblhau adolygiad mewnol cyntaf y comisiwn, ac mae ei ganfyddiadau cadarnhaol yn cadarnhau bod y comisiwn yn parhau i fod yn ychwanegiad gwerthfawr yn nhirwedd llunio polisi Cymru, ac mae'n gwneud argymhellion i gryfhau'r comisiwn ymhellach. Rwyf eisoes wedi rhoi sylw i un o'r materion uniongyrchol hynny, sef fy mod, pan gyfarfûm â'r cadeirydd a'r dirprwy gadeirydd ym mis Gorffennaf, wedi cynnig ymestyn eu rolau presennol tan fis Medi 2026, ac maent wedi derbyn, ac ar hyn o bryd rydym yn mynd trwy'r broses o gadarnhau hyn gyda'r comisiynwyr eraill. Bydd hynny, felly, yn sicrhau bod peth parhad fel y gall y comisiwn barhau â'i waith tra bo Llywodraeth newydd yn ystyried y camau nesaf ar gyfer y sefydliad. Bydd gan weinyddiaeth yn y dyfodol ei safbwyntiau ei hun, ond rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y consensws trawsbleidiol yn parhau ar yr angen am gynlluniau seilwaith strategol.
Felly, i gloi, rwyf am ailadrodd bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo'n llawn i gynllunio ar gyfer anghenion seilwaith Cymru yn y dyfodol. Mae'r comisiwn eisoes wedi profi ei werth drwy gyhoeddi adroddiadau a darnau barn o ansawdd uchel ac wrth gwrs, drwy barhau â'r her i Weinidogion a swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru ar weithrediad eu hargymhellion. Mae heriau seilwaith mawr Cymru yn galw am weledigaeth hirdymor a gweithredu pendant, ac mae'r comisiwn yn darparu'r lens hirdymor hwnnw. A'n gwaith ni yn y Llywodraeth, felly, yw gweithredu arno. Felly, byddwn yn parhau i weithio'n adeiladol gyda'r comisiwn a'r pwyllgor i ddarparu'r seilwaith gwydn, cynaliadwy sydd ei angen ar ein cymunedau a chenedlaethau'r dyfodol.
Diolch. Llyr Gruffydd, nawr, sydd yn ymateb i'r ddadl.
Thank you. Llyr Gruffydd now to reply to the debate.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd, a diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei hymateb. Mae amser yn gyfyngedig, dwi'n gwybod, ond er gwaethaf natur tymor byr ei ariannu a'r ansicrwydd o ran dyfodol rolau'r cadeirydd a'r comisiynwyr yn yr hirdymor—ac mae yna eironi, dwi'n meddwl, yn y ffaith fod corff sydd i fod i edrych i'r hirdymor ddim yn gwybod os byddan nhw yma mewn blwyddyn neu beidio—er gwaethaf hynny i gyd, maen nhw fel unigolion wedi parhau i gynhyrchu adroddiadau gwerthfawr a heriol a gwneud cyfraniad ystyrlon i drafodaethau polisi ehangach ar seilwaith y dyfodol. Er gwaetha'r adnoddau cyfyngedig yna, mae eu hegni a'u hymrwymiad nhw fel comisiynwyr dwi'n meddwl wedi bod yn ddiwyro, ac rwy'n credu bod yna ddiolch yn ddyledus iddyn nhw am eu gwaith.
Nawr, fel y dywedais i gynnau, un thema sydd gan adroddiad y pwyllgor yma, i bob pwrpas: mae'n bryd i Lywodraeth Cymru drin Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru o ddifrif. Dwi yn siomedig yn nifer yr Aelodau sydd wedi cyfrannu i'r ddadl yma. Dwi'n meddwl ei fod e'n symptom ehangach, efallai, na dim ond y Llywodraeth yn hynny o beth. Os yw Cymru am fod yn barod ar gyfer heriau'r dyfodol, yna mae'n rhaid i'r Llywodraeth a'r Senedd yma gefnogi comisiwn o'r fath a rhoi adnoddau digonol i gomisiwn o'r fath i wneud eu gwaith a chynnal asesiad seilwaith yng Nghymru a rhoi'r sylw dyledus, wedyn, i'r argymhellion sy'n dod o'u hadroddiadau nhw. Dyw hynny ddim wedi digwydd yn ddigonol hyd yma. Gobeithio bydd yr adroddiad yma a'r ddadl yma, gobeithio, o leiaf yn rhoi proc i'r Llywodraeth ac i bob un ohonon ni fel Aelodau o'r Senedd yma i roi sylw mwy dyledus i'r comisiwn a'i waith o hyn ymlaen. Diolch.
Thank you very much, Llywydd, and thank you to the Minister for her response. Time is limited, I know, but despite the short-term nature of funding and uncertainty as to the future of the role of the chair and commissioners in the longer term—and I think that there is an irony in the fact that a body that is supposed to look to the longer term don't know if they'll be here in a year or not—despite all of this, they as individuals have continued to produce valuable and challenging reports and have made a meaningful contribution to wider policy discussions on future infrastructure. Despite those limited resources, their energy and commitment as commissioners has been unerring, and I think that we should thank them for their work.
Now, as I said earlier, there is one theme to the committee's report, to all intents and purposes: it's about time the Welsh Government took the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales seriously. I am disappointed in the number of Members who have contributed to the debate, and I think that it's a broader symptom beyond the Government in that sense. If Wales is to be ready for the challenges of the future, then the Government and this Senedd have to support such a commission and to provide sufficient resources to such a commission to do that work and to carry out infrastructure assessments in Wales and to give due attention, then, to the recommendations made in its reports. That hasn't happened sufficiently to date. I hope that this report and this debate, hopefully, will at least actually encourage the Government and each and every one of us as Senedd Members to give due attention to the commission and its work from now on. Thank you.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid nodi adroddiad y pwyllgor? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes. Felly, mae'r cynnig yna wedi ei dderbyn.
The proposal is to note the committee's report. Does any Member object? No. The motion is therefore agreed.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Detholwyd y gwelliannau canlynol: gwelliant 1 yn enw Jane Hutt, a gwelliant 2 yn enw Heledd Fychan. Os derbynnir gwelliant 1, caiff gwelliant 2 ei ddad-ddethol.
The following amendments have been selected: amendment 1 in the name of Jane Hutt, and amendment 2 in the name of Heledd Fychan. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be deselected.
Eitem 9 fydd nesaf. Dadl y Ceidwadwyr yw'r ddadl yma ar y gwasanaeth iechyd, ac mae James Evans yn gwneud y cynnig.
Item 9 is next, the Welsh Conservatives debate on the NHS, and James Evans will move the motion.
Cynnig NDM8984 Paul Davies
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn ailddatgan y dylai GIG Cymru barhau i fod am ddim yn y man darparu a chael ei ariannu ag arian cyhoeddus, ac na ddylai gael ei ddisodli gan system sy'n seiliedig ar yswiriant.
2. Yn gresynu, ers etholiad y Senedd 2021 a Chytundeb Cydweithio Llywodraeth Cymru â Phlaid Cymru:
a) bod dros 38,000 o bobl Cymru wedi marw tra'n aros am driniaeth y GIG; a
b) bod cyfanswm llwybrau cleifion wedi cynyddu tua traean.
3. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i atal rhagor o farwolaethau diangen drwy:
a) datgan argyfwng iechyd i gyfeirio adnoddau a chyfarpar Llywodraeth Cymru tuag at dorri rhestrau aros y GIG;
b) gwarantu uchafswm o flwyddyn i aros am driniaethau;
c) cyflwyno gwarant o saith diwrnod o aros am apwyntiad meddyg teulu;
d) cynnal cynllun cynhwysfawr o recriwtio a chadw ar gyfer GIG Cymru;
e) adeiladu rhagor o ganolfannau llawfeddygol ac ehangu canolfannau diagnostig cyflym;
f) adfer dewis y claf o ran lle y gall gael mynediad at ofal iechyd; a
g) lansio cynllun gweithredu ar gyfer canser.
Motion NDM8984 Paul Davies
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Reaffirms that the Welsh NHS should always remain free at the point of delivery, publicly funded, and not replaced by an insurance-based system.
2. Regrets that, since the 2021 Senedd election and the Welsh Government’s Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru:
a) over 38,000 Welsh people have died while waiting for NHS treatment; and
b) total patient pathways have increased by around a third.
3. Calls on the Welsh Government to prevent more needless deaths by:
a) declaring a health emergency to direct the resources and apparatus of the Welsh Government at cutting NHS waiting lists;
b) guaranteeing one year maximum waits for treatment;
c) introducing a seven-day GP appointment wait guarantee;
d) carrying out a comprehensive Welsh NHS recruitment and retention plan;
e) building more surgical hubs and expanding rapid diagnostic centres;
f) restoring patient choice in where they can access healthcare; and
g) launching a cancer action plan.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion tabled in the name of my colleague Paul Davies. I want to begin with a principle that we must all in this Chamber stand firm with: that the NHS in Wales should remain free at the point of delivery and publicly funded. That is a non-negotiable for us on these benches and I'm sure it's a non-negotiable for the majority of parties in this Senedd. We will never allow an insurance-based system to take its place here in Wales, even when there are those in the political scene now who want to rip our NHS apart. But if we truly believe in that principle, we cannot ignore what is happening today. Since the last Senedd election, nearly 40,000 people have died while waiting for treatment in the Welsh NHS. At the same time, the number of patient pathways has risen by almost a third, with over 600,000 people, one in five of our population, currently on a waiting list. These are not just numbers, they are families, neighbours and friends who deserve timely care but who are left waiting. This is the human cost of a health system that is under intolerable strain.
Now, let me turn to the Labour amendment that asks us to welcome more funding and to celebrate the longest waits that are lower than at their peak. But I want to be clear: we can't celebrate when in Wales we still have 8,000 people still waiting for more than two years for treatment, compared with only 244 in England. We cannot celebrate when the average wait of 21 weeks conceals the pain of the reality of patients enduring months, sometimes years, of delays. And while targeted screening programmes for lung and bowel cancers are positive, and we support those on these benches, we must be clear that we need a comprehensive cancer action plan for Wales. We're the only part of the United Kingdom not to have one, and we need one here sooner rather than later.
The Plaid Cymru amendment, as is to be expected, seeks to pin the blame entirely on Westminster. Well, nothing changes there, does it? Of course, decisions in London do affect Wales, and no-one can dispute that, but for a quarter of a century of devolution, it is Welsh Ministers who must answer for their own promises. It was here in Cardiff Bay that pledges to eliminate two-year waits were made, and it was in this Chamber that they were broken. It is here that waiting lists have grown by 30 per cent since 2021. Patients cannot be told to look elsewhere for answers when the reality is that the decisions that are made here in Wales affect their lives, not those ones made in Westminster.
And let's be honest, Labour has not been governing alone, have they? Their failures have been enabled by their partners in Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats, who have chosen to prop up a Government that has left waiting lists to spiral out of control, broken promise after broken promise—[Interruption.] Yes, yes, just two seconds, Heledd. And instead of standing up for patients, they have stood firmly with Labour and let patients in Wales down, and it's the patients across Wales who are paying the price.
Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy'n gwneud y cynnig a gyflwynwyd yn enw fy nghyd-Aelod Paul Davies. Rwyf am ddechrau gydag egwyddor y mae'n rhaid ein bod i gyd yn y Siambr hon yn sefyll yn gadarn drosti: y dylai'r GIG yng Nghymru barhau i fod am ddim pryd a lle bynnag y caiff ei ddarparu, ac wedi'i ariannu'n gyhoeddus. Nid yw hynny'n agored i drafodaeth i ni ar y meinciau hyn, nac i fwyafrif pleidiau yn y Senedd hon, rwy'n siŵr. Ni fyddwn byth yn caniatáu i system sy'n seiliedig ar yswiriant gymryd ei le yma yng Nghymru, hyd yn oed pan fydd rhai yn y byd gwleidyddol nawr eisiau rhwygo ein GIG yn ddarnau. Ond os ydym o ddifrif yn credu yn yr egwyddor honno, ni allwn anwybyddu'r hyn sy'n digwydd heddiw. Ers etholiad diwethaf y Senedd, mae bron i 40,000 o bobl wedi marw wrth aros am driniaeth yn y GIG yng Nghymru. Ar yr un pryd, mae nifer y llwybrau cleifion wedi cynyddu bron i draean, gyda dros 600,000 o bobl, un o bob pump o'n poblogaeth, ar restr aros ar hyn o bryd. Nid rhifau'n unig yw'r rhain, ond teuluoedd, cymdogion a ffrindiau sy'n haeddu gofal amserol ond sy'n cael eu gadael i aros. Dyma gost ddynol system iechyd o dan straen annioddefol.
Nawr, gadewch i mi droi at y gwelliant Llafur sy'n gofyn i ni groesawu mwy o gyllid ac i ddathlu'r amseroedd aros hiraf sy'n is nag oeddent ar eu hanterth. Ond rwyf am fod yn glir: ni allwn ddathlu pan fo gennym 8,000 o bobl yng Nghymru yn dal i aros mwy na dwy flynedd am driniaeth, o'i gymharu â dim ond 244 yn Lloegr. Ni allwn ddathlu pan fo'r amseroedd aros cyfartalog o 21 wythnos yn cuddio poen y realiti fod cleifion yn dioddef misoedd, blynyddoedd weithiau, o oedi. Ac er bod rhaglenni sgrinio wedi'u targedu ar gyfer canser yr ysgyfaint a'r coluddyn yn bethau cadarnhaol, a'n bod yn cefnogi'r rheini ar y meinciau hyn, rhaid inni fod yn glir fod angen cynllun gweithredu cynhwysfawr arnom ar gyfer canser yng Nghymru. Ni yw'r unig ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig heb un, ac mae angen un yma yn gynt yn hytrach nag yn hwyrach.
Mae gwelliant Plaid Cymru, yn ôl y disgwyl, yn ceisio rhoi'r bai'n gyfan gwbl ar San Steffan. Wel, nid oes dim yn newydd yn hynny. Mae penderfyniadau yn Llundain yn effeithio ar Gymru wrth gwrs, ac ni all neb amau hynny, ond am chwarter canrif o ddatganoli, rhaid i Weinidogion Cymru fod yn atebol am eu haddewidion eu hunain. Yma ym Mae Caerdydd y gwnaed addewidion i ddileu amseroedd aros o ddwy flynedd, ac yn y Siambr hon y cawsant eu torri. Yma y mae rhestrau aros wedi tyfu 30 y cant ers 2021. Ni ellir dweud wrth gleifion am chwilio am atebion yn rhywle arall pan mai'r realiti yw mai'r penderfyniadau a wneir yma yng Nghymru sy'n effeithio ar eu bywydau, nid y rhai a wneir yn San Steffan.
A gadewch inni fod yn onest, nid yw Llafur wedi bod yn llywodraethu ar eu pennau eu hunain. Mae eu methiannau wedi cael eu galluogi gan eu partneriaid ym Mhlaid Cymru a'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol, sydd wedi dewis cynnal Llywodraeth sydd wedi gadael i restrau aros gynyddu allan o reolaeth, wedi torri addewid ar ôl addewid—[Torri ar draws.] Ie, iawn, dwy eiliad, Heledd. Ac yn hytrach na sefyll dros gleifion, maent wedi sefyll yn gadarn gyda Llafur ac wedi gwneud cam â chleifion Cymru, a chleifion ledled Cymru sy'n talu'r pris.
Your fingerprints are all over it.
Mae eich olion bysedd chi drosto i gyd.
Will you take an intervention?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?
Yes, I'll take an intervention.
Gwnaf, fe wnaf i dderbyn ymyriad.
Can you tell me when did Plaid Cymru have a Minister for health and what their name was, and when did Plaid Cymru have a First Minister over the past 26 years?
A allwch chi ddweud wrthyf pryd oedd gan Blaid Cymru Weinidog iechyd a beth oedd eu henw, a phryd oedd gan Blaid Cymru Brif Weinidog Cymru dros y 26 mlynedd diwethaf?
Why didn't you support their budgets, then? Why support their budgets?
Pam na wnaethoch chi gefnogi eu cyllidebau, felly? Pam cefnogi eu cyllidebau?
So, Heledd Fychan, you may not have had somebody in Welsh Government—. You actually did a few years ago; I think the Llywydd was in Government at one time—
Felly, Heledd Fychan, efallai nad oedd gennych chi rywun yn Llywodraeth Cymru—. Roedd gennych chi rywun rai blynyddoedd yn ôl; rwy'n credu bod y Llywydd yn y Llywodraeth ar un adeg—
No, a health Minister and a First Minister.
Na, Gweinidog iechyd a Phrif Weinidog.
But, actually, let me be very clear with Plaid Cymru—
Ond gadewch imi fod yn glir iawn gyda Phlaid Cymru—
The Llywydd, I'll have you know, was very proud to serve in that Government.
Gallaf ddweud wrthych fod y Llywydd yn falch iawn o wasanaethu yn y Llywodraeth honno.
I'm sure you were, Llywydd. Plaid Cymru have been in Government here in Wales, and they had a co-operation agreement with Labour, and you supported their budgets until it was politically convenient to do something else. The face of the separatist does not change here.
Rwy'n siŵr eich bod chi, Lywydd. Mae Plaid Cymru wedi bod mewn Llywodraeth yma yng Nghymru, ac roedd ganddynt gytundeb cydweithio gyda Llafur, ac fe wnaethoch chi gefnogi eu cyllidebau hyd nes ei bod yn wleidyddol gyfleus i chi wneud rhywbeth arall. Nid yw wyneb yr ymwahanwr yn newid yma.
Fingerprints all over it. Fingerprints all over it. For Labour, see Plaid Cymru.
Olion bysedd ar hyd-ddo. Olion bysedd ar hyd-ddo. Am Lafur, gweler Plaid Cymru.
You can't hide away from what you have done in the past. That is why the people of Wales need something different. They're tired of the establishment here and that's why we need Welsh Conservatives in Government in Wales, calling for a different approach, because when I am the health Minister, we will declare a health emergency across Wales—declare it and act upon it, not as a slogan, like the Welsh Government like to pump out from time to time, but we'll do things as a mobilising force, directing every layer of Government to cut waiting times, to cut waste, and we'll save lives. And what does that mean? It means a root-and-branch review of the NHS structures across Wales, because every other party is too frightened to do it. It's a maximum one-year wait for treatment, like they have in England. We shouldn't be second-class citizens here in Wales. And we'll have a seven-day GP appointment guarantee, because people need to see their GPs if we are to save other elements of our health service. But, to do this, we will need the largest recruitment and retention plan the Welsh NHS has ever seen, because we'll invest in our workforce, something that Labour and Plaid Cymru have never done. And we'll do something that socialism doesn't like.
Ni allwch guddio oddi wrth yr hyn a wnaethoch yn y gorffennol. Dyna pam y mae pobl Cymru angen rhywbeth gwahanol. Maent wedi blino ar y sefydliad yma a dyna pam y mae angen y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig mewn Llywodraeth yng Nghymru, i alw am ddull gwahanol o weithredu, oherwydd pan fyddaf yn Weinidog iechyd, byddwn yn datgan argyfwng iechyd ledled Cymru—ei ddatgan a gweithredu arno, nid fel slogan, fel y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn hoffi ei wyntyllu o bryd i'w gilydd, byddwn yn cynnull adnoddau, yn cyfarwyddo pob haen o'r Llywodraeth i dorri amseroedd aros, i dorri gwastraff, a byddwn yn achub bywydau. A beth y mae hynny'n ei olygu? Mae'n golygu adolygiad trylwyr o strwythurau'r GIG ledled Cymru, oherwydd mae pob plaid arall yn rhy ofnus i wneud hynny. Uchafswm o flwyddyn i aros am driniaeth, fel sydd ganddynt yn Lloegr. Ni ddylem fod yn ddinasyddion eilradd yma yng Nghymru. A bydd gennym warant o apwyntiad gyda meddyg teulu o fewn saith diwrnod, oherwydd mae angen i bobl weld eu meddygon teulu os ydym am achub elfennau eraill o'n gwasanaeth iechyd. Ond i wneud hyn, bydd angen y cynllun recriwtio a chadw mwyaf y mae GIG Cymru wedi'i weld erioed, oherwydd byddwn yn buddsoddi yn ein gweithlu, rhywbeth nad yw Llafur a Phlaid Cymru erioed wedi'i wneud. A byddwn yn gwneud rhywbeth nad yw sosialaeth yn ei hoffi.
Will you take an intervention?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?
We'll restore choice back to patients, a choice to decide where they can be seen, what clinicians they want to go to, and, if they want to go over the border to England for care, they should be allowed to do so, not hindered by socialism.
Yes, I'll take an intervention, Carolyn.
Fe wnawn ni adfer dewis i gleifion, dewis i benderfynu ble y gallant gael eu gweld, pa glinigwyr y maent eisiau mynd atynt, ac os ydynt am fynd dros y ffin i Loegr i gael gofal, dylid caniatáu iddynt wneud hynny, heb eu rhwystro gan sosialaeth.
Iawn, fe dderbyniaf ymyriad, Carolyn.
Thank you. I'd just say about investing, then, in the workforce: do you believe in investing in public services, then, and not cutting them?
Diolch. Ynghylch buddsoddi yn y gweithlu: a ydych chi'n credu mewn buddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, felly, a pheidio â'u torri?
As a former local government cabinet member, I agree with investing in local services. The problem is they kept being cut by Labour, who wanted to waste money on vanity projects.
Fel cyn-aelod o gabinet llywodraeth leol, rwy'n cytuno â buddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau lleol. Y broblem yw eu bod wedi parhau i gael eu torri gan Lafur, a oedd eisiau gwastraffu arian ar brosiectau porthi balchder.
So, would you support the budget?
Felly, a fyddech chi'n cefnogi'r gyllideb?
I've already taken an intervention, Carolyn. If you want to come back, I'll take another one if you want to stand back up, but I don't think it's that type of debate.
But, Llywydd, what we really need to address, in my opinion, is one of our biggest issues, and that is waiting lists. They have to be driven down, and one of the clearest ways to tackle waiting lists is through surgical hubs, dedicated sites planned for operations, keeping them separate from emergency pressures. These hubs ring-fence resources and ensure that elective procedures go ahead without being cancelled, without accident and emergency demand spikes and surgical room spikes. Clinical care needs to be a priority in these surgical hubs.
In England—. I'm sure the Cabinet Secretary will say I like mentioning England all the time, and I probably do, because it's doing better than Wales. In England, surgical hubs have transformed recovery. Over 100 surgical hubs are now operational, with independent evaluation showing they have delivered tens of thousands more procedures than would have otherwise been possible. In fact, the Health Foundation found that NHS trusts with surgical hubs carried out 11 per cent more elective surgery than they would have without them. That's 50,000 extra procedures in just one year alone. Could you imagine if we had half that in Wales—the difference it would make to those people who are waiting, to staff morale and patient satisfaction? They've improved in England, and, if we had it here in Wales, they would improve here as well.
But what do we have here in Wales? The Cabinet Secretary has promised us surgical hubs, but we only have one operational at the minute, and the other ones have been cancelled or delayed and not promised til 2026 or 2027. So, more and more people will have to wait in pain while this Welsh Labour Government dithers and delays. The truth is that those three surgical hubs on their own will not be enough. Our waiting list is now over 793,000 pathways. Audit Wales have already warned that the funding that Welsh Government has put in has simply slowed the growth of waiting lists; it has not reduced them. So, unless we embed surgical hubs at the heart of our health strategy, history will repeat itself time and time again.
This is why, in the Welsh Conservatives, we are clear. We would put the expansion of surgical hubs at the centre of our recovery plan. We would publish a clear strategy, set strict timescales and use existing capacity wherever possible to speed up delivery. This is about political will, and patients cannot wait any longer.
But it also means cutting waste. Labour has poured money into the system, but with little to show for it. What we don't need in our NHS is more managers and more directors. We need more nurses, doctors and front-line staff, and we support the Royal College of Nursing's call to end corridor care, one of the biggest shames of our health service here in Wales. We also listen to the British Medical Association, who have warned of a deep crisis, waits measured in years, patients treated in corridors, doctors leaving the profession or this country, because they see no future here in the NHS. This is not the NHS our parents and grandparents remember, and it is not the NHS that our people in Wales pay for and deserve.
So, we will be clear: on day one, that health emergency, we'll restore accountability, cut waiting times, expand surgical hubs, invest in staff and put patients not politics back at the heart of our NHS. Because every statistic that we debate here today represents a life, a family. Too many of those stories, endlessly, of those who have lost their lives because we haven’t got on top of this problem. We cannot let this continue. It’s time for action. It’s time to end the decline of our NHS. It can’t come soon enough. Let’s have a Welsh Conservative Government and let’s fix Wales.
Rwyf eisoes wedi derbyn ymyriad, Carolyn. Os ydych chi eisiau dod yn ôl, fe dderbyniaf un arall os ydych chi am godi eto, ond nid wyf yn credu mai dyna'r math o ddadl yw hi.
Ond Lywydd, yr hyn y mae angen inni fynd i'r afael ag ef go iawn, yn fy marn i, yw un o'n problemau mwyaf sydd gennym, sef rhestrau aros. Mae'n rhaid eu lleihau, ac un o'r ffyrdd cliriaf o fynd i'r afael â rhestrau aros yw trwy hybiau llawfeddygol, safleoedd pwrpasol wedi'u cynllunio ar gyfer llawdriniaethau, gan eu cadw ar wahân i bwysau gwasanaethau brys. Mae'r hybiau hyn yn clustnodi adnoddau ac yn sicrhau bod triniaethau a gynlluniwyd yn digwydd heb gael eu canslo, heb ymchwydd yn y galw am ofal brys ac ymchwydd yn yr ystafell lawfeddygol. Mae angen i ofal clinigol fod yn flaenoriaeth yn yr hybiau llawfeddygol hyn.
Yn Lloegr—. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn dweud fy mod i'n hoffi sôn am Loegr drwy'r amser, ac mae'n debyg fy mod, oherwydd mae'n gwneud yn well na Chymru. Yn Lloegr, mae hybiau llawfeddygol wedi trawsnewid adferiad. Mae dros 100 o hybiau llawfeddygol bellach yn weithredol, gyda gwerthusiad annibynnol yn dangos eu bod wedi cyflawni degau o filoedd yn fwy o driniaethau nag a fyddai wedi bod yn bosib fel arall. Mewn gwirionedd, canfu'r Sefydliad Iechyd fod ymddiriedolaethau'r GIG gyda hybiau llawfeddygol wedi cyflawni 11 y cant yn fwy o lawdriniaethau a gynlluniwyd nag y byddent wedi'i wneud hebddynt. Dyna 50,000 o driniaethau ychwanegol mewn blwyddyn yn unig. A allech chi ddychmygu pe bai gennym hanner hynny yng Nghymru—y gwahaniaeth y byddai'n ei wneud i'r bobl sy'n aros, i ysbryd staff a boddhad cleifion? Maent wedi gwella yn Lloegr, a phe bai hynny gennym yma yng Nghymru, byddent yn gwella yma hefyd.
Ond beth sydd gennym ni yma yng Nghymru? Mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi addo hybiau llawfeddygol i ni, ond dim ond un sy'n weithredol ar y funud, ac mae'r lleill wedi'u canslo neu eu gohirio a heb eu haddo tan 2026 neu 2027. Felly, bydd mwy a mwy o bobl yn gorfod aros mewn poen tra bo Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru yn llusgo'i thraed ac yn oedi. Y gwir amdani yw na fydd y tri hyb llawfeddygol hynny ar eu pennau eu hunain yn ddigon. Mae dros 793,000 o lwybrau ar ein rhestrau aros erbyn hyn. Mae Archwilio Cymru eisoes wedi rhybuddio nad yw'r cyllid y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i roi i mewn ond wedi arafu twf rhestrau aros; nid yw wedi ei leihau. Felly, oni bai ein bod yn gosod hybiau llawfeddygol wrth wraidd ein strategaeth iechyd, bydd hanes yn ailadrodd ei hun dro ar ôl tro.
Dyna pam ein bod ni, yn y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, yn glir. Byddwn yn rhoi ehangu hybiau llawfeddygol yng nghanol ein cynllun adfer. Byddwn yn cyhoeddi strategaeth glir, yn gosod amserlenni llym ac yn defnyddio capasiti presennol lle bynnag y bo modd i gyflymu cyflawniad. Mater o ewyllys wleidyddol yw hyn, ac ni all cleifion aros mwyach.
Ond mae hefyd yn golygu torri gwastraff. Mae Llafur wedi arllwys arian i mewn i'r system, ond heb fawr ddim i'w ddangos amdano. Yr hyn nad oes ei angen arnom yn ein GIG yw mwy o reolwyr a mwy o gyfarwyddwyr. Mae angen mwy o nyrsys, meddygon a staff rheng flaen arnom, ac rydym yn cefnogi galwad y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol i roi diwedd ar ofal mewn coridorau, testun cywilydd mawr i'n gwasanaeth iechyd yma yng Nghymru. Rydym hefyd yn gwrando ar Gymdeithas Feddygol Prydain, sydd wedi rhybuddio am argyfwng dwfn, amseroedd aros wedi'u mesur mewn blynyddoedd, cleifion yn cael eu trin mewn coridorau, meddygon yn gadael y proffesiwn neu'r wlad hon am nad ydynt yn gweld dyfodol yma yn y GIG. Nid dyma'r GIG y mae ein rhieni a'n neiniau a'n teidiau yn ei gofio, ac nid dyma'r GIG y mae ein pobl yng Nghymru yn talu amdano ac yn ei haeddu.
Felly, fe fyddwn yn glir: ar y diwrnod cyntaf yn yr argyfwng iechyd hwnnw, byddwn yn adfer atebolrwydd, yn torri amseroedd aros, yn ehangu hybiau llawfeddygol, yn buddsoddi mewn staff ac yn rhoi cleifion nid gwleidyddiaeth yn ôl wrth galon ein GIG. Oherwydd mae pob ystadegyn a drafodwn yma heddiw yn fywyd, yn deulu. Gormod o'r straeon hynny, yn ddiddiwedd, am rai sydd wedi colli eu bywydau am nad ydym wedi mynd i'r afael â'r broblem. Ni allwn adael i hyn barhau. Mae'n bryd gweithredu. Mae'n bryd rhoi diwedd ar ddirywiad ein GIG. Ni all ddod yn ddigon buan. Gadewch inni gael Llywodraeth Geidwadol yng Nghymru a gadewch i ni drwsio Cymru.
Dwi wedi dethol y gwelliannau i'r cynnig. Os bydd gwelliant 1 yn cael ei dderbyn, bydd gwelliant 2 yn cael ei ddad-ddethol. Yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet iechyd i gynnig yn ffurfiol gwelliant 1.
I have selected the amendments to the motion. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be deselected. The Cabinet Secretary for health to move formally amendment 1.
Gwelliant 1—Jane Hutt
Dileu popeth ar ôl pwynt 1 a rhoi yn ei le:
Yn croesawu'r cyllid ychwanegol o £120 miliwn i ddileu'r holl amseroedd aros o ddwy flynedd a lleihau maint cyffredinol y rhestr aros erbyn diwedd mis Mawrth 2026.
Yn croesawu camau i atal mwy o farwolaethau canser drwy lansio rhaglen genedlaethol wedi’i thargedu ar gyfer sgrinio canser yr ysgyfaint yng Nghymru a chynyddu mynediad at y rhaglen sgrinio canser y coluddyn.
Yn nodi:
a) bod amseroedd aros hir o fwy na dwy flynedd am driniaeth bellach 88.6 y cant yn is na'r brig ym mis Mawrth 2022; ac
b) mai ychydig dros 21 wythnos yw’r amser aros cyfartalog am driniaeth.
Amendment 1—Jane Hutt
Delete all after point 1 and replace with:
Welcomes the additional £120 million funding to eliminate all two-year waits and reduce the overall size of the waiting list by the end of March 2026.
Welcomes action to prevent more cancer deaths by launching a national targeted lung cancer screening programme in Wales and increasing access to bowel cancer screening.
Notes:
a) long waits of more than two years for treatment are now 88.6 per cent lower than their peak in March 2022; and
b) the average waiting time for treatment is just over 21 weeks.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 1.
Amendment 1 moved.
Yn ffurfiol.
Formally.
Mabon ap Gwynfor sy'n cynnig gwelliant 2, felly.
Mabon ap Gwynfor to move amendment 2, therefore.
Gwelliant 2—Heledd Fychan
Dileu popeth ar ôl pwynt 1 a rhoi yn ei le:
Yn gresynu at:
a) polisïau llywodraethau olynol San Steffan sydd wedi agor y drws i breifateiddio yn y GIG, gan gynnwys y fenter cyllid preifat;
b) methiant Llywodraeth Geidwadol flaenorol y DU a Llywodraeth Lafur bresennol y DU i ddarparu setliad ariannu teg i Gymru sy'n adlewyrchu ei hanghenion iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol;
c) polisïau llymder Llywodraeth Geidwadol flaenorol y DU, a gyfrannodd yn uniongyrchol at farwolaethau ychwanegol yng Nghymru a chanlyniadau iechyd sy’n gwaethygu; a
d) y safonau dwbl gan Lywodraeth Geidwadol flaenorol y DU o ran cydymffurfio â rheoliadau COVID a erydodd ymddiriedaeth mewn mesurau iechyd y cyhoedd.
Yn gresynu ymhellach bod cyfanswm llwybrau cleifion wedi cynyddu tua thraean ers etholiad y Senedd yn 2021.
Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i atal mwy o farwolaethau diangen drwy:
a) datgan argyfwng iechyd; a
b) gweithredu cynllun Plaid Cymru, a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Ionawr 2025, i fynd i'r afael â rhestrau aros.
Amendment 2—Heledd Fychan
Delete all after point 1 and replace with:
Regrets:
a) the policies of successive Westminster Governments in opening the door to privatisation in the NHS, including the private finance initiative;
b) the failure of the previous Conservative UK Government and the current Labour UK Government to provide Wales with a fair funding settlement reflective of its health and social care needs;
c) the austerity policies of the previous Conservative UK Government, which directly contributed to excess deaths in Wales and deteriorating health outcomes; and
d) the double standards of the previous Conservative UK Government with respect to the observance of COVID regulations, which eroded trust in public health measures.
Further regrets that since the 2021 Senedd election total patient pathways have increased by around a third.
Calls on the Welsh Government to prevent more needless deaths by:
a) declaring a health emergency; and
b) implementing Plaid Cymru's plan, published in January 2025, to tackle waiting lists.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 2.
Amendment 2 moved.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate, as it makes three very important points. Firstly, despite a humiliating defeat at the ballot box last July, which saw every one of their MPs evicted from Wales and poll ratings plunge into ever-new depths, the original motion emphatically underlines that the Tories have learned precisely nothing from the experiences of the last few years. There’s the conspicuous lack of even a shred of humility for a decade and a half of Tory-orchestrated austerity, which caused over 330,000 excess deaths across this island, and which continues to have disproportionately adverse impacts on health outcomes here in Wales. Then there’s the failure to acknowledge how the previous UK Tory Government did little to hide their enthusiasm for opening up the NHS to privatisation, such as expanding the role of the private finance initiative, nor indeed their culpability for their Brexit vanity project, which has significantly inflated the cost of drugs for the NHS—
Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy'n ddiolchgar am y cyfle i siarad yn y ddadl hon, gan ei fod yn gwneud tri phwynt pwysig iawn. Yn gyntaf, er iddynt gael eu trechu mewn modd cywilyddus yn y blwch pleidleisio fis Gorffennaf diwethaf, a welodd bob un o'u Haelodau Seneddol yn cael eu troi allan o Gymru a nifer eu cefnogwyr yn plymio i ddyfnderoedd newydd, mae'r cynnig gwreiddiol yn tanlinellu'n bendant nad yw'r Torïaid wedi dysgu unrhyw beth o gwbl o brofiadau'r blynyddoedd diwethaf. Ni cheir hyd yn oed y briwsionyn lleiaf o ostyngeiddrwydd am ddegawd a hanner o gyni Torïaidd, a achosodd dros 330,000 o farwolaethau ychwanegol ar draws yr ynys hon, ac sy'n parhau i gael effeithiau anghymesur o andwyol ar ganlyniadau iechyd yma yng Nghymru. Wedyn, ceir methiant i gydnabod sut y gwnaeth Llywodraeth Dorïaidd flaenorol y DU fawr ddim i guddio eu brwdfrydedd dros agor y GIG i breifateiddio, megis ehangu rôl menter cyllid preifat, nac yn wir eu rhan ym mhrosiect porthi balchder Brexit, sydd wedi chwyddo cost cyffuriau i'r GIG yn sylweddol—
Will you take an intervention on that point, Mabon?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad ar y pwynt hwnnw, Mabon?
I'd like to make some more progress first, Gareth.
And the misleading characterisation of the co-operation agreement, which, in reality, had no relevance to this Government’s record on health whatsoever, as they well know, typifies their contempt towards the intelligence of the electorate. This is a party with no shame, no responsibility, and, increasingly, as a consequence, no future. But their raging in the face of their headlong descent to electoral oblivion—
Hoffwn wneud mwy o gynnydd yn gyntaf, Gareth.
Ac mae nodweddu camarweiniol y cytundeb cydweithio, nad oedd yn berthnasol mewn unrhyw fodd i gyflawniad y Llywodraeth hon ar iechyd mewn gwirionedd, fel y gwyddant yn iawn, yn nodwedd o'u dirmyg tuag at ddeallusrwydd yr etholwyr. Mae hon yn blaid heb unrhyw gywilydd, heb unrhyw gyfrifoldeb, ac yn gynyddol, o ganlyniad, heb unrhyw ddyfodol. Ond mae'r modd y bytheiriant yn wyneb eu cwymp pendant i ebargofiant etholiadol—
Will you take an intervention?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?
—does serve a useful purpose insofar as it sharpens our attention on what will replace them.
—yn cyflawni pwrpas defnyddiol i'r graddau ei fod yn canolbwyntio ein sylw ar yr hyn a ddaw yn eu lle.
Are you taking an intervention?
A ydych chi'n derbyn ymyriad?
In a minute.
Because the far-right outfit that they helped to nurture and that’s now eating them alive isn’t just a raft for failed former Tories who have already inflicted immense damage upon our nation, it’s also a vehicle for shady corporate interests and the unaccountable mega rich to realise long-held ambitions of flogging off our most precious national assets to the highest bidder. James.
Mewn munud.
Oherwydd mae'r giwed asgell dde eithafol y gwnaethant helpu i'w meithrin ac sydd bellach yn eu bwyta'n fyw nid yn unig yn rafft i gyn-Dorïaid aflwyddiannus sydd eisoes wedi achosi niwed enfawr i'n gwlad, mae hefyd yn gyfrwng i fuddiannau corfforaethol amheus a'r mega gyfoethog anatebol wireddu uchelgeisiau hirdymor i werthu ein hasedau cenedlaethol mwyaf gwerthfawr i'r sawl sy'n gwneud y cynnig uchaf. James.
Mabon, you say that Plaid Cymru have had nothing to do with health policy here in Wales, but you've supported keeping this Welsh Labour Government in power by voting for their budget since 2021, when your previous leader, Adam Price, signed the co-operation agreement with Labour. So, you have to understand that you are culpable in all the failings in our NHS. If you did not—[Interruption.] If you did not like the outcome and the way that Welsh Labour was running the NHS, you should not have supported their budgets.
Mabon, rydych chi'n dweud nad yw Plaid Cymru wedi cael unrhyw beth i'w wneud â pholisi iechyd yma yng Nghymru, ond rydych chi wedi cadw'r Llywodraeth Lafur hon mewn grym drwy bleidleisio dros eu cyllideb ers 2021, pan lofnododd eich arweinydd blaenorol, Adam Price, y cytundeb cydweithio gyda Llafur. Felly, mae'n rhaid i chi ddeall bod bai arnoch chi yn yr holl fethiannau yn ein GIG. Os nad oeddech—[Torri ar draws.] Os nad oeddech chi'n hoffi'r canlyniad a'r ffordd yr oedd Llafur Cymru yn rhedeg y GIG, ni ddylech fod wedi cefnogi eu cyllidebau.
James, with respect, I don’t think you, nor your colleagues, understand what co-operation is. It was around 46 specific policy areas, and health wasn’t there because we couldn't agree on the health policies. So, you know, that’s what grown-up politics is about; you might want to learn about it and try it some time.
Furthermore, the far right’s fascistic plans for mass deportations of thousands of people who live and work here legally would have particularly devastating implications for our health and social care services. It bears repeating once again that the NHS would not exist without the tireless devotion and dedicated service of its migrant workforce. They should be lauded as heroes, not demonised as part of the problem. To quote the Royal College of Nursing, it’s a plan 'abhorrent beyond words' that runs contrary to everything that the NHS stands for. So, make no mistake: the future of the NHS is on the line at next year’s election.
So, the question for us all who value our NHS free at the point of need is: how best do we counter this threat from the far right? We know already that Labour has had over 26 years to prove their competence as stewards of our NHS, with very little to show for it in driving improved standards. Over the current Senedd term alone, this Government has spent over £1.5 billion on measures to tackle waiting lists only to see the backlog increase by almost 200,000 people in that time. Even the very low bar that the First Minister set herself to reduce two-year waits below 8,000 by this spring, itself a significant dilution of the original target to eliminate such waits completely by March 2023, has not been met.
The process of lifting the NHS back on its feet, fit to face the challenges of future decades, will necessarily require a long-term process of renewal, including the reforms of governance architecture that we set out last year. But getting to grips with Labour's long waiting lists is essential to provide the NHS with room to breathe so that these reforms can take root.
This brings us to the final point that this motion, helpfully, makes, that only Plaid Cymru has the answers and the plan to tackle Labour's damaging legacy head-on. We called on the Welsh Government to declare a health emergency all the way back in February 2024, so it's great to see other parties follow our lead. And when it comes to establishing elective care hubs and expanding access to rapid diagnostic clinics to deal with Wales's woeful record on cancer survival rates, as well as other measures, such as putting in place executive triage services to streamline referrals and enhance the role of telemedicine in primary care settings, they all featured in the waiting lists plan we launched back in January, which was strongly endorsed by a range of senior healthcare professionals.
So, if the Tories are serious about making progress in this area, they should be happy to support our amendment to call on the Government to implement Plaid Cymru's plan without delay. And, as we've proven time and time again, when it comes to protecting its fundamental character as a public institution free at the point of need, the NHS couldn't be in any safer hands than those of a Plaid Cymru Government.
James, gyda phob parch, nid wyf yn credu eich bod chi, na'ch cyd-Aelodau yn deall beth yw cydweithio. Roedd tua 46 o feysydd polisi penodol, ac nid oedd iechyd yno am na allem gytuno ar y polisïau iechyd. Felly, wyddoch chi, dyna beth yw gwleidyddiaeth oedolion; efallai yr hoffech chi ddysgu amdani a rhoi cynnig arni rywbryd.
Ar ben hynny, byddai cynlluniau ffasgaidd y dde eithafol ar gyfer alltudio torfol miloedd o bobl sy'n byw ac yn gweithio yma yn gyfreithlon yn arwain at oblygiadau arbennig o ddinistriol i'n gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Mae'n werth ailadrodd unwaith eto na fyddai'r GIG yn bodoli heb ymroddiad diflino a gwasanaeth ymroddedig ei weithlu mudol. Dylent gael eu canmol fel arwyr, nid eu diawlio fel rhan o'r broblem. I ddyfynnu'r Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol, mae'n gynllun 'ffiaidd y tu hwnt i eiriau' sy'n mynd yn groes i bopeth y mae'r GIG yn sefyll drosto. Felly, peidiwch â chamgymryd: mae dyfodol y GIG yn y fantol yn yr etholiad y flwyddyn nesaf.
Felly, y cwestiwn i ni i gyd sy'n gweld gwerth GIG am ddim pryd a lle bynnag y bo'i angen yw: beth yw'r ffordd orau o wrthsefyll y bygythiad hwn o'r dde eithafol? Gwyddom eisoes fod Llafur wedi cael dros 26 mlynedd i brofi eu cymhwysedd fel stiwardiaid ein GIG, heb fawr ddim i'w ddangos am hynny o ran ysgogi safonau gwell. Dros dymor presennol y Senedd yn unig, mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi gwario dros £1.5 biliwn ar fesurau i fynd i'r afael â rhestrau aros ddim ond i weld cynnydd i'r ôl-groniad o bron i 200,000 o bobl yn y cyfnod hwnnw. Ni chyrhaeddwyd hyd yn oed y bar isel iawn a osododd y Prif Weinidog iddi ei hun i leihau amseroedd aros dwy flynedd o dan 8,000 erbyn y gwanwyn hwn, a oedd ynddo'i hun yn gwanhau'n sylweddol y targed gwreiddiol i ddileu amseroedd aros o'r fath yn gyfan gwbl erbyn mis Mawrth 2023.
Bydd y broses o godi'r GIG yn ôl ar ei draed, yn addas i wynebu heriau'r degawdau i ddod, o reidrwydd yn galw am broses hirdymor o adnewyddu, gan gynnwys y diwygiadau i saernïaeth llywodraethiant a osodwyd gennym ni y llynedd. Ond mae mynd i'r afael â rhestrau aros hir Llafur yn hanfodol er mwyn rhoi lle i'r GIG anadlu fel y gall y diwygiadau hyn wreiddio.
Daw hyn â ni at y pwynt olaf y mae'r cynnig hwn yn ei wneud, mai dim ond Plaid Cymru sydd â'r atebion a chynllun i fynd i'r afael â niwed Llafur yn uniongyrchol. Fe wnaethom alw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddatgan argyfwng iechyd mor bell yn ôl â mis Chwefror 2024, felly mae'n wych gweld pleidiau eraill yn dilyn ein harweiniad. Ac o ran sefydlu hybiau gofal a gynlluniwyd ac ehangu mynediad at glinigau diagnosis cyflym i ddelio â chyflawniad truenus Cymru ar gyfraddau goroesi canser, yn ogystal â mesurau eraill, megis rhoi gwasanaethau brysbennu gweithredol ar waith i symleiddio atgyfeiriadau a gwella rôl telefeddygaeth mewn lleoliadau gofal sylfaenol, maent i gyd yn ymddangos yn y cynllun rhestrau aros a lansiwyd gennym yn ôl ym mis Ionawr, cynllun a gymeradwywyd yn gryf gan ystod o uwch weithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol.
Felly, os yw'r Torïaid o ddifrif ynglŷn â gwneud cynnydd yn y maes hwn, dylent fod yn hapus i gefnogi ein gwelliant i alw ar y Llywodraeth i weithredu cynllun Plaid Cymru yn ddi-oed. Ac fel rydym wedi profi dro ar ôl tro, pan ddaw'n fater o ddiogelu ei natur sylfaenol fel sefydliad cyhoeddus am ddim pryd a lle bynnag y bo'i angen, ni allai'r GIG fod mewn dwylo mwy diogel na dwylo Llywodraeth Plaid Cymru.
It is regrettable that, once again, we are having to debate the dire state of the NHS, to debate how political mismanagement over the past 26 years has put clinicians under tremendous pressure and left patients to suffer and die needlessly. You have a 50:50 chance of an ambulance arriving on time, and you are not always guaranteed one will show up on the same day. Fewer than two thirds of cancer patients start definitive treatment within the 62-day target—that is, if they can get to see a GP in order to start the clock in the first place.
However, thanks to the hard work and efforts of individual clinicians, we still see improvements in care pathways, and I want to highlight one such case. One of my earliest short debates in this Senedd spoke of the importance of prehabilitation, particularly in cancer treatment. At that time, I had the pleasure of speaking to Dr Rhidian Jones, who had set up a programme in Bridgend to ensure better surgical outcomes. Rhidian worked with colleagues in Cardiff and Vale who were developing a Prehab2Rehab pilot programme for cancer patients. Well, nearly three years on from the debate, Prehab2Rehab has been hailed as a huge success by Public Health Wales.
For those who need a refresher, prehabilitation involves tailored exercise plans, dietary guidance and access to services, including specialist pharmacies, cardiology clinics and pre-operative assessments. Studies around the world have shown that, coupled with post-operative rehab programmes, patients' outcomes are greatly improved.
However, we now have evidence from closer to home of the value of prehabilitation. Public Health Wales’s evaluation of the Cardiff and Vale Prehab2Rehab programme showed clear benefits for patients and the wider NHS. Those taking part in the scheme told the evaluation team that they felt better informed, more motivated to adopt healthy habits and reassured by strong peer-support networks formed with other patients. Dr Esther Mugweni, deputy head of evaluation at Public Health Wales, said that the approach could ease pressures on stretched NHS resources. She said that by reducing time spent in hospital, the programme not only supports patients, but also has a potential wider benefit to NHS resources. It is great to see how patients are being supported both in making positive lifestyle changes and in finding strength from others going through similar experiences. This is what Dr Rhidian Jones, myself and others have been saying for years. Prehab work saves patients and it saves money in the long run. If the Welsh Government are serious about protecting the NHS, as well as improving patient outcomes, then I urge the Cabinet Secretary to rapidly roll out rehabilitation programmes across all parts of the NHS, starting with cancer pathways and expanding rapidly to all planned surgical care. The success of Prehab2Rehab shows that if clinicians are allowed to innovate, they can improve patient care and probably save the NHS funds at the same time. Politicians just need to remove any artificial barriers. Diolch yn fawr.
Mae'n anffodus ein bod, unwaith eto, yn gorfod trafod cyflwr enbyd y GIG, a dadlau sut y mae camreoli gwleidyddol dros y 26 mlynedd diwethaf wedi rhoi clinigwyr o dan bwysau aruthrol ac wedi gadael cleifion i ddioddef a marw'n ddiangen. Mae tebygolrwydd o 50:50 y bydd ambiwlans yn eich cyrraedd ar amser, ac ni allwch fod yn sicr bob amser y bydd un yn cyrraedd ar yr un diwrnod. Mae llai na dwy ran o dair o gleifion canser yn dechrau triniaeth ddiffiniol o fewn y targed o 62 diwrnod—hynny yw, os gallant weld meddyg teulu er mwyn rhoi'r cloc i dician yn y lle cyntaf.
Fodd bynnag, diolch i waith caled ac ymdrechion clinigwyr unigol, rydym yn dal i weld gwelliannau mewn llwybrau gofal, ac rwyf am dynnu sylw at un achos o'r fath. Roedd un o fy nadleuon byrion cynharaf yn y Senedd hon yn sôn am bwysigrwydd rhagsefydlu, yn enwedig mewn triniaeth ganser. Bryd hynny, cefais y pleser o siarad â Dr Rhidian Jones, a oedd wedi sefydlu rhaglen ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr i sicrhau canlyniadau llawfeddygol gwell. Gweithiodd Rhidian gyda chydweithwyr yng Nghaerdydd a'r Fro a oedd yn datblygu rhaglen beilot Prehab2Rehab ar gyfer cleifion canser. Wel, bron i dair blynedd ar ôl y ddadl, mae Prehab2Rehab wedi cael ei chanmol fel llwyddiant ysgubol gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru.
I'r rhai sydd angen cael eu hatgoffa, mae rhagsefydlu'n cynnwys cynlluniau ymarfer corff wedi'u teilwra, canllawiau deietegol a mynediad at wasanaethau, gan gynnwys fferyllfeydd arbenigol, clinigau cardioleg ac asesiadau cyn llawdriniaeth. Mae astudiaethau ledled y byd wedi dangos bod canlyniadau cleifion yn gwella'n fawr o gyfuno hyn â rhaglenni adsefydlu ar ôl llawdriniaeth.
Fodd bynnag, bellach mae gennym dystiolaeth yn nes at adref o werth rhagsefydlu. Dangosodd gwerthusiad Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru o raglen Prehab2Rehab Caerdydd a'r Fro fanteision clir i gleifion a'r GIG yn ehangach. Dywedodd y rhai sy'n cymryd rhan yn y cynllun wrth y tîm gwerthuso eu bod yn teimlo'n fwy gwybodus, wedi'u hysgogi'n well i fabwysiadu arferion iach ac yn dawelach eu meddwl yn sgil rhwydweithiau cymorth cymheiriaid cryf a ffurfiwyd gyda chleifion eraill. Dywedodd Dr Esther Mugweni, is-bennaeth gwerthuso Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, y gallai'r dull leddfu'r pwysau ar adnoddau'r GIG. Dywedodd fod y rhaglen, drwy leihau'r amser a dreulir yn yr ysbyty, nid yn unig yn cefnogi cleifion, ond bod iddi fudd ehangach posib o ran adnoddau'r GIG. Mae'n wych gweld sut y mae cleifion yn cael eu cefnogi i wneud newidiadau cadarnhaol i'w ffordd o fyw ac i ddod o hyd i gryfder gan eraill sy'n mynd trwy brofiadau tebyg. Dyma rwyf i, Dr Rhidian Jones ac eraill wedi bod yn ei ddweud ers blynyddoedd. Mae gwaith rhagsefydlu yn achub cleifion ac mae'n arbed arian yn y tymor hir. Os yw Llywodraeth Cymru o ddifrif ynglŷn â diogelu'r GIG, yn ogystal â gwella canlyniadau cleifion, rwy'n annog Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet i gyflwyno rhaglenni adsefydlu yn gyflym ar draws pob rhan o'r GIG, gan ddechrau gyda llwybrau canser ac ehangu'n gyflym i gynnwys yr holl ofal llawfeddygol a gynllunnir. Os caniateir i glinigwyr arloesi, dengys Prehab2Rehab y gallant wella gofal cleifion ac arbed arian i'r GIG ar yr un pryd yn ôl pob tebyg. Y cyfan sydd angen i wleidyddion ei wneud yw cael gwared ar unrhyw rwystrau artiffisial. Diolch yn fawr.
Very often, Governments and politicians talk about growing the economy and creating jobs through investing in industry and construction, but very little is said about growing the economy through public services and healthcare, through the foundational economy, investing in public services and people; paying decent wages for carers, putting money in people's pockets, who live and spend in our communities. Encouraging people to become health professionals helps to fill vacancies. Instead, we keep hearing negativity about what is, for many, a good service, and saying there is a health emergency.
I'm pleased that in north Wales, under Welsh Labour, there is the medical training centre, a new nursing and allied professional training facility at Wrexham University, as well as healthcare training places at Coleg Llandrillo in Rhyl. We need to retain staff and offer decent wages and working hours that are flexible, but we cannot do that without extra funding in line with the growing need and an older population. Now we have a UK Government who believes in investing in public services and the NHS, we are starting to see the difference.
I know there are many people on long waiting lists, but we need to give them hope that they are coming down and may receive a letter with a quicker appointment—like John, who told me his knee appointment had been brought forward by two months. Not only that, but he was given physiotherapy on a Saturday when recovering in hospital. He said it was because of the extra money going into the NHS. A young woman whose orthodontic appointment for next year has been brought forward to December. Chris let me know he had a cataract operation within six weeks, after initially hearing there was a three-year waiting list. It just brings hope to people that there is progress and not to worry too much. Hopefully, a letter will be coming soon.
Investing in prevention with access to grass-roots sports, leisure centres, public transport, green spaces, parks and education programmes is really important. All these have been cut and eroded by 14 years of austerity. And Reform are misleading the public by saying further huge cuts can be made. [Interruption.] I worry for the future of our communities if investment is not continued.
Yn aml iawn, mae llywodraethau a gwleidyddion yn siarad am dyfu'r economi a chreu swyddi drwy fuddsoddi mewn diwydiant ac adeiladu, ond ychydig iawn a ddywedir am dyfu'r economi drwy wasanaethau cyhoeddus a gofal iechyd, drwy'r economi sylfaenol, buddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a phobl; talu cyflogau gweddus i ofalwyr, rhoi arian ym mhocedi pobl, sy'n byw ac yn gwario yn ein cymunedau. Mae annog pobl i ddod yn weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol yn helpu i lenwi swyddi gwag. Yn hytrach, rydym yn parhau i glywed sylwadau negyddol am wasanaeth sydd, i lawer o bobl, yn un da, a sôn am argyfwng iechyd.
Rwy'n falch fod gennym y ganolfan hyfforddiant meddygol yng ngogledd Cymru, o dan Lafur Cymru, cyfleuster newydd i ddarparu hyfforddiant nyrsio a phroffesiynau perthynol i iechyd ym Mhrifysgol Wrecsam, yn ogystal â lleoedd hyfforddi gofal iechyd yng Ngholeg Llandrillo yn y Rhyl. Mae angen i ni gadw staff a chynnig cyflogau ac oriau gwaith gweddus sy'n hyblyg, ond ni allwn wneud hynny heb gyllid ychwanegol yn unol â'r angen cynyddol a phoblogaeth hŷn. Bellach, gan fod gennym Lywodraeth y DU sy'n credu mewn buddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a'r GIG, rydym yn dechrau gweld gwahaniaeth.
Rwy'n gwybod bod yna lawer o bobl ar restrau aros hir, ond mae angen inni roi gobaith iddynt eu bod yn lleihau ac efallai y byddant yn cael llythyr gydag apwyntiad cyflymach—fel John, a ddywedodd wrthyf fod ei apwyntiad pen-glin ddau fis yn gynt na'r trefniant gwreiddiol. Nid yn unig hynny, cafodd ffisiotherapi ar ddydd Sadwrn wrth wella yn yr ysbyty. Dywedodd mai'r rheswm am hynny oedd yr arian ychwanegol sy'n mynd i'r GIG. Menyw ifanc y mae ei hapwyntiad orthodontig ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf wedi'i drefnu'n gynt, ym mis Rhagfyr. Rhoddodd Chris wybod i mi ei fod wedi cael llawdriniaeth cataract o fewn chwe wythnos, ar ôl clywed yn wreiddiol fod yna restr aros o dair blynedd. Mae'n dod â gobaith i bobl fod cynnydd yn cael ei wneud ac i beidio â phoeni gormod. Fe ddaw llythyr yn fuan, gobeithio.
Mae buddsoddi mewn atal gyda mynediad at chwaraeon llawr gwlad, canolfannau hamdden, trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, mannau gwyrdd, parciau a rhaglenni addysg yn bwysig iawn. Mae'r rhain i gyd wedi cael eu torri a'u herydu gan 14 mlynedd o gyni. Ac mae Reform yn camarwain y cyhoedd drwy ddweud y gellir gwneud toriadau enfawr pellach. [Torri ar draws.] Rwy'n poeni am ddyfodol ein cymunedau os na fydd y buddsoddiad yn parhau.
Thank you. You caught me off guard there. We represent, obviously, similar areas. You cover the same constituents as me. Is this what you tell constituents when they come to you with issues that are similar to the ones that I receive, with long waiting times at Glan Clwyd A&E, for example? I get many constituents getting in touch about that, as I imagine you do. So, what's your response to them, when you're approached about those issues, just out of curiosity?
Diolch. Fe wnaethoch chi fy nal ar y droed ôl. Yn amlwg, rydym yn cynrychioli ardaloedd tebyg. Rydym yn rhannu'r un etholwyr. Ai dyma'r hyn rydych chi'n ei ddweud wrth etholwyr pan fyddant yn dod atoch gyda phroblemau sy'n debyg i'r rhai rwy'n eu cael, gydag amseroedd aros hir yn adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys Glan Clwyd, er enghraifft? Rwy'n cael llawer o etholwyr yn cysylltu ynglŷn â hynny, fel rwy'n dychmygu eich bod chi. Felly, beth yw eich ymateb iddynt hwy, pan fydd pobl yn cysylltu â chi am y materion hynny, o ran chwilfrydedd?
I always follow up casework for people who come to me who would like to follow that up. That's what we do, isn't it? I always follow up casework, but I also like to help people and give them hope as well. I really hope that we can move forward with investment in the Royal Alexandra Hospital now there's that capital funding. That will make a difference then to Glan Clwyd A&E, and also the other investment that's happening—I think there's a facility that's just been built in Denbigh as well, which is great to hear.
Following the COVID pandemic, waiting lists were at a seven-year high. The NHS has had to get staff, processes and procedures back into place and working efficiently again, as well as having to deal with a backlog of appointments. I watched a programme shown on ITV Wales on Sunday evening called The Covid Contracts. It was an excellent piece of journalism that revealed the extent of Tory cronyism and the billions wasted on contracts for their mates through the VIP lane. Sixty per cent of personal protective equipment supplied by VIP lane companies was later categorised as not fit for use by the NHS. It was enough to pay the salaries of 20,000 resident doctors. In a scramble to give money to those politically connected to the Conservative Party, PPE was massively over purchased, and by the end of the pandemic, the UK had 300 unused pieces of PPE for every single person in the country. That's over 1 million pallets of PPE—over 1 million pallets of PPE—that had to be destroyed. We’ve got a climate emergency, but also there's the billions of pounds that were wasted. It was actually £8.6 billion-worth—billion, not million—of PPE. It was enough to employ over 200,000 nurses. I go on about austerity nearly every week, but if we had that money to go into the NHS now, it would make such a difference. It's incredible.
Thanks to extra funding from the UK Government for health and public services, this Welsh Labour Government is able to invest £120 million extra into bringing waiting lists down, and surgical hubs, such as the £29.5 million investment in the orthopaedic home in Llandudno, which of course the Tories somehow will try and claim by associating themselves with Labour's success—a new tactic. I saw the photo of Darren Millar and Janet Finch-Saunders in the North Wales Pioneer, where Janet acknowledges:
'All those involved in creating the new hub have worked incredibly hard and I thank every one of them for their commitment to delivering this crucial facility.'
So, I just would like to finish by asking if she would like to repeat those words of thanks in the Chamber to the Cabinet Secretary for all his hard work in delivering the hub. Thank you.
Rwyf bob amser yn mynd ar drywydd gwaith achos ar ran y bobl a ddaw ataf a fyddai'n hoffi hynny. Dyna rydym yn ei wneud, onid e? Rwyf bob amser yn mynd ar drywydd gwaith achos, ond rwyf i hefyd yn hoffi helpu pobl a rhoi gobaith iddynt. Rwy'n gobeithio y gallwn symud ymlaen gyda buddsoddiad yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Alexandra gan fod y cyllid cyfalaf hwnnw ar gael bellach. Bydd hynny'n gwneud gwahaniaeth wedyn i adran damweiniau ac achosion brys Glan Clwyd, a hefyd y buddsoddiad arall sy'n digwydd—rwy'n credu bod cyfleuster newydd gael ei adeiladu yn Ninbych hefyd, sy'n wych i'w glywed.
Yn dilyn pandemig COVID, roedd rhestrau aros ar y lefel uchaf ers saith mlynedd. Mae'r GIG wedi gorfod cael staff, prosesau a gweithdrefnau yn ôl i'w lle ac yn gweithio'n effeithlon eto, yn ogystal â gorfod delio ag ôl-groniad o apwyntiadau. Gwyliais raglen a ddangoswyd ar ITV Cymru nos Sul o'r enw The Covid Contracts. Roedd yn newyddiaduraeth ardderchog a ddatgelodd raddau ffrindgarwch Torïaidd a'r biliynau a wastraffwyd ar gontractau i'w ffrindiau drwy'r llwybr VIP. Yn ddiweddarach, cafodd 60 y cant o'r cyfarpar diogelu personol a gyflenwyd gan gwmnïau'r llwybr VIP eu categoreiddio fel rhai nad oeddent yn addas i'w defnyddio gan y GIG. Roedd yn ddigon i dalu cyflogau 20,000 o feddygon preswyl. Mewn ymdrech i roi arian i rai â chysylltiau gwleidyddol â'r Blaid Geidwadol, cafodd llawer iawn gormod o gyfarpar diogelu personol ei brynu, ac erbyn diwedd y pandemig, roedd gan y DU 300 o ddarnau o gyfarpar diogelu personol heb eu defnyddio ar gyfer pob unigolyn yn y wlad. Dyna dros 1 filiwn o baledi o gyfarpar diogelu personol—dros 1 filiwn o baledi o gyfarpar diogelu personol—y bu'n rhaid eu dinistrio. Mae gennym argyfwng hinsawdd, a chafodd biliynau o bunnoedd ei wastraffu. Mewn gwirionedd roedd yn werth £8.6 biliwn—biliwn, nid miliwn—o gyfarpar diogelu personol. Roedd yn ddigon i gyflogi dros 200,000 o nyrsys. Rwy'n siarad am gyni bron bob wythnos, ond pe bai gennym yr arian hwnnw i fynd tuag at y GIG nawr, byddai'n gwneud cymaint o wahaniaeth. Mae'n anghredadwy.
Diolch i gyllid ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth y DU ar gyfer iechyd a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, mae Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru yn gallu buddsoddi £120 miliwn ychwanegol i leihau rhestrau aros, a hybiau llawfeddygol, fel y buddsoddiad o £29.5 miliwn yn y cartref orthopedig yn Llandudno, y bydd y Torïaid rywsut yn ceisio hawlio'r clod amdano drwy gysylltu eu hunain â llwyddiant Llafur—tacteg newydd. Gwelais y llun o Darren Millar a Janet Finch-Saunders yn y North Wales Pioneer, lle mae Janet yn cydnabod:
'Mae pawb sy'n gysylltiedig â chreu'r hyb newydd wedi gweithio'n anhygoel o galed ac rwy'n diolch i bob un ohonynt am eu hymrwymiad i ddarparu'r cyfleuster hanfodol hwn.'
Felly, hoffwn orffen drwy ofyn a fyddai hi'n hoffi ailadrodd y geiriau hynny o ddiolch yn y Siambr i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am ei holl waith caled yn darparu'r hyb. Diolch.
Well, Members, it's very clear that Wales is in the midst of a health emergency—just ask your constituents—albeit that the Labour Government here can't see it. As we've heard already, between May 2021 and July 2025, the overall number of open pathways waiting to start treatment has increased by 30 per cent to just under 800,000, and at the moment there are over 600,000, as we heard also. That's one in five people on a waiting list. That is absolutely shocking.
The First Minister committed to eliminating two-year waits for treatment in both March 2023 and 2024, but has repeatedly failed. The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in my constituency has seen a 29 per cent increase in two-year waits.
The Welsh health service is precious to us all and should not be the subject of continuing mismanagement, especially by this Labour Government together with its Plaid partners over many years. Successive Labour health Ministers have made pledge after pledge to tackle these waiting lists, but things are not getting better. They are getting worse. Since 2021, when Labour and Plaid Cymru entered into their co-operation agreement, total patient pathways have risen by around a third.
We Conservatives are accused of wanting to sell off the NHS. This just is absolute rubbish. It's not true. Indeed, if you look at the underfunding of dentistry over decades and the reduction in NHS provision, it's Labour who are pushing dentistry services to pursue more private business. We would fund our NHS properly, and we would recognise the importance of it. [Interruption.] Yes, Mabon.
Wel, Aelodau, mae'n amlwg iawn fod Cymru yng nghanol argyfwng iechyd—gofynnwch i'ch etholwyr—er nad yw'r Llywodraeth Lafur yma yn gallu ei weld. Fel y clywsom eisoes, rhwng mis Mai 2021 a mis Gorffennaf 2025, mae nifer cyffredinol y llwybrau agored sy'n aros i ddechrau triniaeth wedi cynyddu 30 y cant i ychydig o dan 800,000, ac ar hyn o bryd mae yna dros 600,000, fel y clywsom hefyd. Dyna un o bob pump o bobl ar restr aros. Mae hynny'n hollol syfrdanol.
Ymrwymodd y Prif Weinidog i ddileu amseroedd aros o ddwy flynedd am driniaeth ym mis Mawrth 2023 a 2024, ond mae wedi methu dro ar ôl tro. Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan yn fy etholaeth i wedi gweld cynnydd o 29 y cant yn nifer y bobl sydd ar restrau aros ers dwy flynedd.
Mae gwasanaeth iechyd Cymru yn werthfawr i ni i gyd ac ni ddylai fod yn destun camreoli parhaus, yn enwedig gan y Llywodraeth Lafur hon gyda'i phartneriaid ym Mhlaid Cymru dros nifer o flynyddoedd. Mae Gweinidogion iechyd Llafur olynol wedi gwneud addewid ar ôl addewid i fynd i'r afael â'r rhestrau aros hyn, ond nid yw pethau'n gwella. Maent yn gwaethygu. Ers 2021, pan ymrwymodd Llafur a Phlaid Cymru i'w cytundeb cydweithio, mae cyfanswm y llwybrau cleifion wedi cynyddu tua thraean.
Fe gawn ni'r Ceidwadwyr ein cyhuddo o fod eisiau gwerthu'r GIG. Mae hyn yn nonsens llwyr. Nid yw'n wir. Os edrychwch ar danariannu deintyddiaeth dros ddegawdau a'r gostyngiad yn y ddarpariaeth GIG, Llafur sy'n gwthio gwasanaethau deintyddiaeth i fynd ar drywydd mwy o fusnes preifat. Byddem ni'n ariannu ein GIG yn briodol, a byddem yn cydnabod ei bwysigrwydd. [Torri ar draws.] Ie, Mabon.
You and your colleagues have mentioned the co-operation agreement a few times. Can you refer specifically to what in the 46 policies was about health?
Rydych chi a'ch cyd-Aelodau wedi sôn am y cytundeb cydweithio sawl gwaith. A allwch chi gyfeirio'n benodol at beth yn y 46 polisi oedd yn ymwneud ag iechyd?
You were working behind closed doors—. You were working behind closed doors—.
Roeddech chi'n gweithio y tu ôl i ddrysau caeedig—. Roeddech chi'n gweithio y tu ôl i ddrysau caeedig—.
Peter, would you give way? I'll tell you what was in the co-operation agreement, and what Plaid put above the health of the nation, was more politicians in Cardiff Bay. Not more doctors, not more nurses, more politicians.
Peter, a wnewch chi ildio? Fe ddywedaf wrthych beth oedd yn y cytundeb cydweithio, a'r hyn a roddodd Plaid Cymru uwchlaw iechyd y genedl, oedd mwy o wleidyddion ym Mae Caerdydd. Dim mwy o feddygon, dim mwy o nyrsys, mwy o wleidyddion.
And we don't know what you were talking about behind closed doors, but you were working together as a unit. You were working together, and you can't split yourself apart now. [Interruption.] Yes, Jenny.
Ac nid ydym yn gwybod beth oeddech chi'n siarad amdano y tu ôl i ddrysau caeedig, ond roeddech chi'n gweithio gyda'ch gilydd fel uned. Roeddech chi'n gweithio gyda'ch gilydd, ac ni allwch dynnu eich hunain ar wahân nawr. [Torri ar draws.] Ie, Jenny.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer took the Chair.
Just for the record, it was specifically excluded from the partnership agreement. It was agreed that health was not—[Interruption.]
Ar gyfer y cofnod, cafodd ei eithrio'n benodol o'r cytundeb partneriaeth. Cytunwyd nad oedd iechyd—[Torri ar draws.]
The people out there don't believe that. [Interruption.]
Nid yw'r bobl allan yno'n credu hynny. [Torri ar draws.]
I'd like to hear the Member's contribution without his colleagues in his party actually sounding out so loud I can't.
Hoffwn glywed cyfraniad yr Aelod heb i'w gyd-Aelodau yn ei blaid weiddi mor uchel fel na allaf wneud hynny.
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. But what is true is that Labour have overseen real-terms cuts to our NHS budgets whilst in office. I have no criticism of our NHS staff—none of us here have. They are brilliant. But they have to work in a health service that is systemically failing, and the Welsh Government must take responsibility for this.
Whilst Labour and Plaid are rightly being challenged for their handling of the health service, I don't think there is anyone in Wales who would want to trust Reform with our NHS. At their recent national conference, they played host to a doctor who suggested that COVID vaccines were linked to cancer diagnoses in the royal family, that the vaccines were likely to cause more harm than the COVID virus itself, and that the World Health Organization had been captured by Bill Gates and must be replaced. And today, we know that Mr Farage has failed to stand up against the latest conspiracy theory that paracetamol is being linked to autism. Wales doesn't need unfounded conspiracy theorists running our health service. It needs proper leadership and only the Conservatives will deliver that. Reform are a party with no substance, no answers, and just empty rhetoric from one man who tells everyone what they want to hear.
The Welsh Conservatives have backed calls for the Welsh Government to declare a health emergency, as we know, a motion that we brought forward here in July but was rejected by Labour. We have supported the eight recommendations from the Royal College of Nursing to tackle corridor care, and have a plethora of policies that would seriously improve health outcomes for the people of Wales, as James has already outlined. Funding must be targeted and spent correctly. There has to be an end to wasteful spending and red tape in our NHS, and I genuinely believe also that a root-and-branch review of our NHS is needed. We can then identify wasteful spending and reprioritise resources to the area of most need. Only the Welsh Conservatives have a plan to fix Wales and to fix our NHS. Unlike the Labour Party, who have overseen over 25 years of decline in our NHS, we would start on day 1, fixing Labour's mess and delivering the health service that our residents deserve.
Dirprwy Lywydd, we've heard enough empty promises from Labour and Plaid, and the shallow conspiratorial rhetoric spouted by Reform. We would deliver real actions through policies with tangible outcomes that would help the people of Wales. For those of us here who want to see a sustainable NHS, I encourage you to support our motion.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Ond yr hyn sy'n wir yw bod Llafur wedi goruchwylio toriadau mewn termau real i'n cyllidebau GIG tra oeddent mewn grym. Nid wyf yn beirniadu ein staff GIG—nid oes yr un ohonom wedi gwneud hynny. Maent yn wych. Ond mae'n rhaid iddynt weithio mewn gwasanaeth iechyd sy'n methu'n systemig, ac mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru ysgwyddo cyfrifoldeb am hynny.
Er bod Llafur a Phlaid Cymru'n cael eu herio'n briodol am y modd y gwnaethant drin y gwasanaeth iechyd, nid wyf yn credu bod unrhyw un yng Nghymru a fyddai eisiau ymddiried yn Reform gyda'n GIG. Yn eu cynhadledd genedlaethol yn ddiweddar, fe wnaethant groesawu meddyg a awgrymodd fod brechlynnau COVID yn gysylltiedig â diagnosis o ganser yn y teulu brenhinol, fod y brechlynnau yn debygol o achosi mwy o niwed na'r feirws COVID ei hun, a bod Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd dan reolaeth Bill Gates a bod rhaid ei ddisodli. A heddiw, fe wyddom fod Mr Farage wedi methu gwrthsefyll y ddamcaniaeth gynllwyn ddiweddaraf fod cysylltiad rhwng parasetamol ag awtistiaeth. Nid yw Cymru angen rhai sy'n arddel damcaniaethau cynllwyn di-sail yn rhedeg ein gwasanaeth iechyd. Mae angen arweinyddiaeth briodol a dim ond y Ceidwadwyr sy'n mynd i gyflawni hynny. Mae Reform yn blaid heb sylwedd, heb atebion, a dim ond rhethreg wag gan un dyn sy'n dweud wrth bawb beth y maent eisiau ei glywed.
Mae'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi cefnogi galwadau ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddatgan argyfwng iechyd, fel y gwyddom, cynnig a gyflwynwyd gennym yma ym mis Gorffennaf ond a wrthodwyd gan Lafur. Rydym wedi cefnogi'r wyth argymhelliad gan y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol i fynd i'r afael â gofal mewn coridorau, ac mae gennym lu o bolisïau a fyddai'n gwella canlyniadau iechyd pobl Cymru yn helaeth, fel y mae James eisoes wedi'i amlinellu. Rhaid targedu cyllid a'i wario'n gywir. Rhaid rhoi diwedd ar wariant gwastraffus a biwrocratiaeth yn ein GIG, ac rwy'n credu hefyd fod angen adolygiad trylwyr o'n GIG. Wedyn, gallwn nodi gwariant gwastraffus ac ailflaenoriaethu adnoddau i ble y mae fwyaf o'u hangen. Dim ond y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig sydd â chynllun i drwsio Cymru a thrwsio ein GIG. Yn wahanol i'r Blaid Lafur, sydd wedi goruchwylio dros 25 mlynedd o ddirywiad yn ein GIG, byddem yn dechrau ar ddiwrnod 1, gan ddatrys llanast Llafur a darparu'r gwasanaeth iechyd y mae ein trigolion yn ei haeddu.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, rydym wedi clywed digon o addewidion gwag gan Lafur a Phlaid Cymru, a'r rhethreg gynllwyniol fas a wyntyllir gan Reform. Byddem yn cyflawni camau gweithredu go iawn drwy bolisïau ag iddynt ganlyniadau diriaethol a fyddai'n helpu pobl Cymru. I'r rhai ohonom yma sydd eisiau gweld GIG cynaliadwy, rwy'n eich annog i gefnogi ein cynnig.
Can I start by thanking the Welsh Conservatives for bringing forward this debate today? Not only does it give us all a chance to talk about the most important area of Welsh Government responsibility, it also gives me a chance to set the record straight about Reform and the NHS. For the sake of telling the truth, as this is something the Senedd claims to—and it should—uphold and value, though it seems to only believe that when it suits their own agendas, let me be absolutely clear, as the people of Wales deserve the truth, not misinformation, even if it means that some of you will now have to update your Caerphilly by-election leaflets.
When Reform forms a Government next May, the NHS will remain free at the point of delivery, and free prescriptions will remain just that—free. [Interruption.] Anyone suggesting otherwise is scaremongering. The fact that all parties in this Chamber are pushing this line—
A gaf i ddechrau drwy ddiolch i'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig am gyflwyno'r ddadl hon heddiw? Nid yn unig y mae'n rhoi cyfle i ni i gyd siarad am faes cyfrifoldeb pwysicaf Llywodraeth Cymru, mae hefyd yn rhoi cyfle i mi gywiro'r camargraffiadau am Reform a'r GIG. Os caf ddatgan y gwir, gan fod hyn yn rhywbeth y mae'r Senedd yn honni ei bod—a dylai fod—yn ei gynnal ac yn gweld ei werth, er ei bod yn ymddangos nad yw ond yn credu hynny pan fydd yn gweddu i'w hagenda eu hunain, gadewch imi fod yn hollol glir, gan fod pobl Cymru yn haeddu'r gwir, nid camwybodaeth, hyd yn oed os yw'n golygu y bydd yn rhaid i rai ohonoch chi ddiweddaru eich taflenni is-etholiad Caerffili nawr.
Pan fydd Reform yn ffurfio Llywodraeth fis Mai nesaf, bydd y GIG yn parhau i fod am ddim pryd a lle bynnag y caiff ei ddarparu, a bydd presgripsiynau am ddim yn parhau. [Torri ar draws.] Mae unrhyw un sy'n awgrymu fel arall yn codi bwganod. Mae'r ffaith bod pob plaid yn y Siambr hon yn gwthio hyn—
Will you apologise to Darren?
A wnewch chi ymddiheuro i Darren?
—knowing full well that Reform policy is not to abolish the NHS, shows how desperate you've all become, and on cue, yes, go.
—gan wybod yn iawn nad polisi Reform yw diddymu'r GIG, yn dangos pa mor fain yw hi arnoch chi i gyd bellach, ac ar y gair, iawn, ewch amdani.
Here's a quote from Nigel Farage: 'I do not want the NHS funded through general taxation.' How else would you fund it here in Wales?
Dyma ddyfyniad gan Nigel Farage: 'Nid wyf am i'r GIG gael ei ariannu drwy drethiant cyffredinol.' Sut arall y byddech chi'n ei ariannu yma yng Nghymru?
Just because Nigel Farage has a special view on it—[Interruption.]
Ddim ond am fod gan Nigel Farage farn arbennig arno—[Torri ar draws.]
Please allow the Member to respond to the intervention.
Gadewch i'r Aelod ymateb i'r ymyriad.
Being interested in how other countries manage their health services, and looking if there are any parts of that that we can take and use in our NHS, is very, very different to committing the NHS to being abolished or privatised, or whatever it is. What is clear, and what is in the quote that you missed, before he says that, is that he's open to hearing what other health services do. What you're missing is that he's always said—and it's abundantly clear, so you can understand, and people can understand out there—that the NHS will always be free at the point of delivery, and that is a very important point. Being open to how things are funded is a completely different kettle of fish. You know that when Reform forms the Government next May, the NHS will remain, just for clarity, free at the point of delivery—
Mae bod â diddordeb yn y ffordd y mae gwledydd eraill yn rheoli eu gwasanaethau iechyd, ac edrych i weld a oes unrhyw rannau o hynny y gallwn eu cymryd a'u defnyddio yn ein GIG, yn wahanol iawn i ymrwymo i ddiddymu'r GIG neu ei breifateiddio, neu beth bynnag. Yr hyn sy'n glir, a'r hyn sydd yn y dyfyniad y gwnaethoch chi ei golli, cyn iddo ddweud hynny, yw ei fod yn agored i glywed beth y mae gwasanaethau iechyd eraill yn ei wneud. Yr hyn rydych chi'n ei golli yw ei fod bob amser wedi dweud—ac mae'n hollol glir, fel y gallwch chi ddeall, a gall pobl ddeall allan yno—y bydd y GIG bob amser am ddim pryd a lle bynnag y caiff ei ddarparu, ac mae hwnnw'n bwynt pwysig iawn. Mae bod yn agored i'r ffordd y caiff pethau eu hariannu yn hollol wahanol. Pan fydd Reform yn ffurfio Llywodraeth fis Mai nesaf, rydych chi'n gwybod y bydd y GIG yn parhau, er eglurder, am ddim pryd a lle bynnag y caiff ei ddarparu—
Will you take an intervention?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?
No, I will carry on now. I've just taken one from your party.
The fact that all parties in this Chamber are pushing this line, knowing full well that Reform policy is not to abolish the NHS, shows how desperate you've all become. Perhaps now I've made this clear, the Cabinet Secretary for health will think twice before making untruthful accusations in the Chamber and instead respond, next time, to serious questions in serious debates. The people of Wales and my own constituents deserve more than that. The health Minister is fully aware that Reform policy is that the NHS will remain unequivocally free at the point of delivery. The real scandal is not Reform's position, it is the state of the NHS, 26 years after all these Labour Governments, backed at every turn by Plaid.
As the Conservative motion lays out for us today, since the Senedd election, over 38,000 people have died whilst waiting for treatment. Accident and emergency waits remain appallingly long, and ambulance response times are still dangerously long. Wales in terms of the NHS is the poor man of the UK. The NHS staff are fantastic, but every statistic shows how badly Labour have mismanaged the NHS here in Wales. The Conservatives point fingers at Cardiff Bay, but the NHS under their tenure had big problems of its own. So, not one of the old parties has a clean record. [Interruption.] The people of Wales are now looking to Reform as the only—[Interruption.]
Na, rwy'n mynd i barhau nawr. Rwyf newydd dderbyn un gan eich plaid.
Mae'r ffaith bod pob plaid yn y Siambr hon yn gwthio hyn, gan wybod yn iawn nad polisi Reform yw diddymu'r GIG, yn dangos pa mor fain yw hi arnoch chi i gyd. Gan fy mod i wedi gwneud hyn yn glir, efallai y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd yn meddwl ddwywaith cyn gwneud cyhuddiadau celwyddog yn y Siambr ac yn hytrach, yn ymateb, y tro nesaf, i gwestiynau difrifol mewn dadleuon difrifol. Mae pobl Cymru a fy etholwyr fy hun yn haeddu mwy na hynny. Mae'r Gweinidog iechyd yn gwbl ymwybodol mai polisi Reform yw y bydd y GIG yn parhau i fod am ddim pryd a lle bynnag y caiff ei ddarparu. Nid safbwynt Reform yw'r sgandal go iawn, ond cyflwr y GIG, 26 mlynedd ar ôl yr holl Lywodraethau Llafur hyn, gyda chefnogaeth Plaid Cymru bob gafael.
Fel y mae'r cynnig Ceidwadol yn ei nodi i ni heddiw, ers etholiad y Senedd, mae dros 38,000 o bobl wedi marw wrth aros am driniaeth. Mae amseroedd aros adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yn parhau i fod yn ofnadwy o hir, ac mae amseroedd ymateb ambiwlans yn dal i fod yn beryglus o hir. O ran y GIG, Cymru sy'n gwneud waethaf yn y DU. Mae staff y GIG yn wych, ond mae pob ystadegyn yn dangos pa mor wael y mae Llafur wedi camreoli'r GIG yma yng Nghymru. Mae'r Ceidwadwyr yn pwyntio bys at Fae Caerdydd, ond roedd gan y GIG o dan eu rheolaeth hwythau broblemau mawr. Felly, nid oes record lân gan yr un o'r hen bleidiau. [Torri ar draws.] Mae pobl Cymru bellach yn troi at Reform fel yr unig—[Torri ar draws.]
I'm very grateful to you for you taking the intervention. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to speak to you, the first time we've done so since you decided to defect to Reform. Do you support your party leader and your party being a party that casts aspersions and doubts on the efficacy and safety of paracetamol and that supports COVID conspiracy theories about the efficacy and safety of COVID vaccines? Because I think the public in Wales deserve to know whether that is the case. What is your view?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i chi am dderbyn yr ymyriad. Mae'n wych cael cyfle i siarad â chi, y tro cyntaf i ni wneud hynny ers i chi benderfynu symud at Reform. A ydych chi'n cefnogi arweinydd eich plaid a bod eich plaid yn blaid sy'n bwrw amheuon ar effeithiolrwydd a diogelwch parasetamol ac sy'n cefnogi damcaniaethau cynllwyn COVID am effeithiolrwydd a diogelwch brechlynnau COVID? Oherwydd rwy'n credu bod y cyhoedd yng Nghymru yn haeddu gwybod a yw hynny'n wir. Beth yw eich barn chi?
I think what's important here is that we're discussing the record of the Welsh Government—[Interruption.] I love that you took so much interest in our Reform party conference, and maybe you'd like to come one day, I don't know. But the real scandal here is not—
Rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig yma yw ein bod yn trafod record Llywodraeth Cymru—[Torri ar draws.] Rwyf wrth fy modd eich bod wedi dangos cymaint o ddiddordeb yng nghynhadledd Reform, ac efallai yr hoffech chi ddod un diwrnod, nid wyf yn gwybod. Ond y sgandal go iawn yma yw—
But none of you are talking to him. Say sorry to him.
Ond nid oes yr un ohonoch chi'n siarad ag ef. Dywedwch wrtho ei bod yn ddrwg gennych.
Reform is committed, can I just say, to the recruitment and retention of staff. Reform will end the indefinite leave—[Interruption.] Would you like to make an intervention? No.
We would cut wasteful bureaucracy and unnecessary management, putting clinicians back in charge. This alone frees millions to invest in front-line care without extra taxes, ensuring prescriptions remain free. We've heard this Government talk about prevention over and over again, yet they've failed to deliver. Prevention is vital. By catching issues like oral tooth decay or cancers early, as discussed yesterday, preventing obesity and childhood illnesses, and addressing mental health proactively, we will reduce pressure on our hospitals.
Reform would bring back the matron, someone visible and respected and accountable for standards of care. We would also ensure the safety and dignity of patients by ensuring they have sex-based wards and use sex-based language, again, within our NHS—[Interruption.]
Mae Reform wedi ymrwymo, os caf ddweud, i recriwtio a chadw staff. Bydd Reform yn rhoi diwedd ar absenoldeb amhenodol—[Torri ar draws.] A hoffech chi wneud ymyriad? Na.
Byddwn yn torri biwrocratiaeth wastraffus a rheolaeth ddiangen, gan adfer cyfrifoldeb i glinigwyr. Mae hyn ynddo'i hun yn rhyddhau miliynau i'w fuddsoddi mewn gofal rheng flaen heb drethi ychwanegol, gan sicrhau bod presgripsiynau'n parhau i fod am ddim. Rydym wedi clywed y Llywodraeth hon yn siarad am atal dro ar ôl tro, ond maent wedi methu cyflawni. Mae atal yn hanfodol. Drwy ddal problemau fel pydredd dannedd neu ganserau'n gynnar, fel y trafodwyd ddoe, atal gordewdra ac afiechydon plentyndod, a mynd i'r afael ag iechyd meddwl yn rhagweithiol, byddwn yn lleihau'r pwysau ar ein hysbytai.
Byddai Reform yn dod â'r metron yn ôl, rhywun sy'n weladwy ac yn cael parch ac sy'n atebol am safonau gofal. Byddem hefyd yn sicrhau diogelwch ac urddas cleifion drwy sicrhau bod ganddynt wardiau ar sail rhyw a'u bod yn defnyddio iaith ar sail rhyw, unwaith eto, yn ein GIG—[Torri ar draws.]
No. The Member is already over time, and I'm going to ask her to close.
Na. Mae amser yr Aelod eisoes ar ben, ac rwy'n mynd i ofyn iddi gloi.
Reform completely concur with both motions that call for a cancer action plan. We welcome what the Government has said in their motion on this, but Reform would go further and ensure that adequate cancer care is accessible to every single person right across Wales. We welcome the extra funding—
Mae Reform yn cytuno'n llwyr â'r ddau gynnig sy'n galw am gynllun gweithredu ar gyfer canser. Rydym yn croesawu'r hyn a ddywedodd y Llywodraeth yn eu cynnig ar hyn, ond byddai Reform yn mynd ymhellach ac yn sicrhau bod gofal canser digonol yn hygyrch i bob person ledled Cymru. Rydym yn croesawu'r cyllid ychwanegol—
You need to conclude now. I've given you the extra time for the interventions. [Interruption.] No.
Mae angen i chi ddod i ben nawr. Rwyf wedi rhoi'r amser ychwanegol i chi ar gyfer yr ymyriadau. [Torri ar draws.] Na.
Sorry, what did you—? I can't hear above everyone else.
Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, beth—? Ni allaf glywed uwchlaw pawb arall.
You need to conclude, because I've given you the extra time for the interventions.
Mae angen i chi ddod i ben, oherwydd rwyf wedi rhoi'r amser ychwanegol i chi ar gyfer yr ymyriadau.
Thank you very much. One other thing, the glaring omission from all this, is that our veterans have been overlooked, and we've recognised that women need peer mentors within the NHS, and that has not been addressed, and now there is no funding. For decades, Labour has mismanaged the NHS in Wales, enabled by Plaid. The Conservatives have put good ideas forward today, which, I have to say, read a bit like a Reform leaflet—[Interruption.]—but Reform has made-in-Wales solutions. We will make the NHS something that—
Diolch yn fawr. Un peth arall, yr hepgoriad amlwg o hyn i gyd, yw bod ein cyn-filwyr wedi cael eu hanwybyddu, ac rydym wedi cydnabod bod menywod angen mentoriaid cymheiriaid o fewn y GIG, ac nid yw hynny wedi cael sylw, a nawr nid oes cyllid. Ers degawdau, mae Llafur wedi camreoli'r GIG yng Nghymru, wedi'u galluogi gan Blaid Cymru. Mae'r Ceidwadwyr wedi cyflwyno syniadau da heddiw, sydd, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, yn swnio ychydig yn debyg i daflen Reform—[Torri ar draws.]—ond mae gan Reform atebion wedi'u gwneud yng Nghymru. Byddwn yn gwneud y GIG yn rhywbeth—
You do need to conclude now, please.
Mae angen i chi ddod i ben nawr, os gwelwch yn dda.
—the people of Wales can be proud of once again. Diolch.
—y gall pobl Cymru ymfalchïo ynddo unwaith eto. Diolch.
Thank you very much, Deputy Llywydd. It's a pleasure to take part in this debate this afternoon. Hopefully we can all recognise that the Welsh NHS is in crisis and patients across our nation are sadly paying the price with their lives. Since the last Senedd elections in 2021, almost 40,000 people have died in Wales whilst waiting for NHS treatment, as has been quoted many times during this debate so far. That is the human cost of the system falling apart under Labour's management, with the co-operation of Plaid Cymru.
While Ministers focused on constitutional tinkering, more politicians, 20 mph, patients were left languishing on ever-growing waiting lists. Nowhere is this failure felt more acutely than in north Wales, where, in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, waiting lists have risen by more than 55 per cent since 2021—the steepest rise in the whole of Wales. A&E performance has deteriorated dramatically, with fewer than 56 per cent of patients seen within four hours, among the worst figures in the country. And while England have virtually eliminated two-year waits for treatment, in north Wales, over 5,000 people are still waiting that long.
Perhaps the greatest symbol of broken promises in our health service is the saga of the north Denbighshire community hospital in Rhyl—or the lack of a north Denbighshire community hospital in Rhyl. Over a decade ago, my constituents were promised a facility that would bring together vital health and community services, then things went quiet. Now, after a decade of delay and shortly before an election, new plans have been published. But what my constituents are getting is a drastically scaled and watered-down version of what they were originally promised. [Interruption.] Yes, I would be more than happy to take an intervention.
Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Mae'n bleser cymryd rhan yn y ddadl hon y prynhawn yma. Gobeithio y gallwn ni i gyd gydnabod bod GIG Cymru mewn argyfwng ac mae cleifion ledled ein cenedl yn talu'r pris gyda'u bywydau. Ers etholiadau diwethaf y Senedd yn 2021, mae bron i 40,000 o bobl wedi marw yng Nghymru wrth aros am driniaeth y GIG, fel y nodwyd sawl gwaith yn ystod y ddadl hyd yma. Dyna gost ddynol system sy'n chwalu o dan reolaeth Llafur, gyda chydweithrediad Plaid Cymru.
Tra bo Gweinidogion yn canolbwyntio ar dincran cyfansoddiadol, mwy o wleidyddion, 20 mya, roedd cleifion yn cael eu gadael ar restrau aros cynyddol. Mae'r methiant hwn i'w deimlo fwyaf yng ngogledd Cymru, lle mae rhestrau aros ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr wedi cynyddu mwy na 55 y cant ers 2021—y cynnydd mwyaf yng Nghymru gyfan. Mae perfformiad adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys wedi dirywio'n ddramatig, gyda llai na 56 y cant o gleifion wedi'u gweld o fewn pedair awr, sydd ymhlith y ffigurau gwaethaf yn y wlad. Ac er bod Lloegr bron â bod wedi dileu amseroedd aros o ddwy flynedd am driniaeth, yng ngogledd Cymru, mae dros 5,000 o bobl yn dal i aros mor hir â hynny.
Efallai mai'r symbol mwyaf o addewidion wedi'u torri yn ein gwasanaeth iechyd yw saga ysbyty cymunedol gogledd sir Ddinbych yn y Rhyl—neu ddiffyg ysbyty cymunedol gogledd sir Ddinbych yn y Rhyl. Dros ddegawd yn ôl, addawyd cyfleuster i fy etholwyr a fyddai'n dod â gwasanaethau iechyd a chymunedol hanfodol at ei gilydd, yna aeth pethau'n dawel. Nawr, ar ôl degawd o oedi ac ychydig cyn etholiad, mae cynlluniau newydd wedi'u cyhoeddi. Ond yr hyn y mae fy etholwyr yn ei gael yw fersiwn wedi'i chrebachu a'i glastwreiddio'n helaeth o'r hyn a addawyd iddynt yn wreiddiol. [Torri ar draws.] Iawn, rwy'n barod iawn i dderbyn ymyriad.
Do you not agree it's because there is suddenly funding available with a change of UK Government to invest capital funding into it?
Onid ydych chi'n cytuno mai'r rheswm am hynny yw oherwydd bod arian ar gael yn sydyn yn sgil newid Llywodraeth y DU i fuddsoddi cyllid cyfalaf ynddo?
Absolutely not, Carolyn, no. Because if that was delivered on time, it would have been at a fraction of the price that it costs now. Building materials, even for one example, have skyrocketed since the pandemic. If that was built and delivered in 2014-15, when it was first promised, then it could have been built for around £22 million, where that figure now, for a drastically watered-down version, is now significantly more costly than what it would have been all that time ago. Denbighshire and the wider area deserve the original plans to be honoured. Anything less will not be sufficient to ease the burden on Glan Clwyd Hospital.
When the First Minister was health Minister, she repeatedly promised to eliminate two-year waits—first by March 2023, and then again by March 2024. Both promises have been broken. Targets have been missed and patients let down. And the longer people wait, the more their conditions deteriorate, leading to more complex and costly treatments. This exemplifies the short-sightedness of the Welsh Government, which has not invested enough in preventative health, leading to Wales becoming one of the least healthy nations in the UK, and has also contributed to patient pathways increasing by a third since 2021.
But, Deputy Llywydd, this crisis is not only about waiting lists, it is about the collapse of emergency care. A group of retired doctors and nurses have written to all north Wales Members warning that Betsi Cadwaladr has the worst A&E corridor waits in the whole of Wales, with nearly half of patients waiting over 24 hours for a bed—something that the Royal College of Nursing rightly says should never happen. Too many are left on trolleys without dignity, without access to proper facilities and with tragically higher chances of dying. The root of this problem is the loss of community beds, cut from one for every 233 people to just one for every 315, with more cuts still to come. Their simple campaign is under the acronym 'BEDS', with 'B' meaning 'bring back community beds', the 'E' meaning 'end corridor tragedies', the 'D' meaning 'decrease in patient mortality', and the 'S' meaning 'senior medics at the front door'. It deserves urgent action.
It's clear too that, after a quarter of a century in power, the Welsh Government are out of ideas. And with Plaid Cymru having acted as their handmaidens in office, they're hardly putting forward a break from the status quo. We heard nothing from Reform UK on health policy, other than toying with the idea of privatisation and conspiracy theories, which this Chamber has already heard. But the Welsh Conservatives have been clear on what we would do, which includes declaring a health emergency on day one, launching the largest recruitment and retention plan the NHS in Wales has ever seen, and fast-tracking surgical hubs and diagnostic centres to clear the backlog.
There are still meaningful changes that the Welsh Government can deliver on for the Welsh people, and honouring the original plans for the north Denbighshire community hospital in Rhyl would be a good start. Deputy Llywydd, the people of Wales deserve better, and the people of north Wales deserve better. They deserve a Government that puts patients before politics, that delivers on its promises, and that treats health in Wales as the emergency that it is, and what it's become. Thank you very much.
Ddim o gwbl, Carolyn, na. Oherwydd pe bai wedi cael ei gyflwyno ar amser, byddai wedi bod am ran fach o'r pris y mae'n ei gostio nawr. Mae deunyddiau adeiladu, fel un enghraifft yn unig, wedi codi i'r entrychion ers y pandemig. Pe bai wedi cael ei adeiladu a'i gyflawni yn 2014-15, pan gafodd ei addo gyntaf, gellid bod wedi ei adeiladu am oddeutu £22 miliwn, lle mae'r ffigur hwnnw nawr, ar gyfer fersiwn wedi'i glastwreiddio'n sylweddol, bellach yn llawer mwy costus na'r hyn a fyddai yr holl amser yn ôl. Mae sir Ddinbych a'r ardal ehangach yn haeddu gweld y cynlluniau gwreiddiol yn cael eu hanrhydeddu. Ni fydd unrhyw beth llai yn ddigon i leddfu'r baich ar Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.
Pan oedd y Prif Weinidog yn Weinidog iechyd, addawodd dro ar ôl tro y byddai'n dileu amseroedd aros o ddwy flynedd—yn gyntaf erbyn mis Mawrth 2023, ac yna eto erbyn mis Mawrth 2024. Mae'r ddau addewid wedi'u torri. Mae targedau wedi cael eu methu a chleifion wedi cael cam. A pho hiraf y bydd pobl yn aros, y mwyaf y mae eu cyflyrau'n gwaethygu, gan arwain at driniaethau mwy cymhleth a chostus. Mae hyn yn enghraifft o ba mor gibddall yw Llywodraeth Cymru, nad yw wedi buddsoddi digon mewn iechyd ataliol, gan arwain at wneud Cymru'n un o'r gwledydd lleiaf iach yn y DU, ac mae hefyd wedi cyfrannu at lwybrau cleifion yn cynyddu draean ers 2021.
Ond Ddirprwy Lywydd, nid ymwneud â rhestrau aros yn unig y mae'r argyfwng hwn, mae'n ymwneud â methiant gofal brys. Mae grŵp o feddygon a nyrsys wedi ymddeol wedi ysgrifennu at holl Aelodau gogledd Cymru yn rhybuddio mai Betsi Cadwaladr sydd â'r amseroedd aros mewn coridorau gwaethaf mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yng Nghymru gyfan, gyda bron i hanner y cleifion yn aros dros 24 awr am wely—rhywbeth y mae'r Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol yn dweud yn gywir ddigon na ddylai ddigwydd byth. Mae gormod o bobl yn cael eu gadael ar drolïau heb urddas, heb fynediad at gyfleusterau priodol ac mewn mwy o berygl o farw. Gwraidd y broblem hon yw colli gwelyau cymunedol, sydd wedi'u torri o un am bob 233 o bobl i ddim ond un am bob 315, gyda mwy o doriadau eto i ddod. Mae eu hymgyrch syml o dan yr acronym 'BEDS', (Bring back community beds; End corridor tragedies; Decrease in patient mortality; Senior medics at the front door) yn galw am adfer gwelyau cymunedol, rhoi diwedd ar drasiedi gofal mewn coridorau, gostyngiad yn nifer y cleifion sy'n marw, ac uwch feddygon wrth y drws blaen. Mae'n haeddu gweithredu ar frys.
Mae'n amlwg hefyd, ar ôl chwarter canrif mewn grym, fod Llywodraeth Cymru heb unrhyw syniadau ar ôl. A chyda Phlaid Cymru wedi gweithredu fel eu llawforynion yn y swydd, prin eu bod nhw'n cynnig newid o'r status quo. Ni chlywsom unrhyw beth gan Reform UK ar bolisi iechyd, heblaw chwarae gyda'r syniad o breifateiddio a damcaniaethau cynllwyn, fel y mae'r Siambr hon eisoes wedi clywed. Ond mae'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi bod yn glir ynglŷn â'r hyn y byddem yn ei wneud, sy'n cynnwys datgan argyfwng iechyd ar y diwrnod cyntaf, lansio'r cynllun recriwtio a chadw mwyaf y mae'r GIG yng Nghymru wedi'i weld erioed, a gosod hybiau llawfeddygol a chanolfannau diagnostig ar lwybr cyflym i glirio'r ôl-groniad.
Mae yna newidiadau ystyrlon y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu cyflawni i bobl Cymru o hyd, a byddai anrhydeddu'r cynlluniau gwreiddiol ar gyfer ysbyty cymunedol gogledd sir Ddinbych yn y Rhyl yn ddechrau da. Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae pobl Cymru yn haeddu gwell, ac mae pobl gogledd Cymru yn haeddu gwell. Maent yn haeddu Llywodraeth sy'n rhoi cleifion uwchlaw gwleidyddiaeth, un sy'n cyflawni ei haddewidion, ac sy'n trin iechyd yng Nghymru, yn briodol ddigon, fel argyfwng. Diolch yn fawr.
I'll be supporting the motion today. Our health services in Wales have been in crisis for many, many years. As this motion points out today, over 38,000 people have sadly died whilst being on an NHS waiting list. We still have thousands and thousands of people waiting for over two years for treatment in Wales. Years ago, that target was eliminated in England. Virtually nobody is waiting for over two years in England.
If this Government was serious about cutting waiting lists in Wales, they would be making use of the spare capacity that is in England. There is spare capacity in those hospitals at Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Telford. I'm going to read part of a letter that was sent to my constituent just last week from the CEO of the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry. My constituent is waiting for an initial out-patient appointment for her hip issue. This is what the CEO said to my constituent:
'The trust has been advised by Welsh commissioners not to offer a first out-patient appointment to patients until they are approaching the 52-week mark. If you have concerns about this policy, we recommend raising this issue with your local representative or health board for further clarification.'
Well, this constituent has raised it with me, and now I'm raising it in the Senedd with the Cabinet Secretary for health today. My question to the health Secretary is: what is your response to my constituent and others—the many others—who are in the same position? My constituent, in this letter, has been informed that the orthopaedic hospital in Oswestry has the capacity to see her much, much sooner, but they're being instructed not to by Welsh health commissioners, asking that hospital to slow down activity to meet what they can afford.
Byddaf yn cefnogi'r cynnig heddiw. Mae ein gwasanaethau iechyd yng Nghymru wedi bod mewn argyfwng ers blynyddoedd lawer. Fel y mae'r cynnig hwn yn nodi heddiw, mae dros 38,000 o bobl wedi marw tra bônt ar restr aros y GIG. Mae gennym filoedd a miloedd o bobl yn dal i aros dros ddwy flynedd am driniaeth yng Nghymru. Flynyddoedd yn ôl, cafodd y targed hwnnw ei ddileu yn Lloegr. Nid oes neb bron yn aros dros ddwy flynedd yn Lloegr.
Pe bai'r Llywodraeth hon o ddifrif ynglŷn â thorri rhestrau aros yng Nghymru, byddent yn gwneud defnydd o'r capasiti dros ben sydd yn Lloegr. Mae capasiti dros ben yn yr ysbytai yng Nghroesoswallt, Amwythig a Telford. Rwy'n mynd i ddarllen rhan o lythyr a anfonwyd at fy etholwr yr wythnos diwethaf gan Brif Swyddog Gweithredol Ysbyty Orthopedig Robert Jones ac Agnes Hunt yng Nghroesoswallt. Mae fy etholwr yn aros am apwyntiad cleifion allanol cychwynnol ar gyfer ei phroblem clun. Dyma a ddywedodd y prif swyddog gweithredol wrth fy etholwr:
'Mae'r ymddiriedolaeth wedi cael ei chynghori gan gomisiynwyr Cymru i beidio â chynnig apwyntiad cleifion allanol cyntaf i gleifion hyd nes eu bod yn agosáu at y pwynt 52 wythnos. Os oes gennych bryderon am y polisi hwn, rydym yn argymell y dylech godi'r mater gyda'ch cynrychiolydd lleol neu eich bwrdd iechyd am eglurhad pellach.'
Wel, mae'r etholwr hwn wedi'i godi gyda mi, a nawr rwy'n ei godi yn y Senedd gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd heddiw. Fy nghwestiwn i'r Ysgrifennydd Iechyd yw: beth yw eich ymateb i fy etholwr ac eraill—y nifer o rai eraill—sydd yn yr un sefyllfa? Mae fy etholwr, yn y llythyr hwn, wedi cael gwybod bod gan yr ysbyty orthopedig yng Nghroesoswallt gapasiti i'w gweld yn llawer iawn cynt, ond caiff gyfarwyddyd i beidio â gwneud hynny gan gomisiynwyr iechyd Cymru, sy'n gofyn i'r ysbyty arafu gweithgarwch i gyd-fynd â'r hyn y gallant ei fforddio.
Will you take an intervention, Russ?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad, Russ?
Yes, I will.
Gwnaf.
I think this is really disappointing, considering we had the First Minister actually in this Chamber here saying that this was not an appropriate way to be dealing with patients in the Powys area, which you and I both represent. And also, I think the Cabinet Secretary made similar comments that Powys Teaching Health Board should not be delaying treatment in England. So, I think it's really a big shame that we've come to this situation, when there is capacity in England, that we can't actually access that for Welsh patients in Powys.
Rwy'n credu bod hyn yn wirioneddol siomedig, o ystyried ein bod wedi cael y Prif Weinidog yn y Siambr yma'n dweud nad oedd hon yn ffordd briodol o ddelio â chleifion yn ardal Powys, yr ydych chi a minnau'n ei chynrychioli. Hefyd, rwy'n credu bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi gwneud sylwadau tebyg na ddylai Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys oedi triniaeth yn Lloegr. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod yn drueni mawr ein bod ni wedi dod i'r sefyllfa hon, pan fo capasiti ar gael yn Lloegr na allwn gael mynediad ato ar gyfer cleifion o Gymru ym Mhowys.
James Evans is right. The First Minister has repeatedly said that this position of Powys patients waiting for longer than English patients in the same hospital is unacceptable, but that's just words, because the Welsh Government isn't willing to intervene to address the issue. From my perspective, if this constituent lived in England, they would have their out-patient appointment much, much sooner, and treatment much, much sooner. My constituent will have to wait, the likelihood is, 104 weeks until they get their treatment.
Several people have raised with me frustration with the health boards in England, and I tell my constituents, 'It's not their fault. It's the Welsh Government's fault and Welsh commissioners' fault'. In fact, providers in England are just as frustrated. They don't want a two-tier system. They don't want to have two separate waiting lists, a quicker one for English patients and a much longer one for Welsh patients. That's not what they want. In fact, the Shrewsbury and Telford health board haven't agreed to Powys health board's demands, and are still in negotiations. This is where the health Minister should step in in those negotiations in order to address the issue.
In the Welsh Government's amendment today to this debate, the Welsh Government has mentioned there's £120 million to eliminate two-year waits. Well, is this good news? Well, not for Powys patients, because not a penny of that is going to be spent on supporting patients in Powys to be seen in English hospitals any quicker. Not a penny. And if I'm wrong, then the health Secretary can correct me when he comes to close the contribution today.
What does the Welsh Government need to do? I'll tell you: they need to fund Welsh health boards to the point where they are able to buy healthcare capacity, in England, based on English waiting times. And only by doing that will you stop the two-tier system that's happening now between Welsh and English patients, and only doing that will stop the inequality that Powys patients have to face. Powys patients should not be treated as second-class citizens, nor patients across Wales, and that is exactly what is happening.
Mae James Evans yn iawn. Mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi dweud dro ar ôl tro fod y sefyllfa hon lle mae cleifion Powys yn aros am fwy o amser na chleifion o Loegr yn yr un ysbyty yn annerbyniol, ond dim ond geiriau yw hynny, oherwydd nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn fodlon ymyrryd i fynd i'r afael â'r mater. O'r hyn a welaf i, pe bai'r etholwr hwn yn byw yn Lloegr, byddent yn cael eu hapwyntiad cleifion allanol yn llawer cynt, a thriniaeth yn llawer cynt. Mae'n debygol y bydd fy etholwr yn gorfod aros am 104 wythnos cyn cael triniaeth.
Mae sawl person wedi mynegi rhwystredigaeth wrthyf ynghylch byrddau iechyd yn Lloegr, ac rwy'n dweud wrth fy etholwyr, 'Nid eu bai nhw yw hyn, ond bai Llywodraeth Cymru a chomisiynwyr Cymru'. Mewn gwirionedd, mae darparwyr yn Lloegr yr un mor rhwystredig. Nid ydynt eisiau system ddwy haen. Nid ydynt eisiau cael dwy restr aros ar wahân, un gyflymach i gleifion Lloegr ac un lawer hirach i gleifion Cymru. Nid dyna maent ei eisiau. Mewn gwirionedd, nid yw bwrdd iechyd Amwythig a Telford wedi cytuno â gofynion bwrdd iechyd Powys, ac maent yn dal i fod mewn trafodaethau. Dyma lle dylai'r Gweinidog iechyd gamu i mewn i'r trafodaethau hynny er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r mater.
Yng ngwelliant Llywodraeth Cymru i'r ddadl hon heddiw, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi sôn bod £120 miliwn ar gael i ddileu amseroedd aros o ddwy flynedd. Wel, a yw hyn yn newyddion da? Wel, nid i gleifion Powys, oherwydd nid oes ceiniog ohono'n mynd i gael ei wario ar gynorthwyo cleifion ym Mhowys i gael eu gweld yn ysbytai Lloegr yn gyflymach. Dim ceiniog. Ac os wyf i'n anghywir, gall yr Ysgrifennydd iechyd fy nghywiro pan ddaw i gau'r cyfraniad heddiw.
Beth sydd angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ei wneud? Fe ddywedaf wrthych: mae angen iddynt ariannu byrddau iechyd Cymru i'r pwynt lle gallant brynu capasiti gofal iechyd yn Lloegr yn seiliedig ar amseroedd aros Lloegr. A dim ond drwy wneud hynny y byddwch chi'n atal y system ddwy haen sy'n digwydd nawr rhwng cleifion o Gymru a Lloegr, a dim ond gwneud hynny fydd yn atal yr anghydraddoldeb y mae'n rhaid i gleifion Powys ei wynebu. Ni ddylai cleifion Powys gael eu trin fel dinasyddion eilradd, na chleifion ledled Cymru, a dyna'n union sy'n digwydd.
A galwaf ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol, Jeremy Miles.
I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. The Conservatives have provided us today with the opportunity, once again, to put on record that this Government is absolutely focused on cutting waiting times. In his opening speech, there was almost nothing that the Conservative health spokesman said that reflected the truth of the experience of the NHS in Wales today. Little grasp on reality, little grip on the challenges, little indeed that most of us could agree with. Though I was struck by the Conservative spokesman telling us that, on day one of his tenure as health secretary in a Conservative Government, there would be a health emergency. I think most of us could probably agree with that.
Dirprwy Lywydd, last year the public told the First Minister that they wanted faster access to care and treatment, and we are doing just that: in local communities, with no appointment, no prescription services to treat sore throats, and urinary tract infection services available at 99 per cent of all community pharmacies; and in hospitals, by cutting waiting times, improving ambulance patient handovers and making sure people are discharged home when they are fit and ready to leave. We've achieved this thanks to the hard work of the tens of thousands of healthcare professionals working in all parts of the NHS. Not one of them was thanked by the Conservative health spokesman in opening this debate, and I would like to thank all of them for their dedication to improving access to and the quality of patient care.
Dirprwy Lywydd, I want to focus my comments today on the progress that we've made to reduce long waits. It's not, as some Members have sought to depict, a picture of doom and gloom. Long waits are falling. The size of the waiting list is falling. We've done this against a backdrop of unrelenting demand for NHS care. New referrals are at their highest levels ever. In the last 12 months we saw more than 1.6 million new referrals, equivalent to nearly half the population being referred to hospital, 22 per cent higher than before the pandemic, and 3.8 million out-patient appointments were provided, more than one each for every single adult and child living in Wales.
We'll see more signs of improvement this year as our ambitious £120 million plan speeds up access even further. We've reduced the number of people waiting more than two years by more than 88 per cent since March 2022. Long waits fell to just over 8,000 in July. This was the second lowest level since April 2021. Cancer performance has been above 60 per cent for six months in a row, the longest period of stability since we started reporting. But of course there is much more to do. This month we'll provide an extra 15,000 out-patient appointments over and above normal NHS activity. There will be an extra 20,000 cataract operations by the end of March. This more than doubles the 17,000 the NHS usually delivers. And there will be tens of thousands more diagnostic tests. All this is part of the £120 million plan. This will ensure that long waits are eliminated and it will help to shrink the overall waiting list. [Interruption.] Yes, certainly.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Mae'r Ceidwadwyr wedi rhoi'r cyfle inni heddiw, unwaith eto, i nodi ar goedd fod y Llywodraeth hon yn canolbwyntio'n llwyr ar leihau amseroedd aros. Yn ei araith agoriadol, nid oedd y nesaf peth i ddim a ddywedodd llefarydd iechyd y Ceidwadwyr yn adlewyrchu gwirionedd profiad y GIG yng Nghymru heddiw. Fawr o afael ar realiti, fawr o afael ar yr heriau, fawr iawn yn wir y gallai'r rhan fwyaf ohonom gytuno ag ef. Er, fe sylwais fod llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr wedi dweud wrthym, ar ei ddiwrnod cyntaf fel ysgrifennydd iechyd mewn Llywodraeth Geidwadol, y byddai'n argyfwng iechyd. Rwy'n credu y gallai'r rhan fwyaf ohonom gytuno â hynny.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, y llynedd, dywedodd y cyhoedd wrth y Prif Weinidog eu bod eisiau mynediad cyflymach at ofal a thriniaeth, ac rydym yn gwneud yn union hynny: mewn cymunedau lleol, heb apwyntiadau, heb bresgripsiwn, gwasanaethau i drin dolur gwddf a haint y llwybr wrinol ar gael mewn 99 y cant o'r holl fferyllfeydd cymunedol; ac mewn ysbytai, drwy leihau amseroedd aros, gwella cyfraddau trosglwyddo cleifion o ambiwlansys a sicrhau bod pobl yn cael eu rhyddhau adref pan fyddant yn iach ac yn barod i adael. Rydym wedi cyflawni hyn diolch i waith caled y degau o filoedd o weithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol sy'n gweithio ym mhob rhan o'r GIG. Ni ddiolchodd llefarydd iechyd y Ceidwadwyr i'r un ohonynt wrth agor y ddadl hon, a hoffwn i ddiolch i bob un ohonynt am eu hymroddiad i wella ansawdd a mynediad at ofal cleifion.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, hoffwn ganolbwyntio fy sylwadau heddiw ar y cynnydd a wnaethom ar leihau arosiadau hir. Nid yw'n ddarlun llawn anobaith, fel y mae rhai Aelodau wedi honni. Mae amseroedd aros hir yn lleihau. Mae'r rhestr aros yn lleihau. Rydym wedi gwneud hyn yn erbyn cefndir o alw di-baid am ofal y GIG. Mae atgyfeiriadau newydd ar eu lefelau uchaf erioed. Yn ystod y 12 mis diwethaf, gwelsom fwy nag 1.6 miliwn o atgyfeiriadau newydd, sy'n cyfateb i bron i hanner y boblogaeth yn cael eu hatgyfeirio i ysbyty, 22 y cant yn uwch na chyn y pandemig, a darparwyd 3.8 miliwn o apwyntiadau cleifion allanol, mwy nag un yr un ar gyfer pob oedolyn a phlentyn sy'n byw yng Nghymru.
Byddwn yn gweld mwy o arwyddion o welliant eleni wrth i'n cynllun uchelgeisiol gwerth £120 miliwn gyflymu mynediad ymhellach fyth. Rydym wedi lleihau nifer y bobl sy'n aros mwy na dwy flynedd fwy nag 88 y cant ers mis Mawrth 2022. Gostyngodd amseroedd aros hir i ychydig dros 8,000 ym mis Gorffennaf. Dyma oedd y lefel isaf ond un ers mis Ebrill 2021. Mae perfformiad canser wedi bod yn uwch na 60 y cant am chwe mis yn olynol, y cyfnod hiraf o sefydlogrwydd ers inni ddechrau adrodd. Ond wrth gwrs, mae llawer mwy i'w wneud. Y mis hwn, byddwn yn darparu 15,000 o apwyntiadau cleifion allanol ychwanegol ar ben gweithgarwch arferol y GIG. Bydd 20,000 o lawdriniaethau cataract ychwanegol erbyn diwedd mis Mawrth. Mae hyn yn mwy na dyblu'r 17,000 y mae'r GIG fel arfer yn eu darparu. A bydd degau o filoedd yn rhagor o brofion diagnostig. Mae hyn oll yn rhan o'r cynllun £120 miliwn. Bydd hyn yn cael gwared ar amseroedd aros hir ac yn helpu i leihau'r rhestr aros gyffredinol. [Torri ar draws.] Wrth gwrs.
Thank you for taking the intervention. I would be grateful if you could comment on part of my contribution, which talked about the £120 million. Will any of that £120 million be spent on helping patients in Powys who are waiting for treatment in England?
Diolch am dderbyn yr ymyriad. Hoffwn i chi wneud sylwadau ar ran o fy nghyfraniad, a oedd yn ymwneud â'r £120 miliwn. A fydd rhywfaint o'r £120 miliwn hwnnw'n cael ei wario ar helpu cleifion ym Mhowys sy'n aros am driniaeth yn Lloegr?
Russell consistently raises this point in the Chamber, and I have sought to explain on every occasion that Powys health board has had an allocation from the planned care programme that we are making available. But like every other health board, Powys health board has got to run its affairs in accordance with the budget that is set. That is simply a reality, and the Member would not challenge that for any other part of the public services apart from this particular setting. I think that what we all expect is for health boards in Wales to provide every patient in Wales with the standard that every other patient in Wales is entitled to. That is what Powys is funded to deliver, and I am confident that they will indeed do that.
I'm determined, Dirprwy Lywydd, that we create a sustainable NHS. To do this, I expect health boards to improve productivity and efficiency. I have therefore set health boards stretching productivity measures, which I expect them all to achieve. Last week I was able to visit Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and saw first-hand how the health board has taken up the challenge to not only achieve the ophthalmology targets, but in fact to exceed them. It has consolidated its cataract services at Llandough hospital, redesigned pathways, put in additional support for patients and committed to delivering more procedures on each operating list. The target is seven procedures on each list. The Llandough team is managing eight and looking for ways to safely do more. There are many, many other examples of good practice around Wales, which we should highlight and share, and there are also signs that the variety between and within health boards is reducing. Long ophthalmology waits have fallen in all health boards over the last year. Three health boards—Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Swansea Bay and Powys—now have no-one waiting more than two years for ophthalmology.
Dirprwy Lywydd, I want to turn to cancer. In 2021 Wales moved to a single cancer pathway designed by clinicians. Meeting the 75 per cent target is challenging—performance has stabilised; over the last six months, the all-Wales figure has consistently been above 60 per cent—but percentages do not tell the whole story. The number of people starting treatment within 62 days in July was the highest ever. In the last year more than 14,000 people started cancer treatment in 62 days—also the highest ever. Cancer referrals are at record levels, and in July more than 15,700 people got the good news that they did not have cancer—the second highest number ever. We've invested in new diagnostic equipment. We're making new treatments available. We're supporting research, helping people to access clinical trials and we're doing more to detect cancer earlier through screening.
I announced in June that Wales will introduce a life-saving national lung screening programme, targeted at people who are at the greatest risk of developing the disease. Work has now already started and the first people will be invited for screening in 2027. We've expanded our bowel screening programme, so everyone aged 50 to 74 receives an at-home bowel screening test. We have also increased the sensitivity of the test. Public Health Wales is also now looking at how we can introduce self-screening for cervical cancer in Wales, targeted towards those groups least likely to attend appointments.
Dirprwy Lywydd, in May I made a commitment that we would deliver for the people of Wales. Today I have shown that we have made progress against that pledge. Over the last two months, the size of the waiting list has come down in the face of unrelenting demand. Ophthalmology waiting lists and long waits are falling. Fifteen thousand extra out-patient appointments will be provided this month, on top of normal NHS activity. These achievements have been delivered by working with a passionate and focused NHS workforce, to which I'm very grateful. There is more to do and together we will do it.
Mae Russell yn codi'r pwynt hwn yn gyson yn y Siambr, ac rwyf wedi ceisio egluro bob tro fod bwrdd iechyd Powys wedi cael dyraniad o'r rhaglen yr ydym yn ei darparu ar gyfer gofal wedi'i gynllunio. Ond fel pob bwrdd iechyd arall, mae'n rhaid i fwrdd iechyd Powys gyflawni ei waith yn unol â'r gyllideb a osodwyd. Dyna'r realiti, ac ni fyddai'r Aelod yn herio hynny ar gyfer unrhyw ran arall o'r gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ar wahân i'r maes penodol hwn. Credaf mai'r hyn y mae pob un ohonom yn ei ddisgwyl yw i fyrddau iechyd Cymru ddarparu'r safon i bob claf yng Nghymru y mae gan bob claf arall yng Nghymru hawl iddi. Dyna'r hyn y mae Powys yn cael eu hariannu i'w gyflawni, ac rwy'n hyderus y byddant yn gwneud hynny.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n benderfynol o sicrhau ein bod yn creu GIG cynaliadwy. I wneud hyn, rwy'n disgwyl i fyrddau iechyd wella cynhyrchiant ac effeithlonrwydd. Felly, rwyf wedi gosod mesurau cynhyrchiant uchelgeisiol i fyrddau iechyd y disgwyliaf i bob un ohonynt eu cyflawni. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cefais gyfle i ymweld â Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro a gweld â fy llygaid fy hun sut y mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi ymgymryd â'r her nid yn unig o gyflawni'r targedau offthalmoleg, ond i ragori arnynt mewn gwirionedd. Mae wedi cydgrynhoi ei wasanaethau cataract yn ysbyty Llandochau, wedi ailgynllunio llwybrau, wedi rhoi cymorth ychwanegol i gleifion ac wedi ymrwymo i ddarparu mwy o driniaethau ar bob rhestr driniaethau. Y targed yw saith triniaeth ar bob rhestr. Mae tîm Llandochau yn llwyddo i wneud wyth ac yn chwilio am ffyrdd diogel o wneud mwy. Mae llawer iawn o enghreifftiau eraill o arferion da ledled Cymru y dylem fod yn tynnu sylw atynt ac yn eu rhannu, ac mae arwyddion hefyd fod yr amrywio rhwng ac o fewn byrddau iechyd yn lleihau. Mae amseroedd aros hir am wasanaethau offthalmoleg wedi gostwng ym mhob bwrdd iechyd dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Mewn tri bwrdd iechyd— Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Bae Abertawe a Phowys—nid oes unrhyw un bellach yn aros mwy na dwy flynedd am wasanaethau offthalmoleg.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwyf am droi at ganser. Yn 2021, cyflwynwyd llwybr canser sengl yng Nghymru a gynlluniwyd gan glinigwyr. Mae cyrraedd y targed o 75 y cant yn heriol—mae perfformiad wedi sefydlogi; dros y chwe mis diwethaf, mae'r ffigur ar gyfer Cymru gyfan wedi bod uwchlaw 60 y cant yn gyson—ond nid yw canrannau'n adrodd y stori gyfan. Roedd nifer y bobl a ddechreuodd driniaeth o fewn 62 diwrnod ym mis Gorffennaf ar ei uchaf erioed. Yn y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, dechreuodd mwy na 14,000 o bobl driniaeth canser mewn 62 diwrnod—hefyd y nifer uchaf erioed. Mae atgyfeiriadau canser ar eu lefelau uchaf erioed, ac ym mis Gorffennaf, cafodd mwy na 15,700 o bobl y newyddion da nad oedd ganddynt ganser—y nifer uchaf ond un erioed. Rydym wedi buddsoddi mewn offer diagnostig newydd. Rydym yn sicrhau bod triniaethau newydd ar gael. Rydym yn cefnogi ymchwil, yn helpu pobl i gael mynediad at dreialon clinigol ac rydym yn gwneud mwy i ganfod canser yn gynharach drwy sgrinio.
Cyhoeddais ym mis Mehefin y bydd Cymru'n cyflwyno rhaglen sgrinio genedlaethol ar gyfer yr ysgyfaint, wedi'i thargedu at bobl sydd â'r risg fwyaf o ddatblygu'r clefyd. Mae'r gwaith eisoes wedi dechrau a bydd y bobl gyntaf yn cael eu gwahodd i gael eu sgrinio yn 2027. Rydym wedi ehangu ein rhaglen sgrinio coluddion, fel bod pawb rhwng 50 a 74 oed yn cael prawf sgrinio coluddion gartref. Rydym hefyd wedi cynyddu sensitifrwydd y prawf. Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru hefyd bellach yn edrych ar sut y gallwn gyflwyno mesurau hunansgrinio ar gyfer canser ceg y groth yng Nghymru, wedi'u targedu at y grwpiau sydd leiaf tebygol o fynychu apwyntiadau.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, ym mis Mai, gwneuthum ymrwymiad y byddem yn cyflawni ar ran pobl Cymru. Heddiw, rwyf wedi dangos ein bod wedi gwneud cynnydd yn erbyn yr addewid hwnnw. Dros y ddau fis diwethaf, mae maint y rhestr aros wedi gostwng yn wyneb galw di-baid. Mae rhestrau aros ac amseroedd aros hir mewn offthalmoleg yn lleihau. Bydd 15,000 o apwyntiadau cleifion allanol ychwanegol yn cael eu darparu y mis hwn, yn ychwanegol at weithgarwch arferol y GIG. Mae'r llwyddiannau hyn wedi'u cyflawni drwy weithio gyda gweithlu GIG angerddol ac ymroddedig, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn iddynt. Mae mwy i'w wneud, a chyda'n gilydd, fe'i gwnawn.
Galwaf ar Janet Finch-Saunders i ymateb i'r ddadl.
I call on Janet Finch-Saunders to reply to the debate.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you, James, for once again making the case on behalf of the Welsh Conservatives about just how passionately we feel about our health service, in our individual constituencies. Indeed, I have real concerns about the people in Wales. There are massive failings by the Welsh Labour Government, and when we talk about the co-operation agreement with Plaid, of all the things that should have been on your No. 1 co-operation agreement, it should have been funding increases and everything so that we weren't now having this debate. Go on, Mabon.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, a diolch i James am ddadlau'r achos unwaith eto ar ran y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ynglŷn â pha mor angerddol y teimlwn am ein gwasanaeth iechyd, yn ein hetholaethau unigol. Yn wir, mae gennyf bryderon gwirioneddol am y bobl yng Nghymru. Mae methiannau enfawr wedi bod gan Lywodraeth Lafur Cymru, a phan siaradwn am y cytundeb cydweithio â Phlaid Cymru, o’r holl bethau a ddylai fod wedi bod ar y brig yn eich cytundeb cydweithio, dylai fod wedi cynnwys cynyddu cyllid ac ati, fel na fyddai'n rhaid inni gael y ddadl hon nawr. Ewch amdani, Mabon.
I'll try again. Which part don't you understand? We couldn't agree on a health policy, so it wasn't part of the package. We'd love to have had the Government agree with us, they would love for us to agree with them on things, but we didn't. So, it wasn't there. So, can you point out which part of the co-operation agreement referred to health?
Fe geisiaf eto. Pa ran nad ydych chi'n ei ddeall? Nid oeddem yn gallu cytuno ar bolisi iechyd, felly nid oedd yn rhan o'r pecyn. Byddem wedi bod wrth ein boddau pe bai'r Llywodraeth wedi cytuno â ni, byddent hwythau wedi bod wrth eu boddau pe baem wedi cytuno â nhw ar bethau, ond ni wnaethom. Felly, nid oedd yno. Felly, a allwch nodi pa ran o'r cytundeb cydweithio a oedd yn cyfeirio at iechyd?
I'll tell you which part of the co-operation I wouldn't agree with, and that is the extra 36 politicians. The didgeridoo, dodgy approach to the next voting system. The nation of sanctuary. You support all that. [Interruption.] Yes, Alun, I will.
Fe ddywedaf wrthych pa ran o'r cytundeb cydweithio na fyddwn yn cytuno ag ef, y 36 gwleidydd ychwanegol. Yr ymagwedd dijeridŵ, amheus tuag at y system bleidleisio nesaf. Cenedl noddfa. Rydych chi'n cefnogi hynny oll. [Torri ar draws.] Gwnaf, Alun, gwnaf.
I travelled to Ukraine with your party leader some months ago, and I pay tribute to the work that he has done with the people of Ukraine. If you want to end the nation of sanctuary, remember that you also end support for every Ukrainian refugee in this country.
Teithiais i Wcráin gydag arweinydd eich plaid rai misoedd yn ôl, ac rwy'n talu teyrnged i'r gwaith y mae ef wedi'i wneud gyda phobl Wcráin. Os ydych chi eisiau dod â'r genedl noddfa i ben, cofiwch eich bod chi hefyd yn dod â chymorth i bob ffoadur Wcreinaidd yn y wlad hon i ben.
Let's be honest here, at the start of the crisis, I had—and I welcomed—the 60 who came into Llandudno, and they were provided with hotels. I have to tell you, though, I've had a lot of those people come to see me since to say that they don't understand their own visas now, they want to go back. I've had people saying that the conditions that they've lived under haven't been wonderful. But now we've talked about Afghans. Could I ask whether you support the Syrians coming in? So, basically, you support anybody coming into Wales—illegally or otherwise. [Interruption.]
Gadewch inni fod yn onest yma, ar ddechrau'r argyfwng, roedd gennyf—ac fe'u croesewais—y 60 a ddaeth i Landudno, a darparwyd gwestai iddynt. Rhaid imi ddweud wrthych, serch hynny, fod llawer o'r bobl hynny wedi dod i fy ngweld ers hynny i ddweud nad ydynt yn deall eu fisâu eu hunain bellach, maent eisiau mynd yn ôl. Mae pobl wedi dweud nad yw'r amodau y maent wedi bod yn byw ynddynt wedi bod yn wych. Ond nawr, rydym wedi siarad am Affganiaid. A gaf i ofyn a ydych chi'n cefnogi gweld y Syriaid yn dod i mewn? Felly, yn y bôn, rydych chi'n cefnogi caniatáu i unrhyw un ddod i mewn i Gymru—yn anghyfreithlon neu fel arall. [Torri ar draws.]
Wait, please. [Interruption.] Alun—Alun. It is not for you to start asking questions of other Members, because you will get the responses you're getting. Can you contribute to your closing, please?
Arhoswch, os gwelwch yn dda. [Torri ar draws.] Alun—Alun. Nid eich lle chi yw dechrau gofyn cwestiynau i Aelodau eraill, oherwydd fe gewch chi'r atebion rydych chi'n eu cael. A wnewch chi ganolbwyntio ar gloi, os gwelwch yn dda?
Well, they say one thing and do another. But at the end of the day, planting thousands of trees in Uganda, and your co-operation agreement has been an absolute disaster, not just for the health service but actually for the people in Wales. But when you've got people coming into your office—and I can't believe for a minute it's just me—people who have waited for years for vascular, people with overdue appointments for cancer, people who have waited three years for hip and knee operations—. The list is endless. In fact, I've called an urgent meeting of the health board because of the number of disgusting and shocking cases. And these people are human beings, and they deserve better than what Welsh Labour or Plaid Cymru are actually doing. It was my FOI that went in asking how many people had died in the Betsi board whilst on a treatment waiting list, and I was appalled to read that it's 8,500, and then to find on a follow-up that it's 38,500—nearly 40,000—people who died. Those people are no longer with us while waiting for health treatment. Disgusting.
Gareth Davies, you pointed out that you represent a similar constituency, of course, to Carolyn Thomas, but somehow she doesn't seem to have those patients, her constituents, visiting her. [Interruption.] No, no, I'm not taking any more interventions.
Wel, maent yn dweud un peth ac yn gwneud peth arall. Ond yn y pen draw, mae plannu miloedd o goed yn Uganda, a'ch cytundeb cydweithio wedi bod yn drychineb llwyr, nid yn unig i'r gwasanaeth iechyd, ond i bobl Cymru mewn gwirionedd. Ond pan fydd gennych bobl yn dod i'ch swyddfa—ac nid wyf yn credu am funud mai fi'n unig sy'n ei gael—pobl sydd wedi bod yn aros am flynyddoedd am driniaeth fasgwlaidd, pobl sy'n aros yn hir am apwyntiadau canser, pobl sydd wedi aros tair blynedd am lawdriniaethau clun a phen-glin—. Mae'r rhestr yn ddiddiwedd. A dweud y gwir, rwyf wedi galw cyfarfod brys o'r bwrdd iechyd oherwydd nifer yr achosion ffiaidd a brawychus. Ac mae'r bobl hyn yn fodau dynol, ac maent yn haeddu gwell na'r hyn y mae Llafur Cymru neu Blaid Cymru yn ei wneud. Cyflwynais gais rhyddid gwybodaeth i ofyn faint o bobl a oedd wedi marw ym mwrdd Betsi tra oeddent ar restr aros am driniaeth, a dychrynais wrth ddarllen ei fod yn 8,500, a darganfod wedyn fod 38,500—bron i 40,000—o bobl wedi marw. Nid yw'r bobl hynny gyda ni mwyach, wrth aros am driniaeth iechyd. Ffiaidd.
Gareth Davies, fe dynnoch chi sylw at y ffaith eich bod yn cynrychioli etholaeth debyg i Carolyn Thomas, ond rywsut, nid yw'n ymddangos bod y cleifion hynny, ei hetholwyr, yn ymweld â hi. [Torri ar draws.] Na, na, nid wyf yn derbyn unrhyw ymyriadau pellach.
I responded to Gareth Davies—[Inaudible.]
Fe ymatebais i Gareth Davies—[Anghlywadwy.]
No, no—
Na, na—
The Member is not taking an intervention. [Interruption.] The Member is not taking an intervention. [Interruption.] The Member is not taking an intervention.
Nid yw'r Aelod yn derbyn ymyriad. [Torri ar draws.] Nid yw'r Aelod yn derbyn ymyriad. [Torri ar draws.] Nid yw'r Aelod yn derbyn ymyriad.
Peter Fox spoke well, so did Altaf. We are all saying the same thing. Now, when Laura Anne Jones spoke, I have to say, Laura, being honest with you, I've lost confidence in you as a politician. I've certainly never had any confidence in Reform, so I'd just be careful on that one, about speaking on a health debate, because we know what Mr Farage's view is on that.
Two year-waits have been broken since 2021, as James Evans mentioned. It's not a result at all of the failure of our doctors, our nurses, our cleaners in the health service—all of our front-line workers are absolutely wonderful and we, the Welsh Conservatives, want to support them. These long waiting lists fall at the door of the Welsh Labour Government. In fact, in recent months, they fall at your door, Jeremy. We would expand surgical hubs. We would be putting patients first. We certainly wouldn't even be dreaming or talking about two-year waiting lists.
Now, I've had somebody in my office this morning who provides care for some of these funds, Jeremy, that you are actually giving out in terms of optometry, and even they have said to me they don't know how long their—. It's in three-month blocks. They don't know when the next three-month block is going to be where they can actually help to reduce those waiting lists. I have patients who've had one cataract done—and I'll declare an interest because my in-laws are big opticians; they've been in that industry for years—and I've got people who had one cataract but are waiting months and months with no date given for the second cataract. Do you know that that's actually dangerous, that people can fall? They can become unbalanced—
Siaradodd Peter Fox yn dda, felly hefyd Altaf. Mae pob un ohonom yn dweud yr un peth. Nawr, pan siaradodd Laura Anne Jones, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, Laura, a bod yn onest gyda chi, rwyf wedi colli hyder ynoch chi fel gwleidydd. Yn sicr, nid wyf erioed wedi bod ag unrhyw hyder yn Reform, felly byddwch yn ofalus gyda hynny, wrth siarad mewn dadl iechyd, gan y gwyddom beth yw barn Mr Farage ynglŷn â hynny.
Mae'r addewidion ynghylch arosiadau dwy flynedd wedi'u torri ers 2021, fel y soniodd James Evans. Nid oherwydd methiant ein meddygon, ein nyrsys, ein glanhawyr yn y gwasanaeth iechyd—mae ein holl weithwyr rheng flaen yn gwbl wych, ac rydym ni, y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, eisiau eu cefnogi. Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru sy'n gyfrifol am y rhestrau aros hir hyn. Mewn gwirionedd, yn y misoedd diwethaf, chi sydd wedi bod yn gyfrifol am hyn, Jeremy. Byddem yn ehangu hybiau llawfeddygol. Byddem yn rhoi cleifion yn gyntaf. Yn sicr, ni fyddem hyd yn oed yn breuddwydio nac yn siarad am restrau aros dwy flynedd.
Nawr, cefais rywun yn fy swyddfa y bore yma sy'n gofalu am beth o'r arian yr ydych chi'n ei ddarparu ar gyfer optometreg, Jeremy, ac maent hwy hyd yn oed wedi dweud wrthyf nad ydynt yn gwybod pa mor hir yw eu—. Mae mewn blociau o dri mis. Nid ydynt yn gwybod pryd fydd y bloc tri mis nesaf lle gallant helpu i leihau'r rhestrau aros hynny. Mae gennyf gleifion sydd wedi cael un cataract wedi'i wneud—ac rwy'n datgan buddiant gan fod fy rhieni-yng-nghyfraith yn optegwyr; maent wedi bod yn y diwydiant hwnnw ers blynyddoedd—ac mae gennyf bobl sydd wedi cael un cataract ond sy'n aros misoedd a misoedd heb ddyddiad ar gyfer yr ail gataract. A ydych chi'n gwybod bod hynny'n beryglus mewn gwirionedd, y gall pobl syrthio? Gallant golli eu cydbwysedd—
Janet, you need to conclude now, please. I've given you extra time.
Janet, mae angen ichi ddirwyn i ben, os gwelwch yn dda. Rwyf wedi rhoi amser ychwanegol i chi.
—when they can't see. The thing is, there is no denying that the health service in Wales is broken, and I tell you now: come next 7 May, if the residents and voters put their trust in us, the Welsh Conservatives, we will not be holding a debate like this three months after we've been in power. Diolch.
—pan na allant weld. Y peth yw, nid oes gwadu bod y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru wedi torri, a dywedaf wrthych nawr: ar 7 Mai y flwyddyn nesaf, os bydd y trigolion a'r pleidleiswyr yn rhoi eu hymddiriedaeth ynom ni, y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, ni fyddwn yn cynnal dadl fel hon dri mis ar ôl inni fod mewn grym. Diolch.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig heb ei ddiwygio? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Oes. Felly, gohiriaf y bleidlais o dan yr eitem hon tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
The proposal is to agree the motion without amendment. Does any Member object? [Objection.] There are objections. I will therefore defer voting under this item until voting time.
Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Voting deferred until voting time.
Llyr Gruffydd, do you wish to raise a point of order?
Llyr Gruffydd, a ydych chi'n dymuno codi pwynt o drefn?
I would wish to raise a point of order, because Janet Finch-Saunders, who I used to consider a friend, and I hope that I will do after this, she did mislead the Senedd in suggesting that me and my party were doing everything we could to encourage illegal immigrants into this country. I would ask her to withdraw that statement, because if she's not—
Hoffwn godi pwynt o drefn, gan fod Janet Finch-Saunders, yr oeddwn yn arfer ei hystyried yn ffrind, ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddaf ar ôl hyn, wedi camarwain y Senedd drwy awgrymu fy mod i a fy mhlaid yn gwneud popeth yn ein gallu i annog mewnfudwyr anghyfreithlon i ddod i'r wlad hon. Rwyf am ofyn iddi dynnu'r datganiad hwnnw'n ôl, oherwydd os nad yw hi—
No, no. I talked about the nation of sanctuary. Llyr, if I can—.
Na, na. Roeddwn yn siarad am y genedl noddfa. Llyr, os caf—.
We will review—
Fe wnawn adolygu—
If she doesn't, then she's clearly swallowed—another one who's swallowed—a Farage fantasy pill, and I don't think that's becoming of herself.
Os na wnaiff hi, yna mae'n amlwg wedi llyncu—un arall sydd wedi llyncu—pilsen ffantasi Farage, ac ni chredaf fod hynny'n weddus ohoni.
Oh, no, absolutely not.
O, na, ddim o gwbl.
We will, clearly, review the transcript, and we will make a decision based upon that.
Yn amlwg, fe wnawn adolygu'r trawsgrifiad, ac fe wnawn benderfyniad yn seiliedig ar hynny.
I'm happy to review it, but I believe I didn't say such a thing. We were talking about the nation of sanctuary.
Rwy'n fwy na pharod i'w adolygu, ond ni chredaf imi ddweud y fath beth. Roeddem yn siarad am y genedl noddfa.
Okay. Right.
Iawn. O'r gorau.
Well, no, you—. That's wrong.
Wel, na, roeddech—. Mae hynny'n anghywir.
Dyma ni'n cyrraedd y cyfnod pleidleisio nawr. Oni bai fod tri Aelod yn dymuno i mi ganu'r gloch, symudaf yn syth i'r cyfnod pleidleisio.
That brings us to voting time. Unless three Members wish for the belt to be run, I will proceed directly to voting time.
Byddwn yn pleidleisio ar eitem 9, dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ar yr NHS, a galwaf am bleidlais ar y cynnig heb ei ddiwygio yn enw Paul Davies. Os gwrthodir y cynnig, byddwn yn pleidleisio ar y gwelliannau a gyflwynwyd i'r cynnig. Agor y bleidlais.
We will vote on item 9, the Welsh Conservatives debate on the NHS, and I call for a vote on the motion without amendment tabled in the name of Paul Davies. If the proposal is not agreed, we will vote on the amendments tabled to the motion. Open the vote.
Is the Member voting from a train?
A yw'r Aelod yn pleidleisio ar drên?
No, Ken is not on a train, I'm pretty sure of that. Cabinet Secretary, you're not travelling, are you?
Na, nid yw Ken ar drên, rwy'n eithaf siŵr o hynny. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid ydych chi'n teithio, ydych chi?
No.
Nac ydw.
Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr.
No.
Nac ydw.
Cau'r bleidlais. [Anghlywadwy.]
Close the vote. [Inaudible.]
Eitem 9. Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - y GIG. Cynnig heb ei ddiwygio: O blaid: 15, Yn erbyn: 34, Ymatal: 0
Gwrthodwyd y cynnig
Item 9. Welsh Conservatives Debate - The NHS. Motion without amendment: For: 15, Against: 34, Abstain: 0
Motion has been rejected
[Anghlywadwy.]—caiff gwelliant 2 ei ddad-ddethol. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 25, neb yn ymatal, 24 yn erbyn. Felly, mae gwelliant 1 wedi ei dderbyn.
[Inaudible.]—amendment 2 will be deselected. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 25, no abstentions, 24 against. Therefore, amendment 1 is agreed.
Eitem 9. Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - y GIG. Gwelliant 1, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Jane Hutt: O blaid: 25, Yn erbyn: 24, Ymatal: 0
Derbyniwyd y gwelliant
Item 9. Welsh Conservatives Debate - The NHS. Amendment 1, tabled in the name of Jane Hutt: For: 25, Against: 24, Abstain: 0
Amendment has been agreed
Cafodd gwelliant 2 ei ddad-dethol.
Amendment 2 deselected.
Galwaf nawr am bleidlais ar y cynnig wedi ei ddiwygio.
I now call for a vote on the motion as amended.
Cynnig NDM8984 fel y'i diwygiwyd:
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn ailddatgan y dylai GIG Cymru barhau i fod am ddim yn y man darparu a chael ei ariannu ag arian cyhoeddus, ac na ddylai gael ei ddisodli gan system sy'n seiliedig ar yswiriant.
2. Yn croesawu'r cyllid ychwanegol o £120 miliwn i ddileu'r holl amseroedd aros o ddwy flynedd a lleihau maint cyffredinol y rhestr aros erbyn diwedd mis Mawrth 2026.
3. Yn croesawu camau i atal mwy o farwolaethau canser drwy lansio rhaglen genedlaethol wedi’i thargedu ar gyfer sgrinio canser yr ysgyfaint yng Nghymru a chynyddu mynediad at y rhaglen sgrinio canser y coluddyn.
Yn nodi:
a) bod amseroedd aros hir o fwy na dwy flynedd am driniaeth bellach 88.6 y cant yn is na'r brig ym mis Mawrth 2022; ac
b) mai ychydig dros 21 wythnos yw’r amser aros cyfartalog am driniaeth.
Motion NDM8984 as amended:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Reaffirms that the Welsh NHS should always remain free at the point of delivery, publicly funded, and not replaced by an insurance-based system.
2. Welcomes the additional £120 million funding to eliminate all two-year waits and reduce the overall size of the waiting list by the end of March 2026.
3. Welcomes action to prevent more cancer deaths by launching a national targeted lung cancer screening programme in Wales and increasing access to bowel cancer screening.
Notes:
a) long waits of more than two years for treatment are now 88.6 per cent lower than their peak in March 2022; and
b) the average waiting time for treatment is just over 21 weeks.
Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 24, neb yn ymatal, 25 yn erbyn. Felly, mae'r cynnig wedi ei ddiwygio wedi ei wrthod.
Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 24, no abstentions and 25 against. Therefore, the motion as amended is not agreed.
So, just to clarify, the motion as amended did not pass.
Felly, er eglurder, ni dderbyniwyd y cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd.
Eitem 9. Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - y GIG. Cynnig wedi’i ddiwygio: O blaid: 24, Yn erbyn: 25, Ymatal: 0
Gwrthodwyd y cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd
Item 9. Welsh Conservatives Debate - The NHS. Motion as amended: For: 24, Against: 25, Abstain: 0
Motion as amended has been rejected
Symudwn yn awr i'r ddadl fer, a galwaf ar Mark Isherwood i siarad.
We will now move on to the short debate, and I call on Mark Isherwood.
If Members are leaving, please do so quietly. Mark. You're welcome to come to the podium.
Os yw'r Aelodau'n gadael, gwnewch hynny'n dawel, os gwelwch yn dda. Mark. Mae croeso i chi ddod at y podiwm.
I thank my glamorous assistant, and move on. I've agreed for Peter Fox, Mabon ap Gwynfor, Julie Morgan and Andrew R.T. Davies to speak for a minute, time permitting.
The value of hospice care in Wales cannot be understated. Across Wales, the 15 charitable hospices operate with dedication and care. Each year, they support over 20,000 adults and children who are living with terminal illness. Their work is not limited to clinical treatment. It is about helping people to live well, even as they approach the end of life. It is about enabling individuals to make lasting memories with loved ones, to express their wishes and experience peace and dignity in their final days.
Hospices also provide vital support to caregivers and families, helping them navigate the emotional strain, uncertainty and grief that inevitably accompany such journeys. This support is holistic, compassionate and tailored to the needs of each individual and family. Hospices' services are not confined to institutional settings; they allow people who are dying to remain in their own homes, surrounded by familiarity and love. They also offer access to in-patient beds within local communities, ensuring that end-of-life care is available close to home. In doing so, hospices reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, support timely and efficient discharges, and ease the pressure on GPs, district nurses and social care teams—in other words, efficiently saving the NHS money, whilst improving lives.
Their impact is far-reaching, not only improving individual lives, but strengthening the entire healthcare system, and yet, despite the scale and significance of their contribution, hospices continue to rely over-heavily on charitable donations. On average, nearly 70 per cent of the cost of delivering hospice services in Wales is met through fundraising. Collectively, hospices invest approximately £30 million of charitable money into the health and care system in Wales each year.
Hospices offer a holistic model of care, one encompassing symptoms management, emotional support and bereavement care. They address the physical, psychological, social and well-being needs of patients and their families. This integrated approach not only enhances the patient experience, but also ensures a more cost-effective use of NHS resources.
However, the demand for hospice and palliative care is growing rapidly. Over the next 25 years, the need for palliative care is projected to increase by approximately 25 per cent. This rise is driven by an ageing population, the increasing complexity of medical conditions, and deepening health inequalities. Further, despite being promised a share of the £3 million allocated in the Welsh Government budget, neither of Wales's two children's hospices, Tŷ Gobaith and Tŷ Hafan, have received notification of what that allocation will be or when they're likely to receive it. To meet the needs of the growing number of children in Wales with a life-limiting or life-shortening condition, they're calling for a sustainable and ring-fenced funding settlement, beginning at 25 per cent of their care costs in 2025 and rising 1 per cent annually to 30 per cent in 2030—still below the current average for adult hospices in Wales.
Diolch i fy nghynorthwyydd hyfryd, ac rwy'n symud ymlaen. Rwyf wedi cytuno i Peter Fox, Mabon ap Gwynfor, Julie Morgan ac Andrew R.T. Davies siarad am funud, os bydd amser yn caniatáu.
Ni ellir tanamcangyfrif gwerth gofal hosbis yng Nghymru. Ledled Cymru, mae'r 15 hosbis elusennol yn gweithredu gydag ymroddiad a gofal. Bob blwyddyn, maent yn cefnogi dros 20,000 o oedolion a phlant sy'n byw gyda salwch terfynol. Nid yw eu gwaith yn gyfyngedig i driniaeth glinigol. Mae a wnelo â helpu pobl i fyw'n dda, hyd yn oed wrth iddynt agosáu at ddiwedd eu hoes. Mae a wnelo â galluogi unigolion i greu atgofion parhaol gyda'u hanwyliaid, i fynegi eu dymuniadau a chael heddwch ac urddas yn eu dyddiau olaf.
Mae hosbisau hefyd yn darparu cymorth hanfodol i ofalwyr a theuluoedd, gan eu helpu i ddelio â'r straen emosiynol, yr ansicrwydd a'r galar sy'n anochel yn cyd-fynd â theithiau o'r fath. Mae'r cymorth hwn yn holistaidd, yn dosturiol ac wedi'i deilwra i anghenion pob unigolyn a theulu. Nid yw gwasanaethau hosbisau wedi'u cyfyngu i leoliadau sefydliadol; maent yn caniatáu i bobl sy'n marw aros yn eu cartrefi eu hunain, mewn amgylchedd cyfarwydd a chariadus. Maent hefyd yn cynnig mynediad at welyau cleifion mewnol mewn cymunedau lleol, gan sicrhau bod gofal diwedd oes ar gael yn agos at adref. Wrth wneud hynny, mae hosbisau yn lleihau derbyniadau diangen i'r ysbyty, yn cefnogi rhyddhau cleifion yn amserol ac yn effeithlon, ac yn lleddfu'r pwysau ar feddygon teulu, nyrsys ardal a thimau gofal cymdeithasol—mewn geiriau eraill, yn arbed arian i'r GIG, gan wella bywydau ar yr un pryd.
Mae eu heffaith yn bellgyrhaeddol, ac nid yn unig yn gwella bywydau unigolion, ond yn cryfhau'r system gofal iechyd gyfan, ac eto, er gwaethaf maint ac arwyddocâd eu cyfraniad, mae hosbisau'n parhau i ddibynnu'n ormodol ar roddion elusennol. Ar gyfartaledd, mae bron i 70 y cant o gost darparu gwasanaethau hosbis yng Nghymru yn cael ei thalu drwy godi arian. Gyda'i gilydd, mae hosbisau'n buddsoddi oddeutu £30 miliwn o arian elusennol yn y system iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru bob blwyddyn.
Mae hosbisau'n cynnig model gofal holistaidd, un sy'n cynnwys rheoli symptomau, cymorth emosiynol a gofal mewn profedigaeth. Maent yn mynd i'r afael ag anghenion corfforol, seicolegol, cymdeithasol a lles cleifion a'u teuluoedd. Mae'r dull integredig hwn nid yn unig yn gwella profiad y claf, mae hefyd yn sicrhau defnydd mwy costeffeithiol o adnoddau'r GIG.
Fodd bynnag, mae'r galw am ofal hosbis a gofal lliniarol yn tyfu'n gyflym. Dros y 25 mlynedd nesaf, rhagwelir y bydd yr angen am ofal lliniarol yn cynyddu oddeutu 25 y cant. Mae'r cynnydd hwn yn cael ei achosi gan boblogaeth sy'n heneiddio, cymhlethdod cynyddol cyflyrau meddygol, ac anghydraddoldebau iechyd sy'n dyfnhau. Ymhellach, er gwaethaf yr addewid o gyfran o'r £3 miliwn a ddyrannwyd yng nghyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru, nid yw'r ddwy hosbis plant yng Nghymru, Tŷ Gobaith a Tŷ Hafan, wedi cael gwybod beth fydd y dyraniad hwnnw na pha bryd y maent yn debygol o'i gael. Er mwyn diwallu anghenion y nifer cynyddol o blant yng Nghymru sydd â chyflwr sy'n cyfyngu ar eu bywydau neu sy'n byrhau eu bywydau, maent yn galw am setliad cyllid cynaliadwy wedi'i glustnodi, gan ddechrau ar 25 y cant o'u costau gofal yn 2025 ac yn codi 1 y cant yn flynyddol i 30 y cant yn 2030—sy'n dal i fod islaw'r cyfartaledd presennol ar gyfer hosbisau oedolion yng Nghymru.
By the 2040s, it is estimated that 37,000 people in Wales will require palliative and end-of-life care each year, and, crucially, the demand for care at home or in care homes is expected to rise substantially. Already, hospices are reporting significant increases in patient referrals, sometimes within a single year. There’s been a surge in crisis care, in respite demand and in the support needs of families. The system is under pressure and hospices are doing all they can to respond, yet a quarter of Wales has no access to hospice beds, where the only choice is care at home via overstretched community teams or care in hospital. Sorry, I should say that the choice is care in the home via overstretched community teams, or care in hospital.
Despite welcome one-off support packages from Welsh Government in recent years, hospices continue to face serious sustainability challenges. These are not abstract; they’re real, immediate and deeply concerning. They’re grappling with the financial impact of annual 'Agenda for Change' increases, which will result in a 3.6 per cent rise in staffing costs for 2025-26, and with national insurance increases, with an estimated impact of £1.3 million for the same period. And all of this is compounded by the increased cost of living, which affects staff, patients and the ability to fundraise. As a result, hospices are forecasting deficit budgets for 2025-26. Many are being forced to make difficult decisions, including drawing on reserves to meet shortfalls, reducing in-patient beds, scaling back wider hospice support services, delaying recruitment and the backfilling of vacant positions, and postponing plans to introduce or expand services.
Looking ahead, the vast majority of hospices in Wales say that staffing and cost pressures are highly likely to result in the reduction of certain services. That was laid bare in July when it was announced that four in-patient beds at St David’s Hospice in Holyhead will temporarily close from October 2025. Prior to the public announcement, St David’s contacted me confidentially, as chair of the cross-party group on hospice and palliative care, to share that they were forced to pause operations at their four-bed in-patient hospice in Holyhead because it had become increasingly challenging to continue running all of their services due to rising costs and reduced income. They’d already made significant cost reductions and found efficiencies, yet still reached an unsustainable position. They’ve subsequently told me that they no longer have a service level agreement in place with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in Holyhead.
Although the Welsh Government states that it is their intention to have in place a new commissioning framework for hospice services by April of next year, this would be at the eleventh hour of this Senedd term, just weeks ahead of the Welsh general election. And as Marie Curie states, although this should support greater consistency in delivery, we currently have a significant implementation gap. Hospice UK and Hospices Cymru have reiterated the findings of their 2024 survey, which revealed that 14 out of 15 hospices in Wales expected cost-of-living pressures to force reductions in service volume, with over 90 per cent anticipating reduced support to hospitals and care homes and nearly three quarters of those with in-patient units expecting bed closures. As St David’s Hospice told me, in the absence of a commissioning framework and service specification, 'We are now entering an unsustainable position, which puts the whole charity at risk.' Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham is facing increasing financial pressures. As they state, the current funding model is not sustainable and does not secure future hospice care. They’re also experiencing ongoing challenges with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board regarding funding for palliative care consultancy, which is adding to their financial challenges, and emphasises the point that hospices are not being recognised for the work they do within specialist palliative life care. Yet Bangor University research last year found that the mean cost for a hospice patient staying for 14 days was £5,708, compared to £6,860 for the cheapest hospital-based option in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and that significant public expenditure savings can be achieved through increased utilisation of hospice-based care, where statutory funding, as a proportion of hospice care expenditure across Wales, was just 30 per cent, and St David's Hospice state that they receive just 24 per cent.
Marie Curie highlight the urgent need to strengthen Wales's palliative and end-of-life care system, which they say is under severe strain. As they state, many people die in pain, isolated and without proper support. They recommend that every primary care cluster in Wales should have an advanced practice palliative and end-of-life care nurse; that we must ensure that seven-day community and district nursing services are available in all parts of Wales; that NHS 111 should become a 24/7 single point of access for palliative care advice and information, staffed by clinically trained palliative and end-of-life care professionals; that we need to integrate advanced practice paramedics into palliative care teams across Wales; that community pharmacies must be commissioned to provide a standard set of palliative care medications available around the clock; and that the system for commissioning and prescribing anticipatory medications—the so-called 'just-in-case packs'—must be reviewed, with any gaps in provision identified and addressed. They estimate that the initial investment required to train the advanced practice nurses and paramedics and to staff the 24/7 advice line would be around £1 million, which could save the healthcare services in Wales millions.
Although the Welsh Government funds approximately 32 per cent of adult hospice expenditure, there is significant variation in funding levels. Some receive no Government funding; others receive up to 45 per cent. Overall, hospices in Wales receive less Government funding as a proportion of expenditure than those in England and Scotland still. This disparity must be addressed. Hospices remain committed to raising funds to innovate, to enrich and to expand their services in line with the needs of local communities. At the core of what they provide, the essential clinical care that ensures dignity at the end of life must no longer depend on the uncertainty of charitable fundraising.
Although the Welsh Government's commitment to developing a national commissioning framework and a sustainable funding settlement for hospices is welcome, progress has been slow and the urgency of the situation demands action. Going forward, it is essential that the Welsh Government works urgently to deliver pay parity with the NHS for relevant hospice staff, vital to maintain high-quality palliative care and support services, and to ensure that hospices can continue to recruit and retain skilled professionals; develops a funding model that recognises and values the unique specialist, generalist and wraparound holistic care offered by hospices, which must reflect the true cost of care and the breadth of services provided; applies consistent and sustainable contracting arrangements across Wales to provide stability, clarity and fairness for hospices operating in different regions; and commits to partnership, co-designed and co-delivered with the hospice sector, to address inequalities in access to palliative care, stimulate innovation and meet the growing demand for services ahead.
Hospice care is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Let us ensure that every person in Wales can access the palliative care they need, when they need it, with respect, compassion and the certainty that they, and their families, will be treated with care and dignity in their final days.
Erbyn y 2040au, amcangyfrifir y bydd angen gofal lliniarol a gofal diwedd oes ar 37,000 o bobl yng Nghymru bob blwyddyn, ac yn hollbwysig, disgwylir i'r galw am ofal cartref neu mewn cartrefi gofal godi'n sylweddol. Eisoes, mae hosbisau'n nodi cynnydd sylweddol mewn atgyfeiriadau cleifion, weithiau o fewn un flwyddyn. Mae cynnydd sydyn wedi bod mewn gofal mewn argyfwng, yn y galw am ofal seibiant ac o ran anghenion cymorth teuluoedd. Mae'r system o dan bwysau ac mae hosbisau'n gwneud popeth yn eu gallu i ymateb, ond nid oes gan chwarter Cymru fynediad at welyau hosbis, a'r unig ddewis yw gofal cartref drwy dimau cymunedol sydd o dan bwysau, neu ofal yn yr ysbyty. Mae’n ddrwg gennyf, dylwn ddweud mai'r dewis yw gofal yn y cartref drwy dimau cymunedol sydd o dan bwysau, neu ofal yn yr ysbyty.
Er gwaethaf pecynnau cymorth untro gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, a oedd i'w croesawu, mae hosbisau'n parhau i wynebu heriau difrifol o ran cynaliadwyedd. Nid yw'r rhain yn heriau haniaethol; maent yn real, yn uniongyrchol ac yn peri cryn bryder. Maent yn ymrafael ag effaith ariannol cynnydd blynyddol yr 'Agenda ar gyfer Newid', a fydd yn arwain at gynnydd o 3.6 y cant mewn costau staffio ar gyfer 2025-26, a'r cynnydd i yswiriant gwladol, gydag effaith amcangyfrifedig o £1.3 miliwn ar gyfer yr un cyfnod. Ac mae hyn oll yn cael ei waethygu gan y cynnydd mewn costau byw, sy'n effeithio ar staff, cleifion a'r gallu i godi arian. O ganlyniad, mae hosbisau'n rhagweld cyllidebau diffyg ar gyfer 2025-26. Mae llawer yn cael eu gorfodi i wneud penderfyniadau anodd, gan gynnwys defnyddio cronfeydd wrth gefn i fynd i'r afael â diffyg arian, lleihau nifer y gwelyau cleifion mewnol, lleihau gwasanaethau cymorth hosbis ehangach, gohirio recriwtio ac ôl-lenwi swyddi gwag, a gohirio cynlluniau i gyflwyno neu ehangu gwasanaethau.
Wrth edrych ymlaen, mae mwyafrif helaeth yr hosbisau yng Nghymru yn dweud bod pwysau staffio a chostau yn debygol iawn o arwain at ostyngiad mewn rhai gwasanaethau. Amlygwyd hynny ym mis Gorffennaf pan gyhoeddwyd y byddai pedwar gwely cleifion mewnol yn Hosbis Dewi Sant yng Nghaergybi yn cau dros dro o fis Hydref 2025. Cyn y cyhoeddiad, cysylltodd hosbis Dewi Sant â mi yn gyfrinachol, fel cadeirydd y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar ofal hosbis a gofal lliniarol, i rannu eu bod wedi cael eu gorfodi i oedi gweithgarwch yn eu hosbis cleifion mewnol pedwar gwely yng Nghaergybi gan ei bod wedi dod yn gynyddol heriol i barhau i gynnig eu holl wasanaethau oherwydd costau cynyddol ac incwm is. Roeddent eisoes wedi gwneud gostyngiadau sylweddol mewn costau ac wedi gwneud toriadau, ond eto roeddent wedi cyrraedd sefyllfa anghynaliadwy. Maent wedi dweud wrthyf wedi hynny nad oes ganddynt gytundeb lefel gwasanaeth ar waith gyda Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr yng Nghaergybi mwyach.
Er bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn datgan mai eu bwriad yw cael fframwaith comisiynu newydd ar waith ar gyfer gwasanaethau hosbis erbyn mis Ebrill y flwyddyn nesaf, byddai'n unfed awr ar ddeg yn nhymor y Senedd hon, ychydig wythnosau cyn etholiad cyffredinol Cymru. Ac fel y mae Marie Curie yn ei ddatgan, er y dylai hyn gefnogi mwy o gysondeb yn y ddarpariaeth, mae gennym fwlch gweithredu sylweddol ar hyn o bryd. Mae Hospice UK a Hosbisau Cymru wedi ailadrodd canfyddiadau eu harolwg yn 2024, a ddatgelodd fod 14 o'r 15 hosbis yng Nghymru yn disgwyl i bwysau costau byw orfodi toriadau i wasanaethau, gyda dros 90 y cant yn rhagweld llai o gymorth i ysbytai a chartrefi gofal a bron i dri chwarter y rheini ag unedau cleifion mewnol yn disgwyl cau gwelyau. Fel y dywedodd Hosbis Dewi Sant wrthyf, yn absenoldeb fframwaith comisiynu a manyleb gwasanaeth, 'Rydym bellach yn dod i sefyllfa anghynaliadwy, sy'n peryglu'r elusen gyfan.' Mae Hosbis Tŷ'r Eos yn Wrecsam yn wynebu pwysau ariannol cynyddol. Fel y maent yn ei ddatgan, nid yw'r model ariannu presennol yn gynaliadwy ac nid yw'n diogelu gofal hosbis ar gyfer y dyfodol. Maent hefyd yn profi heriau parhaus gyda Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr ynghylch cyllid ar gyfer meddygon ymgynghorol gofal lliniarol, sy'n ychwanegu at eu heriau ariannol, ac yn pwysleisio'r pwynt nad yw hosbisau'n cael eu cydnabod am y gwaith a wnânt o fewn gofal lliniarol arbenigol. Serch hynny, canfu ymchwil gan Brifysgol Bangor y llynedd fod y gost gymedrig i glaf hosbis sy'n aros am 14 diwrnod yn £5,708, o gymharu â £6,860 ar gyfer yr opsiwn rhataf mewn ysbyty ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, a bod modd cyflawni arbedion sylweddol o ran gwariant cyhoeddus drwy gynyddu'r defnydd o ofal hosbis, lle mai dim ond 30 y cant oedd lefel y cyllid statudol fel cyfran o wariant gofal hosbis ledled Cymru, ac mae Hosbis Dewi Sant yn datgan mai dim ond 24 y cant y maent hwy'n ei gael.
Mae Marie Curie yn tynnu sylw at yr angen brys i gryfhau system ofal lliniarol a diwedd oes Cymru y dywedant ei bod o dan straen ddifrifol. Fel y dywedant, mae llawer o bobl yn marw mewn poen, wedi'u hynysu a heb y gefnogaeth briodol. Maent yn argymell y dylai pob clwstwr gofal sylfaenol yng Nghymru gael nyrs gofal lliniarol a diwedd oes ymarfer uwch; fod yn rhaid inni sicrhau bod gwasanaethau nyrsio cymunedol a nyrsys ardal saith diwrnod ar gael ym mhob rhan o Gymru; y dylai GIG 111 ddod yn un pwynt mynediad 24/7 ar gyfer cyngor a gwybodaeth am ofal lliniarol, wedi'i staffio gan weithwyr proffesiynol gofal lliniarol a diwedd oes wedi'u hyfforddi'n glinigol; fod angen inni integreiddio parafeddygon ymarfer uwch mewn timau gofal lliniarol ledled Cymru; fod yn rhaid comisiynu fferyllfeydd cymunedol i ddarparu set safonol o feddyginiaethau gofal lliniarol sydd ar gael ddydd a nos; a bod yn rhaid adolygu'r system ar gyfer comisiynu a phresgripsiynu meddyginiaeth y rhagwelir y bydd ei angen—y 'pecynnau rhag ofn' fel y'u gelwir—gan nodi a mynd i'r afael ag unrhyw fylchau yn y ddarpariaeth. Maent yn amcangyfrif mai oddeutu £1 filiwn fyddai'r buddsoddiad cychwynnol sydd ei angen i hyfforddi'r nyrsys ymarfer uwch a'r parafeddygon ac i staffio'r llinell gyngor 24/7, a gallai arbed miliynau i'r gwasanaethau gofal iechyd yng Nghymru.
Er bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn ariannu oddeutu 32 y cant o wariant hosbisau oedolion, mae amrywiad sylweddol o ran lefelau ariannu. Nid yw rhai'n derbyn unrhyw gyllid gan y Llywodraeth; mae eraill yn derbyn hyd at 45 y cant. Gyda'i gilydd, mae hosbisau yng Nghymru yn dal i gael llai o gyllid gan y Llywodraeth fel cyfran o wariant na'r rheini yn Lloegr a'r Alban. Rhaid mynd i'r afael â'r anghydraddoldeb hwn. Mae hosbisau'n parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i godi arian er mwyn arloesi, cyfoethogi ac ehangu eu gwasanaethau yn unol ag anghenion cymunedau lleol. Wrth wraidd yr hyn y maent yn ei ddarparu, ni ddylai'r gofal clinigol hanfodol sy'n sicrhau urddas ar ddiwedd oes fod yn ddibynnol mwyach ar ansicrwydd codi arian elusennol.
Er bod ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i ddatblygu fframwaith comisiynu cenedlaethol a setliad ariannu cynaliadwy ar gyfer hosbisau i'w groesawu, mae'r cynnydd wedi bod yn araf, ac mae brys y sefyllfa'n galw am weithredu. Wrth symud ymlaen, mae'n hanfodol fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio ar frys i sicrhau cydraddoldeb cyflog â'r GIG i staff hosbis perthnasol, sy'n hanfodol er mwyn cynnal gofal lliniarol a gwasanaethau cymorth o ansawdd uchel, ac i sicrhau y gall hosbisau barhau i recriwtio a chadw gweithwyr proffesiynol medrus; yn datblygu model ariannu sy'n cydnabod ac yn gweld gwerth y gofal arbenigol, cyffredinol a holistaidd unigryw a gynigir gan hosbisau, y mae'n rhaid iddo adlewyrchu gwir gost gofal ac ehangder y gwasanaethau a ddarperir; yn rhoi trefniadau contractio cyson a chynaliadwy ar waith ledled Cymru i ddarparu sefydlogrwydd, eglurder a thegwch i hosbisau sy'n gweithredu mewn gwahanol ranbarthau; ac yn ymrwymo i bartneriaeth, wedi'i chydgynllunio a'i chydgyflawni gyda'r sector hosbisau, i fynd i'r afael ag anghydraddoldebau o ran mynediad at ofal lliniarol, ysgogi arloesedd a diwallu'r galw cynyddol sydd i ddod am wasanaethau.
Nid moethusrwydd yw gofal hosbis, ond anghenraid. Gadewch inni sicrhau y gall pob unigolyn yng Nghymru gael mynediad at y gofal lliniarol sydd ei angen arnynt, pan fydd ei angen arnynt, gyda pharch, tosturi a'r sicrwydd y byddant hwy, a'u teuluoedd, yn cael eu trin â gofal ac urddas yn eu dyddiau olaf.
As the Member has not left time for all four to be called, I intend to be generous this afternoon, but I will ask all four to stick to their one minute, please. Julie Morgan.
Gan nad yw'r Aelod wedi gadael amser i'r pedwar gael eu galw, rwy'n bwriadu bod yn hael y prynhawn yma, ond gofynnaf i'r pedwar gadw at eu munud, os gwelwch yn dda. Julie Morgan.
Diolch. I'm really pleased to have the opportunity to speak in this debate, and to thank Mark Isherwood for bringing forward this very important subject and also to pay tribute to his long commitment to the hospice movement over the years. I think that hospices in Wales do an absolutely fantastic job. I, for many years, was the vice-president of City Hospice, which is based in my constituency of Cardiff North. City Hospice is one of the hospices in Wales that provides palliative care at home for people with a wide range of illnesses, such as cancer, dementia, motor neurone disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other life-limiting illness. It also offers essential bereavement support to anyone who has lost a loved one.
I believe that palliative care should remain rooted in the charity sector because of its long history of developing this service, but I do believe that as much support as possible should be given by the Government, and I welcome the commitment from the Government in future developments.
The other important point about some hospices is that they do rely heavily on volunteers, and I am told that, since COVID, the difficulty of getting volunteers is very high. So, I would be interested in knowing what the Cabinet Secretary's view is of that issue.
Diolch. Rwy'n falch iawn o gael cyfle i siarad yn y ddadl hon, ac i ddiolch i Mark Isherwood am gyflwyno'r pwnc pwysig hwn a thalu teyrnged i'w ymrwymiad hir i'r mudiad hosbis dros y blynyddoedd. Rwy'n credu bod hosbisau yng Nghymru yn gwneud gwaith hollol wych. Am flynyddoedd lawer, roeddwn yn is-lywydd Hosbis y Ddinas, sydd wedi'i leoli yn fy etholaeth i, yng Ngogledd Caerdydd. Mae Hosbis y Ddinas yn un o'r hosbisau yng Nghymru sy'n darparu gofal lliniarol yn y cartref i bobl ag ystod eang o afiechydon, megis canser, dementia, clefyd niwronau motor, clefyd rhwystrol cronig yr ysgyfaint a mathau eraill o salwch sy'n cyfyngu ar fywyd. Mae hefyd yn cynnig cymorth mewn profedigaeth hanfodol i unrhyw un sydd wedi colli anwylyd.
Rwy'n credu y dylai gofal lliniarol barhau i fod wedi'i wreiddio yn y sector elusennol oherwydd ei hanes hir o ddatblygu'r gwasanaeth hwn, ond credaf y dylai'r Llywodraeth roi cymaint o gefnogaeth â phosib, ac rwy'n croesawu'r ymrwymiad gan y Llywodraeth i ddatblygiadau yn y dyfodol.
Y pwynt pwysig arall am rai hosbisau yw eu bod yn dibynnu'n helaeth ar wirfoddolwyr, a dywedwyd wrthyf, ers COVID, fod anhawster mawr i ddod o hyd i wirfoddolwyr. Felly, hoffwn wybod beth yw barn Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ar y mater hwnnw.
I have asked Members to keep to their minute.
Rwyf wedi gofyn i'r Aelodau gadw at eu munud.
Thank you very much. I think our hospices are vital in our communities, and I'm pleased we're having this debate here today.
Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n credu bod ein hosbisau yn hanfodol yn ein cymunedau, ac rwy'n falch ein bod ni'n cael y ddadl hon yma heddiw.
Thank you, Mark, for giving me a minute of your time. As you said, hospices play a vital role in caring for some of our most vulnerable members in society, especially those who are nearing the end of life, and their work is not only compassionate and skilled, but also deeply human. It brings dignity, comfort and support at a time when it's needed most, and I'm sure many of you here have experienced that. I certainly have, with hospices looking after my parents in their latter days, and also my wife's parents.
As we all know, the ongoing discussions around legislation on assisted dying will have a profound impact on how we as a society view our choices at the end of life. With this in mind, the role of hospices has never been more important. Too often, I feel the service they provide is somewhat cinderella, and it shouldn't be, so shining a light on it today is crucial. We must ensure that hospices are properly supported, both financially and structurally, so that they can continue to offer high-quality care to those facing the final stages of life. People deserve options rooted in care, comfort and dignity, not decisions made out of desperation or lack of access to support.
Diolch am roi munud o'ch amser i mi, Mark. Fel y dywedoch chi, mae hosbisau'n chwarae rhan hanfodol yn gofalu am rai o'n haelodau mwyaf bregus mewn cymdeithas, yn enwedig y rhai sy'n agosáu at ddiwedd eu hoes, ac mae eu gwaith nid yn unig yn dosturiol ac yn fedrus, ond hefyd yn hynod ddynol. Mae'n cynnig urddas, cysur a chefnogaeth ar adeg pan fo fwyaf o'i angen, ac rwy'n siŵr fod llawer ohonoch yma wedi profi hynny. Rwyf i'n sicr wedi'i brofi, gyda'r hosbisau a fu'n gofalu am fy rhieni yn eu dyddiau olaf, a rhieni fy ngwraig.
Fel y gwyddom i gyd, bydd y trafodaethau parhaus ynghylch deddfwriaeth ar farw â chymorth yn cael effaith ddofn ar sut rydym ni fel cymdeithas yn gweld ein dewisiadau ar ddiwedd oes. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, nid yw rôl hosbisau erioed wedi bod yn bwysicach. Yn rhy aml, rwy'n teimlo bod y gwasanaeth a ddarperir ganddynt yn un sy'n cael ei esgeuluso braidd, ac ni ddylai fod, felly mae taflu goleuni arno heddiw yn allweddol. Rhaid inni sicrhau bod hosbisau'n cael eu cefnogi'n briodol, yn ariannol ac yn strwythurol, fel y gallant barhau i gynnig gofal o ansawdd uchel i'r rhai sy'n wynebu'r camau olaf mewn bywyd. Mae pobl yn haeddu opsiynau sydd wedi'u gwreiddio mewn gofal, cysur ac urddas, nid penderfyniadau a wnaed mewn anobaith neu ddiffyg mynediad at gymorth.
Diolch, Mark. Hospices are proving to be an essential part of our health service in Wales. Imagine where we'd be without the charitable hospices and the work that they do. Hospitals would have to fill that gap at a greater cost. Their importance has come into even sharper focus recently because of the discussion around assisted dying, and, whatever the outcome of that Bill, one thing that's been brought to light more than ever before is the importance of both palliative care and hospices and how underappreciated they are.
You'll recall that I tabled a motion back in January 2024 on charitable hospice funding, calling on the Government to develop a long-term sustainable funding solution, in partnership with the sector, including a new national funding formula, workforce plan and palliative and end-of-life care service specification. The motion was passed, but, 20 months later, I'm not aware that we've seen much movement on this, so I look forward to listening to the Cabinet Secretary and seeing if he can address those points in his response.
Diolch, Mark. Mae hosbisau'n rhan hanfodol o'n gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru. Dychmygwch sut y byddai arnom heb yr hosbisau elusennol a'r gwaith a wnânt. Byddai'n rhaid i ysbytai lenwi'r bwlch hwnnw ar gost uwch. Mae eu pwysigrwydd wedi cael mwy o sylw yn ddiweddar oherwydd y drafodaeth ynghylch marw â chymorth, a beth bynnag fydd canlyniad y Bil hwnnw, un peth a amlygwyd yn fwy nag erioed o'r blaen yw pwysigrwydd gofal lliniarol a hosbisau a'r ffordd nad ydynt yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi'n ddigonol.
Fe fyddwch yn cofio fy mod wedi cyflwyno cynnig yn ôl ym mis Ionawr 2024 ar gyllid hosbisau elusennol, yn galw ar y Llywodraeth i ddatblygu datrysiad cyllido cynaliadwy hirdymor, mewn partneriaeth â'r sector, gan gynnwys fformiwla ariannu genedlaethol newydd, cynllun ar gyfer y gweithlu a manyleb gwasanaeth gofal lliniarol a diwedd oes. Pasiwyd y cynnig, ond 20 mis yn ddiweddarach, nid wyf yn ymwybodol ein bod wedi gweld llawer o symud ar hyn, felly edrychaf ymlaen at wrando ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet a gweld a all fynd i'r afael â'r pwyntiau hynny yn ei ymateb.
Thank you, Mark Isherwood, for giving me a minute. As it's only a minute, I'll put some specific points, if I may, to the Cabinet Secretary, because, in my region, we host Tŷ Hafan, which is a spiritually uplifting and positive experience, dealing with some of the most challenging environments that families could face with life-limiting conditions for their children, and the work they do is second to none.
Mark Isherwood touched on this very point, about the £3 million that the Government allocated to the hospice movement. That money has not been designated yet, so can the Cabinet Secretary, now that we're halfway through the financial year, give an indication to the hospice sector when that money will be coming through to it, in particular to the two children's hospices that we have here in Wales? And secondly, does he agree with the 1 per cent uplift in core funding, going from 25 per cent to 30 per cent of core funding by 2030, given that there'll be a 25 per cent increase in the number of children designated with life-limiting diseases or conditions that potentially could require those services? It is also important to remember that, in the hospice sector, whilst they look after those in end-of-life situations, they also provide the valuable service of bereavement counselling to parents who have lost young children and loved ones, and who are at their most vulnerable point as well.
Diolch am roi munud i mi, Mark Isherwood. Gan mai dim ond munud sydd gennyf, fe nodaf rai pwyntiau penodol wrth Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, oherwydd yn fy rhanbarth i mae gennym Tŷ Hafan, sy'n brofiad dyrchafol a chadarnhaol yn ysbrydol, ac yn delio â rhai o'r amgylchiadau mwyaf heriol y gallai teuluoedd eu hwynebu gyda chyflyrau sy'n cyfyngu ar fywydau plant, ac mae'r gwaith a wnânt yn ddiguro.
Cyfeiriodd Mark Isherwood at yr union bwynt hwn, am y £3 miliwn a ddyrannodd y Llywodraeth i'r mudiad hosbis. Nid yw'r arian hwnnw wedi'i ddynodi eto, felly gan ein bod hanner ffordd drwy'r flwyddyn ariannol erbyn hyn, a all Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi syniad i'r sector hosbis pa bryd y bydd yr arian hwnnw'n dod drwodd, yn enwedig i'r ddwy hosbis i blant sydd gennym yma yng Nghymru? Ac yn ail, a yw'n cytuno â'r cynnydd o 1 y cant yn y cyllid craidd, a mynd o 25 y cant i 30 y cant o gyllid craidd erbyn 2030, o ystyried y bydd cynnydd o 25 y cant yn nifer y plant y dynodir bod ganddynt glefydau neu gyflyrau sy'n cyfyngu ar fywyd a allai fod angen y gwasanaethau hynny? Mae hefyd yn bwysig cofio, yn y sector hosbisau, er eu bod yn gofalu am rai mewn sefyllfaoedd diwedd oes, eu bod hefyd yn darparu gwasanaeth cwnsela gwerthfawr i rieni mewn profedigaeth sydd wedi colli plant ifanc ac anwyliaid, ac sydd ar eu pwynt mwyaf bregus hefyd.
Galwaf ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol i ymateb i’r ddadl—Jeremy Miles
I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to reply to the debate—Jeremy Miles
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. A gaf i ddiolch i Mark Isherwood am gyflwyno'r ddadl fer hon y prynhawn yma? Mae'n gyfle i ystyried gwerth aruthrol hosbisau yng Nghymru, ond hefyd i dynnu sylw at y camau rŷn ni'n eu cymryd i ddiogelu eu dyfodol. Mae hosbisau'n fannau sy'n cynnig tosturi, cynnig urddas a gobaith. Bob blwyddyn, maen nhw'n darparu gofal arbenigol i filoedd o bobl gyda chyflyrau sy'n cyfyngu ar fywyd. Maen nhw hefyd yn rhoi cymorth hanfodol i deuluoedd a gofalwyr sy'n wynebu'r amgylchiadau mwyaf anodd a phoenus. Maen nhw'n aml yn cael eu hystyried yn llefydd trist, ond maen nhw hefyd yn llefydd urddasol, cysurus ac, yn aml iawn, yn llefydd hapus. Maen nhw’n helpu pobl i fyw bywydau llawn ac ystyrlon am gymaint o amser â phosibl drwy reoli poen, cynnig cwnsela i anwyliaid a chreu’r amodau i deuluoedd rannu amser gwerthfawr gyda’i gilydd. Mae hosbisau yn sicrhau bod pobl yn cael eu trin gyda sensitifrwydd a pharch hyd yn oed ar ddiwedd oes. Maen nhw’n rhan annatod o’r system iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru. Maen nhw’n helpu, fel clywsom ni, i leihau’r pwysau ar y NHS yn ehangach. Maen nhw’n helpu i osgoi derbyniadau diangen i’r ysbyty, yn darparu gofal arbenigol sydd ddim bob amser ar gael mewn ysbytai, ac yn cefnogi teuluoedd mewn ffyrdd sy’n lleihau costau gofal cymdeithasol yn y tymor hir.
Mae buddsoddi mewn hosbisau yn beth cywir i’w wneud yn foesol, ond hefyd wrth gwrs yn ddoeth yn economaidd. Mae gofal hosbis yng Nghymru yn cael ei ddarparu drwy fodel partneriaeth. Mae hosbisau yn cael peth o’u cyllid, fel clywsom ni, drwy ffynonellau statudol, gan gynnwys byrddau iechyd, ond maen nhw hefyd yn dibynnu'n helaeth ar gyfraniadau elusennol, gweithgareddau codi arian cymunedol, ac ymroddiad miloedd o wirfoddolwyr. Mae’r haelioni hwnnw yn rhywbeth i ni ymfalchïo ynddo. Rŷn ni i gyd yn gwybod am foreau coffi, teithiau cerdded noddedig, cyngherddau lleol a gweithgareddau codi arian cymunedol sy’n codi arian hanfodol ar gyfer hosbisau lleol. Mae’r digwyddiadau hyn yn ein hatgoffa ni o’r ysbryd cymunedol rhyfeddol sy’n bodoli ar hyd a lled Cymru. Ond mae dibynnu ar godi arian a rhoddion elusennol yn unig yn creu sefyllfa ariannol fregus. Dyw hi ddim yn gynaliadwy disgwyl i ran mor hanfodol o’n system gofal iechyd ddibynnu i’r fath raddau ar allu cymunedau i godi arian.
Thank you, Dirpwy Lywydd. May I thank Mark Isherwood for bringing forward this short debate this afternoon? It's an opportunity to consider the huge value of hospices in Wales, but also to highlight the steps that we are taking to safeguard their future. Hospices are places that offer compassion, dignity and hope. Every year, they provide expert care for thousands of people with life-limiting conditions. They also provide crucial support for families and carers facing the most difficult and painful circumstances. They are often considered to be sad places, but they are also places of dignity and comfort, and, very often, they are happy places. They help people to live full and meaningful lives for as long as possible by managing pain, offering counselling to loved ones, and creating conditions where families can share valuable time with each other. Hospices ensure that people are treated with sensitivity and respect even at the end of their lives. They are an integral part of the health and care system in Wales. They help, as we heard, to reduce pressures on the NHS more broadly. They help to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and provide expert care that isn’t always available in hospitals, and support families in ways that reduce the costs of social care in the longer term.
Investment in hospices is the right thing to do ethically, but it is also a wise move economically. Hospice care in Wales is provided through a partnership model. Hospices receive some of their funding, as we heard, through statutory sources, including health boards, but they are also reliant to a great extent on charitable contributions, community fundraising and the commitment of thousands of volunteers. That generosity is something that we should take pride in. We are all aware of coffee mornings, sponsored walks, local concerts and other community fundraising activities that raise crucial funds for local hospices. These events remind us of the incredible community spirit that exists across Wales. But relying on charitable gifts and fundraising creates a fragile financial situation. It is not sustainable to expect such a crucial part of our healthcare system to rely to such an extent on the ability of communities to fundraise.
That's why the Government has been working closely with hospices, the national programme for palliative and end-of-life care, and local providers to review funding models and strengthen the long-term sustainability of hospice care over the course of this Senedd term. As a result of that work, we've increased direct Government funding for hospices by £5.2 million a year and provided more than £9 million in one-off grant to help with the extra costs hospices are facing and to support the services they provide.
The decision that has been referred to in the debate already by St David's Hospice to temporarily close its site in Holyhead is, of course, worrying for all those who rely on its services, for its staff, and the wider community. We are working closely with the hospice leadership and with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to safeguard patient care and to ensure continuity of services during this uncertain period. Our priority is that people continue to receive safe, high-quality palliative care, and we remain committed to supporting the hospice to address the challenges it faces.
I am determined, Dirprwy Lywydd, to ensure that hospices and palliative care are placed on a firm and sustainable footing. We have taken significant steps to strengthen the foundations of care through the development of a national palliative and end-of-life care service specification, which provides a consistent framework for what people should expect from palliative care wherever they live in Wales. This is about equity, quality and fairness, and embedding hospice care as part of an integrated person-centred system.
Secondly, we’re investing in people. The all-Wales palliative and end-of-life care workforce competency framework will support staff and volunteers across health and social care to develop the skills that they need. It ensures consistency of standards, builds confidence and spreads specialist expertise beyond hospice walls so that palliative care is available across all settings—in hospices, care homes or, indeed, as we have heard, in people's own homes. And, as I described earlier in my contribution, we are reforming how hospices are funded and supported by strengthening our commissioning arrangements for hospices in Wales.
For too long, as has been acknowledged already in the debate, hospices have had to rely on uneven local arrangements and on the extraordinary generosity of their communities to sustain services that are, in effect, essential services. While community fundraising will always remain important, it cannot be right that such a critical part of our health system is left vulnerable to financial uncertainty. This work will create a more transparent and consistent basis for funding, linked to population need and agreed outcomes. It will strengthen accountability while also giving hospices the stability they need to plan for the future.
Phase 1 of this work has seen the development of a common set of performance indicators for NHS adult and child hospices across Wales as part of the additional £3 million allocated through this year's budget, which has been referred to already in this debate. And I'll be happy to follow up with those Members who've asked for clarification of the allocation of that funding. Phase 2 will seek to ensure consistency and equity in how hospice services are commissioned through the development and formal adoption of new commissioning arrangements. And Phase 3 will focus on specialist palliative care commissioning. These three developments represent together a step change in how hospice and palliative care will be planned, delivered and supported in Wales. I think they provide the structures that we need in order to respond to the challenges of the future, many of which were laid out by Mark Isherwood and others in this debate and which I would recognise, including an ageing population and, indeed, rising demand for end-of-life care.
None of this would be possible without the extraordinary workforce, staff and, indeed, as Julie Morgan reminded us, volunteers who develop this care day in, day out. Their work is demanding physically, professionally and emotionally, yet they continue to serve with compassion and with humanity. And on behalf of the Welsh Government, and I am sure all of us, I would like to place on record my thanks for everything that they do.
I want to close my contribution, Dirprwy Lywydd, by returning to the human side of this debate. Behind every policy, every framework, every funding model are real people—mothers, fathers, children, partners, friends. The true value of hospices is seen in the relief of suffering, in the dignity afforded to patients and in the comfort given to families. And the true measure of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable, and in Wales we are determined that every person, wherever they live, has access to the care, the dignity and the compassion that they deserve at the end of life.
Dyna pam y mae'r Llywodraeth wedi bod yn gweithio'n agos gyda hosbisau, y rhaglen genedlaethol ar gyfer gofal lliniarol a gofal diwedd oes, a darparwyr lleol i adolygu modelau cyllido a chryfhau cynaliadwyedd hirdymor gofal hosbis yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon. O ganlyniad i'r gwaith hwnnw, rydym wedi sicrhau cynnydd o £5.2 miliwn y flwyddyn i gyllid uniongyrchol y Llywodraeth ar gyfer hosbisau ac wedi darparu mwy na £9 miliwn mewn grant untro i helpu gyda'r costau ychwanegol y mae hosbisau'n eu hwynebu ac i gefnogi'r gwasanaethau y maent yn eu darparu.
Mae'r penderfyniad y cyfeiriwyd ato yn y ddadl eisoes gan Hosbis Dewi Sant i gau ei safle yng Nghaergybi dros dro yn destun pryder i bawb sy'n dibynnu ar ei gwasanaethau, i'w staff, ac i'r gymuned ehangach. Rydym yn gweithio'n agos gydag arweinyddiaeth yr hosbis a chyda Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr i ddiogelu gofal cleifion ac i sicrhau parhad gwasanaethau yn ystod y cyfnod ansicr hwn. Ein blaenoriaeth yw bod pobl yn parhau i dderbyn gofal lliniarol diogel o ansawdd uchel, ac rydym yn parhau'n ymrwymedig i gynorthwyo'r hosbis i fynd i'r afael â'r heriau y mae'n eu hwynebu.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n benderfynol o sicrhau bod hosbisau a gofal lliniarol yn cael eu gosod ar sail gadarn a chynaliadwy. Rydym wedi rhoi camau sylweddol ar waith i gryfhau sylfeini gofal drwy ddatblygu manyleb gwasanaeth genedlaethol ar gyfer gofal lliniarol a diwedd oes sy'n darparu fframwaith cyson ar gyfer yr hyn y dylai pobl ei ddisgwyl gan ofal lliniarol ble bynnag y maent yn byw yng Nghymru. Mater o gydraddoldeb, ansawdd a thegwch yw hyn, a gwreiddio gofal hosbis yn rhan o system integredig sy'n canolbwyntio ar yr unigolyn.
Yn ail, rydym yn buddsoddi mewn pobl. Bydd fframwaith cymhwysedd Cymru gyfan ar gyfer y gweithlu gofal lliniarol a diwedd oes yn cefnogi staff a gwirfoddolwyr ar draws iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol i ddatblygu'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen arnynt. Mae'n sicrhau safonau cyson, yn meithrin hyder ac yn lledaenu arbenigedd y tu hwnt i waliau hosbisau fel bod gofal lliniarol ar gael ym mhob lleoliad—mewn hosbisau, cartrefi gofal neu'n wir, fel y clywsom, yng nghartrefi pobl eu hunain. Ac fel y disgrifiais yn gynharach yn fy nghyfraniad, rydym yn diwygio'r ffordd y mae hosbisau'n cael eu hariannu a'u cefnogi drwy gryfhau ein trefniadau comisiynu ar gyfer hosbisau yng Nghymru.
Am ormod o amser, fel sydd wedi'i gydnabod eisoes yn y ddadl, mae hosbisau wedi gorfod dibynnu ar drefniadau lleol anwastad ac ar haelioni eithriadol eu cymunedau i gynnal gwasanaethau sydd, i bob pwrpas, yn wasanaethau hanfodol. Er y bydd codi arian yn y gymuned bob amser yn parhau i fod yn bwysig, ni all fod yn iawn fod rhan mor hanfodol o'n system iechyd yn cael ei gadael yn agored i ansicrwydd ariannol. Bydd y gwaith hwn yn creu sylfaen fwy tryloyw a chyson ar gyfer cyllido, wedi'i chysylltu ag anghenion y boblogaeth a chanlyniadau y cytunir arnynt. Bydd yn cryfhau atebolrwydd gan roi'r sefydlogrwydd sydd ei angen ar hosbisau i gynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Mae Cam 1 y gwaith hwn wedi gweld datblygiad set gyffredin o ddangosyddion perfformiad ar gyfer hosbisau oedolion a phlant y GIG ledled Cymru yn rhan o'r £3 miliwn ychwanegol a ddyrannwyd drwy'r gyllideb eleni, y cyfeiriwyd ato eisoes yn y ddadl. Ac rwy'n hapus i roi eglurhad i'r Aelodau sydd wedi gofyn amdano ynglŷn â dyraniad y cyllid hwnnw. Bydd Cam 2 yn ceisio sicrhau cysondeb a thegwch yn y ffordd y caiff gwasanaethau hosbis eu comisiynu drwy ddatblygu a mabwysiadu trefniadau comisiynu newydd yn ffurfiol. A bydd Cam 3 yn canolbwyntio ar gomisiynu gofal lliniarol arbenigol. Mae'r tri datblygiad gyda'i gilydd yn newid sylfaenol yn y ffordd y caiff gofal hosbis a gofal lliniarol eu cynllunio, eu darparu a'u cefnogi yng Nghymru. Rwy'n credu eu bod yn darparu'r strwythurau sydd eu hangen arnom er mwyn ymateb i heriau'r dyfodol, heriau y mae Mark Isherwood ac eraill wedi'u nodi yn y ddadl hon ac yr wyf i'n eu cydnabod, gan gynnwys poblogaeth sy'n heneiddio, a galw cynyddol am ofal diwedd oes.
Ni fyddai dim o hyn yn bosib heb y gweithlu a'r staff anhygoel, nac yn wir, fel y gwnaeth Julie Morgan ein hatgoffa, heb y gwirfoddolwyr sy'n datblygu'r gofal hwn o ddydd i ddydd. Mae eu gwaith yn heriol yn gorfforol, yn broffesiynol ac yn emosiynol, ond maent yn parhau i wasanaethu gyda thosturi a thrugaredd. Ac ar ran Llywodraeth Cymru, a phob un ohonom rwy'n siŵr, hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch am bopeth y maent yn ei wneud.
Rwyf am gloi fy nghyfraniad, Ddirprwy Lywydd, drwy ddychwelyd at ochr ddynol y ddadl hon. Y tu ôl i bob polisi, pob fframwaith, pob model ariannu mae pobl go iawn—mamau, tadau, plant, partneriaid, ffrindiau. Mae gwir werth hosbisau i'w weld yn y modd y lleddfir dioddefaint, yn yr urddas a roddir i gleifion ac yn y cysur a roddir i deuluoedd. A chaiff gwir werth cymdeithas ei fesur yn ôl y ffordd y mae'n trin ei haelodau mwyaf bregus, ac yng Nghymru rydym yn benderfynol o sicrhau bod pob unigolyn, ble bynnag y bo'n byw, yn cael y gofal, yr urddas a'r tosturi y mae'n ei haeddu ar ddiwedd ei oes.
Diolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet a diolch i Mark Isherwood, a daw hynny â thrafodion heddiw i ben.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, and thank you, Mark Isherwood. That brings today's proceedings to a close.
Daeth y cyfarfod i ben am 18:17.
The meeting ended at 18:17.