Y Cyfarfod Llawn

Plenary

06/06/2023

Cynnwys

Contents

Datganiad gan y Llywydd Statement by the Llywydd
Datganiad gan y Llywydd Statement by the Llywydd
1. Cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog 1. Questions to the First Minister
2. Datganiad a Chyhoeddiad Busnes 2. Business Statement and Announcement
3. Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol: Gwella Capasiti drwy Ofal Cymunedol—Ymhellach yn Gyflymach 3. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Building Capacity through Community Care—Further Faster
4. Datganiad gan Weinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg: Addysg Ddewisol yn y Cartref 4. Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Elective Home Education
5. Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Materion Gwledig a Gogledd Cymru, a'r Trefnydd: Ymateb y Llywodraeth i ail gam cyd-ddylunio'r cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy 5. Statement by the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd: Government response to the second phase of the sustainable farming scheme co-design
6. Datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi: Datblygu Economaidd yn y Canolbarth 6. Statement by the Minister for Economy: Economic Development in Mid Wales
7. Datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi: Y Sectorau Technoleg a Seiber 7. Statement by the Minister for Economy: Tech and Cyber Sectors
Cynnig i atal Rheolau Sefydlog dros dro Motion to suspend Standing Orders
8. Rheoliadau Dyrannu Tai a Digartrefedd (Cymhwystra) (Cymru) (Diwygio) (Rhif 2) 2023 8. The Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023
Cynnig i atal Rheolau Sefydlog dros dro Motion to suspend Standing Orders
9. Cynnig Cydsyniad Deddfwriaethol ar y Bil Cyfraith yr UE a Ddargedwir (Dirymu a Diwygio) 9. Legislative Consent Motion on the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill
10. Cyfnod Pleidleisio 10. Voting Time

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.

Datganiad gan y Llywydd
Statement by the Llywydd

Prynhawn da, bawb. Cyn i ni gychwyn yn ffurfiol heddiw, a gaf i ddweud taw gyda thristwch y clywom y newyddion ddoe am farwolaeth John Morris. Er taw Arglwydd Morris Aberafan oedd ei deitl, ac wedi cynrychioli'n anrhydeddus yr ardal honno fel Aelod Seneddol am 40 o flynyddoedd, mab ffarm o ardal Aberystwyth oedd John Morris. Ond nid jest ffermwyr oedd ei deulu; mi oeddent yn dapestri cyfoethog o fwyngloddwyr, o lowyr yn y Rhondda, ac o fasnachwyr llaeth yn Llundain. Yn wir, mi oedd lles ffermwyr Cymru yn nodwedd bwysig o'i yrfa, o'i gyfnod yn y 1950au yn ddirprwy ysgrifennydd cyffredinol yr FUW—ac yn rhan o ffurfio'r undeb hynny o ddim—tan y weithred yn 1976 o gydnabod undebau amaethwyr Cymru yn ffurfiol mewn trafodaethau llywodraethol gan John Morris, oedd erbyn hynny yn ysgrifennydd Cymru, a hefyd y weithred o drosglwyddo pwerau amaeth Cymru yn llawn i ysgrifennydd Cymru o'r ysgrifennydd amaeth mewn seremoni yn Nhrawsgoed, Ceredigion, ym Mawrth 1978. Mae Gweinidog amaeth Cymru hyd heddiw yn gweithredu yn sgil y penderfyniadau hynny gan John Morris yn y 1970au. 

Yn ei hunangofiant, mae John Morris yn dweud taw y ddau fater mwyaf blaenllaw iddo yn ei 60 mlynedd a mwy o wasanaeth cyhoeddus oedd cyfle cyfartal i'r unigolyn, a chreu sefydliadau cenedlaethol Cymreig. A gweithio tuag at sefydlu democratiaeth genedlaethol oedd anrhydedd fwyaf ei yrfa. Mi gyflwynodd y Mesur refferendwm datganoli 1979, a mi oedd eto yn y Llywodraeth yn y 1990au a wnaeth grefftio deddfwriaeth refferendwm a sefydlu'r Senedd yma. Mi oedd yn rhan amlwg o seremoni agor y Cynulliad yn 1999.

Mae ein diolch yn fawr, felly, i John Morris am oes o wasanaeth i'w bobl, i'w iaith a'i wlad, ac ar ysgwyddau pobl fel John Morris mae'r Cardi yma, a phob un ohonom yn etholedig i'r Senedd yma, yn eistedd heddiw. Pob cydymdeimlad, felly, gyda Margaret ei wraig, a'i deulu a'i gyfeillion oll.

A nawr, ar ran y Llywodraeth a'r Blaid Lafur, y Prif Weinidog i gyflwyno hefyd air o deyrnged i John Morris. 

Good afternoon, everyone. Before we start formally today, may I say that it was with great sadness that we heard yesterday the news of John Morris's death. Even though his title was Lord Morris of Aberavon, and having represented with great honour that area as Member of Parliament for 40 years, he was a farmer's son from Aberystwyth. But his family weren't just farmers; they were a rich tapestry of miners from the coalfields of Rhondda and milk merchants in London. Indeed, the welfare of the farmers of Wales was an important feature of his career, from the period he spent in the 1950s as deputy secretary general of the Farmers Union of Wales—having played a part in that union's inception from the very beginning—until the moment, in 1976, when the Farmers Union of Wales was formally recognised in Government negotiations by John Morris, who was by then Secretary of State for Wales, and also the transfer of powers over agriculture in full to the Secretary of State for Wales from the agriculture secretary, in a ceremony in Trawsgoed, Ceredigion, in March of 1978. The Minister with responsibility for agriculture in Wales to this day acts according to the decisions and powers used by John Morris in the 1970s. 

In his memoir, John Morris says that the two most prominent matters for him in his 60 years and more of public service were equality of opportunity for the individual and the creation of national institutions in Wales. And working towards a national democracy was the greatest privilege of his career. He tabled the devolution referendum Bill in 1979, and again he was in the Government in the 1990s that crafted the referendum for devolution and the establishment of the Senedd. He was a prominent part of the opening ceremony of the Assembly in 1999.

Our thanks to John Morris is therefore great, for a lifetime of service to his people, to his language, and to the nation. And it's on his shoulders that this Cardi and all of us elected to the Senedd sit today. We send our deepest condolences to Margaret, his wife, and to his family and friends.

And now, on behalf of the Government and the Labour Party, the First Minister to say a few words of tribute to John Morris. 

Well, Llywydd, diolch yn fawr. To say that the very sad news of the death of Lord John Morris is an end of an era is to say something that is authentically true rather than the cliché that is sometimes used. He was the last surviving person to have been elected as a Member of Parliament in the 1950s, the last person alive to have attended Harold Wilson's resignation dinner at Downing Street. And to see that he has died after a very short illness reminds me that, only in the last few days, he wrote to me from his hospital bed, anxious as ever that a matter of a concern to Wales should be properly scrutinised at the House of Lords.

Wel, Llywydd, diolch yn fawr. Mae dweud bod y newyddion trist iawn am farwolaeth yr Arglwydd John Morris yn ddiwedd cyfnod yn dweud rhywbeth sy'n hollol wir yn hytrach na'r ystrydeb a ddefnyddir weithiau. Ef oedd y person olaf i oroesi a gafodd ei ethol yn Aelod Seneddol yn y 1950au, y person olaf yn fyw i fod yn bresennol yng nghinio ymddiswyddiad Harold Wilson yn Downing Street. Ac mae gweld ei fod wedi marw ar ôl salwch byr iawn yn fy atgoffa, dim ond yn ystod y dyddiau diwethaf, ei fod wedi ysgrifennu ataf o'i wely yn yr ysbyty, yn awyddus fel arfer y dylid craffu'n briodol ar fater o bryder i Gymru yn Nhŷ'r Arglwyddi.

Roeddem ni mor lwcus, Llywydd, ond oeddem ni, ein bod ni wedi mwynhau ei gwmni yma yn y Senedd llynedd wrth i nodi bywyd cyn-Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru, James Griffiths. Roedd e fel eistedd yn yr ystafell 60 mlynedd yn ôl wrth i'r Blaid Lafur baratoi ar gyfer llywodraethu a chyflawni addewid yr oedd John Morris wedi ymgyrchu drosto i gael llais uniongyrchol dros Gymru yng Nghabinet y Deyrnas Unedig. 

We were so fortunate, Llywydd, that we had enjoyed his company here in the Senedd just last year as we marked the life of the former Secretary of State for Wales, James Griffiths. It was like sitting in the room 60 years ago as the Labour Party prepared for Government and for the delivery of a pledge that John Morris had campaigned for to have a direct voice for Wales in the UK Cabinet. 

And in all the years that have followed, and across such a distinguished career in law and in politics, his support for Wales and for devolution was unstinting. My party has lost a direct link far back into the first half of the Labour century in Wales. Our nation has lost one of its most faithful and effective voices. How proud he always was that a Parliament now exists in Wales, and how fitting that we are able to pay our tributes to him and to pay our respects to his family on the floor of this Senedd today. 

Ac yn yr holl flynyddoedd sydd wedi dilyn, a thrwy yrfa mor nodedig yn y gyfraith ac mewn gwleidyddiaeth, roedd ei gefnogaeth i Gymru ac i ddatganoli yn ddiwyro. Mae fy mhlaid wedi colli cysylltiad uniongyrchol ymhell yn ôl â hanner cyntaf y ganrif Lafur yng Nghymru. Mae ein cenedl wedi colli un o'i lleisiau mwyaf ffyddlon ac effeithiol. Mor falch yr oedd bob amser fod Senedd yn bodoli yng Nghymru erbyn hyn, a pha mor addas yw hi y gallwn dalu ein teyrngedau iddo ac anfon ein cydymdeimlad at ei deulu ar lawr y Senedd hon heddiw. 

Diolch yn fawr i'r Prif Weinidog. 

Thank you very much to the First Minister. 

Datganiad gan y Llywydd
Statement by the Llywydd

Cyn symud i'r eitem gyntaf, dwi hefyd eisiau hysbysu'r Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 26.75, fod Bil Partneriaeth Gymdeithasol a Chaffael Cyhoeddus (Cymru) 2023 wedi cael Cydsyniad Brenhinol ar 24 Mai 2023. 

Before we move on to the first item, I also want to inform the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 26.75, that the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill 2023 was given Royal Assent on 24 May 2023. 

13:35
1. Cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog
1. Questions to the First Minister

Y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, felly, fydd nawr, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf heddiw gan Mike Hedges.

So, questions to the First Minister now, and the first question today is from Mike Hedges.

Lesddaliad
Leasehold

1. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ddefnyddio lesddaliad a'i effaith ar berchnogion tai? OQ59592

1. Will the First Minister make a statement on the use of leasehold and its effect on homeowners? OQ59592

Llywydd, I thank Mike Hedges for that question. The adverse effects of leasehold on home owners are well set out in the 2020 report of the Law Commission. They include excessive estate charging regimes, opaque legal costs, commission-taking in the provision of buildings insurance, and the absence of an alternative to leaseholding in multi-occupancy buildings.

Llywydd, diolch i Mike Hedges am y cwestiwn yna. Mae effeithiau andwyol lesddaliad ar berchnogion tai wedi'u nodi'n fanwl yn adroddiad 2020 Comisiwn y Gyfraith. Maent yn cynnwys cyfundrefnau sy'n codi tâl gormodol ar ystadau, costau cyfreithiol anrhyloyw, comisiwn yn cael ei dynnu wrth ddarparu yswiriant adeiladau, ac absenoldeb dewis arall yn lle lesddaliad mewn adeiladau aml-ddeiliadaeth.

Oh, I didn't know you'd come to an end there, First Minister. [Laughter.] Thank you for your response. Leasehold is a feudal system that causes concern to people who live in leasehold properties. Many of my constituents were incredibly upset, on the death of the Duke of Beaufort, when they got letters telling them that any minerals under their house or land were still the property of the successor to the Duke of Beaufort. I hope the Welsh Government will plan to tackle the growing problem of newly built housing sold as leasehold rather than freehold, and to limit ground rents and their increase on new lease agreements. Does the First Minister support replacing leasehold with a commonhold system, based on co-operative principles; implementing the Law Commission's recommendations to reform leasehold by increasing the rights of leaseholders to collectively buy and manage their properties, including blocks of flats; and legislation to make a co-operative legal structure the preferred company structure for the management of current leasehold properties?

O, doeddwn i ddim yn gwybod eich bod wedi gorffen yn y fan yna, Prif Weinidog. [Chwerthin.] Diolch am eich ymateb. Mae lesddaliad yn system ffiwdal sy'n achosi pryder i bobl sy'n byw mewn eiddo lesddaliad. Roedd llawer o fy etholwyr yn ofidus iawn, adeg marwolaeth Dug Beaufort, pan gawsant lythyrau yn dweud wrthynt fod unrhyw fwynau o dan eu tai neu dir yn dal i fod yn eiddo i olynydd Dug Beaufort. Rwy'n gobeithio bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu mynd i'r afael â'r broblem gynyddol o dai newydd eu hadeiladu yn cael eu gwerthu fel lesddaliad yn hytrach na rhydd-ddaliad, ac i gyfyngu ar renti tir a'u cynnydd ar gytundebau les newydd. A yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cefnogi disodli lesddaliad gyda system gyfunddaliadol, yn seiliedig ar egwyddorion cydweithredol; gweithredu argymhellion Comisiwn y Gyfraith i ddiwygio lesddaliad trwy gynyddu hawliau lesddeiliaid i brynu a rheoli eu heiddo ar y cyd, gan gynnwys blociau o fflatiau; a deddfwriaeth i wneud strwythur cyfreithiol cydweithredol y strwythur cwmni a ffefrir ar gyfer rheoli eiddo lesddaliad presennol?

Llywydd, I thank Mike Hedges for those further questions. I agree with him that the leasehold regimes in England and Wales are badly in need of further reform. We have taken action already in Wales, Llywydd, to reduce the number of new-build houses that are sold on a leasehold basis. In fact, Land Registry use figures suggest that, in the last year for which figures are available, the number of new-build houses sold on a leasehold basis in Wales was in single figures. So, significant progress has been made there. And the 2022 Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act does allow us to take new action in Wales in relation to excessive ground rent charges. However, there is a great deal more that needs to be done, and it was disappointing to read recent reports that Michael Gove's promise in January this year to abolish leasehold now looks as though it's not to be taken forward, following a clash with Downing Street. The things that we were looking for in that piece of legislation include the points that Mike Hedges has made, Llywydd, about commonhold. Commonhold needs to be reformed so that it becomes a genuine viable model for multi-occupancy buildings, and the Law Commission's work identified the reforms that were required to make commonhold that workable alternative. Here in Wales, we very much support that. We hope it will still be taken forward by the UK Government, because, in this area, the combination of the housing responsibilities that we hold here, but the private law, including the law of property responsibilities that remain non-devolved, means that the most effective way of putting right the wrongs that still exist in the leasehold area is to legislate on that Wales-and-England basis.

Llywydd, diolch i Mike Hedges am y cwestiynau ychwanegol yna. Rwy'n cytuno ag ef bod angen mawr i ddiwygio'r cyfundrefnau lesddaliad yng Nghymru a Lloegr. Rydym eisoes wedi gweithredu yng Nghymru, Llywydd, i leihau nifer y tai newydd sy'n cael eu gwerthu ar sail lesddaliad. Mewn gwirionedd, mae ffigurau defnydd y Gofrestrfa Tir yn awgrymu, yn y flwyddyn ddiwethaf yr oedd ffigurau ar gael, bod nifer y tai newydd a werthwyd ar sail lesddaliad yng Nghymru yn ffigurau unigol. Felly, mae cynnydd sylweddol wedi'i wneud. Ac mae Deddf Diwygio Lesddaliad (Rhent Tir) 2022 yn ein galluogi ni i gymryd camau newydd yng Nghymru mewn cysylltiad â thaliadau rhent tir gormodol. Fodd bynnag, mae llawer iawn mwy y mae angen ei wneud, ac roedd yn siomedig darllen adroddiadau diweddar yn dweud ei bod yn ymddangos bellach na fydd addewid Michael Gove ym mis Ionawr eleni i ddiddymu lesddaliad yn cael ei ddatblygu, yn dilyn gwrthdaro â Downing Street. Mae'r pethau yr oeddem yn chwilio amdanynt yn y darn hwnnw o ddeddfwriaeth yn cynnwys y pwyntiau y mae Mike Hedges wedi'u gwneud, Llywydd, ynghylch cyfunddaliad. Mae angen diwygio cyfunddaliad fel ei fod yn fodel hyfyw gwirioneddol ar gyfer adeiladau aml-ddeiliadaeth, a nododd gwaith Comisiwn y Gyfraith y diwygiadau yr oedd eu hangen i sicrhau mai cyfunddaliad oedd y dewis arall ymarferol hwnnw. Yma yng Nghymru, rydym yn cefnogi hynny'n fawr. Rydym yn gobeithio y bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn dal i'w ddatblygu, oherwydd, yn y maes hwn, mae'r cyfuniad o'r cyfrifoldebau tai sydd gennym yma, ond y gyfraith breifat, gan gynnwys y gyfraith cyfrifoldebau eiddo sy'n parhau heb eu datganoli, yn golygu mai'r ffordd fwyaf effeithiol o unioni'r camweddau sy'n dal i fodoli ym maes lesddaliad yw deddfu ar sail Cymru a Lloegr.

I would like to thank our colleague Mike Hedges for raising this very important issue here today. Thanks, Mike. Leasehold accounts for around 16 per cent of all properties in Wales, and that equates to 235,000 properties. Now, in my own constituency of Aberconwy, we witnessed at first hand the shocking failure of leaseholds. A number of my constituents bought houses on a brand-new estate, and it was only three years later that they realised that they hadn't bought the freehold, when they were actually asked to buy the freehold—I think it was around £3,000. The developers had recommended solicitors—their own solicitors—as part of the package. And it's fair to say that people were in shock. They were trapped, with spiralling costs out of their control. Now, we also know, in the cladding scandal, that leaseholders have been very badly affected too. Now, reforms will require significant primary legislation, and, I believe, there's a strong case for a joint England and Wales legislative approach to reforms where I suspect we may share the same aspirations. This month—

Hoffwn ddiolch i'n cyd-Aelod Mike Hedges am godi'r mater pwysig iawn hwn yma heddiw. Diolch yn fawr, Mike. Mae lesddaliad yn cyfrif am oddeutu 16 y cant o'r holl eiddo yng Nghymru, ac mae hynny'n cyfateb i 235,000 o eiddo. Nawr, yn fy etholaeth fy hun yn Aberconwy, gwelsom yn uniongyrchol fethiant brawychus lesddaliadau. Prynodd nifer o fy etholwyr dai ar ystad newydd sbon, a dim ond tair blynedd yn ddiweddarach y sylweddolon nhw nad oedden nhw wedi prynu'r rhydd-ddaliad, pryd gofynnwyd iddyn nhw brynu'r rhydd-ddaliad mewn gwirionedd—rwy'n credu ei fod tua £3,000. Roedd y datblygwyr wedi argymell cyfreithwyr—eu cyfreithwyr eu hunain—fel rhan o'r pecyn. Ac mae'n deg dweud bod pobl mewn sioc. Cawsant eu dal, gyda chostau cynyddol allan o'u rheolaeth. Nawr, rydym hefyd yn gwybod, yn y sgandal cladin, yr effeithiwyd yn wael iawn ar lesddeiliaid hefyd. Nawr, bydd diwygiadau yn gofyn am ddeddfwriaeth sylfaenol sylweddol, ac rwy'n credu bod achos cryf dros ddull deddfwriaethol ar y cyd rhwng Cymru a Lloegr o ymdrin â diwygiadau pryd rwy'n tybio y gall fod gennym yr un dyheadau. Y mis hwn—

13:40

You are going to need to come to a question, now, Janet. 

Mae angen i chi ddod at gwestiwn nawr, Janet. 

—Michael Gove should be announcing a range of measures to protect the 10 million Britons who own their homes in leasehold. So, do you agree—

—dylai Michael Gove fod yn cyhoeddi ystod o fesurau i ddiogelu'r 10 miliwn o Brydeinwyr sy'n berchen ar eu cartrefi drwy lesddaliad. Felly, a ydych chi'n cytuno—

You got there just in time. Do you agree—? 

Rydych chi wedi cyrraedd yno mewn union bryd. Ydych chi'n cytuno—? 

Do you agree that better working with the UK Government would be an advantage, and that one day we can see not just some leaseholds banned, but all of them, and that common law is used more—commonhold? Thank you, First Minister. 

Ydych chi'n cytuno y byddai gweithio'n well gyda Llywodraeth y DU yn fantais, ac y gwelwn ni un diwrnod nid yn unig rai lesddaliadau wedi'u gwahardd, ond pob un ohonynt, a bod cyfraith gyffredin yn cael ei defnyddio fwy—cyfunddaliad? Diolch, Prif Weinidog. 

Well, can I thank the Member for that question? I agree completely with her on the need for greater transparency in the way that leasehold arrangements are brought about, and, indeed, as I said in my answer to Mike Hedges, I believe that a joint Wales and England approach to legislation in this area is the most effective way to put right some of the wrongs that Janet Finch-Saunders has identified. The MP responsible, the Minister of State for housing and planning, Rachel Maclean, has said that the UK Government remains committed to bringing forward legislation in this area, and the Minister here, Julie James, wrote to her UK counterparts on 25 May urging them, indeed, to do just that. We worked together closely on the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 that was taken through the UK Parliament. It secured the consent of the Senedd. And I urge the UK Government to do exactly as the Member for Aberconwy has suggested and to come forward with legislative proposals that we would be able to support. 

A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna? Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â hi ar yr angen am fwy o dryloywder yn y ffordd y mae trefniadau lesddaliad yn cael eu cyflwyno, ac, yn wir, fel y dywedais yn fy ateb i Mike Hedges, credaf mai dull Cymru a Lloegr ar y cyd o ymdrin â deddfwriaeth yn y maes hwn yw'r ffordd fwyaf effeithiol o unioni rhai o'r camweddau y mae Janet Finch-Saunders wedi'u nodi. Mae'r AS sy'n gyfrifol, y Gweinidog Gwladol dros Dai a Chynllunio, Rachel Maclean, wedi dweud bod Llywodraeth y DU yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i gyflwyno deddfwriaeth yn y maes hwn, ac ysgrifennodd y Gweinidog yma, Julie James, at ei swyddogion cyfatebol yn Llywodraeth y DU ar 25 Mai yn eu hannog nhw, yn wir, i wneud hynny. Buom yn cydweithio'n agos ar Ddeddf Diwygio Lesddaliad (Rhent Tir) 2022 a aeth drwy Senedd y DU. Cafodd gydsyniad y Senedd. Ac rwy'n annog Llywodraeth y DU i wneud yn union fel y mae'r Aelod dros Aberconwy wedi awgrymu a chyflwyno cynigion deddfwriaethol y byddem yn gallu eu cefnogi. 

Bil Ynni Llywodraeth y DU
UK Government Energy Bill

2. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o sut y bydd Bil Ynni Llywodraeth y DU yn cefnogi trigolion Cymru? OQ59596

2. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of how the UK Government's Energy Bill will support Welsh residents? OQ59596

Llywydd, given the recent well-highlighted actions by agents acting on behalf of energy suppliers, substantive provision for consumer protection is a notable omission from this large and complex Bill. As such, its direct impact in supporting Welsh residents will be limited and disappointing.

Llywydd, o ystyried y camau gweithredu diweddar a amlygwyd yn gryf gan asiantau sy'n gweithredu ar ran cyflenwyr ynni, mae darpariaeth sylweddol ar gyfer diogelu defnyddwyr yn hepgoriad nodedig o'r Bil mawr a chymhleth hwn. O'r herwydd, bydd ei effaith uniongyrchol o ran cefnogi trigolion Cymru yn gyfyngedig ac yn siomedig.

Brif Weinidog, you will be aware of the frequency I have raised the issue of prepayment meters and the scandal of hundreds of thousands of people having them forcibly installed last year. Thousands of vulnerable people were left at constant risk of being cut off. Some of them needed electricity for medical equipment and others had conditions where to be cold put their very lives at risk. While the UK Government and Ofgem were slow to react, it also became clear that the powers to ban the forced installation of prepayment meters, either temporarily or permanently, did not exist. This week, the Energy Bill will be going through Committee Stage in the House of Commons. First Minister, would you urge the UK Government to accept recommendations and amendments to give the Secretary of State and Ofgem the power to ban the forced installation of prepayment meters, so that these decisions are not left in the hands of energy suppliers who have already been caught red-handed and have already let vulnerable customers down? 

Prif Weinidog, byddwch yn ymwybodol o'r nifer o weithiau rwyf wedi codi mater mesuryddion rhagdalu a'r sgandal ynghylch mesuryddion o'r fath yn cael eu gosod trwy rym yn eiddo cannoedd o filoedd o bobl y llynedd. Gadawyd miloedd o bobl agored i niwed mewn perygl cyson o weld eu cyflenwad trydan yn cael ei dorri. Roedd angen trydan ar rai ohonyn nhw ar gyfer offer meddygol ac roedd gan eraill gyflyrau pryd y byddai oerni yn peryglu eu bywydau. Er bod Llywodraeth y DU ac Ofgem yn araf yn ymateb, daeth yn amlwg hefyd nad oedd y pwerau i wahardd gosod mesuryddion rhagdalu drwy rym, naill ai dros dro neu'n barhaol, yn bodoli. Yr wythnos hon, bydd y Bil Ynni yn mynd trwy'r Cyfnod Pwyllgor yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin. Prif Weinidog, a fyddech chi'n annog Llywodraeth y DU i dderbyn argymhellion a diwygiadau i roi'r pŵer i'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol ac Ofgem wahardd gosod mesuryddion rhagdalu drwy rym, fel nad yw'r penderfyniadau hyn yn cael eu gadael yn nwylo cyflenwyr ynni sydd eisoes wedi cael eu dal yn y weithred ac sydd eisoes wedi siomi cwsmeriaid agored i niwed? 

Well, Llywydd, can I thank Jack Sargeant for those questions and also for the persistence with which he has raised these issues here on the floor of the Senedd and more widely? Of course, he is absolutely right that the spotlight that has been shone on prepayment meter customers demonstrates that the protections available to them either have not been strong enough in the first place, or, even where protections ought to have existed, they have not been honoured in the action sometimes of public authorities, and certainly in the actions of the private supplying companies. The Energy Bill ought, Llywydd, to be an opportunity for the UK Government to put in place those new statutory protections. As I said, it is a large and complex Bill, and consumer protection would not be its primary focus. But, given that there is a Bill, that has been in the making now for nearly 12 months, it is disappointing that the UK Government does not appear to be taking advantage of that Bill as a vehicle to put right some of the things that have so clearly gone wrong in this field. I do hope that, in the passage of the Bill through the House of Commons, there will be further efforts made to persuade the UK Government to take action that would ensure that some of the most vulnerable customers would no longer find themselves with prepayment meters forcibly installed in their properties without their permission, and sometimes without them even knowing that that was happening, and that the other protections that ought to be in place are put on a statutory rather than a voluntary code basis. 

Wel, Llywydd, a gaf fi ddiolch i Jack Sargeant am y cwestiynau yna a hefyd am y dyfalbarhad wrth iddo godi'r materion hyn yma ar lawr y Senedd ac yn ehangach? Wrth gwrs, mae'n hollol gywir bod y sylw sydd wedi'i roi i gwsmeriaid mesuryddion rhagdalu yn dangos nad yw'r amddiffyniadau sydd ar gael iddynt naill ai wedi bod yn ddigon cryf yn y lle cyntaf, neu, hyd yn oed lle dylai amddiffyniadau fod wedi bodoli, nad ydynt wedi cael eu hanrhydeddu o ran camau gweithredu awdurdodau cyhoeddus weithiau, ac yn sicr o ran gweithredoedd y cwmnïau cyflenwi preifat. Dylai'r Bil Ynni, Llywydd, fod yn gyfle i Lywodraeth y DU roi'r amddiffyniadau statudol newydd hynny ar waith. Fel y dywedais, mae'n Fil mawr a chymhleth, ac nid amddiffyn defnyddwyr fyddai ei brif bwyslais. Ond, o ystyried bod Bil, sydd wedi bod yn datblygu nawr ers bron i 12 mis, mae'n siomedig nad yw'n ymddangos bod Llywodraeth y DU yn manteisio ar y Bil hwnnw fel cyfrwng i unioni rhai o'r pethau sydd yn amlwg wedi mynd o'i le yn y maes hwn. Rwy'n gobeithio, wrth i'r Bil fynd drwy Dŷ'r Cyffredin, y bydd ymdrechion pellach yn cael eu gwneud i berswadio Llywodraeth y DU i weithredu i sicrhau na fyddai rhai o'r cwsmeriaid mwyaf agored i niwed bellach yn cael eu hunain mewn sefyllfa pryd y gosodir mesuryddion rhagdalu drwy rym yn eu heiddo heb eu caniatâd, ac weithiau heb iddynt hyd yn oed wybod bod hynny'n digwydd, a bod yr amddiffyniadau eraill a ddylai fod ar waith yn cael eu rhoi ar sail cod statudol yn hytrach na chod gwirfoddol. 

13:45

We would support that, but proposals in the UK energy security Bill, now known as the Energy Bill, include extension of the energy price cap beyond 2023 and of the role of the electricity and market regulator, Ofgem, to cover heat networks. After decades of reliance in importing expensive foreign fossil fuels, this Bill seeks to shift our energy system towards cleaner, more affordable energy sources to power more of Wales and Britain from Wales and Britain.

In consequence, new green technologies are set to be developed and deployed here in Wales, including carbon capture usage and storage and hydrogen at Hanson's Padeswood cement works in Flintshire, floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic sea, and new nuclear energy in north-west Wales. How is the Welsh Government therefore working with the UK Government to embrace these opportunities to support Welsh residents, provide clean, secure electricity to their homes, support our businesses, and deliver energy security during the transition we all support to the sustainable zero-carbon technologies of tomorrow? 

Byddem yn cefnogi hynny, ond mae cynigion ym Mil diogelwch ynni'r DU, y Bil Ynni erbyn hyn, yn cynnwys ymestyn y cap ar brisiau ynni y tu hwnt i 2023 ac ehangu swyddogaeth y rheoleiddiwr trydan a marchnad, Ofgem, i gwmpasu rhwydweithiau gwres. Ar ôl degawdau o ddibyniaeth ar fewnforio tanwyddau ffosil tramor drud, mae'r Bil hwn yn ceisio symud ein system ynni tuag at ffynonellau ynni glanach, mwy fforddiadwy i bweru mwy o Gymru a Phrydain o Gymru a Phrydain.

O ganlyniad, bydd technolegau gwyrdd newydd yn cael eu datblygu a'u defnyddio yma yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys dal, defnyddio a storio carbon a hydrogen yng ngwaith sment Padeswood Hanson yn sir y Fflint, prosiectau gwynt arnofiol ar y môr Celtaidd, ac ynni niwclear newydd yn y gogledd-orllewin. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru felly'n gweithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i groesawu'r cyfleoedd hyn i gefnogi trigolion Cymru, darparu trydan glân a diogel i'w cartrefi, cefnogi ein busnesau, a darparu diogelwch ynni yn ystod y cyfnod pontio yr ydym i gyd yn ei gefnogi i dechnolegau di-garbon cynaliadwy yfory? 

Well, Llywydd, in many ways, the problems with the Bill are not problems—they're problems of omission rather than commission. In many ways, the content of the Bill, the things it does on carbon dioxide transport and storage, the measures it takes in relation to hydrogen, and, indeed, as Mark Isherwood said, in extending the regulatory framework to cover heat networks and communal heat, those are things that the Welsh Government would be happy to support. Now, the Minister is in the final stages of preparing a legislative consent motion that will come before the Senedd in relation to the Bill. There are still a series of issues that need to be resolved, particularly in the way the Bill treats powers that are already devolved to this Senedd, which will need to be put right before we are likely to be able to positively recommend that the Bill secures legislative consent. I hope that those things can be put right, because there is much in this Bill with which we would be happy to work and to welcome. However, as Jack Sargeant has pointed out, there are things that could have been in the Bill that have not been included, and that's where I think this Bill needs to be put right. 

Wel, Llywydd, mewn sawl ffordd, nid problemau yw'r problemau sy'n ymwneud â'r Bil—maen nhw'n broblemau yn ymwneud â hepgor yn hytrach na chomisiynu. Mewn sawl ffordd, mae cynnwys y Bil, y pethau mae'n ei wneud o ran cludo a storio carbon deuocsid, y mesurau y mae'n eu cymryd mewn cysylltiad â hydrogen, ac, yn wir, fel y dywedodd Mark Isherwood, wrth ymestyn y fframwaith rheoleiddio i gwmpasu rhwydweithiau gwres a gwres cymunol, mae'r rheini'n bethau y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn hapus i'w cefnogi. Nawr, mae'r Gweinidog yn y camau olaf o baratoi cynnig cydsyniad deddfwriaethol a ddaw gerbron y Senedd mewn cysylltiad â'r Bil. Mae cyfres o faterion y mae angen eu datrys o hyd, yn enwedig o ran y ffordd y mae'r Bil yn trin pwerau sydd eisoes wedi'u datganoli i'r Senedd hon, y bydd angen eu cywiro cyn y byddwn yn debygol o allu argymell yn gadarnhaol bod y Bil yn cael cydsyniad deddfwriaethol. Rwy'n gobeithio y gellir unioni'r pethau hynny, oherwydd mae llawer yn y Bil hwn y byddem yn hapus i weithio gyda nhw a'u croesawu. Fodd bynnag, fel y nododd Jack Sargeant, mae yna bethau y gellid bod wedi eu cynnwys yn y Bil nad ydynt wedi'u cynnwys, a dyna lle rwy'n credu bod angen gwella'r Bil hwn. 

Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Arweinwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew R.T. Davies. 

Questions now from party leaders. Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies. 

Thank you, Presiding Officer, and with your permission, could I identify myself, my group and my party with the comments of yours and the First Minister in the sad news about Lord Morris's death announced last night? My first memory of John Morris was when he was Secretary of State for Wales travelling through the Royal Welsh showground, and I think I was about a seven or eight-year-old kid at the time—yes, I was young once—and he was in the ministerial car as—. The Secretary of State, for some reason in those days, used to drive through the showground, they did then, and I can always picture thinking to myself, 'What on earth is that person in the car doing that's so important?' And it even, if my memory serves me right, had a flag on the front as well then. But to hear the comments of the First Minister of that link to the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s of public service—60 years of public service—it is an example to us all.

Your comments about the Farmers Union of Wales—being a farmer myself, Presiding Officer—really do emphasise that there might be rivalry between the Labour Party and the Conservatives here, but it bears no rivalry to the rivalry of the farming unions. [Laughter.] And if, as a politician, you ever want to get away from an intense scrutiny session, just put it to them, 'What is it you want?', and you will have 101 opinions coming out of that meeting. And John Morris was a master at being able to square that off and ultimately deliver for people, whether it was in his elected role or his professional role as a barrister, and we are the poorer for losing him today, and our condolences are with his family as well. 

First Minister, today, sadly here in Wales, we have the Royal College of Nursing on strike, the only part of the United Kingdom where nurses are out on strike. I appreciate that the co-operative council of all the unions have agreed the terms and conditions that the Welsh Government have put in place, but it is a fact that the Royal College of Nursing are on strike. They propose to re-ballot unless there is progress in the negotiations to try and solve the dispute that they're in with the Welsh Government. Can you confirm today that it is the intention of the Welsh Government to meet with the Royal College of Nursing to try to address some of the real concerns that they do have on working conditions and the improvement of the work-life balance, so that retention of staff can be put at the heart of any agreement that could bring this industrial action to an end?

Diolch, Llywydd, a gyda'ch caniatâd chi, a gaf i fy hun, fy ngrŵp a fy mhlaid uniaethu â'ch sylwadau chi a rhai'r Prif Weinidog yn dilyn y newyddion trist am farwolaeth yr Arglwydd Morris a gyhoeddwyd neithiwr? Fy atgof cyntaf am John Morris oedd pan oedd yn Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru yn teithio trwy faes y Sioe Frenhinol, ac rwy'n credu fy mod yn blentyn saith neu wyth oed ar y pryd—ie, roeddwn i'n ifanc unwaith—ac roedd ef yn y car gweinidogol fel—. Roedd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol, am ryw reswm yn y dyddiau hynny, yn arfer gyrru trwy faes y sioe, fe wnaethon nhw bryd hynny, a gallaf gofio fy hun yn meddwl, 'Beth ar y ddaear y mae'r person yna yn y car yn ei wneud sydd mor bwysig?' Ac roedd hyd yn oed, os gofiaf yn iawn, faner ar y blaen hefyd bryd hynny. Ond mae clywed sylwadau'r Prif Weinidog ynghylch y cysylltiad hwnnw â'r 1950au, 1960au, 1970au, 1980au, 1990au, 2000au o wasanaeth cyhoeddus—60 mlynedd o wasanaeth cyhoeddus—mae'n esiampl i ni i gyd.

Mae eich sylwadau am Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru—a minnau'n ffermwr fy hun, Llywydd—wir yn pwysleisio y gallai fod cystadleuaeth rhwng y Blaid Lafur a'r Ceidwadwyr yma, ond nid yw'n debyg o gwbl i'r gystadleuaeth rhwng yr undebau ffermio. [Chwerthin.] Ac os, fel gwleidydd, y byddwch byth eisiau dianc o sesiwn graffu ddwys, gofynnwch iddyn nhw, 'Beth ydych chi ei eisiau?', a bydd gennych chi 101 o farnau yn dod allan o'r cyfarfod hwnnw. Ac roedd John Morris yn feistr ar allu setlo pethau ac yn y pen draw, cyflawni ar ran pobl, boed hynny yn ei swyddogaeth etholedig neu yn ei swyddogaeth broffesiynol fel bargyfreithiwr, ac rydym yn dlotach o'i golli heddiw, ac mae ein cydymdeimlad gyda'i deulu hefyd.

Prif Weinidog, heddiw, yn anffodus yma yng Nghymru, mae gennym y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol ar streic, yr unig ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig lle mae nyrsys allan ar streic. Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi bod cyngor cydweithredol yr holl undebau wedi cytuno ar y telerau ac amodau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u rhoi ar waith, ond mae'n ffaith bod y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol ar streic. Maen nhw'n cynnig ail-bleidlais oni bai bod cynnydd yn y trafodaethau i geisio datrys yr anghydfod rhyngddyn nhw a Llywodraeth Cymru. A allwch gadarnhau heddiw mai bwriad Llywodraeth Cymru yw cwrdd â'r Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol i geisio mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r gwir bryderon sydd ganddynt ynghylch amodau gwaith a gwella'r cydbwysedd rhwng bywyd a gwaith, fel y gall cadw staff gael ei roi wrth wraidd unrhyw gytundeb a allai ddod â'r gweithredu diwydiannol hwn i ben?

13:50

Well, Llywydd, I thank the leader of the opposition both for what he said about Lord Morris but also for his substantive question. It is disappointing that the RCN continues to pursue strike action in Wales when every other union representing the nursing workforce has agreed to accept the terms that were in such detail negotiated with them over a series of weeks. As the leader of the opposition has said, that package was accepted by the negotiating body that we have here in Wales. Of course, the Welsh Government is always going to be open to further discussions and further ideas that we can exchange with the RCN; not simply on pay, but I think the leader of the opposition made an important point that their concerns are also about conditions of employment and professional practice. There’s a range of things there that, of course, we are happy to continue to engage with the RCN on those matters, and I hope very much that we will be able to get them into a position where they will not feel that they need to ballot their members again to seek further permission for what is becoming an isolated set of industrial actions. 

Wel, Llywydd, diolch i arweinydd yr wrthblaid am yr hyn a ddywedodd am yr Arglwydd Morris ond hefyd am ei gwestiwn sylweddol. Mae'n siomedig bod yr RCN yn parhau i fynd ar drywydd streiciau yng Nghymru pan fo pob undeb arall sy'n cynrychioli'r gweithlu nyrsio wedi cytuno i dderbyn y telerau a negodwyd mor fanwl gyda nhw dros gyfres o wythnosau. Fel y dywedodd arweinydd yr wrthblaid, derbyniwyd y pecyn hwnnw gan y corff negodi sydd gennym yma yng Nghymru. Wrth gwrs, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru bob amser yn agored i drafodaethau pellach a syniadau pellach y gallwn eu cyfnewid â'r RCN; nid yn unig ar gyflog, ond rwy'n credu bod arweinydd yr wrthblaid wedi gwneud pwynt pwysig bod eu pryderon hefyd yn ymwneud ag amodau cyflogaeth ac ymarfer proffesiynol. Mae amrywiaeth o bethau yno ac wrth gwrs rydym yn hapus i barhau i ymgysylltu â'r RCN ar y materion hynny, ac rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y byddwn yn gallu cyrraedd sefyllfa pan na fyddant yn teimlo bod angen iddynt ofyn i'w haelodau bleidleisio eto i geisio caniatâd pellach ar gyfer yr hyn sy'n dod yn set ynysig o gamau gweithredu diwydiannol. 

It is critical that that dispute is resolved, and I've heard you say time and time again, First Minister, that, through negotiation, that resolution will come. So, I would urge and commend in the same breath that you get around the table to resolve this, because obviously, without that resolution with the Royal College of Nursing, it is going to be a protracted dispute, and ultimately to the detriment of patients and staff as well, if it is allowed to continue.

When we look at winter pressures and we look at what we can do to put measures in place to alleviate those pressures within our health service, one of the key pressures is around bed and bed occupancy. We know that, within the Welsh NHS, 96 per cent of beds are occupied when the safe level of bed occupancy is 85 per cent. Have the Welsh Government got any intention of bringing forward additional actual—not virtual, actual—bed levels within the Welsh NHS so that, as the Royal College of Emergency Medicine points out, that would help to allow patients to progress through the accident and emergency departments and into the hospital setting? Because without those beds—. And I appreciate that it's a complex picture with discharge and the care in the community that's available, but unless we get those extra beds reinstated—and we've lost 1,100 beds in the last 10 years—we will not be able to allow that flow through the hospital. So can you commit today, First Minister, that, in the coming winter months, there will be an uplift in the number of beds available within the Welsh NHS?

Mae'n hanfodol bod yr anghydfod hwnnw'n cael ei ddatrys, ac rwyf wedi eich clywed yn dweud dro ar ôl tro, Prif Weinidog, y bydd y penderfyniad hwnnw'n dod, trwy negodi. Felly, byddwn yn annog ac yn argymell ar yr un pryd eich bod yn eistedd o amgylch y bwrdd i ddatrys hyn, oherwydd yn amlwg, heb y datrysiad hwnnw gyda'r Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol, bydd yn anghydfod hirfaith, ac yn y pen draw bydd yn anfanteisiol i gleifion a staff hefyd, os caniateir iddo barhau.

Pan edrychwn ar bwysau'r gaeaf ac edrychwn ar yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud i roi mesurau ar waith i liniaru'r pwysau hynny yn ein gwasanaeth iechyd, un o'r pwysau allweddol yw hwnnw ynghylch gwelyau a'u defnydd. Rydym yn gwybod, o fewn GIG Cymru, bod 96 y cant o welyau yn llawn pan fo lefel ddiogel defnydd o welyau yn 85 y cant. A oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru unrhyw fwriad i gyflwyno lefelau gwelyau ychwanegol gwirioneddol—nid rhithwir, gwirioneddol—o fewn GIG Cymru fel y byddai hynny, fel y mae'r Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys yn nodi, y byddai hynny'n helpu i ganiatáu i gleifion symud ymlaen drwy'r adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys ac i mewn i'r ysbyty? Oherwydd heb y gwelyau hynny—. Ac rwy'n gwerthfawrogi ei fod yn ddarlun cymhleth gyda rhyddhau a'r gofal yn y gymuned sydd ar gael, ond oni bai ein bod yn cael y gwelyau ychwanegol hynny wedi'u hadfer—ac rydym wedi colli 1,100 o welyau yn y 10 mlynedd diwethaf—ni fyddwn yn gallu caniatáu'r llif hwnnw drwy'r ysbyty. Felly, a allwch chi ymrwymo heddiw, Prif Weinidog, y bydd cynnydd yn nifer y gwelyau fydd ar gael o fewn GIG Cymru yn ystod misoedd y gaeaf i ddod?

I thank the leader of the opposition for that question. It is complex, as he said. It’s difficult to give just a short answer to those important points. He will know the efforts that were made here in Wales over this last winter to create additional bed and bed-equivalent services to help the service through the winter. My own view is that a simple focus on beds as the currency in the NHS is not where our focus should be. Wales has far more beds per head of the population than they do across our border in England. What we need are services that prevent the need for people to be in a hospital bed or to be able to be discharged from a hospital bed as fast as they possibly can. And when the leader of the opposition refers to the number of beds that have been reduced in the Welsh NHS, he will know that many, many of those beds are in the field of long-stay mental health and learning disability, where it’s been common currency across the Chamber that people should be better settled in the community and looked after there rather than in institutional care.

So, of course we will look carefully at the report of the college of emergency medicine. I see that it says that they believe we need to have nearly 600 extra beds in Wales. It also says that, in the south-west of England alone, they need 1,000, nearly, extra beds. So, this is not a Welsh phenomenon as far as the college is concerned. The Minister will have more to say about this later this afternoon. Our focus is on increasing capacity. Counting capacity just in the number of hospital beds that we have is not a currency that I think reflects the complexity of the modern health service.

Diolch i arweinydd yr wrthblaid am y cwestiwn yna. Mae'n gymhleth, fel y dywedodd. Mae'n anodd rhoi ateb byr i'r pwyntiau pwysig hynny. Bydd yn gwybod am yr ymdrechion a wnaed yma yng Nghymru dros y gaeaf diwethaf i greu gwasanaethau gwelyau a'r hyn sy'n cyfateb i welyau ychwanegol i helpu'r gwasanaeth drwy'r gaeaf. Fy marn i yw nad canolbwyntio ar welyau yn y GIG yw lle y dylai ein pwyslais ni fod. Mae gan Gymru lawer mwy o welyau fesul pen o'r boblogaeth nag sydd ganddyn nhw dros ein ffin yn Lloegr. Yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom yw gwasanaethau sy'n atal yr angen i bobl fod mewn gwely ysbyty neu sy'n galluogi pobl i gael eu rhyddhau o wely ysbyty cyn gynted â phosibl. A phan fydd arweinydd yr wrthblaid yn cyfeirio at y lleihad yn nifer y gwelyau yn y GIG yng Nghymru, bydd yn gwybod bod llawer, llawer o'r gwelyau hynny ym maes iechyd meddwl ac anabledd dysgu arhosiad hir, ac mae cytundeb wedi bod ar draws y Siambr y dylai pobl gael eu setlo'n well yn y gymuned a derbyn gofal yno yn hytrach nag mewn gofal sefydliadol.

Felly, wrth gwrs, byddwn yn edrych yn ofalus ar adroddiad y Coleg Meddygaeth Frys. Rwy'n gweld ei fod yn dweud eu bod yn credu bod angen i ni gael bron i 600 o welyau ychwanegol yng Nghymru. Mae hefyd yn dweud bod angen bron i 1,000 o welyau ychwanegol yn ne-orllewin Lloegr yn unig. Felly, nid ffenomen Gymreig yw hon cyn belled ag y mae'r coleg yn y cwestiwn. Bydd gan y Gweinidog fwy i'w ddweud am hyn yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma. Rydym yn canolbwyntio ar gynyddu capasiti. Yn fy marn i, nid yw cyfrif capasiti drwy nifer y gwelyau ysbyty sydd gennym yn adlewyrchu cymhlethdod y gwasanaeth iechyd modern.

13:55

Well, in fairness, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and the consultants who are members of that organisation are experts in their field. They point to the ability to have additional beds reinstated within the health service as being one part of the solution. Everyone accepts that it's not the only part of the solution, but when you have the pressures in A&E departments—. For example, 22 per cent of people who presented to A&E departments in Wales last month waited eight hours or more, and 14 per cent of people waited 12 hours or more. Those numbers are unsustainable, and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine point to the fact that it's an inability for people to move out of the accident and emergency department and into the main hospital that is causing many of these delays.

The other point that they raise—and I accept that the bed issue is a UK-wide issue, but we are here discussing the responsibilities that you have here in Wales—is the ability to have the baseline staffing equivalent for consultants within accident and emergency departments. This is something that I have raised with you previously, First Minister. Regrettably, to date, not one A&E department in Wales reaches that baseline quota of consultants. We need 178 consultants to meet that baseline across the whole of Wales. We have 100 at the moment. That's the Royal College of Emergency Medicine's own figure. What progress, since I last raised this with you 12 months ago, has the Welsh Government made in making sure that we can get close to, or even match, the baseline figure that the Royal College of Emergency Medicine say we need to allow staff to be meeting that baseline staffing number in our accident and emergency departments?

Wel, er tegwch, mae'r Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys a'r meddygon ymgynghorol sy'n aelodau o'r sefydliad hwnnw yn arbenigwyr yn eu maes. Maen nhw'n tynnu sylw at y gallu i adfer gwelyau ychwanegol o fewn y gwasanaeth iechyd fel un rhan o'r ateb. Mae pawb yn derbyn nad dyma'r unig ran o'r ateb, ond pan fydd gennych chi'r pwysau mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys—. Er enghraifft, arhosodd 22 y cant o'r bobl a aeth i adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yng Nghymru y mis diwethaf wyth awr neu fwy, ac arhosodd 14 y cant o bobl 12 awr neu fwy. Mae'r niferoedd hynny'n anghynaladwy, ac mae'r Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith mai'r anallu i bobl symud allan o'r adran damweiniau ac achosion brys ac i'r ysbyty'n ehangach sy'n achosi llawer o'r oedi hyn.

Y pwynt arall maen nhw'n ei godi—ac rwy'n derbyn bod mater y gwelyau yn fater ar draws y DU, ond rydyn ni yma yn trafod y cyfrifoldebau sydd gennych chi yma yng Nghymru—yw'r gallu i gael y staffio llinell sylfaen cyfatebol ar gyfer meddygon ymgynghorol mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth yr wyf wedi'i godi gyda chi o'r blaen, Prif Weinidog. Yn anffodus, hyd yma, nid oes yr un adran damweiniau ac achosion brys yng Nghymru yn cyrraedd y cwota sylfaenol hwnnw o feddygon ymgynghorol. Mae angen 178 o feddygon ymgynghorol arnom i fodloni'r llinell sylfaen honno ar draws Cymru gyfan. Mae gennym 100 ar hyn o bryd. Dyna ffigur y Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys ei hun. Pa gynnydd, ers i mi godi hyn gyda chi ddiwethaf, 12 mis yn ôl, y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o ran sicrhau y gallwn agosáu at, neu hyd yn oed gyrraedd y ffigur llinell sylfaen y mae'r Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys yn dweud sydd ei angen er mwyn i ni alluogi staff i fodloni'r nifer staffio llinell sylfaen hwnnw ar gyfer staff yn ein hadrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys?

Well, Llywydd, put the way that the leader of the opposition put it at the start of his question, I wouldn't disagree with him: beds are part of the solution to the pressures that the health service currently faces. But, it is part of the solution; it is not the only solution. I also agree with the point that the Royal College of Emergency Medicine makes about the pressures on the hospital system needing to have a whole-hospital response—that all the pressures should not be left at the door of the emergency department, while other parts of the hospital act as though that were not their problem.

This has always been part of the royal college's approach—that the solution has to be one in which the whole of the hospital plays its part. It is why, in the Cardiff and Vale local health board, they have had significant success in this calendar year in reducing waits in A&E departments, because they have been determined to make sure that the whole hospital regard that as a problem that they have to play a part in solving. So, on both of those issues, I agree with the points in the way that the leader of the opposition made them in his final question to me today. I don't have in front of me recruitment figures in those emergency departments, but I'm sure that we can supply them for him.    

Wel, Llywydd, o glywed yr hyn a ddywedodd arweinydd yr wrthblaid ar ddechrau ei gwestiwn, ni fyddwn yn anghytuno ag ef: mae gwelyau yn rhan o'r ateb i'r pwysau y mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn eu hwynebu ar hyn o bryd. Ond, mae'n rhan o'r ateb; nid dyma'r unig ateb. Rwyf hefyd yn cytuno â'r pwynt y mae'r Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys yn ei wneud am y pwysau ar y system ysbytai sydd angen ymateb ysbyty cyfan—sef na ddylid gadael yr holl bwysau wrth ddrws yr adran frys, tra bod rhannau eraill o'r ysbyty yn gweithredu fel pe na bai hynny'n broblem iddyn nhw.

Mae hyn wastad wedi bod yn rhan o ddull y Coleg Brenhinol—bod yn rhaid i'r ateb fod yn un lle mae'r ysbyty cyfan yn chwarae ei ran. Dyna pam, ym Mwrdd Iechyd Lleol Caerdydd a'r Fro, y maen nhw wedi cael llwyddiant sylweddol yn y flwyddyn galendr hon wrth leihau arosiadau mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, oherwydd eu bod wedi bod yn benderfynol o sicrhau bod yr ysbyty cyfan yn ystyried hon yn broblem y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw chwarae rhan i'w datrys. Felly, ar y ddau fater hynny, rwy'n cytuno â'r pwyntiau a fynegwyd gan arweinydd yr wrthblaid yn ei gwestiwn olaf i mi heddiw. Does gen i ddim ffigurau recriwtio o fy mlaen ar gyfer yr adrannau brys hynny, ond rwy'n siŵr y gallwn ni eu darparu ar ei gyfer.    

Arweinydd Plaid Cymru nawr—Llyr Gruffydd.

Leader of Plaid Cymru now—Llyr Gruffydd.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Lywydd, ac a gaf innau hefyd, ar ran y meinciau yma, ategu pob cydymdeimlad â theulu’r Arglwydd Morris? Mi ddywedodd ef unwaith ei fod wedi bod yn ddatganolwr, ac yn ddatganolwr o’r eiliad cyntaf, yn benodol, ar ôl iddo ymuno â Thŷ’r Cyffredin, ac ei fod yn credu’n angerddol yn yr angen i ddod â’r Llywodraeth yn agosach at y bobl. Wel, diolch iddo fe am chwarae rhan mor allweddol mewn troi hynny’n realiti, a choffadwriaeth dda amdano fe.  

Thank you very much, Llywydd, and may I, on behalf of these benches, echo all sympathies expressed for the family of Lord Morris of Aberavon? He said once that he had been a devolutionist from the very first moment when he joined the House of Commons, and that he passionately believed in the need to bring Government closer to the people. Well, we thank him for playing such a key part in making that a reality, and we remember him fondly.

First Minister, we were all shaken, of course, by the tragic events that unfolded in Ely last month. Now, when asked if your Government should have been doing more for Ely, you said, and I quote,

'I think all layers of government and all aspects of government are right to look at themselves in the mirror and ask exactly that question. So, we will certainly be doing that as a Welsh Government.'

Now, in 2021, the charity Mind called on the Welsh Government to develop a community strategy that seeks to promote social capital, that seeks to invest in community assets and address many of the barriers faced by certain groups, so that everyone can benefit from living in resilient communities. Can you tell us how you might have taken their recommendations forward? Two weeks on, as part of your early reflection, how do you think that your Government could have done more to support not just the community of Ely, of course, but others like it, the length and breadth of Wales? 

Prif Weinidog, cawsom i gyd ein hysgwyd, wrth gwrs, gan y digwyddiadau trasig a ddatblygodd yn Nhrelái fis diwethaf. Nawr, pan ofynnwyd i chi a ddylai eich Llywodraeth fod wedi gwneud mwy dros Drelái, dywedoch chi, a dyfynnaf,

'Rwy'n credu bod pob haen o lywodraeth a phob agwedd ar lywodraeth yn iawn i edrych arnyn nhw eu hunain yn y drych a gofyn yr union gwestiwn yna. Felly, byddwn yn sicr yn gwneud hynny fel Llywodraeth Cymru.'

Nawr, yn 2021, galwodd yr elusen Mind ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddatblygu strategaeth gymunedol sy'n ceisio hyrwyddo cyfalaf cymdeithasol, sy'n ceisio buddsoddi mewn asedau cymunedol a mynd i'r afael â llawer o'r rhwystrau sy'n wynebu grwpiau penodol, fel y gall pawb gael budd o fyw mewn cymunedau cydnerth. A allwch chi ddweud wrthym sut y gallech fod wedi bwrw ymlaen â'u hargymhellion? Bythefnos yn ddiweddarach, fel rhan o'ch myfyrdod cynnar, sut ydych chi'n meddwl y gallai eich Llywodraeth fod wedi gwneud mwy i gefnogi nid yn unig cymuned Trelái, wrth gwrs, ond cymunedau eraill tebyg ledled Cymru? 

Well, as far as community resilience on the Ely estate itself is concerned, there are a series of measures in which the Welsh Government has played its part in supporting those community groups that are such a feature of life on the estate. The Minister for Social Justice and I were in Ely at the beginning of the recess period. We were in a service that is directly supported by the local authority and by the Welsh Government itself. We were hearing from community groups about the range of services that, with Welsh Government support, are there to strengthen community resilience on the estate: the food pantry, the recycling of clothes and of uniforms, the foodbank, the cafe, the repair cafe, the library of things—all of those things supported through the Welsh Government—the fantastic work that sports clubs do on the estate with such success, the work, day in, day out, of faith groups on the estate, the new Cardiff West high school in Ely, the new Welsh-medium school in Ely, needing to be expanded because of the success it has experienced in attracting young people from the estate through its doors, the new health facility at Park View. There are a series of ways, thinking of that Mind report, in which, working with people on the estate—. And that was the key message that we took from that meeting, that, in order to have intensified community resilience, you have to start with the community itself, learn from them, and then make sure that public authorities and funding where it is possible come in to support them in the things that they believe will make the greatest difference.

Wel, o ran cydnerthedd cymunedol ar ystad Trelái ei hun, mae cyfres o fesurau lle mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi chwarae ei rhan wrth gefnogi'r grwpiau cymunedol hynny sy'n gymaint o nodwedd o fywyd ar yr ystad. Roedd y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a minnau yn Nhrelái ar ddechrau'r cyfnod gwyliau. Roeddem mewn gwasanaeth sy'n cael ei gefnogi'n uniongyrchol gan yr awdurdod lleol a gan Lywodraeth Cymru ei hun. Roeddem yn clywed gan grwpiau cymunedol am yr ystod o wasanaethau sydd, gyda chefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru, yno i gryfhau cydnerthedd cymunedol ar yr ystad: y pantri bwyd, ailgylchu dillad a gwisgoedd, y banc bwyd, y caffi, y caffi atgyweirio, llyfrgell pethau—yr holl bethau hynny a gefnogir drwy Lywodraeth Cymru—y gwaith gwych y mae clybiau chwaraeon yn ei wneud ar yr ystad gyda'r fath lwyddiant, y gwaith, o ddydd i ddydd gan grwpiau ffydd ar yr ystad, ysgol uwchradd newydd Gorllewin Caerdydd yn Nhrelái, yr angen i ehangu'r ysgol Gymraeg newydd yn Nhrelái oherwydd y llwyddiant y mae wedi ei brofi wrth ddenu pobl ifanc o'r ystad drwy ei drysau, y cyfleuster iechyd newydd yn Park View. Mae cyfres o ffyrdd, gan feddwl am yr adroddiad Mind hwnnw, gan weithio gyda phobl ar yr ystad—. A dyna'r neges allweddol a gawsom o'r cyfarfod hwnnw, sef er mwyn dwysáu cydnerthedd cymunedol, mae'n rhaid i chi ddechrau gyda'r gymuned ei hun, dysgu oddi wrthynt, ac yna sicrhau bod awdurdodau cyhoeddus a chyllid lle bo'n bosibl yn dod i mewn i'w cefnogi yn y pethau y credant fydd yn gwneud y gwahaniaeth mwyaf.

14:00

Thank you for that, and you're right, it's working with the community and working up. It is now five years, of course, since the Welsh Government phased out its Communities First programme, which did much of that, I have to say. Since then, poverty levels have remained shockingly high amongst all age groups. There have been only modest improvements since 1997, with Welsh poverty levels remaining among the highest in the UK. We all saw the figures yesterday showing that one in five children in every single county in Wales are living in poverty, and more so in some parts of our country. Now, First Minister, could you explain how you're implementing the lessons learnt from the Communities First programme, and will you heed the recommendation of the Bevan Foundation to reintroduce poverty reduction targets in Wales, particularly, of course, targets relating to child poverty?

Diolch am hynna, ac rydych chi'n iawn, mae'n ymwneud â gweithio gyda'r gymuned a gweithio i fyny. Mae'n bum mlynedd bellach, wrth gwrs, ers i Lywodraeth Cymru ddiddymu ei rhaglen Cymunedau yn Gyntaf yn raddol, a gyflawnodd lawer o hynny, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud. Ers hynny, mae lefelau tlodi wedi parhau'n syfrdanol o uchel ymhlith pob grŵp oedran. Dim ond gwelliannau cymedrol sydd wedi bod ers 1997 ac mae lefelau tlodi yng Nghymru yn parhau i fod ymhlith yr uchaf yn y DU. Gwelsom ni i gyd y ffigurau ddoe a oedd yn dangos bod un o bob pump o blant ym mhob un sir yng Nghymru yn byw mewn tlodi, ac yn fwy felly mewn rhai rhannau o'n gwlad. Nawr, Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi esbonio sut rydych chi'n gweithredu'r gwersi a ddysgwyd o'r rhaglen Cymunedau yn Gyntaf, ac a wnewch chi wrando ar argymhelliad Sefydliad Bevan i ailgyflwyno targedau lleihau tlodi yng Nghymru, yn arbennig, wrth gwrs, targedau sy'n ymwneud â thlodi plant?

Llywydd, I don't think that Llyr Gruffydd completely accurately captured the experience of child poverty during the devolution era, because he will recall that, in the first decade of devolution, child poverty in Wales fell by a third. So, the idea that it has just stayed where it was at the start of devolution is to disguise the fact that there was a decade of progress, followed by a decade when child poverty has grown, and grown as the result of actions taken not in Wales, but by the Westminster Government.

Now, yesterday, the Cabinet discussed a draft of the child poverty strategy for Wales, which we are obliged to bring forward every three years. We hope to consult on that strategy starting later this month. It will set out five different objectives and priorities that we believe use the powers we have in Wales to their maximum extent, but is realistic in knowing that all the things that we can do could be wiped out in an instant by a Government determined, for example, to put a cap on the number of children who can be supported through the benefit system. We will not succeed in reducing child poverty in the way my party, and I'm very happy to be sure that his party too, would wish to see unless there is action at the other end of the M4, alongside all the things that we can do in Wales.

Llywydd, nid wyf yn credu bod Llyr Gruffydd wedi rhoi darlun cwbl gywir o'r profiad o dlodi plant yn ystod oes datganoli, oherwydd bydd yn cofio, yn ystod degawd cyntaf datganoli, fod tlodi plant yng Nghymru wedi gostwng traean. Felly, mae'r syniad ei fod wedi aros lle yr oedd ar ddechrau datganoli yn cuddio'r ffaith y cafwyd degawd o gynnydd, ac yna degawd o dlodi plant yn cynyddu, a chynyddu o ganlyniad i gamau gweithredu a gymerwyd nid yng Nghymru, ond gan Lywodraeth San Steffan.

Nawr, ddoe, trafododd y Cabinet ddrafft o'r strategaeth tlodi plant ar gyfer Cymru, y mae'n rhaid i ni ei chyflwyno bob tair blynedd. Rydym yn gobeithio ymgynghori ar y strategaeth honno gan ddechrau yn ddiweddarach y mis hwn. Bydd yn nodi pum amcan a blaenoriaeth wahanol yr ydym yn credu y byddant yn defnyddio'r pwerau sydd gennym yng Nghymru i'r eithaf, ond yn realistig gan wybod y gallai'r holl bethau y gallwn eu gwneud gael eu dileu mewn amrantiad gan Lywodraeth sy'n benderfynol, er enghraifft, o roi cap ar nifer y plant y gellir eu cefnogi drwy'r system fudd-daliadau. Ni fyddwn yn llwyddo i leihau tlodi plant yn y ffordd y mae fy mhlaid i, ac rwy'n sicr ei blaid ef hefyd, yn dymuno gweld oni bai bod camau gweithredu ar ben arall yr M4, ochr yn ochr â'r holl bethau y gallwn eu gwneud yng Nghymru.

Indeed. You mentioned the child poverty strategy. One of the priority areas, of course, is mitigating the impact of welfare reform, which I suppose reiterates the point that you make in terms of actions by the UK Government. We will agree, of course, what the consequences are of 13 years of Tory austerity, which has left benefits, for example, at the lowest level in real terms in four decades, but I think we should be striving for better than simply mitigating the worst excesses of a callous and out-of-touch UK Government, and instead, of course, seek the powers that can actually unlock tangible and lasting improvements to the lives of the most vulnerable sectors of our society.

We can look, for example, to Scotland in this respect, where the Scottish Government's devolved powers over welfare have enabled it to create the Scottish welfare fund, which, up to June of last year, had provided more than 480,000 low income households with discretionary payments totalling over £350 million. So, on that basis, do you agree that the experiences—and mindful of the fact that you’ve told us that it’s actions taken not in Wales that have contributed largely to some of these challenges that our communities are now facing—do you agree that the experiences of the past 13 years have conclusively underlined the need for the further devolution of powers over welfare here in Wales, in line, of course, with the powers that they exercise in Scotland and in Northern Ireland, and will you make the case for that not only to the UK Government, but to make sure that it’s included in the next UK Labour manifesto?

Yn wir. Fe wnaethoch chi sôn am y strategaeth tlodi plant. Un o'r meysydd blaenoriaeth, wrth gwrs, yw lliniaru effaith diwygio lles, sydd mae'n debyg, yn ailadrodd y pwynt rydych chi'n ei wneud o ran camau gweithredu gan Lywodraeth y DU. Byddwn yn cytuno, wrth gwrs ar beth yw canlyniadau 13 mlynedd o gyni Torïaidd, sydd wedi gadael budd-daliadau, er enghraifft, ar y lefel isaf mewn termau real mewn pedwar degawd, ond rwy'n credu y dylem fod yn ymdrechu am rywbeth gwell na lliniaru gormodedd gwaethaf Llywodraeth y DU ddideimlad ac allan o gysylltiad ac yn lle hynny, wrth gwrs, ceisio'r pwerau a all ddatgloi gwelliannau diriaethol a pharhaol i fywydau sectorau mwyaf agored i niwed ein cymdeithas.

Gallwn edrych, er enghraifft, ar yr Alban yn hyn o beth, lle mae pwerau datganoledig Llywodraeth yr Alban dros les wedi ei galluogi i greu Cronfa Les yr Alban, a oedd, hyd at fis Mehefin y llynedd, wedi darparu taliadau disgresiwn gwerth dros £350 miliwn i fwy na 480,000 o aelwydydd incwm isel. Felly, ar y sail honno, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod y profiadau—ac o gofio eich bod chi wedi dweud wrthym mai'r camau na chawsant eu cymryd yng Nghymru sydd wedi cyfrannu'n bennaf at rai o'r heriau hyn y mae ein cymunedau yn eu hwynebu nawr—a ydych chi'n cytuno bod profiadau'r 13 mlynedd diwethaf wedi tanlinellu'n bendant yr angen am ddatganoli pwerau dros les ymhellach yma yng Nghymru, yn unol wrth gwrs â'r pwerau y maent yn eu harfer yn yr Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon, ac a wnewch chi ddadlau dros hynny nid yn unig gyda Llywodraeth y DU, ond sicrhau ei fod wedi'i gynnwys ym maniffesto nesaf Llafur y DU?

14:05

I thank Llyr Gruffydd for that. He might know that I was in Scotland last week. I was able to meet with the new First Minister of Scotland and to hear first-hand of some of the use that the Scottish Government has made of the powers that they have. I was also able to meet with Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister, to discuss the report that he has prepared. It contains, as Members will know, a clear recommendation that new powers over the administration of welfare should be devolved here to the Senedd, following the work that was done in the last Senedd term by the local government committee, chaired at the time by John Griffiths, and I was heartened to hear from him the strength of the case that he believes he has mobilised for that. I’m glad that Keir Starmer has said that he endorses the recommendations contained in the Gordon Brown report and my hope is that legislation to make effective those recommendations will be an early priority for an incoming Labour Government.

Diolch i Llyr Gruffydd am hynna. Efallai ei fod yn gwybod imi fod yn yr Alban yr wythnos diwethaf. Cefais gyfle i gwrdd â Phrif Weinidog newydd yr Alban a chlywed yn uniongyrchol am rywfaint o'r defnydd y mae Llywodraeth yr Alban wedi'i wneud o'r pwerau sydd ganddyn nhw. Cefais gyfle hefyd i gwrdd â'r cyn Brif Weinidog Gordon Brown, i drafod yr adroddiad y mae wedi'i baratoi. Mae'n cynnwys, fel y gŵyr yr Aelodau, argymhelliad clir y dylid datganoli pwerau newydd dros weinyddu lles yma i'r Senedd, yn dilyn y gwaith a wnaed yn nhymor diwethaf y Senedd gan y pwyllgor llywodraeth leol, dan gadeiryddiaeth John Griffiths ar y pryd, ac roedd hi'n galonogol clywed ganddo am gryfder yr achos y mae'n credu ei fod wedi ei gychwyn ar gyfer hynny. Rwy'n falch bod Keir Starmer wedi dweud ei fod yn cymeradwyo'r argymhellion yn adroddiad Gordon Brown a fy ngobaith yw y bydd deddfwriaeth i wneud yr argymhellion hynny'n effeithiol yn flaenoriaeth gynnar i Lywodraeth Lafur sy'n dod i mewn.

Gofalwyr Di-dâl
Unpaid Carers

3. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella canlyniadau i ofalwyr di-dâl? OQ59587

3. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve outcomes for unpaid carers? OQ59587

Llywydd, since January 2022, the Welsh Government has allocated £42 million in additional funding to support unpaid carers. That includes £29 million to provide unpaid carers in receipt of carers allowance with a £500 payment; £4.5 million of that £42 million allows us to continue the carers support fund until 2025, and £9 million of it over a three-year period has allowed us to introduce a short breaks fund for unpaid carers.  

Llywydd, ers mis Ionawr 2022, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dyrannu £42 miliwn o gyllid ychwanegol i gefnogi gofalwyr di-dâl. Mae hynny'n cynnwys £29 miliwn i ddarparu taliad o £500 i ofalwyr di-dâl sy'n derbyn lwfans gofalwyr; mae £4.5 miliwn o'r £42 miliwn hwnnw'n ein galluogi i barhau â'r Gronfa Gymorth i Ofalwyr tan 2025, ac mae £9 miliwn ohono dros gyfnod o dair blynedd wedi ein galluogi i gyflwyno cronfa seibiannau byr ar gyfer gofalwyr di-dâl.  

Thank you very much. First Minister, as it is Carers Week, I would like to pay tribute to the thousands of unpaid carers who save our NHS billions of pounds each year. Without their care and dedication, our health and care system would collapse. It is therefore vital that we fully support our unpaid carers. Sadly, we are failing in our duty. Unfortunately, a wide variety of evidence shows that unpaid carers in Wales are suffering severe health and financial impacts as a result of their caring responsibilities, and the recent evaluation of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 found that it was failing to deliver the intended outcomes for unpaid carers, with their legal rights often not being met by the local authorities. First Minister, what action will your Government take to ensure that local authorities are meeting their legal obligation to support carers? Thank you.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Prif Weinidog, gan ei bod hi'n Wythnos Gofalwyr, hoffwn dalu teyrnged i'r miloedd o ofalwyr di-dâl sy'n arbed biliynau o bunnoedd i'n GIG bob blwyddyn. Heb eu gofal a'u hymroddiad, byddai ein system iechyd a gofal yn chwalu. Felly, mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn cefnogi ein gofalwyr di-dâl yn llawn. Yn anffodus, rydym yn methu yn ein dyletswydd. Yn anffodus, mae amrywiaeth eang o dystiolaeth yn dangos bod gofalwyr di-dâl yng Nghymru yn dioddef effeithiau iechyd ac ariannol difrifol o ganlyniad i'w cyfrifoldebau gofalu, a chanfu'r gwerthusiad diweddar o Ddeddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014 ei bod yn methu â chyflawni'r canlyniadau arfaethedig ar gyfer gofalwyr di-dâl, ac yn aml nid yw'r awdurdodau lleol yn cwrdd â'u hawliau cyfreithiol. Prif Weinidog, pa gamau y bydd eich Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod awdurdodau lleol yn cyflawni eu rhwymedigaeth gyfreithiol i gefnogi gofalwyr? Diolch.

Llywydd, I thank Altaf Hussain for that further set of questions, and, of course, I agree with him that more always could be done to support the fantastic work that unpaid carers carry out every single day, and thank him for reminding us that this is Carers Week. And, as one example of the things that we are able to do to support our local authorities and local efforts, on Friday of this week, there will be a launch of a new third sector grant scheme. It will be called Amser. It is a strand in the work we are doing to allow unpaid carers to take breaks from those responsibilities, to just have a chance to stand back from them, to build up a bit of additional resilience. The scheme will be launched here in the Norwegian church, and, as far as organisations on the ground in Altaf Hussain’s part of Wales, Carers Trust Crossroads West Wales, Swansea Carers Centre and Bridgend Carers Centre have all been successful in securing funding through this grant scheme to allow them to do more to support those unpaid carers in those localities.

Llywydd, diolch i Altaf Hussain am y gyfres ychwanegol yna o gwestiynau, ac, wrth gwrs, rwy'n cytuno ag ef y gellid gwneud mwy bob amser i gefnogi'r gwaith gwych y mae gofalwyr di-dâl yn ei wneud bob dydd, a diolch iddo am ein hatgoffa mai Wythnos Gofalwyr yw hi. Ac, fel un enghraifft o'r pethau y gallwn eu gwneud i gefnogi ein hawdurdodau lleol ac ymdrechion lleol, ddydd Gwener yr wythnos hon, bydd lansiad cynllun grant trydydd sector newydd. Bydd yn cael ei alw'n Amser. Mae'n elfen o'r gwaith rydym yn ei wneud i ganiatáu i ofalwyr di-dâl gymryd seibiant o'r cyfrifoldebau hynny, i gael cyfle i sefyll yn ôl oddi wrthynt, er mwyn meithrin ychydig o gydnerthedd ychwanegol. Bydd y cynllun yn cael ei lansio yma yn yr eglwys Norwyaidd, ac o ran sefydliadau ar lawr gwlad yn rhan Altaf Hussain o Gymru, mae Ymddiriedolaeth Gofalwyr Croesffyrdd Gorllewin Cymru, Canolfan Gofalwyr Abertawe a Chanolfan Gofalwyr Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr i gyd wedi llwyddo i sicrhau cyllid drwy'r cynllun grant hwn i'w galluogi i wneud mwy i gefnogi'r gofalwyr di-dâl hynny yn yr ardaloedd hynny.

14:10

Recent research has revealed that an estimated 450,000 people are providing unpaid care or support in Wales. That contribution, born out of love and affection for family and friends, is difficult to quantify. It's fair to say that this contribution to our community is immense, and it's hard to imagine where we would be without unpaid carers. Plaid Cymru acknowledges this incredible contribution as we mark Carers Week.

The report that revealed this staggering statistic also found that 35 per cent of carers surveyed said their health and well-being had been suffering as a result of caring. I note, in your answer earlier and in the Government statement this week, about funding for carers respite and short breaks. Given that more than a third of unpaid carers are suffering, are you confident that the funding goes far enough and will be used efficiently enough? Diolch.

Mae gwaith ymchwil diweddar wedi datgelu yr amcangyfrifir bod 450,000 o bobl yn darparu gofal neu gymorth di-dâl yng Nghymru. Mae'r cyfraniad hwnnw, a aned allan o gariad ac anwyldeb tuag at deulu a ffrindiau, yn anodd ei feintioli. Mae'n deg dweud bod y cyfraniad hwn i'n cymuned yn aruthrol, ac mae'n anodd dychmygu lle byddem heb ofalwyr di-dâl. Mae Plaid Cymru yn cydnabod y cyfraniad anhygoel hwn wrth i ni nodi Wythnos Gofalwyr.

Canfu'r adroddiad a ddatgelodd yr ystadegyn syfrdanol hwn hefyd fod 35 y cant o'r gofalwyr a holwyd yn dweud bod eu hiechyd a'u lles wedi dioddef o ganlyniad i ofalu. Rwy'n nodi, yn eich ateb yn gynharach ac yn natganiad y Llywodraeth yr wythnos hon, y cyllid ar gyfer seibiant gofalwyr a seibiannau byr. O ystyried bod mwy na thraean o ofalwyr di-dâl yn dioddef, a ydych chi'n ffyddiog bod yr arian yn mynd yn ddigon pell ac y bydd yn cael ei ddefnyddio'n ddigon effeithlon? Diolch.

Well, Llywydd, as I said in my answer to Altaf Hussain, there is always more that could be done if there was further funding that we had available. What we try to do is to increase the funding, and I've outlined some of the ways in which we have been able to do that. And then, of course it is right that that funding is used in the most effective way. The Minister has commissioned a rapid review of carers' rights at a local authority level. The Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru has undertaken that review, and we expect their recommendations to be with the Minister by the end of this month. That will give us a sense of how effectively that additional funding is being used. It is, I think, a huge strength in Wales that we have unpaid carers on that scale. They do, exactly as the Member has said, undertake those responsibilities out of a sense of love and of affection. We have a higher proportion of the population in Wales who carry out unpaid caring duties. I think that's a cause for celebration. I think it tells us something about the nature of the community that we are still lucky enough to have here in Wales, that people feel that that is the way in which they want to express their connection with others, family and friends, as Peredur Griffiths said—people who are important to them and to whom they feel a sense of duty and obligation—and are able to express that in providing care in that way. Our job is to support them in that task and to celebrate the work that they do.

Wel, Llywydd, fel y dywedais yn fy ateb i Altaf Hussain, mae mwy y gellid ei wneud bob amser pe bai cyllid ychwanegol ar gael. Yr hyn yr ydym yn ceisio ei wneud yw cynyddu'r cyllid, ac rwyf wedi amlinellu rhai o'r ffyrdd yr ydym wedi gallu gwneud hynny. Ac yna, wrth gwrs, mae'n iawn bod y cyllid hwnnw'n cael ei ddefnyddio yn y ffordd fwyaf effeithiol. Mae'r Gweinidog wedi comisiynu adolygiad cyflym o hawliau gofalwyr ar lefel awdurdod lleol. Mae Cymdeithas Cyfarwyddwyr Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol Cymru wedi cynnal yr adolygiad hwnnw, ac rydym yn disgwyl i'r Gweinidog dderbyn yr argymhellion erbyn diwedd y mis hwn. Bydd hynny'n rhoi syniad i ni o ba mor effeithiol y mae'r cyllid ychwanegol hwnnw'n cael ei ddefnyddio. Credaf ei fod yn gryfder enfawr yng Nghymru bod gennym ofalwyr di-dâl ar y raddfa honno. Maen nhw, yn union fel y dywedodd yr Aelod, yn ymgymryd â'r cyfrifoldebau hynny oherwydd ymdeimlad o gariad ac anwyldeb. Mae gennym gyfran uwch o'r boblogaeth yng Nghymru sy'n cyflawni dyletswyddau gofalu di-dâl. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n rhywbeth i'w ddathlu. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn dweud rhywbeth wrthym am natur y gymuned yr ydym yn ddigon ffodus o'i chael o hyd yma yng Nghymru, bod pobl yn teimlo mai dyna'r ffordd y maen nhw eisiau mynegi eu cysylltiad ag eraill, teulu a ffrindiau, fel y dywedodd Peredur Griffiths—pobl sy'n bwysig iddynt ac y mae ganddyn nhw ymdeimlad o ddyletswydd a rhwymedigaeth tuag atyn nhw—ac yn gallu mynegi hynny wrth ddarparu gofal yn y ffordd yna. Ein gwaith ni yw eu cefnogi yn y dasg honno a dathlu'r gwaith maen nhw'n ei wneud.

First Minister, it is so important that we recognise and celebrate unpaid carers and the incredible contribution they make, as well as ensuring that they can access the support that they need. For the thousands of young carers in Wales at risk of becoming vulnerable when the level of caregiving and responsibility becomes too much, I very much welcome the Welsh Labour Government investment in the carers support fund and the £9 million national short break scheme, and young carers' access to them. What other activities does Welsh Government have planned to support our young carers, and could you also provide an update on the young carers ID card roll-out?

Prif Weinidog, mae mor bwysig ein bod yn cydnabod ac yn dathlu gofalwyr di-dâl a'r cyfraniad anhygoel y maent yn ei wneud, yn ogystal â sicrhau eu bod yn gallu cael gafael ar y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt. I'r miloedd o ofalwyr ifanc yng Nghymru sydd mewn perygl o ddod yn agored i niwed pan fydd lefel y gofal a'r cyfrifoldeb yn mynd yn ormod, rwy'n croesawu'n fawr fuddsoddiad Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru yn y Gronfa Gymorth i Ofalwyr a'r cynllun seibiant byr cenedlaethol gwerth £9 miliwn, a mynediad gofalwyr ifanc atynt. Pa weithgareddau eraill y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cynllunio i gefnogi ein gofalwyr ifanc, ac a allech chi hefyd roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am gyflwyno'r cerdyn adnabod i ofalwyr ifanc?

I thank Vikki Howells for that. There was a time, Llywydd, when I was regularly asked about the young carers ID card roll-out. Now, £600,000 has been invested by the Welsh Government so that now that card is available in every part of Wales, and more than 1,700 young carers now possess such a card, and it allows those young carers to corroborate their status, whether that is in school or whether it's when they're going to a pharmacy to collect prescriptions, without having to go through every time answering difficult questions about why it is they are having to do what they need to do. That has been a great success here in Wales, and I'm very glad that every local authority now is part of that scheme. Thanks to Vikki Howells for pointing out that both the carers support fund and the national short breaks scheme in Wales are available to young carers as well as to adults.

And in terms of what more we're able to do, last year we heard from young carers themselves that they wanted an opportunity where they could get together themselves to learn from one another, to celebrate the work that they do, and nearly 300 young carers came together in Builth Wells over three days for the first ever Young Carers Festival in Wales. It was a great success, and we're going to provide additional funding, over and above the funding available last year, to repeat the festival this year, where we hope it will be even bigger and even better. And, in order to make sure that the voice of young carers themselves is heard loud and clear in the way that services are designed and delivered in Wales, we're also providing funding, through Children in Wales, to set up a new young carers advisory board. It will be run independently of the Welsh Government; it will be run through Children in Wales. Up to 12 young carers are being recruited, they'll come together once a quarter, they'll discuss key topics of relevance to them, and they'll be able to provide that direct feedback to officials and to Ministers to make sure, as Vikki Howells said, that the incredible contribution that they make is also always at the centre of our planning of these services.

Diolch i Vikki Howells am hynna. Roedd yna gyfnod, Llywydd, pan ofynnwyd i mi yn rheolaidd am wybodaeth am gyflwyno'r cerdyn adnabod i ofalwyr ifanc. Nawr, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi buddsoddi £600,000 fel bod y cerdyn hwnnw bellach ar gael ym mhob rhan o Gymru, ac mae gan fwy na 1,700 o ofalwyr ifanc gerdyn o'r fath erbyn hyn, ac mae'n galluogi'r gofalwyr ifanc hynny i gadarnhau eu statws, boed hynny yn yr ysgol neu pan fyddant yn mynd i fferyllfa i gasglu presgripsiynau, heb orfod ateb cwestiynau anodd ynglŷn â pham mai nhw sy'n gorfod gwneud yr hyn y mae angen iddyn nhw ei wneud. Mae hynny wedi bod yn llwyddiant mawr yma yng Nghymru, ac rwy'n falch iawn bod pob awdurdod lleol bellach yn rhan o'r cynllun hwnnw. Diolch i Vikki Howells am dynnu sylw at y ffaith bod y Gronfa Gymorth i Ofalwyr a'r cynllun seibiant byr cenedlaethol yng Nghymru ar gael i ofalwyr ifanc yn ogystal ag i oedolion.

Ac o ran beth arall y gallwn ei wneud, y llynedd clywsom gan ofalwyr ifanc eu hunain eu bod eisiau cyfle i ddod at ei gilydd i ddysgu oddi wrth ei gilydd, i ddathlu'r gwaith maen nhw'n ei wneud, a daeth bron i 300 o ofalwyr ifanc at ei gilydd yn Llanfair-ym-Muallt dros dridiau ar gyfer yr Ŵyl Gofalwyr Ifanc gyntaf erioed yng Nghymru. Roedd yn llwyddiant mawr, ac rydym yn mynd i ddarparu cyllid ychwanegol, ar ben y cyllid a oedd ar gael y llynedd, i gael gŵyl arall eleni a fydd, gobeithio, hyd yn oed yn fwy a hyd yn oed yn well. Ac, er mwyn sicrhau bod llais y gofalwyr ifanc eu hunain yn cael ei glywed yn uchel ac yn glir yn y ffordd y caiff gwasanaethau eu dylunio a'u darparu yng Nghymru, rydym hefyd yn darparu cyllid, drwy Plant yng Nghymru, i sefydlu bwrdd cynghori newydd i ofalwyr ifanc. Bydd yn cael ei redeg yn annibynnol ar Lywodraeth Cymru; bydd yn cael ei redeg trwy Plant yng Nghymru. Mae hyd at 12 o ofalwyr ifanc yn cael eu recriwtio, byddant yn dod at ei gilydd unwaith bob chwarter, byddant yn trafod pynciau allweddol sy'n berthnasol iddynt, a byddant yn gallu darparu'r adborth uniongyrchol hwnnw i swyddogion ac i Weinidogion i sicrhau, fel y dywedodd Vikki Howells, fod y cyfraniad anhygoel y maen nhw yn ei wneud bob amser wrth wraidd ein gwaith o gynllunio'r gwasanaethau hyn hefyd.

14:15

Good afternoon, First Minister. Our carers face financial challenges, as we know. Many of them work full time, and then care on top of that; some have had to give up their roles and work part time, but financial issues are a real challenge for our unpaid carers. One in four of the carers in Wales report that they've had to cut down on heating or eating. At the Hay Festival last week, you spoke about the importance of universal basic income, potentially, for our unpaid carers. Is this something the Welsh Government would want to explore, either now or in the future? Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Prynhawn da, Prif Weinidog. Mae ein gofalwyr yn wynebu heriau ariannol, fel y gwyddom ni. Mae llawer ohonyn nhw'n gweithio'n llawn amser, ac yna'n gofalu ar ben hynny; mae rhai wedi gorfod rhoi'r gorau i'w rolau a gweithio'n rhan amser, ond mae problemau ariannol yn her wirioneddol i'n gofalwyr di-dâl. Mae un o bob pedwar o ofalwyr Cymru yn dweud eu bod wedi gorfod cwtogi ar wresogi neu fwyta. Yng Ngŵyl y Gelli yr wythnos diwethaf, gwnaethoch chi sôn am bwysigrwydd incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol, o bosibl, i'n gofalwyr di-dâl. A yw hyn yn rhywbeth y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru eisiau ei archwilio, naill ai nawr neu yn y dyfodol? Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Diolch yn fawr i Jane Dodds, a diolch am y gwahoddiad, wrth gwrs, i fod yn yr ŵyl yn Hay.

Thank you very much, and thank you for the invitation to be at the festival in Hay.

It was very interesting, in front of that audience, to see the level of interest in universal basic income and the work that the Welsh Government is already doing through the major pilot we have with young people leaving the care system. I hope that we will be able to learn some important lessons from that experiment.

As I tried to explain in my answer at Hay, there are many aspects of the current system that have some characteristics of a universal basic income. The carers allowance is, in its very modest and unsatisfactory way, a step towards there being a universal basic income that recognises the role that carers play. And one of the great claims that is always made for a universal basic income is that it would recognise the work done in caring and domestic work in the same way as work carried out in the workplace is recognised and rewarded. So, while I can't make any commitments this afternoon to where we would go next with our own universal basic income pilot, the fact that we are having that in Wales, and the opportunity it will give us to learn lessons about how it works, where it works, how it might work better, will, I think, be of great interest to people who argue more generally about the benefits of such an approach and, quite certainly, including people who carry out those caring responsibilities.

Roedd yn ddiddorol iawn, o flaen y gynulleidfa honno, i weld lefel y diddordeb mewn incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol a'r gwaith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes yn ei wneud drwy'r peilot mawr sydd gennym ni gyda phobl ifanc sy'n gadael y system ofal. Gobeithio y byddwn ni'n gallu dysgu gwersi pwysig o'r arbrawf hwnnw.

Fel y ceisiais i egluro yn fy ateb yn y Gelli, mae sawl agwedd ar y system bresennol sydd â rhai nodweddion incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol. Mae'r lwfans gofalwyr, yn ei ffordd gymedrol ac anfoddhaol iawn, yn gam tuag at gael incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol sy'n cydnabod y rôl y mae gofalwyr yn ei chwarae. Ac un o'r honiadau gwych sy'n cael ei wneud bob amser ar gyfer incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol yw y byddai'n cydnabod y gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud ym maes gwaith gofalu a domestig yn yr un modd ag y mae gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud yn y gweithle yn cael ei gydnabod a'i wobrwyo. Felly, er na allaf wneud unrhyw ymrwymiadau'r prynhawn yma o ran lle y bydden ni'n mynd nesaf gyda'n cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol ein hunain, rwy'n credu y bydd y ffaith ein bod ni'n cael hynny yng Nghymru, a'r cyfle y bydd yn ei roi i ni ddysgu gwersi o ran sut mae'n gweithio, ble mae'n gweithio, a sut y gallai weithio'n well, fod o ddiddordeb mawr i bobl sy'n dadlau'n fwy cyffredinol am fanteision dull o'r fath ac, yn sicr, gan gynnwys pobl sy'n cyflawni'r cyfrifoldebau gofalu hynny.

Gwasanaethau Bws
Bus Services

4. A yw pob adran Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cynnal asesiad o effaith yr argyfwng cludiant bysiau cyhoeddus presennol? OQ59600

4. Have all Welsh Government departments carried out an assessment of the impact of the current public bus transport emergency? OQ59600

Llywydd, regional planning teams have been established to review bus networks in their area. They will consider how to prioritise funding for a sustainable network that reflects new post-COVID travel plans, and that includes considering the impact on communities and their access to public services.

Llywydd, mae timau cynllunio rhanbarthol wedi'u sefydlu i adolygu rhwydweithiau bysiau yn eu hardal. Byddan nhw'n ystyried sut i flaenoriaethu cyllid ar gyfer rhwydwaith cynaliadwy sy'n adlewyrchu cynlluniau teithio newydd ar ôl COVID, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys ystyried yr effaith ar gymunedau a'u cyfleoedd i fanteisio ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus.

Thank you for the answer. I'm really concerned about the impacts on education transport, transport to health appointments, social isolation, economy, and jobs. The view is we need to cap fares and a campaign to get people back onto buses, using them confidently.

On Saturday, I used a bus to Holywell dance festival, via Mold market, using the 1Bws ticket, which can be used anywhere across Wales—it's £6.00 using different operators. I used the Traveline Cymru website, which told me which bus to use, which bus stand, which operator, and which number. There's also an app that shows the maps, and I found it really, really clear and simple to follow. They've also got a phone number for people that don't use the internet.

So, I would like to ask if Welsh Government would be able to lead a campaign, working with operators, bus drivers, perhaps the older persons' commissioner—all these departments that will be affected—councils—we can all work together—a concerted effort to promote Traveline Cymru, to promote these concessionary passes, and get people back using buses.

Diolch am yr ateb. Rwy'n pryderu'n fawr am yr effeithiau ar gludiant addysg, cludiant i apwyntiadau iechyd, ynysigrwydd cymdeithasol, yr economi a swyddi. Y farn yw bod angen i ni roi cap ar bris tocynnau a bod angen ymgyrch i gael pobl yn ôl ar fysiau, a'u defnyddio'n hyderus.

Ddydd Sadwrn, defnyddiais i fws i ŵyl ddawns Treffynnon, trwy farchnad Yr Wyddgrug, gan ddefnyddio'r tocyn 1Bws y mae modd ei ddefnyddio unrhyw le ledled Cymru—mae'n £6.00 gan ddefnyddio gwahanol weithredwyr. Defnyddiais i wefan Traveline Cymru, a ddywedodd wrthyf pa fws i'w ddefnyddio, pa stand bysiau, pa weithredwr, a pha rif. Mae ap hefyd sy'n dangos y mapiau, ac roedd yn glir iawn, iawn ac yn syml i'w ddilyn. Mae ganddyn nhw hefyd rif ffôn ar gyfer pobl nad ydyn nhw'n defnyddio'r rhyngrwyd.

Felly, hoffwn i ofyn a fyddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn gallu arwain ymgyrch, gan weithio gyda gweithredwyr, gyrwyr bysiau, comisiynydd y bobl hŷn efallai—yr holl adrannau y bydd hyn yn effeithio arnyn nhw—cynghorau—gallwn ni i gyd weithio gyda'n gilydd—ymdrech ar y cyd i hyrwyddo Traveline Cymru, i hyrwyddo'r pasys rhatach hyn, a chael pobl yn ôl yn defnyddio bysiau.

14:20

Well, I thank Carolyn Thomas for that, and it's very good to hear of her own experience over the last weekend; the 1Bws ticket in north Wales is the largest multi-operator capping scheme anywhere in the United Kingdom, so it's really good to hear of her own very positive experience of using it.

I'm very happy to confirm, Llywydd, that the Welsh Government will play our part very actively, alongside Transport for Wales, industry partners and the trade unions to mount a campaign to get people back onto buses, because the best way of protecting services is to use them, and the biggest challenge we face in the bus industry is the fact that while costs have gone up by 25 per cent in recent times, patronage is still down by 15 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels. So, a campaign—and I'm quite sure that there will be Members across the Chamber who will want to be part of such a campaign—to remind people of the importance of bus services, to urge people to make use of them, will help us all to make sure that we're able to sustain a public service bus network for the future.

Wel, diolch i Carolyn Thomas am hynny, ac mae'n dda iawn clywed am ei phrofiad ei hun dros y penwythnos diwethaf; y tocyn 1Bws yn y gogledd yw'r cynllun capio amlweithredwr mwyaf yn unrhyw le yn y Deyrnas Unedig, felly mae'n dda iawn clywed am ei phrofiad cadarnhaol iawn hi o'i ddefnyddio.

Rwy'n hapus iawn i gadarnhau, Llywydd, y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn chwarae ein rhan yn weithgar iawn, ochr yn ochr â Trafnidiaeth Cymru, partneriaid yn y diwydiant a'r undebau llafur i gynnal ymgyrch i gael pobl yn ôl ar fysiau, oherwydd y ffordd orau o ddiogelu gwasanaethau yw eu defnyddio, a'r her fwyaf sy'n ein hwynebu ni yn y diwydiant bysiau yw'r ffaith, er bod costau wedi cynyddu 25 y cant yn ddiweddar, mae'r defnydd yn dal i ostwng 15 y cant o'i gymharu â lefelau cyn y pandemig. Felly, ymgyrch—ac rwy'n eithaf sicr y bydd Aelodau ar draws y Siambr a fydd eisiau bod yn rhan o ymgyrch o'r fath—i atgoffa pobl o bwysigrwydd gwasanaethau bysiau, i annog pobl i wneud defnydd ohonyn nhw, yn ein helpu ni i gyd i sicrhau ein bod ni'n gallu cynnal rhwydwaith bysiau gwasanaeth cyhoeddus ar gyfer y dyfodol.

Polisi Bwyd
Food Policy

5. Beth yw egwyddorion sylfaenol polisi bwyd Llywodraeth Cymru? OQ59597

5. What are the underlying principles of the Welsh Government's food policy? OQ59597

Diolch yn fawr i Huw Irranca-Davies am y cwestiwn, Llywydd. Mae’r egwyddorion sylfaenol wedi’u seilio, ymysg pethau eraill, ar egwyddorion Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, sy’n ymrwymo i geisio creu Cymru iachach, Cymru lewyrchus a Chymru gydnerth yn erbyn siociau byd-eang, boed yn newid hinsawdd neu’n broblemau cyflenwadau bwyd.

I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for the question, Llywydd. The underlying principles are based, among other things, on those set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which commits to the pursuit of a healthier Wales, a prosperous Wales and a Wales that’s resilient against global shocks, whether that be climate change or disrupted food supplies.

Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y Prif Weinidog wedi dilyn y ddadl ar y Bil Bwyd (Cymru) arfaethedig yn ddiweddar â diddordeb. Efallai ei fod, mewn eiliad tawel, hyd yn oed, wedi darllen fy erthygl ddiweddar ar y mater a oedd yn galw am weithredu brys nawr na fyddai angen newidiadau i'r gyfraith, tra hefyd yn ystyried meysydd lle gallai deddfwriaeth fod yn ddefnyddiol, gan gynnwys mewn public procurement a hyd yn oed yr hawl i fwyd diogel, maethlon a fforddiadwy, a chyfiawnder bwyd—ymgyrch hir-sefydlog y blaid cydweithredol, wrth gwrs.

Mewn ateb i'r ddadl, rhoddodd y Gweinidog sicrwydd y byddai mwy o waith traws-lywodraethol ar fwyd ac ymrwymiad cryf i weithio gyda chlymblaid Cymru-gyfan o bobl a sefydliadau sydd am weld newid. Brif Weinidog, sut y gallwn ni fwrw ymlaen â hyn yn awr gyda'r brys sydd ei angen arno, ac a wnewch chi ymrwymo i hyrwyddo cyfiawnder bwyd a pholisi bwyd mwy cydgysylltiedig a chynaliadwy yng Nghymru?

Thank you, First Minister. I’m sure that the First Minister will have followed the debate on the proposed Food (Wales) Bill recently with a great deal of interest. Perhaps in a quiet moment he may even have read my recent article on this issue, which called for urgent action now that doesn't require changes to the law, while also considering areas where legislation could be useful, including in public procurement and even the right to safe, nutritious and affordable food, and food justice—a long-standing campaign of the co-operative party, of course.

In response to the debate, the Minister gave an assurance that more cross-Government work on food would take place, and a strong commitment to work with the Wales coalition of organisations and people who want to see change in this area. First Minister, how can be pursue this work now with the urgency that is needed, and will you commit to promoting food justice and food policy that is more co-ordinated and sustainable in Wales?

Diolch yn fawr iawn i Huw Irranca-Davies am y cwestiynau ychwanegol yna. Ces i gyfle, wrth gwrs, Llywydd, i ddilyn y ddadl roeddem ni wedi'i chael ar lawr y Cynulliad. Rŷn ni'n gwybod roedd lot o bobl yn tynnu sylw at bethau yn y Ddeddf roedd Peter Fox yn ei hawgrymu—pethau pwysig yn y pethau roedd e'n awgrymu. Mae nifer fawr o bethau, fel roedd Huw Irranca yn dweud, ni'n gallu eu gwneud heb ddefnyddio'r gyfraith.

Nawr, yn ymateb y Gweinidog i'r ddadl, dwi'n meddwl dywedodd hi dwi wedi cytuno i gadeirio cyfarfod ble rŷn ni'n gallu tynnu pobl dros y Llywodraeth gyda'i gilydd—Gweinidogion a swyddogion uwch—i gyflymu'r gwaith rŷn ni'n mynd i'w wneud nawr i greu strategaeth gymunedol ar fwyd at y dyfodol, sy'n rhan o'r cytundeb rhyngom ni a Phlaid Cymru. So, mae'r cyfarfod yna wedi cael ei drefnu; bydd yn digwydd wythnos i heddiw. Dwi'n edrych ymlaen at y cyfarfod. Nawr, ni'n gallu defnyddio'r amser sydd gyda'n swyddogion ni i ganolbwyntio ar beth allwn ni ei wneud i wneud mwy yn y maes bwyd. I fod yn glir, rŷn ni wedi tynnu popeth rŷn ni'n ei wneud fel Llywodraeth gyda phobl eraill yn y maes gyda'i gilydd, i roi mwy o egni y tu ôl i'r gwaith rŷn ni'n gallu ei wneud fel Llywodraeth pan ŷn ni'n cydweithio â phobl eraill.

I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for those supplementary questions. I did have an opportunity to follow the debate that took place in the Senedd. I know that many people highlighted issues set out in Peter Fox’s legislation. There were some important issues contained there and there are many things, as Huw Irranca suggested, that we can do without the need for legislation.

In the Minister’s response to the debate, I believe that she said that I’ve agreed to chair a meeting where we can draw people from across Government together—Ministers and senior officials—in order to accelerate the work that we’re doing now in order to create a community food strategy for the future, which is of course contained in our agreement with Plaid Cymru. So, that meeting has been arranged; it’s taking place a week today. I look forward to that meeting. Now, we can use the time that our officials have to focus on what we can do to do more in the area of food. To be clear, we have drawn together everything that we do as a Government with others working in the area, to bring more energy to the work that we as Government can do when we do collaborate with others.

14:25

I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for posing the question and, First Minister, for your answer. The last time we sat in this Senedd, First Minister, I'm afraid the Labour group and the sole Liberal Democrat Member rejected the Food (Wales) Bill, to the disappointment of many around Wales. Stakeholders from all facets of the Welsh food system came together like never before behind the Bill, including those from academia, from food producers, their unions, environmentalists, conservationists, councils, health boards and food alliances, just to name a few, and all agreed that things had to change here to create a joined-up and sustainable food system, with food security and the well-being of future generations at its core, and surely, all of those people and all of those organisations can't be wrong, First Minister. And you've partly answered my question about what decisive actions will you now, and the Government, take, to show the commitment to creating a holistic and joined-up approach to food policy in Wales.

Diolch i Huw Irranca-Davies am ofyn y cwestiwn a, Prif Weinidog, am eich ateb. Y tro diwethaf i ni eistedd yn y Senedd hon, Prif Weinidog, mae arnaf i ofn i'r grŵp Llafur ac unig Aelod y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol wrthod y Bil Bwyd (Cymru), er siom i lawer ledled Cymru. Daeth rhanddeiliaid o bob agwedd ar system fwyd Cymru at ei gilydd fel erioed o'r blaen y tu ôl i'r Bil, gan gynnwys rhai o'r byd academaidd, cynhyrchwyr bwyd, eu hundebau, amgylcheddwyr, cadwraethwyr, cynghorau, byrddau iechyd a chynghreiriau bwyd, i enwi ond rhai, ac roedd pawb yn cytuno bod yn rhaid i bethau newid yma i greu system fwyd gydgysylltiedig a chynaliadwy, gyda diogeledd bwyd a llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol wrth ei wraidd, ac yn sicr, ni all yr holl bobl hynny a'r holl sefydliadau hynny fod yn anghywir, Prif Weinidog. Ac rydych chi wedi ateb fy nghwestiwn yn rhannol ynglŷn â pha gamau pendant y byddwch chi, a'r Llywodraeth, yn eu cymryd nawr, i ddangos yr ymrwymiad i greu dull cyfannol a chydgysylltiedig o ymdrin â pholisi bwyd yng Nghymru.

Well, Llywydd, I thank Peter Fox for that and, of course, I understand how any Member who puts the effort I know he will have put into the designing and the promotion of his Bill will have experienced when the Bill didn't succeed on the floor of the Senedd. But I hope he takes some comfort from the fact that the essential difference between the Government and himself was not on the objectives of his Bill. It's not what he was trying to achieve; it was our feeling that there were better and more effective ways in which we could reach those objectives. So, the problem was with the methods, not with the ambition.

As I've explained in my answer to Huw Irranca-Davies, I made a commitment, which the Minister relayed, to chair a meeting across the Welsh Government, to make sure that we now concentrate our energy and our effort on making sure that, cross-Government, those things that we need to make sure are joined together so that we get the maximum impact, that that effort is being felt across the whole of the Welsh Government, as we build towards the development and the publication of the community food strategy to which we are committed.

Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n diolch i Peter Fox am hynny ac, wrth gwrs, rwy'n deall sut y bydd unrhyw Aelod sy'n rhoi'r ymdrech rwy'n gwybod y bydd ef wedi'i rhoi i gynllunio a hyrwyddo ei Fil yn teimlo pan na lwyddodd y Bil ar lawr y Senedd. Ond rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yn cymryd rhywfaint o gysur o'r ffaith nad y gwahaniaeth hanfodol rhwng y Llywodraeth ac ef ei hun oedd amcanion ei Fil. Nid oedd yn ymwneud a'r hyn yr oedd e'n ceisio ei gyflawni; ein teimlad ni oedd bod ffyrdd gwell a mwy effeithiol o gyrraedd yr amcanion hynny. Felly, y broblem oedd gyda'r dulliau, nid gyda'r uchelgais.

Fel yr eglurais i yn fy ateb i Huw Irranca-Davies, gwnes i ymrwymiad, y cyfeiriodd y Gweinidog ati, i gadeirio cyfarfod ledled Llywodraeth Cymru, i sicrhau ein bod ni'n canolbwyntio ein hegni a'n hymdrechion i sicrhau bod y pethau hynny y mae angen i ni wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn cael eu huno â'i gilydd fel ein bod yn cael yr effaith fwyaf, ar draws y Llywodraeth, bod yr ymdrech honno'n cael ei theimlo ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru gyfan, wrth i ni weithio tuag at ddatblygu a chyhoeddi'r strategaeth bwyd cymunedol yr ydyn ni wedi ymrwymo iddi.

Cefnogaeth i Fusnesau ym Mlaenau Gwent
Support for Businesses in Blaenau Gwent

6. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi busnesau ym Mlaenau Gwent? OQ59627

6. How is the Welsh Government supporting businesses in Blaenau Gwent? OQ59627

Llywydd, the Welsh Government uses all the levers available to us, we work with a range of partners, including Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, to support businesses in the area. The Business Wales service is the first port of call for any business in Blaenau Gwent in need of such support.

Llywydd, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio'r holl ysgogiadau sydd ar gael i ni, rydyn ni'n gweithio gydag amrywiaeth o bartneriaid, gan gynnwys Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent, i gefnogi busnesau yn yr ardal. Gwasanaeth Busnes Cymru yw'r man cychwyn i unrhyw fusnes ym Mlaenau Gwent sydd angen cymorth o'r fath.

I'm grateful to the First Minister for that response. I'm also grateful to the First Minister and to the Minister for Economy for the energy and the urgency with which you have responded to the closure of Tillery Valley Foods Ltd in Abertillery, but also Avara Foods in the constituency of my colleague Peter Fox, in Abergavenny, which employed many people from Blaenau Gwent. On both occasions, the Welsh Government has worked with the local authority, worked with officers and councillors in Blaenau Gwent and, indeed, the Department for Work and Pensions, to take care of people who have lost their jobs at both of those employers, and I think we're all very grateful to you for that level of urgency and concern.

But we also need to do more than that, First Minister. We're investing in the A465 as an economic corridor that can drive growth in the Heads of the Valleys. Do you agree with me, First Minister, that the Heads of the Valleys is an ideal place for businesses to either locate or to grow? And will the Welsh Government continue to bring all its resources to bear on developing the Heads of the Valleys as an economic region that can drive growth and eliminate poverty in the Heads of the Valleys region?

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Prif Weinidog am yr ymateb hwnnw. Rwyf hefyd yn ddiolchgar i'r Prif Weinidog ac i Weinidog yr Economi am yr egni a'r brys yr ydych chi wedi ymateb i gau Tillery Valley Foods Ltd yn Abertyleri, ond hefyd Avara Foods yn etholaeth fy nghyd-Aelod Peter Fox, yn Y Fenni, a oedd yn cyflogi llawer o bobl o Flaenau Gwent. Ar y ddau achlysur, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio gyda'r awdurdod lleol, wedi gweithio gyda swyddogion a chynghorwyr ym Mlaenau Gwent ac, yn wir, yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau, i ofalu am bobl sydd wedi colli eu swyddi yn y ddau gyflogwr hynny, ac rwy'n credu ein bod ni i gyd yn ddiolchgar iawn i chi am y lefel frys a'r gofal hwnnw.

Ond mae angen i ni wneud mwy na hynny hefyd, Prif Weinidog. Rydyn ni'n buddsoddi yn yr A465 fel coridor economaidd a all sbarduno twf ym Mlaenau'r Cymoedd. A ydych chi'n cytuno â mi, Prif Weinidog, fod Blaenau'r Cymoedd yn lle delfrydol i fusnesau naill ai leoli neu dyfu? Ac a wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru barhau i ddefnyddio ei holl adnoddau i ddatblygu Blaenau'r Cymoedd fel rhanbarth economaidd a all sbarduno twf a dileu tlodi yn rhanbarth Blaenau'r Cymoedd?

Well, I thank Alun Davies for what he said about the urgency with which the Minister in particular, I know, has responded to the very sad developments and the major loss of jobs in that community. I wish that we had had a more ready response from the ultimate owners of the company, which would have allowed us and, I believe, the management on the spot, to have done more to promote the real possibility of that company continuing to operate at that site. I'm glad that there have been opportunities already to bring more than 20 employers together—employers looking for skilled workers—to recruit people from Tillery Valley Foods.

I very much agree with the wider points that the Member has made; the economic corridor that the Heads of the Valleys road now provides is an opportunity for businesses looking to locate or to expand to take advantage of the connection there will be from the large centres of population in the English midlands, right down to the south-west of Wales. There is land available, there are skilled people available, there is connectivity available, and there is certainly the political will available to maximise the economic impact of that investment across the whole of the Heads of the Valleys area. 

Wel, diolch i Alun Davies am yr hyn y dywedodd am y brys y gwnaeth y Gweinidog, yn arbennig, rwy'n gwybod, ymateb i'r datblygiadau trist iawn a cholli llawer iawn o swyddi yn y gymuned honno. Rwy'n difaru na chawsom ymateb mwy parod gan berchnogion pen draw y cwmni, a fyddai wedi caniatáu i ni ac, rwy'n credu, y rheolwyr yn y safle, wneud mwy i annog y posibilrwydd gwirioneddol bod y cwmni hwnnw'n parhau i weithredu ar y safle hwnnw. Rwy'n falch bod cyfleoedd eisoes wedi bod i ddod â mwy nag 20 o gyflogwyr at ei gilydd—cyflogwyr sy'n chwilio am weithwyr medrus—i recriwtio pobl o Tillery Valley Foods.

Rwy'n cytuno'n fawr â'r pwyntiau ehangach y mae'r Aelod wedi'u gwneud; bod y coridor economaidd y mae ffordd Blaenau'r Cymoedd nawr yn ei ddarparu yn gyfle i fusnesau sydd eisiau lleoli neu ehangu i fanteisio ar y cysylltiad y bydd yna o'r canolfannau mawr o boblogaeth yng nghanolbarth Lloegr, i lawr i dde-orllewin Cymru. Mae tir ar gael, mae pobl fedrus ar gael, mae cysylltedd ar gael, ac yn sicr mae'r ewyllys wleidyddol ar gael i elw i'r eithaf ar effaith economaidd y buddsoddiad hwnnw ar draws ardal gyfan Blaenau'r Cymoedd. 

14:30
Denu Buddsoddiad Busnes Mawr
Attracting Major Business Investment

7. Beth yw strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer denu buddsoddiad busnes mawr i mewn i Gymru? OQ59626

7. What is the Welsh Government's strategy for attracting major business investment into Wales? OQ59626

Our strategy is to promote Wales internationally as a location for investment by focusing particularly on those areas of the economy where Wales has international-class capabilities. That includes cyber, compound semiconductors, fintech, life sciences and renewable energy.

Ein strategaeth yw hyrwyddo Cymru'n rhyngwladol fel lleoliad ar gyfer buddsoddi drwy ganolbwyntio'n benodol ar y meysydd hynny o'r economi lle mae gan Gymru alluoedd o'r radd flaenaf. Mae hynny'n cynnwys meysydd seiber, lled-ddargludyddion cyfansawdd, technoleg ariannol, gwyddorau bywyd ac ynni adnewyddadwy.

I'd like to thank you for your answer, First Minister. I've been contacted by a major international company that wants to invest between £100 million and £150 million in a research and development centre in my constituency. This is going to provide massive job opportunities for people in my area. However, the company has told me that engagement with the Welsh Government's economic department has been slow, so much so that they're thinking of taking that investment abroad. I'm sure you'd agree with me that if we do want major investment, these companies need decisions decisively and very quickly to make sure they can make those decisions. First Minister, what assurances can you give me that the Welsh Government is acting on business interests quickly, to make sure they come to fruition? If I provide you with the details of this company, will you meet with them, and me, to make sure we can bring this much-needed investment into my constituency?

Hoffwn ddiolch i chi am eich ateb, Prif Weinidog. Mae cwmni rhyngwladol mawr wedi cysylltu â mi sydd eisiau buddsoddi rhwng £100 miliwn a £150 miliwn mewn canolfan ymchwil a datblygu yn fy etholaeth i. Bydd hyn yn rhoi cyfleoedd gwaith sylweddol i bobl yn fy ardal i. Fodd bynnag, mae'r cwmni wedi dweud wrthyf fod ymgysylltu ag adran economi Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn araf, i'r fath raddau fel eu bod yn ystyried mynd â'r buddsoddiad hwnnw dramor. Rwy'n siŵr y byddech chi'n cytuno â mi, os ydyn ni eisiau buddsoddiad mawr, bod angen penderfyniadau pendant a chyflym iawn ar y cwmnïau hyn i sicrhau eu bod yn gallu gwneud y penderfyniadau hynny. Prif Weinidog, pa sicrwydd allwch chi ei roi i mi fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithredu ar fuddiannau busnes yn gyflym, i sicrhau eu bod yn dwyn ffrwyth? Os wnaf i roi manylion y cwmni hwn i chi, a wnewch chi gwrdd â nhw, a minnau, i sicrhau y gallwn ni ddod â'r buddsoddiad hwn y mae mawr ei angen i fy etholaeth i?

Of course, I would be very grateful to the Member if he were to supply the details of any such company, and then I and the Minister for Economy will be able to look to see what has happened already, and where, if we can be, we can be of more assistance. Because, of course, the Welsh Government wishes to do everything we can to follow up on those opportunities. It's how we have persuaded KLA to carry out its expansion in Newport, with over 350 new jobs. It's why Airbus says it wants to recruit a 1,000 new people to work in its factory in Broughton. It's why, in the Member's own constituency, in Airflo, Welsh Government investment is allowing that company to support its plans to quadruple exports to North America. 

Wherever there are genuine opportunities for us to play our part in companies coming to provide good quality, reliable investment in Wales, that's what we will want to do. It's one of the things, Llywydd, that investors say to us—the difference in dealing with a stable Government here in Wales, compared to attempting to deal with, what would it be, the eighth or ninth Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in the last couple of years—[Interruption.] Well, it is what they say to us. Let me just—[Interruption.] I am simply telling you what companies say to us—that when they deal with Wales, they have a stable landscape, they have a set of arrangements that they know are available, they have stability at the political level. For them, that is a very significant contrast with the experience of trying to deal with a UK Government where 'stability' is hardly the watchword. 

Wrth gwrs, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r Aelod pe bai'n rhoi manylion unrhyw gwmni o'r fath, ac yna byddaf i a Gweinidog yr Economi yn gallu gweld beth sydd wedi digwydd eisoes, a ble, y gallwn ni fod o fwy o gymorth, os gallwn ni. Oherwydd, wrth gwrs, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn dymuno gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu ni i fanteisio ar y cyfleoedd hynny. Dyma sut yr ydyn ni wedi perswadio KLA i ehangu yng Nghasnewydd, gyda dros 350 o swyddi newydd. Dyma pam mae Airbus yn dweud eu bod eisiau recriwtio 1,000 o bobl newydd i weithio yn ei ffatri ym Mrychdyn. Dyna pam, yn etholaeth yr Aelod ei hun, yn Airflo, mae buddsoddiad Llywodraeth Cymru yn caniatáu i'r cwmni hwnnw gefnogi ei gynlluniau i gynyddu’r hyn y mae'n ei allforio i Ogledd America bedair gwaith

Lle bynnag y bo cyfleoedd gwirioneddol i ni chwarae ein rhan mewn cwmnïau sy'n dod i ddarparu buddsoddiad dibynadwy o ansawdd da yng Nghymru, dyna beth fyddwn ni eisiau'i wneud. Mae'n un o'r pethau, Llywydd, y mae buddsoddwyr yn dweud wrthyn ni—y gwahaniaeth wrth ymdrin â Llywodraeth sefydlog yma yng Nghymru, o'i gymharu â cheisio ymdrin â, beth fyddai'r wythfed neu'r nawfed Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Fusnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf—[Torri ar draws.] Dyna'r hyn y maen nhw'n ei ddweud wrthyn ni. Gadewch i mi ond—[Torri ar draws.] Rydw i ond yn dweud wrthych chi'r hyn mae cwmnïau'n ei ddweud wrthyn ni—pan fyddan nhw'n ymdrin â Chymru, mae ganddyn nhw sefyllfa sefydlog, mae ganddyn nhw gyfres o drefniadau y maen nhw'n gwybod sydd ar gael, mae ganddyn nhw sefydlogrwydd ar y lefel wleidyddol. Iddyn nhw, mae hynny'n gyferbyniad sylweddol iawn â'r profiad o geisio ymdrin â Llywodraeth y DU lle nad 'sefydlogrwydd' yw'r gair allweddol. 

Diogelwch Ffyrdd yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro
Road Safety in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire

8. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella diogelwch ar y ffyrdd yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ59614

8. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve road safety in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ59614

Can I thank the Member for that question? We work closely with Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire councils, the authorities responsible for road safety in their counties. Since 2019, they have received over £5 million of road safety funding. This year, they’ll receive over £2.5 million to implement the new 20 mph speed limit—the biggest road safety initiative in a generation.

A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn hwnnw? Rydyn ni'n gweithio'n agos gyda chynghorau sir Gaerfyrddin a sir Benfro, yr awdurdodau sy'n gyfrifol am ddiogelwch ar y ffyrdd yn eu siroedd. Ers 2019, rydyn ni wedi derbyn dros £5 miliwn o gyllid diogelwch ar y ffyrdd. Eleni, byddan nhw'n derbyn dros £2.5 miliwn i weithredu'r terfyn cyflymder 20 mya newydd—y fenter diogelwch ffyrdd fwyaf mewn cenhedlaeth.

Prif Weinidog, you'll be aware that I've raised in this Siambr before the dangerous nature of the A477 trunk road in my constituency—a road that stretches from Pembroke Dock to St Clears, and is one of the main arteries in and out of west Wales. From speeding through Milton, a dangerous junction for the Red Roses and Llanddowror exit, or, most notably, the Nash fingerpost junction, the A477 needs a complete and thorough review. This junction in particular saw its third fatality when my constituent Ashley Rogers tragically lost his life only three weeks ago. The Welsh Government have known about the safety issues at this junction for over a decade. In Ashley's memory, his friend Elliott Morrison has started a petition to introduce comprehensive safety measures at the A477 fingerpost junction, and it already has over 4,000 signatures. Prif Weinidog, let's not wait for it to get 10,000, 20,000, or however many thousand signatures; can you commit now that your Government will undertake the necessary safety improvements of the A477 Nash fingerpost junction, to ensure that these matters do not happen, and no more fatalities occur at this terrible junction? Diolch.

Prif Weinidog, byddwch chi'n ymwybodol fy mod wedi codi yn y Siambr hon o'r blaen natur beryglus cefnffordd yr A477 yn fy etholaeth i—ffordd sy'n ymestyn o Ddoc Penfro i Sanclêr, ac yn un o'r prif rydwelïau i mewn ac allan o orllewin Cymru. O oryrru trwy Milton, cyffordd beryglus i ymadael ar gyfer Rhos-goch a Llanddowror, neu, yn fwyaf nodedig, cyffordd mynegbost Nash, mae angen adolygiad llwyr a thrylwyr ar yr A477. Cafodd y gyffordd hon ei thrydedd marwolaeth, pan gollodd fy etholwr Ashley Rogers ei fywyd dair wythnos yn ôl. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn ymwybodol o'r problemau diogelwch ar y gyffordd hon ers dros ddegawd. Er cof am Ashley mae ei gyfaill Elliott Morrison wedi dechrau deiseb i gyflwyno mesurau diogelwch cynhwysfawr ar gyffordd mynegbost yr A477, ac mae ganddo eisoes dros 4,000 o lofnodion. Prif Weinidog, gadewch i ni beidio ag aros iddo gael 10,000, 20,000, neu faint bynnag o lofnodion; a allwch chi ymrwymo nawr y bydd eich Llywodraeth yn ymgymryd â gwelliannau diogelwch angenrheidiol cyffordd mynegbost Nash yr A477, er mwyn sicrhau nad yw'r materion hyn yn digwydd, ac nad oes mwy o farwolaethau yn digwydd ar y gyffordd ofnadwy hon? Diolch.

14:35

I thank Sam Kurtz for raising this issue. I was very sad indeed to read of the accident in which a young man lost his life, and I know there's a family who will be grieving for him. It is because the Welsh Government has been aware of the concerns raised, particularly about the Nash fingerpoint junction, that a report has already been undertaken by the Welsh Government and the South Wales Trunk Road Agent to investigate those near misses and collisions that have been reported at the site. Because we have that report, then, in this financial year, we will begin to implement the recommendations of that report—recommendations that have short, medium and long-term measures included in them. We'll begin with the immediate ones—the signing, the road marking, the minor junction layout changes for visibility improvements, and action to prevent u-turns at the junction. All of that comes as a result of the work that has already been carried out. Further larger-scale, longer-term options will also be investigated, once we see the impact of the immediate measures that we're able to take in this financial year, arising from the reports already assembled.

Diolch i Sam Kurtz am godi'r mater hwn. Roeddwn i'n drist iawn o ddarllen am y ddamwain pan gollodd dyn ifanc ei fywyd, ac rwy'n gwybod bod yna deulu a fydd yn galaru amdano. Oherwydd bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn ymwybodol o'r pryderon sydd wedi'u codi, yn enwedig am gyffordd mynegbost Nash, mae Llywodraeth Cymru ac Asiant Cefnffyrdd De Cymru eisoes wedi ymgymryd ag adroddiad i ymchwilio i ddamweiniau a gwrthdrawiadau y bu bron â digwydd ar y safle ac y mae adroddiad arnyn nhw. Oherwydd bod gennym ni'r adroddiad hwnnw, felly, yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon, byddwn ni'n dechrau gweithredu argymhellion yr adroddiad hwnnw—argymhellion sydd â mesurau tymor byr, canolig a hirdymor wedi'u cynnwys ynddyn nhw. Byddwn ni'n dechrau gyda'r rhai uniongyrchol—yr arwyddion, marciau'r ffyrdd, mân newidiadau i gynllun y gyffordd ar gyfer gwelliannau gwelededd, a chamau gweithredu i atal troeon pedol wrth y cyffordd. Daw hynny i gyd o ganlyniad i'r gwaith sydd eisoes wedi'i wneud. Bydd rhagor o ddewisiadau ar raddfa fwy, tymor hwy hefyd yn cael eu hymchwilio, unwaith y gwelwn ni effaith y mesurau uniongyrchol y gallwn ni eu cymryd yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon, sy'n deillio o'r adroddiadau sydd eisoes wedi'u hel ar ei gilydd.

2. Datganiad a Chyhoeddiad Busnes
2. Business Statement and Announcement

Yr eitem nesaf, felly, fydd y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, a dwi'n galw ar y Trefnydd i wneud hwnnw—Lesley Griffiths.

The next item, therefore, is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement—Lesley Griffiths.

Diolch, Llywydd. There are three changes to this week's business. Firstly, the statement on the Government response to the second phase of the sustainable farming scheme co-design has been postponed until 11 July. Secondly, a suspension of Standing Orders is needed to enable us to debate the Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023 this afternoon. And finally, subject to a further suspension of Standing Orders, we will debate an LCM on the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.

Diolch, Llywydd. Mae tri newid i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Yn gyntaf, mae'r datganiad ar ymateb y Llywodraeth i ail gam cyd-ddylunio'r cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy wedi'i ohirio tan 11 Gorffennaf. Yn ail, mae angen atal y Rheolau Sefydlog i'n galluogi i drafod Rheoliadau Dyrannu Tai a Digartrefedd (Cymhwystra) (Cymru) (Diwygio) (Rhif 2) 2023 y prynhawn yma. Ac yn olaf, yn amodol ar achos arall o atal Rheolau Sefydlog, byddwn ni'n trafod Cynnig Cydsyniad Deddfwriaethol ar Fil Cyfraith yr UE a Ddargedwir (Dirymu a Diwygio). Mae'r busnes drafft am y tair wythnos 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 yn electronig.

Thank you, Trefnydd, for your statement today. Can I call for an oral statement on digital inclusion from the Welsh Government? There's been a lot of concern expressed by the older people's commissioner, Audit Wales and Age Cymru about the difficulties that some older people, in particular the over-75s, are having in being able to access some public services and to apply for things as simple as blue badges, or even a bus pass. Obviously, local authorities are trying to take advantage of the technology that's now available to them to streamline processes—we understand that—but it is important that the alternatives to online applications are actually also being equally promoted, particularly to those who do not use online services. Around a third of people in Wales who are over 75 do not feel confident or don't have the competence to be able to use the online services that are available. We know that our NHS is of course also shifting in this direction, with many more services available through the NHS app, which is something that I very much welcome, and even the NHS 111 service being online. But clearly, these things aren't suitable for everybody, so I would like a statement brought forward from the Government on digital inclusion in Wales, to make sure that older people aren't missing out when it comes to being able to access these important services.

Diolch yn fawr, Trefnydd, am eich datganiad heddiw. A gaf i alw am ddatganiad llafar ar gynhwysiant digidol gan Lywodraeth Cymru? Mae llawer o bryder wedi'i fynegi gan y comisiynydd pobl hŷn, Archwilio Cymru ac Age Cymru am yr anawsterau y mae rhai pobl hŷn, yn enwedig pobl dros 75 oed, yn eu cael o ran gallu mynd at rai gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a gwneud cais am bethau mor syml â bathodynnau glas, neu hyd yn oed tocyn bws. Yn amlwg, mae awdurdodau lleol yn ceisio manteisio ar y dechnoleg sydd ar gael iddyn nhw nawr i symleiddio prosesau—rydyn ni'n deall hynny—ond mae'n bwysig bod y dewisiadau eraill i geisiadau ar-lein hefyd yn cael eu hyrwyddo'r un fath, yn enwedig i'r rhai nad ydyn nhw'n defnyddio gwasanaethau ar-lein. Nid yw tua thraean o bobl dros 75 oed yng Nghymru yn teimlo'n hyderus neu nid oes ganddyn nhw'r gallu i ddefnyddio'r gwasanaethau ar-lein sydd ar gael. Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod ein GIG wrth gwrs hefyd yn symud i'r cyfeiriad hwn, gyda llawer mwy o wasanaethau ar gael drwy ap y GIG, sy'n rhywbeth rwy'n ei groesawu'n fawr, a hyd yn oed gwasanaeth GIG 111 ar-lein. Ond yn amlwg, nid yw'r pethau hyn yn addas i bawb, felly hoffwn i gael datganiad wedi'i gyflwyno gan y Llywodraeth ar gynhwysiant digidol yng Nghymru, i sicrhau nad yw pobl hŷn yn colli cyfle pan ddaw hi i allu cael mynediad at y gwasanaethau pwysig hyn.

Thank you. It is really important that as many people as possible are able to take advantage of these. As you say, there are many more apps coming along, and people need to be able to use them. I think the age group that you referred to is clearly an age group where the Welsh Government have targeted a great deal of support. I remember, when it was in my own portfolio, going along to sessions that local councils had brought forward with support from Welsh Government, and it is something we continue to support. 

Diolch. Mae'n bwysig iawn bod cymaint o bobl â phosibl yn gallu manteisio ar y rhain. Fel y dywedwch chi, mae llawer mwy o apiau yn ymddangos, ac mae angen i bobl allu eu defnyddio. Rwy'n credu bod y grŵp oedran y gwnaethoch chi gyfeirio ato yn amlwg yn grŵp oedran lle mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi targedu llawer iawn o gefnogaeth. Rwy'n cofio, pan oedd yn fy mhortffolio fy hun, fynd i sesiynau yr oedd cynghorau lleol wedi'u cyflwyno gyda chefnogaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ac mae'n rhywbeth yr ydyn ni'n parhau i'w cefnogi. 

14:40

A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad am gysylltedd digidol a mynediad at fand llydan? Fel nifer o etholwyr, roeddwn i'n flin i glywed fod Broadway Partners wedi galw'r gweinyddwyr i mewn wythnos diwethaf. Mae'r cwmni yma wedi bod yn ymwneud ag adeiladu rhwydwaith band llydan ffibr llawn mewn ardaloedd gwledig yn sir Benfro, sir Gâr, Powys a Cheredigion. Rwy'n gwybod am nifer o brosiectau ledled y rhanbarth sydd ar eu hanner, gyda nifer o drigolion yn pryderu am ddyfodol y cynlluniau hyn. Rwy'n ymwybodol hefyd o'r problemau sy'n parhau mewn nifer o ardaloedd gwledig mewn perthynas â chwmnïau eraill hefyd sydd yn wynebu trafferthion o safbwynt darparu'r cyfleusterau hyn, gyda chostau cynyddol cyflwyno ffibr ar gynnydd. Rwy'n poeni am effaith yr oedi, neu hyd yn oed y newidiadau mwy pellgyrhaeddol, ar fusnesau ac unigolion. Dwi'n deall bod nifer o elfennau o gysylltedd digidol yn perthyn i San Steffan. Oes modd ichi wneud datganiad ar Broadway yn benodol? Dwi hefyd am ofyn pa gefnogaeth gall y Llywodraeth ei rhoi i'r cymunedau hynny sydd wedi cael eu heffeithio gan y newyddion yma.

May I request a statement on digital connectivity and access to broadband? Like many constituents, I was sorry to hear that Broadway Partners had called the administrators in last week. This company has been involved with building a full fibre broadband network in rural areas of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Ceredigion. I know of many projects across the region that are halfway through, with many residents concerned about the future of these schemes. I'm also aware of the problems that persist in many rural areas in relation to other companies that are also facing difficulties in terms of providing these services, with increasing costs of introducing fibre having an impact on progress. I am concerned about the impact of delays or even more far-reaching changes on businesses and individuals. I understand that many elements of digital connectivity lie in Westminster. Could you make a statement on Broadway specifically? I'd also ask what support the Government could give to those communities that have been impacted by this news. 

Diolch. Digital connectivity is just as important as digital inclusion. You will be aware that the Welsh Government has had a digital strategy now for about 12 years, and it's been really good to see the improvement that's been made in each iteration of that strategy going forward. Our chief digital officer ensures that, again, it's very much a cross-Government piece of work. I'm not aware of the company that you refer to. I think it probably would be better if you wrote to the Minister direct to find out a bit more about what contact he or his officials have had with the company and what support we could offer. 

Diolch. Mae cysylltedd digidol yr un mor bwysig â chynhwysiant digidol. Byddwch chi'n ymwybodol bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod â strategaeth ddigidol nawr ers tua 12 mlynedd, ac mae wedi bod yn dda iawn gweld y gwelliant sydd wedi'i wneud ym mhob iteriad o'r strategaeth honno wrth symud ymlaen. Mae ein prif swyddog digidol yn sicrhau, unwaith eto, ei fod yn ddarn trawslywodraethol o waith. Nid wyf i'n ymwybodol o'r cwmni yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio ato. Rwy'n credu y byddai'n well pe baech chi'n ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog yn uniongyrchol i ddarganfod ychydig mwy am ba gyswllt y mae ef neu ei swyddogion wedi'i gael gyda'r cwmni a pha gymorth y gallen ni ei gynnig. 

Minister, we will all have seen the report published yesterday that demonstrated the growth in child poverty. In my constituency in Blaenau Gwent, child poverty is reaching over 30 per cent. It is an ongoing tragedy and emergency for children growing up across the country that in 2023 we are still seeing such high levels of poverty. I recognise, and I think people on all sides of the Chamber will understand, that many of these levers remain in London. But would it be possible for the Welsh Government to bring forward a statement on how the Welsh Government sees child poverty being addressed? What levers rest here in Wales that can be used by the Welsh Government to address child poverty? What levers in London should be used to address child poverty? We know that we've been let down consistently by the UK Treasury and by successive UK Governments, and we haven't seen the investment in Wales that we've seen in parts of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We also know that Brexit is having an ongoing impact, weakening our economy and enabling less economic activity to take place. But it's important that we recognise that nobody can walk away from children living in poverty; that nobody, wherever they sit in this Chamber, can turn their backs on child poverty; and nobody can turn away from the suffering of children up and down the country. Will the Welsh Government bring an urgent statement to this place addressing these issues?  

Gweinidog, byddwn ni i gyd wedi gweld yr adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd ddoe yn dangos y twf mewn tlodi plant. Yn fy etholaeth i ym Mlaenau Gwent, mae tlodi plant yn cyrraedd dros 30 y cant. Mae'n drasiedi ac argyfwng parhaus i blant sy'n tyfu i fyny ledled y wlad ein bod yn dal i weld lefelau mor uchel o dlodi yn 2023. Rwy'n cydnabod, ac rwy'n credu y bydd pobl ar bob ochr i'r Siambr yn deall, bod llawer o'r ysgogiadau hyn yn aros yn Llundain. Ond a fyddai'n bosibl i Lywodraeth Cymru gyflwyno datganiad ar sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn meddwl y dylid mynd i'r afael â thlodi plant? Pa ysgogiadau sydd wedi'u lleoli yma yng Nghymru y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu defnyddio i fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant? Pa ysgogiadau yn Llundain ddylai gael eu defnyddio i fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant? Rydyn ni'n gwybod ein bod ni wedi cael ein siomi'n gyson gan Drysorlys y DU a gan Lywodraethau olynol y DU, ac nid ydyn ni wedi gweld y buddsoddiad yng Nghymru yr ydyn ni wedi'i weld mewn rhannau o Loegr, yr Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon. Rydyn ni hefyd yn gwybod bod Brexit yn cael effaith barhaus, gan wanhau ein heconomi a galluogi llai o weithgarwch economaidd i ddigwydd. Ond mae'n bwysig ein bod ni'n cydnabod na all neb gefnu ar blant sy'n byw mewn tlodi; na all neb, ble bynnag y maen nhw'n eistedd yn y Siambr hon, droi eu cefnau ar dlodi plant; a does neb yn gallu anwybyddu dioddefaint plant ar hyd a lled y wlad. A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru gyflwyno datganiad brys i'r lle hwn sy'n ymdrin â'r materion hyn?  

Thank you. You raise a very important point. As you say, it's vital that tackling child poverty remains a priority for the Welsh Government. It is a cross-cutting theme as well in the budget planning. Every Minister has the responsibility in relation to that. We do have some levers, but they are restricted. As you say, a lot of them do lie with the UK Government. We know that to substantially reduce poverty levels really would require a radical change in the approach taken by the UK Government, but we do continue to do everything within our powers to support people and families through this cost-of-living crisis. The Minister for Social Justice will be bringing forward a new child poverty strategy by the end of this year, and she is working with partners—importantly, with children. I think it's over 3,000 children and young people, families and organisations that have engaged in the development of the revised child poverty strategy. That will be consulted on over the summer. I think, importantly, the children have told the Minister what they think needs to be done to make the biggest difference to their lives, and that's where we'll be focusing our efforts. 

Diolch. Rydych chi'n codi pwynt pwysig iawn. Fel y dywedwch chi, mae'n hanfodol bod mynd i'r afael â thlodi plant yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth i Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae'n thema drawsbynciol hefyd wrth gynllunio'r gyllideb. Mae gan bob Gweinidog gyfrifoldeb o ran hynny. Mae gennym ni rai ysgogiadau, ond maen nhw'n gyfyngedig. Fel y dywedwch chi, mae llawer ohonyn nhw yn rai i Lywodraeth y DU. Rydyn ni'n gwybod y byddai lleihau lefelau tlodi yn sylweddol yn gofyn am newid radical gan Lywodraeth y DU yn y dull gweithredu y maen nhw'n ei gymryd, ond rydyn ni'n parhau i wneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i gefnogi pobl a theuluoedd drwy'r argyfwng costau byw hwn. Bydd y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol yn cyflwyno strategaeth tlodi plant newydd erbyn diwedd eleni, ac mae hi'n gweithio gyda phartneriaid—ac yn bwysig, gyda phlant. Rwy'n credu bod dros 3,000 o blant a phobl ifanc, teuluoedd a sefydliadau wedi cymryd rhan yn natblygu'r strategaeth tlodi plant ddiwygiedig. Bydd ymgynghoriad arni dros yr haf. Rwy'n credu, yn bwysig, fod y plant wedi dweud wrth y Gweinidog beth y maen nhw'n credu sydd angen ei wneud i wneud y gwahaniaeth mwyaf i'w bywydau nhw, a dyna lle byddwn ni'n canolbwyntio ein hymdrechion. 

14:45

Minister, can I please request a statement from the Minister for Climate Change about the toxic Tŷ Llwyd quarry in Ynysddu? Last week, I attended a public meeting with hoards of residents to discuss the ongoing worrying saga to discuss the next steps. For far too long, residents have been left in limbo and fear potentially harmful chemicals, particularly polychlorinated biphenyls, that are leaking out of the quarry and into the heart of their community. They've been passed from pillar to post, from Caerphilly County Borough Council to Natural Resources Wales and also the Welsh Government now. So, thankfully, more and more people are waking up to this serious situation, especially as there was an excellent segment on the BBC's Countryfile episode a couple of weeks ago. Understandably, residents have had enough and want to see a solution to this long-running major problem, and a key to getting the ball rolling is by designating this area as contaminated land. So, a statement from the Minister outlining what discussions she's had with NRW and, perhaps, other authorities about this toxic quarry would be greatly appreciated. And also, will the Welsh Government commit to drawing up an action plan to solve this issue once and for all, because the people of Ynysddu deserve better than this and should not be neglected for any longer? Thank you so much, Minister.

Gweinidog, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd am chwarel wenwynig Tŷ Llwyd yn Ynysddu? Yr wythnos diwethaf, es i gyfarfod cyhoeddus gyda llwyth o drigolion i drafod y saga bryderus barhaus i drafod y camau nesaf. Am ry hir o lawer, mae preswylwyr wedi cael eu gadael ar dir neb ac yn ofni cemegau a allai fod yn niweidiol, yn enwedig biffenylau polyclorinedig, sy'n gollwng o'r chwarel ac i ganol eu cymuned. Maen nhw wedi eu trosglwyddo o un i'r llall, o Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili i Gyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru nawr. Felly, diolch byth, mae mwy a mwy o bobl yn deffro i'r sefyllfa ddifrifol hon, yn enwedig gan fod darn ardderchog ar bennod Countryfile y BBC ychydig wythnosau yn ôl. Yn ddealladwy, mae trigolion wedi cael digon ac maen nhw eisiau gweld datrysiad i'r broblem fawr hon sydd wedi bod ers tro, ac yn allweddol i roi pethau ar waith, mae dynodi'r ardal hon yn dir halogedig. Felly, byddai datganiad gan y Gweinidog yn amlinellu pa drafodaethau y mae hi wedi'u cael gyda CNC ac, efallai, awdurdodau eraill ynglŷn â'r chwarel wenwynig hon yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr. A hefyd, a wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru ymrwymo i lunio cynllun gweithredu i ddatrys y mater hwn unwaith ac am byth, oherwydd, mae pobl Ynysddu yn haeddu gwell na hyn ac ni ddylen nhw gael eu hesgeuluso rhagor? Diolch yn fawr iawn, Gweinidog.

Thank you. I'm not aware of the quarry to which you refer, but you certainly talk about quite a range of partners. I don't think it would be best addressed by an oral statement. I think it would be better if you wrote to the Minister asking a question about if she's had any conversations with NRW, and perhaps, if she hasn't, she will do so, or, if she has, then she can let you know the information and advice that she's been given. But I think truly to bring everybody together, if there's been a public meeting, it would be very good for you to write to her direct. 

Diolch. Nid wyf i'n ymwybodol o'r chwarel yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio ati, ond rydych chi'n sicr yn siarad am gryn amrywiaeth o bartneriaid. Nid wyf i'n credu mai'r ffordd orau o ymdrin â hyn yw drwy ddatganiad llafar. Rwy'n credu y byddai'n well petaech chi'n ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog yn gofyn cwestiwn a yw hi wedi cael unrhyw sgyrsiau gyda CNC, ac efallai, os nad yw hi wedi gwneud hynny, neu, os yw hi wedi gwneud hynny, yna gall hi roi gwybod i chi am yr wybodaeth a'r cyngor y mae hi wedi'i gael. Ond rwy'n credu mewn gwirionedd i ddod â phawb at ei gilydd, os oes cyfarfod cyhoeddus wedi bod, byddai'n dda iawn i chi ysgrifennu ati hi'n uniongyrchol. 

Trefnydd, a report was published in February on the UK-wide Prevent programme. The scheme safeguards people vulnerable to radicalisation. Many of the areas that Prevent deals with fall under the auspices of Welsh Government. Following the publication of that independent review, can the Welsh Government provide an oral statement on the future of the Prevent programme in Wales and where this fits in with the Government's future vision for justice in Wales? 

And secondly, Trefnydd, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child published its report last week. The report is critical about the persistent discrimination and the overrepresentation of black, Asian, Muslim, Roma, Gypsy and Traveller children within the criminal justice system in England and Wales, and also living in poverty. It also criticised racism and bullying against children in disadvantaged situations. There is praise for the Welsh way of implementing rights for our children—for example, the lowering of the voting age and the abolishment of the defence of reasonable chastisement in Wales. One recommendation is to expand the eligibility criteria for state-subsidised childcare, and we have, of course, seen recent progress on this due to the co-operation agreement. Can we please, Trefnydd, have a comprehensive debate on this very important report in Welsh Government time? Diolch yn fawr.

Trefnydd, cafodd adroddiad ei gyhoeddi ym mis Chwefror ar raglen Prevent y DU gyfan. Mae'r cynllun yn diogelu pobl sy'n agored i radicaleiddio. Mae llawer o'r meysydd y mae Prevent yn ymdrin â nhw yn dod o dan nawdd Llywodraeth Cymru. Yn dilyn cyhoeddi'r adolygiad annibynnol hwnnw, a all Llywodraeth Cymru ddarparu datganiad llafar ar ddyfodol y rhaglen Prevent yng Nghymru a lle mae hyn yn cyd-fynd â gweledigaeth y Llywodraeth ar gyfer cyfiawnder yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol? 

Ac yn ail, Trefnydd, cyhoeddodd Pwyllgor y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn ei adroddiad yr wythnos diwethaf. Mae'r adroddiad yn feirniadol am wahaniaethu parhaus a gorgynrychiolaeth plant du, Asiaidd, Mwslimaidd, Roma, Sipsiwn a Theithwyr o fewn y system cyfiawnder troseddol yng Nghymru a Lloegr, a hefyd yn byw mewn tlodi. Roedd hefyd yn beirniadu hiliaeth a bwlio yn erbyn plant mewn sefyllfaoedd difreintiedig. Mae canmoliaeth i'r ffordd Gymreig o weithredu hawliau i'n plant—er enghraifft, gostwng yr oedran pleidleisio a diddymu'r amddiffyniad o gosbi rhesymol yng Nghymru. Un argymhelliad yw ehangu'r meini prawf cymhwysedd ar gyfer gofal plant â chymhorthdal gan y wladwriaeth, ac rydyn ni, wrth gwrs, wedi gweld cynnydd diweddar ar hyn oherwydd y cytundeb cydweithio. A gawn ni os gwelwch yn dda, Trefnydd, gael dadl gynhwysfawr ar yr adroddiad pwysig iawn hwn yn amser Llywodraeth Cymru? Diolch yn fawr.

In relation to your second question, the report to which you refer is currently being considered, and, as you say, in relation to childcare, that has been expanded considerably due to the co-operation agreement between our two parties. 

I will ask the Minister for Social Justice to bring forward a written statement in relation to the work she's doing about the Prevent scheme. 

O ran eich ail gwestiwn, mae'r adroddiad rydych chi'n cyfeirio ato yn cael ei ystyried ar hyn o bryd, ac, fel y dywedwch chi, o ran gofal plant, mae hwnnw wedi'i ehangu'n sylweddol oherwydd y cytundeb cydweithio rhwng ein dwy blaid. 

Fe wnaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol gyflwyno datganiad ysgrifenedig am y gwaith y mae'n ei wneud ynglŷn â'r cynllun Prevent. 

Last night's Panorama programme raised serious concerns about the dominance in our diets of ultra-processed foods, which are adulterated with harmful chemicals to increase their profitability and preserve their shelf-life. Most worryingly, the programme highlighted the role of aspartame, an artificial sweetener used widely in processed foods as well as an alternative to sugar in hot drinks. Aspartame is linked with increased rates of cancer and other diseases, and the Food Standards Agency's reliance on the use of so-called experts whose advice on whether to ban aspartame has to be called into question where their research has been funded by multinational food interests who are desperate to keep aspartame on their list of go-to additives, clearly putting a question mark over the independence and rigour of the Food Standards Agency to protect citizens from products that are harmful to health. All of this illustrates the need to join up the dots on food policy, and which goes well beyond a community food strategy. So, could we have a statement from the Welsh Government on its strategy for eliminating ultra-processed foods in the public realm of schools, hospitals and care homes, as the Panorama programme just adds to the body of evidence from scientists, doctors and citizens that the chemicals in these ultra-processed products are harmful to human life.

Mynegodd rhaglen Panorama neithiwr bryderon difrifol am y ffaith bod bwydydd wedi'u prosesu'n eithafol, sy'n cael eu trwytho â chemegau niweidiol i gynyddu eu proffidioldeb a chadw eu hoes silff yn dominyddu ein deiet. Yn fwyaf pryderus, amlygodd y rhaglen rôl aspartame, melysydd artiffisial sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio yn helaeth mewn bwydydd wedi'u prosesu yn ogystal â dewis arall yn lle siwgr mewn diodydd poeth. Mae Aspartame yn gysylltiedig â chyfraddau uwch o ganser a chlefydau eraill, ac mae'n rhaid cwestiynu dibyniaeth yr Asiantaeth Safonau Bwyd ar ddefnyddio arbenigwyr honedig y mae eu cyngor ynghylch a ddylid gwahardd aspartame pan fo'u hymchwil wedi'i ariannu gan fuddiannau bwyd rhyngwladol sy'n daer eisiau cadw aspartame ar eu rhestr o ychwanegion wrth law gan roi marc cwestiwn clir dros annibyniaeth a thrylwyredd yr Asiantaeth Safonau Bwyd i amddiffyn dinasyddion rhag cynhyrchion sy'n niweidiol i iechyd. Mae hyn i gyd yn dangos yr angen i bolisi bwyd fod yn gysgysylltiedig, ac sy'n mynd ymhell y tu hwnt i strategaeth bwyd cymunedol. Felly, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar ei strategaeth ar gyfer dileu bwydydd sydd wedi'u prosesu'n eithafol yn y parth cyhoeddus o ysgolion, ysbytai a chartrefi gofal, gan fod rhaglen Panorama yn ychwanegu at y corff o dystiolaeth gan wyddonwyr, meddygon a dinasyddion bod y cemegau yn y cynhyrchion wedi'u prosesu'n eithafol hyn yn niweidiol i fywyd dynol.

14:50

Thank you. I haven't had the opportunity to see the Panorama programme that was aired last night, but I certainly will do so. The scientific advisory committee on nutrition considered ultra-processed foods in June of last year, and they're now carrying out a scoping review of the evidence on ultra-processed foods and health, with a view to publishing a position paper on processed foods and health this summer. The Welsh Government remains committed to using the latest scientific consensus of established evidence to inform our consideration of ultra-processed foods, and we'll certainly consider the findings of the review once they're available. 

Llywydd, when I leave the Chamber, I'm meeting with the Food Standards Agency, the FSA, along with my colleague the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being, and I'll certainly be very happy to raise the specific point Jenny Rathbone has just raised with me. The Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being will be making an oral statement later this month, on 27 June, to outline next steps in relation to price promotions and locations following a consultation on a healthy food environment following a summary-of-findings report that was published in January of this year.

Diolch i chi. Ni chefais i gyfle i weld y rhaglen Panorama a ddarlledwyd neithiwr, ond yn sicr fe wnaf i hynny. Rhoddodd y pwyllgor cynghori gwyddonol ar faetheg ystyriaeth i fwydydd wedi'u prosesu'n eithafol ym mis Mehefin y llynedd, ac maen nhw'n cynnal adolygiad cwmpasu erbyn hyn o'r dystiolaeth am effaith bwydydd wedi'u prosesu'n eithafol ar iechyd, gyda'r bwriad o gyhoeddi papur sefyllfa ar fwydydd wedi'u prosesu'n eithafol ac iechyd. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i ddefnyddio'r consensws gwyddonol diweddaraf ar sail tystiolaeth sefydledig i lywio ein hystyriaeth ni o fwydydd wedi'u prosesu'n eithafol, ac yn sicr fe fyddwn ni'n ystyried canfyddiadau'r adolygiad pan fyddan nhw ar gael. 

Llywydd, pan fyddaf i'n gadael y Siambr, fe fyddaf i'n cyfarfod â'r Asiantaeth Safonau Bwyd, yr ASB, ynghyd â'm cyd-Weinidog, y Dirprwy Weinidog Iechyd Meddwl a Llesiant, ac yn sicr fe fyddaf i'n hapus iawn i godi'r pwynt penodol y mae Jenny Rathbone newydd ei godi gyda mi. Fe fydd y Dirprwy Weinidog Iechyd Meddwl a Llesiant yn gwneud datganiad llafar yn ddiweddarach y mis hwn, ar 27 o fis Mehefin, i amlinellu'r camau nesaf o ran hyrwyddo prisiau a lleoliadau yn dilyn ymgynghoriad ar amgylchedd bwyd iach yn dilyn adroddiad crynodeb o ganfyddiadau a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Ionawr eleni.

I stand to request a statement from you, actually, as the Trefnydd, but more so in your capacity as Minister, on bovine TB testing. Now, as it stands, vets across Wales are being subjected to what is deemed by a lot of farmers as a completely illogical requirement. So, here in Wales they follow the TB chart when reading the tests, but the 'severe interpretation'—and that’s the actual description, as you will know, Minister—differs to England and Scotland. It means, for instance, that a cow that scores, for example, 7/7 is inconclusive in Wales. However, that very same cow scoring 7/7 in England and Scotland would be a pass, and too often I’m hearing from farmers who send them off, and then they are culled, and then they come back with negative results. Clearly, this is deeply distressing for our farmers.

Now, Scotland has been officially tuberculosis free since 2009, so the aim of ridding Wales of BTB is not a reasonable ground for a more severe reading. Farmers and vets have been unable to point me to any scientific evidence supporting your more severe chart. Would you come forward, please, with a statement detailing why your testing chart is more severe than Scotland and England? And will you look at reviewing this? Diolch.

Rwy'n sefyll i ofyn am ddatganiad gennych chi, mewn gwirionedd, yn rhinwedd swydd y Trefnydd, ond yn fwy felly yn rhinwedd eich swydd chi'n Weinidog, ynglŷn â phrofion TB buchol. Nawr, fel mae hi nawr, mae milfeddygon ledled Cymru yn dioddef yr hyn y mae llawer o ffermwyr yn ei ystyried yn ofyniad cwbl afresymol. Felly, yma yng Nghymru maen nhw'n dilyn y siart TB wrth ddarllen y profion, ond mae'r 'dehongliad caeth iawn'—a hwnnw yw'r disgrifiad gwirioneddol, fel gwyddoch chi, Gweinidog—yn wahanol i Loegr a'r Alban. Mae hynny'n golygu, er enghraifft, bod buwch sy'n sgorio, er enghraifft, 7/7 yn amhendant yng Nghymru. Fodd bynnag, fe fyddai'r union fuwch honno wrth sgorio 7/7 yn Lloegr a'r Alban yn pasio, ac yn rhy aml rwy'n clywed gan ffermwyr sy'n eu hanfon nhw i ffwrdd, ac yna maen nhw'n cael eu difa, ac wedyn yn dod yn eu holau gyda chanlyniadau negyddol. Yn amlwg, mae hyn yn peri gofid aruthrol i'n ffermwyr ni.

Nawr, mae'r Alban wedi bod yn rhydd oddi wrth dwbercwlosis yn swyddogol ers 2009, felly nid yw'r nod o ddileu TB buchol yng Nghymru yn sail resymol ar gyfer dehongliad mwy caeth. Nid yw ffermwyr a milfeddygon wedi gallu fy nghyfeirio i at unrhyw dystiolaeth wyddonol sy'n ategu eich siart mwy caeth chi. A fyddech chi'n dod ymlaen, os gwelwch yn dda, gyda datganiad i roi manylion ynghylch pam mae eich siart brofi yn fwy caeth nag yn yr Alban a Lloegr? A wnewch chi ystyried adolygu hyn? Diolch.

Thank you. As the Member knows, I do an oral statement every year on TB eradication and our TB eradication programme and delivery plan. I not long ago did an oral statement, so rather than wait to have another one, which I will be doing probably in the autumn or winter term, I will certainly write to the Member on that point. 

Diolch i chi. Fel gŵyr yr Aelod, rwy'n gwneud datganiad llafar bob blwyddyn ar ddileu TB a'n rhaglen dileu TB a'n cynllun cyflawni ni. Fe wnes i ddatganiad llafar heb fod ymhell iawn yn ôl, felly yn hytrach nag aros am un arall, y byddaf i'n ei wneud yn ôl pob tebyg yn nhymor yr hydref neu'r gaeaf, fe fyddaf i'n sicr o ysgrifennu at yr Aelod ynghylch y pwynt hwnnw. 

3. Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol: Gwella Capasiti drwy Ofal Cymunedol—Ymhellach yn Gyflymach
3. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Building Capacity through Community Care—Further Faster

Yr eitem nesaf, felly, fydd eitem 3. Hwn yw'r datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ar 'Gwella Capasiti drwy Ofal Cymunedol—Ymhellach yn Gyflymach'. Dwi'n galw nawr ar y Gweinidog i gyflwyno ei datganiad—Eluned Morgan. 

The next item, therefore, will be item 3. This is the statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services on 'Building Capacity through Community Care—Further Faster'. I now call on the Minister to make her statement—Eluned Morgan.

Diolch yn fawr. Today, along with my colleague Julie Morgan, we are announcing that we will be directing up to £30 million of additional resource into supporting enhanced care in our communities. This is to avert a situation that we saw last winter with too many frail people being stranded in our hospitals. This is also part of a continuing journey towards rebalancing health support out of hospitals and closer to people's homes.

The recent winter months were the most challenging on record for the NHS and social care. We have witnessed sustained levels of high demand for urgent and emergency services. Our GP services are stretched and continue to see or talk to hundreds of thousands of patients every week. Our emergency departments remain extremely busy, and we also observed a 93 per cent increase in demand for red—life threatening—ambulance calls in March when compared to the same month in 2019. Now, collectively, this puts enormous pressure on all urgent and emergency services, and in particular the hospital system. 

In this context, it is understandable that the instinct of many who were suffering was to seek support from emergency services. This is why we delivered an additional 670 step-down beds and community packages. Through the six goals programme, we made significant investments in increasing the scope and resilience of the 111 service, increasing capacity in urgent primary care centres and expanding same-day emergency care services to provide people with alternatives to attending busy emergency departments and admission to hospital. Now, if we hadn’t made these investments, the situation would have been far worse.

We are also aware of a range of challenges to hospital flow and in moving people back into their homes and communities. Again, the six goals programme is leading a significant piece of work to make improvements in this area. This system pressure and increased demand has happened despite the huge efforts of our brilliant health and social care workforce, and the NHS being the Welsh Government’s budget priority over many years.

Today, we are setting out measures to enhance support for older people and those living with frailty in their communities. Now, I want to be clear: this isn't about the workforce working harder. Our amazing health and care staff are already doing everything that they can. The challenge that I am setting today for all of us with a leadership role in health and social care is about how decision makers must reshape provision so that it's fit for the future.

Redirecting resources into the community was set out in our strategic plan, 'A Healthier Wales', and I have set out that addressing the issue of delayed transfers of care needs to be the number one priority for health boards this year, as, without improvement, it will be challenging to meet our waiting list targets and other issues. We need to move our focus from treating short-term episodes of ill health to one that meets the needs of more frail and elderly population with multiple health conditions.

A growing proportion of our population are living with frailty. It is estimated that, in less than 20 years, there will be nearly 150,000 more people aged 75 or older in Wales. That's equivalent to a town about the size of Newport. By 2038, almost one in five people in Wales will be aged over 70. Over the next 20 years, there is a projected increase of 61 in the Welsh population who are 85 and older. This is a huge success for our NHS over many decades and something to be proud of. Older people contribute hugely to Welsh society.

But a proportion of this growing population group will be living with frailty. Frailty is a health condition that is commonly experienced by older people. The presence of frailty affects the person's ability to bounce back from illness or stressful life events, and sometimes means that they don't recover to the previous level of independence.

But it is not a condition for which nothing can be done. Early recognition by community professionals and the provision of support at the right time can delay its onset or its progression. But, what is clear is that hospital is not the right setting for the most frail, where they are likely to become deconditioned, lose muscle mass, and be exposed to viruses. And, while they are in hospital, many care packages are suspended and take a long time to reinstate, causing many to stay in hospital much longer than necessary.

With demographic change, however, we need to reshape our health and care responses. To speed up this change, I have agreed a range of investments, along with Julie Morgan, linked to our Further Faster programme, as part of the up to £30 million of funding that we will be allocating to this area.

Now, this includes delivering extra hours of reablement services across Wales; ensuring that every local authority has a technology-enabled care responder service by the winter to support the use of our latest monitoring technology; funding to support moves towards 24/7 community nursing; strengthening community specialist palliative care; and funding additional social prescribers and referral options to ease the burden on more front-line specialist services.

Diolch yn fawr. Heddiw, ynghyd â fy nghyd-Weinidog Julie Morgan, rydym ni'n cyhoeddi y byddwn ni'n cyfeirio hyd at £30 miliwn o adnoddau ychwanegol ar gyfer cefnogi gofal gwell yn ein cymunedau. Bydd hynny'n osgoi'r sefyllfa a welsom ni'r gaeaf diwethaf gyda gormod o bobl agored i niwed yn methu â gadael ein hysbytai. Mae hyn hefyd yn rhan o'r daith barhaus tuag at ailgydbwyso cymorth iechyd y tu allan i ysbytai ac yn nes at gartrefi pobl unwaith eto.

Bu misoedd y gaeaf diweddar yn rhai mwyaf heriol a gofnodwyd erioed i'r GIG a gofal cymdeithasol. Fe welsom ni gyfraddau cyson o alw mawr am wasanaethau brys ac argyfwng. Mae ein gwasanaethau meddygon teulu dan bwysau ac yn parhau i weld neu siarad â channoedd o filoedd o gleifion bob wythnos. Mae ein hadrannau brys yn parhau i fod yn eithriadol o brysur, ac fe welsom ni gynnydd hefyd o 93 y cant yn y galwadau coch am ambilwans—sy'n golygu perygl i fywyd—ym mis Mawrth o'i gymharu â'r un mis yn 2019. Nawr, gyda'i gilydd, mae hyn yn rhoi pwysau enfawr ar bob gwasanaeth brys ac argyfwng, ac yn arbennig ar system yr ysbytai.

Yn y cyd-destun hwn, mae hi'n ddealladwy mai greddf llawer un mewn poen oedd erfyn cymorth gan y gwasanaethau brys. Dyna pam y gwnaethom ni ddarparu 670 o welyau gofal llai dwys a phecynnau cymunedol ychwanegol. Drwy'r rhaglen chwe nod, fe wnaethom ni fuddsoddiadau sylweddol o ran cynyddu cwmpas a chydnerthedd y gwasanaeth 111, a chynyddu'r capasiti mewn canolfannau gofal sylfaenol brys ac ehangu gwasanaethau gofal brys yr un diwrnod i gynnig dewisiadau amgen i fynd i adrannau brys prysur a derbyniadau i'r ysbyty. Nawr, pe na baem ni wedi buddsoddi fel hyn, fe fyddai'r sefyllfa wedi bod yn llawer gwaeth.

Rydym ni'n ymwybodol hefyd o amrywiaeth o heriau o ran llif drwy'r ysbytai ac wrth symud pobl yn ôl i'w cartrefi a'u cymunedau. Unwaith eto, mae'r rhaglen chwe nod yn arwain darn sylweddol o waith i wneud gwelliannau yn y maes hwn. Mae'r pwysau hyn sydd ar y system a'r galw cynyddol wedi digwydd er gwaethaf ymdrechion enfawr ein gweithlu iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol rhagorol ni, ac i'r GIG fod yn flaenoriaeth gyllidol i ni yn Llywodraeth Cymru am nifer fawr o flynyddoedd.

Heddiw, rydym ni'n nodi mesurau i wella cefnogaeth i bobl hŷn a'r rhai sy'n byw gydag afiechyd yn eu cymunedau eu hunain. Nawr, fe hoffwn i fod yn eglur: nid ystyr hyn yw gwneud i'r gweithlu weithio mwy. Mae ein staff iechyd a gofal anhygoel eisoes yn gwneud popeth y gallan nhw. Yr her yr wyf i'n ei rhoi heddiw i bob un ohonom ni sydd â swyddogaeth arweiniol ym maes iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yw sut y mae'n rhaid i'r rhai sy'n gwneud penderfyniadau ail-lunio'r ddarpariaeth fel ei bod hi'n addas i'r dyfodol.

Nodwyd ailgyfeirio adnoddau i'r gymuned yn ein cynllun strategol ni, 'Cymru Iachach', ac rwyf i wedi nodi y bydd yr angen i fynd i'r afael â mater oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal yn brif flaenoriaeth i fyrddau iechyd eleni, oherwydd, heb welliant, fe fydd cyrraedd ein nodau o ran rhestrau aros a materion eraill yn heriol iawn. Mae angen i ni droi ein sylw oddi wrth ymdrin â chyfnodau o salwch byrdymor at ymagwedd sy'n diwallu anghenion poblogaeth fwy eiddil a hŷn sydd â chyflyrau iechyd lluosog.

Mae cyfran gynyddol o'n poblogaeth ni'n byw gydag eiddilwch. Amcangyfrifir y bydd bron i 150,000 yn fwy o bobl 75 oed neu hŷn yng Nghymru mewn llai nag 20 mlynedd. Mae hynny'n cyfateb i dref tua maint Casnewydd. Erbyn 2038, fe fydd bron i un o bob pump o bobl yng Nghymru dros 70 oed. Dros yr 20 mlynedd nesaf, rhagwelir y bydd cynnydd o 61 ym mhoblogaeth Cymru sy'n 85 oed neu'n hŷn. Mae hynny'n llwyddiant ysgubol i'n GIG dros sawl degawd ac yn rhywbeth i fod yn falch ohono. Mae pobl hŷn yn cyfrannu llawer at gymdeithas Cymru.

Ond fe fydd cyfran o'r grŵp poblogaeth cynyddol hwn yn byw gydag eiddilwch. Mae eiddilwch yn gyflwr iechyd sy'n digwydd yn gyffredin ymhlith pobl hŷn. Mae presenoldeb eiddilwch yn effeithio ar allu unigolyn i wella wedi salwch neu ar ôl digwyddiadau dirdynol yn ei fywyd, ac weithiau mae hynny'n golygu nad yw'n gwella hyd at y graddau o annibyniaeth a oedd yn bod yn flaenorol.

Ond nid yw hwnnw'n gyflwr na ellir gwneud dim yn ei gylch. Fe all adnabyddiaeth gynnar gan weithwyr proffesiynol yn y gymuned a darparu cymorth ar yr amser iawn atal hynny rhag dechrau neu ddatblygu. Ond, yr hyn sy'n amlwg yw nad yr ysbyty yw'r lleoliad cywir ar gyfer y rhai mwyaf eiddil, lle maen nhw'n debygol o gael eu datgyflyru, a cholli màs cyhyrau, a bod yn agored i firysau. A thra eu bod nhw yn yr ysbyty, mae llawer o becynnau gofal yn cael eu hatal ac mae hi'n cymryd amser maith i'w hailddechrau nhw, gan beri i lawer aros yn yr ysbyty yn llawer hwy na'r angen.

Gyda thrawsnewid demograffig, serch hynny, mae angen i ni ail-lunio ein hymatebion ni o ran iechyd a gofal. I gyflymu'r newid hwn, rwyf i wedi cytuno ar ystod o fuddsoddiadau, ynghyd â Julie Morgan, sy'n gysylltiedig â'n rhaglen Ymhellach, Yn Gyflymach sy'n rhan o'r hyd at £30 miliwn o gyllid y byddwn ni'n ei ddyrannu i'r maes hwn.

Nawr, mae hyn yn cynnwys darparu oriau ychwanegol o wasanaethau ailalluogi ledled Cymru; sicrhau bod gan bob awdurdod lleol wasanaeth ymatebwyr gofal a alluogir gan dechnoleg erbyn y gaeaf i gefnogi'r defnydd o'n technoleg fonitro ddiweddaraf; cyllid i gefnogi'r symudiad at nyrsio cymunedol 24/7; atgyfnerthu gofal lliniarol arbenigol cymunedol; ac ariannu rhagnodi cymdeithasol ychwanegol a dewisiadau atgyfeirio i ysgafnu'r baich ar wasanaethau arbenigol mwy rheng flaen.

Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.

14:55

Ar ben hyn, nawr bod y clystyrau yn datblygu fel ffordd i wasanaethau lleol gydweithio, maen nhw mewn sefyllfa dda i wybod pwy yw’r bobl yn eu cymunedau sydd fwyaf angen gofal ac i gytuno ar gynllun gofal sy’n addas i anghenion ac amgylchiadau’r unigolion hynny. Gyda’r adnodd hwn, mae angen inni fynd yn gyflymach, yn yr ystyr o gyflymu ein mesurau i gryfhau gofal sydd wedi’i seilio ar lefydd. Ac mae angen inni fynd ymhellach wrth feddwl yn greadigol am ffyrdd newydd o gefnogi pobl sy’n byw gyda sawl cyflwr iechyd, ac mae angen inni wneud hyn gyda’n gilydd—cyrff cyhoeddus fel llywodraeth leol yn gweithio gyda darparwyr annibynnol, cymdeithasau tai, y trydydd sector, gofalwyr sydd yn ddi-dâl, a phartneriaid allweddol eraill mewn ffordd fwy pwrpasol.

Fe fyddwn ni’n defnyddio’r dechnoleg ddiweddaraf ac yn adleoli staff ac adnoddau o’r ysbyty i’r gymuned i sicrhau bod pobl wan ac eiddil yn cael eu cefnogi i fyw gartref a chael triniaeth gartref fel dewis arall diogel yn lle mynd i’r ysbyty pan fo angen. Os bydd angen mynd i’r ysbyty, bydd gofal ymatebol yn y gymuned yn golygu bod yr arhosiad hwnnw i mor fyr â phosibl, drwy alluogi pobl i wella’n ddiogel a chyfforddus adref.

Bydd gofal cymunedol cryfach yn canolbwyntio ar atal dirywiad yn iechyd pobl, ac fe fydd ymyrryd yn gynnar, gobeithio, yn atal argyfwng ac yn atal derbyniadau i’r ysbyty. Bydd hyn hefyd yn cael yr effaith gadarnhaol o leihau’r pwysau ar welyau ysbytai’r NHS, lleihau’r galw ar adnoddau gofal cymdeithasol cyfyngedig, a lleddfu’r pwysau ar y fyddin o ofalwyr di-dâl ar draws Cymru. Bydd hyn yn ategu at y cyhoeddiad y bydd y Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Julie Morgan, yn ei wneud cyn hir, i amlinellu cynllun i gryfhau gofal cymdeithasol mewn ymateb i argymhellion y grŵp arbenigol ar y gwasanaeth gofal cenedlaethol.

Wrth symud ymlaen, mae’n hanfodol bod Llywodraeth genedlaethol, llywodraeth leol a’r gwasanaeth iechyd yn gweithio fel un ar hyn. Rŷn ni’n gallu gweld bod cyfleoedd i ddefnyddio adnoddau’n fwy effeithiol ar draws y system drwy ddefnyddio dull integredig. Felly, mae Ymhellach yn Gyflymach yn mynd i roi ffocws gwirioneddol ar beth arall y gallwn ni ei wneud i helpu pobl eiddil a gwan. Fydd hi ddim yn hawdd, ond mae gyda ni gynllun clir, ac fe fyddwn ni’n meithrin gallu drwy ofal cymunedol, gan fynd ymhellach yn gyflymach. Diolch. 

On top of this, now that the clusters have accelerated their development as mechanisms for local services to collaborate, they are well placed to identify the people in their communities who most need care and to agree a care plan tailored to their individual needs and circumstances. With this resource, we need to go faster, in the sense of speeding up delivery of measures to strengthen place-based care. And we need to go further in thinking creatively of new ways to support people living with multiple health conditions, and we need to do this together with public bodies like local government, working with independent providers, housing associations, the third sector, unpaid carers and other key partners in a more purposeful way.

We will use the latest technology and we will redeploy staff and resources from hospitals into the community to ensure that people living with frailty are supported to live and receive treatment at home as a safe alternative to hospital admission when required. Where a hospital stay is needed, responsive community care will enable that stay to be as short as possible, by enabling people to recover safely and comfortably at home.

Enhanced community care will focus on preventing people’s health from deteriorating, and intervening early, hopefully, will prevent a crisis and prevent avoidable hospital admissions. This will also have the positive effect of reducing pressure on NHS hospital beds, reducing demand on a finite social care resource, and will help to relieve the pressure on the army of unpaid carers across Wales. And this will complement the forthcoming announcement that the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan, will be making, to set out a plan for strengthening social care in response to the recommendations of the expert group on the national care service.

As we move forward, it’s critical that national Government, local government and the NHS work as one on this. We can see that there are opportunities to use resources more effectively across the system by taking an integrated approach. Therefore, Further Faster is going to provide a real focus of what more we can do for people living with frailty. It won’t be easy, but we do have a clear plan, and we will build capacity through community care further, faster. Thank you.

15:00

Good afternoon, Minister. Could I thank you for bringing forward today’s statement on ‘Building Capacity through Community Care—Further Faster’? Could I also thank you for releasing this morning’s written statement on the issue prior to the oral statement on the floor of the Senedd this afternoon?

As we know, Minister, community care often acts as the front door of the NHS, and today’s announcement that up to £30 million of additional resources will be directed into supporting enhanced care in our communities and rebalancing health support out of hospitals and closer to people’s homes is, of course, welcomed on this side of the Chamber, and this is also more important than ever in supporting our increasingly older and frail population. And as somebody who worked in the NHS for over 10 years, I’ve seen first hand the importance of building capacity through community care, but also the sheer high level of demand and pressure facing community care.

Firstly, Minister, in your statement, you outlined that you’ll be working jointly with local authorities and the NHS to make rapid progress and to deliver on your aims, which we welcome. As you state, it’s estimated that, in less than 20 years, there’ll be nearly 150,000 more people aged 75 or older in Wales, and a key concern of mine is ensuring that the most vulnerable in society receive dignity and respect whilst receiving care. So, in light of this, Minister, what action are you taking to ensure that this does occur?

And secondly, Minister, a proportion of our growing population group will be living with frailty, and I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it’s crucially important that we try and maintain as much independence and regular day-to-day activities as we can, with traditional hospital settings not being the best for all. So, how do you foresee today’s announcement supporting those living with frailty to live their lives as fully as possible?

Thirdly, it’s welcoming that the latest technology and resources will be used as a safe alternative to hospital admission when required. Maximising technology is something that we’ve continued to call for on these sides of the benches and reducing pressure on NHS hospitals is vitally important. So, I was wondering what initial assessments you have made regarding how technology can tackle this problem.

And finally, Minister, I'm sure you'd agree with me that those working in community care do an exceptional job. However, the work they carry out is not often recognised, which sadly puts many people off a career in the NHS and in community care. On these sides of the benches, we continue to call for a Welsh minimum care wage of £10 per hour. What action do you think can be taken to eradicate this and to highlight the fantastic work that is carried out, but also the fantastic benefits of carrying out this work too?

In closing, Minister, I'd like to thank you for bringing forward today's statement, and on these sides of the benches, we share your ambition of building capacity through community care and support our communities. Thank you.

Prynhawn da, Gweinidog. A gaf i ddiolch i chi am gyflwyno'r datganiad heddiw ar 'Feithrin Gallu drwy Ofal Cymunedol—Ymhellach, Yn Gyflymach'? A gaf i ddiolch i chi hefyd am ryddhau datganiad ysgrifenedig fore heddiw ar y mater cyn y datganiad llafar ar lawr y Senedd brynhawn heddiw?

Fel gwyddom ni, Gweinidog, mae gofal cymunedol yn aml yn ddrws ffrynt i'r GIG, ac mae'r cyhoeddiad heddiw y bydd hyd at £30 miliwn o adnoddau ychwanegol yn cael ei gyfeirio at gefnogi gofal gwell yn ein cymunedau ac ailgydbwyso cymorth iechyd y tu allan i ysbytai yn nes at gartrefi pobl unwaith eto, wrth gwrs, yn cael ei groesawu ar yr ochr hon i'r Siambr, ac mae hyn hefyd yn bwysicach nag erioed o ran cefnogaeth i'n poblogaeth ni sy'n gynyddol hŷn ac eiddil. Ac yn rhywun a fu'n gweithio yn y GIG am dros 10 mlynedd, fe welais drosof fy hunan bwysigrwydd meithrin gallu drwy ofal cymunedol, ond y gyfradd uchel iawn o alw a phwysau sy'n wynebu gofal cymunedol hefyd.

Yn gyntaf, Gweinidog, yn eich datganiad chi, roeddech chi'n amlinellu y byddwch chi'n gweithio ar y cyd gyda'r awdurdodau lleol a'r GIG i sicrhau cynnydd cyflym a chyflawniad eich nodau, yr ydym ni'n ei groesawu. Fel rydych chi'n dweud, fe amcangyfrifir y bydd bron i 150,000 yn fwy o bobl 75 oed neu hŷn yng Nghymru mewn llai nag 20 mlynedd, a phryder allweddol i mi yw sicrhau bod y rhai mwyaf agored i niwed yn y gymdeithas yn cael eu trin ag urddas a pharch wrth dderbyn gofal. Felly, yng ngoleuni hyn, Gweinidog, pa gamau a ydych chi'n eu cymryd i sicrhau y bydd hynny'n digwydd?

Ac yn ail, Gweinidog, fe fydd cyfran o'n grŵp poblogaeth sy'n tyfu yn byw gydag eiddilwch, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddech chi'n cytuno â mi ei bod hi'n hanfodol bwysig ein bod ni'n ceisio cynorthwyo cymaint o annibyniaeth a gweithgareddau rheolaidd o ddydd i ddydd ag y gallwn ni, oherwydd nid yr ysbyty traddodiadol yw'r lle gorau i bawb. Felly, sut ydych chi'n rhagweld y bydd cyhoeddiad heddiw yn cefnogi'r rhai sy'n byw gydag eiddilwch wrth fyw bywydau mor llawn â phosibl?

Yn drydydd, rhywbeth calonogol yw y bydd y dechnoleg a'r adnoddau diweddaraf yn cael eu defnyddio yn ddewis amgen diogel pan fydd eu hangen yn hytrach na mynd i'r ysbyty. Mae gwneud y mwyaf o dechnoleg yn rhywbeth yr ydym ni wedi galw yn gyson amdano ar yr ochr hon i'r meinciau ac mae ysgafnu'r pwysau ar ysbytai'r GIG yn hanfodol bwysig. Felly, roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed pa asesiadau cychwynnol a wnaethoch chi ynglŷn â sut y gall technoleg fynd i'r afael â'r broblem hon.

Ac yn olaf, Gweinidog, rwy'n siŵr y byddech chi'n cytuno â mi bod y rhai sy'n gweithio ym maes gofal cymunedol yn gwneud gwaith eithriadol. Er hynny, nid yw'r gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud yn cael ei gydnabod yn aml, sydd, yn anffodus, yn peri i lawer o bobl beidio â dilyn gyrfa yn y GIG nac mewn gofal cymunedol. Ar yr ochr hon i'r meinciau, rydym ni'n dal ati i alw am isafswm cyflog i weithwyr gofal Cymru o £10 yr awr. Yn eich barn chi, pa gamau y gellir eu cymryd i atal hyn a thynnu sylw at y gwaith gwych sy'n cael ei wneud, ond hefyd y manteision enfawr o gyflawni'r gwaith hwn hefyd?

Wrth gloi, Gweinidog, fe hoffwn i ddiolch i chi am gyflwyno'r datganiad heddiw, ac ar yr ochr hon i'r meinciau, rydym ni'n rhannu eich uchelgais chi o feithrin gallu drwy ofal cymunedol a chefnogaeth i'n cymunedau. Diolch i chi.

15:05

Diolch yn fawr, Gareth. Thank you very much. I'm really pleased to hear that there is support from the Conservative benches on this, because this is a shift, so people need to understand that we are rebalancing, which does suggest a shift away from hospital care into the community. But certainly, all the evidence suggests that people want to stay at home as long as they can. They want to live at home, and importantly, they want to die at home. So, what we need to do is to allow them the opportunity to get the support in their home as much as possible. In order to do that, we have to pull the resources out of secondary care and put them into the community. We've had five months of discussion to build to this, to make sure that everybody understands what we're trying to do here, working with all of the health boards, with the local authorities—this is a partnership approach. Everybody needs to get on the same page on this, because actually, we need to avoid duplication as well. We know that health boards are responsible for health, and local government is responsible for care, and actually, increasingly, we're going to see these overlap. So, it makes sense for us to be working together in this important area, and you're quite right about preserving the dignity of those people.

What's key as far as I'm concerned is to try and make sure that we put the support in place before the problem arises. We're got an issue of delayed transfers of care, so once people get into hospital, how do we get them out quickly? But the holy grail here is to get the support in before, so that they don't need to go into the hospital in the first place. One of the things that we've been doing is we've been talking to the health boards about how we can use the clusters as a mechanism to identify, for example, the most frail 1 per cent of people in their communities and what do we do to wrap the care around those, for a start. Obviously, as we get more resources and as we shift those resources, we can put that support around more and more of those frail people.

On the digital technology, we're in the foothills of where we need to be in relation to digital technology. There's a real challenge when it comes to human resources in the healthcare system, so we do have to be creative, especially in some of those areas like the rural areas, where it's becoming increasingly difficult to recruit. We've got to be creative, and I think technology gives us the opportunity to do that. For example, only 10 local authorities in Wales have a technology-enabled care responder service, so we need to make sure that that's available in 22 local authorities, and that's part of what we'll be doing with this measure.

Diolch yn fawr, Gareth. Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi. Rwy'n falch iawn o glywed bod cefnogaeth oddi wrth feinciau'r Ceidwadwyr yn hyn o beth, oherwydd mae hwn yn newid sylweddol, ac felly mae angen i bobl ddeall ein bod ni'n ailgydbwyso o'r newydd, sy'n awgrymu symud i ffwrdd oddi wrth ofal mewn ysbyty ac at ofal yn y gymuned. Ond yn sicr, mae'r dystiolaeth i gyd yn awgrymu bod pobl yn dymuno aros yn eu cartrefi nhw gyhyd ag y gallan nhw. Maen nhw'n dymuno byw, ac yn bwysig iawn, maen nhw'n dymuno marw yn eu cynefin. Felly, yr hyn y mae angen i ni ei wneud yw rhoi'r cyfle iddyn nhw fod â'r gefnogaeth yn eu cartref i'r fath raddau â phosibl. I wneud hynny, mae'n rhaid i ni dynnu'r adnoddau o ofal eilaidd a'u dodi yn y gymuned. Rydym ni wedi cael pum mis o drafod i adeiladu at hyn, i wneud yn siŵr bod pawb yn deall yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ceisio ei wneud yma, gan weithio gyda'r byrddau iechyd i gyd, gyda'r awdurdodau lleol—dull partneriaeth yw hwn. Mae angen i bawb fod ar yr un dudalen yn hyn o beth, oherwydd mewn gwirionedd, mae angen i ni osgoi dyblygu hefyd. Fe wyddom ni mai byrddau iechyd sy'n gyfrifol am iechyd, a llywodraeth leol sy'n gyfrifol am ofal, ac mewn gwirionedd, yn gynyddol, fe fyddwn ni'n gweld y rhain yn gorgyffwrdd. Felly, mae hi'n gwneud synnwyr i ni fod yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd yn y maes pwysig hwn, ac rydych chi'n hollol iawn ynglŷn â chadw urddas y bobl hyn.

Yr hyn sy'n allweddol i mi yw ceisio sicrhau ein bod yn rhoi'r gefnogaeth ar waith cyn i'r broblem godi. Mae gennym broblem o ran oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal, felly pan fydd pobl yn mynd i mewn i ysbyty, sut mae eu cael nhw allan oddi yno'n gyflym? Ond y greal sanctaidd yn hyn o beth yw rhoi'r gefnogaeth i mewn iddyn nhw ynghynt, fel nad oes angen iddyn nhw fynd i mewn i ysbyty yn y lle cyntaf. Un o'r pethau a wnaethom ni yw siarad â'r byrddau iechyd ynglŷn â sut y gallwn ni ddefnyddio'r clystyrau yn fecanwaith i nodi, er enghraifft, yr 1 y cant mwyaf eiddil o bobl yn eu cymunedau nhw a'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud i gofleidio'r gofal o'u cwmpas nhw, i ddechrau. Yn amlwg, wrth i ni fod â rhagor o adnoddau ac wrth i ni symud yr adnoddau hynny o gwmpas, fe allwn ni roi'r gefnogaeth honno o amgylch y bobl eiddil hynny'n gynyddol.

O ran y dechnoleg ddigidol, dim ond megis dechrau yr ydym ni ar ein taith gyda thechnoleg ddigidol. Fe geir her wirioneddol o ran adnoddau dynol yn y system gofal iechyd, felly mae'n rhaid i ni fod yn greadigol, yn enwedig mewn rhai o'r ardaloedd hynny fel ardaloedd cefn gwlad, lle mae'n hi'n mynd yn fwy anodd recriwtio yn gynyddol. Mae'n rhaid i ni fod yn greadigol, ac rwy'n credu bod technoleg yn rhoi'r cyfle i ni wneud hynny. Er enghraifft, dim ond 10 awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru sydd â gwasanaeth ymatebwyr gofal sy'n cael ei hwyluso gan dechnoleg, felly mae angen i ni sicrhau bod hynny ar gael mewn 22 awdurdod lleol, ac mae hynny'n rhan o'r hyn y byddwn ni'n ei wneud gyda'r mesur hwn.

Diolch i'r Gweinidog am y datganiad heddiw. Dwi'n croesawu'r buddsoddiad ychwanegol mewn rhaglen ysbyty yn y cartref. Does yna ddim llawer o wythnosau ers i un o weithwyr Môn Enhanced Care, MEC, gyfarfod â rhai o swyddogion y Gweinidog, er mwyn cyflwyno'r achos pam ein bod ni yn Ynys Môn yn gweld gwerth go iawn yn y gwasanaeth hwnnw ac yn dymuno ei weld o'n cael ei ledaenu i rannau eraill o Gymru. Dwi'n falch o weld buddsoddiad yn mynd i mewn i hyn; mae o'n rhywbeth dwi'n gwybod mae'r Gweinidog wedi cyfeirio ato fo yn sir Gaerfyrddin yn y gorffennol. Hefyd, rydyn ni angen gweld llawer mwy o hyn. Mae'r datganiad ei hun, wrth gwrs, heddiw yma, yn tanlinellu eto beth ydy maint y broblem rydyn ni'n ei hwynebu, felly mae'n rhaid dweud fy mod i'n bryderus ynglŷn â'r swm o arian yma a beth yn union mae'n bosib ei gyflawni efo £30 miliwn, ac mai crafu'r ochr fydd, ond dwi'n siŵr bod hyn yn rhwystredigaeth mae'r Gweinidog ei hun yn ei rannu. Fy mhwynt i ydy: mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau bod buddsoddiad yn mynd i mewn i'r maes yma.

Mae'r broblem o arafwch yn y trosglwyddo pobl o'r ysbyty ymlaen yn un wirioneddol. Dwi yn credu bod hi yn broblem go iawn ein bod ni wedi colli cymaint of welyau cymunedol dros y degawdau diwethaf. Dydyn ni ddim dim ond yn sôn am welyau iechyd meddwl, fel gwnaeth y Prif Weinidog gyfeirio ato fo yn gynharach heddiw—mi rydym ni yn sôn am golled gwelyau mewn ysbytai cymunedol, a dwi wedi siarad efo clinigwyr sydd wedi gweld colli y gwelyau hynny yn fawr o ran cynnig lle i gleifion fynd ymlaen i wella ar ôl bod yn yr ysbyty ardal cyffredinol. Weithiau, rydym ni'n cymysgu, o bosib, rhwng ysbyty ac ‘yr ysbyty’, hynny ydy y district general hospital. Ydym, rydym ni angen cael cleifion allan o'r rheini mor fuan â phosib, ond mae angen, yn aml iawn, y capasiti ychwanegol yna mewn cottage hospital, ysbyty cymunedol, galwch chi fo beth liciwch chi, er mewn tynnu’r pwysau oddi ar yr ysbyty cyffredinol. Beth wnaeth y Llywodraeth—ac roeddwn i'n croesawu hynny fel cam—oedd sôn am greu cannoedd o welyau ychwanegol o fewn cymunedau, gweithio efo byrddau iechyd, gweithio efo llywodraeth leol. Mae'r Gweinidog, heddiw yma, wedi dweud bod 670 o welyau ychwanegol wedi cael eu darparu. Un cwestiwn yn fan hyn i'r Gweinidog. Dwi yn ymwybodol o bryderon go iawn mewn llywodraeth leol eu bod nhw wedi gorfod ysgwyddo y gost o ddarparu llawer o'r gwelyau yma. A fyddwn ni'n gallu cael eglurhad gan y Gweinidog o ba gefnogaeth sydd wedi cael ei rhoi? Pa gefnogaeth ychwanegol all gael ei rhoi i lywodraeth leol er mwyn gallu comisiynu y gwelyau ychwanegol yma? Maen nhw eisiau bod yn bartneriaid, ond maen nhw hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn wynebu heriau ariannol difrifol.

Mae un cwestiwn arall gen i ac mae o'n gwestiwn syml iawn. Rydym ni wedi cael disgrifiad heddiw yma o'r math o ddatblygiadau y mae'r Llywodraeth yn bwriadu eu cyflwyno drwy y buddsoddiad newydd yma—buddsoddiad mewn technoleg ac yn y blaen—ond wrth wraidd ein gallu ni i ddarparu gofal mewn cymunedau, mae staff cymunedol, wrth gwrs. Mae'r dechnoleg yn bwysig, ond mae'r staff yn gwbl, gwbl allweddol. Dwi'n cytuno, wrth gwrs, efo’r Gweinidog a oedd yn canmol y gwaith mae ein staff ni yn ei wneud, ond onid un peth sylfaenol rydym ni angen ei weld yn digwydd ydy ymestyn adran 25B o'r Ddeddf Lefelau Staff Nyrsio (Cymru) 2016 er mwyn sicrhau bod nyrsio cymunedol hefyd yn cael ei staffio’n ddigon llawn er mwyn gallu darparu y math o gefnogaeth mae cleifion ei hangen er mwyn gallu aros o fewn eu cymunedau?

Thank you to the Minister for this afternoon's statement. I do welcome this additional investment in a hospital-at-home programme. Not many weeks have passed since one of the workers of Môn Enhanced Care, MEC, met with some of the Minister's officials in order to make the case as to why we on Ynys Môn see a real value in that service and want to see it being rolled out to other parts of Wales. I'm pleased to see investment in this; I know it's something that the Minister has referred to in Carmarthenshire in the past. We also need to see far more of this. The statement itself, of course, highlights once again the scale of the problem that we are facing, so I have to say that I am concerned about the amount of money available and what can be delivered with £30 million, and that we'll simply be scratching the surface, but that's surely a frustration for the Minister too. My point is that we must ensure that investment is made in this area.

The problem of delays in transferring people from hospital is a very real one. I do believe it's a real problem that we have lost so many community beds over the past decades. We're not just talking about mental health beds, as the First Minister referred to earlier this afternoon—we are talking about the loss of beds in community hospitals, and I have spoken to clinicians who have missed those beds very much in terms of providing a step-down service for patients so that they can recover having left the general hospital. We occasionally mix up between hospital and 'the hospital', the district general hospital. Yes, we do need to get patients out of those hospitals as soon as possible, but we often need that additional capacity in a cottage hospital, a community hospital, call it what you will, in order to take the pressure off the DGH. What the Government did, and we welcomed that as a step, was to talk about creating hundreds of additional beds within communities, working with health boards, working with local authorities. The Minister has, this afternoon, stated that 670 additional beds had been provided. One question here to the Minister. I am aware of very real concerns in local government that they have had to shoulder the cost of the provision of many of these beds. Can we have an explanation from the Minister as to what support has been provided? What additional support can be provided to local government so that these additional beds can be commissioned? They want to be partners, but, of course, they are also facing grave financial challenges of their own.

One further question from me, and it's a very simple question. We've had a description today of the kinds of developments that the Government intends to put in place through this new investment—investment in technology and so on—but at the heart of our capacity to provide community care, we have community staff, of course. The technology is important, but the staff are crucial. I agree, of course, with the Minister who praised the work that our staff do, but isn't the one fundamental thing that we need to see happening the extension of section 25B of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016 so that community nursing is sufficiently staffed to provide the kind of support that patients need in order to stay within their communities?

15:10

Diolch yn fawr. Roeddwn i'n benderfynol o beidio mynd drwy aeaf fel y gwnaethon ni y flwyddyn ddiwethaf ac, yn amlwg, er mae'n galed i wneud penderfyniad pan fo'n dod i gyllid, eich bod chi’n mynd i wneud yr un peth, ond gyda llai o arian, a meddwl eich bod chi’n mynd i gael rhywbeth gwahanol. A dyna pam beth rŷn ni'n ei wneud fan hyn yw gwneud rhywbeth gwahanol, rŷn ni'n symud yr arian. Dwi'n siŵr bod e ddim yn mynd i fod yn ddigon o arian—dyw e byth yn mynd i fod yn ddigon o arian—ond rŷn ni'n mynd yn gyflymach. Dyna’r pwynt—rŷn ni'n mynd yn gyflymach nag oedd pobl wedi rhagweld, a dwi'n meddwl bod hynny yn bwysig.

Jest o ran y step-down beds, beth wnaethon ni dros y gaeaf oedd cynyddu’r nifer o step-down beds, ac roedd hynny yn rhan o bartneriaeth rhwng llywodraeth leol a byrddau iechyd. Dwi'n meddwl bod hi'n bartneriaeth. Jest o ran arian, dwi'n meddwl bod pob un yn struggle-o ar hyn o bryd, ond mae llywodraeth leol, efallai, yn struggle-o yn fwy, os unrhyw beth, yn enwedig y llynedd, ac felly mi oedd y byrddau iechyd yn rhoi lot fawr o’u harian nhw i mewn i'r system hefyd. Felly, dwi yn meddwl bod e'n werth edrych ar bwy oedd yn gwneud beth. Ond mi oedd hi’n bartneriaeth, ac mae'n rhaid inni ddod i bwynt lle rŷn ni'n stopio cynhennu am hyn, ocê—pwy wnaeth roi y mwyaf i mewn? Does dim ots gyda'r bobl sydd gartref, sy'n dioddef, pwy sydd yn rhoi’r gwasanaeth. Maen nhw jest eisiau’r gwasanaeth, ac mae'n rhaid inni gael gwared ar y plymio iddyn nhw. Mae'n rhaid inni wneud yn siŵr bod y system yn gweithredu, ac mae'n rhaid inni stopio cynhennu ynglŷn â phwy sy'n gwneud beth. Rhan o beth rŷn ni'n ei wneud fan hyn yw treial ei wneud e gyda'n gilydd. A dwi eisiau mynd ymhellach. Dwi eisiau mynd ymhellach. Dwi eisiau—. Ar ryw bwynt, buaswn i'n licio gweld ein cyllidebau ni'n dod ynghyd pan fo'n dod i ofal oedolion. Ond mae hwnna'n llwybr sy'n anodd—mae'n llwybr sy'n anodd i ni ei droedio. Ond dyna fy ngweledigaeth i. Ond efallai dyw pobl ddim cweit yn barod am hynny eto.

O ran staffio, mae staffio'n allweddol i unrhyw beth dŷn ni'n ei wneud, a dyna pam beth dŷn ni'n treial ei wneud fan hyn yw darparu mwy o staff yn ein cymunedau ni. Rhai o'r staff dwi'n awyddus i'w gweld yw lot mwy o reablement workers, so pobl—. Dŷn ni'n gwybod, os yw pobl yn cael reablement help, help i fynd nôl ar eu traed nhw—. Yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio ar beth yw'r pecyn o ofal sydd ei angen arnyn nhw, rŷn ni'n gwybod, os ydyn nhw'n cael reablement package, rŷn ni'n gweld 70 y cant yn llai o alw ar gyfer y pecyn gofal yna. Dyna pam dwi'n awyddus iawn i weld os gallwn ni gynyddu'r nifer o reablement workers. Os dŷn ni'n gwneud hynny, wedyn bydd llai o alw ar social services wedyn, a dwi'n meddwl bod hwnna'n mynd i fod yn help i bob un. Dyna pam dwi'n gobeithio beth fyddwn ni'n ei weld hefyd yw mwy o gynorthwywyr cymunedol, achos rŷn ni'n gwybod pa mor anodd yw e i recriwtio. Mae'n iawn i ddweud, 'Dewch â mesur newydd i mewn i ddweud safe staffing levels'—pan dŷch chi'n methu â recriwtio, mae hwnna'n rili anodd. Beth yw'r pwynt o gael mesur dŷch chi'n gwybod dŷch chi ddim yn gallu ei gyrraedd? So, actually, beth sydd ei angen arnom ni yw lot mwy o help o gwmpas y nyrsys yn ein cymunedau ni, a dwi'n meddwl bod hynny'n rhan, yn sicr, o'n gweledigaeth ni yn fan hyn.

Thank you very much. Well, I was determined not to go through a winter like the one that we did last year, and that is difficult, to make a decision when it comes to funding, that you're going to do the same thing, but with less money, and you think you'll get a different result. And what we're doing here, therefore, is doing something different—we're shifting the funding. I'm sure it's not going to be enough—it's never going to be enough—but we are going faster, at greater pace than people had anticipated, and I think that's important.

In terms of the step-down beds, what we did over the winter was we increased the number of step-down beds, and that was part of partnership working between local government and health boards. I do think that it was a partnership. In terms of the funding, I think everyone is struggling at the moment, but local government is, perhaps, struggling more, if anything, particularly last year, so the health boards did provide a great deal of their funding into the system too. So, I do think it's worth looking at who was doing what. But it was a partnership, and we do have to get to a point where we stop the discussion about this—who put more in? The people at home, who are suffering, don't care who is providing the service. They just want that service, and we have to get rid of the difficulties for them. We need to ensure that the system is working, we need to stop the debate about who's doing what. That's part of what we're doing here—we're trying to do it together. And I want to go further. I want to—. At some point, I would like to see that our budgets are aligned when it comes to care for adults. but that's a difficult path to tread. But that is my vision. But perhaps people aren't quite ready for that yet.

In terms of staffing, staffing is vital to anything that we do, and that's what we're trying to do here, is to provide more staff in our communities. Some of those staff that I'm eager to see are a great deal more of reablement workers, so people—. We know that, if people receive reablement help, help to get back on their feet—. Rather than focusing on what the package of care that they need is, we know that, if they receive a reablement package, we see that 70 per cent less demand for that particular care package. That's why I'm very eager to see whether we can increase the number of reablement workers. If we do that, then there'll be less demand on social services, and I think that's going to be of assistance to everyone. That's why I hope that what we will see is more community support workers and community assistants, because we know that it's very difficult to recruit. It's easy to say, 'Well, bring in new legislation to ensure safe staffing levels', but, when you can't recruit, that is very difficult. What's the point of having legislation when you can't meet the aims of that legislation? So, what we need is more help surrounding the nurses in our communities, and that's certainly part of our vision here.

15:15

Thank you very much. Apart from staying up too late watching Mikey and the wonderful nurses of Hywel Dda last night, which I do recommend to you, about 10 days ago, I had a meeting with the cabinet member for adult social care in Cardiff, and I think the excellent work that she and her team are doing to ensure that people are not going into hospital if they don't need to, and are getting them out of hospital as quickly as they are ready to go—. So, I very much support the work you and the Deputy Minister are doing to go further and faster on pulling resources out of secondary care into better community care.

So, what Cardiff has is a pink army of social care workers who are not only working in the emergency department to work out whether an individual actually needs to come into hospital or whether we can provide a better package of care for them at home, they're going on ward rounds as well to ensure that the right questions are being asked about the types of services and support they're going to need when they are medically ready to go home or go into the community. They have established some step-down beds in one of the larger care homes in my constituency to remobilise people to do the tasks they knew how to do before they had an operation, or a fall, or whatever it might be.

So, I'm keen to understand how well this sort of pink army initiative is being developed in other health boards, because obviously I only know about my own area, as well as how we spread that good practice that should be going on across Wales.

Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi. Ar wahân i aros ar fy nhraed yn rhy hwyr neithiwr i wylio Mikey a nyrsys ardderchog Hywel Dda, yr wyf i'n ei argymell i chi, tua 10 diwrnod yn ôl, fe gefais i gyfarfod gyda'r aelod cabinet sy'n gyfrifol am ofal cymdeithasol i oedolion yng Nghaerdydd, ac rwy'n credu bod y gwaith rhagorol y mae hi a'i thîm yn ei wneud i sicrhau nad yw pobl yn mynd i mewn i'r ysbyty heb angen, a'u cael nhw allan o'r ysbyty cyn gynted ag y maen nhw'n barod i fynd—. Felly, rwy'n llwyr gefnogi'r gwaith yr ydych chi a'r Dirprwy Weinidog yn ei wneud i fynd ymhellach ac yn gyflymach o ran tynnu'r adnoddau o ofal eilaidd a'u rhoi i sicrhau gofal gwell yn y gymuned.

Felly, yr hyn sydd gan Gaerdydd yw byddin binc o weithwyr gofal cymdeithasol sydd nid yn unig yn gweithio yn yr adran frys i benderfynu a oes angen i unigolyn ddod i mewn i'r ysbyty mewn gwirionedd neu a allwn ddarparu pecyn gofal gwell ar eu cyfer nhw yn eu cartref, maen nhw'n mynd o gwmpas y wardiau hefyd i sicrhau bod y cwestiynau priodol yn cael eu gofyn ynglŷn â'r mathau o wasanaethau a chymorth y bydd eu hangen arnyn nhw pan fyddan nhw'n barod o safbwynt meddygol i fynd adref neu i'r gymuned. Maen nhw wedi sefydlu rhai gwelyau gofal llai dwys yn un o'r cartrefi gofal mwy o faint yn fy etholaeth i ysgogi pobl i wneud y tasgau yr oedden nhw'n gwybod sut i'w gwneud cyn iddyn nhw gael llawdriniaeth, neu gwympo, neu beth bynnag allai fod wedi digwydd.

Felly, rwy'n awyddus i ddeall i ba raddau y mae'r math hwn o fenter byddin binc yn cael ei ddatblygu mewn byrddau iechyd eraill, oherwydd yn amlwg ni wn i ond am un yn fy ardal fy hunan, yn ogystal â sut ydym ni am ymestyn yr ymarfer da hwnnw a ddylai fod yn digwydd ledled Cymru.

Thanks very much, Jenny. You watched a lot of telly last night—you watched Panorama and you watched Mikey and the nurses of Hywel Dda. So, I'm pleased to hear that you're getting a lot of intelligence from some good BBC.

So, just in terms of community nursing, I know this is something you've been championing for a long time, and I'm really pleased that in this proposal, what we've got here, is a move towards 24/7 nursing in the community. That's where we've got to get to, and part of what we're doing here is to make sure that there's availability for an extra 10 hours a day, and that should include a Saturday and Sunday, because, just because you're frail and elderly, if you drop ill on a Saturday, there are no community nurses around. So, we have to make sure we've got cover, or they'll finish up in A&E. So, it makes sense—let's put that support in the community.

And you're quite right also, we need to think about the step down and learning from example, and one of the things we've been doing, of course, with the regional partnership boards, is we've put £144 million on the table so that we can learn from good practice. So, I hope that people are looking at that example and learning from that example so we can spread it across Wales, if it stands up to scrutiny. And this is one of the challenges I keep on making to the regional partnership boards: just because it was made here, doesn't mean that, actually, it's the best project. We need to get all of this measured up against objective criteria and what are the outcomes, because, unless we can measure the outcomes, just because it's made here doesn't mean it's a good thing. So, that's quite a difficult message for a lot of organisations that are doing great work, but it's just not delivering quite as much as the project next door. So, the key thing for me is that we measure outcomes as well.

There are lots, of course, of community beds still available. I was very pleased, after going to Urdd Eisteddfod, to pop into the Llandovery hospital, just to have a look. Poor little loves, when you just rock up and say 'hi', but, actually, really great to see the kind of support that's given there, within the community. So, that is available. And what we do need to do, though, is to strengthen, I think, specialist palliative care. So, end-of-life care is absolutely crucial. People don't want to die in hospital. But what we've got to do is—. If you ask what matters to the person themselves, very often they're very happy to say, 'Right, no, I'm staying at home', and it's the family that's saying, 'Get into hospital'. So, we've got to actually make sure we have a better conversation with families about what matters to the patient themselves and to make sure that they have more confidence, knowing that the support is there in the community to look after their loved one at home. So, making specialist nurses available overnight is also crucial and part of what of we're proposing here.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Jenny. Roeddech chi'n gwylio'r teledu yn ddyfal neithiwr—fe wnaethoch chi wylio Panorama a Mikey a nyrsys Hywel Dda. Felly, rwy'n falch o glywed eich bod chi'n cael llawer o wybodaeth oddi wrth wylio rhaglenni da'r BBC.

Felly, dim ond o ran nyrsio cymunedol, rwy'n gwybod bod hwnnw'n rhywbeth yr ydych chi wedi bod yn ei hyrwyddo ers amser maith, ac rwy'n falch iawn bod yr hyn sydd gennym ni yma, yn y cynnig hwn, yn gam tuag at nyrsio 24/7 yn y gymuned. Dyna lle mae'n rhaid i ni gyrraedd ato, a rhan o'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud yma yw sicrhau y bydd 10 awr ychwanegol ar gael bob dydd, ac fe ddylai hynny gynnwys dydd Sadwrn a dydd Sul, oherwydd, am y rheswm syml pe byddech chi'n eiddil ac yn oedrannus, pe byddech chi'n mynd yn sâl ar ddydd Sadwrn, nid yw'r nyrsys cymunedol o gwmpas. Felly, mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau bod gennym ni rywun yn gofalu, neu fe fydd pobl yn gorfod mynd i adrannau Damweiniau ac Argyfwng yn y pen draw. Felly, mae hynny'n gwneud synnwyr—gadewch i ni roi'r gefnogaeth honno yn y gymuned.

Ac rydych chi'n berffaith iawn hefyd, mae angen i ni feddwl am y cam i lawr a dysgu oddi wrth esiamplau, ac un o'r pethau a wnaethom ni, wrth gwrs, gyda'r byrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol, yw rhoi £144 miliwn ar y bwrdd er mwyn i ni allu dysgu o arferion da. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd pobl yn edrych ar yr esiampl honno ac yn dysgu o'r esiampl honno fel y gallwn ymestyn y gwaith hwnnw ledled Cymru, os bydd yn bodloni gofynion craffu. A dyma un o'r heriau yr wyf i'n parhau i'w rhoi i'r byrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol: nid yw'r ffaith i hwn gael ei lunio yma, yn golygu, mewn gwirionedd, mai hwn yw'r prosiect gorau. Mae angen i ni fesur hyn i gyd yn erbyn meini prawf gwrthrychol a beth yw'r canlyniadau, oherwydd, oni bai y gallwn ni fesur y canlyniadau, nid yw'r ffaith ei fod wedi'i wneud yma yn golygu ei fod yn beth da. Felly, mae honno'n neges eithaf anodd i lawer o sefydliadau sy'n gwneud gwaith rhagorol, ond heb fod yn cyflawni cymaint â'r prosiect sy'n mynd rhagddo drws nesaf. Felly, y peth allweddol i mi yw ein bod ni'n mesur y canlyniadau hefyd.

Mae llawer, wrth gwrs, o welyau cymunedol yn parhau i fod ar gael. Roeddwn i'n falch iawn, ar ôl mynd i Eisteddfod yr Urdd, o alw i mewn yn ysbyty Llanymddyfri, dim ond i gael edrych. Druan â nhw, pan fyddwch chi'n mynd atyn nhw ac yn dweud 'helo', ond, mewn gwirionedd, mae'n wych iawn gweld y math o gefnogaeth a roddir yno, yn y gymuned. Felly, mae hynny ar gael. A'r hyn y mae angen i ni ei wneud, serch hynny, yw cryfhau'r gofal lliniarol arbenigol, rwy'n credu. Felly, mae gofal diwedd oes yn gwbl hanfodol. Nid yw pobl yn dymuno marw mewn ysbyty. Ond yr hyn sy'n rhaid i ni ei wneud yw—. Os ydych chi'n gofyn beth sy'n bwysig i'r unigolyn ei hun, yn aml iawn mae e'n hapus iawn i ddweud, 'Iawn, dim diolch, rwyf i am aros gartref', a'r teulu sy'n dweud, 'Ewch i mewn i'r ysbyty'. Felly, mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau ein bod ni'n cael sgwrs well gyda theuluoedd am yr hyn sy'n bwysig i'r claf ei hun a sicrhau bod ganddyn nhw fwy o hyder, gan wybod bod y gefnogaeth yno yn y gymuned i ofalu am eu hanwyliaid gartref. Felly, mae sicrhau bod nyrsys arbenigol ar gael dros nos hefyd yn hanfodol ac yn rhan o'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei gynnig yma.

15:20
4. Datganiad gan Weinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg: Addysg Ddewisol yn y Cartref
4. Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Elective Home Education

Yr eitem nesaf yw'r datganiad gan Weinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg, addysg ddewisol yn y cartref, a galwaf ar y Gweinidog i wneud y datganiad—Jeremy Miles.

The next item is a statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, elective home education, and I call on the Minister to make the statement—Jeremy Miles.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. New statutory guidance on elective home education, published on 12 May, supports local authorities in their duties to ensure all children are receiving a suitable education and to ensure the educational needs of all children are met. Local authorities have a duty to establish the educational status of children in their area and to ensure the education they are receiving is suitable. This guidance supports local authorities in discharging these legal duties. The new statutory guidance does not change the existing legal definition of a suitable education, but helps local authorities to apply it in the context of elective home education. The guidance acknowledges that home education is unique for each child and will be underpinned by the families' own educational philosophies. The guidance is clear that families who home educate do not have to teach the national curriculum or any other specified curriculum or meet any criteria for the number of learning hours. This enables parents to give their child an individually tailored educational experience, considerate of their child's age, ability, aptitude and any additional learning needs the child may have.

Our guidance also sets out the expectation that local authorities should meet with all electively home-educated children and their families. Meeting with children and families provides the local authority the opportunity to understand the educational philosophy adopted by parents and the main areas of learning that are being provided. It will also provide an opportunity for electively home-educated children to share their views about the education they are receiving. As well as helping to establish the suitability of education being provided, meeting with the child will also provide an opportunity for local authorities to discuss any support parents would like from local authorities and other public services. This could include access to exam centres, local authority counselling services, and school-age nursing services. The guidance is supported by a wider package of support for home-educated children, to enhance their learning experience and development opportunities. Informed by feedback from home-educating families, the package comprises the opportunity to sit exams in a local exam centre; advice about and facilitation of local authority counselling services and Careers Wales support; an agreement in principle for home-educating families to borrow more books from local authority libraries; access to Welsh language support; and free access to Cadw sites. This is complemented by a new home educator's handbook, which will be published during the week commencing 12 June. The handbook is intended to be a useful guide for home-educating parents, particularly those who may be new to home educating. 

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae canllawiau statudol newydd ynglŷn ag addysg ddewisol yn y cartref, a gyhoeddwyd ar 12 o fis Mai, yn cefnogi awdurdodau lleol gyda'u dyletswyddau o ran sicrhau y bydd pob plentyn yn cael addysg addas a sicrhau bod anghenion addysgol pob plentyn yn cael eu diwallu. Mae dyletswydd ar yr awdurdodau lleol i wybod beth yw statws addysgol plant yn eu hardal nhw a sicrhau bod yr addysg y maen nhw'n ei chael yn addas. Mae'r canllawiau hyn yn cefnogi awdurdodau lleol i gyflawni'r dyletswyddau cyfreithiol hyn. Nid yw'r canllawiau statudol newydd yn newid y diffiniad cyfreithiol cyfredol o addysg addas, ond mae'n helpu awdurdodau lleol i gymhwyso hynny yng nghyd-destun addysg ddewisol yn y cartref. Mae'r canllawiau yn cydnabod bod addysg yn y cartref yn unigryw i bob plentyn ac athroniaethau addysgol y teuluoedd eu hunain a fydd wrth ei wraidd. Mae'r canllawiau yn mynegi yn eglur iawn nad oes yn rhaid i deuluoedd sy'n addysgu yn y cartref addysgu yn ôl y cwricwlwm cenedlaethol nac unrhyw gwricwlwm penodedig arall na bodloni unrhyw feini prawf eraill o ran nifer yr oriau dysgu. Mae hyn yn galluogi rhieni i roi profiad addysgol sydd wedi ei deilwra yn unigol i'w plentyn, gan ystyried oedran, gallu, dawn eu plentyn ac unrhyw anghenion dysgu ychwanegol sydd gan y plentyn.

Mae ein canllawiau ni'n nodi'r disgwyliad hefyd y dylai awdurdodau lleol gwrdd â phob plentyn sy'n cael addysg ddewisol yn y cartref a'u teuluoedd nhw. Mae cyfarfod â phlant a theuluoedd yn rhoi cyfle i'r awdurdod lleol ddeall yr athroniaeth addysgol a fabwysiadwyd gan y rhieni a prif feysydd yr addysg sy'n cael ei rhoi. Fe fydd yn rhoi cyfle i blant sy'n cael addysg ddewisol yn y cartref fynegi eu barn am yr addysg y maen nhw'n ei chael hefyd. Yn ogystal â helpu i wybod rhywfaint am addasrwydd yr addysg sy'n cael ei rhoi, fe fydd cyfarfod â'r plentyn yn gyfle hefyd i'r awdurdodau lleol drafod unrhyw gymorth y byddai rhieni yn ei hoffi ei gael gan awdurdodau lleol a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus eraill. Fe allai hynny gynnwys mynediad i ganolfannau arholi, gwasanaethau cwnsela'r awdurdodau lleol, a gwasanaethau nyrsio oedran ysgol. Cefnogir y canllawiau gan becyn ehangach o gefnogaeth i blant sy'n cael eu haddysg yn y cartref, ar gyfer gwella eu profiad nhw o ddysgu a'u cyfleoedd i ddatblygu. Gan ei fod yn cael ei lywio gan adborth gan deuluoedd sy'n addysgu yn y cartref, mae'r pecyn yn cynnwys cyfle i sefyll arholiadau mewn canolfan arholi leol; cyngor ynghylch gwasanaethau cwnsela awdurdodau lleol a chymorth Gyrfa Cymru a hwyluso'r defnydd ohonyn nhw; cytundeb mewn egwyddor i deuluoedd sy'n addysgu yn y cartref allu cael benthyca rhagor o lyfrau o lyfrgelloedd yr awdurdodau lleol; gallu i gael cymorth drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg; a mynediad rhad ac am ddim i safleoedd Cadw. Ategir hyn gan lawlyfr newydd i addysgwr yn y cartref, a gyhoeddir yn ystod yr wythnos sy'n dechrau ar 12 Mehefin. Bwriad y llawlyfr yw bod yn ganllaw defnyddiol i rieni sy'n addysgu yn y cartref, yn arbennig felly'r rhai a allai fod yn newydd i addysg yn y cartref. 

Mae’n bwysig monitro a gwerthuso effeithiolrwydd y canllawiau ar ddarparu addysg ddewisol yn y cartref. Er mwyn rhoi digon o amser i awdurdodau lleol ymgorffori’r canllawiau, bydd gwerthusiad yn cychwyn yn ystod haf 2024. Gallai hyn gynnwys ystyried pa un a yw’r canllawiau o ddefnydd wrth geisio nodi’r plant hynny sy’n cael eu haddysgu gartref nad ydyn nhw’n cael addysg addas, ac i ba raddau y mae unrhyw gymorth gan awdurdodau lleol i gefnogi addysgwyr cartref yn effeithiol.

At hyn, bob mis Mai, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn derbyn data gan Data Cymru am blant y dewiswyd eu haddysgu yn y cartref. Ar hyn o bryd, rydyn ni wrthi’n trafod anghenion data ychwanegol gyda Data Cymru; er enghraifft, casglu data monitro am nifer y rhieni a’r teuluoedd sy’n cael eu gweld gan yr awdurdod lleol. Bydd hyn, ynghyd â’r gwerthusiad, yn rhoi syniad da i ni o effeithiolrwydd y canllawiau o safbwynt yr awdurdodau lleol a’r teuluoedd eu hunain.

It's important that the effectiveness of the elective home education guidance is monitored and evaluated. To allow sufficient time for local authorities to embed the guidance, an evaluation will begin in the summer of 2024. This could include exploring whether the guidance is useful for identifying home-educated children who are not receiving a suitable education, and the extent to which any support put in place by local authorities to support home educators is effective. 

Additionally, the Welsh Government receives data about elective home-educated children from Data Cymru on an annual basis in the month of May. We are currently discussing additional data needs with Data Cymru; for example, collecting monitoring data about the number of parents and families being seen by a local authority. This, along with the evaluation, will give us a good indication of the effectiveness of the guidance from the point of view of both local authorities and the families themselves.  

To further support our commitment to the success and well-being of every learner, I will be making regulations that will require a database of children who are not registered at a school, not in receipt of education other than at school, or who are not known to the local authority as being suitably home educated. The database will identify children who are potentially not receiving a suitable education. We intend to consult on the database regulations by early 2024. 

Ar gyfer rhoi cefnogaeth ychwanegol i'n hymrwymiad ni i lwyddiant a llesiant pob dysgwr, fe fyddaf i'n llunio rheoliadau a fydd yn gofyn am gronfa ddata o blant nad ydyn nhw wedi cofrestru yn yr ysgol, nad ydyn nhw'n cael addysg heblaw am yn yr ysgol, neu nad yw'r awdurdod lleol yn gwybod eu bod nhw'n cael addysg sy'n addas yn y cartref. Fe fydd y gronfa ddata yn nodi'r plant nad ydyn nhw, o bosibl, yn cael addysg sy'n addas. Rydym ni'n bwriadu ymgynghori ynglŷn â'r rheoliadau o ran y gronfa ddata erbyn dechrau 2024. 

Dwi’n bwriadu treialu’r gronfa ddata am flwyddyn, gan ddechrau yn ystod gwanwyn 2025, er mwyn deall i ba raddau y mae’r data yn ddefnyddiol i helpu awdurdodau lleol i nodi’r plant nad ydyn nhw, o bosib, yn cael addysg addas. Ar yr un pryd, fe fyddaf i’n cyhoeddi canllawiau drafft i gefnogi’r awdurdodau lleol sy’n rhan o’r peilot i ddeall y dyletswyddau sydd arnyn nhw o dan y rheoliadau, a sut y dylai’r gronfa ddata weithio yn ymarferol.

Dwi’n ymfalchïo yn ein record o gynnal hawliau plant, a dyma yw egwyddor ganolog y cynigion hyn.

I intend to pilot the database for a year, commencing in the spring of 2025, to understand the extent to which the data is useful in helping local authorities to identify children who are potentially not receiving a suitable education. At the same time, I will publish draft guidance to support the local authorities involved in the pilot to understand the duties placed on them under the regulations, and how the database should work in practice. 

I am proud of our record of upholding children's rights, and it is this principle that sits at the heart of these proposals. 

15:25

Minister, thank you for your statement today, although I have to say I'm quite concerned by the statement. We in the Welsh Conservatives place parental choice above all else in importance when considering a child's education, and believe that this decision should be respected to the fullest extent by the Welsh Government and local authorities, so long as the well-being of the child is confirmed. The pandemic lockdowns led to a sharp rise in home education in Wales, with a number of these families choosing to continue with it after lockdowns were lifted and regular schooling resumed. Although this is concerning and poses to questions as to whether all have done so for the right reasons, with issues such as the cost of school transport and a lack of mental health support in schools obviously affecting school attendance, this guidance is not the right course of action. 

We in the Welsh Conservatives therefore oppose placing undue restrictions on home educators, as parents know better than the state what is best for their children. Parents' choice should be respected, not impeded. Parents and guardians who choose to educate their children in their care at home do so for many different reasons, whether it be due to additional learning needs issues, or believing that they can offer a more rounded and comprehensive education than what is on offer in their local state school.

When it comes to pushing forward with your plans to compile a database for local authorities, you say in your statement that it's to identify children not receiving a 'suitable' education. 'Suitable'—who is to say what is suitable—you, the local authorities, who? The legality is questionable, and it would leave home educators at the whim of many different people perhaps and what they deem as suitable. It is so open to interpretation as to what is suitable, it is concerning. Organised community home groups fear that the actions taken by the Welsh Government, and comments made by Welsh Ministers in recent years, suggest an intention to shift children out of home education and into conventional schools. Home-educating parents and families are sadly being treated as a problem to be solved in your statement, not as people engaging in an equally valid form of education, as is their legal right. 

Minister, why are you prepared to place the education of our young people in the hands of people, perhaps with little experience in education or knowledge of home education? It's in the guidance, Minister—it states that the Welsh Government expects that each local authority has a named senior officer with responsibility for home education policy and procedures. However, there is no outlined policy to protect families and children who have had trauma in the school system. Instead, this section of guidance highlights officer by officer basis of the decision on elective home education system. The power clearly lies with the officers who often have little or no experience of home education. And to make it worse, the recent job application forms that went online did not highlight practitioner experience within the education field. Firstly, this poses a clear concern that these people will thus be unqualified for the role that will underpin student education. Secondly, the hiring of these roles can be dated back to almost 12 months ago, despite you stating in July 2022, through the form of a written question, that training for this role had not even been created. 

In your statement, you say that you'll monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of new guidance. Minister, this makes you solely judge and jury for this new guidance. Within the new guidance, it shows that a lot of the decisions will be up to local authorities, thus entirely up to their personal judgment. There appears to be, once again, no concrete notion of a 'suitable education', with this phrase being, essentially, a pseudo-statement, offering no legal or workable framework. It is likely that we'll see massive discrepancies across local authorities on how this guidance is being adopted. 

Minister, do you not see that you're only going to create more problems down the line? And what gives you the confidence that untrained local authority employees are best placed to judge a child's needs rather than their parents? You say in your statement that this is an opportunity to support home educators, but there are other, non-intrusive ways to do this that don't penalise home-educating families. 

Finally, Minister, how is it lawful to insist that local authorities should see a child, when reports by David Wolfe KC deem this to be unlawful on multiple points? As the home-educating community has sought legal advice, have you also sought legal advice—external legal advice—on whether this guidance is lawful, and, if so, will you disclose that in full, so that the Senedd can undertake its role of holding this Welsh Government to account? Thank you.

Gweinidog, diolch am eich datganiad heddiw, er ei bod hi'n rhaid i mi ddweud fy mod i'n bryderus iawn ynglŷn â'r datganiad hwn. Rydym ni yn y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn ystyried dewis y rhieni yn bwysicach na dim arall wrth ystyried addysg plentyn, ac yn credu y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol barchu'r penderfyniad hwnnw, cyn belled ag y gellir sicrhau llesiant y plentyn. Fe wnaeth y cyfyngiadau symud achosi cynnydd sydyn mewn addysg yn y cartref yng Nghymru, gyda nifer o'r teuluoedd hyn yn dewis parhau â hynny ar ôl i'r cyfnodau cyfyngiadau symud ddirwyn i ben ac yr aeth addysgu arferol yn rhywbeth rheolaidd unwaith eto. Er bod hyn yn peri pryder ac yn codi cwestiynau ynghylch a yw pawb wedi gwneud hynny am y rhesymau cywir, gyda materion fel cost cludiant i'r ysgol a diffyg cymorth iechyd meddwl mewn ysgolion yn amlwg yn effeithio ar bresenoldeb mewn ysgolion, nid yw'r canllawiau hyn yn cynrychioli cam priodol o weithredu.

Rydym ni yn y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, felly, yn gwrthwynebu rhoi gormodedd o gyfyngiadau ar addysgwyr yn y cartref, gan fod rhieni yn gwybod yn well na'r wladwriaeth beth sydd orau i'w plant nhw. Fe ddylid parchu dewis y rhieni, nid ei lesteirio. Mae rhieni a gwarcheidwaid sy'n dewis addysgu plant sydd yn eu gofal nhw yn y cartref yn gwneud hynny am lawer o wahanol resymau, boed hynny oherwydd materion anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, neu oherwydd eu cred y gallan nhw gynnig addysg fwy cyflawn a chynhwysfawr na'r hyn sydd ar gael yn eu hysgol wladol leol.

O ran bwrw ymlaen â'ch cynlluniau i lunio cronfa ddata ar gyfer awdurdodau lleol, rydych chi'n dweud yn eich datganiad chi y bydd yn nodi'r plant nad ydyn nhw'n cael addysg sy'n 'addas'. 'Addas'—pwy sydd i ddweud beth sy'n addas—ai y chi, ai'r awdurdodau lleol, pwy ynteu? Mae cyfreithlondeb hynny'n amheus, ac fe fydd yn golygu y bydd addysgwyr yn y cartref yn gorfod ufuddhau i fympwy llawer o wahanol bobl efallai a beth y maen nhw'n ei ystyried yn addas. Mae dehongli'r hyn sy'n addas mor benagored, mae hynny'n peri pryder. Mae grwpiau cartref cymunedol wedi’u trefnu yn ofni bod y camau a gymerwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, a'r sylwadau a wnaeth Gweinidogion Cymru yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, yn awgrymu bwriad i symud plant o addysg yn y cartref i'r ysgolion traddodiadol. Yn anffodus, mae rhieni a theuluoedd sy'n addysgu yn y cartref yn cael eu trin fel problem i'w datrys yn eich datganiad chi, ac nid fel pobl sy'n cymryd rhan mewn dull o addysg sydd yr un mor ddilys, yn unol â'u hawl gyfreithiol.

Gweinidog, pam ydych chi'n barod i roi addysg ein pobl ifanc ni yn nwylo pobl, efallai nad oes ganddyn nhw fawr o brofiad gydag addysgu na gwybodaeth am addysg yn y cartref? Mae hyn yn y canllawiau, Gweinidog—mae'n nodi bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn disgwyl y bydd gan bob awdurdod lleol uwch swyddog penodol gyda chyfrifoldeb am bolisi a gweithdrefnau ynglŷn ag addysg yn y cartref. Serch hynny, nid oes unrhyw bolisi wedi cael ei amlinellu i ddiogelu teuluoedd a phlant sydd â phrofiad o drawma yn y system ysgolion. Yn hytrach na hynny, mae'r adran hon o ganllawiau yn tynnu sylw at gyfundrefn ar sail swyddog fesul swyddog o ran y penderfyniad ar system addysg ddewisol yn y cartref. Mae'r pŵer yn amlwg gyda'r swyddogion nad oes ganddyn nhw fawr ddim profiad yn aml o addysg yn y cartref. Ac i wneud pethau yn waeth, nid oedd y ffurflenni cais swydd diweddar a aeth ar-lein yn amlygu profiad ymarferydd ym maes addysg. Yn gyntaf, mae hyn yn peri pryder amlwg na fydd y bobl hyn yn gymwys i'r gwaith hwn a fydd yn rhoi sail i addysg y myfyrwyr. Yn ail, fe gafodd y swyddi hyn eu llenwi bron i 12 mis yn ôl, er i chi ddweud ym mis Gorffennaf 2022, mewn cwestiwn ysgrifenedig, nad oedd yr hyfforddiant ar gyfer y gwaith hwn wedi cael ei lunio, hyd yn oed.

Yn eich datganiad chi, rydych chi'n dweud y byddwch chi'n monitro ac yn gwerthuso effeithiolrwydd y canllawiau newydd. Gweinidog, mae hynny'n eich gwneud chi'n farnwr ac yn rheithgor o ran y canllawiau newydd hyn. O fewn y canllawiau newydd, mae hi'n ymddangos mai'r awdurdodau lleol a fydd yn gyfrifol am lawer o'r penderfyniadau, ac felly yn ôl eu barn benodol nhw'n gyfan gwbl. Unwaith eto, mae hi'n ymddangos nad oes unrhyw syniad pendant o 'addysg addas', gyda'r ymadrodd hwn, yn ei hanfod, yn ffug-ddatganiad, nad yw'n cynnig unrhyw fframwaith cyfreithiol nac ymarferol. Mae hi'n debygol y byddwn yn gweld anghysondebau enfawr ar draws yr awdurdodau lleol o ran sut y bydd y canllawiau hyn yn cael eu mabwysiadu.

Gweinidog, onid ydych chi'n gweld mai creu mwy o broblemau yn nes ymlaen y byddwch chi? A beth sy'n rhoi'r hyder i chi mai gweithwyr yr awdurdodau lleol heb unrhyw hyfforddiant sydd yn y sefyllfa orau i farnu anghenion plentyn yn hytrach na'i rieni? Rydych chi'n dweud yn eich datganiad y bydd hwn yn gyfle i gefnogi addysgwyr yn y cartref, ond mae ffyrdd eraill o wneud hynny nad ydyn nhw mor ymwthiol ac nad ydyn nhw'n cosbi teuluoedd am addysgu yn y cartref.

Yn olaf, Gweinidog, sut allai hi fod yn gyfreithlon i fynnu y dylai awdurdodau lleol weld plentyn, pan fo adroddiadau gan David Wolfe KC yn ystyried hynny'n anghyfreithlon mewn sawl ffordd? Gan fod y gymuned addysgu yn y cartref wedi gofyn am gyngor cyfreithiol, a ydych chi wedi gofyn am gyngor cyfreithiol hefyd—cyngor cyfreithiol allanol—ynghylch cyfreithlondeb y canllawiau hyn, ac, os felly, a wnewch chi ddatgelu hynny'n llawn i ni, er mwyn i'r Senedd ymgymryd â'i swyddogaeth o ddwyn y Llywodraeth hon i gyfrif? Diolch i chi.

15:30

Yes, I'm not entirely clear whether the world view of the Member is that home education is a matter of concern, as she puts it, or a matter of parental choice. I'll try and engage with the questions which she asked, because they were important questions, and they contain a number of misrepresentations of the guidance, which I think it's important for us to put right. 

It is absolutely a choice of parents to home-educate their children if they wish to do so. The guidance is premised on the availability of that choice, and, indeed, the only purpose of the guidance is to make sure that the education received by children whose parents do elect to home educate is a suitable education. And so, it's premised on the availability of that choice. So, I don't accept the Member's characterisation that this guidance removes that choice. 

In relation to the question of what is or is not a suitable education, it isn't a matter of conjecture; it isn't a matter of personal preference; it isn't a matter of my diktat; it isn't a vague phrase. As I said in my statement, the guidance does not change the existing legal definition of a 'suitable education'. It is a matter defined in law. It incudes provision in numeracy, literacy, language skills, suitable to the child's age, ability and aptitude, and any additional learning needs the child may have. It isn't simply a matter of academic learning. It also involves socialisation—essential in preparing young people for participation in society. It doesn't place any requirements, as I made clear in my statement, in relation to the curriculum that young people are taught, nor does it stipulate the number of hours that a young person is taught. This is all material that I set out in my statement in relation to the question of what is a suitable education.

How that is determined, the Member challenges, I think, the legality—on what basis is not clear to me—that an authority is able to see a child. It seems to me that it would bear reading the guidance in detail in relation to this. The guidance sets out an expectation that local authorities should meet with children and their families. It is questionable, in my mind, whether it is possible for a local authority to be able to conclude whether or not a child is receiving a suitable education without seeing the child. However, a child and its parents are not obliged to meet with the local authority. I think it is sensible to do so, because that is a very good way—I would suggest the best way—of making clear their view that their child is receiving a suitable education. There is a very well-established process by which local education authority officers can request evidence of a suitable education, and a clear process for when that evidence is not provided. This is not a matter of discretion; it is set out very clearly.

The Member made some points, I think, in relation to the training and capacity of local authority officers, which I think it's extremely important to clarify, because it contained some very concerning assumptions. So, it is for local authorities to appoint officers that have the right skills and experiences, and to provide them with the ongoing professional development to enable them to carry out that role effectively. We have provided local authority officers with a package of training, prior to the publication of the guidance, which includes training on differing educational philosophies, learning styles, and approaches to home education. And we will continue to work very closely with local authority officers to support the implementation of the guidance and promote consistency of approach. This is a matter where, as she says, campaign organisations have taken legal advice. Obviously, Ministers have also taken legal advice in relation to this. She will also know that it's not the practice of any Government to publish that advice, because, as she says herself, the task of the Senedd is to hold Ministers to account, not their lawyers.

Ie, nid wyf i'n deall yn iawn ai barn gyffredinol yr Aelod yw bod addysg yn y cartref yn achos pryder, chwedl hi, neu'n achos o ddewis y rhieni. Rwyf i a'm geisio ymdrin â'r cwestiynau a ofynnodd hi am eu bod nhw'n gwestiynau pwysig, ac maen nhw'n cynnwys nifer o ddarluniadau o'r canllawiau sy'n gamarweiniol, ac rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig i ni gywiro hynny.

Yn gyfan gwbl, dewis y rhieni yw addysgu eu plant yn y cartref os ydyn nhw'n dymuno gwneud felly. Mae'r canllawiau yn seiliedig ar argaeledd y dewis hwnnw, ac, yn wir, unig bwrpas y canllawiau yw sicrhau bod yr addysg a gaiff plant y mae eu rhieni nhw'n dewis eu haddysgu yn y cartref yn addas ar eu cyfer. Ac felly, mae'r rhagdybiaeth fod y dewis hwnnw ar gael yn treiddio drwy'r canllawiau. Felly, nid wyf i'n derbyn portread yr Aelod fod y canllawiau hyn yn nacáu'r dewis hwnnw.

O ran y cwestiwn ynglŷn â'r hyn y mae addysg addas yn ei olygu, nid mater o ddyfaliad yw hwnnw; nid mater o ffafriaeth bersonol mohono; nid fy nictad i mohono; nid rhyw ymadrodd amwys mohono. Fel dywedais i yn fy natganiad, nid yw'r canllawiau yn newid y diffiniad cyfreithiol o 'addysg addas' sy'n gyfredol. Mater sy'n cael ei ddiffinio yn y gyfraith yw hwnnw. Mae'n cynnwys y ddarpariaeth o ran rhifedd, llythrennedd, sgiliau iaith, sy'n addas i oedran, gallu a dawn y plentyn, ac unrhyw anghenion dysgu ychwanegol sydd gan y plentyn. Nid mater o addysg academaidd mo hwnnw'n unig. Mae'n cynnwys cymdeithasu hefyd—hanfodol wrth baratoi pobl ifanc i gyfranogi yn y gymdeithas. Nid yw'n gosod unrhyw ofynion, fel dywedais i yn fy natganiad, o ran y cwricwlwm y mae pobl ifanc yn ei ddysgu, ac nid yw'n nodi nifer yr oriau o addysgu ar gyfer unigolyn ifanc. Mae hyn i gyd yn ddeunydd a amlinellais i yn fy natganiad o ran yr hyn sy'n cael ei ystyried yn addysg addas.

Sut y caiff hynny ei benderfynu, mae'r Aelod, rwy'n credu, yn herio cyfreithlondeb hynny—ar ba sail, nid yw hi'n eglur i mi—sef bod yr awdurdod yn gallu gweld plentyn. Mae hi'n ymddangos i mi y byddai hi'n werth darllen y canllawiau yn fanwl ynglŷn â'r pwnc hwn. Mae'r canllawiau yn nodi'r disgwyliad y dylai'r awdurdodau lleol gwrdd â'r plant a'u teuluoedd nhw. Mae hi'n amheus, yn fy marn i, a yw hi'n bosibl i awdurdod lleol allu dod i'r casgliad a yw plentyn yn cael addysg addas neu beidio heb allu gweld y plentyn. Serch hynny, nid oes rheidrwydd ar blentyn na'i rieni i gwrdd â'r awdurdod lleol. Rwyf i o'r farn fod hynny'n beth synhwyrol, oherwydd mae honno'n ffordd dda iawn—y ffordd orau, y byddwn i'n awgrymu—o egluro eu barn nhw fod eu plentyn nhw'n cael addysg addas. Mae yna broses sefydledig iawn lle gall swyddogion yr awdurdodau addysg lleol ofyn am dystiolaeth o addysg addas, a phroses eglur o ran achosion pryd na ddarperir y dystiolaeth honno. Nid mater o farn unrhyw unigolyn mo hwn; fe'i nodir yn eglur iawn.

Fe wnaeth yr Aelod rai pwyntiau, rwy'n credu, o ran hyfforddiant a gallu swyddogion yr awdurdodau lleol, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn hynod bwysig egluro, gan eu bod nhw'n cynnwys rhai rhagdybiaethau a oedd yn bryderus iawn. Felly, mater i'r awdurdodau lleol yw penodi swyddogion sydd â'r sgiliau a'r profiadau cywir, a darparu'r datblygiad proffesiynol parhaus iddyn nhw i'w galluogi i gyflawni'r swyddogaeth honno'n effeithiol. Rydym ni wedi darparu pecyn hyfforddiant i swyddogion yr awdurdodau lleol, cyn cyhoeddi'r canllawiau, sy'n cynnwys hyfforddiant ynglŷn ag athroniaethau addysgol amrywiol, arddulliau dysgu, a dulliau o ymdrin ag addysg yn y cartref. Ac fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i weithio yn agos iawn gyda swyddogion yr awdurdodau lleol i gefnogi gweithrediad y canllawiau hyn a hyrwyddo dull o weithio sy'n arddangos cysondeb. Mater yw hwn, fel dywed hi, y mae sefydliadau ymgyrchu wedi cymryd cyngor cyfreithiol yn ei gylch. Yn amlwg, mae Gweinidogion wedi cymryd cyngor cyfreithiol ynglŷn â hyn hefydd. Mae hi'n ymwybodol hefyd nad yw hi'n arferol i unrhyw Lywodraeth gyhoeddi cyngor o'r fath, oherwydd, fel dywed hi ei hun, tasg i'r Senedd yw dal Gweinidogion i gyfrif, ac nid i'w cyfreithwyr nhw.

15:35

Diolch, Weinidog, am y datganiad heddiw. Yn sicr, o ran Plaid Cymru, hawliau plant sy'n ganolog i bopeth, ac yn sicr, o ran diogelu plant hefyd, mae hi'n eithriadol o bwysig ein bod ni'n pwysleisio hynny. Yn amlwg, mae yna hawl gan rieni, ac mae nifer yn gwneud hynny, ond mae hawliau plant yn gorfod bod yn ganolog i holl bolisïau Llywodraeth Cymru, ac fe fyddwn i'n cefnogi hynny o ran yr ymagwedd honno.

Ond hefyd, mae gen i gwestiynau, a dwi'n meddwl ei bod hi'n bwysig ein bod ni'n cydnabod faint o bryder sydd yn y gymuned sydd wedi dewis addysgu eu plant gartref ar y funud, yn ôl y drafodaeth hon, a bod angen, dwi'n credu, adeiladu pontydd efo'r gymuned honno, oherwydd mae yna bryderon mawr. Mae yna syniad fan hyn eu bod nhw'n meddwl eu bod nhw'n cael eu herlyn, bod y Llywodraeth yn meddwl bod plant ddim yn ddiogel os mai dyma'r dewis, a dyna'r math o argraff sydd wedi ei roi. Hefyd, yn ôl y llu o e-byst ac ati dwi wedi eu derbyn, mae'n amlwg bod pobl yn teimlo bod yr ymgynghoriad heb fod yn ddigonol o ran eu cynnwys nhw, ac fe fyddwn i yn gofyn, wrth i'r peilota ac ati fynd rhagddo, fod yr adeiladu pontydd yna efo'r gymuned yn eithriadol o bwysig, oherwydd nhw fydd efo'r profiad er mwyn gallu helpu i siapio hyn, a dwi'n credu bod yn rhaid i hynny ddigwydd.

Ac fel pob un ohonom ni, rydyn ni'n gwybod hefyd fod yr ysgol ddim yn addas i bawb. Mae'n rhaid i ni hefyd ddeall pam bod yna gymaint o dwf wedi bod yn ddiweddar o ran pobl yn gwneud y dewis i addysgu o gartref, a dwi'n dal ddim yn sicr ein bod ni'n deall hynny. Un o'r pethau sy'n fy mhryderu i'n fawr yn bersonol ydy faint o rieni sydd wedi dod ataf i oherwydd bod eu plant nhw efo anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, neu'n dioddef o orbryder ac ati, ac yn methu cael at y gwasanaethau angenrheidiol; faint sy'n dweud, 'Doedd gen i ddim dewis ond dechrau addysgu fy mhlentyn o adref'; nifer, a'r mwyafrif yn ferched, wedi gorfod rhoi'r gorau i weithio er mwyn gallu gwneud hyn, ac yn creu straen ariannol aruthrol ar aelwydydd hefyd—hynny oherwydd bod y system addysg wedi bod yn ddiffygiol o ran medru rhoi'r gefnogaeth i'r plentyn neu'r person ifanc hwnnw. A dwi'n meddwl bod yn rhaid i ni edrych o ran sut ydym ni'n sicrhau, felly, yn yr amgylchiadau hynny—. Mae hi'n mynd i fod yn eithriadol o heriol os ydy plentyn wedi bod yn gwrthod mynd i'r ysgol, os ydyn nhw ddim wedi bod yn cael y gefnogaeth.

Sut felly bydd cyfarfodydd un i un fel hyn—ac efallai un cyfarfod—sut fydd hynny wedyn o ran y plentyn neu'r person ifanc hwnnw? A dwi'n meddwl dyna lle fyddwn i'n hoffi mwy o eglurder o ran y dehongliad hwn o ran sut bydd yr asesiad hwnnw'n digwydd. Mae o'n bryder o ran capasiti, yn enwedig o feddwl ein bod ni wedi gweld cynnydd o ran nifer y bobl sy'n cael eu haddysgu o gartref. Sut ydyn ni yn mynd i sicrhau bod y math yna o gyfarfodydd yn rhai adeiladol, yn enwedig efo plant neu bobl ifanc efo anghenion dysgu ychwanegol dwys, er enghraifft? Mae'n mynd i fod yn anodd iawn asesu mewn un cyfarfod beth ydy addysg addas ac ati, ac mae o'n cymryd sgiliau.

Rydyn ni hefyd yn gwybod am y broblem recriwtio sydd yna mewn awdurdodau lleol mewn nifer o swyddi allweddol fel hyn. A dwi'n meddwl mai un o'r pethau y byddwn i yn hoffi eglurder arno ydy sut ydyn ni yn mynd i fynd rhagddo os ydy'r gweithlu ddim yna. Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod yna ddiffyg o ran athrawon yn ein hysgolion ni, diffyg athrawon anghenion dysgu ychwanegol ac ati, felly sut ydyn ni'n mynd i sicrhau bod pobl efo'r sgiliau yn y swyddi allweddol bwysig yma, fel eu bod nhw'n gwneud yr hyn rydych chi eisiau iddyn nhw fod yn ei wneud? Mae'n bryder gen i o ran hynny.

Mae hefyd y risg o gamddehongli neu'r amrywiadau o ran sut mae'r canllawiau yn cael eu dehongli. Fedrwch chi egluro—? Rydych chi wedi sôn am dreialu efo'r gronfa ddata ac ati a monitro gwerthuso. Ydy hynna'n mynd i fod yn rhywbeth Cymru gyfan? Neu ai'r bwriad ydy gweithio gyda rhai awdurdodau lleol penodol i ddechrau i weld sut mae hynny'n gweithio? Ac a allwch chi roi bach o wybodaeth ychwanegol, os gwelwch yn dda, o ran sut ydych chi'n bwriadu gweithio efo rhieni a phlant a phobl ifanc er mwyn sicrhau bod hon yn system sy'n gweithio i bawb, yn gwneud yr hyn rydych chi eisiau iddi gyflawni o ran sicrhau hawliau plant at addysg a bod diogelu plant yn rhan bwysig o hynny, ond hefyd yn parchu'r rhieni hynny sydd yn gwneud eu gorau glas dros eu plant, sy'n caru eu plant ac yn gwneud y dewis hwn, oherwydd un ai dydyn nhw ddim yn gallu cael y gefnogaeth yn yr ysgol neu dyma'r dewis sydd orau i'r plentyn neu'r person ifanc yna? Mae'n mynd i fod yn heriol cael y balans hwnnw, ond dwi'n meddwl bod cydweithio efo'r gymuned yn mynd i fod yn allweddol bwysig, a dwi'n ofni rŵan bod yna elyniaethu'n digwydd, a bod yn rhaid i ni ddod â'r Llywodraeth a'r gymuned hon at ei gilydd er mwyn i ni allu symud rhagddo.

Thank you, Minister, for this afternoon's statement. Certainly, from a Plaid Cymru perspective, it's children's rights that are at the heart of everything, and certainly, in terms of safeguarding children too, it's extremely important that we emphasise that. Clearly, parents do have a right, and many use that right, but the rights of children must be at the heart of all Welsh Government policy, and I would support that approach.

But I do also have some questions, and I do think it's important that we acknowledge how much concern there is in the community that has chosen to home educate at present, according to this discussion, and I think we need to bridge build with that community, because there are grave concerns. There is a perception here that they think that they are being persecuted, that the Government does think that the children are unsafe if this is the choice, and this is the impression that's been given. Also, through the whole host of e-mails and so on that I've received, it's clear that people think that the consultation was inadequate in terms of including them, and I would request, as the pilots and so on take place, that there is that bridge building with the community, because they will have the experience in order to shape and tailor this, and I do think that that has to happen.

And like each and every one of us, we also know that school isn't appropriate for everyone. We must also understand why there's been such great growth recently in people making the choice to home educate, and I'm still not certain that we fully understand that. One of the things that concerns me very greatly personally is the number of parents that have come to me because their children have additional learning needs, or suffer anxiety, and so on, and can't access the necessary services; how many say, 'I had no choice but to start home educating my child'; many, and most of them women, having had to stop working in order to do this, which creates huge financial pressures on households too—this because the education system has been deficient in being able to provide the necessary support to that child or young person. And I do think that we have to look at how we ensure, therefore, in those circumstances—. It will be extremely challenging if a child has been refusing to go to school, if they haven't been receiving the necessary support.

How, therefore, will one-to-one meetings such as this—a single meeting perhaps—how will that work for that child or young person? And I think that's where I'd seek more clarity in terms of this interpretation as to how that assessment will happen. It is a concern in terms of capacity, particularly given that we have seen an increase in the numbers who are home educated. How are we going to ensure that those kinds of meetings are constructive, particularly with children and young people with severe additional learning needs, for example? It's going to be very difficult to assess in a single meeting what appropriate education means, and it will take skills. 

We also know of the recruitment problem that exists in local authorities in a number of key posts such as these. And I think one of the things that I want some clarity on is how are we going to proceed if the workforce isn't in place. We know that there is a shortage of teachers in our schools, a shortage of additional learning needs teachers and so on, so how will we ensure that people who have the necessary skills are in these crucial roles, so that they do what you want them to do? It is a concern of mine. 

There is also a risk of misinterpreting or there being variations in how the guidance is interpreted. Can you explain—? You've mentioned trialling the database and so on and monitoring and evaluation. Is that going to be an all-Wales approach? Or is it the intention to work with some specific local authorities first to see how that works? And can you provide us with some additional information as to how you intend to work with parents, children and young people in order to ensure that this is a system that works for everyone, and achieves what you want to achieve in terms of securing children's rights to education, and that child safeguarding is a central part of that, but also respects those parents who are doing their very best for their children, who love their children and make this choice either because they can't get the necessary support in school or because this is the choice that is best for that child or young person? It's going to be challenging to strike that balance, but I do think it's collaboration with the community that's going to be crucially important, and I'm fearful now that there is some alienation occurring, and we need to bring the Government and the community together to make progress. 

15:40

Diolch am y cwestiynau. Mae cwestiynau pwysig ynghlwm â beth mae'r Aelod newydd ofyn. Felly, o ran diogelu, jest i fod yn gwbl glir: dwi erioed wedi awgrymu, oherwydd does dim tystiolaeth i awgrymu, fod plentyn sy'n cael ei addysgu adref mewn fwy o risg o ran diogelwch na phlentyn sydd yn yr ysgol. Ond, fel unrhyw blentyn, mae amgylchiadau—. Mae'n rhaid cael cysylltiad â'r system i sicrhau bod addysg y plentyn yn ddigonol. Mae hynny'n gwestiwn cwbl wahanol i'r cwestiwn o ddiogelwch.

O ran adeiladu pontydd, wel, mae trafodaethau eang wedi bod yn arwain at le rydym ni heddiw. Nawr, dwi, wrth gwrs, wedi clywed y feirniadaeth nad yw teuluoedd wastad yn credu bod eu barn nhw wedi cael ei chlywed yn llawn, ond mae siŵr o fod gymaint o—. Mae barn gan bob person sy'n addysgu adref, wrth gwrs, ac mae hynny'n hollol deilwng. Beth rydym ni wedi ei wneud, fel Llywodraeth—. Yn cychwyn o 2018, roedd cyfres o gyfarfodydd cenedlaethol, fel bod rhieni sydd yn addysgu yn y cartref yn gallu trafod gyda chynghorau lleol eu hanghenion nhw ac ati. Y pecyn o gymorth wnes i amlinellu yn y datganiad, mae hynny'n seiliedig ar gydweithio â theuluoedd sydd yn addysgu yn y cartref o gyfnod 2018 ymlaen. Mae sianel o gyfathrebu wedi digwydd ers hynny rhwng swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru a chyrff sy'n cynrychioli'r rhieni sy'n addysgu adref. Mi wnes i fy hun gwrdd ag Education Otherwise, yr amser hyn llynedd, i drafod yr hyn a oedd ganddyn nhw mewn golwg. Felly, mae llawer o ymgynghori wedi digwydd yn y ffyrdd hynny, ynghyd â'r ymgynghoriadau swyddogol ar elfennau penodol o ganllawiau a rheoliadau ac ati. Felly, mae'r hyn rydym ni'n sôn amdano heddiw yn gynnyrch y broses sylweddol honno.

Rwy'n gwbl argyhoeddiedig ein bod ni'n mynd i lwyddo yn sicrhau buddiannau pobl ifanc wrth gysylltu rhieni sydd yn addysgu yn y cartref mewn perthnasau da gyda'u cynghorau lleol. Mae enghreifftiau da iawn o hynny'n digwydd ar draws Cymru, ac yn gynyddol yn digwydd ar sail yr £1.7 miliwn ni'n darparu bob blwyddyn—yr unig ran o'r Deyrnas Gyfunol sy'n gwneud hyn, gyda llaw—i gefnogi rhieni sy'n addysgu yn y cartref. Mae'r berthynas honno—perthynas o gefnogaeth—yn un bwysig er mwyn sicrhau buddiannau ein pobl ifanc ni sy’n cael eu haddysgu yn y cartref.

O ran y cynnydd yn y rhifau, mae cynnydd sylweddol wedi bod, a dwi’n cytuno gyda’r Aelod ei bod hi’n bwysig ein bod ni’n deall pam mae hynny’n digwydd. Gwnes i sôn yn y datganiad am y gwaith rŷn ni'n ei wneud gyda Data Cymru, ac mae rhan o’r gwaith hwnnw, gobeithio, yn mynd i’n galluogi ni i ddeall y rhesymau pam mae pobl yn dewis addysgu plant yn y cartref. Bydd hynny’n dweud llawer o bethau pwysig wrthym ni, dwi'n credu.

Gwnaeth yr Aelod ofyn amryw gwestiynau yng nghyd-destun y cyfarfodydd un wrth un. Pwrpas rhain yw sicrhau bod awdurdodau lleol yn deall a yw addysg y plentyn yn addas ac yn ddigonol. Rwy’n cytuno nad y ffordd orau o wneud hynny yw ar sail un cyfarfod, wrth gwrs. Y ffordd orau o wneud hynny yw ar sail perthynas, ond dwi’n cwestiynu yn sylfaenol a yw’n bosibl gwneud hynny heb gyfarfod o gwbl. Ac yn y cyfarfod hwnnw, mae’n gyfle i'r plentyn ifanc sôn am eu dyheadau nhw, a'u profiad nhw o gael eu haddysgu yn y cartref. Mae’n gyfle i’r rhieni neu’r gofalydd allu hefyd esbonio’r feddylfryd tu cefn i'r penderfyniad, a beth maen nhw’n addysgu—i rannu enghreifftiau o bethau sydd wedi’u cwblhau, pethau sydd ddim wedi’u cwblhau, o’r gwaith sydd yn digwydd, fel ei bod hi'n bosib cael trafodaeth agored a, byddwn i’n gobeithio, cadarnhaol ynglŷn â’r math o addysg sy’n cael ei ddarparu, a'i bod hi'n bosib hefyd i bwyntio’r rhiant tuag at adnoddau sydd ar gael i gefnogi’r gwaith o addysgu yn y cartref.

Yn olaf, gwnaeth yr Aelod ofyn dau gwestiwn penodol ynglŷn â’r gwerthuso a’r peilot. O ran y peilot, dŷn ni ddim yn bwriadu peilota ar sail Cymru gyfan. Byddwn ni’n cydweithio gyda rhai awdurdodau lleol i edrych ar sut mae hyn yn gallu gweithio ar lawr gwlad, a dysgu o hynny. Ac wedyn gwnaeth hi ofyn a fydd llais teuluoedd sy’n addysgu yn y cartref yn cael ei glywed, os hoffech chi, fel rhan o’r broses o werthuso. Mae’r gwaith y gwnes i sôn amdano fe, a fydd yn cychwyn dros yr haf flwyddyn nesaf, yn caniatáu blwyddyn o waith, fel bod cynghorau yn gallu profi effeithlonrwydd y canllawiau. Bydd ymateb teuluoedd i sut mae hynny’n digwydd yn rhan greiddiol o beth byddwn ni eisiau ei glywed, fel ein bod ni’n clywed oddi wrthyn nhw a yw’r canllawiau yn gweithio, hefyd.

Thank you for the questions. There are important issues raised in what the Member has just asked. In terms of safeguarding, just to be entirely clear: I have never suggested, because there is no evidence to suggest, that a child who's taught at home is at greater risk in terms of safeguarding as compared to a child taught in school. But, like any child, there are circumstances—. There has to be a connection with the system to ensure that the education of the child is adequate. That's an entirely different question to one of safety and safeguarding.

In terms of building bridges, well, there have been wide-ranging discussions leading up to where we are now. Of course, I've heard the criticism that families don't always feel that their opinions have been listened to in full, but there are probably as many—. Every single person who educates at home has a view, of course, and that's as it should be. But what we're trying to do, as a Government—. Starting from 2018, we had a series of national meetings, so that parents who teach at home could discuss with local authorities their needs and so on. The package of support that I outlined in the statement, that is based on collaboration with families who educate at home since 2018 onwards. There's been a channel of communication since then between Welsh Government officials and bodies representing those parents who educate at home. I, myself, met with Education Otherwise, this time last year, to discuss what they had in mind. So, there's been a great deal of consultation that's taken place in that way, as well as the formal consultations on the specific elements of regulations and guidance. So, what we are discussing today is the product of that of that substantial process. 

I'm convinced that we're going to succeed in ensuring the interests and well-being of young people by ensuring that those parents who educate at home have a good relationship with their local authorities. There are very good examples of that across Wales, and that's increasingly taking place as a result of the £1.7 million that we provide every year—and we're the only part of the UK to do so, by the way—to support those parents who educate at home. That relationship—a relationship of support—is very important to ensure the best possible outcomes for those young people who are educated at home.

In terms of the increase in the numbers, there’s been a significant increase, and I do agree with the Member that it’s important that we understand why that is. I’ve talked about the work that we’ve done with Data Cymru, and hopefully part of that work will enable us to understand the reasons why people choose to educate their children at home. I think that information will tell us a great many important things.

The Member asked questions about the one-to-one meetings. The purpose of those is to ensure that local authorities understand whether the education provided to a child is suitable and adequate. I agree that one meeting isn’t the best way to do that. The development of a relationship is the best way, but I would question whether it’s possible to do that without a meeting at all. In that meeting, it’s an opportunity for the child to talk about their aspirations, the experience of being educated at home. It might be an opportunity for the parent or the carer to explain their vision and the thinking behind the decision, and what they are teaching—to share examples about work that has been completed, work that has yet to be completed, so that it’s possible to have an open discussion, I would hope, and hopefully a positive discussion, about the kind of education that is being provided. It’s also possible to point the parent or carer towards resources that might support their work of educating at home.

Finally, the Member asked two specific questions about the evaluation and the pilot. In terms of the pilot, we don’t intend to pilot on an all-Wales basis. We will be collaborating with some local authorities to look at how this can work on the ground, and then learn from that. She asked whether the voice of families who educate at home will be heard, if you will, as part of the process of evaluating. The work that I mentioned that will take place over the summer of next year will allow a year of work, so that councils can test the effectiveness of the guidance, and families’ responses to how that happens will be a core part of the information that we want to gather, so that we hear from them whether the guidance works.

15:45

The United Kingdom is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which includes the right to an education, so I’m surprised at Laura Anne Jones’s rather cavalier approach to this. But I also acknowledge what Laura Anne Jones is saying, that trauma in the school system can lead to parents withdrawing their child because the school simply hasn’t adapted to the particular needs that an individual child may have, to adapt their education processes to ensure that each child is seen as somebody who needs to be educated. All schools need to be trauma informed and capable of doing this.

We need to ensure that there are effective anti-bullying strategies, rights and respect policies for people’s sexualities, their race, their disability, to ensure that we are not chasing children out of school because it’s inconvenient. So, I welcome the guidance that you’ve offered, because the child has a right to an education, even if being educated at home is right for that child. I know lots of children who are very successfully home educated.

Mae'r Deyrnas Unedig wedi arwyddo Confensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn, sy'n cynnwys yr hawl i gael addysg, ac felly rwy'n synnu at ymagwedd braidd yn ddi-hid Laura Anne Jones tuag at sicrhau hyn. Ond rwy'n cydnabod hefyd yr hyn y mae Laura Anne Jones yn ei ddweud, sef y gall trawma yn y system ysgolion arwain at rieni yn tynnu eu plentyn yn ôl oherwydd nad yw'r ysgol wedi addasu i'r anghenion penodol a allai fod gan blentyn unigol, o ran addasu ei phrosesau addysgol i sicrhau bod pob plentyn yn cael ei ystyried yn rhywun y mae angen ei addysgu. Mae angen i bob ysgol fod yn ymwybodol o drawma a gallu gwneud hyn.

Mae angen i ni sicrhau fod yna strategaethau, hawliau a pholisïau parch a gwrth-fwlio effeithiol ar gyfer rhywioldeb pobl, eu hil, eu hanabledd, er mwyn sicrhau nad ydym ni'n hel plant o'r ysgol oherwydd bod hynny'n anghyfleus. Felly, rwy'n croesawu'r canllawiau y gwnaethoch chi eu cynnig, oherwydd mae gan y plentyn hawl i gael addysg, hyd yn oed os yw addysgu yn y cartref yn briodol i'r plentyn hwnnw. Rwy'n gwybod bod llawer o blant yn cael eu haddysgu yn llwyddiannus iawn yn y cartref.

I want to know how you will safeguard those who are withdrawn from school in order to be exploited, because modern slavery is something that's on the rise, and I know people like Joyce are concerned about that, and we can't assume that it will exclude children. So how will we ensure that somebody isn't being withdrawn from school for the wrong reasons, as opposed to the particular needs that they feel can't be met in a busy school?

Fe hoffwn i wybod sut yr ydych chi am ddiogelu'r rhai sy'n cael eu tynnu o'r ysgol er mwyn camfanteisio arnyn nhw, oherwydd mae caethwasiaeth fodern yn rhywbeth sydd ar gynnydd, ac rwy'n gwybod bod pobl fel Joyce yn ofidus iawn ynglŷn â hynny, ac ni allwn ni gymryd yn ganiataol na fydd plant yn dioddef hynny. Felly sut ydym ni am sicrhau nad yw rhywun yn cael ei dynnu o'r ysgol am resymau amhriodol, yn hytrach na'r anghenion arbennig y teimlir na ellir eu diwallu nhw mewn ysgol brysur?

I think I'll start with what Jenny Rathbone opened with, which is that, for some, the decision to home educate is not a positive choice—it's the consequence of an experience that they would say hasn't best served their children. I obviously recognise that that can and does happen. 

I just want to be very clear: on no account should a parent be encouraged to remove their child from the school register to avoid an exclusion process or any other regulatory process. That would be entirely inappropriate. A school should never be encouraging a parent to home educate for that reason. On the other hand, we need to make sure that schools are able to then meet the needs of those young people who sometimes are being withdrawn from school.

The reforms in relation to additional learning needs are intended to deliver on parts of that. The new approach that we have to mental health and well-being as part of the whole-school approach is intended to address some of those questions. The new guidance that we are issuing in relation to attendance and behaviour, which is out for consultation as of this week, addresses a number of those approaches that schools ought to be putting in place to support the needs of individual learners.

Of course, where there are continuing needs, if a child has additional learning needs, that child is still entitled to an individual development plan and the local authority is still required to deliver that and to make sure that provision to meet those needs is made available, either by the parents—and that may include providing additional training to enable them to do that—or by providing that themselves, by supporting the family at home. In some cases, that might require specialist placement, but there is a range of ways in which that is an ongoing relationship.

She makes a very important point about safeguarding, and there are a number of examples that we know of where there have been very serious issues, including the loss of life. The proposals that we are putting forward today are specifically there in order to make sure that the education of that child is suitable. The reason that I have been so clear about the need to meet and see the child is because I don't think that it's possible to conclude that effectively without hearing the voice of the child. I will just echo the point that she started with, which I agree fundamentally with: the entire purpose of this set of reforms is to give life and meaning to our commitment as a Government to the rights of the child—to hear that child's voice as part of those arrangements. I completely agree with her about that.

Rwy'n credu fy mod i am ddechrau gyda'r hyn y gwnaeth Jenny Rathbone ddechrau ag ef, sef nad yw'r penderfyniad i addysgu yn y gartref, gan rai, yn ddewis adeiladol—mae hwnnw'n deillio o brofiad y bydden nhw'n dweud nad oedd er lles mwyaf eu plant. Yn amlwg, rwy'n cydnabod y gall hynny ddigwydd a'i fod yn digwydd.

Fe hoffwn i fod yn eglur iawn: ni ddylid annog rhiant i dynnu plentyn oddi ar gofrestr ysgol ar gyfer osgoi proses eithrio neu unrhyw broses reoleiddio arall. Fe fyddai hynny'n gwbl amhriodol. Ni ddylai ysgol fyth fod yn annog rhiant i addysgu yn y cartref am reswm fel hwn. Ar y llaw arall, mae angen i ni sicrhau bod ysgolion yn gallu diwallu anghenion y bobl ifanc hynny sy'n cael eu tynnu o'r ysgol o bryd i'w gilydd.

Bwriad y diwygiadau o ran anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yw cyflawni hynny i ryw raddau. Bwriad yr ymagwedd newydd sydd gennym ni tuag at iechyd meddwl a llesiant yn rhan o ddull ysgol gyfan yw mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r cwestiynau hynny. Mae'r canllawiau newydd yr ydym ni'n eu cyhoeddi o ran presenoldeb ac ymddygiad, sydd allan i ymgynghoriad o'r wythnos hon ymlaen, yn mynd i'r afael â nifer o'r dulliau hynny y dylai ysgolion fod yn eu rhoi nhw ar waith i gefnogi anghenion dysgwyr unigol.

Wrth gwrs, lle ceir anghenion parhaus, os oes gan blentyn anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, fe fydd y plentyn hwnnw yn parhau i fod â'r hawl i gael cynllun datblygu unigol ar ei gyfer ac mae hi'n parhau i fod yn ofynnol i'r awdurdod lleol gyflawni hynny a sicrhau bod darpariaeth i ddiwallu'r anghenion hynny ar gael, naill ai gan y rhieni—ac fe all hynny gynnwys darpariaeth o hyfforddiant ychwanegol i'w galluogi nhw i wneud hynny—neu drwy ddarparu hynny eu hunain, gan gefnogi'r teulu ar yr aelwyd. Mewn rhai achosion, efallai y bydd angen lleoliad arbenigol ar gyfer hynny, ond fe geir amrywiaeth o ffyrdd i allu cynnal y berthynas honno'n barhaus.

Mae hi'n gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn ynglŷn â diogelu, ac mae yna nifer o enghreifftiau yr ydym ni'n gwybod amdanyn nhw lle bu problemau difrifol iawn, gan gynnwys colli bywyd. Mae'r cynigion hyn yr ydym ni'n eu cyflwyno heddiw yn eu lle yn benodol i sicrhau bod addysg y plentyn hwnnw'n addas. Y rheswm yr wyf i wedi bod mor eglur ynglŷn â'r angen i gwrdd a gweld y plentyn yw oherwydd nad wyf i'n credu ei bod yn bosibl i gyflawni hynny'n effeithiol heb glywed llais y plentyn. Rwyf innau am adleisio'r pwynt y dechreuodd hi gydag ef, yr wyf i'n cytuno yn gyfan gwbl ag ef: holl bwrpas y gyfres hon o ddiwygiadau yw rhoi bywyd ac ystyr i'n hymrwymiad ni yn y Llywodraeth i hawliau'r plentyn—i glywed llais y plentyn hwnnw yn rhan o'r trefniadau hynny. Rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â hi ynglŷn â hynny.

15:50

Thank you, Minister, for your statement. As you know, I take a particular interest in this field as I was home educated myself for a number of years as a child. The important points that I wanted to raise have already been raised here today, around parental choice and what is deemed as suitable home education. 

On the parental choice piece, which you responded to Laura Anne Jones on a few moments ago, just to be clear, it's not just about whether parents can choose whether to home educate their children or not. It's important that parental choice includes the type of education that children receive when they are home educated. I would be interested in your response to that.

Of course, the point of home education often is to avoid what some see as that straitjacket of mainstream education. Suitable home education, however you would try to define that, can look very different from one family to the next. One size does not fit all. And I must say, Minister, that there is a risk that the Welsh Government's starting point with home education can be seen as one of suspicion and questioning the motives of parents, rather than trusting them. My expectation of parents is that they choose this route because parents love and care for their children, and they want what is best for their children.

To come to my question, Minister, do you recognise the stance that the Welsh Government is seen to be taking—of suspicion and mistrust? What will you do to reverse this and show that you support parents in the choices that they make?

Diolch i chi, Gweinidog, am eich datganiad. Fel gwyddoch chi, mae gen i ddiddordeb arbennig yn y maes hwn gan fy mod i wedi cael fy addysgu yn fy nghartref am nifer o flynyddoedd pan oeddwn i'n blentyn. Mae'r pwyntiau pwysig yr oeddwn i'n awyddus i'w codi wedi cael eu codi yma heddiw eisoes, ynghylch dewis y rhieni a'r hyn sy'n cael ei ystyried yn addysg addas yn y cartref. 

O ran mater dewis y rhieni, y gwnaeth Laura Anne Jones ymateb iddo ychydig funudau nôl, dim ond i fod yn eglur, nid ystyr hynny yw dewis y rhieni i addysgu eu plant gartref neu beidio. Mae hi'n bwysig fod dewis y rhieni yn golygu'r math o addysg y mae plant yn ei gael pan fyddan nhw'n cael eu haddysgu gartref. Fe fyddai gen i ddiddordeb yn eich ymateb chi i hynny.

Wrth gwrs, pwrpas addysg yn y cartref yn aml yw osgoi'r hyn y mae rhai yn ei ystyried yn gaethwasgod addysg brif ffrwd. Gall addysg addas yn y cartref, sut bynnag y byddech chi'n ceisio diffinio hynny, amrywio llawer iawn wrth gymharu un teulu â theulu arall. Nid yw un maint yn addas i bawb. Ac mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, Gweinidog, fod perygl y gellir ystyried man cychwyn Llywodraeth Cymru gydag addysg yn y cartref yn un sy'n bwrw amheuaeth ar gymhellion y rhieni, yn hytrach na'i fod yn dangos ymddiriedaeth ynddyn nhw. Yr hyn yr wyf i'n ei ddisgwyl gan rieni sy'n dewis y llwybr hwn yw eu bod nhw'n rhieni sy'n caru ac yn gofalu am eu plant, ac maen nhw'n dymuno'r hyn sydd orau i'w plant.

Gan ddod at fy nghwestiwn i, Gweinidog, a ydych chi'n cydnabod y safbwynt y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymddangos ei bod yn ei gymryd—sef amheuaeth a drwgdybiaeth? Beth fyddwch chi'n ei wneud i wyrdroi hyn a dangos eich bod chi'n cefnogi rhieni yn y dewisiadau y maen nhw'n eu gwneud?

I don't think the point that the Member makes reflects in any way at all the Welsh Government's view. He's entitled to make the point, as Laura Anne Jones made it, but it's absolutely not remotely the Government's view. I don't think that I can be any plainer than that. 

We issue the guidance to clarify and support the relationship between local authorities and families who choose to home educate, recognising that there is a parental choice that can be made to do that. It can be made for a range of reasons. He referred to one of them, which is a different approach to education—a view that the Curriculum for Wales is not what some parents will wish their children to be taught.

I'm obviously a very strong advocate for that, and I don't accept that it's a straitjacket. I think, in many ways, it provides much greater flexibility and enables schools to tailor the education experience much more closely to the needs, experiences and community of the young person than the old national curriculum. I think that's a very big step forward. I think there's real potential, actually, in making sure that the relationship between the school and parents who home educate can reflect the fact that the curriculum provides much more flexibility.

I spoke in my response to earlier questions about the training that we provide to ensure that local education authorities recognise and understand different approaches to educational philosophies. I think that's at odds with the Member's assumption that we have a rigid view. We recognise that parents who choose to home educate do that for a range of different reasons in relation to their view of education.

Most fundamentally, I have set out here a package of support that we make available as a Government through local authorities to home-educating parents. I don't think there's anything like that in any other part of UK, certainly not matched by the funding that we provide to it. Because I recognise, as I mentioned in my response to Heledd Fychan's question, that the best way of ensuring the well-being and the educational attainment of those young people is by having a good relationship with the local authority and the very wide range of other educational and related resources that we make available. I have listed a number of ways, in addition to the statutory rights that children have in this context, that we want to continue to support parents who are home educating—so, access to educational resources, access to Welsh language support, access to additional book loans, access to Cadw sites. Those are all ways of enriching that experience and providing additional support to those families.

Nid wyf i o'r farn fod y pwynt a wna'r Aelod yn adlewyrchu safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru mewn unrhyw fodd. Mae ganddo ef hawl i wneud y pwynt, fel gwnaeth Laura Anne Jones, ond nid honno yw barn y Llywodraeth o bell ffordd. Nid wyf i'n credu y gallwn i fod yn fwy plaen na hynny.

Rydym ni'n cyhoeddi'r canllawiau ar gyfer egluro a chefnogi'r berthynas rhwng awdurdodau lleol a theuluoedd sy'n dewis addysgu yn y cartref, gan gydnabod bod gallu gan rieni i ddewis gwneud hynny. Gellir gwneud hynny am nifer o resymau. Fe gyfeiriodd ef at un ohonyn nhw, sy'n ymagwedd wahanol o ymdrin ag addysg—y farn nad yw Cwricwlwm Cymru'r hyn y byddai rhai rhieni yn ei ddymuno ar gyfer bod yn gyfrwng addysg i'w plant.

Rwyf i'n amlwg yn eiriolwr cryf iawn dros hwnnw, ac nid wyf i'n derbyn mai caethwasgod ydyw. Rwy'n credu, mewn sawl ffordd, ei fod yn darparu llawer mwy o hyblygrwydd ac yn galluogi ysgolion i deilwra'r profiad o addysg yn llawer nes at anghenion, profiadau a chymdeithas yr unigolyn ifanc na'r hen gwricwlwm cenedlaethol. Rwy'n credu bod hwn yn gam mawr ymlaen. Rwy'n credu bod potensial gwirioneddol ynddo, mewn gwirionedd, o ran sicrhau bod y berthynas rhwng yr ysgol a rhieni sy'n addysgu yn y cartref yn gallu adlewyrchu'r ffaith fod y cwricwlwm yn cynnig llawer iawn mwy o hyblygrwydd.

Roeddwn i'n sôn yn fy ymateb i gwestiynau cynharach am yr hyfforddiant yr ydym ni'n ei ddarparu i sicrhau bod awdurdodau addysg lleol yn cydnabod ac yn deall gwahanol ddulliau o ymdrin ag athroniaethau addysgol. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n groes i dybiaeth yr Aelod mai barn haearnaidd sydd gennym ni. Rydym ni'n cydnabod bod rhieni sy'n dewis addysgu yn y cartref yn gwneud hynny am amrywiaeth o wahanol resymau o ran eu barn nhw ynglŷn ag addysg.

Yn fwyaf sylfaenol, rwyf i wedi nodi nawr becyn cymorth yr ydym ni'n ei ddarparu yn y Llywodraeth drwy gyfrwng yr awdurdodau lleol i rieni sy'n addysgu yn y cartref. Nid wyf i'n credu bod unrhyw beth tebyg i'w gael mewn unrhyw ran arall o'r DU, yn sicr nid â'r cyllid yr ydym ni'n ei roi ar ei gyfer. Gan fy mod i'n cydnabod, fel soniais i yn fy ymateb i gwestiwn Heledd Fychan, mai'r ffordd orau o sicrhau llesiant a chyrhaeddiad addysgol y bobl ifanc hynny yw drwy fod â pherthynas dda gyda'r awdurdod lleol a'r ystod eang iawn o adnoddau addysgol a chysylltiedig eraill yr ydym ni'n eu darparu. Rwyf i wedi rhestru nifer o ffyrdd, yn ogystal â'r hawliau statudol sydd gan blant yn y cyd-destun hwn, yr ydym ni am barhau i gefnogi rhieni sy'n addysgu yn y cartref—felly, gallu cael gafael ar adnoddau addysgol, gallu cael cymorth gyda'r Gymraeg, gallu benthyg llyfrau ychwanegol, mynediad i safleoedd Cadw. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn ffyrdd o gyfoethogi'r profiad hwnnw ac estyn cefnogaeth ychwanegol i'r teuluoedd hynny.

15:55

Diolch, Minister. I'd like to welcome today's statement. I know this has been anticipated by many for a long time, and it's good to have the opportunity for this to be discussed in the Senedd today. This is very much a children's rights issue. The Children, Young People and Education Committee has received a number of pieces of correspondence from across Wales about the new guidance, and I know that the committee will be considering these at its next meeting next week. The committee will also be considering that in the context of what has been said during the statement today. I'm sure you're aware that there has been some anxiety from some home educators on this issue, so the extra detail and statutory guidance are most welcome. Can the Minister outline the discussions he has had with home educators throughout this process, including further information about the core offer of support from the Welsh Government? Can he assure me and others that dialogue will continue and that, above all, children and young people and their rights are the forefront of these changes?

Diolch, Gweinidog. Hoffwn groesawu'r datganiad heddiw. Rwy'n gwybod bod llawer wedi rhagweld hyn ers amser maith, ac mae'n dda cael cyfle i drafod hyn yn y Senedd heddiw. Mae hwn yn fater hawliau plant yn sicr. Mae'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg wedi cael nifer o ddarnau o ohebiaeth o bob cwr o Gymru am y canllawiau newydd, a gwn y bydd y pwyllgor yn ystyried y rhain yn ei gyfarfod nesaf yr wythnos nesaf. Bydd y pwyllgor hefyd yn ystyried hynny yng nghyd-destun yr hyn a ddywedwyd yn ystod y datganiad heddiw. Rwy'n siŵr eich bod yn ymwybodol y bu rhywfaint o bryder gan rai addysgwyr yn y cartref ynghylch y mater hwn, felly mae croeso mawr i'r manylion ychwanegol a'r canllawiau statudol. A all y Gweinidog amlinellu'r trafodaethau y mae wedi'u cael gydag addysgwyr yn y cartref drwy gydol y broses hon, gan gynnwys rhagor o wybodaeth am y cynnig craidd o gymorth gan Lywodraeth Cymru? A all roi sicrwydd i mi ac eraill y bydd deialog yn parhau ac, yn anad dim, bod plant a phobl ifanc a'u hawliau yn flaenllaw yn y newidiadau hyn?

I'm very happy to give that assurance. Children's rights are absolutely the entire motivating purpose of the guidance that we've put forward today. Echoing the point that Jenny Rathbone made, it's a matter of making sure that children's rights are respected and that their right to a suitable education, above all else, is supported and assured.

The Member asks about engagement. In 2018, we commissioned a national meeting for elective home educators and local authority representatives, and that then enabled discussions right across Wales about the experiences of home-educating families and their views on the type of support they'd find helpful. That was built on in the formal consultations, both in 2019 and 2020, on the statutory guidance, on the home education handbook and on the database regulations. Obviously, all those three consultations have been considered, collated and reflected. We've published a summary, we've published a response to what we have heard.

There was then a pause, naturally, during the pandemic. Work then restarted in September 2021. There's been an ongoing dialogue since then between officials and various elective home-educating family representative groups. That's been virtual, some have been in correspondence. I know that officials met with Families First in Education in May of last year, I think. I myself met with Education Otherwise at around that time. There has been an ongoing dialogue. My intention is to continue that, and, as I said in my response to Heledd Fychan, to include the experience of elective home-educating families in our evaluation of how the guidance works.

The package of support, which, as I mentioned in my answer to Sam Rowlands, I think is unrivalled in any other part of the UK, is very much the product of what home-educating families were telling us from 2018 onwards they would find helpful in carrying out their responsibility and indeed discharging their duty to make sure that their young people receive a suitable education.

Rwy'n hapus iawn i roi'r sicrwydd hwnnw. Hawliau plant yn sicr yw holl bwrpas ysgogol y canllawiau yr ydym wedi'u cyflwyno heddiw. Gan adleisio'r pwynt a wnaeth Jenny Rathbone, mae'n fater o sicrhau bod hawliau plant yn cael eu parchu a bod eu hawl i addysg addas, yn anad dim, yn cael ei chefnogi a'i sicrhau.

Mae'r Aelod yn gofyn am ymgysylltiad. Yn 2018, fe wnaethom gomisiynu cyfarfod cenedlaethol ar gyfer pobl sydd wedi dewis addysgu yn y cartref a chynrychiolwyr awdurdodau lleol, ac yna galluogodd hynny drafodaethau ledled Cymru am brofiadau teuluoedd sy'n addysgu yn y cartref a'u barn ar y math o gefnogaeth y bydden nhw'n ei chael yn ddefnyddiol. Ategwyd hynny yn yr ymgynghoriadau ffurfiol, yn 2019 a 2020, ar y canllawiau statudol, ar y llawlyfr addysg yn y cartref ac ar reoliadau'r gronfa ddata. Yn amlwg, mae'r tri ymgynghoriad hynny wedi cael eu hystyried, eu casglu at ei gilydd a'u hadlewyrchu. Rydyn ni wedi cyhoeddi crynodeb, rydyn ni wedi cyhoeddi ymateb i'r hyn rydyn ni wedi'i glywed.

Yna cafwyd saib, yn naturiol, yn ystod y pandemig. Ailddechreuodd y gwaith ym mis Medi 2021. Bu deialog barhaus ers hynny rhwng swyddogion ac amryw o grwpiau sy'n cynrychioli teuluoedd sy'n addysgu yn y cartref. Mae hynny wedi bod yn rhithwir, mae rhywfaint wedi bod mewn gohebiaeth. Rwy'n gwybod bod swyddogion wedi cwrdd â Theuluoedd yn Gyntaf mewn Addysg ym mis Mai y llynedd, rwy'n credu. Cwrddais i ag Education Otherwise tua'r adeg honno. Cafwyd trafodaeth barhaus. Fy mwriad i yw parhau â hynny, ac, fel y dywedais i yn fy ymateb i Heledd Fychan, cynnwys profiad teuluoedd sy'n dewis addysgu yn y cartref yn ein gwerthusiad o sut mae'r canllawiau'n gweithio.

Mae'r pecyn cymorth, sydd, fel y soniais i yn fy ateb i Sam Rowlands, yn fy marn i, heb ei ail mewn unrhyw ran arall o'r DU, yn sicr yn gynnyrch yr hyn yr oedd teuluoedd sy'n addysgu yn y cartref yn ei ddweud wrthym o 2018 ymlaen y bydden nhw'n ei gael yn ddefnyddiol wrth gyflawni eu cyfrifoldeb ac yn wir cyflawni eu dyletswydd i sicrhau bod eu pobl ifanc yn derbyn addysg addas.

16:00

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Minister, the representations that I’ve received from constituents—some of whom are in the public gallery here today—are from home educators who already have a positive relationship with their local authority under the existing non-statutory guidelines and have considered the role of the local authority to be primarily supportive. However, the new guidance in its current form could jeopardise that relationship and could do a disservice to so many home educators who work hard to ensure their children have everything they need to succeed in life. Now, the Welsh Government should be working with these home educators. Instead, local authorities will determine what is a suitable education, can insist on mandatory meetings with the child and parent, and failure to comply could ultimately lead to the child being removed from the family home under a care order.

So, Minister, can you tell us why there is no appeals process within this new guidance, nor is there any requirement for a local authority to ensure that staff are trained, or understand bias, discrimination or protected identities, at the very least? And secondly, can you confirm whether parents and children will legally have to meet with a local authority, and what consequences will there be for home educators who do not attend mandatory meetings with their local authority?

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Gweinidog, mae'r sylwadau yr wyf wedi'u cael gan etholwyr—y mae rhai ohonyn nhw yn yr oriel gyhoeddus yma heddiw—yn rhai sydd wedi cael eu gwneud gan addysgwyr yn y cartref sydd â pherthynas gadarnhaol â'u hawdurdod lleol eisoes o dan y canllawiau anstatudol presennol ac sydd wedi ystyried mai rôl gefnogol sydd gan yr awdurdod lleol yn bennaf. Fodd bynnag, gallai'r canllawiau newydd ar eu ffurf bresennol beryglu'r berthynas honno a gallai wneud anghymwynas â chymaint o addysgwyr yn y cartref sy'n gweithio'n galed i sicrhau bod gan eu plant bopeth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw i lwyddo mewn bywyd. Nawr, dylai Llywodraeth Cymru fod yn gweithio gyda'r addysgwyr hyn. Yn hytrach, awdurdodau lleol fydd yn penderfynu beth yw addysg addas, gallan nhw fynnu bod cyfarfodydd gorfodol yn cael eu cynnal gyda'r plentyn a'r rhiant, a gallai methu â chydymffurfio arwain yn y pen draw at sefyllfa lle gallai'r plentyn gael ei symud o gartref y teulu o dan orchymyn gofal.

Felly, Gweinidog, allwch chi ddweud wrthym pam nad oes proses apelio o fewn y canllawiau newydd hyn, na gofyniad ychwaith i awdurdod lleol sicrhau bod staff yn cael eu hyfforddi, neu'n deall tuedd, gwahaniaethu neu hunaniaethau gwarchodedig, o leiaf? Ac yn ail, allwch chi gadarnhau a fydd yn rhaid i rieni a phlant gwrdd ag awdurdod lleol yn gyfreithiol, a beth fydd y canlyniadau i addysgwyr yn y cartref os na fyddan nhw'n mynychu cyfarfodydd gorfodol gyda'u hawdurdod lleol?

Well, the guidance is very clear on that last point; I was also clear in my statement about that. It’s not mandatory. He referred to it as being mandatory. So, a Gillick-competent child or a parent on behalf of a child—[Interruption.] The guidance is also clear about that, so there’s no question about that. The Member asks about the consequence of that. I’ve been very clear: I think it’s questionable whether a local authority can form a rounded view about whether a child is having a suitable education without meeting with that child a