Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
10/03/2021Cynnwys
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 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
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 y cyfarfod yma, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. Dwi eisiau atgoffa Aelodau hefyd o'r Rheolau Sefydlog sydd yn ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn, ac mae'r rheini'n berthnasol ar gyfer ein cyfarfod ni heddiw.
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 today.
Felly, yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni'r prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i Weinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Jayne Bryant.
So, the first item on our agenda is questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, and the first question is from Jayne Bryant.
1. Pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â thipio anghyfreithlon yng Ngorllewin Casnewydd? OQ56410
1. What plans does the Welsh Government have to combat fly-tipping in Newport West? OQ56410
Thank you. Welsh Government funds the Fly-tipping Action Wales programme, led by Natural Resources Wales. The programme continues to support Newport City Council in tackling fly-tipping. This includes supporting them with investigating and prosecuting fly-tippers. Work is ongoing to identify solutions to stop fly-tipping at particular locations within the Newport area.
Diolch. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ariannu rhaglen Taclo Tipio Cymru, dan arweiniad Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru. Mae'r rhaglen yn parhau i gynorthwyo Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd i fynd i'r afael â thipio anghyfreithlon. Mae hyn yn cynnwys eu cefnogi i ymchwilio i dipwyr anghyfreithlon a’u herlyn. Mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo i nodi atebion i atal tipio anghyfreithlon mewn lleoliadau penodol yn ardal Casnewydd.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. I know you will be aware that I've raised the serious situation with fly-tipping in the Marshfield and Duffryn areas of my constituency on many occasions. The infamous 'road to nowhere' is a hotspot for it on an industrial scale—hundreds of tonnes of rubbish stretches as far as the eye can see, and it recently featured on the BBC's Panorama programme 'Rubbish Dump Britain'. These scenes are a national embarrassment, and the proximity to the M4 means this spot is used by those firms who claim to get rid of rubbish legally but instead dump it illegally. The criminality is shocking. Local groups who are intent on cleaning the area have found evidence of waste from areas such as Bristol, the midlands, other parts of Wales, and much further afield. Dedicated local residents have formed a group to try and tackle the problem, and it features interested parties. However, progress is painfully slow and the scale of what's happening means that local government is stretched. The pollution caused and the sheer amount of dumped rubbish means that the clear-up costs will be high, and they need Welsh Government support. I'd urge the Minister to please look again at what intervention the Welsh Government can do at the 'road to nowhere' to clean up the area, and I'd urge the Welsh Government to work with Newport City Council and residents to find a purpose for the land, which is the best way of protecting the environment and preventing this from happening in the future.
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Gwn y byddwch yn ymwybodol fy mod wedi codi'r sefyllfa ddifrifol mewn perthynas â thipio anghyfreithlon yn ardaloedd Maerun a Dyffryn yn fy etholaeth ar sawl achlysur. Mae'r 'ffordd i unman' enwog yn fan problemus o ran tipio anghyfreithlon ar raddfa ddiwydiannol—mae cannoedd o dunelli o sbwriel yn ymestyn mor bell ag y gallwch weld, ac yn ddiweddar, cafodd sylw ar raglen Panorama y BBC, 'Rubbish Dump Britain'. Mae'r golygfeydd hyn yn destun cywilydd cenedlaethol, ac mae'r agosrwydd at yr M4 yn golygu bod y safle hwn yn cael ei ddefnyddio gan y cwmnïau hynny sy'n honni eu bod yn cael gwared ar sbwriel yn gyfreithlon, ond sydd yn hytrach yn ei ddympio'n anghyfreithlon. Mae'r troseddoldeb yn syfrdanol. Mae grwpiau lleol sy’n benderfynol o lanhau’r ardal wedi dod o hyd i dystiolaeth o wastraff o ardaloedd fel Bryste, canolbarth Lloegr, rhannau eraill o Gymru, a llawer pellach. Mae trigolion lleol ymroddedig wedi ffurfio grŵp i geisio mynd i'r afael â'r broblem, ac mae'n cynnwys partïon sydd â diddordeb. Fodd bynnag, mae'r cynnydd yn boenus o araf, ac mae graddfa'r hyn sy'n digwydd yn golygu bod llywodraeth leol yn ei chael hi’n anodd ymdopi. Mae'r llygredd a achosir a faint o sbwriel sy’n cael ei ddympio’n golygu y bydd costau clirio'n uchel, ac mae angen cymorth Llywodraeth Cymru arnynt. Byddwn yn annog y Gweinidog, os gwêl yn dda, i ailystyried pa gamau ymyrraeth y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu rhoi ar waith ar y 'ffordd i unman', i lanhau'r ardal, a byddwn yn annog Llywodraeth Cymru i weithio gyda Chyngor Dinas Casnewydd a thrigolion i ddod o hyd i ddefnydd ar gyfer y tir, sef y ffordd orau o ddiogelu'r amgylchedd ac atal hyn rhag digwydd yn y dyfodol.
Thank you, Jayne Bryant, for those comments around Newport City Council and the unfortunate level of fly-tipping. You'll be aware we did meet last year in relation to this. My officials have spoken again with Newport City Council regarding the 'road to nowhere' site. I think the last site partnership meeting that was held was in January. And it was very clear from that meeting that Newport City Council had made some good progress in identifying some of the criminals who are involved with tipping waste at the site, and they were undertaking various enforcement actions, such as vehicle seizures, and they were issuing fixed-penalty notices also for small-scale tipping. They were also preparing prosecution cases for court. But I appreciate that the site does remain vulnerable to further tipping. The council are the owners of the land, so I would urge them to take further steps to ensure further tipping doesn't take place there.
As I mentioned in my opening answer to you, the Welsh Government funds Fly-tipping Action Wales, and I know that they've offered Newport council the use of surveillance equipment, and also to have some training on legislation and investigative techniques, at no cost, to try and help prevent further fly-tipping at this site and others in Newport. So, I would encourage Newport council, and all other local authorities, to fully utilise the tools and support that are available to them. You mentioned a local group was also working with the local authority, and I think it is absolutely essential that we all work together, so that we can protect our environment and our communities from these terrible crimes.
Diolch, Jayne Bryant, am eich sylwadau ynghylch Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd a'r lefel anffodus o dipio anghyfreithlon. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol ein bod wedi cyfarfod y llynedd mewn perthynas â hyn. Mae fy swyddogion wedi siarad eto â Chyngor Dinas Casnewydd ynglŷn â safle’r 'ffordd i unman’. Credaf i gyfarfod diwethaf partneriaeth y safle gael ei gynnal ym mis Ionawr. Ac roedd yn amlwg iawn o'r cyfarfod hwnnw fod Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd wedi gwneud cynnydd da o ran nodi rhai o'r troseddwyr sy'n tipio gwastraff ar y safle, ac roeddent yn rhoi camau gorfodi amrywiol ar waith, megis atafael cerbydau, ac yn cyhoeddi hysbysiadau cosb benodedig hefyd ar gyfer tipio ar raddfa fach. Roeddent hefyd yn paratoi achosion erlyn ar gyfer y llys. Ond rwy'n derbyn bod y safle’n parhau i fod yn agored i dipio pellach. Y cyngor sy’n berchen ar y tir, felly byddwn yn eu hannog i gymryd camau pellach i sicrhau na cheir rhagor o dipio yno.
Fel y soniais yn fy ateb agoriadol i chi, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ariannu Taclo Tipio Cymru, a gwn eu bod wedi cynnig offer gwyliadwriaeth i gyngor Casnewydd ei ddefnyddio, a hefyd i gael rhywfaint o hyfforddiant ar ddeddfwriaeth a thechnegau ymchwilio, heb unrhyw gost, i geisio helpu i atal achosion pellach o dipio anghyfreithlon ar y safle hwn, ac eraill yng Nghasnewydd. Felly, byddwn yn annog cyngor Casnewydd, a phob awdurdod lleol arall, i fanteisio’n llawn ar yr offer a'r cymorth sydd ar gael iddynt. Roeddech chi'n dweud bod grŵp lleol hefyd yn gweithio gyda’r awdurdod lleol, a chredaf ei bod yn gwbl hanfodol fod pawb ohonom yn gweithio gyda’n gilydd, fel y gallwn ddiogelu ein hamgylchedd a’n cymunedau rhag y troseddau ofnadwy hyn.
I'd 100 per cent back what Jayne Bryant has just said, actually. Local campaigner, Michael Enea, has also raised the issue recently, about this particular site—the 'road to nowhere' near the Celtic lakes. The 100 tonnes of rubbish is a sight for sore eyes—it's an appalling state of affairs, and it really needs—. I was just wondering when it's actually going to be cleared, and how you're working with the local council to ensure that's done soon, because, at the moment, it's not safe.
There are also hotspots coming up all over South Wales East at the moment of fly-tipping, which has been made worse during the pandemic. So, I was just wondering also how this Government is going to make sure that it works with councils, and maybe a future Government, to make sure robust measures are in place and a framework is in place to ensure this sort of thing doesn't happen again, and also to clear it up as soon as possible if it does happen. Thank you.
Diolch. Byddwn yn cytuno 100 y cant â’r hyn a ddywedodd Jayne Bryant. Mae'r ymgyrchydd lleol, Michael Enea, hefyd wedi codi'r mater yn ddiweddar, ynglŷn â'r safle penodol hwn—y 'ffordd i unman' ger y llynnoedd Celtaidd. Mae'r 100 tunnell o sbwriel yn hyll ofnadwy—mae'n sefyllfa warthus, ac mae gwir angen—. Tybed pryd y bydd yn cael ei glirio, a sut rydych yn gweithio gyda'r cyngor lleol i sicrhau bod hynny'n digwydd cyn bo hir, oherwydd, ar hyn o bryd, nid yw'n ddiogel?
Mae mannau problemus i'w gweld ledled Dwyrain De Cymru ar hyn o bryd o ran tipio anghyfreithlon, sydd wedi gwaethygu yn ystod y pandemig. Felly, tybed hefyd sut y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn mynd i sicrhau eu bod yn gweithio gyda chynghorau, a Llywodraeth yn y dyfodol efallai, i sicrhau bod mesurau cadarn ar waith a bod fframwaith yn ei le i sicrhau nad yw'r math hwn o beth yn digwydd eto, a hefyd i'w glirio cyn gynted â phosibl os bydd yn digwydd? Diolch.
Thank you. I mentioned various ways that we have worked with the council in my earlier answer to Jayne Bryant, but I would really encourage, as I say, all local authorities to fully utilise the tools and support that are available to them from Fly-tipping Action Wales, or make sure that they fully utilise the legislative tools that we've recently provided, such as the fixed-penalty notices that I mentioned that Newport council had brought forward—several of these—for small-scale fly tipping.
I think it is disappointing that the national fly-tipping statistics that we recently published still show that there's a significant number of local authorities in Wales, and that does include Newport, that have not prosecuted any fly-tipper in their areas. You referred to increased fly-tipping during the COVID-19 pandemic, and obviously the last figures that we published were for 2019-20, so that didn't include, obviously, or didn't reflect any potential impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. The fly-tipping figures from April 2020, when we first went into lockdown, are still being gathered from local authorities, but it will be very interesting to see if there has been an increase. But, as I say, I would just urge all local authorities to use everything that we've provided in support and legislative tools in the first instance.
Diolch. Soniais am yr amryw o ffyrdd y buom yn gweithio gyda’r cyngor yn fy ateb cynharach i Jayne Bryant, ond fel y dywedaf, byddwn o ddifrif yn annog pob awdurdod lleol i fanteisio’n llawn ar yr offer a’r cymorth sydd ar gael iddynt drwy Taclo Tipio Cymru, neu sicrhau eu bod yn gwneud defnydd llawn o'r offerynnau deddfwriaethol rydym wedi eu darparu'n ddiweddar, fel yr hysbysiadau cosb benodedig y soniais fod cyngor Casnewydd wedi eu cyflwyno—sawl un ohonynt—ar gyfer tipio anghyfreithlon ar raddfa fach.
Credaf ei bod yn siomedig fod yr ystadegau cenedlaethol ar gyfer tipio anghyfreithlon a gyhoeddwyd gennym yn ddiweddar yn dal i ddangos bod nifer sylweddol o awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys Casnewydd, heb erlyn unrhyw dipiwr anghyfreithlon yn eu hardaloedd. Roeddech yn cyfeirio at y cynnydd mewn tipio anghyfreithlon yn ystod y pandemig COVID-19, ac yn amlwg, roedd y ffigurau diwethaf a gyhoeddwyd gennym ar gyfer 2019-20, felly nid oeddent yn cynnwys, yn amlwg, neu nid oeddent yn adlewyrchu unrhyw effaith bosibl yn sgil y pandemig COVID-19. Mae'r ffigurau tipio anghyfreithlon o fis Ebrill 2020, pan gawsom y cyfyngiadau symud cyntaf, yn dal i gael eu casglu gan awdurdodau lleol, ond bydd yn ddiddorol iawn gweld a fu cynnydd. Ond fel y dywedaf, byddwn yn annog pob awdurdod lleol yn y lle cyntaf i ddefnyddio popeth rydym wedi'i ddarparu o ran offerynnau deddfwriaethol a chymorth.
2. Pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei gynnig i ffermwyr y mae Rheoliadau Adnoddau Dŵr (Rheoli Llygredd Amaethyddol) (Cymru) 2021 yn debygol o effeithio arnynt? OQ56386
2. What support is the Welsh Government offering to farmers who are likely to be affected by the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021? OQ56386
Thank you. A range of support will be provided, including guidance, nutrient management planning and record-keeping templates, Farming Connect services and a dedicated helpline, operated by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service. This is in addition to the £44.5 million of capital funding that has so far been committed through the rural development programme to support farmers in Wales.
Diolch. Bydd ystod o gymorth yn cael ei roi, gan gynnwys arweiniad, cynlluniau rheoli maethynnau a thempledi cadw cofnodion, gwasanaethau Cyswllt Ffermio a llinell gymorth bwrpasol, a weithredir gan y Gwasanaeth Datblygu a Chynghori Amaethyddol (ADAS). Mae hyn yn ychwanegol at y £44.5 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf sydd wedi'i ymrwymo hyd yma drwy'r rhaglen datblygu gwledig i gefnogi ffermwyr yng Nghymru.
As you know, and as I said in the debate last week, Minister, I've had conversations with the National Farmers Union, with the Farmers Union of Wales, and with farmers in my constituency, and there are, undoubtedly, regardless of merits of the regulations, concerns that they have—very deep concerns that they have—about the impact, and particularly in those small farms. And I raised in my speech last week the issue of a farm, for example, with 75 dairy cows, who would then have to build technology to contain slurry that might not otherwise have been used. I did have some reassurance from the Welsh Government, and I was hoping you'd put it on the record in your speech last week, but perhaps now is the opportunity. What reassurance can you give to those farmers with regard to nutrient management plans? What reassurance can you give to those farmers who are concerned about having to bring in consultants to deal with complex forms? And with all that in mind, how will the Welsh Government wish to—and obviously there's an election coming up—review the regulations in the period in which they are phased in? How are you going to introduce that review and ensure that those farmers, like the small ones in my constituency, are not unduly affected?
Fel y gwyddoch, ac fel y dywedais yn y ddadl yr wythnos diwethaf, Weinidog, rwyf wedi cael sgyrsiau gydag Undeb Cenedlaethol yr Amaethwyr, gydag Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru, a chyda ffermwyr yn fy etholaeth, a heb os, ni waeth beth fo rhinweddau'r rheoliadau, mae ganddynt bryderon—pryderon dwys iawn—ynglŷn â’r effaith, ac yn enwedig yn y ffermydd bach hynny. Ac yn fy araith yr wythnos diwethaf, soniais am fferm, er enghraifft, a chanddi 75 o fuchod godro, a fyddai wedyn yn gorfod adeiladu technoleg i storio slyri na fyddai wedi cael ei defnyddio fel arall o bosibl. Cefais beth sicrwydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ac roeddwn yn gobeithio y byddech wedi’i nodi yn eich araith yr wythnos diwethaf, ond efallai mai nawr yw'r cyfle. Pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi i'r ffermwyr hynny mewn perthynas â chynlluniau rheoli maethynnau? Pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi i'r ffermwyr sy'n poeni am orfod dibynnu ar ymgynghorwyr i ymdrin â ffurflenni cymhleth? A chyda hynny oll mewn golwg, sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn dymuno—ac yn amlwg, mae yna etholiad ar y ffordd—adolygu'r rheoliadau yn ystod y cyfnod y cânt eu cyflwyno'n raddol? Sut y bwriadwch gyflwyno'r adolygiad hwnnw a sicrhau nad yw ffermwyr fel y rhai bach yn fy etholaeth i yn cael eu heffeithio'n ormodol?
Thank you. As I say, in addition to Farming Connect services, we've got a dedicated helpline now operated by ADAS, and significant capital funding. So, this is all done and there to support farmers. We will be issuing guidance documents shortly, and that will take farmers step by step through the requirements of the regulations. And I think, once people have access to that guidance, hopefully that will reassure them and certainly allay many of the concerns that you referred to.
There will be simple templates that can be used for nutrient management planning. I think the difference between existing slurry storage requirements and the new requirements, for most people, will be minimal. So, there are a number of actions you can take to reduce the rainfall that goes into the stores. That again may help address storage shortfalls. And many of these schemes have already been supported by Welsh Government over the past couple of years, through grant schemes, such as the sustainable production, and obviously our farm business grant schemes too.
The closed periods do not apply to manure with low readily available nitrogen, and that includes farmyard manure, which, again, is much more common in smaller farms, such as the one you referred to, and the regulations also allow farmyard manure to be stored in field heaps.
I've mentioned in the couple of debates that we've had in the Chamber that there will, obviously, be a transitional period and financial support will increase there. As a result of introducing these new regulations with those transitional periods, I'll be able to support farmers to achieve compliance with the new standards, whereas previously I could only support investment above to the regulatory requirement, and the ability to do that will go on until July 2025. There is a review of the regulations in four years. It was really important, I thought, we had that in. But, obviously, as we go through the next four years up until 2025, the monitoring will be undertaken.
Diolch. Fel y dywedaf, yn ogystal â gwasanaethau Cyswllt Ffermio, mae gennym linell gymorth bwrpasol sydd bellach yn cael ei gweithredu gan ADAS, a chyllid cyfalaf sylweddol. Felly, mae hyn oll wedi’i wneud ac yn ei le i gefnogi ffermwyr. Byddwn yn cyhoeddi canllawiau'n fuan, a byddant yn arwain ffermwyr gam wrth gam drwy ofynion y rheoliadau. A phan fydd gan bobl y canllawiau hynny, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny'n tawelu eu meddyliau ac yn sicr yn lleddfu llawer o'r pryderon y cyfeirioch chi atynt.
Bydd yna dempledi syml y gellir eu defnyddio ar gyfer cynlluniau rheoli maethynnau. Credaf y bydd y gwahaniaeth rhwng y gofynion storio slyri presennol a'r gofynion newydd yn fach iawn i'r rhan fwyaf o bobl. Felly, mae nifer o gamau y gallwch eu cymryd i leihau'r glawiad sy'n mynd i mewn i'r storfeydd. Efallai y bydd hynny, unwaith eto, yn helpu i fynd i'r afael â diffygion o ran storio. Ac mae llawer o'r cynlluniau hyn eisoes wedi cael cymorth gan Lywodraeth Cymru dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf, drwy gynlluniau grant, fel y grant cynhyrchu cynaliadwy, ac yn amlwg, ein cynlluniau grant busnes i ffermydd hefyd.
Nid yw'r cyfnodau gwaharddedig yn berthnasol i dail sydd â chyfran isel o nitrogen ar gael yn rhwydd, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys tail buarth, sydd, unwaith eto, yn llawer mwy cyffredin ar ffermydd llai, fel yr un y cyfeirioch chi ati, ac mae'r rheoliadau hefyd yn caniatáu storio tail buarth mewn tasau mewn caeau.
Rwyf wedi crybwyll yn yr ychydig ddadleuon rydym wedi’u cael yn y Siambr y bydd cyfnod pontio, yn amlwg, a bydd cymorth ariannol yn cynyddu. O ganlyniad i gyflwyno'r rheoliadau newydd hyn gyda'r cyfnodau pontio hynny, byddaf yn gallu cynorthwyo ffermwyr i gydymffurfio â'r safonau newydd, lle na allwn wneud mwy na chefnogi buddsoddiad uwchlaw'r gofyniad rheoliadol yn flaenorol, a bydd y gallu i wneud hynny yn parhau hyd at fis Gorffennaf 2025. Bydd y rheoliadau’n cael eu hadolygu mewn pedair blynedd. Roedd yn bwysig iawn, yn fy marn i, ein bod yn cynnwys hynny. Ond yn amlwg, wrth inni fynd drwy'r pedair blynedd nesaf hyd at 2025, bydd y gwaith monitro'n mynd rhagddo.
The truth is, of course, that the amount set aside by the Welsh Government to implement these measures has been identified by farmers, farmers unions and the whole of the farming industry as totally inadequate. Now, whilst I have great respect for the AM for Caerphilly, his reason for not voting against the Government last Wednesday does not cut ice when he says there are two large polluters in his constituency—he lays bare the Minister's arguments for punishing the whole industry. Intervention should have been targeted. So, Minister, why did you go against all the agricultural sector's advice and implement such a potentially disastrous blanket strategy?
Y gwir amdani, wrth gwrs, yw bod ffermwyr, undebau’r ffermwyr a'r diwydiant ffermio yn gyffredinol wedi galw'r swm a neilltuwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i roi’r mesurau hyn ar waith yn un cwbl annigonol. Nawr, er bod gennyf gryn dipyn o barch tuag at yr AC dros Gaerffili, nid yw ei reswm dros beidio â phleidleisio yn erbyn y Llywodraeth ddydd Mercher diwethaf yn gwneud unrhyw synnwyr pan ddywed fod dau lygrwr mawr yn ei etholaeth—mae'n datgelu dadleuon y Gweinidog dros gosbi'r diwydiant cyfan. Dylai ymyrraeth fod yn un sydd wedi'i thargedu. Felly, Weinidog, pam yr aethoch yn erbyn holl gyngor y sector amaethyddol a rhoi strategaeth a allai fod mor drychinebus ar waith yn gyffredinol?
Well, the truth is, David Rowlands, that, as I say, there's £44.5 million of capital already been assigned to this, plus further funding for the next financial year, which obviously we can only do on a one-year basis because the Welsh Government only has a one-year budget from the UK Government. But I've always made it very clear that support would be available to the farming sector in relation to these.
What you don't seem to understand is the regulations are targeted. We can't do it on specific areas because the number of agricultural pollution incidents we're seeing are all over Wales. But the regulations will be targeted, and the majority of farms are already coming up to that baseline requirement. This is about having that baseline requirement to improve and reduce the number of incidents, which I'm sure you will agree are an embarrassment to the agricultural sector.
Wel, y gwir amdani, David Rowlands, fel y dywedaf, yw bod £44.5 miliwn o gyfalaf wedi'i neilltuo i hyn eisoes, ynghyd â chyllid pellach ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, ac yn amlwg, dim ond ar sail un flwyddyn y gallwn wneud hynny gan mai dim ond cyllideb blwyddyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru’n ei chael gan Lywodraeth y DU. Ond rwyf bob amser wedi dweud yn glir iawn y byddai cymorth ar gael i'r sector ffermio mewn perthynas â'r rhain.
Yr hyn nad ydych yn ei ddeall yn ôl pob golwg yw bod y rheoliadau wedi'u targedu. Ni allwn wneud hyn mewn ardaloedd penodol oherwydd nifer y digwyddiadau llygredd amaethyddol rydym yn eu gweld ledled Cymru. Ond bydd y rheoliadau wedi’u targedu, ac mae’r rhan fwyaf o ffermydd eisoes yn bodloni’r gofyniad sylfaenol hwnnw. Mae hyn yn ymwneud â sicrhau bod gennym y gofyniad sylfaenol i wella a lleihau nifer yr achosion sydd, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn cytuno, yn destun cywilydd i’r sector amaethyddol.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Llyr Gruffydd.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Llyr Gruffydd.
Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, do you regret the fact that the rate of installation of new renewable energy capacity has fallen every year under Labour in Wales since 2015?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, a ydych yn difaru’r ffaith bod cyfraddau gosod capasiti ynni adnewyddadwy newydd wedi gostwng bob blwyddyn o dan Lafur yng Nghymru ers 2015?
I think we've done a huge amount of work to support the installation of renewable energy schemes. I've worked very closely with anyone who is happy to bring forward the schemes. Tomorrow, I'll be meeting with developers and looking at new schemes. You must appreciate that we have put significant funding in also, but we really need developers and we need to work with the UK Government to make sure all levers are used in relation to new installations.
Credaf ein bod wedi gwneud llawer iawn i gefnogi’r gwaith o osod cynlluniau ynni adnewyddadwy. Rwyf wedi gweithio'n agos iawn gydag unrhyw un sy'n fodlon cyflwyno'r cynlluniau. Yfory, byddaf yn cyfarfod â datblygwyr ac yn edrych ar gynlluniau newydd. Mae’n rhaid ichi ddeall ein bod wedi darparu cryn dipyn o gyllid hefyd, ond mae gwir angen datblygwyr arnom ac mae angen inni weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i sicrhau bod yr holl ysgogiadau'n cael eu defnyddio mewn perthynas â gosod cynlluniau newydd.
But that doesn't change the fact that renewable energy development in Wales is slowing down under Labour's watch. Declaring a climate emergency should mean a ramping up and an acceleration in the rate of development, but you haven't delivered that. Now, maybe we shouldn't be surprised, given that you cut support from the hydropower sector, for example, in Wales, leaving many of those schemes facing financial ruin, and your decision probably has zapped the confidence of others as well who were considering developing similar new energy schemes.
And that slowing down of renewable energy development in Wales under your watch isn't the only matter, of course, that you should regret. Plastic waste is another one. It's a scourge that we all want to see tackled with a huge ramping up of interventions to get to grips with the problem. I was elected to this Senedd in 2011 and, at that time, there was talk of action on a deposit-return scheme. Ten years and two Labour Governments later, we're still waiting for those interventions to materialise. Are you not embarrassed that we still don't have a deposit-return scheme in Wales?
Ond nid yw hynny'n newid y ffaith bod y gwaith o ddatblygu ynni adnewyddadwy yng Nghymru yn arafu o dan wyliadwriaeth Llafur. Dylai datgan argyfwng hinsawdd olygu cynyddu gwaith datblygu a'i gyflymu, ond nid ydych wedi cyflawni hynny. Nawr, efallai na ddylem synnu, o ystyried eich bod yn torri cymorth i’r sector ynni dŵr, er enghraifft, yng Nghymru, gan adael llawer o'r cynlluniau hynny'n wynebu trafferthion ariannol, ac mae'n debyg fod eich penderfyniad wedi lleihau hyder eraill hefyd a oedd yn ystyried datblygu cynlluniau ynni newydd tebyg.
Ac nid yr arafu o ran datblygu ynni adnewyddadwy yng Nghymru o dan eich gwyliadwriaeth yw'r unig beth y dylech ei fod yn edifar yn ei gylch wrth gwrs. Mae gwastraff plastig yn un arall. Mae'n bla y mae pob un ohonom am ei gweld yn cael ei threchu gyda chynnydd enfawr mewn ymyriadau i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem. Cefais fy ethol i'r Senedd hon yn 2011, a bryd hynny, roedd sôn am weithredu ar gynllun dychwelyd ernes. Ddeng mlynedd a dwy Lywodraeth Lafur yn ddiweddarach, rydym yn dal i aros am yr ymyriadau hynny. Onid oes cywilydd arnoch nad oes gennym gynllun dychwelyd ernes yng Nghymru o hyd?
This is something, as you know, that has recently come back into my portfolio, and I have had several discussions around a DRS. I think the most important thing for me is to make sure there are no perverse outcomes from a DRS, because, as you know, we have made fantastic strides in relation to our recycling. We've hit the target of 65 per cent recycling. I think it's a year ahead of the target that we had, and that is down to three things: it's down to leadership from Welsh Government, it's down to leadership from local authorities, and it's down to the people of Wales, who have embraced recycling. Now, we need to move to the next stage, and that's why I've recently launched the circular economy strategy.
Mae hyn yn rhywbeth, fel y gwyddoch, sydd wedi dod yn ôl i fy mhortffolio yn ddiweddar, ac rwyf wedi cael sawl trafodaeth ynghylch cynllun dychwelyd ernes. Credaf mai'r peth pwysicaf i mi yw sicrhau nad yw cynllun dychwelyd ernes yn arwain at unrhyw ganlyniadau gwrthnysig, oherwydd fel y gwyddoch, rydym wedi gwneud cryn dipyn o gynnydd mewn perthynas â'n hailgylchu. Rydym wedi cyrraedd y targed ailgylchu o 65 y cant. Credaf ein bod flwyddyn o flaen y targed a oedd gennym, ac mae hynny oherwydd tri pheth: arweinyddiaeth Llywodraeth Cymru, arweinyddiaeth awdurdodau lleol, a phobl Cymru sydd wedi croesawu ailgylchu. Nawr, mae angen inni symud i'r cam nesaf, a dyna pam y lansiais strategaeth yr economi gylchol yn ddiweddar.
If leadership is having 'several discussions', to quote what you just told me in answer, I mean, crikey, you've had 10 years' worth of several discussions, Minister, as a Government, and you've gone from leading the UK on this agenda to playing catch-up. Those aren't the actions of a Government that's taking the plastics crisis seriously. And you can ask your own constituents, because I know of a group—the Wrexham Litter Pickers—who recently collected over 1,000 bags of rubbish and plastic waste, underlining again the need for more urgency on this matter.
Now, I could point to other areas of your responsibility where you've not produced the goods. We know about the clean air Act. That's something Plaid Cymru has been advocating for many, many years—something you eventually agreed with us is necessary, but still a painfully slow response from the Government means, once again, that you haven't delivered, and it's going to take a new Government and a new Senedd to finally get this life-saving legislation in place.
But I have to say, maybe the biggest disappointment for me is your failure to ensure the highest standards of energy efficiency in new homes. I remember, six or seven years ago, Labour passed new standards to be incorporated in the Part L building regulations. Now, Plaid Cymru called at the time for higher energy efficiency standards. You voted that down, insisting on more modest standards, but you did so—Labour did so—saying that you'd address that in this Senedd. And now, of course, we know that, six years later, you failed to do so, and with that failure, of course, you've locked in the higher level of energy inefficiency in new Welsh homes that a future Government will have to address through retrofitting and other costly interventions in years to come. So, why is it that this Labour Government has broken its word on so many of these issues? And, frankly, why should the people of Wales believe anything you say in future, given your failure to deliver on your promises?
Os mai cael 'sawl trafodaeth’ yn unig yw arweinyddiaeth, i ddyfynnu'r hyn rydych newydd ei ddweud wrthyf yn eich ateb, nefoedd, rydych wedi cael gwerth 10 mlynedd o sawl trafodaeth, Weinidog, fel Llywodraeth, ac rydych wedi mynd o arwain y DU ar yr agenda hon i geisio dal i fyny. Nid dyma weithredoedd Llywodraeth sydd o ddifrif ynglŷn ag argyfwng plastigau. A gallwch ofyn i'ch etholwyr eich hun, oherwydd gwn am grŵp—y Wrexham Litter Pickers—a gasglodd dros 1,000 o fagiau o sbwriel a gwastraff plastig yn ddiweddar, gan bwysleisio unwaith eto yr angen am fwy o frys ar y mater hwn.
Nawr, gallwn dynnu sylw at feysydd eraill rydych yn gyfrifol amdanynt lle nad ydych wedi gwneud yn ddigon da. Gwyddom am y Ddeddf aer glân. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth y mae Plaid Cymru wedi bod yn dadlau o’i phlaid ers blynyddoedd lawer—rhywbeth y gwnaethoch gytuno â ni yn y pen draw ei bod yn angenrheidiol, ond serch hynny, mae’r ymateb poenus o araf gan y Llywodraeth yn golygu, unwaith eto, nad ydych wedi ei chyflwyno, a bydd angen i Lywodraeth a Senedd newydd roi’r ddeddfwriaeth hon, a fydd yn achub bywydau, ar waith o'r diwedd.
Ond mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, efallai mai'r siom fwyaf i mi yw eich methiant i sicrhau'r safonau effeithlonrwydd ynni uchaf mewn cartrefi newydd. Chwech neu saith mlynedd yn ôl, rwy'n cofio Llafur yn cyflwyno safonau newydd i'w hymgorffori yn rheoliadau adeiladu Rhan L. Nawr, galwodd Plaid Cymru ar y pryd am safonau effeithlonrwydd ynni uwch. Gwnaethoch bleidleisio yn erbyn hynny, gan fynnu cael safonau mwy cymedrol, ond fe wnaethoch hynny—gwnaeth Llafur hynny—gan ddweud y byddech yn mynd i’r afael â hynny yn y Senedd hon. A bellach, wrth gwrs, chwe blynedd yn ddiweddarach, gwyddom eich bod wedi methu gwneud hynny, a chyda'r methiant hwnnw, wrth gwrs, rydych wedi sicrhau lefel uwch o aneffeithlonrwydd ynni mewn cartrefi newydd yng Nghymru y bydd yn rhaid i Lywodraeth yn y dyfodol fynd i'r afael â hwy drwy ôl-osod a gwneud ymyriadau costus eraill mewn blynyddoedd i ddod. Felly, pam fod y Llywodraeth Lafur hon wedi torri ei haddewidion ar gynifer o'r materion hyn? Ac a dweud y gwir, pam y dylai pobl Cymru gredu unrhyw beth a ddywedwch yn y dyfodol, o gofio eich methiant i gyflawni eich addewidion?
I should declare that I am a member of the Wrexham Litter Pickers that Llyr Gruffydd referred to—we must remember that it's not Government that litters; it's people who litter—and I would really like to praise the work that they've done. And you'll be aware of the new litter and fly-tipping plan that I mentioned in an earlier answer to Jayne Bryant.
This Government has done a huge amount in relation to energy efficiency and many millions of pounds have been spent on homes. We have a very old housing stock here in Wales and I think my colleague Julie James has done some fantastic work in ensuring that we're not building homes now that will need further retrofitting in years to come. And I think what we're seeing here is not you showing the failures of this Government, because I don't recognise the ones you are, but just the Plaid Cymru manifesto.
Dylwn ddatgan fy mod yn aelod o'r Wrexham Litter Pickers y cyfeiriodd Llyr Gruffydd atynt—mae'n rhaid inni gofio nid y Llywodraeth sy'n taflu sbwriel; pobl sy'n taflu sbwriel—a hoffwn ganmol y gwaith y maent wedi'i wneud. Ac fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o'r cynllun atal sbwriel a thipio anghyfreithlon y soniais amdano mewn ateb cynharach i Jayne Bryant.
Mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi gwneud llawer iawn mewn perthynas ag effeithlonrwydd ynni ac wedi gwario miliynau o bunnoedd ar gartrefi. Mae gennym stoc dai hen iawn yma yng Nghymru a chredaf fod fy nghyd-Weinidog Julie James wedi gwneud gwaith gwych yn sicrhau nad ydym yn adeiladu cartrefi yn awr y bydd angen eu hôl-osod ymhellach ymhen blynyddoedd i ddod. A chredaf mai’r hyn rydym yn ei weld yma yw nid chi’n dangos methiannau'r Llywodraeth hon, gan nad wyf yn cydnabod y rhai y soniwch amdanynt, ond maniffesto Plaid Cymru.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr nawr, Janet Finch-Saunders.
Now the Conservative spokesperson, Janet Finch-Saunders.
Diolch, Llywydd. Firstly, Minister, as this is the last spokespersons' questions of this term, I just wanted to thank you. We've had some lively and robust scrutiny and challenge and just to thank you for your answers along the way. Thank you, Lesley.
Now, according to the White Paper on the clean air (Wales) Bill, we may not see regulations set until spring 2024—that would be a quarter of a century into the life of this Welsh Parliament, despite the First Minister telling this Chamber in May 2019 that the debate had been ongoing for a decade, that he had already at that point had discussions with you and that at that time, preparation inside the Welsh Government had begun about how a clean air Act might be developed. Almost two years on, this Welsh Government has failed to deliver on the First Minister's leadership promise—and I quote—to
'Develop a new Clean Air Act to ensure that our children can go to school, be active and play outside safely without fear of respiratory problems, such as asthma, because of pollution levels in some of our towns and cities.'
In September 2019, you told this Chamber that you were continuing to make progress towards the introduction of a clean air Act for Wales. Do you now regret some of the Welsh Government's failure during this Senedd to deliver this Act or even a draft Bill and full regulatory impact assessment? Thank you.
Diolch, Lywydd. Yn gyntaf, Weinidog, gan mai rhain yw cwestiynau olaf y llefarwyr ar gyfer y tymor hwn, roeddwn am ddiolch i chi. Rydym wedi cael craffu a herio bywiog a chadarn, a hoffwn ddiolch i chi am eich atebion ar hyd y daith. Diolch, Lesley.
Nawr, yn ôl y Papur Gwyn ar Fil aer glân (Cymru), efallai na fydd rheoliadau’n cael eu gosod tan wanwyn 2024—byddai hynny chwarter canrif i mewn i fywyd Senedd Cymru, er i'r Prif Weinidog ddweud wrth y Siambr hon ym mis Mai 2019 fod y ddadl wedi bod yn mynd rhagddi ers degawd, ei fod eisoes wedi cael trafodaethau gyda chi, ac ar yr adeg honno, fod y gwaith paratoi mewnol yn Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dechrau ynghylch sut y gallai Deddf aer glân gael ei datblygu. Bron i ddwy flynedd yn ddiweddarach, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi methu cyflawni’r addewid yng nghais arweinyddiaeth y Prif Weinidog—ac rwy'n dyfynnu—i
'ddatblygu Deddf Aer Glân newydd i sicrhau y gall ein plant fynd i'r ysgol, bod yn egnïol a chwarae y tu allan yn ddiogel heb ofn problemau anadlu, megis asthma, oherwydd y lefelau llygredd yn rhai o'n trefi a'n dinasoedd.'
Ym mis Medi 2019, fe ddywedoch chi wrth y Siambr hon eich bod yn parhau i wneud cynnydd tuag at gyflwyno Deddf aer glân i Gymru. A ydych bellach yn difaru methiant Llywodraeth Cymru yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon i gyflwyno’r Ddeddf hon neu hyd yn oed i gyflwyno Bil drafft ac asesiad effaith reoleiddiol llawn? Diolch.
Thank you. I would have very much liked to have brought a clean air Act through this Government. As you say, it was part of the First Minister's leadership bid back in December 2018, so just over two years ago. And what has happened in those two years? I think you can recognise why there has been so much pressure on the legislative programme for this Welsh Government and, unfortunately, we didn't have the capacity to bring forward a clean air Bill and then an Act during this term of Government, which I do regret and I know the First Minister regrets. However, I don't think there's any Member in this Senedd who can't understand the absolute use of our legislative programme in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and, of course, leaving the European Union and the pressures that's put on our legal capacity and, as I say, our legislative programme.
However, what we have done is launch the clean air plan for Wales, which I published back in August of last year. That sets out a range of actions to deliver those improvements in air quality across Wales that we all want to see.
You don't necessarily need legislation for everything, so I think that clean air plan has brought forward some of the improvements we want to see. I also published the consultation on the White Paper on a clean air (Wales) Bill on 13 January. As you're aware, that will close on 7 April, so that in the next term of Government, the Government can then be in a place to take forward the Act, as it wishes.
Diolch. Byddwn wedi bod wrth fy modd yn cyflwyno Deddf aer glân drwy'r Llywodraeth hon. Fel y dywedwch, roedd yn rhan o gais arweinyddiaeth y Prif Weinidog yn ôl ym mis Rhagfyr 2018, felly ychydig dros ddwy flynedd yn ôl. A beth sydd wedi digwydd yn ystod y ddwy flynedd honno? Credaf y gallwch gydnabod pam fod cymaint o bwysau wedi bod ar y rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru ac, yn anffodus, nid oedd gennym y capasiti i gyflwyno Bil aer glân a Deddf wedyn yn ystod tymor y Llywodraeth hon, ac rwy’n gresynu at hynny a gwn fod y Prif Weinidog yn gresynu at hynny. Fodd bynnag, ni chredaf fod unrhyw Aelod yn y Senedd hon nad ydynt yn gallu deall bod ein rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol wedi ymwneud yn gyfan gwbl â phandemig COVID-19, ac, wrth gwrs, gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a'r pwysau y mae hynny wedi’i roi ar ein capasiti cyfreithiol, ac fel y dywedaf, ar ein rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol.
Fodd bynnag, yr hyn rydym wedi'i wneud yw lansio'r cynllun aer glân ar gyfer Cymru, a gyhoeddais yn ôl ym mis Awst y llynedd. Mae hwnnw’n nodi ystod o gamau i gyflawni'r gwelliannau y mae pob un ohonom yn dymuno’u gweld yn ansawdd yr aer ledled Cymru.
Nid oes angen deddfwriaeth arnoch ar gyfer popeth o reidrwydd, felly credaf fod y cynllun aer glân hwnnw wedi sicrhau rhai o'r gwelliannau rydym am eu gweld. Cyhoeddais hefyd yr ymgynghoriad ar y Papur Gwyn ar Fil aer glân (Cymru) ar 13 Ionawr. Fel y gwyddoch, bydd hwnnw’n cau ar 7 Ebrill, fel y gall y Llywodraeth, yn nhymor y Llywodraeth nesaf, fod mewn sefyllfa i fwrw ymlaen â'r Ddeddf, fel y dymuna.
Thank you. Whilst you rightly admitted to the Senedd in January that you would have liked to have brought the White Paper on the clean air Bill forward sooner, there is no escaping the fact that quick legislative action would have benefited public health. The long-term mortality burden attributable to air pollution exposure is between 1,000 and 1,400 deaths in Wales each year. More than 57 health centres, 54 GP practices and three hospitals are above the latest World Health Organization limit for PM2.5.
Even you stated that, like COVID, air pollution disproportionately impacts the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in our society. Despite air pollution being acknowledged as the world's largest single environmental health risk, and your existing RIA estimating that the monetised health impact is £950 million per year, you have chosen to prioritise legislation on agricultural pollution, which, according to your own explanatory memorandum, will have a negative impact on mental health and well-being.
During a health and climate emergency, do you acknowledge that you should have focused the mechanics of Government on assisting people's health through legislation on air pollution, rather than negatively impacting public health with the Wales-wide nitrate vulnerable zone? You rightly pointed out the pressures that the Government have been under with legal and other advice to take forward legislation. You failed on the clean air Act, but yet were prepared to betray the farmers with the NVZ. How do you reason with that, Minister?
Diolch. Er ichi yr oeddech chi'n iawn wrth gyfaddef i’r Senedd ym mis Ionawr y byddech wedi dymuno cyflwyno’r Papur Gwyn ar y Bil aer glân yn gynt, ni ellir gwadu’r ffaith y byddai camau deddfwriaethol cyflym wedi bod o fudd i iechyd y cyhoedd. Mae'r baich marwolaethau hirdymor y gellir ei briodoli i gysylltiad â llygredd aer rhwng 1,000 a 1,400 o farwolaethau yng Nghymru bob blwyddyn. Mae mwy na 57 o ganolfannau iechyd, 54 o bractisau meddygon teulu a thri ysbyty ar lefelau uwch na therfyn diweddaraf Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd ar gyfer PM2.5.
Fe wnaethoch chi hyd yn oed nodi bod llygredd aer, fel COVID, yn effeithio'n anghymesur ar y rhai mwyaf difreintiedig ac agored i niwed yn ein cymdeithas. Er bod llygredd aer yn cael ei gydnabod fel perygl mwyaf y byd o ran iechyd yr amgylchedd, a’r ffaith bod eich asesiad effaith rheoleiddiol presennol yn amcangyfrif bod yr effaith iechyd ariannol yn £950 miliwn y flwyddyn, rydych wedi dewis blaenoriaethu deddfwriaeth ar lygredd amaethyddol, a fydd, yn ôl eich memorandwm esboniadol eich hun, yn effeithio'n negyddol ar iechyd meddwl a llesiant.
Mewn argyfwng iechyd ac argyfwng hinsawdd, a ydych yn cydnabod y dylech fod wedi canolbwyntio mecaneg y Llywodraeth ar gynorthwyo iechyd pobl drwy ddeddfu ar lygredd aer, yn hytrach nag effeithio'n negyddol ar iechyd y cyhoedd drwy ddynodi Cymru gyfan yn barth perygl nitradau? Fe wnaethoch dynnu sylw, yn gwbl gywir, at y pwysau sydd wedi bod ar y Llywodraeth gyda chyngor cyfreithiol a chyngor arall i gyflwyno deddfwriaeth. Fe wnaethoch fethu gyda'r Ddeddf aer glân, ond serch hynny, roeddech yn barod i fradychu'r ffermwyr gyda'r parth perygl nitradau. Beth yw'r rhesymeg wrth wraidd hynny, Weinidog?
Well, I am not betraying the farmers. What I am trying to do is reduce the number of agricultural pollution incidents that are having a massive negative impact on our air quality, as well as our water quality. So, I'm afraid the argument that you put forward doesn't stack up at all. And let's just be clear: this is not just NVZs. It's not just nitrates. This is around phosphates. This is around ammonia pollution incidents as well. So, it's not just this NVZ that I keep on hearing about.
In relation to mental health, of course, you don't want anything that would be detrimental to anybody's mental health. I put significant funding into mental health support services for our agriculture sector, because I do understand that it is a difficult time. But, the one thing that's caused, I think, the most angst to farmers in this term of Government and my time in this portfolio is leaving the European Union, and the uncertainty around that.
Wel, nid wyf yn bradychu’r ffermwyr. Yr hyn rwy’n ceisio’i wneud yw lleihau nifer yr achosion o lygredd amaethyddol sy'n cael effaith negyddol enfawr ar ansawdd ein haer, yn ogystal ag ansawdd ein dŵr. Felly, mae arnaf ofn nad yw'r ddadl a wnaed gennych yn gwneud unrhyw synnwyr. A gadewch imi ddweud yn glir: nid oes a wnelo hyn â’r parthau perygl nitradau yn unig. Nid oes a wnelo â nitradau yn unig. Mae hyn yn ymwneud â ffosffadau. Mae hyn yn ymwneud ag achosion o lygredd amonia hefyd. Felly, mae'n fwy na’r parth perygl nitradau y clywaf amdano o hyd.
Mewn perthynas ag iechyd meddwl wrth gwrs, nid oes arnoch eisiau unrhyw beth a fyddai'n niweidiol i iechyd meddwl unrhyw un. Rwyf wedi rhoi cryn dipyn o arian i wasanaethau cymorth iechyd meddwl ar gyfer ein sector amaethyddol, gan fy mod yn deall ei fod yn gyfnod anodd. Ond yr un peth sydd wedi achosi’r trallod mwyaf i ffermwyr yn nhymor y Llywodraeth hon ac yn ystod fy nghyfnod yn y portffolio hwn yw gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, a'r ansicrwydd ynghylch hynny.
Now, further evidence of the lack of prioritisation that you have given to air pollution is the budget for 2021-22. You admitted to our Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee that there is still no detailed cost estimate of the clean air plan that was published seven months ago. The £3.4 million revenue funding and £17 million capital funding allocated for air quality action actually remains unchanged from the previous year, and therefore represents a real-terms cut.
In fact, I know that this is not the first time that this has been raised with you, as you were scrutinised on the matter during committee in January, blowing the concerns about funding to one side by informing us again that you have competing priorities in the budget and, of course, the impact of COVID-19. As you know, I acknowledge that challenge, but I still need you to explain why there is no detailed cost estimate for this plan, and what led you to make a political decision to deprioritise the health crisis caused by air pollution by delivering a real-terms cut in funding.
Nawr, mae’r gyllideb ar gyfer 2021-22 yn dystiolaeth bellach o’ch diffyg blaenoriaeth i lygredd aer. Fe wnaethoch chi gyfaddef i’n Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig nad oes amcangyfrif cost manwl i’w gael o hyd ar gyfer y cynllun aer glân a gyhoeddwyd saith mis yn ôl. Mae'r £3.4 miliwn o gyllid refeniw a'r £17 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf a ddyrannwyd ar gyfer gweithredu ar ansawdd aer yr un fath â'r flwyddyn flaenorol, ac felly mae'n cynrychioli toriad mewn termau real.
Mewn gwirionedd, gwn nad dyma’r tro cyntaf i hyn gael ei godi gyda chi, gan y gwnaed gwaith craffu arnoch mewn perthynas â’r mater yn ystod y pwyllgor ym mis Ionawr, pan wthioch chi'r pryderon ynghylch cyllid i un ochr drwy ddweud wrthym unwaith eto fod gennych flaenoriaethau sy’n cystadlu yn erbyn ei gilydd yn y gyllideb, ac wrth gwrs, effaith COVID-19. Fel y gwyddoch, rwy'n cydnabod yr her honno, ond mae'n dal i fod angen i chi egluro pam nad oes amcangyfrif cost manwl i’w gael ar gyfer y cynllun hwn, a pham y gwnaethoch benderfyniad gwleidyddol i ddadflaenoriaethu'r argyfwng iechyd a achoswyd gan lygredd aer drwy wneud toriad mewn termau real i’r cyllid.
Well, you know, you do have to make decisions around your budget. There is only a certain pot of money and, of course, you do. There are lots of calls on that budget, and it's about making sure that there is ample funding for everything. But, clearly, it's not always the case that you are able to increase funding in places where you would wish to. It's about making sure that you cover as much as you can. What the clean air plan did was, as I say, set out the range of actions to deliver improvements for the benefit of public health, as you referred to, and biodiversity, and, of course, help us with the climate emergency. And I'm trying to ensure that there is enough funding. We're coming to the end of this year's budget and, believe me, trying to manage the underspend and the overspend is quite a difficult feat that, fortunately, officials are there to advise me on. So, I don't think we did deprioritise this. And, obviously, as we take the Bill forward for a clean air Act, there will be significant evidence around the budget that can be scrutinised. But I do hope it's recognised that we have very difficult decisions to make—every government does—and we do our best to ensure, and certainly when I look back at this year, I think everybody within different parts of my portfolio has had the funding that's been necessary.
Wel, fel y gwyddoch, mae'n rhaid ichi wneud penderfyniadau ynglŷn â’ch cyllideb. Pot cyfyngedig o arian yn unig sydd ar gael, ac wrth gwrs, rydych yn gwneud hynny. Mae llawer o alw am y gyllideb honno, ac mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau bod digon o arian ar gyfer popeth. Ond yn amlwg, nid yw bob amser yn wir eich bod yn gallu cynyddu cyllid yn y meysydd y dymunwch. Mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau eich bod yn darparu ar gyfer cymaint ag y gallwch. Yr hyn a wnaeth y cynllun aer glân, fel y dywedaf, oedd nodi'r ystod o gamau gweithredu i gyflawni gwelliannau er budd iechyd y cyhoedd, fel y nodoch chi, a bioamrywiaeth, ac wrth gwrs, ein helpu gyda'r argyfwng hinsawdd. Ac rwy'n ceisio sicrhau bod digon o gyllid. Rydym yn agosáu at ddiwedd cyllideb eleni, a chredwch fi, mae ceisio rheoli'r tanwariant a'r gorwariant yn gamp eithaf anodd y mae swyddogion, diolch byth, yno i fy nghynghori arni. Felly, ni chredaf ein bod wedi dadflaenoriaethu hyn. Ac yn amlwg, wrth inni fwrw ymlaen â’r Bil ar gyfer Deddf aer glân, bydd cryn dipyn o dystiolaeth y gellir craffu arni mewn perthynas â'r gyllideb. Ond rwy'n gobeithio y ceir cydnabyddiaeth fod gennym benderfyniadau anodd iawn i'w gwneud—mae gan bob llywodraeth—a’n bod yn gwneud ein gorau i sicrhau, ac yn sicr pan edrychaf yn ôl ar eleni, credaf fod pawb mewn gwahanol rannau o fy mhortffolio wedi cael y cyllid oedd ei angen.
3. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gefnogi'r diwydiant ffermio yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ56390
3. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support the farming industry in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ56390
Farmers within Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire have received basic payment scheme payments in 2020 totalling over £27 million. Our Farming Connect service has continued to support farmers, providing advice and online training, whilst also having the ability for support on the phone during the COVID-19 crisis.
Mae ffermwyr yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro wedi derbyn taliadau drwy gynllun y taliad sylfaenol yn 2020, gwerth cyfanswm o dros £27 miliwn. Mae ein gwasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio wedi parhau i gefnogi ffermwyr, gan ddarparu cyngor a hyfforddiant ar-lein, ynghyd â'r gallu i gael cymorth dros y ffôn yn ystod argyfwng COVID-19.
Minister, we all know that we do need to tackle the polluting of our countryside by outdated farming practices, and the best way of doing this is to ensure that the farming industry is on board with any regulations and changes that you introduce. And in my view, the NVZ regulations passed last week have managed to achieve the opposite, and they've been roundly condemned by farming unions, farmers and many in rural communities. The First Minister last week claimed, in voting against the regulations, that we would be voting in favour of continued pollution, which, to be honest with you, just shows how out of touch, I think, he is with the farming community.
Farmers are the backbone of our nation, many farm incredibly responsibly, and you and I have had much correspondence over the years about, in particular, one really bad super farm in my area who constantly pollutes, pays the fine, and then carries on doing exactly the same. So, it's been this 'punish all for the sins of a few'. So, what can you say to the Welsh young farmers' clubs who've highlighted this issue over recent years? Because it's vital to ensure that the young people in my area feel that they're entering a profession that is valued and respected. What can you do to reassure young people looking to get into agriculture, that they will be valued by the Government and not used to deepen the political gulf between rural and urban Wales?
Weinidog, gŵyr pob un ohonom fod angen inni fynd i’r afael â’r llygredd yn ein cefn gwlad sy'n deillio o arferion ffermio sydd wedi dyddio, a’r ffordd orau o wneud hyn yw sicrhau bod y diwydiant ffermio yn cefnogi unrhyw reoliadau a newidiadau a gyflwynwch. Ac yn fy marn i, mae rheoliadau’r parth perygl nitradau a gyflwynwyd yr wythnos diwethaf wedi llwyddo i gyflawni'r gwrthwyneb, ac maent wedi cael eu condemnio'n llwyr gan undebau’r ffermwyr, ffermwyr a nifer o bobl mewn cymunedau gwledig. Honnodd y Prif Weinidog yr wythnos diwethaf y byddem, wrth bleidleisio yn erbyn y rheoliadau, yn pleidleisio o blaid parhau'r llygredd, sydd, a dweud y gwir, yn dangos ei fod wedi colli cysylltiad, yn fy marn i, â’r gymuned ffermio.
Ffermwyr yw asgwrn cefn ein gwlad, mae llawer yn ffermio'n anhygoel o gyfrifol, ac rydych chithau a minnau wedi derbyn llawer o ohebiaeth dros y blynyddoedd ynghylch un fferm fawr wael iawn yn fy ardal sy'n llygru'n gyson, yn talu'r ddirwy, ac yna'n parhau i wneud yn union yr un peth. Felly, mae pawb yn cael eu cosbi am bechodau ambell un. Felly, beth y gallwch ei ddweud wrth glybiau ffermwyr ifanc Cymru sydd wedi tynnu sylw at y mater hwn dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf? Oherwydd mae'n hanfodol sicrhau bod pobl ifanc fy ardal yn teimlo eu bod yn mynd i weithio mewn proffesiwn sy'n cael ei werthfawrogi a'i barchu. Beth y gallwch ei wneud i dawelu meddyliau pobl ifanc sy'n ystyried mynd i weithio yn y byd amaeth y byddant yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi gan y Llywodraeth ac nid yn cael eu defnyddio i ddyfnhau'r gagendor gwleidyddol rhwng y Gymru wledig a’r Gymru drefol?
Well, I would say to the young farmers' clubs, as I would say to anybody in the farming sector or anybody with an interest in our farming sector, that these agricultural pollution regulations are there for their benefit. They are there to stop the number of agricultural pollution incidents that we have seen year after year after year. I don't think the First Minister's out of touch with the sector. I don't think I'm out of touch with the sector. And whilst I appreciate there's been a huge amount of media focus and noise from the farming unions, I wish I could share the number and pieces of correspondence I've had from farmers who absolutely are in agreement with these regulations, because we only hear one side, really. We don't see and hear the other side. They don't make the noise, perhaps, that some others do.
But what I think is really important is this Government is absolutely on side with the sector. I've had a very good relationship with the farming unions. We've disagreed on this, and we've disagreed on other things, but it's always been very robust. But the one thing that I know they recognise, because they tell me this, is that Welsh Government is absolutely on their side, and we've done everything we can to support them through the very difficult and uncertain times we've had leaving the European Union, which by their own admission—. I remember my first Royal Welsh Show where everybody wanted to tell me that they voted to leave the European Union and how good it would be when we did. I'm afraid that view changed over the ensuing years, because we saw the mess the UK Government made of it.
Wel, byddwn yn dweud wrth y clybiau ffermwyr ifanc, fel y byddwn yn dweud wrth unrhyw un yn y sector ffermio neu unrhyw un a chanddynt ddiddordeb yn ein sector ffermio, fod y rheoliadau llygredd amaethyddol ar waith er eu budd hwy. Maent yno i atal nifer yr achosion o lygredd amaethyddol rydym wedi’u gweld flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn. Ni chredaf fod y Prif Weinidog wedi colli cysylltiad â'r sector. Ni chredaf fy mod innau wedi colli cysylltiad â'r sector. Ac er fy mod yn derbyn bod undebau’r ffermwyr wedi gwneud cryn dipyn o sŵn ac wedi cael cryn dipyn o sylw gan y cyfryngau, hoffwn allu rhannu'r ohebiaeth helaeth rwyf wedi’i chael gan ffermwyr sy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r rheoliadau hyn, gan mai un ochr yn unig a glywn, a dweud y gwir. Nid ydym yn gweld nac yn clywed yr ochr arall. Nid ydynt yn gwneud cymaint o sŵn, efallai, ag y mae eraill yn ei wneud.
Ond yr hyn sy'n bwysig iawn yn fy marn i yw bod y Llywodraeth hon yn gwbl gytûn â'r sector. Rwyf wedi cael perthynas dda iawn gydag undebau’r ffermwyr. Rydym wedi anghytuno ar hyn, ac rydym wedi anghytuno ar bethau eraill, ond mae bob amser wedi bod yn gadarn iawn. Ond yr un peth y gwn eu bod yn ei gydnabod, gan eu bod yn dweud hyn wrthyf, yw bod Llywodraeth Cymru ar eu hochr yn gyfan gwbl, a'n bod wedi gwneud popeth a allwn i'w cefnogi drwy'r cyfnod anodd ac ansicr iawn a gawsom wrth adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, sydd yn ôl eu cyfaddefiad eu hunain—. Rwy'n cofio fy Sioe Frenhinol Cymru gyntaf lle roedd pawb yn dymuno dweud wrthyf eu bod wedi pleidleisio i adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a pha mor dda fyddai pethau pan fyddem yn gadael. Mae arnaf ofn i'r farn honno newid dros y blynyddoedd canlynol, gan inni weld y llanast a wnaeth Llywodraeth y DU ohoni.
4. Sut mae'r Gweinidog yn defnyddio tystiolaeth i lywio penderfyniadau polisi Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n ymwneud â'r amgylchedd? OQ56392
4. How does the Minister use evidence to inform the Welsh Government's policy decisions relating to the environment? OQ56392
The Welsh Government is committed to evidence-based policy. To enable this, I have commissioned a range of evidence programmes, including the environment and rural affairs monitoring and modelling programme, and my officials engage with research partners across the UK, including actively influencing our shared research and development budget with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i bolisi sy’n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth. Er mwyn galluogi hyn, rwyf wedi comisiynu ystod o raglenni tystiolaeth, gan gynnwys rhaglen monitro a modelu’r amgylchedd a materion gwledig, ac mae fy swyddogion yn ymgysylltu â phartneriaid ymchwil ledled y DU, gan gynnwys mynd ati’n weithredol i ddylanwadu ar ein cyllideb ymchwil a datblygu a rennir gydag Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig.
Thank you. Minister, I'm truly surprised to hear that answer, and I refer in particular—apart from the fact that I'm repeating so many other people—here to your mystifying decision on NVZs. I had meetings, as many others did, with the farmers unions a few weeks ago, and they reported that evidence and recommendations were provided in a report to you by the NRW Wales land management sub-group in April 2018, and a weighty 102 pages of evidence was presented to you in late 2019. It's not often that I agree with NRW, as they have made some bad decisions in the past, since they were formed, but, on this occasion, their report should have been listened to. So, if, as you say, your decisions are based on evidence, what was the evidence that you found so compelling, and why was the NRW evidence effectively thrown in the bin? Thank you.
Diolch. Weinidog, rwy'n synnu'n fawr o glywed yr ateb hwnnw, a chyfeiriaf yn benodol—ar wahân i'r ffaith fy mod yn ailadrodd cynifer o bobl eraill—at eich penderfyniad annealladwy ar barthau perygl nitradau. Cefais gyfarfodydd, fel y cafodd llawer o rai eraill, gydag undebau'r ffermwyr ychydig wythnosau'n ôl, a nodwyd ganddynt fod tystiolaeth ac argymhellion wedi'u darparu mewn adroddiad i chi gan is-grŵp rheoli tir CNC Cymru ym mis Ebrill 2018, a bod cymaint â 102 tudalen o dystiolaeth wedi'u cyflwyno i chi ar ddiwedd 2019. Nid wyf yn cytuno â CNC yn aml, gan eu bod wedi gwneud rhai penderfyniadau gwael yn y gorffennol, ers iddynt gael eu ffurfio, ond y tro hwn, dylid bod wedi gwrando ar eu hadroddiad. Felly, os yw eich penderfyniadau, fel y dywedwch, yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth, beth oedd y dystiolaeth a oedd mor argyhoeddiadol i chi, a pham y cafodd tystiolaeth CNC ei thaflu i'r bin i bob pwrpas? Diolch.
Well, certainly, the evidence wasn't thrown in the bin, as you state. Any evidence that we take, we look at, and that forms part of the decision. The report that you referred to, I think, if I remember rightly, it had about 45 recommendations. And, again, if I'm remembering it correctly, every single recommendation was for the Welsh Government; none of them were for the agricultural sector. So, I think you can see why we needed the agricultural sector on board and why I went to great lengths to try and work with them, when they said that voluntary methods would help. And, unfortunately, we did not see a decrease in the number of incidents.
So, where did I get my evidence from? Well, as I say, we did obviously use the evidence there, but it's also the Climate Change Committee, which, I think, again, every Member in this Senedd—or maybe one or two sceptics perhaps not—would appreciate that the independent advice we get from them is something that we take very seriously and helps us with our policy.
Wel, yn sicr, ni chafodd y dystiolaeth ei thaflu i'r bin, fel y dywedwch. Rydym yn edrych ar unrhyw dystiolaeth a gymerwn ac mae'n ffurfio rhan o'r penderfyniad. Os cofiaf yn iawn, credaf fod gan yr adroddiad y cyfeirioch chi ato tua 45 o argymhellion. Ac unwaith eto, os cofiaf yn iawn, roedd pob un argymhelliad ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru; nid oedd yr un ohonynt ar gyfer y sector amaethyddol. Felly, credaf y gallwch weld pam ein bod angen cefnogaeth y sector amaethyddol a pham y gwneuthum ymdrech fawr i geisio gweithio gyda hwy, pan ddywedasant y byddai dulliau gwirfoddol yn helpu. Ac yn anffodus, ni welsom ostyngiad yn nifer y digwyddiadau.
Felly, o ble y cefais fy nhystiolaeth? Wel, fel y dywedais, roeddem yn amlwg yn defnyddio'r dystiolaeth honno, ond cawsom dystiolaeth gan y Pwyllgor ar Newid Hinsawdd hefyd, ac rwy'n credu, unwaith eto, y byddai pob Aelod yn y Senedd hon—ar wahân i un neu ddau o amheuwyr efallai—yn deall ein bod o ddifrif ynghylch y cyngor annibynnol a gawn ganddynt a'i fod yn ein helpu gyda'n polisi.
Minister, can I widen out this question as to the way in which you use evidence in policy decision making? You'll know that the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales has called on the Welsh Government to be more transparent in showing the carbon impact of all Government policies and spending decisions. How have you responded to that? Do you keep accurate figures in terms of the carbon footprinting of policy decisions and of budgeting, for instance? And do you think there's a way that you could be even more transparent in making those public and allowing the public to see exactly what that carbon footprint of the Welsh Government is?
Weinidog, a gaf fi ehangu'r cwestiwn hwn ynghylch y ffordd rydych yn defnyddio tystiolaeth wrth wneud penderfyniadau polisi? Fe fyddwch yn gwybod bod Comisiynydd Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol Cymru wedi galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i fod yn fwy tryloyw wrth ddangos effaith carbon holl bolisïau a phenderfyniadau gwariant y Llywodraeth. Sut rydych wedi ymateb i hynny? A ydych yn cadw ffigurau cywir ynglŷn ag ôl troed carbon penderfyniadau polisi a chyllidebu, er enghraifft? Ac a ydych yn credu bod yna ffordd y gallech fod hyd yn oed yn fwy tryloyw drwy gyhoeddi'r rheini a chaniatáu i'r cyhoedd weld beth yn union yw ôl troed carbon Llywodraeth Cymru?
Well, obviously, we work very closely with the future generations commissioner's office, and I've certainly attended meetings with her and her staff, and with the First Minister—I can think of one specific one—particularly around aligning our carbon budget with our fiscal budget, because I think it's very important that we are able to demonstrate it. I personally think we are very transparent, but anything we can do to improve that transparency I'm sure will be taken on board.
Wel, yn amlwg, rydym yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda swyddfa comisiynydd cenedlaethau'r dyfodol, ac rwy'n sicr wedi mynychu cyfarfodydd gyda hi a'i staff, a chyda'r Prif Weinidog—gallaf feddwl am un penodol—yn ymwneud yn arbennig ag alinio ein cyllideb garbon â'n cyllideb ariannol, oherwydd rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn gallu dangos hynny. Rwy'n credu'n bersonol ein bod yn dryloyw iawn, ond bydd unrhyw beth y gallwn ei wneud i wella'r tryloywder hwnnw'n cael ei ystyried, rwy'n siŵr.
5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y defnydd o danwyddau gwyrddach yng Nghymru? OQ56391
5. Will the Minister make a statement on the use of greener fuels in Wales? OQ56391
Thank you. We have committed Wales to ambitious net-zero emissions targets. This requires transforming how we fuel our cars, heat our homes and generate our electricity. Hydrogen has great potential to be an important part of the decarbonised energy mix, and we are working to understand and demonstrate its potential.
Diolch. Rydym wedi ymrwymo Cymru i dargedau allyriadau sero-net uchelgeisiol. Mae hyn yn golygu bod angen inni drawsnewid y modd rydym yn rhedeg ein ceir, yn cynhesu ein cartrefi ac yn cynhyrchu ein trydan. Mae gan hydrogen botensial mawr i fod yn rhan bwysig o'r gymysgedd ynni wedi'i ddatgarboneiddio, ac rydym yn gweithio i ddeall a dangos ei botensial.
Thank you. Well, in last week's UK budget, the Chancellor announced more than £93 million of investment to turbo-charge a green recovery in Wales and accelerate the creation of nearly 13,000 jobs here. This includes accelerated funding for the north Wales growth deal, which includes the Morlais tidal demonstration zone off the coast of Anglesey, and extra funding for a new hydrogen hub at the port of Holyhead, being managed and developed by Menter Môn, the social enterprise behind the tidal demonstration project, whose managing director said:
'This is excellent news and a huge boost to the project in Holyhead.... With the increasing focus on decarbonisation the aim will be to create green hydrogen from renewables including from Morlais, our own tidal stream energy project off the coast of Holy Island.'
The UK budget also included millions for the development of both energy storage technologies and new technologies and products that will feed into the establishment and roll-out of the floating offshore wind industry. How is, or will, Welsh Government engage with these projects to maximise the opportunity for Wales that they represent?
Diolch. Wel, yng nghyllideb y DU yr wythnos ddiwethaf, cyhoeddodd y Canghellor fuddsoddiad o dros £93 miliwn i sbarduno adferiad gwyrdd yng Nghymru a chyflymu'r broses o greu bron i 13,000 o swyddi yma. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cyllid cyflym ar gyfer bargen twf gogledd Cymru, sy'n cynnwys parth arddangos llanw Morlais oddi ar arfordir Ynys Môn, a chyllid ychwanegol ar gyfer hyb hydrogen newydd ym mhorthladd Caergybi, sy'n cael ei reoli a'i ddatblygu gan Fenter Môn, y fenter gymdeithasol y tu ôl i'r prosiect arddangos llanw, a dywedodd ei rheolwr gyfarwyddwr:
Mae hyn yn newyddion gwych ac yn hwb enfawr i'r prosiect yng Nghaergybi... Gyda'r ffocws cynyddol ar ddatgarboneiddio, y nod fydd creu hydrogen gwyrdd o ynni adnewyddadwy gan gynnwys o Morlais, ein prosiect ynni ffrwd lanw ein hunain oddi ar arfordir Ynys Cybi.
Roedd cyllideb y DU hefyd yn cynnwys miliynau ar gyfer datblygu technolegau storio ynni a thechnolegau a chynhyrchion newydd a fydd yn bwydo i mewn i'r gwaith o sefydlu a chyflwyno'r diwydiant gwynt ar y môr arnofiol. Sut, neu a fydd, Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymgysylltu â'r prosiectau hyn i fanteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfle y maent yn ei gynrychioli i Gymru?
Thank you. Well, we were certainly very pleased to see funding directed towards the Holyhead hydrogen project that Welsh Government has been supporting in the UK Government's budget on 3 March, and I certainly look forward to continuing to work with Menter Môn to maximise the opportunities for hydrogen in Holyhead, and building on, I think, the exemplary work that has already been carried out there.
Welsh Government published a hydrogen pathway for Wales on 18 January for consultation, and again we are seeking responses to strategic questions relating to any future proposals for hydrogen development in Wales, and I would encourage Members to forward responses by 9 April and to encourage anyone they think would be interested in this. Obviously, then, the new Government can publish a summary of responses. That will then inform the proposed hydrogen pathway, along with an integrated impact assessment. I have to say, I think offshore wind is really exciting, and, over the last couple of years, we have seen a great deal of interest, particularly in north-west Wales, from developers. And tomorrow I am—. This is a meeting I'm having tomorrow with my colleague Ken Skates, again, meeting with people who are very interested in bringing this technology to Wales following the Crown Estate's recent announcement.
Diolch. Wel, roeddem yn sicr yn falch iawn o weld cyllid yn cael ei roi i brosiect hydrogen Caergybi a gefnogwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru yng nghyllideb Llywodraeth y DU ar 3 Mawrth, ac rwy'n sicr yn edrych ymlaen at barhau i weithio gyda Menter Môn i fanteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfleoedd ar gyfer hydrogen yng Nghaergybi, ac adeiladu ar y gwaith rhagorol sydd eisoes wedi'i wneud yno.
Cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru lwybr hydrogen i Gymru ar 18 Ionawr ar gyfer ymgynghori, ac unwaith eto rydym yn ceisio ymatebion i gwestiynau strategol sy'n ymwneud ag unrhyw gynigion ar gyfer datblygu hydrogen yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol, a byddwn yn annog yr Aelodau i anfon ymatebion erbyn 9 Ebrill ac i annog unrhyw un y credant y byddai ganddynt ddiddordeb yn hyn i wneud yr un peth. Yn amlwg, felly, gall y Llywodraeth newydd gyhoeddi crynodeb o'r ymatebion. Bydd hwnnw wedyn yn llywio'r llwybr hydrogen arfaethedig, ynghyd ag asesiad effaith integredig. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, rwy'n credu bod gwynt ar y môr yn gyffrous iawn, a dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld llawer iawn o ddiddordeb gan ddatblygwyr, yn enwedig yng ngogledd-orllewin Cymru. Ac yfory rwyf—. Yfory, gyda fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates, unwaith eto, byddaf yn cyfarfod â phobl sydd â diddordeb mawr mewn dod â'r dechnoleg hon i Gymru yn dilyn cyhoeddiad diweddar Ystâd y Goron.
Minister, while it's vital that we decarbonise our energy and transport infrastructure as quickly as possible, it's also equally important that we don't create other problems in our bid to cut carbon emissions. While biomass is carbon neutral, it can also create problems with air quality due to increased release of particulates. The move to electric transport will both tackle rising carbon dioxide and air quality, but will lead to an increase in e-waste and demand for metals, which are mined at a huge cost to our fragile ecology. Minister, what steps are your Government taking to ensure that decarbonisation does not lead to ecological damage elsewhere? Diolch.
Weinidog, er ei bod yn hanfodol ein bod yn datgarboneiddio ein seilwaith ynni a thrafnidiaeth cyn gynted â phosibl, mae hefyd yr un mor bwysig nad ydym yn creu problemau eraill yn ein hymdrech i leihau allyriadau carbon. Er bod biomas yn garbon niwtral, gall hefyd greu problemau gydag ansawdd aer oherwydd bod mwy o ronynnau'n cael eu rhyddhau. Bydd symud i drafnidiaeth drydan yn mynd i'r afael ag ansawdd aer a charbon deuocsid cynyddol, ond bydd yn arwain at gynnydd mewn e-wastraff a'r galw am fetelau sy'n cael eu cloddio ar gost enfawr i'n hecoleg fregus. Weinidog, pa gamau y mae eich Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i sicrhau nad yw datgarboneiddio'n arwain at niwed ecolegol mewn mannau eraill? Diolch.
Thank you. Caroline Jones makes a very important point. It is always really important that, when you look at how we decarbonise, not just our energy or our homes—. It's completely a cross-Government issue, and I meet regularly with my ministerial colleagues to ensure that whatever is in their portfolio that can help us reach our net-zero carbon targets is the correct way to go. You'll be aware that we have recently received advice from the Climate Change Committee on how we can reach net zero by 2050, and last month I laid regulations in the Senedd to formally commit Wales, for the first time, to legally binding targets that deliver the goal of our net-zero emissions. So, we have to reduce our emissions across all sectors, and, again, the Climate Change Committee, in its advice to me, highlighted the importance of improvements to fuel efficiency, for instance, in their scenarios, through cost-effective technologies and design improvements.
Diolch. Mae Caroline Jones yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn. Mae bob amser yn bwysig iawn, pan edrychwch ar sut rydym yn datgarboneiddio, nid yn unig ein hynni a'n cartrefi—. Mae'n fater cwbl draws-Lywodraethol, ac rwy'n cyfarfod yn rheolaidd â fy nghyd-Weinidogion i sicrhau mai'r ffordd iawn i fynd yw gwneud popeth a allant o fewn eu portffolio a all ein helpu i gyrraedd ein targedau carbon sero-net. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol ein bod wedi cael cyngor yn ddiweddar gan y Pwyllgor ar Newid Hinsawdd ar sut y gallwn gyrraedd sero net erbyn 2050, a'r mis diwethaf gosodais reoliadau yn y Senedd i ymrwymo Cymru'n ffurfiol, am y tro cyntaf, i dargedau sy'n rhwymo mewn cyfraith ac sy'n cyflawni nod ein hallyriadau sero-net. Felly, mae'n rhaid inni leihau ein hallyriadau ar draws pob sector, ac unwaith eto, yn ei gyngor imi, tynnodd y Pwyllgor ar Newid Hinsawdd sylw at bwysigrwydd gwelliannau i effeithlonrwydd tanwydd, er enghraifft, yn eu senarios, drwy dechnolegau costeffeithiol a gwelliannau dylunio.
6. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wella lles anifeiliaid? OQ56379
6. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve animal welfare? OQ56379
Animal welfare and the responsible ownership of animals are priorities for the Welsh Government, and we are committed to ensuring high standards of welfare are maintained. We are proactively involved in a number of different initiatives to further support and reinforce these standards in the short and long-term future.
Mae lles anifeiliaid a pherchnogaeth gyfrifol anifeiliaid yn flaenoriaethau i Lywodraeth Cymru, ac rydym wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod safonau lles uchel yn cael eu cynnal. Rydym yn cymryd rhan ragweithiol mewn nifer o wahanol fentrau i gefnogi ac atgyfnerthu'r safonau hyn ymhellach yn y tymor byr a'r dyfodol hirdymor.
Can I thank the Minister for that response? How we treat animals is an indication of the type of society we are. Whilst the Welsh Government has made substantial progress in ensuring an improved version of Lucy's law is brought in this month, what proposals does the Welsh Government have to ban the owning of primates, bringing CCTV in for abattoirs, and improving the welfare of rabbits and horses?
A gaf fi ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ymateb hwnnw? Mae'r ffordd rydym yn trin anifeiliaid yn arwydd o'r math o gymdeithas ydym ni. Er bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud cynnydd sylweddol yn sicrhau bod fersiwn well o gyfraith Lucy yn cael ei chyflwyno y mis hwn, pa gynigion sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i wahardd pobl rhag bod yn berchen ar brimatiaid, cyflwyno teledu cylch cyfyng mewn lladd-dai, a gwella lles cwningod a cheffylau?
I'm pleased Mike Hedges referred to Lucy's law, although I do keep saying that we are going beyond Lucy's law; it's the third-party sales of puppies and kittens, and we will be debating that in the Senedd in the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, many of the policy development work streams within my portfolio in relation to animal health and welfare have had to take a lower priority over the past 12 months, for obvious reasons, with the COVID-19 pandemic and leaving the European Union, but my officials are working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a number of areas where it may be beneficial to have a UK approach. So, you mentioned CCTV in abattoirs, for instance. My stance on that is the same: I recognise the potential benefits, and it's not been ruled out. I am confident that we'll be able to bring forward new regulations on licensing of animal activities in Wales, and that's been the right priority focus at the time. We do have statutory codes of practice for many species of animals in Wales, both farm and domestic, and they are regularly reviewed and updated.
Rwy'n falch bod Mike Hedges wedi cyfeirio at gyfraith Lucy, er rwy'n dal i ddweud ein bod yn mynd y tu hwnt i gyfraith Lucy; mae'n ymwneud â gwerthu cŵn a chathod bach gan drydydd parti, a byddwn yn trafod hynny yn y Senedd yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Yn anffodus, mae llawer o'r ffrydiau gwaith datblygu polisi yn fy mhortffolio mewn perthynas ag iechyd a lles anifeiliaid wedi gorfod cael blaenoriaeth is dros y 12 mis diwethaf, am resymau amlwg, gyda phandemig COVID-19 a gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, ond mae fy swyddogion yn gweithio'n agos gydag Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig ar nifer o feysydd lle gallai fod yn fuddiol cael dull gweithredu ar draws y DU. Felly, fe sonioch chi am deledu cylch cyfyng mewn lladd-dai, er enghraifft. Mae fy safbwynt ar hynny yr un peth: rwy'n cydnabod y manteision posibl, ac nid yw wedi'i ddiystyru. Rwy'n hyderus y byddwn yn gallu cyflwyno rheoliadau newydd ar drwyddedu gweithgareddau anifeiliaid yng Nghymru, a dyna fu'r ffocws blaenoriaeth cywir ar y pryd. Mae gennym godau ymarfer statudol ar gyfer llawer o rywogaethau anifeiliaid yng Nghymru, anifeiliaid fferm ac anifeiliaid domestig, ac maent yn cael eu hadolygu a'u diweddaru'n rheolaidd.
Minister, in your response to Mike Hedges there, you didn't mention the welfare of animals in zoos and animal attractions around Wales. You'll be familiar with the fact that I've been calling for some time now for a zoos support fund in Wales. They've got them in other parts of the United Kingdom and, indeed, elsewhere in Europe, but Wales is yet to establish a zoos support fund in order to ensure that animals in our zoos during this lockdown period can get the high-quality welfare that they deserve without those organisations having to raid their reserves or their savings, which they put aside for investment in their businesses. Can you tell us what your latest thinking is on whether to establish a Welsh zoos support fund, particularly given that the fund would also ensure the important work that zoos and animal attractions do with regard to conservation and breeding, which is also now being affected as a result of the lack of a fund here in Wales?
Weinidog, yn eich ymateb i Mike Hedges, ni sonioch chi am les anifeiliaid mewn sŵau ac atyniadau anifeiliaid ledled Cymru. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod fy mod wedi bod yn galw ers peth amser bellach am gronfa gymorth i sŵau yng Nghymru. Maent yn bodoli mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig ac yn wir, mewn mannau eraill yn Ewrop, ond nid yw Cymru eto wedi sefydlu cronfa gymorth i sŵau er mwyn sicrhau y gall anifeiliaid yn ein sŵau, yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud hyn, gael y lles o ansawdd uchel y maent yn ei haeddu heb i'r sefydliadau hynny orfod defnyddio eu cronfeydd wrth gefn neu eu cynilion a roddwyd o'r neilltu ganddynt ar gyfer buddsoddi yn eu busnesau. A allwch chi ddweud wrthym beth yw eich barn ddiweddaraf ynglŷn ag a ddylid sefydlu cronfa gymorth i sŵau yng Nghymru, yn enwedig o gofio y byddai'r gronfa hefyd yn sicrhau'r gwaith pwysig y mae sŵau ac atyniadau anifeiliaid yn ei wneud o ran cadwraeth a bridio, sydd hefyd yn cael ei effeithio'n awr o ganlyniad i ddiffyg cronfa yma yng Nghymru?
Well, we don't need a specific zoo support scheme in Wales, because our zoos were able to access funding from the economic resilience fund, which, obviously, was unique to Wales. So, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the zoos applied for funding from the ERF and were obviously successful. So, whilst I appreciate other countries in the UK had a specific zoo support scheme, I think, if you actually look, our zoos probably—some of them, certainly—had more funding than they would have got if it had been a support scheme in another country.
Wel, nid oes arnom angen cynllun cymorth penodol ar gyfer sŵau yng Nghymru, oherwydd roedd ein sŵau'n gallu cael cyllid o'r gronfa cadernid economaidd, a oedd, yn amlwg, yn unigryw i Gymru. Felly, yn ystod y pandemig COVID-19, gwnaeth llawer o'r sŵau gais am gyllid o'r gronfa cadernid economaidd ac roeddent yn amlwg yn llwyddiannus. Felly, er fy mod yn deall bod gan wledydd eraill yn y DU gynllun cymorth penodol ar gyfer sŵau, rwy'n credu, os edrychwch, fod gan ein sŵau, mae'n debyg—rai ohonynt, yn sicr—fwy o arian nag y byddent wedi'i gael gan gynllun cymorth mewn gwlad arall.
Mae cwestiwn 7 [OQ56402] wedi ei dynnu nôl, felly cwestiwn 8—Alun Davies.
Question 7 [OQ56402] is withdrawn. Question 8—Alun Davies.
8. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am reoliadau Llywodraeth Cymru i wahardd gwerthu cŵn bach trydydd parti, a elwir fel arall yn gyfraith Lucy? OQ56407
8. Will the Minister make a statement on Welsh Government regulations to outlaw third-party puppy sales, otherwise known as Lucy's law? OQ56407
The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021 will be debated on 23 March. I will not be making a statement prior to the debate.
Trafodir Rheoliadau Lles Anifeiliaid (Trwyddedu Gweithgareddau sy’n Ymwneud ag Anifeiliaid) (Cymru) 2021 ar 23 Mawrth. Ni fyddaf yn gwneud datganiad cyn y ddadl.
I'm grateful to the Minister for that, and I think many of us in this Chamber will welcome seeing this on the order paper, albeit in our last week of this Senedd. In terms of taking forward the agenda that Lucy's law symbolises, there needs to be a holistic approach to policy, and we need to certainly put in place the regulations that are on the order paper, but we also need to ensure that we take a more comprehensive approach to not only banning the third-party sale of puppies and kittens, but also that we ensure that there are far better and far higher welfare standards for those animals. I would be grateful if the Minister could outline how she sees a comprehensive approach building on the basis of Lucy's law, which would include, but not be limited to, public information, new regulations in planning law to ensure that breeders are licensed, that include rescue and rehoming centres, and to ensure that there is a regulation of sanctuaries as well, where there is considerable public concern about some of the conditions in which animals are kept.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am hynny, a chredaf y bydd llawer ohonom yn y Siambr hon yn croesawu gweld hyn ar y papur trefn, er mai yn ystod wythnos olaf y Senedd hon y bydd hynny. O ran bwrw ymlaen â'r agenda y mae cyfraith Lucy yn ei symboleiddio, mae angen dull cyfannol o ymdrin â pholisi, ac yn sicr mae angen inni roi'r rheoliadau sydd ar y papur trefn ar waith, ond mae angen inni hefyd sicrhau ein bod yn mabwysiadu dull mwy cynhwysfawr nid yn unig o wahardd gwerthu cŵn a chathod bach gan drydydd parti, ond hefyd ein bod yn sicrhau bod safonau lles llawer gwell a llawer uwch ar gyfer yr anifeiliaid hynny. Byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Gweinidog amlinellu sut y mae'n gweld dull gweithredu cynhwysfawr yn adeiladu ar sail cyfraith Lucy, a fyddai'n cynnwys, ond heb fod yn gyfyngedig i wybodaeth gyhoeddus, rheoliadau newydd mewn cyfraith gynllunio i sicrhau bod bridwyr yn cael eu trwyddedu, gan gynnwys canolfannau achub ac ailgartrefu, ac i sicrhau bod llochesau'n cael eu rheoleiddio hefyd, lle ceir cryn dipyn o bryder cyhoeddus ynghylch rhai o'r amodau y cedwir anifeiliaid ynddynt.
I mentioned in my earlier answer to Mike Hedges that the regulations we'll be bringing forward in two weeks' time go beyond Lucy's law. I am really desperately trying to get away from that phrase, because we've done a huge amount of work with the local authorities. We've had the local authority dog enforcement project, which was a three-year Welsh Government-funded project covering all local authorities in Wales, which began last year, and that will be the vehicle where we take forward these regulations, because I thought it was really important—. Because when we started looking—. When Lucy's law was first mentioned to me, probably about three years ago, it was really important to use the powers that we already had, because I think, when we looked, local authorities weren't using the powers that they already had. So, rather than rush to bring forward regulations, it was really important to look at what barriers were there that had been barriers to enforcement, if you like, that local authorities weren't using. They required enhanced training, and we provided that. They needed better guidance, and we provided that, and we needed to improve the use of resources within local authorities. Unfortunately, with reduced budgets to local authorities, sometimes it was this part of their portfolio that didn't have the attention it had, so I think it's really important. How I see it playing out over the next three years is that we work with local authorities to ensure they have the tools that are needed.
I think the point you raise around sanctuaries is really important, and I would have liked to have done further work in relation to sanctuaries in this term of Government. But, as I said, the capacity, unfortunately, hasn't been there to do everything and all the work streams and strands of work I would have liked to have done, but I do think that is something that a future Government, certainly if I was part of it or the Labour Party, would want to look at.
Soniais yn fy ateb cynharach i Mike Hedges fod y rheoliadau y byddwn yn eu cyflwyno ymhen pythefnos yn mynd y tu hwnt i gyfraith Lucy. Rwy'n ymdrechu'n daer i ddianc rhag yr ymadrodd hwnnw, oherwydd rydym wedi gwneud llawer iawn o waith gyda'r awdurdodau lleol. Rydym wedi cael y prosiect gorfodaeth cŵn i awdurdodau lleol, sef prosiect tair blynedd a ariannwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer pob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru a ddechreuodd y llynedd, a dyna fydd ein cyfrwng ar gyfer bwrw ymlaen â'r rheoliadau hyn, oherwydd roeddwn yn credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn—. Oherwydd pan ddechreuasom edrych—. Pan grybwyllwyd cyfraith Lucy wrthyf am y tro cyntaf, tua thair blynedd yn ôl mae'n debyg, roedd yn bwysig iawn defnyddio'r pwerau a oedd gennym eisoes, oherwydd pan aethom i edrych, nid wyf yn credu yr oedd awdurdodau lleol yn defnyddio'r pwerau a oedd ganddynt eisoes. Felly, yn hytrach na rhuthro i gyflwyno rheoliadau, roedd yn bwysig iawn edrych ar ba rwystrau oedd yno a oedd wedi bod yn rhwystrau i orfodaeth, os hoffech, nad oedd awdurdodau lleol yn ei defnyddio. Roedd angen hyfforddiant gwell ar eu cyfer, ac fe wnaethom ddarparu hynny. Roedd arnynt angen gwell arweiniad, ac fe wnaethom ddarparu hynny, ac roedd angen inni wella'r defnydd o adnoddau o fewn awdurdodau lleol. Yn anffodus, gyda chyllidebau llai i awdurdodau lleol, y rhan hon o'u portffolio a gâi lai o sylw weithiau, felly rwy'n credu ei fod yn bwysig iawn. Dros y tair blynedd nesaf, rwy'n rhagweld y byddwn yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod ganddynt yr arfau sydd eu hangen arnynt.
Credaf fod y pwynt a godwch ynglŷn â llochesau'n bwysig iawn, a byddwn wedi hoffi gwneud rhagor o waith mewn perthynas â llochesau yn nhymor y Llywodraeth hon. Ond fel y dywedais, nid yw'r capasiti wedi bod yno i wneud popeth, yn anffodus, a'r holl waith y byddwn wedi hoffi'i wneud, ond rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n rhywbeth y byddai Llywodraeth yn y dyfodol eisiau edrych arno, yn sicr pe bawn i neu'r Blaid Lafur yn rhan ohoni.
Mae cwestiwn 9 [OQ56404] wedi ei dynnu yn ôl. Cwestiwn 10, Siân Gwenllian.
Question 9 [OQ56404] has been withdrawn. Question 10, Siân Gwenllian.
10. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi diweddariad am y cynllun Arbed yn Arfon? OQ56387
10. Will the Minister provide an update on the Arbed scheme in Arfon? OQ56387
Thank you. A meeting with Fortem Energy Services is scheduled for 15 March to finalise details for contacting 393 households fitted with external wall insulation under the Arbed scheme in Arfon. I set out the process for householders to resolve claims in my letter to you of 8 March.
Diolch. Mae cyfarfod gyda Fortem Energy Services wedi'i drefnu ar gyfer 15 Mawrth i gwblhau'r manylion ar gyfer cysylltu â 393 o aelwydydd sydd ag inswleiddiad waliau allanol wedi'i osod o dan gynllun Arbed yn Arfon. Nodais y broses ddatrys hawliadau i ddeiliaid tai yn fy llythyr atoch ar 8 Mawrth.
Diolch am hynna. Mi fyddwn i'n ddiolchgar petaech chi'n medru cadarnhau heddiw mai cyfrifoldeb y cwmni Fortem ydy gweithio i unioni'r broblem, neu'r problemau, a dweud y gwir. Dylai perchnogion tai ddim ond defnyddio'r warant fel y cam olaf yn unig, petai Fortem a Llywodraeth Cymru yn methu â datrys y problemau mewn ffordd foddhaol ac o fewn amserlen resymol. Fedrwch chi jest gadarnhau hynny, er tawelwch meddwl, os gwelwch yn dda?
Dwi'n falch eich bod chi wedi sôn a rhoi dyddiad penodol i ni yn fynna. Mae yna bryder ymysg etholwyr y gallai oedi pellach ac effaith yr etholiadau ym mis Mai weld y mater yma yn parhau i fod heb ei ddatrys, a dydy hynny ddim yn deg o gwbl arnyn nhw.
Mae'r broblem yn un llawer mwy na'r paent ar y waliau allanol, ac mae fy etholwyr i yn Neiniolen, Dinorwig, Carmel a'r Fron yn gresynu bod ffocws eich llythyrau diweddar chi i mi yn canolbwyntio ar hynny. Mae yna lu o broblemau yn codi o safon ddiffygiol o waith drwyddi draw, ac mae'r rheini i gyd angen cael sylw.
Thank you for that. I would be grateful if you could confirm today that it's the responsibility of Fortem Energy Services to work to resolve this problem, or these problems, truth be told. The owners of homes should only use the guarantee as a final step if Fortem and the Welsh Government can't resolve these problems in a satisfactory manner and within a reasonable timetable. Will you just confirm that, in order to provide peace of mind to people, please?
I am pleased that you've provided a specific date to us there. There is concern among constituents that further delays and the impacts of the May elections could see this issue continuing to be unresolved, and that isn't fair in any way whatsoever.
The problem is far more than just the paint on the external walls, and my constituents in Deiniolen, Dinorwig, Carmel and Y Fron regret that the focus of your recent letters to me focus only on that. There are a whole host of problems arising from the deficient standards of work undertaken, and all of those need to be addressed.
Thank you, and I absolutely agree with you that everything needs to be addressed. Fortem Energy Services Ltd will work with my officials to contact each home that benefited from EWI under the Arbed scheme in the places that you just referred to. A home maintenance information leaflet will be reissued and, where necessary, the company will provide copies of the guarantee that covers the external wall insulation system and the render coatings at no cost to the household. It is really important that this work continues, despite the election, and obviously it can because my officials will continue to work with the energy company. I do appreciate it is very time consuming, but it is really important, I think, that appropriate steps are taken to determine the root cause of the issues that are experienced by your constituents to make sure that we can get the corrective work done and get to those desired standards that we all want to see.
Diolch ichi, a chytunaf yn llwyr â chi fod angen mynd i'r afael â phopeth. Bydd Fortem Energy Services Ltd yn gweithio gyda fy swyddogion i gysylltu â phob cartref a elwodd o inswleiddiad waliau allanol o dan gynllun Arbed yn y lleoedd rydych newydd gyfeirio atynt. Bydd taflen wybodaeth cynnal a chadw cartrefi yn cael ei hailgyhoeddi a lle bo angen, bydd y cwmni'n darparu copïau o'r warant ar gyfer y system inswleiddio waliau allanol a'r haenau rendro heb unrhyw gost i'r aelwyd. Mae'n bwysig iawn fod y gwaith hwn yn parhau, er gwaethaf yr etholiad, ac mae'n amlwg y gall wneud hynny oherwydd bydd fy swyddogion yn parhau i weithio gyda'r cwmni ynni. Rwy'n sylweddoli ei fod yn cymryd llawer o amser, ond mae'n bwysig iawn, rwy'n credu, fod camau priodol yn cael eu cymryd i bennu achos sylfaenol y problemau y mae eich etholwyr yn eu profi i sicrhau y gallwn wneud y gwaith unioni a chyrraedd y safonau dymunol hynny y mae pawb ohonom eisiau eu gweld.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Rhun ap Iorwerth.
The next item is questions to the Minister for Housing and Local Government, and the first question is from Rhun ap Iorwerth.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am bwysigrwydd addasiadau i'r cartref fel ffordd i alluogi pobl hŷn i fyw yn iachach ac yn fwy annibynnol? OQ56408
1. Will the Minister make a statement on the importance of home adaptations as a way of helping older people to live more healthily and independently? OQ56408
Diolch, Llywydd. Forgive me, I missed the question there. I wonder if Rhun would mind repeating it. My internet cut out.
Diolch, Lywydd. Maddeuwch imi, methais y cwestiwn. Tybed a fyddai Rhun yn gallu ei ailadrodd. Collais y rhyngrwyd.
It is the question on the order paper, but Rhun—
Y cwestiwn ar y papur trefn ydyw, ond Rhun—
Okay. Apologies, my internet completely cut out as you called my name, so I didn't quite catch it.
Iawn. Ymddiheuriadau, collais y rhyngrwyd yn llwyr wrth i chi alw fy enw, felly ni chlywais y cwestiwn.
Okay. Are you able to take it from the order paper, or do you want Rhun to—?
Iawn. A allwch chi ei gymryd o'r papur trefn, neu a ydych chi eisiau i Rhun—?
Absolutely, as long as I didn't miss anything else I'm more than happy to do that.
Yn sicr, os na fethais unrhyw beth arall, rwy'n fwy na pharod i wneud hynny.
No, he didn't stray away from the order paper. I wouldn't have allowed him to do that.
Na, ni chrwydrodd oddi ar y papur trefn. Ni fyddwn wedi caniatáu iddo wneud hynny.
Diolch, Llywydd. Yes, indeed, then, the pandemic has served to highlight the vital role that home adaptations, large and small, play in helping people to maintain their dignity and independence and live safely in their own home. Despite the challenges, these services have continued throughout the pandemic.
Diolch, Lywydd. Yn wir, felly, mae'r pandemig wedi amlygu'r rôl hanfodol y mae addasiadau i'r cartref, yn fawr a bach, yn ei chwarae yn helpu pobl i gadw eu hurddas a'u hannibyniaeth a byw'n ddiogel yn eu cartrefi eu hunain. Er gwaethaf yr heriau, mae'r gwasanaethau hyn wedi parhau drwy gydol y pandemig.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am yr ateb yna. Fe wnaf i wneud y pwynt a dweud y gwir nad dim ond pobl hŷn sy'n gallu elwa o addasiadau i'r catref. Dwi'n cymeradwyo'r Motor Neurone Disease Association am yr ymgyrch maen nhw'n ei rhedeg ar hyn o bryd yn gwthio am fwy o addasiadau i'r cartref i bobl sy'n byw efo'r afiechyd hwnnw. Ond at bobl hŷn yn benodol, rydyn ni'n gwybod bod pobl hŷn yn syrthio yn costio yn ddrud iawn i'r NHS—dros £2 biliwn i'r NHS drwy Brydain. Rydyn ni'n gwybod y gall addasiadau i'r cartref leihau anafiadau o gymaint â 26 y cant. Rŵan, o ystyried bod pobl wedi bod yn treulio mwy o amser yn eu cartrefi yn ystod y pandemig yma, a all y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni beth ydy'r sefyllfa o ran backlog o addasiadau tai sydd wedi cael ei greu gan y pandemig, a beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn bwriadu ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â hyn, oherwydd yr help mae addasiadau yn gallu eu darparu o ran byw'n iach ac yn annibynnol?
Thank you very much for that response. I will make the point that it's not only older people who can benefit from home adaptations. I applaud the Motor Neurone Disease Association for the campaign that they're running at the moment pushing for more home adaptations for people living with that condition. But looking at older people particularly, we know that older people falling is very expensive to the NHS—it costs over £2 billion to the NHS across the UK. We know that home adaptations can reduce injuries by as much as 26 per cent. Now, given that people have been spending more time at home during the pandemic, can the Minister tell us what the situation is in terms of a backlog in terms of home adaptations as a result of the pandemic, and what does the Government intend to do to tackle this, because of the help that adaptations can provide in terms of living independently and healthily?
Yes, thank you very much, Rhun. You're absolutely right, adaptations absolutely do facilitate stopping hospital admissions in the first place and they also facilitate hospital discharge and support the discharge to recover and access pathways, freeing up hospital beds and avoiding the need for step-down placements in residential care. They obviously just help people have a happier and healthier life in their own home, so we're very keen to continue the good work that's been going on. The rapid response adaptations take around nine days, on average, to deliver.
You're right, though, that in the beginning part of the pandemic, we did have a fall-off in the rate of adaptations. Even though we were clear that adaptations could continue throughout the pandemic as one of the essential works that have always been allowed, people were understandably more reluctant to let people into their homes and so on, particularly in the first stages of the pandemic. But I'm really delighted to be able to say that work has picked up significantly in the second half of the year, and current levels of activity are similar to previous years, so there isn't much of a backlog and the average response times are pretty much back to normal now. And as I say, for the rapid response ones, they are an average of nine days to deliver; medium adaptations like stairlifts and so on are an average of four months; and the largest adaptations like extensions and so on are an average of nine months.
Ie, diolch yn fawr iawn, Rhun. Rydych yn llygad eich lle, mae addasiadau'n hwyluso pethau i atal pobl rhag gorfod mynd i'r ysbyty yn y lle cyntaf ac maent hefyd yn hwyluso ac yn cefnogi'r broses o ryddhau cleifion o'r ysbyty i wella a chael mynediad at lwybrau gofal, gan ryddhau gwelyau ysbyty ac osgoi'r angen am leoliadau cam-i-lawr mewn gofal preswyl. Maent yn amlwg yn helpu pobl i gael bywyd hapusach ac iachach yn eu cartrefi eu hunain, felly rydym yn awyddus iawn i barhau â'r gwaith da sydd wedi bod yn mynd rhagddo. Mae'r addasiadau ymateb cyflym yn cymryd tua naw diwrnod ar gyfartaledd i'w cyflawni.
Rydych chi'n gywir, serch hynny, ein bod wedi cael gostyngiad yng nghyfradd yr addasiadau yn rhan gyntaf y pandemig. Er ein bod yn glir y gallai addasiadau barhau drwy gydol y pandemig fel gwaith hanfodol sydd wedi cael ei ganiatáu drwy'r amser hwnnw, roedd pobl, yn ddealladwy, yn fwy amharod i adael pobl i mewn i'w cartrefi ac yn y blaen, yn enwedig yn ystod camau cyntaf y pandemig. Ond rwy'n falch iawn o allu dweud bod y gwaith wedi cynyddu'n sylweddol yn ystod ail hanner y flwyddyn, ac mae'r lefelau gweithgarwch presennol yn debyg i flynyddoedd blaenorol, felly nid oes llawer o ôl-groniad ac mae'r amseroedd ymateb cyfartalog yn ôl i'r arfer fwy neu lai erbyn hyn. Ac fel y dywedais, ar gyfer y rhai ymateb cyflym, maent yn cymryd naw diwrnod ar gyfartaledd i'w cyflawni; mae addasiadau canolig fel lifftiau grisiau ac yn y blaen yn cymryd pedwar mis ar gyfartaledd; ac mae'r addasiadau mwyaf fel estyniadau ac yn y blaen yn cymryd naw mis ar gyfartaledd.
Minister, thank you for that response. In my colleague Nick Ramsay's short debate on motor neurone disease last week, you were talking about the 40 weeks for large-scale home adaptations, and of course, it's not just for people with MND. With COVID, having listened to Long Covid Wales's evidence this morning in the health and social care committee, it's pretty obvious that there are going to be some cases there; people who've had road traffic accidents, survived sepsis, been in intensive care; very often there are serious things that require their homes to be adapted. Forty weeks is an incredibly long time. I had one particular farmer who broke his back on the farm and because he lived in a listed house, they just simply weren't even allowed to put a steel rod in to be able to have a hoist that would have allowed him to live at home. And you talked earlier just now about just allowing people to live healthier, happier lives at home; well, actually, for some people, that's where they want to be and we're all about giving choice.
So, will you look at seeing how we might be able to liaise with the planning department in these very rare instances where people need those adaptations to be able to have a way through the entire planning system? Because the alternative if you cannot get those plans through, if you cannot build that extension, if you cannot put that hoist in and the structure that's needed for it, is that those people will have to leave their home and either go into state care or the whole family have to sell up and try and find somewhere else to live. That's a shocking disruption, and I would have thought in our society we could have said, 'Actually, occasionally people are allowed an exception to the normal rules and regulations.' I just think we should be able to put a plan in place and I'd like your thoughts on that.
Weinidog, diolch ichi am yr ymateb hwnnw. Yn nadl fer fy nghyd-Aelod Nick Ramsay ar glefyd niwronau motor yr wythnos diwethaf, roeddech yn sôn am y 40 wythnos ar gyfer addasiadau mawr i'r cartref, ac wrth gwrs, nid mater i bobl â chlefyd niwronau motor yn unig yw hwn. Gyda COVID, ar ôl gwrando ar dystiolaeth Covid Hir Cymru y bore yma yn y pwyllgor iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, mae'n eithaf amlwg y bydd rhai achosion yno; pobl sydd wedi cael damweiniau traffig ar y ffyrdd, pobl sydd wedi goroesi sepsis, pobl sydd wedi bod mewn gofal dwys; yn aml iawn, mae yna bethau difrifol sy'n galw am addasiadau i'r cartref. Mae 40 wythnos yn amser eithriadol o hir. Roedd gennyf un ffermwr penodol a dorrodd ei gefn ar y fferm ac oherwydd ei fod yn byw mewn tŷ rhestredig, nid oeddent yn cael gosod ffon ddur hyd yn oed i allu cael teclyn codi a fyddai wedi caniatáu iddo fyw gartref. Ac fe sonioch chi nawr am ganiatáu i bobl fyw bywydau iachach a hapusach gartref; wel, mewn gwirionedd, i rai pobl, dyna lle maent eisiau bod ac rydym ni eisiau gallu rhoi'r dewis iddynt.
Felly, a wnewch chi ystyried sut y gallem gysylltu â'r adran gynllunio yn yr achosion prin iawn hyn lle mae pobl angen yr addasiadau hynny i allu dod o hyd i ffordd drwy'r system gynllunio gyfan? Oherwydd os na allwch gael y cynlluniau hynny drwodd, os na allwch adeiladu'r estyniad hwnnw, os na allwch osod y teclyn codi hwnnw a'r strwythur sydd ei angen ar ei gyfer, bydd yn rhaid i'r bobl hynny adael eu cartref a mynd i ofal y wladwriaeth neu bydd yn rhaid i'r teulu cyfan werthu a cheisio dod o hyd i rywle arall i fyw. Mae hwnnw'n amhariad brawychus, a byddwn wedi meddwl, yn ein cymdeithas ni, y gallem fod wedi dweud, 'Mewn gwirionedd, weithiau, mae modd eithrio rhai pobl rhag y rheolau a'r rheoliadau arferol.' Rwy'n credu y dylem allu rhoi cynllun ar waith a hoffwn gael eich barn ar hynny.
Yes, thank you, Angela Burns. I wasn't aware of that particular instance, but I'm more than happy to have a look at the procedures, particular for houses that are listed; there's obviously an added complexity there. In terms of the bigger adaptations and planning in general, we do have a pathway for that, and care and repair agencies are very familiar with working with planning departments. But I'm very happy to look at any individual instances you've got where that isn't working. It may be that there's a particular planning department, or there are particular instances. I'm happy to look at that if you want to let me know specifics.
But in general, we do work with planning departments to make sure that the average times are around nine months. And 40 weeks is a very long time, you're absolutely right, but obviously, sometimes they're building a whole extension and so on, so they're very, very big adaptations. The smaller adaptations—as I say, stairlifts and so on—are around four months and the rapid response ones are around nine days. I'm happy to say at this point that, just today, I've issued a written statement because we've been able to agree the removal of the means test, which I did mention during my response to Nick Ramsay on motor neurone disease. So, I'm happy to say that we've done that as well, and that will speed up some of the adaptation response times as well.
Ie, diolch, Angela Burns. Nid oeddwn yn ymwybodol o'r enghraifft benodol honno, ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i edrych ar y gweithdrefnau, yn enwedig ar gyfer tai rhestredig; mae'n amlwg bod cymhlethdod ychwanegol yno. O ran yr addasiadau mwy a chynllunio yn gyffredinol, mae gennym lwybr ar gyfer hynny, ac mae asiantaethau gofal a thrwsio yn gyfarwydd iawn â gweithio gydag adrannau cynllunio. Ond rwy'n hapus iawn i edrych ar unrhyw achosion unigol sydd gennych lle nad yw hynny'n gweithio. Efallai fod adran gynllunio benodol, neu fod achosion penodol. Rwy'n hapus i edrych ar hynny os ydych eisiau rhannu'r manylion â mi.
Ond yn gyffredinol, rydym yn gweithio gydag adrannau cynllunio i sicrhau bod yr amseroedd cyfartalog oddeutu naw mis. Ac mae 40 wythnos yn amser hir iawn, rydych yn hollol gywir, ond yn amlwg, weithiau maent yn adeiladu estyniad cyfan ac yn y blaen, felly maent yn addasiadau mawr iawn. Mae'r addasiadau llai—fel y dywedais, lifftiau grisiau ac yn y blaen—yn cymryd tua pedwar mis ac mae'r rhai ymateb cyflym yn cymryd tua naw diwrnod. Rwy'n hapus i ddweud ar y pwynt hwn fy mod i heddiw wedi cyhoeddi datganiad ysgrifenedig oherwydd rydym wedi gallu cytuno i ddileu'r prawf modd, y soniais amdano yn fy ymateb i Nick Ramsay ar glefyd niwronau motor. Felly, rwy'n hapus i ddweud ein bod wedi gwneud hynny hefyd, a bydd hynny'n cyflymu rhai o'r amseroedd ymateb i wneud addasiadau hefyd.
Minister, I wonder if you'd join me in paying tribute to the work that's been done through the pandemic with some brilliant local organisations like Bridgend County Care and Repair. Despite the constraints and restrictions of the pandemic, they carried on trying to do those adaptations throughout my area. But, also, would she agree with me that this is more than that, as well? It's about things like the Cwm Taf Stay Well at Home service that we funded several years ago through the integrated care fund, bringing together Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr and Cwm Taf University Health Board with a service that brings together social workers, therapists, physiotherapists, therapy technicians, in order that people, rather than going into hospital and staying in hospital, can be rapidly discharged and then live at home and recuperate at home, where they want to be. So, I just ask, Minister, will you recognise the amazing work that's gone on through this pandemic, even with the additional constraints that they've faced, and just join me in thanking them for what they've been doing?
Weinidog, tybed a fyddech yn ymuno â mi i dalu teyrnged i'r gwaith sydd wedi'i wneud drwy'r pandemig gyda sefydliadau lleol gwych fel Gofal a Thrwsio Sir Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr. Er gwaethaf cyfyngiadau'r pandemig, fe wnaethant barhau i geisio gwneud yr addasiadau hynny ledled fy ardal. Ond, hefyd, a fyddai'n cytuno â mi fod hyn yn ymwneud â mwy na hynny hefyd? Mae'n ymwneud â phethau fel gwasanaeth Cadw'n Iach Gartref Cwm Taf a ariannwyd gennym sawl blwyddyn yn ôl drwy'r gronfa gofal integredig, gan gysylltu Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr a bwrdd iechyd Cwm Taf â gwasanaeth sy'n cynnwys gweithwyr cymdeithasol, therapyddion, ffisiotherapyddion, technegwyr therapi, fel bod modd rhyddhau pobl yn gyflym i fyw gartref a gwella gartref lle maent eisiau bod, yn hytrach na'u bod yn mynd i'r ysbyty ac yn aros yn yr ysbyty. Felly, rwy'n gofyn, Weinidog, a wnewch chi gydnabod y gwaith anhygoel sydd wedi mynd rhagddo yn ystod y pandemig hwn, hyd yn oed gyda'r cyfyngiadau ychwanegol y maent wedi'u hwynebu, ac ategu fy niolch iddynt am yr hyn y maent wedi bod yn ei wneud?
Absolutely, Huw Irranca-Davies, I would very much like to join with you in thanking everyone who, despite all the challenges you've outlined, have worked to ensure that those who need them continue to get the adaptations they need to live safely, avoid hospital admission and make a timely return home. You know as well as I do that the Princess of Wales, Royal Glamorgan and Prince Charles hospitals all participate in the Hospital to a Healthier Home scheme, in partnership with Bridgend and Cwm Taf care and repair agencies. I'd just like to tell you that, in the 10 months to the end of January, 739 patients received an adaptation that assisted their safe discharge, saving over 4,500 bed days. Eighty-six of those patients were helped to access additional benefits as well, with an annual value of around £420,000, so you're absolutely right, the working together of the various agencies has resulted not only in safer, quicker discharges, but additional income and support for people who need that support to be able to live a happy, healthy life at home.
Yn sicr, Huw Irranca-Davies, hoffwn ategu eich diolch i bawb sydd, er gwaethaf yr holl heriau rydych wedi'u hamlinellu, wedi gweithio i sicrhau bod y bobl sydd eu hangen yn parhau i gael yr addasiadau y maent eu hangen i fyw'n ddiogel, osgoi gorfod mynd i'r ysbyty a dychwelyd adref mewn da bryd. Fe wyddoch gystal â mi fod Ysbyty Tywysoges Cymru, Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg ac Ysbyty'r Tywysog Siarl i gyd yn rhan o'r cynllun Ysbyty i Gartref Iachach, mewn partneriaeth ag asiantaethau gofal a thrwsio Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr a Chwm Taf. Hoffwn ddweud wrthych fod 739 o gleifion, yn y 10 mis hyd at ddiwedd mis Ionawr, wedi cael addasiad a'u cynorthwyodd i adael yr ysbyty'n ddiogel, gan arbed dros 4,500 o ddiwrnodau gwely. Cafodd 86 o'r cleifion hynny gymorth i gael budd-daliadau ychwanegol hefyd, gyda gwerth blynyddol o tua £420,000, felly rydych yn llygad eich lle, mae cydweithrediad y gwahanol asiantaethau wedi arwain nid yn unig at ryddhau pobl yn fwy diogel ac yn gyflymach o'r ysbyty, ond at incwm a chymorth ychwanegol i bobl sydd angen y cymorth hwnnw i allu byw bywyd hapus ac iach gartref.
2. Pa gynnydd sydd wedi'i wneud o ran darparu addasiadau i'r cartref i bobl ag anableddau? OQ56399
2. What progress has been made in delivering home adaptations for people with disabilities? OQ56399
Thank you, Nick. Even in the face of the pandemic we have continued to prioritise home adaptations where it was safe to do so. We are progressing with work to address recommended improvements to the process. Today I announced the removal of means testing for small and medium-sized adaptations.
Diolch, Nick. Hyd yn oed yn wyneb y pandemig rydym wedi parhau i flaenoriaethu addasiadau i'r cartref lle'r oedd yn ddiogel gwneud hynny. Rydym yn symud ymlaen gyda gwaith i fynd i'r afael â gwelliannau a argymhellir i'r broses. Heddiw, cyhoeddais y byddai profion modd yn cael eu dileu ar gyfer addasiadau bach a chanolig.
Thank you, Minister. I don't think there's much I can add, really, to the previous questions by Rhun ap Iorwerth and Angela Burns, but I'm pleased that the debate that I brought forward to the Chamber last week has kicked the ball rolling, or raised the profile of this issue. As you know, last week I led that debate in the Senedd Chamber, and you answered very comprehensively. Something I didn't mention during the debate was a case study that I became aware of, a gentleman in the Vale of Glamorgan who, due to his MND impairment, hadn't been able to lock his front door since January. That work was delayed and the Motor Neurone Disease Association got involved and sorted it. Sadly, he's recently passed away, and I'm sure you'd agree with me that this illustrates in the case of this cruel condition, which sometimes can lead to death very swiftly, there's a really urgent need to make sure that these housing adaptations are provided as swiftly as possible. I hear what you're saying about some of the larger ones being more difficult to accomplish, but will you pledge that you will look at ways that certainly some of the smaller and medium-sized improvements and home adaptations can be rolled out as quickly as possible, so that people can get that end-of-life support that they really need?
Diolch, Weinidog. Nid wyf yn credu bod llawer y gallaf ei ychwanegu, mewn gwirionedd, at y cwestiynau blaenorol gan Rhun ap Iorwerth ac Angela Burns, ond rwy'n falch bod y ddadl a gyflwynais i'r Siambr yr wythnos diwethaf wedi rhoi cychwyn ar beth, neu wedi codi proffil y mater hwn. Fel y gwyddoch, yr wythnos diwethaf arweiniais y ddadl honno yn Siambr y Senedd, ac fe ateboch chi'n gynhwysfawr iawn. Rhywbeth na soniais amdano yn ystod y ddadl oedd astudiaeth achos y deuthum yn ymwybodol ohoni, gŵr bonheddig ym Mro Morgannwg nad oedd, oherwydd nam MND, wedi gallu cloi ei ddrws ffrynt ers mis Ionawr. Gohiriwyd y gwaith a daeth y Gymdeithas Clefyd Niwronau Motor yn rhan o bethau a datrys y broblem. Yn anffodus, bu farw'n ddiweddar, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn cytuno â mi fod hyn yn dangos yn achos y cyflwr creulon hwn, a all arwain at farwolaeth yn gyflym iawn weithiau, fod gwir angen gwneud yn siŵr bod yr addasiadau tai hyn yn cael eu darparu cyn gynted â phosibl. Clywaf yr hyn a ddywedwch am rai o'r rhai mwy yn anos eu cyflawni, ond a wnewch chi addo y byddwch yn edrych ar ffyrdd y gellir cyflwyno rhai o'r gwelliannau llai a chanolig eu maint yn sicr ac addasiadau yn y cartref cyn gynted â phosibl, fel y gall pobl gael y cymorth diwedd oes y maent ei angen yn fawr?
Yes, absolutely, Nick Ramsay. I was really pleased to respond positively to your short debate, which was a really important debate for exactly the reasons that you've just set out. So, we've continued to issue COVID guidance to all providers of adaptations, advising that work can continue and that urgent cases should be prioritised for there to be no doubt at all that this work is continuing regardless of whatever the lockdown arrangements are in Wales. We've also got funding from the Welsh Government to local authorities, housing associations and care and repair agencies that has enabled them to do over 30,000 adaptations annually. As I just mentioned, today I've taken steps to ensure that the means test is no longer applied to small and medium-sized disabled facilities grants. This will benefit disabled people from across Wales, including, of course, the people you were championing in your short debate with motor neurone disease, and includes everyone, home owners, people in the private rented sector—tenure is no barrier to it. And we're increasing the Enable grant to local authorities by £400,000 to fund the change, and we'll be monitoring the impact on demand closely over the next few years as we roll it out. That is exactly for trying to accomplish the thing that you've most highlighted, and have just done so again, Nick, which is to make sure that people with life-limiting disease, such as motor neurone disease, can receive adaptations much more quickly, and at no cost, so that they can live out their lives as happily as is possible.
Yn hollol, Nick Ramsay. Roeddwn yn falch iawn o ymateb yn gadarnhaol i'ch dadl fer, a oedd yn ddadl bwysig iawn am yr union resymau rydych newydd eu nodi. Felly, rydym wedi parhau i gyhoeddi canllawiau COVID i bob darparwr addasiadau, gan ddweud y gall gwaith barhau ac y dylid blaenoriaethu achosion brys er mwyn sicrhau nad oes amheuaeth o gwbl fod y gwaith hwn yn parhau ni waeth beth fo'r cyfyngiadau symud yng Nghymru. Mae gennym hefyd gyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru i awdurdodau lleol, cymdeithasau tai ac asiantaethau gofal a thrwsio sydd wedi eu galluogi i wneud dros 30,000 o addasiadau bob blwyddyn. Fel rwyf newydd ei grybwyll, heddiw rwyf wedi rhoi camau ar waith i sicrhau na ddefnyddir prawf modd ar gyfer grantiau cyfleusterau bach a chanolig i'r anabl. Bydd hyn o fudd i bobl anabl ym mhob rhan o Gymru, gan gynnwys, wrth gwrs, y bobl roeddech yn dadlau drostynt yn eich dadl fer sydd â chlefyd niwronau motor, ac mae'n cynnwys pawb, perchnogion cartrefi, pobl yn y sector rhentu preifat—nid yw deiliadaeth yn rhwystr iddo. Ac rydym yn darparu cynnydd o £400,000 ar gyfer y grant Enable i awdurdodau lleol i ariannu'r newid, a byddwn yn monitro'r effaith ar alw yn agos dros y blynyddoedd nesaf wrth i ni ei gyflwyno. Mae hynny er mwyn ceisio cyflawni'r union beth rydych wedi tynnu sylw ato fwyaf, ac rydych newydd wneud hynny eto, Nick, sef sicrhau bod pobl sydd â chlefyd sy'n cyfyngu ar fywyd, megis clefyd niwronau motor, yn gallu cael addasiadau'n gyflymach o lawer, a hynny am ddim, fel y gallant fyw bywydau mor hapus â phosibl.
[Inaudible.]—somebody else is in charge of the mute, obviously, and had muted me.
[Anghlywadwy.]—mae rhywun arall yn gyfrifol am y mudydd, yn amlwg, ac wedi fy mudo.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Laura Jones.
Conservative spokesperson, Laura Jones.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I first start by saying 'thank you'? Although short, it's been a pleasure holding the shadow portfolio opposite you, Minister, and I appreciate—and I'm sure Mark does—all your constructive responses.
Minister, can you tell me how this Government is working with local authorities to ensure that, when considering sites for local development plans, they do not choose sites that score negatively in all areas after impact and sustainability assessments have been done in areas such as biodiversity, health, well-being, transport, historic development, air quality, flood risk, et cetera, and where there are no specific schools or doctors that would be able to cope with large-scale developments, specifically when those developments are on greenfield sites? It makes no sense, and it flies in the face of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. The environmental impact of building on such sites just shouldn't happen. Why has local campaigner Gruffudd Parry, and a very strong local group, had to highlight to me what Torfaen council are trying to get away with proposing in their latest LDP? Surely, your Government should have checks in place. What checks are in place, Minister, to ensure that local authorities are not going against everything that you're trying to achieve here in this Senedd?
Diolch, Lywydd. A gaf fi ddechrau'n gyntaf drwy ddweud 'diolch'? Er mai am gyfnod byr y gwneuthum hynny, mae wedi bod yn bleser bod yn llefarydd yr wrthblaid gyferbyn â chi, Weinidog, ac rwy'n gwerthfawrogi—ac rwy'n siŵr bod Mark yn gwerthfawrogi—eich holl ymatebion adeiladol.
Weinidog, a allwch ddweud wrthyf sut y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau, wrth ystyried safleoedd ar gyfer cynlluniau datblygu lleol, nad ydynt yn dewis safleoedd sy'n sgorio'n negyddol ym mhob maes ar ôl i asesiadau effaith a chynaliadwyedd gael eu gwneud mewn meysydd fel bioamrywiaeth, iechyd, lles, trafnidiaeth, datblygiad hanesyddol, ansawdd aer, perygl llifogydd, ac yn y blaen, a lle nad oes ysgolion neu feddygfeydd penodol a fyddai'n gallu ymdopi â datblygiadau ar raddfa fawr, yn enwedig pan fydd y datblygiadau hynny ar safleoedd tir glas? Nid yw'n gwneud synnwyr, ac mae'n mynd yn groes i Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 a Deddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014. Ni ddylai fod effaith amgylcheddol yn sgil adeiladu ar safleoedd o'r fath. Pam y bu'n rhaid i'r ymgyrchydd lleol Gruffudd Parry, a grŵp lleol cryf iawn, dynnu fy sylw at yr hyn y mae cyngor Torfaen yn ceisio ei basio yn eu CDLl diweddaraf? Does bosibl na ddylai eich Llywodraeth gael archwiliadau ar waith. Pa archwiliadau sydd ar waith, Weinidog, i sicrhau nad yw awdurdodau lleol yn mynd yn groes i bopeth y ceisiwch ei gyflawni yma yn y Senedd hon?
I'm very happy to reassure Laura Jones on the LDP position. We have, as she will know, just issued 'Future Wales', the national development framework, and the reissued 'Planning Policy Wales' to go alongside it. That means that, actually, all local authorities need to review their LDP in the light of those documents—those going through the process of setting their LDP, and those who have got an existing LDP in place. I've written out to local authorities to highlight the need to do this, and they need to factor that now into their planning process. Those documents, of course, reference all of the things that she just mentioned. It's very much the centre of our placemaking approach to planning that those things are taken into account.
Of course, the planning process itself, as she has just mentioned, takes you through an examination in public, which is there precisely for the reason that she outlined—in order to enable the public to be able to probe or question or make sure that the evidence is available, to make the plan as robust as it can be. That's the whole point of a plan-led process—to democratise the process, to allow local people to have their say about it, and for others to make sure that the council is indeed doing what it should do, which is to take into account all of the various things that make a place the community that we want it to be. So, the very fact that you know about it, and that people are able to challenge it, shows me that the position is working. Of course, that's the whole purpose of the entire process of the plan, which can be frustrating, of course, because it takes quite a long time to go through, and people get frustrated the other way. But I think it's worth it in the end, because you do get a plan that the local community owns, and we don't get a one-size-fits-all approach everywhere in Wales.
Can I also say, Laura, that it's been a pleasure to work with you, and with Mark as well? I know we have our spats in public, but we've had many opportunities to work constructively as well, behind the scenes, and I'm grateful for it.
Rwy'n hapus iawn i dawelu meddwl Laura Jones ar y sefyllfa mewn perthynas â'r CDLl. Fel y gŵyr, rydym newydd gyhoeddi 'Cymru'r Dyfodol', y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol, a 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' sydd wedi'i ailgyhoeddi i gyd-fynd ag ef. Mae hynny'n golygu, mewn gwirionedd, fod angen i bob awdurdod lleol adolygu ei CDLl yng ngoleuni'r dogfennau hynny—yr awdurdodau sy'n mynd drwy'r broses o lunio eu CDLl, a'r rhai sydd â CDLl ar waith ar hyn o bryd. Rwyf wedi ysgrifennu at awdurdodau lleol i dynnu sylw at yr angen i wneud hyn, ac mae angen iddynt gynnwys hynny yn eu proses gynllunio yn awr. Mae'r dogfennau hynny, wrth gwrs, yn cyfeirio at yr holl bethau y mae newydd eu crybwyll. Mae'n ganolog iawn i'n dull creu lleoedd o gynllunio fod y pethau hynny'n cael eu hystyried.
Wrth gwrs, mae'r broses gynllunio ei hun, fel y mae newydd ddweud, yn mynd â chi drwy archwiliad yn gyhoeddus, ac mae yno am yr union rheswm a amlinellodd—er mwyn galluogi'r cyhoedd i allu holi neu gwestiynu neu sicrhau bod y dystiolaeth ar gael, i sicrhau bod y cynllun mor gadarn ag y gall fod. Dyna holl bwynt proses a arweinir gan gynllun—democrateiddio'r broses, i ganiatáu i bobl leol ddweud eu barn amdano, ac i eraill sicrhau bod y cyngor yn gwneud yr hyn y dylai ei wneud, sef ystyried yr holl bethau amrywiol sy'n creu'r gymuned yr ydym am iddi fod. Felly, mae'r union ffaith eich bod yn gwybod amdani, a bod pobl yn gallu ei herio, yn dangos imi fod y sefyllfa'n gweithio. Wrth gwrs, dyna holl bwrpas holl broses y cynllun, a all fod yn rhwystredig, wrth gwrs, oherwydd mae'n cymryd cryn dipyn o amser i fynd drwodd, ac mae pobl yn teimlo'n rhwystredig y ffordd arall. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn werth chweil yn y pen draw, oherwydd bydd gennych gynllun y mae'r gymuned leol yn berchen arno, ac nid dull gweithredu un maint i bawb ym mhobman yng Nghymru.
A gaf fi ddweud hefyd, Laura, ei bod wedi bod yn bleser gweithio gyda chi, a chyda Mark hefyd? Rwy'n gwybod ein bod yn anghydweld weithiau yn gyhoeddus, ond rydym wedi cael llawer o gyfleoedd i weithio'n adeiladol hefyd, y tu ôl i'r llenni, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar amdanynt.
Thank you, Minister. I'm very pleased with your response just now, and I'm sure the local campaign group will be too. Because these sorts of sites shouldn't come around in the first place, in my opinion. We shouldn't have to go through all the cost of having to make checks on things that everybody knows are not suitable.
However, the coronavirus has had a major impact on individuals and families across the UK, as we know. But when it comes to children and young people in care, as we've discussed in the past, or children that have been previously looked after, these issues are obviously significantly amplified. What discussions have you had, and what consideration have you given, to long-term support for exactly the people that I've just outlined, to make sure that they are adequately supported going forward? Thank you.
Diolch, Weinidog. Rwy'n hapus iawn gyda'ch ymateb yn awr, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd y grŵp ymgyrchu lleol yn falch hefyd. Oherwydd ni ddylai'r mathau hyn o safleoedd ddod i fodolaeth yn y lle cyntaf yn fy marn i. Ni ddylem orfod mynd drwy'r holl gost o orfod gwneud archwiliadau o bethau y mae pawb yn gwybod nad ydynt yn addas.
Fodd bynnag, mae'r coronafeirws wedi cael effaith fawr ar unigolion a theuluoedd ledled y DU, fel y gwyddom. Ond o ran plant a phobl ifanc mewn gofal, fel y trafodwyd gennym yn y gorffennol, neu blant sydd wedi bod yn derbyn gofal o'r blaen, mae'r materion hyn yn amlwg yn llawer iawn pwysicach. Pa drafodaethau a gawsoch, a pha ystyriaeth a roddwyd gennych, i gymorth hirdymor i'r union bobl rwyf newydd eu disgrifio, i sicrhau eu bod yn cael eu cefnogi'n ddigonol wrth symud ymlaen? Diolch.
Obviously, children coming out of care are not in my portfolio, but I work very closely with Julie Morgan, with Vaughan Gething and with my colleague Kirsty Williams to make sure that we have a cross-Government plan for people coming out of care, looked-after children and so on. We work very closely with the Welsh Local Government Association to make sure that we have a joined-up approach. So, it depends on which particular aspect you're looking at.
In terms of housing, for example, we've been making sure that we have a plan to make sure that we have a pathway for people coming out of care, that we have the right kind of housing and the right kind, more importantly, of support around that housing to make sure that where young people do go into a tenancy alone, or with a number of others, that they have the right support arrangements in place to ensure that they can sustain that tenancy. And, of course, you'll know that my colleague Ken Skates, right at the beginning of his career as a Member of the Senedd, introduced a law that allowed people to stay with foster parents and so on much longer than they had previously been able to so that they can continue to source the sort of support that people who grow up in their birth family often have well into their lives, and, in fact, if my children are anything to go by, well into their 30s.
Yn amlwg, nid yw plant sy'n gadael gofal yn fy mhortffolio i, ond rwy'n gweithio'n agos iawn gyda Julie Morgan, gyda Vaughan Gething a chyda fy nghyd-Weinidog Kirsty Williams i sicrhau bod gennym gynllun traws-Lywodraethol ar gyfer pobl sy'n gadael gofal, plant sy'n derbyn gofal ac yn y blaen. Rydym yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru i sicrhau bod gennym ddull gweithredu cydgysylltiedig. Felly, mae'n dibynnu ar ba agwedd benodol rydych chi'n edrych arni.
O ran tai, er enghraifft, rydym wedi bod yn sicrhau bod gennym gynllun i wneud yn siŵr bod gennym lwybr i bobl sy'n gadael gofal, fod gennym y math iawn o dai ac yn bwysicach, y math cywir o gymorth o amgylch y tai hynny i sicrhau, lle mae pobl ifanc yn dechrau ar denantiaeth ar eu pen eu hunain, neu gyda nifer o rai eraill, fod ganddynt drefniadau cymorth cywir ar waith i sicrhau y gallant gynnal y denantiaeth honno. Ac wrth gwrs, fe fyddwch yn gwybod bod fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates, ar ddechrau ei yrfa fel Aelod o'r Senedd, wedi cyflwyno deddfwriaeth a oedd yn caniatáu i bobl aros gyda rhieni maeth ac yn y blaen yn llawer hirach nag y byddent wedi gallu ei wneud o'r blaen fel y gallant barhau i gael y math o gymorth y mae pobl sy'n tyfu i fyny yn eu teulu biolegol yn aml yn ei gael yn hwyrach yn eu bywydau, ac mewn gwirionedd, yn achos fy mhlant i, ymhell i mewn i'w 30au.
Thank you, Minister. Recently, Newport City Council approved a motion formally calling on the Welsh Government to carefully consider calls for a regional referendum on the M4 relief road. A poll conducted by WalesOnline found that double the amount of people supported the road than those who voted against. After restrictions were eased following the end of the first lockdown, during the summer of last year, it was alarming to see how fast traffic levels returned to the M4 motorway around Newport. Minister, what are your thoughts on the suggestion of the need for a local referendum by the council? Does the Minister agree with me that the strength of feeling in Newport council amongst councillors, and in the city, can't be overlooked, and that the next Government needs to seriously relook at the need for the M4 relief road and/or commit, like the Welsh Conservatives, to building the road, which will be beneficial not only for the city but for the whole of Wales?
Diolch i chi, Weinidog. Yn ddiweddar, cymeradwyodd Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd gynnig yn galw'n ffurfiol ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ystyried galwadau am refferendwm rhanbarthol ar ffordd liniaru'r M4. Canfu arolwg barn a gynhaliwyd gan WalesOnline fod dwbl y nifer o bobl wedi cefnogi'r ffordd na'r rhai a bleidleisiodd yn ei herbyn. Ar ôl i gyfyngiadau gael eu llacio wedi'r cyfyngiadau symud cyntaf, yn ystod haf y llynedd, roedd yn frawychus gweld pa mor gyflym y dychwelodd lefelau traffig i draffordd yr M4 o amgylch Casnewydd. Weinidog, beth yw eich barn ar yr awgrym fod angen am refferendwm lleol gan y cyngor? A yw'r Gweinidog yn cytuno â mi na ellir anwybyddu cryfder y teimladau yng nghyngor Casnewydd ymysg cynghorwyr, ac yn y ddinas, a bod angen i'r Llywodraeth nesaf ailedrych o ddifrif ar yr angen am ffordd liniaru'r M4 a/neu ymrwymo, fel y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, i adeiladu'r ffordd, a fydd o fudd nid yn unig i'r ddinas ond i Gymru gyfan?
Thank you, Laura Jones. Again, the M4 relief road is primarily in the portfolio of my colleague Ken Skates, but again, we work across the Government on a number of issues. If there is a call for a local referendum, then we're certainly happy to work with Newport council to see how that might be accomplished. I'm all in favour of local people having a large say in what happens in their region or area.
You'll know that we've put a regional arrangement for a strategic planning process in place via our Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, and that puts the corporate joint committees in place. The south-east corporate joint committee is actually much more advanced than anywhere else. They are very well advanced in looking at their strategic development plan. That strategic development plan will, of course, be considering arterial routes for traffic as well as everything else, alongside the commission put in place by the First Minister and my colleague Ken Skates in order to look at alternatives to building what would be a very ecologically damaging set of concrete across protected Gwent levels. These things are never straightforward, and there is a range of opinions on all sides. I'm very aware that some people in Newport want to build the M4, but I'm also very aware that a lot of people don't want to build the M4 and wish to protect the natural environment. That's why the commission was put in place.
Anyway, there is now a mechanism for the strategic plan to come forward for the south-east region, and I'm sure that once that process is under way, there will be ample opportunity for people to make their feelings known around the strategic transport arrangements. The CJC will also be the body that has the power to put the strategic plan in place. That will be the regional transport plan, and, of course, that will have to interact well with the strategic planning arrangements for infrastructure. That, of course, is the reason that we put that into the local government and elections Act, in order to give that regional flavour. Because it's not just the people who live in Newport county, but all the people who live around it, and, indeed, further on in Wales, that are impacted by that, hence the need for the strategic approach to it.
Diolch, Laura Jones. Unwaith eto, mae ffordd liniaru'r M4 ym mhortffolio fy nghyd-Aelod Ken Skates yn bennaf, ond unwaith eto, rydym yn gweithio ar draws y Llywodraeth ar nifer o faterion. Os oes galw am refferendwm lleol, rydym yn sicr yn hapus i weithio gyda chyngor Casnewydd i weld sut y gellid cyflawni hynny. Rwy'n llwyr o blaid gweld pobl leol yn cael llais mawr yn yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn eu rhanbarth neu eu hardal.
Fe fyddwch yn gwybod ein bod wedi rhoi trefniant rhanbarthol ar waith ar gyfer proses gynllunio strategol drwy ein Deddf Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2021, ac mae hwnnw'n sefydlu'r cydbwyllgorau corfforaethol. Mae cydbwyllgor corfforaethol y de-ddwyrain yn llawer mwy datblygedig nag yn unman arall mewn gwirionedd. Maent wedi datblygu'n dda iawn i edrych ar eu cynllun datblygu strategol. Bydd y cynllun datblygu strategol hwnnw, wrth gwrs, yn ystyried prif lwybrau ar gyfer traffig yn ogystal â phopeth arall, ochr yn ochr â'r comisiwn a roddwyd ar waith gan y Prif Weinidog a fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates er mwyn edrych ar ddewisiadau eraill yn lle adeiladu llain goncrit niweidiol iawn yn ecolegol ar draws gwastadeddau Gwent, sydd wedi'u gwarchod. Nid yw'r pethau hyn byth yn syml, ac mae amrywiaeth o opsiynau ar bob ochr. Rwy'n ymwybodol iawn fod rhai pobl yng Nghasnewydd eisiau adeiladu'r M4, ond rwyf hefyd yn ymwybodol iawn fod llawer o bobl nad ydynt eisiau adeiladu'r M4 ac eisiau diogelu'r amgylchedd naturiol. Dyna pam y sefydlwyd y comisiwn.
Beth bynnag, mae mecanwaith yn ei le yn awr i'r cynllun strategol gael ei gyflwyno ar gyfer rhanbarth y de-ddwyrain, a phan fydd y broses honno wedi cychwyn, rwy'n siŵr y bydd digon o gyfle i bobl fynegi eu teimladau am y trefniadau trafnidiaeth strategol. Y cyd-bwyllgor corfforedig hefyd fydd y corff sydd â'r pŵer i roi'r cynllun strategol ar waith. Y cynllun trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol fydd hwnnw, ac wrth gwrs, bydd yn rhaid iddo ryngweithio'n dda â'r trefniadau cynllunio strategol ar gyfer seilwaith. Wrth gwrs, dyna yw'r rheswm pam y gwnaethom gynnwys hynny yn y Ddeddf llywodraeth leol ac etholiadau, er mwyn rhoi'r blas rhanbarthol hwnnw. Oherwydd nid dim ond y bobl sy'n byw yn sir Casnewydd sy'n cael eu heffeithio gan hynny, ond yr holl bobl sy'n byw o'i hamgylch, ac yn wir, ymhellach na hynny yng Nghymru, a dyna pam fod angen ymagwedd strategol tuag ato.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Delyth Jewell.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Delyth Jewell.
Diolch, Llywydd. In opening, Minister, I'd actually like to echo what Laura has said. It's been a pleasure to shadow you in this post and to find many areas, I think, of accord. Obviously, we won't have agreed on everything, but I do extend my thanks as well.
Turning to the questions I have, the additional protections for tenants during COVID—the ban on evictions and bailiffs going into people's homes—are due to end at the end of this month, and the next review point when you could extend those protections further falls tomorrow. There are so many aspects of life that haven't yet opened up, and the threat of homelessness still hangs so heavily over tenants' heads. All of the incremental postponements of eviction have, in fact, I think, prolonged anxiety for many tenants, because they don't have an extended period of being able to feel secure. I know you've said in a letter to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee that you weren't minded to review this until closer to the end of the month, but I would ask whether you would consider, tomorrow, committing to extending those protections for tenants, so that we don't see mass evictions happening when we're still in the midst of a pandemic, but mainly to put their minds at ease.
Diolch, Lywydd. Wrth agor, Weinidog, hoffwn adleisio'r hyn y mae Laura wedi'i ddweud. Mae wedi bod yn bleser eich cysgodi yn y swydd hon a dod o hyd i lawer o fannau lle ceir cydsyniad, rwy'n credu. Yn amlwg, ni fyddwn wedi cytuno ar bopeth, ond rwyf eisiau diolch i chi hefyd.
Gan droi at y cwestiynau sydd gennyf, mae'r amddiffyniadau ychwanegol i denantiaid yn ystod COVID—y gwaharddiad ar droi allan a beilïaid yn mynd i gartrefi pobl—i fod i ddod i ben ddiwedd y mis hwn, ac yfory yw'r pwynt adolygu nesaf pan allech ymestyn yr amddiffyniadau hynny ymhellach. Mae cymaint o agweddau ar fywyd nad ydynt wedi agor eto, ac mae tenantiaid yn dal i wynebu bygythiad o ddigartrefedd. Mae pob un o'r gohiriadau cyfnodol rhag troi allan wedi ymestyn y pryder i lawer o denantiaid mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd nid ydynt wedi cael cyfnod estynedig i allu teimlo'n ddiogel. Rwy'n gwybod eich bod wedi dweud mewn llythyr at y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau nad oeddech yn bwriadu adolygu hyn tan yn nes at ddiwedd y mis, ond hoffwn ofyn i chi ystyried ymrwymo yfory i ymestyn yr amddiffyniadau hynny i denantiaid, fel na welwn droi allan torfol yn digwydd pan ydym yn dal i fod yng nghanol pandemig, ond yn bennaf er mwyn tawelu eu meddyliau.
Thank you, Delyth. Again, I reiterate what I said to Laura and to Mark. It's been good to work with you. We've found a lot of things in common as well as things where we can disagree, and where we've disagreed we've been able to discuss that disagreement in a civilised way and with the evidence on both sides. So, I'm very grateful to you. It's been a real pleasure to work alongside you as well throughout this Assembly, and, now, Senedd term, which appears to me to have gone extremely quickly in the last few months as well. I can hardly believe we're here at the end of it.
In terms of evictions, yes, absolutely, I agree entirely that we cannot have people being evicted, especially into homelessness, potentially, in the middle of a pandemic. You'll be aware that we've already housed over 6,000 people in the course of the pandemic, which shows you the real extent of the difficulty. The pandemic is making the system creak at its edges, and we certainly don't want to add an enormous number of people from the private rented sector to that in circumstances where they would be unlikely to find anywhere to go, and especially, actually, where they're in a circumstance where they could not go to stay with a friend at the moment inside the COVID rules and so on—not that that's ideal by way of housing people.
Of course, we keep the evictions ban under review in every three-week cycle as always. I'm not in a position yet to say what the First Minister will be announcing on Friday, but, of course, it's one of the things that we consider at each three-week cycle. We continue to do that. We are very aware that the current end is at the end of March, and that is under review. I have constant meetings with my officials about what we can do to make sure that tenants are protected and kept safe during the pandemic, and, also, frankly, what plans we have in place for when the ban is eventually lifted, and what we do with the potential numbers of people who might be presenting as unable to carry on in their present accommodation at that time. So, I can assure you that we are taking it very seriously indeed. I absolutely understand the imperative to do it and it's very much part of the review process.
Diolch, Delyth. Unwaith eto, ailadroddaf yr hyn a ddywedais wrth Laura ac wrth Mark. Mae wedi bod yn dda gweithio gyda chi. Rydym wedi canfod llawer o bethau sy'n gyffredin rhyngom yn ogystal â phethau lle gallwn anghytuno, a lle rydym wedi anghytuno rydym wedi gallu trafod yr anghytundeb hwnnw mewn ffordd wâr a chyda'r dystiolaeth ar y ddwy ochr. Felly, rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i chi. Mae wedi bod yn bleser mawr gweithio ochr yn ochr â chi hefyd drwy gydol y Cynulliad hwn, a thymor y Senedd erbyn hyn, sydd i'w weld wedi mynd yn eithriadol o gyflym yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf hefyd. Prin y gallaf gredu ein bod yma ar ei ddiwedd.
Ar droi allan, yn hollol, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr na allwn gael pobl yn cael eu troi allan, yn enwedig i ddigartrefedd posibl ynghanol pandemig. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol ein bod eisoes wedi cartrefu dros 6,000 o bobl yn ystod y pandemig, sy'n dangos i chi wir faint yr anhawster. Mae'r pandemig yn gwneud i'r system wegian ar ei hymylon, ac yn sicr nid ydym am ychwanegu nifer enfawr o bobl o'r sector rhentu preifat at hynny mewn amgylchiadau lle byddent yn annhebygol o ddod o hyd i unrhyw le i fynd, ac yn enwedig, mewn gwirionedd, lle maent mewn sefyllfa lle na allent fynd i aros gyda ffrind ar hyn o bryd yn sgil y rheolau COVID ac yn y blaen—nid bod hynny'n ddelfrydol o ran cartrefu pobl.
Wrth gwrs, rydym yn parhau i adolygu'r gwaharddiad ar droi allan ym mhob cylch tair wythnos fel bob amser. Nid wyf mewn sefyllfa eto i ddweud beth fydd y Prif Weinidog yn ei gyhoeddi ddydd Gwener, ond wrth gwrs, mae'n un o'r pethau a ystyriwn ym mhob cylch tair wythnos. Rydym yn dal i wneud hynny. Rydym yn ymwybodol iawn fod y diwedd presennol ar ddiwedd mis Mawrth, ac mae hynny'n cael ei adolygu. Rwy'n cael cyfarfodydd cyson gyda fy swyddogion ynglŷn â'r hyn y gallwn ei wneud i sicrhau bod tenantiaid yn cael eu hamddiffyn a'u cadw'n ddiogel yn ystod y pandemig, a hefyd, a dweud y gwir, pa gynlluniau sydd gennym ar waith ar gyfer yr adeg pan fydd y gwaharddiad yn cael ei godi yn y pen draw, a'r hyn a wnawn gyda'r niferoedd posibl o bobl na fydd yn gallu parhau yn eu llety presennol bryd hynny. Felly, gallaf eich sicrhau ein bod o ddifrif ynglŷn â hyn. Rwy'n deall yn iawn y rheidrwydd i'w wneud ac mae'n rhan bwysig o'r broses adolygu.
Okay. Thank you for that, Minister. I'll await eagerly what the announcement will be on Friday.
Turning to another area, the pandemic I think has brought home to all of us—not meaning for it to be a pun—how vital it is to feel safe in our homes. Too many people in Wales feel unsafe in the buildings where they live, often because cladding that the developer has refused to remove is causing them tremendous anxiety. These people are in many ways figuratively trapped in their homes, because they can't sell them, but they also don't feel safe and they face these huge costs in service charges, in bills, that they, frankly, shouldn't have to pay.
Plaid Cymru—I know that you'll know this—has, for years, espoused the need for a windfall tax on the profits of large developers to pay for correcting the problems that they caused, and I know from our previous exchanges that you're interested in this idea too. But, at present, it is probably outside the Senedd's powers to bring that in. So, until we have that power, Minister, do you think the next Welsh Government should finance the repair work with a view to getting the money back, perhaps, from a windfall tax or from other means? After all, these tenants surely can't be just abandoned to their plight.
O'r gorau. Diolch ichi am hynny, Weinidog. Byddaf yn aros yn eiddgar i weld beth fydd y cyhoeddiad ddydd Gwener.
Gan droi at faes arall, rwy'n credu bod y pandemig wedi dangos i bawb ohonom pa mor hanfodol yw teimlo'n ddiogel yn ein cartrefi. Mae gormod o bobl yng Nghymru yn teimlo'n anniogel yn yr adeiladau lle maent yn byw, yn aml oherwydd bod cladin y mae'r datblygwr wedi gwrthod cael gwared arno'n peri pryder aruthrol iddynt. Mae'r bobl hyn mewn sawl ffordd wedi'u caethiwo yn eu cartrefi, oherwydd ni allant eu gwerthu, ond nid ydynt ychwaith yn teimlo'n ddiogel ac maent yn wynebu costau enfawr mewn taliadau gwasanaeth, mewn biliau, na ddylai fod yn rhaid iddynt eu talu a bod yn onest.
Ers blynyddoedd, mae Plaid Cymru—gwn y byddwch yn gwybod hyn—wedi datgan yr angen am dreth ffawdelw ar elw datblygwyr mawr i dalu am unioni'r problemau a achoswyd ganddynt, a gwn o'n trafodaethau blaenorol fod gennych ddiddordeb yn y syniad hwn hefyd. Ond ar hyn o bryd, mae'n debyg ei fod y tu hwnt i bwerau'r Senedd i gyflwyno hynny. Felly, hyd nes y cawn y pŵer hwnnw, Weinidog, a ydych yn credu y dylai Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru ariannu'r gwaith atgyweirio gyda golwg ar gael yr arian yn ôl, efallai, o dreth ffawdelw neu o ddulliau eraill? Wedi'r cyfan, ni ellir troi cefn ar y tenantiaid hyn a'u gadael i wynebu eu trafferthion.
Indeed, Delyth. You'll know, as we've been working on this for some time, that it's fiendishly complicated. I know that it's terribly tempting for people to think it's easy, and I am often told on social media—[Inaudible.]
Yn wir, Delyth. Gan ein bod wedi bod yn gweithio ar hyn ers peth amser, fe fyddwch yn gwybod ei fod yn gymhleth iawn. Rwy'n gwybod ei bod yn demtasiwn ofnadwy i bobl feddwl ei fod yn hawdd, ac rwy'n aml yn cael gwybod ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol—[Anghlywadwy.]
I think we may be losing the connection with the Minister. We'll just pause a second to see if it's re-established.
Rwy'n credu efallai ein bod yn colli'r cysylltiad â'r Gweinidog. Fe wnawn oedi eiliad i weld a ellir ei adfer.
[Inaudible.]—others wouldn't necessarily give you the amount of money that you require to fix the entire building. Often there are complex ownership patterns in the building. There are complex freeholder versus leaseholder issues and so on.
I've been meeting with a series of developers. I met with another one of the big developers only this morning to understand from them what they saw as their responsibility. Many of the builders are now coming forward and saying that they will fix the inherited defects of the building. There is an issue about building owners taking some responsibility rather than the leaseholders themselves. We cannot put a windfall tax on, here in Wales. I have called on the UK Government to do so. I'm happy to do so again on the floor of the Senedd. We are looking ourselves to see whether we could make any kind of levy work in Wales. The difficulty is that not very many people build high-rise buildings in Wales already, and the difficulty is that if you did put a levy on, you'd probably just accomplish stopping them building them rather than actually generating any money from them. So, we need to find a way that actually practically works for people.
I have a set of legal advisers beavering away on a range of options that we've put forward—some that have been suggested to me by you and other Members of the Senedd. Others have been suggested to me by the groups of residents who I've met with. I'm in constant dialogue with the residents as well as with the builders. So, we are trying really hard to find a way through this, and I'll say once again: we are not the repository of all good ideas here. If anybody can find a way through it, then we'd be delighted to hear from them. And I'm very pleased with the conversations that I've been having with the builders, the building industry, the Home Builders Federation and others, about the way forward and what could be done to be able to do this. And we have put some money in the budget to look at the preliminary work for this, and then I'm sure that whatever Government's in power after the election will want to do something to help the leaseholders who are in the most dreadful of plights as we stand.
[Anghlywadwy.]—ni fyddai eraill o reidrwydd yn rhoi'r swm o arian sydd ei angen arnoch i drwsio'r adeilad cyfan. Yn aml mae patrymau perchnogaeth cymhleth yn yr adeilad. Ceir materion cymhleth rhwng rhydd-ddeiliad a lesddeiliaid ac yn y blaen.
Rwyf wedi bod yn cyfarfod â chyfres o ddatblygwyr. Cyfarfûm ag un arall o'r datblygwyr mawr y bore yma i ddeall ganddynt beth a ystyriant yn gyfrifoldeb iddynt hwy. Mae llawer o'r adeiladwyr bellach yn dweud y byddant yn trwsio diffygion etifeddol yr adeilad. Mae problem ynghylch perchnogion adeiladau'n ysgwyddo rhywfaint o gyfrifoldeb yn hytrach na'r lesddeiliaid eu hunain. Ni allwn godi treth ffawdelw yma yng Nghymru. Rwyf wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i wneud hynny. Rwy'n hapus i wneud hynny eto ar lawr y Senedd. Rydym yn edrych i weld a allem wneud i unrhyw fath o ardoll weithio yng Nghymru. Yr anhawster yw nad oes llawer iawn o bobl yn adeiladu adeiladau uchel yng Nghymru eisoes, a phe baech yn rhoi ardoll arnynt, mae'n debyg mai'r cyfan y byddech yn ei gyflawni fyddai eu hatal rhag eu hadeiladu yn hytrach na chynhyrchu unrhyw arian ganddynt. Felly, mae angen inni ddod o hyd i ffordd sy'n gweithio'n ymarferol i bobl.
Mae gennyf gyfres o gynghorwyr cyfreithiol yn gweithio'n galed ar amrywiaeth o opsiynau rydym wedi'u cyflwyno—fe wnaethoch chi ac Aelodau eraill o'r Senedd awgrymu rhai ohonynt. Cafodd eraill eu hawgrymu wrthyf gan y grwpiau o breswylwyr y cyfarfûm â hwy. Rwy'n trafod yn gyson gyda'r trigolion yn ogystal â chyda'r adeiladwyr. Felly, rydym yn ymdrechu'n galed iawn i ddod o hyd i ffordd drwy hyn, a dywedaf unwaith eto: nid oes gennym fonopoli ar syniadau da yma. Os gall unrhyw un ddod o hyd i ffordd drwy hyn, byddem wrth ein bodd yn clywed ganddynt. Ac rwy'n falch iawn o'r sgyrsiau a gefais gyda'r adeiladwyr, y diwydiant adeiladu, y Ffederasiwn Adeiladwyr Cartrefi ac eraill, am y ffordd ymlaen a beth y gellid ei wneud i allu gwneud hyn. Ac rydym wedi rhoi arian yn y gyllideb i edrych ar y gwaith rhagarweiniol ar ei gyfer, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd pa Lywodraeth bynnag sydd mewn grym ar ôl yr etholiad am wneud rhywbeth i helpu'r lesddeiliaid sy'n wynebu'r trafferthion mwyaf ofnadwy ar hyn o bryd.
Okay, thank you for that, Minister. My final question: I'd like to ask you about some of the more far-reaching changes to the planning system that our society surely needs. I do realise that planning does span different portfolios, but evidently there's a link with the welfare of residents, and the quality of housing and the communities that those houses support. Because, at present, large developers have if not all the power, then an awful lot of it and are therefore able to avoid section 106 responsibilities. Not enough residents and people living in communities understand how the planning system works. So, do you agree that the past performance of a developer should be a material consideration in whether they get awarded new jobs? Shouldn't planning laws stipulate that a development can only go ahead when the initial phases of the development have actually been completed—for example, those bits that the developers often see as the nice-to-have, easy-to-get-out-of, like playing parks for children? And do you agree with me that all new developments—all new homes, that is—should have easy access to green and, if possible, blue space as well, so that everyone can have the benefit, and the welfare benefits, that come about as a result of being able to live near natural life?
Iawn, diolch ichi am hynny, Weinidog. Fy nghwestiwn olaf: hoffwn eich holi am rai o'r newidiadau mwy pellgyrhaeddol i'r system gynllunio sy'n sicr o fod eu hangen ar ein cymdeithas. Rwy'n sylweddoli bod cynllunio'n rhychwantu gwahanol bortffolios, ond mae'n amlwg fod cysylltiad â lles trigolion, ac ansawdd tai a'r cymunedau y mae'r tai hynny'n eu cynnal. Oherwydd ar hyn o bryd, yn nwylo'r datblygwyr mawr y mae llawer iawn o'r pŵer, os nad i gyd ac felly gallant osgoi cyfrifoldebau adran 106. Nid oes digon o breswylwyr a phobl sy'n byw mewn cymunedau yn deall sut y mae'r system gynllunio'n gweithio. Felly, a ydych yn cytuno y dylai perfformiad datblygwr yn y gorffennol fod yn ystyriaeth berthnasol wrth farnu a ddylent gael gwaith newydd? Oni ddylai cyfreithiau cynllunio nodi mai dim ond pan fydd camau cychwynnol y datblygiad wedi'u cwblhau mewn gwirionedd y gall datblygiad fynd yn ei flaen—er enghraifft, y rhannau hynny y mae datblygwyr yn aml yn eu gweld fel pethau sy'n braf eu cael, ond yn hawdd dod allan ohonynt, fel parciau chwarae i blant? Ac a ydych yn cytuno â mi y dylai pob datblygiad newydd—pob cartref newydd, hynny yw—gael mynediad hawdd at fannau gwyrdd ac os yn bosibl, at fannau glas hefyd, fel y gall pawb gael y budd, a'r manteision lles, sy'n digwydd o ganlyniad i allu byw'n agos at fyd natur?
Yes, I certainly agree with some of those propositions and I agree with the thrust of them certainly. So, there are some real issues with the past performance points. I understand entirely what you're trying to achieve with that, but, of course, there's absolutely nothing to stop people setting up individual single-vehicle companies to build particular buildings and so on. You get a real problem of exactly who it is you think has the past performance problems. These things have been tried in various parts and there are difficulties with them, but I understand the point you're making and it is something we want to be able to explore.
The better way of doing it, of course, is to make the planning system work properly and to encourage people to come forward in the right democratic way and to enable them to do so—so, assisting organisations such as Planning Aid to make sure that local populations are able to engage in the planning process at an early stage and not just when they realise a development they don't like is about to, you know, have the signs go up and the notices on telegraph poles all around, but to actually get them to engage in the planning process. I'm really keen on doing that and there are ways and means of doing that through organisations, such as Planning Aid and others, which do help various communities to come forward with particular things that they'd like to see in their areas. So, I'm very pleased to do that.
There are a whole range of things that we wanted to do and weren't able to do, because of the pandemic, around building regulations, which enforce things like space standards, green infrastructure, parks, outside space and so on, which I'm sure any Government that is in power after the upcoming elections will want to take forward. The vast majority of the work has been done already by officials, but we just couldn't, because of the pandemic, bring it to fruition this side of the elections. So, I'm very keen that whoever is in power afterwards is able to take advantage of that. And that would solve some of the issues that you're talking about—about making sure that the houses are decent, quality houses for life, with outdoor space, or decent balconies and so on if they're flats. So, I'm very keen on doing that.
The last bit of that jigsaw, which is much more complex, is the issue of what you do about extant planning consents that have not yet been developed out, but are now subject to old rules. So, the example I'd like to give you is the one of the building sprinklers. My colleague Ann Jones put that groundbreaking legislation through. It was pilloried at the time; it's been proved in hindsight to have been absolutely right, but we still have new houses being built in Wales that don't have sprinklers in them because people had a planning consent that had been started and they were allowed to build it out. So, I would like very much to have the space and time to look again at the planning legislation to see if we can't do something about making sure that people build to the current building regulations and not the ones in existence at the time that planning consents started. So, absolutely, we'd like to be working on that after the election. There is a large number of people across Wales who are interested in looking to see what can be done in that space. If we're all back after the election, I'm sure we'll be able to put together a quick working group to be able to do that.
Ydw, yn sicr rwy'n cytuno â rhai o'r cynigion hynny a chytunaf â'u byrdwn yn sicr. Felly, mae rhai problemau gwirioneddol gyda'r pwyntiau ynglŷn â pherfformiad yn y gorffennol. Rwy'n deall yn iawn beth rydych chi'n ceisio'i gyflawni gyda hynny, ond wrth gwrs, nid oes unrhyw beth o gwbl i atal pobl rhag sefydlu cwmnïau un cerbyd i adeiladu adeiladau penodol ac yn y blaen. Rydych yn wynebu problem wirioneddol o ran pwy'n union rydych chi'n credu sydd â'r problemau perfformiad yn y gorffennol. Rhoddwyd cynnig ar y pethau hyn mewn gwahanol fannau ac mae anawsterau'n codi gyda hwy, ond rwy'n deall y pwynt rydych chi'n ei wneud ac mae'n rhywbeth rydym eisiau gallu ei archwilio.
Y ffordd well o'i wneud, wrth gwrs, yw gwneud i'r system gynllunio weithio'n iawn ac annog pobl i ddod ymlaen yn y ffordd ddemocrataidd gywir a'u galluogi i wneud hynny—felly, cynorthwyo sefydliadau fel Cymorth Cynllunio i sicrhau bod poblogaethau lleol yn gallu cymryd rhan yn y broses gynllunio yn gynnar ac nid dim ond pan fyddant yn sylweddoli bod datblygiad nad ydynt yn ei hoffi ar fin cael ei godi, wyddoch chi, pan fydd yr arwyddion wedi'u codi a'r hysbysiadau ar byst telegraff ym mhobman, ond eu cael i gymryd rhan yn y broses gynllunio mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n awyddus iawn i wneud hynny ac mae ffyrdd o wneud hynny drwy sefydliadau, megis Cymorth Cynllunio ac eraill, sy'n helpu gwahanol gymunedau i gyflwyno pethau penodol yr hoffent eu gweld yn eu hardaloedd. Felly, rwy'n falch iawn o wneud hynny.
Ceir ystod eang o bethau roeddem am eu gwneud ac nad oeddem yn gallu eu gwneud oherwydd y pandemig, yn ymwneud â rheoliadau adeiladu, sy'n gorfodi pethau fel safonau gofod, seilwaith gwyrdd, parciau, gofod awyr agored ac yn y blaen, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd unrhyw Lywodraeth sydd mewn grym ar ôl yr etholiadau sydd ar y ffordd eisiau eu datblygu. Mae'r rhan helaethaf o'r gwaith wedi'i wneud eisoes gan swyddogion, ond oherwydd y pandemig, ni allem ei orffen cyn yr etholiadau. Felly, rwy'n awyddus iawn i bwy bynnag sydd mewn grym wedyn allu manteisio ar hynny. A byddai hynny'n datrys rhai o'r materion rydych yn sôn amdanynt—ynglŷn â sicrhau bod y tai yn dai o ansawdd da am oes, gyda gofod awyr agored, neu falconïau addas ac yn y blaen os mai fflatiau ydynt. Felly, rwy'n awyddus iawn i wneud hynny.
Y darn olaf o'r jig-so hwnnw, sy'n llawer mwy cymhleth, yw'r hyn a wnewch am ganiatâd cynllunio sydd eisoes wedi'i roi ond nad yw wedi'i ddatblygu eto, ac sy'n ddarostyngedig i hen reolau erbyn hyn. Felly, yr enghraifft yr hoffwn ei rhoi i chi yw un y systemau chwistrellu mewn adeiladau. Sicrhaodd fy nghyd-Aelod Ann Jones fod y ddeddfwriaeth arloesol honno'n mynd drwodd. Cafodd ei gwawdio ar y pryd; profwyd wrth edrych yn ôl ei bod yn hollol gywir, ond mae gennym dai newydd yn dal i gael eu hadeiladu yng Nghymru heb systemau chwistrellu ynddynt oherwydd bod gan bobl ganiatâd cynllunio a oedd wedi'i ddechrau ac roedd ganddynt hawl i orffen y gwaith adeiladu. Felly, hoffwn gael lle ac amser i edrych eto ar y ddeddfwriaeth gynllunio i weld a allwn wneud rhywbeth ynglŷn â sicrhau bod pobl yn adeiladu yn ôl y rheoliadau adeiladu presennol ac nid y rhai a oedd yn bodoli ar yr adeg y dechreuodd y caniatâd cynllunio. Felly, yn sicr, hoffem weithio ar hynny ar ôl yr etholiad. Mae gan nifer fawr o bobl ledled Cymru ddiddordeb mewn edrych i weld beth y gellir ei wneud ynglŷn â hynny. Os ydym i gyd yn ôl ar ôl yr etholiad, rwy'n siŵr y gallwn lunio gweithgor cyflym i allu gwneud hynny.
3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y cymorth ariannol a ddarperir gan Lywodraeth Cymru i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent? OQ56406
3. Will the Minister make a statement on the financial support provided by the Welsh Government to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council? OQ56406
Yes. Welsh Government provides financial support to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council through core unhypothecated funding, as well as by specific grants to the authority for a range of shared priorities.
Gwnaf. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi cymorth ariannol i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent drwy gyllid craidd heb ei neilltuo, yn ogystal â thrwy grantiau penodol i'r awdurdod ar gyfer amrywiaeth o flaenoriaethau a rennir.
I'm grateful to the Minister for that. We are aware that the current local government settlement is an extremely generous settlement, and it's one that builds upon considerable additional expenditure through the pandemic to support local authorities who haven't been able to exercise their usual funding sources in the usual way, and they've had to deal with significant additional pressures. So, this builds on a policy that has been pursued by successive Welsh Governments that protects local government, that protects local services and protects local jobs, and this is done in a way that demonstrates a real commitment to local democracy in Wales as compared with the situation across our borders.
The £6.3 billion in capital and revenue expenditure being provided to local government in the budget we agreed yesterday is something that will enable councils not only in Blaenau Gwent, but across Wales to invest in their people, in their services and in their communities. I hope, Minister, you will agree with me that this is the way in which we exercise our values as Welsh Labour—investing in local people, local councils and local democracy—and there's a very, very real comparison with the way that local government is being torn to pieces across the border in England.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am hynny. Rydym yn ymwybodol fod y setliad llywodraeth leol presennol yn setliad hael iawn, ac mae'n un sy'n adeiladu ar wariant ychwanegol sylweddol drwy'r pandemig i gefnogi awdurdodau lleol nad ydynt wedi gallu defnyddio eu ffynonellau ariannu arferol yn y ffordd arferol, ac maent wedi gorfod ymdopi â phwysau ychwanegol sylweddol. Felly, mae hyn yn adeiladu ar bolisi a ddilynwyd gan Lywodraethau olynol yng Nghymru sy'n diogelu llywodraeth leol, yn diogelu gwasanaethau lleol ac yn diogelu swyddi lleol, a gwneir hyn mewn ffordd sy'n dangos ymrwymiad gwirioneddol i ddemocratiaeth leol yng Nghymru o'i chymharu â'r sefyllfa ar draws ein ffin.
Mae'r £6.3 biliwn mewn gwariant cyfalaf a refeniw sy'n cael ei ddarparu i lywodraeth leol yn y gyllideb y cytunwyd arni ddoe yn rhywbeth a fydd yn galluogi cynghorau nid yn unig ym Mlaenau Gwent, ond ledled Cymru i fuddsoddi yn eu pobl, yn eu gwasanaethau ac yn eu cymunedau. Weinidog, rwy'n gobeithio eich bod yn cytuno mai dyma'r ffordd y mynegwn ein gwerthoedd fel Llafur Cymru—buddsoddi mewn pobl leol, cynghorau lleol a democratiaeth leol—ac mae cymhariaeth real iawn â'r ffordd y mae llywodraeth leol yn cael ei thynnu'n ddarnau dros y ffin yn Lloegr.
I do indeed agree with Alun Davies on that point. I was very pleased in the settlement yesterday to have prioritised funding for front-line public services. The budget overall that my colleague Rebecca Evans presented just before I presented the local government settlement prioritised funding for health and local government very much in that budget, and local government in Wales indeed has had a very good settlement.
In terms of Blaenau Gwent, the core unhypothecated funding for Blaenau Gwent council increased to over £120 million for 2021-22, which is an increase of 3.7 per cent, after adjusting for various transfers, overall. This comes, of course, after the excellent settlement in this current financial year for Blaenau Gwent, which increased by £4.3 million, an increase of 3.9 per cent after adjusting for transfers. Within the hardship fund, indeed, we've provided Blaenau Gwent with an additional £4.57 million for additional costs, and a further £1.7 million for lost income as at the end of February, which is a total of £6.27 million in addition to its normal funding, in order to take account of the hardships that that council, like many others, has experienced due to the pandemic.
We take the view in Welsh Government—again, unlike colleagues across the border—that local democracy is a good thing and that local people elect their council and their council should be allowed to set the council tax that it requires. Blaenau Gwent, I understand, is increasing its council tax by 3.3 per cent, which is on the high side for Wales given the generosity of the settlement, but, again, we chose not to cap the council on the basis that we think local people elect the council that they want to have and they do the good job of deciding what the council tax should be. We have, however, asked councils to look very carefully at what's affordable in their area and, of course, I'm delighted to say that we have maintained full entitlement under the council tax reduction scheme for 2021-22, and we're providing £244 million under the council tax reduction scheme in the settlement in recognition of that. So, where there is hardship and the council tax is rising, people will be entitled to claim under the council tax reduction scheme. Again, no such scheme exists over the border, as it was abolished, as you know. I believe you might have been the Minister at the time of the abolition, actually, Alun. We decided to maintain that scheme, even though it wasn't fully funded when that happened. So, I'm delighted to be able to say that, but I do believe in local democracy and we have therefore allowed each council to have the freedom to set its own council tax. They have commended the very good settlement they have had for the second year running from the Welsh Government to them.
Rwy'n sicr yn cytuno ag Alun Davies ar y pwynt hwnnw. Roeddwn yn falch iawn yn y setliad ddoe fy mod wedi blaenoriaethu cyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus rheng flaen. Roedd y gyllideb gyffredinol a gyflwynodd fy nghyd-Weinidog Rebecca Evans ychydig cyn imi gyflwyno'r setliad llywodraeth leol yn blaenoriaethu cyllid ar gyfer iechyd a llywodraeth leol yn y gyllideb honno i raddau mawr iawn, ac yn wir mae llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru wedi cael setliad da iawn.
O safbwynt Blaenau Gwent, cynyddodd y cyllid craidd heb ei neilltuo ar gyfer cyngor Blaenau Gwent i dros £120 miliwn ar gyfer 2021-22, sy'n gynnydd o 3.7 y cant i gyd, ar ôl addasu ar gyfer trosglwyddiadau amrywiol. Daw hyn, wrth gwrs, ar ôl y setliad rhagorol yn y flwyddyn ariannol gyfredol hon i Flaenau Gwent, a gynyddodd £4.3 miliwn, cynnydd o 3.9 y cant ar ôl addasu ar gyfer trosglwyddiadau. O fewn y gronfa caledi yn wir, rydym wedi darparu £4.57 miliwn ychwanegol i Flaenau Gwent ar gyfer costau ychwanegol, ac £1.7 miliwn arall ar gyfer incwm a gollwyd hyd at ddiwedd mis Chwefror, sef cyfanswm o £6.27 miliwn yn ychwanegol at ei gyllid arferol, er mwyn ystyried y caledi y mae'r cyngor hwnnw, fel llawer o rai eraill, wedi'i brofi oherwydd y pandemig.
Rydym ni yn Llywodraeth Cymru—unwaith eto, yn wahanol i gymheiriaid dros y ffin—o'r farn fod democratiaeth leol yn beth da ac y dylid caniatáu i bobl leol ethol eu cyngor a dylid caniatáu i'w cyngor osod y dreth gyngor y mae ei hangen. Rwy'n deall bod Blaenau Gwent yn cynyddu ei dreth gyngor 3.3 y cant, sydd ar yr ochr uchel i Gymru o gofio haelioni'r setliad, ond unwaith eto, fe wnaethom ddewis peidio â chapio'r cyngor ar y sail ein bod yn credu bod pobl leol yn ethol y cyngor y maent am ei gael a hwy sy'n gwneud y gwaith da o benderfynu beth ddylai'r dreth gyngor fod. Fodd bynnag, rydym wedi gofyn i gynghorau edrych yn ofalus iawn ar yr hyn sy'n fforddiadwy yn eu hardal ac wrth gwrs, mae'n bleser gennyf ddweud ein bod wedi cynnal hawl lawn o dan gynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor ar gyfer 2021-22, ac rydym yn darparu £244 miliwn o dan gynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor yn y setliad i gydnabod hynny. Felly, lle ceir caledi a lle mae'r dreth gyngor yn codi, bydd gan bobl hawl i wneud cais o dan gynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor. Unwaith eto, nid oes cynllun o'r fath yn bodoli dros y ffin, gan iddo gael ei ddiddymu, fel y gwyddoch. Credaf efallai mai chi oedd y Gweinidog ar adeg y diddymu, mewn gwirionedd, Alun. Penderfynwyd cadw'r cynllun hwnnw, er nad oedd wedi ei ariannu'n llawn pan ddigwyddodd hynny. Felly, rwy'n falch iawn o allu dweud hynny, ond rwy'n credu mewn democratiaeth leol ac felly rydym wedi caniatáu i bob cyngor gael rhyddid i bennu ei dreth gyngor ei hun. Maent wedi cymeradwyo'r setliad da iawn a gawsant am yr ail flwyddyn yn olynol gan Lywodraeth Cymru.
4. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gynyddu'r cyflenwad o dai cymdeithasol yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon? OQ56395
4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to increase the supply of social housing during this Senedd term? OQ56395
Thank you, Vikki. We have made a record investment in affordable housing this Senedd term. The 2019-20 statistics have confirmed that, as a direct result of our investment, we will exceed our ambitious target of 20,000 affordable homes this Government term.
Diolch, Vikki. Rydym wedi buddsoddi mwy nag erioed mewn tai fforddiadwy yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon. Mae ystadegau 2019-20 wedi cadarnhau y byddwn, o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i'n buddsoddiad, yn rhagori ar ein targed uchelgeisiol o 20,000 o dai fforddiadwy yn nhymor y Llywodraeth hon.
Thank you, Minister. As well as giving vulnerable people homes that are fit for purpose, the social housing grant has also helped regenerate key derelict, disused or empty sites, often in very prominent places in our communities. One example in my own constituency is the disused building on Oxford Street in the town centre in Mountain Ash, which Cynon Taf Housing is turning into much-needed one-bedroomed flats through the grant. Minister, I know you put on record before your commitment to continue providing social homes for rent in the next Senedd term, but do you agree with me that such schemes can also prove to be key drivers in transforming and improving our communities for all residents?
Diolch, Weinidog. Yn ogystal â rhoi cartrefi addas i'r diben i bobl sy'n agored i niwed, mae'r grant tai cymdeithasol hefyd wedi helpu i adfywio safleoedd allweddol sy'n ddiffaith a segur, sydd i'w gweld yn aml mewn mannau amlwg iawn yn ein cymunedau. Un enghraifft yn fy etholaeth i yw'r adeilad segur ar Stryd Rhydychen yng nghanol y dref yn Aberpennar, safle y mae Tai Cynon Taf yn ei droi'n fflatiau un ystafell wely mawr eu hangen drwy'r grant. Weinidog, gwn eich bod wedi cofnodi cyn hyn eich ymrwymiad i barhau i ddarparu cartrefi cymdeithasol i'w rhentu yn nhymor nesaf y Senedd, ond a ydych yn cytuno â mi y gall cynlluniau o'r fath hefyd fod yn ysgogiad allweddol i drawsnewid a gwella ein cymunedau i'r holl drigolion?
Thank you, Vikki. Yes, we're very proud of the juxtaposition of various Government policies. So, our Transforming Towns agenda goes alongside, of course, our social housing policy agenda, and we're very keen to make sure that we have good social housing, good, affordable housing, built close to, adjacent to, our town centres, and preferably, as you say, in derelict buildings or on derelict land that has hitherto been an eyesore and a detriment to the society. What it does, of course, is it brings vibrancy, new hope and optimism and footfall to the city centre, so it's a lovely combination of the ability to give people really lovely homes, which will be easy to afford and they'll be proud to live in, and which will also increases the footfall in the city centre and takes away a building that would otherwise have been a detriment. So, I'm very pleased at the way the Transforming Towns agenda and the social house building agenda have combined together to be able to have that effect in places such as Mountain Ash. I know you've been a big champion of the need to rejuvenate local towns in your area. I well remember the video presentation you did, when we were all back in the Chamber, of the various places in your constituency that required that kind of regeneration, and I'm delighted that one of them is coming to fruition, and really pleased to see that it's single-bedroom flats, which are one of the most sought-after things that we need in the social housing sector. As a result of the pandemic, you'll know that we've already housed over 6,000 people. We are very clearly driving now to build the permanent homes that people need in order to prevent them experiencing that kind of homelessness again.
Diolch, Vikki. Ydym, rydym yn falch iawn o'r modd y caiff gwahanol bolisïau'r Llywodraeth eu cyfosod. Felly, mae ein hagenda Trawsnewid Trefi yn cyd-fynd, wrth gwrs, â'n hagenda polisi tai cymdeithasol, ac rydym yn awyddus iawn i sicrhau bod gennym dai cymdeithasol da, tai fforddiadwy da, wedi'u hadeiladu'n agos at ganol ein trefi, ac yn ddelfrydol, fel y dywedwch, mewn adeiladau diffaith neu ar dir diffaith sydd wedi bod yn ddolur llygad hyd yma ac yn niweidiol i'r gymdeithas. Yr hyn y mae'n ei wneud, wrth gwrs, yw dod â bywiogrwydd, gobaith newydd ac optimistiaeth ac ymwelwyr i ganol y ddinas, felly mae'n gyfuniad hyfryd o'r gallu i roi cartrefi hyfryd iawn i bobl, a fydd yn hawdd eu fforddio, cartrefi y byddant yn falch o fyw ynddynt, ac a fydd hefyd yn cynyddu nifer yr ymwelwyr â chanol y ddinas ac yn cael gwared ar adeilad a fyddai wedi bod yn niweidiol fel arall. Felly, rwy'n falch iawn o'r ffordd y mae'r agenda Trawsnewid Trefi a'r agenda adeiladu tai cymdeithasol wedi cyfuno i allu cael yr effaith honno mewn lleoedd fel Aberpennar. Rwy'n gwybod eich bod wedi bod yn dadlau'n gryf dros yr angen i adfywio trefi lleol yn eich ardal. Cofiaf yn dda y cyflwyniad fideo a wnaethoch, pan oeddem i gyd yn y Siambr, o'r gwahanol leoedd yn eich etholaeth a oedd angen y math hwnnw o adfywio, ac rwy'n falch iawn fod un ohonynt yn dwyn ffrwyth, ac yn falch iawn o weld mai fflatiau un ystafell wely ydynt, sef un o'r pethau y mae fwyaf o'u hangen yn y sector tai cymdeithasol. O ganlyniad i'r pandemig, fe fyddwch yn gwybod ein bod eisoes wedi cartrefu dros 6,000 o bobl. Rydym yn amlwg iawn yn gwthio yn awr i adeiladu'r cartrefi parhaol y mae ar bobl eu hangen er mwyn eu hatal rhag profi digartrefedd o'r fath eto.
Minister, do you agree with me that we need to see in the 2020s a social housing renaissance, building at, or preferably above, historical trends? And are you, like me, particularly concerned with that new group: people in their 30s and 40s on good incomes but having no family wealth and that cannot access the market to purchase family homes, to the great detriment of their children?
Weinidog, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod angen inni weld aileni tai cymdeithasol yn y 2020au, gan adeiladu yn ôl tueddiadau hanesyddol, neu'n uwch na hynny os oes modd? Ac a ydych chi, fel fi, yn pryderu'n benodol am y grŵp newydd hwnnw: pobl yn eu 30au a'u 40au ar incwm da ond heb gyfoeth teuluol na allant gael mynediad at y farchnad i brynu cartrefi teuluol, er anfantais fawr i'w plant?
Yes. I absolutely agree with that, David Melding. We have been very keen to extend, for example, the Help to Buy schemes. We're very keen not only to help younger people, from my perspective, who are in their 30s and so on, just with their families, to access good-quality homes, but we're very keen to help our building industry build them in circumstances where they occasionally need Government help to do so. I'm also very keen, though, to use the leverage that that Government funding brings to build the right kind of homes in the right kind of places and to the right kind of standard. I've been very straightforward with the house building industry here in Wales that we want to see the houses built for the future that people continue to be proud to live in, they don't experience fuel poverty in, they are carbon-passive or carbon-neutral where at all possible, they have the space standards necessary for people to be able to adapt to the changing conditions of their life in those houses. I know you agree with that agenda as well. I'm working very hard to ensure that we will have a continued Help to Buy system in Wales, that we continue to have a rent-to-own scheme in Wales, which has been very successful in very large parts of Wales and which allows people who perhaps don't have a deposit nevertheless to get a foot on the housing ladder, and to have a range of shared equity, shared ownership, co-operative ownership and community land trust-type schemes around Wales, as well as, of course, building the necessary amount of social housing so that people can access social housing should they need to and not be driven into perhaps sub-standard private rented sector accommodation.
Ydw. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â hynny, David Melding. Rydym wedi bod yn awyddus iawn i ymestyn, er enghraifft, y cynlluniau Cymorth i Brynu. Rydym yn awyddus iawn nid yn unig i helpu pobl iau, o'm safbwynt i, sydd yn eu 30au ac yn y blaen, gyda'u teuluoedd, i gael mynediad at gartrefi o ansawdd da, ond rydym yn awyddus iawn i helpu ein diwydiant adeiladu i'w hadeiladu mewn amgylchiadau lle mae angen help gan y Llywodraeth arnynt weithiau i wneud hynny. Rwyf hefyd yn awyddus iawn, serch hynny, i ddefnyddio'r ysgogiad a ddaw yn sgil cyllid y Llywodraeth i adeiladu'r math cywir o gartrefi yn y math cywir o leoedd ac i'r math cywir o safon. Rwyf wedi dweud yn bendant iawn wrth y diwydiant adeiladu tai yma yng Nghymru ein bod am weld tai'n cael eu hadeiladu ar gyfer y dyfodol y mae pobl yn parhau i fod yn falch o fyw ynddynt, nad ydynt yn wynebu tlodi tanwydd, eu bod yn oddefol o ran eu defnydd o garbon neu'n garbon niwtral lle bo'n bosibl, fod ganddynt y safonau gofod sy'n angenrheidiol er mwyn i bobl allu addasu i amodau newidiol eu bywydau yn y tai hynny. Gwn eich bod yn cytuno â'r agenda honno hefyd. Rwy'n gweithio'n galed iawn i sicrhau y bydd gennym system Cymorth i Brynu barhaus yng Nghymru, ein bod yn parhau i fod â chynllun rhentu i brynu yng Nghymru, sydd wedi bod yn llwyddiannus iawn mewn rhannau helaeth iawn o Gymru ac sy'n caniatáu i bobl nad oes ganddynt flaendal i gael troed ar yr ysgol dai er hynny, ac i gael amrywiaeth o gynlluniau rhannu ecwiti, rhanberchnogaeth, perchnogaeth mentrau cydweithredol a chynlluniau tebyg i ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol ledled Cymru, yn ogystal ag adeiladu'r nifer angenrheidiol o dai cymdeithasol wrth gwrs fel y gall pobl gael gafael ar dai cymdeithasol os bydd angen a pheidio â chael eu gwthio i gartrefi sector rhentu preifat o safon isel.
Minister, while your Government is on track to meet its affordable homes target for this Senedd term, do you accept that this target was woefully inadequate? I congratulate you for doing more than previous Welsh Governments, but I'm disappointed that you have failed to address the real need that exists for social housing. The new homes that have been built had been snapped up before the first brick was even laid. Families are still waiting years to get a home; far too many children are living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation; and far too many people are still sleeping rough or sofa surfing. Do you accept that your target was not ambitious enough, and should you be returned to this Parliament and be part of the next Welsh Government, will you please pledge to do more? Because in the twenty-first century, it is morally reprehensible that people are still homeless and that they're still living in unsuitable accommodation for their needs. Diolch yn fawr.
Weinidog, er bod eich Llywodraeth ar y trywydd iawn i gyrraedd ei tharged tai fforddiadwy ar gyfer tymor y Senedd hon, a ydych yn derbyn bod y targed hwn yn druenus o annigonol? Rwy’n eich llongyfarch am wneud mwy na Llywodraethau Cymru yn y gorffennol, ond rwy’n siomedig eich bod wedi methu mynd i’r afael â’r gwir angen sy’n bodoli am dai cymdeithasol. Cafodd y cartrefi newydd a adeiladwyd eu bachu cyn i'r fricsen gyntaf gael ei gosod hyd yn oed. Mae teuluoedd yn dal i aros blynyddoedd i gael cartref; mae gormod o lawer o blant yn byw mewn llety gwely a brecwast; ac mae gormod o lawer o bobl yn dal i gysgu ar y stryd neu ar soffas. A ydych yn derbyn nad oedd eich targed yn ddigon uchelgeisiol, ac os byddwch yn dychwelyd i'r Senedd hon ac yn rhan o Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru, a wnewch chi addo gwneud mwy os gwelwch yn dda? Oherwydd yn yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, mae'n resynus yn foesol fod pobl yn dal yn ddigartref a'u bod yn dal i fyw mewn llety sy'n anaddas i'w hanghenion. Diolch yn fawr.
Well, Caroline, I'm a little bit astonished that you can make such a dismal fist of something that we're really proud of here in Wales, and I have to say that I don't agree with virtually anything you said, apart from the two sentences right there at the end.
We're incredibly proud of our record of having made our 20,000 affordable homes. Of course, we were only able to up our council house building in the last two years, once the Conservative Government finally saw sense and took the caps off the housing revenue accounts so that, two years ago, we were able to start ramping up our council house building. We've done incredibly well over that. Our latest provisional statistics show that, in 2019-20, a total of 2,940 additional affordable housing units were delivered across Wales, and I'm delighted that that not only builds on our previous success, but sets a new record. There's an increase of 13 per cent on the previous year and the highest annual total to date since records began.
Of course, because of the impacts of COVID-19, we haven't exceeded the target at the levels we would've liked to have done. I have to say, we're not working towards the 20,000 affordable homes; the official statistics show that we have met that target now. I'm disappointed that, because of the pandemic, it slowed down and we weren't able to go as fast as we would've liked to, but we've also got an incredibly proud record of how we've managed homelessness throughout Wales. I'm incredibly proud of the people in local authorities and third sector organisations, housing support services right across Wales who have absolutely gone the extra mile—5 miles—in making sure that people are housed throughout this pandemic, in stark contrast to the Conservatives across our border. We have not had a pandemic of people sleeping rough on our streets during the crisis, and we are very, very proud indeed of the fact that we have housed over 6,000 people. We've invested over £137 million in social housing grants in 2019-20, and over £25 million in housing finance grants to support the provision of social housing in Wales. And we're investing £71.5 million in revenue funding under the affordable housing grant programme to assist local housing authorities to build new council homes. So, I just do not accept at all the premise that she based her question on. Llywydd, we are very proud indeed of this Government's achievements in the social housing sector, and I very much hope that we will be able to continue that for the next five years.
Wel, Caroline, rwyf wedi synnu braidd eich bod yn gallu wfftio rhywbeth rydym yn wirioneddol falch ohono yma yng Nghymru i’r fath raddau, ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud nad wyf yn cytuno ag unrhyw beth a ddywedasoch, bron â bod, ar wahân i’r ddwy frawddeg olaf honno.
Rydym yn hynod falch o'n cyflawniad o fod wedi cyrraedd ein 20,000 o dai fforddiadwy. Wrth gwrs, dim ond yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf y bu modd inni gynyddu faint o dai cyngor a oedd yn cael eu hadeiladu, ar ôl i'r Llywodraeth Geidwadol wneud y peth iawn o'r diwedd a chael gwared ar y capiau ar y cyfrifon refeniw tai fel ein bod, ddwy flynedd yn ôl, wedi gallu dechrau cynyddu faint o dai cyngor yr oeddem yn eu hadeiladu. Rydym wedi gwneud yn anhygoel o dda yn hynny o beth. Mae ein hystadegau dros dro diweddaraf yn dangos, yn 2019-20, fod cyfanswm o 2,940 o unedau tai fforddiadwy ychwanegol wedi’u cyflenwi ledled Cymru, ac rwy'n falch iawn fod hynny nid yn unig yn adeiladu ar ein llwyddiant blaenorol, ond yn gosod record newydd. Mae’n gynnydd o 13 y cant o'i gymharu â'r flwyddyn flaenorol, a dyma’r cyfanswm blynyddol uchaf ers dechrau cadw cofnodion.
Wrth gwrs, oherwydd effeithiau COVID-19, nid ydym wedi rhagori ar y targed ar y lefelau y byddem wedi hoffi. Mae’n rhaid imi ddweud nad ydym yn gweithio tuag at yr 20,000 o dai fforddiadwy; mae'r ystadegau swyddogol yn dangos ein bod wedi cyrraedd y targed hwnnw bellach. Rwy'n siomedig, oherwydd y pandemig, fod y gwaith wedi arafu ac nad oeddem yn gallu mynd mor gyflym ag y byddem wedi’i hoffi, ond rydym yn hynod o falch hefyd o'n cyflawniad yn rheoli digartrefedd ledled Cymru. Rwy'n hynod falch o'r bobl yn yr awdurdodau lleol a sefydliadau'r trydydd sector, gwasanaethau cymorth tai ledled Cymru sydd wedi gwneud mwy na’r disgwyl—llawer mwy na’r disgwyl—i gartrefu pobl drwy gydol y pandemig, mewn cyferbyniad llwyr â'r Ceidwadwyr dros y ffin. Nid ydym wedi cael pandemig o bobl yn cysgu allan ar ein strydoedd yn ystod yr argyfwng, ac rydym yn falch dros ben o'r ffaith ein bod wedi cartrefu dros 6,000 o bobl. Rydym wedi buddsoddi dros £137 miliwn mewn grantiau tai cymdeithasol yn 2019-20, a dros £25 miliwn mewn grantiau cyllid tai i gefnogi’r gwaith o ddarparu tai cymdeithasol yng Nghymru. Ac rydym yn buddsoddi £71.5 miliwn mewn cyllid refeniw o dan raglen y grant tai fforddiadwy i gynorthwyo awdurdodau tai lleol i adeiladu tai cyngor newydd. Felly, nid wyf yn derbyn y rhagosodiad a oedd yn sail i’w chwestiwn o gwbl. Lywydd, rydym yn falch iawn wir o gyflawniadau'r Llywodraeth hon yn y sector tai cymdeithasol, ac rwy'n mawr obeithio y byddwn yn gallu parhau â hynny am y pum mlynedd nesaf.
5. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud y broses gynllunio yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru yn fwy ymatebol i breswylwyr? OQ56389
5. How is the Welsh Government making the planning process in north-east Wales more responsive to residents? OQ56389
Thank you, Jack. National planning policy, 'Future Wales' and local development plans collectively create a framework to ensure that communities are able to effectively and meaningfully engage in proposals that impact on their areas. LDPs have several statutory and informal stages where communities can directly shape and influence the future of their locality.
Diolch, Jack. Gyda'i gilydd, mae polisi cynllunio cenedlaethol, ‘Cymru’r Dyfodol' a chynlluniau datblygu lleol yn creu fframwaith i sicrhau y gall cymunedau ymwneud â chynigion sy'n effeithio ar eu hardaloedd mewn modd effeithiol ac ystyrlon. Mae gan y cynlluniau datblygu lleol sawl cam statudol ac anffurfiol lle gall cymunedau lunio a dylanwadu ar ddyfodol eu hardal yn uniongyrchol.
Minister, thank you for that answer. Can I thank you and your Deputy Minister for meeting with myself and Penyffordd Community Council at the beginning of the year? I think what is clear is that the council and the community—the residents within the community of Penyffordd—and with justification, I might say, feel let down by the Planning Inspectorate for Wales. Despite significant projects being passed by the inspectorate, local politicians and residents in the community don't even get the courtesy of a reply. So, with that in mind, Minister, what consideration have you given to reforming how the Planning Inspectorate operates, to ensure that the voices of communities like Penyffordd are listened to?
Weinidog, diolch am eich ateb. A gaf fi ddiolch i chi a'ch Dirprwy Weinidog am gyfarfod â Chyngor Cymuned Pen-y-ffordd a minnau ar ddechrau'r flwyddyn? Credaf mai'r hyn sy'n amlwg yw bod y cyngor a'r gymuned—trigolion cymuned Pen-y-ffordd—ac yn ddigon teg, dylwn ddweud, yn teimlo bod Arolygiaeth Gynllunio Cymru wedi gwneud tro gwael â hwy. Er i brosiectau sylweddol gael eu derbyn gan yr arolygiaeth, nid yw gwleidyddion lleol a thrigolion y gymuned wedi cael ateb hyd yn oed. Felly, gyda hynny mewn golwg, Weinidog, pa ystyriaeth rydych wedi'i rhoi i ddiwygio'r ffordd y mae'r Arolygiaeth Gynllunio’n gweithredu, er mwyn sicrhau bod pobl yn gwrando ar leisiau cymunedau fel Pen-y-ffordd?
Thank you, Jack. It was a pleasure to meet with you and the community council alongside Hannah Blythyn. It was a very useful and lively conversation, I'm sure you remember, about how local people—and community councils in particular—can have their voices effectively heard in the planning process. So, I was delighted to take on board much of what they said, and I'm also very pleased to say that Flintshire local development plan, which we were discussing on that occasion, has now resolved to submit their plan for examination. The hearing sessions are due to commence in April. I know that the community council will be taking the opportunity to make their voice heard once more in that process, which of course is the entire point.
In terms of the inspectorate, you will know that we wanted to sever the Welsh element of the inspectorate away from the England and Wales inspectorate overall, for a variety of reasons—not least that we would like them to be able to look more carefully at the policies that we would like to see implemented in Wales. Unfortunately, the pandemic has got in the way of us being able to do that, but I am very much looking forward to getting that plan back on track when we have a Welsh Government immediately after the election. I know that you are working towards that aim as well.
Diolch yn fawr, Jack. Roedd yn bleser cyfarfod â chi a'r cyngor cymuned gyda Hannah Blythyn. Roedd yn sgwrs ddefnyddiol a bywiog iawn, rwy'n siŵr eich bod yn cofio, ynglŷn â sut y gall pobl leol—a chynghorau cymuned yn benodol—sicrhau bod eu lleisiau’n cael eu clywed yn effeithiol yn y broses gynllunio. Felly, roeddwn yn falch iawn o ystyried llawer o'r hyn a ddywedwyd ganddynt, ac rwy'n falch iawn hefyd o ddweud bod cynllun datblygu lleol sir y Fflint, y buom yn ei drafod ar yr achlysur hwnnw, bellach wedi penderfynu cyflwyno eu cynllun i'w archwilio. Disgwylir i'r sesiynau gwrandawiad ddechrau ym mis Ebrill. Gwn y bydd y cyngor cymuned yn bachu ar y cyfle i leisio eu barn unwaith eto yn y broses honno, gan mai dyna'r holl bwynt, wrth gwrs.
O ran yr arolygiaeth, fe fyddwch yn gwybod ein bod am ddatgysylltu elfen Gymreig yr arolygiaeth oddi wrth arolygiaeth gyffredinol Cymru a Lloegr, am amryw resymau—yn anad dim am yr hoffem iddynt allu edrych yn fwy gofalus ar y polisïau yr hoffem eu gweld yn cael eu gweithredu yng Nghymru. Yn anffodus, mae'r pandemig wedi ein rhwystro rhag gallu gwneud hynny, ond rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at sicrhau bod y cynllun hwnnw yn ôl ar y trywydd iawn pan fydd gennym Lywodraeth Cymru yn syth ar ôl yr etholiad. Gwn eich bod chithau’n gweithio tuag at y nod hwnnw hefyd.
6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am flaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y sector tai ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ56383
6. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s priorities for the housing sector in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ56383
Yes. Thank you very much, Paul. Affordable housing—and, more specifically, social housing—remains mine and this Government’s top priority for the whole of Wales. Our aim is to build them better, build more of them, and build them more quickly. This is recognised by our record £2 billion-worth of investment in affordable housing in this Senedd term.
Gwnaf. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Paul. Mae tai fforddiadwy—ac yn fwy penodol, tai cymdeithasol—yn parhau i fod yn brif flaenoriaeth i mi a’r Llywodraeth hon ar gyfer Cymru gyfan. Ein nod yw eu hadeiladu'n well, adeiladu mwy ohonynt, a'u hadeiladu'n gyflymach. Cydnabyddir hyn gan ein buddsoddiad mwy nag erioed o £2 biliwn mewn tai fforddiadwy yn nhymor y Senedd hon.
Thank you for that response, Minister. I have received representations from local residents who have set up a community land trust, who want to create desirable, affordable housing for local people in Roch in my constituency. I'm sure that you would agree with me that it's important that community land trusts get the right support to deliver affordable housing in their communities, and that it's therefore crucial that they receive the right grant funding, and that they are able to work in partnership with housing associations and local authorities. Otherwise, it is sometimes difficult for these community land trusts to deliver much-needed homes in their communities.
Community land trusts can play a key role in delivering new affordable homes as they are set up on behalf of communities to deliver for local communities. Therefore, can you tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to support community land trusts in Wales? And, can you also tell us what discussions you and your officials are having with local authorities and housing authorities about the role that community land trusts can play in developing affordable homes across Wales?
Diolch am eich ymateb, Weinidog. Rwyf wedi derbyn sylwadau gan drigolion lleol sydd wedi sefydlu ymddiriedolaeth tir cymunedol, ac sy’n dymuno creu tai dymunol, fforddiadwy i bobl leol yn y Garn yn fy etholaeth. Rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn cytuno â mi ei bod yn bwysig fod ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yn cael y cymorth cywir i ddarparu tai fforddiadwy yn eu cymunedau, a'i bod felly'n hanfodol eu bod yn cael y cyllid grant cywir, a'u bod yn gallu gweithio mewn partneriaeth â chymdeithasau tai ac awdurdodau lleol. Fel arall, mae weithiau’n anodd i'r ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol hyn ddarparu cartrefi mawr eu hangen yn eu cymunedau.
Gall ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol chwarae rôl allweddol yn darparu tai fforddiadwy newydd wrth iddynt gael eu sefydlu ar ran cymunedau i ddarparu ar gyfer cymunedau lleol. Felly, a allwch ddweud wrthym beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gefnogi ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yng Nghymru? Ac a allwch ddweud wrthym hefyd pa drafodaethau rydych chi a'ch swyddogion yn eu cael gydag awdurdodau lleol ac awdurdodau tai am y rôl y gall ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol ei chwarae wrth ddatblygu tai fforddiadwy ledled Cymru?
Yes. Thank you, Paul. I entirely agree with that. I think community land trusts are a very important part of the landscape of development of community-led housing solutions in Wales. Co-operative housing and community land trusts are pivotal in that. I really welcome the creative use by some local authorities of powers to stimulate the better use of stock in areas and utilise additional funding to underpin housing plans and the development of affordable housing.
I'm really pleased that Pembrokeshire County Council is utilising gains from the second homes tax to support its community land trusts. I would really encourage all local authorities to think creatively about their support to all types of affordable homes in the way that Pembrokeshire has. We do want to see more community-led housing in Pembrokeshire and beyond, and I would welcome more proposals from local authorities, housing associations and community groups.
We are very happy to support the further development of community-led or co-operative housing where there is a registered social landlord partner, through our social housing grant. It is something that we have done in the past, and we are really keen to do it again in the future. I agree with you entirely that co-operative community-led housing empowers Welsh citizens and provides locally driven housing solutions for local communities.
I have met personally with a number of community land trust groups in Pembrokeshire, and I know that the officials are in constant touch with a number of them. Pembrokeshire has a really good record, as you and I discussed in my last oral questions—another good record in Pembrokeshire, in Solva, there, that you drew to our attention. So, Pembrokeshire has a really good record in this regard, and I'm really pleased that they are looking again at community land trusts.
Paul, if there are any particular issues that you want to draw to our attention that you think we could unlock to help that go forward, I'm more than happy to look at them specifically. My understanding is that the officials are engaged with the councils and are looking very proactively at assisting community land trusts to come forward, as we do support those and a large number of other co-operative and people-led housing options.
Gallaf. Diolch, Paul. Rwy’n cytuno’n llwyr â hynny. Credaf fod ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yn rhan bwysig iawn o’r dirwedd wrth ddatblygu atebion tai a arweinir gan y gymuned yng Nghymru. Mae tai cydweithredol ac ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yn hanfodol yn hynny o beth. Rwy'n croesawu'r defnydd creadigol gan rai awdurdodau lleol o bwerau i ysgogi gwell defnydd o’r stoc dai mewn ardaloedd ac i ddefnyddio cyllid ychwanegol i ategu cynlluniau tai a’r gwaith o ddatblygu tai fforddiadwy.
Rwy'n falch iawn fod Cyngor Sir Penfro yn defnyddio enillion o'r dreth ar ail gartrefi i gefnogi ei ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol. Byddwn o ddifrif yn annog pob awdurdod lleol i feddwl yn greadigol am eu cymorth i bob math o dai fforddiadwy yn y ffordd y mae sir Benfro wedi’i wneud. Hoffem weld mwy o dai a arweinir gan y gymuned yn sir Benfro a thu hwnt, a byddwn yn croesawu mwy o gynigion gan awdurdodau lleol, cymdeithasau tai a grwpiau cymunedol.
Rydym yn fwy na pharod i gefnogi datblygiad pellach tai a arweinir gan y gymuned neu dai cydweithredol lle ceir partner sy’n landlord cymdeithasol cofrestredig, drwy ein grant tai cymdeithasol. Mae'n rhywbeth rydym wedi'i wneud yn y gorffennol, ac rydym yn wirioneddol awyddus i'w wneud eto yn y dyfodol. Rwy’n cytuno’n llwyr â chi fod tai cydweithredol a arweinir gan y gymuned yn grymuso dinasyddion Cymru ac yn darparu atebion tai wedi eu hysgogi’n lleol ar gyfer cymunedau lleol.
Rwyf wedi cyfarfod yn bersonol â nifer o grwpiau ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yn sir Benfro, a gwn fod y swyddogion mewn cysylltiad cyson â sawl un ohonynt. Mae gan sir Benfro hanes da iawn, fel y buom yn ei drafod yn fy nghwestiynau llafar diwethaf—cyflawniad da arall yn sir Benfro, yn Solfach, yno, y gwnaethoch dynnu ein sylw ato. Felly, mae gan sir Benfro hanes da iawn yn hyn o beth, ac rwy'n falch iawn eu bod yn edrych unwaith eto ar ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol.
Paul, os oes unrhyw faterion penodol yr hoffech dynnu ein sylw atynt, ac y credwch y gallem eu datrys er mwyn helpu i fwrw ymlaen â hynny, rwy'n fwy na pharod i edrych arnynt. Yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, mae’r swyddogion yn ymgysylltu â'r cynghorau ac yn edrych yn rhagweithiol iawn ar gynorthwyo ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol i geisio cymorth, gan ein bod yn cefnogi'r rheini a nifer fawr o opsiynau tai cydweithredol eraill a arweinir gan bobl.
7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am fwriad Llywodraeth Cymru i ddiwygio polisi cynllunio yng Nghymru? OQ56384
7. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's intention to revise planning policy in Wales? OQ56384
Yes. Thank you, Russell George. On 24 February, I published a new edition of 'Planning Policy Wales' and our first national development framework, 'Future Wales: the national plan 2040'. Taken together, they provide a comprehensive suite of up-to-date national land use planning policies for Wales.
Gwnaf. Diolch, Russell George. Ar 24 Chwefror, cyhoeddais fersiwn newydd o 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' a'n fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol cyntaf, 'Cymru’r Dyfodol: y cynllun cenedlaethol 2040'. Gyda'i gilydd, maent yn darparu cyfres gynhwysfawr o bolisïau cynllunio cenedlaethol wedi’u diweddaru ar ddefnydd tir yng Nghymru.
Thank you for your answer, Minister. Last week, the Minister for the environment published the Welsh Government's 'Beyond Recycling' strategy to make the circular economy in Wales a reality. Now, within that strategy, the Welsh Government says it will place a moratorium on any future large-scale energy-from-waste developments. Now, I very much welcome this. This is something, as you know, I myself and Welsh Conservative colleagues have been calling for for a long time, in the Chamber and in writing. Can you confirm, Minister, that this moratorium will come into effect immediately and that planning policy will be revised accordingly? There are large-scale developments from waste incinerator developments in the pipeline, such as the one in my constituency in Buttington. An application for that was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 26 February. So, can you confirm, Minister, that this moratorium will mean that this planning application will not proceed any further?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddodd Gweinidog yr amgylchedd strategaeth 'Mwy nag ailgylchu' Llywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau bod yr economi gylchol yng Nghymru yn cael ei gwireddu. Nawr, yn y strategaeth honno, dywed Llywodraeth Cymru y bydd yn rhoi moratoriwm ar unrhyw ddatblygiadau troi gwastraff yn ynni ar raddfa fawr yn y dyfodol. Nawr, rwy'n croesawu hyn yn fawr. Fel y gwyddoch, mae hyn yn rhywbeth rwyf fi a fy nghyd-Aelodau yn y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi bod yn galw amdano ers amser maith, yn y Siambr ac yn ysgrifenedig. A allwch gadarnhau, Weinidog, y bydd y moratoriwm hwn yn dod i rym ar unwaith ac y bydd y polisi cynllunio yn cael ei adolygu yn unol â hynny? Mae datblygiadau ar raddfa fawr o ddatblygiadau llosgi gwastraff ar y gweill, fel yr un yn fy etholaeth i yn Nhal-y-bont. Cyflwynwyd cais ar ei gyfer i'r Arolygiaeth Gynllunio ar 26 Chwefror. Felly, a allwch gadarnhau, Weinidog, y bydd y moratoriwm hwn yn golygu na fydd y cais cynllunio hwn yn mynd ymhellach?
Thank you for that, Russell. I'm aware that my colleague, the environment Minister, has announced a moratorium on future energy-from-waste plants, or incinerators as they're colloquially known. I'm afraid, because it's not in my portfolio, I'm not aware of whether it's immediate or not. If you want to write to me asking what the status of the planning application is in the face of that moratorium, I'll make sure that my officials treat that as a matter of urgency. I'm afraid I don't have that information to hand.
Diolch, Russell. Rwy'n ymwybodol fod fy nghyd-Weinidog, Gweinidog yr amgylchedd, wedi cyhoeddi moratoriwm yn y dyfodol ar safleoedd troi gwastraff yn ynni, neu losgyddion fel y'u gelwir. Gan nad yw hyn yn fy mhortffolio, mae arnaf ofn nad wyf yn ymwybodol a fydd yn weithredol ar unwaith ai peidio. Os hoffech ysgrifennu ataf i ofyn beth yw statws y cais cynllunio yn sgil y moratoriwm hwnnw, fe wnaf yn siŵr bod fy swyddogion yn ei drin fel mater brys. Mae arnaf ofn nad yw’r wybodaeth honno gennyf wrth law.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, i'w ateb gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol, ac i'w ofyn gan Janet Finch-Saunders.
Finally, question 8, to be answered by the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, and to be asked by Janet Finch-Saunders.
8. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru ynghylch ymdrechion i annog awdurdodau lleol i gefnogi economïau lleol yng ngogledd Cymru? OQ56412
8. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales on efforts to encourage local authorities to support local economies in north Wales? OQ56412
I regularly discuss the role and work of local authorities in supporting local economies and their communities with the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales and colleagues across Government.
Rwy’n rheolaidd yn trafod rôl a gwaith awdurdodau lleol yn yn cefnogi economïau lleol a’u cymunedau gyda Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru a chyd-Weinidogion ar draws y Llywodraeth.
Thank you, Deputy Minister. Tourism, of course, as you will know, is usually worth around £900 million to the economy of Conwy county annually. That resource has been almost completely wiped out, and Conwy county has seen one of the highest furlough take-up rates in Wales. On the ground, the economic situation is even worse, with hospitality businesses now heavily in debt, and extremely concerned as to the amount of time it will take to make bank repayments. My point is that even when Conwy county opens up its tourism sector to the UK and the world again, those hospitality businesses, which are essential to the local economy, could require years of financial incentives and rate relief. Bearing in mind the economic reality in Conwy county, and the knock-on effect this will have on local authority revenue, could you explain why you've only given the Conservative-led county local authority a 3.6 per cent settlement increase, instead of other examples of 5.6 per cent, such as the Labour-led Newport authority? Diolch.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Mae twristiaeth, wrth gwrs, fel y gwyddoch, fel arfer yn werth oddeutu £900 miliwn y flwyddyn i economi sir Conwy. Mae'r adnodd hwnnw wedi'i ddileu bron yn llwyr, ac mae gan sir Conwy un o'r cyfraddau uchaf o weithwyr ar ffyrlo yng Nghymru. Ar lawr gwlad, mae'r sefyllfa economaidd hyd yn oed yn waeth, gyda busnesau lletygarwch bellach mewn dyled sylweddol, ac yn bryderus iawn ynghylch faint o amser y bydd yn ei gymryd i ad-dalu’r arian i’r banc. Fy mhwynt yw, hyd yn oed pan fydd sir Conwy yn agor ei sector twristiaeth i'r DU a'r byd unwaith eto, gallai fod angen blynyddoedd o gymhellion ariannol a rhyddhad ardrethi ar y busnesau lletygarwch hynny, sy'n hanfodol i'r economi leol. O gofio'r realiti economaidd yn sir Conwy, a'r effaith ganlyniadol y bydd hyn yn ei chael ar refeniw awdurdodau lleol, a allwch egluro pam nad ydych ond wedi rhoi cynnydd o 3.6 y cant yn y setliad i'r awdurdod lleol sirol sy’n cael ei arwain gan y Ceidwadwyr, yn wahanol i’r enghreifftiau eraill o 5.6 y cant, fel awdurdod Casnewydd, sy’n cael ei arwain gan Lafur? Diolch.
Diolch. There's no question whatsoever that the tourism, hospitality and events sector is continuing to be significantly impacted by the pandemic and the necessary restrictions that are still in place to keep us all safe. We all recognise, I think, how difficult it is for these sectors and how difficult it will continue to be. Various financial support packages will have helped, but I know it continues to be a worrying situation, so I'm really pleased we've been able to extend things like the business rates holiday for another 12 months, and also that we've now got the range of ERF support specifically for leisure, tourism and hospitality sectors open.
I know that this is an area that the Member feels incredibly passionate about, particularly supporting the tourism sector, and talked a lot about the need to support and sustain coastal communities. I'm sure she'll be pleased to know that the Welsh Government will be continuing to support our coastal communities fund, and I'm sure she'll also be as disappointed as we were when we discovered that the UK Government has decided not to continue with the coastal communities fund in England. That means, as a consequence, that the funding that we would have got from the UK Government for the best part of the decade to support our previous round of the coastal communities programme—we won't be having it. But I'm really pleased, despite that, we're able to step up and put in additional funding to support and sustain our towns and coastal communities in north Wales and right across Wales, and I look forward to being in a position next week to announce the details of this additional funding to help those towns and communities to not just come back better, but to build back better post pandemic.
Diolch. Nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth o gwbl fod y pandemig a'r cyfyngiadau angenrheidiol sy'n dal i fod ar waith i gadw pob un ohonom yn ddiogel yn parhau i effeithio'n sylweddol ar y sector twristiaeth, lletygarwch a digwyddiadau. Credaf fod pob un ohonom yn cydnabod pa mor anodd yw hi ar y sectorau hyn a pha mor anodd y mae'n mynd i barhau i fod. Bydd yr amryw becynnau cymorth ariannol wedi helpu, ond gwn ei bod yn parhau i fod yn sefyllfa bryderus, felly rwy'n falch iawn ein bod wedi gallu ymestyn pethau fel y seibiant ardrethi busnes am 12 mis arall, a hefyd fod gennym yr ystod o gymorth y gronfa cadernid economaidd ar agor yn benodol ar gyfer y sectorau hamdden, twristiaeth a lletygarwch.
Gwn fod hwn yn faes y mae'r Aelod yn teimlo'n hynod o angerddol yn ei gylch, yn enwedig cefnogi'r sector twristiaeth, ac mae hi wedi sôn cryn dipyn am yr angen i gefnogi a chynnal cymunedau’r arfordir. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn falch o wybod y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i gefnogi cronfa cymunedau’r arfordir, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd hi lawn mor siomedig â ninnau o ddarganfod bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi penderfynu peidio â pharhau cronfa cymunedau’r arfordir yn Lloegr. Golyga hynny, o ganlyniad, na fyddai'r cyllid y byddem wedi'i gael gan Lywodraeth y DU am y rhan fwyaf o’r degawd i gefnogi rownd flaenorol ein rhaglen cymunedau’r arfordir—ni fyddwn yn ei gael. Ond rwy'n falch iawn, er hynny, ein bod yn gallu camu i’r adwy a rhoi cyllid ychwanegol i gefnogi a chynnal trefi a chymunedau ein harfordir yng ngogledd Cymru a ledled Cymru, ac edrychaf ymlaen at fod mewn sefyllfa yr wythnos nesaf i gyhoeddi manylion yr arian ychwanegol hwn i helpu'r trefi a'r cymunedau hynny nid yn unig i ddod yn ôl yn well, ond i adeiladu'n ôl yn well ar ôl y pandemig.
Diolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog ac i'r Gweinidog am yr eitem yna.
I thank the Deputy Minister and the Minister.
Cwestiynau amserol sydd nesaf, ond does dim cwestiynau amserol wedi'u dewis.
Topical questions next, but no topical questions were accepted.
Felly, y datganiadau 90 eiliad, ac mae'r datganiad cyntaf heddiw gan Huw Irranca-Davies.
So, we now move to 90-second statements, and the first of those is from Huw Irranca-Davies.
Diolch, Llywydd. This year marks the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the birth of the pioneer and social reformer Robert Owen. From humble beginnings in Newtown in Wales, he became a champion for the rights of the working classes, child labour laws, and he promoted a humane standard of living for all. To this day, the groundwork he laid helps us to construct a more equitable society, in which we are all stakeholders.
A founding father of the co-operative movement, he provided an alternative vision to the harsh realities of industrial Britain, and his tireless work in many areas led to the development of a new view of society, one in which a self-sufficient co-operative nation is held together by the pillars of universal education, free-access healthcare and the enshrinement of workers' rights. His actions set in motion a chain of events through which many progressive legislative changes and progressive institutions can be traced right back to.
Here in Wales, our nation building is characterised by the principles of co-operation and collectivism, with shared aims and values, social partnerships between business and workers, the promotion of social enterprises and worker co-operatives and so much more. So, as we note and celebrate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Robert Owen, a son of Newtown and of Wales and the world, we note that his legacy endures, lives on amongst us and helps us fashion the Wales and the world that we see today. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch, Lywydd. Eleni mae’n ddwy ganrif a hanner ers geni'r arloeswr a’r diwygiwr cymdeithasol Robert Owen. O dras werinol yn y Drenewydd yng Nghymru, daeth yn hyrwyddwr hawliau'r dosbarthiadau gweithiol, deddfau llafur plant, a hyrwyddodd safonau byw gwâr i bawb. Hyd heddiw, mae'r gwaith sylfaenol a wnaeth yn ein helpu i adeiladu cymdeithas decach y mae pob un ohonom yn rhanddeiliaid ynddi.
Ac yntau’n un o sefydlwyr y mudiad cydweithredol, darparodd weledigaeth amgen yn lle realiti llwm y Brydain ddiwydiannol, ac arweiniodd ei waith diflino mewn sawl maes at ddatblygu golwg newydd ar gymdeithas, un lle caiff cenedl gydweithredol hunangynhaliol ei dal at ei gilydd gan bileri addysg i bawb, gofal iechyd am ddim ac ymgorffori hawliau gweithwyr. Arweiniodd ei weithredoedd at gadwyn o ddigwyddiadau y gellir olrhain llawer o newidiadau deddfwriaethol blaengar a sefydliadau blaengar yn ôl atynt.
Yma yng Nghymru, nodweddir ein gwaith yn adeiladu’r genedl gan egwyddorion cydweithredu a chyfunoliaeth, gyda nodau a gwerthoedd a rennir, partneriaethau cymdeithasol rhwng busnesau a gweithwyr, hyrwyddo mentrau cymdeithasol a chwmnïau cydweithredol gweithwyr a chymaint mwy eto. Felly, wrth inni nodi a dathlu dwy ganrif a hanner ers geni Robert Owen, brodor o'r Drenewydd a Chymru a'r byd, rydym yn nodi bod ei waddol yn parhau, yn dal i fyw yn ein plith ac yn ein helpu i lunio'r Gymru a'r byd a welwn heddiw. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Y nesaf gan Russell George.
The next one is from Russell George.
Diolch yn fawr. I would like to congratulate the Wales Air Ambulance on its twentieth anniversary, which took place on 1 March. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this life-saving service over the years for their commitment, enthusiasm and their dedication to the people of Wales.
The charity's founder and first chair of trustees was the late Robert Palmer, and, from his vision, the Wales Air Ambulance has grown from one helicopter based at Swansea to what is now the largest ambulance operation in the UK, with four helicopters, including one in Welshpool, in my own constituency. Over the past two decades, it has evolved from a paramedic-led service to a consultant-led service, which takes the emergency department to the patient. Wales Air Ambulance has attended over 38,000 missions and needs £8 million every year. So, thanks to the people of Wales, our country now has the largest air ambulance operation in the UK and is one of the most medically advanced in Europe, operating 24/7.
So, to mark their anniversary, the charity is currently running a fundraising event called My20, which I hope will be well supported by the residents across Wales. So, join me in wishing air ambulance all the best for the future. Diolch yn fawr to all those who have been involved with the charity, past and present.
Diolch yn fawr. Hoffwn longyfarch Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru ar eu hugeinfed pen-blwydd ar 1 Mawrth. Diolch i bawb sydd wedi cyfrannu at y gwasanaeth achub bywyd hwn dros y blynyddoedd am eu hymrwymiad, eu brwdfrydedd a'u hymroddiad i bobl Cymru.
Sylfaenydd yr elusen a chadeirydd cyntaf yr ymddiriedolwyr oedd y diweddar Robert Palmer, ac o'i weledigaeth ef, mae Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru bellach wedi tyfu o un hofrennydd wedi’i leoli yn Abertawe i fod yn weithgarwch ambiwlans mwyaf y DU, gyda phedwar hofrennydd, gan gynnwys un yn y Trallwng, yn fy etholaeth i. Dros y ddau ddegawd diwethaf, mae wedi esblygu o fod yn wasanaeth a arweinir gan barafeddygon i wasanaeth a arweinir gan feddygon ymgynghorol, sy'n mynd â'r adran achosion brys at y claf. Mae Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru wedi cyflawni dros 38,000 o deithiau, ac mae angen £8 miliwn arnynt bob blwyddyn. Felly, diolch i bobl Cymru, erbyn hyn mae gan ein gwlad y gweithgarwch ambiwlans awyr mwyaf yn y DU ac un o'r rhai mwyaf datblygedig yn feddygol yn Ewrop, ac yn gweithredu bob awr o bob dydd.
Felly, i nodi eu pen-blwydd, mae'r elusen ar hyn o bryd yn cynnal digwyddiad codi arian o'r enw My20, a fydd, rwy'n gobeithio, yn cael cefnogaeth dda gan drigolion ledled Cymru. Felly, ymunwch â mi i ddymuno'r gorau i’r ambiwlans awyr ar gyfer y dyfodol. Diolch yn fawr i bawb sydd wedi ymwneud â'r elusen, ddoe a heddiw.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.
[Inaudible.]—which is the Member debate under Standing Order 11.21, and it's on type 2 diabetes, and I call on Jenny Rathbone to move the motion.
[Anghlywadwy.]—sef y ddadl Aelodau o dan Reol Sefydlog 11.21, ac mae ar ddiabetes math 2, a galwaf ar Jenny Rathbone i wneud y cynnig.
Cynnig NDM7552 Jenny Rathbone, Dai Lloyd, Jack Sargeant
Cefnogwyd gan Andrew R.T. Davies, Darren Millar, Helen Mary Jones, Jayne Bryant
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn nodi:
a) mai Cymru yw'r lle gyda'r cyfraddau uchaf o ddiabetes math 2 o unrhyw le yng ngorllewin Ewrop, lle mae dros 200,000 wedi cael diagnosis, lle yr amgangyfrifir bod 65,000 gyda math 2 heb ddiagnosis, a lle mae 500,000 arall mewn perygl o gael diabetes;
b) bod gofalu am bobl â diabetes eisoes yn defnyddio 10 y cant o gyllideb y GIG;
c) y risgiau cynyddol o ddal COVID-19 ar gyfer dinasyddion sydd â diabetes fel cyflwr sy'n bodoli eisoes; a
d) llwyddiant a chost-effeithiolrwydd y rhaglen Sgiliau Maeth am Oes, sydd wedi ennill sawl gwobr, a dreialwyd yng Nghwm Afan.
2. Yn annog Llywodraeth Cymru i brif ffrydio'r rhaglen Sgiliau Maeth am Oes ledled Cymru fel elfen ganolog o gynllun atal diabetes i Gymru.
Motion NDM7552 Jenny Rathbone, Dai Lloyd, Jack Sargeant
Supported by Andrew R.T. Davies, Darren Millar, Helen Mary Jones, Jayne Bryant
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes:
a) that Wales has the highest rates of type 2 diabetes anywhere in western Europe, with over 200,000 diagnosed, an estimated 65,000 with undiagnosed type 2, and a further 500,000 at risk of contracting diabetes;
b) that caring for people with diabetes already consumes 10 per cent of the NHS budget;
c) the heightened risks of catching COVID-19 for citizens who have diabetes as a pre-existing condition; and
d) the success and cost effectiveness of the award-winning Nutrition Skills for Life programme piloted in the Afan Valley.
2. Urges the Welsh Government to mainstream the Nutrition Skills for Life programme throughout Wales as a central element of a Welsh diabetes prevention plan.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. As the motion highlights, Wales has the highest prevalence of diabetes in western Europe. It currently gobbles up 10 per cent of our NHS budget—that's £950 million of next year's health budget.
This debate isn't about type 1 diabetes, a complex medical condition that normally hits young people in adolescence, the triggers for which are complex and not linked to diet. The rates of type 1 diabetes remain largely unchanged from year to year. Type 2 diabetes is another matter. This debate is about the veritable epidemic of type 2 diabetes: over 200,000 people already diagnosed, many more undiagnosed, and even those diagnosed predicted to rise to over 300,000 people by 2030, unless we do something about it.
Wales has over 0.5 million people who are overweight or obese, who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And let's face it, that problem can only have got worse as a result of the lockdown, as we've all eaten more than we should. But the most sobering fact is that one third of all the people who have died of COVID have also had diabetes. So, what can we do about this, and what can we do to prevent people getting diabetes in the first place?
Wales is the only country in Britain not to have a national diabetes prevention programme. England has one, Scotland has one, but not Wales. And as the most obese nation in Europe, that seems to me careless, imprudent, and urgently needs to change, particularly when we have a cost-effective, award-winning, made-in-Wales solution on our doorstep. A brief intervention piloted in the Afan valley by a cluster of nine GP practices, in collaboration with nutritionists at Swansea Bay University Health Board and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, has been run for over three years and has been trawled all over by Swansea University's Swansea Centre for Health Economics to make sure that the numbers stack up.
It's cost effective because the patients are identified by their GP practice who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and they never need to go anywhere near a hospital in order to get this intervention, and, in the context of all the problems we're going to have with waiting lists for people who need hospital treatment, that's a very important fact. It's also very effective, because it's delivered by non-medical practice staff who've been specially trained by dieticians in nutrition skills, and that makes it easy to roll out across the country. It's cost effective because the brief intervention consists of exercise, dietary advice and information sheets, and costs a mere £44 per patient. If you compare that to the English intervention, run by specialist experts, that costs £240 to £290 per patient. It's also entirely cost effective because nearly two thirds of the people taking part in this programme did not go on to get diabetes. So, Swansea University has calculated that rolling out this programme nationally would save each health board over £6 million per year, and that's not counting the personal benefits to the patient of not getting diabetes and not running the risk of loss of sight, loss of limbs and early death.
Little wonder, then, that the Afan valley brief intervention programme won the UK-wide Quality In Care diabetes award last year. This really is prudent healthcare in action. What is stopping us rolling it out? It has the multidisciplinary approach to a chronic disease where, unfortunately, we're top of the league tables for the whole of Europe. How can we afford not to be doing this? I hope therefore to hear that this is a very high priority for the Minister, given the very high numbers of people who are at risk of type 2 diabetes, and the serious implications arising from this disease.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Fel y mae'r cynnig yn ei nodi, Cymru sydd â'r nifer uchaf o bobl yn dioddef o ddiabetes yng ngorllewin Ewrop. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'n llowcio 10 y cant o gyllideb ein GIG—mae hynny’n £950 miliwn o gyllideb iechyd y flwyddyn nesaf.
Nid yw'r ddadl hon yn ymwneud â diabetes math 1, cyflwr meddygol cymhleth sydd fel arfer yn taro pobl ifanc yn eu glasoed, ac mae’r hyn sy’n ei achosi’n gymhleth a heb fod yn gysylltiedig â deiet. Mae cyfraddau diabetes math 1 yn aros yr un fath i raddau helaeth o flwyddyn i flwyddyn. Mae diabetes math 2 yn fater gwahanol. Mae'r ddadl hon yn ymwneud â'r epidemig go iawn o ddiabetes math 2: mae dros 200,000 o bobl eisoes wedi cael diagnosis ohono, a llawer mwy heb gael diagnosis, a rhagwelir y bydd hyd yn oed nifer y rheini sydd wedi cael diagnosis yn codi i dros 300,000 o bobl erbyn 2030, oni bai ein bod yn gwneud rhywbeth yn ei gylch.
Mae gan Gymru dros 0.5 miliwn o bobl sydd dros bwysau neu'n ordew, ac sydd mewn perygl o ddatblygu diabetes math 2. A gadewch inni wynebu’r peth, ni all y broblem honno fod ond wedi gwaethygu o ganlyniad i'r cyfyngiadau symud, gan fod pob un ohonom wedi bod yn bwyta mwy nag y dylem. Ond y ffaith fwyaf sobreiddiol yw bod traean o'r holl bobl sydd wedi marw o COVID hefyd yn dioddef o ddiabetes. Felly, beth y gallwn ei wneud ynglŷn â hyn, a beth y gallwn ei wneud i atal pobl rhag cael diabetes yn y lle cyntaf?
Cymru yw'r unig wlad ym Mhrydain heb raglen atal diabetes genedlaethol. Mae gan Loegr un, mae gan yr Alban un, ond nid Cymru. Ac fel y wlad fwyaf gordew yn Ewrop, ymddengys i mi fod hynny’n ddiofal, yn annoeth, ac mae angen i hynny newid ar frys, yn enwedig gan fod gennym ateb costeffeithiol, sydd wedi ennill sawl gwobr, a wnaed yng Nghymru ar garreg ein drws. Mae ymyrraeth fer a dreialwyd yng nghwm Afan gan glwstwr o naw practis meddyg teulu, mewn cydweithrediad â maethegwyr ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe a Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro, wedi bod ar waith ers mwy na thair blynedd ac wedi cael ei dadansoddi’n drylwyr gan Ganolfan Economeg Iechyd Abertawe ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe i sicrhau bod y ffigurau’n gwneud synnwyr.
Mae'n gosteffeithiol am fod y practisau meddygon teulu yn nodi pa gleifion sydd mewn perygl o ddatblygu diabetes math 2, ac nid oes angen iddynt fynd yn agos at ysbyty er mwyn cael yr ymyrraeth hon, ac yng nghyd-destun yr holl broblemau y byddwn yn eu cael gyda rhestrau aros i bobl sydd angen triniaeth mewn ysbyty, mae honno'n ffaith bwysig iawn. Mae hefyd yn effeithiol iawn, gan ei bod yn cael ei darparu gan staff anfeddygol practisau sydd wedi'u hyfforddi'n arbennig gan ddeietegwyr mewn sgiliau maetheg, ac mae hynny'n ei gwneud yn hawdd i’w chyflwyno ledled y wlad. Mae'n gosteffeithiol am fod yr ymyrraeth fer yn cynnwys ymarfer corff, cyngor deietegol a thaflenni gwybodaeth, ac yn costio £44 y claf yn unig. Os cymharwch hynny ag ymyrraeth yn Lloegr, sy'n cael ei gyflawni gan arbenigwyr, mae honno'n costio rhwng £240 a £290 y claf. Mae hefyd yn gwbl gosteffeithiol am nad aeth bron i ddwy ran o dair o'r bobl a gymerodd ran yn y rhaglen hon ymlaen i gael diabetes yn ddiweddarach. Felly, mae Prifysgol Abertawe wedi cyfrifo y byddai cyflwyno'r rhaglen yn genedlaethol yn arbed dros £6 miliwn y flwyddyn i bob bwrdd iechyd, ac nid yw hynny'n cynnwys y buddion personol i'r claf yn sgil peidio â chael diabetes a pheidio â bod mewn perygl o golli eu golwg, colli eu coesau a marw'n gynamserol
Nid oes fawr o ryfedd, felly, fod rhaglen ymyrraeth fer cwm Afan wedi ennill gwobr Ansawdd mewn Gofal diabetes y DU gyfan y llynedd. Mae hon yn enghraifft wirioneddol o ofal iechyd darbodus ar waith. Beth sy'n ein rhwystro rhag ei chyflwyno'n ehangach? Mae’n defnyddio'r dull amlddisgyblaethol o ymdrin â chlefyd cronig lle rydym ar frig y tablau cynghrair yn Ewrop gyfan yn anffodus. Sut y gallwn fforddio peidio â gwneud hyn? Rwy'n gobeithio clywed felly fod hon yn flaenoriaeth bwysig iawn i'r Gweinidog, o gofio’r niferoedd uchel iawn o bobl sydd mewn perygl o gael diabetes math 2, a'r goblygiadau difrifol sy'n deillio o'r clefyd.
Can I thank my colleague Jenny Rathbone for bringing this issue to the Senedd today? I think it clearly shows the importance of the issue and reaffirms that type 2 diabetes is a very serious problem across Wales. We know that type 2 diabetes impacts a startling number of families here in Wales. According to data published in 2019 by Diabetes UK, over 8 per cent of people aged 17 and over live with diabetes in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which serves my constituency. The vast majority of these cases are type 2. In real terms, this means that almost 40,000 families are directly affected, and the true number is likely to be even higher.
Diabetes has a life-changing impact on people's lives, and we know, as Jenny Rathbone has made clear, that treating type 2 diabetes places an extraordinary strain on the NHS in Wales, not least at the present time. Not only are those suffering from type 2 diabetes more at risk from serious illness if infected with COVID, they're also placed at risk of suffering from other major health issues, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and sight loss. The difficulty of dealing with these complex problems for patients and practitioners alike cannot be understated.
But we also know that there are things we can do to ease the burden. In the majority of cases, type 2 diabetes is preventable. Encouraging people to make healthier choices is the obvious first step, but more can and must be done. I'm proud to be the chair of the cross-party group on diabetes and of the work the cross-party group has achieved throughout the Senedd term. We'll be conducting our final meeting on how mental health is impacted by diabetes next week. In this role, I've been pleased to hear about the success of the Afan valley pilot, and I'll be waiting with interest to see how these successes can be replicated across Wales. Anything we can do to ensure fewer people are left suffering from this illness for the rest of their lives is crucial. Encouraging people to understand their personal risk is one step we can all take right now. In 2018, I was proud to hold an event at the Senedd for people to understand their risk of contracting type 2 diabetes. Sadly, it's not been possible to hold a similar event in the last year, but I would encourage anyone who wants to know more about their risk level to visit the Diabetes UK website, which has a selection of tools and resources available.
I'd like to finish by quoting one of my constituents, Sarah Gibbs, who is living with type 2 diabetes. She has described the disease as 'relentless. It can affect all aspects of your life. I wish I'd had the chance and the support to prevent it.' Deputy Llywydd, we need to do more to offer this chance to people in Wales. Diolch.
A gaf fi ddiolch i fy nghyd-Aelod Jenny Rathbone am ddod â'r mater hwn i'r Senedd heddiw? Credaf ei fod yn dangos pwysigrwydd y mater yn glir ac yn ailddatgan bod diabetes math 2 yn broblem ddifrifol iawn ledled Cymru. Gwyddom fod diabetes math 2 yn effeithio ar nifer syfrdanol o deuluoedd yma yng Nghymru. Yn ôl data a gyhoeddwyd yn 2019 gan Diabetes UK, mae dros 8 y cant o bobl 17 oed a hŷn yn byw gyda diabetes ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan, sy'n gwasanaethu fy etholaeth. Mae’r rhan helaethaf o’r achosion hyn yn ddiabetes math 2. Mewn termau real, golyga hyn fod bron i 40,000 o deuluoedd yn cael eu heffeithio'n uniongyrchol, ac mae'r nifer wirioneddol yn debygol o fod hyd yn oed yn uwch.
Mae diabetes yn cael effaith sy'n newid bywydau pobl, ac fel y mae Jenny Rathbone wedi’i nodi'n glir, gwyddom fod trin diabetes math 2 yn rhoi straen aruthrol ar y GIG yng Nghymru, yn enwedig ar hyn o bryd. Nid yn unig fod y rheini sy'n dioddef o ddiabetes math 2 mewn mwy o berygl o salwch difrifol os ydynt yn cael eu heintio â COVID, maent hefyd mewn perygl o ddioddef yn sgil problemau iechyd difrifol eraill, gan gynnwys clefyd y galon, strôc, clefyd yr arennau a cholli eu golwg. Ni ellir gorbwysleisio pa mor anodd yw ymdrin â'r problemau cymhleth hyn i gleifion ac ymarferwyr fel ei gilydd.
Ond gwyddom hefyd fod pethau y gallwn eu gwneud i leddfu'r baich. Yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion, gellir atal diabetes math 2. Annog pobl i wneud dewisiadau iachach yw'r cam cyntaf amlwg, ond gellir gwneud mwy ac mae'n rhaid gwneud mwy. Rwy'n falch o fod yn gadeirydd y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar ddiabetes a'r gwaith y mae'r grŵp trawsbleidiol wedi'i gyflawni drwy gydol tymor y Senedd hon. Byddwn yn cynnal ein cyfarfod olaf ar sut y mae diabetes yn effeithio ar iechyd meddwl yr wythnos nesaf. Yn y rôl hon, rwyf wedi bod yn falch o glywed am lwyddiant cynllun peilot cwm Afan, ac rwy’n awyddus i weld sut y gellir ailadrodd y llwyddiannau hyn ledled Cymru. Mae unrhyw beth y gallwn ei wneud i sicrhau bod llai o bobl yn dioddef o'r salwch hwn am weddill eu hoes yn allweddol. Mae annog pobl i ddeall eu risg bersonol yn un cam y gall pob un ohonom ei gymryd yn awr. Yn 2018, roeddwn yn falch o gynnal digwyddiad yn y Senedd i bobl ddeall eu risg o ddal diabetes math 2. Yn anffodus, ni fu modd cynnal digwyddiad tebyg yn y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, ond byddwn yn annog unrhyw un sy’n dymuno gwybod mwy am eu lefel risg i ymweld â gwefan Diabetes UK, lle mae amryw o adnoddau ar gael.
Hoffwn orffen drwy ddyfynnu un o fy etholwyr, Sarah Gibbs, sy'n byw gyda diabetes math 2. Mae wedi disgrifio'r afiechyd fel un ‘didrugaredd. Gall effeithio ar bob agwedd ar eich bywyd. Hoffwn pe bawn wedi cael cyfle a chymorth i'w atal.’ Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae angen inni wneud mwy i gynnig y cyfle hwn i bobl yng Nghymru. Diolch.
Thank you. Can I now call the Minister for Mental Health, Well-being and Welsh Language, Eluned Morgan?
Diolch. A gaf fi alw yn awr ar y Gweinidog Iechyd Meddwl, Llesiant a'r Gymraeg, Eluned Morgan?
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn i ddechrau trwy ddiolch i Jenny Rathbone, Dai Lloyd a Jack Sargeant hefyd am ddod â'r ddadl bwysig yma ar atal diabetes gerbron y Senedd heddiw. Diolch hefyd i Jayne Bryant am y gwaith mae hi wedi bod yn ei wneud gyda'r grŵp trawsbleidiol.
Mae hwn yn gynnig pwysig, a dwi'n gwybod bod diabetes yn broblem sylweddol sy'n tyfu drwy'r byd, ac mae'n tyfu yng Nghymru hefyd. Mae'n rhaid inni fynd i'r afael â'r sefyllfa ddifrifol yma, sydd yn effeithio ar gymaint o fywydau ac ar unigolion yn ein gwlad ni. Yn 2019-20, roedd tua 192,000 o bobl yng Nghymru gyda diabetes, fel gwnaeth Jenny gyfeirio ato, sef tua 7 y cant o'n poblogaeth sy'n oedolion. Mae'n bwysig hefyd, fel mae Jenny wedi'i ddweud, i wahaniaethu rhwng y ddau fath gwahanol o diabetes: math 1, sy'n rhywbeth na ellir ei atal, a diabetes math 2, lle mae lot allwn ni ei wneud i atal y cyflwr rhag datblygu.
Nawr, yn y ffigurau diweddaraf sydd gyda ni, mae'r gost o drin diabetes i'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn cyrraedd tua £126 miliwn neu 1.9 y cant o gyllideb yr NHS. Os ydyn ni'n ystyried hefyd y cleifion sy'n cael eu trin ar gyfer clefyd cardiofasgiwlar a chymhlethdodau eraill sy'n deilio o diabetes, wedyn rydym ni yn cyrraedd y ffigur yna o 10 y cant oedd Jenny wedi cyfeirio ati. Felly, rydych chi'n iawn i nodi'r ffigur yna yn eich cynnig chi. Mae hyn yn tanlinellu pwysigrwydd atal eilaidd, sef atal cymhlethdodau diabetes rhag datblygu trwy reoli'r clefyd yn dda. Nid dim ond atal diabetes yn y lle cyntaf sy'n bwysig, ond hefyd buddsoddi yn y gwasanaethau sy'n rhwystro'r cymhlethdodau rhag digwydd.
Nawr, mae maint yr her sy'n ein wynebu ni wedi cael ei danlinellu gan y pandemig. Rydym ni wedi gweld sut mae pobl sy'n dioddef o diabetes wedi eu gorgynrychioli ymhlith y marwolaethau sy'n gysylltiedig â COVID. Er nad yw pobl sydd â diabetes o reidrwydd mewn mwy o berygl o ddal COVID, mae'n ymddangos fel bod ffactorau risg diabetes a'i gymhlethdodau yn golygu bod canlyniadau yn debygol o fod yn waeth os ydyn nhw'n dal y feirws. Rŷn ni'n gwybod bod gordewdra neu bwysau gwaed uwch, ethnigrwydd neu fod yn ddifreintiedig yn rhai o'r ffactorau lluosog sy'n cyfrannu at ddatblygiad salwch COVID yn fwy difrifol.
Mae ein dull cenedlaethol o ymdrin â diabetes wedi ei amlinellu yn y cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer diabetes yng Nghymru, ac mae hwn wedi ei ymestyn am flwyddyn arall er mwyn cael cyfle i ddatblygu'r rhaglen olynol. Nawr, beth rŷn ni'n gwybod yw bod yna gysylltiad clir ac arwyddocaol rhwng diabetes 2 a gordewdra. Ac mae astudiaethau'n awgrymu bod tua 90 y cant o oedolion sydd â diabetes math 2 yn pwyso mwy nag y dylen nhw i fod yn iach, neu'n ordew. Dŷn ni'n gwybod hefyd fod gordewdra'n gysylltiedig ag amrywiaeth o gyflyrau iechyd difrifol eraill, fel canser, clefyd y galon a strôc.
Nawr, yn ogystal ag effeithio'n sylweddol ar ansawdd bywyd, mae'n cael effaith sylweddol ar iechyd meddwl hefyd. A dyna pam mae'n hanfodol i ddal ati i ganolbwyntio ar atal a lleihau cyfraddau gordewdra. Mae dros 60 y cant o oedolion, ac un o bob pedwar o blant ysgol gynradd, dros eu pwysau neu'n ordew yma yng Nghymru. Felly, dyna pam heddiw dwi'n cyhoeddi buddsoddiad o fwy na £6.5 miliwn i helpu i daclo gordewdra a diabetes yng Nghymru. A bydd yr arian yn cael ei dargedu at blant a phobl hŷn, i'w helpu i gyrraedd a chynnal pwysau iach. A bydd hwn yn helpu i ddelifro'r hyn a fydd yn cael ei gyhoeddi ar 18 Mawrth, sef ein cynllun cyflawni, 'Pwysau Iach, Cymru Iach', ar gyfer 2021-22.
Nawr, bydd £5.5 miliwn o'r cyllid yn mynd tuag at raglenni penodol, o dan 'Pwysau Iach, Cymru Iach'. Bydd yr arian yn helpu i hyrwyddo datblygiadau allweddol ar draws gwasanaethau atal gordewdra a rheoli pwysau. Ac mae'n cynnwys bron i £3 miliwn o gyllid pellach ar gyfer gwasanaethau gordewdra ar draws ein byrddau iechyd. Ac mae'r cyllid hwn hefyd—ac mae hwn yn bwysig i'w danlinellu—yn cynnwys £1 miliwn o arian ychwanegol y flwyddyn dros y ddwy flynedd nesaf. A bydd hyn yn ein galluogi ni i gymryd camau cynnar i atal salwch a lleihau effaith iechyd gwael ac anghydraddoldeb, drwy gefnogi'r gwaith o ddatblygu treialon llwybr atal cyn-diabetes, sy'n seiliedig ar y model yna roeddech chi'n siarad amdano yn nyffryn Afan. Mae'n cynnwys llwybr addysg cyn-diabetes, sy'n cael ei ddarparu gan weithwyr cymorth gofal iechyd wedi eu hyfforddi, ar gyfer pobl sydd wedi cael darlleniadau glwcos gwaed uwch yn y gorffennol, neu sydd â risg o ddatblygu cyn-diabetes yn y dyfodol.
So, mae rhaglen dyffryn Afan yn cael ei gwerthuso gan uned ymchwil Diabetes Cymru. Rŷn ni'n gwybod bod rhai o'r canlyniadau'n addawol dros ben—fel roeddech chi wedi cyfeirio atyn nhw. A dwi'n siŵr y bydd gan y rheini sydd wedi cynnig y ddadl ddiddordeb mewn gwybod bod gwerthusiad o effeithlonrwydd a chost economaidd wedi ei gynnal gan Brifysgol Abertawe. A beth rŷn ni'n ei wybod yw ei fod e'n gweithio, a dyna pam rŷn ni'n rhoi'r arian ychwanegol yma, i sicrhau ein bod ni'n gallu gweld y peilot yna yn cael ei ddatblygu ar draws Cymru. Felly, mae'r peilot wedi rhoi tystiolaeth i ni; gallwn ni weld yr ymyrryd ataliol ledled Cymru. Bydd hyn yn ein helpu ni i ymateb i'r her, y cynnydd mewn diabetes math 2, i wella iechyd y rhai sydd wedi eu heffeithio, ac i ddarparu gofal iechyd sydd wedi ei seilio ar werth, fel roeddech chi wedi ei nodi, Jenny.
Y disgwyl yw y bydd o leiaf un clwstwr gofal iechyd—
Thank you very much, Deputy Llywydd. I'd like to start by thanking Jenny Rathbone, Dai Lloyd and Jack Sargeant for bringing this important debate on diabetes prevention before the Senedd today, and I'd also like to thank Jayne Bryant for the work that she's been doing with the cross-party group.
This is an important motion, and I know that diabetes is a significant problem that is growing globally, and also in Wales. We must tackle this very serious situation that has an impact on so many lives and so many individuals in our nation. In 2019-20, around 192,000 people in Wales had diabetes, as Jenny mentioned, and that's around 7 per cent of our adult population. It's also important, as Jenny said, to differentiate between the two types of diabetes: type 1, which is not preventable, and type 2 diabetes, where there is a great deal we can do to prevent the condition from developing.
Now, in the latest figures that we have, the cost of treating diabetes for the health service is topping around £126 million or 1.9 per cent of the NHS budget. If we also bear in mind those patients that are treated for cardiovascular disease and other complications arising from diabetes, then we do reach that figure of 10 per cent that Jenny referred to. So, you're quite right in noting that figure in your motion, and this highlights the importance of secondary prevention, namely preventing the complications from arising by managing the condition well—not just prevention, but also investment in those services that prevent those complications from arising.
Now, the scale of the challenge facing us has been highlighted by the pandemic. We've seen how people suffering from diabetes are over-represented in the deaths related to COVID. Although people with diabetes aren't necessarily at greater risk of catching COVID, it does appear that diabetes risk factors and complications mean that the outcomes are likely to be worse if they do contract the virus. We know that obesity or high blood pressure, ethnicity or deprivation are some of the multiple factors that contribute to the development of serious COVID conditions.
Our national approach to diabetes is outlined in the delivery plan for diabetes in Wales, and this has been extended for a further year so that we can develop a follow-on programme. What we know is that there is a clear and significant link between type 2 diabetes and obesity. And studies suggest that around 90 per cent of adults with type 2 diabetes weigh more than they should in order to be healthy, or are obese. And we also know that obesity is linked to a range of other serious health conditions, like cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Now, in addition to the significant impacts on quality of life, it has a significant impact on mental health too. And that's why it's crucial that we continue to focus on prevention and reducing the rates of obesity. Over 60 per cent of adults, and one in four primary school children, are overweight or are obese here in Wales. So, that's why today I am announcing investment of over £6.5 million to help to tackle obesity and diabetes in Wales. And the funding will be targeted at children and older people, in order to help them to maintain a healthy weight. And this will help to deliver what will be announced on 18 March, namely our 'Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales' delivery programme for 2021-22.
Now, £5.5 million of the funding will be provided for specific programmes, under 'Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales'. And that will help to promote key developments across services, in order to prevent obesity and manage weight. And it includes almost £3 million additional funding for obesity services across our health boards. And this funding—and this is important to highlight—does include £1 million of additional funding per year over the next two years. And this will enable us to take early steps to prevent illness and to prevent the impact of ill health and inequalities, by supporting the work of developing prevention pathways, which is based on that model that you mentioned in the Afan valley. A pre-diabetes education pathway, provided by trained healthcare support workers, is provided for people who have had a higher glucose reading in the past, or who are at risk of developing pre-diabetes in the future.
So, the Afan valley programme is being evaluated by the Diabetes Wales research institute. And we know that some of the outcomes are very promising indeed—as you mentioned. And I'm sure that those who proposed the debate will be interested in knowing that an evaluation of efficiency and economic cost has been undertaken by Swansea University. And what we know is that it works, and that is why we are providing this additional funding, to ensure that we do see that pilot being developed across Wales. So, the pilot provided us with evidence; we can see that preventative intervention the length and breadth of Wales. This will allow us to meet the challenge, the increase in type 2 diabetes, to improve the health of those who are affected, and to provide healthcare that is based on value, as you noted, Jenny.
The expectation is that at least one healthcare cluster—
The Minister does need to wind up, please.
Mae angen i'r Gweinidog ddirwyn i ben, os gwêl yn dda.
—ym mhob bwrdd iechyd lleol. Felly, dwi'n falch ein bod ni yn gallu ymateb yn adeiladol dros ben i'r cynnig sydd wedi dod wrthych chi, Jenny. Diolch am ddod â'r ddadl ger ein bron ni heddiw.
—will exist within each and every health board. So, I'm pleased that we are able to respond constructively to the motion tabled by you, Jenny. And thank you for bringing this debate forward.
Can I now call on Dai Lloyd to reply to the debate?
A gaf fi alw ar Dai Lloyd i ymateb i'r ddadl?
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Ac mae'n hyfrydwch i ymateb i'r ddadl, gan fod y Gweinidog newydd wneud y cyhoeddiad yna—bendigedig. Mae pobl weithiau'n amau dilysrwydd cynnal dadleuon o'r math yma—rydyn ni Aelodau cyffredin meinciau cefn weithiau yn cael ein dilorni braidd—ond dyma wireddu breuddwydion, fel y mae Jenny Rathbone wedi ei gael, ac i fod yn deg â Jenny, mae wedi bod wrthi am flynyddoedd ar yr agenda ataliol yma. Dwi'n falch cydnabod cyhoeddiad Eluned Morgan heddiw, achos mae hyn yn ffordd adeiladol ymlaen yn wir ac yn ddefnydd da iawn o'r math yma o ddadl yn y Senedd. Felly dwi'n barod iawn i dalu teyrnged i Jenny Rathbone am ei dycnwch dros y blynyddoedd, yn arwain ar yr agenda yma, a hefyd i Jayne Bryant, fel cadeirydd y grŵp aml-bleidiol ar glefyd siwgr, sydd hefyd yn gwneud gwaith arbennig, ac wrth gwrs yn cyfarch cyhoeddiad y Gweinidog jest nawr. Mae £6 miliwn yn ateb bendigedig i'r ddadl yma, achos dyma'r agenda ataliol hollbwysig. 'Prevention is better than cure,' rydym ni wastad yn ei ddweud e, ond dydyn ni ddim yn ei weithredu fe yn aml iawn, yr agenda ataliol. A dwi hefyd yn mynd i dalu teyrnged i nifer fawr o fudiadau sydd yn gwneud y gwaith ataliol yma yn y maes, pobl fel Diabetes UK Cymru a Sefydliad Prydeinig y Galon, y Gymdeithas Strôc, ac ati, ac ati. Does gen i ddim mo'r amser i'w rhestru nhw i gyd.
A'r pwysigrwydd allweddol yn yr agenda ataliol: atal clefydau rhag digwydd yn y lle cyntaf. Mae yna nifer o ffactorau ymddygiadol, fel roedd Jenny yn ei ddweud, nifer o wahanol ffactorau ymddygiadol a chymdeithasol sy'n gweu efo'i gilydd. Ac yng nghyd-destun clefyd siwgr, sydd, wrth gwrs, yn un o'r clefydau hynny sydd yn cyd-ddigwydd efo COVID, fel rydym ni wedi clywed, ac, o fod efo clefyd siwgr, rydych chi'n fwy tebygol o gael COVID yn ddrwg. Dyna beth yw perthnasedd y ddadl yma. Rydych chi'n mynd i gael COVID yn waeth efo clefyd y siwgr, yn ystadegol felly.
Mae sgiliau, felly, hyrwyddo yr agenda ataliol yma yn hollbwysig, fel sydd i'w darganfod yn y prosiect yma yn nyffryn Afan—sgiliau coginio, sgiliau byw, deiet. Ie, dylen ni gyd fod yn gwybod bod siwgr yn ddrwg i ni erbyn rŵan, er ein bod ni'n dal i fwyta peth, ond mae carbs—'startsh' fydden ni'n arfer galw'r stwff pan oeddwn i yn ysgol Llanbedr ers llawer dydd—mae'r rheini cynddrwg, achos mae carbs yn cael eu trosi i mewn i siwgr yn ein cyrff. Dyna beth mae'r afu yn ei wneud. Un o nifer o bethau mae'r afu yn ei wneud ydy troi carbs yn siwgr. Felly, gall carbs hefyd fod cynddrwg o fwyta gormod ohonyn nhw.
A braster. Ie, mae braster yn ddrwg i ni mewn gormodedd, ond mae angen lefel o fraster arnom ni hefyd. Felly, mae'r cyngor yn subtle iawn, a dyma'r math o gyngor sydd ar gael yn y cynllun yna yn nyffryn Afan—cyngor ar beth i'w fwyta, sut i gadw'n heini. Prosiect llwyddiannus sydd wedi ennill gwobrau. Mae'r ateb gyda ni felly yn nyffryn Afan, ac mewn sawl lle arall. Angen ei rolio fo allan a gweithredu'n genedlaethol, fel mae'r Gweinidog newydd amlinellu. So, dwi'n disgwyl gweld gwireddu y dyhead yma rŵan o'r cychwyn bendigedig yma yn nyffryn Afan.
Felly, wrth gloi, a allaf i ddiolch i bawb am eu cyfraniadau? Diolch yn arbennig i'r Gweinidog am wneud y cyhoeddiad yna o'r arian, a'i gwneud hi'n orfodol i ni feddwl yn fwy adeiladol ynglŷn â'r dadleuon Aelodau unigol yma; mae nhw'n gallu cyflawni gwyrthiau. Felly, dwi'n llongyfarch y Gweinidog, dwi'n llongyfarch y Llywodraeth, ac yn bennaf oll, dwi'n llongyfarch Jenny Rathbone am redeg efo'r agenda yma cyhyd. Cefnogwch y cynnig felly. Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi.
Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. And it's a pleasure to respond to this debate, as the Minister's just made that announcement—wonderful. People sometimes doubt the validity of having debates such as this one—we ordinary backbench Members are sometimes derided for doing so—but this is a dream come true for Jenny Rathbone, and to be fair to Jenny, she's been working on this preventative agenda for many years. I'm pleased to acknowledge the announcement made by Eluned Morgan today, because this is a very constructive way forward, and a very good use of this kind of debate in the Senedd. So, I'm happy to pay tribute to Jenny Rathbone for her determination over the years, in leading this agenda, and also to Jayne Bryant, as chair of the cross-party group on diabetes, which also does excellent work, and of course I also welcome the Minister's announcement. Six million pounds is a wonderful response to this debate, because this is the crucially important preventative agenda that we're talking about. 'Prevention is better than cure,' we always say it, but we don't always take action on those words, the preventative agenda. And I also want to pay tribute to many, many organisations who are doing this preventative work, such as Diabetes UK Cymru and the British Heart Foundation, the Stroke Association, and so on and so on. I don't have time to list them all.
And, of course, the key importance within the prevention agenda is preventing diseases from arising in the first instance. There are a number of behavioural factors, as Jenny mentioned, a number of behavioural and social factors that come together. And in the context of diabetes, which, of course, is one of those conditions that have a close link to COVID, and, as we've heard, in having diabetes you are more likely to suffer severe COVID. That's the relevance of this debate. You are likely to have more severe COVID if you are diabetic, statistically speaking.
Therefore, promoting this preventative agenda is crucially important, as has been discovered in this project in the Afan valley—cooking skills, life skills, diet. Yes, we should all know that sugar is bad for us now, although we do eat it, but carbs—'starch', as we used to call it when I was in school in Lampeter—those are just as bad, because carbs do become sugar within our bodies. That's what the liver does. One of the many things that the liver does is to turn carbs into sugar. So, carbs can be just as bad if you eat too many.
And fat. Well, yes, fat, if we eat too much of it, is bad for us, but we need a level of fats in our diet too. So, the advice is very subtle, and this is the kind of advice that is available through that Afan valley intervention programme—what to eat, how to eat healthily, and how to keep fit. It's a successful project that's won awards. Therefore, we have that solution in the Afan valley, and in several other places. We need to roll it out and operate it at a national level, as the Minister has just outlined. So, I hope to see that aspiration delivered following that fantastic start in the Afan valley.
So, in conclusion, may I thank everyone for their contributions? I particularly thank the Minister for making that announcement of the funding, and making us all think more constructively about these individual Member debates; they can deliver miracles. So, I congratulate the Minister, I congratulate the Government, and, most of all, I congratulate Jenny Rathbone on taking this agenda forward for so very long. Support the motion. Thank you.
Thank you very much. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? I don't see any objections. Therefore, in accordance with Standing Order 12.36, the motion is agreed.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Y cwestiwn yw a ddylid derbyn y cynnig. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nid wyf yn gweld unrhyw wrthwynebiadau. Felly, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36, derbynnir y cynnig.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Item 6 on our agenda is a debate on the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee report on long-term recovery from COVID, and I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion, Russell George.
Eitem 6 ar ein hagenda yw dadl ar adroddiad Pwyllgor yr Economi, Seilwaith a Sgiliau ar adferiad hirdymor o COVID, a galwaf ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig, Russell George.
Cynnig NDM7623 Russell George
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
Yn nodi adroddiad Pwyllgor yr Economi, Seilwaith a Sgiliau ar ei ymchwiliad, 'Adferiad tymor hir o COVID-19', a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 3 Mawrth 2021.
Motion NDM7623 Russell George
To propose that the Senedd:
Notes the report of the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee on its inquiry, 'Long-term recovery from COVID-19', which was laid in the Table Office on 3 March 2021.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch yn fawr, Deputy Presiding Officer. It's very timely, I think, that we are debating this report today, as it's a year ago that we had the last 'normal' week—I say 'normal' in inverted commas—for most people in Wales. Three hundred and sixty-five days ago, the World Health Organization officially described COVID-19 as a pandemic, and in the following fortnight, certain businesses like pubs and restaurants were forced to close, schools were closed, people were asked to work from home if they could, and then, of course, we were told to stay at home unless absolutely essential. And since then, we have seen a heroic effort by NHS staff and key workers to keep the country safe, and essential shops serving us and running.
So, as we watch that heroic work continue through the vaccine roll-out, we can see the tide turning, and the health emergency, although it's still very much a threat, waning away, and our attention must now turn, in earnest, I think, to the rebuilding of our economy.
Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Credaf ei bod yn amserol iawn ein bod yn trafod yr adroddiad hwn heddiw, oherwydd flwyddyn yn ôl y cawsom yr wythnos 'normal' ddiwethaf—dywedaf 'normal' mewn dyfynodau—i'r rhan fwyaf o bobl yng Nghymru. Dri chant a chwe deg pum diwrnod yn ôl, disgrifiodd Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd COVID-19 fel pandemig yn swyddogol, ac yn y pythefnos canlynol, gorfodwyd rhai busnesau fel tafarndai a bwytai i gau, caewyd ysgolion, gofynnwyd i bobl weithio gartref os gallent, ac yna, wrth gwrs, dywedwyd wrth bawb am aros gartref oni bai bod ganddynt reswm hanfodol. Ac ers hynny, rydym wedi gweld ymdrech arwrol gan staff y GIG a gweithwyr allweddol i gadw'r wlad yn ddiogel, ac i gadw siopau hanfodol i fynd ac i'n gwasanaethu.
Felly, wrth inni wylio'r gwaith arwrol hwnnw'n parhau drwy gydol y broses o gyflwyno'r brechlyn, gallwn weld y llanw'n troi, a'r argyfwng iechyd, er ei fod yn dal i fod yn fygythiad mawr, yn lleihau, ac mae'n rhaid i ni droi ein sylw o ddifrif, rwy'n credu, at ailadeiladu ein heconomi.
So, this report comprehensively examines how recovery should look across the committee's portfolio and, in the short term, we now would like to see and draw Members' attention to three key areas, and they are: one, continuing support for hard-hit sectors; two, using reconstruction funding to reinvigorate and retool our economy; and three, avoiding a scarred generation of young people.
So, I'll talk to each of those points in turn. So, the effects of the pandemic have not been felt equally across the economy. We heard evidence from businesses that rely on people coming together, like tourism and hospitality or those who provide contact services, like hair and beauty, and they've been particularly affected. Many venues, like theatres, nightclubs and exhibition spaces, closed their doors a year ago and haven't been able to trade since. So, we hope for a summer of reunions with friends and family, many of which will take place in tourism and hospitality businesses. However, one good summer will not make up for the lost trade from last year. Tourism providers have described what has just passed as three consecutive winters.
Similarly, I've had a do-it-yourself haircut. I haven't had a haircut since the middle of December. I can see Members looking up from their screens now checking my hair height. But the point is this: I won't be having an extra haircut when hairdressers reopen again. So, it's likely that the economy will be affected differently in different sectors.
It's likely that Wales's manufacturing industries will also take some time to recover. For example, we heard evidence that the aerospace industry would take three or four years to recover to the 2019 levels. Now, the committee believes it is clear that businesses that felt effects the worst in the pandemic need a stronger and a longer recovery strategy than the rest of the economy. So, it's vital that the next Welsh Government sets out this strategy very early on and, as part of it, it must also make clear any additional funding it thinks it needs from the UK Government.
Now, a dramatic drop in public transport usage has meant that companies involved in transport services have also been heavily affected. So, the next Welsh Government as well must set out a long-term plan for public transport recovery as well.
Tuning to my next point with regard to using reconstruction funding to reinvigorate and retool our economy, the picture on the front of the report—I'm just holding it up here—is a daffodil. Now, that's not just because we launched our report on St David's Day, not at all, it's because we're looking for optimism and opportunity from the recovery. Just like flowers appearing after a winter or with the right nutrition, our economy can grow anew. So, the committee heard that at the end of the first lockdown, there was a real surge in entrepreneurial spirit and release, and a surge in start-ups. Now, if the Welsh Government can capture that energy, it can be used to tackle the relatively low start-up rates that we have in Wales now.
We also heard about how a skills-led recovery could promote better productivity and tackle low skills traps, a key problem that I know the committee has reported on in the past. Alongside this, we heard evidence that investment in research and innovation would also improve Wales's productivity and its resilience. So, business representatives, unions, think tanks, academics and environmental organisations all told us, as Members, about the environmental and economic gains that could be made by investing in a greener economy. So, the next Welsh Government—certainly we, as a committee, believe—should prioritise accelerating shovel-ready green infrastructure projects to boost job creation, and the next programme for government must have skills at its heart, in the view of the committee. The Welsh Government must seize the opportunities set out in this report and use reconstruction to create a more innovative, resilient and future-proofed economy for Wales with a highly skilled workforce engaged in high productivity, resilient and environmentally friendly jobs.
The last section, which I talked about at the beginning of my contribution, was youth unemployment. The committee was pleased that the Welsh Government has committed to ensuring that no-one is left behind by the recovery. Now, we know that people who were already disadvantaged in the job market feel the worst effects when the market shrinks. The report contains a section on recovery for all, which outlines the steps the Government must take to support an equal recovery to meet its pledge. Young people are a group who have been left behind in past economic emergencies and we heard from several experts who were extremely anxious about the spike in youth unemployment creating a scarred generation.
Wales already has two cohorts of young people deeply affected by COVID-19 and there's no doubt that the pandemic and the economic emergency that this created will affect students leaving education and training for some time to come. Professor Keep likened youth unemployment to filling a bath—every year more young people and graduates come out of university and that bath keeps filling up if those people can't then find their way into the labour market and secure high-quality and fulfilling employment. If our young people can't find their way into the labour market, if they spend a long time unemployed or if they can't find the right path in the churn between employment, training and unemployment, their lives could potentially be scarred and their wings clipped for the rest of their careers. We know that this scarring will follow them, potentially, throughout their whole lives, reducing their earning potential and prosperity.
So, tackling the beckoning prospect of a scarred generation of young people must be absolutely a priority for the next Welsh Government. Its success or failure with this objective will ripple beyond the first half of the twenty-first century. I very much look forward to Members' contributions to this debate this afternoon.
Felly, mae'r adroddiad hwn yn archwilio'n gynhwysfawr sut y dylai adferiad edrych ar draws portffolio'r pwyllgor ac yn y tymor byr, hoffem dynnu sylw'r Aelodau at dri maes allweddol, sef: un, cymorth parhaus i sectorau sydd wedi'u taro'n galed; dau, defnyddio cyllid ailadeiladu i ailfywiogi ac ailarfogi ein heconomi; a thri, osgoi cenhedlaeth o bobl ifanc wedi'u creithio.
Felly, byddaf yn siarad am bob un o'r pwyntiau hynny yn eu tro. Felly, nid yw effeithiau'r pandemig wedi cael eu teimlo'n gyfartal ar draws yr economi. Clywsom dystiolaeth gan fusnesau sy'n dibynnu ar bobl yn dod at ei gilydd, fel twristiaeth a lletygarwch neu'r rhai sy'n darparu gwasanaethau cysylltiadau agos, fel gwallt a harddwch, ac effeithiwyd yn arbennig arnynt hwy. Caeodd llawer o leoliadau, fel theatrau, clybiau nos ac arddangosfeydd, eu drysau flwyddyn yn ôl ac nid ydynt wedi gallu masnachu ers hynny. Felly, gobeithiwn am haf o aduniadau gyda ffrindiau a theulu, y bydd llawer ohonynt yn digwydd mewn busnesau twristiaeth a lletygarwch. Fodd bynnag, ni fydd un haf da yn gwneud iawn am y fasnach a gollwyd y llynedd. Mae darparwyr twristiaeth wedi disgrifio'r amser sydd wedi mynd heibio fel tri gaeaf olynol.
Yn yr un modd, rwyf wedi torri fy ngwallt fy hun. Nid wyf wedi cael fy ngwallt wedi'i dorri ers canol mis Rhagfyr. Gallaf weld Aelodau'n edrych ar eu sgriniau yn awr i weld pa mor hir yw fy ngwallt. Ond y pwynt yw hyn: ni fyddaf yn cael fy ngwallt wedi'i dorri eto pan fydd siopau trin gwallt yn ailagor. Felly, mae'n debygol y bydd yr economi'n cael ei heffeithio'n wahanol mewn gwahanol sectorau.
Mae'n debygol y bydd sefyllfa diwydiannau gweithgynhyrchu Cymru hefyd yn cymryd peth amser i ymadfer. Er enghraifft, clywsom dystiolaeth y byddai'r diwydiant awyrofod yn cymryd tair neu bedair blynedd i adfer i lefelau 2019. Nawr, mae'r pwyllgor yn credu ei bod yn glir fod busnesau a gafodd eu taro waethaf gan y pandemig angen strategaeth adfer gryfach a hwy na gweddill yr economi. Felly, mae'n hanfodol fod Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru yn nodi'r strategaeth hon yn gynnar iawn ac fel rhan ohoni, mae'n rhaid iddi hefyd nodi unrhyw gyllid ychwanegol y mae'n credu ei bod ei angen gan Lywodraeth y DU.
Nawr, mae gostyngiad dramatig yn y defnydd o drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus wedi golygu bod cwmnïau sy'n ymwneud â gwasanaethau trafnidiaeth hefyd wedi cael eu heffeithio'n drwm. Felly, mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru nodi cynllun hirdymor ar gyfer adfer trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus hefyd.
Mae fy mhwynt nesaf yn ymwneud â defnyddio cyllid ailadeiladu i ailfywiogi ac ailarfogi ein heconomi, ac ar flaen yr adroddiad—rwy'n ei godi yma—mae llun o gennin Pedr. Nawr, ni wnaethom hynny oherwydd ein bod wedi lansio ein hadroddiad ar Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi, ddim o gwbl, y rheswm pam y gwnaethom hynny yw oherwydd ein bod yn chwilio am optimistiaeth a chyfle o'r adferiad. Yn union fel blodau sy'n ymddangos ar ôl y gaeaf, neu gyda'r maeth cywir, gall ein heconomi dyfu o'r newydd. Felly, clywodd y pwyllgor fod ymchwydd go iawn wedi bod yn y teimlad o ryddhad ac ysbryd entrepreneuraidd ar ddiwedd y cyfyngiadau symud cyntaf, a chynnydd yn nifer y busnesau newydd. Nawr, os gall Llywodraeth Cymru ddal yr egni hwnnw, gellir ei ddefnyddio i fynd i'r afael â'r cyfraddau cymharol isel o fusnesau newydd sydd gennym yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd.
Clywsom hefyd sut y gallai adferiad a arweinir gan sgiliau hybu gwell cynhyrchiant a mynd i'r afael â thrapiau sgiliau isel, problem allweddol y gwn fod y pwyllgor wedi sôn amdani yn y gorffennol. Ochr yn ochr â hyn, clywsom dystiolaeth y byddai buddsoddiad mewn ymchwil ac arloesedd hefyd yn gwella cynhyrchiant Cymru a'i chydnerthedd. Felly, mae cynrychiolwyr busnes, undebau, melinau trafod, academyddion a sefydliadau amgylcheddol i gyd wedi dweud wrthym, fel Aelodau, am yr enillion amgylcheddol ac economaidd y gellid eu gwneud drwy fuddsoddi mewn economi fwy gwyrdd. Felly, dylai Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru—rydym ninnau fel pwyllgor yn sicr yn credu—roi blaenoriaeth i gyflymu prosiectau seilwaith gwyrdd parod i'w hadeiladu er mwyn hybu creu swyddi, ac mae'n rhaid i sgiliau fod wrth wraidd y rhaglen lywodraethu nesaf, ym marn y pwyllgor. Mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru fachu ar y cyfleoedd a nodir yn yr adroddiad hwn a defnyddio ailadeiladu i greu economi fwy arloesol a gwydn sy'n ddiogel at y dyfodol i Gymru gyda gweithlu medrus iawn yn gwneud swyddi cynhyrchiant uchel, gwydn ac ecogyfeillgar.
Yr adran olaf, y soniais amdani ar ddechrau fy nghyfraniad, oedd diweithdra ymhlith pobl ifanc. Roedd y pwyllgor yn falch bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau nad oes neb yn cael ei adael ar ôl gan yr adferiad. Nawr, gwyddom mai pobl a oedd eisoes dan anfantais yn y farchnad swyddi sy'n teimlo'r effeithiau gwaethaf pan fydd y farchnad yn crebachu. Mae'r adroddiad yn cynnwys adran ar adferiad i bawb, sy'n amlinellu'r camau y mae'n rhaid i'r Llywodraeth eu cymryd i gefnogi adferiad cyfartal er mwyn cyflawni ei haddewid. Mae pobl ifanc yn grŵp sydd wedi'u gadael ar ôl mewn argyfyngau economaidd yn y gorffennol a chlywsom gan nifer o arbenigwyr a oedd yn bryderus iawn y bydd y cynnydd mewn diweithdra ymhlith pobl ifanc yn creu cenhedlaeth sydd wedi'i chreithio.
Mae gan Gymru eisoes ddwy garfan o bobl ifanc y mae COVID-19 wedi effeithio'n fawr arnynt ac nid oes amheuaeth y bydd y pandemig a'r argyfwng economaidd a grëwyd ganddo'n effeithio ar fyfyrwyr sy'n gadael addysg a hyfforddiant am beth amser i ddod. Dywedodd yr Athro Keep fod diweithdra ymhlith pobl ifanc yn debyg i lenwi bath—bob blwyddyn mae mwy o bobl ifanc a graddedigion yn gadael y brifysgol ac mae'r bath yn dal i lenwi os na all y bobl hynny ddod o hyd i ffordd i mewn i'r farchnad lafur a sicrhau cyflogaeth foddhaus o ansawdd uchel. Os na all ein pobl ifanc ddod o hyd i ffordd i mewn i'r farchnad lafur, os ydynt yn treulio amser hir yn ddi-waith neu os na allant ddod o hyd i'r llwybr cywir yn y cylchdroi rhwng cyflogaeth, hyfforddiant a diweithdra, gallai eu bywydau gael eu creithio a'u huchelgais wedi'i gyfyngu am weddill eu gyrfaoedd. Gwyddom y bydd y creithiau hyn yn eu dilyn, o bosibl, drwy gydol eu hoes, gan leihau eu potensial ennill cyflog a'u ffyniant.
Felly, mae'n rhaid sicrhau bod mynd i'r afael â'r bygythiad o genhedlaeth o bobl ifanc sydd wedi'u creithio yn flaenoriaeth i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru. Bydd ei llwyddiant neu ei methiant gyda'r amcan hwn yn cael effaith y tu hwnt i hanner cyntaf yr unfed ganrif ar hugain. Edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr at gyfraniadau'r Aelodau i'r ddadl hon y prynhawn yma.
I want to begin by thanking all those who participated in this very important and far-reaching inquiry and take this opportunity to thank all who supported my work as a member of this committee just over the past year. I'm very grateful to the Chair and to my fellow Members, but most of all, to the committee staff. This was a very new field to me. They absolutely enabled me to hit the ground running and I'm extremely grateful for that.
As has been said, we face an unprecedented economic shock that is coming as Government support comes to an end as we come out of the health crisis. And that's the reason, of course, for our hugely wide-ranging report. We don't often see a Senedd committee report with 53 recommendations. All of these recommendations are extremely important and I personally believe that the Welsh Government should treat them as a package—they work together. But I want to comment on three particular groups of recommendations in my brief contribution to this debate.
I'd first like to refer to recommendation 5, which sets out the urgent need for the Welsh Government to set measurable targets, monitor progress and evaluate the effectiveness of all recovery work and investment. It seems obvious, but evidence over the last year on a range of issues in this portfolio is that this does not always happen by any means. With the size of the task so huge and the resources inevitably limited, we will not be able to afford to waste a single penny. And if we really take an innovative approach, we will try some things that won't work, and we will need to stop doing them. Monitoring and evaluation is key and the next Welsh Government must ensure that robust systems are in place. These systems must monitor impacts by region, by sector and by equality characteristics. Our build back from COVID must work for everyone, everywhere in Wales.
Which brings me to recommendations 30 to 41. These highlight a whole range of actions needed to ensure that, in rebuilding our economy, we address the structural inequalities and injustices that were baked into our economy before the COVID crisis. We heard such clear evidence that black people and people of colour were hit harder by COVID, both in terms of health and economic harm. We heard how women were impacted more seriously than men, and while there were some positive impacts for disabled people, with opportunities opened up by homeworking, there were concerns for this group, too. It is imperative that, as the next Welsh Government leads efforts to rebuild our economy, the opportunity to act to remove these historical structural inequalities that have done so much damage is taken. Change will not be achieved overnight, and that brings me back, of course, to the point about measurable targets. But what must be avoided at all costs is building back to where we were before. That would be an unforgivable waste of an opportunity.
Finally, Deputy Presiding Officer, I want to refer to recommendations 42 to 48, focusing on actions needed to ensure that young people are not left behind. As the Chair has already said, we know that in this economic crisis, as in others, young people have been very hard hit. They tend to work in the sectors like hospitality that have been badly hit, their education has been disrupted, and with more experienced workers losing their jobs and re-entering the job market, their opportunities will be restricted. Previous economic crises have seen whole generations left behind. I was a young person in the 1980s, and I have friends who are my age, coming up to retirement now, whose lifetime economic prosperity was affected by being out of work for two or three years right at the beginning of their careers. As they go into their pensions, they are poorer than they would have been. Our recommendations make practical suggestions to avoid this happening this time, and the next Welsh Government must act on all these recommendations.
On this agenda, a Plaid Cymru Government will go further, even, than recommended by the committee. Committee recommendation 43 asks the next Welsh Government to assess the introduction of a youth opportunity guarantee for 16 to 24-year-olds. We will commit in Government to that guarantee—a good-quality, decently paid job for every 16 to 24-year-old not in education, training or employment. Plaid Cymru will not leave our young people behind; our next Government must not leave our young people behind. As our recommendations make clear, while the economic aftermath of COVID presents grave challenges, it also presents some real opportunities. This is our chance not just to build back better, but to build back well. I commend this report to the Senedd and to Welsh Governments current and future.
Hoffwn ddechrau drwy ddiolch i bawb a gymerodd ran yn yr ymchwiliad pwysig a phellgyrhaeddol hwn a manteisio ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i bawb a gefnogodd fy ngwaith fel aelod o'r pwyllgor hwn dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r Cadeirydd ac i fy nghyd-Aelodau, ond yn bennaf oll, i staff y pwyllgor. Roedd hwn yn faes newydd iawn i mi. Fe wnaethant fy ngalluogi i ddysgu'n gyflym ac rwy'n hynod ddiolchgar am hynny.
Fel y dywedwyd, rydym yn wynebu sioc economaidd ddigynsail wrth i gymorth y Llywodraeth ddod i ben ac wrth inni gefnu ar yr argyfwng iechyd. A dyna'r rheswm, wrth gwrs, am ein hadroddiad eang iawn. Nid ydym yn aml yn gweld adroddiad gyda 53 o argymhellion gan bwyllgor y Senedd. Mae'r holl argymhellion hyn yn eithriadol o bwysig a chredaf yn bersonol y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru eu trin fel pecyn—maent yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd. Ond hoffwn wneud sylwadau ar dri grŵp penodol o argymhellion yn fy nghyfraniad byr i'r ddadl hon.
Hoffwn gyfeirio'n gyntaf at argymhelliad 5, sy'n nodi'r angen dybryd i Lywodraeth Cymru osod targedau mesuradwy, monitro cynnydd a gwerthuso effeithiolrwydd yr holl waith adfer a buddsoddiad. Mae'n ymddangos yn amlwg, ond mae tystiolaeth dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf ar amrywiaeth o faterion yn y portffolio hwn yn dangos nad yw hyn bob amser yn digwydd o bell ffordd. Gyda maint y dasg mor enfawr a'r adnoddau, yn anochel, yn gyfyngedig, ni fyddwn yn gallu fforddio gwastraffu ceiniog. Ac os byddwn, mewn gwirionedd, yn mabwysiadu dull arloesol, byddwn yn rhoi cynnig ar rai pethau na fyddant yn gweithio, a bydd angen i ni roi'r gorau i'w gwneud. Mae monitro a gwerthuso yn allweddol ac mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru sicrhau bod systemau cadarn ar waith. Mae'n rhaid i'r systemau hyn fonitro effeithiau fesul rhanbarth, fesul sector a nodweddion cydraddoldeb. Mae'n rhaid i'r broses o ailadeiladu'n ôl o COVID weithio i bawb, ym mhobman yng Nghymru.
Daw hynny â mi at argymhellion 30 i 41. Mae'r rhain yn amlygu ystod eang o gamau gweithredu sydd eu hangen i sicrhau ein bod, wrth ailadeiladu ein heconomi, yn mynd i'r afael â'r anghyfiawnderau a'r anghydraddoldebau strwythurol a oedd yn rhan o'n heconomi cyn yr argyfwng COVID. Clywsom dystiolaeth mor glir fod pobl dduon a phobl groenliw wedi cael eu taro'n galetach gan COVID, o ran niwed i iechyd a niwed economaidd. Clywsom sut roedd menywod wedi cael eu effeithio'n fwy difrifol na dynion, ac er bod rhai effeithiau cadarnhaol i bobl anabl, gyda chyfleoedd yn agor yn sgil gweithio gartref, roedd pryderon i'r grŵp hwn hefyd. Mae'n hanfodol, wrth i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru arwain ymdrechion i ailadeiladu ein heconomi, y manteisir ar y cyfle i weithredu i ddileu'r anghydraddoldebau strwythurol hanesyddol hyn sydd wedi gwneud cymaint o niwed. Ni chyflawnir newid dros nos, a daw hynny â mi'n ôl, wrth gwrs, at y pwynt am dargedau mesuradwy. Ond yr hyn sy'n rhaid ei osgoi ar bob cyfrif yw ailadeiladu'n ôl i ble roeddem o'r blaen. Byddai hynny'n wastraff cyfle anfaddeuol.
Yn olaf, Ddirprwy Lywydd, hoffwn gyfeirio at argymhellion 42 i 48, gan ganolbwyntio ar y camau sydd eu hangen i sicrhau nad yw pobl ifanc yn cael eu gadael ar ôl. Fel y dywedodd y Cadeirydd eisoes, gwyddom fod pobl ifanc, yn yr argyfwng economaidd hwn, fel mewn rhai eraill, wedi cael eu taro'n galed iawn. Maent yn tueddu i weithio mewn sectorau sydd wedi cael eu taro'n wael, fel lletygarwch, amharwyd ar eu haddysg, a chyda gweithwyr mwy profiadol yn colli eu swyddi ac yn ailymuno â'r farchnad swyddi, cyfyngir ar eu cyfleoedd. Mae argyfyngau economaidd blaenorol wedi gweld cenedlaethau cyfan yn cael eu gadael ar ôl. Roeddwn yn berson ifanc yn yr 1980au, ac mae gennyf ffrindiau fy oedran i, sydd bron â chyrraedd oed ymddeol bellach, yr effeithiwyd ar eu ffyniant economaidd ar hyd eu hoes am eu bod wedi bod yn ddi-waith am ddwy neu dair blynedd ar ddechrau eu gyrfaoedd. Wrth iddynt gyrraedd oed pensiwn, maent yn dlotach nag y byddent wedi bod. Mae ein hargymhellion yn gwneud awgrymiadau ymarferol i osgoi hyn rhag digwydd y tro hwn, ac mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru weithredu ar yr holl argymhellion hyn.
Ar yr agenda hon, bydd Llywodraeth Plaid Cymru yn mynd gam ymhellach hyd yn oed na'r hyn a argymhellir gan y pwyllgor. Mae argymhelliad 43 y pwyllgor yn gofyn i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru asesu'r posibilrwydd o gyflwyno gwarant cyfle ieuenctid i bobl ifanc 16 i 24 oed. Byddwn yn ymrwymo i'r warant honno mewn Llywodraeth—swydd o ansawdd da sy'n talu'n dda i bob unigolyn 16 i 24 oed nad ydynt mewn addysg, hyfforddiant na chyflogaeth. Ni fydd Plaid Cymru yn gadael ein pobl ifanc ar ôl; mae'n rhaid i'n Llywodraeth nesaf beidio â gadael ein pobl ifanc ar ôl. Fel y mae ein hargymhellion yn dweud yn glir, tra bod canlyniadau economaidd COVID yn cyflwyno heriau difrifol, maent hefyd yn cynnig rhai cyfleoedd go iawn. Dyma ein cyfle nid yn unig i adeiladu'n ôl yn well, ond i adeiladu'n ôl yn dda. Rwy'n cymeradwyo'r adroddiad hwn i'r Senedd ac i Lywodraethau Cymru yn awr ac yn y dyfodol.
I've got a very positive sign on this. I believe we're starting the fourth industrial revolution—not as expected, as people were talking about, with artificial intelligence, but with homeworking and shopping. It's a completion of the circle from people moving into cities to work in factories to people leaving offices to work at home. We've seen over recent years changes in the way that people work and shop. The movement towards homeworking, online meetings and online shopping was taking place pre COVID, but what COVID has done is turbocharge it. Some people have said it moved five years forward, other people have said it moved 10 years forward. I don't know, but I can tell you what, it's moved forward a huge amount over the last 12 months. When we come out of this, it is not a return to March 2020. I've heard some frightening discussions about the roads we need to get people travelling exactly as they were before. That is not the world we're moving into.
Thirty years ago, I was telling my students about how video-conferencing was the way forward, and then 15 years ago, I was still telling my students how video-conferencing was the way forward and there was no need for travel. I've now seen, as I've spent most of the last 12 months on Zoom and Teams, that especially where high-speed broadband is available, it certainly saves a lot of travel. I wish luck to anybody who wants to get finance directors to fund them to travel long distances to meetings, especially short meetings. I know it's the Welsh Government's policy to have 30 per cent homeworking, but the Welsh Government have got very little control over it. I always think back to if the Government in 1900 decided how much they were going to cut horses by. Well, they didn't have any control over it; it was controlled by events taking place outside their control.
The Welsh Government can control the people they employ, and I hope they will use this to control the people they employ and get more people working from home. The private sector will do what works for individual companies, and collectively, that will affect the direction of the travel. Can I just say I do not relish spending two hours a day travelling up the M4 from Swansea to my office and back? I'm not sure if many other people do. But my journey is not abnormal in south Wales, to have that level of travel. It's certainly given me an extra six hours a week. I think what you're going to see is, because office costs are so expensive in Cardiff, you may well find companies saying how much they can save by having people working at home. But also, you'll have competitive recruitment; people will want to work at home because it gives them huge advantages, and they won't have a two-hour commute a day. But more importantly, they don't have to live near the M4 or an A road or near a motorway or near a railway station; they can actually live where they like. I think we'll see a lot of movement of people because of this.
Homeworking is really going to be made by lots of individual decisions. We've had it over the last 12 months in what can only be described as suboptimal conditions, where we've seen people having to work at home as well as look after children, whereas, if they didn't have that, their productivity would increase. But what we've actually seen is no substantial drop in productivity; no-one has found any of that. What we have seen is improved productivity with some. I think this is the direction we've been going in, and we've got there. Also, we've seen it in shopping. How many people are now happy to buy clothes, toys, home styling and other items sitting on their sofa at any time of day and night from an iPad, a phone or a computer? I worry about the future of physical shops. And just remember, online is not just Amazon, although that's obviously become shorthand for it. Every major retailer has an online presence and all are working towards improving their online presence.
We've also seen 3D printers. They didn't play a major part in the last 12 months, because they're expensive, and they're still in the development stage. This is going to change; they're going to get cheaper, they're going to get better. People remember when the first computers came out just how slow they were, and you've got in your pocket now greater computing capacity than took people to the moon in the 1960s. I'm just putting that in context. These printers are going to get better. People are going to make more. I've got a firm in my constituency that makes prosthetics on 3D printers, so you can make them as people need them. I think we're going to see a huge development of 3D production, and this will have an effect on other countries as well. If we are creating the designs in this country, if we are going to make the things, we don't have to send them off to other parts of the world to produce. We can be producing them—I won't say in our own living room, but certainly at or near our own home. These are changes that are taking place.
Universities have a huge role, with underused universities in Wales. Just look at what's happening not just with Cambridge, but universities throughout Britain that have developed science parks, that have developed industries alongside them. We need to be doing the same. And just one final point—
Mae gennyf olwg cadarnhaol iawn ar hyn. Credaf ein bod yn dechrau'r pedwerydd chwyldro diwydiannol—nid yn ôl y disgwyl, fel roedd pobl yn sôn amdano, gyda deallusrwydd artiffisial, ond gyda gweithio a siopa gartref. Mae'n cau'r cylch o fod pobl yn symud i ddinasoedd i weithio mewn ffatrïoedd, i fod pobl yn gadael swyddfeydd i weithio gartref. Dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld newidiadau yn y ffordd y mae pobl yn gweithio ac yn siopa. Roedd y symud tuag at weithio gartref, cyfarfodydd ar-lein a siopa ar-lein yn digwydd cyn COVID, ond yr hyn y mae COVID wedi'i wneud yw ei chwyddo. Mae rhai pobl yn dweud bod pethau wedi symud ymlaen bum mlynedd, a phobl eraill wedi dweud bod pethau wedi symud ymlaen 10 mlynedd. Nid wyf yn gwybod, ond gallaf ddweud un peth wrthych, mae pethau wedi symud ymlaen yn aruthrol dros y 12 mis diwethaf. Pan fyddwn yn cefnu ar hyn, ni fyddwn yn dychwelyd i fis Mawrth 2020. Rwyf wedi clywed trafodaethau brawychus am y ffyrdd sydd eu hangen arnom i gael pobl i deithio'n union fel roeddent yn gwneud o'r blaen. Nid dyna'r byd rydym yn symud i mewn iddo.
Ddeng mlynedd ar hugain yn ôl, roeddwn yn dweud wrth fy myfyrwyr mai fideo-gynadledda oedd y ffordd ymlaen, ac yna 15 mlynedd yn ôl, roeddwn yn dal i ddweud wrth fy myfyrwyr mai fideo-gynadledda oedd y ffordd ymlaen ac nad oedd angen teithio. Rwyf bellach wedi gweld, gan fy mod wedi treulio'r rhan fwyaf o'r 12 mis diwethaf ar Zoom a Teams, yn enwedig lle mae band eang cyflym ar gael, ei fod yn sicr yn arbed llawer o deithio. Rwy'n dymuno pob lwc i unrhyw un sydd eisiau i gyfarwyddwyr cyllid eu hariannu i deithio'n bell i gyfarfodydd, yn enwedig cyfarfodydd byr. Rwy'n gwybod mai polisi Llywodraeth Cymru yw gweithio gartref 30 y cant o'r amser, ond ychydig iawn o reolaeth sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru dros hynny. Rwyf bob amser yn meddwl beth pe bai'r Llywodraeth yn 1900 wedi penderfynu faint o geffylau roeddent am eu torri. Wel, nid oedd ganddynt unrhyw reolaeth dros y peth; fe'i rheolwyd gan ddigwyddiadau y tu hwnt i'w rheolaeth.
Gall Llywodraeth Cymru reoli'r bobl y maent yn eu cyflogi, ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddant yn defnyddio hyn i reoli'r bobl y maent yn eu cyflogi a chael mwy o bobl i weithio gartref. Bydd y sector preifat yn gwneud yr hyn sy'n gweithio i gwmnïau unigol, a chyda'i gilydd, bydd hynny'n effeithio ar y cyfeiriad teithio. A gaf fi ddweud nad wyf yn mwynhau treulio dwy awr y dydd yn teithio ar hyd yr M4 o Abertawe i fy swyddfa ac yn ôl? Nid wyf yn siŵr a oes llawer o bobl eraill sy'n mwynhau hynny. Ond nid yw fy nhaith yn anarferol yn ne Cymru, y lefel honno o deithio. Mae'n sicr wedi rhoi chwe awr ychwanegol yr wythnos i mi. Oherwydd bod costau swyddfa mor ddrud yng Nghaerdydd, rwy'n credu mai'r hyn a welwch yw ei bod hi'n ddigon posibl y bydd cwmnïau'n dweud faint y gallant ei arbed drwy ofyn i bobl weithio gartref. Ond hefyd, bydd gennych recriwtio cystadleuol; bydd pobl eisiau gweithio gartref am ei fod yn rhoi manteision enfawr iddynt, ac ni fyddant yn gorfod cymudo am ddwy awr y dydd. Ond yn bwysicach na hynny, nid oes rhaid iddynt fyw ger yr M4 neu brif ffordd neu draffordd neu orsaf reilffordd; gallant fyw lle mynnant mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n credu y byddwn yn gweld llawer o bobl yn symud oherwydd hyn.
Bydd y penderfyniad i weithio gartref yn digwydd drwy lawer o benderfyniadau unigol. Rydym wedi'i weld dros y 12 mis diwethaf yn yr hyn na ellir ond ei ddisgrifio fel amodau anfoddhaol, lle rydym wedi gweld pobl yn gorfod gweithio gartref yn ogystal â gofalu am blant, ond os na fyddai'n rhaid iddynt wneud hynny, byddai eu cynhyrchiant yn cynyddu. Ond yr hyn a welsom mewn gwirionedd oedd na chafwyd gostyngiad sylweddol mewn cynhyrchiant; nid oes neb wedi gweld hynny. Rydym wedi gweld gwell cynhyrchiant gyda rhai. Rwy'n credu mai i'r cyfeiriad hwn rydym wedi bod yn mynd, ac rydym bellach wedi cyrraedd yno. Hefyd, rydym wedi'i weld gyda siopa. Faint o bobl sydd bellach yn hapus i brynu dillad, teganau, addurniadau ar gyfer y cartref ac eitemau eraill tra'n eistedd ar eu soffa ar unrhyw adeg o'r dydd a'r nos o iPad, ffôn neu gyfrifiadur? Rwy'n poeni am ddyfodol siopau ffisegol. A chofiwch, nid Amazon yn unig sydd ar-lein, er ein bod yn defnyddio'r ddau derm yn gyfnewidiol. Mae gan bob manwerthwr mawr bresenoldeb ar-lein ac mae pob un yn gweithio tuag at wella eu presenoldeb ar-lein.
Rydym hefyd wedi gweld peiriannau argraffu 3D. Ni wnaethant chwarae rhan fawr yn ystod y 12 mis diwethaf, oherwydd maent yn ddrud, ac maent yn dal i fod ar y cam datblygu. Bydd hyn yn newid; byddant yn dod yn rhatach, byddant yn gwella. Mae pobl yn cofio, pan ddaeth y cyfrifiaduron cyntaf, pa mor araf oeddent, ac mae gennych chi bellach fwy o gapasiti cyfrifiadurol na'r hyn a aeth â phobl i'r lleuad yn y 1960au yn eich poced. Rwy'n rhoi hynny yn ei gyd-destun, dyna i gyd. Bydd yr argraffwyr hyn yn gwella. Bydd pobl yn gwneud mwy. Mae gennyf gwmni yn fy etholaeth sy'n gwneud cynhyrchion prosthetig ar beiriannau argraffu 3D fel y gallwch eu cynhyrchu pan fydd pobl eu hangen. Rwy'n credu y byddwn yn gweld datblygiad enfawr ym maes cynhyrchu 3D, a bydd hyn yn effeithio ar wledydd eraill hefyd. Os ydym yn creu'r dyluniadau yn y wlad hon, os ydym am wneud y pethau, nid oes rhaid i ni eu hanfon i rannau eraill o'r byd i'w cynhyrchu. Gallwn ni fod yn eu cynhyrchu—nid yn ein hystafelloedd byw ein hunain, efallai, ond yn sicr yn ein cartrefi neu'n agos atynt. Mae'r rhain yn newidiadau sy'n digwydd.
Mae gan brifysgolion ran enfawr i'w chwarae, gyda phrifysgolion heb eu defnyddio'n llawn yng Nghymru. Edrychwch ar yr hyn sy'n digwydd nid yn unig gyda Chaergrawnt ond prifysgolion ledled Prydain sydd wedi datblygu parciau gwyddoniaeth, sydd wedi datblygu diwydiannau ochr yn ochr â hwy. Mae angen inni wneud yr un peth. Ac un pwynt olaf—
I was just going to say, the Member needs to wind up. Make your final point.
Roeddwn ar fin dweud bod angen i'r Aelod ddirwyn i ben. Gwnewch eich pwynt olaf.
One final point on this. Can we give up on trying to bribe companies to bring branch factories to Wales, where they promise hundreds of jobs that never materialise and then the cutbacks follow? This is not the right direction. It doesn't work, it hasn't worked since the Welsh Development Agency, and it ain't working now.
Un pwynt olaf ar hyn. A gawn ni roi'r gorau i geisio iro dwylo cwmnïau i ddod â ffatrïoedd cangen i Gymru, lle maent yn addo cannoedd o swyddi na fyddant byth yn cael eu gwireddu ac yna'r toriadau i ddilyn hynny? Nid dyma'r cyfeiriad cywir. Nid yw'n gweithio, nid yw wedi gweithio ers Awdurdod Datblygu Cymru, ac nid yw'n gweithio yn awr.
Thank you. Nick Ramsay.
Diolch. Nick Ramsay.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I wasn't expecting to be called quite so quickly, but I've got my papers together.
Can I thank the economy committee for bringing forward this excellent report, with the daffodil on the front, as Russ George said? It's a really good read. I'm obviously not a member of the committee, but as a former Chair of what was then the Enterprise and Business Committee back in 2014, when I last did that job, I don't think I would ever have envisaged that we would be having this sort of debate today or that this report would have been produced. The sorts of issues that I had to deal with as Chair of that committee, and the Members had to deal with, seemed pretty significant and large at the time, but compared with what we're dealing with today, in the face of the economic shocks facing Wales and the world, those seem quite small by comparison. So, this is, as the Chair said, a timely report. These are immensely challenging times, and as the Chair says in his foreword, we need to learn the lessons of previous recessions as we build back better, fairer and greener. Previous recessions have seemed bad enough and hard enough as we've been going through them, but of course the scale of what we face here potentially dwarfs anything we've seen in living memory, so it is important we learn the lessons as they were in those recessions.
Could I make just a couple of points? I've just been reading through the recommendations, and fully agree with recommendation 1, that we need to harness entrepreneurial activity and business start-ups as a way to drive economic recovery. We've seen an enormous amount of Government support, both UK Government and Welsh Government support and funding for the private sector over the last year, I think it was, as Russ said, that we first labelled the pandemic and the lockdowns began, and that's been totally the right thing to do, and acceptable, but of course, that can't go on forever, so we do need to start looking to put the private sector back on its feet, reopening as soon and as safely as possible—certain sectors, anyway—and then making sure that those businesses and SMEs are able to drive the economy forward.
Recommendation 3 urges adaptability to key future shocks like climate change. I think that's probably been one of the most worrying aspects of this whole pandemic—this pandemic has been challenging enough as it is, and the economy has been reeling from it, but, of course, when you put on top, then, other potential impacts such as climate change, and other unforeseen shocks that we've got to guard against, for the next five, 10 years the world economy is going to be in a pretty sensitive and delicate state, so I think you're quite right, Chair, to say in your report that we need to make sure that we boost the resilience as much as possible.
We talk a lot about building back better, but we've got to make sure that that happens in practice. I've raised this with the economy Minister, and indeed with the First Minister, I think on a number of occasions, and yes, we all agree we need to build back better, build back fairer, grow back greener, and I'm the first person at the front of the queue to say that those things are necessary, but let's make sure that does happen in practice, and we don't just lapse back into the old ways of doing things. We've seen some enormous changes, in terms of road traffic, for instance, over the last several months. I know that the road traffic on the trunk road network is 60 per cent higher at the moment compared with what it was in the previous lockdown, but it's still way down on where it was, and those normal pinch points, such as the M4, which was mentioned in questions earlier—well, you can drive on there at rush hour now, and it doesn't seem to be causing half the problems it did.
So, there are ways to build back in a way that we don't really need to put the investment into the actual physical infrastructure as much as we used to. So, broadband is going to be key to this—let's make sure that as many people can work from home as possible. Let's get that broadband infrastructure in place. In terms of the road network, developing electric vehicles, great for the environment, great for solving the problems of climate change—let's get that charging infrastructure in place and let's all move forward with the plan. Yes, we all have different views here, from our different parties and our different ideological beliefs, but I think all of us share a common aim that we want to come out of this with Wales being in a stronger and better position than it was before. There are not just challenges here, there are opportunities as well, and thank you very much Chair, Russ George, for bringing forward this excellent report. I'd urge everyone to read it because I think it does contain within it the seeds of how we are going to grow back and make Wales a better place in the future. Diolch.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Nid oeddwn yn disgwyl cael fy ngalw mor sydyn, ond rwyf wedi casglu fy mhapurau at ei gilydd.
A gaf fi ddiolch i bwyllgor yr economi am gyflwyno'r adroddiad rhagorol hwn, gyda'r cennin Pedr ar y blaen, fel y dywedodd Russ George? Mae'n dda iawn. Yn amlwg, nid wyf yn aelod o'r pwyllgor, ond fel cyn Gadeirydd yr hyn a alwyd bryd hynny'n Bwyllgor Menter a Busnes yn ôl yn 2014, pan wneuthum y swydd honno ddiwethaf, nid wyf yn credu y byddwn byth wedi rhagweld y byddem yn cael dadl fel hon heddiw neu y byddai'r adroddiad hwn wedi'i gynhyrchu. Roedd y mathau o faterion y bu'n rhaid imi ymdrin â hwy fel Cadeirydd y pwyllgor hwnnw, ac y bu'n rhaid i'r Aelodau ymdrin â hwy, yn ymddangos yn eithaf sylweddol a mawr ar y pryd, ond o'u cymharu â'r hyn rydym yn ymdrin ag ef heddiw, yn wyneb yr ergydion economaidd sy'n wynebu Cymru a'r byd, mae'r rheini'n ymddangos yn eithaf bach mewn cymhariaeth. Felly, mae hwn, fel y dywedodd y Cadeirydd, yn adroddiad amserol. Mae hwn yn gyfnod heriol dros ben, ac fel y dywed y Cadeirydd yn ei ragair, mae angen inni ddysgu gwersi o ddirwasgiadau blaenorol wrth inni adeiladu'n ôl yn well, yn decach ac yn fwy gwyrdd. Mae dirwasgiadau blaenorol wedi ymddangos yn ddigon drwg ac yn ddigon caled wrth i ni fyw drwyddynt, ond wrth gwrs mae maint yr hyn a wynebwn yma'n fwy o bosibl na dim arall a welsom yn ein hoes ni, felly mae'n bwysig ein bod yn dysgu'r gwersi o'r dirwasgiadau hynny.
A gaf fi wneud ychydig o bwyntiau? Rwyf newydd fod yn darllen drwy'r argymhellion, ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr ag argymhelliad 1, fod angen i ni harneisio gweithgarwch entrepreneuraidd a busnesau newydd fel ffordd o ysgogi'r adferiad economaidd. Rydym wedi gweld llawer iawn o gefnogaeth gan y Llywodraeth, cymorth a chyllid Llywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru i'r sector preifat dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf ers labelu'r pandemig am y tro cyntaf, fel y dywedodd Russ rwy'n credu, a dechrau'r cyfyngiadau symud, a dyna oedd y peth hollol iawn i'w wneud, ac roedd yn dderbyniol, ond wrth gwrs, ni all hynny barhau am byth, felly mae angen inni ddechrau ceisio gosod y sector preifat yn ôl ar ei draed, cyn gynted ac mor ddiogel â phosibl—rhai sectorau, beth bynnag—a sicrhau bod y busnesau bach a chanolig hynny'n gallu gyrru'r economi yn ei blaen.
Mae argymhelliad 3 yn annog hyblygrwydd yn wyneb siociau allweddol yn y dyfodol fel y newid yn yr hinsawdd. Rwy'n credu mai dyna oedd un o'r agweddau mwyaf pryderus ar y pandemig—mae'r pandemig hwn wedi bod yn ddigon heriol fel y mae, ac mae'r economi wedi bod yn gwegian yn ei sgil, ond, wrth gwrs, pan ychwanegwch wedyn effeithiau posibl eraill fel newid yn yr hinsawdd, a siociau annisgwyl eraill y mae'n rhaid i ni ddiogelu rhagddynt, am y pum mlynedd, 10 mlynedd nesaf, bydd economi'r byd mewn cyflwr eithaf sensitif, felly rwy'n credu eich bod yn llygad eich lle, Gadeirydd, i ddweud yn eich adroddiad fod angen i ni sicrhau ein bod yn rhoi hwb mor fawr â phosibl i gydnerthedd.
Rydym yn sôn yn aml am adeiladu'n ôl yn well, ond mae'n rhaid i ni wneud yn siŵr bod hynny'n digwydd yn ymarferol. Rwyf wedi codi hyn gyda Gweinidog yr economi, ac yn wir gyda'r Prif Weinidog, ar sawl achlysur rwy'n credu, ac rydym i gyd yn cytuno bod angen i ni adeiladu'n ôl yn well, adeiladu’n ôl yn decach, tyfu'n ôl yn wyrddach, a fi yw'r person cyntaf i ddweud bod angen y pethau hynny, ond gadewch inni wneud yn siŵr bod hynny'n digwydd yn ymarferol, ac nad ydym yn dychwelyd at yr hen ffyrdd o wneud pethau. Rydym wedi gweld newidiadau enfawr, o ran traffig ffyrdd er enghraifft, dros y misoedd diwethaf. Gwn fod y traffig ffyrdd ar y rhwydwaith cefnffyrdd 60 y cant yn uwch ar hyn o bryd o'i gymharu â'r hyn ydoedd yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud blaenorol, ond mae'n dal i fod yn llawer is na'r hyn a arferai fod, ac o ran y mannau problemus arferol hynny, megis yr M4, a grybwyllwyd mewn cwestiynau yn gynharach—wel, gallwch deithio ar honno yn ystod oriau brig yn awr, ac nid yw'n ymddangos ei fod yn achosi hanner y problemau yr arferai eu hachosi.
Felly, mae ffyrdd o adeiladu'n ôl mewn ffordd lle nad oes gwir angen inni fuddsoddi yn y seilwaith ffisegol i'r graddau yr arferem ei wneud mewn gwirionedd. Felly, bydd band eang yn allweddol i hyn—gadewch inni sicrhau bod cymaint o bobl â phosibl yn gallu gweithio gartref. Gadewch inni roi'r seilwaith band eang hwnnw ar waith. O ran y rhwydwaith ffyrdd, datblygu cerbydau trydan, gwych i'r amgylchedd, gwych ar gyfer datrys problemau newid hinsawdd—gadewch inni roi'r seilwaith gwefru ar waith a gadewch inni i gyd fwrw ymlaen gyda'r cynllun. Oes, mae gan bob un ohonom safbwyntiau gwahanol yma, o'n gwahanol bleidiau a'n gwahanol gredoau ideolegol, ond credaf fod pob un ohonom yn rhannu'r un nod, sef ein bod eisiau dod allan o hyn gyda Chymru mewn sefyllfa gryfach a gwell nag o'r blaen. Nid heriau'n unig sydd yma, mae yna gyfleoedd hefyd, a diolch yn fawr iawn i'r Cadeirydd, Russ George, am gyflwyno'r adroddiad rhagorol hwn. Byddwn yn annog pawb i'w ddarllen oherwydd rwy'n credu ei fod yn cynnwys yr hadau o ran sut rydym am dyfu'n ôl a gwneud Cymru'n lle gwell yn y dyfodol. Diolch.
First of all, can I thank the committee for this report? It is an exhaustive piece of work, both in the scope and its recommendations. Indeed, it's so comprehensive I shall have to confine my comments to what I see as the key elements. But I have to presage my contribution by saying that I feel the Welsh Government over the last five years has gone a long way to addressing many of the issues raised in the recommendations. I would agree with recommendations 1 to 3, adding that the general forecast is that, when the COVID restrictions have eased completely, there will be a huge boost to the economy, both of pent-up work initiatives and cash saved during the crisis. Independent businesses and SMEs must be supported to make the best of this upsurge.
Recommendation 4 concerns funding the commercial bank of Wales and Business Wales. I believe that these two institutions have been one of the great successes of the Senedd term, particularly in the COVID crisis period, and I would like to thank both on behalf of all the businesses in Wales for the extraordinary way in which they have managed the financial interventions afforded by both the Welsh and UK Governments. I'm sure the Welsh Government recognises this and will make any necessary funds available. Both organisations will be crucial to our economic recovery.
Recommendations 7, 8 and 9 deal with upskilling the workforce. I agree that it is vital that further education, higher education and universities must engage fully with any Government initiatives in the sixth Senedd, and also with the business community in general. The initiatives with regard to vocational studies must be carried forward at pace. A good start is undoubtedly being made but must not be allowed to stagnate.
Recommendation 11 deals with the sectors hardest hit by COVID—hospitality, including tourism, hair and beauty and the arts and culture sectors. I urge the Government to concentrate early interventions on these sectors as they are the most likely to deliver a positive effect on the economy in the short term. With regard to the tourist sector, any future campaigns must re-emphasise Wales's total commitment to welcoming visitors, which may have been damaged by the lockdowns.
Recommendations 36 to 38 deal with disability. I believe this is an area where there must be considerable improvement. Disabled people have so much more to contribute to society and business in general than they're able to do at present. Please let this be a targeted area for the Welsh Government in the sixth Senedd.
I concur with the recommendations dealing with youth employment. We cannot allow the COVID crisis to create a lost generation of our youth. I urge the Welsh Government to give real consideration to these recommendations.
Although transport is dealt with later in this report, it is without doubt another crucial element to Wales's economic recovery. It must be accepted that much has already been implemented by the Welsh Government in this area, including the hugely important acquisition of the core Valleys lines and the introduction of much-enhanced rolling stock. There are many other initiatives and upgrades in the pipeline, so can I urge the Government to continue with their significant investments? I am absolutely convinced it will deliver huge benefits in the future.
To sum up, Dirprwy Lywydd, though we welcome external investment in Wales, we must grow an indigenous business base, headquartered in Wales and wholly committed to Wales. Only in this way shall we build a long-term resilience into the Welsh economy. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Yn gyntaf oll, a gaf fi ddiolch i'r pwyllgor am yr adroddiad hwn? Mae'n waith cynhwysfawr, o ran ei gwmpas a'i argymhellion. Yn wir, mae mor gynhwysfawr bydd yn rhaid i mi gyfyngu fy sylwadau i'r hyn a welaf fel yr elfennau allweddol. Ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud cyn dechrau fy nghyfraniad fy mod yn teimlo bod Llywodraeth Cymru dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf wedi gwneud llawer i fynd i'r afael â nifer o'r materion a godwyd yn yr argymhellion. Byddwn yn cytuno ag argymhellion 1 i 3, gan ychwanegu mai'r rhagolwg cyffredinol, pan fydd cyfyngiadau COVID wedi'u llacio'n llwyr, yw y ceir hwb enfawr i'r economi, o fentrau gwaith a gafodd eu hatal dros dro ac arian a arbedwyd yn ystod yr argyfwng. Rhaid cefnogi busnesau annibynnol a busnesau bach a chanolig i wneud y gorau o'r cynnydd hwn.
Mae argymhelliad 4 yn ymwneud ag ariannu banc masnachol Cymru a Busnes Cymru. Credaf fod y ddau sefydliad wedi bod yn un o'r llwyddiannau mawr yn ystod y tymor seneddol hwn, yn enwedig dros gyfnod yr argyfwng COVID, a hoffwn ddiolch i'r ddau sefydliad ar ran yr holl fusnesau yng Nghymru am y ffordd ryfeddol y maent wedi rheoli'r ymyriadau ariannol gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU. Rwy'n siŵr bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cydnabod hyn ac y bydd yn sicrhau bod unrhyw arian angenrheidiol ar gael. Bydd y ddau sefydliad yn hanfodol i'n hadferiad economaidd.
Mae argymhellion 7, 8 a 9 yn ymdrin ag uwchsgilio'r gweithlu. Rwy'n cytuno ei bod yn hanfodol i addysg bellach, addysg uwch a phrifysgolion ymwneud yn llawn ag unrhyw gynlluniau gan y Llywodraeth yn y chweched Senedd, a hefyd â'r gymuned fusnes yn gyffredinol. Rhaid cyflawni cynlluniau sy'n ymwneud ag astudiaethau galwedigaethol yn gyflym. Mae'n sicr bod dechrau da yn cael ei wneud ond ni ddylid caniatáu iddo aros yn ei unfan.
Mae argymhelliad 11 yn ymdrin â'r sectorau sydd wedi eu taro galetaf gan COVID—lletygarwch, gan gynnwys twristiaeth, y sector gwallt a harddwch a'r sector celfyddydau a diwylliant. Rwy'n annog y Llywodraeth i ganolbwyntio ymyriadau cynnar ar y sectorau hyn gan mai hwy sydd fwyaf tebygol o gael effaith gadarnhaol ar yr economi yn y tymor byr. O ran y sector twristiaeth, rhaid i unrhyw ymgyrchoedd yn y dyfodol ailbwysleisio ymrwymiad llwyr Cymru i groesawu ymwelwyr, rhywbeth a allai fod wedi'i niweidio gan y cyfyngiadau symud.
Mae argymhellion 36 i 38 yn ymdrin ag anabledd. Credaf fod hwn yn faes lle mae'n rhaid cael gwelliant sylweddol. Mae gan bobl anabl gymaint mwy i'w gyfrannu i gymdeithas a busnes yn gyffredinol nag y gallant ei wneud ar hyn o bryd. Gadewch i hwn fod yn faes wedi'i dargedu i Lywodraeth Cymru yn y chweched Senedd.
Rwy'n cytuno â'r argymhellion sy'n ymwneud â chyflogaeth ieuenctid. Ni allwn ganiatáu i'r argyfwng COVID greu cenhedlaeth goll o'n pobl ifanc. Rwy'n annog Llywodraeth Cymru i roi ystyriaeth go iawn i'r argymhellion hyn.
Er yr ymdrinnir â thrafnidiaeth yn nes ymlaen yn yr adroddiad hwn, mae'n sicr yn elfen hollbwysig arall yn adferiad economaidd Cymru. Rhaid derbyn bod llawer eisoes wedi'i wneud gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn y maes hwn, gan gynnwys caffael rheilffyrdd craidd y Cymoedd, sy'n hynod bwysig, a chyflwyno cerbydau llawer gwell. Mae llawer o fentrau eraill a gwaith uwchraddio arall yn yr arfaeth, felly a gaf fi annog y Llywodraeth i barhau â'u buddsoddiadau sylweddol? Rwy'n gwbl argyhoeddedig y bydd yn sicrhau manteision enfawr yn y dyfodol.
I grynhoi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, er ein bod yn croesawu mewnfuddsoddiad i Gymru, rhaid inni dyfu sylfaen fusnes gynhenid, gyda phencadlysoedd yng Nghymru ac wedi'u hymrwymo'n llwyr i Gymru. Dyna'r unig ffordd y gallwn adeiladu cydnerthedd hirdymor yn economi Cymru. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd.
Thank you. Can I now call the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates?
Diolch. A gaf fi alw yn awr ar Weinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru, Ken Skates?
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and can I start as I did at committee just this morning by thanking the current and past members of the committee for the incredibly constructive way in which it's worked with me and my officials over the past five years to get the best possible ideas and outcomes for the people of Wales? And to that end, I broadly warmly welcome the report and I thank the committee for their acknowledgement of the efforts of the teams who've responded at pace through challenging operational conditions to support businesses and transport operators.
And as you'll appreciate, I won't be able to comment on all 53 recommendations today, but what the number of recommendations most definitely does show is the diligence of the committee in undertaking and examining what might be needed for the economy in the years to come. As the Chair says in his foreword, reconstruction is going to be a long process, and it will be for the future Governments, not just potentially the next administration but several afterwards, to deal with the recommendations and to implement necessary change. But we have made huge strides in rolling out vaccines and the public health situation is improving, so optimism for economic rebound is most certainly growing.
And we, of course, made a start on that when we published our economic resilience and reconstruction mission last month, and the mission sets out what many people told me directly—that in Wales we have the talent, we have the energy and the ideas to rebuild our economy in a better and much fairer way. It offers, I think, grounded optimism against a backdrop of the most challenging circumstances that I think we've faced in our time, which have included Brexit and the climate emergency.
Now, the outlook for the economy, whilst still hugely challenging, does look better than it did at the time of the last Office for Budget Responsibility forecast in November. Even so, by 2026 the level of gross domestic product is expected to be some 3 per cent smaller than the level expected pre pandemic, reflecting the long-term scarring effects of coronavirus on the economy. This will be particularly bad for disadvantaged groups and young people as they try to get a foothold in the labour market.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ac a gaf fi ddechrau fel y gwneuthum yn y pwyllgor y bore yma drwy ddiolch i aelodau presennol a blaenorol y pwyllgor am y ffordd anhygoel o adeiladol y maent wedi gweithio gyda mi a fy swyddogion dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf i gael y syniadau a'r canlyniadau gorau posibl i bobl Cymru? Ac i'r perwyl hwnnw, rwy'n croesawu'r adroddiad yn fawr iawn a diolch i'r pwyllgor am eu cydnabyddiaeth i ymdrechion y timau sydd wedi ymateb yn gyflym drwy herio amodau gweithredol i gefnogi busnesau a gweithredwyr trafnidiaeth.
Ac fel y byddwch yn deall, ni fyddaf yn gallu rhoi sylwadau ar bob un o'r 53 argymhelliad heddiw, ond yr hyn y mae nifer yr argymhellion yn bendant yn ei ddangos yw diwydrwydd y pwyllgor wrth ymgymryd â'r hyn y gallai fod ei angen ar yr economi yn y blynyddoedd i ddod. Fel y dywed y Cadeirydd yn ei ragair, bydd ailadeiladu yn broses hir, a mater i Lywodraethau'r dyfodol, nid y weinyddiaeth nesaf yn unig o bosibl ond sawl un wedyn, fydd ymdrin â'r argymhellion a gweithredu'r newid angenrheidiol. Ond rydym wedi rhoi camau breision ar waith i gyflwyno brechlynnau ac mae sefyllfa iechyd y cyhoedd yn gwella, felly, yn sicr mae optimistiaeth yn tyfu ynghylch adferiad economaidd.
Ac wrth gwrs, gwnaethom ddechrau ar y gwaith pan gyhoeddasom ein cenhadaeth i gryfhau ac ailadeiladu'r economi y mis diwethaf, ac mae'r genhadaeth yn nodi'r hyn a ddywedodd llawer o bobl wrthyf yn uniongyrchol—fod gennym dalent yng Nghymru, fod gennym egni a syniadau i ailadeiladu ein heconomi mewn ffordd well a llawer tecach. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn cynnig optimistiaeth sylfaenol yn erbyn cefndir yr amgylchiadau mwyaf heriol y credaf inni eu hwynebu yn ein hoes ni, heriau sydd wedi cynnwys Brexit a'r argyfwng hinsawdd.
Nawr, er eu bod yn dal i fod yn heriol iawn, mae'r rhagolygon ar gyfer yr economi yn edrych yn well nag y gwnaethant ar adeg rhagolwg diwethaf y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol ym mis Tachwedd. Er hynny, erbyn 2026 disgwylir i lefel cynnyrch domestig gros fod tua 3 y cant yn is na'r lefel a ddisgwylid cyn y pandemig, gan adlewyrchu effeithiau creithiau hirdymor coronafeirws ar yr economi. Bydd hyn yn arbennig o wael i grwpiau a phobl ifanc ddifreintiedig wrth iddynt geisio cael troedle yn y farchnad lafur.
My ambition since the start of this pandemic has been twofold: firstly, to support businesses so that they survive and retain employees, despite the grave situation that they are facing; and then secondly, to support those who unfortunately become unemployed or who are entering the labour market for the very first time. You'll have heard me say on numerous occasions that if you had a good business in 2019, you'll have a good business in 2021, and my ambition remains just that, and that's why we must strengthen the foundational economy, as many Members have identified this afternoon, and recognise the vital importance of key workers and the crucial role that they play in our well-being and in every sector of our economy.
Now, in January we announced a further £3 million for the foundational economy challenge fund and the projects that it supports. That is improving the delivery of everyday goods and services that we all use and need—improving employment prospects within the foundational economy and delivering best practice that we can all learn from. Overall, our support package for businesses during this pandemic has been more than £2 billion. It remains the most generous package of support in the United Kingdom. As of last month, the economic resilience fund had safeguarded almost 150,000 jobs. That's more than 10 per cent of total employment in Wales. The committee's report, I think, rightly recognises the need to take advantage of the upswing in entrepreneurial activity and encourage business start-ups. The aim is for Wales's post-pandemic economy to drive prosperity equally and to help everybody realise their potential; harnessing an invigorated entrepreneurial culture is therefore vitally important.
We've helped start-ups during this pandemic. We have provided more than £4 million to start-ups facing collapse, and that has secured around about 1,600 businesses. We intend to help to rebuild, grow and strengthen the social enterprise sector so that it is a natural business model of choice for entrepreneurs delivering solutions to the social, economic and environmental challenges that we face, and furthermore, our barriers fund, for individuals who are considering self-employment, specifically targets young people who left college and university in 2019 and 2020. There were more than 330 applications, as of the end of January, each accessing up to £2,000 to have the very best chance of making their new venture succeed, and this forms part of our £40 million COVID commitment on skills and jobs. We've committed to offer advice and support to people over 16 to find work, to pursue self-employment, to find a place in education, training or employment, and this includes hiring incentives for employers: 16 to 24-year-olds, disabled people; those from black, ethnic minority and Asian communities; women. Those most affected by COVID-19 will be prioritised within that scheme. Having hit our target of creating 100,000 high-quality apprenticeships during this Senedd term, we'll use £16.4 million to stimulate hiring of new starters and continued employment of 5,000 apprentices. There will also be £3 million to support degree-level apprentices in digital ICT and advanced manufacturing, to deliver an alternative pathway for individuals to obtain higher level skills.
Now, in response to the committee's recommendation on research and development funding, increasing Wales's R&D funding and innovation base remains dependent, of course, on UK Government delivering on the levelling-up agenda, and we'll continue our financial support through SMART Cymru to develop, implement and commercialise products, processes and services.
Furthermore, in line with our ambition to create a greener economy, we'll invest in low-carbon and climate-resilient infrastructure and renewable energy projects, and this includes the modernisation of our transport network and the continuation of our existing plans for metros in north Wales, south Wales and west Wales. Our rail service is a critical asset, as has been identified today, and one we must protect. Since the pandemic began, we have provided significant financial support to keep trains running. The need for greater public control is a reflection, I think, of the ongoing pressures of coronavirus and the challenges being faced right across the rail industry as passenger demand remains exceptionally low. And also, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Welsh Government has continued to fund hugely important bus services across Wales, maintaining a skeleton network to support essential journeys, and then ramping up services to support the reopening of schools and the wider economy. As well as addressing emergency short-term needs, our new agreement with bus service operators is intended to signal the beginning of a lasting partnership with operators and public bodies to enable a reshaping of Wales's bus network, supporting the management and interaction of transport modes across Wales, and including, of course, the development of smart ticketing, unified routing and integrated timetabling.
Last week, of course, I announced a funding package for Cardiff Airport to ensure its medium to long-term viability and to secure thousands of jobs in the regional economy. I'm determined that we emerge from this pandemic by building upon the foundations that we'd started before it struck and by reducing inequality and spreading wealth more fairly, and, indeed, well-being, across the whole of Wales.
Mae fy uchelgais ers dechrau'r pandemig hwn wedi bod yn ddeublyg: yn gyntaf, cefnogi busnesau fel eu bod yn goroesi ac yn cadw gweithwyr, er gwaethaf y sefyllfa ddifrifol y maent yn ei hwynebu; ac yna'n ail, cefnogi'r rhai sydd, yn anffodus, yn colli eu gwaith neu sy'n ymuno â'r farchnad lafur am y tro cyntaf. Byddwch wedi fy nghlywed yn dweud ar sawl achlysur, os oedd gennych fusnes da yn 2019, y bydd gennych fusnes da yn 2021, a dyna'n union yw fy uchelgais o hyd, a dyna pam y mae'n rhaid inni gryfhau'r economi sylfaenol, fel y mae llawer o Aelodau wedi nodi y prynhawn yma, a chydnabod pwysigrwydd hanfodol gweithwyr allweddol a'r rôl hollbwysig y maent yn ei chwarae yn ein llesiant ac ym mhob sector o'n heconomi.
Nawr, ym mis Ionawr cyhoeddwyd £3 miliwn pellach gennym ar gyfer cronfa her yr economi sylfaenol a'r prosiectau y mae'n eu cynnal. Mae'n gwella'r modd y darperir nwyddau a gwasanaethau bob dydd rydym i gyd yn eu defnyddio a'u hangen—gwella rhagolygon cyflogaeth o fewn yr economi sylfaenol a sicrhau arferion gorau y gallwn i gyd ddysgu oddi wrthynt. Yn gyffredinol, mae ein pecyn cymorth i fusnesau yn ystod y pandemig hwn wedi bod yn fwy na £2 biliwn. Dyma'r pecyn cymorth mwyaf hael o hyd yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Erbyn y mis diwethaf, roedd y gronfa cadernid economaidd wedi diogelu bron i 150,000 o swyddi. Mae hynny'n fwy na 10 y cant o gyfanswm cyflogaeth yng Nghymru. Credaf fod adroddiad y pwyllgor yn cydnabod yn briodol yr angen i fanteisio ar y cynnydd mewn gweithgarwch entrepreneuraidd ac annog busnesau newydd. Y nod yw i economi ôl-bandemig Cymru ysgogi ffyniant yn gyfartal a helpu pawb i wireddu eu potensial; felly mae harneisio diwylliant entrepreneuraidd bywiog yn hanfodol bwysig.
Rydym wedi helpu busnesau newydd yn ystod y pandemig. Rydym wedi darparu mwy na £4 miliwn i fusnesau newydd sy'n wynebu methiant, ac mae hynny wedi diogelu tua 1,600 o fusnesau. Bwriadwn helpu i ailadeiladu, tyfu a chryfhau'r sector mentrau cymdeithasol fel ei fod yn fodel busnes naturiol o ddewis i entrepreneuriaid sy'n darparu atebion i'r heriau cymdeithasol, economaidd ac amgylcheddol sy'n ein hwynebu, ac ymhellach, mae ein cronfa rwystrau, ar gyfer unigolion sy'n ystyried hunangyflogaeth, yn targedu pobl ifanc a adawodd y coleg a'r brifysgol yn 2019 a 2020 yn benodol. Cafwyd mwy na 330 o geisiadau erbyn diwedd mis Ionawr, a phob un yn cael hyd at £2,000 i gael y cyfle gorau posibl i wneud i'w menter newydd lwyddo, ac mae hyn yn rhan o'n hymrwymiad COVID gwerth £40 miliwn ar gyfer sgiliau a swyddi. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i gynnig cyngor a chymorth i bobl dros 16 oed i ddod o hyd i waith, i fynd ar drywydd hunangyflogaeth, i ddod o hyd i le mewn addysg, hyfforddiant neu gyflogaeth, ac mae hyn yn cynnwys cymhellion cyflogi i gyflogwyr: pobl ifanc 16 i 24 oed, pobl anabl; pobl o gymunedau du, lleiafrifoedd ethnig ac Asiaidd; menywod. Bydd y rhai y mae COVID-19 wedi effeithio fwyaf arnynt yn cael blaenoriaeth o fewn y cynllun hwnnw. Ar ôl cyrraedd ein targed o greu 100,000 o brentisiaethau o ansawdd uchel yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon, byddwn yn defnyddio £16.4 miliwn i ysgogi busnesau i gyflogi dechreuwyr newydd a pharhau i gyflogi 5,000 o brentisiaid. Bydd £3 miliwn hefyd i gefnogi prentisiaid lefel gradd mewn TGCh ddigidol a gweithgynhyrchu uwch, er mwyn darparu llwybr amgen i unigolion gaffael sgiliau lefel uwch.
Nawr, mewn ymateb i argymhelliad y pwyllgor ar gyllid ymchwil a datblygu, mae cynyddu cyllid ymchwil a datblygu a sylfaen arloesi Cymru yn parhau i ddibynnu, wrth gwrs, ar weld Llywodraeth y DU yn cyflawni'r agenda codi'r gwastad, a byddwn yn parhau â'n cymorth ariannol drwy SMART Cymru i ddatblygu, gweithredu a masnacheiddio cynnyrch, prosesau a gwasanaethau.
At hynny, yn unol â'n huchelgais i greu economi fwy gwyrdd, byddwn yn buddsoddi mewn prosiectau carbon isel a phrosiectau seilwaith i wrthsefyll newid hinsawdd ac ynni adnewyddadwy, ac mae hyn yn cynnwys moderneiddio ein rhwydwaith trafnidiaeth a pharhau â'n cynlluniau presennol ar gyfer metros yng ngogledd Cymru, de Cymru a gorllewin Cymru. Mae ein gwasanaeth rheilffyrdd yn ased hollbwysig, fel y nodwyd heddiw, ac yn un y mae'n rhaid inni ei ddiogelu. Ers dechrau'r pandemig, rydym wedi darparu cymorth ariannol sylweddol i gadw trenau i redeg. Rwy'n credu bod yr angen am fwy o reolaeth gyhoeddus yn adlewyrchiad o bwysau parhaus coronafeirws a'r heriau sy'n cael eu hwynebu ar draws y diwydiant rheilffyrdd wrth i'r galw gan deithwyr barhau'n eithriadol o isel. A hefyd, drwy gydol y pandemig COVID-19, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi parhau i ariannu gwasanaethau bysiau hynod bwysig ledled Cymru, gan gadw rhwydwaith sgerbwd i gefnogi teithiau hanfodol, a chynyddu gwasanaethau wedyn i gefnogi ailagor ysgolion a'r economi ehangach. Yn ogystal â mynd i'r afael ag anghenion brys tymor byr, bwriad ein cytundeb newydd gyda gweithredwyr gwasanaethau bysiau yw nodi dechrau partneriaeth barhaol gyda gweithredwyr a chyrff cyhoeddus er mwyn gallu ail-lunio rhwydwaith bysiau Cymru, cefnogi'r gwaith o reoli a rhyngweithio dulliau teithio ledled Cymru, a chynnwys datblygu tocynnau clyfar, llwybro unedig ac amserlennu integredig wrth gwrs.
Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddais becyn ariannu ar gyfer Maes Awyr Caerdydd i sicrhau ei hyfywedd yn y tymor canolig i'r tymor hir ac i ddiogelu miloedd o swyddi yn yr economi ranbarthol. Rwy'n benderfynol o'n gweld yn dod allan o'r pandemig hwn drwy adeiladu ar y sylfeini yr oeddem wedi'u dechrau cyn iddo daro a thrwy leihau anghydraddoldeb a lledaenu cyfoeth yn decach, a llesiant yn wir, ar draws Cymru gyfan.
Thank you. Can I now call on Russell George to reply to the debate?
Diolch. A gaf fi alw yn awr ar Russell George i ymateb i'r ddadl?
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I first of all echo Helen Mary Jones's comments in thanking the many people who contributed to our report in terms of oral evidence and written evidence? It's a huge report, and I always, I think, in any debate, thank our clerking and research team, but particularly on this occasion, because the report had to be done with speed because otherwise our report quickly goes out of date. So, a huge effort from our clerking and research team in drafting the report for us, as Members, to look at. So, I appreciated that, very much so.
In terms of Helen Mary Jones's comments, I started by talking about the scar on youth employment and having to deal with this now to avoid what we know will happen if we see a repeat of the past. And Helen Mary Jones was very much talking about from her own experience of friends who she knew in the 1980s who are still affected today. Mike Hedges, you were fantastic; you did a fantastic job in being the trailer for our debate next week on remote working. So, thank you—thank you for that, Mike. I would say, in committee this morning, it reminds me of how Hefin David said that he would've liked to have contributed this afternoon, but he couldn't because of connectivity issues, and somebody very close to him coming up with an opposite view. So, there's a big discussion here about remote working and the challenges that it brings and also the opportunities that it presents as well. But no doubt we'll go into them in greater depth next week. But I do agree with you, Mike. As Helen Mary Jones said as well, we can't return to pre March 2020.
I think also Nick Ramsay—thank you for your contribution, very much talking about learning from past mistakes, or mistakes made in previous recessions, and that very much is the essence of our report; we're trying to draw out mistakes that were made in the past that we can try and avoid this time. You also talked about the congestion and building back better—I think a constant theme for us all, about making sure that we build back our economy in a better way.
David Rowlands, I agree with you—the committee agrees with you—that we think that the Development Bank of Wales and Business Wales have been a success story in this pandemic. They've done fantastic work and I suppose it's right, as well, as a committee, that we put our thanks on the record for those staff working within those two organisations—so, absolutely agree from that perspective. And I agree with you, David Rowlands, as well in terms of HE and FE and engaging in terms of upskilling as well.
Coming on to some of the Minister's comments, I'm very grateful to the Minister for broadly welcoming our report and recommendations. I certainly agree with the Minister that reconstruction is going to be a long process, unfortunately, and I thank the Minister for his kind words about the committee's work and being diligent.
Some optimism from the Minister in terms of building back better. Also, the warning, of course, as well, as he points to 2026 GDP being 3 per cent lower, and the impact that that will have on some disadvantaged groups. So, again, there's a message there, isn't there, of optimism for the future, but concern as well. But, again, that is what our report is trying to do—trying to reduce the effects and build back better, and making recommendations to that effect as well.
So, can I thank all the contributors to the debate this afternoon? Thank you very much and, of course, we will be discussing the remote working report next week, which has links to this report as well. Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A gaf fi yn gyntaf adleisio sylwadau Helen Mary Jones drwy ddiolch i'r nifer fawr o bobl a gyfrannodd at ein hadroddiad drwy dystiolaeth lafar a thystiolaeth ysgrifenedig? Mae'n adroddiad enfawr, ac rwyf bob amser, mewn unrhyw ddadl, yn diolch i'n tîm clercio ac ymchwil, ond y tro hwn yn enwedig, oherwydd bu'n rhaid gwneud yr adroddiad yn gyflym oherwydd fel arall mae ein hadroddiad yn dyddio'n gyflym. Felly, ymdrech enfawr gan ein tîm clercio ac ymchwil i ddrafftio'r adroddiad er mwyn i ni, fel Aelodau, edrych arno. Felly, roeddwn yn gwerthfawrogi hynny, yn fawr iawn.
O ran sylwadau Helen Mary Jones, fe ddechreuais drwy sôn am y graith ar gyflogaeth ieuenctid a gorfod ymdrin â hynny yn awr er mwyn osgoi'r hyn y gwyddom y bydd yn digwydd os gwelwn ailadrodd y gorffennol. Ac roedd Helen Mary Jones yn sôn llawer am ei phrofiad ei hun o ffrindiau roedd hi'n eu hadnabod yn y 1980au sy'n dal i gael eu heffeithio heddiw. Mike Hedges, roeddech yn wych; fe wnaethoch waith gwych o fod yn rhagflas o'n dadl yr wythnos nesaf ar weithio o bell. Felly, diolch—diolch am hynny, Mike. Byddwn yn dweud, yn y pwyllgor y bore yma, ei fod yn fy atgoffa o sut y dywedodd Hefin David y byddai wedi hoffi cyfrannu y prynhawn yma, ond na allai oherwydd problemau cysylltedd, a rhywun sy'n agos iawn ato'n arddel y safbwynt croes i hynny. Felly, mae trafodaeth fawr yma am weithio o bell a'r heriau a ddaw yn ei sgil a hefyd y cyfleoedd y mae'n eu cynnig. Ond mae'n siŵr yr edrychwn arnynt yn fanylach yr wythnos nesaf. Ond rwy'n cytuno â chi, Mike. Fel y dywedodd Helen Mary Jones hefyd, ni allwn ddychwelyd at yr hyn a fodolai cyn mis Mawrth 2020.
Rwy'n credu hefyd fod Nick Ramsay—diolch ichi am eich cyfraniad, a soniai lawer am ddysgu o gamgymeriadau'r gorffennol, neu gamgymeriadau a wnaed mewn dirwasgiadau blaenorol, a dyna hanfod ein hadroddiad i raddau helaeth; rydym yn ceisio tynnu sylw at gamgymeriadau a wnaed yn y gorffennol y gallwn geisio eu hosgoi y tro hwn. Fe sonioch chi hefyd am y tagfeydd ac adeiladu'n ôl yn well—sy'n thema gyson inni i gyd, rwy'n credu, ynglŷn â sicrhau ein bod yn adeiladu ein heconomi'n ôl mewn ffordd well.
David Rowlands, rwy'n cytuno â chi—mae'r pwyllgor yn cytuno â chi—ein bod yn credu bod Banc Datblygu Cymru a Busnes Cymru wedi bod yn llwyddiant yn y pandemig hwn. Maent wedi gwneud gwaith gwych ac mae'n debyg ei bod yn iawn hefyd, fel pwyllgor, ein bod wedi cofnodi ein diolch i'r staff sy'n gweithio yn y ddau sefydliad—felly, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â hynny. Ac rwy'n cytuno â chi hefyd, David Rowlands, ynglŷn ag addysg uwch ac addysg bellach ac ymgysylltu ar uwchsgilio hefyd.
I ddod at rai o sylwadau'r Gweinidog, rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r Gweinidog am groesawu ein hadroddiad a'n hargymhellion at ei gilydd. Rwy'n sicr yn cytuno â'r Gweinidog y bydd ailadeiladu'n broses hir yn anffodus, a diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei eiriau caredig am waith y pwyllgor a diwydrwydd.
Rhywfaint o optimistiaeth gan y Gweinidog o ran adeiladu'n ôl yn well. Rhybudd hefyd wrth gwrs, wrth iddo nodi y bydd cynnyrch domestig gros 3 y cant yn is yn 2026, a'r effaith a gaiff hynny ar rai grwpiau difreintiedig. Felly, unwaith eto, mae neges yno, onid oes, optimistiaeth ar gyfer y dyfodol, ond pryder hefyd. Ond unwaith eto, dyna y mae ein hadroddiad yn ceisio ei wneud—ceisio lleihau'r effeithiau ac adeiladu'n ôl yn well, a gwneud argymhellion i'r perwyl hwnnw hefyd.
Felly, a gaf fi ddiolch i'r holl gyfranwyr i'r ddadl y prynhawn yma? Diolch yn fawr iawn ac wrth gwrs, yr wythnos nesaf byddwn yn trafod yr adroddiad gweithio o bell sydd â chysylltiadau â'r adroddiad hwn hefyd. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd.
Thank you. The proposal is to note the committee's report. Does any Member object? I don't see any objections. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Diolch. Y cynnig yw nodi adroddiad y pwyllgor. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nid wyf yn gweld unrhyw wrthwynebiadau. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Our next item on the agenda is the debate on petition P-05-1078, 'Increase funding for mental health services and improve waiting times for people needing help in crisis'. I call on the Chair of the Petitions Committee to move that motion—Janet Finch-Saunders.
Ein heitem nesaf ar yr agenda yw'r ddadl ar ddeiseb P-05-1078, 'Cynyddu cyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl a gwella amseroedd aros i bobl sydd angen help mewn argyfwng'. Galwaf ar Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Deisebau i wneud y cynnig hwnnw—Janet Finch-Saunders.
Cynnig NDM7624 Janet Finch-Saunders
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
Yn nodi'r ddeiseb P-05-1078, 'Cynyddu cyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl a gwella amseroedd aros i bobl sydd angen help mewn argyfwng' a gasglodd 5,159 o lofnodion.
Motion NDM7624 Janet Finch-Saunders
To propose that the Senedd:
Notes the petition 'P-05-1078, 'Increase funding for mental health services and improve waiting times for people needing help in crisis' which received 5,159 signatures.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. So, thank you for the opportunity to hold a debate on this petition today. This petition was submitted by Laura Williams, having collected 5,159 signatures. It calls for increased funding for mental health services and improvements to crisis care, and follows a previous petition that Laura submitted to our committee, which also sought to improve access to mental health support. The Petitions Committee published a report on that previous petition in 2019. In it, we made a number of recommendations to the Welsh Government, particularly aimed at improving referral pathways and timely access to crisis support.
In submitting the petition before us today, Laura has expressed her view that not enough genuine progress has been made in improving access to mental health services since that time. She is especially concerned about the impact that the pandemic and lockdowns have had on people’s mental health and well-being and the ability of services to respond to people's needs in a timely manner.
Now, these concerns are not a new issue for this Senedd and, as we heard during a debate last week, the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has recently published its own report into the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health and well-being. So, I believe that Laura, and the thousands of people who supported her petition, would endorse the recommendations that the health committee has made in light of the detailed evidence that they have taken during their inquiries.
However, during the remainder of my contribution this afternoon, I will focus on several specific issues that the petition asks us to consider. Before I do so, I want to briefly note that the Petitions Committee has not yet received a response to this petition from the Government, though we did request one in late November. Nor is this the first time that this has been the case in relation to a petition about mental health services. You can imagine how disappointed we as a committee feel. No doubt, the petitioners will feel the same.
The committee recognises, of course, the challenges that have faced the Welsh Government over the last year, and the need for resources to be prioritised. However, I do think that it is important that I note the challenge to us in properly scrutinising the Government and providing an adequate response to members of the public who do submit petitions if responses are not forthcoming in a reasonable time period.
Moving on to the specific requests made by this petition, Laura has highlighted her concern about the impact that COVID-19 has had on people’s mental health, particularly through the impact of lockdowns and social isolation. She remains concerned about the availability of appropriate services to people who need them, especially the extent to which these are provided in a timely way to people at times of crisis.
A recent experience that Laura relayed through her comments to the Petitions Committee raised concerns regarding a lack of available services, referral or follow-up when mental health concerns were raised during a visit to an accident and emergency department. The petition also refers to waiting times for treatment and therapy, and what Laura sees as a need to improve the capacity of services to respond to the demand that exists within our communities.
As we all know, these are long-standing concerns about the capacity constraints that there are within mental health services here in Wales, but they have perhaps been bought into even sharper focus by the circumstances of the past 12 months. Services that were oversubscribed in many cases previously have seen the numbers of patients increasing, just as their ability to provide services, particularly face-to-face, has become more restricted than ever.
Mind Cymru has noted its own concerns about access to mental health support, stating that last summer nearly a quarter of people had reported being unable to access the support they need. And last week, when introducing the health committee's debate on this subject, our colleague Dai Lloyd MS noted that more than half of adults and three quarters of young people feel that their mental health has worsened during this lockdown period.
I believe that this is an issue that we must all be seeking to address as a priority. As Wales, we hope we can continue to emerge from this pandemic, but we must do all that we can to avoid a further mental health pandemic in future.
To conclude, Deputy Presiding Officer, mental health has been the subject of a great deal of work and discussion throughout this Senedd. It has certainly been a regular theme of petitions referred to our committee over that time. That highlights both the fact that many of the members of the public consider that more could and should be done, as well as the importance of getting services right, a point I think we can all agree is particularly important right now. Thank you very much. Diolch.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Felly, diolch am y cyfle i gynnal dadl ar y ddeiseb hon heddiw. Cyflwynwyd y ddeiseb gan Laura Williams, ar ôl casglu 5,159 o lofnodion. Mae'n galw am fwy o gyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl a gwelliannau i ofal mewn argyfwng, ac mae'n dilyn deiseb flaenorol a gyflwynodd Laura i'n pwyllgor, a oedd hefyd yn ceisio gwella mynediad at gymorth iechyd meddwl. Cyhoeddodd y Pwyllgor Deisebau adroddiad ar y ddeiseb flaenorol honno yn 2019. Ynddo, gwnaethom nifer o argymhellion i Lywodraeth Cymru, gyda'r nod yn arbennig o wella llwybrau atgyfeirio a mynediad amserol at gymorth mewn argyfwng.
Wrth gyflwyno'r ddeiseb sydd ger ein bron heddiw, mae Laura wedi mynegi ei barn nad oes digon o gynnydd go iawn wedi'i wneud ar wella mynediad at wasanaethau iechyd meddwl ers yr adeg honno. Mae'n pryderu'n arbennig am yr effaith y mae'r pandemig a'r cyfyngiadau symud wedi'i chael ar iechyd meddwl a llesiant pobl a gallu gwasanaethau i ymateb i anghenion pobl mewn modd amserol.
Nawr, nid yw'r pryderon hyn yn fater newydd i'r Senedd hon ac fel y clywsom yn ystod dadl yr wythnos diwethaf, mae'r Pwyllgor Iechyd, Gofal Cymdeithasol a Chwaraeon wedi cyhoeddi ei adroddiad ei hun yn ddiweddar ar effaith yr argyfwng COVID-19 ar iechyd meddwl a llesiant. Felly, credaf y byddai Laura, a'r miloedd o bobl a gefnogodd ei deiseb, yn cymeradwyo'r argymhellion y mae'r pwyllgor iechyd wedi'u gwneud yng ngoleuni'r dystiolaeth fanwl y maent wedi'i chael yn ystod eu hymchwiliadau.
Fodd bynnag, yng ngweddill fy nghyfraniad y prynhawn yma, byddaf yn canolbwyntio ar nifer o faterion penodol y mae'r ddeiseb yn gofyn inni eu hystyried. Cyn imi wneud hynny, hoffwn nodi'n fyr nad yw'r Pwyllgor Deisebau wedi cael ymateb i'r ddeiseb hon gan y Llywodraeth hyd yma, er inni ofyn am un ddiwedd mis Tachwedd. Nid dyma'r tro cyntaf i hyn ddigwydd mewn perthynas â deiseb am wasanaethau iechyd meddwl. Gallwch ddychmygu'r siom rydym ni fel pwyllgor yn ei deimlo. Mae'n siŵr y bydd y deisebwyr yn teimlo'r un fath.
Mae'r pwyllgor yn cydnabod yr heriau sydd wedi wynebu Llywodraeth Cymru dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf wrth gwrs, a'r angen i flaenoriaethu adnoddau. Fodd bynnag, credaf ei bod yn bwysig fy mod yn nodi'r her wrth inni geisio craffu'n briodol ar y Llywodraeth a darparu ymateb digonol i aelodau o'r cyhoedd sy'n cyflwyno deisebau os na ddaw ymatebion i law mewn cyfnod rhesymol o amser.
Gan symud ymlaen at alwadau penodol y ddeiseb hon, mae Laura wedi tynnu sylw at ei phryder am yr effaith y mae COVID-19 wedi ei chael ar iechyd meddwl pobl, yn enwedig drwy effaith cyfyngiadau symud ac arwahanrwydd cymdeithasol. Mae'n dal i bryderu ynghylch argaeledd gwasanaethau priodol i bobl sydd eu hangen, yn enwedig y graddau y darperir y rhain mewn modd amserol i bobl ar adegau o argyfwng.
Roedd profiad diweddar a nododd Laura drwy ei sylwadau i'r Pwyllgor Deisebau yn codi pryderon ynghylch diffyg gwasanaethau, atgyfeirio neu ddilyniant pan gafodd pryderon iechyd meddwl eu crybwyll yn ystod ymweliad ag adran damweiniau ac achosion brys. Mae'r ddeiseb hefyd yn cyfeirio at amseroedd aros am driniaeth a therapi, a'r hyn y mae Laura yn ei weld fel angen i wella gallu gwasanaethau i ymateb i'r galw sy'n bodoli yn ein cymunedau.
Fel y gwyddom i gyd, mae'r rhain yn bryderon hirsefydlog ynglŷn â'r cyfyngiadau ar gapasiti o fewn gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl yma yng Nghymru, ond efallai bod mwy byth o ffocws arnynt yn sgil amgylchiadau'r 12 mis diwethaf. Mae gwasanaethau lle'r oedd mwy o alw amdanynt na'r gallu i'w ddiwallu mewn llawer o achosion o'r blaen wedi gweld nifer y cleifion yn cynyddu, yn union fel y mae eu gallu i ddarparu gwasanaethau, yn enwedig rhai wyneb yn wyneb, wedi dod yn fwy cyfyngedig nag erioed.
Mae Mind Cymru wedi nodi eu pryderon eu hunain ynghylch mynediad at gymorth iechyd meddwl, gan ddweud bod bron i chwarter y bobl yr haf diwethaf wedi dweud nad oeddent yn gallu cael gafael ar y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt. A'r wythnos diwethaf, wrth gyflwyno dadl y pwyllgor iechyd ar y pwnc hwn, nododd ein cyd-Aelod Dai Lloyd AS fod mwy na hanner yr oedolion a thri chwarter y bobl ifanc yn teimlo bod eu hiechyd meddwl wedi gwaethygu yn ystod y cyfnod hwn o gyfyngiadau symud.
Credaf fod hwn yn fater y mae'n rhaid i bob un ohonom geisio mynd i'r afael ag ef fel blaenoriaeth. Yng Nghymru, gobeithiwn y gallwn barhau i gefnu ar y pandemig hwn, ond rhaid inni wneud popeth yn ein gallu i osgoi pandemig iechyd meddwl pellach yn y dyfodol.
I gloi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae iechyd meddwl wedi bod yn destun llawer iawn o waith a thrafodaeth drwy gydol y Senedd hon. Mae'n sicr wedi bod yn thema reolaidd mewn deisebau a gyfeiriwyd at ein pwyllgor dros y cyfnod hwnnw. Mae hynny'n amlygu'r ffaith bod llawer o'r cyhoedd o'r farn y gellid ac y dylid gwneud mwy, yn ogystal â phwysigrwydd cael gwasanaethau'n iawn, pwynt y credaf y gallwn i gyd gytuno ei fod yn arbennig o bwysig yn awr. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Gaf innau ddiolch i Laura Williams am gyflwyno y ddeiseb yma a llwyddo i gasglu cymaint o enwau arno fo, sef pam ein bod ni yn trafod hwn heddiw? Mae'n brawf bod hwn yn faes lle mae pobl eisiau gweld mwy o weithredu arno fo gan Lywodraeth. Mi ydym ni, dwi'n meddwl, mewn lle llawer gwell y dyddiau yma o ran ein parodrwydd ni i siarad am iechyd meddwl. Mae yna lot o'r hen stigma yn cael ei daclo yn araf bach, ond mae yna lot o ffordd i fynd hefyd, a dydyn ni yn dal ddim yn gallu dweud efo'n llaw ar ein calonnau bod iechyd meddwl yn cael ei drin yn hollol gyfartal efo iechyd corfforol go iawn, a beth sydd gennym ni yn fan hyn ydy galwad am ddau beth fyddai yn ein helpu ni i symud tuag at y cyfartaledd yna, sef rhagor o gyllid i wasanaethau iechyd meddwl a sicrhau llai o amser aros i bobl sydd yn wynebu argyfwng iechyd meddwl. Ond tra dwi'n cefnogi hynny, yn sicr, ac eisiau delifro hynny o dan Lywodraeth Plaid Cymru, dwi hefyd eisiau pwysleisio pwysigrwydd yr ataliol hefyd. Fel efo iechyd corfforol, mae ymateb yn fuan, neu hyd yn oed trio atal y problemau bach rhag troi yn rhai mwy difrifol, yr un mor berthnasol efo iechyd meddwl. Dyna pam dwi wedi amlinellu cynlluniau i sefydlu rhwydwaith o ganolfannau llesiant i bobl ifanc ar draws Cymru—canolfannau wrth galon ein cymunedau ni ar y stryd fawr lle mae pobl ifanc yn gallu galw i mewn iddyn nhw os ydyn nhw'n wynebu problemau emosiynol neu broblemau iechyd meddwl, pobl ifanc sydd ddim â phroblem sydd wedi cael ei hadnabod fel un digon difrifol i fod eisiau cyfeiriad at ofal iechyd neu gefnogaeth seiciatrig arbenigol, ond sydd angen cefnogaeth yn syth. Mae eisiau bod yn rhagweithiol yn y ffordd rydym ni'n ymateb i broblemau iechyd meddwl.
Rydym ni'n cofio'n ôl i ddechrau y pandemig, pan wnaeth bwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr ddweud wrth bron i 1,700 o gleifion eu bod nhw'n cael eu tynnu oddi ar y rhestr aros am apwyntiad efo timau iechyd meddwl a bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw wneud cais eto i gael gweld rhywun, a hynny am fod y pandemig wedi dod ag amharu ar wasanaethau. Wrth gwrs, mi gafwyd ymddiheuriad. Doedd hynny ddim i fod wedi digwydd—rhywun yn rhywle oedd wedi camddeall cyfarwyddyd gan y Llywodraeth. Ond mae'r ffaith bod rhywun yn rhywle wedi meddwl am eiliad y byddai hi'n dderbyniol gwneud hynny yn dweud lot am y gwaith sydd ar ôl i'w wneud, dwi'n meddwl. Mi oedd beth welsom ni yn fanna yn gwbl groes, os oes yna ffasiwn beth, i fod yn rhagweithiol a trio cynnig cefnogaeth gynnar.
Enghraifft arall: dwi'n cofio'r Prif Weinidog Llafur diwethaf yn dweud mai'r rheswm bod rhestrau aros am wasanaethau CAMHS mor hir oedd bod lot o blant a phobl ifanc ar y rhestrau aros oedd ddim angen bod yno mewn difrif. Wel, beth sy'n digwydd mewn sefyllfa fel yna ydy bod y criteria wedyn ar gyfer pwy ddylai gael cefnogaeth yn cael eu tynhau er mwyn trio gwneud y rhestrau aros yn llai, yn hytrach na meddwl am ffyrdd o roi gwell triniaeth i fwy o blant a phobl ifanc.
Felly, diolch eto am ddod â'r ddeiseb yma o'n blaenau ni. Dwi'n gobeithio cael cyfle mewn Llywodraeth, fel Gweinidog Plaid Cymru, i gryfhau'r ddarpariaeth sydd ar gael mewn blynyddoedd i ddod.
May I also thank Laura Williams for bringing this petition forward and for managing to gather so many signatures? It's proof that this is an area where people want to see greater action from Government. I think we are in a far better position these days in terms of our willingness to discuss mental health issues. A lot of stigma is being tackled slowly, but there's a long way to go too, and we still can't say hand on heart that mental health is treated with real parity with physical health, and what we have here is a demand for two things that would help us to move towards that equality—greater funding for mental health services and a reduction in waiting times for those facing mental health crisis. And whilst I support that, certainly, and do want to deliver that under a Plaid Cymru Government, I also want to emphasise the importance of the preventative agenda. As with physical health, early intervention, or even trying to prevent minor problems from becoming more serious, is just as relevant with mental health issues, and that's why I've outlined plans to establish a number of well-being centres for young people across Wales—centres at the heart of our communities on the high street where young people can call in if they are facing emotional or mental health problems, young people who do not have a problem that's been diagnosed as requiring specialist health or psychiatric care, but do need immediate support. We need to be proactive in the way that we respond to mental health problems.
We can look back to the beginning of the pandemic, when Betsi Cadwaladr health board told almost 1,700 patients that they were to be taken off waiting lists for an appointment with mental health services, and that they would have to make a request to see someone again, because the pandemic had had an impact on services. Of course, there was an apology for that. It shouldn't have happened. It was somebody somewhere who had misunderstood direction from Government. But the fact that someone somewhere had thought for just one second that it would be acceptable to do that does tell us a great deal about the work that remains to be done. What we saw there was the exact opposite, if there is such a thing, of being proactive and providing early support.
Another example: I remember the last Labour First Minister saying that the reason that waiting lists for CAMHS services were so long was because so many children and young people on those waiting lists didn't truly need to be there. Well, what happens, then, is that the criteria in terms of who should be supported is tightened up in order to reduce the waiting lists, rather than thinking of ways of providing improved treatment to more children and young people.
So, thank you once again for bringing this petition before us. I hope to have an opportunity in Government, as a Plaid Cymru Minister, to strengthen the provision available in years to come.
I'll avoid any political agenda here, because I think Laura really raised this question of the importance of the mental health agenda. I'm pleased to speak in this debate as chair of the cross-party group on mental health. We've often heard the words, 'One in four of us in the UK will experience a mental health condition.' This year, more than any other, these words need revision, as many more people will suffer with mental health as a consequence of the actions taken to control the spread of coronavirus. So, surely now must be a point in time in which we recognise the essential need to prioritise and ensure sufficient funding is there for meeting the needs of improving mental health and well-being.
Mind Cymru's recently published report, 'Too long to wait', looked at waiting-time figures, both pre pandemic and during it, for access to psychological therapies. And they also spoke to many people who are either waiting for or had access to much-needed support. Psychological therapies can provide a safe space to talk openly without judgment. They can help us make sense of things, to better understand ourselves, or help us to resolve complicated feelings. They literally offer people a lifeline. The report showed that access to psychological therapy had exacerbated pre-existing issues, with fewer people accepted onto the waiting lists, yet more people waiting longer for support. And for 17 months up to August last year, 80 per cent of those waiting for psychological therapies had exceeded the 26-week target, and this undoubtedly has not improved, as more people have been impacted upon by the pandemic.
For the last 12 months, we have been asked to stay away from our normal support systems. We have missed our loved ones and friends in order to protect them. Improving access to specialist psychological therapies is a key commitment of the Welsh Government's 10-year 'Together for Mental Health' strategy. It's a goal that has to be restated in each of the strategies subsequent to the delivery plan and with targeted actions aimed at realising this ambition. Yet, we still have large numbers of people on waiting lists without that support and who often feel abandoned. I would hope that the Minister agrees that this ambition needs to be prioritised before the end of this Senedd term and will continue to be prioritised by the next Welsh Government.
Over the next Senedd term, we must reduce the current 26-week target figure. We must work with Health Education and Improvement Wales to ensure there exists a strong recruitment and training programme to increase the number of therapists available, and we must ensure that mental health is considered as important as physical health. Minister, I look forward to your response on taking forward the agenda to help the people who desperately need that support.
Byddaf yn osgoi unrhyw agenda wleidyddol yma, oherwydd rwy'n credu bod Laura wedi codi'r cwestiwn hwn o bwysigrwydd yr agenda iechyd meddwl. Rwy'n falch o siarad yn y ddadl hon fel cadeirydd y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar iechyd meddwl. Yn aml, clywsom ddweud, 'Bydd un o bob pedwar ohonom yn y DU yn dioddef o gyflwr iechyd meddwl.' Eleni, yn fwy nag unrhyw flwyddyn arall, mae angen adolygu'r geiriau hyn, gan y bydd llawer mwy o bobl yn dioddef salwch meddwl o ganlyniad i'r camau a gymerwyd i reoli lledaeniad coronafeirws. Felly, does bosibl na ddylem gydnabod yn awr yr angen hanfodol i flaenoriaethu a sicrhau bod digon o arian ar gael i ddiwallu anghenion gwella iechyd meddwl a llesiant.
Edrychodd adroddiad Mind Cymru a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar, 'Rhy hir i aros', ar ffigurau amseroedd aros cyn ac yn ystod y pandemig ar gyfer mynediad at therapïau seicolegol. Ac fe wnaethant siarad â llawer o bobl sydd naill ai'n aros am gymorth mawr ei angen neu'n ei gael. Gall therapïau seicolegol ddarparu lle diogel i siarad yn agored heb farnu. Gallant ein helpu i wneud synnwyr o bethau, i ddeall ein hunain yn well, neu ein helpu i ddatrys teimladau cymhleth. Maent yn llythrennol yn cynnig achubiaeth i bobl. Dangosodd yr adroddiad fod problemau a oedd eisoes yn bodoli o ran mynediad at therapi seicolegol wedi gwaethygu, gyda llai o bobl yn cael eu derbyn ar y rhestrau aros, er bod mwy o bobl yn aros yn hwy am gymorth. Ac am 17 mis hyd at fis Awst y llynedd, roedd 80 y cant o'r rhai a oedd yn aros am therapïau seicolegol wedi bod yn aros yn hwy na'r targed 26 wythnos, ac mae'n sicr nad yw hyn wedi gwella, gan fod y pandemig wedi effeithio ar fwy o bobl.
Dros y 12 mis diwethaf, gofynnwyd inni gadw draw o'n systemau cymorth arferol. Rydym wedi gweld colli ein hanwyliaid a'n ffrindiau er mwyn eu diogelu. Mae gwella mynediad at therapïau seicolegol arbenigol yn un o ymrwymiadau allweddol strategaeth 10 mlynedd 'Law yn Llaw at Iechyd Meddwl' Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae'n nod sy'n rhaid ei ailddatgan ym mhob un o'r strategaethau yn dilyn y cynllun cyflawni a chyda chamau gweithredu wedi'u hanelu at wireddu'r uchelgais hwn. Ac eto, mae gennym nifer fawr o bobl o hyd ar restrau aros heb y cymorth hwnnw ac sy'n aml yn teimlo eu bod wedi cael eu gadael ar ôl. Byddwn yn gobeithio y bydd y Gweinidog yn cytuno bod angen blaenoriaethu'r uchelgais hwn cyn diwedd tymor y Senedd hon ac y bydd Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru yn parhau i roi blaenoriaeth iddo.
Dros dymor nesaf y Senedd, rhaid inni ostwng y ffigur targed presennol o 26 wythnos. Rhaid inni weithio gydag Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru i sicrhau bod rhaglen recriwtio a hyfforddi gref yn bodoli i gynyddu nifer y therapyddion sydd ar gael, a rhaid inni sicrhau bod iechyd meddwl yn cael ei ystyried lawn cyn bwysiced ag iechyd corfforol. Weinidog, edrychaf ymlaen at eich ymateb ar fwrw ymlaen â'r agenda i helpu'r bobl sydd angen y cymorth hwnnw'n ddybryd.
Thank you. Can I now call the Minister for Mental Health, Well-being and the Welsh Language, Eluned Morgan?
Diolch. A gaf fi alw yn awr ar y Gweinidog Iechyd Meddwl, Llesiant a'r Gymraeg, Eluned Morgan?
Wel, diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. A gaf i, yn gyntaf, ddiolch i'r Pwyllgor Deisebau am eu hamser wrth ystyried y pwnc pwysig yma? Gaf i ymddiheuro nad yw'r pwyllgor na Laura wedi cael ymateb ffurfiol? Gwnaf i'n siŵr y bydd ymateb ffurfiol yn dod o fewn yr wythnos nesaf.
Mae gwella gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth i ni fel Llywodraeth, ac rŷn ni wedi bod yn gweithio ar draws y Llywodraeth ers inni gyflwyno'n strategaeth, 'Gyda'n Gilydd dros Iechyd Meddwl', yn 2012. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae effaith COVID-19, fel mae David Rees wedi amlinellu, a'r cyfyngiadau wedi rhoi mwy o sylw i'r mater yma, ac rŷn ni'n benderfynol o wella'n gwasanaethau ni i ymateb i'r gofyn. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi dangos ei ymrwymiad ef i'r mater yma drwy benodi Gweinidog i arwain, o'r Cabinet, yn y maes yma.
Nawr, mae'n bwysig i nodi bod deiseb Laura Williams ac eraill wedi cael ei harwain gan ddefnyddwyr o'n gwasanaethau, a gadewch imi ddechrau trwy ddweud fy mod i wedi sicrhau fy mod i wedi gwneud ymdrech i rili deall profiad pobl sy'n defnyddio'n gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl. Dwi wedi bod yn cyfarfod yn gyson â theuluoedd plant a phobl ifanc sydd yn defnyddio'n gwasanaethau. Fy nod i yw cael darlun cyflawn o brofiad ein defnyddwyr, ac nid jest cadw'r ffocws ar berfformiad amseroedd aros, achos dwi'n meddwl bod gwella ansawdd profiad y defnyddwyr hefyd yn allweddol. Felly, nid jest y mater o gyrraedd targedau amserol sy'n bwysig i ni—er fy mod i'n deall bod yn rhaid inni gyrraedd y targedau hynny—ond hefyd rhaid inni ganolbwyntio ar y math o driniaeth maen nhw'n ei derbyn pan fyddan nhw'n cyrraedd brig y rhestr aros.
Er bod ansicrwydd o hyd ynghylch gwir effaith y pandemig ar iechyd meddwl, yr hyn sy'n amlwg yw bod angen delio â'r sefyllfa mewn dull sydd yn aml-asiantaethol, ac mewn dull sy'n deall bod angen ymateb yn sensitif sy'n wahanol i bob unigolyn.
Thank you very much, Deputy Llywydd. May I first of all thank the Petitions Committee for the time they've given in considering this important issue? May I apologise that neither the committee or Laura have received a formal response? I will ensure that that formal response is provided within the next week.
Improving mental health services continues to be a priority for us as a Government, and we have been working across Government since we introduced our strategy, 'Together for Mental Health', in 2012. And, of course, the impact of COVID-19, as David Rees has outlined, and the restrictions imposed has highlighted this issue, and we are determined to improve our services to respond to demand. And, of course, the First Minister has shown his commitment to this issue by appointing a Minister to lead, from the Cabinet, in this area.
Now, it's important to note that Laura Williams's petition was led by service users, and let me start by staying that I have made a real effort to try and understand the experiences of service users in mental health services. I've met regularly with the families of children and young people who use our services. My aim is to get a full picture of the service user experience, and not just to keep focus on performance and waiting times, because I believe that improving the quality of the service user's experience is also key. So, it's not just a matter of meeting targets and waiting lists that's important to us—although I understand that we need to reach those targets—but we also need to focus on the kind of treatment that they receive when they do get to the top of that waiting list.
Although there is uncertainty still about the true impact of the pandemic on mental health, what's clear is that we need to deal with the situation in a multi-agency manner, and in a way that understands that we need to respond sensitively to the needs of individuals.
Now, the petition talks about the need to increase funding for mental health issues, and I'm really pleased to report that, in terms of funding in the next financial year, we've secured a further £42 million to support mental health services. This should, however, be seen within the context of the £780 million that we spend annually on mental health services, and I've started some detailed research to make sure that we're spending that larger amount on the appropriate things.
We also need to make sure that the funding we put in is making a difference to patients, so we must be careful not to focus just on how much we put in to support mental health, but to make sure that we keep an eye on the outcomes we're seeing as a result of that investment. I've been clear that I'd like to see a greater shift in resources towards prevention and earlier, often non-medicalised mental health support, and refocus that towards the needs of children and young people, where 80 per cent of mental health issues start.
Now, the petitioner also talks about people needing mental health support in a crisis, and I'm sure the Petitions Committee is aware of the report that was published earlier this year by the national crisis care concordat group, which analysed what the demand looks like for mental health crisis care. They found that 950 people a day in Wales seek support from the public sector for mental health or welfare concerns, and about 300 of those are for emergencies. The problem is that the current structure that supports these is often emergency services, which, despite a huge training initiative undertaken by the police and ambulance services, don't always have the knowledge or expertise to respond to the specific mental health situation. And that's why we've earmarked an additional £6 million to address this issue, which needs urgent attention, in particular when it comes to out-of-hours support.
But if people find they're in a crisis, it means that there's been a failure in the system earlier on. When it comes to mental health, early intervention is absolutely key, and I'm clear that this absolutely doesn't mean that it always has to be a medical intervention. This morning, I spoke to the Wales Alliance for Mental Health, including Mind, to understand and agree that there is a need to respond to the social and economic issues that can cause mental health issues, and which are likely to become more visible as we come out of lockdown. And that's why I've earmarked an additional £4 million to increase our capacity to deliver more timely early intervention, where people don't need to be referred into that service via a GP, and a service that can be delivered outside of the health service by specialist third sector groups. So, the aim is to ensure that there's easy access to a range of help for low-level mental health issues across Wales, and build on that support that we've already put in place during the pandemic, including cognitive behavioural therapy online.
Now, if we get this early intervention right, we'll avoid the crisis care later that would be necessary. And it's really important in order to respond to the changing needs of the population in a period where there's been a societal trauma event, where it's clear that there are raised levels of anxiety in our population.
Writing a programme and ensuring buy-in is difficult, and that's what we've tried to do with 'Together for Mental Health', but making sure that those partners help us deliver on that and that we have a responsibility is actually a greater challenge. And in order to hit the targets we've set out in our strategy, I've established a new mental health ministerial delivery and oversight board in Wales, and that board met for the first time last week. And whilst I understand the pressure on the system, I am absolutely clear about my commitment to drive progress on work relating to mental health. So, I hope that what I've said today provides an assurance about our commitment to changing mental health needs, supported by additional, significant funding.
I'd like to thank the people who presented this issue to the Senedd and for drawing attention to this important issue. I hope you'll agree that we've delivered on the request for more funding and we are putting very clear measures in place to improve waiting times for people in crisis. Diolch.
Nawr, mae'r ddeiseb yn sôn am yr angen i gynyddu'r cyllid ar gyfer materion iechyd meddwl, ac rwy'n falch iawn o adrodd, mewn perthynas â chyllid yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, ein bod wedi sicrhau £42 miliwn arall i gefnogi gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl. Fodd bynnag, dylid ystyried hyn yng nghyd-destun y £780 miliwn a wariwn yn flynyddol ar wasanaethau iechyd meddwl, ac rwyf wedi dechrau gwaith ymchwil manwl i sicrhau ein bod yn gwario'r swm mwy hwnnw ar y pethau priodol.
Mae angen i ni hefyd sicrhau bod y cyllid a roddwn i mewn yn gwneud gwahaniaeth i gleifion, felly mae'n rhaid i ni fod yn ofalus nad ydym yn canolbwyntio'n unig ar faint rydym yn ei roi i gefnogi iechyd meddwl, ond yn hytrach, dylem sicrhau ein bod yn cadw llygad ar y canlyniadau rydym yn eu gweld o ganlyniad i'r buddsoddiad hwnnw. Rwyf wedi bod yn glir yr hoffwn weld yr adnoddau'n symud mwy tuag at atal a chymorth iechyd meddwl cynharach, yn aml cymorth nad yw'n feddygol, ac ailffocysu hynny tuag at anghenion plant a phobl ifanc, lle mae 80 y cant o broblemau iechyd meddwl yn dechrau.
Nawr, mae'r deisebydd hefyd yn sôn am bobl sydd angen cymorth iechyd meddwl mewn argyfwng, ac rwy'n siŵr bod y Pwyllgor Deisebau yn ymwybodol o'r adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd yn gynharach eleni gan y grŵp concordat gofal mewn argyfwng cenedlaethol, a ddadansoddodd y galw am ofal iechyd meddwl mewn argyfwng. Canfuwyd bod 950 o bobl y dydd yng Nghymru yn gofyn am gymorth gan y sector cyhoeddus ar gyfer pryderon iechyd meddwl neu lesiant, ac mae tua 300 o'r rheini ar gyfer argyfyngau. Y broblem yw bod y strwythur presennol sy'n cefnogi'r rhain yn aml yn wasanaethau brys, nad oes ganddynt bob amser wybodaeth ac arbenigedd i ymateb i'r sefyllfa iechyd meddwl benodol, er gwaethaf menter hyfforddi enfawr a gynhaliwyd gan yr heddlu a'r gwasanaethau ambiwlans. A dyna pam ein bod wedi clustnodi £6 miliwn ychwanegol i fynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn sy'n galw am sylw ar frys, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â chymorth y tu allan i oriau.
Ond os yw pobl yn wynebu argyfwng, mae'n golygu bod methiant wedi bod yn y system yn gynharach. O ran iechyd meddwl, mae ymyrraeth gynnar yn gwbl allweddol, ac rwy'n berffaith glir nad yw hyn yn golygu bod yn rhaid iddi fod yn ymyrraeth feddygol bob amser. Y bore yma, siaradais â Chynghrair Iechyd Meddwl Cymru, gan gynnwys Mind, i ddeall a chytuno bod angen ymateb i'r problemau cymdeithasol ac economaidd a all achosi problemau iechyd meddwl, ac sy'n debygol o ddod yn fwy gweladwy wrth inni ddod allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud. A dyna pam rwyf wedi clustnodi £4 miliwn ychwanegol i gynyddu ein gallu i ddarparu ymyrraeth gynnar fwy amserol, gwasanaeth nad oes angen cyfeirio pobl ato drwy feddyg teulu, a gwasanaeth y gellir ei ddarparu y tu allan i'r gwasanaeth iechyd gan grwpiau trydydd sector arbenigol. Felly, y nod yw sicrhau bod amrywiaeth o gymorth ar gael yn hawdd ar gyfer problemau iechyd meddwl lefel isel ledled Cymru, ac adeiladu ar y cymorth rydym eisoes wedi'i roi ar waith yn ystod y pandemig, gan gynnwys therapi gwybyddol ymddygiadol ar-lein.
Nawr, os cawn yr ymyrraeth gynnar yn iawn, byddwn yn osgoi'r gofal mewn argyfwng a fyddai'n angenrheidiol yn ddiweddarach. Ac mae'n bwysig iawn er mwyn ymateb i anghenion newidiol y boblogaeth mewn cyfnod lle cafwyd digwyddiad sydd wedi achosi trawma cymdeithasol, a lle mae'n amlwg fod lefelau uwch o orbryder yn ein poblogaeth.
Mae ysgrifennu rhaglen a sicrhau cefnogaeth yn anodd, a dyna beth rydym wedi ceisio'i wneud gyda 'Law yn Llaw at Iechyd Meddwl', ond mae sicrhau bod y partneriaid yn ein helpu i gyflawni hynny a bod gennym gyfrifoldeb yn fwy o her mewn gwirionedd. Ac er mwyn cyrraedd y targedau rydym wedi eu gosod yn ein strategaeth, rwyf wedi sefydlu bwrdd cyflawni a goruchwylio gweinidogol newydd ar iechyd meddwl yng Nghymru, a chyfarfu'r bwrdd am y tro cyntaf yr wythnos diwethaf. Ac er fy mod yn deall y pwysau ar y system, rwy'n gwbl glir ynglŷn â fy ymrwymiad i hybu cynnydd gwaith sy'n ymwneud ag iechyd meddwl. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio bod yr hyn rwyf wedi'i ddweud heddiw yn rhoi sicrwydd am ein hymrwymiad i anghenion iechyd meddwl sy'n newid, wedi'i ategu gan gyllid ychwanegol sylweddol.
Hoffwn ddiolch i'r bobl a gyflwynodd hyn ger bron y Senedd ac am dynnu sylw at y mater pwysig hwn. Gobeithio y byddwch yn cytuno ein bod wedi ymateb i'r cais am fwy o gyllid a'n bod yn rhoi mesurau clir iawn ar waith i wella amseroedd aros i bobl mewn argyfwng. Diolch.
Thank you. Can I now call on Janet Finch-Saunders to reply to the debate?
Diolch. A gaf fi alw yn awr ar Janet Finch-Saunders i ymateb i'r ddadl?
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this debate, including the Minister for responding. I also want to say a huge thank you to Laura Williams for her continued campaigning on this vital issue. We need people like Laura to continue raising their voices and to tell us when they believe that things need to change. I also actually want to put on record our thanks to Laura for her bravery in telling us her own personal story.
So, given the short time left available in this Senedd term, it will be a future Petitions Committee and the next Senedd who will pick up this petition following today's debate. In the meantime, I do know that staff working in mental health services across Wales will continue to give their all to people who need support, and I want to close by also giving them our grateful thanks for the work that they do. We must support them to deliver our better aims. Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Diolch i bawb sydd wedi cyfrannu at y ddadl hon, gan gynnwys y Gweinidog am ymateb. Hoffwn ddiolch yn fawr iawn hefyd i Laura Williams am barhau i ymgyrchu ar y mater hollbwysig hwn. Mae arnom angen i bobl fel Laura barhau i godi llais a dweud wrthym pan gredant fod angen i bethau newid. Hoffwn gofnodi ein diolch i Laura hefyd am ei dewrder yn dweud ei stori bersonol ei hun wrthym.
Felly, o ystyried yr amser byr sydd ar ôl yn nhymor y Senedd hon, Pwyllgor Deisebau yn y dyfodol a'r Senedd nesaf fydd yn mynd ar drywydd y ddeiseb hon yn dilyn y ddadl heddiw. Yn y cyfamser, gwn y bydd staff sy'n gweithio ym maes gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl ledled Cymru yn parhau i wneud eu gorau glas dros bobl sydd angen cymorth, ac rwyf am gloi drwy ddiolch yn fawr iddynt hwythau hefyd am y gwaith a wnânt. Rhaid inni eu cynorthwyo i gyflawni ein nodau gorau. Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you. The proposal is to note the petition. Does any Member object? No, therefore the petition is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Diolch. Y cynnig yw nodi'r ddeiseb. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na, felly, derbynnir y ddeiseb yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Detholwyd y gwelliannau canlynol: gwelliant 1 yn enw Rebecca Evans, gwelliant 2 yn enwau Mark Reckless a Gareth Bennett, gwelliant 3 yn enw Caroline Jones, a gwelliant 4 yn enw Siân Gwenllian. Os derbynnir gwelliant 1, caiff gwelliannau 2 a 3 eu dad-ddethol. Os derbynnir gwelliant 2, caiff gwelliant 3 ei ddad-ddethol.
The following amendments have been selected: amendment 1 in the name of Rebecca Evans, amendment 2 in the names of Mark Reckless and Gareth Bennett, amendment 3 in the name of Caroline Jones, and amendment 4 in the name of Siân Gwenllian. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be deselected. If amendment 2 is agreed, amendment 3 will be deselected.
We now move on to the Welsh Conservative debate on NHS waiting times, and I call on Angela Burns to move the motion.
Symudwn ymlaen yn awr at ddadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ar amseroedd aros y GIG, a galwaf ar Angela Burns i wneud y cynnig.
Cynnig NDM7626 Mark Isherwood
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn nodi bod 1 o bob 5 claf ar restr aros a bod dros 2,000 o bobl wedi aros mwy na dwy flynedd am driniaeth.
2. Yn cydnabod bod 5 o bob 7 bwrdd iechyd wedi bod mewn mesurau arbennig neu wedi bod yn destun ymyrraeth wedi'i thargedu dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf.
3. Yn credu bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dal GIG Cymru yn ôl.
4. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i gyhoeddi cynllun adfer ar frys ar gyfer GIG Cymru a fydd yn:
a) clirio'r ôl-groniad o driniaethau a sicrhau nad oes rhaid i neb aros mwy na blwyddyn am driniaeth;
b) recriwtio o leiaf 1,200 o feddygon a 2,000 o nyrsys i leihau amseroedd aros; ac
c) trawsnewid iechyd meddwl drwy ei drin â'r un brys ag iechyd corfforol.
Motion NDM7626 Mark Isherwood
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that 1 in 5 patients are on a waiting list and over 2,000 people have waited longer than two years for treatment.
2. Recognises that over the last five years 5 out of 7 health boards have been in special measures or targeted intervention.
3. Believes the Welsh Government has held back the Welsh NHS.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to urgently publish a recovery plan for the Welsh NHS which will:
a) clear the backlog in treatment and ensure that no-one has to wait more than one year for treatment;
b) recruit at least 1,200 doctors and 2,000 nurses to reduce waiting times; and
c) transform mental health by treating it with the same urgency as physical health.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. In moving this motion today, I wish to start by expressing how grateful we are to the staff of the NHS. From front-line medics to back-room managers, they've held the line and delivered care and support to many individuals and families during this dreadful time. Without doubt, the NHS has been put under immense pressure by COVID, but the truth is that the NHS was under immense pressure before the pandemic. There needs to be not only a route out of the current situation, but to look and to ensure that the Welsh NHS is both well resourced and truly enabled, because the NHS needs more trained professionals and the freedom to innovate, it needs investment in primary care, strengthened secondary care, better IT and a plan for social care and mental health, and we need to be able to slash those horrendous waiting times.
I don't underestimate the uphill battle this will be. Let us remember that the Welsh NHS was in a weak and vulnerable position before COVID-19, as a result of poor decision making over the last 20 years by a succession of moribund Labour and Labour-Liberal and Labour-Plaid Governments. One such area that was badly affected is recruitment. The workforce is the backbone of the NHS, but Welsh Government has relied on goodwill, overtime and agencies to plug staff shortages, rather than implement a proper workforce strategy. According to the Royal College of Nursing, there is an estimated absolute minimum of 1,612 nursing vacancies, let alone doctors, physios, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and mental health specialists. In 2019, Welsh Government commissioned a health and social care workforce strategy, two years later, where is it? Nowhere. In order to fund an increase in workforce, the NHS must be properly funded. Yet, the Welsh Labour Government holds the dubious honour of being the only Government in the UK to ever cut the NHS budget in modern times by some £800 million. They've also underfunded the social care system and allowed an unforgivable fragility to develop in the sector. Welsh Government expects older people to pay twice for care by looking to introduce an age-related social care tax, both unfair and ageist.
And let's turn to waiting times, terrible before the pandemic, horrendous now. Before the pandemic, waiting times had trebled for those waiting more than 36 weeks for treatment. Before the pandemic, the Welsh Government failed to meet its own target times for treatment. Before the pandemic, the 95 per cent target for patients spending fewer than four hours in A&E had never been met. Before the pandemic, cancer waiting times had not been met for a decade. Before the pandemic, the target of patients waiting fewer than 26 weeks for treatment hadn't been met for 10 years. Before the pandemic, the target for patients waiting fewer than—.
Sorry, you've disappeared, Dirprwy Lywydd. I don't know if you've lost me. My apologies, the Deputy Presiding Officer disappeared, so I thought perhaps I had disappeared. You may wish I had, but unfortunately, Minister, I'm still here.
Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Wrth wneud y cynnig hwn heddiw, hoffwn ddechrau drwy fynegi ein diolch i staff y GIG. O feddygon rheng flaen i reolwyr ystafell gefn, maent wedi dal ati ac wedi darparu gofal a chymorth i lawer o unigolion a theuluoedd yn ystod y cyfnod ofnadwy hwn. Yn ddi-os, mae'r GIG wedi bod o dan bwysau aruthrol yn sgil COVID, ond y gwir amdani yw bod y GIG o dan bwysau aruthrol cyn y pandemig. Mae angen llwybr allan o'r sefyllfa bresennol, yn ogystal ag edrych a sicrhau bod gan GIG Cymru adnoddau da a'i fod wedi'i alluogi o ddifrif, oherwydd mae'r GIG angen mwy o weithwyr proffesiynol hyfforddedig a rhyddid i arloesi, mae angen buddsoddiad mewn gofal sylfaenol, gofal eilaidd cryfach, gwell TG a chynllun ar gyfer gofal cymdeithasol ac iechyd meddwl, ac mae angen inni allu lleihau'r amseroedd aros erchyll.
Nid wyf yn diystyru maint y frwydr. Gadewch inni gofio bod GIG Cymru mewn sefyllfa wan a bregus cyn COVID-19, o ganlyniad i benderfyniadau gwael dros yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf gan gyfres o Lywodraethau Llafur a Llafur-Rhyddfrydwyr a Llafur-Plaid Cymru marwaidd. Un maes o'r fath yr effeithiwyd arno'n wael yw recriwtio. Y gweithlu yw asgwrn cefn y GIG, ond mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dibynnu ar ewyllys da, goramser ac asiantaethau i wneud iawn am brinder staff, yn hytrach na gweithredu strategaeth briodol ar gyfer y gweithlu. Yn ôl y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol, amcangyfrifir bod o leiaf 1,612 o swyddi nyrsio'n wag, heb sôn am feddygon, ffisiotherapyddion, therapyddion lleferydd ac iaith, therapyddion galwedigaethol ac arbenigwyr iechyd meddwl. Yn 2019, comisiynodd Llywodraeth Cymru strategaeth ar gyfer y gweithlu iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, a ddwy flynedd yn ddiweddarach, ble mae'r strategaeth honno? Nid yw'n unman. Er mwyn ariannu cynnydd yn y gweithlu, rhaid i'r GIG gael ei gyllido'n briodol. Ac eto, Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru sydd â'r anrhydedd amheus o fod yr unig Lywodraeth yn y DU i dorri cyllideb y GIG yn yr oes fodern a hynny o oddeutu £800 miliwn. Maent hefyd wedi tanariannu'r system gofal cymdeithasol ac wedi caniatáu i freuder anfaddeuol ddatblygu yn y sector. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn disgwyl i bobl hŷn dalu ddwy waith am ofal drwy geisio cyflwyno treth gofal cymdeithasol sy'n gysylltiedig ag oedran, a hynny'n annheg ac yn oedraniaethol.
A gadewch inni droi at amseroedd aros, a oedd yn ofnadwy cyn y pandemig, ac sy'n ddychrynllyd yn awr. Cyn y pandemig, roedd amseroedd aros wedi treblu i'r rhai a oedd yn aros mwy na 36 wythnos am driniaeth. Cyn y pandemig, methodd Llywodraeth Cymru gyrraedd ei hamseroedd targed ei hun ar gyfer triniaeth. Cyn y pandemig, nid oedd y targed o 95 y cant ar gyfer cleifion sy'n treulio llai na phedair awr mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys erioed wedi'i gyrraedd. Cyn y pandemig, nid oedd amseroedd aros canser wedi'u cyrraedd ers degawd. Cyn y pandemig, nid oedd y targed i sicrhau bod cleifion yn aros llai na 26 wythnos am driniaeth wedi'i gyrraedd ers 10 mlynedd. Cyn y pandemig, roedd y targed i gleifion aros llai na—.
Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, rydych wedi diflannu, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Nid wyf yn gwybod a ydych chi wedi fy ngholli i. Ymddiheuriadau, diflannodd y Dirprwy Lywydd, felly roeddwn yn credu efallai fy mod i wedi diflannu. Efallai y byddai'n dda gennych pe bawn i wedi diflannu, ond yn anffodus, Weinidog, rwy'n dal yma.
Daeth y Llywydd i’r Gadair.
The Llywydd took the Chair.
Carry on.
Parhewch.
Before the pandemic, mental health services were struggling with a backlog of inquiries. Wales had the third highest rate out of English and Welsh regions for female suicide and the fourth highest rate for male suicide. And this is the problem, Minister; we have a health service in Wales that was already underfunded and struggling before COVID hit.
During this Welsh Parliament term, five of the seven health boards have been under some kind of Government intervention, and Betsi, despite your recent announcement, is still struggling to show signs of real, long-term, sustainable improvement. And there were other areas over the past five years where you've promised much but failed to deliver, such as a mother and baby unit for south Wales and a gender identity clinic for Wales. So, we're calling on your Government to urgently publish a recovery plan for the Welsh NHS. It must include three key commitments: clear the backlog in treatment and ensure that no-one has to wait more than one year for treatment, going forward; recruit at least 1,200 doctors and 2,000 nurses to reduce waiting times; and transform mental health by treating it with the same urgency as physical health.
I am not convinced you can deliver this. The Welsh health service now needs new leadership, and I'm delighted with the plans that my party, the Welsh Conservatives, have to take things forward. A Welsh Conservative Government would have a COVID-19 management plan, which would appoint a dedicated COVID-19 recovery Minister in the Welsh Government to oversee all areas of coronavirus recovery, including the vaccine roll-out. We would support people experiencing the long-term effects of COVID-19 by establishing clinics dedicated to treating long COVID. We would urgently establish routes to support for people suffering with mental health problems from the pandemic, especially NHS staff and care workers, because they've been providing palliative care, and those who suffered bereavement who were not able to say goodbye to loved ones. We will address the chronic deterioration in waiting times over the last 12 months and begin to ease the recruitment crisis in the Welsh health service with our 'recruit, retain, retrain' policy. For too long, mental health services have also been the poor relation, and it is time that mental well-being was given the same prominence as physical health.
Minister, we want to build back better, we want to provide the Welsh NHS with the support that it needs and we don't want more of the same. I look forward to hearing the contributions to this debate today. I would urge Members of this Senedd to back this motion. Thank you.
Cyn y pandemig, roedd gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl yn cael trafferth gydag ôl-groniad o ymholiadau. Cymru oedd â'r drydedd gyfradd uchaf yn rhanbarthau Cymru a Lloegr o hunanladdiad ymhlith menywod a'r bedwaredd gyfradd uchaf o hunanladdiad ymhlith dynion. A dyma'r broblem, Weinidog; mae gennym wasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru a oedd eisoes yn cael ei danariannu ac yn ei chael hi'n anodd cyn i COVID daro.
Yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon yng Nghymru, mae pump o'r saith bwrdd iechyd wedi bod o dan ryw fath o ymyrraeth gan y Llywodraeth, ac mae Betsi Cadwaladr, er gwaethaf eich cyhoeddiad diweddar, yn dal i'w chael yn anodd dangos arwyddion o welliant hirdymor real a chynaliadwy. Ac roedd yna feysydd eraill dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf lle rydych wedi addo llawer ond wedi methu cyflawni, fel uned mamau a babanod ar gyfer de Cymru a chlinig hunaniaeth rhywedd i Gymru. Felly, rydym yn galw ar eich Llywodraeth i gyhoeddi cynllun adfer ar gyfer GIG Cymru ar frys. Rhaid iddo gynnwys tri ymrwymiad allweddol: clirio'r ôl-groniad o driniaethau a sicrhau nad oes rhaid i neb aros mwy na blwyddyn am driniaeth yn y dyfodol; recriwtio o leiaf 1,200 o feddygon a 2,000 o nyrsys i leihau amseroedd aros; a thrawsnewid iechyd meddwl drwy ei drin â'r un brys ag iechyd corfforol.
Nid wyf wedi fy argyhoeddi y gallwch gyflawni hyn. Mae angen arweinyddiaeth newydd ar wasanaeth iechyd Cymru erbyn hyn, ac rwyf wrth fy modd gyda'r cynlluniau sydd gan fy mhlaid i, y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, i symud pethau yn eu blaen. Byddai gan Lywodraeth Geidwadol yng Nghymru gynllun rheoli COVID-19, a fyddai'n penodi Gweinidog adfer COVID-19 penodol yn Llywodraeth Cymru i oruchwylio pob maes adfer wedi'r coronafeirws, gan gynnwys cyflwyno'r brechlyn. Byddem yn cefnogi pobl sy'n profi effeithiau hirdymor COVID-19 drwy sefydlu clinigau penodol ar gyfer trin COVID hir. Byddem yn sefydlu llwybrau cymorth ar frys i bobl sy'n dioddef problemau iechyd meddwl yn sgil y pandemig, yn enwedig staff y GIG a gweithwyr gofal, am eu bod wedi bod yn darparu gofal lliniarol, a'r rhai a ddioddefodd brofedigaeth na allodd ffarwelio ag anwyliaid. Byddwn yn mynd i'r afael â'r dirywiad cronig mewn amseroedd aros dros y 12 mis diwethaf ac yn dechrau lleddfu'r argyfwng recriwtio yng ngwasanaeth iechyd Cymru gyda'n polisi 'recriwtio, cadw, ailhyfforddi'. Ers gormod o amser, mae gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl wedi cael eu gadael ar ôl, ac mae'n bryd rhoi'r un amlygrwydd i lesiant meddyliol ag a roddir i iechyd corfforol.
Weinidog, rydym am adeiladu'n ôl yn well, rydym am roi'r cymorth sydd ei angen arno i GIG Cymru ac nid ydym eisiau mwy o'r un peth. Edrychaf ymlaen at glywed y cyfraniadau i'r ddadl hon heddiw. Hoffwn annog yr Aelodau o'r Senedd i gefnogi'r cynnig. Diolch.
Rwyf wedi dethol y pedwar gwelliant i'r cynnig. Os derbynnir gwelliant 1, bydd gwelliannau 2 a 3 yn cael eu dad-ddethol. Os derbynnir gwelliant 2, bydd gwelliant 3 yn cael ei ddad-ddethol. Dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol i gynnig yn ffurfiol gwelliant 1 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans.
I have selected the four amendments to the motion. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be deselected. If amendment 2 is agreed, amendment 3 will be deselected. I call on the Minister for Health and Social Services to formally move amendment 1 tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans.
Gwelliant 1—Rebecca Evans
Dileu popeth ar ôl pwynt 1 a rhoi yn ei le:
2. Yn cydnabod:
a) er gwaethaf y cyfnod heriol hwn, fod statws uwchgyfeirio pedwar bwrdd iechyd, drwy gymorth ychwanegol, a staff ymroddedig y GIG, wedi’i ostwng, a bod gennym erbyn hyn un bwrdd iechyd o dan fesurau arbennig ac un yn destun ymyriad wedi’i dargedu;
b) yr effaith y mae'r pandemig wedi'i chael ar y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru ac ar draws y byd;
c) ac yn cydnabod cyfraniad eithriadol yr holl staff iechyd a gofal yn ystod y pandemig; a
d) yr angen am gynllun adfer clir i gynnwys pob maes o’r gwasanaethau iechyd, megis iechyd meddwl, er mwyn sicrhau cydraddoldeb rhwng iechyd corfforol ac iechyd meddwl.
Amendment 1—Rebecca Evans
Delete all after point 1 and replace with:
Recognises:
a) that despite this challenging time, through additional support, and dedicated NHS staff, four health boards have reduced their escalation status, and we now have one health board in special measures and one in targeted intervention;
b) the impact the pandemic has had on the health service in Wales and across the world;
c) and acknowledges the outstanding contribution of all health and care staff during the pandemic; and
d) the need for a clear recovery plan to include all areas of health services such as mental health, to ensure parity between physical and mental health.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 1.
Amendment 1 moved.
Formally, Llywydd.
Yn ffurfiol, Lywydd.
Diolch. Rwy'n galw nawr ar Mark Reckless i gynnig gwelliant 2 a gyflwynwyd yn ei enw e.
Thank you. I now call on Mark Reckless to move amendment 2 tabled in his name.
Gwelliant 2—Mark Reckless, Gareth Bennett
Dileu popeth ar ôl pwynt 2 a rhoi yn ei le:
Yn credu bod datganoli wedi dal y ddarpariaeth o ofal iechyd a'i chanlyniadau yn ôl yng Nghymru.
Yn galw am ddull integredig DU-gyfan o ymdrin â gofal iechyd gydag un Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol.
Amendment 2—Mark Reckless, Gareth Bennett
Delete all after point 2 and insert:
Believes that devolution has held back healthcare provision and outcomes in Wales.
Calls for an integrated UK-wide approach to healthcare with one National Health Service.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 2.
Amendment 2 moved.
I move our amendment formally. Diolch, Llywydd, for selecting our amendment, which we're grateful for. I reiterate what Angela Burns said around thanking the staff. On our amendment, we believe that it's devolution that's held back healthcare provision and outcomes in Wales. The Conservative motion refers to the Welsh Government having done so, but of course there only is a Welsh Government because of devolution.
On waiting lists, yes it was a poor comparison before, and clearly there has been a huge increase in waiting lists due to COVID, and I think it'll take a while before the data and proper understanding of that shows the relative impact of that in Wales and England. I think one of the difficulties we have is it's become harder over the course of devolution to make fair comparisons between outcomes in England and Wales, but those that we have seen I don't believe read well for us. Although, overall, the level of spending is still somewhat higher, it is less so relative to the amount of spending we have with the spending floor and that greater degree of spending within that. The health service has been relatively de-emphasised, including that real-terms cut in spending. We would like to see an integrated, UK-wide approach to healthcare with one national health service. That vision of Aneurin Bevan initially when he created that service; it's now been balkanised and split apart.
We would like to have IT systems that are properly integrated, we would like doctors to be able to refer patients to hospitals or care in England on a fair and equal basis to how they can do so in Wales, simply looking at medical need. However, I don't pretend that that will be a panacea for what we have with the health service at the moment. I would say that the amendments and the motion we have today—even our own amendment—are at the margin compared to the crisis that we have in our health system because of COVID and because of the huge backlog of work that has developed, and I'm afraid it's still developing while we've been focused on COVID. In the motion, we are told by the Conservatives that the Welsh Government should urgently publish a recovery plan for the Welsh NHS that will clear the backlog in treatments. I'm afraid it is a very, very wide gap between the Welsh Government publishing a plan and clearing the backlog of treatment. I think that applies whether we're talking about the NHS in Wales or England or Scotland, despite their somewhat different structures.
We welcome the change in the English NHS with the purchaser-provider split eroding, partly because we think it makes it easier to reintegrate the NHS on a UK—or at least an England and Wales—basis. But the amount of people who are now waiting and how long they are waiting and how that's still getting worse—that change is so large compared to where we were before. It is, I fear, not realistic to think that we are anytime soon going to erase that backlog of treatment, or that the mere publication of a plan for the Welsh Government would do so. I think one really serious challenge for the Welsh Government, as elsewhere in the UK, is linking up that strategy of what happens to the top level to actually trying to clear those backlogs and do so with decent outcomes at the front line. Whatever the structures we have within our NHS, how they work and link together I'm afraid will not necessarily be as it was before, given the huge scale of the challenge we face, which I fear will carry on for several years at a minimum. I think that will be the case whatever the changes we propose, however much we believe our own at the margin may improve things, and I recommend our amendment for that. The scale is absolutely huge.
Rwy'n cynnig ein gwelliant yn ffurfiol. Diolch, Lywydd, am ddewis ein gwelliant, ac rydym yn ddiolchgar am hynny. Ailadroddaf yr hyn a ddywedodd Angela Burns ynglŷn â diolch i'r staff. Ar ein gwelliant, credwn mai datganoli sydd wedi dal darpariaeth a chanlyniadau gofal iechyd yn ôl yng Nghymru. Mae cynnig y Ceidwadwyr yn dweud mai Llywodraeth Cymru sydd wedi gwneud hynny, ond wrth gwrs ni fyddai gennym Lywodraeth Cymru heb ddatganoli.
Ar y rhestrau aros, roeddent yn cymharu'n wael o'r blaen, ac mae'n amlwg y bu cynnydd enfawr yn y rhestrau aros oherwydd COVID, ac rwy'n credu y bydd yn cymryd amser cyn i'r data a'r ddealltwriaeth briodol ohono ddangos effaith gymharol hynny yng Nghymru a Lloegr. Rwy'n credu mai un o'r anawsterau sydd gennym yw ei bod wedi mynd yn anoddach yn ystod datganoli i wneud cymariaethau teg rhwng canlyniadau yng Nghymru a Lloegr, ond nid wyf yn credu bod y rhai rydym wedi'u gweld wedi bod yn rhai da i ni. Er bod lefel y gwariant yn gyffredinol yn dal i fod rywfaint yn uwch, mae'n llai felly o'i gymharu â faint o wariant sydd gennym gyda'r cyllid gwaelodol a'r gyfradd fwy o wariant o fewn hynny. Mae llai o bwyslais at ei gilydd wedi bod ar y gwasanaeth iechyd, gan gynnwys y toriad termau real hwnnw yn y gwariant. Hoffem weld dull gofal iechyd integredig ledled y DU gydag un gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol. Gweledigaeth Aneurin Bevan yn wreiddiol pan greodd y gwasanaeth hwnnw; mae bellach wedi'i chwalu a'i hollti.
Hoffem gael systemau TG sydd wedi'u hintegreiddio'n briodol, hoffem i feddygon allu cyfeirio cleifion at ysbytai neu ofal yn Lloegr ar sail deg a chyfartal o gymharu â'r ffordd y gallant wneud hynny yng Nghymru, gan edrych ar angen meddygol yn unig. Fodd bynnag, nid wyf yn esgus y bydd yn ateb i bopeth sydd gennym gyda'r gwasanaeth iechyd ar hyn o bryd. Byddwn yn dweud bod y gwelliannau a'r cynnig sydd gennym heddiw—hyd yn oed ein gwelliant ein hunain—yn ymylol o'u cymharu â'r argyfwng sydd gennym yn ein system iechyd oherwydd COVID ac oherwydd yr ôl-groniad enfawr o waith sydd wedi datblygu, ac mae arnaf ofn ei fod yn dal i ddatblygu tra buom yn canolbwyntio ar COVID. Yn y cynnig, dywed y Ceidwadwyr wrthym y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru gyhoeddi cynllun adfer ar frys ar gyfer GIG Cymru a fydd yn clirio'r ôl-groniad o driniaethau. Mae arnaf ofn ei fod yn fwlch llydan iawn rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru'n cyhoeddi cynllun a'u bod yn clirio'r ôl-groniad o driniaethau. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n wir p'un a ydym yn sôn am y GIG yng Nghymru neu yn Lloegr neu'r Alban, er gwaethaf eu strwythurau ychydig yn wahanol.
Rydym yn croesawu'r newid yn GIG Lloegr gyda'r rhaniad prynwr-darparwr yn erydu, yn rhannol am ein bod yn credu ei bod yn ei gwneud yn haws ailintegreiddio'r GIG ar sail y DU—neu Gymru a Lloegr o leiaf. Ond faint o bobl sydd bellach yn aros a pha mor hir y maent yn aros a sut y mae hynny'n dal i waethygu—mae'r newid hwnnw mor fawr o'i gymharu â ble roeddem o'r blaen. Mae arnaf ofn nad yw'n realistig meddwl ein bod yn mynd i ddileu'r ôl-groniad o driniaethau cyn bo hir iawn, neu y byddai mynd ati'n syml i gyhoeddi cynllun ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud hynny. Rwy'n credu mai un her wirioneddol bwysig i Lywodraeth Cymru, fel yn rhannau eraill y DU, yw cysylltu'r strategaeth honno o'r hyn sy'n digwydd â'r lefel uchaf er mwyn ceisio clirio'r ôl-groniadau a gwneud hynny gyda chanlyniadau gweddus ar y rheng flaen. Beth bynnag fo'r strwythurau sydd gennym yn ein GIG, mae arnaf ofn na fydd y ffordd y maent yn gweithio ac yn cysylltu â'i gilydd o anghenraid fel roedd pethau o'r blaen, o ystyried maint enfawr yr her a wynebwn, her a fydd, rwy'n ofni, yn parhau am sawl blwyddyn o leiaf. Credaf y bydd hynny'n wir beth bynnag fo'r newidiadau a argymhellwn, ni waeth i ba raddau y credwn y gallai ein newidiadau ymylol ein hunain wella pethau, ac rwy'n argymell ein gwelliant i'r perwyl hwnnw. Mae'r raddfa'n wirioneddol enfawr.
Rwy'n galw nawr ar Caroline Jones i gynnig gwelliant 3 a gyflwynwyd yn ei henw hi. Caroline Jones.
I call on Caroline Jones to move amendment 3 tabled in her name. Caroline Jones.
Gwelliant 3—Caroline Jones
Dileu popeth ar ôl pwynt 2 a rhoi yn ei le:
Yn gresynu at y ffaith bod mwy na 23,000 o ymgeiswyr sy'n hanu o'r DU wedi methu â chael lleoedd hyfforddi nyrsys y llynedd ac y gwrthodwyd lle i fwy na 54 y cant o ymgeiswyr sy'n hanu o'r DU i gyrsiau nyrsio ers 2010.
Yn credu bod GIG Cymru wedi cael ei ddal yn ôl gan lywodraethau'r DU a Chymru oherwydd diffyg llwyr o gynllunio gweithlu dros sawl degawd.
Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i:
a) gweithio gyda darparwyr addysg uwch y DU i ddarparu mwy o leoedd hyfforddiant meddygol i fyfyrwyr sy'n hanu o'r DU;
b) gweithio gyda'r colegau brenhinol a chyrff proffesiynol i asesu gwir anghenion staffio GIG Cymru;
c) recriwtio digon o feddygon, nyrsys a gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol i fynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniadau enfawr o ran amseroedd aros am driniaeth yn ogystal ag amseroedd aros am ddiagnosis;
d) sicrhau na fydd unrhyw un yn aros mwy na 12 mis am driniaeth;
e) trawsnewid iechyd meddwl drwy sicrhau ei fod yn cael ei drin yn gyfartal ag iechyd corfforol.
Amendment 3—Caroline Jones
Delete all after point 2 and replace with:
Regrets the fact that more than 23,000 UK-domiciled applicants failed to gain nurse training places last year and that, since 2010, more than 54 per cent of UK-domiciled applicants to nursing courses have been rejected.
Believes the Welsh NHS has been held back by both the UK and Welsh Governments due to a complete lack of workforce planning over many decades.
Calls upon the Welsh Government to:
a) work with UK higher education providers to provide more medical training places to UK-domiciled students;
b) work with the royal colleges and professional bodies to assess the true staffing needs of the Welsh NHS;
c) recruit sufficient doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals to address the massive backlogs in treatment waiting times as well as diagnostic waits;
d) ensure that no one will wait more than 12 months for treatment;
e) transform mental health by ensuring it has equal footing with physical health.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 3.
Amendment 3 moved.
Diolch, Llywydd. I move the amendment tabled in my name. Before Christmas and for five weeks after, my husband was critically ill in hospital with coronavirus and he saw first-hand the stress on all NHS staff. We owe them a huge debt. We have discussed many times the need to recruit and train doctors and nurses from the local population, and here in Wales, this is doubly important, because of the need to increase the number of staff in the NHS who can speak Welsh. I was therefore dismayed to read the report by Migration Watch UK, which, using UCAS figures, uncovered the fact that 23,300 UK-domiciled students were rejected for nursing courses at the height of the pandemic. The report also highlighted the fact that over half of all UK-based applicants for nursing courses have been rejected in the past decade. Against this backdrop, both the Royal College of Nursing and the Nursing and Midwifery Council have been warning of nursing shortages and the impending disaster of an ageing workforce.
All of the royal colleges and medical professional bodies have warned Governments of staff shortages, but instead of addressing the issue by training and recruiting young people from the UK, successive Governments both here and at the other end of the M4 have relied upon training and recruiting from overseas. Not only is this lack of workforce planning short-sighted, it's also unfair to the developing world, as we are poaching their talent and their much-needed doctors and nurses. We are extremely fortunate in that we have the virus on the back foot, and should have our entire population vaccinated by summer. The rest of the world are not as fortunate. The Indian subcontinent and south-east Asia will need their medics more than we do as they continue to deal with COVID. Is it fair that we poach these staff? We have to become more self-reliant for our doctors and nurses. We must ascertain the true level of staffing needed by working with the royal colleges and professional bodies, and then train, domestically, sufficient staff to meet the demands of our ageing population. Otherwise, we will forever be at the mercy of winter pressures and woefully unprepared for any future pandemic. Diolch yn fawr. Thank you.
Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy'n cynnig y gwelliant a gyflwynwyd yn fy enw i. Cyn y Nadolig ac am bum wythnos ar ôl hynny, roedd fy ngŵr yn ddifrifol wael yn yr ysbyty gyda'r coronafeirws a gwelodd drosto'i hun y straen ar holl staff y GIG. Mae arnom ddyled enfawr iddynt. Rydym wedi trafod droeon yr angen i recriwtio a hyfforddi meddygon a nyrsys o'r boblogaeth leol, ac yma yng Nghymru, mae hyn yn bwysicach fyth, oherwydd yr angen i gynyddu nifer y staff yn y GIG sy'n gallu siarad Cymraeg. Felly, roeddwn yn siomedig o ddarllen yr adroddiad gan Migration Watch UK, a ddefnyddiodd ffigurau UCAS i ddatgelu'r ffaith bod 23,300 o fyfyrwyr sy'n hanu o'r DU wedi'u gwrthod ar gyfer cyrsiau nyrsio ar anterth y pandemig. Tynnodd yr adroddiad sylw hefyd at y ffaith bod dros hanner yr holl ymgeiswyr yn y DU ar gyfer cyrsiau nyrsio wedi'u gwrthod yn ystod y degawd diwethaf. Yn y cyd-destun hwn, mae'r Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol a'r Cyngor Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth wedi bod yn rhybuddio am brinder nyrsys a bygythiad gweithlu sy'n heneiddio.
Mae pob un o'r colegau brenhinol a chyrff proffesiynol meddygol wedi rhybuddio Llywodraethau ynglŷn â phrinder staff, ond yn hytrach na mynd i'r afael â'r mater drwy hyfforddi a recriwtio pobl ifanc o'r DU, mae Llywodraethau olynol yma ac ar ben arall yr M4 wedi dibynnu ar hyfforddi a recriwtio o dramor. Mae'r diffyg cynllunio gweithlu hwn yn annoeth, ac mae hefyd yn annheg â gwledydd sy'n datblygu, gan ein bod yn dwyn eu talent a'u meddygon a nyrsys y maent eu hangen yn fawr. Rydym yn hynod ffodus fod y feirws ar y droed ôl gennym, ac y dylai ein poblogaeth gyfan fod wedi ei brechu erbyn yr haf. Nid yw gweddill y byd mor ffodus. Bydd mwy o angen eu meddygon ar is-gyfandir India a de-ddwyrain Asia nag arnom ni wrth iddynt barhau i ymladd COVID. A yw'n deg ein bod yn dwyn y staff hyn? Rhaid inni ddod yn fwy hunanddibynnol o ran ein meddygon a'n nyrsys. Rhaid inni ganfod gwir lefel y staffio sy'n angenrheidiol drwy weithio gyda'r colegau brenhinol a chyrff proffesiynol, ac yna hyfforddi digon o staff yn y wlad hon i fodloni gofynion ein poblogaeth sy'n heneiddio. Fel arall, byddwn am byth ar drugaredd pwysau'r gaeaf a heb fod yn barod o gwbl ar gyfer unrhyw bandemig yn y dyfodol. Diolch yn fawr.
Rhun ap Iorwerth nawr i gyflwyno'r gwelliant yn enw Siân Gwenllian.
Rhun ap Iorwerth now to move the amendment in the name of Siân Gwenllian.
Gwelliant 4—Siân Gwenllian
Ychwanegu pwynt newydd ar ddiwedd y cynnig:
Yn credu mai'r unig ffordd o drawsnewid iechyd a gofal yw drwy:
a) ffocws newydd ar fesurau ataliol; a
b) integreiddio iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn ddi-dor drwy wasanaeth iechyd a gofal cenedlaethol integredig newydd.
Amendment 4—Siân Gwenllian
Add as new point at end of motion:
Believes transformation of health and care can only be secured through:
a) a new focus on preventative measures; and
b) seamless integration of health and social care through a new integrated national health and care service.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 4.
Amendment 4 moved.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Wnaf i ddim cyfrannu yn hir iawn i'r ddadl yma. Yn sicr, dwi eisiau cymryd y cyfle unwaith eto i ddiolch i bawb sy'n gweithio mor galed ar ein rhan ni ar draws gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal ym mhob rhan o Gymru. Mae parodrwydd staff i fynd y filltir ychwanegol dro ar ôl tro dros y flwyddyn diwethaf yn rhywbeth mae pob un ohonon ni wedi'i werthfawrogi, a dwi'n gobeithio ei fod o wedi rhoi ffocws o'r newydd, i ni hefyd, ar yr her sydd o'n blaenau ni.
Felly, at y cynnig yma. Er fy mod i'n reit siŵr y byddai'r Blaid Geidwadol, sydd wedi cyflwyno'r cynnig, yn dod â chyfres newydd o broblemau dyfnion iawn i'r NHS petaen nhw'n cael eu dwylo arno fo, beth sydd gennym ni yn y cynnig yma ydy disgrifiad o wasanaeth iechyd anghynaliadwy—gwasanaeth iechyd sydd wedi cael ei wneud yn anghynaliadwy, dwi'n ofni, gan fethiant y gyfres o Weinidogion Llafur i roi i'r tirwedd iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru y math o sefydlogrwydd a chefnogaeth y mae o ei eisiau. Mae'r staff ymroddedig yna y gwnes i gyfeirio atyn nhw wedi gorfod cario mwy na'r baich y dylen nhw orfod ei gario oherwydd yr anghynaliadwyedd yna.
Dydy diffyg cefnogaeth ddim bob amser wedi golygu diffyg cefnogaeth ariannol. Does yna ddim amheuaeth bod blynyddoedd lawer o doriadau gan Lywodraeth Prydain wedi gwneud cyllidebau i wasanaethau cyhoeddus drwyddyn nhw draw yn fwy bregus, ond rydyn ni'n dal yn gweld cymaint o gyfran o'r holl wariant cyhoeddus yng Nghymru sydd yn mynd ar y gwasanaeth iechyd. Mae yna fwy iddi na'r ariannol. Beth sydd yma, dwi'n credu, ydy methiant i fod wedi trawsnewid iechyd a gofal, ac mae'r amser, dwi'n credu, wedi dod i wneud hynny. Dwi'n edrych ymlaen at weld Llywodraeth Plaid Cymru yn trio mynd i'r afael â hyn.
Felly, beth ydy'r trawsnewid yr ydyn ni'n chwilio amdano fo? Dwi'n cyfeirio at y gwelliant sydd wedi cael ei gyflwyno yn enw Siân Gwenllian, a dwi'n cynnig hwnnw yn ffurfiol. Mae'n rhaid inni gael dim byd llai na chwyldro rŵan yn yr ataliol. Mae'n rhaid inni greu cymdeithas sydd yn fwy iach, creu cyfundrefn sydd yn adnabod afiechydon yn llawer iawn cynt, ac atal yr afiechydon hynny rhag gallu datblygu. Dwi eisiau bod ar bwynt lle mae'r arian iechyd yn gallu cael ei ddefnyddio i adeiladu adnoddau chwaraeon. Dyna'r math o gynaliadwyedd dwi'n chwilio amdano fo yn y pen draw, ac mae'n rhaid inni roi'r nod hwn i ni ein hunain. Dwi'n gweld y Gweinidog, Dafydd Elis-Thomas, yn ysgwyd ei ben—dydy o ddim eisiau gweld arian yn cael ei wario ar adnoddau chwaraeon a'u budd ataliol nhw. Croeso i chithau wneud ymyriad i'r ddadl yma, Ddirprwy Weinidog.
Rydyn ni hefyd wedi cyrraedd at yr amser lle mae'n rhaid inni weld uno go iawn yn yr iechyd a'r gofal, a'n bwriad ni ydy creu gwasanaeth iechyd a gofal cenedlaethol. Deliferi yn lleol, ie—dydy o ddim yn golygu newid strwythurol mawr ar lefel leol—ond mae yn golygu cyflwyno fframweithiau clir ar gyfer iechyd a gofal, ac yn benodol ar sut maen nhw'n gweithio efo'i gilydd. Dwi'n gwerthfawrogi'r uchelgais sydd gan y Ceidwadwyr yma o gyflogi 3,200 o staff ychwanegol. Rydyn ni ym Mhlaid Cymru wedi bod yn sôn ers blynyddoedd am yr angen am 6,000 o feddygon a nyrsys a staff ategol eraill, a gweithwyr proffesiynol eraill, o fewn iechyd a gofal. Dyna sy'n rhaid inni gyflwyno dros y blynyddoedd nesaf er mwyn creu'r cynaliadwyedd yna.
Wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n dod ar gyfnod o her digynsail yn dilyn blwyddyn o bandemig, ac ydy, mae hynny'n gwneud yr her yn fwy, ond mae'r dal i fyny yn gorfod rŵan mynd law yn llaw â thrawsnewid, a gallwn ni ddim ar unrhyw gyfrif benderfynu y gallwn ni oedi'r trawsnewid sydd angen ei weld yn digwydd mewn iechyd a gofal oherwydd y pandemig. Mae'n golygu gweithio'n fwy clyfar am flynyddoedd i ddod, achos mae'r pwynt wedi dod, fel dwi'n dweud, lle mae angen chwyldro go iawn fan hyn.
Thank you very much, Llywydd. My contribution won't be very long to this debate. I want to take this opportunity once again to thank everyone who is working so very hard on our behalf across health and care services in all parts of Wales. The willingness of staff to go that extra mile time and time again over the past year is something that each and every one of us has appreciated, and I hope that it has provided a renewed focus on the challenge facing us.
So, to move to the motion. Although I am quite sure that the Conservative Party, who brought the motion forward, will bring a new series of very deep problems to the NHS if they ever get their hands on it, what we have in this motion is a description of an unsustainable health service—a health service that has been made unsustainable, I'm afraid, by the failure of a series of Labour Ministers to give the health and care landscape in Wales the kind of stability and support that it needs. Those committed staff that I referred to have had to carry more than the burden they should have carried due to that unsustainability and lack of support.
That hasn't always meant lack of financial support. There is no doubt that many years of cuts imposed by the UK Government have made public service budgets more vulnerable, but we still see what percentage of public expenditure in Wales is spent on the health service. However, there is more to it than simply the financial. What we have here, I think, is a failure to have transformed health and care, and the time has come, in my view, to do that. I look forward to seeing a Plaid Cymru Government grappling with this issue.
So, what is that transformation that we're seeking? I refer to the amendment tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian, and I formally move that amendment. We must have nothing less than a revolution now in terms of preventative care. We have to create a society that is healthier. We have to create a regime that identifies diseases far sooner, and prevents them from developing. I want to be at a point where health funding can be used to build sports facilities. That's the kind of sustainability that I am looking for, ultimately, and we have to set that target for ourselves. I can see the Minister, Dafydd Elis-Thomas, shaking his head—he doesn't want to see funding spent on sports facilities and the preventative benefits that they bring. You'd be welcome to make an intervention to this debate, Deputy Minister.
We've also reached a point where we do have to see a real integration between health and social care, and our aim is to create an integrated national health and care service. It will be delivery at a local level. It won't mean huge structural change at a local level, but it will mean the introduction of clear frameworks for health and care, and how they interact. I appreciate the ambition by the Conservatives of employing 3,200 additional staff. We in Plaid Cymru have been talking for years about the need for an additional 6,000 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. That's what we must introduce over the next few years in order to provide that sustainability.
Of course, that comes at a time of unprecedented challenge following a year of pandemic, and yes, that makes the challenge even greater, but the catching up now has to go hand in hand with transformation, and we can't at any stage decide to postpone the transformation that we need to see happening in health and care because of the pandemic. It means working smarter for years to come, because the point has now come where we need a real revolution in Wales.
Ar draws Aberconwy, mae neges glir mewn sawl cornel: daw eto haul ar fryn. Diolch i waith staff y GIG, mae golau a gobaith wedi bod trwy'r pandemig. Diolch o galon i chi gyd.
Across Aberconwy, we have a clear message: the sun will once again shine. Thanks to the work of NHS staff, we've had hope and light throughout the pandemic. Thank you all very much.
Thank you. Of the 0.5 million patient pathways waiting to start treatment in December, 21 per cent are here in north Wales. Of the around 0.25 million pathways waiting over 36 weeks, over 51,000 are here in north Wales. That's up 347 per cent since the start of the pandemic. Clearly, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is in desperate need of a recovery plan. In fact, I recently disclosed that one consultant has over 450 patients waiting for orthopaedic treatment.
However, the north Wales situation is unique. Not only do we need a recovery plan because of the devastating pressure caused by the pandemic, but one that takes us to a better position than ever before, as it is fact that since 2015 the board has remained under direct Welsh Government intervention. In June 2015, Mark Drakeford, the First Minister—he wasn't at the time, but he is now—placed the health board in special measures, reflecting serious concerns about the leadership, the governance, mental health services, reconnecting with the public and other areas. Last week, the Minister for Health and Social Services set out four key areas that require improvements: mental health, strategy planning and performance, leadership and engagement. So, five years and nine months on from the commencement of special measures, we are basically back at square one.
Now, whilst I appreciate that the targeted intervention plan is backed by £297 million up to the end of 2023-24, how can we be confident that those improvements that have been identified as needed will, in fact, be secured? In 2019, I disclosed that the Welsh Government had spent £83 million on propping up this health board, but what was achieved? The interventions have failed to deliver for our staff and for our patients. In the interest of the recovery and improvement of our health board, I would ask that a plan is delivered that shares the huge long-standing treatment burden with other boards across the UK, champions schemes like the new post-anaesthesia care unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd, plants the seeds for improved giant beanstalk-size growth in recruitment through maximising the potential for a north Wales medical school, and sees a dedicated mental health worker teach GP practices across Wales.
Llywydd, the new chief executive of the Betsi Cadwladr University Health Board is now in post, and I have great hopes going forward that she will be able to turn this board around. We've had several previous to her and we've had several promises, but one of the reasons that brought her to the board—and she makes no secret of this fact—was the fact that she herself was let down when there was an incident within her own family. So, she knows first hand how we have to get these things right. I would urge anybody going forward after May here, in particular in north Wales, that change is brought and it's brought quickly. That would at least bring some further light to the lives of staff and our patients here in north Wales. Diolch.
Diolch. O'r 0.5 miliwn o lwybrau cleifion sy'n aros i ddechrau triniaeth ym mis Rhagfyr, mae 21 y cant yma yng ngogledd Cymru. O'r tua 0.25 miliwn o lwybrau sy'n aros dros 36 wythnos, mae dros 51,000 yma yng ngogledd Cymru. Mae hynny wedi cynyddu 347 y cant ers dechrau'r pandemig. Yn amlwg, mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr angen cynllun adfer yn ddybryd. Yn wir, datgelais yn ddiweddar fod gan un meddyg ymgynghorol dros 450 o gleifion yn aros am driniaeth orthopedig.
Fodd bynnag, mae sefyllfa gogledd Cymru'n unigryw. Rydym angen cynllun adfer oherwydd y pwysau dinistriol a achoswyd gan y pandemig, ond yn fwy na hynny rydym angen un sy'n mynd â ni i sefyllfa well nag erioed o'r blaen, gan ei bod yn wir fod y bwrdd wedi parhau i fod o dan ymyrraeth uniongyrchol Llywodraeth Cymru ers 2015. Ym mis Mehefin 2015, gosododd Mark Drakeford, y Prif Weinidog—nid oedd yn Brif Weinidog ar y pryd, ond mae bellach—y bwrdd iechyd mewn mesurau arbennig, gan adlewyrchu pryderon difrifol am yr arweinyddiaeth, y llywodraethu, gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl, ailgysylltu â'r cyhoedd a meysydd eraill. Yr wythnos diwethaf, nododd y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol bedwar maes allweddol sydd angen eu gwella: iechyd meddwl, cynllunio strategaeth a pherfformiad, arweinyddiaeth ac ymgysylltu. Felly, bum mlynedd a naw mis ar ôl dechrau mesurau arbennig, rydym yn ôl lle roeddem ar y dechrau i bob pwrpas.
Nawr, er fy mod yn sylweddoli bod y cynllun ymyrraeth wedi'i dargedu'n cael ei gefnogi gan £297 miliwn hyd at ddiwedd 2023-24, sut y gallwn fod yn hyderus y bydd y gwelliannau hynny y nodwyd eu bod yn angenrheidiol yn digwydd mewn gwirionedd? Yn 2019, datgelais fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwario £83 miliwn ar gynnal y bwrdd iechyd hwn, ond beth a gyflawnwyd? Mae'r ymyriadau wedi methu cyflawni ar gyfer ein staff ac ar gyfer ein cleifion. Er mwyn adfer a gwella ein bwrdd iechyd, rwy'n gofyn am gyflawni cynllun sy'n rhannu'r baich triniaeth hirdymor enfawr gyda byrddau eraill ledled y DU, cynlluniau pencampwyr fel yr uned gofal ôl-anesthesia newydd yn Ysbyty Gwynedd, cynllun sy'n plannu'r hadau ar gyfer twf enfawr gwell mewn recriwtio drwy fanteisio i'r eithaf ar y potensial ar gyfer ysgol feddygol yng ngogledd Cymru, ac sy'n gweld gweithiwr iechyd meddwl dynodedig yn addysgu practisau meddygon teulu ledled Cymru.
Lywydd, mae prif weithredwr newydd Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr bellach yn ei swydd, ac mae gennyf obeithion mawr wrth symud ymlaen y bydd yn gallu newid trywydd y bwrdd hwn. Rydym wedi cael sawl un cyn iddi hi ddod ac rydym wedi cael sawl addewid, ond un o'r rhesymau a ddaeth â hi i'r bwrdd—ac nid yw'n cuddio'r ffaith hon—oedd iddi hi ei hun gael ei siomi pan wynebodd ddigwyddiad yn ei theulu ei hun. Felly, mae'n gwybod yn uniongyrchol sut y mae'n rhaid inni gael y pethau hyn yn iawn. Byddwn yn annog unrhyw un yma wrth symud ymlaen ar ôl mis Mai, yn enwedig yng ngogledd Cymru, i sicrhau'r newid hwnnw a'i gyflwyno'n gyflym. Byddai hynny o leiaf yn dod â rhywfaint o oleuni pellach i fywydau staff a'n cleifion yma yng ngogledd Cymru. Diolch.
I'll try and keep my contribution short, but I have to express my huge disappointment at Mark Reckless's contribution, once again trying to put the NHS back in the hands of Westminster and towards a Government that wants to privatise rather than serve the people of Wales. I'm also very disappointed in how Caroline Jones's efforts to comment upon these contributions from overseas workers and overseas health professionals seems to be more focused on sending them back home than actually helping them to help our people, and I think that's very critical. I want to also put on record my great thanks to the staff of the NHS who have been tireless in their commitment and dedication and compassion to our people who have been needing that service, particularly those who have been in hospital with severe conditions through COVID. We can never give enough thanks to them. I won't talk about the pay rise at this stage, but they deserve far more than actually they have been recognised for at this moment in time.
Llywydd, I have spoken many times on the topic, and I recognise that there is deep concern about these statistics that we are seeing and that we need to take action to support our health service increase services to both reduce the waiting lists but at the same time address the immediate needs of patients who present themselves in the future, because we are moving out of the pandemic and into a period where we have to catch up, but we also have to continue delivering to those who present themselves there and then. There is no doubt that in addition to the waiting lists that we are aware of—and that's the people who have already been placed on waiting lists—there are going to be many more who have failed to present themselves, whether that's because the pandemic has worried them about attending their GP or whether symptoms have been confused with the coronavirus. I, myself, before Christmas, presented myself with shortness of breath, was told to go and get a coronavirus test—negative—and I ended up actually having to go into hospital with blood clots on the lungs: a condition that needed to be addressed. There are many people out there who are perhaps more hesitant to present themselves, and they will come forward, and therefore our waiting lists are going to increase. That wave of people, I think, and the large number—I think it's a tsunami—of waiting list people has to be addressed.
Pre pandemic, we were making positive progress towards reducing waiting times in most areas. In 2019, we saw less than 1,000 people waiting over 24 weeks for nine out of 12 months in all diagnostic services. Now, the majority are waiting under eight weeks. The total figure in 2020, in December, had only increased by 14.5 per cent on the previous December, but what we saw was a greater shift from those who were waiting under 26 weeks to those who are now waiting over 36 weeks. So, a large shift and a change in the length of time that people are waiting. In fact, we saw a 748 per cent increase in that change. So, there's definitely a move from shorter waiting lists to longer waiting lists. Everyone on these waiting lists needs that treatment and our goal must be to challenge the Government to set out its plan to address these figures. COVID-19 unfortunately has made that even more difficult in how we manage those patients on the lists as required, because this is across the UK, and therefore some of the options and alternative available waiting list initiatives are taken away from us because hospitals in England, services across the UK, are going to be facing exactly the same challenges we are facing, and therefore the modelling of approaching the waiting lists has to be changed. We have to look at new models. Now, let's remember as well, please, our NHS staff are exhausted, and we must ensure they recover too, alongside the waiting times, so that we will be in a position to deliver a resumption to the full provision of health services, along with the preparations for additional waves that the viruses and—[Inaudible.]—will bring upon us in the years ahead.
Now, there is positive news. We have seen an increase in training places over recent years, and the take-up has been good, and we need HEIW to reflect the workforce needs to establish additional training places and work with health boards and GPs so that we get the places they can go into get their experiences. That's very important, because very often we talk about large numbers, but we forget: how can they be managed when they go into those work placements? Especially for nurses, we must make sure there is sufficient support there as well, and the staff have sufficient time to give that support. There's a lot of consideration to be given, and I welcome today's announcement from the Welsh Government that they are looking to add additional funding to the north Wales medical training aspect. So, there's a process, but there is still far more to be done on that. I ask the Welsh Government: please ensure that you increase the GP training places, you increase the doctor training places, you increase the nurse training places, and all the allied professions. I know it's difficult. I know there's an issue on funding. But we have to get these people in place. We—
Ceisiaf gadw fy nghyfraniad yn fyr, ond rhaid imi fynegi fy siom enfawr yng nghyfraniad Mark Reckless, sydd unwaith eto'n ceisio rhoi'r GIG yn ôl yn nwylo San Steffan a thuag at Lywodraeth sydd am breifateiddio yn hytrach na gwasanaethu pobl Cymru. Rwyf hefyd yn siomedig iawn ynglŷn â'r modd y mae ymdrechion Caroline Jones i wneud sylwadau ar gyfraniadau gweithwyr tramor a gweithwyr iechyd proffesiynol tramor i'w gweld yn canolbwyntio mwy ar eu gyrru'n ôl adref na'u helpu i helpu ein pobl, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n hollbwysig. Rwyf hefyd am gofnodi fy niolch mawr i staff y GIG sydd wedi bod yn ddiflino yn eu hymrwymiad a'u hymroddiad a'u tosturi i'n pobl sydd wedi bod angen y gwasanaeth hwnnw, yn enwedig y rhai sydd wedi bod yn yr ysbyty gyda chyflyrau difrifol yn sgil COVID. Ni allwn byth ddiolch digon iddynt. Ni soniaf am y codiad cyflog ar y cam hwn, ond maent yn haeddu llawer mwy nag y nodwyd eu bod yn ei gael ar hyn o bryd.
Lywydd, rwyf wedi siarad droeon am y pwnc, ac rwy'n cydnabod bod pryder mawr am yr ystadegau a welwn ac mae angen inni weithredu i gefnogi ein gwasanaeth iechyd i gynyddu gwasanaethau er mwyn lleihau'r rhestrau aros ond ar yr un pryd, mae angen ymdrin ag anghenion uniongyrchol cleifion yn y dyfodol, oherwydd rydym yn symud allan o'r pandemig ac i gyfnod lle mae'n rhaid inni ddal i fyny, ond rhaid inni hefyd barhau i gyflawni ar gyfer y rheini sy'n gofyn am gymorth ar y pryd. Yn ogystal â'r rhestrau aros rydym yn ymwybodol ohonynt—sef y bobl sydd eisoes wedi'u rhoi ar restrau aros—nid oes amheuaeth y bydd llawer mwy sydd heb ofyn am gymorth, boed hynny oherwydd bod y pandemig wedi gwneud iddynt boeni ynglŷn â mynychu eu meddygfa neu am eu bod wedi camgymryd symptomau fel rhai'r coronafeirws. Pan oeddwn yn brin o anadl cyn y Nadolig, dywedwyd wrthyf am fynd i gael prawf coronafeirws—negyddol—ac yn y pen draw bu'n rhaid imi fynd i'r ysbyty gyda chlotiau gwaed ar yr ysgyfaint: cyflwr roedd angen ei drin. Mae llawer o bobl allan yno sydd efallai'n petruso mwy rhag gofyn am gymorth, a byddant yn gwneud hynny, ac felly bydd ein rhestrau aros yn cynyddu. Mae'n rhaid mynd i'r afael â'r don honno o bobl a'r nifer fawr—rwy'n credu mai tswnami ydyw—o bobl ar restrau aros.
Cyn y pandemig, roeddem yn gwneud cynnydd cadarnhaol tuag at leihau amseroedd aros yn y rhan fwyaf o feysydd. Yn 2019, gwelsom lai na 1,000 o bobl yn aros dros 24 wythnos am naw allan o 12 mis ym mhob gwasanaeth diagnostig. Nawr, mae'r mwyafrif yn aros llai nag wyth wythnos. Nid oedd y cyfanswm yn 2020, ym mis Rhagfyr, ond wedi cynyddu 14.5 y cant o'i gymharu â'r mis Rhagfyr blaenorol, ond yr hyn a welsom oedd mwy o symud o'r rhai a oedd yn aros llai na 26 wythnos i'r rheini sydd bellach yn aros dros 36 wythnos. Felly, newid mawr a newid yn hyd yr amser y mae pobl yn aros. Yn wir, gwelsom gynnydd o 748 y cant yn y newid hwnnw. Felly, yn bendant gwelir newid amlwg o restrau aros byrrach i restrau aros hirach. Mae angen triniaeth ar bawb ar y rhestrau aros a'n nod yw herio'r Llywodraeth i nodi ei chynllun i fynd i'r afael â'r ffigurau hyn. Yn anffodus, mae COVID-19 wedi gwneud hynny hyd yn oed yn fwy anodd o ran sut rydym yn rheoli'r cleifion ar y rhestrau yn ôl y gofyn, oherwydd mae hyn ledled y DU, ac felly rydym yn cael ein hamddifadu o rai o'r opsiynau a'r mentrau rhestrau aros amgen sydd ar gael oherwydd bydd ysbytai yn Lloegr, gwasanaethau ledled y DU, yn wynebu'r un heriau'n union â ni, ac felly mae'n rhaid newid y gwaith o fodelu'r modd yr awn i'r afael â'r rhestrau aros. Rhaid inni edrych ar fodelau newydd. Nawr, gadewch inni gofio hefyd, os gwelwn yn dda, fod ein staff GIG wedi ymlâdd, a rhaid inni sicrhau eu bod hwy'n gwella hefyd, ochr yn ochr â'r amseroedd aros, fel y byddwn mewn sefyllfa i ailddechrau darparu gwasanaethau iechyd yn llawn, ynghyd â'r paratoadau ar gyfer tonnau ychwanegol y mae'r firysau a—[Anghlywadwy.]—yn eu cyflwyno yn y blynyddoedd i ddod.
Nawr, mae yna newyddion cadarnhaol. Gwelsom gynnydd yn nifer y lleoedd hyfforddi dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac mae'r nifer sy'n manteisio arnynt wedi bod yn dda, ac mae arnom angen i Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru adlewyrchu anghenion y gweithlu er mwyn sefydlu lleoedd hyfforddi ychwanegol a gweithio gyda byrddau iechyd a meddygon teulu er mwyn inni gael y lleoedd y gallant fynd iddynt i gael eu profiadau. Mae hynny'n bwysig iawn, oherwydd yn aml iawn rydym yn sôn am niferoedd mawr, ond rydym yn anghofio: sut y gellir eu rheoli pan fyddant yn mynd i'r lleoliadau gwaith hynny? Yn enwedig i nyrsys, rhaid inni sicrhau bod digon o gefnogaeth yno hefyd, a bod digon o amser gan staff i roi'r cymorth hwnnw. Mae llawer o bethau i'w hystyried, ac rwy'n croesawu'r cyhoeddiad heddiw gan Lywodraeth Cymru eu bod yn bwriadu ychwanegu cyllid ychwanegol at elfen hyfforddiant meddygol gogledd Cymru. Felly, mae yna broses, ond mae llawer mwy i'w wneud o hyd ar hynny. Gofynnaf i Lywodraeth Cymru: sicrhewch eich bod yn cynyddu nifer y lleoedd hyfforddi meddygon teulu, eich bod yn cynyddu nifer y lleoedd hyfforddi meddygon, yn cynyddu nifer y lleoedd hyfforddi nyrsys, a'r holl broffesiynau perthynol. Rwy'n gwybod ei fod yn anodd. Rwy'n gwybod bod problem o ran ariannu. Ond mae'n rhaid i ni gael y bobl hyn yn eu lle. Rydym—
I will have to ask you to draw to a close. Excellent, thank you.
Bydd yn rhaid imi ofyn i chi ddod i ben. Ardderchog, diolch.
I'll close there, Llywydd.
Rwyf am orffen yno, Lywydd.
Thank you very much. Paul Davies.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Paul Davies.
Diolch, Llywydd. According to the Welsh Government's latest statistics, in December 2020, there were 25,182 people waiting over 36 weeks for treatment, compared with 726 people waiting for the same length of time in 2019 in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area. That's a snapshot of just one area of Wales, which shows an eye-watering increase in the number of people desperately waiting for NHS treatment. And as Members have already said, behind those figures are real people living anxiously and in some cases, in severe discomfort and pain.
Now, during that time, the COVID pandemic has meant that the focus of the NHS has been to tackle the virus and its impact on our people and communities, and we all have to accept that the pandemic has had a very real impact on our health services and their ability to carry out elective surgeries and routine treatments. That's why there were calls last year for COVID-free hospitals to be established so that some progress, at least, could be made in tackling the increasing backlog in treatments across the country. However, we're now at a point where the vaccination programme is making significant progress in Wales, with more and more people vaccinated every day, and that's why it's crucial that the Welsh Government now publish a specific recovery plan for tackling waiting times on the Welsh NHS and provide people waiting for treatment with some hope that the backlog will be tackled and that they will finally receive the treatment that they need.
I'm certainly not alone in receiving correspondence from people desperate to hear when they're likely to receive the treatment that they need, and the lack of information that they've received whilst waiting for treatment has left people frustrated and anxious. Therefore, I hope that the Minister will reflect on that and at the very least, take back to local health boards that there needs to be better communication with people waiting for treatment to explain their position and the local circumstances.
There are also very serious concerns from charities and organisations such as the Wales Cancer Network regarding the capacity of the NHS to deal with backlogs. For example, Professor Tom Crosby of the Wales Cancer Network has warned that an unprecedented tsunami of demand for cancer services is coming. Indeed, we know that more than a third of patients with suspected cancer are waiting too long to start their first definitive treatment, according to the Welsh Government's first set of suspected cancer pathway figures published recently. And those are just the cases that we know about. The pandemic has meant that many patients with suspected cancer have not presented to their GPs, and so there could be further pressure on services as we emerge from the pandemic, as more people report potential symptoms to their GPs. Therefore, for services to be developed for the future to tackle the backlog in treatments, we must also factor the unseen challenges like this, which will have an impact on the future demands on our NHS services.
As the Welsh Government develops its recovery plan for the NHS, there are several issues that it needs to consider when planning the delivery of future services. Firstly, the Welsh Government needs to ensure that the NHS's diagnostic infrastructure is sufficient to meet the future demand as well as tackling the current NHS waiting lists, and the Minister and his officials must reflect on current models of delivery, particularly as things like clinical practice and technology continue to change.
And secondly, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope that the Minister and his officials are exploring ways in which we can better build resilience within the NHS so that we don't just fall back into the old ways of delivering health services. I believe that there may be scope to look at how we can use the additional capacity developed during the pandemic, such as the field hospital capacity, to help deliver services, particularly in the short and medium terms. And so, perhaps in responding to this debate, the Minister can tell us a bit more about the strategic discussions that he's having about how we deliver health services post pandemic.
So, in closing, Llywydd, it's vital that these issues are seriously considered as a recovery plan is developed for the Welsh NHS, and that a strategy is developed that balances the need to tackle the backlog and also provides enough resilience in the system to meet the challenges of the future. And I would therefore urge Members to support this Welsh Conservative motion. Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch, Lywydd. Yn ôl ystadegau diweddaraf Llywodraeth Cymru, ym mis Rhagfyr 2020, roedd 25,182 o bobl yn aros dros 36 wythnos am driniaeth, o gymharu â 726 o bobl yn aros am yr un hyd o amser yn 2019 yn ardal Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda. Dyna gipolwg ar un ardal yn unig yng Nghymru, sy'n dangos cynnydd mawr yn nifer y bobl sy'n aros yn daer am driniaeth y GIG. Ac fel y mae Aelodau eisoes wedi dweud, y tu ôl i'r ffigurau hynny mae pobl go iawn yn byw'n bryderus ac mewn rhai achosion, mewn anghysur a phoen difrifol.
Nawr, yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw, mae pandemig COVID wedi golygu mai ffocws y GIG oedd mynd i'r afael â'r feirws a'i effaith ar ein pobl a'n cymunedau, ac mae'n rhaid i bob un ohonom dderbyn bod y pandemig wedi cael effaith go iawn ar ein gwasanaethau iechyd a'u gallu i gyflawni llawdriniaethau dewisol a thriniaethau rheolaidd. Dyna pam y cafwyd galwadau y llynedd am sefydlu ysbytai di-COVID fel y gellid gwneud rhywfaint o gynnydd, o leiaf, ar fynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniad cynyddol o driniaethau ledled y wlad. Fodd bynnag, rydym bellach ar bwynt lle mae'r rhaglen frechu yn gwneud cynnydd sylweddol yng Nghymru, gyda mwy a mwy o bobl yn cael eu brechu bob dydd, a dyna pam y mae'n hanfodol fod Llywodraeth Cymru bellach yn cyhoeddi cynllun adfer penodol ar gyfer mynd i'r afael ag amseroedd aros GIG Cymru ac yn rhoi rhywfaint o obaith i bobl sy'n aros am driniaeth y bydd yr ôl-groniad yn cael sylw ac y byddant o'r diwedd yn cael y driniaeth y maent ei hangen.
Yn sicr, nid fi yw'r unig un sy'n cael gohebiaeth gan bobl sy'n daer eisiau clywed pryd y maent yn debygol o gael y driniaeth sydd ei hangen arnynt, ac mae'r diffyg gwybodaeth a gawsant wrth aros am driniaeth wedi gadael pobl yn rhwystredig ac yn bryderus. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y Gweinidog yn ystyried hynny ac o leiaf yn dweud wrth y byrddau iechyd lleol fod angen iddynt gyfathrebu'n well â phobl sy'n aros am driniaeth i egluro eu sefyllfa a'r amgylchiadau lleol.
Mae pryderon difrifol iawn hefyd gan elusennau a sefydliadau megis Rhwydwaith Canser Cymru ynghylch gallu'r GIG i ymdrin ag ôl-groniadau. Er enghraifft, mae'r Athro Tom Crosby o Rwydwaith Canser Cymru wedi rhybuddio bod tswnami digynsail o alw am wasanaethau canser ar y ffordd. Yn wir, gwyddom fod mwy na thraean o gleifion lle ceir amheuaeth o ganser yn aros yn rhy hir i ddechrau eu triniaeth benodol gyntaf, yn ôl set gyntaf Llywodraeth Cymru o ffigurau llwybrau lle'r amheuir canser a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar. A'r achosion y gwyddom amdanynt yn unig yw'r rheini. Mae'r pandemig wedi golygu nad yw llawer o gleifion yr amheuir bod ganddynt ganser wedi cysylltu â'u meddygon teulu, ac felly gallai fod pwysau pellach ar wasanaethau wrth inni ddod allan o'r pandemig, wrth i fwy o bobl adrodd am symptomau posibl wrth eu meddygon teulu. Felly, er mwyn i wasanaethau gael eu datblygu ar gyfer y dyfodol i fynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniad o driniaethau, rhaid inni hefyd ystyried yr heriau na ellir eu gweld fel y rhain, a fydd yn effeithio ar y galwadau ar ein gwasanaethau GIG yn y dyfodol.
Wrth i Lywodraeth Cymru ddatblygu ei chynllun adfer ar gyfer y GIG, mae sawl mater y mae angen iddi eu hystyried wrth gynllunio'r gwaith o ddarparu gwasanaethau yn y dyfodol. Yn gyntaf, mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru sicrhau bod seilwaith diagnostig y GIG yn ddigonol i ateb y galw yn y dyfodol yn ogystal â mynd i'r afael â rhestrau aros presennol y GIG, a rhaid i'r Gweinidog a'i swyddogion ystyried modelau darparu cyfredol, yn enwedig wrth i bethau fel ymarfer clinigol a thechnoleg barhau i newid.
Ac yn ail, yng ngoleuni'r pandemig COVID-19, rwy'n gobeithio bod y Gweinidog a'i swyddogion yn archwilio ffyrdd y gallwn ddatblygu cydnerthedd o fewn y GIG yn well fel nad ydym ond yn syrthio'n ôl i'r hen ffyrdd o ddarparu gwasanaethau iechyd. Credaf y gall fod lle i edrych ar sut y gallwn ddefnyddio'r capasiti ychwanegol a ddatblygwyd yn ystod y pandemig, megis capasiti ysbytai maes, i helpu i ddarparu gwasanaethau, yn enwedig yn y tymor byr a'r tymor canolig. Ac felly, wrth ymateb i'r ddadl hon efallai y gall y Gweinidog ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym am y trafodaethau strategol y mae'n eu cael ynglŷn â sut y darparwn wasanaethau iechyd ar ôl pandemig.
Felly, wrth gloi, Lywydd, mae'n hanfodol fod y materion hyn yn cael eu hystyried o ddifrif wrth ddatblygu cynllun adfer ar gyfer GIG Cymru, ac wrth ddatblygu strategaeth sy'n cydbwyso'r angen i fynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniad a hefyd yn darparu digon o gydnerthedd yn y system i ateb heriau'r dyfodol. Ac o'r herwydd, hoffwn annog yr Aelodau i gefnogi'r cynnig hwn gan y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig. Diolch yn fawr.
Y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Vaughan Gething.
The Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething.
Thank you, Llywydd. Before the pandemic, we delivered on our commitment to improve access and had four years of continuous improvement in waiting times across Wales. Over that same period, we've worked with our NHS to ensure that health boards and trusts are able to work as high-performing organisations. Four years ago, we had five organisations in the top two escalation levels; now, we have two organisations in targeted intervention.
Like in all countries, the pandemic has made the last year incredibly challenging and held back further improvements in waiting times. We have, however, continued to make improvements in a range of areas, such as delivering between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of out-patient appointments virtually.
COVID-19 has affected, and continues to affect, our ability to treat all patients in as timely a manner as we would like. Many patients are waiting a long time—too long—and this picture is repeated in health services across the world, not just here in the UK. Sadly, I recognise that some patients will worsen in their condition whilst waiting. We are working actively with patients to mitigate, where possible, the impact of these waits. Measures to reduce the risk of harm, led by dedicated clinical leaders, are actively being undertaken.
I've set out previously why our priority must be to respond to the pandemic in a structured and measured way. This involves developing approaches to support patients most in need of planned treatment, whilst balancing resources to meet the needs of other services, like mental health. Indeed, Members have been discussing mental health earlier in today's business. While we have an agreed way forward at health board level to treat COVID-19 and maintain essential services such as cancer, our plans for recovery are being developed. In partnership with our NHS, as Members already know, we are producing a recovery plan, which I will publish before the end of this Senedd term.
The real challenge will be in the delivery of the plan, which will of course take years to achieve. Our NHS and social care are dealing with an unprecedented situation. There is no simple operational—and, indeed, no simple ethical—answer to the enormous challenge that faces us. Both, I believe, are responding magnificently to this once-in-a-century public health emergency. I remain incredibly grateful to our dedicated NHS and social care staff. They continue to demonstrate their professional commitment and compassion.
I will now address the majority of Conservative contributions to this debate. Paul Davies was, I thought, thoughtful, although I don't agree with everything that he had to say. The rest, I'm afraid to say, of the Tories were dripping with insincerity and inaccuracy. It seems to me that—and I believe that our staff know this—on our NHS, the Conservatives are wolves in wolves' clothing. If you really value our staff, then why is the Prime Minister lying about Labour voting against an NHS pay rise—an NHS pay rise that the Tories plan to rip up? The Tory plans to effectively cut NHS pay and starve us here in Wales of the cash to do any more are a kick in the teeth for our NHS heroes. Your actions tell our staff how much you truly value them, and I can tell you that they are angry, and they have good reason to be so.
Here in Wales, we'll continue to balance our recovery efforts and recognise that our staff need time to recover. Whilst we recognise that additional staff across all disciplines will be required, this too will take time. But, as a Government, we have a clear ambition to grow and train our staff, and have an excellent record on supporting health and care staff. We already have a joint workforce strategy for health and social care. We've invested nearly £230 million this year to support education and training for healthcare professionals—the seventh successive year where we have increased funding, and that includes an increase for medical training places. In the last seven years, nurse training places have increased by 109 per cent, midwifery places by 97 per cent, health visiting by 88 per cent, physiotherapists by 81 per cent, and radiographers an increase of 24 per cent. This Welsh Labour-led Government has a track record to be proud of in valuing our staff and investing in the future.
We will tackle the waiting list backlog. It will take time, but we will do it. We will lead a recovery for our whole health and social care system. We will rebalance social care, deliver a new settlement for our staff, delivering greater integration with healthcare in transforming the way that health and social care work together, and we will deliver a health recovery for physical and mental health. Welsh Labour values created the national health service, and it will be Welsh Labour values that will protect our NHS as we finally see the end of the pandemic and rebuild our national health service.
Diolch, Lywydd. Cyn y pandemig, gwnaethom gyflawni ein hymrwymiad i wella mynediad a chawsom bedair blynedd o welliant parhaus yn yr amseroedd aros ledled Cymru. Dros yr un cyfnod, rydym wedi gweithio gyda'n GIG i sicrhau bod byrddau iechyd ac ymddiriedolaethau'n gallu gweithio fel sefydliadau sy'n perfformio'n dda. Bedair blynedd yn ôl, roedd gennym bum sefydliad ar y ddwy lefel uwchgyfeirio uchaf; yn awr, mae gennym ddau sefydliad sy'n destun ymyrraeth wedi'i thargedu.
Fel ym mhob gwlad, mae'r pandemig wedi gwneud y flwyddyn ddiwethaf yn hynod o heriol ac wedi atal gwelliannau pellach mewn amseroedd aros. Fodd bynnag, rydym wedi parhau i wneud gwelliannau mewn amrywiaeth o feysydd, megis darparu rhwng 30 y cant a 50 y cant o apwyntiadau cleifion allanol yn rhithwir.
Mae COVID-19 wedi effeithio, ac yn dal i effeithio ar ein gallu i drin pob claf mewn modd mor amserol ag yr hoffem. Mae llawer o gleifion yn aros yn hir—yn rhy hir—ac ailadroddir y darlun hwn mewn gwasanaethau iechyd ym mhob cwr o'r byd, nid yma yn y DU yn unig. Yn anffodus, rwy'n cydnabod y bydd rhai cleifion yn gwaethygu yn eu cyflwr wrth aros. Rydym yn gweithio'n ddiwyd gyda chleifion i liniaru effaith yr amseroedd aros hyn lle bo'n bosibl. Mae mesurau i leihau'r risg o niwed, dan arweiniad arweinwyr clinigol dynodedig, yn weithredol.
Rwyf wedi nodi'n flaenorol pam y mae'n rhaid inni roi blaenoriaeth i ymateb i'r pandemig mewn ffordd strwythuredig a phwyllog. Mae hyn yn golygu datblygu dulliau o gefnogi cleifion sydd â'r angen mwyaf am driniaeth wedi'i chynllunio, gan gydbwyso adnoddau i ateb anghenion gwasanaethau eraill, fel iechyd meddwl. Yn wir, bu'r Aelodau'n trafod iechyd meddwl yn gynharach heddiw. Er bod gennym ffordd gytûn ymlaen ar lefel bwrdd iechyd i drin COVID-19 a chynnal gwasanaethau hanfodol fel canser, mae ein cynlluniau ar gyfer adfer yn cael eu datblygu. Mewn partneriaeth â'n GIG, fel y gŵyr yr Aelodau eisoes, rydym yn cynhyrchu cynllun adfer y byddaf yn ei gyhoeddi cyn diwedd tymor y Senedd hon.
Yr her wirioneddol fydd cyflawni'r cynllun, proses a fydd yn cymryd blynyddoedd wrth gwrs. Mae ein GIG a'n gofal cymdeithasol yn ymdopi â sefyllfa na welwyd ei thebyg o'r blaen. Nid oes ateb gweithredol syml—nac ateb moesegol syml yn wir—i'r her enfawr sy'n ein hwynebu. Credaf fod y ddau wasanaeth yn ymateb yn wych i'r argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus unwaith mewn canrif hwn. Rwy'n parhau'n hynod ddiolchgar i'n staff GIG a gofal cymdeithasol ymroddedig. Maent yn parhau i ddangos eu hymrwymiad proffesiynol a'u tosturi.
Rwyf am ymdrin yn awr â'r rhan fwyaf o gyfraniadau'r Ceidwadwyr i'r ddadl hon. Roeddwn yn credu bod Paul Davies yn feddylgar, er nad wyf yn cytuno â phob dim a oedd ganddo i'w ddweud. Mae arnaf ofn fod y gweddill o'r Torïaid yn diferu o ragrith ac anghywirdeb. Mae'n ymddangos i mi—a chredaf fod ein staff yn gwybod hyn—ar fater ein GIG, fod y Ceidwadwyr yn fleiddiaid mewn dillad bleiddiaid. Os ydych o ddifrif yn gwerthfawrogi ein staff, pam y mae Prif Weinidog y DU yn dweud celwydd am Lafur yn pleidleisio yn erbyn codiad cyflog i'r GIG—codiad cyflog i'r GIG y mae'r Torïaid yn bwriadu ei ddiddymu? Mae cynlluniau'r Torïaid i dorri cyflogau'r GIG i bob pwrpas a'n hamddifadu yma yng Nghymru o'r arian i wneud rhagor yn gic yn y dannedd i'n harwyr GIG. Mae eich gweithredoedd yn dweud wrth ein staff faint rydych yn eu gwerthfawrogi mewn gwirionedd, a gallaf ddweud wrthych eu bod yn ddig, ac mae ganddynt reswm da dros fod felly.
Yma yng Nghymru, byddwn yn parhau i gydbwyso ein hymdrechion adfer a chydnabod bod angen amser ar ein staff i wella. Er ein bod yn cydnabod y bydd angen staff ychwanegol ar draws pob disgyblaeth, bydd hyn hefyd yn cymryd amser. Ond fel Llywodraeth, mae gennym uchelgais clir i dyfu a hyfforddi ein staff, ac mae gennym hanes rhagorol o gefnogi staff iechyd a gofal. Mae gennym eisoes strategaeth gweithlu iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ar y cyd. Rydym wedi buddsoddi bron i £230 miliwn eleni i gefnogi addysg a hyfforddiant i weithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol—y seithfed flwyddyn yn olynol lle'r ydym wedi cynyddu cyllid, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys cynnydd yn nifer y lleoedd hyfforddiant meddygol. Yn ystod y saith mlynedd diwethaf, mae lleoedd hyfforddi nyrsys wedi cynyddu 109 y cant, lleoedd bydwreigiaeth 97 y cant, ymwelwyr iechyd 88 y cant, ffisiotherapyddion 81 y cant, a radiograffwyr 24 y cant. Mae gan y Llywodraeth hon dan arweiniad Llafur Cymru hanes i fod yn falch ohono o werthfawrogi ein staff a buddsoddi yn y dyfodol.
Byddwn yn mynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniad ar y rhestrau aros. Fe fydd yn cymryd amser, ond fe fyddwn yn ei wneud. Byddwn yn arwain adferiad ein system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol gyfan. Byddwn yn ailgydbwyso gofal cymdeithasol, yn darparu setliad newydd ar gyfer ein staff, gan sicrhau mwy o integreiddio â gofal iechyd wrth drawsnewid y ffordd y mae iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd, a byddwn yn sicrhau adferiad iechyd mewn perthynas ag iechyd corfforol a meddyliol. Gwerthoedd Llafur Cymru a greodd y gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol, a gwerthoedd Llafur Cymru fydd yn diogelu ein GIG wrth inni weld pen draw'r pandemig o'r diwedd ac ailadeiladu ein gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol.
Mae yna ddau Aelod sydd wedi dangos eu bod nhw eisiau cyfrannu yn fyr ac ymyrryd yn y ddadl, a gwnaf i alw Caroline Jones yn gyntaf.
Two Members have indicated that they wish to make a brief intervention, and I will call on Caroline Jones first.
Diolch, Llywydd. I ask the public to listen to my contribution in its entirety, as David Rees has deliberately tried to misinterpret my contribution for his own political gain.
Diolch, Lywydd. Gofynnaf i'r cyhoedd wrando ar fy nghyfraniad yn ei gyfanrwydd, gan fod David Rees wedi ceisio camddehongli fy nghyfraniad yn fwriadol er ei fudd gwleidyddol ei hun.
And Mark Reckless.
A Mark Reckless.
I'd also push back on David Rees's preposterous characterisation of the NHS in England currently as being one of accelerating privatisation. Clearly, in the late 1990s, the marketisation that we saw in England didn't develop in Wales with devolution, and, clearly, under Blair and Brown, there was quite a lot of marketisation within the NHS in England. But, in the 2010 Lansley reforms, there were some structural changes within the NHS and a legal framework that could have led to more privatisation, but the reality is those reforms were, on the ground, largely undone. Lansley was pushed out; the NHS worked together. There is a lot more co-operation, a lot less of the single market than has been seen before, and now it's proposed to change the law in England largely to remove that purchaser/provider split and make their NHS much more like ours is in Wales currently, which would it make it easier to integrate.
Hoffwn innau hefyd wrthwynebu'r modd hurt y disgrifiodd David Rees y GIG yn Lloegr ar hyn o bryd fel un sy'n cyflymu preifateiddio. Yn amlwg, ar ddiwedd y 1990au, ni wnaeth y marchnadoli a welsom yn Lloegr ddatblygu yng Nghymru gyda datganoli, ac yn amlwg, o dan Blair a Brown, gwelwyd cryn dipyn o farchnadoli o fewn y GIG yn Lloegr. Ond, yn niwygiadau Lansley yn 2010, cafwyd newidiadau strwythurol o fewn y GIG a fframwaith cyfreithiol a allai fod wedi arwain at fwy o breifateiddio, ond y realiti yw bod y diwygiadau hynny, ar lawr gwlad, wedi'u dadwneud i raddau helaeth. Cafodd Lansley ei wthio allan; gweithiodd y GIG gyda'i gilydd. Mae llawer mwy o gydweithredu, llawer llai o'r farchnad sengl nag a welwyd o'r blaen, ac yn awr cynigir newid y gyfraith yn Lloegr yn bennaf er mwyn dileu'r rhaniad prynwr/darparwr a gwneud eu GIG yn llawer tebycach i'n GIG ni yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd, a fyddai'n ei gwneud yn haws integreiddio.
And Darren Millar now to respond to the debate.
A Darren Millar yn awr i ymateb i'r ddadl.
Diolch, Llywydd, and can I, first of all, start by thanking those NHS heroes and heroines across Wales who are working so hard at the moment during this pandemic, and have been caring for patients so well, and indeed have been doing so well in terms of rolling out the coronavirus vaccination programme? It's been a delight to see the NHS in action, with our staff stepping up to the plate and doing what we know they will always do in times of crisis.
I have to say that Angela Burns hit the nail on the head when she opened this debate in making it absolutely clear that the problems in the NHS here in Wales that we have at the moment are not a new phenomenon. These are long-rooted problems that have been with us for some time in terms of people waiting far too long for tests and treatment, with waiting-time targets not met for over a decade on almost every measure. And I think it's a bit rich, frankly, of the health Minister to take a pop at the Conservatives for pointing out the fact that it's your failure, as a Government, to get to grips with the recruitment crisis that we've had in our NHS. You've been in charge of it for 20 years, and we still have a shortage of nurses, a shortage of doctors, a shortage of all sorts of other health professionals.
You made reference to the UK Government's role. Well, I'll point out the fact to you, Mr Gething, that the UK Government has made billions available for our NHS, with huge spending commitments going forward over the next few years, more than sufficient to be able to address some of the challenges that you have outlined. And I will remind you and Members of this Senedd and the public once again: no Conservative Prime Minister has ever cut a national health service budget. Only the Labour Party, the Labour Government in Wales, has been responsible for cutting an NHS budget in the past. And not only was that supported by Labour Members of the Senedd, but of course it was also supported by their little helpers in Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats at the time when it was imposed. And I would ask people to very carefully consider these facts when they head to the polls in May, because I'm afraid that, unless there is regime change in this nation for the sake of our national health service, it will continue to go backwards.
For political reasons, you withdrew the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board from special measures. But, as Janet Finch-Saunders quite rightly pointed out, the public in north Wales will not be hoodwinked. Basically, the same material problems are still prevalent in that health board, as identified in your targeted intervention statement just recently, that were there six years ago. So, there's been very, very little progress, and in fact the only bits of progress that have been made have been because tens of thousands of people marched on the streets in north Wales and signed petitions in order to overturn some of the decisions that were being made by the health board that had an adverse impact, or would have had an adverse impact, on patient care here in north Wales.
Now, we're in a very serious situation. We have over 0.5 million people in Wales—that's one in five of the adult population—that are currently on an NHS waiting list. We have to have a plan to put that right. Just weeks ago, Mr Gething, you said it was foolish to set out a recovery plan. 'Foolish' was the word that you used. Well, I'm sorry, it's not foolish to have a strategy in order to claw this situation back, for the sake of people across this country who are living in pain, some of whom are coming to harm, with irreversible damage being done to their health as a result of languishing on these waiting lists. And I would remind you that, in north Wales, even prior to the pandemic, the typical wait for somebody being referred in February of last year for an orthopaedic operation was two years until they were due their treatment. Now, unless you've got a plan to sort that situation out, because it's now approaching three years for many of them, then, I'm sorry, you don't deserve to get any support, frankly, in the forthcoming elections.
So, I would encourage Members of this Chamber today to support our motion, to reject, I'm afraid to say, Mark Reckless's amendment, which blames the failures of the Welsh NHS on devolution. They are not the failures of devolution, they are the failures of the Welsh Labour Party in terms of their management of our national health service and their stewardship in recent years, Mark Reckless.
I recognise very much the points that Caroline Jones made about recruitment, but we will not be, I'm afraid, supporting your amendment today, because, unfortunately, it deletes some other important parts of our motion.
And we will also not be supporting the points made by Rhun ap Iorwerth in terms of the need for a merger of the NHS and social care in Wales. The very last thing that our national health service needs at the moment is another reorganisation, and that's what Plaid Cymru is proposing. That would be a massive distraction in terms of trying to deal with some of these systemic problems. And I'm afraid that in the only part of the UK where we have got these merged boards, which, of course, is in Northern Ireland, the performance in many respects has been even worse than it has been in Wales. So, that's not the answer, and it's certainly not the answer to divert money that should be spent on hospitals and healthcare into sports halls.
So, I'm afraid we've set out our stall: we believe that you need to set out a clear recovery plan to clear that backlog, to recruit more health professionals and to transform mental health care here in Wales. I urge people to support our motion.
Diolch, Lywydd, ac a gaf fi, yn gyntaf oll, ddechrau drwy ddiolch i arwyr y GIG ledled Cymru sy'n gweithio mor galed ar hyn o bryd yn ystod y pandemig hwn, ac sydd wedi bod yn gofalu am gleifion mor dda, ac yn wir sydd wedi bod yn gwneud cystal wrth gyflwyno'r rhaglen frechu rhag y coronafeirws? Mae wedi bod yn bleser gweld y GIG ar waith, gyda'n staff yn camu i'r adwy ac yn gwneud yr hyn y gwyddom y byddant bob amser yn ei wneud ar adegau o argyfwng.
Rhaid imi ddweud bod Angela Burns wedi taro'r hoelen ar ei phen pan agorodd y ddadl hon drwy ei gwneud yn gwbl glir nad yw'r problemau yn y GIG yma yng Nghymru sydd gennym ar hyn o bryd yn ffenomenon newydd. Mae'r rhain yn broblemau sydd wedi hen wreiddio ac sydd wedi bod gyda ni ers peth amser gyda phobl yn aros yn rhy hir o lawer am brofion a thriniaeth, a thargedau amseroedd aros heb eu cyrraedd ers dros ddegawd ar bron bob mesur. Ac a dweud y gwir, rwy'n credu bod y Gweinidog braidd yn haerllug yn beirniadu'r Ceidwadwyr am dynnu sylw at y ffaith mai chi, fel Llywodraeth, sydd wedi methu mynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng recriwtio a welsom yn ein GIG. Rydych wedi bod yn gyfrifol amdano ers 20 mlynedd, ac mae gennym brinder nyrsys o hyd, prinder meddygon, prinder pob math o weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol eraill.
Fe gyfeirioch chi at rôl Llywodraeth y DU. Wel, hoffwn dynnu sylw at y ffaith, Mr Gething, fod Llywodraeth y DU wedi sicrhau bod biliynau ar gael i'n GIG, gydag ymrwymiadau gwario enfawr dros y blynyddoedd nesaf, yn fwy na digon i allu mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r heriau rydych wedi'u hamlinellu. Ac fe wnaf eich atgoffa chi ac Aelodau o'r Senedd hon a'r cyhoedd unwaith eto: nid oes yr un Prif Weinidog Ceidwadol erioed wedi torri cyllideb gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol. Dim ond y Blaid Lafur, y Llywodraeth Lafur yng Nghymru, sydd wedi bod yn gyfrifol am dorri cyllideb y GIG yn y gorffennol. Ac nid Aelodau Llafur y Senedd yn unig a gefnogodd hynny, ond wrth gwrs fe'i cefnogwyd hefyd gan eu cynorthwywyr bach ym Mhlaid Cymru a'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol ar yr adeg y cafodd ei wneud. A hoffwn ofyn i bobl ystyried y ffeithiau hyn yn ofalus iawn pan fyddant yn pleidleisio ym mis Mai, oherwydd mae arnaf ofn, oni bai bod newid i'r drefn yn y wlad hon er budd ein gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol, fe fydd yn parhau i fynd tuag yn ôl.
Am resymau gwleidyddol, fe wnaethoch dynnu Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr allan o fesurau arbennig. Ond fel y nododd Janet Finch-Saunders yn gwbl briodol, ni chaiff y cyhoedd yng ngogledd Cymru mo'u twyllo. Yn y bôn, mae'r un problemau o sylwedd yn dal i fodoli yn y bwrdd iechyd hwnnw ag a oedd yno chwe blynedd yn ôl, fel y nodwyd yn eich datganiad ymyrraeth wedi'i dargedu yn ddiweddar. Felly, ychydig iawn o gynnydd a wnaed, ac mewn gwirionedd digwyddodd yr unig gynnydd bach a wnaed oherwydd bod degau o filoedd o bobl wedi gorymdeithio ar y strydoedd yng ngogledd Cymru ac wedi llofnodi deisebau er mwyn gwrthdroi rhai o'r penderfyniadau a wnaed gan y bwrdd iechyd, penderfyniadau a gafodd effaith andwyol, neu a fyddai wedi cael effaith andwyol, ar ofal cleifion yma yng ngogledd Cymru.
Nawr, rydym mewn sefyllfa ddifrifol iawn. Mae gennym dros 0.5 miliwn o bobl yng Nghymru—dyna un o bob pump o'r boblogaeth oedolion—ar restr aros y GIG ar hyn o bryd. Rhaid inni gael cynllun i unioni hynny. Ychydig wythnosau'n ôl yn unig, Mr Gething, fe ddywedoch chi ei bod yn ffôl gosod cynllun adfer. 'Ffôl' oedd y gair a ddefnyddioch chi. Wel, mae'n ddrwg gennyf, nid yw'n ffôl cael strategaeth er mwyn adfer y sefyllfa hon i bobl ledled y wlad sy'n byw mewn poen, a rhai ohonynt yn cael eu niweidio, a niwed na ellir ei wrthdroi yn cael ei wneud i'w hiechyd o ganlyniad i aros ar y rhestrau aros hyn. Ac yng ngogledd Cymru, cyn y pandemig hyd yn oed, hoffwn eich atgoffa mai dwy flynedd oedd yr amser aros arferol i rywun a gyfeiriwyd ym mis Chwefror y llynedd am lawdriniaeth orthopedig nes y byddent yn cael eu trin. Nawr, oni bai bod gennych gynllun i unioni'r sefyllfa honno, oherwydd mae bellach yn agosáu at dair blynedd i lawer ohonynt, mae'n ddrwg gennyf, ond a bod yn onest nid ydych yn haeddu cael unrhyw gefnogaeth yn yr etholiadau sydd i ddod.
Felly, byddwn yn annog Aelodau'r Siambr hon heddiw i gefnogi ein cynnig ni, ac mae arnaf ofn, i wrthod gwelliant Mark Reckless sy'n beio methiannau GIG Cymru ar ddatganoli. Nid methiannau datganoli ydynt, ond methiannau Plaid Lafur Cymru i reoli ein gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol a'u stiwardiaeth yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, Mark Reckless.
Rwy'n cydnabod yn sicr y pwyntiau a wnaeth Caroline Jones am recriwtio, ond mae arnaf ofn na fyddwn yn cefnogi eich gwelliant heddiw, oherwydd, yn anffodus, mae'n dileu rhannau pwysig eraill o'n cynnig ni.
Ac ni fyddwn ychwaith yn cefnogi'r pwyntiau a wnaeth Rhun ap Iorwerth ar yr angen i uno'r GIG a gofal cymdeithasol yng Nghymru. Y peth olaf un sydd ei angen ar ein gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol ar hyn o bryd yw ad-drefnu eto, a dyna y mae Plaid Cymru yn ei gynnig. Byddai hynny'n tynnu sylw oddi ar geisio ymdrin â rhai o'r problemau systemig hyn. Ac mae arnaf ofn, yn yr unig ran o'r DU lle mae gennym y byrddau cyfunol hyn, sef yng Ngogledd Iwerddon wrth gwrs, mae'r perfformiad ar lawer ystyr wedi bod hyd yn oed yn waeth nag y bu yng Nghymru. Felly, nid dyna'r ateb, ac yn sicr nid yr ateb yw dargyfeirio arian y dylid ei wario ar ysbytai a gofal iechyd i neuaddau chwaraeon.
Felly, mae arnaf ofn ein bod wedi gosod ein stondin: credwn fod angen i chi nodi cynllun adfer clir i glirio'r ôl-groniad, recriwtio mwy o weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol a thrawsnewid gofal iechyd meddwl yma yng Nghymru. Rwy'n annog pobl i gefnogi ein cynnig.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig heb ei ddiwygio? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Oes, dwi'n gweld gwrthwynebiad, ac felly gwnawn ni ohirio'r bleidlais tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
The proposal is to agree the motion without amendment. Does any Member object? [Objection.] Yes, there are objections, and I will defer voting under this item until voting time.
Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Voting deferred until voting time.
Ac rŷm ni'n cyrraedd y cyfnod pleidleisio, ac felly fe gymerwn ni doriad byr nawr i baratoi ar gyfer y bleidlais. Toriad byr, felly.
And that brings us to voting time, and therefore I will suspend the meeting briefly to prepare for the vote.
Ataliwyd y Cyfarfod Llawn am 17:27.
Plenary was suspended at 17:27.
Ailymgynullodd y Senedd am 17:30, gyda'r Llywydd yn y Gadair.
The Senedd reconvened at 17:30, with the Llywydd in the Chair.
Dyma ni'n cyrraedd y cyfnod pleidleisio nawr, felly, ac mae'r pleidleisiau yma ar ddadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ar amseroedd aros yn y gwasanaeth iechyd. Dwi'n galw am bleidlais ar y cynnig yn gyntaf, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Mark Isherwood. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 11, tri yn ymatal, 35 yn erbyn, ac felly mae'r cynnig wedi'i wrthod.
That brings us to voting time, and these votes are on the Welsh Conservative debate on NHS waiting times. And I call for a vote on the motion, tabled in the name of Mark Isherwood. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 11, three abstentions, and 35 against, and therefore the motion is not agreed.
Eitem 8 - Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Cynnig heb ei ddiwygio : O blaid: 11, Yn erbyn: 35, Ymatal: 3
Gwrthodwyd y cynnig
Item 8 - Welsh Conservatives Debate - Motion without amendment: For: 11, Against: 35, Abstain: 3
Motion has been rejected
Gwelliant 1 fydd nesaf, ac os derbynnir gwelliant 1, bydd gwelliannau 2 a 3 yn cael eu dad-ddethol. Dwi'n galw am bleidlais felly ar welliant 1, yn enw Rebecca Evans. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 27, dau yn ymatal, 20 yn erbyn, ac felly mae gwelliant 1 wedi'i dderbyn. Mae gwelliant 2 a gwelliant 3, felly, yn cael eu dad-ddethol.
We'll move now to amendment 1. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be deselected. I call for a vote on amendment 1, in the name of Rebecca Evans. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 27, two abstentions, 20 against, and therefore amendment 1 is agreed, and amendments 2 and 3 are deselected.
Eitem 8 - Gwelliant 1 - cyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans: O blaid: 27, Yn erbyn: 20, Ymatal: 2
Derbyniwyd y gwelliant
Item 8 - Amendment 1 - tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans: For: 27, Against: 20, Abstain: 2
Amendment has been agreed
Cafodd gwelliannau 2 a 3 eu dad-ddethol.
Amendments 2 and 3 deselected.
Gwelliant 4 yw'r gwelliant nesaf, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Siân Gwenllian. A dwi'n galw i'r bleidlais gael ei hagor. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. Felly, canlyniad y bleidlais ar welliant 4: 10 o blaid, neb yn ymatal, a 40 yn erbyn. Felly, mae gwelliant 4 yn cwympo.
Our next amendment is amendment 4, and it was tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian. And I call for a vote. Open the vote. Close the vote. So, the result of the vote on amendment 4: 10 in favour, no abstentions and 40 against, and therefore amendment 4 is not agreed.
Eitem 8 - Gwelliant 4 - Cyflwynwyd yn enw Sian Gwenllian: O blaid: 10, Yn erbyn: 40, Ymatal: 0
Gwrthodwyd y gwelliant
Item 8 - Amendment 4 - tabled in the name of Sian Gwenllian: For: 10, Against: 40, Abstain: 0
Amendment has been rejected
Ac felly, yn olaf, dwi'n galw am bleidlais ar y cynnig wedi'i ddiwygio.
And so I finally call for a vote on the motion as amended.
Cynnig NDM7626 fel y'i diwygiwyd:
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn nodi bod 1 o bob 5 claf ar restr aros a bod dros 2,000 o bobl wedi aros mwy na dwy flynedd am driniaeth.
2. Yn cydnabod:
a) er gwaethaf y cyfnod heriol hwn, fod statws uwchgyfeirio pedwar bwrdd iechyd, drwy gymorth ychwanegol, a staff ymroddedig y GIG, wedi’i ostwng, a bod gennym erbyn hyn un bwrdd iechyd o dan fesurau arbennig ac un yn destun ymyriad wedi’i dargedu;
b) yr effaith y mae'r pandemig wedi'i chael ar y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru ac ar draws y byd;
c) ac yn cydnabod cyfraniad eithriadol yr holl staff iechyd a gofal yn ystod y pandemig; a
d) yr angen am gynllun adfer clir i gynnwys pob maes o’r gwasanaethau iechyd, megis iechyd meddwl, er mwyn sicrhau cydraddoldeb rhwng iechyd corfforol ac iechyd meddwl.
Motion NDM7626 as amended:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that 1 in 5 patients are on a waiting list and over 2,000 people have waited longer than two years for treatment.
2. Recognises:
a) that despite this challenging time, through additional support, and dedicated NHS staff, four health boards have reduced their escalation status, and we now have one health board in special measures and one in targeted intervention;
b) the impact the pandemic has had on the health service in Wales and across the world;
c) and acknowledges the outstanding contribution of all health and care staff during the pandemic; and
d) the need for a clear recovery plan to include all areas of health services such as mental health, to ensure parity between physical and mental health.
Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais, felly. O blaid 28, wyth yn ymatal, 14 yn erbyn. Ac felly, mae'r cynnig wedi'i ddiwygio wedi'i dderbyn. A dyna ni'n cyrraedd diwedd y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 28, eight abstentions, and 14 against. And therefore, the motion as amendment is agreed. That concludes voting time.
Eitem 8 - Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd: O blaid: 28, Yn erbyn: 14, Ymatal: 8
Derbyniwyd y cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd
Item 8 - Welsh Conservatives debate - Motion as amended : For: 28, Against: 14, Abstain: 8
Motion as amended has been agreed
Ond mae un eitem o fusnes yn dal i'w gorffen, a'r eitem yna yw'r ddadl fer. Ac mae'r ddadl fer heddiw'n cael ei chyflwyno gan Huw Irranca-Davies.
But we have one remaining item of business, and that item is the short debate. And the short debate today is to be introduced by Huw Irranca-Davies.
Diolch, Llywydd. And in opening this debate, can I give my thanks to all those in our NHS who carried out such sterling work and continue to do so? But I'm looking at a very difficult, historic case with a long history here today, and some of the details will be distressing to the family and to those who hear them for the first time.
Diolch, Lywydd. Ac wrth agor y ddadl hon, a gaf fi ddiolch i bawb yn ein GIG sydd wedi gwneud gwaith mor rhagorol ac sy'n parhau i wneud hynny? Ond rwy'n edrych ar achos hanesyddol, anodd iawn gyda hanes hir yma heddiw, a bydd rhai o'r manylion yn peri gofid i'r teulu ac i'r rhai sy'n eu clywed am y tro cyntaf.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer took the Chair.
This debate seeks to explore with the Minister crucial matters of the right of an individual to receive safe medical treatment and the right of that patient and the family to access medical information in a timely manner to pursue complaints and, where necessary, police and other investigations, and the extent to which the culture and the processes of the NHS in Wales have changed in recent years to ensure transparency, to take timely action, to resolve issues, to promote redress and, where necessary, compensation, and, frankly, to front up and to apologise when things go wrong.
As I mentioned, this is a case with a very long history. I first became involved 15 years ago, when I was the Member of Parliament for Ogmore. But whilst it is a historic case that began at a time when the legislative context was different, it has ongoing consequences for those who are living every day with the results, namely Kelly Wilson whose treatment went so badly wrong, resulting in her now requiring daily medication and injections without which she would not survive, along with the real possibility of leading to cardiovascular disease and cancer and, ultimately, premature death.
Kelly was admitted to the Princess of Wales Hospital in 2005, where she was diagnosed with suspected pheochromocytoma, PCC. These are rare tumours, mostly adrenal, and also with symptoms of acromegaly, most symptoms of which are usually due a hormone disorder associated with the pituitary gland producing too much growth hormone. However, importantly, some can come from a tumour pressing on nearby tissue, such as pushing against nearby nerves, which result in headaches and vision problems, both of which Kelly presented with.
Kelly and the family were led to believe for many years that an MRI scan had been undertaken when she was transferred to the University Hospital of Wales, after Kelly was admitted there on 28 September. And as the notes on 30 September at the University Hospital of Wales say, having been transferred on the twenty-ninth, it states, in quotes, 'chase MRI results from Bridgend, acromegalic features and pituitary working.' Now, it's unclear whether this inferred the pituitary was working or that they needed to check that it was working, but either way the significance of these comments should not be undermined, as they emphasised at this very early point in the Princess of Wales, and prior to surgery, the importance of an MRI scan and pituitary function.
Following her operation to remove the PCC tumour on 9 November 2005, a biopsy of the excised tumour the same day confirmed that it was indeed a PCC tumour and, crucially, that there was no evidence of growth hormones, meaning that the PCC was not the reason for the presence of excessive growth hormones. There was clear medical justification at this point where Kelly presented with her medical history and the symptoms of acromegaly for an MRI be carried out, and yet, at this critical point, no MRI was done. Worryingly, but tellingly, as Kelly was leaving the ward on a trolley to have surgery, another trolley arrived to take her for an MRI scan, the crucial MRI that never actually happened.
Now, at some point, regrettably, Kelly suffered a pituitary apoplexy, which is caused by either death of an area of tissue, known as infarction, or a haemorrhage in the pituitary gland, and it's usually associated with the presence of a pituitary tumour, resulting now in her life-changing prognosis. It's worth noting that an MRI scan was eventually undertaken, on 22 November 2005, but the report didn't indicate any abnormalities with the pituitary. A later MRI scan on 2 June 2006 showed evidence of a former, now dead, tumour, which led to the re-examination of the report relating to the earlier scan of November 2005, when it was established that the report was incorrect and there was actually evidence of a recent tumour and infarction.
But this doesn't end there. At a subsequent civil court hearing, years later, expert witnesses were supplied with the original report of the scan undertaken on 22 November 2005, as opposed to the findings of the updated correct version relating to the scan of 2 June 2006. This resulted in medical experts incorrectly determining on a previous report that the infarction was inexplicable.
Nod y ddadl hon yw ceisio archwilio materion hollbwysig gyda'r Gweinidog yn ymwneud â hawl unigolyn i gael triniaeth feddygol ddiogel a hawl y claf a'r teulu i gael gwybodaeth feddygol mewn modd amserol er mwyn gwneud cwynion a lle bo angen, i gynnal ymchwiliadau gan yr heddlu ac ymchwiliadau eraill, a'r graddau y mae diwylliant a phrosesau'r GIG yng Nghymru wedi newid yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf i sicrhau tryloywder, rhoi camau amserol ar waith, datrys problemau, hyrwyddo camau unioni camweddau, ac iawndal lle bo angen, ac i ysgwyddo cyfrifoldeb ac ymddiheuro pan aiff pethau o chwith.
Fel y soniais, mae hwn yn achos ag iddo hanes hir iawn. Dechreuais ymdrin ag ef 15 mlynedd yn ôl, pan oeddwn yn Aelod Seneddol dros Ogwr. Ond er ei fod yn achos hanesyddol a ddechreuodd ar adeg pan oedd y cyd-destun deddfwriaethol yn wahanol, mae iddo ganlyniadau parhaus i'r rhai sy'n byw bob dydd gyda'r canlyniadau, sef Kelly Wilson yr aeth ei thriniaeth o chwith i'r fath raddau nes ei bod hi bellach angen meddyginiaeth a chwistrelliadau dyddiol na fyddai'n gallu goroesi hebddynt, ynghyd â'r posibilrwydd gwirioneddol o arwain at glefyd cardiofasgwlaidd a chanser, a marwolaeth gynamserol yn y pen draw.
Derbyniwyd Kelly i Ysbyty Tywysoges Cymru yn 2005, lle cafodd ddiagnosis o ffeocromosytoma posibl, neu PCC. Tiwmorau prin yw'r rhain, rhai adrenal yn bennaf, a hefyd gyda symptomau acromegali, y mae'r rhan fwyaf o symptomau ohono fel arfer yn deillio o anhwylder hormonau'n gysylltiedig â'r chwarren bitwidol yn cynhyrchu gormod o hormon twf. Fodd bynnag, yn bwysig, gall rhai achosion ddeillio o diwmor yn pwyso ar feinwe, megis gwthio yn erbyn nerfau cyfagos, gan arwain at gur pen a phroblemau gyda'r golwg, ac roedd Kelly'n dioddef o'r ddau beth.
Cafodd Kelly a'r teulu eu harwain i gredu am flynyddoedd lawer fod sgan MRI wedi'i wneud pan gafodd ei throsglwyddo i Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru, ar ôl i Kelly gael ei derbyn yno ar 28 Medi. Ac fel y dywed y nodiadau ar 30 Medi yn Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru, ar ôl cael ei throsglwyddo ar 29 Medi, mae'n nodi, mewn dyfyniadau, 'chase MRI results from Bridgend, acromegalic features and pituitary working.' Nawr, nid yw'n glir a oedd hyn yn awgrymu bod y chwarren bitwidol yn gweithio neu fod angen iddynt wirio ei bod yn gweithio, ond y naill ffordd neu'r llall ni ddylid tanseilio arwyddocâd y sylwadau hyn, gan eu bod yn pwysleisio ar yr adeg gynnar iawn hon yn Ysbyty Tywysoges Cymru, a chyn llawdriniaeth, pa mor bwysig oedd sgan MRI a gweithrediad y chwarren bitwidol.
Yn dilyn ei llawdriniaeth i dynnu tiwmor PCC ar 9 Tachwedd 2005, cadarnhaodd biopsi o'r tiwmor a oedd wedi'i dynnu ar yr un diwrnod mai tiwmor PCC ydoedd ac yn hollbwysig, nad oedd tystiolaeth o hormonau twf, a olygai nad y PCC oedd y rheswm dros bresenoldeb hormonau twf gormodol. Roedd cyfiawnhad meddygol clir ar y pwynt hwn dros gynnal MRI o ystyried hanes meddygol Kelly a'r symptomau acromegali, ac eto, ar y pwynt tyngedfennol hwn, ni chynhaliwyd MRI. Mae'n destun pryder, ac yn arwyddocaol, wrth i Kelly adael y ward ar droli i gael llawdriniaeth, fod troli arall wedi cyrraedd i fynd â hi am sgan MRI, yr MRI tyngedfennol na ddigwyddodd mewn gwirionedd.
Nawr, ar ryw bwynt, yn anffodus, dioddefodd Kelly apoplecsi pitwidol, a achosir naill ai gan farwolaeth ardal o feinwe, a adwaenir fel cnawdnychiant, neu waedlif yn y chwarren bitwidol, ac fel arfer mae'n gysylltiedig â phresenoldeb tiwmor pitwidol, gan arwain at brognosis sydd wedi newid ei bywyd. Mae'n werth nodi bod sgan MRI wedi'i gynnal yn y pen draw, ar 22 Tachwedd 2005, ond ni ddangosodd yr adroddiad unrhyw annormaleddau gyda'r chwarren bitwidol. Dangosodd sgan MRI diweddarach ar 2 Mehefin 2006 dystiolaeth o diwmor blaenorol, a oedd bellach wedi marw, a arweiniodd at ailarchwilio'r adroddiad ar y sgan cynharach ym mis Tachwedd 2005, pan sefydlwyd bod yr adroddiad yn anghywir a bod tystiolaeth mewn gwirionedd o diwmor diweddar a chnawdnychiant.
Ond nid yw hyn yn dod i ben yn y fan honno. Mewn gwrandawiad llys sifil dilynol, flynyddoedd yn ddiweddarach, cafodd tystion arbenigol adroddiad gwreiddiol y sgan a gynhaliwyd ar 22 Tachwedd 2005, yn hytrach na chanfyddiadau'r fersiwn gywir wedi'i diweddaru ar y sgan ar 2 Mehefin 2006. Arweiniodd hyn at arbenigwyr meddygol yn penderfynu'n anghywir ar sail adroddiad blaenorol nad oedd esboniad am y cnawdnychiant.
At the request of the family, Kelly's care was subsequently transferred out of Wales to Bristol in November 2006, and the referral letter to the consultant in Bristol stated that Kelly had suffered a pituitary apoplexy. This information, by the way, incredibly, had never been relayed to the family.
Now that's a short summary of some of the tragic series of medical and clinical events that irreversibly changed Kelly's life and the lives of those around her. It must be put on record, of course, that the health board would dispute many parts of this clinical and medical narrative, but what cannot be disputed is this: this case has been routinely characterised from the very beginning by delays from the health board responding to requests, by denial of information or even the very existence of information, and this obfuscation led to a series of health and subsequent police investigations and legal proceedings being frustrated because of the inability to provide basic, essential health records in a timely manner, which would have facilitated those investigations.
I have personally witnessed the distress this has caused the family over these many years. They are still seeking answers for the physical and the emotional toll on Kelly and her family, which they will have to live with for the whole of their lives. Their experience, beyond the life-changing health impacts suffered by Kelly at the time she was receiving treatment, of the obfuscation and the repeated denial of access to information has undoubtedly exacerbated the suffering and the trauma of this family. And to this day, whilst the health board—. I honestly thank the former chair for meeting with me and with Mr Wilson at a later date. The chair has subsequently acknowledged the stress this has caused the family and the difficulty for the family and for my office in obtaining information, but this falls far short of an apology or any admission of fault, and it therefore raises the additional concern for the family of whether lessons were truly learned at the time and whether remedial actions were taken to prevent this happening to someone else.
And this case has been littered with detailed but critical discrepancies throughout. I will expand using some examples. Having pointed out to a doctor that copies of medical records the family had received were missing essential items, such as the results of a blood test at the time that Kelly was on the A3 Link ward, a doctor informed the family they could not have these results due to the computer only having five days' memory. Years later, this statement was withdrawn by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board as an, in quotes, 'off-the-cuff remark', but this off-the-cuff remark was used extensively subsequently by Cardiff and Vale UHB in communications with external bodies during that time as a justification.
Now, Garry and Kelly have continued their pursuit for the missing blood results. Their concerns focus on a crashed server in 2007, which was queried with both Cardiff and Vale UHB and also subsequently with the chief constable in police investigations in May 2015. Cardiff and Vale UHB were asked how many patients' records were lost in this crash, why was there no archive back-up of this server, and whether all active servers are now backed up on a regular basis. Their response indicated there was no record of any server crash in 2007 resulting in the loss of patient records, and that back-up and archive processes at that time would have been backed up according to standard industry-strength protocols, using the appropriate infrastructure and technology.
In the subsequent police investigation, the father, Garry, was informed that the chief constable of South Wales Police agreed to undertake tests on the crashed server, yet those inquiries ended abruptly with the police accepting the health board's original assertion that no paper records exist and that digital records were irretrievable because of the server failure and that other records relating to Kelly were also lost. And there are other matters relating to the police and health board response to these inquiries and their aborted investigations that fall outside the remit of this Senedd, which Mr Wilson is doggedly pursuing through his Member of Parliament and possibly through discussions with the Home Office and a future UK parliamentary debate.
Ar gais y teulu, trosglwyddwyd gofal Kelly o Gymru i Fryste ym mis Tachwedd 2006, a dywedodd y llythyr atgyfeirio at y meddyg ymgynghorol ym Mryste fod Kelly wedi dioddef apoplecsi pitwidol. Yn anhygoel, nid oedd y wybodaeth hon, gyda llaw, erioed wedi cael ei rhoi i'r teulu.
Nawr dyna grynodeb byr o beth o'r gyfres drasig o ddigwyddiadau meddygol a chlinigol a newidiodd fywyd Kelly a bywydau'r rhai o'i cwmpas am byth. Rhaid cofnodi, wrth gwrs, y byddai'r bwrdd iechyd yn anghytuno â sawl rhan o'r naratif clinigol a meddygol hwn, ond yr hyn na ellir anghytuno yn ei gylch yw hyn: mae'r achos hwn wedi'i nodweddu'n gyson o'r cychwyn cyntaf gan oedi ar ran y bwrdd iechyd i ymateb i geisiadau, gwrthod gwybodaeth neu fodolaeth gwybodaeth hyd yn oed, ac arweiniodd y celu hwn at gyfres o ymchwiliadau iechyd ac ymchwiliadau dilynol gan yr heddlu ac achosion cyfreithiol yn cael eu rhwystro oherwydd anallu i ddarparu cofnodion iechyd sylfaenol a hanfodol mewn modd amserol, a fyddai wedi hwyluso'r ymchwiliadau hynny.
Rwyf wedi gweld yn bersonol y trallod y mae hyn wedi'i achosi i'r teulu dros flynyddoedd maith. Maent yn dal i chwilio am atebion i'r draul gorfforol ac emosiynol ar Kelly a'i theulu, y bydd yn rhaid iddynt fyw gyda hi ar hyd eu hoes. Yn ogystal â'r effeithiau iechyd a newidiodd fywyd Kelly ar yr adeg pan gafodd driniaeth, mae eu profiad o'r celu gwybodaeth a gwadu mynediad dro ar ôl tro at wybodaeth, yn ddi-os wedi gwaethygu dioddefaint a thrawma'r teulu hwn. A hyd heddiw, er bod y bwrdd iechyd—. Rwy'n diolch yn ddiffuant i'r cyn-gadeirydd am gyfarfod â mi a chyda Mr Wilson yn ddiweddarach. Ers hynny, mae'r cadeirydd wedi cydnabod y straen y mae hyn wedi'i achosi i'r teulu a'r anhawster i'r teulu ac i fy swyddfa gael gwybodaeth, ond nid yw hyn yn agos at fod yn ymddiheuriad nac yn unrhyw gyfaddefiad o fai, ac felly mae'n codi'r pryder ychwanegol i'r teulu ynglŷn ag a ddysgwyd gwersi go iawn ar y pryd ac a gymerwyd camau unioni i atal hyn rhag digwydd i rywun arall.
Ac mae'r achos hwn wedi bod yn frith o gamgymeriadau manwl ond allweddol drwyddo draw. Fe wnaf ymhelaethu gan ddefnyddio rhai enghreifftiau. Ar ôl tynnu sylw meddyg at y ffaith bod copïau o gofnodion meddygol roedd y teulu wedi'u derbyn yn brin o eitemau hanfodol, megis canlyniadau prawf gwaed ar yr adeg roedd Kelly ar ward gyswllt A3, dywedodd meddyg wrth y teulu na allent gael y canlyniadau hyn am mai dim ond pum diwrnod o gof oedd gan y cyfrifiadur. Flynyddoedd yn ddiweddarach, tynnwyd y datganiad hwn yn ôl gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro fel sylw difyfyr, 'off-the-cuff remark' mewn dyfyniadau, ond defnyddiwyd y sylw difyfyr hwn yn helaeth wedyn fel cyfiawnhad gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro wrth gyfathrebu â chyrff allanol yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw.
Nawr, mae Garry a Kelly wedi parhau i fynd ar drywydd y canlyniadau gwaed coll. Mae eu pryderon yn canolbwyntio ar chwalfa gweinydd yn 2007, y gofynnwyd cwestiynau yn ei gylch i Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro ac wedyn hefyd i'r prif gwnstabl mewn ymchwiliadau heddlu ym mis Mai 2015. Gofynnwyd i Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro faint o gofnodion cleifion a gollwyd yn y chwalfa, pam nad oedd archif wrth gefn o gynnwys y gweinydd, ac a oes copi wrth gefn yn cael ei wneud yn rheolaidd bellach o gynnwys yr holl weinyddion gweithredol. Roedd eu hymateb yn dangos nad oedd cofnod o chwalfa gweinydd yn 2007 a arweiniodd at golli cofnodion cleifion, ac y byddai prosesau wrth gefn ac archifo bryd hynny wedi cael eu cadw wrth gefn yn unol â phrotocolau safonol cryfder diwydiannol, gan ddefnyddio'r seilwaith a'r dechnoleg briodol.
Yn yr ymchwiliad dilynol gan yr heddlu, hysbyswyd y tad, Garry, fod prif gwnstabl Heddlu De Cymru wedi cytuno i gynnal profion ar y gweinydd a oedd wedi chwalu, ac eto daeth yr ymchwiliadau hynny i ben yn sydyn gyda'r heddlu'n derbyn honiad gwreiddiol y bwrdd iechyd nad oes cofnodion papur yn bodoli ac nad oedd hi'n bosibl adfer cofnodion digidol oherwydd methiant y gweinydd a bod cofnodion eraill yn ymwneud â Kelly hefyd wedi'u colli. A cheir materion eraill yn ymwneud ag ymateb yr heddlu a'r bwrdd iechyd i'r ymchwiliadau hyn a'u hymchwiliadau a ddaeth i ben sydd y tu allan i gylch gwaith y Senedd hon, ac mae Mr Wilson yn mynd ar eu trywydd yn benderfynol drwy ei Aelod Seneddol ac o bosibl drwy drafodaethau gyda'r Swyddfa Gartref a dadl yn Senedd y DU yn y dyfodol.
But the questions for this debate are as follows: if there was no server failure, why is there no record of the actions of the doctor who attended the A3 link ward from the high dependency unit when Kelly became so ill and inevitably ultimately saved Kelly's life? No record. Why are there no drug charts available between 10 and 22 November? Where are the results of the blood tests, the ones the nurse—also from the high dependency unit, who attended with the doctor—had gone back to HDU to test and to obtain the speedy result that Kelly had no oxygen in her blood? Why did it take Garry and Kelly 10 years before it was confirmed that, as they'd always believed, there had been a false insertion to the handwritten notes? Why have Garry and Kelly had to battle to obtain this and every scrap of critical information?
These and other detailed outstanding questions were handed to the then chair of the health board on 26 July 2019 by Garry when he met with her, and yet the family still await detailed responses. Garry and Kelly were invited at one point to attend the hospital to inspect the original medical records, which they did. However—and this is important—at a court case, Cardiff and Vale UHB's barrister told the judge not once but twice that Kelly and her family had been offered the opportunity to attend the hospital and inspect the records but had declined. Yet the family are in receipt of internal e-mails, only after a freedom of information request, confirming their attendance to inspect the records—error upon error upon obfuscation. The family had originally made their claim to the courts on the ground that Kelly had self-overdosed, they'd been told, on morphine when using the intravenous patient-controlled analgesia machine, the IVPCA, having been led to believe that this was the reason for Kelly's deterioration whilst on the A3 link ward. However, these machines are set to lock out, to ensure that patients cannot overdose, and it was later confirmed there was indeed no morphine overdose.
Let me now turn to the issue of consent for treatment. Kelly at 16 years of age would have been deemed competent to sign the consent form in use at the time of her surgery in 2005, as outlined in the 2002 'Good practice in consent implementation guide: consent to examination or treatment'. Published by the Welsh Government, this guide provides a model consent policy. It states, and I quote:
'"Consent" is a patient’s agreement for a health professional to provide care. Patients may indicate consent non-verbally (for example by presenting their arm for their pulse to be taken), orally, or in writing. For the consent to be valid, the patient must'—
amongst other criteria, in bold—
'have received sufficient information to take it'.
Having given her consent to the operation to remove the PCC, the issue of valid informed consent and the significance of an MRI scan was highlighted during the subsequent civil case when the University Hospital of Wales made a claim that the infarction of Kelly's pituitary was deemed 'unavoidable'. Why, then, if unavoidable, had Kelly and her family never been informed that this possible complication could arise from the procedure she was scheduled for, especially given the symptoms of acromegaly on admission? After complaining about the inadequacies of police investigation—which had taken two years and nine months—subsequently to the professional standards department, Garry and Kelly obtained access to an undisclosed interview, which led them to see the investigation report. It contained a response from the General Medical Council to Garry's complaint about two doctors. This is one of the documents they had been seeking but had been refused access to three times by the University Hospital of Wales. This document gave strength to their claim that Kelly and her parents had not given properly informed consent before surgery; they did not have the full facts. The GMC was scathing of the two doctors regarding the lack of communication with the patient and parents and advised one to take up this failure with the trust.
Minister, successive Welsh Governments have aimed to change the culture of accountability in health boards and how they respond to complaints, and how they deal with redress and compensation. So, I ask whether recent changes in legislation, including that affecting the remit and the powers of the public services ombudsman, have proved successful. Can the Welsh Government clearly demonstrate this to be the case, or is there still a cultural change to be made? Indeed, my constituents' experience has been wholly opposite to what is now intended. Their experience has proved to be what has seemed to them like a system of institutions closing ranks to protect themselves instead of giving justice and redress to complainants. Conflicting responses and excessive discrepancies throughout the past 15 years, many of which have subsequently proved in Kelly's favour, fuel and compound the family's distrust in these systems and institutions, and have inevitably contributed to their ongoing quest to seek answers and redress.
Minister, in conclusion, 15 years from Garry Wilson coming to me with his original concerns for his daughter Kelly, there are still many unanswered questions: information that was withheld or delayed or has simply disappeared; answers in respect of the information, which was unclear, or indeed changed over time; a potential police investigation, probably prevented from progress because of the absence of this critical information. But most of all, Minister, a young woman's life that has been irrevocably changed; a family who have been through emotional turmoil and domestic disruption for years; a continuing search for answers to questions that should have been answered years ago; and an abiding belief from the family that, at the very time when public institutions should have been on their side helping them through this crisis, putting things right, learning lessons that would avoid this happening to other families, those institutions did the opposite. They rounded the wagons and protected themselves from criticism and blame. So, Minister, what hope can we give to Kelly and her family that the answers they seek will be forthcoming? Finally, what hope can we give that this culture of closing ranks has changed definitively so that tragic cases like this do not ever happen in future?
Ond mae'r cwestiynau i'r ddadl hon fel a ganlyn: os nad oedd methiant gweinydd, pam nad oes cofnod o weithredoedd y meddyg a fynychodd ward gyswllt A3 o'r uned dibyniaeth uchel pan aeth Kelly mor sâl, y meddyg a achubodd fywyd Kelly yn y pen draw? Dim cofnod. Pam nad oes siartiau cyffuriau ar gael rhwng 10 a 22 Tachwedd? Ble mae canlyniadau'r profion gwaed, y rhai roedd y nyrs—hefyd o'r uned dibyniaeth uchel, a oedd yno gyda'r meddyg—wedi mynd yn ôl i'r uned dibyniaeth uchel i'w profi ac i gael y canlyniad cyflym nad oedd gan Kelly ocsigen yn ei gwaed? Pam y cymerodd 10 mlynedd i Garry a Kelly cyn iddo gael ei gadarnhau, fel roeddent bob amser wedi credu, fod mewnosodiad ffug yn y nodiadau ysgrifenedig? Pam y bu'n rhaid i Garry a Kelly frwydro i gael hyn a phob sgrap o wybodaeth hanfodol?
Cafodd y cwestiynau hyn a chwestiynau manwl eraill a oedd heb eu hateb eu trosglwyddo i gadeirydd y bwrdd iechyd ar y pryd ar 26 Gorffennaf 2019 gan Garry pan gyfarfu â hi, ac eto mae'r teulu'n dal i aros am ymatebion manwl. Gwahoddwyd Garry a Kelly ar un pwynt i fynychu'r ysbyty i archwilio'r cofnodion meddygol gwreiddiol, a gwnaethant hynny. Fodd bynnag—ac mae hyn yn bwysig—mewn achos llys, dywedodd bargyfreithiwr Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro wrth y barnwr nid unwaith ond ddwy waith fod Kelly a'i theulu wedi cael cynnig cyfle i fynychu'r ysbyty ac archwilio'r cofnodion ond eu bod wedi gwrthod. Ac eto, mae'r teulu wedi cael negeseuon e-bost mewnol, dim ond ar ôl cais rhyddid gwybodaeth, yn cadarnhau eu presenoldeb i archwilio'r cofnodion—camgymeriad ar ben camgymeriad a chelu'r gwir. Roedd y teulu wedi gwneud eu cais yn wreiddiol i'r llysoedd ar y sail bod Kelly wedi cymryd gorddos ei hun, dywedwyd wrthynt, o forffin wrth ddefnyddio'r peiriant analgesia a reolir gan gleifion, yr IVPCA, ar ôl cael eu harwain i gredu mai dyma'r rheswm dros ddirywiad Kelly tra oedd ar ward gyswllt A3. Fodd bynnag, mae'r peiriannau hyn wedi'u gosod i gloi, i sicrhau na all cleifion gael gorddos, a chadarnhawyd yn ddiweddarach nad oedd gorddos morffin wedi digwydd.
Gadewch imi droi yn awr at fater cydsynio i driniaeth. Byddai Kelly, yn 16 oed, wedi cael ei hystyried yn gymwys i lofnodi'r ffurflen gydsyniad a ddefnyddiwyd ar adeg ei llawdriniaeth yn 2005, fel yr amlinellwyd yn y canllaw ar gael cydsyniad i gynnal archwiliad neu ddarparu triniaeth yn 2002. Fe'i cyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ac mae'n darparu polisi cydsyniad enghreifftiol. Mae'n dweud, ac rwy'n dyfynnu:
Mae 'cydsyniad' yn golygu cytundeb claf i weithiwr iechyd proffesiynol ddarparu gofal. Gall cleifion nodi caniatâd yn ddi-eiriau (er enghraifft drwy gyflwyno eu braich i'w pwls gael ei fesur), ar lafar, neu'n ysgrifenedig. Er mwyn i'r cydsyniad fod yn ddilys, rhaid i'r claf'—
ymhlith meini prawf eraill, mewn print trwm—
fod wedi cael digon o wybodaeth i allu ei roi.
Ar ôl rhoi ei chaniatâd i'r llawdriniaeth i dynnu'r PCC, tynnwyd sylw at fater cydsyniad gwybodus dilys ac arwyddocâd sgan MRI yn ystod yr achos sifil dilynol pan wnaeth Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru honiad fod y cnawdnychiant i chwarren bitwidol Kelly yn cael ei ystyried yn 'anosgoadwy'. Felly, os na ellid ei osgoi, pam na chafodd Kelly a'i theulu erioed wybod y gallai'r cymhlethdod posibl hwn godi o'r driniaeth a drefnwyd ar ei chyfer, yn enwedig o ystyried ei symptomau acromegali wrth iddi gael ei derbyn i'r ysbyty? Ar ôl gwneud cwyn wedyn i'r adran safonau proffesiynol ynglŷn ag annigonolrwydd ymchwiliad yr heddlu—a oedd wedi cymryd dwy flynedd a naw mis—cafodd Garry a Kelly afael ar gyfweliad nas datgelwyd, a'u galluogodd i weld adroddiad yr ymchwiliad. Roedd yn cynnwys ymateb gan y Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol i gŵyn Garry am ddau feddyg. Dyma un o'r dogfennau y buont yn gofyn amdanynt ond y gwrthodwyd mynediad ati deirgwaith gan Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru. Roedd y ddogfen hon yn atgyfnerthu eu honiad nad oedd Kelly a'i rhieni wedi rhoi cydsyniad gwybodus cyn llawdriniaeth; nid oeddent wedi cael y ffeithiau llawn. Roedd y Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol yn feirniadol iawn o'r ddau feddyg ynglŷn â'r diffyg cyfathrebu gyda'r claf a'r rhieni a chynghorodd un i drafod y methiant hwn gyda'r ymddiriedolaeth.
Weinidog, mae Llywodraethau olynol yng Nghymru wedi ceisio newid diwylliant atebolrwydd yn y byrddau iechyd a'r modd y maent yn ymateb i gwynion, a'r modd y maent yn ymdrin ag unioni camweddau ac iawndal. Felly, rwy'n gofyn a yw newidiadau diweddar mewn deddfwriaeth, gan gynnwys deddfwriaeth sy'n effeithio ar gylch gwaith a phwerau'r ombwdsmon gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, wedi bod yn llwyddiannus. A all Llywodraeth Cymru ddangos hyn yn glir, neu a oes newid diwylliannol i'w wneud o hyd? Yn wir, mae profiad fy etholwyr wedi bod yn gwbl groes i'r hyn a fwriedir yn awr. Mae eu profiad wedi ymddangos iddynt hwy fel system o sefydliadau'n cau'r rhengoedd i amddiffyn eu hunain yn hytrach na sicrhau cyfiawnder a chamau unioni i achwynwyr. Mae ymatebion sy'n gwrthdaro ac anghysondebau gormodol drwy gydol y 15 mlynedd diwethaf, gyda llawer ohonynt wedi'u profi o blaid Kelly wedyn, yn tanio ac yn dwysáu diffyg ymddiriedaeth y teulu yn y systemau a'r sefydliadau hyn, ac mae'n anochel eu bod wedi cyfrannu at eu hymgais barhaus i geisio atebion a chamau unioni.
Weinidog, i gloi, 15 mlynedd ers i Garry Wilson ddod ataf gyda'i bryderon gwreiddiol am ei ferch Kelly, mae llawer o gwestiynau heb eu hateb o hyd: gwybodaeth a gafodd ei chadw rhagddynt neu ei dal yn ôl neu sydd wedi diflannu; atebion mewn perthynas â'r wybodaeth, a oedd yn aneglur, neu'n wir wedi ei newid dros amser; ymchwiliad posibl gan yr heddlu, wedi ei atal rhag mynd rhagddo yn ôl pob tebyg oherwydd absenoldeb y wybodaeth hanfodol hon. Ond yn fwyaf oll, Weinidog, bywyd menyw ifanc wedi cael ei newid am byth; teulu sydd wedi bod drwy gythrwfl emosiynol ac aflonyddwch domestig ers blynyddoedd; chwilio parhaus am atebion i gwestiynau y dylid bod wedi'u hateb flynyddoedd yn ôl; ac ar yr union adeg pan ddylai sefydliadau cyhoeddus fod wedi bod ar eu hochr yn eu helpu drwy'r argyfwng hwn, yn unioni pethau, yn dysgu gwersi a fyddai'n atal hyn rhag digwydd i deuluoedd eraill, cred barhaol y teulu fod y sefydliadau hynny wedi gwneud y gwrthwyneb. Fe wnaethant gau'r rhengoedd ac amddiffyn eu hunain rhag beirniadaeth a bai. Felly, Weinidog, pa obaith y gallwn ei roi i Kelly a'i theulu y cânt yr atebion y maent yn eu ceisio? Yn olaf, pa obaith y gallwn ei roi fod y diwylliant hwn o gau'r rhengoedd yn bendant wedi newid fel na fydd achosion trasig fel hyn byth yn digwydd yn y dyfodol?
I now ask the Minister for Health and Social Services to respond to the debate.
Gofynnaf yn awr i'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ymateb i'r ddadl.
I thank the Member for Ogmore for bringing this debate before the Senedd and for the level of detail, the difficult detail, that he's provided in setting out how the family of his constituents feel. No-one could have listened to what has just been said and fail to be moved and concerned. It's a reminder, if ever one was needed, that complaints processes are hugely important. The way that people are treated during healthcare, and then, if there is a subsequent complaint, how that process is managed, does have a significant and lasting impact on patients and their families. It sets out why we need to get them right—to make sure that, if there is a complaint, we get it right.
This family clearly had a poor experience of NHS care and then the NHS complaints process, and the difficulties and frustrations they experienced in many ways underline and perhaps exemplify why we have sought to fundamentally change the way that NHS concerns and complaints are dealt with in Wales. The original complaint was made in 2006. At the time, the NHS procedure for complaints was completely different from the one we have in place now, with a number of different stages and without what we now expect to be a patient-centred focus.
In 2011, when I was first elected, so I can't take credit for it, the introduction of the 'Putting Things Right' process introduced a complete overhaul of the way NHS Wales complaints and concerns are dealt with, and how families and patients must be engaged in the process. If that had happened here, from 2006 onwards, I think there'd be a different conversation the Member would have had with his constituents. This has represented a significant change, obviously, in process, but a significant cultural change for NHS Wales in the way that they respond to concerns, complaints and serious incidents. In particular, we tried to deliberately introduce a strong focus on openness and honesty. Being open is a central theme to 'Putting Things Right', and it operates on the basis of investigate once and investigate well. 'Putting Things Right' also requires the involvement of the patient or their representative in the concerns process to try to ensure that the basis of those concerns is properly understood and the result of the concerns investigation is then clearly communicated and explained. NHS providers must also advise complainants of the availability of advocacy services that can guide and support them through the complaints process.
Diolch i'r Aelod dros Ogwr am ddod â'r ddadl hon gerbron y Senedd ac am lefel y manylder, y manylion anodd, y mae wedi'u darparu wrth nodi sut y mae teulu ei etholwyr yn teimlo. Ni allai neb fod wedi gwrando ar yr hyn sydd newydd gael ei ddweud heb gael eu cyffwrdd a'u brawychu. Mae'n ein hatgoffa, os bu angen erioed, fod prosesau cwyno yn eithriadol o bwysig. Mae'r ffordd y caiff pobl eu trin yn ystod gofal iechyd, ac ar ôl hynny, os oes cwyn, sut y rheolir y broses honno, yn effeithio'n sylweddol a pharhaol ar gleifion a'u teuluoedd. Mae'n nodi pam y mae angen inni eu cael yn iawn—er mwyn sicrhau, os oes cwyn, ein bod yn gwneud pethau'n iawn.
Mae'n amlwg fod y teulu hwn wedi cael profiad gwael o ofal y GIG a phroses gwyno'r GIG wedyn, ac mae'r anawsterau a'r rhwystredigaethau a brofwyd ganddynt mewn sawl ffordd yn tanlinellu ac efallai'n enghraifft o'r rheswm pam ein bod wedi ceisio newid yn sylfaenol y ffordd yr ymdrinnir â phryderon a chwynion y GIG yng Nghymru. Gwnaed y gŵyn wreiddiol yn 2006. Ar y pryd, roedd gweithdrefn y GIG ar gyfer cwynion yn gwbl wahanol i'r un sydd gennym ar waith yn awr, gyda nifer o wahanol gamau a heb yr hyn rydym yn awr yn disgwyl iddo fod yn ffocws sy'n canolbwyntio ar y claf.
Yn 2011, pan gefais fy ethol gyntaf, felly ni allaf dderbyn y clod amdano, roedd y broses 'Gweithio i Wella' yn ailwampio'n llwyr y ffordd yr ymdrinnir â chwynion a phryderon GIG Cymru, a sut y mae'n rhaid cynnwys teuluoedd a chleifion yn y broses. Pe bai hynny wedi digwydd yma, o 2006 ymlaen, credaf y byddai'r Aelod wedi cael sgwrs wahanol gyda'i etholwyr. Mae hyn wedi bod yn newid sylweddol yn y broses, yn amlwg, ond mae'n newid diwylliannol sylweddol i GIG Cymru yn y ffordd y maent yn ymateb i bryderon, cwynion a digwyddiadau difrifol. Yn benodol, rydym wedi mynd ati'n fwriadol i geisio cyflwyno ffocws cryf ar fod yn agored ac yn onest. Mae bod yn agored yn thema ganolog yn 'Gweithio i Wella', ac mae'n gweithredu ar sail ymchwilio unwaith ac ymchwilio'n dda. Mae 'Gweithio i Wella' hefyd yn galw am gynnwys y claf neu ei gynrychiolydd yn y broses ar gyfer lleisio pryderon er mwyn ceisio sicrhau bod sail y pryderon hynny wedi ei deall yn iawn a bod canlyniad yr ymchwiliad i bryderon yn cael ei gyfleu a'i esbonio'n glir yn sgil hynny. Hefyd, rhaid i ddarparwyr y GIG roi gwybod i achwynwyr fod gwasanaethau eirioli ar gael a all eu harwain a'u cefnogi drwy'r broses gwyno.
It is significant that the new arrangements introduced a single and consistent method for grading and investigating concerns. Again, it places a strong emphasis on patient safety and experience. Improvement in safety and experiences are objectives from the complaints process now. For example, there's a requirement placed on all NHS providers to report on the number and types of concerns made each year, to summarise the actions taken to improve services as a result, and how many complainants have been notified.
We are, I think, rightly proud that in Wales we have NHS redress arrangements now that were introduced as part of 'Putting Things Right' in 2011. We're the only UK country to operate such a scheme. It provides free and independent legal advice, and instruction of independent clinical experts to patients when, on investigating a complaint, it becomes apparent that an NHS body or the treatment it provided was or may have been negligent and a claim was worth up to £25,000. Our redress has succeeded in improving access to justice for patients who have clinical negligence claims. It also results in much quicker resolution of potential claims when compared to the traditional litigation process. And it means the costs of resolving low-value financial claims are proportional to the damages awarded.
Even though 'Putting Things Right' has completely overhauled what was an outdated system for dealing with NHS complaints, we have not stood still. The 'Putting Things Right' process was reviewed by Keith Evans in his report, 'Using the Gift of Complaints', that was published in July 2014. That review concluded that 'Putting Things Right' was a sound process, but it made recommendations for improvements. One of the issues related to a national platform to collect complaints data in a consistent way, and the NHS, with Welsh Government support, is currently working on a 'once for Wales' concerns management system that should help to further standardise the way that NHS bodies in Wales record their complaints and concerns data.
That will bring more consistency again to the way that data is both recorded and then reported right across Wales. However, the next major step forward will be seen when we implement fully the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Act 2020 and bring into force the duties of quality and candour. As Members will know, the new duty of quality will apply to all NHS bodies in Wales. It requires them to exercise their functions with a view to securing improvement in the quality of health services. 'Quality' in the Act is defined to specifically include patient experience, which would encompass experience in using complaints processes and procedures.
There is international evidence that increased openness and transparency are associated with the delivery of higher quality care. Organisations with open and transparent cultures are more likely to spend time learning from incidents, and they are more likely to have processes in place to support staff and service users when things go wrong, as they will do from time to time, because it is inevitable when delivering complex services that sometimes things do go wrong. But when they do, the way in which organisations deal with those situations becomes very important, and can make a huge difference to people's experience and their ongoing relationship with the care provider. That is of vital importance in healthcare settings, where patients often need to have those ongoing relationships.
In general, patients and service users want to be told honestly what happened, and to be reassured that everything is being done to learn from what has gone wrong, and that's why we're introducing the duty of candour in Wales. Under the terms of the Act passed in this Senedd term, it will apply to all NHS bodies and to primary care providers in Wales, and independent healthcare providers in Wales, through regulations made under the Care Standards Act 2000. The duty will build on and cement the 'being open' principles in the current 'Putting Things Right' process.
I do want to say that the Member asked a number of specific questions about his constituent that I can't answer in this debate. My officials will review the Record, but it may help if the Member puts those in the form of a letter as well, so I can respond properly to him, to make sure that they aren't lost in the Record, or the potential for the pre-election period to interrupt that work, because I do want to make sure we don't lose sight of the individual and her family that the Member has raised issues on behalf of today.
But I do want to reiterate the importance of robust, open, and honest complaints procedures, alongside a duty of candour, and I can say very clearly that I really am sorry that the Member's constituents—this family—did have such a poor experience of NHS care and the complaints process. Since then, our complaints processes here in Wales have changed almost beyond recognition, but there is still much more to do to ensure that we do continue to improve, more to do with the introduction of the duty of candour in practical terms, and our overarching aim is to listen, to learn, and improve. I hope that, in future, the Member, other families and other constituents across Wales will find a better process for care and the experience afterwards if things do go wrong. Thank you for your time today. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Mae'n arwyddocaol fod y trefniadau newydd wedi cyflwyno un dull cyson o raddio ac ymchwilio i bryderon. Unwaith eto, mae'n rhoi pwyslais cryf ar ddiogelwch a phrofiad cleifion. Gwella diogelwch a phrofiadau yw amcanion y broses gwyno yn awr. Er enghraifft, mae'n ofynnol i holl ddarparwyr y GIG adrodd ar y nifer a'r mathau o bryderon a gaiff eu mynegi bob blwyddyn, er mwyn crynhoi'r camau a gymerir i wella gwasanaethau o ganlyniad, a faint o achwynwyr a gafodd eu hysbysu.
Credaf ein bod yn briodol falch fod gennym ni yng Nghymru drefniadau unioni camweddau GIG yn awr a gyflwynwyd fel rhan o 'Gweithio i Wella' yn 2011. Ni yw'r unig wlad yn y DU i weithredu cynllun o'r fath. Mae'n darparu cyngor cyfreithiol annibynnol am ddim, a chyfarwyddyd arbenigwyr clinigol annibynnol i gleifion pan ddaw'n amlwg, wrth ymchwilio i gŵyn, fod corff GIG neu'r driniaeth a ddarparodd wedi bod yn esgeulus neu y gallai fod wedi bod yn esgeulus a bod hawliad yn werth hyd at £25,000. Mae ein proses unioni camweddau wedi llwyddo i wella mynediad at gyfiawnder i gleifion sydd â hawliadau esgeulustod clinigol. Mae hefyd yn arwain at ddatrys hawliadau posibl yn llawer cyflymach o gymharu â'r broses ymgyfreitha draddodiadol. Ac mae'n golygu bod costau datrys hawliadau ariannol gwerth isel yn gymesur â'r iawndal a ddyfernir.
Er bod 'Gweithio i Wella' wedi ailwampio'n llwyr yr hyn a oedd yn system hen ffasiwn ar gyfer ymdrin â chwynion y GIG, nid ydym wedi sefyll yn ein hunfan. Adolygwyd y broses 'Gweithio i Wella' gan Keith Evans yn ei adroddiad, 'Defnyddio Cwynion yn Rhodd', a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Gorffennaf 2014. Daeth yr adolygiad hwnnw i'r casgliad bod 'Gweithio i Wella' yn broses gadarn, ond gwnaeth argymhellion ar gyfer gwelliannau. Roedd un o'r materion yn ymwneud â llwyfan cenedlaethol i gasglu data cwynion mewn ffordd gyson, ac mae'r GIG, gyda chymorth Llywodraeth Cymru, wrthi'n gweithio ar system rheoli pryderon 'unwaith i Gymru' a ddylai helpu i safoni ymhellach y ffordd y mae cyrff y GIG yng Nghymru yn cofnodi eu data cwynion a phryderon.
Bydd hynny'n sicrhau mwy o gysondeb eto i'r ffordd y caiff data ei gofnodi a'i adrodd ledled Cymru. Fodd bynnag, bydd y cam mawr nesaf ymlaen i'w weld pan fyddwn yn gweithredu Deddf Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol (Ansawdd ac Ymgysylltu) (Cymru) 2020 yn llawn ac yn rhoi dyletswyddau ansawdd a gonestrwydd mewn grym. Fel y gŵyr yr Aelodau, bydd y ddyletswydd ansawdd newydd yn berthnasol i holl gyrff y GIG yng Nghymru. Mae'n ei gwneud yn ofynnol iddynt arfer eu swyddogaethau gyda'r nod o sicrhau gwelliant yn ansawdd gwasanaethau iechyd. Diffinnir 'ansawdd' yn y Ddeddf i gynnwys profiad cleifion yn benodol, a fyddai'n cwmpasu profiad o ddefnyddio prosesau a gweithdrefnau cwyno.
Ceir tystiolaeth ryngwladol fod cysylltiad rhwng mwy o onestrwydd a thryloywder a darparu gofal o ansawdd uwch. Mae sefydliadau sydd â diwylliannau agored a thryloyw yn fwy tebygol o dreulio amser yn dysgu o ddigwyddiadau, ac maent yn fwy tebygol o fod â phrosesau ar waith i gefnogi staff a defnyddwyr gwasanaethau pan aiff pethau o chwith, fel y byddant yn ei wneud o bryd i'w gilydd, oherwydd mae'n anochel wrth ddarparu gwasanaethau cymhleth fod pethau weithiau'n mynd o chwith. Ond pan fyddant yn gwneud hynny, mae'r ffordd y mae sefydliadau'n ymdrin â'r sefyllfaoedd hynny'n dod yn bwysig iawn, a gall wneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i brofiad pobl a'u perthynas barhaus â'r darparwr gofal. Mae hynny'n hollbwysig mewn lleoliadau gofal iechyd, lle mae cleifion yn aml angen cael y cysylltiadau parhaus hynny.
Yn gyffredinol, mae cleifion a defnyddwyr gwasanaethau am gael gwybod yn onest beth ddigwyddodd, a chael sicrwydd fod popeth yn cael ei wneud i ddysgu o'r hyn sydd wedi mynd o chwith a dyna pam ein bod yn cyflwyno dyletswydd gonestrwydd yng Nghymru. O dan amodau'r Ddeddf a basiwyd yn nhymor y Senedd hon, bydd yn berthnasol i holl gyrff y GIG ac i ddarparwyr gofal sylfaenol yng Nghymru, a darparwyr gofal iechyd annibynnol yng Nghymru, drwy reoliadau a wneir o dan Ddeddf Safonau Gofal 2000. Bydd y ddyletswydd yn adeiladu ar yr egwyddorion 'bod yn agored' ym mhroses bresennol 'Gweithio i Wella' ac yn eu cadarnhau.
Hoffwn ddweud bod yr Aelod wedi gofyn nifer o gwestiynau penodol am ei etholwr na allaf eu hateb yn y ddadl hon. Bydd fy swyddogion yn adolygu'r Cofnod, ond efallai y bydd o gymorth os gwnaiff yr Aelod roi'r rheini ar ffurf llythyr hefyd, fel y gallaf ymateb yn iawn iddo, er mwyn sicrhau nad ydynt yn cael eu colli yn y Cofnod, neu'r potensial i'r cyfnod cyn yr etholiad dorri ar draws y gwaith hwnnw, oherwydd rwyf am sicrhau nad ydym yn colli golwg ar yr unigolyn a'i theulu y mae'r Aelod wedi codi materion ar eu rhan heddiw.
Ond rwyf am ailadrodd pwysigrwydd gweithdrefnau cwyno cadarn, agored a gonest, ochr yn ochr â dyletswydd gonestrwydd, a gallaf ddweud yn glir iawn ei bod yn wir ddrwg gennyf fod etholwyr yr Aelod—y teulu hwn—wedi cael profiad mor wael o ofal y GIG a'r broses gwyno. Ers hynny, mae ein prosesau cwyno yma yng Nghymru wedi newid yn fawr, ond mae llawer mwy i'w wneud o hyd i sicrhau ein bod yn parhau i wella, mwy i'w wneud gyda chyflwyno'r ddyletswydd gonestrwydd yn ymarferol, a'n nod cyffredinol yw gwrando, dysgu a gwella. Yn y dyfodol, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr Aelod, teuluoedd eraill ac etholwyr eraill ledled Cymru yn gweld proses well ar gyfer gofal a'r profiad wedyn os aiff pethau o chwith. Diolch am eich amser heddiw. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd.
Thank you very much, and that brings today's proceedings to a close. Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, a daw hynny â thrafodion heddiw i ben. Diolch.
Daeth y cyfarfod i ben am 18:01.
The meeting ended at 18:01.