Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
24/03/2021Cynnwys
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 13:29 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met by video-conference at 13:29 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Croeso, bawb, i'n cyfarfod olaf ni o'r pumed Senedd. Cyn i ni ddechrau, dwi eisiau nodi ychydig o bwyntiau yn y cyfarfod yma, fel ym mhob cyfarfod arall. Mae Cyfarfod Llawn a gynhelir drwy gynhadledd fideo, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog Senedd Cymru, yn gyfystyr â thrafodion y Senedd at ddibenion Deddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006. Bydd rhai o ddarpariaethau Rheol Sefydlog 34 yn gymwys ar gyfer Cyfarfod Llawn heddiw, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. Dwi eisiau atgoffa'r Aelodau hefyd fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn berthnasol i'r cyfarfod yma.
Welcome to this final Plenary session of the fifth Senedd. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points in this meeting, as I've done in all other meetings. 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 also remind Members that Standing Orders relating to order in Plenary meetings apply to this meeting.
Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni'r prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol. Mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Janet Finch-Saunders.
Our first item today is questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services, and the first question is from Janet Finch-Saunders.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddatblygu ysgol feddygol yng ngogledd Cymru? OQ56475
1. Will the Minister make a statement on the development of a north Wales medical school? OQ56475
Yes. In June 2020, I created a task and finish group to explore the feasibility of proposals put forward by Bangor University and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board for a north Wales school for medical and health sciences. This work has now progressed to the development of a full business case, and, as you'll know, my party has pledged in the forthcoming election to see that to a successful conclusion.
Gwnaf. Ym mis Mehefin 2020, creais grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen i archwilio dichonoldeb cynigion a gyflwynwyd gan Brifysgol Bangor a Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr ar gyfer ysgol gwyddorau meddygol ac iechyd yng ngogledd Cymru. Mae'r gwaith hwn bellach wedi symud ymlaen i ddatblygu achos busnes llawn, ac fel y gwyddoch, mae fy mhlaid wedi addo sicrhau yn yr etholiad sy’n dod fod hwnnw’n cael ei gwblhau’n llwyddiannus.
Thank you. Since Welsh Labour were voted back into Government in May 2016, the number of patient pathways waiting over 36 weeks to start treatment has increased from 4,078 to 50,143. You have overseen a 1,130 per cent increase over five years. Now, whilst we realise the pandemic has worsened the situation, the scene was already bleak here in north Wales. By February 2020, the number of treatment pathways waiting over 36 weeks had already reached 11,296. Fast-tracking the development of a medical school is a major part of this solution. Even the Royal College of Physicians Wales has long supported the expansion of a medical school. And as they told me only this week, there are ongoing major trainee rota gaps in every one of our hospitals, and this cannot continue, as it has a direct impact on quality of patient care. Earlier this month, you kindly issued a written statement on medical education in north Wales. Whilst I welcome the fact that a total of 19 students began their studies on the C21 programme in the 2019-20 intake, the number actually fell to 18 students in the intake the year after. What steps will you take to improve awareness of opportunities in north Wales and ensure that there is an expansion rather than a decline in the number of students receiving medical education here? Diolch.
Diolch. Ers i Lafur Cymru gael eu hethol yn ôl yn Llywodraeth ym mis Mai 2016, mae nifer y llwybrau cleifion sy’n aros dros 36 wythnos i ddechrau triniaeth wedi cynyddu o 4,078 i 50,143. Rydych wedi llywodraethu dros gynnydd o 1,130 y cant dros bum mlynedd. Nawr, er ein bod yn sylweddoli bod y pandemig wedi gwaethygu'r sefyllfa, roedd y sefyllfa eisoes yn wael yma yng ngogledd Cymru. Erbyn mis Chwefror 2020, roedd nifer y llwybrau triniaeth a oedd yn aros dros 36 wythnos eisoes wedi cyrraedd 11,296. Mae datblygu ysgol feddygol yn gyflym yn rhan fawr o'r ateb. Mae hyd yn oed Coleg Brenhinol Meddygon Cymru wedi bod yn gefnogol ers amser maith i ehangu ysgol feddygol. Ac fel y dywedasant wrthyf yr wythnos hon, mae bylchau mawr parhaus yn y rota hyfforddeion ym mhob un o'n hysbytai, ac ni all hyn barhau, gan ei fod yn cael effaith uniongyrchol ar ansawdd gofal cleifion. Yn gynharach y mis hwn, fe wnaethoch chi gyhoeddi datganiad ysgrifenedig ar addysg feddygol yng ngogledd Cymru. Er fy mod yn croesawu’r ffaith bod cyfanswm o 19 o fyfyrwyr wedi dechrau eu hastudiaethau ar raglen C21 yn 2019-20, fe ddisgynodd y nifer i 18 o fyfyrwyr yn y flwyddyn wedyn. Pa gamau y byddwch chi'n eu rhoi ar waith i wella ymwybyddiaeth o gyfleoedd yng ngogledd Cymru a sicrhau bod nifer y myfyrwyr sy’n derbyn addysg feddygol yma yn cynyddu yn hytrach na lleihau? Diolch.
Thank you for the question. I think it's time to put the record straight on some of the allegations made by not just this, but the regular Conservative Members. Before the pandemic, we saw the best waiting times position in six years, until the year before the pandemic. We then saw not just in Wales, but in every part of the UK a decline as a direct consequence of tax and pension changes introduced by the Conservatives at Westminster. You'll see that direct correlation in every UK nation—don't take my word for it, go and talk to the British Medical Association about the direct impact that had on their members and on the ability to continue making progress on waiting times.
When it comes to the points about the medical school and medical education in north Wales, this Government has a good track record on making decisions to expand opportunities to undertake medical education in north Wales. We're committed to not just seeing through the task and finish group and the work on delivering a business case for north Wales, but, of course, as I've indicated, there's a clear manifesto headline pledge to see that to a successful conclusion if Welsh Labour are re-elected to lead the Welsh Government again by the people of Wales.
We also have a good record on doctor training in north Wales on a whole range of areas. For example, on general practice, we now regularly fill a significant number of GP training posts. In fact, we overfill those training posts, including regularly filling all of the GP training places available in north Wales as well. So, on our track record, we have a good track record, and on our ambition for the future, I think the people of Wales will continue to place their trust in us and I look forward to their verdict on the first Thursday in May.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bryd cywiro rhai o'r honiadau a wnaed nid yn unig drwy hyn, ond gan yr Aelodau Ceidwadol rheolaidd. Cyn y pandemig, gwelsom yr amseroedd aros gorau mewn chwe blynedd, tan y flwyddyn cyn y pandemig. Yna gwelsom ddirywiad, nid yn unig yng Nghymru, ond ym mhob rhan o'r DU o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i newidiadau treth a phensiwn a gyflwynwyd gan y Ceidwadwyr yn San Steffan. Fe welwch y gydberthynas uniongyrchol honno ym mhob gwlad yn y DU—peidiwch â chymryd fy ngair i am y peth, ewch i siarad â Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain am yr effaith uniongyrchol a gafodd hynny ar eu haelodau ac ar y gallu i barhau i wella amseroedd aros.
O ran y pwyntiau am yr ysgol feddygol ac addysg feddygol yng ngogledd Cymru, mae gan y Llywodraeth hon hanes da o wneud penderfyniadau i ehangu cyfleoedd i ymgymryd ag addysg feddygol yng ngogledd Cymru. Rydym wedi ymrwymo nid yn unig i'r grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen a'r gwaith ar gyflwyno achos busnes ar gyfer gogledd Cymru, ond wrth gwrs, fel y nodais, ceir prif addewid maniffesto clir i weld hynny’n cael ei gwblhau’n llwyddiannus os caiff Llafur Cymru eu hail-ethol i arwain Llywodraeth Cymru eto gan bobl Cymru.
Mae gennym hefyd hanes da o hyfforddi meddygon yng ngogledd Cymru mewn ystod eang o feysydd. Er enghraifft, mewn ymarfer cyffredinol, rydym bellach yn llenwi nifer sylweddol o leoedd hyfforddi meddygon teulu yn rheolaidd. Mewn gwirionedd, rydym yn gorlenwi'r lleoedd hyfforddi hynny, gan gynnwys llenwi'r holl leoedd hyfforddi meddygon teulu sydd ar gael yng ngogledd Cymru hefyd yn rheolaidd . Felly, ar ein cyflawniad, rydym yn cyflawni’n dda, ac ar ein huchelgais ar gyfer y dyfodol, rwy'n credu y bydd pobl Cymru yn parhau i ymddiried ynom ac edrychaf ymlaen at weld beth fydd eu dyfarniad ar y dydd Iau cyntaf ym mis Mai.
Minister, a medical school for north Wales is something that I have long called for and is something that is particularly important for the north Wales region. Do you agree with me that it's a Mark Drakeford-led Government that is committed to delivering this and that the only way that this is affordable and deliverable is with him as First Minister?
Weinidog, mae ysgol feddygol ar gyfer gogledd Cymru yn rhywbeth y bûm yn galw amdano ers amser maith, ac mae'n rhywbeth sy'n arbennig o bwysig i ranbarth gogledd Cymru. A ydych yn cytuno mai Llywodraeth dan arweiniad Mark Drakeford sydd wedi ymrwymo i gyflawni hyn ac mai'r unig ffordd y mae hyn yn fforddiadwy ac yn bosibl ei gyflawni yw gydag ef yn Brif Weinidog?
I completely agree, and the Member's right to point out that Welsh Labour have actually done the hard yards in Government to expand medical education and training opportunities in north Wales. We've done that successfully. It's a clear, headline, direct manifesto pledge: if you vote Welsh Labour, then we will see through to a successful conclusion a medical school in north Wales—more opportunities to train and stay in Wales, and, crucially, they'll work alongside the medical schools we already have in Swansea and Cardiff, in providing what I believe will be high-quality medical education, and to keep doctors training in Wales, and for them to stay to train, work and live in Wales.
Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr. Ac mae’r Aelod yn gywir i dynnu sylw at y ffaith bod Llafur Cymru wedi gwneud y gwaith caled fel Llywodraeth ar ehangu cyfleoedd addysg a hyfforddiant meddygol yng ngogledd Cymru. Rydym wedi gwneud hynny'n llwyddiannus. Mae'n brif addewid maniffesto uniongyrchol clir: os pleidleisiwch dros Lafur Cymru, byddwn yn gweld ysgol feddygol yng ngogledd Cymru yn cael ei chwblhau’n llwyddiannus—mwy o gyfleoedd i hyfforddi ac aros yng Nghymru, ac yn hollbwysig, byddant yn gweithio ochr yn ochr â'r ysgolion meddygol sydd gennym eisoes yn Abertawe a Chaerdydd, yn darparu'r hyn y credaf y bydd yn addysg feddygol o ansawdd uchel, ac i gadw meddygon i hyfforddi yng Nghymru, ac iddynt aros i hyfforddi, gweithio a byw yng Nghymru.
Minister, during the referendum campaign, and well after, I always felt great disquiet as one of the major arguments for remaining, and then for thwarting the vote, was how the NHS may be affected by an exodus of workers in the NHS. It is almost as if civic leaders and politicians were celebrating the fact that other countries' health services and training were being plundered by the UK, and I never really got that point of view. Do you agree with me that a medical school in north Wales will be a part of the drive to self-sufficiency in the NHS, taking responsibility for training our own workforce, if you like, and that has to be a really, really good thing? Thank you.
Weinidog, yn ystod ymgyrch y refferendwm, ac ymhell ar ôl hynny, roeddwn bob amser yn teimlo anesmwythyd mawr gan mai un o’r dadleuon mawr dros aros, ac yna dros lesteirio’r bleidlais, oedd y modd y gallai ecsodus o weithwyr yn y GIG effeithio ar y GIG. Roedd hi bron fel pe bai arweinwyr dinesig a gwleidyddion yn dathlu'r ffaith bod gwasanaethau iechyd a hyfforddiant gwledydd eraill yn cael eu hysbeilio gan y DU, ac nid oeddwn yn deall y safbwynt hwnnw. A ydych yn cytuno y bydd ysgol feddygol yng ngogledd Cymru yn rhan o'r ymgyrch i fod yn hunangynhaliol yn y GIG, gan gymryd cyfrifoldeb am hyfforddi ein gweithlu ein hunain, os mynnwch, ac mae'n rhaid bod hynny’n rhywbeth gwirioneddol dda? Diolch.
Well, I think the Member's points are broadly absurd. When it comes to the position about the referendums and our past, actually Brexit has been and done and we're out of the European Union whether we like it or not. That's the reality of where we are, and it will have an impact on our ability to recruit from current European Union member states. And I don't share the Member's view that this is about plundering other parts of the world. We see people who train here in the UK who go and work in other parts of the world as well. And I should remind not just the Member, but everybody that the NHS has always been an international success story. If we had not recruited people from around the world, then our NHS would not have delivered the breadth of care that it has. It would not be the embodiment of the most popular and trusted public institution in this country. Go into any hospital within Wales and you will find an international cast delivering high-quality healthcare, changing and improving our country, not just as workers, but as friends and community members—people who we live alongside and whose children go to the same schools as ours. I'm very proud of our international links. I look forward to maintaining those international links to both recruit and to help other parts of the world, and I look forward to building on the successful track record of this Government in recruiting, training and retaining more of our staff right across the health service—those nurses, doctors and other therapists and scientists as well that we all have come to rely on even more than usual in this past year.
Wel, rwy'n credu bod pwyntiau'r Aelod at ei gilydd yn hurt. O ran y sefyllfa gyda'r refferenda a'n gorffennol, mewn gwirionedd mae Brexit wedi bod ac wedi'i wneud ac rydym allan o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd ni waeth a ydym yn hoffi hynny ai peidio. Dyna realiti'r sefyllfa rydym ynddi, a bydd yn effeithio ar ein gallu i recriwtio o aelod-wladwriaethau cyfredol yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Ac nid wyf yn rhannu barn yr Aelod fod hyn yn ymwneud ag ysbeilio rhannau eraill o'r byd. Rydym yn gweld pobl sy'n hyfforddi yma yn y DU ac sy'n mynd i weithio mewn rhannau eraill o'r byd hefyd. A dylwn atgoffa nid yn unig yr Aelod, ond pawb fod y GIG bob amser wedi bod yn llwyddiant rhyngwladol. Pe na baem wedi recriwtio pobl o bob cwr o'r byd, ni fyddai ein GIG wedi darparu’r gofal eang y mae wedi bod yn ei ddarparu. Ni fyddai’n ymgorffori’r sefydliad cyhoeddus mwyaf poblogaidd y gellir ymddiried ynddo yn y wlad hon. Ewch i mewn i unrhyw ysbyty yng Nghymru, ac fe welwch gast rhyngwladol yn darparu gofal iechyd o ansawdd uchel, gan newid a gwella ein gwlad, nid yn unig fel gweithwyr, ond fel ffrindiau ac aelodau o'r gymuned—pobl rydym yn byw ochr yn ochr â hwy ac y mae eu plant yn mynd i'r un ysgolion â’n plant ni. Rwy'n falch iawn o'n cysylltiadau rhyngwladol. Edrychaf ymlaen at gynnal y cysylltiadau rhyngwladol hynny i recriwtio ac i helpu rhannau eraill o'r byd, ac edrychaf ymlaen at adeiladu ar lwyddiant y Llywodraeth hon yn recriwtio, hyfforddi a chadw mwy o'n staff ar draws y gwasanaeth iechyd—y nyrsys, y meddygon a’r therapyddion a'r gwyddonwyr eraill hynny hefyd y mae pawb ohonom wedi dod i ddibynnu arnynt hyd yn oed yn fwy na'r arfer yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf hon.
2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am farwolaethau mewn cartrefi gofal o ganlyniad i COVID-19 yng Nghymru? OQ56498
2. Will the Minister make a statement on care home deaths from COVID-19 in Wales? OQ56498
The Office for National Statistics has reported 1,643 registered deaths involving COVID-19 to Welsh residents in care homes up to 5 March. This is around 21 per cent of all deaths involving COVID-19.
Mae'r Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol wedi cofnodi 1,643 o farwolaethau cofrestredig yn gysylltiedig â COVID-19 ymhlith preswylwyr cartrefi gofal Cymru hyd at 12 Mawrth. Mae hyn oddeutu 21 y cant o'r holl farwolaethau sy'n gysylltiedig â COVID-19.
On 13 March last year, you issued a directive to all health boards to postpone all non-urgent elective activity to allow them to prepare for the expected increase in workload in dealing with the pandemic. Those were the words of your Government to me in a letter. At the same time, the Welsh Government was clearing NHS beds by sending patients from hospitals into care homes without them being tested. It was a staggering thing to do. The results were fatal and brought great tragedy for many families. As of February 2021, your own Government statistics show that deaths in care homes since March 2020 are 43 per cent higher than the same period two years ago. Your party is now calling for an independent inquiry into the UK Government's handling of the pandemic in London. Propel, in 'Our Contract for Wales', has committed to implementing an independent inquiry in Wales on day one after the election in May. Given the outrageous numbers of avoidable deaths in care homes and your Government's actions having made the problem much worse, do you accept that there must be an independent inquiry into your own Government's handling of the COVID crisis?
Ar 13 Mawrth y llynedd, fe wnaethoch gyhoeddi cyfarwyddeb i bob bwrdd iechyd ohirio pob gweithgaredd dewisol nad oedd yn weithgaredd brys, er mwyn caniatáu iddynt baratoi ar gyfer y cynnydd disgwyliedig yn y llwyth gwaith wrth ymdopi â'r pandemig. Dyna oedd geiriau eich Llywodraeth ataf mewn llythyr. Ar yr un pryd, roedd Llywodraeth Cymru yn clirio gwelyau GIG trwy anfon cleifion o ysbytai i gartrefi gofal heb iddynt gael eu profi. Roedd yn beth syfrdanol i'w wneud. Roedd y canlyniadau'n angheuol ac fe arweiniodd at drasiedi fawr i lawer o deuluoedd. Erbyn mis Chwefror 2021, mae ystadegau eich Llywodraeth yn dangos bod marwolaethau mewn cartrefi gofal er mis Mawrth 2020 43 y cant yn uwch na'r un cyfnod ddwy flynedd yn ôl. Mae eich plaid yn galw yn awr am ymchwiliad annibynnol i'r modd y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi ymdrin â'r pandemig yn Llundain. Mae Propel, yn 'Ein Contract gyda Chymru', wedi ymrwymo i weithredu ymchwiliad annibynnol yng Nghymru ar y diwrnod cyntaf ar ôl yr etholiad ym mis Mai. O ystyried y niferoedd gwarthus o farwolaethau y gellid bod wedi eu hosgoi mewn cartrefi gofal a bod gweithredoedd eich Llywodraeth wedi gwaethygu'r broblem, a ydych chi'n derbyn bod yn rhaid cynnal ymchwiliad annibynnol i'r modd y mae eich Llywodraeth chi wedi ymdrin ag argyfwng COVID?
I thank Neil McEvoy for that question. It is obviously an absolute tragedy what has happened in care homes, and my sympathy and the Government’s sympathy is with all the residents and the families who have been affected. There is no question about the tragedy that has occurred. I think the Member will recognise that most individuals who reside in care homes in Wales are the older, more vulnerable members of society, and they are one of the groups that is most at risk from the serious consequences of contracting the disease.
The analysis that's been undertaken by Public Health Wales, looking at the risk factors for the outbreaks of COVID-19 in care homes, suggested that the effect of discharge on outbreaks in care homes was very low. And, also, there's been recent research by Swansea University that has tracked patients from hospital through discharge into care homes, and that's estimated up to 1.8 per cent of discharges from hospitals into care homes could have been carrying the infection. The factors that influenced the outcome was really the size of a care home in both the number of the registered beds as well as the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community, and that had the greatest impact on the number of deaths. But, whatever caused this, it is a tragedy and, of course, I support an investigation into when and why this happened. I think that's absolutely the right thing to do and we must learn from what has happened.
Diolch i Neil McEvoy am y cwestiwn. Mae’n amlwg fod yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd mewn cartrefi gofal yn drasiedi lwyr, ac mae’r Llywodraeth yn cydymdeimlo â’r holl breswylwyr a’r teuluoedd yr effeithiwyd arnynt. Nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth ynghylch y drasiedi sydd wedi digwydd. Rwy'n credu y bydd yr Aelod yn cydnabod mai aelodau hŷn a mwy agored i niwed o’r gymdeithas yw’r mwyafrif o'r unigolion sy'n byw mewn cartrefi gofal yng Nghymru, ac maent yn un o'r grwpiau sy'n wynebu'r perygl mwyaf o ganlyniadau difrifol yn sgil dal y clefyd.
Awgrymodd y dadansoddiad a wnaed gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, i edrych ar y ffactorau risg ar gyfer yr achosion o COVID-19 mewn cartrefi gofal, fod effaith rhyddhau o ysbytai ar achosion mewn cartrefi gofal yn isel iawn. Hefyd, cafwyd ymchwil ddiweddar gan Brifysgol Abertawe sydd wedi olrhain taith cleifion o'r ysbyty ar ôl eu rhyddhau i gartrefi gofal, ac amcangyfrifir y gallai hyd at 1.8 y cant o'r cleifion a ryddhawyd o ysbytai i gartrefi gofal fod wedi bod yn cario'r haint. A'r ffactorau a ddylanwadodd ar y canlyniad mewn gwirionedd oedd maint cartref gofal o ran nifer y gwelyau cofrestredig yn ogystal â nifer yr achosion o COVID-19 yn y gymuned, a hynny a gafodd yr effaith fwyaf ar nifer y marwolaethau. Ond beth bynnag a achosodd hyn, mae'n drasiedi ac wrth gwrs, rwy'n cefnogi ymchwiliad i pryd a pham y digwyddodd hyn. Rwy'n credu'n sicr mai dyna'r peth iawn i'w wneud a rhaid inni ddysgu o'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd.
Minister, one of the things that is helping to protect care home residents, of course, is the success of the vaccination programme in care homes across Wales. But there are individuals who will have received their first dose in a care home and then returned to a different care setting, sometimes their own home, without having had a second dose. What action is the Welsh Government taking to make sure that those individuals are properly tracked so that they can get their second dose? I've had a number of constituents in my own area who do not appear to be getting their call-backs for those important second doses to give them the full protection that the vaccine can provide.
Weinidog, un o'r pethau sy'n helpu i ddiogelu preswylwyr cartrefi gofal, wrth gwrs, yw llwyddiant y rhaglen frechu mewn cartrefi gofal ledled Cymru. Ond mae yna unigolion a fydd wedi derbyn eu dos cyntaf mewn cartref gofal ac yna wedi dychwelyd i leoliad gofal gwahanol, eu cartref eu hunain weithiau, heb fod wedi cael ail ddos. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod yr unigolion hynny’n cael eu holrhain yn briodol fel y gallant gael eu hail ddos? Nid yw’n ymddangos bod nifer o etholwyr yn fy ardal i wedi cael eu galw’n ôl am yr ail ddos pwysig hwnnw i roi'r amddiffyniad llawn y gall y brechlyn ei gynnig.
I thank Darren Millar for that question. The vaccination programme does continue to progress well. In care homes, nearly 96 per cent of care home residents have now received their first dose of the vaccine, which is great progress. He makes an important point about people moving to different settings and ensuring that the follow-up dose is given, and we will certainly take steps to ensure that we alert settings to that possibility so that people can be followed up. I haven't been notified of any incidents myself, but if the Member has been notified of these incidents it's obviously very important that those are followed up.
Diolch i Darren Millar am y cwestiwn hwnnw. Mae'r rhaglen frechu yn parhau i fynd rhagddi'n dda. Mewn cartrefi gofal, mae bron i 96 y cant o drigolion cartrefi gofal bellach wedi derbyn eu dos cyntaf o'r brechlyn, sy'n gynnydd mawr. Mae'n gwneud pwynt pwysig am bobl yn symud i wahanol leoliadau a sicrhau bod y dos dilynol yn cael ei roi, a byddwn yn sicr yn rhoi camau ar waith i sicrhau ein bod yn rhybuddio lleoliadau ynghylch y posibilrwydd hwnnw fel y gellir dod o hyd i'r bobl hyn. Nid wyf wedi cael gwybod am unrhyw ddigwyddiadau fy hun, ond os yw'r Aelod wedi cael gwybod am ddigwyddiadau o'r fath mae'n amlwg yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn mynd ar drywydd y rheini.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau ac, yn gyntaf, llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Angela Burns.
Questions now from the party spokespeople and, first of all, the Conservative spokesperson, Angela Burns.
Diolch, Presiding Officer. Thank you. Minister, your recently published COVID-19 forward plan, I think, is a very fair summary of the situation that we face in Wales today. I think it neatly outlines the challenges that are faced by health and social care. But I also feel it is very short on some key solutions that we need to be seeing. So, for example, could you please explain what specific plans you have in place to deal with the ever worsening waiting times crisis in elective surgery?
Diolch, Lywydd. Diolch. Weinidog, rwy’n credu bod eich blaengynllun COVID-19 a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar yn grynodeb teg iawn o'r sefyllfa sy'n ein hwynebu yng Nghymru heddiw. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn amlinellu'n daclus yr heriau sy'n wynebu iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Ond rwyf hefyd yn teimlo ei fod yn brin iawn o atebion allweddol y mae'n rhaid i ni eu gweld. Felly, er enghraifft, a allech chi egluro pa gynlluniau penodol sydd gennych ar waith i ymdrin â'r argyfwng sy’n gwaethygu mewn perthynas ag amseroedd aros ar gyfer llawdriniaethau dewisol?
Well, those plans and detail have been worked through with clinical leaders. I was very fortunate to have a really useful conversation with clinical leaders and the NHS chief exec last week, and we went through the deliberate ways we're trying to change where we are. So, when the plan talks about needing to change some of our ways of working, it recognises that we can't go back to trying to buy activity and just to have a deal with the independent sector. So, we're going to need to have some local answers, some regional answers and some nationally directed answers. There isn't a hard-and-fast operational delivery plan now. That comes on the back of the framework and that will come in the plans not just from health boards, but, as I say, needing to make sure that there are local and regional overlays on them.
The other reason is that we're not out of the pandemic yet. So, actually, the lists are going to get bigger before we're at that point. That's partly because, as you'll know, we have a position where the NHS can't work to the same operational efficiency, because we still have additional measures in place, testing and PPE requirements, and we're also still in a position where we're not able to turn back on all of the elective activity that is still paused because—and, again, you'll know this because I know you look at the figures—our critical care units are still at more than 100 per cent. So, you can expect more operational plans to be delivered, whoever the next Government is, and that work will be done by clinical leaders, together with health boards, and whoever is the next health Minister will then have to decide how to get behind those and make choices about areas where health boards need to act on their own or together, and it will, I believe, require a necessary element of direction from whoever the next health Minister is.
Wel, mae arweinwyr clinigol yn gweithio drwy’r cynlluniau a'r manylion hynny. Roeddwn yn ffodus iawn i gael sgwrs ddefnyddiol iawn gydag arweinwyr clinigol a phrif weithredwr y GIG yr wythnos diwethaf, ac fe aethom drwy'r ffyrdd bwriadol sydd gennym i geisio newid y sefyllfa. Felly, pan fydd y cynllun yn sôn am yr angen i newid rhai o'n ffyrdd o weithio, mae'n cydnabod na allwn ddychwelyd at geisio prynu gweithgaredd a dim ond mater o daro bargen gyda'r sector annibynnol. Felly, rydym yn mynd i fod angen atebion lleol, atebion rhesymol, atebion wedi’u cyfarwyddo’n genedlaethol. Nid oes cynllun cyflawni gweithredol cadarn ar waith yn awr. Daw hynny yn sgil y fframwaith ac fe ddaw yn y cynlluniau nid yn unig gan y byrddau iechyd, ond fel y dywedaf, mae angen sicrhau troshaenau lleol a rhanbarthol.
Y rheswm arall yw nad ydym wedi cefnu ar y pandemig eto. Felly, mewn gwirionedd, mae'r rhestrau'n mynd i gynyddu cyn i ni gyrraedd y pwynt hwnnw. Mae hynny'n rhannol oherwydd bod gennym sefyllfa, fel y gwyddoch, lle na all y GIG weithio yr un mor effeithlon yn weithredol, am fod gennym fesurau ychwanegol ar waith o hyd, gofynion profi a chyfarpar diogelu personol, ac rydym hefyd yn dal i fod mewn sefyllfa lle na allwn droi’n ôl at yr holl weithgaredd dewisol sy'n dal i fod wedi’i ohirio—ac unwaith eto, fe fyddwch chi'n gwybod hyn oherwydd gwn eich bod yn edrych ar y ffigurau—am fod ein hunedau gofal critigol yn dal i fod ar fwy na 100 y cant. Felly, gallwch ddisgwyl i fwy o gynlluniau gweithredol gael eu cyflawni, pwy bynnag yw'r Llywodraeth nesaf, a chaiff y gwaith hwnnw ei wneud gan arweinwyr clinigol, ynghyd â byrddau iechyd, a bydd yn rhaid i bwy bynnag yw'r Gweinidog iechyd nesaf benderfynu sut i gefnogi'r rheini a gwneud dewisiadau ynglŷn â meysydd lle mae angen i fyrddau iechyd weithredu ar eu pen eu hunain neu gyda'i gilydd, ac rwy'n credu y bydd y gwaith yn galw am elfen angenrheidiol o gyfarwyddyd gan bwy bynnag yw'r Gweinidog iechyd nesaf.
You talk about the importance of operational plans, and I agree with you that it's very important to work with all the stakeholders to draft operational plans that are really deliverable. Of course, to make those operational plans really sound, you've got to have good data and really up-to-date coherent information and I'm really pleased that your COVID-19 forward plan does recognise that and, in fact, I think you have a whole chapter on how we can improve and use our data. Therefore, will you also listen to the calls of organisations, such as the Royal College of Surgeons, who are asking for not just modelling and publishing of projections on the numbers of people who need an operation in Wales—because they say that is not clear and we're not clear how many elective surgeries and other operations were postponed or completely cancelled because of the pandemic—but also asking for you to publish monthly planned surgery activity levels for the health boards in Wales to encourage the restoration of surgical activity and ensure equity of access to surgical services for patients? In other words, holding the health boards to account on this matter.
Rydych chi'n siarad am bwysigrwydd cynlluniau gweithredol, ac rwy'n cytuno â chi ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn gweithio gyda'r holl randdeiliaid i ddrafftio cynlluniau gweithredol gwirioneddol gyflawnadwy. Wrth gwrs, er mwyn gwneud y cynlluniau gweithredol hynny'n wirioneddol gadarn, mae'n rhaid i chi gael data da a gwybodaeth gydlynol wirioneddol gyfredol ac rwy'n falch iawn fod eich blaengynllun COVID-19 yn cydnabod hynny, ac rwy’n meddwl bod gennych bennod gyfan ar sut y gallwn wella a defnyddio ein data. Felly, a wnewch chi wrando hefyd ar alwadau sefydliadau, fel Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon, sy'n gofyn, nid yn unig am fodelu a chyhoeddi amcanestyniadau ar nifer y bobl sydd angen llawdriniaeth yng Nghymru—oherwydd maent yn dweud nad yw hynny'n glir ac nid ydym yn glir faint o lawdriniaethau dewisol a llawdriniaethau eraill a gafodd eu gohirio neu eu canslo’n llwyr oherwydd y pandemig—ond hefyd maent yn gofyn i chi gyhoeddi lefelau gweithgaredd llawdriniaethau wedi'u cynllunio yn fisol ar gyfer y byrddau iechyd yng Nghymru i annog adferiad gweithgaredd llawfeddygol a sicrhau mynediad cyfartal at wasanaethau llawfeddygol i gleifion? Mewn geiriau eraill, dwyn y byrddau iechyd i gyfrif ar y mater hwn.
Well, the Royal College of Surgeons were at the meeting that I described with clinical leaders and actually the guidance that they've issued has been helpful in allowing some activity to continue in different parts of Wales, but it reflects the reality of where we are on the ground with, not just COVID, but with other harms that are coming in. Because I think part of this is, you're right about data and understanding what that data is, but it's also still then the judgments and the understanding of where people are on that waiting list. There'll be some people who are a higher clinical priority and it's the understanding of how that's taken through to deal with people to avoid the greatest amount of harm, and that will be different in different areas of the service. And, again, the Member will know that in some parts, delaying treatment can lead to irreversible harm, for example, on sight loss. In other areas, it can lead to discomfort and deterioration in that person's well-being, if you're waiting for a joint operation, for example. But that harm may be recovered. So, it's both understanding how to prioritise the waiting list and then to understand how you fairly judge the level of activity that each organisation is undertaking.
So, I'd be more than happy to continue the conversations that we already have with the Royal College of Surgeons on how we can be open and transparent about the levels of activity that are being restarted, but not to use as a simple, 'You're somewhere on a league table and you just have to get somewhere else', because, as I say, the pandemic isn't finished yet. When we move beyond the pandemic, then, yes, I think there'll be more and more data and more and more expectation in terms of my response to your first question: how have we managed to gear up different ways of working to deliver the required levels of activity whilst, of course, at the same time, taking care of our staff who will be exhausted when the pandemic is finally over?
Wel, roedd Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon yn y cyfarfod a ddisgrifiais gydag arweinwyr clinigol ac mewn gwirionedd mae'r canllawiau y maent wedi'u cyhoeddi wedi bod o gymorth i ganiatáu i rywfaint o weithgaredd barhau mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru, ond mae'n adlewyrchu realiti ein sefyllfa ar lawr gwlad, nid dim ond gyda COVID, ond gyda ffactorau niweidiol eraill sy'n dod i mewn. Oherwydd rwy'n credu mai rhan o hyn yw, rydych chi'n iawn ynglŷn â data a deall beth yw'r data hwnnw, ond mae'n dal i fod yn ymwneud â'r penderfyniadau a'r ddealltwriaeth o ble mae pobl ar y rhestr aros honno. Bydd rhai pobl sy'n flaenoriaeth glinigol uwch a'r ddealltwriaeth o sut y mae hynny'n cael ei wneud i ymdrin â phobl er mwyn osgoi cymaint â phosibl o niwed, a bydd hynny'n wahanol mewn gwahanol feysydd o'r gwasanaeth. Ac unwaith eto, bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod y gall gohirio triniaeth mewn rhai meysydd arwain at niwed na ellir ei wrthdroi, er enghraifft, colli golwg. Mewn meysydd eraill, gall arwain at anesmwythyd a dirywiad yn llesiant yr unigolyn, os ydych yn aros am lawdriniaeth i gymal, er enghraifft. Ond gellir gwella'r niwed hwnnw. Felly, mae'n fater o ddeall sut i flaenoriaethu'r rhestr aros ac yna deall sut rydych yn barnu'n deg lefel y gweithgarwch y mae pob sefydliad yn ei gyflawni.
Felly, byddwn yn fwy na pharod i barhau'r sgyrsiau a gawsom eisoes gyda Choleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon ar sut y gallwn fod yn agored ac yn dryloyw ynglŷn â'r lefelau gweithgaredd sy'n cael eu hailgychwyn, ond peidio â defnyddio, 'Rydych chi rywle ar dabl cynghrair ac mae'n rhaid i chi symud i rywle arall' syml, oherwydd, fel y dywedais, nid yw'r pandemig wedi dod i ben eto. Pan fyddwn wedi symud y tu hwnt i'r pandemig, yna, iawn, rwy'n credu y bydd mwy a mwy o ddata a mwy a mwy o ddisgwyliad o ran fy ymateb i'ch cwestiwn cyntaf: sut rydym wedi llwyddo i baratoi gwahanol ffyrdd o weithio i ddarparu'r lefelau gofynnol o weithgaredd, tra'n gofalu ar yr un pryd wrth gwrs am ein staff a fydd wedi ymlâdd pan ddaw'r pandemig i ben yn y pen draw?
I'm afraid this is where I have a slight difference with you, because everybody talks about 'when the pandemic is over', and I actually think we've gone past that—we've gone past the crisis. We're now in a situation where this is endemic. We're going to have a situation where we're going to be in this position for a long, long time to come. We can't keep saying, 'Oh, we're just in a crisis; we're just in a crisis—how do we handle that?' We've got to look beyond that.
I thought that the COVID-19 forward work programme did have some really good things in it, but it comes back to some of the issues that we really found out when we did the cross-party parliamentary group on how to deliver health and social care. There's a lot of, 'We know what the challenges are', but not a lot of, 'How are we going to solve them?' And you yourself have just mentioned our exhausted staff in the NHS and social care services. And I listened to the director of the Royal College of Nursing last night at the commemoration event, talking about how exhausted and traumatised so many of the staff in the health and social care sectors are. And I do worry, reading this COVID-19 forward plan—it talks about, 'We do have a workforce deficit'; well, it's more than just a small workforce deficit. How are we going to be able to manage that on top of creating that space to allow those who have been working so hard over this last year and who are so exhausted—how are we going to allow them the time to recover and get back and start picking up all of these elective surgeries? And there wasn't much talk about recruitment policies, retraining policies, retention policies. You know our plan, we've got a very strong recruit, retain, retrain policy. I didn't see much of that. Can you give us some overview of how you're going to be able to bolster that hard-working but shattered workforce?
Mae arnaf ofn mai dyma lle rwy'n anghytuno â chi braidd, oherwydd mae pawb yn sôn am 'pan fydd y pandemig ar ben', ac rwy'n credu ein bod wedi mynd heibio i hynny—rydym wedi mynd heibio i'r argyfwng. Rydym bellach mewn sefyllfa lle mae hyn yn endemig. Rydym yn mynd i gael sefyllfa lle rydym yn mynd i fod yn y sefyllfa hon am amser hir iawn. Ni allwn barhau i ddweud, 'O, rydym mewn argyfwng; rydym mewn argyfwng—sut mae ymdopi â hynny?' Mae'n rhaid i ni edrych y tu hwnt i hynny.
Roeddwn yn meddwl bod blaenraglen waith COVID-19 yn cynnwys rhai pethau da, ond daw'n ôl at rai o'r materion a welsom mewn gwirionedd pan wnaethom y grŵp seneddol trawsbleidiol ar sut i ddarparu iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Mae yna lawer o, 'Rydym yn gwybod beth yw'r heriau', ond nid oes llawer o, 'Sut rydym ni'n mynd i'w datrys?' Ac rydych chi eich hun newydd sôn am ein staff lluddedig yn y GIG a gwasanaethau gofal cymdeithasol. A gwrandewais ar gyfarwyddwr y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol neithiwr yn y digwyddiad coffa yn sôn am ba mor lluddedig ac wedi'u trawmateiddio y mae cynifer o'r staff yn y sectorau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Ac rwy'n poeni, wrth ddarllen y blaengynllun COVID-19 hwn—mae'n sôn am, 'Mae gennym brinder gweithlu'; wel, mae'n fwy na phrinder bach yn y gweithlu. Sut y gallwn reoli hynny yn ogystal â chreu lle i ganiatáu i'r rheini sydd wedi bod yn gweithio mor galed dros y flwyddyn a aeth heibio ac sydd wedi ymlâdd i'r fath raddau—sut y gallwn roi amser iddynt wella a dychwelyd a dechrau mynd ar drywydd yr holl lawdriniaethau dewisol hyn? Ac nid oedd llawer o sôn am bolisïau recriwtio, polisïau ailhyfforddi, polisïau cadw staff. Rydych chi'n gwybod am ein cynllun ni, mae gennym bolisi recriwtio, cadw ac ailhyfforddi cryf iawn. Ni welais lawer o hynny. A allwch roi rhywfaint o drosolwg inni o sut y gallwch gryfhau'r gweithlu gweithgar ond lluddedig hwnnw?
With respect, I don't think we are at the point where COVID is now managed and endemic. I think that's where we will get to, but I don't think we're there yet. As I said, when critical care is still operating at over 100 per cent of its capacity, and we still have significant numbers of COVID-positive patients in our hospitals, we're not there yet. But I do think we're well on track to do so, and each easement that we unlock means that there's another area of activity that can be restored in wider life and it puts us further on the path to then being able to deal with a new normal situation for our health and care system. So, I think perhaps we're at different perspectives about when the point is when more normalised activity can restart, and, with respect, I don't think the figures bear out that we're at that point now.
I do know, though, that the reality of how we manage and look after our staff is hugely important. So, you will see comments about that in the recovery plan. In terms of the detail of that, I think that's for manifestos for the election. We've got a really good track record, though, on the numbers of staff that we have recruited, trained and retained over this last term and beyond. We've managed to increase the NHS headcount by more than 10,000 over this Welsh Parliament term. That shows the benefit of consistent recruitment, retention and training. So, I think people can trust our record, because it's a strong one.
But, even with that, and even with the benefit of the future investment that I expect you will see in our manifesto, we still have a really significant task in caring for our staff and not setting unrealistic expectations about how quickly the huge backlog that exists here will be eaten into and moved away. I think this will take a full Welsh Parliament term. That's the honesty that I think the people of Wales need to hear. That's the honesty that I think our staff need to hear as well, that we're not going to expect them to suddenly wipe away all of the huge backlog that has built up necessarily to prevent people from losing their lives in this last year, and you'll hear more from us, from Welsh Labour, when it comes to the manifesto launch, and I think you'll hear plenty about future recruitment and retention for our staff that will be funded and entirely deliverable.
Gyda phob parch, nid wyf yn meddwl ein bod ni wedi cyrraedd pwynt lle mae COVID bellach wedi'i reoli ac yn endemig. Rwy'n credu mai dyna lle byddwn yn ei gyrraedd, ond nid wyf yn meddwl ein bod ni yno eto. Fel y dywedais, pan fo gofal critigol yn dal i weithredu ar dros 100 y cant o'i gapasiti, a niferoedd sylweddol o gleifion COVID positif yn dal i fod gennym yn ein hysbytai, nid ydym yno eto. Ond rwy'n credu ein bod ar y trywydd iawn, ac mae pob cam o lacio'r cyfyngiadau'n golygu bod maes gweithgaredd arall y gellir ei adfer mewn bywyd ehangach ac mae'n ein rhoi ymhellach ar y llwybr i allu ymdopi â sefyllfa normal newydd ar gyfer ein system iechyd a gofal. Felly, rwy'n meddwl efallai fod gennym bersbectif gwahanol ynghylch pa bryd y daw'r pwynt pan fydd gweithgaredd mwy normal yn gallu ailgychwyn, a chyda phob parch, nid wyf yn credu bod y ffigurau'n cadarnhau ein bod ar y pwynt hwnnw yn awr.
Ond rwy'n gwybod bod realiti'r ffordd y rheolwn ac y gofalwn am ein staff yn eithriadol o bwysig. Felly, fe welwch sylwadau ar hynny yn y cynllun adfer. O ran y manylion, credaf mai mater i faniffestos yr etholiad yw hynny. Ond mae gennym hanes da iawn o ran niferoedd y staff rydym wedi'u recriwtio, hyfforddi a chadw dros y tymor diwethaf hwn a thu hwnt. Rydym wedi llwyddo i sicrhau cynnydd o dros 10,000 yn niferoedd staff y GIG dros dymor y Senedd hon yng Nghymru. Mae hynny'n dangos manteision recriwtio, cadw a hyfforddi cyson. Felly, rwy'n credu y gall pobl ymddiried yn ein cyflawniad, oherwydd mae'n un cryf.
Ond hyd yn oed gyda hynny, a hyd yn oed gyda mantais y buddsoddiad ar gyfer y dyfodol y disgwyliaf y byddwch yn ei weld yn ein maniffesto, mae gennym dasg wirioneddol sylweddol o hyd o ran gofalu am ein staff a pheidio â gosod disgwyliadau afrealistig ynghylch pa mor gyflym y bydd yr ôl-groniad enfawr sy'n bodoli yma'n cael ei leihau a'i ddileu. Rwy'n credu y bydd yn cymryd tymor Senedd llawn yng Nghymru. Dyna'r gonestrwydd y credaf fod angen i bobl Cymru ei glywed. Dyna'r gonestrwydd y credaf fod angen i'n staff ei glywed hefyd, nad ydym yn mynd i ddisgwyl iddynt gael gwared yn gyflym ar yr holl ôl-groniad enfawr sydd wedi cronni o reidrwydd er mwyn atal pobl rhag colli eu bywydau yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, ac fe fyddwch yn clywed mwy gennym ni, gan Lafur Cymru, pan ddaw'n adeg lansio'r maniffesto, a chredaf y byddwch yn clywed digon am gynlluniau recriwtio a chadw staff yn y dyfodol a fydd yn cael eu hariannu ac yn gwbl gyflawnadwy.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Llywydd. Wel, yn y sesiwn gwestiynau iechyd a gofal olaf yn y Senedd yma, gaf i ddefnyddio'r cyfle yma i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog a'i swyddogion am eu cydweithio dros y cyfnod diweddar? Dydyn ni ddim wastad wedi gweld lygad yn llygad, ond tra ydw i wedi bod yn barod iawn i gefnogi'r Llywodraeth pan ydw i'n meddwl eu bod nhw wedi cael pethau'n iawn dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, rydw i'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog yn sylweddoli pwysigrwydd sgrwtini ac yn gwerthfawrogi rôl gwrthblaid yn ceisio dylanwadu ar bolisi a newid cyfeiriad pan ydyn ni'n meddwl bod angen hynny. Dyna pam, pan oedd y Gweinidog yn dweud bod yna ddim achos dros ysgol feddygol i'r gogledd, roedden ni'n benderfynol o barhau i geisio bwrw'r maen i'r wal, a rydyn ni'n falch o weld newid meddwl ar hynny.
At COVID, mae'r sefyllfa yng Nghymru'n gwella, mae hynny'n dda o beth. Mae yna broblemau yn ardal Merthyr Tudful ac yn fy etholaeth i, yn digwydd bod. Mae isio cefnogi'r ardaloedd hynny rŵan. Mi oedd yna dîm da o wirfoddolwyr allan yng Nghaergybi y bore yma yn rhannu profion COVID o dŷ i dŷ. Roeddwn i'n un ohonyn nhw, yn digwydd bod, ond mae o'n bryder i fi bod proses fel yma, un, yn or-ddibynnol ar wirfoddolwyr a, dau, yn rhoi straen aruthrol ar adnoddau staffio awdurdod lleol. Ydy'r Gweinidog yn cytuno bod angen edrych ar ffyrdd o roi rhagor o gefnogaeth i gynghorau wrth ymgymryd â thasg fel hyn, achos os oes yna ymyriadau fel hyn eu hangen dro ar ôl tro mewn gwahanol gymunedau, rydw i'n ofni bod hynny yn mynd i fod yn anodd i'w ddelifro?
Thank you, Llywydd. Well, in the final health and care question session in this Senedd, may I take this opportunity to thank the Minister and his officials for their collaboration over the years? We haven't always seen eye to eye, but whilst I've been very willing to support the Government when I think they've got things right over the past 12 months, I know that the Minister will understand the importance of scrutiny and will appreciate the role of an opposition party in trying to influence policy and changing direction when we need to do that. That's why, when the Minister said there was no case for a medical school for north Wales, we were determined to continue to campaign on that, and we're pleased to see the change of mind there.
To COVID now, the situation in Wales is improving, and that's positive. There are problems in Merthyr Tydfil and in my constituency, as it happens, and we need to support those areas now. There was a strong team of volunteers out in Holyhead this morning providing COVID tests, going from house to house. I was one of them, as it happens, but it's a cause of concern for me that the process is overly reliant on volunteers and places a huge strain on the staffing resources of the local authority. Would the Minister agree that we need to look at means of providing greater support to councils as they undertake tasks such as this one, because if there are interventions like this required in various communities, then I fear that that's going to be difficult to deliver?
Well, I think there are lots of lessons to learn, not just from what we're having to do today and in the days ahead around Holyhead—not the whole of the county of Anglesey, but around Holyhead, and the same in parts of Merthyr. We also have learning to take from the pilot that was undertaken with the three local authorities across Cwm Taf Morgannwg with a greater amount of community testing, and you will have seen, I'm sure, the really positive review of that community testing programme. And, actually, within that, we've managed to have a more successful engagement of the public in that community-wide testing than the pilots in Liverpool and Glasgow, I believe. That's really good news. We managed to highlight that, because of that, we think we'd identified more cases and prevented more admissions, including, the likely prevention of a number of deaths.
That does mean, though, that we need to learn about how we need to support local authorities. Some of that is about mutual aid, some of that is about the ongoing discussion we have between health, local government and the Welsh Government about how we support them. And I can honestly say that I've found local government leaders regardless of their party to be constructive and honest, and we have not always agreed at every point, but we have come to what I believe have been sensible answers to carry matters forward, and as ever, we're still learning as we go through. The good news is, though, that the spikes in Holyhead and in parts of Merthyr appear to be evening out with a fall in the case rate in Merthyr in the figures today in particular. That's good news, not just for everyone with the potential of opening up with more travel around Wales, but good news for those communities in those areas that are looking forward to the next stage in our path out of lockdown.
Wel, rwy'n credu bod llawer o wersi i'w dysgu, nid yn unig o'r hyn rydym yn gorfod ei wneud heddiw ac yn y dyddiau i ddod mewn perthynas â Chaergybi—nid Ynys Môn i gyd, ond o amgylch Caergybi, a'r un peth mewn rhannau o Ferthyr Tudful. Rydym wedi dysgu hefyd o'r peilot a gynhaliwyd gyda'r tri awdurdod lleol ar draws Cwm Taf Morgannwg gyda mwy o brofion cymunedol, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddwch wedi gweld yr adolygiad cadarnhaol iawn o'r rhaglen brofi cymunedol honno. Ac mewn gwirionedd, o fewn hynny, rwy'n credu ein bod wedi llwyddo i ymgysylltu'n fwy llwyddiannus â'r cyhoedd mewn perthynas â'r profion hynny ar gyfer cymunedau cyfan na'r cynlluniau peilot yn Lerpwl a Glasgow. Mae hynny'n newyddion da iawn. Llwyddwyd i dynnu sylw at y ffaith ein bod, oherwydd hynny, yn credu ein bod wedi nodi mwy o achosion ac wedi atal mwy o bobl rhag gorfod mynd i'r ysbyty, gan gynnwys atal nifer o farwolaethau yn ôl pob tebyg.
Mae hynny'n golygu, serch hynny, fod angen inni ddysgu sut y mae angen inni gefnogi awdurdodau lleol. Mae rhywfaint o hynny'n ymwneud â chyd-gymorth, mae rhywfaint ohono'n ymwneud â'r drafodaeth barhaus sydd gennym rhwng iechyd, llywodraeth leol a Llywodraeth Cymru ynglŷn â sut rydym yn eu cefnogi. A gallaf ddweud yn onest fy mod wedi gweld arweinwyr llywodraeth leol yn bod yn adeiladol ac yn onest ni waeth beth fo'u plaid, ac nid ydym bob amser wedi cytuno ar bob pwynt, ond rydym wedi dod o hyd i atebion synhwyrol yn fy marn i ar gyfer symud ymlaen, ac fel arfer, rydym yn dal i ddysgu wrth i ni fynd. Y newyddion da, serch hynny, yw ei bod yn ymddangos bod y cynnydd yng Nghaergybi ac mewn rhannau o Ferthyr Tudful yn gwastatáu gyda gostyngiad yn y gyfradd achosion ym Merthyr Tudful yn y ffigurau heddiw yn enwedig. Mae hynny'n newyddion da, nid yn unig i bawb gyda'r potensial o agor gyda mwy o deithio o amgylch Cymru, ond newyddion da i'r cymunedau yn yr ardaloedd sy'n edrych ymlaen at y cam nesaf yn ein llwybr allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud.
Mae'r wythnos yma'n wythnos o gofio, wrth gwrs, ac yn wythnos o fyfyrio flwyddyn union ar ôl dechrau'r cyfnod clo cyntaf. Mae Prif Weinidog Prydain wedi cyfaddef ei fod o wedi gwneud rhai penderfyniadau anghywir wrth ddelio efo'r pandemig, ond dwi ddim am ofyn y cwestiwn cyfatebol i'r Gweinidog. Beth dwi eisiau i'r Gweinidog ei wneud ydy edrych yn ôl ar yr 20 mlynedd a mwy o reolaeth Llafur o'r gwasanaeth iechyd a gofal yn arwain at y pandemig. Un wers rydyn ni wedi'i dysgu ydy bod gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru ddim yn ddigon gwydn i ddelio efo pandemig. Ydy'r Gweinidog yn derbyn na all yr un Llywodraeth arall fforddio gadael gwasanaethau hanfodol mewn cyflwr mor fregus eto?
This week is a week of commemoration and reflection exactly a year since that first lockdown. The UK Prime Minister's admitted that he made some wrong decisions in dealing with the pandemic, but I'm not going to ask that question of the Minister. What I want the Minister to do is to look back at the 20 years and more of Labour control of the NHS leading up to the pandemic. One lesson that we've learnt is that health and care services in Wales aren't resilient enough to deal with the pandemic. Does the Minister accept that no other Government can afford to leave crucial services in such a vulnerable position again?
At the start of the pandemic, health and care and wider public services were still recovering from a decade of austerity and you'll recall the very difficult choices that the Government and Members in supporting budgets have had to make in moving money around. The prioritisation of the health service I believe was the right thing, but that caused real difficulties for local government in every part of the country as it meant a reduction in local government income. Just because the cuts that they had to deal with weren't of the scale that colleagues in England had to face, they were still nevertheless incredibly difficult and left our public service partners in a less-than-even-handed manner than you'd want them to; the resilience they had was less than it should have been. The same with the police, of course, who have been key partners in the pandemic response with a significant reduction in the workforce and front-line policing as well.
So yes, we were more vulnerable than I would have wanted us to be at the start of this pandemic. Despite that, what we have seen from local public service leaders is a real willingness to work together and it's a real plus that it's drawn health and local government together with other partners because of the necessity, and I believe that's good ground for those people to work together.
We disagree on whether there should be a significant reorganisation of health and social care responsibilities. My view is that's the wrong thing to do—with an unfinished pandemic—to have a big reorganisation. But I do think that there are good grounds to not just praise the response of health and local government together, but to want to build on that in the sort of joint working that we have frankly found not as easy as we'd wanted to on the scale and the pace we want to see for the transformation that is still needed to make sure that health and social care are a genuinely sustainable system working with each other.
Ar ddechrau'r pandemig, roedd iechyd a gofal a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ehangach yn dal i wella ar ôl degawd o gyni ac fe fyddwch yn cofio'r dewisiadau anodd iawn y bu'n rhaid i'r Llywodraeth ac Aelodau eu gwneud wrth gefnogi cyllidebau ar gyfer symud arian o gwmpas. Credaf mai blaenoriaethu'r gwasanaeth iechyd oedd y peth iawn, ond achosodd hynny anawsterau gwirioneddol i lywodraeth leol ym mhob rhan o'r wlad gan ei fod yn golygu gostyngiad yn incwm llywodraeth leol. Er nad oedd y toriadau y bu'n rhaid iddynt ymdopi â hwy ar y raddfa y bu'n rhaid i gymheiriaid yn Lloegr ei hwynebu, roeddent yn dal i fod yn anhygoel o anodd serch hynny ac roeddent yn rhoi ein partneriaid yn y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus mewn sefyllfa lai teg nag y byddech yn ei ddymuno; roeddent yn llai cadarn nag y dylent fod. Yr un peth gyda'r heddlu, wrth gwrs, sydd wedi bod yn bartneriaid allweddol yn yr ymateb i'r pandemig gyda gostyngiad sylweddol yn y gweithlu a phlismona rheng flaen yn ogystal.
Felly, roeddem yn fwy agored i niwed nag y byddwn wedi dymuno i ni fod ar ddechrau'r pandemig hwn. Er gwaethaf hynny, yr hyn a welsom gan arweinwyr gwasanaethau cyhoeddus lleol yw parodrwydd gwirioneddol i gydweithio ac mae'n fantais wirioneddol fod hynny wedi tynnu iechyd a llywodraeth leol ynghyd â phartneriaid eraill oherwydd yr angen, a chredaf fod honno'n sail dda i'r bobl hynny gydweithio.
Rydym yn anghytuno ynglŷn ag a ddylid ad-drefnu cyfrifoldebau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn sylweddol. Yn fy marn i, dyna'r peth anghywir i'w wneud—gyda phandemig yn dal i fynd rhagddo—cael ad-drefnu mawr. Ond rwy'n credu bod sail dda nid yn unig i ganmol ymateb iechyd a llywodraeth leol gyda'i gilydd, ond i fod eisiau adeiladu ar hynny yn y math o gydweithio y gwelsom mewn gwirionedd nad oedd mor hawdd ag y dymunem ei weld ar y raddfa a'r cyflymder rydym am ei weld ar gyfer y trawsnewid sydd ei angen o hyd i sicrhau bod iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn system wirioneddol gynaliadwy sy'n gweithio gyda'n gilydd.
You have to remember that the health and care sector in Wales went into a decade of austerity off the back of decades of neglect by successive Labour and Conservative Governments in Cardiff and at Westminster. It's clear to me that health and care services in Wales were not prepared for this pandemic. Public health and the care sector in particular had been neglected. Pandemic planning, we know, was woefully short of where it should have been right across health and care. There was far too much dependence, I think, on the sheer dedication of staff who'd always be prepared to go the extra mile to care for patients, but were overworked and undersupported. That's why COVID recovery now can't be about bringing us back to where we were before. I don't want reorganisation, either; I want a new focus and it's why Plaid Cymru wants to lead transformation of health and care in Wales and after 20 years and more of the failure to bring about the transformation that health and care in Wales needed before COVID, will the Minister agree that there is no reason for people to believe that Labour can lead that transformation after COVID either?
Rhaid ichi gofio i'r sector iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru gychwyn ar ddegawd o gyni ar ôl degawdau o esgeulustod gan Lywodraethau Llafur a Cheidwadol olynol yng Nghaerdydd ac yn San Steffan. Mae'n amlwg i mi nad oedd gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru yn barod ar gyfer y pandemig hwn. Roedd iechyd y cyhoedd a'r sector gofal yn arbennig wedi'u hesgeuluso. Gwyddom fod cynllunio ar gyfer pandemig yn druenus o bell o ble y dylai fod wedi bod ar draws iechyd a gofal. Roedd llawer gormod o ddibyniaeth yn fy marn i ar ymroddiad llwyr staff a fyddai bob amser yn barod i fynd yr ail filltir i ofalu am gleifion, ond a oedd wedi'u gorweithio a heb eu cefnogi ddigon. Dyna pam na all adferiad COVID yn awr olygu mynd â ni'n ôl i'r sefyllfa roeddem ynddi o'r blaen. Nid wyf eisiau ad-drefnu chwaith; rwyf am weld ffocws newydd a dyna pam y mae Plaid Cymru am arwain y gwaith o drawsnewid iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru, ac ar ôl 20 mlynedd a mwy o fethiant i sicrhau'r trawsnewid roedd ei angen ar iechyd a gofal yng Nghymru cyn COVID, a wnaiff y Gweinidog gytuno nad oes rheswm i bobl gredu y gall Llafur arwain y trawsnewid hwnnw ar ôl COVID ychwaith?
I think it's a rather foolish attempt to try to rewrite history on what's happened with the health service and funding and public services. I remember as a young man growing up with 18 years of the Conservatives in Government in the UK. I remember the creation of devolution, I remember the significant injection of public funds into health and other public services that came about with the return of a Labour Government in 1997. This institution benefited from a very different approach to public expenditure and investing in public services because there was a Labour Government across the United Kingdom, and there's no point in trying to claim that wasn't the case—it's factual, and that's why we saw a significant investment in public services, just as it's factual that we've seen a decade of austerity with a Conservative Prime Minister and Chancellor. Those are just the facts.
When it comes to pandemic planning, our planning was geared up towards something more like a flu pandemic, which was in the top handful of risks to the United Kingdom. We then found something that didn't behave quite as the flu has done, so we've all had to learn—not just here, but right across Europe—and I think the attempt to try to have a uniquely critical view on pandemic planning here in Wales is somewhat misplaced, but there are views for the public to make their choices on within that. We have seen a tremendous response across public services and from the public themselves, and the private sector, who have supported our national health service. I think that the people do broadly trust and appreciate the leadership that this Government has provided for Wales through the pandemic, and, when it comes to who you trust to complete the unfinished task of seeing us through this pandemic, I'm confident the people of Wales will recognise the role Welsh Labour has had in doing that, and renew their faith and their trust in us to lead our country forward and to have real ambition for how we can rebuild a better Wales.
I've enjoyed our conversations across this particular forum. I don't know if you have a supplementary question later on, but we have not always agreed, and I look forward to the people of Wales making their own judgment on who should serve in this role and others after the election in early May.
Rwy'n credu ei bod yn ymgais braidd yn ffôl i geisio ailysgrifennu hanes yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd gyda'r gwasanaeth iechyd a chyllid a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Cofiaf dyfu fyny'n ddyn ifanc gyda 18 mlynedd o'r Ceidwadwyr mewn grym yn y DU. Cofiaf ddatganoli'n cael ei greu, cofiaf y chwistrelliad sylweddol o arian cyhoeddus i iechyd a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus eraill a ddigwyddodd gyda dyfodiad Llywodraeth Lafur yn 1997. Manteisiodd y sefydliad hwn ar ddull gwahanol iawn o ymdrin â gwariant cyhoeddus a buddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus oherwydd bod Llywodraeth Lafur ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig, ac nid oes diben ceisio honni nad oedd hynny'n wir—mae'n ffaith, a dyna pam y gwelsom fuddsoddiad sylweddol mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, yn union fel y mae'n ffaith ein bod wedi gweld degawd o gyni gan Brif Weinidog a Changhellor Ceidwadol. Ffeithiau yw'r rheini.
O ran cynllunio ar gyfer pandemig, roedd ein gwaith cynllunio wedi'i anelu at rywbeth tebycach i bandemig ffliw, a oedd yn y llond llaw uchaf o risgiau i'r Deyrnas Unedig. Yna, gwelsom rywbeth nad oedd yn ymddwyn yn union fel y mae ffliw wedi'i wneud, felly mae pob un ohonom wedi gorfod dysgu—nid yn unig yma, ond ar draws Ewrop—a chredaf fod yr ymgais i geisio cael safbwynt unigryw o feirniadol ar gynllunio ar gyfer pandemig yma yng Nghymru braidd yn gyfeiliornus, ond gall y cyhoedd benderfynu drostynt eu hunain beth yw eu safbwynt ar hynny. Rydym wedi gweld ymateb aruthrol ar draws y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a chan y cyhoedd eu hunain, a'r sector preifat, sydd wedi cefnogi ein gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol. Credaf fod y bobl yn ymddiried yn gyffredinol ac yn gwerthfawrogi'r arweiniad y mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi'i ddarparu i Gymru drwy'r pandemig, a phan ddaw'n fater o bwy rydych yn ymddiried ynddynt i gwblhau'r dasg anorffenedig o'n gweld drwy'r pandemig hwn, rwy'n hyderus y bydd pobl Cymru yn cydnabod y rhan y mae Llafur Cymru wedi'i chwarae yn hynny, ac yn adnewyddu eu ffydd a'u hymddiriedaeth ynom i arwain ein gwlad yn ei blaen ac i gael uchelgais gwirioneddol ar gyfer adeiladu Cymru'n ôl yn well.
Rwyf wedi mwynhau ein sgyrsiau ar draws y fforwm penodol hwn. Nid wyf yn gwybod a oes gennych gwestiwn atodol yn nes ymlaen, ond nid ydym bob amser wedi cytuno, ac edrychaf ymlaen at weld pobl Cymru yn ffurfio'u barn eu hunain ynglŷn â phwy ddylai wasanaethu yn y rôl hon ac eraill ar ôl yr etholiad ar ddechrau mis Mai.
3. Pa gamau pellach y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael ag anghydraddoldebau iechyd yng Nghymru? OQ56499
3. What further steps will the Welsh Government take to tackle health inequalities in Wales? OQ56499
It is a central ambition of this Government to do everything we can to address unacceptable inequalities in health outcomes between our most and least well-off communities. We will continue to take a whole-Government approach to tackling the root causes of health inequalities.
Un o uchelgeisiau canolog y Llywodraeth hon yw gwneud popeth yn ein gallu i fynd i'r afael ag anghydraddoldebau annerbyniol mewn canlyniadau iechyd rhwng ein cymunedau mwyaf a lleiaf cefnog. Byddwn yn parhau i ddefnyddio dull Llywodraeth gyfan o fynd i'r afael ag achosion sylfaenol anghydraddoldebau iechyd.
Minister, health inequalities in the UK and Wales are very, very concerning. Men in the most deprived communities live, on average, 10 years less than those in the least deprived, and, for women, the difference is almost eight years. And in terms of healthy years of life, the difference is almost 19 years, and that applies to both genders. So, with that sort of background, that's why the Royal College of Physicians in Wales got together around 30 organisations to look at this situation, and they were looking at research that showed that the social determinants of health or ill-health—housing, education and poverty—can be more important to health outcomes than healthcare itself or, indeed, lifestyle choices. So, in looking at this situation, they believe that there should be a more strongly cross-cutting approach from Welsh Government to involve all Ministers and all departments in changing what needs to be changed to address this totally unacceptable situation.
So, I heard what you said, Minister, in terms of a whole-Government approach, but, in terms of those suggestions and proposals from the royal college and those 30-odd organisations, will you carefully consider what they think is needed in deciding how we can make further inroads into these longstanding issues and problems?
Weinidog, mae anghydraddoldebau iechyd yn y DU a Chymru yn peri cryn bryder. Mae dynion yn y cymunedau mwyaf difreintiedig yn byw 10 mlynedd yn llai ar gyfartaledd na'r rheini yn y cymunedau lleiaf difreintiedig, ac i fenywod, mae'r gwahaniaeth bron yn wyth mlynedd. Ac o ran blynyddoedd iach bywyd, mae'r gwahaniaeth bron yn 19 mlynedd, ac mae hynny'n wir am y ddau ryw. Felly, gyda'r math hwnnw o gefndir, dyna pam y cyfarfu Coleg Brenhinol y Meddygon yng Nghymru ag oddeutu 30 o sefydliadau i edrych ar y sefyllfa hon, ac i ystyried ymchwil a ddangosai y gallai penderfynyddion cymdeithasol iechyd neu afiechyd—tai, addysg a thlodi—fod yn bwysicach i ganlyniadau iechyd na gofal iechyd ei hun, neu'n wir, dewisiadau ynghylch ffordd o fyw. Felly, wrth edrych ar y sefyllfa hon, credant y dylai Llywodraeth Gymru fabwysiadu dull mwy trawsbynciol a chynnwys pob Gweinidog a phob adran i newid yr hyn sydd angen ei newid er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r sefyllfa gwbl annerbyniol hon.
Felly, clywais yr hyn a ddywedoch chi, Weinidog, am ddull Llywodraeth gyfan, ond o ran yr awgrymiadau a’r cynigion hynny gan y coleg brenhinol a’r oddeutu 30 o sefydliadau hynny, a wnewch chi ystyried yn ofalus yr hyn y credant sydd ei angen wrth benderfynu sut y gallwn wneud rhagor o gynnydd ar y materion a'r problemau hirsefydlog hyn?
Yes, and I think the Royal College of Physicians report is a useful reminder of the need to have cross-Government action, because most healthcare inequalities don't come from healthcare activity, they come from those determinants outside. It's why, for example, the World Health Organization has recognised the direct healthcare impact of our improvements in housing quality. The reality that having a good-quality warm home makes a real difference to your health is something that has been recognised internationally, and praised for our approach here in Wales. I'm pleased to say you can see that continued leadership from Julie James as our housing Minister, improving housing quality stock and the environmental footprint as well. You see it in the work across education, the work we've done and the conversations yesterday with Kirsty Williams and the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee about that broader approach to children and young people's health, and their health literacy for mental and physical health. You'll see that in the work that Ken Skates has undertaken on the economic contract, making sure that mental and physical health are understood as key outcomes from a good working relationship, where people have good work, good terms and conditions. If you look at healthcare inequalities, they always match over economic inequalities as well. We've made some progress, progress that I think we can be proud of. We know that there's much more to do and a real opportunity to do so as we look to rebuild Wales after this pandemic, to finish the job with the pandemic and rebuild a better, fairer Wales.
Ie, credaf fod adroddiad Coleg Brenhinol y Meddygon yn ddefnyddiol i'n hatgoffa o'r angen i weithredu mewn modd trawslywodraethol, gan nad yw'r rhan fwyaf o anghydraddoldebau gofal iechyd yn deillio o weithgarwch gofal iechyd, maent yn deillio o'r penderfynyddion allanol hynny. Dyma pam, er enghraifft, fod Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd wedi cydnabod effaith uniongyrchol ein gwelliannau i ansawdd tai ar ofal iechyd. Mae'r ffaith bod cael cartref cynnes o ansawdd da yn gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol i'ch iechyd wedi cael ei gydnabod yn rhyngwladol, ac mae ein dull o weithredu yma yng Nghymru wedi cael ei ganmol. Rwy'n falch o ddweud y gallwch weld yr arweinyddiaeth barhaus honno gan Julie James fel ein Gweinidog tai, yn y ffordd y caiff ansawdd y stoc dai ei wella a'r ôl troed amgylcheddol hefyd. Gallwch weld hynny yn y gwaith ar draws addysg, y gwaith rydym wedi'i wneud a'r sgyrsiau ddoe gyda Kirsty Williams a Chadeirydd y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg am yr ymagwedd ehangach tuag at iechyd plant a phobl ifanc, a'u llythrennedd iechyd ar gyfer iechyd meddwl a chorfforol. Gallwch ei weld yn y gwaith y mae Ken Skates wedi'i wneud ar y contract economaidd, yn sicrhau y ceir dealltwriaeth fod iechyd meddwl a chorfforol yn ganlyniadau allweddol i berthynas waith dda, lle mae gan bobl waith da, telerau ac amodau da. Os edrychwch ar anghydraddoldebau gofal iechyd, maent bob amser yn cydredeg ag anghydraddoldebau economaidd yn ogystal. Rydym wedi gwneud rhywfaint o gynnydd, cynnydd y credaf y gallwn fod yn falch ohono. Gwyddom fod llawer mwy i'w wneud a chyfle gwirioneddol i wneud hynny wrth inni geisio ailadeiladu Cymru ar ôl y pandemig hwn, i orffen y gwaith gyda’r pandemig ac ailadeiladu Cymru well a thecach.
Thank you, Minister. Yes, it's very true that it has to be a cross-cutting, cross-Government approach to this to tackle this significant problem. The pandemic has thrown into sharp focus the issue of health inequalities in Wales, and exposed the consequences of longstanding failure to tackle the problem. Tackling the social causes of health inequalities, as you said, has never been more urgent, and the true scale of the implications of the pandemic for the health and well-being of people in Wales may not become clear for a number of years yet.
Tackling the inequalities in our BME communities specifically, how, Minister, are you looking into significantly improving healthcare provision for our BME communities, healthcare provision that respects cultural differences and recognises the many languages that are spoken amongst our communities, so that we really can create equality in provision?
Diolch, Weinidog. Ydy, mae'n wir iawn fod yn rhaid mabwysiadu dull trawsbynciol a thrawslywodraethol er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r broblem sylweddol hon. Mae'r pandemig wedi amlygu anghydraddoldebau iechyd yng Nghymru yn glir, ac wedi datgelu canlyniadau methiant hirsefydlog i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem. Ni fu erioed cymaint o angen mynd i’r afael ag achosion cymdeithasol anghydraddoldebau iechyd, fel y dywedoch chi, ac efallai na ddaw gwir raddfa goblygiadau’r pandemig hwn i iechyd a lles pobl Cymru yn glir am sawl blwyddyn eto.
O ran mynd i’r afael â’r anghydraddoldebau yn ein cymunedau pobl dduon a lleiafrifoedd ethnig yn benodol, Weinidog, sut rydych chi'n edrych ar wella darpariaeth gofal iechyd ar gyfer ein cymunedau pobl dduon a lleiafrifoedd ethnig yn sylweddol, darpariaeth gofal iechyd sy'n parchu gwahaniaethau diwylliannol ac sy'n cydnabod y nifer o ieithoedd sy'n cael eu siarad yn ein cymunedau fel y gallwn greu cydraddoldeb gwirioneddol yn y ddarpariaeth?
Well, on the specific issues around Black and Asian origin communities here in Wales, we've done quite a lot in recognising our need to improve our services, whether that's mental health or physical health. We've learnt even more and are doing even more work through the pandemic—for example, the work of Professor Emmanuel Ogbonna in understanding more about those inequalities, the work of Professor Keshav Singhal in undertaking the risk-assessment work, a first within the UK that's being rolled out to other parts of the private sector, but also in the vaccination roll-out as well. And it's perhaps appropriate to mention, given that John Griffiths asked the initial question, the work that John Griffiths and Jayne Bryant have done together with Newport City Council, with the health board, on encouraging more people to undertake not just their vaccinations, but the broader re-engagement of the health service and our broader care systems with different communities that aren't always as close to other parts of the country when it comes to accessing good quality healthcare. So, progress is being made not just on a single issue, but to take that forward more generally.
When it comes, though, to the challenges of healthcare inequalities, I would say to the Member, and any other Conservative who wants to try to claim they have no responsibility in this area, that every objective analysis shows that the Conservative policies of austerity and the attacks on benefits and support for working-age people, including in-work benefits, have had a serious impact on increasing poverty and inequality, especially on the reductions in the gains made over the first part of the last 20 years in reducing child poverty, which have all been lost thanks to choices made by her party. So, perhaps some self-reflection on the role of Conservative policies and the reality that we have had to fight back to undo the damage that her party has chosen to cause.
Wel, ar y mater penodol ynghylch cymunedau o darddiad du ac Asiaidd yma yng Nghymru, rydym wedi gwneud cryn dipyn i gydnabod ein hangen i wella ein gwasanaethau, boed ar gyfer iechyd meddwl neu'n iechyd corfforol. Rydym wedi dysgu mwy fyth ac yn gwneud mwyfwy o waith drwy’r pandemig—er enghraifft, gwaith yr Athro Emmanuel Ogbonna ar ddeall mwy am yr anghydraddoldebau hynny, gwaith yr Athro Keshav Singhal yn cyflawni gwaith asesu risg, yr enghraifft gyntaf yn y DU sy’n cael ei chyflwyno i rannau eraill o'r sector preifat, ond hefyd y broses o gyflwyno’r brechlyn hefyd. Ac o gofio mai John Griffiths a ofynnodd y cwestiwn cychwynnol, efallai ei bod yn briodol sôn am y gwaith y mae John Griffiths a Jayne Bryant wedi'i wneud gyda Chyngor Dinas Casnewydd, gyda'r bwrdd iechyd, ar annog mwy o bobl i gael eu brechiadau, a hefyd ar sicrhau bod y gwasanaeth iechyd a’n systemau gofal ehangach yn ailymgysylltu'n ehangach â gwahanol gymunedau nad ydynt bob amser mor agos at rannau eraill o'r wlad o ran cael mynediad at ofal iechyd o ansawdd da. Felly, mae cynnydd yn cael ei wneud nid yn unig ar un mater, ond i symud hynny yn ei flaen yn fwy cyffredinol.
Fodd bynnag, ar heriau anghydraddoldebau gofal iechyd, byddwn yn dweud wrth yr Aelod, ac unrhyw Geidwadwr arall sydd am geisio honni nad oes ganddynt gyfrifoldeb yn y maes hwn, fod pob dadansoddiad gwrthrychol yn dangos bod polisïau cyni'r Ceidwadwyr a’u hymosodiadau ar fudd-daliadau a chymorth i bobl o oedran gweithio, gan gynnwys budd-daliadau mewn gwaith, wedi cael effaith ddifrifol ar gynyddu tlodi ac anghydraddoldeb, yn enwedig ar leihau'r gwelliannau a wnaed dros ran gyntaf yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf mewn perthynas â threchu tlodi plant, gan fod pob un ohonynt wedi’u colli diolch i’r dewisiadau a wnaed gan ei phlaid. Felly, rhywfaint o hunanfyfyrdod, efallai, ar rôl polisïau Ceidwadol a'r realiti rydym wedi gorfod ymladd yn ei erbyn er mwyn dadwneud y difrod y mae ei phlaid wedi dewis ei achosi.
I wonder if the Minister agrees with me that siting really world-class healthcare facilities in our poorer communities can contribute to addressing health inequalities. And if he does agree with me in that regard, would he join me in congratulating Carmarthenshire County Council and all the other partners in the development of Pentre Awel in Llanelli, which will be sited right in the middle of some of the poorest wards in Wales? I'm sure he'll be aware that this will include a clinical care centre delivering multidisciplinary care, a clinical research centre and a well-being skills centre, focusing on the health and care training, focusing that training particularly on recruiting from within those communities. So, I hope that the Minister will join me in congratulating all of those involved, and wonder if he agrees with me that these kinds of projects can make a real difference in communities where they're needed most.
Tybed a yw'r Gweinidog yn cytuno y gall lleoli cyfleusterau gofal iechyd o'r radd flaenaf yn ein cymunedau tlotach gyfrannu at y gwaith o fynd i'r afael ag anghydraddoldebau iechyd. Ac os yw'n cytuno â mi ar hynny, a wnaiff ymuno â mi i longyfarch Cyngor Sir Caerfyrddin a'r holl bartneriaid eraill ar ddatblygiad Pentre Awel yn Llanelli, a fydd wedi'i leoli ynghanol rhai o'r wardiau tlotaf yng Nghymru? Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn ymwybodol y bydd yn cynnwys canolfan gofal clinigol a fydd yn darparu gofal amlddisgyblaethol, canolfan ymchwil clinigol a chanolfan sgiliau llesiant i ganolbwyntio ar hyfforddiant iechyd a gofal, a chanolbwyntio'r hyfforddiant hwnnw yn arbennig ar recriwtio o'r cymunedau hynny eu hunain. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y Gweinidog yn ymuno â mi i longyfarch pawb sy'n gysylltiedig â hynny, a tybed a yw'n cytuno y gall y mathau hyn o brosiectau wneud gwahaniaeth go iawn yn y cymunedau lle mae fwyaf o'u hangen.
I'm happy to say that I've discussed the matter with the constituency Member for Llanelli, my Government colleague, Lee Waters, and more broadly the challenge of investing in communities across the country. And it's a good example of how local health and care services can and should be drawn together to deliver better quality facilities, to invest within that community and to deliver better services, in exactly the same way as the recently-opened Mountain Ash facility that recently I saw with the council and the local Member for Cynon Valley—the lobbying and the effectiveness of that shows it isn't just health; it's health working with other partners to deliver better facilities. And again, it goes back to the significantly improved relationships between health and local government through the crisis, but before that as well, and there's a real opportunity to carry on investing in local healthcare and delivering much better facilities where they're most needed.
Rwy'n falch o ddweud fy mod wedi trafod y mater gyda'r Aelod etholaeth dros Lanelli, fy nghyd-Aelod yn y Llywodraeth, Lee Waters, ac yn fwy cyffredinol, yr her o fuddsoddi mewn cymunedau ledled y wlad. Ac mae'n enghraifft dda o sut y gellir a sut y dylid dwyn gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal lleol ynghyd i ddarparu cyfleusterau o ansawdd gwell, i fuddsoddi yn y gymuned honno ac i ddarparu gwell gwasanaethau, yn yr un ffordd yn union â'r cyfleuster a agorwyd yn ddiweddar yn Aberpennar a welais gyda’r cyngor a'r Aelod lleol dros Gwm Cynon—mae lobïo ac effeithiolrwydd hynny'n dangos nad yw'n ymwneud ag iechyd yn unig; mae’n ymwneud ag iechyd yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid eraill i ddarparu gwell cyfleusterau. Ac unwaith eto, mae'n mynd yn ôl at y berthynas rhwng iechyd a llywodraeth leol sydd wedi gwella'n sylweddol drwy gydol yr argyfwng, ond cyn hynny hefyd, ac mae cyfle go iawn yma i barhau i fuddsoddi mewn gofal iechyd lleol a darparu cyfleusterau llawer gwell lle mae fwyaf o'u hangen.
4. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wella mynediad at driniaethau canser yn dilyn pandemig COVID-19? OQ56492
4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve access to cancer treatments following the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56492
We published 'Health and Social Care in Wales COVID-19: Looking Forward' on Monday 22 March, and the Member's already referred to that document. That sets out the approach the NHS will take to recovering services such as cancer. We've also published a quality statement for cancer that sets out the scope for continued improvement to cancer services in the years ahead.
And this probably will be the last question I deal with from the Member, and I do want to say that we have certainly not always agreed, but I have always valued an honest and a straightforward approach, and our agreements have always been on a trusted basis, where we know where we disagree and any matters that have been shared in confidence have always been treated in that way, and I wish her well for the future.
Cyhoeddwyd 'Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol yng Nghymru - COVID-19: Edrych tua’r dyfodol' ar ddydd Llun 22 Mawrth, ac mae’r Aelod wedi cyfeirio at y ddogfen honno eisoes. Mae’n nodi'r dull y bydd y GIG yn ei ddefnyddio i adfer gwasanaethau fel rhai canser. Rydym hefyd wedi cyhoeddi datganiad ansawdd ar gyfer canser sy'n nodi'r cyfleoedd ar gyfer gwelliant parhaus i wasanaethau canser yn y blynyddoedd i ddod.
Ac mae'n debyg mai hwn fydd y cwestiwn olaf y byddaf yn ei ateb gan yr Aelod, a hoffwn ddweud nad ydym wedi cytuno bob amser, ond rwyf bob amser wedi gwerthfawrogi ymagwedd onest ac uniongyrchol, ac mae ein dadleuon bob amser wedi bod ar sail ymddiriedaeth, lle gwyddom lle rydym yn anghytuno ac mae unrhyw faterion sydd wedi'u rhannu'n gyfrinachol bob amser wedi cael eu trin yn y ffordd honno, a hoffwn ddymuno'n dda iddi ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Thank you very much, Minister. I do appreciate your words. That's very kind of you, and I would reciprocate by saying thank you for your transparency and honesty on some of the occasions that we've had to look at some of the very tough situations that are facing our health and social services.
Of course, one of the very tough situations facing us is the provision of cancer treatments to people through the pandemic. Now, Wales has been without a cancer delivery plan since the end of last year, and, on Monday of this week, the Wales Cancer Alliance, who were hugely unimpressed with either your quality statement or your COVID-19 forward work programme, starkly warned that cancer care in Wales is at risk without a new cancer strategy. The delivery plan that you had was 21 pages long and it's been replaced by a statement that's around three pages long. I've had a read of it; it's full of nice commentary and very much little else. To quote the cancer alliance,
'the quality statement lacks a clear roadmap for how cancer care can improve so that Wales can catch up with the best performing countries and, ultimately, save more lives.'
Most damningly, they go on to say that they do not believe
'this is a sufficiently detailed response to the current crisis in cancer care, nor does it point to a sufficiently bold ambition for cancer services in Wales.'
Minister, you talked about having a real ambition for Wales in your answer to Rhun ap Iorwerth, so can you please tell us a little bit more of what is that real ambition for cancer services, and how do you respond to this rather damning indictment of your Government's plans to treat cancer over the coming years, if you should be so fortunate as to form the next Government?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Weinidog. Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi eich geiriau. Rydych yn garedig iawn ac rwyf am ymateb drwy ddweud diolch am eich tryloywder a'ch gonestrwydd ar rai o'r achlysuron pan ydym wedi gorfod edrych ar rai o'r sefyllfaoedd anodd iawn sy'n wynebu ein gwasanaethau iechyd a chymdeithasol.
Wrth gwrs, un o'r sefyllfaoedd anodd iawn sy'n ein hwynebu yw'r ddarpariaeth o driniaethau canser i bobl drwy'r pandemig. Nawr, mae Cymru wedi bod heb gynllun cyflawni ar gyfer canser ers diwedd y llynedd, a ddydd Llun yr wythnos hon, rhybuddiodd Cynghrair Canser Cymru, nad oedd ganddynt fawr o feddwl o’ch datganiad ansawdd na'ch blaenraglen waith COVID-19, fod gofal canser yng Nghymru mewn perygl heb strategaeth ganser newydd. Roedd y cynllun cyflawni a oedd gennych yn 21 tudalen o hyd, ac yn ei le, cafwyd datganiad sydd oddeutu tair tudalen o hyd. Rwyf wedi ei ddarllen; mae'n llawn o sylwebaeth braf a fawr ddim arall. I ddyfynnu'r gynghrair canser,
nid oes map trywydd clir yn y datganiad ansawdd ar gyfer sut y gall gofal canser wella fel y gall Cymru ddal i fyny â'r gwledydd sy'n perfformio orau, ac yn y pen draw, achub mwy o fywydau.
Yn fwyaf damniol, ânt rhagddynt i ddweud nad ydynt yn credu
fod hwn yn ymateb digon manwl i'r argyfwng presennol ym maes gofal canser, ac nid yw'n nodi uchelgais digonol ar gyfer gwasanaethau canser yng Nghymru.
Weinidog, fe ddywedoch chi fod gennych uchelgais go iawn i Gymru yn eich ateb i Rhun ap Iorwerth, felly a allwch ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym am yr uchelgais go iawn hwnnw ar gyfer gwasanaethau canser, a sut rydych yn ymateb i'r sylwadau damniol braidd am gynlluniau eich Llywodraeth i drin canser dros y blynyddoedd i ddod, pe baech yn ddigon ffodus i ffurfio'r Llywodraeth nesaf?
Well, we have actually already started on the path of improving outcomes for people with cancer. If you look at not just the numbers but improving outcomes in Wales, we've kept pace with other parts of the UK, and, bearing in mind that Wales is an older, poorer part of the UK, you would expect to see a potential gap in that improvement in outcomes. That shows the progress we've made. You'll also be aware of the choice that I have made to have a more transparent approach to understanding where we are on delivering people the care they need with the new single cancer pathway, and I think that will lead to improvements. We've worked on that with both cancer clinicians and the Wales Cancer Alliance.
We signalled in 'A Healthier Wales' that quality statements would be the next stage in making sure that separate delivery plans are sat within the centre of accountability, planning and progress within our organisations. So, the quality statement sets out the outcomes and expected standards that we will see. It's not intended to be a delivery plan, an operational plan in itself. There will, though, be an implementation plan developed in the coming months, with the Wales Cancer Alliance and clinicians contributing and taking part in that. The NHS exec will then ensure that that is delivered in the central part of where health boards deliver as well. Part of our challenge was in having a separate plan, separate to the other planning and implementation processes within the health service. This will make sure that cancer services are in the centre of that, and clearer accountability. So, you can expect to see the implementation detail from health-board level plans, from Velindre plans, and also from national oversight as well. So, you'll see two parts in taking this forward to replace the previous delivery programme, and I believe that will reinforce the ambition we all have for high-quality cancer care, and I believe that will be a trusted way to deal with the improvement we all want to see in cancer services and outcomes.
Wel, rydym eisoes wedi dechrau ar y llwybr tuag at wella canlyniadau i bobl â chanser. Os edrychwch nid yn unig ar y niferoedd ond ar wella canlyniadau yng Nghymru, rydym wedi gwneud cystal â rhannau eraill o'r DU, ac o gofio bod Cymru yn rhan hŷn a thlotach o'r DU, byddech yn disgwyl gweld bwlch posibl yn y gwelliant i'r canlyniadau. Mae hynny'n dangos y cynnydd rydym wedi'i wneud. Fe fyddwch hefyd yn ymwybodol o'r dewis rwyf wedi'i wneud i fabwysiadu dull mwy tryloyw o ddeall ble rydym arni o ran darparu’r gofal sydd ei angen ar bobl gyda'r llwybr canser sengl newydd, a chredaf y bydd hwnnw'n arwain at welliannau. Rydym wedi gweithio ar hynny gyda chlinigwyr canser a Chynghrair Canser Cymru.
Gwnaethom nodi yn 'Cymru Iachach' mai datganiadau ansawdd fyddai'r cam nesaf i sicrhau bod cynlluniau cyflawni ar wahân yn ganolog i atebolrwydd, cynllunio a chynnydd yn ein sefydliadau. Felly, mae'r datganiad ansawdd yn nodi'r canlyniadau a'r safonau disgwyliedig y byddwn yn eu gweld. Ni fwriedir iddo fod yn gynllun cyflawni, yn gynllun gweithredol ynddo'i hun. Fodd bynnag, bydd cynllun gweithredu yn cael ei ddatblygu yn y misoedd nesaf, gyda Chynghrair Canser Cymru a chlinigwyr yn cyfrannu ac yn cymryd rhan yn y gwaith hwnnw. Yna, bydd gweithrediaeth y GIG yn sicrhau ei fod yn cael ei gyflawni yn y rhan ganolog o ble mae byrddau iechyd yn cyflawni hefyd. Rhan o'n her oedd cael cynllun ar wahân, ar wahân i'r prosesau cynllunio a gweithredu eraill yn y gwasanaeth iechyd. Bydd hyn yn sicrhau bod gwasanaethau canser yn ganolog i hynny, ac atebolrwydd cliriach. Felly, gallwch ddisgwyl gweld manylion gweithredu cynlluniau lefel byrddau iechyd, cynlluniau Felindre, a’r trosolwg cenedlaethol hefyd. Felly, fe welwch ddwy ran wrth i hyn gael ei gyflwyno i gymryd lle’r rhaglen gyflenwi flaenorol, a chredaf y bydd hynny'n atgyfnerthu'r uchelgais sydd gan bob un ohonom ar gyfer gofal canser o ansawdd uchel, a chredaf y bydd honno'n ffordd ddibynadwy o ymdrin â'r gwelliant y mae pob un ohonom yn dymuno’i weld mewn gwasanaethau a chanlyniadau canser.
Minister, I heard what you just said, but I've got a constituent who has contacted me who has suffered with breast cancer, has now been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer—she's not yet 30—and has indicated her disappointment at the quality statement, because she indicates that there is no real data on people living with secondary breast cancer in Wales and there's only one specialist nurse on secondary breast cancer in Wales. Now, I've read the quality statement, and as you quite rightly pointed out, there is a reference to a rolling implementation plan to be developed—a three-year rolling plan. But, I suppose people want to know exactly what that means. So, when can we get exactly the detail of that plan so that people understand what delivery will be required by the health boards? And also, in the quality statement, it talks about the workforce, but the report from the cross-party group on cancer highlighted the concerns about the workforce; when can we have a detailed plan on how you're also going to implement and increase the workforce to ensure that these delivery services are there and working for the people?
Weinidog, clywais yr hyn rydych newydd ei ddweud, ond mae etholwr sydd wedi dioddef o ganser y fron wedi cysylltu â mi i ddweud ei bod bellach wedi cael diagnosis o ganser eilaidd y fron—nid yw’n 30 oed eto—a’i bod wedi’i siomi gyda’r datganiad ansawdd, am ei bod yn nodi nad oes unrhyw ddata go iawn ar bobl sy'n byw gyda chanser eilaidd y fron yng Nghymru ac mai dim ond un nyrs arbenigol ar ganser eilaidd y fron sydd i'w gael yng Nghymru. Nawr, rwyf wedi darllen y datganiad ansawdd, ac fel y nodoch chi'n gwbl gywir, ceir cyfeiriad ynddo at gynllun gweithredu treigl sydd i'w ddatblygu—cynllun treigl tair blynedd. Ond mae'n debyg fod pobl yn dymuno gwybod beth yn union y mae hynny'n ei olygu. Felly, pryd y gallwn gael union fanylion y cynllun hwnnw fel bod pobl yn deall yr hyn y bydd angen i’r byrddau iechyd ei gyflawni? A hefyd, yn y datganiad ansawdd, mae'n sôn am y gweithlu, ond amlygwyd y pryderon am y gweithlu yn yr adroddiad gan y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar ganser; pryd y gallwn gael cynllun manwl ar y ffordd rydych hefyd yn mynd i weithredu a chynyddu'r gweithlu er mwyn sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau hyn ar gael ac yn gweithio i'r bobl?
Well, I think you're asking a number of different questions there, so I'll try to deal with where we are with the implementation plan first and its relationship to the cancer quality statement. The implementation plans will have to set out how they'll meet the outcomes and standards that we have set out in the quality statement, and that's the point. So, every health board will have to set out how they're meeting those expectations and the NHS exec will also have a role as, if you like, the central guiding hand that the parliamentary review called for, and we set out our response in 'A Healthier Wales', the long-term plan for health and care. So, that's the path that we're on and you will then see that framework and it will be open, because health boards will need to publish what they're going to do.
We'll then also have greater transparency and data from the single cancer pathway and the figures that we'll be providing on each stage. Cancer is a multifaceted challenge and it cuts across a range of other areas of treatment. So, when we talk about the workforce, it's not just the cancer workforce, because many of the surgeons we're talking about also undertake other surgery and the diagnostic workforce we're talking about undertake other diagnostics as well. For example, the centrally directed improvement programme on endoscopy, that will definitely benefit cancer services, but a range of other services too. So, I think sometimes it's difficult just to say that there is only a cancer workforce. We, of course, need to think about areas where we want to see continued improvement that are more specifically cancer, but it also affects the wider service as well.
I'm confident that, when you and I stand on a manifesto to seek re-election to this place, there'll be plans within there about reinvesting in the workforce and having more of our staff—taking account of the record-breaking levels of NHS staff we have already—that I believe will set out a pathway to continue the improvement in cancer services that we've seen over this last term, and to address the real and significant backlog that has built up in cancer services and the rest of our NHS, as a necessity in our response to the pandemic in this last year and more.
Wel, credaf eich bod yn gofyn nifer o wahanol gwestiynau yno, felly rwyf am geisio ymdrin â lle rydym arni gyda'r cynllun gweithredu yn gyntaf a'i berthynas â'r datganiad ansawdd ar ganser. Bydd yn rhaid i'r cynlluniau gweithredu nodi sut y byddant yn bodloni'r canlyniadau a'r safonau rydym wedi'u nodi yn y datganiad ansawdd, a dyna'r pwynt. Felly, bydd yn rhaid i bob bwrdd iechyd nodi sut y maent yn bodloni'r disgwyliadau hynny a bydd gan weithrediaeth y GIG rôl hefyd fel yr arweiniad canolog, os mynnwch, y galwodd yr adolygiad seneddol amdano, a gwnaethom nodi ein hymateb yn 'Cymru Iachach', y cynllun hirdymor ar gyfer iechyd a gofal. Felly, dyna'r llwybr rydym arno a byddwch yn gweld y fframwaith hwnnw wedyn ac fe fydd yn agored, gan y bydd angen i fyrddau iechyd gyhoeddi'r hyn y maent yn mynd i'w wneud.
Bydd gennym hefyd fwy o dryloywder a data o'r llwybr canser sengl wedyn a'r ffigurau y byddwn yn eu darparu ar bob cam. Mae canser yn her amlweddog ac mae'n croesi ystod o feysydd triniaeth eraill. Felly, pan ydym yn sôn am y gweithlu, nid y gweithlu canser yn unig mohono, gan fod llawer o'r llawfeddygon rydym yn sôn amdanynt hefyd yn cyflawni llawdriniaethau eraill, ac mae'r gweithlu diagnostig rydym yn sôn amdano yn gwneud gwaith diagnostig arall hefyd. Er enghraifft, y rhaglen wella ar endosgopi a gyfarwyddir yn ganolog, a fydd yn sicr o fudd i wasanaethau canser, ond i ystod o wasanaethau eraill hefyd. Felly, credaf weithiau ei bod yn anodd dweud mai dim ond gweithlu canser sydd i’w gael. Mae angen inni feddwl, wrth gwrs, am feysydd lle rydym am weld gwelliant parhaus sy’n ymwneud yn fwy penodol â chanser, ond mae hefyd yn effeithio ar y gwasanaeth ehangach hefyd.
Pan fyddwch chi a minnau'n sefyll ar faniffesto i geisio cael ein hailethol i'r lle hwn, rwy'n hyderus y bydd yn cynnwys cynlluniau i ailfuddsoddi yn y gweithlu a chael mwy o'n staff—gan gofio’r lefelau mwyaf erioed o staff y GIG sydd gennym eisoes—y credaf y byddant yn nodi llwybr i barhau â'r gwelliant mewn gwasanaethau canser a welsom dros y tymor diwethaf hwn, ac i fynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniad gwirioneddol a sylweddol sydd wedi datblygu mewn gwasanaethau canser a gweddill ein GIG o anghenraid yn ein hymateb i'r pandemig dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf a mwy.
5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am wella gwasanaethau iechyd i bobl yn y Rhondda? OQ56505
5. Will the Minister make a statement on improving health services for people in the Rhondda? OQ56505
Thank you. Cwm Taf Morgannwg continues to respond with agility and innovation to the demand and pressure of the pandemic to maintain and improve health services. The health board is planning for the continued provision of essential and key services alongside caring for patients affected by COVID-19. And the Member will be aware of the Rhondda cluster of GPs and the way that they have managed to reorder the way they deliver treatments to ensure that they take account of the needs of the pandemic.
Diolch. Mae Cwm Taf Morgannwg yn parhau i ymateb gydag ystwythder ac arloesedd i’r galw ac i’r pwysau yn sgil y pandemig i gynnal a gwella gwasanaethau iechyd. Mae'r bwrdd iechyd yn cynllunio ar gyfer darparu gwasanaethau hanfodol ac allweddol yn barhaus ochr yn ochr â’r gwaith o ofalu am gleifion yr effeithiwyd arnynt gan COVID-19. A bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol o glwstwr Rhondda o feddygon teulu a'r ffordd y maent wedi llwyddo i aildrefnu'r ffordd y maent yn darparu triniaethau er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn ystyried anghenion y pandemig.
A year on from lockdown and a lot has changed. The beginning of 2020 saw many of us in the Rhondda and beyond fighting for consultant-led A&E services to be retained at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. Your Labour Government centralisation plans are now, thankfully, off the table, and hopefully, this time, it's for good.
The past year has shown how vital hospital capacity is and how important local health services are and we need to learn those lessons. In Plaid Cymru, we want to go further and establish a cancer diagnosis centre in the Rhondda, so will you support that? And, have you now come round to supporting consultant-led emergency medicine in hospitals like the Royal Glamorgan being retained indefinitely? And if you have, will you commit now that, if you are in Government following the election in May, you will rule out bringing back these A&E closure plans full stop, indefinitely, they will not be on the table in future as far as you're concerned?
Flwyddyn wedi’r cyfyngiadau symud mae llawer wedi newid. Ar ddechrau 2020, roedd llawer ohonom yn y Rhondda a thu hwnt yn ymladd i gadw gwasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg. Mae cynlluniau canoli eich Llywodraeth Lafur, diolch byth, wedi’u rhoi o'r neilltu, ac am byth y tro hwn, gobeithio.
Mae'r flwyddyn ddiwethaf wedi dangos pa mor hanfodol yw capasiti ysbytai a pha mor bwysig yw gwasanaethau iechyd lleol, ac mae angen inni ddysgu'r gwersi hynny. Ym Mhlaid Cymru, rydym am fynd gam ymhellach a sefydlu canolfan ddiagnosis canser yn y Rhondda, felly a wnewch chi gefnogi hynny? Ac a ydych bellach wedi gweld gwerth cynnal meddygaeth frys dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol mewn ysbytai fel Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg am gyfnod amhenodol? Ac os ydych, a wnewch chi ymrwymo yn awr, os byddwch yn y Llywodraeth wedi'r etholiad ym mis Mai, y byddwch yn diystyru dod â'r cynlluniau hyn i gau adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yn eu holau, am gyfnod amhenodol, ac na fyddant yn opsiwn yn y dyfodol o’ch rhan chi?
The Government never had a plan to close A&E consultant-led services; the health board had to deal with the reality of not being able to recruit staff. It is a matter of success for us all that the health board has successfully recruited sufficient doctors, including consultants, to make sure that that service recovers. And, actually, I should say that seeing other Members from across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg area on this call, it's a reality that that service would have collapsed without the support of consultants from other parts of the health board. When I visited the Royal Glamorgan, I met consultants from the Princess of Wales who had come to that hospital to make sure that the service continued, that it did not collapse. That maintained a service and gave the health board room to go out and recruit again, which they did successfully. There is no need, therefore, to revisit this issue because they have sufficient staff. The challenge is to keep on recruiting and retaining staff in that area, to make sure that services aren't just local but that they are high quality, and the future of health and care services here in Wales will mean we constantly need to refresh our workforce and to look again at the best way to deliver the best quality care. Most of that care will be local. Ultra-specialist care will need to go into specialist centres; I would certainly travel for the best care for me and my family. But I don't believe any of us should be under any illusion that there is a threat to consultant-led A&E services. As we speak now, or going into this election, I hope that people in the Rhondda and beyond will recognise and accept that assurance of the future of consultant-led A&E services.
Ni fu cynllun gan y Llywodraeth erioed i gau gwasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol; roedd yn rhaid i'r bwrdd iechyd ymdrin â realiti methu recriwtio staff. Mae'n fater o lwyddiant i bob un ohonom fod y bwrdd iechyd wedi llwyddo i recriwtio digon o feddygon, gan gynnwys meddygon ymgynghorol, i sicrhau adferiad y gwasanaeth hwnnw. Ac mewn gwirionedd, wrth weld Aelodau eraill o bob rhan o ardal Cwm Taf Morgannwg ar yr alwad hon, dylwn ddweud ei bod yn ffaith y byddai'r gwasanaeth hwnnw wedi methu heb gymorth meddygon ymgynghorol o rannau eraill o'r bwrdd iechyd. Pan ymwelais ag Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg, cyfarfûm â meddygon ymgynghorol o Ysbyty Tywysoges Cymru a oedd wedi dod i'r ysbyty hwnnw i sicrhau bod y gwasanaeth yn parhau, ac nad oedd yn methu. Gwnaeth hynny gynnal gwasanaeth a rhoi lle i'r bwrdd iechyd fynd allan i recriwtio unwaith eto, a gwnaethant hynny'n llwyddiannus. Nid oes angen ailedrych ar y mater hwn felly gan fod ganddynt ddigon o staff. Yr her yw parhau i recriwtio a chadw staff yn yr ardal, er mwyn sicrhau nid yn unig fod gwasanaethau'n lleol ond eu bod o ansawdd uchel, a bydd dyfodol gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal yma yng Nghymru yn golygu y bydd angen inni adnewyddu ein gweithlu'n barhaus ac edrych eto ar y ffordd orau o ddarparu gofal o'r ansawdd gorau. Bydd y rhan fwyaf o'r gofal hwnnw'n lleol. Bydd angen i ofal arbenigol iawn fynd i ganolfannau arbenigol; yn sicr, byddwn i'n barod i deithio am y gofal gorau i mi a fy nheulu. Ond ni chredaf y dylai unrhyw un ohonom fod o dan unrhyw gamargraff fod bygythiad i wasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol. Wrth inni siarad yn awr, neu wrth nesu at yr etholiad, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd pobl yn y Rhondda a thu hwnt yn cydnabod ac yn derbyn y sicrwydd hwnnw ynghylch dyfodol gwasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol.
6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddyfodol y ddarpariaeth o ofal sylfaenol yn ardal Llanharan? OQ56476
6. Will the Minister make a statement on the future of primary care provision in the Llanharan area? OQ56476
Thank you. There is a need for a further development of primary care provision within Llanharan. There are significant housing developments planned in the area. Although there is sufficient primary care capacity at present, as those housing developments progress, more capacity will inevitably be needed, and I recognise the Member's long-standing interest in this issue.
Diolch. Mae angen datblygu darpariaeth gofal sylfaenol ymhellach yn Llanharan. Mae datblygiadau tai sylweddol wedi'u cynllunio yn yr ardal. Er bod digon o gapasiti gofal sylfaenol ar hyn o bryd, wrth i'r datblygiadau tai hynny fynd rhagddynt, mae'n anochel y bydd angen mwy o gapasiti, ac rwy'n cydnabod diddordeb hirsefydlog yr Aelod yn y mater hwn.
Minister, thank you for that answer, and I genuinely want to put on record my thanks to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and to Rhondda Cynon Taf council and a couple of the local councillors—Roger Turner and Geraint Hopkins—who have worked with me in partnership through a series of meetings, over the last not just 12 months but two, three, four, five years, in order to scope out the potential development for a new health and well-being centre in the Llanharan area. As you say, the population has grown, it is still growing, and even though the provision there is well served by local GPs from Talbot Green, Pontyclun, Pencoed and so on, there will be a need for more. So, I am delighted that we're at the stage now where we are being told that there is a real willingness to look at the provision of a centre.
Minister, could I ask you: if you are returned, and if you are still in that same role going forward after the election, would you work with me, work with the health board, with RCT and with local councillors to actually make real that concept of the type of thing we've seen in places like Gilfach Goch and others, where it's not just GPs, but it's occupational therapists, chiropractors, district nurses and midwives, working out of a centre locally for the good and the well-being of all the people in Llanharan and the area?
Weinidog, diolch am eich ateb, ac rwyf am gofnodi fy niolch diffuant i Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg ac i gyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf a dau o'r cynghorwyr lleol—Roger Turner a Geraint Hopkins—sydd wedi gweithio mewn partneriaeth gyda mi drwy gyfres o gyfarfodydd, nid yn unig dros y 12 mis diwethaf ond ers dwy, dair, pedair, pum mlynedd, ar gwmpasu datblygiad posibl canolfan iechyd a lles newydd yn ardal Llanharan. Fel y dywedwch, mae'r boblogaeth wedi tyfu, mae'n dal i dyfu, ac er bod y ddarpariaeth yno'n cael ei gwasanaethu'n dda gan feddygon teulu lleol o Donysguboriau, Pont-y-clun, Pencoed ac ati, bydd angen mwy. Felly, rwy'n falch iawn ein bod ar y cam yn awr lle dywedir wrthym fod parodrwydd gwirioneddol i ystyried darparu canolfan.
Weinidog, a gaf fi ofyn i chi: os byddwch yn cael eich ailethol, ac os byddwch yn dal yn yr un rôl ar ôl yr etholiad, a wnewch chi weithio gyda mi, gweithio gyda'r bwrdd iechyd, gyda RhCT a chyda chynghorwyr lleol i wireddu’r cysyniad hwnnw o'r math o beth a welsom mewn lleoedd fel y Gilfach Goch a lleoedd eraill, lle mae nid yn unig meddygon teulu, ond therapyddion galwedigaethol, ceiropractyddion, nyrsys ardal a bydwragedd yn gweithio o ganolfan yn lleol er budd ac er lles holl bobl Llanharan a'r cyffiniau?
Yes, I'd be very happy to do that, and as you know, I've met with yourself and Councillor Geraint Hopkins, and others, to discuss the challenges in the local area previously. I think you're right to set out a multidisciplinary future—general practitioners working with other healthcare professionals, nurses, other therapists, in delivering a wider suite of services. I think it is important to again draw on the partnership that the health board will need with the council, as well, in understanding what those services are. It may be health and services outside health that make a Llanharan centre much more attractive to the local population and actually delivering services that people need, exactly in the same way the example in Cynon valley, in Aberdare, exemplifies that. I think there's more of that in the future, and you can expect to see more of that, I hope, in the manifesto that I expect us both to stand on. And I look forward to seeing what the voters say, and then, whoever the new First Minister is, and whether I return here or not, depending, of course, on who is in the First Minister's office.
Gwnaf, rwy’n fwy na pharod i wneud hynny, ac fel y gwyddoch, rwyf eisoes wedi cyfarfod â chi a'r Cynghorydd Geraint Hopkins, ac eraill, i drafod yr heriau yn yr ardal leol. Credaf eich bod yn iawn i nodi dyfodol amlddisgyblaethol—meddygon teulu’n gweithio gyda gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol eraill, nyrsys, therapyddion eraill, i ddarparu cyfres ehangach o wasanaethau. Unwaith eto, credaf hefyd ei bod yn bwysig defnyddio’r bartneriaeth y bydd y bwrdd iechyd ei hangen gyda'r cyngor, er mwyn deall beth yw'r gwasanaethau hynny. Efallai mai iechyd a gwasanaethau y tu allan i iechyd fydd yn gwneud canolfan yn Llanharan yn llawer mwy deniadol i'r boblogaeth leol ac yn darparu’r gwasanaethau sydd eu hangen ar bobl, yn union fel y mae'r enghraifft yng nghwm Cynon, yn Aberdâr, yn ei ddangos. Credaf y bydd mwy o hynny’n digwydd yn y dyfodol, a gallwch ddisgwyl gweld mwy o hynny, gobeithio, yn y maniffesto rwy'n disgwyl i'r ddau ohonom sefyll arno. Ac edrychaf ymlaen at weld beth y mae'r pleidleiswyr yn ei ddweud, ac yna, pwy bynnag yw'r Prif Weinidog newydd, ac a fyddaf yn dychwelyd yma ai peidio, yn dibynnu, wrth gwrs, ar bwy yw'r Prif Weinidog.
7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gyfraddau heintio COVID-19 yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ56500
7. Will the Minister make a statement on COVID-19 infection rates in South Wales East? OQ56500
Yes. There has been a gradual decrease across South Wales East in both infection and test-positivity rates. Continued support for the restrictions in place is essential if we are to maintain this broad downward trend.
Gwnaf. Mae gostyngiad graddol wedi bod ar draws Dwyrain De Cymru mewn cyfraddau heintio a chyfraddau profion positif. Mae cefnogaeth barhaus i’r cyfyngiadau sydd ar waith yn hanfodol os ydym am sicrhau bod y duedd gyffredinol hon ar i lawr yn parhau.
Thank you, Minister. Merthyr has had a startlingly high incidence rate over the past few weeks, though I am glad to see the numbers levelling out. I know the health board has identified that some likely reasons for why we saw that spike would have been some extended households mixing and people not following social distancing rules. One of the strengths of our Valleys communities is our closeness, but during the pandemic we've actually suffered because of those close ties.
Minister, there will be a minority of people who have been taken in by misinformation on the virus, and I'd ask you, firstly, how you are trying to counter that misinformation spreading on Facebook, working with the health board. There will also be many families who just find it very difficult to survive on the self-isolation payment, as it currently is, who rely on grandparents for childcare, people who are afraid that they'll lose their jobs if they don't turn up for work. So, could I ask you, finally, what extra support you are considering giving to communities like Merthyr where a minority of people seem to be really struggling?
Diolch, Weinidog. Mae’r gyfradd achosion wedi bod yn syfrdanol o uchel ym Merthyr Tudful dros yr wythnosau diwethaf, er fy mod yn falch o weld y niferoedd yn gwastatáu. Gwn fod y bwrdd iechyd wedi nodi mai rhai rhesymau tebygol pam ein bod wedi gweld y cynnydd hwnnw fyddai am fod rhai aelwydydd estynedig wedi bod yn cymysgu a phobl heb fod yn dilyn rheolau cadw pellter cymdeithasol. Un o gryfderau ein cymunedau yn y Cymoedd yw ein hagosrwydd, ond yn ystod y pandemig, rydym wedi dioddef oherwydd y cysylltiadau agos hynny.
Weinidog, bydd lleiafrif o bobl wedi credu camwybodaeth am y feirws, a byddwn yn gofyn i chi, yn gyntaf, sut rydych yn ceisio atal y wybodaeth anghywir honno rhag lledaenu ar Facebook, gan weithio gyda'r bwrdd iechyd. Bydd llawer o deuluoedd hefyd yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn goroesi ar y taliad hunanynysu fel y mae ar hyn o bryd, ac yn dibynnu ar neiniau a theidiau i ofalu am eu plant, pobl sy'n ofni y byddant yn colli eu swyddi os nad ydynt yn mynd i’w gwaith. Felly, a gaf fi ofyn i chi, yn olaf, pa gymorth ychwanegol rydych yn ystyried ei roi i gymunedau fel Merthyr Tudful, lle'r ymddengys bod lleiafrif o bobl yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn?
You'll be pleased to know that I've discussed all these issues with the constituency Member Dawn Bowden and the concerns about how the community is supported to make the right choice, but then actually how you try to persuade people to be honest if they have acquired COVID and they recognise themselves they've been acting outside the rules. That's part of the key role that our test, trace, protect service has in both signposting people to go and get those isolation payments—lots of people aren't applying for them when they could do—to make sure they get all the support that is there, both financially, but also the wider support to make sure that people can successfully self-isolate, and to recognise that if a whole community supports the restrictions and acts in a way that's within them, we're much more likely to continue to suppress coronavirus rates and to find a sustainable way out of the current position. It's good news that rates have fallen in Merthyr in today's figures—a pretty significant fall; we need to see that continuing for the future. And, actually, we are working alongside the council and their officers, as well as local elected representatives, as well as the health board. So, the expansion and availability of community testing is part of that. It's about encouraging people to come forward and for them to have the confidence that, if they do test positive, they will be supported to undertake their isolation with financial and other means. There'll be more of this that we need to do, because, as we progress out of lockdown with more easings, we can expect there to be localised bubblings up of transmission. This is a good test for us about how successful we could be in supporting people to help all of us to finally see an end to the pandemic.
Fe fyddwch yn falch o glywed fy mod wedi trafod yr holl faterion hyn gyda'r Aelod etholaeth Dawn Bowden a'r pryderon ynghylch sut y mae'r gymuned yn cael ei chefnogi i wneud y dewis cywir, a sut rydych yn ceisio perswadio pobl i fod yn onest os ydynt wedi dal COVID ac yn cydnabod eu hunain eu bod wedi bod wedi mynd yn groes i'r rheolau. Dyna ran o'r rôl allweddol sydd gan ein gwasanaeth profi, olrhain, diogelu wrth gyfeirio pobl i fynd i gael y taliadau ynysu—mae llawer o bobl nad ydynt yn cyflwyno cais amdanynt pan allent wneud hynny—i sicrhau eu bod yn cael yr holl gymorth sydd ar gael, yn ariannol, ond hefyd y cymorth ehangach i sicrhau bod pobl yn gallu hunanynysu’n llwyddiannus, ac i gydnabod os yw cymuned gyfan yn cefnogi'r cyfyngiadau ac yn gweithredu yn unol â hwy, ein bod yn llawer mwy tebygol o barhau i reoli cyfraddau coronafeirws a dod o hyd i ffordd gynaliadwy allan o'r sefyllfa bresennol. Mae'n newyddion da fod y cyfraddau wedi gostwng ym Merthyr Tudful yn y ffigurau heddiw—cwymp eithaf sylweddol; mae angen inni weld hynny'n parhau yn y dyfodol. Ac mewn gwirionedd, rydym yn gweithio ochr yn ochr â'r cyngor a'u swyddogion, yn ogystal â chynrychiolwyr etholedig lleol, a'r bwrdd iechyd. Felly, mae ehangu profion cymunedol a’u hargaeledd yn rhan o hynny. Mae'n ymwneud ag annog pobl i roi gwybod ac iddynt gael hyder, os byddant yn profi'n bositif, y cânt eu cefnogi i ynysu drwy ddulliau ariannol a dulliau eraill. Bydd angen inni wneud mwy o hyn, oherwydd wrth inni ddod allan o’r cyfyngiadau symud gyda mwy o lacio, gallwn ddisgwyl gweld cynnydd yn y trosglwyddiad ar lefel leol. Mae hwn yn brawf da i ni i weld pa mor llwyddiannus y gallem fod wrth gefnogi pobl er mwyn helpu pob un ohonom i weld diwedd ar y pandemig.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Paul Davies.
And finally, question 8, Paul Davies.
8. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella gwasanaethau iechyd i bobl sir Benfro? OQ56478
8. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve health services for the people of Pembrokeshire? OQ56478
We're working together with the health board, and Hywel Dda University Health Board is planning for the continued provision of essential and key services, alongside caring for patients affected by COVID-19, as well, of course, as working towards the delivery of wider, more routine services, where and when it is safe to do so.
Rydym yn cydweithio gyda'r bwrdd iechyd, ac mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda yn cynllunio ar gyfer parhau i ddarparu gwasanaethau hanfodol ac allweddol, ochr yn ochr â gofalu am gleifion yr effeithiwyd arnynt gan COVID-19, yn ogystal â gweithio tuag at ddarparu gwasanaethau ehangach a mwy rheolaidd wrth gwrs, lle a phan fo'n ddiogel i wneud hynny.
Thank you for that response, Minister. Now, unfortunately, urgent cancer referrals dropped dramatically between April and December 2020, and Cancer Research UK has made it clear that when these patients do enter the system, it will cause significant capacity problems in diagnostics. Indeed, we know that the percentage of patients starting their first definitive treatment within 62 days of first being suspected of cancer is 65.9 per cent in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area. Now, I listened very carefully to the responses you gave to my colleague Angela Burns earlier, but given Cancer Research UK's warnings, what is the Welsh Government doing to specifically plan for a diagnostic workforce that can cope with any increased demand in the future? I heard you saying that the workforce needs the right support, but what are you doing specifically to support the workforce, so that steps can then be taken to increase the number of people starting their treatment within 62 days, and that people in my constituency can get the urgent treatment that they need?
Diolch am eich ymateb, Weinidog. Nawr, yn anffodus, gostyngodd nifer yr atgyfeiriadau canser brys yn ddramatig rhwng mis Ebrill a mis Rhagfyr 2020, ac mae Cancer Research UK wedi dweud yn glir, pan fydd y cleifion hyn yn dod i mewn i'r system, y bydd yn achosi problemau capasiti sylweddol ym maes diagnosteg. Yn wir, gwyddom mai canran y cleifion sy'n dechrau eu triniaeth ddiffiniol gyntaf o fewn 62 diwrnod lle ceir amheuaeth o ganser yw 65.9 y cant yn ardal Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda. Nawr, gwrandewais yn ofalus iawn ar yr ymatebion a roesoch i fy nghyd-Aelod Angela Burns yn gynharach, ond o ystyried rhybuddion Cancer Research UK, beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gynllunio'n benodol ar gyfer gweithlu diagnostig a all ymdopi ag unrhyw gynnydd yn y galw yn y dyfodol? Fe'ch clywais yn dweud bod angen y cymorth cywir ar y gweithlu, ond beth a wnewch yn benodol i gefnogi'r gweithlu, fel y gellir cymryd camau wedyn i gynyddu nifer y bobl sy'n dechrau eu triniaeth o fewn 62 diwrnod, ac fel y gall pobl yn fy etholaeth gael y driniaeth frys sydd ei hangen arnynt?
Well, the Member will be able to see the additional post that we funded, and that we've secured people to come and undertake training in through the diagnostic workforce across Wales. We are in a strong position with our vacancies and recruiting people into those to train another generation. You'll also recall the investment that I've made in the diagnostic workforce and in the training of that diagnostic workforce. There's a training centre in Huw Irranca-Davies's constituency, I believe, in Pencoed, where you will see these people who welcome the investment, and the fact that it helps them not just to come here in the first place, but to stay here as well. So, I think we have a good track record on the practical improvements in the workforce. You'll see more, when it comes to manifesto time, of the detail of improving and increasing our workforce, but, as I say, we end, even after the continued effects of austerity, with more than 10,000 extra NHS staff through this Welsh Parliament term. It's a strong track record that I believe people in Wales can trust as we look forward to the future to rebuild better and fairer services and a better and fairer country and, as I say, I look forward to the verdict of the public when it comes to the elections in early May this year.
Wel, fe fydd yr Aelod yn gallu gweld y swydd ychwanegol a ariannwyd gennym, a'n bod wedi sicrhau bod pobl yn cael hyfforddiant drwy'r gweithlu diagnostig ledled Cymru. Rydym mewn sefyllfa gref gyda'n swyddi gwag, a recriwtio pobl i'r swyddi hynny i hyfforddi cenhedlaeth arall. Fe fyddwch hefyd yn cofio'r buddsoddiad a wneuthum yn y gweithlu diagnostig a hyfforddi'r gweithlu diagnostig hwnnw. Mae canolfan hyfforddi yn etholaeth Huw Irranca-Davies, rwy'n credu, ym Mhencoed, lle byddwch yn gweld y bobl hyn sy'n croesawu'r buddsoddiad, a'r ffaith ei fod yn eu helpu nid yn unig i ddod yma yn y lle cyntaf, ond i aros yma hefyd. Felly, credaf fod gennym hanes da o ran gwelliannau ymarferol yn y gweithlu. Fe fyddwch yn gweld mwy o fanylion ynghylch gwella a chynyddu ein gweithlu pan ddaw'r maniffesto, ond fel y dywedaf, byddwn yn cwblhau tymor y Senedd hon, hyd yn oed ar ôl effeithiau parhaus cyni, gyda mwy na 10,000 o staff ychwanegol yn y GIG. Mae'n gyflawniad cadarn y credaf y gall pobl yng Nghymru ymddiried ynddo wrth inni edrych ymlaen at y dyfodol ac ailadeiladu gwasanaethau gwell a thecach a gwlad well a thecach, ac fel y dywedaf, edrychaf ymlaen at benderfyniad y cyhoedd yn yr etholiadau ar ddechrau mis Mai eleni.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Iechyd Meddwl, Llesiant a'r Gymraeg, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Dai Lloyd.
The next item is questions to the Minister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Welsh Language, and the first question is from Dai Lloyd.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gefnogi llesiant ac iechyd meddwl yng Ngorllewin De Cymru? OQ56485
1. Will the Minister make a statement on supporting wellbeing and mental health in South Wales West? OQ56485
Mae amrywiaeth o gymorth iechyd meddwl ar gael yng Ngorllewin De Cymru, o ran gwasanaethau sydd yn cael eu darparu nid jest gan y trydydd sector ond hefyd gan yr NHS. Mae hyn yn cynnwys y gwasanaeth noddfa ym Mae Abertawe, sydd wedi’i ddatblygu gan wasanaethau iechyd meddwl ynghyd â bwrdd partneriaeth rhanbarthol Gorllewin Morgannwg a’r elusen iechyd meddwl Hafal.
There is a range of mental health support available in South Wales West, in terms of services that are provided not just by the third sector but also by the NHS. This includes the sanctuary service in Swansea Bay, which has been developed by mental health services together with the regional partnership board for West Glamorgan and the mental health charity Hafal.
Diolch am hynna, Weinidog. Allaf i ofyn pa gynnydd sydd yna i ymdrin ag afiechyd meddwl mewn argyfwng, yn union fel rydyn ni'n ymdrin ag afiechyd corfforol mewn argyfwng? Efo trawiad ar y galon, er enghraifft, mae'r meddyg teulu'n gallu ffonio meddyg yn yr ysbyty yn uniongyrchol a chael mynediad brys y diwrnod hwnnw i'r claf ar fyrder. Roeddem ni'n gallu gwneud hynna efo salwch meddwl mewn argyfwng 20 mlynedd yn ôl, ond ddim rhagor. Rydyn ni wedi colli'r cysylltiad uniongyrchol rhwng y meddyg teulu a'r arbenigwr seiciatryddol yn yr ysbyty. Pa obaith sydd o adfer yr hen gysylltiad oesol?
Thank you for that, Minister. Could I ask what progress has been made in treating emergency mental health problems, just as we deal with physical health problems in an emergency? With a heart attack, for example, a GP can phone a hospital doctor directly, and get urgent access that very same day for the patient as a matter of urgency. We used to be able to do that with mental health emergencies 20 years ago, but no longer. We've lost that direct link between the GP and the psychiatric specialist in hospitals. What hope is there of restoring that old connection?
Diolch yn fawr, Dai. Dwi'n gwybod bod lot fawr o waith wedi cael ei wneud o ran y gwasanaethau brys, a dyna ble dŷn ni wedi bod yn canolbwyntio ein gwaith ni ar hyn o bryd o ran iechyd meddwl. Achos beth oedd yn digwydd oedd ein bod ni mewn sefyllfa lle, pan oedd pobl yn codi'r ffôn, rhai o'r unig wasanaethau a oedd ar gael, yn arbennig ar ôl 5 o'r gloch yn y prynhawn, oedd gwasanaethau brys. Ac yn aml, nid yr heddlu neu hyd yn oed y gwasanaeth ambiwlans yw'r llefydd gorau i ymdrin â phethau sy'n ymwneud ag iechyd meddwl. Dyna pam mae gwaith aruthrol wedi cael ei wneud eisoes, o dan ymbarél y concordat, i sicrhau ein bod ni'n edrych ar hwn mewn manylder, ein bod ni'n cydweithredu gyda'r trydydd sector, a bod yna ddarpariaeth mewn lle. Achos beth dŷn ni wedi ei sylweddoli oedd, o ran y rhan fwyaf o'r bobl a oedd yn dod mewn i'r gwasanaethau brys, efallai nad gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl, o ran iechyd meddwl pur, oedd ei angen arnyn nhw, ond efallai bod angen mwy o help cymdeithasol ac economaidd arnyn nhw. Felly mae'r gwaith yna'n cael ei wneud.
Byddwch chi, dwi'n siŵr, yn ymwybodol bod Bae Abertawe wedi bod yn cynnal peilot o ran un pwynt cyswllt ar gyfer iechyd meddwl, wrth ffonio'r rhif 111. A bydd hwnna nawr yn cael ei ehangu i fwrdd iechyd Cwm Taf Morgannwg. Yr un peth arall dwi'n meddwl sy'n werth ei danlinellu yw'r ffaith bod gyda ni gynllun nawr sy'n helpu i gludo pobl sydd yn dioddef o broblemau iechyd meddwl. Dyw hi ddim yn briodol, wrth gwrs, i gymryd pobl sydd yn dioddef o broblemau iechyd meddwl mewn car heddlu, er enghraifft. Dyna pam dŷn ni'n peilota rhaglen newydd yn y maes yma hefyd.
Thank you, Dai. I know that a lot of work has been done in terms of emergency services, and that's where we've been focusing our work at present in terms of mental health. Because what was happening was that we were in a situation where, when people picked up the phone, some of the only services available, particularly after 5 o'clock in the afternoon, were emergency services. And very often, the police or the ambulance service often isn't the best place to deal with mental health problems. That's why great work has already been done, under the umbrella of the concordat, to ensure that we look at this in detail, and that we collaborate with the third sector, and that there is provision in place. Because what we have realised is that, for the majority of people who came into emergency services, maybe mental health services, in terms of pure mental health services, is not what they needed, but perhaps more social and economic support. So, that work is being done.
I'm sure you will be aware that Swansea Bay has been undertaking a pilot scheme in terms of one contact point for mental health, by phoning the 111 number. And that will now be expanded to Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board. Another thing that's worth emphasising is the fact that we do have a scheme that helps to transport people who are suffering from mental health problems. It's not appropriate, of course, to take people who are suffering from mental health problems in a police car, for example. That's why we are piloting a new programme in this area as well.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.
Minister, yesterday I raised concerns about support for young children, and children going back to schools, who have struggled, I think, during this pandemic, and how we can be sure that there are sufficient resources available for them to be able to benefit from talking therapies, therapists and counsellors. I'm deeply worried that we are still short of those numbers of counsellors and therapists within that area. What can you do to ensure that, as children go back to schools, as we face probably the next 12 months of challenges for some of these children, there will be sufficient therapists, and talking therapists in particular, available to meet the demand that this will bring?
Weinidog, ddoe, nodais bryderon ynghylch cymorth i blant ifanc, a phlant sy’n mynd yn ôl i ysgolion, sydd wedi’i chael hi’n anodd, rwy'n credu, yn ystod y pandemig hwn, a sut y gallwn fod yn sicr fod digon o adnoddau ar gael iddynt allu elwa o therapïau siarad, therapyddion a chwnselwyr. Rwy'n poeni'n fawr ein bod yn dal i fod yn brin o'r niferoedd o gwnselwyr a therapyddion yn y maes hwnnw. Beth y gallwch ei wneud i sicrhau, wrth i blant ddychwelyd i ysgolion, wrth inni wynebu’r 12 mis nesaf, yn ôl pob tebyg, o heriau i rai o’r plant hyn, y bydd digon o therapyddion, a therapyddion siarad yn enwedig, ar gael i ateb y galw a ddaw yn sgil hyn?
Diolch yn fawr, Dai. I'm really anxious about this situation. We know that the children's commissioner has found that about 67 per cent of our children from age 12 to 18 are suffering with some form of anxiety at the moment. And of course, being out of routine is going to cause an issue for many people, and I do hope that we'll see those levels come down now, as children go back to school.
But there will definitely be a group that will need continued support. That's why we've got a comprehensive approach now to looking at children and young people. We know that 80 per cent of problems relating to mental health start when people are children or young people, and that's why it makes sense for us to focus on this. We've got a whole-school approach, so there is significant additional funding being put into schools, and we're also extending our support to early help and enhanced support, which will be rolled out from July next year, to make sure that all of the different services are working together so that children don't bounce around the system.
A lot of that work can be undertaken by the third sector. I've been on a call, actually, this morning; we had our second meeting of the oversight and implementation group for Together for Children and Young People. One of the aspects we were looking at this morning is have we got the right workforce in place, because it's clear that we have to keep on driving up that development. So, that work is ongoing. It's happening. We probably need to do more, but, obviously, we will keep an eye. The fact that we've already injected altogether about £9 million into this area I hope should give you a degree of comfort that we're heading in the right direction.
Diolch yn fawr, Dai. Rwy'n bryderus iawn am y sefyllfa hon. Gwyddom fod y comisiynydd plant wedi dod i’r casgliad fod oddeutu 67 y cant o'n plant rhwng 12 a 18 oed yn dioddef gyda rhyw fath o orbryder ar hyn o bryd. Ac wrth gwrs, mae bod heb drefn ddyddiol yn mynd i beri problem i lawer o bobl, ac rwy'n gobeithio y gwelwn y lefelau hynny’n gostwng yn awr, wrth i blant ddychwelyd i'r ysgol.
Ond yn bendant, bydd grŵp ohonynt angen cymorth parhaus. Dyna pam fod gennym ddull cynhwysfawr yn awr o edrych ar blant a phobl ifanc. Gwyddom fod 80 y cant o broblemau sy'n gysylltiedig ag iechyd meddwl yn dechrau pan fydd pobl yn blant neu'n bobl ifanc, a dyna pam ei bod yn gwneud synnwyr inni ganolbwyntio ar hyn. Mae gennym ddull ysgol gyfan, felly mae cyllid ychwanegol sylweddol yn cael ei ddarparu i ysgolion, ac rydym hefyd yn ymestyn ein cymorth i gynnwys cymorth cynnar a chefnogaeth ychwanegol, a fydd yn cael ei gyflwyno o fis Gorffennaf y flwyddyn nesaf, i sicrhau bod yr holl wasanaethau gwahanol yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd fel nad yw plant yn bownsio o un rhan o’r system i’r llall.
Gall y trydydd sector wneud llawer o'r gwaith hwnnw. Cefais fideoalwad y bore yma mewn gwirionedd; cawsom ein hail gyfarfod o'r grŵp trosolwg a gweithredu ar gyfer Law yn Llaw at Blant a Phobl Ifanc. Un o'r agweddau y buom yn edrych arnynt y bore yma yw a oes gennym y gweithlu iawn ar waith, gan ei bod yn amlwg fod yn rhaid inni ddal ati i geisio cynyddu’r datblygiad hwnnw. Felly, mae'r gwaith yn parhau. Mae'n mynd rhagddo. Mae angen inni wneud mwy yn ôl pob tebyg, ond yn amlwg, byddwn yn cadw llygad. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y ffaith ein bod eisoes wedi darparu oddeutu £9 miliwn i gyd ar gyfer y maes hwn roi rhywfaint o gysur i chi ein bod yn mynd i'r cyfeiriad cywir.
2. Pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i gynorthwyo pobl sy'n dioddef o orbryder yn dilyn y cyfyngiadau symud? OQ56488
2. What plans does the Welsh Government have to assist people suffering with anxiety post lockdown? OQ56488
Diolch yn fawr, Jack. We've committed an additional £4 million next year to improve access to non-clinical support for low-level mental health issues like anxiety, and this is going to build on funding we've provided this year to improve support, including the roll-out of online cognitive behavioural therapy.
Diolch yn fawr, Jack. Rydym wedi ymrwymo £4 miliwn yn ychwanegol y flwyddyn nesaf i wella mynediad at gymorth anghlinigol ar gyfer materion iechyd meddwl lefel isel fel gorbryder, a bydd hyn yn adeiladu ar gyllid rydym wedi'i ddarparu eleni i wella cymorth, gan gynnwys cyflwyno therapi gwybyddol ymddygiadol ar-lein.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. I'm sure we have all spoken to people who are experiencing anxiety for the very first time, unsure about what is happening to them, and certainly unsure about what support is available to them. Many residents in Alyn and Deeside, and across Wales, have barely been out since this time last year. They are not only anxious about coronavirus, but they are actually anxious about going out into the world. For some, this anxiety will be more extreme, and may well lead to panic attacks, something that I have only experienced once in my life, shortly after Dad died, and something I wouldn't wish on anybody. What plans does the Welsh Government have to address this, and to ensure that the NHS is fully equipped to help people, young and old, from all walks of life, with anxiety, including those that would not recognise the signs and how to reach out?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Rwy'n siŵr fod pob un ohonom wedi siarad â phobl sy'n profi gorbryder am y tro cyntaf, pobl sy'n ansicr beth sy'n digwydd iddynt, ac yn bendant yn ansicr ynglŷn â pha gymorth sydd ar gael iddynt. Ceir llawer o drigolion Alun a Glannau Dyfrdwy, a ledled Cymru, nad ydynt wedi bod allan fawr ddim ers yr adeg hon y llynedd. Nid yn unig eu bod yn orbryderus am y coronafeirws, maent yn bryderus am fynd allan i'r byd. I rai, bydd y gorbryder yn fwy eithafol, ac mae'n ddigon posibl y bydd yn arwain at byliau o banig, rhywbeth nad wyf ond wedi'i brofi unwaith yn fy mywyd, yn fuan ar ôl i Dad farw, ac mae’ n rhywbeth na fyddwn yn ei ddymuno i unrhyw un. Pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i fynd i’r afael â hyn, ac i sicrhau bod y GIG wedi'i arfogi'n llawn i helpu pobl, hen ac ifanc, o bob cefndir, sy’n dioddef o orbryder, gan gynnwys y rheini na fyddent yn adnabod yr arwyddion a sut i ofyn am gymorth?
Diolch yn fawr, Jack. Thanks very much for all you've done to champion the issue of mental health. Since you've been in the Senedd, you really have been one of the foremost champions of this issue. I'd like to just underline my thanks to you for also being so honest about some of the issues that you've struggled with. Thank you very much, because it does help people to talk about it. I must say that there are very few positive things that have come out of the pandemic, but I do think the fact that people seem to be talking about mental health—that the stigma, I hope, will be reduced as a result of this. Because, frankly, there can't be many people who haven't been touched in some way in terms of anxiety during the pandemic. They haven't known about whether they're going to keep their jobs, they haven't known whether their parents are going to contract the virus, they haven't known whether their children are going to suffer from going backwards in terms of academia—all of these things lead to anxiety. I think everybody now can relate to anxiety in a way that perhaps not everybody did before. So, that is clear.
What we've tried to do, Jack, is to make sure that people are aware of what help is available if they suffer these panic attacks. Obviously, we have the CALL a mental health helpline, which is available 24 hours a day. We've put increased capacity into that. As I say, we've got this online cognitive behavioural therapy. But one of the key things that was really important for me when I was first appointed was how easy is it to get access, to know where you can go for this stuff. And what you see now—I hope that all Senedd Members received a copy of the e-mail that I sent to make sure that everybody knew that, now, every single health board has to make it absolutely clear what support is available in their region. It has to be accessible in a really easy way. So, there's plenty of support out there, but we just have to make sure that people know where to go and signpost that support. Diolch yn fawr, Jack, for everything you've done on the subject.
Diolch yn fawr, Jack. Diolch yn fawr iawn am bopeth rydych wedi'i wneud i hyrwyddo mater iechyd meddwl. Ers ichi fod yn y Senedd, rydych wedi bod yn un o hyrwyddwyr mwyaf blaenllaw'r mater hwn. Hoffwn bwysleisio fy niolch i chi am fod mor onest am rai o'r problemau rydych wedi brwydro yn eu herbyn. Diolch yn fawr, gan fod hynny'n helpu pobl i siarad amdano. Mae’n rhaid imi ddweud mai ychydig iawn o bethau cadarnhaol sydd wedi deillio o'r pandemig, ond credaf fod y ffaith bod pobl i'w gweld yn siarad am iechyd meddwl—y bydd y stigma, gobeithio, yn cael ei leihau o ganlyniad i hyn. Oherwydd, a dweud y gwir, ni all fod llawer o bobl sydd heb eu cyffwrdd gan orbryder mewn rhyw ffordd yn ystod y pandemig. Nid ydynt wedi gwybod a fyddant yn cadw eu swyddi, nid ydynt wedi gwybod a yw eu rhieni'n mynd i ddal y feirws, nid ydynt wedi gwybod a fydd eu plant yn dioddef o fod ar ei hôl hi'n academaidd—mae pob un o'r pethau hyn yn arwain at orbryder. Credaf y gall pawb gydymdeimlo â gorbryder erbyn hyn mewn ffordd nad oedd pawb yn ei wneud o'r blaen o bosibl. Felly, mae hynny'n glir.
Yr hyn rydym wedi ceisio’i wneud, Jack, yw sicrhau bod pobl yn ymwybodol o ba gymorth sydd ar gael os ydynt yn cael pyliau o banig o'r fath. Yn amlwg, mae gennym linell gymorth iechyd meddwl CALL, sydd ar gael 24 awr y dydd. Rydym wedi rhoi mwy o gapasiti tuag at hynny. Fel y dywedaf, mae gennym y therapi gwybyddol ymddygiadol ar-lein. Ond un o'r pethau allweddol a oedd yn bwysig iawn i mi pan gefais fy mhenodi gyntaf oedd pa mor hawdd yw cael mynediad, gwybod i ble y gallwch fynd i gael mynediad at y pethau hyn. A’r hyn a welwch yn awr—rwy'n gobeithio bod yr holl Aelodau o’r Senedd wedi cael copi o'r e-bost a anfonais i sicrhau bod pawb yn gwybod bellach fod yn rhaid i bob bwrdd iechyd nodi’n gwbl glir pa gymorth sydd ar gael yn eu rhanbarth. Mae’n rhaid i hynny fod yn hygyrch mewn ffordd hawdd iawn. Felly, mae digon o gymorth ar gael, ond mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau bod pobl yn gwybod ble i fynd a chyfeirio at y cymorth hwnnw. Diolch yn fawr, Jack, am bopeth rydych wedi'i wneud ar y pwnc.
That was a very comprehensive answer, Minister. Can I also take the opportunity to commend Jack Sargeant for the huge amount of work he's done in this area of mental health, which is so important, particularly during the months of the pandemic and lockdown? It was a pleasure previously working with Jack's father, Carl Sargeant, in the Senedd on a range of issues. He was passionate about those issues and I'm pleased to see that Jack has carried on in the same vein in championing issues that really matter to the people out there in our communities.
Minister, it's likely, as you've just hinted at, that we're going to see an increase in the number of people needing community mental health support for those suffering anxiety and depression, as one of the significant public health consequences of the pandemic, and it looks like that could go on for a considerable length of time, and at considerable cost. What discussions have you had with the vice-chairs of local health boards across Wales, or, indeed, with the health Minister, liaising with those health boards—those who are responsible for community mental health and primary care—to ensure that local NHS services are going to get the focus they need? Because clearly they've not just been under strain during this pandemic, they're going to be under strain for some considerable time to come, trying to cope with the aftermath of this challenging time.
Roedd hwnnw'n ateb cynhwysfawr iawn, Weinidog. A gaf finnau achub ar y cyfle i ganmol Jack Sargeant am y gwaith aruthrol y mae wedi'i wneud ym maes iechyd meddwl, sydd mor bwysig, yn enwedig yn ystod misoedd y pandemig a'r cyfyngiadau symud? Roedd yn bleser gweithio gyda thad Jack, Carl Sargeant, yn y Senedd ar ystod o faterion. Roedd yn angerddol am y materion hynny ac rwy'n falch o weld bod Jack wedi parhau yn yr un modd i hyrwyddo materion sydd o bwys gwirioneddol i'r bobl yn ein cymunedau.
Weinidog, fel rydych newydd awgrymu, mae'n debygol y byddwn yn gweld cynnydd yn nifer y bobl sydd angen cymorth iechyd meddwl cymunedol i'r rheini sy'n dioddef yn sgil gorbryder ac iselder, fel un o ganlyniadau pwysig y pandemig mewn perthynas ag iechyd y cyhoedd, ac yn ôl pob golwg, gallai hynny barhau am beth amser, ac arwain at gost sylweddol. Pa drafodaethau rydych wedi'u cael gydag is-gadeiryddion byrddau iechyd lleol ledled Cymru, neu'n wir, gyda'r Gweinidog iechyd, gan gysylltu â'r byrddau iechyd hynny—y rheini sy'n gyfrifol am iechyd meddwl cymunedol a gofal sylfaenol—i sicrhau y bydd gwasanaethau lleol y GIG yn cael y ffocws sydd ei angen arnynt? Oherwydd yn amlwg, nid yn unig eu bod wedi bod o dan straen yn ystod y pandemig, ond byddant o dan straen am beth amser i ddod, wrth geisio ymdopi â chanlyniadau’r cyfnod heriol hwn.
Diolch yn fawr, Nick. Certainly, that community mental health support is absolutely critical, and I think that it is important that we try and give that support, as far as possible, as close to home as possible, because, generally speaking, mental health support is not something you can just fix once; you have to have an ongoing relationship, you have to keep working on it. That's why actually giving that support in the community is much more valuable, and that's certainly what we're trying to do.
I've met with the vice-chairs now on a couple of occasions since I was appointed to this role, and I've made it absolutely clear to them the direction of travel that I would like to see things going in. One is that we need to really divert more money into tier 0 support—that early, early support—so that we don't see these problems developing and becoming more complex and more difficult for us to treat. So, early help is absolutely critical. The second thing is that we really need to divert more money into supporting children and young people as a proportion of the budget. So, those are the two messages that I've made absolutely clearly to the vice-chairs, as well as, of course, underlining their responsibilities to make sure that all of these services are available through the medium of Welsh.
Diolch yn fawr, Nick. Yn sicr, mae’r cymorth iechyd meddwl cymunedol hwnnw’n gwbl hanfodol, a chredaf ei bod yn bwysig ein bod yn ceisio rhoi’r cymorth hwnnw, cyn belled ag y bo modd, mor agos at adref â phosibl, oherwydd, yn gyffredinol, nid yw cymorth iechyd meddwl yn rhywbeth y gallwch ei ddatrys unwaith ac am byth; mae'n rhaid ichi gael perthynas barhaus, mae'n rhaid ichi barhau i weithio arno. Dyna pam fod rhoi’r cymorth hwnnw yn y gymuned yn llawer mwy gwerthfawr, a dyna’n sicr rydym yn ceisio’i wneud.
Rwyf wedi cyfarfod â'r is-gadeiryddion ar fwy nag un achlysur bellach ers imi gael fy mhenodi i'r rôl hon, ac rwyf wedi dweud yn gwbl glir wrthynt i ba gyfeiriad yr hoffwn weld pethau'n mynd. Un yw bod gwir angen inni ddargyfeirio mwy o arian i gymorth haen 0—y cymorth cynnar iawn hwnnw—fel nad ydym yn gweld y problemau hyn yn datblygu ac yn dod yn fwy cymhleth ac yn anos eu trin. Felly, mae cymorth cynnar yn gwbl hanfodol. Yr ail beth yw bod gwir angen inni ddargyfeirio mwy o arian tuag at gefnogi plant a phobl ifanc fel cyfran o'r gyllideb. Felly, dyna'r ddwy neges rwyf wedi'u cyfleu’n gwbl glir i'r is-gadeiryddion, yn ogystal, wrth gwrs, â thanlinellu eu cyfrifoldeb i sicrhau bod yr holl wasanaethau hyn ar gael drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.
Hoffwn i ddiolch i Jack Sargeant hefyd am roi cwestiwn mor bwysig gerbron, a thalu teyrnged i'w dad, Carl Sargeant, a oedd wedi fy helpu i pan wnes i gael nifer o broblemau gyda gorbryder yn sgil perthynas negyddol a dinistriol yn y gorffennol. Roedd e wedi bod yn gefn i fi, a heb ei gefnogaeth e, dwi ddim yn credu y buaswn i wedi dod mas mor gadarn ag yr ydw i wedi dod dros y blynyddoedd.
Ond mae fy nghwestiwn i ar anhwylderau bwyta. Dwi wedi treulio fy ngyrfa i gyd yn ymgyrchu ar anhwylderau bwyta, a dŷn ni wedi clywed gan Beat Cymru, sydd wedi gwneud gwaith clodwiw yn y maes yma, fod anhwylderau bwyta wedi tyfu yn ystod COVID. Mae'r gorbryder yna, eu bod nhw'n teimlo fel nad yw rhai o'r gwasanaethau ar gael iddyn nhw, eu bod nhw ddim yn cael y gefnogaeth sy'n angenrheidiol iddyn nhw, yn rhywbeth sydd yn ddybryd ar hyn o bryd. Dwi'n deall beth rydych yn ei ddweud, Weinidog, ynglŷn â siarad am iechyd meddwl, ond mae pobl wedi cael digon o siarad hefyd; maen nhw eisiau gweithredu. Ac mae yna ddiffyg gwasanaethau ar lawr gwlad i bobl sydd â llu o broblemau iechyd meddwl gwahanol.
Fy apêl i chi, ar fy niwrnod olaf i yn y Senedd, yw sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau hynny yn gwella i'r dyfodol, fel nad yw pobl yn gorfod cael gwasanaethau preifat yn y dyfodol, fel nad ydyn nhw'n gorfod teimlo fel bod eu bywyd nhw mor wael eu bod nhw eisiau dod â'u bywyd nhw i ben, fel bod mamau newydd yn gallu cael y gefnogaeth sydd yn angenrheidiol iddyn nhw. Dyna yw fy apêl i chi fel Llywodraeth nawr ac i unrhyw lywodraeth sydd yn dod gerbron ym mis Mai.
I'd like to thank Jack Sargeant for tabling such an important question today, and also to pay tribute to his father, Carl Sargeant, who helped me when I had a number of anxiety problems as a result of a negative and destructive relationship I had in the past. He was very supportive of me, and without his support, I don't think I would have come out as strongly as I have done.
But my question is on eating disorders. I've spent my whole career campaigning on this issue, and we've heard from Beat Cymru, who have done laudable work in this area, that eating disorders have got worse during COVID. That anxiety, that feeling that they don't have the services available to them, and that they don't get the support that they need, is something that is very grave at the moment. I understand what you say, Minister, about talking about mental health, but people have had enough of talking; they want action. And there is an absence of services on the ground for people with all sorts of different mental health problems.
So, it's an appeal to you, on my last day in the Senedd, to ensure that those services are improved for the future, so that people don't have to access private services in the future, so that they don't feel that their lives get so bad that they want to bring their lives to an end, so that new mothers can get the support that they need. That's my appeal to you as a Government now and to any future government that may come forward in May.
Diolch yn fawr, Bethan, a diolch am bopeth rwyt ti wedi ei wneud yn y maes yma. Dwi'n gwybod bod hwn yn rhywbeth rwyt ti wedi bod yn ymgyrchu arno fe ers sbel. Yn sicr, un o'r pethau dwi'n poeni amdano yw'r ffaith ein bod ni, yn arbennig ym maes anhwylderau bwyta, wedi gweld cynnydd yn ystod y pandemig. Mae hwn yn rhywbeth dwi wedi gofyn i fy nhîm i ffocysu arno fe.
Mae'n rhaid inni ddeall bod hyn wedi bod yn fwy o broblem. Rydyn ni wedi rhoi mwy o arian mewn iddi yn ystod y pandemig, ond dwi wedi gofyn i weld os oes angen inni roi fwy o arian i mewn iddi, achos dwi yn poeni am y sefyllfa yma. Beth sy'n hollol glir gyda'r anhwylder yma yw bod yn rhaid i chi ymyrryd yn gynnar. Os nad ydych yn ymyrryd yn gynnar, mae'r problemau yn gallu bod yn rili difrifol, ac felly, unwaith eto, yr ateb, o'm safbwynt i, yw sicrhau bod yr arian yna ar gael ar gyfer mudiadau fel Beat, sydd yn gwneud gwaith mor anhygoel.
Un o'r pethau mae'n rhaid inni ei sicrhau yw bod mwy o bobl ar lefel primary care yn fodlon anfon pobl at Beat tra'u bod nhw'n aros, efallai, i weld rhywun yn y gwasanaeth iechyd os oes yna unrhyw broblemau o ran aros am amser hir. Mae'n rhaid inni gael yr ymyrraeth gynnar yna tra bod pobl yn aros a dyw hwnna ddim wastad yn gweithio. Unwaith eto, dwi wedi gofyn bod hwnna yn cael ei wneud.
Ond dwi eisiau diolch i ti hefyd, Bethan, am bopeth rwyt ti wedi'i wneud o ran gofal perinatal ac iechyd meddwl hefyd. Dwi'n gwybod dy fod ti wedi gwneud gwaith arbennig yn y maes yma a diolch yn fawr i ti am bopeth rwyt ti wedi'i wneud yn ystod y Senedd. Mae wedi bod yn gyfnod hir iawn i ti a dwi'n gwybod dy fod ti wedi rili cael effaith aruthrol ar y Senedd yma, a diolch am bopeth rwyt ti wedi'i wneud.
Thank you, Bethan, and thank you for everything that you've done in this area. I know that this is something that you've been campaigning on for a long time. Certainly, one of the things that I am concerned about is the fact that we have, particularly in the area of eating disorders, seen an increase during the pandemic. That's something I've asked my team to focus on.
We need to understand that this has been more of a problem. We have put more money into it during the pandemic, but I have asked to see whether we need to provide more funding for it, because I am concerned about the situation. What's very clear with this disorder is that you have to intervene early. If you don't do that, the problems can be very serious indeed, and so, once again, the solution, from my perspective, is to ensure that that funding is available for organisations such as Beat, which do such excellent work.
One of the things we need to ensure is that more people at a primary care level are willing to send people to Beat while they're waiting, perhaps, to see someone in the health service, if there are any problems in terms of waiting for a long time. We need that early intervention while people are waiting and that doesn't always work. Once again, I have asked for that to be addressed.
But I want to thank you also, Bethan, for everything that you have done in terms of perinatal care and mental health. I know that you've done excellent work in that area, and thank you very much for everything that you've done during this Senedd. It's been a very long period for you and I know that you've had a profound effect on this Senedd, and thank you very much for everything that you've done.
We'll turn to spokespersons' questions now, and the first up this afternoon is Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Siân Gwenllian.
Symudwn at gwestiynau'r llefarwyr yn awr, a daw’r cyntaf y prynhawn yma gan lefarydd Plaid Cymru, Siân Gwenllian.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. Dwi'n croesawu'r newyddion y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn lansio ail gam o'r gronfa adferiad diwylliannol gan roi ychydig mwy o sicrwydd i'r sector celfyddydau a diwylliannol. Mae yna un agwedd y mae'r sector wedi ei chodi efo mi yn barod, sef hygyrchedd y cynllun. Oes gennych chi gynlluniau yn eu lle i sicrhau bod y broses ymgeisio yn un deg, yn enwedig i unigolion sydd ddim â'r modd i ennill y ras, fel petai, a dwi'n sôn yn benodol am unigolion efo anableddau neu salwch sydd yn eu gwneud hi'n anodd llenwi ffurflenni yn sydyn, a hefyd unigolion sydd â chyfrifoldebau gofal neu waith ac felly sy'n methu bod ar gael i eistedd o flaen y cyfrifiadur am amser penodol?
Ac yn ail, o ran y gronfa, mae ysgolion perfformio wedi methu â gwneud defnydd llawn o gymorth sydd ar gael gan y Llywodraeth ar draws y sectorau gwahanol. Mae'n debyg nad ydyn nhw'n ticio'r bocsys angenrheidiol i fanteisio ar y cronfeydd sydd wedi cael eu sefydlu. Felly, wnewch chi ystyried ehangu'r sail mynediad at y gronfa adferiad diwylliannol yn yr ail gam yma er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr y gall y sefydliadau unigryw a phwysig yma dderbyn cefnogaeth?
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. I welcome the news that the Welsh Government will launch the second phase of the cultural recovery fund, providing more assurance to the arts and culture sectors. There is one aspect that the sector has raised with me already, namely the accessibility of the programme. Do you have plans in place to ensure that the application process is fair, particularly to individuals who do not have the means to win the race, as it were, and I am talking specifically here about individuals with disabilities or illnesses that make it difficult for them to fill in forms quickly, and also individuals with care or work responsibilities that mean that they can't be available to sit in front of their computer at a specific time?
And secondly, in terms of the fund, performance schools have failed to make full use of the support available from Government across the various sectors. It seems that they don't tick the right boxes in order to benefit from the funds that have been put in place. So, will you consider enhancing the access to the culture recovery fund in this second phase in order to ensure that these unique and important organisations can be supported?
Diolch yn fawr, Siân. Yn gyntaf, dwi jest more blês ein bod ni wedi gallu cyhoeddi'r arian ychwanegol yma. Dyw hwn ddim yn rhywbeth sydd yn digwydd yn Lloegr yn yr un modd, ac, yn sicr, mae'r help rŷn ni wedi gallu ei roi i bobl sydd yn llawrydd—freelancers—yn rhywbeth sydd yn wirioneddol wedi cael ei werthfawrogi achos does dim o hynny yn digwydd yn Lloegr. Yn sicr, roeddwn i'n ymwybodol yn ystod y cyfnod cyntaf fod yna broblemau achos roedd cymaint o bobl ac roedd y broses yn anodd i rai pobl o ran cyrraedd mewn pryd. Erbyn i ni fynd trwy'r camau i gyd, roeddem ni'n hyderus bod pob un a oedd eisiau ac angen ymgeisio wedi cael y cyfle i wneud hynny. Felly, wnaeth neb golli mas. Efallai, yn y rownd gyntaf ac erbyn diwedd y cyfnodau gwahanol, fe fyddwn ni wedi sicrhau bod pob un a oedd angen ymgeisio wedi cael y cyfle i wneud hynny. Felly, dwi'n gobeithio na fyddwn ni'n gweld y broblem welon ni yn ystod y tymor cyntaf, nid o achos unrhyw broblemau a oedd yn bwrpasol, ond jest o achos capasiti'r system i 'cope-io'. Felly, rŷn ni mewn sefyllfa wahanol nawr. Rŷn ni'n gwybod pwy oedd wedi trio y tro cyntaf, so fe fydd e lot yn haws achos bydd y wybodaeth yna i gyd gyda ni. Felly, dwi'n gobeithio bod hygyrchedd y broses lot yn well hefyd.
A diolch yn fawr am ofyn am yr ysgolion perfformio. Doeddwn i ddim yn ymwybodol o hynny, ac felly mi af yn ôl i ofyn beth yw'r sefyllfa gyda'r rheini.
Thank you very much, Siân. First of all, I'm just so pleased that we've been able to announce this additional funding. This isn't something that happens in England in the same way, and certainly the help that we've been able to provide to freelancers is something that has genuinely been appreciated because none of that is happening in England. Certainly, I was aware during the first phase that there was a problem because there were so many people and the process was difficult for some people to complete in time. So, by the time we go through all of the phases, we were confident that everyone who needed and wanted to apply had the opportunity to do that. So, no-one missed out. Maybe, in the first round and by the end of all the phases, we will have ensured that everyone who needed to apply will have had the opportunity to do that. So, I do hope that we won't see the problem that we saw during the first phase, not because of any problems that were deliberate, but just because of the capacity of the system to cope. So, we're in a different situation now. We know who applied the first time, so it'll be much easier because we'll have that information to hand. So, I do hope that the accessibility of the process will be much better.
And thank you very much for asking about the performing schools. I wasn't aware of that, and so I will go back and ask what the situation is with those.
I droi at faes arall sydd yn rhan o'ch dyletswyddau chi, sef digwyddiadau mawr, dwi ar ddeall fod y Llywodraeth wedi comisiynu adroddiad annibynnol am y strategaeth digwyddiadau mawr. Dwi'n deall bod gwaith wedi cychwyn ymhell cyn i'r pandemig ein taro ni a'i fod o wedi cael ei gwblhau hefyd ond nad ydy'r adroddiad wedi cael ei gyhoeddi. Fedrwch chi egluro pam nad ydy'r adroddiad wedi'i gyhoedd ac a fedrwch chi roi rhyw fath o flas o beth oedd yn yr adroddiad yna? Ac a fyddwch chi yn ei gyhoeddi fo—rydw i'n gwybod nad oes llawer o amser ar ôl rŵan cyn y cyfnod etholiad—neu a fydd yr adroddiad yma yn aros ar y silff i gasglu llwch?
Turning now to another area that forms part of your portfolio, namely major events, I'm given to understand that the Government has commissioned an independent report on the major events strategy. I understand that work did start way before the pandemic hit and that it has also been completed, but that the report has not been published. Can you explain why that report wasn't published and can you give us some kind of flavour of what that report contained? And will you publish the report—I know there isn't much time left now before the election period—or will this report simply be left to gather dust on a shelf?
Diolch yn fawr, Siân. Fel ŷch chi'n ymwybodol, mi wnaethon ni gomisiynu hwn cyn i'r pandemig daro, ac, yn amlwg, os oes yna unrhyw beth wedi cael ei effeithio gan y pandemig, digwyddiadau mawr yw hynny. Felly, i raddau, rhan o'r broblem yw y gwnaeth lot o'r adroddiad gael ei ysgrifennu cyn y pandemig, ac felly, yn amlwg, mae angen addasu nawr yn wyneb beth sy'n digwydd gyda'r pandemig, achos mae'r help sydd ei angen ar y sector nawr yn hollol wahanol i beth fyddai wedi bod ei angen cyn y pandemig. Felly, rŷn ni wedi gofyn i'r awdur ystyried hynny ac, felly, mae’r adroddiad yn dal i fod yn nwylo'r awdur, ac rŷn ni'n aros i'r awdur ddod nôl atom ni o hyd cyn ein bod ni'n gallu cyhoeddi'r adroddiad yna. Ond dwi'n gobeithio—. Dwi wedi bod yn pwyso i gael yr adroddiad yna wedi cael ei gyhoeddi ers tipyn nawr.
Thank you very much, Siân. As you're aware, we did commission this before the pandemic struck, and, obviously, if there's anything that's been affected by the pandemic, well, that's major events, and so, to a certain extent, part of the problem is that a lot of the report was written before the pandemic. So, evidently, we needed to adapt that in the face of the pandemic, because the support that the sector needs now is completely different to what they would have needed before the pandemic. So, we have asked the author of the report to consider that, and so the report is still in the hands of the author and we're waiting for the author to come back to us before we can publish the report. But I do hope—. I have been pressing to get that report published for some time now.
Felly, gobeithio y caiff o weld golau dydd ac y gwnawn ni weld yn union beth ydy'r argymhellion ar gyfer cyfeiriad y gwaith yma i'r dyfodol.
Jest i droi yn olaf at yr angen, rydw i'n credu, am strategaeth gwbl newydd ar gyfer y celfyddydau a'r sector diwylliannol yng Nghymru, dwi'n meddwl y bydd cynnal diwydiant creadigol bywiog ac arloesol efo cefnogaeth dda yn helpu Cymru i addasu i'r dirwedd ôl-COVID-19 mewn sawl ffordd. Ond y broblem ar hyn o bryd ydy bod adrannau'r Llywodraeth yn gweithio mewn seilos, ac, wrth symud at y Senedd nesaf, mae angen i'r celfyddydau, ein hiaith ni, yr iaith Gymraeg, a'n treftadaeth ni fod yn bwysig ar draws Llywodraeth, ac mae angen gosod y materion yma—y Gymraeg, y celfyddydau, diwylliant, chwaraeon—wrth wraidd polisi cyhoeddus a gweithredu gan Lywodraeth ganol a llywodraeth leol a'u tynnu nhw i mewn i ddatblygu economaidd, maes iechyd, addysg, yr amgylchedd ac yn y blaen. Ydych chi, felly, yn cytuno, o ran y celfyddydau yn benodol, fod angen cyfeiriad strategol, holistaidd, newydd a chynhwysol er mwyn datblygu’r sector yma i fod yn wirioneddol wrth wraidd popeth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud?
So, hopefully it will see the light of day and we will see the recommendations in terms of the future direction of this work.
If I could turn, finally, to the need, in my opinion, for an entirely new strategy for the arts and culture sector in Wales, I think that supporting a vibrant and innovative creative industry with strong support will help Wales to adapt to the post-COVID landscape in many ways. But the problem at the moment is that Government departments are working in silos, and, in moving to the next Senedd, the arts, our language, the Welsh language, and our heritage should have status across Government, and these issues—the Welsh language, the arts, culture and sports—need to be at the heart of public policy and action by central Government and local government and drawn into economic development, to health, education, the environment, and so on and so forth. Do you, therefore, agree, in terms of the arts specifically, that we need a new, holistic strategic direction that is inclusive in order to develop this sector so that it is truly at the heart of everything that the Government does?
Wel, dwi'n meddwl bod y ffaith ein bod ni wedi cyhoeddi Cymru Creadigol, ein bod ni wedi symud ymlaen gyda'r project yna, ein bod ni wedi deall bod y diwydiant yma yn rhywbeth sydd yn cyfrannu mewn ffordd aruthrol i'n heconomi ni—. Os ŷch chi'n edrych ar y cynnydd o ran nifer y bobl sydd yn gweithio yn y celfyddydau, mae tua 50 y cant o gynnydd wedi bod yn ystod y 10 mlynedd diwethaf. Mae e wedi bod yn gynnydd aruthrol, ac, wrth gwrs, mae yna le inni ehangu yn fwy. Un o'r pethau rŷn ni wedi ei wneud yw canolbwyntio ar geisio sicrhau bod hyfforddi yn y lle cywir, a dwi'n meddwl bod yna le inni fynd ymhellach ar hynny. Dwi'n deall beth ŷch chi'n dweud o ran y perygl ein bod ni'n gweithio mewn seilos, ac, yn sicr, dwi'n gobeithio, os byddwn ni i gyd yn dod nôl y tro nesaf, y bydd hwn yn rhywbeth lle byddwn ni'n gweld mwy o waith ar draws y Llywodraeth.
Yn sicr o ran y Gymraeg, dwi wedi cymryd papur i'r Cabinet yn ddiweddar i danlinellu'r ffaith bod yn rhaid inni fynd lot ymhellach nag ŷn ni wedi mynd hyd yn hyn a bod yn rhaid inni sicrhau bod yna gyfrifoldeb ar bob adran y tu fewn i'r Llywodraeth i brif ffrydio'r Gymraeg. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n gobeithio, pan fyddwn ni'n dod nôl, y bydd yna raglen weithredu newydd ac y bydd yna ddisgwyl i bob adran yn y Llywodraeth gyfrannu mewn rhyw ffordd i ddangos beth maen nhw'n ei wneud o ran symud pethau ymlaen ynglŷn â'r Gymraeg.
Well, I think that the fact that we did launch Creative Wales and that we've moved forward with that project, and the fact that we have understood that this industry is something that does contribute in a profound way to our economy—. If you look at the increase in the number of people who work in the arts, there's been an increase of about 50 per cent over the last decade. There has been an incredible increase, and there's scope for us to expand further. One of the things that we've done is to focus on trying to ensure that training is provided in the right places, and I think that we can go further on that. I do understand what you say in terms of the risk that we're working in silos, and, certainly, I hope that, if we all come back next time, this is something where we'll see more work across the Government.
In terms of the Welsh language, I've taken a paper to Cabinet recently to emphasise the fact that we have to go much further than we've gone so far and that we have to ensure that there is a responsibility on every Government department to mainstream the Welsh language. Of course, I hope that, when we do return, there will be a new action programme and that every department in the Welsh Government will be expected to contribute in some way in order to show what they are doing in terms of moving things forward as regards the Welsh language.
The Conservative spokesperson, David Melding.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, David Melding.
I thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, can I start on the engagement we've had? I've enjoyed shadowing this brief. We had briefings during the first lockdown on the cultural challenges ahead in terms of getting finance out. I do, however, want to talk about mental health and I was encouraged by your references earlier to the NGO sector. Will you join me in commending young people who take their mental health seriously, and also take the help that's available from schools and organisations like the Scouts, who are now involved in it?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Weinidog, a gaf fi ddechrau drwy sôn am yr ymgysylltiad rydym wedi'i gael? Rwyf wedi mwynhau cysgodi'r briff hwn. Cawsom sesiynau briffio yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud cyntaf ar yr heriau diwylliannol sy’n ein hwynebu o ran darparu cyllid. Fodd bynnag, hoffwn siarad am iechyd meddwl a chefais fy nghalonogi gan eich cyfeiriadau yn gynharach at y sector cyrff anllywodraethol. A wnewch chi ymuno â mi i ganmol pobl ifanc sydd o ddifrif ynglŷn â'u hiechyd meddwl, yn ogystal â derbyn y cymorth sydd ar gael gan ysgolion a sefydliadau fel y Sgowtiaid, sydd hefyd yn cymryd rhan yn y gwaith hwn bellach?
Thanks very much, David, and thanks to you for all the work you've done not just on this portfolio, but also for your work over so many years. You truly have been an absolute cornerpiece of the development of this institution, and I'd just like to note my personal thanks to you for everything you've done, not least for making sure that the Conservative Party have stayed with devolution, and, hopefully, they will continue in that vein in the future. So, diolch yn fawr iawn, David, for everything you've done. You really have made a remarkable contribution to Wales.
But also, I'd like to take this opportunity to talk about—I hope you don't mind, because you talk about the work that's been done in keeping in touch on the cultural side of things—the remarkable work that's been done by my colleague Dafydd Elis-Thomas during his remarkable period. It is such a great way for him to end an elected political career that has, of course, spanned decades and decades, and his contribution to Welsh life has been truly remarkable. The history books will be written some day, and I hope that they will note the incredible achievement of his work over so many years, first of all as, I think, the youngest Member of the House of Commons, going in at about 27, years and years in that chamber, never failed to champion the cause of Welsh devolution and certainly making a remarkable contribution here in this institution, not least as Presiding Officer, where he really put his stamp on that job, but also, of course, ending his political career in this institution, championing the causes that I know he loves so much.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, David, a diolch am yr holl waith rydych wedi'i wneud nid yn unig ar y portffolio hwn, ond hefyd am eich gwaith dros gymaint o flynyddoedd. Rydych wedi bod yn gonglfaen go iawn i ddatblygiad y sefydliad hwn, a hoffwn ddiolch yn bersonol i chi am bopeth rydych wedi'i wneud, yn anad dim am sicrhau bod y Blaid Geidwadol wedi aros gyda datganoli, a gobeithio y byddant yn parhau i wneud hynny yn y dyfodol. Felly, diolch yn fawr iawn, David, am bopeth rydych wedi'i wneud. Rydych wedi gwneud cyfraniad gwirioneddol ryfeddol i Gymru.
Ond hefyd, hoffwn achub ar y cyfle hwn i sôn am—rwy'n gobeithio nad oes ots gennych, oherwydd rydych yn sôn am y gwaith a wnaed i gadw mewn cysylltiad ar ochr ddiwylliannol pethau—y gwaith rhagorol a wnaed gan fy nghyd-Aelod Dafydd Elis-Thomas yn ystod ei gyfnod rhyfeddol. Mae'n ffordd mor wych iddo orffen gyrfa fel gwleidydd etholedig sydd, wrth gwrs, wedi rhychwantu degawdau lawer, ac mae ei gyfraniad i fywyd Cymru wedi bod yn wirioneddol ryfeddol. Bydd y llyfrau hanes yn cael eu hysgrifennu ryw ddydd, ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddant yn nodi cyflawniad anhygoel ei waith dros gymaint o flynyddoedd, yn gyntaf oll, rwy’n credu, fel yr Aelod ieuengaf yn Nhŷ’r Cyffredin, wedi iddo fynd yno pan oedd oddeutu 27 oed, treuliodd flynyddoedd lawer yn y siambr honno, heb golli unrhyw gyfle i hyrwyddo achos datganoli Cymreig, ac yn sicr, gwnaeth cyfraniad aruthrol yma yn y sefydliad hwn, yn anad dim fel Llywydd, gan roi ei stamp ei hun ar y rôl honno, ond hefyd, wrth gwrs, gan orffen ei yrfa wleidyddol yn y sefydliad hwn yn hyrwyddo'r achosion y gwn ei fod yn eu caru cymaint.
So, diolch yn fawr iawn, Dafydd, am bopeth rwyt ti wedi ei wneud drosom ni yma yn y Senedd ond hefyd dros ein gwlad ni.
Thank you very much, Dafydd, for everything you've done for us in the Senedd, but also for our nation.
David, thank you very much for your question on young people as well. Of course, it is crucial that young people take their mental health seriously. I'm really pleased, actually, that so many of them are taking this seriously now. They seem to be talking about it a lot more. I think that it is a really, really difficult time for young people. Many of them have not had access to their friends for a long time, they've not had access to the routine that they were used to, and, of course, the other thing that none of us had to deal with when we were young is the absolute tyranny of social media. I do think this is something that we have to take seriously and that we have to help these children to develop resilience in the face of something that none of us had to experience at such a young age. I know that we have put in substantial support to help young people. I know that there's more that we need to do, but I can assure you that the Welsh Government is absolutely clear that we need to move forward even further in this space than we have done, with the whole-school approach and the whole-system approach and of course, the reform of our curriculum, which, of course, has mental health as central to the core of what it's trying to achieve.
David, diolch yn fawr iawn am eich cwestiwn ar bobl ifanc hefyd. Wrth gwrs, mae'n hanfodol fod pobl ifanc o ddifrif ynglŷn â'u hiechyd meddwl. Rwy'n falch iawn fod cymaint ohonynt o ddifrif am hyn bellach. Ymddengys eu bod yn trafod y mater lawer mwy. Credaf fod hwn yn gyfnod anodd iawn i bobl ifanc. Mae llawer ohonynt heb fod gyda'u ffrindiau ers amser maith, maent wedi bod heb y drefn ddyddiol roeddent wedi arfer â hi, ac wrth gwrs, y peth arall na fu'n rhaid i'r un ohonom ni ymdopi ag ef pan oeddem yn ifanc yw gorthrwm llwyr y cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Credaf fod hyn yn rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid i ni fod o ddifrif yn ei gylch a rhaid inni helpu'r plant hyn i ddatblygu gwytnwch yn wyneb rhywbeth nad oedd yn rhaid i'r un ohonom ni ei wynebu mor ifanc. Gwn ein bod wedi rhoi cymorth sylweddol i helpu pobl ifanc. Gwn fod angen i ni wneud mwy, ond gallaf eich sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwbl glir fod angen inni wneud mwy o gynnydd eto yn y maes hwn nag a wnaethom hyd yma, gyda'r dull ysgol gyfan a'r dull system gyfan ac wrth gwrs, diwygio ein cwricwlwm, sydd, wrth gwrs, ag iechyd meddwl yn ganolog i'r hyn y mae'n ceisio ei gyflawni.
Thank you for that generous reply, Minister, and I certainly would like to join you in the tribute you made to Dafydd Elis-Thomas.
I also want to commend Mind, who are working closely with Hafal and other organisations. I think the mental health sector is outstanding in its co-operative work—the umbrella bodies really pack a punch because they work together. One of the main things they're asking us to focus on—whichever party becomes the next Welsh Government—is to look at the need for an anti-stigma campaign. Now, I'm disappointed in the sense that, I think, for all of the Assembly and Senedd elections of the past, this has probably been raised and it's still a real issue. So, do you join me in hoping that whoever is in Government in May will put this at the top of the list?
Diolch am eich ateb caredig, Weinidog, ac yn sicr, hoffwn ategu'r deyrnged a roesoch i Dafydd Elis-Thomas.
Rwyf hefyd am ganmol Mind, sy'n gweithio'n agos gyda Hafal a sefydliadau eraill. Credaf fod y sector iechyd meddwl yn rhagorol yn ei waith cydweithredol—mae'r cyrff ymbarél yn effeithiol iawn am eu bod yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd. Un o'r prif bethau y maent yn gofyn inni ganolbwyntio arnynt—ni waeth pa blaid a ddaw'n Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru—yw'r angen am ymgyrch gwrth-stigma. Nawr, rwy'n siomedig yn yr ystyr fod hyn wedi'i godi yn holl etholiadau'r Cynulliad a'r Senedd yn y gorffennol, mae'n debyg, ac mae'n dal i fod yn broblem go iawn. Felly, a wnewch chi ategu fy ngobaith y bydd pwy bynnag sy'n Llywodraeth ym mis Mai yn rhoi hyn ar frig y rhestr?
Absolutely, David, and can I tell you that one of the joys of being in this job has been for me meeting regularly with those third sector organisations who do such a terrific job on the front line in our communities, and Mind and Hafal are two of those organisations that have made a really significant contribution? One of the key things for me is that we have to make sure that we're not just measuring hitting targets in terms of timetables. We have to get a sense of what are the outcomes like as a result of that intervention, and so listening to what people have to say is absolutely key, and certainly something that I was very happy to do earlier this last week was to speak and to listen to children involved in the Cardiff and Vale youth health council and also, on the weekend, the national youth stakeholders group, because I really think that listening to people who are making use of our services is absolutely crucial, because we need to know from them what works, and if it works.
But certainly, in terms of the stigma, you will be aware that we as a Government have determined that we want to continue to support Time to Change Wales. I was absolutely shocked that the Conservative Government in the UK decided to cut that programme in the middle of a pandemic. It really was a shocking decision, I think, by the Conservative Government, but I can give you an assurance that we will continue to fight the stigma associated with mental health, and I do hope that that is something that has changed during the pandemic—that people are more prepared to talk about their anxieties and to realise, actually, that they can reach out and people will understand that this is something that is absolutely not out of the ordinary anymore.
Yn sicr, David, ac a gaf fi ddweud wrthych mai un o'r pleserau o fod yn y swydd hon oedd cyfarfod yn rheolaidd â'r sefydliadau trydydd sector sy'n gwneud gwaith mor wych yn ein cymunedau, ac mae Mind a Hafal yn ddau o'r sefydliadau sydd wedi gwneud cyfraniad gwirioneddol arwyddocaol? Un o'r pethau allweddol i mi yw bod yn rhaid i ni sicrhau nad mesur sut rydym yn taro targedau o ran amserlenni yn unig a wnawn. Rhaid inni gael ymdeimlad o sut beth yw'r canlyniadau yn sgil yr ymyrraeth, ac felly mae gwrando ar yr hyn sydd gan bobl i'w ddweud yn gwbl allweddol, ac yn sicr rhywbeth roeddwn yn hapus iawn i'w wneud yn gynharach yr wythnos diwethaf oedd siarad a gwrando ar blant sy'n rhan o gyngor iechyd ieuenctid Caerdydd a'r Fro a hefyd, ar y penwythnos, y grŵp rhanddeiliaid ieuenctid cenedlaethol, oherwydd rwy'n credu o ddifrif fod gwrando ar bobl sy'n defnyddio ein gwasanaethau yn gwbl hanfodol, oherwydd mae angen inni wybod ganddynt hwy beth sy'n gweithio, ac os yw'n gweithio.
Ond yn sicr, o ran y stigma, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol ein bod ni fel Llywodraeth wedi penderfynu ein bod am barhau i gefnogi Amser i Newid Cymru. Cefais fy synnu'n fawr fod Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU wedi penderfynu torri'r rhaglen honno ynghanol pandemig. Roedd yn benderfyniad syfrdanol gan y Llywodraeth Geidwadol yn fy marn i, ond gallaf eich sicrhau y byddwn yn parhau i ymladd y stigma sy'n gysylltiedig ag iechyd meddwl, ac rwy'n gobeithio bod hynny'n rhywbeth sydd wedi newid yn ystod y pandemig—fod pobl yn fwy parod i siarad am eu pryderon ac i sylweddoli y gallant estyn allan a bydd pobl yn deall bod hyn yn bendant yn rhywbeth nad yw'n anghyffredin mwyach.
It appears we seem to have lost David Melding for his third question. David, can you hear me?
Mae'n ymddangos ein bod wedi colli David Melding am ei drydydd cwestiwn. David, a allwch chi fy nghlywed?
Yes, I've been reconnected. Can you hear me, Deputy Presiding Officer?
Gallaf, rwyf wedi cael fy ailgysylltu. A allwch chi fy nghlywed, Ddirprwy Lywydd?
Yes, that's fine. You've got one more question as spokesperson.
Gallaf, mae hynny'n iawn. Mae gennych un cwestiwn arall fel llefarydd.
I will proceed to my final question. It did cut out when I think the Minister was going to launch an attack on the Conservative Party—
Af ymlaen at fy nghwestiwn olaf. Torrodd y cysylltiad pan oedd y Gweinidog yn mynd i ymosod ar y Blaid Geidwadol rwy'n credu—
Anti-Tory party, which is a good time for you to cut out, there, David.
Yn erbyn y blaid Dorïaidd, sy'n adeg dda i'ch cysylltiad dorri, David.
I think you were focusing on the UK party rather than the Welsh Conservative Party, but I don't want a harsh finish to my questions. Can I just say that I have been encouraged by the Welsh Government's participation with the Charity Commission in the programme Revitalising Trusts, which you may know looks at dormant accounts, basically, and tries to transfer those moneys where appropriate to active charitable purposes. Do you agree with me that, in promoting this excellent programme run by the Charity Commission, mental health charities should receive a very high priority?
Rwy'n credu eich bod yn canolbwyntio ar blaid y DU yn hytrach na Phlaid y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, ond nid wyf eisiau diwedd cas i fy nghwestiynau. A gaf fi ddweud fy mod wedi cael fy annog gan gyfranogiad Llywodraeth Cymru gyda'r Comisiwn Elusennau yn y rhaglen Adfywio Ymddiriedolaethau, y gwyddoch efallai eu bod yn edrych ar gyfrifon segur, yn y bôn, ac yn ceisio trosglwyddo'r arian hwnnw lle bo'n briodol at ddibenion elusennol gweithredol. A ydych yn cytuno â mi y dylai elusennau iechyd meddwl gael blaenoriaeth uchel iawn wrth hyrwyddo'r rhaglen ragorol hon sy'n cael ei rhedeg gan y Comisiwn Elusennau?
Yes, absolutely, David. I would agree with you that that makes absolute sense, that some of that money should be directed to those mental health charities. So, I would support you in that.
Yn bendant, David. Byddwn yn cytuno â chi fod hynny'n gwneud synnwyr llwyr, y dylid cyfeirio rhywfaint o'r arian hwnnw at yr elusennau iechyd meddwl hynny. Felly, byddwn yn eich cefnogi yn hynny o beth.
Diolch yn fawr iawn unwaith eto, David.
Thanks very much once again, David.
Thanks very much for everything you have done for us in Wales as well.
Diolch yn fawr am bopeth rydych chi wedi'i wneud i ni yng Nghymru hefyd.
3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog amlinellu cynigion i gryfhau'r Gymraeg fel iaith gymunedol yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? OQ56486
3. Will the Minister outline proposals to strengthen Welsh as a community language in Mid and West Wales? OQ56486
Diolch yn fawr, Helen. Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn dyrannu £1.2 miliwn i’r mentrau iaith yn y gorllewin a’r canolbarth yn 2021-22 i hybu a hyrwyddo defnydd y Gymraeg yn y gymuned. Rŷn ni hefyd wrthi’n gweithredu argymhellion awdit cymunedol i gryfhau’r Gymraeg ar draws cymunedau Cymru yn sgil COVID.
Thank you very much, Helen. The Welsh Government are allocating £1.2 million to the mentrau iaith in mid and west Wales in 2021-22 to promote and facilitate use of Welsh in the community. We are also implementing recommendations of a community audit to strengthen the Welsh language across the communities of Wales following COVID.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i'r Gweinidog am eich ymateb. Dwi'n gwybod eich bod chi'n ymwybodol iawn o faint mor galed mae'r mentrau iaith a grwpiau cymunedol eraill yn gweithio, fel Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli, a fel maen nhw wedi dioddef y llynedd trwy golli digwyddiadau sydd mor bwysig iddyn nhw—y festivals, y digwyddiadau cymunedol, sydd yn bwysig iawn iddyn nhw o ran creu cyfle i ddefnyddio'r Gymraeg, ond hefyd sydd yn bwysig iawn o ran incwm y mudiadau, felly. Dwi'n falch i glywed am y buddsoddiad sydd wedi cael ei wneud, ond a ydy'r Gweinidog yn cytuno â fi y dylai Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru, pwy bynnag ydyn nhw, flaenoriaethu cefnogaeth i'r mudiadau cymunedol yma er mwyn sicrhau bod nhw'n gallu para nes maen nhw mewn sefyllfa lle maen nhw'n gallu codi mwy o arian eu hunain, achos mae'n bell o fod yn glir y byddan nhw'n gallu cynnal y math yna o ddigwyddiadau cymunedol yn ystod yr haf yma chwaith?
Thank you for that response, Minister. I know that you're highly aware of just how hard the mentrau iaith and other community groups, and Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli, are working, and how much they suffered last year by losing events that are so very important to them—the festivals, the community events that are hugely important to them in terms of providing opportunities to use the Welsh language, but are also important in terms of the income of those organisations. I'm pleased to hear of the investment that has been made, but does the Minister agree with me that the next Welsh Government, whoever that may be, should prioritise support for these community organisations in order to ensure that they can survive until they are in a position to generate more of their own income, because it's far from clear that they will be able to stage those kinds of community events during this summer either?
Diolch yn fawr, Helen Mary, ac yn sicr rŷm ni'n ymwybodol o'r gwaith aruthrol mae'r mentrau iaith wedi bod yn gwneud yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Un o'r pethau rŷm ni wedi gwneud yn ystod y pandemig yw sicrhau bod ni wedi cael audit cymunedol i weld beth yw'r effaith ar y Gymraeg yn ystod y pandemig, achos mae yna lot o grwpiau, wrth gwrs, wedi methu dod ynghyd yn ystod y cyfnod yna, ac mae'r mentrau iaith wedi helpu ni gyda lot o'r gwaith yna o sicrhau bod ni'n gwybod beth sy'n digwydd ar lawr gwlad. Dwi yn falch bod ni wedi gallu rhoi arian ychwanegol i'r ganolfan yn Llandeilo—£0.2 miliwn ym mis Mawrth i Menter Dinefwr—felly rŷm ni wedi gallu rhoi arian iddyn nhw, a dwi yn gobeithio bod hwnna'n gam ymlaen.
Ond un o'r pethau rŷm ni wedi'i wneud yw o ganlyniad i'r audit, fe ddaethom ni â grŵp at ei gilydd ac mae naw o argymhellion wedi dod ger ein bron ni. Ac un o'r pethau rŷm ni'n gobeithio gwneud yw rhoi siâp newydd ar y mentrau iaith—rŷm ni wedi gwneud hyn gyda'r mentrau iaith—i sicrhau bod nhw efallai'n symud tir fel bod nhw'n deall bod rhan bwysig nawr o'u gwaith nhw'n ymwneud â datblygu economaidd, yn hytrach na jest gwaith i fynd mas i'r cymunedau i wthio'r Gymraeg. Mae actually cynnal a chadw a thrio datblygu swyddi yn yr ardal gobeithio yn mynd i ddod yn rhan o'u gwaith craidd nhw. Rŷm ni wedi bod yn gweithio'n agos gyda nhw ar hynny, a dwi'n gobeithio bydd hwnna'n helpu i'w sefydlogi nhw am y tymor hir.
Thank you very much, Helen Mary, and certainly we're aware of the great work that the mentrau iaith have done in recent years. One of the things that we've done in the pandemic is to ensure that we've had a community audit to see what the impact has been on the Welsh language from the pandemic, because a lot of groups have not been able to meet during this period, and the mentrau iaith have helped us with a lot of that work of ensuring that we know what's happening on the ground. I'm pleased that we've been able to provide additional funding to the Llandeilo centre—£0.2 million in March to Menter Dinefwr—so, we've been able to provide funding to them, and I do hope that that is a step forward.
But one of the things that we've done as a result of that audit is that we brought a group together, and nine recommendations have now been produced. And one of the things that we hope to do is to give the mentrau iaith a new shape—we've done this with the mentrau iaith—to ensure that they do move together so that they do understand that an important part of their work is to do with economic development, not just to go out into communities and promote the Welsh language. Trying to maintain and develop jobs in the area will become a part of their core work in the future. We have been working closely with them on that, and we do hope that that will help to stabilise them for the long term.
Dyma'r cwestiwn mwyaf priodol fel cwestiwn olaf yma yn y Senedd hon. Ar ôl priodi, fe wnes i symud i bentref Cymraeg ei iaith yn y canolbarth a phenderfynais i fod yn ddewr ac i ddefnyddio fy Nghymraeg sylfaenol iawn, i ddatblygu'r iaith ac i fagu fy mhlant yn ddwyieithog. Ac ers cyrraedd y Senedd, fy ngweithle, wrth gwrs, dwi wedi bod yn llefarydd fy mhlaid ac rwy'n gobeithio yn enghraifft i holl ddysgwyr nad oes rhaid i chi fod yn gywir bob amser er mwyn ei gael yn iawn.
Weinidog, jest hoffwn i ddweud diolch i chi am ein perthynas waith dda dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf. Mae rhannu uchelgais realistig ar gyfer twf defnydd yr iaith, dealltwriaeth o le'r dysgwr a lle'r gweithiwr yn y weledigaeth, wedi gwneud hynny'n haws. Felly, dim syndod efallai mai dyma fy nghwestiwn. Bydd defnydd o'r Gymraeg gan famau sy'n gweithio yn hanfodol i lwyddiant strategaeth 2050. Yn ogystal â threulio mwy o amser gyda'u plant ifanc, rydym ni'n gwybod bod menywod yn fwyaf tebygol o gefnogi plant gyda gwaith ysgol, a bod yn fwyaf tebygol o gymdeithasu â theuluoedd eraill yn y cylchoedd chwarae a'r ysgol. Mae'r ffordd rydym ni'n cymdeithasu yn y gweithle hefyd wedi ei adeiladu ar wrando a rhannu trwy siarad. Sut ydych chi'n gafael yn y pethau gorau am sut mae menywod yn cymdeithasu a chyfathrebu yn eich cynllun iaith nesaf?
This is the most appropriate question for my final question in the Senedd. When I married, I moved to a Welsh-speaking village in mid Wales and I decided to be brave and to use my very basic Welsh-language skills in order to develop my own skills and to bring my children up as bilingual citizens. Since getting to the Senedd, I have been my party's spokesperson and hopefully I've been an example to all Welsh learners that you don't have to be correct every time to get things right.
Minister, I would just like to thank you for the good working relationship that we've had over the past few years. Sharing realistic ambitions for the growth in the use of the language, the understanding of the role of the learner and the workplace in that vision has made things easier. So, it's no surprise perhaps that this is my question. The use of the Welsh language by working mothers will be crucial to the success of the 2050 strategy. In addition to spending more time with their young children, we know that women are more likely to support children with their schoolwork, and they are more likely to socialise with other families in schools and play centres. The way that we socialise in the workplace too is built on listening and sharing by conversing. So, how are you picking up on the best things in the way that women socialise and communicate in your next language plan?
Diolch yn fawr, Suzy, ac rwyt ti wirioneddol yn fodel o beth rŷm ni'n treial ei gyflawni gyda'r strategaeth Gymraeg, rhywun sydd wedi datblygu o ran hyder yn y Gymraeg, a diolch i ti am gyfrannu nid yn unig wrth ddysgu Cymraeg ac wrth ymarfer Cymraeg, ond hefyd wrth siarad Cymraeg gyda dy blant di, ac maen nhw hefyd yn helpu ni i gyrraedd 1 miliwn. Felly, diolch yn fawr i ti am hynny.
Yn sicr, o ran mamau sy'n gweithio, dwi'n gwybod bod y gwaith rŷch chi wedi bod yn wneud ers sbel wedi bod yn pwysleisio'r angen yma i sicrhau bod dysgwyr yn dod yn rhan o beth rŷm ni'n treial ei gyflawni fan hyn, a gweithwyr. Mae'r ffaith bod chi'n pwysleisio rôl y fam, rôl y fenyw yn rhywbeth rŷm ni'n cydnabod. Dyna pam, er enghraifft, rydym ni wedi dod lan gyda pholisi newydd o ran trosglwyddo iaith yn y teulu, ac rŷm ni'n cydnabod bod rôl y fam yn hyn o beth yn hollbwysig; y dechrau o'r dechrau a thrio cael pobl i feddwl, cyn eu bod nhw'n cael plant, pa iaith maen nhw eisiau siarad gyda'u plant nhw hefyd.
Ond un prosiect rŷm ni wedi symud ymlaen gydag e yn ystod y sesiwn yma yw'r rhaglen Cymraeg Gwaith. Dwi'n gwybod bod hwnna yn rhywbeth roeddech chi yn gefnogol iawn ohoni, wrth gwrs. Mae hi wedi bod yn anodd gwneud hynny yn ystod y pandemig, ond dwi'n gobeithio byddwn ni'n cael cyfle i fynd yn ôl at hynny, a oedd yn profi i fod yn llwyddiannus iawn. Ond jest i danlinellu fy niolch i ti, Suzy, am bopeth rwyt ti wedi gwneud yn y Senedd yma, am bopeth rwyt ti'n gwneud dros yr iaith Gymraeg, a dwi'n siŵr bod dy gyfraniad di hefyd yn mynd i gael ei weld fel rhywbeth sydd wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth, nid jest yma yn y Senedd ond ar lawr gwlad. A diolch yn fawr i ti am bopeth rwyt ti wedi'i wneud.
Thank you very much, Suzy, and you really are a model of what we're trying to deliver with the Welsh language strategy, and you're someone who has developed confidence in your use of the Welsh language, and I thank you for contributing not just in terms of learning and practising your Welsh, but also speaking Welsh to your children, and they are also helping us to reach 1 million Welsh speakers. So, thank you very much for that.
Certainly, in terms of working mothers, I know that the work that you've done for a long time has emphasised this need to ensure that learners become a part of what we're trying to deliver here, and workers. The fact that you're emphasising the role of the mother and the role of women is something that we do recognise. That's why, for example, we have brought a new policy forward in terms of language transfer within families, and we do recognise that the role of mothers in this sense is vital; starting from the start and trying to get people to think, before they have children, which language they want to speak to their children.
But one project that we have progressed during this session is the Working Welsh programme. I know that that is something that you are very supportive of, and of course it's been very difficult to do that during a pandemic, but I do hope that we will have an opportunity to return to that, which was a success. But just to emphasise my thanks to you, Suzy, for everything that you've done during this Senedd and everything that you've done for the Welsh language, and I'm sure that your contribution is going to be seen as something that's made a difference, not just here in the Senedd, but on the ground as well. And thank you very much for everything that you've done.
4. Beth yw polisïau Llywodraeth Cymru i adeiladu partneriaethau ar gyfer iechyd meddwl da yng Nghymru? OQ56497
4. What are the Welsh Government’s policies to build partnerships for good mental health in Wales? OQ56497
Partnership working is a fundamental part of our 'Together for Mental Health' strategy. It's underpinned by national and local arrangements with a range of partners, including NHS, public health, local authorities, police, and the voluntary sector, as part of the multi-agency approach needed to improve mental health.
Mae gweithio mewn partneriaeth yn rhan sylfaenol o'n strategaeth 'Law yn Llaw at Iechyd Meddwl'. Fe'i hategir gan drefniadau cenedlaethol a lleol gydag amrywiaeth o bartneriaid, gan gynnwys y GIG, iechyd y cyhoedd, awdurdodau lleol, yr heddlu a'r sector gwirfoddol, fel rhan o'r dull amlasiantaethol sydd ei angen i wella iechyd meddwl.
Minister, a major issue is men's mental health and their tendency not to talk about their feelings and problems, as we've discussed many times. So, it is important to reach men with the right messages through a variety of means and organisations, and of course to have good role models. Given the profile and reach of professional football, I do think there's a strong role for our clubs in playing their part, and I'm very pleased that the team I support, Newport County Association Football Club, have shown very strong initiatives in this area. Two years ago, they became the only club in Wales—and only the fourth, actually, in the English Football League—to sign the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation. They now work with a variety of organisations in the city to take forward policies for good mental health. They have players as mental health ambassadors, including talking about their own difficulties and experiences. County in the Community ensure that community activities incorporate good mental health messages. There's a 'well-being Wednesday', where social media, and indeed, the club's website, are used to get across information and advice. They do a range of activities during Mental Health Awareness Week. It really is, I think, a good example to sport in Wales in general, Minister, and I wonder if you will join me, when circumstances permit, in visiting the club and discussing these initiatives and how they can be built upon for the future.
Weinidog, un mater pwysig yw iechyd meddwl dynion a'u tuedd i beidio â siarad am eu teimladau a'u problemau, fel rydym wedi'i drafod droeon. Felly, mae'n bwysig cyrraedd dynion gyda'r negeseuon cywir drwy amrywiaeth o ddulliau a sefydliadau, a chael modelau rôl da wrth gwrs. O ystyried proffil a chyrhaeddiad pêl-droed proffesiynol, rwy'n credu bod rhan gref gan ein clybiau i'w chwarae, ac rwy'n falch iawn fod y tîm rwy'n ei gefnogi, Clwb Pêl-droed Casnewydd, wedi dangos arweiniad cadarn iawn yn y maes hwn. Ddwy flynedd yn ôl, hwy oedd yr unig glwb yng Nghymru—a dim ond y pedwerydd, mewn gwirionedd, yng Nghynghrair Pêl-droed Lloegr—i lofnodi'r Siarter Iechyd Meddwl ar gyfer Chwaraeon a Hamdden. Maent bellach yn gweithio gydag amrywiaeth o sefydliadau yn y ddinas i ddatblygu polisïau ar gyfer iechyd meddwl da. Mae ganddynt chwaraewyr fel llysgenhadon iechyd meddwl, gan gynnwys siarad am eu hanawsterau a'u profiadau eu hunain. Mae County in the Community yn sicrhau bod gweithgareddau cymunedol yn cynnwys negeseuon iechyd meddwl da. Mae ganddynt 'ddydd Mercher llesiant', lle mae'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol, a gwefan y clwb yn wir, yn cael eu defnyddio i gyfleu gwybodaeth a chyngor. Maent yn gwneud amrywiaeth o weithgareddau yn ystod Wythnos Ymwybyddiaeth Iechyd Meddwl. Credaf ei bod yn enghraifft dda i chwaraeon yng Nghymru yn gyffredinol, Weinidog, a tybed a wnewch chi ymuno â mi, pan fydd amgylchiadau'n caniatáu, i ymweld â'r clwb a thrafod y mentrau hyn a sut y gellir adeiladu arnynt ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Diolch yn fawr, John. Certainly, I know your commitment to Newport and to this important issue is something that is worth underlining. I felt very privileged to be able to speak to some people in the community of Newport last week to discuss this very issue of mental health, so thank you for organising that.
Certainly, this is one of the things that I was focused on before I became Minister for mental health, starting a campaign called 'I pledge to talk', working with Mind Cymru, in mid Wales, when they found that there were three cases within a very short space of time, in a small community, where men had committed suicide. The ripples of that through the community were immense. It's absolutely clear that we've got to get men to talk, and we have got to learn to listen as well. Certainly, there are some great examples of this happening. So, we've got Men's Sheds, which I think is a great initiative, but I think football clubs have a really specific role here, because they are able—. There's the kind of Heineken effect; they can reach parts that others can't reach, and in particular, perhaps, to reach out into the younger age groups that perhaps may not want to confront mental health issues. I really commend them for, really, the active role that they've taken in really taking on this issue, and certainly I'm very pleased to see that they're doing this. We'll have to see what happens after the next election to see if I'm still in this role, but certainly, if I were, I'd be happy to attend.
But certainly, in terms of what happens next, look, I am really focused on the fact that children's activities are allowed to start again on 27 March. I think sport, being outside, is so good for people's mental health, and, as someone who has undertaken to do 10 km a day during Lent, it's partly to make sure that, actually, you get into a routine, it's to make sure that we get up and get moving, and I think there are a lot of people who could benefit from that kind of discipline and getting into a routine, and I think football clubs would be great at that.
Diolch yn fawr, John. Yn sicr, gwn fod eich ymrwymiad i Gasnewydd ac i'r mater pwysig hwn yn rhywbeth sy'n werth ei danlinellu. Roeddwn yn teimlo'n freintiedig iawn i allu siarad â rhai pobl yng nghymuned Casnewydd yr wythnos diwethaf i drafod mater iechyd meddwl, felly diolch am drefnu hynny.
Yn sicr, dyma un o'r pethau roeddwn yn canolbwyntio arnynt cyn imi ddod yn Weinidog iechyd meddwl, wrth ddechrau ymgyrch o'r enw 'I pledge to talk', gan weithio gyda Mind Cymru yng nghanolbarth Cymru, pan ganfuwyd bod tri achos o fewn cyfnod byr iawn, mewn cymuned fach, lle'r oedd dynion wedi cyflawni hunanladdiad. Roedd effeithiau hynny drwy'r gymuned yn aruthrol. Mae'n gwbl glir fod yn rhaid inni gael dynion i siarad, ac mae'n rhaid inni ddysgu gwrando hefyd. Yn sicr, ceir rhai enghreifftiau gwych o hyn yn digwydd. Felly, mae gennym Sheds Dynion, sy'n fenter wych yn fy marn i, ond credaf fod gan glybiau pêl-droed rôl benodol iawn yma, oherwydd gallant—. Mae ganddynt fath o effaith Heineken; gallant gyrraedd rhannau na all eraill eu cyrraedd, ac yn arbennig, efallai, estyn allan at grwpiau oedran iau nad ydynt am drafod iechyd meddwl o bosibl. Rwy'n eu canmol yn fawr am y rôl weithredol y maent wedi'i chwarae'n mynd i'r afael o ddifrif â'r mater hwn, ac yn sicr rwy'n falch iawn o weld eu bod yn gwneud hyn. Bydd yn rhaid inni weld beth sy'n digwydd ar ôl yr etholiad nesaf i weld a fyddaf yn dal i fod yn y rôl hon, ond yn sicr, os byddaf, byddwn yn hapus i ddod.
Ond yn sicr, o ran yr hyn sy'n digwydd nesaf, edrychwch, rwy'n canolbwyntio'n fawr ar y ffaith bod gweithgareddau plant yn cael dechrau eto ar 27 Mawrth. Rwy'n credu bod chwaraeon mor dda i iechyd meddwl pobl am eu bod yn digwydd yn yr awyr agored, ac fel rhywun sydd wedi ymrwymo i wneud 10 km y dydd yn ystod y Grawys, mae'n rhannol er mwyn sicrhau eich bod yn dechrau arfer newydd, mae'n gwneud yn siŵr ein bod yn codi ac yn symud, ac rwy'n credu y gallai llawer o bobl elwa o ddisgyblaeth o'r fath a dechrau arfer newydd, a chredaf y byddai clybiau pêl-droed yn wych am wneud hynny.
5. Pa wasanaethau sydd ar waith i gefnogi pobl sy'n dioddef o byliau o banig a gorbryder? OQ56493
5. What services are in place to support people suffering from panic attacks and anxiety? OQ56493
There is a range of support in place to help people who suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. These include Welsh Government-funded resources such as Reading Well Wales, online cognitive behavioural therapy and our community advice and listening line helpline. A range of support is also available from our voluntary sector partners.
Mae amrywiaeth o gymorth ar gael i helpu pobl sy'n dioddef o orbryder a phyliau o banig. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys adnoddau a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru megis Darllen yn Well Cymru, therapi gwybyddol ymddygiadol ar-lein a'n llinell wrando a chymorth cymunedol. Mae amrywiaeth o gymorth hefyd ar gael gan ein partneriaid yn y sector gwirfoddol.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. We were talking about stigma earlier, and, can I just say, when, in the Chamber, I talked about my own experience during political service of panic attacks, it had the biggest response of anything I've ever done in my career? Well over 100,000 likes on the social media that I put out on that, and I think this demonstrates—. They were worldwide, incidentally. It just demonstrates the need for us to talk about this, but also to improve services. So, I was encouraged by the cognitive behavioural therapy course that's been developed—I think it's called the SilverCloud. Now, it's in its early stages; I just wonder when we are likely to see the evidence from that programme and the take-up and effectiveness of it. But, given that Welsh Government modelling suggests that there could be an increase of up to 40 per cent in the demand for primary care mental health services, where most anxiety services would be, obviously, delivered, it seems to me that online—[Inaudible.]
Diolch ichi am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Roeddem yn sôn am stigma'n gynharach, ac a gaf fi ddweud, pan fûm yn siarad yn y Siambr am fy mhrofiad fy hun o gael pyliau o banig wrth roi gwasanaeth gwleidyddol, cefais fwy o ymateb am hynny nag am unrhyw beth a wneuthum erioed yn fy ngyrfa? Fe hoffodd ymhell dros 100,000 yr hyn a roddais ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol ar hynny, a chredaf fod hyn yn dangos—. Roeddent yn fyd-eang, gyda llaw. Mae'n dangos yr angen inni siarad am hyn, ond hefyd i wella gwasanaethau. Felly, fe'm calonogwyd gan y cwrs therapi gwybyddol ymddygiadol sydd wedi'i ddatblygu—rwy'n credu mai SilverCloud yw ei enw. Nawr, mae yn ei gamau cynnar; tybed pryd rydym yn debygol o weld y dystiolaeth o'r rhaglen honno a'r nifer sy'n manteisio arni a'i heffeithiolrwydd. Ond o ystyried bod modelu Llywodraeth Cymru yn awgrymu y gallai fod cynnydd o hyd at 40 y cant yn y galw am wasanaethau iechyd meddwl gofal sylfaenol, lle byddai'r rhan fwyaf o wasanaethau gorbryder yn cael eu darparu wrth gwrs, mae'n ymddangos i mi fod darpariaethau ar-lein—[Anghlywadwy.]
We seem to have lost David—
Ymddengys ein bod wedi colli David—
—are an essential part of the—[Inaudible.]
—yn rhan hanfodol o'r—[Anghlywadwy.]
We seem to have lost David; I think he's got a bad connection, so—. No, I'm sorry about that. I think we're going to move on. If we get David back, I might manage to see whether we can get an answer for his question. Can we move on to question 6, Mark Isherwood?
Ymddengys ein bod wedi colli David; rwy'n credu bod ei gysylltiad yn wael, felly—. Na, mae'n ddrwg gennyf am hynny. Rwy'n credu ein bod yn mynd i symud ymlaen. Os cawn David yn ôl, efallai y caf weld a allwn gael ateb i'w gwestiwn. A gawn ni symud ymlaen at gwestiwn 6, Mark Isherwood?
6. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi sector y celfyddydau yng Ngogledd Cymru? OQ56477
6. How is the Welsh Government supporting the arts sector in North Wales? OQ56477
Diolch, Mark. The Welsh Government, through our partnership with the statutory arts council, provides funding on an annual basis to support the arts across Wales. The £63 million cultural recovery fund has been essential to support many organisations, and probably the best example in north Wales is the initial investment of £3 million that we have provided as a Government for Theatr Clwyd.
Diolch, Mark. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru, drwy ein partneriaeth â'r cyngor celfyddydau statudol, yn darparu cyllid yn flynyddol i gefnogi'r celfyddydau ledled Cymru. Mae'r gronfa adferiad diwylliannol gwerth £63 miliwn wedi bod yn hanfodol i gefnogi llawer o sefydliadau, ac mae'n debyg mai'r enghraifft orau yng ngogledd Cymru yw'r buddsoddiad cychwynnol o £3 miliwn a ddarparwyd gennym fel Llywodraeth ar gyfer Theatr Clwyd.
Diolch. I'm glad you mentioned that, because Theatr Clwyd's capital redevelopment project in Mold is designed to secure Wales's biggest producing theatre for future generations. As Arts Council of Wales states, Theatr Clwyd is crucial to the well-being of people in north Wales, through its high-quality and appealing programme of shows and its excellent outreach work in areas like dementia and youth justice. But it also provides jobs, attracts visitors into Wales and raises the profile of Welsh theatre with its high reputation across the UK.
In 2018, they were awarded £1.2 million towards development of the plan, when the First Minister acknowledged in writing that Theatr Clwyd had national significance and encouraged them to continue with the development of the scheme. A successful planning application for the grade II listed theatre building followed in 2019. The Arts Council of Wales confirmed their next £5 million of support in April 2020, in spite of the pandemic, and last autumn, as you say, Welsh Government agreed to release £3 million over two financial years to keep the project moving up to construction. Construction is due to start in spring 2022, with commitments needed by autumn 2021 to ensure progress and eligibility for raising further funds. How do you therefore respond to concerns that Theatr Clwyd will be in serious danger of closing without Welsh Government funding for this, and needs to ensure that decisions on this are not delayed?
Diolch. Rwy'n falch eich bod wedi sôn am hynny, oherwydd mae'r prosiect cyfalaf i ailddatblygu Theatr Clwyd yn yr Wyddgrug wedi'i lunio i ddiogelu theatr gynhyrchu fwyaf Cymru ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Fel y dywed Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru, mae Theatr Clwyd yn hanfodol i lesiant pobl yng ngogledd Cymru, drwy ei rhaglen o sioeau apelgar o ansawdd uchel a'i gwaith allgymorth rhagorol mewn meysydd fel dementia a chyfiawnder ieuenctid. Ond mae hefyd yn darparu swyddi, yn denu ymwelwyr i Gymru ac yn codi proffil theatr Cymru gyda'i henw da ledled y DU.
Yn 2018, dyfarnwyd £1.2 miliwn iddynt tuag at ddatblygu'r cynllun, pan gydnabu'r Prif Weinidog yn ysgrifenedig fod i Theatr Clwyd arwyddocâd cenedlaethol ac fe wnaeth eu hannog i barhau â datblygiad y cynllun. Dilynwyd hyn gan gais cynllunio llwyddiannus ar gyfer adeilad rhestredig gradd II y theatr yn 2019. Cadarnhaodd Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru eu £5 miliwn nesaf o gymorth ym mis Ebrill 2020, er gwaethaf y pandemig, a'r hydref diwethaf, fel y dywedwch, cytunodd Llywodraeth Cymru i ryddhau £3 miliwn dros ddwy flynedd ariannol i gadw'r prosiect i symud hyd at y gwaith adeiladu. Disgwylir i'r gwaith adeiladu ddechrau yng ngwanwyn 2022, ac mae angen ymrwymiadau erbyn hydref 2021 i sicrhau cynnydd a chymhwysedd ar gyfer codi rhagor o arian. Sut felly yr ymatebwch i bryderon y bydd Theatr Clwyd mewn perygl difrifol o gau heb gyllid Llywodraeth Cymru i hyn, a'r angen iddi sicrhau nad yw penderfyniadau ar hyn yn cael eu gohirio?
I accept the responsibility that I currently have as arts Minister for Theatr Clwyd, but also as somebody who has supported the theatre since it was first established, and I entirely agree with what you've said about its contribution. But there are other arts venues across the north, like Galeri in Caernarfon, Ucheldre in Caergybi, Pontio in Bangor, Frân Wen, Theatr Bara Caws, Mostyn, Dawns i Bawb, Ruthin Craft Centre and, of course, Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias. We have a whole range of arts venues and arts activities that we are committed to support, and these are all part of the arts council's Arts Portfolio Wales. And I very much welcome the way that the arts council's capital lottery fund works alongside the arts council's Art Portfolio Wales, and I sincerely hope that this—well, I am certain—that this will continue, because Welsh Government understands, as we've heard today, that culture is central to the activity of devolved Government.
Rwy'n derbyn y cyfrifoldeb sydd gennyf ar hyn o bryd fel Gweinidog y celfyddydau dros Theatr Clwyd, ond hefyd fel rhywun sydd wedi cefnogi'r theatr ers ei sefydlu gyntaf, ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r hyn rydych wedi'i ddweud am ei chyfraniad. Ond mae lleoliadau celfyddydol eraill ar draws y gogledd, fel Galeri yng Nghaernarfon, Ucheldre yng Nghaergybi, Pontio ym Mangor, Frân Wen, Theatr Bara Caws, Mostyn, Dawns i Bawb, Canolfan Grefft Rhuthun ac wrth gwrs, Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias. Mae gennym ystod eang o leoliadau celfyddydol a gweithgareddau celfyddydol rydym wedi ymrwymo i'w cefnogi, ac mae'r rhain i gyd yn rhan o Bortffolio Celfyddydau Cymru cyngor y celfyddydau. Ac rwy'n croesawu'n fawr y ffordd y mae cronfa loteri cyfalaf cyngor y celfyddydau yn gweithio ochr yn ochr â Phortffolio Celfyddydau Cymru cyngor y celfyddydau, ac rwy'n mawr obeithio y bydd hyn—wel, rwy'n sicr—y bydd hyn yn parhau, oherwydd mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn deall, fel y clywsom heddiw, fod diwylliant yn ganolog i weithgarwch Llywodraeth ddatganoledig.
Thank you very much, Deputy Minister.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Weinidog.
Item 3 on the agenda this afternoon is the Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2021, and I call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government to move the motion—Julie James.
Eitem 3 ar yr agenda y prynhawn yma yw Gorchymyn Senedd Cymru (Cynrychiolaeth y Bobl) (Diwygio) 2021, a galwaf ar y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol i wneud y cynnig—Julie James.
Cynnig NDM7681 Rebecca Evans
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 27.5:
1. Yn cymeradwyo Gorchymyn Senedd Cymru (Cynrychiolaeth y Bobl) (Diwygio) 2021 a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 17 Mawrth 2021.
Motion NDM7681 Rebecca Evans
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:
1. Approves The Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2021 laid in the Table Office on 17 March 2021.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion to approve the Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2021. The Order makes technical changes to the process for nominating candidates for the Senedd elections scheduled for 6 May. The changes set the deadline for nominations as 4 p.m. on 8 April, so that nominations can be processed and published in a timely fashion, and enable candidates who do not reside in Wales to specify a UK parliamentary constituency on their nomination forms, where they do not wish their home address to be published. These changes are made in order to ensure that the election can continue in an orderly fashion during the pandemic. Diolch.
Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy'n gwneud y cynnig i gymeradwyo Gorchymyn Senedd Cymru (Cynrychiolaeth y Bobl) (Diwygio) 2021. Mae'r Gorchymyn yn gwneud newidiadau technegol i'r broses o enwebu ymgeiswyr ar gyfer etholiadau'r Senedd a drefnwyd ar gyfer 6 Mai. Roedd y newidiadau'n pennu mai'r amser cau ar gyfer enwebiadau yw 4 p.m. ar 8 Ebrill, fel y gellir prosesu a chyhoeddi enwebiadau'n amserol, a galluogi ymgeiswyr nad ydynt yn byw yng Nghymru i nodi etholaeth seneddol yn y DU ar eu ffurflenni enwebu, lle nad ydynt yn dymuno i'w cyfeiriad cartref gael ei gyhoeddi. Mae'r newidiadau hyn yn cael eu gwneud er mwyn sicrhau y gall yr etholiad fynd rhagddo'n drefnus yn ystod y pandemig. Diolch.
Daeth y Llywydd i’r Gadair.
The Llywydd took the Chair.
Dwi'n galw ar Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a Chyfansoddiad i gyfrannu. Mick Antoniw.
I call on the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to contribute. Mick Antoniw.
Thank you, Llywydd. We considered these regulations at our meeting on Monday morning, and our report contains two merits points. Our first merits point notes that the Order amends the home address form, which allows candidates to request that their home address not be made public on nomination forms. Where this is used, the candidate must provide the name of the Senedd constituency within which they reside. The amendments made by the Order allow candidates who reside outside of Wales but within the UK to provide the name of the UK parliamentary constituency within which they reside. This change applies to the 2021 Senedd election only, but the explanatory memorandum notes that it will need to be incorporated into a revised or new Order for subsequent Senedd elections.
Our second merits point relates to the consultation undertaken by the Welsh Government. Whilst we welcome the fact that a consultation has been carried out before this Order was made, the explanatory memorandum does not mention any discussions with constituency returning officers. We did ask the Welsh Government to confirm whether it had any discussions with the constituency returning officers, and, if so, the outcome of those discussions. In response, the Welsh Government told us that the regional returning officers are responsible for liaising with the returning officers for the Senedd constituencies in their region to ensure a consistent approach to the administration of the Senedd election throughout their region. The Welsh Government therefore consulted them on this basis.
In addition, one of the regional returning officers is the chair of the Wales electoral co-ordination board, which has the role of ensuring consistent electoral administration and practice across Wales. The Welsh Government also told us that it consulted the Wales branch of the Association of Electoral Administrators, which represents election professionals across Wales, and the Welsh Government's response to our reports confirmed that the views expressed during these discussions were considered before the Order was made. Diolch, Llywydd.
Diolch, Lywydd. Fe fuom yn ystyried y rheoliadau hyn yn ein cyfarfod fore Llun, ac mae ein hadroddiad yn cynnwys dau bwynt rhinweddau. Mae ein pwynt rhinweddau cyntaf yn nodi bod y Gorchymyn yn diwygio'r ffurflen cyfeiriad cartref, sy'n caniatáu i ymgeiswyr ofyn am beidio â chyhoeddi eu cyfeiriad cartref ar ffurflenni enwebu. Lle caiff hwn ei ddefnyddio, rhaid i'r ymgeisydd ddarparu enw etholaeth y Senedd y maent yn byw ynddi. Mae'r diwygiadau a wneir gan y Gorchymyn yn caniatáu i ymgeiswyr sy'n byw y tu allan i Gymru ond yn y DU ddarparu enw etholaeth seneddol y DU y maent yn byw ynddi. Mae'r newid hwn yn berthnasol i etholiad Senedd 2021 yn unig, ond mae'r memorandwm esboniadol yn nodi y bydd angen ei ymgorffori mewn Gorchymyn diwygiedig neu newydd ar gyfer etholiadau dilynol y Senedd.
Mae ein hail bwynt rhinweddau'n ymwneud â'r ymgynghoriad a gynhaliwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Er ein bod yn croesawu'r ffaith bod ymgynghoriad wedi'i gynnal cyn i'r Gorchymyn hwn gael ei wneud, nid yw'r memorandwm esboniadol yn sôn am unrhyw drafodaethau gyda swyddogion canlyniadau etholaethau. Gofynnwyd i Lywodraeth Cymru gadarnhau a gafodd unrhyw drafodaethau gyda swyddogion canlyniadau etholaethau, ac os felly, beth oedd canlyniad y trafodaethau hynny. Yn ei hymateb, dywedodd Llywodraeth Cymru wrthym mai'r swyddogion canlyniadau rhanbarthol sy'n gyfrifol am gysylltu â swyddogion canlyniadau etholaethau'r Senedd yn eu rhanbarth er mwyn sicrhau dull cyson o weinyddu etholiad y Senedd ledled eu rhanbarth. Felly, ymgynghorodd Llywodraeth Cymru â hwy ar y sail hon.
Yn ogystal, un o'r swyddogion canlyniadau rhanbarthol yw cadeirydd bwrdd cydlynu etholiadol Cymru, sydd â'r rôl o sicrhau cysondeb gweinyddiaeth ac arferion etholiadol ledled Cymru. Dywedodd Llywodraeth Cymru wrthym hefyd ei bod yn ymgynghori â changen Cymru o Gymdeithas y Gweinyddwyr Etholiadol, sy'n cynrychioli gweithwyr etholiadol proffesiynol ledled Cymru, a chadarnhaodd ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i'n hadroddiadau fod y safbwyntiau a fynegwyd yn ystod y trafodaethau hyn wedi cael eu hystyried cyn i'r Gorchymyn gael ei wneud. Diolch, Lywydd.
Diolch. Does gyda fi ddim rhagor o siaradwyr. Ydy'r Gweinidog eisiau ymateb o gwbl?
Thank you. I have no further speakers. Does the Minister wish to reply at all?
No. No, thank you.
Na. Na, dim diolch.
Iawn. Felly, gwnaf holi'r cwestiwn: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Dwi ddim yn gweld nag yn clywed gwrthwynebiad, ac felly mae'r cynnig wedi'i dderbyn yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Therefore I will ask whether the motion should be agreed. Does any Member object? I don't see or hear any objections, and therefore the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Mae eitem 4 wedi'i dynnu'n ôl.
Item 4 is withdrawn.
Eitem 5 yw'r eitem nesaf, Rheoliadau Iechyd y Cyhoedd (Gwarchodaeth Rhag Troi Allan) (Rhif 2) (Cymru) (Coronafeirws) 2021. A dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol i wneud y cynnig yma eto—Julie James.
So, we'll move to item 5, the Public Health (Protection from Eviction) (No. 2) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021. And I call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government to move the motion—Julie James.
Cynnig NDM7678 Rebecca Evans
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 27.5:
1, Yn cymeradwyo Rheoliadau Iechyd y Cyhoedd (Gwarchodaeth Rhag Troi Allan) (Rhif 2) (Cymru) (Coronafeirws) 2021 a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 17 Mawrth 2021.
Motion NDM7678 Rebecca Evans
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:
1. Approves The Public Health (Protection from Eviction) (No. 2) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 laid in the Table Office on 17 March 2021.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Llywydd. In my written statement of 17 March, I informed Members that I had laid the Public Health (Protection from Eviction) (No. 2) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021—the subject of today's debate. I also indicated that I would be laying today, under the negative procedure, the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies: Extension of Period of Protection from Eviction) (Wales) Regulations 2021. Taken together, these two sets of regulations will further extend, until the end of June, the current protections we have put in place. These protections prevent, in most cases, bailiffs or High Court enforcement officers from executing possession warrants or eviction notices, and also require landlords to serve a six-month notice before seeking possession.
The exceptions to these arrangements will remain very limited—for example, domestic violence, anti-social behaviour or trespass. The restrictions on the enforcement of possession orders by bailiffs or High Court enforcement officers will remain subject to regular review during the period they are in force to ensure they remain necessary and proportionate. Extending these protections will ensure tenants are able to stay in their homes whilst coronavirus restrictions remain in place. This will protect public health by reducing the number of people who are evicted, or at risk of being evicted, into homelessness, and particularly street homelessness, where their potential vulnerability to the virus, and the likelihood of them spreading it, is increased.
These measures will also reduce the current pressure on housing and homelessness advice and support services, which might otherwise struggle to cope due to current pandemic-related demands and the availability of temporary and move-on accommodation. Notwithstanding the limited lifting of some other measures, the protections afforded by these regulations remain crucial, particularly in the context of the potential for new variants of the virus increasing its transmissibility, or the severity of its impact, or a potential third wave of infections. I recognise that extending these temporary protections for a further period of time may cause difficulties for some landlords in the private rented sector. However, my overriding priority must be the protection of public health at this time.
Members will wish to know that other administrations share this view. The UK Government has recently announced that similar restrictions in England will be extended until the end of May, whilst the Scottish Government has announced that the arrangements there will be extended until the end of September. I therefore urge Members to support the motion. Diolch.
Diolch, Lywydd. Yn fy natganiad ysgrifenedig ar 17 Mawrth, dywedais wrth yr Aelodau fy mod wedi gosod Rheoliadau Iechyd y Cyhoedd (Gwarchodaeth rhag Troi Allan) (Rhif 2) (Cymru) (Coronafeirws) 2021—testun y ddadl heddiw. Nodais hefyd y byddwn yn gosod Rheoliadau Deddf Coronafeirws 2020 (Tenantiaethau Preswyl: Ymestyn Cyfnod Gwarchodaeth rhag Troi Allan) (Cymru) 2021 heddiw o dan y weithdrefn negyddol. Gyda'i gilydd, bydd y ddwy set o reoliadau'n ymestyn ymhellach, tan ddiwedd mis Mehefin, yr amddiffyniadau cyfredol rydym wedi'u rhoi ar waith. Mae'r amddiffyniadau hyn, yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion, yn atal beilïaid neu swyddogion gorfodi'r Uchel Lys rhag gweithredu gwarantau meddiannu neu orchmynion troi allan, a hefyd yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i landlordiaid roi rhybudd o chwe mis cyn ceisio meddiant.
Bydd yr eithriadau i'r trefniadau hyn yn parhau'n gyfyngedig iawn—er enghraifft, trais yn y cartref, ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol neu dresmasu. Bydd y cyfyngiadau ar orfodi gorchmynion meddiannu gan feilïaid neu swyddogion gorfodi'r Uchel Lys yn parhau i gael eu hadolygu'n rheolaidd yn ystod y cyfnod y maent mewn grym i sicrhau eu bod yn parhau i fod yn angenrheidiol ac yn gymesur. Bydd ymestyn yr amddiffyniadau hyn yn sicrhau bod tenantiaid yn gallu aros yn eu cartrefi tra bod cyfyngiadau coronafeirws yn parhau. Bydd hyn yn diogelu iechyd y cyhoedd drwy leihau nifer y bobl sy'n cael eu troi allan, neu sydd mewn perygl o gael eu troi allan, i ddigartrefedd, ac yn enwedig digartrefedd ar y stryd, lle mae mwy o berygl y gallent fod yn agored i ddal y feirws, a'r tebygolrwydd y byddant yn ei ledaenu.
Bydd y mesurau hyn hefyd yn lleihau'r pwysau presennol ar wasanaethau cyngor a chymorth tai a digartrefedd, a allai ei chael yn anodd ymdopi fel arall oherwydd y galwadau presennol sy'n gysylltiedig â'r pandemig ac argaeledd llety dros dro a llety camu ymlaen. Er bod rhai mesurau eraill yn cael eu llacio i raddau cyfyngedig, mae'r amddiffyniadau a gynigir gan y rheoliadau hyn yn parhau'n hanfodol, yn enwedig yng nghyd-destun y perygl y gallai amrywiolion newydd o'r feirws gynyddu ei drosglwyddadwyedd, neu ddifrifoldeb ei effaith, neu drydedd don bosibl o heintiau. Rwy'n cydnabod y gallai ymestyn yr amddiffyniadau dros dro hyn am gyfnod pellach achosi anawsterau i rai landlordiaid yn y sector rhentu preifat. Fodd bynnag, fy mhrif flaenoriaeth yw diogelu iechyd y cyhoedd ar yr adeg hon.
Bydd yr Aelodau am wybod bod gweinyddiaethau eraill yn rhannu'r farn hon. Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi cyhoeddi'n ddiweddar y bydd cyfyngiadau tebyg yn Lloegr yn cael eu hymestyn tan ddiwedd mis Mai, tra bod Llywodraeth yr Alban wedi cyhoeddi y bydd y trefniadau yno'n cael eu hymestyn tan ddiwedd mis Medi. Felly, rwy'n annog yr Aelodau i gefnogi'r cynnig. Diolch.
Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Cyfansoddiad, Deddfwriaeth a Chyfiawnder i gyfrannu—Mick Antoniw.
The Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, Mick Antoniw.
Diolch, again, Llywydd. Again, we considered these regulations at our meeting on Monday morning, and our report contains four merits points, some of which will, of course, be familiar to Members.
Our first merits point notes that these regulations engage a landlord's rights under article 1 protocol 1 of the European convention on human rights. And we note that exceptions are included in the regulations that allow for evictions in certain circumstances; the regulations are made only for a specified period; they are to be reviewed on a regular three-weekly cycle; and are made in the context of the current health emergency. In addition, we also note the Government's consideration of the proportionality of these regulations in the explanatory memorandum.
Our second merits point notes that there has been no formal consultation on the regulations, and our third merits point notes that no regulatory impact assessment has been prepared. In making our third point, we draw attention to the explanatory memorandum attempting to set out a summary of the potential impact of the regulations, which does provide some qualitative assessment of their impact.
Our fourth and final merits point highlights that these regulations extend by approximately 12 weeks the period of time by which a landlord will be unable to seek possession of their property for unpaid rent. So, we therefore highlight that, in combination with previous regulations passed in January 2021 and in December 2020, landlords will have been prevented from recovering possession due to unpaid rent for a significant period of time. The arrears of rent for some landlords may have a significant adverse economic impact on them and, as such, we note that the explanatory memorandum contains the Government's assessment of this risk. Diolch, Llywydd.
Diolch, unwaith eto, Lywydd. Unwaith eto, gwnaethom ystyried y rheoliadau hyn yn ein cyfarfod fore Llun, ac mae ein hadroddiad yn cynnwys pedwar pwynt rhinweddau, y bydd rhai ohonynt, wrth gwrs, yn gyfarwydd i'r Aelodau.
Mae ein pwynt rhinweddau cyntaf yn nodi bod y rheoliadau hyn yn cyffwrdd â hawliau landlord o dan erthygl 1 o brotocol 1 y confensiwn Ewropeaidd ar hawliau dynol. A nodwn fod eithriadau wedi'u cynnwys yn y rheoliadau sy'n caniatáu ar gyfer troi allan mewn amgylchiadau penodol; bod y rheoliadau'n cael eu gwneud am gyfnod penodedig yn unig; maent i'w hadolygu ar gylch tair wythnos rheolaidd; a'u bod yn cael eu gwneud yng nghyd-destun yr argyfwng iechyd presennol. Yn ogystal, nodwn hefyd ystyriaeth y Llywodraeth o gymesuredd y rheoliadau hyn yn y memorandwm esboniadol.
Mae ein hail bwynt rhinweddau'n nodi na fu ymgynghoriad ffurfiol ar y rheoliadau, ac mae ein trydydd pwynt rhinweddau'n nodi nad oes asesiad effaith rheoleiddiol wedi'i baratoi. Wrth wneud ein trydydd pwynt, rydym yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod y memorandwm esboniadol yn ceisio nodi crynodeb o effaith bosibl y rheoliadau, sy'n darparu rhywfaint o asesiad ansoddol o'u heffaith.
Mae ein pedwerydd pwynt rhinweddau, a'r pwynt terfynol, yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod y rheoliadau hyn yn ychwanegu oddeutu 12 wythnos at y cyfnod o amser na fydd landlord yn gallu meddiannu eu heiddo oherwydd rhent heb ei dalu. Felly, ar y cyd â rheoliadau blaenorol a basiwyd ym mis Ionawr 2021 a mis Rhagfyr 2020, rydym yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith y bydd landlordiaid wedi eu hatal rhag adennill meddiant oherwydd rhent heb ei dalu am gyfnod sylweddol. Gall ôlddyledion rhent rhai landlordiaid gael effaith economaidd niweidiol arnynt, ac o'r herwydd, nodwn fod y memorandwm esboniadol yn cynnwys asesiad y Llywodraeth o'r risg hon. Diolch, Lywydd.
Does gyda fi ddim unrhyw un yn siarad yn y ddadl; dwi ddim yn gwybod a ydy'r Gweinidog eisiau ymateb o gwbl. Julie James.
I have no other speakers in this debate; I'm not sure if the Minister wishes to reply. Julie James.
No, thank you, Llywydd.
Dim diolch, Lywydd.
Ocê. Felly, fe wnawn ni ofyn: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Dwi ddim yn gweld na chlywed gwrthwynebiad, ac felly mae'r eitem wedi ei chymeradwyo.
Therefore the proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? I don't see or hear any objections, and therefore the motion is agreed.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Eitem 6. Does dim cwestiynau amserol wedi eu derbyn heddiw.
Item 6, topical questions. No topical questions were accepted.
Felly eitem 7 yw'r eitem nesaf, y cynnig i ddiwygio Rheolau Sefydlog ar y Biliau cydgrynhoi. A dwi'n galw ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i symud y cynnig yn ffurfiol. Rebecca Evans.
Item 7, motion to amend Standing Orders on consolidation Bills. And I call on a member of the Business Committee to formally move. Rebecca Evans.
Cynnig NDM7668 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 33.2:
1. Yn ystyried adroddiad y Pwyllgor Busnes, ‘Diwygio Rheolau Sefydlog: Biliau Cydgrynhoi’, a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 17 Mawrth 2021.
2. Yn cymeradwyo'r cynnig i cyflwyno Rheol Sefydlog 26C newydd, fel y nodir yn Atodiad A adroddiad y Pwyllgor Busnes.
Motion NDM7668 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 33.2:
1. Considers the report of the Business Committee, ‘Amending Standing Orders: Consolidation Bills’, laid in the Table Office on 17 March 2021.
2. Approves the proposals to introduce a new Standing Order 26C, as set out in Annex A of the Business Committee’s report.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Formally moved.
Cynigiwyd yn ffurfiol.
Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a'r Cyfansoddiad, Mick Antoniw, i gyfrannu.
The Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, Mick Antoniw.
And I welcome the motion, which, if agreed, will put in place procedures that will further enable the Senedd to improve the accessibility of Welsh law. Our committee began considering the Welsh Government’s plans for the consolidation of Welsh law early in 2017. We scrutinised the Legislation (Wales) Bill, prior to it being passed by this Senedd in July 2019. Notably, it places a duty on the Counsel General and the Welsh Ministers to prepare at least one programme for each Senedd, beginning with the sixth, that will include activities that are intended to contribute to a process of consolidating Welsh law.
Having a Standing Order procedure that will facilitate the introduction and scrutiny of such consolidation Bills is a crucial part of the process of improving the Welsh statute book. Given our role in scrutinising the Legislation (Wales) Bill, the Business Committee consulted with us on a draft version of the Standing Order. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Business Committee for its response to the comments we provided in our correspondence in 2019.
So, turning to the proposed Standing Order itself, the exercise of consolidation should involve existing law only. I draw Members’ attention to paragraph 24 of the Business Committee’s report, which summarises the extent of proposed Standing Order 26C.2, and what a consolidation Bill may do. We set out a number of points in relation to this specific part of the Standing Order when we wrote to the Business Committee. I welcome the reiteration from the Business Committee that there will be a clear and important role for the responsible Senedd committee to assess and judge what is appropriate and within the parameters of proposed Standing Order 26C.2. Consolidating Welsh law will be a substantial task, and the responsible committee’s role and the work involved should not be underestimated.
I would also like to highlight the prospect of two consolidation Bills progressing in parallel as a package, which is documented in the Business Committee report. The first would be a principal consolidation Bill, and a second Bill would contain consequential amendments to existing legislation in light of the principal Bill. Amending stages for two Bills would need to happen consecutively, and it is anticipated these Bills would stand or fall together.
In our correspondence with the Business Committee, we acknowledged comments made by the Counsel General that there will be a process of learning as the first consolidation Bills are brought forward. We agreed with the Counsel General there should be a review of the procedure after the Senedd has scrutinised the first consolidation Bill, to ensure that the Standing Orders and procedures are fit for their intended purpose.
And I'd just like to conclude my contribution by saying that the accessibility of the Welsh statute book is not an issue that only affects us as Members as we undertake our duties here. Improving the accessibility of Welsh law will not only help legal practitioners working in Wales, but accessibility of the law and access to justice go hand in hand. Diolch, Llywydd.
Ac rwy'n croesawu'r cynnig, a fydd, os caiff ei dderbyn, yn rhoi gweithdrefnau ar waith a fydd yn galluogi'r Senedd ymhellach i wella hygyrchedd cyfraith Cymru. Dechreuodd ein pwyllgor ystyried cynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer cydgrynhoi cyfraith Cymru yn gynnar yn 2017. Buom yn craffu ar y Bil Deddfwriaeth (Cymru), cyn iddo gael ei basio gan y Senedd hon ym mis Gorffennaf 2019. Yn anad dim, mae'n gosod dyletswydd ar y Cwnsler Cyffredinol a Gweinidogion Cymru i baratoi o leiaf un rhaglen ar gyfer pob Senedd, gan ddechrau gyda'r chweched, a fydd yn cynnwys gweithgareddau y bwriedir iddynt gyfrannu at broses o gydgrynhoi cyfraith Cymru.
Mae cael gweithdrefn Rheol Sefydlog a fydd yn hwyluso'r broses o gyflwyno a chraffu ar Filiau cydgrynhoi o'r fath yn rhan hanfodol o'r broses o wella llyfr statud Cymru. O ystyried ein rôl yn craffu ar y Bil Deddfwriaeth (Cymru), ymgynghorodd y Pwyllgor Busnes â ni ar fersiwn ddrafft o'r Rheol Sefydlog. Hoffwn fanteisio ar y cyfle i ddiolch i'r Pwyllgor Busnes am ei ymateb i'r sylwadau a ddarparwyd gennym yn ein gohebiaeth yn 2019.
Felly, gan droi at y Rheol Sefydlog arfaethedig ei hun, dylai cydgrynhoi ymwneud yn unig â'r gyfraith sy'n bodoli eisoes. Tynnaf sylw'r Aelodau at baragraff 24 yn adroddiad y Pwyllgor Busnes, sy'n crynhoi cyrhaeddiad y Rheol Sefydlog 26C.2 arfaethedig, a'r hyn y caiff Bil cydgrynhoi ei wneud. Fe wnaethom nodi nifer o bwyntiau mewn perthynas â'r rhan benodol hon o'r Rheol Sefydlog pan ysgrifenasom at y Pwyllgor Busnes. Rwy'n croesawu'r cadarnhad gan y Pwyllgor Busnes y bydd rôl glir a phwysig i bwyllgor cyfrifol y Senedd asesu a barnu'r hyn sy'n briodol ac o fewn paramedrau'r Rheol Sefydlog 26C.2 arfaethedig. Bydd cydgrynhoi cyfraith Cymru yn dasg sylweddol, ac ni ddylid bychanu rôl y pwyllgor cyfrifol a'r gwaith sydd ynghlwm wrth hyn.
Hoffwn dynnu sylw hefyd at y posibilrwydd o weld dau Fil cydgrynhoi yn mynd rhagddynt ochr yn ochr fel pecyn, rhywbeth sydd wedi'i ddogfennu yn adroddiad y Pwyllgor Busnes. Y cyntaf fyddai prif Fil cydgrynhoi, a byddai ail Fil yn cynnwys diwygiadau canlyniadol i ddeddfwriaeth sy'n bodoli eisoes yng ngoleuni'r prif Fil. Byddai angen i gyfnodau diwygio ar gyfer dau Fil ddigwydd yn olynol, a rhagwelir y byddai'r Biliau hyn yn llwyddo neu'n methu gyda'i gilydd.
Yn ein gohebiaeth â'r Pwyllgor Busnes, fe wnaethom gydnabod sylwadau a wnaed gan y Cwnsler Cyffredinol y bydd yna broses o ddysgu wrth i'r Biliau cydgrynhoi cyntaf gael eu cyflwyno. Cytunwyd â'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol y dylid adolygu'r weithdrefn ar ôl i'r Senedd graffu ar y Bil cydgrynhoi cyntaf, er mwyn sicrhau bod y Rheolau Sefydlog a'r gweithdrefnau'n addas at y diben a fwriadwyd ar eu cyfer.
A hoffwn gloi fy nghyfraniad drwy ddweud nad yw hygyrchedd llyfr statud Cymru yn fater sydd ond yn effeithio arnom ni fel Aelodau wrth inni ymgymryd â'n dyletswyddau yma. Bydd gwella hygyrchedd cyfraith Cymru'n helpu ymarferwyr cyfreithiol sy'n gweithio yng Nghymru, ond hefyd, mae hygyrchedd y gyfraith a mynediad at gyfiawnder yn mynd law yn llaw. Diolch, Lywydd.
I'm pleased that we're debating these many items on Standing Orders separately. I didn't request that by signifying an objection to their grouping in order to extend the fifth Assembly unnecessarily—we want to see the Assembly abolished, not continue artificially and unnecessarily. So, I do though believe that a lot of these Standing Orders are very substantive, and there are a range of different issues that I think deserve separate debates. And there are also prepared, I think, excellent documents for Business Committee on each of them that also deserve attention.
On consolidation, I initially thought that consolidation of the law was probably a sensible and not very controversial thing. And of course, there are provisions for the consolidation of laws at Westminster. However, having reflected further, I no longer believe that's the case, and I think this consolidation Standing Order will, for starters, ease the path to more legislating by this place, and I don't support that.
The Chair of the committee referred to the importance of consolidating Welsh law, but, of course, we don't have a separate jurisdiction in Wales. We have the law of England and Wales, as applicable in Wales. And I think that point draws into question many of the other points I've made about why this is such an obviously good and non-controversial thing to do, to assist users and improve access to justice and accessibility, et cetera.
I think, in the Business Committee paper, paragraph 2 puts the case from the other side quite well. It refers to the fourth Assembly's Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee having considered this in its report 'Making Laws in Wales.' We get a definition of consolidation, or at least described consolidation of law as,
'taking an area of law that has fallen into disrepair as a result of layers of amendments and modification, and producing a single clean text, in accordance with best contemporary practice.'
Now, I'm not really sure if that's true. Clearly, as laws get amended and changes are made, and there are amendments and modifications, that can increase complexity, and it can make the laws harder to use, both for legal practitioners and in terms of accessibility to the public, but often that's a factor of the growing complexity of the law, rather than necessarily just reflecting that it's coming from different statutes or different places. As that happens, of course, it increases the risk of ambiguity or contradiction, but to the extent that happens, the consolidation of law becomes a controversial process because it is potentially resolving or at least having an influence on those ambiguities and contradictions. And when the committee says it would lead to a single clean text, I just don't believe that's true in the context of devolution, and a shared devolution.
What it would lead to, in most areas, is a text for Wales and then a different range of texts for elsewhere in the UK, or at least for England, and over time it becomes possible that the interpretation of those two different bodies of law becomes different, or that it becomes very difficult to be sure that you're looking at the right law in terms of the case law, because if you have a judge who interprets things in a particular way, but is doing that in Wales, it's not clear if that then gets picked up by judges in England interpreting the law of England and Wales as applicable to England there. And, of course, there's far more interpretation in terms of volume going on in England. And if those things from the previous legislation were consolidated or referred to, it can then become very challenging for the lawyers and the practitioners to actually pin those changes back onto what's happened in Wales, and whether those changes—. Some of them may be binding, but they've been made with reference to other statutes and other provisions that have ostensibly been consolidated into a single clean text, but it's not a single clean text because the law continues to exist as it was in England. And that, to me, really brings all this into question, and we intend to oppose this new Standing Order to ease the path to this type of further legislative behaviour.
Rwy'n falch ein bod yn trafod yr eitemau niferus hyn ar y Rheolau Sefydlog ar wahân. Ni ofynnais am hynny drwy ddynodi gwrthwynebiad i'w grwpio er mwyn ymestyn y pumed Cynulliad yn ddiangen—rydym am weld y Cynulliad yn cael ei ddiddymu, nid ei barhau'n artiffisial ac yn ddiangen. Felly, rwy'n credu, serch hynny, fod llawer o'r Rheolau Sefydlog hyn yn rhai o sylwedd, a cheir ystod o faterion gwahanol sy'n haeddu dadleuon ar wahân yn fy marn i. Ac rwy'n credu bod dogfennau rhagorol wedi'u paratoi hefyd ar gyfer y Pwyllgor Busnes ar bob un ohonynt sydd hefyd yn haeddu sylw.
Ar gydgrynhoi, roeddwn yn meddwl i ddechrau fod cydgrynhoi'r gyfraith yn beth synhwyrol a heb fod yn ddadleuol iawn, mae'n debyg. Ac wrth gwrs, mae darpariaethau ar gyfer cydgrynhoi cyfreithiau yn San Steffan. Fodd bynnag, ar ôl ystyried ymhellach, nid wyf yn credu bod hynny'n wir bellach, a chredaf yn un peth y bydd y Rheol Sefydlog hon ar gydgrynhoi yn hwyluso'r llwybr at fwy o ddeddfu gan y lle hwn, ac nid wyf yn cefnogi hynny.
Cyfeiriodd Cadeirydd y pwyllgor at bwysigrwydd cydgrynhoi cyfraith Cymru, ond wrth gwrs, nid oes gennym awdurdodaeth ar wahân yng Nghymru. Mae gennym gyfraith Cymru a Lloegr, fel y'i cymhwysir yng Nghymru. A chredaf fod y pwynt hwnnw'n codi amheuon am lawer o'r pwyntiau eraill rwyf wedi'u gwneud ynghylch pam y mae hyn yn beth sydd mor amlwg yn dda i'w wneud a heb fod yn ddadleuol, i gynorthwyo defnyddwyr a gwella mynediad at gyfiawnder a hygyrchedd, ac yn y blaen.
Ym mhapur y Pwyllgor Busnes, credaf fod paragraff 2 yn cyflwyno'r achos o'r ochr arall yn eithaf da. Mae'n cyfeirio at y ffaith bod Pwyllgor Materion Cyfansoddiadol a Deddfwriaethol y pedwerydd Cynulliad wedi ystyried hyn yn ei adroddiad 'Deddfu yng Nghymru'. Cawn ddiffiniad o gydgrynhoi, neu o leiaf ddisgrifiad o gydgrynhoi'r gyfraith fel,
'mynd i'r afael â darn o gyfraith sydd wedi dadfeilio oherwydd yr haenau o ddiwygiadau ac addasiadau a wnaed iddo, a llunio un testun glân, yn unol â'r arfer cyfoes gorau.'
Nawr, nid wyf yn siŵr a yw hynny'n wir. Yn amlwg, wrth i gyfreithiau gael eu diwygio a newidiadau'n cael eu gwneud, a diwygiadau ac addasiadau, gall hynny gynyddu cymhlethdod, a gall wneud y cyfreithiau'n anos i'w defnyddio, ar gyfer ymarferwyr cyfreithiol ac o ran hygyrchedd i'r cyhoedd, ond yn aml mae hynny'n ffactor o gymhlethdod cynyddol y gyfraith, yn hytrach nag adlewyrchu, o reidrwydd, ei fod yn dod o wahanol statudau neu wahanol leoedd. Wrth i hynny ddigwydd, wrth gwrs, mae'n cynyddu'r risg o amwysedd neu wrth-ddweud, ond i'r graddau fod hynny'n digwydd, daw cydgrynhoi'r gyfraith yn broses ddadleuol oherwydd ei bod o bosibl yn datrys neu o leiaf yn dylanwadu ar yr amwysedd a'r gwrth-ddweud. A phan ddywed y pwyllgor y byddai'n arwain at un testun glân, nid wyf yn credu bod hynny'n wir yng nghyd-destun datganoli, a chyd-ddatganoli.
Yr hyn y byddai'n arwain ato, yn y rhan fwyaf o feysydd, yw testun i Gymru ac ystod wahanol o destunau ar gyfer mannau eraill yn y DU, neu o leiaf ar gyfer Lloegr, a dros amser daw'n bosibl y bydd dehongliad o'r ddau gorff cyfraith gwahanol yn dod yn wahanol, neu ei bod yn anodd iawn bod yn siŵr eich bod yn edrych ar y gyfraith gywir o ran y gyfraith achosion, oherwydd os oes gennych farnwr sy'n dehongli pethau mewn ffordd benodol, ond sy'n gwneud hynny yng Nghymru, nid yw'n glir a yw hynny wedyn yn cael ei nodi gan farnwyr yn Lloegr sy'n dehongli cyfraith Cymru a Lloegr fel y bo'n gymwys i Loegr. Ac wrth gwrs, mae llawer mwy o ddehongli o ran maint y gwaith yn digwydd yn Lloegr. Ac os cydgrynhoir, neu y cyfeirir at y pethau hynny o'r ddeddfwriaeth flaenorol, gall fod yn heriol iawn i'r cyfreithwyr a'r ymarferwyr olrhain y newidiadau hynny'n ôl i'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yng Nghymru, ac a yw'r newidiadau hynny—. Efallai fod rhai ohonynt yn rhwymol, ond maent wedi'u gwneud gan gyfeirio at statudau eraill a darpariaethau eraill sydd, i bob golwg, wedi'u cydgrynhoi'n un testun glân, ond nid yw'n un testun glân oherwydd bod y gyfraith yn parhau i fodoli fel yr oedd yn Lloegr. Ac mae hynny, i mi, yn bwrw amheuaeth ar hyn oll, a bwriadwn wrthwynebu'r Rheol Sefydlog newydd hon i hwyluso'r llwybr at y math hwn o ymddygiad deddfwriaethol pellach.
Diolch. Does gyda fi ddim mwy o siaradwyr ar yr eitem yna. Felly, y cynnig yw i ddiwygio'r Rheolau Sefydlog mewn perthynas â Biliau cydgrynhoi. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Oes. Felly, fe wnawn ni ohirio'r bleidlais tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Thank you. I have no further speakers on that item. The proposal is to amend Standing Orders in relation to consolidation Bills. Does any Member object? [Objection.] Yes, there is an objection, and we will defer voting until voting time.
Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Voting deferred until voting time.