Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
16/04/2024Cynnwys
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 nôl i bawb i'r Senedd.
Good afternoon and welcome back to the Senedd.
Before I call the new First Minister to answer his first set of questions, this is the first time that I've had personally to congratulate Vaughan Gething on his election as First Minister.
Cyn galw'r Prif Weinidog newydd i ateb ei gyfres gyntaf o gwestiynau, dyma'r tro cyntaf yr wyf i wedi ei gael yn bersonol i longyfarch Vaughan Gething ar gael ei ethol yn Brif Weinidog.
Llongyfarchiadau a phob dymuniad da.
Many congratulations. I wish you well.
It may surprise a few of you to know that I worked out this morning that I've known Vaughan Gething longer than I've known any other Member of this Senedd. When I was mayor of Aberystwyth back in the last century, Vaughan was the president of the student union in Aberystwyth, and, for the record, there'll be no obvious favouritism for graduates of Aberystwyth University in this Chamber. [Laughter.]
Efallai y bydd yn syndod i rai ohonoch chi wybod fy mod i wedi gweithio allan y bore yma fy mod wedi adnabod Vaughan Gething yn hirach nag yr wyf i wedi adnabod unrhyw Aelod arall o'r Senedd hon. Pan oeddwn i'n faer Aberystwyth yn ôl yn y ganrif ddiwethaf, Vaughan oedd llywydd undeb y myfyrwyr yn Aberystwyth, ac, ar gyfer y cofnod, ni fydd ffafriaeth amlwg i raddedigion Prifysgol Aberystwyth yn y Siambr hon. [Chwerthin.]
Felly, cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, i'w hateb gan Vaughan Gething, a'r cwestiwn cyntaf, Russell George.
So, we'll move to questions to the First Minister, to be answered by Vaughan Gething, and the first question is from Russell George.
1. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am sut y bydd y Bil Seilwaith (Cymru) yn effeithio ar sir Drefaldwyn? OQ60916
1. Will the First Minister make a statement on how the Infrastructure (Wales) Bill will impact Montgomeryshire? OQ60916
Thank you for the question. The Bill will establish a new, simplified consenting process for significant infrastructure projects, which will benefit all of Wales. It will help the timely delivery of essential infrastructure projects that make a positive contribution towards our social, economic and environmental prosperity, indeed in addition to our net-zero ambitions, while providing opportunities for enhanced community engagement.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Bydd y Bil yn sefydlu proses gydsynio symlach newydd ar gyfer prosiectau seilwaith sylweddol, a fydd o fudd i Gymru gyfan. Bydd yn helpu'r ddarpariaeth brydlon o brosiectau seilwaith hanfodol sy'n gwneud cyfraniad cadarnhaol tuag at ein ffyniant cymdeithasol, economaidd ac amgylcheddol, yn wir yn ogystal â'n huchelgeisiau sero net, gan gynnig cyfleoedd ar gyfer ymgysylltu cymunedol gwell.
Thank you for your answer, First Minister, and congratulations on your new post. My significant concern and opposition to this Bill is that, despite the claimed aims of the Bill to empower communities to better understand and engage people across Wales in large-scale projects, particularly when they have concerns with those large-scale planning applications, the Bill does not do that at all. The Bill does not tell us key details about the pre-application consultation and publicity, about how applications for infrastructure consent are to be made, time frames, the form of consent and local impact reports, how open-floor hearings will be triggered, the examination procedure. I could go on, but there's a lack of detail on the face of the Bill, and many of the provisions, of course, in the Bill will be decided by Welsh Ministers later once the Bill is passed, if it is passed later today.
So, you will be aware, First Minister, of my long-held views in terms of opposing the industrialisation of the mid Wales landscape with hundreds of onshore wind turbines and the associated infrastructure that comes with that, which I certainly believe will be devastating for the tourism industry in mid Wales. So, First Minister, can you set out how the people of mid Wales will be able to voice their views and play a part in deciding what infrastructure is built and where it is located? And can you explain how, in your view, this Bill will empower local communities and increase their voice in the planning process?
Diolch am eich ateb, Prif Weinidog, a llongyfarchiadau ar eich swydd newydd. Fy mhryder a'm gwrthwynebiad sylweddol i i'r Bil hwn, er gwaethaf nodau honedig y Bil i rymuso cymunedau i ddeall a chynnwys pobl ledled Cymru yn well mewn prosiectau graddfa fawr, yn enwedig pan fo ganddyn nhw bryderon gyda'r ceisiadau cynllunio graddfa fawr hynny, yw nad yw'r Bil yn gwneud hynny o gwbl. Nid yw'r Bil yn rhoi manylion allweddol i ni am yr ymgynghoriad a'r cyhoeddusrwydd cyn ymgeisio, am sut y dylid gwneud ceisiadau am ganiatâd seilwaith, amserlenni, ffurf caniatâd ac adroddiadau effaith lleol, sut y bydd gwrandawiadau llawr agored yn cael eu sbarduno, y weithdrefn archwilio. Gallwn barhau, ond mae diffyg manylion ar wyneb y Bil, a bydd llawer o'r darpariaethau, wrth gwrs, yn y Bil yn cael eu penderfynu gan Weinidogion Cymru yn ddiweddarach ar ôl i'r Bil gael ei basio, os caiff ei basio yn ddiweddarach heddiw.
Felly, byddwch yn ymwybodol, Prif Weinidog, o'm safbwyntiau hirsefydlog o ran gwrthwynebu diwydiannu tirwedd y canolbarth gyda channoedd o dyrbinau gwynt ar y tir a'r seilwaith cysylltiedig sy'n dod yn sgil hynny, a fydd, yn sicr, yn fy marn i, yn drychinebus i'r diwydiant twristiaeth yn y canolbarth. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi nodi sut y bydd pobl y canolbarth yn gallu lleisio eu barn a chwarae rhan wrth benderfynu pa seilwaith sy'n cael ei adeiladu a lle mae wedi'i leoli? Ac a allwch esbonio sut, yn eich barn chi, y bydd y Bil hwn yn grymuso cymunedau lleol ac yn cynyddu eu llais yn y broses gynllunio?
I don't accept the great majority of the Member's criticisms and comments about the Bill. It's actually been designed to offer a transparent and thorough and consistent consenting process across Wales that will allow local communities to better understand and effectively engage in decisions that affect them. I'd encourage the Member—indeed, all Members—and other stakeholders to engage in the forthcoming consultations that will be associated with the implementation of this Bill to help further shape the consenting process.
I, in particular, don't share his view about the industrialisation of the mid Wales landscape. This is actually about the balance between the requirement to generate energy in a different way and to have a balance with the environment and our landscape. And you can see what happens if you take a hard approach to prevent us actually taking advantage of our on- and offshore assets. When England undertook a ban in 2015—it prevented onshore wind development—it actually cost UK bill payers £180 extra. That's because of our additional reliance on gas, which is not just bad for the planet, but actually bad for bills. There's the balance to be struck about the environment, about landscape, but our ongoing climate responsibilities as well.
Nid wyf i'n derbyn y mwyafrif helaeth o feirniadaethau a sylwadau'r Aelod ar y Bil. Ei fwriad mewn gwirionedd yw cynnig proses gydsynio dryloyw a thrylwyr a chyson ledled Cymru a fydd yn caniatáu i gymunedau lleol ddeall yn well a chymryd rhan yn effeithiol mewn penderfyniadau sy'n effeithio arnyn nhw. Byddwn yn annog yr Aelod—yn wir, yr holl Aelodau—a rhanddeiliaid eraill i gymryd rhan yn yr ymgynghoriadau sydd ar fin cael eu cynnal a fydd yn gysylltiedig â gweithredu'r Bil hwn i helpu i lunio'r broses gydsynio ymhellach.
Nid wyf i, yn arbennig, yn rhannu ei farn am ddiwydiannu tirwedd y canolbarth. Mae hyn yn ymwneud mewn gwirionedd â'r cydbwysedd rhwng y gofyniad i gynhyrchu ynni mewn ffordd wahanol a chael cydbwysedd â'r amgylchedd a'n tirwedd. A gallwch weld yr hyn sy'n digwydd os ydych chi'n cymryd agwedd galed i'n hatal ni rhag manteisio ar ein hasedau ar y tir ac ar y môr. Pan gyflwynodd Lloegr waharddiad yn 2015—fe wnaeth atal datblygiadau ynni'r gwynt ar y tir—fe gostiodd £180 yn ychwanegol i dalwyr biliau'r DU mewn gwirionedd. Mae hynny oherwydd ein dibyniaeth ychwanegol ar nwy, sydd nid yn unig yn ddrwg i'r blaned, ond mewn gwirionedd yn ddrwg i filiau. Ceir cydbwysedd o ran yr amgylchedd, o ran tirwedd, ond o ran ein cyfrifoldebau hinsawdd parhaus hefyd.
2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y grant hanfodion ysgol? OQ60906
2. Will the First Minister provide an update on the school essentials grant? OQ60906
Thank you for the question. We are proud of the positive impact that our school essentials grant is having for children across Wales. Nearly 90 per cent of this year’s £13.6 million budget has already been taken up, and we urge eligible families to apply before the current scheme closes on 31 May.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Rydym ni'n falch o'r effaith gadarnhaol y mae ein grant hanfodion ysgol yn ei chael ar blant ledled Cymru. Manteisiwyd ar bron i 90 y cant o gyllideb £13.6 miliwn eleni eisoes, ac rydym ni'n annog teuluoedd cymwys i wneud cais cyn i'r cynllun presennol ddod i ben ar 31 Mai.
This grant—a Welsh Government initiative—is hugely important at helping families meet the costs of sending their children to school. In Mid and West Wales alone, there are at least 11,500 pupils eligible for the school essentials grant. But I recently visited a foodbank in Ammanford and was alarmed to hear from volunteers and service users that some families are being hindered in applying for the school essentials grant due to delays in applications for universal credit. These are families that are already in crisis. These delays, in my opinion, are both cruel and unnecessary, and it's hindering applications for a number of other benefits, like free school meals, housing benefit, council tax reduction, and many more. So, whilst I welcome the help that we're giving, it is at odds with those barriers that are being put in place by the UK Government, First Minister. So, what discussions is the Welsh Government having with the UK Government about the impact of these known delays, and the impact that those known delays are having on other applications, when we're trying to help people?
Mae'r grant hwn—menter gan Lywodraeth Cymru—yn eithriadol o bwysig i helpu teuluoedd i dalu costau anfon eu plant i'r ysgol. Yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru yn unig, mae o leiaf 11,500 o ddisgyblion yn gymwys ar gyfer y grant hanfodion ysgol. Ond ymwelais â banc bwyd yn Rhydaman yn ddiweddar, a chefais fy nychryn o glywed gan wirfoddolwyr a defnyddwyr y gwasanaeth bod rhai teuluoedd yn cael eu rhwystro rhag gwneud cais am y grant hanfodion ysgol oherwydd oediadau mewn ceisiadau am gredyd cynhwysol. Mae'r rhain yn deuluoedd sydd eisoes mewn argyfwng. Mae'r oediadau hyn, yn fy marn i, yn greulon ac yn ddiangen, ac mae'n rhwystro ceisiadau am nifer o fudd-daliadau eraill, fel prydau ysgol am ddim, budd-dal tai, gostyngiad yn y dreth gyngor, a llawer mwy. Felly, er fy mod i'n croesawu'r cymorth yr ydym ni'n ei roi, mae'n groes i'r rhwystrau hynny sy'n cael eu codi gan Lywodraeth y DU, Prif Weinidog. Felly, pa drafodaethau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cael gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch effaith yr oediadau hysbys hyn, a'r effaith y mae'r oediadau hysbys hynny yn ei chael ar geisiadau eraill, pan ydym ni'n ceisio helpu pobl?
I think there are two broad points in response to the Member's question and the points she makes. The first is that the school essentials grant has a real impact in helping families in need with the additional costs of making sure your child can go to school and take advantage of all the opportunities that every child should be entitled to. In fact, within this current application period, across Mid and West Wales, nearly £2 million has been paid out in school essentials grant.
The second point is that the delays from universal credit are deliberate. They're not a mistake—they're deliberately designed into the legislation. And if you think about the number of families that are potentially a month away, a pay packet away, from falling into destitution, having a deliberate five-week delay adds to the fear, adds to the concern, and is the reality of people who are facing a harder life than they should do. The benefits system should be there to support people in need, and this group of people are assessed as having an entitlement and a need to be met. We have regularly called for the five-week wait to be reduced, and, indeed, Lesley Griffiths, as the new Cabinet Secretary with the responsibility for our response to welfare reform, will no doubt be continuing to make the case to UK Ministers for a change. The sad truth is, though, that that's unlikely to be the case with the current UK Government, and it would require a change at a UK level in terms of values and decency in how we direct the benefits system, to see the sort of change I know the Member will want to see. In the interim, we carry on doing all we can and should do to make sure that families across Wales do take up what they're entitled to through the benefits system. In fact, our single advice service across Mid and West Wales, in all of 2023, ensured that more than £10 million was paid out to nearly 18,000 different claimants, to ensure they have their entitlement paid out. This Government will carry on doing the right thing to support families right across our country.
Rwy'n credu bod dau bwynt eang mewn ymateb i gwestiwn yr Aelod a'r pwyntiau y mae'n eu gwneud. Y cyntaf yw bod y grant hanfodion ysgol yn cael effaith wirioneddol o ran helpu teuluoedd mewn angen gyda'r costau ychwanegol o wneud yn siŵr bod eich plentyn yn gallu mynd i'r ysgol a manteisio ar yr holl gyfleoedd y dylai fod gan bob plentyn hawl iddyn nhw. A dweud y gwir, o fewn y cyfnod ymgeisio presennol hwn, ar draws Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru, mae bron i £2 filiwn wedi cael ei dalu mewn grant hanfodion ysgol.
Yr ail bwynt yw bod yr oediadau credyd cynhwysol yn fwriadol. Nid camgymeriad ydyn nhw—maen nhw wedi eu dylunio'n fwriadol yn rhan o'r ddeddfwriaeth. Ac os meddyliwch chi am nifer y teuluoedd sydd o bosibl fis i ffwrdd, pecyn cyflog i ffwrdd, o fynd i amddifadedd, mae cael oediad bwriadol o bum wythnos yn ychwanegu at yr ofn, yn ychwanegu at y pryder, a dyma realiti pobl sy'n wynebu bywyd anoddach nag y dylen nhw ei wynebu. Dylai'r system fudd-daliadau fod yno i gefnogi pobl mewn angen, ac asesir bod gan y grŵp hwn o bobl hawl ac angen i'w ddiwallu. Rydym ni wedi galw'n gyson i'r cyfnod aros o bum wythnos gael ei leihau, ac, yn wir, rwy'n siŵr y bydd Lesley Griffiths, fel yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet newydd â'r cyfrifoldeb am ein hymateb i ddiwygio lles, yn parhau i wneud y ddadl i Weinidogion y DU am newid. Y gwir trist, serch hynny, yw bod hynny'n annhebygol o fod yn wir gyda Llywodraeth bresennol y DU, a byddai'n gofyn am newid ar lefel y DU o ran gwerthoedd a gwedduster o ran sut rydym ni'n cyfeirio'r system fudd-daliadau, i weld y math o newid y gwn y bydd yr Aelod eisiau ei weld. Yn y cyfamser, rydym ni'n parhau i wneud popeth y gallwn ni ac y dylem ni ei wneud i wneud yn siŵr bod teuluoedd ledled Cymru yn manteisio ar yr hyn y mae ganddyn nhw hawl iddo drwy'r system fudd-daliadau. Yn wir, sicrhaodd ein gwasanaeth cyngor unigol ar draws Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru, trwy gydol 2023, fod mwy na £10 miliwn yn cael ei dalu i bron i 18,000 o wahanol hawlwyr, er mwyn sicrhau bod eu hawl yn cael ei dalu. Bydd y Llywodraeth hon yn parhau i wneud y peth iawn i gynorthwyo teuluoedd ledled ein gwlad gyfan.
First Minister, free-school-meal eligibility was used as an indicator to see which families were able to access the pupil development grant. As the roll-out of universal free school meals continues, the data of who will be eligible will become less and less accurate. The previous education Minister said in a statement that this would be kept under review. I'd be interested to know from you today what mechanisms the Government is planning to use in the future to ensure that it has the most up-to-date information to ensure that those most in need get the support that they require.
Prif Weinidog, defnyddiwyd cymhwysedd am brydau ysgol am ddim fel dangosydd i weld pa deuluoedd oedd yn gallu cael mynediad at y grant datblygu disgyblion. Wrth i brydau ysgol am ddim cyffredinol barhau i gael eu cyflwyno, bydd y data ar bwy fydd yn gymwys yn dod yn llai ac yn llai cywir. Dywedodd y Gweinidog addysg blaenorol mewn datganiad y byddai hyn yn cael ei adolygu'n barhaus. Byddai gen i ddiddordeb mewn gwybod gennych chi heddiw pa ddulliau y mae'r Llywodraeth yn bwriadu eu defnyddio yn y dyfodol i sicrhau bod ganddi'r wybodaeth fwyaf cyfredol i sicrhau bod y rhai sydd fwyaf mewn angen yn cael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw.
We'll continue to have those conversations with the new Cabinet Secretary for Education, about how we ensure the free-school-meal entitlement is provided, and the gateway that that then provides, in terms of the children in need, continues to guide how we spend the pupil development grant. I'd like to have partners in the UK Government who recognise the same requirement to support families in need, and, as Joyce Watson pointed out, having a deliberate five-week delay to universal credit actually pushes more families in need into greater financial difficulty. I'd welcome the opportunity to work with Members across this Chamber to ensure that not only do we properly direct our own resources here in Wales, but we have a UK Government that is similarly committed to doing the right thing and supporting not punishing families in need.
Byddwn yn parhau i gael y sgyrsiau hynny gyda'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet newydd dros Addysg, ynghylch sut rydym ni'n sicrhau bod yr hawl i brydau ysgol am ddim yn cael ei ddarparu, a'r porth y mae hwnnw'n ei ddarparu wedyn, o ran y plant mewn angen, yn parhau i lywio sut rydym ni'n gwario'r grant datblygu disgyblion. Hoffwn gael partneriaid yn Llywodraeth y DU sy'n cydnabod yr un gofyniad i gynorthwyo teuluoedd mewn angen, ac, fel y nododd Joyce Watson, mae cael oediad bwriadol o bum wythnos i gredyd cynhwysol yn gwthio mwy o deuluoedd mewn angen i fwy o drafferthion ariannol. Byddwn yn croesawu'r cyfle i weithio gydag Aelodau ar draws y Siambr hon i sicrhau nid yn unig ein bod ni'n cyfeirio ein hadnoddau ein hunain yn briodol yma yng Nghymru, ond bod gennym ni Lywodraeth y DU sydd yr un mor ymrwymedig i wneud y peth iawn a chynorthwyo nid cosbi teuluoedd mewn angen.
Good afternoon, First Minister. I warmly welcome the Welsh Government's continued support for the school essentials grant, and I do echo the sentiments of my colleague Joyce Watson. Focusing in, though, on the school essentials grant and what Wales can do, I was very concerned to read a report from the Bevan Foundation that highlighted how most local authorities are currently excluding children from the school essentials grant based solely on their immigration status, particularly those families who have no recourse to public funds. This is really concerning. These are our poorest families who are stigmatised and traumatised already, and the fact that the families cannot access this really important fund is concerning. So, I would just like to ask you whether you're able to do anything about it to ensure that the Welsh Government does make sure that all children, including those children who have a different immigration status, can access the school essentials grant. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Prif Weinidog. Rwy'n croesawu'n gynnes cefnogaeth barhaus Llywodraeth Cymru i'r grant hanfodion ysgol, ac rwy'n adleisio safbwyntiau fy nghyd-Aelod, Joyce Watson. Gan ganolbwyntio, fodd bynnag, ar y grant hanfodion ysgol a'r hyn y gall Cymru ei wneud, roeddwn i'n bryderus iawn o ddarllen adroddiad gan Sefydliad Bevan a amlygodd sut y mae'r rhan fwyaf o awdurdodau lleol ar hyn o bryd yn eithrio plant o'r grant hanfodion ysgol yn seiliedig ar eu statws mewnfudo yn unig, yn enwedig y teuluoedd hynny nad oes ganddyn nhw unrhyw hawl i arian cyhoeddus. Mae hyn yn peri pryder mawr. Y rhain yw ein teuluoedd tlotaf sydd wedi'u stigmateiddio a'u trawmateiddio eisoes, ac mae'r ffaith na all y teuluoedd gael mynediad at y gronfa bwysig iawn hon yn peri pryder. Felly, hoffwn ofyn i chi a allwch chi wneud unrhyw beth yn ei gylch i sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud yn siŵr bod pob plentyn, gan gynnwys y plant hynny sydd â gwahanol statws mewnfudo, yn gallu cael mynediad at y grant hanfodion ysgol. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
I think it's an important point that Jane Dodds makes about the reality for people who have no recourse to public funds and the potential for them to become destitute. What we have done is we've taken a number of steps to clarify the information on our own Welsh Government website. We've also shared that information with local authorities, explicitly making clear that asylum-seeking children are eligible for the school essentials grant, but, more than that, encouraging them to look again at their discretionary powers that do exist to ensure, for example, that they can provide free school meals to children from families who don't have recourse to public funds. The risk otherwise is those children will become destitute, they'll be hungry, and there will be poor outcomes for those children and, indeed, what it says about us as a country. So, we have already encouraged local authorities to look at those powers, and I look forward to the ongoing engagement we all have with them, and the new Cabinet Secretary for Education, to ensure that no child goes to school hungry.
Rwy'n credu ei fod yn bwynt pwysig y mae Jane Dodds yn ei wneud am y realiti i bobl nad oes ganddyn nhw hawl i arian cyhoeddus a'r potensial iddyn nhw ddod yn amddifad. Yr hyn yr ydym ni wedi ei wneud yw cymryd nifer o gamau i egluro'r wybodaeth ar ein gwefan Llywodraeth Cymru ein hunain. Rydym ni hefyd wedi rhannu'r wybodaeth honno gydag awdurdodau lleol, gan ei gwneud yn gwbl eglur bod plant sy'n ceisio lloches yn gymwys ar gyfer y grant hanfodion ysgol, ond, yn fwy na hynny, eu hannog i edrych eto ar eu pwerau dewisol sydd yn bodoli i sicrhau, er enghraifft, y gallan nhw ddarparu prydau ysgol am ddim i blant o deuluoedd nad oes ganddyn nhw hawl i arian cyhoeddus. Y risg fel arall yw y bydd y plant hynny'n dod yn amddifad, byddan nhw'n llwglyd, a bydd canlyniadau gwael i'r plant hynny ac, yn wir, yr hyn y mae'n ei ddweud amdanom ni fel gwlad. Felly, rydym ni eisoes wedi annog awdurdodau lleol i edrych ar y pwerau hynny, ac edrychaf ymlaen at yr ymgysylltiad parhaus sydd gennym ni i gyd â nhw, a'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet newydd dros Addysg, i sicrhau nad oes unrhyw blentyn yn mynd i'r ysgol yn llwglyd.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Questions now from party leaders. The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer, and can I also congratulate you, First Minister, on assuming the role of First Minister here in Wales? It's the first time you and I have been across the Chamber in our respective roles. The first time I met you wasn't quite as long back as the Presiding Officer, but it was in the campaign to save the Rumney rec, which you might remember, when the public meetings were held, and I'm pleased to say that facility is still in place to this day.
First Minister, on your journey to the office of First Minister, you had to undertake an election campaign in the Labour Party, where Jeremy Miles was obviously the rival in that campaign. There was a significant donation made to your campaign during that election bid. That amounted to what I assumed was £200,000. Can you confirm that that was the figure, it was £200,000, or was it a figure in excess of that from the developer-recycler David Neal?
Diolch, Llywydd, ac a gaf innau hefyd eich llongyfarch chi, Prif Weinidog, am gymryd swydd y Prif Weinidog yma yng Nghymru? Dyma'r tro cyntaf yr ydych chi a minnau wedi bod ar draws y Siambr yn ein swyddi priodol. Nid oedd y tro cyntaf i mi gyfarfod â chi mor bell yn ôl â'r Llywydd, ond roedd yn yr ymgyrch i achub rec Tredelerch, efallai eich bod yn cofio, pan gynhaliwyd y cyfarfodydd cyhoeddus, ac rwy'n falch o ddweud bod y cyfleuster hwnnw yn dal yno hyd heddiw.
Prif Weinidog, ar eich taith i swydd y Prif Weinidog, bu'n rhaid i chi ymgymryd ag ymgyrch etholiadol yn y Blaid Lafur, lle'r oedd Jeremy Miles yn amlwg yn wrthwynebydd yn yr ymgyrch honno. Gwnaed rhodd sylweddol i'ch ymgyrch yn ystod yr ymgyrch etholiad honno. Roedd hwnnw'n dod i'r hyn yr oeddwn i'n ei dybio oedd yn £200,000. A allwch chi gadarnhau mai dyna oedd y ffigur, ei fod yn £200,000, neu a oedd yn ffigur mwy na hynny gan y datblygwr-ailgylchwr, David Neal?
The figure is correct.
Mae'r ffigur yn gywir.
I'm grateful to you for confirming that you received a donation of exactly £200,000. Was all that money spent during the campaign, or was money handed over to the Labour Party at the end of the campaign so that, obviously, that money can be used within the wider Labour movement?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am gadarnhau eich bod wedi derbyn rhodd o £200,000 yn union. A wariwyd yr holl arian hwnnw yn ystod yr ymgyrch, neu a drosglwyddwyd arian i'r Blaid Lafur ar ddiwedd yr ymgyrch fel y gellir defnyddio'r arian hwnnw, yn amlwg, o fewn y mudiad Llafur ehangach?
The rules require that, in this internal Welsh Labour contest, all donations are declared and both campaigns would need to file their accounts at the end, and if there is any money left over, that would then go to Welsh Labour as a political donation. Once the accounts are filed, I've no doubt there will be continuing interest, and I look forward to being clear about that. I need to finish off the accounts for all the donations I received, of varying amounts.
Mae'r rheolau'n ei gwneud yn ofynnol, yn y gystadleuaeth Llafur Cymru fewnol hon, bod pob rhodd yn cael ei datgan a byddai angen i'r ddwy ymgyrch ffeilio eu cyfrifon ar y diwedd, ac os oes unrhyw arian dros ben, byddai hwnnw'n mynd i Lafur Cymru wedyn fel rhodd wleidyddol. Ar ôl i'r cyfrifon gael eu ffeilio, nid oes gen i unrhyw amheuaeth y bydd diddordeb parhaus, ac edrychaf ymlaen at fod yn eglur am hynny. Mae angen i mi orffen y cyfrifon ar gyfer yr holl roddion a dderbyniais, o symiau amrywiol.
In Welsh political terms, that is a huge donation that you received during your leadership campaign. You weren't successful in securing more than just a third of the Labour group here in the bay to back your leadership bid, but you were successful in making sure that a local businessman contributed nearly £0.25 million to your leadership campaign. What measures have you put in place now that you are First Minister to make sure that there is not the continuing perception that money can buy influence within your Government and a seat at the Cabinet table?
O safbwynt gwleidyddol Cymru, mae hwnna'n rhodd enfawr a gawsoch chi yn ystod eich ymgyrch arweinyddiaeth. Ni lwyddoch i sicrhau mwy na dim ond traean o'r grŵp Llafur yma yn y bae i gefnogi eich cais arweinyddiaeth, ond fe lwyddoch i wneud yn siŵr bod gŵr busnes lleol wedi cyfrannu bron i £0.25 miliwn at eich ymgyrch arweinyddiaeth. Pa fesurau ydych chi wedi eu rhoi ar waith nawr eich bod chi'n Brif Weinidog i wneud yn siŵr nad oes y dybiaeth barhaus y gall arian brynu dylanwad o fewn eich Llywodraeth a sedd wrth fwrdd y Cabinet?
I think, when you look at where we are and our adherence to the ministerial code and the requirements to separate ministerial interests from constituency ones and personal ones, this Government and every iteration of a Welsh Labour-led Government has a good track record on doing the right thing. Where there have been challenges, action has been taken. I'm very clear that I cannot and will not make any kind of ministerial choice within my constituency, as I have done throughout my time as a Minister—for example, Celsa steelworks. I believe in a future for the steel industry, as indeed does the new Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language, but I cannot and will not make choices around Celsa Steel, either in my current role or, indeed, as I have done previously. In fact, I've been scrupulous in policing the divide between constituency and ministerial interests, and I have sent back submissions that have, on limited occasions, erroneously come to me with constituency interests in them. You can expect that from all members of my Government. I only wish the same could be said for other administrations within the United Kingdom.
Rwy'n credu, pan edrychwch chi ar le'r ydym ni a'n cydymffurfiad â chod y gweinidogion a'r gofynion i wahanu buddiannau gweinidogol oddi wrth rai etholaethol a rhai personol, mae gan y Llywodraeth hon a phob fersiwn o Lywodraeth dan arweiniad Llafur Cymru hanes da o wneud y peth iawn. Lle bu heriau, cymerwyd camau. Rwy'n eglur iawn na allaf ac na fyddaf yn gwneud unrhyw fath o ddewis gweinidogol o fewn fy etholaeth, fel yr wyf i wedi ei wneud trwy gydol fy amser fel Gweinidog—er enghraifft, gwaith dur Celsa. Rwy'n credu mewn dyfodol i'r diwydiant dur, fel yn wir y mae Ysgrifennydd newydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a'r Gymraeg, ond ni allaf ac ni fyddaf yn gwneud dewisiadau ynghylch Celsa Steel, naill ai yn fy swydd bresennol neu, yn wir, fel yr wyf i wedi ei wneud yn y gorffennol. A dweud y gwir, rwyf i wedi bod yn ofalus wrth blismona'r rhaniad rhwng buddiannau etholaethol a gweinidogol, ac rwyf i wedi anfon cyflwyniadau yn ôl sydd, ar adegau prin, wedi dod ataf yn anghywir a buddiannau etholaethol ynddyn nhw. Gallwch ddisgwyl hynny gan bob aelod o'm Llywodraeth. Hoffwn pe gellid dweud yr un peth am weinyddiaethau eraill o fewn y Deyrnas Unedig.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
The leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Llywydd. Rydym ni'n croesawu'r Prif Weinidog newydd i'w sesiwn gwestiynau wythnosol cyntaf heddiw, ac rydw innau'n estyn fy llongyfarchiadau iddo fo. Ond dwi eisiau gwybod yn syth ganddo fo pa wahaniaeth mae o'n mynd i'w wneud.
Thank you, Llywydd. We do welcome the new First Minister to his first session of weekly questions, and I extend my congratulations to him. But I want to know immediately from him what difference he will make.
The new First Minister came into the job under a cloud, but at least we know that he had a skill for leveraging in money after he persuaded one individual to donate £200,000 to his leadership campaign. Now, I'm sure that the First Minister wouldn't want me to remind people of the dubious source of that money, and there will be further questions to be asked about that, but the question today is: will he be as successful with his Labour bosses?
He was recently seen sitting around Keir Starmer's shadow Cabinet table, so will he confirm whether he was just there as a photo op, or did he manage whilst he was there to get a firm pledge of fair funding for Wales if Labour win the next UK election?
Daeth y Prif Weinidog newydd i'r swydd dan gwmwl, ond rydym ni'n gwybod o leiaf bod ganddo ddawn o drosoli arian i mewn ar ôl iddo berswadio un unigolyn i roi £200,000 i'w ymgyrch arweinyddiaeth. Nawr, rwy'n siŵr na fyddai'r Prif Weinidog eisiau i mi atgoffa pobl am ffynhonnell amheus yr arian hwnnw, a bydd cwestiynau pellach i'w gofyn am hynny, ond y cwestiwn heddiw yw: a fydd ef mor llwyddiannus gyda'i benaethiaid Llafur?
Fe'i gwelwyd yn ddiweddar yn eistedd o amgylch bwrdd Cabinet gwrthblaid Keir Starmer, felly a wnaiff ef gadarnhau a oedd yno fel cyfle am lun, neu a wnaeth lwyddo tra'r oedd yno i gael addewid cadarn o gyllid teg i Gymru os bydd Llafur yn ennill etholiad nesaf y DU?
Of course, my bosses are the electors and members of the Welsh Labour family. I recognise that Mr ap Iorwerth continues to be obsessed about internal Labour Party matters, just as he was when the Member for Cardiff West was the First Minister. I look forward to an ongoing and engaged conversation with the current shadow team within Westminster. I look forward to putting my shoulder to the wheel to ensure that they are a future UK Labour Government, and that election cannot come soon enough. That would be good for Wales and good for Britain, to have two Labour Governments working together in the shared interests of the people we are privileged to serve. I look forward to being part of not just that conversation but how we govern and how we make decisions for the ambitious and fairer Wales that I want to see.
Wrth gwrs, etholwyr ac aelodau teulu Llafur Cymru yw fy mhenaethiaid. Rwy'n cydnabod bod Mr ap Iorwerth yn parhau i fod ag obsesiwn am faterion mewnol y Blaid Lafur, yn union fel pan oedd yr Aelod dros Orllewin Caerdydd yn Brif Weinidog. Edrychaf ymlaen at sgwrs barhaus ac ymroddgar â thîm presennol yr wrthblaid yn San Steffan. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at dorchi llewys i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n Llywodraeth Lafur y DU yn y dyfodol, ac ni all yr etholiad hwnnw ddod yn ddigon buan. Byddai hynny'n dda i Gymru ac yn dda i Brydain, i fod â dwy Lywodraeth Lafur yn cydweithio er budd cyffredin y bobl y mae'n fraint i ni eu gwasanaethu. Edrychaf ymlaen at fod yn rhan nid yn unig o'r sgwrs honno ond sut rydym ni'n llywodraethu a sut rydym ni'n gwneud penderfyniadau ar gyfer y Gymru uchelgeisiol a thecach yr wyf i eisiau ei gweld.
Guilty as charged of being obsessed with wanting fair funding from a UK Government of whichever colour. And it's a shame that we have a First Minister that isn't equally obsessed with pursuing that. He complains enough about the lack of funding that he has; he has a political party that are his bosses in Westminster who hope to form the next UK Government; they should be giving Wales that pledge, rather than taking votes for granted.
Now, the First Minister's predecessor did tell me many times that any incoming UK Labour Government just wouldn't know how much money they had until they took office so we shouldn't expect any fair funding pledges until then. Now, I guess the same would be true across Government—defence, for example. Yes, we need to see reasonable amounts spent on defence, but presumably, just as with funding for Wales, Labour can't say how much money they would have to put into defence. Well, apparently not. We're now told by Keir Starmer that he would increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP—a tangible, permanent funding commitment. So, there's money for weapons, but still no funding announcement for Wales. Can the First Minister perhaps explain why, and does he agree that there's real inconsistency there?
Rwy'n euog fel y cyhuddir o fod ag obsesiwn o fod eisiau cyllid teg gan Lywodraeth y DU o ba bynnag liw. Ac mae'n drueni bod gennym ni Brif Weinidog nad oes ganddo'r un obsesiwn â mynd ar drywydd hynny. Mae'n cwyno digon am y diffyg cyllid sydd ganddo; mae ganddo blaid wleidyddol sy'n benaethiaid arno yn San Steffan sy'n gobeithio ffurfio Llywodraeth nesaf y DU; dylen nhw fod yn rhoi'r addewid hwnnw i Gymru, yn hytrach na chymryd pleidleisiau yn ganiataol.
Nawr, dywedodd rhagflaenydd y Prif Weinidog wrthyf lawer gwaith na fyddai unrhyw Lywodraeth Lafur y DU newydd yn gwybod yn union faint o arian fyddai ganddyn nhw tan iddyn nhw ddod i rym, felly na ddylem ddisgwyl unrhyw addewidion ariannu teg tan hynny. Nawr, mae'n debyg y byddai'r un peth yn wir ar draws y Llywodraeth—amddiffyn, er enghraifft. Oes, mae angen i ni weld symiau rhesymol yn cael eu gwario ar amddiffyn, ond rwy'n tybio, yn union fel cyllid i Gymru, na all Llafur ddweud faint o arian fyddai ganddyn nhw i'w gyfrannu at amddiffyn. Wel, na, mae'n debyg. Dywedir wrthym ni nawr gan Keir Starmer y byddai'n cynyddu gwariant amddiffyn i 2.5 y cant o gynnyrch domestig gros—ymrwymiad ariannol pendant a pharhaol. Felly, mae arian ar gyfer arfau, ond dim cyhoeddiad ariannu ar gyfer Cymru o hyd. A all y Prif Weinidog esbonio pam, efallai, ac a yw'n cytuno bod anghysondeb gwirioneddol yno?
No, not at all. In fact, Keir Starmer has already pledged that, when it comes to former EU funds, for example, funds that were stolen away from Wales, powers that have been exercised here for nearly a quarter of a century, those funds and the powers over them will return to the Welsh Government and to this Senedd to scrutinise—a clear pledge on funds coming back to Wales. The wider picture is much less clear. If anyone really thinks they can predict now the mess that a future UK Government will inherit after the current shower finally leave the stage, then I think you'd be a magician or you'd be a fantasist. None of us can know.
The longer term challenge, though, over a range of these areas, is having a range of ambitious but clear spending plans that the public will look at and they will take seriously what goes into a Labour manifesto, because it's a real manifesto for government. And, as the Member knows, there is always a different test for a Labour opposition to meet, compared to a Conservative one, when it comes to how you spend money and how you raise it, not just the policies we have. Again, I look forward to being a part of a manifesto discussion and agreement. I am convinced it will be good for Wales and good for Britain, and I think the people of Wales will agree that too in the way they vote.
Na, dim o gwbl. A dweud y gwir, mae Keir Starmer eisoes wedi addo, pan ddaw i hen gyllid yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, er enghraifft, y bydd cyllid a gafodd ei ddwyn oddi ar Gymru, pwerau sydd wedi eu harfer yma ers bron i chwarter canrif, y bydd y cyllid hwnnw a'r pwerau drosto yn dychwelyd i Lywodraeth Cymru ac i'r Senedd hon i graffu arno—addewid eglur ar gyllid yn dod yn ôl i Gymru. Mae'r darlun ehangach yn llawer llai eglur. Os oes unrhyw un wir yn meddwl y gallan nhw ragweld nawr y llanast y bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn y dyfodol yn ei etifeddu ar ôl i'r criw di-glem presennol adael y llwyfan o'r diwedd, yna rwy'n credu y byddech chi'n ddewin neu y byddech chi'n freuddwydiwr. Ni all unrhyw un ohonom ni wybod.
Yr her tymor hwy, fodd bynnag, dros amrywiaeth o'r meysydd hyn, yw bod ag amrywiaeth o gynlluniau gwariant uchelgeisiol ond eglur y bydd y cyhoedd yn edrych arnyn nhw a byddan nhw'n cymryd o ddifrif yr hyn sy'n mynd i mewn i faniffesto Llafur, gan ei fod yn faniffesto gwirioneddol ar gyfer llywodraeth. Ac, fel y mae'r Aelod yn gwybod, ceir gwahanol brawf i wrthblaid Lafur ymateb iddo bob amser, o'i gymharu ag un Geidwadol, o ran sut rydych chi'n gwario arian a sut rydych chi'n ei godi, nid dim ond y polisïau sydd gennym ni. Eto, edrychaf ymlaen at fod yn rhan o drafodaeth a chytundeb maniffesto. Rwy'n argyhoeddedig y bydd yn dda i Gymru ac yn dda i Brydain, ac rwy'n credu y bydd pobl Cymru yn cytuno ar hynny hefyd yn y ffordd y maen nhw'n pleidleisio.
I'm deeply concerned that he is not more concerned that, whilst the money is being made available for defence at this time, the same pledge can't be made for Wales, with a desperate need for that money. Now, the First Minister himself spoke yesterday about difficult choices in the face of the current funding situation. Now, 'choices' is a word he uses a lot, and one of Labour's recent choices has been to cut funding for Amgueddfa Cymru—something the First Minister robustly defended yesterday; the same is true for the National Library of Wales.
Now, Keir Starmer recently said he would end what he called 'the war on culture', but, here in Wales, Labour, I'm afraid, appears to take the opposite approach: 90 jobs hanging in the balance at the museum; national collections, the soul of the nation, threatened by leaking roofs. Too often, Wales has forgotten her own history, but today's Labour Government appears willing to consign future generations to an impoverished account of where they're from and who they are. Just four weeks into the job, is the First Minister really prepared to be the leader remembered for leaving Wales with no national museum and for silencing our nation's history?
Rwy'n bryderus dros ben nad yw'n poeni mwy, er bod yr arian yn cael ei wneud ar gael ar gyfer amddiffyn ar hyn o bryd, na ellir gwneud yr un addewid i Gymru, gydag angen dybryd am yr arian hwnnw. Nawr, siaradodd y Prif Weinidog ei hun ddoe am ddewisiadau anodd yn wyneb y sefyllfa ariannu bresennol. Nawr, mae 'dewisiadau' yn air y mae'n ei ddefnyddio llawer, ac un o ddewisiadau diweddar Llafur fu torri cyllid i Amgueddfa Cymru—rhywbeth y gwnaeth y Prif Weinidog ei amddiffyn yn gadarn ddoe; mae'r un peth yn wir am Lyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru.
Nawr, dywedodd Keir Starmer yn ddiweddar y byddai'n rhoi terfyn â'r hyn a alwodd yn 'rhyfel ar ddiwylliant', ond, yma yng Nghymru, mae'n ymddangos bod Llafur, mae gen i ofn, yn gwneud yn hollol i'r gwrthwyneb: 90 o swyddi yn y fantol yn yr amgueddfa; casgliadau cenedlaethol, enaid y genedl, dan fygythiad gan doeau sy'n gollwng. Yn rhy aml, mae Cymru wedi anghofio ei hanes ei hun, ond mae'n ymddangos bod Llywodraeth Lafur sydd ohoni yn barod i fwrw cenedlaethau'r dyfodol i gyfrif llwm o'r lle y maen nhw'n dod ohono a phwy ydyn nhw. Dim ond pedair wythnos i mewn i'r swydd, a yw'r Prif Weinidog wir yn barod i fod yr arweinydd sy'n cael ei gofio am adael Cymru heb amgueddfa genedlaethol ac am dawelu hanes ein cenedl?
I do appreciate this is an exercise in how you make extraordinary comments and demand that any particular fiction you create is accepted as real. When you look at where we are here in Wales, we actually had very constructive conversations with Siân Gwenllian, as the designated Member, around the culture budget, and the extraordinary challenges that we faced in trying to make a budget that balanced, given our overwhelming priorities and indeed—[Interruption.]—and indeed the money that we put into the health service, which is a clear priority for the people of Wales. That means there are difficult choices across the rest of Government, driven by the fact that, over 14 years, our budget has been reduced. In the last three years, indeed, our budget has been reduced by £700 million in real terms, in addition to the £1.1 billion that has disappeared from Wales because of the way the Tories have taken money away from us from former EU funds—actually, a permanent loss of nearly £0.25 million to the rural economy, because of those Conservative choices. We are dealing with the reality of what that means, as the people of Wales would expect us to. I look forward to a new future where it is possible to continue to invest in the things that we believe matter, including our history. I want people to be proud not just of the history of Wales, but, more than that, prouder still of the future that we will create, and that will continue to be the focus of my Government.
Rwy'n sylweddoli mai ymarfer yw hwn yn y ffordd yr ydych chi'n gwneud sylwadau rhyfeddol ac yn mynnu bod unrhyw ffuglen benodol yr ydych chi'n ei chreu yn cael ei derbyn fel y gwir. Pan edrychwch chi ar le'r ydym ni yma yng Nghymru, cawsom sgyrsiau adeiladol iawn gyda Siân Gwenllian a dweud y gwir, fel yr Aelod dynodedig, ynghylch y gyllideb ddiwylliant, a'r heriau rhyfeddol a wynebwyd gennym o ran ceisio llunio cyllideb a oedd yn gytbwys, o gofio ein blaenoriaethau llethol ac yn wir—[Torri ar draws.]—ac yn wir yr arian a roesom ni yn y gwasanaeth iechyd, sy'n flaenoriaeth eglur i bobl Cymru. Mae hynny'n golygu bod dewisiadau anodd ar draws gweddill y Llywodraeth, wedi'u hysgogi gan y ffaith, dros 14 mlynedd, bod ein cyllideb wedi cael ei lleihau. Yn ystod y tair blynedd diwethaf, yn wir, mae ein cyllideb wedi cael ei lleihau £700 miliwn mewn termau real, yn ogystal â'r £1.1 biliwn sydd wedi diflannu o Gymru oherwydd y ffordd y mae'r Torïaid wedi cymryd arian oddi wrthym ni o hen gyllid yr Undeb Ewropeaidd—mewn gwirionedd, colled barhaol o bron i £0.25 miliwn i'r economi wledig, oherwydd y dewisiadau Ceidwadol hynny. Rydym ni'n delio â realiti'r hyn y mae hynny yn ei olygu, fel y byddai pobl Cymru yn disgwyl i ni ei wneud. Edrychaf ymlaen at ddyfodol newydd lle mae'n bosibl parhau i fuddsoddi yn y pethau yr ydym ni'n credu sy'n bwysig, gan gynnwys ein hanes. Rwyf i eisiau i bobl fod yn falch nid yn unig o hanes Cymru, ond yn fwy na hynny, yn fwy balch byth o'r dyfodol y byddwn ni'n ei greu, a dyna fydd yn parhau i fod yn bwyslais i'm Llywodraeth.
3. Beth yw blaenoriaethau'r Prif Weinidog ar gyfer trafnidiaeth yng Nghymru? OQ60901
3. What are the First Minister's priorities for transport in Wales? OQ60901
Thank you for the question. Reliable and sustainable transport infrastructure, including roads, is essential to both our economy and society. We're committed to listening to people and communities to ensure that we design, build and maintain our transport network to meet people's needs within the resources available to us.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae seilwaith trafnidiaeth dibynadwy a chynaliadwy, gan gynnwys ffyrdd, yn hanfodol i'n heconomi a'n cymdeithas. Rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i wrando ar bobl a chymunedau i sicrhau ein bod ni'n dylunio, yn adeiladu ac yn cynnal ein rhwydwaith trafnidiaeth i ddiwallu anghenion pobl yn unol â'r adnoddau sydd ar gael i ni.
First Minister, as everyone welcomes you to your first FMQs, I wondered if we could take a moment to reflect on comments and commitments that you actually made during your leadership campaign. During the campaign, when being quizzed on the default 20 mph policy, you stated, and I quote,
'you've got to have a conversation with the public',
and:
'If you don't give the public the opportunity to comment'
and consider their thoughts before making further decisions they
'will say it's being done to us, not with us.'
You also went on to say that Welsh Labour's approach to this controversial policy was a prime example of people wanting to know if you're humble and decent enough to reflect if something's gone wrong. First Minister, I genuinely welcome this statement, and sentiment too, and I wholeheartedly agree that public opinion should be at the forefront of the decision-making process in any Government, regardless of where we are in the United Kingdom, which is why the submission of the record-breaking petition, with just under 0.5 million signatures, to rescind and remove this default policy approach, was so significant.
We already know that a transport adviser who helped shape the 20 mph policy has been appointed to lead a review of its implementation, but, First Minister, will you confirm today whether you will, in your own words, be humble and decent enough to reflect on this policy by allowing the Welsh public to take part in this review? Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, wrth i bawb eich croesawu i'ch sesiwn cwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog cyntaf, meddwl oeddwn i tybed a allem ni gymryd eiliad i fyfyrio ar sylwadau ac ymrwymiadau a wnaethoch chi yn ystod eich ymgyrch arweinyddiaeth. Yn ystod yr ymgyrch, wrth gael eich holi ar y polisi 20 mya diofyn, fe wnaethoch chi ddweud, ac rwy'n dyfynnu,
'mae'n rhaid i chi gael sgwrs gyda'r cyhoedd',
ac:
'Os na wnewch chi roi'r cyfle i'r cyhoedd wneud sylwadau'
ac ystyried eu safbwyntiau cyn gwneud penderfyniadau pellach byddan nhw'n
'dweud ei fod yn cael ei wneud i ni, nid gyda ni.'
Aethoch chi ymlaen hefyd i ddweud bod agwedd Llafur Cymru tuag at y polisi dadleuol hwn yn enghraifft wych o bobl eisiau gwybod a ydych chi'n ddigon gostyngedig a rhadlon i fyfyrio os oes rhywbeth wedi mynd o'i le. Prif Weinidog, rwy'n croesawu'r datganiad hwn yn ddiffuant, a'r teimlad hefyd, ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr y dylai barn y cyhoedd fod yn flaenllaw yn y broses o wneud penderfyniadau mewn unrhyw Lywodraeth, waeth ble'r ydym ni yn y Deyrnas Unedig, a dyna pam roedd cyflwyno'r ddeiseb fwyaf erioed, ag ychydig yn llai na 0.5 miliwn o lofnodion, i ddiddymu a dileu'r dull polisi diofyn hwn, mor arwyddocaol.
Rydym ni eisoes yn gwybod bod cynghorydd trafnidiaeth a wnaeth helpu i lunio'r polisi 20 mya wedi cael ei benodi i arwain adolygiad o'i weithrediad, ond, Prif Weinidog, a wnewch chi gadarnhau heddiw pa un a fyddwch chi, yn eich geiriau eich hun, yn ddigon gostyngedig a rhadlon i fyfyrio ar y polisi hwn trwy ganiatáu i gyhoedd Cymru gymryd rhan yn yr adolygiad hwn? Diolch.
I'm very pleased to make the commitments I have set out, and, indeed, to build on the work that has been done, with a recognition of a review of the guidance being part of that. You'll recall, of course, that the Member for Llanelli was very clear that we would expect, after that, that there would be changes in some of the roads around Wales, but also to make sure that there is public engagement around those choices. You will, of course, hear more from Ken Skates next week, when he makes a statement about future transport priorities, but I look forward to meeting my pledge and showing that we are indeed listening to the public, and then taking action.
Rwy'n falch iawn o wneud yr ymrwymiadau yr wyf i wedi eu cyflwyno, ac, yn wir, ategu'r gwaith sydd wedi ei wneud, gyda chydnabyddiaeth o adolygiad o'r canllawiau yn rhan o hynny. Byddwch yn cofio, wrth gwrs, fod yr Aelod dros Lanelli yn eglur iawn y byddem ni'n disgwyl, ar ôl hynny, y byddai newidiadau ar rai o'r ffyrdd ledled Cymru, ond hefyd i wneud yn siŵr bod ymgysylltu â'r cyhoedd ynghylch y dewisiadau hynny. Byddwch, wrth gwrs, yn clywed mwy gan Ken Skates yr wythnos nesaf, pan fydd yn gwneud datganiad ar flaenoriaethau trafnidiaeth yn y dyfodol, ond edrychaf ymlaen at gyflawni fy addewid a dangos yn wir ein bod ni'n gwrando ar y cyhoedd, ac yna'n gweithredu.
Mae adroddiad ar dlodi yn Arfon gan y Sefydliad Bevan yn dangos yn glir fod diffyg cludiant cyhoeddus yn rhannau gwledig ac ôl-ddiwydiannol yr etholaeth yn cyfrannu at dlodi, yn rhan o'r hyn sy'n cael ei alw'n premiwm tlodi gwledig. Heb setliad cyllid teg i Gymru, a pholisïau llymder yn debygol o barhau er gwaethaf newid Llywodraeth, ydych chi’n cytuno efo fi fod integreiddio gwasanaethau bysiau efo cludiant cymunedol yn rhan o’r datrysiad realistig sydd ei angen yn Arfon a rhannau eraill gwledig y wlad? A beth fydd eich Llywodraeth chi yn ei wneud i hwyluso canfod datrysiadau o’r math yna? Hynny yw, fydd trafnidiaeth wledig yn rhan o’ch blaenoriaethau chi?
The report on poverty in Arfon by the Bevan Foundation demonstrates clearly that a lack of public transport in rural and post-industrial areas in the constituency is contributing towards poverty, as part of what is called the poverty premium in rural areas. Without a fair funding settlement for Wales, and austerity policies likely to continue despite a change of Government, do you agree with me that integrating bus services with community transport is part of a realistic solution that is needed in Arfon and other rural parts of the nation? And what will your Government be doing to facilitate finding such solutions? That is, will rural transport be part of your priorities?
Thank you for the question. I actually think that, when you look at rural transport—. And I grew up in a rural part of the world, I understand what it’s like to have a regular service that appears twice a week, so I do understand the very real challenges for people who live in rural communities in Wales. And again, going back to the reality, the undeniable reality of our funding settlement, you have to look at the fact that maintaining the current bus network has been a real challenge for this Government.
But we understand that, actually, the bus network is essential for the future of transport—its integration with not just community but with rail transport as well. It’s why this Government is so clear about the need to re-regulate the buses, to have a franchise system that can ensure that not just the individual economic routes that current companies actually compete with each other for, but also the really socially important networks, are also provided, in a coherent and sensible franchise system that should make better use of the money we provide to the network, to make sure there’s a network that better serves the public. Indeed, I hope that in the future we will be able to invest more into it, because actually having effective bus routes for rural and urban communities is essential to how the economy works, and indeed our social interaction with each other as well.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Rwy'n credu mewn gwirionedd, pan edrychwch chi ar drafnidiaeth wledig—. A chefais fy magu mewn rhan wledig o'r byd, rwy'n deall sut beth yw bod â gwasanaeth rheolaidd sy'n ymddangos ddwywaith yr wythnos, felly rwy'n deall yr heriau go iawn i bobl sy'n byw mewn cymunedau gwledig yng Nghymru. Ac eto, gan ddychwelyd i'r realiti, realiti diymwad ein setliad cyllid, mae'n rhaid i chi edrych ar y ffaith bod cynnal y rhwydwaith bysiau presennol wedi bod yn her wirioneddol i'r Llywodraeth hon.
Ond rydym ni'n deall, mewn gwirionedd, bod y rhwydwaith bysiau yn hanfodol ar gyfer dyfodol trafnidiaeth—ei integreiddio nid yn unig â chymunedau ond â thrafnidiaeth rheilffordd hefyd. Dyna pam mae'r Llywodraeth hon mor eglur ynghylch yr angen i ail-reoleiddio’r bysiau, i fod â system fasnachfraint sy'n gallu sicrhau nad y llwybrau economaidd unigol y mae cwmnïau presennol yn cystadlu â'i gilydd amdanyn nhw yn unig, ond hefyd bod y rhwydweithiau gwirioneddol bwysig yn gymdeithasol, hefyd yn cael eu darparu, mewn system fasnachfraint gydlynol a synhwyrol a ddylai wneud gwell defnydd o'r arian yr ydym ni'n ei ddarparu ar gyfer y rhwydwaith, i wneud yn siŵr bod rhwydwaith sy'n gwasanaethu'r cyhoedd yn well. Yn wir, rwy'n gobeithio, yn y dyfodol, y byddwn ni'n gallu buddsoddi mwy ynddo, oherwydd mae bod â llwybrau bysiau effeithiol ar gyfer cymunedau gwledig a threfol yn hanfodol i sut mae'r economi'n gweithio, ac yn wir ein rhyngweithio cymdeithasol â'n gilydd hefyd.
First Minister, we do need a much more integrated transport system in Wales, and in south-east Wales, of course, we’ve had the Burns commission. We now have the Burns delivery unit, working to create that more integrated system. A very important part of that is new railway stations, three of which are proposed for Newport East, at Magor, Llanwern and Somerton. Of course, rail infrastructure is not devolved, and it would take several hundred million pounds to build those new stations and carry out the associated infrastructure work. So, First Minister, given that Wales has had such a paltry share of UK rail infrastructure funding for quite a period of time under the current administration and its Conservative predecessors, will you continue to press very hard to get that fair share for Wales so that in south-east Wales we can see these railway stations built and we can create that more integrated transport system?
Prif Weinidog, mae angen system drafnidiaeth lawer mwy integredig arnom ni yng Nghymru, ac yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru, wrth gwrs, bu gennym ni gomisiwn Burns. Mae gennym ni uned gyflawni Burns bellach, sy'n gweithio i greu'r system fwy integredig honno. Rhan bwysig iawn o hynny yw gorsafoedd rheilffordd newydd, y mae tair ohonyn nhw wedi'u cynnig ar gyfer Dwyrain Casnewydd, ym Magwyr, Llan-wern a Somerton. Wrth gwrs, nid yw seilwaith rheilffyrdd wedi'i ddatganoli, a byddai'n cymryd cannoedd o filiynau o bunnoedd i adeiladu'r gorsafoedd newydd hynny a gwneud y gwaith seilwaith cysylltiedig. Felly, Prif Weinidog, o gofio bod Cymru wedi cael cyfran mor bitw o gyllid seilwaith rheilffyrdd y DU am gryn gyfnod o amser o dan y weinyddiaeth bresennol a'i rhagflaenwyr Ceidwadol, a wnewch chi barhau i bwyso yn galed iawn i gael y gyfran deg honno i Gymru fel y gallwn ni weld y gorsafoedd rheilffordd hyn yn cael eu hadeiladu yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru, ac y gallwn ni greu'r system drafnidiaeth fwy integredig honno?
I think it's a point that is well made about how we actually both deal with the current congestion that exists at various points in time with real impacts, I know, on the Member’s constituents as well, but actually how we get people onto a more sustainable form of transport as well. That will require more investment in our rail network.
I look forward to having the follow-up report from the Burns delivery unit, the work that is now being chaired by Professor Simon Gibson. I understand he’s due to meet the new Cabinet Secretary for transport later this month. We look forward not just to his report, but continuing to make the case that the Member identifies for new investment in a reserved area to ensure that we do have the transport networks people deserve and, again, that will make a real difference to our economy and indeed the social networks that exist and are essential to the way we live our lives now and in the future.
Rwy'n credu ei fod yn bwynt wedi'i wneud yn dda am sut rydym ni'n ymdrin â'r tagfeydd presennol sy'n bodoli ar wahanol adegau mewn amser ag effeithiau gwirioneddol, rwy'n gwybod, ar etholwyr yr Aelod hefyd, ond mewn gwirionedd sut rydym ni'n cael pobl ar fathau mwy cynaliadwy o drafnidiaeth hefyd. Bydd hynny'n gofyn am fwy o fuddsoddiad yn ein rhwydwaith rheilffyrdd.
Edrychaf ymlaen at gael yr adroddiad dilynol gan uned gyflawni Burns, y gwaith sy'n cael ei gadeirio nawr gan yr Athro Simon Gibson. Rwy'n deall ei fod i fod gyfarfod ag Ysgrifennydd newydd y Cabinet dros drafnidiaeth yn ddiweddarach y mis hwn. Rydym ni'n edrych ymlaen nid yn unig at ei adroddiad, ond at barhau i wneud y ddadl y mae'r Aelod yn ei nodi ar gyfer buddsoddiad newydd mewn maes a gedwir yn ôl i sicrhau bod gennym ni'r rhwydweithiau trafnidiaeth y mae pobl yn eu haeddu ac, eto, bydd hynny'n gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol i'n heconomi ac yn wir y rhwydweithiau cymdeithasol sy'n bodoli ac sy'n hanfodol i'r ffordd yr ydym ni'n byw ein bywydau nawr ac yn y dyfodol.
4. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i roi terfyn ar ddigartrefedd ymhlith pobl ifanc? OQ60922
4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s commitment to ending youth homelessness? OQ60922
Thank you for the question. We are committed to ending all forms of homelessness and are investing almost £220 million in homelessness prevention and support services this year. This includes over £7 million specifically targeted at the early identification of youth homelessness and assistance to help young people develop the life skills they need to live independently.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i roi terfyn ar bob math o ddigartrefedd ac rydym ni'n buddsoddi bron i £220 miliwn mewn atal digartrefedd a gwasanaethau cymorth eleni. Mae hyn yn cynnwys dros £7 miliwn wedi'i dargedu'n benodol at nodi digartrefedd ymhlith pobl ifanc yn gynnar a chymorth i helpu pobl ifanc i ddatblygu'r sgiliau bywyd sydd eu hangen arnyn nhw i fyw'n annibynnol.
Diolch am yr ateb, Brif Weinidog.
Thank you for that response, First Minister.
And of course, I met with End Youth Homelessness Cymru over the Easter recess, who highlighted some of those key markers in those who are more likely or susceptible to be homeless when young—people with disabilities, for example, and those with caring responsibilities, to name just a few. They identified a need for a serious cultural change in the public sector, whether that's across education, health, and others such as housing, in order to actually get to grips with this challenge—a real cultural change that talks about really focusing in on preventing youth homelessness. So, to this end, will the Government support the further implementation of the Upstream Cymru programme, which has been so successful in identifying those young people at risk of homelessness, and will he also today commit to providing a strategy that's specifically focusing in on preventing youth homelessness?
Ac wrth gwrs, cefais gyfarfod ag End Youth Homelessness Cymru dros doriad y Pasg, a amlygodd rai o'r nodweddion allweddol hynny yn y rhai sy'n fwy tebygol neu agored i fod yn ddigartref pan yn ifanc—pobl ag anableddau, er enghraifft, a'r rhai â chyfrifoldebau gofalu, i enwi dim ond rhai. Fe wnaethon nhw nodi angen am newid diwylliannol difrifol yn y sector cyhoeddus, pa un a yw hynny ar draws addysg, iechyd, ac eraill fel tai, er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r her hon mewn gwirionedd—newid diwylliannol go iawn sy'n sôn am ganolbwyntio'n wirioneddol ar atal digartrefedd ymhlith pobl ifanc. Felly, i'r perwyl hwn, a wnaiff y Llywodraeth gefnogi gweithrediad pellach rhaglen Upstream Cymru, sydd wedi bod mor llwyddiannus o ran nodi'r bobl ifanc hynny sydd mewn perygl o fod yn ddigartref, ac a wnaiff ef hefyd ymrwymo heddiw i ddarparu strategaeth sy'n canolbwyntio'n benodol ar atal digartrefedd ymhlith pobl ifanc?
Well, this work is hugely important to this Government. I restate what I said in answer to the initial question: we're committed to ending all forms of homelessness. That means you need to understand not just the drivers for why people end up homeless, but actually how you support them to have successful tenancies. That broader work in taking on board the evidence from the housing first model with pilots in Wales, and the initial evidence from that is actually very encouraging. It shows that housing first, where implemented, is in line with the international evidence of 80 per cent to 90 per cent of successful tenancies as a result.
We're looking to take that learning into the work we're doing to try to tackle youth homelessness, and I'm pleased the Member's pointed out that this is an issue that doesn't present itself at one point in life. If you look at the work we're doing with our youth engagement and progression framework, where we're looking to identify those young people who are most at risk of becoming not in education, employment or training at the end of their time in compulsory education, many of those people are at greater risk of becoming homeless themselves. So, it's actually work between more than one department to identify earlier who may be at risk of becoming homeless, as well as the support if people do find themselves homeless during their lives. That's the focus of our attention.
We are, of course, having conversations as a Government with the coalition, who are looking to have a conversation around Upstream Cymru to look whether the evidence they have gathered from different parts of the world can be applied here in Wales. And I know that the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning has already had conversations with that coalition. We will, of course, carry on to work constructively with all partners to ensure that the approach we have is effective and delivering the results that all of us want to see to finally end all homelessness, including for our young people.
Mae'r gwaith hwn yn eithriadol o bwysig i'r Llywodraeth hon. Hoffwn ailddatgan yr hyn a ddywedais wrth ateb y cwestiwn cychwynnol: rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i roi terfyn ar bob math o ddigartrefedd. Mae hynny'n golygu bod angen i chi ddeall nid yn unig yr ysgogiadau pam mae pobl yn mynd yn ddigartref, ond sut rydych chi'n eu cynorthwyo nhw i gael tenantiaethau llwyddiannus. Mae'r gwaith ehangach hwnnw o ystyried y dystiolaeth o'r model tai yn gyntaf gyda chynlluniau peilot yng Nghymru, a'r dystiolaeth gychwynnol o hynny yn galonogol iawn a dweud y gwir. Mae'n dangos bod tai yn gyntaf, lle maen nhw ar waith, yn cyd-fynd â'r dystiolaeth ryngwladol o 80 y cant i 90 y cant o denantiaethau llwyddiannus o ganlyniad.
Ein nod yw cymryd yr hyn a ddysgwyd i'r gwaith rydym ni'n ei wneud i geisio mynd i'r afael â digartrefedd ymhlith pobl ifanc, ac rwy'n falch bod yr Aelod wedi tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod hwn yn fater nad yw'n cyflwyno ei hun ar un adeg mewn bywyd. Os edrychwch chi ar y gwaith yr ydym ni'n ei wneud gyda'n fframwaith ymgysylltu a datblygu ieuenctid, lle'r ydym ni'n ceisio nodi'r bobl ifanc hynny sydd fwyaf mewn perygl o beidio â bod mewn addysg, cyflogaeth neu hyfforddiant ar ddiwedd eu hamser mewn addysg orfodol, mae llawer o'r bobl hynny mewn mwy o berygl o ddod yn ddigartref eu hunain. Felly, mewn gwirionedd mae'n waith rhwng mwy nag un adran i nodi'n gynharach pwy allai fod mewn perygl o ddod yn ddigartref, yn ogystal â'r cymorth os yw pobl yn cael eu hunain yn ddigartref yn ystod eu bywydau. Dyna bwyslais ein sylw.
Rydym ni, wrth gwrs, yn cael sgyrsiau fel Llywodraeth gyda'r gynghrair, sy'n bwriadu cael sgwrs am Upstream Cymru i weld a oes modd rhoi'r dystiolaeth y maen nhw wedi ei chasglu o wahanol rannau o'r byd ar waith yma yng Nghymru. Ac rwy'n gwybod bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Dai, Llywodraeth Leol a Chynllunio eisoes wedi cael sgyrsiau gyda'r gynghrair honno. Wrth gwrs, byddwn yn parhau i weithio'n adeiladol gyda'r holl bartneriaid i sicrhau bod y dull sydd gennym ni yn effeithiol ac yn cyflawni'r canlyniadau y mae pob un ohonom ni eisiau eu gweld i roi terfyn ar bob math o ddigartrefedd o'r diwedd, gan gynnwys i'n pobl ifanc.
First Minister, in December last year Bridgend County Borough Council said that they'd experienced a significant increase in people waiting on the common housing register; it had risen by 200 per cent since 2019-20. And in the report, the council listed reasons why they thought the figures were so stark. In their view, the biggest reason was the number of legislative changes made by the Welsh Labour Government, and their capacity to deal with them. It goes on then to mention the need for further funding to follow those legislative changes, which doesn't seem to have happened so far.
So, it seems the view of the council is that the Welsh Government has done the easy bit, which is making those legislative changes, but failed to provide the funding to go with it. So, First Minister, a Labour-run council in Wales is putting blame on your Welsh Labour Government for the pressures that they face in dealing with homelessness, so how will you respond?
Prif Weinidog, ym mis Rhagfyr y llynedd dywedodd Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr eu bod nhw wedi gweld cynnydd sylweddol i nifer y bobl sy'n aros ar y gofrestr tai cyffredin; roedd wedi cynyddu 200 y cant ers 2019-20. Ac yn yr adroddiad, rhestrodd y cyngor resymau pam roedden nhw'n meddwl bod y ffigurau mor llwm. Yn eu barn nhw, y rheswm mwyaf oedd nifer y newidiadau deddfwriaethol a wnaed gan Lywodraeth Llafur Cymru, a'u gallu i ymdrin â nhw. Mae'n mynd ymlaen wedyn i sôn am yr angen am gyllid pellach i ddilyn y newidiadau deddfwriaethol hynny, nad yw'n ymddangos fel pe bai wedi digwydd hyd yn hyn.
Felly, mae'n ymddangos mai barn y cyngor yw bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud y rhan hawdd, sef gwneud y newidiadau deddfwriaethol hynny, ond wedi methu â darparu'r cyllid i fynd gydag ef. Felly, Prif Weinidog, mae cyngor sy'n cael ei redeg gan Lafur yng Nghymru yn rhoi'r bai ar eich Llywodraeth Llafur Cymru chi am y pwysau y maen nhw'n eu hwynebu wrth ymdrin â digartrefedd, felly sut wnewch chi ymateb?
I think it would be interesting if I took the word of Tom Giffard about what a Labour-led council is and isn't saying about this Government, when all the evidence suggests that the reality of the cost-of-living crisis, the reality of what that means for people being able to afford their own accommodation and stay in that accommodation are much bigger drivers for why people end up not having their own home. We will carry on working with all councils to try to ensure that the money that we are putting in to end homelessness is effective and well spent. That means looking at the evidence, which I don't think comes through particularly strongly in the Member's comments.
I'd also point out when it comes to resources that the public just don't buy this line that the Conservatives are somehow not responsible for the budget realities that we face in the Government. It is undeniable that people across Wales face real challenges with the cost of living, with the rising tax burden for working people, and they know that your party has primary responsibility for those challenges. I welcome the fact that you want to carry on having a conversation about the reality of the public funding available to us. I don't think the public will be on your side when it comes to deciding where responsibility lies.
Rwy'n credu y byddai'n ddiddorol pe bawn i'n cymryd gair Tom Giffard ynglŷn â'r hyn y mae cyngor dan arweiniad Llafur yn eu ddweud a ddim yn ei ddweud am y Llywodraeth hon, pan fo'r holl dystiolaeth yn awgrymu bod realiti'r argyfwng costau byw, realiti'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu i bobl allu fforddio eu llety eu hunain ac aros yn y llety hwnnw yn ysgogiadau llawer mwy o ran pam nad oes gan bobl eu cartref eu hunain yn y pen draw. Byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda phob cyngor i geisio sicrhau bod yr arian yr ydym ni'n ei gyfrannu at roi terfyn ar ddigartrefedd yn effeithiol ac yn cael ei wario'n dda. Mae hynny'n golygu edrych ar y dystiolaeth, nad wyf i'n credu sy'n cael ei gyfleu'n arbennig o gryf yn sylwadau'r Aelod.
Byddwn hefyd yn nodi o ran adnoddau nad yw'r cyhoedd yn derbyn yr honiad hwn nad yw'r Ceidwadwyr yn gyfrifol rywsut am realiti'r gyllideb sy'n ein hwynebu yn y Llywodraeth. Mae'n ddiymwad bod pobl ledled Cymru yn wynebu heriau gwirioneddol gyda chostau byw, gyda'r baich treth cynyddol i bobl sy'n gweithio, ac maen nhw'n gwybod mai eich plaid chi sy'n bennaf gyfrifol am yr heriau hynny. Rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith eich bod chi eisiau parhau i gael sgwrs am realiti'r cyllid cyhoeddus sydd ar gael i ni. Nid wyf i'n credu y bydd y cyhoedd ar eich ochr chi pan ddaw i benderfynu pwy sy'n gyfrifol.
One important step towards ending youth homelessness is ensuring that we build the right type of affordable social housing available to young people across Cymru. Does the Prif Weinidog agree with me that to achieve this we must tackle the backlog in the planning system by removing the barriers there, and urgently build on the Welsh Government's decision to embrace modern methods of constructing houses, including off-site modular builds?
Un cam pwysig tuag at roi terfyn ar ddigartrefedd ymhlith pobl ifanc yw sicrhau ein bod ni'n adeiladu'r math cywir o dai cymdeithasol fforddiadwy sydd ar gael i bobl ifanc ledled Cymru. A yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi, er mwyn cyflawni hyn, bod yn rhaid i ni fynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniad yn y system gynllunio trwy gael gwared ar y rhwystrau yno, ac adeiladu ar frys ar benderfyniad Llywodraeth Cymru i groesawu dulliau modern o adeiladu tai, gan gynnwys adeiladau modiwlaidd oddi ar y safle?
I welcome the comments made by the Member. In fact, I've had some of this conversation this week with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning about how we can inject greater pace in land supply and decisions around this, and, indeed, the practical work to ensure that modern methods of construction are consistently adopted across Wales. There is real opportunity in the economy in delivering more low-carbon but high-quality housing, and, indeed, in unlocking land supply. I'd be very interested in a conversation with the Member and, indeed, the Cabinet Secretary, about how we can take that work forward.
Rwy'n croesawu'r sylwadau a wnaed gan yr Aelod. Yn wir, rwyf i wedi cael rhywfaint o'r sgwrs hon yr wythnos hon gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Dai, Llywodraeth Leol a Chynllunio ynghylch sut y gallwn ni sicrhau mwy o gyflymder o ran cyflenwi tir a phenderfyniadau ynghylch hyn, ac, yn wir, y gwaith ymarferol i sicrhau bod dulliau adeiladu modern yn cael eu mabwysiadu'n gyson ledled Cymru. Ceir cyfle gwirioneddol yn yr economi i ddarparu mwy o dai carbon isel ond o ansawdd uchel, ac, yn wir, i ddatgloi cyflenwad tir. Byddai gen i ddiddordeb mawr mewn sgwrs gyda'r Aelod ac, yn wir, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ynghylch sut y gallwn ni fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith hwnnw.
5. Sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn sicrhau bod trigolion Gorllewin De Cymru yn derbyn gofal iechyd prydlon? OQ60907
5. How does the Government ensure that residents of South Wales West receive timely healthcare? OQ60907
Diolch am y cwestiwn.
Thank you for the question.
NHS delivery of timely care is a commitment this Government stands by. It is supported by additional investment and targeted resources to support transformation. We've seen long waits reducing every month, but more is required. We continue to prioritise investment in our NHS to improve performance and delivery against this commitment.
Mae darpariaeth y GIG o ofal prydlon yn ymrwymiad y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn sefyll drosto. Fe'i cefnogir gan fuddsoddiad ychwanegol ac adnoddau wedi'u targedu i gefnogi trawsnewid. Rydym ni wedi gweld amseroedd aros hir yn lleihau bob mis, ond mae angen mwy. Rydym ni'n parhau i flaenoriaethu buddsoddiad yn ein GIG i wella perfformiad a chyflawniad yn erbyn yr ymrwymiad hwn.
Diolch. For five days this month, from 4 April until 9 April, the highest level of escalation was declared at Morriston Hospital—a so-called 'black alert'. Patients in accident and emergency were facing 15-hour waits. Swansea Bay University Health Board advised people, for five days, to avoid coming to the hospital's emergency department unless they were seriously ill or badly injured. This alert is triggered only under exceptional circumstances. It's the highest level of alert that a health board can declare. You'd expect, therefore, for it to be a very rare occurrence. Well, Brif Weinidog, Morriston Hospital has declared such an alert five times over the last five months. There have been nine over the last year.
During the last incident, a 77-year-old constituent of mine from Neath, who later found he had broken his neck, had to wait for 20 hours for an ambulance and then had to wait a further five hours to be seen by a doctor in Morriston. Another constituent from Crynant waited 30 hours in A&E. A constituent from Pontardawe, who is undergoing chemotherapy, was referred to A&E at Morriston, made to wait for 11 hours, then only to be told they were unsure why she'd been told to go to them. These are people who needed to be there, who had been told to go there; they weren't drunks. Do you agree, Brif Weinidog, that this is simply unacceptable? The severity of this pressure on health services must be directly addressed. Can you reassure people who live in my region that their largest emergency department is able to meet their needs when they are most in need?
Diolch. Am bum diwrnod y mis hwn, o 4 Ebrill tan 9 Ebrill, cafodd y lefel uchaf o uwchgyfeirio ei datgan yn Ysbyty Treforys—'rhybudd du' fel y'i gelwir. Roedd cleifion yn yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys yn wynebu arosiadau o 15 awr. Cynghorodd Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe bobl, am bum diwrnod, i osgoi dod i adran achosion brys yr ysbyty oni bai eu bod nhw'n ddifrifol wael neu wedi'u hanafu'n ddifrifol. Mae'r rhybudd hwn yn cael ei sbarduno o dan amgylchiadau eithriadol yn unig. Dyma'r lefel rhybudd uchaf y gall bwrdd iechyd ei datgan. Byddech chi'n disgwyl, felly, iddo fod yn ddigwyddiad prin iawn. Wel, Prif Weinidog, mae Ysbyty Treforys wedi datgan rhybudd o'r fath bum gwaith dros y pum mis diwethaf. Bu naw dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf.
Yn ystod y digwyddiad diwethaf, bu'n rhaid i un o'm hetholwyr o Gastell-nedd, sy'n 77 oed ac a wnaeth ddarganfod yn ddiweddarach ei fod wedi torri ei wddf, aros 20 awr am ambiwlans ac yna bu'n rhaid iddo aros pum awr arall i gael ei weld gan feddyg yn Nhreforys. Bu etholwr arall o Greunant yn aros 30 awr yn yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys. Cafodd etholwr o Bontardawe, sy'n cael cemotherapi, ei hatgyfeirio i adran damweiniau ac achosion brys yn Nhreforys, gwnaed iddi aros 11 awr, dim ond i gael gwybod wedyn nad oedden nhw'n siŵr pam y dywedwyd wrthi am fynd atyn nhw. Mae'r rhain yn bobl a oedd angen bod yno, y dywedwyd wrthyn nhw am fynd yno; doedden nhw ddim yn feddw. A ydych chi'n cytuno, Prif Weinidog, bod hyn yn gwbl annerbyniol? Mae'n rhaid rhoi sylw uniongyrchol i ddifrifoldeb y pwysau hyn ar wasanaethau iechyd. A allwch chi roi sicrwydd i bobl sy'n byw yn fy rhanbarth i bod eu hadran achosion brys fwyaf yn gallu diwallu eu hanghenion pan fydd eu hangen fwyaf?
This Government recognises the need for further improvement when it comes to access to timely and high-quality care across our NHS. It's the primary focus of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, and you are now seeing waiting times falling in Wales in successive months. We regularly have the comparison with England; in fact, in 15 of the last 18 months, A&E department performance has been better in Wales than in England, but we recognise much more is required.
The progress on long waiters needs to continue. The progress on standard referral to treatment needs to continue. In fact, in the Swansea bay health board area, the median wait for a referral to treatment now is less than 19 weeks. That, again, is progress from a year ago. But this is why it is the prime focus of this Government, the reason why, in very difficult circumstances, we have still invested more than 4 per cent in an increase in our NHS budget—it's less than 1 per cent in England—because we know it requires resources, reform and innovation to drive down those waiting times for people in all parts of our healthcare system. That is the continuing commitment of this Government.
I expect to see further improvement made over the rest of this year. It's why, in my early engagement, I prioritised a conversation with the British Medical Association, to try to ensure we can bring to an end the industrial action, so that doctors who want to be back at work, together with the wider staff group, can do that, so that patients who rely on our health service—as indeed I have done at various points in my life—have the health service they deserve, that is ready and willing to give them the high-quality care that is still the standard experience of people across Wales.
Mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn cydnabod yr angen am welliant pellach o ran mynediad at ofal prydlon ac o ansawdd uchel ar draws ein GIG. Dyma brif ganolbwynt Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol, ac rydych chi bellach yn gweld amseroedd aros yn gostwng yng Nghymru mewn misoedd olynol. Mae gennym ni'r gymhariaeth â Lloegr yn rheolaidd; mewn gwirionedd, ym 15 o'r 18 mis diwethaf, mae perfformiad adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys wedi bod yn well yng Nghymru nag yn Lloegr, ond rydym ni'n cydnabod bod angen llawer mwy.
Mae angen i'r cynnydd o ran arhoswyr hir barhau. Mae angen i'r cynnydd o ran atgyfeirio safonol at driniaeth barhau. A dweud y gwir, yn ardal bwrdd iechyd bae Abertawe, mae'r arhosiad canolrifol am atgyfeiriad i driniaeth yn llai na 19 wythnos bellach. Mae hynny, eto, yn gynnydd o flwyddyn yn ôl. Ond dyna pam mai dyma yw prif ganolbwynt y Llywodraeth hon, y rheswm pam, o dan amgylchiadau anodd iawn, rydym ni'n dal wedi buddsoddi mwy na 4 y cant mewn cynnydd i gyllideb ein GIG—mae'n llai nag 1 y cant yn Lloegr—gan ein bod ni'n gwybod ei fod yn gofyn am adnoddau, diwygio ac arloesi i leihau'r amseroedd aros hynny i bobl ym mhob rhan o'n system gofal iechyd. Dyna ymrwymiad parhaus y Llywodraeth hon.
Rwy'n disgwyl gweld gwelliant pellach yn cael ei wneud dros weddill eleni. Dyna pam, yn fy ymgysylltiad cynnar, y gwnes i flaenoriaethu sgwrs gyda Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain, i geisio sicrhau y gallwn ni roi terfyn ar y gweithredu diwydiannol, fel bod meddygon sydd eisiau bod yn ôl yn y gwaith, ynghyd â'r grŵp staff ehangach, yn gallu gwneud hynny, fel bod gan gleifion sy'n dibynnu ar ein gwasanaeth iechyd—fel yn wir yr wyf i wedi ei wneud ar wahanol adegau yn fy mywyd—y gwasanaeth iechyd y maen nhw'n ei haeddu, sy'n barod ac yn fodlon rhoi'r gofal o ansawdd uchel iddyn nhw, sef profiad safonol pobl ledled Cymru o hyd.
First Minister, may I also welcome you to your new role? But, as a former health Minister, you're well aware that the challenges facing primary care well predated both the pandemic and the challenge in Government finances. We have known about the crisis in our GP practices for well over a decade, and a serious lack of workforce planning has exacerbated the situation. Morale is so bad that, according to the recent survey by the General Medical Council, a quarter of GPs plan to relocate overseas within the next 12 months. First Minister, will you and your new Cabinet now address the crisis facing the gateway to the NHS, in my region, across Wales, before it is too late?
Prif Weinidog, a gaf i eich croesawu i'ch swydd newydd hefyd? Ond, fel cyn Weinidog iechyd, rydych chi'n gwbl ymwybodol bod yr heriau sy'n wynebu gofal sylfaenol yn rhagflaenu ymhell y pandemig a'r her o ran cyllid y Llywodraeth. Rydym ni wedi bod yn ymwybodol o'r argyfwng yn ein meddygfeydd teulu ers ymhell dros ddegawd, ac mae diffyg difrifol o ran cynllunio'r gweithlu wedi gwaethygu'r sefyllfa. Mae ysbryd mor wael, yn ôl yr arolwg diweddar y Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol, bod chwarter y meddygon teulu yn bwriadu symud dramor o fewn y 12 mis nesaf. Prif Weinidog, a wnewch chi a'ch Cabinet newydd fynd i'r afael nawr â'r argyfwng sy'n wynebu'r porth i'r GIG, yn fy rhanbarth i, ledled Cymru, cyn ei bod hi'n rhy hwyr?
Well, I thank the Member for at least acknowledging the challenging finances that this Government faces. It's not something we regularly hear from Welsh Conservative Members; that, at least, is some progress. When it comes to a workforce plan, the challenge isn't about having a workforce plan; it's about the resources to deliver that workforce plan, both the people to recruit to bring them into our system, and then to keep them in our system to ensure they have hope. That requires real money, of course, and in fact, during the time that I've been the health Minister, we actually saw real improvement in getting more people to undertake GP training places. We regularly did not fill those training places, and now we've managed to overfill them and reset our targets. So, there is a pipeline of people who want to come to work in Wales because of the deliberate way that we try to prioritise primary care within our wider system. It's essential for having a more preventative service to ensure we do more in primary care, not less. I look forward to continuing to have not just a conversation with the current workforce, but the workforce of the future about the sort of primary-care-based system that we want to have, and I think there should be encouragement for that here in Wales, but it does require real resources as well as continued political commitment.
Wel, diolch i'r Aelod am o leiaf cydnabod y cyllid heriol y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn ei wynebu. Nid yw'n rhywbeth yr ydym ni'n ei glywed yn rheolaidd gan Aelodau'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig; mae hynny'n rhywfaint o gynnydd o leiaf. O ran cynllun gweithlu, nid yw'r her yn ymwneud â bod â chynllun gweithlu; mae'n ymwneud â'r adnoddau i ddarparu'r cynllun gweithlu hwnnw, y bobl i'w recriwtio i ddod â nhw i mewn i'n system, ac yna eu cadw nhw yn ein system i sicrhau bod ganddyn nhw obaith. Mae hynny'n gofyn am arian go iawn, wrth gwrs, ac mewn gwirionedd, yn ystod yr amser yr wyf i wedi bod yn Weinidog iechyd, fe welsom ni welliant gwirioneddol o ran cael mwy o bobl i lenwi lleoedd hyfforddi meddygon teulu. Ni wnaethom ni lenwi'r lleoedd hyfforddi hynny yn rheolaidd, a nawr rydym ni wedi llwyddo i'w gorlenwi ac ailosod ein targedau. Felly, mae llif o bobl sydd eisiau dod i weithio yng Nghymru oherwydd y ffordd fwriadol yr ydym ni'n ceisio blaenoriaethu gofal sylfaenol o fewn ein system ehangach. Mae'n hanfodol bod â gwasanaeth mwy ataliol i sicrhau ein bod ni'n gwneud mwy mewn gofal sylfaenol, nid llai. Edrychaf ymlaen at barhau i gael sgwrs nid yn unig gyda'r gweithlu presennol, ond gweithlu'r dyfodol am y math o system seiliedig ar ofal sylfaenol yr ydym ni eisiau ei chael, ac rwy'n credu y dylai fod anogaeth i hynny yma yng Nghymru, ond mae'n gofyn am adnoddau go iawn yn ogystal ag ymrwymiad gwleidyddol parhaus.
The main problem with healthcare in Swansea East is that, in certain GP practices, it is very difficult to get a primary care appointment. If they tell the primary care provider that it is urgent, they are told, 'Go to A&E.' Patients are visiting A&E as they know, even if they have to wait several hours, they will be seen by a doctor. Does the First Minister agree with me regarding the importance of primary care being available, and that more resourcing into primary care would reduce A&E demand and lead to better health outcomes?
Y brif broblem gyda gofal iechyd yn Nwyrain Abertawe yw ei bod hi'n anodd iawn, mewn rhai meddygfeydd teulu, cael apwyntiad gofal sylfaenol. Os byddan nhw'n dweud wrth y darparwr gofal sylfaenol ei fod yn fater brys, dywedir wrthyn nhw, 'Ewch i'r adran damweiniau ac achosion brys.' Mae cleifion yn mynd i adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys gan eu bod nhw'n gwybod, hyd yn oed os bydd yn rhaid iddyn nhw aros sawl awr, byddan nhw'n cael eu gweld gan feddyg. A yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi ynghylch y pwysigrwydd bod gofal sylfaenol ar gael, ac y byddai mwy o adnoddau i ofal sylfaenol yn lleihau'r galw mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys ac yn arwain at well canlyniadau iechyd?
We have this situation in the health service that the overwhelming majority of contacts within our healthcare system take place in primary care, and yet the overall majority of our resources are spent in hospital-based care, because hospitals are very expensive to run, and most of the focus, actually, when it comes to criticism and challenge around the health service are around hospital-based services and specialities. To move, though, to move more resources into primary and more preventative healthcare, is easier to say out loud than it is to achieve in practice.
Every Member here will have experience of constituents coming to them, campaign groups, and they're almost all focused on the secondary part of our system. We actually need a much better joined-up way that our whole system works, both the staff working together—and I think there's real good will to want to see that, and we've already taken steps on that. We've moved more and more of our services into primary care, whether it's optometry, whether it's dentistry, where there are more appointments now than a year ago, and, indeed, what we're able to do within the local primary care team. I remember coming to this place and people were talking about a virtual ward as a new and innovative way of treating people. Actually, in Swansea bay health area, you see virtual wards as being standard practice now. So, we're seeing innovation becoming standardised.
There is always more to do to ensure people have good access to good-quality care, and we can deliver more and more of our services within the primary care sector, where money is actually used really well, but also the experience for the patient is almost always a better one if you can deal with those challenges earlier.
Mae gennym ni'r sefyllfa hon yn y gwasanaeth iechyd bod y mwyafrif llethol o gysylltiadau o fewn ein system gofal iechyd yn digwydd mewn gofal sylfaenol, ac eto mae mwyafrif cyffredinol ein hadnoddau yn cael eu gwario mewn gofal yn yr ysbyty, gan fod ysbytai yn ddrud iawn i'w rhedeg, ac mae'r rhan fwyaf o'r pwyslais, mewn gwirionedd, o ran beirniadaeth a her o amgylch y gwasanaeth iechyd yn ymwneud â gwasanaethau ac arbenigeddau mewn ysbytai. Fodd bynnag, mae symud mwy o adnoddau i ofal iechyd sylfaenol a mwy ataliol, yn haws ei ddweud ar lafar nag y mae i'w gyflawni yn ymarferol.
Bydd gan bob Aelod yma brofiad o etholwyr yn dod atyn nhw, grwpiau ymgyrchu, ac maen nhw bron i gyd yn canolbwyntio ar ran eilaidd ein system. Mewn gwirionedd, rydym ni angen ffordd gydgysylltiedig lawer gwell y mae ein system gyfan yn gweithio, y staff yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd—ac rwy'n credu bod ewyllys da iawn i fod eisiau gweld hynny, ac rydym ni eisoes wedi cymryd camau ar hynny. Rydym ni wedi symud mwy a mwy o'n gwasanaethau i ofal sylfaenol, pa un a yw'n optometreg, pa un a yw'n ddeintyddiaeth, lle ceir mwy o apwyntiadau nawr na blwyddyn yn ôl, ac, yn wir, yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud yn y tîm gofal sylfaenol lleol. Rwy'n cofio dod i'r lle hwn ac roedd pobl yn sôn am rith-ward fel ffordd newydd ac arloesol o drin pobl. A dweud y gwir, yn ardal iechyd bae Abertawe, rydych chi'n gweld rhith-wardiau fel arfer safonol nawr. Felly, rydym ni'n gweld arloesedd yn cael ei safoni.
Mae mwy i'w wneud bob amser i sicrhau bod gan bobl fynediad da at ofal o ansawdd da, a gallwn ddarparu mwy a mwy o'n gwasanaethau yn y sector gofal sylfaenol, lle mae arian yn cael ei ddefnyddio'n dda iawn mewn gwirionedd, ond hefyd mae'r profiad i'r claf bron bob amser yn un gwell os gallwch chi ymdrin â'r heriau hynny yn gynharach.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gymorth Llywodraeth Cymru i fusnesau bach yng Ngogledd Caerdydd? OQ60912
6. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s support for small businesses in Cardiff North? OQ60912
Thank you for the question. Our Business Wales service provides individuals and entrepreneurs with access to a wide range of information, guidance and support, both financial and non-financial. Our south-east business and regions team also provide dedicated support to help companies to survive and to grow.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae ein gwasanaeth Busnes Cymru yn rhoi mynediad i unigolion ac entrepreneuriaid at amrywiaeth eang o wybodaeth, canllawiau a chymorth, yn ariannol ac nad yw'n ariannol. Mae ein tîm busnes a rhanbarthau'r de-ddwyrain hefyd yn darparu cymorth pwrpasol i helpu cwmnïau i oroesi a thyfu.
I thank the First Minister for that response. Since the beginning of the year, a number of small independent shops and restaurants in Cardiff North have closed due to rising costs with the cost-of-living crisis and the mismanagement of the economy by the UK Government, and these closures are particularly noticeable in areas like Whitchurch Road, for example, which has become quite a hub for small independent restaurants and shops. So, I really welcome the Welsh Government's recent announcement of the £20 million futureproofing fund, which I know will help small businesses, but what else can you do to help small businesses in Cardiff North?
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog am yr ymateb yna. Ers dechrau'r flwyddyn, mae nifer o siopau a bwytai bach annibynnol yng Ngogledd Caerdydd wedi cau oherwydd costau cynyddol gyda'r argyfwng costau byw a chamreolaeth yr economi gan Lywodraeth y DU, ac mae'r achosion hyn o gau yn arbennig o amlwg mewn ardaloedd fel Heol yr Eglwys Newydd, er enghraifft, sydd wedi dod yn dipyn o ganolfan ar gyfer bwytai a siopau bach annibynnol. Felly, rwy'n croesawu'n fawr cyhoeddiad diweddar Llywodraeth Cymru o gronfa diogelu at y dyfodol gwerth £20 miliwn, y gwn y bydd hyn yn helpu busnesau bach, ond beth arall allwch chi ei wneud i helpu busnesau bach yng Ngogledd Caerdydd?
Thank you for the question. It might not be in my constituency, but I do know Whitchurch Road and the hub of small businesses in that particular part of Cardiff North. It's more, though, I think, about how all of those businesses add to a sense of place and the vibrancy of a community where you live, and that's why we have a retail action plan, developed with the retail forum in social partnership—that's trade unions and businesses working together to try to chart out a more successive future for retail. It's why we continue to invest money in rate-relief support as well; it's actually our permanent relief, so worth £0.25 million a year, and it covers more than 70,000 properties across Wales.
When it comes to Cardiff North, I'm interested in the work that we can do together with those other key partners, our local authorities, on the work we're doing on Transforming Towns, on the work that we're doing to ensure that there are not just placemaking plans but opportunities to take more powers to deal with some of the vacant units that may be a problem for existing businesses. We will carry on engaging with small businesses and local authority partners—I know it's a priority for the new economy Minister as well—around how it leads into a much wider point about how we do have vibrant communities that people are proud to live in and want to shop in and support their own local businesses in.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Efallai nad yw yn fy etholaeth i, ond rwy'n adnabod Heol yr Eglwys Newydd a'r ganolfan busnesau bach yn y rhan benodol honno o Ogledd Caerdydd. Mae'n ymwneud mwy, serch hynny, rwy'n credu, â sut y mae'r holl fusnesau hynny yn ychwanegu at ymdeimlad o le a bywiogrwydd cymuned lle'r ydych chi'n byw, a dyna pam mae gennym ni gynllun gweithredu ar fanwerthu, a ddatblygwyd gyda'r fforwm manwerthu mewn partneriaeth gymdeithasol—undebau llafur a busnesau yn cydweithio yw hynny, i geisio creu dyfodol mwy olynol i fanwerthu. Dyna pam rydym ni'n parhau i fuddsoddi arian mewn cymorth rhyddhad ardrethi hefyd; ein rhyddhad parhaol yw hwn mewn gwirionedd, felly mae werth £0.25 miliwn y flwyddyn, ac mae'n cynnwys mwy na 70,000 o eiddo ledled Cymru.
O ran Gogledd Caerdydd, mae gen i ddiddordeb yn y gwaith y gallwn ni ei wneud ynghyd â'r partneriaid allweddol eraill hynny, ein hawdurdodau lleol, ar y gwaith yr ydym ni'n ei wneud ar Trawsnewid Trefi, ar y gwaith yr ydym ni'n ei wneud i sicrhau nad oes cynlluniau creu lleoedd yn unig ond cyfleoedd i gymryd mwy o bwerau i ymdrin â rhai o'r unedau gwag a allai fod yn broblem i fusnesau presennol. Byddwn yn parhau i ymgysylltu â busnesau bach a phartneriaid awdurdod lleol—rwy'n gwybod ei fod yn flaenoriaeth i Weinidog newydd yr economi hefyd—ynghylch sut y mae'n arwain at bwynt llawer ehangach am sut y gallwn ni gael cymunedau bywiog y mae pobl yn falch o fyw ynddyn nhw ac eisiau siopa ynddyn nhw a chefnogi eu busnesau lleol eu hunain ynddyn nhw.
7. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ei ddull o ymdrin â datblygu economaidd ym Mlaenau Gwent? OQ60921
7. Will the First Minister make a statement on his approach to economic development in Blaenau Gwent? OQ60921
Thank you for the question. The Welsh Government works with partners such as the Cardiff capital region, Blaenau Gwent council and key businesses to deliver prosperity and the benefits of economic growth to all parts of Wales, and all parts of south-east Wales, including Blaenau Gwent. I recognise that sustained growth in Blaenau Gwent requires intervention and long-term commitment from this Government and other partners.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid fel prifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd, cyngor Blaenau Gwent a busnesau allweddol i sicrhau ffyniant a manteision twf economaidd i bob rhan o Gymru, a phob rhan o dde-ddwyrain Cymru, gan gynnwys Blaenau Gwent. Rwy'n cydnabod bod twf parhaus ym Mlaenau Gwent yn gofyn am ymyrraeth ac ymrwymiad hirdymor gan y Llywodraeth hon a phartneriaid eraill.
I'm grateful to the First Minister for that. I'm grateful also to the First Minister for bringing his Government to Blaenau Gwent yesterday, to Ebbw Vale. It's something that we very much welcome. But we need that focus to be a continual focus, First Minister. In terms of how we take this forward, the development of the A465 dual carriageway has made an enormous difference already in Blaenau Gwent, and what we're looking at now is how do we build on the success of that as the whole project is completed across to Hirwaun.
Will the First Minister work with me and other Members across the Heads of the Valleys to ensure that we have connectivity around that new corridor and that we are able to invest in the industrial estates and business parks around the Heads of the Valleys to ensure that we have a business environment that can sustain and encourage further growth as a consequence of the investment that the Welsh Government has already made?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Prif Weinidog am hynny. Rwy'n ddiolchgar hefyd i'r Prif Weinidog am ddod â'i Lywodraeth i Flaenau Gwent ddoe, i Lynebwy. Mae'n rhywbeth yr ydyn ni'n ei groesawu'n fawr. Ond mae angen i'r ffocws hwnnw fod yn ffocws parhaus, Prif Weinidog. O ran sut yr ydyn ni'n bwrw ymlaen â hyn, mae datblygiad ffordd ddeuol yr A465 wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr eisoes ym Mlaenau Gwent, a'r hyn yr ydyn ni'n ei ystyried nawr yw sut y gallwn ni adeiladu ar y llwyddiant hwnnw wrth i'r prosiect cyfan gael ei gwblhau hyd at Hirwaun.
A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog weithio gyda mi ac Aelodau eraill ar draws Blaenau'r Cymoedd i sicrhau bod gennym ni gysylltedd o amgylch y coridor newydd hwnnw a'n bod ni'n gallu buddsoddi yn yr ystadau diwydiannol a'r parciau busnes o amgylch Blaenau'r Cymoedd i sicrhau bod gennym ni amgylchedd busnes a all gynnal ac annog mwy o dwf o ganlyniad i'r buddsoddiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes wedi'i wneud?
I think the point is well made around how sustained investment actually requires the public sector to take part in that; it won't all come from the private sector when you get to the northern Valleys. That's been recognised by the Cardiff capital region with their northern Valleys initiative, launched with northern Valleys authorities on 10 April. I am keen—as, indeed, I know the new economy and energy Secretary is—to ensure that we have practical conversations with those partners about how we open up sites for development, because there are businesses that want to go there. We actually find quite good demand for business premises where the sites are appropriate. But more than that, it's not just the premises, but the continued investment in skills and ambition.
When I was in Coleg Gwent yesterday, I'm sure the Member will be pleased to know that I managed to meet some of the young people who were there studying on engineering and business courses. They have high levels of ambition for themselves and their local community, a recognition of the excellence in the facilities that Coleg Gwent provides. In particular, we were highlighting the work of the high-value engineering project—a deliberate intervention by this Government and other partners to ensure there's real quality for young people to learn, but also for current businesses to make use of those facilities as well. It's exactly the sort of partnership we need more of, together with sustained ambition and intervention from this Government and others. I'll be very happy to work with the Member and other stakeholders to ensure there is a coherence to our plan for economic development in the northern Valleys.
Rwy'n credu bod y pwynt wedi'i wneud yn dda o ran buddsoddiad parhaus a bod angen i'r sector cyhoeddus gymryd rhan yn hynny; fydd e' ddim i gyd yn dod o'r sector preifat pan gyrhaeddwch chi'r Cymoedd gogleddol. Mae hynny wedi cael ei gydnabod gan brifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd gyda menter y Cymoedd gogleddol, a lansiwyd gydag awdurdodau'r Cymoedd gogleddol ar 10 Ebrill. Rwy'n awyddus—fel y mae'r Ysgrifennydd newydd dros yr economi ac ynni hefyd, rwy'n gwybod—i sicrhau ein bod ni'n cael sgyrsiau ymarferol â'r partneriaid hynny o ran sut yr ydyn ni'n agor safleoedd i'w datblygu, oherwydd mae yna fusnesau sydd eisiau mynd yno. A dweud y gwir, mae galw eithaf da am adeiladau busnes lle mae'r safleoedd yn briodol. Ond yn fwy na hynny, nid y safle yn unig ydyw, ond y buddsoddiad parhaus mewn sgiliau ac uchelgais.
Pan oeddwn i yng Ngholeg Gwent ddoe, rwy'n siŵr y bydd yr Aelod yn falch o wybod fy mod i wedi llwyddo i gwrdd â rhai o'r bobl ifanc a oedd yno yn astudio ar gyrsiau peirianneg a busnes. Mae ganddyn nhw lefelau uchel o uchelgais ar gyfer eu hunain a'u cymuned leol, sy'n gydnabyddiaeth o'r rhagoriaeth yn y cyfleusterau y mae Coleg Gwent yn eu darparu. Yn benodol, roeddem yn tynnu sylw at waith y prosiect peirianneg gwerth uchel—ymyriad bwriadol gan y Llywodraeth hon a phartneriaid eraill i sicrhau bod ansawdd gwirioneddol i bobl ifanc ddysgu, ond hefyd i fusnesau presennol ddefnyddio'r cyfleusterau hynny hefyd. Dyma'r union fath o bartneriaeth y mae angen mwy ohoni, ynghyd ag uchelgais ac ymyrraeth barhaus gan y Llywodraeth hon ac eraill. Byddaf yn hapus iawn i weithio gyda'r Aelod a rhanddeiliaid eraill i sicrhau bod yna gydlyniaeth i'n cynllun ni ar gyfer datblygu economaidd yn y Cymoedd gogleddol.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Cefin Campbell.
And finally, question 8, Cefin Campbell.
8. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn brwydro yn erbyn tlodi cefn gwlad yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? OQ60934
8. How is the Welsh Government combatting rural poverty in Mid and West Wales? OQ60934
Diolch am y cwestiwn.
Thank you for the question.
Building a stronger economy and supporting people to prosper in that economy is fundamental to reducing poverty in the longer term in all parts of Wales. Our economic mission sets out priorities for a stronger economy and our ambitions to deliver a more prosperous, greener and more equal Wales.
Mae adeiladu economi gryfach a chefnogi pobl i ffynnu yn yr economi honno yn hanfodol i leihau tlodi yn y tymor hwy ym mhob rhan o Gymru. Mae ein cenhadaeth economaidd yn nodi blaenoriaethau ar gyfer economi gryfach a'n huchelgeisiau i sicrhau Cymru fwy llewyrchus, gwyrddach a mwy cyfartal.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi'n croesawu'r cyfle yn y cwestiwn cyntaf i chi fel Prif Weinidog i ofyn beth yn union mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu ei wneud i daclo tlodi gwledig. Rŷn gwybod bod yna bremiwm yn cael ei dalu gan bobl sydd yn byw mewn ardaloedd gwledig: mae cyflogau ar gyfartaledd yn is, mae cost gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn llawer mwy na mewn ardaloedd trefol, mae cost gofal plant yn fwy, mae cost gwresogi cartrefi yn fwy. Ar gyfartaledd, mae pobl yn talu £27 yr wythnos yn fwy ar drafnidiaeth a £4 yr wythnos yn fwy ar fwyd.
Cyn y Pasg, mi wnes i drefnu cynhadledd ar dlodi gwledig, ac un o'r pethau ddaeth mas yn glir o'r gynhadledd honno yw'r angen am brawf-fesur gwledig, rhyw fath o rural-proofing, ar bob un o bolisïau’r Llywodraeth, yn arbennig y rhai sydd yn mynd i’r afael â thaclo tlodi, ac mae Archwilio Cymru yn cytuno gyda hynny. Felly, allaf i ofyn i chi, Brif Weinidog, sut ŷch chi’n bwriadu mynd ati i osod rhyw fath o brawf-fesur gwledig ar eich polisïau chi, ac a fyddech chi’n fodlon ystyried y posibilrwydd o roi hynny ar sail statudol?
Thank you very much for that. I welcome the opportunity in my first question to you as First Minister to ask exactly what the Welsh Government intends to do to tackle rural poverty. We know that there is a premium paid by those who live in rural areas: wages on average are lower, the cost of public services is far greater than in urban areas, the cost of childcare is higher, heating homes costs more. On average, people pay £27 per week more on transport and £4 more per week on food.
Before Easter, I organised a conference on rural poverty, and one of the things that emanated clearly from that conference is the need for rural-proofing for every Government policy, particularly those aimed at tackling poverty, and Audit Wales agrees with that. So, may I ask you, First Minister, how you intend to go about setting out a rural-proofing test on your policies, and would you be willing to consider the possibility of putting that on a statutory footing?
I think the challenge of always asking for a statutory footing is how that then gets into practical choices around the ability of this place, with a very full legislative programme, to consider future legislation. I'm interested in the practical action people can take in all of the different portfolios within this Government to make sure that we are properly serving all parts of Wales. We already, of course, have a range of areas looking specifically at economic development. The Arfor programme, which the Member well understands from his role as a designated Member, is investing in the future of the economy in north-west and south-west Wales, looking at what we can do to ensure there's a proper future for the language as well as the communities where the language currently thrives. The broader perspective on economic development support and the partnership of local authorities is a key part of how we're going to be able to build an economy that works for everyone in every part of Wales.
That goes alongside the work we already do to support people who are in real need. In fact, during the last two years, the Welsh Government support that we have provided has been worth more than £3.3 billion to help people with the cost-of-living crisis. And just in the Member's region, of course, I set out earlier in response to Joyce Watson that the single advice fund in 2023 provided more than £10 million of otherwise unclaimed benefits to his constituents within the region. More than that, though, there's the immediate crisis support that we continue to provide, like the discretionary assistance fund. In February this year alone, more than 2,200 awards were made. So, we need to do what we can with the resources we have to provide immediate support and assistance, as well as our longer term plan and delivery to make sure there really is a sustained economic future in rural Wales as well as urban Wales.
Rwy'n credu mai'r her o ran gofyn am sail statudol bob amser yw sut mae hynny wedyn yn cael ei throsglwyddo i ddewisiadau ymarferol ynghylch gallu'r lle hwn, gyda rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol lawn iawn, i ystyried deddfwriaeth yn y dyfodol. Mae gennyf i ddiddordeb yn y camau ymarferol y gall pobl eu cymryd ym mhob un o'r portffolios gwahanol yn y Llywodraeth hon i sicrhau ein bod ni'n gwasanaethu pob rhan o Gymru'n briodol. Mae gennym ni eisoes, wrth gwrs, amrywiaeth o feysydd sy'n edrych yn benodol ar ddatblygu economaidd. Mae rhaglen Arfor, y mae'r Aelod yn ei deall yn dda o'i rôl fel Aelod dynodedig, yn buddsoddi yn nyfodol yr economi yn y gogledd-orllewin a'r de-orllewin, gan edrych ar yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud i sicrhau bod dyfodol priodol i'r iaith yn ogystal â'r cymunedau lle mae'r iaith yn ffynnu ar hyn o bryd. Mae'r persbectif ehangach ar gymorth datblygu economaidd a phartneriaeth awdurdodau lleol yn rhan allweddol o'r ffordd yr ydym yn mynd i allu datblygu economi sy'n gweithio i bawb ym mhob rhan o Gymru.
Mae hynny'n cyd-fynd â'r gwaith yr ydyn ni eisoes yn ei wneud i gefnogi pobl sydd mewn gwir angen. Yn wir, yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf, mae cymorth Llywodraeth Cymru yr ydyn ni wedi'i ddarparu wedi bod yn werth mwy na £3.3 biliwn i helpu pobl â'r argyfwng costau byw. Ac yn rhanbarth yr Aelod, wrth gwrs, fe nodais i'n gynharach, mewn ymateb i Joyce Watson, fod y gronfa gynghori sengl yn 2023 wedi darparu mwy na £10 miliwn o fudd-daliadau na fyddent wedi'u hawlio fel arall i'w etholwyr yn y rhanbarth. Yn fwy na hynny, fodd bynnag, mae'r cymorth uniongyrchol mewn argyfwng yr ydyn ni'n parhau i'w ddarparu, fel y gronfa cymorth dewisol. Ym mis Chwefror eleni yn unig, cafodd dros 2,200 o ddyfarniadau eu gwneud. Felly, mae angen i ni wneud yr hyn y gallwn ni gyda'r adnoddau sydd gennym ni i roi cefnogaeth a chymorth uniongyrchol, yn ogystal â'n cynllun a'n darpariaeth tymor hwy i sicrhau bod dyfodol economaidd parhaus yng Nghymru wledig yn ogystal â Chymru drefol.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, fydd y cynnig i atal Rheolau Sefydlog dros dro er mwyn caniatáu cynnal yr eitem nesaf o fusnes. Y Prif Weinidog i wneud y cynnig yn ffurfiol.
The next item is the motion to suspend Standing Orders in order for the next item of business to be taken. The First Minister to move the motion formally.
Cynnig NNDM8530 Jane Hutt
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog 33.6 a 33.8:
Yn atal y rhan honno o Reol Sefydlog 11.16 sy'n ei gwneud yn ofynnol bod y cyhoeddiad wythnosol o dan Reol Sefydlog 11.11 yn darparu'r amserlen ar gyfer busnes yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yr wythnos ganlynol, er mwyn caniatáu i NNDM8529 gael ei ystyried yn y Cyfarfod Llawn ddydd Mawrth, 16 Ebrill 2024.
Motion NNDM8530 Jane Hutt
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Orders 33.6 and 33.8:
Suspends that part of Standing Order 11.16 that requires the weekly announcement under Standing Order 11.11 to constitute the timetable for business in Plenary for the following week, to allow NNDM8529 to be considered in Plenary on Tuesday 16 April 2024.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
I move the motion formally.
Rwy'n cynnig y cynnig yn ffurfiol.
Diolch. Y cynnig, felly, yw i atal Rheolau Sefydlog dros dro. Oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes. Felly, mae hynny wedi ei gymeradwyo.
Thank you. The proposal is to suspend Standing Orders. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, the motion is agreed.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Mae hynny'n caniatáu inni symud ymlaen i'r cynnig i gymeradwyo enwebu Cwnsler Cyffredinol. Dwi'n galw ar y Prif Weinidog i wneud y cynnig yma. Vaughan Gething.
That allows us to move now to the motion to approve the nomination of a Counsel General. I call on the First Minister to move the motion. Vaughan Gething.
Cynnig NNDM8529 Vaughan Gething
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol ag Adran 49(3) o Ddeddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006 a Rheol Sefydlog 9.1, yn cytuno â’r argymhelliad gan Brif Weinidog Cymru i Ei Fawrhydi y Brenin benodi Mick Antoniw AS yn Gwnsler Cyffredinol.
Motion NNDM8529 Vaughan Gething
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Section 49(3) of the Government of Wales Act 2006 and Standing Order 9.1, agrees to the First Minister’s recommendation to His Majesty The King to appoint Mick Antoniw MS as Counsel General.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Yn ffurfiol.
Formally.
Yn ffurfiol i enwebu Cwnsler Cyffredinol.
Formally to nominate a Counsel General.
I nominate Mick Antoniw to continue in the role as Counsel General, and ask Members to support his nomination.
Rwy'n enwebu Mick Antoniw i barhau i ymgymryd â rôl Cwnsler Cyffredinol, a gofynnaf i'r Aelodau gefnogi ei enwebiad.
Does neb arall yn cynnig unrhyw sylwadau ar yr enwebiad yna, ac felly y cwestiwn yw a ddylid derbyn y cynnig. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes. Felly, mae'r cynnig yna wedi ei dderbyn, ac mae enwebiad Mick Antoniw wedi ei gymeradwyo.
There are no further comments on that nomination, and therefore the proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. The motion is therefore agreed, and Mick Antoniw's nomination is approved.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r enwebiadau ar gyfer Cadeiryddion pwyllgorau. Rwyf nawr yn gwahodd enwebiadau o dan Reol Sefydlog 17.2F i ethol y Cadeiryddion yma. Dim ond aelod o'r grŵp gwleidyddol y dyrannwyd y pwyllgor hwnnw iddo all gael ei enwebu'n Gadeirydd, a dim ond aelod o'r un grŵp pleidiol sy'n cael cynnig yr enwebiad. Cytunwyd ar y dyraniad Cadeiryddion i'r grŵp Llafur yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.2A a 17.2R. Pan fo gan grŵp plaid fwy nag 20 aelod, mae'n rhaid i'r enwebiad gael ei eilio gan aelod arall o'r un grŵp. Os bydd unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu enwebiad, neu os ceir dau enwebiad neu fwy ar gyfer un pwyllgor, byddwn ni yn cynnal pleidlais gyfrinachol, a byddaf yn parhau gyda'r enwebiadau ar gyfer gweddill y pwyllgorau hyd nes bydd yr enwebiadau i gyd wedi'i gwneud.
Dyma ni yn symud ymlaen yn gyntaf i wahodd enwebiadau ar gyfer Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, a ddyrannwyd i'r grŵp Llafur. Dwi'n galw ar aelod o'r grŵp Llafur i gynnig enwebiad.
The next item is nominations for committee Chairs. I now invite nominations under Standing Order 17.42F for the election of committee Chairs. Only a member of the political group that has been allocated that committee may be nominated as Chair, and only a member of the same political group may make the nomination. The allocation of Chairs to political groups has been agreed in accordance with Standing Order 17.2A and 17.2R. When a political group has more than 20 members, the nomination must be seconded by another member of the same group. If any Member objects to a nomination, or if there are two nominations or more for one committee, a secret ballot will be held, and I will continue with nominations for the remaining committees until all nominations have been made.
We'll move on first to invite nominations for the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, which has been allocated to the Labour group. I therefore call on a member of the Labour group to make a nomination.
I would like to nominate Buffy Williams, please.
Hoffwn i enwebu Buffy Williams, os gwelwch yn dda.
Diolch. A oes unrhyw aelod arall o'r grŵp Llafur yn eilio'r enwebiad yna?
Thank you. Does another member of the Labour group second that nomination?
I would like to second it.
Hoffwn i ei eilio.
Mae'r enwebiad wedi ei eilio. A oes rhagor o enwebiadau? Does yna ddim rhagor o enwebiadau. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu'r enwebiad? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Oes, mae yna wrthwynebiad i'r enwebiad hwnnw. Oherwydd y gwrthwynebiad, mi fydd pleidlais ar gyfer y Cadeirydd yma drwy bleidlais gyfrinachol.
Yr eitem nesaf fydd gwahodd enwebiadau ar gyfer Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a'r Cyfansoddiad, unwaith eto wedi ei ddyrannu i'r grŵp Llafur. A oes unrhyw un yn cynnig enw?
There is a seconder. Are there any further nominations? There are none. Does any Member object to that nomination? [Objection.] Yes, there is objection to that nomination. Because of that objection, the vote for the Chair will be taken by secret ballot.
The next item is to invite nominations for Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, again allocated to the Labour group. Are there any nominations?
I'd like to nominate Alun Davies.
Hoffwn i enwebu Alun Davies.
A oes unrhyw eilydd i enwebiad Alun Davies?
Is there a seconder to that nomination?
Second.
Eilio.
Oes, mae yna eilydd. Felly, mae'r enwebiad yna wedi ei dderbyn. A oes unrhyw enwebiadau eraill?
Yes. That nomination has been made. Are there any further nominations?
I nominate Sarah Murphy.
Rwy'n enwebu Sarah Murphy.
Mae Sarah Murphy wedi ei henwebu. A oes eilydd i enwebiad Sarah Murphy?
Sarah Murphy has been nominated. Is there a seconder?
Second.
Eilio.
Oes, mae yna eilydd, sef Hefin David. Felly, mae yna ddau enwebiad. Oes yna unrhyw enwebiad arall? Na, does yna ddim enwebiad arall. Gan fod yna ddau enwebiad, mi fydd yna etholiad drwy bleidlais gyfrinachol ar gyfer cadeiryddiaeth y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a'r Cyfansoddiad. Fe fyddwn ni felly yn pleidleisio yn gyfrinachol yn unol â'r Rheolau Sefydlog. Dwi'n dweud wrth yr Aelodau bydd y pleidleisiau cyfrinachol yma yn cael eu cynnal yn ystafell briffio 13 yn y Senedd. Fe fydd y pleidleisio yn agor yn y munudau nesaf ac fe fydd yn cau cyn 16:30 y prynhawn yma. Mae modd i unrhyw Aelod sydd wedi rhoi gwybod i ni eu bod nhw'n dymuno pleidleisio o bell wneud hynny. Y clerc fydd yn gyfrifol am oruchwylio’r broses bleidleisio a'r broses o gyfri'r pleidleisiau, ac ar ôl y pleidleisiau cyfrinachol byddaf i'n cyhoeddi canlyniad y ddwy etholiad yma cyn y cyfnod pleidleisio y prynhawn yma. Diolch yn fawr i chi am hynny.
Yes, there is, namely Hefin David. Therefore, we have two nominations. Are there any further nominations? No, there are no further nominations. As there are two nominations, there will be an election by secret ballot for the position of Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee. We will therefore vote by secret ballot in accordance with the Standing Orders. I inform Members that the secret ballot will be held in briefing room 13 in the Senedd. Voting will open in the next few minutes and will close at 16:30 this afternoon. Any Member who has informed us that they wish to vote remotely will be able to do so. The clerk will be responsible for supervising the voting and counting processes, and, following the secret ballots, I will announce the results of the two elections before voting time this afternoon. Thank you all for that.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes. Y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hwnnw. Jane Hutt.
The next item is the business statement and announcement. I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement. Jane Hutt.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Mae sawl newid i fusnes yr wythnos yma. Bydd y Prif Weinidog yn gwneud datganiad yn fuan ar gyflawni blaenoriaethau Cymru. Bydd y datganiad am y Bil iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol nawr yn cael ei wneud ar 21 Mai, ac mae cwestiynau llafar fory wedi newid yn unol â'r Cabinet newydd. Mae busnes drafft y tair wythnos nesaf wedi ei nodi yn y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes sydd ar gael yn y papurau cyfarfod ar-lein.
Thank you, Llywydd. There are several changes to the business for this week. The First Minister will shortly be making a statement on delivering Wales's priorities. The statement on the health and social care Bill will now be given on 21 May, and oral questions tomorrow have changed in accordance with the new Cabinet. Draft business for the next three weeks is noted in the business statement and announcement, which is available in the online papers for this meeting.
Congratulations on your new role, Trefnydd, in assuming the duties of the leader of the house this afternoon.
I would like to call for a statement from the new Cabinet Secretary for Education on the decrease in 18-year-olds enrolling in Welsh universities. I had the pleasure of visiting Wrexham University during recess and meeting with the vice-chancellor, Maria Hinfelaar, who informed me that enrolment of international students is increasing, which is great, but the number of Welsh 18-year-olds enrolling at Wrexham University is down 5 per cent this year. There was also a dip across Wales between 2021 and 2022, with the percentage of Welsh 18-year-olds that were accepted for a place at university in Wales also dipping from 33.7 per cent to 32.4 per cent.
Obviously, this is concerning for north Wales, as international students are more likely to leave after gaining their qualifications, and we need to retain these skills in north Wales. Wrexham University is a huge asset for my constituency, as their excellent medical training facilities are a magnet for training regional talent, which will ease staffing pressure on emergency services and the Glan Clwyd Hospital. I'm aware that the Welsh Government has schemes to retain students in north Wales after graduation, but what is the Cabinet Secretary doing to ensure that there are incentives available for young people to choose a university in Wales when they are considering their options after A-levels? Thank you.
Llongyfarchiadau ar eich rôl newydd, Trefnydd, wrth ymgymryd â dyletswyddau arweinydd y tŷ y prynhawn yma.
Hoffwn i alw am ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd newydd y Cabinet dros Addysg ar y gostyngiad yn nifer y bobl ifanc 18 oed sy'n ymrestru mewn prifysgolion yng Nghymru. Cefais i'r pleser o ymweld â Phrifysgol Wrecsam yn ystod y toriad a chyfarfod â'r is-ganghellor, Maria Hinfelaar, a ddywedodd wrthyf fod nifer y myfyrwyr rhyngwladol sy'n ymrestru yn cynyddu, sy'n wych, ond bod yna ostyngiad o 5 y cant yn nifer y bobl ifanc 18 oed o Gymru sy'n ymrestru ym Mhrifysgol Wrecsam eleni. Roedd yna ostyngiad hefyd ar draws Cymru rhwng 2021 a 2022, gyda chanran y bobl ifanc 18 oed o Gymru a gafodd eu derbyn am le yn y brifysgol yng Nghymru hefyd yn gostwng o 33.7 y cant i 32.4 y cant.
Yn amlwg, mae hyn yn destun pryder i ogledd Cymru, gan fod myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn fwy tebygol o adael ar ôl ennill eu cymwysterau, ac mae angen i ni gadw'r sgiliau hyn yn y gogledd. Mae Prifysgol Wrecsam yn ased enfawr i fy etholaeth i, gan fod eu cyfleusterau hyfforddi meddygol rhagorol yn fagned ar gyfer hyfforddi talent ranbarthol, a fydd yn lleihau'r pwysau staffio ar wasanaethau brys ac Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. Rwy'n ymwybodol bod gan Lywodraeth Cymru gynlluniau i gadw myfyrwyr yn y gogledd ar ôl iddyn nhw raddio, ond beth mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod cymhellion ar gael i bobl ifanc ddewis prifysgol yng Nghymru pan fyddan nhw'n ystyried eu dewisiadau ar ôl Safon Uwch? Diolch.
Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn.
Thank you for your question.
It is really important that we value, as you have done today, our universities in Wales, and Wrexham University in particular, in terms of your constituency—huge assets, as are all our higher education institutions across Wales. Of course, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, now, will very shortly be meeting with our universities, not only in terms of all of the vice-chancellors, Universities Wales, but recognising that this has been an issue that's come forward in recent days and weeks as a challenge. And there are many reasons for those challenges, and some of those are a responsibility for the UK Government.
But I would say that, in terms of the recognition of our universities, and the role that they play, not only in terms of education and lifelong learning, but also in terms of their economy, their local communities and progression for education, they are hugely valued, and, of course, supported by our very generous student support system as well. So, I'm sure the Cabinet Secretary will be following up those points you've made.
Mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n gwerthfawrogi, fel yr ydych chi wedi'i wneud heddiw, ein prifysgolion yng Nghymru, a Phrifysgol Wrecsam yn arbennig, o ran eich etholaeth chi—asedau enfawr, fel y mae ein holl sefydliadau addysg uwch ledled Cymru. Wrth gwrs, bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg, nawr, yn cyfarfod yn fuan â'n prifysgolion, nid yn unig o ran yr holl is-gangellorion, Prifysgolion Cymru, ond gan gydnabod bod hwn wedi bod yn fater sydd wedi dod i'r amlwg yn ystod y dyddiau a'r wythnosau diwethaf fel her. Ac mae llawer o resymau dros yr heriau hynny, ac mae rhai o'r rheini'n gyfrifoldeb ar Lywodraeth y DU.
Ond byddwn i'n dweud, o ran cydnabod ein prifysgolion, a'r rhan maen nhw'n ei chwarae, nid yn unig o ran addysg a dysgu gydol oes, ond hefyd o ran eu heconomi, eu cymunedau lleol a dilyniant ar gyfer addysg, eu bod yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi'n fawr, ac, wrth gwrs, yn cael eu cefnogi gan ein system hael iawn o gymorth i fyfyrwyr hefyd. Felly, rwy'n siŵr y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn mynd ar drywydd y pwyntiau hynny yr ydych chi wedi'u gwneud.
I'd like to request a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care on the provision of NHS and primary care services for deaf people. There are around 575,000 deaf and hard of hearing people living in Wales, including over 4,000 people who use British Sign Language. Now, a constituent of mine, Andrea Eveleigh, is one of those 4,000 people. Andrea has recently been in touch about her shocking experience of trying to book a dentist appointment. Andrea and her husband's repeated appeals to their dental surgery have been completely overlooked and Andrea continues to receive phone calls. Now, an overwhelming majority of services simply expect everyone to use audio services, but this isn't accessible or at all appropriate for those deaf BSL users like Andrea. So, I'd be grateful for clarification in the form of a statement from the Cabinet Secretary about the Welsh Government's work to ensure equity of access to health and primary care services for deaf people.
Hoffwn i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol ar ddarparu gwasanaethau GIG a gofal sylfaenol i bobl fyddar. Mae tua 575,000 o bobl fyddar a thrwm eu clyw yn byw yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys dros 4,000 o bobl sy'n defnyddio Iaith Arwyddion Prydain. Nawr, mae un o'm hetholwyr, Andrea Eveleigh, yn un o'r 4,000 o bobl hynny. Mae Andrea wedi cysylltu'n ddiweddar am y profiad brawychus a gafodd wrth geisio trefnu apwyntiad deintydd. Mae apeliadau niferus Andrea a'i gŵr i'w deintyddfa wedi'u hanwybyddu'n llwyr ac mae Andrea yn parhau i gael galwadau ffôn. Nawr, mae mwyafrif llethol o wasanaethau yn disgwyl i bawb ddefnyddio gwasanaethau sain, ond nid yw hyn yn hygyrch nac yn briodol o gwbl i bobl fyddar sy'n defnyddio Iaith Arwyddion Prydain fel Andrea. Felly, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar am eglurhad ar ffurf datganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am y gwaith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau mynediad cyfartal at wasanaethau iechyd a gofal sylfaenol i bobl fyddar.
Diolch yn fawr, Luke, am eich cwestiwn.
Thank you, Luke, for your question.
Equity of access is crucially important and very key, underpinning the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care's support, objectives and ambitions for a truly inclusive national health service here in Wales, particularly in relation to deaf people. We are fortunate as well that we do have full engagement with disabled people, including deaf people. Our disability equality rights taskforce, which the Cabinet Secretary has attended herself, is looking at all the issues in relation to health equity and inclusion. But I think, also, it's recognising BSL and the ways in which, in fact, this is not just a health issue, it's an education issue that our children and young people increasingly learn BSL in an inclusive way. But, certainly, in terms of primary care, the Cabinet Secretary, who is here, will be following that point up.
Mae mynediad cyfartal yn hanfodol bwysig ac yn allweddol iawn, ac mae'n sail i gefnogaeth, amcanion ac uchelgeisiau Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol ar gyfer gwasanaeth iechyd cenedlaethol gwirioneddol gynhwysol yma yng Nghymru, yn enwedig o ran pobl fyddar. Rydyn ni hefyd yn ffodus bod gennym ni ymgysylltiad llawn â phobl anabl, gan gynnwys pobl fyddar. Mae ein tasglu hawliau pobl anabl, y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi'i fynychu ei hun, yn ystyried yr holl faterion sy'n ymwneud â thegwch iechyd a chynhwysiant. Ond rwy'n credu, hefyd, ei fod yn cydnabod Iaith Arwyddion Prydain a'r ffyrdd sy'n dangos nad mater iechyd yn unig yw hwn, mewn gwirionedd, mae'n fater addysg bod ein plant a'n pobl ifanc yn dysgu Iaith Arwyddion Prydain fwyfwy mewn ffordd gynhwysol. Ond, yn sicr, o ran gofal sylfaenol, bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, sydd yma, yn mynd ar drywydd y pwynt hwnnw.
Two statements, please, if you would. As a result of a freedom of information request, I was really concerned to read that there have been approximately 230 unsafe discharges from medical facilities in the Betsi board. The unsafe discharges were as follows: wrong patients conveyed—five patients; discharged to wrong locations—five; wrong address and destination provided—approximately five; discharge inappropriate—a staggering 221 patients. In the last couple of months, I've been made aware of two very unsafe discharges actually, then, needing the patients to go back to hospital. This does clearly outline that whilst some improvements have been made to this board, you cannot have a sustainable position where we're having such unsafe discharges. So, if we could have a statement from the health Minister on that, I'd be grateful.
I also would ask for a statement from the Minister for rural affairs—an immediate statement. Our farmers now are facing a crisis never seen before at this time of the year. Fields are waterlogged, very high water tables, people having to bring lambs in, which is extra feeding. They really are facing an immense crisis. So, I really want to see what support, in terms of funding, or any support that the rural affairs Minister— . Surely, they are aware of the situation I'm aware of across Wales, and what are they going to actually do to support our farmers? The first crop that should have gone in, many have been missed, and it's actually quite a bad time for farmers. Thank you.
Dau ddatganiad, os gwelwch yn dda. O ganlyniad i gais rhyddid gwybodaeth, roeddwn i'n bryderus iawn o ddarllen bod tua 230 o achosion o ryddhau'n anniogel o gyfleusterau meddygol ym mwrdd Betsi. Roedd yr achosion o ryddhau'n anniogel fel a ganlyn: cleifion anghywir yn cael eu cludo—pum claf; rhyddhau i leoliadau anghywir—pump; cyrchfan a chyfeiriad anghywir wedi'u darparu—tua phump; rhyddhau claf yn amhriodol—nifer syfrdanol o 221 o gleifion. Yn ystod yr ychydig fisoedd diwethaf, rwyf wedi cael gwybod am ddau achos o ryddhau anniogel iawn mewn gwirionedd, lle'r oedd angen i'r cleifion fynd yn ôl i'r ysbyty wedyn. Mae hyn yn amlinellu'n glir, er bod rhai gwelliannau wedi'u gwneud i'r bwrdd hwn, na allwch chi gael sefyllfa gynaliadwy lle'r ydym yn gweld achosion rhyddhau mor anniogel. Felly, pe gallem gael datganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd ar hynny, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar.
Rwy'n gofyn hefyd am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog dros faterion gwledig—datganiad ar unwaith. Erbyn hyn, mae ein ffermwyr yn wynebu argyfwng nas gwelwyd erioed o'r blaen ar yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn. Mae caeau yn ddwrlawn, mae lefelau trwythiad yn uchel iawn, mae pobl yn gorfod dod ag ŵyn i mewn, sy'n fwydo ychwanegol. Maen nhw wir yn wynebu argyfwng aruthrol. Felly, rwyf i wir eisiau gweld pa gefnogaeth, o ran cyllid, neu unrhyw gefnogaeth y gall y Gweinidog materion gwledig— . Does bosibl ei fod yn ymwybodol o'r sefyllfa yr wyf i'n ymwybodol ohoni ledled Cymru, a beth mae'n mynd i'w wneud mewn gwirionedd i gefnogi ein ffermwyr? Mae'r cnwd cyntaf ddylai fod wedi mynd i mewn, mae llawer wedi cael eu colli, ac mae'n amser eithaf gwael i ffermwyr mewn gwirionedd. Diolch.
Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn, Janet Finch-Saunders.
Thank you very much for your question, Janet Finch-Saunders.
Two important questions this afternoon. I think that, importantly, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care heard the point that you've made about the safety of discharges issues in Betsi Cadwaladr. And also, of course, we have our Cabinet Secretary for north Wales as well, Ken Skates, who will be hearing that point, and I know that he, alongside the health Secretary, will be engaging on those points with Betsi Cadwaladr.
And you raised a really important point in terms of farming and the wet weather, which the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs is very aware of. We recognise that this is about changing climatic conditions, increasing weather extremes, already affecting Welsh soil, water resources and livestock, intense and prolonged rainfall and flooding—we saw it ourselves over the Easter period—but also linked to recurring periods of summer droughts and wildfires. But I think the issues around particularly the wet weather—we're monitoring it, the Cabinet Secretary and officials are monitoring it carefully, in terms of impact on farmers, and also linking to the UK-wide agriculture market monitoring group. The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs is going to convene a summit of key stakeholders to discuss the current situation, and what interventions may be necessary from across the supply chain to deal with the exceptional circumstances that some farmers are facing.
Dau gwestiwn pwysig y prynhawn yma. Rwy'n credu, yn bwysig, bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol wedi clywed y pwynt yr ydych chi wedi'i wneud ynglŷn â mater diogelwch rhyddhau yn Betsi Cadwaladr. A hefyd, wrth gwrs, mae gennym ni Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros ogledd Cymru hefyd, Ken Skates, a fydd yn clywed y pwynt hwnnw, a gwn y bydd ef, ochr yn ochr â'r Ysgrifennydd iechyd, yn trafod y pwyntiau hynny gyda Betsi Cadwaladr.
Ac fe wnaethoch chi godi pwynt pwysig iawn o ran ffermio a'r tywydd gwlyb, y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig yn ymwybodol iawn ohono. Rydyn ni'n cydnabod bod hyn yn ymwneud ag amodau hinsoddol newidiol, mwy o dywydd eithafol, sydd eisoes yn effeithio ar bridd, adnoddau dŵr a da byw yng Nghymru, glaw dwys dros gyfnod hir a llifogydd—fe wnaethon ni weld hynny ein hunain dros gyfnod y Pasg—ond mae hefyd yn gysylltiedig â chyfnodau rheolaidd o sychder yn yr haf a thanau gwyllt. Ond rwy'n credu bod y materion sy'n ymwneud â'r tywydd gwlyb yn benodol—rydyn ni'n monitro hynny, mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet a swyddogion yn monitro hynny'n ofalus, o ran yr effaith ar ffermwyr, a hefyd yn cysylltu â grŵp monitro'r farchnad amaeth ledled y DU. Mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig yn mynd i gynnull uwchgynhadledd o randdeiliaid allweddol i drafod y sefyllfa bresennol, a pha ymyriadau y gall fod eu hangen o bob rhan o'r gadwyn gyflenwi i ymdrin â'r amgylchiadau eithriadol y mae rhai ffermwyr yn eu hwynebu.
There is a scandal that's unfolding at Ffos-y-fran opencast mine near Merthyr. Up until earlier this year, the company in charge of the site had been illegally extracting coal for more than a year. They have now abandoned the site, but to add a further insult to the injuries done to that landscape, they turned off the water pumps when they left. So, now, the residents of Merthyr are left with not just a gaping hole in the earth, but a hole that is rapidly filling with contaminated water. Now, I'd like a statement, please, from the Government, setting out what urgent actions you'll take. You've said that you'll keep a close eye on the situation, but we are running out of time. The concentration of the chemicals contaminating the dirty water is increasing, just as water levels are rising. Now, that poses a risk, not just in terms of environmental health, but a danger to life. The walls of the tip could fail—it is a landscape that is prone to landslips—and we are fast approaching a time when it will be too late to pump out the water. So, can an urgent statement clarify what the Government is doing to ensure that independent surveyors are allowed access to the tip, that the pumps are turned back on, even if that means compulsory purchase of the land, and whether legal proceedings will be taken against the company for allowing this contamination to happen?
Mae sgandal yn datblygu yng ngwaith glo brig Ffos-y-frân ger Merthyr. Hyd at yn gynharach eleni, roedd y cwmni a oedd yn gyfrifol am y safle wedi bod yn cloddio glo yn anghyfreithlon ers dros flwyddyn. Erbyn hyn, maen nhw wedi cefnu ar y safle, ond i ychwanegu mwy o halen at y briw o ran yr hyn sydd wedi'i wneud i'r dirwedd honno, fe wnaethon nhw ddiffodd y pympiau dŵr pan wnaethon nhw adael. Felly, nawr, mae trigolion Merthyr wedi cael eu gadael, nid yn unig gyda thwll yn y ddaear, ond twll sy'n llenwi'n gyflym â dŵr halogedig. Nawr, hoffwn i gael datganiad, os gwelwch yn dda, gan y Llywodraeth, yn nodi pa gamau brys y byddwch chi'n eu cymryd. Rydych chi wedi dweud y byddwch chi'n cadw llygad barcud ar y sefyllfa, ond mae amser yn mynd yn brin arnon ni. Mae crynodiad y cemegau sy'n halogi'r dŵr budr yn cynyddu, yn yr un modd ag y mae lefelau dŵr yn codi. Nawr, mae hynny'n peri risg, nid yn unig o ran iechyd yr amgylchedd, ond mae'n berygl i fywyd. Gallai waliau'r domen fethu—mae'n dirwedd sy'n agored i dirlithriadau—ac rydyn ni'n prysur agosáu at adeg pan fydd hi'n rhy hwyr i bwmpio'r dŵr allan. Felly, a all datganiad brys egluro beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod syrfewyr annibynnol yn cael mynediad i'r domen, bod y pympiau yn cael eu troi yn ôl ymlaen, hyd yn oed os yw hynny'n golygu prynu'r tir yn orfodol, ac a fydd achos cyfreithiol yn cael ei gymryd yn erbyn y cwmni am ganiatáu i'r halogi hwn ddigwydd?
Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn, Delyth Jewell.
Thank you very much for your question, Delyth Jewell.
This is an issue, very clearly, in terms of Ffos-y-fran, that the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs has been addressing, closely monitoring the situation with Ffos-y-fran. And the priority, of course, as you've acknowledged and reminded us, is ensuring the safety of the local community. So, the Cabinet Secretary's officials, and himself, are in regular contact with the local authority and a range of public sector partners, being clear about the safeguarding and the restoration of the site. That's the objective, but, alongside, wishing to see the full restoration of the site, in line with planning permission. The leader of the council has provided assurances that the water level in the void, for example, isn't an immediate concern. But Welsh Government is providing support to the council, to ensure that they are able to assess independent assessments on potential flooding concerns and environmental impacts.
Mae hwn yn broblem, yn amlwg iawn, o ran Ffos-y-frân, y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig wedi bod yn ymdrin â hi, gan fonitro'r sefyllfa o ran Ffos-y-frân yn agos. A'r flaenoriaeth, wrth gwrs, fel yr ydych chi wedi'i chydnabod a'n hatgoffa ohoni, yw sicrhau diogelwch y gymuned leol. Felly, mae swyddogion Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ac ef ei hun, yn cysylltu'n rheolaidd â'r awdurdod lleol ac amrywiaeth o bartneriaid sector cyhoeddus, gan fod yn glir ynghylch diogelu ac adfer y safle. Dyna'r nod, ond gan ddymuno, ochr yn ochr â hynny, weld y safle yn cael ei adfer yn llwyr, yn unol â chaniatâd cynllunio. Mae arweinydd y cyngor wedi rhoi sicrwydd nad yw lefel y dŵr yn y gwagle, er enghraifft, yn destun pryder uniongyrchol. Ond mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi cymorth i'r cyngor, er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn gallu asesu asesiadau annibynnol ar bryderon llifogydd posibl ac effeithiau amgylcheddol.
Good afternoon, Trefnydd, and welcome to your new role. I wanted to ask a question that actually straddles your previous role as Minister for Social Justice, which was concerned with the refugee welcome bus ticket. That has now been stalled, paused, awaiting a further iteration. But in the interim, we have refugees across Wales, particularly in rural areas, with actually no funding in order to transport themselves, take their children to school, for example, and it's particularly affecting, as I say, those in rural areas, who have to rely on buses. I wonder if I could ask for a statement from the Minister for culture—sorry, the Cabinet Secretary; we'll have to get used to saying that now, won't we—the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice on a timetable for the reintroduction of the new scheme for the refugee welcome bus ticket. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Trefnydd, a chroeso i'ch rôl newydd. Roeddwn i eisiau gofyn cwestiwn sydd mewn gwirionedd yn pontio'ch rôl flaenorol fel y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, a oedd yn ymwneud â'r tocyn bws croeso i ffoaduriaid. Erbyn hyn mae hynny wedi'i oedi, tra'n aros am iteriad arall. Ond yn y cyfamser, mae gennym ni ffoaduriaid ledled Cymru, yn enwedig mewn ardaloedd gwledig, heb unrhyw gyllid mewn gwirionedd i gludo eu hunain, mynd â'u plant i'r ysgol, er enghraifft, ac mae'n effeithio'n benodol, fel y dywedais, ar y rhai mewn ardaloedd gwledig, sy'n gorfod dibynnu ar fysiau. Tybed a allaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog diwylliant—sori, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet; bydd yn rhaid i ni ddod yn gyfarwydd â dweud hynny nawr, sbo—Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Ddiwylliant a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ar amserlen ar gyfer ailgyflwyno'r cynllun newydd ar gyfer y tocyn bws croeso i ffoaduriaid. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds, and thank you for your good wishes for my new role as Trefnydd. This has been a really important scheme, hasn't it, the welcome ticket? It contributed over the last two years to help so many refugees, and I recognise the point you've made about rural areas particularly. I think just a few words, because of obviously my previous role, to reflect that it was introduced as part of our response to the outbreak of war in Ukraine, and we estimate that over a million free journeys have been provided to people seeking sanctuary from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Hong Kong and refugees from across the world.
I'll just also, just for the record, say the scheme was a condition of the £200 million emergency funding package for the bus industry to help it recover following the pandemic, and, as you know, was extended over the last two years. But as this came to an end at the end of March of this year, the length of the scheme was always going to be determined in relation to availability of funding.
So, as was recognised, the first phase of the welcome ticket ended on 31 March, and the intention is to use the learning guided over the last two years to develop the next phase of the scheme, which needs to be sustainable and fit for purpose, ensuring that resources are focused on those most in need. Very importantly, stakeholders were involved all the way through the development of the predecessor scheme—Welsh Refugee Council, local authorities, Transport for Wales, all of the stakeholders—and work is under way with the key stakeholders to launch a new phase during this financial year. So, I certainly will share this with the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice in terms of any further information and clarification on the timeline for this.
Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds, a diolch am eich dymuniadau da ar gyfer fy rôl newydd fel Trefnydd. Mae hwn wedi bod yn gynllun pwysig iawn, onid ydyw, y tocyn croeso? Fe gyfrannodd yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf at helpu cynifer o ffoaduriaid, ac rwy'n cydnabod y pwynt yr ydych chi wedi'i wneud am ardaloedd gwledig yn arbennig. Dim ond ychydig eiriau, rwy'n credu, yn amlwg oherwydd fy rôl flaenorol, i adlewyrchu ei fod wedi'i gyflwyno fel rhan o'n hymateb i ddechrau'r rhyfel yn Wcráin, ac rydyn ni'n amcangyfrif bod dros filiwn o deithiau am ddim wedi'u darparu i bobl sy'n chwilio am noddfa o Wcráin, Affganistan, Hong Kong a ffoaduriaid o bob cwr o'r byd.
Fe ddywedaf hefyd, dim ond ar gyfer y cofnod, fod y cynllun yn un o amodau'r pecyn cyllid brys gwerth £200 miliwn ar gyfer y diwydiant bysiau i'w helpu i adfer yn dilyn y pandemig, ac, fel y gwyddoch chi, cafodd ei ymestyn yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf. Ond wrth i hyn ddod i ben ddiwedd mis Mawrth eleni, roedd hyd y cynllun bob amser yn mynd i gael ei benderfynu o ran y cyllid a oedd ar gael.
Felly, fel y cafodd ei gydnabod, daeth cam cyntaf y tocyn croeso i ben ar 31 Mawrth, a'r bwriad yw defnyddio'r hyn a ddysgwyd yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf i ddatblygu cyfnod nesaf y cynllun, y mae angen iddo fod yn gynaliadwy ac yn addas i'r diben, gan sicrhau bod adnoddau'n canolbwyntio ar y rhai mwyaf anghenus. Yn bwysig iawn, cafodd rhanddeiliaid eu cynnwys yr holl ffordd trwy ddatblygu'r cynllun blaenorol—Cyngor Ffoaduriaid Cymru, awdurdodau lleol, Trafnidiaeth Cymru, yr holl randdeiliaid—ac mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo gyda'r rhanddeiliaid allweddol i lansio cyfnod newydd yn ystod y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Felly, yn sicr, fe wnaf rannu hyn gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Ddiwylliant a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol o ran unrhyw wybodaeth ac eglurhad pellach ar yr amserlen ar gyfer hyn.
I call for two statements from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care. The first on action by the Welsh Government to reduce the numbers of autistic people or people with a learning disability still locked up in assessment and treatment centres in Wales and England. A 'homes not hospitals' protest outside the Senedd tomorrow lunchtime, supported by Learning Disability Wales and 13 other organisations including Mencap Cymru, will raise awareness of the lack of movement by the Welsh Government on this issue.
After I wrote to the former Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being as chair of the cross-party autism group, jointly with Hefin David as a group member, regarding the sectioning and detention of autistic people due to placements breaking down rather than any specific mental health issue, her reply confirmed that data on this is not held centrally by the Welsh Government, which questions how they can make informed decisions about service delivery.
There's been a learning disability strategy in place in Wales since 2018, which seeks to ensure that autistic people or people with a learning disability who are in long-term placements are discharged and able to live their lives in their community. However, Learning Disability Wales states that approximately 150 autistic people or people with a learning disability are known to be in a hospital setting, over two thirds for over 10 years, although numbers don't include all people and all settings. We therefore need to know why such a high number are still in long-term hospital placements. I call for a statement accordingly.
I also call for a statement on the pain management service in north Wales. After the Countess of Chester Hospital told me that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was repatriating pain management services for people in north-east Flintshire to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, with a consequent explosion in waiting times, the then health Minister, Mark Drakeford, told me that it was a matter for the health board and otherwise did nothing.
Only yesterday a constituent living in Hawarden suffering with chronic pain e-mailed the team dealing with bookings for the pain management clinic at Wrexham Maelor and they informed him that he would have to wait another two years before he would get an appointment, meaning he will have to wait three years in total. He asks what steps are you taking to hold them to account and bring about significant improvement, or do you consider a three-year wait for treatment acceptable? I therefore put that question to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and call for a statement from that Cabinet Secretary on this matter also.
Rwy'n galw am ddau ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol. Y cyntaf ar y camau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cymryd i leihau nifer y bobl awtistig neu bobl ag anabledd dysgu sy'n dal i fod dan glo mewn canolfannau asesu a thriniaeth yng Nghymru a Lloegr. Bydd protest 'cartrefi nid ysbytai' y tu allan i'r Senedd amser cinio yfory, gyda chefnogaeth Anabledd Dysgu Cymru a 13 o sefydliadau eraill gan gynnwys Mencap Cymru, yn codi ymwybyddiaeth o ddiffyg symudiad Llywodraeth Cymru ar y mater hwn.
Ar ôl i mi ysgrifennu at y cyn Ddirprwy Weinidog Iechyd Meddwl a Llesiant fel cadeirydd y grŵp awtistiaeth trawsbleidiol, ar y cyd â Hefin David fel aelod o'r grŵp, ynghylch anfon pobl awtistig i ysbyty meddwl a'u cadw oherwydd bod lleoliadau yn chwalu yn hytrach nag unrhyw fater iechyd meddwl penodol, cadarnhaodd ei hymateb hi nad yw data ar hyn yn cael ei gadw'n ganolog gan Lywodraeth Cymru, sy'n cwestiynu sut y gallan nhw wneud penderfyniadau gwybodus ynghylch darparu gwasanaethau.
Mae strategaeth anabledd dysgu wedi bod ar waith yng Nghymru ers 2018, sy'n ceisio sicrhau bod pobl awtistig neu bobl ag anabledd dysgu sydd mewn lleoliadau hirdymor yn cael eu rhyddhau ac yn gallu byw eu bywydau yn eu cymuned. Fodd bynnag, mae Anabledd Dysgu Cymru yn nodi bod tua 150 o bobl awtistig neu bobl ag anabledd dysgu mewn ysbyty, dros ddwy ran o dair ohonyn nhw ers dros 10 mlynedd, er nad yw'r niferoedd yn cynnwys pob person a phob lleoliad. Felly mae angen i ni wybod pam mae nifer mor uchel yn dal i fod mewn lleoliadau ysbyty tymor hir. Rwy'n galw am ddatganiad yn unol â hynny.
Rwyf hefyd yn galw am ddatganiad ar y gwasanaeth rheoli poen yn y gogledd. Ar ôl i Ysbyty Iarlles Caer ddweud wrthyf fod Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr yn ailsefydlu gwasanaethau rheoli poen ar gyfer pobl yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Sir y Fflint yn Ysbyty Maelor Wrecsam, gyda chynnydd sylweddol mewn amseroedd aros yn sgil hynny, dywedodd y Gweinidog Iechyd ar y pryd, Mark Drakeford, wrthyf ei fod yn fater i'r bwrdd iechyd ac fel arall ni wnaeth ddim.
Dim ond ddoe fe wnaeth etholwr sy'n byw ym Mhenarlâg sy'n dioddef o boen cronig anfon e-bost at y tîm sy'n ymdrin â threfnu apwyntiadau ar gyfer y clinig rheoli poen yn Wrecsam Maelor ac fe wnaethon nhw roi gwybod iddo y byddai'n rhaid iddo aros dwy flynedd arall cyn y byddai'n cael apwyntiad, gan olygu y bydd yn rhaid iddo aros am dair blynedd at ei gilydd. Mae e'n gofyn pa gamau ydych chi'n eu cymryd i'w dwyn i gyfrif a sicrhau gwelliant sylweddol, neu a ydych chi'n ystyried bod aros tair blynedd am driniaeth yn dderbyniol? Felly, rwy'n gofyn y cwestiwn hwnnw i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol ac rwy'n galw am ddatganiad gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet hwnnw ar y mater hwn hefyd.
Thank you very much, Mark Isherwood, for those questions. I think events like the event held today at the Senedd are really important in terms of highlighting the need for access, particularly to autistic people, people with learning disabilities, and the organisations that were represented, as you have outlined, today—Learning Disability Wales, Mencap Cymru. And, of course, I know that that will have included—. Many of the people who were gathering together were people with lived experience and lived experience of the need to have access to an inclusive health service in terms of the way forward. And I'd also very much acknowledge the 'homes not hospitals' steer and approach and ambition of the Welsh Government and our Welsh NHS. So, certainly, that will be taken back, acknowledged and taken forward in terms of a response to the event today.
On your second point, in terms of the service in north-east Wales in particular provided by Betsi Cadwaladr, in terms of access to it and what will be really important to people, particularly people with chronic conditions in terms of pain management, again, I will raise this with the Cabinet Secretary and, indeed, the Cabinet Secretaries for health and also for north Wales in terms of looking at that situation.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Mark Isherwood, am y cwestiynau hynny. Rwy'n credu bod digwyddiadau fel y digwyddiad a gafodd ei gynnal yn y Senedd heddiw yn bwysig iawn o ran tynnu sylw at yr angen am fynediad, yn enwedig i bobl awtistig, pobl ag anableddau dysgu, a'r sefydliadau a gynrychiolwyd, fel yr ydych chi wedi'u hamlinellu, heddiw—Anabledd Dysgu Cymru, Mencap Cymru. Ac, wrth gwrs, rwy'n gwybod y bydd hynny wedi cynnwys—. Roedd llawer o'r bobl a oedd yn ymgynnull yn bobl â phrofiad bywyd, a phrofiad bywyd o'r angen i gael mynediad at wasanaeth iechyd cynhwysol o ran y ffordd ymlaen. Ac rwy'n llwyr gydnabod hefyd arweiniad ac ymagwedd ac uchelgais 'cartrefi nid ysbytai' Llywodraeth Cymru a'n GIG ni yng Nghymru. Felly, yn sicr, bydd hynny'n cael ei gymryd yn ôl, ei gydnabod a'i ddatblygu o ran ymateb i'r digwyddiad heddiw.
O ran eich ail bwynt am y gwasanaeth yn y gogledd-ddwyrain yn benodol y mae Betsi Cadwaladr yn ei ddarparu, o ran mynediad ato a'r hyn a fydd yn wirioneddol bwysig i bobl, yn enwedig pobl â chyflyrau cronig o ran rheoli poen, unwaith eto, fe wnaf i godi hyn gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ac, yn wir, Ysgrifenyddion y Cabinet dros iechyd a gogledd Cymru hefyd o ran ystyried y sefyllfa honno.
Gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a’r Gymraeg ar rôl Cymru—gwnaf i aros un eiliad—datganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi ar rôl Cymru yn arfogi Llywodraeth Israel a'r IDF, os gwelwch yn dda? Bydd y Trefnydd yn ymwybodol bod dros 33,000 bellach wedi cael eu lladd yn Gaza a bod 1.7 miliwn o bobl yn dioddef newyn ar hyn o bryd. Mae Canada, Sbaen ac eraill wedi atal trwyddedu'r gwerthiant o arfau i'r Llywodraeth yn Israel, tra bod Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol wedi parhau i drwyddedu gwerthu arfau iddyn nhw. Mae'r ICJ wedi galw ar Lywodraeth Israel i atal gweithredoedd sydd, yn ôl yr ICJ, yn ymddangos fel y gallant ddod i mewn i gonfesiwn hil-laddiad, felly mae'r ffaith bod y Deyrnas Gyfunol yn caniatáu i arfau o'r fath gael eu gwerthu a'u defnyddio gan yr IDF yn golygu bod y Deyrnas Gyfunol yn rhan o'r erchyllterau yma. Mae yna gwmnïau o Gymru yn darparu rhannau i'r arfau yma, felly a gawn ni ddatganiad ynghylch pa gamau mae'r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd er mwyn atal hyn rhag digwydd a sicrwydd nad ydy arian Llywodraeth Cymru yn mynd tuag at gwmnïau sy'n ariannu'r arfau yma?
May I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language on—? I will wait a moment. I was seeking a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for the economy on the role of Wales in arming the Israeli Government and the Israel Defense Forces. The Trefnydd will be aware that over 33,000 have now been killed in Gaza and that 1.7 million are suffering famine at the moment. Canada, Spain and others have ceased the licensing of the sale of arms to the Israeli Government, whilst the UK Government has continued to license the sale of arms to them. The International Court of Justice has called on the Israeli Government to cease actions that, according to the ICJ, appear to be falling into the definition of genocide. So, the fact that the UK is allowing for such arms to be sold and to be used by the IDF means that the UK is culpable in these atrocities. Companies from Wales do provide components for these weapons, so can we have a statement on what steps the Government is taking in order to prevent this from happening, and an assurance that Welsh Government funding isn't being provided to companies that are funding these weapons?
Diolch yn fawr, Mabon ap Gwynfor. Thank you for raising this important issue. Of course, over the weeks of the Easter recess, we've seen the horrendous and appalling situation in the middle east and have seen the impact of the famine on the people, and children particularly, of Gaza. Certainly, this is something where, in terms of our powers and responsibilities, we have no role in terms of defence and the sale of arms, but certainly I will be sharing this question with the Cabinet Secretary for economy in terms of Wales and where we sit in that situation in terms of that question.
Diolch yn fawr, Mabon ap Gwynfor. Diolch am godi'r mater pwysig hwn. Wrth gwrs, yn ystod wythnosau toriad y Pasg, rydyn ni wedi gweld y sefyllfa erchyll ac echrydus yn y dwyrain canol ac wedi gweld effaith y newyn ar bobl, a phlant yn arbennig, yn Gaza. Yn sicr, mae hyn yn rhywbeth lle, o ran ein pwerau a'n cyfrifoldebau, does gennym ni ddim rôl o ran amddiffyn a gwerthu arfau, ond yn sicr, fe wnaf i rannu'r cwestiwn hwn ag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi o ran Cymru a lle yr ydyn ni yn y sefyllfa honno o ran y cwestiwn hwnnw.
Trefnydd, can I request an urgent statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs on the ongoing situation at Withyhedge landfill site in my constituency? Residents in the area continue to suffer terrible odours from the site, despite the operator promising action to resolve this by 5 April. It's even more important that the Welsh Government intervenes and ensures there is a resolution to this problem, given that, as was said earlier, the operator donated a huge amount of money to the First Minister's recent leadership campaign. For months, residents have had to suffer. It has gone on and on, and it has got to stop, because this is completely unacceptable. Now, I've made representations to Natural Resources Wales and to the First Minister, and I'm still waiting for a full response, but we need the Welsh Government to set out its stall and explain what it's doing to address this serious environmental and, indeed, public health matter. I'm sure you'll agree with me, Trefnydd, that people's health and well-being is more important than anything else, and so I urge the Welsh Government to issue a statement as a matter of urgency so that residents do not have to suffer any longer, because, quite rightly, my constituents want action, not words.
Trefnydd, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad brys gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig ar y sefyllfa barhaus ar safle tirlenwi Withyhedge yn fy etholaeth? Mae trigolion yr ardal yn parhau i ddioddef arogleuon ofnadwy o'r safle, er i'r gweithredwr addo gweithredu i ddatrys hyn erbyn 5 Ebrill. Mae'n bwysicach byth bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymyrryd ac yn sicrhau bod y broblem hon yn cael ei datrys, o gofio, fel y dywedwyd yn gynharach, fod y gweithredwr wedi rhoi swm enfawr o arian i ymgyrch arweinyddiaeth ddiweddar y Prif Weinidog. Mae'r trigolion wedi gorfod dioddef ers misoedd. Mae hi wedi mynd ymlaen ac ymlaen, ac mae'n rhaid iddi stopio, oherwydd mae hyn yn gwbl annerbyniol. Nawr, rwyf wedi cyflwyno sylwadau i Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ac i'r Prif Weinidog, ac rwy'n dal i aros am ymateb llawn, ond mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru nodi ei bwriad ac egluro beth mae'n ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â'r mater difrifol hwn sy'n ymwneud â'r amgylchedd ac, mewn gwirionedd, iechyd y cyhoedd. Rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n cytuno â mi, Trefnydd, bod iechyd a lles pobl yn bwysicach nag unrhyw beth arall, ac felly rwy'n annog Llywodraeth Cymru i roi datganiad ar frys fel nad oes rhaid i drigolion ddioddef mwyach, oherwydd, yn gwbl briodol, mae fy etholwyr eisiau gweithredu, nid geiriau.
Diolch yn fawr, Paul Davies. Clearly, I understand the concern that's been raised—and you've raised it today—amongst the local community in terms of the Withyhedge landfill site. I understand that the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs is receiving updates from Natural Resources Wales, and the need for swift action to prevent the odours has been emphasised to Natural Resources Wales. They've increased their presence onsite, NRW, and they're continuing to update the community via their website as activities progress, and an enforcement notice has been served on the landfill operator, who is required to cover all exposed waste and complete landfill engineering work to contain and collect landfill gas.
Diolch yn fawr, Paul Davies. Yn amlwg, rwy'n deall y pryder sydd wedi ei godi—ac rydych chi wedi ei godi heddiw—ymysg y gymuned leol o ran safle tirlenwi Withyhedge. Rwy'n deall bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig yn derbyn diweddariadau gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, ac mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wedi pwysleisio'r angen i weithredu'n gyflym i atal yr arogleuon. Maen nhw wedi cynyddu eu presenoldeb ar y safle, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, ac maen nhw'n parhau i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r gymuned trwy eu gwefan wrth i weithgareddau fynd rhagddynt, ac mae hysbysiad gorfodi wedi'i gyflwyno i'r gweithredwr tirlenwi, y mae'n ofynnol iddo orchuddio'r holl wastraff agored a chwblhau gwaith peirianneg tirlenwi i atal a chasglu nwy tirlenwi.
Congratulations on your new role, Cabinet Secretary, leader of the house. I would like to request a statement from the relevant Cabinet Secretary to enable an important discussion on the floor of this house on the Cass review, the final report. I first flagged up my initial concerns over the Cass review when we were privy to the interim report, but, sadly, it fell on deaf ears in this Chamber, when I called for a Wales-specific review, yet, this Welsh Labour Government ploughed on with its ideological path and did nothing. The outcome of Dr Cass's findings are hugely significant for Wales as well as England. In Wales, the pathway for young people diagnosed with gender dysphoria includes referral to gender services in England, as you know. The Cass review highlights concerns and the dangers of prescribing untested and irreversible drugs, such as puberty blockers, to young people. The Cass report also warns against teachers being forced into making premature and, effectively, clinical decisions. Yet, this is implicit throughout the Welsh Government's LGBTQ+ action plan and the compulsory relationships and sex education here in Wales.
For years, we've seen this Government and its Ministers burying their heads in the sand when it comes to safeguarding these children and young people. The people who were previously vilified for expressing these very real concerns have now been vindicated by this final report. Parents, teachers and health workers across Wales will expect this Welsh Government to take heed of the findings and to act on them, no matter how uncomfortable that makes them feel. I am now calling on this Welsh Government to have some humility and admit that what they've been advocating for has been part of the problem, and now commit to looking at the 32 recommendations on how to make gender services for children and young people in Wales the best and the safest that they can be, including looking into banning puberty blockers in Wales.
There are shared concerns, across party, about the findings of the Cass review, the final report, so we urgently need to address this on the floor of this Chamber, please, Cabinet Secretary, and I ask that this Welsh Government accommodates that. Thank you. Diolch.
Llongyfarchiadau ar eich rôl newydd, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, arweinydd y tŷ. Hoffwn ofyn am ddatganiad gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet perthnasol i alluogi trafodaeth bwysig ar lawr y tŷ hwn ar adolygiad Cass, yr adroddiad terfynol. Fe wnes i dynnu sylw at fy mhryderon cychwynnol am adolygiad Cass ar ôl i ni ddarllen yr adroddiad interim, ond, yn anffodus, fe'i anwybyddwyd yn y Siambr hon, pan alwais am adolygiad penodol i Gymru, ac eto, fe fwrodd y Llywodraeth Lafur hon yng Nghymru ymlaen gyda'i llwybr ideolegol a gwneud dim. Mae canlyniad canfyddiadau Dr Cass yn hynod arwyddocaol i Gymru yn ogystal â Lloegr. Yng Nghymru, mae'r llwybr ar gyfer pobl ifanc sy'n cael diagnosis o ddysfforia rhywedd yn cynnwys atgyfeiriad at wasanaethau rhywedd yn Lloegr, fel y gwyddoch. Mae adolygiad Cass yn tynnu sylw at bryderon a pheryglon presgripsiynu cyffuriau heb eu profi na ellir eu gwrthdroi, fel meddyginiaeth atal y glasoed, i bobl ifanc. Mae adroddiad Cass hefyd yn rhybuddio na ddylai athrawon gael eu gorfodi i wneud penderfyniadau cynamserol ac, i bob pwrpas, clinigol. Eto i gyd, mae hyn yn ymhlyg drwy gynllun gweithredu LHDTC+ Llywodraeth Cymru a'r addysg rhyw a pherthnasoedd sy'n orfodol yma yng Nghymru.
Ers blynyddoedd, rydym wedi gweld y Llywodraeth hon a'i Gweinidogion yn gwrthod wynebu'r sefyllfa o ran diogelu'r plant a'r bobl ifanc hyn. Mae'r adroddiad terfynol hwn wedi dangos nawr bod y bobl a gafodd eu difrïo'n flaenorol am fynegi'r pryderon real iawn hyn yn iawn i wneud hynny. Bydd rhieni, athrawon a gweithwyr iechyd ledled Cymru yn disgwyl i Lywodraeth Cymru gymryd sylw o'r canfyddiadau a gweithredu arnynt, ni waeth pa mor anghyfforddus y mae hynny'n gwneud iddynt deimlo. Rwyf bellach yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i fod yn ostyngedig ac i gyfaddef bod yr hyn y maen nhw wedi bod yn eirioli drosto wedi bod yn rhan o'r broblem, ac i ymrwymo nawr i edrych ar y 32 o argymhellion ar sut i wneud gwasanaethau rhywedd i blant a phobl ifanc yng Nghymru y gorau a'r mwyaf diogel y gallant fod, gan gynnwys ystyried gwahardd meddyginiaeth atal y glasoed yng Nghymru.
Mae pryderon a rennir, ar draws y blaid, am ganfyddiadau adolygiad Cass, yr adroddiad terfynol, felly mae angen i ni fynd i'r afael â hyn ar lawr y Siambr hon ar frys, os gwelwch yn dda, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a gofynnaf i'r Llywodraeth Cymru hon ddarparu ar gyfer hynny. Diolch.
Well, Laura Anne Jones, the Cass review did aim to ensure that children and young people who were questioning their gender identity or experiencing gender dysphoria and required support from the NHS receive that high standard of care that meets their needs and is safe, holistic and effective. I think what's important is that we take the toxicity out of this debate and that we recognise here in Wales that we're committed to improving the gender identity development pathway, the support available for young people in Wales, in line with our commitments in our LGBTQ+ plan. But we will consider the report's findings. We will continue to be driven by the evidence to best support the needs of young people. And I think that is the most important role, in terms of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, this Government and, indeed, this Senedd, to take in terms of understanding what this means for our young people in Wales, and seeing it in the light of the fact that this is a very difficult situation for so many young people and, indeed, those who care and learn with them and teach them, and we need to understand and consider this carefully and responsibly together.
Wel, Laura Anne Jones, nod adolygiad Cass oedd sicrhau bod plant a phobl ifanc a oedd yn cwestiynu eu hunaniaeth rhywedd neu'n profi dysfforia rhywedd ac yr oedd angen cymorth y GIG arnyn nhw yn derbyn y safon uchel honno o ofal sy'n diwallu eu hanghenion ac sy'n ddiogel, yn gyfannol ac yn effeithiol. Rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig yw ein bod ni'n tynnu'r gwenwyndra allan o'r ddadl hon a'n bod ni'n cydnabod, yma yng Nghymru, ein bod wedi ymrwymo i wella'r llwybr datblygu hunaniaeth rhywedd, y cymorth sydd ar gael i bobl ifanc yng Nghymru, yn unol â'n hymrwymiadau yn ein cynllun LHDTC+. Ond byddwn ni'n ystyried canfyddiadau'r adroddiad. Byddwn ni'n parhau i gael ein llywio gan y dystiolaeth i sicrhau bod anghenion pobl ifanc yn cael eu diwallu yn y ffordd orau bosibl. Ac rwy'n credu mai dyna'r rôl bwysicaf, o ran Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol, y Llywodraeth hon ac, yn wir, y Senedd hon, i'w chymryd o ran deall beth mae hyn yn ei olygu i'n pobl ifanc yng Nghymru, a'i gweld yng ngoleuni'r ffaith bod hon yn sefyllfa anodd iawn i gynifer o bobl ifanc ac, yn wir, y rhai sy'n gofalu amdanyn nhw ac sy'n dysgu gyda nhw ac sy'n eu dysgu, ac mae angen i ni ddeall ac ystyried hyn yn ofalus ac yn gyfrifol gyda'n gilydd.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
I thank the Trefnydd.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, fydd y datganiad gan y Prif Weinidog ar gyflawni blaenoriaethau Cymru. Y Prif Weinidog, felly—Vaughan Gething.
The next item, therefore, will be the statement by the First Minister on delivering Wales's priorities. The First Minister, therefore—Vaughan Gething.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Mae'n bleser mawr heddiw i allu gosod allan blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ac ein hymrwymiad i weithio gyda phobl Cymru i greu dyfodol sy'n gweithio i bobl Cymru.
It is a great pleasure to be able to set out today the priorities for this Welsh Government and our commitment to work with the people of Wales to create a future that works for the people of Wales.
It is a great pleasure to be able to set out today the priorities for this Welsh Government and our commitment to work with the people of Wales to create a future that works for the people of Wales.
In my first three weeks as First Minister, I have met with the British Medical Association to discuss NHS strikes, with farming unions to listen to their concerns, and with steelworkers to discuss how we press the case for the best deal for steel, not the cheapest deal. I'd like to thank everyone involved in those productive and constructive discussions, where I, alongside our new Cabinet Secretaries, have had an opportunity to engage on difficult issues that require partnership working and compromises to find a solution for the future.
Mae'n bleser mawr heddiw i allu nodi blaenoriaethau'r Llywodraeth Cymru hon a'n hymrwymiad i weithio gyda phobl Cymru i greu dyfodol sy'n gweithio i bobl Cymru.
Yn ystod fy nhair wythnos gyntaf fel Prif Weinidog, rwyf wedi cyfarfod â Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain i drafod streiciau'r GIG, gydag undebau ffermio i wrando ar eu pryderon, a chyda gweithwyr dur i drafod sut allwn ni wthio'r achos dros gael y fargen orau ar gyfer dur, nid y fargen rataf. Hoffwn i ddiolch i bawb a gymerodd ran yn y trafodaethau cynhyrchiol ac adeiladol hynny, lle rwyf i, ochr yn ochr â'n Ysgrifenyddion Cabinet newydd, wedi cael cyfle i ymgysylltu ar faterion anodd sy'n gofyn am weithio mewn partneriaeth a chyfaddawdu i ddod o hyd i ateb ar gyfer y dyfodol.
These early engagements were a priority, and they serve, I hope, as a signal of the investment that Ministers across the Welsh Government will put into the serious business of dialogue, negotiation and partnership working. I am proud to have brought together a team with the vision, values and experience needed to serve Wales.
We know that it has never been more important to ensure that all of our resources across Government are focused on what matters most to people's daily lives. After over a decade of austerity, we must focus on a set of core priorities if we are to deliver the positive, progressive change that we want to see. As we drew together and debated the Welsh Government budget, we all engaged with the gravity of the financial situation that we face. The £1.3 billion drop in the value of our budget is worth four times the economy budget of this Government. As growing numbers of major local authorities in England issue notices effectively announcing that they are unable to form a budget, we have avoided that crisis, using our values to steer a progressive course through stark challenges. That involves decisions that none of us came into politics hoping to make, and fine judgments that no Minister ever takes lightly.
Having a relentless focus on the most important issues will demonstrate what we, as a Government, stand for and what we are determined to deliver. It will also drive a sharper focus within the Government, at a time when families and businesses are living with such uncertainty and the continuing cost-of-living crisis. It cannot, however, mean offering impossible commitments without complete answers on how they are to be funded and delivered. Such commitments actively threaten the services that those most in need of support rely upon.
It's clear that the NHS, and reducing waiting times, is a top priority for the people of Wales, and the same is true for us as a Government. The suspension of strike action, announced following our meeting with the BMA, is an important first step in that work, and I am pleased that formal discussions can now take place. Patient care will be at the forefront of everything that we do. This means that we will prioritise funding for our NHS and social care in our budgets, tackling waiting lists, and investing in technology and innovation.
Over the last 14 years, we have seen how the endless cycle of austerity and low growth in the economy have held down living standards and held back Wales's economic potential, as well as that of the UK as a whole. It has driven people into poverty, caused living costs to skyrocket, and piled pressure on the public services that we all rely upon. That means that this Welsh Government must work twice as hard to support people that need our help and support the most.
That's why the fight to lift children out of poverty will be at the heart of this Welsh Government's mission. No childhood should begin blighted by poverty. We will do everything we can in making sure that children can grow up feeling happy and hopeful for their future. To do this, we will renew our focus on supporting the first 1,000 days of a child's life. Those very earliest days lay the foundation for a child's life, and for their family as a whole. We will improve support for children and look to empower parents and families during this vital period. That will require a long-term and co-ordinated response across Government, across public services and, indeed, across Wales.
We will do everything in our power to help achieve excellence in our schools, with a sustained improvement in educational attainment being the top priority. We know that a good education is key to building ambitious futures and healthier lives. How well a child does at school plays a significant role in their life chances. So, we will continue to roll out the Curriculum for Wales, with a renewed focus on literacy and numeracy. It is essential that children are in school with their friends, learning, if they are to reach their full potential, so we will prioritise improving attendance and attainment, recognising the investment in equality that this also represents. And we will work so that the next generation, and everyone in society, can feel a new prosperity through a strong and greener economy, in a transition that Wales is perfectly placed to exploit.
We will prioritise building a greener economy where people find good, secure employment. It is good for the planet, good for business and good for the secure economic futures that people across Wales expect and deserve. We'll have new clean growth hubs to deliver better paid jobs, green business loans to help businesses decarbonise and lower energy bills and training for net-zero skills, planning reforms and ambitious investment to unlock green growth. Wales led the way in a previous industrial revolution. Now, as other nations race to compete for the jobs of the future, I want Wales to be at the very forefront of that race. Together, we must grasp this opportunity so that Wales can lead again.
And lastly, we will improve the transport networks that make and shape the places that we live in, helping to tackle the climate emergency and restoring a sense of belonging, connection and community. This Government will radically shake up the way the public transport system works in Wales, including legislating for a new bus Bill. It means moving from a privatised system that puts profit before people to a system that brings buses and trains together around the needs of people.
Reducing NHS waiting lists, support for children in early years, educational excellence in our schools, better, greener jobs, improved transport links across the country—these are Wales's priorities, and these are our priorities. This goes to the heart of what devolution is all about and why we must always protect it: Welsh solutions to Welsh problems and opportunities. We will go on making the compelling argument for genuine partnership with the UK Government and for further powers and increased funding that Wales needs to support the outcomes that Wales deserves. This is what will guide us going forward into the next chapter of devolution in Wales.
Roedd yr ymrwymiadau cynnar hyn yn flaenoriaeth, ac maen nhw, rwy'n gobeithio, yn arwydd o'r buddsoddiad y bydd Gweinidogion ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei roi i fusnes difrifol deialog, trafod a gweithio mewn partneriaeth. Rwy'n falch o fod wedi dod â thîm ynghyd sydd â'r weledigaeth, y gwerthoedd a'r profiad sydd eu hangen i wasanaethu Cymru.
Rydym yn gwybod ei bod yn bwysicach nag erioed nawr i sicrhau bod ein holl adnoddau ar draws y Llywodraeth yn canolbwyntio ar yr hyn sydd bwysicaf i fywydau beunyddiol pobl. Ar ôl dros ddegawd o gyni, rhaid i ni ganolbwyntio ar gyfres o flaenoriaethau craidd os ydym am gyflawni'r newid cadarnhaol a blaengar yr ydym am ei weld. Wrth i ni ddod ynghyd i drafod cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru, fe wnaethom ni i gyd sylweddoli difrifoldeb y sefyllfa ariannol sy'n ein hwynebu. Mae'r gostyngiad o £1.3 biliwn yng ngwerth ein cyllideb werth pedair gwaith cyllideb economi'r Llywodraeth hon. Wrth i nifer cynyddol o awdurdodau lleol mawr yn Lloegr gyhoeddi eu bod yn methu ffurfio cyllideb yn effeithiol, rydym wedi osgoi'r argyfwng hwnnw, gan ddefnyddio ein gwerthoedd i lywio cwrs blaengar trwy heriau amlwg. Mae hynny'n golygu penderfyniadau na ddaeth yr un ohonom i wleidyddiaeth yn gobeithio eu gwneud, a dyfarniadau anodd nad oes yr un Gweinidog byth yn eu cymryd yn ddi-hid.
Bydd canolbwyntio'n barhaus ar y materion pwysicaf yn dangos yr hyn yr ydym ni, fel Llywodraeth, yn sefyll drosto a'r hyn yr ydym yn benderfynol o'i gyflawni. Bydd hefyd yn sbarduno ffocws mwy amlwg o fewn y Llywodraeth, ar adeg pan fo teuluoedd a busnesau yn byw gyda'r fath ansicrwydd a'r argyfwng costau byw parhaus. Fodd bynnag, ni all olygu cynnig ymrwymiadau amhosibl heb atebion cyflawn ar sut y cânt eu hariannu a'u cyflawni. Mae ymrwymiadau o'r fath yn bygwth y gwasanaethau y mae'r rhai y mae angen cymorth arnynt fwyaf yn dibynnu arnynt.
Mae'n amlwg bod y GIG, a lleihau amseroedd aros, yn brif flaenoriaeth i bobl Cymru, ac mae'r un peth yn wir amdanom ni fel Llywodraeth. Mae atal y streicio, a gyhoeddwyd yn dilyn ein cyfarfod gyda'r BMA, yn gam cyntaf pwysig o ran y gwaith hwnnw, ac rwy'n falch bod trafodaethau ffurfiol yn gallu cael eu cynnal nawr. Bydd gofal cleifion yn ganolog i bopeth a wnawn. Mae hyn yn golygu y byddwn ni'n blaenoriaethu cyllid ar gyfer ein GIG a gofal cymdeithasol yn ein cyllidebau, gan fynd i'r afael â rhestrau aros, a buddsoddi mewn technoleg ac arloesedd.
Dros y 14 mlynedd diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld sut mae'r cylch diddiwedd o gyni a thwf isel yn yr economi wedi cadw safonau byw yn isel ac wedi dal potensial economaidd Cymru, yn ogystal â photensial economaidd y DU gyfan, yn ôl. Mae wedi gyrru pobl i dlodi, wedi arwain at gynnydd mawr mewn costau byw, ac wedi pentyrru pwysau ar y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yr ydym i gyd yn dibynnu arnynt. Mae hynny'n golygu bod yn rhaid i'r Llywodraeth Cymru hon weithio ddwywaith mor galed i gefnogi pobl sydd angen ein cymorth a'n cefnogaeth fwyaf.
Dyna pam y bydd y frwydr i godi plant allan o dlodi wrth wraidd cenhadaeth y Llywodraeth Cymru hon. Ni ddylai unrhyw blentyndod ddechrau drwy gael ei ddifetha gan dlodi. Byddwn ni'n gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i sicrhau y gall plant dyfu i fyny yn teimlo'n hapus ac yn obeithiol am eu dyfodol. I wneud hyn, byddwn ni'n adnewyddu ein pwyslais ar gefnogi'r 1,000 diwrnod cyntaf ym mywyd plentyn. Mae'r dyddiau cynharaf hynny yn gosod y sylfaen ar gyfer bywyd plentyn, ac ar gyfer y teulu cyfan. Byddwn ni'n gwella'r gefnogaeth sydd ar gael i blant ac yn ceisio grymuso rhieni a theuluoedd yn ystod y cyfnod hanfodol hwn. Bydd hynny'n gofyn am ymateb hirdymor a chydlynol ar draws y Llywodraeth, ar draws gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac, yn wir, ledled Cymru.
Byddwn yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i helpu i sicrhau rhagoriaeth yn ein hysgolion, gyda gwelliant parhaus mewn cyrhaeddiad addysgol yn brif flaenoriaeth. Gwyddom fod addysg dda yn allweddol i adeiladu dyfodol uchelgeisiol a bywydau iachach. Mae pa mor dda y mae plentyn yn ei wneud yn yr ysgol yn chwarae rhan bwysig yn y cyfleoedd y mae'n eu cael mewn bywyd. Felly, byddwn ni'n parhau i gyflwyno'r Cwricwlwm i Gymru, gan ganolbwyntio o'r newydd ar lythrennedd a rhifedd. Mae'n hanfodol bod plant yn yr ysgol gyda'u ffrindiau, yn dysgu, os ydyn nhw am gyrraedd eu llawn botensial, felly byddwn ni'n blaenoriaethu gwella presenoldeb a chyrhaeddiad, gan gydnabod y buddsoddiad mewn cydraddoldeb y mae hyn yn ei gynrychioli hefyd. A byddwn ni'n gweithio fel y gall y genhedlaeth nesaf, a phawb mewn cymdeithas, deimlo ffyniant newydd trwy economi gref a gwyrddach, mewn cyfnod pontio y mae Cymru mewn sefyllfa berffaith i fanteisio arno.
Byddwn ni'n blaenoriaethu adeiladu economi wyrddach lle mae pobl yn dod o hyd i waith da, diogel. Mae'n dda i'r blaned, mae'n dda i fusnes ac mae'n dda i'r dyfodol economaidd diogel y mae pobl ledled Cymru yn ei ddisgwyl ac yn ei haeddu. Bydd gennym ni hybiau twf glân newydd i ddarparu swyddi â chyflog gwell, benthyciadau busnes gwyrdd i helpu busnesau i ddatgarboneiddio a lleihau biliau ynni a hyfforddiant ar gyfer sgiliau sero net, diwygiadau cynllunio a buddsoddiad uchelgeisiol i ddatgloi twf gwyrdd. Fe arweiniodd Cymru y ffordd mewn chwyldro diwydiannol blaenorol. Nawr, wrth i wledydd eraill rasio i gystadlu am swyddi'r dyfodol, rwyf am i Gymru fod ar flaen y gad yn y ras honno. Gyda'n gilydd, mae'n rhaid i ni fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn fel bod Cymru yn gallu arwain eto.
Ac yn olaf, byddwn ni'n gwella'r rhwydweithiau trafnidiaeth sy'n gwneud ac yn llunio'r lleoedd lle rydym yn byw, gan helpu i fynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng hinsawdd ac adfer ymdeimlad o berthyn, cysylltiad a chymuned. Bydd y Llywodraeth hon yn newid y ffordd y mae'r system drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn gweithio yng Nghymru yn sylweddol, gan gynnwys deddfu ar gyfer Bil bysiau newydd. Mae'n golygu symud o system sydd wedi'i phreifateiddio sy'n rhoi elw cyn pobl i system sy'n dod â bysiau a threnau at ei gilydd o amgylch anghenion pobl.
Lleihau rhestrau aros y GIG, cefnogi plant yn ystod y blynyddoedd cynnar, rhagoriaeth addysgol yn ein hysgolion, swyddi gwell, gwyrddach, gwell cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth ledled y wlad—dyma flaenoriaethau Cymru, a dyma ein blaenoriaethau ni. Mae hyn yn mynd at wraidd yr hyn mae datganoli yn ei olygu a pham mae'n rhaid i ni ei amddiffyn bob amser: atebion Cymreig i broblemau a chyfleoedd Cymreig. Byddwn ni'n parhau i wneud y ddadl gref dros bartneriaeth wirioneddol â Llywodraeth y DU ac am bwerau pellach a mwy o gyllid sydd ei angen ar Gymru i gefnogi'r canlyniadau y mae Cymru yn eu haeddu. Dyma fydd yn ein harwain wrth symud ymlaen i bennod nesaf datganoli yng Nghymru.
Rydyn ni nawr yn dechrau ar daith newydd, pennod newydd yn hanes datganoli.
We are now beginning a new journey, a new chapter in the history of devolution.
I've established a new Cabinet Office role within the ministerial team, and the Cabinet is already working on how we can turn our action and our priorities into the strongest possible outcomes for communities and businesses that face such a challenging backdrop. But, Llywydd, we must confront the reality that too much of our politics and our public life is overshadowed by those who seek to divide us, to push us against our better instincts. Wales is not immune to this challenge, but we can choose a more positive path.
Last week, I had the honour of attending and presenting the St David Awards. Amongst the many inspirational winners, I met Callum Smith, a teenager from Porth in the Rhondda, who saved a young man about to take his life. That day, Callum was brave enough to offer the hand of friendship to a stranger in desperation. Callum, like so many winners, showed genuine courage and demonstrated once more that it is a sign of true strength to do the right thing, to serve and to help others. Those who choose to trade in cynical populism lack the strength to do so and only serve themselves. Worse still, theirs is a politics that invites us to turn our energy into obsessive arguments about where we differ at the expense of all those things that draw us together.
But the St David Awards winners remind us of the innate goodness to be found in the acts of people across Wales—all of the small things that we can do together for each other. I hope that it can remind all of us that we really do have more in common than that which divides us.
Rwyf wedi sefydlu rôl newydd yn Swyddfa'r Cabinet o fewn y tîm gweinidogol, ac mae'r Cabinet eisoes yn gweithio ar sut y gallwn ni sicrhau bod ein gweithredoedd a'n blaenoriaethau yn cyflawni'r canlyniadau cryfaf posibl i gymunedau a busnesau sy'n wynebu cefndir mor heriol. Ond, Llywydd, mae'n rhaid i ni wynebu'r realiti bod gormod o'n gwleidyddiaeth a'n bywyd cyhoeddus yn cael ei fwrw i'r cysgodion gan y rhai sy'n ceisio ein rhannu, ein gwthio ni yn erbyn ein greddfau gorau. Dydy Cymru ddim yn ddiogel rhag yr her hon, ond gallwn ni ddewis llwybr mwy cadarnhaol.
Yr wythnos diwethaf, cefais yr anrhydedd o fynychu a chyflwyno Gwobrau Dewi Sant. Ymhlith y llu o enillwyr ysbrydoledig, cwrddais â Callum Smith, bachgen yn ei arddegau o'r Porth yn y Rhondda, a achubodd ddyn ifanc a oedd ar fin cymryd ei fywyd. Y diwrnod hwnnw, roedd Callum yn ddigon dewr i gynnig llaw cyfeillgarwch i ddieithryn mewn anobaith. Dangosodd Callum, fel cynifer o'r enillwyr, ddewrder gwirioneddol a dangosodd unwaith eto ei bod yn arwydd o wir gryfder i wneud y peth iawn, i wasanaethu ac i helpu eraill. Nid oes gan y rhai sy'n dewis masnachu mewn poblyddiaeth sinigaidd y nerth i wneud hynny a dim ond gwasanaethu eu hunain y maen nhw'n ei wneud. Yn waeth byth, mae eu gwleidyddiaeth nhw yn ein gwahodd ni i droi ein hegni yn ddadleuon obsesiynol ynghylch lle rydyn ni'n wahanol ar draul yr holl bethau hynny sy'n ein tynnu at ein gilydd.
Ond mae enillwyr Gwobrau Dewi Sant yn ein hatgoffa o'r daioni cynhenid sydd i'w gael yng ngweithredoedd pobl ledled Cymru—yr holl bethau bychain y gallwn ni eu gwneud gyda'n gilydd i'n gilydd. Rwy'n gobeithio y gall atgoffa pob un ohonom fod gennym ni fwy yn gyffredin na'r hyn sy'n ein rhannu.
Gobeithio y gallwn dynnu ar y cryfder ac optimistiaeth a gynrychiolwyd gan weithredoedd enillwyr y gwobrau.
I hope we can draw upon the strength and optimism represented in the acts of those award winners.
I hope we can draw upon the strength and optimism represented in the acts of those award winners and work together on these priorities to build an ambitious future for a fairer Wales. Diolch, Llywydd.
Gobeithio y gallwn dynnu ar y cryfder a'r optimistiaeth a gynrychiolwyd gan weithredoedd enillwyr y gwobrau hynny a chydweithio ar y blaenoriaethau hyn i greu dyfodol uchelgeisiol er mwyn creu Cymru decach. Diolch, Llywydd.
First Minister, I wish you and your Government well in your endeavours, because you have a mandate and the people of Wales look to the Government to obviously deliver on that mandate, and, if it works, it improves people’s lives the length and breadth of Wales. But listening to your statement and the reference to the Cabinet Office that you’ve created under Rebecca Evans, I hark back to the days of Carwyn Jones and his delivery unit, and it would seem to me as if all you’re doing is giving it another tag, and it’ll have the same function. And as we know, regrettably, on many of the key targets, your predecessor Government, led by Mark Drakeford, sadly missed the waiting times targets that it set itself, the Programme for International Student Assessment targets on educational attainment that it wanted to achieve, and the economic targets that you, as economic Minister, were charged with delivering.
When it comes to health—and we’ve talked in First Minister’s questions today about budgets and the shrinkage, as you see it, in the overall budget of the Welsh Government—one of the key planks that, obviously, can help balance the budget is working with the health boards to make sure that they don’t constantly go over budget and end up having to be bailed out by the Welsh Government, and us having then to have interim budgets taking money away from other portfolio responsibilities. So, how will you work with the health boards to stay within their budgets and deliver on the key target of waiting time reductions that we all want to see, and ultimately we know, sadly, year on year is being missed? It cannot be right that nearly 25,000 people are waiting here in Wales for a procedure on the Welsh NHS for two years or more. That, surely, has to be a bull's-eye that you want to hit and bring down. So how will you be working with the health boards to stay within their budgets and deliver on the targets, so that other portfolio areas can ultimately deliver on their goals that are set out in the programme for government?
When it comes to working in the education sector, we know full well that obviously the PISA results that came out in November last year were disappointing, to put it mildly. Previous Welsh Governments have set targets for where they want the next PISA target to be for Welsh education. Leighton Andrews, when he was education Minister, had a go, Kirsty Williams had a go. Will you be setting a similar target for your education Minister to work with the educational establishments across Wales? Because through good education you tackle those poverty blankets that you see in many communities, which, sadly, are so stubborn to remove. And if you have that goal, the whole education system can move towards improving that education experience in our schools. So, can you confirm whether the Government will be setting its targets for the next round of PISA examinations?
Also, in the last budget round, I appreciate it was reinstated, but the Government’s manifesto commitment on apprenticeships was taken away for a short period of time because of funding cuts. That, as I appreciate, was reinstated, but can you commit that there will not be a similar assault on that manifesto commitment for the remainder of the term that the Senedd has up until 2026, so that further education colleges can have certainty in delivering that important manifesto commitment of increasing the number of apprenticeships here in Wales?
When it comes to the economy portfolio, we know that many businesses here in Wales are at a disadvantage because of the budget decision taken to lower the rate relief that is available on business rates here in Wales from 75 per cent to 40 per cent. Is there any consideration going on in Government at the moment to reinstate that 75 per cent relief? Because that would be a massive shot in the arm for small and medium-sized businesses the length and breadth of Wales. Because, as I’m sure you remember from your time as economy spokesperson in the Government, that money stays within those businesses, it protects jobs and it protects investments, and isn’t salted away in some savings fund. So, can you confirm what action the Government is taking to work with businesses to mitigate the original decision and, in an ideal world, reverse that decision so that, ultimately, businesses on this side of Offa's Dyke can enjoy the same relief as other parts of the country do on business rates?
When it comes to transport, what is of critical importance is for us to understand the review that the new transport Minister has indicated into the road building schemes that he is going to set new tests for whether they go forward to be considered for construction. We heard from the Member for Blaenau Gwent the importance of the Heads of the Valleys road and, ultimately, the economic spin-offs for that important investment in the Heads of the Valleys. Why should other parts of Wales be disenfranchised when the decisions have been, in effect, mothballed by the previous transport Minister to take these projects forward? So, I'd be grateful if, in your response to me, you could indicate how those decisions are going to be recalibrated, reconsidered, within the guise of the new Government that you lead?
Also, as has been pressed in FMQs, the 20 mph national speed reduction that was brought forward in September has had a difficult start, to say the least, but will have a continuing difficult impact on the economic performance, and, ultimately, what review processes are in place that weren't in place prior to you taking the role of First Minister? You indicated you were going to have a meaningful discussion on this policy position. Is it just the review that the previous transport Minister instigated, or is it a genuine new review and a new discussion around this legislation that was brought forward by the previous Government?
On the sustainable farming scheme, the rural affairs Minister indicated last night in an interview that there would be no moving of the date of implementation, it would take place next year, but there were other solutions that were being considered by the Government around the 10 per cent tree cover and other matters contained within the sustainable farming scheme. Are you able to indicate, given that your statement included a reference to the very first meeting that you held with the farming unions, what the direction of travel that the Government are undertaking on this important area of policy, which, for the first time since devolution, the Government will have responsibility in bringing forward that package and that proposal to support agriculture here in Wales?
And when it comes to the doctors' strike, if I can go back to where I started, and the suspension of industrial action pending negotiations, the health Minister in her previous commentary on the industrial action has said there is no more money available within the Welsh coffers to increase that offer. So, can you confirm today that the talks around the strike action are more around terms and conditions, or have you as First Minister, unlike your predecessor, been able to identify new money within the Welsh budget that—? I'm not asking you to disclose what that amount would be because, obviously, you're in negotiations, but can you disclose whether there is new money on the table, or is it, really, addressing terms and conditions and sticking to the existing financial offer that has been made to the doctors previously? Thank you, First Minister.
Prif Weinidog, rwy'n dymuno yn dda i chi a'ch Llywodraeth yn eich ymdrechion, oherwydd mae gennych chi fandad ac mae pobl Cymru yn edrych tua'r Llywodraeth i gyflawni'r mandad hwnnw, yn amlwg, ac, os yw hwnnw'n gweithio, fe fydd yn gwella bywydau pobl ar hyd a lled Cymru. Ond wrth wrando ar eich datganiad a'r cyfeiriad at Swyddfa'r Cabinet yr ydych chi wedi'i chreu o dan Rebecca Evans, rwy'n dwyn dyddiau Carwyn Jones i gof a'i uned gyflawni ef, ac mae'n ymddangos i mi mai'r cyfan rydych chi'n ei wneud yw rhoi enw newydd i honno, a'r un swyddogaeth a fydd ganddi. Ac fel gwyddom ni, yn anffodus, ar lawer o'r nodau allweddol, methu a wnaeth y Llywodraeth flaenorol, dan arweiniad Mark Drakeford, o ran cyrraedd y nodau a bennwyd ganddi hi ei hun o ran amseroedd aros, nodau'r Rhaglen Ryngwladol Asesu Myfyrwyr ar gyrhaeddiad addysgol yr oedd yn awyddus i'w cyflawni, a'r nodau economaidd yr oeddech chi, fel Gweinidog yr economi, yn gyfrifol am eu cyflawni.
O ran iechyd—ac fe wnaethom ni siarad yng nghwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog heddiw am gyllidebau a'r crebachu, fel yr ydych chi'n ei weld, yng nghyllideb gyffredinol Llywodraeth Cymru—un o'r pethau allweddol sydd, yn amlwg, yn gallu helpu i gydbwyso'r gyllideb yw gweithio gyda'r byrddau iechyd i wneud yn siŵr nad ydyn nhw'n mynd dros eu cyllideb yn barhaus ac yn gorfod cael eu hachub yn ariannol gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn y pen draw, a bod yn rhaid i ni fod â chyllidebau dros dro wedyn sy'n tynnu arian oddi wrth gyfrifoldebau portffolios eraill. Felly, sut fyddwch chi'n gweithio gyda'r byrddau iechyd i aros o fewn terfynau eu cyllidebau a chyflawni'r nod allweddol o fyrhau amseroedd aros yr ydym ni i gyd yn awyddus i'w weld, ac yr ydym yn gwybod yn y pen draw, yn anffodus, nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu cyflawni flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn? Ni all fod yn iawn bod bron i 25,000 o bobl yn aros yma yng Nghymru am driniaeth gan GIG Cymru am ddwy flynedd neu ragor. Mae'n rhaid mai hwnnw, siawns, yw'r prif darged y byddech chi'n dymuno ei daro a'i gyflawni. Felly sut ydych chi am weithio gyda'r byrddau iechyd i aros o fewn terfynau eu cyllidebau a chyrraedd y nodau hyn, fel gall meysydd portffolios eraill gyflawni'r nodau a bennir yn y rhaglen lywodraethu yn y pen draw?
O ran gweithio yn y sector addysg, fe wyddom ni'n iawn fod y canlyniadau PISA a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Tachwedd y llynedd yn siomedig iawn, a dweud y lleiaf. Mae Llywodraethau blaenorol Cymru wedi pennu nodau o ran ble maen nhw eisiau i'r targed PISA nesaf fod o ran addysg yng Nghymru. Fe roddodd Leighton Andrews, pan oedd ef yn Weinidog addysg, gynnig arni, a Kirsty Williams hefyd. A fyddwch chi'n pennu nodau tebyg i'ch Gweinidog addysg chi weithio gyda'r sefydliadau addysgol ledled Cymru? Oherwydd trwy addysg dda byddwch chi'n mynd i'r afael â'r tlodi a welwch chi mewn llawer o gymunedau, sydd, yn anffodus, mor anodd i'w dileu. A phe byddai'r nod hwnnw gennych chi, fe all y system addysg gyfan symud yn ei chyfanrwydd tuag at wella'r profiad hwnnw o addysg yn ein hysgolion. Felly, a wnewch chi gadarnhau a fydd y Llywodraeth yn pennu ei thargedau ar gyfer y rownd nesaf o arholiadau PISA?
Hefyd, yn rownd ddiwethaf y gyllideb, rwy'n sylweddoli i hynny gael ei adfer, ond fe gafodd ymrwymiad maniffesto'r Llywodraeth ar brentisiaethau ei atal am gyfnod byr oherwydd toriadau ariannol. Fe gafodd hwnnw, fel rwy'n deall, ei adfer, ond a wnewch chi ymrwymiad na fydd ymosodiad tebyg ar yr ymrwymiad maniffesto hwnnw am weddill y tymor sydd gan y Senedd hyd 2026, er mwyn i'r colegau addysg bellach fod â sicrwydd wrth gyflawni'r ymrwymiad maniffesto pwysig hwnnw o gynyddu nifer y prentisiaethau yma yng Nghymru?
O ran portffolio'r economi, fe wyddom ni fod llawer o fusnesau yma yng Nghymru dan anfantais oherwydd y penderfyniad cyllidebol a wnaethpwyd i ostwng y rhyddhad ar ardrethi sydd i'w gael ar ardrethi busnes yma yng Nghymru o 75 y cant i 40 y cant. A oes unrhyw ystyriaeth yn cael ei rhoi yn y Llywodraeth ar hyn o bryd i adfer y rhyddhad hwnnw o 75 y cant? Oherwydd fe fyddai hynny'n golygu hwb aruthrol i fusnesau bach a chanolig ar hyd a lled Cymru. Oherwydd, fel rwy'n siŵr y cofiwch chi o'ch amser yn llefarydd economi'r Llywodraeth, bod yr arian hwnnw'n aros yn y busnesau hynny, mae'n diogelu swyddi ac mae'n diogelu buddsoddiadau, ac nid yw'n cael ei roi o'r neilltu mewn rhyw gronfa gynilo. Felly, a wnewch chi gadarnhau pa gamau y mae'r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i weithio gyda busnesau i liniaru'r penderfyniad gwreiddiol ac, mewn byd delfrydol, i wrthdroi'r penderfyniad hwnnw er mwyn i fusnesau ar yr ochr hon o Glawdd Offa allu elwa ar yr un rhyddhad fel gwna rhannau eraill o'r wlad o ran yr ardrethi busnes?
O ran trafnidiaeth, yr hyn sy'n hanfodol bwysig yw ein bod ni'n deall yr adolygiad y mae'r Gweinidog trafnidiaeth newydd wedi'i nodi yn y cynlluniau adeiladu ffyrdd a fydd yn sefydlu profion newydd ar gyfer penderfynu a fyddan nhw'n bwrw ymlaen i gael eu hystyried ar gyfer gwaith adeiladu. Fe glywsom ni gan yr Aelod dros Flaenau Gwent pa mor bwysig yw ffordd Blaenau'r Cymoedd ac, yn y pen draw, y sgil-effeithiau economaidd ar gyfer y buddsoddiad pwysig hwnnw ym Mlaenau'r Cymoedd. Pam ddylai rhannau eraill o Gymru gael eu hamddifadu am fod y penderfyniadau i fwrw ymlaen â'r prosiectau hyn wedi eu rhoi o'r neilltu, i bob pwrpas, gan y Gweinidog trafnidiaeth blaenorol? Felly, fe fyddwn i'n dra diolchgar pe byddech chi, yn eich ymateb i mi, yn nodi sut y bydd y penderfyniadau hynny'n cael eu hail-greu, eu hailystyried, o fewn y Llywodraeth newydd yr ydych chi'n ei harwain hi?
Yn ogystal â hynny, fel y pwysleisiwyd yng nghwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog, dechreuad anodd, a dweud y lleiaf, a welodd y gostyngiad cyflymder cenedlaethol i 20 mya a gyflwynwyd ym mis Medi, ond a fydd ag effaith andwyol barhaus ar berfformiad economaidd, ac, yn y pen draw, pa brosesau adolygu a fydd ar waith nad oedden nhw ar waith cyn i chi ymgymryd â swyddogaeth y Prif Weinidog? Roeddech chi'n nodi y byddwch chi'n cael trafodaeth ystyrlon ar y safbwynt polisi hwn. Ai dim ond parhau â'r adolygiad a gychwynnodd y Gweinidog Trafnidiaeth blaenorol a fydd hynny, neu a fydd yna adolygiad newydd gwirioneddol a thrafodaeth newydd ynghylch y ddeddfwriaeth hon a gyflwynwyd gan y Llywodraeth flaenorol?
O ran y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy, gwnaeth y Gweinidog materion gwledig nodi mewn cyfweliad neithiwr na fyddai unrhyw newid yn nyddiad ei weithrediad, ac fe fyddai hynny'n digwydd y flwyddyn nesaf, ond roedd datrysiadau eraill yn cael eu hystyried gan y Llywodraeth ynghylch y gorchudd coed o 10 y cant a materion eraill a gynhwysir yn y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy. A fyddech chi'n gallu dweud wrthym ni, o gofio bod eich datganiad chi'n cynnwys cyfeiriad at y cyfarfod cyntaf un a gynhaliwyd gennych chi â'r undebau ffermio, i ba gyfeiriad cyffredinol y mae'r Llywodraeth yn mynd o ran y maes polisi pwysig hwn, a fydd, am y tro cyntaf ers datganoli, yn gyfrifol am gyflwyno'r pecyn hwnnw a'r cynnig hwnnw i gefnogi amaethyddiaeth yma yng Nghymru?
Ac o ran streic y meddygon, os caf i fynd yn ôl i'r man y dechreuais i, a gohirio gweithredu diwydiannol hyd nes ceir trafodaethau, mae'r Gweinidog iechyd, yn ei sylwebaeth flaenorol ar y gweithredu diwydiannol, wedi dweud nad oes mwy o arian ar gael yn nghoffrau Cymru i gynyddu'r cynnig hwnnw. Felly, a wnewch chi gadarnhau heddiw y bydd y trafodaethau ynghylch y streicio yn ymwneud yn ymwneud yn fwy â thelerau ac amodau, neu a ydych chi fel Prif Weinidog, yn wahanol i'ch rhagflaenydd, wedi gallu dynodi arian newydd yng nghyllideb Cymru i—? Nid wyf i'n gofyn i chi ddatgelu beth fyddai'r swm hwnnw oherwydd, yn amlwg, rydych chi mewn trafodaethau, ond a wnewch chi ddatgelu a oes yna arian newydd i'w gynnig, neu a yw hyn, mewn gwirionedd, yn mynd i'r afael â thelerau ac amodau gan gadw at y cynnig ariannol a wnaethpwyd eisoes i'r meddygon? Diolch i chi, Prif Weinidog.
Thank you for the series of questions. I look forward to our engagements across the Chamber. We may find opportunities to agree in amongst the points where there are going to be clear and sharp differences, as you would expect given that we lead different parties with a different view on what the future of Wales and the UK should look like. I tend to see the last 14 years as the problem; no doubt he will say the last 14 years of Conservative leadership have been a giant success story for Wales and Britain. People will get to make their own choices when the next election comes on that central choice.
I'll run through the points that the Member has broadly made, and just a word more broadly about our priorities—as I set out, early priorities in conversations with doctors, steel workers and farmers, and a number of those points came up in the Member's comments, albeit not commentary about the steel sector. When it comes to the NHS and our budgetary challenge, this runs through a range of the comments the Member has made. In my opening statement, I set out that we have a responsibility to set out answers on how we'll fund them and how we'll deliver them. Much of what the Member asked for was a shopping list for extra spending without, at any point, identifying where that money would come from. And yet the Member knows in real terms since 2021, our budget is worth £700 million less in real terms now after the latest budget round. In addition, there's the £1.1 billion of former EU funds that have not come to Wales. That is a direct and permanent loss to Wales that has not been made up for by the shared prosperity fund that, of course, we have been deliberately excluded from.
Diolch i chi am y gyfres o gwestiynau. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at ein ymgysylltu ar draws y Siambr. Efallai y byddwn ni'n dod o hyd i gyfleoedd i gytuno ymhlith y pwyntiau lle bydd gwahaniaethau eglur a sicr, fel y byddech chi'n ei ddisgwyl o ystyried ein bod yn arwain gwahanol bleidiau gydag ymagweddau gwahanol o ran sut olwg ddylai fod ar ddyfodol Cymru a'r DU. Rwy'n tueddu i weld y 14 mlynedd diwethaf fel achos y broblem; mae'n siŵr y bydd ef yn dweud bod y 14 mlynedd diwethaf dan arweinyddiaeth y Ceidwadwyr wedi bod yn llwyddiant ysgubol i Gymru a Phrydain. Fe fydd pobl yn dod i'w penderfyniadau eu hunain pan ddaw'r etholiad nesaf ar y dewis canolog hwnnw.
Rwyf i am redeg drwy'r pwyntiau wnaeth yr Aelod yn fras, a dweud gair yn fwy eang am ein blaenoriaethau ni—fel y nodais i, y blaenoriaethau cynnar hynny mewn sgyrsiau gyda meddygon, gweithwyr dur a ffermwyr, ac fe gododd nifer o'r pwyntiau hynny yn sylwadau'r Aelod, er na chrybwyllwyd y sector dur. O ran y GIG a'n her gyllidebol, mae hyn yn gyffredin i ystod o'r sylwadau a wnaeth yr Aelod. Yn fy natganiad agoriadol, fe nodais fod cyfrifoldeb gennym ni o ran nodi datrysiadau ar gyfer eu hariannu nhw a sut y byddwn ni'n eu darparu. Roedd llawer o'r hyn y gofynnodd yr Aelod amdano yn rhestr siopa ar gyfer gwariant ychwanegol heb, ar unrhyw adeg, nodi o ble y byddai'r arian hwnnw'n dod. Ac eto mae'r Aelod yn gwybod, ers 2021, mae ein cyllideb werth £700 miliwn yn llai mewn termau real nawr wedi rownd ddiweddaraf y gyllideb. Yn ogystal â hynny, mae yna £1.1 biliwn o gronfeydd yr UE gynt nad ydyn nhw wedi dod i Gymru. Mae honno'n golled uniongyrchol a pharhaol i Gymru nad yw'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin wedi ei lliniaru, ac wrth gwrs, fe gawsom ni ein heithrio yn fwriadol ohoni.
When it comes to how the different national health services manage, of course, the NHS in England has always had the ability to convert capital to revenue at the end of year; that has never been available to us. Different financial means are made available to different parts of the UK. We, nevertheless, in all of the difficult choices we have made, have invested more than 4 per cent in our NHS's budget, compared to less than 1 per cent in England. That is both about keeping the wheels on the bus, so the health service keeps on running, but also the challenge of how we deliver improvements. In 15 of the last 18 months, we've had better four-hour performances in A&E departments in Wales than England. It does show that the effort that is being made across our health service, and the leadership of the Cabinet Secretary for health, is starting to see a turnaround in longer waiters and standard waiters too. We look forward to the trend continuing.
This is also, though, about how we look at accountability and demand within our system: how do we expect the NHS to meet the targets we are providing? The 4 per cent and more does not come cost free; it comes at a real cost to other areas of spending across public services and, indeed, how we support the economy. We haven't seen an alternative budget from any other party in this place, so, actually, we aren't able to understand what alternative priorities would look like: whether you'd want more to go into the NHS and where it would come from; whether you'd want less in the NHS and where that would then go. None of those choices have ever been set out in an alternative budget for more than a decade.
When it comes to how we'll see improvements, part of that is about keeping our workforce in work. That's why I was so pleased to meet with the Cabinet Secretary for health and the BMA. We have had an element of end-of-year money. It's both a possibility for us to use that, which was not available during the eight previous meetings that Eluned Morgan had with the BMA, but it also reflects on the fact that the way our financial system works is wholly unacceptable. We have gone through a budget round making very painful, difficult choices. If we'd known about the end-of-year money, to be able to plan into that, we could have made different choices where we may not have had industrial action in the health service, or we could have avoided some of the painful choices we had to make to present a balanced budget to this place to pass. So, I look forward to being able to do better in the future, when I hope we'll have a different UK Government that will recognise the stability that Wales and Britain needs. And, in fact, in my engagement with the wider public, they understand that lots of our budget challenges are directly related to 14 years of the occupants of Downing Street.
When it comes to education, before the pandemic we saw increases in literacy, numeracy and science. The reduction in performance we've seen since then is not something that we take lightly. Of course, the last Programme for International Student Assessment didn't assess any people who have been undertaking learning through our new curriculum. I'm interested in working with the IFS and others, as we look at improving performance and the key points for reform to help deliver attainment and attendance in a new curriculum that prioritises both knowledge and skills; it is not one or the other. And you can expect there to be a relentless focus on improving outcomes for children and young people from this Government.
That also links into the challenges around apprenticeships. I heard much talk about wanting to see more money spent. I've never heard, from the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, an acknowledgement that huge amounts of money have been taken out of our apprenticeship budget because of the betrayal on former EU funds. It is factual and undeniable. If he doubts it, he should talk to the Chair of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee, who could show him the report that his committee undertook. There is an assault on our budget that has undeniable consequences. I look forward to a pledge being delivered for former EU funds and powers being returned to Wales, and we can restore the investment we want to make in our apprenticeship programme for apprentices of all ages, and that would be good for the economy.
On transport priorities, you'll hear more about this from Ken Skates next week. On the road-building test, the policy remains the same; it's about how we implement it. And, of course, the challenge of our budget has not gone away. We've actually done incredibly poorly on our capital budget in the recent rounds of budgets from the UK Government. So, capital expenditure is simply not available there, even if we did have ambitions to undertake a huge road-building project. But, actually, the challenge isn't the policy, it's about the delivery on it and the purposes of it as well.
We are reviewing the guidance on 20 mph, as I've said more than once. We're working with local government partners on that, and there will be an opportunity for public engagement around proposals for change, as I have pledged many times.
On the sustainable farming scheme, it was a very constructive meeting that I had with the new Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, with farming unions. There was a recognition about where we want to move through, with nearly 12,000 responses to the consultation, the ongoing conversations around some of the knottier and more difficult issues, but a determination to want to find an answer that prioritises high-quality food and drink production here in Wales, and the requirement that every sector of our economy and public services will need to make to the climate and nature emergencies that we face. It was also very clear, though, that people don't want to see the scheme that is being implemented in England. I know that there have been points in time when people have said that they want what's over the border, but that isn't the view of farming representatives. We will carry on working to understand what a scheme could and should look like here in Wales, and I look forward to further reports from Huw Irranca-Davies in his new role.
Finally, on delivery, I'm very optimistic about what we're going to be able to do in having more coherence about what we do across the Government with the different challenges we have faced. That will though mean that, for some interest groups and committees, we're going to need to say 'no' to requests for new strategies and policies. If we're going to have priorities, we can't keep on adding more priorities and more strategies into what we do. I think people will see a consistency in the way we approach that both within the Government and in our engagement with wider stakeholders too.
O ran sut mae'r gwahanol wasanaethau iechyd gwladol yn ymdopi, wrth gwrs, mae'r GIG yn Lloegr wedi gallu trosi cyfalaf i refeniw bob amser ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn; ni fu hynny ar gael i ni erioed. Mae gwahanol ddulliau ariannol ar gael i wahanol rannau o'r DU. Serch hynny, yn yr holl ddewisiadau anodd a wnaethom ni, rydym ni wedi buddsoddi mwy na 4 y cant yng nghyllideb ein GIG, o'i gymharu â llai nag 1 y cant yn Lloegr. Mae hynny'n ymwneud â chadw'r cerbyd ar y cledrau, er mwyn i'r gwasanaeth iechyd barhau i weithio, ond hefyd yr her o ran sut rydym ni am gyflawni gwelliannau. Yn 15 o'r 18 mis diwethaf, fe gawsom ni well perfformiadau pedair awr mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yng Nghymru nag yn Lloegr. Mae hynny'n dangos bod yr ymdrech sy'n cael ei gwneud ar draws ein gwasanaeth iechyd, ac arweinyddiaeth Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd, yn dechrau gweld gwrthdroad yn niferoedd y rhai sy'n aros am yn hirach a rhai sy'n aros amseroedd safonol hefyd. Rydym ni'n edrych ymlaen at weld y duedd yn parhau.
Fodd bynnag, mae hyn hefyd yn ymwneud â'n hymagwedd ni at atebolrwydd a'r galw sydd ar ein system: sut ydym ni'n disgwyl i'r GIG gyrraedd y nodau yr ydym yn eu darparu? Ni ddaw'r 4 y cant a mwy yn rhad ac am ddim; mae'n honno'n gost wirioneddol ar feysydd eraill o wariant ar draws y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac, yn wir, ein dull ni o gefnogi'r economi. Nid ydym ni wedi gweld cyllideb amgen gan unrhyw blaid arall yn y lle hwn, felly, mewn gwirionedd, nid ydym ni'n gallu deall sut olwg fyddai ar flaenoriaethau eraill: a fyddech chi'n dymuno i fwy fynd i mewn i'r GIG ac o ble y byddai hwnnw'n dod; a fyddech chi'n dymuno rhoi llai yn y GIG a lle byddai hwnnw'n mynd wedyn. Ni chafodd un o'r dewisiadau hynny erioed ei nodi mewn cyllideb amgen am dros ddegawd.
O ran sut y byddwn ni'n gweld gwelliannau, mae hynny'n ymwneud yn rhannol â chadw ein gweithlu ni wrth eu gwaith. Dyna pam roeddwn i mor falch o gyfarfod a'r Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd a Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain. Rydym ni wedi cael elfen o arian diwedd blwyddyn. Mae hi'n bosibl i ni ddefnyddio hwnnw, nad oedd honno ar gael yn ystod yr wyth cyfarfod blaenorol a gafodd Eluned Morgan gyda Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain, ond mae'n tynnu sylw hefyd at y ffaith bod y ffordd y mae ein system ariannol ni'n gweithio yn gwbl annerbyniol. Rydym ni wedi mynd trwy rownd gyllidebol gan wneud dewisiadau poenus, anodd iawn. Pe byddem ni wedi gwybod am yr arian diwedd blwyddyn, er mwyn gallu cynllunio gyda hwnnw, fe allem ni fod wedi gwneud dewisiadau gwahanol fel na fyddem ni efallai wedi gweld unrhyw weithredu diwydiannol yn y gwasanaeth iechyd, neu fe allem ni fod wedi osgoi rhai o'r dewisiadau poenus y bu'n rhaid i ni eu gwneud i gyflwyno cyllideb gytbwys i'r lle hwn ei phasio. Felly, rwy'n edrych ymlaen at allu gwneud yn well yn y dyfodol, pan fyddaf yn gobeithio y bydd Llywodraeth wahanol gennym ni yn y DU a fydd yn cydnabod y sefydlogrwydd sydd ei angen ar Gymru a Phrydain. Ac, mewn gwirionedd, yn fy ymgysylltiad â'r cyhoedd yn fwy eang, mae pobl yn deall bod llawer o'n heriau cyllidebol yn uniongyrchol gysylltiedig â 14 mlynedd o'r deiliaid yn Stryd Downing.
O ran addysg, roeddem ni'n gweld cynnydd o ran llythrennedd, rhifedd a gwyddoniaeth cyn y pandemig. Nid yw'r gostyngiad o ran perfformiad a welsom ni wedyn yn rhywbeth yr ydym yn ei ddiystyru. Wrth gwrs, nid oedd y Rhaglen Ryngwladol Asesu Myfyrwyr ddiwethaf yn asesu unrhyw fyfyrwyr a gafodd eu haddysg drwy gyfrwng ein cwricwlwm newydd. Mae gen i ddiddordeb mewn gweithio gyda'r Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid ac eraill, wrth i ni edrych ar wella perfformiad a'r pwyntiau allweddol ar gyfer diwygio i helpu i gyflawni o ran cyrhaeddiad a phresenoldeb mewn cwricwlwm newydd sy'n blaenoriaethu gwybodaeth a sgiliau; nid mater o'r naill neu'r llall yw hyn. Ac fe allwch chi ddisgwyl y bydd y Llywodraeth hon yn canolbwyntio yn ddi-baid ar wella canlyniadau i blant a phobl ifanc.
Mae hyn yn cysylltu â'r heriau o ran prentisiaethau hefyd. Fe glywais i lawer o sôn am awydd i weld mwy o arian yn cael ei wario. Ni chlywais i erioed, gan arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, gydnabyddiaeth o'r symiau enfawr o arian a dynnwyd o'n cyllideb ni ar gyfer prentisiaethau oherwydd y brad gyda chronfeydd blaenorol yr UE. Mae honno'n ffaith ddiymwad. Os yw ef yn amau hynny, fe ddylai gael gair â Chadeirydd Pwyllgor yr Economi, Masnach a Materion Gwledig, fydd yn gallu dangos iddo yr adroddiad a gynhaliodd ei bwyllgor. Mae yna ymosodiad ar ein cyllideb sydd â chanlyniadau na ellir mo'u gwadu. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at addewid yn cael ei chyflawni o ran y cronfeydd a'r pwerau a oedd gan yr UE yn cael eu dychwelyd i Gymru, ac fe allwn ni adfer y buddsoddiad yr ydym ni'n awyddus i'w wneud yn ein rhaglen brentisiaethau ar gyfer prentisiaid o bob oed, ac fe fyddai hynny'n llesol i'r economi.
O ran blaenoriaethau trafnidiaeth, fe wnewch chi glywed mwy am hyn oddi wrth Ken Skates wythnos nesaf. O ran y prawf ar gyfer adeiladu ffyrdd, mae'r polisi yn aros yr un fath; mae'n ymwneud â sut y byddwn ni'n ei roi ar waith. Ac, wrth gwrs, nid yw'r her o ran ein cyllideb wedi diflannu. Rydym ni wedi gwneud yn eithriadol o wael o ran ein cyllideb gyfalaf yn ystod y rowndiau diweddar o gyllidebau gan Lywodraeth y DU. Felly, nid oes gwariant cyfalaf ar gael, hyd yn oed pe byddai'r uchelgais gennym ni i ymgymryd â phrosiect i adeiladu ffyrdd enfawr. Ond, mewn gwirionedd, nid y polisi yw'r her, mae'n ymwneud â'i gyflawni a'i ddibenion hefyd.
Rydym yn adolygu'r canllawiau ar 20 mya, fel y dywedais i fwy nag unwaith. Rydym ni'n gweithio gyda phartneriaid llywodraeth leol yn hynny o beth, ac fe fydd yna gyfle i ymgysylltu â'r cyhoedd ynghylch cynigion ar gyfer newid, fel yr addewais i sawl gwaith.
O ran y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy, roedd hwnnw'n gyfarfod adeiladol iawn a gefais i gydag Ysgrifennydd newydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig, gyda'r undebau ffermio. Roedd yna gydnabyddiaeth o'r cyfeiriad i fynd iddo, gyda bron i 12,000 o ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad, a'r sgyrsiau parhaus ynghylch rhai o'r materion mwyaf dryslyd ac anodd, ond roedd yna benderfyniad o ran dod o hyd i ddatrysiad sy'n blaenoriaethu cynhyrchu bwyd a diod o ansawdd uchel yma yng Nghymru, a'r gofyniad y bydd angen i bob sector o'n heconomi a'n gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ei wneud i'r argyfyngau hinsawdd a natur sy'n ein hwynebu. Roedd hi'n eglur iawn hefyd, serch hynny, nad yw pobl yn dymuno gweld y cynllun a weithredir yn Lloegr. Fe wn i fod yna gyfnodau wedi bod pan ddywedodd pobl eu bod nhw'n dymuno'r hyn sydd dros y ffin, ond nid honno yw barn y rhai sy'n cynrychioli ffermwyr. Rydym ni am barhau i weithio i ddeall sut olwg a allai ac y dylai fod ar gynllun yma yng Nghymru, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at adroddiadau pellach gan Huw Irranca-Davies yn ei swyddogaeth newydd.
Yn olaf, o ran cyflawni, rwy'n obeithiol iawn ynglŷn â'r hyn y byddwn ni'n gallu ei wneud i gael mwy o gydlyniad ynghylch yr hyn a wnawn ar draws y Llywodraeth gyda'r heriau amrywiol a wynebwn. Mae hynny'n golygu, ar gyfer rhai grwpiau a phwyllgorau sydd â diddordeb, y bydd angen i ni wrthod ceisiadau am strategaethau a pholisïau newydd. Os oes blaenoriaethau gennym ni, ni allwn ddal ati i ychwanegu mwy o flaenoriaethau a mwy o strategaethau at yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud. Rwy'n credu y bydd pobl yn gweld cysondeb yn y ffordd yr ydym ni'n ymdrin â hynny o fewn y Llywodraeth ac yn ein hymgysylltiad ni â rhanddeiliaid yn fwy eang hefyd.
Dwi'n croesawu'r datganiad buan yma o flaenoriaethau'r Llywodraeth newydd, ac yn dymuno'n dda iddi hi yn ei gwaith yn ddiffuant. Mae'r heriau sydd o'i blaen hi'n niferus, maen nhw'n sylweddol, maen nhw'n deillio'n rhannol, wrth gwrs, o lymder Ceidwadol San Steffan, a dydy o'n synnu dim arnaf i i weld y Prif Weinidog heddiw yma'n rhoi gymaint o sylw i hynny yn ei ddatganiad. Dwi'n cytuno efo fo, wrth gwrs, ar effaith y toriadau Torïaidd, ond does yna ddim posib rhoi'r bai am bopeth ar hynny. Mae'r rhestr o flaenoriaethau rydyn ni wedi'u clywed yn rhai dwi'n ddigon hapus i'w cefnogi'n gyffredinol. Mae yna, ar nifer cyfyngedig o feysydd, gytundeb lle rydyn ni'n gallu trio dylanwadu ar y Llywodraeth i ddelifro, ac mi rydyn ni wedi llwyddo i wneud hynny mewn meysydd pwysig iawn, ond mae'n rhwystredigaeth i'n rhy aml efo anallu'r Llywodraeth Lafur i weithredu go iawn ar ei blaenoriaethau ar draws yr holl feysydd polisi yna, mewn iechyd ac addysg a'r economi, y maen nhw'n gyfrifol amdanyn nhw, ac yn gyfrifol am wneud gwahaniaeth arnyn nhw ar ran pobl Cymru.
I welcome this early statement of the new Government's priorities, and I wish that Government well in its work, and do so sincerely. The challenges facing the Government are numerous and substantial, and they emerge partly from Conservative austerity at Westminster, and it doesn't surprise me at all to see the First Minister giving so much attention to that in the statement. I agree with him, of course, on the impact of the Tory cuts, but it's impossible to blame them for everything. The list of priorities that we've heard being set out are ones that I'm happy to support in general terms. There is, in a limited number of areas, an agreement where we can try and influence the Government to deliver, and we've succeeded in doing that in important areas, but my frustration far too often is with the Labour Government's inability to act in earnest on its priorities across all of these policy areas, in economy, health and education, that they are responsible for, and where they are responsible for making a difference on behalf of the people of Wales.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
I hope the Senedd will forgive my slight cynicism at the beginning of this new term, but it feels all too familiar, that there has been some musical chairs in the Cabinet, but otherwise it's a rehashing, a reforming of what we previously had.
I'll begin with some comments about what I see as weaknesses, fundamental weaknesses in the Government's approach: they give up too often when faced with failure. For too long, when targets have been set in pursuit of delivery, too many have been changed or dropped altogether, particularly when it comes to the NHS in recent times. Secondly, I think we need a recognition that you can't do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. At the start of devolution, the first Labour administration had some pretty bold targets to narrow Wales's productivity gap with the rest of the UK—a prerequisite for building a more prosperous and more dynamic economy. At the time, we stood at 74 per cent of the UK average, but there's been barely any change, with targets discarded through lack of ambition. Wales remains eleventh out of the 12 nations and regions of the UK on gross value added per capita with no change in six years.
On health, look at the figures for 2018, with just over 1,500 people waiting more than 14 weeks on an NHS waiting list; it now stands at over 43,000, and those lists were growing well before the pandemic struck. So, to include economy and health among the priorities, that is fine; my disagreement isn't so much with the priorities, but rather Government's inability to address the challenges it identifies. They've identified priorities before; it's that Labour's record in delivery has been too poor, too often.
Take child poverty: a sobering illustration of my earlier point that when the Welsh Government looks likely to miss a target, it has a record of simply dropping it. A cross-party committee of this Senedd came to the view that the Government's approach to child poverty lacks ambition. The Children's Commissioner for Wales said that the Government was focusing on what it can't do, rather than what it can do. Similarly, a failure to develop a sustainable workforce plan in the NHS has resulted in longer waits, a burnt-out workforce and spiralling profits for private companies resulting from an over-dependency on agency staff. And we can't expect anything other than economic stagnation if the attitude of Government is one of penalising ambitious companies by cutting business rates relief.
I guess I have one simple question for the First Minister, and I asked it at the start of First Minister's questions today: what will he do differently? Under that, you can break it down to a number of other fundamental questions. Why is the First Minister so relaxed about the prospect of treasures for future generations being lost as a result of his cuts to Amgueddfa Cymru? When will pay be restored for front-line health workers and a long-term plan developed to recruit and retain more staff? How long will we have to wait? Why do farmers see a Government working against its best interests? That's how farming feels. And why does the Institute for Fiscal Studies conclude that low educational outcomes are the consequences of Welsh Government policies?
The very existence, I think, of questions of that fundamental nature highlights the need to adopt a different approach. I encourage the First Minister to adopt a different approach to secure better outcomes, or else managed decline will remain the hallmark of Labour Welsh Governments.
Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y Senedd yn maddau i mi am fod ychydig yn sinigaidd ar ddechrau'r tymor newydd hwn, ond mae'n teimlo yn rhy gyfarwydd o lawer, bod rhywfaint o newid cadeiriau wedi bod yn y Cabinet, ond fel arall ailwampio, diwygio'r hyn a welwyd o'r blaen yw hyn.
Rwyf i am ddechrau gyda rhai sylwadau am yr hyn yr wyf i'n eu hystyried yn wendidau, gwendidau sylfaenol yn ymagwedd y Llywodraeth: maen nhw'n rhoi'r ffidil yn y to yn rhy aml yn wyneb methiant. Am gyfnod rhy hir, wrth i nodau gael eu pennu i fynd ar drywydd cyflawniad, mae gormod wedi cael eu newid neu eu diddymu yn gyfan gwbl, yn enwedig o ran y GIG yn ddiweddar. Yn ail, rwy'n credu bod angen i ni gydnabod na allwch chi wneud yr un peth dro ar ôl tro a disgwyl canlyniadau gwahanol. Ar ddechrau datganoli, roedd gan y weinyddiaeth Lafur gyntaf rai nodau eithaf beiddgar i leihau'r bwlch cynhyrchiant rhwng Cymru a gweddill y DU—rhagofyniad ar gyfer meithrin economi fwy ffyniannus a mwy deinamig. Ar y pryd, roeddem ni ar 74 y cant o gyfartaledd y DU, ond prin fu unrhyw newid, gyda nodau yn cael eu taflu o'r neilltu oherwydd diffyg uchelgais. Mae Cymru yn parhau i fod yn unfed ar ddeg allan o 12 gwlad a rhanbarthau'r DU o ran gwerth ychwanegol gros y pen heb unrhyw newid wedi bod mewn chwe blynedd.
O ran iechyd, edrychwch ar y ffigurau ar gyfer 2018, gydag ychydig dros 1,500 o bobl yn aros mwy na 14 wythnos ar restr aros y GIG; erbyn hyn mae hynny dros 43,000, ac roedd y rhestrau hynny'n tyfu yn sylweddol cyn i'r pandemig daro. Felly, mae cynnwys economi ac iechyd ymhlith y blaenoriaethau yn gwbl briodol; nid wyf i'n anghytuno cymaint â'r blaenoriaethau ond yn hytrach anallu'r Llywodraeth i fynd i'r afael â'r heriau y mae'n eu nodi. Maen nhw wedi nodi blaenoriaethau o'r blaen; sef fod record Llafur o ran cyflawni wedi bod yn rhy wael, yn rhy aml.
Ystyriwch chi dlodi plant: darlun sobreiddiol o'm pwynt cynharach i, sef pan fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn debyg o fethu unrhyw nod, mae ganddi enw am ei gollwng. Fe ddaeth pwyllgor trawsbleidiol o'r Senedd hon i'r farn nad oes uchelgais gan y Llywodraeth o ran tlodi plant. Dywedodd Comisiynydd Plant Cymru fod y Llywodraeth yn canolbwyntio ar yr hyn na all hi ei wneud, yn hytrach na'r hyn y gall hi ei wneud. Yn yr un modd, mae methiant i ddatblygu cynllun gweithlu cynaliadwy yn y GIG wedi arwain at aros am ragor o amser, gweithlu sydd wedi'u llethu ac elw cynyddol i gwmnïau preifat oherwydd gorddibyniaeth ar staff asiantaeth. Ac ni allwn ddisgwyl unrhyw beth ond marweidd-dra economaidd os mai agwedd y Llywodraeth yw cosbi cwmnïau uchelgeisiol trwy dorri rhyddhad ardrethi busnes.
Mae'n debyg mai un cwestiwn syml sydd gennyf i'r Prif Weinidog, ac fe ofynnais i hwnnw iddo ar ddechrau cwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog heddiw: beth fydd ef yn ei wneud yn wahanol? O dan hynny, fe allwch chi ei rannu i nifer o gwestiynau sylfaenol eraill. Pam mae'r Prif Weinidog mor ddifater ynglŷn â'r posibilrwydd y bydd trysorau cenedlaethau'r dyfodol yn cael eu colli o ganlyniad i'w doriadau i Amgueddfa Cymru? Pryd fydd tâl yn cael ei adfer ar gyfer gweithwyr iechyd rheng flaen a chynllun hirdymor yn cael ei ddatblygu i recriwtio a chadw mwy o staff? Faint yn hirach fydd yn rhaid i ni aros? Pam mae ffermwyr yn gweld Llywodraeth sy'n gweithio yn groes i'w budd gorau nhw? Dyna sut mae'r byd amaeth yn teimlo. A pham mae'r Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid yn dod i'r casgliad mai o ganlyniad i bolisïau Llywodraeth Cymru y mae'r cyraeddiadau addysgol mor isel?
Mae bodolaeth cwestiynau o natur sylfaenol fel hyn, rwy'n credu, yn amlygu'r angen i fabwysiadu dull gwahanol. Rwy'n annog y Prif Weinidog i fabwysiadu dull gwahanol er mwyn sicrhau gwell canlyniadau, neu fel arall fe fydd dirywiad a reolir yn parhau i fod yn nodwedd o Lywodraethau Llafur Cymru.
Rŵan, ym Mhlaid Cymru, rydyn ni'n glir beth fyddwn ni'n ei wneud yn wahanol ac, yn gyntaf, mae'n rhaid rhoi'r gorau i edrych ar bethau drwy'r amser drwy brism San Steffan. Rydyn ni i fod i gredu bod ethol Llywodraeth Lafur am fod fel rhyw fath o ffon hud, er bod yna ddim math o addewidion yn cael eu gwneud ar y pethau sylfaenol mae Cymru yn chwilio amdanyn nhw. Dydy rhoi ffawd Cymru yn nwylo Llywodraeth arall ddim yn gysyniad y mae fy mhlaid i yn fodlon ei dderbyn. Mae ffynnon y dŵr clir coch yn sych, mae gen i ofn, ac mae angen i'r Prif Weinidog feddwl yn ofalus cyn bod mor barod i ufuddhau i orchmynion ei gyfeillion yn San Steffan. Dyna pam bod clywed addewidion am arfau a dim byd ar HS2 ac arian i Gymru yn rhwystredig. [Torri ar draws.]
Now, in Plaid Cymru, we are clear as to what we would do differently and, first of all, we must stop looking at things constantly through the Westminster prism. We are supposed to believe that the election of a Labour Government will be some sort of silver bullet, although no pledges have been made on the fundamental things that Wales is seeking. Putting Wales's fate in the hands of another Government isn't a concept that my party is willing to accept. The well of clear red water has run dry, I'm afraid, and the First Minister must think very carefully before being so willing to give in to the demands of his colleagues in Westminster. That's why hearing pledges on arms and nothing on HS2 and funding for Wales is frustrating. [Interruption.]
The leader of the Conservatives was given some more time than this, if you could bear with me.
Cafodd arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr ychydig mwy o amser na hyn, pe gallech chi ddal eich gafael am ychydig.
A beth am blismona a chyfiawnder? Gydag etholiadau comisiynwyr heddlu a throsedd ar y gorwel, mae'r meinciau yma wedi ymrwymo'n llwyr i system gyfiawnder i Gymru. Yn ystod y ras arweinyddol, mi ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog ei fod o eisiau mwy o bwerau, ond mae gen i ofn y bydd yn rhaid iddo fo egluro'i hun yn well na hynny. Pwy ydy llais Llafur yn Nghymru go iawn? Ai fo, Prif Weinidog Cymru, neu'r Aelod Seneddol Llafur a ddywedodd wrth Politico,
And what about policing and justice? With the elections for the police and crime commissioners on the horizon, these benches are entirely committed to a justice system for Wales. During the leadership race, the First Minister said that he wanted more powers, but I'm afraid that he will have to explain himself better than that. Who is Labour's voice in Wales really? Is it him, the First Minister of Wales, or the Labour MP who told Politico,
'Jeremy and Vaughan are living in gaga land if they think they're getting justice devolved'?
I hope the First Minister will be making the case for empowering Wales and this Parliament, and prove that his priorities are driven by the interests of our communities and not the Labour whip in London.
'Mae Jeremy a Vaughan yn colli arni os ydyn nhw'n credu eu bod nhw am gael datganoli cyfiawnder'?
Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y Prif Weinidog yn dadlau dros rymuso Cymru a'r Senedd hon, ac yn dangos bod ei flaenoriaethau ef yn cael eu hysgogi gan les ein cymunedau ac nid gan y chwip Lafur yn Llundain.
Thank you for the series of comments and some questions within there. I want to start with the point that the Member makes about the form of this Government. I actually think that people in Wales rather like having a stable Government able to make choices, even in difficult times. Other models are available, as the welcome return of Liz Truss to the airwaves reminds us all that different models have been tried repeatedly in the last few years and we are all living with the consequences.
And with respect, the Member can't have it both ways. He can't complain bitterly about the reality of Conservative austerity and then deny its impact. I'm clear about where austerity and our budget has a very real impact on the choices we make. We all saw that in the budget that we had to pass just a few weeks ago. I'm also clear about areas where I want to see improvement. I set those out in the statement on the NHS and wanting to see improvement in waiting times. The investment that we are making at real cost to other parts of the budget in Wales needs to come with the ability to deliver better within our health service. That's also the view of Eluned Morgan: making sure that we have clear lines about accountability, but also what we need to invest in, to make sure that we're giving our staff the best opportunity to do their very best job for the communities that they serve.
And the health service really is personal to me. I know exactly what it is like to have your whole life reliant on the quality of what takes place within our service. If I had been a resident of a different country when I was seriously ill at the age of 19 and 20, it's entirely possible that I would not be here now. I know what the health service means and the experience of care as well as the outcomes that are delivered. That's why the NHS is an undeniable priority for this Government and the way we have formed our budget reflects that.
And when it comes to education, if anyone doubts the commitment of Lynne Neagle to see better outcomes for children and young people in their health and well-being, but also their opportunity to have a fairer future, then I don't think you've been paying attention for the last 25 years. I look forward to working with Lynne as we look at the IFS report, as we look at the challenges that it provides to us, but also about our ability to work with them on delivering a system that really will deliver improvements in attainment and attendance. I say again, though, that the report recently from the IFS did not look at the reality that the PISA learners who went through the last round had not undertaken the new curriculum in Wales. We are serious about making sure there is a better future for children and young people here before school, during school and afterwards.
When it comes to productivity, that's a key part of the challenge for the future of our economy. The productivity puzzle is a challenge right across the UK, where the length of hours worked doesn't always mean we're seeing greater productivity in our economy. During the piece of devolution, we have seen improving productivity. Our challenge is that there's still an appreciable gap between us and the rest of the UK, largely driven by the massive inequality in the south-east of England. But it's why we're so keen to see powers restored to Wales to invest more in skills and the longer term future, to use the levers we have to actually invest in the future we really could have. It's why green prosperity is at the heart of this Government's approach to the future of our economy.
When it comes to child poverty, my earliest role within the Government was as the Deputy Minister for Tackling Poverty, looking at what we were doing across the Government, looking at what worked and how we were able to deal with it with our different levers—many of them long-term levers, and those that provided immediate support and assistance—and knowing that a UK Government moving in diametrically the wrong direction, as they have consistently during all of my time as a Minister, has extraordinary consequences. What we're doing in our own strategy is being honest with people about what we can be responsible for, what we are going to do, and how we'll measure the outcomes that get delivered. The challenge always is that deliberate choices have been made in the tax and benefits system that we know actually make life harder for families with children. It's the reason why so many children in poverty grow up in a household where an adult is already in work. The bargain that work should be a route to prosperity has been broken by this current UK Government. I look forward to being able to fix that in the future with different partners in Wales and across the UK as well.
I think people in Wales instinctively understand that having two Labour Governments committed to working together for the future of Wales would be a good thing and we can make real progress on this and so many other areas. I make no apology for setting out that a different future is possible. It's one that I'll be proud to campaign and fight for, not just in the run-up to an election, but afterwards, where I will be the voice for Wales as the First Minister, and no-one should doubt that I would do that. I'm proud of what I'm able to do for my country, and I'm prouder still of the bigger opportunities I believe exist in the future. We have never taken the public for granted—it's why we've been so successful in elected politics in the devolution era—and we will not take the public for granted as we move into those difficult challenges that lie ahead of us, but also the ambitions and opportunities for our country. I am proud to lead a Government full of ambition for our future, and with honesty about the challenges we face to get there.
Diolch i chi am y gyfres o sylwadau a rhai cwestiynau oddi mewn iddynt. Fe hoffwn i ddechrau gyda'r pwynt y mae'r Aelod yn ei wneud ynglŷn â ffurf y Llywodraeth hon. Rwy'n credu mewn gwirionedd fod pobl yng Nghymru yn weddol falch o fod â Llywodraeth sefydlog sy'n gallu gwneud dewisiadau, hyd yn oed mewn cyfnod anodd. Mae modelau eraill ar gael, fel mae ymddangosiad calonogol Liz Truss yn y cyfryngau unwaith eto yn ein hatgoffa ni i gyd bod modelau gwahanol wedi cael eu rhoi ar brawf dro ar ôl tro yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf ac rydym ni i gyd yn byw gyda'r canlyniadau.
A chyda pob parch, ni all yr Aelod ei chael hi bob ffordd. Ni all gwyno'n chwerw am wirionedd cyni'r Ceidwadwyr a gwadu ei effaith wedyn. Rwy'n eglur ynghylch lle mae cyni a'n cyllideb ni ag effaith wirioneddol ar y dewisiadau a wnawn. Fe welsom ni i gyd hynny yn y gyllideb yr oedd yn rhaid i ni ei phasio ychydig o wythnosau yn ôl. Rwy'n eglur hefyd ynglŷn â'r meysydd yr wyf i'n awyddus i weld gwelliannau ynddyn nhw. Fe nodais i'r rhain yn y datganiad ar y GIG ac yn awyddus i weld gwelliant gydag amseroedd aros. Mae angen i'r buddsoddiad yr ydym ni'n ei wneud ar draul wirioneddol rhannau eraill o'r gyllideb yng Nghymru ddod â'r gallu i gyflawni yn well yn ein gwasanaeth iechyd. Dyna farn Eluned Morgan hefyd: i sicrhau bod llinellau clir gennym o ran atebolrwydd, ond o ran yr hyn y mae angen i ni fuddsoddi ynddo hefyd, i sicrhau ein bod ni'n rhoi'r cyfle gorau i'n staff wneud eu gwaith gorau un er mwyn y cymunedau y maen nhw'n eu gwasanaethu.
Ac mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn fater personol iawn i mi. Rwy'n gwybod yn union sut beth yw bod â'ch bywyd cyfan yn ddibynnol ar ansawdd yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn ein gwasanaeth. Pe byddwn i wedi bod yn byw mewn gwlad arall pan oeddwn i'n ddifrifol wael yn 19 ac 20 oed, mae hi'n gwbl bosibl na fyddwn i yma nawr. Rwy'n gwybod beth mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn ei olygu a'r profiad o ofal yn ogystal â'r canlyniadau sy'n cael eu cyflawni. Dyna pam mae'r GIG yn flaenoriaeth ddiamheuol i'r Llywodraeth hon ac mae'r ffordd yr ydym ni wedi llunio ein cyllideb yn adlewyrchu hynny.
Ac o ran addysg, os oes unrhyw un yn amau ymrwymiad Lynne Neagle i weld canlyniadau gwell i blant a phobl ifanc yn eu hiechyd a'u lles, ond o ran eu cyfle i fod â dyfodol tecach hefyd, yna nid wyf i'n credu eich bod wedi bod yn talu unrhyw sylw dros y 25 mlynedd diwethaf. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda Lynne wrth i ni edrych ar adroddiad y Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid, wrth i ni roi ystyriaeth i'r heriau mae'n eu rhoi i ni, ond i'n gallu ni hefyd i weithio gyda nhw ar ddarparu system a fydd yn sicrhau gwelliannau gwirioneddol o ran cyrhaeddiad a phresenoldeb. Fe ddywedaf i unwaith eto, serch hynny, nad oedd adroddiad diweddar y Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid yn rhoi unrhyw ystyriaeth i'r sefyllfa wirioneddol nad oedd y dysgwyr a aeth drwy rownd ddiwethaf PISA wedi cael eu dysgu yn ôl y cwricwlwm newydd sydd yng Nghymru. Rydym ni'n benderfynol o sicrhau y bydd gan blant a phobl ifanc yma ddyfodol gwell cyn mynd i'r ysgol, yn ystod dyddiau'r ysgol ac wedi hynny.
O ran cynhyrchiant, mae honno'n rhan allweddol o'r her sydd i ddyfodol ein heconomi. Mae'r broblem o ran cynhyrchiant yn her ledled y DU, lle nad yw swm yr oriau a weithiwyd yn golygu bob amser ein bod ni'n gweld mwy o gynhyrchiant yn ein heconomi. Yn ystod datganoli, fe welsom ni welliant o ran cynhyrchiant. Ein her ni yw bod bwlch sylweddol rhyngom ni a gweddill y DU, a ysgogir yn bennaf gan yr anghydraddoldeb enfawr yn ne-ddwyrain Lloegr. Ond dyna pam rydym ni mor awyddus i weld ein pwerau yn cael eu hadfer i Gymru ar gyfer buddsoddi mwy mewn sgiliau a'r dyfodol hirdymor, gan ddefnyddio'r dulliau sydd gennym ni i fuddsoddi yn wirioneddol yn y dyfodol y byddem ni'n gallu ei weld mewn gwirionedd. Dyna pam mae ffyniant gwyrdd wrth hanfod ymagwedd y Llywodraeth hon tuag at ddyfodol ein heconomi.
O ran tlodi plant, fy swydd gyntaf i yn y Llywodraeth oedd Dirprwy Weinidog dros Drechu Tlodi, ac roeddwn i'n edrych ar yr hyn yr oeddem ni'n ei wneud ar draws y Llywodraeth, ac yn edrych ar yr hyn a oedd wedi gweithio a sut roeddem ni'n gallu ymdrin ag ef gyda'n gwahanol ysgogiadau—llawer ohonyn nhw'n ysgogiadau hirdymor, a'r rhai a oedd yn darparu cefnogaeth a chymorth ar unwaith—gan wybod bod Llywodraeth y DU yn symud i'r cyfeiriad anghywir yn llwyr, fel gwnaeth hi'n gyson trwy gydol fy amser yn Weinidog, mae canlyniadau eithriadol i hynny. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud yn ein strategaeth ni yw bod yn ddiffuant â phobl ynglŷn â'r hyn y gallwn ni fod yn gyfrifol amdano, yr hyn yr ydym ni am ei wneud, a sut y byddwn ni'n mantoli'r canlyniadau a gyflawnir. Yr her bob amser yw bod y dewisiadau bwriadol wedi eu gwneud yn y system dreth a budd-daliadau y gwyddom ni mewn gwirionedd eu bod nhw'n gwneud bywyd yn fwy anodd i deuluoedd â phlant. Dyma'r rheswm pam mae cymaint o blant mewn tlodi yn tyfu i fyny mewn cartref lle mae un oedolyn eisoes yn gweithio. Cafodd y fargen sef y dylai gwaith fod yn llwybr at ffyniant ei thorri gan y Llywodraeth gyfredol hon yn y DU. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at allu cywiro hynny yn y dyfodol gyda phartneriaid gwahanol yng Nghymru a ledled y DU hefyd.
Rwy'n credu bod pobl yng Nghymru yn deall yn reddfol y byddai bod â dwy Lywodraeth Lafur sy'n ymrwymedig i gydweithio er mwyn dyfodol Cymru yn beth da ac fe allwn ni weld cynnydd gwirioneddol iawn yn hwn ac mewn cymaint o feysydd eraill. Nid wyf i'n ymddiheuro am nodi bod dyfodol amgen yn bosibl. Mae hwnnw'n rhywbeth y byddaf i'n falch iawn o ymgyrchu a brwydro drosto, nid yn unig yn y cyfnod cyn etholiad, ond wedi hynny, pryd y byddaf i'n rhoi llais i Gymru fel y Prif Weinidog, ac ni ddylai unrhyw un amau y byddwn i'n gwneud hynny. Rwy'n falch o'r hyn yr wyf i'n gallu ei wneud er mwyn fy nghenedl, ac rwy'n fwy balch eto o'r cyfleoedd mwy a ddaw yn y dyfodol, yn fy marn i. Nid ydym ni wedi cymryd y cyhoedd yn ganiataol erioed—dyna pam y buom ni mor llwyddiannus gyda'r wleidyddiaeth etholedig yn oes datganoli—ac ni fyddwn ni'n cymryd y cyhoedd yn ganiataol wrth i ni symud at yr heriau anodd hynny sydd o'n blaenau ni, ond yn yr uchelgeisiau a'r cyfleoedd i'n cenedl. Rwy'n falch o arwain Llywodraeth sy'n llawn uchelgais i'n dyfodol, a chyda diffuantrwydd ynglŷn â'r heriau sy'n ein hwynebu ar hyd y daith yno.
We have taken 40 minutes out of the 45 allocated. I have several speakers left. I will call each one, but I'd like to remind you and make it clear that each remaining speaker has one minute to make their contributions, and I will cut you off after one minute.
Rydym ni wedi cymryd 40 munud o'r 45 a ddynodwyd. Mae gen i nifer o siaradwyr ar ôl. Rwyf i am alw ar bob un ohonyn nhw, ond fe hoffwn i eich atgoffa chi a'i gwneud hi'n eglur mai un munud sydd gan bob siaradwr sydd ar ôl i wneud ei gyfraniad, ac fe fyddaf i'n eich torri i ffwrdd ar ôl munud.
As leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, I know I have one minute to respond to what you've said. I do welcome you to the role on behalf of the party, and I look forward to working with you. At this pivotal moment, the Welsh public needs hope. It needs hope for a better healthcare system. It needs bold environmental action, and it needs action to address, as you've talked about, child poverty. We need hope for our NHS. People are exhausted, with long waiting lists, and our staff are stressed out by the pressure on them. I particularly want to see dental services improved and for us to have NHS dentists across all areas in Wales, particularly rural areas. We need hope for our environment. Let's see more green skills, a green transition, and a transition universal basic income as well, where Wales can be the first, the leader, the world leader on everything green. And we need hope for our children, as you've talked about. We need hope for the poorest. I'm pleased to hear you speak about this and say that you're putting it at the centre of your agenda. And yet we have no Minister for babies, children and young people, a cross-cutting Minister—
Fel arweinydd Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru, rwy'n gwybod mai un munud sydd gennyf i ymateb i'r hyn y gwnaethoch chi ei ddweud. Rwy'n eich croesawu chi i'r swyddogaeth ar ran y blaid, ac yn edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda chi. Yn y cyfnod hollbwysig hwn, mae angen gobaith ar y cyhoedd yng Nghymru. Mae angen gobaith am system gofal iechyd well. Mae angen gweithredu amgylcheddol beiddgar, ac mae angen gweithredu i fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant, fel rydych chi wedi sôn. Mae angen gobaith ar gyfer ein GIG. Mae pobl wedi blino'n lân, gyda rhestrau aros hir, ac mae ein staff yn dioddef straen oherwydd y pwysau sydd arnyn nhw. Rwy'n awyddus iawn i weld gwasanaethau deintyddol yn gwella ac i ni fod â deintyddion y GIG ym mhob ardal yng Nghymru, yn enwedig ardaloedd cefn gwlad. Mae angen gobaith ar gyfer ein hamgylchedd. Gadewch i ni weld mwy o sgiliau gwyrdd, trawsnewidiad gwyrdd, ac incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol pontio hefyd, lle gall Cymru fod yn gyntaf, yn arwain y ffordd, yn arwain y byd ar bopeth sy'n wyrdd. Ac mae angen gobaith ar gyfer ein plant ni, fel y gwnaethoch chi sôn. Mae angen gobaith i'r rhai tlotaf. Rwy'n falch o'ch clywed chi'n sôn am hyn ac yn dweud eich bod chi'n rhoi hynny wrth wraidd eich agenda. Ac eto nid oes gennym ni Weinidog dros fabanod, plant a phobl ifanc, Gweinidog trawsbynciol—
Thank you, Jane.
Diolch i chi, Jane.
—who can address poverty. I do hope that you will take that forward. I look forward to working with you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
—a all fynd i'r afael â thlodi. Rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch chi'n bwrw ymlaen â hynny. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda chi. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you for the comments. On a range of those areas, I think you'll find a Government that is ready to listen and to work with you. I think you'll find Jayne Bryant, as the new Minister for early years, will take seriously the challenges in the first 1,000 days of a child's life, working across the health and social care team, and, indeed, working with the education Secretary. It's deliberately created to try to draw together all the different levers we have and to understand the difference that that can make in child poverty. I'm very proud, as a Welsh Labour Member, of the fact that we created Flying Start. It was before I was a Member, but you can now see the direct improvement in outcomes for children that that programme has made. That's why I'm proud that we're committed to rolling it out and extending it; it shows that you really can make a difference. It's a long-term investment, with a long-term benefit. And on dentistry, the environment, climate, the economy and housing, I'm sure we'll have much more to talk about and have much more to agree on and co-operate on.
Diolch i chi am y sylwadau. O ran ystod o'r meysydd hynny, rwy'n credu y byddwch chi'n dod o hyd i Lywodraeth sy'n barod i wrando a gweithio gyda chi. Rwy'n credu y byddwch chi'n canfod y bydd Jayne Bryant, y Gweinidog blynyddoedd cynnar newydd, yn rhoi ystyriaeth ddifrifol i'r heriau hyn dros y 1,000 diwrnod cyntaf ym mywyd plentyn, gan weithio ar draws y tîm iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, ac, yn wir, gan weithio gyda'r Ysgrifennydd dros addysg. Fe luniwyd hyn yn fwriadol i geisio dwyn y gwahanol ddulliau sydd gennym i gyd at ei gilydd a ddeall y gwahaniaeth y gall hynny ei wneud gyda thlodi plant. Rwy'n falch iawn, fel Aelod o Lafur Cymru, o'r ffaith ein bod ni wedi creu Dechrau'n Deg. Roedd hynny cyn i mi fod yn Aelod, ond fe allwch chi weld y gwelliant uniongyrchol nawr o ran canlyniadau i blant a ddaeth yn sgil y rhaglen honno. Dyna pam rwy'n falch ein bod ni wedi ymrwymo i'w chyflwyno ymhellach a'i hymestyn; mae hi'n dangos y gallwch chi wneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol. Buddsoddiad hirdymor yw hwn, sydd â budd hirdymor. Ac o ran deintyddiaeth, yr amgylchedd, hinsawdd, yr economi a thai, rwy'n siŵr y bydd gennym ni lawer mwy i siarad amdano ac y bydd gennym ni lawer mwy i gytuno arno a chydweithredu arno.
Thank you, First Minister, for your statement here today. I welcome the tone that it sets for your Government—a tone of optimism, strength and ambition. I also welcome the policy ambitions that you've set out so clearly—in particular, your promise to focus on building a greener economy with good, secure employment. I know that my constituents would be keen to hear more about your plan for green growth hubs and green business loans. What more can you tell us today about these two policy areas?
Diolch i chi, Prif Weinidog, am eich datganiad yma heddiw. Rwy'n croesawu'r cywair y mae'n ei osod i'ch Llywodraeth—cywair gobeithiol, cadarn ac uchelgeisiol. Rwy'n croesawu hefyd yr uchelgeisiau o ran polisi y gwnaethoch chi eu nodi mor eglur—yn benodol, eich addewid i ganolbwyntio ar greu economi wyrddach â chyflogaeth dda, ddiogel. Rwy'n gwybod y byddai fy etholwyr i'n awyddus i glywed mwy am eich cynllun chi ar gyfer canolfannau twf gwyrdd a benthyciadau busnes gwyrdd. Beth arall allwch chi ei ddweud wrthym ni heddiw am y ddau faes hyn o bolisi?
Thank you. We have a good basis to build on, because we already have green growth hubs in some parts of Wales. We can take learning from those to understand how we deliberately gather together businesses that are interested in environmentally sustainable growth. And there are different aspects to that. If you go to north-east Wales, you'll see on Deeside—and Jack Sargeant may take an interest in this—some of the challenges about not just carbon capture but actually about looking at fuel switching as well. Some of the work there I think is really interesting. Enfinium have recently been highlighted as a business looking to do that. And when you look at the alternatives that exist for not just green growth but the green business loans scheme, it builds on what we've already done with our pilot, delivered through the Development Bank of Wales. We are helping business do the right thing for the planet, in decarbonising how their business works, but also doing the right thing for their bottom line, because most of them are invested in their own power generation—it reduces their bills, makes them more predictable, and some of them are able to generate income in returning that to the grid. Those are two examples of policies we have already piloted. I'm keen and ambitious for us to do more, to do what works to make a really big difference in every community, in north, south, east and west.
Diolch i chi. Mae gennym ni sail dda i adeiladu arni, oherwydd mae gennym ni ganolfannau twf gwyrdd mewn rhai rhannau o Gymru eisoes. Fe allwn ni ddysgu o'r rhain i ddeall sut rydym ni am ddod â busnesau sydd â diddordeb mewn twf amgylcheddol cynaliadwy at ei gilydd yn fwriadol. Ac mae yna wahanol agweddau ar hynny. Os ewch chi i'r gogledd-ddwyrain, fe welwch chi ar Lannau Dyfrdwy—ac efallai y bydd Jack Sargeant yn ymddiddori yn hyn—rai o'r heriau ynghylch nid yn unig dal carbon ond mewn gwirionedd gan roi ystyriaeth i newid tanwydd hefyd. Rwy'n credu bod peth o'r gwaith yn y maes hwn yn ddiddorol iawn. Mae Enfinium wedi cael sylw yn ddiweddar am ei fod yn fusnes sy'n ystyried gwneud hynny. A phan edrychwch chi ar y dewisiadau amgen sy'n bodoli nid yn unig ar gyfer twf gwyrdd ond y cynllun benthyciadau busnes gwyrdd hefyd, mae hynny'n adeiladu ar yr hyn a wnaethom ni eisoes gyda'n cynllun peilot, a ddarperir trwy Fanc Datblygu Cymru. Rydym ni'n helpu busnesau i wneud y peth sy'n deg i'r blaned, gan ddatgarboneiddio sut mae eu busnes nhw'n gweithio, ond hefyd gan wneud y peth sy'n iawn ar gyfer eu helw sylfaenol, oherwydd mae gan y rhan fwyaf ohonyn nhw ddiddordeb mawr mewn cynhyrchu eu pŵer eu hunain—mae hynny'n lleihau eu biliau nhw, yn gwneud y rhain yn fwy rhagweladwy, ac mae rhai ohonyn nhw'n gallu cynhyrchu incwm wrth ddychwelyd hwnnw i'r grid. Dyma ddwy enghraifft o bolisïau y gwnaethom ni eu treialu eisoes. Rwy'n awyddus ac yn uchelgeisiol i ni wneud mwy, i wneud yr hyn sy'n gweithio i wneud gwahaniaeth mawr iawn ym mhob cymuned, yn y gogledd, y de, y dwyrain a'r gorllewin.
First Minister, how do you intend to build bridges with our rural communities, particularly the agricultural sector, and how will that be reflected in any possible changes to the sustainable farming scheme? Also, on the continuation of the role of a Minister for north Wales, this could clearly be seen by some as being tokenistic, because, after all, where is your Minister for mid Wales, west Wales, or elsewhere? Surely every Minister in your Government should be a Minister for north Wales. In fact, isn't your need for a Minister for north Wales a statement in itself that those other Ministers, potentially, haven't been representing the whole of Wales maybe as they should?
Prif Weinidog, sut ydych chi'n bwriadu codi pontydd gyda'n cymunedau gwledig, yn enwedig y sector amaethyddol, a sut caiff hynny ei adlewyrchu mewn unrhyw newidiadau posibl i'r cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy? Hefyd, o ran parhad swydd Gweinidog dros ogledd Cymru, fe allai hyn gael ei ystyried yn ddim ond rhywbeth symbolaidd gan rai, oherwydd, wedi'r cyfan, ble mae eich Gweinidog dros y canolbarth, y gorllewin, neu unrhyw fan arall? Siawns na ddylai pob Gweinidog yn eich Llywodraeth fod yn Weinidog dros ogledd Cymru. A dweud y gwir, onid yw eich angen chi am Weinidog dros ogledd Cymru yn datgan ynddo'i hun nad yw'r Gweinidogion eraill, o bosibl, wedi bod yn cynrychioli Cymru gyfan fel y dylen nhw efallai?
No, I don't agree with that at all. I actually think that stakeholders across north Wales welcome the creation of a Minister for north Wales, and look forward to Ken Skates continuing the work that Lesley Griffiths has already done previously. I look forward to working with Ken, and, indeed, Ministers across my Government, to make sure that we do deliver for the whole country. On the challenge of a Minister for north Wales, it was a recognition that some stakeholders do think that there is a challenge in making sure that the whole Government acts for the whole country. We are deliberately looking to do that, to reach out, to make sure that people can see clearly someone who holds the ring for the Government around north Wales, with real whole-Wales responsibilities. I think that stakeholders in north Wales welcome the continued appointment of a Minister, and can see that this is a Government that genuinely looks to serve the whole country.
When it comes to rural bridge building, of course, I grew up in a rural community. I know exactly what it's like to live in a more rural part of the world. I know what it's like, as I said earlier, to have a bus service that is regular but not particularly frequent. I understand the challenges, not just from being, I think, the first First Minister who's the son of a farmer, but to understand how you need to reach out and have a conversation with those communities and rural Wales as well. It was a very constructive opening meeting that we had with farming union representatives. I think everyone wants to lower the heat in the conversation and look at answers for what we might be able to do together. There is a need to design a new scheme to support the future of farming, to do it within the parameters of the budget we have, to look again at what's come from the consultation. As has always been said, the consultation was a genuine one. We will now look to see what changes we could make to deliver a scheme that meets all of our objectives, properly supporting food and drink production in Wales, whilst making the serious contribution we all need to make to the climate and nature emergencies that we face. Farmers themselves know those emergencies are very real.
Na, dydw i ddim yn cytuno â hynny o gwbl. Rwy'n credu mewn gwirionedd bod rhanddeiliaid ar draws y gogledd yn croesawu creu Gweinidog dros ogledd Cymru, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at fod â Ken Skates yn parhau â'r gwaith a wnaeth Lesley Griffiths cyn hyn eisoes. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda Ken, ac, yn wir, â Gweinidogion ar draws fy Llywodraeth i sicrhau ein bod ni'n cyflawni ar gyfer y wlad gyfan. O ran yr her ynglŷn â Gweinidog dros ogledd Cymru, roedd yna gydnabyddiaeth eang fod rhai rhanddeiliaid o'r farn fod yna her o ran sicrhau bod y Llywodraeth gyfan yn gweithio er mwyn y genedl gyfan. Rydym ni'n fwriadol yn ceisio gwneud hynny, gan ymestyn allan, i wneud yn siŵr y bydd pobl yn gallu gweld yn glir rhywun sy'n gyfrifol dros y Llywodraeth yn y gogledd, gyda chyfrifoldebau gwirioneddol ledled Cymru. Rwyf i o'r farn fod rhanddeiliaid yn y gogledd yn croesawu parhau i benodi Gweinidog dros ogledd Cymru, ac yn gallu gweld mai Llywodraeth yw hon sy'n wirioneddol yn ceisio gwasanaethu'r genedl gyfan.
O ran codi pontydd â chefn gwlad, wrth gwrs, fe gefais i fy magu mewn cymuned wledig. Rwy'n gwybod yn union sut beth yw byw mewn bro fwy gwledig. Rwy'n gwybod sut beth yw, fel y dywedais i'n gynharach, bod â gwasanaeth bws sy'n rheolaidd ond heb fod yn arbennig o gyson. Rwy'n deall yr heriau, nid yn unig o fod, rwy'n credu, yn Brif Weinidog cyntaf sy'n fab i ffermwr, ond ar gyfer deall sut mae angen i chi ymestyn allan a chynnal sgwrs gyda'r cymunedau hynny a chefn gwlad Cymru hefyd. Roedd y cyfarfod hwnnw a gawsom gyda chynrychiolwyr o'r undebau ffermio yn gyfarfod agoriadol adeiladol iawn. Rwy'n credu bod pawb yn awyddus i dymheru'r ddadl ac ystyried datrysiadau ar gyfer yr hyn y gallem ni ei wneud gyda'n gilydd. Mae angen dylunio cynllun newydd i gefnogi dyfodol ffermio, i wneud hynny o fewn cyfyngiadau'r gyllideb sydd gennym ni ar gael, i edrych eto ar yr hyn a ddaeth o'r ymgynghoriad. Fel y dywedwyd erioed, roedd yr ymgynghoriad yn un cwbl ddilys. Fe fyddwn ni'n ystyried nawr pa newidiadau y gallem ni eu gwneud i gyflawni cynllun sy'n cyflawni ein holl amcanion ni, gan gefnogi cynhyrchiant bwyd a diod mewn modd priodol yng Nghymru, gan wneud y cyfraniad difrifol y mae angen i bob un ohonom ni ei wneud gyda'r argyfyngau hinsawdd a natur sy'n ein hwynebu. Mae'r ffermwyr eu hunain yn gwybod bod yr argyfyngau hynny'n rhai gwirioneddol iawn.
First Minister, may I firstly offer congratulations from Islwyn? I hope to welcome you back again shortly. You rightly point out the devastating consequences of 14 years of Tory UK Government austerity when you state the £1.3 billion drop in the value of our budget is worth four times the economy budget of this Government—let that sink in.
First Minister, one of the success stories of devolution has been the rebuilding and upgrading of the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff—and now Newport—railway line. It has seen innovative railway services return to Islwyn communities to our two main cities since Beeching took away those services. The building of Cardiff Parkway offers the potential of further upgrading of this capacity on the line and facilitating more services for Islwyn residents, in addition to training, apprenticeships and jobs. Two years on after Cardiff Parkway was given that planning permission by the local planning authority, what is the timescale for the Welsh Government's decision on the release of this permission, which would directly benefit my constituents?
Prif Weinidog, a gaf i yn gyntaf estyn llongyfarchiadau o Islwyn? Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at eich croesawu chi'n ôl unwaith eto gyda hyn. Rydych chi'n gywir i nodi canlyniadau dinistriol 14 mlynedd o gyni Llywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU wrth i chi ddweud bod y gostyngiad o £1.3 biliwn yng ngwerth ein cyllideb yn werth pedair gwaith cyllideb economi'r Llywodraeth hon—gadewch i hynny suddo i mewn.
Prif Weinidog, un o lwyddiannau datganoli fu ailadeiladu ac uwchraddio rheilffordd Cwm Ebwy i Gaerdydd—a Chasnewydd nawr. Mae hynny wedi golygu bod gwasanaethau rheilffordd arloesol yn dychwelyd i gymunedau Islwyn ac i'n dwy ddinas fwyaf ers pan wnaeth Beeching ddiddymu'r gwasanaethau hynny. Mae adeiladu Parcffordd Caerdydd yn cynnig y posibilrwydd o uwchraddio'r capasiti hwn ymhellach ar y lein a hwyluso mwy o wasanaethau i drigolion Islwyn, yn ogystal â hyfforddiant, prentisiaethau a swyddi. Ddwy flynedd ar ôl i Barcffordd Caerdydd gael caniatâd cynllunio gan yr awdurdod cynllunio lleol, beth yw'r amserlen ar gyfer penderfyniad Llywodraeth Cymru ar ryddhau'r caniatâd hwn, a fyddai o fudd uniongyrchol i'm hetholwyr i?
There are two points I'd like to make. The first is to thank the Member for the good wishes of Islwyn, and I look forward to visiting. I should point out that, when it comes to rail performance in Wales, there are Members in this Chamber who can take real credit for the sustained investment we've made to our rolling stock, the money we've had to put into improving the rails themselves. When we took control of the Valleys lines, we actually found a very distressed asset that required a large amount of capital expenditure. That has had real consequences for the whole Government. It is good news, though, that Transport for Wales is now the best performing operator in Wales when it comes to punctuality, when it comes to quality of the rolling stock. Compared to all other operators in Wales, Transport for Wales is the best performer by some distance.
The second point to make is I must decline the opportunity to answer the question on this particular point around Cardiff Parkway, because it is in my constituency. I am not in a position to make any kind of ministerial statement. I have a view, of course, as a constituency Member, but I'm more than happy to direct her towards the Cabinet Secretary for transport around some of our wider ambitions. It is a planning issue that we'll need to run through properly and in which, of course, I will have no part.
Mae yna ddau bwynt yr hoffwn i eu gwneud. Y cyntaf yw diolch i'r Aelod am ddymuniadau da Islwyn, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at fynd yno. Fe ddylwn i nodi, o ran perfformiad y rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru, fod yna Aelodau yn y Siambr hon sy'n haeddu canmoliaeth wirioneddol am y buddsoddiad parhaus a wnaethom ni i'n cerbydau, yr arian y bu'n rhaid i ni ei roi i wella'r cledrau eu hunain. Pan wnaethom gymryd rheolaeth o gledrau'r Cymoedd, fe ddaethom o hyd i ased mewn cyflwr enbyd iawn a oedd yn gofyn llawer iawn o wariant cyfalaf. Mae hyn wedi arwain at ganlyniadau gwirioneddol i'r Llywodraeth gyfan. Newyddion da, serch hynny, yw mai Trafnidiaeth Cymru yw'r gweithredwr sy'n perfformio orau yng Nghymru o ran prydlondeb, o ran ansawdd y cerbydau. O gymharu â phob gweithredwr arall yng Nghymru, Trafnidiaeth Cymru yw'r perfformiwr gorau o gryn bellter.
Yr ail bwynt i'w wneud yw y bydd yn rhaid i mi wrthod y cyfle i ateb y cwestiwn ar y pwynt penodol hwn ynglŷn â Pharcffordd Caerdydd, gan ei bod yn fy etholaeth i. Nid wyf i mewn sefyllfa i wneud unrhyw fath o ddatganiad gweinidogol. Mae gen i farn, wrth gwrs, fel Aelod o'r etholaeth, ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i'w chyfeirio hi at Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros drafnidiaeth ynghylch rhai o'n huchelgeisiau ehangach. Mae hwn yn fater cynllunio y bydd angen i ni fynd drwyddo yn iawn ac ni fydd unrhyw ran i mi yn hynny, wrth gwrs.
Diolch am y rhestr o flaenoriaethau, Brif Weinidog.
Thank you for the list of priorities, First Minister.
How can we tell if something is a priority? Usually, there are clear objectives and targets designed to support that priority. This year alone, I've raised child poverty 20 times in Plenary, and I'll continue to do so, because, for Plaid Cymru, it is a priority. You say the fight to lift children out of poverty will be at the heart of your Government's mission, but you didn't state when you ran to be leader that you were in favour of devolving powers over welfare, although there's no denying that creating benefits that are fit for purpose, such as the Scottish child payment, which has been transformative in tackling child poverty, could be done if we had the powers to do so in Wales. Welfare reform isn't enough, especially given Keir Starmer's refusal to consider scrapping the two-child cap should he get to No. 10. So, given that it would make one of the biggest differences to alleviating child poverty, will you honour the stated commitment of the previous iteration of the Welsh Government to work to devolve powers over welfare?
Sut allwn ni wybod a yw rhywbeth yn flaenoriaeth? Fel arfer, mae amcanion a nodau clir yn cael eu cynllunio i gefnogi'r flaenoriaeth honno. Eleni yn unig, fe godais i dlodi plant 20 gwaith yn y Cyfarfod Llawn, ac fe fyddaf i'n parhau i wneud hynny, oherwydd, ym marn Plaid Cymru, mae honno'n flaenoriaeth. Rydych chi'n dweud y bydd y frwydr i godi plant o dlodi wrth hanfod gwaith eich Llywodraeth chi, ond ni wnaethoch chi ddatgan wrth ymgeisio i fod yn arweinydd eich bod chi o blaid datganoli pwerau dros les, er nad oes amheuaeth y byddai llunio budd-daliadau sy'n addas i'r diben, fel taliad y plentyn yn yr Alban, sydd wedi bod yn drawsnewidiol o ran mynd i'r afael â thlodi plant, ac fe ellid cyflawni hynny pe bydda'r pwerau gennym ni i wneud hynny yng Nghymru. Nid yw diwygio lles yn ddigon, yn enwedig o ystyried bod Keir Starmer wedi gwrthod ystyried cael gwared ar y cap dau blentyn pe byddai ef yn cyrraedd Rhif 10. Felly, o ystyried y byddai hynny'n gwneud un o'r gwahaniaethau mwyaf ar gyfer liniaru tlodi plant, a wnewch chi anrhydeddu'r ymrwymiad a ddatganwyd gan Lywodraeth flaenorol Cymru i weithio ar ddatganoli pwerau dros les?
I think the example of the child payment in Scotland is a good example of not just powers but actually the different budget to be able to do so. It is something that we are interested in—the sort of difference it could make for children and young people here in Wales. It's why we do need a better settlement on both powers and resources for this Welsh Government and this Senedd. I continue to be interested in pursuing a conversation and a decision around the administration of benefits. I believe we could do a great deal more here in Wales with our own support that we provide to make sure we have a humane approach to a system and a more effective approach to how we support people. It remains one of my priorities. I look forward to the conversation and a future UK manifesto that could deliver it. I look forward then to voting for that manifesto to be implemented.
Rwy'n credu bod enghraifft taliad y plentyn yn yr Alban yn enghraifft dda iawn nid yn unig o bwerau ond y gyllideb amgen ar gyfer gallu gwneud hynny, mewn gwirionedd. Mae hwn yn rhywbeth y mae diddordeb gennym ni ynddo—y math o wahaniaeth y gallai ei wneud i blant a phobl ifanc yma yng Nghymru. Dyna pam mae angen setliad gwell arnom ni o ran pwerau ac adnoddau i Lywodraeth Cymru a'r Senedd hon. Rwy'n parhau i fod â diddordeb mewn cynnal sgwrs a phenderfyniad ynghylch gweinyddu budd-daliadau. Rwy'n credu y gallem ni wneud llawer iawn mwy yma yng Nghymru gyda chefnogaeth y byddem ni ein hunain yn ei darparu i sicrhau bod yr ymagwedd sydd gennym ni'n dangos cydymdeimlad o ran ein system ac ymagwedd fwy effeithiol gyda'n dulliau ni o gefnogi pobl. Mae honno'n parhau i fod yn un o'm blaenoriaethau i. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at y sgwrs a'r maniffesto i'r DU yn y dyfodol a allai gyflawni hynny. Rwy'n edrychaf ymlaen at bleidleisio wedyn dros roi'r maniffesto hwnnw ar waith.
I'd like to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport, Ken Skates. I'd just like to focus on highways. Our highways, local and strategic, are one of our biggest capital assets that we have, and I'm really concerned that, after 14 years of cuts, they're really deteriorating and that we need to start investing in maintaining the existing infrastructure. And they are further impacted by heavy rainstorms and flooding. So, I'd like to ask you: would you make maintenance of our existing highway infrastructure a priority, going forward, for transport?
Fe hoffwn i groesawu Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Ogledd Cymru a Thrafnidiaeth, Ken Skates. Ac fe hoffwn i ganolbwyntio ychydig ar ein priffyrdd. Ein priffyrdd, lleol a strategol, yw un o'r asedau cyfalaf mwyaf sydd gennym ni, ac rwy'n bryderus iawn, wedi 14 o flynyddoedd o doriadau, eu bod nhw'n gwaethygu llawer iawn a bod angen i ni ddechrau buddsoddi i gynnal a chadw'r seilwaith sy'n bodoli eisoes. Ac maen nhw'n cael eu heffeithio hefyd gan stormydd glaw trwm a llifogydd. Felly, fe hoffwn i ofyn i chi: a fyddech chi'n blaenoriaethu cynnal a chadw seilwaith presennol ein priffyrdd, wrth fynd ymlaen, ar gyfer trafnidiaeth?
Yes, I think it's a really interesting point around the direct consequences of reducing budgets. And you don't always see these in the first run. But, actually, we have invested some money in trying to make sure that we're able to respond to the damage that is done by particular weather events. I want to look again at the review that has already been undertaken on how we have an approach to roads maintenance that we've done within the Welsh Government, on the trunk road network, to work with local authority partners to understand what they could do as well. And I know it's something that the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport is interested in, too.
This is also about not just resourcing the infrastructure, what we're able to do with capital, it's also about people and skills as well. And I know this is something that the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning is interested in—in how we maintain the expertise that local authorities require, individually or collectively, to undertake some of these functions. That's a conversation we need to have with them as partners to make sure the future is genuinely sustainable for local decision makers, as well as the choices we make here for the whole country.
Ie, rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n bwynt diddorol iawn ynglŷn â chanlyniadau uniongyrchol lleihau cyllidebau. Ac nid ydych chi'n gallu gweld y rhain ar y tro cyntaf bob amser. Ond, mewn gwirionedd, rydym ni wedi buddsoddi rhywfaint o arian i geisio sicrhau ein bod ni'n gallu ymateb i'r difrod a wneir gan ddigwyddiadau tywydd arbennig. Fe hoffwn i edrych unwaith eto ar yr adolygiad a gafwyd eisoes ar y dull o gynnal a chadw ffyrdd sydd gennym ni yma yn Llywodraeth Cymru, ac ar y rhwydwaith cefnffyrdd, i weithio gyda phartneriaid yn yr awdurdodau lleol i ddeall yr hyn y gallent hwythau ei wneud hefyd. Ac rwy'n gwybod ei fod yn rhywbeth y mae gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Ogledd Cymru a Thrafnidiaeth ddiddordeb ynddo hefyd.
Ar ben hynny, nid yw hyn am roi adnoddau i'r seilwaith yn unig, yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud gyda chyfalaf, ond mae hefyd yn ymwneud â phobl a sgiliau hefyd. Ac rwy'n gwybod bod hyn yn rhywbeth y mae gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol, Tai a Chynllunio ddiddordeb ynddo, o ran y modd yr ydym ni'n cynnal yr arbenigedd sydd ei angen ar yr awdurdodau lleol, yn unigol neu ar y cyd, i ymgymryd â rhai o'r swyddogaethau hyn. Mae honno'n sgwrs y mae angen i ni ei chael gyda nhw fel partneriaid i sicrhau bod y dyfodol yn wirioneddol gynaliadwy i'r rhai sy'n gwneud penderfyniadau lleol, yn ogystal â'r dewisiadau a wnawn ni yma ar gyfer y wlad gyfan.
Wel, adnodd pwysicaf y gwasanaeth iechyd, wrth gwrs, ydy'r gweithlu, y bobl sy'n gweithio ynddo. Dŷn ni wedi rhoi croeso gofalus, wrth gwrs, i'r cyhoeddiad wythnos diwethaf ynghylch meddygon iau, ond bod angen manylion arnon ni. Ond mae'r broblem o fewn y gweithlu yn treiddio llawer iawn dyfnach na meddygon iau. Mae'n rhaid inni edrych ar roi cytundebau nyrsys newydd mewn lle, cytundebau efo'r ymgynghorwyr, meddygon teulu, a llawer iawn mwy. Dŷn ni ddim wedi clywed hyd yma gennych chi beth ydych chi am ei wneud er mwyn cadw, felly, y gweithlu sydd gennym ni, heb sôn am recriwtio rhai newydd. Dŷch chi wedi rhoi geiriau cynnes, do, ond yr un Gweinidog sydd gennym ni, ac i bob pwrpas yr un Llywodraeth, felly beth ydych chi am wneud yn wahanol pan fydd hi'n dod i gadw a recriwtio'r gweithlu iechyd?
Ac yn ail, o ran yr argyfwng tai, mae'n parhau i fod yn hynod o acíwt yma yng Nghymru. Yn eich maniffesto personol chi, ddaru chi sôn am dai cymdeithasol, sef y datrysiad cywir, ond does yna ddim golwg bod eich Llywodraeth chi'n mynd i gyrraedd eich targed eich hunan, heb sôn am gyrraedd yr anghenion. Felly, unwaith eto, beth yn wahanol ydych chi'n mynd i'w wneud er mwyn datrys yr argyfwng tai?
Well, the most important resource of the health service, of course, is the workforce that works for it. We've given a cautious welcome, of course, to the announcement last week regarding junior doctors, but more details are needed. But the issue within the workforce is more deeply rooted than junior doctors. We need to look at providing new contracts for nurses, consultant contracts, general practitioners and many more. We haven't heard to date from you what you will do to retain the staff that we currently have, not to mention recruiting additional staff. You've given those warm words, yes, but we have the same Minister and, to all intents and purposes, the same Government. So, what will you be doing differently when it comes to retaining and recruiting the healthcare staff and workforce?
And secondly, in terms of the housing crisis, it continues to be particularly acute here in Wales. In your personal manifesto, you spoke about social housing being the best and right solution, but there is no sign that your Government is going to reach your own target, not to mention responding to the need. So, again, what differently will you be doing to solve the housing crisis?