Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
26/01/2021Cynnwys
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 drwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:29 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met by video-conference at 13:29 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da. Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Cyn i ni ddechrau, dwi eisiau nodi ychydig o bwyntiau. Mae Cyfarfod Llawn a gynhelir drwy gynhadledd fideo, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog Senedd Cymru, yn gyfystyr â thrafodion y Senedd at ddibenion Deddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006. Bydd rhai o ddarpariaethau Rheol Sefydlog 34 yn gymwys ar gyfer Cyfarfod Llawn heddiw, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. Dwi eisiau atgoffa Aelodau hefyd fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn berthnasol i'r cyfarfod.
Good afternoon, and welcome to this Plenary session. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points. A Plenary meeting held by video-conference, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Welsh Parliament, constitutes Senedd proceedings for the purposes of the Government of Wales Act 2006. Some of the provisions of Standing Order 34 will apply for today's Plenary meeting, and these are noted on your agenda. I would remind Members that Standing Orders relating to order in Plenary meetings apply to this meeting.
Rŷn ni'n cychwyn ein gwaith heddiw gyda chwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Jayne Bryant.
We begin today with questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Jayne Bryant.
1. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o sut mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan wedi delio â COVID-19? OQ56202
1. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of how Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has dealt with COVID-19? OQ56202
Llywydd, services in the board’s area continue to be under significant pressure as reductions in community transmission are only slowly being felt in hospitals. I'm sure we are all grateful for the dedication of the board's staff as they strive to deliver the best possible care to their patients.
Llywydd, mae gwasanaethau yn ardal y bwrdd yn parhau i fod o dan bwysau sylweddol gan mai dim ond yn araf y mae gostyngiadau i drosglwyddiad cymunedol yn cael eu teimlo mewn ysbytai. Rwy'n siŵr ein bod ni i gyd yn ddiolchgar am ymroddiad staff y bwrdd wrth iddyn nhw ymdrechu i ddarparu'r gofal gorau posibl i'w cleifion.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. This winter has been one of the hardest periods anyone can remember for our NHS. Staff numbers have been hit hard, patient numbers have been high, and the pressure and stresses on our front-line staff have been immense. Despite all of this, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board have put in place a mass vaccination programme that is accelerating at pace, whilst also adapting their practices and services. One of these adaptations has been to offer local residents alternatives to attending A&E departments, This has helped to relieve some of the pressure on the system and helped keep patients and staff as safe as possible. The health board and staff are doing incredible work under extreme circumstances. Will the First Minister welcome the actions that are being taken in Aneurin Bevan health board area and ensure the Welsh Government continues to provide all the support it can to help support our staff and keep us safe?
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Mae'r gaeaf hwn wedi bod yn un o'r cyfnodau anoddaf y gall unrhyw un ei gofio i'n GIG. Mae niferoedd staff wedi cael eu taro yn galed, mae nifer y cleifion wedi bod yn uchel, ac mae'r pwysau a'r straen ar ein staff rheng flaen wedi bod yn aruthrol. Er gwaethaf hyn i gyd, mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan wedi sefydlu rhaglen frechu torfol sy'n cyflymu ar gyfradd uchel, gan hefyd addasu eu harferion a'u gwasanaethau hefyd. Un o'r addasiadau hyn fu cynnig dewisiadau amgen i drigolion lleol yn hytrach na mynd i adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys. Mae hyn wedi helpu i leddfu rhywfaint o'r pwysau ar y system ac wedi helpu i gadw cleifion a staff mor ddiogel â phosibl. Mae'r bwrdd iechyd a'r staff yn gwneud gwaith anhygoel o dan amgylchiadau eithriadol o anodd. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog groesawu'r camau sy'n cael eu cymryd yn ardal bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan a sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i ddarparu'r holl gymorth posibl i helpu i gefnogi ein staff a'n cadw ni yn ddiogel?
Llywydd, I thank Jayne Bryant very much for that supplementary question. Of course, I do very much welcome all the efforts that are made by our staff in Aneurin Bevan, and across Wales, under the extraordinary pressures that they have faced now for nearly a full 12 months. And, of course, Jayne Bryant is right—the latest challenge is that of vaccination. Fifty thousand vaccines now delivered in the Aneurin Bevan area, 69 of the 74 GP practices in the area delivering the vaccine last week, and that of course is only one of the many challenges they are facing. The board delivered 19,000 tests to residents in the Aneurin Bevan health board area last week as well, and yet, as Jayne Bryant says, Llywydd, the board goes on innovating, and its latest innovation, of their contact first pilot, I think is demonstrating a real success.
We understand the anxiety that people feel about coming into emergency departments at a time when coronavirus is in such circulation. Allowing people to phone first, to have that conversation, and then to be directed to the part of the service that is best suited to helping them is an advantage to the user, but it's an advantage to the service as well. And, Llywydd, as Jayne Bryant suggested, of those people who phoned the service in the two weeks at the end of December, 81 per cent of them did not need to attend an emergency department, 36 per cent of callers were successfully directed to a minor injuries unit, 32 per cent were directed to an urgent primary care centre in the board's area. And I think those are remarkable figures and demonstrate not simply the amazing efforts that staff are making, but their capacity to go on innovating and responding to new circumstances even under the pressures that the board is facing.
Llywydd, diolchaf yn fawr iawn i Jayne Bryant am y cwestiwn atodol yna. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n croesawu yn fawr iawn yr holl ymdrechion a wneir gan ein staff yn Aneurin Bevan, a ledled Cymru, o dan y pwysau eithriadol y maen nhw wedi eu hwynebu'n ers bron i 12 mis llawn erbyn hyn. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae Jayne Bryant yn iawn—yr her ddiweddaraf yw brechu. Hanner can mil o frechlynnau wedi eu rhoi yn ardal Aneurin Bevan erbyn hyn, 69 o'r 74 o feddygfeydd teulu yn yr ardal yn rhoi'r brechlyn yr wythnos diwethaf, a dim ond un o'r heriau niferus y maen nhw'n eu hwynebu yw honno, wrth gwrs. Rhoddodd y bwrdd 19,000 o brofion i drigolion ardal bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan yr wythnos diwethaf hefyd, ac eto, fel y mae Jayne Bryant yn ei ddweud, Llywydd, mae'r bwrdd yn parhau i arloesi, ac mae ei arloesedd diweddaraf, o'u treial cysylltu'n gyntaf, yn dangos llwyddiant gwirioneddol rwy'n credu.
Rydym ni'n deall y pryder y mae pobl yn ei deimlo am ddod i adrannau achosion brys ar adeg pan fo coronafeirws mewn cylchrediad o'r fath. Mae caniatáu i bobl ffonio yn gyntaf, i gael y sgwrs honno, ac yna cael eu cyfeirio at y rhan o'r gwasanaeth sydd fwyaf addas i'w helpu nhw yn fantais i'r defnyddiwr, ond mae'n fantais i'r gwasanaeth hefyd. A, Llywydd, fel yr awgrymodd Jayne Bryant, o'r bobl hynny a ffoniodd y gwasanaeth yn y pythefnos ar ddiwedd mis Rhagfyr, nid oedd angen i 81 y cant ohonyn nhw fynd i adran achosion brys, cyfeiriwyd 36 y cant o alwyr yn llwyddiannus at uned mân anafiadau, cyfeiriwyd 32 y cant at ganolfan gofal sylfaenol frys yn ardal y bwrdd. Ac rwy'n credu bod y rheini yn ffigurau rhyfeddol ac yn dangos nid yn unig yr ymdrechion anhygoel y mae staff yn eu gwneud, ond eu gallu i barhau i arloesi ac ymateb i amgylchiadau newydd hyd yn oed o dan y pwysau y mae'r bwrdd yn eu hwynebu.
I, too, would like to extend my thanks to everyone at the Aneurin Bevan health board for the tremendous work they're doing in delivering the vaccine, but also the extraordinary reactive ways, as the First Minister has just said, that they've handled this pandemic. As you know, First Minister, the Abergavenny centre in Monmouthshire delivers the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine only a couple of days a week, although Monmouthshire County Council and GP practices, who have all been incredible during this delivery of the vaccine, have offered to set up another centre. It would seem to me to make sense that either the Abergavenny vaccination centre becomes a Pfizer vaccination centre, so that it could operate seven days a week like Cwmbran and Newport are just about to, or that another Pfizer delivery centre is established in Monmouthshire, ensuring faster roll-out of the vaccine. I'd just appreciate your thoughts on that, First Minister.
Hoffwn innau, hefyd, ddiolch i bawb ym mwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan am y gwaith ardderchog y maen nhw'n ei wneud yn darparu'r brechlyn, ond hefyd y ffyrdd adweithiol eithriadol, fel y mae'r Prif Weinidog newydd ei ddweud, y maen nhw wedi ymdrin â'r pandemig hwn. Fel y gwyddoch chi, Prif Weinidog, mae canolfan y Fenni yn Sir Fynwy yn darparu brechlyn Rhydychen-AstraZeneca ar ddiwrnod neu ddau o'r wythnos yn unig, er bod Cyngor Sir Fynwy a meddygfeydd teulu, sydd i gyd wedi bod yn anhygoel wrth ddarparu'r brechlyn hwn, wedi cynnig sefydlu canolfan arall. Mae'n ymddangos i mi ei bod hi'n gwneud synnwyr bod canolfan frechu'r Fenni naill ai'n dod yn ganolfan frechu Pfizer, fel y gallai weithredu saith diwrnod yr wythnos fel y mae Cwmbrân a Chasnewydd ar fin ei wneud, neu fod canolfan ddosbarthu Pfizer arall yn cael ei sefydlu yn Sir Fynwy, gan sicrhau bod y brechlyn yn cael ei gyflwyno yn gyflymach. Byddwn yn gwerthfawrogi eich safbwyntiau ar hynny, Prif Weinidog.
I thank Laura Anne Jones for those suggestions, which I'm sure the board will know about, and I'm sure that they will be putting that into their thinking. The picture, as Laura Anne Jones acknowledged, is changing all the time. Boards are developing new centres and new GPs are coming on stream. It's an effort to maximise the number of people on the ground able to offer vaccination, but it's also an effort to try to make sure that those possibilities are as close to people's homes and as convenient for them as possible. I think, two weeks ago, Llywydd, I said in these questions that we hoped to have 250 GP practices involved in vaccination by the end of the month; we've got 330 nearly by now, so we've well exceeded what we had expected. That's part of the changing pattern that Laura Anne Jones referred to. I'm sure the board will have heard what she said and will take that into account as they plan to provide even more opportunities for vaccination, and to do it as conveniently as possible for the people that the Member represents.
Diolchaf i Laura Anne Jones am yr awgrymiadau yna, yr wyf i'n siŵr y bydd y bwrdd yn gwybod amdanyn nhw, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddan nhw'n cynnwys hynny yn eu syniadau. Mae'r darlun, fel y gwnaeth Laura Anne Jones gydnabod, yn newid drwy'r amser. Mae byrddau'n datblygu canolfannau newydd ac mae meddygon teulu newydd yn ymuno â'r ymdrech. Mae'n ymdrech i sicrhau bod cymaint o bobl â phosibl ar lawr gwlad yn gallu cynnig brechiadau, ond mae hefyd yn ymdrech i geisio gwneud yn siŵr bod y posibiliadau hynny mor agos at gartrefi pobl ac mor gyfleus iddyn nhw â phosibl. Rwy'n credu, bythefnos yn ôl, Llywydd, i mi ddweud yn y cwestiynau hyn ein bod ni'n gobeithio y byddai 250 o feddygfeydd teulu yn brechu erbyn diwedd y mis; mae gennym ni bron i 330 erbyn hyn, felly rydym ni wedi rhagori yn helaeth ar yr hyn yr oeddem ni wedi ei ddisgwyl. Mae hynny yn rhan o'r patrwm newidiol y cyfeiriodd Laura Anne Jones ato. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y bwrdd wedi clywed yr hyn a ddywedodd ac y bydd yn cymryd hynny i ystyriaeth wrth iddyn nhw gynllunio i ddarparu hyd yn oed mwy o gyfleoedd i frechu, a'i wneud mor gyfleus â phosibl i'r bobl y mae'r Aelod yn eu cynrychioli.
I'd echo the points made about the bravery and dedication of the Aneurin Bevan health board staff—they are a credit to our communities. I wanted to raise an issue about administering the vaccine in the area, please. Some constituents have got in touch with me because they are caring for an elderly relative, and the elderly relative has been called to get the vaccine but they as a carer have not. Now, I appreciate that this is something that is happening across Wales and not just in our health board area, but I think it does get to the heart of the problem, First Minister, that, whilst paid care workers are in the same priority group as those over 80, unpaid carers are not, and they are in close physical proximity to those they're caring for. So, surely it would make sense for them to receive the vaccine at the same time, to protect their vulnerable relatives. So, First Minister, could I ask if you would consider making this change to the vaccine roll-out in the area so that unpaid carers are given priority too?
Byddwn yn adleisio'r pwyntiau a wnaed am ddewrder ac ymroddiad staff bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan—maen nhw'n glod i'n cymunedau. Roeddwn i eisiau codi mater ynghylch rhoi'r brechlyn yn yr ardal, os gwelwch yn dda. Mae rhai etholwyr wedi cysylltu â mi oherwydd eu bod nhw'n gofalu am berthynas oedrannus, ac mae'r perthynas oedrannus wedi cael ei alw i gael y brechlyn ond nid ydyn nhw fel gofalwr. Nawr, rwy'n sylweddoli bod hyn yn rhywbeth sy'n digwydd ledled Cymru ac nid yn ardal ein bwrdd iechyd ni yn unig, ond rwy'n credu ei fod yn mynd at wraidd y broblem, Prif Weinidog, er bod gweithwyr gofal cyflogedig yn yr un grŵp blaenoriaeth â'r rhai dros 80 oed, nad yw gofalwyr di-dâl, ac maen nhw'n agos yn gorfforol at y rhai y maen nhw'n gofalu amdanynt. Felly, does bosib na fyddai'n gwneud synnwyr iddyn nhw gael y brechlyn ar yr un pryd, i amddiffyn eu perthnasau agored i niwed. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a gaf i ofyn a wnewch chi ystyried gwneud y newid hwn i'r broses o gyflwyno'r brechlyn yn yr ardal fel bod gofalwyr di-dâl yn cael blaenoriaeth hefyd?
Well, Llywydd, those are important points, and they would have been very carefully considered by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation in its prioritisation of groups. The Member will know that unpaid carers are included in priority group 6. So, they're not in the first four priority groups that we are focusing on at the moment, but they will be in the next set of priority groups. We have to abide by the JCVI's prioritisation list. There are many cases that people can make individually for why that list should be amended, but my view is—and it's the view of all First Ministers, and the Prime Minister, across the country—we have to stick to the advice that the JCVI has provided to us. Unpaid carers will be included in that sixth group and, therefore, in the next phase of vaccination. We're working hard to make sure that people who are unpaid carers will be able to make themselves known, so that they can get vaccination in that new list. We amended the advice on the Welsh Government's website to make sure that unpaid carers knew that priority group 6 included them. And, in line with what the JCVI has told us, we will come to unpaid carers once the first four groups are concluded and we're able to move into the next tranche.
Wel, Llywydd, mae'r rheini yn bwyntiau pwysig, a bydden nhw wedi cael eu hystyried yn ofalus iawn gan y Cydbwyllgor ar Frechu ac Imiwneiddio wrth iddo flaenoriaethu grwpiau. Bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod bod gofalwyr di-dâl wedi eu cynnwys yng ngrŵp blaenoriaeth 6. Felly, dydyn nhw ddim yn y pedwar grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf yr ydym ni'n canolbwyntio arnyn nhw ar hyn o bryd, ond byddan nhw yn y gyfres nesaf o grwpiau blaenoriaeth. Mae'n rhaid i ni gadw at restr flaenoriaethu'r Cydbwyllgor ar Frechu ac Imiwneiddio. Mae llawer o ddadleuon y gall pobl eu gwneud yn unigol dros pam y dylid diwygio'r rhestr honno, ond fy marn i yw—a dyma farn yr holl Brif Weinidogion, gan gynnwys Prif Weinidog y DU, ledled y wlad—bod yn rhaid i ni gadw at y cyngor y mae'r Cydbwyllgor ar Frechu ac Imiwneiddio wedi ei roi i ni. Bydd gofalwyr di-dâl yn cael eu cynnwys yn y chweched grŵp hwnnw ac, felly, yng ngham nesaf y broses frechu. Rydym ni'n gweithio yn galed i sicrhau y bydd pobl sy'n ofalwyr di-dâl yn gallu gwneud eu hunain yn hysbys, fel y gallan nhw gael eu brechu yn y rhestr newydd honno. Rydym ni wedi diwygio'r cyngor ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru i wneud yn siŵr bod gofalwyr di-dâl yn gwybod bod grŵp blaenoriaeth 6 yn eu cynnwys nhw. Ac, yn unol â'r hyn y mae'r Cydbwyllgor ar Frechu ac Imiwneiddio wedi ei ddweud wrthym ni, byddwn yn cyrraedd gofalwyr di-dâl pan fydd y pedwar grŵp cyntaf wedi eu cwblhau ac y byddwn yn gallu symud i'r gyfran nesaf.
I think we all appreciate the extraordinary work that the staff in Aneurin Bevan and elsewhere are doing with the vaccination. First Minister, I've had a number of constituents who've come to me saying that relatives who are over 80, or indeed, in some cases, in care homes, are yet to have their vaccination in the Aneurin Bevan area, yet they have other family, over the border in Gloucestershire, and, five days ago, they announced there they'd already vaccinated 85 per cent of the over-85s. Your health Minister said that we would get to that in Wales, and I hope also in Aneurin Bevan, to 70 per cent at least by the end of the weekend just gone. Can you confirm if that's happened, and, if not, when it will, and when we can hope to get to those 85 per cent plus levels of vaccination of that group that we're seeing over the border?
Rwy'n credu ein bod ni i gyd yn gwerthfawrogi'r gwaith eithriadol y mae staff Aneurin Bevan ac mewn mannau eraill yn ei wneud gyda'r brechiad. Prif Weinidog, rwyf i wedi cael nifer o etholwyr sydd wedi dod ataf i yn dweud nad yw perthnasau sydd dros 80 oed, neu'n wir, mewn rhai achosion, mewn cartrefi gofal, wedi cael eu brechiad hyd yn hyn yn ardal Aneurin Bevan, ac eto mae ganddyn nhw deulu arall, dros y ffin yn Swydd Gaerloyw, a, phum niwrnod yn ôl, fe wnaethon nhw gyhoeddi yno eu bod nhw eisoes wedi brechu 85 y cant o bobl dros 85 oed. Dywedodd eich Gweinidog iechyd y byddem ni'n cyrraedd hynny yng Nghymru, a gobeithiaf hefyd yn Aneurin Bevan, 70 y cant o leiaf erbyn diwedd y penwythnos sydd newydd fynd heibio. A allwch chi gadarnhau pa un a yw hynny wedi digwydd, ac, os nad yw, pryd y bydd yn digwydd, a phryd y gallwn ni obeithio cyrraedd y lefel 85 y cant a mwy honno o frechu'r grŵp hwnnw yr ydym ni'n ei weld dros y ffin?
Llywydd, our ambition is to vaccinate all people—or offer vaccination to all people in those top 4 groups by the middle of February. That continues to be our ambition. The aim of getting 70 per cent of the 80-plus age range was affected over the weekend by the adverse weather. We know that a large number of people aged over 80 did not feel that it was safe for them to leave their homes in the snow and, indeed, yesterday morning in the very cold and icy conditions, and weren't able to attend appointments at GP clinics or in mass vaccination centres. All of those people will have been offered another opportunity for vaccination by the end of Wednesday of this week. So, we will very rapidly make up for that number. The figures of people being offered vaccination and able to take it up in Wales over the last week have been remarkable, and that should give us all confidence that we will have offered vaccination to everyone in that group in line with the ambition that we set out at the outset.
Llywydd, ein huchelgais yw brechu pawb—neu gynnig brechiad i bawb yn y 4 grŵp uchaf hynny erbyn canol mis Chwefror. Dyna yw ein huchelgais o hyd. Effeithiwyd ar y nod o gael 70 y cant o'r ystod oedran 80 a hŷn dros y penwythnos gan y tywydd garw. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod nifer fawr o bobl dros 80 oed nad oedden nhw'n teimlo ei bod hi'n ddiogel iddyn nhw adael eu cartrefi yn yr eira ac, yn wir, bore ddoe yn yr amodau oer a rhewllyd iawn, ac nad oedden nhw'n gallu mynd i apwyntiadau mewn clinigau meddygon teulu nac mewn canolfannau brechu torfol. Bydd pob un o'r bobl hynny wedi cael cynnig cyfle arall i gael eu brechu erbyn diwedd dydd Mercher yr wythnos hon. Felly, byddwn ni'n unioni'r rhif hwnnw yn gyflym iawn. Mae ffigurau'r bobl sy'n cael cynnig brechiad ac sy'n gallu manteisio arno yng Nghymru dros yr wythnos diwethaf wedi bod yn rhyfeddol, a dylai hynny roi hyder i ni i gyd y byddwn ni wedi cynnig brechiad i bawb yn y grŵp hwnnw yn unol â'r uchelgais a nodwyd gennym ni ar y cychwyn.
2. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o gefnogaeth Llywodraeth y DU i feysydd awyr ledled y DU? OQ56173
2. What assessment has the First Minister made of the UK Government's support for airports across the UK? OQ56173
Llywydd, I thank Carwyn Jones for that question. UK Government support is limited to airports in England. We continue to call upon them to support regional airports across the country. The catastrophic impact of coronavirus continues to have an impact on the industry, which is not confined to one part of the UK.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Carwyn Jones am y cwestiwn yna. Mae cymorth Llywodraeth y DU wedi'i gyfyngu i feysydd awyr yn Lloegr. Rydym ni'n dal i alw arnyn nhw i gefnogi meysydd awyr rhanbarthol ledled y wlad. Mae effaith drychinebus coronafeirws yn parhau i gael effaith ar y diwydiant, nad yw wedi'i gyfyngu i un rhan o'r DU.
I thank the First Minister for his answer. Airports, of course, are not devolved. But, of course, the UK Government chooses when it wishes to be the Government of England or the Government of the UK according to its whim. First Minister, since 2013, the Tories in Wales have failed to support our airports, both Cardiff and Anglesey. When the airport at Cardiff was bought in 2013, they invented a story that it had been bought at a price that was way over the odds, which was completely untrue. They allowed their ideology to count more than jobs. They didn't like the fact that it was in public ownership, and that was more important than protecting the jobs of the people who actually worked there. That airport would have been turned into a housing estate, no doubt. The councillors would, then, have objected to that as well. Is it not the case, First Minister, that the Welsh Conservatives are not willing to support the airline industry in Wales, and that's what makes them unfit to govern Wales, both now and in the future?
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog am ei ateb. Nid yw meysydd awyr, wrth gwrs, wedi'u datganoli. Ond, wrth gwrs, mae Llywodraeth y DU yn dewis pryd y mae'n dymuno bod yn Llywodraeth Lloegr neu'n Llywodraeth y DU yn ôl ei mympwy. Prif Weinidog, ers 2013, mae'r Torïaid yng Nghymru wedi methu â chefnogi ein meysydd awyr, yng Nghaerdydd ac Ynys Môn. Pan brynwyd y maes awyr yng Nghaerdydd yn 2013, dyfeisiwyd stori ganddyn nhw ei bod wedi cael ei brynu am bris a oedd yn llawer rhy uchel, a oedd yn gwbl anwir. Fe wnaethon nhw ganiatáu i'w hideoleg gyfrif mwy na swyddi. Nid oedden nhw'n hoffi'r ffaith ei fod mewn perchnogaeth gyhoeddus, ac roedd hynny yn bwysicach na diogelu swyddi'r bobl a oedd yn gweithio yno mewn gwirionedd. Byddai'r maes awyr hwnnw wedi cael ei droi yn ystâd o dai, mae'n siŵr. Byddai'r cynghorwyr, wedyn, wedi gwrthwynebu hynny hefyd. A yw'n wir, Prif Weinidog, nad yw'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn fodlon cefnogi'r diwydiant awyrennau yng Nghymru, a dyna sy'n eu gwneud nhw'n anaddas i lywodraethu Cymru, nawr ac yn y dyfodol?
Well, Llywydd, the failure of the Conservative Party is manifest here in Wales and it's aided and abetted by their compatriots at the UK Government as well. On five separate occasions, Llywydd, since the beginning of December, at senior official level and ministerially, we have tried to get an answer out of the UK Government about the £100 million support fund for airports that they have repeatedly publicised. Now, we know that £8 million of that is to go to Bristol Airport—an airport that the UK Government itself cites, when it has refused to devolve air passenger duty to us here in Wales, on the grounds of competition with Bristol. Yet, they pump millions of pounds of money into Bristol while denying any support to airports here in Wales. It is the actions of the UK Conservatives that are undermining support for the union right across the United Kingdom, and it's the actions of the Welsh Conservatives, in the way in which they fail to support initiatives such as creating a national airport for Wales, that renders them, as the former First Minister says, unfit to be part of a Government here in Wales.
Wel, Llywydd, mae methiant y Blaid Geidwadol yn amlwg yma yng Nghymru ac mae'n cael ei gynorthwyo a'i annog gan eu cymheiriaid yn Llywodraeth y DU hefyd. Ar bum gwahanol achlysur, Llywydd, ers dechrau mis Rhagfyr, ar lefel uwch swyddogion ac yn weinidogol, rydym ni wedi ceisio cael ateb gan Lywodraeth y DU am y gronfa gymorth o £100 miliwn ar gyfer meysydd awyr y maen nhw wedi ei hysbysebu dro ar ôl tro. Nawr, rydym ni'n gwybod y bydd £8 miliwn o hynny yn mynd i Faes Awyr Bryste—maes awyr y mae Llywodraeth y DU ei hun cyfeirio ato, pan fo wedi gwrthod datganoli'r doll teithwyr awyr i ni yma yng Nghymru, ar sail cystadleuaeth â Bryste. Ac eto, maen nhw'n pwmpio miliynau o bunnoedd o arian i mewn i Fryste ond yn gwrthod unrhyw gymorth i feysydd awyr yma yng Nghymru. Gweithredoedd Ceidwadwyr y DU sy'n tanseilio cefnogaeth i'r undeb ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig, a gweithredoedd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, yn y ffordd y maen nhw'n methu â chefnogi mentrau fel creu maes awyr cenedlaethol i Gymru, sy'n eu gwneud nhw, fel y dywed y cyn Brif Weinidog, yn anaddas i fod yn rhan o Lywodraeth yma yng Nghymru.
I think I'll tone my question a bit differently. I was very pleased, First Minister, that Wizz Air's recent commitment to start operating from the airport was particularly good for the airport—a real boost for the airport and the aviation sector at, obviously, a very difficult time. From my perspective, I want to see the Welsh Government support Cardiff Airport in order that best value can be achieved when a future government returns the airport to the private sector. In that regard, perhaps, First Minister, you could update us on what measures the Welsh Government is currently taking to support the airport in its future development, in terms of a new marketing strategy, and also update us on improvements to transport links to the airport and in particular what capital investment can be put in place around the airport to help the airport diversify and generate new sources of income.
Rwy'n credu y gwnaf i ofyn fy nghwestiwn mewn ffordd ychydig yn wahanol. Roeddwn i'n falch iawn, Prif Weinidog, bod ymrwymiad diweddar Wizz Air i ddechrau gweithredu o'r maes awyr yn arbennig o dda i'r maes awyr—hwb gwirioneddol i'r maes awyr a'r sector hedfan ar adeg anodd iawn, yn amlwg. O'm safbwynt i, rwyf i eisiau gweld Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi Maes Awyr Caerdydd er mwyn gallu sicrhau'r gwerth gorau pan fydd llywodraeth yn y dyfodol yn dychwelyd y maes awyr i'r sector preifat. Yn hynny o beth, efallai, Prif Weinidog, y gallech chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni am y mesurau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd ar hyn o bryd i gefnogi'r maes awyr yn ei ddatblygiad yn y dyfodol, o ran strategaeth farchnata newydd, a hefyd rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni am welliannau i gysylltiadau trafnidiaeth â'r maes awyr ac yn arbennig pa fuddsoddiad cyfalaf y gellir ei roi ar waith o amgylch y maes awyr i helpu'r maes awyr i arallgyfeirio a chynhyrchu ffynonellau incwm newydd.
Well, Llywydd, the actions of the Welsh Government at the moment are simply focused on helping the airport to survive through the extraordinary impact of coronavirus on the airline industry. We have provided directly a further £4.5 million in loan facilities to the airport, which we are able to do. We have submitted a state-aid notification to the EU Commission for aid that is claimable through the European Union while we were still members of it. What we need to see is help from the UK Government—help that it is apparently prepared to provide to airports in England, help that it is denying to airports here in Wales.
We need a different approach by the UK Government. Why will it not even consider publicly funded air corridors between Cardiff Airport and elsewhere in the UK other than London—routes that we would have to pay for but we believe would be pivotal to the success of the airport? Why does the UK Government persist in taking a different approach to other countries in Europe in relation to allowable aid for safety and security costs—safety and security costs that fall more sharply on regional airports than large airports here in the United Kingdom?
There are many ways in which the UK Government could play its part in assisting the airport here in Wales to weather the enormous storm of coronavirus. We make every effort to support that airport because we know that it is essential to have a national airport to support industry here in Wales, to support passengers here in Wales. That does include, as Russell George says, improvements to infrastructure around the airport, as well as at the airport itself. It would be fantastically useful if the efforts we are making might be matched by those that the UK Government denies us at the moment.
Wel, Llywydd, mae gweithredoedd Llywodraeth Cymru ar hyn o bryd yn canolbwyntio yn syml ar helpu'r maes awyr i oroesi drwy effaith eithriadol coronafeirws ar y diwydiant awyrennau. Rydym ni wedi darparu £4.5 miliwn ychwanegol yn uniongyrchol mewn cyfleusterau benthyca i'r maes awyr, yr ydym ni'n gallu ei wneud. Rydym ni wedi cyflwyno hysbysiad cymorth gwladwriaethol i Gomisiwn yr UE am gymorth y gellir ei hawlio drwy'r Undeb Ewropeaidd tra'r oeddem ni'n dal yn aelodau ohono. Yr hyn y mae angen i ni ei weld yw cymorth gan Lywodraeth y DU—cymorth y mae'n ymddangos ei bod yn barod i'w ddarparu i feysydd awyr yn Lloegr, cymorth y mae'n ei wrthod i feysydd awyr yma yng Nghymru.
Rydym ni angen gwahanol ddull gweithredu gan Lywodraeth y DU. Pam na wnaiff hyd yn oed yn ystyried coridorau awyr a ariennir yn gyhoeddus rhwng Maes Awyr Caerdydd a mannau eraill yn y DU ac eithrio Llundain—llwybrau y byddai'n rhaid i ni dalu amdanyn nhw ond yr ydym ni'n credu y byddent yn ganolog i lwyddiant y maes awyr? Pam mae Llywodraeth y DU yn parhau i gymryd gwahanol agwedd i wledydd eraill yn Ewrop o ran cymorth a ganiateir ar gyfer costau diogelwch—costau diogelwch sy'n cael eu hysgwyddo yn fwy llym gan feysydd awyr rhanbarthol na meysydd awyr mawr yma yn y Deyrnas Unedig?
Mae sawl ffordd y gallai Llywodraeth y DU chwarae ei rhan i gynorthwyo'r maes awyr yma yng Nghymru i oroesi storm enfawr coronafeirws. Rydym ni'n gwneud pob ymdrech i gynorthwyo'r maes awyr hwnnw gan ein bod ni'n gwybod ei bod hi'n hanfodol cael maes awyr cenedlaethol i gefnogi diwydiant yma yng Nghymru, i gefnogi teithwyr yma yng Nghymru. Mae hynny'n cynnwys, fel y dywed Russell George, gwelliannau i seilwaith o amgylch y maes awyr, yn ogystal ag yn y maes awyr ei hun. Byddai'n ddefnyddiol dros ben pe byddai'r ymdrechion yr ydym ni'n eu gwneud yn cael eu cyfateb gan y rhai y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn eu gwrthod i ni ar hyn o bryd.
Will the First Minister agree with me that the best way that Governments could support airports throughout the United Kingdom and, indeed—[Inaudible.]—is to abolish air passenger duty, which is a tax on flying and a massive disincentive to people to use airports? It adds £78 to every short-haul ticket and can end up being—[Inaudible.]—total ticket price. But this, of course, would be in conflict with the Welsh Government's policy of virtue signalling on environmental policy, to which Wales can make no significant difference in global terms. But reducing the cost of air travel is absolutely vital to the survival of airlines and, indeed, the prosperity of airports.
A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog gytuno â mi mai'r ffordd orau y gallai Llywodraethau gynorthwyo meysydd awyr ledled y Deyrnas Unedig ac, yn wir—[Anghlywadwy.] —yw diddymu'r doll teithwyr awyr, sy'n dreth ar hedfan ac yn anghymhelliad enfawr i bobl ddefnyddio meysydd awyr? Mae'n ychwanegu £78 at bob tocyn teithiau byr ac yn y pen draw gall fod—[Anghlywadwy.]—o gyfanswm pris tocyn. Ond byddai hyn, wrth gwrs, yn gwrthdaro â pholisi Llywodraeth Cymru o frolio ei rhinweddau o ran polisi amgylcheddol, na all Cymru wneud unrhyw wahaniaeth sylweddol iddo o safbwynt byd-eang. Ond mae lleihau cost teithio awyr yn gwbl hanfodol i oroesiad cwmnïau awyrennau ac, yn wir, ffyniant meysydd awyr.
Well, Llywydd, of course I disagree with the Member in the casual way that he shrugs off any responsibility we in Wales might have to contribute to the actions that collectively will make a difference to global warming. We are determined here in Wales that we will play our part. That's nothing to do with virtue signalling—it is simply recognising our responsibility. We will live up to that responsibility, just as the Member attempts to evade it in the question that he's asked me.
He will know that we have long argued for the devolution of APD. We were supported in that by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, in the report that they published on 11 June 2019, when the current junior Minister at the Wales Office chaired that select committee. It's time—in fact, Llywydd, it's long past time when the UK Government allows this Senedd to have control over that tax, just as it allows the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly to do the same. Then we could have a proper debate here with the Member about the way in which that power could be effectively used to support the airport, while not undermining the efforts we need to make to play our part in combating climate change.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n anghytuno â'r Aelod, wrth gwrs, yn y ffordd ddidaro y mae'n bychanu unrhyw gyfrifoldeb y gallai fod gennym ni yng Nghymru o ran cyfrannu at y camau a fydd, gyda'i gilydd, yn gwneud gwahaniaeth i gynhesu byd-eang. Rydym ni'n benderfynol yma yng Nghymru y byddwn ni'n chwarae ein rhan. Nid oes a wnelo hynny ddim â brolio rhinweddau—dim ond mater o gydnabod ein cyfrifoldeb ydyw. Byddwn yn cyflawni'r cyfrifoldeb hwnnw, yn union fel y mae'r Aelod yn ceisio ei osgoi yn y cwestiwn y mae wedi ei ofyn i mi.
Bydd yn gwybod ein bod ni wedi dadlau ers tro byd dros ddatganoli tollau teithio awyr. Cawsom ni ein cefnogi yn hynny o beth gan y Pwyllgor Dethol ar Faterion Cymreig, yn yr adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd ganddyn nhw ar 11 Mehefin 2019, pan roedd y Gweinidog iau presennol yn Swyddfa Cymru yn cadeirio'r pwyllgor dethol hwnnw. Mae'n bryd—a dweud y gwir, Llywydd, mae'n hen bryd i Lywodraeth y DU ganiatáu i'r Senedd hon gael rheolaeth dros y dreth honno, yn union fel y mae'n caniatáu i Senedd yr Alban a Chynulliad Gogledd Iwerddon wneud yr un peth. Yna gallem ni gael dadl briodol yn y fan yma gyda'r Aelod ynglŷn â'r ffordd y gellid defnyddio'r grym hwnnw yn effeithiol i gynorthwyo'r maes awyr, heb danseilio'r ymdrechion y mae angen i ni eu gwneud i chwarae ein rhan i fynd i'r afael â'r newid yn yr hinsawdd.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.
Questions now from the party leaders. Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price.
Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, in September 2019 I asked you to set out the anticipated responsibilities of the new child poverty review lead. Can you update the Senedd on the key findings resulting from their work?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, ym mis Medi 2019 gofynnais i chi nodi cyfrifoldebau disgwyliedig arweinydd newydd yr adolygiad tlodi plant. A allwch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd am y canfyddiadau allweddol yn deillio o'u gwaith?
Well, Llywydd, a great deal has happened since the Member asked me that question, in particular the intervention of a global pandemic crisis. In the crisis, the whole Cabinet has taken a direct interest in dealing with child poverty here in Wales, focusing on those practical actions that we are able to take that leaves money in the pockets of families that otherwise would be taken away from it or to add money to their weekly incomes. That is a whole-Government responsibility. It is led by my colleague Julie James, but right across the Government we have mobilised the responsibilities that we have and the budgets that we have to offer the practical help that we are able to provide here in Wales.
Wel, Llywydd, mae llawer iawn wedi digwydd ers i'r Aelod ofyn y cwestiwn hwnnw i mi, yn enwedig ymyrraeth argyfwng pandemig byd-eang. Yn yr argyfwng, mae'r Cabinet cyfan wedi cymryd diddordeb uniongyrchol mewn ymdrin â thlodi plant yma yng Nghymru, gan ganolbwyntio ar y camau ymarferol hynny y gallwn ni eu cymryd sy'n gadael arian ym mhocedi teuluoedd a fyddai fel arall yn cael eu tynnu oddi wrthyn nhw neu i ychwanegu arian at eu hincwm wythnosol. Mae hwnnw yn gyfrifoldeb i'r Llywodraeth gyfan. Fe'i harweinir gan fy nghyd-Weinidog Julie James, ond ar draws y Llywodraeth gyfan rydym ni wedi neilltuo'r cyfrifoldebau sydd gennym ni a'r cyllidebau sydd gennym ni i gynnig y cymorth ymarferol y gallwn ni ei ddarparu yma yng Nghymru.
Organisations working in this field in Wales have called for you to publish the findings of the child poverty review, and it's regrettable they're only now being made public as a result of a freedom of information request. They are, however, very revealing. Not only are they contrary to your own Government's policy, they're in line with what we in Plaid Cymru and others have been advocating. The report highlights, and I quote, that 'many of those in need' are not eligible currently for free school meals, and its central finding, as it goes on to say, is that:
'The most common suggestion was the need to expand eligibility for FSM to a wider range of children and young people.'
First Minister, why do you keep on resisting this recommendation?
Mae sefydliadau sy'n gweithio yn y maes hwn yng Nghymru wedi galw arnoch chi i gyhoeddi canfyddiadau'r adolygiad tlodi plant, ac mae'n destun gofid mai dim ond nawr y maen nhw'n cael eu cyhoeddi o ganlyniad i gais rhyddid gwybodaeth. Fodd bynnag, maen nhw'n ddadlennol iawn. Nid yn unig y maen nhw'n groes i bolisi eich Llywodraeth eich hun, maen nhw'n cyd-fynd â'r hyn yr ydym ni ym Mhlaid Cymru ac eraill wedi bod yn ei argymell. Mae'r adroddiad yn tynnu sylw, a dyfynnaf, nad yw llawer o'r rhai sydd mewn angen yn gymwys ar hyn o bryd i gael prydau ysgol am ddim, a'i ganfyddiad canolog, fel y mae'n mynd ymlaen i'w ddweud, yw:
Yr awgrym mwyaf cyffredin oedd yr angen i ehangu cymhwysedd ar gyfer prydau ysgol am ddim i ystod ehangach o blant a phobl ifanc.
Prif Weinidog, pam ydych chi'n dal i wrthsefyll yr argymhelliad hwn?
Well, we don't resist the recommendation. Llywydd, the changes that we have made to free school meals eligibility will result in thousands more children in Wales being able to take up free school meals than was the case under the previous eligibility regime. So, it is simply untrue to say that we have not take account of what the Member quite fairly quoted as not being Government policy, but our account of the suggestions that were made to us during the review. Now, the review was concluded before the global pandemic began. In November of last year, we published our child poverty income maximisation action plan. It was part of that plan that led us to invest an additional £52 million in free school meals in the current financial year to ensure the continued provision of free school meals during school holidays here in Wales. It's a very direct response to the comments that were collected during the review.
Wel, dydyn ni ddim yn gwrthsefyll yr argymhelliad. Llywydd, bydd y newidiadau yr ydym ni wedi eu gwneud i gymhwysedd i gael prydau ysgol am ddim yn golygu y bydd miloedd yn fwy o blant yng Nghymru yn gallu manteisio ar brydau ysgol am ddim na'r hyn a oedd yn wir o dan y drefn gymhwysedd flaenorol. Felly, mae'n gwbl anwir i ddweud nad ydym ni wedi cymryd i ystyriaeth yr hyn a ddyfynnwyd yn gwbl deg gan yr Aelod fel rhywbeth nad yw'n bolisi gan y Llywodraeth, ond ein barn ar yr awgrymiadau a wnaed i ni yn ystod yr adolygiad. Nawr, daeth yr adolygiad i ben cyn i'r pandemig byd-eang ddechrau. Ym mis Tachwedd y llynedd, cyhoeddwyd ein cynllun gweithredu ar sicrhau'r incwm mwyaf posibl ar gyfer tlodi plant. Rhan o'r cynllun hwnnw a wnaeth ein harwain ni i fuddsoddi £52 miliwn ychwanegol mewn prydau ysgol am ddim yn y flwyddyn ariannol gyfredol i sicrhau bod prydau ysgol am ddim yn parhau i gael eu darparu yn ystod gwyliau ysgol yma yng Nghymru. Mae'n ymateb uniongyrchol iawn i'r sylwadau a gasglwyd yn ystod yr adolygiad.
Of course, the actions that have been taken now during the pandemic are welcome, but the children's commissioner has made the point that we do need to see the review, which is looking at what can be done beyond the immediate, turned into a concrete plan of action. Many people working in this field are pointing out that Wales has the least generous provision for free school meals across the UK. Your Government's policy, as the child poverty action group has pointed out, means that 70,000 children living below the poverty line in Wales are currently excluded, and that's why we in Plaid Cymru, alongside many of those that responded to this review—charities, young people, local authorities—have made the case for immediately extending free school meals to any child in any family receiving universal credit or equivalent benefit. We know you've done the costings on that, First Minister, because you told us last week, but what is the long-term cost of allowing child poverty to persist? The children of Wales will be a priority in our manifesto—can you say the same, First Minister?
Wrth gwrs, mae'r camau sydd wedi eu cymryd nawr yn ystod y pandemig i'w croesawu, ond mae'r comisiynydd plant wedi gwneud y pwynt bod angen i ni weld yr adolygiad, sy'n edrych ar yr hyn y gellir ei wneud y tu hwnt i'r uniongyrchol, yn cael ei droi yn gynllun gweithredu pendant. Mae llawer o bobl sy'n gweithio yn y maes hwn yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith mai Cymru sydd â'r ddarpariaeth leiaf hael o ran prydau ysgol am ddim ledled y DU. Mae polisi eich Llywodraeth, fel y nododd y grŵp gweithredu ar dlodi plant, yn golygu bod 70,000 o blant sy'n byw islaw'r llinell dlodi yng Nghymru wedi'u hallgáu ar hyn o bryd, a dyna pam yr ydym ni ym Mhlaid Cymru, ynghyd â llawer o'r rheini a ymatebodd i'r adolygiad hwn—elusennau, pobl ifanc, awdurdodau lleol—wedi dadlau dros ymestyn prydau ysgol am ddim ar unwaith i unrhyw blentyn mewn unrhyw deulu sy'n cael credyd cynhwysol neu fudd-dal cyfatebol. Rydym ni'n gwybod eich bod chi wedi cyfrifo costau hynny, Prif Weinidog, oherwydd dywedasoch wrthym ni yr wythnos diwethaf, ond beth yw'r gost hirdymor o ganiatáu i dlodi plant barhau? Bydd plant Cymru yn flaenoriaeth yn ein maniffesto ni—a allwch chithau ddweud hynny hefyd, Prif Weinidog?
Llywydd, it's plainly nonsensical to suggest that our approach to free school meals is the least generous in the United Kingdom. We were the very first Government in the United Kingdom to guarantee free school meals during school holidays. We've seen the way in which the UK Government was dragged kicking and screaming to the same position as a result of campaigns, campaigns citing the actions that the Welsh Government had taken back in the autumn. I've had an opportunity to discuss directly with the children's commissioner the reports that she herself has provided on, for example, the costs of the school day, including free school meals. Our income maximisation action plan draws very heavily on the recommendations of the commissioner. It's why we have doubled and doubled again the number of times during a young person's school career that a child can draw down what used to be called the school uniform grant and which now, of course, is able to be used for a far wider range of purposes. Those are the practical actions that we can take, and, when this Government says that we will do something, we will make sure that it is practical, deliverable and affordable, and those are obligations that I think fall on any party that seeks to be part of Government. I look forward to his party being able to explain not simply how they're going to provide free school meals for any child in any family on universal credit, but alongside everything else that his party claims to be able to deliver. Then people will know that they are being made a responsible offer, not an offer simply designed to attract a headline.
Llywydd, mae'n amlwg yn hurt i awgrymu mai ein dull o ymdrin â phrydau ysgol am ddim yw'r lleiaf hael yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Ni oedd y Llywodraeth gyntaf un yn y Deyrnas Unedig i sicrhau prydau ysgol am ddim yn ystod gwyliau ysgol. Rydym ni wedi gweld y ffordd y cafodd Llywodraeth y DU ei llusgo yn cicio ac yn sgrechian i'r un sefyllfa o ganlyniad i ymgyrchoedd, ymgyrchoedd yn nodi'r camau yr oedd Llywodraeth Cymru wedi eu cymryd yn ôl yn yr hydref. Rwyf i wedi cael cyfle i drafod yn uniongyrchol gyda'r comisiynydd plant yr adroddiadau y mae hi ei hun wedi eu darparu ar, er enghraifft, costau'r diwrnod ysgol, gan gynnwys prydau ysgol am ddim. Mae ein cynllun gweithredu ar sicrhau'r incwm mwyaf posibl yn tynnu'n helaeth iawn ar argymhellion y comisiynydd. Dyna pam yr ydym ni wedi dyblu a dyblu eto nifer yr adegau yn ystod gyrfa ysgol person ifanc y gall plentyn gael yr hyn a arferai gael ei alw yn grant gwisg ysgol ac y gellir ei ddefnyddio bellach, wrth gwrs, at amrywiaeth lawer ehangach o ddibenion. Dyna'r camau ymarferol y gallwn ni eu cymryd, a phan fo'r Llywodraeth hon yn dweud y byddwn ni'n gwneud rhywbeth, byddwn ni'n gwneud yn siŵr ei fod yn ymarferol, y bod modd ei gyflawni a'i fod yn fforddiadwy, ac mae'r rheini'n rhwymedigaethau sydd, yn fy marn i, yn disgyn ar unrhyw blaid sy'n ceisio bod yn rhan o Lywodraeth. Edrychaf ymlaen at weld ei blaid ef yn gallu esbonio nid yn unig sut y maen nhw'n mynd i ddarparu prydau ysgol am ddim i unrhyw blentyn mewn unrhyw deulu sy'n cael credyd cynhwysol, ond ochr yn ochr â phopeth arall y mae ei blaid yn honni ei bod yn gallu ei ddarparu. Yna bydd pobl yn gwybod eu bod nhw'n cael cynnig cyfrifol, nid cynnig sydd wedi'i gynllunio dim ond i ddenu pennawd.
Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, last week there was much focus on the target of having 70 per cent of over-80-year-olds vaccinated. I heard your response to an earlier question this afternoon, but I think it is very, very important that we know quite clearly whether you've hit that target or not. You said last week that you will have day-to-day information in your possession that could give you an up-to-date picture. The health Minister wasn't able to confirm that yesterday at the press conference, but can you give us a simple response today, please? Have you hit the target of vaccinating 70 per cent of over-80-year-olds in Wales?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, roedd llawer o bwyslais yr wythnos diwethaf ar y targed o frechu 70 y cant o bobl dros 80 oed. Clywais eich ymateb i gwestiwn cynharach y prynhawn yma, ond rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig dros ben ein bod ni'n gwybod yn eglur pa un a ydych chi wedi cyflawni'r targed hwnnw ai peidio. Dywedasoch yr wythnos diwethaf y bydd gennych chi wybodaeth o ddydd i ddydd yn eich meddiant a allai roi'r darlun diweddaraf i chi. Nid oedd y Gweinidog iechyd yn gallu cadarnhau hynny ddoe yn y gynhadledd i'r wasg, ond a allwch chi roi ymateb syml i ni heddiw, os gwelwch yn dda? A ydych chi wedi cyflawni' targed o frechu 70 y cant o bobl dros 80 oed yng Nghymru?
Well, Llywydd, I've already given an answer to that question this afternoon. I know there was a lot of focus last week on other things as well, but the Member just needs to listen and then he would know that his question has already been answered. The data is still coming in, but the figures we have show 72 per cent of people living and working in care homes have already been vaccinated. That's not just offered vaccination—that's already been vaccinated. We will not reach the 70 per cent for over-80s because of the interruption to the programme of vaccination that happened on Sunday and on Monday morning. I won't have people over 80 feeling pressurised to come out to be vaccinated when they themselves decide that it is not safe for them to do so. All of those people will have been offered a further opportunity to be vaccinated by the end of Wednesday. We are on track to deliver what we said we would, which is to have made an offer of vaccination to everybody in the top four priority groups by the middle of February.
Wel, Llywydd, rwyf i eisoes wedi rhoi ateb i'r cwestiwn hwnnw y prynhawn yma. Gwn fod llawer o bwyslais yr wythnos diwethaf ar bethau eraill hefyd, ond mae angen i'r Aelod wrando ac yna byddai'n gwybod bod ei gwestiwn wedi cael ei ateb eisoes. Mae'r data yn dal i ddod i mewn, ond mae'r ffigurau sydd gennym ni yn dangos bod 72 y cant o bobl sy'n byw ac yn gweithio mewn cartrefi gofal eisoes wedi cael eu brechu. Nid dim ond cynnig brechiad yw hynny—eisoes wedi'u brechu yw hynny. Ni fyddwn ni'n cyrraedd y 70 y cant ar gyfer pobl dros 80 oed oherwydd yr ymyriad i'r rhaglen frechu a ddigwyddodd ddydd Sul a bore dydd Llun. Nid wyf i'n fodlon gwneud pobl dros 80 oed i deimlo dan bwysau i ddod allan i gael eu brechu pan fyddan nhw eu hunain yn penderfynu nad yw'n ddiogel iddyn nhw wneud hynny. Bydd pob un o'r bobl hynny wedi cael cynnig cyfle arall i gael eu brechu erbyn diwedd dydd Mercher. Rydym ni ar y trywydd iawn i gyflawni'r hyn y dywedasom y byddem ni'n ei gyflawni, sef gwneud cynnig o frechiad i bawb yn y pedwar grŵp blaenoriaeth uchaf erbyn canol mis Chwefror.
You have not met your commitment, First Minister. Last week, you said quite clearly, and your health Minister said quite clearly—that was information offered by you as a Government—that everyone over the age of 80, 70 per cent of that cohort, would be vaccinated by the end of the week. I heard loud and clear what the response was, but you didn't give a clear answer. You have cleared that up—you've missed your target. That's straightforward; people understand that. Yesterday, for example, I could tell that the UK Government have four out of five 80-year-olds vaccinated—80 per cent. They've hit their target. What we're seeing constantly is targets being missed by your Government, and we're seeing the opening of a postcode lottery here in Wales. Last Friday, for example, there was a surgery in Barry that had 350 over-80-year-olds on their books, but only 50 individuals had been offered the vaccine and had been administered the shots. That clearly shows that, in some areas, there is a difference of administration and of availability of the vaccine, whilst in other areas the health Minister was talking about over-70-year-olds being called for the vaccination. Can you confirm what measures you are taking to catch up with the roll-out of the vaccine and, ultimately, make sure that a postcode lottery doesn't emerge across Wales?
Dydych chi ddim wedi cyflawni eich ymrwymiad, Prif Weinidog. Yr wythnos diwethaf, dywedasoch yn hollol eglur, a dywedodd eich Gweinidog iechyd yn hollol eglur—gwybodaeth a gynigiwyd gennych chi fel Llywodraeth oedd honno—y byddai pawb dros 80 oed, 70 y cant o'r garfan honno, yn cael eu brechu erbyn diwedd yr wythnos. Clywais yn uchel ac yn eglur beth oedd yr ymateb, ond ni wnaethoch chi roi ateb eglur. Rydych chi wedi egluro hynny—rydych chi wedi methu eich targed. Mae hynny'n syml; mae pobl yn deall hynny. Ddoe, er enghraifft, gallwn ddweud bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi brechu pedwar o bob pump o bobl 80 oed—80 y cant. Maen nhw wedi cyflawni eu targed. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei weld yn gyson yw targedau yn cael eu methu gan eich Llywodraeth chi, ac rydym ni'n gweld loteri cod post yn cychwyn yma yng Nghymru. Ddydd Gwener diwethaf, er enghraifft, roedd meddygfa yn y Barri a oedd â 350 o bobl dros 80 oed wedi'u cofrestru yno, ond dim ond 50 o unigolion oedd wedi cael cynnig y brechlyn ac wedi cael y pigiadau. Mae hynny yn dangos yn eglur bod gwahaniaeth o ran rhoi y brechlyn ac o ran i ba raddau y mae'r brechlyn ar gael mewn rhai ardaloedd, ac mewn ardaloedd eraill roedd y Gweinidog iechyd yn sôn am bobl dros 70 oed yn cael eu galw i gael y brechiad. A allwch chi gadarnhau pa fesurau yr ydych chi'n eu cymryd i ddal i fyny â chyflwyniad y brechlyn ac, yn y pen draw, i wneud yn siŵr nad oes loteri cod post yn dod i'r amlwg ledled Cymru?
Well, really, Llywydd, the Member's going to have to do better than that. Here he is again in his resumed responsibilities. There is no postcode lottery here in Wales; there is an enormous effort in every single part of Wales, right across the health service, to vaccinate as many people as quickly and as safely as possible. The figures from last week demonstrate just how successful that effort has been. Instead of sniping from the sidelines, those people would appreciate just a little bit of support from the Member instead of the undermining of their efforts, which, of course, has been his key characteristic throughout the coronavirus crisis.
Wel, mewn gwirionedd, Llywydd, bydd yn rhaid i'r Aelod wneud yn well na hynna. Dyma fe eto yn ei gyfrifoldebau y mae wedi ailafael ynddynt. Nid oes loteri cod post yma yng Nghymru; mae ymdrech enfawr ym mhob un rhan o Gymru, ar draws y gwasanaeth iechyd cyfan, i frechu cynifer o bobl â phosibl cyn gynted ac mor ddiogel â phosibl. Mae'r ffigurau o'r wythnos diwethaf yn dangos pa mor llwyddiannus y bu'r ymdrech honno. Yn hytrach na beirniadu o'r ymylon, byddai'r bobl hynny yn gwerthfawrogi rhyw fymryn yn unig o gefnogaeth gan yr Aelod yn hytrach na thanseilio eu hymdrechion, sef ei nodwedd allweddol, wrth gwrs, drwy gydol yr argyfwng coronafeirws.
Well, again, the First Minister doesn't look at the facts that are before him. Everything I've quoted him today are facts—about the Government's own commitment about 70 per cent of over-80-year-olds being vaccinated by the end of the week; the fact that that surgery in Barry identified that 350 people on their books over 80 and only 50 have been administered the shots; the difference between England and Wales—there are now 50,000 more people vaccinated in England, as a proportion of population, than in Wales. That's equivalent to the town of Barry. There is a level of urgency required in the roll-out of this vaccine. You yourself are on the record of talking of it not being a sprint. The people of Wales want to know that the speed and the roll-out are catching up with other parts of the United Kingdom, and when you set yourself a target, you hit the target. I've dealt in facts today; you've constantly tried to deflect from that, First Minister. It would be far better if, when you made a commitment, you stuck to it. So, what are you doing to close that population gap that has opened up with England of 50,000 people? As I said, that is a town the size of Barry being vaccinated, and that is of critical importance, First Minister.
Wel, unwaith eto, nid yw'r Prif Weinidog yn edrych ar y ffeithiau sydd ger ei fron. Mae popeth yr wyf i wedi ei ddyfynnu iddo heddiw yn ffeithiau—am ymrwymiad y Llywodraeth ei hun i frechu oddeutu 70 y cant o bobl dros 80 oed erbyn diwedd yr wythnos; y ffaith fod y feddygfa honno yn y Barri wedi nodi bod 350 o bobl dros 80 wedi'u cofrestru â nhw a dim ond 50 sydd wedi cael y pigiadau; y gwahaniaeth rhwng Cymru a Lloegr—mae 50,000 yn fwy o bobl wedi'u brechu yn Lloegr, fel cyfran o'r boblogaeth, nag yng Nghymru erbyn hyn. Mae hynny yn cyfateb i dref y Barri. Mae angen lefel o frys o ran cyflwyno'r brechlyn hwn. Rydych chi eich hun ar y cofnod yn sôn nad yw'n sbrint. Mae pobl Cymru eisiau gwybod bod y cyflymder a'r cyflwyniad yn dal i fyny â rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig, a phan fyddwch chi'n pennu targed i'ch hunan, mae'n rhaid i chi gyflawni'r targed. Rwyf i wedi ymdrin â ffeithiau heddiw; rydych chi wedi ceisio tynnu sylw oddi wrth y rheini yn gyson, Prif Weinidog. Byddai'n llawer gwell pe byddech chi, pan eich bod chi wedi gwneud ymrwymiad, yn glynu ato. Felly, beth ydych chi'n ei wneud i gau'r bwlch poblogaeth hwnnw sydd wedi agor gyda Lloegr o 50,000 o bobl? Fel y dywedais, mae hynny yn dref o faint y Barri yn cael ei brechu, ac mae hynny yn hollbwysig, Prif Weinidog.
Let me give the Member a few facts. On Tuesday of last week, we had succeeded in vaccinating 162,000 people in Wales. This Tuesday, that has risen to 290,000 people. That's the fastest rate of increase of any part of the United Kingdom. Last Monday, we vaccinated 10,000 people; this Monday, we vaccinated nearly 20,000 people. That is the speed of the roll-out here in Wales—a speed that is urgent, a speed that is dedicated, a speed that is succeeding. He may want to run it down. He leads a Conservative party in Wales that has reverted to its nineteenth-century type: for Wales, see England. It's not good enough, it doesn't wash and he's going to have to do better than that.
Gadewch i mi roi ychydig o ffeithiau i'r Aelod. Ddydd Mawrth yr wythnos diwethaf, roeddem ni wedi llwyddo i frechu 162,000 o bobl yng Nghymru. Y dydd Mawrth yma, mae hynny wedi codi i 290,000 o bobl. Dyna'r gyfradd gyflymaf o gynnydd mewn unrhyw ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Ddydd Llun diwethaf, fe wnaethom ni frechu 10,000 o bobl; y dydd Llun yma, fe wnaethom ni frechu bron i 20,000 o bobl. Dyna gyflymder y cyflwyniad yma yng Nghymru—cyflymder sydd ar frys, cyflymder sy'n ymroddedig, cyflymder sy'n llwyddo. Efallai y bydd ef eisiau ei fychanu. Mae'n arwain plaid Geidwadol yng Nghymru sydd wedi dychwelyd i'w theip pedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg: ar gyfer Cymru, gweler Lloegr. Nid yw'n ddigon da, nid yw'n dderbyniol a bydd yn rhaid iddo ef wneud yn well na hynny.
Cwestiwn 3, Mark Isherwood.
Question 3, Mark Isherwood.
Diolch, Llywydd. Am I on? Yes.
Diolch, Llywydd. Ydw i ymlaen? Ydw.
Yes, you are. Carry on.
Ydych, mi ydych chi. Ewch ymlaen.
3. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi busnesau hunanarlwyo yng Ngogledd Cymru yn ystod y pandemig? OQ56166
3. How is the Welsh Government supporting self-catering businesses in North Wales during the pandemic? OQ56166
Llywydd, on Friday 22 January, the package of support to businesses affected by level 4 restrictions was further enhanced by an additional £200 million, taking its total to £650 million. Self-catering businesses will be eligible for elements of this support, provided they meet the necessary criteria.
Llywydd, ddydd Gwener 22 Ionawr, cafodd y pecyn cymorth i fusnesau sy'n cael eu heffeithio gan gyfyngiadau lefel 4 ei gynyddu ymhellach drwy roi £200 miliwn ychwanegol, gan godi ei gyfanswm i £650 miliwn. Bydd busnesau hunanarlwyo yn gymwys i gael elfennau o'r cymorth hwn, cyn belled â'u bod yn bodloni'r meini prawf angenrheidiol.
Thank you. Well, a single north Wales council continues to insist that legitimate self-catering businesses that do not meet all three Welsh Government criteria for the payment of business and lockdown non-domestic rate grants to holiday letting businesses are ineligible, leaving several struggling, telling me that their position is based on a telephone conversation with a Welsh Government official, although they confirm that the council does not have a formal written record of that conversation and nor was there any subsequent correspondence to confirm the outcome. However, I've received confirmation from three Welsh Government Ministers and all five other north Wales county councils that local authorities have discretion to pay out these grants to self-catering businesses unable to meet the three eligibility criteria, but able to prove they're a legitimate business. For example, Denbighshire confirmed they paid the grants out in these cases, and the officers from Welsh Government confirmed that their viewpoint was valid and they were correct in awarding the grants to these businesses. Will you therefore place on record that local authorities have discretion to pay out these grants to self-catering businesses that are unable to meet the three eligibility criteria, but able to prove they're a legitimate business to their council, and confirm whether Welsh Government funding is available for retrospective payments accordingly?
Diolch. Wel, mae un cyngor yng ngogledd Cymru yn parhau i fynnu bod busnesau hunanarlwyo cyfreithlon nad ydyn nhw'n bodloni pob un o dri maen prawf Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer talu grantiau ardrethi annomestig busnes a chyfyngiadau symud i fusnesau gosod ar gyfer gwyliau yn anghymwys, gan adael sawl un mewn trafferthion, gan ddweud wrthyf i fod eu sefyllfa yn seiliedig ar sgwrs ffôn gyda swyddog o Lywodraeth Cymru, er eu bod nhw'n cadarnhau nad oes gan y cyngor gofnod ysgrifenedig ffurfiol o'r sgwrs honno ac nad oedd unrhyw ohebiaeth ddilynol ychwaith i gadarnhau'r canlyniad. Fodd bynnag, rwyf i wedi cael cadarnhad gan dri Gweinidog Llywodraeth Cymru a phob un o'r pum cyngor sir arall yn y gogledd bod gan awdurdodau lleol ddisgresiwn i dalu'r grantiau hyn i fusnesau hunanarlwyo nad ydyn nhw'n gallu bodloni'r tri maen prawf cymhwyso, ond sy'n gallu profi eu bod nhw'n fusnes cyfreithlon. Er enghraifft, cadarnhaodd Sir Ddinbych eu bod nhw'n talu'r grantiau allan yn yr achosion hyn, a chadarnhaodd swyddogion o Lywodraeth Cymru bod eu safbwynt yn ddilys a'u bod nhw'n iawn wrth ddyfarnu'r grantiau i'r busnesau hyn. A wnewch chi gofnodi felly bod gan awdurdodau lleol ddisgresiwn i dalu'r grantiau hyn i fusnesau hunanarlwyo nad ydyn nhw yn gallu bodloni'r tri maen prawf cymhwyso, ond sy'n gallu profi eu bod nhw'n fusnes cyfreithlon i'w cyngor, a chadarnhau pa un a oes cyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gael ar gyfer ôl-daliadau yn unol â hynny?
Well, Llywydd, I think the Member has accurately set out the Welsh Government's position: we have provided discretion to local authorities to apply the criteria we set out in the specific circumstances that they face. Discretion will mean that some local authorities go about that in ways that others do not. That is in the nature of discretion. The Member has accurately set out the Welsh Government's position on that matter.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod yr Aelod wedi cyflwyno safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru yn gywir: rydym ni wedi rhoi disgresiwn i awdurdodau lleol gymhwyso'r meini prawf a nodwyd gennym ni o dan yr amgylchiadau penodol y maen nhw'n eu hwynebu. Bydd disgresiwn yn golygu bod rhai awdurdodau lleol yn mynd ati i wneud hynny mewn ffyrdd nad yw eraill yn ei wneud. Dyna natur disgresiwn. Mae'r Aelod wedi cyflwyno safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru ar y mater hwnnw yn gywir.
4. Pa drafodaethau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cael gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch cynlluniau ar gyfer adolygiad ar ôl Brexit o hawliau gweithwyr y DU? OQ56170
4. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government regarding plans for a post-Brexit review of UK workers' rights? OQ56170
Llywydd, any erosion of workers' rights is unacceptable, unnecessary and damaging. A race to the bottom is not in the interests of workers, employers or the broader economy. The UK Government must uphold its promise to protect workers' rights following Brexit.
Llywydd, mae unrhyw erydiad o hawliau gweithwyr yn annerbyniol, yn ddiangen ac yn niweidiol. Nid yw ras i'r gwaelod er budd gweithwyr, cyflogwyr na'r economi ehangach. Mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth y DU gadw ei haddewid i ddiogelu hawliau gweithwyr yn dilyn Brexit.
First Minister, thank you for your answer. I raised this, as you know, last week in questions, but over the course of the last week, despite initial denials, we've now seen a UK business Secretary confirm proposals for a bonfire of hard-won workers' rights and terms and conditions, despite repeated promises from the Prime Minister that this would not happen on leaving the EU. These proposals are going to leave many workers, including key workers throughout Wales, hundreds of pounds out of pocket and working longer hours for less in unsafe work. So, First Minister, will you agree with me that working people who now face the prospect of working longer for less, having their hard-won rights stripped away, could feel that they've been hoodwinked by the Conservatives and their promises of a bright new future when we left the EU?
Prif Weinidog, diolch am eich ateb. Codais hyn, fel y gwyddoch, yr wythnos diwethaf yn ystod cwestiynau, ond yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf, er gwaethaf y gwadu cychwynnol, rydym ni bellach wedi gweld Ysgrifennydd busnes y DU yn cadarnhau cynigion ar gyfer coelcerth o hawliau a thelerau ac amodau gweithwyr y gweithiwyd yn galed i'w hennill, er gwaethaf addewidion mynych gan Brif Weinidog y DU na fyddai hyn yn digwydd wrth adael yr UE. Mae'r cynigion hyn yn mynd i adael llawer o weithwyr, gan gynnwys gweithwyr allweddol ledled Cymru, gannoedd o bunnoedd ar eu colled ac yn gweithio oriau hwy am lai mewn gwaith anniogel. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a wnewch chi gytuno â mi y gallai pobl sy'n gweithio sydd bellach yn wynebu'r posibilrwydd o weithio yn hwy am lai, gan golli eu hawliau y gweithiwyd yn galed i'w hennill, deimlo eu bod nhw wedi cael eu twyllo gan y Ceidwadwyr a'u haddewidion o ddyfodol newydd disglair ar ôl i ni adael yr UE?
Well, Llywydd, Huw Irranca-Davies's question last week was prescient, because he put his finger on this issue before press reports appeared of plans that are going on inside the UK Government. Here is how they were reported:
'Worker protections enshrined in EU law—including the 48-hour week—would be ripped up under plans being drawn up by the government as part of a post-Brexit overhaul of UK labour markets.
'The package of deregulatory measures is being put together by the UK’s business department with the approval of Downing Street...select business leaders have been sounded out on the plan.'
Now, is that the Morning Star reporting what's going on, Llywydd? No, it's the Financial Times telling us what is going on inside the UK Government. It is a disgrace. It's an absolute disgrace that a Government that made such promises to people that if they voted to leave the European Union their rights would be protected are, within weeks of that happening, drawing up secret plans to have a bonfire of those protections.
During this pandemic, our country has been kept going by an army of vulnerable key workers, including agency workers, whose limited rights very often stem from European Union law. Ripping up those rights is no way at all to reward them, and they will not forget—they will not forget what the Conservative Party here in Wales has in store for them: as Huw Irranca-Davies says, a future in which they're going to be asked to work longer for less. But we know what the Conservative Party thinks of them, Llywydd, don't we? The current Secretary of State in the business department was a contributor to that notorious Britannia Unchained book of less than a decade ago, when Conservative Cabinet members described British workers as
'among the worst idlers in the world'.
Now, they're able to put that ideologically charged view of the world into practice.
Wel, Llywydd, roedd cwestiwn Huw Irranca-Davies yr wythnos diwethaf yn rhagweledol, oherwydd rhoddodd ei fys ar y mater hwn cyn i adroddiadau yn y wasg ymddangos o gynlluniau sy'n digwydd y tu mewn i Lywodraeth y DU. Dyma sut y cawsant eu hadrodd:
Byddai amddiffyniadau gweithwyr sydd wedi'u hymgorffori yng nghyfraith yr UE—gan gynnwys yr wythnos 48 awr—yn cael eu dileu'n llwyr o dan gynlluniau sy'n cael eu llunio gan y llywodraeth yn rhan o ailwampio marchnadoedd llafur y DU ar ôl Brexit.
Mae'r pecyn o fesurau dadreoleiddio yn cael ei lunio gan adran fusnes y DU gyda chymeradwyaeth Downing Street...gofynnwyd am farn arweinyddion busnes dethol ar y cynllun.
Nawr, ai'r Morning Star sy'n adrodd beth sy'n digwydd, Llywydd? Nage, y Financial Times sy'n dweud wrthym ni beth sy'n digwydd y tu mewn i Lywodraeth y DU. Mae'n warthus. Mae'n gwbl warthus bod Llywodraeth a wnaeth addewidion o'r fath i bobl y byddai eu hawliau yn cael eu diogelu pe bydden nhw'n pleidleisio i adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd yn llunio, o fewn wythnosau i hynny ddigwydd, cynlluniau cyfrinachol i gael coelcerth o'r amddiffyniadau hynny.
Yn ystod y pandemig hwn, cadwyd ein gwlad yn rhedeg gan fyddin o weithwyr allweddol agored i niwed, gan gynnwys gweithwyr asiantaeth, y mae eu hawliau cyfyngedig yn aml iawn yn deillio o gyfraith yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Nid yw dileu'r hawliau hynny yn unrhyw ffordd o gwbl o'u gwobrwyo, ac ni fyddan nhw'n anghofio—ni fyddan nhw'n anghofio yr hyn sydd gan y Blaid Geidwadol yma yng Nghymru ar y gweill iddyn nhw: fel y dywed Huw Irranca-Davies, dyfodol lle bydd gofyn iddyn nhw weithio yn hwy am lai. Ond rydym ni'n gwybod beth mae'r Blaid Geidwadol yn ei feddwl ohonyn nhw, Llywydd, onid ydym ni? Roedd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol presennol yn yr adran fusnes yn gyfrannwr at y llyfr drwg-enwog hwnnw Britannia Unchained o lai na degawd yn ôl, pan ddisgrifiodd aelodau Ceidwadol y Cabinet weithwyr Prydain
ymhlith y diogynnod gwaethaf yn y byd.
Nawr, maen nhw'n gallu rhoi'r safbwynt ideolegol hwnnw o'r byd ar waith.
First Minister, the UK Government has been very clear that our high standards on protections for workers were never dependent on our membership of the EU. Now, whilst we can all be proud that the UK has one of the best records on workers' rights in the world, it is true that the Welsh Government could and should be doing more. Let's take, for example, your self-isolation support scheme, which is aimed at those on low incomes who cannot work from home and must self-isolate, and yet you are failing to make payments to Welsh people who have been told to isolate by the NHS track and trace app. So, why don't you today explain what action you are taking to ensure that workers who are notified by the NHS app to self-isolate will actually receive the £500 payment, as they are already doing in England under a Conservative UK Government? Diolch.
Prif Weinidog, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi bod yn eglur iawn nad oedd ein safonau uchel ar amddiffyniadau i weithwyr erioed yn ddibynnol ar ein haelodaeth o'r UE. Nawr, er y gallwn ni i gyd fod yn falch bod gan y DU un o'r hanesion gorau o ran hawliau gweithwyr yn y byd, mae'n wir y gallai ac y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru fod yn gwneud mwy. Beth am gymryd, er enghraifft, eich cynllun cymorth hunanynysu, y'i bwriedir ar gyfer y rhai ar incwm isel nad ydyn nhw'n gallu gweithio gartref ac y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw hunanynysu, ac eto rydych chi'n methu â gwneud taliadau i bobl Cymru y dywedwyd wrthyn nhw am ynysu gan ap olrhain y GIG. Felly, pam na wnewch chi esbonio heddiw pa gamau yr ydych chi'n eu cymryd i sicrhau y bydd gweithwyr sy'n cael eu hysbysu gan ap y GIG i hunanynysu yn cael y taliad o £500, fel y maen nhw eisoes yn ei wneud yn Lloegr o dan Lywodraeth Geidwadol y DU? Diolch.
Llywydd, the Member's attempt to defend the UK Government's record in this matter barely amounted to being feeble. No doubt she was briefed on the fact that in the House of Commons debate on this matter yesterday, Tory backbencher after backbencher queued up to praise the advantages of what they call flexibility and a bonfire of red tape, and we know what that means. We know that in the hands of the Conservative Party that means a bonfire of the rights of workers, hard-won rights, which, of course, her party has opposed at every possible opportunity.
As far as the self-isolation support scheme is concerned, about 20,000 applications have been received, just under 10,000 have been approved. Over 6,000 people have already received payments. That totals over £3 million. The NHS app is the responsibility of the English health department. It has to help to make sure that the app that it provides is suitable for use in Wales. In the meantime, we will find a workaround so that people who are notified through the app do not lose out on self-isolation support payments here in Wales, because we will take that responsibility, even while her party, which is actually in charge of the problem that she has identified, fails to do so.
Llywydd, prin y gellid disgrifio ymgais yr Aelod i amddiffyn hanes Llywodraeth y DU yn y mater hwn fel tila hyd yn oed. Mae'n siŵr ei bod hi wedi cael ei briffio am y ffaith bod aelod ar ôl aelod o feinciau cefn y Torïaid, yn nadl Tŷ'r Cyffredin ar y mater hwn ddoe, wedi ciwio i ganmol manteision yr hyn y maen nhw'n ei alw yn hyblygrwydd a choelcerth o fiwrocratiaeth, ac rydym ni'n gwybod beth mae hynny yn ei olygu. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod hynny, yn nwylo'r Blaid Geidwadol, yn golygu coelcerth o hawliau gweithwyr, hawliau y gweithiwyd yn galed i'w hennill, y mae ei phlaid hi, wrth gwrs, wedi eu gwrthwynebu ar bob cyfle posibl.
Cyn belled ag y mae'r cynllun cymorth hunanynysu yn y cwestiwn, derbyniwyd oddeutu 20,000 o geisiadau, a chymeradwywyd ychydig o dan 10,000. Mae dros 6,000 o bobl eisoes wedi derbyn taliadau. Mae hynny'n dod i gyfanswm o dros £3 miliwn. Adran iechyd Lloegr sy'n gyfrifol am ap y GIG. Mae'n rhaid iddo helpu i wneud yn siŵr bod yr ap y mae'n ei ddarparu yn addas i'w ddefnyddio yng Nghymru. Yn y cyfamser, byddwn yn dod o hyd i ateb fel nad yw pobl sy'n cael eu hysbysu drwy'r ap ar eu colled o ran taliadau cymorth hunanynysu yma yng Nghymru, oherwydd byddwn ni'n cymryd y cyfrifoldeb hwnnw, hyd yn oed tra bod ei phlaid hi, sy'n gyfrifol mewn gwirionedd am y broblem y mae hi wedi ei nodi, yn methu â gwneud hynny.
First Minister, scaremongering again. That's exactly what I expect. The answer you gave was the sort of reply I always expect from you—doom, gloom and more fear. In many areas of workers' rights, as Janet has rightly said, including maternity and holiday allowances, UK workers have enjoyed and will still enjoy far superior conditions than those mandated by the EU, and the relevant UK Government Minister has pledged that there will be no race to the bottom. So, First Minister, let's turn this around: what would you like to see the UK Government do in this area that would benefit workers in Wales? Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, codi bwganod eto. Dyna'n union yr wyf i'n ei ddisgwyl. Roedd yr ateb a roesoch y math o ateb yr wyf i bob amser yn ei ddisgwyl gennych chi—dinistr, digalondid a mwy o ofn. Mewn sawl maes o hawliau gweithwyr, fel y dywedodd Janet yn briodol, gan gynnwys lwfansau mamolaeth a gwyliau, mae gweithwyr y DU wedi mwynhau ac yn dal i fwynhau amodau llawer gwell na'r rhai a orfodir gan yr UE, ac mae Gweinidog perthnasol Llywodraeth y DU wedi addo na fydd ras i'r gwaelod. Felly, Prif Weinidog, gadewch i ni wrthdroi hyn: beth hoffech chi weld Llywodraeth y DU yn ei wneud yn y maes hwn a fyddai er lles gweithwyr yng Nghymru? Diolch.
Well, Llywydd, the Member can attempt to dismiss people's concerns as scaremongering. I read out for her not my words, but the report that the Financial Times produced of this Government's intentions, confirmed by Kwasi Kwarteng when speaking to the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee only on Tuesday of last week, when he confirmed that this review was going on inside Government. No. 10 has declined to dismiss what the Financial Times said about an end to the 48-hour maximum working week, about changes to rules about breaks at work, about removing overtime pay when calculating holiday pay entitlement. Those are direct assaults, particularly on the working lives of those who have the least protection already. The Labour Party will continue always to stand up for those people, to make sure that their rights are properly articulated and understood, even as she pretends that those things are of no importance.
Wel, Llywydd, gall yr Aelod geisio diystyru pryderon pobl fel codi bwganod. Darllenais iddi nid fy ngeiriau i, ond yr adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd am fwriadau'r Llywodraeth hon gan y Financial Times, a gadarnhawyd gan Kwasi Kwarteng wrth siarad â Phwyllgor Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol Tŷ'r Cyffredin dim ond ddydd Mawrth yr wythnos diwethaf, pan gadarnhaodd bod yr adolygiad hwn yn cael ei gynnal y tu mewn i'r Llywodraeth. Mae Rhif 10 wedi gwrthod diystyru'r hyn a ddywedodd y Financial Times am ddiwedd yr wythnos waith o ddim mwy na 48 awr, am newidiadau i reolau am seibiannau yn y gwaith, ynghylch dileu tâl goramser wrth gyfrifo hawl i dâl gwyliau. Mae'r rhain yn ymosodiadau uniongyrchol, yn enwedig ar fywydau gwaith y rhai sydd â'r lleiaf o amddiffyniad eisoes. Bydd y Blaid Lafur bob amser yn parhau i sefyll dros y bobl hynny, i wneud yn siŵr bod eu hawliau yn cael eu mynegi a'u deall yn iawn, hyd yn oed wrth iddi hi esgus nad yw'r pethau hynny yn bwysig o gwbl.
Tynnwyd cwestiwn 5 [OQ56193] yn ôl, felly cwestiwn 6, Siân Gwenllian.
Question 5 [OQ56193] was withdrawn. Question 6, Siân Gwenllian.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi diweddariad am y rhaglen cyflwyno brechiadau yn erbyn COVID-19 yn Arfon? OQ56197
6. Will the First Minister provide an update on the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Arfon? OQ56197
Llywydd, diolch yn fawr i Siân Gwenllian am y cwestiwn. Ar 11 Ionawr, fe wnaethom gyhoeddi ein strategaeth frechu genedlaethol, gyda cherrig milltir a blaenoriaethau ar gyfer cyflawni. Yn Arfon, mae pob un o’r practisau gofal sylfaenol yn barod i roi’r brechlyn. Mae un o’r tair canolfan brechu torfol yn y gogledd wedi’i lleoli ym Mangor.
Llywydd, thank you to Siân Gwenllian for that question. On 11 January, we published our national vaccination strategy, with key milestones and priorities for delivery. Within Arfon, all primary care practices are ready to deliver the vaccine. Bangor has one of the three mass vaccinations centres in north Wales.
Diolch ichi. Roedd hi'n fraint cael mynd â mam, sy'n 92 oed, am ei brechiad cyntaf i'r digwyddiad mawr ym Mhen Llŷn dros y Sul. O ganlyniad i ymdrechion gwych arweinwyr meddygol lleol ac er gwaethaf llu o rwystrau biwrocrataidd ac eira, fe lwyddwyd i frechu 1,200 o bobl. Mae meddygon teulu a gweithwyr iechyd yn gwneud gwaith arwrol ym mhob cwr o Gymru, a mawr ydy'n diolch ni iddyn nhw.
Gaf i gyfeirio'ch Llywodraeth chi at un broblem sylweddol sydd angen ei datrys? Dydy systemau technoleg gwybodaeth y gwahanol haenau ddim yn siarad efo'i gilydd, ac mae hyn yn creu dryswch. Er enghraifft, dydy meddygon teulu ddim yn gallu gweld pa rai o'u cleifion nhw sydd wedi cael apwyntiad brechu i un o'r canolfannau brechu mawr, ac mi all hynny olygu bod rhai pobl yn cael dau apwyntiad a bod brechlyn gwerthfawr yn cael ei wastraffu. Un enghraifft ydy hynny. Fedrwch chi ffeindio a oes yna ddatrysiad cyflym i'r problemau IT yma? Maen nhw wedi dod i'm sylw i yn Arfon, ond maen nhw'n debygol o fod yn gyffredin ar draws Cymru.
Thank you. It was a privilege to take my mother, who is 92 years old, for her first vaccination at the major event on the Llŷn peninsula over the weekend. As a result of the excellent efforts of local medical leaders and despite a whole host of bureaucratic barriers and snow, 1,200 people were vaccinated. GPs and health workers are doing heroic work in all parts of Wales, and our debt to them is very great.
May I refer your Government to one significant problem that needs to be addressed? The ICT systems at the various levels don't communicate with each other, and this is creating confusion. For example, GPs can't see which of their patients have had a vaccination appointment at one of the mass vaccination centres, and that could mean that some people receive two appointments and that a valuable vaccination is wasted. That's just one example. Can you actually try and find a swift resolution to these IT problems? They've come to my attention in Arfon, but it's likely that they are common across Wales.
Wel, Llywydd, diolch yn fawr i Siân Gwenllian am y cwestiynau ychwanegol. Mae'n grêt i glywed bod ei mam hi wedi cael ei brechu, a dwi wedi bod yn darllen dros y penwythnos popeth sydd wedi bod yn digwydd yn Arfon ac ar y Llŷn. Dwi'n mynd i gyfeirio mewn munud at rywbeth dwi wedi ei weld gan Dr Eilir Hughes, y person sydd wedi bod yn arwain yr ymdrech ar y Llŷn. Ond, jest i ddweud ar y system technoleg gwybodaeth, mae pethau yn digwydd mor gyflym ac mae Gwasanaeth Gwybodeg GIG Cymru yn trio datrys y problemau sydd wedi digwydd. Maen nhw'n digwydd achos mae pob un yn gwneud eu gorau glas i wneud popeth o fewn eu gallu i roi brechiad i bobl ledled Cymru. Mae pethau yn y gogledd wedi arwain yr ymdrech yna hefyd, so dwi'n gallu dweud wrth Siân Gwenllian ein bod yn ymwybodol o'r problemau, ac mae pobl yn gweithio'n galed i drio gwella pethau. Dwi jest eisiau defnyddio un o'r brawddegau a welais i gan Dr Eilir Hughes ar ddiwedd y penwythnos. Mae hi yn Saesneg, Llywydd, a dwi jest yn mynd i'w ddarllen e mas, achos mae'n dangos yr ysbryd a'r ymdrech y mae pobl yn ei wneud.
Well, Llywydd, thank you to Siân Gwenllian for those supplementary questions. It's great to hear that her mother has received her vaccination, and I've been reading over the weekend about everything that's been happening in Arfon and on the Llŷn peninsula. I will refer in a moment to something I saw from Dr Eilir Hughes, who's been leading the vaccination efforts on the Llŷn peninsula. But, in terms of the ICT systems, things are happening so quickly and the NHS Wales Informatics Service are trying to resolve these problems that have arisen. They are happening because everyone is doing their level best to do everything they can to provide vaccinations to people the length and breadth of Wales. Areas of north Wales have led on those endeavours, so I can tell Siân Gwenllian that we're aware of the problems, and people are working very hard to resolve them. I do want to refer to one of the sentences I heard from Dr Eilir Hughes at the end of the weekend. It is in English, so will I just quote it in the original, because it does demonstrate the spirit and the effort that people are making.
This was Dr Eilir Hughes, one of the practitioners to whom Siân Gwenllian referred, who's done such a lot to provide innovative services in that part of Wales. This is what was said: 'Witnessing the joy that people felt of receiving the vaccine was a truly amazing and humbling experience to witness. I'm in total awe of everyone who made this happen and succeed. A team of 50 people delivering over 1,000 vaccines in two days; brilliant work by the admin staff, police, council staff and so many others overcoming unexpected snow and not a single dose wasted. Pen Llŷn at its very best.'
Dr Eilir Hughes oedd hwn, un o'r ymarferwyr y cyfeiriodd Siân Gwenllian atyn nhw, sydd wedi gwneud cymaint i ddarparu gwasanaethau arloesol yn y rhan honno o Gymru. Dyma a ddywedwyd: 'Roedd gweld y llawenydd yr oedd pobl yn ei deimlo o dderbyn y brechlyn yn brofiad gwirioneddol anhygoel a gostyngedig i'w weld. Mae gen i barch anhygoel at bawb a wnaeth i hyn ddigwydd a llwyddo. Tîm o 50 o bobl yn darparu dros 1,000 o frechlynnau mewn dau ddiwrnod; gwaith gwych gan y staff gweinyddol, yr heddlu, staff y cyngor a chymaint o rai eraill yn goresgyn eira annisgwyl ac ni wastraffwyd yr un dos. Pen Llŷn ar ei orau.'
7. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu eu cymryd i leihau tlodi yng nghanolbarth a gorllewin Cymru? OQ56198
7. What action does the Welsh Government plan to undertake to reduce poverty in the mid and west region? OQ56198
I thank Helen Mary Jones for that. We focus on those actions that add to or leave money in the pockets of those who need it the most. That includes aiding Welsh citizens to secure entitlement to UK-wide benefits. Our single advice services helped people in Mid and West Wales claim over £4.7 million in additional welfare benefit income last year alone.
Diolchaf i Helen Mary Jones am hynna. Rydym ni'n canolbwyntio ar y camau hynny sy'n ychwanegu at yr arian ym mhocedi'r rhai sydd ei angen fwyaf neu'n ei adael yn y pocedi hynny. Mae hynny yn cynnwys cynorthwyo dinasyddion Cymru i sicrhau hawl i fudd-daliadau DU gyfan. Cynorthwyodd ein gwasanaethau cynghori sengl bobl yn y canolbarth a'r gorllewin i hawlio dros £4.7 miliwn mewn incwm budd-daliadau lles ychwanegol y llynedd yn unig.
I'm grateful to the First Minister for his answer. He will be aware of the report from the Wales Governance Centre in April 2019 and, indeed, the report from a committee of this Senedd. The Wales Governance Centre estimated that if we were able to secure the devolution of welfare benefits on the same model that Scotland has, we could boost the Welsh budget by £200 million a year. Does the First Minister agree with me that it would greatly assist any Welsh Government's efforts to reduce poverty if we were able to control those elements of the benefit system here? Does he understand why my constituents in the poorest part of my region—towns like Llanelli—find it difficult to understand why the Welsh Government won't seek this power, in order to be able to take that practical action to which the First Minister refers?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Prif Weinidog am ei ateb. Bydd yn ymwybodol o'r adroddiad gan Ganolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru ym mis Ebrill 2019 ac, yn wir, adroddiad un o bwyllgorau'r Senedd hon. Amcangyfrifodd Canolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru pe gallem ni sicrhau datganoli budd-daliadau lles ar yr un model ag sydd gan yr Alban, y gallem ni roi hwb o £200 miliwn y flwyddyn i gyllideb Cymru. A yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi y byddai o gymorth mawr i unrhyw ymdrechion gan Lywodraeth Cymru i leihau tlodi pe gallem ni reoli'r elfennau hynny o'r system fudd-daliadau yn y fan yma? A yw e'n deall pam mae fy etholwyr yn rhan dlotaf fy rhanbarth—trefi fel Llanelli—yn ei chael hi'n anodd deall pam na wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru geisio cael y grym hwn, er mwyn gallu cymryd y camau ymarferol hynny y mae'r Prif Weinidog yn cyfeirio atyn nhw?
I'm very familiar with the report of the Wales Governance Centre to which Helen Mary Jones refers, and a very useful addition it was to the developing literature on what Wales should seek in relation to the benefits system. I take a different view, I suspect, to the Member. I'm in favour of seeking aspects of the administration of the welfare benefit system; I am not in favour of breaking up the UK's social security system. That's because I think that the United Kingdom offers a different opportunity to pool resources and share out rewards according to need, and that that is to the benefit of Welsh citizens, particularly our poorest Welsh citizens. The Wales Governance Centre report did say, as Helen Mary Jones says, that if we were offered devolution on the same basis as Scotland, that could lead to the sums of money the report identified. The report went on to say that it was highly unlikely that devolution on those terms would be offered to us, and set out the reasons why. So, I think it's important to provide a complete account of what that report said, and I'm afraid I agree with the report. It's very unlikely that the UK Government would be prepared to repeat the sort of deal that they offered to Scotland, partly because they now regret that they did so. Devolution of the administration of benefits is something that I've previously agreed with Helen Mary Jones about and I'm happy to repeat that, because I think that would give us a different set of possibilities in Wales without breaking up the access of Welsh people to the advantages that come by being part of that wider social security system.
Rwy'n gyfarwydd iawn ag adroddiad Canolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru y mae Helen Mary Jones yn cyfeirio ato, ac roedd yn ychwanegiad defnyddiol iawn at y llenyddiaeth ddatblygol ar yr hyn y dylai Cymru ei geisio o ran y system fudd-daliadau. Rwy'n amau bod gen i farn wahanol i'r Aelod. Rwyf i o blaid ceisio agweddau ar weinyddu'r system budd-daliadau lles; nid wyf i o blaid chwalu system nawdd cymdeithasol y DU. Y rheswm am hynny yw fy mod i'n credu bod y Deyrnas Unedig yn cynnig gwahanol gyfle i gyfuno adnoddau a rhannu gwobrau yn ôl yr angen, a bod hynny er budd dinasyddion Cymru, yn enwedig ein dinasyddion tlotaf yng Nghymru. Dywedodd adroddiad Canolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru, fel y dywed Helen Mary Jones, pe byddem ni'n cael cynnig datganoli ar yr un sail â'r Alban, y gallai hynny arwain at y symiau o arian a nodwyd gan yr adroddiad. Aeth yr adroddiad ymlaen i ddweud ei bod hi'n annhebygol iawn y byddai datganoli ar y telerau hynny yn cael ei gynnig i ni, ac yn nodi'r rhesymau am hynny. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig rhoi cyfrif cyflawn o'r hyn yr oedd yr adroddiad hwnnw yn ei ddweud, ac mae gen i ofn fy mod i'n cytuno â'r adroddiad. Mae'n annhebygol iawn y byddai Llywodraeth y DU yn barod i ailadrodd y math o gytundeb a gynigiwyd ganddi i'r Alban, yn rhannol oherwydd eu bod nhw'n edifar eu bod nhw wedi gwneud hynny erbyn hyn. Mae datganoli'r broses o weinyddu budd-daliadau yn rhywbeth yr wyf i wedi cytuno â Helen Mary Jones yn ei gylch yn y gorffennol ac rwy'n hapus i ailadrodd hynny, oherwydd fy mod i'n credu y byddai hynny yn rhoi gwahanol gyfres o bosibiliadau i ni yng Nghymru heb chwalu mynediad pobl Cymru at y manteision a ddaw drwy fod yn rhan o'r system nawdd cymdeithasol ehangach honno.
8. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn diogelu ac yn cefnogi'r holl weithwyr allweddol yng Nghymru yn ystod pandemig COVID-19? OQ56185
8. How is the Welsh Government protecting and supporting all key workers in Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56185
I thank Bethan Sayed for that question. Amongst the latest measures taken to protect and support key workers in Wales are last week’s strengthening of our coronavirus regulations in the workplace and in retail settings in particular. Such workers have been at the forefront of our programmes in PPE, testing and now vaccination throughout the pandemic.
Diolchaf i Bethan Sayed am y cwestiwn yna. Ymhlith y mesurau diweddaraf a gymerwyd i amddiffyn a chynorthwyo gweithwyr allweddol yng Nghymru mae cryfhau ein rheoliadau coronafeirws yn y gweithle ac mewn lleoliadau manwerthu yn arbennig a wnaed yr wythnos diwethaf. Mae gweithwyr o'r fath wedi bod yn flaenllaw yn ein rhaglenni cyfarpar diogelu personol, profi a brechu erbyn hyn, drwy gydol cyfnod y pandemig.
Thank you for that reply. I'll declare an interest, because my son is in nursery day care. I've had quite a lot of nurseries get in touch with me where staff have told me that they don't seem to be appearing on any lists for the vaccine. They feel like they've been left behind. They are working day in, day out in a vulnerable position. They can't wear PPE when they're working with very young children, and they feel that they should be prioritised for the vaccine, and yet they're not hearing anything from your Government. Can you commit today to looking at this again and providing nursery staff with the priority of a vaccination? They should be appreciated by society and by Welsh Government by being given the vaccine, because they're working, and because they're working so hard. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch am yr ateb yna. Hoffwn ddatgan buddiant, oherwydd mae fy mab mewn gofal dydd meithrin. Rwyf i wedi cael cryn dipyn o feithrinfeydd yn cysylltu â mi lle mae staff wedi dweud wrthyf nad yw'n ymddangos fel pe bydden nhw'n ymddangos ar unrhyw restrau ar gyfer y brechlyn. Maen nhw'n teimlo eu bod nhw wedi cael eu gadael ar ôl. Maen nhw'n gweithio o ddydd i ddydd mewn sefyllfa agored i niwed. Ni allan nhw wisgo cyfarpar diogelu personol pan fyddan nhw'n gweithio gyda phlant ifanc iawn, ac maen nhw'n teimlo y dylen nhw gael eu blaenoriaethu ar gyfer y brechlyn, ac eto dydyn nhw'n clywed dim gan eich Llywodraeth. A allwch chi ymrwymo heddiw i edrych ar hyn eto a rhoi brechiad i staff meithrinfeydd fel mater o flaenoriaeth? Dylai cymdeithas a Llywodraeth Cymru eu gwerthfawrogi drwy roi'r brechlyn iddyn nhw, gan eu bod nhw'n gweithio, a chan eu bod nhw'n gweithio mor galed. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch yn fawr, Bethan Sayed. Can I just, first of all, absolutely echo what she said about the work that staff in that sector do, the nature of that work and its importance? If we need to do more to communicate to people in that sector where they lie in the JCVI vaccination priority list, then I'm sure our colleague Julie Morgan is listening. In fact, I can see her listening to this exchange, and she will follow that up as a result of it. I'm not able to depart from the JCVI priority list, for all the reasons that we've rehearsed on the floor of the Senedd previously, but where people simply feel that they lack information about where they lie in the priority list and what that means for them, I'm sure we would want to do more to make sure that they know and understand that, particularly in the circumstances that the Member referred to.
Diolch yn fawr, Bethan Sayed. A gaf i, yn gyntaf oll, adleisio'n llwyr yr hyn a ddywedodd am y gwaith y mae staff yn y sector hwnnw yn ei wneud, natur y gwaith hwnnw a'i bwysigrwydd? Os oes angen i ni wneud mwy i gyfathrebu i bobl yn y sector hwnnw lle maen nhw ar restr blaenoriaeth frechu y Cydbwyllgor Brechu ac Imiwneiddio, yna rwy'n siŵr bod ein cyd-Aelod Julie Morgan yn gwrando. Yn wir, gallaf ei gweld hi'n gwrando ar y sgwrs hon, a bydd yn mynd ar drywydd hynny o ganlyniad i hyn. Ni allaf wyro oddi wrth restr flaenoriaeth y Cydbwyllgor, am yr holl resymau yr ydym ni wedi eu trafod ar lawr y Senedd o'r blaen, ond lle mae pobl yn teimlo nad oes ganddyn nhw wybodaeth am ble maen nhw ar y rhestr flaenoriaeth a'r hyn y mae hynny yn ei olygu iddyn nhw, rwy'n siŵr y byddem ni eisiau gwneud mwy i wneud yn siŵr eu bod nhw'n gwybod ac yn deall hynny, yn enwedig o dan yr amgylchiadau y cyfeiriodd yr Aelod atyn nhw.
9. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o effaith Brexit ar y GIG yng Nghymru? OQ56200
9. What assessment has the First Minister made of the impact of Brexit on the NHS in Wales? OQ56200
I thank Lynne Neagle. Leaving the European Union brings a range of adverse implications for the NHS, both in the short and long term. We work closely with the Welsh NHS to mitigate these new barriers at a time when the service is already under huge pressures from the global public health crisis.
Diolchaf i Lynne Neagle. Mae gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd yn dod ag amrywiaeth o oblygiadau andwyol i'r GIG, yn y byrdymor ac yn y tymor hir. Rydym ni'n gweithio yn agos gyda GIG Cymru i liniaru'r rhwystrau newydd hyn ar adeg pan fo'r gwasanaeth eisoes o dan bwysau enfawr o'r argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus byd-eang.
Thank you, First Minister. In the House of Commons last week, we saw Tory MPs vote down the Lords amendment to the Trade Bill that excluded NHS data from the scope of any future trade agreements, leaving the door open to the possibility of companies using that data to develop tools and medicines to sell back to the NHS. While Tory Ministers consistently tell us that the NHS is not for sale in future trade deals, their own MPs are voting against the amendment that makes that a reality. Can I ask you, First Minister, to give us your assurance that our NHS is not for sale in Wales? What steps will you take to ensure that that is communicated loudly and clearly to the UK Government?
Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog. Yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin yr wythnos diwethaf, gwelsom ASau Torïaidd yn pleidleisio yn erbyn gwelliant Tŷ'r Arglwyddi i'r Bil Masnach a oedd yn eithrio data'r GIG o gwmpas unrhyw gytundebau masnach yn y dyfodol, gan adael y drws yn agored i'r posibilrwydd y gallai cwmnïau ddefnyddio'r data hynny i ddatblygu offer a meddyginiaethau i'w gwerthu yn ôl i'r GIG. Er bod Gweinidogion Torïaidd yn dweud wrthym ni yn gyson nad yw'r GIG ar werth mewn cytundebau masnach yn y dyfodol, mae eu ASau eu hunain yn pleidleisio yn erbyn y gwelliant sy'n gwireddu hynny. A gaf i ofyn i chi, Prif Weinidog, roi sicrwydd i ni nad yw ein GIG ar werth yng Nghymru? Pa gamau a wnewch chi eu cymryd i sicrhau bod hynny yn cael ei gyfleu yn gwbl eglur i Lywodraeth y DU?
I thank the Member for that question. The NHS in Wales is absolutely, certainly not for sale, and not to be sacrificed, either, on the altar of some UK trade deal. It was deeply disappointing—I would go further than that, really—that the UK Government decided to overturn again amendments passed in the House of Lords on this matter, amendments passed with the support of three different parties represented here in the Senedd. Our colleagues in the House of Lords have mobilised to defend the interests of the NHS and to defend the interests of Wales against the onslaught of the UK Government. Here in Wales we will do everything that we possibly can to stand up for the Welsh NHS, to make sure that those who work in it know that they have our full support, to try to overcome the new barriers that will be there. The NHS Confederation and Wales Centre for Public Policy report of November told us that those most likely to be affected by new barriers to recruitment included ambulance drivers, social care workers, healthcare support workers and healthcare assistants. All of those people are vital to the Welsh NHS. All of those people will be harder to recruit because of the actions of this Government. They could have, instead of saying warm words, supported that amendment last week, which would have offered some comfort to people that our NHS is not to be sacrificed by this ideologically driven UK Government. They failed to do so; we will stand up for them and for the NHS.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna. Yn gwbl sicr, nid yw'r GIG yng Nghymru ar werth, ac ni fydd yn cael ei aberthu ychwaith, ar allor rhyw gytundeb masnach y DU. Roedd yn eithriadol o siomedig—byddwn yn mynd ymhellach na hynny, mewn gwirionedd—bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi penderfynu gwrthdroi unwaith eto gwelliannau a basiwyd yn Nhŷ'r Arglwyddi ar y mater hwn, gwelliannau a basiwyd gyda chefnogaeth tair gwahanol blaid a gynrychiolir yma yn y Senedd. Mae ein cydweithwyr yn Nhŷ'r Arglwyddi wedi paratoi i amddiffyn buddiannau'r GIG ac i amddiffyn buddiannau Cymru rhag ymosodiad Llywodraeth y DU. Yma yng Nghymru byddwn yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i sefyll dros GIG Cymru, i wneud yn siŵr bod y rhai sy'n gweithio ynddo yn gwybod bod ganddyn nhw ein cefnogaeth lawn, i geisio goresgyn y rhwystrau newydd a fydd yno. Dywedodd adroddiad Cydffederasiwn y GIG a Chanolfan Polisi Cyhoeddus Cymru ym mis Tachwedd wrthym ni fod y rhai sydd fwyaf tebygol o gael eu heffeithio gan rwystrau newydd i recriwtio yn cynnwys gyrwyr ambiwlans, gweithwyr gofal cymdeithasol, gweithwyr cymorth gofal iechyd a chynorthwywyr gofal iechyd. Mae'r holl bobl hynny yn hanfodol i GIG Cymru. Bydd yn fwy anodd recriwtio'r holl bobl hynny oherwydd gweithredoedd y Llywodraeth hon. Gallen nhw, yn hytrach na dweud geiriau gwresog, fod wedi cefnogi'r gwelliant hwnnw yr wythnos diwethaf, a fyddai wedi cynnig rhywfaint o gysur i bobl na fydd ein GIG yn cael ei aberthu gan y Llywodraeth hon sy'n cael ei gyrru gan ideoleg. Ni wnaethon nhw hynny; byddwn yn sefyll drostyn nhw a dros y GIG.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
I thank the First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes. Mi fyddaf i'n trosglwyddo'r gadair nawr i Ann Jones, ond yn gyntaf, galwaf ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad busnes—Rebecca Evans.
The next item is the business statement and announcement. I will now transfer the reins to Ann Jones, but I will first of all call on the Trefnydd to make the business statement—Rebecca Evans.
Diolch, Llywydd. There are two changes to this week's business. Firstly, the Minister for Health and Social Services will make a statement shortly to update Members on the latest position regarding the COVID-19 vaccination. Secondly, the title of the statement on promoting the use of Welsh in families—the transmission in families policy—has been updated. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae dau newid i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Yn gyntaf, bydd y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn gwneud datganiad yn y man i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau ynghylch y sefyllfa ddiweddaraf o ran brechu COVID-19. Yn ail, mae teitl y datganiad ar hyrwyddo defnydd y Gymraeg mewn teuluoedd—y polisi trosglwyddo o fewn teuluoedd—wedi'i ddiweddaru. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos nesaf wedi'i nodi ar y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.
Darren Millar. Darren Millar.
Darren Millar. Darren Millar.
Can you hear me?
A ydych chi'n gallu fy nghlywed i?
Yes, we can hear you.
Ydym, rydym yn gallu eich clywed chi.
Apologies for that. Trefnydd, north Wales was hit very hard last week, as were other communities across the country, by storm Christoph. Included in those communities that were hit was Ruthin in my own constituency. Can I call for a statement from the Welsh Government on the impact of those storms and what support is now going to be made available to communities like Ruthin and others across Wales that have really been hit hard by this? These floods couldn't have come at a worse time, given the impact of the COVID pandemic.
Can I also call for a statement from the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding the compensation available for third-year student nurse placements? I was contacted by a student nurse this week who tells me that student nurses in England are being paid for the placement hours that they complete under the new emergency standard measures that have now been introduced during the pandemic. But she and her colleagues in Wales have been told in a letter from the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales that students here will not be paid for their placements. This obviously seems to be quite unfair for those students here in Wales who feel that they are now disadvantaged compared to their peers. Can I ask for a statement on this particular issue in order that the student nurse workforce that we are going to be so reliant on during the pandemic and, indeed, in the future, is given proper compensation for the work that it's putting in? Thank you.
Ymddiheuriadau am hynny. Trefnydd, cafodd gogledd Cymru ei heffeithio'n wael iawn yr wythnos diwethaf, gan storm Christoph, ynghyd â chymunedau eraill ledled y wlad. Roedd Rhuthun yn fy etholaeth i wedi'i chynnwys ymhlith y cymunedau hynny a gafodd eu taro. A gaf i alw am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar effaith y stormydd hynny a pha gymorth fydd ar gael nawr i gymunedau fel Rhuthun ac eraill ledled Cymru a gafodd eu heffeithio'n wael gan hyn? Ni allai'r llifogydd hyn fod wedi dod ar adeg waeth, o ystyried effaith pandemig COVID.
A gaf i hefyd alw am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ynglŷn â'r iawndal sydd ar gael ar gyfer lleoliadau myfyrwyr nyrsio trydedd flwyddyn? Cysylltodd myfyriwr nyrsio â mi yr wythnos hon gan ddweud wrthyf fod myfyrwyr nyrsio yn Lloegr yn cael eu talu am yr oriau yn y lleoliad y maen nhw'n gweithio ynddo dan y mesurau safon argyfwng newydd sydd nawr wedi'u cyflwyno yn ystod y pandemig. Ond mae hi a'i chydweithwyr yng Nghymru wedi cael gwybod mewn llythyr gan Brif Swyddog Nyrsio Cymru na fydd myfyrwyr yma yn cael eu talu am eu lleoliadau. Mae'n amlwg bod hyn yn ymddangos yn eithaf annheg i'r myfyrwyr hynny yma yng Nghymru sy'n teimlo eu bod nawr dan anfantais o'u cymharu â'u cyfoedion. A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad ar y mater penodol hwn er mwyn i'r gweithlu myfyrwyr nyrsio y byddwn ni mor ddibynnol arno yn ystod y pandemig ac, yn wir, yn y dyfodol, gael iawndal priodol am y gwaith a wneir? Diolch.
Thank you to Darren Millar for raising both of these issues, the first being storm Christoph, which is clearly absolutely awful for the families and the businesses involved. As Darren sets out, it couldn't have come at a worse time, being in the middle of the pandemic and in winter as well. We're very alive to the needs of the people who've been affected by the storms, and that's why the Welsh Government has agreed to work with local authorities to make those support payments of up to £1,000 available per household. And of course, you'll remember that that is the same level of support that we made available in the storms that hit Wales in February and March of last year, just before the pandemic really took hold. This support will also be available to people who have suffered significant internal flooding whilst the restrictions have been in place, and we're in some active discussion with the areas impacted in terms of the case for any further funding. I know that the Minister for Housing and Local Government particularly is having discussions with the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs about what further support might be needed and, clearly, we'd be keen to keep colleagues updated on that.
I will ask my colleague the Minister for Health and Social Services to provide a written response to the particular query that you have regarding student nurses and the role that they can play in the tackling of the pandemic at this point.
Diolch i Darren Millar am godi'r ddau fater hyn. Y cyntaf yw storm Christoph, sy'n amlwg yn hollol ofnadwy i'r teuluoedd a'r busnesau dan sylw. Fel y mae Darren yn ei nodi, ni allai fod wedi dod ar adeg waeth, gan ein bod yng nghanol y pandemig ac yn y gaeaf hefyd. Rydym yn ymwybodol iawn o anghenion y bobl y mae'r stormydd wedi effeithio arnyn nhw, a dyna pam mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cytuno i weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod y taliadau cymorth hynny o hyd at £1,000 ar gael i bob cartref. Ac wrth gwrs, byddwch chi'n cofio mai dyna'r un lefel o gefnogaeth a ddarparwyd gennym yn y stormydd a drawodd Gymru ym mis Chwefror a mis Mawrth y llynedd, yn wir ychydig cyn i'r pandemig ddechrau. Bydd y cymorth hwn hefyd ar gael i bobl sydd wedi dioddef llifogydd mewnol sylweddol wrth i'r cyfyngiadau fod ar waith, ac rydym wrthi'n cael trafodaeth â'r ardaloedd yr effeithiwyd arnynt o ran yr achos dros unrhyw gyllid ychwanegol. Rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol yn arbennig yn cael trafodaethau gyda Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig ynghylch pa gymorth arall y gallai fod ei angen ac, yn amlwg, byddem ni'n awyddus i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i gydweithwyr ynghylch hynny.
Byddaf i'n gofyn i fy nghyd-Weinidog, y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, ddarparu ymateb ysgrifenedig i'r ymholiad penodol sydd gennych chi ynglŷn â myfyrwyr nyrsio a'r rhan y gallan nhw ei chwarae wrth fynd i'r afael â'r pandemig ar hyn o bryd.
I wanted to ask a question about health visitors. I had a reply from the health Minister today to a written question that I'd put in, and I didn't get a direct response as to whether any health visitors have been redeployed in the health service due to the pandemic. He said in that reply just to risk assess any considerations for redeployment by the health boards, but didn't say if it was happening or not. Now, I know that lots of parents are struggling to get access to their health visitors, so I'd like to have a statement brought forward from the health Minister that can detail whether those redeployments have happened, and how, and whether that means there's a deficiency therefore in helping new parents here in Wales.
My second request for a statement is with regards to the burst mine shaft in Skewen in my region that happened last week. I know one of the ladies whose house it happened to, Samira Jeffreys, very well, and she lost everything in that. I know that we are set to have a briefing as MSs at the end of the week by the Coal Authority, but I'd like to understand, as a Welsh Government, what are you doing to check all those old coal mine shafts to ensure that we don't see this happening all across south Wales, especially where we have former mining communities, and to ensure that you help those people who have been affected by this tragedy?
Roeddwn i eisiau gofyn cwestiwn ynghylch ymwelwyr iechyd. Cefais i ateb gan y Gweinidog Iechyd heddiw i gwestiwn ysgrifenedig yr oeddwn i wedi'i gyflwyno, ac ni chefais ateb uniongyrchol o ran a oes unrhyw ymwelwyr iechyd wedi eu hadleoli yn y gwasanaeth iechyd oherwydd y pandemig. Dywedodd ef yn yr ateb hwnnw i asesu risg unrhyw ystyriaethau ar gyfer adleoli gan y byrddau iechyd, ond ni ddywedodd a oedd yn digwydd ai peidio. Nawr, rwy'n gwybod bod llawer o rieni'n ei chael hi'n anodd cysylltu â'u hymwelwyr iechyd, felly hoffwn i gael datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a all fanylu a yw'r adleoliadau hynny wedi digwydd, a sut, ac a yw hynny'n golygu bod diffyg felly o ran helpu rhieni newydd yma yng Nghymru.
Mae fy ail gais am ddatganiad yn ymwneud â'r siafft lo a oedd wedi hollti yn Sgiwen yn fy rhanbarth i, a ddigwyddodd yr wythnos diwethaf. Rwy'n nabod un o'r menywod, y digwyddodd hynny i'w thŷ hi, Samira Jeffreys, yn dda iawn, a chollodd hi bopeth. Rwy'n gwybod y byddwn ni'n cael sesiwn friffio fel ASau ddiwedd yr wythnos gan yr Awdurdod Glo, ond hoffwn i ddeall beth ydych chi'n ei wneud yn Llywodraeth Cymru i archwilio'r holl hen siafftiau glo hynny i sicrhau nad ydym ni'n gweld hyn yn digwydd ledled de Cymru, yn enwedig lle mae gennym hen gymunedau glofaol, ac i sicrhau eich bod yn helpu'r bobl hynny y mae'r drasiedi hon wedi effeithio arnyn nhw?
On the first issue that was raised, which was in regard to the redeployment or otherwise of health visitors, I know that the health Minister will have been listening to that request for a statement, but I'd also encourage you, and I'm sure you've already sought this as well, to take it up directly with the local health board who'll be able to provide you with that more granular local level of data that might be useful to you.
And Welsh Government has been working with the Coal Authority and seeking to work also with the UK Government with regard to our legacy coal tips and all of the wider flooding issues that affected us last year. But, clearly, the former mining communities would be really keen that that work includes the mine shafts as well, and I know that some work is already going on to ensure that the work that has already been started is fully cognisant of all of the various risks affecting the communities. But I know that the Coal Authority will be able to give you and other Members representing the local area that fuller briefing on Friday this week.
O ran y mater cyntaf a gafodd ei godi, a oedd yn ymwneud ag adleoli neu fel arall ymwelwyr iechyd, rwy'n gwybod y bydd y Gweinidog Iechyd wedi bod yn gwrando ar y cais hwnnw am ddatganiad, ond byddwn ni hefyd yn eich annog chi, ac rwy'n siŵr eich bod chi eisoes wedi ceisio gwneud hyn hefyd, i'w godi'n uniongyrchol gyda'r bwrdd iechyd lleol a fydd yn gallu rhoi'r lefel leol fwy manwl honno o ddata i chi a allai fod yn ddefnyddiol.
Ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn gweithio gyda'r Awdurdod Glo ac yn ceisio gweithio hefyd gyda Llywodraeth y DU o ran y tipiau glo yr ydym ni wedi'u hetifeddu a'r holl faterion ehangach o ran y llifogydd a effeithiodd arnom y llynedd. Ond, yn amlwg, byddai'r hen gymunedau glofaol yn awyddus iawn i'r gwaith hwnnw gynnwys y siafftiau glo hefyd, ac rwy'n gwybod bod rhywfaint o waith eisoes yn mynd rhagddo i sicrhau bod y gwaith sydd eisoes wedi'i ddechrau yn gwbl ymwybodol o'r holl risgiau amrywiol sy'n effeithio ar y cymunedau. Ond gwn y bydd yr Awdurdod Glo yn gallu rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf honno i chi ac Aelodau eraill sy'n cynrychioli'r ardal leol ddydd Gwener yr wythnos hon.
Trefnydd, can I ask for a Government statement on Welsh Government engagement with the post office and postal services? The reason it's relevant is that Welsh Government policy and support for high streets and small businesses is very important, and I've been told recently when I've applied to the post office in respect of a small post office in Efail Isaf that had shut temporarily and is now in the process of reopening—the store has reopened, it is the only shop in Efail Isaf the village—but what I'm told is that the post office has a grant of £50 million in respect of supporting small shops and postal services like this. Now, it seems to me it is vitally important that Welsh Government actually is engaged with the way in which this money is used to ensure that there's maximum effect. Now, I know the people of Efail Isaf support their store, but would welcome any intervention Welsh Government can make to ensure that the post office money that is available is best used for services like that in our communities, supporting those communities.
Trefnydd, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth am ymgysylltiad Llywodraeth Cymru â Swyddfa'r Post a'r gwasanaethau post? Y rheswm y mae'n berthnasol yw bod polisi a chefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i'r stryd fawr a busnesau bach yn bwysig iawn, a chefais wybod yn ddiweddar pan wnes gais i Swyddfa'r Post ar ran swyddfa bost fach yn Efail Isaf a oedd wedi cau dros dro ac sydd ar fin ailagor nawr—mae'r siop wedi ailagor, yr unig siop ym mhentref Efail Isaf—ond yr hyn a ddywedwyd wrthyf i yw bod gan Swyddfa'r Post grant o £50 miliwn i gefnogi siopau bach a gwasanaethau post fel hyn. Nawr, mae'n ymddangos i mi ei bod yn hanfodol bwysig bod gan Lywodraeth Cymru ran yn y ffordd y mae'r arian hwn yn cael ei ddefnyddio i sicrhau'r effaith fwyaf posibl. Nawr, rwy'n gwybod bod pobl Efail Isaf yn cefnogi eu siop, ond byddwn i'n croesawu unrhyw ymyriad y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i sicrhau mai'r ffordd orau o ddefnyddio'r arian sydd ar gael gan Swyddfa'r Post yw ar y gwasanaethau hynny yn ein cymunedau, gan gefnogi'r cymunedau hynny.
Absolutely. And as Mick Antoniw is aware, post office matters aren't devolved and they are the responsibility of the UK Government, but nonetheless, as Mick Antoniw sets out, we have a real and direct interest in ensuring that Wales does get its fair share of those UK funds. Post Office Ltd obviously works right across the UK, and it doesn't ring-fence any part of its budget separately; it's allocated on a needs basis, and I know that the arguments and cases that colleagues across the Senedd have been making for post offices in their own communities have been quite fruitful in terms of ensuring that some of that funding does come to Wales.
My officials are in regular contact with Post Office Ltd to discuss matters such as the situation in Efail Isaf, where, unfortunately, as Mick Antoniw has set out, the local post office did close, and, as he's mentioned, the shop has now reopened. I do know that Post Office Ltd have advised Welsh Government that they do intend to speak to the new owners of the shop in Efail Isaf as soon as possible to discuss a potential contract for post office services, so I very much hope for a successful resolution there.
Yn hollol. Ac fel y mae Mick Antoniw yn gwybod, nid yw materion swyddfeydd post wedi'u datganoli ac maen nhw'n gyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y DU, ond serch hynny, fel y dywed Mick Antoniw, mae gennym ni ddiddordeb gwirioneddol ac uniongyrchol mewn sicrhau bod Cymru'n cael ei chyfran deg o'r cronfeydd hynny yn y DU. Mae Swyddfa'r Post Cyf yn amlwg yn gweithio ledled y DU, ac nid yw'n neilltuo unrhyw ran o'i chyllideb ar wahân; mae wedi'i dyrannu ar sail anghenion, a gwn fod y dadleuon a'r achosion y mae cydweithwyr ar draws y Senedd wedi bod yn eu gwneud ar gyfer swyddfeydd post yn eu cymunedau eu hunain wedi bod yn eithaf ffrwythlon o ran sicrhau bod rhywfaint o'r cyllid hwnnw'n dod i Gymru.
Mae fy swyddogion mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â Swyddfa'r Post Cyf i drafod materion fel y sefyllfa yn Efail Isaf, lle, yn anffodus, fel y nododd Mick Antoniw, fe wnaeth y swyddfa bost leol gau, ac, fel y soniodd, mae'r siop bellach wedi ailagor. Rwy'n gwybod bod Swyddfa'r Post Cyf wedi cynghori Llywodraeth Cymru eu bod yn bwriadu siarad â pherchnogion newydd y siop yn Efail Isaf cyn gynted â phosibl i drafod contract posibl ar gyfer gwasanaethau swyddfeydd post, felly rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y bydd datrysiad llwyddiannus yno.
Trefnydd, could we have an update on the support available for parents managing homeworking and home schooling during the pandemic? I'm sure that this has been raised with you as a Member of the Senedd, as it's been raised with me. As a parent myself, who often has a toddler with me in the room when I attend some Zoom meetings, I'm aware of the pressures that parents are under. Children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, mustn't be allowed to slip further behind educationally, relative to previous generations. So, could we have a statement from the—well, I imagine the Minister for Education, on that?
Secondly, hopefully the vaccine roll-out means that we will soon be turning a corner in the pandemic. As thoughts turn to trying to rebuild the economy, could we have a statement from the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales on a strategy, or the developing strategy, for investing in greener technology and industries? I'm concerned that, for all the talk of doing things differently and building back better, it will be too easy for us to lapse back into pre-COVID ways as we do come out of this, and people relax. So, yes, we've got to get businesses back on their feet, but at the same time we've got to make sure that we do grasp the opportunity to transform the economy and make it greener—a greener and more affluent Wales.
Trefnydd, a gawn ni'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ynghylch y cymorth sydd ar gael i rieni sy'n rheoli gweithio gartref ac addysgu gartref yn ystod y pandemig? Rwy'n siŵr bod hyn wedi'i godi gyda chi fel Aelod o'r Senedd, gan ei fod wedi'i godi gyda mi. Fel rhiant fy hun, sy'n aml â phlentyn bach gyda mi yn yr ystafell pan fyddaf yn bresennol mewn rhai cyfarfodydd Zoom, rwy'n ymwybodol o'r pwysau sydd ar rieni. Ni ddylid caniatáu i blant, yn enwedig y rhai o gefndiroedd difreintiedig, lithro ymhellach ar ei hôl hi'n addysgol, o'i gymharu â chenedlaethau blaenorol. Felly, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan—wel, rwy'n tybio, y Gweinidog Addysg, ar hynny?
Yn ail, gobeithio y bydd cyflwyno'r brechlyn yn golygu y byddwn ni'n troi'r gornel yn y pandemig cyn bo hir. Wrth i syniadau droi at geisio ailgodi’r economi, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a'r Gogledd ynghylch strategaeth, neu strategaeth sy'n datblygu, ar gyfer buddsoddi mewn technoleg a diwydiannau gwyrddach? Rwy'n pryderu, er yr holl sôn ynghylch gwneud pethau'n wahanol ac ailgodi'n well, y bydd yn rhy hawdd inni fynd yn ôl i'r hen ffyrdd cyn COVID wrth inni ddod allan o hyn, wrth i bobl ymlacio. Felly, oes, mae'n rhaid inni gael busnesau'n ôl ar eu traed, ond ar yr un pryd mae'n rhaid inni wneud yn siŵr ein bod yn manteisio ar y cyfle i drawsnewid yr economi a'i gwneud yn wyrddach—Cymru wyrddach a mwy ffyniannus.
Thank you. Welsh Government very much shares the concern that Nick Ramsay has described, about the impact of the pandemic on children, particularly those in more disadvantaged communities. And that's one of the reasons why we've invested so heavily in supporting young people and children to get all the digital help that they need. You'll be aware of the recent announcement of nearly £12 million of further funding to take the number of laptops and tablets that we've provided to children and families across Wales up to over 133,000. And we're obviously aware that many children also have difficulties getting online in the first place, so we've provided nearly 11,000 MiFi devices to help children access the internet to undertake their work. So, there's a great deal of work going on there, but I don't underestimate the challenges that this places on parents and families, and I know that the education Minister will be listening carefully to that contribution.
And again, my colleague, the Minister for economy, will be keen, I know, in due course, to update colleagues on the response to the economic crisis, which we're also facing as part of the pandemic, and what we can do to build back better—that kind of green and fair recovery that we're all so keen to see. I think we're standing in good stead with our economic contract, and the fact that that includes specific requirements in terms of decarbonisation. So, we have some good groundwork to build on. We have a budget that, last year and this year, has made significant allocations in respect of decarbonisation, and biodiversity. So, I think, again, we're building from a good place, but both colleagues will have heard the requests for statements.
Diolch. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicr yn rhannu'r pryder y mae Nick Ramsay wedi'i ddisgrifio, o ran effaith y pandemig ar blant, yn enwedig y rheini mewn cymunedau mwy difreintiedig. A dyna un o'r rhesymau pam yr ydym ni wedi buddsoddi'n gryf mewn cefnogi pobl ifanc a phlant i gael yr holl gymorth digidol sydd ei angen arnyn nhw. Byddwch chi'n ymwybodol o'r cyhoeddiad diweddar ynghylch bron £12 miliwn o gyllid ychwanegol i fynd â nifer y gliniaduron a'r tabledi a ddarparwyd ar gyfer plant a theuluoedd ledled Cymru i fyny y tu hwnt i 133,000. Ac rydym yn amlwg yn ymwybodol bod llawer o blant hefyd yn cael trafferth i fynd ar-lein yn y lle cyntaf, felly rydym wedi darparu bron 11,000 o ddyfeisiau MiFi i helpu plant i fynd ar y rhyngrwyd i ymgymryd â'u gwaith. Felly, mae llawer iawn o waith yn mynd rhagddo, ond nid wyf i'n bychanu'r heriau y mae hyn yn eu rhoi ar rieni a theuluoedd, a gwn y bydd y Gweinidog Addysg yn gwrando'n astud ar y cyfraniad hwnnw.
Ac eto, bydd fy nghyd-Aelod, Gweinidog yr Economi, yn awyddus, rwy'n gwybod, maes o law, i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i gydweithwyr ynghylch yr ymateb i'r argyfwng economaidd, yr ydym ni hefyd yn ei wynebu fel rhan o'r pandemig, a'r hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud i ailgodi'n well—y math hwnnw o adferiad gwyrdd a theg yr ydym ni i gyd mor awyddus i'w weld. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni mewn sefyllfa dda gyda'n contract economaidd, a'r ffaith bod hynny'n cynnwys gofynion penodol o ran datgarboneiddio. Felly, mae gennym ni rywfaint o waith sylfaenol da i fanteisio arno. Mae gennym ni gyllideb sydd, y llynedd ac eleni, wedi gwneud dyraniadau sylweddol o ran datgarboneiddio, a bioamrywiaeth. Felly, unwaith eto, rwy'n credu ein bod yn datblygu o le da, ond bydd y ddau gyd-Aelod wedi clywed y ceisiadau am ddatganiadau.
I'd like a statement from the Government, please, about its ongoing commitment to protecting biodiversity. Biodiversity erosion poses grave risks, of course, to human health, and increases the risk of pandemics, and it has an important role to play in preventing runaway climate change. There's a specific situation happening in my region, which is causing concern among biodiversity advocates. In 2019, Trefnydd, the First Minister decided not to press ahead with the M4 relief road, in part because of the impact it would have on the Gwent levels. But as we speak, the Gwent levels are facing another threat from major development—ironically, this time, from a renewable energy hub. The project is a solar panel installation that's proposed to be built between Marshfield, St Bride's and Peterstone. It would use 155 hectares of green wedge and greenbelt land, which is the equivalent of 290 football pitches, and it would require 30 hectares more land than would have been required for the black route.
I think, Trefnydd, that when the First Minister rejected the black route, he set a precedent for the continued protection of the Gwent levels and the wildlife species that are found there, including the shrill carder bee, of which I'm species champion. Surely, our response to the climate emergency can't be to support renewable energy at the expense of species loss. The Gwent levels are a precious resource for our communities, and all of Wales, and if they're lost they cannot be replaced. So, I'd urge the Government to seek ways of protecting the levels from future threats of this nature. So, please could we have a statement, reasserting the Government's commitment to reverse the decline in biodiversity, for its intrinsic value, and to ensure lasting benefits to society as is set out in its nature recovery action plan for Wales?
Hoffwn i gael datganiad gan y Llywodraeth, os gwelwch chi'n dda, ar ei hymrwymiad parhaus i ddiogelu bioamrywiaeth. Mae erydu bioamrywiaeth yn achosi risgiau difrifol, wrth gwrs, i iechyd pobl, ac yn cynyddu risg pandemig, ac mae ganddo ran bwysig i'w chwarae i atal newid hinsawdd ar garlam. Mae sefyllfa benodol yn digwydd yn fy rhanbarth i, sy'n peri pryder ymhlith eiriolwyr bioamrywiaeth. Yn 2019, Trefnydd, penderfynodd y Prif Weinidog beidio â bwrw ymlaen â ffordd liniaru'r M4, yn rhannol oherwydd yr effaith y byddai'n ei chael ar lefelau Gwent. Ond wrth inni siarad, mae lefelau Gwent yn wynebu bygythiad arall o ddatblygiad mawr—yn eironig, y tro hwn, o ganolfan ynni adnewyddadwy. Gosodiad panel solar yw'r prosiect y bwriedir ei adeiladu rhwng Maerun, Saint-y-Brid a Llan-bedr Gwynllŵg. Byddai'n defnyddio 155 hectar o dir lletem las a llain las, sy'n cyfateb i 290 o gaeau pêl-droed, a byddai angen 30 hectar yn fwy o dir nag a fyddai wedi bod yn ofynnol ar gyfer y llwybr du.
Rwy'n credu, Trefnydd, pan wrthododd y Prif Weinidog y llwybr du, ei fod wedi gosod cynsail ar gyfer parhau i ddiogelu lefelau Gwent a'r rhywogaethau bywyd gwyllt yno, gan gynnwys y gardwenynen fain, yr wyf i'n bencampwr rhywogaethau drosti. Siawns na all ein hymateb ni i'r argyfwng hinsawdd gefnogi ynni adnewyddadwy ar draul colli rhywogaethau. Mae lefelau Gwent yn adnodd gwerthfawr i'n cymunedau, ac i Gymru gyfan, ac os cânt eu colli ni fydd modd eu cael yn ôl. Felly, byddwn i'n annog y Llywodraeth i chwilio am ffyrdd o ddiogelu'r lefelau rhag bygythiadau o'r math hwn yn y dyfodol. Felly, a gawn ni ddatganiad os gwelwch chi'n dda, yn rhoi sicrwydd i ymrwymiad y Llywodraeth i wrthdroi'r dirywiad mewn bioamrywiaeth, oherwydd ei gwerth cynhenid, ac i sicrhau manteision parhaol i'r gymdeithas fel sydd wedi'i nodi yn ei chynllun gweithredu adfer natur ar gyfer Cymru?
I very much share Delyth Jewell's passion for supporting biodiversity, and many of us are species champions and we take a lot of pleasure, I think, in those particular roles as well. The Minister with responsibility for the environment will have listened, but, also, the Minister for Housing and Local Government would have been keen to hear what you've described as well, given her work on the national development plan. And, I will make a point as well of having a conversation with the Minister to see what might be the best way to update the Senedd.
Rwy'n rhannu'n wirioneddol angerdd Delyth Jewell dros gefnogi bioamrywiaeth, ac mae llawer ohonom ni'n hyrwyddwyr rhywogaethau ac rydym yn cael llawer o bleser, rwy'n credu, yn y swyddogaethau penodol hynny hefyd. Bydd y Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am yr amgylchedd wedi gwrando, ond, hefyd, byddai'r Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol wedi bod yn awyddus i glywed yr hyn yr ydych chi wedi'i ddisgrifio hefyd, o ystyried ei gwaith ar y cynllun datblygu cenedlaethol. A byddaf yn gwneud y pwynt hefyd o gael sgwrs gyda'r Gweinidog i weld beth allai fod y ffordd orau o roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd.
Minister, it's already been mentioned this afternoon, regarding the flooding that's affected my constituency in Skewen and many residents who were evacuated from their homes. Most of them are not yet allowed back into their homes and may not be for several weeks to come. So, I want, essentially, two statements on the same issue: a statement from the Minister for the environment relating to how she is actually tackling the influx of water that's gone into the mines. Storm Christoph just highlighted a big problem and filled that mine and the water is still flowing out of that now, even though the rain subsided several days ago. But it is important that we address that. So, what is the Minister for the environment doing to ensure that we deal with that matter totally, so that the residents can be reassured that they're not going to have more water flowing through their homes?
The second one is actually for the Welsh Government as to what is the First Minister doing to discuss with the UK Government about this? It's been mentioned before that these are old mine workings. There are hundreds dotted across the valleys in my constituency, let alone the Valleys in south Wales. I know he had done work already with the UK Government on coal tips. But this is another agenda that needs to be met and how the UK Government should take up its responsibility and work with the Welsh Government to alleviate the concerns of many residents who, at the moment, are worried about the undermining of their properties as a consequence of this.
Gweinidog, mae sôn eisoes wedi bod y prynhawn yma, am y llifogydd sydd wedi effeithio ar fy etholaeth i yn Sgiwen a llawer o drigolion a gafodd eu symud o'u cartrefi. Nid yw'r rhan fwyaf ohonyn nhw wedi cael dychwelyd i'w cartrefi eto ac efallai na fyddan nhw am sawl wythnos i ddod. Felly, rwyf i eisiau cael dau ddatganiad, yn y bôn, ar yr un mater: datganiad gan Weinidog yr Amgylchedd ar sut y mae hi'n mynd i ymdrin, mewn gwirionedd, â'r mewnlif o ddŵr sydd wedi mynd i mewn i'r pyllau glo. Roedd Storm Christoph wedi amlygu problem fawr a llenwi'r pwll glo ac mae'r dŵr yn dal i lifo allan ohono nawr, er bod y glaw wedi dod i ben sawl diwrnod yn ôl. Ond mae'n bwysig ein bod ni'n mynd i'r afael â hynny. Felly, beth mae Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd yn ei wneud i sicrhau ein bod yn ymdrin â'r mater hwnnw'n llwyr, fel bod modd sicrhau'r trigolion na fyddan nhw'n cael mwy o ddŵr yn llifo drwy eu cartrefi?
Mater i Lywodraeth Cymru yw'r ail un mewn gwirionedd ynglŷn â'r hyn y mae'r Prif Weinidog yn ei wneud i drafod hyn gyda Llywodraeth y DU? Bu sôn o'r blaen mai hen weithfeydd glo yw'r rhain. Mae cannoedd ledled y cymoedd yn fy etholaeth i, heb sôn am Gymoedd y de. Rwy'n ymwybodol ei fod eisoes wedi gwneud gwaith gyda Llywodraeth y DU ar dipiau glo. Ond mae hon yn agenda arall y mae angen ei bodloni a sut y dylai Llywodraeth y DU ymgymryd â'i chyfrifoldeb a gweithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru i leddfu pryderon llawer o drigolion sydd, ar hyn o bryd, yn poeni ynghylch eu heiddo yn cael ei danseilio o ganlyniad i hyn.
This is very much an area where I think that the Welsh Government and UK Government need to undertake joint work, very much so, especially given the fact that, as David Rees sets out, Wales is very much disproportionately affected by the issues of the old mine works, as we are naturally—as follows—with the issues of the coal tips and so forth. The work, which has already been undertaken in respect of coal tips with the UK Government and the Coal Authority, I do think provides some good foundations for that work, but clearly it needs to be expanded to ensure that it does encapsulate all of the concerns that David Rees has described this afternoon.
Mae hwn yn faes lle rwy'n credu bod angen i Lywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU wneud gwaith ar y cyd, yn enwedig o gofio, fel y mae David Rees yn ei nodi, fod materion yr hen byllau glo yn effeithio'n anghymesur iawn ar Gymru, fel yr ydym ni'n naturiol—fel a ganlyn—â materion y tipiau glo ac ati Rwy'n credu bod y gwaith, sydd eisoes wedi'i wneud o ran tipiau glo gyda Llywodraeth y DU a'r Awdurdod Glo, yn darparu rhai sylfeini da ar gyfer y gwaith hwnnw, ond mae'n amlwg bod angen ei ehangu i sicrhau ei fod yn crynhoi'r holl bryderon y mae David Rees wedi'u disgrifio y prynhawn yma.
Business Minister, may I call for a statement on the Welsh Government's reaction to the devastating news that Debenhams stores will now be closing across our country? Its closure and its plans to regenerate our towns and cities is a matter of urgency now. The closure of Debenhams stores across our country, following their takeover from Boohoo, means a loss of hundreds of jobs and will be a severe blow to cities, such as Newport, where Debenhams is the pivotal anchor store within the Friar's Walk city development, Cardiff and Swansea, where the store also forms part of the heart of the city's Quadrant shopping centre.
This is obviously devastating enough, but obviously during the pandemic the knock-on effect of these closures will mean people are hit even harder. It comes at a time when businesses in Wales remain in a precarious position and are suffering immense damage caused by the pandemic, despite grants. Figures produced by the Welsh Retail Consortium reveal that one in five shops in Wales are now empty; the vacancy rates increased from 15.9 per cent to 18 per cent in the third quarter of last year, the largest jump anywhere in the UK.
Big shop closures, such as Debenhams, have a massive impact on local communities and our high streets will now look rundown and blighted. Friar's Walk in Newport is a relatively new development and it was very welcomed at the time when it was first brought there by the Conservative-led Newport City Council. Since then, it's been diminishing—
Trefnydd, a gaf i alw am ddatganiad ar ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i'r newyddion dinistriol y bydd siopau Debenhams nawr yn cau ledled ein gwlad? Mae cau'r siopau a'i gynlluniau i adfywio ein trefi a'n dinasoedd yn fater o frys nawr. Mae cau siopau Debenhams ledled ein gwlad, ar ôl iddyn nhw gael eu meddiannu gan Boohoo, yn golygu colli cannoedd o swyddi a bydd yn ergyd drom i ddinasoedd, fel Casnewydd, lle mae Debenhams yn gonglfain datblygiad dinas Friar's Walk, Caerdydd ac Abertawe, lle mae'r siop hefyd yn rhan o galon canolfan siopa Cwadrant y ddinas.
Mae hyn yn amlwg yn ddigon dinistriol, ond yn ddiau yn ystod y pandemig bydd canlyniadau effaith y siopau hyn yn cau yn golygu bod pobl yn cael eu heffeithio hyd yn oed yn galetach. Daw ar adeg pan fo busnesau yng Nghymru yn parhau mewn sefyllfa ansicr ac yn dioddef niwed aruthrol oherwydd y pandemig, er gwaethaf grantiau. Mae ffigurau wedi'u cynhyrchu gan Gonsortiwm Manwerthu Cymru yn dangos bod un o bob pum siop yng Nghymru nawr yn wag; cynyddodd y nifer o swyddi gwag o 15.9 y cant i 18 y cant yn nhrydydd chwarter y llynedd, y naid fwyaf yn unman yn y DU.
Mae cau siopau mawr, fel Debenhams, yn cael effaith enfawr ar gymunedau lleol a bydd ein strydoedd mawr nawr yn edrych yn ddi-raen ac yn ddiobaith. Mae Friar's Walk yng Nghasnewydd yn ddatblygiad cymharol newydd a chafodd groeso mawr pan gyflwynwyd ef yno gyntaf gan Gyngor Dinas Casnewydd dan arweiniad y Ceidwadwyr. Ers hynny, mae wedi bod yn lleihau—
Can you wind up, please?
A allwch chi ddirwyn i ben, os gwelwch chi'n dda?
—and now they've lost their jewel in the crown. I urge the Government to release plans on how they're going to work with Newport council to revive the city centre. Many thanks.
—a nawr maen nhw wedi colli eu trysor pennaf. Rwy'n annog y Llywodraeth i ryddhau cynlluniau ynghylch sut y byddan nhw'n gweithio gyda chyngor Casnewydd i adfywio canol y ddinas. Llawer o ddiolch.
Thank you very much for raising this issue, and it is a real concern to the Welsh Government—the loss of so many jobs and quite iconic landmark stores in some of our communities as well. Yes, the Welsh Government will work very closely with all of the local authorities affected. We'll also ensure that our support schemes, such as ReAct and so on, are in place for the affected workers. And, of course, we made this pledge to people, through the coronavirus, that we will seek to ensure that everybody has the support that they need to either retrain or to find a new job or to undertake self-employment, if that's something that they would wish to do. So, we need to ensure that those support packages are there for individuals, but also that our high streets, nonetheless, do have a healthy and vibrant future as we come out of the pandemic. The work we're doing through our town-centre loan scheme, for example, will be really important in that, and some of the allocations specifically in the budget for next year speak very much to ensuring that we have healthy high streets in the future. I think that there is a positive future for our high streets, but it certainly will require a great deal of work, both with Welsh Government but also with the partners that Laura Anne Jones has described.
Diolch yn fawr am godi'r mater hwn, ac mae'n wir yn bryder i Lywodraeth Cymru—colli cynifer o swyddi a siopau allweddol eithaf eiconig yn rhai o'n cymunedau hefyd. Bydd, fe fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda'r holl awdurdodau lleol yr effeithiwyd arnyn nhw. Byddwn ni hefyd yn sicrhau bod ein cynlluniau cymorth, megis ReAct ac yn y blaen, ar waith ar gyfer y gweithwyr yr effeithiwyd arnyn nhw. Ac, wrth gwrs, gwnaethom yr addewid hon i bobl, drwy gydol coronafeirws, y byddwn ni'n ceisio sicrhau bod pawb yn cael y gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen arnyn nhw, naill ai i ailhyfforddi neu i ddod o hyd i swydd newydd neu i ymgymryd â hunangyflogaeth, os yw hynny'n rhywbeth y bydden nhw'n dymuno ei wneud. Felly, mae angen inni sicrhau bod y pecynnau cymorth hynny yno i unigolion, ond hefyd fod gan y stryd fawr, serch hynny, ddyfodol iach a bywiog wrth inni ddod allan o'r pandemig. Bydd y gwaith yr ydym ni'n ei wneud drwy ein cynllun benthyciadau canol tref, er enghraifft, yn bwysig iawn yn hynny o beth, ac mae rhai o'r dyraniadau yn benodol yn y gyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf yn mynd i'r afael â sicrhau bod gennym ni strydoedd mawr iach yn y dyfodol. Rwy'n credu bod dyfodol cadarnhaol i'n strydoedd mawr, ond yn sicr bydd angen llawer iawn o waith, gyda Llywodraeth Cymru ond hefyd gyda'r partneriaid a ddisgrifiodd Laura Anne Jones.
Gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad ynglŷn â chefnogaeth ariannol i Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, ac Urdd Gobaith Cymru? Maen nhw i gyd yn wynebu heriau sylweddol ac mae angen gweithredu brys o fewn y gyllideb nesaf. Gaf i ofyn i chi, felly, fel y Gweinidog cyllid, i ddwys ystyried y sefyllfa, o gofio bod un o brif strategaethau eich Llywodraeth chi, sef creu miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg, yn y fantol? Mae colli eisteddfod arall yn mynd i gael effaith bellgyrhaeddol ar y sefydliad. Maen nhw am orfod haneru'r tîm staff er mwyn gallu goroesi'r cyfnod nesaf. Mae'r Urdd hefyd yn wynebu argyfwng ariannol a cholled incwm o £14 miliwn dros y ddwy flynedd nesaf, ac mae'r llyfrgell genedlaethol angen ychwanegiad o £1 filiwn i'w gwaelodlin. Dwi wedi bod yn tynnu sylw eich Dirprwy Weinidog chi at yr argyfwng yn y llyfrgell genedlaethol ers mis Tachwedd, a dwi'n siomedig tu hwnt nad oes cymorth ar gael i'r sefydliad pwysig yma. Mae angen i'ch Llywodraeth chi symud yn gyflym i gynnig help, a byddai datganiad ar y sefyllfa o gymorth mawr i ni i gyd.
May I ask for a statement on financial support for the National Eisteddfod of Wales, the National Library of Wales and Urdd Gobaith Cymru? They are all facing significant challenges and urgent action is needed within the next budget. Could I ask you, therefore, as finance Minister, to give serious consideration to the situation, given that one of your Government's main strategies, namely the creation of a million Welsh speakers, is at stake here? Missing another eisteddfod will have a far-reaching impact on the institution. They are going to have to halve their staffing team in order to survive the ensuing period. The Urdd is also facing a financial crisis and a loss of income of £14 million over the next two years, and the national library needs an additional £1 million to its bottom line. I have been drawing the attention of your Deputy Minister to the crisis at the national library since November, and I'm extremely disappointed that no support has been made available to this important institution. Your Government needs to move swiftly to provide support, and a statement on the situation would be of great assistance to us all.
Yes, I'm aware of the significant challenges facing all of those organisations. With regard to the library, for example, the budget reflects the Welsh Government settlement from the UK Government, of course, and must be viewed within the overall context, but our draft budget for the next financial year, which was announced on 21 December, does show that we've maintained the revenue for next year and that stays the same as 2020-21, and I think that in itself is an achievement, given all of the pressures and the ongoing pandemic and the desperate need for funding across all kinds of areas of Government. But we do very much recognise the particular challenges in maintaining the library's historic building, for example. So, we've provided an enhanced capital budget of £3.2 million for next year, and there's funding available as well to accelerate the decarbonisation and digital priorities of the library in order to ensure that it does have a strong future in those particular regards. I have had some further discussions and I'll continue to have further discussions with my colleague Eluned Morgan in respect of some of these particular concerns that have been described by Siân Gwenllian this afternoon.
Ydw, rwy'n ymwybodol o'r heriau sylweddol sy'n wynebu'r holl sefydliadau hynny. O ran y Llyfrgell, er enghraifft, mae'r gyllideb yn adlewyrchu setliad Llywodraeth Cymru oddi wrth Lywodraeth y DU, wrth gwrs, a rhaid ei gweld o fewn y cyd-destun cyffredinol, ond mae ein cyllideb ddrafft ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, a gafodd ei chyhoeddi ar 21 Rhagfyr, yn dangos ein bod wedi cynnal y refeniw ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf ac mae hynny'n aros yr un peth â 2020-21, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny ynddo'i hun yn gyflawniad, o ystyried yr holl bwysau a'r pandemig parhaus a'r angen dybryd am gyllid hyd a lled pob math o feysydd y Llywodraeth. Ond rydym yn cydnabod yn fawr heriau penodol cynnal adeilad hanesyddol y Llyfrgell, er enghraifft. Felly, rydym wedi darparu cyllideb cyfalaf uwch o £3.2 miliwn ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf, ac mae cyllid ar gael hefyd i gyflymu blaenoriaethau datgarboneiddio a digidol y Llyfrgell er mwyn sicrhau bod gan y Llyfrgell ddyfodol cryf yn hynny o beth. Rwyf i wedi cael trafodaethau eraill a byddaf i'n parhau i gael trafodaethau eraill gyda fy nghyd-Aelod Eluned Morgan ynglŷn â rhai o'r pryderon penodol hyn y mae Siân Gwenllian wedi'u disgrifio y prynhawn yma.
I've been contacted by many parents who have children with additional learning needs but who have not been offered a placement in the local hubs. Now, Rhondda Cynon Taf council tell me that they are acting upon Welsh Government guidance, but if children with additional learning needs and, in some cases, statements as well, are adversely affected by home schooling, then surely the guidance has to change. A number of third sector organisations agree that the current guidance doesn't make it sufficiently clear that children with additional learning needs who are struggling at home should be considered as vulnerable for the purposes of accessing face-to-face learning, and the rules appear to be inconsistently applied in different places. So, can we therefore have a statement from the Government about how we can best protect the most vulnerable pupils, with more inclusive guidance during lockdown, before more harm is caused to pupils who would be better served by being able to attend their local hubs?
Mae llawer o rieni sydd â phlant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol wedi cysylltu â mi ond sydd heb gael cynnig eu lleoli yn yr hybiau lleol. Nawr, mae cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf yn dweud wrthyf i eu bod yn gweithredu ar ganllawiau Llywodraeth Cymru, ond os yw plant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, a chanddynt, mewn rhai achosion ddatganiadau hefyd, yn cael eu heffeithio'n andwyol gan addysg gartref, yna siawns nad oes raid i'r canllawiau newid. Mae nifer o sefydliadau'r trydydd sector yn cytuno nad yw'r canllawiau presennol yn ddigon eglur o ran bod angen i blant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol sy'n cael trafferth gartref gael eu hystyried yn agored i niwed at ddibenion manteisio ar ddysgu wyneb yn wyneb, ac mae'n ymddangos bod y rheolau'n cael eu cymhwyso'n anghyson mewn gwahanol leoedd. Felly, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth ynglŷn â'r ffordd orau o ddiogelu'r disgyblion mwyaf agored i niwed, gyda chanllawiau mwy cynhwysol yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud, cyn i fwy o niwed gael ei achosi i ddisgyblion a fyddai'n cael eu gwasanaethu'n well drwy allu mynychu eu hybiau lleol?
I'm very grateful to Leanne Wood for raising those concerns, and I will be sure to raise them on her behalf with both the education Minister and the Minister for local government to explore the particular point made about the clarity of the guidance and whether or not we need to issue some further clarification to local authorities in terms of aiding their interpretation of the guidance to ensure that the children who most need to be in those hubs have the opportunity to do so. So, I'll make a point of taking that forward today.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i Leanne Wood am godi'r pryderon hynny, a byddaf i'n siŵr o'u codi ar ei rhan hi gyda'r Gweinidog Addysg a'r Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol i archwilio'r pwynt penodol a wnaeth am eglurder y canllawiau ac a oes angen rhoi mwy o eglurhad i awdurdodau lleol i'w helpu i ddehongli'r canllawiau er mwyn sicrhau bod y plant y mae angen iddyn nhw fod yn yr hybiau hynny yn cael y cyfle i wneud hwnnw. Felly, byddaf yn gwneud pwynt o fwrw ymlaen â hynny heddiw.
Thank you, Trefnydd.
Diolch, Trefnydd.
Motions to elect Members to committees for the Welsh Conservatives. In accordance with Standing Orders 12.24 and 12.40, I propose that motions to elect these Members to committees are grouped for debate and for voting. I don't see any objections, therefore, I call on a member of the Business Committee to move the motions formally. Trefnydd.
Cynigion i ethol Aelodau i bwyllgorau ar gyfer y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig. Yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog 12.24 a 12.40, rwy'n argymell bod cynigion i ethol yr Aelodau hyn i bwyllgorau yn cael eu grwpio ar gyfer dadl a phleidlais. Nid wyf yn gweld unrhyw wrthwynebiad, felly, rwy'n galw ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i gynnig y cynigion yn ffurfiol. Trefnydd.
Cynnig NDM7563 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Angela Burns (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Iechyd, Gofal Cymdeithasol a Chwaraeon yn lle Andrew R.T. Davies (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig).
Motion NDM7563 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Angela Burns (Welsh Conservatives) as a member of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee in place of Andrew R.T. Davies (Welsh Conservatives).
Cynnig NDM7564 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Nick Ramsay (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Materion Allanol a Deddfwriaeth Ychwanegol yn lle Laura Anne Jones (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig).
Motion NDM7564 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Nick Ramsay (Welsh Conservatives) as a member of the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee in place of Laura Anne Jones (Welsh Conservatives).
Cynnig NDM7565 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Darren Millar (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus yn lle Angela Burns (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig).
Motion NDM7565 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives) as a member of the Public Accounts Committee in place of Angela Burns (Welsh Conservatives).
Cynnig NDM7566 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Laura Anne Jones (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn aelod o'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau yn lle Mark Isherwood (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig).
Motion NDM7566 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Laura Anne Jones (Welsh Conservatives) as a member of the Equalities, Local Government and Communities Committee in place of Mark Isherwood (Welsh Conservatives).
Cynnig NDM7567 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Mark Isherwood (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Busnes yn lle Darren Millar (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig).
Motion NDM7567 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Mark Isherwood (Welsh Conservatives) as a member of the Business Committee in place of Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives).
Cynnig NDM7568 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Mark Isherwood (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Cyllid yn lle Nick Ramsay (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig).
Motion NDM7568 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Mark Isherwood (Welsh Conservatives) as a member of the Finance Committee in place of Nick Ramsay (Welsh Conservatives).
Cynnig NDM7569 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Mark Isherwood (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn aelod amgen o’r Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad yn lle Darren Millar (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig).
Motion NDM7569 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Mark Isherwood (Welsh Conservatives) as an alternate member of the Standards of Conduct Committee in place of Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives).
Cynigiwyd y cynigion.
Motions moved.
Yes, formally.
Do, yn ffurfiol.
Thank you. The proposal is to agree the motions. Does any Member object? No, I don't see any objections. Therefore, the motions are agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Diolch. Y cynnig yw derbyn y cynigion. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes, nid wyf yn gweld unrhyw wrthwynebiad. Felly, derbynnir y cynigion yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynigion yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motions agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
The next item on the agenda this afternoon is a statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services, an update on COVID vaccinations. I call on the Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething.
Yr eitem nesaf ar yr agenda'r prynhawn yma yw datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, sef yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am frechiadau COVID. Rwy'n galw ar y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Vaughan Gething.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Today, we have published the first of our reports summarising progress against our national COVID-19 vaccination plan. These will be published every Tuesday from now on. These reports are in addition to the surveillance data published by Public Health Wales both daily and weekly, and the operational data being published by Welsh Government statisticians from today, which we will publish each Tuesday going forward.
According to the figures published at midday today, NHS Wales has vaccinated almost 290,000 people across Wales. That is just over 9 per cent of the population. We have seen a significant escalation in the pace of vaccine deployment here in Wales over the last couple of weeks. This is because we have seen an increase in vaccine supply, in particular since the introduction of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine at the start of the month, and because of the continued expansion of our vaccination infrastructure.
We hit two markers in our vaccination strategy last week. We offered all front-line Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust staff their first dose of the vaccine, and uptake is now over 65 per cent. We also exceeded our end of January marker to have more than 250 general practices deploying the vaccine. Last week, more than 300 practices were involved in running vaccine clinics and, up to yesterday, at least 329 were doing so. We are also making strong progress towards the final marker, and that is offering the vaccine to all care home residents and staff by the end of the month.
We are currently vaccinating, on average, around 1,000 care home residents a day. Over 11,000 care homes residents, which is about 67 per cent of this priority group, at least that many have now received their first dose of the vaccine. Over 74 per cent of care home staff have also received their first dose. At the end of last week, as I said, more than 300 general practices were running vaccine clinics. We have exceeded the plan's expectation for 250 practices. Our approach encompasses all primary care professionals, including dentists, optometrists and pharmacists, in the delivery of the vaccine. This includes a community pharmacy pilot, community vaccination centres and, from last weekend, clusters of GP practices running clinics in local communities. We heard a little earlier about the particular example in Nefyn on the Llŷn Peninsula. That was one of three GP cluster clinics that ran last weekend and they were estimated to have administered 3,000 vaccines over the weekend between them, many of those, of course, to the priority over-80s group.
I know that Members will, of course, want to know and return to whether we vaccinated 70 per cent of over-80s and in care homes by the weekend. We don't think we quite got there. The centre closures and rescheduling of appointments due to the weather were a key factor in this. What is clear and undoubted, however, is the heroic effort under way, with the numbers of people being vaccinated increasing every day last week as the week progressed, and I want to thank each and every person involved for their commitment to this ongoing national mission.
Members will be aware of the centre closures due to the adverse weather over the weekend in the Cwm Taf area, but also in the Swansea bay area. Centres were closed for safety reasons and vaccine appointments have been rescheduled. A number of GP practices also postponed weekend appointments to early this week, and that was absolutely the right thing to do. Members will also have heard about queues forming outside a vaccination centre in Swansea on Friday evening. Sadly, this was the result of someone needing emergency medical treatment as soon as they arrived at the centre. NHS staff are doing everything they can to ensure people don’t have to queue for their vaccination appointments, but sometimes, as I'm sure all Members will appreciate, emergencies do happen. Whilst the NHS does everything it can to make sure the vaccination infrastructure is resilient, these issues serve as a useful reminder that there are events outside of our control that will impact on the delivery of our aims. There is no doubt, however, that we are making good progress and building pace all the time.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Heddiw, fe wnaethom ni gyhoeddi'r cyntaf o'n hadroddiadau ni yn rhoi crynodeb o'r cynnydd yn erbyn ein cynllun brechu COVID-19 cenedlaethol. Byddant yn cael eu cyhoeddi bob dydd Mawrth o hyn ymlaen. Mae'r adroddiadau hyn yn ychwanegol i'r data gwyliadwriaeth a gyhoeddir gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn ddyddiol ac yn wythnosol fel ei gilydd, a'r data gweithredol sy'n cael eu cyhoeddi gan ystadegwyr Llywodraeth Cymru o heddiw ymlaen, y byddwn ni'n eu cyhoeddi bob dydd Mawrth o hyn ymlaen.
Yn ôl y ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd am hanner dydd heddiw, mae GIG Cymru wedi brechu bron 290,000 o bobl ledled Cymru, sef ychydig dros 9 y cant o'r boblogaeth. Rydym wedi gweld cynnydd sylweddol yng nghyflymder gweinyddu'r brechlyn yma yng Nghymru dros yr wythnosau diwethaf. Y rheswm am hyn yw ein bod wedi gweld cynnydd yn y cyflenwad o frechlynnau, yn enwedig ers gallu defnyddio brechlyn Rhydychen-AstraZeneca ddechrau'r mis, ac oherwydd bod ein seilwaith ni o ran gweinyddu brechiadau yn parhau i ehangu.
Fe wnaethom gyrraedd dau nod yn ein strategaeth frechu yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf. Fe wnaethom gynnig y dos gyntaf o'r brechlyn i bob aelod o staff rheng flaen Ymddiriedolaeth GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru, ac mae dros 65 y cant wedi manteisio ar hynny bellach. Fe wnaethom yn well na'r nod a oedd gennym ar gyfer mis Ionawr, sef mwy na 250 o bractisau cyffredinol yn gweinyddu'r brechlyn. Yr wythnos ddiwethaf, roedd dros 300 o bractisau yn ymroi i'r gwaith o redeg clinigau brechu, a hyd at ddoe roedd o leiaf 329 yn gwneud hynny. Rydym hefyd yn gwneud cynnydd mawr tuag at y nod terfynol, sef cynnig y brechlyn i holl breswylwyr a staff cartrefi gofal erbyn diwedd y mis.
Ar hyn o bryd, rydym yn brechu tua 1,000 o breswylwyr mewn cartrefi gofal bob dydd ar gyfartaledd. Mae o leiaf dros 11,000 o breswylwyr cartrefi gofal, sef tua 67 y cant o'r grŵp blaenoriaeth hwn, wedi cael eu dos gyntaf nhw o'r brechlyn erbyn hyn. Mae dros 74 y cant o staff cartrefi gofal wedi derbyn eu dos gyntaf. Ar ddiwedd yr wythnos ddiwethaf, fel y dywedais i, roedd yna dros 300 o bractisau cyffredinol yn rhedeg clinigau brechu. Rydym wedi rhagori ar ddisgwyliad y cynllun o 250 o bractisau. Mae ein dull ni'n cwmpasu pob ymarferwr gofal sylfaenol proffesiynol, gan gynnwys deintyddion, optometryddion a fferyllwyr, wrth weinyddu'r brechlyn. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cynllun peilot y fferyllfeydd cymunedol, canolfannau brechu cymunedol ac, o'r penwythnos diwethaf, glystyrau o bractisau meddygon teulu sy'n rhedeg clinigau mewn cymunedau lleol. Fe glywsom ni ychydig yn gynharach am yr enghraifft arbennig yn Nefyn ar Benrhyn Llŷn. Roedd hwnnw'n un o dri chlinig clwstwr meddygon teulu a oedd yn rhedeg y penwythnos diwethaf ac fe amcangyfrifwyd eu bod wedi rhoi 3,000 o frechlynnau dros y penwythnos rhyngddyn nhw, a llawer o'r rheini, wrth gwrs, i grŵp blaenoriaeth y bobl dros 80 oed.
Fe wn y bydd yr Aelodau, wrth gwrs, yn awyddus i gael gwybod a thrafod eto a wnaethom ni frechu 70 y cant o'r bobl dros 80 oed a'r rheini mewn cartrefi gofal erbyn y penwythnos. Nid ydym yn credu inni gyrraedd hynny'n union. Roedd cau canolfannau ac aildrefnu apwyntiadau oherwydd y tywydd mawr yn ffactor allweddol yn hynny. Yr hyn sy'n eglur a diamwys, serch hynny, yw'r ymdrech arwrol sydd ar gerdded, gyda nifer y bobl sy'n cael eu brechu yn cynyddu bob dydd yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf wrth i'r wythnos fynd yn ei blaen, ac rwy'n dymuno diolch i bob unigolyn sy'n gysylltiedig â hynny am ei ymrwymiad i'r ymgyrch genedlaethol gyfredol hon.
Mae'r Aelodau yn ymwybodol y bu'n rhaid cau canolfan oherwydd y tywydd garw dros y penwythnos yn ardal Cwm Taf, ac yn ardal bae Abertawe hefyd. Fe gaewyd canolfannau am resymau diogelwch ac fe ad-drefnwyd yr apwyntiadau brechu. Fe ohiriodd nifer o bractisau meddygon teulu apwyntiadau'r penwythnos hefyd tan ddechrau'r wythnos hon, a dyna oedd y peth iawn i'w wneud. Mae'r Aelodau wedi clywed hefyd am giwiau yn ffurfio y tu allan i ganolfan frechu yn Abertawe nos Wener. Yn anffodus, roedd hyn o ganlyniad i rywun ag angen triniaeth feddygol frys yn syth ar ôl cyrraedd y ganolfan. Mae staff y GIG yn gwneud popeth o fewn eu gallu i sicrhau nad oes yn rhaid i bobl giwio am eu hapwyntiadau i gael eu brechu, ond weithiau, fel rwy'n siŵr y bydd pob Aelod yn deall, fe all argyfyngau daro. Er bod y GIG yn gwneud popeth o fewn ei allu i sicrhau bod y seilwaith i frechu yn gadarn, mae'r materion hyn yn ein hatgoffa ni am ddigwyddiadau sydd y tu hwnt i'n rheolaeth ni a all effeithio ar gyflawni ein hamcanion ni. Nid oes amheuaeth, er hynny, ein bod ni'n gweld cynnydd mawr ac mae pethau'n cyflymu drwy'r amser.
Minister, I'd like to thank you for your statement. Like you, I do appreciate, and I am grateful for, the hard work of all those who are trying to carry out these all-important vaccinations. But, despite my gratitude to the front line, I really would like to challenge some of the figures that you've just reeled off and ask you a few questions on your statement. Whilst it is really good news that 290,000 people have been vaccinated, the reality is that simply not enough of the over-80s who are in the community have had the option of having a vaccine. You say that 52.8 per cent of the over-80s have been vaccinated, but it is a seriously missed target. So, Minister, could you please tell us what extended time frame you have now? What about some of the local health boards, such as Cardiff and Vale or, indeed, Hywel Dda, who are already sending out letters to the over-70s? Do you have an LHB percentage breakdown on each priority group?
You stated that some of the centres were closed due to the snow. Are you able to inform us of the numbers of centres or the numbers of planned vaccines that were closed, because I do understand that the weather played a part, but are you really saying that 42,115 over-80s did not get vaccinated because of the weather? The reality is that that's a daily target of some 22,000, which has only been hit three times in the past, so I think that there are other issues at play.
From my inbox, and inboxes, I know, of other Senedd Members, there are many, many over-80s who have not even heard, have not even been called forward for a vaccination, let alone had to have one rescheduled. I have a constituent who's 96 years old and lives on her own in Kilgetty—not a dicky bird from anybody about when she's going to get a vaccine—96. Yet, in other areas of Wales we're already looking at vaccinating over-70s. It's very piecemeal, and I'd be very grateful to know how you're going to be able to pull this together so, as Andrew R.T. Davies said in First Minister's questions, we don't have a postcode lottery.
The over-80s are a very vulnerable group. Therefore, Minister, I'd be very grateful if you could tell us what progress has been made on mobile teams visiting the most vulnerable in their homes.
Looking forward, and, sadly, it's likely that vaccines will need to be altered on a semi-regular basis because of the new variants that are coming through, are you able to give us information on what part Wales is able to play in the future development of any new vaccines?
Finally, Minister, I just wondered whether you could tell us what is being put in place to manage the anomalies of border villages and towns, where patients may live in Wales but be registered with a GP surgery in England or vice versa. These people who are neighbours are getting vaccinations weeks apart, and I know it's causing some unrest. It would be very good to have an update.
I do have a further slew of questions. I am conscious of the time, so I'll take the opportunity to ask my other questions during the Welsh Conservatives' debate on vaccines tomorrow. Thank you.
Gweinidog, fe hoffwn i ddiolch i chi am eich datganiad. Fel chwithau, rwy'n gwerthfawrogi ac yn ddiolchgar iawn am waith caled pawb sy'n ceisio gweinyddu'r brechiadau hollbwysig hyn. Ond, er fy mod i'n ddiolchgar i'r rheng flaen, fe hoffwn i'n fawr allu herio rhai o'r ffigurau yr ydych chi newydd eu crybwyll, un ar ôl y llall, a gofyn ychydig o gwestiynau ichi am eich datganiad. Er mai newyddion da iawn yw clywed bod 290,000 o bobl wedi cael eu brechu, y gwir amdani yw nad oes yna ddigon o bobl dros 80 oed yn y gymuned sydd wedi cael cynnig y brechlyn. Rydych chi'n dweud bod 52.8 y cant o bobl dros 80 oed wedi cael eu brechu, ond fe fethwyd y targed yn ddifrifol iawn. Felly, Gweinidog, a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym ni pa amserlen estynedig sydd gennych chi nawr? Beth am rai o'r byrddau iechyd lleol, fel Caerdydd a'r Fro neu Hywel Dda, yn wir, sydd eisoes yn anfon llythyrau at bobl dros 70 oed? A oes gennych chi ddadansoddiad canrannol BILl ar gyfer pob grŵp blaenoriaeth?
Roeddech chi'n dweud bod rhai o'r canolfannau ar gau oherwydd yr eira. A wnewch chi roi gwybod inni faint o ganolfannau a gaewyd neu nifer y brechlynnau arfaethedig a ohiriwyd, oherwydd er fy mod yn deall bod gan y tywydd ran yn hyn, a ydych chi'n dweud mewn gwirionedd na chafodd 42,115 o bobl dros 80 oed eu brechu oherwydd y tywydd? Y gwir amdani yw mai targed dyddiol o ryw 22,000 yw hynny, ond dim ond tair gwaith y gwireddwyd hynny yn y gorffennol, felly rwyf i o'r farn fod yna broblemau eraill hefyd.
O'r mewnflwch sydd gennyf i, fe wn, ac o fewnflychau Aelodau eraill y Senedd, mae yna lawer o bobl dros 80 oed nad ydyn nhw wedi clywed hyd yn oed, heb eu gwahodd am frechlyn hyd yn oed, heb sôn am fod wedi gorfod aildrefnu. Mae un o'm hetholwyr i, gwraig 96 oed sy'n byw ar ei phen ei hun yng Nghilgeti—heb glywed dim siw na miw gan neb ynghylch pryd y bydd hi'n cael y brechlyn—96 oed. Ac eto i gyd, mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru rydym ni eisoes yn ystyried brechu pobl dros 70 oed. Mae'n fratiog iawn, ac fe fyddai'n dda iawn gennyf gael gwybod sut y gallwch chi dynnu hyn at ei gilydd fel nad oes gennym loteri cod post, fel y dywedodd Andrew R.T. Davies yn y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog.
Mae pobl dros 80 oed yn grŵp agored iawn i niwed. Felly, Gweinidog, fe fyddwn i'n ddiolchgar iawn pe gallech chi ddweud wrthym pa gynnydd sydd wedi bod o ran cael timau symudol i ymweld â'r rhai mwyaf agored i niwed yn eu cartrefi.
Wrth edrych i'r dyfodol, ac, yn anffodus, mae'n debygol y bydd angen addasu'r brechlynnau yn lled reolaidd oherwydd yr amrywiolion newydd sy'n codi eu pennau, a wnewch chi roi gwybodaeth inni am ba ran all fod gan Gymru wrth ddatblygu unrhyw frechlynnau newydd yn y dyfodol?
Yn olaf, Gweinidog, tybed a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym ni beth sy'n cael ei roi ar waith i reoli anghysondebau mewn pentrefi a threfi ar y ffin, lle gall cleifion fyw yng Nghymru ond fod wedi eu cofrestru gyda meddygfa yn Lloegr neu i'r gwrthwyneb. Mae'r bobl hyn sy'n gymdogion i'w gilydd yn gweld wythnosau o wahaniaeth o ran cael eu gwahodd am frechlyn, ac rwy'n gwybod bod hynny'n achosi rhywfaint o anfodlonrwydd. Da o beth fyddai cael yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf.
Mae gennyf i restr faith arall o gwestiynau. Rwy'n ymwybodol o'r amser, felly rwyf am achub ar y cyfle i ofyn fy nghwestiynau eraill ichi yn ystod dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ar frechlynnau yfory. Diolch.
Thank you for that series of questions. The figures produced by Public Health Wales on over-80s are for over-80s in the community. Of course, some of the over-80s in Wales will be resident in care homes, and that data is being updated. You will have seen the BBC article last week that explained the lag in the data reporting and the fact that England report data at an earlier point than ourselves. We provide data with a level of quality assurance around it, but, still, there's a data lag within that.
On the local health board breakdown, I don't have an over-80s breakdown to provide to you. As we get more information, we'll be able to provide more information. As I said in my statement, every Tuesday we'll provide information, just as every Thursday Public Health Wales will, so you can expect there to me more and more data as it's available, because I do think transparency about the data is important to engender public trust. Being transparent with the data and, as we have seen, the significant increases in vaccine delivery are key, I think, to maintaining the level of public trust and confidence we all want to see in this programme. It is very much a national mission.
Five mass vaccination centres were affected, at least, by the conditions, but a range of additional GP clinics didn't go ahead, and, again, I think for understandable reasons. Also, as the First Minister set out yesterday, and I set out at the press conference yesterday, we're aware that there were a significant number of people who didn't attend for appointments. And that's entirely understandable—the conditions in large parts of Wales in the last two days have been treacherous. So, you'd understand why people haven't attended and why those appointments are being rolled forward into the rest of the week. So, people who don't attend will still be contacted and offered an alternative date.
The reason why a range of over-70 letters are going out is that we're planning ahead in each health board when they've made really good progress with the current stage of the vaccine roll-out. It will still be the case that some over-80s in different parts of Wales won't have had their vaccine yet, just as in other UK nations. What I don't think we should do is to hold back the ability for those parts of Wales who can do that and are on schedule to do so until everyone else has caught up. As I've said repeatedly, the objective is for all of us to go as quickly as possible through the priority groups and to make sure we're protecting our most vulnerable citizens. And I completely reject the suggestion that there is a postcode lottery in our delivery. I think, if you look right across Wales, you'll see that there is a significant amount of progress being made, and I think the differences are relatively marginal, and one or two anecdotes do not paint an accurate version of the national picture.
We have 14 mobile units that are already going around helping to deliver vaccinations. We also have members of the primary care team who are delivering vaccinations to people who are housebound, and again that's substantially led by our colleagues in general practice, which is why it's such great news that at least 329 general practices across the country are engaged in this work. And I'm tremendously grateful to the whole primary care team for working together in such a really incredible way to deliver the vaccine programme. That's why we haven't just got better access, but the pace of what we're doing. It's worth pointing out that, in the last seven days, Wales has the fastest rate of vaccination per head of population compared to every other UK nation. So, as to the demands for Wales to catch up with other UK nations, we are catching up with UK nations. We're going faster than the rest of the UK at present. And it was a few weeks ago when I was facing questions about why Wales was fourth out of the four nations—we're now second and making ground on England—which I know is a significant anxiety for a range of people, but this really is a programme that is delivering and delivering at a much greater pace.
In terms of new vaccines, Wales definitely punches above its weight when it comes to genomic sequencing, understanding what's happening with current variants and newer ones as well. And again, just as I think we can all take a measure of pride in our vaccine programme and the pace that we've seen in the last few days, we should take pride in the contributions that our scientists are making to understanding the new variants, the new potential threats that exist, and what that means for the ability of our scientists, including those people in private sector research, who are looking at having a vaccination programme that continues to meet the challenges that new vaccinations will present.
And on cross-border issues, we had a particular wrinkle when a Welsh office Minister suggested last week that there was a problem with vaccines not being offered to English residents who are registered with a Welsh GP. Actually, we've had a conversation, and I had a conversation at a health Ministers' meeting across the four nations, about this to try and resolve this. My understanding is that, on cross-border vaccination, we are doing the best thing possible, in terms of that everyone who's registered with a Welsh GP can get their vaccination, including residents in care homes. But I think there are some issues to work through, potentially, with indemnity issues, about whether or not people who are resident in a care home but have an English GP can actually have that delivered by their English GP or not, and we're making sure those people are not left behind in our care home programme.
When it comes to how people feel about what's across the border, it is almost always the case that you see something on the other side and you think that it must be better over there. Actually, I think people can take real pride in the fact that, as I say, we're going faster than any other UK nation within the last seven days. I look forward to further progress, and another week to build on the 130,000 vaccines we delivered this week. I'm confident we can do even more in the week ahead.
Diolch i chi am y gyfres yna o gwestiynau. Mae'r ffigurau a gynhyrchwyd gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru ar gyfer pobl dros 80 oed yn ffigurau ar gyfer y bobl dros 80 oed hynny sydd yn y gymuned. Wrth gwrs, mae yna rai sydd dros 80 oed yng Nghymru sy'n byw mewn cartrefi gofal, ac mae'r data hynny'n cael eu diweddaru. Rydych chi wedi gweld yr erthygl gan y BBC yr wythnos diwethaf a oedd yn egluro'r oedi o ran adroddiadau data a'r ffaith bod Lloegr yn cyflwyno adroddiadau data yn gynharach na ni. Rydym ni'n cyhoeddi data sydd â lefel o sicrwydd ansawdd, ond, er hynny, mae bwlch yn y data ar hynny.
O ran dadansoddiad bwrdd iechyd lleol, nid oes gennyf ddadansoddiad ar gyfer pobl dros 80 oed i'w roi ichi. Wrth inni gael mwy o wybodaeth, fe fyddwn ni'n gallu rhoi mwy o wybodaeth. Fel y dywedais yn fy natganiad, fe fyddwn ni'n rhoi gwybodaeth bob dydd Mawrth, yn union fel y bydd Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn ei rhoi bob dydd Iau. Felly gallwch chi ddisgwyl y bydd yna fwy a mwy o ddata pan fyddan nhw ar gael, oherwydd rwy'n credu bod tryloywder ynglŷn â'r data yn bwysig iawn i ennill ymddiriedaeth y cyhoedd. Yn fy marn i, mae bod yn dryloyw gyda'r data, yn ogystal â'r cynnydd sylweddol, fel y gwelsom, yn y broses o weinyddu brechlynnau, yn allweddol er mwyn cynnal yr ymddiriedaeth a'r hyder gan y cyhoedd yr ydym ni i gyd yn awyddus i'w weld yn y rhaglen hon. Ymgyrch i'r genedl gyfan yw hon i raddau helaeth iawn.
Effeithiwyd ar o leiaf pump o ganolfannau brechu torfol gan y tywydd, ond fe amharwyd ar sawl clinig ychwanegol gan feddygon teulu hefyd ac, unwaith eto, am resymau sy'n ddealladwy, yn fy marn i. Hefyd, fel y nododd y Prif Weinidog ddoe, ac fe wnes innau nodi hynny yn y gynhadledd i'r wasg ddoe, rydym ni'n ymwybodol fod yna nifer sylweddol o bobl wedi methu eu hapwyntiadau. Ac mae hynny'n gwbl ddealladwy—mae'r tywydd garw wedi achosi peryglon mewn rhannau helaeth o Gymru yn ystod y ddau ddiwrnod diwethaf. Felly, fe fyddech chi'n deall pam nad yw pobl wedi gallu bod yn bresennol a pham mae'r apwyntiadau hynny wedi cael eu gohirio tan nes ymlaen yn yr wythnos. Felly, fe fydd rhywun yn cysylltu â'r bobl hynny a fethodd eu hapwyntiadau ac yn cynnig dyddiad arall iddyn nhw.
Y rheswm pam mae llythyrau wedi eu hanfon allan at rai dros 70 oed yw ein bod ni'n cynllunio ymlaen llaw ym mhob bwrdd iechyd pan fyddan nhw wedi gweld cynnydd da iawn gyda'r cam presennol o gyflwyno'r brechlyn. Bydd yn wir o hyd na fydd rhai pobl dros 80 oed mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru wedi cael eu brechlyn eto, yn union fel y mae yng ngwledydd eraill y DU. Yr hyn na ddylid ei wneud, yn fy marn i, yw ffrwyno'r gallu yn y rhannau hynny o Gymru sy'n medru gwneud hynny ac sydd ar amser i wneud hynny nes bod pawb arall wedi dal i fyny. Fel y dywedais i dro ar ôl tro, yr amcan yw bod pob un ohonom yn mynd cyn gynted ag y gallwn drwy'r grwpiau blaenoriaeth a sicrhau ein bod yn amddiffyn y dinasyddion sy'n fwyaf agored i niwed. Ac rwy'n gwrthod yr awgrym yn llwyr fod yna loteri cod post yn ein darpariaeth ni. Rwy'n credu, os edrychwch chi ledled Cymru, y gwelwch chi fod cryn dipyn o gynnydd yn cael ei wneud, ac rwy'n credu mai cymharol ymylol yw'r gwahaniaethau, ac nid yw un neu ddau o hanesion yn rhoi fersiwn gywir o'r darlun cenedlaethol.
Mae gennym 14 o unedau symudol sydd eisoes yn mynd o gwmpas yn helpu i weinyddu brechiadau. Mae gennym aelodau o'r tîm gofal sylfaenol hefyd sy'n gweinyddu brechiadau i bobl sy'n gaeth i'r tŷ, ac unwaith eto mae hynny'n cael ei arwain i raddau helaeth gan ein cydweithwyr mewn practisau cyffredinol. A dyna pam mae'n newyddion mor wych fod o leiaf 329 o bractisau cyffredinol ledled y wlad yn ymwneud â'r gwaith hwn. Ac rwy'n hynod ddiolchgar i'r tîm gofal sylfaenol cyfan am gydweithio mewn ffordd mor anhygoel i gynnal y rhaglen frechu. Dyna pam mae gennym nid yn unig well hygyrchedd, ond fwy o gyflymder yn yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud. Mae'n werth nodi mai Cymru, yn ystod y saith diwrnod diwethaf, sydd â'r gyfradd gyflymaf o frechu fesul pen o'r boblogaeth o'i chymharu â phob gwlad arall yn y DU. Felly, o ran y galw ar Gymru i ddal i fyny â chenhedloedd eraill y DU, rydym ni yn dal i fyny â chenhedloedd y DU. Rydym yn mynd yn gyflymach na gweddill y DU ar hyn o bryd. Ac ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, pan oeddwn i'n wynebu cwestiynau ynghylch pam mai'r bedwaredd oedd Cymru o'r pedair gwlad—rydym ni'n ail erbyn hyn ac yn ennill tir ar Loegr—sydd, rwy'n gwybod, yn ofid sylweddol i lawer o bobl, ond mae hon mewn gwirionedd yn rhaglen sy'n llwyddo ac yn cyflawni yn gynt o lawer.
O ran brechlynnau newydd, mae Cymru yn gwneud gwaith campus o ran dilyniannu genomeg, gan ddeall beth sy'n digwydd gydag amrywiolion cyfredol a rhai newydd hefyd. Ac ar yr un pryd, yn union fel y gall pob un ohonom ymfalchïo yn ein rhaglen frechu ni a'r cyflymder a welsom yn ystod y dyddiau diwethaf, fe ddylem ni ymfalchïo hefyd yn y cyfraniadau a wneir gan ein gwyddonwyr o ran dealltwriaeth o'r amrywiolion newydd, y bygythiadau posibl newydd sy'n bodoli, a'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu i allu ein gwyddonwyr ni, gan gynnwys y bobl hynny mewn ymchwil sector preifat, sy'n ceisio cael rhaglen frechu sy'n parhau i ymateb i'r heriau a ddaw o gyflwyno brechiadau newydd.
Ac o ran materion trawsffiniol, fe gawsom ni fater penodol pan awgrymodd un o Weinidogion Swyddfa Cymru yr wythnos ddiwethaf fod yna broblem gyda brechiadau yn cael eu cynnig i bobl sy'n byw yn Lloegr ond sydd wedi eu cofrestru gyda meddyg teulu yng Nghymru. A dweud y gwir, rydym wedi cael sgwrs, a chefais sgwrs mewn cyfarfod o Weinidogion iechyd ar draws y pedair gwlad, ynglŷn â hyn i geisio datrys y mater. Fel rwyf i'n deall, o ran brechu trawsffiniol, rydym yn gwneud y peth gorau posibl, a gall pawb sydd wedi cofrestru â meddyg teulu yng Nghymru gael eu brechu, gan gynnwys preswylwyr cartrefi gofal. Ond rwy'n credu bod yna rai materion y mae angen sylw arnyn nhw eto, o bosibl gyda materion indemniad, ac ynghylch a all pobl sy'n preswylio mewn cartref gofal yma ond sydd â meddyg teulu yn Lloegr gael yr hyn sy'n cael ei gynnig iddynt gan eu meddyg teulu yn Lloegr neu beidio, ac rydym yn gwneud yn siŵr nad yw'r bobl hynny'n cael eu gadael ar ôl yn ein rhaglen ni ar gyfer cartrefi gofal.
O ran sut mae pobl yn teimlo ynglŷn â'r hyn sydd i'w gael dros y ffin, mae bron bob amser yn wir i ddweud pan welwch chi rywbeth ar yr ochr arall y byddwch yn meddwl ei fod yn well yno. Mewn gwirionedd, rwy'n credu y gall pobl ymfalchïo yn fawr iawn yn y ffaith ein bod ni, fel y dywedais i, yn mynd yn gweithredu'n gyflymach nag unrhyw wlad arall yn y DU yn y saith diwrnod diwethaf. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at gynnydd pellach ac wythnos arall i adeiladu ar y 130,000 o frechlynnau a ddarparwyd gennym yr wythnos hon. Rwy'n hyderus y gallwn gyflawni mwy eto yn yr wythnos i ddod.
Thank you. Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch. Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Diolch am y datganiad hefyd. Gaf i'n gyntaf ddiolch o waelod calon i bob un—yn feddyg, yn nyrs, yn weithiwr brechu arall, yn weinyddwr yn ein byrddau iechyd ni—sy'n gweithio mor galed i drio brechu y boblogaeth? Mae'n amlwg bod yna gyflymu wedi bod, ac rydym ni i gyd yn gallu croesawu hynny, ond mae yna gryn ffordd i fynd.
O ran y methiant yma i daro'r targed o frechu 70 y cant o bobl dros 80, ydych, rydych chi'n hollol iawn, Weinidog, ein bod ni eisiau gwybod a oeddech chi wedi taro'r targed. 'We didn't quite make it', meddech chi. Ond y ffigur gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, wrth gwrs, ydy 52.8 y cant. Nid 'didn't quite make it' ydy hynny, gadewch inni fod yn onest, hyd yn oed os oes yna beth data yn dal angen eu bwydo i'r system. Ac os caf i ddweud, dwi ddim yn meddwl bod beio eira dros y Sul yn dal dŵr, waeth faint o broblem gwnaeth yr eira, wrth gwrs, greu mewn rhai ardaloedd; y broblem oedd eich bod chi yn dal ar 24 y cant o bobl dros 80 oed ganol yr wythnos diwethaf, ac mi oedd yna ormod o fynydd i'w ddringo. Ond, fel dwi'n ei ddweud, dwi'n falch bod pethau yn symud i'r cyfeiriad iawn.
Rydych yn dweud bod 67 y cant o breswylwyr cartrefi gofal wedi'u brechu. Dwi braidd yn bryderus am y ffigur yna, mae'n rhaid i fi ddweud. Mae e'n swnio'n isel i fi, o ystyried mor fregus ydy'r grŵp yna. Ac mae hefyd yn ymddangos bod yna gryn wahaniaeth o ardal i ardal. Mae o'n grŵp ddylai fod yn reit hawdd i'w gyrraedd. Yn ardal bwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr, er enghraifft, roedden nhw'n dweud ddoe bod brechu wedi'i gwblhau mewn 180 allan o'r 200 cartref gofal yn y rhanbarth, a bod dros 90 y cant o'r preswylwyr wedi cael eu brechu. Maen nhw hefyd yn dweud bod dros 90 y cant o staff iechyd rheng flaen a staff gofal wedi'u brechu—eto, 74 y cant o staff gofal ydy'r canran Cymru gyfan rydych chi wedi'i ddyfynnu heddiw. Allwch chi ddweud beth ydych yn ei wneud i drio lefelu pethau ar draws Cymru i godi pethau i fyny i'r canrannau rydym ni wedi'u clywed gan Betsi Cadwaladr?
Dwi'n falch bod cymaint o feddygfeydd teulu yn rhan o'r broses rŵan, a'ch bod chi wedi pasio y 250 o feddygfeydd oedd yn darged gennych chi. Yn gyffredinol, rydych chi'n dweud bod capasiti wedi cynyddu, sy'n dda o beth. Mae'n dal yn gwestiwn gen i pam na adeiladwyd y capasiti dros y misoedd yn arwain at pan ddaeth y brechiad ar gael. Ac mi ddywedsoch chi wrth sôn am y gwahanol rannau o ofal sylfaenol sy'n cymryd rhan bellach:
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you for the statement. May I first of all thank everyone—doctors, nurses, other vaccination workers, administrators in our health boards—who are all working so very hard to try and vaccinate our population? It's clear that the process has sped up, and we can all welcome that, but there is some way to go.
In terms of this failure in hitting the target of vaccinating 70 per cent of those over 80 years of age, yes, you're quite right, Minister, that we wanted to know whether you hit that target. You said, 'We didn't quite make it', but the figure from Public Health Wales, of course, is 52.8 per cent. It was not a matter of 'didn't quite make it', let's be honest about this, even if there is some data that still needs to be fed into the system. And if I may say, I don't think blaming snow over the weekend holds water. Of course, snow did cause problems in certain areas, but the problem was that you were still on 24 per cent of over-80s the middle of last week, and it was too high a mountain to climb. As I say, I'm pleased that things are moving in the right direction.
You say that 67 per cent of care home residents have been vaccinated. I'm quite concerned about that figure, I have to say. It sounds low to me, given how vulnerable that group is. And it also appears that there is some difference from one area to another. It's a group that should be quite easy to identify. In the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area, for example, they said yesterday that vaccination had been completed in 180 of the 200 care homes in the region and that over 90 per cent of residents had been vaccinated. They also said that over 90 per cent of front-line healthcare staff and care staff had been vaccinated, and 74 per cent is the all-Wales percentage that you've quoted today. So, can you tell us what you're trying to do to level things out across Wales, so that we can raise things up to the percentages we hear from Betsi Cadwaladr?
I'm pleased to hear that so many GP surgeries are now part of the process and that you have passed the 250 surgeries that you had as a target. Generally speaking, you say the capacity has increased, which is positive. I still have a question as to why that capacity wasn't built up in the months leading up to the introduction of the vaccination. But you said, in mentioning the different parts of primary care now participating:
'This includes a community pharmacy pilot'.
A community pharmacy pilot.
'Mae hyn yn cynnwys cynllun peilot y fferyllfaoedd cymunedol'.
Cynllun peilot y fferyllfaoedd cymunedol.
Un—hwnnw ym Mhenllyn yr wythnos cyn diwethaf, dwi'n cymryd rydych chi'n cyfeirio ato fo. Mae gennym ni dros 600 o fferyllfeydd cymunedol. Mae'n rhaid sicrhau eu bod nhw'n dod yn rhan o'r broses frechu mor fuan â phosib. Maen nhw eisiau cymryd rhan. Mi wnaeth fferyllydd yn fy etholaeth i, yn y Fali, digwydd bod, gysylltu yn y dyddiau diwethaf yn dweud, 'Rydyn ni eisiau gwneud. Mae gennyn ni le, rydyn ni wedi ein hyfforddi i wneud, gadewch inni wneud.' Ac os caf i ddweud, y neges glir dwi yn ei chlywed ydy: 'Mi allwn ni wneud llawer mwy pe baen ni'n cael mwy o'r brechiad.' Rŵan, dwi wedi gofyn dro ar ôl tro ar ôl tro am ddata ar faint o'r gwahanol frechiadau sydd wedi cael eu rhannu i bedair cenedl y Deyrnas Unedig, faint wedyn sy'n cael eu rhannu o bob un i bob bwrdd iechyd yma. Dwi'n gofyn eto. Rydych chi wedi sôn am bwysigrwydd tryloywder yn eich cyflwyniad chi. Rhowch y tryloywder inni yn fan hyn fel ein bod ni'n gallu gweld unrhyw anghyfartaleddau neu flocs yn y system. Mae o'n wybodaeth, mae o'n ddata cwbl, cwbl sylfaenol.
Yn olaf, dwi eisiau tynnu sylw at y pryderon diweddaraf am y newid polisi hwnnw a fu fel bod hyd at 12 wythnos o oedi rhwng dau ddos y brechiad Pfizer yn hytrach na'r tair wythnos gwreiddiol. Mae yna fwy o bryderon wedi'u tynnu i'm sylw am hyn: poeni y gallai hynny fod yn effeithio a thanseilio effeithlonrwydd y brechiad i'r graddau eich bod chi'n gorfod dechrau o'r dechrau pan fo'n cyrraedd at y 12 wythnos. Dwi'n deall y syniad o roi rhywfaint o warchodaeth i fwy o bobl—wrth gwrs fy mod i'n deall hynny—ond ydych chi'n barod i wynebu'r posibilrwydd y gallai, i bob pwrpas, filiynau o frechiadau wedi cael eu gwastraffu oherwydd y newid polisi hwnnw?
One—that was in the Llyn peninsula the week before last, I believe. We have over 600 community pharmacies, and we must ensure that they become part of the vaccination process as soon as possible. They want to participate. A pharmacist in my constituency in Valley contacted me over the past few days, saying, 'We want to do this, we are trained to do it, we have capacity to do it, let us do it.' If I may say so, the clear message I hear is: 'We could do much more if we had more of the vaccine.' Now, I've asked time and time again for data on how many of the various vaccines have been distributed to the four nations of the UK, how many are provided to each health board here. I ask again. You've mentioned the importance of transparency in your opening remarks. Well, provide that transparency here so that we can see any inequalities or blocks in the system. It is crucial, fundamentally important data.
Finally, I want to highlight the most recent concerns about that change of policy so that there would be up to a 12-week delay between the two doses of the Pfizer vaccine rather than the original three weeks. More concerns have been brought to my attention on this issue. There are concerns that it could undermine the effectiveness of the vaccination to the extent that you would have to start from the beginning. Now, I understand the idea of providing greater protection to more people, but are you willing to face the possibility that, to all intents and purposes, millions of vaccinations could have been wasted because of this change of policy?
I don't believe we've wasted millions of vaccines because of policy choices that we've made, but I'll start with your point about not blaming the snow. The snow was an obvious factor—an obvious factor—on Sunday and Monday, and it had a material impact. And the figures that we are publishing, the 52.8 per cent that Public Health Wales refer to—at least that many have received the vaccine. And, as I said in response to Angela Burns, we know that there's a lag before we get data that is brought up to date, but it is clear that we're unlikely to get to—that we're not going to get to the 70 per cent, when that is all reconciled for the end of Sunday. And that is being honest and upfront with people, and I think most members of the public will not be at all surprised that the snowfall we saw in large parts of the country had an impact.
When it comes to care home residents, at least 67 per cent have already had theirs—again, the same issues about data. It's also the case that, some care homes—we've had to work through some of our policy questions about red care homes, where they've got a number of positive cases. We're now in a more settled position that's now being applied consistently across the country. That's why we can be confident that every health board is working through these as the top priority group, and I'm looking forward to all of those homes having been covered by the end of this month—all those homes where it's possible to go into. A risk assessment approach is being used, as you would expect, so, if there is an active outbreak, where a substantial portion of the home, its staff and residents are covered, then that may mean that the vaccination programme can't go ahead within that home. I think everyone would understand why that is, but we've looked at risk assessments where there are one or two cases in a home and what that means to make sure the vaccine is provided more generally. So, we've worked that through, and we do think that we're now in a position to have, again, a real level of confidence to achieve the expectation I referred to by the end of the month to have completed this section of the population.
In terms of the time to build capacity, well, with respect, we couldn't turn on all of the capacity when supplies were much more reduced, when we had issues about the use of the Pfizer vaccine. When we started, we couldn't deliver the vaccine in primary care effectively, we couldn't deliver the vaccine to care home residents. And you'll recall there was an unfortunate instance where the previous Conservative leader said that he thought residents had been left behind, which is not what had happened at all. It's a shame those comments have never been corrected. We're now in a position where supply is much more significant, with a mix of the vaccines. We're in a position to make a different and more flexible use of Pfizer, so our infrastructure is different and is better now. Much more significant, and it is the case that supply is the limiting factor. If we had even more of the AstraZeneca vaccine than we have today, then we could not only maximise the capacity that exists within general practice, but we could make use of the significant network in community pharmacy, as we are keen to do. It is the case, though, that general practice, working together, is able to effectively deliver the vaccine supplies that we currently have. And so we're looking at how we have that combination of mass-vaccination centres that make use of the skills of people who can be vaccinators as well in our wider primary care team and how we'll then be able to make much fuller use of the willing and highly professional workforce—and trusted, crucially—trusted workforce in community pharmacy as we expect supplies to increase further in the weeks ahead.
Now, when it comes to the share of vaccine supply, I am regularly asked this question by you and by colleagues in Plaid Cymru, and I regularly give exactly the same answer about us receiving our population share, and that continues to be the case. It continues to be the case that we receive our population share. It continues to be the case that, in the now weekly meeting that I'm having with the UK vaccines Minister, it's a regular topic of our conversations to make sure that there is a continued assurance on the level of vaccine we'll need to get to the mid February milestone for all four priority groups—the first four priority groups—to be covered. Because, for that to happen, we know that we will need more than our population share if there is only just enough to cover that within the UK. So, that is part of our challenge, it's part of what I have regularly raised, and there is a repeated assurance that all of those supplies will be available in time for us to be able to do that by the middle of February. And within Wales, we are absolutely providing vaccine supplies on a population share to each of our health boards.
And you will have seen some of the public comments and widely reported public commentary about some of the sensitivity over vaccine supply and manufacture between the UK and our partners in the European Union. There is an element of commercial sensitivity, which is why we haven't published more information today about the vaccine stocks that we hold, and I've made it clear that I want to be in a position where we can have a common publication between the different parts of the UK to be upfront about the vaccine supplies that we're holding. We're looking to work that through across all four nations. I respect the fact that there are current commercial sensitivities that mean that we're not in a position to do that today, but I want to do that as soon as possible, because I recognise that transparency is a good thing in terms of giving the public confidence about what we're doing and why.
Nid wyf i o'r farn ein bod wedi gwastraffu miliynau o frechlynnau oherwydd y dewisiadau polisi a wnaethom ni, ond rwyf am ddechrau gyda'ch pwynt chi am beidio â rhoi'r bai ar yr eira. Roedd yr eira'n elfen amlwg—elfen amlwg—ddydd Sul a dydd Llun, a chafodd effaith sylweddol. A'r ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd gennym, y 52.8 y cant y mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn cyfeirio ato—mae o leiaf cymaint â hynny wedi cael y brechlyn. Ac, fel y dywedais wrth roi ateb i Angela Burns, fe wyddom fod bwlch cyn inni gael data sydd wedi eu diweddaru, ond mae'n amlwg ein bod yn annhebygol o gyrraedd—nad ydym yn mynd i gyrraedd y 70 y cant, pan gaiff hynny i gyd ei gysoni ar gyfer diwedd dydd Sul. Mae hynny'n fater o fod yn onest ac yn agored gyda phobl, ac rwy'n credu na fydd y rhan fwyaf o'r cyhoedd yn synnu o gwbl fod yr eira a welsom mewn rhannau helaeth o'r wlad wedi cael effaith.
O ran preswylwyr cartrefi gofal, mae o leiaf 67 y cant wedi cael eu brechu eisoes—unwaith eto, yr un materion ynghylch data. Mae'n wir hefyd, o ran rhai cartrefi gofal—rydym ni wedi gorfod gweithio drwy rai o'n cwestiynau polisi am gartrefi gofal rhybudd coch, lle mae ganddyn nhw nifer o achosion cadarnhaol. Rydym mewn sefyllfa fwy sefydlog erbyn hyn sy'n cael ei chymhwyso bellach yn gyson ledled y wlad. Dyna pam y gallwn ni fod yn hyderus bod pob bwrdd iechyd yn gweithio drwy'r rhain fel y prif grŵp blaenoriaeth, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weld yr holl gartrefi hynny'n cael eu cynnwys erbyn diwedd y mis hwn—yr holl gartrefi hynny lle mae'n bosibl cael mynediad iddynt. Mae dull o asesu risg yn cael ei ddefnyddio, fel y byddech chi'n ei ddisgwyl, felly, pe byddai unrhyw achosion cyfredol, yn cynnwys cyfran sylweddol o blith staff a phreswylwyr y cartref, yna fe allai hynny olygu na all y rhaglen frechu ddigwydd yn y cartref hwnnw. Rwy'n credu y byddai pawb yn deall pam. Ond rydym wedi edrych ar asesiadau risg lle ceir un neu ddau achos mewn cartref a'r hyn a olygir gan hynny ar gyfer sicrhau bod y brechlyn yn cael ei ddarparu'n fwy cyffredinol. Felly, rydym wedi gweithio drwy hynny, ac rydym yn credu ein bod mewn sefyllfa erbyn hyn, unwaith eto, i gael cyfradd wirioneddol o hyder i gyflawni'r disgwyliad y cyfeiriais i ato erbyn diwedd y mis, sef cwblhau brechu'r rhan hon o'r boblogaeth.
O ran yr amser i gynyddu'r capasiti, wel, â phob parch, nid oedd modd ysgogi ein holl gapasiti pan oedd y cyflenwadau yn llawer llai, pan oedd gennym broblemau o ran defnyddio brechlyn Pfizer. Ar y dechrau, nid oeddem yn gallu gweinyddu'r brechlyn yn effeithiol mewn gofal sylfaenol, nid oeddem yn gallu gweinyddu'r brechlyn i breswylwyr cartrefi gofal. Ac rydych chi'n cofio'r achos anffodus pan ddywedodd cyn arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr ei fod ef yn credu bod preswylwyr wedi cael eu gadael ar ôl. Nid dyna ddigwyddodd o gwbl. Mae'n drueni na chafodd y sylwadau hynny eu cywiro. Rydym mewn sefyllfa erbyn hyn o fod â chyflenwad llawer mwy sylweddol, gyda chymysgedd o frechlynnau. Rydym mewn sefyllfa i wneud defnydd gwahanol a mwy hyblyg o frechlyn Pfizer, ac felly mae ein seilwaith ni'n wahanol ac mae'n well nawr. Mae'n llawer mwy sylweddol. Y cyflenwad yw'r ffactor sy'n llesteirio. Pe byddai gennym ni fwy hyd yn oed o frechlyn AstraZeneca nag sydd gennym ni heddiw, fe allem fanteisio i'r eithaf wedyn nid yn unig ar y capasiti sy'n bodoli o fewn practisau cyffredinol, ond fe allem ddefnyddio'r rhwydwaith sylweddol sydd mewn fferylliaeth gymunedol, fel rydym ni'n awyddus i'w wneud. Er hynny, mae practisau cyffredinol, gan weithio gyda'i gilydd, yn gallu darparu'r cyflenwadau o frechiadau sydd gennym ni ar hyn o bryd yn effeithiol. Ac felly rydym yn edrych ar sut y gallwn gael y cyfuniad hwnnw o ganolfannau brechu torfol sy'n defnyddio sgiliau pobl sy'n gallu gweinyddu brechiadau hefyd yn ein tîm gofal sylfaenol ehangach a sut y byddwn ni'n defnyddio llawer mwy ar ein gweithlu parod a phroffesiynol iawn—sy'n ddibynadwy, yn hollbwysig iawn—gweithlu dibynadwy mewn fferylliaeth gymunedol, gan ein bod yn disgwyl gweld cynnydd yn y cyflenwadau eto yn yr wythnosau i ddod.
Nawr, o ran ein cyfran ni o'r cyflenwad brechlynnau, mae'r cwestiwn hwn yn cael ei ofyn i mi'n rheolaidd gennych chi a chyd-Aelodau ym Mhlaid Cymru, ac rwyf innau'n rhoi'r un ateb yn rheolaidd, sef ein bod ni'n cael ein cyfran ni yn ôl ein poblogaeth, ac mae hynny'n parhau i fod yn wir. Mae'n dal i fod yn wir ein bod ni'n cael ein cyfran ni yn ôl maint ein poblogaeth. Mae'n dal i fod yn wir, yn y cyfarfod wythnosol a gaf i erbyn hyn gyda Gweinidog brechlynnau'r DU, mai hwn yw'r pwnc cyson yn ein trafodaethau ni i wneud yn siŵr y ceir sicrwydd parhaol o ran lefel y brechlynnau y bydd ei hangen i gyrraedd carreg filltir canol mis Chwefror ar gyfer y pedwar grŵp blaenoriaeth—y pedwar grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf. Er mwyn i hynny ddigwydd, fe wyddom y bydd angen mwy na'n cyfran ni yn ôl y boblogaeth os mai dim ond digon i wireddu hynny sydd o fewn y DU. Felly, dyna ran o'n her ni, dyna ran o'r hyn yr wyf i wedi ei godi'n rheolaidd, ac fe geir sicrwydd dro ar ôl tro y bydd yr holl gyflenwadau hynny ar gael mewn pryd i allu cyflawni'r garreg filltir erbyn canol mis Chwefror. Ac yng Nghymru, rydym ni'n darparu ein cyflenwadau ni o'r brechlyn ar sail y gyfran o'r boblogaeth ym mhob un o'n byrddau iechyd.
Ac fe fyddwch wedi gweld rhai o'r sylwadau cyhoeddus a'r sylwebaeth gyhoeddus a adroddwyd yn eang am rai o'r materion sensitif ynghylch cyflenwad a gweithgynhyrchu brechlynnau rhwng y DU a'n partneriaid yn yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Mae yna elfen o sensitifrwydd masnachol, a dyna pam nad ydym wedi cyhoeddi mwy o wybodaeth heddiw am y stociau sydd gennym ni o frechlynnau. Ac rwyf i wedi egluro fy mod i'n dymuno bod mewn sefyllfa lle gallwn ni gael cyhoeddiad cyffredin rhwng gwahanol rannau'r DU i fod yn agored ynglŷn â'r cyflenwadau o frechlynnau sydd gennym yn ein meddiant. Rydym yn ystyried gweithredu hynny ar draws y pedair gwlad. Rwy'n parchu'r ffaith fod yna sensitifrwydd masnachol ar hyn o bryd sy'n golygu nad ydym mewn sefyllfa i wneud hynny heddiw. Ond rwy'n awyddus i wneud hynny cyn gynted â phosibl, oherwydd rwy'n cydnabod mai da o beth yw tryloywder er mwyn rhoi hyder i'r cyhoedd am yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud a pham.
Minister, constituents have raised with me issues regarding prisoners in Welsh prisons with regard to the vaccination programme. So, some prisoners who are in the top-four priority groups, and the immediate priority groups currently being vaccinated, have not received any information as to when they are likely to receive their vaccinations, and, understandably, they are wondering whether they have been overlooked or whether they will be hearing something in short order. There are also issues regarding new prisoners coming into prison and the testing regime that applies, and concerns that it is not as rigorous as it should be, and further concerns around prison officers in terms of priority for vaccination, although I'm sure that will be considered by the UK joint committee in their consideration of other groups that may have priority beyond the first four priority groups. Obviously, Minister, I know that there's cross-over here with UK Government responsibilities, but the prison population is very vulnerable, given the lack of space and the difficulties with social distancing, and many of the prisoners are in vulnerable groups in terms of their health and their general profile. So, these are important matters, and I wonder if you could say something today about how Welsh Government has been involved in consideration of these matters and will be involved as we move forward.
Gweinidog, mae etholwyr wedi codi materion am y rhaglen frechu gyda mi o ran carcharorion yng ngharchardai Cymru. Nid yw rhai carcharorion sydd yn y pedwar grŵp blaenoriaeth uchaf, a'r grwpiau blaenoriaeth cyntaf sy'n cael eu brechu ar hyn o bryd, wedi cael unrhyw wybodaeth ynghylch pryd y maen nhw'n debygol o gael eu brechu, ac, yn ddealladwy, maen nhw'n meddwl tybed a ydyn nhw wedi cael eu hanwybyddu neu a fyddan nhw'n clywed rhywbeth yn fuan. Mae materion hefyd sy'n ymwneud â charcharorion sydd newydd eu carcharu a'r drefn brofi sy'n berthnasol iddyn nhw, a phryderon nad yw honno mor drylwyr ag y dylai fod, a phryderon pellach ynghylch swyddogion carchardai o ran y flaenoriaeth iddyn nhw ar gyfer brechu, er fy mod i'n siŵr y bydd cydbwyllgor y DU yn ystyried hynny wrth ystyried grwpiau eraill a allai gael blaenoriaeth dros y pedwar grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf. Yn amlwg, Gweinidog, rwy'n gwybod bod yna faterion yma sy'n croesi'r ffiniau â chyfrifoldebau Llywodraeth y DU, ond mae'r boblogaeth carchardai yn agored iawn i niwed, o ystyried y lle cyfyng a'r anawsterau o ran cadw pellter cymdeithasol, ac mae llawer o'r carcharorion mewn grwpiau agored i niwed o ran eu hiechyd a'u proffil cyffredinol. Felly, mae'r rhain yn faterion pwysig, a tybed a wnewch chi ddweud rhywbeth heddiw ynglŷn â chyfraniad Llywodraeth Cymru i'r ystyriaeth o'r materion hyn a'i rhan wrth inni symud ymlaen.
Well, as you'll know, responsibility for prisoner healthcare is now with my colleague Eluned Morgan, but in terms of the vaccine roll-out, that remains with me. Now, we are working through this from our responsibility for prisoner healthcare, but also a specific responsibility for the vaccine roll-out, how those prisoners who will be in priority groups—it's a matter of fact that the prisoner population is significantly less healthy than the wider population, with a range of additional healthcare needs. We also have an older prisoner population in Usk, as well, so there'll be a range of people there who will be in priority groups because of their age as well. We've had outbreaks within prisons, we've had fatalities within prisons, as well, so this is part of the population that we have responsibility for, and we are working through with colleagues responsible for running prisons how we will deliver within the first four priorities by the middle of February. So, the prisoner population is not going to be left behind. It's a matter of being able to work that through and then being able to deliver that with that particular group of the population of Wales. So, I hope that assurance is helpful. As we get more detail, I'll be happy to commit to writing a further statement either individually or on a joint basis with my colleague Eluned Morgan.
Wel, fel y gwyddoch chi, Eluned Morgan, fy nghyd-Weinidog i, sy'n gyfrifol am ofal iechyd carcharorion erbyn hyn, ond o ran cyflwyniad y brechlyn, mae hwnnw'n aros dan fy ngofal i. Nawr, rydym ni'n gweithio drwy ein cyfrifoldeb ni am ofal iechyd carcharorion, ond cyfrifoldeb penodol hefyd am gyflwyniad y brechlyn, a'r carcharorion hynny sydd mewn grwpiau blaenoriaeth—mae'n ffaith fod y boblogaeth carcharorion yn dioddef llawer mwy o afiechyd na'r boblogaeth ehangach, gydag amrywiaeth o anghenion gofal iechyd ychwanegol. Mae gennym ni boblogaeth o garcharorion hŷn ym Mrynbuga hefyd, felly fe fydd yna amrywiaeth o bobl yn y fan honno sydd mewn grwpiau blaenoriaeth oherwydd eu hoedran nhw hefyd. Rydym wedi gweld achosion yn torri allan mewn carchardai, ac rydym wedi gweld marwolaethau mewn carchardai hefyd, felly mae hon yn rhan o'r boblogaeth y mae gennym gyfrifoldeb amdani, ac rydym yn gweithio ar hyn gyda chydweithwyr sy'n gyfrifol am redeg carchardai i weld sut y byddwn ni'n cyflawni o ran y pedwar grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf erbyn canol mis Chwefror. Felly, ni chaiff y boblogaeth carcharorion ei gadael ar ôl. Mae'n fater o allu gweithio ar hynny a gallu cyflawni hynny wedyn gyda'r grŵp penodol hwnnw o boblogaeth Cymru. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio bod y sicrwydd hwnnw'n ddefnyddiol. Wrth inni gael mwy o fanylion, fe fyddaf yn hapus i ymrwymo i ysgrifennu datganiad pellach naill ai'n unigol neu ar y cyd â'm cyd-Weinidog Eluned Morgan.
Thank you for your statement, Minister. I hope and pray that you are able to meet all your targets. Minister, are you content that we are administering every dose that we receive? There is widespread concern that the length of time between the two doses is far too great. Will you publish the JCVI advice that you have used to inform your decision to increase the time between the doses? Can you please outline how much protection is granted by a single dose of each of the available vaccines? The main barrier to quicker vaccination of the population is supply, so, Minister, are you able to update us on the progress being made on the approval of the other vaccine candidates, such as the one from Johnson & Johnson? Finally, Minister, we can't afford to waste this most precious resource. You have said that only 1 per cent of the vaccine has been wasted so far, but this amounts to thousands of doses, and thousands of people who could have been vaccinated have not received their first dose. So, Minister, what steps are you taking to reduce waste to around 0.1 per cent, rather than its current level? Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch i chi am eich datganiad, Gweinidog. Rwy'n gobeithio ac yn gweddïo y byddwch chi'n gallu cyrraedd pob un o'ch targedau. Gweinidog, a ydych chi wedi eich bodloni ein bod ni'n gweinyddu pob dos a gawn? Fe geir pryder cyffredinol bod yr amser rhwng y ddwy ddos yn rhy hir o lawer. A wnewch chi gyhoeddi'r cyngor gan y JCVI y gwnaethoch chi ei ddefnyddio i lywio eich penderfyniad i gynyddu'r amser rhwng y ddwy ddos? A wnewch chi amlinellu faint o amddiffyniad a roddir gan un ddos o bob un o'r brechlynnau sydd ar gael? Y prif rwystr i frechu'r boblogaeth yn gyflymach yw'r cyflenwad, felly, Gweinidog, a wnewch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni am y cynnydd sy'n cael ei wneud o ran cymeradwyo brechlynnau eraill, megis yr un gan Johnson & Johnson? Yn olaf, Gweinidog, ni allwn ni fforddio gwastraffu'r adnodd hwn sydd mor werthfawr. Rydych wedi dweud mai dim ond 1 y cant o'r brechlyn sydd wedi ei wastraffu hyd yn hyn, ond mae hyn yn gyfystyr â miloedd o ddosau, ac fe geir miloedd o bobl y gellid bod wedi eu brechu nad ydyn nhw wedi cael eu dos gyntaf. Felly, Gweinidog, pa gamau sy'n cael eu cymryd i leihau gwastraff i fod tua 0.1 y cant, yn hytrach na'r gyfradd ar hyn o bryd? Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you. I don't know where you get the 0.1 per cent wastage target. Actually, the fact that we have a wastage rate of less than 1 per cent shows that we have a highly efficient vaccination programme, which is part of what we should take real pride in, that our NHS Wales-led programme is actually achieving. We are publishing from today wastage rates, so you'll get to see on a regular basis how effective and efficient we are being.
When it comes to the approval of other vaccination candidates, I'll just remind the Member and anyone else watching that it's not up to politicians to do this and it's an important part of our system that politicians don't approve vaccination candidates. The independent regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, approve vaccines for use and the basis upon which they can be used. It's an important safeguard in our system. They have to review the data and they determine whether a vaccine is able to be used. It's then up to politicians to make choices on the delivery of those vaccines. That is still very much the position. So, any other candidate vaccine will need to go through the same rigorous process, will need to have the same determination made by the MHRA. We have the third vaccine, which we expect to be available later in the spring, the Moderna vaccine. It's been approved, and that's when we expect to have supplies arriving within the UK. That's already a matter of public record. Any further approval will be subject to a public announcement by the MHRA in the usual way.
When it then comes to their use and the JCVI advice on the inter-dose interval between the first and second dose, this has already been published. It's not a matter of me publishing it, it has already been published and JCVI members have done a regular round of interviews for the last few weeks, explaining their advice, how they've come to that advice, the reason why the advice they've given covers the first nine priority groups, where 99 per cent of hospitalisation and deaths occur from COVID-19, but also, in particular, that advice on the inter-dose interval, which is classic public health advice on making sure that we provide as much protection as possible to the largest group in our population as quickly as possible, rather than providing a higher level of protection to a much smaller group of the population within the same time frame. It's part of the reason why Public Health Wales and their colleague agencies in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland support the JCVI advice on extending the inter-dose interval to 12 weeks. It's also why every single chief medical officer in the United Kingdom supports that advice. And it would be a very odd thing indeed if I decided as the Minister to overturn the advice of the chief medical officer, to overturn the advice of Public Health Wales and to overturn the advice of the independent expert JCVI on how to deliver a vaccine. It is not a position that I'm going to undertake. I would make the chief medical officer's position absolutely untenable if I did so. But, more than that, I would be ignoring the very direct advice that says that this approach will actually save lives and an alternative approach will cost lives. And I am absolutely not going to do that.
Diolch. Nid wyf i'n gwybod o ble y cawsoch chi'r targed o 0.1 y cant o ran gwastraff. Mewn gwirionedd, mae'r ffaith bod gennym gyfradd wastraff o lai nag 1 y cant yn dangos bod gennym raglen frechu sy'n hynod effeithlon, sy'n rhan o'r hyn y dylem ni fod yn ymfalchïo ynddo'n fawr, sef bod ein rhaglen ni a arweinir gan GIG Cymru yn cyflawni mewn gwirionedd. Rydym yn cyhoeddi cyfraddau gwastraff o heddiw ymlaen, felly fe gewch chi weld yn rheolaidd pa mor effeithiol ac effeithlon y yr ydym.
O ran cymeradwyo brechlynnau eraill, fe hoffwn i atgoffa'r Aelod ac unrhyw un arall sy'n gwylio nad gwaith i wleidyddion yw hynny ac mae'n rhan bwysig o'n system ni nad gwleidyddion sy'n cymeradwyo darpar frechlynnau. Y rheoleiddiwr annibynnol, sef Asiantaeth Rheoleiddio Meddyginiaethau a Chynhyrchion Gofal Iechyd, yr MRHA, sy'n cymeradwyo brechlynnau i'w defnyddio ac yn pennu ar ba sail y gellir eu defnyddio nhw. Mae hwn yn amddiffyniad pwysig sydd yn ein system ni. Mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw adolygu'r data ac maen nhw'n penderfynu a ellir defnyddio brechlyn. Mater i wleidyddion yw gwneud dewisiadau wedyn o ran gweinyddu'r brechlynnau hynny. Dyna yw'r sefyllfa. Felly, fe fydd angen i unrhyw ddarpar frechlyn arall fynd drwy'r un broses fanwl, ac fe fydd angen i'r MHRA wneud y penderfyniad yn yr un modd. Mae trydydd brechlyn gennym ni, y disgwyliwn iddo fod ar gael yn ddiweddarach yn y gwanwyn, sef brechlyn Moderna. Mae wedi ei gymeradwyo, a dyna pryd yr ydym ni'n disgwyl i gyflenwadau gyrraedd y DU. Mae hynny ar gofnod cyhoeddus yn barod. Fe fydd unrhyw gymeradwyaeth bellach yn amodol ar gyhoeddiad cyhoeddus gan yr MHRA yn y ffordd arferol.
O ran eu defnydd nhw wedyn a chyngor y JCVI ar y bwlch rhwng y dos gyntaf a'r ail, cafodd hynny ei gyhoeddi eisoes. Nid mater i mi yw ei gyhoeddi, fe'i cyhoeddwyd yn barod ac mae aelodau'r JCVI wedi cynnal cyfweliadau rheolaidd dros yr wythnosau diwethaf, yn esbonio eu cyngor, sut y penderfynwyd ar y cyngor hwnnw, y rheswm pam mae'r cyngor a roddwyd yn cynnwys y naw grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf, lle mae 99 y cant o'r derbyniadau i ysbytai a marwolaethau yn digwydd oherwydd COVID-19, ond hefyd, yn benodol, y cyngor hwnnw ar y cyfnod rhwng y dosau, sef y cyngor iechyd cyhoeddus arferol ynglŷn â sicrhau ein bod ni'n rhoi cymaint o amddiffyniad â phosibl i'r grŵp mwyaf bregus yn ein poblogaeth a hynny cyn gynted â phosibl, yn hytrach na darparu lefel uwch o amddiffyniad i grŵp llawer llai o'r boblogaeth o fewn yr un amserlen. Dyna ran o'r rheswm pam mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru a'i chydasiantaethau yn Lloegr, yr Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon yn cefnogi cyngor y JCVI ar ymestyn y cyfnod rhwng dosau i 12 wythnos. Dyna pam mae pob prif swyddog meddygol yn y Deyrnas Unedig yn cefnogi'r cyngor hwnnw hefyd. Ac fe fyddai'n beth rhyfedd iawn pe byddwn i'n penderfynu, yn rhinwedd swydd Gweinidog, i wrthdroi cyngor y prif swyddog meddygol, a gwrthdroi cyngor Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, a gwrthdroi cyngor y JVCI, yr arbenigwr annibynnol, ar y dull o ddarparu brechlyn. Nid wyf yn dymuno gwneud unrhyw beth o'r fath. Fe fyddwn i'n tanseilio barn y prif swyddog meddygol yn gyfan gwbl pe byddwn i'n gwneud felly. Ond, yn fwy na hynny, fe fyddwn i'n anwybyddu'r cyngor uniongyrchol iawn sy'n mynegi y bydd y dull hwn yn wir yn achub bywydau ac y byddai dull arall yn golygu colli bywydau. Ac nid wyf i am wneud hynny byth.
Can I thank the Minister for his statement, and also it is appropriate to salute the heroic efforts of all involved in delivering this huge vaccination programme. I know my GP colleagues are absolutely chomping at the bit, and if they could get more vaccines, they'd be lining up people as we speak. So, there's a phenomenal performance happening as we speak.
One question, which I alluded to this morning in the briefing, and thank you—[Inaudible.]—Frank Atherton as well, and Rob Orford, for their involvement. But can I press you, here in a public forum, about the importance of the messaging concerning the vaccine? We've all seen the pictures of people being delighted to receive their vaccine, and it is in fact a great occasion, but it does take three weeks for your body to develop some protection against severe COVID infection after a jab. Obviously, you're more protected after two jabs, but you could still catch COVID, you just don't get the severe illness. That's the benefit of the vaccination: you don't get the severe illness and ending up in hospital. So, of having the jab, the important message is not to discard and ignore all those social distancing, stay at home and wear masks-type messages, because after vaccination, you can still pass on the coronavirus to others. So, celebrations indeed after getting a jab, but you still need to stay at home, and all the rest. So, can I ask you now what you are doing exactly to get that very important message across?
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad, ac mae'n briodol hefyd ganmol ymdrechion arwrol pawb sy'n ymwneud â chyflawni'r rhaglen frechu enfawr hon? Rwy'n gwybod bod fy nghydweithwyr i sy'n feddygon teulu yn ysu am wneud mwy, a phe gallen nhw gael mwy o frechlynnau, fe fydden nhw'n gosod pobl yn y ciw nawr. Felly, mae yna waith rhyfeddol yn digwydd wrth inni siarad yma.
Un cwestiwn, y cyfeiriais i ato'r bore yma yn y briff, a diolch—[Anghlywadwy.]—Frank Atherton hefyd, a Rob Orford, am eu rhan nhw. Ond a gaf i bwyso arnoch chi, yn y fan hon mewn fforwm cyhoeddus, ynglŷn â phwysigrwydd y genadwri sy'n ymwneud â'r brechlyn? Mae pawb ohonom wedi gweld y lluniau o bobl yn falch iawn o gael eu brechlyn, ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth gwirioneddol wych, ond mae'n cymryd tair wythnos ar ôl y pigiad i'ch corff chi fagu rhywfaint o amddiffyniad yn erbyn haint COVID difrifol. Yn amlwg, rydych chi'n fwy diogel byth ar ôl dau bigiad, ond fe allech chi ddal COVID o hyd, ond ni fyddech yn ddifrifol o sâl. Dyna fantais y brechlyn: ni fyddwch chi'n cael y salwch difrifol nac yn gorfod mynd i'r ysbyty. Felly, o gael y brechlyn, y neges bwysig yw peidiwch ag anghofio nac anwybyddu'r holl gymhellion i gadw pellter cymdeithasol, ac aros gartref, a gwisgo mygydau, oherwydd ar ôl brechu, fe allwch chi fod yn trosglwyddo'r coronafeirws i bobl eraill o hyd. Felly, mae dathlu ar ôl cael pigiad yn iawn, ond mae angen ichi aros gartref o hyd, a phopeth arall. Felly, a gaf i ofyn ichi nawr beth yn union ydych chi'n ei wneud i drosglwyddo'r genadwri bwysig iawn hon?
Thank you for your comments, and I agree with you that it's been a phenomenal performance from colleagues in primary care and right across our NHS Wales-led team to deliver the significant additional pace in vaccine delivery. And I'm pleased that you and colleagues find the briefings with me, the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser on health to be useful. We'll continue to do that.
On the vaccine messaging, I think this is a useful opportunity to restate that it does take time to receive the protection from the first dose of the vaccine, and so people can't have their vaccine shot and then act as if everything is normal for them and proceed to take greater risks. That wouldn't mean that they'd be benefiting from the protection at all. But even with the protection, you're right: the vaccines have been trialled and show data about protecting people from harm. That means you're much more likely to be protected from becoming seriously unwell and subject to hospitalisation or death, once the protection has kicked in. That does not mean, though, that you won't get COVID; it does not mean that you can't transmit COVID to another person, so it's really important that everyone still follows the protective measures that are in place for all our benefit. Even with significant numbers of people covered and protected, there is still going to be the potential for real harm to be done if there is a breakdown in social distancing, if there is much more mixing between people indoors, and people forget the protective behaviours of hand washing, or face coverings, and of having good ventilation.
It's particularly important, I think, to make this point when, sadly, our death figures in the last week have been so very high. We are starting to see an improvement across our NHS with the pressure, we're starting to see a levelling off and a slight levelling down in admissions, but that is against the backdrop of record highs of people in our hospitals. It's worth reminding people that whilst we're seeing an improvement, that improvement still means that critical care today is operating at 140 per cent, down from 150 per cent, but still 140 per cent of its normal capacity, so we all still need to stick with this for another period of time to make sure we don't lose people who don't need to fall off the road on the journey that we're on to the end of pandemic.
Diolch i chi am eich sylwadau, ac rwy'n cytuno â chi fod hwn wedi bod yn waith aruthrol gan gydweithwyr ym maes gofal sylfaenol ac ar draws ein tîm ni a gaiff ei arwain gan GIG Cymru i sicrhau'r cyflymder ychwanegol sylweddol i weinyddu'r brechlyn. Ac rwy'n falch eich bod chi a'ch cydweithwyr yn gweld gwerth y sesiynau briffio ar iechyd gyda'r prif swyddog meddygol, y prif gynghorydd gwyddonol a minnau. Fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i gynnal y rhain.
O ran y genadwri am y brechlyn, rwy'n credu bod hwn yn gyfle defnyddiol i ailddatgan ei bod yn cymryd amser i fagu'r amddiffyniad ar ôl gweinyddu'r ddos gyntaf o'r brechlyn, ac felly ni all pobl gael eu brechu ac ymddwyn fel pe bai popeth yn normal wedyn a mynd ati i gymryd mwy o risgiau. Ni fyddai hynny'n golygu y bydden nhw'n elwa ar yr amddiffyniad o gwbl. Ond hyd yn oed gyda'r amddiffyniad, rydych chi'n iawn: mae'r brechlynnau wedi cael eu treialu ac wedi rhoi data am amddiffyn pobl rhag niwed. Mae hynny'n golygu eich bod chi'n llawer mwy tebygol o fod wedi eich amddiffyn rhag mynd yn ddifrifol wael ac mewn perygl o orfod mynd i ysbyty neu farwolaeth, pan fydd yr amddiffyniad wedi dechrau. Eto i gyd, nid yw hynny'n golygu na allech chi gael COVID; nid yw hynny'n golygu na allech chi drosglwyddo COVID i rywun arall, felly mae'n bwysig iawn bod pawb yn dal ati i ddilyn y mesurau amddiffynnol sydd ar waith er ein lles ni i gyd. Hyd yn oed gyda niferoedd sylweddol o bobl yn cael eu brechu a'u hamddiffyn, byddai modd gwneud niwed gwirioneddol o hyd pe byddai llai o gadw pellter cymdeithasol, mwy o bobl yn cymysgu dan do, a phobl yn anghofio arferion amddiffynnol fel golchi dwylo, neu wisgo gorchudd wyneb, a chael awyru da.
Yn fy marn i, mae'n arbennig o bwysig gwneud y pwynt hwn wrth gofio bod ein ffigurau ni o ran marwolaethau, yn drist iawn, yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf wedi bod yn uchel iawn. Rydym yn dechrau gweld gwelliant o ran y pwysau ar ein GIG, rydym yn dechrau gweld lefelau'r derbyniadau i ysbytai yn sefydlogi ac yn gostwng ychydig, ond mae hynny yng nghyd-destun y lefelau uchaf erioed o gleifion yn ein hysbytai ni. Mae'n werth atgoffa pobl, er ein bod ni'n gweld gwelliant, fod y gwelliant hwnnw'n dal i olygu bod gofal critigol yn gweithio ar gyfradd o 140 y cant, i lawr o 150 y cant, ond mae'n parhau i fod ar 140 y cant o'i gapasiti arferol. Felly mae angen i bob un ohonom ni gadw at hyn am ryw hyd eto i sicrhau nad ydym yn colli pobl nad oes angen eu colli ar hyd y daith yr ydym arni tuag at ddiwedd y pandemig.
Minister, may I thank you for the update today and may I also thank you for everything else you're doing? Although my party would prefer the UK Government to be leading the programme rather than Welsh Government, that doesn't mean we don't appreciate the amount of work that's being put in. You seem to be working extraordinary hours under extraordinary pressure and I would like to thank you and everyone around you for that.
Could I ask about the over-80s target that was set at 70 per cent for the weekend? I think you said we're at 52.8 per cent on that. You said the snow was a material factor; can you estimate what percentage of vaccinations may have been delayed on account of that? And can you also tell us when you would now expect to hit that target of 70 per cent, and also when we might hope to catch up with the proportion of over-80s that have been vaccinated in England, which I understand is just shy of 79 per cent on the latest data?
Can I also ask you specifically about the Pfizer vaccine? There does seem to have been an acceleration in vaccination on the back end of last week, and that is something that we would applaud. Our numbers, though, still are substantially below what England has done cumulatively. Is the Pfizer rate accelerating? Have we moved away from the policy the First Minister explained of spreading out vaccination so that we didn't have any risk of vaccinators being idle for any period? Has that changed?
And I understand—I certainly don't want the Welsh Government to say anything like the Scottish Government did in terms of releasing inappropriate information—but what degree of confidence do we have in the continued supply of that Pfizer vaccine, particularly given threats or suggestions coming out of the European Union around the manufacture of that in Belgium? And what are the plans for—
Gweinidog, fe hoffwn i ddiolch i chi am y diweddariad heddiw ac a gaf i ddiolch am bopeth arall yr ydych chi'n ei wneud hefyd? Er y byddai'n well gan fy mhlaid i weld Llywodraeth y DU yn arwain y rhaglen hon yn hytrach na Llywodraeth Cymru, nid yw hynny'n golygu nad ydym yn gwerthfawrogi maint y gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud. Mae'n ymddangos eich bod chi'n gweithio am oriau aruthrol dan bwysau aruthrol ac fe hoffwn i ddiolch i chi a phawb sydd o'ch cwmpas am hynny.
A gaf i holi ynglŷn â'r targed a osodwyd o 70 y cant o bobl dros 80 oed ar gyfer y penwythnos? Rwy'n credu ichi ddweud ein bod ni wedi cyrraedd 52.8 y cant gyda hwnnw. Roeddech chi'n dweud bod yr eira wedi cael effaith berthnasol; a allwch chi amcangyfrif beth oedd y canran o frechlynnau a allai fod wedi eu gohirio oherwydd hynny? Ac a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym hefyd pryd y byddech chi'n disgwyl cyrraedd y targed hwnnw o 70 y cant nawr ac, yn ogystal â hynny, pryd allem ni obeithio dal i fyny â chyfran y bobl dros 80 oed sydd wedi eu brechu yn Lloegr, sydd, fel rwyf i'n deall, ychydig yn llai na 79 y cant yn ôl y data diweddaraf?
A gaf i eich holi chi hefyd am frechlyn Pfizer yn benodol? Mae'n ymddangos bod brechu wedi cyflymu ar ddiwedd yr wythnos diwethaf, ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth y byddem ni'n ei gymeradwyo. Mae ein niferoedd ni, serch hynny, yn parhau i fod yn sylweddol is na'r hyn a gyrhaeddwyd yn Lloegr dros y cyfnod i gyd. A yw'r gyfradd Pfizer yn cyflymu? A ydym wedi symud oddi wrth y polisi a esboniwyd gan y Prif Weinidog ynghylch ymestyn amser y broses frechu fel na fyddai unrhyw berygl y byddai'r gweinyddwyr yn segur am unrhyw gyfnod o amser? A yw hynny wedi newid?
Ac rwy'n deall—yn sicr ni fyddwn i'n dymuno i Lywodraeth Cymru ddweud unrhyw beth fel y gwnaeth Llywodraeth yr Alban o ran rhyddhau gwybodaeth anaddas—ond pa mor hyderus ydym ni o ran cyflenwad parhaus o'r brechlyn hwnnw gan Pfizer, yn enwedig o ystyried bygythiadau neu awgrymiadau sy'n dod o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd ynghylch gweithgynhyrchu hwnnw yng Ngwlad Belg? A beth yw'r cynlluniau i—
Can you wind up, please?
A wnewch chi ddiweddu, os gwelwch chi'n dda?
Of course; final bit—the second doses for those who've already had the first dose versus moving down the risk profile in providing vaccination with that Pfizer vaccine?
Wrth gwrs; y tamaid bach olaf—roi ail ddos i'r rhai sydd eisoes wedi cael y ddos gyntaf yn hytrach na symud i lawr y proffiliau risg wrth ddarparu brechiadau gyda'r brechlyn Pfizer hwnnw?
Thank you for the questions. I'm not able to give you a hard percentage estimate of the impact of the adverse weather, but we are aware there was a significant amount of activity that was pulled, and rather than plucking figures out of the air, what I am committing to doing is to making sure that we continue to provide daily information, that we continue to provide twice-weekly information on a Tuesday and a Thursday giving more detail, so people will be able to see transparently the progress we're making on each of these priority groups, on the backdrop of the assurance of the much greater pace that we have demonstrated we can deliver when the supply is with us.
I note that you asked about when we'll catch up with England on the over-80s. Actually, on some of the other categories of health and social care workers, we are, of course, ahead of England, but I'm only being asked about areas where we're behind England. All that information will be continue to be provided about where we are, and you'll see that again in the information that is being published on a daily basis by Public Health Wales. So, I think we have a good approach to being transparent with our data and our information, and in the level of assurance people can have that that published data is accurate.
We are accelerating in our use of the Pfizer vaccine. As I have said repeatedly, we are providing as much as our NHS can deliver. We know that we have new ways where we can be a bit more flexible in the use of Pfizer now as well, and that's a good thing too. So, we haven't just built up our infrastructure; we've got additional ways of using that as well. When it comes to commercial sensitivity, I think I dealt with this earlier in response to Rhun ap Iorwerth, and also in the opening as well. It's about making sure that we're as transparent as we possibly can be, but taking account of the sensitivities that exist around stock numbers.
When it comes to the second dose of vaccines, we are of course already planning for those, and we're having to consider then what that means in terms of the use of our stock, especially for the Pfizer vaccine, because the first groups of people who will be eligible for their second dose will be people who have had the Pfizer vaccine itself. So, we need to make sure we have stocks of those to deliver second vaccines whilst still being able to carry on the work of getting through the first not just four priority groups, but the first nine priority groups we have, with the vaccines available. That is partly why added supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine are so important to us.
Diolch am y cwestiynau. Ni allaf i roi amcangyfrif canrannol pendant i chi o effaith y tywydd mawr, ond rydym ni'n ymwybodol bod cryn dipyn o weithgarwch wedi cael ei dynnu'n ôl, ac yn hytrach na thynnu ffigurau o'r awyr, yr hyn yr wyf i'n ymrwymo i'w wneud yw sicrhau ein bod ni'n parhau i gyflwyno gwybodaeth yn ddyddiol, ein bod ni'n parhau i gyflwyno gwybodaeth ddwywaith yr wythnos ar ddydd Mawrth a dydd Iau sy'n rhoi rhagor o fanylion, fel y bydd pobl yn gallu gweld yn dryloyw y cynnydd a wnawn ni yn ôl pob un o'r grwpiau blaenoriaeth hyn, yng nghyd-destun sicrwydd y cyflymder uwch yr ydym ni wedi dangos y gallwn ei gyflawni pan fydd y cyflenwad ar gael i ni.
Rwy'n nodi eich bod wedi gofyn pryd y byddwn ni'n dal i fyny â Lloegr o ran pobl dros 80 oed. Mewn gwirionedd, o ran rhai o'r categorïau eraill o weithwyr iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, rydym ni, wrth gwrs, ar y blaen i Loegr, ond dim ond am y meysydd yr ydym ni y tu ôl i Loegr yr wyf i'n cael fy holi. Fe fydd yr holl wybodaeth honno am ein sefyllfa ni'n parhau i gael ei chyflwyno, ac fe welwch chi hynny eto yn yr wybodaeth a gaiff ei chyhoeddi'n ddyddiol gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru. Felly, rwyf i o'r farn fod gennym ddull da o fod yn dryloyw gyda'n data ni a'n gwybodaeth ni, ac yn lefel y sicrwydd y gall pobl ei gael bod y data a gyhoeddir hynny'n gywir.
Mae ein defnydd ni o frechlyn Pfizer yn cyflymu. Fel yr wyf i wedi ei ddweud dro ar ôl tro, rydym ni'n gweinyddu cymaint ag y gall ein GIG ei gyflenwi. Fe wyddom fod gennym ddulliau newydd lle mae modd bod ychydig yn fwy hyblyg nawr wrth ddefnyddio brechlyn Pfizer, ac mae hynny'n beth da hefyd. Felly, nid adeiladu ar ein seilwaith yn unig a wnawn ni; mae gennym ffyrdd ychwanegol o ddefnyddio hwnnw hefyd. O ran sensitifrwydd masnachol, rwy'n credu imi ymdrin â hyn yn gynharach wrth roi ateb i Rhun ap Iorwerth, ac wrth agor hefyd. Mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau ein bod ni mor dryloyw ag y gallwn fod, ond gan gofio'r sensitifrwydd sy'n bodoli o ran niferoedd y stoc.
O ran ail ddos y brechlynnau, rydym ni eisoes, wrth gwrs, yn cynllunio ar gyfer y rhain, ac fe fydd yn rhaid inni ystyried bryd hynny beth mae hynny'n ei olygu o ran defnyddio ein stoc ni, yn enwedig o ran brechlyn Pfizer, oherwydd y grwpiau cyntaf o bobl a fydd yn gymwys i gael eu hail ddos fydd y bobl sydd wedi cael y brechlyn Pfizer ei hun. Felly, mae angen inni sicrhau bod gennym stociau o hwnnw i roi'r ail frechiadau wrth barhau â'r gwaith o fynd trwy nid yn unig y pedwar grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf, ond y naw grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf sydd gennym ni, gyda'r brechlynnau sydd ar gael. Dyna pam, yn rhannol, mae cyflenwadau ychwanegol o frechlyn AstraZeneca mor bwysig i ni.
And finally, Rhianon Passmore.
Ac yn olaf, Rhianon Passmore.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Health Minister, I do welcome greatly your statement today that the vaccination programme across Islwyn, administered by Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, is doing well, and is further innovating. I also want to put on record my sincerest thanks to all those risking their lives across the front line, and also those in leadership roles during this war on COVID-19. I'm extremely heartened that a new vaccination centre is opening in Newbridge, and I welcome the innovative 'contact first' programme for Islwyn and wider. As of yesterday, over 48,840 people had been vaccinated across the health board, 20,471 people over 80 had been vaccinated, 14,000 front-line staff, and residents from 90 care homes. The vaccination programme has been going so well that GPs will be offering the vaccine to priority group 3 when all those over-80s have been vaccinated this week. So, First Minister, to what do you credit the successful roll-out of the vaccination programme across my constituency, and what assurances have we received that the very critical supply of vaccine will continue at pace so that the programme can accelerate even further?
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Gweinidog Iechyd, rwy'n croesawu eich datganiad chi'n fawr heddiw am effeithiolrwydd y rhaglen frechu yn Islwyn, a weinyddir gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan, ac sy'n arloesi ymhellach. Rwyf am ddiolch ar goedd hefyd yn ddiffuant i bawb sy'n peryglu eu bywydau ar y rheng flaen, a'r rhai sydd mewn swyddi arweinwyr yn y rhyfel hwn ar COVID-19. Mae agor y ganolfan frechu newydd yn Nhrecelyn wedi fy nghalonogi i'n fawr iawn, ac rwy'n croesawu'r rhaglen 'cyswllt yn gyntaf' arloesol ar gyfer Islwyn a thu hwnt. Erbyn ddoe, roedd dros 48,840 o bobl wedi eu brechu yn holl ardal y bwrdd iechyd, roedd 20,471 o bobl dros 80 oed wedi eu brechu, a 14,000 o staff rheng flaen, a phreswylwyr mewn 90 o gartrefi gofal. Mae'r rhaglen frechu wedi bod yn mynd cystal fel y bydd meddygon teulu yn cynnig y brechlyn i grŵp blaenoriaeth 3 pan fydd pawb dros 80 oed wedi eu brechu'r wythnos hon. Felly'n gyntaf, Gweinidog, beth sy'n gyfrifol am y llwyddiant wrth gyflwyno'r rhaglen frechu yn fy etholaeth i, a pha sicrwydd a gawsom y bydd y cyflenwad hanfodol iawn o frechlynnau yn parhau ar gyflymder fel y gall y rhaglen gyflymu yn fwy byth?
It's good to hear praise for health boards, which I think are doing an extraordinary job in dealing with all of the pressures that our national health service face in this, the most extraordinary event that we have had to live through. This really is a genuine once-in-a-century event. No-one has had to deal with a pandemic like this, in modern times at least.
When it comes to vaccine delivery, and in terms of supply, as I said, I'm having weekly meetings with Nadhim Zahawi, who is the joint Minister working between the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial strategy and the health department on vaccines, about the challenge over the messaging. We have relationships with Pfizer because of their broader interests and research in Wales. You'll be aware of the partnership that they've entered into with Swansea University and their interest in value-based healthcare; that's part of the reason they came to invest in Wales rather than another part of the United Kingdom, for that significant partnership. And also, there's the interest we have with AstraZeneca, who have their fill and finish plant in Wrexham. So, we're having conversations with them directly too. It's been a very practical working relationship between my officials—and the conversations I've had too. We're certainly in the position where they are both looking to increase their supplies, not just for the UK, but for the rest of Europe as well. There's a significant opportunity to help protect many, many citizens right across not just the continent but across the world, of course, and I'm very pleased that AstraZeneca have given a commitment to provide cost-price vaccines to other parts of the world.
In terms of why we've made such progress in Islwyn, and indeed across Gwent and the whole of Wales, it's really because there's such a 'can do' approach. There is a real team Wales approach going through our NHS, through partners in local government, through the military assistance we've had, and that is a key factor in this. Our teams recognise that we are doing something for the nation here that will protect and save many, many lives, and bring us to the point where we can make more normal choices again, and be able to release some of the freedoms that we have all had to give up to keep us alive. I look forward to the day when the vaccine programme really has provided that level of protection to the public and we can look forward to much better figures for our national health service, not just with COVID but with non-COVID matters too. Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Mae'n braf clywed canmoliaeth i fyrddau iechyd, sydd, yn fy marn i, yn gwneud gwaith eithriadol wrth ymdopi â'r holl bwysau y mae ein gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol ni'n ei wynebu yn hyn o beth, y digwyddiad mwyaf anghyffredin y bu'n rhaid inni fyw trwyddo. Digwyddiad unwaith mewn canrif yw hwn, mae'n hollol wir dweud hynny. Nid oes unrhyw un wedi gorfod ymdrin â phandemig fel hwn, yn y cyfnod modern o leiaf.
O ran darparu brechlynnau, ac o ran y cyflenwad, fel y dywedais i, rwy'n cyfarfod yn wythnosol gyda Nadhim Zahawi. Ef yw'r Gweinidog cydlynol sy'n cydweithio â'r Adran Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol a'r Adran Iechyd ar y brechlynnau, am yr her o ran y genadwri. Mae gennym berthynas â Pfizer am eu bod nhw â diddordebau ehangach yng Nghymru ac yn gwneud ymchwil yma. Rydych chi'n ymwybodol o'r bartneriaeth y maen nhw wedi ymrwymo iddi â Phrifysgol Abertawe a'u diddordeb nhw mewn gofal iechyd sy'n seiliedig werth; dyna ran o'r rheswm y gwnaethon nhw fuddsoddi yng Nghymru yn hytrach na rhan arall o'r Deyrnas Unedig, ar gyfer y bartneriaeth arwyddocaol honno. Ac yn ogystal â hynny, mae'r berthynas sydd gennym ni ag AstraZeneca, sydd â'u gwaith llenwi a gorffen yn Wrecsam. Rydym ni'n cael sgyrsiau gyda nhw hefyd yn uniongyrchol. Mae wedi bod yn berthynas ymarferol iawn o weithio rhwng fy swyddogion i—a'r sgyrsiau a gefais i hefyd. Rydym mewn sefyllfa, yn sicr, lle mae maen nhw'n ceisio cynyddu eu cyflenwadau, nid yn unig i'r DU, ond i weddill Ewrop hefyd. Mae cyfle arwyddocaol i helpu i amddiffyn llawer iawn o ddinasyddion ledled nid yn unig y cyfandir ond yn fyd-eang, wrth gwrs, ac rwy'n falch iawn fod AstraZeneca wedi ymrwymo i ddarparu brechlynnau i rannau eraill o'r byd am y pris o'u cynhyrchu nhw.
O ran y rheswm am y fath gynnydd a fu yn Islwyn, a thrwy Went a Chymru gyfan, y rheswm gwirioneddol yw'r agwedd hon o 'fe allwn ni wneud hyn'. Mae yna ddull o weithredu fel tîm Cymru yn mynd trwy ein GIG ni, drwy bartneriaid mewn llywodraeth leol, drwy'r cymorth milwrol a gawsom, ac mae hwnnw'n ffactor allweddol yn hyn o beth. Mae ein timau ni'n cydnabod ein bod yn gwneud rhywbeth er mwyn y genedl a fydd yn amddiffyn ac yn achub llawer o fywydau, ac yn ein tywys ni i fan lle gallwn wneud dewisiadau mwy normal unwaith eto ac y gallwn adennill rhywfaint o'r rhyddid y bu'n rhaid i bawb ohonom ei hildio er mwyn ein cadw'n fyw. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at y diwrnod pan fydd y rhaglen frechu wedi darparu'r lefel honno o ddiogelwch i'r cyhoedd ac fe allwn ni edrych ymlaen at weld ffigurau llawer gwell ar gyfer ein gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol ni, nid yn unig o ran COVID ond materion eraill hefyd nad ydynt yn ymwneud â COVID. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Thank you, Minister.
Item 4 and item 5 will be chaired by David Melding. So, I now hand over the chair to David Melding.
Diolch, Gweinidog.
David Melding fydd yn cadeirio eitem 4 ac eitem 5. Felly, rwyf nawr yn trosglwyddo'r gadair i David Melding.
Daeth David Melding i’r Gadair.
David Melding took the Chair.
Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd.
We move to item 4, which is the statement by the Minister for Education—an update on qualifications for 2021. I call the Minister, Kirsty Williams.
Symudwn at eitem 4, sef y datganiad gan y Gweinidog Addysg—diweddariad ar gymwysterau ar gyfer 2021. Galwaf ar y Gweinidog, Kirsty Williams.
Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. Last week, I announced my intention that learners undertaking WJEC-approved GCSEs, AS-levels and A-levels would have their qualifications awarded through a centre-determined grade model. This decision reflects my priority of supporting learner wellbeing and progression in the reality of the public health and policy context we now find ourselves in. While there is still more work to be done, I hope that the announcement of the centre-determined grade approach—where learners' grades will be determined by their school or college, based on an assessment of their work—will help remove learners' anxiety. This way forward has been developed by the design and delivery advisory group, and puts learner wellbeing and public confidence at the centre of our proposals.
As part of this approach, centres will be able to use a range of evidence to inform their decisions, including non-exam assessments, mock exams and adapted past papers made available by the WJEC. There will be an assessment framework to support them to develop their plans for assessment. This will give schools and colleges flexibility when deciding what assessment information to use as they focus on teaching the core content that will help learners as they progress through the next steps of their education. These assessment plans will be quality assured by the WJEC and demonstrate how the centre has determined a learner's grade. Every school or college will also be required to build on or develop quality assurance processes, and will be supported in doing so by guidance from the WJEC. Once this quality assurance has been completed at the centre, the grade will be submitted to the WJEC.
I have also asked the design and delivery advisory group to consider how to promote greater consistency across centres in delivering our approach. This includes asking them to support Qualifications Wales and the WJEC in developing and setting out both the assessment framework and the quality assurance processes that will be adopted. I recognise that the appeals process is of concern and interest to learners and practitioners alike. I can confirm that learners will be able to appeal to their school or college if they believe they have been awarded a grade that doesn’t reflect their level of attainment, and to the WJEC if they are unhappy with the process followed by their centre. We will work to ensure that clear and accessible information about appeals is made available, and will explore a professional learning offer for practitioners so that the processes that are applied are consistent, equitable, and fair.
In addition to the expertise of the headteachers and college principals on our design and delivery advisory group, who have dedicated so much time to the development of these proposals, the group will expand their membership and will engage with wider stakeholders to support them in the next stage of their work. Part of this work will be giving consideration to the equalities and workload impacts of any new arrangements, alongside the development of guidance, communications and professional learning that will support schools and colleges in their professional judgements. I have also asked the group to consider arrangements for private candidates as a priority. I recognise that there are some private candidates who are concerned about a centre-determined grade approach, as not all private candidates were able to receive a qualification under the arrangements made last year. I would therefore like to reiterate my absolute commitment to ensuring that there is a clear option for them to support their progression.
In summary, the centre-determined grade approach puts trust in teachers' and lecturers' commitment to prioritise teaching and learning in the time available, and their knowledge of the quality of their learners' work. Teaching the core content and aspects of each course, however, remains extremely important, so that all learners are supported to progress with certainty into their next steps and with confidence in the grades they’ve been awarded. We have, therefore, sought to make the grading approach as clear as possible in the circumstances, while remaining as simple and responsive as possible.
We are working with colleges and universities to look at how they can support learners through this transition and I am very grateful for their ongoing commitment and support. It is vital that the wider education sector continues to come together in this way to support our learners, including by strengthening professional judgments through support that ensures consistent and transparent arrangements. Qualifications Wales is also considering the approach for other Wales-only qualifications, including the skills challenge certificate, Essential Skills Wales and approved vocational qualifications. They are also working closely with fellow UK regulators to ensure consistency of approach and fairness for Welsh learners studying for vocational qualifications that are also available in other nations.
As we continue to work at pace to develop our proposals, I encourage learners, teachers and lecturers to continue to focus on learning in the core areas of their courses in the coming weeks. It is this learning and the development of associated skills and knowledge that will continue to open doors for learners in the future, even after the qualification itself has been awarded. I want to thank each and every learner and educational professional for their ongoing flexibility and adaptability in responding to the situation in which we find ourselves. Thank you, acting Presiding Officer.
Diolch, Llywydd dros dro. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddais fy mwriad y byddai cymwysterau dysgwyr sy'n sefyll arholiadau TGAU, Safon Uwch Gyfrannol a Safon Uwch a gymeradwywyd gan CBAC yn cael eu dyfarnu drwy fodel gradd a bennir gan ganolfannau. Mae'r penderfyniad hwn yn adlewyrchu fy mlaenoriaeth o gefnogi llesiant a chynnydd dysgwyr yn realiti'r cyd-destun iechyd cyhoeddus a pholisi yr ydym ni bellach yn gweld ein hunain ynddo. Er bod mwy o waith i'w wneud o hyd, gobeithiaf y bydd cyhoeddi'r dull gradd a bennir gan ganolfannau—lle caiff graddau dysgwyr eu pennu gan eu hysgol neu goleg, yn seiliedig ar asesiad o'u gwaith—yn helpu i ddileu pryder dysgwyr. Datblygwyd y ffordd hon ymlaen gan y grŵp cynghori dylunio a chyflawni, ac mae'n rhoi lles dysgwyr a hyder y cyhoedd wrth wraidd ein cynigion.
Yn rhan o'r dull hwn, bydd canolfannau'n gallu defnyddio ystod o dystiolaeth yn ganllaw i'w penderfyniadau, gan gynnwys asesiadau nad ydynt yn arholiadau, ffug arholiadau a phapurau blaenorol wedi'u haddasu a ddarparwyd gan CBAC. Bydd fframwaith asesu i'w cefnogi i ddatblygu eu cynlluniau ar gyfer asesu. Bydd hyn yn rhoi hyblygrwydd i ysgolion a cholegau wrth benderfynu pa wybodaeth asesu i'w defnyddio wrth iddyn nhw ganolbwyntio ar ddysgu'r cynnwys craidd a fydd yn helpu dysgwyr wrth iddyn nhw symud ymlaen drwy gamau nesaf eu haddysg. Caiff ansawdd y cynlluniau hyn eu sicrhau gan CBAC a byddant yn dangos sut mae'r ganolfan wedi pennu gradd dysgwr. Bydd hefyd yn ofynnol i bob ysgol neu goleg adeiladu ar brosesau sicrhau ansawdd neu eu datblygu, ac fe gânt eu cefnogi i wneud hynny drwy arweiniad gan CBAC.
Ar ôl i'r sicrwydd ansawdd hwn gael ei gwblhau yn y ganolfan, caiff y radd ei chyflwyno i CBAC. Rwyf hefyd wedi gofyn i'r grŵp cynghori dylunio a chyflawni ystyried sut i hyrwyddo mwy o gysondeb rhwng canolfannau wrth gyflawni ein dull gweithredu. Mae hyn yn cynnwys gofyn iddyn nhw gefnogi Cymwysterau Cymru a CBAC i ddatblygu a nodi'r fframwaith asesu a'r prosesau sicrhau ansawdd a gaiff eu mabwysiadu. Rwy'n cydnabod bod y broses apelio yn destun pryder a diddordeb i ddysgwyr ac ymarferwyr fel ei gilydd. Gallaf gadarnhau y bydd dysgwyr yn gallu apelio i'w hysgol neu goleg os ydyn nhw'n credu eu bod wedi cael gradd nad yw'n adlewyrchu eu cyrhaeddiad, ac i CBAC os ydyn nhw'n anhapus â'r broses a ddilynir gan eu canolfan. Byddwn yn gweithio i sicrhau bod gwybodaeth glir a hygyrch am apeliadau ar gael, ac yn ystyried cynnig dysgu proffesiynol i ymarferwyr fel bod y prosesau a ddefnyddir yn gyson, yn gydradd ac yn deg.
Yn ogystal ag arbenigedd y prifathrawon a phenaethiaid colegau ar ein grŵp cynghori dylunio a chyflawni, sydd wedi neilltuo cymaint o amser i ddatblygu'r cynigion hyn, bydd y grŵp yn ehangu ei aelodaeth ac yn ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid ehangach i'w cefnogi yng ngham nesaf eu gwaith. Rhan o'r gwaith hwn fydd ystyried effeithiau unrhyw drefniadau newydd ar gydraddoldeb a llwyth gwaith, ochr yn ochr â datblygu canllawiau, cyfathrebu a dysgu proffesiynol a fydd yn cefnogi ysgolion a cholegau yn eu barn broffesiynol. Rwyf hefyd wedi gofyn i'r grŵp ystyried trefniadau ar gyfer ymgeiswyr preifat fel blaenoriaeth. Rwy'n cydnabod bod rhai ymgeiswyr preifat sy'n pryderu am ganolfannau’n graddio yn ôl eu trefn eu hunain, gan nad oedd pob ymgeisydd preifat yn gallu cael cymhwyster o dan y trefniadau a wnaed y llynedd. Felly, hoffwn ailadrodd fy ymrwymiad llwyr i sicrhau bod dewis clir iddyn nhw i gefnogi eu cynnydd.
I grynhoi, mae'r dull gradd a bennir gan ganolfannau yn ymddiried yn ymrwymiad athrawon a darlithwyr i flaenoriaethu addysgu a dysgu yn yr amser sydd ar gael, a'u gwybodaeth am ansawdd gwaith eu dysgwyr. Fodd bynnag, mae dysgu cynnwys craidd ac agweddau pob cwrs yn parhau i fod yn eithriadol o bwysig, fel y caiff pob dysgwr ei gefnogi i symud ymlaen gyda sicrwydd i'w camau nesaf a chyda hyder yn y graddau a ddyfarnwyd iddyn nhw. Rydym ni felly wedi ceisio gwneud y dull graddio mor glir â phosib o dan yr amgylchiadau, ond mor syml ac ymatebol â phosib ar yr un pryd.
Rydym yn gweithio gyda cholegau a phrifysgolion i ystyried sut y gallan nhw gefnogi dysgwyr drwy'r cyfnod pontio hwn ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am eu hymroddiad a'u cefnogaeth barhaus. Mae'n hanfodol bod y sector addysg ehangach yn parhau i ddod at ei gilydd fel hyn i gefnogi ein dysgwyr, gan gynnwys drwy gryfhau dyfarniadau proffesiynol drwy gymorth sy'n sicrhau trefniadau cyson a thryloyw. Mae Cymwysterau Cymru hefyd yn ystyried y dull o ymdrin â chymwysterau eraill i Gymru'n unig, gan gynnwys y dystysgrif her sgiliau, Sgiliau Hanfodol Cymru a chymwysterau galwedigaethol cymeradwy. Mae hefyd yn gweithio'n agos â chyd-reoleiddwyr y DU i sicrhau dull gweithredu a thegwch cyson i ddysgwyr Cymru sy'n astudio ar gyfer cymwysterau galwedigaethol sydd hefyd ar gael mewn gwledydd eraill.
Wrth i ni barhau i weithio'n gyflym i ddatblygu ein cynigion, rwy'n annog dysgwyr, athrawon a darlithwyr i barhau i ganolbwyntio ar ddysgu ym meysydd craidd eu cyrsiau yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Y dysgu hwn a datblygu sgiliau a gwybodaeth gysylltiedig a fydd yn parhau i agor drysau i ddysgwyr yn y dyfodol, hyd yn oed ar ôl dyfarnu'r cymhwyster ei hun. Hoffwn ddiolch i bob dysgwr a gweithiwr addysg proffesiynol am barhau i fod mor hyblyg a pharod i addasu wrth ymateb i'r sefyllfa yr ydym ni ynddi. Diolch, Llywydd dros dro.
Can I just offer my thanks to the design and delivery advisory group as well? I don't suppose they were expecting to do this work. I think the necessity for your announcement last week and this statement today, Minister, shows how close we are to the edge with education at the moment, and I know you're making decisions that you'd rather not make. So, my questions today are no reflection on teachers and lecturers, who, I have to say, continue to astound me during this period. But that statement today is evidence that online learning is not hitting its mark and, I think, by half term, we'd all be expecting you to tell us your plan A, your plan B and your plan C for getting schools open by the end of next month.
Last autumn, Qualifications Wales was adamant that it would not be possible to create and introduce a reliable moderation system for what were, then, centre-assessed grades. The framework you're talking about today can only be a pale imitation of something that was impossible six months ago. So, how close to not being able to comply with its statutory duties has this decision pushed Qualifications Wales, and, for that matter, the WJEC? And how confident are you that this new way forward will ensure public confidence in our young people's achievements, as well as protecting teachers from accusations of unconscious bias, however unjustified those are?
If the WJEC can offer adapted past papers to schools—you mentioned them today, and there's a strong hint there, isn't there, that they should be picked up and used for internal tests, graded in line with helpful WJEC guidance—why is it so difficult for the WJEC to set these papers formally in May or June, and mark them, bringing in a clear and external sign of consistency and rigour to the system? What can you tell us about how the WJEC is going to be able to quality assure every single school or college's internal process for assessment in time? If it decides that some schools already have a strong process, which falls within their guidance, how will that empower a young person to challenge a school on its process? More importantly, what if a school that the WJEC hasn't got round to seeing claims its process is equal to or better than a WJEC-sanctioned version?
You mentioned professional learning. Which practitioners do you envisage will need this grading training? You can't seriously expect it to be every teacher or lecturer in years 10 to 13. And as for non-exam assessments, they're already not going to be moderated, but you do urge schools to continue doing them. Which way do you think this is going to go? Is it going to be schools maximising their use, if the weighting given to them in the new framework encourages that, or schools and colleges minimising their use to do more teaching to a test in order to get up the evidence of graded work? Because not all schools have been canny enough to carry out topic testing as they've gone along this year.
And then, just briefly from me, AS levels. Why won't they count towards a student's final grade? Either you have confidence in the system or you don't. I think maybe you should consider offering them the choice—the students who are doing AS this year—whether to bank their grade or not. And, if you have a moment, perhaps you can just give us an idea of the timetable when we might hear some more information about private candidates and the UK-wide vocational qualifications. Thank you.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r grŵp cynghori dylunio a chyflawni hefyd? Dydw i ddim yn tybio eu bod wedi disgwyl gwneud y gwaith hwn. Credaf fod yr angen am eich cyhoeddiad yr wythnos diwethaf a'r datganiad hwn heddiw, Gweinidog, yn dangos pa mor agos ydym ni at y dibyn gydag addysg ar hyn o bryd, ac rwy'n gwybod eich bod yn gwneud penderfyniadau y byddai'n well gennych beidio â'u gwneud. Felly, nid yw fy nghwestiynau heddiw yn adlewyrchiad o athrawon a darlithwyr, sydd, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, yn parhau i'm syfrdanu yn ystod y cyfnod hwn. Ond mae'r datganiad yna heddiw yn dystiolaeth nad yw dysgu ar-lein yn cyrraedd ei nod ac, rwy'n credu, erbyn hanner tymor, y byddem i gyd yn disgwyl i chi ddweud wrthym ni beth yw eich cynllun A, eich cynllun B a'ch cynllun C ar gyfer agor ysgolion erbyn diwedd y mis nesaf.
Yr hydref diwethaf, roedd Cymwysterau Cymru yn bendant na fyddai'n bosib creu a chyflwyno system gymedroli ddibynadwy ar gyfer yr hyn a oedd, bryd hynny, yn raddau wedi eu hasesu gan ganolfannau. Ni all y fframwaith yr ydych chi'n sôn amdano heddiw ond bod yn ddynwarediad gwan o rywbeth a oedd yn amhosib chwe mis yn ôl. Felly, pa mor agos at fethu â chydymffurfio â'i ddyletswyddau statudol y mae'r penderfyniad hwn wedi gwthio Cymwysterau Cymru, ac, yn hynny o beth, CBAC? A pha mor ffyddiog ydych chi y bydd y ffordd newydd hon ymlaen yn sicrhau bod gan y cyhoedd ffydd yng nghyflawniad ein pobl ifanc, yn ogystal ag amddiffyn athrawon rhag cyhuddiadau o ragfarn anymwybodol, waeth pa mor ddi-sail yw'r rheini?
Os gall CBAC gynnig papurau blaenorol wedi'u haddasu i ysgolion—fe wnaethoch chi sôn amdanyn nhw heddiw, ac mae awgrym cryf yn y fan yna, onid oes, y dylid troi atyn nhw a'u defnyddio ar gyfer profion mewnol, wedi'u graddio yn unol â chanllawiau defnyddiol CBAC—pam y mae hi mor anodd i CBAC osod y papurau hyn yn ffurfiol ym mis Mai neu fis Mehefin, a'u marcio, gan gyflwyno arwydd clir ac allanol o gysondeb a thrylwyredd i'r system? Beth allwch chi ei ddweud wrthym ni ynghylch sut y gall CBAC sicrhau ansawdd proses fewnol pob ysgol neu goleg unigol ar gyfer asesu mewn pryd? Os yw'n penderfynu bod gan rai ysgolion broses gref eisoes, sy'n dod o fewn eu canllawiau, sut y bydd hynny'n grymuso person ifanc i herio ysgol ar ei phroses? Yn bwysicach na hynny, beth petai ysgol nad yw CBAC wedi'i gweld eto yn honni bod ei phroses yn gyfwerth neu'n well na fersiwn a gymeradwywyd gan CBAC?
Fe wnaethoch chi sôn am ddysgu proffesiynol. Pa ymarferwyr ydych chi'n rhagweld bydd angen yr hyfforddiant graddio hwn arnyn nhw? Ni allwch chi ddisgwyl o ddifrif i bob athro neu ddarlithydd ym mlynyddoedd 10 i 13 fod angen hynny. Ac o ran asesiadau nad ydyn nhw yn arholiadau, ni fyddan nhw eisoes yn cael eu cymedroli, ond rydych chi yn annog ysgolion i barhau i'w gwneud. Beth ydych chi'n ei gredu bydd canlyniad hyn? Ai ysgolion fydd yn gwneud y defnydd gorau ohonyn nhw, os yw'r pwysoliad a roddir iddyn nhw yn y fframwaith newydd yn annog hynny, neu ysgolion a cholegau yn defnyddio llai arnyn nhw i wneud mwy o addysgu er mwyn profi a chynyddu'r dystiolaeth o waith wedi'i raddio? Oherwydd nid pob ysgol sydd wedi bod yn ddigon hirben i gynnal profion pwnc rheolaidd eleni.
Ac yna, yn fyr gennyf fi, Safon Uwch Gyfrannol. Pam na fyddan nhw'n cyfrif tuag at radd derfynol myfyriwr? Naill ai mae gennych chi ffydd yn y system neu does gennych chi ddim. Credaf efallai y dylech chi ystyried cynnig y dewis iddyn nhw—y myfyrwyr sy'n gwneud Safon Uwch Gyfrannol eleni—boed hynny i fancio eu gradd neu beidio. Ac, os oes gennych chi eiliad, efallai y gallwch chi roi syniad i ni o'r amserlen pan fyddwn efallai'n clywed mwy o wybodaeth am ymgeiswyr preifat a'r cymwysterau galwedigaethol ar gyfer y DU gyfan. Diolch.
Thank you, Suzy Davies, for your questions and your acknowledgement of the hard work of the design and delivery group, as I said, made up of headteachers and college principals who have worked at great speed to provide advice and guidance. I'm grateful that they have agreed to continue to do that work with an expanded membership now, as we move into the next phase of operationalising the decisions that have been made.
Suzy quite rightly points out the challenges of the centre-determined grades system. All methods of assessment have their upsides and their d