Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
29/06/2021Cynnwys
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 yn y Siambr a thrwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da, bawb. Croeso i'r Cyfarfod Llawn, ac yn enwedig i unrhyw aelod o'r cyhoedd sydd wedi ymuno â ni unwaith eto yn yr oriel gyhoeddus am y tro cyntaf mewn 15 mis. Croeso i chi i hynny.
Cynhelir y cyfarfod hwn ar ffurf hybrid, gyda rhai Aelodau yn Siambr ac eraill yn ymuno drwy gyswllt fideo. Bydd yr holl Aelodau sy'n cymryd rhan yn nhrafodion y Senedd, ble bynnag y bônt, yn cael eu trin yn gyfartal. Mae Cyfarfod Llawn a gynhelir drwy gynhadledd fideo, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog Senedd Cymru, yn gyfystyr â thrafodion y Senedd at ddibenion Deddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006. Bydd rhai o ddarpariaethau Rheol Sefydlog 34 yn gymwys ar gyfer y Cyfarfod Llawn heddiw, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. A dwi eisiau atgoffa'r Aelodau fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn berthnasol i bawb—y rhai sydd yn y Siambr a'r rhai sydd yn ymuno drwy gyswllt fideo.
Good afternoon and welcome to this Plenary session, and in particular to members of the public who have joined us once again in the public gallery for the first time in 15 months. So, a warm welcome to you.
This meeting will be held in hybrid format, with some Members in the Senedd Chamber and others joining by video-conference. All Members participating in Senedd proceedings, wherever they may be, will be treated equitably. A Plenary meeting held using 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 set out on your agenda. And I would remind Members that Standing Orders relating to order in Plenary meetings apply to all—to those in the Chamber and those joining virtually.
Yr eitem gyntaf y prynhawn yma yw'r enwebiadau ar gyfer Cadeiryddion pwyllgorau. Ychydig o bwyntiau oddi wrthyf i am hyn: fe fyddaf i nawr yn gwahodd enwebiadau o dan Reol Sefydlog 17.2F i ethol Cadeiryddion y pwyllgorau. Dim ond Aelod o'r grŵp gwleidyddol y dyrannwyd y pwyllgor hwnnw iddo a all gael ei enwebu yn Gadeirydd, a dim ond Aelod o'r un grŵp plaid sy'n cael cynnig yr enwebiad. Cytunwyd ar y dyraniad Cadeiryddion i grwpiau gwleidyddol yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.2A. Pan fo gan grŵp plaid fwy nag 20 Aelod, mae'n rhaid i'r enwebiad gael ei eilio gan Aelod arall o'r un grŵp. Yn achos grwpiau plaid sydd â llai nag 20 Aelod, does dim angen eilydd. Os bydd unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu enwebiad, neu os ceir dau enwebiad neu fwy ar gyfer yr un pwyllgor, cynhelir pleidlais gyfrinachol. Byddaf yn parhau gyda'r enwebiadau ar gyfer gweddill y pwyllgorau hyd nes bydd yr enwebiadau i gyd wedi'u gwneud.
Felly, rŷn ni'n cychwyn drwy wahodd enwebiadau ar gyfer Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, sydd wedi ei ddyrannu i'r grŵp Llafur. Dwi'n galw am Aelod o'r grŵp Llafur i wneud unrhyw enwebiad. Jayne Bryant.
The first item this afternoon is nominations for committee Chairs. A few points from me before we begin: I will now invite nominations under Standing Order 17.2F for the election of committee Chairs. Only a Member of the political group that has been allocated that committee may be nominated as Chair, and only a Member of the same political group may make that nomination. The allocation of Chairs to political groups has been agreed in accordance with Standing Order 17.2A. For political groups of more than 20 Members, the nomination must be seconded by another Member of the same group. For political groups with fewer than 20 Members, no seconder is required. If any Member objects to a nomination, or if two or more nominations are made for one committee, a secret ballot will be held. I will continue with the nominations for the remaining committees until all nominations have been made.
We begin by inviting nominations for the Chair of the Equality and Social Justice Committee, which has been allocated to the Labour group. I call for a Member of the Labour group to make any nominations. Jayne Bryant.
I nominate Jenny Rathbone.
Rwy'n enwebu Jenny Rathbone.
A oes unrhyw Aelod o'r grŵp Llafur yn eilio'r enwebiad yna o Jenny Rathbone?
Does any Member of the Labour group second that nomination?
I second it.
Rwy'n ei eilio.
Mae'r enwebiad wedi ei eilio. A oes rhagor o enwebiadau? Nac oes. Dwi ddim yn gweld unrhyw enwebiadau eraill. [Torri ar draws.] Oes, dwi'n gweld llaw nawr. Alun Davies, oes gyda chi enwebiad?
Yes, it has been seconded. Are there any further nominations. No, I see no further nominations. [Interruption.] Yes, I can see that Alun Davies has indicated. Alun Davies, do you have a nomination?
I'd like to make a point of order on this procedure, Presiding Officer.
Hoffwn wneud pwynt o drefn ar y weithdrefn hon, Llywydd.
I'm not taking a point of order in the middle of the nomination process, but I will take your point of order—[Interruption.] I'll take the point of order at the end of the nominations. There being no further nominations for that committee—
Nid wyf i'n mynd i gymryd pwynt o drefn yng nghanol y broses enwebu, ond fe wnaf dderbyn eich pwynt o drefn—[Torri ar draws.] Fe dderbyniaf y pwynt o drefn ar ddiwedd yr enwebiadau. Os nad oes rhagor o enwebiadau ar gyfer y pwyllgor hwnnw—
—oes yna unrhyw wrthwynebiad i'r enwebiad yna?
—is there any objection to that nomination?
Any objection to that nomination? No.
Unrhyw wrthwynebiad i'r enwebiad yna? Nac oes.
Felly, dwi'n datgan bod Jenny Rathbone wedi cael ei hethol yn Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol. Llongyfarchiadau i Jenny Rathbone.
Y pwyllgor nesaf i wahodd enwebiadau ar ei gyfer yw'r Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus a Gweinyddiaeth Gyhoeddus. Dyrannwyd y pwyllgor yma i'r Ceidwadwyr. A oes unrhyw enwebiad i fod yn Gadeirydd?
Therefore, I declare that Jenny Rathbone is elected Chair of the Equality and Social Justice Committee. Many congratulations to Jenny Rathbone.
The next committee is the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which has been allocated to the Welsh Conservatives. Are there any nominations for Chair?
Llywydd, I recommend Mark Isherwood.
Llywydd, rwy'n argymell Mark Isherwood.
You can nominate Mark Isherwood. No seconder is necessary. Is there any objection to Mark Isherwood's nomination? There being no objection, I can then declare that Mark Isherwood has now been elected the Chair of public accounts and public administration. Llongyfarchiadau, congratulations, Mark Isherwood.
We now go on to—
Cewch enwebu Mark Isherwood. Nid oes angen eilydd. A oes unrhyw wrthwynebiad i enwebiad Mark Isherwood? Nid oes gwrthwynebiad, felly gallaf ddatgan bod Mark Isherwood bellach wedi'i ethol yn Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus a Gweinyddiaeth Gyhoeddus. Llongyfarchiadau, congratulations, Mark Isherwood.
Fe awn ymlaen nawr i—
—y Pwyllgor Cyllid. Dyrannwyd y Cadeirydd ar gyfer y Pwyllgor Cyllid i Blaid Cymru. A oes enwebiad ar gyfer Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Cyllid o Blaid Cymru? Delyth Jewell.
—the Finance Committee. The allocation of Chair of the Finance Committee was given to Plaid Cymru. Are there any nominations for Chair of the Finance Committee from Plaid Cymru? Delyth Jewell.
Hoffwn enwebu Peredur Owen Griffiths.
I'd like to nominate Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Diolch. Does dim angen eilydd i'r enwebiad. A oes rhagor o enwebiadau ar gyfer y gaderiyddiaeth yna? Sioned Williams.
Thank you. There is no need for that to be seconded. Are there any further nominations for Chair of Finance Committee? Sioned Williams.
Hoffwn i enwebu Rhys ab Owen.
I'd like to nominate Rhys ab Owen.
Rhys ab Owen. Does dim angen eilydd. Felly, gan fod yna fwy nag un enwebiad, fe fydd yna bleidlais ar gyfer y gadeiryddiaeth yna o'r Pwyllgor Cylliad, ac fe fydd y bleidlais yna'n cael ei chynnal yn gyfrinachol.
Y pwyllgor nesaf, felly, yw'r Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a'r Cyfansoddiad. Dyrannwyd hwn i'r grŵp Llafur. A oes enwebiad o'r grŵp Llafur? Sarah Murphy.
Rhys ab Owen is nominated. Again, we don't need a seconder for that. Therefore, as there is more than one nomination, there will be a ballot for Chair of Finance Committee, and that will be a secret ballot.
The next committee is the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, which has been allocated to the Labour group. Are there any nominations from the Labour group? Sarah Murphy.
Sarah Murphy, can you be unmuted? Yes, there you go.
Sarah Murphy, a allwch chi gael eich dad-dawelu? Iawn, dyna chi.
Thank you. I'd like to nominate Huw Irranca-Davies, please.
Diolch. Hoffwn enwebu Huw Irranca-Davies, os gwelwch yn dda.
Oes eilydd i'r enwebiad yna o Huw Irranca-Davies? Buffy Williams.
Is that nomination seconded? Buffy Williams.
You're unmuted now. Carry on, Buffy.
Rydych chi wedi eich dad-dawelu nawr. Ewch ymlaen, Buffy.
Yes, I second that.
Rwyf i'n eilio hynny.
Ocê. Diolch yn fawr. A oes unrhyw enwebiad arall ar gyfer Cadeirydd y pwyllgor yma? Unrhyw enwebiad arall?
Okay. Thank you very much. Are there any further nominations? Any further nominations?
Any further nomination? No, I don't see a further nomination.
Unrhyw enwebiad arall? Na, nid wyf yn gweld enwebiad arall.
Felly, dwi'n gallu datgan bod Huw Irranca-Davies wedi cael ei ethol yn Gadeirydd y pwyllgor deddfwriaeth—. Na, cyn i fi ddatgan ei fod e wedi cael ei ethol, mae'n rhaid i fi ofyn a oes gwrthwynebiad i'r ffaith bod Huw Irranca-Davies yn cael ei gynnig ar gyfer y swydd yma? Oes unrhyw wrthwynebiad? Nac oes. Felly nawr fe allaf i ddatgan bod Huw Irranca-Davies wedi ei ethol yn Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a’r Cyfansoddiad, a phob hwyl iddo yn y gwaith.
Rwy'n gwahodd enwebiadau nawr ar gyfer y Pwyllgor Deisebau—Petitions Committee—a ddyrannwyd i'r grŵp Llafur. Jayne Bryant.
Therefore, I declare that Huw Irranca-Davies is elected Chair of the legislation, justice—. No, before I declare that election, I must ask whether there is any objection to Huw Irranca-Davies's nomination. Are there any objections? There are none. Therefore, I can now declare that Huw Irranca-Davies is elected Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee. I wish him well.
I now invite nominations for Chair of the Petitions Committee, which has been allocated to the Labour group. Jayne Bryant.
I'd like to nominate Jack Sargeant.
Hoffwn enwebu Jack Sargeant.
Jack Sargeant wedi ei enwebu. Oes eilydd?
Jack Sargeant is nominated. Is there a seconder for that nomination?
Is there a seconder? Ken Skates. [Interruption.]
A oes eilydd? Ken Skates. [Torri ar draws.]
I second Jack Sargeant.
Rwy'n eilio Jack Sargeant.
Okay. Thank you, Ken Skates. Can Members who notice that they're not muted either mute themselves or be careful in what they're saying? Okay. So, we have a seconder for—. I forget who now—oh, Jack Sargeant. My apologies, Jack. [Laughter.] Is there another nomination for the Petitions Committee? No, I see no further nominations. Is there an objection to the Chair of petitions being Jack Sargeant? No, I see no objection either. So, Jack Sargeant is elected to the Petitions Committee Chair. Congratulations to you, Jack.
Iawn. Diolch, Ken Skates. A wnaiff Aelodau sy'n sylwi nad ydyn nhw wedi'u tawelu naill ai dawelu eu hunain neu fod yn ofalus beth maen nhw'n ei ddweud? Iawn. Felly, mae gennym ni eilydd ar gyfer—. Rwy'n anghofio pwy nawr—o, Jack Sargeant. Mae'n ddrwg gen i, Jack. [Chwerthin.] A oes enwebiad arall ar gyfer y Pwyllgor Deisebau? Na, ni welaf unrhyw enwebiadau eraill. A oes gwrthwynebiad i Jack Sargeant fod yn Gadeirydd ar y Pwyllgor Deisebau? Na, ni welaf innau wrthwynebiad ychwaith. Felly, mae Jack Sargeant wedi'i ethol yn Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Deisebau. Llongyfarchiadau i chi, Jack.
Pwyllgor Diwylliant, Cyfathrebu, y Gymraeg, Chwaraeon a Chysylltiadau Rhyngwladol.
The next committee is the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee.
I think that's the longest title we've had for a committee thus far. It's a Plaid Cymru nomination. Is there a nomination from Plaid Cymru? Llyr Gruffydd.
Rwy'n credu mai dyna'r teitl hiraf yr ydym ni wedi ei gael ar gyfer pwyllgor hyd yma. Enwebiad Plaid Cymru yw hwn. A oes enwebiad gan Blaid Cymru? Llyr Gruffydd.
Diolch, Llywydd. Buaswn i'n dymuno enwebu Delyth Jewell i fod yn Gadeirydd y pwyllgor o dan sylw.
Thank you, Llywydd. I wish to nominate Delyth Jewell to chair this committee.
Diolch. Does dim angen eilydd i'r enwebiad. Oes yna enwebiad arall gan Blaid Cymru? Oes yna? Does yna ddim? Ocê, iawn. Does yna ddim enwebiad arall, felly, i'r swydd yna o Gadeirydd—. Rhys ab Owen.
Thank you. That doesn't need to be seconded. Is there any further nomination from Plaid Cymru? Further nominations? No further nominations? Okay, there are no further nominations for the Chair—. Rhys ab Owen.
Hoffwn enwebu Heledd Fychan, plîs.
I nominate Heledd Fychan.
Ocê. Felly, mae yna ddau enwebiad ar gyfer Cadeirydd y pwyllgor diwylliant ac, oherwydd hynny, mi fydd yna bleidlais gyfrinachol ar gyfer y swydd yna.
Y pwyllgor nesaf i'w enwebu ar ei gyfer yw Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig. Dyrannwyd y Cadeirydd yma i'r Ceidwadwyr. Oes yna enwebiad? Laura Jones.
Okay. So, there are now two nominations for Chair of the culture committee and, as a result, there will be a secret ballot for that post.
The next nomination is for the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee, and this has been allocated to the Welsh Conservatives. Is there a nomination? Laura Jones.
Llywydd, I nominate Paul Davies.
Llywydd, rwy'n enwebu Paul Davies.
Paul Davies has been nominated. Is there a further nomination from the Conservative group for this Chair? I don't see a further nomination. Is there an objection to that nomination? I see no objection, and therefore Paul Davies has been elected to chair the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee.
Mae Paul Davies wedi ei enwebu. A oes enwebiad arall gan y grŵp Ceidwadol ar gyfer y Cadeirydd hwn? Nid wyf i'n gweld enwebiad arall. A oes gwrthwynebiad i'r enwebiad hwnnw? Ni welaf unrhyw wrthwynebiad, ac felly mae Paul Davies wedi ei ethol i gadeirio Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig.
Llongyfarchiadau i Paul Davies.
Y Pwyllgor Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol sydd nesaf, eto gan y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig. A oes yna enwebiad? Laura Jones.
Congratulations to Paul Davies.
We now move to the Health and Social Care Committee, also allocated to the Welsh Conservatives. Is there a nomination? Laura Jones.
It's very straightforward when it's done by the same person every time, I must say. [Laughter.]
Mae'n ddidrafferth iawn pan gaiff ei wneud gan yr un person bob tro, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud. [Chwerthin.]
We aim to please, Llywydd. I nominate Russell George.
Plesio yw ein nod, Llywydd. Rwy'n enwebu Russell George.
Russell George has been nominated. Is there a further nomination from the Conservative group? No, I see none. Is there an objection to that nomination? There being no objection that I can see, then I will declare that Russell George has been elected as the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee.
Mae Russell George wedi ei enwebu. A oes enwebiad arall gan y grŵp Ceidwadol? Nac oes, ni welaf yr un. A oes gwrthwynebiad i'r enwebiad hwnnw? Gan nad oes gwrthwynebiad y gallaf i ei weld, yna rwy'n datgan bod Russell George wedi ei ethol yn Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol.
Llongyfarchiadau, Russell.
Congratulations, Russell.
The next Chair is for the Local Government and Housing Committee. The Labour group to nominate. Jayne Bryant.
Mae'r Cadeirydd nesaf ar gyfer y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai. Y grŵp Llafur i enwebu. Jayne Bryant.
I'd like to nominate John Griffiths.
Hoffwn enwebu John Griffiths.
John Griffiths has been nominated. Ken Skates to second?
Mae John Griffiths wedi ei enwebu. Ken Skates i eilio?
I second John Griffiths.
Rwy'n eilio John Griffiths.
That nomination is seconded. Is there a further nomination from the Labour group? Rhianon Passmore.
Mae'r enwebiad hwnnw wedi ei eilio. A oes enwebiad arall gan y grŵp Llafur? Rhianon Passmore.
Mike Hedges.
Mike Hedges.
Mike Hedges has been nominated. Is there a seconder for that nomination? Jack Sargeant.
Mae Mike Hedges wedi ei enwebu. A oes eilydd ar gyfer yr enwebiad hwnnw? Jack Sargeant.
I'll second Mike Hedges.
Mi wnaf i eilio Mike Hedges.
Thank you. Is there a further nomination—a third nomination? Yes, Hefin.
Diolch. A oes enwebiad arall—trydydd enwebiad? Ie, Hefin.
Chair, I would have liked to have taken the opportunity today to have nominated Mike Hedges and Alun Davies as joint Chairs of this committee on a job share, and, I have to say, it is disappointing that Business Committee has decided today not to allow a joint Chair to go ahead. I feel that it's an opportunity missed, and I'd like to put that on the record.
Cadeirydd, fe fyddwn i wedi hoffi manteisio ar y cyfle heddiw i enwebu Mike Hedges ac Alun Davies fel cyd-gadeiryddion y pwyllgor hwn ar ffurf rhannu swydd, ac, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, mae'n siomedig bod y Pwyllgor Busnes heddiw wedi penderfynu peidio â chaniatáu i drefn cyd-gadeiryddion fynd yn ei blaen. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn gyfle a gollwyd, a hoffwn roi hynny ar y cofnod.
Well, it is on the record now. I suspect Alun Davies wanted to make the same point, so I might as well accept it now. Alun Davies, do you want to make the same point, or is it on—?
Wel, mae ef ar y cofnod yn awr. Rwy'n amau bod Alun Davies yn dymuno gwneud yr un pwynt, felly man a man i mi ei dderbyn yn awr. Alun Davies, a ydych chi'n dymuno gwneud yr un pwynt, neu a yw ynghylch—?
Yes, on a point of order, I was profoundly disappointed that Business Committee took the opportunity to block this candidature this morning and not to explore the potential to job share a committee Chair. It appears to me, and it appeared, I think, to others, that this was a very straightforward proposal and one which could have been accommodated within our existing Standing Orders. It appears to me that Business Committee did not give this the consideration that it deserved, and it appears to me that we're now in the situation in this Senedd where the most conservative Members no longer sit on the Conservative benches.
Ydw, ar bwynt o drefn, roeddwn i'n hynod siomedig bod y Pwyllgor Busnes wedi achub ar y cyfle i rwystro'r ymgeisyddiaeth hon y bore yma a pheidio ag archwilio'r potensial i rannu swydd Cadeirydd pwyllgor. Mae'n ymddangos i mi, ac roedd yn ymddangos, rwy'n credu, i eraill, fod hwn yn gynnig syml iawn ac yn un y gellid bod wedi'i gynnwys yn ein Rheolau Sefydlog presennol. Mae'n ymddangos i mi na roddodd y Pwyllgor Busnes yr ystyriaeth yr oedd yn ei haeddu i hyn, ac mae'n ymddangos i mi ein bod ni bellach yn y sefyllfa yn y Senedd hon lle nad yw'r Aelodau mwyaf ceidwadol bellach yn eistedd ar feinciau'r Ceidwadwyr.
Well, to respond and to place it on the record, and following the discussions on committees and Chairs that have been undertaken in groups and in the Business Committee over the past five weeks, I received an application yesterday afternoon from Mike Hedges and Alun Davies to job share for a committee Chair. I put that request to the Business Committee this morning. It was unanimous in the Business Committee that there was no support to do this. It would have been with quite considerable changes necessary, both to Standing Orders and to our procedures. The Business Committee is keen to undertake a review on all these issues, but to do so in such a short period of time was not something that the Business Committee could sign up to, given the fact that we were looking to elect our Chairs today, and, therefore, these are matters that can be taken in the future.
I would remind all Members that they are able to put their names forward for nomination and be nominated and seconded in this place, as we've done right throughout this afternoon. Nobody is being blocked from doing that by the Business Committee or this Senedd. This is an election for Chairs, and all Members are equal in their participation in that process.
I think we've said all we need to say on the record on that. I probably wouldn't have wanted to take that as a point of order in the middle of an election, but Hefin David caught me off guard slightly there. And we'll live and learn from that one.
Felly, where am I? I've lost track of which committee I'm on. Have we elected the Chair for local government? No. We've had two seconded nominations. Are there further nominations? Anybody can be nominated at this time, if you have support. Any further nominations? No. Therefore, we have an election for that Chair for local government and housing, and that will be conducted by private ballot.
Wel, i ymateb ac i'w roi ar y cofnod, ac yn dilyn y trafodaethau ar bwyllgorau a Chadeiryddion sydd wedi eu cynnal mewn grwpiau ac yn y Pwyllgor Busnes yn ystod y pum wythnos diwethaf, cefais gais brynhawn ddoe gan Mike Hedges ac Alun Davies i rannu swydd Cadeirydd pwyllgor. Rhoddais y cais hwnnw i'r Pwyllgor Busnes fore heddiw. Roedd y Pwyllgor Busnes yn unfrydol nad oedd cefnogaeth i wneud hyn. Byddai newidiadau eithaf sylweddol wedi bod yn angenrheidiol ar gyfer hynny, i'r Rheolau Sefydlog ac i'n gweithdrefnau. Mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes yn awyddus i gynnal adolygiad o'r holl faterion hyn, ond nid oedd gwneud hynny mewn cyfnod mor fyr yn rhywbeth y gallai'r Pwyllgor Busnes ymrwymo iddo, o gofio'r ffaith ein bod ni'n bwriadu ethol ein Cadeiryddion heddiw, ac, felly, mae'r rhain yn faterion y gellir ymdrin â nhw yn y dyfodol.
Hoffwn atgoffa'r holl Aelodau eu bod yn cael cyflwyno eu henwau i'w henwebu a chael eu henwebu a'u heilio yn y lle hwn, fel yr ydym ni wedi ei wneud drwy gydol y prynhawn yma. Nid oes neb yn cael ei rwystro rhag gwneud hynny gan y Pwyllgor Busnes na'r Senedd hon. Etholiad ar gyfer Cadeiryddion yw hwn, ac mae'r holl Aelodau'n gyfartal o ran eu cyfranogiad yn y broses honno.
Rwy'n credu ein bod ni wedi dweud popeth sydd angen i ni ei ddweud ar y cofnod ynglŷn â hynny. Mae'n debyg na fyddwn i wedi bod eisiau cymryd hynny fel pwynt o drefn yng nghanol etholiad, ond fe wnaeth Hefin David fy nal i braidd yn annisgwyl yn y fan yna. A byddwn ni'n dysgu o hynny.
Felly, ble ydw i? Rwyf wedi colli golwg ar ba bwyllgor yr wyf i wedi'i gyrraedd. A ydym ni wedi ethol y Cadeirydd ar gyfer llywodraeth leol? Naddo. Rydym ni wedi cael dau enwebiad wedi eu heilio. A oes enwebiadau eraill? Gall unrhyw un gael ei enwebu ar yr adeg hon, os oes gennych chi gefnogaeth. Unrhyw enwebiadau eraill? Nac oes. Felly, mae gennym ni etholiad ar gyfer y Cadeirydd hwnnw ar gyfer llywodraeth leol a thai, a chaiff hynny ei gynnal drwy bleidlais gyfrinachol.
Y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, yr Amgylchedd a Seilwaith. Cadeirydd o Blaid Cymru y tro yma. A oes unrhyw enwebiad o Blaid Cymru? Mabon ap Gwynfor.
We now move to the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee. It's a Plaid Cymru nomination this time. Any nominations? Mabon ap Gwynfor.
Gaf i gynnig Llyr Gruffydd, os gwelwch yn dda?
May I nominate Llyr Gruffydd?
Oes unrhyw enwebiad arall gan Blaid Cymru? Nac oes. Felly, oes unrhyw wrthwynebiad i Llyr Gruffydd fel y Cadeirydd? Nac oes. Ac felly dyna ni, mae Llyr Gruffydd wedi'i ethol yn Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Seilwaith. Pob lwc i Llyr yn ei waith.
Y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, wedi ei ddyrannu i'r grŵp Llafur. A oes enwebiad? Ken Skates.
Are there any further nominations from Plaid Cymru? There are none. Is there any objection to Llyr Gruffydd as Chair of that committee? No. Therefore, Llyr Gruffydd is elected Chair of the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee. I wish him well.
We now move to the Children, Young People and Education Committee, which has been allocated to the Labour group. Are there any nominations? Ken Skates.
I nominate Jayne Bryant.
Rwy'n enwebu Jayne Bryant.
Ah, that's why you couldn't nominate that one. [Laughter.] And is there a seconder to Jayne Bryant?
O, dyna pam na allech chi enwebu'r un yna. [Chwerthin.] Ac a oes eilydd i Jayne Bryant?
I'd like to second Jayne Bryant.
Hoffwn i eilio Jayne Bryant.
Mae Jayne Bryant wedi cael ei chynnig a'i heilio. A oes rhagor o enwebiadau i'r pwyllgor yna?
Jayne Bryant has been nominated and seconded. Are there further nominations?
There being no further nominations, is there an objection to Jayne Bryant to chair that committee? I see no objection, and therefore, Jayne Bryant, you are elected to chair the committee for children, young people and education.
The Standards of Conduct Committee now, allocated to the Labour group. Any nomination for the Chair of standards? Huw Irranca-Davies.
Gan nid oes enwebiadau eraill, a oes gwrthwynebiad i Jayne Bryant gadeirio'r pwyllgor yna? Ni welaf unrhyw wrthwynebiad, ac felly, Jayne Bryant, rydych wedi eich ethol i gadeirio'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg.
Y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad yn awr, sydd wedi'i neilltuo i'r grŵp Llafur. Unrhyw enwebiad ar gyfer Cadeirydd y pwyllgor safonau? Huw Irranca-Davies.
I'd like to nominate Vikki Howells.
Hoffwn enwebu Vikki Howells.
Vikki Howells. Is there a seconder to Vikki Howells's nomination? Buffy Williams.
Vikki Howells. A oes eilydd i enwebiad Vikki Howells? Buffy Williams.
I second Vikki Howells.
Rwy'n eilio Vikki Howells.
Yes, thank you. That nomination has been seconded. Any other nomination for standards committee? No. There being no further nomination, I can declare that Vikki Howells has been elected as the Chair of our standards committee. Good luck to you with that work.
Iawn, diolch. Mae'r enwebiad hwnnw wedi'i eilio. Unrhyw enwebiad arall ar gyfer y pwyllgor safonau? Nac oes. Gan nad oes enwebiad arall, gallaf ddatgan bod Vikki Howells wedi ei hethol yn Gadeirydd ein pwyllgor safonau. Pob lwc i chi gyda'r gwaith hwnnw.
Wedi eu gwneud nhw i gyd? Ie, dyna ni. Dyna derfyn ar y broses enwebu, felly. Ac yn achos yr enwebiadau hynny a gyfeiriwyd ar gyfer pleidlais gyfrinachol, yn unol â'r Rheolau Sefydlog, rwy'n hysbysu'r Aelodau y bydd y pleidleisiau cyfrinachol yn cael eu cynnal yn ystafelloedd pwyllgor 1 a 2 yn y Senedd, a bydd Aelodau'n derbyn e-bost yn fuan i'w hysbysu bod y pleidleisio wedi agor. Bydd y pleidleisio'n dod i ben am 4.30 p.m. neu ar ddiwedd yr ail egwyl, pa bynnag un sydd hwyraf, gan ganiatáu dwy awr ar gyfer pleidleisio. Y clerc fydd yn gyfrifol am oruchwylio'r broses bleidleisio a'r broses o gyfrif pleidleisiau, y pleidleisiau cyfrinachol. Byddaf yn cyhoeddi'r canlyniad ar ôl y cyfnod pleidleisio yn y Cyfarfod Llawn heddiw, ar ddiwedd y prynhawn.
All done? Yes. That concludes the nomination process, and, in the case of those referred to secret ballot, in accordance with Standing Orders, I inform Members that the secret ballots will be held in committee rooms 1 and 2 in the Senedd. Members will be e-mailed when voting opens. Voting will close at 16:30, or after the second changeover break, whichever is later, giving a window of approximately two hours for voting. The clerk will be responsible for supervising the voting and counting of votes. Following the secret ballot, I will announce the results at the end of Plenary today, after voting time.
Felly, dyma ni yn mynd ymlaen nawr i gwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Samuel Kurtz.
We now move on to questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Samuel Kurtz.
1. Pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei ddarparu i wella cyfleusterau addysgol yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ56710
1. What support is the Welsh Government providing to improve educational facilities in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ56710
Llywydd, through our twenty-first century schools and colleges programme, we have invested £48 million in educational facilities for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire. This will continue, with a further £12 million proposed in a second wave of programme funding.
Llywydd, drwy ein rhaglen ysgolion a cholegau yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, rydym wedi buddsoddi £48 miliwn mewn cyfleusterau addysgu ar gyfer Gorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro. Bydd hyn yn parhau, ac mae £12 miliwn arall yn cael ei gynnig mewn ail don o gyllid rhaglenni.
Thank you, First Minister. I recently visited Cosheston VC School in my constituency, where I met with the headteacher and the chair of the governors. This is a happy school, with pupils eager to learn from enthusiastic and able teachers. However, concerns were raised with me over the lack of space available, which has been worsened due to COVID restrictions. Staff spend non-teaching time working from their cars or in corridors, and pupils have just one toilet to share between a class of 30 in a temporary portakabin. Whilst pledges have been made to provide additional portakabins as a temporary solution, a permanent solution is available, with ample classroom space found in the loft of the school building. Would you agree with me that a permanent solution is preferable, to ensure that Cosheston school and its infrastructure are conducive to providing a suitable and enjoyable learning and working environment?
Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog. Ymwelais i yn ddiweddar ag Ysgol wirfoddol a reolir Cosheston yn fy etholaeth i, ble y cyfarfûm â'r pennaeth a chadeirydd y llywodraethwyr. Mae hon yn ysgol hapus, a'r disgyblion yn awyddus i ddysgu gan athrawon brwdfrydig a galluog. Fodd bynnag, codwyd pryderon gyda mi ynghylch y diffyg lle sydd ar gael, sydd wedi gwaethygu oherwydd cyfyngiadau COVID. Mae'r staff yn treulio amser pan nad ydynt yn addysgu yn gweithio o'u ceir neu mewn coridorau, a dim ond un toiled sydd gan y disgyblion i'w rannu rhwng dosbarth o 30 mewn caban dros dro. Er bod addewidion wedi eu gwneud i ddarparu rhagor o gabanau fel ateb dros dro, mae ateb parhaol ar gael, gan fod digonedd o le ar gyfer ystafell ddosbarth wedi ei ganfod yn atig adeilad yr ysgol. A fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi y byddai'n well cael ateb parhaol, er mwyn sicrhau bod ysgol Cosheston a'i seilwaith yn gydnaws i ddarparu amgylchedd dysgu a gweithio addas a phleserus?
Llywydd, I thank the Member for that supplementary question, and, clearly, he raises matters of importance to parents and students in Cosheston. The way in which the twenty-first century schools and colleges programme works, however, is that it is for the local authority to prioritise their bids and then to submit them to the Welsh Government, which has the job of weighing them up across the whole of Wales and then allocating funding accordingly. As I said in my opening answer, Llywydd, Pembrokeshire has already had a significant programme of investment in the first phase of the twenty-first century schools programme, and, in band B, there's another £120 million going to be invested in the school and college estate in the Pembrokeshire county, and I'm sure that the governors and the headteacher of Cosheston school will be making their case, alongside the Member, to the elected members of Pembrokeshire council as they go about the difficult job of prioritisation.
Lywydd, diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn atodol yna ac, yn amlwg, mae'n codi materion sydd yn bwysig i rieni a myfyrwyr yn Cosheston. Y ffordd y mae'r rhaglen ysgolion a cholegau'r unfed ganrif ar hugain yn gweithio, fodd bynnag, yw mai mater i'r awdurdod lleol yw blaenoriaethu eu ceisiadau ac yna eu cyflwyno i Lywodraeth Cymru, sydd â'r gwaith o'u pwyso a'u mesur ledled Cymru ac yna dyrannu cyllid yn unol â hynny. Fel y dywedais yn fy ateb agoriadol, Llywydd, mae sir Benfro eisoes wedi cael rhaglen fuddsoddi sylweddol yng ngham cyntaf rhaglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, ac, ym mand B, mae £120 miliwn arall yn mynd i gael ei fuddsoddi yn ystad ysgolion a cholegau sir Benfro, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd y llywodraethwyr a phennaeth ysgol Cosheston yn cyflwyno eu hachos, ochr yn ochr â'r Aelod, i aelodau etholedig Cyngor Sir Penfro wrth iddyn nhw fynd ati i wneud y gwaith anodd o flaenoriaethu.
Diolch. I know Cosheston school well; I went there. But I do have a longer memory than the Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire. As a Pembrokeshire councillor from 1995, I saw the transformational impact of unprecedented investment in our schools by the successive Welsh Governments. And today, despite more than a decade of Tory cuts to Welsh budgets, I think I'm right in saying that the Welsh Government's fantastic twenty-first century schools programme has already funded 170 new schools and colleges in the first phase, and another 43 projects under way in the second. So, I'm assuming that all that is correct, First Minister, and I'm interested to know what your plans are for that programme going forward.
Diolch. Rwyf i'n adnabod ysgol Cosheston yn dda; fe es i yno. Ond mae gen i gof hirach na'r Aelod dros Orllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro. Fel cynghorydd sir Benfro o 1995 ymlaen, gwelais effaith drawsnewidiol buddsoddiad digynsail yn ein hysgolion gan Lywodraethau Cymru olynol. A heddiw, er gwaethaf dros ddegawd o doriadau gan y Torïaid i gyllidebau Cymru, rwy'n credu fy mod i'n iawn wrth ddweud bod rhaglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain wych Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes wedi ariannu 170 o ysgolion a cholegau newydd yn y cam cyntaf, a 43 o brosiectau eraill sydd ar y gweill yn yr ail gam. Felly, rwy'n cymryd yn ganiataol fod hynny i gyd yn gywir, Prif Weinidog, ac mae gennyf i ddiddordeb mewn gwybod beth yw eich cynlluniau ar gyfer y rhaglen honno wrth symud ymlaen.
Llywydd, I thank the Member for that supplementary question. She is right to point to the transformational impact of the twenty-first century schools and colleges programme, and nowhere is that more true than in Pembrokeshire: a new Tenby Church in Wales primary school, Ysgol Hafan y Môr, a Welsh-medium primary school, a new secondary school, Ysgol Harri Tudur, £6 million invested in Pembrokeshire College in band A of the programme, and more to follow now in band B. And I think Joyce Watson makes a very important point, Llywydd: this is not just quantity—that very large number of new schools and refurbished buildings that the programme has been able to provide—it's the quality of the environment that the programme focuses on, the fact that every building has a distinctive character of its own, that every one of them provides facilities fit for learning in the twenty-first century, and every one of them sends a powerful message to students who attend for their education of the investment that this nation wants to make in them and their futures. That's the significance of the programme, and Joyce Watson was quite right, Llywydd, to draw attention to it.
Llywydd, diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn atodol yna. Mae hi'n iawn i dynnu sylw at effaith drawsnewidiol rhaglen ysgolion a cholegau'r unfed ganrif ar hugain, ac nid yw hynny'n fwy gwir yn unman nag yn sir Benfro: ysgol gynradd Eglwys yng Nghymru newydd yn Ninbych-y-pysgod, Ysgol Hafan y Môr, ysgol gynradd cyfrwng Cymraeg, ysgol uwchradd newydd, Ysgol Harri Tudur, £6 miliwn wedi ei fuddsoddi yng Ngholeg Sir Benfro ym mand A y rhaglen, a mwy i ddilyn yn awr ym mand B. Ac rwy'n credu bod Joyce Watson yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn, Llywydd: nid faint yn unig yw hyn—y nifer fawr iawn hwnnw o ysgolion newydd ac adeiladau wedi'u hadnewyddu y mae'r rhaglen wedi gallu eu darparu—ond ansawdd yr amgylchedd y mae'r rhaglen yn canolbwyntio arno, y ffaith fod gan bob adeilad ei gymeriad unigryw ei hun, bod pob un ohonyn nhw'n darparu cyfleusterau sy'n addas ar gyfer dysgu yn yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, ac mae pob un ohonyn nhw yn anfon neges bwerus at fyfyrwyr sy'n mynychu ar gyfer eu haddysg am y buddsoddiad y mae'r genedl hon yn dymuno ei wneud ynddyn nhw a'u dyfodol. Dyna arwyddocâd y rhaglen, ac roedd Joyce Watson yn llygad ei lle, Llywydd, i dynnu sylw ati.
2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am darged Llywodraeth Cymru i ariannu swyddogion cymorth cymunedol heddlu ychwanegol? OQ56683
2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's target to fund additional police community support officers? OQ56683
Llywydd, I thank Jack Sargeant for that. The programme for government commits to providing a further 100 police community support officers in Wales. I chaired a meeting of the Policing Partnership Board for Wales on Thursday of last week, where this commitment was widely welcomed.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Jack Sargeant am hynny. Mae'r rhaglen lywodraethu yn ymrwymo i ddarparu 100 o swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu ychwanegol yng Nghymru. Cadeiriais gyfarfod o Fwrdd Partneriaeth Plismona Cymru ddydd Iau yr wythnos diwethaf, pryd y croesawyd yr ymrwymiad hwn yn eang.
Thank you, First Minister, for that answer. I recently met with north Wales's newly elected police and crime commissioner, Andy Dunbobbin, and we both welcomed the Welsh Government's additional PCSOs, on top of those already funded by your Government, but we were both extremely concerned about the UK Government's failure to deliver the 62 police officers that the Prime Minister promised for Deeside. In fact, the Home Office just recently were only able to talk about recruitment rather than additional officers, and it was completely, completely unclear whether this was to replace officers who have already left the force. First Minister, will you join calls from myself and Andy Dunbobbin for the UK Government to honour their promise, and will you also update the Chamber on how your Government will work with North Wales Police to get additional community support officers on the street?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, am yr ateb yna. Cyfarfûm yn ddiweddar â chomisiynydd heddlu a throseddu newydd y gogledd, Andy Dunbobbin, a chroesawodd y ddau ohonom swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu ychwanegol Llywodraeth Cymru, ar ben y rhai a ariannwyd eisoes gan eich Llywodraeth chi, ond roedd y ddau ohonom ni'n pryderu'n fawr am fethiant Llywodraeth y DU i ddarparu'r 62 o swyddogion yr heddlu a addawodd y Prif Weinidog ar gyfer Glannau Dyfrdwy. Mewn gwirionedd, am recriwtio yn hytrach na swyddogion ychwanegol y gallai'r Swyddfa Gartref siarad amdano yn ddiweddar ac roedd yn gwbl aneglur o ran pa un a oedd hyn i gymryd lle swyddogion sydd eisoes wedi gadael yr heddlu. Prif Weinidog, a wnewch chi ymuno â galwadau gennyf fi ac Andy Dunbobbin i Lywodraeth y DU anrhydeddu ei haddewid, ac a wnewch chi hefyd roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Siambr am sut y bydd eich Llywodraeth chi yn gweithio gyda Heddlu Gogledd Cymru i roi swyddogion cymorth cymunedol ychwanegol ar y stryd?
Llywydd, I thank Jack Sargeant for that question, and for his long-standing campaign to make sure that his constituency gets the level of policing that it needs. He will know that, in 2018, the number of police officers across England and Wales was the lowest since 1981, and that is a direct result of that decade of austerity when, year after year after year, the Conservative Party inflicted cuts on police forces across England and Wales, and certainly here in Wales, where nearly 500 police officers were lost over that period.
Despite the promises that have been made, I understand why the Member goes on campaigning, because Alyn and Deeside had fewer police officers in the year 2020 than it did in 2017, despite the promises that have been made. So, I'm certainly happy to commit to work alongside him and the new Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales to make sure of the promises that have been made by the UK Government to undo some of the harm that they themselves have inflicted on the safety of communities, and to deliver on the promise they've made.
Let me give the Member one small spot of comfort, which is that we have received an assurance from the UK Government, from the Home Office, that, when they talk about additional police officers, they mean numbers over and above those needed to replace people who have retired or been promoted or for any other reason left the service. So, we must hold them to account on that as well. In the meantime, Jack Sargeant is obviously right, Llywydd, that our commitment not simply to sustain the 500 police community support officers that we've provided as a Government almost throughout the period of austerity, but to add another 100 to that, was popular the length and breadth of Wales. We have an operational group set up to work on how those new 100 officers are going to be recruited, allocated and financed. The group met on 15 June, and, when we get its advice, we will move forward, and I hope to see many of those new officers appointed and on the beat and in north Wales and in the Member's constituency before the end of this financial year.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Jack Sargeant am y cwestiwn yna, ac am ei ymgyrch hirsefydlog i sicrhau bod ei etholaeth yn cael y lefel o blismona y mae ei hangen arni. Bydd yn gwybod bod nifer swyddogion yr heddlu ledled Cymru a Lloegr, yn 2018, yr isaf ers 1981, ac mae hynny o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i'r degawd hwnnw o gyni pan wnaeth y Blaid Geidwadol, flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, orfodi toriadau ar heddluoedd ledled Cymru a Lloegr, ac yn sicr yma yng Nghymru, lle collwyd bron i 500 o swyddogion yr heddlu yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw.
Er gwaethaf yr addewidion sydd wedi eu gwneud, rwy’n deall pam mae'r Aelod yn mynd ati i ymgyrchu, oherwydd bod gan Alyn a Glannau Dyfrdwy lai o swyddogion yr heddlu yn y flwyddyn 2020 nag a oedd yno yn 2017, er gwaethaf yr addewidion sydd wedi eu gwneud. Felly, rwy'n sicr yn hapus i ymrwymo i weithio ochr yn ochr ag ef a Chomisiynydd Heddlu a Throseddu newydd Gogledd Cymru i sicrhau'r addewidion sydd wedi eu gwneud gan Lywodraeth y DU i ddadwneud rhywfaint o'r niwed y maen nhw eu hunain wedi ei achosi i ddiogelwch cymunedau, ac i gyflawni'r addewid y maen nhw wedi ei wneud.
Gadewch i mi roi ychydig bach o gysur i'r Aelod, sef ein bod ni wedi cael sicrwydd gan Lywodraeth y DU, gan y Swyddfa Gartref, eu bod, pan eu bod nhw'n sôn am swyddogion yr heddlu ychwanegol, yn golygu niferoedd sy'n ychwanegol at y rhai sydd eu hangen i gymryd lle pobl sydd wedi ymddeol neu wedi cael eu dyrchafu neu am unrhyw reswm arall wedi gadael y gwasanaeth. Felly, mae'n rhaid i ni eu dwyn i gyfrif am hynny hefyd. Yn y cyfamser, mae Jack Sargeant yn amlwg yn iawn, Llywydd, roedd ein hymrwymiad ni, nid yn unig i gynnal y 500 o swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu yr ydym wedi eu darparu fel Llywodraeth bron drwy gydol y cyfnod o gyni, ond i ychwanegu 100 arall at hynny, yn boblogaidd ar hyd a lled Cymru. Mae gennym ni grŵp gweithredol wedi'i sefydlu i weithio ar sut y bydd y 100 swyddog newydd hynny'n cael eu recriwtio, eu dyrannu a'u hariannu. Cyfarfu'r grŵp ar 15 Mehefin, a phan gawn ni ei gyngor, byddwn yn symud ymlaen, ac rwy'n gobeithio gweld llawer o'r swyddogion newydd hynny yn cael eu penodi ac yn gweithio yn y gogledd ac yn etholaeth yr Aelod cyn diwedd y flwyddyn ariannol hon.
With community safety being a devolved matter, the Welsh Conservative Party manifesto in May stated that we would increase funding for police community support officers each year, working alongside the UK Government to recruit an additional 20,000 officers in England and Wales by 2023. That's what's really happening. How do you therefore propose to ensure partnership working between the Welsh and UK Governments on this agenda, where the UK Government target to recruit 6,000 more police officers in England and Wales by March 2021 was dramatically exceeded, including 437 extra officers in Wales, 99 in north Wales, with further increases to follow in the next two years—remember, it's a three-year target—recognising that community safety in north Wales is entirely dependent upon North Wales Police's established, integrated working with their adjacent partner police forces in north-west England?
Gan fod diogelwch cymunedol yn fater datganoledig, roedd maniffesto Plaid y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn dweud ym mis Mai y byddem ni'n cynyddu'r cyllid ar gyfer swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu bob blwyddyn, gan weithio ochr yn ochr â Llywodraeth y DU i recriwtio 20,000 o swyddogion ychwanegol yng Nghymru a Lloegr erbyn 2023. Dyna sy'n digwydd mewn gwirionedd. Sut ydych chi felly yn bwriadu sicrhau bod gwaith partneriaeth rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU o ran yr agenda hon, lle mae gan Lywodraeth y DU y targed o recriwtio 6,000 yn fwy o heddweision yng Nghymru a Lloegr erbyn mis Mawrth 2021, gan gynnwys 437 o swyddogion ychwanegol yng Nghymru, 99 yn y gogledd, gyda chynnydd pellach i ddilyn yn y ddwy flynedd nesaf—cofiwch, targed tair blynedd yw hwn—gan gydnabod bod diogelwch cymunedol yn y gogledd yn gwbl ddibynnol ar waith integredig sefydledig Heddlu Gogledd Cymru gyda'u heddluoedd partner cyfagos yng ngogledd-orllewin Lloegr?
Llywydd, I'm glad to hear the Member's figures, which show that his party is finally making good some of the damage that they inflicted on policing in Wales over a decade—a decade in which, every time they cut the budget, he supported them in doing so. I agree with him, however, on the importance of working across boundaries to make sure that communities in Wales are kept as safe as possible. I said in my opening answer, Llywydd, that I chaired a meeting of the Policing Partnership Board for Wales on Thursday of last week, and I was glad to welcome the Secretary of State for Wales to that meeting and to hear his contribution to it. Where the UK Government is prepared to come to the table in that way, I welcome it, and it allows us to work together on areas where there are common concerns and clear interests of Welsh people in doing so.
Llywydd, rwy'n falch o glywed ffigurau'r Aelod, sy'n dangos bod ei blaid o'r diwedd yn gwneud iawn am rywfaint o'r niwed y gwnaethon nhw i blismona yng Nghymru dros ddegawd—degawd lle'r oedd ef, bob tro y gwnaethon nhw dorri'r gyllideb, yn eu cefnogi i wneud hynny. Rwy'n cytuno ag ef, er hynny, ar bwysigrwydd gweithio ar draws ffiniau i sicrhau bod cymunedau yng Nghymru yn cael eu cadw mor ddiogel â phosibl. Dywedais yn fy ateb agoriadol, Llywydd, fy mod wedi cadeirio cyfarfod o Fwrdd Partneriaeth Plismona Cymru ddydd Iau yr wythnos diwethaf, ac roeddwn i'n falch o groesawu Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru i'r cyfarfod hwnnw ac i glywed ei gyfraniad iddo. Pan fo Llywodraeth y DU yn barod i ddod at y bwrdd yn y ffordd honno, rwy'n croesawu hynny, ac mae'n caniatáu i ni weithio gyda'n gilydd ar feysydd lle ceir pryderon cyffredin a cheir buddiannau clir i bobl Cymru wrth wneud hynny.
Brif Weinidog, the Welsh Government has funded CSOs, or PCSOs as they were then called, for nearly a decade. I can reiterate that Welsh chief officers are happy with that, they're glad for the additional funding, and it's raised their capability and their visibility, which their English counterparts don't have, but as policing is still a reserved matter and the funding therefore is discretionary in nature, how secure is this funding for the future? Diolch.
Prif Weinidog, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ariannu swyddogion cymorth cymunedol, neu swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu fel y'u gelwid bryd hynny, am bron i ddegawd. Gallaf bwysleisio unwaith eto fod prif swyddogion Cymru yn fodlon â hynny, maen nhw'n falch o'r cyllid ychwanegol, ac mae wedi cynyddu eu gallu a'u gwelededd, nad oes gan eu cymheiriaid yn Lloegr, ond gan fod plismona yn dal i fod yn fater a gadwyd yn ôl ac felly bod y cyllid ar sail disgresiwn, pa mor ddiogel yw'r cyllid hwn ar gyfer y dyfodol? Diolch.
The funding is entirely secure, Llywydd, for the rest of this Senedd term. My party's manifesto committed us to that and it committed us to the extra 100 officers that will now be provided. Provision is already made in this year's budget to begin that process and, as I say, I look forward to seeing that appointment process under way so that we can begin to spend the money that we've set aside, and then to build that up so that we are funding the whole of the 600 officers to which we are committed as soon as that process is able to have them in place.
Mae'r cyllid yn gwbl ddiogel, Llywydd, am weddill tymor y Senedd hon. Roedd maniffesto fy mhlaid i yn ein hymrwymo i hynny ac redd yn ein hymrwymo i'r 100 swyddog ychwanegol a ddarperir yn awr. Gwnaed darpariaeth eisoes yng nghyllideb eleni i ddechrau'r broses honno ac, fel y dywedais, rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weld y broses benodi honno ar waith fel y gallwn ni ddechrau gwario'r arian yr ydym ni wedi ei neilltuo, ac yna adeiladu ar hynny fel ein bod yn ariannu pob un o'r 600 o swyddogion yr ydym ni wedi ymrwymo i'w darparu cyn gynted ag y gall y broses honno eu rhoi ar waith.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, two weeks ago in response to my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders, you said:
'the reason why low area statuses have moved up is because of the importation of TB by farmers buying infected cattle and bringing them into the area.'
That caused a huge amount of distress and hurt in the agricultural industry. Do you accept that's a misleading statement, First Minister?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, bythefnos yn ôl mewn ymateb i'm cyd-Aelod Janet Finch-Saunders, fe wnaethoch chi ddweud:
'y rheswm pam mae statws ardal isel wedi symud i fyny yw oherwydd mewnforio TB gan ffermwyr sy'n prynu gwartheg wedi'u heintio a dod â nhw mewn i'r ardal.'
Achosodd hynny lawer iawn o ofid a loes yn y diwydiant amaethyddol. A ydych chi'n derbyn bod hwnnw'n ddatganiad camarweiniol, Prif Weinidog?
Llywydd, I repeat for the record that assessment of disease report forms show that eight in 10 confirmed breakdowns in low TB areas—and it was a low TB area that I was being asked about—are primarily attributable to cattle movements. So, it's important to get that on the record as well.
I'm grateful to the Member for his question, though, because it allows me to say that, of course, farmers in Wales work very hard indeed through the biosecurity regimes that they put in place to try and protect their herds against TB. And they need to go on doing that, and they need to go on doing that alongside the Welsh Government and everything we've put in place in order to go on bearing down on the scourge of TB in cattle, the harm it does to animals themselves, but also the very real impact that contracting TB in a cattle herd has on those who've worked so hard very often to build up those herds, and to look after them. None of that can take away from the known facts that in low-incidence areas, it is cattle movement rather than, as I was being asked by Janet Finch-Saunders, badger-driven spread of the disease that lies behind additional outbreaks.
Llywydd, fe ddywedaf i eto ar gyfer y cofnod fod ffurflenni adroddiadau asesu clefydau yn dangos bod wyth o bob 10 achos a gadarnhawyd mewn ardaloedd TB isel—ac ardaloedd TB isel y gofynnwyd i mi amdanyn nhw—i'w priodoli yn bennaf i symudiadau gwartheg. Felly, mae'n bwysig rhoi hynny ar y cofnod hefyd.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn, er hynny, gan ei fod yn caniatáu i mi ddweud bod ffermwyr yng Nghymru, wrth gwrs, yn gweithio'n galed iawn yn wir drwy'r cyfundrefnau bioddiogelwch a roddwyd ar waith ganddyn nhw i geisio diogelu eu buchesau rhag TB. Ac mae angen iddyn nhw barhau i wneud hynny, ac mae angen iddyn nhw barhau i wneud hynny ochr yn ochr â Llywodraeth Cymru a phopeth yr ydym ni wedi ei roi ar waith er mwyn parhau i ymladd pla TB mewn gwartheg, y niwed y mae'n ei wneud i'r anifeiliaid eu hunain, ond hefyd yr effaith wirioneddol y mae dal TB mewn buches o wartheg yn ei chael ar y rhai hynny sydd wedi gweithio mor galed yn aml iawn i ddatblygu'r buchesau hynny, ac i ofalu amdanyn nhw. Ni all dim o hynny dynnu oddi wrth y ffeithiau hysbys mai symud gwartheg, mewn ardaloedd lle na cheir llawer o achosion, yn hytrach na lledaenu'r clefyd gan foch daear, sydd y tu ôl i achosion ychwanegol, fel y gofynnwyd i mi gan Janet Finch-Saunders.
First Minister, the distress of that statement is that you identified farmers as being part of the problem. You know and I know that the regulations that are in place from the Welsh Government require that all cattle, prior to movement, have to undergo a TB test, and that test is valid for 60 days. So, the farmers themselves are doing all they can, along with the Welsh Government, in fairness, with the regulations that they've put in place. We will disagree about the overall campaign that the Government are undertaking here in Wales, but that I hope you will recognise that was a deeply distressing statement to make by yourself as First Minister, given that there is pre-movement testing of all bovine animals in Wales and animals that come into Wales from England. So, will you apologise today for that distress that you have caused by that statement to the farming community, accepting that we do have policy differences about how TB should be tackled?
Prif Weinidog, gofid y datganiad hwnnw yw eich bod wedi nodi bod ffermwyr yn rhan o'r broblem. Rydych chi'n gwybod ac rwyf innau'n gwybod bod y rheoliadau sydd ar waith gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn mynnu bod yn rhaid i'r holl wartheg, cyn eu symud, gael prawf TB, a bod y prawf hwnnw yn ddilys am 60 diwrnod. Felly, mae'r ffermwyr eu hunain yn gwneud popeth o fewn eu gallu, ynghyd â Llywodraeth Cymru, a bod yn deg, gyda'r rheoliadau y maen nhw wedi eu rhoi ar waith. Byddwn ni'n anghytuno ynglŷn â'r ymgyrch gyffredinol y mae'r Llywodraeth yn ymgymryd â hi yma yng Nghymru, ond rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch chi'n cydnabod ei fod yn ddatganiad gofidus iawn i'w wneud gennych chi fel Prif Weinidog, o gofio bod pob anifail buchol yng Nghymru ac anifeiliaid sy'n dod i Gymru o Loegr yn cael eu profi cyn eu symud. Felly, a wnewch chi ymddiheuro heddiw am y gofid hwnnw yr ydych chi wedi ei achosi drwy'r datganiad hwnnw i'r gymuned ffermio, gan dderbyn bod gennym ni wahaniaethau polisi ynghylch sut y dylid mynd i'r afael â TB?
Llywydd, let me put it like this. It was never my intention to cause distress to anybody in the statement that I made. What I was pointing to was that the question I was asked sought to place the blame for rises in TB in north Wales in low-incidence areas and say that they would best be dealt with by badger culling. I make no apologies for repeating the fact that that is not the policy of the Government, nor would it be the right response.
Farmers themselves do have responsibilities. They have responsibilities for cattle movement, and they have responsibilities for discharging the testing regime, and I'm happy to repeat again that I know the enormous efforts that farmers make to keep their herds safe and to comply with those regimes. Where things break down, and we have undoubtedly seen rises in TB incidence in the Conwy valley, in Denbighshire and in the Pennal area, then it is right that the causes of that should be investigated and investigated with an open mind. That involves all the players who have a part to play in keeping those herds safe and reducing TB in those areas.
Llywydd, gadewch imi ei roi fel hyn. Nid oedd erioed yn fwriad gennyf i beri gofid i neb yn y datganiad a wnes i. Yr hyn yr oeddwn i'n cyfeirio ato oedd bod y cwestiwn a ofynnwyd i mi wedi ceisio rhoi'r bai ar foch daear am y cynnydd mewn TB yn y gogledd mewn ardaloedd lle nad oedd llawer o achosion gan ddweud mai'r ffordd orau o ymdrin â hynny fyddai drwy ddifa moch daear. Nid wyf yn ymddiheuro am ailadrodd y ffaith nad dyna yw polisi'r Llywodraeth, ac nid dyna fyddai'r ymateb cywir ychwaith.
Mae gan ffermwyr eu hunain gyfrifoldebau. Mae ganddyn nhw gyfrifoldebau dros symud gwartheg, ac mae ganddyn nhw gyfrifoldebau dros gyflawni'r drefn brofi, ac rwy'n hapus i ailadrodd unwaith eto fy mod i'n gwybod am yr ymdrechion enfawr y mae ffermwyr yn eu gwneud i gadw eu buchesau'n ddiogel ac i gydymffurfio â'r cyfundrefnau hynny. Pan fo pethau'n dirywio, ac rydym yn ddiau wedi gweld cynnydd yn nifer yr achosion o TB yn nyffryn Conwy, yn sir Ddinbych ac yn ardal Pennal, yna mae'n iawn y dylid ymchwilio i'r achosion am hynny ac ymchwilio iddyn nhw gyda meddwl agored. Mae hynny'n cynnwys yr holl chwaraewyr sydd â rhan i'w chwarae o ran cadw'r buchesau hynny yn ddiogel a lleihau TB yn yr ardaloedd hynny.
Well, I regret the fact that you are unable to put an apology on the record, First Minister, but I'm grateful for your more detailed explanation around the sentiments of your comments some two weeks ago.
If I could address, in my third question to you, the change of policy within 72 hours around the Llandeilo bypass, which I appreciate was a policy agreed with Plaid Cymru in a budget deal in 2017. I happen to believe that there does need to be a bypass for Llandeilo, and I also believe there are other towns that require bypasses as well, such as Dinas Powys in my own electoral region, which has been campaigning for some 50 years. But what I have struggled to find out—. But where I have struggled to find consistency is in the remarks of the Minister on his feet here in the Chamber, who said,
'I think it would look very odd if we'd left Llandeilo out of the whole-Wales review and I would have certainly raised some questions.'
So, why, in 72 hours, did the policy position change or is this just pork-barrel politics?
Wel, mae'n flin gennyf na allwch chi ymddiheuro ar y cofnod, Prif Weinidog, ond rwy'n ddiolchgar am eich esboniad manylach ynghylch yr hyn a oedd y tu ôl i'ch sylwadau ryw bythefnos yn ôl.
Pe gallwn i fynd i'r afael, yn fy nhrydydd cwestiwn i chi, â'r newid polisi o fewn 72 awr o ran ffordd osgoi Llandeilo, a oedd, rwy'n gwerthfawrogi, yn bolisi y cytunwyd arno gyda Phlaid Cymru mewn cytundeb cyllideb yn 2017. Rwyf i'n digwydd credu bod angen ffordd osgoi ar gyfer Llandeilo, ac rwy'n credu hefyd fod trefi eraill y mae angen ffyrdd osgoi arnyn nhw, megis Dinas Powys yn fy rhanbarth etholiadol fy hun, sydd wedi bod yn ymgyrchu ers rhyw 50 mlynedd. Ond yr hyn yr wyf wedi'i chael yn anodd ei ddarganfod—. Ond lle'r wyf i wedi cael trafferth dod o hyd i gysondeb yw yn sylwadau'r Gweinidog ar ei draed yma yn y Siambr, a ddywedodd,
'Rwy'n credu y byddai'n edrych yn rhyfedd iawn pe byddem wedi hepgor Llandeilo o'r adolygiad Cymru gyfan a byddwn i yn sicr wedi codi rhai cwestiynau.'
Felly, pam, mewn 72 awr, y newidiodd safbwynt y polisi neu ai gwleidyddiaeth ariannu prosiectau lleol Gweinidogion yn unig yw hyn?
Well, Llywydd, the Minister set out, subsequent to his statement on the floor of the Senedd, the position of the Welsh Government. Let me be clear: when this Government strikes an agreement with another party, it is our intention to honour that agreement. We had an agreement with Plaid Cymru in a previous budget round. That involved a bypass at Llandeilo, and the roads review, which is a very important policy and will be carried out in accordance with the transport hierarchy that we set out at the end of the last Senedd term, will honour the agreement that we made.
Wel, Llywydd, nododd y Gweinidog, yn dilyn ei ddatganiad ar lawr y Senedd, safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru. Gadewch i mi fod yn glir: pan fydd y Llywodraeth hon yn taro cytundeb gyda phlaid arall, ein bwriad yw anrhydeddu'r cytundeb hwnnw. Bu gennym gytundeb gyda Phlaid Cymru mewn cylch cyllideb blaenorol. Roedd hynny'n cynnwys ffordd osgoi yn Llandeilo, a bydd yr adolygiad o ffyrdd, sy'n bolisi pwysig iawn ac a gaiff ei gynnal yn unol â'r hierarchaeth drafnidiaeth a bennwyd gennym ar ddiwedd tymor diwethaf y Senedd, yn anrhydeddu'r cytundeb a wnaethom.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru dros dro, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Interim leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae adroddiad diweddaraf y Sefydliad Bevan a gafodd ei gyhoeddi heddiw yn ddigon i sobri unrhyw un. Dwi'n gobeithio y gwnaiff o ddeffro'r Llywodraeth yma i weld dyfnder effaith tlodi ar ein cymunedau ni—problemau sydd wedi dod yn fwy amlwg, wrth gwrs, yn ystod y pandemig yma. Mae o'n dangos yn glir iawn yr anghydraddoldebau dwfn iawn sydd yn ein cymdeithas ni: un o bob 10 cartref heb sicrwydd am ddyfodol y to uwch eu pen nhw; 80,000 wedi cael clywed yn y pandemig bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw ddod o hyd i gartref newydd. Ond o yfory, mi fydd y polisi 'no evictions' yn dod i ben. O ystyried canfyddiadau'r adroddiad yma, a wnewch chi ailystyried hynny?
Thank you very much, Llywydd. The latest report of the Bevan Foundation, published today, is sobering for anyone. I hope it will awaken this Government to see the impact of poverty on our communities—issues that have come to the fore during the pandemic. It shows clearly the very deep inequality in our society: one in every 10 homes without certainty regarding the future of the roof above their heads; 80,000 having heard during the pandemic that they have to find new homes. And from tomorrow, the 'no evictions' policy will come to an end. Considering the findings of this report, will you reconsider that?
Well, Llywydd, of course I agree with what the Member has said about the way in which the pandemic has exaggerated the inequalities that were already far too evident in our society, and this Government continues to do everything we can to press against the rising tide of inequality here in Wales. But it is a tide that is rising because of the actions that are taken elsewhere.
When I met the Chancellor of the Exchequer some weeks ago, I took the opportunity to press on him the need not to row back on the £20 a week that families in receipt of universal credit have in Wales, as a response to the pandemic. The Chancellor extended that in his March budget to the end of September, but those weeks are ticking away, and once again those families face the none-too-distant prospect of losing £1,000 in a year—£1,000 that really makes an enormous difference every single week to the children who live in those families. I pressed that point as powerfully as I could with the Chancellor.
As far as evictions are concerned, let me just explain to the Chamber—and this will be set out in greater detail by my colleague Julie James—that the regulations that have suspended evictions are coronavirus regulations. They have to be justified in law on the grounds of the pandemic, and as other parts of our society see greater normality restored, then greater normality has to be restored in other parts of Welsh life. Had we not done so, I think there is no doubt at all that the Welsh Government would have been challenged in the courts by landlords who have a legitimate interest in defending their own interests in the bargain between a landlord and a tenant.
Now, we have done an enormous amount during the pandemic to strengthen the support that is available to tenants: extending notice periods, providing additional discretionary housing payments, funding the private rented sector debt helpline and the citizens advice bureaux, as well as the very significant millions and millions of pounds that we have spent through local authorities to go on dealing with problems of homelessness and stabilising people's housing situation. As the time comes when those regulations have to be lifted, the Minister will set out further assistance that we will provide to tenants in that position in order to minimise the risks that people run of becoming homeless and having to be rehoused in other ways by statutory authorities.
Wel, Llywydd, wrth gwrs fy mod i'n cytuno â'r hyn y mae'r Aelod wedi ei ddweud am y ffordd y mae'r pandemig wedi gwaethygu anghydraddoldebau a oedd eisoes yn llawer rhy amlwg yn ein cymdeithas, ac mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn parhau i wneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i bwyso yn ôl yn erbyn llif cynyddol anghydraddoldeb yma yng Nghymru. Ond mae'n llanw sy'n codi oherwydd y camau sy'n cael eu cymryd mewn mannau eraill.
Pan gyfarfûm â Changhellor y Trysorlys rai wythnosau yn ôl, achubais ar y cyfle i bwyso arno am yr angen i beidio â gostwng yr £20 yr wythnos y mae teuluoedd sy'n derbyn credyd cynhwysol yn ei gael yng Nghymru, mewn ymateb i'r pandemig. Estynnodd y Canghellor hynny yn ei gyllideb ym mis Mawrth hyd at ddiwedd mis Medi, ond mae'r wythnosau hynny yn prysur ddiflannu, ac unwaith eto mae'r teuluoedd hynny yn wynebu'r posibilrwydd, yn y dyfodol agos o golli £1,000 mewn blwyddyn—£1,000 sy'n gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr bob wythnos i'r plant sy'n byw yn y teuluoedd hynny. Pwysleisiais y pwynt hwnnw mewn modd mor rymus ag y gallwn gyda'r Canghellor.
O ran troi allan, gadewch i mi egluro i'r Siambr—a chaiff hyn ei nodi'n fanylach gan fy nghyd-Weinidog Julie James—mai rheoliadau coronafeirws yw'r rheoliadau sydd wedi atal troi allan. Mae'n rhaid eu cyfiawnhau yn ôl y gyfraith ar sail y pandemig, ac wrth i rannau eraill o'n cymdeithas weld mwy o normalrwydd yn cael ei adfer, yna mae'n rhaid adfer mwy o normalrwydd mewn rhannau eraill o fywyd Cymru. Pe na byddem wedi gwneud hynny, rwy'n credu nad oes amheuaeth o gwbl y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cael ei herio yn y llysoedd gan landlordiaid sydd â buddiant dilys mewn amddiffyn eu buddiannau eu hunain yn y cytundeb rhwng landlord a thenant.
Nawr, rydym ni wedi gwneud llawer iawn yn ystod y pandemig i gryfhau'r cymorth sydd ar gael i denantiaid: ymestyn cyfnodau rhybudd, darparu taliadau tai dewisol ychwanegol, ariannu llinell gymorth dyledion y sector rhentu preifat a'r canolfannau cyngor ar bopeth, yn ogystal â'r miliynau ar filiynau sylweddol iawn o bunnoedd yr ydym ni wedi'u gwario drwy awdurdodau lleol i fynd ati i ymdrin â phroblemau digartrefedd a sefydlogi sefyllfa tai pobl. Wrth i'r amser ddod pan fo rhaid dileu'r rheoliadau hynny, bydd y Gweinidog yn nodi rhagor o gymorth y byddwn ni yn ei roi i denantiaid yn y sefyllfa honno er mwyn lleihau'r risgiau sydd gan bobl o fod yn ddigartref a gorfod cael eu hailgartrefu mewn ffyrdd eraill gan awdurdodau statudol.
First Minister, one word struck me there: 'normal', 'normality'—something we all are looking forward to, in many ways, in the context of this pandemic. But poverty has become far too normal; child poverty has become far too normal, from way before the days of the pandemic. The Children's Commissioner for Wales yesterday said that children's poverty is the biggest challenge facing your Government. It was true before this pandemic. As we've argued for many months, the children's commissioner is arguing that free school meals should now be extended. You could speed up your review of that, you could just do what we've been calling for and extend free school meals to children in every family in receipt of universal credit. Given the sobering message in that Bevan Foundation report today, why don't you just do that?
Prif Weinidog, fe'm trawyd gan un gair yn y fan yna: 'normal', 'normalrwydd'—rhywbeth yr ydym ni i gyd yn edrych ymlaen ato, mewn sawl ffordd, yng nghyd-destun y pandemig hwn. Ond mae tlodi wedi mynd yn rhy normal o lawer; mae tlodi plant wedi mynd yn llawer rhy normal, ymhell cyn dyddiau'r pandemig. Dywedodd Comisiynydd Plant Cymru ddoe mai tlodi plant yw'r her fwyaf sy'n wynebu eich Llywodraeth chi. Roedd hynny'n wir cyn y pandemig hwn. Fel yr ydym ni wedi dadlau ers misoedd lawer, mae'r comisiynydd plant yn dadlau y dylid ymestyn prydau ysgol am ddim yn awr. Gallech chi gyflymu eich adolygiad o hynny, gallech chi wneud yr hyn yr ydym ni wedi bod yn galw amdano ac ymestyn prydau ysgol am ddim i blant ym mhob teulu sy'n derbyn credyd cynhwysol. O gofio'r neges sobreiddiol yn yr adroddiad hwnnw gan Sefydliad Bevan heddiw, pam na wnewch chi yn union hynny?
Well, Llywydd, if only it were just that simple that the Welsh Government could conjure out of the air the many, many millions of pounds that would be required to bring about such a policy, with all the other opportunities to do important things in the life of children in Wales and other Welsh citizens that would have to be forgone by doing so. I'm afraid being in Government is a matter of choices, not of magic solutions where you simply say, 'Why not find £100 million to do something?' as though that had no cost to anything else that the Welsh Government could do. Nor is it possible, in the way that the Member suggested, to accelerate the collection of data that we need to carry out the review. The pupil-level annual school census data will become available and it will become available in the normal way. The Welsh Government doesn't have an ability simply to issue an instruction that would magic that data out of thin air either.
In the meantime, Llywydd, it's important to put some facts on the record as well. In the month prior to the pandemic, so when things were—to use the Member's word—normal, prior to the global pandemic, 66,000 children in Wales were in receipt of free school meals. Last month, the figure was 105,000, so that's nearly 40,000 extra children in receipt of free school meals in Wales in just over a year. Of course this Government wants to increase the number of children in Wales who are able to take up that offer, but we will have to do it in a way that is informed by the latest data and that is negotiated through the budget round, in which there will be many, many very important needs that his party and other Members of this Senedd will advocate for, and that, in the end, we will have to weigh up against one another and do the best that we can from the inevitably limited resources that will be available to us.
Wel, Llywydd, oni fyddai mor syml â hynny y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru gonsurio allan o'r awyr y miliynau lawer iawn o bunnoedd y byddai eu hangen i gyflwyno polisi o'r fath, gyda'r holl gyfleoedd eraill i wneud pethau pwysig ym mywyd plant yng Nghymru a dinasyddion eraill Cymru y byddai'n rhaid eu hepgor drwy wneud hynny. Mae arnaf i ofn bod bod mewn Llywodraeth yn fater o ddewisiadau, nid atebion hud a lledrith pan eich bod yn dweud, 'Beth am ddod o hyd i £100 miliwn i wneud rhywbeth?' fel pe na byddai hynny yn costio dim i unrhyw beth arall y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud. Nid yw'n bosibl ychwaith, yn y ffordd yr awgrymodd yr Aelod, i gyflymu'r broses o gasglu data y mae eu hangen arnom ni i gynnal yr adolygiad. Bydd data'r cyfrifiad ysgolion blynyddol ar lefel disgyblion ar gael a byddant ar gael yn y ffordd arferol. Nid oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru ychwaith y gallu i roi cyfarwyddyd a fyddai'n rhoi'r data hynny i ni o'r pedwar gwynt.
Yn y cyfamser, Llywydd, mae'n bwysig rhoi rhai ffeithiau ar y cofnod hefyd. Yn y mis cyn y pandemig, felly pan oedd pethau—i ddefnyddio gair yr Aelod—yn normal, cyn y pandemig byd-eang, roedd 66,000 o blant yng Nghymru yn cael prydau ysgol am ddim. Y mis diwethaf, y ffigur oedd 105,000, felly mae hynny bron i 40,000 o blant ychwanegol yn derbyn prydau ysgol am ddim yng Nghymru mewn ychydig dros flwyddyn. Wrth gwrs, mae'r Llywodraeth hon eisiau cynyddu nifer y plant yng Nghymru sy'n gallu manteisio ar y cynnig hwnnw, ond bydd yn rhaid i ni wneud hynny mewn ffordd sy'n cael ei llywio gan y data diweddaraf ac sy'n cael ei negodi drwy gylch y gyllideb, pryd y bydd llawer iawn o anghenion pwysig iawn y bydd ei blaid ef ac Aelodau eraill y Senedd hon yn dadlau drostyn nhw, ac y bydd yn rhaid i ni, yn y pen draw, eu pwyso a'u mesur yn erbyn ei gilydd a gwneud y gorau y gallwn ni o'r adnoddau hyn, sy'n anochel yn gyfyngedig, a fydd ar gael i ni.
That was a very long list of excuses as to why the Government hasn't taken the action, in over 20 years, that could at least show us that Wales is serious about tackling child poverty. But, from child poverty to the housing injustice that I was talking about, from economic injustice to lower wages in Wales—universal credit, then, has been a disaster to families in Wales. Devolution can and should be a line of defence between Westminster and Wales, if used to its maximum potential. But, given the catalogue of economic and social injustices that I have just mentioned—there are many more—as a result of Wales being tied to Westminster, compounded, yes, by the inaction of successive Labour Governments, can you honestly stand by your comments back in April that the benefits system is part of the glue that holds the United Kingdom together? And, in reality, can you genuinely say that there is no alternative to the continued entrenching of poverty that we are seeing for Wales as part of the UK?
Roedd honna'n rhestr hir iawn o esgusodion ynghylch pam nad yw'r Llywodraeth wedi cymryd y camau, mewn dros 20 mlynedd, a allai o leiaf ddangos i ni fod Cymru o ddifrif ynghylch mynd i'r afael â thlodi plant. Ond, o dlodi plant i'r anghyfiawnder tai yr oeddwn yn sôn amdano, o anghyfiawnder economaidd i gyflogau is yng Nghymru—mae credyd cynhwysol, felly, wedi bod yn drychineb i deuluoedd yng Nghymru. Gall datganoli fod a dylai fod yn llinell amddiffyn rhwng San Steffan a Chymru, pe byddai'n cael ei ddefnyddio hyd eithaf ei botensial. Ond, o gofio'r gyfres o anghyfiawnderau economaidd a chymdeithasol yr wyf newydd eu crybwyll—mae llawer mwy ohonyn nhw—o ganlyniad i'r ffaith fod Cymru wedi ei chlymu i San Steffan, wedi'i dwysáu, ie, drwy ddiffyg gweithredu Llywodraethau Llafur olynol, a allwch chi wir ddal at eich sylwadau yn ôl ym mis Ebrill bod y system fudd-daliadau yn rhan o'r glud sy'n dal y Deyrnas Unedig gyda'i gilydd? Ac, mewn gwirionedd, a allwch chi ddweud o ddifrif nad oes dewis arall yn hytrach na pharhau i ymwreiddio'r tlodi yr ydym yn ei weld yng Nghymru wrth fod yn rhan o'r DU?
Well, Llywydd, of course there are alternatives to the policies that entrench poverty, and my party has consistently advocated for those policies. Devolution is the line of defence against the worst impacts of those policies. Our policies are supplementing the social wage of families here in Wales—all the things that we collectively provide, which otherwise people would have to find from their own pockets. Free prescriptions is just a single example of that.
We've forgotten what it's like in Wales to have to weigh up which of three prescriptions you can afford to pay for because you cannot afford to pay for them all, because families in Wales no longer face that dilemma. Families in Wales are up to £2,000 every year better off because of that string of decisions that successive Governments have made here in Wales that leaves money in people's pockets.
That's a real defence. That's a real defence that, every single day, families in Wales feel, because they have money to do things that, in other circumstances—were it not for the actions that the Senedd has taken, that money would not be there for them to make those decisions. So, I don't think that it helps anybody to act as though devolution had been no help to anybody, because it has been an enormous help, year in and year out, to families in every part of Wales.
Llywydd, I do believe that, properly run, the benefits system should be part of what binds the United Kingdom together. The fact that pensions are paid in Wales in the way that they are does not depend for a moment on Wales alone. It depends upon that far bigger pool of risks that are placed into that pool, and then rewards shared out between us. That's just one example of the way in which a UK-wide benefits system continues to be to the advantage of Welsh people.
It could be far more to our advantage, of course, if there was a Government with a genuine commitment to redistribution, to using the engine of redistribution that the social security system should be. But, the fact that a temporary occupation of Government by a single party doesn't deliver that should not be mistaken for the potential that that system has to deliver those benefits for Welsh people.
Wel, Llywydd, wrth gwrs mae dewisiadau amgen i'r polisïau sy'n ymwreiddio tlodi, ac mae fy mhlaid i wedi dadlau'n gyson dros y polisïau hynny. Datganoli yw'r llinell amddiffyn yn erbyn effeithiau gwaethaf y polisïau hynny. Mae ein polisïau yn ychwanegu at gyflog cymdeithasol teuluoedd yma yng Nghymru—yr holl bethau yr ydym yn eu darparu ar y cyd, y byddai'n rhaid i bobl ddod o hyd iddyn nhw fel arall o'u pocedi eu hunain. Dim ond un enghraifft o hynny yw presgripsiynau am ddim.
Rydym wedi anghofio sut beth yw gorfod pwyso a mesur pa un o dri phresgripsiwn y gallwch fforddio talu amdano oherwydd na allwch fforddio talu amdanyn nhw i gyd, oherwydd nad yw teuluoedd yng Nghymru bellach yn wynebu'r cyfyng-gyngor hwnnw. Mae teuluoedd yng Nghymru hyd at £2,000 bob blwyddyn yn well eu byd oherwydd y gyfres honno o benderfyniadau y mae Llywodraethau olynol wedi'u gwneud yma yng Nghymru sy'n gadael arian ym mhocedi pobl.
Mae hwnnw'n amddiffyniad gwirioneddol. Mae hwnnw'n amddiffyniad gwirioneddol y mae teuluoedd yng Nghymru yn ei deimlo, oherwydd bod ganddyn nhw arian na fyddai ganddyn nhw mewn amgylchiadau eraill—oni bai am y camau y mae'r Senedd wedi'u cymryd, ni fyddai'r arian hwnnw yno iddyn nhw allu gwneud y penderfyniadau hynny. Felly, nid wyf i'n credu ei fod yn helpu neb i weithredu fel pe na byddai datganoli wedi bod o gymorth i neb, oherwydd mae wedi bod o gymorth enfawr, flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, i deuluoedd ym mhob rhan o Gymru.
Llywydd, rwy'n credu y dylai'r system fudd-daliadau, o gael ei rhedeg yn briodol, fod yn rhan o'r hyn sy'n rhwymo'r Deyrnas Unedig gyda'i gilydd. Nid yw'r ffaith fod pensiynau yn cael eu talu yng Nghymru yn y ffordd y maen nhw yn dibynnu am eiliad ar Gymru yn unig. Mae'n dibynnu ar y gronfa lawer mwy honno o risgiau sy'n cael eu rhoi yn y gronfa honno, ac yna gwobrau yn cael eu rhannu rhyngom. Dim ond un enghraifft yw honno o'r ffordd y mae system fudd-daliadau ledled y DU yn parhau i fod er budd pobl Cymru.
Gallai fod yn llawer mwy manteisiol i ni, wrth gwrs, pe byddai Llywodraeth gydag ymrwymiad gwirioneddol i ailddosbarthu, i ddefnyddio'r peiriant ailddosbarthu y dylai'r system nawdd cymdeithasol fod. Ond, ni ddylid camgymryd y ffaith fod un blaid mewn Llywodraeth dros dro yn methu â chyflawni hynny am y potensial sydd gan y system honno i sicrhau'r manteision hynny i bobl Cymru.
3. Pa gefnogaeth ychwanegol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru am ei rhoi i gymunedau fedru cael mynediad at well gwasanaeth bandeang? OQ56711
3. What additional support will the Welsh Government provide to enable communities to access better broadband services? OQ56711
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd, i Llyr Gruffydd am y cwestiwn. Nid yw cyfrifoldeb dros wasanaethau band eang wedi ei ddatganoli i Gymru. Er hynny, mae’r Llywodraeth hon yn parhau i fuddsoddi mewn mynediad gwell drwy ein cronfa band eang lleol, ein cynllun Allwedd Band Eang Cymru a'n cynllun ffeibr.
I thank Llyr Gruffydd for that question. Responsibility for broadband services is not devolved to Wales. However, this Government continues to invest in better access through our local broadband fund, our Access Broadband Cymru scheme and our fibre roll-out.
Diolch ichi am yr ymateb hwnnw. Byddwn i'n falch petaech chi'n cadarnhau bod y cronfeydd yna i gyd yn agored ac yn fyw ar hyn o bryd. Dwi wedi cael cyswllt gan rai cymunedau, yn cynnwys cyngor Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch a chyngor Cyffylliog yn sir Ddinbych, sydd wedi cytuno i weithio gyda chwmni i ddod â band eang ffeibr i’r ardal, a chymryd mantais, wrth gwrs, o’r cyllido sydd a’r gael o Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, a’r bwriad wedyn o fanteisio ar yr ariannu ychwanegol sy’n dod o gyfeiriad Llywodraeth Cymru. Cyn yr etholiad mi ddywedwyd bod yr ariannu hwnnw yn dod i ben oherwydd y cyfnod etholiadol. Ers hynny, maen nhw'n dal i aros am sicrwydd bod y cronfeydd hynny bellach ar agor unwaith eto. Mae hynny, wrth gwrs, fel y gallwch chi ei ddychmygu, yn destun rhwystredigaeth, oherwydd mae yna dros 1,000 o gartrefi yn yr ardal dwi’n sôn amdani hi—y rhan fwyaf ohonyn nhw â mynediad sâl at fand eang. Ac rŷn ni'n gwybod am ardaloedd eraill ar hyd a lled Cymru, sydd yn bennaf, wrth gwrs, mewn ardaloedd gwledig, sy’n wynebu yr un sefyllfa. Felly, allwch chi gadarnhau pryd fydd y cymunedau hyn yn cael cadarnhad fod ariannu ar gael er mwyn taclo problem sydd, wrth gwrs, yn dal i fod yn broblem yn fwy na fyddai unrhyw un ohonom ni yn ei ddymuno?
Thank you for that response. I would be very pleased if you could confirm that those funds are all open and live at the moment. I have been contacted by some communities, including Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch and Cyffylliog in Denbighshire, who have agreed to work with a company to bring fibre broadband to the area, taking advantage of the funding that is available from the UK Government, and the intention then of benefiting from the additional funds that come from the Welsh Government. Before the election it was said that that funding would come to an end because of the electoral period. Since then, they're still awaiting assurance that those funds are open again, and that, of course, as you can imagine, is the cause of some frustration, because there are over 1,000 homes in the area I'm talking about—the majority of them have poor access to broadband. And we know about other areas in Wales, mostly in rural areas, that are facing the same situation. So, can you confirm when these communities will have confirmation that funds are available to tackle a problem that continues to be a problem that is more than any one of us would have wished?
Diolch i Llyr Gruffydd am y cwestiwn ychwanegol yna. Y broblem yw bod Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig wedi newid y cynllun sydd gyda nhw. Maen nhw newydd lansio sgîm newydd i helpu pobl yn y sefyllfa y mae Llyr Gruffydd wedi cyfeirio ato. Rŷn ni wedi cytuno nawr gyda Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig ar y cynllun newydd, ac rŷn ni’n dal i fod yn benderfynol i roi arian ychwanegol ar ben cynllun y Deyrnas Unedig i bobl yma yng Nghymru. Dwi’n meddwl, heddiw, fod Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig wedi cyhoeddi datganiad sy’n rhoi mwy o fanylion am y cynllun newydd ac yn cadarnhau y bydd yr arian sydd wedi dod o’r blaen o’r Llywodraeth yma yng Nghymru—£3,000 i unigolion, £7,000 i fusnesau—yn parhau. Dwi ddim cweit yn siŵr pryd bydd cynllun y Deyrnas Unedig yn agor i bobl, ond o beth dwi wedi'i weld heddiw, fydd hwnnw ddim yn rhy bell nawr.
I'd like to thank Llyr Gruffydd for that supplementary question. The problem is that the UK Government has changed the programme that they have in place. They've just launched a new scheme to help people in the position that Llyr Gruffydd made reference to. We have agreed with the UK Government on that new plan, and we are still determined to provide additional funding over and above the UK programme for people here in Wales. I think, today, the UK Government has published a statement that provides more details about the new scheme and does confirm that the funding provided in the past from the Government here in Wales—which is £3,000 for the individuals and £7,000 for businesses—will remain in place. I'm not quite sure when the UK scheme will open for individuals, but from what I've seen today, that isn't too far away now.
Brif Weinidog, amcangyfrifir bod tua 75,000 o bobl hŷn yng Nghymru wedi nodi eu bod yn teimlo'n unig bob amser neu'n aml, ac mae'n amlwg bod yn rhaid ystyried unigrwydd ac arwahanrwydd fel blaenoriaeth iechyd cyhoeddus. Felly, i bobl hŷn, mae mynediad at wasanaeth band eang gweddus yn hollbwysig. Mae hyn wedi helpu pobl i aros yn gysylltiedig â theulu a ffrindiau a chael mynediad at wasanaethau ar-lein defnyddiol, yn enwedig yn ystod y pandemig. Brif Weinidog, beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i helpu i gynyddu cynhwysiant digidol ledled y wlad? A sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn sicrhau bod gan bobl hŷn, ym mhob rhan o Gymru, fynediad at wasanaethau band eang priodol er mwyn diogelu iechyd meddwl a lles pobl hŷn?
First Minister, it is estimated that around 75,000 older people in Wales have noted that they feel lonely almost all of the time or often, and it’s clear that we have to consider isolation as a priority for public health. So, for older people, access to broadband is vital. This has helped people to stay in touch with family and friends and to access online services that are useful for them, particularly during the pandemic. So, what is the Welsh Government doing to help to increase digital inclusivity nationwide? How will the Government ensure that older people, in all parts of Wales, have access to suitable broadband services to safeguard their mental health and their well-being?
Diolch i Paul Davies hefyd am y cwestiwn. Gwelais i'r ymchwil roedd e'n cyfeirio ato am yr effaith mae'r pandemig wedi'i gael ar bobl sy'n byw ar eu pennau eu hunain ac ar yr henoed yn enwedig. Rŷn ni'n bwrw ymlaen gyda'r buddsoddiadau rŷn ni wedi'u rhoi fel Llywodraeth. Fel y dywedais i yn yr ymateb gwreiddiol, nid ein cyfrifoldeb ni yw e i roi gwasanaethau band eang yma yng Nghymru, ond rŷn ni wedi buddsoddi miliynau o bunnoedd i helpu i ddosbarthu y gwasanaethau yna i bobl ym mhob cwr o Gymru. O ran pwysigrwydd ei wneud e, mae'r pandemig wedi rhoi golau ar hynny. Rŷn ni'n mynd i fwrw ymlaen gyda phob cynllun sydd gyda ni a rhoi mwy o arian i wneud hynny hefyd. Ar ben yr arian rŷn ni'n mynd i'w roi i helpu pobl sy'n mynd ar ôl cynllun newydd Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, rŷn ni'n bwrw ymlaen gyda chronfa leol sy'n rhoi £10 miliwn i awdurdodau lleol a busnesau i'w helpu nhw. Bydd mwy o arian ar gyfer y rhaglen sydd wedi dod ar ôl Superfast Cymru. Bwriad y Llywodraeth yw adeiladu ar bopeth rŷn ni wedi'i wneud yn barod, a'i wneud e mewn ffordd sy'n helpu pobl ym mhob cwr o Gymru, ac yn canolbwyntio ar bobl sydd ddim wedi cael band eang ac sy'n byw ar eu pennau eu hunain yn y dyfodol.
I’d also like to thank Paul Davies for that supplementary question. I saw the research that he referred to on the impact of the pandemic on those living alone and on older people in particular. We are driving forward with the investments that we have provided as a Government. As I said in my original response, it isn’t our responsibility to provide broadband services here in Wales, but we have invested millions of pounds in order to provide access to those services in all parts of Wales. The pandemic has shed light on the importance of this. We will continue with all programmes that we have in place and will provide additional funding for that. In addition to the funding that we’ll provide to help people who will pursue the new UK Government scheme, we are proceeding with a local fund that provides £10 million to local authorities and businesses to help them. There will be more funding for the Superfast Cymru successor programme. It's the Government's intention to build on everything that we have done in the past, and to do it in a way that assists people in all parts of Wales, and focuses on people who've not had access to broadband and who live alone.
A gaf i anfon dymuniadau gorau i'r Prif Weinidog a'i deulu hefyd?
May I send my best wishes to the First Minister and his family?
In a survey at the beginning of this month, more than 50 per cent of respondents from rural areas in Wales felt that the internet was not fast and reliable, particularly people in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. Only 36 per cent of people in rural areas had superfast broadband, compared to 67 per cent in urban areas. I wonder if the First Minister could just comment on the roll-out of superfast broadband, just helping us all, as well, to be clear about the responsibility for the roll-out of superfast broadband. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Mewn arolwg ddechrau'r mis hwn, roedd mwy na 50 y cant o ymatebwyr o ardaloedd gwledig yng Nghymru yn teimlo nad oedd y rhyngrwyd yn gyflym ac yn ddibynadwy, yn enwedig pobl yn sir Benfro, Ceredigion a sir Gaerfyrddin. Dim ond 36 y cant o bobl mewn ardaloedd gwledig oedd â band eang cyflym iawn, o'i gymharu â 67 y cant mewn ardaloedd trefol. Tybed a allai'r Prif Weinidog wneud sylw am gyflwyno band eang cyflym iawn, gan ein helpu ninnau i gyd, hefyd, i fod yn glir ynglŷn â'r cyfrifoldeb dros gyflwyno band eang cyflym iawn. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch i Jane Dodds, Llywydd, a diolch am beth ddywedodd hi i ddechrau.
I'd like to thank Jane Dodds and thank her for her opening remarks.
In terms of responsibility, it is completely clear that this is not a devolved matter; it is the responsibility of the UK Government. In the fashion that you would expect, given their ideological predilections, they thought that they could rely on the market to provide a service of this sort. Clearly, the market has failed, and the market will always fail in those places to which Jane Dodds has referred. The market will take care of densely populated areas where there's money to be made and will never provide a service in remote and rural Wales, where the cost of delivering fast broadband to a particular property will always exceed the money that is to be recouped from the people who live there. That is why the Welsh Government stepped in. That is why we were part of Superfast Cymru in the previous Senedd term—over £200 million invested and 733,000 premises provided with fast, reliable broadband.
Access to full fibre broadband, at 21 per cent of premises in Wales, is higher than in England or in Scotland. It was, I think, disappointing that the UK Government's plans, which were to provide gigabit broadband to all premises in the UK by 2025, have since been scaled back. Instead of it being a 100 per cent commitment, as first announced, it's now been reduced to 85 per cent, and the problem is, as Jane Dodds was suggesting, I think, that those extra 15 per cent will continue to be those people in those rural and remoter parts of Wales where the costs involved are very significant. We will go on, with our successor programme to Superfast Cymru, and with the other programmes that I have outlined in my earlier answers, Llywydd, to supplement what is available from the UK Government, spending Welsh money where UK money ought to be more generously invested, in order to go on trying to find ways of providing the sort of high-speed, reliable broadband connections that we've all learnt to be so important over the last 15 months, and which are particularly significant in those rural communities.
O ran cyfrifoldeb, mae'n gwbl glir nad yw hwn yn fater sydd wedi'i ddatganoli; cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y DU ydyw. Yn y modd y byddech yn ei ddisgwyl, o gofio eu hoffterau ideolegol, yr oedden nhw'n credu y gallen nhw ddibynnu ar y farchnad i ddarparu gwasanaeth o'r math hwn. Yn amlwg, mae'r farchnad wedi methu, a bydd y farchnad bob amser yn methu yn y lleoedd hynny y mae Jane Dodds wedi cyfeirio atyn nhw. Bydd y farchnad yn gofalu am ardaloedd poblog lle mae arian i'w wneud ac ni fydd byth yn darparu gwasanaeth yn y Gymru anghysbell a gwledig, lle bydd y gost o ddarparu band eang cyflym i eiddo penodol bob amser yn fwy na'r arian sydd i'w adennill oddi wrth y bobl sy'n byw yno. Dyna pam y camodd Llywodraeth Cymru i mewn. Dyna pam yr oeddem ni'n rhan o Cyflymu Cymru yn nhymor blaenorol y Senedd—dros £200 miliwn wedi ei fuddsoddi a band eang cyflym a dibynadwy wedi ei ddarparu i 733,000 o adeiladau.
Mae mynediad at fand eang ffeibr llawn, ar 21 y cant o safleoedd yng Nghymru, yn uwch nag yn Lloegr ac yn yr Alban. Roedd yn siomedig, rwy'n meddwl, fod cynlluniau Llywodraeth y DU, a oedd i ddarparu band eang gigabit i bob safle yn y DU erbyn 2025, wedi eu cwtogi ers hynny. Yn hytrach na'i fod yn ymrwymiad o 100 y cant, fel y cyhoeddwyd ar y cychwyn, mae bellach wedi ei ostwng i 85 y cant, a'r broblem yw, fel yr oedd Jane Dodds yn awgrymu, rwy'n credu, y bydd y 15 y cant ychwanegol hwnnw yn parhau i fod y bobl hynny yn y rhannau gwledig a mwy anghysbell hynny o Gymru lle mae'r costau dan sylw yn sylweddol iawn. Byddwn ni'n parhau, gyda'n rhaglen olynol i Cyflymu Cymru, a chyda'r rhaglenni eraill yr wyf i wedi eu hamlinellu yn fy atebion cynharach, Llywydd, i ategu'r hyn sydd ar gael gan Lywodraeth y DU, gan wario arian Cymru lle y dylid buddsoddi arian y DU yn fwy hael, er mwyn parhau i geisio dod o hyd i ffyrdd o ddarparu'r math o gysylltiadau band eang cyflym a dibynadwy yr ydym i gyd wedi dysgu eu bod mor bwysig yn ystod y 15 mis diwethaf, ac sy'n arbennig o arwyddocaol yn y cymunedau gwledig hynny.
4. Beth yw asesiad cyfredol y Prif Weinidog o ledaeniad amrywiolyn Delta yn Ne Clwyd? OQ56670
4. What is the First Minister's current assessment of the spread of the Delta variant in Clwyd South? OQ56670
I thank the Member for that question, Llywydd. The delta variant is now widespread both in Clwyd South and elsewhere in Wales. Our vaccination programme continues to offer the best means of combating the spread.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Mae'r amrywiolyn delta bellach yn gyffredin yn Ne Clwyd ac mewn mannau eraill yng Nghymru. Mae ein rhaglen frechu yn parhau i gynnig y ffordd orau o fynd i'r afael â lledaeniad.
Thank you, First Minister. Being fully vaccinated against COVID is clearly a citizen's best defence against this terrible virus and the many variants of it. Could you just outline how, in addition to being amongst the world's very best performing nations in terms of the first dose, Wales is so successfully accelerating the roll-out of the second dose of the vaccination?
Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog. Mae'n amlwg mai cael eich brechu yn llawn yn erbyn COVID yw amddiffyniad gorau dinasyddion rhag y feirws ofnadwy hwn a'r amrywiolion niferus ohono. A wnewch chi amlinellu sut, yn ogystal â bod ymhlith y gwledydd sy'n perfformio orau yn y byd o ran y dos cyntaf, y mae Cymru mor llwyddiannus wrth gyflymu'r broses o gyflwyno ail ddos y brechiad?
I thank Ken Skates for that. He makes an important point, of course—that one dose is not a sufficient protection against coronavirus, particularly the new delta variant. We're in a very good position in Wales, Llywydd, because we completed our offer of the first dose of vaccine to all adults in Wales well ahead of our original plans, and well ahead of other parts of the United Kingdom. This means that we've been able to switch the focus of our programme even more now to accelerating the take-up of second doses of the vaccine, and the figures are very encouraging here in Wales. We have over nine out of 10 people already having a second dose of the vaccine amongst care home residents, people aged over 80, people aged over 70, healthcare workers, and, as from tomorrow, I believe, we will go above 90 per cent for everybody in their 60s as well.
Today's figures show that 87 per cent of people aged 55 to 59 already have both doses of the vaccine in Wales, and what we are doing with the 0.5 million doses of the vaccine that we will provide over the four weeks before we next review the coronavirus restrictions is to reduce the length of time between first and second doses of the vaccine to no longer than eight weeks for everybody aged over 40. That means that by the time we come to review our regulations, people over 40 in Wales will be very well placed indeed to have the full protection that vaccination provides.
And I'll echo what Ken Skates said, Llywydd, about the importance of that, and our central motto here in Wales, that it's never too late to come forward for vaccination in Wales. Whether that is a first dose, or whether you've missed out on a second dose, all you have to do is to contact your local health board and arrangements will be made for you to catch up on what you have missed out on. And that's very important for the individual, but it's very important because the more people we have vaccinated in a double dose, the greater protection we all have from the virus and for any future variants that it may throw our way.
Diolch i Ken Skates am hynny. Mae e'n gwneud pwynt pwysig, wrth gwrs—nad yw un dos yn amddiffyniad digonol rhag coronafeirws, yn enwedig yr amrywiolyn delta newydd. Rydym ni mewn sefyllfa dda iawn yng Nghymru, Llywydd, oherwydd cwblhawyd ein cynnig o'r dos cyntaf o frechlyn i bob oedolyn yng Nghymru yn llawer cynt na'n cynlluniau gwreiddiol, ac yn llawer cynt na rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Mae hyn yn golygu ein bod wedi gallu newid pwyslais ein rhaglen hyd yn oed yn fwy erbyn hyn i gyflymu'r broses o roi'r ail ddos o'r brechlyn, ac mae'r ffigurau'n galonogol iawn yma yng Nghymru. Mae gennym ni dros naw o bob 10 o bobl eisoes yn cael ail ddos o'r brechlyn ymhlith preswylwyr cartrefi gofal, pobl dros 80 oed, pobl dros 70 oed, gweithwyr gofal iechyd, ac, o yfory ymlaen, credaf y byddwn yn mynd dros 90 y cant o ran pawb yn eu 60au hefyd.
Mae ffigurau heddiw yn dangos bod 87 y cant o bobl rhwng 55 a 59 oed wedi cael y ddau ddos o'r brechlyn yng Nghymru eisoes, a'r hyn yr ydym yn ei wneud gyda'r 0.5 miliwn o ddosau o'r brechlyn y byddwn yn eu darparu dros y pedair wythnos cyn i ni adolygu'r cyfyngiadau coronafeirws nesaf yw lleihau'r amser rhwng y dos cyntaf a'r ail ddos i ddim mwy nag wyth wythnos i bawb sydd dros 40 oed. Mae hynny'n golygu, erbyn i ni ddod i adolygu ein rheoliadau, y bydd pobl dros 40 oed yng Nghymru mewn sefyllfa dda iawn yn wir i gael yr amddiffyniad llawn y mae brechu yn ei ddarparu.
A byddaf yn adleisio'r hyn a ddywedodd Ken Skates, Llywydd, am bwysigrwydd hynny, a'n harwyddair canolog yma yng Nghymru, nad yw hi byth yn rhy hwyr i ddod ymlaen i gael brechiad yng Nghymru. Pa un a yw hwnnw'n ddos gyntaf, neu eich bod heb gael yr ail ddos, y cyfan y mae'n rhaid i chi ei wneud yw cysylltu â'ch bwrdd iechyd lleol a gwneir trefniadau i chi ddal i fyny â'r hyn nad ydych chi wedi ei gael. Ac mae hynny'n bwysig iawn i'r unigolyn, ond mae'n bwysig iawn oherwydd po fwyaf o bobl yr ydym wedi'u brechu â dos dwbl, y mwyaf yw'r amddiffyniad sydd gennym ni i gyd rhag y feirws ac unrhyw amrywiolyn yn y dyfodol y gallai ei daflu tuag atom.
Thank you, First Minister, for your response to Mr Skates there. May I join you and the Member for Clwyd South in the encouragement for everybody to get hold of this vaccine as quickly as possible because, as you say, it makes such a difference to everybody? I recently had the privilege of visiting a community pharmacy in my region, in which there was a COVID clinic and they were administering the COVID vaccine to those who were able to access the community pharmacy. And it struck me while I was there that, actually, community pharmacies have such an important role to play, and perhaps a bigger role to play in the future in administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.
So, in your desire, and all of our desires, to see the acceleration of the vaccine, both in Clwyd South and across Wales as a whole, will you commit to working with community pharmacies to see how they can play a bigger part in supporting the acceleration of the vaccine in Wales?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, am eich ymateb i Mr Skates. A gaf i ymuno â chi a'r Aelod dros Dde Clwyd i annog pawb i gael gafael ar y brechlyn hwn cyn gynted ag y bo modd oherwydd, fel y dywedwch, mae'n gwneud cymaint o wahaniaeth i bawb? Cefais y fraint yn ddiweddar o ymweld â fferyllfa gymunedol yn fy rhanbarth i, lle yr oedd clinig COVID ac yr oedden nhw'n rhoi'r brechlyn COVID i'r rhai a oedd yn gallu cael mynediad i'r fferyllfa gymunedol. Ac fe'm trawodd tra'r oeddwn i yno fod gan fferyllfeydd cymunedol, mewn gwirionedd, ran mor bwysig i'w chwarae, ac efallai rhan fwy i'w chwarae yn y dyfodol wrth weinyddu'r brechlyn COVID-19.
Felly, yn eich dyhead, a dyhead bob un ohonom, i weld cyflwyno'r brechlyn yn cyflymu, yn Ne Clwyd a ledled Cymru gyfan, a wnewch chi ymrwymo i weithio gyda fferyllfeydd cymunedol i weld sut y gallan nhw chwarae fwy byth o ran wrth helpu i gyflymu'r gwaith o roi'r brechlyn yng Nghymru?
Well, Llywydd, I certainly agree with the Member about the part that community pharmacies have played in the whole vaccination effort. It's been the strength of the way we've done things in Wales that we've had a multidimensional way of delivering the vaccine, through primary care, through community pharmacies, through mass vaccination centres, through mobile vaccination centres.
What we've tried to do is two things, I think. One is to calibrate the delivery mechanism to the geography of a particular part of Wales, and then, secondly, to calibrate the delivery to the different age groups that we are targeting, and to provide opportunities for vaccination in a way that meets the life circumstances of different age groups. And in that, community pharmacy has played a very important part, and will, I know, be part of the mixed repertoire of vaccine provision for the future as we look to go on making sure that we provide offers of vaccination in a way that is the most convenient, the most easily accessible, and the most readily available to people in order—and, again, I thank the Member for what he said, and echo what he said—in order that we get the maximum number of people possible vaccinated in Wales.
Wel, Llywydd, rwyf i'n sicr yn cytuno â'r Aelod ynglŷn â'r rhan y mae fferyllfeydd cymunedol wedi ei chwarae yn yr holl ymdrech frechu. Cryfder y ffordd yr ydym wedi gwneud pethau yng Nghymru yw ein bod ni wedi cael ffordd aml-ddimensiwn o ddarparu'r brechlyn, drwy ofal sylfaenol, drwy fferyllfeydd cymunedol, drwy ganolfannau brechu torfol, drwy ganolfannau brechu symudol.
Yr hyn yr ydym ni wedi ceisio ei wneud yw dau beth, rwy'n credu. Un ohonyn nhw yw graddnodi'r mecanwaith cyflawni i ddaearyddiaeth rhan benodol o Gymru, ac yna, yn ail, graddnodi'r ddarpariaeth i'r gwahanol grwpiau oedran yr ydym yn eu targedu, a darparu cyfleoedd i frechu mewn ffordd sy'n bodloni amgylchiadau bywyd gwahanol grwpiau oedran. Ac yn hynny o beth, mae fferylliaeth gymunedol wedi chwarae rhan bwysig iawn, a gwn y bydd yn rhan o'r repertoire cymysg o ddarparu brechlynnau ar gyfer y dyfodol wrth i ni geisio parhau i sicrhau ein bod yn darparu cynigion brechu mewn ffordd sydd fwyaf cyfleus, fwyaf hygyrch, ac yn fwyaf rhwydd i bobl mewn trefn—ac, unwaith eto, rwy'n diolch i'r Aelod am yr hyn a ddywedodd, ac ategaf yr hyn a ddywedodd—er mwyn i ni sicrhau bod y nifer fwyaf posibl o bobl yn cael eu brechu yng Nghymru.
5. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ddiogelwch ar drenau yn ystod y pandemig? OQ56708
5. Will the First Minister make a statement on safety on trains during the pandemic? OQ56708
Wel, diolch yn fawr i Siân Gwenllian, Llywydd. Mae'r pandemig COVID wedi creu heriau mawr i bob gweithredwr trenau. Mae diogelwch staff a theithwyr yn hollbwysig. Mae cydbwyso galw, capasiti a diogelwch yn her ddyddiol, wrth i gymdeithas ddod mas o lefelau blaenorol o gyfyngiadau.
Thank you very much to Siân Gwenllian, Llywydd. The COVID pandemic has posed major challenges for all train operators. Safety for staff and passengers is a key concern. Balancing demand, capacity and safety is a daily challenge, as society emerges from previous levels of restrictions.
Mae etholwyr yn Arfon yn deall pam bod caffis a llefydd bwyta yn gofalu bod eu cwsmeriaid yn cadw pellter cymdeithasol ac yn cadw at brotocolau olrhain a chysylltu. Ac mae hynny wrth gwrs yn ofynnol o dan y gyfraith, er mwyn atal lledaeniad COVID. Ond dydy fy etholwyr i ddim yn deall pam nad oes canllawiau tebyg ar drenau Trafnidiaeth Cymru, lle does yna ddim pellhau cymdeithasol ar gerbydau, a dim track and trace ar waith, ac felly mae yna berygl gwirioneddol bod y feirws yn cael ei ledaenu ar draws y wlad. Fedrwch chi gynnig esboniad am y gwahaniaeth yma, os gwelwch yn dda?
Constituents in Arfon understand why cafes and restaurants are concerned that their customers maintain social distancing and adhere to test and trace protocols. And that of course is a requirement under the law, to prevent the spread of COVID. But my constituents don't understand why similar guidance aren't provided for Transport for Wales trains, where there is no social distancing on carriages, and no track and trace in force, so there is a genuine risk that the virus is being spread across the nation. Could you give an explanation about this difference, please?
Wel, fe allaf i dreial, wrth gwrs. Achos mae'r cyd-destun yn wahanol. Ac mae'r pethau y mae Siân Gwenllian wedi eu codi am y profiadau y mae pobl yn Arfon wedi eu cael, wrth gwrs dwi'n ymwybodol o hynny—dwi wedi gweld beth sydd wedi digwydd. Ac mae'r rhain yn heriau ymarferol anodd iawn. Mae teithwyr ar drenau yn gyfnewidiol iawn, gyda theithwyr yn ymuno ac yn gadael y trên ym mhob gorsaf, ac mae hwnna'n hollol wahanol i gaffis, onid yw e? A beth mae'r bobl sy'n rhedeg y system yn treial ei wneud yw asesu nifer o bethau sy'n creu risg yn y system. Fe fyddai hi'n bosibl i redeg rhagor o drenau, a thrwy hynny leihau gorlenwi, ond byddai hynny yn golygu gorfod cwtogi ar y drefn lanhau bresennol, sydd ei hun yn lleihau'r risg o heintio, yn enwedig gyda'r staff sy'n gweithio ar y trenau. So, does dim atebion syml. A beth dwi'n siŵr amdano yw, mae pob un sy'n gweithio yn y maes yn gweithio bob dydd i dreial rhedeg y system mewn ffordd sy'n cadw pobl yn ddiogel—pobl sy'n gweithio yn y maes, pobl sy'n teithio ar drenau hefyd, a'i wneud e mewn sefyllfa sy'n heriol iawn, pan dŷn ni'n treial ailagor cymdeithas. Ni'n treial ffeindio mwy o bosibiliadau i bobl, a phan fydd pobl yn teithio mewn niferoedd sy'n codi, mae hynny'n heriol i bobl sy'n rhedeg y systemau sydd gyda ni.
Well, I could attempt to do so, of course. Because the context is different. And those issues that Siân Gwenllian has raised, and those experiences that people have had, of course I'm aware of that, and I have seen what's been happening. But these are difficult practical challenges. Passengers on trains do enter and leave trains in every station, which is utterly different to the situation in a cafe of course. And what the people running the system are endeavouring to do is to assess a number of different factors that could lead to risks within the system. It would be possible to run more trains, and in so doing reduce overcrowding. But that would mean that we would have to cut down on the current hygiene regime, which in itself reduces the risk of infection, particularly for the staff working on those trains. So, there are no simple solutions to these problems. What I am convinced of is that everyone working in this area is working every day to try and run the system in a way that keeps people safe—those working on the railways and those train passengers too. And they're doing it in a scenario that is very challenging indeed, when we are trying to reopen society. We are trying to find more possibilities for people, and when they do travel in increasing numbers, then that's going to be challenging for the people running the systems that we have in place.
First Minister, I want to just agree with you on exactly what you said—that I commend all of the transport operators who have been working under such difficult circumstances. But I also welcome the announcement that Transport for Wales is to receive £70 million to help in meeting operating costs during the pandemic. It comes on top of the £153 million of emergency funding provided to TfW last year. Could you advise me, First Minister, how much of this funding was and is required for safety measures on trains, such as social distancing, new notices, extra cleaning and sanitisation? And also, First Minister, when do you expect to know how much additional funding TfW will require to meet operating costs as restrictions ease in 2021-22? Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, hoffwn gytuno â chi ar yr union beth a ddywedasoch—fy mod yn cymeradwyo'r holl weithredwyr trafnidiaeth sydd wedi bod yn gweithio o dan amgylchiadau mor anodd. Ond rwyf hefyd yn croesawu'r cyhoeddiad y bydd Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn cael £70 miliwn i helpu i dalu costau gweithredu yn ystod y pandemig. Mae'n ychwanegol i'r £153 miliwn o gyllid brys a ddarparwyd i Trafnidiaeth Cymru y llynedd. A allech chi ddweud wrthyf, Prif Weinidog, faint o'r cyllid hwn oedd ac sydd ei angen ar gyfer mesurau diogelwch ar drenau, megis ymbellhau cymdeithasol, hysbysiadau newydd, glanhau a glanweithdra ychwanegol? A hefyd, Prif Weinidog, pryd ydych chi'n disgwyl gwybod faint o arian ychwanegol y bydd ei angen ar Trafnidiaeth Cymru i dalu costau gweithredu wrth i gyfyngiadau leihau yn 2021-22? Diolch.
Thank you very much for that important supplementary question, and indeed for pointing to the millions of pounds that have had to be invested, not simply to keep the train system safe, but to keep the train system running at all. If during the last 15 months, the train system had had to rely simply on the fare box, as it's called—the amount of money that it raises from the travelling public—then there wouldn't have been a train running anywhere in Wales. And yet we know how vital public transport is to so many of our fellow citizens. So that, I think it's £177 million that was made available last year to keep the railways working, and the Member is right that there is another £70 million set out in the first supplementary budget that we will provide to go on supporting the system, through until the autumn. And it is exactly as the Member said. Of course, it supports all those safety measures that are taken every day, but it also supports a simple revenue base of the system, while passenger numbers are still suppressed because of the public health emergency.
I think the Member is right as well, Llywydd, that beyond the autumn we are likely to have to provide further assistance to our public transport system—trains and buses—to allow them to expand the number of passengers they are able to carry safely and to go on operating under the continued restrictions that coronavirus will bring. We'll work on that together with the industry, and we'll bring forward further proposals later during the year. In the meantime, the system does have the confidence that comes with knowing that additional funding has been identified that will help them to continue to operate from now right through until the autumn.
Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn atodol pwysig yna, ac yn wir am dynnu sylw at y miliynau o bunnau y bu'n rhaid eu buddsoddi, nid yn unig i gadw'r system trenau yn ddiogel, ond i gadw'r system trenau yn rhedeg o gwbl. Pe byddai'r system trenau, yn ystod y 15 mis diwethaf, wedi gorfod dibynnu ddim ond ar y derbyniadau—yr arian y mae'n ei gael gan y cyhoedd sy'n teithio—yna ni fyddai trên wedi bod yn rhedeg yn unman yng Nghymru. Ac eto, gwyddom pa mor hanfodol yw cludiant cyhoeddus i gynifer o'n cyd-ddinasyddion. Felly, rwy'n credu mai £177 miliwn a ddarparwyd y llynedd i gadw'r rheilffyrdd i weithio, ac mae'r Aelod yn iawn fod £70 miliwn arall wedi ei nodi yn y gyllideb atodol gyntaf y byddwn yn ei darparu i barhau i gefnogi'r system, hyd at yr hydref. Ac mae'n union fel y dywedodd yr Aelod. Wrth gwrs, mae'n cefnogi'r holl fesurau diogelwch hynny sy'n cael eu gweithredu bob dydd, ond mae hefyd yn cefnogi sylfaen refeniw syml y system, tra bod nifer y teithwyr yn dal i gael ei gyfyngu oherwydd yr argyfwng iechyd y cyhoedd.
Rwy'n credu bod yr Aelod yn iawn hefyd, Llywydd, y bydd hi'n yn debygol y bydd yn rhaid i ni ddarparu cymorth ychwanegol i'n system cludiant cyhoeddus—trenau a bysiau—y tu hwnt i'r hydref i ganiatáu iddyn nhw ehangu nifer y teithwyr y gallan nhw eu cario yn ddiogel a pharhau i weithredu o dan y cyfyngiadau parhaus a ddaw yn sgil coronafeirws. Byddwn yn gweithio ar hynny gyda'r diwydiant, a byddwn yn cyflwyno cynigion pellach yn ddiweddarach yn ystod y flwyddyn. Yn y cyfamser, mae gan y system yr hyder sy'n dod drwy wybod bod cyllid ychwanegol wedi ei nodi a fydd yn eu helpu i barhau i weithredu o nawr hyd at yr hydref.
First Minister, I recently met with Transport for Wales to discuss the Treherbert line service. I know how difficult it's been for commuters and Transport for Wales staff with reduced services and the need to keep a social distance. I left the meeting feeling optimistic. There are plans to increase the number of carriages and services from September. So, last weekend, I was really disappointed to receive complaints from Rhondda residents who were stranded in Cardiff due to services being cancelled with no alternative transport provided back home. Will the First Minister meet with me and Transport for Wales to address the problems on the Treherbert line, and to discuss future plans for the Pentre Barracks site recently acquired by Transport for Wales?
Prif Weinidog, cyfarfûm yn ddiweddar â Trafnidiaeth Cymru i drafod gwasanaeth rheilffordd Treherbert. Rwy'n gwybod pa mor anodd y bu hi i gymudwyr a staff Trafnidiaeth Cymru gyda llai o wasanaethau a'r angen i gadw pellter cymdeithasol. Gadewais y cyfarfod yn teimlo'n optimistaidd. Mae cynlluniau ar y gweill i gynyddu nifer y cerbydau a'r gwasanaethau o fis Medi ymlaen. Felly, y penwythnos diwethaf, roeddwn yn siomedig iawn o dderbyn cwynion gan drigolion y Rhondda a oedd wedi eu gadael yng Nghaerdydd oherwydd bod gwasanaethau'n cael eu canslo heb ddarparu cludiant arall yn ôl adref. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog gyfarfod â mi a Trafnidiaeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â'r problemau ar reilffordd Treherbert, ac i drafod cynlluniau ar gyfer safle Barics Pentre a gaffaelwyd yn ddiweddar gan Trafnidiaeth Cymru?
Well, Llywydd, I thank the Member for what she said about the meeting that she had had and the plans that Transport for Wales does indeed have for additional services. The additional services, including services to Treherbert, are planned to begin at the end of August, so that they are in place prior to the restart of the school term in September.
Look, I completely understand the frustration of people who were caught up in what was a signal failure around Cardiff Central station late last Saturday night, but it was just one of those technical things. A signal failed, trains weren't able to run, and, while Transport for Wales made efforts to find at absolutely short notice replacement bus services, only two of the 16 buses they had originally ordered were able to turn up at the time when people needed to travel further afield, and by the time further buses arrived many people had made their own way home, and I know that TfW has apologised to people who were affected as a result of what was an unforeseeable technical issue.
I'm very glad that the Member has mentioned the purchasing by Transport for Wales of the Pentre Barracks site. That will enable the closure of the level crossing there, which has been assessed to be one of the highest risk crossings on the Wales route, and the Pentre Barracks site will also now be able to be used as a construction compound for the continuation of the metro transformation programme. And I'll certainly ask the Minister responsible for Transport for Wales to meet with the Member to explore further some of those developments and the issues that she's identified in her question this afternoon.
Wel, Llywydd, diolchaf i'r Aelod am yr hyn a ddywedodd am y cyfarfod yr oedd hi wedi'i gael a'r cynlluniau sydd gan Trafnidiaeth Cymru mewn gwirionedd ar gyfer gwasanaethau ychwanegol. Bwriedir i'r gwasanaethau ychwanegol, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau i Dreherbert, ddechrau ddiwedd mis Awst, fel eu bod ar waith cyn ailddechrau'r tymor ysgol ym mis Medi.
Edrychwch, rwy'n deall yn iawn y rhwystredigaeth a deimlwyd gan bobl a gafodd eu dal yn yr hyn a oedd yn fethiant signalau o amgylch gorsaf Caerdydd Canolog yn hwyr nos Sadwrn diwethaf, ond un o'r pethau technegol hynny ydoedd. Methodd signal, nid oedd trenau'n gallu rhedeg, ac, er bod Trafnidiaeth Cymru wedi ymdrechu i ddod o hyd i wasanaethau bysiau newydd ar rybudd byr iawn, dim ond dau o'r 16 bws yr oedden nhw wedi eu harchebu yn wreiddiol oedd yn gallu cyrraedd ar yr adeg pan oedd angen i bobl deithio ymhellach i ffwrdd, ac erbyn i fwy o fysiau gyrraedd roedd llawer o bobl wedi gwneud eu ffordd eu hunain adref, a gwn fod Trafnidiaeth Cymru wedi ymddiheuro i bobl yr effeithiwyd arnynt o ganlyniad i'r hyn a oedd yn fater technegol na ellir ei ragweld.
Rwy'n falch iawn bod yr Aelod wedi sôn am Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn prynu safle Barics Pentre. Bydd hynny'n galluogi cau'r groesfan reilffordd yno, yr aseswyd ei bod yn un o'r croesfannau risg uchaf ar lwybr Cymru, a bydd safle Barics Pentre hefyd nawr yn gallu cael ei ddefnyddio fel iard adeiladu ar gyfer parhau â'r rhaglen trawsnewid y metro. A byddaf yn sicr yn gofyn i'r Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am Trafnidiaeth Cymru gyfarfod â'r Aelod i ymchwilio ymhellach i rai o'r datblygiadau hynny a'r materion y mae hi wedi eu nodi yn ei chwestiwn y prynhawn yma.
Yn olaf, cwestiwn 6. Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Finally, question 6, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
6. Pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n ei ddarparu i fusnesau y mae ymbellhau cymdeithasol wedi effeithio arnynt yn ystod y pandemig? OQ56712
6. What support is the Welsh Government providing to businesses affected by social distancing during the pandemic? OQ56712
Well, I thank the Member for that, Llywydd. Throughout the pandemic, we have provided £5.7 million of funding to support town centre businesses directly in carrying out adaptations to meet social distancing requirements.
Wel, diolch i'r Aelod am hynny, Llywydd. Drwy gydol y pandemig, rydym wedi darparu £5.7 miliwn o gyllid i gefnogi busnesau canol trefi yn uniongyrchol i wneud addasiadau i fodloni gofynion ymbellhau cymdeithasol.
Diolch, First Minister. Many businesses have reopened following the last lockdown. They have done so with a reduced capacity. This invariably means a reduced income. I've had representations from a yoga studio in South Wales East that has reopened in the last couple of months, but can only welcome a third of their usual clients through the door. Their overheads remain the same. They received a bounce-back loan last year, and they received Government support in March of this year. As a result of all this, they are on the brink of closure, with only £100 in their business account at the end of last week. Places that encourage an active and healthy lifestyle are vital for well-being and good physical and mental health. How will the Government support businesses like the yoga studio in my region to survive the economic challenges posed by social distancing?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Mae llawer o fusnesau wedi ailagor yn dilyn y cyfyngiadau symud diwethaf. Maen nhw wedi gwneud hynny gyda llai o gapasiti. Mae hyn yn ddieithriad yn golygu llai o incwm. Rwyf wedi cael sylwadau gan stiwdio ioga yn Nwyrain De Cymru sydd wedi ailagor yn ystod yr ychydig fisoedd diwethaf, ond dim ond traean o'u cleientiaid arferol maen nhw'n gallu eu croesawu drwy'r drws. Mae eu gorbenion yn aros yr un fath. Cawsant fenthyciad adfer y llynedd, a chawsant gymorth gan y Llywodraeth ym mis Mawrth eleni. O ganlyniad i hyn i gyd, maen nhw ar fin cau, gyda dim ond £100 yn eu cyfrif busnes ddiwedd yr wythnos diwethaf. Mae lleoedd sy'n annog ffordd iach ac egnïol o fyw yn hanfodol ar gyfer llesiant ac iechyd corfforol a meddyliol da. Sut y bydd y Llywodraeth yn cefnogi busnesau fel y stiwdio ioga yn fy rhanbarth i, i oroesi'r heriau economaidd a ddaw yn sgil ymbellhau cymdeithasol?
Well, Llywydd, can I absolutely recognise the challenges that are caused to businesses unable to operate in the way that they would have done if it were not for the need to protect their users from the risks that coronavirus provides to staff and to users alike? I'm glad that the business was able to benefit from some Welsh Government support. Members will have seen that the economy Minister has announced a further sum of money specifically to help those businesses who continue either not to be able to operate at all, or operate in the circumstances that Mr Griffiths has just outlined. And there will be more help from the Welsh Government while this emergency persists and while businesses are trying to get back to being able to trade in the way that they once were able. In the meantime, to go back to the Member's original question, all that additional investment that the Welsh Government has provided does mean that, through those physical adaptations—the outdoor seating, the awnings, the street-front adaptations, the outdoor serveries, the electrical connections—all those many things that we have been able to assist businesses with in Wales, including in the Member's own region, do mean that businesses have been able to adapt to those new circumstances and at least trade to the maximum extent that is commensurate with the ongoing dangers that coronavirus provides.
Wel, Llywydd, a gaf i gydnabod yn llwyr yr heriau sy'n cael eu hachosi i fusnesau na allant weithredu yn y ffordd y bydden nhw wedi'i wneud oni bai am yr angen i amddiffyn eu defnyddwyr rhag y risgiau y mae'r coronafeirws yn eu hachosi i staff ac i ddefnyddwyr fel ei gilydd? Rwy'n falch bod y busnes wedi gallu elwa ar rywfaint o gefnogaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Bydd yr Aelodau wedi gweld bod Gweinidog yr Economi wedi cyhoeddi swm ychwanegol o arian yn benodol i helpu'r busnesau hynny sy'n parhau naill ai i beidio â gallu gweithredu o gwbl, neu i weithredu dan yr amgylchiadau y mae Mr Griffiths newydd eu hamlinellu. A bydd mwy o help gan Lywodraeth Cymru wrth i'r argyfwng hwn barhau ac wrth i fusnesau geisio dychwelyd at allu masnachu yn y ffordd yr oedden nhw'n gallu'i wneud ar un adeg. Yn y cyfamser, i fynd yn ôl at gwestiwn gwreiddiol yr Aelod, mae'r holl fuddsoddi ychwanegol hwnnw y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i ddarparu yn golygu, drwy'r addasiadau ffisegol hynny—y seddi awyr agored, yr awniadau, yr addasiadau ar y stryd, y llefydd gweini awyr agored, y cysylltiadau trydanol—yr holl bethau niferus hynny yr ydym wedi gallu cynorthwyo busnesau â nhw yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys yn rhanbarth yr Aelod ei hun, yn golygu bod busnesau wedi gallu addasu i'r amgylchiadau newydd hynny ac o leiaf fasnachu i'r graddau mwyaf posibl sy'n gymesur â'r peryglon parhaus y mae'r coronafeirws yn eu darparu.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
I thank the First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, a dwi'n galw ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hynny—Lesley Griffiths.
The next item is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement—Lesley Griffiths.
Diolch, Llywydd. There are no changes to this week's business. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Nid oes unrhyw newidiadau i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos nesaf wedi'i nodi ar y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig.
Business Minister, it's all very well the education Minister announcing a seismic change in education's handling of the biggest crisis that they've faced to the press first—announcing this massive shift in responsibility and any chance of blame for getting rid of the masks, bubbles and social distancing to individual schools. Could the Minister ask the Minister to please make an urgent statement on this floor of the Chamber, rather than to a press briefing, outlining how exactly he is going to ensure that there is now not going to be a postcode lottery in regard to the provision of education in Wales?
And on the back of that announcement also, Llywydd, may I ask the relevant Minister for urgent clarity on mask wearing, and with a particular emphasis on the stance on masks in classrooms, where the Government's own scientific advisers have said that they do more harm than good? How can this Government tell everyone you're being a 100 per cent led by science, and then shift accountability for decision making on something you claim to be so important, such as wearing a mask, to people not privy to the same scientific advice? This is not fair to the headteachers of our schools. And I would also warn that this sends a confusing message to the public of Wales, as to whether the scientific advice actually needs to be adhered to. Can I urge the Minister for some clarity from the Minister on this change on this floor in this Chamber? Thank you.
Gweinidog busnes, mae'n ddigon hawdd i'r Gweinidog addysg gyhoeddi, i'r wasg yn gyntaf, newid seismig yn y ffordd y mae addysg yn ymdrin â'r argyfwng mwyaf iddynt orfod ei wynebu—gan gyhoeddi'r newid enfawr hwn o ran cyfrifoldeb ac unrhyw gyfle o gael y bai am gael gwared ar y masgiau, y swigod a'r pellter cymdeithasol i ysgolion unigol. A allai'r Gweinidog ofyn i'r Gweinidog wneud datganiad brys ar lawr y Siambr hon, yn hytrach na briff i'r wasg, yn amlinellu sut yn union y bydd yn sicrhau na fydd loteri cod post yn digwydd nawr o ran darparu addysg yng Nghymru?
Ac yn sgil y cyhoeddiad hwnnw hefyd, Llywydd, a gaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog perthnasol am eglurder brys ynghylch gwisgo masgiau, gyda phwyslais arbennig ar y safiad ar fasgiau mewn ystafelloedd dosbarth, lle mae cynghorwyr gwyddonol y Llywodraeth ei hun wedi dweud eu bod yn gwneud mwy o niwed nag o les? Sut y gall y Llywodraeth hon ddweud wrth bawb eich bod yn cael eich arwain 100 y cant gan wyddoniaeth, ac yna'n symud atebolrwydd o ran gwneud penderfyniadau ar rywbeth yr ydych chi'n honni ei fod mor bwysig, fel gwisgo masg, i bobl nad ydynt yn ymwybodol o'r un cyngor gwyddonol? Nid yw hyn yn deg i benaethiaid ein hysgolion. Ac fe fyddwn i hefyd yn rhybuddio bod hyn yn anfon neges ddryslyd i'r cyhoedd yng Nghymru, ynghylch a oes gwir angen cadw at y cyngor gwyddonol. A gaf i annog y Gweinidog i gael rhywfaint o eglurder gan y Gweinidog ynglŷn â'r newid hwn ar y llawr hwn yn y Siambr hon? Diolch.
I think the press conferences—and you referred to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language's press conference yesterday—have been very good in getting information out to the public, the people who are most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the regulations that we've brought in place, and the Minister comes before this Chamber most weeks in relation to his portfolio.
In relation to masks in classrooms, again, as a Government, we haven't just given out the decisions that we've taken; we have made sure that people are aware why we've taken those decisions, and I'm sure the leader of the opposition will be aware. I know you've had meetings with our chief scientific adviser and our chief medical officer when we've made those decisions, and the science behind them. So, that evidence and that science is absolutely available.
Rwy'n credu bod y cynadleddau i'r wasg—ac fe wnaethoch chi gyfeirio at gynhadledd Gweinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg i'r wasg ddoe—wedi bod yn dda iawn o ran rhoi gwybodaeth i'r cyhoedd, y bobl y mae'r pandemig COVID-19 yn effeithio fwyaf arnynt, a'r rheoliadau yr ydym ni wedi'u rhoi ar waith, ac mae'r Gweinidog yn dod gerbron y Siambr hon y rhan fwyaf o wythnosau mewn cysylltiad â'i bortffolio.
O ran masgiau mewn ystafelloedd dosbarth, unwaith eto, fel Llywodraeth, nid yn unig rydym wedi cyflwyno'r penderfyniadau a wnaed; rydym wedi sicrhau bod pobl yn ymwybodol o'r rhesymau pam y gwnaed y penderfyniadau hynny, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd arweinydd yr wrthblaid yn ymwybodol o hynny. Rwy'n gwybod eich bod chi wedi cael cyfarfodydd gyda'n prif gynghorydd gwyddonol a'n prif swyddog meddygol pan ydym wedi gwneud y penderfyniadau hynny, a'r wyddoniaeth y tu ôl iddyn nhw. Felly, mae'r dystiolaeth honno a'r wyddoniaeth honno yn bendant ar gael.
Hoffwn i godi mater y bydd y Trefnydd yn gyfarwydd ag ef yn ei rôl weinidogol. Dros yr wythnosau a'r misoedd diwethaf, mae Gweinidogion tebyg iddi hi yn Lloegr, yr Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon wedi gweithio gyda phartneriaid yn y sector i greu rhaglen dal a rhyddhau—catch and release—ar gyfer y tiwna glas, yr Atlantic bluefin tuna, sydd wedi dod yn fwyfwy amlwg yn y moroedd o gwmpas sir Benfro a Cheredigion yn ddiweddar, sydd yn newyddion da, wrth gwrs. Mae rhaglenni tebyg sy'n cyfuno gwyddoniaeth forol a physgota masnachol wedi dod â buddion deublyg o ran casglu data ar y naill law a chreu hwb economaidd i gymunedau arfordirol ar y llaw arall. Mae cynlluniau tebyg eisoes mewn grym mewn llefydd fel Sweden, Denmarc a Gweriniaeth Iwerddon. Yn anffodus, yng Nghymru rŷn ni ar ei hôl hi, ac mae'n ymddangos bod swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn gadael partneriaid pwysig fel Ffederasiwn Pysgotwyr Môr Cymru allan o'r drafodaeth a allai ddod ag arbenigedd a gwybodaeth bwysig pe bydden nhw'n cael eu cyfle i gyfrannu. Felly, er fy mod i wedi ysgrifennu y bore yma at y Gweinidog yn amlinellu'r achos yn fwy manwl, a gaf i ar frys ofyn am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru cyn yr haf ar eu cynlluniau i gyflwyno rhaglen dal a rhyddhau a thagio—CHART—yng Nghymru? Gyda thymor y tiwna yn dechrau ym mis Awst, dŷn ni ddim am i'r llong hon hwylio ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig gyda Chymru'n cael ei gadael ar y lan, yn colli allan ar fuddion a allai fod yn enfawr i'n cymunedau glan môr. Diolch yn fawr.
I'd like to raise a matter that the Trefnydd will be familiar with in her ministerial role. Over the past few weeks and months, her counterparts in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England have worked with partners in the sector to create a catch-and-release programme for Atlantic bluefin tuna, which has become prominent in the seas around the Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion coasts, which is good news, of course. Similar programmes, which combine marine science and commercial fishery, have brought dual benefits in terms of gathering data on the one hand and an economic boost for coastal communities on the other. Similar programmes are already in place in countries such as Sweden, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. Unfortunately, in Wales, we are a little bit behind on this, and it appears that Welsh Government officials have not included in discussions important partners, such as the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers, who could provide expertise and important information if they had an opportunity to contribute. So, even though I wrote this morning to the Minister outlining the case in greater detail, may I ask, as a matter of urgency, for a statement from the Government before the summer on their plans to introduce a similar catch-and-release tagging—CHART—programme in Wales? With the tuna season starting in August, we don't want this ship to sail across the UK with Wales left behind onshore, losing out on the benefits that could be significant for our coastal communities. Thank you.
Diolch. I haven't had sight of the letter that you wrote to me this morning, but I do know there is some advice sitting on my desk upstairs that I will certainly clear before the end of this week, and I will ensure that I write to the Member with a response to his letter, with my decision.
Diolch. Nid wyf wedi gweld y llythyr y gwnaethoch ei ysgrifennu ataf i y bore yma. Ond rwy'n gwybod bod rhywfaint o gyngor yn aros amdanaf ar fy nesg i fyny'r grisiau y byddaf i'n sicr yn ei glirio cyn diwedd yr wythnos hon, a byddaf yn gwneud yn siŵr fy mod i'n ysgrifennu at yr Aelod gydag ymateb i'w lythyr, gyda fy mhenderfyniad.
Can I ask for an urgent Government statement on cladding on buildings? In Swansea East and the SA1 area, there are several buildings with cladding and a large number of very concerned individuals, regarding the cost of removal and making it safe. I know this problem is replicated in other constituencies, including Swansea West and including Cardiff—I'm not going to make a list of them because I'll probably get some wrong. But people require help and an answer to dealing with this problem. People are having sleepless nights. We often talk about people's mental health being damaged. When you find you've got a £100,000 or £150,000-building and you find that it's now worth nothing and you're still paying for it, I can't think of anything worse to affect your mental health. So, I think it really is important that we get a statement of what the Welsh Government can do, what negotiations they're having with Westminster about it, because there are a lot of people who are very, very worried.
A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad brys gan y Llywodraeth ynghylch cladin ar adeiladau? Yn Nwyrain Abertawe ac ardal SA1, mae cladin gan sawl adeilad ac mae nifer fawr o unigolion yn bryderus iawn am y gost o gael gwared arno a gwneud yr adeiladau'n ddiogel. Rwy'n gwybod bod y broblem hon hefyd yn bodoli mewn etholaethau eraill, gan gynnwys Gorllewin Abertawe a Chaerdydd—nid wyf eisiau eu rhestru oherwydd mae'n debyg y byddaf yn cael rhywfaint ohonynt yn anghywir. Ond mae angen help ac ateb ar bobl i ymdrin â'r broblem hon. Mae pobl yn cael nosweithiau di-gwsg. Rydym ni'n sôn yn aml am y niwed i iechyd meddwl pobl. Os oes gennych chi adeilad gwerth £100,000 neu £150,000 ac rydych yn sylweddoli nad yw'n werth dim bellach ac rydych yn dal i dalu amdano, ni allaf feddwl am unrhyw beth gwaeth i effeithio ar eich iechyd meddwl. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n cael datganiad o'r hyn y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud, a pha drafodaethau y maen nhw'n eu cael â San Steffan, oherwydd mae yna lawer o bobl sy'n poeni'n fawr iawn am hyn.
The Member raises a very important point, and, of course, this Government wants to ensure high-rise buildings are well equipped to protect life and limb if we have the unfortunate event of a fire. Of course, cladding is not the only concern for high-rise residential buildings. What we're doing as a Government is we're advocating a holistic approach to remediation of buildings, and that also includes fire alert, evacuation and suppression systems. I know my colleague the Minister for Climate Change and her officials are working to develop a funding programme that is designed to target the right support in a very complex issue, but a very important matter.
In relation to your question around the UK Government, I know, as a Government, we've already committed £32 million this financial year, but I know the Minister for Finance and Local Government is continuing to press the UK Government for any consequential funding following their recent announcement.
Mae'r Aelod yn codi pwynt pwysig iawn ac, wrth gwrs, mae'r Llywodraeth hon eisiau sicrhau bod adeiladau uchel mewn sefyllfa dda i amddiffyn bywydau os, yn anffodus, y bydd tân yn digwydd. Wrth gwrs, nid cladin yw'r unig bryder ynghylch adeiladau preswyl uchel. Yr hyn a wnawn ni fel Llywodraeth yw argymell dull cyfannol o adfer adeiladau, ac mae hynny hefyd yn cynnwys systemau rhybuddio am dân, gwacáu adeiladau a llethu tân. Rwy'n gwybod bod fy nghyd-Weinidog y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd a'i swyddogion yn gweithio i ddatblygu rhaglen ariannu sydd wedi'i chynllunio i dargedu'r gefnogaeth gywir ar gyfer mater cymhleth ond pwysig iawn.
O ran eich cwestiwn ynghylch Llywodraeth y DU, rwy'n ymwybodol, fel Llywodraeth, ein bod ni eisoes wedi ymrwymo £32 miliwn yn ystod y flwyddyn ariannol hon, ond rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol yn parhau i bwyso ar Lywodraeth y DU am unrhyw gyllid canlyniadol yn dilyn eu cyhoeddiad diweddar.
I'd just like to start by declaring my interest as a county councillor on Conwy County Borough Council. Minister, as you'll be aware, north Wales has an exceptional reputation for delivering world-class events and being a world-class destination. Over the past few years, Conwy County Borough Council has developed an innovative new culture strategy that places culture at the heart of all economic developments and regeneration, harnessing all that culture has to offer. I'm sure like you, I was delighted to see that Conwy County Borough Council are bidding to become the UK City of Culture in 2025, and this bid will make connections across Conwy and across north Wales, between rural and urban communities, between older and younger generations, and between both our mountains and the sea. With Conwy at the helm and working with partners across north Wales, achieving the UK City of Culture award would deliver long-lasting benefits for all of Wales and would, again, put our country on the international radar for all the right reasons. I would welcome a statement from the Government outlining their support for Conwy's bid to secure the UK City of Culture title and to hear how the Government would work with the local authority to ensure that we are successful in this bid. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Hoffwn i ddechrau drwy ddatgan fy muddiant fel cynghorydd sir ar Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy. Gweinidog, fel y gwyddoch chi, mae gan y gogledd enw eithriadol o dda am ddarparu digwyddiadau o'r radd flaenaf a bod yn gyrchfan o'r radd flaenaf. Yn ystod yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf, mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy wedi datblygu strategaeth ddiwylliant arloesol newydd sy'n rhoi diwylliant wrth wraidd yr holl ddatblygiadau economaidd ac adfywio, gan fanteisio ar bopeth y mae gan y diwylliant hwnnw i'w gynnig. Yn sicr, fel chi, roeddwn i wrth fy modd o weld bod Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy yn gwneud cais i fod yn Ddinas Diwylliant y DU yn 2025, a bydd y cais hwn yn creu cysylltiadau ledled Conwy a ledled y gogledd, rhwng cymunedau gwledig a threfol, rhwng cenedlaethau hŷn ac iau, a rhwng ein mynyddoedd a'r môr. Gyda Chonwy wrth y llyw ac yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid ledled y gogledd, byddai ennill gwobr Dinas Diwylliant y DU yn sicrhau manteision hirdymor i Gymru gyfan a byddai, unwaith eto, yn rhoi ein gwlad ar y radar rhyngwladol am y rhesymau iawn. Byddwn i'n croesawu datganiad gan y Llywodraeth yn amlinellu ei chefnogaeth i gais Conwy i sicrhau teitl Dinas Diwylliant y DU ac i glywed sut y byddai'r Llywodraeth yn gweithio gyda'r awdurdod lleol i sicrhau ein bod ni'n llwyddiannus yn y cais hwn. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch. Well, knowing the history of the events that Conwy council have managed to produce over the past few years, they've certainly been exceptional, and I will certainly ask the Minister for Economy to bring forward a written statement.
Diolch. Wel, o wybod hanes y digwyddiadau y llwyddodd cyngor Conwy i'w cyflwyno yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, maen nhw'n bendant wedi bod yn eithriadol ac, yn sicr, byddaf yn gofyn i Weinidog yr Economi gyflwyno datganiad ysgrifenedig.
Dau gais sydd gen i i'r Llywodraeth, yn ymwneud â'r un pwnc, a dweud y gwir. Yn y lle cyntaf, buaswn yn gofyn yn garedig i'r Trefnydd i sicrhau bod y Prif Weinidog yn ysgrifennu at Gymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru i longyfarch carfan pêl-droed cenedlaethol Cymru ar yr hyn maen nhw wedi ei gyflawni yn yr Ewros. Mae yna wastad ychydig o rwystredigaeth, efallai, y gallem ni, ar ddiwrnod arall, fod wedi mynd ychydig yn bellach yn y gystadleuaeth, ond pan fyddwn ni'n gweld rhai o'r timau honedig fawr sydd hefyd wedi mynd allan yn yr un rownd â ni, dwi'n meddwl ein bod ni mewn cwmni da, ac mae hynny'n ein hatgoffa ni, efallai, o ba mor dda mae'r garfan wedi gwneud a'n bod ni i gyd, wrth gwrs, yn falch iawn o'r hyn maen nhw wedi ei gyflawni.
A gaf i hefyd ofyn i'r Llywodraeth ysgrifennu at UEFA i ofyn iddyn nhw beidio â mabwysiadu'r un fformat mewn cystadlaethau yn y dyfodol, oherwydd mae wedi creu annhegwch y tro yma—y ffaith, wrth gwrs, fod rhai gwledydd wedi gorfod teithio miloedd lawer o filltiroedd i gyflawni eu gemau nhw, tra bod yna wledydd eraill, wrth gwrs, wedi teithio dim o gwbl gan eu bod nhw wedi chwarae eu gemau grŵp i gyd gartref? Mae hynny wedi rhoi mantais annheg i rai gwledydd ac wedi creu anfantais annheg i wledydd eraill, ac mae hynny yn erbyn ysbryd y gystadleuaeth, yn fy marn i. Mi fyddai llythyr gan y Llywodraeth at UEFA yn mynegi hynny ar ran, efallai, y Senedd yma ac yn sicr ar ran cefnogwyr pêl-droed Cymru a charfan bêl-droed Cymru, yn rhywbeth y buasem ni'n ei werthfawrogi.
I have two requests to Government, related to the same issue. First of all, I would kindly ask the Trefnydd to ensure that the First Minister writes to the Football Association of Wales to congratulate the national squad on what they've achieved at the Euros. There's always some frustration, perhaps, that, on another day, we could have gone a little further in the competition, but when we see some of the major teams, as they're known, who have gone out in the same round as us, I think we're in good company, and that reminds us just how well the squad has done and just how proud we are of what they've achieved.
May I also ask Government to write to UEFA to to ask them not to adopt the same format for future competitions, because it has created some unfairness on this occasion—the fact that some nations have had to travel many thousands of miles to play their matches whilst other nations haven't travelled at all because they've played all their group games at home? That's given an unfair advantage to some nations and has put other nations at a disadvantage, and that is contrary to the spirit of the competition in my view. A letter from Government to UEFA expressing that point on behalf of this Senedd, and certainly on behalf of Welsh football supporters and the Welsh football squad, would be something we would appreciate.
Yes, I absolutely agree with you around the achievements of the Welsh squad in getting to the final 16 for the second time—I've waited all my life for them to get to a major tournament for the first time, only for them to do it twice. And if somebody had told me a couple of weeks ago that we would go out the same time as France, I would have thought that we'd have at least got to the semi-final. So, I think, as you say, they did a great job. And it was very frustrating on Saturday, but we all enjoyed the journey to the last 16 that took us up to last Saturday. So, I will certainly ask the First Minister, if he hasn't already done so, to write to the FAW.
I think your second point around the unfairness—. Certainly, when you have a tournament that goes around 11 countries, I don't see why any country, personally, should play in their home country. And, as you said, it was very unfair that some countries—and ones playing tonight—went no miles, and our country went, I think, 5,500 miles. So, certainly, if UEFA are going to take it out of more than one country, I think there needs to be some equality that we certainly didn't see this time.
Ydw, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â chi ynghylch cyflawniadau sgwad Cymru o ran cyrraedd yr 16 olaf am yr eildro—rwyf wedi aros erioed i'r sgwad gyrraedd twrnamaint mawr am y tro cyntaf, dim ond iddyn nhw wneud hynny ddwywaith. A phe byddai rhywun wedi dweud wrthyf ychydig wythnosau'n ôl y byddem ni'n mynd allan o'r twrnamaint yr un pryd â Ffrainc, byddwn i wedi credu y byddem o leiaf wedi cyrraedd y rownd gynderfynol. Felly, rwy'n credu, fel y dywedwch chi, eu bod nhw wedi gwneud gwaith gwych. Ac roedd yn rhwystredig iawn ddydd Sadwrn, ond fe wnaethom ni i gyd fwynhau'r daith i gyrraedd yr 16 olaf hyd at ddydd Sadwrn diwethaf. Felly, yn sicr, byddaf i'n gofyn i'r Prif Weinidog ysgrifennu at Gymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru, os nad yw eisoes wedi gwneud hynny.
Rwy'n credu bod eich ail bwynt ynghylch yr annhegwch—. Yn sicr, pan fydd gennych chi dwrnamaint sy'n mynd o gwmpas 11 o wledydd, nid wyf i'n bersonol yn gweld pam y dylai unrhyw wlad chwarae gartref. Ac, fel y dywedoch, roedd yn annheg iawn nad oedd rhai gwledydd wedi teithio o gwbl—rhai a oedd yn chwarae heno—ac fe deithiodd ein gwlad ni, rwy'n credu, 5,500 milltir. Felly, yn sicr, os yw UEFA yn mynd i'w gymryd i fwy nag un wlad, rwy'n credu bod angen rhywfaint o gydraddoldeb na welwyd y tro hwn, yn bendant.
Trefnydd, I very much welcome yesterday's announcement that, if you've been vaccinated in Wales, you can download a Welsh COVID pass online to demonstrate to whoever needs to know that you are protected by two jabs. And this seems to me a really good example of how we use artificial intelligence and online data to ensure that we're not tying up the resources of health professionals on something that can be done electronically. So, that's an excellent thing. I wondered if we could have a statement from the health Minister about the arrangements for vaccination certificates for those who've had one jab in Wales and another in England. There are many, many of my constituents who, for example, study in Cardiff but reside in England or elsewhere, and we need to ensure that they're not put off having the vaccination at the quickest possible time without having the complication of not being able to demonstrate they've had that. So, that would be great, if we could have that statement—a written statement would be fine.
Secondly, the pandemic hasn't gone away, and there continue to be many restrictions on freedom of movement. I'm not talking about the Home Office aversion to asylum seekers, but about the public health emergency that requires us to control the freedom of movement from one country to another. But language schools in my constituency have been hugely impacted, obviously, by the inability of foreign students to come and study English here. They simply have no customers whatsoever, which they had before, so I wondered if we could ask the economy Minister to consider that, instead of handing out grants to an organisation that's simply unable to operate under the normal model of business, they could be commissioned to deliver services to people in this country who need English-for-speakers-of-other-languages classes—for example, people who have recently been given refugee status—so that they can become much more economically effective members of our community. Similarly, I think you could have the same analogy for, say, musicians, for whom it simply isn't viable financially to run concerts, because of the restrictions on numbers in any given place, but who obviously have wonderful skills that we could be commissioning them to deliver services in schools or in care homes or elsewhere.
Trefnydd, rwy'n croesawu'n fawr y cyhoeddiad ddoe, os ydych chi wedi cael eich brechu yng Nghymru, y gallwch chi lawrlwytho pàs COVID Cymru ar-lein er mwyn dangos, i bwy bynnag sydd angen gwybod, eich bod chi wedi eich diogelu gan ddau bigiad. Ac mae hyn yn ymddangos i mi yn enghraifft dda iawn o sut yr ydym ni'n defnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial a data ar-lein i sicrhau nad ydym yn defnyddio adnoddau gweithwyr iechyd proffesiynol ar gyfer rhywbeth y mae modd ei wneud yn electronig. Felly, mae hynny'n beth ardderchog. Tybed a oes modd inni gael datganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd ar y trefniadau ar gyfer tystysgrifau brechu i'r rhai sydd wedi cael un pigiad yng Nghymru a'r llall yn Lloegr. Mae llawer iawn o fy etholwyr i sydd, er enghraifft, yn astudio yng Nghaerdydd ond yn byw yn Lloegr neu rywle arall, ac mae angen inni sicrhau nad ydynt yn gyndyn o gael y brechiad cyn gynted â phosibl am eu bod yn wynebu'r cymhlethdod o fethu â gallu dangos eu bod wedi cael dau bigiad. Felly, byddai hynny'n wych, os gallem gael y datganiad hwnnw—byddai datganiad ysgrifenedig yn iawn.
Yn ail, nid yw'r pandemig wedi diflannu, ac mae llawer o gyfyngiadau o hyd ar y rhyddid i symud. Nid wyf i'n sôn am wrthwynebiad y Swyddfa Gartref i geiswyr lloches, ond am yr argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus sy'n ei gwneud yn ofynnol inni reoli'r rhyddid i symud o un wlad i'r llall. Mae ysgolion iaith yn fy etholaeth i wedi cael eu heffeithio’n fawr, yn amlwg, gan anallu myfyrwyr tramor i ddod i astudio Saesneg yma. Nid oes ganddyn nhw unrhyw gwsmeriaid o gwbl, ac roedd ganddyn nhw rai o'r blaen. Felly tybed a gawn ni ofyn i Weinidog yr economi ystyried, yn hytrach na rhoi grantiau i sefydliad na all weithredu dan y model busnes arferol, y byddai modd eu comisiynu i ddarparu gwasanaethau i bobl yn y wlad hon y mae angen Saesneg arnyn nhw, dosbarthiadau ar gyfer siaradwyr ieithoedd eraill—er enghraifft, pobl sydd wedi cael statws ffoadur yn ddiweddar—fel y gallan nhw ddod yn aelodau llawer mwy effeithiol yn economaidd o'n cymuned. Yn yr un modd, rwy'n credu y gallech chi gael yr un gyfatebiaeth ar gyfer cerddorion, dyweder, nad yw'n hyfyw yn ariannol iddynt gynnal cyngherddau, oherwydd y cyfyngiadau ar niferoedd mewn unrhyw le penodol, ond sydd yn amlwg yn meddu ar sgiliau gwych ac y gallem fod yn eu comisiynu i ddarparu gwasanaethau mewn ysgolion neu mewn cartrefi gofal neu rywle arall.
Thank you, Jenny, for those two points. In relation to your first point around the ability to get the certification online, I think, as you say, it's very welcome. And as you know, the Minister for health does a weekly update in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, so I will certainly ask her to consider updating Members in her next weekly update.
In relation to your question around English as a second language and language schools, it's been an incredibly difficult and uncertain time, as you say, for businesses and obviously the English language teaching industry as a whole. We do support businesses who are—. Obviously, a business like that would be eligible to access business rate relief, for instance, and any associated grants to which you refer, and, of course, we've got the economic resilience fund, which is unique to Wales. Any businesses with a turnover of less than £85,000 who meet the eligibility for the latest round of ERF—and it's a good opportunity to say this today—it's the closing date for applications tomorrow, so it could be that they could be encouraged to apply by tomorrow and, alternatively, we do have funds from the Development Bank of Wales that they can access also. I should also point to the EU transition portal and the Business Wales portal for advice as well.
Diolch, Jenny, am y ddau bwynt hynny. O ran eich pwynt cyntaf ynglŷn â'r gallu i gael yr ardystiad ar-lein, rwy'n credu, fel yr ydych chi'n ei ddweud, fod croeso mawr iddo. Ac fel y gwyddoch chi, mae'r Gweinidog iechyd yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf yn wythnosol o ran pandemig COVID-19, felly byddaf yn gofyn iddi ystyried rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau yn ei diweddariad wythnosol nesaf.
O ran eich cwestiwn ynghylch Saesneg fe ail iaith ac ysgolion iaith, mae wedi bod yn gyfnod eithriadol o anodd ac ansicr, fel yr ydych chi'n ei ddweud, i fusnesau ac yn amlwg i'r diwydiant addysgu Saesneg yn ei gyfanrwydd. Rydym yn cefnogi busnesau sydd—. Yn amlwg, byddai busnes fel hwnnw'n gymwys i gael rhyddhad ardrethi busnes, er enghraifft, ac unrhyw grantiau cysylltiedig yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio atyn nhw, ac, wrth gwrs, mae gennym ni'r gronfa cadernid economaidd, sy'n unigryw i Gymru. I unrhyw fusnesau sydd â throsiant o lai na £85,000 sy'n gymwys ar gyfer y rownd ddiweddaraf o'r gronfa gadernid economaidd—ac mae'n gyfle da i ddweud hyn heddiw—mae'r dyddiad cau ar gyfer ceisiadau yfory, felly efallai y byddai modd eu hannog i wneud cais erbyn yfory ac, fel arall, mae gennym ni arian gan Fanc Datblygu Cymru y gallan nhw fanteisio arno hefyd. Fe ddylwn i dynnu sylw at borth pontio'r UE a phorth Busnes Cymru ar gyfer cyngor hefyd.
Minister, may I ask for a statement from the Minister for Climate Change on measures to encourage people to switch to electric vehicles here in Wales? The UK Government's grant scheme for electric cars, vans and trucks has been updated to target less expensive models and reflect a greater range of affordable vehicles to people. This allows the scheme's funding to go further and help more people make the switch to an electric vehicle. From 18 March, the UK Government will provide grants of up to £2,500 for electric vehicles or cars priced under £35,000. The plug-in car grant was introduced 10 years ago to stimulate the early market for zero-emission vehicles. Could we therefore have a statement from the Minister on what plans the Welsh Government has to encourage people here in Wales to switch to electric vehicles? Thank you.
Gweinidog, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd ar fesurau i annog pobl i newid i gerbydau trydan yma yng Nghymru? Mae cynllun grant Llywodraeth y DU ar gyfer ceir, faniau a thryciau trydan wedi'i ddiweddaru i dargedu modelau llai costus ac adlewyrchu amrywiaeth ehangach o gerbydau fforddiadwy i bobl. Mae hyn yn caniatáu i gyllid y cynllun fynd ymhellach a helpu mwy o bobl i newid i gerbyd trydan. O 18 Mawrth, bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn darparu grantiau o hyd at £2,500 ar gyfer cerbydau trydan neu geir sy'n costio dan £35,000. Cafodd y grant ceir trydan ei gyflwyno 10 mlynedd yn ôl i ysgogi'r farchnad gynnar ar gyfer cerbydau di-allyriadau. Felly, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog ynghylch pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i annog pobl yma yng Nghymru i newid i gerbydau trydan? Diolch.
Thank you. I know the Minister for Climate Change—and certainly, in the last term of Government, the Minister for economy and transport—had some significant funding going forward to make sure the infrastructure is in place, because, of course, we don't need people to switch to electric cars without having that infrastructure in place, so that is where some significant Welsh Government funding has gone. I'm unaware if we are looking to replicate the scheme that you referred to by the UK Government, but I will certainly ask the Minister to update the Member if so.
Diolch. Rwy'n gwybod bod gan y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd—ac yn sicr, yn nhymor diwethaf y Llywodraeth, Gweinidog yr economi a thrafnidiaeth—rywfaint o gyllid sylweddol wrth symud ymlaen i sicrhau bod y seilwaith ar waith, oherwydd, wrth gwrs, nid oes angen i bobl newid i geir trydan heb gael y seilwaith hwnnw ar waith, felly mae cyllid sylweddol wedi mynd gan Lywodraeth Cymru tuag at hynny. Nid wyf yn gwybod a ydym yn ceisio efelychu'r cynllun y gwnaethoch chi gyfeirio ato gan Lywodraeth y DU, ond byddaf yn sicr yn gofyn i'r Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelod os felly.
Minister, Neath Port Talbot Council is looking to enlist £5 million from its reserves into the local area as we build out of the pandemic. We all know that councils across Wales have shown local leadership and innovation during the pandemic, and, as we now emerge from it, would the Minister arrange a statement for the Senedd to examine how the capacity of local government working more closely together could be further harnessed to drive our economic recovery? Thank you.
Gweinidog, mae Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn ceisio sicrhau £5 miliwn o'i gronfeydd wrth gefn ar gyfer yr ardal leol, wrth inni ddod allan o'r pandemig. Rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod bod cynghorau ledled Cymru wedi dangos arweiniad ac arloesedd lleol yn ystod y pandemig, ac, wrth inni ddod allan ohono nawr, a fyddai'r Gweinidog yn trefnu datganiad i'r Senedd archwilio sut y byddai modd manteisio ar gapasiti llywodraeth leol i gydweithio'n agosach er mwyn sbarduno ein hadferiad economaidd? Diolch.
Thank you, and I absolutely agree with the Member that local authorities have worked incredibly hard and in partnership with Welsh Government, not just during the pandemic, but prior to the pandemic, but really stepped up to the plate to help us with our test, trace, protect and our deliveries of food parcels. The Minister for Finance and Local Government is in the Chamber and has heard your request and is happy to provide a further statement.
Diolch, ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r Aelod fod awdurdodau lleol wedi gweithio'n eithriadol o galed ac mewn partneriaeth â Llywodraeth Cymru, nid yn unig yn ystod y pandemig, ond cyn y pandemig. Ac maent wedi camu ymlaen i'n helpu ni gyda'n profi, olrhain, diogelu a dosbarthu parseli bwyd. Mae'r Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol yn y Siambr ac mae wedi clywed eich cais ac mae'n fodlon darparu datganiad arall.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd. Dyma ni, felly, yn cyrraedd diwedd yr eitem yna, ac fe fyddwn ni nawr yn cynnal egwyl fer er mwyn gwneud newidiadau yn y Siambr.
I thank the Trefnydd. That concludes that item, and we will now take a short break in order to allow for changeovers in the Chamber.
Ataliwyd y Cyfarfod Llawn am 15:05.
Plenary was suspended at 15:05.
Ailymgynullodd y Senedd am 15:16, gyda'r Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd reconvened at 15:16, with the Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) in the Chair.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r datganiad gan y Prif Weinidog: diwygio ein hundeb. Galwaf ar y Prif Weinidog, Mark Drakeford.
The next item is a statement by the First Minister: reforming our union. I call on the First Minister, Mark Drakeford.
Wel, Dirprwy Lywydd, rydw i'n ddiolchgar am y cyfle i wneud y datganiad hwn heddiw. Rydym ni'n cyhoeddi dogfen 'Diwygio ein Hundeb' ar ei newydd wedd, dogfen sy'n cynnwys ein cynigion ymarferol ar gyfer llywodraethu ar y cyd yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Cafodd hon ei chyhoeddi yn gyntaf gennym yn 2019.
Rydw i wedi dweud sawl gwaith cyn hyn, yn ystod yr etholiad y mis diwethaf, ac wedi hynny, fod y Llywodraeth Cymru hon yn credu mewn undeb cryf a llwyddiannus. Mae uniad gwirfoddol o wledydd sy'n gweithio gyda’i gilydd mewn partneriaeth yn dda i Gymru. Ar yr un pryd, mae'r Deyrnas Unedig ar ei hennill fod Cymru yn un o'r partneriaid hynny sy'n rhan ohoni hi. Mae ein dinasyddion ni'n cael budd go iawn o'r bartneriaeth honno. Rydym ni'n elwa ar rannu adnoddau ac ar ein hanes cyffredin o gynnydd cymdeithasol. Mae'r Deyrnas Unedig wedi bod yn beiriant pwerus ar gyfer ailddosbarthu adnoddau, a gall fod eto.
Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, I am grateful for the opportunity to make this statement today, as we publish an updated version of 'Reforming our Union', our practical proposals for shared governance in the United Kingdom, which we first issued in 2019.
As I have said repeatedly, before, during, and after last month's election, this Welsh Government believes in a strong and durable union. A voluntary association of nations working together in partnership is good for Wales. At the same time, the United Kingdom is better for having Wales as one of the partners within it. Our citizens derive tangible benefits from that partnership. We benefit from the pooling of resources and from our common history of social progress. The United Kingdom has been a powerful engine of the redistribution of resources, and it can be again.
Now, Dirprwy Lywydd, when the union acts in that way—creating the NHS, implementing the minimum wage, passing the equal marriage Act—it strengthens the bonds that bind us together. Sadly, the present UK Government fails every day to help make the case for a union of solidarity between the peoples of this multinational state and the benefits it can all bring to us. The result, as Sir David Lidington, former deputy Prime Minister only two years ago, said in a lecture last month, is that the union, he said,
'is in greater peril than at any moment in my lifetime.'
Now, Llywydd, that position makes the case for the re-publication of 'Reforming our Union' even more significant.
During this Senedd term, Members here will have to grapple with a series of constitutional questions, from the impact of the Northern Ireland protocol, to the declared intention of the Scottish Government to hold another referendum on Scottish independence. Now, Dirprwy Lywydd, I have been told forever that nobody ever raises these issues on the doorstep, and that is true in terms of pure constitutional theory, but as a matter of practical consequence, it certainly does matter and it makes a difference every day to each of our fellow citizens, whether that is Welsh food producers trying to export to Northern Ireland or families seeking justice in a court system that the former Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas concluded was letting them down. And that means that there is a leadership challenge for every party and every single Member of this Senedd to grapple seriously with these complex and challenging issues.
Nawr, Dirprwy Lywydd, pan fydd yr undeb yn gweithredu yn y ffordd honno—creu'r GIG, sefydlu isafswm cyflog, pasio Deddf priodas gyfartal—mae hynny'n cryfhau'r berthynas sy'n ein rhwymo ni gyda'n gilydd. Yn anffodus, mae Llywodraeth bresennol y DU yn feunyddiol yn methu o ran helpu i gyflwyno'r achos dros undeb o undod rhwng pobloedd y wladwriaeth amlwladol hon a'r holl fanteision y gall yr undeb eu cynnig i ni. Canlyniad hynny, fel y dywedodd Syr David Lidington, y cyn ddirprwy Brif Weinidog ddwy flynedd yn ôl, mewn darlith fis diwethaf, yw bod yr undeb, meddai ef,
'mewn mwy o berygl nawr nag ar unrhyw adeg arall yn ystod fy oes i.'
Nawr, Llywydd, mae'r sefyllfa honno'n gwneud yr achos dros ailgyhoeddi 'Diwygio ein Hundeb' yn fwy arwyddocaol byth.
Yn ystod tymor hwn y Senedd, fe fydd yn rhaid i'r Aelodau fynd i'r afael â chyfres o gwestiynau cyfansoddiadol, fel effaith protocol Gogledd Iwerddon, a bwriad datganedig Llywodraeth yr Alban i gynnal refferendwm arall ar annibyniaeth i'r Alban. Nawr, Dirprwy Lywydd, fe ddywedir byth a beunydd wrthyf i nad oes neb yn codi'r materion hyn ar garreg y drws, ac mae hynny'n wir o ran theori gyfansoddiadol bur, ond fel mater o ganlyniad ymarferol, mae'n sicr yn bwysig eu hystyried ac mae'n gwneud gwahaniaeth i bob un o'n cyd-ddinasyddion ni bob dydd, boed hynny'n gynhyrchwyr bwyd yng Nghymru sy'n ceisio allforio i Ogledd Iwerddon neu'n deuluoedd sy'n ceisio cyfiawnder mewn system llysoedd y mae'r cyn Arglwydd Brif Ustus Arglwydd Thomas wedi dod i'r casgliad ei bod yn achos siomiant iddynt. Ac mae hynny'n golygu fod yna her o ran arweinyddiaeth i bob plaid a phob Aelod unigol o'r Senedd hon wrth fynd i'r afael o ddifrif â'r materion cymhleth a heriol hyn.
Simplistic assertions that independence offers a magic solution by which all problems will be resolved just don't meet that challenge. But those who have nothing more to offer beyond flag-waving renditions of the British song are even more culpable. The United Kingdom will not be saved by that sort of vacuous symbolism. Still less can it be secured by the deliberate provocations of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, the removal of powers and funds, the repeated overriding of the Sewel convention, the whole destructive repertoire of the aggressive unilateralism that is too often the hallmark of the present UK Government.
But, Dirprwy Lywydd, it does not have to be like this, as 'Reforming our Union' demonstrates. It revisits and restates our propositions for a successful, strong and durable United Kingdom. It casts these arguments in the new context created by events since its original publication in October 2019: the leaving of the European Union, a general election, the experience of navigating a global pandemic, the work of the radical federalism group, the establishment of a constitutional convention to be led by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and our own Welsh election in May of this year. And despite the complex and contested arena into which it is launched, at heart, 'Reforming our Union' sets out a formula for a union that can thrive and prosper, not in spite of devolution, but because of devolution.
It proceeds from the radical but simple proposition that, nearly 25 years into the devolution project, sovereignty is now dispersed amongst the four elected legislatures of the United Kingdom. That the United Kingdom can go on existing, not because there is a single sovereign body at Westminster, capable of overturning anything and everything that peoples in the four nations have decided for themselves, but because, as that highly distinguished constitutional reform group suggests, the peoples of the United Kingdom have chosen to continue to pool their sovereignty and to protect the social and economic rights that citizens in all parts of the United Kingdom have won—and hard won—for themselves.
Now, once this central proposition is grasped much flows from it: the permanency of devolution, other than by the decision, in our case, of the Welsh people; the redrawing of the reserved, devolved border; the codification and reduction in the scope of the Sewell convention; the reform and entrenchment of new machinery of government to bring the four nations together for common purposes; and a replacement of the Barnett formula with new arrangements, based on need and stripped of the arbitrary power of the Treasury that continues to mar the current settlement.
Dirprwy Lywydd, I want to say again today, as I did in 2019, that the 20 proposals set out in our document are not put forward on the basis that they contain all the answers. Publication is our contribution to a debate, a debate that is unavoidable and urgently needed. Here, the Welsh Government will set out before the summer recess how we will go about engaging directly with civil society and Welsh citizens on these matters, and 'Reforming our Union' will now be available in its updated form to inform that debate.
Nid yw haeriadau syml bod annibyniaeth yn cynnig ateb hud a lledrith i ddatrys pob problem yn ddigonol i ateb yr her honno. Ond mae'r rheini nad oes ganddynt fwy i'w gynnig na chwifio'r faner a chanu'r anthem Brydeinig yn fwy euog byth. Ni chaiff y Deyrnas Unedig ei hachub gan symbolaeth wag fel hyn. A llai byth y gellir ei diogelu gan gythruddion bwriadol Deddf Marchnad Fewnol y Deyrnas Unedig 2020, trwy ddileu pwerau a chronfeydd, diystyru confensiwn Sewel dro ar ôl tro, na mynd trwy'r holl bethau dinistriol sy'n deillio o'r ymddygiad unochrog ymosodol sy'n aml yn nodwedd rhy amlwg o Lywodraeth bresennol y DU.
Ond, Dirprwy Lywydd, nid oes raid iddi fod fel hyn, fel y dengys 'Diwygio ein Hundeb'. Mae'r ddogfen hon yn ailedrych ar ein cynigion ni ar gyfer Teyrnas Unedig lwyddiannus a chadarn ac yn eu mynegi nhw o'r newydd. Mae'n rhoi'r dadleuon hyn yn y cyd-destun newydd a ddaeth i fodolaeth oherwydd digwyddiadau ers ei chyhoeddiad gwreiddiol ym mis Hydref 2019: ymadael â'r Undeb Ewropeaidd, etholiad cyffredinol, y profiad o ddelio â phandemig byd-eang, gwaith y grŵp ffederaliaeth radical, sefydlu confensiwn cyfansoddiadol i'w lywyddu gan y cyn-Brif Weinidog Gordon Brown, a'n hetholiad ni yng Nghymru ym mis Mai eleni. Ac er gwaethaf y llwyfan cymhleth a chystadleuol ar gyfer ei lansiad, yn ei hanfod, mae 'Diwygio ein Hundeb' yn nodi fformiwla ar gyfer undeb a all dyfu a ffynnu, nid er gwaethaf datganoli, ond oherwydd datganoli.
Mae'n cychwyn o'r cynnig radical ond syml fod sofraniaeth, bron 25 mlynedd ers dechreuad prosiect datganoli, wedi cael ei gwasgaru erbyn hyn ymysg pedair deddfwrfa etholedig y Deyrnas Unedig. A bod y Deyrnas Unedig yn gallu parhau i fodoli, nid oherwydd bod un corff sofran yn San Steffan, sy'n gallu gwrthdroi popeth y mae pobl yn y pedair gwlad yn penderfynu arno, ond oherwydd, fel mae'r grŵp diwygio cyfansoddiadol hynod nodedig hwnnw'n ei awgrymu, bod pobloedd y Deyrnas Unedig wedi dewis parhau i gronni eu sofraniaeth a diogelu'r hawliau cymdeithasol ac economaidd y mae dinasyddion ym mhob rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig wedi eu hennill—wedi brwydr galed—iddyn nhw eu hunain.
Nawr, pan gaiff y cynnig canolog hwn ei amgyffred fe fydd yna lawer yn deillio o hynny: sefydlogrwydd datganoli, ac eithrio drwy benderfyniad gan bobl Cymru yn ein hachos ni; ail-lunio'r ffin ddatganoledig, neilltuedig; codio a lleihau cwmpas confensiwn Sewell; diwygio ac ymwreiddio peirianwaith newydd gan lywodraeth i ddod â'r pedair gwlad at ei gilydd at ddibenion cyffredin; a threfniadau newydd yn lle fformiwla Barnett, yn seiliedig ar angen a dirymu gallu mympwyol y Trysorlys sy'n llesteirio'r setliad presennol o hyd.
Dirprwy Lywydd, fe hoffwn i ddweud eto heddiw, fel y gwneuthum yn 2019, nad yw'r 20 cynnig a nodir yn ein dogfen ni'n cael eu cyflwyno ar y sail eu bod yn cynnwys yr atebion i gyd. Cyhoeddi'r ddogfen yw ein cyfraniad ni i'r ddadl, dadl na ellir ei hosgoi ac sydd ag angen dirfawr amdani. Yn hyn o beth, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn nodi cyn toriad yr haf sut rydym am fynd ati i ymgysylltu'n uniongyrchol â chymdeithas sifil a dinasyddion Cymru ynglŷn â'r materion hyn, ac fe fydd 'Diwygio ein Hundeb' ar gael bellach ar ei ffurf ddiweddaraf i lywio'r ddadl hon.
Dirprwy Lywydd, hoffwn orffen ar nodyn gobeithiol. Rydw i wedi fy argyhoeddi yn ddi-os ei bod hi'n bosibl adnewyddu ac adfywio ein hundeb mewn ffyrdd a fydd yn caniatáu iddo ffynnu ar gyfer y tymor hwy. I wneud hynny, bydd angen meddwl yn ofalus, defnyddio ein dychymyg a chydweithio. Rhaid inni weithio gyda'n gilydd mewn partneriaeth, a rhaid inni barchu ein gilydd, pob un.
Ni ddylai'r rhai sy'n credu ym manteision yr undeb ei gymryd yn ganiataol. Mae'n rhaid cyflwyno'r achos cadarnhaol dros y Deyrnas Unedig, a'i gyflwyno unwaith eto, dro ar ôl tro. Dylai'r achos hwnnw fod yn seiliedig ar gapasiti ar gyfer diwygio, a rhaid edrych tua'r dyfodol. Rhaid inni beidio â chamu nôl i'r gorffennol, na gwneud y camsyniad amlwg fod y system bresennol yn gweithio'n dda. Mae'r achos cadarnhaol hwnnw yn cael ei gyflwyno yn y ddogfen rydym ni'n ei chyhoeddi heddiw. Rydw i'n gobeithio y bydd yr Aelodau yn ymateb iddi yn yr un ysbryd. Dirprwy Lywydd, diolch yn fawr.
Dirprwy Lywydd, I want to end on an optimistic note. I am convinced that it is possible to renew and revitalise our union in ways that will allow it to thrive and prosper for the longer term. Doing so requires careful thought, the use of our imagination and co-operation. We have to work together in partnership, and we have to treat each other with mutual respect.
Those who believe in the benefits of the union cannot take it for granted. A positive case for the United Kingdom has to be made, and remade time after time. That case should be based on a capacity for reform and we must look to the future. We must not retreat into the past or the manifestly misguided belief that the existing system works well. That positive case is set out in this document that we have published today, and I very much hope that Members will respond to the document in that same spirit. Thank you very much.
Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr.
Leader of the Conservatives.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. First Minister, thank you for your statement this afternoon. I do find it slightly ironic that, when I woke up this morning and looked at the headlines on WalesOnline and the BBC website, the Welsh Government were accusing the UK Government of aggressively ignoring the Welsh Parliament, when today I look at the order paper and there's no education statement here, despite, obviously, the press conference that was held yesterday by the education Minister, and there has been no statement from the health Minister about tackling waiting times, which are the big issues that people want to talk to me about, as a Member of this Senedd. I think that those are the issues that we should be focused on, rather than a constitutional debate and discussion only six weeks after the election—or seven weeks after the election.
But, you are the Government, and it is your right to table the business of the day, and we discuss and debate the business of the day. It is a fact that, time and time again, the Welsh Labour Government talk about powers that have been stolen. I would be grateful to understand what powers you think have been stolen from this institution since the Brexit referendum and debate. I, for one, haven't heard a Minister come forward and say what's been stolen.
I'd also be grateful to understand why, in your written statement, you talk about tea towel-waving Tories of the 2021 intake. Is that really helping the debate? I find common ground with you on the Supreme Court, the House of Lords, and inter-governmental relations, but I don't find common ground when insults like that are thrown around.
The argument for the union constantly has to be made and debated and discussed. The vaccination programme, the investment of £8.2 billion, two Government of Wales Acts that have come forward: all of these are positive developments in the constitutional debate. But, we don't accept that there is a need for criminal justice and policing to be devolved. Indeed, when the Silk commission looked at this, they said that it would come in with a £100 million price tag. Can you update us on what the price tag would be if these powers were devolved to the Welsh Government, because that figure is nearly 10 years old now?
I want to have a constructive debate with the Welsh Government when it comes to constitutional change and development. But, as I said in my opening remarks, I do think that it is important that we focus on the day-to-day issues of the health service, the education and the economy of our great country. I passionately believe that the union is better by having a strong Wales within that union, and I do believe that, as I said, there is a debate around the Supreme Court, the House of Lords, and inter-governmental relations. But, this Government here in Cardiff Bay will not achieve success when it talks about towel-waving Union Jack—or tea towel-waving Tories—which I notice the First Minister didn't use in his address to the Parliament today, but it is in his written statement. So, I'd be grateful for answers on those questions that I have put to him.
But, I can confirm, from these benches, that we are proud of, and passionate about, our great nation of Wales within the United Kingdom and we will argue constantly for its place within the United Kingdom, in a strong union of nations, equal and respected. We do not believe that the argument that the Welsh Government is prosecuting when it comes to criminal justice is one that is current and is one that the people of Wales want to see happen, but we do believe that there can be progress in other areas.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Prif Weinidog, diolch am eich datganiad chi'r prynhawn yma. Mae'n eironig, braidd, pan ddihunais i y bore yma ac edrych ar y penawdau ar WalesOnline a gwefan y BBC, a gweld bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyhuddo Llywodraeth y DU o anwybyddu Senedd Cymru mewn dull ymosodol, ac wrth imi edrych heddiw ar drefn y cyfarfod a gweld nad oes datganiad addysg yma, er gwaethaf, yn amlwg, y gynhadledd i'r wasg a gynhaliwyd ddoe gan y Gweinidog addysg, ac nid oes datganiad wedi bod gan y Gweinidog iechyd ynglŷn â mynd i'r afael ag amseroedd aros. Y rhain yw'r materion mawr y mae pobl yn awyddus i siarad â mi amdanynt, fel Aelod o'r Senedd hon. Rwyf i o'r farn mai'r rhain yw'r materion y dylem ni fod yn canolbwyntio arnynt, yn hytrach nag ar ddadl gyfansoddiadol a thrafodaeth chwe wythnos yn unig ar ôl yr etholiad—neu saith wythnos ar ôl yr etholiad.
Ond, chi yw'r Llywodraeth, a chi sydd â'r hawl i bennu busnes y dydd, ac rydym ni'n trafod ac yn dadlau yn ôl busnes y dydd. Mae'n ffaith bod Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru, dro ar ôl tro, yn sôn am bwerau sydd wedi cael eu dihysbyddu. Fe fyddwn i'n falch o gael gwybod pa bwerau sydd wedi cael eu dwyn oddi ar y sefydliad hwn, yn eich barn chi, wedi refferendwm a dadl Brexit. Nid wyf i fy hunan erioed wedi clywed Gweinidog yn dod ymlaen ac yn dweud beth sydd wedi ei ddwyn.
Fe fyddwn i'n falch o gael deall pam hefyd, yn eich datganiad ysgrifenedig, yr ydych yn sôn am Dorïaid o blith y rhai a ddaeth i mewn i'r Senedd yn 2021 yn chwifio llieiniau sychu llestri. A yw hynny'n helpu'r ddadl mewn gwirionedd? Rwy'n cytuno â chi o ran y Goruchaf Lys, Tŷ'r Arglwyddi, a chysylltiadau rhynglywodraethol, ond nid wyf yn cytuno â chi pan gaiff rhywbeth sarhaus ei fynegi fel hyn.
Mae'n rhaid i'r ddadl o blaid yr undeb gael ei mynegi a'i dadlau a'i thrafod trwy'r amser. Y rhaglen frechu, y buddsoddiad o £8.2 biliwn, dwy Ddeddf Llywodraeth Cymru: mae'r rhain yn ddatblygiadau cadarnhaol yn y ddadl gyfansoddiadol. Ond, nid ydym yn derbyn bod angen datganoli cyfiawnder troseddol a phlismona. Yn wir, pan edrychodd comisiwn Silk ar hynny, roedd yn dweud y byddai hynny'n costio £100 miliwn. A wnewch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni am y gost pe byddai'r pwerau hyn yn cael eu datganoli i Lywodraeth Cymru, oherwydd mae'r ffigur hwnnw bron yn 10 mlwydd oed erbyn hyn?
Rwy'n awyddus i gael dadl adeiladol gyda Llywodraeth Cymru o ran newid cyfansoddiadol a datblygu. Ond, fel y dywedais yn fy sylwadau agoriadol, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig inni ganolbwyntio ar faterion ynglŷn â'r gwasanaeth iechyd, addysg a'r economi yn ein gwlad wych ni o ddydd i ddydd. Rwy'n credu'n angerddol fod yr undeb yn well undeb o fod â Chymru gref yn rhan o'r undeb hwnnw, ac rwy'n credu, fel y dywedais i, fod yna ddadl i'w chael ynghylch y Goruchaf Lys, Tŷ'r Arglwyddi, a chysylltiadau rhynglywodraethol. Ond, ni fydd y Llywodraeth hon yma ym Mae Caerdydd yn llwyddo wrth siarad am chwifio Jac yr Undeb ar lieiniau—neu Dorïaid yn chwifio llieiniau sychu llestri—nodaf na wnaeth y Prif Weinidog ddefnyddio'r ymadrodd hwnnw yn ei anerchiad i'r Senedd heddiw, ond mae yno yn ei ddatganiad ysgrifenedig. Felly, fe fyddwn i'n ddiolchgar am atebion i'r cwestiynau hyn a ofynnais iddo.
Ond, gallaf gadarnhau, o'r meinciau hyn, ein bod ni'n ymfalchïo yng Nghymru, ein cenedl wych ni, o fewn y Deyrnas Unedig ac yn angerddol yn ei chylch, ac fe fyddwn ni'n dadlau'n gyson o blaid ei lle hi o fewn y Deyrnas Unedig, mewn undeb cryf o genhedloedd, sy'n gyfartal ac yn uchel eu parch. Nid ydym ni o'r farn fod y ddadl y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei herlyn o ran mater cyfiawnder troseddol yn un sy'n gyfredol nac yn un y mae pobl Cymru yn dymuno ei gweld yn digwydd, ond rwy'n credu y gellir gweld cynnydd mewn meysydd eraill.
I thank the leader of the opposition for his contribution. He starts by saying that the people of Wales would rather us be talking about education and the health service, and yet, I notice that when he had the opportunity to ask me questions, he chose not to deal with either of those matters. Indeed, I cannot help but notice that in the weeks that have now gone by since the election, he's not chosen once to ask me a question about the global pandemic in which Wales is still gripped. So, we all make choices, and the leader of the opposition makes his.
I don't agree with him in his general suggestion that we shouldn't be focused on constitutional matters. We have no choice but to be focused on them. We're dealing with them every day. When I meet, as I do every week, with Michael Gove and the leaders of the other Parliaments in the UK, I see absolutely close up the stresses and strains that there are in Northern Ireland, and the impact that the Northern Ireland protocol is having on relations between the Government there and the Government in the United Kingdom.
The Scottish Government was elected on a platform of another referendum on Scottish independence. If that happens, it will happen during this Senedd term. How can we not grapple with those issues here if we are not serious about them? I'm sure the leader of the opposition is serious about his commitment to the continuation of the United Kingdom. The point I'm trying to make this afternoon is that we won't be able to make that case if we don't spend some time now thinking about what that case should be. We have to persuade people in every part of the United Kingdom that it is in their best interests to remain part of the United Kingdom. We won't do that without having the arguments that convince them of that, and that's what our document is designed to do. It's designed to show that there is a different way of organising the United Kingdom, which I think would add up to a compelling case for its continuation. You don't make that case by taking decisions away from the Senedd that was elected to make them.
If the Member can't think of any, let me just give him these three. The UK Government decided to take away from us the powers that we have to design a compensation scheme for fishers here in Wales. That's been devolved to us since the very beginning of devolution, and yet, in the post-Brexit era, instead of us being able to design a system that would fit Wales, and then using the funding to implement that scheme, the UK Government decided that it will make the scheme for Wales, and it avoided any scrutiny here in the Senedd by doing so. The UK Government regularly threatens—the Secretary of State was at it again only last week—to impose a free port on Wales without the agreement of the Welsh Government. And just to be clear, the Welsh Government has always said we will be prepared to agree a free port on the terms that we set out in our letter of February of last year, a letter to which we have never received a reply.
And here's a third example for him: the overriding of the expressed view of this Senedd when it comes to the Sewel convention—not just now in relation to major matters of state. While I don't agree with the UK Government's use of the Sewel convention, I could at least understand why it felt it needed to do that in those circumstances. But during our election, we had an example where a most routine matter, where this Senedd ought to have been able to be asked for its consent—because it was convenient to a UK Government, they just went ahead and did it anyway without that ever coming to Members here as the constitutional settlement required. That is a casual level of disrespect for the devolution settlement, which has got into the way of thinking of the current UK Government. It's bad for devolution, it's bad for the United Kingdom.
There is a better way. It's set out in our document, not because we have all the answers, but because we believe in a serious debate. I was heartened by some of the things that the leader of the opposition said about his commitment to that serious debate. I didn't make the remarks that he repeated several times in his questions, because every statement a Government Minister makes says 'check against delivery' at the end of it. The Member was checking, and yet he didn't think that he would follow what I had said rather than a document that I didn't follow. I didn't do it for some of the reasons that he himself outlined.
Let's hope that, across the Chamber, we are able to go on having these absolutely necessary discussions—those of us who believe that there is a case for the United Kingdom that's there to be made but can only be made on the basis of a different sort of future, a future that regards our collective interests as a voluntary association—I'm quoting Mrs May, his previous Conservative Prime Minister—of nations, where we stay together because we know that the case for doing so is compelling.
Rwy'n diolch i arweinydd yr wrthblaid am ei gyfraniad ef. Dechreuodd drwy ddweud y byddai'n well gan bobl Cymru inni siarad am addysg a'r gwasanaeth iechyd, ac eto i gyd, rwy'n nodi, pan gafodd ef gyfle i ofyn cwestiynau i mi, ei fod ef wedi dewis peidio ag ymdrin â'r naill fater na'r llall. Yn wir, ni allaf i ond nodi, yn ystod yr wythnosau sydd wedi mynd heibio ers yr etholiad erbyn hyn, nad yw wedi dewis gofyn cwestiwn imi am y pandemig byd-eang sy'n parhau i ddal ei afael ar Gymru. Felly, gwneud dewisiadau yr ydym ni i gyd, ac mae arweinydd yr wrthblaid yn gwneud ei ddewisiadau yntau.
Nid wyf i'n cytuno ag ef o ran ei awgrym cyffredinol na ddylem ni ganolbwyntio cymaint ar faterion cyfansoddiadol. Nid oes gennym ni ddewis ond canolbwyntio arnyn nhw. Rydym ni'n ymdrin â nhw bob dydd. Pan fyddaf i'n cyfarfod, fel y gwnaf i'n wythnosol, â Michael Gove ac arweinwyr y Seneddau eraill yn y DU, rwy'n gweld gyda mwy o fanylder pa mor fawr yw'r straen sydd ar Ogledd Iwerddon, a'r effaith y mae protocol Gogledd Iwerddon yn ei chael ar y berthynas rhwng y Llywodraeth yno a'r Llywodraeth yn y Deyrnas Unedig.
Fe etholwyd Llywodraeth yr Alban ar gynsail refferendwm arall ar annibyniaeth i'r Alban. Pe byddai hynny'n digwydd, fe fyddai'n digwydd yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon. Sut allem ni beidio â mynd i'r afael â'r materion hynny yn y fan hon os ydym ni o ddifrif yn eu cylch nhw? Rwy'n siŵr bod arweinydd yr wrthblaid o ddifrif yn ei ymrwymiad ef i barhad y Deyrnas Unedig. Y pwynt yr wyf i'n ceisio ei wneud y prynhawn yma yw na fyddwn ni'n gallu cyflwyno'r achos hwnnw os na threuliwn ni rywfaint o amser nawr yn ystyried sylwedd yr achos hwnnw. Fe fydd yn rhaid inni berswadio pobl ym mhob rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig ei bod er eu lles nhw i barhau i fod yn perthyn i'r Deyrnas Unedig. Ni fyddwn ni'n gwneud hynny heb gynnal y dadleuon i'w hargyhoeddi nhw o hynny, ac i'r diben hwnnw y cynlluniwyd ein dogfen ni. Fe'i cynlluniwyd i ddangos bod yna ffordd arall o drefnu'r Deyrnas Unedig a fyddai, yn fy marn i, yn meithrin achos cymhellol dros ei pharhad hi. Ni fyddwch chi'n meithrin yr achos hwnnw drwy ddwyn penderfyniadau oddi ar y Senedd a etholwyd i'w gwneud nhw.
Os na all yr Aelod feddwl am un, gadewch imi roi'r tri hyn iddo. Fe benderfynodd Llywodraeth y DU ein dihysbyddu ni o'r pwerau sydd gennym i lunio cynllun iawndal ar gyfer pysgotwyr yma yng Nghymru. Cafodd hynny ei ddatganoli inni ers dechrau datganoli, ac eto, yn ystod y cyfnod ar ôl Brexit, yn hytrach na'n bod yn gallu cynllunio system a fyddai'n addas i Gymru, ac yna'n defnyddio cyllid i weithredu'r cynllun hwnnw, fe benderfynodd Llywodraeth y DU mai hi sy'n llunio'r cynllun i Gymru, ac roedd hynny'n osgoi unrhyw graffu yma yn y Senedd drwy weithredu felly. Mae Llywodraeth y DU yn aml yn bygwth—roedd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn gwneud hynny dim ond yr wythnos diwethaf—gorfodi porthladd rhydd ar Gymru heb unrhyw gytundeb gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Ac i fod yn glir, mae Llywodraeth Cymru bob amser wedi dweud y byddwn ni'n barod i gytuno ar borthladd rhydd ar y telerau a nodir gennym ni yn ein llythyr dyddiedig fis Chwefror y llynedd, llythyr na chafwyd ateb iddo byth.
A dyma'r drydedd enghraifft iddo: anwybyddu barn ddiamwys y Senedd hon o ran confensiwn Sewel—nid dim ond nawr o ran materion gwladol pwysig. Er nad wyf i'n cytuno â defnydd Llywodraeth y DU o gonfensiwn Sewel, gallaf o leiaf ddeall pam mae'n teimlo bod angen iddi wneud felly yn yr amgylchiadau hynny. Ond yn ystod ein hetholiad ni yma, fe welsom enghraifft o fater arferol iawn, pryd y dylid bod wedi gofyn i'r Senedd hon am ei chydsyniad—gan fod hynny'n gyfleus i Lywodraeth y DU fe aeth ati a gweithredu beth bynnag, heb i hynny gael ei roi gerbron yr Aelodau yn y fan hon fel sy'n ofynnol yn y setliad cyfansoddiadol. Dyna ddiffyg parch i'r setliad datganoli heb falio dim, sydd wedi mynd yn nodwedd o feddylfryd Llywodraeth bresennol y DU. Mae hyn yn difrodi datganoli, mae'n difrodi'r Deyrnas Unedig.
Mae yna well ffordd na honno. Mae ein dogfen ni'n ei nodi, nid am fod yr holl atebion gennym eisoes, ond am ein bod ni'n credu mewn dadl sy'n ddifrifol. Fe gefais fy nghalonogi gan rai o'r pethau a ddywedodd arweinydd yr wrthblaid am ei ymrwymiad ef i'r ddadl ddifrifol honno. Ni fynegais i'r sylwadau a ailadroddodd ef sawl gwaith yn ei gwestiynau, oherwydd mae pob datganiad y mae Gweinidog yn y Llywodraeth yn ei wneud yn nodi 'gwiriwch yn ôl y traddodi' ar ei ddiwedd. Roedd yr Aelod yn gwirio, ac eto i gyd nid oedd wedi ystyried y byddai'n dilyn yr hyn a ddywedais yn hytrach na dogfen nad oeddwn i wedi ei defnyddio. Fe benderfynais i ymatal rhag defnyddio'r ymadrodd hwnnw am rai o'r rhesymau a amlinellodd ef ei hun.
Gadewch inni obeithio, ar draws y Siambr, y gallwn ni barhau i gael y trafodaethau hollol angenrheidiol hyn—y rhai ohonom ni sy'n credu bod achos i'w ddadlau o blaid y Deyrnas Unedig ond ni ellir gwneud hynny heb ei fod ar sail dyfodol amgen i ni, dyfodol sy'n ystyried ein buddiannau cyfunol ni mewn cymdeithas wirfoddol o genhedloedd—rwy'n dyfynnu Mrs May, ei Brif Weinidog Ceidwadol blaenorol ef—lle'r ydym ni'n aros gyda'n gilydd gan ein bod ni'n gwybod fod yr achos dros wneud hynny mor rymus.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. First Minister, thank you for your statement, but let me tell you where I think this plan of yours starts to unravel. To me, it's in the very first sentence of the foreword. The question you ask in that first sentence is this: how can our union be made strong and durable? Surely, the key question a First Minister of Wales should be asking is how can the interests of Wales and the interests of the people of Wales be best served in future, how can we build a nation that can best fulfil the aspirations of the people of Wales, that can plan for a fairer, more just, more open, more prosperous future. To insist, whatever the arguments you put forward around the edges, that our future must be best served as part of this United Kingdom, come what may—this UK of entrenched inequalities, of COVID corruption, of Eton elitism—and that preservation of this UK has to be at the heart of all constitutional solutions, quite apart from failing to grasp the current state of the debate on Wales's future, ignores the ample evidence that UK Governments, of whatever colour, will never put Wales's interests first, or indeed will barely take them into account when making some key decisions.
You describe your rejection of what you call this UK Government's aggressive unilateralism. But whilst this particular UK Government, yes, may well be more explicitly jingoistic, more eager than many Governments before to herald some sort of rebirth of empire, the truth is that even as devolution, the process itself, blossomed, UK Government always had that ultimate power to take back unilateral control. We've seen that now in the way this Conservative Government at Westminster is systematically trying to undermine Wales's national Parliament and Government. And to the Conservatives here, saying they'd rather be talking about health and education than focusing on constitutional affairs, apart from reminding you that you chose to spend an hour last week talking about a Brexit referendum of five years ago, I'll remind you that it's because we want to be able to take better decisions on health and education and jobs that we need to be having the best platforms on which we build this new nation.
First Minister, your report gives us the context—your guiding principles, if you like. You say that you've always believed in solidarity between the people of the constituent nations of the UK. I also believe in the power of that solidarity, in many, many ways. But that solidarity can come in many forms. An independent Wales could also—and I dare say would want to, I'm sure—be part of a wider association of countries within these islands, and beyond for that matter, choosing to co-operate and support each other, in a host of voluntary ways. People like me are often called separatists, but I'm not driven by wanting to separate anything, I'm not driven by wanting to break things up, I'm interested in wanting to build things: to build a new Wales and, in so doing, to build new relationships between the countries of these islands and beyond.
We need to have a proper blinkers-off debate. It's true on both sides of the independent discussion. No-one should pretend that taking ultimate control of our own destiny will be a walk in the park from day one. Most serious changes come with serious challenges. But if you, as First Minister, are serious about strengthening Wales's hand, you have to embrace all options too—blinkers off—even if, as we know, your instinct is to try to preserve the union.
What we have in this report is a rewriting of previous Labour proposals, and you have every right to do that. There are elements of what you propose that we in Plaid Cymru have been encouraging for many years as a means to strengthen devolution in the short term. But surely, at this point in our national journey, and with such a real and present threat from this UK Government to the integrity of our nation's democracy, we can't let this be a substitute for the kind of debates that I know we, as a nation, are mature enough to have. So, let's not tinker, and as we collectively offer to contribute towards redesigning what we now know as the UK, in all our interests, let me ask you this: why not place a discussion on the potential of an independent, agile, fair, aspirational Wales as a priority, not merely settle for the preservation of the UK come what may?
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Prif Weinidog, diolch i chi am eich datganiad, ond gadewch imi ddweud wrthych yn fy marn i ble fydd y cynllun hwn sydd gennych yn dechrau dadfeilio. I mi, ym mrawddeg gyntaf un y rhagair y mae hynny. Y cwestiwn yr ydych chi'n ei ofyn yn y frawddeg gyntaf honno yw hwn: sut mae gwneud ein hundeb ni'n gryf ac yn gadarn? Siawns mai'r cwestiwn allweddol y dylai Prif Weinidog Cymru fod yn ei ofyn yw sut y gellir gwasanaethu buddiannau Cymru a buddiannau pobl Cymru yn y ffordd orau i'r dyfodol, sut y gallwn ni feithrin cenedl a all gyflawni dyheadau pobl Cymru yn y ffordd orau, a all gynllunio ar gyfer dyfodol tecach, mwy cyfiawn, mwy agored a mwy llewyrchus. Beth bynnag fo'r dadleuon a gyflwynwyd gennych chi ar yr ymylon, mae mynnu mai'r ffordd orau o wasanaethu ein dyfodol ni yw fel rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig hon, doed a ddelo—y DU hon o anghydraddoldebau sefydledig, llwgrwobrwyo COVID, elitiaeth coleg Eton—a bod yn rhaid cadw'r DU hon wrth wraidd pob ateb cyfansoddiadol, ar wahân i fethu â deall cyflwr presennol y ddadl ar ddyfodol Cymru, yn anwybyddu'r dystiolaeth eglur na fydd Llywodraethau'r DU, o ba liw bynnag, byth yn rhoi buddiannau Cymru yn gyntaf, neu'n wir prin y byddan nhw'n eu hystyried nhw wrth wneud rhai penderfyniadau allweddol.
Rydych yn dweud eich bod yn gwrthod yr hyn yr ydych chi'n ei alw yn ymddygiad unochrog ymosodol Llywodraeth y DU. Ond er y gallai'r Llywodraeth arbennig hon yn y DU, ie, fod yn fwy amlwg ei jingoistiaeth, ac yn fwy awyddus na llawer o Lywodraethau blaenorol i ddatgan rhyw fath o enedigaeth o'r newydd i'r ymerodraeth, y gwir amdani yw, hyd yn oed wrth i ddatganoli, y broses ei hun, flodeuo, fod gan Lywodraeth y DU y pŵer terfynol hwn bob amser i ymaflyd yn yr awenau yn unochrog. Rydym ni wedi gweld bod y Llywodraeth Geidwadol hon yn San Steffan bellach yn ceisio tanseilio Senedd a Llywodraeth genedlaethol Cymru mewn dull systematig. Ac i'r Ceidwadwyr yn y fan hon, mae dweud y byddai'n well ganddyn nhw fod yn siarad am iechyd ac addysg na chanolbwyntio ar faterion cyfansoddiadol, ar wahân i'ch atgoffa chi eich bod wedi dewis treulio awr yr wythnos diwethaf yn siarad am y refferendwm Brexit bum mlynedd yn ôl, rwy'n eich atgoffa chi mai'r rheswm am hyn yw ein bod ni'n dymuno gallu gwneud penderfyniadau gwell o ran iechyd ac addysg a swyddi y mae angen inni fod â'r seiliau gorau i adeiladu'r genedl newydd hon arnyn nhw.
Prif Weinidog, mae eich adroddiad chi'n rhoi'r cyd-destun i ni—eich egwyddorion arweiniol, fel petai. Rydych chi'n dweud eich bod wedi credu bob amser yn undod pobl gwledydd cyfansoddol y DU. Rwyf innau hefyd yn credu yng ngrym yr undod hwnnw, mewn llawer ffordd. Ond fe all yr undod hwnnw fod ar sawl ffurf. Fe allai Cymru annibynnol hefyd—ac rwy'n meiddio dweud y byddai'n dymuno, rwy'n siŵr—fod yn rhan o gymdeithas ehangach o wledydd yr ynysoedd hyn, a'r tu hwnt o ran hynny, gan ddewis cydweithredu a chefnogi ei gilydd, mewn llu o ffyrdd gwirfoddol. Mae pobl fel fi'n cael eu galw'n ymneilltuwyr yn aml, ond nid dyhead i ymneilltuo oddi wrth unrhyw beth sy'n fy sbarduno i, nid wyf i'n cael fy ngyrru gan ddyhead i dorri pethau i fyny. Rwy’n ymddiddori mewn adeiladu pethau: meithrin Cymru newydd ac, wrth wneud hynny, meithrin perthynas newydd rhwng gwledydd yr ynysoedd hyn a thu hwnt.
Mae angen inni gael dadl wirioneddol sydd heb fod yn gibddall. Mae hynny'n wir o ran dwy ochr y drafodaeth ar annibyniaeth. Ni ddylai unrhyw un dwyllo ei hun y bydd cymryd rheolaeth derfynol o'n tynged ni ein hunain yn beth hawdd iawn o'r cychwyn cyntaf. Fe geir heriau difrifol yn gysylltiedig â'r newidiadau mwyaf difrifol. Ond os ydych chi, Prif Weinidog, o ddifrif ynghylch meithrin awdurdod Cymru, mae'n rhaid ichi gofleidio pob dewis hefyd—a pheidio â bod yn gibddall—hyd yn oed os mai eich greddf chi, fel y gwyddom ni, yw ceisio cadw'r undeb.
Yr hyn sydd gennym ni yn yr adroddiad hwn yw ailysgrifennu cynigion blaenorol Llafur, ac mae gennych chi bob hawl i wneud hynny. Mae elfennau o'r hyn a gynigiwch yn gynigion yr ydym ni ym Mhlaid Cymru wedi bod yn eu hybu ers blynyddoedd lawer fel modd i atgyfnerthu datganoli yn y byrdymor. Ond yn sicr, ar yr adeg hon yn ein taith genedlaethol, a chyda bygythiad mor wirioneddol â'r bygythiad o du Llywodraeth y DU i gywirdeb democratiaeth ein cenedl ni, ni allwn ganiatáu i hyn ddisodli'r math o ddadleuon y gwn i ein bod ni, fel cenedl, yn ddigon aeddfed i'w cynnal. Felly, gadewch inni beidio â thincera, a chan ein bod ni'n cynnig cyfrannu gyda'n gilydd at ailgynllunio'r hyn yr ydym yn ei adnabod nawr fel y DU, er ein lles ni i gyd, gadewch imi ofyn hyn i chi: beth am gael trafodaeth ar botensial Cymru annibynnol, hyblyg, deg ac uchelgeisiol yn flaenoriaeth inni, ac nid dim ond setlo i gadw'r DU doed a ddelo?
I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for that. I am not going to criticise the Member for making the case of his party. He has made it eloquently this afternoon, and he's got every possible right to do that. But what I have to say to him is this: he asked me why not find this moment as the moment to place in discussion the prospect that he set out. I just have to say to him that we had that moment; we had that moment only a short number of weeks ago. In studio after studio I stood alongside his party leader while he placed the prospect that he has just outlined in front of the Welsh people. Time after time, at the very centre of that party's campaign was the prospect and the prospectus we have just heard. That was the point at which it was discussed, and we saw the verdict of Welsh people.
That is why I think this is not the moment to go on thinking that we should spend the next five years talking about a proposition that won't be in front of the Welsh people. What we should be talking about is how we make the best of the arrangements we have, and that's what the document aims to do. It is a fundamentally different prospectus to the one that Rhun ap Iorwerth set out. He talks about the power of solidarity, but I suppose I have never myself believed that the way to demonstrate the power of solidarity is by leaving something. I think you demonstrate the power of solidarity by staying and by crafting a future in which we can go on demonstrating the things that unite us, rather than the things that can divide us one from another. That is more difficult and it is more urgent, because of the Government that we have.
The Plaid Cymru spokesperson said that UK Governments had always had the ability to take back to themselves decisions that had been devolved to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and he will see in our proposition that we say that that should not be the case, that that right should now be given up. But until this Government, all previous Governments had acted with a self-denying ordinance as far as that was concerned. Every Labour Government in the first decade of devolution provided more powers, more responsibilities for the Senedd, and never took a single power away and never once acted against a motion passed by this Senedd under the Sewel convention. Even when Mrs May was Prime Minister, we were able to come to an agreement with the UK Government in negotiations led by David Lidington, in fact, in a way that avoided some of the dangers that we could both see there if the UK Government used the powers that it had. It is only since December 2019 that we have seen a Government intent on using those powers, and that’s why publishing our document becomes so important, because it does offer us a different prospect to the one that the Member set out, and which, as I say, was very directly rehearsed in front of Welsh people only weeks ago and very directly rejected by them.
I think there are different conversations to be had. I know there will be Members of his party who will be willing to have them. Not because it gets them to where they would like to be, but because they recognise that there is still ground to be gained in the interim. For them, that will be an interim position; for others it will be something more permanent. But I still think that a conversation is one to which anybody in this Senedd who has a serious interest in the future of the Senedd, its place in the United Kingdom—anybody with a serious interest would want to commit themselves to having that conversation.
Rwy'n diolch i Rhun ap Iorwerth am hynny. Nid wyf i am feirniadu'r Aelod am ddadlau achos ei blaid ef ei hun. Mae wedi gwneud hynny'n huawdl y prynhawn yma, ac mae ganddo bob hawl bosibl i wneud hynny. Ond yr hyn sydd gennyf i i'w ddweud wrtho ef yw hyn: fe ofynnodd pam nad ydym ni'n gweld y foment hon yn foment i ddechrau trafod y posibilrwydd a nododd ef. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud wrtho ein bod ni newydd gael y foment honno; dim ond ychydig iawn o wythnosau yn ôl y daeth y foment honno. O stiwdio i stiwdio roeddwn i'n sefyll yn ymyl arweinydd ei blaid ef wrth i hwnnw roi'r posibilrwydd sydd newydd gael ei amlinellu gerbron pobl Cymru. Dro ar ôl tro, wrth wraidd ymgyrch y blaid honno oedd y posibilrwydd a'r prosbectws yr ydym ni newydd ei glywed. Honno oedd y foment i drafod hynny, ac fe gawsom ni ddyfarniad ar hynny gan bobl Cymru.
Dyna pam rwy'n credu nad hon yw'r foment i barhau i feddwl y dylem ni dreulio'r pum mlynedd nesaf yn siarad am gynnig na chaiff ei roi gerbron pobl Cymru. Yr hyn y dylem ni fod yn sôn amdano yw sut rydym am wneud y mwyaf o'r trefniadau sydd gennym, a dyna'r hyn y mae'r ddogfen hon yn ceisio ei wneud. Mae hwn yn brosbectws sylfaenol wahanol i'r un a nodwyd gan Rhun ap Iorwerth. Mae ef yn sôn am rym undod, ond mae'n debyg nad wyf i erioed wedi credu mai'r ffordd orau o arddangos grym undod yw drwy ymadael â rhywbeth. Rwyf i o'r farn eich bod yn dangos grym undod drwy aros ynddo a thrwy lunio dyfodol lle gallwn barhau i arddangos y pethau sy'n ein huno ni â'n gilydd, yn hytrach na'r pethau a all ein gwahanu ni. Mae hwnnw'n fater anos sydd â thaer ofyn amdano, oherwydd y Llywodraeth sydd gennym ni.
Fe ddywedodd llefarydd Plaid Cymru fod Llywodraethau'r DU bob amser wedi bod â'r gallu i ddadwneud penderfyniadau a ddatganolwyd i Gymru, yr Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon. Fe wêl yn ein cynnig ni ein bod ni'n dweud na ddylai hyn ddigwydd, y dylid rhoi'r gorau i ymarfer yr hawl honno nawr. Ond hyd nes i'r Llywodraeth hon fod mewn grym, roedd pob Llywodraeth flaenorol wedi gweithredu gyda deddfiad ymataliol yn y cyswllt hwn. Rhoddodd pob Llywodraeth Lafur yn ystod degawd cyntaf datganoli fwy o bwerau, a mwy o gyfrifoldebau i'r Senedd, ac ni chymerwyd yr un pŵer yn ôl ac ni weithredwyd erioed yn erbyn unrhyw gynnig a basiwyd gan y Senedd hon dan gonfensiwn Sewel. Hyd yn oed pan oedd Mrs May yn Brif Weinidog, roeddem ni'n gallu dod i gytundeb â Llywodraeth y DU mewn trafodaethau dan arweiniad David Lidington, mewn ffordd a oedd yn osgoi rhai o'r peryglon y gallai'r ddau ohonom ni eu dirnad pe bai Llywodraeth y DU yn defnyddio'r pwerau a oedd yn ei meddiant. Dim ond ers mis Rhagfyr 2019 yr ydym ni wedi gweld Llywodraeth sy'n benderfynol o ddefnyddio'r pwerau hynny, a dyna pam mae cyhoeddi ein dogfen ni mor bwysig, oherwydd mae'n cynnig gobaith gwahanol i'r un a nodwyd gan yr Aelod, ac a oedd, fel y dywedais, wedi ei roi'n uniongyrchol iawn gerbron pobl Cymru ychydig wythnosau yn ôl ac wedi cael ei wrthod yn uniongyrchol iawn ganddyn nhw hefyd.
Rwyf i o'r farn fod yna sgyrsiau amgen i'w cael. Fe wn i y bydd yna Aelodau o'i blaid ef yn fodlon cael hynny. Nid oherwydd y cânt eu cludo i'r man delfrydol yn eu golwg nhw, ond am eu bod nhw'n cydnabod bod tir eto i'w ennill yn y cyfamser. Iddyn nhw, fe fydd honno'n sefyllfa dros dro; i eraill fe fydd yn rhywbeth mwy parhaol. Ond rwy'n dal i gredu bod y sgwrs yn un y byddai unrhyw un yn y Senedd hon sydd â diddordeb difrifol yn nyfodol y Senedd, ei lle hi yn y Deyrnas Unedig—unrhyw un sydd â diddordeb gwirioneddol yn dymuno ymrwymo i gael y sgwrs honno.
I would like to be able to ensure that everyone who's put their name down is able to speak, so can I remind you all you have one minute? And in that minute ask your questions, don't go beyond the minute, please. Mike Hedges.
Fe hoffwn i allu gwneud yn siŵr bod pawb sydd wedi rhoi eu henwau i lawr yn cael cyfle i siarad, felly a gaf i eich atgoffa mai un munud sydd gennych chi? Ac yn y munud hwnnw gofynnwch eich cwestiynau, a pheidiwch â mynd dros eich munud, os gwelwch chi'n dda. Mike Hedges.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome the statement. I have three comments and two questions. A union of four parts cannot work with England being between five and six times larger than the other three combined. Devolution has to be the same for every devolved nation and region, as it is with American states and German Länder, but devolution must not stop at Cardiff.
The only people up to now with consistent policies are Plaid Cymru with independence and Abolish with ending the Senedd, and both want that to be the only choice. I have long been a supporter of devo-max, and I know what I mean by that, but I am sure others have different definitions, but I think it’s something we need to start discussing.
The two questions are: firstly, what powers need to be reserved to Westminster? And can a full list and an end point to devolution be produced for discussion? As Northern Ireland has shown, different powers can be devolved at different times.
Secondly, what discussion have you had with regional mayors in England? Should we also involve the leaders of large English counties so that we can have a coherent devolution discussion, so that devolution is not just about a very large England and three other very small places?
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n croesawu'r datganiad. Mae gennyf i dri sylw a dau gwestiwn. Ni all undeb o bedair rhan weithio pan yw Lloegr rhwng pump a chwe gwaith yn fwy o faint na'r tair arall gyda'i gilydd. Mae'n rhaid i ddatganoli fod yr un fath ar gyfer pob gwlad a rhanbarth datganoledig, fel y mae yn achos taleithiau America a Länder yr Almaen, ond mae'n rhaid i ddatganoli beidio â diweddu yng Nghaerdydd.
Yr unig bobl hyd yma sydd â pholisïau cyson yw Plaid Cymru o ran annibyniaeth ac Abolish o ran dod â'r Senedd i ben, ac mae'r ddwy blaid am i hynny fod yn unig ddewis. Rwyf i wedi bod yn cefnogi 'devo-max' ers tro byd, ac rwy'n gwybod beth mae hynny'n ei olygu yn fy meddwl i, ond rwy'n siŵr bod gan eraill ddiffiniadau gwahanol o hynny, ond rwy'n credu ei fod yn rhywbeth y mae angen inni ddechrau ei drafod.
Y ddau gwestiwn yw: yn gyntaf, pa bwerau y mae angen eu cadw ar gyfer San Steffan? Ac a ellir cynhyrchu rhestr lawn a phwynt terfyn ar gyfer datganoli er mwyn eu trafod? Fel y dangoswyd gan Ogledd Iwerddon, fe ellir datganoli gwahanol bwerau ar wahanol adegau.
Yn ail, pa drafodaeth a gawsoch chi gyda meiri rhanbarthol yn Lloegr? A ddylem ni hefyd gynnwys arweinwyr siroedd mawr Lloegr fel y gallwn gael trafodaeth gydlynol ar ddatganoli, fel nad yw datganoli'n ymwneud â dim ond Lloegr fawr iawn a thri lle bach iawn arall?
Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, I offer my view on the first of Mike Hedges’s questions, but it’s my view, and others will have others. I think that the conduct of foreign affairs is best done by member states, as it would have been in the European Union. I think defence and the maintenance of armed forces is best done on a pan-UK basis. And as I set out in an earlier answer this afternoon, I think that a social security system that moves money and resources around the United Kingdom to where need is greatest is also something that’s best discharged in that way. So, there are three examples, and others may have others or more.
As far as regional mayors in England are concerned, I have had a recent meeting with by far the majority of regional mayors. I think Mike Hedges makes an important point: devolution is not about Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. It is about England as well. To grapple with the English question and how people in England see themselves within this union is a necessary and very important part of that conversation.
Wel, Dirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n cynnig fy marn i ar gwestiwn cyntaf Mike Hedges, ond fy marn i yw honno, ac fe fydd pobl eraill yn amrywio. Rwyf i o'r farn mai aelod-wladwriaethau sydd fwyaf cymwys i gynnal materion tramor, fel y byddai wedi bod yn yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Rwy'n credu mai'r ffordd orau o amddiffyn a chynnal y lluoedd arfog yw ar sail y DU gyfan. Ac fel y nodais i mewn ateb cynharach y prynhawn yma, rwy'n credu bod system nawdd cymdeithasol sy'n symud arian ac adnoddau o amgylch y Deyrnas Unedig i'r lle y mae'r angen mwyaf yn rhywbeth sy'n cael ei weithredu orau yn y ffordd honno. Felly, dyna dair enghraifft, ac efallai y bydd gan bobl eraill rai eraill neu fwy na hynny.
O ran meiri rhanbarthol yn Lloegr, rwyf wedi cael cyfarfod diweddar gyda'r mwyafrif o bell ffordd o feiri rhanbarthol. Rwy'n credu bod Mike Hedges yn gwneud pwynt pwysig: nid ymwneud â'r Alban, Gogledd Iwerddon a Chymru yn unig y mae datganoli. Mae'n ymwneud â Lloegr hefyd. Mae mynd i'r afael â mater Lloegr a sut mae pobl yn Lloegr yn eu gweld nhw eu hunain o fewn yr undeb hwn yn rhan angenrheidiol a phwysig iawn o'r sgwrs hon.
Another week passes, our economy is under pressure, NHS waiting lists are under pressure, our education sector is under pressure, and still the Welsh Government want to waste crucial time to talk about further reform to the union. I am sorry, but my constituents, this Senedd and the Welsh Government have got far more pressing issues to deal with. Over the years, more and more powers have been devolved to this place, in an effort to improve the lives of the people of Wales and make decision making closer to home. Demanding more powers and reform to the union, in my opinion, is a grave mistake.
The Government need to address the issues I highlighted earlier, because that's what the people want us to get on with doing. The people of Wales are becoming sick and tired of all these constitutional games, and bringing forward debates like this, and statements, are a smokescreen for your Government's failings. So, First Minister, will you and your Government now commit to taking this utopian pipe dream off the table?
Aeth wythnos arall heibio, mae ein heconomi ni dan bwysau, mae rhestrau aros y GIG dan bwysau, mae ein sector addysg ni dan bwysau, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i fod yn awyddus i wastraffu amser hanfodol yn siarad am ddiwygio pellach i'r undeb. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf i, ond mae gan fy etholwyr i, y Senedd hon a Llywodraeth Cymru faterion llawer pwysicach i ymdrin â nhw. Dros y blynyddoedd, mae mwy a mwy o bwerau wedi cael eu datganoli i'r lle hwn, mewn ymdrech i wella bywydau pobl Cymru a gwneud penderfyniadau yn nes adref. Mae mynnu mwy o bwerau a diwygio'r undeb, yn fy marn i, yn gamgymeriad difrifol.
Mae angen i'r Llywodraeth fynd i'r afael â'r materion y tynnais i sylw atynt yn gynharach, oherwydd dyna mae'r bobl yn dymuno inni fwrw ymlaen â'i wneud. Mae pobl Cymru wedi cael llond bol ar y gemau cyfansoddiadol hyn, ac mae cyflwyno dadleuon fel hyn, a datganiadau, yn llen fwg i fethiannau eich Llywodraeth chi. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a wnewch chi a'ch Llywodraeth ymrwymo nawr i dynnu'r freuddwyd gwrach hon oddi ar y bwrdd?
The answer is 'no', Dirprwy Lywydd.
Yr ateb yw 'na wnawn', Dirprwy Lywydd.
I welcome this paper—thank you very much, First Minister. I welcome this paper because it is about business, it is about trade deals that are made without our input that affect our farmers and our businesses. It is about health and how we work together in order to ensure that this pandemic is brought under control. It is about Wales and it is about the future of Wales, and that's why it's important.
What I would just ask, First Minister, is that you look at a programme of engagement with the people of Wales. I agree with you, in the last Senedd elections, the majority of people voted against independence, but many did not, particularly young people. We had huge numbers of people, through Yes Cymru, who wanted to look at independence, who are indy-curious, and so I would welcome the opportunity to engage with a wide range of people in order to ensure that we have a strong, healthy Wales that is within the UK. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Rwyf i'n croesawu'r papur hwn—diolch yn fawr iawn i chi, Prif Weinidog. Rwy'n croesawu'r papur hwn am ei fod yn ymwneud â busnes, yn ymwneud â bargeinion masnach sy'n effeithio ar ein ffermwyr a'n busnesau sy'n cael eu gwneud heb unrhyw fewnbwn oddi wrthym ni. Mae'r papur yn ymwneud ag iechyd a sut rydym ni'n gweithio gyda'n gilydd i sicrhau bod y pandemig hwn yn cael ei reoli. Mae'n ymwneud â Chymru ac mae'n ymwneud â dyfodol Cymru, a dyna pam mae'n bwysig.
Yr hyn yr wyf i am ei ofyn, Prif Weinidog, yw eich bod chi'n ystyried rhaglen o ymgysylltu â phobl Cymru. Rwy'n cytuno â chi, yn yr etholiadau diwethaf i'r Senedd, fod y rhan fwyaf o bobl wedi pleidleisio yn erbyn annibyniaeth, ond ni wnaeth llawer ohonyn nhw, yn enwedig y bobl ifanc. Roedd niferoedd mawr o bobl, yn sgil Yes Cymru, yn awyddus i roi ystyriaeth i annibyniaeth, neu â diddordeb yn hynny, ac felly fe fyddwn i'n croesawu'r cyfle i ymgysylltu ag ystod eang o bobl i sicrhau bod gennym Gymru gref a holliach o fewn y DU. Diolch. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Dirprwy Lywydd, diolch yn fawr i Jane Dodds.
Deputy Presiding Officer, I thank Jane Dodds.
It was a pleasure to hear a serious contribution to this debate. And my colleague Mick Antoniw will come forward with further proposals as to how we are to take forward our commitment to a Wales constitutional conversation. Because I completely agree with what Jane Dodds said, that this conversation must go beyond political parties, it must go beyond those people who are already part of the conversation, and it must reach out into the wider Welsh society where I think people are interested in these things. I think it is desperately dismissive, as the previous questioner did, to dismiss people in Wales as though they were not capable of taking an interest in their own constitutional future. People in many, many walks of life, in many organisations and, as Jane Dodds said, particularly our young people, understand the significance of what is at stake here, and I look forward very much to a conversation that involves them in a powerful way in helping us to think about these very important issues and what it means for their futures as well as ours.
Pleser oedd clywed cyfraniad difrifol i'r ddadl hon. Ac fe fydd fy nghyd-Weinidog Mick Antoniw yn cyflwyno cynigion pellach ynghylch sut y byddwn ni'n bwrw ymlaen â'n hymrwymiad ni i gael sgwrs gyfansoddiadol ar gyfer Cymru. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r hyn a ddywedodd Jane Dodds, sef bod yn rhaid i'r sgwrs hon fynd y tu hwnt i bleidiau gwleidyddol, mae'n rhaid iddi fynd y tu hwnt i'r bobl hynny sy'n rhan o'r sgwrs eisoes, ac mae'n rhaid iddi estyn allan i gymdeithas ehangach Cymru lle mae gan bobl ddiddordeb yn y pethau hyn. Rwyf i o'r farn mai diystyriol iawn, fel y gwnaeth yr holwr blaenorol, yw amddifadu pobl yng Nghymru fel pe na baent yn ddigon atebol i gymryd diddordeb yn eu dyfodol cyfansoddiadol eu hunain. Mae pobl o lawer o gefndiroedd, mewn llawer o sefydliadau ac, fel y dywedodd Jane Dodds, ein pobl ifanc ni hefyd, yn deall arwyddocâd yr hyn sydd yn y fantol yma, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at sgwrs sy'n eu cynnwys nhw mewn ffordd rymus i'n helpu ni i feddwl am y materion pwysig iawn hyn a'r hyn y maen nhw'n ei olygu i'w dyfodol nhw yn ogystal â'n dyfodol ni.
Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog, am eich cynllun chi.
Thank you, First Minister, for setting out your plan.
I don't doubt at all your sincerity, and the Counsel General's sincerity, yet your pleas for home rule will be rejected by the Westminster Government, a Government obsessed by centralising powers. Throughout the centuries and throughout the continent, Westminster has ignored the cries of home rule until it's too late and the inevitable happens—independence—the de facto position of nations in the world now independent. And I echo the words of my colleague Jane Dodds that independence was not rejected on the ballot paper. First Minister, you'll be aware of candidates within your own party who are in favour of independence. The First Minister will be aware, walking around Cardiff West, of houses with a Yes Cymru poster and a Labour poster up on their window, and Jane Dodds's comment about a lot of young people being interested. This plan doesn't go far enough, First Minister. It should consider welfare and it should also consider what happens when the inevitable happens and the Conservative Government refuses your plan. Could you please consider that? Diolch yn fawr.
Nid wyf yn amau eich didwylledd chi o gwbl, na didwylledd y Cwnsler Cyffredinol, ond eto i gyd cael eu gwrthod a wnaiff eich galwadau chi am hunanlywodraeth gan y Llywodraeth yn San Steffan, Llywodraeth sydd ag obsesiwn ynglŷn â chanoli pwerau. Drwy'r canrifoedd a thros y cyfandir, mae San Steffan wedi anwybyddu'r alwad am hunanlywodraeth nes ei bod yn rhy hwyr a hynny'n digwydd yn anochel—annibyniaeth—sefyllfa de facto y cenhedloedd yn y byd sy'n annibynnol erbyn hyn. Ac rwy'n ategu geiriau fy nghyd-Aelod Jane Dodds sef na chafodd annibyniaeth ei wrthod ar y papur pleidleisio. Prif Weinidog, rydych chi'n ymwybodol o ymgeiswyr yn eich plaid chi eich hun sydd o blaid annibyniaeth. Mae'r Prif Weinidog yn ymwybodol, wrth gerdded o amgylch Gorllewin Caerdydd, o dai sydd â phosteri Yes Cymru yn ogystal â rhai Llafur ar eu ffenestri, ac o sylw Jane Dodds am lawer o bobl ifanc sydd â diddordeb yn hynny. Nid yw'r cynllun hwn yn mynd yn ddigon pell, Prif Weinidog. Fe ddylai ystyried lles ac fe ddylai ystyried yr hyn a fydd yn digwydd yn anochel sef y bydd y Llywodraeth Geidwadol yn gwrthod eich cynllun. A wnewch chi ystyried hynny, os gwelwch chi'n dda? Diolch yn fawr.
Wel, diolch i Rhys ab Owen hefyd.
Well, I thank Rhys ab Owen too.
Look, he makes an important point about how this plan can be further developed, what more could be added to it, and I look forward to hearing from him further on those things. I don't think he will further his own cause, however, if he's not prepared to face up to the very direct choice that was put to the people of Wales back in May, and in my view, it was the most clearly-put choice in the whole history of devolution. As I said, I stood in tv studios, and on one side of me was a man who wanted to argue for the abolition of devolution altogether, to abolish the whole Assembly, and he made his case to Welsh people. On the other side of me was somebody who wanted to persuade people that Wales should be taken out of the United Kingdom altogether, and he put that case front and centre in his campaign. And Plaid Cymru lost ground—it didn't gain ground, it lost ground in this election, and I don't think I could have been clearer, time after time after time, in broadcasts, in leaflets, in every chance I had, to say that the Labour Party stood for powerful devolution in a successful United Kingdom. And in the end, that is where people in Wales made their choice, and I think people in Plaid Cymru too need to be willing to—. 'Blinkers off', said Rhun ap Iorwerth. Well, in a blinkers-off world, then I think some thought has to be given to that as well.
Wel, mae e'n gwneud pwynt pwysig ynglŷn â sut y gellir datblygu'r cynllun hwn ymhellach, beth arall y gellid ei ychwanegu ato, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at glywed ymhellach ganddo am y pethau hynny. Nid wyf yn credu, serch hynny, y bydd yn hyrwyddo ei achos ef ei hun os nad y'n barod i wynebu'r dewis uniongyrchol iawn a roddwyd i bobl Cymru yn ôl ym mis Mai, ac yn fy marn i, dyma'r dewis mwyaf amlwg yn holl hanes datganoli. Fel y dywedais i, fe fûm i'n sefyll mewn stiwdios teledu, ac ar y naill law imi roedd yno rywun yn dadlau dros ddiddymu datganoli yn gyfan gwbl, a diddymu'r Cynulliad yn gyfan gwbl, ac fe ddadleuodd ef ei achos i bobl Cymru. Ar y llaw arall imi roedd yno rywun a oedd yn ceisio perswadio pobl y dylid tynnu Cymru allan o'r Deyrnas Unedig yn gyfan gwbl, ac fe roddodd yr achos hwnnw wrth galon ei ymgyrch ef. Ac fe gollodd Plaid Cymru dir—nid ennill tir, fe gollodd dir yn yr etholiad hwn, ac nid wyf i'n credu y gallaswn i fod yn fwy eglur, dro ar ôl tro, mewn darllediadau, mewn taflenni, ar bob cyfle a gefais, i ddweud bod y Blaid Lafur yn sefyll dros ddatganoli grymus oddi mewn i Deyrnas Unedig lwyddiannus. Ac yn y pen draw, dyna oedd dewis pobl yng Nghymru, ac rwy'n credu bod angen hefyd i bobl ym Mhlaid Cymru fod yn barod i—. 'Agwedd gibddall', meddai Rhun ap Iorwerth. Wel, mewn byd cibddall, yna rwy'n credu bod rhaid rhoi rhywfaint o ystyriaeth i hynny hefyd.
Whatever our individual views in this Chamber, whether it's status quo, independence, devo-max, radical reform of the union, you cannot doubt that this is a major intervention by an elected Government in the debate around constitutional reform here in Wales, but also how it impacts on the wider UK. And there are some radical proposals within this. Even though it doesn't go as far as some and it goes further than others would want to go, these are serious proposals that I don't have time to list in full, but a new independent oversight body for funding; devolution becoming a permanent feature that cannot be undone without the will of the people of Wales or Scotland or Northern Ireland; House of Lords as a senate, reflecting the geographic parts of the UK, and Welsh Ministers having a say in international relations and trade. But let me simply ask, in my one question: we look forward to details of the civil society engagement in Wales, but what about the engagement with the House of Lords as it currently is, and their constitutional-interested parties up there? Because whilst the UK Government might not currently wish to listen, Deputy Presiding Officer, they might well want to listen and to help shape the future of the UK, as well as Wales, on a reform agenda.
Beth bynnag yw ein barn ni, yr unigolion sydd yn y Siambr hon, boed hynny'n status quo, annibyniaeth, devo-max, diwygiad radical o'r undeb, nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth fod hwn yn ymyriad enfawr gan Lywodraeth etholedig yn y ddadl ynghylch diwygio cyfansoddiadol yma yng Nghymru, ond o ran sut y byddai hynny'n effeithio ar y DU yn ehangach hefyd. Ac fe geir rhai cynigion radical yn hyn o beth. Er nad yw'n mynd mor bell ag y byddai rhai'n ei ddymuno ac yn mynd yn rhy bell ym marn eraill, mae'r rhain yn gynigion difrifol nad oes gennyf i amser i'w rhestru'n llawn, ond corff goruchwylio annibynnol newydd ar gyfer cyllid; datganoli yn nodwedd barhaol na ellir ei dadwneud heb ewyllys pobl Cymru na'r Alban na Gogledd Iwerddon; Tŷ'r Arglwyddi i fod yn senedd, yn adlewyrchu rhannau daearyddol o'r DU, a Gweinidogion Cymru yn cael dweud eu dweud o ran cysylltiadau a masnach ryngwladol. Ond gadewch imi ofyn, yn fy unig gwestiwn i: rydym ni'n edrych ymlaen at fanylion ymgysylltiad y gymdeithas sifil yng Nghymru, ond beth am yr ymgysylltu â Thŷ'r Arglwyddi yn ei sefyllfa gyfredol, a'r pleidiau sydd â diddordeb cyfansoddiadol yn y fan honno? Oherwydd er nad yw Llywodraeth y DU yn awyddus i wrando ar hyn o bryd, Dirprwy Lywydd, mae'n ddigon posibl y byddan nhw'n dymuno gwrando a helpu i lunio dyfodol y DU, yn ogystal â Chymru, ar agenda o ddiwygio.
Dirprwy Lywydd, I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for what he said about the seriousness of the document. I referred in my statement to the constitutional reform group. That is largely populated by Members of the House of Lords, and I must say, some very, very serious work is being done by select committees in the House of Commons, as well as in the House of Lords. The Government may not yet be listening, but this Government will itself have to face the realities of what it has done in terms of Northern Ireland, of where the Scottish Government will wish to take its mandate in relation to a referendum. And when it has to face those realities, at least it will find that there is a reservoir of work, including the work done here in Wales, but also the work that's being done in the House of Lords, and, as I say, outside Government in the House of Commons, and I agree very much with what Huw Irranca-Davies said about us being prepared to engage in those conversations as well, and publication of the document is part of that. That's why we've done it: so that there is something there that is updated and represents the current state of thinking of the Welsh Government; that those other parts of our constitutional machinery who are prepared to take a serious interest in all of that can at least know what we are thinking, and make that part of their considerations as they come to contribute to the pool of ideas that we so badly need.
Dirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n diolch i Huw Irranca-Davies am yr hyn a ddywedodd ef am ddifrifoldeb y ddogfen. Fe gyfeiriais i yn fy natganiad at y grŵp diwygio cyfansoddiadol. Aelodau Tŷ'r Arglwyddi yw aelodau'r grŵp hwnnw i raddau helaeth, ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, mae yna waith difrifol iawn, iawn yn cael ei wneud gan bwyllgorau dethol yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin, yn ogystal ag yn Nhŷ'r Arglwyddi. Efallai nad yw'r Llywodraeth yn gwrando eto, ond fe fydd yn rhaid i'r Llywodraeth hon wynebu gwirionedd yr hyn a wnaeth o ran Gogledd Iwerddon, a phryd y bydd Llywodraeth yr Alban yn dymuno cymryd ei mandad o ran cynnal refferendwm. A phan fydd yn rhaid iddi wynebu'r gwirioneddau hynny, o leiaf fe fydd yn gweld bod yna gronfa o waith. Mae hyn yn cynnwys y gwaith a wneir yma yng Nghymru, ond y gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud yn Nhŷ'r Arglwyddi hefyd, ac, fel y dywedais i, y tu allan i'r Llywodraeth yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin. Ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r hyn a ddywedodd Huw Irranca-Davies am ein parodrwydd ni i gymryd rhan yn y sgyrsiau hynny hefyd, ac mae cyhoeddi'r ddogfen hon yn rhan o hynny. Dyna pam rydym ni wedi gwneud hyn: er mwyn cael rhywbeth yno sydd wedi'i ddiweddaru ac sy'n cynrychioli cyflwr presennol meddylfryd Llywodraeth Cymru; a gall y rhannau eraill hynny o'n peirianwaith cyfansoddiadol ni sy'n barod i gymryd diddordeb difrifol yn hynny i gyd o leiaf wybod beth rydym ni'n ei feddwl, a sicrhau bod hynny'n rhan o'u hystyriaethau nhw wrth iddynt ddod i gyfrannu at y gronfa o syniadau y mae arnom ni eu hangen yn fawr iawn.
First Minister, in your written edition of your oral statement today, you referred to the flying of the union flag by some of my colleagues in this Senedd as 'vacuous symbolism'. The direct quote was:
'The United Kingdom will not be saved by the sort of vacuous symbolism which has, sadly, been evident even in our own proceedings—the tea towel Tories of 2021'—
you said. First Minister, people, right across Wales, fly the union flag because of what it symbolises: a pride in the country that we live in, and that's no different to my colleagues in the Senedd to do that same. I know, in your answer to Andrew R.T. Davies, you tried to distance yourself from the written edition of your oral statement, but that was a document sent out in your name by your Government, and so you're responsible for its contents. So, therefore, can I ask you, First Minister, whether you've reflected on these comments and whether you think that those ordinary people in communities across Wales who also feel pride in the union flag are also engaging in vacuous symbolism?
Prif Weinidog, yn y fersiwn ysgrifenedig o'ch datganiad llafar chi heddiw, fe wnaethoch gyfeirio at chwifio baner yr undeb gan rai o'm cyd-Aelodau yn y Senedd hon yn 'symbolaeth wag'. Y dyfyniad uniongyrchol oedd:
'Ni fydd y Deyrnas Unedig yn cael ei hachub gan y math o symbolaeth wag sydd, yn anffodus, wedi bod yn amlwg hyd yn oed yn ein trafodion ni ein hunain—Torïaid llieiniau sychu llestri 2021'—
meddech chi. Prif Weinidog, mae pobl ledled Cymru yn chwifio baner yr undeb oherwydd yr hyn y mae'n arwydd ohono: balchder yn y wlad yr ydym ni'n byw ynddi, ac nid yw hynny'n wahanol i'm cyd-Aelodau yn y Senedd yn gwneud yr un peth. Fe wn i, yn eich ateb chi i Andrew R.T. Davies, eich bod wedi ceisio ymbellhau oddi wrth fersiwn ysgrifenedig eich datganiad llafar, ond dogfen oedd honno a anfonwyd yn eich enw chi gan eich Llywodraeth chi, ac felly y chi sy'n gyfrifol am ei chynnwys. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i chi, Prif Weinidog, a ydych chi wedi myfyrio ar y sylwadau hyn ac a ydych chi o'r farn fod y bobl gyffredin hynny mewn cymunedau ledled Cymru sy'n teimlo balchder ym maner yr undeb yn ymhél â symbolaeth wag hefyd?
Well, Llywydd, I don't want to spend my afternoon having to give elementary lessons to new members of the opposition about the way in which the Senedd works. I am responsible for what I say and what lies on the Record of the Senedd. If you want to know what I say, that's where you must go. Members have the privilege of having advance copies of what I might say, and it says at the bottom that you should check that against what I actually say. Now, I think—. I hope I don't need to repeat that again, because it's a very elementary lesson in the way that this place operates.
I'll repeat what I actually said: that this is a Government that seems devoted to the emptiness of symbols, that believes that by flying flags and persuading people that choruses of the British song will somehow cement the union—. Well, I think it did succeed at least in uniting people in a sense of derision for that idea that this is the level of seriousness that they've been able to summon up as a Government charged with those responsibilities.
Wel, Llywydd, dydw i ddim eisiau treulio fy mhrynhawn yn gorfod rhoi gwersi elfennol i aelodau newydd o'r wrthblaid am y ffordd y mae'r Senedd yn gweithio. Rwy'n gyfrifol am yr hyn yr wyf yn ei ddweud a'r hyn sydd ar Gofnod y Senedd. Os ydych chi eisiau gwybod beth yr wyf yn ei ddweud, dyna lle mae'n rhaid i chi fynd. Caiff Aelodau y fraint o gael copïau ymlaen llaw o'r hyn y gallwn i ei ddweud, ac mae'n dweud ar y gwaelod y dylech wirio hynny yn erbyn yr hyn a ddywedaf mewn gwirionedd. Nawr, rwy'n credu—. Gobeithio na fydd angen i mi ailadrodd hynny eto, oherwydd mae'n wers elfennol iawn ar y ffordd y mae'r lle hwn yn gweithredu.
Fe wnaf ailadrodd yr hyn a ddywedais mewn gwirionedd: mai Llywodraeth yw hon sy'n ymddangos ei bod yn ymroi i wacter symbolau, sy'n credu, drwy chwifio baneri a pherswadio pobl y bydd corws o'r gân Brydeinig rywsut yn cadarnhau'r undeb—. Wel, rwy'n credu i hynny lwyddo o leiaf i uno pobl mewn ymdeimlad o ddirmyg tuag at y syniad hwnnw, mai dyma lefel y difrifoldeb y maen nhw wedi gallu ei fagu fel Llywodraeth sydd i fod i ysgwyddo'r cyfrifoldebau hynny.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf yw datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi—gwarant i bobl ifanc. Galwaf ar Weinidog yr Economi, Vaughan Gething.
The next item is a statement by the Minister for Economy—young person's guarantee. I call on the Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. People and businesses across Wales have faced one of the most difficult years in peacetime. As the economy Minister for Wales, my priority is to ensure that in the recovery we provide the right support to both individuals and businesses to help all of us to build a fairer, greener and more prosperous Wales.
Within that, we need to give young people hope for the future and to ensure that they are not left behind. It is more important than ever that we support young people to gain the skills and experiences that they will need to succeed, whether that’s in employment, education or starting their own business.
Our programme for government commits to delivering a young person’s guarantee. This will be an ambitious programme that is intended to provide everyone under 25 across Wales with an offer of support into work, education, training or self-employment. With this guarantee, I want to ensure that there is no lost generation here in Wales.
The young person's guarantee is a key part of our efforts to help young people enter and navigate their way into and through the world of work. I'm committed to giving young people the support that they need to start and change their story, supporting their journey as they leave school, as they move into or leave college or university, and supporting those that are facing unemployment or even redundancy.
I want to recognise and thank the many businesses, training and education providers who already do a fantastic job in supporting our young people into and through the world of work. This includes their work with us and others to deliver programmes such as Jobs Growth Wales, traineeships, apprenticeships, Business Wales, Big Ideas Wales, ReAct, Kickstart, Restart and the Work and Health Programme. We already have many of the much-needed components in place to provide us with the basis for a successful young person's guarantee. However, a commitment to all of our 16 to 24-year-olds will require a renewed focus on co-ordination of opportunity, both locally and nationally.
So, today, I want to share and set out the initial steps I intend to take to ensure that we do develop a successful young person's guarantee. And it is important to note that these are just the first steps that we will be taking. I will, of course, keep Members up to date as this programme evolves.
Firstly, I'm launching a call to action across the Welsh public sector, the third sector, the private sector, education and training sectors, and with partners in the Department for Work and Pensions. It is essential that we all work together to ensure that we all play our part in supporting young people across Wales, in ensuring that we deliver the best possible offer for our young people.
We want young people’s voices to be at the heart of the development of our guarantee. That's why, over the summer, I will hold a national conversation with young people and commence a consultation with young people and stakeholders.
Thirdly, I have asked Working Wales to become the gateway into our young person's guarantee, to build on their already strong and successful model of delivering careers guidance and signposting support. From 30 September this year, they will have a team in place to start to track and monitor our offer as it develops and supports young people.
I recognise the changing landscape of employment opportunities. We need to inspire and support more of our young entrepreneurs. That is why part of our offer is to support young people with an ambition to start their own business. We'll provide these young people with access to the right support to help them to overcome barriers to start up and increase the sustainability of new ventures. Business Wales, with tailored help through Big Ideas Wales, will provide young people with this support.
And Working Wales will begin a new job-matching pilot. This pilot will assist young people supported by Working Wales with securing employment and help employers to fill their vacancies. Now, this pilot has already started on an initial basis in north Wales and Cardiff, and I'd encourage all employers with vacancies in these areas to get in touch with Working Wales.
We know that our young people hold the key to Wales's future success. It's their talents, skills and creativity that are essential to ensure our country’s growth and competitiveness. As a nation, we still face huge challenges now and when the pandemic is finally over. I'm proud to lead the work on the young person's guarantee, and I hope the parties across the Chamber will support this Government’s aim to ensure that there really is no lost generation here in Wales. Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae pobl a busnesau ledled Cymru wedi wynebu un o'r blynyddoedd anoddaf yn ystod cyfnod o heddwch. Yn fy swydd o fod yn Weinidog economi Cymru, fy mlaenoriaeth yw sicrhau ein bod, yn yr adferiad, yn rhoi'r cymorth cywir i unigolion a busnesau i helpu pob un ohonom i adeiladu Cymru decach, wyrddach a mwy ffyniannus.
O fewn hynny, mae angen i ni roi gobaith i bobl ifanc ar gyfer y dyfodol a sicrhau nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu gadael ar ôl. Mae'n bwysicach nag erioed ein bod ni'n cefnogi pobl ifanc i ennill y sgiliau a'r profiadau y bydd eu hangen arnyn nhw i lwyddo, boed hynny mewn cyflogaeth, addysg neu drwy ddechrau eu busnes eu hunain.
Mae ein rhaglen lywodraethu wedi ymrwymo i ddarparu gwarant i bobl ifanc. Bydd hon yn rhaglen uchelgeisiol sydd â'r bwriad o roi cynnig o gymorth i bawb o dan 25 oed ledled Cymru i'w helpu gyda gwaith, addysg, hyfforddiant neu hunangyflogaeth. Gyda'r warant hon, rwyf eisiau sicrhau nad oes cenhedlaeth goll yma yng Nghymru.
Mae gwarant i bobl ifanc yn rhan allweddol o'n hymdrechion i helpu pobl ifanc i fynd i mewn i fyd gwaith a llywio'u ffordd drwyddo. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i roi'r gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen ar bobl ifanc i ddechrau a newid eu stori, gan gefnogi eu taith wrth iddyn nhw adael yr ysgol, wrth iddyn nhw symud i, neu adael, coleg neu brifysgol, a chefnogi'r rhai sy'n wynebu diweithdra neu hyd yn oed ddiswyddiadau.
Hoffwn gydnabod a diolch i'r llu o fusnesau, darparwyr hyfforddiant ac addysg sydd eisoes yn gwneud gwaith gwych yn cefnogi ein pobl ifanc i fyd gwaith a thrwy'r byd gwaith. Mae hyn yn cynnwys eu gwaith gyda ni ac eraill i gyflwyno rhaglenni fel Twf Swyddi Cymru, hyfforddeiaethau, prentisiaethau, Busnes Cymru, Syniadau Mawr Cymru, ReAct, Kickstart, Ailgychwyn a'r Rhaglen Gwaith ac Iechyd. Mae gennym eisoes lawer o'r cydrannau y mae mawr eu hangen i roi'r sail i ni ar gyfer gwarant llwyddiannus i bobl ifanc. Fodd bynnag, bydd ymrwymiad i bob un o'n pobl ifanc 16 i 24 oed yn gofyn am ganolbwyntio o'r newydd ar gydgysylltu cyfleoedd, yn lleol ac yn genedlaethol.
Felly, heddiw, rwyf i eisiau rhannu a nodi'r camau cychwynnol y bwriadaf eu cymryd i sicrhau ein bod yn datblygu gwarant llwyddiannus i bobl ifanc. Ac mae'n bwysig nodi mai dim ond y camau cyntaf y byddwn yn eu cymryd yw'r rhain. Byddaf, wrth gwrs, yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau wrth i'r rhaglen hon esblygu.
Yn gyntaf, rwy'n lansio galwad i weithredu ar draws y sector cyhoeddus yng Nghymru, y trydydd sector, y sector preifat, y sectorau addysg a hyfforddiant, a chyda phartneriaid yn yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau. Mae'n hanfodol ein bod i gyd yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd i sicrhau ein bod i gyd yn chwarae ein rhan i gefnogi pobl ifanc ledled Cymru, i sicrhau ein bod yn darparu'r cynnig gorau posibl i'n pobl ifanc.
Rydym eisiau i leisiau pobl ifanc fod wrth wraidd datblygiad ein gwarant. Dyna pam, dros yr haf, y byddaf yn cynnal sgwrs genedlaethol gyda phobl ifanc ac yn dechrau ymgynghori â phobl ifanc a rhanddeiliaid.
Yn drydydd, rwyf wedi gofyn i Cymru'n Gweithio fod yn borth i'n gwarant i bobl ifanc, i adeiladu ar eu model cryf a llwyddiannus eisoes o ddarparu cyfarwyddyd gyrfaoedd a chymorth cyfeirio. O 30 Medi eleni ymlaen, bydd ganddyn nhw dîm ar waith i ddechrau olrhain a