Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
17/04/2024Cynnwys
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, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Y cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyllid, y Cyfansoddiad a Swyddfa'r Cabinet sydd gyntaf y prynhawn yma, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Luke Fletcher.
Good afternoon and welcome to this afternoon's Plenary meeting. The first item on the agenda this afternoon is questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Cabinet Office, and the first question is from Luke Fletcher.
1. Pa drafodaethau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cael gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch cyllid teg i Gymru? OQ60924
1. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government regarding fair funding for Wales? OQ60924
I have repeatedly made the case to the UK Government for fair funding for Wales through regular meetings with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and through correspondence with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Rwyf wedi dadlau'r achos dro ar ôl tro i Lywodraeth y DU dros gyllid teg i Gymru drwy gyfarfodydd rheolaidd â Phrif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys a thrwy ohebiaeth â Changhellor y Trysorlys.
Diolch am yr ateb.
Thank you for the answer.
We of course see the consequences of inadequate funding and misalignment with the needs of people in some of its harshest terms here in Wales. The case for scrapping the Barnett formula in favour of a needs-based system is overwhelming and bolstered by the fact that there is cross-party consensus around the need to seriously examine the funding landscape. Now, even though everyone here is sympathetic to the argument, it seems that the Welsh Government hasn’t been particularly influential when it comes to getting a Conservative UK Government to change the policy. Why does the Cabinet Secretary think this is the case? And with a general election on the horizon, what guarantees are there that a Labour Government would deliver on fair funding?
Rydym wrth gwrs yn gweld canlyniadau cyllid annigonol a chamalinio ag anghenion pobl yn y ffyrdd llymaf yma yng Nghymru. Mae’r achos dros gael gwared ar fformiwla Barnett a chyflwyno system sy’n seiliedig ar anghenion yn aruthrol o gryf ac wedi’i atgyfnerthu gan y ffaith bod consensws trawsbleidiol ynghylch yr angen i edrych yn fanwl iawn ar y dirwedd ariannol. Nawr, er bod pawb yma yn cydymdeimlo â’r ddadl, ymddengys nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn arbennig o ddylanwadol o ran annog Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU i newid y polisi. Pam felly, ym marn Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet? A chydag etholiad cyffredinol ar y gorwel, pa warantau a geir y byddai Llywodraeth Lafur yn darparu cyllid teg?
I’m grateful for the question and also for the recognition of the cross-party support that there is here in the Senedd in terms of the raw deal that we get in Wales when it comes to funding, and the fact that we have a shared interest in those fiscal flexibilities that would help us manage the budget in a better way.
Looking forward, I know there are some nuances in the different ways our parties see the future funding of Wales, but, certainly, from a Welsh Government perspective, we set out our vision in 'Reforming our Union', and that should be about the UK Government replacing the outdated Barnett formula with a new, principles-based approach to UK funding and fiscal networks, taking account of relative need. And that, certainly, is the way that we would see things moving forward and the way that we will certainly press the UK Government to move forward.
I think, perhaps, one of the reasons why we haven’t had the traction that we would want to have with the UK Government has just been the constant churn of people who we’re negotiating with. So, by the time that Ministers, particularly Chief Secretaries to the Treasury, are up to speed on these issues, there’s another one coming through the door. So, I think a level of stability would help us in those discussions. And, honestly, perhaps there’s a lack of interest on the part of the UK Government in terms of engaging seriously with these questions about funding as well. But we’ll continue to make those cases. I think the very mature cross-party consensus that we have here in the Senedd is important, and also those agreement areas that we have with other parts of the United Kingdom are also very useful in making those cases.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar am eich cwestiwn ac am y gydnabyddiaeth i’r gefnogaeth drawsbleidiol sydd yma yn y Senedd o ran yr annhegwch a gawn yng Nghymru mewn perthynas â chyllid, a’r ffaith bod gennym ddiddordeb cyffredin yn yr hyblygrwydd ariannol a fyddai’n ein helpu i reoli’r gyllideb mewn ffordd well.
Wrth edrych ymlaen, gwn fod rhai gwahaniaethau bach yn y gwahanol ffyrdd y mae ein pleidiau'n gweld Cymru'n cael ei chyllido yn y dyfodol, ond yn sicr, o ran Llywodraeth Cymru, fe wnaethom nodi ein gweledigaeth yn 'Diwygio ein Hundeb’, sef y dylai Llywodraeth y DU gyflwyno dull newydd sy'n seiliedig ar egwyddorion o ymdrin â chyllid a rhwydweithiau cyllidol y DU, gan ystyried angen cymharol, yn lle fformiwla Barnett, sydd wedi hen ddyddio. A dyna, yn sicr, yw'r ffordd y byddem yn gweld pethau'n symud ymlaen a'r ffordd y byddwn yn sicr yn pwyso ar Lywodraeth y DU i symud ymlaen.
Rwy'n credu efallai mai un o’r rhesymau pam nad ydym wedi gwneud y cynnydd y byddem wedi hoffi ei wneud gyda Llywodraeth y DU yw oherwydd bod y bobl yr ydym yn trafod gyda hwy'n newid yn gyson. Felly, erbyn i Weinidogion, yn enwedig Prif Ysgrifenyddion y Trysorlys, ymgyfarwyddo â’r materion hyn, mae un arall yn dod drwy’r drws i gymryd eu lle. Felly, credaf y byddai lefel o sefydlogrwydd yn ein helpu yn y trafodaethau hynny. Ac a dweud y gwir, efallai fod diffyg diddordeb ar ran Llywodraeth y DU hefyd mewn perthynas ag ymgysylltu o ddifrif â’r cwestiynau hyn ynglŷn â chyllid. Ond byddwn yn parhau i ddadlau'r achosion hynny. Credaf fod y consensws trawsbleidiol aeddfed iawn sydd gennym yma yn y Senedd yn bwysig, a bod y meysydd hynny o gytundeb sydd gennym â rhannau eraill o’r Deyrnas Unedig hefyd yn ddefnyddiol iawn wrth ddadlau'r achosion hynny.
It is worth repeating sometimes that the Welsh Government does receive £1.20 for every £1 spent in England—a Union dividend. And even Keir Starmer must think that that’s a good deal, because he has no plans to change it either. But perhaps we need to talk more about the decisions that this Welsh Government makes with its money. To govern is to choose, and you’ve chosen 20 mph speed limits over education, airports over apprenticeships, and 36 more politicians over 650 more nurses. Will this Welsh Labour Government, under new leadership, choose to reflect on its own record in Government and the choices that it makes with its spending, rather than making excuses and deflecting blame onto others?
Mae’n werth ailadrodd weithiau fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael £1.20 am bob £1 a werir yn Lloegr—difidend yr Undeb. Ac mae'n rhaid bod hyd yn oed Keir Starmer yn credu bod honno'n fargen dda, gan nad oes ganddo unrhyw gynlluniau i'w newid ychwaith. Ond efallai fod angen inni siarad mwy am y penderfyniadau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu gwneud gyda’i harian. Mae llywodraethu'n golygu dewis, ac rydych wedi dewis terfynau cyflymder o 20 mya yn hytrach nag addysg, meysydd awyr yn hytrach na phrentisiaethau, a 36 yn rhagor o wleidyddion yn hytrach na 650 yn rhagor o nyrsys. A wnaiff Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru o dan arweinyddiaeth newydd ddewis ystyried ei chyflawniad ei hun mewn grym a’r dewisiadau y mae’n eu gwneud gyda’i gwariant, yn hytrach na gwneud esgusodion a thaflu bai ar eraill?
The first thing I’d just like to remind colleagues about is the fact that the funding that does come to us here in Wales does reflect that we have a generally higher level of need, and the point there being that it costs us more to deliver things here in Wales because we have a much more sparsely allocated population, for example, and a much older and sicker population here in Wales. And that funding reflects that, as it does in other parts of the United Kingdom as well. So, I think the fact that that’s been recognised in the recent discussions that the UK Government has been having with Northern Ireland is a positive thing, and it shows that the UK Government remains committed to that. But, that said, we’ve just been talking about how the Barnett formula does need to better reflect really genuine need across the United Kingdom, and that’s something we’ll continue to press for.
In terms of the choices that this Government makes, we’ve recently passed our budget for the next financial year, and in that you see us prioritising the things that matter most to people in Wales. Now, the NHS across the border in England is seeing an increase in funding in this financial year of less than 1 per cent. Here in Wales, it’s at least 4 per cent, and I think that shows the relative priority that we put on the NHS, which we know is people in Wales’s top priority. But, alongside that, we also protected the funding that we had allocated through the spending review to local government. Local government will receive a 3.3 per cent increase in its funding in this financial year, and, again, that recognises the importance of those services that people receive on their doorstep, in their communities, across Wales. We would have liked to have gone further, but, unfortunately, the settlement that we received from the UK Government didn't allow us to, but the priorities that we chose were absolutely about funding public services.
Y peth cyntaf yr hoffwn atgoffa fy nghyd-Aelodau ohono yw’r ffaith bod y cyllid a roddir i ni yma yng Nghymru yn adlewyrchu'r ffaith bod gennym lefel uwch o angen yn gyffredinol, a’r pwynt yn hynny o beth yw ei bod yn costio mwy inni gyflawni pethau yma yng Nghymru am fod gennym boblogaeth lawer teneuach ei gwasgariad, er enghraifft, a phoblogaeth lawer hŷn a salach yma yng Nghymru. Ac mae’r cyllid hwnnw’n adlewyrchu hynny, fel y mae'n ei wneud mewn rhannau eraill o’r Deyrnas Unedig hefyd. Felly, credaf fod y ffaith bod hynny wedi’i gydnabod yn y trafodaethau diweddar y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi bod yn eu cael â Gogledd Iwerddon yn beth cadarnhaol, ac mae’n dangos bod Llywodraeth y DU yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i hynny. Ond wedi dweud hynny, rydym newydd fod yn sôn ynglŷn â sut mae angen i fformiwla Barnett adlewyrchu gwir angen ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig yn well, ac mae hynny’n rhywbeth y byddwn yn parhau i alw amdano.
O ran y dewisiadau a wneir gan y Llywodraeth hon, rydym newydd gyflwyno ein cyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, a gallwch weld ynddi ein bod yn blaenoriaethu’r pethau sydd bwysicaf i bobl yng Nghymru. Nawr, mae’r GIG dros y ffin yn Lloegr yn cael cynnydd o lai nag 1 y cant yn ei gyllid yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Yma yng Nghymru, mae’n o leiaf 4 y cant, a chredaf fod hynny’n dangos y flaenoriaeth gymharol a roddwn i’r GIG, gan y gwyddom mai dyna brif flaenoriaeth pobl Cymru. Ond ochr yn ochr â hynny, fe wnaethom hefyd ddiogelu’r cyllid yr oeddem wedi’i ddyrannu drwy’r adolygiad o wariant i lywodraeth leol. Bydd llywodraeth leol yn cael cynnydd o 3.3 y cant yn ei chyllid yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon, ac unwaith eto, mae hynny’n cydnabod pwysigrwydd y gwasanaethau y mae pobl yn eu cael ar garreg eu drws, yn eu cymunedau, ledled Cymru. Byddem wedi hoffi mynd ymhellach, ond yn anffodus, nid oedd y setliad a gawsom gan Lywodraeth y DU yn caniatáu inni wneud hynny, ond roedd y blaenoriaethau a ddewiswyd gennym yn sicr yn ymwneud ag ariannu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus.
2. Pa asesiad diweddar y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi'i wneud o effaith yr ardoll ymwelwyr ar fusnesau Cymru? OQ60918
2. What recent assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the impact of the visitor levy on Welsh businesses? OQ60918
We are proceeding with legislative proposals for the visitor levy. A regulatory impact assessment will be presented alongside draft legislation in the autumn. The impact assessment will outline the estimated costs and benefits from use of a visitor levy in Wales. Development of legislation and supporting impact assessments are ongoing.
Rydym yn bwrw ymlaen â chynigion deddfwriaethol ar gyfer yr ardoll ymwelwyr. Bydd asesiad effaith rheoleiddiol yn cael ei gyflwyno ochr yn ochr â'r ddeddfwriaeth ddrafft yn yr hydref. Bydd yr asesiad effaith yn amlinellu costau a buddion amcangyfrifedig defnyddio ardoll ymwelwyr yng Nghymru. Mae'r gwaith o ddatblygu deddfwriaeth ac asesiadau effaith ategol yn mynd rhagddo.
Thank you for your answer, Cabinet Secretary, however, I have to disagree. Sadly, the visitor levy will have a dramatic impact on the sector, which is already struggling under the increasing red tape, and a sector that has already had a terrible start to the tourist season thanks to the recent storms. With Easter being a total washout, many businesses are struggling, having lost one of their most lucrative weekends in the season, and are now facing a huge hike in business rates. Many in the sector are warning of gloomy prospects, the impending visitor levy only adding to the pressures on the sector. Therefore, Cabinet Secretary, will you now abandon the plan in order to bolster the tourism industry in Wales?
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ond mae'n rhaid imi anghytuno. Yn anffodus, bydd yr ardoll ymwelwyr yn cael effaith ddramatig ar y sector, sydd eisoes yn ei chael hi'n anodd ymdopi â biwrocratiaeth gynyddol, a sector sydd eisoes wedi cael dechrau ofnadwy i’r tymor twristiaeth diolch i’r stormydd diweddar. Gyda'r glaw di-baid dros y Pasg, mae llawer o fusnesau'n ei chael hi'n anodd, ar ôl colli un o benwythnosau mwyaf proffidiol y tymor, ac maent bellach yn wynebu cynnydd enfawr mewn ardrethi busnes. Mae llawer yn y sector yn rhybuddio am ragolygon digalon, gyda'r ardoll ymwelwyr sydd arfaethedig yn ychwanegu at y pwysau ar y sector. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi roi’r gorau i’r cynllun er mwyn rhoi hwb i’r diwydiant twristiaeth yng Nghymru?
Just to be clear, the visitor levy is not going to have any immediate impact on visitors who come to Wales or on the visitor sector. The earliest any local authority could decide to implement a visitor levy within their area would be 2027. So, there's absolutely no suggestion that any of these decisions will be taken immediately by those local authorities, because we do have the whole legislative process to go through. I do think it's important that we properly understand the potential impacts of a visitor levy, and that's why we've commissioned a significant amount of research in this area, and we'll be publishing more detail of that alongside the legislation, when that is published in due course. But we have had some really good research done by Bangor University, and that looks at the ways in which visitor levies are being implemented in overseas destinations and considers what potential we could read across to here in Wales to help us inform our thinking. And then, also, we've recently had a piece of work undertaken by Cardiff University, and that looks at the possible effects of a visitor levy on the economy and on the environment here in Wales, and, again, that will be something that we'll be publishing alongside the legislation in due course.
Er eglurder, nid yw’r ardoll ymwelwyr yn mynd i gael unrhyw effaith uniongyrchol ar ymwelwyr sy’n dod i Gymru nac ar y sector ymwelwyr. Y cynharaf y gallai unrhyw awdurdod lleol benderfynu cyflwyno ardoll ymwelwyr yn eu hardal fyddai 2027. Felly, nid oes unrhyw awgrym o gwbl y bydd unrhyw un o'r penderfyniadau hyn yn cael eu gwneud ar unwaith gan yr awdurdodau lleol hynny, gan fod angen inni fynd drwy'r holl broses ddeddfwriaethol. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig inni ddeall yn iawn beth yw effeithiau posibl ardoll ymwelwyr, a dyna pam ein bod wedi comisiynu llawer iawn o ymchwil yn y maes, a byddwn yn cyhoeddi mwy o fanylion am hynny ochr yn ochr â’r ddeddfwriaeth pan gaiff ei chyhoeddi maes o law. Ond rydym wedi cael gwaith ymchwil da iawn gan Brifysgol Bangor sy'n edrych ar y ffyrdd y mae ardollau ymwelwyr yn cael eu gweithredu mewn cyrchfannau tramor ac yn ystyried yr hyn a allai fod yn berthnasol i ni yma yng Nghymru i’n helpu i lywio ein ffordd o feddwl. Rydym hefyd wedi cael gwaith wedi'i wneud gan Brifysgol Caerdydd yn ddiweddar sy'n edrych ar effeithiau posibl ardoll ymwelwyr ar yr economi ac ar yr amgylchedd yma yng Nghymru, ac unwaith eto, bydd hynny'n rhywbeth y byddwn yn ei gyhoeddi ochr yn ochr â'r ddeddfwriaeth maes o law.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Peter Fox.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservatives spokesperson, Peter Fox.
Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, can I, firstly, congratulate you on retaining your position or your portfolio within the Government? I know it's changed a bit, but I wish you well. We heard at length yesterday from the First Minister about his priorities: reduced NHS waiting lists, support for children and early years, educational excellence, better, greener jobs, and improved transport links. And, again, we heard the Welsh Government claim they haven't enough money, albeit that they've had the biggest settlement ever this year. So, Cabinet Secretary, how are you planning to fund the new focus on these priorities? What areas do you see being disinvested in to reprioritise resource to the new priority areas? Will we see future new consequentials going to the areas that they were envisaged to go to?
Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn gyntaf, a gaf i eich llongyfarch ar gadw eich swydd neu eich portffolio o fewn y Llywodraeth? Gwn ei fod wedi newid ychydig, ond rwy'n dymuno'n dda i chi. Clywsom y Prif Weinidog yn sôn yn helaeth am ei flaenoriaethau ddoe: lleihau rhestrau aros y GIG, cymorth i blant a’r blynyddoedd cynnar, rhagoriaeth addysgol, swyddi gwyrddach a gwell, a gwell cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth. Ac unwaith eto, clywsom Lywodraeth Cymru yn honni nad oes ganddynt ddigon o arian, er iddynt gael y setliad mwyaf erioed eleni. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, sut rydych chi'n bwriadu ariannu'r ffocws newydd ar y blaenoriaethau hyn? Pa feysydd, yn eich tyb chi, a fydd yn colli buddsoddiad er mwyn ailflaenoriaethu adnoddau i'r meysydd blaenoriaeth newydd? A fyddwn yn gweld cyllid canlyniadol newydd yn y dyfodol yn mynd tuag at y meysydd y rhagwelwyd y byddai'n mynd tuag atynt?
I suppose the first thing to say there is to thank you for your warm comments, and I very much hope that we continue in our respective roles, because I enjoy the constructive relationship that we do have.
In terms of consequential funding that comes to Wales, it's a really fundamental principle that it is for the Welsh Government then to decide how to use that consequential funding in line with the priorities and the pressures facing the Welsh Government. And what you saw in the budget very much was a refocusing already of funding towards the top key priorities of people in Wales, and particularly so in respect of the NHS. I've referred already this afternoon to the fact that the NHS here in Wales will see an increase in its budget of more than 4 per cent. But, even so, the NHS is going to have to undertake some significant work to reduce its projected deficits and to continue to improve productivity, and so on, within the NHS. And we do have all of those pressures that they're seeing in many countries at the moment, particularly around those pay pressures. So, the NHS and public services will continue to be our priorities, and I very much look forward to moving forward with the new Cabinet Office role that the First Minister has asked me to lead on, and that will be very much about having that laser-like focus on the First Minister's and the Welsh Government's priorities in terms of ensuring delivery.
Mae’n debyg mai’r peth cyntaf i’w ddweud yw diolch am eich sylwadau caredig, ac rwy’n mawr obeithio y byddwn yn parhau yn ein rolau, gan fy mod yn mwynhau’r berthynas adeiladol sydd gennym.
Ar y cyllid canlyniadol a ddaw i Gymru, mae’n egwyddor wirioneddol sylfaenol mai mater i Lywodraeth Cymru yw sut i ddefnyddio’r cyllid canlyniadol hwnnw yn unol â’r blaenoriaethau a’r pwysau sy’n wynebu Llywodraeth Cymru. A'r hyn a welsoch yn y gyllideb oedd ailffocysu cyllid eisoes ar brif flaenoriaethau allweddol pobl Cymru, ac yn enwedig felly mewn perthynas â'r GIG. Rwyf eisoes wedi cyfeirio y prynhawn yma at y ffaith y bydd y GIG yma yng Nghymru yn cael cynnydd o fwy na 4 y cant yn ei gyllideb, ond serch hynny, mae'r GIG yn mynd i orfod gwneud gwaith sylweddol i leihau ei ddiffygion rhagamcanol ac i barhau i wella cynhyrchiant ac yn y blaen o fewn y GIG. Ac mae'n rhaid inni ymdopi â'r holl bwysau hwnnw sydd ar lawer o wledydd ar hyn o bryd, yn enwedig y pwysau ar gyflogau. Felly, bydd y GIG a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaethau i ni, ac edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr at symud ymlaen â'r rôl newydd y mae’r Prif Weinidog wedi gofyn imi arwain arni yn Swyddfa’r Cabinet, a bydd hynny’n golygu sicrhau ffocws manwl ar flaenoriaethau’r Prif Weinidog a Llywodraeth Cymru o ran sicrhau darpariaeth.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for that response. I didn't expect you really to divulge where you might disinvest from, but you clearly will need to. So, it follows then that the Government will have to use its resources wisely. However, to date, often we see an ill-thought-out process for finance allocation. Cabinet Secretary, focusing in for a minute on the health service, as you've already said, it's now a higher priority, and I'm sure you will have a focus on performance management for your new Cabinet Office. Can you tell us how you will demonstrate to the Senedd that moneys are achieving best value? We've seen £975 million recently go into the health service, which is welcome, but how do we know the money is being used well? Do you, Cabinet Secretary, agree with me that we need a fundamental review of our health system to make sure we get the best outcomes for the investments we put into it?
Diolch am eich ymateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Nid oeddwn yn disgwyl ichi ddatgelu ble y gallech ddadfuddsoddi, ond mae'n amlwg y bydd angen ichi wneud hynny. Felly, mae’n amlwg y bydd yn rhaid i’r Llywodraeth ddefnyddio ei hadnoddau’n ddoeth. Fodd bynnag, hyd yn hyn, rydym yn aml yn gweld proses ddifeddwl o ddyrannu cyllid. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, gan ganolbwyntio am funud ar y gwasanaeth iechyd, fel rydych eisoes wedi'i ddweud, mae bellach yn flaenoriaeth uwch, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn canolbwyntio ar reoli perfformiad ar gyfer eich Swyddfa Cabinet newydd. A allwch ddweud wrthym sut y byddwch yn dangos i'r Senedd fod arian yn darparu'r gwerth gorau? Rydym wedi gweld £975 miliwn yn cael ei roi i'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn ddiweddar, sydd i'w groesawu, ond sut y gwyddom fod yr arian yn cael ei ddefnyddio'n dda? A ydych chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn cytuno â mi fod angen adolygiad sylfaenol arnom o’n system iechyd i sicrhau ein bod yn cael y canlyniadau gorau am y buddsoddiadau a wnawn ynddi?
I think there are a range of things to say there, not least to say that everybody who is involved in the public sector has that responsibility to manage Welsh public money effectively, whether that's individual Ministers managing the funding within their own portfolios, officials providing advice, people working in the public sector more widely, and even insofar as people managing their own time—in that sense, they're also managing Welsh public money. So, it's really important that everybody feels that they are a true stakeholder and that it is their responsibility to manage that Welsh public money effectively. I think that how we go about some of this monitoring and evaluation is, obviously, absolutely critical in terms of understanding whether those things that we set out to achieve in the first instance have been achieved and what lessons we can learn on the way. A lot of that goes on across all kinds of different programmes across Government to ensure that we're able to do that. Again, the research that we've undertaken, the research that we commission, is really important in terms of demonstrating the value of what we do, and then learning for the future to do things potentially different in future. Things such as our national milestones are really important in terms of understanding to what extent we are making those steps along that journey in order to deliver for people in Wales. Again, that's something that is critical to the work of the Government.
Credaf fod amrywiaeth o bethau i’w dweud am hynny, ac yn fwy na dim fod gan bawb sy’n rhan o’r sector cyhoeddus gyfrifoldeb i reoli arian cyhoeddus Cymru yn effeithiol, boed yn Weinidogion unigol wrth reoli’r cyllid yn eu portffolios eu hunain, swyddogion sy'n darparu cyngor, pobl sy'n gweithio yn y sector cyhoeddus yn ehangach, a hyd yn oed i'r graddau fod pobl yn rheoli eu hamser eu hunain—yn yr ystyr hwnnw, maent hefyd yn rheoli arian cyhoeddus Cymru. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn fod pawb yn teimlo eu bod yn rhanddeiliaid go iawn ac mai eu cyfrifoldeb hwy yw rheoli arian cyhoeddus Cymreig yn effeithiol. Credaf fod y ffordd yr awn ati i wneud rhywfaint o’r gwaith monitro a gwerthuso hwn yn gwbl hanfodol i ddeall a yw’r pethau hynny yr oeddem yn bwriadu eu cyflawni yn y lle cyntaf wedi’u cyflawni, a pha wersi y gallwn eu dysgu ar y ffordd. Mae llawer o hynny'n digwydd ar draws pob math o raglenni gwahanol ar draws y Llywodraeth i sicrhau ein bod yn gallu gwneud hynny. Unwaith eto, mae'r ymchwil a wnaethom, yr ymchwil a gomisiynir gennym, yn wirioneddol bwysig i ddangos gwerth yr hyn a wnawn, a dysgu gwneud pethau a allai fod yn wahanol ar gyfer y dyfodol. Mae pethau fel ein cerrig milltir cenedlaethol yn wirioneddol bwysig ar gyfer deall i ba raddau y cymerwn y camau hynny ar hyd y daith er mwyn cyflawni ar ran pobl Cymru. Unwaith eto, mae hynny’n rhywbeth sy’n hollbwysig i waith y Llywodraeth.
Thank you again for that, Cabinet Secretary—that's reassuring. I think we in this Senedd will want to have that deeper reassurance that, for every £100 million we put into something, we're getting £100 million-worth of value and not £90 million-worth of value. That's where performance management is so fundamentally important to any organisation, and I know you agree with that.
Yesterday, the First Minister didn't mention the wider economy, other than the green economy. One of the key planks of our Welsh economy, as we've already heard, is the tourism sector, an area that is really struggling and hasn't really been supported by your Government as it has elsewhere in the UK. With this in mind, Cabinet Secretary, what consideration has the new Government given to changing its direction when it comes to taxation policy affecting businesses? Will you increase support for the hospitality, retail and tourism sector, and perhaps withdraw from the planned damaging tourism tax that we discussed earlier?
Diolch eto am hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet—mae hynny'n galonogol. Credaf y byddwn ni yn y Senedd hon yn dymuno cael sicrwydd dyfnach ein bod, am bob £100 miliwn a roddwn tuag at rywbeth, yn cael £100 miliwn o werth am arian ac nid £90 miliwn o werth am arian. Dyna ble mae rheoli perfformiad mor hanfodol bwysig i unrhyw sefydliad, a gwn eich bod yn cytuno â hynny.
Ddoe, ni soniodd y Prif Weinidog am yr economi ehangach, ac eithrio’r economi werdd. Un o sylfeini allweddol ein heconomi yng Nghymru, fel y clywsom eisoes, yw’r sector twristiaeth, maes sy’n ei chael hi’n anodd iawn ac nad yw wedi cael ei gefnogi, mewn gwirionedd, gan eich Llywodraeth i'r un graddau â mannau eraill yn y DU. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa ystyriaeth y mae’r Llywodraeth newydd wedi’i rhoi i newid ei chyfeiriad o ran effaith polisi trethiant ar fusnesau? A wnewch chi gynyddu'r cymorth i’r sector lletygarwch, manwerthu a thwristiaeth, a rhoi'r gorau i'r dreth dwristiaeth niweidiol arfaethedig a drafodwyd gennym yn gynharach?
I'm not sure I would agree with the characterisation that we are not a Government that supports the tourism sector. The Welsh Government has ploughed significant millions of pounds of funding into the tourism sector in a whole range of ways and schemes, often led through the economy department itself.
In terms of the retail, hospitality and leisure sector in particular, colleagues will know that those businesses will benefit from a 40 per cent reduction to their rate liabilities in this financial year. They weren't planning on anything, because it was always the intention that that time-limited, COVID-related fund would come to an end, but we've been able to extend that this year. But, let's remember that around 20 per cent of businesses are actually liable for their full bill; the rest will receive some degree of support. Around half of small businesses, actually, pay nothing at all in rate relief, and that's because we are ploughing around £0.3 billion into our rate relief for business in this financial year, and that is a really significant amount of money. So, I think that we do recognise the importance in that space.
I’ve already responded in relation to your colleague’s question about our plans for the tourism levy. We are continuing with that work, and I hope to say more, I expect, in the autumn term.
Nid wyf yn siŵr y byddwn yn cytuno â’r disgrifiad nad ydym yn Llywodraeth sy’n cefnogi’r sector twristiaeth. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi rhoi miliynau lawer o gyllid i’r sector twristiaeth mewn amrywiaeth eang o ffyrdd a chynlluniau a arweinir yn aml drwy adran yr economi ei hun.
O ran y sector manwerthu, lletygarwch a hamdden yn benodol, bydd fy nghyd-Aelodau'n gwybod y bydd y busnesau hynny’n elwa o ostyngiad o 40 y cant i’w rhwymedigaethau ardrethi yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Nid oedd ganddynt unrhyw gynlluniau, gan mai'r bwriad bob amser oedd y byddai'r gronfa COVID honno'n dod i ben ar ôl cyfnod penodol, ond rydym wedi gallu ei hymestyn eleni. Ond gadewch inni gofio mai oddeutu 20 y cant o fusnesau sydd mewn gwirionedd yn talu eu bil llawn; bydd y gweddill yn cael rhywfaint o gymorth. Nid yw oddeutu hanner ein busnesau bach unrhyw ardrethi, a hynny oherwydd ein bod yn buddsoddi oddeutu £0.3 biliwn yn ein cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi i fusnesau yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon, ac mae hwnnw'n swm sylweddol iawn o arian. Felly, credaf ein bod yn cydnabod y pwysigrwydd yn y ffordd honno.
Rwyf eisoes wedi ymateb mewn perthynas â chwestiwn eich cyd-Aelod ynglŷn â'n cynlluniau ar gyfer yr ardoll dwristiaeth. Rydym yn parhau â’r gwaith hwnnw, ac rwy'n gobeithio dweud mwy yn nhymor yr hydref.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Diolch, Llywydd. I congratulate you on your reappointment to the finance portfolio. We may have our political differences at times, but it's heartening to see some much-needed continuity in that brief, especially given the challenging fiscal climate, not to mention the staggering churn of personnel that has taken place within the UK Government over recent years, which you referred to earlier.
The Easter recess coincided with the turn of the financial year, and as such, it’s an ideal opportunity to take stock of the position that the Welsh Government finds itself in, and to reflect on the situation that unfolded over the previous 12 months. It’s fair to say that the last financial year was characterised by an unfortunate degree of uncertainty with regard to the Welsh Government’s finances, in particular the rebudgeting exercise that took place in October, which caused a great deal of anxiety for local government, councillors and various third-party stakeholders alike. While we acknowledge the severity of the erosion of the Welsh Government’s spending power as a result of factors outside their control, this does not excuse the unhelpful lack of clarity that accompanied this unprecedented in-year shift in resources, as well as the apparent absence of robust strategic foresight to deal with funding pressures.
It’s also worth emphasising that the previous financial year marked the fifth year in succession that the Government failed to observe the cross-party protocol on the budget-making process. I sincerely hope, therefore, with the clean slate of a new financial year, that we look forward to more constructive and transparent governmental engagement with the Senedd on spending plans. On this basis, therefore, could the Cabinet Secretary confirm whether the Welsh Government received any additional funding from the UK Treasury towards the end of the previous financial year, and if so, when was it informed of the availability of such funds?
Diolch, Lywydd. Hoffwn eich llongyfarch ar gael eich ailbenodi i’r portffolio cyllid. Efallai fod gennym ein gwahaniaethau gwleidyddol ar brydiau, ond mae’n galonogol gweld rhywfaint o barhad mawr ei angen yn y briff hwnnw, yn enwedig o ystyried yr hinsawdd gyllidol heriol, heb sôn am y nifer syfrdanol o newidiadau i bersonél yn Llywodraeth y DU dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, y cyfeirioch chi atynt yn gynharach.
Roedd toriad y Pasg yn cyd-daro â throad y flwyddyn ariannol, ac fel y cyfryw, mae’n gyfle delfrydol i bwyso a mesur sefyllfa Llywodraeth Cymru, ac i fyfyrio ar y sefyllfa a ddatblygodd dros y 12 mis blaenorol. Mae’n deg dweud bod y flwyddyn ariannol ddiwethaf wedi’i nodweddu gan lefel anffodus o ansicrwydd ynghylch cyllid Llywodraeth Cymru, yn enwedig yr ymarfer ailgyllidebu a gynhaliwyd ym mis Hydref, a achosodd lawer iawn o bryder i lywodraeth leol, cynghorwyr ac amryw randdeiliaid trydydd parti fel ei gilydd. Er ein bod yn cydnabod difrifoldeb yr erydu i bŵer gwario Llywodraeth Cymru o ganlyniad i ffactorau y tu hwnt i’w rheolaeth, nid yw hyn yn esgusodi’r diffyg eglurder di-fudd a ddaeth gyda’r newid digynsail hwn i adnoddau yn ystod y flwyddyn, yn ogystal â diffyg unrhyw graffter strategol cadarn, yn ôl pob golwg, i fynd i'r afael â phwysau ariannol.
Mae’n werth pwysleisio hefyd mai’r flwyddyn ariannol flaenorol oedd y bumed flwyddyn yn olynol i’r Llywodraeth fethu cadw at y protocol trawsbleidiol ar y broses o lunio’r gyllideb. Rwy’n mawr obeithio, felly, gyda llechen lân blwyddyn ariannol newydd, ein bod yn edrych ymlaen at ymgysylltiad llywodraethol mwy adeiladol a thryloyw gyda’r Senedd ar gynlluniau gwariant. Ar y sail hon felly, a wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gadarnhau a gafodd Llywodraeth Cymru unrhyw arian ychwanegol gan Drysorlys y DU tuag at ddiwedd y flwyddyn ariannol flaenorol, ac os felly, pryd y cafodd wybod bod cyllid o’r fath ar gael?
I'm grateful for those questions, and also for the kind comments at the start. Again, I look very much forward to continuing to work with you. We do have a very constructive working relationship, with the appropriate level of challenge, but also a keenness to work together where we do have areas of common interest. So, I look forward to continuing that.
In terms of uncertainty, last year was characterised by a great deal of uncertainty, but I think we have to remember that these spending plans that were introduced were introduced at a time when we weren’t seeing these levels of inflation. We couldn’t have envisaged the situation that occurred in respect of Ukraine and the impact that that had on the wider economic picture across the globe. So, there are things that occurred that we couldn’t, I don’t think, have reasonably seen coming. But we did take action as early as we could in the financial year. So, before the summer, we were getting those early figures through for the start of the financial year. We understood how enormous the challenge was going to be, and we worked right through the summer, then, to deal with that, and I was able to say more in the autumn term as to what the changes would be to our spending plans. So, we did act early, and you’ve seen other Governments in the UK having to take action as well as a result of the impacts of that record high inflation.
In terms of the budget timescale, it is a matter of regret for us that we haven’t been able to provide the details of the budget earlier on in the financial year before the budget. We’ll continue to try and improve that situation, but I’m really concerned about what this year will mean in the sense that we have a potentially late general election. What will that mean for our budget and the certainty that we can provide to local authorities and the rest of the public sector? It’s my intention to engage as closely as I can with the Finance Committee and share any intelligence that we have on that with you in terms of when we can plan for the budget. We are planning a whole range of scenarios at the moment based on when a general election might be, so that whenever things do become clear, at least we’ll be ready to move very quickly. I’m happy to share a bit more of that detail with you.
And then, in terms of end-of-year funding, we did have the supplementary estimates coming through, and as we discussed in the Finance Committee, there was a large discrepancy in those supplementary estimates, which changed by quite a large figure right at the end of the financial year. That was unfortunate as well. It did mean, though, that we received quite a significant amount of funding at the end of the year, and the truth is there are decisions that we would have taken perhaps differently, I think, had we have known that we were going to have that additional funding late on in the year. So, some of that activity that you've described, which we undertook across the summer and then announced in October, might not necessarily have had to happen had we known what the picture was going to be like at the end of the year.
Diolch am eich cwestiynau, a hefyd am y sylwadau caredig ar y dechrau. Unwaith eto, edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr at barhau i weithio gyda chi. Mae gennym berthynas waith adeiladol iawn, gyda'r lefel briodol o her, ond awydd hefyd i gydweithio lle mae gennym feysydd o ddiddordeb cyffredin. Felly, edrychaf ymlaen at barhau hynny.
Ar ansicrwydd, bu llawer iawn o ansicrwydd y llynedd, ond credaf fod yn rhaid inni gofio bod y cynlluniau gwariant hyn a gyflwynwyd wedi’u cyflwyno ar adeg pan nad oeddem yn gweld y lefelau hyn o chwyddiant. Ni allem fod wedi rhagweld yr hyn a ddigwyddodd mewn perthynas ag Wcráin a’r effaith a gafodd hynny ar y darlun economaidd ehangach ledled y byd. Felly, digwyddodd pethau nad wyf y credu y gallem yn rhesymol fod wedi'u gweld yn dod. Ond fe wnaethom weithredu cyn gynted ag y gallem yn y flwyddyn ariannol. Felly, cyn yr haf, roeddem yn cael y ffigurau cynnar ar gyfer dechrau'r flwyddyn ariannol. Roeddem yn deall pa mor enfawr fyddai'r her, ac fe wnaethom weithio drwy’r haf, felly, i ymdrin â hynny, a gallais ddweud mwy yn nhymor yr hydref ynglŷn â beth fyddai’r newidiadau i’n cynlluniau gwariant. Felly, fe wnaethom weithredu’n gynnar, ac rydych wedi gweld Llywodraethau eraill yn y DU yn gorfod gweithredu hefyd o ganlyniad i effeithiau’r chwyddiant uchaf erioed hwnnw.
Ar amserlen y gyllideb, mae’n destun gofid i ni na fu modd i ni ddarparu manylion y gyllideb yn gynharach yn y flwyddyn ariannol cyn y gyllideb. Byddwn yn parhau i geisio gwella’r sefyllfa honno, ond rwy’n bryderus iawn am yr hyn y bydd eleni'n ei olygu yn yr ystyr y bydd gennym etholiad cyffredinol hwyr, o bosibl. Beth fydd hynny’n ei olygu i’n cyllideb a’r sicrwydd y gallwn ei roi i awdurdodau lleol a gweddill y sector cyhoeddus? Fy mwriad yw ymgysylltu mor agos ag y gallaf â’r Pwyllgor Cyllid a rhannu unrhyw wybodaeth a gawn am hynny gyda chi o ran pryd y gallwn gynllunio ar gyfer y gyllideb. Rydym yn cynllunio ystod eang o senarios ar hyn o bryd yn seiliedig ar ba bryd y gellid disgwyl etholiad cyffredinol, er mwyn sicrhau, pryd bynnag y daw pethau’n glir, y byddwn o leiaf yn barod i symud yn gyflym iawn. Rwy’n fwy na pharod i rannu ychydig rhagor o’r manylion hynny gyda chi.
Ac yna, ar gyllid diwedd blwyddyn, cawsom yr amcangyfrifon atodol, ac fel y gwnaethom ei drafod yn y Pwyllgor Cyllid, roedd anghysondeb mawr yn yr amcangyfrifon atodol hynny, a newidiodd yn sylweddol ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn ariannol. Roedd hynny'n anffodus hefyd. Serch hynny, golygodd ein bod wedi cael swm eithaf sylweddol o gyllid ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn, a’r gwir amdani yw bod penderfyniadau y byddem efallai wedi’u gwneud yn wahanol pe byddem wedi gwybod ein bod yn mynd i gael y cyllid ychwanegol hwnnw yn hwyr yn y flwyddyn. Felly, efallai na fyddai peth o'r gweithgarwch a ddisgrifiwyd gennych, a wnaed gennym dros yr haf a'i gyhoeddi wedyn ym mis Hydref, wedi gorfod digwydd o reidrwydd pe byddem yn gwybod sut olwg fyddai ar y darlun ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn.
Diolch am yr ateb yna.
Thank you for that response.
I'm a little concerned that the Government knew—. We knew about some of the money that was concerned, but not the quantum that was being made available. A cynic might be inclined to view a little bit of hoarding some of that money back until the new First Minister was in place before making some decisions. The reason this matter is so pressing is because of the recent suspension of planned industrial action by the British Medical Association over junior doctors' pay. According to the First Minister himself, the Welsh Government's negotiation position changed materially at the end of the financial year as a result of updated calculations at the end of the financial year by the UK Treasury.
We, of course, welcome the resumption of talks with the BMA and hope that it will lead to a satisfactory resolution of a perennially undervalued junior doctor workforce, but it's very disappointing that we're having to learn about these material changes via the media, rather than being provided with the relevant details directly from Government in a timely manner. I appreciate that the new First Minister might not want to focus on certain financial matters, but I would urge the new Cabinet to pledge to be upfront with the Senedd on its resourcing capacity.
I'd be grateful, therefore, if the Cabinet Secretary could outline what proportion of the updated offer to junior doctors will be comprised of additional funds from the UK Treasury, and whether she expects any adjustments to the Government's spending plans for 2024-25 as a result of the revised offer.
Rwyf ychydig yn bryderus fod y Llywodraeth yn gwybod—. Roeddem yn gwybod am rywfaint o’r arian o dan sylw, ond nid y swm a oedd yn cael ei ddarparu. Efallai y byddai sinig yn credu bod rhywfaint o’r arian hwnnw’n wedi'i gelcio nes bod y Prif Weinidog newydd yn ei swydd cyn gwneud rhai penderfyniadau. Y rheswm pam fod y mater hwn mor bwysig yw oherwydd bod Cymdeithas Feddygol Prydain wedi atal gweithredu diwydiannol arfaethedig yn ddiweddar dros gyflog meddygon iau. Yn ôl y Prif Weinidog ei hun, newidiodd sefyllfa negodi Llywodraeth Cymru yn sylweddol ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn ariannol o ganlyniad i ddiweddaru cyfrifiadau ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn ariannol gan Drysorlys y DU.
Rydym yn croesawu ailddechrau'r trafodaethau gyda Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain wrth gwrs, ac yn gobeithio y byddant yn arwain at ddatrysiad boddhaol i weithlu meddygon iau nad ydynt yn cael y parch a haeddant, ond mae’n siomedig iawn ein bod yn gorfod dysgu am y newidiadau sylweddol hyn drwy’r cyfryngau, yn hytrach na chael y manylion perthnasol yn uniongyrchol gan y Llywodraeth mewn modd amserol. Rwy'n sylweddoli efallai nad yw'r Prif Weinidog newydd yn awyddus i ganolbwyntio ar rai materion ariannol, ond hoffwn annog y Cabinet newydd i addo bod yn agored gyda’r Senedd ynghylch ei allu i ddarparu adnoddau.
Hoffwn felly pe gallai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu pa gyfran o’r cynnig diwygiedig i feddygon iau a fydd yn arian ychwanegol gan Drysorlys y DU, ac a yw’n disgwyl unrhyw addasiadau i gynlluniau gwariant y Llywodraeth ar gyfer 2024-25 o ganlyniad i'r cynnig diwygiedig.
Just to be very clear, there's been no material change to the Welsh Government's financial position since the supplementary estimates. I do have to object to any suggestion that we were holding back any funding so that the First Minister could have those positive discussions with the doctors' representatives. That absolutely is not something that we would dream of doing. So, I just want to reassure people on that. There's been no material change at all since the supplementary estimates, but we do have the main estimates coming shortly, so we should see whether that will provide any probably small amount of additional funding as well. I can't, obviously, go into discussion on the detail of those negotiations, but what I will say is it puts us back into a very uncomfortable place as we start the financial year, knowing the pressures that we have across the board.
Er eglurder, ni fu unrhyw newid sylweddol i sefyllfa ariannol Llywodraeth Cymru ers yr amcangyfrifon atodol. Mae’n rhaid imi wrthod unrhyw awgrym ein bod yn celcio unrhyw gyllid er mwyn i’r Prif Weinidog allu cael y trafodaethau cadarnhaol hynny gyda chynrychiolwyr y meddygon. Nid yw hynny'n rhywbeth y byddem yn breuddwydio ei wneud o gwbl. Felly, hoffwn roi sicrwydd i bobl ynglŷn â hynny. Ni fu unrhyw newid sylweddol o gwbl ers yr amcangyfrifon atodol, ond bydd y prif amcangyfrifon yn cael eu darparu cyn bo hir, felly dylem weld a fydd hynny'n darparu unrhyw swm bach o arian ychwanegol hefyd. Yn amlwg, ni allaf drafod manylion y trafodaethau hynny, ond yr hyn a ddywedaf yw eu bod yn ein rhoi yn ôl mewn lle anghyfforddus iawn wrth inni ddechrau'r flwyddyn ariannol, gan gofio'r pwysau arnom yn gyffredinol.
3. Pa effaith y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn disgwyl y bydd y Bil Cyllid Llywodraeth Leol (Cymru) yn ei chael ar y rhai sy'n talu'r dreth gyngor? OQ60929
3. What impact does the Cabinet Secretary expect the Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill will have on council tax payers? OQ60929
The Bill seeks to improve the overall design of the council tax system to include regular revaluations, and to ensure the legal framework for discounts and reductions remains fit for purpose. A detailed impact assessment has been published alongside the Bill.
Mae’r Bil yn ceisio gwella cynllun cyffredinol system y dreth gyngor i gynnwys ailbrisiadau rheolaidd, ac i sicrhau bod y fframwaith cyfreithiol ar gyfer disgowntiau a gostyngiadau yn parhau i fod yn addas i'r diben. Mae asesiad effaith manwl wedi’i gyhoeddi ochr yn ochr â’r Bil.
It's recognised that the review of council tax is long overdue and necessary, and many people who have written to me have recognised that, but a few constituents have written to raise concerns as well. One concern I've had raised is the unintended consequence these reforms could have on those living in properties that have increased significantly in value due to house price inflation but the people living in them are on fixed incomes such as pensions—in other words, those who are asset rich but cash poor, and could even be living in fuel poverty due to increases in energy prices over the last two years. Specifically, those issues have been raised. A constituent has also made a suggestion that council tax reform could include an upper limit on the percentage of household income that is paid in council tax, whatever band that home might be in. The constituent who has written to me would like to know whether you would consider that as part of your consideration of consultation responses, and also in any bid that you do make in the future to make council tax fairer.
Cydnabyddir bod yr adolygiad hirddisgwyliedig hwn o'r dreth gyngor yn angenrheidiol, ac mae llawer o bobl sydd wedi ysgrifennu ataf wedi cydnabod hynny, ond mae rhai etholwyr wedi ysgrifennu i fynegi pryderon hefyd. Un pryder a godwyd gyda mi yw’r effaith anfwriadol y gallai’r diwygiadau hyn ei chael ar y rheini sy’n byw mewn eiddo sydd wedi cynyddu’n sylweddol yn ei werth oherwydd chwyddiant prisiau tai ond mae’r bobl sy’n byw ynddynt ar incwm sefydlog fel pensiynau—mewn geiriau eraill, y rheini sy'n gyfoethog o ran asedau ond yn dlawd o ran arian parod, ac a allai fod yn byw mewn tlodi tanwydd hyd yn oed oherwydd y cynnydd mewn prisiau ynni dros y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf. Yn benodol, mae’r materion hynny wedi’u codi. Mae etholwr hefyd wedi gwneud awgrym y gallai diwygio’r dreth gyngor gynnwys terfyn uchaf ar y ganran o incwm aelwydydd a delir yn y dreth gyngor, ni waeth pa fand y gallai’r cartref hwnnw fod ynddo. Hoffai’r etholwr sydd wedi ysgrifennu ataf wybod a ydych yn ystyried hynny fel rhan o’ch ystyriaeth o'r ymatebion i’r ymgynghoriad, a hefyd mewn unrhyw ymgais a wnewch yn y dyfodol i wneud y dreth gyngor yn decach.
I'm grateful for the question and also for the interest that Members of the Senedd and members of the public are showing in the issue of council tax reform. It does affect every household across Wales, so it's right that every household should take an interest and share their views with us. I think one important thing to stress is that just because a property has increased in value over the last 20 years, it doesn't mean that it would necessarily see an increase in their bills. What matters is where your property is in relation to all other domestic properties in Wales and whether or not that has changed. So, that's important to recognise, as well as the fact that the aim of the exercise isn't to raise more money overall; it's to raise the same amount of money, but to do so in a way that is fairer. So, that's important to recognise.
It's always good when people come forward with different ideas of how we might look at things. Certainly, the potential way forward that has been described reminds me of the work that we did when we looked at a local income tax, to see if that's something that could replace council tax, going forward. In the end, we did discount that particular idea, because local authorities don't have access, routinely, to household income information for every household. That could be particularly difficult, then, to access. People's household incomes change all of the time, and one of the benefits of council tax, as it stands at the moment, is that it's a relatively simple tax in many ways. But property is only half of your council tax; the other half, of course, is the occupants of the property.
There are lots of mitigations that are already built in to the council tax system that do take account of people's ability to pay, such as the council tax reduction scheme, which supports more than 220,000 households across Wales, and the single-person discount, which benefits around 500,000 households in Wales. Together, these kinds of measures mean that nearly half of households in Wales don't pay the maximum council tax bill. So, it's really important, as we move forward, that those mitigations are also looked at alongside the work that we do on council tax reform, insofar as the property side is concerned, to ensure that we provide support to those people who need it most.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar am y cwestiwn a hefyd am y diddordeb y mae Aelodau’r Senedd ac aelodau’r cyhoedd yn ei ddangos ym mater diwygio’r dreth gyngor. Mae'n effeithio ar bob cartref ledled Cymru, felly mae'n iawn fod pob cartref yn dangos diddordeb ac yn rhannu eu barn gyda ni. Credaf mai un peth pwysig i'w bwysleisio yw nad yw'r ffaith bod eiddo wedi cynyddu mewn gwerth dros yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf ynddo'i hun yn golygu y byddai eu biliau o reidrwydd yn cynyddu. Yr hyn sy’n bwysig yw ble mae eich eiddo mewn perthynas â phob eiddo domestig arall yng Nghymru ac a yw hynny wedi newid ai peidio. Felly, mae'n bwysig cydnabod hynny, yn ogystal â'r ffaith nad codi mwy o arian yn gyffredinol yw nod yr ymarfer; y nod yw codi'r un faint o arian, ond gwneud hynny mewn ffordd decach. Felly, mae'n bwysig cydnabod hynny.
Mae hi bob amser yn dda pan fydd pobl yn cyflwyno gwahanol syniadau ynglŷn â sut y gallem edrych ar bethau. Yn sicr, mae’r ffordd bosibl ymlaen a ddisgrifiwyd yn fy atgoffa o’r gwaith a wnaethom pan fuom yn edrych ar dreth incwm leol, i weld a yw hynny’n rhywbeth a allai ddisodli’r dreth gyngor wrth symud ymlaen. Yn y diwedd, fe wnaethom ddiystyru’r syniad penodol hwnnw, gan nad oes gan awdurdodau lleol fynediad, fel mater o drefn, at wybodaeth ynglŷn ag incwm pob cartref. Gallai fod yn arbennig o anodd cael mynediad at y wybodaeth honno. Mae incwm aelwydydd pobl yn newid drwy’r amser, ac un o fanteision y dreth gyngor, fel y mae ar hyn o bryd, yw ei bod yn dreth gymharol syml mewn sawl ffordd. Ond dim ond hanner eich treth gyngor yw eiddo; yr hanner arall, wrth gwrs, yw deiliaid yr eiddo.
Mae llawer o fesurau lliniaru eisoes wedi’u hymgorffori yn system y dreth gyngor i ystyried gallu pobl i dalu, megis cynllun gostyngiadau’r dreth gyngor, sy’n cefnogi mwy na 220,000 o aelwydydd ledled Cymru, a’r gostyngiad person sengl, sy'n cefnogi oddeutu 500,000 o aelwydydd yng Nghymru. Gyda’i gilydd, mae’r mathau hyn o fesurau yn golygu nad yw bron i hanner aelwydydd Cymru yn talu uchafswm y bil treth gyngor. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn, wrth inni symud ymlaen, fod y mesurau lliniaru hynny hefyd yn cael eu hystyried ochr yn ochr â'r gwaith a wnawn ar ddiwygio'r dreth gyngor, mewn perthynas â'r eiddo, i sicrhau ein bod yn darparu cymorth i'r bobl sydd fwyaf o'i angen.
Minister, we in the Welsh Conservatives support the general principles of this Bill. However, current proposals will see revaluations of non-domestic rates occur more frequently than revaluations of council tax, therefore placing additional pressures on businesses. The Welsh Government have made it clear that their research indicates that the current system of council tax is outdated, so why are you putting off reforming it? It's clear that we need reform in the current system, and for councils to be forced to hold a local referendum, perhaps, when they increase the council tax beyond that cap of 5 per cent, similar to what's been practised in England, of course, since 2012-13. So, Minister, is this something that you'll be considering?
Weinidog, rydym ni fel Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn cefnogi egwyddorion cyffredinol y Bil hwn. Fodd bynnag, bydd y cynigion presennol yn arwain at gynnal ailbrisiadau o ardrethi annomestig yn amlach nag ailbrisiadau'r dreth gyngor, gan roi pwysau ychwanegol, felly, ar fusnesau. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi nodi'n glir fod eu hymchwil yn dangos bod system bresennol y dreth gyngor wedi dyddio, felly pam eich bod yn oedi cyn ei diwygio? Mae’n amlwg fod angen diwygio’r system bresennol, a gorfodi cynghorau i gynnal refferendwm lleol, efallai, pan fyddant yn cynyddu’r dreth gyngor y tu hwnt i gap o 5 y cant, yn debyg i’r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn Lloegr ers 2012-13 wrth gwrs. Felly, Weinidog, a yw hyn yn rhywbeth y byddwch yn ei ystyried?
Thank you for the question. In relation to non-domestic rates and council tax, the intention is for revaluations on the non-most domestic rates side to be every three years, and then five years on the council tax side. There's no real reason why they should be on the same cycle, because they are different taxes, in that sense. I think that the three-year cycle actually responds to what businesses were telling us that they wanted. They wanted frequent revaluations to better reflect the economy locally and the value of that property, but then also to have a degree of stability as well. The three-year cycle has been welcomed by representatives of the business community for the non-domestic rates.
It's not our intention to introduce local referenda for council tax. We do think that the level of council tax should be set by local councils. It is very much a part of local democracy in the way in which people can make their views known to the council. But that said, council tax is only part of the funding that local Government receives. We would want to be in a position to give local government always the best possible settlement, and that does require, I'm afraid, further funding in relation to public services from the UK Government.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn. Mewn perthynas ag ardrethi annomestig a’r dreth gyngor, y bwriad yw ailbrisio ardrethi annomestig bob tair blynedd, ac yna bob pum mlynedd ar gyfer y dreth gyngor. Nid oes unrhyw reswm dilys pam y dylent fod ar yr un cylch, gan eu bod yn drethi gwahanol yn yr ystyr honno. Credaf fod y cylch tair blynedd yn ymateb i’r hyn roedd busnesau’n ei ddweud wrthym yr hoffent ei weld. Roeddent yn awyddus i gael ailbrisiadau aml er mwyn adlewyrchu’r economi leol a gwerth yr eiddo'n well, ond i gael rhywfaint o sefydlogrwydd hefyd. Mae’r cylch tair blynedd wedi’i groesawu gan gynrychiolwyr y gymuned fusnes ar gyfer yr ardrethi annomestig.
Nid ein bwriad yw cyflwyno refferenda lleol ar gyfer y dreth gyngor. Rydym yn credu y dylai lefel y dreth gyngor gael ei phennu gan gynghorau lleol. Mae'n rhan fawr iawn o ddemocratiaeth leol yn y ffordd y gall pobl fynegi eu barn i'r cyngor. Ond wedi dweud hynny, dim ond rhan o’r cyllid y mae Llywodraeth leol yn ei gael yw’r dreth gyngor. Byddem am fod mewn sefyllfa i roi’r setliad gorau posibl i lywodraeth leol bob amser, ac mae arnaf ofn fod hynny’n galw am gyllid pellach ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus gan Lywodraeth y DU.
4. Pa sylwadau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u gwneud i Lywodraeth y DU ynghylch darparu llinellau cymorth hunanasesiadau, TAW a'r cynllun talu wrth ennill ar gyfer aelodau'r cyhoedd? OQ60928
4. What representations has the Welsh Government made to the UK Government regarding the provision of self-assessment, VAT and PAYE helplines for members of the public? OQ60928
While the provision of UK-wide tax helplines is an operational matter for His Majesty's Revenue and Customs, my officials and I regularly raise, with HM Treasury and HMRC, the importance of taxpayers in Wales having support to navigate complex tax matters and enable them to pay the right tax at the right time.
Er mai mater gweithredol i Gyllid a Thollau Ei Fawrhydi yw darparu llinellau cymorth treth ar gyfer y DU gyfan, mae fy swyddogion a minnau’n codi’n rheolaidd, gyda Thrysorlys EF a CThEF, pa mor bwysig yw hi i drethdalwyr yng Nghymru gael cymorth i ymdrin â materion treth cymhleth a’u galluogi i dalu’r dreth gywir ar yr adeg gywir.
Diolch. Thank you for the response. May I also welcome you to your Cabinet Secretary role? From the wholescale closing, though, of many of our high-street banks to conglomerate supermarkets prioritising machine self-service over staffing checkouts, it is a fact that the capitalist obsession with cutting the physical employment of actual human beings in the name of profit just shows no sign of ceasing. So, Cabinet Secretary, will you reassure me that the Welsh Government will continue to call on the UK Government to properly staff HMRC with human beings so that our citizens can seek advice from an actual human being also?
Diolch am eich ymateb. A gaf innau hefyd eich croesawu i’ch rôl fel Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet? Ond o fanciau'r stryd fawr yn cau i archfarchnadoedd enfawr yn blaenoriaethu peiriannau hunanwasanaeth yn hytrach na staffio tiliau, mae'n ffaith nad yw'r obsesiwn cyfalafol â thorri swyddi pobl go iawn yn enw elw yn dangos unrhyw arwydd o ddod i ben. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi roi sicrwydd i mi y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i alw ar Lywodraeth y DU i staffio CThEF gyda phobl go iawn fel y gall ein dinasyddion ofyn am gyngor gan bobl go iawn hefyd?
I'm very grateful for the question, and I was pleased to see that very rapid u-turn from HMRC in relation to the decision to close the self-assessment helpline. I thought the public outcry spoke very loudly, and I do welcome that particular u-turn. From a Welsh Government perspective, we do recognise that the provision of these helplines is solely the responsibility of HMRC, but I think that we do have a really good model here in Wales for engaging with the public on tax matters, and that's the Welsh Revenue Authority. So, the Welsh Revenue Authority, of course, is responsible for administration of our land transaction tax and our landfill disposals tax, and I think both of those perform extremely well in terms of being able to provide a robust and accessible service to members of the public. Part of, I think, its success is the determination of the WRA to support people to pay the right amount of tax the first time, rather than to spend time pursuing those people who haven't paid the right amount of tax, and I think that's a model that I know that we're keen to share with others. I do know that the WRA does have a good working relationship with HMRC and that they're able to share those areas of good practice.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y cwestiwn, ac roeddwn yn falch o weld y tro pedol cyflym gan CThEF mewn perthynas â'r penderfyniad i gau'r llinell gymorth hunanasesu. Roeddwn yn credu bod y brotest gyhoeddus yn un gref, ac rwy'n croesawu'r tro pedol hwnnw. O safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru, rydym yn cydnabod mai cyfrifoldeb CThEF yw darparu'r llinellau cymorth hyn, ond credaf fod gennym fodel da iawn yma yng Nghymru ar gyfer ymgysylltu â'r cyhoedd ar faterion treth, sef Awdurdod Cyllid Cymru. Mae Awdurdod Cyllid Cymru, wrth gwrs, yn gyfrifol am weinyddu ein treth trafodiadau tir a'n treth gwarediadau tirlenwi, ac rwy'n credu eu bod ill dwy'n perfformio'n dda iawn o ran gallu darparu gwasanaeth cadarn a hygyrch i aelodau'r cyhoedd. Rhan o'i lwyddiant, rwy'n credu, yw penderfyniad Awdurdod Cyllid Cymru i gefnogi pobl i dalu'r swm cywir o dreth y tro cyntaf, yn hytrach na threulio amser yn mynd ar ôl y bobl nad ydynt wedi talu'r swm cywir o dreth, ac rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n fodel yr ydym yn awyddus i'w rannu ag eraill. Rwy'n gwybod bod gan Awdurdod Cyllid Cymru berthynas waith dda gyda CThEF a'u bod yn gallu rhannu arferion da.
There are currently record-high waiting times to speak to an HMRC adviser on the phone, which currently sits at an average of 25 minutes, with complaints submitted to HMRC also creeping upwards. Of course, HMRC is the responsibility of the UK Government, but the Welsh Government has some tax-setting powers, and Welsh taxpayers have to communicate with HMRC, so it's important that the Welsh Government makes necessary representations to Whitehall regarding how the service should operate for the people of Wales. Concerns regarding increased wait times and complaints have centred around the fact that half of civil servants working in HMRC's headquarters are still working from home, and this is reflected by the poorer productivity. Your own shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, also argued last week that all HMRC staff should be back in the office to boost customer service. Also, as a matter of fairness, the vast majority of the private sector is not afforded this luxury, so could the Cabinet Secretary outline what representations the Welsh Government has made to the UK Government to aid efforts to get civil servants within HMRC back at their desks to provide a better service for taxpayers, and would the Welsh Government be prepared to set a good example by also getting civil servants back at their desks?
Ar hyn o bryd, mae pobl yn aros am fwy o amser nag erioed i siarad â chynghorydd CThEF dros y ffôn, sydd ar hyn o bryd oddeutu 25 munud ar gyfartaledd, ac mae nifer y cwynion a gyflwynwyd i CThEF hefyd yn cynyddu. Wrth gwrs, cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y DU yw CThEF, ond mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru rai pwerau i osod trethi, ac mae'n rhaid i drethdalwyr Cymru gyfathrebu â CThEF, felly mae'n bwysig fod Llywodraeth Cymru'n gwneud y sylwadau angenrheidiol i Whitehall ynglŷn â sut y dylai'r gwasanaeth weithredu ar gyfer pobl Cymru. Mae pryderon ynghylch amseroedd aros a chwynion cynyddol wedi canolbwyntio ar y ffaith bod hanner y gweision sifil sy'n gweithio ym mhencadlys CThEF yn dal i weithio gartref, a chaiff hyn ei adlewyrchu gan y cynhyrchiant tlotach. Roedd Canghellor yr wrthblaid, Rachel Reeves, hefyd yn dadlau yr wythnos diwethaf y dylai holl staff CThEF ddychwelyd i'r swyddfa i hybu gwasanaeth cwsmeriaid. Hefyd, fel mater o degwch, nid yw hyn yn opsiwn i'r mwyafrif helaeth o'r sector preifat, felly a allai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu'r sylwadau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u gwneud i Lywodraeth y DU i gynorthwyo ymdrechion i sicrhau bod gweision sifil o fewn CThEF yn dychwelyd at eu desgiau i ddarparu gwell gwasanaeth i drethdalwyr, ac a fyddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn barod i osod esiampl dda drwy sicrhau bod gweision sifil yn dychwelyd at eu desgiau hefyd?
Well, that is an operational matter that you describe, really, for the UK Government, and we're not generally in the position of commenting on operational matters for UK Government departments. But with a view to trying to be helpful, we do have a service level agreement with HMRC on the operation of Welsh rates of income tax, and I think that that's really important. We do publish that—I publish it with a written statement every year, and it's reviewed annually to ensure that it is relevant and up to date, and then HMRC does publish an annual report on the operation of Welsh rates of income tax. There's also a requirement under the legislation for the National Audit Office to conduct an annual audit of HMRC's collection of Welsh rates of income tax as well, so I think that insofar as HMRC has responsibilities in that kind of WRIT space, we do have a good working relationship, and we're satisfied with the service that we receive.
Wel, rydych yn disgrifio mater gweithredol i Lywodraeth y DU mewn gwirionedd, ac nid ydym fel arfer yn gwneud sylwadau ar faterion gweithredol i adrannau Llywodraeth y DU. Ond gyda'r nod o geisio bod yn ddefnyddiol, mae gennym gytundeb lefel gwasanaeth gyda CThEF ar weithredu cyfraddau treth incwm Cymru, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n bwysig iawn. Rydym yn cyhoeddi hwnnw—rwy'n ei gyhoeddi gyda datganiad ysgrifenedig bob blwyddyn, ac mae'n cael ei adolygu'n flynyddol i sicrhau ei fod yn berthnasol ac yn gyfredol, ac yna mae CThEF yn cyhoeddi adroddiad blynyddol ar weithrediad cyfraddau treth incwm Cymru. Mae hefyd yn ofynnol o dan y ddeddfwriaeth i'r Swyddfa Archwilio Genedlaethol gynnal archwiliad blynyddol o gasgliad CThEF o gyfraddau treth incwm Cymru hefyd, felly rwy'n credu, cyn belled â bod gan CThEF gyfrifoldebau mewn perthynas â chyfraddau treth incwm Cymru, mae gennym berthynas waith dda, ac rydym yn fodlon â'r gwasanaeth a gawn.
5. Pa drafodaethau y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi'u cael gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol, Tai a Chynllunio ynghylch sicrhau bod cyllid ar gael i gefnogi awdurdodau lleol i gynnal cyfleusterau toiledau cyhoeddus? OQ60910
5. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning regarding making funding available to support local authorities in maintaining public toilet facilities? OQ60910
I have had no discussions with the Cabinet Secretary since her appointment about funding for public toilets. Local authorities' 2024-25 average funding increase is 3.3 per cent, and each will need to balance service delivery against available funding. Despite our efforts to give authorities the best settlement possible, they are having to make difficult decisions.
Nid wyf wedi cael unrhyw drafodaethau gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ers iddi gael ei phenodi am gyllid ar gyfer toiledau cyhoeddus. Mae'r cynnydd cyfartalog i gyllid awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer 2024-25 yn 3.3 y cant, a bydd angen i bob un gydbwyso'r ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau yn erbyn y cyllid sydd ar gael. Er gwaethaf ein hymdrechion i roi'r setliad gorau posibl i awdurdodau, mae'n rhaid iddynt wneud penderfyniadau anodd.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am yr ymateb.
Thank you very much for that response.
We know that communities across Wales are being compelled to step in and assume the responsibility of operating and maintaining our public toilet facilities. Local authorities try their best to provide limited funding, but they are, as you say, severely constrained by ever-tightening budgets. The lack of public toilets and the unavailability of those being open at particular hours mean that this effects not only our own residents, but those visitors as well. I can give you an example. In Rhayader the town council took over the operation of public toilets in 2015, only to have all funding support withdrawn in the subsequent years. And with a population of just 2,000, this small community simply can't continue financing these facilities, which are available on the main roads—the A44 and the A470. So, the reality is that public toilets are essential pieces of infrastructure, which I'm sure we'd all agree, particularly for older people as well. So, I just wondered, Cabinet Secretary, if you could consider outlining what specific support there could be available, and what you could do, along with your Cabinet Secretary colleagues, to assist community groups and local councils in operating and maintaining these essential public facilities. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Rydym yn gwybod bod cymunedau ledled Cymru yn cael eu gorfodi i gamu i'r adwy ac ysgwyddo'r cyfrifoldeb o weithredu a chynnal ein cyfleusterau toiledau cyhoeddus. Mae awdurdodau lleol yn gwneud eu gorau i ddarparu cyllid cyfyngedig, ond fel y dywedwch, maent wedi'u cyfyngu'n ddifrifol gan gyllidebau sy'n tynhau'n barhaus. Mae'r diffyg toiledau cyhoeddus a'r ffaith nad ydynt ar agor ar oriau penodol yn golygu bod hyn yn cael effaith, nid yn unig ar ein trigolion ein hunain, ond ar ymwelwyr hefyd. Gallaf roi enghraifft i chi. Yn Rhaeadr, ysgwyddodd cyngor y dref gyfrifoldeb am weithredu toiledau cyhoeddus yn 2015, ond cafodd yr holl gymorth ariannol ei dynnu'n ôl yn y blynyddoedd dilynol. A chyda phoblogaeth o ddim ond 2,000, ni all y gymuned fach hon barhau i ariannu'r cyfleusterau hyn, sydd ar gael ar y prif ffyrdd—yr A44 a'r A470. Felly, y gwir amdani yw bod toiledau cyhoeddus yn seilwaith hanfodol, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddem i gyd yn cytuno ar hynny, yn enwedig i bobl hŷn. Felly, roeddwn yn meddwl tybed, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi ystyried amlinellu pa gymorth penodol a allai fod ar gael, a beth y gallech ei wneud, gyda'ch cyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet, i gynorthwyo grwpiau cymunedol a chynghorau lleol i weithredu a chynnal y cyfleusterau cyhoeddus hanfodol hyn. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you, and I'd absolutely like to join Jane Dodds in recognising the importance of public toilet availability, particularly for disabled people, for older people, but then also those people who are travelling through our rural areas in Wales as well. And in that context, it's important to recognise that, through our Public Health (Wales) Act 2017, we did require local authorities to undertake an exercise to produce those strategies for public toilets across Wales. Part of that aim, really, was to recognise that public finances are always constrained, sometimes more than others, but to make better use of the kind of public spaces and private spaces that we have available to us, so making sure that public buildings are open and welcoming, that people feel able to come in, engaging with local schemes, perhaps, where those businesses make their toilets available to the public, in the hope, perhaps, it will encourage those people to shop in those places and so on.
So, I think there are creative things that are happening across Wales, but I think the rurality point is really important. I know that we talk a lot about the funding formula here in the Chamber. Now that has moved over to my colleague the Minister for housing and local government, but I still take a keen interest in that, as do colleagues, and I am aware that some of the oldest data within that does relate to indicators that are related to sparsity. So, I just wanted to let colleagues know that officials are currently working with the distribution sub-group and with the ONS to undertake the necessary work to update that information for future settlements. It's really important. Around £460 million of funding in relation to the settlement is distributed on that basis of the sparsity indicator, so it is important, and we have had the recent census, so we're looking at how we can update the formula in that respect. So, that will be really important, moving forward.
Diolch, a hoffwn innau ymuno â Jane Dodds i gydnabod pwysigrwydd argaeledd toiledau cyhoeddus, yn enwedig i bobl anabl, pobl hŷn, yn ogystal â'r bobl sy'n teithio drwy ein hardaloedd gwledig yng Nghymru. Ac yn y cyd-destun hwnnw, mae'n bwysig cydnabod, drwy ein Deddf Iechyd y Cyhoedd (Cymru) 2017, ein bod wedi ei gwneud yn ofynnol i awdurdodau lleol weithredu i gynhyrchu'r strategaethau hynny ar gyfer toiledau cyhoeddus ledled Cymru. Rhan o'r nod hwnnw, mewn gwirionedd, oedd cydnabod bod cyllid cyhoeddus bob amser yn gyfyngedig, ar rai adegau yn fwy nag eraill, ond i wneud gwell defnydd o'r math o fannau cyhoeddus a mannau preifat sydd ar gael i ni, felly sicrhau bod adeiladau cyhoeddus yn agored ac yn groesawgar, fod pobl yn teimlo y gallant ddod i mewn, gan ymgysylltu â chynlluniau lleol, efallai, lle mae'r busnesau hynny'n sicrhau bod eu toiledau ar gael i'r cyhoedd, yn y gobaith, efallai, y bydd yn annog y bobl hynny i siopa yn y llefydd hynny ac yn y blaen.
Felly, rwy'n credu bod yna bethau creadigol yn digwydd ledled Cymru, ond rwy'n credu bod y pwynt ynglŷn â gwledigrwydd yn bwysig iawn. Rwy'n gwybod ein bod yn siarad yn aml am y fformiwla gyllido yma yn y Siambr. Mae hynny bellach wedi'i drosglwyddo i fy nghyd-Aelod, y Gweinidog tai a llywodraeth leol, ond mae gennyf ddiddordeb brwd ynddo o hyd, fel sydd gan gyd-Aelodau eraill, ac rwy'n ymwybodol fod peth o'r data hynaf o fewn hynny'n ymwneud â dangosyddion sy'n gysylltiedig â theneurwydd y boblogaeth. Felly, roeddwn eisiau rhoi gwybod i gyd-Aelodau fod swyddogion yn gweithio gyda'r is-grŵp dosbarthu a chyda'r Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol ar hyn o bryd i ymgymryd â'r gwaith angenrheidiol i ddiweddaru'r wybodaeth honno ar gyfer setliadau'r dyfodol. Mae'n bwysig iawn. Mae tua £460 miliwn o gyllid mewn perthynas â'r setliad yn cael ei ddosbarthu ar sail y dangosydd teneurwydd poblogaeth, felly mae'n bwysig, ac rydym wedi cael y cyfrifiad diweddar, felly rydym yn edrych ar sut y gallwn ddiweddaru'r fformiwla yn hynny o beth. Felly, bydd hynny'n bwysig iawn wrth symud ymlaen.
Cabinet Secretary, the village of Carew in the heart of south Pembrokeshire attracts over 70,000 visitors a year, many, if not all of whom enjoy one of the finest Norman castles in the UK, Carew castle. However, the village's public toilets have just been saved from closure following a campaign by local residents and the hard-working county councillor, Councillor Vanessa Thomas, and Carew Community Council who have taken over the maintenance of the block from the local authority. The community council has funded this commitment by increasing their local tax precept from £18,000 in the last financial year to £30,000 in the current one, leading to an increased burden on residents. This is not a long-term solution, and at a time when we want to increase and welcome more visitors to our countryside and encourage exercise and well-being, can I ask what actions the Welsh Government is taking to ensure adequate funding is in place for the maintenance of public toilets? Thank you.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae pentref Caeriw yng nghanol de sir Benfro yn denu dros 70,000 o ymwelwyr y flwyddyn, ac mae llawer, os nad pob un ohonynt, yn mwynhau un o'r cestyll Normanaidd gorau yn y DU, castell Caeriw. Fodd bynnag, mae toiledau cyhoeddus y pentref newydd gael eu hachub rhag cau yn dilyn ymgyrch gan drigolion lleol a'r cynghorydd sir gweithgar, y Cynghorydd Vanessa Thomas, a Chyngor Cymuned Caeriw sydd wedi cymryd y gwaith o gynnal y bloc oddi ar ysgwyddau'r awdurdod lleol. Mae'r cyngor cymuned wedi ariannu'r ymrwymiad hwn drwy gynyddu eu praesept treth lleol o £18,000 yn y flwyddyn ariannol ddiwethaf i £30,000 yn y flwyddyn ariannol bresennol, gan arwain at fwy o faich ar breswylwyr. Nid yw hwn yn ateb hirdymor, ac ar adeg pan ydym eisiau cynyddu a chroesawu mwy o ymwelwyr i gefn gwlad ac annog ymarfer corff a llesiant, a gaf i ofyn pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod cyllid digonol ar gael ar gyfer cynnal toiledau cyhoeddus? Diolch.
Well, the Member there is almost making the case for a visitor levy, you could argue, in terms of recognising the impact that visitors have on a local area and the way in which we rely on those local residents to pay for that. We do have examples of places in the world where authorities or governments will invest in, for example, public toilets, as a way of ensuring that the places that we have to welcome tourists are comfortable for them when they arrive.
Wel, gallech ddadlau bod yr Aelod bron â dadlau'r achos dros ardoll ymwelwyr yno, o ran cydnabod yr effaith y mae ymwelwyr yn ei chael ar ardal leol a'r ffordd yr ydym yn dibynnu ar drigolion lleol i dalu am hynny. Mae gennym enghreifftiau o leoedd yn y byd lle mae awdurdodau neu lywodraethau'n buddsoddi mewn toiledau cyhoeddus, er enghraifft, fel ffordd o sicrhau bod y lleoedd sydd gennym i groesawu twristiaid yn gyfforddus ar eu cyfer pan fyddant yn cyrraedd.
6. Pa drafodaethau y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi'u cael gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol ynghylch ariannu lefel briodol o gyflog yn y gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal? OQ60914
6. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care about funding an appropriate level of pay in the health and care services? OQ60914
I regularly engage in bilateral meetings with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care. We face the most severe financial situation in the devolution era, which makes our task far harder. Despite this, we have identified a way forward that we hope will lead to a resolution of the dispute.
Rwy'n cymryd rhan mewn cyfarfodydd dwyochrog yn rheolaidd gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol. Rydym yn wynebu'r sefyllfa ariannol fwyaf difrifol ers dechrau datganoli, sy'n gwneud ein tasg yn llawer anos. Er gwaethaf hyn, rydym wedi nodi ffordd ymlaen y gobeithiwn y bydd yn arwain at ddatrys yr anghydfod.
Thank you for that. Further doctor strikes have for now been averted, as the Welsh Government has finally shown that willingness to have meaningful negotiations with doctors on their pay, and I do welcome that. But when it comes to general practitioner surgeries and primary care, more and more local surgeries are closing, and so the heightened pressures on general practice are having direct consequences for people who are finding it more difficult to see a doctor. Now, the Government has shown that willingness to get around the table with doctors in secondary care, so could you tell me whether the same willingness will be shown to address the underfunding of general practice, because I don't think our Valleys can cope with yet more surgeries closing?
Diolch am hynny. Cafodd rhagor o streiciau meddygon eu hatal am y tro am fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dangos parodrwydd o'r diwedd i gael trafodaethau ystyrlon gyda meddygon am eu cyflog, ac rwy'n croesawu hynny. Ond ar fater meddygfeydd meddygon teulu a gofal sylfaenol, mae mwy a mwy o feddygfeydd lleol yn cau, ac felly mae'r pwysau cynyddol ar ymarfer cyffredinol yn arwain at ganlyniadau uniongyrchol i bobl sy'n ei chael hi'n anos gweld meddyg. Nawr, mae'r Llywodraeth wedi dangos parodrwydd i gynnal trafodaethau gyda meddygon mewn gofal eilaidd, felly a allech chi ddweud wrthyf a fydd yr un parodrwydd yn cael ei ddangos i fynd i'r afael â thanariannu ymarfer cyffredinol, oherwydd nid wyf yn credu y gall ein Cymoedd ymdopi â mwy fyth o feddygfeydd yn cau?
I think the overall question in relation to funding of primary care might be better directed to my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for health, who is responsible for these areas. But just to remind colleagues that we have prioritised the NHS throughout our budget preparations for this financial year. The NHS will see that increase of more than 4 per cent here in Wales, compared to less than 1 per cent across the border in England. Public services have always been our priority, and they will absolutely continue to be our priority, especially in this very difficult period.
Rwy'n credu y byddai'n well cyfeirio'r cwestiwn cyffredinol mewn perthynas ag ariannu gofal sylfaenol at fy nghyd-Aelod, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd, sy'n gyfrifol am y meysydd hyn. Ond hoffwn atgoffa cyd-Aelodau ein bod wedi blaenoriaethu'r GIG drwy gydol ein paratoadau cyllidebol ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Bydd y GIG yn gweld y cynnydd hwnnw o fwy na 4 y cant yma yng Nghymru, o'i gymharu â llai nag 1 y cant dros y ffin yn Lloegr. Mae gwasanaethau cyhoeddus wedi bod yn flaenoriaeth i ni erioed, a byddant yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth i ni, yn enwedig yn y cyfnod anodd hwn.
Cabinet Secretary, over Easter recess I attended a meeting with ALN Reform Wales, where we discussed the need for education and health departments to work more closely with supporting children with ALN. Stats have shown that there has been more than a 40 per cent reduction in children receiving support, despite a significant increase in inquiries for it. Whilst I recognise that this is an issue across both health and education sectors, financial support, I'm sure you can agree, is imperative and will restore faith in so many families across Wales that it is in fact a priority and is going to be for this Government, hopefully. So, Cabinet Secretary, what commitments can you reassure us with today that you are going to look into additional resources for training across various professions to support children with ALN in Wales? Thank you.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, dros doriad y Pasg, mynychais gyfarfod gyda Diwygio ADY Cymru, lle buom yn trafod yr angen i adrannau addysg ac iechyd weithio'n agosach wrth gefnogi plant ag ADY. Mae ystadegau wedi dangos bod gostyngiad o fwy na 40 y cant wedi bod yn nifer y plant sy'n cael cymorth, er gwaethaf cynnydd sylweddol yn nifer yr ymholiadau yn ei gylch. Er fy mod yn cydnabod bod hon yn broblem ar draws y sectorau iechyd ac addysg, rwy'n siŵr y gallwch gytuno fod cymorth ariannol yn hanfodol ac y bydd yn adfer ffydd cymaint o deuluoedd ledled Cymru ei fod yn flaenoriaeth mewn gwirionedd ac y bydd yn flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth hon, gobeithio. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa ymrwymiadau y gallwch eu gwneud heddiw i'n sicrhau eich bod am edrych ar adnoddau ychwanegol ar gyfer hyfforddiant ar draws amrywiol broffesiynau i gefnogi plant ag ADY yng Nghymru? Diolch.
Well, again, these would be questions that would be better directed to my colleagues, because as we set out in our budget preparations, we are not holding huge amounts of funding back to be able to respond to questions from colleagues for areas where they would like to see additional funding. That's just simply not the situation that we're in at the moment. You've seen the difficult work that we've undertaken to reprioritise across Government to provide health with the additional funding, and to ensure local government was able to receive the funding that we'd anticipated for it, and that has meant really tough choices for colleagues across Government. So, I'm not in a position today to be able to talk about the additional allocation of resources, much as I would like to.
Wel, unwaith eto, byddai'n well cyfeirio'r cwestiynau hyn at fy nghyd-Aelodau, oherwydd fel y gwnaethom nodi yn ein paratoadau ar gyfer y gyllideb, nid ydym yn cadw symiau enfawr o gyllid yn ôl fel y gallwn ymateb i gwestiynau gan gyd-Aelodau am feysydd lle hoffent weld cyllid ychwanegol. Nid dyna'r sefyllfa rydym ynddi ar hyn o bryd. Rydych chi wedi gweld y gwaith anodd a wnaethom ar ailflaenoriaethu ar draws y Llywodraeth i ddarparu cyllid ychwanegol i iechyd, ac i sicrhau bod llywodraeth leol yn gallu cael yr arian yr oeddem wedi ei ragweld ar ei gyfer, ac mae hynny wedi golygu dewisiadau anodd iawn i gyd-Aelodau ar draws y Llywodraeth. Felly, nid wyf mewn sefyllfa heddiw i allu siarad am ddyrannu adnoddau ychwanegol, er cymaint yr hoffwn wneud hynny.
7. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar ddyfodol swyddfeydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn Arfon? OQ60905
7. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the future of the Welsh Government offices in Arfon? OQ60905
The Welsh Government office in Caernarfon is at Doc Fictoria, where we have a leased occupation until 2028. The sale of our vacant site at North Penrallt to Cyngor Gwynedd was completed on 28 March 2024. The Welsh Government remains committed to a presence in north-west Wales.
Mae swyddfa Llywodraeth Cymru yng Nghaernarfon yn Noc Fictoria, lle mae gennym feddiannaeth ar les tan 2028. Cwblhawyd gwerthiant ein safle gwag yng Ngogledd Penrallt i Gyngor Gwynedd ar 28 Mawrth 2024. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau'n ymrwymedig i bresenoldeb yng ngogledd-orllewin Cymru.
Mae'r gwaith ar gamau nesaf y prosiect i droi adeilad Penrallt yn llety dros dro ar gyfer y rhai sy'n ddigartref yn symud ymlaen, a dwi'n falch o glywed bod y pryniant wedi cael ei gadarnhau yn ddiweddar ar hwn. Dwi'n falch y bydd yna hwb cefnogaeth amlasiantaethol yn yr adeilad, yn ogystal â llety ar gyfer y rhai sydd yn canfod eu hunain yn ddigartref. Mae taclo'r argyfwng digartrefedd yn flaenoriaeth i Gyngor Gwynedd yn sgil y cynnydd anferthol a phryderus sydd yn digwydd ar draws yr ardal. Dros y 12 mis diwethaf yn unig, mae 885 o bobl wedi cyflwyno yn ddigartref yng Ngwynedd, ac mae yna 250 o aelwydydd ar hyn o bryd mewn llety argyfwng sydd yn llety anaddas. Beth fedrith eich Llywodraeth chi ei wneud i gynnal y momentwm rŵan gyda phrosiect Penrallt, a chydlynu'r ymdrechion i wireddu'r cynllun cyn gynted â phosib?
The work on the next steps of the project to convert the Penrallt building into temporary accommodation for those who are homeless is making progress, and I'm pleased to hear that the purchase has been confirmed recently on this project. I am pleased that there will be a multi-agency support hub in the building, as well as accommodation for those who do find themselves homeless. Tackling the homelessness crisis is a priority for Gwynedd Council as a result of the huge increase, and concerning increase indeed, across the area. Over the past 12 months alone, 885 people have presented themselves as being homeless in Gwynedd, and there are 250 households at present in emergency accommodation that is unsuitable for them. What can your Government do to sustain and maintain the momentum with the Penrallt project, and co-ordinate the efforts to achieve the plan as soon as possible?
I'm very grateful for the question. I know the next steps will be in relation to planning, so the necessary planning will be required. I know Gwynedd aims to tender and start on site as soon as possible, to reduce the numbers in temporary accommodation, and they have been awarded grant funding of £763,000 from our transitional accommodation capital programme, and that will then hopefully transform the site into 46 flats, which will provide much-needed accommodation for people living locally. And I was able to visit Caernarfon fairly recently, where I was able to talk to the leader of the council about the plans, and I know that they're very keen to work in partnership with Welsh Government, but also with the very vibrant third sector that they have in the area as well.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y cwestiwn. Rwy'n gwybod y bydd y camau nesaf mewn perthynas â chynllunio, felly bydd angen gwaith cynllunio angenrheidiol. Rwy'n gwybod bod Gwynedd yn bwriadu tendro a dechrau ar y safle cyn gynted â phosibl, i leihau niferoedd y bobl mewn llety dros dro, ac maent wedi derbyn cyllid grant o £763,000 o'n rhaglen gyfalaf ar gyfer llety dros dro, a gobeithio y bydd hwnnw wedyn yn trawsnewid y safle yn 46 o fflatiau, a fydd yn darparu llety mawr ei angen i bobl sy'n byw'n lleol. A llwyddais i ymweld â Chaernarfon yn weddol ddiweddar, lle bûm yn siarad ag arweinydd y cyngor am y cynlluniau, a gwn eu bod yn awyddus iawn i weithio mewn partneriaeth gyda Llywodraeth Cymru, ond hefyd gyda'r trydydd sector bywiog iawn sydd ganddynt yn yr ardal hefyd.
Again, my congratulations to you on your new post. I'll miss you here, turning around, when you're blaming the UK Government. [Laughter.]
Unwaith eto, llongyfarchiadau i chi ar eich swydd newydd. Fe fyddaf yn gweld eich colli yma, yn troi atom pan fyddwch yn beio Llywodraeth y DU. [Chwerthin.]
8. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am yr ardoll ymwelwyr? OQ60900
8. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the visitor levy? OQ60900
We're proceeding with the legislative proposals for the visitor levy. The process to develop legislation and the impact assessments are ongoing. We continue to engage extensively with the tourism sector, local authorities and others as this work progresses.
Rydym yn bwrw ymlaen â'r cynigion deddfwriaethol ar gyfer yr ardoll ymwelwyr. Mae'r broses o ddatblygu deddfwriaeth a'r asesiadau effaith yn parhau. Rydym yn parhau i ymgysylltu'n helaeth â'r sector twristiaeth, awdurdodau lleol ac eraill wrth i'r gwaith hwn fynd rhagddo.
Thank you. We're all aware that, in your consultation, a resounding majority of those in the tourist industry came back and said, 'No, we do not want a tourism tax or a visitor levy.' Now, we, on these benches, the Welsh Conservatives, fully support our businesses. We realise they create jobs, they're a vital part of our economy—indeed, to the tune of £5 billion. According to a survey by the Wales Tourism Alliance, 70 per cent of visitors have now said they would consider going on holiday to another country. Is that really what you feel proud of as a Minister for our economy?
In my constituency of Aberconwy, the only industry is tourism. It is the bedrock of the local economy. This tax wrongly penalises those communities that are reliant on visitor footfall—and that's not day visitors, it's people using all those numerous beds that we have in Aberconwy. Why are you, as the Welsh Government, so keen to impose yet another tax on an industry that is still struggling to recover from COVID, feels let down by the fact that you've cut the business rates tax relief, and you just don't get it, as a Government, that, by supporting our private businesses, they employ more people, there's a bigger tax take and, ultimately, that ends up with us having better public services? Diolch.
Diolch. Rydym i gyd yn ymwybodol, yn eich ymgynghoriad, fod mwyafrif ysgubol o'r rhai yn y diwydiant twristiaeth wedi dweud, 'Na, nid ydym eisiau treth dwristiaeth nac ardoll ymwelwyr.' Nawr, rydym ni, ar y meinciau hyn, y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, yn cefnogi ein busnesau'n llawn. Rydym yn sylweddoli eu bod yn creu swyddi, maent yn rhan hanfodol o'n heconomi—gwerth hyd at £5 biliwn yn wir. Yn ôl arolwg gan Gynghrair Twristiaeth Cymru, mae 70 y cant o ymwelwyr bellach wedi dweud y byddent yn ystyried mynd ar wyliau i wlad arall. A ydych chi'n teimlo'n falch o hynny fel Gweinidog ein heconomi?
Yn fy etholaeth i yn Aberconwy, twristiaeth yw'r unig ddiwydiant. Dyma sylfaen yr economi leol. Yn annheg, mae'r dreth hon yn cosbi'r cymunedau sy'n dibynnu ar ymwelwyr—ac nid ymwelwyr dydd yn unig ond pobl sy'n defnyddio'r holl welyau niferus sydd gennym yn Aberconwy. Pam eich bod chi, fel Llywodraeth Cymru, mor awyddus i osod treth arall eto ar ddiwydiant sy'n dal i gael trafferth i ymadfer yn sgil COVID, diwydiant sydd wedi cael ei siomi gan y ffaith eich bod wedi torri'r rhyddhad ardrethi busnes, ac nid ydych chi'n deall, fel Llywodraeth, fod mwy o dderbyniadau treth i'w cael drwy gefnogi ein busnesau preifat, wrth iddynt gyflogi mwy o bobl, ac yn y pen draw, fod hynny'n golygu bod gennym well gwasanaethau cyhoeddus? Diolch.
Well, of course, the decision whether or not to introduce a tourism levy will be taken by the local authority and they will be best placed to know what's best for their local area. But the purpose of a tourism levy would be to enable and support that local authority to support a vibrant local visitor economy, which I know is what we all want see across all parties here in the Chamber.
We have undertaken significant research—I was referencing a couple of those pieces of research to one of your colleagues earlier on this afternoon—but, in addition to that, we've undertaken some consumer research to understand what the views of Welsh residents were, but, also UK domestic holiday customers, on a potential visitor levy, and explored visitors' opinions on whether they should contribute and whether their behaviour would change if a visitor levy was there. More than 2,500 respondents completed the survey, over 1,000 of whom lived in Wales, and the results reflected broad support for the principle of a visitor levy. It found respondents to the survey were more positive than negative when introduced to the concept of a visitor levy in a place where they go on holiday or in their own area. So, I think that it's something that I think both people who live locally who can see the impact of tourism on their communities and a desire to improve the tourism offer, they recognise it, but, also, people who go on holiday recognise that they're able to make a contribution to those communities.
Wel, wrth gwrs, yr awdurdod lleol fydd yn penderfynu a ddylid cyflwyno ardoll dwristiaeth ai peidio a nhw fydd yn y sefyllfa orau i wybod beth sydd orau i'w hardal leol. Ond pwrpas ardoll dwristiaeth fyddai galluogi a chefnogi'r awdurdod lleol hwnnw i gefnogi economi ymwelwyr leol fywiog, a gwn mai dyna rydym i gyd eisiau ei weld ar draws pob plaid yma yn y Siambr.
Rydym wedi gwneud gwaith ymchwil sylweddol—cyfeiriais at beth o'r gwaith ymchwil hwnnw wrth un o'ch cyd-Aelodau yn gynharach y prynhawn yma—ond yn ogystal â hynny, rydym wedi cyflawni ymchwil defnyddwyr i ddeall beth oedd barn trigolion Cymru, a chwsmeriaid gwyliau domestig yn y DU hefyd, ar ardoll ymwelwyr posibl, ac archwilio barn ymwelwyr ynglŷn ag a ddylent gyfrannu ac a fyddai eu hymddygiad yn newid pe bai ardoll ymwelwyr yn bodoli. Cwblhaodd mwy na 2,500 o ymatebwyr yr arolwg, gyda dros 1,000 ohonynt yn byw yng Nghymru, ac roedd y canlyniadau'n dangos cefnogaeth eang i'r egwyddor o ardoll ymwelwyr. Canfu fod ymateb yr ymatebwyr i'r arolwg yn fwy cadarnhaol na negyddol i'r cysyniad o gael ardoll ymwelwyr yn rhywle y byddant yn mynd ar wyliau iddo neu yn eu hardal eu hunain. Felly, rwy'n credu ei fod yn rhywbeth y gall pobl sy'n byw yn lleol, pobl sy'n gweld effaith twristiaeth ar eu cymunedau ac sydd eisiau gwella'r cynnig twristiaeth, ei gydnabod ond hefyd, mae pobl sy'n mynd ar wyliau yn cydnabod y gallant wneud cyfraniad i'r cymunedau hynny.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, fydd y cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig. Y cwestiwn cyntaf gan Sioned Williams.
The next item will be questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs. And the first question is from Sioned Williams.
Diolch, Llywydd. And I don't have the question in front of me, sorry.
Diolch, Lywydd. Nid yw'r cwestiwn gennyf o'm blaen, mae'n ddrwg gennyf.
Fe wnaf i ffeindio fe.
I'll find it.
Ac mi oeddet ti'n edrych mor well prepared, Sioned.
And you looked so well prepared, Sioned.
Mae gen i'r supplementary, ond nid y cwestiwn. Sori.
I have the supplementary, but not the question. Sorry.
1. Sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn sicrhau bod cynlluniau adfer glofeydd brig yn diogelu cymunedau yng Ngorllewin De Cymru? OQ60908
1. How does the Government ensure that opencast coal mine-restoration plans safeguard communities in South Wales West? OQ60908
Diolch, Sioned, am y cwestiwn.
Thank you, Sioned, for the question.
Coal tip safety falls under the portfolio of the Cabinet Secretary—my colleague—for Housing, Local Government and Planning. Nonetheless, the Welsh Government's coal tip safety programme, including its inspection and maintenance regime and a new disused coal tips Bill, places community safety at the very heart of its objectives.
Mae diogelwch tomenni glo yn rhan o bortffolio Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet—fy nghyd-Aelod—dros Lywodraeth Leol, Tai a Chynllunio. Serch hynny, mae rhaglen ddiogelwch tomenni glo Llywodraeth Cymru, gan gynnwys ei threfn arolygu a chynnal a chadw a Bil newydd ar gyfer tomenni glo nas defnyddir, yn rhoi diogelwch cymunedol wrth wraidd ei hamcanion.
Diolch. You've no doubt heard the concerns in the press and heard my colleague Delyth Jewell also raise concerns about water collecting in the void left by the Ffos-y-Fran opencast site. So, this isn't really about coal tip safety. The Welsh Government responded, saying it was closely monitoring the situation and its priority is the safety of the local community. So, I would like to emphasise that this must not be considered as an isolated case, because Ffos-y-Fran is one example of a systemic failure of the restoration of opencast mines. Similar problems exist in East Pit in Tairgwaith and Margam in Neath Port Talbot. Water filled voids are a great and long-standing concern to local communities there. These mining voids were never planned geologically, structurally, or hydrologically surveyed to hold millions of tonnes of water. In East Pit, recent earthquakes increased residents' concerns regarding the risks of leaving 40 million cu m of water on an active earthquake fault at around 150m above the valley floor with no constructed dam to retain water. Residents want to see surveys and reports from qualified indemnified engineers and measures taken to address the risks. So, how will the Welsh Government intervene to ensure action is taken to safeguard communities who've been left to deal with the serious environmental aftermath of opencast mining, and how, specifically, do you envisage upcoming Welsh legislation will aid the safety and environmental well-being of communities that contain post-industrial sites?
Diolch. Mae'n siŵr eich bod wedi clywed y pryderon yn y wasg ac wedi clywed fy nghyd-Aelod, Delyth Jewell, yn codi pryderon am ddŵr yn cronni y gwagle a adawyd gan safle glo brig Ffos-y-Fran. Felly, nid yw hyn yn ymwneud â diogelwch tomenni glo mewn gwirionedd. Ymatebodd Llywodraeth Cymru, gan ddweud ei bod yn monitro'r sefyllfa'n agos ac mai ei blaenoriaeth yw diogelwch y gymuned leol. Felly, hoffwn bwysleisio na ddylid ystyried hwn fel achos ynysig am mai un enghraifft yw Ffos-y-Fran o fethiant systemig i adfer mwyngloddiau brig. Mae problemau tebyg yn bodoli ym Mhwll y Dwyrain yn Nhairgwaith a Margam yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot. Mae'r ffaith bod y gwagleoedd hyn yn llawn dŵr yn bryder mawr ers amser hir i'r cymunedau lleol yno. Ni chafodd y gwagleoedd mwyngloddio hyn erioed mo'u cynllunio yn ddaearegol, yn strwythurol, na'u harolygu'n hydrolegol i ddal miliynau o dunelli o ddŵr. Ym Mhwll y Dwyrain, mae daeargrynfeydd diweddar wedi cynyddu pryderon trigolion ynghylch y peryglon o adael 40 miliwn cu m o ddŵr ar ffawt daeargryn tua 150m uwchben llawr y dyffryn heb argae wedi'i adeiladu i ddal dŵr. Mae preswylwyr eisiau gweld arolygon ac adroddiadau gan beirianwyr cymwysedig wedi'u hindemnio a mesurau'n cael eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â'r risgiau. Felly, sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymyrryd i sicrhau bod camau'n cael eu cymryd i ddiogelu cymunedau a adawyd i ymdrin â chanlyniadau amgylcheddol difrifol mwyngloddio glo brig, a sut, yn benodol, rydych chi'n rhagweld y bydd y ddeddfwriaeth sydd ar y ffordd yng Nghymru yn cynorthwyo diogelwch a llesiant amgylcheddol cymunedau sy'n cynnwys safleoedd ôl-ddiwydiannol?
Thank you, Sioned, and we are very aware of the concerns of residents that have been expressed and we've seen a lot of that in the public domain as well, and in fact, we've had correspondence as well, and we've seen Delyth raise it and I've seen the Member for Merthyr, my colleague Dawn Bowden, has actually written to my predecessor in this role or to the current Cabinet Member on this regard as well. And it's not a new issue; it's not an isolated issue. In fact, looking across the Chamber here at colleagues who represent my region, we have ones within our area that are a legacy that go back to the John Major time within Government. But each one is different; each one is very separate.
In respect of Ffos-y-Fran, we are indeed—. Welsh Government is very closely monitoring the situation and keeping very closely in contact not only with the local authority, but also with agencies on the ground there, because our priority remains—in Ffos-y-Fran as elsewhere—always the safety of the local community. So, we're in regular contact with the local authority, a range of public sector partners. We've been very clear—very clear—that the safeguarding and the restoration of that site remains our objective, alongside our wish to see the full restoration of the site in line with the planning permission.
Now, just for an update for you as well, the leader of the council has provided assurances to Ministers that the water level in the void is not an immediate concern, but, as I say, we have seen this in other instances in different parts of Wales as well, and we can confirm that Welsh Government is providing support to the council to ensure that they're able to access independent assessments on potential flooding concerns and on environmental impacts as well. But we will keep in touch, and I'm more than happy to discuss this further with the Member or any other Members that want to see how this is progressing on the ground and how we are monitoring it, alongside the local authority and other agencies as well. So, thank you.
Diolch i chi, Sioned, ac rydym yn ymwybodol iawn o'r pryderon a fynegwyd gan drigolion ac rydym wedi gweld llawer o hynny yn y parth cyhoeddus hefyd, ac mewn gwirionedd, rydym wedi cael gohebiaeth hefyd, ac rydym wedi gweld Delyth yn codi'r mater ac rwyf wedi gweld bod yr Aelod dros Ferthyr, fy nghyd-Aelod, Dawn Bowden, wedi ysgrifennu at fy rhagflaenydd yn y rôl hon neu at yr Aelod Cabinet presennol mewn perthynas â hyn hefyd. Ac nid yw'n fater newydd; nid yw'n fater ynysig. Mewn gwirionedd, wrth edrych ar draws y Siambr yma ar gyd-Aelodau sy'n cynrychioli fy rhanbarth, mae gennym ambell un yn ein hardal sy'n mynd yn ôl i gyfnod John Major yn y Llywodraeth. Ond mae pob un yn wahanol; mae pob un yn hollol ar wahân.
O ran Ffos-y-Fran, rydym mewn gwirionedd—. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn monitro'r sefyllfa'n agos iawn ac yn cadw mewn cysylltiad agos iawn nid yn unig â'r awdurdod lleol, ond hefyd gydag asiantaethau ar lawr gwlad yno, oherwydd ein blaenoriaeth o hyd—yn Ffos-y-Fran fel mewn mannau eraill—yw diogelwch y gymuned leol bob amser. Felly, rydym mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â'r awdurdod lleol, ac amrywiaeth o bartneriaid yn y sector cyhoeddus. Rydym wedi bod yn glir iawn—yn glir iawn—mai ein bwriad o hyd yw diogelu ac adfer y safle hwnnw, ochr yn ochr â'n dymuniad i weld y safle'n cael ei adfer yn llawn yn unol â'r caniatâd cynllunio.
Nawr, os caf roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i chi hefyd, mae arweinydd y cyngor wedi rhoi sicrwydd i Weinidogion nad yw lefel y dŵr yn y gwagle yn bryder uniongyrchol, ond fel y dywedais, rydym wedi gweld hyn mewn achosion eraill mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru hefyd, a gallwn gadarnhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu cymorth i'r cyngor i sicrhau eu bod yn gallu cael mynediad at asesiadau annibynnol ar bryderon llifogydd posibl ac ar effeithiau amgylcheddol hefyd. Ond byddwn yn cadw mewn cysylltiad, ac rwy'n fwy na pharod i drafod hyn ymhellach gyda'r Aelod neu unrhyw Aelodau eraill sydd eisiau gweld beth sy'n digwydd ar lawr gwlad a sut rydym yn monitro'r sefyllfa, ochr yn ochr â'r awdurdod lleol ac asiantaethau eraill hefyd. Felly, diolch.
I thank Sioned for raising this important question. While much of the recent focus has been on the fate of the communities around Ffos-y-Fran, communities in our region have been blighted by remnants of coal mining, both deep coal mining and opencast. Despite assurance, Parc Slip at Margam and East Pit in Neath Port Talbot remain unrestored. The concerns voiced by communities in Merthyr Tydfil have been voiced by communities in Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot for years without resolution. Cabinet Secretary, how will your Government ensure our constituents are not forced to live with the blight of mining activities and that sites like Parc Slip and East Pit are restored to nature at the earliest possible opportunity?
Diolch i Sioned am ofyn y cwestiwn pwysig hwn. Er bod llawer o'r ffocws diweddar wedi bod ar dynged y cymunedau o amgylch Ffos-y-Fran, mae cymunedau yn ein rhanbarth ni yn dioddef malltod yr hyn a adawyd ar ôl gan y diwydiant glo, yn byllau glo a mwyngloddiau glo brig. Er gwaethaf sicrwydd, mae Parc Slip ym Margam a Phwll y Dwyrain yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot yn parhau heb eu hadfer. Mae'r pryderon a leisiwyd gan gymunedau ym Merthyr Tudful wedi cael eu lleisio gan gymunedau ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr a Chastell-nedd Port Talbot ers blynyddoedd heb unrhyw ddatrysiad. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, sut y bydd eich Llywodraeth chi'n sicrhau na fydd ein hetholwyr yn cael eu gorfodi i fyw gyda malltod gweithgareddau mwyngloddio a bod safleoedd fel Parc Slip a Phwll y Dwyrain yn cael eu hadfer cyn gynted â phosibl?
I thank you for that supplementary question, because, in fact, the instance that I referred to in my first response was indeed Parc Slip, which is on our doorstep. Two local authorities involved with it; two local authorities who've had to, alongside, I have to say, interest from wildlife organisations as well, if the liabilities and so on could be sorted out—. But it's been going on for years, and it falls to, then, local authorities to step in, because originally, in that instance, and we've seen it elsewhere, the remediation plans, the funding in place and so on—each one is different, but they weren't put in place. That indeed is the one that stems back to the time, curiously, of the John Major Government. So, we're still having to wrestle with these.
But what we are doing in terms of the legislation, bringing the legislation forward, which will help indeed, is we are planning a disused tip safety Bill as a priority for this Government. We are committed to this and a long-term, proactive regime to ensure the ongoing safety of this part of Wales's industrial legacy as well. We intend to introduce that Bill into the Senedd this autumn, and I know that Members who are raising points here and others will want to see how that Bill can contribute as well to dealing with what is a legacy in different parts of Wales, right across Wales, that we are all now living with that should, to be honest, have been sorted out originally when these plans were put into place, but we're now having to pick up the pieces. But we will work with agencies on the ground, we will work with local authorities, and try, I have to say, as well, to make sure that we don't unfairly burden the taxpayer as well on this. There is a responsibility for these original developers, if they still exist, to actually step up to the mark as well.
Diolch i chi am y cwestiwn atodol hwnnw, am mai Parc Slip yw'r enghraifft y cyfeiriais ati yn fy ateb cyntaf mewn gwirionedd, ar garreg ein drws. Mae dau awdurdod lleol yn ymwneud ag ef; dau awdurdod lleol sydd wedi gorfod, ochr yn ochr â diddordeb gan fudiadau bywyd gwyllt hefyd, rhaid i mi ddweud, os gellid datrys y rhwymedigaethau ac yn y blaen—. Ond mae wedi bod yn mynd rhagddo ers blynyddoedd, ac mae gofyn wedyn i awdurdodau lleol gamu i'r adwy, oherwydd yn wreiddiol, yn yr achos hwnnw, ac rydym wedi'i weld mewn mannau eraill, y cynlluniau adfer, y cyllid sydd yn ei le ac yn y blaen—mae pob un yn wahanol, ond ni chawsant eu rhoi ar waith. Dyna'r un sy'n dyddio'n ôl i gyfnod Llywodraeth John Major, yn rhyfedd iawn. Felly, rydym yn dal i orfod mynd i'r afael â'r rhain.
Ond yr hyn a wnawn ar y ddeddfwriaeth, a chyflwyno'r ddeddfwriaeth, a fydd yn helpu yn wir, yw sicrhau bod cynllunio Bil diogelwch tomenni nas defnyddir yn flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth hon. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i hyn a threfn hirdymor, ragweithiol i sicrhau diogelwch parhaus y rhan hon o etifeddiaeth ddiwydiannol Cymru. Rydym yn bwriadu cyflwyno'r Bil i'r Senedd yr hydref hwn, a gwn y bydd yr Aelodau sy'n codi pwyntiau yma ac eraill eisiau gweld sut y gall y Bil hwnnw gyfrannu yn ogystal at fynd i'r afael â'r hyn a adawyd ar ôl mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru, ledled Cymru, pethau yr ydym i gyd bellach yn byw gyda nhw a ddylai fod wedi cael eu datrys pan gafodd y cynlluniau hyn eu rhoi ar waith, i fod yn onest, a ni sy'n gorfod ysgwyddo'r baich bellach. Ond byddwn yn gweithio gydag asiantaethau ar lawr gwlad, byddwn yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol, ac yn ceisio gwneud yn siŵr hefyd nad ydym yn rhoi baich annheg ar y trethdalwr yn hyn o beth, rhaid imi ddweud. Mae yna gyfrifoldeb ar y datblygwyr gwreiddiol hyn, os ydynt yn dal i fodoli, i gamu i'r adwy hefyd.
2. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddatganiad am effaith y rheoliadau ailgylchu yn y gweithle newydd a ddaeth i rym yng Nghymru ar 6 Ebrill 2024? OQ60911
2. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the impact of the new workplace recycling regulations that came into effect in Wales on 6 April 2024? OQ60911
Thank you, Hefin. Yes. The regulations in question will increase recycling and reduce carbon emissions by keeping high-quality materials in use for as long as possible. This will reduce waste incinerated and landfilled whilst helping our economy and the resilience of supply chains, and it represents a vital step in tackling the climate and nature emergencies that we face.
Diolch yn fawr, Hefin. Gwnaf. Bydd y rheoliadau dan sylw yn cynyddu ailgylchu ac yn lleihau allyriadau carbon drwy sicrhau bod deunyddiau o ansawdd uchel yn cael eu defnyddio cyhyd ag y bo modd. Bydd hyn yn lleihau gwastraff sy'n cael ei losgi a'i dirlenwi gan helpu ein heconomi a gwytnwch cadwyni cyflenwi, ac mae'n gam hanfodol wrth fynd i'r afael â'r argyfyngau hinsawdd a natur sy'n ein hwynebu.
Now that the changes have been introduced, charities have contacted me about some of the difficulties that the regulations entail, particularly the cost of multiple new bins and creating the space to store additional recycling waste. So, just to give you an example, I've been contacted by the Aber Valley YMCA in Abertridwr, the First Senghenydd Scout Group, who run the CRAI Scout Activity Park, and Tŷ Hafan, who have a shop in Caerphilly, and all of them have concerns that the multiple requirements that the regulations have for storage of waste are costing them money. For example, the Tŷ Hafan shop in Caerphilly recycles or reuses 90 per cent of its donations and, therefore, although they're committed and passionate about recycling, they are having to take the burden of the additional costs, and you add onto that the fact that municipal tips don't take business waste—not in Caerphilly. So, what can the Welsh Government do to provide that kind of practical help to resolve some of those issues, particularly for those most deserving cases, such as charitable organisations?
Gan fod y newidiadau wedi cael eu cyflwyno erbyn hyn, mae elusennau wedi cysylltu â mi mewn perthynas â rhai o'r anawsterau a ddaw yn sgil y rheoliadau, yn enwedig cost sawl bin newydd a chreu lle i storio gwastraff ailgylchu ychwanegol. Felly, i roi un enghraifft i chi, mae YMCA Cwm Aber yn Abertridwr wedi cysylltu â mi, ynghyd â Grŵp Sgowtiaid Senghennydd, sy'n rhedeg Parc Gweithgareddau Sgowtiaid Caerffili, Cwm Rhymni ac Islwyn, a Tŷ Hafan, sydd â siop yng Nghaerffili, ac mae gan bob un ohonynt bryderon fod y gofynion lluosog yn y rheoliadau ar gyfer storio gwastraff yn costio arian iddynt. Er enghraifft, mae siop Tŷ Hafan yng Nghaerffili yn ailgylchu neu'n ailddefnyddio 90 y cant o'i rhoddion, ac felly, er eu bod wedi ymrwymo ac yn angerddol ynglŷn ag ailgylchu, maent yn gorfod ysgwyddo baich y costau ychwanegol, ac ar ben hynny nid yw tomenni trefol yn derbyn gwastraff busnes—nid yng Nghaerffili. Felly, beth y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i ddarparu'r math hwnnw o gymorth ymarferol i ddatrys rhai o'r problemau, yn enwedig ar gyfer yr achosion mwyaf haeddiannol, fel sefydliadau elusennol?
Thank you, Hefin, for that question. It's a real practical question as well, with a policy that is very well-intentioned and will deliver real results. It's how do we help those organisations, particularly not the big public sector organisations, but those charitable organisations, third sector organisations, to manage their way through this, as well, by the way, as small businesses as well. Just by illustration, by the way, even though there are some initial costs in transferring to this new system, as we saw with doorstep recycling as well, actually, the projections are that, if we stay as we're currently going, because of the increased costs of collecting waste and the increased costs of landfill and a Bill coming down the line in the UK Parliament that will probably increase that further, we're looking at savings of £124.3 million over the next 10 years in comparison with the status quo. This is before we take into account, by the way, the costs of disposal for residual waste. So, part of this scheme is to actually give that resilience to the sector, anticipating that if we stay as we are it is going to get more expensive.
But you asked specifically about how we can help. Well, we have created—. By the way, first of all, I should say, if you want to get in touch with me, I'm more than happy to direct those individual organisations. But we've created a range of helpful practical resources to help those workplaces, including a detailed code of practice, sector-specific guidance. There are webinars with information online—really helpful, I've looked at them; they're very clear to understand—but also case-study videos, including of the type of organisations you refer to. So, for example, there's one of the case studies on a third sector charity, the Hospice of the Valleys charity shop up in Blaenau Gwent, indeed, showing how they've dealt with it without major upheaval, but just making the change very easily with support, with guidance. So, these resources can help workplaces identify what's good practice, how to do it very practically, in material separation and bin location as well, those practical things, and also how to train and upskill staff—I'm going through this in my own workplace at the moment—and optimising and rationalising systems to reduce waste and to minimise cost. But, as I say, we've got lots of organisations showing best practice. It's very easily accessible, but if you'd like to write to me, I'm more than happy to direct them individually, then, to where they can find that information. Diolch.
Diolch am y cwestiwn hwnnw, Hefin. Mae'n gwestiwn ymarferol iawn hefyd, gyda pholisi sydd â bwriadau da iawn ac a fydd yn sicrhau canlyniadau go iawn. Dyma sut rydym yn helpu'r sefydliadau hynny, ac nid y sefydliadau mawr yn y sector cyhoeddus yn enwedig, ond y sefydliadau elusennol, sefydliadau'r trydydd sector, i ddod o hyd i ffordd drwy hyn, a busnesau bach hefyd. Fel enghraifft, gyda llaw, er bod rhai costau cychwynnol wrth drosglwyddo i'r system newydd hon, fel y gwelsom gydag ailgylchu ar garreg y drws, mae'r amcanestyniadau'n dangos, os yw pethau'n aros fel y maent ar hyn o bryd, oherwydd y costau cynyddol o gasglu gwastraff a chostau cynyddol tirlenwi, a'r ffaith bod Bil ar y ffordd yn Senedd y DU sy'n debygol o gynyddu'r costau hynny ymhellach, rydym yn edrych ar arbedion o £124.3 miliwn dros y 10 mlynedd nesaf o'i gymharu â'r status quo. Mae hyn cyn inni ystyried, gyda llaw, y costau gwaredu gwastraff gweddilliol. Felly, rhan o'r cynllun hwn yw rhoi gwytnwch i'r sector, gan ragweld y bydd yn mynd yn ddrutach os yw pethau'n aros fel y maent.
Ond fe wnaethoch chi ofyn yn benodol sut y gallwn ni helpu. Wel, rydym wedi creu—. Gyda llaw, yn gyntaf oll, dylwn ddweud, os ydych chi am gysylltu â mi, rwy'n fwy na pharod i gyfarwyddo'r sefydliadau unigol hynny. Ond rydym wedi creu ystod o adnoddau ymarferol defnyddiol i helpu'r gweithleoedd hynny, gan gynnwys cod ymarfer manwl, a chanllawiau penodol i'r sector. Mae yna weminarau gyda gwybodaeth ar-lein—sy'n ddefnyddiol iawn, rwyf wedi edrych arnynt; maent yn hawdd iawn i'w deall—ond hefyd fideos o astudiaethau achos, gan gynnwys y math o sefydliadau rydych chi'n cyfeirio atynt. Felly, er enghraifft, mae un o'r astudiaethau achos ar elusen trydydd sector, siop elusen Hosbis y Cymoedd ym Mlaenau Gwent sy'n dangos sut maent wedi mynd i'r afael â'r peth heb lawer o drafferth, drwy wneud y newid yn hawdd iawn gyda chefnogaeth, gydag arweiniad. Felly, gall yr adnoddau hyn helpu gweithleoedd i nodi beth sy'n arfer da, sut i'w wneud yn ymarferol iawn, sut i wahanu deunyddiau a lleoli biniau hefyd, y pethau ymarferol hynny, a hefyd sut i hyfforddi ac uwchsgilio staff—mae hyn i gyd yn digwydd yn fy ngweithle fy hun ar hyn o bryd—ac optimeiddio a symleiddio systemau i leihau gwastraff a lleihau costau. Ond fel y dywedais, mae gennym lawer o sefydliadau'n arddangos arferion gorau. Mae'r wybodaeth honno ar gael yn hawdd iawn, ond os hoffech ysgrifennu ataf, rwy'n fwy na pharod i'w cyfeirio'n unigol at ble y gallant ddod o hyd iddi. Diolch.
Cabinet Secretary, I've not met a business across my constituency that doesn't want to recycle more. However, the businesses that I have spoken to have said, regarding the Welsh Government's engagement with business, 'Yes, they tried, but it didn't reach everybody.' So, there are businesses out there who are not aware of actually what they have to do. There are also hospitality businesses out there as well, like the pubs, who are very concerned that they'll have multiple bins out the back of their properties and they're going to have contaminated waste because people chuck whatever they want to in bins in public areas, and their businesses will be the ones being fined by Natural Resources Wales for having contaminated waste. The businesses that I've spoken to would like a bit more time so they can adapt to these changes, and also recycling companies, so they can actually provide bins with locks on them, so people cannot just chuck any sort of waste in those bins. So, I ask you, Cabinet Secretary: can we have a bit more of a relaxed view as to enforcement around this for 12 months, so we can give those recycling businesses time to provide the bins that those businesses need, and also to give the businesses who are implementing these changes the opportunity to get the bins that they want so they don't foul fall—fall foul—of any of the rules that you put in place? I'm getting tongue-tied this afternoon, Cabinet Secretary. [Laughter.]
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid wyf wedi cyfarfod â busnes ar draws fy etholaeth nad yw eisiau ailgylchu mwy. Fodd bynnag, mae'r busnesau yr wyf wedi siarad â nhw wedi dweud, ynghylch ymgysylltiad Llywodraeth Cymru â busnes, 'Do, fe wnaethant geisio, ond ni chyrhaeddodd bawb.' Felly, mae yna fusnesau allan yno nad ydynt yn ymwybodol o'r hyn y mae'n rhaid iddynt ei wneud mewn gwirionedd. Mae yna fusnesau lletygarwch hefyd, fel y tafarndai, sy'n pryderu'n fawr y bydd ganddynt lawer o finiau allan yng nghefn eu heiddo a bydd ganddynt wastraff halogedig oherwydd bod pobl yn taflu beth bynnag y maent am ei daflu i mewn i finiau mewn mannau cyhoeddus, a'u busnesau nhw fydd yn cael dirwy gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru am fod ganddynt wastraff halogedig. Byddai'r busnesau yr wyf wedi siarad â nhw eisiau ychydig mwy o amser fel y gallant addasu i'r newidiadau hyn, a chwmnïau ailgylchu hefyd, fel y gallant ddarparu biniau gyda chlo arnynt, fel na fydd modd i bobl daflu unrhyw fath o wastraff i mewn i'r biniau hynny. Felly, gofynnaf i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet: a allwn ni gael safbwynt ychydig yn llai llym ynghylch gorfodi hyn am 12 mis, er mwyn inni allu rhoi amser i'r busnesau ailgylchu ddarparu'r biniau sydd eu hangen arnynt, a hefyd i roi cyfle i'r busnesau sy'n gweithredu'r newidiadau hyn gael y biniau y maent eu heisiau fel eu bod yn gallu cydymffurfio ag unrhyw reolau a roddwch ar waith?
James, thank you for that helpful supplementary question. And, Llywydd, just to point out to people, the reason I can't turn around that well is that, fit and healthy as I am, I can't turn my neck—[Interruption.] [Laughter.] But, just to explain, in case you think I'm ignoring you, or you think I'm turning my back on you, I'm permanently like this.
James, diolch am y cwestiwn atodol defnyddiol hwnnw. A Lywydd, os caf nodi wrth bobl, y rheswm pam na allaf droi atoch yw, er mor ffit ac iach wyf i, ni allaf droi fy ngwddf—[Torri ar draws.] [Chwerthin.] Ond i esbonio, rhag ofn eich bod chi'n meddwl fy mod i'n eich anwybyddu, neu os ydych chi'n meddwl fy mod yn troi fy nghefn arnoch, fel hyn rwyf i'n barhaol.
If you turn your back as well, Minister, then the cameras won't see you and the microphone won't pick you up. So, stay looking straight on is my professional advice. [Laughter.]
Os trowch eich cefn hefyd, Weinidog, ni fydd y camerâu yn eich gweld ac ni fydd y meicroffon yn codi eich llais. Felly, daliwch ati i edrych o'ch blaen yw fy nghyngor proffesiynol. [Chwerthin.]
It's a fact of my life. I can't play cricket either now as well because I can't look down the crease as I can't turn my head.
But, anyway, it's a really helpful question. First of all, it's been 10 years in the making—10 years—and we've already actually put in place a six-month delay in order to refine it in response to previously being asked. I mentioned in response to Hefin David's question the vast range of information that's out there, and, genuinely, James, direct people towards those sources because they will be really helpful. What is really interesting is that, in the surveys that we've done recently, more than three-quarters of the public surveyed, but also, SMEs surveyed, were really in support of this; they want to make it happen. So, we're trying to make it easy for them by actually saying, 'Here's where you can get the advice and so on.' But we have done the delays already.
One other thing to mention in response to that, in terms of the proportionate approach towards the regulation and the enforcement, NRW has already advised that, in line with their regulatory principles, they'll take a risk-based approach to regulation—a fair and proportionate approach. They intend to actually help, advise, guide, educate, if you like, first of all. It was the same as when it came in with the doorstep recycling in houses. Remember the fuss over that, and everybody saying, 'How on earth do we do this?' Now we're just used to it; we do it. So, that advice and support, and a fair and proportionate approach to enforcement will be taken, with an initial emphasis on providing support and guidance to help bring those businesses and workplaces into compliance. But there's practical advice out there, James, and, again, I'd make that offer: if you want to have a chat with me so that we can identify certain businesses who are struggling, I'm more than happy, then, to help guide them to where they can get that support.
Mae'n un o ffeithiau fy mywyd. Ni allaf chwarae criced nawr ychwaith am na allaf edrych ar hyd y llain gan fy mod yn methu troi fy mhen.
Ond beth bynnag, mae'n gwestiwn defnyddiol iawn. Yn gyntaf oll, mae wedi cymryd 10 mlynedd i'w wneud—10 mlynedd—ac rydym eisoes wedi gohirio am chwe mis er mwyn ei fireinio mewn ymateb i gais blaenorol. Soniais mewn ymateb i gwestiwn Hefin David am yr ystod eang o wybodaeth sydd ar gael, ac o ddifrif, James, mae'n cyfeirio pobl tuag at y ffynonellau hynny oherwydd byddant yn ddefnyddiol iawn. Yr hyn sy'n ddiddorol iawn yn yr arolygon a wnaethom yn ddiweddar yw bod mwy na thri chwarter y cyhoedd a arolygwyd, ond hefyd, y BBaChau a arolygwyd, yn cefnogi hyn mewn gwirionedd; maent eisiau gwneud iddo ddigwydd. Felly, rydym yn ceisio ei gwneud hi'n hawdd iddynt drwy ddweud, 'Dyma lle gallwch chi gael y cyngor ac yn y blaen.' Ond rydym eisoes wedi gohirio.
Un peth arall i'w grybwyll mewn ymateb i hynny, ar ddull cymesur o weithredu'r rheoliadau a'r orfodaeth, mae CNC eisoes wedi cynghori, yn unol â'u hegwyddorion rheoleiddiol, y byddant yn mabwysiadu dull sy'n seiliedig ar risg o reoleiddio—dull teg a chymesur. Maent yn bwriadu helpu, cynghori, arwain, addysgu, os mynnwch, yn gyntaf oll. Roedd yr un fath â phan ddaeth i mewn gyda'r ailgylchu ar garreg y drws mewn tai. Fe gofiwch y ffwdan ynglŷn â hynny, a phawb yn dweud, 'Sut ar y ddaear y gwnawn ni hyn?' Ond rydym wedi arfer nawr; rydym yn ei wneud. Felly, bydd y cyngor a'r gefnogaeth yno, a dull teg a chymesur o orfodi, gyda phwyslais cychwynnol ar ddarparu cymorth ac arweiniad i helpu'r busnesau a'r gweithleoedd hynny i gydymffurfio. Ond mae cyngor ymarferol ar gael, James, ac unwaith eto, rwy'n cynnig: os ydych chi am gael sgwrs gyda mi fel y gallwn nodi busnesau sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd, rwy'n fwy na hapus i wneud hynny er mwyn helpu i'w cyfeirio at lle gallant gael y gefnogaeth honno.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Samuel Kurtz.
Questions now from party spokespeople. The Welsh Conservative spokesperson, Samuel Kurtz.
Diolch, Llywydd, and I warmly welcome the new Cabinet Secretary to his position and wish him well. And I'm grateful, too, for the time that he gave me yesterday to discuss a range of issues. I'm pleased to see as well that the Cabinet Secretary has already been out on farms, some of which were in my own constituency, sadly without me being notified as is standard protocol, alas. But only a few short weeks ago, the largest protest of its kind took place on the steps of the Senedd, as Welsh farmers stood in unity against the Welsh Government's proposals on the sustainable farming scheme, bovine TB eradication and nitrate vulnerable zone regulations. Now, I don't envy the new Cabinet Secretary and the broken relationship between the Welsh Government and rural Wales that he has inherited with this portfolio. Your predecessor met with the organisers of the Welshpool and Carmarthen mart meetings, and can I urge you, please, to do the same? But on the sustainable farming scheme specifically, can the Cabinet Secretary outline what changes he intends to make to incentivise farmers to sign up to the scheme, having been told in no uncertain terms by the farming unions that tinkering won't be sufficient?
Diolch, Lywydd, ac rwy'n croesawu'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet newydd i'w swydd ac yn dymuno'n dda iddo. Ac rwy'n ddiolchgar hefyd, am yr amser a roddodd i mi ddoe i drafod ystod o faterion. Rwy'n falch o weld hefyd fod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet eisoes wedi bod allan ar ffermydd, rai ohonynt yn fy etholaeth i, heb i mi gael fy hysbysu, gwaetha'r modd, fel sy'n brotocol safonol. Ond ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, cynhaliwyd y brotest fwyaf o'i bath ar risiau'r Senedd, wrth i ffermwyr Cymru sefyll mewn undod yn erbyn cynigion Llywodraeth Cymru ar y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy, dileu TB buchol a rheoliadau parthau perygl nitradau. Nawr, nid wyf yn genfigennus o'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet newydd a'r berthynas doredig rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a'r Gymru wledig y mae wedi'i hetifeddu gyda'r portffolio hwn. Fe wnaeth eich rhagflaenydd gyfarfod â threfnwyr cyfarfodydd mart y Trallwng a Chaerfyrddin, ac a gaf i eich annog i wneud yr un peth? Ond ar y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy yn benodol, a all Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu pa newidiadau y mae'n bwriadu eu gwneud i gymell ffermwyr i ymuno â'r cynllun, ar ôl cael gwybod yn bendant iawn gan yr undebau ffermio na fydd mân newidiadau'n ddigonol?
Thank you, Sam, and thanks for the welcome to the office. Listen, genuinely, my apologies for not giving you notice last week. There were circumstances around it, which I'm happy to discuss, but we'll make sure it doesn't happen again, and, even with unusual circumstances around it, we will inform you and other Members here as well. So, my apologies.
Look, Sam, I'm not yet deliberately—and I say this quite genuinely—or we're not yet in a position to actually make specific policy decisions and announce the next steps on where we go with the sustainability of farming. By the way, when I say sustainability of farming, I mean that in its broadest terms. It is to do with, as I've said in interviews this week, the sustainability and the vitality of the farm businesses, as well as the sustainability in terms of the climate change and the nature emergencies we face. It's food production and all of that alongside the other imperatives we have to do. That means, on the back of the thousands of responses that we've already had, on the back of the dialogue we've had over seven years, it's time to pause and reflect and then to engage, but not to delay for too long, because the worst thing we can do for farmers, as well as everybody else, is to say, 'Let's inject more uncertainty, more delay'. We need to crack on.
One of the welcome things that we did within the first couple of days coming into office, my colleague the First Minister and I—. I think the first, in fact, formal meeting that the First Minister had in Cathays Park was with the heads of the farming unions. It was a productive meeting, but we stressed to them we are genuinely listening. We are looking at what the responses to those consultations are before we move. When we do move, we will do it together. That is key, and that comes to the heart of the question that you've put. We do not do this without having a wide sign-up right across Wales, right across society, right across all the groups that were interested in this, but especially with the farming community. Because whether it is upland or lowland farms, whether it is intensive or extensive, whatever types of diversified farming, we need them coming with us on this journey because they will deliver that multiplicity of benefits for us. Now, I am confident, quietly, that we can do that, but we need to rebuild that goodwill, trust, faith, collaboration—the Welsh way of doing things—on all sides, which is 'we do this together'. And then, Sam, we can provide the best example of leadership in this in Wales and we can do this. But, yes, pause, reflect, look at the evidence, look at the responses to the consultation, of which there have been many, many thousands, which is going to take us a little bit of time, and then we'll set out how we proceed.
Diolch yn fawr, Sam, a diolch am y croeso i'r swyddfa. Gwrandewch, o ddifrif, rwy'n ymddiheuro am beidio â rhoi rhybudd i chi yr wythnos diwethaf. Roedd yna amgylchiadau ynghlwm wrth hynny yr wyf yn hapus i'w trafod, ond fe wnawn sicrhau nad yw'n digwydd eto, a hyd yn oed gydag amgylchiadau anarferol, fe wnawn eich hysbysu chi ac Aelodau eraill yma hefyd. Felly, rwy'n ymddiheuro.
Edrychwch, Sam, nid wyf eto yn fwriadol—ac rwy'n dweud hyn yn gwbl onest—neu nid ydym mewn sefyllfa eto i wneud penderfyniadau polisi penodol a chyhoeddi'r camau nesaf ar lle rydym ni'n mynd gyda chynaliadwyedd ffermio. Gyda llaw, pan ddywedaf gynaliadwyedd ffermio, rwy'n golygu hynny yn yr ystyr ehangaf. Fel y dywedais mewn cyfweliadau yr wythnos hon, mae'n ymwneud â chynaliadwyedd a bywiogrwydd busnesau'r fferm, yn ogystal â chynaliadwyedd mewn perthynas â'r argyfyngau newid hinsawdd a natur sy'n ein hwynebu. Mae'n ymwneud â chynhyrchu bwyd a hynny i gyd ochr yn ochr â'r pethau eraill y mae'n rhaid i ni eu gwneud. Mae hynny'n golygu, ar sail y miloedd o ymatebion a gawsom eisoes, ar sail y ddeialog a gawsom dros saith mlynedd, ei bod hi'n bryd oedi a myfyrio ac yna ymgysylltu, ond peidio ag oedi'n rhy hir, oherwydd y peth gwaethaf y gallwn ei wneud i ffermwyr, yn ogystal â phawb arall, yw dweud, 'Gadewch inni chwistrellu mwy o ansicrwydd, mwy o oedi'. Mae'n rhaid inni fwrw ymlaen.
Un o'r pethau defnyddiol a wnaethom o fewn yr ychydig ddyddiau cyntaf o ddod i'n swyddi, fy nghyd-Aelod, y Prif Weinidog a minnau—. Rwy'n credu mai'r cyfarfod ffurfiol cyntaf a gafodd y Prif Weinidog ym Mharc Cathays oedd yr un gyda phenaethiaid yr undebau ffermio. Roedd yn gyfarfod cynhyrchiol, ond fe wnaethom bwysleisio iddynt ein bod yn gwrando o ddifrif. Rydym yn edrych ar beth yw'r ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriadau hynny cyn i ni symud. Pan fyddwn yn symud, fe'i gwnawn gyda'n gilydd. Mae hynny'n allweddol, ac mae hynny'n mynd at wraidd y cwestiwn a ofynnoch chi. Nid ydym yn gwneud hyn heb gefnogaeth eang ledled Cymru, ar draws y gymdeithas, ar draws yr holl grwpiau a oedd â diddordeb yn hyn, ond yn enwedig y gymuned ffermio. Oherwydd boed yn ffermydd ar yr ucheldir neu'r iseldir, boed yn ffermio dwys neu lai dwys, pa fathau bynnag o ffermio arallgyfeiriol, mae angen iddynt ddod gyda ni ar y daith hon oherwydd byddant yn sicrhau'r llu o fuddion hynny i ni. Nawr, rwy'n hyderus, yn dawel bach, y gallwn wneud hynny, ond mae angen inni ailadeiladu'r ewyllys da, yr ymddiriedaeth, y ffydd, y cydweithio hwnnw—y ffordd Gymreig o wneud pethau—ar bob ochr, sef 'rydym yn gwneud hyn gyda'n gilydd'. Ac yna, Sam, gallwn ddarparu'r enghraifft orau o arweinyddiaeth ar hyn yng Nghymru a gallwn wneud hyn. Ond, ie, oedi, myfyrio, edrych ar y dystiolaeth, edrych ar yr ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad, a chafwyd miloedd lawer, sy'n mynd i gymryd ychydig o amser i ni, ac yna byddwn yn nodi sut rydym am symud ymlaen.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I'm pleased to hear you mention the need and the recognition of having to rebuild that relationship, and, again, the stressing of sustainability having a wider definition than that just of climate and nature.
Now, moving on to bovine TB, the long-awaited membership of the technical advisory group was announced earlier this week, having first been announced back in July 2022—a full 21 months later, but better late than ever. But it doesn't exactly paint a picture of a Government who are committed to TB eradication. But concerns have been raised that there is no farmer voice on this group, no voice of someone who has been through the horrors of bovine TB on their farm. A missed opportunity, I would say, not to have that specific experience alongside the experience of academia and the veterinarian profession as well, because behind every TB breakdown is a farmer and a family. The human impact and cost can't be ignored.
Now, you mentioned earlier the interviews that you've done, and on Radio 4's Farming Today programme yesterday you boldly claimed that England, where they are at a 15-year low in bovine TB incidence, could learn something from here in Wales, and now this has caused further frustration in the sector, who look across the border and see a genuine and positive reduction in bovine TB. Now, will you follow the science, follow this lead, and deliver the targeted removal of infected wildlife so the industry doesn't continue to attempt to eradicate bovine TB with one hand tied behind its back?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Rwy'n falch o'ch clywed yn sôn am gydnabod yr angen i ailadeiladu'r berthynas honno, a phwysleisio unwaith eto fod i gynaliadwyedd ddiffiniad ehangach na hinsawdd a natur yn unig.
Nawr, gan symud ymlaen at TB buchol, cyhoeddwyd aelodaeth hirddisgwyliedig y grŵp cynghori technegol yn gynharach yr wythnos hon, ar ôl cael ei gyhoeddi gyntaf yn ôl ym mis Gorffennaf 2022—21 mis llawn yn ddiweddarach, ond gwell hwyr na hwyrach. Ond nid yw'n creu darlun o Lywodraeth sydd wedi ymrwymo i ddileu TB. Ond mae pryderon wedi eu codi nad oes llais i ffermwyr yn y grŵp hwn, llais neb sydd wedi bod drwy erchyllterau TB buchol ar eu fferm. Cyfle a gollwyd, byddwn yn dweud, i beidio â chael y profiad hwnnw ochr yn ochr â phrofiad y byd academaidd a'r proffesiwn milfeddygol hefyd, oherwydd y tu ôl i bob achos o TB mae yna ffermwr a theulu. Ni ellir anwybyddu'r effaith a'r gost ddynol.
Nawr, fe sonioch chi yn gynharach am y cyfweliadau a wnaethoch, ac ar raglen Farming Today ar Radio 4 ddoe, fe wnaethoch chi honni'n ddewr y gallai Lloegr, lle maent ar y lefel isaf ers 15 mlynedd o achosion o TB mewn gwartheg, ddysgu rhywbeth gan Gymru, ac mae hyn wedi achosi rhwystredigaeth bellach yn y sector, sy'n edrych dros y ffin ac yn gweld gostyngiad gwirioneddol a chadarnhaol mewn TB buchol. Nawr, a wnewch chi ddilyn y wyddoniaeth, dilyn yr arweiniad hwn, a sicrhau bod bywyd gwyllt heintiedig yn cael ei dargedu fel nad yw'r diwydiant yn parhau i geisio dileu TB buchol gydag un llaw wedi'i chlymu y tu ôl i'w gefn?
Sam, I think there are two or three key areas within agriculture and farming that are going to be with us for the foreseeable future and that we have to resolve. The future of sustainable farming is one, bovine TB is another. What we do on river water quality is the other big one, if you like, of that triumvirate. We have to do them together. But on the membership of the advisory group, which I attended today, by the way—and thank you for taking the time to meet with me yesterday as well and go through some of these issues—let us say there's probably been some misunderstanding of what that group does and what it's relation is to the board. The board is a much wider stakeholder group including farmer representation on it as ex-officio members. So, we have the farming unions on that board. That's the board that actually sets the steer and so on. But, the advisory group that I met with this morning, when we went around the table and we looked at that—and I'd looked previously at the curricula vitae of these people; these are people not only with direct experience, on-farm experience, by the way, with one of them going back to my early boyhood on the Gower, where he lived and breathed and worked on farms as the on-farm vet, and others around that table as well bringing that same depth of experience—these are not people isolated from rural Wales and the farming community. They bring a wide breadth of very, very expert advice that can then feed upwards to the programme board. I've seen a couple of the headlines on this. I'm happy to meet with whoever's saying this is a waste of time. It isn't. This actually now underpins what we can do in looking at the evidence, looking at the science and going forward.
You mentioned, though, why I referred in the interviews I've done to some of the lessons in Wales. I was out last week on a series of farm visits, and one of them was with somebody you know very well, with Roger and the Pembrokeshire pathways, which I know you've previously had involvement directly with. Some of that is showing us the way forward in some of the things we've done. Over a decade ago, when I was the DEFRA Minister, we saw the evidence, the data, which Lesley will know as well, data showing not only how you could drill down to individual farms or down to herds within a farm, but actually to individual cattle and identify early on. But then, the different thing about the Pembrokeshire pathway project is it brings together, with a degree of autonomy to the farmer, the on-site vet as well as the veterinary service from Wales, alongside the advice from the TB centre of excellence in Aberystwyth, et cetera, et cetera. It's a proper partnership. It's no longer saying to the farmer, 'You are at the whim of somebody coming onto your farm and doing to you whatever they do to you'. It's proper autonomy, and there was real enthusiasm about it.
The other thing is the number of new incidents across Wales has decreased from 754 in 2018 to 630 for the 12 months to December 2023. It's a 16.4 per cent decrease. Over the same period, there's been a decrease of 8.4 per cent in the number of animals slaughtered as well. We're doing good things in parts of Wales. The question is, to come back to the initial part of it, where does that advisory group now suggest that we need to go afterwards?
By the way, Llywydd, one of the things of interest to Members of the Senedd from this morning is that the advisory group is actually looking first at on-farm slaughter, which has been a very emotive issue. You are right—the emotional impact of this on farmers, who are very often hardy individuals, the emotional impact is telling. One of those aspects is on-farm slaughter, and that's why they are looking at that as their first item of business.
Sam, rwy'n credu bod dau neu dri maes allweddol mewn amaethyddiaeth a ffermio yn mynd i fod gyda ni am y dyfodol rhagweladwy ac mae'n rhaid inni eu datrys. Dyfodol ffermio cynaliadwy yw un, mae TB buchol yn un arall. Yr hyn a wnawn ar ansawdd dŵr afonydd yw'r un mawr arall yn y drindod honno os mynnwch. Mae'n rhaid inni eu gwneud gyda'i gilydd. Ond ar aelodaeth y grŵp cynghori, a fynychais heddiw, gyda llaw—a diolch i chi am roi amser i gyfarfod â mi ddoe hefyd a mynd trwy rai o'r materion hyn—gadewch inni ddweud ei bod hi'n debyg fod peth camddealltwriaeth wedi bod ynghylch yr hyn y mae'r grŵp hwnnw'n ei wneud a'i berthynas â'r bwrdd. Mae'r bwrdd yn grŵp llawer ehangach o randdeiliaid gan gynnwys cynrychiolaeth ffermwyr fel aelodau ex officio. Felly, mae gennym yr undebau ffermio ar y bwrdd hwnnw. Dyna'r bwrdd sy'n gosod y llwybr ac yn y blaen. Ond y grŵp cynghori y gwneuthum gyfarfod ag ef y bore yma, pan aethom o gwmpas y bwrdd ac edrych ar hynny—ac roeddwn i wedi edrych o'r blaen ar curricula vitae y bobl hyn; dyma bobl sydd nid yn unig yn meddu ar brofiad uniongyrchol, profiad ar y fferm, gyda llaw, gydag un ohonynt yn mynd yn ôl i'w blentyndod cynnar ar benrhyn Gŵyr, lle roedd yn byw ac yn gweithio ar ffermydd fel milfeddyg ar ffermydd, ac eraill o gwmpas y bwrdd hwnnw yn ogystal yn dod â'r un dyfnder profiad hwnnw—nid pobl heb unrhyw gysylltiad â chefn gwlad Cymru a'r gymuned ffermio yw'r rhain. Maent yn dod ag ystod eang o gyngor arbenigol iawn a all dreiddio i fyny wedyn i fwrdd y rhaglen. Rwyf wedi gweld un neu ddau o'r penawdau ar hyn. Rwy'n hapus i gyfarfod â phwy bynnag sy'n dweud bod hyn yn wastraff amser. Nid yw hynny'n wir. Mae'n sail i'r hyn y gallwn ei wneud wrth edrych ar y dystiolaeth, wrth edrych ar y wyddoniaeth a symud ymlaen.
Roeddech chi'n sôn, serch hynny, pam y cyfeiriais yn y cyfweliadau a wneuthum at rai o'r gwersi yng Nghymru. Roeddwn allan yr wythnos diwethaf ar gyfres o ymweliadau fferm, ac roedd un ohonynt gyda rhywun rydych chi'n ei adnabod yn dda iawn, sef Roger a llwybrau sir Benfro, y gwn eich bod wedi ymwneud yn uniongyrchol â nhw yn flaenorol. Mae peth o hynny'n dangos y ffordd ymlaen yn rhai o'r pethau a wnaethom. Dros ddegawd yn ôl, pan oeddwn yn Weinidog DEFRA, gwelsom y dystiolaeth, y data, y bydd Lesley yn gwybod amdano hefyd, data sy'n dangos nid yn unig sut y gallech ddadansoddi i lawr at ffermydd unigol neu at fuchesi o fewn fferm, ac at wartheg unigol mewn gwirionedd a nodi clefyd yn gynnar. Ond wedyn, y peth gwahanol am brosiect llwybr sir Benfro yw ei fod yn dod â rhywfaint o ymreolaeth i'r ffermwr, y milfeddyg ar y safle yn ogystal â'r gwasanaeth milfeddygol yng Nghymru, ochr yn ochr â'r cyngor gan y ganolfan ragoriaeth TB yn Aberystwyth ac ati. Mae'n bartneriaeth go iawn. Nid yw'n dweud wrth y ffermwr mwyach, 'Rydych chi ar fympwy rhywun sy'n dod ar eich fferm ac yn gwneud beth bynnag y maent yn ei wneud i chi.' Mae'n ymreolaeth go iawn, ac roedd brwdfrydedd gwirioneddol yn ei gylch.
Y peth arall yw bod nifer yr achosion newydd ledled Cymru wedi gostwng o 754 yn 2018 i 630 am y 12 mis hyd at fis Rhagfyr 2023. Mae'n ostyngiad o 16.4 y cant. Dros yr un cyfnod, bu gostyngiad o 8.4 y cant yn nifer yr anifeiliaid a laddwyd hefyd. Rydym yn gwneud pethau da mewn rhannau o Gymru. Y cwestiwn yw, i ddod yn ôl i'r rhan gychwynnol ohono, lle mae'r grŵp cynghori hwnnw'n awgrymu bod angen inni fynd wedyn?
Gyda llaw, Lywydd, un o'r pethau sydd o ddiddordeb i Aelodau'r Senedd y bore yma yw bod y grŵp cynghori yn edrych gyntaf ar ladd ar y fferm, sydd wedi bod yn fater emosiynol iawn. Rydych chi'n iawn—effaith emosiynol hyn ar ffermwyr, sy'n aml iawn yn unigolion gwydn, mae'r effaith emosiynol yn dweud llawer. Un o'r agweddau hynny yw lladd ar y fferm, a dyna pam eu bod yn edrych ar hynny fel eu heitem gyntaf o fusnes.
I'm grateful for that, Cabinet Secretary. Yes, the advisory group does have that experience in terms of practical delivery, but I don't think it should be understated how important it is to understand the farmer's voice in the delivery of TB eradication on farms. Yes, it's a technical advisory group, but it is those farmers themselves who deliver much of this on their farms. So, I think that's where there's a specific point in terms of the farm voice being lost on the technical advisory group.
Yes, you mentioned three topics, and I'll move on to the third, being water quality. It'll be no shock to this Chamber that the recent wet weather has caused real issues for farmers across Wales. Crops haven't been sown, silage is running short and livestock has been turned out onto fields that are already saturated. I'm pleased that, following my letter to you asking what support is available to those farmers most severely affected, you have convened a wet weather summit tomorrow. But, what this also goes to show is the unpredictability of the weather here in Wales and why the NVZ's farming-by-calendar approach is an absolute nonsense, I'm afraid. Do you recognise this and will you scrap this outdated policy, which could make water pollution incidence worse? And will you work with the sector and the exciting technology that's developing to bring forward genuine change that improves the quality of our waterways while giving our farmers hope that there is a future for this industry in Wales, because, Cabinet Secretary, what farmers need at the moment, on all three of these topics, is hope?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar am hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Oes, mae gan y grŵp cynghori brofiad o gyflawni'n ymarferol, ond nid wyf yn credu y dylid colli golwg ar bwysigrwydd deall llais y ffermwr wrth anelu at ddileu TB ar ffermydd. Ydy, mae'n grŵp cynghori technegol, ond y ffermwyr eu hunain sy'n cyflawni llawer o hyn ar eu ffermydd. Felly, rwy'n credu bod pwynt penodol yno o ran colli llais y fferm ar y grŵp cynghori technegol.
Do, fe wnaethoch chi sôn am dri phwnc, ac fe symudaf ymlaen at y trydydd, sef ansawdd dŵr. Ni fydd yn sioc i'r Siambr hon fod y tywydd gwlyb diweddar wedi achosi problemau gwirioneddol i ffermwyr ledled Cymru. Mae cnydau heb eu hau, mae silwair yn brin ac mae da byw wedi'u troi allan ar gaeau sydd eisoes yn wlyb iawn. Rwy'n falch eich bod chi, yn dilyn fy llythyr atoch yn gofyn pa gymorth sydd ar gael i'r ffermwyr yr effeithir fwyaf arnynt, wedi cynnull uwchgynhadledd tywydd gwlyb yfory. Ond mae hyn hefyd yn dangos pa mor anrhagweladwy yw'r tywydd yma yng Nghymru a pham mae dull ffermio yn ôl y calendr y parthau perygl nitradau yn nonsens llwyr, mae arnaf ofn. A ydych chi'n cydnabod hyn ac a wnewch chi gael gwared ar y polisi hen ffasiwn hwn, a allai wneud achosion o lygredd dŵr yn waeth? Ac a wnewch chi weithio gyda'r sector a'r dechnoleg gyffrous sy'n datblygu i sicrhau newid gwirioneddol sy'n gwella ansawdd ein dyfrffyrdd gan roi gobaith i'n ffermwyr ar yr un pryd fod dyfodol i'r diwydiant hwn yng Nghymru, oherwydd, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yr hyn sydd ei angen ar ffermwyr ar hyn o bryd, ar y tri phwnc, yw gobaith?
Thank you, Sam. We've done the big three issues, and I think we'll be coming back to them. But, just to say, my thanks to my predecessor in this role, Lesley Griffiths, because one of the things that she made clear is that not only have we adjusted currently the nitrate regulations—and we will look to see how those are working or whether there's improvement that needs to be made—we cannot walk away from the fact that so many of our rivers, affected by different types of pollution, but many of them by diffuse agricultural pollution, are under ecological status, and nobody wants that. The public doesn't want it, the farmers don't want it, and so on. So, we will look at how we take that forward. But also, we have the first four-year review of the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021 imminently; the team have begun having discussions with stakeholders, including the Wales land management forum sub-group on agricultural pollution, bringing together a wide range of groups on this. So, we do need to look at it, and I'm not going to pre-empt it. Standing here as a Minister, what I am not is the font of all knowledge. That's why we establish these groups to actually go away and tell us what is now the way forward. But on river quality, again, it is working with the farmers and with other stakeholders on a catchment basis to find out how we actually turn those rivers that we have—all of them—back to pristine status. Again, we have to do it together. Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch, Sam. Rydym wedi gwneud y tri phrif beth, ac rwy'n credu y byddwn yn dychwelyd atynt. Ond hoffwn ddiolch i fy rhagflaenydd yn y rôl hon, Lesley Griffiths, oherwydd un o'r pethau a wnaed yn glir ganddi yw ein bod nid yn unig wedi addasu'r rheoliadau nitrad ar hyn o bryd—a byddwn yn edrych i weld sut mae'r rheini'n gweithio neu a oes angen gwella—ond ni allwn wadu'r ffaith ychwaith fod cymaint o'n hafonydd wedi eu heffeithio gan wahanol fathau o lygredd, a llawer ohonynt gan lygredd amaethyddol gwasgaredig, ac o dan statws ecolegol, ac nid oes neb eisiau hynny. Nid yw'r cyhoedd eisiau hynny, nid yw'r ffermwyr eisiau hynny, ac yn y blaen. Felly, byddwn yn edrych ar sut i fwrw ymlaen â hynny. Ond hefyd, mae gennym yr adolygiad pedair blynedd cyntaf o Reoliadau Adnoddau Dŵr (Rheoli Llygredd Amaethyddol) (Cymru) 2021 ar fin digwydd; mae'r tîm wedi dechrau cael trafodaethau gyda rhanddeiliaid, gan gynnwys is-grŵp fforwm rheoli tir Cymru ar lygredd amaethyddol, gan ddod ag ystod eang o grwpiau at ei gilydd ar hyn. Felly, mae angen inni edrych arno, ac nid wyf am achub y blaen arno. Wrth sefyll yma fel Gweinidog, nid wyf yn ffynnon pob gwybodaeth. Dyna pam ein bod yn sefydlu'r grwpiau hyn i fynd i edrych i weld a dweud wrthym beth yw'r ffordd ymlaen nawr. Ond ar ansawdd afonydd, unwaith eto, mae'n fater o weithio gyda'r ffermwyr a chyda rhanddeiliaid eraill ar sail dalgylch i ddarganfod sut rydym yn adfer cyflwr rhagorol yr afonydd sydd gennym—pob un ohonynt. Unwaith eto, mae'n rhaid inni ei wneud gyda'n gilydd. Diolch yn fawr.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Llyr Gruffydd.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Llyr Gruffydd.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Can I congratulate the Cabinet Secretary, as well, on his appointment? I know from his previous capacity as a member of the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee that he'll undertake his work diligently, conscientiously and, we're all hoping, effectively. And before he gets ahead of himself, those words describe my intentions in terms of scrutinising him, as well. [Laughter.] But I certainly look forward to working with you where that's possible, but also to shadowing you, of course, in your rural affairs brief.
As we know, he takes up the role at a time when the relationship between the Government and our rural communities is at an all-time low: failure to tackle bovine TB, of course; the continued consternation around the water quality regulations; the highly charged and problematic, for many, proposals in the sustainable farming scheme. There's a lot in your in-tray and a lot of work to be done to rebuild the relationship between the Government and the agriculture sector. So, can you elaborate a little bit about how you intend to build those bridges? You mentioned earlier that you will be working together with the sector on the sustainable farming scheme. Of course, that's what your predecessor said. How will your approach differ to that of your predecessors? Will it be different, or are we going to see more of the same?
Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. A gaf i longyfarch Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, hefyd, ar ei benodiad? Gwn o'i swydd flaenorol fel aelod o'r Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Seilwaith y bydd yn gwneud ei waith yn ddiwyd, yn gydwybodol ac rydym i gyd yn gobeithio, yn effeithiol. A chyn i'w ben chwyddo, mae'r geiriau hynny'n disgrifio fy mwriadau i i'w graffu hefyd. [Chwerthin.] Ond rwy'n sicr yn edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda chi lle mae hynny'n bosibl, ond hefyd i'ch cysgodi, wrth gwrs, yn eich brîff materion gwledig.
Fel y gwyddom, mae'n ymgymryd â'r rôl ar adeg pan fo'r berthynas rhwng y Llywodraeth a'n cymunedau gwledig yn waeth nag erioed: methiant i fynd i'r afael â TB buchol, wrth gwrs; y gofid parhaus ynghylch y rheoliadau ansawdd dŵr; cynigion hynod o ddadleuol a phroblemus, i lawer, y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy. Mae llawer o waith gennych i'w wneud ar ailadeiladu'r berthynas rhwng y Llywodraeth a'r sector amaeth. Felly, a allwch chi ymhelaethu ychydig ynglŷn â sut rydych chi'n bwriadu adeiladu'r pontydd hynny? Roeddech yn sôn yn gynharach y byddwch yn cydweithio â'r sector ar y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy. Dyna a ddywedodd eich rhagflaenydd wrth gwrs. Sut fydd eich ffordd chi o weithio'n wahanol i'ch rhagflaenwyr? A fydd yn wahanol, neu a fyddwn ni'n gweld mwy o'r un peth?
When the First Minister and I met with the heads of the farming unions, and in subsequent discussions that we've had, we've stressed that we're not going to replicate what we've done already; what we want to do is set up a fairly timely process where we can seek to agree where we agree and identify the knotty issues that require some unravelling and understanding. Maybe some of those knotty issues actually require a bit more evidence base behind them, as well. Thank you for your acknowledgement that I tend to approach my work in a form of diligence and scrutiny—I do, and that's the way I'll apply it, as did my predecessor in this post, as well.
What we've proposed so far—I'll reveal a little bit of leg, okay, but I can't reveal a lot at the moment—is a framework of a scheme structure, based on the work that's been carried out to date. The initial conversation that we've had is that this is broadly acceptable, but what we want to bring forward imminently to those stakeholders, including the farming unions, but also, I have to say, to the wider range of stakeholders, is actually a structure that says, 'Here are some ideas about how we could do the process'. I will be taking a clear ministerial engagement within it, not necessarily at every meeting, but the problematic areas can be lifted up to me, so we can then seek to resolve them. Then, we will move forward.
But I think the first point—and we saw it, curiously, in the climate change sessions that we held in the minutes before I had a call saying, 'Hey, you'd better get up to Cathays Park'—is that there was good agreement over a broad area of things, but then there were those two or three knotty areas. So, we're not looking, as I've said in media interviews this week, to kick it into the long grass, start again, cause all that uncertainty for everybody; we're looking to progress where we can progress and then deal with the knotty areas. But I give the undertaking to all the Members in this Chamber, yourself included and the committee, that we will engage with everybody on this as we bring forward those proposals.
Pan gyfarfu'r Prif Weinidog a minnau â phenaethiaid yr undebau ffermio, ac mewn trafodaethau dilynol a gawsom, fe wnaethom bwysleisio nad ydym yn mynd i ailadrodd beth a wnaethom eisoes; rydym am sefydlu proses weddol amserol lle gallwn geisio cytuno lle rydym yn cytuno a nodi'r materion anodd sy'n galw am eu datrys a'u deall. Efallai y bydd rhai o'r problemau anodd hynny'n galw am ychydig mwy o dystiolaeth hefyd. Diolch am eich cydnabyddiaeth fy mod yn tueddu i fynd i'r afael â fy ngwaith mewn ffordd ddiwyd ac agored i graffu—mae hynny'n wir, a dyna'r ffordd y byddaf yn ei wneud, fel y gwnaeth fy rhagflaenydd yn y swydd hon.
Hyd yn hyn rydym wedi cynnig—fe ddatgelaf ychydig, o'r gorau, ond ni allaf ddatgelu llawer ar hyn o bryd—yw fframwaith strwythur cynllun, yn seiliedig ar y gwaith sydd wedi'i wneud hyd yma. Y sgwrs gychwynnol a gawsom yw bod hyn yn dderbyniol ar y cyfan, ond yr hyn rydym am ei gyflwyno'n fuan i'r rhanddeiliaid hynny, gan gynnwys yr undebau ffermio, ond hefyd, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, i'r ystod ehangach o randdeiliaid, yw strwythur sy'n dweud, 'Dyma rai syniadau ynglŷn â sut y gallem gyflawni'r broses'. Byddaf yn cymryd rhan weinidogol glir ynddo, nid o reidrwydd ym mhob cyfarfod, ond gellir codi'r meysydd problemus gyda mi, fel y gallwn geisio eu datrys wedyn. Yna byddwn yn symud ymlaen.
Ond rwy'n meddwl mai'r pwynt cyntaf—ac fe'i gwelsom, yn rhyfedd, yn y sesiynau newid hinsawdd a gynhaliwyd gennym yn y munudau cyn imi gael galwad yn dweud, 'Hei, byddai'n well i ti fynd draw i Barc Cathays'—yw bod cytundeb da dros faes eang o bethau, ond wedyn roedd yna ddau neu dri maes anodd. Felly, fel y dywedais mewn cyfweliadau ar y cyfryngau yr wythnos hon, nid ydym yn bwriadu ei ohirio, dechrau eto, achosi'r holl ansicrwydd i bawb; rydym yn bwriadu symud ymlaen ac ymdrin â'r meysydd anodd. Ond rwy'n rhoi ymrwymiad i'r holl Aelodau yn y Siambr hon, yn eich cynnwys chi a'r pwyllgor, y byddwn yn ymgysylltu â phawb ar hyn wrth inni gyflwyno'r cynigion hynny.
Thank you for that, because I was going to ask about where we go next in terms of process. Maybe timescales are what they are and you might want to elaborate a little bit about that. But the reality is, of course, you repeated again today that taking longer is the worst thing we can do, or that pausing of the roll-out. Well, you just listed to me quite fundamental things that need to happen now in order for you to be in a position to implement the scheme as intended next year. Surely it's impractical, because your predecessor regularly reminded—. You know, I was trying to get some sort of recognition that the clock had run its course, really, on this, and she would at least acknowledge that it was going to be highly, highly challenging. If we're looking at changes to the sustainable farming scheme, as I presume we are, given what you've said, there will be a potential redesign of elements. That will necessitate co-design of some elements, and maybe even further consultation on aspects. Maybe you can enlighten us on whether you intend to consult, depending on the extent of changes. That is going to take time, and time is something that we don't have. So, while you say that the worst thing that we can do is pause the roll-out, surely the worst thing that you can do is to rush it and get it wrong.
Diolch am hynny, oherwydd roeddwn i'n mynd i ofyn i ble rydym ni'n mynd nesaf o ran y broses. Efallai mai amserlenni yw'r hyn ydynt ac efallai yr hoffech chi ymhelaethu ychydig am hynny. Ond y gwir amdani, wrth gwrs, yw eich bod wedi ailadrodd eto heddiw mai cymryd mwy o amser yw'r peth gwaethaf y gallwn ei wneud, neu oedi cyn ei gyflwyno. Wel, rydych chi newydd restru pethau eithaf sylfaenol y bydd angen iddynt ddigwydd nawr er mwyn i chi fod mewn sefyllfa i weithredu'r cynllun fel y bwriadwyd y flwyddyn nesaf. Rhaid ei fod yn anymarferol, oherwydd roedd eich rhagflaenydd yn rheolaidd yn atgoffa—. Wyddoch chi, roeddwn i'n ceisio cael rhyw fath o gydnabyddiaeth fod amser yn brin ar hyn, ac y byddai hi o leiaf yn cydnabod y byddai'n heriol iawn. Os ydym yn edrych ar newidiadau i'r cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy, fel y tybiaf ein bod, o ystyried yr hyn rydych chi wedi'i ddweud, bydd yna ailgynllunio elfennau o bosibl. Bydd hynny'n golygu bod angen cyd-gynllunio rhai elfennau, ac ymgynghori pellach ar rai agweddau hyd yn oed. Efallai y gallwch ddweud wrthym a ydych chi'n bwriadu ymgynghori, yn dibynnu ar raddau'r newidiadau. Mae hynny'n mynd i gymryd amser, ac nid oes gennym amser. Felly, er eich bod chi'n dweud mai'r peth gwaethaf y gallwn ei wneud yw oedi'r broses gyflwyno, y peth gwaethaf y gallwch ei wneud yw ei ruthro a'i gael yn anghywir.
I do agree with that, in respect of where we have got some knotty elements. We have to take the time now to properly look at those and see how we resolve them, but also the timescale in which we resolve them as well, and how we do that together, and how we bring all farmers with us on that as well. Some of that may well be to do with things such as proving that a suggestion is the right one, or looking at alternative ideas, but we don't have to take years for that.
Some of that could be done through demonstration as well, and exploring them a bit more. I'm keen to have a look at some of the work that has already been done on alternative options as well, including by our university sector, which is heavily engaged in this. So, what I can guarantee to you is that it won't be long until we reveal much more leg, but I want to make sure that everybody is on board with that.
To come back to the theme that Sam raised as well, everybody has got to be content with the process, and where those knotty issues are, and also where we are in agreement. And I would say, genuinely, without breaking confidences, that the discussions that we have had so far with farming unions have said that the broad framework is the right framework. The high-line objectives are the right ones. Many of the options within it are the right ones.
We have a fixed amount of funding at the moment, which is going to cause continuing discussion as well. We have the funding that we have. But if we can get agreement on that, then I hope that, within weeks, we are able to say, 'This is the course of action and the timescales that we will need to move ahead'. But not everything has to stop, Llyr. There are things that we have agreement on. So, that's why I say that we don't stop and kick everything into the long grass. Let's agree where we can agree and start showing that we have a direction of travel that we are all going in.
Rwy'n cytuno â hynny, mewn perthynas â lle mae gennym rai elfennau anodd. Mae'n rhaid inni roi amser nawr i edrych yn iawn ar y rheini a gweld sut i'w datrys, ond hefyd yr amserlen ar gyfer eu datrys hefyd, a sut y gwnawn hynny gyda'n gilydd, a sut i ddod â phob ffermwr gyda ni ar y daith honno hefyd. Mae'n ddigon posibl fod rhywfaint o hynny'n ymwneud â phethau fel profi bod rhyw awgrym neu'i gilydd yn un cywir, neu edrych ar syniadau amgen, ond nid oes rhaid inni gymryd blynyddoedd i wneud hynny.
Gellid gwneud rhywfaint o hynny trwy arddangos hefyd, a'u harchwilio ychydig ymhellach. Rwy'n awyddus i gael golwg ar beth o'r gwaith sydd eisoes wedi'i wneud ar opsiynau amgen hefyd, gan gynnwys gan ein sector prifysgolion, sy'n ymwneud yn helaeth â hyn. Felly, yr hyn y gallaf ei warantu i chi yw na fydd yn hir nes y byddwn yn datgelu llawer mwy, ond rwyf am sicrhau bod pawb yn gefnogol i hynny.
I ddod yn ôl at y thema a gododd Sam hefyd, mae'n rhaid i bawb fod yn fodlon ar y broses, a lle mae'r materion anodd hynny, a hefyd lle rydym yn cytuno. A byddwn yn dweud, o ddifrif, heb ddatgelu unrhyw gyfrinachau, fod y trafodaethau a gawsom hyd yma gydag undebau ffermio wedi dweud mai'r fframwaith cyffredinol yw'r fframwaith cywir. Mae'r prif amcanion yn gywir. Mae llawer o'r opsiynau o'i fewn yn rhai cywir.
Mae gennym swm penodol o gyllid ar hyn o bryd, sy'n mynd i achosi trafodaeth barhaus hefyd. Mae gennym yr arian sydd gennym. Ond os gallwn gael cytundeb ar hynny, yna rwy'n gobeithio, o fewn wythnosau, y gallwn ddweud, 'Dyma'r llwybr gweithredu a'r amserlenni ar gyfer symud ymlaen'. Ond nid oes raid i bopeth ddod i stop, Llyr. Mae yna bethau yr ydym yn cytuno arnynt. Felly, dyna pam rwy'n dweud nad ydym yn dod i stop ac yn gohirio popeth. Gadewch inni gytuno lle gallwn gytuno a dechrau dangos bod gennym gyfeiriad teithio y mae pawb ohonom yn mynd iddo.
3. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu beth fydd ei flaenoriaethau ar gyfer cyflawni sero net a phontio teg? OQ60923
3. Will the Cabinet Secretary outline what his priorities will be for achieving net zero and a just transition? OQ60923
Diolch, Luke. A just transition to net zero is central to the work of this Government and in the delivery of our current climate plans. We will ensure that workers and the communities of Wales reap the economic and social benefits in areas such as energy, circular economy, housing and transport.
Diolch yn fawr, Luke. Mae pontio teg i sero net yn ganolog i waith y Llywodraeth hon ac wrth gyflawni ein cynlluniau hinsawdd presennol. Byddwn yn sicrhau bod gweithwyr a chymunedau Cymru yn elwa ar fanteision economaidd a chymdeithasol mewn meysydd fel ynni, yr economi gylchol, tai a thrafnidiaeth.
Diolch am yr ateb.
Thank you for the response.
I will take this opportunity to congratulate you on your new post. This is the first opportunity that I have had.
The need for a just transition and the decarbonisation of our economy is the defining issue of this decade, and it will be the defining issue of the next decade as well—and an issue that is going to require a lot of cross-portfolio collaboration. On the theme of collaboration, I would be interested to understand what conversations you have had with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language on fostering new energy systems, with energy being one of those key pillars to decarbonisation. What do you see as the immediate challenges spanning both remits?
Rwyf am fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i'ch llongyfarch ar eich swydd newydd. Dyma'r cyfle cyntaf i mi ei gael.
Yr angen am bontio teg a datgarboneiddio ein heconomi yw mater diffiniol y degawd hwn, a bydd yn fater diffiniol y degawd nesaf hefyd—a mater sy'n mynd i alw am lawer o gydweithio traws-bortffolio. Ar thema cydweithio, hoffwn wybod pa sgyrsiau rydych chi wedi'u cael gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a'r Gymraeg ar feithrin systemau ynni newydd, gydag ynni'n un o'r pileri allweddol i ddatgarboneiddio. Beth rydych chi'n ei weld fel yr heriau uniongyrchol sy'n rhychwantu'r ddau gylch gwaith?
Thank you very much. Not only with that Cabinet Secretary but with other Cabinet Secretaries as well, we are having those discussions. Even though the portfolios have been reconfigured, climate change remains in my title because we are still driving ahead on the carbon budgets. We are are in carbon budget 2, and we are looking ahead to carbon budget 3. We know the challenges ahead of us. We will seek to deliver on them with real ambition and with real purpose.
That means that all of my Cabinet colleagues here will all be having discussions, but within their own portfolio areas, and within their own funding streams. With transport, with housing, with local government and everything, we all seek to deliver on our journey to net zero. But in doing that, our focus, Luke, is going to be on what we have always stated, from the First Minister's manifesto commitment, but also long-held: that idea of green prosperity.
We undersell this sometimes—the idea that we genuinely can create green jobs. Those green jobs will be in energy and what we do, and will be in some of those exciting opportunities. But they will also be in the stuff that we were talking about just now. They will be in things such as what we need to do with farm advisory services and Farming Connect, and green natural infrastructure and the army of people we will need to do that as well.
So, I think that, in seeking to move to a just transition, if we are serious about this, we look at every aspect of every portfolio and say, 'Where can we deliver those additional jobs and economic opportunities for every single part of Wales and in every single sector?' That's challenging, but it's exciting, and what will drive it across Government is our need to hit those carbon budget targets. We've committed to them here in Wales, and we will deliver them. We put people right at the front of it. People and communities are front and centre of everything we do.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rydym yn cael y trafodaethau hynny, nid yn unig gyda'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet hwnnw ond gydag Ysgrifenyddion eraill y Cabinet hefyd. Er bod y portffolios wedi'u hailgyflunio, mae newid hinsawdd yn parhau yn nheitl fy swydd i oherwydd ein bod yn dal i fwrw ymlaen â'r cyllidebau carbon. Rydym yng nghyllideb carbon 2, ac rydym yn edrych ymlaen at gyllideb carbon 3. Rydym yn gwybod beth yw'r heriau sydd o'n blaenau. Byddwn yn ceisio eu cyflawni gydag uchelgais go iawn a chyda phwrpas go iawn.
Mae hynny'n golygu y bydd pob un o'm cyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet yma yn cael trafodaethau, ond o fewn eu meysydd portffolio eu hunain, ac o fewn eu ffrydiau ariannu eu hunain. Gyda thrafnidiaeth, gyda thai, gyda llywodraeth leol a phopeth, rydym i gyd yn ceisio cyflawni ar ein taith tuag at sero net. Ond wrth wneud hynny, mae ein ffocws, Luke, yn mynd i fod ar yr hyn rydym wedi'i ddweud erioed, o ymrwymiad maniffesto'r Prif Weinidog, ond hefyd yn hirsefydlog: y syniad o ffyniant gwyrdd.
Nid ydym bob amser yn gwneud digon o hyn—y syniad ein bod ni o ddifrif yn gallu creu swyddi gwyrdd. Bydd y swyddi gwyrdd hynny mewn ynni a'r hyn a wnawn, a byddant yn rhai o'r cyfleoedd cyffrous hynny. Ond byddant hefyd yn y pethau yr oeddem yn sôn amdanynt nawr. Byddant mewn pethau fel yr hyn y mae angen inni ei wneud gyda gwasanaethau cynghori ffermwyr a Cyswllt Ffermio, a seilwaith naturiol gwyrdd a'r fyddin o bobl y byddwn eu hangen i wneud hynny hefyd.
Felly, wrth geisio symud at bontio teg, os ydym o ddifrif ynglŷn â hyn, rwy'n credu y dylem edrych ar bob agwedd ar bob portffolio a dweud, 'Ble y gallwn ni ddarparu'r swyddi ychwanegol a'r cyfleoedd economaidd ar gyfer pob rhan o Gymru ac ym mhob sector unigol?' Mae hynny'n heriol, ond mae'n gyffrous, a'r hyn a fydd yn ei yrru ar draws y Llywodraeth yw ein hangen i gyrraedd y targedau cyllideb carbon. Rydym wedi ymrwymo iddynt yma yng Nghymru, a byddwn yn eu cyflawni. Rydym yn rhoi pobl ar y blaen yn hyn. Mae pobl a chymunedau ar y blaen ac yn ganolog i bopeth a wnawn.
Reaching net zero, obviously, is very important. I understand your continued commitment to that in your new role, and I think we're all grateful for that. But moving towards that requires a transport network and an infrastructure that is green and clean, and that is not only in public transport, that's private-use vehicles as well. Integral to that, obviously, as we move towards the ban of sale of petrol and diesel cars, is that infrastructure in terms of electric vehicle charging points right across the country. The Senedd's climate change committee, though, in the past, has said, and I quote, that
'the lack of progress on EVs is unacceptable.'
I know the First Minister yesterday talked about the importance of green growth in his statement, but there's not been enough evidence of growth in this particular industry. So, how are you going to work, as the new Minister responsible for climate change, with the Minister for transport to ensure that we've got that modern network, that modern infrastructure that we need, not only for today, but for the future as well?
Mae cyrraedd sero net yn bwysig iawn wrth gwrs. Rwy'n deall eich ymrwymiad parhaus i hynny yn eich rôl newydd, ac rwy'n credu ein bod i gyd yn ddiolchgar am hynny. Ond mae symud tuag at hynny yn galw am rwydwaith trafnidiaeth a seilwaith sy'n wyrdd ac yn lân, ac nid yn unig o ran trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, ond o ran cerbydau defnydd preifat hefyd. Yn ganolog i hynny, yn amlwg, wrth inni symud tuag at wahardd gwerthu ceir petrol a diesel, mae seilwaith mannau gwefru cerbydau trydan ledled y wlad. Serch hynny, mae pwyllgor newid hinsawdd y Senedd wedi dweud yn y gorffennol, ac rwy'n dyfynnu,
'mae'r diffyg cynnydd ar gerbydau trydan yn annerbyniol.'
Rwy'n gwybod bod y Prif Weinidog wedi siarad ddoe am bwysigrwydd twf gwyrdd yn ei ddatganiad, ond ni chafwyd digon o dystiolaeth o dwf yn y diwydiant penodol hwn. Felly, sut rydych chi'n mynd i weithio, fel y Gweinidog newydd sy'n gyfrifol am newid hinsawdd, gyda'r Gweinidog trafnidiaeth i sicrhau bod gennym y rhwydwaith modern hwnnw, y seilwaith modern hwnnw sydd ei angen arnom, nid yn unig ar gyfer heddiw, ond ar gyfer y dyfodol hefyd?
Thank you for the question. You are right; if we look at the biggest sectors that can provide contribution towards that net-zero pathway, it will be transport, and it will be housing and so on, but it'll also be agriculture, as we were discussing earlier on. But transport is absolutely key, and I know the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport will have been listening to the points that you've made. It does indeed involve that transition away from polluting forms of private transport, without a doubt, but it's not the entire panacea. We need to make sure that that network of charging points is there, and we are investing in that, with partners, to make sure that that happens.
But it's also what we do with the bus fleet, it's also what we do with trying to have that modal shift of people onto public transport—buses and trains. And it's also to do with the often cinderella thing, although we've massively increased the investment; we've quadrupled investment from the Welsh Government in active travel. Some people will never take to a bike—even an electric bike and so on—but many more people are now. And if you look at the way that European cities have reinvented themselves around active travel, as well as less carbon-intensive forms of travel, it's all of these pulled together. I know my colleague the Cabinet Secretary will have heard you. I'll certainly be meeting with him, and others, to discuss their contribution towards this. But I welcome the support, genuinely. It will be private transport decarbonisation, but it'll also be those wider modal shifts along—I hate to say it—that inverted triangle of the sustainable transport hierarchy, with active travel right at the top.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Rydych chi'n gywir; os edrychwn ar y sectorau mwyaf a all ddarparu cyfraniad tuag at y llwybr sero net, bydd yn cynnwys trafnidiaeth, tai ac yn y blaen, ond amaeth hefyd, fel roeddem yn ei drafod yn gynharach. Ond mae trafnidiaeth yn gwbl allweddol, ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Ogledd Cymru a Thrafnidiaeth wedi bod yn gwrando ar y pwyntiau a wnaethoch. Yn wir, mae'n sicr yn golygu newid o ffurfiau o drafnidiaeth breifat sy'n llygru, ond nid dyna'r ateb llawn. Mae angen inni sicrhau bod y rhwydwaith o fannau gwefru yno, ac rydym yn buddsoddi yn hynny, gyda phartneriaid, i sicrhau bod hynny'n digwydd.
Ond mae'n cynnwys yr hyn a wnawn gyda'r fflyd fysiau hefyd, a'r hyn a wnawn i geisio sicrhau bod dulliau teithio pobl yn newid i drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus—bysiau a threnau. Ac yn aml, mae hefyd yn ymwneud â'r elfen sinderela honno, er ein bod wedi cynyddu'r buddsoddiad yn aruthrol; rydym wedi sicrhau pedair gwaith y buddsoddiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru mewn teithio llesol. Bydd yna rai pobl na fyddant byth yn beicio—hyd yn oed beic trydan ac yn y blaen—ond mae llawer mwy o bobl yn gwneud hynny bellach. Ac os edrychwch ar y ffordd y mae dinasoedd Ewropeaidd wedi ail-greu eu hunain o amgylch teithio llesol, yn ogystal â mathau llai drud-ar-garbon o deithio, mae'n fater o'r rhain i gyd gyda'i gilydd. Rwy'n gwybod y bydd fy nghyd-Aelod, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, wedi eich clywed. Byddaf yn sicr yn cyfarfod ag ef, ac eraill, i drafod eu cyfraniad tuag at hyn. Ond rwy'n croesawu'r gefnogaeth yn fawr. Bydd yn cynnwys datgarboneiddio trafnidiaeth breifat, ond hefyd y newidiadau dulliau teithio ehangach ar hyd—mae'n gas gennyf ei ddweud—triongl â'i ben i lawr yr hierarchaeth trafnidiaeth gynaliadwy, gyda theithio llesol ar y brig.
4. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu ei gynlluniau ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â llygredd mewn afonydd? OQ60925
4. Will the Cabinet Secretary outline his plans for tackling river pollution? OQ60925
Thank you, Alun. The Welsh Government is taking an integrated catchment river approach to combat river pollution. It's focusing on co-operation and collaboration with all partners. We have an ongoing strong engagement, including Government, regulators and all relevant partners and sectors in Wales, working together through the river pollution summit process. The next summit will take place in July, and I will be chairing it.
Diolch, Alun. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn mabwysiadu dull integredig o fynd i'r afael â llygredd afonydd. Mae'n canolbwyntio ar gydweithredu a chydweithio â'r holl bartneriaid. Mae gennym ymgysylltiad cryf parhaus, gan gynnwys y Llywodraeth, rheoleiddwyr a'r holl bartneriaid a sectorau perthnasol yng Nghymru, yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd drwy broses yr uwchgynhadledd llygredd afonydd. Bydd yr uwchgynhadledd nesaf yn cael ei chynnal ym mis Gorffennaf, a fi fydd yn ei chadeirio.
I'm grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for that answer. I'd also like to join others in congratulating him on his appointment; I know his appointment has been warmly welcomed across not just this Chamber but across Wales as well. I'd like to add my words to that.
In many ways, the Cabinet Secretary has answered my questions in his first answer. I hope that we'll be able to—[Interruption.] Not quite. I hope that we'll be able to move forward, bringing people together, because I don't believe that we're able to simply lay the blame for river pollution on any one stakeholder or group of stakeholders. What we need is collaboration and co-operation amongst riparian owners, amongst industries, amongst local authorities, Government, regulators, as well as users of our waterways, to ensure that we have the co-operative management of watercourses that ensures that all sources of pollution are tackled, and tackled fairly and equally, and that we do have the sort of fresh, clean rivers that we would all wish to see.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am yr ateb hwnnw. Hoffwn innau hefyd ymuno ag eraill i'w longyfarch ar ei benodiad; rwy'n gwybod bod croeso cynnes i'w benodiad nid yn unig ar draws y Siambr hon ond ledled Cymru hefyd. Hoffwn ychwanegu fy ngeiriau at hynny.
Mewn sawl ffordd, mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi ateb fy nghwestiynau yn ei ateb cyntaf. Gobeithio y gallwn—[Torri ar draws.] Ddim cweit. Rwy'n gobeithio y gallwn symud ymlaen, gan ddod â phobl ynghyd, oherwydd nid wyf yn credu y gallwn roi'r bai am lygredd afonydd ar unrhyw randdeiliad unigol neu grŵp unigol o randdeiliaid. Yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom yw cydweithredu a chydweithio ymhlith perchnogion glannau, ymhlith diwydiannau, ymhlith awdurdodau lleol, y Llywodraeth, rheoleiddwyr, yn ogystal â defnyddwyr ein dyfrffyrdd, i sicrhau ein bod yn cael rheolaeth gydweithredol ar gyrsiau dŵr sy'n sicrhau ein bod yn mynd i'r afael â phob ffynhonnell llygredd yn deg ac yn gyfartal, a bod gennym y math o afonydd ffres a glân y byddem i gyd yn dymuno eu gweld.
Thank you for that supplementary. You are right. As you know, my politics are that I'm Labour and Co-operative—I stress that repeatedly. My approach to doing this stuff is that we all do it together or we don't do it at all, whether it's with farming, whether it's to do with challenges on transport, and particularly on challenges with water quality. I've never been a great one for monikers like the phrase 'team Wales', but the Welsh way of doing things, so actually working together, so we don’t point fingers and just yell at each other, but we say the regulator has a role to play, the water companies have a role to play, the anglers’ clubs on the river have a role to play, the farmers and the landowners have a role to play, the builders have a role to play—. And Government, by the way, and agencies like NRW—all of us in there together. And all of us in there together rather than pointing fingers, and actually saying, ‘What’s your contribution? What’s yours? How do we then lift it?’
The great thing is we’ve done this before. We’ve done it with things like bathing water quality. We’ve tackled major ecological and environmental issues and really done it together. Now, on that basis I’m really looking forward, and I thank my former First Minister and previous colleagues for the work that they did with the river summits. There was curiosity whether we would continue on that journey now with the reshuffle. We are definitely continuing on that journey, because we see them as an imperative to bring people together and say, ‘What can we all do to actually deliver the water quality that we want?'
Diolch am y cwestiwn atodol. Rydych chi'n gywir. Fel y gwyddoch, gwleidydd Llafur a Chydweithredol wyf i—rwy'n pwysleisio hynny'n gyson. Fy agwedd tuag at wneud y pethau hyn yw ein bod i gyd yn ei wneud gyda'n gilydd neu nid ydym yn ei wneud o gwbl, boed hynny gyda ffermio, neu'n ymwneud â heriau trafnidiaeth, ac yn enwedig heriau gydag ansawdd dŵr. Nid wyf erioed wedi bod yn un mawr am ymadroddion fel 'tîm Cymru', ond yn hytrach y ffordd Gymreig o wneud pethau, felly gweithio gyda'n gilydd, fel ein bod yn gwneud mwy na phwyntio bysedd a gweiddi ar ein gilydd, ond yn lle hynny ein bod yn dweud bod gan y rheoleiddiwr ran i'w chwarae, mae gan y cwmnïau dŵr ran i'w chwarae, mae gan glybiau'r pysgotwyr ar yr afon ran i'w chwarae, mae gan y ffermwyr a'r tirfeddianwyr ran i'w chwarae, mae gan yr adeiladwyr rôl i'w chwarae—. A'r Llywodraeth, gyda llaw, ac asiantaethau fel CNC—pob un ohonom i mewn yno gyda'n gilydd. A phawb ohonom i mewn yno gyda'n gilydd yn hytrach na phwyntio bysedd, a dweud, 'Beth yw eich cyfraniad chi? Beth yw eich un chi? Sut y gallwn ei gynyddu wedyn?'
Y peth gwych yw ein bod wedi gwneud hyn o'r blaen. Rydym wedi ei wneud gyda phethau fel ansawdd dŵr ymdrochi. Rydym wedi mynd i'r afael â materion ecolegol ac amgylcheddol mawr ac wedi ei wneud gyda'n gilydd. Nawr, ar y sail honno, rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn fawr, a diolch i fy nghyn-Brif Weinidog a chyn-gydweithwyr am y gwaith a wnaethant ar yr uwchgynadleddau afonydd. Roedd yna chwilfrydedd a fyddem yn parhau ar y daith honno nawr gyda'r ad-drefnu. Rydym yn bendant yn parhau ar y daith honno, oherwydd rydym yn eu hystyried yn hanfodol i ddod â phobl at ei gilydd a dweud, 'Beth y gall pawb ohonom ei wneud i sicrhau'r ansawdd dŵr yr ydym ei eisiau?'
Congratulations again for your portfolio. We do have high hopes for you, and what you've said so far does sound good. Just last year, though, we saw the rivers Usk and Wye named Wales's most polluted rivers. Six of the UK’s most polluted rivers are in Wales. Clearly, things are getting worse, not better, and clearly this Welsh Government to date have failed to get a grip of this issue, and instead chosen to ignore the seriousness of the situation facing our Welsh rivers. It pains me to see my local river, the Usk river, which I used to fish in with my father, green, and with no salmon jumping in it like they used to. I wanted to know today what you are going to do differently. You’ve already spoken to my colleague Sam Kurtz about it, and Alun Davies, but I want to know what steps you’re going to take now. What urgent steps can you do? It’s great that you want to work with stakeholders, great that we share the same aim, to get our rivers back to pristine status, but what urgent steps are you going to take before we get round the table? Thank you.
Llongyfarchiadau unwaith eto am eich portffolio. Rydym yn disgwyl pethau mawr gennych, ac mae'r hyn yr ydych wedi'i ddweud hyd yn hyn yn swnio'n dda. Y llynedd, fodd bynnag, gwelsom afonydd Wysg a Gwy yn cael eu henwi'n afonydd mwyaf llygredig Cymru. Mae chwech o afonydd mwyaf llygredig y DU yng Nghymru. Yn amlwg, mae pethau'n gwaethygu, nid gwella, ac yn amlwg mae'r Llywodraeth hon hyd yma wedi methu mynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn, ac yn hytrach, wedi dewis anwybyddu difrifoldeb y sefyllfa sy'n wynebu ein hafonydd yng Nghymru. Mae gweld fy afon leol, afon Wysg, yr oeddwn yn arfer pysgota ynddi gyda fy nhad, yn wyrdd, a heb eog yn neidio ynddi fel yr arferent ei wneud yn peri gofid i mi. Roeddwn am gael gwybod heddiw beth y bwriadwch ei wneud yn wahanol. Rydych eisoes wedi siarad â fy nghyd-Aelod Sam Kurtz am y peth, ac Alun Davies, ond rwyf am gael gwybod pa gamau yr ydych yn mynd i'w cymryd nawr. Pa gamau brys y gallwch eu gwneud? Mae'n wych eich bod am weithio gyda rhanddeiliaid, yn wych ein bod yn rhannu'r un nod i adfer cyflwr rhagorol ein hafonydd, ond pa gamau brys y bwriadwch eu cymryd cyn inni ymgynnull o gwmpas y bwrdd? Diolch.
Well, the Wye and the Usk and the Severn, and some of our other major rivers flowing out of the north and the west, and some of the ones that cross borders, particularly, are some of our greatest challenges, and one of the things that I’m hoping to bring to this, building on the work of my predecessors, is actually to try and strengthen some of that cross-border co-operation as well as cross catchment, because some of these catchments involve two Governments, involve two water companies et cetera. So, I think there’s a real role there, and I want to approach this in a very sensible way of saying, ‘What can we combine?’ But where I would refute what you’re saying is that we’ve done nothing, because we actually have, and we can point to the evidence of where we’ve done it. But we’ve still got so much more to do because, as you say—. Look, I’m a keen walker, canoeist and so on—I know these rivers well, and it dismays me sometimes when you look at them, but then it raises the challenge of what can we actually do to turn it round. So, we have funded, for example, the Wye nutrient management board to development a nutrient management plan for that river. The plan is going to give us a better understanding of nutrient levels in the river and meet the conservation objectives of what is an SAC—it’s a special area of conservation. We’ve made £15 million capital funding available to NRW for wider water quality improvements. We have, as we’ve mentioned already, convened—and this is the way forward—four river pollution summits, which have provided an opportunity to learn from different stakeholders on these catchments about the different work being done, and it won’t be one silver bullet, it will be many issues we have to tackle to address it.
So, what I can guarantee to you is I’ll bring the same energy my predecessors have. It’s a real passion of mine. But I will need to work with all Members in this Chamber as well to ensure that everybody steps up to the mark and is willing to contribute.
Wel, afonydd Gwy, Wysg a Hafren, a rhai o'n hafonydd mawr eraill sy'n llifo o'r gogledd a'r gorllewin, a rhai o'r afonydd sy'n croesi ffiniau, yn enwedig, yw rhai o'n heriau mwyaf, ac un o'r pethau y gobeithiaf ei wneud am hyn, gan adeiladu ar waith fy rhagflaenwyr, yw ceisio cryfhau peth o'r cydweithrediad trawsffiniol hwnnw yn ogystal â thrawsdalgylch, oherwydd mae rhai o'r dalgylchoedd hyn yn ymwneud â dwy Lywodraeth, yn ymwneud â dau gwmni dŵr ac ati. Felly, rwy'n credu bod yna rôl go iawn yno, ac rwyf am fynd ar drywydd hyn mewn ffordd synhwyrol iawn drwy ddweud, 'Beth y gallwn ei gyfuno?' Ond lle byddwn yn gwrthod yr hyn a ddywedwch yw nad ydym wedi gwneud unrhyw beth, oherwydd rydym wedi gwneud rhywbeth, a gallwn dynnu sylw at y dystiolaeth sy'n dangos lle'r ydym wedi'i wneud. Ond mae gennym gymaint mwy i'w wneud o hyd oherwydd, fel y dywedwch—. Edrychwch, rwy'n gerddwr brwd, yn ganŵydd ac yn y blaen—rwy'n adnabod yr afonydd hyn yn dda, ac mae'n fy siomi weithiau pan edrychwch arnynt, ond mae'n codi'r her ynghylch yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud i newid pethau. Felly, rydym wedi ariannu, er enghraifft, bwrdd rheoli maethynnau Gwy i ddatblygu cynllun rheoli maethynnau ar gyfer yr afon honno. Mae'r cynllun yn mynd i roi gwell dealltwriaeth i ni o lefelau maethynnau yn yr afon a chyflawni amcanion cadwraeth yr hyn sy'n ACA—sef ardal cadwraeth arbennig. Rydym wedi sicrhau bod £15 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf ar gael i CNC ar gyfer gwelliannau ehangach i ansawdd dŵr. Fel rydym wedi sôn eisoes, rydym wedi cynnull—a dyma'r ffordd ymlaen—pedair uwchgynhadledd llygredd afonydd, sydd wedi rhoi cyfle i ddysgu gan wahanol randdeiliaid o'r dalgylchoedd hyn am y gwahanol waith sy'n cael ei wneud, ac ni fydd yn un bwled arian, bydd yn llawer o faterion y mae'n rhaid inni fynd i'r afael â nhw.
Felly, gallaf eich sicrhau y bydd gennyf yr un faint o egni â fy rhagflaenwyr. Rwy'n teimlo'n angerddol yn ei gylch. Ond bydd angen imi weithio gyda'r holl Aelodau yn y Siambr hon hefyd i sicrhau bod pawb yn camu i'r adwy ac yn barod i gyfrannu.
5. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu ei gynlluniau ar gyfer cefnogi amaethwyr ar Ynys Môn? OQ60931
5. Will the Cabinet Secretary outline his plans for supporting farmers on Ynys Môn? OQ60931
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Rhun. Mae dros 99.9 y cant o hawlwyr ar Ynys Môn wedi derbyn taliadau o dan gynllun y taliad sylfaenol, sydd yn werth cyfanswm o £8.3 miliwn. Mae'r cymorth yma yn ychwanegol at ein gwasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio, sydd wedi cofrestru eleni dros 1,000 o bobl sy'n gweithio ym maes amaethyddiaeth ar Ynys Môn.
Thank you very much, Rhun. Over 99.9 per cent of claimants on Ynys Môn have received a basic payment scheme payment, worth a total of £8.3 million. This support is in addition to our Farming Connect service, which this year has registered over 1,000 people working in agriculture on Ynys Môn.
Diolch am yr ymateb yna. Rwyf innau'n llongyfarch yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ar ei benodiad. Mi fydd o'n ymwybodol iawn, wrth gwrs, o bwysigrwydd y diwydiant amaeth i fy etholaeth i, ac am y pryderon go iawn sydd yna ymhlith amaethwyr ar Ynys Môn, fel ledled Cymru, ynglŷn â gweledigaeth a chynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y sector. Mae'n glir i fi ar y pwynt yma, efo Gweinidog newydd wrth y llyw, fod rhaid cymryd stoc o'r weledigaeth honno a gwneud newidiadau sylfaenol i gynlluniau niferus sydd mewn lle, ac i Lywodraeth weithiau efo'r sector, sy'n gwbl allweddol, er mwyn eu cael nhw'n iawn.
Felly, dwi'n erfyn ar yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet heddiw yma yn ei sesiwn gwestiynau cyntaf i sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu gwneud y newidiadau sydd eu hangen, a hynny'n gyflym, nid yn unig yn eu cynlluniau ond yn eu hagwedd hefyd, ac i fod yn bencampwyr go iawn dros y sector amaeth. Ac ar y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy, ar y NVZs, ar blannu coed, ar TB—mae yna gymaint o elfennau yn fan hyn—sut mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn bwriadu cydweithio efo amaethwyr Ynys Môn ac ar draws Cymru i sicrhau bod y Llywodraeth a'r diwydiant yn rhwyfo i'r un cyfeiriad?
Thank you for that response. I too congratulate the Cabinet Secretary on his appointment. He will be highly aware of the importance of the agricultural industry for my constituency, and of the very real concerns that exist among farmers on Anglesey, as is the case across Wales, on the vision and plans of the Welsh Government for the sector. It's clear to me at this point, with a new Minister in charge, that we must take stock of that vision and to make fundamental changes to many of the plans in place, and for the Government to work with the sector, which is crucially important, in order to get things right.
So, I urge the Cabinet Secretary today in his first question session to ensure that the Welsh Government does intend to make those changes that are necessary, and to do so swiftly, not only in their plans but also in their attitudes too, and to be real champions for the agricultural sector. And on the sustainable farming scheme, on the NVZs, on tree planting, on TB—there are so many elements here—how does the Cabinet Secretary intend to work with farmers on Ynys Môn and across Wales to ensure that the Government and the industry are rowing in the same direction?
Mae'n rhaid i ni deithio ar y daith hon gyda'n gilydd.
We have to undertake this journey together.
We've got to go forward together.
Mae'n rhaid inni symud ymlaen gyda'n gilydd.
Felly, rydw i'n mynd dros bob rhan o Gymru.
So, I am travelling the length and breadth of Wales.
I will be visiting myself, as well as my officials, speaking to farmers, listening to farmers, engaging with them, as well as the wider stakeholders out there. I know he, like me, will also have representations from wildlife and environmental organisations who want to see us proceed as well, which has come out of the climate change Committee. I know how widespread the desire is from all parts of Wales to actually get on with this and do it, but we will only do it, as I've said during previous interventions on this, if we do it together. It is the Welsh way. I'm determined that we do this. It will require goodwill on all sides and it will probably require, just for the moment, a little bit of quiet reflection on the consultation that's gone on this, and the responses that we've had, which will take a little bit of time to actually digest, to be honest, and the many conversations.
So, I think we keep that going but then we have to plot out how we are going to move forward, because it is not only the sustainable future of farming in that wide interpretation that I've outlined before—the true sustainability of farming and food production in Wales—but it's also how we face the nature and the climate emergencies as well. We have no time to waste, but we've got to do it together.
Byddaf yn ymweld fy hun, yn ogystal â'm swyddogion, gan siarad â ffermwyr, gan wrando ar ffermwyr, ymgysylltu â nhw, yn ogystal â'r rhanddeiliaid ehangach sydd allan yno. Rwy'n gwybod y bydd ef hefyd, fel minnau, wedi cael sylwadau gan sefydliadau bywyd gwyllt ac amgylcheddol sydd am ein gweld yn bwrw ymlaen hefyd, sydd wedi dod o'r Pwyllgor newid hinsawdd. Rwy'n gwybod pa mor eang yw'r awydd o bob rhan o Gymru i fwrw ymlaen â hyn a'i gyflawni, ond fel y dywedais mewn ymyriadau blaenorol ar hyn, ni allwn ei wneud heb inni ei wneud gyda'n gilydd. Dyna'r ffordd Gymreig. Rwy'n benderfynol o wneud hyn. Bydd angen ewyllys da ar bob ochr ac mae'n debyg y bydd yn galw am ychydig o fyfyrdod tawel ar yr ymgynghoriad a gynhaliwyd ar hyn, a'r ymatebion a gawsom, a fydd yn cymryd ychydig o amser i'w treulio, a bod yn onest, a'r sgyrsiau niferus.
Felly, rwy'n credu ein bod yn cadw hynny i fynd ond wedyn mae'n rhaid inni gynllunio sut y bwriadwn symud ymlaen, oherwydd mae'n ymwneud â dyfodol cynaliadwy ffermio yn y dehongliad eang yr amlinellais yn flaenorol—gwir gynaliadwyedd ffermio a chynhyrchu bwyd yng Nghymru—ond mae hefyd yn ymwneud â sut rydym yn wynebu'r argyfyngau natur a hinsawdd. Nid oes gennym amser i'w wastraffu, ond mae'n rhaid inni ei wneud gyda'n gilydd.
6. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddatganiad am gynigion Llywodraeth Cymru i wella lles anifeiliaid? OQ60894
6. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's proposals to improve animal welfare? OQ60894
Indeed, Mike, diolch. Our priorities on animal welfare are set out in the 'Animal Welfare Plan for Wales 2021-26'. This includes a timetable for delivery against our programme for government commitments and other animal welfare priorities. Our two-year progress report, alongside a written statement, was published in January.
Wrth gwrs, Mike, diolch. Mae ein blaenoriaethau lles anifeiliaid wedi'u nodi yng 'Nghynllun Lles Anifeiliaid Cymru 2021-26'. Mae hyn yn cynnwys amserlen ar gyfer cyflawni ein hymrwymiadau yn y rhaglen lywodraethu a blaenoriaethau lles anifeiliaid eraill. Cyhoeddwyd ein hadroddiad cynnydd dwy flynedd, ynghyd â datganiad ysgrifenedig, ym mis Ionawr.
Thank you for that answer. With the Welsh Government's consultation on the licensing of animal establishments, activities and exhibits having recently closed, the outcome of this consultation has the potential to improve the lives of thousands of animals in Wales, including those within animal sanctuaries, rescue and rehoming centres, as well as racing greyhounds by bringing an end to greyhound racing in Wales. What is the Minister prioritising in order to improve animal welfare?
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw. Gydag ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth Cymru ar drwyddedu sefydliadau, gweithgareddau ac arddangosfeydd anifeiliaid wedi dod i ben yn ddiweddar, mae gan ganlyniad yr ymgynghoriad hwn botensial i wella bywydau miloedd o anifeiliaid yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys rhai mewn llochesau anifeiliaid, canolfannau achub ac ailgartrefu, yn ogystal â milgwn rasio trwy ddod â rasio milgwn i ben yng Nghymru. Beth mae'r Gweinidog yn ei flaenoriaethu er mwyn gwella lles anifeiliaid?
I thank you very much. It really is important that we work with everybody, including those animal sanctuaries that I know he has in his own patch, and also across mine and my colleague Sarah Murphy as well, including Hope Rescue. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of welfare for all animals kept in Wales in all the situations, Mike, that you just ran across. But this does include the quite controversial issue of greyhound racing, and we recognise the strength of feeling here with a petition that was submitted with over 35,000 signatures. It's a clear indication of the strength of feeling in respect of greyhounds.
So, greyhound racing and its licensing is indeed part of our 'Animal Welfare Plan for Wales'. Now, I can't provide at this stage a specific date for the introduction of any legislation that follows from the consultations that we are doing, but you've seen our commitment, the commitment of the previous incumbent of this post as well, which is still held. So, we do look forward to bringing forward proposals, subject to the normal discussions between Cabinet colleagues, which I understand doesn't mean that I automatically get top dibs, but I will be pushing hard, clearly, Mike.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn gweithio gyda phawb, gan gynnwys y llochesau anifeiliaid y gwn eu bod yn bodoli yn ei ardal ei hun, a hefyd ar draws fy ardal innau a fy nghyd-Aelod Sarah Murphy hefyd, gan gynnwys Hope Rescue. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i gynnal y safonau uchaf o les ar gyfer pob anifail a gedwir yng Nghymru ym mhob sefyllfa yr ydych newydd gyfeirio atynt, Mike. Ond mae hyn yn cynnwys mater eithaf dadleuol rasio milgwn, ac rydym yn cydnabod y cryfder teimladau yma gyda deiseb a gyflwynwyd gyda dros 35,000 o lofnodion. Mae'n arwydd clir o gryfder y teimladau mewn perthynas â milgwn.
Felly, mae rasio milgwn a'i drwyddedu yn sicr yn rhan o'n 'Cynllun Lles Anifeiliaid Cymru'. Nawr, ar hyn o bryd, ni allaf ddarparu dyddiad penodol ar gyfer cyflwyno unrhyw ddeddfwriaeth sy'n dilyn o'r ymgynghoriadau yr ydym yn eu gwneud, ond rydych wedi gweld ein hymrwymiad, ymrwymiad deiliad blaenorol y swydd hon hefyd, sy'n parhau. Felly, rydym yn edrych ymlaen at gyflwyno cynigion, yn amodol ar y trafodaethau arferol rhwng cyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet, ac rwy'n deall nad yw hynny'n golygu fy mod yn cael y cyfle cyntaf yn awtomatig, ond byddaf yn gwthio'n galed, yn amlwg, Mike.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 7, Julie Morgan.
Finally, question 7, Julie Morgan.
7. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i ddiogelu bioamrywiaeth? OQ60913
7. What is the Welsh Government doing to protect biodiversity? OQ60913
Diolch, Julie. In respect of biodiversity, we are protecting biodiversity through initiatives such as the nature networks, the marine protected areas and the national peatland action programmes, which benefit our terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. We are also strengthening our legislative framework, including introducing statutory biodiversity targets, as set out in our recently published White Paper.
Diolch yn fawr, Julie. O ran bioamrywiaeth, rydym yn diogelu bioamrywiaeth trwy fentrau fel y rhwydweithiau natur, yr ardaloedd morol gwarchodedig a'r rhaglen weithredu genedlaethol ar fawndiroedd, sydd o fudd i'n hamgylcheddau tirol, dŵr croyw a morol. Rydym hefyd yn cryfhau ein fframwaith deddfwriaethol, gan gynnwys cyflwyno targedau bioamrywiaeth statudol, fel y nodir yn ein Papur Gwyn a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar.
Diolch. Thank you for that answer, and I'd like to congratulate the Cabinet Secretary on his new post and wish him all the best for the future. And I'm sure he's aware of the successful 20-year-old community campaign to save Llanishen and Lisvane reservoirs and the surrounding area in Cardiff North. At the end of last year I visited Lisvane reservoir with Plantlife Cymru to see for myself the vast number of waxcap fungi species, which make the reservoirs a site of international importance and actually, ultimately, help to save them. Would the Cabinet Secretary agree that this is an absolutely prime example of the community coming together to save a much-loved and biodiversity-rich site that can now be enjoyed, and is being enjoyed, by thousands of visitors every year?
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, a hoffwn longyfarch Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ar ei swydd newydd a dymuno'r gorau iddo ar gyfer y dyfodol. Ac rwy'n siŵr ei fod yn ymwybodol o'r ymgyrch gymunedol lwyddiannus 20 oed i achub cronfeydd dŵr Llanisien a Llys-faen a'r ardal gyfagos yng Ngogledd Caerdydd. Ddiwedd y llynedd, ymwelais â chronfa ddŵr Llys-faen gyda Plantlife Cymru i weld drosof fy hun y nifer helaeth o rywogaethau ffwng capiau cwyr, sy'n gwneud y cronfeydd dŵr yn safle o bwysigrwydd rhyngwladol ac yn y pen draw, yn helpu i'w hachub. A fyddai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn cytuno bod hon yn enghraifft hollol wych o'r gymuned yn dod at ei gilydd i achub safle poblogaidd a llawn bioamrywiaeth y gellir ei fwynhau nawr, ac sy'n cael ei fwynhau, gan filoedd o ymwelwyr bob blwyddyn?
Absolutely, Julie, and it shows what people power can actually do. And just to say to you I know your track record as a supporter of the reservoir action group, to save and then restore Llanishen and Lisvane reservoirs, and the successful conclusion in 2023—what an achievement. People power really does work—grass-roots people power. And your visit with Plantlife Cymru, a great organisation, looking at the red waxcaps—I'll let you into a little secret: I have a very wet garden, it's like a tropical rainforest in itself, and we have, indeed, red waxcaps within my garden as well.
People like Plantlife, Cardiff's local nature partnership developing the local nature recovery action plan, setting out what needs to be done to restore and improve nature in Cardiff—this is the sort of support that we can do, through Welsh Government and through all of us, but also to encourage and incentivise grass-roots organisations and third sector bodies to make a real tangible difference in their local areas. But the success of the scheme of the Lisvane and Llanishen reservoirs was monumental, and it's what we now do to build on the success of that, with all this protecting and enriching and restoring biodiversity around those areas.
Yn sicr, Julie, ac mae'n dangos yr hyn y gall pobl ei wneud. Ac rwyf am ddweud wrthych, rwy'n ymwybodol o'ch hanes fel cefnogwr grŵp gweithredu'r gronfa ddŵr, yn arbed ac yna adfer cronfeydd dŵr Llanisien a Llys-faen, a'r canlyniad llwyddiannus yn 2023—am gyflawniad. Mae pŵer pobl yn sicr yn gweithio—pŵer pobl ar lawr gwlad. A'ch ymweliad gyda Plantlife Cymru, sy'n sefydliad gwych, i edrych ar y capiau cwyr coch—rwyf am ddweud cyfrinach wrthych chi: mae gennyf ardd wlyb iawn, mae fel coedwig law drofannol ynddi ei hun, ac mae gennym gapiau cwyr coch yn fy ngardd hefyd.
Mae pobl fel Plantlife, partneriaeth natur leol Caerdydd sy'n datblygu'r cynllun gweithredu adfer natur lleol, yn nodi'r hyn sydd angen ei wneud i adfer a gwella natur yng Nghaerdydd—dyma'r math o gefnogaeth y gallwn ei wneud, trwy Lywodraeth Cymru a thrwy bob un ohonom, ond hefyd i annog a chymell sefydliadau ar lawr gwlad a chyrff trydydd sector i wneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol yn eu hardaloedd lleol. Ond roedd llwyddiant cynllun cronfeydd dŵr Llys-faen a Llanisien yn anferthol, ac mae'n ymwneud nawr â beth a wnawn i adeiladu ar lwyddiant hynny, gyda'r diogelu a'r cyfoethogi a'r adfer bioamrywiaeth sy'n digwydd o amgylch yr ardaloedd hynny.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet. Dyna ddiwedd ar y sesiwn gwestiynau yna.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary. That brings that question session to an end.
Eitem 3 sydd nesaf, y cwestiynau amserol, ac mae'r cyntaf o'r rheini i'w ateb gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros Ddiwylliant a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ac i'w ofyn gan Heledd Fychan.
Item 3 is next, the topical questions, and the first of those questions is to be answered by the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice, and the question is to be asked by Heledd Fychan
1. Pa asesiad mae’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi ei wneud o’r posibilrwydd bydd Amgueddfa Cymru yn cau Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd oherwydd dirywiad yr adeilad? TQ1039
1. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of National Museum Wales possibly closing National Museum Cardiff due to deteriorating conditions? TQ1039
Diolch. My officials continue to work with Amgueddfa Cymru to develop a plan to address the urgent maintenance issues at our National Museum Cardiff. I met with the chief executive yesterday, who assured me there are no plans to close the museum. However, I fully appreciate the seriousness of the situation and the significant investment needed.
Diolch. Mae fy swyddogion yn parhau i weithio gydag Amgueddfa Cymru i ddatblygu cynllun i fynd i'r afael â'r materion cynnal a chadw brys yn Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd. Cyfarfûm â'r prif weithredwr ddoe, ac fe'm sicrhaodd nad oes unrhyw gynlluniau i gau'r amgueddfa. Fodd bynnag, rwy'n llwyr dderbyn difrifoldeb y sefyllfa a'r buddsoddiad sylweddol sydd ei angen.
Thank you very much, Cabinet Secretary, and first of all, may I congratulate you on your appointment and say how pleased I am to see culture elevated within Government, and welcome now how it's connected to social justice? I very much hope that we can work together constructively and positively to tackle the problems faced by our national institutions.
I also hope that we can all agree in this Siambr that none of us want to see National Museum Cardiff, the headquarters of our iconic national museums, have to close its doors because it is not safe for visitors, staff and our national collections. I am very pleased to hear your response, and a welcome change from some of the responses I've received from your predecessor. I hope we will now see a willingness to find solutions. And as I'm sure you can appreciate from your meeting with the national museum, they are not empty threats from the national museum. It is a very real possibility, and we must, as a Senedd, do everything in our power to stop this from happening to the home of our memory as a nation. And it isn't a problem that appeared overnight either. We need to be clear as a Senedd that there's a £90 million backlog of capital expenditure needed just to bring all of our national museums up to the standard required to care for our nation's collections for future generations.
In addressing the Senedd yesterday on delivering his priorities, the First Minister used the word 'choices' six times, and there's no getting away from the fact that one of those choices has been to cut what was already too small a budget compared to others. And if that isn't bad enough, he was also happy to defend the decision to do so.
Now, the Scottish Government, who are also at the receiving end of Tory austerity, have committed to doubling arts and culture funding. Andrew Green, the former librarian at the national library, wrote recently of the Welsh Government's 'fatal lack of understanding' and 'lack of vision' about the role of culture and the arts in how we live and how we're seen by people outside Wales. Can I therefore ask what reassurances can the Cabinet Secretary give today that such a damning critique is without foundation, and will you commit to working cross party here in the Senedd with Amgueddfa Cymru, as well as our cultural national institutions such as the National Library of Wales, to not only assess the risk to our national collections, but to put in place a plan to safeguard them and commit to adopting a new approach to culture and heritage for the remainder of this Senedd term?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ac yn gyntaf oll, a gaf i eich llongyfarch ar eich penodiad a dweud pa mor falch wyf i o weld diwylliant yn cael ei ddyrchafu yn y Llywodraeth, a chroesawu'r ffordd y mae'n gysylltiedig â chyfiawnder cymdeithasol nawr? Rwy'n mawr obeithio y gallwn weithio gyda'n gilydd yn adeiladol ac yn gadarnhaol i fynd i'r afael â'r problemau sy'n wynebu ein sefydliadau cenedlaethol.
Gobeithio hefyd y gallwn i gyd gytuno yn y Siambr hon nad oes yr un ohonom am weld Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd, pencadlys ein hamgueddfeydd cenedlaethol eiconig, yn gorfod cau ei drysau am nad yw'n ddiogel i ymwelwyr, staff a'n casgliadau cenedlaethol. Rwy'n falch iawn o glywed eich ymateb, ac mae'n newid i'w groesawu o gymharu â rhai o'r ymatebion a gefais gan eich rhagflaenydd. Rwy'n gobeithio nawr y gwelwn barodrwydd i ddod o hyd i atebion. Ac fel rwy'n siŵr y gallwch ddeall o'ch cyfarfod gyda'r amgueddfa genedlaethol, nid ydynt yn fygythiadau gwag gan yr amgueddfa genedlaethol. Mae'n bosibilrwydd real iawn, ac mae'n rhaid i ni, fel Senedd, wneud popeth yn ein gallu i atal hyn rhag digwydd i gartref ein cof fel cenedl. Ac nid yw'n broblem a ymddangosodd dros nos ychwaith. Mae angen inni fod yn glir fel Senedd fod angen ôl-groniad o £90 miliwn o wariant cyfalaf i ddod â'n holl amgueddfeydd cenedlaethol i'r safon sy'n ofynnol i ofalu am gasgliadau ein cenedl ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol.
Wrth annerch y Senedd ddoe ar gyflawni ei flaenoriaethau, defnyddiodd y Prif Weinidog y gair 'dewisiadau' chwe gwaith, ac ni ellir osgoi'r ffaith mai un o'r dewisiadau hynny fu cwtogi cyllideb a oedd eisoes yn rhy fach o'i gymharu ag eraill. Ac os nad yw hynny'n ddigon drwg, roedd hefyd yn hapus i amddiffyn y penderfyniad i wneud hynny.
Nawr, mae Llywodraeth yr Alban, sydd hefyd yn dioddef cyni Torïaidd, wedi ymrwymo i ddyblu cyllid y celfyddydau a diwylliant. Yn ddiweddar, ysgrifennodd Andrew Green, cyn-lyfrgellydd y llyfrgell genedlaethol, am 'ddiffyg dealltwriaeth angheuol' a 'diffyg gweledigaeth' Llywodraeth Cymru ynghylch rôl diwylliant a'r celfyddydau yn y ffordd rydym yn byw a sut y cawn ein gweld gan bobl y tu allan i Gymru. Felly, a gaf i ofyn pa sicrwydd y gall Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ei roi heddiw nad oes sail i feirniadaeth mor ddamniol, ac a wnewch chi ymrwymo i weithio'n drawsbleidiol yma yn y Senedd gydag Amgueddfa Cymru, yn ogystal â'n sefydliadau cenedlaethol diwylliannol fel Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, nid yn unig i asesu'r risg i'n casgliadau cenedlaethol, ond i roi cynllun ar waith i'w diogelu ac ymrwymo i fabwysiadu ymagwedd newydd tuag at ddiwylliant a threftadaeth am weddill tymor y Senedd hon?
Thank you very much, and thank you for your words of welcome. I too have always believed that arts are the great redeemer of life, so I'm very, very pleased to have been appointed to the culture portfolio, and I quite agree with you, that link between social justice and making sure that we expand the offer to ensure that everybody is able to access art and culture, I think is very welcome, and, certainly, when I met with my senior management team for the first time, everybody together on Monday, you could see the enthusiasm for that.
As I said, I did meet with the chief executive yesterday; I'm meeting with the chair and the chief executive tomorrow. There has clearly been a great deal of work already started before I came into portfolio to look at some specific funding over the next few years to try and help clear that backlog that you referred to. They are very old buildings, they're iconic buildings, but we know—. You only have to look at City Hall, don't you, here in Cardiff, to see the issues there, and I think it's fair to say the chief executive can see that there are similarities between the museum and City Hall. So, it's really important that I get that assurance from the chief executive and the chair about the safety of our collections. They are the people best placed to advise me on that; they're the people to tell me how best to keep safe those collections.
I think we have to recognise the budget situation, and we are where we are, we're only at the start of the financial year now, but what I have made very clear to officials is I want them to continue to work very closely with the museum, with the chair and chief exec, to make sure they bring forward a business plan. I would like to see that business plan certainly by the middle of next month to see what we can then do. I don't have a great budget, as you know, but I don't think it is just a matter for me; I think it is a cross-Government issue, but every Cabinet Secretary will tell you that, but I'm very, very clear that this is an iconic building, these collections are not ours, we just look after them as we pass through, and it's really important that we do safeguard them, and I'm very keen to work with everybody, and I welcome your commitment to that. Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, a diolch am eich geiriau o groeso. Rwyf innau hefyd wedi credu erioed mai'r celfyddydau yw'r gwaredwr mawr mewn bywyd, felly, rwy'n falch iawn o fod wedi cael fy mhenodi i'r portffolio diwylliant, ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â chi, mae'r cysylltiad rhwng cyfiawnder cymdeithasol a sicrhau ein bod yn ehangu'r cynnig i sicrhau bod pawb yn gallu cael mynediad at gelf a diwylliant i'w groesawu'n fawr, ac yn sicr, pan gyfarfûm â fy uwch dîm rheoli am y tro cyntaf, pawb gyda'i gilydd ddydd Llun, gallech weld y brwdfrydedd ynghylch hynny.
Fel y dywedais, cyfarfûm â'r prif weithredwr ddoe; rwy'n cyfarfod â'r cadeirydd a'r prif weithredwr yfory. Mae'n amlwg fod llawer iawn o waith eisoes wedi dechrau cyn imi ddod i'r portffolio i edrych ar gyllid penodol dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd nesaf i geisio helpu i glirio'r ôl-groniad y cyfeirioch chi ato. Maent yn adeiladau hen iawn, maent yn adeiladau eiconig, ond rydym yn gwybod—. Nid oes ond yn rhaid ichi edrych ar Neuadd y Ddinas yma yng Nghaerdydd i weld y problemau yno, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud bod y prif weithredwr yn gallu gweld bod tebygrwydd rhwng yr amgueddfa a Neuadd y Ddinas. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn fy mod yn cael y sicrwydd hwnnw gan y prif weithredwr a'r cadeirydd ynghylch diogelwch ein casgliadau. Nhw yw'r bobl sydd yn y sefyllfa orau i fy nghynghori ar hynny; nhw yw'r bobl i ddweud wrthyf beth yw'r ffordd orau o gadw'r casgliadau hynny'n ddiogel.
Rwy'n credu bod yn rhaid inni gydnabod sefyllfa'r gyllideb, ac rydym yn y sefyllfa rydym ynddi, a dim ond ar ddechrau'r flwyddyn ariannol nawr, ond rwyf wedi dweud yn glir iawn wrth swyddogion fy mod am iddynt barhau i weithio'n agos iawn gyda'r amgueddfa, gyda'r cadeirydd a'r prif weithredwr, i sicrhau eu bod yn cyflwyno cynllun busnes. Hoffwn weld y cynllun busnes hwnnw yn sicr erbyn canol y mis nesaf i weld beth y gallwn ei wneud wedyn. Nid oes gennyf gyllideb anferth, fel y gwyddoch, ond nid wyf yn credu mai mater imi yn unig ydyw; rwy'n credu ei fod yn fater trawslywodraethol, ond bydd pob Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn dweud hynny wrthych, ond rwy'n glir iawn fod hwn yn adeilad eiconig, nid ein casgliadau ni yw'r casgliadau hyn, rydym yn gofalu amdanynt wrth inni deithio trwodd, ac mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn eu diogelu, ac rwy'n awyddus iawn i weithio gyda phawb, ac rwy'n croesawu eich ymrwymiad i hynny. Diolch.
Can I welcome you to your role, Cabinet Secretary? I look forward to working with you on a range of issues. I also welcome the warm words, I think, we've heard so far about the future of the national museum. Can I also thank Heledd Fychan for tabling today's question on the future of the national museum of Wales? Now, I do feel a bit sorry for Heledd because, whilst she clearly takes a keen interest in the museum, I think she's been undermined here by her own party. That's because Plaid Cymru, in co-operation with this Welsh Labour Government, have recently agreed to a cultural strategy, with their designated Member working with your predecessor to achieve it. Now, that strategy is out to consultation, but can the Cabinet Secretary confirm whether the strategy, as presently drafted by both parties, contains a specific safeguard to ensure the future of the museum?
A gaf i eich croesawu i'ch rôl, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet? Edrychaf ymlaen at weithio gyda chi ar amrywiaeth o faterion. Rwyf hefyd yn croesawu'r geiriau cynnes a glywsom hyd yma am ddyfodol yr amgueddfa genedlaethol. A gaf i ddiolch hefyd i Heledd Fychan am gyflwyno'r cwestiwn heddiw ar ddyfodol amgueddfa genedlaethol Cymru? Nawr, rwy'n teimlo ychydig yn flin dros Heledd oherwydd, er ei bod yn amlwg â diddordeb brwd yn yr amgueddfa, rwy'n credu ei bod wedi cael ei thanseilio yma gan ei phlaid ei hun. Mae hynny oherwydd bod Plaid Cymru, mewn cydweithrediad â'r Llywodraeth Lafur hon, wedi cytuno'n ddiweddar i strategaeth ddiwylliannol, gyda'u Haelod dynodedig yn gweithio gyda'ch rhagflaenydd i'w chyflawni. Nawr, mae ymgynghoriad wedi dechrau ar y strategaeth honno, ond a all Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gadarnhau a yw'r strategaeth, fel y mae wedi'i drafftio ar hyn o bryd gan y ddwy blaid, yn cynnwys gwaith diogelu penodol i sicrhau dyfodol yr amgueddfa?
Well, thank you. The consultation hasn't begun yet, and I've asked to have a pause so that I can look at that document. I appreciate the work that had gone into it by my predecessor and by the designated Member, but it hasn't actually gone out to consultation yet.
Wel, diolch. Nid yw'r ymgynghoriad wedi dechrau eto, ac rwyf wedi gofyn am saib fel y gallaf edrych ar y ddogfen honno. Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'r gwaith a wnaed gan fy rhagflaenydd a chan yr Aelod dynodedig, ond nid yw'r ymgynghoriad wedi dechrau eto.
Can I also congratulate Lesley Griffiths on your appointment, and also the combining of culture with social justice in your portfolio? I think that's very exciting, and I'm sure the Equality and Social Justice Committee will want to take advantage of that.
I've just come from a public discussion hosted by the Mercury Theatre to inform their work on climate change and our seas, and it illustrates just how important it is to engage with the public on thorny issues like what can we all do about climate change.
Referring to the national museum's challenges, we know that up to 60 jobs will need to go at museums Wales, from what they've said. Voluntary severance schemes are very clunky ways of approaching this, as it inevitably means losing the most employable staff, rather than focusing on reshaping the structure of the museum to meet its identified priorities. Now we have the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023, what discussions will you have or have you had with senior managers to ensure all staff are involved in the best way to meet the museum’s priorities with a reduced budget?
A gaf i hefyd longyfarch Lesley Griffiths ar eich penodiad, a hefyd ar gyfuno diwylliant â chyfiawnder cymdeithasol yn eich portffolio? Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n gyffrous iawn, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol am fanteisio ar hynny.
Rwyf newydd ddod o drafodaeth gyhoeddus a gynhaliwyd gan Mercury Theatre i lywio eu gwaith ar newid hinsawdd a'n moroedd, ac mae'n dangos pa mor bwysig yw ymgysylltu â'r cyhoedd ar faterion dyrys fel yr hyn y gall pob un ohonom ei wneud am newid hinsawdd.
Gan gyfeirio at heriau'r amgueddfa genedlaethol, gwyddom y bydd angen cael gwared ar hyd at 60 o swyddi yn amgueddfeydd Cymru, o'r hyn y maent wedi'i ddweud. Mae cynlluniau diswyddo gwirfoddol yn ffyrdd lletchwith iawn o fynd i'r afael â hyn, gan ei bod yn anochel yn golygu colli'r staff mwyaf cyflogadwy, yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio ar ail-lunio strwythur yr amgueddfa i gyflawni ei blaenoriaethau a nodwyd. Gan fod gennym Ddeddf Partneriaeth Gymdeithasol a Chaffael Cyhoeddus (Cymru) 2023 erbyn hyn, pa drafodaethau y byddwch yn eu cael neu a gawsoch gydag uwch reolwyr i sicrhau bod yr holl staff yn cymryd rhan yn y ffordd orau o gyflawni blaenoriaethau'r amgueddfa gyda chyllideb lai?
Thank you. I haven't had that discussion as yet, but I mentioned in my original answer to Heledd Fychan that I am meeting with the chair and chief exec to have a much wider discussion tomorrow, and that will, obviously, be part of it. When I did speak with the chief executive yesterday here in the Senedd, I was pleased to hear there hadn't been any compulsory redundancies, because I think that is another way that, unfortunately, sometimes we do lose the skills that are required. So, I was very pleased to hear that. Obviously, I will have a wider conversation, but I think it is really important to remind any organisation that they have a duty to adhere to the social partnership Act, and it's really important that they use that partnership approach, going forward.
Diolch. Nid wyf wedi cael y drafodaeth honno hyd yma, ond soniais yn fy ateb gwreiddiol i Heledd Fychan fy mod yn cyfarfod â'r cadeirydd a'r prif weithredwr i gael trafodaeth lawer ehangach yfory, a bydd hynny, yn amlwg, yn rhan ohoni. Pan siaradais â'r prif weithredwr ddoe yma yn y Senedd, roeddwn yn falch o glywed na fu unrhyw ddiswyddiadau gorfodol, oherwydd rwy'n credu bod honno'n ffordd arall y byddwn weithiau'n colli'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen. Felly, roeddwn yn falch iawn o glywed hynny. Yn amlwg, byddaf yn cael sgwrs ehangach, ond credaf ei bod yn bwysig iawn atgoffa unrhyw sefydliad fod dyletswydd arnynt i lynu wrth y Ddeddf partneriaeth gymdeithasol, ac mae'n bwysig iawn eu bod yn defnyddio'r dull partneriaeth wrth symud ymlaen.
Cabinet Secretary, I welcome you, sincerely, to this role. Now, this is an issue that the culture committee has expressed serious concerns about. The risk that's been outlined to the national collections themselves is stark. The associated risk to our national identity and our collective memory is profound. Now, I was heartened just now to hear you say that the arts are the redeemer of life. Now, as the new Cabinet Secretary for culture, will you endeavour to find an urgent solution to this crisis, because, would you agree with me that, if a nation cannot remember where it's come from, it cannot possibly learn from its past nor indeed face its future with hope?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy'n eich croesawu'n ddiffuant i'r rôl hon. Nawr, mae hwn yn fater y mae'r pwyllgor diwylliant wedi mynegi pryderon difrifol yn ei gylch. Mae'r risg sydd wedi'i hamlinellu i'r casgliadau cenedlaethol eu hunain yn sylweddol. Mae'r risg gysylltiedig i'n hunaniaeth genedlaethol a'n cof cyfunol yn ddwys. Nawr, cefais fy nghalonogi nawr o'ch clywed yn dweud mai'r celfyddydau yw gwaredwr bywyd. Nawr, fel yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet newydd dros ddiwylliant, a wnewch chi ymdrechu i ddod o hyd i ateb brys i'r argyfwng hwn, oherwydd, a fyddech yn cytuno â mi, os na all cenedl gofio o ble mae wedi dod, nid oes modd iddi ddysgu o'i gorffennol nac wynebu ei dyfodol gyda gobaith?
I absolutely agree, and I recognise that I'm going to be a custodian for a very, very short time, and it is really important that we do all we can, but I do think that my officials and the officials working at the museum—. And I have to say their relationship was very pleasing to see; there had been, clearly, a significant amount of work done. They seemed to speak as one voice, really. I thought it was really good, the work that the two groups had done. They know what's needed to keep those collections safe, and I very much look forward, and I'd be very happy to—. I plan to do an oral statement on the priorities within the portfolio to the Senedd, probably next month, and I'd very happy to update you on those further discussions I have. But it's really important that we look at what we can do to help them. Even in these extremely challenging economic times, it is really important that we do all we can.
Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr, ac rwy'n cydnabod fy mod yn mynd i fod yn geidwad am gyfnod byr iawn ac mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn gwneud popeth yn ein gallu, ond rwy'n credu bod fy swyddogion a'r swyddogion sy'n gweithio yn yr amgueddfa—. Ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud bod eu perthynas yn braf iawn i'w gweld; yn amlwg, roedd llawer iawn o waith wedi cael ei wneud. Roedd yn ymddangos eu bod yn siarad fel un llais. Roeddwn yn meddwl bod y gwaith yr oedd y ddau grŵp wedi'i wneud yn dda iawn. Maent yn gwybod beth sydd ei angen i gadw'r casgliadau hynny'n ddiogel, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn fawr, a byddwn yn hapus iawn i—. Rwy'n bwriadu gwneud datganiad llafar ar y blaenoriaethau yn y portffolio i'r Senedd, y mis nesaf yn ôl pob tebyg, a byddwn yn hapus iawn i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i chi am y trafodaethau pellach a gaf. Ond mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn edrych ar yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud i'w helpu. Hyd yn oed yn y cyfnod economaidd hynod heriol hwn, mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn gwneud popeth a allwn.
I'm grateful to you, Presiding Officer. Like others, I welcome the Cabinet Secretary to her role. And also welcome the bringing together, if you like, of both culture and social justice. I think it's absolutely essential and important. And I think we should also make a very clear statement on all sides of the Chamber this afternoon—I'm not sure if this is a point where we want to be trying to score points, Tom. The people of Wales should never be placed in a position where they're told they have a choice between seeing a GP or a van Gogh. Having the access to our national collections, to who we are, is important about not just us a nation, but us as a family, us as individuals, us as a community. And whenever we have these debates, Cabinet Secretary, I'm reminded of the former First Minister and the argument he made in terms of access to free school meals: bread and roses. We're not simply about delivering bread, but bread and roses as well—who we are as a people, as a country, as a nation, as a community. I think that's absolutely essential.
I very much welcome the Cabinet Secretary's commitment to come in here with a statement next month. I think that's important. But I would also like to have a statement on the future of our national collections. The chair of the culture committee has spoken already in this question, and we need a statement on the future of our national collections, but also on access to those national collections, because the grotesque debate we've had over the last few days about whether we would have a national museum open to our people in our capital city simply emphasises the fact that, even when that museum is open, we don't have access to our national collections. I want my 13-year-old boy to grow up understanding his past, and, when he understands that, I hope that he will play a part—Government's terrified to hear this—in creating our future as well.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar ichi, Lywydd. Fel eraill, rwy'n croesawu Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet i'w rôl. A hefyd yn croesawu'r ffordd y cyfunir, os mynnwch, diwylliant a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn hanfodol ac yn bwysig. Ac rwy'n credu y dylem hefyd wneud datganiad clir iawn ar bob ochr i'r Siambr y prynhawn yma—nid wyf yn siŵr a yw hwn yn bwynt lle'r ydym am fod yn ceisio sgorio pwyntiau, Tom. Ni ddylai pobl Cymru fyth gael eu rhoi mewn sefyllfa lle maent yn cael gwybod bod ganddynt ddewis rhwng gweld meddyg teulu neu ddarlun gan van Gogh. Mae cael mynediad at ein casgliadau cenedlaethol, at bwy ydym ni, yn bwysig nid yn unig i ni fel cenedl, ond i ni fel teulu, ni fel unigolion, ni fel cymuned. A phryd bynnag y cawn y dadleuon hyn, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, caf fy atgoffa o'r cyn-Brif Weinidog a'r ddadl a wnaeth ynglŷn â mynediad at brydau ysgol am ddim: bara a rhosod. Rydym yn gwneud mwy na darparu bara yn unig, ond bara a rhosod hefyd—pwy ydym ni fel pobl, fel gwlad, fel cenedl, fel cymuned. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n gwbl allweddol.
Rwy'n croesawu ymrwymiad Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet i roi datganiad yma fis nesaf. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n bwysig. Ond hoffwn hefyd gael datganiad ar ddyfodol ein casgliadau cenedlaethol. Mae cadeirydd y pwyllgor diwylliant eisoes wedi siarad yn y cwestiwn hwn, ac mae angen datganiad ar ddyfodol ein casgliadau cenedlaethol, ond hefyd ar fynediad at y casgliadau cenedlaethol hynny, oherwydd mae'r ddadl wrthun a gawsom dros yr ychydig ddyddiau diwethaf ynglŷn ag a fyddai gennym amgueddfa genedlaethol ar agor i'n pobl yn ein prifddinas yn pwysleisio'r ffaith nad oes gennym fynediad at ein casgliadau cenedlaethol hyd yn oed pan fydd yr amgueddfa honno ar agor. Rwyf am i fy mab 13 oed dyfu i fyny yn deall ei orffennol, a phan fo'n deall hynny, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yn chwarae rhan—mae'r Llywodraeth yn arswydo wrth glywed hyn—yn creu ein dyfodol hefyd.
I don't disagree with anything Alun has said. I'm going to visit the museum on Tuesday. It's probably about two years since I dropped in there, and I went to see the Richard Burton exhibition as the last thing I saw at the museum. It is really important that as much of those collections are on view as possible. Of course it's a family of museums, isn't it, right across Wales; I look forward to visiting all of the seven museums within the family, to see what is there. As you say, it's really important that everybody has access, and it's good to hear the welcome for the joining up of culture and social justice, because I too think that's really important.
Nid wyf yn anghytuno ag unrhyw beth y mae Alun wedi'i ddweud. Byddaf yn ymweld â'r amgueddfa ddydd Mawrth. Mae'n debyg fod tua dwy flynedd ers imi fod yno, ac fe euthum i weld arddangosfa Richard Burton fel y peth diwethaf a welais yn yr amgueddfa. Mae'n bwysig iawn fod cymaint â phosibl o'r casgliadau hynny i'w gweld. Wrth gwrs, mae'n deulu o amgueddfeydd ar draws Cymru, onid yw; edrychaf ymlaen at ymweld â'r saith amgueddfa yn y teulu, i weld beth sydd yno. Fel y dywedwch, mae'n bwysig iawn fod pawb yn cael mynediad, ac mae'n dda clywed y croeso i gyfuno diwylliant a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol, gan fy mod innau hefyd yn credu bod hynny'n bwysig iawn.
Good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary. I would just add to what's been said. Funding of arts and culture is a way of creating a more equal society. Many of us have had the advantages of being able to enter into museums and art galleries for free, so not only do we have the challenge right now of an iconic building potentially closing—I hope for a short period of time—but I also wonder, in your business plan that you're looking to get from your officials, whether you're also going to be able to include in that the issue around charging for museums and art galleries in Wales. I very much hope that they will remain free and open to all. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Hoffwn ychwanegu at yr hyn a ddywedwyd. Mae ariannu'r celfyddydau a diwylliant yn ffordd o greu cymdeithas fwy cyfartal. Mae llawer ohonom wedi cael y manteision o allu mynd i amgueddfeydd ac orielau celf am ddim, felly, nid yn unig fod gennym yr her nawr o adeilad eiconig a allai fod yn cau—am gyfnod byr o amser gobeithio—ond yn eich cynllun busnes y bwriadwch ei gael gan eich swyddogion, tybed a ydych chi hefyd yn mynd i allu cynnwys y mater ynghylch codi tâl ar gyfer amgueddfeydd ac orielau celf yng Nghymru. Rwy'n mawr obeithio y byddant yn parhau i fod am ddim ac yn agored i bawb. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you, and, certainly, Welsh Government is committed to not charging to go into our museums. As I say, I had a very brief discussion with the chief executive yesterday around that, and she assured me that was still the view as well. I absolutely agree. If we going to have that widening of participation in our iconic buildings and in our museums, it is really important that there is no charge. I think it's fair to say, and this will be part of the conversation I have at my meeting tomorrow, that they are looking at ways—certainly in the national museum here in Cardiff—they can create and generate some income, but charging to go in is not one of them.
Diolch, ac yn sicr, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i beidio â chodi tâl mynediad i'n hamgueddfeydd. Fel rwy'n dweud, cefais drafodaeth fer iawn gyda'r prif weithredwr ynghylch hynny ddoe, ac fe'm sicrhaodd mai dyna oedd y farn o hyd. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr. Os ydym am ehangu cyfranogiad yn ein hadeiladau eiconig ac yn ein hamgueddfeydd, mae'n bwysig iawn nad oes tâl. Rwy'n meddwl ei bod yn deg dweud, a bydd hyn yn rhan o'r sgwrs a gaf yn fy nghyfarfod yfory, eu bod yn edrych ar ffyrdd—yn sicr yn yr amgueddfa genedlaethol yma yng Nghaerdydd—y gallant greu a chynhyrchu rhywfaint o incwm, ond nid yw codi tâl mynediad yn un ohonynt.
Jane, Delyth and Alun have already talked about how the value of culture goes far beyond simple monetary terms, but at the risk of undoing some of that by talking about the value produced by the museum in monetary terms, falling into that trap of only attributing value to things that turn profit, we know from data in 2020 that, for every £1 the Welsh Government spends on the national museum, £4 is generated in additional spending, and that, by all accounts, is a conservative estimate. So, I'm just really interested to understand what work the Welsh Government has done to understand the economic impact of any potential closure of the national museum and any further job losses within the national museum itself.
Mae Jane, Delyth ac Alun eisoes wedi sôn sut mae gwerth diwylliant yn mynd ymhell y tu hwnt i dermau ariannol syml, ond gyda'r perygl o ddadwneud rhywfaint o hynny drwy siarad am y gwerth a gynhyrchir gan yr amgueddfa mewn termau ariannol, a syrthio i'r fagl o briodoli gwerth i bethau sy'n gwneud elw yn unig, fe wyddom o ddata yn 2020, am bob £1 y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei gwario ar yr amgueddfa genedlaethol, fod £4 yn cael ei chynhyrchu mewn gwariant ychwanegol, ac mae hynny, yn ôl pob sôn, yn amcangyfrif ceidwadol. Felly, mae gennyf ddiddordeb mawr mewn deall pa waith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud i ddeall effaith economaidd unrhyw bosibilrwydd o gau'r amgueddfa genedlaethol ac unrhyw golli swyddi pellach o fewn yr amgueddfa genedlaethol ei hun.
Well, I'm sure my predecessor did undertake that work. I haven't had the opportunity to have a look at it. We often hear this, don't we, that a pound generates multiple pounds in return, and I think it is very important to understand that there will have to be several impact assessments, but I want to reassure everybody that the national museum is not closing.
Wel, rwy'n siŵr fod fy rhagflaenydd wedi gwneud y gwaith hwnnw. Nid wyf wedi cael cyfle i edrych arno. Rydym yn aml yn clywed hyn, onid ydym, fod punt yn cynhyrchu sawl punt yn ei lle, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn deall y bydd yn rhaid cael sawl asesiad effaith, ond rwyf am sicrhau pawb nad yw'r amgueddfa genedlaethol yn cau.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
Mae'r cwestiwn nesaf i'w ateb gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol, i'w ofyn gan Altaf Hussain.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary.
The next question is to be answered by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, and is to be asked by Altaf Hussain.
2. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am ganfyddiadau'r crwner ym marwolaeth Dr Kim Harrison a amlygodd fethiannau difrifol ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe? TQ1044
2. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the coroner's findings in the death of Dr Kim Harrison which highlighted serious failings at Swansea Bay University Health Board? TQ1044
Diolch yn fawr. This is a tragic case, and my thoughts are with those who are affected. The health board investigated this incident at the time, and made necessary improvements. I expect immediate action by the health board following the coroner's findings, and I've asked the NHS executive to provide assurance on this.
Diolch yn fawr. Mae hwn yn achos trasig, ac mae fy meddyliau gyda'r rhai sydd wedi eu heffeithio. Fe wnaeth y bwrdd iechyd ymchwilio i'r digwyddiad ar y pryd, ac fe wnaeth y gwelliannau angenrheidiol. Rwy'n disgwyl i'r bwrdd iechyd weithredu ar unwaith yn sgil canfyddiadau'r crwner, ac rwyf wedi gofyn i weithrediaeth y GIG ddarparu sicrwydd ynglŷn â hyn.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. It is great to see you back in your job and post. Now, I was shocked to hear about the long list of failures that had such a tragic consequence. My thoughts and prayers are with the Harrison family. The failures of social services, the police, and ultimately the health board, certainly contributed to the death of Dr Harrison, and we must ensure that this can never happen again. Cabinet Secretary, will you conduct an urgent review of security measures, not just at the mental health unit within Neath Port Talbot Hospital, but across the mental health estate, both secure and non-secure? How will the lessons from the poor treatment received by Daniel Harrison be applied to the training of mental health clinicians operating in the Welsh NHS? And, finally, Cabinet Secretary, how will you ensure that all relevant patient information is utilised when mental health assessments are undertaken in police custody? Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Mae'n dda eich gweld yn ôl yn eich swydd. Nawr, cefais sioc o glywed am y rhestr hir o fethiannau a arweiniodd at ganlyniad mor drasig. Mae fy meddyliau a fy ngweddïau gyda'r teulu Harrison. Yn sicr, cyfrannodd methiannau'r gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, yr heddlu, a'r bwrdd iechyd yn y pen draw at farwolaeth Dr Harrison ac mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau na all hyn fyth ddigwydd eto. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi gynnal adolygiad brys o fesurau diogelwch, nid yn unig yn yr uned iechyd meddwl yn Ysbyty Castell Nedd Port Talbot, ond ar draws yr ystad iechyd meddwl, mewn unedau diogel ac agored fel ei gilydd? Sut y bydd gwersi o'r driniaeth wael a gafodd Daniel Harrison yn cael eu cymhwyso ar gyfer hyfforddi clinigwyr iechyd meddwl sy'n gweithredu yn y GIG yng Nghymru? Ac yn olaf, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, sut y gwnewch chi sicrhau bod yr holl wybodaeth berthnasol am gleifion yn cael ei defnyddio pan gynhelir asesiadau iechyd meddwl yn nalfeydd yr heddlu? Diolch.
Well, thanks very much, and I'm sure everybody will understand the extreme tragedy of this case and the real difficulties that this family has had to face. And I just want to make sure that there's an understanding that I take all regulation 28 reports extremely seriously, and I do think that there are wider lessons for us to learn, and that's certainly something that we'll be encouraging the health board to undertake. But, also, I have instructed the NHS executive to look at that wider learning.
I can give you a reassurance that a number of key actions are in process, including additional security measures being built into ward F at Neath Port Talbot Hospital, which provide extra locked areas around exit doors. And you're quite right that we need to make sure that those lessons are being learned in other health boards.
I think there is also wider learning that we need to understand, including, crucially—. And we're still waiting for the regulation 28 to be published in about seven days' time. I think the importance of needing to listen to the insights and the information that the family has in terms of delivering care, and the need to deliver care, and how to deliver care, is something that also needs to be taken on board.
Wel, diolch yn fawr, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd pawb yn deall trasiedi eithafol yr achos hwn a'r anawsterau gwirioneddol y mae'r teulu hwn wedi'u hwynebu. A hoffwn sicrhau y ceir dealltwriaeth fy mod yn cymryd pob adroddiad rheoliad 28 o ddifrif, a chredaf fod gwersi ehangach inni eu dysgu, ac mae hynny'n sicr yn rhywbeth y byddwn yn annog y bwrdd iechyd i ymgymryd ag ef. Ond hefyd, rwyf wedi cyfarwyddo gweithrediaeth y GIG i edrych ar y gwersi ehangach hynny.
Gallaf roi sicrwydd i chi fod nifer o gamau allweddol ar y gweill, gan gynnwys ymgorffori mesurau diogelwch ychwanegol yn ward F yn Ysbyty Castell-nedd Port Talbot, sy’n darparu mannau ychwanegol dan glo o amgylch allanfeydd. Ac rydych yn llygad eich lle fod angen inni sicrhau bod y gwersi hynny’n cael eu dysgu mewn byrddau iechyd eraill.
Credaf fod dysgu ehangach y mae angen inni ei ddeall hefyd, gan gynnwys, yn hollbwysig—. Ac rydym yn dal i aros i'r rheoliad 28 gael ei gyhoeddi ymhen rhyw saith niwrnod. Credaf fod pwysigrwydd yr angen i wrando ar fewnwelediad a gwybodaeth gan y teulu o ran darparu gofal, a'r angen i ddarparu gofal, a sut i ddarparu gofal, yn rhywbeth y mae angen ei ystyried hefyd.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Eitem 4 yw'r datganiadau 90 eiliad. Bydd y datganiad cyntaf gan Alun Davies.
Item 4 is the 90-second statements, and the first statement is from Alun Davies.
I'm grateful to you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Every so often, a superstar appears. Jess Fishlock is such a superstar. April the ninth marked a milestone moment, when Jess Fishlock led her country into the qualifier against Kosovo and became the first Wales player to win 150 Welsh caps. We should all congratulate here on this achievement. It means that she will have featured in 65 per cent of all Cymru games since the Welsh team were fully endorsed by the Football Association of Wales in 1993. It's an extraordinary statistic and something that she should be very, very proud of. Just a few days earlier, Jess had broken Gareth Bales' Welsh goal scoring record, as Wales beat Croatia 4-0 at Wrexham Racecourse.
Both achievements are testament to an exceptional player who has raised the bar and inspired all around her since making her international debut at the age of 16. There isn't a player more deserving to hold these records, because it's not just that she's a superstar at home in Wales, but globally as well. And it's not just her skills on the field that make her such an inspiration to a younger generation of players, but it's also her advice and her attitude. She's a global superstar who has never forgotten her Welsh roots. But she's done more than that. She's supported and helped the LGBTQ+ community on and off the pitch. When she was awarded her MBE, it was to women's football and to the LGBT community, and she was named the Stonewall sports champion as well in December 2020. We should all join together and congratulate Jess Fishlock on what she has achieved for Wales and for the community she represents. Thank you.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar i chi, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Bob hyn a hyn, mae seren yn ymddangos. Mae Jess Fishlock yn seren o'r fath. Roedd 9 Ebrill yn garreg filltir, pan arweiniodd Jess Fishlock ei gwlad ar gyfer y gêm ragbrofol yn erbyn Kosovo, gan ddod yn chwaraewr cyntaf Cymru i ennill 150 o gapiau dros Gymru. Dylai pob un ohonom ei llongyfarch yma ar yr orchest hon. Mae'n golygu y bydd wedi chwarae yn 65 y cant o holl gemau Cymru ers i dîm Cymru gael ei gymeradwyo'n llawn gan Gymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru ym 1993. Mae'n ystadegyn rhyfeddol, ac yn rhywbeth y dylai fod yn falch tu hwnt ohono. Ychydig ddyddiau ynghynt, torrodd Jess record Gareth Bale am y nifer uchaf o goliau dros Gymru, wrth i Gymru guro Croatia o bedair gôl i ddim ar Gae Ras Wrecsam.
Mae'r ddwy orchest yn dyst i chwaraewr eithriadol sydd wedi codi'r safon ac wedi ysbrydoli pawb o'i chwmpas ers chwarae ei gêm ryngwladol gyntaf yn 16 oed. Nid oes chwaraewr mwy haeddiannol i feddu ar y cyflawniadau hyn, oherwydd nid yn unig ei bod yn seren gartref yng Nghymru, ond yn fyd-eang hefyd. Ac nid ei sgiliau ar y cae chwarae yn unig sy’n ei gwneud yn gymaint o ysbrydoliaeth i genhedlaeth iau o chwaraewyr, ond ei chyngor a’i hagwedd hefyd. Mae'n seren fyd-eang sydd erioed wedi anghofio ei gwreiddiau Cymreig. Ond mae wedi gwneud mwy na hynny. Mae wedi cefnogi a helpu'r gymuned LHDTC+ ar y cae chwarae ac oddi arno. Pan gafodd ei MBE, fe'i cafodd oherwydd ei chyfraniad i bêl-droed menywod a'r gymuned LHDT, a chafodd ei henwi’n hyrwyddwr chwaraeon Stonewall hefyd ym mis Rhagfyr 2020. Dylai pob un ohonom ddod ynghyd i longyfarch Jess Fishlock ar yr hyn y mae wedi’i gyflawni dros Gymru a thros y gymuned y mae'n ei chynrychioli. Diolch.
Mi fyddai rhai pobl yn dweud bod yr ymadrodd 'o flaen ei hamser' yn cael ei ddefnyddio’n llawer rhy aml, ond prin y gallai neb ddadlau nad yw’n ddisgrifiad teilwng iawn o Zonia Bowen fu farw yn ddiweddar. Fel cynifer o’r bobl sy’n gwneud cyfraniad arbennig i’n cenedl, y tu allan i Gymru y ganed Zonia, a hynny yn Norfolk yn 1926. Daeth i astudio Ffrangeg i’r brifysgol ym Mangor, ond gyda’r Gymraeg a gyda Chymru y syrthiodd mewn cariad ar ôl cyrraedd yma. Astudiodd Zonia’r Llydaweg hefyd, a hi oedd y cyntaf erioed i gyhoeddi gwerslyfrau Llydaweg drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.
Roedd rhyddid ac annibyniaeth yn llinyn arian drwy holl waith Zonia, ac, o dan ei harweiniad hi, daeth cangen Sefydliad y Merched y Parc ger y Bala yn rhydd oddi wrth y WI, a hynny am eu bod yn gwrthod caniatáu i ferched y Parc weithredu’r gangen drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Aeth y merched hynny yn eu blaenau i sefydlu mudiad sy’n rhan mor annatod o ddiwylliant y gymdeithas Gymraeg erbyn hyn, sef Merched y Wawr, a Zonia oedd ysgrifennydd cenedlaethol cyntaf y mudiad, yn ogystal â golygydd cyntaf eu cylchgrawn arbennig, Y Wawr. Fe fu Zonia’n ymgyrchu yn erbyn claddu gwastraff niwclear yng Nghymru yn yr 1980au dan faner ymgyrch Madryn, a bu’n ysgrifennydd ar Gyngor Dyneiddwyr Cymru hefyd am gyfnod.
Nid dynes draddodiadol oedd Zonia, ac nid bywyd traddodiadol y buodd hi fyw. Bu'n cicio yn erbyn y tresi, a gwrthododd dderbyn mai 'fel hyn y mae, ac fel hyn y mae i fod'. Diolch yn fawr, Zonia.
Some would say that the expression 'ahead of their time' is used far too often, but, surely, few would argue that it isn’t a worthy description of Zonia Bowen who passed away recently. Like so many of the people who make a special contribution to our nation, Zonia was born outside Wales, namely in Norfolk in 1926. She came here to study French at Bangor University, but it was with the Welsh language and Wales itself that she fell in love following her arrival. Zonia studied Breton too, and she was the first person ever to publish textbooks on learning Breton through the medium of Welsh.
Freedom and independence were a golden thread throughout all of Zonia’s work, and, under her leadership, the Women’s Institute branch of Parc, near Bala, gained its freedom from the WI, because the organisation refused to allow the women of Parc to administer the branch through the medium of Welsh. Those women went on to establish an organisation that has become such an inextricable part of Welsh language culture, namely Merched y Wawr, and Zonia was the organisation’s first national secretary, as well as the first editor of its special magazine, Y Wawr. Zonia campaigned against the burial of nuclear waste in Wales in the 1980s under the banner of the Madryn campaign, and she was secretary of Cyngor Dyneiddwyr Cymru for a time too.
Zonia wasn’t a traditional woman, nor did she live a traditional life. She went against the grain and refused to accept that 'this is how it is, and this is how it has to be'. Thank you, Zonia.
Wel, mae'n bleser mawr gen i i allu cynnig llongyfarchiadau gwresog i glwb pêl-droed Wrecsam, wrth gwrs, sydd wedi sicrhau dyrchafiad i adran gyntaf cynghrair Lloegr yr wythnos yma. Ac am ffordd i sicrhau dyrchafiad: sgorio chwe gôl yn erbyn Forest Green Rovers ar y Cae Ras, cae, wrth gwrs, sydd, unwaith eto nawr, yn gweld gemau rhyngwladol yn cael eu chwarae yno.
Nawr, mae yna ddywediad gan glwb pêl-droed Barcelona: mes que un club, mwy na chlwb. A dyna'n union sydd gennym ni, wrth gwrs, yn Wrecsam erbyn hyn: tîm ar gyfer y gogledd cyfan, tîm sy’n llenwi’r Cae Ras bob wythnos ac am godi stand newydd er mwyn ateb y galw gan y miloedd o ffans newydd sydd wedi eu swyno gan y stori. Clwb pêl-droed proff