Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
08/02/2022Cynnwys
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.
Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Cyn inni ddechrau, dwi angen nodi ychydig o bwyntiau. Cynhelir y cyfarfod hwn ar ffurf hybrid, gyda rhai Aelodau yn y Siambr ac eraill yn ymuno drwy gyswllt fideo. Bydd yr holl Aelodau sy'n cymryd rhan yn nhrafodion y Senedd, lle 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 eu nodi ar eich agenda. A dwi eisiau atgoffa Aelodau fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y cyfarfod yn berthnasol, ac yr un mor berthnasol i Aelodau yn y Siambr ag ydyn nhw i'r rheini sydd ar gyswllt fideo.
Welcome to this Plenary session. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points. This meeting will be held in a hybrid format, with some Members in the Senedd Chamber and others joining by video-conference. All Members participating in proceedings of the Senedd, wherever they may be, will be treated equally. 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 this meeting, and apply equally to Members in the Chamber as to those joining virtually.
Y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog yw'r eitem gyntaf, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf heddiw gan Rhianon Passmore.
We move to our first item, questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Rhianon Passmore.
1. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o'r cyllid y bydd Cymru'n ei gael gan Lywodraeth y DU i gymryd lle cyllid yr Undeb Ewropeaidd? OQ57608
1. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the funding Wales will receive from the UK Government to replace European Union funding? OQ57608
Llywydd, Wales will receive substantially less funding from the UK Government in comparison with what we have received from the European Union and would have received under the current round of structural funding. The absolute guarantee that Wales would be not a penny worse off has been comprehensively broken and abandoned.
Llywydd, bydd Cymru'n cael llawer llai o arian gan Lywodraeth y DU o'i gymharu â'r hyn a gawsom gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd ac y byddem ni wedi ei gael o dan y cylch presennol o gyllid strwythurol. Mae'r warant absoliwt na fyddai Cymru geiniog yn waeth ei byd wedi ei thorri a chefnwyd arni'n gyfan gwbl.
Diolch, First Minister. The UK Tory Government has finally admitted that it will not fully replace EU funding to Wales for three years, this despite Boris saying constantly that the people of Wales would not be a penny poorer when the UK left the European Union. Boris economical with the truth—who would have thought it? While the Welsh people stand to lose £1 billion a year, Boris and his Tory Government are letting fraudsters walk away scot-free with public money—£4.3 billion-worth of funds fraudulently obtained through coronavirus help schemes, crony contracts have been just written off by the Tories. First Minister, the Western Mail commented in its editorial last week,
'Once again, it's our poorest communities that are most likely to miss out'.
Those poorer communities are communities such as Risca, Newbridge and Crosskeys—the tapestry of towns that make up the constituency of Islwyn. First Minister, what can the Welsh Labour Government do to stand up for Islwyn and stand up for Wales, on the side of the Welsh people, while the UK Tory Government sides with their fraudster friends?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Mae Llywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU wedi cyfaddef o'r diwedd na fydd yn rhoi cyllid yn lle cyllid yr UE yn llawn i Gymru am dair blynedd. Mae hyn er i Boris ddweud yn gyson na fyddai pobl Cymru geiniog yn dlotach ar ôl i'r DU ymadael â'r Undeb Ewropeaidd. Boris yn economaidd o ran dweud y gwir—pwy fyddai wedi meddwl? Wrth i'r Cymry ddisgwyl colli £1 biliwn y flwyddyn, mae Boris a'i Lywodraeth Dorïaidd yn gadael i dwyllwyr gerdded yn rhydd gydag arian cyhoeddus—gwerth £4.3 biliwn o arian a gafwyd yn dwyllodrus drwy gynlluniau cymorth coronafeirws, mae'r Torïaid newydd ddileu dyledion unrhyw gontractau ffrindgarwch. Prif Weinidog, gwnaeth y Western Mail sylwadau yn ei olygyddol yr wythnos diwethaf,
'Unwaith eto, ein cymunedau tlotaf sydd fwyaf tebygol o fod ar eu colled'.
Mae'r cymunedau tlotach hynny yn gymunedau fel Rhisga, Trecelyn a Crosskeys—tapestri o drefi sy'n ffurfio etholaeth Islwyn. Prif Weinidog, beth all Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru ei wneud i sefyll dros Islwyn a sefyll dros Gymru, ar ochr y Cymry, tra bod Llywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU yn ochri â'u cyfeillion twyllodrus?
Llywydd, I think it is just worth reminding everybody what the Conservative Party said in their manifesto at the general election of December 2019, and which was repeated by them in the comprehensive spending review announcements of October last year. This is what they said:
'The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will at a minimum'
—at a minimum, Llywydd—
'match the size of EU Funds in all nations, and Cornwall, each year.'
Well, Wales would have received £375 million in funding in this calendar year from European structural funds. What will we actually get? Forty-seven million pounds. How does anybody, Llywydd, believe that £47 million, when we would have received £375 million, represents, at a minimum, matching the size of EU funds each year? And, of course, Rhianon Passmore is right that that promise, that absolute guarantee, as we were told in the Chamber here, has simply been abandoned. The UK Government now says that it will count towards the money that they will give us, money we have already got from the European Union. Now, I'm not saying anything about fraudulent use of money, but I'm absolutely saying that that argument is fraudulent—the argument that you can count money you've already got towards money that they promised they would give us is simply not to accurately describe what is going on here.
Now, what will the Welsh Government do? Well, Llywydd, what we will definitely do is to continue to uphold different standards here in Wales than we have seen across our border. Members here will remember that, in April of last year, the auditor general published a comprehensive report into the provision and the procurement of PPE, here in Wales. The report said that it had showed how in Wales we had been able to avoid the problems reported in England. Well, on top of the £4.3 million lost in fraud from business funds—remember what Lord Agnew said:
'a "lamentable", "woeful", "desperately inadequate" refusal by the UK Government to tackle fraud'—
last week, the National Audit Office in England published its report on PPE procurement in England. The comptroller general said that he had not been able to obtain an assurance that, of the nearly £9 billion that had been lost on PPE in England, there had not been a material level of that loss that was down to fraud. Well, there you have it, Llywydd: a very, very direct comparison of the way things have been done in Wales. That money then available for us to invest in supporting businesses, in supporting the communities in the Islwyn constituency, compared to the ways things have been done across our border.
Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod gwerth atgoffa pawb beth ddywedodd y Blaid Geidwadol yn ei maniffesto yn etholiad cyffredinol mis Rhagfyr 2019, ac y gwnaethon nhw ei ailadrodd yng nghyhoeddiadau cynhwysfawr yr adolygiad o wariant ym mis Hydref y llynedd. Dyma y gwnaethon nhw ei ddweud:
'Bydd Cronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin y DU o leiaf'
—o leiaf, Llywydd—
'yn cyfateb i faint Cronfeydd yr UE ym mhob gwlad, a Chernyw, bob blwyddyn.'
Wel, byddai Cymru wedi cael £375 miliwn o gyllid yn y flwyddyn galendr hon o gronfeydd strwythurol Ewropeaidd. Beth fyddwn ni'n ei gael mewn gwirionedd? 47 miliwn o bunnau. Sut y mae unrhyw un, Llywydd, yn credu bod £47 miliwn, pan fyddem ni wedi cael £375 miliwn, yn cyfateb o leiaf i faint cronfeydd yr UE bob blwyddyn? Ac, wrth gwrs, mae Rhianon Passmore yn iawn bod yr addewid hwnnw, y warant absoliwt honno, fel y dywedwyd wrthym yn y Siambr yma, wedi ei gefnu arno yn llwyr. Mae Llywodraeth y DU yn dweud bellach y bydd yn cyfrif tuag at yr arian y bydd yn ei roi i ni, arian yr ydym ni wedi ei gael eisoes gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Nawr, nid wyf i'n dweud dim am ddefnydd twyllodrus o arian, ond rwy'n dweud yn sicr iawn fod y ddadl honno yn dwyllodrus—nid yw'r ddadl y gallwch chi gyfrif arian sydd gennych eisoes tuag at arian y gwnaethon nhw addo y bydden nhw yn ei roi i ni, yn disgrifio'n gywir yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn y fan yma.
Nawr, beth fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud? Wel, Llywydd, yr hyn y byddwn yn bendant yn ei wneud yw parhau i gynnal safonau gwahanol yma yng Nghymru i'r hyn yr ydym wedi ei weld dros ein ffin. Bydd yr Aelodau yn fan yma yn cofio ym mis Ebrill y llynedd y cyhoeddodd yr archwilydd cyffredinol adroddiad cynhwysfawr ar ddarpariaeth a chaffael Cyfarpar Diogelu Personol (PPE) yma yng Nghymru. Dywedodd yr adroddiad ei fod wedi dangos sut yr oeddem ni yng Nghymru wedi gallu osgoi'r problemau y cawson nhw eu hadrodd yn Lloegr. Wel, ar ben y £4.3 miliwn a gafodd ei golli drwy dwyll o gronfeydd busnes—cofiwch yr hyn a ddywedodd yr Arglwydd Agnew:
'gwrthodiad "gresynus", "truenus", "enbyd o annigonol" gan Lywodraeth y DU i fynd i'r afael â thwyll'—
yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddodd y Swyddfa Archwilio Genedlaethol yn Lloegr ei hadroddiad ar gaffael PPE yn Lloegr. Dywedodd y rheolwr cyffredinol nad oedd wedi gallu cael sicrwydd nad oedd lefel sylweddol o'r golled o bron i £9 biliwn a gafodd ei golli ar PPE yn Lloegr, o ganlyniad i dwyll. Wel, dyna chi, Llywydd: cymhariaeth uniongyrchol iawn, iawn â'r ffordd y mae pethau wedi eu gwneud yng Nghymru. Mae'r arian hwnnw wedyn ar gael i ni fuddsoddi mewn cefnogi busnesau, i gefnogi'r cymunedau yn etholaeth Islwyn, o'i gymharu â'r ffyrdd y mae pethau wedi eu gwneud dros ein ffin.
Prif Weinidog, dwi'n cytuno ei bod yn hollol hanfodol nad yw Cymru'n cael llai o gyllid nag a oedd ganddi pan oeddem ni yn yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Ac, fel Cadeirydd Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig, gallaf eich sicrhau y byddwn ni yn craffu ar y mater hwn yn ofalus iawn yn yr wythnosau a misoedd sydd i ddod. Nawr, y mis diwethaf, cyhoeddwyd y byddai strwythurau newydd yn cael eu sefydlu rhwng Llywodraethau'r Deyrnas Unedig i drafod materion sy'n effeithio ar bobl ledled y Deyrnas Unedig, yn enwedig lle maent yn torri ar draws polisïau gwahanol y Seneddau. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni pa rôl y gallai'r strwythurau hyn ei chwarae i sicrhau bod Cymru'n cael y lefel gywir o gymorth ariannol unwaith y daw cyllid yr Undeb Ewropeaidd i ben?
First Minister, I agree that it's crucial that Wales doesn't receive less funding than it had when we were in the European Union. And, as Chair of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee, I can assure you that we will be scrutinising this issue very carefully in the next weeks and months. Now, last month, it was announced that new structures would be put in place between the Governments of the United Kingdom to discuss issues that affect people across the UK, particularly where they cut across the various policies of the different Parliaments. So, First Minister, can you tell us what role these structures could play in ensuring that Wales does receive the right level of financial support once EU funding comes to an end?
Wel, Llywydd, diolch yn fawr i Paul Davies am beth ddywedodd e, fel Cadeirydd y pwyllgor, a dwi'n edrych ymlaen at y gwaith y bydd y pwyllgor yn ei wneud i'n helpu ni gyd i wneud yr achos i'r Trysorlys i wneud beth ddywedodd y Ceidwadwyr yn eu maniffesto nhw yn ystod yr etholiad cyffredinol diwethaf. Dwi ddim yn meddwl bod unrhyw amheuaeth nawr eu bod nhw wedi symud yn ôl o beth roedden nhw'n addo, a bydd y gwaith pwyllgor yn help, dwi'n siwr, i ail-wneud yr achos i Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig i ariannu Cymru fel roedden nhw wedi dweud.
So, mae system newydd wedi dod i rym i'n helpu ni i drafod pethau dros y Deyrnas Unedig. Dyw hwnna ddim wedi digwydd eto, ac, wrth gwrs, mae'r pethau sydd wedi digwydd yng Ngogledd Iwerddon dros yr wythnos ddiwethaf yn rhoi rhyw fath o gymhlethdod i mewn i drefnu pethau heb gael Gogledd Iwerddon wrth y bwrdd. Dwi'n edrych ymlaen at weld pryd fydd cyfarfod cyntaf y system newydd yn cael ei drefnu, achos bydd hwnna yn gyfle i ni wneud y pwyntiau dwi wedi eu gwneud heddiw, ac mae'r Gweinidogion yn y Llywodraeth yma yng Nghymru yn eu gwneud bob tro y gallwn ni, i'r Gweinidogion yn Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig.
Well, Llywydd, thank you very much to Paul Davies for what he said, as Chair of the committee, and I look forward to the work that the committee will be doing to assist all of us to make the case to the Treasury to do what the Conservatives said in their manifesto during the general election. I don't think that there is any doubt now that they have rolled back from what they promised, and the work of the committee will be a help, I'm sure, to make the case again to the UK Government to fund Wales as they had said they would.
So, there is a new system that has come into force to help us to discuss issues across the United Kingdom. That hasn't happened yet, and, of course, things that have happened in Northern Ireland over the past week complicate the arrangements for these discussions as regards not having Northern Ireland present around the table. I look forward to seeing when the first meeting of this new system will be arranged, because that will be an opportunity for us to make the points that I have made today, and that Ministers in the Welsh Government make every time we can, to Ministers on a UK Government level.
The levelling-up fund White Paper makes for an interesting read, doesn't it, First Minister, with references to Renaissance Florence, Jericho's Byzantine empire, if nothing else, but it also references the levelling-up that happened in Germany after reunification, explaining that £1.7 trillion was spent there up to 2014, being £71 billion a year over 24 years. The levelling-up and shared prosperity funds combined don't provide for even 10 per cent of that level of funding. As you've just been setting out, First Minister, Wales will be £1 billion worse off under these plans than if we'd not left the EU, despite the promises from the Tories that we wouldn't be a penny worse off. But, as well as that, it's the question of how these funds are spent. Gone will be the strategic oversight we had with Welsh European Funding Office and in its place comes a pork-barrel process, with councils pitted against each other in a battle to get funds from Westminster. So, First Minister, do you agree with me that the levelling-up agenda is nothing more than political spin, when the Tories are in fact reducing the level of structural funding and depriving us of the ability to spend it strategically?
Mae'n ddiddorol iawn darllen Papur Gwyn y gronfa codi'r gwastad, onid yw, Prif Weinidog, gyda chyfeiriadau at Renaissance Florence, ymerodraeth Fysantaidd Jericho, os nad dim byd arall, ond mae hefyd yn cyfeirio at y codi'r gwastad a ddigwyddodd yn yr Almaen ar ôl yr ailuno, gan esbonio bod £1.7 triliwn wedi ei wario yno hyd at 2014, sef £71 biliwn y flwyddyn dros 24 mlynedd. Nid yw'r gronfa codi'r gwastad a'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin gyda'i gilydd yn darparu ar gyfer hyd yn oed 10 y cant o'r lefel honno o gyllid. Fel yr ydych chi newydd ei nodi, Prif Weinidog, bydd Cymru £1 biliwn yn waeth ei byd o dan y cynlluniau hyn nag y byddem ni pe na baem ni wedi ymadael â'r UE, er gwaethaf yr addewidion gan y Torïaid na fyddem ni geiniog yn waeth ein byd. Ond, yn ogystal â hynny, mae'n fater o sut y caiff yr arian hwn ei wario. Bydd yr oruchwyliaeth strategol a gawsom gan Swyddfa Cyllid Ewropeaidd Cymru yn diflannu ac yn ei lle daw proses o roi arian y llywodraeth i brosiectau er mwyn ennill pleidleisiau, a bydd cynghorau yn mynd yn erbyn ei gilydd mewn brwydr i gael arian o San Steffan. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a ydych chi'n cytuno â mi nad yw'r agenda codi'r gwastad yn ddim mwy na sbin gwleidyddol, pan fo'r Torïaid mewn gwirionedd yn lleihau lefel y cyllid strwythurol ac yn ein hamddifadu ni o'r gallu i'w wario'n strategol?
Well, Llywydd, I think Delyth Jewell has made those points very forcefully and I agree with them all. The 'Levelling Up' White Paper is a friendless document, even by the Secretary of State whose name is on the cover. Its attempt to range far and wide across the mists of time is simply, I think, an indication of the lack of real content that there was there for this, despite the fact that this levelling-up fund, the shared prosperity fund, has been trailed by the Conservative Party since 2017. They have had years in which they could have produced something that matched their promises. What we have instead is a very thin document indeed—thin on money because the Treasury refused to provide the necessary funds to back it up, and very thin indeed in response to its claims that it is about transferring power and decision making beyond Whitehall because, as Delyth Jewell said, every single decision made about how money is to be spent in Wales will be made in Westminster, nowhere else. And that competitive way of pitting one part of Wales against another in order to bid for what is left on the table in this fund is guaranteed to mean that the money is not well spent. There will be no strategic plan behind it. It will be a series of minor dollops of money handed out on a basis in which it is very hard often to find any genuine rationale, and with no sense at all about how any long-term impact from that investment is to be secured for the Welsh public.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod Delyth Jewell wedi gwneud y pwyntiau yna'n rymus iawn ac rwy'n cytuno â nhw i gyd. Mae Papur Gwyn 'Codi'r Gwastad' yn ddogfen ddigyfaill, hyd yn oed gan yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol y mae ei enw ar y clawr. Mae'r ymgais i ymestyn yn bell ac yn eang ar draws niwl amser, yn fy marn i, yn ddim byd ond arwydd o'r diffyg cynnwys gwirioneddol a oedd yna ar gyfer hyn, er gwaethaf y ffaith bod y gronfa codi'r gwastad hon, y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin, wedi ei hyrwyddo gan y Blaid Geidwadol ers 2017. Maen nhw wedi cael blynyddoedd pan allen nhw fod wedi cynhyrchu rhywbeth a oedd yn cyfateb i'w haddewidion. Yr hyn sydd gennym ni yn lle hynny yw dogfen denau iawn yn wir—yn denau o ran arian am fod y Trysorlys wedi gwrthod darparu'r arian angenrheidiol i'w chefnogi, ac yn denau iawn o ran ymateb i'w honiadau ei fod yn ymwneud â throsglwyddo grym a phrosesau gwneud penderfyniadau y tu hwnt i Whitehall oherwydd, fel y dywedodd Delyth Jewell, bydd pob un penderfyniad a gaiff ei wneud ynghylch sut y caiff arian ei wario yng Nghymru yn cael ei wneud yn San Steffan, nid yn unman arall. Ac mae'r ffordd gystadleuol honno o osod un rhan o Gymru yn erbyn un arall er mwyn gwneud cais am yr hyn sy'n weddill ar y bwrdd yn y gronfa hon yn sicr o olygu nad yw'r arian yn cael ei wario'n briodol. Ni fydd cynllun strategol y tu ôl iddo. Bydd yn gyfres o fân dalpiau o arian a gaiff eu dosbarthu ar sail y mae'n anodd iawn dod o hyd i unrhyw resymeg wirioneddol iddi yn aml, a heb unrhyw synnwyr o gwbl ynghylch sut y bydd unrhyw effaith hirdymor o'r buddsoddiad hwnnw yn cael ei sicrhau i'r cyhoedd yng Nghymru.
2. Pa drafodaethau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cael gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch yr argyfwng costau byw? OQ57603
2. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government regarding the cost-of-living crisis? OQ57603
I thank the Member for that question, Llywydd. We have repeatedly called on the UK Government to act to prevent the crisis for which they are themselves responsible. A decade of austerity has left many more people in poverty and unable to manage the situation in which they now find themselves.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Rydym wedi galw dro ar ôl tro ar Lywodraeth y DU i weithredu i atal yr argyfwng y maen nhw eu hunain yn gyfrifol amdano. Mae degawd o gyni wedi gadael llawer mwy o bobl mewn tlodi ac yn methu â rheoli'r sefyllfa y maen nhw ynddi bellach.
Well, First Minister, you're right, and I'm seeing it day by day in Ogmore—and I'm sure every Member here is, regardless of party affiliation—because families in Ogmore are now facing multiple whammies. It's a cost-of-living crisis done by Conservative UK Government policies. The cut to universal credit has impacted tens of thousands of families right across Wales. The introduction of the Way2Work programme, slashing the time people have to find a job in their area of skill and experience from three months to just four weeks, means that now people are going to be facing sanctions before financial support is in place. And it doesn't end there. Households are facing the wide-ranging, mounting pressures we all know about: the weekly shop is rising, the energy costs are increasing, and we've got more tax rises coming down the tunnel from this Conservative UK Government. This is going to make things worse. The choice between heating and eating is not rhetoric; it is now reality. Do you agree with me, First Minister, that the Chancellor's buy now, pay later—as it has been described by the chief executive of Citizens Advice—energy bills rebate is loading the burden onto those who can least afford it?
Wel, Prif Weinidog, rydych chi'n iawn, ac rwy'n ei weld o ddydd i ddydd yn Ogwr—ac rwy'n siŵr bod pob Aelod yma, ni waeth beth fo'i ymlyniad gwleidyddol—oherwydd bod teuluoedd yn Ogwr bellach yn wynebu sawl ergyd. Mae'n argyfwng costau byw wedi ei achosi gan bolisïau Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU. Mae'r toriad i gredyd cynhwysol wedi effeithio ar ddegau o filoedd o deuluoedd ledled Cymru. Mae cyflwyno'r rhaglen Way2Work, sy'n lleihau'r amser sydd gan bobl i ddod o hyd i swydd yn eu maes sgiliau a phrofiad o dri mis i bedair wythnos yn unig, yn golygu y bydd pobl bellach yn wynebu sancsiynau cyn bod cymorth ariannol ar waith. Ac nid dyna'r diwedd. Mae aelwydydd yn wynebu'r pwysau pellgyrhaeddol cynyddol yr ydym ni i gyd yn gwybod amdanyn nhw: mae cost y siopa wythnosol yn cynyddu, mae'r costau ynni'n cynyddu, ac mae gennym ni fwy o godiadau treth ar y ffordd diolch i Lywodraeth Geidwadol y DU. Mae hyn yn mynd i wneud pethau'n waeth. Nid rhethreg yw'r dewis rhwng gwresogi a bwyta; mae'n realiti erbyn hyn. A ydych chi'n cytuno â mi, Prif Weinidog, fod ad-daliad biliau ynni trwy drefniant prynu nawr a thalu wedyn y Canghellor—fel y mae prif weithredwr Cyngor ar Bopeth wedi ei ddisgrifio—yn llwytho'r baich ar y rhai hynny sy'n gallu ei fforddio leiaf?
Well, Llywydd, I completely agree with Huw Irranca-Davies that that is the inevitable result of the mismanagement of the UK economy—that the costs of that mismanagement will be loaded onto those people who can least afford to bear that burden. Can I just pick up two points from the many powerful points that the Member made? I'm very glad that he made reference to the Way2Work programme, because I don't think I've heard it discussed on the floor of the Senedd, and it deserves to be. We've already seen the impact of the £20 cut in universal credit for families here in Wales, one of the most cruel decisions that I think any Government has made in the last 70 years. You've got to back before the war to the 1930s to find a Government that deliberately and knowingly took money on that scale out of the pockets of households that needed it the most. In our discretionary assistance fund, where we've been able to extend the criteria to help families, because of universal credit, last month 57 per cent of all the applications were because of people not being able to manage without that extra £20 a week. It really is an astonishing scale of distress that has been caused by that decision. And now, on top of that, as Huw Irranca-Davies has said, we have that announcement smuggled out, that in future people will only have four weeks in which to find a job for which they are skilled, experienced and capable. It takes five weeks to get a payment out of universal credit, and I think there were even Members here—Conservative Members here—who pressed, earlier last year, for the Chancellor to reduce that waiting time. So, it takes you five weeks to wait for a payment, and four weeks to wait to be sanctioned. I think that just tells you everything you need to know about where the priorities of the UK Government lie.
The second point that Huw Irranca-Davies made that I wanted to draw on, Llywydd, was the buy now, pay later scheme. So, here we are: the help that people will get with their bills will be that they themselves will end up paying later than they would pay now. Now, you might have thought, if you'd just listened to the way that UK Ministers talked about it, that this help will be available to people in the next few weeks. It will actually be October. It will be October before that help is provided. And I hear Ofgem saying that they intend to shorten the period over which they revisit the price cap from six months to three months, which means that, potentially, there will be two further price rises in fuel bills before people get even the help that the Chancellor has announced so far, and then they'll have to pay it back. That does not sound to me like something that is likely to be broadly welcomed by people who are struggling, not just with fuel bills, but with the national insurance contributions, with food prices rising, with inflation at 7 per cent. All of these make for a very torrid time ahead for the families in Ogmore, with which their Senedd representative, I know, will be deeply concerned.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â Huw Irranca-Davies mai dyna ganlyniad anochel camreoli economi'r DU—caiff costau'r camreoli hwnnw eu llwytho ar y bobl hynny na allan nhw fforddio ysgwyddo'r baich hwnnw. A gaf i godi dau bwynt o'r nifer mawr o bwyntiau pwerus a wnaeth yr Aelod? Rwy'n falch iawn ei fod wedi cyfeirio at y rhaglen Way2Work, oherwydd nid wyf yn credu fy mod i wedi clywed y rhaglen hon yn cael ei thrafod ar lawr y Senedd, ac mae'n haeddu trafodaeth o'r fath. Rydym eisoes wedi gweld effaith y toriad o £20 mewn credyd cynhwysol ar gyfer teuluoedd yma yng Nghymru, un o'r penderfyniadau mwyaf creulon yr wyf i'n credu y mae unrhyw Lywodraeth wedi ei wneud yn ystod y 70 mlynedd diwethaf. Mae'n rhaid i chi fynd yn ôl cyn y rhyfel i'r 1930au i ddod o hyd i Lywodraeth a oedd yn fwriadol ac yn bwrpasol yn cymryd arian ar y raddfa honno allan o bocedi aelwydydd a oedd ei angen fwyaf. Yn ein cronfa cymorth dewisol ni, lle rydym ni wedi gallu ymestyn y meini prawf i helpu teuluoedd, oherwydd credyd cynhwysol, y mis diwethaf roedd 57 y cant o'r holl geisiadau o ganlyniad i'r ffaith nad oedd pobl yn gallu ymdopi heb yr £20 yr wythnos ychwanegol hwnnw. Mae'n raddfa syfrdanol o drallod sydd wedi ei hachosi gan y penderfyniad hwnnw. A nawr, ar ben hynny, fel y dywedodd Huw Irranca-Davies, mae gennym ni'r cyhoeddiad hwnnw a gafodd ei smyglo allan, mai dim ond pedair wythnos fydd gan bobl yn y dyfodol i ddod o hyd i swydd y mae ganddyn nhw'r sgiliau, y profiad a'r gallu i'w chyflawni. Mae'n cymryd pum wythnos i gael taliad credyd cynhwysol, ac rwy'n credu bod Aelodau yma hyd yn oed—Aelodau Ceidwadol yma—a bwysodd, yn gynharach y llynedd, ar y Canghellor i leihau'r amser aros hwnnw. Felly, mae'n cymryd pum wythnos i chi aros am daliad, a phedair wythnos i aros i gael eich cosbi. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n dweud popeth y mae angen i chi ei wybod am le mae blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth y DU.
Yr ail bwynt a wnaeth Huw Irranca-Davies yr oeddwn i'n dymuno rhoi sylw iddo, Llywydd, oedd y cynllun prynu nawr a thalu wedyn. Felly, dyma ni: y cymorth y bydd pobl yn ei gael gyda'u biliau yw y byddan nhw eu hunain yn talu'n hwyrach yn lle talu nawr. Nawr, efallai eich bod wedi meddwl, pe baech chi wedi gwrando ar y ffordd y soniodd Gweinidogion y DU amdano, y bydd y cymorth hwn ar gael i bobl yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Bydd yn fis Hydref mewn gwirionedd. Bydd yn fis Hydref cyn i'r cymorth hwnnw gael ei ddarparu. Ac rwy'n clywed Ofgem yn dweud eu bod yn bwriadu byrhau'r cyfnod ar gyfer ailedrych ar y terfyn uchaf ar brisiau o chwe mis i dri mis, sy'n golygu, o bosibl, y bydd dau godiad arall mewn biliau tanwydd cyn i bobl hyd yn oed cael y cymorth y mae'r Canghellor wedi ei gyhoeddi hyd yn hyn, ac yna bydd yn rhaid iddyn nhw ei dalu'n ôl. Nid yw hynny'n swnio i mi fel rhywbeth sy'n debygol o gael ei groesawu'n gyffredinol gan bobl sy'n ei chael yn anodd, nid yn unig o ran biliau tanwydd, ond o ran cyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol, gyda phrisiau bwyd yn codi, gyda chwyddiant yn 7 y cant. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn golygu y bydd cyfnod anodd iawn o flaen y teuluoedd yn Ogwr, ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd eu cynrychiolydd yn y Senedd yn bryderus iawn ynghylch hyn.
I thank the Member for Ogmore for raising this important issue, even though I don't agree with perhaps all of the sentiment nor the way he presents it. But, following the welcome announcement by the Chancellor of a package of support to help people with the rising costs of living, including support to cope with rising energy costs as well as council tax rebate, the Welsh Government will receive around £175 million in consequential funding. I'm sure that you will agree, First Minister, with me, that it's important that this substantial funding is used to provide urgent support to people during this difficult time. What consideration has the Welsh Government given to providing a council tax rebate to help reduce the pressure on families, as well as creating a discretionary fund for local authorities to provide to those households already eligible for a reduction in council tax? Thank you.
Diolch i'r Aelod dros Ogwr am godi'r mater pwysig hwn, er nad wyf i'n cytuno efallai â'r holl deimladau na'r ffordd y mae'n eu cyflwyno. Ond, yn dilyn y cyhoeddiad sydd i'w groesawu gan y Canghellor am becyn cymorth i helpu pobl gyda chostau byw cynyddol, gan gynnwys cymorth i ymdopi â chostau ynni cynyddol yn ogystal ag ad-daliad y dreth gyngor, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael tua £175 miliwn o gyllid canlyniadol. Rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n cytuno â mi, Prif Weinidog, ei bod yn bwysig defnyddio'r cyllid sylweddol hwn i roi cymorth brys i bobl yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn. Pa ystyriaeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei rhoi i ddarparu ad-daliad treth gyngor i helpu i leihau'r pwysau ar deuluoedd, yn ogystal â chreu cronfa ddewisol er mwyn i awdurdodau lleol ei darparu i'r aelwydydd hynny sydd eisoes yn gymwys i gael gostyngiad i'r dreth gyngor? Diolch.
Well, Llywydd, I thank Peter Fox for that. He talks about a package of support. I think I've already explained that the help with fuel bills is help that just allows you to defer the bill. It doesn't give you any money; it just means you don't have to pay all of it up front. He speaks of 'urgent' help, and that help will arrive with all the urgency that next October brings. There was a tiny increase from £140 to £150 in the warm home discount, but again that isn't money from the Treasury; that's money that goes on everybody else's bill, as part of the social and environmental costs that all consumers have to bear.
Now, I know that the Member will be very well aware that you cannot draw a direct comparison on council tax between Wales and England. When the Chancellor's £150 reduction in a band D bill in England is applied, a band D council tax in England will still be higher than a band D average council tax in Wales, even after the Chancellor's help has been applied. And in Wales, we have the council tax benefit scheme, which was abandoned by his Government in England nearly 10 years ago—£244 million, Llywydd, way above any consequential we will receive, provided every year; 220,000 households in Wales paying no council tax at all. What I will say to the Member is this: that if we receive £175 million to help households in Wales with the cost-of-living crisis, that is what the money will be used for, but it will be used in ways that recognise the existing landscape in Wales, the fact that help is already available in Wales that doesn't exist across our border. We will find the most effective ways of getting that money from us to the families who need it, and we'll make those decisions as quickly as we are able.
Wel, Llywydd, diolch i Peter Fox am hynna. Mae'n sôn am becyn cymorth. Rwy'n credu fy mod i eisoes wedi esbonio bod y cymorth ar gyfer biliau tanwydd yn gymorth sy'n caniatáu i chi ohirio'r bil. Nid yw'n rhoi unrhyw arian i chi; mae'n golygu nad oes rhaid i chi dalu'r cyfan ymlaen llaw. Mae'n sôn am gymorth 'brys', a bydd y cymorth hwnnw'n cyrraedd gyda'r holl frys a ddaw fis Hydref nesaf. Cafwyd cynnydd bach o £140 i £150 i'r gostyngiad cartrefi clyd, ond eto nid arian gan y Trysorlys yw hynny; arian yw hynny sy'n mynd ar fil pawb arall, fel rhan o'r costau cymdeithasol ac amgylcheddol y mae'n rhaid i bob defnyddiwr eu talu.
Nawr, rwy'n gwybod y bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol iawn na allwch chi gymharu'n uniongyrchol y dreth gyngor yng Nghymru â'r dreth yn Lloegr. Pan fydd gostyngiad y Canghellor o £150 i fil band D yn Lloegr yn cael ei weithredu, bydd treth gyngor band D yn Lloegr yn dal i fod yn uwch na threth gyngor gyfartalog band D yng Nghymru, hyd yn oed ar ôl i gymorth y Canghellor gael ei ddefnyddio. Ac yng Nghymru, mae gennym y cynllun budd-dal y dreth gyngor, y rhoddodd ei Lywodraeth ef yn Lloegr y gorau iddi bron i 10 mlynedd yn ôl—£244 miliwn, Llywydd, ymhell uwchlaw unrhyw swm canlyniadol a byddwn ni'n ei gael, sy'n cael ei ddarparu bob blwyddyn; 220,000 o aelwydydd yng Nghymru nad ydyn nhw'n talu unrhyw dreth gyngor o gwbl. Yr hyn y byddaf yn ei ddweud wrth yr Aelod yw hyn: os byddwn yn cael £175 miliwn i helpu aelwydydd yng Nghymru gyda'r argyfwng costau byw, ar gyfer hynny y caiff yr arian hwnnw ei ddefnyddio, ond caiff ei ddefnyddio mewn ffyrdd sy'n cydnabod y dirwedd bresennol yng Nghymru, y ffaith bod cymorth eisoes ar gael yng Nghymru nad yw'n bodoli dros ein ffin. Byddwn yn dod o hyd i'r ffyrdd mwyaf effeithiol o gael yr arian hwnnw i'r teuluoedd sydd ei angen, a byddwn yn gwneud y penderfyniadau hynny cyn gynted ag y gallwn ni.
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, if I could draw your attention to something that you are responsible for, which is the health board in north Wales and the Royal College of Surgeons report into vascular services last week that revealed that the majority of clinical documentation was unreadable or absent, that communication and care planning was non-existent in some cases, and that, in one instance, an amputee's wife had to carry him to the toilet after he was sent home without a care plan, is any of this acceptable, and, if it's not, will you apologise?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, os caf i dynnu eich sylw at rywbeth yr ydych yn gyfrifol amdano, sef y bwrdd iechyd yn y gogledd ac adroddiad Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon ar wasanaethau fasgwlaidd yr wythnos diwethaf a ddatgelodd fod y rhan fwyaf o ddogfennau clinigol yn annarllenadwy neu'n absennol, nad oedd cyfathrebu a chynllunio gofal yn bodoli mewn rhai achosion, ac, mewn un achos, bu'n rhaid i wraig gŵr a oedd wedi cael trychiad ei gario i'r toiled ar ôl iddo gael ei anfon adref heb gynllun gofal, a yw hyn yn dderbyniol, ac, os nad ydyw, a wnewch chi ymddiheuro?
I do not regard any of that as acceptable, Llywydd; of course I don't. The findings of those 44 cases that were reviewed by the Royal College of Surgeons are very disappointing, and they are—as Andrew R.T. Davies illustrated in his answer—errors that were made by clinical staff failing to observe what seem to me to be basic standards of professional practice. When you read that there were deficiencies in record keeping, in consent taking and follow-up of cases examined, then all of us are right to be concerned and to be disappointed, and it is for the health board now to ensure that the necessary standards of professional practice are consistently delivered to the people who depend upon that service in north Wales.
Nid wyf i'n ystyried bod hynny'n dderbyniol, Llywydd; wrth gwrs ddim. Mae canfyddiadau'r 44 o achosion hynny a adolygodd Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon yn siomedig iawn, ac maen nhw—fel y dangosodd Andrew R.T. Davies yn ei ateb—yn gamgymeriadau a wnaed gan staff clinigol a fethodd â dilyn yr hyn sy'n ymddangos i mi yn safonau ymarfer proffesiynol sylfaenol. Pan fyddwch chi'n darllen bod diffygion o ran cadw cofnodion, o ran cael caniatâd a dilyn achosion a archwiliwyd, yna mae pob un ohonom yn iawn i bryderu ac i gael ein siomi, a mater i'r bwrdd iechyd yn awr yw sicrhau bod y safonau ymarfer proffesiynol angenrheidiol yn cael eu darparu'n gyson i'r bobl sy'n dibynnu ar y gwasanaeth hwnnw yn y gogledd.
Sadly, First Minister, I didn't hear an apology from you there, which I asked you to give to the people of Wales, and in particular the people who have that health board serving their needs, and the staff as well, who feel let down, because, obviously, you—as First Minister and health Minister—had this health board in special measures for seven years. Also, your Deputy Minister at the time, Vaughan Gething, had special responsibility for the health board in north Wales, and so I'd ask you again, please, if you accept that these findings are unacceptable, that you make an apology for the time that you held the strings on the governance and accountability within that health board. You can't go on constantly delivering, saying that promises are going to be made and improvements are made time and time again when (a) from your lack of apology today, you don't seem to accept any accountability for the problems that arose that this report uncovered, and, importantly, the constant merry-go-round that we as Members constantly see reports like this coming out of the health board area. So, I do ask you, as you had this health board in special measures, and you are First Minister, and, previous to that, you were health Minister, to apologise for what has gone on in this health board.
Yn anffodus, Prif Weinidog, ni chlywais ymddiheuriad gennych yn y fan yna, a gofynnais i chi ei roi i bobl Cymru, ac yn arbennig y bobl sydd â'r bwrdd iechyd hwnnw'n diwallu eu hanghenion, a'r staff hefyd, sy'n teimlo eu bod wedi eu siomi, oherwydd, yn amlwg, yr oeddech chi—y Prif Weinidog a'r Gweinidog iechyd—wedi rhoi'r bwrdd iechyd hwn mewn mesurau arbennig am saith mlynedd. Hefyd, roedd gan eich Dirprwy Weinidog ar y pryd, Vaughan Gething, gyfrifoldeb arbennig dros y bwrdd iechyd yn y gogledd, ac felly rwy'n gofyn i chi eto, os gwelwch yn dda, os ydych chi'n derbyn bod y canfyddiadau hyn yn annerbyniol, eich bod yn ymddiheuro am yr amser yr oeddech yn dal awennau'r drefn lywodraethu ac atebolrwydd y bwrdd iechyd hwnnw. Ni allwch chi fynd ymlaen yn barhaus yn dweud y bydd addewidion yn cael eu gwneud a bod gwelliannau'n cael eu gwneud dro ar ôl tro pan (a) o'ch diffyg ymddiheuriad heddiw, nad yw'n ymddangos eich bod chi'n derbyn unrhyw atebolrwydd am y problemau a gododd ac a gafodd eu datgelu gan yr adroddiad hwn, ac, yn bwysig, fel ceffylau bach y ffair, y ffordd yr ydym ni yr Aelodau yn gweld adroddiadau fel hyn yn ymddangos o ardal y bwrdd iechyd yn gyson. Felly, rwyf i yn gofyn i chi, gan mai chi a roddodd y bwrdd iechyd hwn mewn mesurau arbennig, a chi yw'r Prif Weinidog, a chyn hynny, chi oedd y Gweinidog iechyd, i ymddiheuro am yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn y bwrdd iechyd hwn.
Llywydd, I have no difficulty in apologising. I don't share the same standards as the Conservative Party, where the Prime Minister refuses to apologise time and time again for the things for which he has been so directly responsible. I have apologised in the past for the failings of the health board in north Wales, and the Welsh Government has taken a series of measures to assist the health board to make sure that the services people get are of the standard that they are entitled to receive.
In relation to vascular services alone, the Welsh Government has made a substantial investment in the physical infrastructure of the service at Glan Clwyd Hospital, and, as a result of the funding that the Welsh Government has found for that health board, there are six additional consultant vascular surgeons, an additional consultant interventional radiologist, four vascular junior doctors, extra vascular specialist nurses, and a dedicated 18-bed vascular ward. The Welsh Government has done everything we can to support the board in making good for some of the deficiencies that had been identified in it. It is very disappointing to learn that in this service there are still standards of professional practice that do not match the standards that people are entitled to expect from those who are directly responsible for that clinical care.
My colleague Eluned Morgan set out in her written statement on 3 February the measures that will now be taken, and that includes oversight of the service from a large vascular service outside Wales to make sure that there is both oversight and multidisciplinary support. She said in that written statement as well that she had asked that vascular services are discussed at the next tripartite meeting of the Welsh Government, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and the Wales Audit Office. That meeting will be taking place on Friday of this week.
Llywydd, nid yw'n anodd i mi ymddiheuro o gwbl. Nid wyf i'n rhannu'r un safonau â'r Blaid Geidwadol, lle mae'r Prif Weinidog yn gwrthod ymddiheuro dro ar ôl tro am y pethau y bu mor uniongyrchol gyfrifol amdanyn nhw. Rwyf i wedi ymddiheuro yn y gorffennol am fethiannau'r bwrdd iechyd yn y gogledd, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cymryd cyfres o gamau i gynorthwyo'r bwrdd iechyd i sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau y mae pobl yn eu cael o'r safon y mae ganddyn nhw'r hawl iddi.
O ran gwasanaethau fasgwlar yn unig, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud buddsoddiad sylweddol yn seilwaith ffisegol y gwasanaeth yn Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, ac, o ganlyniad i'r cyllid y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dod o hyd iddo ar gyfer y bwrdd iechyd hwnnw, mae chwe llawfeddyg fasgwlaidd ymgynghorol ychwanegol, radiolegydd ymyriadol ymgynghorol ychwanegol, pedwar meddyg iau fasgwlaidd, nyrsys arbenigol fasgwlaidd ychwanegol, a ward fasgwlaidd bwrpasol â 18 o welyau. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i gefnogi'r bwrdd i unioni rhai o'r diffygion a nodwyd ynddo. Mae'n destun siom mawr dysgu bod safonau ymarfer proffesiynol yn y gwasanaeth hwn o hyd nad ydyn nhw'n cyfateb i'r safonau y mae gan bobl hawl i'w disgwyl gan y rhai sy'n uniongyrchol gyfrifol am y gofal clinigol hwnnw.
Nododd fy nghyd-Weinidog Eluned Morgan yn ei datganiad ysgrifenedig ar 3 Chwefror y mesurau a fydd yn cael eu cymryd yn awr, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys gwaith goruchwylio'r gwasanaeth gan wasanaeth fasgwlaidd mawr y tu allan i Gymru i sicrhau bod goruchwyliaeth a chymorth amlddisgyblaethol ar gael. Dywedodd yn y datganiad ysgrifenedig hwnnw hefyd ei bod wedi gofyn i wasanaethau fasgwlaidd gael eu trafod yng nghyfarfod teirochrog nesaf Llywodraeth Cymru, Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru a Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru. Cynhelir y cyfarfod hwnnw ddydd Gwener yr wythnos hon.
Well, I asked you for the second time to apologise and you said that you had difficulty to apologise. I'm sure the lady who was carrying her husband to the toilet will regret the fact that you have difficulty in apologising for the lack of care plan that was put in place. I'm sure you will find it really—[Interruption.] I'm sure that the patients—22 that are numbered in this particular document—that you have responsibility for, have their records missing or unable to find any care plans put in place for their future well-being—. And it is a matter of regret that, during the seven years that you were in charge of the health board directly here from Cardiff, because of special measures—I might add the longest public body in special measures in any part of the United Kingdom—you, again, have felt unable to apologise when this report has come out.
You have tried special measures, First Minister. Since its formation in 2009, there have been four chief executives, six chairs and now we have targeted intervention and still we're getting reports like this. At what point are you going to accept that, instead of trying the same thing over and over again and getting the same results, Betsi needs radical reform and restructuring so we can see change for the people in north Wales and delivery of a service that stops reports like this being published and we have to debate them here in this Chamber?
Wel, gofynnais i chi am yr eildro i ymddiheuro ac fe ddywedoch chi eich bod yn cael anhawster wrth ymddiheuro. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y wraig a oedd yn cario ei gŵr i'r toiled yn gresynu at y ffaith eich bod yn cael anhawster wrth ymddiheuro am y diffyg cynllun gofal a roddwyd ar waith. Rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn ei chael yn wir—[Torri ar draws.] Rwy'n siŵr bod y cleifion—22 sydd wedi'u rhifo yn y ddogfen benodol hon—y mae gennych gyfrifoldeb amdanyn nhw, sydd â'u cofnodion ar goll neu nad oes modd dod o hyd i unrhyw gynlluniau gofal a roddwyd ar waith ar gyfer eu llesiant yn y dyfodol—. Ac mae'n destun gofid, yn ystod y saith mlynedd yr oeddech chi'n gyfrifol am y bwrdd iechyd yn uniongyrchol yma o Gaerdydd, oherwydd mesurau arbennig—efallai y byddwn yn ychwanegu, y corff cyhoeddus a fu hwyaf mewn mesurau arbennig mewn unrhyw ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig—yr ydych chi, unwaith eto, wedi teimlo na allwch chi ymddiheuro ar ôl i'r adroddiad hwn gael ei gyhoeddi.
Rydych wedi rhoi cynnig ar fesurau arbennig, Prif Weinidog. Ers ei ffurfio yn 2009, bu pedwar prif weithredwr, chwe chadeirydd ac erbyn hyn mae gennym ymyrraeth wedi ei thargedu ac rydym yn dal i gael adroddiadau fel hyn. Ar ba bwynt ydych chi'n mynd i dderbyn, yn hytrach na rhoi cynnig ar yr un peth dro ar ôl tro a chael yr un canlyniadau, fod angen diwygio ac ailstrwythuro radical ar Betsi fel y gallwn weld newid ar gyfer pobl y gogledd a darparu gwasanaeth sy'n rhoi diwedd ar gyhoeddi adroddiadau fel hyn a ninnau'n gorfod eu trafod yma yn y Siambr hon?
Llywydd, it may be because I'm taking part remotely that what I said wasn't able to be heard sufficiently well. What I said was—
Llywydd, efallai mai oherwydd fy mod yn siarad yn rhannol o bell na chlywyd yr hyn a ddywedais yn ddigon clir. Yr hyn a ddywedais oedd—
If I may help you, First Minister, I certainly heard you say that you had no difficulty in apologising. So, it may have been misheard elsewhere, but that's certainly my recollection of what you said.
Os caf eich helpu, Prif Weinidog, fe glywais chi yn sicr yn dweud na chawsoch unrhyw anhawster wrth ymddiheuro. Felly, efallai ei fod wedi ei gamglywed mewn mannau eraill, ond dyna'n sicr fy atgof o'r hyn a ddywedoch chi.
Well, Llywydd, that is exactly what I did say, that I had no difficulty in apologising, and I'm sure the leader of the opposition will recognise that. I'm afraid I just cannot agree with him that the best way in which services for people in north Wales could be strengthened, in the way that I think right across the Chamber we would wish to see, would be to embark upon the turmoil of a radical reform and restructuring of services. If anything was guaranteed to divert attention away from care at the front line of the sort that needs to be put right in vascular services, it would be to plunge the organisation into that sort of internal turmoil. I can assure him that at various points when this has been suggested, this has been rehearsed inside the Welsh Government and with professional advisers and with other bodies, and every time the conclusion is reached that this would be the opposite of a recipe for improvement. It would just guarantee that, for several years ahead, instead of focusing on the things that need to be done, people in north Wales in the health service would be focused on organisational matters, rather than on the standards of clinical care.
Wel, Llywydd, dyna'n union a ddywedais i, na chefais unrhyw anhawster wrth ymddiheuro, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd arweinydd yr wrthblaid yn cydnabod hynny. Mae arnaf ofn na allaf gytuno ag ef mai'r ffordd orau o gryfhau gwasanaethau i bobl yn y gogledd, yn y ffordd yr wyf i'n credu ar draws y Siambr yr hoffem ni ei gweld, fyddai dechrau ar yr helbul o ddiwygio radical ac ailstrwythuro gwasanaethau. Pe bai unrhyw beth yn cael ei warantu i dynnu sylw oddi wrth ofal yn y rheng flaen, o'r math y mae angen ei gywiro mewn gwasanaethau fasgwlaidd, yna taflu'r sefydliad i'r math hwnnw o helbul mewnol fyddai hynny. Gallaf ei sicrhau, ar wahanol adegau pan awgrymwyd hyn, fod hyn wedi'i ailadrodd y tu mewn i Lywodraeth Cymru a gyda chynghorwyr proffesiynol a gyda chyrff eraill, a phob tro, deuir i'r casgliad y byddai hyn yn groes i'r hyn sydd ei angen ar gyfer gwella. Byddai'n gwarantu, am nifer o flynyddoedd i ddod, yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio ar y pethau y mae angen eu gwneud, y byddai pobl yn y gogledd yn y gwasanaeth iechyd yn canolbwyntio ar faterion sefydliadol, yn hytrach nag ar safonau gofal clinigol.
Ar ran Plaid Cymru heddiw, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
On behalf of Plaid Cymru today, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Llywydd. Dwi ar y cofnod yn dweud y dylid cael gwared ar fwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr oni bai eu bod nhw'n gallu dod yn ôl ar y trywydd cywir, ac mae gen i ofn bod yr adroddiad yma rydyn ni wedi'i weld rŵan yn gwneud dim i roi hyder inni yn nyfodol y bwrdd. Wythnos yn ôl, wrth ateb cwestiwn gan Mabon ap Gwynfor, mi wnaeth y Prif Weinidog fwy neu lai ein cyhuddo ni ar y meinciau yma, ac ymgyrchwyr a staff lleol, o danseilio gwasanaethau fasgwlar yn y gogledd oherwydd y modd rydyn ni wedi gwrthwynebu a chodi cwestiynau am y broses o ganoli gwasanaethau. O fod wedi gweld yr adroddiad damniol arall yma, ydy'r Prif Weinidog rŵan yn gweld mai codi pryderon go iawn am resymau da yr oeddem ni?
Thank you, Llywydd. I am on the record stating that we should get rid of Betsi Cadwaladr health board unless they can return to the right path, and I'm afraid that the report that we've seen now does nothing to give us confidence in the future of the health board. Last week, in responding to a question from Mabon ap Gwynfor, the First Minister more or less accused us on these benches, and campaigners and local staff, of undermining vascular services in the north because of the way that we have opposed and raised questions about the process of centralising services. Having seen another damning report, does the First Minister now see that we were raising genuine concerns for good reason—that's what we were doing?
Na, dwi ddim yn cytuno â hynny o gwbl, Llywydd. Dwi'n cofio'r cwestiynau gan Mabon ap Gwynfor a dwi'n cofio'r atebion—yr atebion gofalus—a roddais i wythnos diwethaf. Dwi'n dal i gredu beth ddywedais i wythnos yn ôl. Beth sydd wedi digwydd gyda'r gwasanaeth, i ailwampio'r gwasanaeth, yw rhywbeth a oedd yn angenrheidiol i'w wneud. Dyw'r ffordd y mae wedi cael ei wneud ddim yn dderbyniol, ond fel yr oedd Eluned Morgan yn ei ddweud yn ei datganiad hi—dyma beth ddywedodd y Gweinidog:
No, I don't agree with that at all, Llywydd. I recall the questions asked by Mabon ap Gwynfor and I recall the responses—the careful responses—that I gave to those questions last week. I still believe what I said a week ago. What has happened with the reorganisation of the service is something that was necessary. The way that it has been done isn't acceptable, but as Eluned Morgan said in her statement—these are the words of the Minister:
'I am also sure the situation has not been helped by relentlessly negative public discourse which has overshadowed any positive impacts of the service reconfiguration and had the potential to impact on staff morale. This is something that was noted in the first RCS report.'
'Rwyf hefyd yn siŵr nad yw'r sefyllfa wedi cael ei helpu gan drafodaeth gyhoeddus negyddol ddi-baid sydd wedi taflu cysgod dros unrhyw effeithiau cadarnhaol ad-drefnu'r gwasanaeth ac a oedd â'r potensial i effeithio ar forâl staff. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth a nodwyd yn adroddiad cyntaf yr RCS.'
Concerns were raised and opposition raised because we were worried about the standards of service. I could barely believe what I was reading in this report: treatment given that should not have been given, even amputation; treatment not given when it should have been given; an appalling lack of communication with patients and their families; and record keeping so poor that the royal college investigators couldn't even figure out what had happened to some patients or what discussions there had been about their treatment, or, indeed, whether the health board had even met its ethical and legal obligations in the treatment of patients. Far from being the fault of those of us who questioned the centralisation programme, this has been down to incompetence and mismanagement, and the board had to insist on pressing ahead with this investigation when senior managers were still saying, 'No, everything's okay.'
Now, there were real questions over whether Betsi Cadwaladr was ready to come out of special measures, very conveniently before the last election. I'm looking for an assurance this afternoon that vascular services in the north will go back into special measures with targeted intervention to sort out this mess. And will the First Minister, in reflection, now agree that the end of special measures then was premature?
Codwyd pryderon a chodwyd gwrthwynebiad am ein bod yn poeni am safonau'r gwasanaeth. Prin y gallwn gredu'r hyn yr oeddwn i yn ei ddarllen yn yr adroddiad hwn: triniaeth wedi ei rhoi na ddylai fod wedi'i rhoi, hyd yn oed tynnu rhan o'r corff; triniaeth na roddwyd pan ddylai fod wedi'i rhoi; diffyg cyfathrebu ofnadwy gyda chleifion a'u teuluoedd; a chadw cofnodion mor wael fel na allai ymchwilwyr y coleg brenhinol hyd yn oed nodi'r hyn a ddigwyddodd i rai cleifion na pha drafodaethau a gafwyd am eu triniaeth, neu, yn wir, a oedd y bwrdd iechyd hyd yn oed wedi cyflawni ei rwymedigaethau moesegol a chyfreithiol wrth drin cleifion. Yn hytrach na bod yn fai ar y rhai ohonom a heriodd y rhaglen ganoli, mae hyn wedi bod yn ganlyniad i anallu a chamreoli, a bu'n rhaid i'r bwrdd fynnu bwrw ymlaen â'r ymchwiliad hwn pan oedd uwch reolwyr yn dal i ddweud, 'Na, mae popeth yn iawn.'
Nawr, roedd cwestiynau go iawn ynghylch a oedd Betsi Cadwaladr yn barod i ddod allan o fesurau arbennig, yn gyfleus iawn cyn yr etholiad diwethaf. Rwy'n chwilio am sicrwydd y prynhawn yma y bydd gwasanaethau fasgwlaidd yn y gogledd yn mynd yn ôl i fesurau arbennig gydag ymyrraeth wedi'i thargedu i ddatrys y llanastr hwn. Ac a wnaiff y Prif Weinidog, wrth fyfyrio, gytuno nawr fod diwedd mesurau arbennig bryd hynny'n gynamserol?
Well, Llywydd, a number of points there. It's important to put on the record the fact that up to half of the 44 cases investigated by the Royal College of Surgeons long predate the reorganisation of the services; these are cases that span from 2014 to 2021. The Member, I think, does a disservice, again this week, in mixing up those two issues together. The way in which services have been redrawn, so that specialist services are concentrated in one place, was the right decision; that is not challenged in either of the Royal College of Surgeons' reports and, indeed, the royal college supported that plan. What is unacceptable and deeply disappointing is the neglect of basic standards of professional practice that are revealed in the report.
I was the Minister that placed Betsi Cadwaladr into special measures. I remember being told by Members on the floor of the Chamber that that was convenient for political purposes, just as I'm used to other parties trying to claim that the decision to bring the board out of special measures was somehow politically motivated. It was, Llywydd, simply the result of the process that is in place.
I cannot give the Member the guarantees that he asks for this afternoon, because those are not political decisions. Now, he may think that he, as a politician, has the answers and that we should simply rely on his political judgment, but that is not the way in which those decisions are made in Wales. There will be a tripartite meeting. The tripartite meeting will make recommendations and then, indeed, it will be Ministers who decide whether and how to act on them. But that's how the system works. It's not by people designing solutions on the floor of the Senedd; it's by taking the expert judgment of that rounded tripartite meeting, and then Ministers taking the responsibility for acting on them.
Wel, Llywydd, nifer o bwyntiau yn y fan yna. Mae'n bwysig cofnodi'r ffaith bod hyd at hanner y 44 o achosion yr ymchwiliwyd iddyn nhw gan Goleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon yn rhagddyddio ad-drefnu'r gwasanaethau ers peth amser; mae'r rhain yn achosion sy'n ymestyn rhwng 2014 a 2021. Rwy'n credu bod yr Aelod yn gwneud cam, unwaith eto yr wythnos hon, wrth gymysgu'r ddau fater hynny gyda'i gilydd. Y ffordd y mae gwasanaethau wedi'u hail-lunio, fel bod gwasanaethau arbenigol wedi'u crynhoi mewn un lle, oedd y penderfyniad cywir; nid yw hynny'n cael ei herio yn adroddiadau Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon ac, yn wir, cefnogodd y coleg brenhinol y cynllun hwnnw. Yr hyn sy'n annerbyniol ac yn siomedig iawn yw esgeuluso safonau sylfaenol ymarfer proffesiynol a ddatgelir yn yr adroddiad.
Fi oedd y Gweinidog a roddodd Betsi Cadwaladr mewn mesurau arbennig. Cofiaf i aelodau ar lawr y Siambr ddweud wrthyf fod hynny'n gyfleus at ddibenion gwleidyddol, yn union fel yr wyf wedi arfer â phleidiau eraill sy'n ceisio honni bod y penderfyniad i ddod â'r bwrdd allan o fesurau arbennig rywsut wedi'i ysgogi'n wleidyddol. Yr oedd, Llywydd, yn ganlyniad i'r broses sydd ar waith.
Ni allaf roi'r gwarantau y mae'n gofyn amdanyn nhw y prynhawn yma i'r Aelod, oherwydd nid penderfyniadau gwleidyddol yw'r rheini. Nawr, efallai ei fod yn credu, fel gwleidydd, fod yr atebion ganddo ac y dylem ddibynnu ar ei farn wleidyddol yn unig, ond nid dyna'r ffordd y gwneir y penderfyniadau hynny yng Nghymru. Bydd cyfarfod teirochrog. Bydd y cyfarfod teirochrog yn gwneud argymhellion ac yna, yn wir, Gweinidogion fydd yn penderfynu a ddylid eu gweithredu a sut i'w gweithredu. Ond dyna sut mae'r system yn gweithio. Nid bobl yn dylunio atebion ar lawr y Senedd ond drwy gael barn arbenigol y cyfarfod teirochrog hwnnw, ac yna Gweinidogion yn cymryd y cyfrifoldeb dros eu gweithredu.
But I fear that, sometimes, decisions are made without a deep understanding of the communities that they affect. Let's look at that principle of centralisation. I totally understand the arguments for developing centres that are able to have a bigger throughput of patients with the most serious illnesses. But (a) when we do that for rural areas, say, we have to think innovatively so as not to strip away core functions that are important locally, because whatever promises were made in relation to this particular centralisation, that certain services would be kept local, that's certainly not what has happened. And (b) if it's about better services, why on earth was that element of centralisation, which could have been beneficial, not developed around Ysbyty Gwynedd, where the quality of treatment was so high? I asked a Betsi Cadwaladr medical director why on earth wasn't it decided to centralise around Ysbyty Gwynedd. He told me he didn't know.
There are lessons here for all of Wales, I believe, First Minister, and that is that the principle of centralising has become more important than the quality of care in too many instances. Will the First Minister commit to having an investigation that's open and transparent, and independent, into what happened with vascular services in the north, so that all of Wales can be sure that those lessons, where centralisation does go wrong, are genuinely learnt?
Ond rwy'n ofni, weithiau, fod penderfyniadau'n cael eu gwneud heb ddealltwriaeth ddofn o'r cymunedau y maen nhw'n effeithio arnyn nhw. Gadewch i ni edrych ar yr egwyddor honno o ganoli. Rwy'n deall yn llwyr y dadleuon dros ddatblygu canolfannau sy'n gallu cael cyfradd brosesu uwch o gleifion â'r afiechydon mwyaf difrifol. Ond (a) pan wnawn ni hynny ar gyfer ardaloedd gwledig, dyweder, mae'n rhaid i ni feddwl yn arloesol er mwyn peidio â dileu swyddogaethau craidd sy'n bwysig yn lleol, oherwydd pa addewidion bynnag a wnaed mewn cysylltiad â'r canoli penodol hwn, byddai rhai gwasanaethau'n cael eu cadw'n lleol, yn sicr nid dyna sydd wedi digwydd. A (b) os yw'n ymwneud â gwell gwasanaethau, pam ar y ddaear yr oedd yr elfen honno o ganoli, a allai fod wedi bod yn fuddiol, heb ei datblygu o amgylch Ysbyty Gwynedd, lle yr oedd ansawdd y driniaeth mor uchel? Gofynnais i gyfarwyddwr meddygol Betsi Cadwaladr pam ar y ddaear na phenderfynwyd canoli o amgylch Ysbyty Gwynedd. Dywedodd wrthyf nad oedd yn gwybod.
Mae gwersi yma i Gymru gyfan, rwy'n credu, Prif Weinidog, sef bod yr egwyddor o ganoli wedi dod yn bwysicach nag ansawdd y gofal mewn gormod o achosion. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ymrwymo i gael ymchwiliad sy'n agored ac yn dryloyw, ac yn annibynnol, i'r hyn a ddigwyddodd gyda gwasanaethau fasgwlaidd yn y gogledd, fel y gall Cymru gyfan fod yn siŵr bod y gwersi hynny, lle aiff canoli o chwith, yn cael eu dysgu'n wirioneddol?
Well, there are some aspects of what the Member said that I can agree with, Llywydd. We've just had the second independent investigation report published; I just don't see where the merit lies in piling investigation upon investigation. What we need is action on the basis of the reports that we now have in front of us.
The point that I feel I can agree with is when Rhun ap Iorwerth says that models that are developed by royal colleges and others have to be properly transferred into the Welsh context and can't be just picked up and dropped into Wales. When I was the health Minister, I was also responsible for a piece of work done about Bronglais General Hospital, in which these exact arguments were discussed—and discussed with the royal colleges—about the way in which services that could safely and properly be provided locally in a rural area could be safely and successfully deployed at that hospital. And I think that has been a successful set of actions that have followed that have added to the staff at the hospital and the capacity at the hospital. So, I agree that general trends in medicine, which are towards the centralisation of specialist services, have to be calibrated to the context in which they are being implemented, and we should do that in a way that works for us here in Wales.
Where I do depart from him completely is in his wish to try and reopen old battles over the way in which services were decided upon and configured in north Wales in the vascular context. The health Minister could not have been more direct in her statement about the distraction, at the very best, that that will be from the real job in hand, which is to make sure that the system that we now have works, and works properly, and does not have the very disturbing and disappointing aspects that were revealed in the report that the board itself had commissioned.
Wel, mae rhai agweddau ar yr hyn a ddywedodd yr Aelod y gallaf gytuno â nhw, Llywydd. Rydym newydd gyhoeddi'r ail adroddiad ymchwiliad annibynnol; nid wyf yn gweld lle mae'r budd o bentyrru ymchwiliad ar ôl ymchwiliad. Yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom yw gweithredu ar sail yr adroddiadau sydd gennym nawr o'n blaenau.
Y pwynt y teimlaf y gallaf i gytuno ag ef yw pan ddywed Rhun ap Iorwerth fod yn rhaid trosglwyddo modelau sy'n cael eu datblygu gan golegau brenhinol ac eraill yn briodol i gyd-destun Cymru ac nid dim ond eu codi a'u gollwng yng Nghymru. Pan oeddwn i yn Weinidog iechyd, yr oeddwn i hefyd yn gyfrifol am ddarn o waith a wnaed am Ysbyty Cyffredinol Bronglais, lle trafodwyd yr union ddadleuon hyn—a'u trafod gyda'r colegau brenhinol—am y ffordd y gellid defnyddio gwasanaethau y gellid eu darparu'n ddiogel ac yn briodol yn lleol mewn ardal wledig yn ddiogel ac yn llwyddiannus yn yr ysbyty hwnnw. Ac rwy'n credu bod hynny wedi bod yn gyfres lwyddiannus o gamau gweithredu sydd wedi dilyn ac sydd wedi ychwanegu at staff yr ysbyty a'r capasiti yn yr ysbyty. Felly, rwy'n cytuno bod yn rhaid i dueddiadau cyffredinol mewn meddygaeth, sydd tuag at ganoli gwasanaethau arbenigol, gael eu graddnodi ar gyfer y cyd-destun y maen nhw'n cael eu gweithredu ynddo, a dylem wneud hynny mewn ffordd sy'n gweithio i ni yma yng Nghymru.
Lle yr wyf yn gwyro oddi wrtho'n llwyr, yw ei ddymuniad i geisio ailagor hen frwydrau dros y ffordd y penderfynwyd ar wasanaethau a'u ffurfweddu yn y gogledd yn y cyd-destun fasgwlaidd. Ni allai'r Gweinidog iechyd fod wedi bod yn fwy uniongyrchol yn ei datganiad sef y byddai hynny yn tynnu sylw oddi ar y gwaith go iawn sydd dan sylw, sef sicrhau bod y system sydd gennym nawr yn gweithio, ac yn gweithio'n iawn, ac nad oes ganddi'r agweddau annymunol a siomedig iawn a ddatgelwyd yn yr adroddiad yr oedd y bwrdd ei hun wedi'i gomisiynu.
3. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am strategaeth ryngwladol Llywodraeth Cymru? OQ57614
3. Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's international strategy? OQ57614
I thank the Member for that question, Llywydd. Since the publication of the international strategy, we have published a series of action plans and reinforced our relationships with key international partners. We regularly review priorities against the international strategy as we move into a world beyond coronavirus.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Ers cyhoeddi'r strategaeth ryngwladol, rydym wedi cyhoeddi cyfres o gynlluniau gweithredu ac wedi atgyfnerthu ein perthynas â phartneriaid rhyngwladol allweddol. Rydym yn adolygu blaenoriaethau yn rheolaidd o'u cymharu â'r strategaeth ryngwladol wrth i ni symud i fyd y tu hwnt i coronafeirws.
I thank the First Minister for his answer. As we look ahead to the St David's Day celebrations in a few weeks' time, I took the trouble earlier this week of reading your written statement in advance of last year's St David's Day. I was delighted to read that your aim then was to use our
'National Day to support delivery of our International Strategy, with its key ambitions of raising Wales' profile on the international stage'.
I remember from Plenary last week that this year's plans are similar as well. But in that written statement, you mentioned that most of this work would be publicised via the @walesdotcom Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages. Indeed, much of Wales's international publicity is supposed to be done via @walesdotcom. But, First Minister, are you aware that, as of this morning, those same Twitter and Facebook pages you mentioned last year as being an integral part of your international strategy have only had one original post in the last three months, and the Instagram page has only posted once since September? How exactly are we selling Wales to the world ahead of our national day as a place to work, study, visit and invest when we look closed for business?
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog am ei ateb. Wrth i ni edrych ymlaen at ddathliadau Dydd Gŵyl Dewi ymhen ychydig wythnosau, penderfynais yn gynharach yr wythnos hon ddarllen eich datganiad ysgrifenedig cyn Dydd Gŵyl Dewi y llynedd. Roeddwn i wrth fy modd yn darllen mai eich nod bryd hynny oedd defnyddio ein
'Diwrnod Cenedlaethol i gefnogi'r gwaith o gyflawni ein Strategaeth Ryngwladol, gyda'i huchelgeisiau allweddol o godi proffil Cymru ar y llwyfan rhyngwladol'.
Cofiaf o'r Cyfarfod Llawn yr wythnos diwethaf fod cynlluniau eleni yn debyg hefyd. Ond yn y datganiad ysgrifenedig hwnnw, fe sonioch chi y byddai'r rhan fwyaf o'r gwaith hwn yn cael cyhoeddusrwydd drwy dudalennau @walesdotcom Twitter, Instagram a Facebook. Yn wir, mae llawer o gyhoeddusrwydd rhyngwladol Cymru i fod i gael ei wneud drwy @walesdotcom. Ond, Prif Weinidog, a ydych chi'n ymwybodol, hyd y bore yma, mai dim ond un postiad gwreiddiol sydd wedi ei roi ar y tudalennau Twitter a Facebook y sonioch chi amdanyn nhw y llynedd fel rhan annatod o'ch strategaeth ryngwladol, yn ystod y tri mis diwethaf, a dim ond un postiad ar Instagram ers mis Medi? Sut yn union yr ydym yn gwerthu Cymru i'r byd cyn ein diwrnod cenedlaethol fel lle i weithio, astudio, i ymweld ag ef ac i fuddsoddi ynddo pan fo'n ymddangos ein bod wedi cau ar gyfer busnes?
Llywydd, I'm in no doubt at all that the Member spends more of his time looking at those social media posts than I do. What I can tell him, of course, is that the Welsh Government, through the international strategy, is busy every day in making sure that Wales is promoted abroad and that we use our national day as a platform on which we can do more to make sure that the profile of Wales, opportunities for business in Wales, the work of our arts organisations, our sports organisations are known across the world, and that the profile of Wales is strengthened accordingly.
Llywydd, even in the last month, across the world, Welsh Government offices have been doing exactly that: a Welsh event in Washington with Study in Wales and Welsh universities, making sure that opportunities to come and study here in Wales are properly known and promoted in the United States, and face-to-face meetings in our Brussels office resuming, particularly around the plan to have a meeting of the CPMR—the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions—here in Cardiff in March, bringing delegations from across Europe to our capital city. Our Paris office supported a Welsh trade mission to the World Nuclear Exhibition in Paris in December. Our middle east offices have been, of course, focusing on the World Expo event in Dubai, and in Japan, our office has led an offshore wind investment event that has led to 10 Japanese companies expressing an interest in making investment here in Wales.
Perhaps if the Member spent a little less time trailing Instagram and a little bit longer looking at the world around him, he would recognise all the things that go on all the time to promote Wales on that world stage.
Llywydd, nid oes gennyf amheuaeth o gwbl fod yr Aelod yn treulio mwy o'i amser yn edrych ar bostiadau ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol hynny na mi. Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrtho, wrth gwrs, yw bod Llywodraeth Cymru, drwy'r strategaeth ryngwladol, yn brysur bob dydd o ran sicrhau bod Cymru'n cael ei hyrwyddo dramor a'n bod yn defnyddio ein diwrnod cenedlaethol fel llwyfan y gallwn wneud mwy arno i sicrhau bod proffil Cymru, cyfleoedd i fusnesau yng Nghymru, gwaith ein sefydliadau celfyddydol, mae ein sefydliadau chwaraeon yn adnabyddus ledled y byd, bod proffil Cymru'n cael ei gryfhau yn unol â hynny.
Llywydd, hyd yn oed yn ystod y mis diwethaf, ar draws y byd, mae swyddfeydd Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn gwneud yr union beth hwnnw: digwyddiad Cymreig yn Washington gydag Astudio yng Nghymru a phrifysgolion Cymru, sicrhau bod cyfleoedd i ddod i astudio yma yng Nghymru yn hysbys ac yn cael eu hyrwyddo'n briodol yn yr Unol Daleithiau, a chyfarfodydd wyneb yn wyneb yn ein swyddfa ym Mrwsel yn ailddechrau, yn enwedig o amgylch y cynllun i gael cyfarfod o'r CPMR—Cynhadledd y Rhanbarthau Morol Ymylol—yma yng Nghaerdydd ym mis Mawrth, gan ddod â dirprwyaethau o bob rhan o Ewrop i'n prifddinas. Cefnogodd ein swyddfa ym Mharis daith fasnach Gymreig i Arddangosfa Niwclear y Byd ym Mharis ym mis Rhagfyr. Mae ein swyddfeydd yn y dwyrain canol, wrth gwrs, wedi bod yn canolbwyntio ar ddigwyddiad Expo'r Byd yn Dubai, ac yn Japan, mae ein swyddfa wedi arwain digwyddiad buddsoddi gwynt ar y môr sydd wedi arwain at 10 cwmni o Japan yn mynegi diddordeb mewn buddsoddi yma yng Nghymru.
Efallai pe bai'r Aelod yn treulio ychydig llai o amser â'i ben yn Instagram ac ychydig mwy yn edrych ar y byd o'i gwmpas, byddai'n cydnabod yr holl bethau sy'n mynd ymlaen drwy'r amser i hyrwyddo Cymru ar y llwyfan byd hwnnw.
First Minister, Wales is home to some internationally recognised brands such as Penderyn whisky, based in my own constituency, and their slogan, 'From Wales to the world', emphasises this global outlook. In addition to the comments you've already made to the previous Member, could you outline for us how the Welsh Government is building on the reputation of these world leaders, both to promote Welsh businesses and Wales as a tourism destination?
Prif Weinidog, mae Cymru'n gartref i rai brandiau a gydnabyddir yn rhyngwladol fel wisgi Penderyn, sydd wedi'u lleoli yn fy etholaeth i, ac mae eu slogan, 'O Gymru i'r byd', yn pwysleisio'r agwedd fyd-eang hon. Yn ogystal â'r sylwadau yr ydych eisoes wedi'u gwneud i'r Aelod blaenorol, a wnewch chi amlinellu i ni sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn adeiladu ar enw da'r arweinwyr byd hyn, i hyrwyddo busnesau Cymru a Chymru fel cyrchfan twristiaeth?
I thank Vikki Howells for that question. Of course, she is absolutely right to point to Penderyn whisky as a leading Welsh brand, a brand known right across the world. Wales has leading brands in many parts of life; it was fantastic that Welsh National Opera were chosen to perform in Dubai at the expo event. But in food and drink in particular, we have so many world-leading brands, and at Dubai—and my colleague Vaughan Gething will be representing Wales at the expo event around St David's Day—we will be promoting Tŷ Nant water, Rachel's Organic, Snowdonia Cheese, alongside, of course, Penderyn whisky.
When I was in Japan, Llywydd—it seems a while ago now—Penderyn whisky was a real calling card for Wales, known everywhere. I was in Tokyo myself the day that Tokyo ran out of Wrexham Lager during the world cup, and that was another iconic Welsh brand that's known across the world. Those brands, as well as being calling cards for Welsh businesses, as Vikki Howells said, also bring people to Wales. Again, when I was in Japan, food and drink was very important to Japanese visitors. It's very important indeed that they have a strong sense of provenance of the food that they're eating. When they come to Wales, as they have, up to the pandemic, in growing numbers year by year, those iconic brands are what very often help us to strengthen that tourism offer as well.
Diolch i Vikki Howells am y cwestiwn yna. Wrth gwrs, mae hi'n llygad ei lle i gyfeirio at wisgi Penderyn fel brand Cymreig blaenllaw, brand sy'n adnabyddus ar draws y byd. Mae gan Gymru frandiau blaenllaw mewn sawl rhan o fywyd; roedd yn wych bod Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru wedi cael eu dewis i berfformio yn Dubai yn y digwyddiad expo. Ond ym maes bwyd a diod yn arbennig, mae gennym gymaint o frandiau sy'n arwain y byd, ac yn Dubai—a bydd fy nghyd-Weinidog Vaughan Gething yn cynrychioli Cymru yn y digwyddiad expo o amgylch Dydd Gŵyl Dewi—byddwn yn hyrwyddo dŵr Tŷ Nant, Rachel's Organic, Caws Eryri, ochr yn ochr â wisgi Penderyn, wrth gwrs.
Pan oeddwn i yn Japan, Llywydd—mae'n ymddangos yn bell yn ôl nawr—roedd wisgi Penderyn yn gerdyn galw go iawn i Gymru, yn cael ei adnabod ym mhobman. Roeddwn i yn Tokyo fy hun y diwrnod y rhedodd Tokyo allan o Lager Wrecsam yn ystod cwpan y byd, ac roedd hwnnw'n frand eiconig arall o Gymru sy'n adnabyddus ar draws y byd. Mae'r brandiau hynny, yn ogystal â bod yn gardiau galw ar gyfer busnesau Cymru, fel y dywedodd Vikki Howells, hefyd yn dod â phobl i Gymru. Unwaith eto, pan oeddwn i yn Japan, roedd bwyd a diod yn bwysig iawn i ymwelwyr Japaneaidd. Mae'n bwysig iawn yn wir fod ganddyn nhw ymdeimlad cryf o darddiad y bwyd y maen nhw'n ei fwyta. Pan fyddan nhw'n dod i Gymru, fel y gwnaethon nhw, hyd at y pandemig, yn eu niferoedd cynyddol o flwyddyn i flwyddyn, y brandiau eiconig hynny yw'r hyn sy'n ein helpu ni'n aml iawn i gryfhau'r cynnig twristiaeth hwnnw hefyd.
4. Beth yw blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer darpariaeth gofal iechyd yng ngorllewin Cymru? OQ57607
4. What are the Welsh Government's priorities for healthcare provision in west Wales? OQ57607
The current priority in west Wales remains balancing services to keep people safe from COVID while extending the return of wider, more routine services as it becomes safe to do so.
Y flaenoriaeth bresennol yn y gorllewin yw cydbwyso gwasanaethau o hyd i gadw pobl yn ddiogel rhag COVID gan ymestyn y gwaith o ddychwelyd gwasanaethau ehangach, mwy rheolaidd wrth iddi ddod yn ddiogel i wneud hynny.
Diolch, Brif Weinidog. A fortnight ago, Hywel Dda University Health Board signed off a programme business case for the reorganisation of healthcare services in west Wales, which, if approved and signed off by your Government, will see the creation of a new hospital at a location not yet decided somewhere between Narberth and St Clears. This business case also sees both Glangwili and Withybush hospitals downgraded to community hospitals. These are plans that have been in circulation for a number of years. A protest is planned for 23 February outside Withybush Hospital by the local campaign group, who have not given up the fight to see services stay at their local hospital. When you were health Minister in 2014, you—and I quote—saw 'no useful purpose' in meeting with the concerned residents of west Wales to discuss health service reorganisation when invited to do so by MP Stephen Crabb. Given the strength of feeling by the community and their steadfast desire to see services retained in their local hospitals, do you now regret not meeting with the people of west Wales?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Bythefnos yn ôl, cymeradwyodd Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda achos busnes rhaglen ar gyfer ad-drefnu gwasanaethau gofal iechyd yn y gorllewin, a fydd, os caiff ei gymeradwyo a'i gadarnhau gan eich Llywodraeth chi, yn gweld ysbyty newydd yn cael ei godi mewn lleoliad nad yw wedi'i benderfynu eto rywle rhwng Arberth a Sanclêr. Mae'r achos busnes hwn hefyd yn gweld ysbytai Glangwili a Llwynhelyg yn cael eu hisraddio i ysbytai cymunedol. Mae'r rhain yn gynlluniau sydd wedi bod o gwmpas ers nifer o flynyddoedd. Bwriedir cynnal protest ar 23 Chwefror y tu allan i Ysbyty Llwynhelyg gan y grŵp ymgyrchu lleol, sydd heb roi'r gorau i'r frwydr i weld gwasanaethau'n aros yn eu hysbyty lleol. Pan oeddech chi'n Weinidog iechyd yn 2014, roeddech chi—a dyfynnaf—yn teimlo nad oedd 'diben defnyddiol' i gyfarfod â thrigolion pryderus yn y gorllewin i drafod ad-drefnu'r gwasanaeth iechyd pan wahoddwyd chi gan yr AS Stephen Crabb i wneud hynny. O ystyried cryfder y teimladau yn y gymuned a'u hawydd cyson i weld gwasanaethau'n cael eu cadw yn eu hysbytai lleol, a ydych yn difaru yn awr na wnaethoch chi gyfarfod â phobl yn y gorllewin?
I'm afraid the question is just completely mistaken, because I did meet—I did meet—with representatives of those groups. I met them here in this building. So, he's just completely wrong, really. But I think his question is deeply disappointing—deeply, deeply disappointing. If the Conservative Party think that their contribution to improving services in west Wales is once again to lead a campaign against the improvements that the health board seeks to bring about, then he is doing a deep disservice to the people that he represents. Let me be clear on that with him. The health board has brought forward a series of proposals. They'll be looked at by the Welsh Government. They're designed to make sure that services in west Wales are safe and secure for the next 20 years.
I'm afraid I remember all too well the last time the Welsh Government attempted to invest millions and millions of pounds in improving services in west Wales, when Brian Gibbons was the health Minister here and the health board brought forward a plan for a new hospital—a brand new hospital—for west Wales to be placed, at that time, in Whitland, in the Member's own constituency. It was opposition from his party that prevented that major investment from being realised in the community that he now serves. I do hope he doesn't intend to embark upon his career here in the Senedd by frustrating the attempts of local people to have millions of pounds invested in the health services on which they will rely in the future.
Mae arnaf ofn bod y cwestiwn yn gwbl anghywir, oherwydd fe wnes i gyfarfod—fe wnes i gyfarfod—â chynrychiolwyr y grwpiau hynny. Fe wnes i gyfarfod â nhw yma yn yr adeilad hwn. Felly, mae'n hollol anghywir, mewn gwirionedd. Ond rwy'n credu bod ei gwestiwn yn siomedig iawn—yn siomedig iawn. Os yw'r Blaid Geidwadol yn credu mai eu cyfraniad at wella gwasanaethau yng ngorllewin Cymru unwaith eto yw arwain ymgyrch yn erbyn y gwelliannau y mae'r bwrdd iechyd yn ceisio eu cyflwyno, yna mae'n gwneud cam mawr â'r bobl y mae'n eu cynrychioli. Gadewch i mi fod yn glir ynghylch hynny gydag ef. Mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi cyflwyno cyfres o gynigion. Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn edrych arnyn nhw. Maen nhw wedi'u cynllunio i sicrhau bod gwasanaethau yn y gorllewin yn ddiogel am yr 20 mlynedd nesaf.
Mae arnaf ofn fy mod yn cofio'n rhy dda y tro diwethaf i Lywodraeth Cymru geisio buddsoddi miliynau a miliynau o bunnau i wella gwasanaethau yn y gorllewin, pan oedd Brian Gibbons yn Weinidog iechyd yma a chyflwynodd y bwrdd iechyd gynllun ar gyfer ysbyty newydd—ysbyty newydd sbon—ar gyfer y gorllewin, i'w leoli bryd hynny, yn Hendy-gwyn ar Daf, yn etholaeth yr Aelod ei hun. Gwrthwynebiad gan ei blaid ef a oedd yn atal y buddsoddiad mawr hwnnw rhag cael ei wireddu yn y gymuned y mae bellach yn ei gwasanaethu. Rwy'n gobeithio nad yw'n bwriadu dechrau ar ei yrfa yma yn y Senedd drwy rwystro ymdrechion pobl leol i sicrhau buddsoddiad o filiynau o bunnau yn y gwasanaethau iechyd y byddant yn dibynnu arnyn nhw yn y dyfodol.
I hope, First Minister, that you'll agree with me that it would be a good thing to focus on the £1.3 billion that's on the table for a new hospital—the sort of investment that's badly needed in our area. It is transformational money that can bring about transformation in the services that are currently provided. I hope you will share my opinion that the health board must listen to the views across west Wales of all people, not just the voices of those who shout the loudest.
Gobeithio, Prif Weinidog, y byddwch yn cytuno â mi y byddai'n beth da canolbwyntio ar y £1.3 biliwn sydd ar y bwrdd ar gyfer ysbyty newydd—y math o fuddsoddiad sydd ei wir angen yn ein hardal. Mae'n arian trawsnewidiol a all arwain at drawsnewid yn y gwasanaethau a ddarperir ar hyn o bryd. Gobeithio y byddwch yn rhannu fy marn bod yn rhaid i'r bwrdd iechyd wrando ar farn pawb ledled y gorllewin, nid lleisiau'r rhai sy'n gweiddi uchaf yn unig.
I thank Joyce Watson for bringing a voice of sanity to this discussion. If the health board is able to put forward a convincing business case, there is, as she says, major, major investment to be made in services in the south-west of Wales. It's not, as I know she will recognise, a plan simply focused on hospital services either. It is, in some ways, consistent with some of the points that Rhun ap Iorwerth was making earlier. It's a plan to make sure that as many services as possible are provided as close to where people live as possible by the strengthening of community facilities—facilities outside hospitals in places like the Cross Hands integrated health centre, in centres in Aberystwyth and developments that the health board plans in other parts of the health board area—and of course retaining services at both Withybush and at Glangwili, where the Welsh Government goes on investing in those buildings and in those services right up to the present day.
It was very good news—and I know that Joyce Watson, having been such a close supporter of all of this, will agree—on 25 January when the first baby was looked after in the special care baby unit that's now being provided at Glangwili, with £25 million worth of investment in those services. I completely agree with Joyce Watson that the health board must listen to views, of course, of all people within the health board area, that it must work with its clinicians, and then it can look forward to the sorts of investment that its plan would trigger, with services provided close to where people live in the community and with a hospital system that meets the needs of the twenty-first century.
Diolch i Joyce Watson am ddod â llais o bwyll a rheswm i'r drafodaeth hon. Os yw'r bwrdd iechyd yn gallu cyflwyno achos busnes argyhoeddiadol, fel y dywed, mae buddsoddiad mawr i'w wneud mewn gwasanaethau yn y de-orllewin. Nid yw, fel y gwn y bydd yn cydnabod, yn gynllun sy'n canolbwyntio ar wasanaethau ysbytai ychwaith. Mewn rhai ffyrdd, mae'n gyson â rhai o'r pwyntiau yr oedd Rhun ap Iorwerth yn eu gwneud yn gynharach. Mae'n gynllun i sicrhau bod cymaint o wasanaethau â phosibl yn cael eu darparu mor agos at le mae pobl yn byw â phosibl drwy gryfhau cyfleusterau cymunedol—cyfleusterau y tu allan i ysbytai mewn mannau fel canolfan iechyd integredig Cross Hands, mewn canolfannau yn Aberystwyth a datblygiadau y mae'r bwrdd iechyd yn eu cynllunio mewn rhannau eraill o ardal y bwrdd iechyd—ac wrth gwrs, cadw gwasanaethau yn Llwynhelyg ac yng Nglangwili, lle mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn mynd ati i fuddsoddi yn yr adeiladau hynny ac yn y gwasanaethau hynny hyd heddiw.
Roedd yn newyddion da iawn—a gwn y bydd Joyce Watson, ar ôl bod yn gefnogwr mor frwd o hyn oll, yn cytuno—ar 25 Ionawr pan oedd y baban cyntaf yn derbyn gofal yn yr uned gofal arbennig i fabanod sydd bellach yn cael ei darparu yng Nglangwili, gyda gwerth £25 miliwn o fuddsoddiad yn y gwasanaethau hynny. Rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â Joyce Watson fod yn rhaid i'r bwrdd iechyd wrando ar farn pawb yn ardal y bwrdd iechyd, wrth gwrs, fod yn rhaid iddo weithio gyda'i glinigwyr, ac yna gall edrych ymlaen at y mathau o fuddsoddiad y byddai ei gynllun yn ei sbarduno, gyda gwasanaethau'n cael eu darparu'n agos at le mae pobl yn byw yn y gymuned a gyda system ysbyty sy'n diwallu anghenion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain.
5. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n eu cymryd i gefnogi trigolion a landlordiaid mewn adeiladau sydd â diffygion diogelwch tân posibl yn sgil datganiadau diweddar gan Lywodraeth y DU? OQ57606
5. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to support residents and landlords in buildings with potential fire safety defects in light of recent statements by the UK Government? OQ57606
It is for developers who constructed buildings with fire safety defects to pay for their remediation. In September we launched the first phase of the Welsh building safety fund. This will provide grant-funded surveys for buildings where fire safety issues are known or suspected in order to identify necessary remedial actions.
Mater i ddatblygwyr a adeiladodd adeiladau â diffygion diogelwch tân yw talu am eu hadfer. Ym mis Medi lansiwyd cam cyntaf cronfa diogelwch adeiladau Cymru. Bydd hyn yn darparu arolygon a ariennir gan grantiau ar gyfer adeiladau lle mae problemau diogelwch tân yn hysbys neu'n cael eu hamau er mwyn nodi'r camau adfer angenrheidiol.
Diolch. At the end of January I hosted a public meeting here on the steps of the Senedd to listen to those affected and caught up in what is a tragedy and a scandal. I spoke to a pensioner, Eileen, who pays £511 a month in service charges alone. Her income—her monthly pension—is just £800 a month. Another attendee was sent a bill of thousands of pounds and given just 25 days to pay. Others are facing bills of £50,000 over the coming years. We all know that this scandal will devastate the lives of countless people, not to mention the terrible emotional toll that this causing. I think it is important that the voices of those people are heard. The Welsh Government should be stepping in to help those leaseholders right now. There's remedial action that needs to be taken to make those buildings safe and to make sure that their emotional health is protected. So, I would ask you, First Minister, to reconsider your position and to make available funds for that remedial action in those properties. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch. Ddiwedd mis Ionawr, cynhaliais gyfarfod cyhoeddus yma ar risiau'r Senedd i wrando ar y rhai yr effeithiwyd arnyn nhw ac a gafodd eu dal yng nghanol yr hyn sy'n drasiedi ac yn sgandal. Siaradais â phensiynwraig, Eileen, sy'n talu £511 y mis mewn taliadau gwasanaeth yn unig. Dim ond £800 y mis yw ei hincwm—ei phensiwn misol—. Anfonwyd bil o filoedd o bunnau at un arall a oedd yn bresennol a dim ond 25 diwrnod a gafodd i'w dalu. Mae eraill yn wynebu biliau o £50,000 dros y blynyddoedd nesaf. Gwyddom i gyd y bydd y sgandal hwn yn dinistrio bywydau pobl ddi-rif, heb sôn am y niwed emosiynol ofnadwy y mae hyn yn ei achosi. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig clywed lleisiau'r bobl hynny. Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru fod yn camu i'r adwy i helpu'r lesddeiliaid hynny ar hyn o bryd. Mae angen cymryd camau adferol i wneud yr adeiladau hynny'n ddiogel ac i sicrhau bod eu hiechyd emosiynol yn cael ei ddiogelu. Felly, gofynnaf i chi, Brif Weinidog, ailystyried eich safbwynt a sicrhau bod arian ar gael ar gyfer y camau adferol sydd eu hangen ar yr eiddo hynny. Diolch. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
I'm not quite sure I follow the very final point the Member made, because the Welsh Government does intend to provide funding of that sort, but to do it in a way that does not create the moral hazard in which the public purse pays for the problems that developers themselves have created and lets those developers off the hook. I think exactly that point was made by the Secretary of State in England, Michael Gove, when he said that he expected the industry to provide the £4 billion that will be necessary to put right the wrongs that the industry itself has created. If the public purse simply steps in and picks up all those bills, what possible incentive will there be for the next developer to make sure that their buildings do not suffer from the same defects?
I congratulate the Member on the meeting that she held. I saw some accounts of it, and those are powerful testimonies that she's relayed from the people she met that day. It's because of that, Llywydd, that on 14 December the Minister responsible, Julie James, made an oral statement on the floor of the Senedd, where she committed the Welsh Government to a new leasehold support scheme to help that small number of leaseholders who find themselves in the very significant financial hardship that Jane Dodds has pointed to this afternoon. The Minister will make a further statement before the Easter recess that will provide further details of how that leasehold support scheme will operate—the costs it will cover, the way in which people will be able to access that help—so that the worst casualties of this scandal will receive the help that we can provide without allowing the developers themselves off the hook. They are responsible for these defects, they must put them right.
Nid wyf yn hollol siŵr fy mod yn dilyn y pwynt olaf a wnaeth yr Aelod, oherwydd mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu darparu cyllid o'r math hwnnw, ond ei wneud mewn ffordd nad yw'n creu'r perygl moesol pan fo'r pwrs cyhoeddus yn talu am y problemau y mae datblygwyr eu hunain wedi'u creu ac yn gadael i'r datblygwyr hynny fynd yn rhydd heb orfod talu. Rwy'n credu bod yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn Lloegr, Michael Gove, wedi gwneud y pwynt hwnnw'n union, pan ddywedodd ei fod yn disgwyl i'r diwydiant ddarparu'r £4 biliwn y bydd ei angen i unioni'r camweddau y mae'r diwydiant ei hun wedi'u creu. Os yw'r pwrs cyhoeddus yn camu i mewn ac yn talu'r holl filiau hynny, pa gymhelliant posibl fydd i'r datblygwr nesaf sicrhau nad yw eu hadeiladau'n dioddef o'r un diffygion?
Rwy'n llongyfarch yr Aelod ar y cyfarfod a gynhaliodd. Gwelais rai adroddiadau amdano, ac mae'r rheini'n dystiolaethau pwerus gan y bobl y cyfarfu â nhw y diwrnod hwnnw y mae hi wedi eu hailadrodd. Oherwydd hynny, Llywydd, ar 14 Rhagfyr, gwnaeth y Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol, Julie James, ddatganiad llafar ar lawr y Senedd, pryd ymrwymodd Lywodraeth Cymru i gynllun cymorth lesddaliad newydd i helpu'r nifer fach honno o lesddeiliaid sy'n cael eu hunain yng nghanol y caledi ariannol sylweddol iawn y mae Jane Dodds wedi cyfeirio ato y prynhawn yma. Bydd y Gweinidog yn gwneud datganiad pellach cyn toriad y Pasg a fydd yn rhoi rhagor o fanylion am sut y bydd y cynllun cymorth lesddaliad hwnnw'n gweithredu—y costau y bydd yn eu talu, y ffordd y bydd pobl yn gallu cael gafael ar y cymorth hwnnw—fel y bydd y rhai a ddioddefodd waethaf yn y sgandal hwn yn cael y cymorth y gallwn ni ei ddarparu heb ganiatáu i'r datblygwyr eu hunain osgoi eu cyfrifoldebau. Maen nhw'n gyfrifol am y diffygion hyn, rhaid iddyn nhw eu cywiro.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am waith Bwrdd Diogelu Annibynnol Cenedlaethol Cymru? OQ57584
6. Will the First Minister provide an update on the work of the National Independent Safeguarding Board for Wales? OQ57584
I thank Jack Sargeant for that. The work of the board continues to develop, as does the safeguarding landscape in Wales. In January I chaired the inaugural meeting of the single unified safeguarding review board of Wales, which includes representatives from the National Independent Safeguarding Board.
Diolch i Jack Sargeant am hynna. Mae gwaith y bwrdd yn parhau i ddatblygu, felly hefyd y dirwedd ddiogelu yng Nghymru. Ym mis Ionawr cadeiriais gyfarfod cyntaf un bwrdd adolygu diogelu unedig sengl Cymru, sy'n cynnwys cynrychiolwyr o'r Bwrdd Diogelu Annibynnol Cenedlaethol.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Brif Weinidog. As the First Minister mentions there, the National Independent Safeguarding Board has played a key role, and is included in the single unified safeguarding review board, which, as the First Minister will know, my own dad played a significant part in establishing. First Minister, yesterday marked four years since I was elected to this Senedd following the tragic death of Dad. I've been reflecting on his passing, and I've been reflecting on how we secure his legacy in this particular area. The most important thing that springs to mind with me is that it was never about positions in Government or status for Dad, it was always about delivering positive change for the people of Wales. First Minister, therefore can I ask you: how do we ensure that this legacy of continuing to deliver positive change for the people of Wales is continued?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Prif Weinidog. Fel y mae'r Prif Weinidog yn sôn yn y fan yna, mae'r Bwrdd Diogelu Annibynnol Cenedlaethol wedi chwarae rhan allweddol, ac mae wedi'i gynnwys yn y bwrdd adolygu diogelu unedig sengl, a chwaraeodd fy nhad fy hun, fel y gŵyr y Prif Weinidog, ran bwysig yn y gwaith o'i sefydlu. Prif Weinidog, bedair blynedd i ddoe cefais fy ethol i'r Senedd hon yn dilyn marwolaeth drasig Dad. Rwyf wedi bod yn myfyrio ar ei farwolaeth, ac rwyf wedi bod yn myfyrio ar sut yr ydym yn sicrhau ei etifeddiaeth yn y maes penodol hwn. Y peth pwysicaf sy'n dod i fy meddwl i yw nad oedd hyn byth yn ymwneud â swyddi mewn Llywodraeth na statws i Dad, yr oedd bob amser yn ymwneud â sicrhau newid cadarnhaol i bobl Cymru. Prif Weinidog, felly, a gaf i ofyn i chi: sut yr ydym yn sicrhau bod yr etifeddiaeth hon o barhau i sicrhau newid cadarnhaol i bobl Cymru yn parhau?
Can I thank Jack Sargeant for that? I was very pleased to chair the inaugural meeting of the new single unified safeguarding review board. Had he been there, I think he would have been moved by the number of times references were made to Carl Sargeant, because it was when Carl was the Minister responsible that he set in motion a review of the way in which domestic homicide reviews in Wales were put to work to improve services for people who find themselves victims of domestic abuse. It was Carl who asked the then assistant chief constable of Dyfed-Powys, Liane James, to carry out that review, and it was Liane who presented the work that lies behind the new board at that inaugural meeting.
I think Jack can both take confidence but also take enormous pride from the fact that now, in 2022, the fruit of that work is being seen and made effective here in Wales. It has grown significantly from the starting point that Carl set in motion. The new system will encompass domestic homicide reviews, child practice reviews, adult practice reviews and mental health homicide reviews. Because it is a partnership between practitioners and Cardiff University, it will help us to ensure that in future the lessons that can be drawn when things go so badly wrong will be known and will be available in all parts of Wales, and will make a difference in the lives of those families who've been so much affected by them.
It was great to hear from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys, Dafydd Llywelyn, at that meeting, and it was great to have around the table the key devolved institutions—the WLGA, the Welsh Government, the social services departments, the health services—but also the non-devolved services as well. It was very good to have representation from the Home Office at the board, to see the senior coroner for Wales as a member of that board. I really do think, Llywydd, that it is a very practical and telling example of the way in which an initiative by a committed Minister can lead to real and lasting change.
A gaf ddiolch i Jack Sargeant am hynna? Roeddwn yn falch iawn o gadeirio cyfarfod cyntaf y bwrdd adolygu diogelu unedig sengl newydd. Pe bai wedi bod yno, rwy'n credu y byddai wedi cael ei gyffwrdd gan y nifer o weithiau y cyfeiriwyd at Carl Sargeant, oherwydd pan mai Carl oedd y Gweinidog a oedd yn gyfrifol cyflwynodd adolygiad o'r ffordd y cafodd adolygiadau o ddynladdiadau domestig yng Nghymru eu gweithredu er mwyn gwella gwasanaethau i bobl sy'n dioddef cam-drin domestig. Carl oedd yr un a ofynnodd i brif gwnstabl cynorthwyol Dyfed-Powys ar y pryd, Liane James, i gynnal yr adolygiad hwnnw, a Liane a gyflwynodd y gwaith sydd y tu ôl i'r bwrdd newydd yn y cyfarfod agoriadol hwnnw.
Rwy'n credu y gall Jack fod yn ffyddiog ond hefyd gall ymfalchïo'n fawr yn y ffaith bod ffrwyth y gwaith hwnnw yn awr, yn 2022, yn cael ei weld a'i wneud yn effeithiol yma yng Nghymru. Mae wedi tyfu'n sylweddol o'r man cychwyn a osododd Carl mewn cynnig. Bydd y system newydd yn cwmpasu adolygiadau o ddynladdiad domestig, adolygiadau ymarfer plant, adolygiadau ymarfer oedolion ac adolygiadau o ddynladdiadau iechyd meddwl. Gan ei fod yn bartneriaeth rhwng ymarferwyr a Phrifysgol Caerdydd, bydd yn ein helpu ni i sicrhau y bydd y gwersi y gellir manteisio arnyn nhw yn y dyfodol pan fydd pethau'n mynd o le'n ddifrifol, yn hysbys ac y byddant ar gael ym mhob rhan o Gymru, a bydd yn gwneud gwahaniaeth ym mywydau'r teuluoedd hynny yr effeithiwyd cymaint arnyn nhw.
Roedd yn wych clywed gan Gomisiynydd yr Heddlu a Throseddu Dyfed-Powys, Dafydd Llywelyn, yn y cyfarfod hwnnw, ac roedd yn wych cael y sefydliadau datganoledig allweddol o amgylch y bwrdd—CLlLC, Llywodraeth Cymru, yr adrannau gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, y gwasanaethau iechyd—ond hefyd y gwasanaethau nad ydyn nhw wedi'u datganoli hefyd. Roedd yn dda iawn cael cynrychiolaeth o'r Swyddfa Gartref ar y bwrdd, i weld uwch grwner Cymru yn aelod o'r bwrdd hwnnw. Rwy'n credu mewn gwirionedd, Llywydd, ei fod yn enghraifft ymarferol a grymus o'r ffordd y gall menter gan Weinidog ymroddedig arwain at newid gwirioneddol a pharhaol.
7. Pa sgyrsiau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cael gyda'r sector manwerthu ynghylch gwella effeithlonrwydd ynni tuag at garbon sero? OQ57627
7. What conversations has the Welsh Government had with the retail sector about improving energy efficiency towards zero carbon? OQ57627
Llywydd, in March of this year, we will launch a retail strategy for Wales. The strategy is the result of close engagement with the sector and will promote energy efficiency, and will include the appointment of trade union green representatives in the workplace, a manifesto commitment of this Government.
Llywydd, ym mis Mawrth eleni, byddwn yn lansio strategaeth fanwerthu i Gymru. Mae'r strategaeth yn ganlyniad i ymgysylltiad agos â'r sector a bydd yn hybu effeithlonrwydd ynni, a bydd yn cynnwys penodi cynrychiolwyr gwyrdd undebau llafur yn y gweithle, un o ymrwymiadau maniffesto'r Llywodraeth hon.
Thank you, First Minister. I recently met with Friends of the Earth regarding encouraging supermarkets to retrofit doors on fridges and freezers, or ensure that they have doors on when they are upgraded. I understand that the Petitions Committee discussed this in the last Senedd term, and some supermarkets responded to say they believed it would affect consumers' impulsive purchasing. I think times have changed, and with climate change a priority, along with targeting food waste, I think it should be revisited. Surging energy costs may also help encourage retailers to curb energy consumption as well. Aldi has been leading the way on this, and shown, when building new supermarkets, installing fridge doors isn't an issue and can actually improve customer experience compared to unbearably cold aisles that don't have fridge doors on them. Would the First Minister advise me of the best way forward in this campaign, and would it be possible for supermarkets to share their experience and best practice of cost savings, in order to learn from those that have taken this step? Thank you.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Fe wnes i gyfarfod yn ddiweddar â Chyfeillion y Ddaear ynghylch annog archfarchnadoedd i ôl-osod drysau ar oergelloedd a rhewgelloedd, neu sicrhau bod ganddyn nhw ddrysau pan gânt eu huwchraddio. Rwy'n deall bod y Pwyllgor Deisebau wedi trafod hyn yn nhymor diwethaf y Senedd, ac ymatebodd rhai archfarchnadoedd i ddweud eu bod yn credu y byddai'n effeithio ar arferion prynu byrbwyll defnyddwyr. Rwy'n credu bod pethau wedi newid erbyn hyn, a gyda newid hinsawdd yn flaenoriaeth, ynghyd â thargedu gwastraff bwyd, credaf y dylid ailedrych arno. Gall costau ynni sy'n codi hefyd helpu i annog manwerthwyr i leihau'r defnydd o ynni. Mae Aldi wedi bod yn arwain y ffordd ar hyn, ac wedi dangos, wrth adeiladu archfarchnadoedd newydd, nad yw gosod drysau oergelloedd yn broblem a gall wella profiad cwsmeriaid o'i gymharu ag eiliau oer annioddefol nad oes ganddyn nhw ddrysau oergell arnyn nhw. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog fy nghynghori ar y ffordd orau ymlaen yn yr ymgyrch hon, ac a fyddai'n bosibl i archfarchnadoedd rannu eu profiad a'u harferion gorau o ran arbed costau, er mwyn dysgu oddi wrth y rhai sydd wedi cymryd y cam hwn? Diolch.
I thank Carolyn Thomas for those important questions, Llywydd. She's absolutely right that the use of doors on fridges has been shown to save energy, reduce food spoilage, and therefore save businesses money. And with the cost of energy rising as it is, there surely are greater incentives for businesses to do just what the Member suggested. And she's right, times are changing.
Now, there is some very good work going on amongst some supermarkets. Sainsbury's, for example, has worked with Imperial College London on its zero-carbon strategy, and that includes many initiatives of the sort that the Member has identified. Aldi, we know, is to save the equivalent of 2,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year by installing fridge doors as standard in its new and newly refurbished stores. It carried out an experiment, the experiment was successful, and now it's doing it right across the range of its stores. We've got other initiatives going on in Wales in that energy-saving field. Tesco is trialling the use of all-electric heavy goods vehicles at its south Wales distribution centre—the first part of the United Kingdom to have those all-electric vehicles.
Now, the point is, as I think Carolyn Thomas was suggesting, that we need the good practice of the leading players to be learnt by everybody else. And the retail strategy is an opportunity for us to help to make that happen. Lesley Griffiths meets regularly with the retail sector, where we discuss a whole range of issues of relevance to Wales, and energy efficiency is certainly one of them. And the strategy is an opportunity to pull some of that together and encourage those who, in the past, have been reluctant, because they believe that fridge doors, for example, might negatively impact on sales, to take the successful steps that others have already demonstrated you can do—successfully from the point of view of the customer, but also with real energy-saving advantages.
Diolch i Carolyn Thomas am y cwestiynau pwysig yna, Llywydd. Mae hi'n llygad ei lle, profwyd bod defnyddio drysau ar oergelloedd yn arbed ynni, yn lleihau'r bwyd sy'n cael ei ddifetha, ac felly'n arbed arian i fusnesau. A gyda chost ynni'n codi fel y mae, siawns nad oes mwy o gymhellion i fusnesau wneud yr hyn a awgrymodd yr Aelod. Ac mae hi'n iawn, mae pethau wedi newid erbyn hyn.
Nawr, mae gwaith da iawn yn digwydd ymhlith rhai archfarchnadoedd. Mae Sainsbury's, er enghraifft, wedi gweithio gyda Choleg Imperial Llundain ar ei strategaeth ddi-garbon, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys llawer o fentrau o'r math y mae'r Aelod wedi'i nodi. Mae Aldi, fel y gwyddom ni, yn mynd i arbed yr hyn sy'n cyfateb i 2,000 tunnell o allyriadau carbon y flwyddyn drwy osod drysau oergell fel rhywbeth arferol yn ei storfeydd newydd a'r rhai sydd newydd eu hadnewyddu. Cynhaliodd arbrawf, roedd yr arbrawf yn llwyddiannus, ac erbyn hyn mae'n digwydd yn ei holl storfeydd. Mae gennym fentrau eraill sy'n digwydd yng Nghymru yn y maes arbed ynni hwnnw. Mae Tesco yn treialu'r defnydd o gerbydau nwyddau trwm trydan yn ei ganolfan ddosbarthu yn ne Cymru—y rhan gyntaf o'r Deyrnas Unedig i gael y cerbydau trydan hynny.
Nawr, y pwynt yw, fel yr oedd Carolyn Thomas yn ei awgrymu, yn fy marn i, fod arnom angen i bawb arall ddysgu arfer da'r prif gwmnïau. Ac mae'r strategaeth fanwerthu yn gyfle i ni helpu i wneud i hynny ddigwydd. Mae Lesley Griffiths yn cyfarfod yn rheolaidd â'r sector manwerthu, pryd y byddwn yn trafod ystod eang o faterion sy'n berthnasol i Gymru, ac mae effeithlonrwydd ynni yn sicr yn un ohonyn nhw. Ac mae'r strategaeth yn gyfle i dynnu rhywfaint o hynny at ei gilydd ac annog y rhai sydd, yn y gorffennol, wedi bod yn amharod, oherwydd eu bod yn credu y gallai drysau oergelloedd, er enghraifft, effeithio'n negyddol ar werthiannau, i gymryd y camau llwyddiannus y mae eraill eisoes wedi dangos y gallwch chi eu gwneud—yn llwyddiannus o safbwynt y cwsmer, ond hefyd gyda manteision arbed ynni go iawn.
Yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Cefin Campbell.
Finally, question 8, Cefin Campbell.
8. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o nifer staff Llywodraeth Cymru sydd wedi'u lleoli yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? OQ57626
8. What assessment has the First Minister made of the number of Welsh Government staff that are located in Mid and West Wales? OQ57626
Diolch yn fawr i Cefin Campbell am y cwestiwn, Llywydd. Ar ddiwedd mis Ionawr cofnodwyd bod swyddfa barhaol 1,067 o staff Llywodraeth Cymru yn y canolbarth neu'r gorllewin.
Thank you very much to Cefin Campbell for the question, Llywydd. At the end of January there were 1,067 Welsh Government staff whose permanent office base was recorded as being in mid or west Wales.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rŷn ni'n gwybod bod dros hanner staff y Llywodraeth yn gweithio fan hyn yng Nghaerdydd, a rhyw 58 y cant ar draws y de-ddwyrain i gyd. Nawr, mae rhyw 19 y cant o boblogaeth Cymru yn byw yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru, ond eto dim ond rhyw 13 y cant o swyddi Llywodraeth Cymru sydd wedi eu lleoli yma, a, digwydd bod, mae nifer y swyddfeydd sydd gan y Llywodraeth yn y rhanbarth wedi'u lleoli ar gyrion trefi. A gaf i ofyn, felly, wrth inni'n araf bach symud yn ôl i ryw fath o normalrwydd ar ôl COVID, pa asesiad mae'r Llywodraeth wedi ei wneud ynglŷn â symud rhagor o swyddi i'r gorllewin a'r canolbarth a defnyddio adeiladau yng nghanol trefi fel swyddfeydd er mwyn adfywio'r trefi hyn yn economaidd a chymdeithasol?
Thank you very much. We know that over half of Welsh Government's staff work here in Cardiff, with some 58 per cent across the whole of the south-east. Now, some 19 per cent of the population of Wales live in Mid and West Wales. However, only around 13 per cent of Welsh Government posts are located in that region, and, as it happens, many of the Welsh Government's offices in the region are on the outskirts of towns. So, can I ask, as we slowly move back to some kind of normality post COVID, what assessment has the Government made of moving more jobs to Mid and West Wales and using town-centre buildings as offices in order to rejuvenate these towns economically and socially?
Wel, Llywydd, diolch yn fawr i'r Aelod am y cwestiynau yna. Mae'n well jest inni gofio ar ddechrau datganoli fod bron pob un o'r bobl oedd yn gweithio i'r Swyddfa Gymreig yn gweithio yma yng Nghaerdydd, a dros y cyfnod o ddatganoli rŷn ni wedi creu swyddfeydd newydd ym Merthyr Tudful, yn Llandudno ac, wrth gwrs, yn Aberystwyth hefyd. Nawr, rŷn ni yn mynd i symud mewn i gyfnod newydd ar ôl coronofeirws, dwi'n meddwl, pan fydd llai o staff yn gweithio bob dydd mewn swyddfeydd a mwy o bobl yn gweithio'n lleol. Dyw hyn ddim yn golygu y bydd pobl yn gweithio yn eu tai eu hunain bob tro, ond hefyd bydd mwy o bosibiliadau i bobl ddod at ei gilydd i weithio o ganolfannau gwaith. Ac rŷn ni wedi bod yn gweithio'n galed i sefydlu mwy o ganolfannau fel yna lle bydd pobl yn gallu cael mynediad i'r cyfleusterau sydd eu hangen arnynt yn nes at adref. Nawr, yn y gorllewin, mae canolfannau gyda ni yn barod yn Hwlffordd ac yn Llanelli, ac rŷn ni'n edrych i weld ble fydd mwy o bosibiliadau yn y dyfodol.
Fel roedd Cefin Campbell yn ei ddweud, Llywydd, mae'r canolfannau nid jest ar ffin trefi, maen nhw'n gallu bod yn fwy hyblyg na hynny. Maen nhw'n gallu bod yn rhan o'r trefi. A bydd mwy o bosibiliadau i bobl aros yn lleol, a phan maen nhw'n aros yn lleol i weithio maen nhw'n gwario mwy o arian yn y trefi hefyd. So, mae'n help i bobl, mae'n help i'r amgylchedd, ond mae'n help economaidd hefyd. A dwi'n gyfarwydd â'r gwaith mae Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin wedi ei wneud, a dwi'n gwybod bod yr Aelod yn rhan o'r gwaith pwysig yna, ac rŷn ni, fel Llywodraeth, eisiau gwneud mwy i gydweithio â phobl leol i weld beth allwn ni wneud i helpu pobl yn y cyd-destun ar ôl coronafeirws, lle bydd dim rhaid i bobl deithio bob dydd i mewn i swyddfeydd mawr, i aros yn lleol, i weithio yn lleol ac i fod yn rhan o'r economi leol ar yr un pryd.
Well, Llywydd, thank you very much to the Member for those questions. It is worth us remembering at the beginning of devolution almost all of those working for the Welsh Office were working here in Cardiff, and over the period of devolution we have created new offices in Merthyr Tydfil, in Llandudno, and, of course, in Aberystwyth as well. Now, we are going to move into the new phase post COVID, I believe, when there will be fewer staff working every day in offices, and more people working locally. That doesn't mean that people will be working in their own homes every time, but there are also more possibilities for people to come together to work from these working centres. And we've been working very hard to establish more of those centres or hubs where people can access the facilities that they need closer to home. Now, in west Wales, we already have the centres in Haverfordwest and in Llanelli, and we are looking forward to seeing where there will be further opportunities in future.
As Cefin Campbell said, Llywydd, we have centres not just on the outskirts of towns, but they can also be more flexible than that. They can be part of the towns. And there are more possibilities for people to remain local, and when they do stay in their local area they spend more money in those towns as well. It's a help for the people themselves, it's a help for the environment, and it's an economic help too. And I am familiar with the work that Carmarthenshire County Council has done, and I know that the Member was part of that important work, and we, as a Government, want to do more to work with local people to see what we can do to help people in the post-coronavirus context, where they won't have to travel every day into the major offices; they can remain local, and they can work in the local area and they can be part of the local economy at the same time.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, 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. I have no changes to this week's business. Draft business for the next three sitting 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 gennyf i unrhyw newidiadau i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos eistedd nesaf wedi'i nodi ar y datganiad a'r cyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith y papurau cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig.
Trefnydd, over the weekend there were pubs across the whole of Wales that were packed with people watching the rugby. Not an enjoyable experience, I know, for many of us this weekend, but that's what many people were doing. Unfortunately, the following day, on the Sunday, there were people who were in churches still required to wear their masks in church in order to participate in acts of worship. I don't think that it's right, and many of my constituents don't think that it's right, that people can shout and yell at tv screens in packed pubs without the need to wear a mask and, yet, people in places of worship seem to be discriminated against in this way. Can I ask you for a statement by the Welsh Government on why places of worship are still facing these very significant restrictions at times when other venues, like hospitality venues, are not?
Trefnydd, dros y penwythnos roedd tafarndai ledled Cymru gyfan yn llawn pobl yn gwylio'r rygbi. Nid oedd yn brofiad pleserus, rwy'n gwybod, i lawer ohonom ni'r penwythnos hwn, ond dyna yr oedd llawer o bobl yn ei wneud. Yn anffodus, y diwrnod canlynol, ar y Sul, roedd pobl a oedd mewn eglwysi yn dal i orfod gwisgo eu masgiau yn yr eglwys er mwyn cymryd rhan mewn gweithredoedd addoli. Nid wyf i'n credu ei fod yn iawn, ac nid yw llawer o fy etholwyr yn credu ei fod yn iawn, bod modd i bobl weiddi a sgrechian ar sgriniau teledu mewn tafarndai llawn heb fod angen gwisgo masg ac, eto, mae'n ymddangos bod pobl mewn addoldai yn cael eu gwahaniaethu yn eu herbyn fel hyn. A gaf i ofyn i chi am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch pam mae addoldai'n dal i wynebu'r cyfyngiadau sylweddol iawn hyn ar adegau pan nad yw lleoliadau eraill, fel lleoliadau lletygarwch?
Thank you. The Member will be aware that this week brings the conclusion of the three-week review of all the COVID protections, and this is something the Welsh Government will be considering ahead of the First Minister's statement on Friday.
Diolch. Bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol bod yr adolygiad tair wythnos o'r holl ddiogeliadau COVID yn dod i ben yr wythnos hon, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei ystyried cyn datganiad y Prif Weinidog ddydd Gwener.
I would like to declare an interest that I'm currently a sitting councillor on Monmouthshire County Council.
Trefnydd, could I call for a statement from yourself in your capacity as rural affairs Minister regarding the co-operation and supply chain development scheme? As you may already be aware, the rural programmes team at Monmouthshire council has applied for funding under round 11 of the scheme for a space for a local production project. This involves a number of delivery partners from both Monmouthshire and beyond from across the food supply chain. The team submitted a full application for funding in May 2021 and have still not received any funding decisions from the Welsh Government. This is despite a decision meaning to be received from the Government within 90 days of an application being made. It is my understanding that this is not the only scheme to have not yet received a response. I'm sure you will understand, Minister, that such delays result in uncertainty for everyone involved in the project as well as preventing the benefits of the scheme from being felt in the local area. Furthermore, every month the project is delayed, the delivery time is reduced, meaning the team has to account for an underspend in additional project delivery elements. Any update or assistance, Minister, that you could give would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Hoffwn i ddatgan buddiant fy mod ar hyn o bryd yn gynghorydd ar Gyngor Sir Fynwy.
Trefnydd, a gaf i alw am ddatganiad gan eich hun yn rhinwedd eich swydd fel Gweinidog materion gwledig ynghylch y cynllun cydweithredu a datblygu'r gadwyn gyflenwi? Fel y gwyddoch chi eisoes, mae'r tîm rhaglenni gwledig yng Nghyngor Sir Fynwy wedi gwneud cais am gyllid o dan rownd 11 y cynllun am le ar gyfer prosiect cynhyrchu lleol. Mae hyn yn cynnwys nifer o bartneriaid cyflenwi o sir Fynwy a thu hwnt o bob rhan o'r gadwyn cyflenwi bwyd. Cyflwynodd y tîm gais llawn am gyllid ym mis Mai 2021 a dydyn nhw yn dal ddim wedi derbyn unrhyw benderfyniadau ariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae hyn er gwaethaf bod penderfyniad fod i ddod gan y Llywodraeth o fewn 90 diwrnod o wneud cais. Rwy'n deall nad dyma'r unig gynllun nad yw wedi cael ymateb eto. Rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n deall, Gweinidog, fod oedi o'r fath yn arwain at ansicrwydd i bawb sy'n ymwneud â'r prosiect yn ogystal ag atal manteision y cynllun rhag cael eu teimlo yn yr ardal leol. At hynny, bob mis mae'r prosiect yn cael ei ohirio, mae'r amser cyflawni'n cael ei leihau, sy'n golygu bod yn rhaid i'r tîm gyfrif am danwariant mewn elfennau cyflawni prosiectau ychwanegol. Byddai unrhyw ddiweddariad neu gymorth y gallech chi eu rhoi, Gweinidog, yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi'n fawr. Diolch.
Thank you. I don't think it's appropriate for a statement, but I will certainly look at the individual case you've just raised with me and I will write to the Member will full details.
Diolch. Nid wyf i'n credu ei bod yn briodol cael datganiad, ond fe wnaf i yn sicr edrych ar yr achos unigol yr ydych chi newydd ei godi gyda mi ac fe wnaf ysgrifennu at yr Aelod gyda manylion llawn.
I'm asking for a debate during Government time to discuss the implications to Wales of the 'Levelling Up' paper by the UK Government. I'm sure the Trefnydd agrees with me that we've seen consecutive Westminster Governments that have been levelling down Governments—taking money away from Wales. To solve the problem of uneven development within the English regions, the Government states that they will use a devolution deal, with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution. Unfortunately, this paper says nothing about Wales with regard to the highest level of devolution. When we have asked for devolution of justice, of energy, of Crown Estate, of air duty, it's been denied time and time again. Some English regions have more powers than we as a country do in Wales.
Turning to another matter, Trefnydd, I'd like a comprehensive statement from the climate change Minister on building safety to answer a number of questions. Firstly, given the UK Government's intention to extend the legal limitation period to tackle defective premises from six years to 30 years, will the Minister take now legal action against developers to recover the costs of remediation of developments in Cardiff Bay? And has the Welsh Government been in discussion with the Development Bank of Wales to see whether they can play a role to provide commercially backed loans to support the residents of these developments to remediate their defective premises? Diolch yn fawr.
Rwy'n gofyn am ddadl yn ystod amser y Llywodraeth i drafod goblygiadau'r papur 'Codi'r gwastad' i Gymru gan Lywodraeth y DU. Rwy'n siŵr bod y Trefnydd yn cytuno â mi ein bod ni wedi gweld Llywodraethau olynol San Steffan sydd wedi bod yn gostwng gwastad Llywodraethau—gan dynnu arian oddi wrth Gymru. Er mwyn datrys problem datblygiad anwastad o fewn rhanbarthau Lloegr, mae'r Llywodraeth yn dweud y byddan nhw'n defnyddio cytundeb datganoli, gyda phwerau ar neu'n agosáu at y lefel uchaf o ddatganoli. Yn anffodus, nid yw'r papur hwn yn dweud dim am Gymru o ran y lefel uchaf o ddatganoli. Pan yr ydym ni wedi gofyn am ddatganoli cyfiawnder, ynni, Ystad y Goron, toll teithwyr awyr, mae wedi cael ei wrthod dro ar ôl tro. Mae gan rai rhanbarthau yn Lloegr fwy o bwerau na sydd gennym ni fel gwlad yng Nghymru.
Gan droi at fater arall, hoffwn i gael datganiad cynhwysfawr gan y Gweinidog newid hinsawdd ar ddiogelwch adeiladau i ateb nifer o gwestiynau. Yn gyntaf, o ystyried bwriad Llywodraeth y DU i ymestyn y cyfnod cyfyngu cyfreithiol i ymdrin ag eiddo diffygiol o chwe blynedd i 30 mlynedd, a wnaiff y Gweinidog gymryd camau cyfreithiol yn erbyn datblygwyr nawr i adennill costau adfer datblygiadau ym Mae Caerdydd? Ac a yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn trafod gyda Banc Datblygu Cymru i weld a allan nhw chwarae rhan i ddarparu benthyciadau wedi'u cefnogi'n fasnachol i gefnogi trigolion y datblygiadau hyn i adfer eu hadeiladau diffygiol? Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch. I don't disagree with the majority of the statement from the Member around levelling up and the 'Levelling Up' White Paper from the UK Government. I think what the White Paper does, for those of us who've had the opportunity to have a look at it, is really trumpet the potential of new devolution deals in England, yet they have undermined Welsh devolution at every turn. They've used the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 to wrestle funding and decision-making powers away from both the Welsh Government and the Senedd. The Government has been heavily criticised—the UK Government—for its lack of strategic engagement with the Welsh Government on levelling up by its own Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy select committee. I think, unless the UK Government changes its approach, they'll simply waste more resources, underachieve and misrepresent what is actually happening.
In response to your second question, the Minister for Climate Change will be making a statement on building safety before the Easter recess.
Diolch. Nid wyf i'n anghytuno â'r rhan fwyaf o'r datganiad gan yr Aelod ynghylch codi'r gwastad a'r Papur Gwyn 'Codi'r gwastad' gan Lywodraeth y DU. Rwy'n credu bod yr hyn y mae'r Papur Gwyn yn ei wneud, i'r rheini ohonom ni sydd wedi cael y cyfle i gael golwg arno, yn clodfori potensial cytundebau datganoli newydd yn Lloegr, ac eto maen nhw wedi tanseilio datganoli yng Nghymru ar bob achlysur. Maen nhw wedi defnyddio Deddf Marchnad Fewnol y Deyrnas Unedig 2020 i dynnu pwerau cyllido a gwneud penderfyniadau oddi ar Lywodraeth Cymru a'r Senedd. Mae'r Llywodraeth wedi cael ei beirniadu'n hallt—Llywodraeth y DU—am ei diffyg ymgysylltu strategol â Llywodraeth Cymru ar godi'r gwastad gan bwyllgor dethol yr Adran Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol ei hun. Rwy'n credu, oni bai bod Llywodraeth y DU yn newid ei dull gweithredu, y byddan nhw'n gwastraffu mwy o adnoddau, yn tangyflawni ac yn camgyfleu'r hyn sydd wir yn digwydd.
Mewn ymateb i'ch ail gwestiwn, bydd y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd yn gwneud datganiad ar ddiogelwch adeiladau cyn toriad y Pasg.
I call for a statement on the education of autistic pupils in Wales. Two weeks ago, Swansea University's school of education issued a statement regarding its preliminary report on the education of autistic pupils in Wales. Its findings include that over three quarters of autistic pupils said that being in school causes increased anxiety, three in four said they had been the victim of bullying, over half thought they were not getting enough help during the school day, and a third felt their teacher did not understand them. One in three parents whose children attend mainstream settings said they were unhappy with the school, in comparison to four in five of those in specialist provision being happy with their child's setting. Parents told them that one in three children with a statement of educational need was not given all support or provision detailed within the document. Ninety per cent of educators have experience of working with autistic pupils, and they felt their local authority had been generally unsupportive. And four out of five parents and nearly three quarters of parents whose children currently have a statement said neither their local authority nor their child's school had given them any information about the introduction of the new additional learning needs code and what it means for their child. This reflects my own high case load in this area, with those officers who have previously refused to understand autism continuing to do so, causing pain and blaming the parents. I call for a statement accordingly.
Rwy'n galw am ddatganiad ar addysg disgyblion awtistig yng Nghymru. Bythefnos yn ôl, cyhoeddodd ysgol addysg Prifysgol Abertawe ddatganiad ynghylch ei hadroddiad rhagarweiniol ar addysg disgyblion awtistig yng Nghymru. Mae'r canfyddiadau'n cynnwys bod dros dri chwarter y disgyblion awtistig wedi dweud bod yn yr ysgol yn achosi mwy o bryder, dywedodd tri o bob pedwar eu bod wedi dioddef bwlio, roedd dros hanner yn credu nad oedden nhw'n cael digon o gymorth yn ystod y diwrnod ysgol, ac roedd traean yn teimlo nad oedd eu hathro yn eu deall. Dywedodd un o bob tri rhiant y mae eu plant yn mynychu lleoliadau prif ffrwd eu bod yn anhapus â'r ysgol, o gymharu â phedwar o bob pump o'r rhai mewn darpariaeth arbenigol sy'n hapus â lleoliad eu plentyn. Dywedodd y rhieni wrthyn nhw nad oedd un o bob tri phlentyn â datganiad o angen addysgol yn cael yr holl gymorth na darpariaeth sydd wedi'u nodi yn y ddogfen. Mae gan 90 y cant o addysgwyr brofiad o weithio gyda disgyblion awtistig, ac roedden nhw'n teimlo nad oedd eu hawdurdod lleol wedi bod yn gefnogol ar y cyfan. A dywedodd pedwar o bob pump o rieni a bron i dri chwarter y rhieni y mae gan eu plant ddatganiad ar hyn o bryd nad oedd eu hawdurdod lleol nac ysgol eu plentyn wedi rhoi unrhyw wybodaeth iddyn nhw am gyflwyno'r cod anghenion dysgu ychwanegol newydd a'r hyn y mae'n ei olygu i'w plentyn. Mae hyn yn adlewyrchu fy llwyth achos uchel fy hun yn y maes hwn, gyda'r swyddogion hynny sydd eisoes wedi gwrthod deall awtistiaeth yn parhau i wneud hynny, gan achosi poen a beio'r rhieni. Rwy'n galw am ddatganiad yn unol â hynny.
Thank you. I know the Member does take a very close interest in this topic, and the Minister for education and his officials will look very closely at the report. It's important that a child receives the correct and appropriate education, and it's very important that, as Ministers, we listen to such experts. And the Minister and his officials will obviously consider the next steps from the report.
Diolch. Rwy'n gwybod fod gan yr Aelod ddiddordeb agos iawn yn y pwnc hwn, a bydd y Gweinidog addysg a'i swyddogion yn edrych yn fanwl iawn ar yr adroddiad. Mae'n bwysig bod plentyn yn cael yr addysg gywir a phriodol, ac mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni, fel Gweinidogion, yn gwrando ar arbenigwyr o'r fath. A bydd y Gweinidog a'i swyddogion yn amlwg yn ystyried y camau nesaf o'r adroddiad.
Trefnydd, I would like a statement from the Deputy Minister for Social Services on domiciliary care, because the Welsh NHS Confederation has stated that one of the main sources of system bottleneck is the transfer out of discharge to recovery and access pathways to onward packages of domiciliary care. I'm receiving more and more correspondence from relatives of those who cannot be discharged. Private care providers are handing back care packages to local authorities because they cannot find care staff. Powys County Council have told me they're not in a position to guarantee a package of care immediately for anyone who has been in hospital longer than 14 days, due to staff shortages. And I'm sure I and the Chamber would like to know what work the Welsh Government is doing to ensure that domiciliary care is available for those needing discharge, and what positive action Welsh Government is taking to recruit and retain more carers in the care sector in Wales. Diolch, Llywydd.
Trefnydd, hoffwn i gael datganiad gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ar ofal cartref, oherwydd mae Cydffederasiwn GIG Cymru wedi datgan mai un o brif ffynonellau tagfeydd y system yw'r trosglwyddo o ryddhau i lwybrau adfer a mynediad ymlaen i becynnau gofal cartref. Rwy'n derbyn fwyfwy o ohebiaeth gan berthnasau'r rhai nad oes modd eu rhyddhau. Mae darparwyr gofal preifat yn rhoi pecynnau gofal yn ôl i awdurdodau lleol oherwydd na allan nhw ddod o hyd i staff gofal. Mae Cyngor Sir Powys wedi dweud wrthyf i nad ydyn nhw mewn sefyllfa i warantu pecyn gofal ar unwaith i unrhyw un sydd wedi bod yn yr ysbyty yn hwy na 14 diwrnod, oherwydd prinder staff. Ac rwy'n siŵr yr hoffwn i a'r Siambr wybod pa waith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod gofal cartref ar gael i'r rhai y mae angen eu rhyddhau, a pha gamau cadarnhaol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i recriwtio a chadw mwy o ofalwyr yn y sector gofal yng Nghymru. Diolch, Llywydd.
Absolutely. The Deputy Minister for Social Services will be making a statement on the real living wage. That is something, obviously, very positive that the Welsh Government is doing, but it's really important that local authorities obviously look to employ the necessary provision for domiciliary services for their local population.
Yn sicr. Bydd y Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn gwneud datganiad ar y cyflog byw gwirioneddol. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth cadarnhaol iawn, yn amlwg, y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud, ond mae'n bwysig iawn bod awdurdodau lleol yn amlwg yn ceisio defnyddio'r ddarpariaeth angenrheidiol ar gyfer gwasanaethau cartref i'w poblogaeth leol.
Yn olaf, Gareth Davies.
And finally, Gareth Davies.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Three weeks ago, the UK's COVID-19 infection prevention and control cell issued new guidance on the use of respiratory protective equipment for front-line healthcare staff. This led to the UK Government taking the decision to allow all healthcare staff in England access to higher levels of PPE, namely FFP2 and FFP3 masks, to ensure that staff and patients are kept safe from the COVID-19 omicron variant. This new guidance applies not only to the NHS in England but to the Welsh Government as well. Can we therefore have an urgent statement from the Minister for Health and Social Services explaining why she has chosen to ignore this new guidance—she might want to oblige now, given that she's in the Chamber; it seems a bit strange that I'm asking for a statement from the Trefnydd when she's in the room, but I digress—and why she instead continues to leave decisions on higher grade levels of PPE at the door of health boards and individual managers, when she could show leadership and ensure that staff and patients across the whole of Wales are fully protected? [Interruption.] A golden opportunity.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Dair wythnos yn ôl, cyhoeddodd cell atal a rheoli heintiau COVID-19 y DU ganllawiau newydd ar ddefnyddio offer diogelu anadlol ar gyfer staff gofal iechyd rheng flaen. Arweiniodd hyn at Lywodraeth y DU yn gwneud y penderfyniad i ganiatáu i holl staff gofal iechyd yn Lloegr fanteisio ar lefelau uwch o gyfarpar diogelu personol, sef masgiau FFP2 a FFP3, er mwyn sicrhau bod staff a chleifion yn cael eu cadw'n ddiogel rhag amrywiolyn omicron COVID-19. Mae'r canllawiau newydd hyn yn berthnasol nid yn unig i'r GIG yn Lloegr ond i Lywodraeth Cymru hefyd. A gawn ni felly ddatganiad brys gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn esbonio pam y mae wedi dewis anwybyddu'r canllawiau newydd hyn—efallai y byddai hi eisiau ei gwneud nawr, o gofio ei bod yn y Siambr; mae'n ymddangos braidd yn rhyfedd fy mod i'n gofyn am ddatganiad gan y Trefnydd pan ei bod hi yn yr ystafell, ond rwy'n crwydro—a pham ei bod hi yn hytrach yn parhau i adael penderfyniadau ar lefelau uwch o gyfarpar diogelu personol wrth ddrws byrddau iechyd a rheolwyr unigol, pan y gallai ddangos arweiniad a sicrhau bod staff a chleifion ledled Cymru gyfan yn cael eu diogelu'n llawn? [Torri ar draws.] Cyfle euraidd.
I think the Minister was almost tempted to make the statement at that point—
Rwy'n credu bod y Gweinidog bron wedi cael ei themtio i wneud y datganiad ar yr adeg honno—
I was just going to say—
Roeddwn i ond yn mynd i ddweud—
—but I think we need to allow the Trefnydd to respond formally. [Interruption.]
—ond rwy'n credu bod angen i ni ganiatáu i'r Trefnydd ymateb yn ffurfiol. [Torri ar draws.]
I don't want to swap jobs, if that's what you mean.
I was just going to say to the Member that that's not the way the business statement works. The Minister for Health and Social Services has already done a written statement. FFP3 masks are available to all staff where a local risk assessment shows a continuing risk of transmission despite other infection prevention and control measures in place.
Nid wyf i eisiau cyfnewid swyddi, os mai dyna'r hyn yr ydych chi'n ei olygu.
Roeddwn i ond yn mynd i ddweud wrth yr Aelod nad dyna'r ffordd y mae'r datganiad busnes yn gweithio. Mae'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol eisoes wedi gwneud datganiad ysgrifenedig. Mae masgiau FFP3 ar gael i'r holl staff lle mae asesiad risg lleol yn dangos risg barhaus o drosglwyddo er gwaethaf mesurau atal a rheoli heintiau eraill sydd ar waith.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd. Pwynt o drefn ar ddatgan diddordeb, Cefin Campbell.
I thank the Trefnydd. A point of order now to declare an interest, Cefin Campbell.
Ie, ymddiheuriadau mawr, Llywydd—fe wnes i anghofio datgan diddordeb, sef fy mod i'n gynghorydd sir yn sir Gaerfyrddin, cyn gofyn y cwestiwn i'r Prif Weinidog. Felly, ymddiheuriadau.
Sincere apologies, Llywydd, as I forgot to declare an interest, in that I am a county councillor in Carmarthenshire, before I asked my question of the First Minister. So, my apologies.
Diolch am yr ymddiheuriad. Dyna ni, dwi wedi galw un aelod o bob grŵp dros y tair wythnos ddiwethaf yma nawr sydd wedi gwneud yr un camgymeriad o beidio datgan diddordeb. A gaf i ofyn i'r rhai ohonoch sy'n gynghorwyr neu'n piau busnes, neu beth bynnag yw'ch diddordeb chi, geisio cofio hynny pan fyddwch chi'n gwneud eich cyfraniad yn hytrach na'n bod ni'n galw hyn yn hwyrach yn y sesiwn? Fyddaf i ddim yn caniatáu hynna ymhellach; mae pob un grŵp wedi cael one strike, and you're out.
Thank you for the apology. There we go, I have called one member from each group over the past three weeks now who have made the same mistake in not declaring an interest. May I ask those of you who are councillors, who own a business, or whatever your interests are, to try to remember that when you do make your contributions, rather than us having to call you later on in the session? I will not allow that further; every group has had one strike, and now you're out.
Felly, fe wnawn ni symud ymlaen nawr i'r datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ar COVID hir—Eluned Morgan.
So, we'll move on now to the statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services on long COVID—Eluned Morgan.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I launched the Adferiad programme last June, a £5 million-package of services for people who are recovering from the long-term effects of COVID-19 in Wales, including long COVID. As part of that announcement, I said we would review the progress of the programme every six months. The first review has considered reports from each of the health boards and feedback from hundreds of people who have received care as part of the service from an all-Wales service evaluation, undertaken by Cedar research centre.
Before I turn to the results of the review, I want to say something about how services for people with long COVID are structured in Wales. We want care to meet people’s specific needs through services that are available as close to home as possible. If someone is struggling with the long-term effects of COVID-19, their first point of contact is their GP, who can quickly and easily refer them to local services, including rehabilitation services. Some people have also been referred into the system from other parts of the NHS. This includes people who have spent many weeks and even months in hospital being treated for COVID-19, although it's interesting to note that the majority of people being treated for long COVID were not admitted to hospital with their original COVID-19 illness.
The Adferiad programme has funded expanded and enhanced primary and community-based services in every health board, and we've developed a clear pathway to improve access and speed up referral to treatment where people need more specialist care. All services are provided in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. I had the privilege of meeting some of the healthcare professionals providing services and some of the people receiving services when I visited the long COVID team at Swansea Bay University Health Board last week.
The information we have from health boards is that the average waiting time for people to be seen in long COVID services is 23 days. This compares to the current 15-week waiting time for access to the specialist long COVID clinics that have been set up in areas of England. Data from Digital Health and Care Wales show that, by January, just over 2,400 people had been diagnosed with long COVID by their GP or healthcare professional in Wales, and 2,226 people were referred into our long COVID rehabilitation services in the last year. This number is smaller than the self-reported Office for National Statistics estimates of the number of people with long COVID in Wales, and we don't know yet what the long-term impact of omicron, the variant that is currently very prevalent in our communities that has affected so many people, will be on the number of people experiencing long COVID symptoms.
The COVID recovery app, which supports people to manage their own symptoms, has been downloaded more than 10,000 times. It is possible many people have found the app is helping them to manage their symptoms on a day-to-day basis. However, we know that some people, particularly those who developed COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic and are living with the long-term effects of their initial illness, have struggled to access the support they needed. I would urge them to seek help if their symptoms are impacting on their quality of life.
Llywydd, I want to turn now to what the first review of the Adferiad programme is telling us. The evaluation suggests services are supporting those people who have been seen and are undergoing treatment to improve their health outcomes. The model of locally delivered, integrated and multi-professional rehabilitation appears to be meeting the needs of our population. But we are not complacent, and we will continue to monitor, learn and improve services, making sure that we react to feedback from people who need and who use these services.
Our long COVID services provide assessment and access to a wide range of health professionals, treatments and rehabilitation.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Fis Mehefin y llynedd, fe wnes i lansio rhaglen Adferiad sef pecyn gwerth £5 miliwn o wasanaethau i bobl sy'n gwella o effeithiau hirdymor COVID-19 yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys COVID hir. Yn rhan o'r cyhoeddiad hwnnw, fe ddywedais i y byddem ni'n adolygu cynnydd y rhaglen bob chwe mis. Mae'r adolygiad cyntaf wedi ystyried adroddiadau gan bob un o'r byrddau iechyd ac adborth gan gannoedd o bobl sydd wedi derbyn gofal yn rhan o'r gwasanaeth drwy gyfrwng gwerthusiad o'r gwasanaeth ledled Cymru, a gynhaliwyd gan ganolfan ymchwil Cedar.
Cyn i mi droi at ganlyniadau'r adolygiad, fe hoffwn i ddweud rhywbeth am sut y caiff gwasanaethau i bobl â COVID hir eu strwythuro yng Nghymru. Rydym ni'n dymuno i'r gofal hwn ddiwallu anghenion arbennig pobl drwy gyfrwng gwasanaethau a ddarperir mor agos â phosibl i'w cartrefi nhw. Os caiff rhywun drafferthion yn sgil effeithiau hirdymor COVID-19, eu pwynt cyswllt cyntaf yw eu meddyg teulu, a all eu cyfeirio nhw'n gyflym ac yn rhwydd at wasanaethau lleol, gan gynnwys y gwasanaethau adsefydlu. Mae rhai pobl wedi cael eu cyfeirio at y system mewn rhannau eraill o'r GIG hefyd. Mae hyn yn cynnwys pobl sydd wedi treulio wythnosau lawer neu fisoedd hyd yn oed yn yr ysbyty yn cael triniaeth COVID-19, er ei bod hi'n ddiddorol nodi nad oedd yn rhaid i'r rhan fwyaf o bobl sy'n cael eu trin am COVID hir fod yn gleifion mewnol mewn ysbytai oherwydd eu salwch COVID-19 gwreiddiol.
Mae rhaglen Adferiad wedi ariannu gwasanaethau sylfaenol a chymunedol estynedig ac uwch ym mhob bwrdd iechyd, ac rydym ni wedi datblygu llwybr clir i wella argaeledd a chyflymu'r broses atgyfeirio ar gyfer triniaeth lle mae angen gofal mwy arbenigol ar bobl. Fe ddarperir yr holl wasanaethau yn unol â chanllawiau'r Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal. Fe gefais i'r fraint o gwrdd â rhai o'r gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol sy'n darparu gwasanaethau yn ogystal â rhai o'r bobl sy'n derbyn gwasanaethau pan ymwelais i â thîm hir COVID ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe'r wythnos diwethaf.
Y wybodaeth sydd gennym ni oddi wrth fyrddau iechyd yw mai'r amser aros cyfartalog i bobl gael eu gweld gan wasanaethau COVID hir yw 23 diwrnod. Mae hyn yn cymharu â'r amser aros o 15 wythnos ar hyn o bryd ar gyfer mynediad i'r clinigau COVID hir arbenigol a sefydlwyd mewn ardaloedd yn Lloegr. Mae data gan Iechyd a Gofal Digidol Cymru yn dangos bod ychydig dros 2,400 o bobl, erbyn mis Ionawr, wedi cael diagnosis o COVID hir gan eu meddyg teulu neu weithiwr gofal iechyd proffesiynol yng Nghymru, a bod 2,226 o bobl wedi cael eu cyfeirio at ein gwasanaethau adsefydlu COVID hir yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Mae'r rhif hwn yn llai nag amcangyfrifon hunanadrodd y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol o niferoedd y bobl sydd â COVID hir yng Nghymru, ac nid ydym ni'n gwybod eto beth fydd effaith hirdymor omicron, yr amrywiolyn sy'n gyffredin iawn ar hyn o bryd yn ein cymunedau ni ac wedi effeithio ar gymaint o bobl, ar niferoedd y rhai sy'n dioddef symptomau COVID hir.
Mae ap adfer COVID, sy'n cefnogi pobl i reoli eu symptomau eu hunain, wedi cael ei lawrlwytho dros 10,000 o weithiau. Mae hi'n bosibl fod llawer o bobl wedi canfod bod yr ap yn eu helpu nhw i reoli eu symptomau o ddydd i ddydd. Serch hynny, fe wyddom ni fod rhai pobl, yn enwedig y rhai a ddatblygodd COVID-19 ar ddechrau'r pandemig ac sy'n byw gydag effeithiau hirdymor eu salwch cychwynnol, wedi cael trafferth wrth gael gafael ar y cymorth yr oedd ei angen arnyn nhw. Fe fyddwn i'n eu hannog nhw i ofyn am help os yw eu symptomau nhw'n effeithio ar ansawdd eu bywydau.
Llywydd, rwyf i eisiau troi yn nawr at yr hyn y mae'r adolygiad cyntaf o raglen Adferiad yn ei ddweud wrthym ni. Mae'r gwerthusiad yn awgrymu bod y gwasanaethau yn cefnogi'r bobl hynny sydd wedi cael eu gweld ac sy'n cael triniaeth i wella eu canlyniadau o ran iechyd. Mae hi'n ymddangos bod y model adsefydlu integredig ac amlbroffesiwn a ddarperir yn lleol yn ateb anghenion ein poblogaeth ni. Ond nid ydym ni'n hunanfodlon, ac fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i fonitro, dysgu, a gwella gwasanaethau, gan sicrhau ein bod ni'n ymateb i adborth gan bobl y mae angen y gwasanaethau hyn arnyn nhw ac sy'n eu defnyddio nhw.
Mae ein gwasanaethau COVID hir yn cynnig asesiadau a mynediad at ystod eang o weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol, triniaethau, ac adsefydlu.
Rŷn ni'n gwybod, ymhlith nifer fach o bobl, fod COVID-19 wedi cael effaith sylweddol ar eu bywydau, a bod angen asesiadau, ymchwiliadau a thriniaethau arbenigol parhaus arnyn nhw. Mae nifer y plant sydd â COVID hir yng Nghymru hefyd yn parhau i fod yn isel, diolch byth. Mae byrddau iechyd yn trin pob plentyn yn unol â'i anghenion penodol.
Mae ein gweithlu'n gweithio'n galed iawn i helpu'r boblogaeth gyfan i wella'n effeithiol ac yn gyfartal. Maen nhw'n cydweithio â phobl ledled y byd i sicrhau bod y dystiolaeth ddiweddaraf yn sail i'n penderfyniadau ni a'n hymatebion.
Llywydd, yn ychwanegol at y gwasanaeth Adferiad, mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru yn cymryd rhan mewn astudiaethau ymchwil ledled y Deyrnas Unedig i COVID hir, a fydd yn helpu i gynyddu ein gwybodaeth am driniaethau a diagnosis. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r holl bobl yng Nghymru sydd hefyd yn cymryd rhan yn yr astudiaethau ymchwil pwysig iawn hyn.
Dwi hefyd wedi sefydlu Canolfan Dystiolaeth COVID-19 Cymru drwy Ymchwil Iechyd a Gofal Cymru. Mae rhan o raglen waith y ganolfan hon yn canolbwyntio'n benodol ar fynd i'r afael â materion sy'n berthnasol i bobl sydd wedi'u heffeithio gan COVID hir ac i'r sector iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol.
Mae rhai pobl wedi dioddef symptomau COVID hir mor ddifrifol neu barhaol nes eu bod wedi effeithio ar eu gallu i weithio. Dwi'n falch o ddweud bod cyflogwyr y gwasanaeth iechyd ac undebau llafur wedi cydweithio i adolygu polisïau a gweithdrefnau cyflogaeth i sicrhau bod staff gofal iechyd yn cael eu cefnogi cymaint â phosibl.
Mae gwasanaethau adferiad ar gyfer COVID hir y gwasanaeth iechyd yn cynnwys cymorth i bobl o ran eu gallu i weithio, er bod budd-daliadau cysylltiedig â gwaith yn parhau'n gyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig. Mi wnes i hefyd ofyn i Gomisiwn Bevan lunio adroddiad ar y potensial ar gyfer datblygu cofrestr o bobl sydd â COVID hir yma yng Nghymru. Ar hyn o bryd dwi'n ystyried ei adroddiad.
Mae byrddau iechyd wedi dweud wrthym ni eu bod yn credu y bydd ehangu'r gwasanaeth COVID hir presennol a'i gyfuno â gwasanaeth i bobl â chyflyrau hirdymor a gwasanaethau adsefydlu cymunedol yn sicrhau triniaeth ac arbenigedd clinigol o'r ansawdd gorau ar gyfer y tymor hir.
Dwi bellach yn ystyried y blaenoriaethau ar gyfer y chwe mis nesaf, fel y gall y gwasanaeth iechyd ddal ati i ddatblygu arbenigedd ein gweithlu, addasu gwasanaethau i ddiwallu anghenion ein poblogaeth, a sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau hyn yn rhan o'n cynlluniau ehangach ar gyfer adfer yn dilyn COVID. Diolch yn fawr.
We know that, for a small number of people, COVID-19 has had a significant impact on their lives, and they need ongoing specialist assessment, investigations and treatment. The number of children with long COVID in Wales also remains low, thankfully. Health boards are treating each child in accordance with their specific needs.
Our workforce is working extremely hard to support the recovery of the whole population effectively and equitably. They are collaborating with colleagues around the world to ensure that the latest evidence informs our decisions and responses.
Llywydd, in addition to the Adferiad service, the NHS in Wales is taking an active part in UK-wide long COVID research studies, which will help to increase our knowledge of both diagnosis and treatment. I'd like to thank all of those people in Wales who are also taking part in these very important research studies.
I have also set up the Wales COVID-19 Evidence Centre, through Health and Care Research Wales. Part of its work programme has a particular focus on addressing issues of relevance to those affected by long COVID and the health and social care sector.
Some people have experienced such severe or long-lasting long COVID symptoms that they had had an impact on their ability to work. I am pleased to say that NHS employers and trade unions have worked together to review employment policies and procedures to ensure that healthcare staff are supported as far as possible.
The NHS's long COVID recovery services include specific support for people in respect of their ability to work, although work-related benefits remain a UK Government responsibility. I have also asked the Bevan Commission to report on the potential to develop a register of people with long COVID here in Wales. Currently, I am considering the commission's report.
Health boards have told us that they believe that expanding and integrating the existing long COVID services into other community rehabilitation and long-term conditions services will provide the highest quality of treatment and clinical expertise for the longer term.
I am now considering the priorities for the next six months, so that the NHS can continue to develop the expertise of our workforce, adapt services to meet the needs of our population and ensure that these services are embedded as part of our wider COVID recovery planning. Thank you.
Minister, can I thank you for your statement this afternoon? I'm interested in your claim in regard to the information that you have had from health boards—that the average waiting time for people to be seen in long COVID services is 23 days. You also go on to compare this to a 15-week waiting time for access to specialist long COVID clinics that have been set up in parts of England. Can I ask you: are the two comparisons that you make on a like-for-like basis, and if they are not, can you set out the differences?
A top story today, Minister, on the BBC, as I'm sure you would have seen, is the story of Sian Griffiths, a Welsh resident who has paid to see a consultant in Stoke-on-Trent instead of waiting 12 months—which is the claim in this case—on the Welsh NHS. So, can you perhaps explain the contrast of Sian's experience and story with the claim that the average waiting time for long COVID treatment is 23 days? I wonder what actions, in this regard, you would take, Minister, to ensure that Welsh patients don't have to travel long distances and travel to England in instances such as the one that has been set out in this particular story.
Now, I'm not aware that the data that you mentioned from health boards is published, Minister, at all, so I wonder if you would agree to publishing this data so that we can examine this ourselves across the Senedd.
Of course, many people who have or are suffering from long COVID talk of their frustrations and their struggles, of having to go for several tests at different times and in different places. They talk about the experience being exhausting, which I'm sure that you and I can appreciate. People who are struggling in this regard argue themselves that specialist clinics are needed, because people are very unwell and they're not able to negotiate a complex system of referrals to different places. So, I wonder if you would agree that it is better for those struggling in these particular situations to go to one place to be treated.
I was interested in an initiative taking place in Essex for those struggling with long COVID and other lung conditions, where a mobile vehicle is available for support for at-risk patients—I'm assuming the mobile vehicle parks very near someone's home—because people are struggling to get to a GP or hospital themselves, and this detects, of course, various conditions, such as long COVID. It struck me that this might be a potential opportunity to introduce in areas of Wales, particularly rural areas, where people do have to travel a long time for hospital appointments and for GP services.
Specialist centres, of course—. One of the arguments that is used in support of specialist centres is that doctors can develop expertise through the pooling of minds and resources to better understand the condition. So, can I ask how specialist experience is being developed here in Wales, Minister?
In your statement, you say that some people have experienced such severe or long-lasting COVID symptoms that they've had an impact on their ability to work, and then you've gone on then to talk about that you're pleased that the NHS, employers and trade unions have worked together to review employment policies and procedures to ensure that healthcare staff are supported as much as possible. You mention, of course, healthcare staff there, but does this support extend to nurses in care homes that are not employed by the NHS?
And of course the other issue, Minister, which I'm sure you'll appreciate as well, is that long COVID, of course, is not fully understood, and unfortunately the definitions differ around the world. So, measures of how common it is, or symptoms are, of course vary greatly, and it can be difficult for GPs to provide the right care and advice for patients. So, can I ask what conversations you've had with healthcare professionals in defining the symptoms of long COVID so that GPs and healthcare professionals can be supported?
And finally, Minister, I'm aware that those that are suffering from long COVID are eligible for Department for Work and Pensions payments. Recipients will receive payments through personal independence payments that are designed to help those, of course, suffering from long-term conditions or a disability that affects their ability to carry out everyday tasks or move around. So, I wonder, finally: how is the Welsh Government ensuring that relevant bodies in Wales that are supporting people with long COVID are making people aware of these particular payments?
Gweinidog, a gaf i ddiolch i chi am eich datganiad y prynhawn yma? Mae gennyf i ddiddordeb yn eich honiad ynglŷn â'r wybodaeth a gawsoch chi gan y byrddau iechyd—mai'r amser aros cyfartalog i bobl gael eu gweld gan wasanaethau COVID hir yw 23 diwrnod. Fe ewch chi ymlaen hefyd i gymharu hyn ag amser aros o 15 wythnos ar gyfer mynediad at glinigau COVID hir arbenigol a sefydliwyd mewn rhannau o Loegr. A gaf i ofyn i chi: a yw'r ddwy gymhariaeth a wnewch ar sail gyffelyb i'w gilydd, ac os nad ydyn nhw, a wnewch chi nodi'r gwahaniaethau?
Un o'r prif straeon heddiw, Gweinidog, ar y BBC, fel gwelsoch chi, mae'n siŵr, yw stori Siân Griffiths, sy'n byw yng Nghymru ac sydd wedi talu i gael gweld ymgynghorydd yn Stoke-on-Trent yn hytrach nag aros 12 mis—sef yr hawliad yn yr achos hwn—yn GIG Cymru. Felly, a wnewch chi esbonio'r gwrthgyferbyniad, efallai, rhwng profiad a stori Siân a'r honiad mai 23 diwrnod yw'r amser aros cyfartalog am driniaeth ar gyfer COVID hir? Pa gamau, tybed, yn hyn o beth, y byddech chi'n eu cymryd, Gweinidog, i sicrhau nad oes yn rhaid i gleifion Cymru deithio yn bell na theithio i Loegr mewn achosion fel yr un a nodir yn y stori benodol hon?
Nawr, nid wyf i'n ymwybodol bod y data yr ydych chi'n sôn amdano oddi wrth y byrddau iechyd wedi cael eu cyhoeddi o gwbl, Gweinidog, felly tybed a wnewch chi gytuno i gyhoeddi'r data hyn er mwyn i ni allu ymchwilio i hynny ein hunain ar draws y Senedd.
Wrth gwrs, mae llawer o bobl sy'n dioddef oherwydd COVID hir, neu wedi gwneud hynny'n flaenorol, yn sôn am eu rhwystredigaethau a'u brwydrau nhw, o orfod mynd am sawl prawf ar wahanol amseroedd ac mewn gwahanol leoedd. Maen nhw'n sôn bod y profiad yn un blinedig, ac rwy'n siŵr y gallech chi a minnau ddeall hynny. Mae'r bobl sy'n dioddef oherwydd hyn eu hunain yn dadlau bod angen clinigau arbenigol, oherwydd fe all pobl fod yn sâl iawn ac yn analluog i negodi system gymhleth o atgyfeiriadau i wahanol leoedd. Felly, tybed a fyddech chi'n cytuno y byddai hi'n well i'r rhai sy'n dioddef yn y sefyllfaoedd penodol hyn allu mynd i un lle ar gyfer eu triniaeth.
Roedd gennyf i ddiddordeb mewn menter sy'n digwydd yn Essex ar gyfer rhai sy'n dioddef oherwydd COVID hir neu gyflyrau eraill yr ysgyfaint, lle mae cerbyd symudol ar gael i gael cymorth i gleifion sydd mewn perygl—rwy'n cymryd bod y cerbyd symudol yn gallu parcio yn agos iawn at gartref rhywun—am fod pobl yn ei chael hi'n anodd mynd i weld meddyg teulu neu i'r ysbyty eu hunain, ac mae'r fenter honno'n darganfod cyflyrau amrywiol, fel COVID hir, wrth gwrs. Yr hyn a oedd yn fy nharo i oedd y gallai menter fel honno gael ei chyflwyno, o bosibl, mewn ardaloedd yng Nghymru, ac mewn ardaloedd gwledig yn arbennig, lle mae'n rhaid i bobl deithio ffordd bell am eu hapwyntiadau ysbyty ac ar gyfer gwasanaethau meddygon teulu.
Canolfannau arbenigol, wrth gwrs—. Un o'r dadleuon a ddefnyddir i gefnogi canolfannau arbenigol yw y gall meddygon ddatblygu arbenigedd drwy gyfuno meddyliau ac adnoddau ar gyfer deall y cyflwr yn well. Felly, a gaf i ofyn sut mae profiad arbenigol yn cael ei ddatblygu yma yng Nghymru, Gweinidog?
Yn eich datganiad, rydych chi'n dweud bod rhai pobl wedi dioddef symptomau COVID mor ddifrifol neu hirhoedlog fel bod hynny wedi cael effaith ar eu gallu nhw i weithio, ac fe aethoch chi ymlaen wedyn i fynegi eich balchder oherwydd bod y GIG, cyflogwyr, ac undebau llafur wedi gweithio gyda'i gilydd i adolygu polisïau a gweithdrefnau cyflogaeth i sicrhau bod staff gofal iechyd yn cael cymaint o gefnogaeth â phosibl. Wrth gwrs, am staff gofal iechyd yr ydych chi'n sôn, ond a yw'r cymorth hwn yn ymestyn at nyrsys mewn cartrefi gofal nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu cyflogi gan y GIG?
Ac wrth gwrs, y mater arall, Gweinidog, yr wyf i'n siŵr ei bod chi'n ei ddeall hefyd, yw nad ydym ni'n llawn ddeall COVID hir eto, wrth gwrs, ac yn anffodus mae'r diffiniadau yn amrywio drwy'r byd. Felly, mae'r mesurau o pa mor gyffredin ydyw, neu pa mor gyffredin yw'r symptomau, yn amlwg yn amrywio llawer, ac fe all hi fod yn anodd i feddygon teulu roi'r gofal a'r cyngor cywir i gleifion. Felly, a gaf i ofyn pa sgyrsiau a gawsoch chi gyda gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol wrth ddiffinio symptomau COVID hir i allu rhoi cefnogaeth i feddygon teulu a gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol?
Ac yn olaf, Gweinidog, rwy'n ymwybodol bod y rhai sy'n dioddef o COVID hir yn gymwys i gael taliadau oddi wrth yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau. Fe fydd y sawl sy'n eu derbyn yn cael taliadau drwy gyfrwng taliadau annibyniaeth bersonol a gynllunnir i helpu'r rhai, wrth gwrs, sy'n dioddef o gyflyrau hirdymor neu anabledd sy'n effeithio ar eu gallu nhw i gyflawni tasgau bob dydd neu symud o gwmpas. Felly, tybed, yn olaf: sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru am sicrhau bod y cyrff perthnasol yng Nghymru sy'n cefnogi pobl â COVID hir yn gwneud pobl yn ymwybodol o'r taliadau arbennig hyn?
Diolch yn fawr, Russell. I think it is worth pointing out that access in Wales is quicker. What you will know is that they have gone a slightly different direction in England, unlike the way we've gone in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. What that has meant is that, actually, whereas in Wales people are being seen quicker, there is a much longer wait for those clinics, those COVID clinics. Let's remember, I think there is about 90 of them, which is not that many, if you think about the size and the scale of England. So, I think what would matter to the patients is how quickly they're seen and making sure that they're having an assessment that then directs them to the right support. That's the system that we've set up in Wales, and there seem to be many people who are satisfied with that system.
I'm obviously reluctant to comment on any individual cases, but what I will say is that at the beginning of COVID, of course, we were all learning, we didn't know much at all about long COVID, and we're still learning about long COVID, but, obviously, the service that was available then is very, very different from the service that is available now, and that £5 million that only went into the system in July is already reaping the benefits. So, clearly, there are people who may have felt very frustrated because they were before this programme started, but, obviously, that is available to them as well.
I am very happy to publish the report, which of course is an independent assessment of what we have put forward.FootnoteLink I think we have to be really careful, because, obviously, we all hear anecdotal reports, but, actually, what's more important for me is listening to data that is broader, but, having said that, I think it is worth listening to direct experience from people. That's what I was able to do last week in Swansea, where I must say that the response from the people who were in receipt of the service was extremely positive.
The multiprofessional, multidisciplinary approach is one that we think is working very well here in Wales, and only around 3.5 per cent of the people who come into the system are referred on to secondary care. So, that's the danger with a kind of clinic approach, that you're actually getting people to go and see specialists who don't necessarily need to see that kind of specialist, and the question is what kind of specialist do they need to see. Because the symptoms for COVID are very, very different in every individual; some have problems with fatigue and they've lost their sense of smell, they have definitely breathing, difficulty concentrating, but some have much more complex issues around heart issues or lung issues that obviously need far more specialist services.
In terms of health and care staff, obviously, there's a very clear concentration on that because of the sense of responsibility particularly towards those who've maybe contracted COVID during their employment. I'm pleased to say that the unions and the NHS are working together to make sure.
And just in terms of defining symptoms, it is difficult, because the symptoms are very, very different for lots of people. We're still learning, but what we did do very early in the programme was to give training to GPs to make sure that they were aware in terms of what to look out for and then where they could refer on to.
Diolch yn fawr, Russell. Rwyf yn credu ei bod hi'n werth tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod y gwasanaethau i'w cael yn gynt yng Nghymru. Yr hyn a wyddoch chi yw bod pethau wedi mynd i gyfeiriad ychydig yn wahanol yn Lloegr, yn wahanol i'r ffordd yr ydym ni wedi mynd yng Nghymru, yr Alban, a Gogledd Iwerddon. Yr hyn a olygodd hynny, mewn gwirionedd, oedd bod pobl yn cael eu gweld yn fwy cyflym yng Nghymru, ac mae llawer mwy o aros am y clinigau hyn yn Lloegr, y clinigau COVID hyn. Gadewch i ni gofio, tua 90 ohonyn nhw sydd yna rwy'n credu, nad yw hynny'n gymaint felly, os ydych chi'n ystyried maint a phoblogaeth Lloegr. Felly, rwyf i o'r farn mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig i gleifion yw pa mor gyflym y daw eu hapwyntiadau nhw a sicrhau eu bod nhw'n cael asesiad sy'n eu cyfeirio nhw wedyn at y cymorth priodol. Dyna'r system y gwnaethom ni ei sefydlu yng Nghymru, ac mae hi'n ymddangos bod llawer o bobl yn fodlon ar y system honno.
Rwy'n amharod, yn amlwg, i fynegi barn ar unrhyw achosion unigol, ond yr hyn y byddwn i'n ei ddweud yw, ar ddechrau COVID, wrth gwrs, dysgu oeddem ni i gyd, ac nid oeddem ni'n gwybod fawr o ddim am COVID hir, ac rydym ni'n parhau i ddysgu am COVID hir, ond, yn amlwg, mae'r gwasanaeth a oedd ar gael bryd hynny'n wahanol dros ben i'r gwasanaeth sydd ar gael nawr, a bod y £5 miliwn a aeth i mewn i'r system ym mis Gorffennaf yn dwyn ffrwyth yn barod. Felly, yn amlwg, mae yna bobl a allai fod yn rhwystredig iawn am eu bod nhw wedi teimlo felly cyn i'r rhaglen hon ddechrau, ond, yn amlwg, mae'r system hon ar gael iddyn nhw hefyd.
Rwyf i'n hapus iawn i gyhoeddi'r adroddiad, sydd, wrth gwrs, yn asesiad annibynnol o'r hyn y gwnaethom ni ei gyflwyno.FootnoteLink Mae'n rhaid i ni fod yn ofalus iawn, rwy'n credu, oherwydd, yn amlwg, rydym ni i gyd yn clywed adroddiadau anecdotaidd, ond, mewn gwirionedd, yr hyn sy'n bwysicach i mi yw gwrando ar ddata sy'n fwy eang, ond, wedi dweud hynny, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n werth gwrando ar brofiad uniongyrchol pobl. Dyna'r hyn yr oeddwn i'n gallu ei wneud yr wythnos diwethaf yn Abertawe, lle mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud bod yr ymateb gan y bobl a oedd yn derbyn y gwasanaeth yn gadarnhaol iawn.
Mae'r dull amlbroffesiynol, amlddisgyblaethol yn un sy'n gweithio yn dda iawn yma yng Nghymru, yn ein barn ni, a dim ond tua 3.5 y cant o'r bobl sy'n dod i mewn i'r system sy'n cael eu cyfeirio at ofal eilaidd. Felly, dyna'r perygl gyda'r dull o gynnal clinigau fel hyn, eich bod chi'n gwahodd pobl i fynd i weld arbenigwyr, mewn gwirionedd, heb wir angen iddyn nhw, o reidrwydd, fod yn gweld arbenigwr o'r fath a'r cwestiwn yw pa fath o arbenigwr y mae angen iddyn nhw ei weld. Gan fod y symptomau ar gyfer COVID yn amrywio yn fawr iawn, iawn ym mhob unigolyn; mae gan rai broblemau gyda blinder ac maen nhw'n methu ag arogli pethau, mae gan rai drafferthion wrth anadlu, yn bendant, a rhai'n ei chael hi'n anodd canolbwyntio, ond mae gan rai broblemau llawer mwy cymhleth sy'n ymwneud â materion ynglŷn â'r galon neu faterion ynglŷn â'r ysgyfaint ac mae hi'n amlwg bod angen gwasanaethau llawer mwy arbenigol ar bobl fel hynny.
O ran staff iechyd a gofal, mae hi'n amlwg bod canolbwyntio pendant iawn wedi bod ar hynny oherwydd yr ymdeimlad o gyfrifoldeb tuag at y rhai sydd efallai wedi cael COVID yn ystod eu cyflogaeth, yn arbennig. Rwy'n falch o ddweud bod yr undebau a'r GIG yn cydweithio i wneud yn siŵr o hynny.
A dim ond o ran diffinio symptomau, mae hi'n anodd, oherwydd mae'r symptomau yn gallu amrywiol llawer iawn i lawer iawn o bobl. Rydym ni'n dal i ddysgu, ond yr hyn a wnaethom ni'n gynnar iawn yn y rhaglen oedd rhoi hyfforddiant i feddygon teulu i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n ymwybodol o'r hyn i gadw llygad amdano a'r mannau y gallen nhw gyfeirio pobl atyn nhw.
Diolch am y datganiad, Weinidog. Heb os, mae llawer o gleifion sy’n dioddef y symptomau ofnadwy yma yn gallu cael cefnogaeth gan eu meddygon teulu, ac mae rôl meddygon teulu wrth gwrs yn hanfodol yn hyn, ond rŷn ni yn gwybod dyw rhai ddim yn gallu cael eu cyfeirio; maen nhw'n dod nôl at eu meddygon dro ar ôl tro a dydyn nhw ddim yn cael y gefnogaeth arbenigol sydd ei angen arnyn nhw.
Roeddech chi'n sôn am ddysgu; wrth gwrs mae wedi bod yn broses o ddysgu i’r proffesiwn meddygol, ond mae’n amlwg dyw'r arbenigedd ddim yno, a dyw'r gefnogaeth ddim yno, ar gyfer rhai o'r cleifion hyn sy’n mynd at eu meddygon teulu. Felly, pa adolygiadau fydd yna i'r rheini sydd wedi trio tro ar ôl tro i gael y gefnogaeth arbenigol yma? A beth am y rheini, wrth gwrs, fel y clywon ni yn achos Sian Griffiths o Ynys Môn, sydd wedi bod yn y newyddion heddiw ac wedi cael ei gorfodi i dalu i fynd yn breifat? Mae hi, fel nifer o staff eraill sy'n gweithio i'r gwasanaeth iechyd, wedi gorfod mynd yn breifat. Oni ddylen nhw, yn syml iawn, gael ad-daliad? A beth am y staff hynny wedyn sy’n gweithio i’r gwasanaeth iechyd sydd yn wynebu colli eu cyflog nawr, a nhw yn dal i fethu gweithio? Maen nhw'n haeddu parhad i gefnogaeth ariannol; gobeithio y byddwch chi'n cytuno â hynny. Ond fel pwynt canolog, yn sgil eich datganiad heddiw, onid ydym ni yn dal i fod yn brin o’r math o dimau arbenigol byddai yn gallu rhoi diagnosis cywir, yn medru rhoi triniaethau addas, ac yn rhoi y gefnogaeth yna yn gynt na'r hyn sydd yn digwydd ar hyn o bryd ar gyfer cleifion sy’n dioddef o COVID hir? Diolch.
Thank you for the statement, Minister. Without doubt, many patients who are suffering these terrible symptoms can access support from their GPs, and, of course, the role of GPs is crucial in all of this, but we do know that some can't be referred; they return to their GPs time and time again and aren't getting the specialist support that they need.
You mentioned learning, and it has been a learning experience for the medical profession, but it is clear that the expertise isn't there and the support isn't there for some of these patients who do approach their GPs. So, what reviews will there be for those who have tried to access specialist support time and time again? And what about those, as we heard in the case of Sian Griffiths from Anglesey, who's been in the headlines today and has been forced to pay to go private? She, like many other NHS staff, has had to go private. Shouldn't they, quite simply, be reimbursed that cost? And what about those staff who work for the health service who face losing their salary now because they still can't work? They deserve for financial support to continue, and I hope you'd agree with me on that. But, as a central point, in light of your statement today, aren't we still short of the kind of specialist teams that could provide accurate diagnosis, could provide appropriate treatment, and also provide that support earlier than is the case at the moment for those patients suffering long COVID? Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr. Dwi'n meddwl bod, yn amlwg, rôl bwysig i feddygon teulu. Dyna yw'r drws ffrynt ar gyfer y ffordd rŷn ni'n gweithredu gydag iechyd yn y wlad yma. Ac, wrth gwrs, wedyn, maen nhw yn cael eu cyfeirio at y gwasanaethau yma sydd nawr ar gael ym mhob bwrdd iechyd yng Nghymru. Dyna yw'r adborth rŷn ni wedi'i gael o'r adroddiad yma.
Felly, dwi yn meddwl ei fod e'n bwysig gofyn pryd mae pobl wedi ceisio am y gwasanaethau yma. Os oedden nhw wedi ceisio cyn mis Gorffennaf, mae'n bwysig eu bod nhw'n mynd yn ôl nawr achos mae'r gwasanaethau ar gael nawr, lle nad oedden nhw ar gael cyn mis Gorffennaf diwethaf, achos ein bod ni wedi dysgu. Dim ond ym mis Gorffennaf daeth y £5 miliwn yma ar gael. Felly, os oes yna bobl sydd efallai ddim wedi cael yr help cyn hynny—. Ac roedd e'n ddiddorol cwrdd â nifer o bobl yn Abertawe ddydd Gwener, nifer wedi dal COVID yn Rhagfyr 2020. Wrth gwrs, doedd y gwasanaeth ddim ar gael yr adeg yna, ond maen nhw'n hapus nawr eu bod nhw wedi cael y driniaeth ers i'r rhaglen yma ddod. So, mae'n rili bwysig bod pobl yn mynd yn ôl os oedden nhw wedi ceisio yn y lle cyntaf, achos mae'r system, yn amlwg, wedi newid.
Beth sy'n digwydd, wrth gwrs, yw bod yna dimau arbenigol. Dyna beth sy'n digwydd nawr. Mae yna dimau, mae'r GPs yn cyfeirio at y timau arbenigol yna ac maen nhw'n cyfeirio pobl i sicrhau—. Efallai bod yna iechyd meddwl; efallai fod issues yn ymwneud â blinder. Mae pob math o bethau ac mae'r arbenigwyr i gyd yna yn helpu allan. Felly, mae'r driniaeth nawr yn gwbl wahanol i beth oedd ar gael o'r blaen. Ac yn sicr, nid jest oedden ni'n barod i ddysgu yr adeg honno, ond rŷn ni'n awyddus i gario ymlaen i ddysgu, achos, fel dwi'n dweud, mae hwn yn rhywbeth newydd a dŷn ni ddim eto'n gwybod sut mae omicron yn mynd i gael effaith ar COVID hir chwaith.
Thank you very much. I think that there is, clearly, an important role for GPs. That's the front door for the way that we operate in terms of the health system here in Wales. And, of course, then, they are referred on to the services that are now available in every health board area in Wales. That is the feedback that we've received from this report.
So, I think it is important to ask when people have tried to access these services. If they tried to access them before July, it's important that they go back now because these services are now available, whereas they weren't available before last July, because we have learnt from these experiences. It's only in July that this £5 million was available. So, if there are some who haven't received support before then—. And it was interesting to meet a number of people in Swansea on Friday, a number had caught COVID in December 2020. Of course, the service wasn't available at that point, but they are content now that they have received the treatment since this programme has been up and running. So, it's important that people go back if they have tried to access the service, because the system has changed, clearly.
What is happening is that there are expert teams. That is what is happening now. There are teams, the GPs refer to these expert teams, they refer people to ensure that—. Mental health support is available; there might be issues with regard to exhaustion. There are all kinds of factors and all of those experts help out. So, the treatment now is entirely different to what it was previously. And certainly, we weren't just willing to learn then, but we are eager to continue to learn, because, as I said, this is a new condition and we don't know yet how omicron is going to have an impact on long COVID either.
I'm grateful to the Minister for coming forward with this statement this afternoon. What I want to focus on is the impact this is having on people, on patients and families. I'd like to know what exactly are the services that the Minister is ensuring are going to be available in each one of our health boards. What are the Government's expectations for those services? Like her, I'm not persuaded that an under-resourced specialist unit is the best way of providing care, but I also want to be convinced that the current system is working well. What instructions has the Welsh Government given to health boards? What targets or objectives have been set for the delivery of those services?
And secondly, Presiding Officer, I want to think specifically of the NHS and front-line staff who, working throughout the pandemic, have put themselves at risk and who may now be suffering from long COVID themselves. People who contracted it whilst delivering services on behalf of us all are owed a fundamental duty of care by all of us, and it is the important role—fundamental role—of this Government to deliver that duty of care. Can we ensure, Minister, that all people in the NHS and associated services who find themselves with long COVID today are treated like people who have suffered an industrial injury and receive the duty of care that we all need to owe to them?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am gyflwyno'r datganiad hwn y prynhawn yma. Yr hyn yr wyf i am ganolbwyntio arno yw'r effaith a gaiff hyn ar bobl, ar gleifion ac ar deuluoedd. Fe hoffwn i wybod beth yn union yw'r gwasanaethau hyn y mae'r Gweinidog am wneud yn siŵr eu bod nhw ar gael ym mhob un o'n byrddau iechyd ni. Beth yw disgwyliadau'r Llywodraeth ar gyfer y gwasanaethau hyn? Fel hithau, nid wyf i wedi fy argyhoeddi mai uned arbenigol heb adnoddau digonol yw'r ffordd orau o ddarparu gofal, ond fe hoffwn innau hefyd fod wedi fy argyhoeddi bod y system bresennol yn gwneud ei gwaith yn iawn. Pa gyfarwyddiadau a roddodd Llywodraeth Cymru i'r byrddau iechyd? Pa nodau neu amcanion a bennwyd ar gyfer darparu'r gwasanaethau hyn?
Ac yn ail, Llywydd, fe hoffwn i ystyried y GIG yn benodol a'r staff rheng flaen sydd, drwy gydol y pandemig, wedi eu rhoi eu hunain mewn perygl ac a allai fod yn dioddef o COVID hir eu hunain erbyn hyn. Mae dyletswydd ar bob yr un ohonom ni i sicrhau bod gan y bobl a gafodd eu heintio wrth gynnal y gwasanaethau gofal er ein mwyn ni i gyd ofal sylfaenol ar eu cyfer nawr a swyddogaeth bwysig—swyddogaeth sylfaenol—y Llywodraeth hon yw anrhydeddu'r ddyletswydd honno o ran gofal. A gawn ni sicrhau, Gweinidog, fod pawb yn y GIG a'r gwasanaethau cysylltiedig sy'n dioddef oherwydd COVID hir heddiw yn cael eu trin fel pobl sydd wedi dioddef anaf diwydiannol ac yn derbyn y ddyletswydd honno i ofalu amdanyn nhw y mae angen i ni i gyd sylweddoli ei maint hi oherwydd eu gwasanaeth nhw er ein mwyn ni?
Diolch yn fawr. I can tell you some of the things that we have focused on in terms of what our expectations were. Certainly, we expect staff time, training, therapeutic and technical equipment to have been purchased, and a real emphasis on digital resources. I'm very pleased to say that 10,000 people have downloaded the self-help app. I downloaded it last night and had a good look. It's very, very easy to use and it's clear that a lot of people are getting that tailored support. So, the app is also giving tailored, individualised support.
The other requirement was that, actually, we expected individualised support. So, there is no one-size-fits-all; it's got to be responsive to the people that are walking into those services. Certainly, in terms of the people who have contracted COVID, in particular if they have been NHS workers, you're absolutely right, there is a duty of care. It was very interesting to hear from the Swansea health board in particular last week how they are very focused on supporting those people who have found it difficult going back to work, with occupational therapists specifically put in place and making sure that people are not pushed back to work before time. There's an understanding that, actually, in particular, that duty of care is something that needs to be understood and that, working with the trade unions, we're making sure that that respect is given to those people who, as you say, have really given their all during this pandemic and paid a significant price under certain circumstances.
Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n gallu sôn wrthych chi am rai o'r pethau y gwnaethom ni ganolbwyntio arnyn nhw o ran ein disgwyliadau ni. Yn sicr, rydym ni'n disgwyl gweld amser yn cael ei roi i staff, hyfforddiant, ac offer therapiwtig a thechnegol yn cael eu prynu, a phwyslais gwirioneddol yn cael ei roi ar adnoddau digidol. Rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud bod 10,000 o bobl wedi lawrlwytho'r ap hunangymorth. Fe wnes i ei lawrlwytho neithiwr a chael golwg iawn arno. Mae'n un hawdd iawn ei ddefnyddio, ac mae hi'n amlwg bod llawer o bobl yn gallu cael y cymorth hwnnw sy'n addas iddyn nhw. Felly, mae'r ap hefyd yn rhoi cymorth unigol sydd wedi ei deilwra.
Y gofyniad arall oedd ein bod ni, mewn gwirionedd, yn disgwyl gweld cymorth priodol i bob unigolyn. Felly, nid oes unrhyw gymorth sy'n addas i bawb; mae'n rhaid i hwnnw ymateb i'r bobl sy'n cerdded i mewn i'r gwasanaethau hynny. Yn sicr, o ran y bobl sydd wedi cael eu heintio â COVID, yn enwedig os ydyn nhw wedi bod yn weithwyr yn y GIG, rydych chi yn llygad eich lle, fe geir dyletswydd o ran gofal. Roedd hi'n ddiddorol iawn clywed gan fwrdd iechyd Abertawe yn benodol yr wythnos diwethaf am sut y maen nhw'n canolbwyntio llawer ar gefnogi'r bobl hynny sydd wedi ei chael hi'n anodd mynd yn ôl i'r gwaith, gyda therapyddion galwedigaethol yn cael eu rhoi ar waith yn benodol i roi cymorth iddyn nhw a sicrhau nad yw pobl yn cael eu gwthio nôl i'w gwaith cyn iddyn nhw fod yn barod. Mae yna ddealltwriaeth arbennig, mewn gwirionedd, fod dyletswydd o ran gofal yn rhywbeth y mae angen ei deall ac, wrth weithio gyda'r undebau llafur, ein bod ni'n sicrhau bod y parch dyledus hwnnw'n cael ei roi i'r bobl hynny sydd, fel rydych chi'n dweud, wedi rhoi popeth sydd ganddyn nhw yn ystod y pandemig hwn ac sydd wedi talu pris mawr am hynny mewn rhai achosion.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
I thank you for your statement this afternoon, Minister. I think we've yet to fully comprehend the long-term impact that a COVID infection has on some people. What we do know is that, sadly, far too many people have been left debilitated long after the virus has left their system. Minister, emerging evidence has highlighted the similarity of brain scans in some COVID patients and those suffering some forms of Alzheimer's. What research has been undertaken in Wales to understand the causes and potential remedies for long COVID?
Rehabilitation is key to longer term recovery, so what assessment have you made of the capacity of such services in Wales, when considering allied health professionals—physios, OTs, speech and language therapists? How will the NHS in Wales manage referrals into those services? Some health boards such as my own, Betsi Cadwaladr, allow self-referrals, but others require GP interventions. So, what steps are you taking to avoid setting up a potential postcode lottery for care? And, with an estimated 2 per cent of the population believed to be suffering long COVID, what assessment has the Welsh Government made of the additional pressures that this could place on the social care sector in Wales? And finally, Minister, as we move from the pandemic to an endemic phase of this disease, what process will be put in place to monitor the longer term impacts of COVID infections on both the individual and our healthcare systems?
Diolch i chi am eich datganiad chi'r prynhawn yma, Gweinidog. Rwyf i o'r farn nad ydym ni wedi deall yn llawn eto pa mor fawr yw effaith hirdymor heintiad COVID ar rai pobl. Yr hyn a wyddom ni yw bod llawer gormod o bobl, yn anffodus, yn teimlo yn wanllyd iawn ymhell wedi i'r feirws adael eu system. Gweinidog, mae yna dystiolaeth yn dod i'r amlwg sy'n tynnu sylw at debygrwydd rhwng sganiau o'r ymennydd mewn rhai cleifion COVID a'r rhai sy'n dioddef rhai mathau o glefyd Alzheimer. Pa ymchwil a wnaethpwyd yng Nghymru i ddeall achosion a'r meddyginiaethau posibl ar gyfer COVID hir?
Mae adsefydlu yn allweddol i adferiad tymor hwy, felly pa asesiad a wnaethoch chi o allu gwasanaethau o'r fath yng Nghymru, gan ystyried y gweithwyr iechyd proffesiynol cysylltiedig—ffisios, therapyddion galwedigaethol, therapyddion lleferydd ac iaith? Sut fydd y GIG yng Nghymru yn rheoli atgyfeiriadau i'r gwasanaethau hyn? Mae rhai byrddau iechyd fel fy un i, Betsi Cadwaladr, yn caniatáu hunanatgyfeiriadau, ond mae angen ymyriadau gan feddygon teulu ar rai eraill. Felly, pa gamau ydych chi'n eu cymryd i osgoi'r posibilrwydd o loteri cod post o ran gofal? A gydag amcangyfrifiad o 2 y cant o'r boblogaeth y credir eu bod nhw'n dioddef COVID hir, pa asesiad a wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru o'r pwysau ychwanegol y gallai hynny ei roi ar y sector gofal cymdeithasol yng Nghymru? Ac yn olaf, Gweinidog, wrth i ni symud oddi wrth y pandemig at gyfnod pan fo'r clefyd hwn ar gam endemig, pa broses a gaiff ei rhoi ar waith i fonitro effeithiau tymor hwy heintiadau COVID ar unigolion ac ar ein systemau ni o ofal iechyd?
Thanks very much. I haven't seen that research that suggests that it's similar to Alzheimer's, so if you could send me a copy of that, that would be really useful. What we are trying to do is to learn about long COVID every day. We have invested considerable funding into research, as I set out in my statement, working on this specifically.
There are people in particular who are therapists, who you'll be very aware of, who can be very helpful in these circumstances, giving that support and renewing the confidence of people. That's what came across very clearly to me in meeting some of these people is that, actually, they were very pleased that there was an acknowledgement that there's a problem, and many of them felt that people who they knew—. Because many of them had also suffered COVID, but hadn't responded in that way, as you've heard, some people were told that they were lazy and, actually, that is so far from the truth. What was great is that these people were just so pleased to be listened to, to be heard, but also to be given, then, the practical support that they needed to rebuild their health and their lives.
And certainly, in terms of a postcode lottery, well, I'm really delighted to say that every health board now has this multidisciplinary service, so we shouldn't be seeing that. And obviously, the long-term impact is something that we just need to keep an eye on, which is why I have said that every six months, in relation to long COVID, I want a reassessment to check, 'Are we doing the right thing? What do we need to change? How do we need to re-evaluate the services that we're giving?'
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Nid wyf i wedi gweld yr ymchwil hwnnw sy'n awgrymu ei fod yn cael effaith debyg i Glefyd Alzheimer, felly pe byddech chi'n anfon copi o hwnnw i mi, fe fyddai hynny o gymorth mawr. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ceisio ei wneud yw dysgu am COVID hir bob dydd. Rydym ni wedi buddsoddi cyllid sylweddol mewn ymchwil, fel y nodais i yn fy natganiad i, yn gweithio yn benodol ar hyn.
Mae yna bobl fel therapyddion yn arbennig, yr ydych chi'n ymwybodol iawn ohonyn nhw, a all fod o gymorth mawr yn yr amgylchiadau hyn, gan roi'r cymorth angenrheidiol a rhoi hyder o'r newydd i bobl. Dyna ddaeth yn amlwg iawn i mi wrth gwrdd â rhai o'r bobl hyn sef eu bod nhw, mewn gwirionedd, yn falch iawn bod eu problem nhw wedi cael ei chydnabod, ac roedd llawer ohonyn nhw'n teimlo bod pobl yr oedden nhw'n eu hadnabod—. Gan fod llawer ohonyn nhw wedi dioddef COVID hefyd, ond heb ymateb i'r heintiad yn y ffordd honno, fel y clywsoch chi, fe ddywedwyd wrth rai mai pobl ddiog oedden nhw ac mae hynny ymhell iawn o fod yn wir. Yr hyn a oedd yn rhagorol yw bod y bobl hyn mor falch o gael gwrandawiad, a'u clywed, ond i allu cael y cymorth ymarferol yr oedd ei angen arnyn nhw hefyd, felly, i ailadeiladu eu hiechyd a'u bywydau nhw.
Ac yn sicr, o ran loteri cod post, wel, rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud bod y gwasanaeth amlddisgyblaethol hwn wedi cael ei sefydlu ym mhob bwrdd iechyd erbyn hyn, felly ni ddylem ni fod yn gweld hynny. Ac yn amlwg, mae'r effaith hirdymor yn rhywbeth y mae angen i ni gadw llygad arno, a dyna pam y dywedais i fy mod i am weld ailasesiad yn digwydd bob chwe mis, o ran COVID hir, ar gyfer gwirio, 'A ydym ni'n gwneud y peth iawn? Beth sydd angen i ni ei newid? Sut mae angen i ni ailwerthuso'r gwasanaethau a roddwn ni?'
Ac yn olaf, Jack Sargeant.
And finally, Jack Sargeant.
Diolch yn fawr, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome the statement by the Minister and I also welcome the response to Alun Davies with regard to a duty of care for those who've caught coronavirus within the NHS and associated services. But I do feel that there is a piece of work there to fully understand who caught coronavirus when working within those services. I know that my colleague Sarah Murphy has a particular passion about that, and I think that there's an opportunity to work with our trade union colleagues on that.
Also, Minister, I welcome the statement in particular, because I think it's important that we talk about helping people with long COVID. A couple of weeks ago, the Senedd Petitions Committee considered a petition for the second time calling for long COVID clinics—one-stop clinics. Now, it's important to patients across Wales who will be using these services that they'll have a role in shaping those services. Can you set out today, Minister, how the future delivery of long COVID services are being shaped, and how patients' voices can be heard in this delivery plan?
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n croesawu'r datganiad gan y Gweinidog ac rwy'n croesawu'r ymateb i Alun Davies hefyd o ran dyletswydd gofal i'r rhai sydd wedi cael eu heintio â'r coronafeirws yn y GIG a'r gwasanaethau cysylltiedig. Ond rwy'n teimlo bod darn o waith i'w wneud yn hynny o beth ar gyfer deall yn iawn pwy yn union a gafodd coronafeirws wrth weithio o fewn y gwasanaethau hynny. Fe wn i fod gan fy nghyd-Aelod Sarah Murphy angerdd arbennig ynglŷn â hynny, ac rwy'n credu bod cyfle yn hynny o beth i weithio gyda'n cydweithwyr ni yn yr undebau llafur.
Yn ogystal â hynny, Gweinidog, rwy'n croesawu'r datganiad yn arbennig, oherwydd rwyf i o'r farn ei bod hi'n bwysig i ni siarad am helpu pobl sydd â COVID hir. Ychydig wythnosau nôl, am yr eildro, fe ystyriodd Pwyllgor Deisebau'r Senedd ddeiseb yn galw am glinigau COVID hir—clinigau un stop. Nawr, mae hi'n bwysig i'r cleifion ledled Cymru a fydd yn defnyddio'r gwasanaethau hyn fod â rhan wrth lunio'r gwasanaethau hyn. A wnewch chi nodi heddiw, Gweinidog, sut y caiff gwasanaethau COVID hir eu darparu yn y dyfodol, a sut y gellir clywed lleisiau'r cleifion yn y cynllun cyflawni hwn?
Thanks very much, Jack. And I know that there are many people who are very focused on this issue, and when you have an illness that is so debilitating, then clearly we need to respond. We have not gone down the route of long COVID clinics, but we're following the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, and I'll read to you what the NICE guidelines actually say. They say that we should:
'Provide access to multidisciplinary services, if available...for assessing physical and mental health symptoms and carrying out further tests and investigations'
and
'these could be "one-stop" clinics'.
Well, what we do is that we have access through the GP to this multidisciplinary team. When you call it whatever you call it, the fact is that we are following the NICE guidelines, and we're very confident that we're doing that. It is important, I think, that we continue to learn from and to listen to the voice of the people who are using the services, and that's why it is important, I think, that people who tried to use a service earlier on in the pandemic recognise that the service has changed significantly and fundamentally in the past six months. And it's really important, if people tried to get that care in the beginning and they didn't get it, that they know that it's available now and that they should go and seek that support.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Jack. Ac fe wn i fod yna lawer o bobl sy'n canolbwyntio llawer iawn ar y mater hwn, a phan welwch chi salwch sydd mor wanychol â hwn, mae hi'n amlwg bod angen i ni ymateb i hynny. Nid ydym ni wedi dilyn y trywydd o fod â chlinigau COVID hir, ond rydym ni'n dilyn canllawiau'r Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal, ac fe wnaf ddarllen i chi'r hyn y mae canllawiau NICE yn ei ddweud mewn gwirionedd. Maen nhw'n dweud y dylem ni:
'Roi gwasanaethau amlddisgyblaethol ar gael, os ydynt ar waith...ar gyfer asesu symptomau iechyd corfforol a meddyliol a chynnal profion ac ymchwiliadau pellach'
a
'gallai'r rhain fod yn glinigau "un stop" '.
Wel, yr hyn a wnawn ni yw bod y tîm amlddisgyblaethol hwn ar gael drwy gyfrwng y meddygon teulu. Os ydych chi am alw hwnnw beth bynnag yr ydych chi'n ei alw, y ffaith yw ein bod ni'n dilyn canllawiau NICE, ac rydym ni'n hyderus iawn ein bod ni'n gwneud felly. Mae hi'n bwysig, yn fy marn i, ein bod ni'n parhau i ddysgu oddi wrth leisiau'r bobl sy'n defnyddio'r gwasanaethau ac yn gwrando arnyn nhw, a dyna pam mae hi'n bwysig, yn fy marn i, fod y rhai sydd wedi ceisio defnyddio'r gwasanaeth yn gynharach yng nghwrs y pandemig yn cydnabod bod y gwasanaeth wedi newid yn sylweddol ac yn sylfaenol yn ystod y chwe mis diwethaf. Ac mae hi'n bwysig iawn, os yw pobl wedi gofyn am ofal fel hyn ar y dechrau a heb ei gael, eu bod nhw'n gwybod ei fod ar gael nawr ac y dylen nhw fynd i ofyn am y cymorth hwnnw.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog. Byddwn nawr yn atal y trafodion dros dro er mwyn caniatáu newidiadau yn y Siambr. Os ydych yn gadael y Siambr, gwnewch hynny'n brydlon. Bydd y gloch yn cael ei chanu dau funud cyn i'r trafodion ailgychwyn. Dylai unrhyw Aelod sy'n cyrraedd ar ôl y newid aros tan hynny cyn mynd i mewn i'r Siambr.
I thank the Minister. We will now suspend proceedings to allow changeovers in the Siambr. If you are leaving the Siambr, please do so promptly. The bell will be rung two minutes before proceedings restart. Any Members who arrive after a changeover should wait until then before entering the Siambr.
Ataliwyd y Cyfarfod Llawn am 15:22.
Plenary was suspended at 15:22.
Ailymgynullodd y Senedd am 15:32, gyda'r Dirprwy Lywydd yn y Gadair.
The Senedd reconvened at 15:32, with the Deputy Presiding Officer in the Chair.
Eitem 4 y prynhawn yma yw datganiad gan y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd ar y cap ar brisiau ynni. Galwaf ar y Gweinidog, Julie James.
Item 4 this afternoon is a statement by the Minister for Climate Change on the energy price cap. I call on the Minister, Julie James.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Last week, the energy regulator, Ofgem, announced the price cap that will take effect from April this year for residential energy consumers. As my colleague Jane Hutt set out on Thursday, the 54 per cent increase in the cap is clearly a devastating blow on households and hard-pressed families already struggling with the cost of living. This latest increase comes on the heels of significant increases in 2021, and means a typical household’s dual fuel energy bill will be close to £2,000 a year. While this rise has been in part fuelled by the recent fluctuations in the global wholesale price of gas, the UK Government must be held accountable for the choices they have taken. It is the UK Government that set the pricing framework that Ofgem operate, and this is having an unfair impact on households.
We all recognise the need for urgent action from Government to meet our net-zero targets, but we must also recognise that a progressive approach is the fairest way to achieve that goal. We have been consistent and clear on the need for a just transition, with those most able to pay for the necessary changes paying the greatest share of the costs. As a result, we have called for the UK Government to fund the cost of the change through a progressive tax system, rather than these costs being passed through directly to the consumer, hitting households hard with these steep price rises when other costs are also spiralling.
Secondly, the UK has long suffered from significant underinvestment in new renewable energy generation. Throughout the last decade, the Conservative Government in London cut subsidies and failed to put in place the incentives for the scale of investment needed. As a result, we have an imbalance in our energy system, with an over-reliance on fossil fuels, at considerable environmental cost. In addition, the UK Government advocates financial models for new energy investment that pass the costs to consumers, transferring the risk from developers to households, placing future burdens on household bills through higher prices.
And finally, we have a UK Government that has continued to cut welfare for those most in need, failed to raise taxation from those most able to pay, and left those most vulnerable in our communities with a cost-of-living crisis. Taking this latest increase in the price cap, 145,000 households who were at risk of fuel poverty in 2018 are now likely to be struggling to make ends meet. This means more than a quarter of all households in Wales, if not more, are having to make difficult choices about whether or how to heat their homes.
The Minister for Social Justice and I wrote to the UK Government on 11 January, pressing the case for immediate action and setting out a series of actions that needs to be taken. Those actions include an expansion of the warm home discount, removing policy costs from household bills and funding them instead from general taxation. The UK Government’s response announced last week falls considerably short of the action needed. While the proposal to provide a £200 discount to all households will help with the bills households need to pay today, it is not available until next October. Even when this support does come through, it is a one-off payment; it needs to be repaid over the next five years, so will do nothing to help households in the medium term.
The UK Government is gambling that wholesale gas prices will fall so that the impact of the repayment won’t be felt as much by households. But the reality is likely to be an additional burden on households to pay this money back at a time when the price cap continues to rise as a result of the fundamental failures in the way the UK Government oversees the energy system. The outcome here is that consumers face higher costs for a sustained period of time. This is not a short-term spike in the market, and in my meeting with Ofgem last week they were clear to me that there will be difficult times ahead for households. I called on Ofgem to ensure that the rights of customers are protected and vulnerable households have full access to the support and advice that is available. I reiterated my commitment to work with Ofgem to ensure households in Wales maximise all the services at this time of hardship.
Dirprwy Lywydd, we are clear that we will use the powers that are available to us to support those most in need. Our cold weather resilience plan sets out 14 actions we are already taking with partners to support households. A key action is helping to improve domestic energy efficiency through the Warm Homes programme Nest scheme. Our continued investment saves lower income households on average more than £300 on their energy bills. Our £51 million household support fund announced in November included £38 million being allocated to support a winter fuel support scheme. This offered working-age households in receipt of means-tested benefits a one-off payment of £100 towards the cost of their energy needs. And, last week, in the face rising pressure on households and inaction from the UK Government, we led by example and announced an expansion to the winter fuel support scheme, doubling the one-off payment to £200. Unlike the UK Government proposal, this is immediate support without a repayment schedule. This additional funding will go some way to helping the most vulnerable in our society to pay their fuel bills during this difficult time, but we know this still will not be enough for many people living in need.
In light of the changes in April, and the likelihood of further increases, we want to do more. Last week the Minister for Social Justice and I met with National Energy Action to explore the options for further measures of support. To take this work forward we will be hosting a summit on 17 February with front-line services and other key groups to identify what more can be done to support households both now and in the future. And, as we look to the future, we need to recognise that the most sustainable watt of energy is the one that isn’t needed. That is why we will continue to put in place policies that support reducing the demand for energy, saving Welsh people and businesses money as well as tackling emissions—policies that include investing in the housing stock to improve energy efficiency, supporting the circular economy to encourage reuse and repair, and working closely with industry to support a more sustainable use of energy.
We are committed to a just transition and ensuring the energy system in Wales supports renewable energy generation is the fairest way possible. As we continue to press the UK Government for urgent changes to the way the market is regulated, we will do all we can to support households in Wales. A greener, stronger and fairer future for Wales is at risk from an outdated energy market and an energy pricing structure that is blind to the impacts on the poorest and most vulnerable in society. We must and will work to do whatever we can to keep our vision alive for future generations. Diolch.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddodd y rheoleiddiwr ynni, Ofgem, y cap ar brisiau a fydd yn dod i rym o fis Ebrill eleni ar gyfer defnyddwyr ynni preswyl. Fel y nododd fy nghyd-Aelod Jane Hutt ddydd Iau, mae'r cynnydd o 54 y cant yn y cap yn amlwg yn ergyd drom i aelwydydd a theuluoedd sydd eisoes dan bwysau ac sydd eisoes yn cael trafferth gyda chostau byw. Daw'r cynnydd diweddaraf hwn yn dynn ar sodlau cynnydd sylweddol yn 2021, ac mae'n golygu y bydd bil ynni tanwydd deuol cartref nodweddiadol yn agos at £2,000 y flwyddyn. Er bod y cynnydd hwn wedi'i ysgogi'n rhannol gan yr amrywiadau diweddar ym mhris cyfanwerthu byd-eang nwy, rhaid i Lywodraeth y DU gael ei dwyn yn atebol am y dewisiadau y maen nhw wedi'u cymryd. Llywodraeth y DU sy'n gosod y fframwaith prisio mae Ofgem yn ei weithredu, ac mae hyn yn cael effaith annheg ar aelwydydd.
Rydyn ni i gyd yn cydnabod yr angen am weithredu ar frys gan y Llywodraeth i gyrraedd ein targedau sero-net, ond rhaid i ni gydnabod hefyd mai dull blaengar yw'r ffordd decaf o gyflawni'r nod hwnnw. Rydyn ni wedi bod yn gyson ac yn glir ynghylch yr angen am gyfnod pontio cyfiawn, gyda'r rhai mwyaf abl i dalu am y newidiadau angenrheidiol yn talu'r gyfran fwyaf o'r costau. O ganlyniad, rydyn ni wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i ariannu cost y newid drwy system dreth flaengar, yn hytrach na bod y costau hyn yn cael eu trosglwyddo'n uniongyrchol i'r defnyddiwr, gan daro aelwydydd yn galed gyda'r codiadau prisiau serth hyn pan fydd costau eraill hefyd yn cynyddu.
Yn ail, mae'r DU wedi dioddef ers tro byd o danfuddsoddi sylweddol mewn cynhyrchu ynni adnewyddadwy newydd. Drwy gydol y degawd diwethaf, torrodd y Llywodraeth Geidwadol yn Llundain gymorthdaliadau a methodd â rhoi'r cymhellion ar waith ar gyfer maint y buddsoddiad sydd ei angen. O ganlyniad, mae gennym anghydbwysedd yn ein system ynni, gyda gorddibyniaeth ar danwydd ffosil, am gost amgylcheddol sylweddol. Yn ogystal â hyn, mae Llywodraeth y DU yn argymell modelau ariannol ar gyfer buddsoddi ynni newydd sy'n trosglwyddo'r costau i ddefnyddwyr, gan drosglwyddo'r risg o ddatblygwyr i aelwydydd, gan roi pwysau ar filiau'r cartref yn y dyfodol drwy brisiau uwch.
Ac yn olaf, mae gennym ni Lywodraeth y DU sydd wedi parhau i dorri taliadau lles i'r rhai mwyaf anghenus, wedi methu â chodi trethiant gan y rhai mwyaf abl i dalu, ac wedi gadael y rhai mwyaf agored i niwed yn ein cymunedau gydag argyfwng cost byw. Gan ystyried y cynnydd diweddaraf hwn yn y cap ar brisiau, mae 145,000 o aelwydydd a oedd mewn perygl o dlodi tanwydd yn 2018 bellach yn debygol o gael trafferth cael dau ben llinyn ynghyd. Mae hyn yn golygu bod mwy na chwarter yr holl aelwydydd yng Nghymru, os nad mwy, yn gorfod gwneud dewisiadau anodd ynghylch a ddylid gwresogi eu cartrefi ai peidio.
Ysgrifennodd y Gweinidog dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a minnau at Lywodraeth y DU ar 11 Ionawr, gan bwyso'r achos dros weithredu ar unwaith a nodi cyfres o gamau y mae angen eu cymryd. Mae'r camau hynny'n cynnwys ehangu'r gostyngiad cynnes yn y cartref, dileu costau polisi o filiau'r cartref a'u hariannu yn hytrach na threthiant cyffredinol. Mae ymateb Llywodraeth y DU a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf yn llai na'r camau sydd eu hangen. Er y bydd y cynnig i ddarparu gostyngiad o £200 i bob aelwyd yn helpu gyda'r biliau mae angen i aelwydydd eu talu heddiw, nid yw ar gael tan fis Hydref nesaf. Hyd yn oed pan ddaw'r cymorth hwn drwodd, mae'n daliad untro; mae angen ei ad-dalu dros y pum mlynedd nesaf, felly ni fydd yn gwneud dim i helpu aelwydydd yn y tymor canolig.
Mae Llywodraeth y DU yn gamblo y bydd prisiau nwy cyfanwerthol yn gostwng fel na fydd effaith yr ad-daliad yn cael ei deimlo cymaint gan aelwydydd. Ond mae'r realiti yn debygol o fod yn faich ychwanegol ar aelwydydd i dalu'r arian hwn yn ôl ar adeg pan fo'r cap ar brisiau yn parhau i godi o ganlyniad i'r methiannau sylfaenol yn y ffordd mae Llywodraeth y DU yn goruchwylio'r system ynni. Y canlyniad yma yw bod defnyddwyr yn wynebu costau uwch am gyfnod parhaus o amser. Nid brig tymor byr yn y farchnad yw hwn, ac yn fy nghyfarfod ag Ofgem yr wythnos diwethaf roedden nhw’n glir gyda mi y bydd adegau anodd o'n blaenau i aelwydydd. Galwais ar Ofgem i sicrhau bod hawliau cwsmeriaid yn cael eu diogelu a bod gan aelwydydd sy'n agored i niwed fynediad llawn i'r cymorth a'r cyngor sydd ar gael. Ailadroddais fy ymrwymiad i weithio gydag Ofgem i sicrhau bod aelwydydd yng Nghymru yn manteisio i'r eithaf ar yr holl wasanaethau ar yr adeg hon o gyni.
Dirprwy Lywydd, rydyn ni’n glir y byddwn ni’n defnyddio'r pwerau sydd ar gael i ni i gefnogi'r rhai sydd â'r angen mwyaf. Mae ein cynllun ymdopi â thywydd oer yn nodi 14 o gamau gweithredu yr ydym ni eisoes yn eu cymryd gyda phartneriaid i gefnogi aelwydydd. Cam allweddol yw helpu i wella effeithlonrwydd ynni domestig drwy gynllun Nyth y rhaglen Cartrefi Cynnes. Mae ein buddsoddiad parhaus yn arbed mwy na £300 ar gyfartaledd i aelwydydd incwm ar eu biliau ynni. Roedd ein cronfa cymorth i gartrefi gwerth £51 miliwn a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Tachwedd yn cynnwys £38 miliwn yn cael ei ddyrannu i gefnogi cynllun cymorth tanwydd gaeaf. Roedd hyn yn cynnig budd-daliadau untro o £100 i aelwydydd o oedran gweithio sy'n derbyn budd-daliadau prawf modd tuag at gost eu hanghenion ynni. Ac, yr wythnos diwethaf, yn wyneb pwysau cynyddol ar aelwydydd a diffyg gweithredu gan Lywodraeth y DU, fe wnaethom arwain drwy esiampl a chyhoeddi ehangiad i’r cynllun cymorth tanwydd gaeaf, gan ddyblu'r taliad untro i £200. Yn wahanol i gynnig Llywodraeth y DU, mae hyn yn gymorth ar unwaith heb amserlen ad-dalu. Bydd yr arian ychwanegol hwn yn mynd beth o'r ffordd i helpu'r rhai mwyaf agored i niwed yn ein cymdeithas i dalu eu biliau tanwydd yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn, ond fe wyddom ni na fydd hyn yn ddigon o hyd i lawer o bobl sy'n byw mewn angen.
Yng ngoleuni'r newidiadau ym mis Ebrill, a'r tebygolrwydd o gynnydd pellach, rydyn ni am wneud mwy. Yr wythnos diwethaf, fe wnaeth y Gweinidog dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a minnau gyfarfod â Gweithredu Ynni Cenedlaethol i archwilio'r opsiynau ar gyfer mesurau cymorth pellach. Er mwyn bwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith hwn byddwn yn cynnal uwchgynhadledd ar 17 Chwefror gyda gwasanaethau rheng flaen a grwpiau allweddol eraill i nodi beth arall y gellir ei wneud i gefnogi aelwydydd yn awr ac yn y dyfodol. Ac, wrth i ni edrych tua'r dyfodol, mae angen i ni gydnabod mai'r watt mwyaf cynaliadwy o ynni yw'r un nad oes ei angen. Dyna pam y byddwn ni'n parhau i sefydlu polisïau sy'n cefnogi lleihau'r galw am ynni, arbed arian i bobl a busnesau Cymru yn ogystal â mynd i'r afael ag allyriadau—polisïau sy'n cynnwys buddsoddi yn y stoc dai i wella effeithlonrwydd ynni, cefnogi'r economi gylchol i annog ailddefnyddio ac atgyweirio, a gweithio'n agos gyda diwydiant i gefnogi defnydd mwy cynaliadwy o ynni.
Rydyn ni wedi ymrwymo i drawsnewid cyfiawn a sicrhau bod y system ynni yng Nghymru yn cefnogi cynhyrchu ynni adnewyddadwy yn y ffordd decaf bosibl. Wrth i ni barhau i bwyso ar Lywodraeth y DU am newidiadau brys i'r ffordd y caiff y farchnad ei rheoleiddio, byddwn yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i gefnogi aelwydydd yng Nghymru. Mae dyfodol gwyrddach, cryfach a thecach i Gymru mewn perygl yn sgil marchnad ynni hen ffasiwn a strwythur prisio ynni sy'n ddall i'r effeithiau ar y tlotaf a'r rhai mwyaf agored i niwed mewn cymdeithas. Rhaid i ni weithio i wneud beth bynnag y gallwn ni i gadw ein gweledigaeth yn fyw ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Diolch.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Janet Finch-Saunders.
Conservative spokesperson, Janet Finch-Saunders.
Diolch. Thank you, Minister, for your statement today. Frankly, I have to be honest, when I first read it, I thought I'd picked up the wrong document, because it read rather more like a party political broadcast by the Welsh Labour Party. We have devolution, we've had this for 22 years now, and, I'm afraid, to keep pointing the finger of blame on the UK Government for what is a global crisis is not what my constituents in Aberconwy want to hear. Your original target was to completely eradicate fuel poverty in all households by 2018, yet recent estimates show that 155,000 households are living in fuel poverty, 12 per cent of households here in Wales, 20 per cent of households in the private sector living in fuel poverty, and 9 per cent in the social housing sector. If these targets had not been missed, quite simply, the people of Wales would not be facing as severe a crisis as they are today.
I do acknowledge that the Welsh Government has been driving forward some improvements to energy efficiency, but that is now turning into a bit of a nightmare, isn't it, for you as a Government? Arbed has seen residents in a number of villages in Gwynedd experiencing issues with damp and green slime following works to their homes. Bridgend County Borough Council was recently forced to apologise to residents after issues such as the faulty sealing of windows, damp, mould and algae. Your key delivery mechanism, the Warm Homes programme, between 2011 and 2023, is now only expected to reach 79,000 homes. So, will you consider, Minister, being proactive and amend the eligibility criteria for support, so that all 155,000 of those living in fuel poverty can actually see some benefit?
The total cost of decarbonising housing stock based on Welsh School of Architecture estimates is circa £15 billion, of which more than £10 billion is for the social housing stock and for homes in fuel poverty. Capital funding under the residential decarb and quality budget expenditure line is £72 million for 2022-23, increasing to £92 million for both schemes in 2023-24 and 2024-25. On that basis, it could take the Welsh Government over 160 years to invest all the money needed to decarbonise all housing stock. So, tell us, in a meaningful way, how are you going to put the foot on the accelerator?
You claim to want a progressive tax system. However, a 10 per cent windfall tax, which has been proposed, would likely raise much less than is being claimed, and, depending on companies’ behavioural response, may actually reduce tax revenues. So, I do hope, Minister, that you will acknowledge that the current tax rate charged on oil and gas profits is already more than double the rate charged on profits in most other sectors of the economy.
We the Welsh Conservatives will not support any more taxation placed on our hard-working families by your Government. There are limited levers the UK Government does have to deal—[Interruption.] I know you don't like hearing it, but it has to be said. [Interruption.]
Diolch, Weinidog, am eich datganiad heddiw. A dweud y gwir, mae'n rhaid i mi fod yn onest, pan ddarllenais y ddogfen gyntaf, roeddwn i’n meddwl fy mod wedi codi'r ddogfen anghywir, oherwydd yr oedd yn darllen braidd yn debycach i ddarllediad gwleidyddol pleidiol gan Blaid Lafur Cymru. Mae gennym ni ddatganoli, rydyn ni wedi bod â hyn ers 22 mlynedd bellach, ac, mae arnaf i ofn, mae dal i bwyntio bys ar Lywodraeth y DU am yr hyn sy'n argyfwng byd-eang yn rhywbeth nad yw fy etholwyr yn Aberconwy am ei glywed. Eich targed gwreiddiol oedd dileu tlodi tanwydd yn llwyr ym mhob aelwyd erbyn 2018, ac eto mae amcangyfrifon diweddar yn dangos bod 155,000 o aelwydydd yn byw mewn tlodi tanwydd, 12 y cant o aelwydydd yma yng Nghymru, 20 y cant o aelwydydd yn y sector preifat yn byw mewn tlodi tanwydd, a 9 y cant yn y sector tai cymdeithasol. Pe na bai'r targedau hyn wedi'u methu, yn syml iawn, ni fyddai pobl Cymru yn wynebu argyfwng mor ddifrifol ag y maen nhw heddiw.
Rwyf yn cydnabod bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn bwrw ymlaen â rhai gwelliannau i effeithlonrwydd ynni, ond mae hynny bellach yn troi'n dipyn o hunllef, on'd ydy, i chi fel Llywodraeth? Mae Arbed wedi gweld trigolion mewn nifer o bentrefi yng Ngwynedd yn cael problemau gyda lleithder a llaid gwyrdd yn dilyn gwaith i'w cartrefi. Yn ddiweddar, gorfodwyd Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr i ymddiheuro i drigolion ar ôl problemau fel selio ffenestri ddiffygiol, lleithder, llwydni ac algâu. Mae disgwyl i'ch dull cyflawni allweddol, y rhaglen Cartrefi Cynnes, rhwng 2011 a 2023, gyrraedd 79,000 o gartrefi yn unig. Felly, a fyddwch chi’n ystyried, Gweinidog, bod yn rhagweithiol a diwygio'r meini prawf cymhwysedd ar gyfer cymorth, fel y gall pob un o'r 155,000 o'r rhai sy'n byw mewn tlodi tanwydd weld rhywfaint o fudd mewn gwirionedd?
Cyfanswm cost datgarboneiddio stoc tai yn seiliedig ar amcangyfrifon Ysgol Pensaernïaeth Cymru yw tua £15 biliwn, ac mae mwy na £10 biliwn ohono ar gyfer y stoc tai cymdeithasol ac ar gyfer cartrefi mewn tlodi tanwydd. Mae cyllid cyfalaf o dan y llinell wariant ar y gyllideb breswyl a'r gyllideb ansawdd yn £72 miliwn ar gyfer 2022-23, gan gynyddu i £92 miliwn ar gyfer y ddau gynllun yn 2023-24 a 2024-25. Ar y sail honno, gallai gymryd dros 160 mlynedd i Lywodraeth Cymru fuddsoddi'r holl arian sydd ei angen i ddatgarboneiddio'r holl stoc tai. Felly, dywedwch wrthym ni, mewn ffordd ystyrlon, sut ydych chi’n mynd i gyflymu pethau?
Rydych chi’n honni eich bod am gael system dreth flaengar. Fodd bynnag, byddai treth ffawdelw o 10 y cant, sydd wedi cael ei chynnig, yn debygol o godi llawer llai nag sy'n cael ei hawlio, ac, yn dibynnu ar ymateb ymddygiadol cwmnïau, gall leihau refeniw treth mewn gwirionedd. Felly, rwyf i’n gobeithio, Gweinidog, y byddwch chi’n cydnabod bod y gyfradd dreth bresennol a godir ar elw olew a nwy eisoes yn fwy na dwbl y gyfradd a godir ar elw yn rhan fwyaf o sectorau eraill yr economi.
Ni fydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn cefnogi mwy o drethiant yn cael ei roi ar ein teuluoedd sy'n gweithio'n galed gan eich Llywodraeth. Mae ychydig o ysgogiadau y mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth y DU ymdrin â nhw—[Torri ar draws.] Rwy'n gwybod nad ydych chi'n hoffi ei glywed, ond mae'n rhaid dweud hynny. [Torri ar draws.]
I would like to hear the—[Interruption.] I would like to hear the Member's questions to the Minister, so please give her an opportunity to do so.
Hoffwn glywed y—[Torri ar draws.] Hoffwn glywed cwestiynau'r Aelod i'r Gweinidog, felly rhowch gyfle iddi wneud hynny.
Thank you. Reducing the universal credit taper rate, increasing the national living wage, freezing fuel duty for the twelfth year in a row, and now the historic rebate scheme announced last week. The UK Government scheme, Joyce, will help with household bills immediately and will protect people against as much as half of the £700 increase. The Welsh Government will receive £175 million in Barnett consequentials as a result of the UK Government's announcement of £150 off council tax bills. Will you commit to replicating this in Wales?
I am astounded by your false claim that there has been a significant underinvestment in new renewable energy generation. I hope you certainly do acknowledge the fact that the UK Government has committed £90 million to innovate Welsh net-zero projects, and is certainly delivering on its plan for a green industrial revolution. The UK Government—you keep mentioning them, so will I—also has a plan for a world-leading hydrogen economy, which includes a commitment to create a hydrogen village trial by 2025, and potentially pilot a hydrogen town by the end of the decade. So, will you again reflect such ambition by expanding on the commitment in carbon budget 2 to support local hydrogen projects and place-based solutions?
I acknowledge that support is to be provided—
Diolch. Lleihau'r gyfradd raddedig credyd cynhwysol, cynyddu'r cyflog byw cenedlaethol, rhewi'r dreth tanwydd am y deuddegfed flwyddyn yn olynol, a bellach y cynllun ad-dalu hanesyddol a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf. Bydd cynllun Llywodraeth y DU, Joyce, yn helpu gyda biliau'r cartref ar unwaith a bydd yn amddiffyn pobl rhag cymaint â hanner y cynnydd o £700. Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn derbyn £175 miliwn mewn symiau canlyniadol Barnett o ganlyniad i gyhoeddiad Llywodraeth y DU o £150 oddi ar filiau'r dreth gyngor. A wnewch chi ymrwymo i wneud hyn yng Nghymru?
Rwyf i wedi fy syfrdanu gan eich honiad ffug y bu tanfuddsoddi sylweddol mewn cynhyrchu ynni adnewyddadwy newydd. Rwy'n gobeithio eich bod yn sicr yn cydnabod y ffaith bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi ymrwymo £90 miliwn i arloesi prosiectau sero-net Cymru, ac yn sicr mae'n cyflawni ei chynllun ar gyfer chwyldro diwydiannol gwyrdd. Mae gan Lywodraeth y DU—yr ydych chi'n cadw sôn amdani, felly fe wnaf innau hefyd—gynllun hefyd ar gyfer economi hydrogen sy'n arwain y byd, sy'n cynnwys ymrwymiad i greu treial pentref hydrogen erbyn 2025, ac o bosibl treialu tref hydrogen erbyn diwedd y degawd. Felly, a wnewch chi eto adlewyrchu uchelgais o'r fath drwy ehangu ar yr ymrwymiad yng nghyllideb carbon 2 i gefnogi prosiectau hydrogen lleol ac atebion sy'n seiliedig ar deuluoedd?
Rwy'n cydnabod bod cymorth i'w ddarparu—
The Member must come to a conclusion now.
Rhaid i'r Aelod ddod i gasgliad nawr.
Yes, I will do now—to Blaenau Gwent via the Smart Living programme to develop a type of microgrid on an industrial estate that would help us to move to renewable energy and create and distribute cleaner energy locally. So, bearing in mind, Minister, that the north Wales energy strategy includes a microgrid development as a priority area, will you establish a microgrid trial in north Wales? It's time that north Wales benefited from some innovation from this Welsh Government. Diolch. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Ie, fe wnaf i nawr—i Flaenau Gwent drwy'r rhaglen Byw'n Gall i ddatblygu math o ficrogrid ar ystad ddiwydiannol a fyddai'n ein helpu i symud i ynni adnewyddadwy a chreu a dosbarthu ynni glanach yn lleol. Felly, o gofio, Gweinidog, fod strategaeth ynni y gogledd yn cynnwys datblygiad microgrid fel maes blaenoriaeth, a wnewch chi sefydlu treial microgrid yn y gogledd? Mae'n bryd i'r gogledd elwa ar rywfaint o arloesedd gan y Llywodraeth hon yng Nghymru. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Well, where to start? So, Arbed—Arbed has had some problems, absolutely, and as Janet Finch-Saunders said herself, we have taken responsibility for those both through our local authorities and as a Welsh Government. Unfortunately, there were preceding schemes to Arbed that the UK Government propagated—many of the Members here have had terrible problems with them in their constituencies. The UK Government's response to that has been to throw up their hands in horror, say there's no bond and there's nothing that can be done and the householder is entirely alone. So, Janet, before you start flinging stones, you really should have a look at where you're picking the stones up from, because you really are not in a good place as Conservatives to say that you've protected consumers from very poorly thought out schemes.
Going on to the decarbonisation proposal, we have very much learnt from some of the difficulties we had with Arbed, and indeed from some of the small difficulties we had with the Welsh housing quality standard. One size does not fit all. So, we have an optimised retrofit programme here in Wales where we are trialling different technologies for different types of housing, making sure that we learn from the problems of the past with cavity wall installations that have gone wrong—some of them are excellent, but some of them have gone wrong—and other issues that have arisen, to make sure that we have the right programme for the right house.
Across the border, we have Prime Minister de Pfeffel going on about air source heat pumps for all houses, which you may as well install on the outside, because without addressing all of the other issues, they absolutely will not have any effect.
A couple of other things that you mentioned: the windfall tax. I mean, I don't know where to start with that. A company that can announce record profits at the same time as putting energy prices up to the point where people really are choosing between heating and eating, and you're telling me that they're already paying enough tax—. Well, I think that says it all about the Conservatives. It's beyond satire—I won't even attempt it. If you can't see the problems you're making, I feel really sorry for you.
The £150 council tax issue is another one. So, that's a rebate on council tax; we already have a council tax relief scheme here in Wales that isn't duplicated in England. That council tax rebate cannot be claimed by anyone paying a collective rent, so anyone in a flat, anyone paying council tax as part of their rent will not be able to claim it. We've asked questions about that. It will be really interesting to see how that works. The idea that the £200 that's being given to people is a loan—I mean, even, Janet, you must be able to see the idiocy of relying on a market so volatile as this to even itself out so that people won't mind repaying a loan. I mean, it's just breathtaking.
This Government, on the other hand, is doing what we can to help immediately with grants to people who are in immediate need. The idea that you're telling me what the cost of living is when you're the Government who took away the £20 universal credit uplift, who has frozen the local housing market allowance—. You're talking to me about rising rents at the same time as freezing the local housing allowance, having only put it up once in 15 years—absolutely outrageous behaviour, frankly, driving people into poverty—I will not be putting up with that. It's absolutely outrageous that you've done that. People living in private sector rented accommodation who can no longer claim the full cost of their rent absolutely through the welfare policies of your Government, that you support, that you've never got anything to say against—it's just extraordinary. I'm sure the people of Aberconwy have lots of questions to ask, probably along those lines.
In terms of innovative energy developments, we have worked very hard here in Wales, both with Ofgem and with everyone else to develop decentralised grid structures. However, the UK Government is in charge of the so-called national grid. The instructions to Ofgem mitigate that. You could do a great deal of good for your constituents, Janet, by asking the UK Government to devolve that to Wales, because we need upfront grid development that is not driven by consumer policies and contracts, but is driven by need and which allows a distributed grid. I would absolutely be behind you there. Closed-loop grids have caused endless problems because as soon as they go down, as we've learnt to our cost in Baglan, the UK Government will not step in, it will not legislate to make sure that the official receiver steps in to help the people there.
So, I am taking no lessons whatsoever from you on how to deal with welfare, on how to deal with poverty, on how to develop innovative energy structures or on how to deal with the UK Government. Actually, Janet, you really do need to do your research better.
Wel, ble i ddechrau? Arbed—mae Arbed wedi cael rhai problemau, yn sicr, ac fel y dywedodd Janet Finch-Saunders ei hun, rydyn ni wedi cymryd cyfrifoldeb dros y rheini drwy ein hawdurdodau lleol ac fel Llywodraeth Cymru. Yn anffodus, roedd cynlluniau blaenorol cyn Arbed mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi'u lledaenu—mae llawer o'r Aelodau yma wedi cael problemau ofnadwy gyda nhw yn eu hetholaethau. Ymateb Llywodraeth y DU i hynny oedd taflu eu dwylo mewn arswyd, dweud nad oes bond ac nid oes dim y gellir ei wneud ac mae'r deiliad tŷ yn gyfan gwbl ar ei ben ei hun. Felly, Janet, cyn i chi ddechrau taflu cerrig, dylech chi wirioneddol edrych ar ble rydych chi'n codi'r cerrig, oherwydd dydych chi ddim mewn lle da fel Ceidwadwyr i ddweud eich bod wedi gwarchod defnyddwyr rhag cynlluniau sydd wedi'u cynllunio yn wael iawn.
Gan fynd ymlaen at y cynnig datgarboneiddio, rydyn ni’n sicr wedi dysgu am rai o'r anawsterau a gawsom gydag Arbed, ac yn wir o rai o'r anawsterau bach a gawsom ni gyda safon ansawdd tai Cymru. Nid yw un maint yn addas i bawb. Felly, mae gennym ni raglen ôl-ffitio wedi’i hoptimeiddio yma yng Nghymru lle rydyn ni’n treialu gwahanol dechnolegau ar gyfer gwahanol fathau o dai, gan sicrhau ein bod yn dysgu o broblemau'r gorffennol gyda gosodiadau waliau ceudod sydd wedi mynd o'i le—mae rhai ohonynt yn rhagorol, ond mae rhai ohonynt wedi mynd o'i le—a materion eraill sydd wedi codi, i sicrhau bod gennym ni’r rhaglen gywir ar gyfer y tŷ cywir.
Dros y ffin, mae gennym ni Brif Weinidog de Pfeffel yn sôn am bympiau gwres ffynhonnell aer ar gyfer pob tŷ, y byddai waeth i chi ei osod ar y tu allan, oherwydd heb fynd i'r afael â'r holl faterion eraill, ni fyddant yn cael unrhyw effaith.
Un neu ddau o bethau eraill y gwnaethoch chi sôn amdanyn nhw: y dreth ffawdelw. Wyddoch chi, dydw i ddim yn gwybod ble i ddechrau gyda hynny. Cwmni a all gyhoeddi'r elw mwyaf erioed ar yr un adeg â chodi prisiau ynni i'r pwynt lle mae pobl yn dewis rhwng gwresogi a bwyta, ac rydych chi’n dweud wrthyf i eu bod nhw eisoes yn talu digon o dreth—. Wel, rwy’n credu bod hynny'n dweud y cyfan am y Ceidwadwyr. Mae y tu hwnt i ddychan—ni fyddaf i hyd yn oed yn ceisio gwneud hynny. Os na allwch chi weld y problemau rydych chi'n eu gwneud, rwy'n teimlo'n flin iawn drosoch chi.
Mae'r mater £150 y dreth gyngor yn un arall. Felly, mae hynny'n ad-daliad ar y dreth gyngor; mae gennym ni eisoes gynllun rhyddhad treth gyngor yma yng Nghymru nad yw'n cael ei ddyblygu yn Lloegr. Ni all unrhyw un sy'n talu rhent ar y cyd hawlio ad-daliad y dreth gyngor, felly ni fydd unrhyw un sy'n talu treth gyngor fel rhan o'i rent yn gallu ei hawlio. Rydyn ni wedi gofyn cwestiynau am hynny. Bydd yn ddiddorol iawn gweld sut mae hynny'n gweithio. Mae'r syniad bod y £200 sy'n cael ei roi i bobl yn fenthyciad— mae’n rhaid eich bod chi, hyd yn oed, Janet, yn gallu gweld y twpdra o ddibynnu ar farchnad mor gyfnewidiol â hyn i wastatáu fel na fydd ots gan bobl ad-dalu benthyciad. Mae'n syfrdanol.
Mae'r Llywodraeth hon, ar y llaw arall, yn gwneud yr hyn a allwn ni i helpu ar unwaith gyda grantiau i bobl sydd mewn angen ar unwaith. Y syniad eich bod chi’n dweud wrthyf i beth yw costau byw pan mai chi yw'r Llywodraeth a gymerodd y codiad credyd cynhwysol o £20 i ffwrdd, chi sydd wedi rhewi'r lwfans marchnad dai lleol—. Rydych chi’n siarad â mi am gynnydd mewn rhenti ar yr un pryd â rhewi'r lwfans tai lleol, ar ôl ei godi unwaith mewn 15 mlynedd yn unig—ymddygiad hollol warthus, a dweud y gwir, gyrru pobl i dlodi—ni fyddaf yn derbyn hynny. Mae'n gwbl warthus eich bod chi wedi gwneud hynny. Pobl sy'n byw mewn llety rhent yn y sector preifat na allant bellach hawlio cost lawn eu rhent yn llwyr drwy bolisïau lles eich Llywodraeth, rydych chi’n eu cefnogi, nad oes gennych chi erioed ddim i'w ddweud yn eu herbyn—mae'n rhyfeddol. Rwy'n siŵr bod gan bobl Aberconwy lawer o gwestiynau i'w gofyn ar hyd y llinellau hynny, mae’n debyg.
O ran datblygiadau ynni arloesol, rydyn ni wedi gweithio'n galed iawn yma yng Nghymru, gydag Ofgem a gyda phawb arall i ddatblygu strwythurau grid datganoledig. Fodd bynnag, Llywodraeth y DU sy'n gyfrifol am y grid cenedlaethol fel mae’n cael ei alw. Mae'r cyfarwyddiadau i Ofgem yn lliniaru hynny. Gallech chi wneud llawer o les i'ch etholwyr, Janet, drwy ofyn i Lywodraeth y DU ddatganoli hynny i Gymru, oherwydd mae arnom angen datblygu grid ymlaen llaw nad yw'n cael ei lywio gan bolisïau a chontractau defnyddwyr, ond sy'n cael ei ysgogi gan angen ac sy'n caniatáu grid gwasgaredig. Byddwn yn eich cefnogi’n llwyr ar hynny. Mae gridiau dolen gaeedig wedi achosi problemau diddiwedd oherwydd cyn gynted ag y byddant yn mynd i lawr, fel rydyn ni wedi dysgu am gost ym Maglan, ni fydd Llywodraeth y DU yn camu i mewn, ni fydd yn deddfu i sicrhau bod y derbynnydd swyddogol yn camu i mewn i helpu'r bobl yno.
Felly, dydw i ddim yn cymryd unrhyw wersi o gwbl gennych chi ar sut i ddelio â lles, ar sut i ddelio â thlodi, ar sut i ddatblygu strwythurau ynni arloesol na sut i ddelio â Llywodraeth y DU. Mewn gwirionedd, Janet, mae gwir angen i chi wneud eich ymchwil yn well.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Delyth Jewell.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Delyth Jewell.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Minister, as we've just been hearing, millions of people across the UK are going to be put in a situation of incredible stress because of the price cap on bills going up by 54 per cent. Parts of Wales are set to be hardest hit in all of the UK. Local authority areas, including Ceredigion, will be looking at £972, Gwynedd £904, Carmarthenshire £853, Powys £848. Those are Office for National Statistics figures. Fourteen of the 22 local authorities in Wales will be affected worse than the average price rise of £693. Some of those areas are already areas that have some of the lowest wages in the UK as well and, obviously, as we often discuss, behind all of those figures are going to be truly terrifying situations for individuals and for families.
This comes at a time, of course, when millions are already struggling to make ends meet, to put food on the table, to pay phone bills, broadband bills, transport cost, housing costs, education-related costs—the list just goes on and on and on, doesn't it? One step the Welsh Government, I think, really needs to take is to reduce the overall costs of living in order to counteract some of the steeper price rises. I know that you've been alluding to this a little already. I'm very glad to hear that the summit will be going ahead on 17 February. Of course, that comes as a result of the Senedd voting in favour of Plaid Cymru's recent motion calling for an emergency plan. I really welcome this. Could I ask you what sorts of measures will be on the table for discussion at this summit? You said that it will include meetings with front-line services and key groups, and I do really welcome that, but could you offer us, please, some assurance that this summit will include voices of people who are going to be directly impacted by this cost-of-living crisis, and how their voices might be heard as part of that?
Fuel poverty, of course, is not a new problem. People are already struggling to stay warm and well, and the price-cap increase is going to push them deeper into trouble. As Care & Repair Cymru have expressed, people are changing their behaviours, and this is going to impact on their health. They're going to be cutting back on heating and using less electricity out of a fear of going into energy debt. The cold is responsible for many health conditions. It causes hospital admissions and more deaths. Could I ask you, Minister, what targeted measures the Welsh Government is going to be employing in order to ensure support reaches the people who are most vulnerable and who are going to be most vulnerable to these rises? I'd be particularly interested to hear what the Welsh Government will be doing in terms of preventing and responding to debt when it comes to energy bills, in addition to what you've already laid out, of course. I'm really keen, and I know that I've talked about this before, to hear more about how people on pre-payment meters are going to be supported, because they could face having their energy turned off if they run out of money. So, are there specific measure that you're exploring that could help people in that really dire situation, please?
And finally, this is an area that's already come up in your exchange with Janet, of course, to turn to housing. As we've been hearing, we have the oldest housing stock in the UK and some of the least energy-efficient homes as well. The latest estimate for homes in fuel poverty in Wales is already 12 per cent, which is one in every 10 homes or something, and I think that that estimate is from 2019, so that could well underestimate the problem. A colleague of mine in Westminster has been talking about how there are 275,000 homes in Wales—nearly a fifth of all households—that aren't connected to the gas grid. That figure is, I think, from 2020. And in rural areas, like Ceredigion, that figure goes up to as much as 80 per cent. In Wales we seem to have a series of unique challenges that are going to make this crisis, or these coalescing crises, even more acute, in terms of housing, in terms of heating, and we do really need to get to grips with that now more than ever.
I recognise the questions have already been answered in this session already, but in your statement you did make reference to this situation. Could you please provide an update on progress to improve the energy efficiency of homes during the Senedd term and inform the Senedd of any future plans to make the Wales housing stock more energy efficient, particularly, perhaps, when we're talking about off-grid homes? Thank you very much.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Gweinidog, fel rydyn ni newydd ei glywed, bydd miliynau o bobl ledled y DU yn cael eu rhoi mewn sefyllfa o straen anhygoel oherwydd y cap prisiau ar filiau sy'n codi 54 y cant. Bydd rhannau o Gymru ymhlith y rhannau fydd yn cael eu taro waethaf yn y DU gyfan. Bydd ardaloedd awdurdodau lleol, gan gynnwys Ceredigion, yn edrych ar £972, Gwynedd £904, sir Gaerfyrddin £853, Powys £848. Ffigurau'r Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol yw'r rheini. Bydd 14 o'r 22 awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru yn cael eu heffeithio'n waeth na'r cynnydd cyfartalog mewn prisiau o £693. Mae rhai o'r ardaloedd hynny eisoes yn ardaloedd sydd â rhai o'r cyflogau isaf yn y DU hefyd ac, yn amlwg, fel rydyn ni’n ei drafod yn aml, y tu ôl i'r holl ffigurau hynny, bydd sefyllfaoedd gwirioneddol frawychus i unigolion ac i deuluoedd.
Daw hyn ar adeg, wrth gwrs, pan fydd miliynau eisoes yn ei chael hi'n anodd cael dau ben llinyn ynghyd, i roi bwyd ar y bwrdd, i dalu biliau ffôn, biliau band eang, costau trafnidiaeth, costau tai, costau sy'n gysylltiedig ag addysg—mae'r rhestr yn mynd ymlaen ac ymlaen ac ymlaen, on’d ydy? Un cam mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ei gymryd, rwy’n credu, yw lleihau costau byw cyffredinol er mwyn lleddfu rhywfaint o’r cynnydd mewn prisiau mwy serth. Gwn eich bod chi wedi bod yn cyfeirio at hyn ychydig yn barod. Rwy'n falch iawn o glywed y bydd yr uwchgynhadledd yn mynd yn ei blaen ar 17 Chwefror. Wrth gwrs, daw hynny o ganlyniad i’r Senedd yn pleidleisio o blaid cynnig diweddar Plaid Cymru yn galw am gynllun argyfwng. Rwy’n croesawu hyn yn fawr. A gaf i ofyn i chi pa fathau o fesurau fydd yn cael eu trafod yn yr uwchgynhadledd hon? Fe wnaethoch chi ddweud y bydd yn cynnwys cyfarfodydd gyda gwasanaethau rheng flaen a grwpiau allweddol, ac rwy’n croesawu hynny'n fawr, ond a allech chi gynnig rhywfaint o sicrwydd i ni, os gwelwch yn dda, y bydd yr uwchgynhadledd hon yn cynnwys lleisiau pobl sy'n mynd i gael eu heffeithio'n uniongyrchol gan yr argyfwng costau byw hwn, a sut y gellid clywed eu lleisiau fel rhan o hynny?
Nid yw tlodi tanwydd, wrth gwrs, yn broblem newydd. Mae pobl eisoes yn ei chael hi'n anodd cadw'n gynnes ac yn iach, ac mae'r cynnydd mewn capiau prisiau yn mynd i'w gwthio'n ddyfnach i drafferthion. Fel mae Gofal a Thrwsio Cymru wedi'i fynegi, mae pobl yn newid eu hymddygiad, ac mae hyn yn mynd i effeithio ar eu hiechyd. Maen nhw'n mynd i dorri'n ôl ar wresogi a defnyddio llai o drydan allan o ofn mynd i ddyled ynni. Mae'r oerfel yn gyfrifol am lawer o gyflyrau iechyd. Mae'n achosi derbyniadau i'r ysbyty a mwy o farwolaethau. A gaf i ofyn i chi, Gweinidog, pa fesurau wedi'u targedu y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu rhoi ar waith er mwyn sicrhau bod cymorth yn cyrraedd y bobl sydd fwyaf agored i niwed ac sy'n mynd i fod fwyaf agored i'r cynnydd hwn? Byddai gennyf ddiddordeb arbennig mewn clywed beth y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud o ran atal ac ymateb i ddyled o ran biliau ynni, yn ogystal â'r hyn rydych chi eisoes wedi'i nodi, wrth gwrs. Rwy'n awyddus iawn, a gwn fy mod wedi siarad am hyn o'r blaen, i glywed mwy am sut y bydd pobl ar fesuryddion rhagdalu yn cael eu cefnogi, oherwydd gallent wynebu eu ynni yn cael ei ddiffodd os byddan nhw'n rhedeg allan o arian. Felly, a oes mesur penodol rydych chi’n ei archwilio a allai helpu pobl yn y sefyllfa wirioneddol enbyd honno, os gwelwch chi’n dda?
Ac yn olaf, mae hwn yn faes sydd eisoes wedi codi yn eich sgwrs â Janet, wrth gwrs, i droi at dai. Fel rydyn ni wedi bod yn ei glywed, mae gennym y stoc dai hynaf yn y DU a rhai o'r cartrefi lleiaf ynni-effeithlon hefyd. Mae'r amcangyfrif diweddaraf ar gyfer cartrefi mewn tlodi tanwydd yng Nghymru eisoes yn 12 y cant, sy'n un ym mhob 10 cartref neu rywbeth, ac rwy’n credu bod yr amcangyfrif hwnnw o 2019, felly gallai hynny danbrisio'r broblem yn sicr. Mae cydweithiwr i mi yn San Steffan wedi bod yn sôn am sut mae 275,000 o gartrefi yng Nghymru—bron i un rhan o bump o'r holl aelwydydd—nad ydyn nhw wedi'u cysylltu â'r grid nwy. Rwy’n credu bod y ffigur hwnnw o 2020. Ac mewn ardaloedd gwledig, fel Ceredigion, mae'r ffigur hwnnw'n codi cymaint ag i 80 y cant. Yng Nghymru, mae'n ymddangos bod gennym ni gyfres o heriau unigryw sy'n mynd i wneud yr argyfwng hwn, neu'r argyfyngau hyn sy’n ymdoddi, hyd yn oed yn fwy difrifol, o ran tai, o ran gwresogi, ac mae gwir angen i ni fynd i'r afael â hynny'n awr yn fwy nag erioed.
Rwy’n cydnabod bod y cwestiynau eisoes wedi'u hateb yn y sesiwn hon, ond yn eich datganiad fe wnaethoch chi gyfeirio at y sefyllfa hon. A allech chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y cynnydd i wella effeithlonrwydd ynni cartrefi yn ystod tymor y Senedd a rhoi gwybod i'r Senedd am unrhyw gynlluniau yn y dyfodol i wneud stoc tai Cymru'n fwy effeithlon o ran ynni, yn enwedig, efallai, pan fyddwn ni’n sôn am gartrefi oddi ar y grid? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch. So, yes, I'll just run through, very quickly, some of those. So, Jane Hutt and I had a very good meeting with Ofgem. I'm sorry, each day blends into each other—I think it was Friday of last week. Late last week anyway. It might have been very late Thursday, I can't remember. But, anyway, it was a very good meeting, although it was quite tense, because we're not happy at all about the way that this has been dealt with, but we raised a number of points. The pre-payment-meter point was certainly one that was high on our agenda. There are some really technical issues about if your supplier goes down, what happens to the existing payments that you have, and whether you have to pay balloon payments or not. So, that was well aired at the meeting. We also were reassured by Ofgem that they have asked the energy companies to put in place measures that will identify people who are self-disconnecting, as in they're not using any energy anymore, because they've turned their heating off and so on. Because obviously they can see that from the meters, particularly on pre-payment meters—they can see that people aren't paying into them. So, we'll be continuing that conversation, both at the round-table and with Ofgem. There are a number of things that we need to put in place to make sure people aren't self-disconnecting, as they call it—stopping using energy.
Part of the issue about the round-table is to glean information and ideas from around Wales on what we can do, and to put those measures in place. My colleague Jane Hutt is actually in charge of the round-table and its distribution, and I'm attending as well. I will take up the point about lived experience, though; I'm sure she'll have that in hand, but I'll come back to you on that. We certainly will have National Energy Action there as the voice of the sector in representing that, so I'll certainly come back to you on that.
One of the things we are very keen to do, and we've already funded our advice agencies to do this, is to make sure that people can get the right advice. So, on the off-grid point, for example, it's not always understood that the fuel payments—. You're eligible for those even if you're on off-grid oil. You don't have to be a gas user. So, if you meet the eligibility criteria, you'll be on course for that.
You will have heard me, Delyth, a number of times in this Chamber talk about the problems we have in Wales where you can see a windfarm out of your window, but you're on off-grid oil and so on. We will be working with our energy advice services to make sure that communities that host windfarms, for example, can take community benefits that can be used to insulate their homes, and make sure that they're available for electricity heating. That wouldn't be the case until you've done quite a lot of work. Community benefits can be used for a number of things. The community themselves need to choose those benefits, but we can assist them with a menu of choices that people might be able to choose from, and encourage the use of those benefits for things like insulation, retrofit and so on, to bring the houses up to standard. It's obviously in the energy companies' interests as well, because that gives them more customers for their energy, but also you use less energy by insulating your home in that way. So, there are a number of things that we have in train to do this, but, obviously, they're longer term, they're not going to solve the immediate crisis that we certainly face, and my colleague Jane Hutt has put a range of measures in place, as I said, and a number of payments.
The last thing I wanted to say to you was that we are very keen on talking to the private rented sector—again, you'll have heard me saying this—about taking the lessons from our optimised retrofit programme and starting to introduce them into the private rented sector houses, so not the owner-occupier sector yet. As you know, we've been putting incentive schemes in place to get private rented sector landlords to give their houses across to us while we bring them up to standard.
The depression of the local housing allowance is a really big problem for us. So, it used to be at 50 per cent, just to remind everybody; the Conservatives dropped that to 30 per cent and then froze it. In areas of Wales it's covering less than 5 per cent of the rental market at its current level, so it's a disaster, really. We'll have to find some other mechanism in order to be able to support those landlords in order to get that in place. But I cannot emphasise enough the sort of stealth measure that the Conservative Government did in freezing that allowance, and the effect that that's having on (a) people's ability to heat their home and pay their rent, but also on our ability to intervene in that market in a way that means that the private sector rented landlords can have help to bring their property up to standard, which is really important.
The last thing I'll say, Deputy Llywydd, is that part of the ORP programme, the optimised retrofit programme, is to figure out what works, but it's also to skill a workforce. So, at the moment we're skilling people to put more efficient gas boilers in. The whole point of this programme is to work out the tech that works, but also work out the skills that are necessary to fit it, so that once we have those skills in place, we can roll out the grant programme to the private sector, knowing that there'll be the skilled workpeople there to put those provisions in place, and that isn't the case now, if you look at that. Then my colleague Rebecca Evans, who's sitting in the Chamber with me, and I have started to discuss, as a preliminary point, whether there can be incentives put into the market to reward people who bring their houses up to the energy efficiency standard A and so on, in terms of discounts and so on. Because a very interesting part of the conversation with Ofgem was about why the market itself isn't responding to that. So, if you bring your house up to EPC A it isn't currently commanding a premium in the market, which seems counterintuitive. So, we'll be looking at incentives to do that as well.
Diolch. Felly, ie, fe wnaf i redeg drwy rhai o’r rheini, yn gyflym iawn. Felly, cafodd Jane Hutt a minnau gyfarfod da iawn gydag Ofgem. Mae'n ddrwg gen i, mae pob diwrnod yn cymysgu â'i gilydd—rwy'n credu mai dydd Gwener yr wythnos diwethaf oedd hi. Yn hwyr yr wythnos diwethaf beth bynnag. Efallai mai yn hwyr iawn ddydd Iau oedd hi, ond dydw i ddim yn gallu cofio. Ond, beth bynnag, roedd yn gyfarfod da iawn, er bod tipyn o densiwn, oherwydd nid ydym yn hapus o gwbl am y ffordd mae hyn wedi cael ei drin, ond fe wnaethom ni godi nifer o bwyntiau. Roedd y pwynt am y mesurydd rhagdalu yn sicr yn un a oedd yn uchel ar ein hagenda. Mae rhai materion gwirioneddol dechnegol ynghylch os yw eich cyflenwr yn methu, beth sy'n digwydd i'r taliadau presennol sydd gennych chi, ac a oes rhaid i chi dalu taliadau balŵn ai peidio. Felly, cafodd hynny ei wyntyllu'n dda yn y cyfarfod. Cawsom ein sicrhau hefyd gan Ofgem eu bod wedi gofyn i'r cwmnïau ynni roi mesurau ar waith a fydd yn nodi pobl sy'n hunan-ddatgysylltu, gan nad ydyn nhw’n defnyddio unrhyw ynni mwyach, oherwydd eu bod nhw wedi diffodd eu gwres ac yn y blaen. Oherwydd yn amlwg gallan nhw weld hynny o'r mesuryddion, yn enwedig ar fesuryddion rhagdalu—gallan nhw weld nad yw pobl yn talu i mewn iddynt. Felly, byddwn yn parhau â'r sgwrs honno, wrth y bwrdd crwn a gydag Ofgem. Mae nifer o bethau mae angen i ni eu rhoi ar waith i sicrhau nad yw pobl yn hunan-ddatgysylltu, fel maen nhw’n ei alw—rhoi'r gorau i ddefnyddio ynni.
Rhan o'r mater ynglŷn â'r bwrdd crwn yw casglu gwybodaeth a syniadau o bob cwr o Gymru ar yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud, a rhoi'r mesurau hynny ar waith. Mae fy nghyd-Weinidog Jane Hutt mewn gwirionedd yn gyfrifol am y bwrdd crwn a'i ddosbarthiad, ac rwyf i’n bresennol hefyd. Fodd bynnag, byddaf yn codi'r pwynt am brofiad byw; rwy'n siŵr y bydd ganddi hynny mewn llaw, ond byddaf yn dod yn ôl atoch chi ar hynny. Yn sicr, byddwn yn sicrhau bod Gweithredu Ynni Cenedlaethol yno fel llais y sector wrth gynrychioli hynny, felly byddaf yn sicr yn dod yn ôl atoch chi ar hynny.
Un o'r pethau rydyn ni’n awyddus iawn i'w wneud, ac rydyn ni eisoes wedi ariannu ein hasiantaethau cynghori i wneud hyn, yw sicrhau bod pobl yn gallu cael y cyngor cywir. Felly, ar y pwynt oddi ar y grid, er enghraifft, nid yw pobl bob amser yn deall bod y taliadau tanwydd—. Rydych chi’n gymwys ar gyfer y rheini hyd yn oed os ydych chi ar olew oddi ar y grid. Does dim rhaid i chi fod yn ddefnyddiwr nwy. Felly, os ydych chi’n bodloni'r meini prawf cymhwysedd, byddwch chi ar y trywydd iawn ar gyfer hynny.
Byddwch wedi fy nghlywed i, Delyth, nifer o weithiau yn y Siambr hon yn sôn am y problemau sydd gennym ni yng Nghymru lle gallwch chi weld fferm wynt allan o'ch ffenestr, ond rydych chi ar olew oddi ar y grid ac yn y blaen. Byddwn yn gweithio gyda'n gwasanaethau cynghori ar ynni i sicrhau bod cymunedau sy'n cynnal ffermydd gwynt, er enghraifft, yn gallu cymryd buddion cymunedol y gellir eu defnyddio i insiwleiddio eu cartrefi, a sicrhau eu bod ar gael ar gyfer gwresogi trydan. Ni fyddai hynny'n wir nes eich bod wedi gwneud cryn dipyn o waith. Gellir defnyddio manteision cymunedol ar gyfer nifer o bethau. Mae angen i'r gymuned eu hunain ddewis y budd-daliadau hynny, ond gallwn ni eu cynorthwyo gyda dewislen o ddewisiadau y gallai pobl ddewis ohonynt, ac annog y defnydd o'r budd-daliadau hynny ar gyfer pethau fel inswleiddio, ôl-ffitio ac yn y blaen, i sicrhau bod y tai'n cyrraedd y safon. Mae'n amlwg er budd y cwmnïau ynni hefyd, oherwydd mae hynny'n rhoi mwy o gwsmeriaid iddynt am eu hynni, ond hefyd rydych chi’n defnyddio llai o ynni drwy insiwleiddio eich cartref yn y ffordd honno. Felly, mae nifer o bethau sydd gennym ar y gweill i wneud hyn, ond, yn amlwg, maen nhw ar gyfer y tymor hwy, nid ydyn nhw’n mynd i ddatrys yr argyfwng uniongyrchol rydyn ni’n sicr yn ei wynebu, ac mae fy nghyd-Weinidog Jane Hutt wedi rhoi amrywiaeth o fesurau ar waith, fel y dywedais i, a nifer o daliadau.
Y peth olaf roeddwn i am ei ddweud wrthych chi oedd ein bod yn awyddus iawn i siarad â'r sector rhentu preifat—unwaith eto, byddwch wedi fy nghlywed yn dweud hyn—am gymryd y gwersi o'n rhaglen ôl-ffitio wedi'i optimeiddio a dechrau eu cyflwyno i dai'r sector rhentu preifat, felly nid y sector perchen-feddianwyr eto. Fel y gwyddoch chi, rydyn ni wedi bod yn rhoi cynlluniau cymhelliant ar waith i gael landlordiaid sector rhentu preifat i roi eu tai i ni tra byddwn ni'n eu datblygu i'r safon.
Mae gostyngiad y lwfans tai lleol yn broblem fawr iawn i ni. Felly, roedd yn arfer bod ar 50 y cant, dim ond i atgoffa pawb; gostyngodd y Ceidwadwyr hynny i 30 y cant ac yna ei rewi. Mewn ardaloedd yng Nghymru, mae'n cwmpasu llai na 5 y cant o'r farchnad rentu ar ei lefel bresennol, felly mae'n drychineb, mewn gwirionedd. Bydd yn rhaid i ni ddod o hyd i ryw ddull arall er mwyn gallu cefnogi'r landlordiaid hynny er mwyn sicrhau bod hynny ar waith. Ond ni allaf bwysleisio digon y math o fesur llechwraidd a wnaeth y Llywodraeth Geidwadol wrth rewi'r lwfans hwnnw, a'r effaith mae hynny'n ei chael ar (a) allu pobl i wresogi eu cartref a thalu eu rhent, ond hefyd ar ein gallu i ymyrryd yn y farchnad honno mewn ffordd sy'n golygu y gall landlordiaid rhent y sector preifat gael help i godi eu heiddo i'r safon, sy'n bwysig iawn.
Y peth olaf y byddaf yn ei ddweud, Dirprwy Lywydd, yw mai rhan o'r rhaglen ORP, y rhaglen ôl-ffitio optimaidd, yw nodi'r hyn sy'n gweithio, ond mae hefyd i ddatblygu sgiliau gweithlu. Felly, ar hyn o bryd rydym yn datblygu sgiliau pobl i roi boeleri nwy mwy effeithlon i mewn. Holl bwynt y rhaglen hon yw cyfrifo'r dechnoleg sy'n gweithio, ond hefyd i gyfrifo'r sgiliau sy'n angenrheidiol i'w ffitio, fel y gallwn gyflwyno'r rhaglen grant i'r sector preifat unwaith y bydd gennym y sgiliau hynny, gan wybod y bydd y gweithwyr medrus yno i roi'r darpariaethau hynny ar waith, ac nid yw hynny'n wir yn awr, os edrychwch chi ar hynny. Yna, mae fy nghyd-Weinidog Rebecca Evans, sy'n eistedd yn y Siambr gyda mi, a minnau wedi dechrau trafod, fel pwynt rhagarweiniol, a ellir rhoi cymhellion yn y farchnad i wobrwyo pobl sy'n dod â'u tai i fyny i'r safon effeithlonrwydd ynni A ac yn y blaen, o ran disgowntiau ac yn y blaen. Oherwydd rhan ddiddorol iawn o'r sgwrs gydag Ofgem oedd rhan yn ymwneud â pham nad yw'r farchnad ei hun yn ymateb i hynny. Felly, os byddwch chi’n dod â'ch tŷ i fyny i EPC A nid yw'n hawlio premiwm yn y farchnad ar hyn o bryd, sy'n ymddangos yn wrthun. Felly, byddwn ni’n edrych ar gymhellion i wneud hynny hefyd.
Diolch, Weinidog. I thank you for your statement. You set out this afternoon that there is a clear divergence between Government interventions in Wales and those Government interventions in England. The UK scheme, as we all know, is too little too late. It's going to saddle every householder with debt, giving with one hand and taking back with the other, whereas the Welsh Government has targeted support for the most vulnerable households now, with no strings attached. You talked about the UK Government's gamble on wholesale prices. The fact is that Tory Governments have been gambling with the UK's energy security for years. For example, in 2017, it allowed the country's largest gas storage facility to close. That left Britain able to store just 2 per cent of annual demand, whereas other major gas importers can store 20 to 30 per cent. At the same time, as you said, Conservative Governments have not invested anywhere near enough in new renewable energy generation. They've cut subsidies and—
Diolch, Gweinidog. Diolch i chi am eich datganiad. Fe wnaethoch chi ddweud prynhawn yma fod gwahaniaeth amlwg rhwng ymyriadau'r Llywodraeth yng Nghymru a'r ymyriadau hynny gan y Llywodraeth yn Lloegr. Mae cynllun y DU, fel y gwyddom ni i gyd, yn rhy hwyr. Mae'n mynd i rhoi baich dyled ar bob deiliad tŷ, gan roi gydag un llaw a chymryd yn ôl gyda'r llall, tra bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi targedu cymorth i'r aelwydydd mwyaf agored i niwed yn awr, heb unrhyw amodau. Fe wnaethoch chi sôn am gambl Llywodraeth y DU ar brisiau cyfanwerthu. Y gwir amdani yw bod Llywodraethau Torïaidd wedi bod yn gamblo gyda diogelwch ynni'r DU ers blynyddoedd. Er enghraifft, yn 2017, fe wnaeth ganiatáu i gyfleuster storio nwy mwyaf y wlad gau. Gadawodd hynny Brydain gyda'r gallu i storio dim ond 2 y cant o'r galw blynyddol, tra gall mewnforwyr nwy mawr eraill storio 20 i 30 y cant. Ar yr un pryd, fel y gwnaethoch chi ei ddweud, nid yw Llywodraethau Ceidwadol wedi buddsoddi digon o bell ffordd mewn cynhyrchu ynni adnewyddadwy newydd. Maen nhw wedi torri cymorthdaliadau ac—
Could the Member come to a question?
A allai'r Aelod ddod i gwestiwn?
—they have never fixed the roof when the sun was shining. Just one more sentence, if I can. What I would like, Minister, is some feedback from the 17 February meeting that you have alluded to, particularly for my area, where many people are off-grid, to see what help we can give those people who are accessing gas and oil off-grid and they don't have the luxury of that price cap.
—dydyn nhw erioed wedi trwsio'r to pan oedd yr haul yn disgleirio. Dim ond un frawddeg arall, os caf i. Yr hyn y byddwn i'n ei hoffi, Gweinidog, yw rhywfaint o adborth o'r cyfarfod ar 17 Chwefror yr ydych chi wedi cyfeirio ato, yn enwedig ar gyfer fy ardal i, lle mae llawer o bobl oddi ar y grid, i weld pa gymorth y gallwn ni ei roi i'r bobl hynny sy'n cael gafael ar nwy ac olew oddi ar y grid ac nad yw moeth y cap prisiau hwnnw ganddyn nhw.
Diolch, Joyce. So, a couple of things there. Absolutely, on the storage point, although really what we need to do is move away from fossil fuels to renewables. One of the issues about the investment and the lack of investment and the investment models is really interesting. So, the UK Government consulted last year, and then accepted, as a result of a piece of work and consultation, a model called a regulated asset base model, which effectively capitalises the cost of investment in renewables and then puts the cost of that onto consumer bills. So, it basically gets the consumer to pay for it. So, it's a wheeze not to have to put any Government money into it. And that's one of the difficulties we have, that we're up against a Government that doesn't put upfront investment in and comes up with a model that puts the price back onto the consumer. And, in fact, they announced that just at the first of the Ofgem price rises at the end of last year in a, even for the Conservatives, remarkably tin-eared way of announcing it, I thought.
Of course, Deputy Llywydd, we'll be very happy to do feedback on 17 February. Either myself or Jane Hutt, I'm sure, will do a statement in Plenary about the outcome of that, so we can get the advice out to everyone's constituents. And just in terms of off-grid oil, we are looking for innovative ideas and things that we can do at the round-table, as well as sharing things. I'm very interested in whether we could help communities to come together to bulk buy oil, which would get the price down, and to help them put the storage facilities in place for themselves because, as always, the poorer you are, the less likely you are to be able to take advantage of bulk prices, the less likely you are to come together as a community to do that. So, there will be things that we're really interested in looking to see whether we can assist people to do, perhaps with upfront loans in order to get the bulk purchasing in and get the lower price, or a number of other things that we're interested in looking at. So, Joyce, if you have communities you think would be interested in that, I'd be really grateful to work with you to see if we can identify them.
Diolch, Joyce. Felly, un neu ddau o bethau yn y fan yna. Yn bendant, ar y pwynt storio, er mai'r hyn y mae angen i ni ei wneud mewn gwirionedd yw symud oddi wrth danwydd ffosil i ynni adnewyddadwy. Mae un o'r materion sy'n ymwneud â'r buddsoddiad a'r diffyg buddsoddiad a'r modelau buddsoddi yn ddiddorol iawn. Felly, fe wnaeth Llywodraeth y DU ymgynghori y llynedd, ac yna derbyn, o ganlyniad i ddarn o waith ac ymgynghoriad, model o'r enw model sylfaen asedau a reoleiddir, sy'n cyfalafu yn effeithiol cost buddsoddiad mewn ynni adnewyddadwy ac yna'n rhoi cost hynny ar filiau defnyddwyr. Felly, yn y bôn, mae'n cael y defnyddiwr i dalu amdano. Felly, mae'n sgâm i beidio â gorfod rhoi unrhyw arian y Llywodraeth ynddo. A dyna un o'r anawsterau sydd gennym ni, ein bod ni yn erbyn Llywodraeth nad yw'n buddsoddi ymlaen llaw ac sy'n llunio model sy'n trosglwyddo'r pris yn ôl i'r defnyddiwr. Ac, mewn gwirionedd, fe wnaethon nhw gyhoeddi hynny ar adeg y cynnydd cyntaf i brisiau Ofgem ddiwedd y llynedd mewn ffordd hynod o ansensitif o'i gyhoeddi yn fy marn i, hyd yn oed i'r Ceidwadwyr.
Wrth gwrs, Dirprwy Lywydd, byddwn yn hapus iawn i roi adborth ar 17 Chwefror. Byddaf i neu Jane Hutt, rwy'n siŵr, yn gwneud datganiad yn y Cyfarfod Llawn ar ganlyniad hynny, fel y gallwn ni gael y cyngor allan i etholwyr pawb. Ac o ran olew oddi ar y grid, rydym ni'n chwilio am syniadau a phethau arloesol y gallwn ni eu gwneud wrth y bwrdd crwn, yn ogystal â rhannu pethau. Mae gen i ddiddordeb mawr mewn pa un a allem ni helpu cymunedau i ddod at ei gilydd i swmp-brynu olew, a fyddai'n cael y pris i lawr, ac i'w helpu i roi'r cyfleusterau storio ar waith drostyn nhw eu hunain oherwydd, fel erioed, y tlotaf ydych chi, y lleiaf tebygol ydych chi o allu manteisio ar brisiau swmp, y lleiaf tebygol yr ydych chi o ddod at eich gilydd fel cymuned i wneud hynny. Felly, bydd pethau y mae gennym ni ddiddordeb mawr mewn edrych i weld a allwn ni gynorthwyo pobl i'w gwneud, efallai gyda benthyciadau ymlaen llaw er mwyn gwneud y swmp-brynu a chael y pris is, neu nifer o bethau eraill y mae gennym ni ddiddordeb mewn edrych arnyn nhw. Felly, Joyce, os oes gennych chi gymunedau yr ydych chi'n credu y byddai ganddyn nhw ddiddordeb yn hynny, byddwn yn ddiolchgar iawn o weithio gyda chi i weld a allwn ni eu nodi.
Good afternoon, Minister. Thank you so much for your statement. I recognise the anger and passion that you feel when you're addressing the complete lack of empathy and fairness that we hear from the party opposite in their role in making families poorer, and particularly when we face this massive, massive effect on their lives. I can afford to pay the fuel increase that is coming on, and I'm sure many of us in this Chamber can, but there are many who can't. And I urge you, whatever party you belong to, go and talk to those households, go and hear their tales, go and hear exactly the situations they're in, because that's what's missing here from the Conservatives: fairness and empathy.
We've heard a lot about households. I just want to talk a little bit, if I may, Minister, about small businesses. In Powys and Pembrokeshire, in the region that I cover, and others in the Siambr cover, there are a higher number of micro and small businesses, and they are affected by this price hike. I wonder if I could ask you what targeted help there is available to those small businesses at this particular time from Welsh Government. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Gweinidog. Diolch yn fawr am eich datganiad. Rwy'n cydnabod y dicter a'r angerdd rydych chi'n eu teimlo pan fyddwch chi'n cyfeirio at y diffyg empathi a thegwch llwyr yr ydym ni'n ei glywed gan y blaid gyferbyn yn eu swyddogaeth o wneud teuluoedd yn dlotach, ac yn enwedig pan fyddwn ni'n wynebu'r effaith enfawr iawn hon ar eu bywydau. Rwyf i'n gallu fforddio talu'r cynnydd i brisiau tanwydd sy'n cael ei gyflwyno, ac rwy'n siŵr y gall llawer ohonom ni yn y Siambr hon, ond mae llawer nad ydyn nhw'n gallu. Ac rwy'n eich annog chi, pa blaid bynnag yr ydych chi'n perthyn iddi, ewch i siarad â'r aelwydydd hynny, ewch i glywed eu hanesion, ewch i glywed yr union sefyllfaoedd y maen nhw ynddyn nhw, oherwydd dyna sydd ar goll yma gan y Ceidwadwyr: tegwch ac empathi.
Rydym ni wedi clywed llawer am aelwydydd. Hoffwn siarad ychydig, os caf i, Gweinidog, am fusnesau bach. Ym Mhowys a sir Benfro, yn y rhanbarth yr wyf i'n gyfrifol amdano, ac y mae eraill yn y Siambr yn gyfrifol amdano, mae nifer uwch o ficro-fusnesau a busnesau bach, ac maen nhw'n cael eu heffeithio gan y cynnydd hwn i brisiau. Tybed a gaf i ofyn i chi pa gymorth wedi'i dargedu sydd ar gael i'r busnesau bach hynny ar yr adeg benodol hon gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Diolch. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thanks very much, Jane. One of the things that we want to look at at the round-table is how we can target microbusinesses in particular. So, we have the business rates relief scheme in place, of course, so many small businesses won't be paying rates already because they'll be taking advantage of that. But we are very keen to target other help to businesses. So, one of the things we will be looking at at the round-table is how we can do that. It's also about how we can skill up our advice agencies to give the right advice for business and commercial debt, as well as for personal and household debt. So, we will certainly be looking at that. We'll be working with the Federation of Small Businesses and others to make sure that we understand that. We're very concerned indeed that even the smallest coffee shop, who might have had a marginal profit, is going to really struggle with its energy costs, given the price hikes that we have. So, we will certainly be looking at that. I don't have the answer right now; part of the point of the round-table, of course, is to do exactly that.
We are also encouraging businesses, of course, to invest in renewables, including solar and so on, and battery storage, to make sure that they can get the best out of a change to renewables. And I can't emphasise enough that security of supply is very important for our business communities, of course, as well as for our households.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Jane. Un o'r pethau yr ydym ni eisiau eu hystyried wrth y bwrdd crwn yw sut y gallwn ni dargedu microfusnesau yn benodol. Felly, mae gennym ni'r cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi busnes ar waith, wrth gwrs, felly ni fydd llawer iawn o fusnesau bach yn talu ardrethi eisoes gan y byddan nhw'n manteisio ar hwnnw. Ond rydym ni'n awyddus iawn i dargedu cymorth arall i fusnesau. Felly, un o'r pethau y byddwn ni'n eu hystyried wrth y bwrdd crwn yw sut y gallwn ni wneud hynny. Mae hefyd yn ymwneud â sut y gallwn ni wella sgiliau ein hasiantaethau cynghori i roi'r cyngor cywir ar gyfer dyledion busnes a masnachol, yn ogystal ag ar gyfer dyledion personol a chartref. Felly, byddwn ni'n sicr yn ystyried hynny. Byddwn yn gweithio gyda'r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach ac eraill i wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n deall hynny. Rydym ni'n pryderu'n fawr bod hyd yn oed y siop goffi leiaf, a oedd efallai'n gwneud elw bach, yn mynd i gael trafferth gyda'i chostau ynni, o ystyried y cynnydd i brisiau sydd gennym ni. Felly, byddwn ni'n sicr yn ystyried hynny. Nid yw'r ateb gen i ar hyn o bryd; rhan o ddiben y bwrdd crwn, wrth gwrs, yw gwneud yn union hynny.
Rydym ni hefyd yn annog busnesau, wrth gwrs, i fuddsoddi mewn ynni adnewyddadwy, gan gynnwys ynni solar ac yn y blaen, a batris storio, i wneud yn siŵr y gallan nhw gael y gorau o newid i ynni adnewyddadwy. Ac ni allaf i bwysleisio digon bod diogelwch y cyflenwad yn bwysig iawn i'n cymunedau busnes, wrth gwrs, yn ogystal ag i'n haelwydydd.
Thank you, Minister, for your statement today on an issue that is of concern to very many of my constituents. I've got three questions for you. Firstly, I note the comments from the Minister for Social Justice that Welsh Government has called on the UK Government to consider introducing a differentiated domestic energy tariff cap, or a social energy tariff. I wonder whether you could say a little more about this; for example, how it might work, how many people in Wales might benefit and by what amount.
My second question, Minister. When the Minister for Social Justice was speaking to the cross-party group on poverty, it was noted that many people eligible for the winter fuel support scheme had not, at that point, applied for the support. Can you provide any update on this and perhaps outline what additional work the Welsh Government is doing to make sure anyone who is eligible receives this funding?
And lastly, my trade union, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, recently surveyed their membership, and four out of five people who responded said that financial worries were impacting their mental health. What discussions have you had with colleagues in Welsh Government about putting in mechanisms and support for Welsh citizens whose mental health is being impacted by financial worries?
Diolch, Gweinidog, ar gyfer eich datganiad heddiw ar fater sy'n peri pryder i lawer iawn o'm hetholwyr. Mae gen i dri chwestiwn i chi. Yn gyntaf, rwy'n nodi sylwadau'r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i ystyried cyflwyno cap tariff ynni domestig gwahaniaethol, neu dariff ynni cymdeithasol. Tybed a allech chi ddweud ychydig mwy am hyn; er enghraifft, sut y gallai weithio, faint o bobl yng Nghymru a allai elwa a faint.
Fy ail gwestiwn, Gweinidog. Pan oedd y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol yn siarad gyda'r grŵp trawsbleidiol ar dlodi, nodwyd nad oedd llawer o bobl a oedd yn gymwys ar gyfer y cynllun cymorth tanwydd gaeaf wedi gwneud, bryd hynny, cais am y cymorth. A allwch chi roi unrhyw wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am hyn ac efallai amlinellu pa waith ychwanegol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wneud yn siŵr bod unrhyw un sy'n gymwys yn cael y cyllid hwn?
Ac yn olaf, cynhaliodd fy undeb llafur, Undeb y Gweithwyr Siopau, Dosbarthu a Gweithwyr Perthynol, arolwg o'u haelodaeth yn ddiweddar, a dywedodd pedwar o bob pump o bobl a ymatebodd fod pryderon ariannol yn effeithio ar eu hiechyd meddwl. Pa drafodaethau ydych chi wedi eu cael gyda chydweithwyr yn Llywodraeth Cymru ynghylch cyflwyno mecanweithiau a chymorth i ddinasyddion Cymru y mae eu hiechyd meddwl yn cael ei effeithio gan bryderon ariannol?
Diolch, Vikki. So, a couple of things there, then. The differentiated cap, we were discussing with Ofgem how that might work. We've called on the UK Government to look at putting a differentiated price cap in place. Somewhat counterintuitively as well, and they've announced it now, we also asked them to look at reviewing the price more frequently, because one of the big issues for anyone who's struggling to make ends meet is predictability. So, the idea that you wait every six months and then there's a massive hike, you can't possibly predict that, you can't budget for it, you can't put money aside. And somewhat counterintuitively, I guess, if you have smaller rises along the way, it's much more manageable. So, that was announced by Ofgem as an ask as well. But we're basically saying, 'Why can't you have a cap that differentiates for means?' So, if you're on welfare benefits, then the cap is lower, if you're on a prepayment meter, then the cap is lower, and so on. I can think off the top of my head of a number of ways that we could do that that would make that work, and it spreads the load differentially away from those most hardest hit, on whose shoulders we always seem to heap the biggest burden, across to those of us, as Jane Dodds said, who may be able to afford, or at least more easily afford, the price growth. So, that was the point there.
In terms of the winter fuel support scheme, one of the reasons we're having the 17 February round-table is to figure out, along with all of the advice agencies that will be taking part, how we can get that advice out more effectively. We're working with council colleagues as well to make sure that people who are eligible for other benefits are signposted to these benefits. I've actually had a couple of meetings with a diverse range of other stakeholders—banks and so on—saying that they can get it out through there, because they have alert mechanisms for customers who are experiencing debt difficulties, that they can start to signpost them to advice services that would assist them to get grant assistance from us and so on. So, we're very keen to make sure that people do have that take-up where the money is available, and that's why I was keen to say that people on off-grid oil are also eligible. I think it's often a myth that people think they aren't.
And then, just in terms of the mental health issue, again, in the signposting for debt advice, we are signposting mental health services at the same time. We have funded the advice agencies in order to give a holistic package of support to families coming forward, and we are in discussion with a number of other areas, team around the family and so on, in family support services to make sure that named workers are able to assist with signposting as well. Families who are in difficulty often have a real problem with admitting it, and I really do fear that, in this particular wave—. I mean, this is an awful thing, an indictment of our society, if I might say so. We have some families who are used to having to ask for help and have kind of grown a thicker skin around it—what a terrible thing to say in a rich society. We have another wave of people who will not have grown that thicker skin and who will feel shame and embarrassment. I'm here to say that they should not, that it's not anything that they have done wrong themselves, that they should come forward and get the help that they richly deserve, and that people should not feel that it is their fault for not being able to manage.
Diolch, Vikki. Felly, un neu ddau o bethau yn y fan yna. Y cap gwahaniaethol, roeddem ni’n trafod gydag Ofgem sut y gallai hwnnw weithio. Rydym ni wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i ystyried rhoi cap ar brisiau gwahaniaethol ar waith. Braidd yn groes i’r amcan hefyd, ac maen nhw wedi ei gyhoeddi bellach, fe wnaethon ni hefyd ofyn iddyn nhw edrych ar adolygu'r pris yn amlach, oherwydd un o'r problemau mawr i unrhyw un sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd cael dau ben llinyn ynghyd yw'r gallu i ragweld. Felly, mae'r syniad eich bod chi'n aros bob chwe mis ac yna mae cynnydd enfawr, nid yw'n bosibl i chi ragweld hynny, allwch chi ddim cyllidebu ar ei gyfer, allwch chi ddim rhoi arian o'r neilltu. A braidd yn groes i’r amcan, am wn i, os oes gennych chi gynnydd llai yn raddol, mae'n llawer haws ei reoli. Felly, cyhoeddwyd hynny gan Ofgem fel cais hefyd. Ond rydym ni’n dweud yn y bôn, 'Pam na allwch