Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
16/01/2024Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu'r Senedd yn y Siambr a thrwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da, a chroeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Yr eitem gyntaf fydd y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog. Mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Jayne Bryant.
Good afternoon and welcome, all, to this Plenary meeting. The first item will be questions to the First Minister. The first question is from Jayne Bryant.
1. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o effaith Brexit ar Orllewin Casnewydd? OQ60538
1. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of Brexit on Newport West? OQ60538
I thank Jayne Bryant for that question, Llywydd. Leaving the single market has worsened trading conditions with Europe, to the detriment of businesses and consumers across Wales. Newport West is also affected by the UK Government’s failure to replace more than £1 billion of Wales's European Union funding, while Office for Budget Responsibility analysis concludes that leaving the European Union will shrink the UK economy by 4 per cent.
Diolch i Jayne Bryant am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Mae gadael y farchnad sengl wedi gwaethygu amodau masnachu gydag Ewrop, er anfantais i fusnesau a defnyddwyr ledled Cymru. Mae methiant Llywodraeth y DU i roi cyllid i gymryd lle mwy nag £1 biliwn o gyllid yr Undeb Ewropeaidd ar gyfer Cymru yn effeithio ar Orllewin Casnewydd hefyd, ac mae dadansoddiad y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol yn dod i'r casgliad y bydd gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd yn crebachu economi'r DU 4 y cant.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Thank you for those stark figures. We were told that Brexit would result in endless opportunities for frictionless trade and new deals around the world. While some of the promises made by the Vote Leave campaign look good on paper, the reality is now very different for people living in my constituency and across Wales. We've heard this week about supply chain issues causing medicine shortages for people with long-term health conditions, including diabetes, epilepsy and breast cancer. Brexit is affecting imports, and Welsh businesses looking to export their produce today face barriers that simply would not exist if we were part of the EU. And the Tories have broken their manifesto commitment to secure a trade agreement with the US. Failure to reach an agreement on tariff-free access to Canadian markets is especially hampering our cheese exports, an industry I know the First Minister takes a very keen interest in. First Minister, would you agree with me that broken promises around Brexit show yet again how the Tories cannot be trusted, are failing the people of Wales, and how we urgently need a general election?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Diolch am y ffigurau llwm yna. Dywedwyd wrthym ni y byddai Brexit yn arwain at gyfleoedd di-ben-draw ar gyfer masnach ddi-ffrithiant a chytundebau newydd ledled y byd. Er bod rhai o'r addewidion a wnaed gan ymgyrch Vote Leave yn edrych yn dda ar bapur, mae'r realiti bellach yn wahanol iawn i bobl sy'n byw yn fy etholaeth i a ledled Cymru. Rydym ni wedi clywed yr wythnos hon am broblemau cadwyn gyflenwi yn achosi prinder meddyginiaeth i bobl â chyflyrau iechyd hirdymor, gan gynnwys diabetes, epilepsi a chanser y fron. Mae Brexit yn effeithio ar fewnforion, ac mae busnesau yng Nghymru sydd eisiau allforio eu cynnyrch bellach yn wynebu rhwystrau na fydden nhw'n bodoli pe baem ni'n rhan o'r UE. Ac mae'r Torïaid wedi torri eu hymrwymiad maniffesto i sicrhau cytundeb masnach gyda'r Unol Daleithiau. Mae methu â dod i gytundeb ar fynediad di-dariff at farchnadoedd Canada yn amharu'n arbennig ar ein hallforion caws, diwydiant yr wyf i'n gwybod bod y Prif Weinidog yn cymryd diddordeb brwd iawn ynddo. Prif Weinidog, a fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi bod addewidion a dorrwyd ynghylch Brexit yn dangos unwaith eto na ellir ymddiried yn y Torïaid, eu bod nhw'n siomi pobl Cymru, a bod angen etholiad cyffredinol arnom ni ar frys?
Llywydd, Members of the Senedd will remember very vividly the promises that were made here on the floor of the Senedd—how Wales would not be a penny worse off as a result of leaving the European Union. Although, in fact, of course, as we know, we are £1.3 billion worse off, and will be worse off every single year as a result of that broken promise. Jayne Bryant, Llywydd, referred to frictionless trade, and, of course, she is right that, in that Canadian case—. Do you remember the days when Liam Fox used to go round telling us that these would be the easiest trade deals you've ever seen, how we would strike them round the world? Well, here we are, with a Canadian trade deal, where, on 31 December, the ability of Welsh exporters to deliver into the Canadian market stopped. We were part of the EU cheese quota; now that is no longer available to Welsh exporters. We have to rely instead on the rest-of-the-world quota—a far smaller quota, and far more difficult to sell. Only yesterday, cheese producers in north Wales contacted the Welsh Government to point to the fact that, as of 15 January, they will need new animal health certificates in order to be able to export their goods on to Northern Ireland. Do you remember what the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson said—how over his dead body would there be a trade barrier down the Irish Sea? He said that, as I remember, several weeks before he then concluded a deal doing exactly that. And the consequence of that will now be felt amongst Welsh food producers in the north of Wales. Of course Jayne Bryant is right, Llywydd—the so-called Brexit bonus has been exposed time after time for what it is: new barriers to trade, fewer opportunities for Welsh businesses, and an economy that is, for every single household, worth less than it would have been had we still been part of the European Union trading arrangements.
Llywydd, bydd Aelodau'r Senedd yn cofio'n glir iawn yr addewidion a wnaed yma ar lawr y Senedd—sut na fyddai Cymru geiniog yn waeth ei byd o ganlyniad i adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Er, mewn gwirionedd, wrth gwrs, fel y gwyddom ni, rydym ni £1.3 biliwn yn waeth ein byd, a byddwn yn waeth ein byd bob blwyddyn o ganlyniad i'r addewid hwnnw a dorrwyd. Cyfeiriodd Jayne Bryant, Llywydd, at fasnach ddi-ffrithiant, ac, wrth gwrs, mae hi'n iawn, yn yr achos hwnnw o Ganada, bod—. A ydych chi'n cofio'r dyddiau pan oedd Liam Fox yn arfer mynd o gwmpas yn dweud wrthym ni mai'r rhain fyddai'r cytundebau masnach hawsaf i chi eu gweld erioed, sut y byddem ni'n eu taro nhw ledled y byd? Wel, dyma ni, gyda chytundeb masnach Canada, lle, ar 31 Rhagfyr, daeth gallu allforwyr o Gymru i ddarparu ar gyfer marchnad Canada i ben. Roeddem ni'n rhan o gwota caws yr UE; nid yw hwnnw ar gael i allforwyr o Gymru bellach. Mae'n rhaid i ni ddibynnu yn hytrach ar gwota gweddill y byd—cwota llawer llai, ac yn llawer anoddach ei werthu. Dim ond ddoe, cysylltodd cynhyrchwyr caws yn y gogledd â Llywodraeth Cymru i dynnu sylw at y ffaith y bydd angen, o 15 Ionawr, dystysgrifau iechyd anifeiliaid newydd arnyn nhw er mwyn gallu allforio eu nwyddau i Ogledd Iwerddon. A ydych chi'n cofio'r hyn a ddywedodd Prif Weinidog y DU ar y pryd, Boris Johnson—sut na fyddai rhwystr masnach ar hyd Môr Iwerddon tra bod chwythiad ynddo? Dywedodd hynny, fel rwy'n cofio, sawl wythnos cyn iddo wneud cytundeb wedyn yn gwneud yn union hynny. A bydd canlyniad hynny yn cael ei deimlo bellach ymhlith cynhyrchwyr bwyd o Gymru yn y gogledd. Wrth gwrs mae Jayne Bryant yn iawn, Llywydd—mae'r bonws Brexit bondigrybwyll wedi cael ei amlygu dro ar ôl tro am yr hyn ydyw: rhwystrau newydd i fasnach, llai o gyfleoedd i fusnesau Cymru, ac economi sydd, i bob un aelwyd, yn werth llai nag y byddai pe baem ni'n dal wedi bod yn rhan o drefniadau masnachu'r Undeb Ewropeaidd.
The majority of people voted for Brexit in Wales, and in most of your constituencies, didn't they? Brexit has devolved—[Interruption.] Can you still hear me?
Pleidleisiodd y mwyafrif o bobl dros Brexit yng Nghymru, ac yn y rhan fwyaf o'ch etholaethau, oni wnaethon nhw? Mae Brexit wedi datganoli—[Torri ar draws.] A ydych chi'n dal i fy nghlywed i?
I can hear you. Carry on.
Rwy'n gallu eich clywed chi. Ewch ymlaen.
Brexit has delivered a myriad of trade deals, as you well know, First Minister, of great benefit to Wales and the rest of the UK. Your own Government website highlights the benefits of the UK shared prosperity fund as well, and states that,
'The Shared Prosperity Fund...will provide new opportunities for local communities, support the development and growth of local businesses as well as supporting the recovery of our town centres.'
[Interruption.]
Mae Brexit wedi darparu llu o gytundebau masnach, fel y gwyddoch chi'n iawn, Prif Weinidog, sydd o fudd mawr i Gymru a gweddill y DU. Mae gwefan eich Llywodraeth eich hun yn tynnu sylw at fuddion cronfa ffyniant gyffredin y DU hefyd, ac yn nodi,
'Bydd y Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin...yn darparu cyfleoedd newydd i gymunedau lleol, yn cefnogi datblygiad a thwf busnesau lleol yn ogystal â chefnogi adferiad canol ein trefi.'
[Torri ar draws.]
Now I can't hear the Member. So, if we can be a little quieter so we can hear what's being asked.
Nid wyf i'n gallu clywed yr aelod erbyn hyn. Felly, os gallwn ni fod ychydig yn dawelach fel y gallwn ni glywed yr hyn sy'n cael ei ofyn.
First Minister, the fund has seen millions of pounds awarded to projects across Newport, contributing to the revival of local communities. Will you commit to the championing of the shared prosperity fund and acknowledge the positive impacts that the fund has delivered across Newport and Wales?
Prif Weinidog, mae'r gronfa wedi arwain at ddyfarnu miliynau o bunnoedd i brosiectau ledled Casnewydd, gan gyfrannu at adfywio cymunedau lleol. A wnewch chi ymrwymo i hyrwyddo'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin a chydnabod yr effeithiau cadarnhaol y mae'r gronfa wedi eu cyflawni ledled Casnewydd a Chymru?
Well, Llywydd, first of all, the myriad of trade deals to which the Member refers are, in the main, simply deals that were already available to us on better terms while we were inside the European Union. The Office for Budget Responsibility, the office on which the UK Government relies for its forecasting, says that all of those trade deals—all of those trade deals—will make not a jot of difference to the 4 per cent shrinkage in the UK economy. So, not only are they the same old deals that we had already, but they will not mitigate the harmful impact of Brexit that the OBR, time and time again, reports in its six-monthly updates on the UK economy.
And as for the shared prosperity fund, of course the Welsh Government is not able to champion that fund, a fund that does Wales down, that gives us far less money than we had under the previous arrangements, and from which the Welsh Government has been deliberately excluded by the UK Government. How could I possibly champion a fund in which the Welsh Government has not been consulted, has not been involved in the decision making and which, in fact, results in fragmentation of those programmes that otherwise were available here in Wales: the rural development plan, the end of that, and apprenticeship programmes denuded of EU funding. What is there to champion in such—in such—in such a second-rate way of providing for the things that Wales needs?
Wel, Llywydd, yn gyntaf oll, mae'r llu o gytundebau masnach y mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio atyn nhw, ar y cyfan, yn gytundebau a oedd eisoes ar gael i ni ar well telerau tra oeddem ni y tu mewn i'r Undeb Ewropeaidd. Mae'r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol, y swyddfa y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn dibynnu arni am ei rhagolygon, yn dweud na fydd yr holl gytundebau masnach hynny—yr holl gytundebau masnach hynny—yn gwneud un tamaid o wahaniaeth i'r crebachiad o 4 y cant yn economi'r DU. Felly, nid yn unig y maen nhw'r un hen gytundebau ag yr oedd gennym ni eisoes, ond ni fyddan nhw'n lliniaru effaith niweidiol Brexit fel y mae'r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol, dro ar ôl tro, yn adrodd yn ei diweddariadau chwe misol ar economi'r DU.
Ac o ran y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin, wrth gwrs, nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn gallu hyrwyddo'r gronfa honno, cronfa sy'n bychanu Cymru, sy'n rhoi llawer llai o arian i ni na'r hyn a oedd gennym ni o dan y trefniadau blaenorol, ac y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cael ei heithrio ohoni'n fwriadol gan Lywodraeth y DU. Sut yn y byd allwn i hyrwyddo cronfa nad ymgynghorwyd â Llywodraeth Cymru arni, nad yw wedi bod yn rhan o'r broses o wneud penderfyniadau ac sydd, mewn gwirionedd, yn arwain at ddarnio'r rhaglenni hynny a oedd fel arall ar gael yma yng Nghymru: y cynllun datblygu gwledig, diwedd hwnnw, a rhaglenni prentisiaeth a amddifadwyd o gyllid yr UE. Beth sydd yna i'w hyrwyddo yn y fath—yn y fath—yn y fath ffordd eilradd o ddarparu ar gyfer y pethau sydd eu hangen ar Gymru?
2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ddarparu cludiant o'r cartref i'r ysgol yn Rhondda Cynon Taf? OQ60502
2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the provision of home-to-school transport in Rhondda Cynon Taf? OQ60502
Llywydd, home-to-school transport is a statutory duty of Welsh local authorities. Proposals put forward by Rhondda Cynon Taf will continue to meet the requirements of this Senedd’s learner travel Measure.
Llywydd, mae cludiant rhwng y cartref a'r ysgol yn ddyletswydd statudol ar awdurdodau lleol Cymru. Bydd cynigion a wnaed gan Rhondda Cynon Taf yn parhau i fodloni gofynion Mesur teithio gan ddysgwyr y Senedd hon.
First Minister, as you may be well aware, and as you've just mentioned, even though RCT council have financial reserves of a staggering £270 million, they now intend to end home-to-school transport for those children living within two miles of primary schools and three miles of secondary schools on the grounds of budget cuts from the Welsh Government. This has angered many residents who feel that these cuts are unjustified given the excessive reserves that the council has and the fact that they pay some of the highest council tax rates in the entire United Kingdom. They are also angered because the council's own consultation exercise has highlighted the detrimental impact these cuts will have on Welsh language learning, which will be adversely impacted and which will pose a risk to their target of significantly growing the number of learners accessing Welsh-medium education. Moreover, First Minister, this removal of home-to-school transport for these distances will almost certainly result in parents driving their children to school and increasing localised pollution and traffic, which seem to be exactly the opposite of what the Welsh Government is trying to do. It also flies in the face of what the Welsh Youth Parliament and the Welsh children's commissioner have been advocating. With this in mind, what steps is the Welsh Government taking to challenge RCT council to use some of its £270 million-worth of reserves, which it has collected from hard-working taxpayers, on keeping the home-to-school transport provision? Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, fel efallai yr ydych chi'n gwbl ymwybodol, ac fel rydych chi newydd ei grybwyll, er bod gan gyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf gronfeydd wrth gefn syfrdanol o £270 miliwn, maen nhw bellach yn bwriadu dod â chludiant rhwng y cartref a'r ysgol i ben i'r plant hynny sy'n byw o fewn dwy filltir i ysgolion cynradd a thair milltir i ysgolion uwchradd ar sail toriadau cyllidebol gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae hyn wedi gwylltio llawer o drigolion sy'n teimlo na ellir cyfiawnhau'r toriadau hyn o ystyried y cronfeydd wrth gefn gormodol sydd gan y cyngor a'r ffaith eu bod nhw'n talu rhai o'r cyfraddau treth gyngor uchaf yn y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan. Maen nhw hefyd yn ddig oherwydd bod ymarfer ymgynghori y cyngor ei hun wedi tynnu sylw at yr effaith niweidiol y bydd y toriadau hyn yn ei chael ar ddysgu Cymraeg, a fydd yn dioddef effaith niweidiol ac a fydd yn peri risg i'w targed o gynyddu'n sylweddol nifer y dysgwyr sy'n manteisio ar addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg. Ar ben hynny, Prif Weinidog, bydd y cam hwn o gael gwared ar gludiant rhwng y cartref a'r ysgol ar gyfer y pellteroedd hyn bron yn sicr yn arwain at rieni yn cludo eu plant i'r ysgol ac yn cynyddu llygredd a thraffig lleol, y mae'n ymddangos sydd y gwrthwyneb llwyr i'r hyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ceisio ei wneud. Mae hefyd yn mynd yn groes i'r hyn y mae Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru a Chomisiynydd Plant Cymru wedi bod yn ei hyrwyddo. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i herio cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf i ddefnyddio rhywfaint o'i gronfeydd wrth gefn gwerth £270 miliwn, y mae wedi eu casglu gan drethdalwyr sy'n gweithio'n galed, er mwyn cadw'r ddarpariaeth o gludiant rhwng y cartref a'r ysgol? Diolch.
Well, Llywydd, the issue of local authority reserves was very effectively dealt with by the leader of RCT council, Councillor Andrew Morgan, on Sunday. He offered to debate any Conservative politician who wished to take him on in explaining how reserves are actually available to local authorities in Wales, and I don't see a single person who has come forward to do that.
As to home-to-school transport, four of the 22 local authorities in Wales currently offer a service over and above that set out in the learner travel Measure. All four are Labour councils. You wouldn't be surprised at that. RCT council, were it to simply offer the basic learner travel Measure standard, as 18 of our local authorities do, would save £6.5 million in the expenditure that it will otherwise provide next year. The changes that it is planning to make—proposing to make—will save them £2.5 million. In other words, RCT council, after the changes, will still provide more than 18 other councils in Wales—any council where the Conservative Party is in charge and any council where Plaid Cymru is in charge. In very difficult times, I think that is a course of action that continues to demonstrate the priority that the council attaches to these services.
Wel, Llywydd, fe wnaeth arweinydd cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf, y Cynghorydd Andrew Morgan, ymdrin yn effeithiol iawn â mater cronfeydd wrth gefn awdurdodau lleol ddydd Sul. Cynigiodd gael dadl ag unrhyw wleidydd Ceidwadol sydd eisiau ei herio o ran egluro sut mae cronfeydd wrth gefn ar gael i awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru mewn gwirionedd, ac nid wyf i'n gweld yr un person sydd wedi dod ymlaen i wneud hynny.
O ran cludiant rhwng y cartref a'r ysgol, mae pedwar o'r 22 awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru yn cynnig gwasanaeth ychwanegol i'r hyn a nodir yn y Mesur teithio gan ddysgwyr ar hyn o bryd. Mae bob un o'r pedwar yn gynghorau Llafur. Ni fyddech chi'n synnu at hynny. Byddai cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf, pe bai'n cynnig safon sylfaenol y Mesur teithio gan ddysgwyr, fel y mae 18 o'n hawdurdodau lleol yn ei wneud, yn arbed £6.5 miliwn yn y gwariant y bydd fel arall yn ei ddarparu y flwyddyn nesaf. Bydd y newidiadau y mae'n bwriadu eu gwneud—yn cynnig eu gwneud—yn arbed £2.5 miliwn iddyn nhw. Mewn geiriau eraill, bydd cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf, ar ôl y newidiadau, yn dal i ddarparu mwy na 18 o gynghorau eraill yng Nghymru—unrhyw gyngor lle mae'r Blaid Geidwadol wrth y llyw ac unrhyw gyngor lle mae Plaid Cymru wrth y llyw. Mewn cyfnod anodd iawn, rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n gam gweithredu sy'n parhau i ddangos y flaenoriaeth y mae'r cyngor yn ei roi i'r gwasanaethau hyn.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
First Minister, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales's annual report came out at the back end of last year, and later on this afternoon we're going to have a statement from the health secretary outlining winter pressures within the NHS. In their report, they touch on there having been various initiatives in place to help support services to cope with unrelenting demand, but their work, on the inspectorate side of things, could find no evidence that these initiatives were making clear and significant differences to the service on the front line. Why is the Welsh Government missing its target on helping hospitals and other healthcare settings deal with winter pressures and the unrelenting demand, as identified by the health inspectorate?
Prif Weinidog, cyhoeddwyd adroddiad blynyddol Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru ddiwedd y llynedd, ac yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma rydym ni'n mynd i gael datganiad gan yr ysgrifennydd iechyd yn amlinellu pwysau'r gaeaf o fewn y GIG. Yn eu hadroddiad, maen nhw'n sôn am y ffaith y bu gwahanol fentrau ar waith i helpu i gynorthwyo gwasanaethau i ymdopi â'r galw di-ildio, ond ni allai eu gwaith, ar ochr arolygiaeth pethau, ddod o hyd i unrhyw dystiolaeth bod y mentrau hyn yn gwneud gwahaniaethau clir ac arwyddocaol i'r gwasanaeth ar y rheng flaen. Pam mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn methu ei tharged o ran helpu ysbytai a lleoliadau gofal iechyd eraill i ymdrin â phwysau'r gaeaf a'r galw di-ildio, fel y nodwyd gan yr arolygiaeth iechyd?
Well, Llywydd, I've read the inspector's report. It's a good deal more balanced, as you would expect, than the question from the leader of the opposition. It does point to unrelenting pressures on the service, it does point to increasing demand, but it also quite certainly points to those new initiatives and services that are making a real difference in the NHS. And if those services were not there—the '111 press 2' service, the urgent primary care centres, the same-day emergency care provision in our hospitals—the report is clear that the service would not be dealing with the pressures in the way that it is.
And while the service has undoubtedly, as you would expect, been under very significant pressure at the start of the year—the busiest time for the health service, year after year—actually, the Welsh NHS has shown that, in some key metrics, things have been better this year, despite the fact that demand is significantly higher. So, ambulance waits outside hospitals are lower this year than they were last year, performance in our emergency departments has been better in the last figures that were published than the same time last year. So, despite the pressures, the balanced account that is offered in the HIW report is borne out by experience on the ground.
Wel, Llywydd, rwyf i wedi darllen adroddiad yr arolygydd. Mae'n llawer iawn mwy cytbwys, fel y byddech chi'n ei ddisgwyl, na'r cwestiwn gan arweinydd yr wrthblaid. Mae'n tynnu sylw at bwysau di-ildio ar y gwasanaeth, mae'n cyfeirio at gynnydd yn y galw, ond mae hefyd yn gwbl sicr yn cyfeirio at y mentrau a'r gwasanaethau newydd hynny sy'n gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol yn y GIG. A phe na bai'r gwasanaethau hynny yno—y gwasanaeth '111 pwyso 2', y canolfannau gofal sylfaenol brys, y ddarpariaeth gofal brys ar yr un diwrnod yn ein hysbytai—mae'r adroddiad yn eglur na fyddai'r gwasanaeth yn ymdrin â'r pwysau yn y ffordd y mae.
Ac er bod y gwasanaeth, heb os, fel y byddech chi'n ei ddisgwyl, wedi bod o dan bwysau sylweddol iawn ar ddechrau'r flwyddyn—yr amser prysuraf i'r gwasanaeth iechyd, flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn—mewn gwirionedd, mae GIG Cymru wedi dangos, mewn rhai metrigau allweddol, bod pethau wedi bod yn well eleni, er gwaethaf y ffaith bod y galw yn sylweddol uwch. Felly, mae arosiadau ambiwlans y tu allan i ysbytai yn is eleni nag yr oedden nhw'r llynedd, mae perfformiad yn ein hadrannau brys wedi bod yn well yn y ffigurau diwethaf a gyhoeddwyd na'r un adeg y llynedd. Felly, er gwaethaf y pwysau, mae'r cyfrif cytbwys a gynigir yn adroddiad AGIC yn cael ei gadarnhau gan brofiad ar lawr gwlad.
First Minister, you talk about balance; I gave you a direct quote from the foreword of the report. Those weren't my words about them being unable to find this evidence. These were their words. And I notice you do have a habit of trying to make it look as if we're putting words into people's mouths, but this is the chief executive's foreword to the report, and it's not unreasonable, when those words appear in a report—the annual report—to ask what exactly you're doing. With 25,000 people still waiting two years or more for treatment within the Welsh NHS, you can see what the unrelenting pressure is on our services. And one other point that has come out from reading the report is that 40 per cent of major health establishments, such as hospitals and cottage hospitals, have not been inspected for five years or more. Some have never been inspected. What is the Welsh Government doing to work with the inspectorate to make sure that it is resourced to be able to undertake a meaningful programme of inspections so that those types of establishments that I've just outlined—hospitals, cottage hospitals and major facilities—are inspected on a regular basis and supported in the work that they do?
Prif Weinidog, rydych chi'n sôn am gydbwysedd; rhoddais ddyfyniad uniongyrchol i chi o ragair yr adroddiad. Nid fy ngeiriau i oedd y rheini am y ffaith nad oedden nhw'n gallu dod o hyd i'r dystiolaeth hon. Eu geiriau nhw oedd y rhain. Ac rwy'n sylwi bod gennych chi arfer o geisio gwneud iddi edrych fel pe baem ni'n rhoi geiriau yng nghegau pobl, ond dyma ragair y prif weithredwr i'r adroddiad, ac nid yw'n afresymol, pan fo'r geiriau hynny yn ymddangos mewn adroddiad—yr adroddiad blynyddol—i ofyn beth yn union yr ydych chi'n ei wneud. Gyda 25,000 o bobl yn dal i aros am ddwy flynedd neu fwy am driniaeth o fewn GIG Cymru, gallwch weld beth yw'r pwysau di-ildio ar ein gwasanaethau. Ac un pwynt arall sydd wedi dod allan o ddarllen yr adroddiad yw nad yw 40 y cant o sefydliadau iechyd mawr, fel ysbytai ac ysbytai bwthyn, wedi cael eu harolygu ers pum mlynedd neu fwy. Nid yw rhai erioed wedi cael eu harolygu. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i weithio gyda'r arolygiaeth i wneud yn siŵr bod yr adnoddau ganddi i allu ymgymryd â rhaglen ystyrlon o arolygiadau fel bod y mathau hynny o sefydliadau yr wyf i newydd eu hamlinellu—ysbytai, ysbytai bwthyn a chyfleusterau mawr—yn cael eu harolygu'n rheolaidd ac yn cael eu cynorthwyo yn y gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud?
Well, Llywydd, I don't doubt for a moment that the quotation that the leader of the opposition offered was a direct quotation. The point is that it was a partial quotation—that it took part of what the report said and aimed to suggest to us that that was the whole of the story, and it quite certainly was not and the report says that it is not. That's the point that I am making—that while the report, as you would expect, points to the challenges facing the health service, which are real, points to the demand on the health service, which is always rising, it then shows the ways in which the health service has responded to it.
The programme of inspection for HIW is not a matter for Ministers. There is a very clear and necessary separation between the operational decisions of an inspectorate and the service for which Ministers are responsible. I should not and will not interfere in the decisions that they make as to where they go, what they inspect and how they report.
Wel, Llywydd, nid wyf i'n amau am eiliad bod y dyfyniad a gynigiwyd gan arweinydd yr wrthblaid yn ddyfyniad uniongyrchol. Y pwynt yw ei fod yn ddyfyniad rhannol—ei fod yn cymryd rhan o'r hyn yr oedd yr adroddiad yn ei ddweud ac yn ceisio awgrymu i ni mai dyna'r stori gyfan, ac yn sicr nid dyna'r gwirionedd ac mae'r adroddiad yn dweud hynny. Dyna'r pwynt yr wyf i'n ei wneud—er bod yr adroddiad, fel y byddech chi'n ei ddisgwyl, yn cyfeirio at yr heriau sy'n wynebu'r gwasanaeth iechyd, sy'n wirioneddol, yn tynnu sylw at y galw ar y gwasanaeth iechyd, sydd bob amser yn codi, mae wedyn yn dangos y ffyrdd y mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd wedi ymateb iddo.
Nid mater i Weinidogion yw'r rhaglen arolygu ar gyfer AGIC. Ceir gwahaniad eglur ac angenrheidiol iawn rhwng penderfyniadau gweithredol arolygiaeth a'r gwasanaeth y mae Gweinidogion yn gyfrifol amdano. Ni ddylwn ac ni fyddaf yn ymyrryd yn y penderfyniadau y maen nhw'n eu gwneud o ran ble maen nhw'n mynd, yr hyn y maen nhw'n ei arolygu a sut maen nhw'n adrodd.
In the current draft budget, you're cutting the budget of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. It is quite right the point that you make that it is not for Ministers to direct the inspectorate where to go, but you have a direct role as a Government in the resources that you make available. If you widen out that inspection regime across the 1,500 health establishments across Wales, two thirds of those health establishments have not been inspected in the last five years, or have never been inspected. So, I agree with the point that you make that it would be wrong for Ministers to direct the inspectorate, but you have a direct role in the ability to resource the inspectorate. My question to you, on the second time of asking, is how will you meet the challenge to make sure that Healthcare Inspectorate Wales is resourced appropriately so that it can undertake its work—its critical work—in supporting health boards and primary healthcare in particular to deliver the range of services across the whole of Wales, and ultimately respond to concerns that people have when they find shortcomings in that service provision.
Yn y gyllideb ddrafft bresennol, rydych chi'n torri cyllideb Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru. Mae'n hollol gywir y pwynt yr ydych chi'n ei wneud nad mater i Weinidogion yw cyfarwyddo'r arolygiaeth o ran ble i fynd, ond mae gennych chi swyddogaeth uniongyrchol fel Llywodraeth yn yr adnoddau yr ydych chi'n sicrhau sydd ar gael. Os gwnewch chi ehangu'r drefn arolygu honno ar draws y 1,500 o sefydliadau iechyd ledled Cymru, nid yw dwy ran o dair o'r sefydliadau iechyd hynny wedi cael eu harolygu yn ystod y pum mlynedd diwethaf, neu nid ydyn nhw erioed wedi cael eu harolygu. Felly, rwy'n cytuno â'r pwynt yr ydych chi'n ei wneud y byddai'n anghywir i Weinidogion gyfarwyddo'r arolygiaeth, ond mae gennych chi swyddogaeth uniongyrchol yn y gallu i roi adnoddau i'r arolygiaeth. Fy nghwestiwn i chi, ar yr ail dro o ofyn, yw sut y byddwch chi'n ymateb i'r her o wneud yn siŵr bod Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru yn cael adnoddau priodol fel y gall wneud ei gwaith—ei gwaith hanfodol—o gynorthwyo byrddau iechyd a gofal iechyd sylfaenol yn arbennig i ddarparu'r amrywiaeth o wasanaethau ledled Cymru gyfan, ac yn y pen draw ymateb i bryderon sydd gan bobl pan fyddan nhw'n canfod diffygion yn y ddarpariaeth honno o wasanaethau.
As Members will know, the budget laid in front of the Senedd is the most difficult budget we've ever had to set. There's a choice to be made, and here you can see the choice in front of you. The Conservatives, through their leader, say that they would invest more in inspectorate services. We have decided to invest more in the services themselves. There's the choice in front of you. When there's only a certain amount of money to go round, how do you use it? We have increased very significantly the amount of money available to the service in Wales: a 4 per cent increase in NHS funding in Wales next year; a 1 per cent increase in England. You would have us take money out of patient services and put it into the inspectorate. We stared at that decision; we have put the money where our priorities lie, and I'm interested to hear where yours have been articulated this afternoon.
Fel y bydd yr Aelodau'n gwybod, y gyllideb a osodwyd gerbron y Senedd yw'r gyllideb anoddaf y bu'n rhaid i ni ei gosod erioed. Mae dewis i'w wneud, a gallwch weld yma y dewis sydd o'ch blaen. Mae'r Ceidwadwyr, drwy eu harweinydd, yn dweud y bydden nhw'n buddsoddi mwy mewn gwasanaethau arolygiaeth. Rydym ni wedi penderfynu buddsoddi mwy yn y gwasanaethau eu hunain. Dyna'r dewis sydd o'ch blaenau. Pan fo swm penodol o arian yn unig i fynd o gwmpas, sut ydych chi'n ei ddefnyddio? Rydym ni wedi cynyddu'n sylweddol iawn faint o arian sydd ar gael i'r gwasanaeth yng Nghymru: cynnydd o 4 y cant i gyllid GIG yng Nghymru y flwyddyn nesaf; cynnydd o 1 y cant yn Lloegr. Byddech chi eisiau ein gweld yn tynnu arian allan o wasanaethau cleifion a'i roi yn yr arolygiaeth. Fe wnaethom ni syllu ar y penderfyniad hwnnw; rydym ni wedi rhoi'r arian lle mae ein blaenoriaethau, ac mae gen i ddiddordeb mewn clywed ble mae eich rhai chi wedi cael eu mynegi y prynhawn yma.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
The leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Llywydd. Dwi eisiau siarad am fusnes, a'r stryd fawr yn arbennig. Mae Cymru angen llywodraeth sy'n cefnogi busnes er mwyn trio creu ffyniant economaidd a thegwch cymdeithasol, ac mae'n cymunedau ni angen stryd fawr sydd yn ffynnu.
Thank you, Llywydd. I want to talk about business, and our high streets particularly. Wales needs a government that supports business in order to create economic prosperity and social fairness, and our communities need a vibrant high street.
The Federation of Small Businesses's 'A Vision for Welsh Towns' report found that thriving small and independent shops is a top priority to get people back to the high street, but also there's a general understanding that you've got to offer an experience on the high street. Going for a coffee or a meal, or socialising with friends and family, is a big part of that. Changes to business rates in the draft budget, ending the 75 per cent relief, hits both shops and hospitality hard. How does that fit in with the Welsh Government's strategy for the high street?
Canfu adroddiad Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach 'A Vision for Welsh Towns' fod siopau bach ac annibynnol sy'n ffynnu yn brif flaenoriaeth i gael pobl yn ôl i'r stryd fawr, ond hefyd ceir dealltwriaeth gyffredinol bod yn rhaid i chi gynnig profiad ar y stryd fawr. Mae mynd am baned neu bryd o fwyd, neu gymdeithasu gyda ffrindiau a theulu, yn rhan fawr o hynny. Mae newidiadau i ardrethi busnes yn y gyllideb ddrafft, gan roi terfyn ar y rhyddhad o 75 y cant, yn taro siopau a lletygarwch yn galed. Sut mae hynny'n cyd-fynd â strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y stryd fawr?
Well, Llywydd, we begin Plaid Cymru's questions with this week's topic for more investment; another week and another area in which Plaid Cymru wants the Welsh Government to find more money. Where is this money to come from? We never have an answer to that question, of course. I think three weeks ago, it was agriculture; two weeks ago, it was apprenticeships. I've forgotten what last week's demand for more money was. And this week it's more money for rate relief. Well, I'm afraid Government simply doesn't operate in that way. This is a temporary relief scheme; it's now in its fifth year. It has given more than £1 billion in additional rate relief to the sector to which the leader of Plaid Cymru refers. In Wales, that relief will continue—not at 75 per cent, but at a level that we think will allow the sector to go on having the benefit of further public investment, on a path, as inevitably it has to be, to the day when this temporary scheme comes to an end.
Wel, Llywydd, rydym ni'n cychwyn cwestiynau Plaid Cymru gyda phwnc yr wythnos hon ar gyfer mwy o fuddsoddiad; wythnos arall a maes arall lle mae Plaid Cymru eisiau i Lywodraeth Cymru ddod o hyd i fwy o arian. O ble mae'r arian hwn yn mynd i ddod? Nid oes gennym ni ateb i'r cwestiwn hwnnw, wrth gwrs. Rwy'n credu, dair wythnos yn ôl, mai amaethyddiaeth oedd hi; bythefnos yn ôl, prentisiaethau oedd hi. Rwyf i wedi anghofio beth oedd gofyniad yr wythnos diwethaf am fwy o arian. Ac yr wythnos hon, mwy o arian ar gyfer rhyddhad ardrethi yw hi. Wel, mae gen i ofn nad yw Llywodraeth yn gweithredu yn y modd hwnnw. Cynllun rhyddhad dros dro yw hwn; mae bellach yn ei bumed flwyddyn. Mae wedi rhoi mwy nag £1 biliwn mewn rhyddhad ardrethi ychwanegol i'r sector y mae arweinydd Plaid Cymru yn cyfeirio ato. Yng Nghymru, bydd y rhyddhad hwnnw yn parhau—nid ar 75 y cant, ond ar lefel yr ydym ni'n credu y bydd yn caniatáu i'r sector barhau i gael budd buddsoddiad cyhoeddus pellach, ar lwybr, fel y mae'n rhaid iddo fod yn anochel, i'r diwrnod pan ddaw'r cynllun dros dro hwn i ben.
Of course funding is an issue, but there are longer term consequences to cuts like this for the economic and societal well-being of Wales. I'd be very interested if the First Minister would share with us the calculations that this is a short-term decision that doesn't have long-term implications. I met with Welsh hospitality leaders today, who shared with me their frustrations and fears about the future of the sector. Just in the past week, renowned and well-established food and drink businesses in the First Minister's own constituency have announced their intention to close, and the decision to cut business rate relief has been described as the final nail in the coffin for many independent business by the Welsh Independent Restaurant Collective. The current business rate relief of 75 per cent was never intended to continue indefinitely, say Ministers, but putting a safety net in place one minute and then pulling it away when times are particularly tough isn't a coherent approach. Does the First Minister share my concern that businesses in hospitality are closing because of this, and will he listen to the industry's voices and reconsider that decision?
Wrth gwrs, mae cyllid yn broblem, ond mae canlyniadau tymor hwy yn sgil toriadau fel hyn i lesiant economaidd a chymdeithasol Cymru. Byddai gen i ddiddordeb mawr pe bai'r Prif Weinidog yn rhannu gyda ni y cyfrifiadau bod hwn yn benderfyniad byrdymor nad yw'n arwain at oblygiadau hirdymor. Cefais gyfarfod ag arweinwyr lletygarwch Cymru heddiw, a rannodd gyda mi eu rhwystredigaethau a'u hofnau am ddyfodol y sector. Dim ond yn yr wythnos ddiwethaf, mae busnesau bwyd a diod enwog a sefydledig yn etholaeth y Prif Weinidog ei hun wedi cyhoeddi eu bwriad i gau, a disgrifiwyd y penderfyniad i dorri rhyddhad ardrethi busnes fel yr hoelen olaf yn yr arch i lawer o fusnesau annibynnol gan y Welsh Independent Restaurant Collective. Ni fwriadwyd erioed i'r rhyddhad ardrethi busnes presennol o 75 y cant barhau am gyfnod amhenodol, medd Gweinidogion, ond nid yw cyflwyno rhwyd ddiogelwch un munud ac yna ei dynnu i ffwrdd mewn cyfnod arbennig o anodd yn ddull cydlynol. A yw'r Prif Weinidog yn rhannu fy mhryder bod busnesau lletygarwch yn cau oherwydd hyn, ac a wnaiff ef wrando ar leisiau'r diwydiant ac ailystyried y penderfyniad hwnnw?
We will not be reconsidering that decision, unless Plaid Cymru can tell me where the money that has been diverted from business rate relief to support many other programmes, including many of the other programmes that, week after week, Plaid Cymru Members will tell me we have to find more money for—. If he will tell me where that money is to come from, then I'll consider whether I think that he's made a sufficiently compelling case.
I am not plucking anything out of the air about the temporary nature of the scheme. The scheme is funded via the UK Government. They said, in the very first year, it was a one-year scheme, and there was no money at all in the budget for this form of rate relief, until the UK Government made a decision to continue it for a further year. It has always been a temporary scheme, and there will come a point where it will come to an end. We are providing a pathway out of the subsidy for the sector, and I think we have made the right decision.
It's right for me to point out, Llywydd, as well that, at the same time, we are providing an additional £20 million in a new capital scheme that will allow those businesses to carry out improvements to premises that will permanently reduce their reliance on very expensive energy, for example. That's not a one-off scheme or a temporary scheme; that is a scheme that will mean that, from then onwards, those businesses will be able to save money and to go on trading.
Ni fyddwn yn ailystyried y penderfyniad hwnnw, oni bai y gall Plaid Cymru ddweud wrthyf o ble mae'r arian sydd wedi cael ei arallgyfeirio o ryddhad ardrethi busnes i gefnogi llawer o raglenni eraill, gan gynnwys llawer o'r rhaglenni eraill y bydd Aelodau Plaid Cymru, wythnos ar ôl wythnos, yn dweud wrthyf i fod yn rhaid i ni ddod o hyd i fwy o arian ar eu cyfer—. Os gwnaiff ef ddweud wrthyf i o ble ddaw'r arian hwnnw, yna fe wnaf i ystyried a wyf i'n credu ei fod wedi gwneud dadl ddigon grymus.
Nid wyf i'n tynnu unrhyw beth allan o'r awyr ynghylch natur dros dro'r cynllun. Mae'r cynllun yn cael ei ariannu drwy Lywodraeth y DU. Fe wnaethon nhw ddweud, yn y flwyddyn gyntaf un, ei fod yn gynllun un flwyddyn, ac nid oedd unrhyw arian o gwbl yn y gyllideb ar gyfer y math yma o ryddhad ardrethi, tan i Lywodraeth y DU wneud penderfyniad i'w barhau am flwyddyn arall. Mae wedi bod yn gynllun dros dro o'r cychwyn, a daw adeg pan fydd yn dod i ben. Rydym ni'n darparu llwybr allan o'r cymhorthdal ar gyfer y sector, ac rwy'n credu ein bod ni wedi gwneud y penderfyniad cywir.
Mae'n iawn i mi nodi, Llywydd, hefyd, ein bod ni, ar yr un pryd, yn darparu £20 miliwn ychwanegol mewn cynllun cyfalaf newydd a fydd yn caniatáu i'r busnesau hynny wneud gwelliannau i eiddo a fydd yn lleihau eu dibyniaeth ar ynni drud iawn yn barhaol, er enghraifft. Nid cynllun untro neu gynllun dros dro yw hwnnw; mae hwnnw'n gynllun a fydd yn golygu, o hynny ymlaen, y bydd y busnesau hynny yn gallu arbed arian a pharhau i fasnachu.
On that particular point, businesses told me this morning that is not what they want. Of course they will accept money, but that is not the kind of support that they want now. The priority has to be on helping them deal with the acute problems that they do face now, and the business rates cut is causing more intense problems for them.
Last week I made the case for less short-term economic thinking by the Welsh Government, but isn't the approach to business rates here a classic example of that: a short-term decision with long-term implications? I am asking Ministers to look again at the business rates decision. Who knows, it could be an eleventh-hour reprieve for businesses intending on putting up a 'closed' sign permanently.
But the truth is, of course, that business rates is a pretty badly designed levy in the first place; a pretty blunt instrument holding back too many of our entrepreneurs. I'm up for the challenge of reforming it, because I believe that Wales's greatest assets are its people, and I want to support them in any way that we can. Is the First Minister ready to trigger work on genuine reform of business rates, in his last few weeks as First Minister, or perhaps call on his successors to do so?
Ar y pwynt penodol hwnnw, dywedodd busnesau wrthyf i y bore yma nad dyna'r hyn y maen nhw ei eisiau. Byddan nhw'n derbyn arian, wrth gwrs, ond nid dyna'r math o gymorth maen nhw ei eisiau nawr. Mae'n rhaid i'r flaenoriaeth fod ar eu helpu nhw i ymdrin â'r problemau acíwt y maen nhw'n eu hwynebu nawr, ac mae'r toriad i ardrethi busnes yn achosi problemau mwy dwys iddyn nhw.
Yr wythnos diwethaf, fe wnes i ddadlau dros feddwl economaidd llai byrdymor gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ond onid yw'r dull o ymdrin ag ardrethi busnes yma yn enghraifft glasurol o hynny: penderfyniad byrdymor â goblygiadau hirdymor? Rwy'n gofyn i Weinidogion edrych eto ar y penderfyniad ardrethi busnes. Pwy a ŵyr, gallai fod yn achubiad munud olaf i fusnesau sy'n bwriadu dangos arwydd 'wedi cau' yn barhaol.
Ond y gwir amdani, wrth gwrs, yw bod ardrethi busnes yn ardoll sydd wedi'i ddylunio'n eithaf gwael yn y lle cyntaf; erfyn di-awch braidd, sy'n dal gormod o'n hentrepreneuriaid yn ôl. Rwy'n barod am yr her o'i ddiwygio, gan fy mod i'n credu mai asedau mwyaf Cymru yw ei phobl, ac rwyf i eisiau eu cefnogi mewn unrhyw ffordd y gallwn. A yw'r Prif Weinidog yn barod i sbarduno gwaith ar ddiwygiad gwirioneddol i ardrethi busnes, yn ystod ei ychydig wythnosau olaf fel Prif Weinidog, neu efallai alw ar ei olynwyr i wneud hynny?
I certainly believe that business rates is a system ripe for reform, and the Welsh Government, of course, has done a great deal of work on an alternative system to business rates. We wouldn't be beginning work now, because we've been working on this topic for a considerable period of time. I do think that reform is necessary, and I think there is a way in which we can use the millions and millions of pounds that, every year, we spend on business rate relief—. Only 20 per cent—20 per cent—of all Welsh businesses pay full business rates. Eighty per cent of Welsh businesses already receive help from the public to pay that bill. I think that money could be targeted better, I think it could do more good in Welsh businesses, but that's been the policy of the Welsh Government for a considerable period of time. It's why the work has been carried out.
I did notice, Llywydd, that the third time the Member spoke he had an opportunity to tell me where the money would be taken from that he is so keen to be seen spent on business rate relief, and I noticed, for the third time, he offered me no answer to that question whatsoever.
Rwy'n sicr yn credu bod ardrethi busnes yn system y mae'n bryd ei diwygio ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru, wrth gwrs, wedi gwneud llawer iawn o waith ar system amgen yn hytrach nag ardrethi busnes. Ni fyddem ni'n dechrau gwaith nawr, gan ein bod ni wedi bod yn gweithio ar y pwnc hwn ers cyfnod sylweddol o amser. Rwy'n credu bod angen diwygio, ac rwy'n credu bod ffordd y gallwn ni ddefnyddio'r miliynau ar filiynau o bunnau yr ydym ni'n ei wario ar ryddhad ardrethi busnes bob blwyddyn—. Dim ond 20 y cant—20 y cant—o holl fusnesau Cymru sy'n talu ardrethi busnes llawn. Mae 80 y cant o fusnesau Cymru eisoes yn derbyn cymorth gan y cyhoedd i dalu'r bil hwnnw. Rwy'n credu y gellid targedu'r arian hwnnw yn well, rwy'n credu y gallai wneud mwy o les mewn busnesau yng Nghymru, ond dyna fu polisi Llywodraeth Cymru ers cyfnod sylweddol o amser. Dyna pam mae'r gwaith wedi cael ei wneud.
Fe wnes i sylwi, Llywydd, y trydydd tro y siaradodd yr Aelod ei fod wedi cael cyfle i ddweud wrthyf i o le y byddai'r arian yn cael ei gymryd y mae mor awyddus ei weld yn cael ei wario ar ryddhad ardrethi busnes, a sylwais, am y trydydd tro, na chynigiodd unrhyw ateb i mi i'r cwestiwn hwnnw o gwbl.
3. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o effaith y polisi terfyn diofyn 20 mya ar bobl yn Nyffryn Clwyd? OQ60509
3. What assessment has the First Minister made of the impact of the default 20 mph policy on people in Vale of Clwyd? OQ60509
People across Wales, including the Vale of Clwyd, will benefit from fewer collisions in communities, saving lives and reducing casualties. In addition to reduced deaths and injuries, we can expect increases in cycling and walking, and improvements in public health.
Bydd pobl ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys Dyffryn Clwyd, yn elwa yn sgil llai o wrthdrawiadau mewn cymunedau, gan achub bywydau a lleihau nifer yr anafiadau. Yn ogystal â llai o farwolaethau ac anafiadau, gallwn ddisgwyl cynnydd i feicio a cherdded, a gwelliannau i iechyd y cyhoedd.
Thank you for your response, First Minister. With the 20 mph speed limit enforcement starting on the eighth of this month, the consequences are already being felt in the Vale of Clwyd, with Arriva Buses Wales scrapping their service to the popular Tweedmill shopping outlet, which I raised in the Senedd last week.
A concern that I'd like to raise with you, First Minister, is the possibility that the legislation, and failure of local authorities in north Wales to navigate the legislation, may be putting the Vale of Clwyd at a disadvantage compared to other areas of Wales. The Deputy Minister for Climate Change commented last week that 0.6 per cent of roads in Denbighshire are exempt from the 20 mph limit, compared with 10 per cent in Swansea, 10 per cent in Bridgend and a higher percentage in many other local authorities, particularly in south Wales.
My constituents would be grateful if they had an explanation for the disparity between the level of exemptions that have been approved in local authorities in north Wales compared to those in the south, and why they are so slow in north Wales. I sent a letter to Denbighshire County Council with a list of proposed highways that constituents suggested for exemption, following a consultation with residents. Denbighshire County Council informed me they would review these highways, but we've seen no progress since.
Could the First Minister please shed light on this issue, and explain whether the delay in 20 mph exemptions for Denbighshire is due to a lackadaisical local authority? Is it due to obstruction from the Welsh Government, or is it the local authority struggling to navigate the new legislation? If it is the latter, what is the First Minister doing to ensure that the Welsh Government is working to help local authorities in north Wales to navigate the legislation and ensure the appropriate exemptions are being approved in a timely fashion?
Diolch am eich ymateb, Prif Weinidog. Gyda gorfodaeth y terfyn cyflymder o 20 mya yn dechrau ar yr wythfed o'r mis hwn, mae'r canlyniadau eisoes yn cael eu teimlo yn Nyffryn Clwyd, gyda Bysiau Arriva Cymru yn dileu eu gwasanaeth i ganolfan siopa boblogaidd Tweedmill, a godais yn y Senedd yr wythnos diwethaf.
Un pryder yr hoffwn ei godi gyda chi, Prif Weinidog, yw'r posibilrwydd y gallai'r ddeddfwriaeth, a methiant awdurdodau lleol yn y gogledd i lywio'r ddeddfwriaeth, fod yn rhoi Dyffryn Clwyd o dan anfantais o'i gymharu ag ardaloedd eraill o Gymru. Dywedodd y Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd yr wythnos diwethaf bod 0.6 y cant o ffyrdd yn sir Ddinbych wedi'u heithrio o'r terfyn 20 mya, o'i gymharu â 10 y cant yn Abertawe, 10 y cant ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr a chanran uwch mewn llawer o awdurdodau lleol eraill, yn enwedig yn y de.
Byddai fy etholwyr yn ddiolchgar pe bai ganddyn nhw esboniad am y gwahaniaeth rhwng lefel yr eithriadau a gymeradwywyd mewn awdurdodau lleol yn y gogledd o'u cymharu â'r rhai yn y de, a pham eu bod nhw mor araf yn y gogledd. Anfonais lythyr at Gyngor Sir Ddinbych gyda rhestr o briffyrdd arfaethedig a awgrymwyd gan etholwyr y dylid eu heithrio, yn dilyn ymgynghoriad â thrigolion. Dywedodd Cyngor Sir Ddinbych wrthyf y bydden nhw'n adolygu'r priffyrdd hyn, ond nid ydym ni wedi gweld unrhyw gynnydd ers hynny.
A allai'r Prif Weinidog daflu goleuni ar y mater hwn, ac egluro a yw'r oedi o ran eithriadau 20 mya ar gyfer sir Ddinbych oherwydd awdurdod lleol llipa? A yw oherwydd rhwystr gan Lywodraeth Cymru, neu ai'r awdurdod lleol sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd llywio'r ddeddfwriaeth newydd? Os mai'r olaf sy'n wir, beth mae'r Prif Weinidog yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio i helpu awdurdodau lleol yn y gogledd i lywio'r ddeddfwriaeth a sicrhau bod yr eithriadau priodol yn cael eu cymeradwyo yn brydlon?
I'm happy to help the Member as best I can, and to say again what I've said here and what the Deputy Minister set out in some detail last week. We are committed to a review of the guidance that we provide to local authorities. If it has not been sufficiently clear to some local authorities, we will work with them to make sure it gives them the clarity that they need. Then there will have to be a review by each local authority in applying that guidance in the circumstances that they themselves face, and those circumstances do change from one local authority to another. The topography is different, population density can be different. One of the things I think we have found out in this whole exercise is that there were different approaches in any case to designating 30 mph roads in different parts of Wales.
What we will do is to be as clear as we can, working alongside local authorities on the guidance. It is then for them, Llywydd; it is local authorities who interpret that guidance in the circumstances that they face. I think the point that the Deputy Minister made last week is an important one: that there is an unexpectedly wide gap between those local authorities that have exempted fewer than 1 per cent of their roads and those local authorities that have exempted as much as 10 per cent. The exercise I think will look to see whether there are anomalies there that can be ironed out, and it'll be done in that partnership way—a review of the guidance by the Welsh Government to help with clarity, and then implementation decisions that lie with local authorities themselves.
Rwy'n hapus i helpu'r Aelod cystal ag y gallaf, ac i ddweud eto yr hyn yr wyf i wedi ei ddweud yma a'r hyn a gyflwynodd y Dirprwy Weinidog yn fanwl yr wythnos diwethaf. Rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i adolygiad o'r canllawiau yr ydym ni'n eu darparu i awdurdodau lleol. Os nad ydyn nhw wedi bod yn ddigon eglur i rai awdurdodau lleol, byddwn yn gweithio gyda nhw i wneud yn siŵr ei fod yn rhoi'r eglurder sydd ei angen arnyn nhw. Yna bydd yn rhaid cael adolygiad gan bob awdurdod lleol wrth weithredu'r canllawiau hynny o dan yr amgylchiadau y maen nhw eu hunain yn eu hwynebu, ac mae'r amgylchiadau hynny yn newid o un awdurdod lleol i'r llall. Mae'r topograffi yn wahanol, gall dwysedd y boblogaeth fod yn wahanol. Un o'r pethau yr wyf i'n credu ein bod ni wedi ei ganfod yn yr ymarfer cyfan hwn yw bod dulliau gwahanol o ddynodi ffyrdd 30 mya mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru beth bynnag.
Yr hyn y byddwn ni'n ei wneud yw bod mor eglur ag y gallwn, gan weithio ochr yn ochr ag awdurdodau lleol ar y canllawiau. Mater iddyn nhw fydd hi wedyn, Llywydd; awdurdodau lleol sy'n dehongli'r canllawiau hynny o dan yr amgylchiadau y maen nhw'n eu hwynebu. Rwy'n credu bod y pwynt a wnaeth y Dirprwy Weinidog yr wythnos diwethaf yn un pwysig: bod bwlch annisgwyl o lydan rhwng yr awdurdodau lleol hynny sydd wedi eithrio llai nag 1 y cant o'u ffyrdd a'r awdurdodau lleol hynny sydd wedi eithrio cynifer â 10 y cant. Bydd yr ymarfer rwy'n credu yn ceisio gweld a oes anghysonderau yno y gellir eu datrys, a bydd yn cael ei wneud yn y ffordd bartneriaeth honno—adolygiad o'r canllawiau gan Lywodraeth Cymru i helpu gydag eglurder, ac yna penderfyniadau gweithredu y mae awdurdodau lleol eu hunain yn gyfrifol amdanyn nhw.
We know there is variation across Wales in terms of the roads that have remained at 30 mph. The review is going to look at this issue, and we need to engage with our partners in local government and bus operators as part of that. We've seen that the regional scrums and the corporate joint committees are working well in terms of bringing local authorities together in dealing with some of the challenges facing the bus industry in Wales. First Minister, do you agree with me that they provide an ideal forum for that detailed discussion for looking at the impact of speed limits on arterial routes and punctuality, as well as helping to identify areas where bus priority measures could make a real difference?
Rydym ni'n gwybod bod amrywiad ledled Cymru o ran y ffyrdd sydd wedi aros ar 30 mya. Mae'r adolygiad yn mynd i edrych ar y mater hwn, ac mae angen i ni ymgysylltu â'n partneriaid mewn llywodraeth leol a gweithredwyr bysiau yn rhan o hynny. Rydym ni wedi gweld bod y sgrymiau rhanbarthol a'r cyd-bwyllgorau corfforaethol yn gweithio'n dda o ran dod ag awdurdodau lleol ynghyd i ymdrin â rhai o'r heriau sy'n wynebu'r diwydiant bysiau yng Nghymru. Prif Weinidog, a ydych chi'n cytuno â mi eu bod nhw'n darparu fforwm delfrydol ar gyfer y drafodaeth fanwl honno ar gyfer edrych ar effaith terfynau cyflymder ar lwybrau prifwythiennol a phrydlondeb, yn ogystal â helpu i nodi ardaloedd lle gallai mesurau blaenoriaeth i fysiau wneud gwahaniaeth go iawn?
I very much agree with the point that Carolyn Thomas has made about bus priority measures being the right answer to making sure that buses are able to move through communities, particularly where there is a great deal of traffic. That's why the Welsh Government has provided millions of pounds in this year's budget, and will do so again in next year's budget, to help local authorities with the costs of creating bus priority lanes to allow public transport to move swiftly through those areas.
I also agree with the point that Carolyn Thomas made. I think she echoed, in a way, a point I was trying to make in my original answer, which is that a partnership approach between the responsibilities of the Welsh Government and the responsibilities of local authorities will fine-tune this policy and iron out any anomalies that have been apparent in the first months of its operation.
I think regional working between local authorities based on corporate joint committees and those regional arrangements that have been put in place for bus services is a very sensible way for this to go, and, in the review that we'll be carrying out of the guidance that the Welsh Government has provided, we will certainly be engaging with local authorities on those regional footprints.
Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r pwynt y mae Carolyn Thomas wedi'i wneud mai mesurau blaenoriaeth i fysiau yw'r ateb cywir i wneud yn siŵr bod bysiau yn gallu symud trwy gymunedau, yn enwedig lle ceir llawer iawn o draffig. Dyna pam mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi darparu miliynau o bunnau yn y gyllideb eleni, ac y bydd yn gwneud hynny eto yng nghyllideb y flwyddyn nesaf, i helpu awdurdodau lleol gyda chostau creu lonydd blaenoriaeth i fysiau i alluogi trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus i symud yn gyflym drwy'r ardaloedd hynny.
Rwyf i hefyd yn cytuno â'r pwynt a wnaeth Carolyn Thomas. Rwy'n credu iddi adleisio, mewn ffordd, bwynt yr oeddwn i'n ceisio ei wneud yn fy ateb gwreiddiol, sef y bydd dull partneriaeth rhwng cyfrifoldebau Llywodraeth Cymru a chyfrifoldebau awdurdodau lleol yn mireinio'r polisi hwn ac yn dileu unrhyw anghysonderau sydd wedi bod yn amlwg yn ystod misoedd cyntaf ei weithrediad.
Rwy'n credu bod gweithio rhanbarthol rhwng awdurdodau lleol yn seiliedig ar gyd-bwyllgorau corfforaethol a'r trefniadau rhanbarthol hynny a roddwyd ar waith ar gyfer gwasanaethau bysiau yn ffordd synhwyrol iawn i hyn ddigwydd, ac, yn yr adolygiad y byddwn ni'n ei gynnal o'r canllawiau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi eu darparu, byddwn ni'n sicr yn ymgysylltu ag awdurdodau lleol ar yr olion traed rhanbarthol hynny.
4. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi aelwydydd yng nghanolbarth a gorllewin Cymru yn ystod yr argyfwng costau byw? OQ60527
4. How is the Welsh Government supporting households in mid and west Wales during the cost-of-living crisis? OQ60527
Diolch i Cefin Campbell am y cwestiwn, Llywydd. Rydyn ni’n gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i gefnogi pobl sy’n cael eu heffeithio gan yr argyfwng costau byw, gan gynnwys y rhai yn y canolbarth a’r gorllewin. Rydyn ni’n helpu pobl i fanteisio ar eu hawliau ariannol, gan ddarparu cymorth wedi'i dargedu i'r rhai sy’n cael eu heffeithio fwyaf, a darparu ystod o gynlluniau sy'n helpu i gadw arian ym mhocedi pobl.
I thank Cefin Campbell for that question, Llywydd. We are doing all we can to support people affected by the cost-of-living crisis, including those in mid and west Wales. We are helping people to access their financial entitlements, providing targeted help to those worst affected, and delivering a range of schemes that help keep money in people’s pockets.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Os caf i ofyn i chi ymhelaethu rhywfaint, bach, ar yr ateb hwnnw, mae budd-daliadau Cymreig, yn cynnwys y cynllun gostwng y dreth gyngor a'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, er enghraifft, yn werth gymaint â rhyw £4,000 i aelwydydd ledled Cymru. Felly, roedd e'n bryder i mi ddarllen wythnos diwethaf fod miliynau o bunnoedd o'r math hwn o gymorth yn mynd heb ei hawlio yng Nghymru. Mae Sefydliad Bevan yn dweud bod o gwmpas £73 miliwn bob blwyddyn yn mynd heb ei hawlio, oherwydd efallai diffyg ymwybyddiaeth bod yr arian yna ar gael, neu fod y prosesau hawlio yn rhy gymhleth. Rwyf am roi enghraifft i chi o hybiau Cyngor Sir Gâr, lle mae pobl yn gallu cerdded mewn a chael help gyda phob math o fudd-daliadau, a sicrhau eu bod nhw'n cael yr arian sydd yn ddyledus iddyn nhw. Mae yna enghreifftiau o rai sydd wedi elwa gan ryw filoedd o bunnoedd. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i chi, Brif Weinidog, beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud er mwyn sicrhau bod pob aelwyd yn hawlio'r budd-daliadau hyn? Beth sy'n cael ei wneud i godi ymwybyddiaeth a symleiddio'r broses i hawlio? Ac ydych chi'n cytuno ei fod yn amser resymoli'r broses o dan un system o fudd-daliadau Cymreig?
Thank you very much. If I could ask you to expand upon that response, Welsh benefits, including the reduction in council tax and the education maintenance allowance, are worth some £4,000 to households across Wales. So, it was a concern for me to read last week that millions of pounds of this kind of support are going unclaimed in Wales. The Bevan Foundation say that around £73 million per annum is left unclaimed, perhaps because of a lack of awareness that that funding is available, or that the claims processes are too complex. I want to give you an example of Carmarthenshire council hubs, where people can walk in and seek assistance with all kinds of benefits to ensure that they do receive the funds owed to them. There are examples of some who have benefited from thousands of pounds. So, can I ask you, First Minister, what the Welsh Government is doing to ensure that all households do claim these benefits? What is being done to raise awareness and to simplify the claims process? Do you agree that it's time to rationalise the process under one system of Welsh benefits?
Wel, diolch yn fawr i Cefin Campbell am y cwestiwn ychwanegol, Llywydd. Wrth gwrs, dwi'n cytuno bod gwaith pwysig i'w wneud, ac rŷn ni'n ariannu pobl i wneud e yma yng Nghymru i helpu pobl tynnu i lawr y budd-daliadau sydd ar gael iddyn nhw mas o'r system dros y Deyrnas Unedig. Mae ymdrech gyda ni ar hyn o bryd, ymgyrch genedlaethol, ble rŷn ni'n rhedeg pethau i dynnu sylw pobl at y ffaith bod budd-daliadau yna iddyn nhw, a rhoi help iddyn nhw er mwyn cael arian mas o'r system.
Ble mae pethau yn nwylo Llywodraeth Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol, rŷn ni wedi cytuno nawr gydag awdurdodau lleol a phobl eraill ar siartr ble rŷn ni'n gallu gwneud rhai o'r pethau yr oedd Cefin Campbell yn cyfeirio atyn nhw, i symleiddio'r broses a chael y broses yn yr un lle, ble bynnag mae pobl yn byw yng Nghymru. Trwy wneud pethau fel yna, rŷn ni'n cydweithio â phobl eraill. Er enghraifft, rŷn ni'n gweithio yn agos gyda'r comisiynydd pobl hŷn yma yng Nghymru. Mae hi wedi gwneud lot o waith arbennig o dda a phwysig i helpu pobl hŷn i roi i mewn am gredyd pensiwn—yr enghraifft fwyaf lle dyw pobl yng Nghymru ddim yn tynnu mas o'r system yr arian sydd gyda nhw i'w gael. So, trwy gydweithio gyda phobl eraill, ariannu gwasanaethau ar lawr gwlad, symleiddio'r pethau sydd yn ein dwylo ni, gallwn ni wneud mwy, a dwi eisiau, ac mae'r Llywodraeth eisiau gwneud mwy yn y dyfodol.
I thank Cefin Campbell for that supplementary question, Llywydd. Of course, I agree that there is important work to do, and we are funding people to do that work here in Wales to help people draw down the benefits that are available to them out of the UK system. We are making efforts at present, national efforts, where we are running campaigns to draw people's attention to the fact that there are benefits there for them, and to provide support for them so that they can claim money from the system.
Where things are in Welsh Government hands, and local authorities', we've agreed with the local authorities and others on a charter where we can do some of the things that Cefin Campbell referred to, to simplify the process, and to get the process in the same place, wherever people live in Wales. By undertaking that kind of action we can collaborate with other people. For example, we're working closely with the older people's commissioner here in Wales. She has undertaken a lot of excellent, important work to help older people to apply for pension credits—the biggest example of where Welsh people are not drawing down the benefits available to them. So, through collaborating with people, funding services on the ground, and simplifying the processes that are in our hands, we can do more, and I want and the Government wants to do more in the future.
First Minister, as you and Cefin Campbell alluded to, the Welsh Government have had a number of campaigns to highlight the support that the Welsh Government is giving in regard to cost-of-living payments, whether that's on tv, radio or social media. But First Minister, what I'd like to know is the amount of people who've accessed the gov.wales 'Here to help' webpage and the 0808 number that the Welsh Government have provided, so we can actually be assured here as Senedd Members that the promotional work that the Welsh Government is doing is actually having that targeted approach, so that people who need the support are actually accessing that information and getting the support that they're entitled to.
Prif Weinidog, fel y gwnaethoch chi a Cefin Campbell ei ddweud, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cynnal nifer o ymgyrchoedd i dynnu sylw at y cymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei roi o ran taliadau costau byw, boed hynny ar y teledu, y radio neu gyfryngau cymdeithasol. Ond Prif Weinidog, yr hyn yr hoffwn i ei wybod yw faint o bobl sydd wedi ymweld â thudalen we 'Yma i helpu' llyw.cymru a'r rhif 0808 y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei ddarparu, fel y gallwn ni fod yn sicr yma fel Aelodau o'r Senedd bod y gwaith hyrwyddo y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud wir yn dilyn y dull wedi'i dargedu hwnnw, fel bod pobl sydd angen y cymorth yn cael gafael ar yr wybodaeth honno mewn gwirionedd, ac yn cael y cymorth y mae ganddyn nhw hawl iddo.
Llywydd, I don't have the figures for those particular strands in the effort that we make to hand, but I'm sure they can be provided to the Member. Look, I think the key point is this—and some of the things we've learnt over the years are—that in order to have a successful campaign you have to have a range of different ways in which people are able to access the help that they need. Because some people will prefer to use a website in their own homes, navigate their own way through the system; other people will undoubtedly prefer to have a face-to-face session with an adviser who will be able to directly assist them.
So, it's not a matter, I think, of saying, 'Is this strand working, is that strand working?' You need to have a wide variety of ways in which people can draw on the help that is available to them, theirs as a right. Because a way that will be the right method for one person will be different from the person living next door to them. And that's why we have a multi-stranded way of trying to offer help to people who need it.
Llywydd, nid yw'r ffigurau gen i ar gyfer y ffrydiau penodol hynny yn yr ymdrech yr ydym ni'n ei gwneud wrth law, ond rwy'n siŵr y gellir eu darparu nhw i'r Aelod. Edrychwch, rwy'n credu mai'r pwynt allweddol yw hwn—a rhai o'r pethau yr ydym ni wedi eu dysgu dros y blynyddoedd yw—er mwyn cael ymgyrch lwyddiannus mae'n rhaid i chi fod ag amrywiaeth o wahanol ffyrdd y gall pobl gael gafael ar y cymorth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw. Oherwydd bydd yn well gan rai pobl ddefnyddio gwefan yn eu cartrefi eu hunain, llywio eu ffordd eu hunain drwy'r system; heb os, bydd yn well gan bobl eraill gael sesiwn wyneb yn wyneb gyda chynghorydd a fydd yn gallu eu cynorthwyo nhw'n uniongyrchol.
Felly, nid yw'n fater o ddweud, yn fy marn i, 'A yw'r ffrwd yma'n gweithio, a yw'r ffrwd yna'n gweithio?' Mae angen i chi fod ag amrywiaeth eang o ffyrdd y gall pobl fanteisio ar y cymorth sydd ar gael iddyn nhw, sy'n perthyn iddyn nhw fel hawl. Oherwydd bydd ffordd a fydd y dull cywir i un person yn wahanol i'r person sy'n byw drws nesaf iddo. A dyna pam mae gennym ni ffordd aml-ffrwd o geisio cynnig cymorth i bobl sydd ei angen.
I'd like to invite you, First Minister, in joining me to welcome the fact that every local authority in my region will complete the roll-out of universal free school meals to primary schools ahead of the Welsh Government's September deadline. And I'm sure that you share my frustration that the Conservatives—the party that's done so much to cause and fuel the cost-of-living crisis—continue to oppose this scheme. I think it's time they went.
Hoffwn eich gwahodd chi, Prif Weinidog, i ymuno â mi i groesawu'r ffaith y bydd pob awdurdod lleol yn fy rhanbarth yn cwblhau'r broses o gyflwyno prydau ysgol am ddim cyffredinol i ysgolion cynradd cyn dyddiad cau Llywodraeth Cymru ym mis Medi. Ac rwy'n siŵr eich bod chi'n rhannu fy rhwystredigaeth bod y Ceidwadwyr—y blaid sydd wedi gwneud cymaint i achosi a hyrwyddo'r argyfwng costau byw—yn parhau i wrthwynebu'r cynllun hwn. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bryd iddyn nhw fynd.
Well, it's a very clear contrast, Llywydd, isn't it? Here is a highly successful scheme. It was in September of 2022 that the designated Member, Siân Gwenllian, and I went to the Member's region to launch the universal free-school-meal service. And it's very good to hear, as Joyce Watson has said, that all local authorities in her region—. Some have achieved it already—Pembrokeshire has achieved it already, Carmarthenshire has achieved it already—but all the local authorities in that area will have achieved universal free school meals for all primary school students ahead of the deadline. That's incredibly good news and very good news for those children, and very good news for those families who are struggling with the cost of living.
Here, on this side of the Chamber, and with our co-operation agreement partners, we're proud of what we've achieved in this area, and the continued opposition of the Conservative Party to such a successful policy is there for anyone to see.
Wel, mae'n gyferbyniad eglur iawn, Llywydd, onid ydyw? Dyma gynllun hynod lwyddiannus. Ym mis Medi 2022 yr aeth yr Aelod dynodedig, Siân Gwenllian, a minnau i ranbarth yr Aelod i lansio'r gwasanaeth prydau ysgol am ddim cyffredinol. Ac mae'n dda iawn clywed, fel y mae Joyce Watson wedi dweud, bod pob awdurdod lleol yn ei rhanbarth—. Mae rhai wedi ei gyflawni eisoes—mae sir Benfro wedi ei gyflawni eisoes, mae sir Gaerfyrddin wedi ei gyflawni eisoes—ond bydd yr holl awdurdodau lleol yn yr ardal honno wedi sicrhau prydau ysgol am ddim cyffredinol i bob myfyriwr ysgol gynradd cyn y dyddiad cau. Mae hynny'n newyddion anhygoel o dda ac yn newyddion da iawn i'r plant hynny, ac yn newyddion da iawn i'r teuluoedd hynny sy'n cael trafferth gyda chostau byw.
Yma, ar yr ochr hon i'r Siambr, a chyda'n partneriaid cytundeb cydweithio, rydym ni'n falch o'r hyn yr ydym ni wedi ei gyflawni yn y maes hwn, ac mae gwrthwynebiad parhaus y Blaid Geidwadol i bolisi mor llwyddiannus yno i unrhyw un ei weld.
5. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'u cael gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynglŷn â sgandal Horizon? OQ60503
5. What discussions has the First Minister had with the UK Government regarding the Horizon scandal? OQ60503
Llywydd, the UK Government has at last promised action to exonerate and compensate people affected by these appalling miscarriages of justice. But the scandal illustrates wider factors in access to justice, factors highlighted in the Thomas commission report and pursued by Welsh Ministers with successive Secretaries of State for justice ever since.
Llywydd, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi addo gweithredu o'r diwedd i ryddhau pobl yr effeithiwyd arnynt gan y camweinyddiadau cyfiawnder ofnadwy hyn o fai a'u digolledu. Ond mae'r sgandal yn dangos ffactorau ehangach o ran mynediad at gyfiawnder, ffactorau a amlygwyd yn adroddiad comisiwn Thomas ac y mae Gweinidogion Cymru wedi mynd ar eu trywydd gydag Ysgrifenyddion Gwladol olynol dros gyfiawnder byth ers hynny.
Thank you, First Minister. I'd be very interested to know whether you have a sense of the scale of the injustice across Wales, and whether you'd agree that compensation and quashed convictions are long overdue and must be demanded by UK Government as soon as possible.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Byddai gen i ddiddordeb mawr mewn gwybod a oes gennych chi syniad o raddfa'r anghyfiawnder ledled Cymru, ac a fyddech chi'n cytuno ei bod hi'n hen bryd cael iawndal a diddymu euogfarnau a bod yn rhaid mynnu hynny gan Lywodraeth y DU cyn gynted â phosibl.
Well, Llywydd, we have a sense of the scale in that we know that in every single part of Wales—from Haverfordwest in the south right to the north—there have been individuals badly affected by this scandal. We don't have definitive numbers, because we know that part of the scandal has been that there have been people who were innocent of any wrongdoing who felt obliged to plead guilty to an offence. We know that the result of the recent television programme is that more people have come forward to draw attention to the way in which they themselves were treated. So, we know that the scandal has affected every part of Wales, and what we probably know underestimates the scale of that difficulty.
Of course, as Ken Skates says, Llywydd, I want to see the UK Government come forward as fast as possible. There are hundreds of people whose lives and livelihoods have been ruined by this scandal. They need to act now. Many people will ask where they have been all these years. But now they need to act, they need to make sure that those people are properly identified and that compensation for the wrongs that have been inflicted on them is paid to them as fast as possible.
Wel, Llywydd, mae gennym ni syniad o'r raddfa yn yr ystyr ein bod ni'n gwybod, ym mhob un rhan o Gymru—o Hwlffordd yn y de yr holl ffordd i'r gogledd—y bu unigolion yr effeithiwyd arnynt yn ofnadwy gan y sgandal hwn. Nid oes gennym ni niferoedd pendant, gan ein bod ni'n gwybod mai rhan o'r sgandal fu'r ffaith bod pobl a oedd yn ddieuog o unrhyw gamwedd yn teimlo rheidrwydd i bledio'n euog i drosedd. Rydym ni'n gwybod mai canlyniad y rhaglen deledu ddiweddar yw bod mwy o bobl wedi dod ymlaen i dynnu sylw at y ffordd y cawson nhw eu hunain eu trin. Felly, rydym ni'n gwybod bod y sgandal wedi effeithio ar bob rhan o Gymru, ac mae'n debyg bod yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wybod yn tanamcangyfrif maint yr anhawster hwnnw.
Wrth gwrs, fel y mae Ken Skates yn ei ddweud, Llywydd, rwyf i eisiau gweld Llywodraeth y DU yn dod ymlaen cyn gynted â phosibl. Mae cannoedd o bobl y mae eu bywydau a'u bywoliaethau wedi cael eu difetha gan y sgandal hwn. Mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw weithredu nawr. Bydd llawer o bobl yn gofyn lle maen nhw wedi bod yr holl flynyddoedd hyn. Ond nawr mae angen iddyn nhw weithredu, mae angen iddyn nhw wneud yn siŵr bod y bobl hynny yn cael eu nodi yn briodol a bod iawndal am y camweddau yn eu herbyn yn cael ei dalu iddyn nhw cyn gynted â phosib.
Between 1999 and 2015, more than 700 sub-postmasters were convicted of fraud, theft or false accounting—the largest miscarriage of justice in UK history. In his discussion with the Hansard Society last week, former Conservative Member of Parliament and now Member of the House of Lords, James Arbuthnot, who led a parliamentary campaign to investigate malpractice at the Post Office, noted that, when he had written to the then UK Minister in 2009, he was told,
'this is a contractual separate matter for the post office. We've got a hands-off arrangement with the post office, and so it's nothing to do with the government.'
This discussion also noted that 17 UK Ministers have been responsible for the Post Office over the length of this scandal, and that the House of Lords is going to be considering the Post Office (Horizon System) Compensation Bill, which was the legislation that was promised in the King's Speech and brought forward. What representations on behalf, therefore, of affected sub-postmasters in Wales will the Welsh Government be making regarding both this and the blanket legislation announced by the Prime Minister to clear sub-postmasters convicted of wrongdoing as a result of this scandal?
Rhwng 1999 a 2015, cafwyd mwy na 700 o is-bostfeistri yn euog o dwyll, lladrad neu gyfrifyddu ffug—y camweinyddiad cyfiawnder mwyaf yn hanes y DU. Yn ei drafodaeth gyda Chymdeithas Hansard yr wythnos diwethaf, nododd y cyn Aelod Seneddol Ceidwadol, sydd bellach yn Aelod o Dŷ'r Arglwyddi, James Arbuthnot, a arweiniodd ymgyrch seneddol i ymchwilio i gamymarfer yn Swyddfa'r Post, pan oedd wedi ysgrifennu at Weinidog y DU ar y pryd yn 2009, y dywedwyd wrtho,
'mae hwn yn fater cytundebol ar wahân i swyddfa'r post. Mae gennym ni drefniant sefyll yn ôl gyda swyddfa'r post, ac felly nid oes ganddo ddim byd i'w wneud â'r llywodraeth.'
Nododd y drafodaeth hon hefyd bod 17 o Weinidogion y DU wedi bod yn gyfrifol am Swyddfa'r Post dros gyfnod y sgandal hwn, ac y bydd Tŷ'r Arglwyddi yn ystyried Bil Iawndal Swyddfa'r Post (System Horizon), sef y ddeddfwriaeth a addawyd yn Araith y Brenin ac a gyflwynwyd. Pa sylwadau, felly, ar ran is-bostfeistri yr effeithiwyd arnynt yng Nghymru fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu gwneud ynghylch hyn a'r ddeddfwriaeth gyffredinol a gyhoeddwyd gan Brif Weinidog y DU i ddifeio is-bostfeistri a gafwyd yn euog o gamweddau o ganlyniad i'r sgandal hwn?
Well, Llywydd, Welsh Ministers will take every opportunity that we have to continue to raise this with UK Ministers, but we're not doing it for the first time. The Counsel General will meet with fellow Ministers across the United Kingdom later this month, and this will be a matter that will be raised with them then. The Counsel General wrote to the Secretary of State in the justice department on 1 September 2021, Llywydd. It's a letter well worth Members seeing, because it undoubtedly casts a light on a whole series of issues that have only subsequently come to public attention. It took over six months for that letter to receive a reply, and when it did it didn't come from the Ministry of Justice; it came from a Minister responsible, his letter said, for small businesses, consumers, labour markets and as Minister for London. Well, you know, I think it just tells you—it just tells you what sort of priority the UK Government had attached to this issue, when a letter from a Welsh Minister asking a series of very pertinent questions, which have since come powerfully to the surface, goes not answered for months on end and then by somebody who it's very difficult to see has a relevance to the questions that were raised in the first place.
Wel, Llywydd, bydd Gweinidogion Cymru yn manteisio ar bob cyfle sydd gennym ni i barhau i godi hyn gyda Gweinidogion y DU, ond nid ydym ni'n ei wneud am y tro cyntaf. Bydd y Cwnsler Cyffredinol yn cyfarfod â chyd-Weinidogion ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig yn ddiweddarach y mis hwn, a bydd hwn yn fater a fydd yn cael ei godi gyda nhw bryd hynny. Ysgrifennodd y Cwnsler Cyffredinol at yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn yr adran gyfiawnder ar 1 Medi 2021, Llywydd. Mae'n llythyr y mae'n werth i'r Aelodau ei weld, oherwydd mae'n sicr yn taflu goleuni ar gyfres gyfan o faterion sydd ddim ond wedi dod i sylw'r cyhoedd yn ddiweddarach. Cymerodd dros chwe mis i'r llythyr hwnnw dderbyn ateb, a phan wnaeth, ni ddaeth oddi wrth y Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder; daeth oddi wrth Weinidog a oedd yn gyfrifol, meddai ei lythyr, am fusnesau bach, defnyddwyr, marchnadoedd llafur ac fel Gweinidog dros Lundain. Wel, wyddoch chi, rwy'n credu ei fod yn dweud wrthych chi—mae'n dweud wrthych chi pa fath o flaenoriaeth yr oedd Llywodraeth y DU wedi ei roi i'r mater hwn, pan nad yw llythyr gan un o Weinidogion Cymru sy'n gofyn cyfres o gwestiynau perthnasol iawn, sydd ers hynny wedi dod yn rymus i'r wyneb, yn cael ei ateb am fisoedd ar fisoedd ac yna gan rywun y mae'n anodd iawn gweld sy'n berthnasol i'r cwestiynau a godwyd yn y lle cyntaf.
What you're outlining there, First Minister, is definitely concerning. On a slightly other point, it's also concerning, isn't it, that Transport for Wales awarded a five-year contract in 2019 to Fujitsu, the company that designed Horizon; it's been extended to April 2026. Now, until yesterday, the Welsh Government hadn't disclosed how many other active contracts exist between the Welsh Government and Fujitsu. Could you tell me if you are now reviewing those contracts in light of the public outcry relating to what's happened at the Post Office?
Concerns about the Horizon scandal, as you've just outlined, they were well known well before Toby Jones took on that television role. What consideration was given to those concerns before that contract was awarded? Much more crucially, will lessons now be learned? If Fujitsu are found guilty of deliberate corporate abuse, will they be blacklisted from getting any future contracts? Because that's something, I think, the public will want to know.
Mae'r hyn rydych chi'n ei amlinellu yn y fan yna, Prif Weinidog, yn sicr yn peri pryder. Ar bwynt ychydig yn wahanol, mae hefyd yn peri pryder, onid ydyw, bod Trafnidiaeth Cymru wedi dyfarnu contract pum mlynedd yn 2019 i Fujitsu, y cwmni a ddyluniodd Horizon; mae wedi cael ei ymestyn hyd at fis Ebrill 2026. Nawr, tan ddoe, nid oedd Llywodraeth Cymru wedi datgelu faint o gontractau gweithredol eraill sy'n bodoli rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a Fujitsu. A allwch chi ddweud wrthyf i a ydych chi'n adolygu'r contractau hynny bellach yng ngoleuni'r brotest gyhoeddus yn ymwneud â'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn Swyddfa'r Post?
Pryderon am sgandal Horizon, fel yr ydych chi newydd ei amlinellu, roedden nhw'n hysbys iawn cyn i Toby Jones ymgymryd â'r rhan deledu honno. Pa ystyriaeth a roddwyd i'r pryderon hynny cyn dyfarnu'r contract hwnnw? Yn bwysicach o lawer, a fydd gwersi yn cael eu dysgu nawr? Os ceir Fujitsu yn euog o gam-drin corfforaethol bwriadol, a fyddan nhw ar gosbrestr o ran cael unrhyw gontractau yn y dyfodol? Oherwydd mae hynny'n rhywbeth, rwy'n credu, y bydd y cyhoedd eisiau ei wybod.
Well, Llywydd, first of all, the two contracts that currently exist are in their final months and will, no doubt, be reviewed as the contracts come to an end. I think the point the Member makes at the end of her question is actually quite a difficult point. I'm not sure what the legal basis could be for preventing an entirely legal company from competing for business in Wales on the basis of a failure in one part of their operation, serious as that failure certainly has been. In future, we will continue to abide within the rules that cover public procurement here in Wales. Blacklisting, I think, is both a legally questionable course of action and would have to be weighed up very carefully in the circumstances of any individual procurement case.
Wel, Llywydd, yn gyntaf oll, mae'r ddau gontract sy'n bodoli ar hyn o bryd yn eu misoedd olaf ac nid oes amheuaeth y byddan nhw'n cael eu hadolygu wrth i'r contractau ddod i ben. Rwy'n credu bod y pwynt y mae'r Aelod yn ei wneud ar ddiwedd ei chwestiwn yn bwynt eithaf anodd mewn gwirionedd. Nid wyf yn siŵr beth allai'r sail gyfreithiol fod ar gyfer atal cwmni cwbl gyfreithlon rhag cystadlu am fusnes yng Nghymru ar sail methiant mewn un rhan o'u gweithrediad, er mor ddifrifol y bu'r methiant hwnnw yn sicr. Yn y dyfodol, byddwn yn parhau i gadw at y rheolau sy'n cwmpasu caffael cyhoeddus yma yng Nghymru. Mae llunio cosbrestr, rwy'n credu, yn gam gweithredu sy'n amheus yn gyfreithiol ac y byddai'n rhaid pwyso a mesur yn ofalus iawn o dan amgylchiadau unrhyw achos caffael unigol.
Can I thank Ken Skates for bringing this important question forward? I recall, First Minister, raising this scandal on numerous occasions with the Counsel General on the floor of the Chamber, particularly the number of faults that had been exposed in terms of the faults with the justice system in the United Kingdom. And one of those faults has been the unwillingness of senior executives in powerful organisations to come forward with what they knew and when they knew it. A duty of candour is absolutely essential if ordinary people in Wales are to obtain justice when challenging the establishment and powerful organisations. This is one of the key tenets of the Hillsborough Law Now campaign. I know, First Minister, that you yourself have been supportive of the campaign and the Counsel General and other Ministers within the Welsh Government, but what more can the Welsh Government do to support the Hillsborough Law Now campaign?
A gaf i ddiolch i Ken Skates am gyflwyno'r cwestiwn pwysig hwn? Rwy'n cofio, Prif Weinidog, codi'r sgandal hwn ar sawl achlysur gyda'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol ar lawr y Siambr, yn enwedig nifer y diffygion a amlygwyd o ran y diffygion yn y system gyfiawnder yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Ac un o'r diffygion hynny fu amharodrwydd swyddogion gweithredol uwch mewn sefydliadau grymus i ddod ymlaen gyda'r hyn yr oedden nhw'n ei wybod a phryd roedden nhw'n ei wybod. Mae dyletswydd gonestrwydd yn gwbl hanfodol os yw pobl gyffredin yng Nghymru yn mynd i gael cyfiawnder wrth herio'r sefydliad a sefydliadau grymus. Dyma un o ddaliadau allweddol ymgyrch Hillsborough Law Now. Gwn, Prif Weinidog, eich bod chi eich hun wedi bod yn gefnogol i'r ymgyrch a'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol a Gweinidogion eraill o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru, ond beth arall all Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i gefnogi ymgyrch Hillsborough Law Now?
I thank Jack Sargeant for that, Llywydd. He's quite right: the Welsh Government has been supportive of the Hillsborough Law Now campaign. And I was very glad to see Sir Keir Starmer reaffirm the Labour Party's commitment to reform only last week. He said then that to prevent future injustices where the state is involved, not only will the next Labour Government introduce a statutory duty of candour for public services, but we will also introduce a new system where an independent public advocate can be appointed to act in the best interests of those affected.
Llywydd, I think Jack Sargeant makes a really important point. It seems to me that one of the reasons why this case has struck such a chord with the public is, of course there are the individual injustices themselves, but it is also that sense of unfairness of a very powerful, very well-resourced public authority using all the powers that it has to take on people who had none of those advantages themselves. It's that sense of unfairness, isn't it; it's of the playing field not being level between the two parties that I think has struck such a chord with people. And the Hillsborough law and the actions that the Labour Party is committed to should we form the next Government will go a long way to redressing that balance.
Diolch i Jack Sargeant am hynna, Llywydd. Mae ef yn llygad ei le: mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn gefnogol i ymgyrch Hillsborough Law Now. Ac roeddwn i'n falch iawn o weld Syr Keir Starmer yn ailddatgan ymrwymiad y Blaid Lafur i ddiwygio dim ond yr wythnos diwethaf. Er mwyn atal anghyfiawnderau yn y dyfodol lle mae'r wladwriaeth dan sylw, dywedodd y bydd y Llywodraeth Lafur nesaf nid yn unig yn cyflwyno dyletswydd gonestrwydd statudol ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, ond byddwn ni hefyd yn cyflwyno system newydd lle y bydd modd penodi eiriolwr cyhoeddus annibynnol i weithredu er lles pennaf y rhai yr effeithiwyd arnyn nhw.
Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod Jack Sargeant yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn. Mae'n ymddangos i mi mai un o'r rhesymau pam mae'r achos hwn wedi taro tant o'r fath gyda'r cyhoedd yw, wrth gwrs yr anghyfiawnderau unigol eu hunain, ond hefyd yr ymdeimlad hwnnw o annhegwch awdurdod cyhoeddus pwerus, gydag adnoddau da iawn yn defnyddio'r holl bwerau sydd ganddo ar bobl nad oedd ganddyn nhw unrhyw un o'r manteision hynny eu hunain. Mae'n ymwneud â'r ymdeimlad hwnnw o annhegwch, onid ydyw; mae'n ymwneud â'r diffyg tegwch sydd yn fy marn i wedi taro'r fath dant gyda phobl. A bydd cyfraith Hillsborough a'r camau y mae'r Blaid Lafur wedi ymrwymo iddyn nhw pe baem yn ffurfio'r Llywodraeth nesaf yn mynd tipyn o'r ffordd i unioni'r fantol.
6. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn monitro effeithiolrwydd penderfyniadau a wneir gan awdurdodau lleol? OQ60536
6. How does the Welsh Government monitor the effectiveness of decisions made by local authorities? OQ60536
Llywydd, local authorities are accountable to their own communities for the decisions they make. They are are monitored by Audit Wales, the inspectorates and their own internal scrutiny processes. When Welsh Government provides funding to deliver specific national policies, monitoring and review arrangements are put in place.
Llywydd, mae awdurdodau lleol yn atebol i'w cymunedau eu hunain am y penderfyniadau y maen nhw'n eu gwneud. Maen nhw'n cael eu monitro gan Archwilio Cymru, yr arolygiaethau a'u prosesau craffu mewnol eu hunain. Pan fo Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu cyllid i gyflawni polisïau cenedlaethol penodol, mae trefniadau monitro ac adolygu yn cael eu rhoi ar waith.
Labour-run Bridgend council's draft budget this week saw the council propose to close the town's bus station and cut the education budget by 5 per cent, as well as a massive proposed 9.5 per cent council tax increase. That's because the council has repeatedly failed to get its costs in order. Time and again, the council itself has admitted significant overspends in the social services department, and particularly an over-reliance on agency staff, which makes the service both more expensive and less safe. A Care Inspectorate Wales report last year said that a high number of agency staff were still being used in front-line services and management roles at the council. The council itself identified the lack of progress in this area earlier this year in an internal report. So, First Minister, Bridgend Labour council's repeated inability to get on top of these agency staff overspends means that people are losing services that they rely on and are facing a 9.5 per cent council tax rise to pay for it. So, how is the Welsh Government monitoring the spending of Bridgend Labour council to ensure that residents aren't being punished for the council's inability to make the right decisions?
Yr wythnos hon, yng nghyllideb ddrafft cyngor Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr y mae Llafur yn ei redeg, mae'r cyngor yn cynnig cau gorsaf fysiau'r dref a thorri'r gyllideb addysg 5 y cant, yn ogystal â chynnydd enfawr arfaethedig o 9.5 y cant yn y dreth gyngor. Mae hynny oherwydd bod y cyngor wedi methu â chael trefn ar ei gostau droeon. Dro ar ôl tro, mae'r cyngor ei hun wedi cyfaddef gorwariant sylweddol yn yr adran gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, ac yn enwedig gorddibyniaeth ar staff asiantaeth, sy'n gwneud y gwasanaeth yn ddrytach ac yn llai diogel. Dywedodd adroddiad Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru y llynedd bod nifer fawr o staff asiantaeth yn dal i gael eu defnyddio mewn gwasanaethau rheng flaen a swyddogaethau rheoli yn y cyngor. Nododd y cyngor ei hun y diffyg cynnydd yn y maes hwn yn gynharach eleni mewn adroddiad mewnol. Felly, Prif Weinidog, mae anallu parhaus cyngor Llafur Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr i reoli gorwariant ar y staff asiantaeth yn golygu bod pobl yn colli gwasanaethau y maen nhw'n dibynnu arnyn nhw ac yn wynebu cynnydd o 9.5 y cant yn y dreth gyngor i dalu amdano. Felly, sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn monitro gwariant cyngor Llafur Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr i sicrhau nad yw trigolion yn cael eu cosbi am anallu'r cyngor i wneud y penderfyniadau cywir?
Llywydd, Bridgend is a Labour council because the people of Bridgend voted for Labour councillors. That's what I tried to explain to the Member in my original answer: that local authorities are responsible to their local electorates and they will have to justify to their local electorates the decisions that they make. Bridgend County Borough Council is a well-run council that has faced over a decade of austerity; year after year after year, the pressures of a UK Government that has never valued what local authorities do, and where local authorities in England look enviously at the way local authorities in Wales have been supported. I believe that the people of Bridgend, who, in successive elections, have chosen a Labour council—that's why it's there; it's because it's been chosen by the people of Bridgend—I think they will go on understanding and supporting the actions that that council takes.
Llywydd, mae Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr yn gyngor Llafur oherwydd bod pobl Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr wedi pleidleisio dros gynghorwyr Llafur. Dyna'r hyn y ceisiais i ei egluro i'r Aelod yn fy ateb gwreiddiol: bod awdurdodau lleol yn gyfrifol i'w hetholwyr lleol a bydd yn rhaid iddyn nhw gyfiawnhau i'w hetholwyr lleol y penderfyniadau y maen nhw'n eu gwneud. Mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr yn gyngor sy'n cael ei redeg yn dda ac sydd wedi wynebu dros ddegawd o gyni; flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, pwysau Llywodraeth y DU nad yw erioed wedi gwerthfawrogi'r hyn y mae awdurdodau lleol yn ei wneud, a lle mae awdurdodau lleol yn Lloegr yn genfigennus o'r ffordd y mae awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru wedi cael eu cefnogi. Rwy'n credu bod pobl Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr, sydd, mewn etholiadau olynol, wedi dewis cyngor Llafur—dyna pam ei fod yno; mae hynny oherwydd ei fod wedi cael ei ddewis gan bobl Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr—rwy'n credu y byddan nhw'n parhau i ddeall a chefnogi'r camau y mae'r cyngor hwnnw'n eu cymryd.
One of the measures of the effectiveness of local authorities is the way that they not only make decisions for themselves, but, actually, the way that they collaborate with others. So, one of the interesting things that is coming about very shortly is the roll-out of a partnership between the NHS and local authorities across Wales, working with schools to deliver the highly effective human papillomavirus vaccine to tackle cervical cancer and other conditions as well. This is particularly pertinent as we approach Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. HPV immunisation will begin in schools in Wales from the start of the spring term, and it's worth noting that since the HPV vaccine was introduced in 2008, the rates of cervical cancer have reduced by almost 90 per cent in women in their 20s who were offered the vaccine at 12 to 13 years of age. So, would he join me in wishing those local authorities, NHS providers and also schools, who will deliver this in partnership, the very best of success, because it's a real, effective intervention in the health of our young people?
Un o fesurau effeithiolrwydd awdurdodau lleol yw'r ffordd y maen nhw nid yn unig yn gwneud penderfyniadau drostyn nhw eu hunain, ond mewn gwirionedd, y ffordd y maen nhw'n cydweithio ag eraill. Felly, un o'r pethau diddorol sy'n digwydd yn fuan iawn yw cyflwyno partneriaeth rhwng y GIG ac awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru, gan weithio gydag ysgolion i ddarparu brechlyn feirws papiloma dynol, HPV, hynod effeithiol i ymdrin â chanser ceg y groth a chyflyrau eraill hefyd. Mae hyn yn arbennig o berthnasol wrth i ni agosáu at Fis Ymwybyddiaeth Canser Ceg y Groth. Bydd rhaglen imiwneiddio HPV yn dechrau mewn ysgolion yng Nghymru o ddechrau tymor y gwanwyn, ac mae'n werth nodi, ers cyflwyno'r brechlyn HPV yn 2008, bod cyfraddau canser ceg y groth wedi gostwng bron i 90 y cant mewn menywod yn eu 20au a gafodd gynnig y brechlyn yn 12 i 13 oed. Felly, a fyddai ef yn ymuno â mi i ddymuno'r llwyddiant gorau i'r awdurdodau lleol, darparwyr y GIG a hefyd ysgolion, a fydd yn cyflawni hyn mewn partneriaeth, oherwydd ei fod yn ymyrraeth wirioneddol, effeithiol yn iechyd ein pobl ifanc?
I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for that supplementary question, Llywydd, and, of course, he is right that the only way in which we are able to deliver this highly effective vaccine is through a partnership between the NHS and local government. If you think of the original question I was asked, which was about monitoring the effectiveness of decisions, I'm very happy to write to Tom Giffard on this if he doesn't choose to listen to the answer, then we will monitor it, of course, because we will know exactly how many young people in schools in Bridgend and in other parts of Wales will benefit from this vaccination. Llywydd, I was the health Minister in the Welsh Government at the time that this vaccine was introduced, I remember it being opposed by Conservative Members, some of whom are still here in the Senedd, but it has demonstrated over the decade that has followed just how effective it has been for young women, but for young men as well, in Wales. I congratulate local government, all those local authorities, and the health service, hard-pressed as they are, for their determination to do even more in Cervical Cancer Awareness Month to make sure that our young people are protected, as they so successfully can be, against the awful experiences of others who didn't have the same opportunity.
Diolch i Huw Irranca-Davies am y cwestiwn atodol yna, Llywydd, ac, wrth gwrs, mae e'n gywir mai'r unig ffordd y gallwn ni ddarparu'r brechlyn hynod effeithiol hwn yw trwy bartneriaeth rhwng y GIG a llywodraeth leol. Os ydych chi'n ystyried y cwestiwn gwreiddiol a ofynnwyd i mi, a oedd yn ymwneud â monitro effeithiolrwydd penderfyniadau, rwy'n hapus iawn i ysgrifennu at Tom Giffard ar hyn os nad yw'n dewis gwrando ar yr ateb, yna byddwn ni'n ei fonitro, wrth gwrs, oherwydd byddwn ni'n gwybod yn union faint o bobl ifanc mewn ysgolion ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr ac mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru fydd yn elwa ar y brechiad hwn. Llywydd, fi oedd y Gweinidog iechyd yn Llywodraeth Cymru ar adeg cyflwyno'r brechlyn hwn, rwy'n cofio iddo gael ei wrthwynebu gan Aelodau Ceidwadol, y mae rhai ohonyn nhw dal yma yn y Senedd, ond mae wedi dangos dros y degawd dilynol, pa mor effeithiol y mae wedi bod i fenywod ifanc, ond i ddynion ifanc hefyd, yng Nghymru. Rwy'n llongyfarch y llywodraeth leol, yr holl awdurdodau lleol hynny, a'r gwasanaeth iechyd, dan bwysau fel y maen nhw, am eu penderfyniad i wneud hyd yn oed mwy yn ystod Mis Ymwybyddiaeth Canser Ceg y Groth i sicrhau bod ein pobl ifanc yn cael eu diogelu, yn llwyddiannus iawn, rhag profiadau ofnadwy pobl eraill na chawsant yr un cyfle.
7. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ba mor hir mae pobl yn aros am driniaeth yn y gwasanaeth iechyd? OQ60539
7. Will the First Minister make a statement on how long people are waiting for treatment in the health service? OQ60539
Llywydd, mae cynnydd yn cael ei wneud. Mae amseroedd aros dros ddwy flynedd wedi gostwng 53 y cant yn ystod y flwyddyn diwethaf ac maen nhw bellach ar eu hisaf ers mis Awst 2021. Mae gwelliannau pellach ar y gweill, gan adlewyrchu ymroddiad ac ymrwymiad staff y gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol.
Llywydd, progress is being made. Waits of more than two years have reduced by 53 per cent over the last year and are now at their lowest level since August 2021. There are further improvements in the pipeline, reflecting the commitment of staff in the NHS.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog am yr ateb yna, ond, wrth gwrs, bydd streic tri diwrnod aelodau Cymdeithas Feddygol Prydain yng Nghymru yn dwysáu'r broblem o restrau aros a hynny oherwydd methiant y Llywodraeth i roi cynnig teg i'r meddygon iau o ran tâl. Dwi wedi siarad â nifer fawr o feddygon y tu allan i'r Senedd yma heddiw, ddoe yn Wrecsam Maelor, er enghraifft, ac mae nifer cynyddol yn sôn eu bod nhw am ddilyn eu ffrindiau i weithio yn Awstralia neu Seland Newydd neu du hwnt. Gyda chi'n dweud fel Llywodraeth na allwch chi fforddio talu mwy, all yr NHS a Chymru fforddio colli mwy o feddygon?
I thank the First Minister for that response, but, of course, the three-day strike by British Medical Association members in Wales will intensify the problem of waiting lists, because of the failure of Government to give a fair offer to junior doctors in terms of pay. I've spoken to a number of doctors outside this Senedd today, and yesterday in Wrexham Maelor, for example, and an increasing number are saying that they're going to follow their friends to work in Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere. When you as a Government say that you can't afford to pay more, can the NHS and Wales afford to lose more doctors?
Wel, Llywydd, wrth gwrs, mae beth mae'r Aelod yn ei ddweud yn wir, bydd y streic yn cael effaith ar y gwasanaeth sydd ar gael i gleifion yma yng Nghymru. Ond dwi'n deall, mae'r Llywodraeth yn deall pam fod pobl yn teimlo mor gryf ar ôl cyfnod hir o gyni.
Well, Llywydd, of course, what the Member says is true, the strikes will have an impact on the services available to patients here in Wales. But I understand, the Government understands why people feel so strongly after such a long period of austerity.
But here we are again, Llywydd, aren't we, having heard the demand for more money to be spent on non-domestic rates, we now have more money being asked for for doctors in Wales. If we were in a position to do so, of course we want to see public servants in Wales paid properly for the work that they do, but the offer that we have made is right at the limit of the funding that we have for this purpose. I'll put the point to the Member, as I put it to his leader: you say to me I must find more money for doctors to retain them in the Welsh NHS. You tell me where that money is to come from, because there is a fixed sum of money available to us, and money would have to be taken from somewhere else to do what you suggest. Is it to come from apprentices? Is it to come from the agriculture budget? Is it to come from non-domestic rates? Well, those are all things that your party wants me to spend more money on, not less. And it is just an act of irresponsibility for Members to get on their feet in this Chamber and to say to me, ‘More money for this, more money for that, more money for something else,’ and never—not once—to think that they have any responsibility to suggest where that money should come from.
Ond dyma ni eto, Llywydd, ar ôl clywed y galw am wario mwy o arian ar ardrethi annomestig, gofynnir am fwy o arian nawr ar gyfer meddygon yng Nghymru. Pe byddem ni mewn sefyllfa i wneud hynny, wrth gwrs, rydyn ni eisiau gweld gweision cyhoeddus yng Nghymru yn cael eu talu'n briodol am y gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud, ond mae'r cynnig yr ydyn ni wedi'i wneud ar derfyn eithaf y cyllid sydd gennym ni at y diben hwn. Fe wnaf i wneud y pwynt i'r Aelod, fel y gwnes i ei wneud i'w arweinydd: rydych chi'n dweud wrthyf i fod yn rhaid i mi ddod o hyd i fwy o arian i feddygon i'w cadw nhw yn GIG Cymru. Dywedwch chi wrthyf i o ble y daw'r arian hwnnw, oherwydd mae swm penodol o arian ar gael i ni, a byddai'n rhaid cymryd arian o rywle arall i wneud yr hyn yr ydych chi'n ei awgrymu. A yw i ddod o brentisiaid? A yw i ddod o'r gyllideb amaethyddol? A yw i ddod o ardrethi annomestig? Wel, mae'r rhain i gyd yn bethau y mae'ch plaid eisiau i mi wario mwy o arian arnyn nhw, nid llai. Ac mae hi'n weithred anghyfrifol i Aelodau godi ar eu traed yn y Siambr hon a dweud wrthyf i, 'Mwy o arian i hwn, mwy o arian i'r llall, mwy o arian i rywbeth arall,' a heb feddwl byth—nid unwaith—bod ganddyn nhw unrhyw gyfrifoldeb i awgrymu o ble y dylai'r arian hwnnw ddod.
8. Sut mae'r Prif Weinidog yn mynd ati i gyflwyno Senedd gryfach sy'n gallu dwyn Llywodraeth Cymru i gyfrif yn well? OQ60520
8. How is the First Minister delivering a stronger Senedd that is better able to hold the Welsh Government to account? OQ60520
The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill will create a more effective Senedd, with a greater ability and capacity to hold the Welsh Government to account, whilst also reflecting the significant additions in this legislature’s role and responsibilities since 1999.
Bydd Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau) yn creu Senedd fwy effeithiol, gyda mwy o allu a chapasiti i ddwyn Llywodraeth Cymru i gyfrif, gan hefyd adlewyrchu'r ychwanegiadau sylweddol yn swyddogaeth a chyfrifoldebau'r ddeddfwrfa hon ers 1999.
The First Minister will, like me, be familiar with Aneurin Bevan’s In Place Of Fear, and it is no coincidence that the first chapter of that book is entitled ‘Poverty, Property and Democracy’. Aneurin Bevan understood the linkages between addressing the issues of inequality and poverty and the fundamental importance of democracy. It is important to empower this Senedd to ensure that we can not just empowers politicians, but empower this country, empower our people, empower Wales, to ensure that we can address the issues of poverty. We know that the Tories don’t like it, but they don’t mind—[Interruption.] They don’t mind more politicians—[Interruption.] They don’t mind more politicians—. Lord Cameron was very pleased to have his new job. They don’t mind more politicians, First Minister, when they’re cronies, when they’re family members, when they are donors. What they mind is more politicians who are elected by the people, accountable to the people and responsible to the people.
Do you agree with me, First Minister, that an empowered democracy in Wales is the greatest thing that we can do to address democracy, to address poverty and keep those people out of power?
Bydd y Prif Weinidog, fel fi, yn gyfarwydd â In Place Of Fear gan Aneurin Bevan, ac nid yw'n gyd-ddigwyddiad mai teitl pennod gyntaf y llyfr hwnnw yw 'Poverty, Property and Democracy'. Roedd Aneurin Bevan yn deall y cysylltiadau rhwng ymdrin â materion anghydraddoldeb a thlodi a phwysigrwydd sylfaenol democratiaeth. Mae'n bwysig grymuso'r Senedd hon i sicrhau nad ydyn ni'n grymuso gwleidyddion yn unig, ond yn grymuso'r wlad hon, yn grymuso'n pobl, yn grymuso Cymru, i sicrhau y gallwn ni ymdrin â materion tlodi. Rydyn ni'n gwybod nad yw'r Torïaid yn ei hoffi, ond nid ydyn nhw'n poeni—[Torri ar draws.] Nid ydyn nhw'n poeni bod mwy o wleidyddion—[Torri ar draws.] Nid ydyn nhw'n poeni bod mwy o wleidyddion—. Roedd yr Arglwydd Cameron yn falch iawn o gael ei swydd newydd. Nid ydyn nhw'n poeni bod mwy o wleidyddion, Prif Weinidog, pan fyddant yn gyfeillion, pan fyddant yn aelodau o'r teulu, pan fyddant yn rhoddwyr. Yr hyn y maen nhw'n poeni amdano yw gwleidyddion sy'n cael eu hethol gan y bobl, sy'n atebol i'r bobl ac sy'n gyfrifol i'r bobl.
A ydych chi'n cytuno â mi, Prif Weinidog, mai democratiaeth rymus yng Nghymru yw'r peth mwyaf y gallwn ni ei wneud i ymdrin â democratiaeth, i ymdrin â thlodi a chadw'r bobl hynny allan o rym?
Well, Llywydd, I have very long understood that there is a direct relationship on the floor of the Senedd between the noise that the Conservative group make and the quality of their argument. The weaker their argument, the louder they get, and you’ve certainly heard that this afternoon. [Interruption.] This is a 20-year journey, Llywydd. [Interruption.] Well, they’re at it again, Llywydd. They’re at it again. This is a 20-year journey. The Richard commission, reflecting on the very first term of this Senedd’s experience, concluded that there were insufficient numbers in the Assembly—as it was then—to discharge the responsibilities placed in their hands by the people of Wales. Since then, the roles and the responsibilities of this Senedd have grown beyond all recognition. What we will have in front of us is a Bill emanating from the special purpose committee that was created for that purpose, that will make sure that democracy here in Wales is put on a basis where the actions of Welsh Government can be properly scrutinised, where the best decisions can be made. There will be a lot of noise; there will be a lot of noise from those people who will benefit from the decisions that this Senedd will make, but I hope that, as Alun Davies has said, we will not be put off what we know is right to do. They will be interested in fear, they will say to people that this is something that should not happen; we will have the optimism that the people of Wales expect, to have those decisions in their hands, and for those decisions to be made by a Senedd that is fit for the purposes exercised on their behalf.
Wel, Llywydd, rwyf i wedi deall ers tro fod perthynas uniongyrchol ar lawr y Senedd rhwng y sŵn y mae'r grŵp Ceidwadol yn ei wneud ac ansawdd eu dadl. Y gwannaf eu dadl, yr uchaf eu cloch, ac yn sicr, rydych chi wedi clywed hynny y prynhawn yma. [Torri ar draws.] Mae hon yn daith 20 mlynedd, Llywydd. [Torri ar draws.] Wel, maen nhw wrthi eto, Llywydd. Maen nhw wrthi eto. Mae hon yn daith 20 mlynedd. Gwnaeth comisiwn Richard, gan fyfyrio ar dymor cyntaf un profiad y Senedd hon, ddod i'r casgliad nad oedd digon o niferoedd yn y Cynulliad—fel yr oedd bryd hwnnw—i gyflawni'r cyfrifoldebau a gafodd eu gosod yn eu dwylo gan bobl Cymru. Ers hynny, mae swyddogaethau a chyfrifoldebau'r Senedd hon wedi tyfu y tu hwnt i adnabyddiaeth. Yr hyn fydd gennym ni ger ein bron yw Bil sy'n deillio o'r pwyllgor diben arbennig a gafodd ei greu at y diben hwnnw, a fydd yn sicrhau bod democratiaeth yma yng Nghymru yn cael ei rhoi ar sail lle bydd modd craffu ar weithredoedd Llywodraeth Cymru yn briodol, lle bydd modd gwneud y penderfyniadau gorau. Bydd llawer o sŵn; bydd llawer o sŵn gan y bobl hynny a fydd yn elwa ar y penderfyniadau y bydd y Senedd hon yn eu gwneud, ond rwy'n gobeithio, fel y dywedodd Alun Davies, na fyddwn ni'n cael ein llywio oddi ar yr hyn yr ydyn ni'n gwybod sy'n iawn i'w wneud. Bydd ganddyn nhw ddiddordeb mewn ofn, byddan nhw'n dweud wrth bobl fod hwn yn rhywbeth na ddylai ddigwydd; bydd gennym ni'r optimistiaeth y mae pobl Cymru yn ei disgwyl, i gael y penderfyniadau hynny yn eu dwylo nhw, ac i'r penderfyniadau hynny gael eu gwneud gan Senedd sy'n addas at y dibenion sy'n cael eu harfer ar eu rhan.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf y prynhawn yma fydd y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, a dwi'n galw ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hwnnw. Lesley Griffiths.
The next item this afternoon is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement. Lesley Griffiths.
There are two changes to this week's business: the Minister for Health and Social Services will make a statement on winter pressures in healthcare. As a result, the statement on escalation and intervention arrangements has been postponed until next week, 23 January. 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.
Mae dau newid i fusnes yr wythnos hon: bydd y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn gwneud datganiad ar bwysau'r gaeaf ar ofal iechyd. O ganlyniad, mae'r datganiad ar drefniadau uwchgyfeirio ac ymyrryd wedi'i ohirio tan yr wythnos nesaf, 23 Ionawr. 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.
Trefnydd, can I call for a statement from the relevant Minister on Welsh Government support for public library services? I've been very concerned at the moment that Denbighshire County Council are proposing to cut library opening hours. They initially proposed a cut of 50 per cent. They're now proposing a cut of 40 per cent, after there was a huge public outcry in response to the initial consultation. Now, we know that libraries are about much more than books these days. They're places of lifelong learning and education, lots of people go there to enjoy the IT facilities as well, which they might not have at home, and, of course, they also promote local language and culture. So, this is a really important issue for my constituents. I appreciate that local authorities have difficult choices to make given the pressures on their budgets, but other local authorities are not proposing to cut their library services in half by asking them to close their doors for 50 per cent of the time. So, I think it is about time that the Welsh Government had some minimum standards required of our libraries in terms of opening hours, and I would appreciate it if a Minister could bring forward a statement on that.
In addition to that, we've heard, obviously, that the British Medical Association have been protesting outside. We know that the Welsh Government is also in dispute with general medical services contract holders. Our surgeries across the whole of Wales are under a lot of pressure as well, especially with the winter period coming up, and our GPs and the staff in those surgeries are working incredibly hard. There has been, obviously, a settlement of the general medical services contract in England, with a higher increase in the volume of support than is available to doctors' surgeries here in Wales. That is obviously unsatisfactory to the GPs. I visited a surgery with Gareth Davies in Rhyl—Madryn House Surgery—which performs an excellent service and delivers it to many people in that locality, but, clearly, they're looking for more. And there needs to be a decent settlement that recognises the huge contribution that those surgeries make. So, can we have also a statement from the health Minister on that specific issue, please?
Trefnydd, a gaf fi alw am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog perthnasol ar gefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i wasanaethau llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus? Rwy'n bryderus iawn ar hyn o bryd fod Cyngor Sir Ddinbych yn cynnig cwtogi oriau agor y llyfrgell. Ar y dechrau roedden nhw'n cynnig toriad o 50 y cant. Maen nhw nawr yn cynnig toriad o 40 y cant, yn dilyn protest gyhoeddus enfawr mewn ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad cychwynnol. Nawr, gwyddon ni fod llyfrgelloedd yn ymwneud â llawer mwy na llyfrau y dyddiau hyn. Maen nhw'n lleoedd addysg a dysgu gydol oes, mae llawer o bobl yn mynd yno hefyd i fwynhau'r cyfleusterau TG nad oes ganddyn nhw gartref efallai, ac, wrth gwrs, maen nhw hefyd yn hyrwyddo iaith a diwylliant lleol. Felly, mae hwn yn fater pwysig iawn i fy etholwyr. Rwy'n sylweddoli bod gan awdurdodau lleol ddewisiadau anodd eu gwneud o ystyried y pwysau ar eu cyllidebau, ond nid yw awdurdodau lleol eraill yn cynnig torri eu gwasanaethau llyfrgell yn eu hanner drwy ofyn iddyn nhw gau eu drysau am 50 y cant o'r amser. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n hen bryd bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn mynnu bod gan ein llyfrgelloedd rai safonau gofynnol o ran oriau agor, a byddwn i'n gwerthfawrogi pe gallai Gweinidog gyflwyno datganiad ar hynny.
Yn ogystal â hynny, rydyn ni wedi clywed, yn amlwg, fod Cymdeithas Feddygol Prydain wedi bod yn protestio y tu allan. Rydyn ni'n ymwybodol hefyd fod Llywodraeth Cymru mewn anghydfod â deiliaid contractau gwasanaethau meddygol cyffredinol. Mae ein meddygfeydd ar draws Cymru gyfan o dan lawer o bwysau hefyd, yn enwedig gyda chyfnod y gaeaf ar y gorwel, ac mae ein meddygon teulu a'r staff yn y meddygfeydd hynny yn gweithio'n anhygoel o galed. Yn amlwg, mae setliad wedi bod o'r contract gwasanaethau meddygol cyffredinol yn Lloegr, gyda mwy o gynnydd ym maint y cymorth nag sydd ar gael i feddygfeydd yma yng Nghymru. Mae hynny'n amlwg yn anfoddhaol i'r meddygon teulu. Ymwelais i â meddygfa gyda Gareth Davies yn Y Rhyl—Meddygfa Tŷ Madryn—sy'n cynnal gwasanaeth rhagorol ac sy'n ei ddarparu i lawer o bobl yn yr ardal honno, ond, yn amlwg, maen nhw'n chwilio am fwy. Ac mae angen setliad teilwng sy'n cydnabod y cyfraniad enfawr y mae'r meddygfeydd hynny'n ei wneud. Felly, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd ynglŷn â'r mater penodol hwnnw, os gwelwch yn dda?
Thank you. Well, I don't disagree with anything that you said about the value of services in our libraries. Where I do disagree with the Member is that, obviously, it's a matter for each local authority. They are given a budget by the Welsh Government. We've given them the very best settlement that we've been able to afford, because, obviously, our budget is worth £1.3 billion less next year, after it was set in 2021. So, I think the autonomy for local authorities, who know their local population far better than we do, is the way that they should make decisions on the public services that they provide for their population.
In relation to your question around general practitioners and the GMC contract, again, you will have heard the First Minister say in relation to a question regarding junior doctors' pay that we would want to give our public servants more funding, but, unfortunately, all budgets have been cut and we can only give out what we are able to do from our constrained budget as well.
Diolch. Wel, nid wyf i'n anghytuno ag unrhyw beth y gwnaethoch chi ei ddweud am werth gwasanaethau yn ein llyfrgelloedd. Lle yr wyf i'n anghytuno â'r Aelod yw ei fod, yn amlwg, yn fater i bob awdurdod lleol. Maen nhw'n cael cyllideb gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Rydyn ni wedi rhoi'r setliad gorau iddyn nhw yr ydyn ni wedi gallu ei fforddio, oherwydd, yn amlwg, mae ein cyllideb werth £1.3 biliwn yn llai y flwyddyn nesaf, ar ôl iddi gael ei gosod yn 2021. Felly, rwy'n credu mai ymreolaeth i awdurdodau lleol, sy'n adnabod eu poblogaeth leol yn llawer gwell na ni, yw'r ffordd y dylen nhw wneud penderfyniadau ar y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus y maen nhw'n eu darparu ar gyfer eu poblogaeth.
O ran eich cwestiwn ynghylch meddygon teulu a chontract y Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol, unwaith eto, byddwch chi wedi clywed y Prif Weinidog yn dweud o ran cwestiwn ynglŷn â chyflog meddygon iau y bydden ni eisiau rhoi mwy o gyllid i'n gweision cyhoeddus, ond, yn anffodus, mae'r holl gyllidebau wedi'u cwtogi a gallwn ni ond rhoi'r hyn y gallwn ni o'n cyllideb gyfyngedig hefyd.
I would like to ask for two Government statements. The first statement I am requesting is an update on the development of co-operative housing in Wales. As is well documented, Wales and the rest of Britain have far less co-operative housing than western Europe and north America. With a housing shortage, we cannot afford to ignore any method of housing provision.
Secondly, I'm asking for a Government statement on the future of local newspapers. Advertising from houses-for-sale pull-outs and cars-for-sale inserts have disappeared, as well as job vacancies also disappearing from local papers. I want to highlight the importance of statutory notices to funding local papers. It is important that we support local newspapers to ensure the employment of sufficient journalists so that we can be held to account by the journalists and by the newspapers. I am fortunate to have the excellent South Wales Evening Post covering my constituency, but I think it really is important that we have good local newspapers.
Hoffwn i ofyn am ddau ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth. Y datganiad cyntaf yr wyf i'n gofyn amdano yw'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ddatblygu tai cydweithredol yng Nghymru. Fel sy'n hysbys, mae gan Gymru a gweddill Prydain lawer llai o dai cydweithredol na gorllewin Ewrop a gogledd America. Gyda phrinder tai, ni allwn ni fforddio anwybyddu unrhyw ddull o ddarparu tai.
Yn ail, rwy'n gofyn am ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth ar ddyfodol papurau newydd lleol. Mae hysbysebu tai ar werth a cheir ar werth ar dudalennau atodol wedi diflannu, yn ogystal â swyddi gwag hefyd yn diflannu o bapurau lleol. Rwyf i eisiau tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd hysbysiadau statudol o ran ariannu papurau lleol. Mae'n bwysig ein bod ni'n cefnogi papurau newydd lleol i sicrhau eu bod yn cyflogi digon o newyddiadurwyr fel y gallwn ni gael ein dwyn i gyfrif gan y newyddiadurwyr a gan y papurau newydd. Rwy'n ffodus i gael y South Wales Evening Post ardderchog sy'n ymdrin â fy etholaeth i, ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn bod gennym ni bapurau newydd lleol da.
Thank you. Well, the Welsh Government remains absolutely committed to supporting the development of co-operative and community-led housing in Wales. We know that one of the best ways to increase provision is to provide support to those interested in co-operative or community-led housing. Our support, through Cwmpas, is designed to do just that, and I'm pleased that Cwmpas are working with groups across Wales. And I know there is one in Swansea, and there's also one in Merthyr Tydfil and Newport and Pembrokeshire. We've increased funding through Cwmpas to £180,000 revenue funding for three years from 2022 through to 2024-25. So, we will continue to support co-operative and community-led housing groups who wish to develop new homes through the social housing grant as well.
In relation to your question around the future of local newspapers and statutory notices, they're set out in law. At a time of enormous constraints in public expenditure, it's really important that we always seek best value for money, while making sure the public are informed about developments that affect them in their local areas.
Diolch. Wel, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i fod yn gwbl ymrwymedig i gefnogi datblygu tai cydweithredol a thai o dan arweiniad y gymuned yng Nghymru. Gwyddom ni mai un o'r ffyrdd gorau o gynyddu'r ddarpariaeth yw rhoi cefnogaeth i'r rhai sydd â diddordeb mewn tai cydweithredol neu dai o dan arweiniad y gymuned. Mae ein cefnogaeth ni, drwy Cwmpas, wedi'i gynllunio i wneud yn union hynny, ac rwy'n falch fod Cwmpas yn gweithio gyda grwpiau ledled Cymru. Ac rwy'n gwybod bod un yn Abertawe, ac mae un hefyd ym Merthyr Tudful a Chasnewydd a sir Benfro. Drwy Cwmpas, rydyn ni wedi cynyddu cyllid refeniw i £180,000 am dair blynedd o 2022 hyd at 2024-25. Felly, byddwn ni'n parhau i gefnogi grwpiau tai cydweithredol a grwpiau tai o dan arweiniad y gymuned sy'n dymuno datblygu cartrefi newydd drwy'r grant tai cymdeithasol hefyd.
O ran eich cwestiwn ynghylch dyfodol papurau newydd lleol a hysbysiadau statudol, maen nhw wedi'u nodi yn y gyfraith. Ar adeg o gyfyngiadau enfawr mewn gwariant cyhoeddus, mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni bob amser yn ceisio'r gwerth gorau am arian, wrth sicrhau bod y cyhoedd yn cael gwybod am ddatblygiadau sy'n effeithio arnyn nhw yn eu hardaloedd lleol.
Minister, can I please request a Government statement about what support the Welsh Government provides to charities and organisations? The reason I ask is Sparkle, a truly remarkable charity that provides support to nearly 1,000 children and young people across Gwent with disabilities and complex needs, which is facing incredibly uncertain and worrying times. The charity is having to review the services it provides, which include leisure facilities, so that disabled children can have the same opportunities as able-bodied children. This is a result of significant and ongoing funding issues, and Sparkle needs to raise around £750,000 every year to maintain its support and leisure services, but a drop in its funding activities, exacerbated by the COVID pandemic and also a fall in grant support, now means that the charity's costs are greater than its income. A review of all expenditure has taken place and cost-saving measures, such as a recruitment freeze and a stop to non-mandatory training, have been introduced, but, Minister, it is still not enough. So, I cannot express enough, in my own words, the importance of Sparkle, and, having visited it on a number of occasions, you can clearly see how much it means to the children and their families just by the smiles on their faces. And I know my colleagues Jayne Bryant and Julie Morgan can attest to this, alongside Newport's MP Ruth Jones. Sparkle offers families, and especially children, opportunities that they cannot get elsewhere, and it would be a travesty to see these services lost. A consultation is under way to see how the charity can increase its income through fundraising, grant applications, corporate donations. But, Minister, is there any support, financial or otherwise, that the Welsh Government can, indeed, provide? A Government statement to that effect would really be appreciated. Thank you.
Gweinidog, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth ynghylch pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei ddarparu i elusennau a sefydliadau? Y rheswm yr wyf i'n gofyn yw bod Sparkle, elusen wirioneddol ryfeddol sy'n darparu cymorth i bron i 1,000 o blant a phobl ifanc gydag anableddau ac anghenion cymhleth ledled Gwent, yn wynebu cyfnod hynod ansicr a phryderus. Mae'r elusen yn gorfod adolygu'r gwasanaethau y mae'n eu darparu, sy'n cynnwys cyfleusterau hamdden, fel bod plant anabl yn gallu cael yr un cyfleoedd â phlant nad ydyn nhw'n anabl. Mae hyn o ganlyniad i faterion ariannu sylweddol a pharhaus, ac mae angen i Sparkle godi tua £750,000 bob blwyddyn i gynnal ei gwasanaethau cymorth a hamdden, ond mae gostyngiad yn ei gweithgareddau codi arian, wedi'i waethygu gan bandemig COVID a gostyngiad hefyd mewn cymorth grant, erbyn hyn yn golygu bod costau'r elusen yn fwy na'i hincwm. Mae adolygiad o'r holl wariant wedi digwydd ac mae mesurau arbed costau, fel rhewi recriwtio a dileu hyfforddiant nad yw'n orfodol, wedi'u cyflwyno, ond, Gweinidog, nid yw hyn yn ddigon. Felly, ni allaf i fynegi yn ddigon cryf yn fy ngeiriau fy hun pa mor bwysig yw Sparkle, ac, ar ôl ymweld â hi ar sawl achlysur, gallwch chi weld yn glir faint y mae'n ei olygu i'r plant a'u teuluoedd wrth y wên ar eu hwynebau. Ac rwy'n gwybod y gall fy nghyd-Aelodau Jayne Bryant a Julie Morgan dystio i hyn, ochr yn ochr ag AS Casnewydd Ruth Jones. Mae Sparkle yn cynnig cyfleoedd i deuluoedd, ac yn enwedig i blant, nad oes modd iddyn nhw eu cael yn unrhyw le arall, a byddai'n drychinebus gweld y gwasanaethau hyn yn cael eu colli. Mae ymgynghoriad ar y gweill i weld sut y gall yr elusen gynyddu ei hincwm drwy godi arian, ceisiadau grant, rhoddion corfforaethol. Ond, Gweinidog, a oes unrhyw gymorth, ariannol neu fel arall, y gall Llywodraeth Cymru, mewn gwirionedd, ei ddarparu? Byddai datganiad gan y Llywodraeth i'r perwyl hwnnw i'w groesawu'n fawr. Diolch.
Thank you. Well, I don't doubt the importance of the charity to which you refer. We all have charities and third sector organisations within our constituencies who provide those much-needed services. But, unfortunately, we go back to the budget position. The Minister for Social Justice, whose portfolio this sits within, has seen, obviously, her budget reduced, just like every other Minister in the Welsh Government, in order to put that additional funding for public services. So, I'm afraid, I don't know the answer to your question. I would urge you to write to the Minister for Social Justice, but there would be a health warning on it that, clearly, with the current budget situation, it is very, very hard to understand where she would be able to access that funding.
Diolch. Wel, nid wyf i'n amau pwysigrwydd yr elusen yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio ati. Mae gan bob un ohonom ni elusennau a sefydliadau'r trydydd sector yn ein hetholaethau sy'n darparu'r gwasanaethau hynny y mae mawr eu hangen. Ond, yn anffodus, rydyn ni'n mynd nôl at sefyllfa'r gyllideb. Mae'r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, y mae'r mater hwn yn rhan o'i phortffolio wedi gweld ei chyllideb yn lleihau, yn amlwg, yn union fel pob Gweinidog arall yn Llywodraeth Cymru, er mwyn rhoi'r cyllid ychwanegol hwnnw ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Felly, mae gen i ofn, nid wyf i'n gwybod yr ateb i'ch cwestiwn. Byddwn i'n eich annog i ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, ond byddai rhybudd iechyd arno, yn amlwg, gyda'r sefyllfa gyllidebol bresennol, mae hi'n anodd iawn deall o ble y byddai hi'n gallu cael gafael ar y cyllid hwnnw.
I'd like to please ask for two statements, if I may, from you, as Trefnydd and the Minister for rural affairs, concerning some enquiries from farmers. The first one is with regard to the sustainable food scheme, which allows farmers to diversify. I was contacted by a couple from Abermule who wanted to develop sustainable poultry and egg production, and they got a grant under the food accelerator scheme. Unfortunately, due to significant delays, they weren't able to draw down all of the funds, but they did, obviously, spend some of the money—their own money—to develop the scheme. The scheme, as I understand it, has now closed, and these particular farmers are concerned that that will mean that they won't be able to have the option of using funds from the food accelerator scheme in the future when they're able to get permission to develop their sustainable schemes.
The second is with regard to the Valuation Office Agency, which, I understand, have written to farmers with regard to the Welsh Government's planned council tax reforms. This is providing, unfortunately, additional stress for farmers at a very difficult time, when they are dealing with lots of forms and lots of paperwork. So, I just wondered if you could just clarify the situation with regard to our farmers on those two issues. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Hoffwn i ofyn am ddau ddatganiad, os caf i, gennych chi, fel Trefnydd a'r Gweinidog materion gwledig, o ran rhai ymholiadau gan ffermwyr. Mae'r un cyntaf yn ymwneud a'r cynllun bwyd cynaliadwy, sy'n galluogi ffermwyr i arallgyfeirio. Cysylltodd cwpl o Aber-miwl â mi a oedd eisiau datblygu cynllun cynhyrchu dofednod a wyau cynaliadwy, a chawson nhw grant o dan y cynllun sbarduno bwyd. Yn anffodus, oherwydd oedi sylweddol, nid oedden nhw'n gallu tynnu'r holl gronfeydd i lawr, ond fe wnaethon nhw, yn amlwg, wario rhywfaint o'r arian—eu harian eu hunain—i ddatblygu'r cynllun. Mae'r cynllun, fel yr wyf i'n ei ddeall, wedi dod i ben erbyn hyn, ac mae'r ffermwyr arbennig hyn yn pryderu y bydd hynny'n golygu na fyddan nhw'n gallu cael y dewis o ddefnyddio arian o'r cynllun sbarduno bwyd yn y dyfodol pan fyddan nhw'n gallu cael caniatâd i ddatblygu'u cynlluniau cynaliadwy.
Mae'r ail o ran Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio, sydd, rwy'n deall, wedi ysgrifennu at ffermwyr ynghylch diwygiadau arfaethedig Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y dreth gyngor. Mae hyn yn rhoi, yn anffodus, straen ychwanegol ar ffermwyr ar adeg anodd iawn, pan fyddan nhw'n ymdrin â llawer o ffurflenni a llawer o waith papur. Felly, tybed a wnewch chi egluro'r sefyllfa o ran ein ffermwyr ynghylch y ddau fater hynny. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you. Well, in relation to your first question around the food accelerator scheme, obviously, I can't comment on individual cases. But I think it might be better if you write to me and I'll ask my officials to look into the case that you, clearly, are dealing with as casework, to see what the reason is behind the decisions that we're taking.
With regard to the letters that are being sent out from the land valuation agency, I think the first thing to say is that these letters should not cause alarm to anybody who is receiving them. Getting the most accurate information about all properties across Wales is absolutely critical to making sure we have a fair and effective council tax system. So, I don't think it should cause anybody any stress. There is nothing untoward about it. This, obviously, follows the statement from the Minister for Finance and Local Government around council tax reform—it is just part of that. She has asked the Valuation Office Agency to write and do this background work. I think a fairer council tax is one of the most beneficial actions this Welsh Government can take to reduce inequality.
Diolch. Wel, o ran eich cwestiwn cyntaf ynghylch y cynllun sbarduno bwyd, yn amlwg, ni allaf i wneud sylw ar achosion unigol. Ond rwy'n credu y byddai'n well petaech chi'n ysgrifennu ataf i, a gofynnaf i fy swyddogion ymchwilio i'r achos yr ydych chi, yn amlwg, yn ymdrin ag ef fel gwaith achos, i weld beth yw'r rheswm y tu ôl i'r penderfyniadau yr ydyn ni'n eu cymryd.
O ran y llythyrau sy'n cael eu hanfon gan yr asiantaeth prisio tir, rwy'n credu mai'r peth cyntaf i'w ddweud yw na ddylai'r llythyrau hyn achosi braw i unrhyw un sy'n eu derbyn. Mae cael yr wybodaeth fwyaf cywir am bob eiddo ledled Cymru yn gwbl hanfodol i sicrhau bod gennym ni system dreth gyngor deg ac effeithiol. Felly, nid wyf i'n credu y dylai achosi unrhyw straen ar unrhyw un. Nid oes dim byd anghyfiawn am y peth. Mae hyn, yn amlwg, yn dilyn y datganiad gan y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol ynghylch diwygio'r dreth gyngor—a dim ond rhan o hynny ydyw. Mae hi wedi gofyn i Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio ysgrifennu a gwneud y gwaith cefndirol hwn. Rwy'n credu mai treth gyngor decach yw un o'r camau mwyaf buddiol y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu cymryd i leihau anghydraddoldeb.
Business Minister, I'd like to request a statement from the Deputy Minister for Climate Change. Recently, in their draft local transport plan, Labour-run Monmouthshire County Council listed a proposal to push for the reintroduction of Severn bridge tolls for environmental reasons—a proposal later praised by fellow Labour councillors in a public services scrutiny committee, and then later denied. This move would be disastrous as of course it would damage local businesses—part of the reason the UK Government saw fit to get rid of them—put off inward investment, deter tourists from coming to my region of Wales, and Labour's plan to reinstate the Severn tolls would be yet another tax on hard-pressed residents and businesses. So, I'd like the Minister to release a statement setting out what conversations he's had with the Welsh Government and also the UK Government on this, as it's crucial that this idea is put to bed before it gathers any pace.
Also, I'd like a second statement, from the education Minister, please, Minister. Families in Monmouthshire may be having to spend £360 a year for just one child to attend breakfast club in primary schools across the county. At present, the charge to attend a breakfast club in Monmouthshire is £1 a day per child, but the Labour-run council's draft budget has proposed doubling that so that parents would have to find £2 a day for each child attending those before-school clubs. The breakfast is meant to be free for all primary school children. It has been one of your long-standing Welsh Government policies. I'd like the Minister, therefore, to release a statement on how important the Government still feels free breakfasts are and what impact a £2 charge would have, especially on low-income families across Wales. Thank you.
Gweinidog busnes, fe hoffwn i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd. Yn ddiweddar, yn eu cynllun trafnidiaeth leol drafft, roedd Cyngor Sir Fynwy sy'n cael ei redeg gan Lafur yn nodi cynnig i bwyso am ailgyflwyno tollau ar bont Hafren am resymau amgylcheddol—cynnig a gafodd ei ganmol yn ddiweddarach gan gyd-gynghorwyr Llafur mewn pwyllgor craffu ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus, ac wedyn fe gafodd hynny ei wadu. Fe fyddai'r cam hwnnw'n un trychinebus oherwydd wrth gwrs fe fyddai'n niweidio busnesau lleol—rhan o'r rheswm y gwelodd Llywodraeth y DU yn dda i gael gwared arnyn nhw—yn peri i fewnfuddsoddiad beidio â digwydd, yn atal twristiaid rhag dod i'm rhanbarth i o Gymru, ac fe fyddai cynllun y Blaid Lafur i adfer tollau ar bont Hafren yn dreth arall eto ar drigolion a busnesau sydd dan bwysau. Felly, fe hoffwn i'r Gweinidog roi datganiad yn nodi pa sgyrsiau a gafodd ef gyda Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU ynglŷn â hyn, gan ei bod hi'n hanfodol i'r syniad hwn gael ei ladd yn yr egin cyn iddo fynd ymhellach.
Yn ogystal â hynny, fe hoffwn i gael ail ddatganiad, gan y Gweinidog addysg, os gwelwch chi'n dda, Gweinidog. Efallai y bydd teuluoedd yn sir Fynwy yn gorfod gwario £360 y flwyddyn ddim ond er mwyn i un plentyn gael mynd i glwb brecwast mewn ysgolion cynradd ar draws y sir. Ar hyn o bryd, y tâl i fynychu clwb brecwast yn sir Fynwy yw £1 y dydd y plentyn, ond mae cyllideb ddrafft y cyngor Llafur wedi cynnig dyblu hynny fel y byddai'n rhaid i rieni ddod o hyd i £2 y dydd ar gyfer pob plentyn sy'n mynychu'r clybiau cyn ysgol. Mae'r brecwast i fod am ddim i bob plentyn ysgol gynradd. Mae hwn wedi bod yn un o'ch polisïau hirsefydlog chi yn Llywodraeth Cymru. Felly, fe hoffwn i'r Gweinidog gyhoeddi datganiad ynglŷn â pha mor bwysig yw hi yng ngolwg y Llywodraeth nawr fod brecwast ar gael am ddim a pha effaith a fyddai tâl o £2 yn ei gael, yn enwedig ar deuluoedd incwm isel ledled Cymru. Diolch i chi.
It's really good to see that the Member has come late to the party in support of free breakfast clubs. I thought the Conservatives were opposed to those. There won't be a statement reiterating the Welsh Government's support for free breakfast clubs. Our position is very well known in relation to that.
In relation to your first question, my understanding is that that was an options appraisal. I don't, again, see it as a matter for the Deputy Minister for Climate Change.
Mae hi'n dda iawn gweld bod yr Aelod wedi dod o'r diwedd i gefnogi clybiau brecwast am ddim. Roeddwn i o'r farn fod y Ceidwadwyr yn gwrthwynebu'r rhain. Ni fydd yna ddatganiad i ailadrodd cefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i glybiau brecwast am ddim. Mae ein safbwynt ni'n adnabyddus iawn yn y cyswllt hwnnw.
O ran eich cwestiwn cyntaf, fy nealltwriaeth i yw mai arfarniad o ddewisiadau oedd hwnnw. Nid wyf i, unwaith eto, yn ei ystyried yn fater i'r Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
Thank you, Trefnydd.
Mae eitem 3 wedi ei ohirio.
Item 3 has been postponed.
Felly, eitem 4 fydd nesaf, sef y datganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd ar bwysau'r gaeaf mewn gofal iechyd. Eluned Morgan i wneud y datganiad yma.
Therefore, item 4 will be next, which is the statement by the Minister for health on winter pressures in healthcare. Eluned Morgan to make that statement.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Thank you for the opportunity to update Members on the winter pressures being faced by our health and social care system. It's important to point out that, despite the significant increase in demand for services at this time of the year, the NHS continues to perform well for the vast majority of patients. NHS staff support over 2 million people every month, including 1.5 million in primary care and at least 70,000 calls a month to the 111 service.
More people than ever before are employed in the NHS in Wales, with more doctors, nurses, ambulance staff and support healthcare workers delivering quality care on a daily basis. Planning for winter starts from April to enable a collective, whole-system response. This year, £25 million was allocated to support the six goals for the urgent and emergency care improvement programme, enabling an increase in capacity in key parts of the system.
NHS '111 press 2' was rolled out across Wales, and it is worth noting that more than 400 people accessed urgent mental health support through the service in December. We've established 13 new urgent primary care centres and new remote navigation hubs, helping around 10,000 people a month to access care away from the emergency department. And we've set up 23 new same-day emergency care services, diverting around 5,000 patients a month from hospital.
Last year, we also invested £3 million in additional ambulance staff, with an extra 76 whole-time equivalent staff recruited since last winter. This winter, funding has been provided to increase transport capacity for patients who have been discharged from emergency departments, and for health boards to also introduce the latest technology-enabled care to support people to safely avoid admission or return home from hospital when ready.
Over the last couple of weeks, I've visited a number of emergency departments. I know the pressures staff are facing and how hard they're working to make every patient experience a positive one. I've listened to patients and staff, and, in an effort to support better experience, emergency departments and minor injury units have received an additional share of £2.7 million to enhance their environments over the winter period.
It's a well-established policy ambition to support more people closer to home. Some £8.24 million was made available to health boards and their regional partners to increase their ability to plan, monitor and provide enhanced community care for people with the most complex needs in our communities as a safe alternative to hospital admission. The funding also increased capacity within our district and specialist palliative care nursing workforce to enable a more robust service seven days a week.
So, where is the system at now? Over the festive period and into the new year, despite the fact that we've seen sustained and record-breaking demand on our services, the vast majority of people received safe and timely care. But clinicians have been keen to emphasise that it's not just increases in demand that they're coping with; they report that there's a significant increase in acuity and complexity of patient need, which has resulted in some organisations declaring business continuity incidents over the past three weeks. As an example, during the first few days in January, the ambulance service responded at times to 12 per cent above the top-end forecast of ambulance activity. In terms of the nature of the demand, there was an increase in people calling 999 with breathing difficulties and acutely ill patients with complex needs needing to attend emergency departments.
I published the public health respiratory framework in September, which set out our approach to responding to respiratory viruses for the winter. Overall, COVID-19 infection indicators remain stable, but at a national level during the latest reporting week the number of confirmed case admissions to hospital and the number of cases who are in-patients increased. BA.2.86 remains the most dominant variant in Wales and accounts for 59.5 per cent of all sequenced cases.
There's been an increased prevalence of flu in recent weeks, but at relatively low levels compared to previous seasons, and flu hospital admissions have decreased in the most recent reporting week. In accordance with Public Health Wales advice, an alert was issued by the chief medical officer to GPs on 15 December to trigger antiviral treatment availability for flu. Encouragingly, the number of invasive group A streptococcal and scarlet fever notifications remain at seasonally expected levels, and, following an early winter peak, respiratory syncytial virus activity in children under five years old has reduced.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Diolch i chi am y cyfle i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau ynglŷn â phwysau'r gaeaf sydd ar ein system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol eleni. Mae hi'n bwysig nodi, er gwaethaf y cynnydd sylweddol yn y galw am wasanaethau ar yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn, fod y GIG yn parhau i wneud ei waith yn dda i'r mwyafrif llethol o gleifion. Mae staff y GIG yn cefnogi dros 2 filiwn o bobl bob mis, gan gynnwys 1.5 miliwn mewn gofal sylfaenol ac o leiaf 70,000 o alwadau bob mis i wasanaeth 111.
Mae mwy o bobl nag erioed o'r blaen yn cael eu cyflogi yn y GIG yng Nghymru, gyda mwy o feddygon, nyrsys, staff ambiwlans a gweithwyr gofal iechyd cynorthwyol yn rhoi gofal o safon uchel bob dydd. Mae'r gwaith cynllunio ar gyfer y gaeaf yn dechrau ym mis Ebrill ar gyfer galluogi ymateb cyfunol, sy'n cynnwys y system yn ei chyfanrwydd. Eleni, fe ddyrannwyd £25 miliwn i gefnogi'r chwe nod ar gyfer y rhaglen i wella gofal brys ac argyfwng, gan ganiatáu cynnydd yng nghapasiti rhannau allweddol y system.
Cafodd 'GIG 111, Pwyso 2' ei gyflwyno ledled Cymru, ac mae hi'n werth nodi bod mwy na 400 o bobl wedi gallu cael cymorth brys gydag iechyd meddwl drwy gyfrwng y gwasanaeth hwn ym mis Rhagfyr. Rydym ni wedi sefydlu 13 o ganolfannau gofal sylfaenol brys newydd a chanolfannau llywio o bell newydd, a helpodd tua 10,000 o bobl y mis i gael gofal i ffwrdd o'r adran frys. Rydym ni wedi sefydlu 23 o wasanaethau gofal argyfwng yr un diwrnod, gan ddargyfeirio tua 5,000 o gleifion o'r ysbyty bob mis.
Y llynedd, buddsoddwyd £3 miliwn gennym ni hefyd mewn staff ambiwlans ychwanegol, gyda 76 o staff cyfwerth ag amser llawn ychwanegol yn cael eu recriwtio ers y gaeaf y llynedd. Y gaeaf eleni, fe ddarparwyd cyllid i gynyddu gallu i drefnu trafnidiaeth ar gyfer cleifion sydd wedi cael dod allan o adrannau brys, ac ar gyfer caniatáu hefyd i fyrddau iechyd gyflwyno'r gofal diweddaraf sy'n defnyddio technoleg i gefnogi pobl i allu osgoi mynd i mewn i ysbyty neu wrth iddyn nhw ddod adref o'r ysbyty mewn ffordd ddiogel pan fyddan nhw'n barod i wneud hynny.
Dros yr wythnosau diwethaf, fe ymwelais i â nifer o adrannau brys. Rwy'n gwybod yn iawn am y pwysau sydd ar y staff a pha mor galed y maen nhw'n gweithio i sicrhau bod pob claf yn cael profiad cadarnhaol. Fe wrandawais i ar gleifion ac ar staff, ac mewn ymdrech i gefnogi profiad gwell, mae adrannau brys ac unedau mân anafiadau wedi derbyn cyfran ychwanegol o £2.7 miliwn i wella eu hamgylcheddau dros gyfnod y gaeaf.
Uchelgais hirsefydlog polisi yw cefnogi mwy o bobl yn nes at y cartref. Rhoddwyd tua £8.24 miliwn i fyrddau iechyd a'u partneriaid rhanbarthol i gynyddu eu gallu i gynllunio, monitro a darparu gofal cymunedol gwell i bobl sydd â'r anghenion mwyaf cymhleth yn ein cymunedau ni fel dewis diogel arall yn hytrach na derbyniadau i'r ysbyty. Hefyd, fe gynyddodd y cyllid y gallu sydd gan ein gweithlu nyrsio gofal lliniarol arbenigol ac ardal i ganiatáu gwasanaeth saith diwrnod yr wythnos sy'n fwy cydnerth.
Beth yw'r sefyllfa yn y system ar hyn o bryd? Dros gyfnod y Nadolig hyd y flwyddyn newydd, er gwaethaf y ffaith ein bod ni wedi profi galw parhaus nas gwelwyd ei debyg erioed ar ein gwasanaethau ni, fe gafodd y mwyafrif llethol o bobl ofal diogel ac mewn da bryd. Ond roedd clinigwyr yn awyddus i bwysleisio nad cynnydd yn y galw yn unig y maen nhw'n ceisio ymdopi ag ef; maen nhw'n sôn am gynnydd sylweddol yn yr achosion acíwt a chymhlethdodau o ran anghenion cleifion, sydd wedi arwain at rai sefydliadau yn datgan digwyddiadau o ran parhad busnes dros y tair wythnos diwethaf. Er enghraifft, yn ystod dyddiau cyntaf mis Ionawr, ymatebodd y gwasanaeth ambiwlans ar adegau hyd at 12 y cant yn uwch na'r rhagolygon uchaf o weithgaredd ambiwlansys. O ran natur y galw, roedd cynnydd yn nifer y bobl yn ffonio 999 gydag anawsterau anadlu a chleifion difrifol wael ag anghenion cymhleth ag angen iddyn nhw fynd i adrannau brys.
Fe gyhoeddais i fframwaith iechyd y cyhoedd ar gyfer feirysau anadlol ym mis Medi, a oedd yn nodi ein dull ni o ymateb i feirysau anadlol dros y gaeaf. Ar y cyfan, mae dangosyddion haint COVID-19 yn dal i fod yn sefydlog, ond ar lefel genedlaethol yn ystod yr wythnos adrodd ddiweddaraf fe gynyddodd nifer y derbyniadau achosion a gadarnhawyd i ysbytai a nifer yr achosion sy'n gleifion mewnol. BA.2.86 yw'r amrywiolyn mwyaf cyffredin yng Nghymru o hyd ac mae'n gyfrifol am 59.5 y cant o'r holl achosion a ddilyniannwyd.
Fe fu cynnydd yn nifer yr achosion o ffliw yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf, ond ar gyfraddau cymharol fach o'i gymharu â thymhorau blaenorol, ac mae derbyniadau i'r ysbyty oherwydd ffliw wedi prinhau yn ystod yr wythnos adrodd ddiweddaraf. Yn unol â chyngor Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, fe gyhoeddwyd rhybudd gan y prif swyddog meddygol i feddygon teulu ar 15 Rhagfyr i ysgogi argaeledd triniaeth wrthfeirysol ar gyfer y ffliw. Yn galonogol iawn, mae niferoedd hysbysiadau streptococol grŵp A ymledol a'r dwymyn goch yn parhau i fod ar gyfraddau disgwyliedig yn dymhorol, ac, yn dilyn uchafbwynt yn gynnar yn y gaeaf, mae gweithgaredd feirws syncytiol anadlol mewn plant o dan bump oed wedi lleihau.
Rŷn ni'n dal i fuddsoddi er mwyn monitro unrhyw newidiadau yn y nifer o achosion o firysau, a hynny i gefnogi'r broses o gynllunio. Brechu yw un o'r ffyrdd mwyaf diogel ac effeithiol o ddiogelu ein dinasyddion a'n gwasanaeth iechyd, a dwi'n falch iawn bod 1.6 miliwn o frechiadau rhag y ffliw a COVID wedi cael eu rhoi yng Nghymru fel rhan o'r rhaglen bresennol, gan roi'r cyfle i bobl sy'n wynebu'r risg fwyaf o salwch difrifol i gael eu diogelu.
Mewn fferyllfeydd, roedd cynnydd sylweddol o tua 50 y cant yn y defnydd o’r gwasanaeth anhwylderau cyffredin. Cafodd y gwasanaeth yma ei ddefnyddio dros 25,000 o weithiau ym mis Rhagfyr 2023.
Mae gwybodaeth gan y gwasanaeth iechyd hefyd yn dangos bod perfformiad y gwasanaeth 111 wedi parhau i fod yn gadarn dros gyfnod yr ŵyl; bod y gwasanaeth ambiwlans yn ymateb i nifer uchel iawn o bobl y mae eu bywyd yn y fantol; ac, er bod amrywiaeth yn y data, bod byrddau iechyd yn rhyddhau mwy o ambiwlansys i ymateb yn gynt i bobl sy’n aros.
Mae'r wybodaeth yma'n galonogol ac yn awgrymu bod paratoi a chynllunio ar gyfer y gaeaf wedi cael effaith gadarnhaol. Mae arwyddion bod pethau'n gwella'n raddol o hyd wrth inni nesáu at ganol y mis. Er hynny, rŷm ni'n dal i weld rywfaint o oedi hir ar gyfer gofal yn y gymuned ac o ran derbyn cleifion i'r ysbyty o adrannau achosion brys. Mae hyn yn rhannol o ganlyniad i faterion sy'n ymwneud â llif cleifion a heriau o ran rheoli heintiau, sy'n cyfyngu ar y gwelyau a'r gofod sydd ar gael. Wedi dweud hynny, rŷm ni wedi gweld gostyngiad o tua 60 y cant yn yr oedi cyn dyrannu gweithwyr cymdeithasol, o'i gymharu â'n llinell sylfaen ym mis Ebrill.
Ar ben hynny, mae dadansoddiad o ddata dŵr gwastraff wedi dangos lefel uchel o norofeirws yn y gymuned. Dylai byrddau iechyd fod yn gweithredu canllawiau atal a rheoli heintiau i atal lledaeniad a diogelu ein llwybrau cleifion dros y gaeaf.
We continue to invest in our surveillance system to monitor any changes in the prevalence and epidemiology of viruses to support the planning process. Vaccination is one of the safest and most effective ways of protecting our citizens and health service, and I’m delighted that 1.6 million influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered in Wales as part of the current programme, enabling people at the highest risk of suffering severe illness to be protected.
In pharmacy, there's been a significant increase of around 50 per cent in the use of the common ailments service. The service was used more than 25,000 times in December 2023.
NHS information also shows that the 111 service remained resilient throughout the festive period; that the ambulance service is responding to exceptionally high volumes of people with immediate life-threatening complaints; and that, although there is variation in data, health boards are freeing up more ambulances to respond more quickly to people who are waiting.
This information is encouraging and suggests that preparedness and planning for winter have had a positive impact. There are signs that things are gradually recovering as we reach the middle of the month. However, we continue to see some long delays for care in the community and in admitting patients to hospital from emergency departments. This is partly as a consequence of patient flow issues and challenges with infection control, which are limiting available bed availability and space available. Having said that, we have seen a reduction of around 60 per cent in delays in those awaiting social worker allocation, compared with our baseline in April.
In addition to that, analysis of waste water data shows elevated presence of norovirus in the community. Health boards should be implementing infection prevention and control guidance to prevent the spread of all infections and to protect patient pathways over the winter months.
Clearly, we are expecting a significant impact from junior doctor strikes this week. Whilst we understand the strength of feeling amongst junior doctors and genuinely appreciate the work they do on the front line, it has been impossible for us to offer more than 5 per cent as an increase in salary this year. Five per cent has been in their pay packets since September and it's the same offer as to everyone else in the health service. Whilst it is true that this year the offer is less than what was offered to junior doctors in England—6 per cent—it should be noted that last year England only gave a 2 per cent increase, whilst we in Wales awarded a 6 per cent increase plus an additional one-off payment of 1.5 per cent to junior doctors here.
Whilst we are keen to move to pay restoration for junior doctors, this year, with the extreme financial pressure on our budgets, it has not been possible to offer more than that 5 per cent. Health boards have worked hard to protect patient safety and ensure emergency and urgent care is protected. However, we know that planned care is going to be very disrupted. Yesterday, around 6,500 out-patient appointments were cancelled—usually, there are around 14,000 out-patient appointments a day—and on top of this, around 400 operations were cancelled, when usually around 1,300 are carried out. But I would like to reassure patients that they will not be sent to the back of the queue by health boards and that efforts will be made to reinstate those appointments as soon as possible.
Yn amlwg, rydym ni'n disgwyl effaith sylweddol oherwydd streiciau'r meddygon iau'r wythnos hon. Er ein bod ni'n deall yr angerdd ymhlith meddygon iau ac yn wir werthfawrogi'r gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud ar y rheng flaen, mae hi wedi bod yn amhosibl i ni gynnig mwy na 5 y cant o gynnydd yn eu cyflogau eleni. Mae 5 y cant wedi bod yn eu pecynnau cyflog ers mis Medi a dyna'r un cynnig a gafodd pawb arall yn y gwasanaeth iechyd. Er ei bod hi'n wir fod y cynnig eleni yn llai na'r hyn a gynigiwyd i feddygon iau yn Lloegr—6 y cant—fe ddylid nodi mai dim ond cynnydd o 2 y cant a roddodd Lloegr y llynedd, tra ein bod ni yng Nghymru wedi dyfarnu cynnydd o 6 y cant yma ynghyd â thaliad untro ychwanegol o 1.5 y cant i feddygon iau.
Er ein bod ni'n awyddus i weithredu adferiad o ran tâl i'r meddygon iau, eleni, gyda'r pwysau ariannol eithafol ar ein cyllidebau ni, ni fu hi'n bosibl cynnig mwy na'r 5 y cant hwnnw. Mae byrddau iechyd wedi gweithio yn galed i sicrhau diogelwch cleifion a sicrhau bod gofal argyfwng a brys yn cael ei ddiogelu. Serch hynny, fe wyddom ni y bydd amharu sylweddol ar ofal a gynlluniwyd. Ddoe, fe gafodd tua 6,500 o apwyntiadau cleifion allanol eu canslo—fel arfer, mae tua 14,000 o apwyntiadau cleifion allanol bob dydd—ac ar ben hynny, fe gafodd tua 400 o lawdriniaethau eu canslo, gyda thua 1,300 yn cael eu cynnal fel arfer. Ond fe hoffwn i sicrhau cleifion na fyddan nhw'n cael eu hanfon i gefn y ciw gan fyrddau iechyd ac y bydd ymdrechion yn cael eu gwneud i aildrefnu'r apwyntiadau hynny cyn gynted â phosibl.
Yn y cyfamser, mae byrddau iechyd yn parhau i fod o dan bwysau mawr mewn perthynas ag oedi mewn llwybrau gofal o'r ysbyty i'r gymuned, ond mae tystiolaeth o weithio integredig rhwng y byrddau iechyd ac awdurdodau lleol yn lleddfu'r pwysau. Rŷm ni eisoes wedi gweld gostyngiad yn y ffigurau oedi cyffredinol ers inni ddechrau adrodd yn ffurfiol ar hyn fis Ebrill diwethaf.
Er bod y pwysau ar wasanaethau wedi bod yn aruthrol, mae llai o weithwyr iechyd allweddol wedi bod yn absennol o'r gwaith y gaeaf yma oherwydd y ffliw a COVID, ac mae hynny wedi helpu gyda chadernid y system.
Yn olaf, mae gofal sylfaenol yn dal i fod yn brysur, ond mae'r galw'n cyd-fynd â phatrymau arferol y gaeaf. Does dim cynnydd wedi bod tu hwnt i'r lefelau uchel rŷm ni'n eu gweld yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn. Mae trefniadau monitro parhaus ar waith i gefnogi meddygfeydd i ddarparu gwasanaethau dros y gaeaf, ac fe fyddaf i'n parhau i roi gwybod i'r Aelodau am y sefyllfa wrth i'r gaeaf fynd yn ei flaen. Diolch.
In the meantime, health boards remain very pressurised in relation to pathways of care delays from hospital to the community. However, there is evidence of positive integrated working between health boards and local authorities to alleviate pressures. We have already seen a reduction in the overall discharge delay figures since the start of formal reporting on this last April.
Although the pressure on services has been intense, fewer healthcare workers in key parts of the system have been absent from work because of COVID and flu this winter, and that has helped with the resilience of the system.
Finally, primary care remains busy, but demand is in line with typical yearly patterns for the winter. There has been no escalation beyond the high levels we see at this time of year. Continuous monitoring is in place to support GP practices in delivering effective services over the winter, and I will continue to update Members about the situation as the winter progresses. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister, for your statement today. I'd like to put on record my own thanks to the hard-working NHS staff across Wales at a very difficult time for them over the winter period. There, of course, will be concerns and increased anxiety from them at this particular time of the year. Of course, we have this statement today in the context of one in five people being on an NHS waiting list and still having those over 25,000 people waiting for two years for treatment—particularly, of course, the people who are waiting in pain for longer, with greater anxiety as well.
Minister, in your statement today, you mentioned that money was available for monitoring in primary care, but I'm also keen to see a more streamlined process for overall monitoring across the NHS. For example, in NHS England, they have a daily NHS situation report to monitor bed capacity, critical care occupancy, accident and emergency closures and diversions, bed occupancy by long-stay patients, flu admissions, et cetera. So, can I ask you what thought you have put in to expanding your monitoring processes? What have you considered in terms of a similar method here? I mentioned NHS England, of course, but there's the impact of the winter pressures here. You often say, Minister, you want to hold health boards’ feet to the fire. By having that monitoring report, I would suggest that would better enable you to do that.
I'm glad, in your statement, Minister, you mentioned COVID, flu and respiratory viruses. You mentioned vaccinations for the most vulnerable, and you mentioned that 1.6 million this year have had the influenza and COVID vaccinations. Can we have a bit more detail on that, and take-up, perhaps, in percentage terms of those that are eligible for the vaccination? I think that would be more helpful to us. And particularly as well on what could be done to increase that take-up, because you said yourself in your statement that the best way to keep people who are in that vulnerable category safe is to take the vaccination. And, of course, it then takes pressure off the NHS, which is the purpose of the statement today.
I'm very keen to know what you're doing, Minister, to align the two vaccinations for influenza and COVID. I know it can be difficult because of different supply time frames, but where that is possible, can you give us some information about people being able to take both vaccinations at the same time and at the same location? And perhaps also what conversations that you've had with colleagues across the UK, your chief medical officer, and pharmaceutical companies about the progress towards a combined vaccination, because I think that would increase take-up as well.
I'm glad you mentioned the elephant in the room, Minister—the junior doctor strikes. I went out, as did other colleagues around this Chamber, at lunchtime to speak to some of the 450 junior doctors that were at that demonstration. There is a feeling from them of despair. I'm disappointed that you weren't able to offer at least the pay level that the review body had recommended. You have detailed the impact of those strikes in your statement today, but unless there is a resolution, the chances are extremely high that there will be further strikes, so I wonder if you could set out what other contingency plans you have in place in that regard. But, ultimately, what is your plan to end the strikes?
Minister, you also talked about waiting times recovery. The recovery target to reduce out-patient waits to below 52 weeks by December 2022 was not achieved. The revised targets for December 2023 were not achieved. The two-year wait elimination targets from March 2023 were not achieved. We've still got those 25,000 waiting in Wales. I suppose, Minister, the question is when are we going to have revised targets for those areas. If you don't think that targets are appropriate, why were there targets in the first place? I would go back to your mantra: you often say you want to hold health boards' feet to the fire. Surely, targets is the way to do that. So, when are we going to see those revised targets? And what impact do you think, Minister, the investment of the £170 million for the recovery of planned care is going to have towards the progress of achieving planned care recovery targets?
Finally, Minister, I heard the exchange today between Andrew R.T. Davies and the First Minister, citing that the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales report, very clearly in that foreword, identified no evidence that Welsh Government strategies and initiatives to combat pressures in acute healthcare settings were having an impact on the front line. That is a significant statement to make in a foreword of a report. What is your specific response to that element of the report? How will you monitor, evaluate and assess the impact that these initiatives are having on the front line to ensure that taxpayers' money is being spent effectively and efficiently?
Diolch yn fawr, Gweinidog, am eich datganiad heddiw. Fe hoffwn i ddiolch ar goedd i staff gweithgar y GIG ledled Cymru mewn cyfnod anodd iawn iddyn nhw dros y gaeaf. Wrth gwrs, fe fydd yna bryderon a mwy o ofid iddyn nhw ar yr adeg arbennig hon o'r flwyddyn. Wrth gwrs, mae'r datganiad hwn gennym ni heddiw yng nghyd-destun bod un o bob pump o bobl ar restr aros y GIG a bod dros 25,000 o bobl o hyd yn aros am ddwy flynedd am driniaeth—yn arbennig felly, wrth gwrs, y bobl sy'n disgwyl mewn poen am ragor o amser, gyda rhagor o boendod hefyd.
Gweinidog, yn eich datganiad chi heddiw, roeddech chi'n sôn bod arian ar gael ar gyfer monitro gofal sylfaenol, ond rwy'n awyddus i weld proses symlach ar gyfer monitro cyffredinol ledled y GIG hefyd. Er enghraifft, yn GIG Lloegr, mae adroddiad dyddiol yno o sefyllfa'r GIG sy'n monitro nifer y gwelyau ar gael, niferoedd mewn gofal critigol, cau a dargyfeiriadau adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, gwelyau yn cael eu llenwi gan gleifion arhosiad hir, derbyniadau oherwydd ffliw, ac ati. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i chi pa ystyriaeth a ydych chi wedi ei rhoi i ehangu eich prosesau monitro? Beth a wnaethoch chi ei ystyried o ran dull cyffelyb yma? Roeddwn i'n crybwyll GIG Lloegr, wrth gwrs, ond mae effaith pwysau'r gaeaf yma. Rydych chi'n dweud yn aml, Gweinidog, eich bod chi'n awyddus iawn i ddal y byrddau iechyd i gyfrif. Drwy fod ag adroddiad monitro fel hwnnw, fe fyddwn i'n awgrymu y byddech chi'n gallu gwneud hynny'n well.
Rwy'n falch eich bod chi, Gweinidog, yn eich datganiad wedi sôn am feirysau COVID, ffliw ac anadlol. Fe wnaethoch sôn am frechiadau ar gyfer y rhai mwyaf agored i niwed, a sôn bod 1.6 miliwn wedi cael y brechiadau ffliw a COVID eleni. A wnewch chi roi ychydig mwy o fanylion i ni ynglŷn â hynny, ac efallai'r niferoedd sy'n manteisio arnyn nhw, o ran canran y rhai sy'n gymwys i gael y brechiadau? Rwy'n credu y byddai hynny o fwy o ddefnydd i ni. Ac yn arbennig hefyd o ran yr hyn y gellid ei wneud i gynyddu'r niferoedd sy'n elwa ar hynny, oherwydd roeddech chi eich hun yn dweud yn eich datganiad mai'r ffordd orau o gadw pobl sydd yn y categori bregus hwnnw'n ddiogel yw derbyn brechiad. Ac, wrth gwrs, fe fyddai hynny wedyn yn ysgafnu'r pwysau ar y GIG, sef holl ddiben datganiad heddiw.
Rwy'n awyddus iawn i wybod beth rydych chi'n ei wneud, Gweinidog, i roi'r ddau frechiad ar gyfer ffliw a COVID gyda'i gilydd. Rwy'n gwybod y gall hynny fod yn anodd oherwydd amserlenni cyflenwad amrywiol, ond lle bo hynny'n bosibl, a wnewch chi roi rhywfaint o wybodaeth i ni o ran a yw pobl yn gallu cael y ddau frechiad ar yr un pryd ac ar yr un safle? A pha sgyrsiau a gawsoch chi hefyd gyda chydweithwyr ledled y DU efallai, eich prif swyddog meddygol, a chwmnïau fferyllol am y cynnydd tuag at frechiad cyfun, oherwydd rwy'n credu y byddai hynny'n cynyddu'r niferoedd sy'n manteisio hefyd.
Rwy'n falch eich bod wedi sôn am y mater na ellir mo'i anwybyddu, Gweinidog—streiciau'r meddygon iau. Fe es innau allan, fel gwnaeth cyd-Aelodau eraill o amgylch y Siambr hon, amser cinio heddiw i siarad â rhai o'r 450 o feddygon iau a oedd yn y brotest honno. Roedd ymdeimlad o anobaith yn eu plith nhw. Rwy'n siomedig nad oeddech chi'n gallu cynnig y gyfradd gyflog leiaf a argymhellodd y corff adolygu. Fe wnaethoch chi fanylu ar effaith y streiciau hynny yn eich datganiad chi heddiw, ond oni bai y ceir datrysiad, mae'r tebygolrwydd yn fawr iawn y bydd streiciau eraill eto, felly tybed a wnewch chi nodi pa gynlluniau wrth gefn sydd gennych ar waith fel arall ynglŷn â hyn. Ond, yn y pen draw, beth yw eich cynllun chi i ddod â'r streiciau hyn i ben?
Gweinidog, roeddech chi'n sôn hefyd am wella amseroedd aros. Ni chyflawnwyd y nod ar gyfer gwelliant o ran byrhau amseroedd aros cleifion allanol hyd at lai na 52 wythnos erbyn mis Rhagfyr 2022. Ni chyflawnwyd y nodau diwygiedig ar gyfer mis Rhagfyr 2023. Ni chyflawnwyd y nodau o ran amseroedd aros dwy flynedd o fis Mawrth 2023. Mae 25,000 o bobl gennym ni'n aros fel hyn yng Nghymru o hyd. Rwy'n tybio, Gweinidog, y cwestiwn yw pryd y byddwn yn cael y nodau diwygiedig ar gyfer y meysydd hynny. Os nad ydych chi'n credu bod nodau yn briodol, pam wnaethoch chi bennu nodau yn y lle cyntaf? Fe hoffwn i ddychwelyd at eich dihareb chi: rydych chi'n dweud yn aml eich bod chi'n awyddus i ddal y byrddau iechyd i gyfrif. Yn sicr, nodau yw'r ffordd i wneud hynny. Felly, pryd fyddwn ni'n gweld y nodau diwygiedig hynny? A pha effaith yn eich barn chi, Gweinidog, y bydd buddsoddi'r £170 miliwn ar gyfer gwella gofal a gynlluniwyd yn ei gael o ran cyflymu at y nodau gydag adfer gofal a gynlluniwyd?
Yn olaf, Gweinidog, fe glywais i'r ymryson heddiw rhwng Andrew R.T. Davies a'r Prif Weinidog, a oedd yn nodi nad oedd adroddiad Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru, yn eglur iawn yn y rhagair hwnnw, yn nodi unrhyw dystiolaeth bod strategaethau a mentrau Llywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â phwysau mewn lleoliadau gofal iechyd acíwt ag unrhyw effaith ar y rheng flaen. Mae hwnnw'n ddatganiad o bwys a wnaethpwyd mewn rhagair i adroddiad. Beth yw eich ymateb chi i'r elfen benodol honno yn yr adroddiad? Sut ydych chi am fonitro, gwerthuso ac asesu'r effaith y mae'r mentrau hyn yn ei chael ar y rheng flaen i sicrhau bod arian trethdalwyr yn cael ei wario gydag effeithiolrwydd ac effeithlonrwydd?
Thank you very much. Obviously, this is a time of extreme pressure without strikes going on, so, clearly, we've put a huge amount of planning anyway into winter, but I can assure you that, in terms of monitoring, I'm currently getting three updates a day in terms of what's going on in the NHS across Wales. So, that monitoring is happening very, very regularly. I'm pleased to say that, on things like delayed transfers of care, one of the things we've got now is a whole-Wales approach. We know exactly why people are in hospital, and it's all been codified—I don't think that's a system that they have in England—so we can really drill down on some of those things. So, I can assure you that there is a huge amount of monitoring that goes on by the NHS Wales Executive and by my officials and we are constantly challenging the system.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi. Yn amlwg, mae hwn yn gyfnod o bwysau eithafol heb sôn am unrhyw streiciau, felly, yn amlwg, rydym ni wedi cynllunio llawer iawn ar gyfer y gaeaf beth bynnag, ond fe allaf i eich sicrhau chi, o ran monitro, fy mod i ar hyn o bryd yn cael tri diweddariad y dydd o ran yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn y GIG ledled Cymru. Felly, mae'r monitro hwnnw'n digwydd yn rheolaidd dros ben. Rwy'n falch o ddweud, ynglŷn â materion fel oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal, mai un o'r elfennau sydd gennym nawr yw'r dull Cymru gyfan. Fe wyddom ni'n union pam mae pobl yn yr ysbyty, ac mae'r cyfan wedi cael ei godio—nid wyf i'n credu bod honno'n system sydd ganddyn nhw yn Lloegr—felly fe allwn ni fanylu llawer iawn ar rai o'r elfennau hynny. Felly, fe allaf i eich sicrhau chi bod llawer iawn o fonitro yn digwydd gan Weithrediaeth GIG Cymru a chan fy swyddogion ac rydym ni'n herio'r system trwy'r amser.
In terms of the take-up of vaccination, I can tell you that, so far, in the 65 and older category, 74 per cent of people have had their flu vaccination update. I think it's fair to say that we are disappointed that NHS staff with direct patient contacts is at 41 per cent. So, really disappointing to see that. And I'm also disappointed that the number of people at clinical risk—only a 41 per cent uptake there.FootnoteLink So, we would encourage people to come forward. There is still time. In relation to COVID, 85 per cent of vaccinations have been taken up amongst care home residents, and 69 per cent amongst the 65 and over. Only—very disappointingly there again—33 per cent of health and social care workers, front line, have taken up that opportunity. So, again, we would encourage them to take up that offer, because it is a preventative action, and it takes pressure off the system.
Just in terms of taking up the vaccinations together, obviously we wait for the expert group from the UK to come up with that new vaccine. It varies around Wales in terms of whether people do those vaccinations at the same time. There are some areas where GPs take the lead in particular on flu vaccinations. So, that's why it is separate, and we do give them the opportunity to make those decisions at a local level.
In relation to the industrial action, we absolutely understand doctors' frustration. We are frustrated that there's been a massive deterioration in terms of the real-terms funding that we've had from the UK Government. We're disappointed that we haven't been able to meet the pay review body recommendations, but, as I said, we went much further last year compared to England in terms of that increase. I'm very keen to keep talking to the BMA, not just in relation to the junior doctors, but also obviously in relation to consultants and specialty and associate specialist doctors, who also will be going out to ballot very soon. I do think we probably need to negotiate a new contract, and that's something that I hope we will be able to put on the table in future.
In relation to targets on waiting lists, well, you'll have seen reports this week that the targets have not been met anywhere in the United Kingdom. That is disappointing to us all, and also demonstrates the fact that, actually, what we've seen is a massive, massive increase in demand. So, as soon as you're taking people off, you see the huge increase in demand, and obviously it's interesting to note that the increase in Wales has gone up by 1 per cent, and it's gone up by 6 per cent in England. We have put in, effectively, new targets. One of them was to try and make sure that 97 per cent of people would have had their treatment—those waiting for over two years—by the end of the calendar year. So, we're just waiting for the latest data to see if we've hit that target. So, we're hopeful that we may get there. Obviously, part of my job is to drive the system. I have fortnightly meetings with my staff to really push on the longest waits: 'What's happening?', 'Where are the problems?' We do deep-dives every fortnight to make sure that we are absolutely breathing down the necks of the health boards, and that £170 million obviously has helped to contribute to that.
In relation to the HIW report, obviously we'll have a more detailed discussion on that tomorrow, but I do think that it's important to point out that had we not put in measures like urgent primary care centres, which have taken so many people away from our emergency departments, newer SDEC systems, the 111 system, which has diverted 70,000 people away from the normal services, the '111 press 2' service, the pharmacy service—. All of those things I don't think have been acknowledged in quite the way that they should have been in that report.
O ran y niferoedd sy'n cael eu brechu, fe allaf i ddweud wrthych chi, hyd yn hyn, yn y categori 65 a hŷn, bod 74 y cant o bobl wedi cael eu brechiad rhag y ffliw. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n deg dweud ein bod yn siomedig bod staff y GIG sydd â chysylltiadau uniongyrchol â chleifion ar gyfradd o ddim ond 41 y cant. Felly, mae hi'n siomedig iawn i weld hynny. Ac rwy'n siomedig hefyd fod nifer y bobl sydd mewn perygl clinigol—41 y cant yn unig yn manteisio.FootnoteLink Felly, rydym ni'n annog pobl i ymgyflwyno. Mae'r cyfle yno o hyd. O ran COVID, cafodd 85 y cant o breswylwyr cartrefi gofal eu brechu, a 69 y cant o blith pobl 65 a throsodd. Dim ond—yn siomedig iawn unwaith eto—33 y cant o weithwyr iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, rheng flaen, sydd wedi manteisio ar y cyfle hwnnw. Felly, unwaith eto, rydym ni'n eu hannog nhw i achub ar y cynnig hwn, oherwydd mae honno'n weithred ataliol, sy'n ysgafnu'r pwysau sydd ar y gyfundrefn.
O ran cael y brechiadau gyda'i gilydd, yn amlwg rydym ni'n aros i'r grŵp arbenigol yn y DU ddyfeisio'r brechlyn newydd hwnnw. Mae hyn yn amrywio mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru o ran a yw pobl yn cael y brechiadau hynny ar yr un pryd. Mae rhai ardaloedd lle mae'r meddygon teulu yn arwain gyda'r brechiadau ffliw yn benodol. Felly, dyna pam mae hyn yn cael ei wneud ar wahân, ac rydym yn rhoi cyfle iddyn nhw wneud y penderfyniadau hyn ar lefel leol.
O ran y gweithredu diwydiannol, rydym ni'n deall rhwystredigaeth y meddygon yn llwyr. Rydym ninnau'n rhwystredig o ran y dirywiad enfawr sydd wedi bod gyda'r cyllid a ddaeth oddi wrth Lywodraeth y DU mewn termau real. Rydym ni'n siomedig nad ydym ni wedi gallu cyflawni argymhellion y corff adolygu cyflogau, ond, fel dywedais i, fe aethom ni lawer ymhellach y llynedd na'r hyn a ddigwyddodd yn Lloegr o ran y cynnydd hwnnw. Rwy'n awyddus iawn i barhau i siarad â Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain, nid yn unig o ran y meddygon iau, ond hefyd o ran y meddygon ymgynghorol a'r meddygon arbenigol a chysylltiedig, a fydd yn mynd allan i bleidleisio yn fuan iawn hefyd. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n debyg y bydd angen i ni negodi cytundeb newydd, ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth yr wyf i'n gobeithio y byddwn yn gallu ei roi gerbron yn y dyfodol.
O ran y targedau rhestrau aros, wel, mae'n debyg iawn eich bod wedi gweld adroddiadau'r wythnos hon nad yw'r targedau wedi eu cyrraedd yn unrhyw fan yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Mae hynny'n siomedig i ni gyd, ac yn amlygu'r ffaith hefyd, mewn gwirionedd, mai'r hyn a welsom ni yw cynnydd aruthrol fawr yn y galw. Felly, cyn gynted ag y byddwch chi'n tynnu pobl i ffwrdd, rydych chi'n gweld y cynnydd enfawr yn y galw, ac yn amlwg mae hi'n ddiddorol nodi bod y cynnydd yng Nghymru wedi cynyddu 1 y cant, ac wedi cynyddu 6 y cant yn Lloegr. Rydym ni wedi pennu targedau newydd ac effeithiol. Un ohonyn nhw oedd ceisio sicrhau y byddai 97 y cant o bobl wedi cael eu triniaeth—y rhai sydd wedi aros am dros ddwy flynedd—erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn galendr. Felly, rydym ni'n aros am y data diweddaraf i weld a ydym ni wedi cyrraedd y targed hwnnw. Felly, rydym ni'n gobeithio y byddwn yn llwyddo. Yn amlwg, rhan o'm gwaith i yw gyrru'r system. Rwy'n cael cyfarfodydd bob pythefnos gyda'm staff i wthio o ran yr amserodd aros hwyaf: 'Beth sy'n digwydd?', 'Ym mha le y mae'r trafferthion?' Rydym ni'n archwilio yn ddwfn bob pythefnos i sicrhau ein bod ni'n hofran uwchben y byrddau iechyd, ac yn amlwg mae'r £170 miliwn wedi bod o gymorth yn hynny o beth.
O ran adroddiad AGIC, yn amlwg, fe fyddwn ni'n trafod hwnnw gyda rhagor o fanylder yfory, ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn nodi pe na fyddem wedi rhoi mesurau ar waith fel canolfannau gofal sylfaenol brys, sydd wedi cyfeirio cymaint o bobl oddi wrth ein hadrannau brys, systemau Gofal Argyfwng yr Un Diwrnod newydd, y system 111, sydd wedi dargyfeirio 70,000 o bobl oddi wrth y gwasanaethau arferol, y gwasanaeth 'GIG 111, Pwyso 2', y gwasanaeth fferylliaeth—. Nid yw'r holl bethau hyn wedi cael eu cydnabod, yn fy marn i, y ffordd y dylen nhw fod wedi cael eu cydnabod yn yr adroddiad hwn.
Does dim llawer o bethau yn sicrach, pan fo’n dod i bolisi iechyd cyhoeddus, na’r ffaith bod misoedd y gaeaf yn dwysau'r pwysau ar wasanaethau iechyd. Mae’n siom, felly, ein bod ni eleni, fel llynedd, yn clywed y Llywodraeth yn gwneud datganiad yn sôn am statws pethau ar ôl i bethau ddechrau ymddatod yn hytrach na chynllun cadarn ar gyfer gweithredu sydd wedi cael ei ddatblygu a’i drafod ymhell o flaen llaw. Wrth gwrs, mae’r Gweinidog yn gwrthwynebu hyn ac yn dweud eu bod nhw wedi dechrau paratoi ar gyfer y gaeaf nôl ym mis Ebrill. Os felly, pam yr ydym ni unwaith eto yn canfod ein hunain mewn sefyllfa ble mae wardiau yn cau a chleifion yn aros mewn ambiwlansys am oriau oherwydd heintiau sydd yn gysylltiedig â’r gaeaf? Mae’n rhaid bod rhywbeth mawr o’i le.
Canlyniad anochel y cynllunio sâl yma ydy gwasanaeth iechyd sydd yn gwegian, fel yr ydym ni wedi'i weld yn ddiweddar yn Ysbyty Treforys ac Ysbyty Maelor Wrecsam. Yn wir, roedd gen i etholwr, yn ddiweddar, oedd wedi gorfod aros deuddydd yn yr ambiwlans y tu allan i’r Wrecsam Maelor, a chysgu dros nos yn yr ambiwlans hwnnw, oherwydd norofeirws. Ai dyma ganlyniad yr whole-system approach mae'r Gweinidog yn sôn amdano? Rŵan, os ydy’r Llywodraeth o ddifrif am fynd i’r afael â phwysau gaeafol, yna y gwir ydy fod yn rhaid llenwi'r swyddi gwag sydd yn y maes nyrsio. Mae yna bron i 3,000 o swyddi nyrsio gweigion yng Nghymru. Heb y nyrsys yma, yna mae yna bwysau anferthol yn cael eu rhoi ar wasanaethau cymunedol a gwasanaethau ar lawr ward ein hysbytai, ac, heb hyn, yna mae heintiau yn fwy tebygol o ledaenu yn yr ysbytai sydd yn orlawn gennym ni. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog: beth ydy cynlluniau'r Llywodraeth i lenwi'r swyddi nyrsio gwag yma?
Dwi'n nodi, yn yr ateb i Russell George rŵan hefyd, fod y Gweinidog wedi dweud ei bod hi'n awyddus i edrych ar y rhestrau aros, a'r rhai sydd wedi aros hiraf. Oni fyddai'n gallach edrych ar y rhai mwyaf anghenus sydd yn aros am driniaeth, yn hytrach na'r rhai hynny sydd yn aros am amser maith? Gall rhywun aros dwy flynedd yn eisiau triniaeth, ond rhywun aros chwe mis yn eisiau triniaeth brys iawn. Felly, onid gwell fyddai mynd ar ôl y rhai brys mwyaf anghenus?
There are few things more certain, when it comes to public health policy, than the fact that the winter months exacerbate the pressures on health services. It is disappointing, therefore, that this year, like last year, we are hearing the Government making a statement discussing the status of things after they have started to unravel, rather than talking about a solid action plan that has been developed and discussed well beforehand. Of course, the Minister objects to this and says that they started preparing for the winter back in April. But, if so, why do we once again find ourselves in a situation where wards are closing and patients are waiting in ambulances for hours because of winter-related infections? There must be something seriously wrong.
The inevitable result of poor planning here is a health service that is creaking, as we've seen recently at Morriston Hospital and Wrexham Maelor Hospital. In fact, I recently had a constituent who had to wait two days in the ambulance outside Wrexham Maelor Hospital, and sleep in the vehicle outside, because of norovirus. Is this the result of the whole-system approach that the Minister is talking about? Now, if the Government is serious about tackling winter pressures, then the truth is that we must fill the vacancies in nursing. There are almost 3,000 vacant nursing posts in Wales. Without these nurses, there is enormous pressure being placed on community services and services on the floors of the wards in our hospitals, and, without this, infections are more likely to spread in the overcrowded hospitals that we have. So, could I ask the Minister: what are the Government's plans to fill these vacant nursing posts?
I note, in the answer to Russell George now, that the Minister has said that she's eager to look at the waiting lists, and those who have been waiting longest. Wouldn't it be more sensible to look at those with greatest need waiting for treatment, rather than those who have been waiting longest? Someone can be waiting for two years needing treatment, but somebody can be waiting six months needing urgent treatment. So, wouldn't it be better to look for the ones in greatest need?
The Government are obviously aware of the scale of the risks associated with these kinds of winter-based diseases. For example, the Government's own scientific modelling revealed that, last year, there were nearly 15,000 admissions to Welsh hospitals due to seasonal influenza and pneumonia. So, why has the Government not designed a specific winter plan for the health and social care sector since 2021-22?
Let's turn to another known quantity: the relationship between cold conditions and adverse health outcomes. A temperature drop of 1 degree is associated with a 5 per cent increase in respiratory illnesses, a 3 per cent increase in deaths from respiratory diseases, and a 2 per cent increase in cardiovascular disease in the over-65s. We also know that 30 per cent of excess winter deaths are due to cold homes, and the NHS spends at least £2.5 billion a year treating people with illnesses directly linked to living in cold, damp and dangerous conditions. It is for this reason I find it inexcusable that the Government has yet to implement its updated Warm Homes programme, over 18 months after the recommendations of the Equality and Social Justice Committee on this issue were first published.
When I talk about insufficient urgency on the preventative agenda, this is a classic example. By dragging their feet on measures to bolster the long-term resilience of public health in Wales, this Government is having to commit ever greater resources from an increasingly constrained budget to short-term sticking-plaster solutions. What has been the cost to the health service as a result of this Government's failure to implement the Warm Homes programme in time for this winter?
Finally, I'd like to reflect on the impacts of winter pressures on NHS staff. As I've mentioned many times in this Chamber, without its dedicated legions of staff, the NHS is nothing. That's why I was proud to stand on the picket lines with junior doctors outside Ysbyty Maelor yesterday morning, and with them again on the steps of the Senedd earlier this afternoon. The demands for a reversal of over a decade of eroded wages are fair and deserve to be heard. You can't expect them to cope with workloads that have become even more intense, especially during the winter, for less money in real terms.
I also know that the decision to initiate strike action will not have been taken lightly. Their warnings about the state of the workforce and the link to winter pressures have fallen on deaf ears over many years. And the fact that this last resort of strike action was supported by an overwhelming majority of the British Medical Association demonstrates the extent to which their members feel undervalued and underappreciated. It would be entirely irresponsible and dishonest for the Government to try to pin the blame for the problems we're seeing today with record times in the NHS on striking workers.
So, in the interest of ensuring that negotiations are put back on track and can reach a satisfactory conclusion as soon as possible, will the Minister acknowledge today that these strikes are an inevitable symptom of escalating winter pressures in the NHS and not the cause? And will the Minister agree to renegotiate and go back around the table with the BMA as soon as possible?
Yn amlwg, mae'r Llywodraeth yn ymwybodol o raddfa'r risgiau sy'n gysylltiedig â'r mathau hyn o glefydau yn ystod y gaeaf. Er enghraifft, roedd modelu gwyddonol y Llywodraeth ei hun, y llynedd, yn dangos bod bron i 15,000 o dderbyniadau i ysbytai Cymru oherwydd ffliw tymhorol a niwmonia. Felly, pam nad yw'r Llywodraeth wedi cynllunio cynllun gaeaf penodol ar gyfer y sector iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ers 2021-22?
Gadewch i ni droi at fater arall sy'n hysbys: y berthynas rhwng oerfel a chanlyniadau iechyd andwyol. Mae gostyngiad tymheredd o 1 gradd yn gysylltiedig â chynnydd o 5 y cant mewn salwch anadlol, cynnydd o 3 y cant mewn marwolaethau o glefydau anadlol, a chynnydd o 2 y cant mewn clefyd cardiofasgwlaidd ymhlith pobl dros 65 oed. Fe wyddom ni hefyd fod 30 y cant o farwolaethau ychwanegol yn digwydd yn y gaeaf oherwydd tai oer, ac mae'r GIG yn gwario o leiaf £2.5 biliwn y flwyddyn yn trin pobl â salwch sy'n uniongyrchol gysylltiedig â byw mewn cartrefi oer, llaith a pheryglus. Am y rheswm hwn, rwy'n ei chael hi'n anfaddeuol nad yw'r Llywodraeth wedi gweithredu ei rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd wedi'i diweddaru eto, dros 18 mis ar ôl i argymhellion y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ar y mater hwn gael eu cyhoeddi gyntaf.
Pan fyddaf i'n sôn am frys annigonol o ran yr agenda ataliol, mae hon yn enghraifft glasurol. Am eu bod hi'n llusgo traed o ran unrhyw fesurau i gryfhau cydnerthedd hirdymor iechyd y cyhoedd yng Nghymru, mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn gorfod ymrwymo mwy fyth o adnoddau i gyllideb fwyfwy gyfyngedig i ddatrysiadau dros dro a byrdymor. Beth fu'r gost i'r gwasanaeth iechyd o ganlyniad i fethiant y Llywodraeth hon i weithredu'r rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd mewn pryd ar gyfer y gaeaf eleni?
Yn olaf, fe hoffwn i fyfyrio ar effeithiau pwysau'r gaeaf ar staff y GIG. Fel soniais i sawl gwaith yn y Siambr hon, heb ei llengoedd ymroddedig o staff, nid yw'r GIG o unrhyw werth. Dyna pam roeddwn i'n falch o fod yn sefyll ar y llinellau piced gyda meddygon iau tu allan i Ysbyty Maelor fore ddoe, ac unwaith eto ar risiau'r Senedd yn gynharach y prynhawn yma. Mae'r galwadau am wrthdroi dros ddegawd o erydiad cyflogau yn gyfiawn ac yn haeddu cael eu clywed. Ni allwch chi ddisgwyl iddyn nhw ymdopi â llwyth gwaith sydd wedi mynd yn drymach eto hyd yn oed, yn enwedig yn ystod y gaeaf, am lai o arian mewn termau real.
Rwy'n gwybod hefyd na fydd y penderfyniad i gychwyn streicio wedi cael ei wneud yn ddifeddwl. Mae clust fyddar wedi cael ei throi at eu rhybuddion nhw ynglŷn â chyflwr y gweithlu a'r cysylltiad â phwysau'r gaeaf dros nifer o flynyddoedd. Ac mae'r ffaith bod cefnogaeth i'r dewis olaf hwn o streicio wedi dod oddi wrth fwyafrif llethol o blith Cymdeithas Feddygol Prydain yn dangos i ba raddau y mae eu haelodau nhw'n teimlo nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu gwerthfawrogi a'u bod yn cael eu tanbrisio. Fe fyddai hi'n gwbl anghyfrifol ac anonest i'r Llywodraeth geisio dodi'r bai am y problemau yr ydym ni'n eu gweld heddiw gyda'r amseroedd anoddaf erioed yn y GIG ar weithwyr sy'n streicio.
Felly, i sicrhau bod y trafodaethau'n mynd yn ôl ar y trywydd iawn ac yn gallu dod i gasgliad boddhaol cyn gynted â phosibl, a wnaiff y Gweinidog gydnabod heddiw mai symptom anochel o bwysau'r gaeaf cynyddol ar y GIG yw'r streiciau hyn ac nid ffynhonnell y pwysau? Ac a wnaiff y Gweinidog gytuno i ail-drafod a dychwelyd at y bwrdd i siarad gyda Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain cyn gynted ag y bo modd?
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi eisiau cadarnhau ein bod ni wedi bod yn paratoi, fel roeddech chi'n ei ddweud, ymhell o flaen llaw ar gyfer y gaeaf, ond beth rŷm ni'n ei wneud yw sicrhau dydyn ni ddim yn cael cynllun ar wahân ar gyfer y gaeaf ond fod hwn yn cael ei baratoi. Does dim pwynt dechrau cael cynllun ar wahân os nad ŷch chi yn dechrau paratoi ym mis Ebrill, achos dyw e jest ddim yn barod os ŷch chi'n wneud e yn hwyrach.
Mae'n wir bod rhai wardiau yn sicr wedi cael eu heffeithio gan norofeirws, a mae hwnna yn sicr wedi effeithio ar gogledd Cymru, ac rŷm ni wedi gweld pobl yn gofyn i bobl beidio â dod mewn i ymweld â phobl yn yr ysbytai. A dwi'n meddwl mai dyna'r peth iawn i'w wneud; mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau ein bod ni'n ceisio atal yr heintiau yma yn ein hysbytai ni.
Jest o ran llenwi swyddi gwag, wrth gwrs, rŷm ni wedi recriwtio lot fawr o nyrsys ychwanegol yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Roedd hi'n dda i glywed, wrth i mi ymweld â lot o ysbytai dros y flwyddyn newydd, bobl ar y rheng flaen yn sôn eu bod nhw wedi torri lawr lot nawr ar weithwyr asiantaeth a'u bod nhw wedi recriwtio mwy o nyrsys i fod yn barhaol yna. Felly, mae hwnna'n help. Wrth gwrs, mae rhai o'r rheini yn newydd a ddim cweit â'r un profiad â phobl eraill, ond mi ddaw hynny mewn amser. Ac o ran beth rŷm ni'n ei wneud i wella'r sefyllfa, wrth gwrs, rŷm ni'n hyfforddi yn fwy nag erioed o'r blaen, a dechrau mis Mawrth fyddaf i'n mynd mas i Kerala i ofyn am recriwtio mwy ac i gwrdd â'r Llywodraeth yna i geisio cael mwy o'r rheini i ddod—nyrsys sy'n hynod o dda—o India i ddod yma i weithio gyda ni yng Nghymru.
O ran y ffliw, rŷch chi'n eithaf iawn ein bod ni yn gweld mwy o bobl, ac os yw'r tymheredd yn gostwng wedyn mae'n effeithio ar y ffordd mae pobl yn anadlu. A dyna un o'r rhesymau pam mae'n siomedig i weld does dim mwy o bobl wedi cymryd y cyfle i gymryd y vaccination ar gyfer y ffliw.
Jest o ran pwy sydd â'r cyfrifoldeb, rŷm ni'n hollol glir bod cyfrifoldeb ar draws y Llywodraeth i gynllunio ac i ystyried iechyd, a dyna pam ar hyn o bryd mae yna consultation allan ar yr health impact assessment i sicrhau bob tro fydd unrhyw beth yn cael ei ystyried o ran polisi newydd, mi fydd hynny gydag ongl iechyd yn cael ei ystyried. Felly, wrth gwrs, fe fydd y Warm Homes programme yn rhan o hynny. Ac, wrth gwrs, un o'r pethau mae'n rhaid ichi ystyried yw, os ŷch chi moyn mwy o arian i mewn i'r Warm Homes programme, o ble rŷch chi'n mynd i dynnu hynny oddi wrtho? Mae'n rhaid inni jest gael y balans yn iawn rhwng y prevention a'r holl bethau eraill rŷm ni'n trio eu hystyried ar hyn o bryd.
Thank you very much. I want to confirm that we have been preparing well in advance for the winter, but what we're doing is ensuring that we don't have a separate plan for winter but that this is prepared in advance. There's no point having a separate plan unless you start to prepare in April, because it simply wouldn't be ready if you did it any later.
It's true to say that some wards have been affected by norovirus, and certainly that's had an impact in north Wales, and we have seen people asking the public not to visit hospitals. And I think that's the right thing to do; we do have to ensure that we do try and prevent the spread of these infections in our hospitals.
Just in terms of filling vacant posts, of course, we have recruited a lot of additional nurses in recent years. It was good to hear, as I visited a number of hospitals over the new year period, people on the front line telling me that they had now cut down on the use of agency staff and that they had recruited more nurses on a permanent basis. So, that does help. Of course, some of those are newly in post and don't have the same experience as others, but that will come in time. And in terms of what we're doing to improve the situation, of course, we are training more than ever before, and at the beginning of March I will be going out to Kerala to seek to recruit more there and to speak to the Government there to encourage those excellent nurses from India to come and work for us here in Wales.
In terms of flu, you're quite right that we are seeing more people, and, as the temperature decreases, it does have an impact on respiratory issues. And that's one of the reasons why it's disappointing to see that more people haven't taken the opportunity to take up the flu vaccine.
Just in terms of who has responsibility, we're quite clear that there is responsibility across Government to plan and to consider health, and that's why at the moment there is a consultation on the health impact assessment to ensure that, whenever anything is considered in terms of a new policy, it will have a health angle to it. So, the Warm Homes programme will be part of that. And one of the things we do have to consider is that, if you want more money in the Warm Homes programme, you do have to consider where you will take that money from. We just have to get the balance right between the prevention and all of the other things that we are currently considering.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
Just in terms of the strikes, obviously we're disappointed that the junior doctors have decided to take the action that they have, but we understand it; we understand their frustrations. And we are indeed frustrated by the lack of additional money coming from the UK Government. Obviously, I understand that you would want to be on the front line, but I do hope that they challenge you on where you would cut. If you were going to find that additional money, where would you find that additional money? Because the only other place for that to come from now is from the health budget itself, and I’m genuinely not sure if we would be thanked by the public, nor indeed by the BMA, if we started cutting other parts of the health budget.
I met with the BMA last Thursday. I’m always open to meet with them to see if we can get to a better position with this. Clearly it’s in all of our interests to try and settle the strike as soon as we can.
O ran y streiciau, yn amlwg rydym ni'n siomedig bod y meddygon iau wedi penderfynu cymryd y camau a wnaethon nhw, ond rydym ni'n deall pam; rydym ni'n deall y rhwystredigaethau. Ac yn wir, rydym ninnau'n teimlo yn rhwystredig oherwydd y diffyg arian ychwanegol oddi wrth Lywodraeth y DU. Yn amlwg, rwy'n deall y byddech chi'n dymuno bod ar y rheng flaen, ond rwy'n gobeithio y bydden nhw'n eich herio chi ynglŷn â'r meysydd y byddech chi'n cwtogi arnyn nhw. Pe byddech chi'n mynd i ddod o hyd i'r arian ychwanegol hwnnw, ym mha le y byddech chi'n dod o hyd i'r arian ychwanegol hwnnw? Gan mai'r unig le arall y gallai hwnnw ddod ohono o hyn ymlaen yw'r gyllideb iechyd ei hun, ac nid wyf i'n gwbl siŵr y byddai'r cyhoedd yn diolch i ni, na Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain yn wir, pe byddem ni'n dechrau cwtogi ar rannau eraill o'r gyllideb iechyd.
Fe gwrddais i â Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain ddydd Iau diwethaf. Rwyf i bob amser yn agored i gwrdd â nhw i weld a allwn ni gyrraedd sefyllfa well yn hyn o beth. Yn amlwg fe fyddai ceisio setlo'r streic cyn gynted ag y bo modd yn fuddiol iawn i bob un ohonom ni.
Thank you, Minister, for the incredible hard work that you’re doing, and to all the NHS staff who have worked so hard to respond to the increased demand and complexity.
Firstly, I just wanted to ask for clarification on the amount of money that England has offered to its doctors, which I believe adds up to 8.8 per cent. Did Wales get a consequential sum reflecting that offer that was paid to English NHS doctors, and if so, could you explain why it’s not possible to pay a similar sum to our doctors? It may reflect the fact you paid them more money last year. Anyway, it’s very important to hear about the cut down in agency staff and more substantive posts—I really welcome that.
I just wanted to ask you about something that I read about just before Christmas, which I think didn’t get quite the publicity it deserved as a result of that, which is that in a national newspaper it was reported that over 800,000 patients in England and Wales have been admitted to hospital with malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies in the last year. You mentioned the increased acuity and complexity in your statement, and I just wondered whether you’d had any reports about that, because that’s clearly something that we need to take proactive action on, not just around winter—it’s a ‘never event', as Professor Hawthorne, who’s the chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, has said. It’s absolutely appalling that, as a nation, we should be having malnourished children. So, I wondered if you could just clarify what information you’ve been receiving from the front-line health staff as to whether we are indeed getting an increased number of people coming into hospital because of malnutrition.
Diolch i chi, Gweinidog, am y gwaith caled anhygoel yr ydych chi'n ei wneud, ac i holl staff y GIG sydd wedi gweithio mor galed i ymateb i'r galw a'r cymhlethdod cynyddol.
Yn gyntaf, roeddwn i'n dymuno gofyn am eglurhad ynglŷn â chyfanswm yr arian a gynigiodd Lloegr i'w meddygon, sydd, rwy'n credu, yn cyrraedd hyd at 8.8 y cant. A gafodd Cymru swm canlyniadol sy'n adlewyrchu'r cynnig hwnnw a dalwyd i feddygon GIG Lloegr, ac os felly, a wnewch chi egluro pam nad yw hi'n bosibl talu swm tebyg i'n meddygon ni? Efallai fod hynny'n adlewyrchu'r ffaith eich bod wedi talu mwy o arian iddyn nhw'r llynedd. Beth bynnag, mae hi'n bwysig iawn i ni glywed am y toriad o ran staff asiantaeth a swyddi mwy sylweddol—rwy'n croesawu hynny'n fawr.
Roeddwn i'n awyddus i ofyn i chi am rywbeth y darllenais amdano ychydig cyn y Nadolig, na chafodd y cyhoeddusrwydd y mae'n ei haeddu o ganlyniad i hynny, sef fod papur newydd cenedlaethol wedi adrodd am dros 800,000 o gleifion yng Nghymru a Lloegr yn cael eu derbyn mewn ysbyty oherwydd camfaethiad a diffygion maethol yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Roeddech chi'n sôn am y galw acíwt a'r cymhlethdod cynyddol yn eich datganiad, ac roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a oeddech chi wedi clywed unrhyw adroddiadau am hynny, oherwydd mae hynny'n amlwg yn rhywbeth y mae angen i ni weithredu mewn ffordd ragweithiol arno, nid yn unig yn y gaeaf—digwyddiad "byth" yw hwnnw, fel mynegodd yr Athro Hawthorne, cadeirydd Coleg Brenhinol yr Ymarferwyr Cyffredinol. Mae hi'n gwbl warthus, yn ein cenedl ni, ein bod ni â phlant sy'n dioddef oherwydd diffyg maeth. Felly, tybed a wnewch chi egluro pa wybodaeth a gawsoch chi oddi wrth y staff iechyd rheng flaen ynghylch a ydym ni wir yn gweld mwy o bobl yn mynd i'r ysbyty oherwydd diffyg maeth.
Thanks very much, and I too would like to extend my thanks to the NHS staff, who have been under incredible pressure over the winter period. It was really heart-warming to meet some of them when I dropped in without warning to several hospitals over the winter period, and it was really great to be able to get to the front-line workers to listen to their frustrations. In particular, I was very struck by an ambulance worker who broke down with frustration at the situation and the difficulty, and the fact that they’ve been trained for something and they want to get back out on the front line. It was a real pleasure to have spent the day with the ambulance service before Christmas as well. So, there’s amazing work being done by these people day in, day out.
In relation to the consequential, I know that the finance Minister has been pressing the UK Government for clarity on this, but we have not had that clarity yet. So, it’s unclear in terms of the consequential funding, not just whether what was in there last year will be baselined—that is not clear to us, so it makes it very, very difficult for us to plan—but there’s no clarity either in terms of the offer that’s been made to consultants in England, whether that is money coming from the NHS budget or coming centrally. If it comes centrally, obviously we will get a consequential. It’s very difficult and it just proves that, actually, the system needs a radical overhaul, so that we can all be transparent and we can all understand what is going on. There’s too much smoke and mirrors in relation to how health is funded in England.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, ac fe hoffwn innau ddiolch i staff y GIG hefyd, a fu dan bwysau aruthrol dros gyfnod y gaeaf. Roedd hi'n galonogol iawn cwrdd â rhai ohonyn nhw pan wnes i daro i mewn yn ddirybudd i sawl ysbyty dros gyfnod y gaeaf, ac roedd hi'n hyfryd iawn gallu mynd at y gweithwyr rheng flaen i wrando ar eu rhwystredigaethau nhw. Yn arbennig, cefais fy nharo gan weithiwr ambiwlans a dorrodd i wylo oherwydd rhwystredigaeth ynghylch y sefyllfa a'r anawsterau, a'r ffaith eu bod nhw wedi cael eu hyfforddi ar gyfer rhywbeth a'u bod yn awyddus i fynd yn ôl allan ar y rheng flaen. Roedd hi'n bleser o'r mwyaf cael treulio'r diwrnod gyda'r gwasanaeth ambiwlans cyn y Nadolig hefyd. Felly, mae gwaith anhygoel yn cael ei wneud gan y bobl hyn o ddydd i ddydd.
O ran y canlyniad, fe wn i fod y Gweinidog cyllid wedi bod yn pwyso ar Lywodraeth y DU i roi eglurder yn hyn o beth, ond nid ydym ni wedi cael eglurder o'r fath eto. Felly, mae hi'n aneglur o ran y cyllid canlyniadol, nid yn unig a fydd yr hyn a oedd yno'r llynedd yn cael ei ystyried yn llinell sylfaen—nid yw hynny'n eglur i ni, felly mae hynny'n ei gwneud hi'n anodd dros ben i ni gynllunio—ond nid oes eglurder chwaith o ran y cynnig a gafodd ei wneud i feddygon ymgynghorol yn Lloegr, a yw hwnnw'n arian a ddaw o gyllideb y GIG neu'n ganolog. Os daw yn ganolog, yn amlwg, fe fyddwn ni'n cael swm canlyniadol. Mae hi'n anodd iawn ac mae hyn yn dangos bod angen ail-lunio'r system mewn ffordd radical, mewn gwirionedd, er mwyn i ni i gyd fod yn dryloyw ac y gallwn ni i gyd ddeall yr hyn sy'n digwydd. Fe geir gormod o guddio a chelu o ran sut caiff iechyd ei ariannu yn Lloegr.
I'd like to thank you for your statement this afternoon, Minister. As you're well aware, our GP practices are under huge pressure this winter with the increased demand on their services. I've been contacted by a large number of constituents concerned about the potential reduction of services in the Llandrindod Wells GP practice due to the financial constraints that they're under. And there's a lot of concern that they won't be able to offer some of the services that they have offered before, during this winter. So, I'm just wondering, Minister, if you can outline today what the Welsh Government is doing and the proposals that the Welsh Government have got to support our GP practices through the winter, to make sure that they can get through the precarious financial situation that they're currently in.
Fe hoffwn i ddiolch i chi am eich datganiad y prynhawn yma, Gweinidog. Fel gwyddoch chi'n iawn, mae ein meddygfeydd dan bwysau enfawr y gaeaf eleni gyda'r galw cynyddol am eu gwasanaethau nhw. Mae nifer fawr o etholwyr wedi cysylltu â mi yn gofidio am y gostyngiad posibl yn y gwasanaethau ym meddygfa Llandrindod oherwydd y cyfyngiadau ariannol sydd arnyn nhw. Ac fe geir llawer o bryder na fyddan nhw'n gallu cynnig rhai o'r gwasanaethau yr oedden nhw'n eu cynnig yn flaenorol, yn ystod y gaeaf eleni. Felly, tybed, Gweinidog, a wnewch chi amlinellu heddiw yr hyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud a'r cynigion y mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru gefnogi ein practisau meddygon teulu drwy'r gaeaf, i sicrhau y bydden nhw'n gallu goroesi'r sefyllfa ariannol ansicr y maen nhw ynddi hi ar hyn o bryd.
As James will know, most GPs are independent consultants. They work independently and they have to balance the books once they have made a contract with us. So, we have contractual negotiations with them. One of the things that we've done as a result of that contractual negotiation is to change the way that the public interact with GPs, so that we haven't seen the kinds of problems that they're still encountering in England in relation to the 8 a.m. block. So, things are very different here now in Wales and it's significant, the reduction in volume when it comes to patients getting access to GP services in Wales. So, that really has to be a decision for them in terms of where they put their money, how many people they employ, but, obviously, we do an all-Wales negotiation in relation to that.
I just want to come back to Jenny's point in relation to malnutrition, and I apologise for not addressing that earlier. There is a particular issue, I think, with older people. So, what we have, perhaps, are many people with dementia, and there are lots of people who come into hospital with dementia who are not aware of the fact that they need to balance their diet. So, it's very interesting to see some of the support structures that are being put in place in the community, ready for when people come out of hospital, before people come out of hospital; dieticians being a part of that care in the community team. Certainly that was something really positive I saw in Pembrokeshire before Christmas.
Fel mae James yn gwybod, meddygon ymgynghorol annibynnol yw'r rhan fwyaf o feddygon teulu. Maen nhw'n gweithio yn annibynnol ac mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw fantoli'r cyfrifon pan fydden nhw'n llunio cytundeb gyda ni. Felly, rydym ni'n cael trafodaethau cytundebol gyda nhw. Un o'r pethau a wnaethom ni o ganlyniad i negodi cytundebol fel hyn yw newid y ffordd y mae'r cyhoedd yn rhyngweithio â meddygon teulu, fel nad ydym ni'n gweld y mathau o broblemau y maen nhw'n eu cael yn Lloegr o ran tagfeydd 8 y bore. Felly, mae pethau yn wahanol iawn yma yng Nghymru nawr ac mae hwnnw'n ostyngiad sylweddol o ran swm niferoedd y cleifion sy'n cael mynediad at wasanaethau meddygon teulu yng Nghymru. Felly, mae'n rhaid i hwnnw fod yn benderfyniad iddyn nhw ei wneud mewn gwirionedd o ran sut y bydden nhw'n defnyddio eu harian, faint o bobl y bydden nhw'n eu cyflogi, ond, yn amlwg, rydym ni'n cynnal trafodaeth ledled Cymru ynglŷn â hyn.
Fe hoffwn i ddod yn ôl at bwynt Jenny o ran camfaethiad, ac rwy'n ymddiheuro am fethu ag ymdrin â hyn yn gynharach. Fe geir problem neilltuol, yn fy marn i, o ran pobl hŷn. Felly, yr hyn sydd gennym ni, efallai, yw llawer o bobl â dementia, ac mae llawer o bobl sy'n dod i'r ysbyty gyda dementia nad ydyn nhw'n ymwybodol o'r ffaith bod angen iddyn nhw fod â deiet cytbwys. Felly, mae hi'n ddiddorol iawn gweld rhai o'r strwythurau cymorth sy'n cael eu rhoi ar waith yn y gymuned, yn barod ar gyfer pobl a ddaw o'r ysbytai, cyn i bobl adael yr ysbyty; a bod deietegwyr yn rhan o'r gofal hwnnw yn y tîm cymunedol. Yn sicr roedd hwnnw'n rhywbeth cadarnhaol iawn a welais i yn sir Benfro cyn y Nadolig.
Yr wythnos diwethaf, Weinidog, yn sgil cau wardiau yn Ysbyty Treforys ac atal ymwelwyr, mi wnes i'ch holi chi am gyngor diweddar Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd i ystyried gwneud gwisgo mwgwd yn fandadol mewn lleoliadau iechyd. Mae'n alwad sydd wedi cael ei adleisio gan Goleg Brenhinol y Nyrsys mewn llythyr at y prif swyddog nyrsio. Maen nhw hefyd yn galw am wella awyru mewn wardiau, clinigau cleifion allanol a mannau aros, i'r un diben. Byddai hyn, wrth gwrs, yn atal lledaeniad rhwng cleifion, yn cadw wardiau ar agor, a hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn helpu gwarchod y gweithlu rhag mynd yn sâl ac efallai fod hynny'n fwy pwysig nag erioed nawr ein bod ni wedi clywed y ffigyrau siomedig rŷch chi wedi'u hadrodd y prynhawn yma ynglŷn â'r ymateb o ran y gweithlu i'r rhaglen frechu. Byddai hyn, wrth gwrs, yn lleihau pwysau'n gyfan gwbl. Ac felly, pam dydych chi ddim yn credu bod mygydau ac awyru, fyddai'n lleihau lledaeniad fel hyn, yn gam synhwyrol o ran y gaeaf yn benodol, yn enwedig yn sgil yr ymateb siomedig yma, fel oeddwn i'n sôn, i'r rhaglen frechu?
Ac o ran y rhaglen frechu ffliw a COVID, ces i waith achos lle'r oedd pobl â chyflyrau cronig fel asthma heb dderbyn gwahoddiad am frechiad yn y lle cyntaf, wedi dal COVID ac wedi bod yn sâl iawn, cyn cael gwybod bod y cyngor anghywir wedi'i roi. Felly, sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn monitro bod pawb sy'n gymwys yn cael y wybodaeth gywir ac yn cael eu hannog i fynd am frechlyn? Ac o ran y rhaglen, a oes unrhyw ystyriaeth wedi'i rhoi i ymestyn y brechiadau i fwy o'r boblogaeth, os yw pawb a oedd yn gymwys bellach wedi cael eu gwahodd a'i bod yn swnio fel bod yna frechlynnau sbâr ar gael?
Last week, Minister, as a result of the closure of wards in Morriston Hospital and the prevention of visits, I asked you about the recent advice from the World Health Organization to consider making mask wearing mandatory in health settings. It's a call that's been echoed by the Royal College of Nursing in a letter to the chief nursing officer. They are also calling for improved ventilation in wards, out-patient clinics and waiting areas, to the same end. This would, of course, prevent the spread between patients, keep wards open, and would also, of course, help to protect the workforce from falling ill and that, perhaps, is more important than ever now that we've heard the disappointing figures that you reported this afternoon in terms of the workforce response to the vaccination programme. This would, of course, reduce pressures generally. And, therefore, why don't you believe that mask wearing and ventilation, which would reduce the spread of viruses, would be a sensible step, particularly in the winter, given the disappointing response, which I mentioned, to the vaccination programme?
And in terms of the flu and COVID vaccination programme, I had some casework where people who had chronic conditions such as asthma hadn't been invited for a vaccination, had caught COVID and been very ill, before they were told that the wrong advice had been provided. So, how does the Government monitor that everyone who does qualify does get the right information and is encouraged to go for a vaccination? And in terms of the programme, has any consideration been given to extending vaccination to more of the population, if people who did qualify have now been invited and it sounds like there are spare vaccinations available?
Diolch yn fawr. I take advice, obviously, from my officials and from health boards in terms of when they think it's the appropriate time for us to initiate mask wearing within our hospitals. And I think there are occasions, and we have to make sure that we wait for the right occasion for that to happen, when levels are significantly higher. At the moment, COVID is relatively low compared to previous years and so is flu, although there was, obviously, an issue with norovirus, and what happened under those circumstances is that places like Treforys just said, 'Listen, just don't come in, just don't visit.' That's the best protection of all, rather than coming in and wearing a face mask.
Just in terms of vaccinations, just so that you're aware, Public Health Wales is about to do another drive to try and get people to take up that opportunity of vaccination. We follow the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advice in terms of who should receive those vaccinations, and we will stick to that as a proposition.
Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n cael fy nghynghori, yn amlwg, gan fy swyddogion a chan fyrddau iechyd o ran eu barn nhw ynglŷn â'r amser priodol i ni fod yn dechrau gwisgo mygydau yn ein hysbytai. Ac rwy'n credu bod adegau, ac mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau ein bod ni'n aros am yr amser iawn i hynny digwydd, pan fo'r cyfraddau yn sylweddol uwch. Ar hyn o bryd, mae cyfraddau COVID yn gymharol isel o gymharu â blynyddoedd blaenorol ac felly'r ffliw hefyd, er bod yna broblem gyda norofeirws, yn amlwg, a'r hyn a ddigwyddodd yn yr amgylchiadau hynny yw bod safleoedd fel Treforys wedi dweud yn syml, 'Gwrandewch, peidiwch â dod i mewn, peidiwch ag ymweld.' A hwnnw yw'r amddiffyniad gorau un, yn hytrach na dod i mewn a gwisgo mwgwd.
O ran brechiadau, dim ond i chi fod yn ymwybodol, mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru ar fin dechrau ymgyrch arall i geisio cael pobl i fanteisio ar y cyfle hwnnw i gael eu brechu. Rydym ni'n dilyn cyngor y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu o ran pwy ddylai fod yn cael y brechiadau hynny, ac fe fyddwn ni'n cadw at y cyngor hwnnw.
Ac yn olaf, Andrew R.T. Davies.
And finally, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Minister, in previous responses you've given, you've talked about the junior doctors' strike, with the protests outside the Senedd today. I understand the financials of it; it is a challenging environment. The BMA have a claim that they've put forward that other parts of the United Kingdom have also rejected, but what other parts of the United Kingdom have been able to do is deliver the independent pay review's settlement. Irrespective of the funding formula, could you please say how much, if you were to deliver that recommendation, the Welsh Government would have to find in terms of money to meet that recommendation? I understand it to be about 1 per cent, or a little over 1 per cent. What is that in monetary terms that the Welsh Government would have to find to settle the dispute, if it were agreeable to the BMA—that that figure would be accepted by them?
Gweinidog, mewn ymatebion blaenorol rydych chi wedi sôn am streic y meddygon iau, gyda'r protestiadau y tu allan i'r Senedd heddiw. Rwy'n deall yr elfennau ariannol; mae'n amgylchedd heriol. Mae gan y BMA hawliad y maen nhw wedi ei gyflwyno y mae rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig hefyd wedi'i wrthod, ond yr hyn y mae rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig wedi gallu ei wneud yw cyflawni setliad yr adolygiad cyflog annibynnol. Beth bynnag fo'r fformiwla ariannu, a allech chi ddweud faint, pe baech chi'n cyflawni'r argymhelliad hwnnw, y byddai'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru ddod o hyd iddo o ran arian i fodloni'r argymhelliad hwnnw? Rwy'n deall ei fod tua 1 y cant, neu ychydig dros 1 y cant. Beth yw hynny yn nhermau ariannol y byddai'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru ddod o hyd iddo i ddatrys yr anghydfod, pe bai'n dderbyniol i'r BMA—sef y byddai'r ffigur hwnnw'n cael ei dderbyn ganddyn nhw?
Thanks very much. I think one of the things that needs to be borne in mind is that it's not just about what's given this year, but that, actually, we gave a significant uplift last year. So, in Wales, we gave a 6 per cent uplift, and on top of that there was a 1.5 per cent non-consolidated uplift, compared to the 2 per cent in England that was given. So, if you compare last year with what's happening this year, it's very different. Of course, in England—you're quite right—they have offered significantly more this year, but I think it's probably worth noting that the strike is still not settled in England. Obviously, the other thing is that we don't know where that money is coming from, so it would be very helpful if we knew where that was coming from and if there's going to be a consequential.
Part of the problem we have is that everybody else across the Welsh NHS, in terms of 'Agenda for Change', has accepted that 5 per cent offer. Now, if you start saying, 'No, but we're going to give those a bit more', you can be damn sure that other parts of the NHS will say, 'What about us? Are we not as worthy or as valuable?' So, we do have to recognise that what we are talking about is several million pounds that we'd have to find, not just this year, but ongoing into the future. But, more than that, it's unlikely to settle the strike and, on top of that, it would open the doors for other people. We can work out the figure quite easily, but, obviously, it's very difficult to see that that would settle the strike.
Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n credu mai un o'r pethau y mae'n rhaid i ni gofio yw nad yw'n ymwneud â'r hyn sy'n cael ei roi eleni yn unig, ond ein bod, mewn gwirionedd, wedi rhoi cynnydd sylweddol y llynedd. Felly, yng Nghymru, fe wnaethom roi cynnydd o 6 y cant, ac ar ben hynny roedd cynnydd anghyfunol o 1.5 y cant, o'i gymharu â'r 2 y cant a roddwyd yn Lloegr. Felly, os ydych chi'n cymharu'r llynedd â'r hyn sy'n digwydd eleni, mae'n wahanol iawn. Wrth gwrs, yn Lloegr—rydych chi'n hollol iawn—maen nhw wedi cynnig llawer mwy eleni, ond rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n werth nodi nad yw'r streic wedi'i datrys yn Lloegr. Yn amlwg, y peth arall yw nad ydym yn gwybod o ble mae'r arian hwnnw'n dod, felly byddai'n ddefnyddiol iawn pe byddem yn gwybod o ble roedd yn dod ac a oes swm canlyniadol yn mynd i fod.
Rhan o'r broblem sydd gennym yw fod pawb arall ar draws GIG Cymru, o ran 'Agenda ar gyfer Newid', wedi derbyn y cynnig hwnnw o 5 y cant. Nawr, os byddwch chi'n dechrau dweud, 'Na, ond rydyn ni'n mynd i roi ychydig mwy i'r rheini', gallwch fod yn sicr y bydd rhannau eraill o'r GIG yn dweud, 'Beth amdanom ni? Onid ydym ni mor deilwng neu mor werthfawr?" Felly, mae'n rhaid i ni gydnabod mai'r hyn yr ydym yn sôn amdano yw gorfod dod o hyd i sawl miliwn o bunnau, nid yn unig eleni, ond yn barhaus i'r dyfodol. Ond, yn fwy na hynny, mae'n annhebygol o ddatrys y streic ac, ar ben hynny, byddai'n agor y drysau i bobl eraill. Gallwn weithio allan y ffigur yn eithaf rhwydd, ond, yn amlwg, mae'n anodd iawn gweld y byddai hynny'n datrys y streic.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Eitem 5 yw'r datganiad gan y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol ar Ystadau Cymru, a galwaf ar y Gweinidog, Rebecca Evans.
Item 5 is the statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government on Ystadau Cymru, and I call on the Minister, Rebecca Evans.
Diolch. I'm pleased to provide an update on the work of Ystadau Cymru. Ystadau Cymru brings together asset managers from across the public estate in Wales. Our public estate is diverse, ranging from built assets such as hospitals and schools, and the monuments and heritage buildings managed by Cadw, to the vast natural environment that includes our national parks and the national forest of Wales. The work of Ystadau Cymru is underpinned by the principles of collaboration, sharing assets and experiences to maximise the opportunities from our public estate.
Asset managers have, of course, faced considerable challenges in the light of continuing austerity, balancing the need to cut costs and preserve public services. Those challenges remain as we move into even more strained financial times. The pandemic created additional pressures. The collaborative and innovative approaches by asset managers led to our public buildings being speedily adapted to house field hospitals and vaccination centres. There are many examples of where public services co-located prior to the pandemic. Post-pandemic ways of working set particular challenges for asset managers, who continue to strive to demonstrate value for money, particularly from our public offices.
Ystadau Cymru has continued to pursue this agenda and encourage public sector partners to work more closely together. I am pleased that the Welsh Government is leading by example, actively seeking opportunities to optimise the occupation of our own office buildings and those of others. Our Llandudno Junction, Aberystwyth and Cardiff offices are now being shared with a number of public sector partners. In Llandrindod Wells, we've vacated our former offices and moved to a smaller footprint, occupying available space in Powys County Council offices. This has had a positive impact on both carbon reduction and delivering value for money within the public sector.
Diolch. Rwy'n falch o roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am waith Ystadau Cymru. Mae Ystadau Cymru yn dwyn ynghyd reolwyr asedau o bob rhan o'r ystad gyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Mae ein hystad gyhoeddus yn amrywiol, yn amrywio o asedau adeiledig fel ysbytai ac ysgolion, a'r henebion a'r adeiladau treftadaeth a reolir gan Cadw, i'r amgylchedd naturiol helaeth sy'n cynnwys ein parciau cenedlaethol a choedwig genedlaethol Cymru. Mae gwaith Ystadau Cymru wedi'i ategu gan egwyddorion cydweithio, rhannu asedau a phrofiadau i sicrhau'r nifer mwyaf o gyfleoedd y mae ein hystad gyhoeddus yn eu cynnig.
Mae rheolwyr asedau, wrth gwrs, wedi wynebu heriau sylweddol yng ngoleuni cyni parhaus, gan gydbwyso'r angen i dorri costau a chadw gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Mae'r heriau hynny'n parhau wrth i ni symud i gyfnodau ariannol anos fyth. Fe wnaeth y pandemig greu pwysau ychwanegol. Arweiniodd y dulliau cydweithredol ac arloesol gan reolwyr asedau at addasu ein hadeiladau cyhoeddus yn gyflym i greu ysbytai maes a chanolfannau brechu. Mae yna lawer o enghreifftiau o ble y bu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn cydleoli cyn y pandemig. Mae ffyrdd o weithio ar ôl y pandemig yn gosod heriau arbennig i reolwyr asedau, sy'n parhau i ymdrechu i ddangos gwerth am arian, yn enwedig gan ein swyddfeydd cyhoeddus.
Mae Ystadau Cymru wedi parhau i ddilyn yr agenda hon gan annog partneriaid yn y sector cyhoeddus i gydweithio'n agosach. Rwy'n falch bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn arwain drwy esiampl, gan fynd ati i chwilio am gyfleoedd i optimeiddio meddiant o'n hadeiladau swyddfeydd ein hunain a rhai eraill. Mae ein swyddfeydd yng Nghyffordd Llandudno, Aberystwyth a Chaerdydd bellach yn cael eu rhannu gan nifer o bartneriaid yn y sector cyhoeddus. Yn Llandrindod, rydym wedi gadael ein hen swyddfeydd ac wedi symud i le llai, gan feddiannu lle sydd ar gael yn swyddfeydd Cyngor Sir Powys. Mae hyn wedi cael effaith gadarnhaol ar leihau carbon a sicrhau gwerth am arian o fewn y sector cyhoeddus.
Our surplus buildings and land have also been used to support our public sector partners. Our policy is to offer surplus assets within the public sector before placing them on the market for sale. This approach has enabled our former offices in Llandrindod Wells to be used by Powys Teaching Health Board as part of its strategic approach to rationalising its estate, and, in the longer term, will improve health service provision within the town.
Climate change, decarbonisation and biodiversity remain key priorities for the Welsh Government, including insofar as the public estate is concerned. Our £11 million Wales funding programme is providing loans to support our public partners with renewable and energy-efficiency measures on the public estate. This is supported by Ystadau Cymru's partners' work with the Welsh Local Government Association in developing a carbon sequestration mapping tool. Many of our other collective landholdings include a wide range of valuable habitats and species. Strong biodiversity management underpins both the Welsh Government’s and Ystadau Cymru’s work in this area, further consolidating our leadership role.
This work is complemented by the Ystadau Cymru-led Assets Collaboration Programme Wales, which has provided funding for a range of collaborative projects. This investment in surveys, feasibility studies, and the implementation of decarbonisation measures will support the resilience and longevity of our public assets for future generations. The ACPW funding has also addressed some of the issues identified in the Senedd inquiry into community asset transfers. Powys and the Vale of Glamorgan councils, for example, have been able to use this grant to support communities to improve and decarbonise their community assets. By using the councils’ technical and professional skills, communities have benefited directly from the collective investment of time, expertise and funding.
The successes of asset collaboration have been celebrated at the Ystadau Cymru annual conference and awards since 2019. I have had the pleasure of making awards to a wide variety of collaborative projects from across Wales, each focused on the public estate. Many, such as the Llantwit Food Project and the St Davids Befrienders project in Solva, have demonstrated the way that communities and public sector partners, working together, can innovate to solve local problems and have a significant and wide-ranging benefit for our communities. Others, such as with the Crown Buildings in Wrexham, have shown that a fabric-first approach to modernisation and decarbonisation can achieve impressive results, and that demolition of existing buildings is not always the best or most cost-effective option. There is great value to be taken by all of our public partners from sharing these experiences through Ystadau Cymru.
I have referred to the Senedd inquiry into community asset transfers. Ystadau Cymru has been working with key stakeholders to develop a robust methodology to progress the recommendations of the committee. This work will be led by the Ystadau Cymru board, with input from other key stakeholders, and will involve extensive community engagement. We will continue to update colleagues as this work progresses.
The range of issues dealt with by Ystadau Cymru colleagues is broad, but the safety of the public and our workforce is foremost. Asbestos and reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete are continuing concerns. Ystadau Cymru members responded quickly to my request for information about RAAC in our public buildings, and the Ystadau Cymru building safety group continues to work with the workforce partnership council in raising awareness of, and improving knowledge about, asbestos management in our public buildings in Wales. These areas of health and safety are not devolved to the Welsh Government. However, I do want to reassure Senedd Members that they are nonetheless a priority for Ystadau Cymru and the Welsh Government.
Ystadau Cymru remains an important collective resource for our public estate in Wales. The critical element of all of these examples of their work is collaboration—a core behaviour of our well-being of future generations commitments. The challenges our asset managers have faced over recent years have not gone away, but, with the support of Ystadau Cymru, we can continue to provide support to create efficiencies, improve public services and maintain an asset base that supports our communities and environment across Wales.
Mae ein hadeiladau a'n tir dros ben hefyd wedi cael eu defnyddio i gefnogi ein partneriaid yn y sector cyhoeddus. Ein polisi yw cynnig asedau dros ben yn y sector cyhoeddus cyn eu rhoi ar y farchnad i'w gwerthu. Mae'r dull hwn wedi ei gwneud hi'n bosibl i Fwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys ddefnyddio ein hen swyddfeydd yn Llandrindod fel rhan o'i ddull strategol o resymoli ei ystad, ac, yn y tymor hir, bydd yn gwella'r ddarpariaeth o wasanaeth iechyd yn y dref.
Mae newid hinsawdd, datgarboneiddio a bioamrywiaeth yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaethau allweddol i Lywodraeth Cymru, gan gynnwys i'r graddau y mae'r ystad gyhoeddus yn y cwestiwn. Mae ein rhaglen gyllido £11 miliwn yng Nghymru yn darparu benthyciadau i gefnogi ein partneriaid cyhoeddus gyda mesurau effeithlonrwydd ynni ac adnewyddadwy ar yr ystad gyhoeddus. Cefnogir hyn gan waith partneriaid Ystadau Cymru gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru i ddatblygu offeryn mapio atafaelu carbon. Mae llawer o'n tirfeddiannaeth ar y cyd eraill yn cynnwys ystod eang o gynefinoedd a rhywogaethau gwerthfawr. Mae rheoli bioamrywiaeth yn gadarn yn sail i waith Llywodraeth Cymru ac Ystadau Cymru yn y maes hwn, gan atgyfnerthu ein swyddogaeth arweinyddiaeth ymhellach.
Ategir y gwaith hwn gan Raglen Cydweithio Asedau Cymru a arweinir gan Ystadau Cymru, sydd wedi darparu cyllid ar gyfer amrywiaeth o brosiectau cydweithredol. Bydd y buddsoddiad hwn mewn arolygon, astudiaethau dichonoldeb, a gweithredu mesurau datgarboneiddio yn cefnogi cydnerthedd a hirhoedledd ein hasedau cyhoeddus ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Mae cyllid y Rhaglen Cydweithio Asedau Cymru hefyd wedi mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r materion a nodwyd yn ymchwiliad y Senedd i drosglwyddiadau asedau cymunedol. Mae cynghorau Powys a Bro Morgannwg, er enghraifft, wedi gallu defnyddio'r grant hwn i gefnogi cymunedau i wella a datgarboneiddio eu hasedau cymunedol. Trwy ddefnyddio sgiliau technegol a phroffesiynol y cynghorau, mae cymunedau wedi elwa'n uniongyrchol ar fuddsoddiad ar y cyd o amser, arbenigedd a chyllid.
Mae llwyddiannau cydweithio asedau wedi cael eu dathlu yng nghynhadledd flynyddol a gwobrau Ystadau Cymru ers 2019. Rwyf wedi cael y pleser o gyflwyno gwobrau i amrywiaeth eang o brosiectau cydweithredol o bob rhan o Gymru, pob un yn canolbwyntio ar yr ystad gyhoeddus. Mae llawer, fel Prosiect Bwyd Llanilltud a phrosiect Cyfeillio Tyddewi yn Solfach, wedi dangos y ffordd y gall cymunedau a phartneriaid yn y sector cyhoeddus, gan weithio gyda'i gilydd, arloesi i ddatrys problemau lleol a sicrhau budd sylweddol ac eang i'n cymunedau. Mae eraill, fel digwyddodd gydag Adeiladau'r Goron yn Wrecsam, wedi dangos y gall dull ffabrig yn gyntaf o foderneiddio a datgarboneiddio sicrhau canlyniadau trawiadol, ac nad dymchwel adeiladau presennol yw'r opsiwn gorau neu fwyaf cost-effeithiol bob amser. Mae rhannu'r profiadau hyn drwy Ystadau Cymru yn werthfawr iawn i'n partneriaid cyhoeddus i gyd.
Rwyf wedi cyfeirio at ymchwiliad y Senedd i drosglwyddiadau asedau cymunedol. Mae Ystadau Cymru wedi bod yn gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid allweddol i ddatblygu methodoleg gadarn i ddatblygu argymhellion y pwyllgor. Bydd y gwaith hwn yn cael ei arwain gan fwrdd Ystadau Cymru, gyda mewnbwn gan randdeiliaid allweddol eraill, a bydd yn cynnwys ymgysylltu cymunedol helaeth. Byddwn yn parhau i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'n cydweithwyr wrth i'r gwaith hwn fynd rhagddo.
Mae'r ystod o faterion y mae cydweithwyr Ystadau Cymru yn ymdrin â nhw yn eang, ond diogelwch y cyhoedd a'n gweithlu yw'r ystyriaeth bwysicaf. Mae asbestos a choncrit awyredig awtoclafiedig cyfnerth yn parhau i beri pryder. Ymatebodd aelodau Ystadau Cymru yn gyflym i'm cais am wybodaeth am goncrit awyredig awtoclafiedig cyfnerth yn ein hadeiladau cyhoeddus, ac mae grŵp diogelwch adeiladu Ystadau Cymru yn parhau i weithio gyda chyngor partneriaeth y gweithlu i godi ymwybyddiaeth a gwella gwybodaeth am reoli asbestos yn ein hadeiladau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Nid yw'r meysydd iechyd a diogelwch hyn wedi'u datganoli i Lywodraeth Cymru. Fodd bynnag, rwyf eisiau sicrhau Aelodau'r Senedd eu bod yn flaenoriaeth i Ystadau Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru serch hynny.
Mae Ystadau Cymru yn parhau i fod yn adnodd ar y cyd pwysig ar gyfer ein hystad gyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Yr elfen hanfodol o'r holl enghreifftiau hyn o'u gwaith yw cydweithredu—ymddygiad craidd ein hymrwymiadau llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Nid yw'r heriau y mae ein rheolwyr asedau wedi'u hwynebu dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf wedi diflannu, ond, gyda chefnogaeth Ystadau Cymru, gallwn barhau i ddarparu cymorth i greu effeithlonrwydd, gwella gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a chynnal sylfaen asedau sy'n cefnogi ein cymunedau a'n hamgylchedd ledled Cymru.
Thank you, Minister, and I genuinely mean that. I welcome what Ystadau Cymru are doing and have been doing, encouraging excellence in active management of the Welsh public sector estate, or that strategic collaboration and good practice guidance, and we have to welcome that. In fact, this is one of the more sensible initiatives your Government has brought forward, so I congratulate you on that. The organisation works to encourage strategic collaboration and develop good practice guidance using those criteria, including creating economic growth, delivering more integrated customer-focused services, generating capital receipts, reducing running costs and decarbonising the public estate—all really important things. And these are objectives that I wholeheartedly, and the group wholeheartedly, agree with. I think we could all agree that the functions of organisations such as Ystadau Cymru are becoming ever more important as our public finances are being stretched by the increased pressures. And we have to recognise the positive contribution that these organisations actually make in delivering those aspirations that we have.
However, I was disappointed to see in the draft budget that it seemed that the resource budget to Ystadau Cymru is likely to be cut by £300,000—almost halved. I would hope that an office that encourages the effective use of public finances and the public estate would continue to receive the support from the Welsh Government, although I do recognise the challenges the Government is facing. But, as our public funding is seeing increased pressures, we need to carefully allocate funding where we get the most value. This is why we need to invest in organisations that effectively improve the use of public spending in Wales, as these are areas that, actually, will justify their investment—they will return on that investment. With this in mind, Minister, what assessment has the Welsh Government made of the effect of these budget cuts on Ystadau Cymru and its ability to effectively carry out its role? And further, with the cuts to the funding, what effect will this have on the speed and effectiveness of the community asset transfer working group to implement the recommendations they have made in the Senedd inquiry? Thank you.
Diolch, Gweinidog, ac rwyf wir yn golygu hynny. Rwy'n croesawu'r hyn y mae Ystadau Cymru yn ei wneud ac y mae wedi bod yn ei wneud, gan annog rhagoriaeth o ran rheoli ystad sector cyhoeddus Cymru, neu'r canllawiau cydweithredu strategol ac arfer da, ac mae'n rhaid i ni groesawu hynny. Mewn gwirionedd, dyma un o'r mentrau mwy synhwyrol y mae eich Llywodraeth wedi'u cyflwyno, felly rwy'n eich llongyfarch ar hynny. Mae'r sefydliad yn gweithio i annog cydweithredu strategol a datblygu canllawiau arfer da gan ddefnyddio'r meini prawf hynny, gan gynnwys creu twf economaidd, darparu gwasanaethau mwy integredig sy'n canolbwyntio ar y cwsmer, cynhyrchu derbyniadau cyfalaf, lleihau costau rhedeg a datgarboneiddio'r ystad gyhoeddus—i gyd yn bwysig iawn. Ac mae'r rhain yn amcanion yr wyf i a'r grŵp yn cytuno â nhw'n llwyr. Rwy'n credu y gallai pob un ohonom gytuno bod swyddogaethau sefydliadau fel Ystadau Cymru yn dod yn bwysicach fyth gan fod ein cyllid cyhoeddus yn cael ei ymestyn gan y pwysau cynyddol. Ac mae'n rhaid i ni gydnabod y cyfraniad cadarnhaol y mae'r sefydliadau hyn yn ei wneud mewn gwirionedd wrth gyflawni'r dyheadau hynny sydd gennym.
Fodd bynnag, roeddwn yn siomedig o weld yn y gyllideb ddrafft ei bod yn ymddangos bod y gyllideb adnoddau i Ystadau Cymru yn debygol o weld toriad o £300,000—bron â chael ei haneru. Byddwn yn gobeithio y byddai swyddfa sy'n annog defnydd effeithiol o gyllid cyhoeddus a'r ystad gyhoeddus yn parhau i dderbyn y gefnogaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru, er fy mod yn cydnabod yr heriau y mae'r Llywodraeth yn eu hwynebu. Ond, gan fod ein cyllid cyhoeddus yn gweld pwysau cynyddol, mae angen i ni ddyrannu cyllid yn ofalus er mwyn cael y gwerth mwyaf. Dyma pam mae angen i ni fuddsoddi mewn sefydliadau sy'n gwella'r defnydd o wariant cyhoeddus yng Nghymru i bob pwrpas, gan fod y rhain yn feysydd a fydd, mewn gwirionedd, yn cyfiawnhau eu buddsoddiad—byddant yn creu enillion o'r buddsoddiad hwnnw. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, Gweinidog, pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o effaith y toriadau cyllidebol hyn ar Ystadau Cymru a'i allu i gyflawni ei swyddogaeth yn effeithiol? Ac ymhellach, gyda'r toriadau i'r cyllid, pa effaith y bydd hyn yn ei chael ar gyflymder ac effeithiolrwydd y gweithgor trosglwyddo asedau cymunedol i weithredu'r argymhellion y maent wedi'u gwneud yn ymchwiliad y Senedd? Diolch.
I'm very grateful to Peter Fox for those questions this afternoon, and also for the welcome that he's given to the work of Ystadau Cymru. I think that, often, Peter Fox and I have debates across the floor of the Senedd about budgets and, often, we're talking about some very bleak aspects of public life here in Wales, when we talk about parts of the portfolio that relate to abuse in politics and that kind of thing. But, actually, Ystadau Cymru is one of those areas of sunshine, I think, in the portfolio, because it really does give an opportunity for the public sector to come together in that spirit of collaboration and deliver really, really good, worthwhile benefits for communities across Wales, and it's lovely to see that recognised across the Chamber. And I agree that it is absolutely the time now when it will become ever more important to do the kind of collaborative work that's important through Ystadau Cymru.
It's important to recognise that the particular funding, through the Assets Collaboration Programme Wales, is only part of the work of Ystadau Cymru. But just to answer that point, really—the important point about the budget—there have been, as colleagues know, difficult decisions taken across all portfolios, and this is one of the difficult decisions that was taken in my portfolio, so that we could reprioritise some funding towards the NHS and then also to ensure that we were able to keep our commitment to local government. So, the draft budget for 2024-25 does see the Ystadau Cymru revenue budget reduce from £800,000 to £500,000, but I have been able to retain the capital budget at £1 million. And I think that's important, because we've got some really good examples of things that have been carried out through that capital fund. For example, in 2022-23, there were 13 different projects that were approved for funding. I think there are some really good examples, such as the refurbishment of a dilapidated sports facility in Llanelli, a city rain garden in Newport, and the development of a large-scale solar farm in RCT. And, in this financial year to date, there have been seven projects approved for grant funding, and they include the refurbishment of a further facility in Llanelli and also the continued development of that solar farm in RCT. So, even though the budget on the revenue side is reduced next year, there will still be important capital funding available to support these projects.
And I think that some of the real value that we get from Ystadau Cymru is through the thematic work that it does in terms of looking at building safety, and they provide an excellent resource for the whole of the public estate in terms of asbestos management, but also have recently really proven their worth in terms of supporting the public sector to respond to the concerns that were raised around RAAC. Community assets, again, is another really important part of the work of Ystadau Cymru, responding in part to those important recommendations made by the Senedd committee that looked at community assets. And then, also, sustainability is another one of their key thematic areas. Again, they provide excellent leadership in terms of the decarbonisation of the public estate and also ensuring that we take opportunities to support biodiversity across the public estate as well.
So, the work that they do through that particular funded programme is important, but actually there's a lot that Ystadau Cymru does beyond that which doesn't require the same level of support. And, just to conclude, really, it's about creating a different way of thinking in the public sector, supporting creative thinking and, of course, these public sector organisations have their own budgets that they can then use. And we, obviously, would like to encourage the collaborative use of budgets to support work across the public sector as well.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i Peter Fox am y cwestiynau yna y prynhawn yma, a hefyd am y croeso y mae wedi'i roi i waith Ystadau Cymru. Rwy'n credu, yn aml, fod Peter Fox a minnau yn cael dadleuon ar draws llawr y Senedd am gyllidebau ac, yn aml, rydym yn sôn am rai agweddau llwm iawn ar fywyd cyhoeddus yma yng Nghymru, pan fyddwn yn siarad am rannau o'r portffolio sy'n ymwneud â cham-drin mewn gwleidyddiaeth a'r math yna o beth. Ond, mewn gwirionedd, mae Ystadau Cymru yn un o'r meysydd hynny o heulwen, rwy'n credu, yn y portffolio, oherwydd mae wir yn rhoi cyfle i'r sector cyhoeddus ddod at ei gilydd yn yr ysbryd hwnnw o gydweithio a sicrhau manteision gwirioneddol dda, gwerth chweil i gymunedau ledled Cymru, ac mae'n hyfryd gweld hynny'n cael ei gydnabod ar draws y Siambr. Ac rwy'n cytuno mai dyma'r amser nawr pan fydd yn dod yn bwysicach fyth i ni wneud y math o waith cydweithredol sy'n bwysig drwy Ystadau Cymru.
Mae'n bwysig cydnabod mai rhan yn unig o waith Ystadau Cymru yw'r cyllido penodol, drwy Raglen Cydweithio Asedau Cymru. Ond dim ond i ateb y pwynt yna, mewn gwirionedd—y pwynt pwysig am y gyllideb—mae penderfyniadau anodd wedi eu gwneud, fel y gŵyr cyd-Weinidogion ar draws pob portffolio, a dyma un o'r penderfyniadau anodd a wnaed yn fy mhortffolio, fel y gallem ailflaenoriaethu rhywfaint o gyllid tuag at y GIG ac yna hefyd i sicrhau ein bod yn gallu cadw ein hymrwymiad i lywodraeth leol. Felly, mae'r gyllideb ddrafft ar gyfer 2024-25 yn gweld cyllideb refeniw Ystadau Cymru yn gostwng o £800,000 i £500,000, ond rwyf wedi gallu cadw'r gyllideb gyfalaf ar £1 miliwn. Ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n bwysig, oherwydd mae gennym rai enghreifftiau da iawn o bethau sydd wedi'u cynnal drwy'r gronfa gyfalaf honno. Er enghraifft, yn 2022-23, roedd 13 prosiect gwahanol a gymeradwywyd ar gyfer cyllid. Rwy'n credu bod rhai enghreifftiau da iawn, megis adnewyddu cyfleuster chwaraeon adfeiliedig yn Llanelli, gardd law ddinesig yng Nghasnewydd, a datblygu fferm solar ar raddfa fawr yn RhCT. Ac, yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon hyd yn hyn, mae saith prosiect wedi'u cymeradwyo ar gyfer cyllid grant, ac maent yn cynnwys adnewyddu cyfleuster pellach yn Llanelli a hefyd datblygiad parhaus y fferm solar honno yn RhCT. Felly, er bod y gyllideb ar yr ochr refeniw yn gostwng y flwyddyn nesaf, bydd cyllid cyfalaf pwysig ar gael o hyd i gefnogi'r prosiectau hyn.
Ac rwy'n credu mai rhywfaint o'r gwir werth a gawn gan Ystadau Cymru yw drwy'r gwaith thematig y mae'n ei wneud o ran edrych ar ddiogelwch adeiladau, ac maent yn darparu adnodd ardderchog ar gyfer yr ystad gyhoeddus gyfan o ran rheoli asbestos, ond maent hefyd wedi profi eu gwerth yn ddiweddar o ran cefnogi'r sector cyhoeddus i ymateb i'r pryderon a godwyd ynghylch concrit awyredig awtoclafiedig cyfnerth. Mae asedau cymunedol, unwaith eto, yn rhan bwysig iawn arall o waith Ystadau Cymru, gan ymateb yn rhannol i'r argymhellion pwysig hynny a wnaed gan bwyllgor y Senedd a edrychodd ar asedau cymunedol. Ac yna, hefyd, mae cynaliadwyedd yn un arall o'u meysydd thematig allweddol. Unwaith eto, maent yn darparu arweinyddiaeth ragorol o ran datgarboneiddio'r ystad gyhoeddus a hefyd yn sicrhau ein bod yn manteisio ar gyfleoedd i gefnogi bioamrywiaeth ar draws yr ystad gyhoeddus hefyd.
Felly, mae'r gwaith y maent yn ei wneud drwy'r rhaglen benodol honno a ariennir yn bwysig, ond mewn gwirionedd mae llawer y mae Ystadau Cymru yn ei wneud y tu hwnt i hynny nad oes angen yr un lefel o gefnogaeth. Ac i gloi, mewn gwirionedd, mae'n ymwneud â chreu ffordd wahanol o feddwl yn y sector cyhoeddus, cefnogi meddwl yn greadigol ac, wrth gwrs, mae gan y sefydliadau sector cyhoeddus hyn eu cyllidebau eu hunain y gallant eu defnyddio wedyn. Ac yn amlwg, hoffem annog y defnydd cydweithredol o gyllidebau i gefnogi gwaith ar draws y sector cyhoeddus hefyd.
Diolch yn fawr ichi am y datganiad y prynhawn yma. Mae'n newid o fod yn siarad am y gyllideb efo chi, felly mae'n dda i gael trafod rhywbeth ychydig yn wahanol.
Thank you for the statement this afternoon, Minister. It's a change from discussing the budget with you, so it's good to discuss something slightly different.
During a time of acute financial hardship, it is vital that the assets at the disposal of the Welsh Government are utilised effectively. This includes a range of public buildings that fall under the remit of Ystadau Cymru. In this post-COVID world, which has included the proliferation of hybrid ways of working, there is now a unique opportunity to re-evaluate the use of public buildings to maximise their social benefit. Firstly, could you give an indication of the current average occupancy rates of Government buildings, such as Cathays Park? How is this being monitored and at what stage would you consider selling, renting or repurposing buildings that are consistently underused?
We also need to consider how the management of public buildings can enhance the vitality and cohesion of our communities. I hope that you're aware of the recent research undertaken by the Building Communities Trust on building resilient communities, which has highlighted the obstacles faced by community groups in Wales to acquire and manage public buildings. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these barriers are more pronounced in more deprived areas. Part of the problem is legislative. Wales lags behind the rest of the UK in terms of the rights of its citizens to initiate asset transfers from public bodies. According to the Institute of Welsh Affairs, this has left our communities as the least empowered in these islands. But, there is a broader issue here insofar as the support mechanisms and guidance available to community groups on asset transfers are also not particularly robust. Again, this is particularly apparent in more deprived areas. Could you therefore explain what measures are being undertaken by Ystadau Cymru to strengthen community ownership models across Wales? Does the Welsh Government intend to facilitate this by introducing legislation and mandatory guidance to enhance the ability of Welsh citizens to initiate asset transfers?
And finally, as we've heard from various quarters, the spending plans in the draft budget are also going to exact a heavy toll on the charity sector in Wales. Oxfam Cymru has warned that cuts to the social justice portfolio will pile the pressure on a sector that is already overstretched due to the disastrous impact of Tory austerity. At the start of my statement, I spoke about maximising the social benefit of public buildings. One option, as I've already mentioned, would be to sell off underused assets or to repurpose them to support community-centred initiatives. Could an alternative solution involve housing certain charities rent free in Welsh Government office space, thereby mitigating the squeeze on their operational capacity? This could eventually lead to the creation of regional charity hubs across Wales, encouraging collaborative working within the sector. One of the defining principles of Plaid Cymru is the progressive use of society's resources for the common good. We are also passionate about empowering communities across the length and breadth of our nation, shifting away from the overly centralised power structures that have become entrenched for so long within a pan-Wales and UK-wide context. It's in this spirit that we've put forward these ideas before the Senedd, and I hope that the Government is willing to engage constructively with us to this end. Diolch yn fawr.
Yn ystod cyfnod o galedi ariannol difrifol, mae'n hanfodol bod yr asedau sydd ar gael i Lywodraeth Cymru yn cael eu defnyddio'n effeithiol. Mae hyn yn cynnwys amrywiaeth o adeiladau cyhoeddus sy'n dod o dan gylch gwaith Ystadau Cymru. Yn y byd ôl-COVID hwn, sydd wedi cynnwys toreth o ffyrdd hybrid o weithio, mae cyfle unigryw bellach i ailwerthuso'r defnydd o adeiladau cyhoeddus er mwyn sicrhau'r budd cymdeithasol mwyaf. Yn gyntaf, a allech chi roi syniad o gyfraddau meddiannu adeiladau'r Llywodraeth ar gyfartaledd ar hyn o bryd, fel Parc Cathays? Sut mae hyn yn cael ei fonitro ac ar ba gam fyddech chi'n ystyried gwerthu, rhentu neu addasu adeiladau at ddibenion gwahanol sy'n cael eu tanddefnyddio'n gyson?
Mae angen i ni hefyd ystyried sut y gall rheoli adeiladau cyhoeddus gynyddu bywiogrwydd a chydlyniant ein cymunedau. Rwy'n gobeithio eich bod yn ymwybodol o'r ymchwil ddiweddar a wnaed gan yr Ymddiriedolaeth Cymunedau Adeiladu ar adeiladu cymunedau cydnerth, sydd wedi amlygu'r rhwystrau sy'n wynebu grwpiau cymunedol yng Nghymru i gaffael a rheoli adeiladau cyhoeddus. Efallai nad yw'n syndod bod y rhwystrau hyn yn fwy amlwg mewn ardaloedd mwy difreintiedig. Rhan o'r broblem yw deddfwriaeth. Mae Cymru ar ei hôl hi o gymharu â gweddill y DU o ran hawliau ei dinasyddion i gychwyn trosglwyddiadau asedau oddi wrth gyrff cyhoeddus. Yn ôl y Sefydliad Materion Cymreig, mae hyn wedi gadael ein cymunedau fel y rhai lleiaf grymus yn yr ynysoedd hyn. Ond, mae problem ehangach yma i'r graddau nad yw'r mecanweithiau cymorth a'r canllawiau sydd ar gael i grwpiau cymunedol ar drosglwyddiadau asedau yn arbennig o gadarn chwaith. Unwaith eto, mae hyn yn arbennig o amlwg mewn ardaloedd mwy difreintiedig. A allwch chi felly esbonio pa fesurau sy'n cael eu cymryd gan Ystadau Cymru i gryfhau modelau perchnogaeth gymunedol ledled Cymru? A yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu hwyluso hyn drwy gyflwyno deddfwriaeth a chanllawiau gorfodol i wella gallu dinasyddion Cymru i gychwyn trosglwyddiadau asedau?
Ac yn olaf, fel yr ydym wedi clywed o wahanol ardaloedd, mae'r cynlluniau gwariant yn y gyllideb ddrafft hefyd yn mynd i wneud niwed mawr i'r sector elusennol yng Nghymru. Mae Oxfam Cymru wedi rhybuddio y bydd toriadau i'r portffolio cyfiawnder cymdeithasol yn pentyrru'r pwysau ar sector sydd eisoes dan bwysau oherwydd effaith drychinebus cyni'r Torïaid. Ar ddechrau fy natganiad, siaradais am sicrhau'r budd cymdeithasol mwyaf posibl i adeiladau cyhoeddus. Un opsiwn, fel yr wyf eisoes wedi'i grybwyll, fyddai gwerthu asedau sydd heb eu defnyddio'n ddigonol neu eu haddasu at ddibenion gwahanol i gefnogi mentrau sy'n canolbwyntio ar y gymuned. A allai ateb amgen gynnwys cartrefu rhai elusennau penodol yn ddi-rent yn swyddfeydd Llywodraeth Cymru, a thrwy hynny liniaru'r wasgfa ar eu capasiti gweithredol? Yn y pen draw, gallai hyn arwain at greu hybiau elusennol rhanbarthol ledled Cymru, gan annog cydweithio o fewn y sector. Un o egwyddorion diffiniol Plaid Cymru yw'r defnydd blaengar o adnoddau cymdeithas er lles pawb. Rydym hefyd yn angerddol am rymuso cymunedau ar hyd a lled ein cenedl, gan symud i ffwrdd o'r strwythurau pŵer sydd wedi'u canoli'n ormodol ac sydd wedi ymwreiddio cyhyd o fewn cyd-destun Cymru gyfan a ledled y DU. Yn yr ysbryd hwn yr ydym wedi cyflwyno'r syniadau hyn gerbron y Senedd, ac rwy'n gobeithio bod y Llywodraeth yn barod i ymgysylltu'n adeiladol â ni i'r perwyl hwn. Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you very much, again, for those questions this afternoon. I completely agree that the way in which the Welsh Government uses its own administrative estate really sets the tone for the whole of the public sector. And, of course, there was a recognition there of the way in which things have changed following the pandemic, with the greater level of flexibility that people have now, and often want, in terms of working from an office part of the time, but remotely in other ways. That can increase productivity and it can improve your work-life balance and so on, and, of course, have those carbon reduction benefits as well.
We do regularly publish information on our estate in Wales; it's a report that I publish annually called the 'State of the Estate' report. That includes details, actually, on a whole range of things, including the use of the estate, but also the efficiency and sustainability of the estate. Really importantly, it allows us to benchmark our own use of our public estate, particularly the Welsh Government estate, against that of other governments, so that we can test how we perform against the benchmarks provided by others across the UK. I think that using our estate in an imaginative way does allow us to move towards that one Welsh public service that I know many of us are committed to.
I'll give some examples of how we're already trying to use our own estate in a different way. Legal aid and Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru are both based now in our Merthyr Tydfil office; Natural Resources Wales is at our Aberystwyth office; the Student Loans Company, the NHS executive, Ambition North Wales, Audit Wales and the Senedd Commission now have space at our Llandudno Junction office; and the Food Standards Agency is also in our Cardiff office. Those are some of the examples, and I know that we're always working to bring partners together on the Welsh Government estate. It obviously has a whole range of benefits as well as using the estate better, actually; it allows you to have those human connections and discussions as well. We're currently working with a range of other public bodies across Wales to progress some further discussions on leased occupations on our administrative estate. We also have a 10-year future workplace strategy for 2020-30 for the administrative estate and we're continuing to review that all the time.
The other important area of questioning related to community assets. Obviously, it's important that we support this agenda and take very seriously the Senedd committee report. Ystadau Cymru has had a focus on community assets for a number of years, and to emphasise the importance of community assets does remain an important part of the Ystadau Cymru work. I described those three thematic focuses that the group has, and one of those is community assets. In 2019, the internal research programme was commissioned jointly by Ystadau Cymru and the communities and third sector policy team in the Welsh Government. That undertook a piece of research to broaden and deepen the evidence base around community asset transfer. There were a number of recommendations that flowed from that, which have informed some of the next steps. It also led to the development by Ystadau Cymru of a community asset transfer best practice guide, and that included a due diligence guide, a practical example of the transfer process and real-life case studies to help the sectors as well.
We've continued to communicate best-practice examples through Ystadau Cymru. Case studies have included Llanrumney Hall in Cardiff, the Maindee Triangle in Newport and the Open Newtown project, and, again, that sports facility that I referred to in response to Peter Fox, which is in Llanelli. But moving forward, we do recognise that we need to take things to a new level now, so I've agreed to a commission being established to look in depth at the various factors relating to community asset transfers, following the work that was undertaken by the Local Government and Housing Committee of the Senedd. That work, in terms of establishing it now, is well advanced. That will be overseen and funded by Ystadau Cymru. So, certainly, this isn't the end of the story by any means, in terms of responding to the committee, and it's something that, I should say, I'm working very closely with the Minister for Climate Change on.
Diolch yn fawr iawn unwaith eto am y cwestiynau yna y prynhawn yma. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr fod y ffordd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio ei hystad weinyddol ei hun yn gosod y naws ar gyfer y sector cyhoeddus cyfan. Ac, wrth gwrs, roedd cydnabyddiaeth yna o'r ffordd y mae pethau wedi newid yn dilyn y pandemig, gyda'r lefel uwch o hyblygrwydd sydd gan bobl nawr, ac yn aml yn ei ddymuno, o ran gweithio o swyddfa rhan o'r amser, ond o bell mewn ffyrdd eraill. Gall hynny gynyddu cynhyrchiant a gall wella eich cydbwysedd rhwng bywyd a gwaith ac ati, ac, wrth gwrs, cael y buddion lleihau carbon hynny hefyd.
Rydym yn cyhoeddi gwybodaeth am ein hystad yng Nghymru yn rheolaidd; mae'n adroddiad yr wyf yn ei gyhoeddi'n flynyddol a elwir yn adroddiad 'Cyflwr yr Ystad'. Mae hynny'n cynnwys manylion, mewn gwirionedd, ystod eang o bethau, gan gynnwys defnyddio'r ystad, ond hefyd effeithlonrwydd a chynaliadwyedd yr ystad. Yn bwysig iawn, mae'n ein galluogi i feincnodi ein defnydd ein hunain o'n hystad gyhoeddus, yn enwedig ystad Llywodraeth Cymru, o'i gymharu â llywodraethau eraill, fel y gallwn brofi sut rydym yn perfformio o gymharu â meincnodau a ddarperir gan eraill ledled y DU. Rwy'n credu bod defnyddio ein hystad mewn ffordd ddychmygus yn ein galluogi i symud tuag at yr un gwasanaeth cyhoeddus hwnnw yng Nghymru y gwn fod llawer ohonom wedi ymrwymo iddo.
Fe wnaf roi rhai enghreifftiau o sut rydym eisoes yn ceisio defnyddio ein hystad ein hunain mewn ffordd wahanol. Mae Cymorth Cyfreithiol a Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru ill dau bellach wedi'u lleoli yn ein swyddfa ym Merthyr Tudful; mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yn ein swyddfa yn Aberystwyth; bellach mae gan y Cwmni Benthyciadau i Fyfyrwyr, Gweithrediaeth y GIG, Uchelgais Gogledd Cymru, Archwilio Cymru a Chomisiwn y Senedd le yn ein swyddfa yng Nghyffordd Llandudno; ac mae'r Asiantaeth Safonau Bwyd hefyd yn ein swyddfa yng Nghaerdydd. Dyna rai o'r enghreifftiau, a gwn ein bod bob amser yn gweithio i ddod â phartneriaid at ei gilydd ar ystad Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae'n amlwg bod yna ystod eang o fuddion yn ogystal â defnyddio'r ystad yn well, mewn gwirionedd; mae'n eich galluog i gael y cysylltiadau a'r trafodaethau dynol hynny hefyd. Ar hyn o bryd rydym yn gweithio gydag amrywiaeth o gyrff cyhoeddus eraill ledled Cymru i fwrw ymlaen â thrafodaethau pellach ar feddiannaethau prydlesol ar ein hystad weinyddol. Mae gennym hefyd strategaeth weithle 10 mlynedd ar gyfer y dyfodol ar gyfer 2020-30 ar gyfer yr ystad weinyddol ac rydym yn parhau i adolygu hynny drwy'r amser.
Roedd y maes pwysig arall o gwestiynu yn ymwneud ag asedau cymunedol. Yn amlwg, mae'n bwysig ein bod yn cefnogi'r agenda hon ac yn cymryd o ddifrif adroddiad pwyllgor y Senedd. Mae Ystadau Cymru wedi canolbwyntio ar asedau cymunedol ers nifer o flynyddoedd, ac mae pwysleisio pwysigrwydd asedau cymunedol yn parhau i fod yn rhan bwysig o waith Ystadau Cymru. Disgrifiais y tri phwyslais thematig hynny sydd gan y grŵp, ac un o'r rheini yw asedau cymunedol. Yn 2019, comisiynwyd y rhaglen ymchwil fewnol ar y cyd gan Ystadau Cymru a'r tîm polisi cymunedau a'r trydydd sector yn Llywodraeth Cymru. Gwnaeth honno waith ymchwil i ehangu a dyfnhau'r sylfaen dystiolaeth ynghylch trosglwyddo asedau cymunedol. Roedd nifer o argymhellion yn deillio o hynny, sydd wedi llywio rhai o'r camau nesaf. Arweiniodd hefyd at Ystadau Cymru yn datblygu canllaw arfer gorau trosglwyddo asedau cymunedol, ac roedd hynny'n cynnwys canllaw diwydrwydd dyladwy, enghraifft ymarferol o'r broses drosglwyddo ac astudiaethau achos bywyd go iawn i helpu'r sectorau hefyd.
Rydym wedi parhau i gyfleu enghreifftiau o arfer gorau drwy Ystadau Cymru. Mae astudiaethau achos wedi cynnwys Neuadd Llanrhymni yng Nghaerdydd, Triongl Maendy yng Nghasnewydd a phrosiect Agor y Drenewydd, ac unwaith eto, y cyfleuster chwaraeon hwnnw y cyfeiriais ato mewn ymateb i Peter Fox, sydd yn Llanelli. Ond wrth symud ymlaen, rydym yn cydnabod bod angen i ni godi pethau i lefel newydd nawr, felly rwyf wedi cytuno i gomisiwn gael ei sefydlu i edrych yn fanwl ar yr amrywiol ffactorau sy'n ymwneud â throsglwyddiadau asedau cymunedol, yn dilyn y gwaith a wnaed gan Bwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai y Senedd. Mae'r gwaith hwnnw, o ran ei sefydlu nawr, wedi datblygu'n dda. Bydd hynny'n cael ei oruchwylio a'i ariannu gan Ystadau Cymru. Felly, yn sicr, nid dyma ddiwedd y stori mewn unrhyw ffordd, o ran ymateb i'r pwyllgor, ac mae'n rhywbeth dylwn i ddweud, yr wyf yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd arno.
Ac yn olaf, Sam Rowlands.
And finally, Sam Rowlands.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you, Minister, for this important statement here today. I join Peter Fox in a genuine welcome of it, because I see the value in the work that's being done here. As a member of the Local Government and Housing Committee, I'm very pleased to see you endorsing our recommendation of a commission on community ownership. There were a number of comments within your statement pointing to other recommendations from the committee, which is also welcome.
I want to support colleagues in the room who've already spoken in their comments about those hard-working individuals in many of our communities who want to make the most of those assets that are in their communities, of course, which help boost not just the social life of towns and villages across Wales, but also local economies as well. As you've pointed out, there are some opportunities to ensure that asset transfer happens more easily for those who want to get hold of those assets.
I just want to ask and comment specifically on some of the opportunities that are very, very practical in regard to the housing crisis, Minister. You will recognise that there is an opportunity for the Welsh Government to seek to release land and property to support whether it be social landlords or developers more broadly to build affordable housing, in particular. I just wanted to perhaps hear from you what you expect from Ystadau Cymru when it comes to supporting access to that land and property to enable affordable housing to be built, especially on public sector-owned land at the moment, to get that balance right between value for money in terms of the investment of the asset versus actually enabling house building to take place in our communities. Thank you for your patience.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, a diolch, Gweinidog, am y datganiad pwysig hwn yma heddiw. Rwy'n ymuno â Peter Fox i roi croeso gwirioneddol iddo, oherwydd rwy'n gweld y gwerth yn y gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud yma. Fel aelod o'r Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai, rwy'n falch iawn o'ch gweld yn cymeradwyo ein hargymhelliad i sefydlu comisiwn ar berchnogaeth gymunedol. Cafwyd nifer o sylwadau yn eich datganiad yn cyfeirio at argymhellion eraill gan y pwyllgor, ac mae hynny i'w groesawu hefyd.
Rwyf eisiau cefnogi cyd-Aelodau yn yr ystafell sydd eisoes wedi sôn yn eu sylwadau am yr unigolion gweithgar hynny mewn llawer o'n cymunedau sydd eisiau manteisio i'r eithaf ar yr asedau hynny sydd yn eu cymunedau, wrth gwrs, sy'n helpu i roi hwb nid yn unig i fywyd cymdeithasol trefi a phentrefi ledled Cymru, ond hefyd economïau lleol hefyd. Fel y nodoch, mae rhai cyfleoedd i sicrhau bod trosglwyddo asedau yn digwydd yn haws i'r rhai sydd am gael gafael ar yr asedau hynny.
Rwyf am ofyn a gwneud sylwadau penodol ar rai o'r cyfleoedd sy'n ymarferol iawn, iawn mewn cysylltiad â'r argyfwng tai, Gweinidog. Byddwch yn cydnabod bod cyfle i Lywodraeth Cymru geisio rhyddhau tir ac eiddo i gefnogi landlordiaid cymdeithasol neu ddatblygwyr, yn fwy cyffredinol, i adeiladu tai fforddiadwy, yn benodol. Roeddwn i eisiau clywed gennych chi efallai'r hyn rydych chi'n ei ddisgwyl gan Ystadau Cymru o ran cefnogi mynediad i'r tir a'r eiddo hwnnw i alluogi'r gwaith o adeiladu tai fforddiadwy, yn enwedig ar dir sy'n eiddo i'r sector cyhoeddus ar hyn o bryd, i gael y cydbwysedd hwnnw'n iawn rhwng gwerth am arian o ran buddsoddi'r ased a galluogi adeiladu tai yn ein cymunedau mewn gwirionedd. Diolch am eich amynedd.
Thank you, again, for the recognition of the work of Ystadau Cymru. Just to that point, really, about the community assets and so on, which I know is also something that you take a particular interest in, I should have referred in response to the previous speaker to the Welsh Government's corporate asset management strategy. We published that in 2021, and that does set out a more ambitious approach to managing our own assets. We hope that that will inspire others across the public sector to look closely at that strategy to explore what they can extract from that in terms of making the best of their own assets. Particularly, there are some interesting things about how we would support the third sector by collaborating effectively through that. I think that that is an important aspect.
I think that there are so many areas in which the public sector can continue to work, and work ever more closely together, with housing being one of those. I'm really pleased that we have made £25 million available through the land release fund, and that's intended to support the ambition for small-scale energy-efficient low-carbon developments. That fund allows land that for some reason has yet to be developed—it might need some remediation, there might be access issues, for example—to be released. That is financial transaction capital as well, so it just means that we can keep on investing and recycling that money, which, again, is quite an exciting prospect there. Also, of course, we've got the housing support grant as part of our wider investment in the public estate in Wales, and, again, those projects are really important in terms of preventing homelessness and helping people to live in their own homes and so on.
But then, finally, I would refer to the work of the land division within the Welsh Government. That's something that was established in recent years, and, again, that has a really important role in terms of identifying those pieces of public land that are suitable for housing. Then we can work with partners in the social housing sector, for example, to release that land for housing, using the land release fund. I think what you see there are lots of different policy areas coming together to support what I think is a really important agenda in terms of improving and increasing the amount of low-carbon social housing available.
Diolch unwaith eto am gydnabod gwaith Ystadau Cymru. Y pwynt hwnnw, mewn gwirionedd, am asedau'r gymuned ac ati, yr wyf yn gwybod ei fod hefyd yn rhywbeth yr ydych yn cymryd diddordeb arbennig ynddo, dylwn fod wedi cyfeirio mewn ymateb i'r siaradwr blaenorol at strategaeth rheoli asedau corfforaethol Llywodraeth Cymru. Fe wnaethom gyhoeddi hynny yn 2021, ac mae hynny'n nodi dull mwy uchelgeisiol o reoli ein hasedau ein hunain. Gobeithiwn y bydd hynny'n ysbrydoli eraill ar draws y sector cyhoeddus i edrych yn fanwl ar y strategaeth honno i archwilio'r hyn y gallant ei dynnu o hynny o ran gwneud y gorau o'u hasedau eu hunain. Yn benodol, mae rhai pethau diddorol ynghylch sut y byddem yn cefnogi'r trydydd sector trwy gydweithio'n effeithiol drwy hynny. Rwy'n credu bod honno'n agwedd bwysig.
Rwy'n credu bod cymaint o feysydd lle gall y sector cyhoeddus barhau i weithio, a gweithio'n agosach fyth gyda'i gilydd, gyda thai yn un o'r rheiny. Rwy'n falch iawn ein bod wedi sicrhau bod £25 miliwn ar gael drwy'r gronfa rhyddhau tir, a'r bwriad yw cefnogi'r uchelgais ar gyfer datblygiadau carbon isel sy'n effeithlon o ran ynni ar raddfa fach. Mae'r gronfa honno'n caniatáu i dir nad yw wedi'i ddatblygu eto am ryw reswm—efallai y bydd angen rhywfaint o waith adfer, efallai y bydd materion mynediad, er enghraifft—gael ei ryddhau. Mae hynny'n gyfalaf trafodiadau ariannol hefyd, felly mae'n golygu y gallwn barhau i fuddsoddi ac ailgylchu'r arian hwnnw, sydd, unwaith eto, yn rhywbeth eithaf cyffrous. Hefyd, wrth gwrs, mae gennym y grant cymorth tai fel rhan o'n buddsoddiad ehangach yn yr ystad gyhoeddus yng Nghymru, ac unwaith eto, mae'r prosiectau hynny'n bwysig iawn o ran atal digartrefedd a helpu pobl i fyw yn eu cartrefi eu hunain ac ati.
Ond wedyn, yn olaf, byddwn yn cyfeirio at waith yr is-adran tir o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae honno'n rhywbeth a sefydlwyd yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac unwaith eto, mae gan honno swyddogaeth bwysig iawn o ran nodi'r darnau hynny o dir cyhoeddus sy'n addas ar gyfer tai. Yna gallwn weithio gyda phartneriaid yn y sector tai cymdeithasol, er enghraifft, i ryddhau'r tir hwnnw ar gyfer tai, gan ddefnyddio'r gronfa rhyddhau tir. Rwy'n credu bod llawer o wahanol feysydd polisi yn dod at ei gilydd i gefnogi'r hyn rwy'n credu sy'n agenda bwysig iawn o ran gwella a chynyddu nifer y tai cymdeithasol carbon isel sydd ar gael.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Eitem 6 yw Rheoliadau Cynlluniau Gostyngiadau’r Dreth Gyngor (Gofynion Rhagnodedig a’r Cynllun Diofyn) (Diwygio) (Cymru) 2024. Galwaf ar y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol i wneud y cynnig. Rebecca Evans.
Item 6 is the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2024. I call on the Minister for Finance and Local Government to move the motion. Rebecca Evans.
Cynnig NDM8450 Lesley Griffiths
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 27.5, yn cymeradwyo bod y fersiwn ddrafft o Reoliadau Cynlluniau Gostyngiadau’r Dreth Gyngor (Gofynion Rhagnodedig a’r Cynllun Diofyn) (Diwygio) (Cymru) 2024 yn cael ei llunio yn unol â’r fersiwn ddrafft a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 5 Rhagfyr 2023.
Motion NDM8450 Lesley Griffiths
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5, approves that the draft The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2024 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 5 December 2023.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Thank you. I welcome the opportunity to bring forward these amending regulations today. The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2024 amend the 2013 council tax reduction scheme regulations. The scheme provides direct financial help to many households across Wales by reducing their council tax bills, and these amendments brought forward today ensure that those entitlements are maintained. The UK Government abolished council tax benefit in 2013 and passed responsibility for developing new arrangements to the Welsh Government. The UK Government’s decision was accompanied by a 10 per cent cut to the funding for the scheme.
The Welsh Government responded by meeting the funding gap to maintain entitlements to support back then in 2013, and we have continued to maintain entitlements each year since by ensuring that the scheme is uprated every year. The scheme currently supports around 261,000 of the poorest households in Wales. As the cost-of-living crisis continues to place increased pressure and hardship on people, it is even more important that we ensure that there are systems in place to support people, that these are as fair as they can be, and that they are kept up to date.
Amending legislation is needed each year to ensure that the figures used to calculate each household’s entitlement to a reduction are increased to take account of rises in the cost of living. The 2024 regulations make these uprating adjustments and maintain existing entitlements to support. The financial figures for 2024-25 for working-age people, disabled people and carers are increased in line with the consumer price index of 6.7 per cent. Figures for pension-age households continue to be increased in line with the UK Government’s standard minimum guarantee, and mirror the uprating of housing benefit.
I have also taken the opportunity to include minor technical changes to the regulations and make additional amendments to reflect other changes to related benefits. For example, I am amending the regulations to make sure that people who have received payments from the Post Office compensation scheme are not negatively impacted because they’ve received a payment. A further amendment will ensure that no applicant living in Wales is negatively impacted because they have received a widowed parent’s allowance back payment or a retrospective bereavement support payment. The proposed consequential amendment will disregard the payment received from the calculation of an applicant’s capital under the scheme.
These regulations I bring forward today maintain entitlements to reductions in council tax bills for households in Wales. As a result of the scheme, the most hard-pressed households receiving support will continue to pay no council tax in 2024-25. This scheme remains one of the Welsh Government’s key levers for tackling poverty year after year, a cornerstone of our targeted support for people and families, especially those who are suffering the most from the effects of the cost-of-living crisis.
Finally, I am grateful for the report of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee. A Government response has been issued to the committee and, as outlined in that response, two minor technical errors in the regulations will be corrected prior to them being made. I ask Members to approve these regulations today.
Diolch. Rwy'n croesawu'r cyfle i gyflwyno'r rheoliadau diwygio hyn heddiw. Mae Rheoliadau Cynlluniau Gostyngiadau'r Dreth Gyngor (Gofynion Rhagnodedig a'r Cynllun Diofyn) (Diwygio) (Cymru) 2024 yn diwygio rheoliadau cynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor 2013. Mae'r cynllun yn darparu cymorth ariannol uniongyrchol i lawer o aelwydydd ledled Cymru drwy leihau eu biliau treth gyngor, ac mae'r gwelliannau hyn a gyflwynwyd heddiw yn sicrhau bod yr hawliau hynny'n cael eu cynnal. Diddymodd Llywodraeth y DU fudd-dal y dreth gyngor yn 2013 a phasiodd y cyfrifoldeb dros ddatblygu trefniadau newydd i Lywodraeth Cymru. Ynghyd â phenderfyniad Llywodraeth y DU cafwyd toriad o 10 y cant i'r cyllid ar gyfer y cynllun.
Ymatebodd Llywodraeth Cymru drwy lenwi'r bwlch cyllido i gynnal hawliau i gael cymorth yn ôl yn 2013, ac rydym wedi parhau i gynnal hawliau bob blwyddyn ers hynny drwy sicrhau bod y cynllun yn cael ei ddiweddaru bob blwyddyn. Ar hyn o bryd mae'r cynllun yn cefnogi tua 261,000 o'r aelwydydd tlotaf yng Nghymru. Wrth i'r argyfwng costau byw barhau i roi mwy o bwysau a chyni ar bobl, mae'n bwysicach fyth ein bod yn sicrhau bod systemau ar waith i gefnogi pobl, bod y rhain mor deg ag y gallant fod, a'u bod yn cael eu diweddaru.
Mae angen diwygio deddfwriaeth bob blwyddyn i sicrhau bod y ffigurau a ddefnyddir i gyfrifo hawl pob aelwyd i ostyngiad yn cael eu cynyddu i ystyried cynnydd yng nghostau byw. Mae rheoliadau 2024 yn gwneud yr addasiadau uwchraddio hyn ac yn cynnal hawliau presennol i gymorth. Mae'r ffigurau ariannol ar gyfer 2024-25 ar gyfer pobl oedran gweithio, pobl anabl a gofalwyr yn cynyddu yn unol â'r mynegai prisiau defnyddwyr o 6.7 y cant. Mae ffigurau ar gyfer aelwydydd oedran pensiwn yn parhau i gael eu cynyddu yn unol â gwarant isafswm safonol Llywodraeth y DU, ac yn adlewyrchu uwchraddio budd-dal tai.
Rwyf hefyd wedi manteisio ar y cyfle i gynnwys mân newidiadau technegol i'r rheoliadau a gwneud diwygiadau ychwanegol i adlewyrchu newidiadau eraill i fudd-daliadau cysylltiedig. Er enghraifft, rwy'n diwygio'r rheoliadau i sicrhau nad effeithir yn negyddol ar bobl sydd wedi derbyn taliadau gan gynllun iawndal Swyddfa'r Post oherwydd eu bod wedi derbyn taliad. Bydd gwelliant pellach yn sicrhau na fydd unrhyw ymgeisydd sy'n byw yng Nghymru yn dioddef effaith negyddol oherwydd ei fod wedi derbyn ad-daliad lwfans rhiant gweddw neu daliad cymorth profedigaeth ôl-weithredol. Bydd y gwelliant canlyniadol arfaethedig yn diystyru'r taliad a dderbyniwyd yn sgil cyfrifo cyfalaf ymgeisydd o dan y cynllun.
Mae'r rheoliadau hyn yr wyf yn eu cyflwyno heddiw yn cynnal hawliau i ostyngiadau mewn biliau'r dreth gyngor i aelwydydd yng Nghymru. O ganlyniad i'r cynllun, ni fydd yr aelwydydd sydd fwyaf dan bwysau ariannol sy'n derbyn cymorth yn talu unrhyw dreth gyngor yn 2024-25. Mae'r cynllun hwn yn parhau i fod yn un o ysgogiadau allweddol Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â thlodi flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, sy'n gonglfaen i'n cefnogaeth wedi'i thargedu i bobl a theuluoedd, yn enwedig y rhai sy'n dioddef fwyaf o effeithiau'r argyfwng costau byw.
Yn olaf, rwy'n ddiolchgar am adroddiad y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a'r Cyfansoddiad. Mae ymateb gan y Llywodraeth wedi'i gyhoeddi i'r pwyllgor ac, fel yr amlinellwyd yn yr ymateb hwnnw, bydd dau gamgymeriad technegol mân yn y rheoliadau yn cael eu cywiro cyn iddynt gael eu gwneud. Gofynnaf i'r Aelodau gymeradwyo'r rheoliadau hyn heddiw.
Galwaf ar Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a'r Cyfansoddiad, Huw Irranca-Davies.
I call on the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, Huw Irranca-Davies.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I’m happy to constrain my comments today, actually, because we’ve had the response from the Welsh Government Minister. So, thank you very much. Thank you for the opportunity.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n hapus i gyfyngu fy sylwadau heddiw, mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd rydym wedi cael yr ymateb gan Weinidog Llywodraeth Cymru. Felly, diolch yn fawr iawn. Diolch am y cyfle.
Gweinidog.
Minister.
Just to say thank you to the Chair of the committee for the committee’s work, and I’m glad that the response has been received.
Dim ond i ddweud diolch i Gadeirydd y pwyllgor am waith y pwyllgor, ac rwy'n falch bod yr ymateb wedi ei dderbyn.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig? Oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
The question is that the motion be agreed. Does any Member object? No. Therefore the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Detholwyd y gwelliannau canlynol: gwelliant 1 yn enw Darren Millar, a gwelliannau 2 a 3 yn enw Rhun ap Iorwerth. Os derbynnir gwelliant 1, caiff gwelliannau 2 a 3 eu dad-ddethol.
The following amendments have been selected: amendment 1 in the name of Darren Millar, and amendments 2 and 3 in the name of Rhun ap Iorwerth. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be deselected.
Eitem 7 heddiw yw'r ddadl ar ffyniant bro, a galwaf ar Weinidog yr Economi i wneud y cynnig. Vaughan Gething.
Item 7 today is the debate on levelling-up, and I call on the Minister for Economy to move the motion. Vaughan Gething.
Cynnig NDM8449 Lesley Griffiths
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn nodi:
a) bod polisïau ffyniant bro Llywodraeth y DU yn golygu bod gan Gymru lai o lais dros arian, a hefyd yn tanseilio datganoli a’r Senedd hon;
b) bod y Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin wedi bod yn fethiant llwyr nad yw wedi llwyddo i gymryd lle cronfeydd yr UE yng Nghymru, gan adael diffyg o bron i £1.3 biliwn; ac
c) bod y Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin, Cronfeydd Ffyniant Bro a’r Rhaglen Lluosi wedi’u llesteirio gan oedi a chamreoli gan Lywodraeth y DU, gan roi straen ar awdurdodau lleol ac arwain at gau rhaglenni pwysig.
2. Yn galw am ailgyflwyno cyllid buddsoddi rhanbarthol i Lywodraeth Cymru fel bod modd cyflawni yn unol â pholisïau datganoledig sy’n llwyr atebol i’r Senedd.
Motion NDM8449 Lesley Griffiths
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes:
a) the UK Government’s levelling-up policies leave Wales with less say over less money while bypassing and actively undermining devolution and this Senedd;
b) the Shared Prosperity Fund has been an abject failure as a replacement for EU funds in Wales, leaving a shortfall of nearly £1.3 billion; and
c) the Shared Prosperity Fund, Levelling Up Funds and Multiply Programme have been beset by UK Government delays and mismanagement, putting strain on local authorities and resulting in the closure of important programmes.
2. Calls for the return of regional investment funding to the Welsh Government to deliver in line with devolved policies that are fully accountable to the Senedd.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I move the motion before us. It is a sad reality that UK Government levelling-up schemes are failing our people, businesses and communities. These were supposed to replace former EU funds. It is a staggering betrayal of referendum and manifesto promises that Wales is now almost £1.3 billion worse off in real terms. All UK Government schemes, whether it is the levelling-up fund, the shared prosperity fund, the community ownership fund, or the towns plan, have the same things in common: they’re an incoherent mess with very little planning, consultation or economic logic. Their implementation is chaotic, leaving stakeholders confused or excluded entirely. At the same time, they put immense pressure on local government to spend money quickly, despite UK Government delays and implausible deadlines. They have ignored the lessons of 20 years of experience, with small piecemeal projects that have significantly less economic impact than the larger strategic investments that this very Senedd has recommended that the funds are used for. They take money and powers away from Wales, putting them into the hands of Tory Ministers in Whitehall. Wales has less say over less money. That is a deliberate Tory choice—to centralise plainly devolved funds and responsibilities.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n cynnig y cynnig ger ein bron. Mae'n realiti trist bod cynlluniau ffyniant bro Llywodraeth y DU yn siomi ein pobl, ein busnesau a'n cymunedau. Roedd y rhain i fod i gymryd lle hen gronfeydd yr UE. Mae'n fradychiad syfrdanol o refferendwm ac addewidion maniffesto bod Cymru bellach bron i £1.3 biliwn yn waeth ei byd mewn termau real. Mae gan bob cynllun gan Lywodraeth y DU, boed y gronfa ffyniant bro, y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin, y gronfa perchnogaeth gymunedol, neu'r cynllun trefi, yr un pethau yn gyffredin: maent i gyd yn llanast anghydnaws gydag ychydig iawn o gynllunio, ymgynghori neu resymeg economaidd. Mae eu gweithrediad yn anhrefnus, gan adael rhanddeiliaid yn ddryslyd neu wedi'u gwahardd yn llwyr. Ar yr un pryd, maent yn rhoi pwysau aruthrol ar lywodraeth leol i wario arian yn gyflym, er gwaethaf oedi Llywodraeth y DU a therfynau amser anhygoel. Maent wedi anwybyddu gwersi 20 mlynedd o brofiad, gyda phrosiectau tameidiog bach sy'n cael llawer llai o effaith economaidd na'r buddsoddiadau strategol mwy y mae'r Senedd hon wedi argymell y dylid defnyddio'r arian ar eu cyfer. Maen nhw'n tynnu arian a phwerau oddi ar Gymru, gan eu rhoi yn nwylo Gweinidogion Torïaidd yn Whitehall. Mae gan Gymru lai o lais dros lai o arian. Mae hynny'n ddewis Torïaidd bwriadol—i ganoli cronfeydd a chyfrifoldebau sydd yn glir wedi'u datganoli.
Since 2021, the levelling-up fund has been plagued by chaos and delay. Of course, the UK Government initially announced the levelling-up fund as an England-only scheme; they then changed their minds and imposed it on Wales without a squeak of protest from the Welsh Tories. This has denied the Welsh Government and this Senedd any say or any scrutiny over decisions taken in areas that are plainly devolved. The result is a fund that has pitted our local authorities against each other, wasted resources, and chooses not to recognise the relative needs in Wales or within Wales.
Flintshire, Merthyr Tydfil and Newport will not see a penny of the levelling-up fund or the shared prosperity fund—sorry, the levelling-up fund—while huge amounts of time and expense have been wasted by councils across Wales on bids that have been turned down by the UK Government. Dirprwy Lywydd, this would not be the way that we would choose to invest in Wales and work with our partners.
UK Government delays in decision making have driven up costs during a Tory cost-of-living crisis, with soaring inflation that has loaded extra pressure onto our councils. This scale of this impact was highlighted by the National Audit Office in November. It reported levelling-up projects were unlikely to meet deadlines due to:
'Inflationary pressures, skills shortages and wider construction industry supply challenges'
and UK Government delays in decision making and implementation.
Is it any wonder that so many independent organisations and cross-party groups have concluded that the UK Government's so-called levelling-up approach is failing?
Last year, the Institute for Government said the levelling-up fund
'is another ineffective competitive funding pot that is neither large enough nor targeted enough to make a dent in regional inequalities.'
The UK Parliament levelling-up committee said:
'It’s concerning that DLUHC does not even appear to know which pots of money across Government contribute towards levelling up. '
And in 2022, the National Audit Office said:
'DLUHC has received expert advice that major physical regeneration could significantly improve local economic outcomes, but the smaller-scale infrastructure investments it is funding through the Levelling Up Fund do not usually drive significant growth.'
That's polite for: they've designed something that is not going to work; they're squandering public money.
I could cite many other examples, but I just don't think there's enough time for that today. However, I would like to thank again the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee for its report, which shares our concerns. In real terms, Wales has been left with a shortfall of almost £1.3 billion in unreplaced EU funding due to the ongoing impact of inflation in this period.
Key growth sectors like universities have already reported the closure of vital schemes and 1,000 job losses. Research and development is an area where there has already been a historic lack of investment by the UK Government; that is now compounded by the loss of replacement EU funds, but higher and further education have been excluded from research and development. Meanwhile, the UK Government's levelling-up intention to increase R&D funding outside the south-east of England by 40 per cent would mean only an extra £9 million of additional expenditure in Wales by 2030.
The Tories made a clear-sighted choice to freeze the Welsh Government out of replacement EU funds. That has forced budget cuts that supported for apprenticeships, Business Wales and SMART innovation schemes.
Last week in this Chamber, we saw a river full of crocodile tears from the Tories, complaining about budget cuts in the Chamber while supporting and being cheerleaders for the UK Government's fresh round of austerity measures, rather than restoring funding to fragile public services, money to support the economy. This means that, on top of the near £1.3 billion loss of EU funding, our budget for the year ahead is £1.3 billion less in real terms than expected at the start of the 2021 spending review. I know the Conservative spokesperson rolls his eyes, but those are the facts of the matter, and every now and again even a Welsh Tory should be prepared to stand up for Wales.
To compound existing financial pressures, there is a real risk that these funds, loosely branded as levelling up, will not reach Wales at all. The UK Government has told local authorities in Wales that it will not release full shared prosperity funding for the year ahead until they meet spend thresholds from previous years, and yet the UK Government's chaotic design and delay is the root cause of the problem. Delays were not the responsibility of local government; delays were absolutely the responsibility of Tory Ministers in Whitehall.
Let's not forget that so many of these issues would have been avoided if the UK Government had respected devolution and allowed us to manage funding through our framework for regional investment, if the Tories had respected two devolution referenda, multiple elections and more than 20 years of devolution. Our framework uses the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 as the bedrock of policy making. It was developed properly, with Welsh partners and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and backed by a public consultation. None of that happened in the design of the levelling-up agenda by the Tories in Whitehall.
Wales already faces the toughest financial settlement since the start of devolution, and yet Darren Millar's amendment claims that Wales is better off to the tune of £2.5 billion, thanks to levelling-up funds. He is not comparing EU funds with their supposed replacement. Claiming that we are actually £2.5 billion better off is simply not true, and they know it is not true. The legacy of levelling up is duplication, local piecemeal projects, and precious little economic impact.
Plaid Cymru raise these failures in their own amendment, but we can't support the amendment as we've yet to see the detail of the proposed economic fairness Bill, and we have already set out in the Welsh Government's 'Reforming the Union' paper the need for a new, principles-based approach to UK funding, overseen by an independent body.
The delivery of the levelling-up agenda is unforgivable and deeply damaging. With ineptitude and indifference, the UK Government has wasted the opportunity to deliver meaningful change that Wales and the rest of the UK so desperately need. I look forward to the contents of this important debate through the rest of the afternoon.
Ers 2021, mae'r gronfa ffyniant bro wedi'i melltithio gan anhrefn ac oedi. Wrth gwrs, yn wreiddiol cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth y DU y gronfa ffyniant bro fel cynllun i Loegr yn unig; fe wnaethon nhw wedyn newid eu meddyliau a'i gosod ar Gymru heb unrhyw fath o brotest gan y Torïaid Cymreig. Mae hyn wedi amddifadu Llywodraeth Cymru a'r Senedd hon o unrhyw lais neu unrhyw allu i graffu ar benderfyniadau a wneir mewn meysydd sy'n glir wedi'u datganoli. Y canlyniad yw cronfa sydd wedi dodi ein hawdurdodau lleol yn erbyn ei gilydd, gwastraffu adnoddau, ac sy'n dewis peidio â chydnabod yr anghenion cymharol yng Nghymru.
Ni fydd sir y Fflint, Merthyr Tudful na Chasnewydd yn gweld ceiniog o'r gronfa ffyniant bro na'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin—mae'n ddrwg gennyf, y gronfa ffyniant bro—tra bod llawer iawn o amser a chost wedi cael eu gwastraffu gan gynghorau ledled Cymru ar geisiadau sydd wedi cael eu gwrthod gan Lywodraeth y DU. Dirprwy Lywydd, nid dyma'r ffordd y byddem yn dewis buddsoddi yng Nghymru a gweithio gyda'n partneriaid.
Mae oedi Llywodraeth y DU wrth wneud penderfyniadau wedi cynyddu costau yn ystod argyfwng costau byw Torïaidd, gyda chwyddiant cynyddol sydd wedi llwytho pwysau ychwanegol ar ein cynghorau. Amlygwyd y raddfa hon o'r effaith hon gan y Swyddfa Archwilio Genedlaethol ym mis Tachwedd. Adroddwyd bod prosiectau ffyniant bro yn annhebygol o fodloni terfynau amser oherwydd:
'Pwysau chwyddiant, prinder sgiliau a heriau cyflenwi ehangach y diwydiant adeiladu'
ac oedi Llywodraeth y DU wrth wneud penderfyniadau a gweithredu.
A yw'n syndod bod cymaint o sefydliadau annibynnol a grwpiau trawsbleidiol wedi dod i'r casgliad bod dull ffyniant bro fel y'i gelwir gan Lywodraeth y DU yn methu?
Y llynedd, dywedodd Sefydliad y Llywodraeth fod y gronfa ffyniant bro
'yn gronfa gyllido gystadleuol aneffeithiol arall nad yw'n ddigon mawr nac wedi'i thargedu'n ddigon i wneud tolc mewn anghydraddoldebau rhanbarthol.'
Dywedodd pwyllgor ffyniant bro Senedd y DU:
'Mae'n destun pryder ei bod yn ymddangos nad yw'r Adran Ffyniant Bro, Tai a Chymunedau hyd yn oed yn gwybod pa gronfeydd o arian ar draws y Llywodraeth sy'n cyfrannu tuag at ffyniant bro.'
Ac yn 2022, dywedodd y Swyddfa Archwilio Genedlaethol:
'Mae'r Adran Ffyniant Bro, Tai a Chymunedau wedi derbyn cyngor arbenigol y gallai adfywio ffisegol mawr wella canlyniadau economaidd lleol yn sylweddol, ond nid yw'r buddsoddiadau seilwaith llai y mae'n eu hariannu drwy'r Gronfa Ffyniant Bro fel arfer yn sbarduno twf sylweddol.'
Mae hynna'n ffordd gwrtais o ddweud: maen nhw wedi dylunio rhywbeth sydd ddim yn mynd i weithio; maen nhw'n gwastraffu arian cyhoeddus.
Gallwn roi llawer o enghreifftiau eraill, ond nid wyf yn credu bod digon o amser ar gyfer hynny heddiw. Fodd bynnag, hoffwn ddiolch unwaith eto i Bwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig am ei adroddiad, sy'n rhannu ein pryderon. Mewn termau real, mae Cymru wedi dioddef diffyg o bron i £1.3 biliwn mewn cyllid o’r UE nad oes cyllid wedi dod yn ei le oherwydd effaith barhaus chwyddiant yn y cyfnod hwn.
Mae sectorau twf allweddol fel prifysgolion eisoes wedi adrodd bod cynlluniau hanfodol wedi cau a 1,000 o swyddi wedi'u colli. Mae ymchwil a datblygu yn faes lle bu diffyg buddsoddiad hanesyddol eisoes gan Lywodraeth y DU; mae hynny bellach yn cael ei waethygu drwy golli cyllid i ddisodli cyllid yr UE, ond mae addysg uwch ac addysg bellach wedi'u heithrio o ymchwil a datblygu. Yn y cyfamser, byddai bwriad Llywodraeth y DU i gynyddu cyllid Ymchwil a Datblygu y tu allan i dde-ddwyrain Lloegr 40 y cant yn golygu dim ond £9 miliwn ychwanegol o wariant ychwanegol yng Nghymru erbyn 2030.
Gwnaeth y Torïaid ddewis clir i rewi Llywodraeth Cymru allan o gyllid sy'n disodli cyllid yr UE. Mae hynny wedi gorfodi toriadau yn y gyllideb a gefnogodd prentisiaethau, Busnes Cymru a chynlluniau arloesi CAMPUS.
Yr wythnos diwethaf yn y Siambr hon, gwelsom ddagrau ffug yn llifo lawr wynebau'r Torïaid, wrth iddyn nhw gwyno am doriadau cyllideb yn y Siambr gan gefnogi a bod yn godwyr hwyl ar gyfer rownd newydd Llywodraeth y DU o fesurau cyni, yn hytrach nag adfer cyllid i wasanaethau cyhoeddus bregus, arian i gefnogi'r economi. Mae hyn yn golygu, ar ben y golled o bron i £1.3 biliwn o gyllid yr UE, bod ein cyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn i ddod £1.3 biliwn yn llai mewn termau real na'r disgwyl ar ddechrau adolygiad gwariant 2021. Rwy'n gwybod bod llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr yn rholio ei lygaid, ond dyna'r ffeithiau, a bob hyn a hyn fe ddylai hyd yn oed Tori Cymreig fod yn barod i sefyll dros Gymru.
I gymhlethu'r pwysau ariannol presennol, mae perygl gwirioneddol na fydd y cronfeydd hyn, sydd wedi'u brandio'n fras fel ffyniant bro, yn cyrraedd Cymru o gwbl. Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi dweud wrth awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru na fydd yn rhyddhau cyllid ffyniant cyffredin llawn ar gyfer y flwyddyn i ddod nes eu bod yn cyrraedd trothwyon gwariant o flynyddoedd blaenorol, ac eto dyluniad anhrefnus ac oedi Llywodraeth y DU yw gwraidd y broblem. Nid cyfrifoldeb llywodraeth leol oedd yr oedi; Gweinidogion Torïaidd yn Whitehall oedd yn gyfrifol am yr oedi yn llwyr.
Gadewch i ni beidio ag anghofio y byddai cymaint o'r problemau hyn wedi cael eu hosgoi pe bai Llywodraeth y DU wedi parchu datganoli ac wedi caniatáu i ni reoli cyllid drwy ein fframwaith ar gyfer buddsoddi rhanbarthol, pe bai'r Torïaid wedi parchu dau refferendwm datganoli, etholiadau lluosog a mwy nag 20 mlynedd o ddatganoli. Mae ein fframwaith yn defnyddio Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 fel sylfaen llunio polisïau. Fe'i datblygwyd yn iawn, gyda phartneriaid Cymreig a'r Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd, ac fe'i cefnogwyd gan ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus. Ni ddigwyddodd dim o hynny wrth i'r Torïaid yn Whitehall ddylunio agenda ffyniant bro.
Mae Cymru eisoes yn wynebu'r setliad ariannol anoddaf ers dechrau datganoli, ac eto mae gwelliant Darren Millar yn honni bod Cymru well ei byd o £2.5 biliwn, diolch i gronfeydd ffyniant bro. Nid yw'n cymharu cyllid yr UE â'r cyllid tybiedig i ddisodli cyllid yr UE. Nid yw'r honiad ein bod £2.5 biliwn yn well ein byd yn wir, ac maen nhw'n gwybod nad yw'n wir. Gwaddol ffyniant bro yw dyblygu, prosiectau tameidiog lleol, ac ychydig iawn o effaith economaidd gwerthfawr.
Mae Plaid Cymru yn codi'r methiannau hyn yn eu gwelliant eu hunain, ond ni allwn gefnogi'r gwelliant gan nad ydym eto wedi gweld manylion y Bil tegwch economaidd arfaethedig, ac rydym eisoes wedi nodi ym mhapur 'Diwygio'r Undeb' Llywodraeth Cymru yr angen am ddull newydd, sy'n seiliedig ar egwyddorion o ariannu'r DU, a oruchwylir gan gorff annibynnol.
Mae cyflwyno'r agenda ffyniant bro yn anfaddeuol ac yn niweidiol iawn. Gyda hurtrwydd a dihidrwydd, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi gwastraffu'r cyfle i gyflawni newid ystyrlon y mae Cymru a gweddill y DU ei angen gymaint. Edrychaf ymlaen at gynnwys y ddadl bwysig hon trwy weddill y prynhawn.
Rwyf wedi dethol y tri gwelliant i'r cynnig. Os derbynnir gwelliant 1, caiff gwelliannau 2 a 3 eu dad-ddethol. Galwaf ar Paul Davies i gynnig gwelliant 1, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Darren Millar.
I have selected the three amendments to the motion. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be deselected. I call on Paul Davies to move amendment 1, tabled in the name of Darren Millar.
Gwelliant 1—Darren Millar
Dileu popeth a rhoi yn ei le:
1. Yn nodi bod cyllid ffyniant bro Llywodraeth y DU yng Nghymru yn fwy na £2.5 biliwn, a'i fod yn cyflwyno prosiectau i drawsnewid cymunedau, creu swyddi a thyfu'r economi.
2. Yn nodi adroddiad Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig ar Gyllid Datblygu Rhanbarthol ar ôl Gadael yr UE a'i argymhellion.
3. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU i gynnal adolygiad ynghylch a ddylid darparu gwahanol elfennau o'r Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin ar lefel leol, ranbarthol neu ledled Cymru.
Amendment 1—Darren Millar
Delete all and replace with:
1. Notes that UK Government levelling-up funding in Wales exceeds £2.5 billion, delivering projects to transform communities, create jobs and grow the economy.
2. Notes the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee’s report into Post-EU Regional Development Funding and its recommendations.
3. Calls on the Welsh and UK governments to undertake a review of whether the different elements of the Shared Prosperity Fund should be delivered at local, regional or all-Wales level.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 1.
Amendment 1 moved.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I move the amendment tabled in the name of my colleague, Darren Millar. I'm very disappointed that the Minister has used this debate to once again take political pot shots at the UK Government, rather than focusing on how the system can be improved for the future. He should be getting on with his job, rather than whipping up the issue just to show off to his party members. It's hardly very statesmanlike from someone hoping to be the next First Minister.
Now, for those of you that haven't already taken the opportunity to read the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee report on post-EU regional development funding, I'd strongly encourage you to do so. Whatever the Minister says, that cross-party report provides an objective, unbiased and in-depth analysis of the delivery of post-EU funding to date and offers some genuinely constructive recommendations for both the UK Government and the Welsh Government, and I'm grateful to everyone who contributed to that inquiry and helped the committee shape those recommendations. Through their evidence, Members were able to gain a real understanding of some of the challenges that have been faced by organisations and hear about some of the opportunities that could help strengthen the system for the future.
Now, the quantum of funding awarded to Wales in the shared prosperity fund has been a key area of disagreement between the Welsh and UK Governments, and today's motion again, sadly, reflects that disagreement. Now, Professor Steve Fothergill from the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University best articulated this disagreement when giving evidence to the committee, by explaining that, and I quote:
'It's a very odd situation to be in, to say that both parties are right in all of this, but they are, because they're looking at rather different things. One's looking at actual spending in financial years, and, in that sense, the UK Government is correct; the Welsh Government is looking at financial commitments, which is a different measure, and Vaughan Gething is correct on that front.'
Unquote. And while the two Governments continue their inter-governmental dispute on the quantum of funding, we need to be mindful that this disagreement could overshadow discussions over the effectiveness of spend and whether the investment is, as the Bevan Foundation put it, adequate to the scale of need.
So, let's talk about the effectiveness of spend and whether levelling-up funding is delivering benefits in Welsh communities. The Baglan Bay Technology Centre in Port Talbot is now open for business and is the first of its kind in Wales, offering high-tech office and laboratory space to a host of innovative companies. Rhondda Cynon Taf received just over £20 million in funding for projects such as the Porth transport hub, the Muni Arts Centre and the A4119 Coed Ely dualling scheme.
Projects like this are making a difference, and when positive outcomes like this are made we should celebrate them. However, that's not to say that the delivery of these funds has been straightforward. There have been delays and, arguably, a lack of clarity over the delivery of these funds, and that's why the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee has called for a review to take place to examine the different elements of the shared prosperity fund and look at what should be delivered at a local, regional or all-Wales level, based on what works best.
The evidence that the committee received indicated that Welsh local authorities were pleased with the opportunity to decide priorities locally and to have control over delivery. However, the committee also heard that tight timescales to develop investment plans, delays to approving these and the short time frame to spend funds had an impact on the ability of local authorities to plan and deliver projects. And so lessons must be learnt to avoid repeating past mistakes, and it's the committee's view that, at the heart of this, a much more constructive inter-governmental relationship is needed going forward. When both Governments work together in partnership, Wales benefits. And we've seen evidence of that with the free port programme, the city and growth deals, and, more recently, the creation of investment zones in Wales.
Now, I understand the Minister’s view that funding for devolved functions should come to the Welsh Government for Welsh Ministers to allocate in line with its priorities and be subject to the scrutiny of the Senedd. But, Dirprwy Lywydd, the people of Wales are served by two Governments, and the problem with this issue is that the Welsh Government believes it should be solely responsible for the delivery of these funds, but, on the other hand, the UK Government believes it should be solely responsible for the delivery of these funds. However, my view is clear—they should be working together on this matter, because, by working together in partnership, our communities can be transformed. And so I urge both Governments to get on with it and work together in the interests of the people of Wales. I believe that both Governments could and should focus less on the politics of the funding and instead use their time and efforts improving the system so that it can do exactly what it is designed to do, which is transform and support innovation in our communities.
This is a live issue, and one that the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee will continue to monitor, of that you can be assured. But today I'm calling for some grown-up politics in identifying the problems that have been seen in delivering this funding, and a commitment to jointly address those problems so that they do not continue in the future. Therefore, Dirprwy Lywydd, I urge Members to support our amendment, which is a factual, objective statement that commits to seeing genuine progress on this front so that we can see funding devolved to projects—
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n cynnig y gwelliant a gyflwynwyd yn enw fy nghyd-Aelod, Darren Millar. Rwy'n siomedig iawn bod y Gweinidog wedi defnyddio'r ddadl hon i wneud Llywodraeth y DU yn gocyn hitio gwleidyddol unwaith eto, yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio ar sut y gellir gwella'r system ar gyfer y dyfodol. Dylai fod yn bwrw ymlaen â'i waith, yn hytrach na chorddi'r mater dim ond i ddangos ei hun o flaen aelodau ei blaid. Go brin y gellir galw hwn yn ymddygiad gwladweinydd gan rywun sy'n gobeithio bod y Prif Weinidog nesaf.
Nawr, i'r rhai ohonoch nad ydych eisoes wedi manteisio ar y cyfle i ddarllen adroddiad Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig ar gyllid datblygu rhanbarthol ar ôl yr UE, byddwn yn eich annog yn gryf i wneud hynny. Beth bynnag a ddywed y Gweinidog, mae'r adroddiad trawsbleidiol hwnnw'n darparu dadansoddiad gwrthrychol, diduedd a manwl o'r ddarpariaeth o gyllid ôl-UE hyd yma ac mae'n cynnig rhai argymhellion gwirioneddol adeiladol i Lywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar i bawb a gyfrannodd at yr ymchwiliad hwnnw ac a helpodd y pwyllgor i lunio'r argymhellion hynny. Trwy eu tystiolaeth, llwyddodd yr Aelodau i gael dealltwriaeth wirioneddol o rai o'r heriau a wynebwyd gan sefydliadau a chlywed am rai o'r cyfleoedd a allai helpu i gryfhau'r system ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Nawr, mae cwantwm y cyllid a ddyfarnwyd i Gymru yn y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin wedi bod yn faes anghytuno allweddol rhwng Llywodraethau Cymru a'r DU, ac mae'r cynnig heddiw, yn anffodus, yn adlewyrchu'r anghytundeb hwnnw. Nawr, disgrifiodd yr Athro Steve Fothergill o'r Ganolfan Ymchwil Economaidd a Chymdeithasol Rhanbarthol ym Mhrifysgol Hallam Sheffield yr anghytundeb hwn wrth roi tystiolaeth i'r pwyllgor, trwy egluro, a dyfynnaf:
'Mae'n sefyllfa od iawn i fod ynddi, i ddweud bod y ddwy ochr yn iawn yn hyn i gyd, ond maen nhw, oherwydd maen nhw'n edrych ar bethau eithaf gwahanol. Mae un yn edrych ar wariant gwirioneddol mewn blynyddoedd ariannol, ac, yn yr ystyr hwnnw, mae Llywodraeth y DU yn gywir; mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn edrych ar ymrwymiadau ariannol, sy'n fesur gwahanol, ac mae Vaughan Gething yn gywir o ran hynny.'
Diwedd y dyfyniad. A thra bo'r ddwy Lywodraeth yn parhau â'u hanghydfod rhynglywodraethol ar y cwantwm cyllid, mae angen i ni gofio y gallai'r anghytundeb hwn fwrw trafodaethau ynghylch effeithiolrwydd gwariant ac a yw'r buddsoddiad, fel y dywedodd Sefydliad Bevan, yn ddigonol i raddfa angen, i'r cysgod.
Felly, gadewch i ni siarad am effeithiolrwydd gwariant ac a yw cyllid ffyniant bro yn darparu buddion mewn cymunedau yng Nghymru. Mae Canolfan Dechnoleg Bae Baglan ym Mhort Talbot bellach ar agor ar gyfer busnes a hi yw'r gyntaf o'i bath yng Nghymru, gan gynnig swyddfeydd uwch-dechnoleg a lle i labordai i lu o gwmnïau arloesol. Derbyniodd Rhondda Cynon Taf ychydig dros £20 miliwn o gyllid ar gyfer prosiectau fel canolfan drafnidiaeth y Porth, Canolfan Gelfyddydau'r Miwni a chynllun deuoli Coed Trelái ar yr A4119.
Mae prosiectau fel hyn yn gwneud gwahaniaeth, a phan fydd canlyniadau cadarnhaol fel hyn yn cael eu gwneud, dylem eu dathlu. Fodd bynnag, nid yw hynny'n golygu bod darparu'r cyllidau hyn wedi bod yn syml. Bu oedi a, gellid dadlau, diffyg eglurder ynghylch darparu'r cyllidau hyn, a dyna pam mae Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig wedi galw am gynnal adolygiad i archwilio gwahanol elfennau'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin ac edrych ar yr hyn y dylid ei gyflawni ar lefel leol, ranbarthol neu Gymru gyfan, Yn dibynnu ar yr hyn sy'n gweithio orau.
Roedd y dystiolaeth a gafodd y pwyllgor yn dangos bod awdurdodau lleol Cymru yn falch o'r cyfle i benderfynu ar flaenoriaethau'n lleol a chael rheolaeth dros gyflawni. Fodd bynnag, clywodd y pwyllgor hefyd fod amserlenni tynn i ddatblygu cynlluniau buddsoddi, oedi cyn cymeradwyo'r rhain a ffrâm amser byr i wario arian wedi cael effaith ar allu awdurdodau lleol i gynllunio a chyflawni prosiectau. Ac felly mae'n rhaid dysgu gwersi i osgoi ailadrodd camgymeriadau'r gorffennol, a barn y pwyllgor yw bod angen perthynas rynglywodraethol lawer mwy adeiladol wrth symud ymlaen, wrth wraidd hyn. Pan fydd y ddwy Lywodraeth yn cydweithio mewn partneriaeth, mae Cymru'n elwa. Ac rydym wedi gweld tystiolaeth o hynny gyda'r rhaglen porthladdoedd rhydd, y bargeinion dinesig a thwf, ac, yn fwy diweddar, creu parthau buddsoddi yng Nghymru.
Nawr, rwy'n deall barn y Gweinidog y dylai cyllid ar gyfer swyddogaethau datganoledig ddod i Lywodraeth Cymru i Weinidogion Cymru ddyrannu yn unol â'i blaenoriaethau a bod yn destun craffu gan y Senedd. Ond, Dirprwy Lywydd, mae dwy Lywodraeth yn gwasanaethu pobl Cymru, a'r broblem gyda'r mater hwn yw bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn credu mai hi yn unig ddylai fod yn gyfrifol am ddarparu'r cronfeydd hyn, ond, ar y llaw arall, mae Llywodraeth y DU yn credu mai hi yn unig ddylai fod yn gyfrifol am ddarparu'r cronfeydd hyn. Fodd bynnag, mae fy marn yn glir—dylent fod yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd ar y mater hwn, oherwydd, trwy weithio gyda'n gilydd mewn partneriaeth, gellir trawsnewid ein cymunedau. Ac felly rwy'n annog y ddwy Lywodraeth i fwrw ati a chydweithio er budd pobl Cymru. Credaf y gallai'r ddwy Lywodraeth ganolbwyntio llai ar wleidyddiaeth y cyllid ac yn hytrach defnyddio eu hamser a'u hymdrechion i wella'r system fel y gall wneud yn union yr hyn y mae wedi'i chynllunio i'w wneud, sef trawsnewid a chefnogi arloesedd yn ein cymunedau.
Mae hwn yn fater byw, ac yn un y bydd Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig yn parhau i'w fonitro, a gallwch fod yn sicr o hynny. Ond heddiw rwy'n galw am rywfaint o wleidyddiaeth aeddfed wrth nodi'r problemau a welwyd wrth ddarparu'r cyllid hwn, ac ymrwymiad i fynd i'r afael â'r problemau hynny ar y cyd fel na fyddant yn parhau yn y dyfodol. Felly, Dirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n annog yr Aelodau i gefnogi ein gwelliant, sy'n ddatganiad ffeithiol, gwrthrychol sy'n ymrwymo i weld cynnydd gwirioneddol yn y maes hwn fel y gallwn weld cyllid yn cael ei ddatganoli i brosiectau—
Will you give way, Paul?
A wnewch chi ildio, Paul?
—that will transform our communities.
—fydd yn trawsnewid ein cymunedau.
The Member had already gone out of his time; I would not have allowed the intervention.
Roedd yr Aelod eisoes wedi mynd y tu hwnt i'r amser a neilltuwyd iddo; fyddwn i ddim wedi caniatáu'r ymyrraeth.
Galwaf ar Rhun ap Iorwerth i gynnig gwelliannau 2 a 3, a gyflwynir yn ei enw ei hun.
I call on Rhun ap Iorwerth to move amendments 2 and 3, tabled in his name.
Gwelliant 2—Rhun ap Iorwerth
Ychwanegu pwyntiau newydd ar ôl pwynt 1, ac ail-rifo yn unol â hynny:
Yn credu nad yw polisïau ffyniant bro Llywodraeth y DU yn ffafriol i degwch o fewn Cymru ac wedi arwain at loteri cod post o ran cymorth economaidd ledled Cymru, gan waethygu anghydraddoldebau rhanbarthol rhwng cymunedau yng Nghymru y mae Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd wedi methu â mynd i'r afael â hwy.
Yn credu y dylai pob penderfyniad ynghylch sut y caiff arian ei wario yng Nghymru gael ei wneud yng Nghymru.
Yn gresynu at y ffaith i Gymru gael ei thanariannu'n hanesyddol o ganlyniad i Fformiwla Barnett sydd wedi dyddio, gan fod hyn yn gwaethygu effaith y diffyg mewn cyllid o'r Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin a'r Gronfa Ffyniant Bro.
Amendment 2—Rhun ap Iorwerth
Add as new points after point 1, and renumber accordingly:
Believes the UK Government’s levelling up policies are not conducive to intra-Wales fairness and have resulted in a postcode lottery of economic support across Wales exacerbating regional inequalities between Wales’ communities that Welsh Government have also failed to address.
Believes that all decisions about how money is spent in Wales should be made in Wales.
Regrets the historic underfunding of Wales as a consequence of the outdated Barnett Formula which compounds the effect of the shortfall in funding from the Shared Prosperity and Levelling Up Funds.
Gwelliant 3—Rhun ap Iorwerth
Dileu pwynt 2 a rhoi yn ei le:
Yn galw am:
a) dychwelyd cyllid buddsoddi rhanbarthol i Lywodraeth Cymru i ddarparu yn unol â pholisïau datganoledig sy'n gwbl atebol i'r Senedd;
b) Bil Tegwch Economaidd (Cymru)—gwarantu cyllid teg yn seiliedig ar anghenion Cymru;
c) mynd i'r afael â'r annhegwch ar draws setliadau cyllido ac ariannol presennol Cymru, er enghraifft drwy ailddynodi HS2 a Northern Powerhouse Rail fel prosiectau ar gyfer Lloegr yn unig, gan roi cyllid canlyniadol i Gymru o ganlyniad i hynny.
Amendment 3—Rhun ap Iorwerth
Delete point 2 and replace with:
Calls for:
a) the return of regional investment funding to the Welsh Government to deliver in line with devolved policies that are fully accountable to the Senedd;
b) an Economic Fairness Bill (Wales)—guaranteeing fair funding based on Wales’ needs;
c) the rectification of the unfairness across Wales’s current funding and financial settlements, for example by redesignating HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail as England-only projects, providing Wales with resultant consequential funding.
Cynigiwyd gwelliannau 2 a 3.
Amendments 2 and 3 moved.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, ac mae Plaid Cymru wedi cyflwyno nifer o welliannau, a hynny er mwyn trio tanlinellu rhai o'r anghyfiawnderau sydd wedi cael eu creu gan agenda ffyniant bro y Llywodraeth Geidwadol yn Llundain. ‘Ffyniant bro’, y teitl eironig, yn aml iawn, sydd wedi cael ei fathu fel cyfieithiad o 'levelling up'—y gwir amdani ydy bod trefniadau cyllido ôl-Undeb Ewropeaidd, fel y cynllun ffyniant bro, ddim ond yn un esiampl, wrth gwrs, o’r system gyllido annheg ac anghyfiawn mae Cymru’n ffeindio ei hun yn rhan ohoni hi, un sydd yn amddifadu ein cymunedau ni o fuddsoddiad, un sy'n gosod un gymuned yn erbyn y llall yn llawer rhy aml, ac sydd yn ein dal ni'n ôl fel cenedl rhag gallu cyrraedd ein potensial. Ac er bod fy mhlaid i a phlaid Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhannu llawer o dir cyffredin o ran ein hagweddau ni tuag at y sefyllfa ôl-Brexit, mae cynnig y Llywodraeth heddiw, fel y mae o, yn methu â mynd i'r afael â’r broblem ehangach yna.
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd, and Plaid Cymru has introduced a number of amendments in order to highlight some of the injustices caused by the levelling-up agenda of the Conservative Government in London. The ironic title, 'levelling up', or 'ffyniant bro', which is used in Welsh—the truth is that post-EU funding arrangements, such as the levelling-up scheme, are just one example of the unfair and unjust funding system that Wales finds itself part of, one that deprives our communities of investment, one that pits one community against another far too often, and holds us back as a nation from reaching our potential. And although my party and the party of the Welsh Government do share much common ground in terms of our views on the post-Brexit scenario, the Government motion today, as it stands, fails to address the broader issue.
There are significant weaknesses in attitudes taken by Governments, both Conservative and Labour, on principles around inter-UK and intra-Wales economic fairness. In terms of intra-Wales fairness, the formula for allocating the shared prosperity fund differs significantly from the previous EU funding. It doesn't have a needs-based mechanism at its core, which leaves some of our most deprived communities significantly worse off. This despite, of course, the Tories repeatedly promising that European funding would be replaced pound for pound.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies found that, under EU funding arrangements, the most deprived regions, such as west Wales and the Valleys, received 83 per cent of total EU funding given to Wales—almost three times as much per person as better off areas of Wales; that's what levelling up genuinely means. But, under the new UK shared prosperity fund, that figure falls to 73 per cent, and what that tells me is that we're heading in the wrong direction when it comes to trying to fight against the inequalities that are rife within our communities.
On levelling up, the levelling-up funding itself, in its most recent round, 11 local authorities in Wales didn't receive a single penny from it, and this includes some of our most rural and deprived communities, where housing crises, poor infrastructure and persistent underfunding from both UK and Welsh Governments have become commonplace. And because of the lack of that like-for-like EU replacement funding, the difficult situation those communities were already facing deteriorates even further. We've seen, haven't we, in recent times, with the Fflecsi Bwcabus service in west Wales, the end of a service that was such a lifeline to people, preventing those who were reliant on it, such as older people and students, perhaps, from travelling to support local businesses, accessing vital services, getting to work, getting to education, seeing their friends, seeing their loved ones.
On top of that, in constituencies that did receive money from the levelling-up fund, like my constituency of Ynys Môn, a restrictive bidding process with unreasonably tight deadlines means that the money that is being awarded isn't being spent to benefit the whole area, but rather just one small part of it. I've worked very closely with projects in Holyhead, and I'm delighted that projects there have been able to receive funding, but it's very, very frustrating—[Interruption.] If you'd like to give way.
Mae gwendidau sylweddol yn agweddau'r Lywodraethau, y Ceidwadwyr a'r Blaid Lafur, ar egwyddorion sy'n ymwneud â thegwch yn y DU ac yng Nghymru. O ran tegwch yng Nghymru, mae'r fformiwla ar gyfer dyrannu'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin yn amrywio'n sylweddol i gyllid blaenorol yr UE. Nid oes ganddi fecanwaith sy'n seiliedig ar anghenion wrth ei gwraidd, sy'n gadael rhai o'n cymunedau mwyaf difreintiedig yn waeth eu byd. Mae hyn er gwaethaf, wrth gwrs, y Torïaid yn addo dro ar ôl tro y cai cyllid Ewropeaidd ei ddisodli bunt am bunt.
Canfu'r Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllidol, o dan drefniadau ariannu'r UE, fod y rhanbarthau mwyaf difreintiedig, fel gorllewin Cymru a'r Cymoedd, wedi derbyn 83 y cant o gyfanswm cyllid yr UE a roddwyd i Gymru—bron i deirgwaith cymaint y pen ag ardaloedd gwell eu byd yng Nghymru; dyna beth mae ffyniant bro yn ei olygu mewn gwirionedd. Ond, o dan gronfa ffyniant gyffredin newydd y DU, mae'r ffigur hwnnw'n gostwng i 73 y cant, a'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei ddweud wrthyf yw ein bod yn mynd i'r cyfeiriad anghywir o ran ceisio ymladd yn erbyn yr anghydraddoldebau sy'n rhemp yn ein cymunedau.
O ran ffyniant bro, yr arian ffyniant bro ei hun, yn ei rownd ddiweddaraf, ni wnaeth 11 awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru dderbyn un geiniog ohono, ac mae hyn yn cynnwys rhai o'n cymunedau mwyaf gwledig a difreintiedig, lle mae argyfyngau tai, seilwaith gwael a thanariannu parhaus gan Lywodraethau'r DU a Chymru wedi dod yn gyffredin. Ac oherwydd diffyg y cyllid cyfatebol hynny yn lle'r arian a ddoi gan yr UE, mae'r sefyllfa anodd yr oedd y cymunedau hynny eisoes yn ei hwynebu yn dirywio hyd yn oed ymhellach. Rydym ni wedi gweld, onid ydym ni, yn ddiweddar, gyda gwasanaeth Fflecsi Bwcabus yng ngorllewin Cymru, diwedd gwasanaeth a oedd yn anhepgor i bobl, gan atal y rhai a oedd yn ddibynnol arno, fel pobl hŷn a myfyrwyr, efallai, rhag teithio i gefnogi busnesau lleol, cael mynediad at wasanaethau hanfodol, cyrraedd y gwaith, cyrraedd addysg, gweld eu ffrindiau, gweld eu hanwyliaid.
Ar ben hynny, mewn etholaethau a gafodd arian o'r gronfa ffyniant bro, fel fy etholaeth i Ynys Môn, mae proses ymgeisio gyfyngol gyda therfynau amser afresymol o dynn yn golygu nad yw'r arian sy'n cael ei ddyfarnu yn cael ei wario er budd yr ardal gyfan, ond yn hytrach dim ond un rhan fach ohoni. Rydw i wedi gweithio'n agos iawn gyda phrosiectau yng Nghaergybi, ac rydw i wrth fy modd bod prosiectau yno wedi gallu derbyn cyllid, ond mae'n rhwystredig iawn, iawn—[Torri ar draws.] Os hoffech chi ildio.
I'll happily give way. I'm delighted to hear that you're making some effort to work with people in Holyhead. I hope that that effort includes working with the local MP, Virginia Crosbie, who of course has been delivering on her commitments to the island, working hard to deliver the free-port status that will really help that island thrive. And on the subject of levelling up, wouldn't you agree with me that we need to see some levelling up within Wales, where we see an inherent bias in the way that the Welsh Government distributes funds in this country in the south, and not in the north?
Rwy'n hapus iawn i ildio. Rwy'n falch iawn o glywed eich bod yn gwneud rhywfaint o ymdrech i weithio gyda phobl yng Nghaergybi. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr ymdrech honno'n cynnwys gweithio gyda'r AS lleol, Virginia Crosbie, sydd wrth gwrs wedi bod yn cyflawni ei hymrwymiadau i'r ynys, gan weithio'n galed i ddarparu'r statws porthladd rhydd a fydd wir yn helpu'r ynys honno i ffynnu. Ac o ran ffyniant bro, oni fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi bod angen i ni weld rhywfaint o ffyniant bro yng Nghymru, lle gwelwn ni ragfarn gynhenid yn y ffordd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn dosbarthu arian yn y wlad hon yn y de, ac nid yn y gogledd?
I'm so pleased that you gave me an opportunity to remind everybody that the Conservative MP for Ynys Môn, as with the Conservative Party as a whole, was more than happy for Holyhead, for Anglesey, to receive £8 million in free-port funding compared with the £26 million given to each English free port. We stood firm, and I worked with Welsh Government on this. We accepted—
Rwyf mor falch eich bod wedi rhoi cyfle i mi atgoffa pawb bod AS Ceidwadol Ynys Môn, fel gyda'r Blaid Geidwadol yn ei chyfanrwydd, yn fwy na pharod i Gaergybi, i Ynys Môn, dderbyn £8 miliwn o gyllid porthladd rhydd o'i gymharu â'r £26 miliwn a roddwyd i bob porthladd rhydd yn Lloegr. Fe wnaethom ni sefyll yn gadarn, a gweithiais gyda Llywodraeth Cymru ar hyn. Fe wnaethom ni dderbyn—
You opposed it.
Fe wnaethoch chi ei wrthwynebu.
The Member says I oppose free ports. I made the case for a free port with the level of funding that we were getting, that we were not being offered by the Conservatives. I made the case for a free port protecting workers' rights when the Conservative MP couldn't give a monkeys, and I made the case for environmental regulations. And, I made the case—[Interruption.]
Mae'r Aelod yn dweud fy mod i'n gwrthwynebu porthladdoedd rhydd. Fe wnes i ddadlau dros borthladd rhydd gyda'r maint o gyllid roeddem ni'n ei gael, nad oeddem ni'n cael ei gynnig gan y Ceidwadwyr. Fe wnes i ddadlau dros borthladd rhydd yn amddiffyn hawliau gweithwyr pan nad oedd yr AS Ceidwadol yn hidio botwm corn, ac fe wnes i ddadlau dros reoliadau amgylcheddol. Ac, fe wnes i ddadlau—[Torri ar draws.]
Darren, let the Member respond to your intervention.
Darren, gadewch i'r Aelod ymateb i'ch ymyrraeth.
And I made the case, as I was expressing, for levelling-up funding to be distributed across the whole of the island. I was delighted when communities in Holyhead were able to receive funding, but I'm angry that communities in Amlwch were denied the opportunity to get that funding. Communities that have been suffering from poverty for many years, because of the actions of a Conservative Government, were unable to be given the money that they were owed. It's because of the lack of flexibility that was rife within the system.
Now, the UK Government's reprioritisation agenda is a clear reprioritisation away from Wales's material needs, and disproportionately benefits areas that are already disproportionately benefited. We've seen from The Guardian's analysis that Conservative marginal seats received one and a half times the amount of funding per person than other constituencies. In the red wall seats where the Conservatives won in 2019, it was twice the amount of money. This is pork barrel politics. This is democratic corruption by the Conservative Party. It is about time—[Interruption.] It is about time that the Conservatives accepted that they have wronged our communities by funnelling funds towards their own projects rather than genuinely building up prosperity, which is what Plaid Cymru pursues, through the legislation that we seek in Westminster, calling for an economic—
Ac fe wnes i ddadlau, fel yr oeddwn i'n ei fynegi, dros ddosbarthu cyllid ffyniant bro ar draws yr ynys gyfan. Roeddwn i wrth fy modd pan lwyddodd cymunedau yng Nghaergybi i dderbyn cyllid, ond rwy'n ddig y gwarafunwyd y cyfle i gymunedau yn Amlwch gael y cyllid hwnnw. Nid oedd cymunedau sydd wedi bod yn dioddef o dlodi ers blynyddoedd lawer, oherwydd gweithredoedd Llywodraeth Geidwadol, yn gallu cael yr arian sy'n ddyledus iddyn nhw. Mae hynny oherwydd y diffyg hyblygrwydd a oedd yn rhemp yn y system.
Nawr, mae agenda ailflaenoriaethu Llywodraeth y DU yn ailflaenoriaethu clir i ffwrdd o anghenion materol Cymru, ac mae o fudd anghymesur i feysydd sydd eisoes yn cael budd anghymesur. Rydym ni wedi gweld o ddadansoddiad The Guardian bod seddi ymylol y Ceidwadwyr wedi derbyn un a hanner gwaith swm yr arian fesul person nag etholaethau eraill. Yn seddi'r wal goch lle'r enillodd y Ceidwadwyr yn 2019, dwywaith y swm o arian oedd hi. Gwleidyddiaeth nawddoglyd yw hyn. Llygredd democrataidd yw hwn gan y Blaid Geidwadol. Mae'n hen bryd—[Torri ar draws.] Mae'n hen bryd i'r Ceidwadwyr dderbyn eu bod wedi gwneud cam â'n cymunedau drwy gyfeirio arian tuag at eu prosiectau eu hunain yn hytrach na chreu ffyniant go iawn, sef yr hyn y mae Plaid Cymru yn ei geisio, drwy'r ddeddfwriaeth yr ydym ni'n ei cheisio yn San Steffan, gan alw am—
I have been generous in the time to allow you an intervention, but you need to come to an end now, Rhun.
Rwyf wedi bod yn hael gyda'r amser i ganiatáu ymyrraeth i chi, ond mae angen i chi ddod i ben nawr, Rhun.
The intervention itself was generous, and I'm happy to accept your generous additional time.
But we do need that economic fairness Bill to make sure that Welsh funding unfairness is addressed, and I ask you to support Plaid Cymru's amendments today.
Roedd yr ymyrraeth ei hun yn hael, ac rwy'n hapus i dderbyn eich amser ychwanegol hael.
Ond mae angen y Bil tegwch economaidd hwnnw arnom ni i sicrhau bod annhegwch cyllido Cymru yn cael sylw, a gofynnaf ichi gefnogi gwelliannau Plaid Cymru heddiw.
If levelling up is going to work, it has to be about increasing gross value added and median salary. It's not about doing nice things or prettying up areas, important as they are; it's about creating more high-paid employment. The Westminster Government says:
'not everyone shares equally in the UK’s success. While talent is spread equally across our country, opportunity is not.'
That's correct.
'Levelling up is a mission to challenge, and change, that unfairness. Levelling up means giving everyone the opportunity to flourish. It means people everywhere living longer and more fulfilling lives, and benefitting from sustained rises in living standards and well-being.'
What can you argue with that about?
'This requires us to end the geographical inequality which is such a striking feature of the UK. It needs to begin by improving economic dynamism and innovation to drive growth across the whole country, unleashing the power of the private sector to unlock jobs and opportunity for all. While there are world-leading and enterprising businesses and innovators right across the UK, economic growth and the higher productivity which drives it has been over-concentrated in specific areas'—
basically, London and the south-east of England.
'A long tail of low-productivity businesses and places explain why UK productivity growth is too low compared to competitors.'
The latest figures I have been able to access on GVA are that it's £48,857 per head in London; £29,415 in the south-east; and £19,899 in Wales. On median salary, London £49,899; south-east of England £36,580; and Wales £32,000. And why is this? On life sciences, 24 per cent of the life science employment is in the south of England; 11 per cent of life science employment is in London; 4 per cent of life science employment is in Wales. If we only had our population proportion, it would be up to 5 per cent. The top-10 cities in the UK for ICT employment are Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Belfast and Newcastle. You may have noticed that not one of them is in Wales. This is why we need levelling up.
But what levelling up has provided so far is good projects, nice projects, but things that are not going to increase GVA or median salary. There's been £18 million to encourage healthier ways of travel in Powys; £20 million to transform the site of Barry docks waterfront into a vibrant public area; more than £15 million towards renovating a number of derelict buildings and creating more green areas in Llanelli town centre; £20 million for project developments to boost areas in Denbighshire, such as Rhyl, which include regenerating the town centre; and £12 million to restore and reopen the historic grade II listed Newbridge bridge. I mean, these are all nice things. These are all good things. These are all good for the community. What they are not is levelling up. For levelling up, we need higher paid employment. We need good-quality jobs.
So, what we need is to do at least some of these: have at least 20,000 additional civil service jobs at all levels relocated into Wales. As people who know Swansea are well aware, the civil service jobs in the area provide good-quality jobs. That should be happening everywhere. Financial support for universities to support research and development. That was raised by the Minister. We really do need to get more research and development done. If we intend to become a wealthier area, you need to have research and development. You need to grow out of the universities to develop employment in high-paid and high-skilled sectors, such as ICT, life sciences and financial services. We need more highly paid jobs. That's what levelling up is about, and if levelling up has worked, we'll see greater GVA and a higher median salary in Wales. That's what we've got to be aiming for. Lots of nice things, fine, but that's not levelling up; that's just doing nice things. Thank you, Presiding Officer.
Er mwyn i ffyniant bro weithio, mae'n rhaid iddo ymwneud â chynyddu gwerth ychwanegol gros a chyflog canolrifol. Nid yw'n ymwneud â gwneud pethau neis na harddu ardaloedd, er mor bwysig yw hynny; mae'n ymwneud â chreu mwy o gyflogaeth sy'n talu'n dda. Mae Llywodraeth San Steffan yn dweud:
'nid yw pawb yn rhannu'n gyfartal yn llwyddiant y DU. Er bod talent yn cael ei ledaenu'n gyfartal ar draws ein gwlad, nid yw cyfle.'
Mae hynny'n gywir.
'Mae ffyniant bro yn genhadaeth i herio, a newid, yr annhegwch hwnnw. Mae ffyniant bro yn golygu rhoi cyfle i bawb ffynnu. Mae'n golygu bod pobl ym mhobman yn byw bywydau hirach sy'n rhoi mwy o foddhad iddyn nhw, ac yn elwa o gynnydd parhaus mewn safonau byw a lles.'
Beth allwch chi ddadlau â hynny?
'Mae hyn yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i ni ddod â'r anghydraddoldeb daearyddol i ben sy'n nodwedd mor drawiadol o'r DU. Mae angen iddo ddechrau trwy wella dynameg economaidd ac arloesedd i ysgogi twf ledled y wlad gyfan, gan ryddhau pŵer y sector preifat i greu swyddi a chyfle i bawb. Er bod busnesau ac arloeswyr blaengar a mentrus ledled y DU, mae twf economaidd a'r cynhyrchiant uwch sy'n ei ysgogi wedi ei or-ganolbwyntio mewn ardaloedd penodol'—
yn y bôn, Llundain a de-ddwyrain Lloegr.
'Mae cynffon hir o fusnesau a lleoedd cynhyrchiant isel yn egluro pam fod twf cynhyrchiant y DU yn rhy isel o'i gymharu â chystadleuwyr.'
Y ffigurau diweddaraf yr wyf wedi gallu cael gafael arnyn nhw ar werth ychwanegol gros yw ei fod yn £48,857 y pen yn Llundain; £29,415 yn y de-ddwyrain; a £19,899 yng Nghymru. O ran cyflog canolrifol, Llundain £49,899; de-ddwyrain Lloegr £36,580; a Chymru £32,000. A pham mae hyn? O ran gwyddorau bywyd, mae 24 y cant o'r gyflogaeth gwyddor bywyd yn ne Lloegr; mae 11 y cant o gyflogaeth gwyddorau bywyd yn Llundain; mae 4 y cant o gyflogaeth gwyddorau bywyd yng Nghymru. Pe bai gennym ni gyfran ein poblogaeth yn unig, byddai'n hyd at 5 y cant. Y 10 dinas orau yn y DU ar gyfer cyflogaeth TGCh yw Bryste, Manceinion, Birmingham, Nottingham, Llundain, Caeredin, Leeds, Belfast a Newcastle. Efallai eich bod wedi sylwi nad oes yr un ohonyn nhw yng Nghymru. Dyna pam mae angen ffyniant bro arnom.
Ond yr hyn y mae ffyniant bro wedi'i ddarparu hyd yma yw prosiectau da, prosiectau neis, ond pethau nad ydyn nhw'n mynd i gynyddu gwerth ychwanegol gros na chyflog canolrifol. Cafwyd £18 miliwn i annog ffyrdd iachach o deithio ym Mhowys; £20 miliwn i drawsnewid safle glannau'r Barri yn ardal gyhoeddus fywiog; mwy na £15 miliwn tuag at adnewyddu nifer o adeiladau adfeiliedig a chreu mwy o ardaloedd gwyrdd yng nghanol tref Llanelli; £20 miliwn ar gyfer datblygiadau prosiect i hybu ardaloedd yn sir Ddinbych, fel y Rhyl, sy'n cynnwys adfywio canol y dref; a £12 miliwn i adfer ac ailagor y bont newydd restredig Gradd II. Hynny yw, mae'r rhain i gyd yn bethau neis. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn bethau da. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn dda i'r gymuned. Yr hyn nad ydyn nhw'n ei wneud yw sicrhau ffyniant bro. Er mwyn sicrhau ffyniant bro, mae angen cyflogaeth â chyflogau uwch arnom. Mae angen swyddi o ansawdd da arnom ni.
Felly, yr hyn sydd angen i ni ei wneud yw o leiaf rhai o'r rhain: cael o leiaf ugain mil o swyddi gwasanaeth sifil ychwanegol ar bob lefel wedi'u hadleoli i Gymru. Fel y mae pobl sy'n adnabod Abertawe yn ymwybodol iawn, mae swyddi'r gwasanaeth sifil yn yr ardal yn darparu swyddi o ansawdd da. Dylai hynny ddigwydd ym mhob man. Cymorth ariannol i brifysgolion gefnogi ymchwil a datblygu. Codwyd hyn gan y Gweinidog. Mae angen i ni wneud mwy o ymchwil a datblygu. Os ydym ni’n bwriadu dod yn ardal gyfoethocach, mae angen i chi gael ymchwil a datblygu. Mae angen i chi dyfu allan o'r prifysgolion i ddatblygu cyflogaeth mewn sectorau â chyflog uchel a sgiliau uchel, fel TGCh, gwyddorau bywyd a gwasanaethau ariannol. Mae angen mwy o swyddi sy'n talu'n dda. Dyna hanfod ffyniant bro, ac os yw ffyniant bro wedi gweithio, byddwn yn gweld mwy o werth ychwanegol gros a chyflog canolrif uwch yng Nghymru. Dyna'r hyn y mae'n rhaid i ni anelu ato. Llawer o bethau neis, iawn, ond dyw hynny ddim yn sicrhau ffyniant bro; dim ond gwneud pethau neis yw hynny. Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd.
We've already heard mention of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee's report into EU funding, and I'd echo the Chair in saying that if there are Members in the Chamber who haven't read it—though I assume everyone has spent the time to read it—then please do read it. It was a really good piece of work, and I think as a committee we're very proud of the work we produced in that inquiry.
Of course, it does highlight many flaws and many issues associated with the replacement of post-EU regional funding streams: the short termism, the duplication of work, accountability, pitting communities against each other are just a few to list. But one particular area that we are now seeing that is hugely noticeable is the effect that it has on apprenticeships. And we'll no doubt hear more tomorrow, but we already know the potential devastating impact of the loss of EU funding in this area. It's undeniable, and it will be an impact that goes beyond just simply education. It will also be felt across the economy.
However, I wanted to echo my colleague Rhun ap Iorwerth's concerns regarding fairness. Ultimately, it goes without saying that all decisions about how money is spent in Wales should be made in Wales, but it's not just about Welsh Government having control of the administration of the shared prosperity fund and the levelling-up fund; it also comes down to the quantum simply not being enough, and the mechanisms and formula behind the funds not being fair. If we want to see real economic development in Wales and real parity between our communities, we must have control of our own finances, over all of our own decisions, and not diktat from Westminster.
But once those powers are within our hands, there does lie another challenge: how do we ensure that regional development actually happens? How do we ensure that we end the postcode lottery of economic development and an investment that is worthwhile for our communities? That's where I think the idea of an economic fairness Bill comes into play. We bake it into our new system. Because experience has shown us that even when we had the power to direct EU funding, the effect on our most deprived communities was minimal.
So, yes, you'll find no better proponents of the principle that spending in Wales should be decided in Wales, but if and when the time comes for those powers to be in the hands of the Welsh Government, how do we ensure that we don't repeat the mistakes of the past? How do we ensure investment is done right and done fairly across all of Wales's communities? Those are the questions we also need to consider.
Rydym ni eisoes wedi clywed sôn am adroddiad Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig am gyllid yr UE, a byddwn i'n adleisio'r Cadeirydd wrth ddweud, os oes Aelodau yn y Siambr sydd heb ei ddarllen—er fy mod i'n tybio bod pawb wedi treulio'r amser i'w ddarllen—yna darllenwch e' da chi. Roedd yn ddarn da iawn o waith, ac rwy'n credu ein bod fel pwyllgor yn falch iawn o'r gwaith a gynhyrchwyd gennym ni yn yr ymchwiliad hwnnw.
Wrth gwrs, mae'n tynnu sylw at lawer o ddiffygion a llawer o faterion sy'n gysylltiedig â disodli ffrydiau cyllido rhanbarthol er gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd: y natur tymor byr, dyblygu gwaith, atebolrwydd, gosod cymunedau yn erbyn ei gilydd yw dim ond rhai o'r diffygion hyn. Ond un maes penodol rydym ni bellach yn ei weld sy'n hynod amlwg yw'r effaith y mae'n ei chael ar brentisiaethau. Ac mae'n siŵr y byddwn yn clywed mwy yfory, ond rydym ni eisoes yn gwybod am effaith ddinistriol bosibl colli cyllid yr UE yn y maes hwn. Does dim dadlau am hyn, a bydd yn effaith sy'n mynd y tu hwnt i addysg yn unig. Bydd hefyd yn cael ei deimlo ar draws yr economi.
Fodd bynnag, roedd arna i eisiau adleisio pryderon fy nghyd-Aelod Rhun ap Iorwerth ynglŷn â thegwch. Yn y pen draw, mae'n rhaid dweud y dylid gwneud yr holl benderfyniadau ynghylch sut mae arian yn cael ei wario yng Nghymru yng Nghymru, ond nid yw'n ymwneud dim ond â Llywodraeth Cymru â rheolaeth dros weinyddu'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin a'r gronfa ffyniant bro; mae hefyd yn ymwneud â'r ffaith nad yw'r cwantwm yn ddigon, ac nad yw'r mecanweithiau a'r fformiwla y tu ôl i'r cronfeydd yn deg. Os oes arnom ni eisiau gweld datblygiad economaidd gwirioneddol yng Nghymru a chydraddoldeb gwirioneddol rhwng ein cymunedau, mae'n rhaid i ni gael rheolaeth dros ein cyllid ein hunain, dros ein holl benderfyniadau ein hunain, ac nid dictad o San Steffan.
Ond unwaith y bydd y pwerau hynny yn ein dwylo ni, mae her arall yn bod: sut mae sicrhau bod datblygu rhanbarthol yn digwydd mewn gwirionedd? Sut ydym ni'n sicrhau ein bod yn dod â loteri cod post datblygiad economaidd i ben a buddsoddiad sy'n werth chweil i'n cymunedau? Dyna lle rwy'n credu bod y syniad o Fil tegwch economaidd yn berthnasol. Rydym yn ei ymwreiddio yn ein system newydd. Oherwydd mae profiad wedi dangos i ni, hyd yn oed pan oedd gennym ni'r grym i gyfarwyddo cyllid yr UE, roedd yr effaith ar ein cymunedau mwyaf difreintiedig yn fach iawn.
Felly, ie, ni chewch chi unrhyw well gynigydd o'r egwyddor y dylid penderfynu ar wariant yng Nghymru yng Nghymru, ond os a phryd daw'r amser i'r pwerau hynny fod yn nwylo Llywodraeth Cymru, sut ydym ni'n sicrhau nad ydym ni'n ailadrodd camgymeriadau'r gorffennol? Sut mae sicrhau bod buddsoddiad yn cael ei wneud yn iawn a'i wneud yn deg ar draws holl gymunedau Cymru? Dyma'r cwestiynau y mae'n rhaid i ni eu hystyried hefyd.
Will you give way on that point?
A wnewch chi ildio ar y pwynt hwnnw?
I was just about to finish, but of course I'll give way; I have time.
Roeddwn i ar fin gorffen, ond wrth gwrs fe wnaf i ildio; mae gen i amser.
Thank you so much for giving way. Can I suggest—? I think the report the committee brought forward was very, very good, but can I suggest that you go back and look as well at the framework for regional investment? That was an 18-month piece of work that involved every piece of Welsh civic society, the voluntary sector, businesses, colleges, universities—everybody was involved in it. It ran alongside an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development piece of work as well. And since we've brought it forward, unfortunately, because of the reluctance of UK Government to engage with us—. And it would, Paul, have dealt with that issue of Governments working together, but also local, regional, grass roots upwards, their ideas of what could work. Have a look at that again because the model is there and it needs a tiny bit of dusting off, but the model is there about how we spread that fairness to every part of Wales.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am ildio. A gaf i awgrymu—? Rwy'n credu bod yr adroddiad a gyflwynwyd gan y pwyllgor yn dda iawn, iawn, ond a gaf i awgrymu eich bod yn mynd yn ôl ac edrych yn ogystal ar y fframwaith ar gyfer buddsoddi rhanbarthol? Roedd hwnnw'n ddarn o waith 18 mis a oedd yn cynnwys pob agwedd ar gymdeithas ddinesig Cymru, y sector gwirfoddol, busnesau, colegau, prifysgolion—roedd pawb yn rhan ohono. Roedd yn cyd-redeg â darn o waith gan Y Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithredu a Datblygiad Economaidd hefyd. Ac ers i ni ei gyflwyno, yn anffodus, oherwydd amharodrwydd Llywodraeth y DU i ymgysylltu â ni—. A byddai, Paul, wedi ymdrin â'r mater hwnnw o Lywodraethau'n gweithio gyda'i gilydd, ond hefyd yn lleol, yn rhanbarthol, o lawr gwlad i fyny, eu syniadau o'r hyn a allai weithio. Edrychwch ar hynny eto oherwydd bod y model yno ac mae angen ychydig bach o gaboli arno, ond mae'r model yno ynglŷn â sut rydym ni'n lledaenu'r tegwch hwnnw i bob rhan o Gymru.
I would agree there's no point reinventing the wheel where we have plenty of work that's already been done on this, and I think, actually, looking at how we can ensure that local authorities, that grass-roots level, are empowered by any new system we put forward is going to be key here, because ultimately our local communities know what they need and know what's going to best suit them. And on that point, Dirprwy Lywydd, I will conclude.
Byddwn yn cytuno nad oes diben ailddyfeisio'r olwyn lle mae gennym ni ddigon o waith sydd eisoes wedi'i wneud ar hyn, a chredaf mewn gwirionedd y bydd edrych ar sut y gallwn ni sicrhau bod awdurdodau lleol, y lefel llawr gwlad honno, yn cael eu grymuso gan unrhyw system newydd a gyflwynwyd gennym ni yn mynd i fod yn allweddol yma, oherwydd yn y pen draw mae ein cymunedau lleol yn gwybod beth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw ac yn gwybod beth sy'n gweddu orau iddyn nhw. Ac ar y nodyn hwnnw, Dirprwy Lywydd, fe ddof i ben.
I take a somewhat different view to other Members in this debate. My view is that levelling up is dead. It was only ever a public relations exercise. It was never a serious economic policy. It was only ever about photo opportunities and pork barrel politics. But what killed levelling up and killed any sense that levelling up was a serious policy of Government was the announcement on HS2. The fact that the United Kingdom Government will not now spend money connecting the cities of England means that any pretension to serious policy intent has ended. HS2 is now simply a fast railway connecting Birmingham and London, apparently so consequential to Wales that we will be deprived funding because of the economic benefit that we will feel as a consequence of this. That is simply not serious economics. Nobody takes it seriously.
We need to be absolutely clear that if we are serious about any form of—you’ve described levelling-up across the United Kingdom—investment in the United Kingdom, then we need serious politics to do it. It’s not simply about the quantum of funding available, although clearly that is important. It is also about how that funding is distributed. What really frustrated me about some of the politics around levelling-up and the policy issues around levelling-up is that the UK Government has repeated the same mistakes as the Welsh Government made around Objective 1 20 years ago. None of the work or the lessons learned were applied in the application of any of the funding streams that we’ve seen delivered in the five years. So we haven’t had a learning of lessons, we’ve had a repeating of mistakes.
But this is not only an example of a single policy failure. I believe it is more than that, Deputy Presiding Officer. It is a failure of philosophy, of mindset, a failure of culture—it is a historic failure of the United Kingdom to be a United Kingdom. We all know, every single one of us, no matter in what part of this Chamber we sit, that had the money that was required to connect Manchester, Leeds and the cities of northern England with HS2 been required in London or the south-east of England, that money would have been found. Had the money to electrify the railway to Swansea been required in London, the money would have been found. We all know that to be true, every single one of us, because it was found, to deliver Crossrail.
The United Kingdom is the most unequal state in western Europe. In this way, I believe the United Kingdom is more than simply a state with inequality—it is a failed state. And Wales is not alone in experiencing the human consequences of this failure. The United Kingdom has created great wealth by the people living in these islands throughout the last century, but that wealth has been concentrated in a single class and a single geography, and that concentration of wealth and privilege is no accident—it is the direct consequence of policy. And let’s be absolutely clear about this: that same policy has been delivered whoever has been the resident of Downing Street.
Of course the United Kingdom is stagnating today. The toxic combination of low growth and flatlining economic activity as a consequence of austerity and Brexit means that many of the people that we represent here are suffering most, are seeing the reality of this. But let’s also be clear: Britain was fundamentally unequal, an unequal society, long before austerity, long before the financial crisis. Britain, in fact, has been designed to be unequal. So we need to address these issues, and we don’t simply need to rebadge levelling-up as something different—Labour levelling-up as somehow different to Conservative levelling-up. I believe that the crisis we are facing, and the crisis upon crisis that we have faced, forces us to think harder about the challenges facing us.
We saw before Christmas that the Conservative Government was willing to deliver a needs-based funding formula for Northern Ireland, so why not Wales? Why not Wales? Why not the people I represent? Why aren’t they entitled to the same fairness that the people of Northern Ireland seem to be entitled to? We need to be far more radical in our thinking. [Interruption.] I’ll give way.
Rwy'n cymryd safbwynt ychydig yn wahanol i Aelodau eraill yn y ddadl hon. Fy marn i yw bod ffyniant bro yn farw. Dim ond ymarfer cysylltiadau cyhoeddus oedd e. Nid oedd erioed yn bolisi economaidd difrifol. Dim ond cyfleoedd i dynnu lluniau a gwleidyddiaeth nawddoglyd oedd hi erioed. Ond yr hyn a laddodd ffyniant bro a lladd unrhyw synnwyr bod ffyniant bro yn bolisi difrifol y Llywodraeth oedd y cyhoeddiad ar HS2. Mae'r ffaith na fydd Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig nawr yn gwario arian yn cysylltu dinasoedd Lloegr yn golygu bod unrhyw esgus bod bwriad polisi difrifol wedi dod i ben. Mae HS2 bellach yn rheilffordd gyflym sy'n cysylltu Birmingham a Llundain, mae'n debyg mor bellgyrhaeddol i Gymru y naceir cyllid inni oherwydd y budd economaidd y byddwn yn ei deimlo o ganlyniad i hyn. Dyw hynny yn syml ddim yn economeg ddifrifol. Nid oes neb yn cymryd hyn o ddifrif.
Mae angen i ni fod yn hollol glir, os ydym ni o ddifrif am unrhyw ffurf o—rydych chi wedi disgrifio ffyniant bro ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig—buddsoddiad yn y Deyrnas Unedig, yna mae angen gwleidyddiaeth ddifrifol arnom ni i wneud hynny. Nid yw'n ymwneud dim ond â'r cwantwm cyllid sydd ar gael, er yn amlwg mae hynny'n bwysig. Mae hefyd yn ymwneud â sut gaiff y cyllid hwnnw ei ddosbarthu. Yr hyn sy'n fy siomi'n fawr am rywfaint o'r wleidyddiaeth ynghylch ffyniant bro a'r materion polisi sy'n ymwneud â ffyniant bro yw bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi ailadrodd yr un camgymeriadau ag a wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru gydag Amcan 1 ugain mlynedd yn ôl. Ni ddefnyddiwyd ddim o'r gwaith na'r gwersi a ddysgwyd wrth gymhwyso unrhyw un o'r ffrydiau ariannu yr ydym ni wedi'u gweld yn cael eu darparu yn ystod y pum mlynedd. Felly ni welsom ni ddysgu gwersi, fe welsom ni ailadrodd camgymeriadau.
Ond nid enghraifft yn unig o fethiant polisi unigol yw hyn. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn fwy na hynny, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae'n fethiant athroniaeth, meddylfryd, methiant diwylliant—methiant hanesyddol y Deyrnas Unedig i fod yn Deyrnas Unedig. Rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod, pob un ohonom ni, ni waeth ym mha ran o'r Siambr hon yr ydym ni'n eistedd, pe bai'r arian oedd ei angen i gysylltu Manceinion, Leeds a dinasoedd gogledd Lloegr ag HS2 ei angen yn Llundain neu dde-ddwyrain Lloegr, y byddai'r arian hwnnw wedi ei ganfod. Pe bai'r arian i drydaneiddio'r rheilffordd i Abertawe wedi bod yn ofynnol yn Llundain, byddai'r arian wedi ei ganfod. Rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod bod hynny'n wir, pob un ohonom ni, oherwydd fe ddaethpwyd o hyd iddo, i gyflwyno Crossrail.
Y Deyrnas Unedig yw'r wladwriaeth fwyaf anghyfartal yng ngorllewin Ewrop. Yn y modd hwn, rwy'n credu bod y Deyrnas Unedig yn fwy na dim ond gwladwriaeth ag anghydraddoldeb—mae'n wladwriaeth fethedig. Ac nid Cymru yw'r unig un sy'n profi canlyniadau dynol y methiant hwn. Mae'r Deyrnas Unedig wedi creu cyfoeth mawr gan y bobl sy'n byw yn yr ynysoedd hyn drwy'r ganrif ddiwethaf, ond mae'r cyfoeth hwnnw wedi ei ganoli mewn un dosbarth ac un ardal ddaearyddol, ac nid damwain yw'r crynodiad hwnnw o gyfoeth a braint—mae'n ganlyniad uniongyrchol polisi. A gadewch i ni fod yn hollol glir ynglŷn â hyn: mae'r un polisi hwnnw wedi'i gyflawni pwy bynnag sydd wedi bod yn byw yn Downing Street.
Wrth gwrs, mae'r Deyrnas Unedig yn diffygio heddiw. Mae'r cyfuniad gwenwynig o dwf isel a gweithgarwch economaidd sy'n gostwng o ganlyniad i gyni a Brexit yn golygu bod llawer o'r bobl yr ydym ni yn eu cynrychioli yma yn dioddef fwyaf, yn gweld gwirionedd hyn. Ond gadewch i ni hefyd fod yn glir: roedd Prydain yn sylfaenol anghyfartal, yn gymdeithas anghyfartal, ymhell cyn cyni, ymhell cyn yr argyfwng ariannol. Mae Prydain, mewn gwirionedd, wedi'i chynllunio i fod yn anghyfartal. Felly mae angen i ni fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn, ac nid oes angen i ni ail-frandio ffyniant bro fel rhywbeth gwahanol— ffyniant bro Llafur rywsut yn wahanol i ffyniant bro y Ceidwadwyr. Rwy'n credu bod yr argyfwng rydym ni'n ei wynebu, a'r argyfwng ar ben argyfwng yr ydym ni wedi'u hwynebu, yn ein gorfodi ni i feddwl yn galetach am yr heriau sy'n ein hwynebu ni.
Fe welsom ni cyn y Nadolig fod y Llywodraeth Geidwadol yn fodlon darparu fformiwla ariannu ar sail anghenion ar gyfer Gogledd Iwerddon, felly pam ddim Cymru? Pam ddim Cymru? Pam nad y bobl rwy'n eu cynrychioli? Pam nad oes ganddyn nhw'r hawl i'r un tegwch ag y mae'n ymddangos bod gan bobl Gogledd Iwerddon yr hawl iddo? Mae'n rhaid i ni fod yn llawer mwy radical yn ein meddylfryd. [Torri ar draws.] Fe wnaf i ildio.
I'm grateful to you for taking an intervention. I completely agree with you that the Barnett formula is past its sell-by date and we need a new needs-based formula. When this matter was last considered, by the commission that was established by the Welsh Government, it actually proposed a level of funding that was less than the current arrangements, which are currently £1.20 for every £1 spent on a devolved service. So there is a risk, of course, that a needs-based formula may give us a less good settlement than is currently being received as a result of the agreement between the UK and Welsh Governments.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am dderbyn ymyrraeth. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â chi bod fformiwla Barnett yn perthyn i oes a fu a bod angen fformiwla newydd yn seiliedig ar anghenion arnom ni. Pan ystyriwyd y mater hwn ddiwethaf, gan y comisiwn a sefydlwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, roedd mewn gwirionedd yn cynnig lefel o gyllid a oedd yn llai na'r trefniadau presennol, sydd ar hyn o bryd yn £1.20 am bob £1 sy'n cael ei wario ar wasanaeth datganoledig. Felly mae yna berygl, wrth gwrs, y gallai fformiwla sy'n seiliedig ar anghenion roi setliad gwaeth i ni nag sy'n cael ei dderbyn ar hyn o bryd o ganlyniad i'r cytundeb rhwng Llywodraethau'r DU a Chymru.
Absolutely. I'm not suggesting there are guarantees about the future. We can't guarantee what's going to happen tomorrow night, let alone what's going to happen in the next decade. But what we can guarantee is a level of fairness, and my next sentence, Darren, was going to be that these matters are determined by an independent funding commission and not by the Treasury. Because the one thing that every department of state, wherever they sit, whether it's in the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government or any part of the Westminster system, will tell you is that the Treasury always wins. The Treasury always wins. And what we've got to do is to move these decisions away from the Treasury. There's a very good model of that working in Australia and elsewhere in the world.
But we need to be more radical. We need to be more radical about the challenges facing us. We need to have a far more clear-sighted view of fairness in these islands. Wales has suffered unfairness down the decades, down the last century, but so have other parts of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom has been established—
Yn hollol. Nid wyf yn awgrymu bod sicrwydd am y dyfodol. Ni allwn ni warantu beth sy'n mynd i ddigwydd nos yfory, heb sôn am yr hyn sy'n mynd i ddigwydd yn y degawd nesaf. Ond yr hyn y gallwn ni ei warantu yw gradd o degwch, a fy mrawddeg nesaf, Darren, oedd y cai'r materion hyn eu pennu gan gomisiwn cyllido annibynnol ac nid gan y Trysorlys. Oherwydd yr un peth y bydd pob adran wladol, ble bynnag y maen nhw'n eistedd, boed hynny yn Llywodraeth Cymru, Llywodraeth yr Alban neu unrhyw ran o system San Steffan, yn dweud wrthych chi yw bod y Trysorlys bob amser yn ennill. Mae'r Trysorlys bob amser yn ennill. A'r hyn sy'n rhaid i ni ei wneud yw symud y penderfyniadau hyn oddi wrth y Trysorlys. Mae model da iawn o hynny yn gweithio yn Awstralia ac mewn mannau eraill yn y byd.
Ond mae'n rhaid i ni fod yn fwy radical. Mae angen i ni fod yn fwy radical am yr heriau sy'n ein hwynebu. Mae angen i ni gael golwg llawer cliriach o degwch yn yr ynysoedd hyn. Mae Cymru wedi dioddef annhegwch ers degawdau, drwy'r ganrif ddiwethaf, ond hefyd rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Mae'r Deyrnas Unedig wedi ei sefydlu—
You need to conclude now, Alun, please.
Mae angen i chi ddod i ben nawr, Alun, os gwelwch yn dda.
—as a state to fund the rich and the south-east of England and the London financial community. If the United Kingdom is going to succeed, then it has to be more than that.
—fel gwladwriaeth i ariannu'r cyfoethog a de-ddwyrain Lloegr a chymuned ariannol Llundain. Os yw'r Deyrnas Unedig yn mynd i lwyddo, yna mae'n rhaid iddi fod yn fwy na hynny.
For years, EU funding filled critical gaps in our finances. Surely, everyone must agree on that. Unable to raise taxes or borrow substantially for major projects, we relied on their schemes as a vital investment lifeline. As part of the EU, Wales secured moneys for our country's needs. The replacement funding from Westminster offers less money with tighter controls.
In terms of local authorities, local democracy is eroded rather than empowered by the bidding system. It's pitting authorities against each other in a scramble for limited funding and using up scarce local authority capacity. This competitive model inevitably picks winners and losers at the discretion of the Conservative Government. Well-resourced councils with expert bid writers can submit more polished proposals, whilst less affluent councils divert scarce resources into, sadly, unsuccessful bids.
Stepping back, surely we can all agree the principles of national funding. For Wales, it should be that we decide on our funding, we decide on a fair basis according to need here in Wales—that it shouldn't bypass devolution. It should be for strategic projects that enhance Wales, such as infrastructure, which have been well thought through and well evidenced. It should not pitch our local authorities against each other, and should not be about the resources that local authorities do or don't have. And it shouldn't duplicate projects.
On this issue, the Federation of Small Businesses has noted that by not involving the Welsh Government in decisions there is an inherent risk of duplication and overlap, particularly where net-zero initiatives under the shared prosperity fund may clash with those available under the Development Bank of Wales.
Finally, if we really want true levelling-up, which I think we all want, Wales requires enhanced devolution. We need to ensure that Wales delivers sustainable development that works for every single person here in Wales. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Am flynyddoedd, roedd cyllid yr UE yn llenwi bylchau allweddol yn ein cyllid. Siawns fod pawb yn cytuno ar hynny. A ninnau'n methu codi trethi na benthyca'n sylweddol ar gyfer prosiectau mawr, roeddem ni'n dibynnu ar eu cynlluniau fel ffynhonnell buddsoddi hanfodol. Fel rhan o'r UE, sicrhaodd Cymru arian ar gyfer anghenion ein gwlad. Mae'r arian newydd o San Steffan yn cynnig llai o arian gyda rheolaethau llymach.
O ran awdurdodau lleol, erydir democratiaeth leol yn hytrach na'i grymuso gan y system gynnig. Mae'n gosod awdurdodau yn erbyn ei gilydd mewn ymgiprys ar gyfer cyllid cyfyngedig a defnyddio capasiti prin awdurdodau lleol. Mae'n anochel bod y model cystadleuol hwn yn dewis enillwyr a chollwyr yn ôl disgresiwn y Llywodraeth Geidwadol. Gall cynghorau sydd ag adnoddau toreithiog gydag awduron arbenigol yn llunio ceisiadau gyflwyno mwy o gynigion caboledig, tra bod cynghorau llai cefnog yn dargyfeirio adnoddau prin i geisiadau sydd, yn anffodus, yn aflwyddiannus.
Wrth gamu'n ôl, siawns na allwn ni i gyd gytuno ar egwyddorion cyllid cenedlaethol. I Gymru, fe ddylem ni fod yn penderfynu ar ein cyllid, ein bod yn penderfynu ar sail deg yn ôl yr angen yma yng Nghymru—na ddylai hynny osgoi datganoli. Dylai fod ar gyfer prosiectau strategol sy'n gwella Cymru, megis seilwaith, sydd wedi cael ystyriaeth ofalus ac sydd â thystiolaeth dda. Ni ddylai osod ein hawdurdodau lleol yn erbyn ei gilydd, ac ni ddylai ymwneud â'r adnoddau sydd gan awdurdodau lleol, neu'r hyn nad oes ganddyn nhw. Ac ni ddylai ddyblygu prosiectau.
Ar y mater hwn, mae Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach wedi nodi, drwy beidio â chynnwys Llywodraeth Cymru mewn penderfyniadau, bod risg gynhenid o ddyblygu a gorgyffwrdd, yn enwedig lle gallai mentrau sero-net o dan y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin wrthdaro â'r rhai sydd ar gael o dan Fanc Datblygu Cymru.
Yn olaf, os oes arnom ni eisiau sicrhau gwir ffyniant bro mewn difrif, ac rwy'n credu bod arnom ni i gyd eisiau hynny, mae angen datganoli gwell ar gyfer Cymru. Mae angen i ni sicrhau bod Cymru'n darparu datblygiad cynaliadwy sy'n gweithio i bob un person yma yng Nghymru. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
If the UK Government really wanted to level up, it should properly fund public services and all those employed in them. They're one of the biggest employers in Wales. I'm pleased to see that the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee's report into post-EU funding last term said that delivery would be greatly improved with Welsh Government involvement. Wales was a net beneficiary of EU funding. It recognised the inequality.
As the report says, west Wales and the Valleys' GDP per capita was roughly just 70 per cent of the EU average, compared to inner London west, which has a GDP per capita of well over 600 per cent of the EU average. The levelling-up funding process is extremely competitive and places huge pressures on already stretched local authorities. Developing bids of this kind is resource heavy and expensive. I'm aware that one unsuccessful bid cost approximately £100,000. The UK Government gave some contribution, but not enough. And the bids caused a massive distraction.
If councils could provide an early expression of interest to the funding bids, such as with the lottery and the previous funding streams, and then be given a green light to go to the next stage, that would be helpful and would save wasting a lot of time and money. Flintshire, for example, has been unsuccessful at each of the funding rounds for large projects. They were told the bids were strong but that the process was too competitive. This was extremely disappointing, as one joint bid was to improve the Wrexham to Bidston line and for a station at Deeside industrial park, which is much needed for residents across north Wales to access jobs and fill the vacancies employers are desperate to fill. That would have been really helpful levelling-up.
Local councils have also had to work miracles to make a success of shared prosperity funding, faced with late payments from the UK Government, a total lack of clarity on how to allocate funds, and timescales that are far too tight. The UK rulebooks are so embryonic that the Government seemed to be making it up as they went along, leaving council administrations to work in the dark.
Despite these challenges, local authorities have used their expertise to deliver funding for projects that are actually really useful on the ground, as they were under the previous rural development programme. But, unfortunately, it has taken so long to deliver the programme, the community projects, which are really welcome, are short-lived and they really could have done with a whole three years of the shared prosperity fund.
The cut in funding of over £1 billion of EU funding to the Welsh Government has impacted on organisations and people on a national level and a regional level; for example, apprenticeships, further education, research and the major infrastructure of roads and railways. I know that for the last big infrastructure project on the A55 in north-west Wales, half of that was funded from EU funding—it was a £30 million project—and we say now, 'There's no money for road building'. On the funding for agriculture, I understand that £243 million has been lost from the EU for farm payments, and it will be sorely missed.
For new and previously EU-funded projects to be delivered on a regional level, a new layer of bureaucracy has been created, and it has been very difficult at times to get all local authorities on board, so that's created another issue at that level. Then there's the Multiply programme. I've heard that it's in direct competition with other programmes that are already available in Wales, but also that it's actually overfunded and local authorities are really struggling to get the money spent in time. So, they're asking whether it can be moved into another SPF element under people and skills—that would be really useful.
Overall, considerable work needs to be done in order for the UK Government's post-Brexit funding to be truly transformational. Funding for devolved competencies should come under the Welsh Government and the way it is spent scrutinised by the Senedd.
Pe bai ar Lywodraeth y DU wir eisiau codi'r gwastad, dylai ariannu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a phawb a gyflogir ynddyn nhw'n briodol. Maen nhw'n un o'r cyflogwyr mwyaf yng Nghymru. Rwy'n falch o weld bod adroddiad Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig y tymor diwethaf ar gyllid ers gadael yr UE yn dweud y cai'r ddarpariaeth ei gwella'n fawr gyda chyfranogiad Llywodraeth Cymru. Roedd Cymru yn fuddiolwr net o gyllid yr UE. Roedd yn cydnabod yr anghydraddoldeb.
Fel y dywed yr adroddiad, roedd GDP fesul pen gorllewin Cymru a'r Cymoedd oddeutu 70 y cant o gyfartaledd yr UE, o'i gymharu â Gorllewin Llundain fewnol, sydd â GDP y pen o ymhell dros 600 y cant o gyfartaledd yr UE. Mae'r broses o gyllido codi'r gwastad yn hynod gystadleuol ac yn rhoi pwysau enfawr ar awdurdodau lleol sydd eisoes dan bwysau. Mae datblygu cynigion o'r math hwn yn feichus ac yn ddrud o ran adnoddau. Rwy'n ymwybodol bod un cais aflwyddiannus wedi costio tua £100,000. Fe roddodd Llywodraeth y DU rywfaint o gyfraniad, ond dim digon. Ac achosodd y ceisiadau ddargyfeiriad enfawr o ran sylw.
Pe gallai cynghorau roi mynegiant cynnar o ddiddordeb i'r ceisiadau cyllido, megis gyda'r loteri a'r ffrydiau cyllido blaenorol, ac yna cael sêl bendith i fynd i'r cam nesaf, byddai hynny'n ddefnyddiol a byddai'n arbed gwastraffu llawer o amser ac arian. Mae sir y Fflint, er enghraifft, wedi bod yn aflwyddiannus ym mhob un o'r rowndiau ariannu ar gyfer prosiectau mawr. Dywedwyd wrthyn nhw fod y cynigion yn gryf ond bod y broses yn rhy gystadleuol. Roedd hyn yn hynod siomedig, gan mai un cais ar y cyd oedd gwella'r llinell rhwng Wrecsam a Bidston ac i orsaf ym mharc diwydiannol Glannau Dyfrdwy, y mae ei ddirfawr angen i drigolion y gogledd gael mynediad at swyddi a llenwi'r swyddi gwag y mae cyflogwyr yn ysu i'w llenwi. Byddai hynny wedi bod yn enghraifft fuddiol iawn o ffyniant bro.
Mae cynghorau lleol hefyd wedi gorfod gweithio gwyrthiau i wneud llwyddiant o gyllid y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin, yn wynebu taliadau hwyr gan Lywodraeth y DU, diffyg eglurder llwyr ar sut i ddyrannu arian, ac amserlenni sy'n llawer rhy dynn. Mae llyfrau rheolau y DU mor sylfaenol nes bod y Llywodraeth i'w gweld fel pe bai'n dyfeisio pethau wrth iddyn nhw fynd ymlaen, gan adael unedau gweinyddol cynghorau i weithio yn y tywyllwch.
Er gwaethaf yr heriau hyn, mae awdurdodau lleol wedi defnyddio eu harbenigedd i ddarparu cyllid ar gyfer prosiectau sydd mewn gwirionedd yn ddefnyddiol iawn ar lawr gwlad, fel yr oedden nhw o dan y rhaglen datblygu gwledig flaenorol. Ond, yn anffodus, mae wedi cymryd cymaint o amser i gyflawni'r rhaglen, mae'r prosiectau cymunedol, sydd i'w croesawu'n fawr, yn fyrhoedlog ac fe ellid â bod wedi eu cyflawni gyda thair blynedd gyfan o'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin.
Mae'r toriad mewn cyllid o dros £1 biliwn o gyllid yr UE i Lywodraeth Cymru wedi effeithio ar sefydliadau a phobl yn genedlaethol a rhanbarthol; er enghraifft, prentisiaethau, addysg bellach, ymchwil a seilwaith mawr ffyrdd a rheilffyrdd. Gwn, ar gyfer y prosiect seolwaith mawr diwethaf ar yr A55 yn y gogledd-orllewin, fod hanner hwnnw wedi'i ariannu o gyllid yr UE—roedd yn brosiect gwerth £30 miliwn—ac rydym ni'n dweud nawr, 'Nid oes arian ar gyfer adeiladu ffyrdd'. O ran y cyllid ar gyfer amaethyddiaeth, rwy'n deall bod £243 miliwn wedi'i golli o'r UE ar gyfer taliadau fferm, a bydd colled fawr ar ei ôl.
Er mwyn i brosiectau newydd a ariannwyd gan yr UE o'r blaen gael eu cyflawni ar lefel ranbarthol, crëwyd haen newydd o fiwrocratiaeth, ac mae wedi bod yn anodd iawn ar adegau i weithio gyda'r holl awdurdodau lleol, felly mae hynny wedi creu mater arall ar y lefel honno. Yna mae'r rhaglen Lluosi. Rwyf wedi clywed ei fod mewn cystadleuaeth uniongyrchol â rhaglenni eraill sydd eisoes ar gael yng Nghymru, ond hefyd ei fod yn cael ei orgyllido mewn gwirionedd ac mae awdurdodau lleol yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn gwario'r arian mewn pryd. Felly, maen nhw'n gofyn a oes modd ei symud i elfen arall o'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin o dan bobl a sgiliau—byddai hynny'n ddefnyddiol iawn.
Yn gyffredinol, mae angen gwneud cryn waith er mwyn i gyllid Llywodraeth y DU ar ôl Brexit fod yn wirioneddol drawsnewidiol. Dylai cyllid ar gyfer cymwyseddau datganoledig ddod o dan Lywodraeth Cymru gyda'r Senedd yn craffu ar y modd y caiff ei wario.
This is a really important topic, so I'd like to thank the Welsh Government for tabling this motion for us to discuss today. It's important as, for a start, it's about integrity in politics, honouring your promises and fulfilling your pledges. I'm sure we all remember the earnest entreaties about Wales receiving 'not a penny less' during the 2016 referendum. It is clear that this is a promise that has not been honoured or fulfilled by the UK Government.
In addition to highlighting a lack of integrity, this decision also has profound consequences—profound consequences for the money available to us here in this Welsh Parliament to fund the projects and infrastructure that are of such benefit to the people we represent. This is a topic that I have been able to repeatedly explore through the cross-party group on industrial communities, which I chair. I welcome the way the CPG has been able to contribute to the debate, respectfully working with colleagues from Westminster and Scotland in a way that the UK Government has signally failed to do, and, also, drawing on the expertise of groups such as the Industrial Communities Alliance. Their 'Six Principles for Streamlined Levelling-Up Funding', published around a year ago, is, perhaps, key here. It argues not only against an overall reduction in funding, but suggests additional money is needed from the UK Government to ensure communities do not lose out, with a ballpark three-year figure of £15 billion. It called for a process that encourages longer term financial commitments, with the removal of Treasury constraints that favour the short term. Funding should be strongly targeted, competitive bidding eliminated and rules simplified, and, critically, the devolution settlement must be respected fully.
Yes, we must ensure that Welsh councils are involved in how these schemes operate and in what is prioritised in their area, but that shouldn't be to the exclusion of the voice of devolved Parliaments. We know, and the motion recognises, that the creation and implementation of the shared prosperity fund has shortchanged Wales by £1.3 billion. Moreover, the SPF has proven to be smaller, less flexible and narrower in scope than the EU funding it is supposedly replacing. EU funding allowed for the adoption of a joined-up co-operative regional approach to policy making, particularly in the field of economic development. Instead, in its place, the UK Government has chosen to embed a dangerous and damaging Darwinian model of funding. The Institute for Government noted that councils, even before levelling up round 3, had wasted, through no fault of their own, at least £27 million on the bureaucratic act of preparing bids. To quote from the ICA's six principles, competitive bidding between local authorities is deeply wasteful of time and resources and not very good at delivering outcomes.
The Institute of Welsh Affairs and the Local Government Association have also criticised this aspect of the scheme's Hunger Games approach—
Mae hwn yn bwnc pwysig iawn, felly hoffwn ddiolch i Lywodraeth Cymru am gyflwyno'r cynnig hwn i ni ei drafod heddiw. Mae'n bwysig oherwydd, i ddechrau, mae'n ymwneud ag uniondeb mewn gwleidyddiaeth, anrhydeddu eich addewidion a chyflawni eich addewidion. Rwy'n siŵr ein bod ni i gyd yn cofio'r ymbiliau o ddifrif am Gymru yn derbyn 'nid ceiniog yn llai' yn ystod refferendwm 2016. Mae'n amlwg bod hon yn addewid nad yw Llywodraeth y DU wedi ei hanrhydeddu na'i chyflawni.
Yn ogystal â thynnu sylw at ddiffyg uniondeb, mae gan y penderfyniad hwn ganlyniadau dwys hefyd—canlyniadau dwys i'r arian sydd ar gael i ni yma yn Senedd Cymru i ariannu'r prosiectau a'r seilwaith sydd mor fuddiol i'r bobl rydym ni'n eu cynrychioli. Mae hwn yn bwnc yr wyf wedi gallu ei archwilio dro ar ôl tro drwy'r grŵp trawsbleidiol ar gymunedau diwydiannol, yr wyf yn ei gadeirio. Rwy'n croesawu'r ffordd y mae'r grŵp wedi gallu cyfrannu at y ddadl, gan weithio'n barchus gyda chyd-Aelodau o San Steffan a'r Alban mewn ffordd y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi methu â gwneud yn amlwg, a hefyd, gan dynnu ar arbenigedd grwpiau fel y Gynghrair Cymunedau Diwydiannol. Mae eu 'Six Principles for Streamlined Levelling-Up Funding', a gyhoeddwyd tua blwyddyn yn ôl, efallai'n allweddol yma. Mae'n dadlau nid yn unig yn erbyn gostyngiad cyffredinol mewn cyllid, ond mae'n awgrymu bod angen arian ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth y DU i sicrhau nad yw cymunedau ar eu colled, gyda ffigwr tair blynedd o ryw £15 biliwn. Galwodd am broses sy'n annog ymrwymiadau ariannol tymor hwy, a chael gwared ar gyfyngiadau'r Trysorlys sy'n ffafrio'r tymor byr. Dylid targedu'r cyllid yn bendant iawn, dileu'r angen o orfod cynnig trwy gystadlu a symleiddio'r rheolau, ac, yn hollbwysig, rhaid parchu'r setliad datganoli yn llawn.
Oes, mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau bod cynghorau Cymru yn rhan o'r ffordd y mae'r cynlluniau hyn yn gweithredu ac yn yr hyn sy'n cael ei flaenoriaethu yn eu hardal, ond ni ddylai hynny esgeuluso llais y Seneddau datganoledig. Rydym ni'n gwybod, ac mae'r cynnig yn cydnabod, bod creu a gweithredu'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin wedi amddifadu Cymru o £1.3 biliwn. Ar ben hynny, mae'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin wedi profi i fod yn llai o faint, yn llai hyblyg ac yn fwy cyfyng o ran cwmpas na'r cyllid yr UE yr honnir y mae'n ei ddisodli. Gyda chyllid yr UE roedd modd mabwysiadu dull rhanbarthol cydweithredol cydgysylltiedig o lunio polisïau, yn enwedig ym maes datblygu economaidd. Yn hytrach, yn lle hynny, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi dewis ymgorffori model cyllido Darwinaidd peryglus a niweidiol. Nododd y Sefydliad Llywodraethu fod cynghorau, hyd yn oed cyn rownd 3 o ffyniant bro, wedi gwastraffu, heb unrhyw fai arnyn nhw eu hunain, o leiaf £27 miliwn ar y weithred fiwrocrataidd o baratoi ceisiadau. I ddyfynnu o chwe egwyddor Cynghrair y Cymunedau Diwydiannol, mae cynnig cystadleuol rhwng awdurdodau lleol yn wastraffus iawn o ran amser ac adnoddau ac nid yw'n dda iawn am gyflawni canlyniadau.
Mae'r Sefydliad Materion Cymreig a'r Gymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol hefyd wedi beirniadu'r agwedd hon ar ddull Hunger Games y cynllun—
Would you give way?
A wnewch chi ildio?
—to public service delivery.
—i ddarparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus.
You refer to delivering outcomes. Are you aware that the three tranches of European funding that Wales received were only supposed to be temporary? It was only for areas of west Wales and the Valleys, including four north Wales councils, where GDP or prosperity per head was below three quarters of the EU average. And Wales only continued to get this temporary funding because, unlike other parts of Europe that received it, it didn't close that prosperity gap, it remained below 75 per cent in those west Wales and the Valleys areas, and because the Welsh Government instead used it as recurrent core funding rather than for the intended purpose.
Rydych chi'n cyfeirio at gyflawni canlyniadau. Ydych chi'n ymwybodol mai dim ond dros dro oedd y tair cyfran o gyllid Ewropeaidd a dderbyniodd Cymru i fod? Dim ond ar gyfer ardaloedd yng ngorllewin Cymru a'r Cymoedd yr oedd, gan gynnwys pedwar cyngor yn y gogledd, lle'r oedd GDP neu ffyniant y pen yn is na thri chwarter cyfartaledd yr UE. A gwnaeth Cymru barhau i gael y cyllid dros dro hwn dim ond oherwydd, yn wahanol i rannau eraill o Ewrop a'i derbyniodd, na wnaeth gau'r bwlch ffyniant hwnnw, arhosodd yn is na 75 y cant yn yr ardaloedd hynny yn y gorllewin a'r Cymoedd, ac oherwydd bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei ddefnyddio fel cyllid craidd rheolaidd yn hytrach nag at y diben a fwriadwyd.
Well, I'd say that that's a failure of the United Kingdom's unequal governance there. I would also point to the fact that my constituency of Cynon Valley, which previously had relied on European structural funds as a lifeline, has not received a single penny from the UK Government's levelling-up fund. I think that speaks volumes.
But to go back to the argument that I was following, in terms of this Hunger Games approach to public service delivery, the outcome of this process is a situation whereby localised projects are favoured rather than those wide-scale transformative initiatives that this money could be used to support. It leads to a postcode lottery where certain opportunities are only available in certain areas and, crucially, a fragmented environment for business support and skills provision. That is just not good enough. The Welsh Government has been at the forefront in arguing that Wales can and should expect more. In particular, I want to thank the economy Minister who has championed this issue and tried to ensure that a more evidence-based collaborative approach is adopted. I know, when the Minister spoke to the cross-party group back in October 2022, reference was made to the Welsh Government seeking a process that embedded recognition of the Welsh index of multiple deprivation, for example.
Finally, I want to recognise the positive statement from Keir Starmer that a Labour Government in Westminster will restore the decision-making role for Wales on the replacement of structural funds. As Keir said when making the announcement, it's time for Wales to take back control.
Wel, byddwn i'n dweud bod hynny'n fethiant llywodraethu anghyfartal y Deyrnas Unedig yn hynny o beth. Byddwn hefyd yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith nad yw fy etholaeth i, Cwm Cynon, a oedd wedi dibynnu ar gronfeydd strwythurol Ewropeaidd yn flaenorol fel cyllid annhepgor, wedi derbyn un geiniog o gronfa ffyniant bro Llywodraeth y DU. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n yn dweud y cyfan.
Ond i fynd yn ôl at y ddadl roeddwn i'n ei dilyn, o ran y dull Hunger Games hwn o ddarparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, mae canlyniad y broses hon yn sefyllfa lle mae prosiectau lleol yn cael eu ffafrio yn hytrach na'r mentrau trawsnewidiol eang hynny y gellid defnyddio'r arian hwn i'w cefnogi. Mae'n arwain at loteri cod post lle mae rhai cyfleoedd ar gael mewn rhai meysydd yn unig ac, yn hollbwysig, amgylchedd tameidiog ar gyfer cymorth busnes a darparu sgiliau. Nid yw hynny'n ddigon da. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod ar flaen y gad wrth ddadlau y gall ac y dylai Cymru ddisgwyl mwy. Yn benodol, hoffwn ddiolch i Weinidog yr economi sydd wedi hyrwyddo'r mater hwn ac wedi ceisio sicrhau bod dull cydweithredol mwy seiliedig ar dystiolaeth yn cael ei fabwysiadu. Rwy'n gwybod, pan siaradodd y Gweinidog â'r grŵp trawsbleidiol yn ôl ym mis Hydref 2022, cyfeiriwyd at Lywodraeth Cymru yn ceisio proses a oedd yn ymgorffori cydnabyddiaeth o fynegai amddifadedd lluosog Cymru, er enghraifft.
Yn olaf, hoffwn gydnabod y datganiad cadarnhaol gan Keir Starmer y bydd Llywodraeth Lafur yn San Steffan yn adfer y swyddogaeth o wneud penderfyniadau i Gymru o ran cael rhywbeth yn lle'r cronfeydd strwythurol. Fel y dywedodd Keir wrth wneud y cyhoeddiad, mae'n bryd i Gymru adfer rheolaeth.
Galwaf ar Weinidog yr Economi i ymateb i'r ddadl.
I call on the Minister for Economy to reply to the debate.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I thank Members who contributed to this debate today, and indeed have maintained scrutiny of this topic in recent years? I welcome the fact that there were a number of constructive contributions from across the Chamber. Looking ahead, I think one of the points that I'd just raise is, for example, the design and the delivery of the funds, not just the sum and the size of them, but actually how they're being delivered. And to pick up the point that Carolyn Thomas made on Multiply, it doesn't just cross over an area that is plainly devolved; because of its annual nature of funding, you can't design a rolling programme of activity, and it was deliberately designed in a way where it can't work alongside devolved programmes and intervention. And that is much more likely to be a wasteful spend of public money, or, actually, the potential that money will simply be returned to the Treasury. That is not what levelling-up funds were supposed to do.
As we wind those levelling-up schemes down towards the end of the year, it is vital to learn lessons from the failure to invest within the Welsh economy and not to work with us as meaningful partners in joint decision making. There are some areas where the Welsh and UK Governments could work together, where there is a crossover in what is devolved and what is not. Levelling-up funds are almost all entirely devolved. But, if you look at where we have managed to provide an area of constructive engagement, once we got over the shouting—and someone was mentioned who was demanding we accept a free port for £8 million as an annual sum—we actually got to the point where we had the same amount of money as English free ports, we had the same amount of money for investment zones in Wales. We managed to do that because of the way that we worked in this Government and we stood up for Wales in doing so. It was a pragmatic approach that actually ensured that Welsh priorities are now reflected in a jointly agreed statement for investment zones and free ports—what people are required to deliver against together, in a way that is consistent with our economic mission, that will contribute to our net-zero ambitions, will meet our duties in the future generations Act and, as I say, a parity of funding and, crucially, to promote fair work. You won't see that commitment in English free ports or investment zones.
However, it is undeniable that the UK Government choosing to bypass the Welsh Government and this Senedd with regional development funds combined with unmet funding promises creates significant gaps in investments in different regions of Wales. The most obvious example is what's happened with apprenticeship spend. That money simply isn't there any more. We don't have the additional tens of millions of pounds every year to maintain and protect the programme. If people think that money is there, I'd really be interested in understanding where that money should go from to move into that programme.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelodau a gyfrannodd at y ddadl hon heddiw, ac sydd yn wir wedi parhau i graffu ar y pwnc hwn yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf? Rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith y bu nifer o gyfraniadau adeiladol o bob rhan o'r Siambr. Wrth edrych ymlaen, rwy'n credu mai un o'r pwyntiau y byddwn i'n eu codi yw, er enghraifft, dyluniad a darparu'r cronfeydd, nid yn unig eu swm a'u maint, ond mewn gwirionedd sut y cânt eu darparu. Ac i godi'r pwynt a wnaeth Carolyn Thomas ynghylch Lluosi, nid yw'n croesi ardal sydd wedi'i datganoli'n glir; oherwydd ei natur flynyddol o gyllid, ni allwch chi ddylunio rhaglen dreigl o weithgarwch, ac fe'i cynlluniwyd yn fwriadol mewn ffordd lle na all weithio ochr yn ochr â rhaglenni ac ymyrraeth ddatganoledig. Ac mae hynny'n llawer mwy tebygol o fod yn wariant gwastraffus o arian cyhoeddus, neu, mewn gwirionedd, y potensial y bydd yr arian hwnnw'n cael ei ddychwelyd i'r Trysorlys. Nid dyna beth oedd diben cronfeydd ffyniant bro.
Wrth i ni ddirwyn y cynlluniau ffyniant bro hynny i ben tua diwedd y flwyddyn, mae'n hanfodol dysgu gwersi o'r methiant i fuddsoddi yn economi Cymru a pheidio â gweithio gyda ni fel partneriaid ystyrlon wrth wneud penderfyniadau ar y cyd. Mae rhai meysydd lle gallai Llywodraeth Cymru a'r DU gydweithio, lle mae gorgyffwrdd yn yr hyn sydd wedi'i ddatganoli a'r hyn sydd ddim. Mae cronfeydd ffyniant bro bron i gyd wedi'u datganoli'n llwyr. Ond, os edrychwch chi ar ble rydym ni wedi llwyddo i ddarparu maes o ymgysylltu adeiladol, unwaith i ni roi gorau i'r gweiddi—a soniwyd am rywun a oedd yn mynnu ein bod yn derbyn porthladd rhydd am £8 miliwn fel swm blynyddol—fe gyrhaeddon ni i'r pwynt lle roedd gennym ni'r un faint o arian â phorthladdoedd rhydd yn Lloegr, roedd gennym ni'r un faint o arian ar gyfer parthau buddsoddi yng Nghymru. Fe lwyddon ni i wneud hynny oherwydd y ffordd roedden ni'n gweithio yn y Llywodraeth hon ac fe wnaethon ni sefyll dros Gymru wrth wneud hynny. Roedd yn ddull pragmatig a sicrhaodd mewn gwirionedd fod blaenoriaethau Cymru bellach yn cael eu hadlewyrchu mewn datganiad y cytunwyd arno ar y cyd ar gyfer parthau buddsoddi a phorthladdoedd rhydd—yr hyn y mae'n ofynnol i bobl ei gyflawni gyda'i gilydd, mewn ffordd sy'n gyson â'n cenhadaeth economaidd, a fydd yn cyfrannu at ein huchelgeisiau sero-net, yn cyflawni ein dyletswyddau yn Neddf cenedlaethau'r dyfodol ac, fel y dywedais i, cydraddoldeb o ran cyllid ac, yn hollbwysig, hyrwyddo gwaith teg. Ni fyddwch yn gweld yr ymrwymiad hwnnw ym mhorthladdoedd rhydd Lloegr neu barthau buddsoddi.
Fodd bynnag, ni ellir gwadu bod Llywodraeth y DU sy'n dewis osgoi Llywodraeth Cymru a'r Senedd hon gyda chronfeydd datblygu rhanbarthol ynghyd ag addewidion cyllid heb eu diwallu yn creu bylchau buddsoddi sylweddol mewn gwahanol ranbarthau yng Nghymru. Yr enghraifft amlycaf yw'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd gyda gwariant ar brentisiaethau. Yn syml, nid yw'r arian hwn ar gael mwyach. Nid oes gennym ni'r degau o filiynau o bunnoedd ychwanegol bob blwyddyn i gynnal a diogelu'r rhaglen. Os yw pobl yn meddwl bod arian ar gael, byddai gen i ddiddordeb mawr deall o ble ddylai'r arian hwnnw ddod i'w symud i'r rhaglen honno.
Would the Minister give way on that point?
A wnaiff y Gweinidog ildio ar y pwynt yna?
I will.
Fe wna i.
He's making a very good point, but we shouldn't be thinking that it's just Labour Ministers making this point as well. Paul talked about grown-up Government earlier on and working between Governments within the UK, and it's a valid point, but what is a surprise is that the proposals by the UK Government that we've seen in the recent couple of years, post Brexit, have completely bypassed the Dunlop review, commissioned by the UK Government, which specifically said that when you deal with issues that nudge onto or are totally within devolved competence areas, you should work with the devolved Government to do it. There is the other question as well, Paul, I would say, and, Minister, I'd be grateful for your thoughts on this, as to the aspect of whether there is the competence and the networks in the UK Government, who haven't seen this scale of investment for a long, long time, that we actually have here established in Wales already.
Mae'n gwneud pwynt da iawn, ond ni ddylem ni fod yn meddwl mai Gweinidogion Llafur yn unig sy'n gwneud y pwynt hwn hefyd. Siaradodd Paul am y Llywodraeth aeddfed yn gynharach a gweithio rhwng Llywodraethau yn y DU, ac mae'n bwynt dilys, ond yr hyn sy'n syndod yw bod y cynigion gan Lywodraeth y DU a welsom ni yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ar ôl Brexit, wedi osgoi adolygiad Dunlop yn llwyr, a gomisiynwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU, a ddywedodd yn benodol pan fyddwch chi'n ymdrin â materion sy'n ffinio â meysydd cymhwysedd datganoledig neu sydd o fewn y meysydd hynny'n llwyr, fe ddylech chi weithio gyda'r Llywodraeth ddatganoledig i wneud hynny. Mae'r cwestiwn arall hefyd, Paul, byddwn i'n ei ddweud, a, Gweinidog, byddwn yn ddiolchgar o glywed eich barn ynghylch hyn, o ran yr agwedd ynghylch a oes cymhwysedd a'r rhwydweithiau yn Llywodraeth y DU, nad ydyn nhw wedi gweld y raddfa hon o fuddsoddiad ers amser maith, yr ydyn ni wedi ei sefydlu yma yng Nghymru eisoes.
It's one of the sadnesses that, in pragmatic terms, it's undone lots of that good work. It's gone back to a piecemeal approach, it's chosen deliberately not to work with the Welsh Government, to exclude us not just from making decisions about the funds, but, actually, when local authorities asked the UK Government if they could themselves put together an all-Wales programme, they were told they couldn't. That is what has happened in the choices about how the money has been spent. And yes, they have had to try and create an entire new network in areas they are not responsible for, rather than actually working with us, and that is a wasteful use of public resources; it is a wasteful disregard of the expertise that has been built up. He's too shy to say it, but these are lessons that Alun Davies learnt when he was formerly a Minister for European funding programmes, looking at the rather piecemeal approach to then get a more strategic approach for how we use the money, lessons this Senedd, including committees that Paul Davies took part in, urged us to learn in a further round of European funds that now have not come to Wales.
As Vikki Howells said, we were promised on the floor of this Chamber, and, indeed, outside, that Wales would not lose a single penny in replacement EU funds. We all know that simply isn't true. Wales now has significantly less say over less money.
I'm hopeful that next year will bring a fresh opportunity to develop a better approach and better outcomes for our communities, one that is aligned with our ongoing work with the OECD on regional development in Wales, and a new framework for investment to be developed in partnership with our stakeholders. I look forward to a change at the UK Government that respects devolution, this Senedd and this Welsh Government and our mandate from the people who vote for us. As has been mentioned earlier, it is time that the powers and the money were restored to Wales, where they belong. We could achieve so much more and do so much more than the current levelling-up approach. I ask you to support the motion before us today.
Mae'n un o'r agweddau trist hynny sydd, mewn termau pragmatig, yn dadwneud llawer o'r gwaith da hwnnw. Mae wedi mynd yn ôl at ddull tameidiog, mae wedi cael ei ddewis yn fwriadol i beidio â gweithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru, i'n heithrio nid yn unig rhag gwneud penderfyniadau am y cronfeydd ond, mewn gwirionedd, pan ofynnodd awdurdodau lleol i Lywodraeth y DU a allen nhw eu hunain lunio rhaglen Cymru gyfan, dywedwyd wrthyn nhw na allen nhw wneud hynny. Dyna sydd wedi digwydd yn y dewisiadau ynglŷn â sut mae'r arian wedi cael ei wario. A do, maen nhw wedi gorfod ceisio creu rhwydwaith cwbl newydd mewn meysydd nad ydyn nhw'n gyfrifol amdanyn nhw, yn hytrach na gweithio gyda ni mewn gwirionedd, ac mae hynny'n ddefnydd gwastraffus o adnoddau cyhoeddus; mae'n ddiystyriad gwastraffus o'r arbenigedd sydd wedi'i feithrin. Mae'n rhy swil i ddweud hyn, ond mae'r rhain yn wersi a ddysgodd Alun Davies pan oedd gynt yn Weinidog rhaglenni cyllido Ewropeaidd, yn edrych ar y dull tameidiog braidd i gael dull mwy strategol wedyn ar gyfer sut rydym ni'n defnyddio'r arian, gwersi yr anogodd y Senedd hon, gan gynnwys pwyllgorau y cymerodd Paul Davies ran ynddynt, i'w dysgu mewn rownd arall o gronfeydd Ewropeaidd nad ydyn nhw bellach wedi dod i Gymru.
Fel y dywedodd Vikki Howells, cawsom addewid ar lawr y Siambr hon, ac, yn wir, y tu allan, na fyddai Cymru'n colli un geiniog mewn cronfeydd a fyddai'n disodli rhai yr UE. Rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod nad yw hynny'n wir. Erbyn hyn mae gan Gymru lawer llai o lais dros lai o arian.
Rwy'n obeithiol y bydd y flwyddyn nesaf yn dod â chyfle newydd i ddatblygu gwell dull gweithredu a chanlyniadau gwell i'n cymunedau, un sy'n cyd-fynd â'n gwaith parhaus gyda'r Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd ar ddatblygu rhanbarthol yng Nghymru, a fframwaith newydd ar gyfer datblygu buddsoddiad mewn partneriaeth â'n rhanddeiliaid. Edrychaf ymlaen at newid yn Llywodraeth y DU sy'n parchu datganoli, y Senedd hon a'r Llywodraeth hon sydd gan Gymru a'n mandad gan y bobl sy'n pleidleisio drosom ni. Fel y soniwyd yn gynharach, mae'n bryd i'r pwerau a'r arian gael eu hadfer i Gymru, lle maen nhw'n perthyn. Gallem gyflawni cymaint mwy a gwneud cymaint mwy na'r dull codi'r gwastad presennol. Gofynnaf ichi gefnogi'r cynnig sydd ger ein bron heddiw.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn gwelliant 1? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Oes. Gohiriaf y bleidlais o dan yr eitem hon tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
The proposal is to agree amendment 1. Does any Member object? [Objection.] Yes. I will therefore defer voting under this item until voting time.
Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Voting deferred until voting time.
Rydym wedi cyrraedd y cyfnod pledleisio. Oni bai fod tri Aelod yn dymuno i mi ganu'r gloch, symudaf yn syth i'r cyfnod pleidleisio. Bydd y bleidlais gyntaf ar welliant 1, a galwaf am bleidlais ar welliant 1, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Darren Millar. Os derbynnir gwelliant 1, caiff gwelliannau 2 a 3 eu dad-ddethol. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 14, neb yn ymatal, 37 yn erbyn. Felly, mae gwelliant 1 wedi ei wrthod.
That brings us to voting time. Unless three Members wish for the bell to be run, I will move immediately to voting time. The first vote will be on amendment 1. I call for a vote on amendment 1, tabled in the name of Darren Millar. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be deselected. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 14, no abstentions, 37 against. Therefore, amendment 1 is not agreed.
Eitem 7. Dadl: Ffyniant Bro. Gwelliant 1, cyflwynwyd yn enw Darren Millar: O blaid: 14, Yn erbyn: 37, Ymatal: 0
Gwrthodwyd y gwelliant
Item 7. Debate: Levelling-up. Amendment 1, tabled in the name of Darren Millar: For: 14, Against: 37, Abstain: 0
Amendment has been rejected
Galwaf am bleidlais yn awr ar welliant 2, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rhun ap Iorwerth.
I now call for a vote on amendment 2, tabled in the name of Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Carolyn, are you still not voting? Orally—we'll do an oral vote then, okay.
Carolyn, ydych chi'n dal ddim yn pleidleisio? Ar lafar—fe wnawn ni bleidlais lafar felly, iawn.
Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 11, neb yn ymatal, 40 yn erbyn. Felly, mae gwelliant 2 wedi ei wrthod.
Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 11, no abstentions, 40 against. Therefore, amendment 2 is not agreed.
Eitem 7. Dadl: Ffyniant Bro. Gwelliant 2, cyflwynwyd yn enw Rhun ap Iorwerth: O blaid: 11, Yn erbyn: 40, Ymatal: 0
Gwrthodwyd y gwelliant
Item 7. Debate: Levelling-up. Amendment 2, tabled in the name of Rhun ap Iorwerth: For: 11, Against: 40, Abstain: 0
Amendment has been rejected
Galwaf yn awr am bleidlais ar welliant 3, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rhun ap Iorwerth. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 11, neb yn ymatal, 40 yn erbyn. Felly, mae gwelliant 3 wedi ei wrthod hefyd.
I now call for a vote on amendment 3, tabled in the name of Rhun ap Iorwerth. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 11, no abstentions, 40 against. Therefore, amendment 3 is not agreed.
Eitem 7. Dadl: Ffyniant Bro. Gwelliant 3, cyflwynwyd yn enw Rhun ap Iorwerth: O blaid: 11, Yn erbyn: 40, Ymatal: 0
Gwrthodwyd y gwelliant
Item 7. Debate: Levelling-up. Amendment 3, tabled in the name of Rhun ap Iorwerth: For: 11, Against: 40, Abstain: 0
Amendment has been rejected
Galwaf yn awr am bleidlais ar y cynnig heb ei ddiwygio, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Lesley Griffiths. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 37, neb yn ymatal, 14 yn erbyn. Felly, mae'r cynnig wedi ei dderbyn.
I now call for a vote on the motion, tabled in the name of Lesley Griffiths. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 37, no abstentions, 14 against. Therefore, the motion is agreed.
Eitem 7. Dadl: Ffyniant Bro. Cynnig: O blaid: 37, Yn erbyn: 14, Ymatal: 0
Derbyniwyd y cynnig
Item 7. Debate: Levelling-up. Motion: For: 37, Against: 14, Abstain: 0
Motion has been agreed
A daw hynny â thrafodion heddiw i ben. Diolch yn fawr.
And that brings today's proceedings to a close. Thank you.
Daeth y cyfarfod i ben am 16:58.
The meeting ended at 16:58.