Y Cyfarfod Llawn

Plenary

05/06/2024

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.

1. Cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a’r Gymraeg
1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language

Prynhawn da. Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Yr eitem gyntaf y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a’r Gymraeg, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Siân Gwenllian.

Good afternoon and welcome to this Plenary meeting. The first item this afternoon is questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language, and the first question is from Siân Gwenllian.

Cwmnïau Parcio Preifat
Private Parking Companies

1. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am ofynion ar gwmnïau parcio preifat ynghylch defnydd o’r Gymraeg? OQ61198

1. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement about what is required of private parking companies regarding the use of the Welsh language? OQ61198

Nid yw cwmnïau sy’n rhedeg meysydd parcio preifat yn dod o dan unrhyw ddyletswyddau cyfreithiol o ran defnyddio’r Gymraeg.

Companies that operate private car parks do not come under any legal duties in terms of using the Welsh language.

Mae Elysteg Llwyd Thomas a Toni Schiavone wedi eu dwyn o flaen y llys fel rhan o ymgyrch ar draws Cymru i gael cwmnïau parcio preifat i barchu'r Gymraeg. Fe wnaethoch chi benderfynu peidio â bwrw ymlaen i ddefnyddio pwerau a fyddai wedi gosod dyletswyddau ar feysydd parcio preifat, ac rydych chi wedi gwrthod gorchymyn swyddfa Comisiynydd y Gymraeg. Fe wnaethoch chi ddweud ar y pryd eich bod chi yn hytrach yn mynd i ymateb i ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth Prydain er mwyn cynnwys canllawiau ynghylch defnyddio'r Gymraeg mewn meysydd parcio yn y cod ymarfer parcio Prydeinig. Ond mae yna gadarnhad wedi dod nad oes gan Lywodraeth Prydain—y Llywodraeth bresennol yn sicr—unrhyw fwriad i gynnwys gofynion am y Gymraeg yn y cod ymarfer parcio. Gaf i ofyn a wnaethoch chi, fel Gweinidog, ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad ar y cod, a beth rŵan fydd eich cam chi, eich cam nesaf, er mwyn sicrhau defnydd o'r Gymraeg gan gwmnïau meysydd parcio preifat?

Elysteg Llwyd Thomas and Toni Schiavone have been brought before the courts as part of a pan-Wales campaign to require private parking companies to respect the Welsh language. You decided not to proceed with using powers that would have placed duties on private parking companies, and you have refused to instruct the Welsh Language Commissioner's office. You said at the time that you would instead respond to the UK Government's consultation so that they would include guidance on the use of the Welsh language by parking firms in the British parking code of practice. But we've now received confirmation that the UK Government— the current UK Government certainly—has no intention of including Welsh language requirements within the parking code of practice. Can I ask if you, as Minister, responded to the consultation on the code and what will be your next steps now to ensure that private parking companies do make use of the Welsh language?

Diolch i Siân Gwenllian am gwestiwn pwysig. Fel mae hi'n gwybod, mae cytundeb wedi bod rhyngom ni, fel Llywodraeth, a Phlaid Cymru ar raglen o ddiwygiadau o ran y safonau, sydd yn rhaglen gynhwysfawr, ac, er bod y cytundeb wedi dod i ben, ein bwriad ni, wrth gwrs, yw parhau i wireddu'r ymrwymiadau hynny—maen nhw'n ymestyn y safonau yn sylweddol iawn o le maen nhw heddiw—ond dyw deddfu mewn perthynas â meysydd parcio ddim yn rhan o rhaglen waith cyfnod y Senedd hon. Rŷn ni'n ystyried pa sectorau y dylem eu blaenoriaethu ar ôl cyfnod y Senedd hon ac rŷn ni'n gweithio gyda swyddfa’r comisiynydd yn hynny o beth i sicrhau ein bod ni'n cael cyngor wrthyn nhw hefyd.

Os byddwn ni'n penderfynu blaenoriaethu ymestyn y safonau i gwmnïau parcio preifat—fel mae'r Aelod yn gwybod, mae llawer o’r rheini sy’n darparu meysydd parcio cyhoeddus eisoes yn dod o dan y safonau—os byddwn ni'n penderfynu blaenoriaethu ymestyn ar gyfer y sector preifat yn hynny o beth, bydd angen diwygio Mesur y Gymraeg.

Jest ar y pwynt wnaeth yr Aelod o ran yr ohebiaeth a gefais i gyda’r cyn-gomisiynydd ryw flwyddyn a hanner yn ôl erbyn hyn, roedd rheswm penodol pam na ddefnyddion ni'r pwerau yr oedd y comisiynydd yn argymell inni wneud—roedden nhw'n rhesymau technegol yn rhannol; doedden nhw ddim yn gweithio yn y ffordd y byddem ni'n dymuno iddyn nhw wneud er mwyn diwallu'r angen. Felly, bydd angen deddfu er mwyn ymestyn y goblygiadau.

O ran yr ymgynghoriad, does dim ymgynghoriad wedi cael ei gyhoeddi gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol yn hyn o beth, felly byddwn ni'n ystyried hyn fel rhan o raglen waith ymhellach. Fe wnaf i jest dweud, o gadw llygad ar yr hyn a ddywedwyd yn y llys yn achos Toni Schiavone yn benodol, rwy'n cytuno gyda sylwadau’r barnwr ei fod e wedi cyflwyno achos egwyddorol ac onest, a gwelsom ni'r cwmni’n gwario miloedd ar gostau cyfreithiol yn hytrach na’r degau o bunnoedd y byddai wedi costio i gyfieithu'r ddogfen. Felly, mae neges ehangach i bobl yn hynny o beth, rwy'n gobeithio.

I thank Siân Gwenllian for that important question. As she knows, there has been an agreement between us and Plaid Cymru on a programme of reform in terms of the standards, which is a comprehensive programme, and, even though the agreement has come to an end, it's still our intention to continue to realise those commitments—they do extend the standards very significantly from where they are today—but legislating in relation to car parks is not part of the programme of work for this Senedd term. We are considering which sectors we should prioritise after this Senedd term, and we're working with the commissioner's office on that to ensure that we do receive advice from them as well. 

If we do decide to prioritise extending these standards to private parking companies—as the Member knows, many of those who do provide public car parks already come under these standards, but if we decide to prioritise extending that to private companies, we will need to amend the Welsh language Measure. 

Just on a point that the Member made in terms of the correspondence that I had with the previous commissioner about 18 months ago, there was a specific reason why we didn't use the powers that the commissioner recommended—they were partly technical reasons; they didn't work in the way that we'd want them to work in order to meet those needs. So, we will need to legislate to extend those duties.

In terms of the consultation, there has been no consultation published by the UK Government at present, so we'll consider this as part of a broader work programme. I'll just say, in keeping a watching brief on what was said in court in the case of Toni Schiavone specifically, I do agree with the judge's comments that he made an ethical case and an honest case, and we saw the company spending thousands on legal costs rather than the tens of pounds that it would have cost to translate the notice. So, there's a broader message in that, one would hope.

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae defnydd o'r Gymraeg gan gwmnïau preifat wedi'i drafod yn y Siambr hon yn ddiweddar iawn, ac yn briodol felly. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni i gyd yn rhannu ein siom gyda'r ffordd y mae HSBC wedi cael gwared ar eu llinell ffôn Cymraeg, a sut y cafodd OVO Energy wared ar filiau Cymraeg. Mae rhai pobl yn dewis defnyddio'r Gymraeg ar adegau gwahanol mewn sefyllfaoedd gwahanol, ond dwi'n credu y dylech chi bob amser gael dewis. O ystyried datblygiad AI a chyfieithu amser real, a yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn ystyried hwn fel ateb posibl i'r materion yr ydym wedi eu gweld?

Cabinet Secretary, the use of the Welsh language by private companies has been discussed in this Chamber recently, and quite appropriately. I think we all share our disappointment with the way that HSBC has scrapped its Welsh language helpline, and how OVO Energy also scrapped Welsh language bills. Some people choose to use the Welsh language at different times in different scenarios, but I do think that you should always have that choice. Given the development of AI and real-time translation, does the Welsh Government see this as a possible solution to the issues that we have faced?

Rwy'n cytuno gyda'r Aelod. Roeddwn i'n siomedig iawn, fel rŷn ni wedi trafod eisoes yn y Siambr, i glywed am benderfyniadau HSBC ac OVO yn benodol i roi'r gorau i wasanaethau yn y Gymraeg. Rwyf wedi sôn am ein safbwynt ni o ran beth y gallwn ni ei wneud fel Llywodraeth yn hynny o beth. Ond o ran rôl technoleg, rwy'n credu bod AI, a ffyrdd eraill o dechnoleg, yn cynnig datrysiad y bydden i'n gobeithio fyddai'n ddatrysiad llawer haws, efallai, nag y mae'r cwmnïau yma'n rhagweld, a fyddai'n galluogi pobl i gael gwasanaeth dwyieithog, neu wasanaeth yn yr iaith y maen nhw'n dymuno'i chael. Felly, mae'n bwysig ein bod ni'n parhau i weithio, fel rŷn ni eisoes, gyda rhai o'r cwmnïau yma, gyda rhai o'n prifysgolion ni, sy'n gwneud gwaith arloesol yn y maes hwn, i sicrhau bod y dechnoleg honno ar gael yn y Gymraeg yn ogystal â'r Saesneg, a bod hynny'n darparu cyfleoedd wedyn i gwmnïau masnachol ddarparu gwasanaethau yn y Gymraeg.

I agree with the Member. I was disappointed, as we've already discussed in the Chamber, to hear about the decisions made by HSBC and OVO specifically to terminate their Welsh-language services. I've mentioned our viewpoint in terms of what we can do as a Government in that context. But in terms of the role of technology, I do think that AI, and other technologies, do offer solutions that I'd hope would be much easier solutions, perhaps, than these companies anticipate, which would allow people to receive a bilingual service, or a service in the language of their choice. So, it's important that we continue to work, as we already are doing, with some of these companies, and with our universities, who are innovating in this area, to ensure that that technology is available in Welsh as well as in English, and that that provides opportunities then for commercial companies to provide Welsh language services.

13:35
Safonau'r Iaith Gymraeg
The Welsh Language Standards

2. Pa fwriad sydd gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet i ehangu safonau'r iaith Gymraeg i sectorau eraill? OQ61209

2. What intention does the Cabinet Secretary have to expand the Welsh language standards to other sectors? OQ61209

Rwy’n ymrwymedig i ddod â mwy o gyrff o dan y drefn safonau. Fel y soniais i'n fras jest nawr, y flaenoriaeth ar gyfer y cyfnod sy’n weddill o’r Senedd hon yw paratoi rheoliadau safonau ar gyfer cyrff cyhoeddus sydd y tu allan i’r gyfundrefn ar hyn o bryd, ac wedyn cymdeithasau tai a darparwyr trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus.

I'm committed to bringing more bodies under the standards regime. As I mentioned just now, the priority for the remaining period of this Senedd is to prepare standards regulations for public bodies that are currently outside the regime at present, and then housing associations and public transport providers.

Rŷch chi eisoes y prynhawn yma wedi sôn eich bod chi'n siomedig ynglŷn â phenderfyniad HSBC i ddod i ben â'u gwasanaeth llinell gymorth Gymraeg. Nawr, ar y pryd, roedden nhw'n derbyn 22 galwad y dydd i'r llinell Gymraeg yna. Ers symud i fodel ble mae pobl yn cael gofyn am alwad yn ôl, maen nhw ond wedi derbyn 17 cais mewn cyfnod o dri mis. Felly, mae'n amlwg nad yw'r gyfundrefn newydd yna'n gweithio, ac mae'n amlwg nad yw y sector bancio, ar y cyfan, yn cwrdd ag anghenion siaradwyr Cymraeg, nac, yn wir, yn darparu gwasanaethau sylfaenol yn ein hiaith ni ein hunain. Nawr, gaf i ofyn, felly—? Rŷch chi eisoes wedi dweud nad ydych chi'n hapus â hynny, ac rŷch chi'n derbyn ei fod e'n annerbyniol. Y cwestiwn yw, felly: beth rŷch chi'n gwneud am y peth? Mi allech chi ddod â banciau o dan safonau'r iaith Gymraeg, felly pam na wnewch chi hynny?

You've already mentioned this afternoon that you're disappointed at the decision by HSBC to terminate its Welsh language helpline service. Now, at the time, they received 22 calls a day to that Welsh language helpline. Since moving to a model where people can ask for a call back, they've only received 17 requests in a period of three months. So, it's clear that that new system isn't working, and it's also clear that the banking sector, generally, doesn't meet the needs of Welsh speakers, and neither, indeed, does it provide fundamental services through the medium of our language. Now, can I ask you, therefore—? You've already said that you're not happy about that, and you accept that it's unacceptable. The question therefore is: what are you doing about it? You could bring the banks under the Welsh language standards, so why don't you do that?

Wel, fe wnaethom ni gytuno rhaglen er mwyn ymestyn y safonau gyda Phlaid Cymru fel rhan o'r cytundeb cydweithio. Mae hynny'n golygu bod y ddwy blaid yn blaenoriaethu'r hyn roeddwn i'n credu oedd yn cael yr impact mwyaf, ac wedyn yn sicrhau ein bod ni'n delifro hynny. Dyna rŷn ni wedi gwneud, ac rwy'n ymrwymo i barhau i wneud hynny dros weddill tymor y Senedd hon, er gwaetha'r ffaith bod y cytundeb, wrth gwrs, wedi dod i ben. Mae hynny'n fater o ewyllys da. Ond, rwy'n credu mai beth mae'r drafodaeth hon yn dangos i ni yw nad jest cyrff cyhoeddus sy'n diwallu anghenion bob dydd pobl. Felly, mae gyda ni bwerau eisoes o dan y Ddeddf i ymestyn ar gyfer rhai elfennau o'r sector preifat, ond bydd angen diwygio pellach er mwyn ymestyn i gyffwrdd â'r holl rŷn ni wedi eu trafod heddiw. Rwy'n credu bod achos i edrych ar hyn, ond, yn anffodus, ar gyfer y Senedd nesaf y bydd hynny, yn ymarferol.

Well, we agreed a programme in order to extend the standards with Plaid Cymru as part of the co-operation agreement. That means the two parties prioritising the things that we thought would have the greatest impact, and then ensuring that we delivered on that. That's what we have done, and I'm committed to continuing to do that for the rest of this Senedd term, despite the fact that the agreement, of course, has come to an end. That's a matter of goodwill. But, I think that what this discussion shows us is that it's not just public bodies who meet the everyday needs of people. So, we do have powers under the Act to extend standards to certain parts of the private sector, but we'll need further reforms in order to reach all the parts that we've discussed today. I think that there is a case to look at this, but, unfortunately, that will be for the next Senedd, in practice.

Of course, Minister, an important part of the Welsh language standards, I would suggest, is to not just service people and support people who currently speak Welsh, but also to encourage more people to speak Welsh on a regular basis as well. As it stands, it doesn't look like the 'Cymraeg 2050' target of 1 million Welsh speakers will be met, which is, obviously, a concern. The 2021 census results showed the lowest percentage of Welsh speakers ever to be recorded in a census. So, based on that, I wonder what assessment you've made of the role that the Welsh language standards can play in increasing the number of Welsh language speakers to help achieve that one million mark by 2050?

Wrth gwrs, Weinidog, byddwn yn awgrymu mai rhan bwysig o safonau’r Gymraeg yw nid yn unig gwasanaethu pobl a chefnogi pobl sy’n siarad Cymraeg ar hyn o bryd, ond annog mwy o bobl i siarad Cymraeg yn rheolaidd hefyd. Fel y saif pethau, nid yw'n edrych yn debyg y bydd targed 'Cymraeg 2050' o filiwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg yn cael ei gyflawni, sy'n amlwg yn achos pryder. Dangosodd canlyniadau cyfrifiad 2021 y ganran isaf erioed o siaradwyr Cymraeg i gael eu cofnodi mewn cyfrifiad. Felly, ar sail hynny, tybed pa asesiad rydych wedi'i wneud o'r rôl y gall safonau'r Gymraeg ei chwarae i gynyddu nifer y siaradwyr Cymraeg i helpu i gyflawni'r nod o filiwn o siaradwyr erbyn 2050?

Fydden i ddim yn cytuno bod y nod sydd gyda ni yn un na allwn ni ei gyrraedd. Mi fydd e'n sicr yn heriol, ac rŷn ni i gyd yn gyfarwydd â hynny. Ac rŷn ni wedi trafod yn y Siambr hon sawl gwaith erbyn hyn yr her o ran casglu data sy'n caniatáu i ni gael taflwybr a fydd yn sicrhau ein bod ni ar y trac er mwyn cyrraedd y nod hwnnw. Ac mae cwestiynau'n codi ynglŷn â'r data a sut mae hynny'n gyson ag arolygon eraill sy'n dangos darlun llawer mwy positif o ble rŷn ni o ran y Gymraeg. Byddwn i'n dweud bod gan y safonau rôl. Fy marn bersonol i yw nad hynny yw'r prif ffordd o sicrhau bod gyda ni fwy o siaradwyr, mwy o bobl yn dysgu'r Gymraeg. Sicrhau ein bod ni'n dysgu'r Gymraeg i bobl a bod cyfleoedd iddyn nhw ei defnyddio mewn pob mathau o ffyrdd yw'r ffordd debycaf, yn fy marn i, o gyrraedd y nod honno. Ond rwy'n sicr yn cydnabod bod galluogi pobl i gael mynediad at wasanaethau trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yn rhan bwysig o normaleiddio defnydd o'r Gymraeg ym mhob agwedd ar fywyd. Felly, mae ganddi rôl bwysig i'w chwarae.

I wouldn't agree that the aim that we have is one that we can't meet. It will be certainly challenging, as we all know. And we've discussed in this Chamber several times the challenge in terms of data gathering that allows us to have a trajectory that will ensure that we're on track in terms of reaching that goal. And there are questions that arise in terms of the data and how that's consistent with other surveys that show a much more positive picture in terms of where we are in terms of the Welsh language. I would say that the standards have a role. My personal opinion is that that's not the main way of ensuring that we will have more people speaking and learning Welsh. Ensuring that we are teaching people Welsh and giving them opportunities to use Welsh in all manner of ways is the best way, in my opinion, to reach that aim. But, certainly, I do recognise that allowing people to have access to Welsh-medium services is an important part of normalising the use of the Welsh language in every aspect of life. So, it does have an important role to play.

Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Lefarwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Samuel Kurtz.

Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Samuel Kurtz.

Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, I'm sure we all want Wales to have a strong and prosperous economy. A thriving economy means more people with jobs, enabling them to support themselves and their families. It also ensures that our public services are properly funded. For our economy to grow, we need more people in work. Employment provides stability and allows individuals to plan for their future. Unfortunately, Labour’s record here in Wales is woeful. Currently, our economic inactivity rate stands at 28 per cent. More than a quarter of our population is neither employed nor actively seeking work. This is the highest rate among the four nations and is simply unacceptable. So, while I opened in saying I’m sure all of us want Wales to have a strong and prosperous economy, why have successive Labour Governments been content with such high levels of economic inactivity?

Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy'n siŵr fod pob un ohonom am i Gymru gael economi gref a ffyniannus. Mae economi ffyniannus yn golygu mwy o bobl â swyddi, gan eu galluogi i gynnal eu hunain a'u teuluoedd. Mae hefyd yn sicrhau bod ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn cael eu hariannu’n briodol. Er mwyn i'n heconomi dyfu, mae arnom angen mwy o bobl mewn gwaith. Mae cyflogaeth yn rhoi sefydlogrwydd ac yn galluogi unigolion i gynllunio ar gyfer eu dyfodol. Yn anffodus, mae record Llafur yma yng Nghymru yn druenus. Ar hyn o bryd, mae ein cyfradd anweithgarwch economaidd yn 28 y cant. Nid yw mwy na chwarter ein poblogaeth yn gyflogedig nac yn chwilio am waith. Dyma’r gyfradd uchaf ymhlith y pedair gwlad, ac mae’n gwbl annerbyniol. Felly, er imi gychwyn drwy ddweud fy mod yn siŵr fod pob un ohonom am i Gymru gael economi gref a ffyniannus, pam fod Llywodraethau Llafur olynol wedi bod yn fodlon â lefelau mor uchel o anweithgarwch economaidd?

13:40

Well, I actually do not accept that successive Labour Governments have been content with that, and, as he will know, given his close attention to the statistics, the pattern over the course of devolution has been a reduction in economic inactivity, and a closing of the gap between Wales and other parts of the UK. He will also know that a number of the programmes that we in Wales have used to support employability over the years, with the kind of success that I’ve just talked about, have been funded by European Union funds, which his party was happy for us not to have in the future. So, that will be a significant obstacle to us in tackling economic inactivity, and that is something that we want to do. We want to make sure that the potential of every single person in Wales to be fulfilled at work is realised. That’s why we set such store on it. I think the figures that he’s referring to are the recent Office for National Statistics figures, and he will know from previous discussions in this Chamber that the ONS itself has concerns about some of the reliability of those data taken in exclusion from other sources of data. So, it is a more complex picture. I accept his basic point. I do not accept that we haven’t got a good track record of closing the gap.

Wel, nid wyf yn derbyn bod Llywodraethau Llafur olynol wedi bod yn fodlon â hynny, ac fel y gŵyr, o ystyried ei sylw manwl i'r ystadegau, y patrwm a welwyd dros gyfnod datganoli oedd gostyngiad mewn anweithgarwch economaidd, a chau'r bwlch rhwng Cymru a rhannau eraill o’r DU. Fe fydd hefyd yn gwybod bod nifer o’r rhaglenni rydym ni yng Nghymru wedi’u defnyddio i gefnogi cyflogadwyedd dros y blynyddoedd, gyda’r math o lwyddiant rwyf newydd sôn amdano, wedi cael eu hariannu gan arian yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, rhywbeth yr oedd ei blaid yn fodlon inni beidio â'i gael yn y dyfodol. Felly, bydd hynny’n rhwystr sylweddol i ni wrth fynd i’r afael ag anweithgarwch economaidd, ac mae hynny’n rhywbeth rydym am ei wneud. Rydym yn awyddus i sicrhau bod potensial pob unigolyn yng Nghymru i weithio yn cael ei wireddu. Dyna pam ein bod yn ei ystyried mor bwysig. Credaf mai ffigurau diweddar y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol yw’r ffigurau y cyfeiria atynt, ac fe fydd yn gwybod o drafodaethau blaenorol yn y Siambr hon fod gan y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol ei hun bryderon ynghylch dibynadwyedd y data a gasglwyd ar wahân i ffynonellau data eraill. Felly, mae’n ddarlun mwy cymhleth. Rwy'n derbyn ei bwynt sylfaenol. Nid wyf yn derbyn nad oes gennym record dda o gau’r bwlch.

Well, we’re talking about statistics. The youth unemployment rate in Wales in the year ending December 2023 was 9.4 per cent—up 1.5 percentage points. Getting people into work is vitally important, but the type of work that they do is equally crucial. I firmly believe that we should be aiming for an economy that demands a skilled and educated workforce, and one that provides opportunity for all. However, Cabinet Secretary, what does the record show after 25 years of Labour control? Welsh workers have the smallest pay packet out of all four home nations. So, not only content with having the highest levels of economic inactivity, Llywydd, this Labour Government is also content in keeping Wales’s workforce poorer. Why?

Wel, rydym yn sôn am ystadegau. Y gyfradd ddiweithdra ymhlith pobl ifanc yng Nghymru yn y flwyddyn a ddaeth i ben ym mis Rhagfyr 2023 oedd 9.4 y cant—cynnydd o 1.5 pwynt canran. Mae sicrhau bod pobl yn cael gwaith yn hanfodol bwysig, ond mae’r math o waith a wnânt yr un mor allweddol. Credaf yn gryf y dylem fod yn anelu at economi sy’n galw am weithlu medrus ac addysgedig, ac un sy’n rhoi cyfle i bawb. Fodd bynnag, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, beth mae’r record yn ei ddangos ar ôl 25 mlynedd o reolaeth Lafur? Gweithwyr Cymru sydd â'r pecyn cyflog lleiaf ymhlith pedair gwlad y DU. Felly, mae'r Llywodraeth Lafur hon nid yn unig yn fodlon â'r lefelau uchaf o anweithgarwch economaidd, Lywydd, mae hi hefyd yn barod i gadw gweithlu Cymru yn dlotach. Pam?

Well, this is bold coming from somebody who represents a party that we’ve seen collapse the UK economy on their watch as part of the UK Government. What we need in Wales—what all parts of the UK need, actually—is a Labour Government in Westminster prepared to invest in the economy right across the UK, and they’ll have a partner in us here in Wales to do that. Actually, the picture in relation to youth employment is more positive than the Member absolutely describes. He will know of the success that we’ve had through the young person’s guarantee, and his party would have done well to emulate that kind of programme across the UK.

Wel, mae hynny braidd yn haerllug gan rywun sy’n cynrychioli plaid a welsom yn dinistrio economi’r DU o dan eu goruchwyliaeth fel rhan o Lywodraeth y DU. Yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom yng Nghymru—yr hyn sydd ei angen ar bob rhan o’r DU, mewn gwirionedd—yw Llywodraeth Lafur yn San Steffan sy’n barod i fuddsoddi yn yr economi ledled y DU, a bydd ganddynt bartner ynom ni yma yng Nghymru i wneud hynny. A dweud y gwir, mae'r darlun mewn perthynas â chyflogaeth ieuenctid yn fwy cadarnhaol nag y mae'r Aelod yn ei ddisgrifio. Bydd yn gwybod am y llwyddiant a gawsom drwy'r warant i bobl ifanc, a byddai ei blaid ef wedi gwneud yn dda i efelychu rhaglen o'r fath ledled y DU.

Well, we heard it quite clearly from the leader of the Labour Party yesterday that taxes will go up under a Labour Government. And it’s clear that addressing both employment levels and job quality is essential for Wales’s economic growth. However, despite this quarter of a century of Labour Governments, Wales still faces the highest economic inactivity rate and lowest pay rates among the four nations. Additionally, we have the lowest business survival rate of any UK nation, compounded by the Welsh Government’s decision to slash business rate relief from 75 per cent to 40 per cent, impacting businesses across Wales. We Welsh Conservatives see an exciting future for our economy, bringing prosperity across Wales, through initiatives like the Cardiff and Newport and the Wrexham and Flintshire investment zones, the Celtic and Anglesey free ports, and the transformative opportunity that the Celtic sea brings through floating offshore wind, and other energy projects, such as new nuclear at Wylfa and Trawsfynydd. Yet, Labour seems to be holding Wales back. So, given these persistent issues around economic inactivity, lowest pay rates and lowest business survival rates, what concrete steps will you take, as economy Minister, to improve the economy of Wales?

Wel, fe glywsom yn gwbl glir gan arweinydd y Blaid Lafur ddoe y bydd trethi’n codi o dan Lywodraeth Lafur. Ac mae’n amlwg fod mynd i’r afael â lefelau cyflogaeth ac ansawdd swyddi yn hanfodol ar gyfer twf economaidd Cymru. Fodd bynnag, er ein bod wedi cael chwarter canrif o Lywodraethau Llafur, mae Cymru yn dal i wynebu’r gyfradd uchaf o anweithgarwch economaidd a’r cyfraddau cyflog isaf ymhlith pedair gwlad y DU. Yn ogystal, mae gennym y gyfradd oroesi isaf i fusnesau ymhlith pob un o wledydd y DU, problem sy'n cael ei dwysáu gan benderfyniad Llywodraeth Cymru i dorri rhyddhad ardrethi busnes o 75 y cant i 40 y cant, gan effeithio ar fusnesau ledled Cymru. Rydym ni y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn gweld dyfodol cyffrous i’n heconomi, a fydd yn arwain at ffyniant ledled Cymru, drwy fentrau fel parth buddsoddi Caerdydd a Chasnewydd a pharth buddsoddi Wrecsam a sir y Fflint, y porthladd rhydd Celtaidd a phorthladd rhydd Ynys Môn, a’r cyfle trawsnewidiol a ddaw gyda'r môr Celtaidd drwy ffermydd gwynt arnofiol ar y môr, a phrosiectau ynni eraill, megis ynni niwclear newydd yn Wylfa a Thrawsfynydd. Ac eto, ymddengys bod Llafur yn dal Cymru yn ôl. Felly, o ystyried y problemau parhaus hyn ynghylch anweithgarwch economaidd, y cyfraddau cyflog isaf a'r cyfraddau goroesi isaf i fusnesau, pa gamau pendant y byddwch yn eu cymryd, fel Gweinidog yr economi, i wella economi Cymru?

We have record levels of inflation, record levels of interest, record levels across the UK of business failure on the watch of a Conservative Government that has neglected the UK economy, and I do think the Member’s arguments would have more force if they were tethered to the facts. It is absolutely not the case that Keir Starmer has said that the tax burden will go up. The reason that isn’t the case is that under the Conservatives households are facing the highest tax levels in decades. That is the record that people in Wales will be voting against in five weeks’ time.

Mae gennym y lefelau uchaf erioed o chwyddiant, y lefelau llog uchaf erioed, a'r lefelau uchaf erioed o fusnesau'n mynd i'r wal ledled y DU o dan oruchwyliaeth Llywodraeth Geidwadol sydd wedi esgeuluso economi’r DU, a chredaf y byddai mwy o rym i ddadleuon yr Aelod pe baent yn glynu wrth y ffeithiau. Nid yw'n wir o gwbl fod Keir Starmer wedi dweud y bydd y baich treth yn cynyddu. Y rheswm pam na fydd hynny’n digwydd yw am fod aelwydydd o dan y Ceidwadwyr yn wynebu’r lefelau treth uchaf ers degawdau. Dyna’r record y bydd pobl Cymru yn pleidleisio arni ymhen pum wythnos.

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Luke Fletcher. 

The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Luke Fletcher. 

13:45

Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, I want to follow up on yesterday's Government debate on steel and just express my disappointment that Plaid Cymru's amendments to the motion were voted down. I don't think that the Government, or the Tories for that matter, can credibly claim to want to do something about this if they won't even commit to exploring other options on the table. What Plaid Cymru have suggested is very much in the gift of Welsh Government. And as Adam Price reminded us last night, the Senedd is all that remains as a result of the general election. This place is the last line of defence. And while I appreciate his acknowledgment that it is Plaid Cymru that has been offering these solutions, it is his Government that has the resources to do the work and provide answers as to whether these potential solutions are doable. Will the Cabinet Secretary acknowledge that at least?

Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, hoffwn ymateb i ddadl y Llywodraeth ddoe ar ddur a mynegi fy siom fod gwelliannau Plaid Cymru i’r cynnig wedi eu gwrthod. Ni chredaf y gall y Llywodraeth, na’r Torïaid o ran hynny, honni gydag unrhyw hygrededd eu bod yn dymuno gwneud rhywbeth ynglŷn â hyn os nad ydynt hyd yn oed yn fodlon ymrwymo i archwilio'r opsiynau eraill a gynigiwyd. Mae’r hyn y mae Plaid Cymru wedi’i awgrymu yn rhywbeth y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud yn hawdd. Ac fel y gwnaeth Adam Price ein hatgoffa neithiwr, y Senedd yw’r cyfan sydd ar ôl o ganlyniad i’r etholiad cyffredinol. Y lle hwn yw'r amddiffynfa olaf. Ac er fy mod yn gwerthfawrogi ei gydnabyddiaeth mai Plaid Cymru sydd wedi bod yn cynnig yr atebion hyn, ei Lywodraeth ef sydd â'r adnoddau i wneud y gwaith a darparu atebion i weld a yw'r atebion posibl hyn yn ymarferol. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gydnabod hynny o leiaf?

I don't mean this impolitely—I understand the rhetorical force of the argument that the Member makes, but I think it's very important, in engaging with the unfolding situation in Tata, that we engage with what is happening on the ground and what the workforce are saying to us they regard as realistic. The arguments that were being made in the debate yesterday of a planning protection to one asset in an integrated steel facility—presumably taken into ownership by a body that didn't have a workforce to maintain it, amongst other challenges—do not feel to me to be a practical solution to the challenge that is faced by the workforce at Tata. So, that is why we have been saying—. There is a different plan, we know, and I know that his party, as do we, supports that alternative plan. The argument I was making yesterday is that we now have the prospect of a new government with a genuine commitment, backed up by funding, to a different vision for steel. It seems to me that that is the argument that we need to continue to advance, because the landscape is about to change.

The Government, as I was saying at the end of my speech yesterday, is committed to an industrial strategy that will increase the demand for steel across the UK, investment in the renewable sector, which will create further demand, investment in the grid and, crucially, specifically, a commitment to steel production. That seems to me to be the better landscape against which to make the case for a different set of decisions by Tata.

Nid wyf yn dymuno bod yn anghwrtais—rwy’n deall grym rhethregol dadl yr Aelod, ond credaf ei bod yn bwysig iawn, wrth ymdrin â’r sefyllfa sy’n datblygu yn Tata, ein bod yn ymdrin â’r hyn sy’n digwydd ar lawr gwlad a’r hyn y dywed y gweithlu wrthym sy'n realistig yn eu barn nhw. Nid yw’r dadleuon a wnaed yn y ddadl ddoe ynghylch diogelwch cynllunio i un ased mewn cyfleuster dur integredig—wedi’i gymryd i feddiant corff nad oedd ganddo weithlu i’w gynnal, gellid tybio, ymhlith heriau eraill—yn teimlo i mi fel ateb ymarferol i'r her a wynebir gan y gweithlu yn Tata. Felly, dyna pam ein bod wedi bod yn dweud—. Gwyddom fod cynllun gwahanol i'w gael, a gwn fod ei blaid ef, fel ninnau, yn cefnogi’r cynllun amgen hwnnw. Y ddadl yr oeddwn yn ei gwneud ddoe yw bod gennym y posibilrwydd nawr o lywodraeth newydd gydag ymrwymiad gwirioneddol, wedi’i hategu gan gyllid, i weledigaeth wahanol ar gyfer dur. Ymddengys i mi mai dyna’r ddadl y mae angen inni barhau i’w datblygu, gan fod y dirwedd ar fin newid.

Fel roeddwn yn ei ddweud ar ddiwedd fy araith ddoe, mae'r Llywodraeth wedi ymrwymo i strategaeth ddiwydiannol a fydd yn cynyddu’r galw am ddur ledled y DU, buddsoddiad yn y sector ynni adnewyddadwy, a fydd yn creu galw pellach, buddsoddiad yn y grid, ac ymrwymiad penodol, yn hollbwysig, i gynhyrchu dur. Ymddengys i mi mai dyna'r dirwedd well ar gyfer dadlau dros set wahanol o benderfyniadau gan Tata.

I have to say, I was taken aback yesterday by the Cabinet Secretary's comment saying the solutions that both myself and Adam Price have championed are not grounded in reality. He's repeated that here now. But the reality as I see it is that the closures are imminent, Tata are refusing to change course, and are even looking to potentially accelerate the process in response to workers standing up for themselves, and the calls for public ownership are increasingly coming from across society—we've had the Industrial Communities Alliance. I mean, if what is being said about the UK civil service seeing nationalisation as a potential option is true, then that would be significant. Now, let's take the solution grounded in reality according to the Cabinet Secretary: wait for a UK Labour Government. Is that what the Government has banked on completely? Because that is a risky strategy in itself. And in the reality I've just set out, that doesn't bode well for that strategy.

Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, cefais fy synnu ddoe gan sylw Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet pan ddywedodd nad yw'r atebion yr wyf i ac Adam Price wedi'u hyrwyddo wedi'u gwreiddio mewn realiti. Mae wedi ailadrodd hynny yma nawr. Ond y realiti fel y'i gwelaf yw bod y cau ar fin digwydd, mae Tata yn gwrthod newid eu trywydd, a hyd yn oed yn ystyried cyflymu'r broses o bosibl mewn ymateb i weithwyr yn sefyll dros eu hawliau, ac mae mwy a mwy o alw am berchnogaeth gyhoeddus gan bob rhan o gymdeithas—gan gynnwys y Gynghrair Cymunedau Diwydiannol. Hynny yw, os yw'r hyn a ddywedir ynglŷn â gwasanaeth sifil y DU yn ystyried gwladoli yn opsiwn posibl yn wir, yna byddai hynny'n arwyddocaol. Nawr, gadewch inni ystyried yr ateb sydd wedi'i wreiddio mewn realiti yn ôl Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet: aros am Lywodraeth Lafur y DU. Ai dyna mae’r Llywodraeth wedi bancio popeth arno? Oherwydd mae honno'n strategaeth beryglus. Ac yn y realiti rwyf newydd ei disgrifio, nid yw hynny'n argoeli'n dda ar gyfer y strategaeth honno.

The Member knows very well that any decision to take the kind of action that he's advocating in his questions, as he did yesterday, with force or with goodwill, I don't question any of that—those decisions are not decisions that it is capable for Welsh Government to take because of the scale of investment required to make a reality of that as an outcome. That is simply the reality of where power and finance lie in the balance between the UK Government and the Welsh Government. What we are doing is making the argument, given that there is a commitment for substantial additional funding directly into steel production, for a different model to be explored against that backdrop. He makes the point about the UK Government taking a different approach. That would be a matter for the UK Government. It has the powers to do that, we do not have those powers in Wales.

Gŵyr yr Aelod yn iawn nad wyf yn cwestiynu unrhyw benderfyniad i gymryd y mathau o gamau y mae’n eu hargymell yn ei gwestiynau, fel y gwnaeth ddoe, gyda grym neu ewyllys da—nid yw'r penderfyniadau hynny yn benderfyniadau y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu gwneud oherwydd maint y buddsoddiad sydd ei angen i wireddu hynny fel canlyniad. Dyna’r realiti o ran cydbwysedd pŵer a chyllid rhwng Llywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru. O ystyried y gwnaed ymrwymiad ar gyfer cyllid ychwanegol sylweddol yn uniongyrchol i gynhyrchiant dur, yr hyn a wnawn ni yw dadlau dros archwilio model gwahanol yn erbyn y cefndir hwnnw. Mae’n gwneud y pwynt ynglŷn â dull gweithredu gwahanol ar ran Llywodraeth y DU. Mater i Lywodraeth y DU fyddai hynny. Mae ganddi’r pwerau i wneud hynny, nid yw’r pwerau hynny gennym ni yng Nghymru.

I have accepted all along that Welsh Government is limited in what it can do, but that doesn't stop you calling on the UK Government to make these decisions on nationalisation, or even preservation. Now, the Government has been reluctant to do that up until this point. It seems like it's still in that position. What's really worrying is the lack of detail about how the £3 billion deal put forward by Labour—how it will actually be used. The lack of detail—. With respect, there were demands for details from us—the same can be charged at this policy. Nobody seems to be able to give detailed answers to what it means. And with the threat of Tata accelerating this closure timetable, the detail is vital. What discussions have taken place with a potential incoming Labour UK Government around that deal? I'm asking similar questions that have been posed to us. How will it work in practice? What guarantees are in place? How any investment that results in, say, a new production line would work, and whether it would be feasible. I'll be honest with you, I want to believe that a change in Government will result in a just transition and the protection of our steel industry, but so far, like many others, I am being asked to take a leap of faith.

Rwyf wedi derbyn o'r cychwyn fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gyfyngedig o ran yr hyn y gall ei wneud, ond nid yw hynny'n eich atal rhag galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i wneud y penderfyniadau hyn ynglŷn â gwladoli, neu hyd yn oed cadwraeth. Nawr, mae'r Llywodraeth wedi bod yn gyndyn i wneud hynny hyd yn hyn. Ymddengys ei bod yn dal yn y sefyllfa honno. Yr hyn sy'n peri pryder mawr yw'r diffyg manylion ynghylch sut mae'r fargen £3 biliwn a gyflwynwyd gan Lafur—sut y caiff ei defnyddio mewn gwirionedd. Mae'r diffyg manylion—. Gyda phob parch, fe wnaethom alw am fanylion—a gellir dweud yr un peth am y polisi hwn. Ymddengys nad oes unrhyw un yn gallu rhoi atebion manwl i'r hyn y mae'n ei olygu. A chyda Tata yn bygwth cyflymu'r amserlen ar gyfer cau, mae'r manylion yn hollbwysig. Pa drafodaethau a gafwyd gyda Llywodraeth Lafur newydd bosibl yn y DU ynghylch y fargen honno? Rwy’n gofyn cwestiynau tebyg i'r rhai a ofynnwyd i ni. Sut y bydd yn gweithio'n ymarferol? Pa warantau sydd ar waith? Sut y byddai unrhyw fuddsoddiad sy'n arwain at linell gynhyrchu newydd, er enghraifft, yn gweithio, ac a fyddai'n ymarferol. Fe fyddaf yn onest, rwyf eisiau credu y bydd newid Llywodraeth yn arwain at bontio teg ac at ddiogelu ein diwydiant dur, ond hyd yn hyn, fe ofynnir i mi, fel llawer o rai eraill, gynnig fy ffydd yn ddall.

13:50

Well, I think it would be helpful if the Member would acknowledge the fact that the level of commitment that an incoming Labour Government is promising is a step change from that which is currently on the table. [Interruption.] And I'm grateful to the Member for doing that and repeating it again here today. The funding—and there have been discussions obviously—in relation to how that is deployed is a matter that will need to be worked through together with steel production companies in the UK, but that is not something that can be done by an opposition party. The point I am making to you, and I think I've established the point, if I may say, in this discussion, is that that is a step change from the current landscape, and therefore decisions being taken today must be looked at again in the context of what would be a significantly more supportive UK Government, one that is committed genuinely both to producing steel, but also to creating the demand in the economy for more steel to be produced. 

Wel, credaf y byddai’n ddefnyddiol pe bai'r Aelod yn cydnabod y ffaith bod lefel yr ymrwymiad y mae Llywodraeth Lafur newydd yn ei haddo yn newid sylweddol o’r hyn sydd ar y bwrdd ar hyn o bryd. [Torri ar draws.] Ac rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Aelod am wneud hynny a'i ailadrodd eto yma heddiw. Mae’r cyllid—ac mae trafodaethau wedi bod, yn amlwg—ynghylch sut y caiff ei ddefnyddio yn fater y bydd angen gweithio arno ar y cyd â chwmnïau cynhyrchu dur yn y DU, ond nid yw hynny’n rhywbeth y gall gwrthblaid ei wneud. Y pwynt rwy'n ei wneud i chi, a chredaf fy mod wedi gwneud y pwynt yn y drafodaeth hon, os caf ddweud, yw bod hynny'n newid sylweddol o’r dirwedd bresennol, ac felly fod angen edrych eto ar benderfyniadau sy’n cael eu gwneud heddiw yng nghyd-destun yr hyn a fyddai’n Llywodraeth y DU lawer mwy cefnogol, un sydd wedi ymrwymo go iawn i gynhyrchu dur, ond hefyd i greu’r galw yn yr economi am gynhyrchu mwy o ddur.

Busnesau Canol Trefi Gorllewin De Cymru
Town-centre Businesses in South Wales West

3. Sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn cefnogi busnesau canol trefi Gorllewin De Cymru? OQ61196

3. How is the Government supporting town-centre businesses in South Wales West? OQ61196

Thank you. We are providing £125 million of funding over three years to Welsh local authorities through our Transforming Towns programme. Our town-centres position statement, published last year, sets out the challenges facing towns in Wales and a series of interrelated, cross-policy actions to address those challenges.

Diolch. Rydym yn darparu £125 miliwn o gyllid dros dair blynedd i awdurdodau lleol Cymru drwy ein rhaglen Trawsnewid Trefi. Mae ein datganiad sefyllfa ar ganol trefi, a gyhoeddwyd y llynedd, yn nodi’r heriau sy’n wynebu trefi Cymru a chyfres o gamau gweithredu cydgysylltiedig, traws-bolisi i fynd i’r afael â’r heriau hynny.

Diolch. I recently met with the Federation of Small Businesses to discuss the current challenges facing town centres in my region. The recent closure of banks and anchor stores like Marks and Spencer in Neath, after almost a century, have been a huge source of concern for businesses and residents. I recently conducted a survey on how to try to ensure Neath town centre can be supported to thrive, and almost 400 people shared their thoughts with me, despite a majority unfortunately saying they currently have a negative view of the town. Almost all also wrote long lists of the things they like and love about Neath, from the historic market to the canals to the variety of independent shops, to places like Victoria Gardens and the Gnoll rugby ground, of course. Our towns are not short on talent and enthusiasm, but they do need support.

Business rates have gone up at the same time other costs are increasing, and people have less money in their pockets to spend. Things like what's going to be happening in Port Talbot are going to severely impact the amount of money people in Neath are going to have to spend in their pockets. So, what more can be done by Welsh Government to work alongside local authorities, businesses and residents to realise the potential of our town centres and support those crucial town-centre businesses?

Diolch. Cyfarfûm yn ddiweddar â’r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach i drafod yr heriau presennol sy’n wynebu canol trefi yn fy rhanbarth. Mae cau banciau a siopau angor fel Marks and Spencer yng Nghastell-nedd yn ddiweddar, ar ôl bron i ganrif, wedi peri cryn bryder i fusnesau a thrigolion. Cynhaliais arolwg yn ddiweddar ar sut y gellir cefnogi canol tref Castell-nedd i ffynnu, a rhannodd bron i 400 o bobl eu barn â mi, er i'r rhan fwyaf ddweud, yn anffodus, fod ganddynt farn negyddol ynglŷn â'r dref ar hyn o bryd. Ysgrifennodd bron bob un restrau hir o’r pethau y maent yn eu hoffi ac yn eu caru am Gastell-nedd, o’r farchnad hanesyddol i’r camlesi i’r amrywiaeth o siopau annibynnol i lefydd fel Gerddi Victoria a chae rygbi’r Gnoll, wrth gwrs. Nid yw ein trefi'n brin o dalent a brwdfrydedd, ond mae angen cymorth arnynt.

Mae ardrethi busnes wedi codi yr un pryd ag y mae costau eraill yn cynyddu, ac mae gan bobl lai o arian yn eu pocedi i’w wario. Mae pethau fel yr hyn a fydd yn digwydd ym Mhort Talbot yn mynd i gael effaith ddifrifol ar faint o arian y bydd gan bobl Castell-nedd yn eu pocedi i'w wario. Felly, beth arall y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i weithio ochr yn ochr ag awdurdodau lleol, busnesau a thrigolion i wireddu potensial canol ein trefi a chefnogi’r busnesau hollbwysig yng nghanol y dref?

Thank you, Sioned Williams, for that question, and also for conducting and sharing with us about the survey that you did with Neath residents. I will say as well about the Marks and Spencer closure, it is always disappointing when we lose one of these big retailers in a town centre. It's not just about the impact financially or even just the retail opportunities, but I do feel like there's a lack of confidence then that hits the community. They feel it very deeply, and this is an incredibly challenging time, as we know, for the retail sector and town centres. There are complex issues, because, as you said, there are lots of locations for a range of services, economic enterprise, employment and community all wrapped up in this, and this, in turn, we need so that we can increase the footfall for the shops.

We have invested significantly in the regeneration of towns, including our current investment of the £125 million grant and loans through the Transforming Towns programme that I mentioned. I know that, for example, then, in Neath the local authority has been awarded almost £29 million, and that's gone towards the leisure centre, the library, the cafe and the retail units. There's also the shared strategic vision for the retail sector, which has been developed in social partnership with the retail forum, who I've met with—that's trade unions and the retail representative bodies.

An investment through Transforming Towns must be underpinned by the best placemaking. I think that this is where it comes back to what you were saying, and why the survey was so crucial. It's the placemaking that really has to be at the heart, and it can't just be a tick-box exercise, and it can't just be a talking shop. I think that this is how it is across everywhere. The community have to come together and say what they want to see, but also, to be honest, it's also about the community buying into the fact that they then have to go into their town centres and spend their money there.

So, I really would welcome a further conversation about this, because obviously it would be good to hear how you feel that investment into Neath is going, and panning out, and being welcomed by the community, but also, honestly, to have a better look at some of those survey responses, which do sound fantastic and positive and hopeful, and that's what we want everyone to feel about their town centres.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Sioned Williams, a hefyd am gynnal yr arolwg gyda thrigolion Castell-nedd a'i rhannu gyda ni. Ynglŷn â chau Marks and Spencer, rwyf am ddweud hefyd ei bod bob amser yn siomedig pan fyddwn yn colli un o'r manwerthwyr mawr hyn yng nghanol tref. Mae'n ymwneud â mwy na'r effaith ariannol yn unig, neu hyd yn oed y cyfleoedd manwerthu, ond teimlaf fod diffyg hyder yn taro'r gymuned yn sgil hynny. Maent yn teimlo’r effaith honno'n ddwfn iawn, ac mae hwn yn gyfnod hynod heriol i’r sector manwerthu a chanol trefi, fel y gwyddom. Mae materion cymhleth, oherwydd fel y dywedoch chi, mae llawer o leoliadau ar gyfer ystod o wasanaethau, mentrau economaidd, cyflogaeth a chymuned oll yn rhan o hyn, ac mae arnom angen hyn, yn ei dro, er mwyn inni allu cynyddu nifer yr ymwelwyr â’r siopau.

Rydym wedi buddsoddi’n sylweddol mewn adfywio trefi, gan gynnwys ein buddsoddiad presennol o £125 miliwn mewn grantiau a benthyciadau drwy raglen Trawsnewid Trefi, y soniais amdani. Gwn, er enghraifft, yng Nghastell-nedd, fod yr awdurdod lleol wedi cael bron i £29 miliwn, a bod hynny wedi mynd tuag at y ganolfan hamdden, y llyfrgell, y caffi a'r unedau manwerthu. Ceir hefyd y weledigaeth strategol a rennir ar gyfer y sector manwerthu, sydd wedi'i datblygu mewn partneriaeth gymdeithasol â'r fforwm manwerthu, ac rwyf wedi cyfarfod â nhw—yr undebau llafur a chyrff cynrychiadol y sector manwerthu.

Mae'n rhaid i fuddsoddiad drwy Trawsnewid Trefi gael ei ategu gan waith creu lleoedd o'r radd flaenaf. Credaf mai dyma lle mae’n ymwneud â'r hyn roeddech chi'n ei ddweud, a pham fod yr arolwg mor hollbwysig. Mae'n rhaid i greu lleoedd fod yn ganolog, a rhaid iddo fod yn fwy nag ymarfer ticio blychau, a rhaid iddo fod yn fwy na siop siarad. Credaf mai fel hyn y mae hi ym mhob man. Mae’n rhaid i’r gymuned ddod at ei gilydd a dweud beth maent am ei weld, ond hefyd, a dweud y gwir, mae'n ymwneud hefyd â’r gymuned yn derbyn y ffaith bod yn rhaid iddynt wedyn fynd i ganol eu trefi a gwario eu harian yno.

Felly, byddwn yn croesawu sgwrs bellach am hyn, oherwydd yn amlwg, byddai'n dda clywed eich barn ar y buddsoddiad yng Nghastell-nedd, a gweld sut mae'n mynd ac yn datblygu, ac yn cael ei groesawu gan y gymuned, ond hefyd, a dweud y gwir, i gael golwg well ar rai o'r ymatebion i'r arolwg, sy'n swnio'n wych ac yn gadarnhaol ac yn obeithiol, a dyna sut rydym am i bawb deimlo am ganol eu tref.

13:55

Great to see you as Minister. Minister, our town centres used to be the lifeblood of our communities, but they have had the heart ripped out of them by poor planning decisions and competition from large out-of-town developments with free parking. We need to encourage more people to shop local and to support excellent independent retailers. To do that, we need to reintroduce free parking in places like Bridgend and Porthcawl, as well as creating a level playing field when it comes to rents and rates. Minister, what discussions have you had with colleagues in local government about the steps they can take to regenerate our town centres and attract more independent retailers to these once community hubs?

Mae'n braf eich gweld fel Gweinidog. Weinidog, roedd canol ein trefi yn arfer bod yn asgwrn cefn i’n cymunedau, ond maent wedi cael eu dinistrio gan benderfyniadau cynllunio gwael a chystadleuaeth gan ddatblygiadau mawr ar gyrion y dref gyda pharcio am ddim. Mae angen inni annog mwy o bobl i siopa’n lleol a chefnogi manwerthwyr annibynnol rhagorol. I wneud hynny, mae angen inni ailgyflwyno parcio am ddim mewn lleoedd fel Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr a Phorthcawl, yn ogystal â sicrhau chwarae teg o ran rhenti ac ardrethi. Weinidog, pa drafodaethau rydych chi wedi’u cael gyda chydweithwyr mewn llywodraeth leol am y camau y gallant eu cymryd i adfywio canol ein trefi a denu mwy o fanwerthwyr annibynnol i’r mannau hyn a fu unwaith yn ganolfannau cymunedol?

Thank you very much to the Member for that question. Obviously, we do share in common some of those areas that you've mentioned, in my constituency as well, so I want to say that. But I think, as you said, it's about making sure that we are engaging with the local authorities who have had this investment from Welsh Government to see how it's being spent, and also to make sure that it's achieving the objectives that the whole community wants. I will say, though, there are an awful lot of local authorities who I know are using their money to provide free parking in the town centres, and this is often coming from the traders themselves who are requesting that, and I think that's very beneficial. 

I think also it's difficult for them at the moment with the budgets that they have, but I think that a lot of people see that as a positive. And also, there are many town centres at the moment—and this is going across a number of other portfolios—who are engaged in really meaningful regeneration plans. It comes back to what I was saying to Sioned Williams. As we know, it's really important, then, that the communities and traders all have a say in that. I don't want people feeling as if things are being done to them; we have to bring everyone with us. And there are so many things that go into making a town centre wonderful and excellent, and I think that many of the well-being goals that we also have set as a Welsh Government are playing into that, and I want to see all of that come to fruition with our town centres.

You did touch on business rates. This is something that is coming through. In response to your question about meeting with local authorities, I haven't had a chance to meet with them as a collective at the moment, but I will be, and this is something that I know that they'll be discussing with me further. We will always endeavour to do as much as we can to support our town centres and retail sector. Thank you. 

Diolch yn fawr iawn i’r Aelod am ei gwestiwn. Yn amlwg, mae gennym rai o'r ardaloedd y gwnaethoch chi sôn amdanynt yn gyffredin, yn fy etholaeth innau hefyd, felly rwyf am ddweud hynny. Ond fel y dywedoch chi, rwy'n credu bod hyn yn ymwneud â sicrhau ein bod yn ymgysylltu â’r awdurdodau lleol sydd wedi cael y buddsoddiad hwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru i weld sut mae’n cael ei wario, a hefyd i sicrhau ei fod yn cyflawni’r amcanion y mae’r gymuned gyfan yn dymuno eu gweld. Dywedaf, serch hynny, fy mod yn gwybod bod llawer iawn o awdurdodau lleol yn defnyddio’u harian i ddarparu parcio am ddim yng nghanol trefi, ac mae hyn yn aml yn dod gan y masnachwyr eu hunain sy’n gofyn am hynny, a chredaf fod hynny’n fuddiol iawn.

Credaf hefyd ei bod yn anodd iddynt ar hyn o bryd gyda’r cyllidebau sydd ganddynt, ond credaf fod llawer o bobl yn ystyried hynny'n rhywbeth cadarnhaol. A hefyd, mae canol llawer o drefi ar hyn o bryd—ac mae hyn yn ymwneud â nifer o bortffolios eraill—yn rhan o gynlluniau adfywio gwirioneddol ystyrlon. Mae'n ymwneud â'r hyn a ddywedais wrth Sioned Williams. Fel y gwyddom, mae’n wirioneddol bwysig felly fod y cymunedau a’r masnachwyr oll yn cael dweud eu barn yn hynny o beth. Nid wyf am i bobl deimlo fel pe bai pethau'n cael eu gwneud iddynt; mae'n rhaid inni ddod â phawb gyda ni. Ac mae cymaint o bethau ynghlwm wrth wneud canol tref yn fendigedig ac yn rhagorol, a chredaf fod llawer o'r nodau llesiant a osodwyd gennym hefyd fel Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyfrannu at hynny, a hoffwn weld hyn oll yn dwyn ffrwyth gyda chanol ein trefi.

Fe sonioch chi am ardrethi busnes. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth sy'n codi. Mewn ymateb i'ch cwestiwn am gyfarfod ag awdurdodau lleol, nid wyf wedi cael cyfle i gyfarfod â nhw fel grŵp eto, ond byddaf yn gwneud hynny, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth y gwn y byddant yn ei drafod ymhellach gyda mi. Byddwn bob amser yn ymdrechu i wneud popeth a allwn i gefnogi canol ein trefi a’n sector manwerthu. Diolch.

Ystadegau'r Farchnad Lafur
Labour Market Statistics

4. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am ystadegau diweddaraf y farchnad lafur ar gyfer Cymru a gyhoeddwyd gan y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol fis Mai? OQ61202

4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the latest labour market statistics for Wales published by the ONS in May? OQ61202

Looking across the range of the latest labour market statistics, the data sources show a mixed position, but, generally, Wales and the UK continue to follow similar trends with some signs of recently improving trends in paid employees slowing down.

Gan edrych ar draws yr ystod o ystadegau diweddaraf y farchnad lafur, mae’r ffynonellau data yn dangos sefyllfa gymysg, ond yn gyffredinol, mae Cymru a’r DU yn parhau i ddilyn tueddiadau tebyg gyda rhai arwyddion o dueddiadau sydd wedi bod yn gwella’n ddiweddar o ran gweithwyr cyflogedig yn arafu.

Diolch, Cabinet Secretary, for your answer. In those statistics, it did state that 28 per cent of Wales is economically inactive. Now, that's a huge figure and a number of people out of work. Cabinet Secretary, I'm not interested in a game of political ping-pong with you today, because behind any of those figures are real people with real experiences that we need to get back to work as soon as possible. So, Cabinet Secretary, can you outline today what the Welsh Government is doing to encourage people back to work, what programmes have you got in place for getting them back to work, because currently the programmes that you have got don't seem to be working? I'd like to know what your vision is going forward about improving these figures. 

Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Yn yr ystadegau hynny, nodwyd bod 28 y cant o Gymru yn economaidd anweithgar. Nawr, mae hwnnw'n ffigwr enfawr ac yn nifer enfawr o bobl heb fod yn gweithio. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid oes gennyf ddiddordeb mewn cael gêm o ping-pong gwleidyddol gyda chi heddiw, oherwydd y tu ôl i unrhyw un o'r ffigurau hynny, mae pobl go iawn â phrofiadau go iawn y mae angen inni eu cael yn ôl mewn gwaith cyn gynted â phosibl. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a allwch chi amlinellu heddiw beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i annog pobl yn ôl i waith, pa raglenni sydd gennych i'w cael yn ôl i waith, oherwydd ar hyn o bryd, nid yw'n ymddangos bod y rhaglenni sydd gennych yn gweithio? Hoffwn wybod beth yw eich gweledigaeth ar gyfer gwella’r ffigurau hyn.

Well, actually, as I mentioned in my answer to Sam Kurtz earlier, I think the Member was absolutely right to put it in these terms. These are individuals whose lives are not perhaps being as fulfilled as they could be in terms of employment because of economic inactivity, which is the point I was making to Sam Kurtz earlier. It's really important that we support each individual to flourish at work and to have access to work that suits their needs and their aspirations. 

The point I was making earlier to him as well was the significant impact on the Welsh Government's employability programmes, which has been caused by the loss of European Union funding. That's not political knockabout, it's an absolute fact. That's simply the reality on the ground. But there are significant programmes that we use to support people back into work, whether that's ReAct+, Communities for Work Plus for those who've been longest unemployed and have perhaps persistent challenges in finding work, but also, importantly, working with the Department for Work and Pensions, for example. We often see work around Jobcentre Plus support as part of the mix, with Restart as part of this mix as well, and it's a suite of interventions that we know works most effectively.

I do think it's important, though, to make sure that we continue to look at our employability programmes, and I am undertaking a programme of review at the moment to see how they can be adapted in light of changing economic conditions, to make sure that they do continue to support individuals. So, I'll be saying more about that a little bit later in this year, and I hope we'll have an opportunity then to have a broader debate about that.

Wel, mewn gwirionedd, fel y soniais yn fy ateb i Sam Kurtz yn gynharach, credaf fod yr Aelod yn llygad ei le yn ei roi yn y termau hyn. Dyma unigolion nad yw eu bywydau mor gyflawn ag y gallent fod efallai o ran cyflogaeth oherwydd anweithgarwch economaidd, sef y pwynt a wneuthum i Sam Kurtz yn gynharach. Mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn cefnogi pob unigolyn i ffynnu yn y gwaith ac i gael mynediad at waith sy'n addas ar gyfer eu hanghenion a'u dyheadau.

Y pwynt roeddwn yn ei wneud yn gynharach iddo hefyd oedd yr effaith sylweddol ar raglenni cyflogadwyedd Llywodraeth Cymru a achoswyd yn sgil colli cyllid yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Nid chwarae gemau gwleidyddol yw hynny, mae'n ffaith. Yn syml, dyna'r realiti ar lawr gwlad. Ond mae rhaglenni pwysig yr ydym yn eu defnyddio i gefnogi pobl yn ôl i waith, boed yn ReAct+, Cymunedau am Waith a Mwy i'r rheini sydd wedi bod yn ddi-waith hiraf ac sydd efallai’n wynebu heriau parhaus o ran dod o hyd i waith, ond hefyd, yn bwysig, gweithio gyda’r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau, er enghraifft. Rydym yn aml yn gweld gwaith yn ymwneud â chymorth y Ganolfan Byd Gwaith yn rhan o'r cymysgedd, gydag Ailgychwyn yn rhan o'r cymysgedd hwn hefyd, a gwyddom mai cyfres o ymyriadau sy'n gweithio'n fwyaf effeithiol.

Credaf ei bod yn bwysig sicrhau, serch hynny, ein bod yn parhau i edrych ar ein rhaglenni cyflogadwyedd, ac rwy’n cynnal rhaglen adolygu ar hyn o bryd i weld sut y gellir eu haddasu yng ngoleuni amodau economaidd newidiol, i sicrhau eu bod yn parhau i gefnogi unigolion. Felly, byddaf yn dweud mwy am hynny yn nes ymlaen eleni, ac rwy'n gobeithio y cawn gyfle bryd hynny i gael dadl ehangach am hynny.

14:00
Bil Addysg Gymraeg
Welsh Language Education Bill

5. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am gynnydd y Bil addysg Gymraeg? OQ61189

5. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the progress of the Welsh language education Bill? OQ61189

Mae’r gwaith i orffen paratoi Bil y Gymraeg ac addysg, a’r dogfennau ategol, yn parhau. Rwy'n mawr obeithio gallaf i gyflwyno’r Bil cyn toriad yr haf.

The work on finishing the preparations for the Welsh language and education Bill, and the supporting documents, continues. I very much hope to introduce the Bill before the summer recess.

Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. Dwi'n falch iawn o glywed hynny. Ac rŷn ni wedi clywed yn barod y prynhawn yma am y nod o gyrraedd miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg. Dwi'n siŵr ein bod ni i gyd yn gallu cytuno bod y Bil yma yn gam hanfodol tuag at gyrraedd y nod hwnnw, i sicrhau bod addysg Gymraeg a'r iaith Gymraeg ar gael i holl blant Cymru. Roeddwn i'n falch hefyd o glywed eich ymrwymiad i Siân Gwenllian bod polisi'r iaith Gymraeg a nodir yn y cytundeb cydweithredu yn parhau. Roedd y cytundeb hwnnw yn addewid i bobl Cymru y byddem ni'n gweithio i sicrhau bod y Gymraeg ar gael i bawb ac yn perthyn i bawb.

Serch hynny, unwaith eto eleni rŷn ni wedi clywed am nifer o drafferthion gyda rhieni i sicrhau addysg Gymraeg i'w plant, a diffyg cynllunio gan awdurdodau lleol. Beth mae'r Gweinidog a'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod awdurdodau lleol yn sicrhau bod addysg Gymraeg yn hygyrch i holl blant Cymru? Diolch yn fawr.

Thank you very much, Minister. I'm very pleased to hear that. And we've already heard this afternoon about the aim of reaching a million Welsh speakers. I'm sure we could all agree that this Bill is a crucial step towards achieving that goal, to ensure that Welsh-medium education and the Welsh language are available to all the children of Wales. I was also very pleased to hear your commitment to Siân Gwenllian that the Welsh language policy set out in the co-operation agreement continues. That agreement was a pledge to the people of Wales that we would work to ensure that the Welsh language was available to everyone and belonged to everyone.

However, once again this year we've heard about a number of difficulties that parents are having in securing Welsh-medium education for their children, and a lack of planning by local authorities. What is the Minister and Government doing to ensure that local authorities do ensure that Welsh-medium education is accessible to all the children of Wales? Thank you.

Diolch i Rhys ab Owen am hynny. Ac a gaf i sôn fy mod i'n ddiolchgar iawn am y gwaith rŷn ni wedi'i wneud ar y cyd gyda Phlaid Cymru, gyda Cefin Campbell yn benodol, ar ddatblygu'r Bil? A'n bwriad ni yw parhau gyda'r gwaith rŷn ni wedi'i wneud a ffeindio ffyrdd o gadw mewn cysylltiad ynglŷn â sut y gallem ni fynd yn ein blaenau gyda hynny mewn ffordd gydweithredol, o ran y Bil a'r Ddeddf, yn y pen draw.

Mae'r Aelod yn gwneud pwynt pwysig o ran cynllunio ar gyfer llefydd cyfrwng Cymraeg. Mae'r Bil, wrth gwrs, yn delio mewn ffordd ehangach nag addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg yn unig. Rŷn ni wedi gweld, rwy'n credu, cynnydd o ran yr uchelgais yng nghynlluniau strategol Cymraeg mewn addysg, a hefyd sicrhau, trwy'r newidiadau a'r diwygiadau rŷn ni wedi eu gwneud i'r grantiau sy'n mynd i'n hysgolion ni ac i'r consortia yn hanesyddol—. Rŷn ni'n cyfuno'r rheini er mwyn sicrhau eu bod nhw'n gallu cael eu defnyddio mewn ffyrdd mwy hyblyg er mwyn lliniaru ar rai o'r heriau yma mae'r awdurdodau yn eu profi o ran cynllunio. Ond mae'r Aelod yn iawn i ddweud bod angen sicrhau ein bod ni yn darparu addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg i unrhyw blentyn sydd eisiau cael yr addysg honno, a bod hynny yn hygyrch ym mhob rhan o Gymru.

I thank Rhys ab Owen for that. And could I just mention the fact that I'm very grateful to Plaid Cymru and Cefin Campbell for the work that we've done on developing the Bill? And our intention is to continue with that work and to keep in contact on how we can proceed with that in a co-operative way, in terms of the Bill and the Act, ultimately.

The Member makes an important point in terms of planning for Welsh-medium places. The Bill deals in a broader way than just with Welsh-medium schools. We have seen, I think, progress in terms of the ambition in the Welsh in education strategic plans, and also ensuring, through the changes and reforms that we've made to the grants that go to the schools and the consortia historically—. We are combining those to ensure that they can be used in a more flexible way, in order to mitigate some of the challenges that authorities experience in terms of planning. But the Member is right to say that we need to ensure that we are providing Welsh-medium education to any child who wishes to receive that education, and that that is accessible in all parts of Wales.

Ynni Adnewyddadwy
Renewable Energy

6. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am ddatblygiadau ynni adnewyddadwy yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? OQ61197

6. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on renewable energy developments in Mid and West Wales? OQ61197

Mae Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru yn chwarae rhan allweddol yn y gwaith o geisio cyflawni ein targedau ynghylch ynni adnewyddadwy; cafodd 18 MW eu comisiynu yn 2022. Caiff y rhan fwyaf o hyn ei gyflawni drwy osodiadau bach a lleol. Bydd ein trefniadau cydweithio yn sicrhau ein bod ni'n cyflawni’r manteision mwyaf posib i gymunedau Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru. 

Mid and West Wales is playing a key part in the progress we make towards our renewable energy targets, with 18 MW commissioned in 2022. The majority of this is delivered through small, locally owned installations. Our collaborative approach will ensure we maximise community benefits for communities in Mid and West Wales.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Weinidog. Byddwch chi'n ymwybodol iawn o'r teimladau cryf iawn sydd yn y rhanbarth dwi'n ei gynrychioli am brosiectau ynni adnewyddadwy, ac yn arbennig ynni gwynt. Nant Mithil ym Maesyfed, Bryn Cadwgan yn sir Gaerfyrddin, Waun Maenllwyd yng Ngheredigion, ac Esgair Galed ym Maldwyn—enwau hyfryd ar gymdogaethau gwledig. Ond mae pob un o'r cynlluniau hyn, a rhai eraill dwi ddim wedi'u henwi, yn cael eu perchnogi gan ddatblygwyr o du fas i Gymru. Nawr, mae Plaid Cymru wrth gwrs yn gefnogol iawn i brosiectau ynni adnewyddadwy er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng newid hinsawdd, ond dyw'r angen dybryd am fwy o ynni gwyrdd ddim yn golygu y dylem ni dderbyn y green rush presennol yn ddi-amod. Nawr, fel rŷch chi'n gwybod, yr hyn sy'n pryderu pobl—ac mae'n rhan o'n hanes ni fel cenedl—yw bod elw o'n hadnoddau naturiol ni wedi llifo mas o Gymru i bocedi cwmnïau cyfalafol sy'n cyfrannu fawr ddim at economi Cymru. Felly, gan ystyried hyn i gyd, gaf i ofyn i chi beth yw'ch gweledigaeth chi er mwyn sicrhau bod cymunedau ledled Cymru'n medru sicrhau elw a budd go iawn o'r potensial enfawr sydd gyda ni yn y maes egni adnewyddadwy?

Thank you very much, Minister. You'll be very well aware of the strong feelings throughout the region that I represent about renewable energy projects, and specifically wind energy. Nant Mithil in Radnor, Bryn Cadwgan in Carmarthenshire, Waun Maenllwyd in Ceredigion and Esgair Galed in Montgomeryshire—beautiful names in rural areas. But all of these schemes, and others that I haven't named, are owned by developers outside Wales. Now, Plaid Cymru of course is supportive of renewable projects in order to tackle the climate emergency, but the need for more green energy doesn't mean that we should accept this green rush unconditionally. And, as you know, what concerns us in terms of our history is that the profits from our natural resources have flown out of our communities into the pockets of capitalists who contribute nothing to the Welsh economy. In consideration of this, could I ask you what's your vision to ensure that communities across Wales can secure real profits and benefits from the huge potential that we have in the renewable energy sector?

14:05

Mae'r pwynt mae'r Aelod yn ei wneud yn bwynt pwysig, ac mae resonance i'r peth, yntefe, o ran cyfraniad Cymru i anghenion ynni'r byd, ac mae'r pwynt mae'n ei wneud bod yr elw a'r budd yn aml iawn yn cael eu profi tu allan i Gymru. Felly, rwy'n credu bod y pwynt sylfaenol hwnnw'n un tra phwysig. Mae gyda ni dargedau sydd—. Rŷn ni wedi'u newid nhw i fod yn fwy uchelgeisiol er mwyn sicrhau bod elfen o berchnogaeth leol o ran datblygiadau o ran ynni adnewyddadwy, a dwi hefyd yn derbyn y pwynt bod llwyddo i wneud i hynny weithio'n rhan bwysig o'r ffordd dŷn ni'n gallu gwneud yr achos i gymunedau dros dderbyn buddsoddiadau, os hoffwch chi, yn y sector yn eu lleoliadau nhw. Mae hynny'n rhan bwysig o'r darlun hwnnw.

Mae gyda ni gwaith; mae gwaith ar y gweill gydag Ynni Cymru, wrth gwrs, ond hefyd dwi'n credu bod angen inni edrych yn fwy uchelgeisiol eto ar sut y gallwn ni sicrhau nid jest budd ariannol i'r gymuned ond elfen o berchnogaeth fel bod stake yn llythrennol gan y cymunedau yn y datblygiadau hynny. Dyna, rwy'n credu, yw'r nod economaidd, ond mae hefyd yn rhywbeth sydd yn mynd i fod yn caniatáu inni allu ehangu'r sector yn fwy ymarferol hefyd.

The point that the Member makes is an important one, and there is a resonance to it in terms of Wales's contribution to the energy needs of the world, and the point that he makes that the profits and benefits are often enjoyed outside of Wales. I think that fundamental point is an important one. We do have targets that we've changed to be more ambitious in order to ensure that there is an element of local ownership in terms of developments in renewable energy, and I also accept the point that making that work is an important part of the way we can make the case to communities to accept investment in the renewable energy sector in their localities. That's an important part of that picture.

We do have work ongoing with Ynni Cymru, of course, but I also think that we need to look more ambitiously again at how we can ensure not just financial benefit for the community but an element of ownership so that communities literally have a stake in those developments. I think that is the economic aim, but it's also going to be something that will allow us to expand the sector in a more practical way too.

Before I call John Griffiths for question 7, I just need to remind Members that, if you have a tabled or supplementary question you're seeking to ask, you do need to be in the Chamber for the entirety of the question session to listen to the ministerial answers and any questions raised beforehand. There are several guilty parties in the Chamber today on this, so I'm going to call everybody for today, but I don't expect it to follow on from today. So, question 7—John Griffiths.

Cyn imi alw ar John Griffiths i ofyn cwestiwn 7, mae angen imi atgoffa’r Aelodau, os oes gennych gwestiwn a gyflwynwyd neu gwestiwn atodol rydych eisiau ei ofyn, fod angen ichi fod yn y Siambr drwy gydol y sesiwn gwestiynau i wrando ar atebion y Gweinidogion ac unrhyw gwestiynau a ofynnwyd ymlaen llaw. Mae sawl un yn euog o hyn yn y Siambr heddiw, felly rwyf am alw ar bawb am heddiw, ond nid wyf yn disgwyl i hyn ddigwydd eto o heddiw ymlaen. Felly, cwestiwn 7—John Griffiths.

Dyfodol Diwydiant Dur Cymru
The Future of Wales’s Steel Industry

7. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am drafodaethau gydag undebau llafur a Tata Steel ynghylch dyfodol diwydiant dur Cymru? OQ61204

7. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on discussions with trade unions and Tata Steel regarding the future of Wales’s steel industry? OQ61204

We continue to engage closely with the trade unions and the company to do all that we can to minimise job losses and ensure a sustainable future for Welsh steel making.

Rydym yn parhau i ymgysylltu’n agos â’r undebau llafur a’r cwmni i wneud popeth yn ein gallu i leihau colledion swyddi a sicrhau dyfodol cynaliadwy i gynhyrchu dur yng Nghymru.

Cabinet Secretary, the current plans of Tata and the current UK Government would not see the UK and Wales keep its strategic steel industry, which is so important, as we know, for so many other aspects of security and economic health in Wales and beyond. We know that in around four weeks' time we may well have a new UK Government—a Labour UK Government—with £3 billion on the table for steel in the UK. That's potentially transformative, isn't it, in terms of the picture that Tata look at as to what is possible and the support that's available for steel. So, how do you as the Cabinet Secretary for economy in the Welsh Government look at the possibilities that this opens up in terms of your discussions with Tata, given as well that the trade unions are taking industrial action and it's crystal clear that they are determined and local communities are determined to do all they can to resist the current plans?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ni fyddai cynlluniau presennol Tata a Llywodraeth bresennol y DU yn gweld y DU a Chymru yn cadw ei diwydiant dur strategol, sydd mor bwysig, fel y gwyddom, ar gyfer cymaint o agweddau eraill ar ddiogelwch ac iechyd economaidd yng Nghymru a thu hwnt. Gwyddom ei bod yn bosibl y bydd gennym Lywodraeth newydd yn y DU ymhen tua phedair wythnos—Llywodraeth Lafur y DU—gyda £3 biliwn ar y bwrdd ar gyfer dur yn y DU. Gallai hynny fod yn drawsnewidiol o ran y darlun y mae Tata yn edrych arno mewn perthynas â’r hyn sy'n bosibl a'r cymorth sydd ar gael ar gyfer dur. Felly, sut ydych chi fel Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi yn Llywodraeth Cymru yn edrych ar y posibiliadau a gyflwynir gan hyn o beth o ran eich trafodaethau gyda Tata, o ystyried hefyd fod yr undebau llafur wedi cymryd camau diwydiannol a'i bod yn gwbl amlwg eu bod yn benderfynol, a bod cymunedau lleol yn benderfynol o wneud popeth yn eu gallu i wrthsefyll y cynlluniau presennol?

That's a really important question, and I feel strongly that one of the reasons the unions are so committed to the course of action is because they have an alternative plan that is credible and developed by experts in steel production. We would have liked to have seen Tata adopt those plans, which I think everyone, including Tata, accepted were credible plans. I think that, as John Griffiths was saying, the imminent prospect of a new Government, a Labour Government, we hope, which has a commitment to £3 billion—. I hear Members say that that isn't a commitment; it is a commitment, and it will change the context fundamentally, I think, to the decisions that have been taken, and that will enable decisions to lead to a more just transition to that sustainable steel sector of the future that I know that he feels very passionately about, and avoid the job losses at the scale that we are contemplating at the moment. So, we will continue as a Government to urge Tata Steel at every opportunity to avoid making decisions that are irreversible in the context of a rapidly changing landscape.

Mae hwnnw'n gwestiwn pwysig iawn, ac rwy'n teimlo'n gryf mai un o'r rhesymau pam fod yr undebau mor ymrwymedig i'r camau gweithredu yw oherwydd bod ganddynt gynllun amgen sy'n gredadwy ac sydd wedi'i ddatblygu gan arbenigwyr ym maes cynhyrchu dur. Byddem wedi hoffi gweld Tata yn mabwysiadu’r cynlluniau hynny yr oedd pawb, gan gynnwys Tata, rwy’n credu, yn derbyn eu bod yn gynlluniau credadwy. Rwy’n credu, fel roedd John Griffiths yn ei ddweud, fod y gobaith o gael Llywodraeth newydd, Llywodraeth Lafur, gobeithio, sydd wedi ymrwymo i £3 biliwn—. Clywaf Aelodau’n dweud nad yw hwnnw’n ymrwymiad; mae’n ymrwymiad, a bydd yn newid y cyd-destun yn sylfaenol, rwy’n credu, mewn perthynas â’r penderfyniadau sydd wedi’u gwneud, a bydd hynny’n galluogi penderfyniadau i arwain at bontio tecach i sector dur cynaliadwy yn y dyfodol, a gwn ei fod yn teimlo’n angerddol iawn ynglŷn â hynny, ac yn osgoi’r colledion swyddi ar y raddfa yr ydym yn ei hystyried ar hyn o bryd. Felly, byddwn ni fel Llywodraeth yn parhau i annog Tata Steel ar bob cyfle i osgoi gwneud penderfyniadau na ellir eu gwrthdroi yng nghyd-destun tirlun sy’n newid yn gyflym.

14:10

Cabinet Secretary, we often hear from this Welsh Labour Government about the pride that you take in your party's roots embedded within the Welsh community itself, with steelworkers at the heart, alongside your close relationship with trade unions, with these two factors being intrinsically linked. Yet, despite this incredibly deep-rooted foundation of the party, and the close working relationship with the unions, you somehow have had nothing to offer Tata Steel, or the steelworkers across Wales, by form of concrete support. No doubt, I'm sure, you've heard this, but I will refresh everyone’s memory—the UK Conservative Government had put £100 million on the table towards the creation of a transition board and around about £500 million towards the arc furnace itself, securing thousands of jobs and ensuring steel continues to be made in Wales, going forward.

They always say you should watch how people act when times get tough. Well, we've all seen the Welsh Labour Government really doesn't have the back of the steel community, including those in my region of south-east Wales. Cabinet Secretary, you claim to support them, yet this Welsh Labour Government hasn't offered a single penny of backing during their time of need. So, Cabinet Secretary, how do you propose to actually support the steel communities if you offer no financial aid, as all we've seen so far, since the formation of this Government, is discussions in Mumbai with very little to show for it?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rydym yn aml yn clywed y Llywodraeth Lafur hon yn dweud pa mor falch yw hi fod gwreiddiau eich plaid yn ddwfn yn y gymuned Gymreig ei hun, gyda gweithwyr dur yn ganolog iddi, ochr yn ochr â'ch perthynas agos ag undebau llafur, gyda'r ddau ffactor wedi'u cysylltu'n annatod. Ac eto, er gwaethaf sylfaen hynod ddwfn y blaid, a'r berthynas waith agos gyda'r undebau, rywsut nid oes gennych unrhyw beth i'w gynnig i Tata Steel, na'r gweithwyr dur ledled Cymru, ar ffurf cefnogaeth gadarn. Rwy'n siŵr eich bod wedi clywed hyn eisoes, ond rwyf am atgoffa pawb—roedd Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU wedi rhoi £100 miliwn ar y bwrdd tuag at greu bwrdd pontio ac oddeutu £500 miliwn tuag at y ffwrnais arc drydan ei hun, gan sicrhau miloedd o swyddi a sicrhau bod dur yn parhau i gael ei wneud yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol.

Maent bob amser yn dweud y dylech chi wylio sut mae pobl yn ymddwyn pan fo amseroedd yn anodd. Wel, rydym i gyd wedi gweld nad yw Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru yn cefnogi'r gymuned ddur mewn gwirionedd, gan gynnwys y rhai yn fy rhanbarth i yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rydych chi'n honni eich bod yn eu cefnogi, ac eto nid yw'r Llywodraeth Lafur hon wedi cynnig un geiniog o gefnogaeth yn ystod eu cyfnod o angen. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, sut ydych chi'n bwriadu cefnogi'r cymunedau dur os nad ydych chi'n cynnig unrhyw gymorth ariannol, oherwydd y cyfan a welsom hyd yma, ers ffurfio'r Llywodraeth hon, yw trafodaethau yn Mumbai heb fawr ddim i'w ddangos amdanynt?

If the Member had participated in the debate yesterday on this matter, she would have heard me correct the record, which I feel compelled to do again, I'm afraid. The UK Government hasn't put £100 million on the table. That isn't what even the UK Government are saying. In fact, they've put £80 million on the table, and, if any Member is interested in knowing how much of that has been spent, the answer is 'not a single penny'. I also took the opportunity yesterday of explaining—. She shakes her head; I'm correcting the record on her behalf.

In relation to what the Welsh Government has committed to, I mentioned yesterday to Sam Kurtz, in response to a similar line of questioning from him, that the Welsh Government has committed its employability and skills programmes, has adapted its personal learning accounts programmes. The first programme is worth, probably, across Wales, about £25 million, and the second, across Wales, about £21 million, and that is already being spent. So, I don't think anybody is interested in political knockabout when there are 9,000 plus jobs at stake, and I would urge the Member opposite to resist the temptation to make political points. There is a debate to be had—[Interruption.] There is a debate to be had, but I think it's important and respectful for that to be based on the facts.

Pe bai'r Aelod wedi cymryd rhan yn y ddadl ddoe ar y mater hwn, byddai wedi fy nghlywed yn cywiro'r cofnod, ac rwy'n teimlo bod angen imi wneud hynny eto, mae arnaf ofn. Nid yw Llywodraeth y DU wedi rhoi £100 miliwn ar y bwrdd. Nid yw Llywodraeth y DU yn dweud hynny hyd yn oed. Mewn gwirionedd, maent wedi rhoi £80 miliwn ar y bwrdd, ac os oes gan unrhyw Aelod ddiddordeb mewn gwybod faint o hwnnw sydd wedi cael ei wario, yr ateb yw 'dim ceiniog'. Cymerais y cyfle ddoe hefyd i esbonio—. Mae hi'n ysgwyd ei phen; rwy'n cywiro'r cofnod ar ei rhan.

O ran yr hyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo iddo, soniais ddoe wrth Sam Kurtz, mewn ymateb i gwestiynau tebyg ganddo, fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo ei rhaglenni cyflogadwyedd a sgiliau, wedi addasu ei rhaglenni cyfrifon dysgu personol. Mae'n debyg fod y rhaglen gyntaf yn werth tua £25 miliwn, mae'n debyg, ledled Cymru, a'r ail tua £21 miliwn ledled Cymru, ac mae'r arian hwnnw eisoes yn cael ei wario. Felly, nid wyf yn credu bod gan unrhyw un ddiddordeb mewn chwarae gemau gwleidyddol pan fo 9,000 a mwy o swyddi yn y fantol, a hoffwn annog yr Aelod gyferbyn i wrthsefyll y demtasiwn i sgorio pwyntiau gwleidyddol. Mae dadl i'w chael—[Torri ar draws.] Mae dadl i'w chael, ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig, ac yn fater o barch, fod y ddadl honno'n seiliedig ar ffeithiau.

Mae cwestiwn 8 [OQ61200] wedi'i dynnu yn ôl. Cwestiwn 9, Adam Price.

Question 8 [OQ61200] is withdrawn. Question 9, Adam Price.

Costau Llinellau Trawsyrru
Costs of Transmission Lines

9. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am waith y grŵp annibynnol sy'n asesu costau cymharol llinellau trawsyrru 132 cilofolt o dan y ddaear ac uwchben? OQ61206

9. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the work of the independent group assessing the comparative costs of underground and overhead 132 kV transmission lines? OQ61206

Mae’r grŵp cynghori annibynnol ar gyfer grid trydan y dyfodol i Gymru wrthi'n cael ei gynnull ar hyn o bryd. Mae hyn yn cynnwys diffinio'r aelodaeth a chefnogi'r aelodau i gymeradwyo cynllun gwaith y grŵp. Wrth i weithgareddau allweddol gael eu cwblhau, caiff gwybodaeth bellach am y grŵp ei chyhoeddi.

The independent advisory group for the future electricity grid for Wales is currently being convened. This involves defining the membership and supporting the members to agree the work plan of the group. As key activities are completed, information concerning the group will be published.

Gobeithio y gall yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddweud wrthym ni ychydig bach mwy ynglŷn â phryd y byddwn ni'n gallu cael mwy o wybodaeth. Y rheswm dwi'n gofyn, wrth gwrs, yw oherwydd diddordeb etholaethol, o ran datblygiadau arfaethedig yn nyffryn Teifi a dyffryn Tywi, ac mae'r ffaith bod y Llywodraeth wedi cynnull y grŵp yma wedi cael ei groesawu. Dwi'n credu ei fod e’n gyfle i ddiweddaru dealltwriaeth y Llywodraeth o ran yr arloesedd sydd wedi bod, yn arbennig o ran aredig ceblau ac yn y blaen. Ond ydy canlyniadau’r grŵp yma’n mynd i fod ar gael mewn pryd, er enghraifft—mewn da bryd—ar gyfer dylanwadu ar benderfyniadau a fydd yn effeithio ar y datblygiadau dwi wedi eu crybwyll? A hefyd ydyn ni'n gallu gweld mwy o wybodaeth ynglŷn â’r cylch gorchwyl a'r aelodaeth i sicrhau bod ymddiriedaeth gan y cyhoedd bod y canlyniadau yma yn mynd i fod yn wrthrychol ac yn mynd i ddylanwadu mewn ffordd adeiladol ar benderfyniadau’r Llywodraeth?

I hope the Cabinet Secretary can tell us a little more as to when we will get that further information. The reason I ask, of course, is because of constituency interest, in terms of proposed developments in the Tywi and Teifi valleys, and the fact that the Government has assembled this group has been welcomed. I think it is an opportunity to update the Government's understanding of the innovation that there has been, particularly in terms of cable ploughing and so on. But will the outputs of this group be available in good time to influence decisions that will impact the developments that I've alluded to? And also can we have further information about the remit and membership in order to ensure that the public can have trust in the outcomes being objective and having an influence in a constructive way on Government decisions?

Fy mwriad i yw cyhoeddi, cyn toriad yr haf, aelodaeth y grŵp a rhoi diweddariad o ran y cylch gwaith, cylch—. Esgusodwch fi. Work programme. [Torri ar draws.] Cynllun gwaith, diolch yn fawr. Yn rhannol oherwydd bod y grŵp yn annibynnol, felly, y grŵp ei hun fydd yn penodi’r rhaglen waith, a bydden ni i gyd, rwy'n credu, yn cymeradwyo’r math yna o approach. Felly, y bwriad yw gwneud datganiad cyn toriad yr haf, yn sicr, ar hynny, yn cynnwys aelodaeth y grŵp. Ac o ran yr allbwn a chynnyrch y drafodaeth, byddwn i'n gobeithio cael cyngor wrthyn nhw erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn, dechrau'r flwyddyn newydd, fel bod gennym ni set o egwyddorion wedyn, ar gyfer sicrhau bod yr hyn rŷn ni'n ei gefnogi yn y dyfodol yn gyson â'r egwyddorion hynny. Felly, dyna'r braslun o ran yr amserlen, ond byddaf i'n gobeithio, ac yn sicr yn bwriadu, rhoi diweddariad cyn diwedd y tymor.

My intention is to make an announcement, before the summer recess, in terms of the membership and the terms of reference, the—. Excuse me. Work programme. [Interruption.] The work programme of the group; thank you. Partly because the group is independent, the group itself will be appointing the programme of work, and we would all, I think, approve of that kind of approach. So, the aim is to make an announcement before the summer recess, certainly, on that, including the membership of the group. And in terms of the output of the discussions, I would hope to have advice from them by the end of the year, or the start of the next year, so that we'll have a set of principles then, for ensuring that what we are supporting in the future is consistent with those principles. So, that's a rough picture of the timeline, but certainly I would hope, and certainly intend, to give you an update before the end of the term.

14:15
2. Cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol
2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care

Y cwestiynau nesaf fydd i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Mark Isherwood, i'w ateb gan y Gweinidog Iechyd Meddwl a'r Blynyddoedd Cynnar. Mark Isherwood.

The next questions will be to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, and the first question is from Mark Isherwood and is to be answered by the Minister for Mental Health and Early Years. Mark Isherwood.

Gwasanaethau Iechyd Meddwl
Mental Health Services

1. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn monitro safon gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl yng ngogledd Cymru? OQ61183

1. How does the Welsh Government monitor the standard of mental health services in north Wales? OQ61183

As part of the special measures escalation, a comprehensive programme of work has been agreed to ensure that the health board is able to make the sustained improvements required by its mental health services. The health board is very much focused on delivering this.

Fel rhan o'r broses o uwchgyfeirio i fesurau arbennig, cytunwyd ar raglen waith gynhwysfawr i sicrhau bod y bwrdd iechyd yn gallu gwneud y gwelliannau parhaus sydd eu hangen gan ei wasanaethau iechyd meddwl. Mae’r bwrdd iechyd yn canolbwyntio’n fawr ar gyflawni hyn.

Institutional abuse on the Hergest mental health unit and Tawel Fan dementia ward was validated and exposed in successive reports. The Tawel Fan families state that in October 2018, the then health Secretary, now First Minister, Vaughan Gething, told them that what they had seen was not institutional abuse, and that when they questioned him he walked out. Speaking here in November 2018, Vaughan Gething said he was content that the plans the health board had put in place to implement report recommendations were comprehensive and robust.

A new Royal College of Psychiatrists' report, looking at recommendations in four previous reports, has now found that fewer than half of these have been fully implemented. Further, the Nursing and Midwifery Council has now imposed a striking-off order on a psychiatric staff nurse, whose abusive conduct caused harm to vulnerable patients and witnesses on the Tawel Fan ward. So, what Welsh Government accountability and apology to the families will there now be, when this has exposed the same culture of cover-up, victim blaming and whistleblower bullying seen in the Post Office and infected blood scandals?

Dilyswyd a datgelwyd cam-drin sefydliadol yn uned iechyd meddwl Hergest a ward dementia Tawel Fan mewn adroddiadau olynol. Mae teuluoedd Tawel Fan wedi dweud bod yr ysgrifennydd iechyd ar y pryd, y Prif Weinidog bellach, Vaughan Gething, wedi dweud wrthynt ym mis Hydref 2018 nad oedd yr hyn roeddent wedi’i weld yn gam-drin sefydliadol, a'i fod wedi cerdded allan pan holwyd cwestiynau iddo. Wrth siarad yma ym mis Tachwedd 2018, dywedodd Vaughan Gething ei fod yn fodlon fod y cynlluniau roedd y bwrdd iechyd wedi’u rhoi ar waith i weithredu argymhellion yr adroddiad yn gynhwysfawr ac yn gadarn.

Mae adroddiad newydd gan Goleg Brenhinol y Seiciatryddion, sy’n edrych ar argymhellion mewn pedwar adroddiad blaenorol, bellach wedi canfod bod llai na hanner y rhain wedi’u gweithredu’n llawn. Ymhellach, mae'r Cyngor Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth bellach wedi tynnu nyrs staff seiciatrig oddi ar y gofrestr oherwydd bod ei hymddygiad camdriniol wedi achosi niwed i gleifion a thystion bregus ar ward Tawel Fan. Felly, a fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn dangos atebolrwydd ac yn ymddiheuro i'r teuluoedd nawr, o ystyried bod hyn wedi datgelu'r un diwylliant o guddio, beio dioddefwyr, a bwlio chwythwyr chwiban ag a welwyd gyda Swyddfa'r Post a’r sgandal gwaed heintiedig?

Thank you for that question, Mark. As part of the special measures intervention, Welsh Government commissioned the Royal College of Psychiatrists to undertake a review to assess the extent to which recommendations from the previous mental health reviews have been completed. The report has been shared with families and was discussed at the board meeting last Thursday, actually, on 30 May. It does indicate that progress against a number of the recommendations has not been sustained. This is very disappointing, and we will be working closely with the health board to ensure that they take and embed the appropriate actions. I will be meeting the health board vice-chair and mental health executive leads on a quarterly basis to discuss action in relation to mental health services and what support would be of benefit to deliver improvements. And I will certainly be discussing what has been done and looking in more detail at what needs to be done.

Diolch am y cwestiwn hwnnw, Mark. Fel rhan o'r ymyrraeth mesurau arbennig, comisiynodd Llywodraeth Cymru Goleg Brenhinol y Seiciatryddion i gynnal adolygiad i asesu i ba raddau y mae argymhellion o'r adolygiadau iechyd meddwl blaenorol wedi'u cyflawni. Mae'r adroddiad wedi'i rannu gyda theuluoedd ac fe'i trafodwyd yng nghyfarfod y bwrdd ddydd Iau diwethaf, mewn gwirionedd, ar 30 Mai. Mae'n dangos nad yw'r cynnydd yn erbyn nifer o'r argymhellion wedi cael ei gynnal. Mae hyn yn siomedig iawn, a byddwn yn gweithio'n agos gyda'r bwrdd iechyd i sicrhau eu bod yn cymryd ac yn gwreiddio'r camau priodol. Byddaf yn cyfarfod ag is-gadeirydd y bwrdd iechyd ac arweinwyr gweithredol iechyd meddwl ar sail chwarterol i drafod camau gweithredu mewn perthynas â gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl a pha gymorth a fyddai o fudd i gyflawni gwelliannau. A byddaf yn sicr yn trafod yr hyn sydd wedi'i wneud ac yn edrych yn fanylach ar yr hyn sydd angen ei wneud.

Look, time and time again, we've had Ministers stand up in this Chamber and tell us that things are being sorted. Report after report, as we've heard, have been commissioned, with recommendations made, and we've all been led to believe that things would change. Now, this latest damning report, of course, to the health board, reveals that the majority of recommendations in successive reports into mental health scandals in the north have not been implemented. Have you as a Government therefore been misled—or some would say, maybe deceived—by someone? And if you have, that in itself is another scandal to add to a very long list, I have to say. Now, given all of these failings, is it not now time to try a different tack? Should you not be establishing an independent oversight committee now, made up of Llais—the patient's voice—affected families, the third sector and others, to work with the health board to make sure that these recommendations are fulfilled, once and for all?

Edrychwch, dro ar ôl tro, mae Gweinidogion wedi codi yn y Siambr hon a dweud wrthym fod pethau'n cael eu datrys. Comisiynwyd adroddiad ar ôl adroddiad, fel y clywsom, fe wnaed argymhellion, ac rydym i gyd wedi cael ein harwain i gredu y byddai pethau'n newid. Nawr, mae'r adroddiad damniol diweddaraf hwn i'r bwrdd iechyd, yn datgelu nad yw'r mwyafrif o argymhellion mewn adroddiadau olynol i sgandalau iechyd meddwl yn y gogledd wedi cael eu gweithredu. A ydych chi fel Llywodraeth felly wedi cael eich camarwain—neu efallai wedi cael eich twyllo, byddai rhai yn dweud—gan rywun? Ac os ydych chi, mae hynny ynddo'i hun yn sgandal arall i'w hychwanegu at restr hir iawn o sgandalau, rhaid imi ddweud. Nawr, o ystyried yr holl fethiannau hyn, onid yw'n bryd rhoi cynnig ar dacteg wahanol? Oni ddylech sefydlu pwyllgor goruchwylio annibynnol nawr, sy'n cynnwys Llais—llais y claf—teuluoedd yr effeithir arnynt, y trydydd sector ac eraill, i weithio gyda'r bwrdd iechyd i wneud yn siŵr fod yr argymhellion hyn yn cael eu cyflawni, unwaith ac am byth?

Diolch, Llyr. The health board has indicated it will take a period of time and reflection to consider the report's findings and the views of families and others, including Llais, as you mentioned, before drawing up its formal response. Just to say, the NHS Wales Executive meets with all health boards on a monthly basis to monitor performance as part of improvement, quality, performance and delivery meetings. In relation to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, I can confirm that they are continuing to improve performance with additional milestones being set to support the health board to maintain progress. We will be developing mental health quality statements that will support health boards to deliver services that are consistent across Wales. And I can assure you, as I said in response to Mark, that I will be meeting the health board vice-chair shortly and mental health leads on that quarterly basis as well, since I've come into post recently, and I will do that and will continue to do that.

Diolch, Llyr. Mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi dweud y bydd yn cymryd cyfnod o amser a myfyrio i ystyried canfyddiadau'r adroddiad a barn teuluoedd ac eraill, gan gynnwys Llais, fel y sonioch chi, cyn llunio ei ymateb ffurfiol. Hoffwn ddweud, mae Gweithrediaeth GIG Cymru yn cyfarfod â'r holl fyrddau iechyd bob mis i fonitro perfformiad fel rhan o gyfarfodydd gwella, ansawdd, perfformiad a chyflawni. O ran Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, gallaf gadarnhau eu bod yn parhau i wella perfformiad gyda cherrig milltir ychwanegol yn cael eu gosod i gefnogi'r bwrdd iechyd i gynnal cynnydd. Byddwn yn datblygu datganiadau ansawdd iechyd meddwl a fydd yn cefnogi byrddau iechyd i ddarparu gwasanaethau sy'n gyson ledled Cymru. Ac fel y dywedais mewn ymateb i Mark, gallaf eich sicrhau y byddaf yn cyfarfod ag is-gadeirydd y bwrdd iechyd yn fuan, ynghyd ag arweinwyr iechyd meddwl, ar sail chwarterol hefyd, ers imi ddod i'r swydd yn ddiweddar, a byddaf yn gwneud hynny a byddaf yn parhau i wneud hynny.

14:20
Iechyd y Cyhoedd ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro
Public Health in Preseli Pembrokeshire

2. Beth yw blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer iechyd y cyhoedd ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ61182

2. What are the Welsh Government’s priorities for public health in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ61182

Mae'r ddogfen 'Cymru Iachach' yn nodi ein gweledigaeth a’n blaenoriaethau, sef system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol gyfun gyda gwasanaethau di-dor, sy’n canolbwyntio ar atal a gofal yn y gymuned, a mynd i’r ysbyty dim ond pan fydd angen.

'A Healthier Wales' sets out our vision and our priorities, namely a comprehensive health and social care system with seamless services, which focuses on prevention and community-based care, and going to hospital only when needed.

Cabinet Secretary, one of the Welsh Government's public health priorities must be to safeguard people's health, and yet the community around the Withyhedge landfill site in my constituency continue to suffer from a sickening stench and potentially toxic emissions. Residents continue to experience serious health symptoms, such as painful and swollen eyelids, headaches and nausea. These are real people, suffering in our communities under your Government's watch, and enough is enough. What action will you now take as Cabinet Secretary for health to protect our constituents and ensure that they don't continue to suffer because of the scandalous actions of the Withyhedge landfill site operator?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, un o flaenoriaethau iechyd cyhoeddus Llywodraeth Cymru yw diogelu iechyd pobl, ac eto mae'r gymuned o amgylch safle tirlenwi Withyhedge yn fy etholaeth yn parhau i ddioddef o ddrewdod ffiaidd ac allyriadau a all fod yn wenwynig. Mae preswylwyr yn parhau i brofi symptomau iechyd difrifol, fel amrannau poenus a chwyddedig, cur pen a chyfog. Mae'r rhain yn bobl go iawn, yn dioddef yn ein cymunedau o dan oruchwyliaeth eich Llywodraeth, a digon yw digon. Pa gamau y byddwch chi nawr yn eu cymryd fel Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd i ddiogelu ein hetholwyr a sicrhau nad ydynt yn parhau i ddioddef oherwydd gweithredoedd gwarthus gweithredwr safle tirlenwi Withyhedge?

Thanks very much. Well, I've obviously been keeping a close eye on the situation and, tomorrow, I have a meeting, along with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, to seek assurances and get an update on the action that is being undertaken in relation to the Withyhedge landfill site. Of course, the Withyhedge landfill site is controlled by an environmental permit, which contains conditions that the operator must comply with to prevent harm to the environment or human health. Natural Resources Wales, as the waste regulator in Wales, is responsible for regulating the site and ensuring compliance with the conditions of the permit. Public Health Wales does not have any regulatory responsibilities or powers around the management or enforcement of the site, but they have taken a precautionary approach in response to this issue. 

Diolch yn fawr. Wel, rwy'n amlwg wedi bod yn cadw llygad barcud ar y sefyllfa, ac yfory, mae gennyf gyfarfod, ynghyd ag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig, i geisio sicrwydd a chael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y camau sy'n cael eu cymryd mewn perthynas â safle tirlenwi Withyhedge. Wrth gwrs, mae safle tirlenwi Withyhedge yn cael ei reoli gan drwydded amgylcheddol, sy'n cynnwys amodau y mae'n rhaid i'r gweithredwr gydymffurfio â nhw i atal niwed i'r amgylchedd neu iechyd pobl. Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, fel y rheoleiddiwr gwastraff yng Nghymru, sy'n gyfrifol am reoleiddio'r safle a sicrhau cydymffurfiaeth ag amodau'r drwydded. Nid oes gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru unrhyw gyfrifoldebau rheoleiddiol na phwerau'n gysylltiedig â rheoli'r safle na gorfodi, ond maent wedi mabwysiadu ymagwedd ragofalus mewn ymateb i'r mater hwn. 

Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Lefarwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Cwestiynau gan lefarwyr y pleidiau nesaf. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Altaf Hussain.

Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Altaf Hussain.

Minister, this week I had the pleasure to visit Llais at their headquarters in Abercynon, and during conversations about their fantastic community engagement work, it emerged that far too many members of the public are unaware of Llais's role in being the voice of the public in relation to social care. What action can the Welsh Government take to promote the fact that Llais are the independent body set up to give the people of Wales a say in their social care services, not just NHS interactions?

Weinidog, yr wythnos hon cefais y pleser o ymweld â Llais yn eu pencadlys yn Abercynon, ac yn ystod sgyrsiau am eu gwaith ymgysylltu cymunedol gwych, daeth yn amlwg nad yw llawer o aelodau'r cyhoedd yn ymwybodol o rôl Llais fel llais y cyhoedd mewn perthynas â gofal cymdeithasol. Pa gamau y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu cymryd i hyrwyddo'r ffaith bod Llais yn gorff annibynnol a sefydlwyd i roi llais i bobl Cymru ynghylch eu gwasanaethau gofal cymdeithasol, ac nid ynghylch rhyngweithiadau'r GIG yn unig?

Thank you, Altaf, for that question. You're quite right, the role of Llais now has extended to social care. Of course, we do recognise them in their previous incarnation of the community health councils, and when they were set up under the recent legislation to become Llais, they took over responsibility for having the patient and client voice in social care. And one of their main objectives when they were set up was to promote that role as being the voice of the client, dealing with complaints and acting as advocates and specialist advisers to people in social care. So, Llais's remit does cover that engagement and representation across the whole of social care. 

I think it's right to say that we probably should be doing more around the promotion of the work of Llais in social care, because previously there wasn't a voice for people in social care, and I think what we saw were direct complaints to the local authority. And Llais has been able to be the advocate and the intermediary between the local authority and the client. So, I'm happy to take that back, Altaf, and see whether there is more that we can do from a Welsh Government perspective to promote the role of Llais, but that is certainly something that we need to speak to Llais about, and making sure that they're doing that as well.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Altaf. Rydych chi'n llygad eich lle, mae rôl Llais bellach wedi ymestyn i gynnwys gofal cymdeithasol. Wrth gwrs, rydym yn eu cydnabod yn eu hymgnawdoliad blaenorol fel cynghorau iechyd cymunedol, a phan gawsant eu sefydlu o dan y ddeddfwriaeth ddiweddar i ddod yn Llais, fe wnaethant gymryd cyfrifoldeb dros lais y claf a'r cleient mewn gofal cymdeithasol. Ac un o'u prif amcanion pan gawsant eu sefydlu oedd hyrwyddo'r rôl honno fel llais y cleient, ymdrin â chwynion a gweithredu fel eiriolwyr a chynghorwyr arbenigol i bobl mewn gofal cymdeithasol. Felly, mae cylch gwaith Llais yn cwmpasu ymgysylltiad a chynrychiolaeth ar draws gofal cymdeithasol. 

Rwy'n credu ei bod yn briodol dweud y dylem fod yn gwneud mwy i hyrwyddo gwaith Llais mewn gofal cymdeithasol, oherwydd yn flaenorol nid oedd llais i bobl mewn gofal cymdeithasol, ac rwy'n credu mai'r hyn a welsom oedd cwynion uniongyrchol i'r awdurdod lleol. Ac mae Llais wedi gallu bod yn eiriolwr a chyfryngwr rhwng yr awdurdod lleol a'r cleient. Felly, rwy'n hapus i basio'r neges honno ymlaen, Altaf, a gweld a oes mwy y gallwn ei wneud o safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru i hyrwyddo rôl Llais, ond mae hwnnw'n sicr yn rhywbeth y mae angen i ni siarad â Llais yn ei gylch, a sicrhau eu bod nhw'n gwneud hynny hefyd.

14:25

Thank you, Minister. Of course, one of the biggest complaints related to people’s experience of social care in recent times was the almost abandonment of the sector during the pandemic. We will probably never know the true number of people who needlessly died in our care homes during COVID-19. The fact that module 6 of the UK COVID inquiry has been delayed, and that we are unlikely to get the report during this Senedd, is very worrying. We can’t simply hope we don’t get another pandemic or serious seasonal outbreak before we implement the lessons from COVID. Minister, what action are you taking in the interim to ensure all care homes have robust infection protection and control measures in place, as well as making sure all staff have IPC training and adequate personal protective equipment?

Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. Wrth gwrs, un o'r cwynion mwyaf yn ymwneud â phrofiad pobl o ofal cymdeithasol yn ystod y cyfnod diweddar oedd y ffordd y cefnwyd bron â bod yn gyfan gwbl ar y sector yn ystod y pandemig. Mae'n debyg na fyddwn byth yn gwybod gwir nifer y bobl a fu farw'n ddiangen yn ein cartrefi gofal yn ystod COVID-19. Mae'r ffaith bod modiwl 6 o ymchwiliad COVID y DU wedi'i ohirio, a'n bod yn annhebygol o gael yr adroddiad yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon, yn peri pryder mawr. Rhaid inni wneud mwy na gobeithio na chawn bandemig arall na salwch tymhorol difrifol cyn inni roi'r gwersi a ddysgwyd o COVID ar waith. Weinidog, pa gamau rydych chi'n eu cymryd yn y cyfamser i sicrhau bod gan bob cartref gofal fesurau atal a rheoli heintiau cadarn ar waith, yn ogystal â sicrhau bod pob aelod o staff yn cael hyfforddiant atal a rheoli heintiau a chyfarpar diogelu personol digonol?

Thank you, Altaf, for that very important question and, of course, as you say, we won’t be seeing the outcome of the COVID inquiry for some considerable time yet, or whether there will be any specific recommendations around that, but what I can assure you of is that there are robust infection measures in place. All of our care homes are subject to independent inspections from Care Inspectorate Wales and we have had no reports of any current concerns around care homes that have been the subject of inspections since COVID-19, so I’m working on the basis at this moment that we have no cause for intervention or cause for serious concern about the way in which our care homes are operating. But I do meet every month with the chief inspector of Care Inspectorate Wales, and I will certainly raise this with her when I meet with her next month, just to make sure that there are no issues that I need to be made aware of.

Diolch am y cwestiwn pwysig hwnnw, Altaf, ac wrth gwrs, fel y dywedwch, ni fyddwn yn gweld canlyniad yr ymchwiliad COVID am gryn dipyn o amser eto, nac yn gweld a fydd unrhyw argymhellion penodol ynghylch hynny, ond yr hyn y gallaf eich sicrhau yw bod mesurau rheoli heintiau cadarn ar waith. Mae pob un o'n cartrefi gofal yn destun arolygiadau annibynnol gan Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru ac nid ydym wedi cael unrhyw adroddiadau am unrhyw bryderon cyfredol ynghylch cartrefi gofal sydd wedi bod yn destun arolygiadau ers COVID-19, felly nid wyf yn credu bod gennym unrhyw reswm dros ymyrryd nac achos pryder difrifol ar hyn o bryd o ran y ffordd y mae ein cartrefi gofal yn gweithredu. Ond rwy'n cyfarfod bob mis â phrif arolygydd Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru, a byddaf yn sicr yn codi hyn gyda hi pan fyddaf yn cyfarfod â hi fis nesaf, i sicrhau nad oes unrhyw faterion y mae angen i mi fod yn ymwybodol ohonynt.

I am grateful to you, Minister. However, I believe we need a national strategy and a uniform set of standards when it comes to infection prevention and control in the care sector. Do you agree with me that we can’t allow a piecemeal approach to this, that no matter what local authority a care home falls under, or which regional partnership board is taking the lead, we need a national standard of care? Will you therefore commit today to work with Public Health Wales, Health Education and Improvement Wales, and the sector, together with myself and patient groups, to establish a universal approach to IPC in care homes and a requirement to train all staff in IPC procedures as soon as possible?

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi, Weinidog. Fodd bynnag, credaf fod angen strategaeth genedlaethol a set unffurf o safonau ar gyfer atal a rheoli heintiau yn y sector gofal. A ydych chi'n cytuno na allwn ganiatáu dull tameidiog o ymdrin â hyn, ac ni waeth pa awdurdod lleol y mae'r cartref gofal ynddo, neu pa fwrdd partneriaeth rhanbarthol sy'n arwain, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod angen safon gofal cenedlaethol? A wnewch chi ymrwymo heddiw felly i weithio gydag Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru, a'r sector, ynghyd â minnau a grwpiau cleifion, i sefydlu dull cyffredinol o ymdrin ag atal a rheoli heintiau mewn cartrefi gofal a gofyniad i hyfforddi'r holl staff mewn gweithdrefnau atal a rheoli heintiau cyn gynted â phosibl?

Again, thank you for that important point, Altaf, and of course we are moving across a whole range of issues in social care to regularise and standardise practices right the way across social services, and that includes our care homes and the commissioning of services in care homes, and we will be publishing a national framework on that by the end of the year. I’m happy to take that away, the points that you have raised with me and to see whether we can incorporate that into the national framework, and whether the work that we are already doing in that area can be standardised in the way that you’ve set out, because it is absolutely clear to me that the best way of getting regular outcomes is to have regular practice applied right the way across social care and across social services. As I say, that is very much what our national framework has aimed to do, and I will certainly make sure that we have a look at that in relation to the IPC training as well.

Unwaith eto, diolch am y pwynt pwysig hwnnw, Altaf, ac wrth gwrs rydym yn rhychwantu ystod eang o faterion ym maes gofal cymdeithasol i reoleiddio a safoni arferion ar draws gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys ein cartrefi gofal a chomisiynu gwasanaethau mewn cartrefi gofal, a byddwn yn cyhoeddi fframwaith cenedlaethol ar hynny erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn. Rwy'n hapus i ystyried y pwyntiau y gwnaethoch eu codi a gweld a allwn eu hymgorffori yn y fframwaith cenedlaethol, ac a ellir safoni'r gwaith yr ydym eisoes yn ei wneud yn y maes hwnnw yn y ffordd a nodwyd gennych, oherwydd mae'n gwbl amlwg i mi mai'r ffordd orau o sicrhau canlyniadau rheolaidd yw rhoi ymarfer rheolaidd ar waith ar draws gofal cymdeithasol ac ar draws y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol. Fel y dywedais, dyna'n union y mae ein fframwaith cenedlaethol wedi ceisio ei wneud, a byddaf yn bendant yn sicrhau ein bod yn edrych ar hynny mewn perthynas â hyfforddiant atal a rheoli heintiau hefyd.

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Mabon ap Gwynfor.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor.

Diolch. Llywydd, roeddwn i'n falch iawn gweld negeseuon Trydar yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn ddiweddar yn dangos ei bod hi wedi ymweld â thref hanesyddol Harlech. Dydy hynny ddim yn syndod, gan fod Harlech yn dref odidog sydd â llawer iawn i’w gynnig i ymwelwyr. Ond beth oedd yn syndod oedd gweld yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn dal placard ymgyrchu yn galw am foderneiddio'r gwasanaeth iechyd. Llafur sydd wedi bod yn rhedeg y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru ers 25 mlynedd, ond mae’n ymddangos bod y ffaith yna wedi cael ei cholli ar yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros iechyd. Fe wnaeth yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet gytuno â fi bythefnos yn ôl, wrth holi am adroddiad Langstaff, fod bod yn agored, tryloyw ac onest yn egwyddorion pwysig. Felly, wrth ystyried hyn, ydy'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn derbyn bod yr hyn oedd yn cael ei awgrymu wrth ddal y placard yna i fyny, sef nad ydy cyflwr y gwasanaeth iechyd yn gyfrifoldeb iddi hi, yn gamarweiniol, ac a wnaiff hi ymddiheuro am hynny? Ac yn olaf, ydy'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn cytuno mai ei chyfrifoldeb hi a Llywodraeth Cymru ydy moderneiddio ein gwasanaeth iechyd?

Thank you. Llywydd, I was pleased to see the Twitter messages of the Cabinet Secretary recently showing that she had visited the historic town of Harlech. That’s no surprise, because Harlech is a glorious town that has a great deal to offer visitors. But what was surprising was to see the Cabinet Secretary holding a campaign placard calling for the modernisation of the health service. Labour have been running the health service in Wales and have been doing so for 25 years, but it appears that that fact was lost on the Cabinet Secretary for health. The Cabinet Secretary agreed with me a fortnight ago, when I asked about the Langstaff report, that being open, transparent and honest were important principles. So, given this, does the Cabinet Secretary accept that what was suggested in holding that placard, namely that the state of the health service isn't her responsibility, is misleading, and will she apologise for that? And finally, does the Cabinet Secretary agree that it is her and the Welsh Government's responsibility to modernise our health service?

14:30

Dwi ddim yn mynd i ymddiheuro am fod eisiau moderneiddio’r gwasanaeth iechyd. Dwi yn moderneiddio'r gwasanaeth iechyd ond dwi eisiau mynd ymhellach, a phe byddai yna Lywodraeth Lafur yn San Steffan, byddai yna gyfle inni fynd hyd yn oed ymhellach. Felly, dwi ddim yn mynd i ymddiheuro am hynny. Rŷn ni wedi buddsoddi lot eisoes mewn datblygiadau digidol yn y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru, ond fe allem ni fynd lot ymhellach pe byddai gyda ni Lywodraeth sydd yn cymryd y gwasanaeth iechyd o ddifrif yn San Steffan.

I'm not going to apologise for wanting to modernise the health service. I am modernising the health service but I want to go further, and if there was a Labour Government in Westminster, there would be an opportunity to go even further. So, I'm not going to apologise for that. We have invested a lot already in digital developments in the health service in Wales, but we could go much further if we had a Government that takes the health service seriously in Westminster.

Thank you for that response. Over recent months, the consequences of the lack of willingness of successive health Ministers to take responsibility for the systemic issues in our health service, as we've seen already today, have been all too clear to see. Last week, we saw them in the damning conclusions from the Royal College of Psychiatrists report into mental health and learning disability services in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which found that recommendations from previous reports, dating back as far as 2014, remained unimplemented at the cost of patients' lives.

We see these consequences too in systemic issues in Swansea Bay University Health Board’s maternity services, where a recent further unannounced inspection by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales revealed that recommendations stemming from the 2020 national maternity review have not been implemented. There were 22 such actions still outstanding, in addition to other concerns raised by inspectors. Swansea Bay University Health Board have been under enhanced monitoring for maternity since December 2023. For HIW to go in and still find major patient safety issues is deeply concerning.

So, Cabinet Secretary, do you agree that this record of unimplemented recommendations, outstanding actions and ongoing patient safety concerns reveals that the Welsh Government is failing to live up to its responsibility for delivering safe and effective health services?

Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw. Dros y misoedd diwethaf, mae canlyniadau diffyg parodrwydd Gweinidogion iechyd olynol i gymryd cyfrifoldeb am y problemau systemig yn ein gwasanaeth iechyd, fel y gwelsom eisoes heddiw, wedi bod yn glir iawn. Yr wythnos diwethaf, gwelsom y canlyniadau hynny yng nghasgliadau damniol adroddiad Coleg Brenhinol y Seiciatryddion i wasanaethau iechyd meddwl ac anabledd dysgu ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, a ganfu fod argymhellion o adroddiadau blaenorol, sy'n dyddio'n ôl cyn belled â 2014, yn parhau heb eu gweithredu ar draul bywydau cleifion.

Gwelwn y canlyniadau hyn hefyd yn y problemau systemig yng ngwasanaethau mamolaeth Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe, lle datgelodd arolygiad dirybudd pellach yn ddiweddar gan Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru nad yw argymhellion sy'n deillio o adolygiad mamolaeth cenedlaethol 2020 wedi'u rhoi ar waith. Roedd 22 o gamau gweithredu yn dal i fod heb gael sylw, yn ogystal â phryderon eraill a godwyd gan arolygwyr. Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe wedi bod dan fesurau monitro estynedig ar gyfer gwasanaethau mamolaeth ers mis Rhagfyr 2023. Mae'r ffaith bod AGIC yn mynd i mewn ac yn dal i ddod o hyd i broblemau diogelwch mawr i gleifion yn peri pryder mawr.

Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod yr hanes hwn o argymhellion heb eu gweithredu, camau gweithredu heb eu rhoi ar waith a phryderon diogelwch parhaus i gleifion yn dangos bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn methu cyflawni ei chyfrifoldeb dros ddarparu gwasanaethau iechyd diogel ac effeithiol?

I think my colleague Jayne Bryant has just comprehensively answered the questions relating to the investigations into north Wales—investigations, let’s not forget, that were commissioned by the Welsh Government, so that is our responsibility to make sure that we know what’s going on in that area. We’ve done that, and I think that question was answered very comprehensively.

In relation to Swansea Bay maternity, there were issues in relation in particular to recruitment. I’m pleased to say that there has been a huge recruitment campaign and there will be significant additional numbers starting in midwifery from September. So, that particular issue—which is the most important issue for them to resolve—looks like it is being resolved. I know that the health board is meeting this week along with my officials to make sure that things are progressing in relation to maternity issues in Swansea Bay.

Rwy'n credu bod fy nghyd-Aelod, Jayne Bryant, newydd roi ateb cynhwysfawr i'r cwestiynau'n ymwneud â'r ymchwiliadau yng ngogledd Cymru—ymchwiliadau, gadewch inni beidio ag anghofio, a gomisiynwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, felly ein cyfrifoldeb ni yw gwneud yn siŵr ein bod yn gwybod beth sy'n digwydd yno. Rydym wedi gwneud hynny, ac rwy'n credu bod y cwestiwn hwnnw wedi'i ateb yn gynhwysfawr iawn.

Mewn perthynas â gwasanaethau mamolaeth ym Mae Abertawe, roedd yna broblemau'n ymwneud yn benodol â recriwtio. Rwy'n falch o ddweud bod ymgyrch recriwtio enfawr wedi bod a bydd niferoedd ychwanegol sylweddol yn dechrau mewn bydwreigiaeth o fis Medi ymlaen. Felly, mae'n edrych yn debyg fod y mater penodol hwnnw—sef y mater pwysicaf yr oedd angen iddynt ei ddatrys—yn cael ei ddatrys. Rwy'n gwybod bod y bwrdd iechyd yn cyfarfod yr wythnos hon gyda fy swyddogion i sicrhau cynnydd mewn perthynas â phroblemau mamolaeth ym Mae Abertawe.

I and others on these benches have been contacted by a number of families whose lives have been impacted by the critical failures to provide safe maternity care in Swansea Bay. These families have made it painfully clear that they have been let down, including by your predecessor in the role, the current First Minister. As health Minister from 2016 to 2021, he oversaw the adding of four critical risks on maternity to the health board's risk register, which were still there at the time of HIW's damning report in 2023. In 2019-20, the health Minister would have received 33 notifications relating to serious birth incidents in Swansea Bay. All of these red flags, all of these opportunities to intervene, were missed.

The families have also made it clear that, for good reason in my view, they lack confidence in the current review process. E-mails from the review's chair, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, could be interpreted as suggesting a desire to restrict families' involvement in it. The process has, so far, lacked sensitivity, and concerns have also been raised about the review's terms of reference. These concerns include that the terms of reference were not developed in consultation with the families, that they do not reflect the particular impact on black and ethnic minority patients, and that there is no patient involvement in the oversight panel. These families have called for a full public inquiry and I echo their call. Cabinet Secretary, will you commit to delivering such an inquiry?

Mae nifer o deuluoedd wedi cysylltu â mi ac eraill ar y meinciau hyn i ddweud bod methiannau allweddol i ddarparu gofal mamolaeth diogel ym Mae Abertawe wedi effeithio ar eu bywydau. Mae'r teuluoedd hyn wedi ei gwneud hi'n boenus o glir eu bod wedi cael cam, gan gynnwys gan eich rhagflaenydd yn y rôl, y Prif Weinidog presennol. Fel Gweinidog iechyd rhwng 2016 a 2021, goruchwyliodd dros gamau i ychwanegu pedair risg allweddol mewn perthynas â mamolaeth at gofrestr risg y bwrdd iechyd, ac roeddent yn dal i fod yno adeg adroddiad damniol AGIC yn 2023. Yn 2019-20, byddai'r Gweinidog iechyd wedi cael 33 o hysbysiadau yn ymwneud â digwyddiadau difrifol yn gysylltiedig â genedigaethau ym Mae Abertawe. Methwyd yr holl faneri coch, yr holl gyfleoedd i ymyrryd.

Mae'r teuluoedd hefyd wedi ei gwneud yn glir nad oes ganddynt hyder yn y broses adolygu gyfredol a hynny am reswm da yn fy marn i. Gellid dehongli e-byst gan gadeirydd yr adolygiad, a gafwyd o dan Ddeddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth 2000, fel rhai sy'n awgrymu awydd i gyfyngu ar gyfranogiad teuluoedd ynddo. Hyd yn hyn, nid oes digon o sensitifrwydd yn y broses, ac mae pryderon wedi'u codi hefyd am gylch gorchwyl yr adolygiad. Mae'r pryderon hyn yn cynnwys na ddatblygwyd y cylch gorchwyl mewn ymgynghoriad â'r teuluoedd, nad ydynt yn adlewyrchu'r effaith benodol ar gleifion du a lleiafrifol ethnig, ac nad oes unrhyw ran gan gleifion i'w chwarae yn y panel goruchwylio. Mae'r teuluoedd hyn wedi galw am ymchwiliad cyhoeddus llawn ac rwy'n adleisio eu galwad. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi ymrwymo i gynnal ymchwiliad o'r fath?

14:35

The threshold for a public inquiry is not low, but, obviously, we will always keep these matters under consideration. The Welsh Government met with the health board on 3 June for the enhanced monitoring meeting in relation to maternity and neonatal services. And in that meeting, as I say, we gained that assurance that there were 17 new student midwives, but, also, that there's going to be a new director of midwifery, who will start this month. Leadership is absolutely crucial in any department, and so that, I think, is a key appointment. The health board also updated on the reopening of the home birth centre and community services. Following a successful gateway review, the health board are in discussions with the unions around a few issues, and I hope that this will be resolved. A decision taken by the board will then enable them to recommence these services from August.FootnoteLink

Nid yw'r trothwy ar gyfer ymchwiliad cyhoeddus yn isel, ond yn amlwg, byddwn bob amser yn cadw'r materion hyn dan ystyriaeth. Cyfarfu Llywodraeth Cymru â'r bwrdd iechyd ar 3 Mehefin ar gyfer y cyfarfod monitro estynedig mewn perthynas â gwasanaethau mamolaeth a newydd-anedig. Ac yn y cyfarfod hwnnw, fel y dywedaf, cawsom sicrwydd fod yna 17 o fyfyrwyr bydwreigiaeth newydd, ond hefyd, y bydd yna gyfarwyddwr bydwreigiaeth newydd, a fydd yn dechrau y mis hwn. Mae arweinyddiaeth yn gwbl hanfodol mewn unrhyw adran, ac felly rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n benodiad allweddol. Mae'r bwrdd iechyd hefyd wedi rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ailagor y ganolfan geni gartref a gwasanaethau cymunedol. Yn dilyn adolygiad porth llwyddiannus, mae'r bwrdd iechyd mewn trafodaethau gyda'r undebau ynghylch ambell i fater, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hyn yn cael ei ddatrys. Bydd penderfyniad a wneir gan y bwrdd yn eu galluogi wedyn i ailddechrau'r gwasanaethau hyn o fis Awst ymlaen.FootnoteLink

Staffio yn y GIG
NHS Staffing

3. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod gan y GIG ddigon o staff i fodloni gofynion gwasanaethau? OQ61193

3. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure the NHS has sufficient staff to meet service demands? OQ61193

Despite the financial climate, we continue to invest in the sustainability of our NHS workforce, maintaining the significant levels of funding for training new workforce into 2024-25. We are also delivering nationally run programmes to both support ethical international recruitment to close the vacancy gap and invest in retention initiatives.

Er gwaethaf yr hinsawdd ariannol, rydym yn parhau i fuddsoddi yng nghynaladwyedd ein gweithlu GIG, gan gynnal y lefelau sylweddol o gyllid ar gyfer hyfforddi gweithlu newydd yn 2024-25. Rydym hefyd yn darparu rhaglenni sy'n cael eu rhedeg yn genedlaethol i gefnogi recriwtio rhyngwladol moesegol i gau'r bwlch swyddi gwag a buddsoddi mewn cynlluniau cadw staff.

Cabinet Secretary, I won't rehearse the issues people are having trying to get to see a GP or a dentist. We all know the impact a lack of strategic workforce planning is having on access to care. However, I do want to concentrate on the impact staff shortages are having on the NHS's ability to respond to emergencies. Last week, the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust warned that handover delays, which, as you have identified yourself, are in part due to a lack of social care staff, will impact the service's ability to respond to major incidents, including terrorist attacks. Whatever the problem with our NHS, we could always rely upon it in a national emergency, but now, even that is not certain. Therefore, Cabinet Secretary, what steps are you taking to eliminate handover delays and allow ambulance crews to respond to major incidents?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid wyf am ailadrodd y problemau y mae pobl yn eu cael yn ceisio gweld meddyg teulu neu ddeintydd. Rydym i gyd yn gwybod am yr effaith y mae diffyg cynllunio gweithlu strategol yn ei chael ar fynediad at ofal. Fodd bynnag, rwyf am ganolbwyntio ar yr effaith y mae prinder staff yn ei chael ar allu'r GIG i ymateb i argyfyngau. Yr wythnos diwethaf, rhybuddiodd Ymddiriedolaeth Brifysgol GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru y bydd oedi cyn trosglwyddo, sydd, fel y nodoch chi eich hun, yn deillio'n rhannol o brinder staff gofal cymdeithasol, yn effeithio ar allu'r gwasanaeth i ymateb i ddigwyddiadau mawr, gan gynnwys ymosodiadau gan derfysgwyr. Beth bynnag yw'r broblem gyda'n GIG, gallem bob amser ddibynnu arno mewn argyfwng cenedlaethol, ond nawr, nid yw hynny hyd yn oed yn sicr. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa gamau ydych chi'n eu cymryd i ddileu oedi cyn trosglwyddo a chaniatáu i griwiau ambiwlans ymateb i ddigwyddiadau mawr?

Thanks very much. You will be aware that we have more people working in the Welsh NHS than we've ever had before—110,000 workers. That's 12 per cent more than three years ago. And when it comes to medical and dental, we have 12 per cent more. So, that's 892 more than three years ago. So, the numbers are going up, but the demand is also going up. And that's the real issue here: that the demand keeps rising. And you'll be aware, as a clinician yourself, that, with an ageing population, the demands are likely to continue to increase. There is always going to be a limit in terms of budget, and we're all aware that 65 per cent of the money that we spend on the NHS is spent directly on staff.

When it comes to the ambulance service, we have 13 per cent more people than we had three years ago, so significant additional numbers. You're quite right that, when it comes to handover delays, there's a real issue, and it is an issue that we are constantly going at. It is about the relationship, about where the responsibilities are within those health boards, who need to move people on, but also local government. Those constant dialogues, that constant conversation we have with them, being able to really identify where the problem is, what is the blockage, and whose responsibility is the blockage, is absolutely critical. We've done a huge amount of work on that. We've got things like trusted assessors now, so you don't have to wait for somebody from the council to come and check—other people have the confidence of the local authorities to do some of that work to move things on. We've got a long way to go. The key problem, again, is how do you recruit enough care workers. We are paying the real living wage, unlike situations in England; that was not an insignificant investment. But it is still very difficult to recruit people to those roles, and that's where the real challenge is.

When it comes to the terrorist attack, you're quite right, there's an assessment at the moment of what the recommendations were as a result of that attack. So, that is being assessed at the moment, and, obviously, I'll wait for some advice as a result of that.

Diolch yn fawr. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod bod gennym fwy o bobl yn gweithio yn GIG Cymru nag erioed o'r blaen—110,000 o weithwyr. Mae hynny 12 y cant yn fwy na thair blynedd yn ôl. Ac o ran staff meddygol a deintyddol, mae gennym 12 y cant yn fwy ohonynt. Dyna 892 yn fwy na thair blynedd yn ôl. Felly, mae'r niferoedd yn cynyddu, ond mae'r galw hefyd yn cynyddu. A dyna'r broblem go iawn yma: fod y galw'n parhau i godi. Ac fe fyddwch yn gwybod, fel clinigydd eich hun, gyda phoblogaeth sy'n heneiddio, fod y galw'n debygol o barhau i gynyddu. Mae yna bob amser derfyn ar y gyllideb, ac rydym i gyd yn ymwybodol fod 65 y cant o'r arian a wariwn ar y GIG yn cael ei wario'n uniongyrchol ar staff.

Ar y gwasanaeth ambiwlans, mae gennym 13 y cant yn fwy o bobl nag a oedd gennym dair blynedd yn ôl, felly niferoedd ychwanegol sylweddol. Rydych chi'n hollol iawn, ar oedi cyn trosglwyddo, fod yna broblem wirioneddol, ac mae'n broblem yr ydym yn gweithio arni'n gyson. Mae'n ymwneud â'r berthynas, ynglŷn â ble mae'r cyfrifoldebau o fewn y byrddau iechyd hynny, pwy sydd angen symud pobl ymlaen, ond hefyd llywodraeth leol. Mae'r deialogau cyson hynny, y sgwrs gyson a gawn gyda nhw, gallu gweld yn iawn ble mae'r broblem, beth yw'r rhwystr, a chyfrifoldeb pwy yw'r rhwystr, yn gwbl hanfodol. Rydym wedi gwneud llawer iawn o waith ar hynny. Mae gennym bethau fel aseswyr dibynadwy nawr, felly nid oes raid i chi aros i rywun o'r cyngor ddod i wirio—mae gan awdurdodau lleol hyder mewn pobl eraill i wneud rhywfaint o'r gwaith hwnnw i symud pethau ymlaen. Mae gennym ffordd bell i fynd. Y broblem allweddol, unwaith eto, yw sut ydych chi'n recriwtio digon o weithwyr gofal. Rydym yn talu'r cyflog byw go iawn, yn wahanol i lefydd yn Lloegr; nid oedd hwnnw'n fuddsoddiad bach. Ond mae'n dal yn anodd iawn recriwtio pobl i'r rolau hynny, a dyna lle mae'r her go iawn.

O ran ymosodiad gan derfysgwyr, rydych chi'n hollol gywir, mae yna asesiad ar hyn o bryd o beth oedd yr argymhellion o ganlyniad i ymosodiad. Felly, mae hynny'n cael ei asesu ar hyn o bryd, ac yn amlwg, rwyf am aros i gael cyngor o ganlyniad i hynny.

14:40
Rhestrau Aros y GIG
NHS Waiting Lists

4. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i leihau nifer y cleifion sydd ar restrau aros yng Nghanol De Cymru? OQ61190

4. What is the Welsh Government doing to reduce the number of patients on waiting lists in South Wales Central? OQ61190

Rydyn ni’n benderfynol o leihau amseroedd aros hir ar draws Cymru. Mae’r nifer sy’n aros dwy flynedd wedi lleihau bob mis ers cyhoeddi ein cynllun adfer ar gyfer gofal wedi’i gynllunio. Ym mis Mawrth 2024, roedd y nifer oedd yn aros dwy flynedd 71 y cant yn llai na mis Mawrth 2022, y lefel isaf ers mis Gorffennaf 2021.

We are determined to reduce long waiting times across Wales. The number of people waiting for two years has fallen every month since we published our planned care recovery plan. In March 2024, the number waiting two years was 71 per cent less than in March 2022, the lowest since July 2021.

Diolch, Weinidog. Mae'n braf i glywed bod y rhestrau aros dros ddwy flynedd yn lleihau. Ond mae'r ffigurau ddiwedd mis diwethaf gan Iechyd a Gofal Digidol Cymru yn dangos yr her sy'n wynebu y gwasanaeth iechyd—bron i 600,000 ar restrau aros, 18 y cant ar y llwybr strategol am dros flwyddyn, a hynny i'w gymharu â 4 y cant yn Lloegr. 

Mae'r rhestrau aros am driniaethau canser yn brawychu unigolion a'u teuluoedd. Mae etholwyr wedi cysylltu gyda fi yn poeni am eu bywydau ac am fywydau eu perthnasau. Mae 40 y cant o gleifion yng Nghymru yn aros mwy na 62 diwrnod i ddechrau triniaeth ar ôl i ganser gael ei amau yn gyntaf. Mae hwn yn gyfnod sy'n creu poendod mawr i bobl. Ac fel rŷch chi'n gwybod, Weinidog, tu ôl i bob ystadegyn moel, mae unigolion, ac mae eu teuluoedd. Beth mae'r Gweinidog, felly, yn ei wneud i ymateb i'r diffyg cynnydd yn y targed o 75 y cant o gleifion canser yn dechrau eu triniaeth o fewn 62 diwrnod? Diolch yn fawr. 

Thank you, Minister. It's good to hear that the two-year waiting lists are reducing, but figures published at the end of last month by Digital Health and Care Wales show the challenge facing the health service—almost 600,000 on the waiting lists, 18 per cent on the strategic pathway for over a year, compared to 4 per cent in England. 

The waiting lists for cancer treatments are terrifying for individuals and their families. Constituents have contacted me worried for their lives and for the lives of their relatives. Forty per cent of patients in Wales are waiting more than 62 days to start treatment after cancer is first suspected. This is a time of great anxiety for people, and, as you know, Minister, behind every bare statistic, there are individuals and their families. So, what is the Minister doing to respond to the lack of progress on the target that 75 per cent of cancer patients should start their treatment within 62 days? Thank you. 

Diolch yn fawr. Dwi'n meddwl, yn gyntaf i gyd, bod angen dweud, ar gyfartaledd, bod pobl yng Nghymru yn aros 22 wythnos i gael triniaeth. Dyna'r cyfartaledd, ond rydych chi'n eithaf reit, pan fo'n dod i ganser, mae'n rhaid i ni symud yn gyflymach, a dyna pam dwi'n meddwl nad yw'r sefyllfa ar hyn o bryd yn dderbyniol. Mae un o'r problemau sydd gyda ni yn y maes diagnosteg. Mae'n rhaid i chi gofio, o ran diagnosteg, bod lot o feysydd gwahanol yn defnyddio diagnostic capacity, nid jest canser. Mae'r nifer o bobl sydd wedi eu hanfon i gael prawf diagnostig—pobl sydd ar suspected cancer path—wedi cynyddu 50 y cant dros y tair blynedd diwethaf, ac, felly, maen nhw yn bwrw bottleneck, ac mae hwnna'n rhan o'n problem ni. A dyna pam mae gyda ni gynllun diagnostig. Rŷn ni yn buddsoddi mewn diagnostic capacity ar hyn o bryd, a dwi yn gobeithio y bydd hwnna yn gwneud gwahaniaeth ac yn golygu bod mwy o gleifion yn cael eu gweld yn gyflymach. 

Thank you. I think, first of all, that we need to say that, on average, people in Wales wait 22 weeks to get treatment. But you're quite right, when it comes to cancer, we need to move more swiftly, and that's why I think that the situation at present is not acceptable. One of the problems that we have is in the area of diagnostics. You have to remember, in terms of diagnostics, a lot of different areas use diagnostic capacity, not just cancer. The number of people who are sent to receive diagnostic tests—people on the suspected cancer pathway—has increased 50 per cent over the last three years. So, they hit a bottleneck, and that's part of the problem. That's why we have a diagnostic plan. We are investing in diagnostic capacity at present, and I do hope that that will make a difference, and will mean that more patients will be seen more quickly. 

Cabinet Secretary, the diagnostic and treatment hub at Llantrisant, developed by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, working together with Aneurin Bevan and Cardiff and Vale health boards, launched the first of its services in April this year, and has already made inroads into waiting lists by fast-tracking over 200 patients through its MRI scanners. Cabinet Secretary, do you agree with me that this hub has significant potential to further reduce waiting lists as its services get up and running, and can you reaffirm your commitment to supporting this innovative new model?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, lansiodd yr hyb diagnostig a thriniaeth yn Llantrisant, a ddatblygwyd gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg, gan gydweithio â byrddau iechyd Aneurin Bevan a Chaerdydd a'r Fro, y cyntaf o'i wasanaethau ym mis Ebrill eleni, ac mae eisoes wedi gwneud cynnydd mewn perthynas â rhestrau aros drwy roi dros 200 o gleifion ar y trywydd cyflym drwy ei sganwyr MRI. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod gan yr hyb hwn botensial sylweddol i leihau rhestrau aros ymhellach wrth i'w wasanaethau ddatblygu, ac a allwch chi ailddatgan eich ymrwymiad i gefnogi'r model newydd arloesol hwn?

Thanks very much, Vikki. Isn't it absolutely true that straight after the cancer question, we come straight into a diagnostic question? That is where the bottleneck is, as I say, and this is an example of us actually investing in the diagnostic capacity. What we've got there at the moment is a mobile diagnostic service. I think that's good as we go ahead, but what we're looking at is developing a really comprehensive regional diagnostic system that covers three health boards in that situation in Llantrisant. So, that's where we're heading for. The initial feedback from the people even using the mobile diagnostic system has been really positive, especially around good access to the site and to the scanner, but, as I say, what we're trying to do is to develop that regional capacity and to build that up. So, this is the first step in a much more comprehensive plan. 

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Vikki. Onid yw'n hollol wir, yn syth ar ôl y cwestiwn canser, ein bod yn dod yn syth at gwestiwn diagnostig? Dyna lle mae'r tagfeydd, fel y dywedaf, ac mae hon yn enghraifft ohonom yn buddsoddi yn y gallu diagnostig. Yr hyn sydd gennym yno ar hyn o bryd yw gwasanaeth diagnostig symudol. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n dda wrth i ni fwrw ymlaen, ond rydym yn edrych ar ddatblygu system ddiagnostig ranbarthol gynhwysfawr iawn sy'n cwmpasu tri bwrdd iechyd yn Llantrisant. Dyna lle rydym ni'n anelu. Mae'r adborth cychwynnol gan y bobl sy'n defnyddio'r system ddiagnostig symudol wedi bod yn gadarnhaol iawn, yn enwedig ynghylch mynediad da at y safle a'r sganiwr, ond fel y dywedais, yr hyn y ceisiwn ei wneud yw datblygu capasiti rhanbarthol a'i gynyddu. Felly, dyma'r cam cyntaf mewn cynllun llawer mwy cynhwysfawr. 

Mae cwestiwn 5 [OQ61201] wedi ei dynnu'n ôl. 

Question 5 [OQ61201] has been withdrawn. 

Strategaethau Ymateb i Alwadau am Ambiwlans
Ambulance Call-response Strategies

6. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am strategaethau ymateb i alwadau yn Ymddiriedolaeth Brifysgol GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru? OQ61187

6. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on call-response strategies in the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust? OQ61187

14:45

All calls to the Welsh ambulance service are prioritised based on the relative clinical severity of symptoms as described by the caller, to ensure those with the greatest clinical need are prioritised to receive the best possible response to maximise their chance of a positive outcome.

Caiff pob galwad i wasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru ei blaenoriaethu yn seiliedig ar ddifrifoldeb clinigol cymharol y symptomau fel y'u disgrifir gan y sawl sy'n ffonio, er mwyn sicrhau bod y rhai sydd â'r angen clinigol mwyaf yn cael eu blaenoriaethu i gael yr ymateb gorau posibl i sicrhau'r gobaith mwyaf o ganlyniad cadarnhaol.

Diolch. I recently met with the daughter of a constituent, her father, who died waiting for an ambulance in 2022. The daughter subsequently complained to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales for the way that the call had been handled. The ombudsman found that the initial 999 call was categorised correctly as amber 1, but they also found that correct procedures were not followed for the welfare call and this could have changed the category of the initial call and upheld that part of the complaint. Her father went into cardiac arrest only 20 minutes after the welfare call and his daughter believes that vital signs of deterioration were missed. She feels strongly that the call should have been treated with more seriousness and undertaken by appropriately qualified staff. My constituent's daughter also believes that amber 1 calls, which include conditions that have therapeutic response times, should have a response time target, and getting the appropriate medical treatment within these time frames could potentially be the difference between life and death. She's very concerned that, when it comes to these kinds of calls, the welfare call is fully understood as to what it means for the people who are receiving the care. Will the Cabinet Secretary, therefore, ask the Welsh ambulance services trust to review both how it prioritises amber 1 calls and welfare calls, to make sure that welfare calls are done appropriately and ensure that an occurrence like this could not happen a second time?

Diolch. Yn ddiweddar, cyfarfûm â merch i etholwr, ei thad, a fu farw yn aros am ambiwlans yn 2022. Yn dilyn hynny, fe wnaeth y ferch gŵyn i Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru ynghylch y ffordd y cafodd yr alwad ei thrin. Canfu'r ombwdsmon fod yr alwad 999 wreiddiol wedi'i chategoreiddio'n gywir fel oren 1, ond fe wnaethant hefyd ganfod na ddilynwyd y gweithdrefnau cywir ar gyfer yr alwad les a gallai hyn fod wedi newid categori yr alwad wreiddiol a derbyniodd y rhan honno o'r gŵyn. Cafodd ei thad ataliad ar y galon 20 munud ar ôl yr alwad les ac mae ei ferch yn credu bod arwyddion hanfodol o ddirywiad wedi eu methu. Mae hi'n teimlo'n gryf y dylai'r alwad fod wedi cael ei thrin yn fwy difrifol a'i chyflawni gan staff cymwys priodol. Mae merch fy etholwr hefyd yn credu y dylai galwadau oren 1, sy'n cynnwys cyflyrau sydd ag amseroedd ymateb therapiwtig, gael targed amser ymateb, a gallai cael y driniaeth feddygol briodol o fewn yr amserau hyn olygu'r gwahaniaeth rhwng bywyd a marwolaeth. Mae hi'n awyddus iawn i sicrhau, gyda'r mathau hyn o alwadau, fod yw'r alwad les yn cael ei deall yn llawn o ran yr hyn y mae'n ei golygu i'r bobl sy'n derbyn y gofal. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ofyn i ymddiriedolaeth gwasanaethau ambiwlans Cymru adolygu'r ffordd y mae'n blaenoriaethu galwadau oren 1 a galwadau lles, i sicrhau bod galwadau lles yn cael eu gwneud yn briodol a sicrhau na allai digwyddiad o'r fath ddigwydd eto?

Thanks very much, and I'm really sorry to hear about that example, Hefin. I hope you'll send my condolences on to the family. Obviously, I can't comment on an individual case, but I think the principle of the welfare call is something that I will look into and just find out exactly how that fits in with the prioritisation that already happens.FootnoteLink

Diolch yn fawr iawn, ac mae'n ddrwg iawn gennyf glywed am yr enghraifft honno, Hefin. Rwy'n gobeithio y gwnewch chi anfon fy nghydymdeimlad at y teulu. Yn amlwg, ni allaf wneud sylw ar achos unigol, ond rwy'n credu bod egwyddor yr alwad les yn rhywbeth y byddaf yn ymchwilio iddo a darganfod yn union sut mae hynny'n cyd-fynd â'r blaenoriaethu sydd eisoes yn digwydd.FootnoteLink

I'd like to thank Hefin David for asking this very important question, and please accept my heartfelt condolences for your constituent on their loss as well.

Cabinet Secretary, a constituent of mine recently had a heart attack at home and, when his wife called for an ambulance, she was told there was a three to five hour wait. As a result, and following a conversation with 999 call operator, his wife in fact drove him to the Grange hospital, and, after having a cardiac arrest at the Grange, my constituent was then transferred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where he had an artery blockage removed and two stents fitted. Thankfully, my constituent is doing well following this medical episode and has a lot of praise for the NHS staff who helped treat him. Now, after he approached me for help, I was left wondering why, as my constituent explained to me, would an ambulance call handler direct patients suffering from suspected heart attacks to the Grange when there are no cardiac specialists actually at the hospital itself? It's since been revealed to me that the cath lab at the Grange is only funded between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and Saturday mornings, so will you please commit to looking into providing additional funding to expand the lab's opening hours?

In response to a letter on this matter, Cabinet Secretary, your office explained that health boards had developed ambulance improvement plans, so will you please kindly provide me, as well as other Members here in the Chamber, with an update on the success of these plans so far and outline any additional steps the Government will be taking to improve outcomes for patients? Thank you.

Hoffwn ddiolch i Hefin David am ofyn y cwestiwn pwysig hwn, a hoffwn innau hefyd gydymdeimlo'n ddiffuant â'ch etholwr yn eu colled.

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, cafodd etholwr i mi drawiad ar y galon gartref yn ddiweddar a phan ffoniodd ei wraig am ambiwlans, dywedwyd wrthi fod rhaid aros tair i bum awr. O ganlyniad, ac yn dilyn sgwrs â thriniwr galwadau 999, gyrrodd ei wraig ef i ysbyty'r Faenor, ac ar ôl cael ataliad ar y galon yn ysbyty'r Faenor, trosglwyddwyd fy etholwr wedyn i Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru yng Nghaerdydd lle cliriwyd rhwystr rhydwelïol a gosodwyd dau stent. Diolch byth, mae fy etholwr yn gwneud yn dda yn dilyn ei episod feddygol ac mae ganddo lawer o ganmoliaeth i staff y GIG a helpodd i'w drin. Nawr, ar ôl iddo gysylltu â mi am help, roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed pam y byddai triniwr galwadau ambiwlans, fel yr eglurodd fy etholwr, yn cyfeirio cleifion yr amheuir eu bod yn dioddef trawiad ar y galon i'r Faenor pan nad oes arbenigwyr cardiaidd yn yr ysbyty hwnnw mewn gwirionedd? Ers hynny deallais mai dim ond rhwng 9 a.m. a 5 p.m. y caiff labordy cathetreiddio yn ysbyty'r Faenor ei ariannu, o ddydd Llun i ddydd Gwener, a boreau Sadwrn. Felly, a wnewch chi ymrwymo i ystyried darparu cyllid ychwanegol i ehangu oriau agor y labordy?

Mewn ymateb i lythyr ar y mater hwn, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, eglurodd eich swyddfa fod byrddau iechyd wedi datblygu cynlluniau gwella gwasanaethau ambiwlansys, felly a wnewch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i mi, yn ogystal ag Aelodau eraill yma yn y Siambr, am lwyddiant y cynlluniau hyn hyd yma ac amlinellu unrhyw gamau ychwanegol y bydd y Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i wella canlyniadau i gleifion? Diolch.

Thanks very much. I'm afraid there are longer waits, you're quite right, for non-urgent cases. It's all categorised according to some very medical and technical issues. The average response wait for a red call is about 15 minutes, but, obviously, this was a different category. I'll look into the issue of why somebody was sent to the wrong place. I think that is a fairly fundamental problem. That doesn't sound right to me. So, obviously, there does need to be some training in relation to that if that is happening. I will look into that. What I can't commit to, obviously, is extending lab hours. All of that means massive additional finance, which we don't have at the moment. We simply don't have the additional finance. Anything that asks for more resources that goes into a particular area is really, really difficult for us at the moment. But I certainly will look into why they were sent to the wrong place.FootnoteLink

Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n ofni eich bod chi'n hollol iawn, mae amser aros hirach ar gyfer achosion nad ydynt yn rhai brys. Mae'r cyfan wedi'i gategoreiddio yn ôl materion meddygol a thechnegol iawn. Mae amser ymateb cyfartalog ar gyfer galwad goch tua 15 munud, ond yn amlwg, roedd hwn mewn categori gwahanol. Fe edrychaf i weld pam y cafodd rhywun ei anfon i'r lle anghywir. Rwy'n credu bod hon yn broblem eithaf sylfaenol. Nid yw hynny'n swnio'n iawn i mi. Felly, yn amlwg, mae angen hyfforddiant mewn perthynas â hynny os yw hynny'n digwydd. Fe edrychaf ar hynny. Yr hyn na allaf ymrwymo iddo, yn amlwg, yw ymestyn oriau labordy. Mae hynny i gyd yn golygu cyllid ychwanegol enfawr, cyllid nad ydym yn meddu arno ar hyn o bryd. Yn syml, nid oes gennym yr arian ychwanegol. Mae unrhyw beth sy'n galw am fwy o adnoddau mewn maes penodol yn anodd iawn i ni ar hyn o bryd. Ond yn sicr fe edrychaf i weld pam y cawsant eu hanfon i'r lle anghywir.FootnoteLink

Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, Robert Holcombe, the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board's finance chief—

Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, dywedodd Robert Holcombe, pennaeth cyllid Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan—

14:50

You need to ask the question on the order paper first, please.

Mae angen ichi ofyn y cwestiwn ar y papur trefn yn gyntaf, os gwelwch yn dda.

I missed the first bit. Sorry, I do apologise.

Collais y rhan gyntaf. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, rwy'n ymddiheuro.

Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan
The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

7. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn monitro cyllid Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan? OQ61208

7. How does the Welsh Government monitor the finances of the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board? OQ61208

Each NHS organisation submits its financial plan as part of the integrated medium-term plan process. Formal monthly monitoring by my officials is then undertaken throughout the year, with additional support by the NHS executive. This is further supported through regular meetings between my officials and senior finance staff from the health board.

Mae pob sefydliad GIG yn cyflwyno ei gynllun ariannol yn rhan o broses y cynllun tymor canolig integredig. Yna cynhelir monitro misol ffurfiol gan fy swyddogion drwy gydol y flwyddyn, gyda chefnogaeth ychwanegol gan weithrediaeth y GIG. Cefnogir hyn ymhellach drwy gyfarfodydd rheolaidd rhwng fy swyddogion ac uwch staff cyllid o'r bwrdd iechyd.

Thank you. And I'll repeat, Cabinet Secretary, that Robert Holcombe, the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board's finance chief, told the board's main meeting that it has a worst-case scenario of a £60 million deficit and a best case of a £48.9 million deficit. He then went on to detail the board's month one report of just under £5 million, equating to the established worst-case scenario. Cabinet Secretary, the financial state of the health board of Gwent, with all of its industrial legacy and population acute demographic, will be of concern to my constituents in Islwyn. One aspect highlighted by the health board is the number of patients stuck in hospital beds, as there are no care plans in place for them to return home. This is a long-standing endemic issue across the UK, caused by a lack of UK focus on social care, but, across Gwent, there were 289 patients at the end of April, costing more than £1 million a month and around £15 million over the year. Cabinet Secretary, I know this is a strong focus for the Welsh Government, but what actions are the Welsh Government intending to take now to alleviate the pressing issue of delayed transfers of care? What urgent improvements to social care can be achieved now in a devolved setting to ease the pressure on hospitals, and will she commit to explore now the Scandinavian intermediate rehabilitative care model?

Diolch. Ac fe ailadroddaf, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, fod Robert Holcombe, pennaeth cyllid Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan, wedi dweud wrth brif gyfarfod y bwrdd fod ganddo senario waethaf o ddiffyg o £60 miliwn a senario orau o ddiffyg o £48.9 miliwn. Yna aeth ymlaen i fanylu ar adroddiad mis un y bwrdd o ychydig o dan £5 miliwn, sy'n cyfateb i'r sefyllfa waethaf bosibl. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, bydd cyflwr ariannol bwrdd iechyd Gwent, gyda'i holl waddol diwydiannol a'i ddemograffeg poblogaeth acíwt, yn peri pryder i fy etholwyr yn Islwyn. Un agwedd a amlygwyd gan y bwrdd iechyd yw nifer y cleifion sy'n gaeth mewn gwelyau ysbyty am nad oes cynlluniau gofal ar waith iddynt ddychwelyd adref. Mae hwn yn fater endemig hirsefydlog ledled y DU, a achosir gan ddiffyg ffocws y DU ar ofal cymdeithasol, ond ar draws Gwent, roedd 289 o gleifion ddiwedd mis Ebrill, gan gostio mwy na £1 filiwn y mis a thua £15 miliwn dros y flwyddyn. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy'n gwybod bod hyn yn ffocws cryf i Lywodraeth Cymru, ond pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu eu cymryd nawr i leddfu problem ddybryd oedi cyn trosglwyddo gofal? Pa welliannau brys i ofal cymdeithasol y gellir eu cyflawni nawr mewn cyd-destun datganoledig i leddfu'r pwysau ar ysbytai, ac a wnaiff hi ymrwymo i archwilio model gofal adsefydlu canolraddol Sgandinafaidd nawr?

Thank you very much. You've put your finger on the button there in terms of where the problem is. Certainly, delayed transfers of care are absolutely in my sights constantly, as they are within Dawn's sights as the Minister responsible for social care. So, we're working together very much on that, and we're also speaking to the Minister responsible for local government. Delays in hospital discharge are not the sole factor that affects access to services, but they certainly are one of the key issues. Social care assessments are one of the largest reasons for delays in patients leaving hospitals. We've got a really comprehensive database now that tells us exactly why people are in hospital, why they are still there, who's chasing them down, whose responsibility it is, so that we can really hold people to account for that.

The truth is we have seen a significant reduction in these figures over the last year, but we have to go further. So, what we need is a joint approach to this, and you know that local government is also feeling the pinch as well as the NHS, but it is important, I think, that we don't take our eye off this particular issue. I can assure you that this is absolutely up there in the top four of our priorities, and certainly the performance relating to urgent and emergency care in the Grange is not where it should be. Some of that is as a result of the delayed transfers of care.

In terms of the intermediary model, I don't know what the Scandinavian model is, but I can assure you we've got lots and lots of examples of intermediate care. We have a £144 million fund that can only be used if the health boards co-operate and work with not just local authorities, but the third sector. So, we are very much in that space already.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rydych chi'n llygad eich lle o ran lle mae'r broblem. Yn sicr, mae oedi cyn trosglwyddo gofal yn rhywbeth rwy'n ei ystyried yn gyson, fel y mae i Dawn fel y Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am ofal cymdeithasol. Felly, rydym yn cydweithio llawer ar hynny, ac rydym hefyd yn siarad â'r Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am lywodraeth leol. Nid oedi cyn rhyddhau cleifion o'r ysbyty yw'r unig ffactor sy'n effeithio ar fynediad at wasanaethau, ond mae'n sicr yn un o'r materion allweddol. Asesiadau gofal cymdeithasol yw un o'r rhesymau mwyaf am oedi cyn i gleifion adael ysbytai. Mae gennym gronfa ddata gynhwysfawr iawn nawr sy'n dweud wrthym yn union pam mae pobl yn yr ysbyty, pam eu bod yn dal i fod yno, pwy sy'n ymdrin â nhw, pwy sy'n gyfrifol am hynny, fel y gallwn ddwyn pobl i gyfrif am hynny.

Y gwir amdani yw ein bod wedi gweld gostyngiad sylweddol yn y ffigurau hyn dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, ond mae'n rhaid inni fynd ymhellach. Felly, yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom yw dull o weithredu ar y cyd ar hyn, ac rydych chi'n gwybod bod llywodraeth leol hefyd yn teimlo'r wasgfa, yn ogystal â'r GIG, ond mae'n bwysig, rwy'n credu, nad ydym yn tynnu ein llygad oddi ar y broblem hon. Gallaf eich sicrhau bod hyn ymhlith ein pedair prif flaenoriaeth, ac yn sicr nid yw perfformiad gofal brys ac argyfwng yn ysbyty'r Faenor lle dylai fod. Mae rhywfaint o hynny'n deillio o oedi wrth drosglwyddo gofal.

Ar y model canolraddol, nid wyf yn gwybod beth yw'r model Sgandinafaidd, ond gallaf eich sicrhau bod gennym lawer iawn o enghreifftiau o ofal canolraddol. Mae gennym gronfa gwerth £144 miliwn y gellir ond ei defnyddio os yw'r byrddau iechyd yn cydweithredu ac yn gweithio nid yn unig gydag awdurdodau lleol, ond y trydydd sector hefyd. Felly, rydym yn sicr yn y gofod hwnnw eisoes.

A great question from my colleague across the floor, actually—I'm glad you've asked that. I'd like to ask you a more general one, Cabinet Secretary, if that's okay. There can obviously be no one-size-fits-all approach to monitoring and aiding health boards. I just want to ask you: how do you and Welsh Government recognise the specific and often different and diverse needs of each individual health board?

Cwestiwn gwych gan fy nghyd-Aelod ar draws y llawr, a dweud y gwir—rwy'n falch eich bod wedi gofyn hynny. Hoffwn ofyn cwestiwn mwy cyffredinol i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, os yw hynny'n iawn. Yn amlwg, ni allwn gael dull un maint i bawb o fonitro a chynorthwyo byrddau iechyd. Hoffwn ofyn i chi: sut ydych chi a Llywodraeth Cymru yn cydnabod anghenion penodol byrddau iechyd unigol sy'n aml yn amrywio ac yn wahanol iawn i'w gilydd?

We're monitoring each health board all the time. So, we have a team of experts, we have the NHS executive, and we're doing that on a regular basis. We are benchmarking, we are making comparisons on a whole range of areas. I now have monthly meetings with the chairs of the health boards to hold them to account for a whole range of things, where they can see how they're performing in relation to the others across Wales. It's not just me doing that, obviously; the chief executive of the NHS in Wales does the same thing with the chief executives of the health boards themselves. And then, officials are doing that at an operational level, as well. So, there is a lot of monitoring going on and we are seeing some movement. We do need to see a bit of modernisation, frankly, in some circumstances. We need people to follow the clinical pathways that are the optimum clinical pathways and not keep to the same old way that they used to do things; things move on in medicine and they need to move with the times. So, it's monitoring and making sure that that happens. And what's clear is that we are seeing real diversity across Wales, and that's not acceptable. It's not acceptable to the patients and it shouldn't be a postcode issue, according to where you live, which is why there is a responsibility on us, at the centre, to make sure that every single one of those health boards is performing to its optimum ability.

Rydym yn monitro pob bwrdd iechyd drwy'r amser. Felly, mae gennym dîm o arbenigwyr, mae gennym weithrediaeth y GIG, ac rydym yn gwneud hynny'n rheolaidd. Rydym yn meincnodi, rydym yn gwneud cymariaethau ar ystod eang o feysydd. Rwy'n cael cyfarfodydd misol gyda chadeiryddion y byrddau iechyd bellach i'w dwyn i gyfrif am ystod eang o bethau, lle gallant weld sut maent yn perfformio mewn perthynas â'r lleill ledled Cymru. Nid dim ond fi sy'n gwneud hynny, wrth gwrs; mae prif weithredwr y GIG yng Nghymru yn gwneud yr un peth gyda phrif weithredwyr y byrddau iechyd eu hunain. Ac yna, mae swyddogion yn gwneud hynny ar lefel weithredol hefyd. Felly, mae llawer o fonitro'n digwydd ac rydym yn gweld rhywfaint o symud. Mae angen inni weld ychydig o foderneiddio, a dweud y gwir, mewn rhai amgylchiadau. Mae angen i bobl ddilyn y llwybrau clinigol gorau posibl a pheidio â chadw at yr un hen ffordd â'r arfer o wneud pethau; mae pethau'n symud ymlaen mewn meddygaeth ac mae angen iddynt symud gyda'r amseroedd. Felly, mae'n golygu monitro a sicrhau bod hynny'n digwydd. A'r hyn sy'n amlwg yw ein bod ni'n gweld amrywio go iawn ar draws Cymru, ac nid yw hynny'n dderbyniol. Nid yw'n dderbyniol i'r cleifion ac ni ddylai fod yn fater o god post, yn ôl ble rydych chi'n byw, a dyna pam mae cyfrifoldeb arnom ni, yn y canol, i sicrhau bod pob un o'r byrddau iechyd hynny'n perfformio hyd eithaf eu gallu.

14:55
Gorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire

8. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi'r GIG yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ61194

8. How is the Welsh Government supporting the NHS in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ61194

The Welsh Government is working closely with the health board to improve access to safe and timely health and care services. This includes an additional £2.74 million to support improvements in urgent and emergency care this year.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio'n agos gyda'r bwrdd iechyd i wella mynediad at wasanaethau iechyd a gofal diogel ac amserol. Mae hyn yn cynnwys £2.74 miliwn ychwanegol i gefnogi gwelliannau mewn gofal brys ac argyfwng eleni.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. In January 2022, Hywel Dda University Health Board announced a timetable for the building of the new west Wales hospital. This suggested a timescale of seven years from the identification of the final site to the opening of the hospital, with the aim of opening in late 2029. Following a written question to you and questions asked of the health board by The Pembrokeshire Herald newspaper, it has become apparent that no firm date exists for the final decision to be taken on the hospital's location, let alone any revised indication of when the hospital will open, if at all. An axe has hung over the futures of Glangwili and Withybush hospitals for over 17 years now, leading to uncertainty for staff and patients alike. So, please, provide some clarity: what on earth is going on?

Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ym mis Ionawr 2022, cyhoeddodd Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda amserlen ar gyfer adeiladu ysbyty newydd gorllewin Cymru. Roedd yn awgrymu amserlen o saith mlynedd o nodi'r safle terfynol i agor yr ysbyty, gyda'r nod o agor ar ddiwedd 2029. Yn dilyn cwestiwn ysgrifenedig i chi a chwestiynau a ofynnwyd i'r bwrdd iechyd gan bapur newydd The Pembrokeshire Herald, daeth yn amlwg nad oes dyddiad pendant yn bodoli ar gyfer gwneud penderfyniad terfynol ar leoliad yr ysbyty, heb sôn am unrhyw arwydd diwygiedig o ba bryd y bydd yr ysbyty'n agor, os o gwbl. Mae bwyell wedi hongian dros ddyfodol ysbytai Glangwili a Llwynhelyg ers dros 17 mlynedd bellach, gan arwain at ansicrwydd i staff a chleifion fel ei gilydd. Felly, rhowch rywfaint o eglurder: beth ar y ddaear sy'n digwydd?

I will, but let me remind you that it was the Conservatives who stopped the proposal to build a new hospital in west Wales several years ago. And if it had been followed through at that time and if you hadn't led a campaign—you, the Tories, led a campaign against the west Wales hospital—it would've been up and running by now. The Conservatives have got to take their share of responsibility for the fact that there is not already a west Wales hospital. There has never been an axe hanging over Withybush or Glangwili. And let me be absolutely clear that—[Interruption.] Let me be clear that part of the responsibility for the fact that there is no west Wales hospital already lies directly with the Conservative Party.

Fe wnaf, ond gadewch imi eich atgoffa mai'r Ceidwadwyr a ataliodd y cynnig i godi ysbyty newydd yng ngorllewin Cymru sawl blwyddyn yn ôl. A phe bai wedi ei wireddu bryd hynny a phe na baech chi wedi arwain ymgyrch—chi, y Torïaid, wedi arwain ymgyrch yn erbyn ysbyty gorllewin Cymru—fe fyddai'n weithredol bellach. Mae'n rhaid i'r Ceidwadwyr gymryd eu cyfran o gyfrifoldeb am y ffaith nad oes ysbyty gorllewin Cymru'n bodoli eisoes. Ni fu bwyell yn hongian dros Lwynhelyg na Glangwili erioed. A gadewch imi fod yn hollol glir—[Torri ar draws.] Gadewch imi fod yn glir fod y Blaid Geidwadol yn rhannol gyfrifol am y ffaith nad oes ysbyty gorllewin Cymru yn bodoli eisoes.

Tariff Cyffuriau
Drug Tariff

9. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad ynghylch y tariff cyffuriau yng Nghymru? OQ61212

9. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the drug tariff in Wales? OQ61212

Mae Adran Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol y Deyrnas Unedig yn cyhoeddi’r tariff cyffuriau bob mis. Mae'n berthnasol i Gymru a Lloegr. Mae'n nodi faint o dâl sydd i’w roi i fferyllfeydd am foddion presgripsiwn a gwasanaethau o dan y gwasanaeth iechyd. Mae gwerth yr ad-daliadau’n cael ei adolygu a’i ddiweddaru’n rheolaidd.

The drug tariff is published monthly by the Department of Health and Social Care and covers both England and Wales. It specifies remuneration to pharmacies for NHS prescription medicines and services. The reimbursement values are reviewed and updated regularly.

Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet am yr ymateb yna. Fel mae hi wedi esbonio, mae'r tariff yma ar y cyffuriau yn un Cymru a Lloegr, ond, yn ôl fy nealltwriaeth i, mae'n cael ei osod yn ôl cyfartaledd y gwerthiant a ddaw o gwmnïau fferyllfa sy'n cynrychioli'r sector. Ond, does dim un o'r cwmnïau yma'n rhai sydd yng Nghymru; maen nhw'n gwmnïau mawr yn Lloegr. Felly, dydy o ddim yn adlewyrchu’r defnydd na'r gwerthiant yng Nghymru, a chanlyniad hynny ydy bod fferyllfeydd Cymru yn colli allan. Pa drafodaethau ydych chi, felly, wedi'u cael gyda'r awdurdod Prydeinig er mwyn cael tariff sydd yn adlewyrchu Cymru, neu hyd yn oed i ddatganoli hyn i Gymru?

I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that response. As she has explained, this drug tariff is an England-and-Wales tariff, but, from my understanding, it is set according to the average sales from pharmaceutical companies representing the sector. But, none of these companies are based in Wales; they're large companies in England. So, it doesn't reflect usage or sales in Wales, and the result of that is that pharmacies in Wales are losing out. What discussions have you had, therefore, with the UK authority in order to have a tariff that reflects Wales, or even to devolve this to Wales?

So, prices charged by suppliers and wholesalers for medicines are unlikely to differ between England and Wales, so Welsh pharmacies are not disadvantaged. Pharmacies in Wales make around £55 million each year from retained purchase profits. So, whilst sometimes they may lose out on purchasing specific products, overall there are more occasions when they don't. And I think it probably is worth emphasising that, between 2017 and 2025, funding has increased by £21 million, from £144 million to £165 million. If you look at the funding per pharmacy, it's significantly more in Wales than it is in England: £317,000 on average, compared to £240,000 on average.

Felly, mae'n annhebygol y bydd prisiau cyflenwyr a chyfanwerthwyr am feddyginiaethau yn amrywio rhwng Cymru a Lloegr, felly nid yw fferyllfeydd Cymru dan anfantais. Mae fferyllfeydd yng Nghymru yn gwneud tua £55 miliwn bob blwyddyn o elw argadwedig o bryniannau. Felly, er y gallant golli cyfle i brynu cynhyrchion penodol weithiau, yn gyffredinol mae mwy o achlysuron pan nad ydynt yn gwneud hynny. Ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn werth pwysleisio, rhwng 2017 a 2025, fod cyllid wedi cynyddu £21 miliwn, o £144 miliwn i £165 miliwn. Os edrychwch chi ar y cyllid fesul fferyllfa, mae'n sylweddol fwy yng Nghymru nag ydyw yn Lloegr: £317,000 ar gyfartaledd, o'i gymharu â £240,000 ar gyfartaledd.

15:00

Dyw Julie Morgan ddim yn y Siambr i ofyn cwestiwn 10 [OQ61186]. Cwestiwn 11 yn olaf, felly, Luke Fletcher.

Julie Morgan isn't in the Chamber to ask question 10 [OQ61186]. So, finally, question 11, Luke Fletcher.

Y Gwasanaethau Tân ac Achub
The Fire and Rescue Services

11. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'u cael gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol, Tai a Chynllunio ynghylch cynnydd Llywodraeth Cymru mewn perthynas â pholisi iechyd o fewn y gwasanaethau tân ac achub? OQ61211

11. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning about the Welsh Government's progress in relation to health policy within the fire and rescue services? OQ61211

I have not had any specific discussions with the Cabinet Secretary regarding fire and rescue service health policy. I am, however, fully aware of her commitment to address risks to firefighter health and safety through the social partnership forum for fire and rescue services.

Nid wyf wedi cael unrhyw drafodaethau penodol gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ynghylch polisi iechyd y gwasanaeth tân ac achub. Fodd bynnag, rwy'n gwbl ymwybodol o'i hymrwymiad i fynd i'r afael â risgiau i iechyd a diogelwch diffoddwyr tân drwy'r fforwm partneriaeth gymdeithasol ar gyfer gwasanaethau tân ac achub.

Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. Of course, I'm sure you're also aware of the research conducted by the University of Central Lancashire and the Fire Brigades Union into firefighter health in the workplace. As I've mentioned previously, instances of cancer among firefighters aged 35 to 39 are 323 per cent higher than in the general population. That is a startling figure, so what will it take to get the Government to implement, at the very least, a preventative monitoring programme for firefighters? Firefighters are dying right now—that's the reality of the cancers they are catching in the workplace. At the very least, we need to catch up with the rest of Europe in ensuring that we are monitoring firefighters' health so that we can get to grips with this issue.

Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n siŵr eich bod hefyd yn ymwybodol o'r ymchwil a wnaed gan Brifysgol Canol Swydd Gaerhirfryn ac Undeb y Brigadau Tân i iechyd diffoddwyr tân yn y gweithle. Fel y soniais o'r blaen, mae achosion o ganser ymhlith diffoddwyr tân rhwng 35 a 39 oed 323 y cant yn uwch nag yn y boblogaeth gyffredinol. Mae hwnnw'n ffigur syfrdanol, felly, beth fydd hi'n ei gymryd i gael y Llywodraeth i weithredu rhaglen fonitro ataliol, fan lleiaf, ar gyfer diffoddwyr tân? Mae diffoddwyr tân yn marw nawr—dyna realiti'r canserau y maent yn eu cael yn y gweithle. Mae angen inni gyrraedd yr un lefel â gweddill Ewrop, fan lleiaf, o ran sicrhau ein bod yn monitro iechyd diffoddwyr tân fel y gallwn fynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn.

Thanks very much. Our social partnership forum for fire and rescue services considered the University of Central Lancashire's studies, resulting in a recommendation for action in 2023. The fire and rescue authorities in Wales are taking significant positive action to implement the FBU's recommendations, which the FBU and other firefighter representative bodies have endorsed. Now, I know that the First Minister indicated in Plenary on 23 April that we will continue to monitor the recommendations for occupational cancer screening from the UK National Screening Committee, and the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning continues to discuss this through the FRS social partnership forum.

Diolch yn fawr. Ystyriodd ein fforwm partneriaeth gymdeithasol ar gyfer gwasanaethau tân ac achub astudiaethau Prifysgol Canol Swydd Gaerhirfryn, gan arwain at argymhelliad ar gyfer gweithredu yn 2023. Mae'r awdurdodau tân ac achub yng Nghymru yn cymryd camau cadarnhaol sylweddol i weithredu argymhellion Undeb y Brigadau Tân, ac mae Undeb y Brigadau Tân a chyrff eraill sy'n cynrychioli diffoddwyr tân wedi'u cymeradwyo. Nawr, gwn fod y Prif Weinidog wedi nodi yn y Cyfarfod Llawn ar 23 Ebrill y byddwn yn parhau i fonitro'r argymhellion ar gyfer sgrinio canser galwedigaethol gan Bwyllgor Sgrinio Cenedlaethol y DU, ac mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol, Tai a Chynllunio yn parhau i drafod hyn drwy'r fforwm partneriaeth gymdeithasol ar gyfer gwasanaethau tân ac achub.

3. Cwestiynau Amserol
3. Topical Questions

Y cwestiwn amserol sydd nesaf, i'w ateb gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Ddiwylliant a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ac i'w ofyn gan Sioned Williams. 

We'll move on now to the topical question, to be answered by the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice and to be asked by Sioned Williams.

Carchar Parc EF
HM Prison Parc

1. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad am y digwyddiadau diweddar yng ngharchar Ei Fawrhydi y Parc? TQ1102

1. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the recent events at HMP Parc? TQ1102

The operational running of HMP Parc is reserved to the UK Government. I'm extremely concerned at the recent events and have sought frequent meetings with the relevant senior leadership teams.

Mae gweithredu CEF y Parc wedi'i gadw'n ôl i Lywodraeth y DU. Rwy'n bryderus iawn am y digwyddiadau diweddar ac wedi gofyn am gyfarfodydd rheolaidd gyda'r uwch dimau arweinyddiaeth perthnasol.

Diolch. The tragic and unacceptable situation that has been allowed to develop at HMP Parc in Bridgend is an absolute scandal. Last Wednesday a 38-year-old inmate died at the prison, bringing the jail's death toll to 10 in just over three months. Nine other inmates have died since 27 February, including four believed to be drug related, while one prison staff member has been arrested in connection with drug dealing there. Last Friday around 20 prisoners were reportedly involved in a riot; three inmates had to be rushed to hospital following the unrest. And, yes, while running prisons is the responsibility of the Westminster Government, these are Welsh citizens, Welsh families, that are paying a terrible price for the fact that prisoners' safety and health have not been assured. 

Parc prison is run by the private security giant G4S and is the only privately operated prison in Wales. Yesterday evening the director in charge of running the prison, Heather Whitehead, stepped down. When Plaid Cymru raised this matter with you back in the middle of last month, you stated that the Welsh Government

'is liaising with the UK Government and other partners to ensure action is being taken following the deaths.'

So, what action has been taken, Cabinet Secretary? You stated that you'd met and written to the Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation, so could you provide us with an update on how those discussions went? Did you push for Parc prison to be returned to public control? Do you support calls made by Plaid Cymru that private companies should not be running prisons in Wales and that the privatised model has utterly failed at Parc? 

Plaid Cymru believes that if Wales had its own justice system, we could most effectively focus on tackling the root causes of offending and reoffending, and emphasise prevention rather than perpetuating a cycle of violence. Do you agree that devolved control of services at all Welsh prisons would allow the Welsh Government's health and social policies to be better aligned with justice? In your answer, when we raised this issue with you last month, and so much has happened since then, you stated that you did support the devolution of justice to Wales. So, will you pledge today to make that case to Keir Starmer, should he be leading the new UK Government come July?

Diolch. Mae'r sefyllfa drasig ac annerbyniol y caniatawyd iddi ddatblygu yn CEF y Parc ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr yn sgandal lwyr. Ddydd Mercher diwethaf, bu farw carcharor 38 oed yn y carchar, gan ddod â nifer y marwolaethau yn y carchar i 10 mewn ychydig dros dri mis. Mae naw carcharor arall wedi marw ers 27 Chwefror, gan gynnwys pedwar y credir eu bod yn gysylltiedig â chyffuriau, tra bod un aelod o staff y carchar wedi cael ei arestio mewn cysylltiad â delio cyffuriau yno. Ddydd Gwener diwethaf, roedd tua 20 o garcharorion yn rhan o derfysg yn ôl y sôn; bu'n rhaid i dri charcharor gael eu rhuthro i'r ysbyty yn dilyn yr aflonyddwch. Ac er bod rhedeg carchardai yn gyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth San Steffan, dinasyddion Cymreig yw'r rhain, teuluoedd Cymreig, sy'n talu pris ofnadwy am y ffaith nad yw iechyd a diogelwch carcharorion wedi cael eu sicrhau.

Mae carchar y Parc yn cael ei redeg gan y cawr ym maes diogelwch preifat G4S a dyma'r unig garchar a weithredir yn breifat yng Nghymru. Neithiwr, fe ymddiswyddodd y cyfarwyddwr a oedd yn gyfrifol am redeg y carchar, Heather Whitehead. Pan gododd Plaid Cymru y mater hwn gyda chi ynghanol mis Mai, fe ddywedoch chi fod Llywodraeth Cymru

'yn cysylltu â Llywodraeth y DU a phartneriaid eraill i sicrhau bod camau'n cael eu cymryd yn dilyn y marwolaethau.'

Felly, pa gamau sydd wedi'u cymryd, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet? Fe ddywedoch eich bod wedi cyfarfod â'r Gweinidog Gwladol dros Garchardai, Parôl a'r Gwasanaeth Prawf, ac wedi ysgrifennu atynt, felly, a allech chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni ynglŷn â sut aeth y trafodaethau hynny? A wnaethoch chi bwyso am gael dychwelyd carchar y Parc i reolaeth gyhoeddus? A ydych chi'n cefnogi galwadau a wnaed gan Blaid Cymru na ddylai cwmnïau preifat fod yn rhedeg carchardai yng Nghymru a bod y model preifat wedi methu'n llwyr yn y Parc? 

Mae Plaid Cymru yn credu pe bai gan Gymru ei system gyfiawnder ei hun, y gallem ganolbwyntio'n fwyaf effeithiol ar fynd i'r afael ag achosion sylfaenol troseddu ac aildroseddu, a phwysleisio atal yn hytrach na pharhau cylch o drais diddiwedd. A ydych chi'n cytuno y byddai rheolaeth ddatganoledig ar wasanaethau ym mhob carchar yng Nghymru yn caniatáu i bolisïau iechyd a chymdeithasol Llywodraeth Cymru gyd-fynd â chyfiawnder yn well? Yn eich ateb, pan godasom y mater hwn gyda chi fis diwethaf, ac mae cymaint wedi digwydd ers hynny, fe ddywedoch chi eich bod yn cefnogi datganoli cyfiawnder i Gymru. Felly, heddiw a wnewch chi addo cyflwyno'r achos hwnnw i Keir Starmer, os yw'n mynd i arwain Llywodraeth newydd y DU ym mis Gorffennaf?

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

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

15:05

Thank you. Well, I will certainly be making that case, as you say, hopefully to a UK Labour Government, but I shall be doing be doing it to any colour Government, because I absolutely think the Welsh Government's position is very clear: we do believe that justice and policing in Wales should be run by the people of Wales in the interest of Wales. I disagree with very little of what you have said. I am greatly concerned about the brevity of the incidents, which really alarm me, at Parc prison. As I said in my original answer to you, I have sought frequent meetings with a variety of people in relation to the prison. I did meet with the prisons' Minister once; I've asked to meet with him again. I appreciate we're in the middle of an election period, but my concern is so great that I would very much want to meet with him again. I've just met with the executive director again today, of HMPPS in Wales, to seek some assurance. The press notice that went out for G4S yesterday about the director was not shared with me. I don't think it was shared my officials, but it certainly wasn't shared with me ahead of that happening. I've asked for the action plan that G4S have brought forward, following their improvement notice, to be shared with me as a matter of urgency. I don't think profits should feature in the running of prisons anywhere in the UK.

Diolch. Wel, byddaf yn sicr yn cyflwyno'r achos hwnnw, fel y dywedwch, i Lywodraeth Lafur y DU gobeithio, ond byddaf yn gwneud hynny i Lywodraeth o ba liw bynnag, oherwydd credaf yn bendant fod safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru yn glir iawn: rydym yn credu y dylai cyfiawnder a phlismona yng Nghymru gael ei redeg gan bobl Cymru er budd Cymru. Rwy'n cytuno â llawer iawn o'r hyn a ddywedoch chi. Rwy'n pryderu'n fawr fod cymaint o ddigwyddiadau yng ngharchar y Parc dros gyfnod byr, ac mae'n fy nychryn. Fel y dywedais yn fy ateb gwreiddiol i chi, rwyf wedi gofyn am gyfarfodydd rheolaidd gydag amrywiaeth o bobl mewn perthynas â'r carchar. Cyfarfûm â'r Gweinidog carchardai unwaith; rwyf wedi gofyn am gyfarfod gydag ef eto. Rwy'n deall ein bod yng nghanol cyfnod etholiad, ond rwy'n pryderu cymaint fel y byddwn yn awyddus iawn i gyfarfod ag ef eto. Rwyf newydd gyfarfod â chyfarwyddwr gweithredol Gwasanaeth Carchardai a Phrawf EF yng Nghymru eto heddiw i ofyn am sicrwydd. Ni chafodd yr hysbysiad i'r wasg a gyhoeddwyd ar gyfer G4S ddoe am y cyfarwyddwr ei rannu gyda mi. Nid wyf yn credu iddo gael ei rannu gyda fy swyddogion, ond yn sicr ni chafodd ei rannu gyda mi cyn i hynny ddigwydd. Rwyf wedi gofyn i'r cynllun gweithredu y mae G4S wedi'i gyflwyno, yn dilyn eu hysbysiad gwella, i gael ei rannu gyda mi ar frys. Nid wyf yn credu y dylai elw fod yn rhan o redeg carchardai yn unrhyw le yn y DU.

Cabinet Secretary, recent events at HMP Parc have been deeply disturbing and I welcome the resignation of the prison's director. While we await the outcome of the inquests to the tragic deaths at the prison, we have to ensure that the current prison population and their families are fully supported. The responsibility of prisons remain a matter for the UK Government, but the Welsh Government is responsible for the health services provided to the prison estate in Wales. Therefore, Cabinet Secretary, what discussions have you had with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care about the actions taken to support the mental health of the prisoners, and their families, who have been impacted by recent events?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae'r digwyddiadau diweddar yn CEF y Parc wedi bod yn destun pryder mawr ac rwy'n croesawu ymddiswyddiad cyfarwyddwr y carchar. Wrth inni aros am ganlyniad y cwestau i'r marwolaethau trasig yn y carchar, mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau bod poblogaeth bresennol y carchar a'u teuluoedd yn cael eu cefnogi'n llawn. Mae'r cyfrifoldeb am garchardai yn parhau i fod yn fater i Lywodraeth y DU, ond Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n gyfrifol am y gwasanaethau iechyd a ddarperir i'r ystad carchardai yng Nghymru. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol ynghylch y camau a gymerwyd i gynorthwyo iechyd meddwl y carcharorion, a'u teuluoedd, sydd wedi cael eu heffeithio gan ddigwyddiadau diweddar?

Well, as I say, the operational running of the prison is absolutely the responsibility of the UK Government, and it is imperative that the staff and inmates are not impacted again in the way that they have. My thoughts certainly go out to the staff and the inmates. My last meeting with the deputy directors of HMP Parc was a joint meeting with my colleague Jayne Bryant, the Minister for Mental Health and Early Years, to discuss absolutely that. So, from a health point of view, as you say, the Welsh Government is responsible for health services within the prison, and it was a very useful meeting that I held with Jayne Bryant and myself, along with officials from HMPPS, and also the deputy director, as I say, at Parc prison, and, obviously, those conversations will continue. I've been in post around 10 or 11 weeks, and every week it seems to me there is something that concerns me, and the UK Government really need to get to grips with this.

Wel, fel y dywedaf, cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y DU yw gweithredu'r carchar, ac mae'n hanfodol nad yw'r staff a'r carcharorion yn cael eu heffeithio eto yn y ffordd y maent wedi cael eu heffeithio. Rwy'n sicr yn meddwl am y staff a'r carcharorion. Roedd fy nghyfarfod diwethaf gyda dirprwy gyfarwyddwyr CEF y Parc yn gyfarfod ar y cyd gyda fy nghyd-Aelod, Jayne Bryant, y Gweinidog Iechyd Meddwl a'r Blynyddoedd Cynnar, i drafod hynny. Felly, o safbwynt iechyd, fel y dywedwch, Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n gyfrifol am wasanaethau iechyd yn y carchar, ac roedd y cyfarfod a gynhaliais gyda Jayne Bryant a minnau, ynghyd â swyddogion o Wasanaeth Carchardai a Phrawf EF, a hefyd y dirprwy gyfarwyddwr, fel y dywedaf, yng ngharchar y Parc yn un defnyddiol iawn, ac yn amlwg, bydd y sgyrsiau hynny'n parhau. Rwyf wedi bod yn y swydd ers tua 10 neu 11 wythnos, a bob wythnos, mae'n ymddangos i mi fod rhywbeth sy'n fy mhryderu, ac mae gwir angen i Lywodraeth y DU fynd i'r afael â hyn.

Drug dealing and illegal use of drugs is not exclusive to Parc prison, but it's undoubtedly exacerbated by the gross overcrowding in most of our prisons, as well as the shortages of staff. So, people are spending far too long locked up in their cells, rather than involved in activities to rehabilitate them. Given the numbers of vulnerable people in prisons—people with mental health problems and learning difficulties—what conversations may you have had with the Cabinet Secretary for health, given that the services that are delivered to help people with their drug addiction and their mental health difficulties are run by the Welsh NHS? I wondered if this is something that you might be able to take up with Will Styles, who's recently been appointed as the governor, to ensure that those staff are able to reach all of the vulnerable prisoners, as well as are able to work safely and not be subject to violence themselves? 

Nid yw delio cyffuriau a defnydd anghyfreithlon o gyffuriau yn gyfyngedig i garchar y Parc, ond heb os, mae'n cael ei waethygu gan y gorlenwi dybryd yn y rhan fwyaf o'n carchardai, yn ogystal â phrinder staff. Felly, mae pobl yn treulio gormod o amser dan glo yn eu celloedd, yn hytrach na chymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau i'w hadsefydlu. O ystyried niferoedd y bobl fregus mewn carchardai—pobl â phroblemau iechyd meddwl ac anawsterau dysgu—pa sgyrsiau y gallech fod wedi'u cael gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd, o gofio bod y gwasanaethau sy'n cael eu darparu i helpu pobl gyda'u caethiwed i gyffuriau a'u hanawsterau iechyd meddwl yn cael eu rhedeg gan GIG Cymru? Roeddwn yn meddwl tybed a yw hyn yn rhywbeth y gallech ei ddwyn i sylw Will Styles, sydd wedi'i benodi'n llywodraethwr yn ddiweddar, i sicrhau bod y staff yn gallu cyrraedd yr holl garcharorion bregus, yn ogystal â gweithio'n ddiogel a pheidio â bod yn agored i drais eu hunain? 

Thank you. I will certainly be seeking a meeting with Will Styles who, as you say, is the new director at HMP Parc. I mentioned in my answer to Altaf Hussain that I had a joint meeting with the Minister for mental health because I thought it was really important that we both expressed our concern around recent events. I don't want to speculate in relation to the 10 inmates who have died. Obviously that is now a matter for the ombudsman. But there is clearly an issue that I think has been addressed by the staff at HMP Parc. It's really important that that work continues, and I will certainly continue to have discussions with the Minister.

Diolch. Byddaf yn sicr yn ceisio cyfarfod gyda Will Styles, sef, fel y dywedwch, yn gyfarwyddwr newydd CEF y Parc. Soniais yn fy ateb i Altaf Hussain fy mod wedi cael cyfarfod ar y cyd â'r Gweinidog iechyd meddwl oherwydd roeddwn yn meddwl ei bod yn bwysig iawn fod y ddwy ohonom yn mynegi ein pryder ynghylch digwyddiadau diweddar. Nid wyf am ddyfalu mewn perthynas â'r deg carcharor sydd wedi marw. Yn amlwg, mater i'r ombwdsmon yw hynny bellach. Ond mae'n amlwg fod yna fater y credaf ei fod wedi cael sylw gan y staff yn CEF y Parc. Mae'n bwysig iawn fod y gwaith hwnnw'n parhau, ac yn sicr, byddaf yn parhau i gael trafodaethau gyda'r Gweinidog.

15:10

Of course, everything that has gone on in Parc right now has caused serious concern for a number of people. G4S are proving that they're unable to run the prison, just like they proved they were unable to run Birmingham, and just like Birmingham, it should be taken back into the hands of the prison service, and out of private hands.

You mentioned you had meetings with partners. Could you tell us what was discussed in those meetings and what you asked them to do? And finally, I just want to emphasize as well the support that is provided to the prisoners, to the staff at the prison, but as well the families, because with everything that's gone on at the moment, no doubt this is having a serious impact on their mental health.

Wrth gwrs, mae popeth sydd wedi digwydd yn y Parc nawr wedi achosi pryder difrifol i nifer o bobl. Mae G4S yn profi nad ydynt yn gallu rhedeg y carchar, yn union fel y gwnaethant brofi nad oeddent yn gallu rhedeg Birmingham, ac yn union fel Birmingham, dylid ei ddychwelyd i ddwylo'r gwasanaeth carchardai, ac allan o ddwylo preifat.

Roeddech yn sôn eich bod wedi cael cyfarfodydd gyda phartneriaid. A allwch ddweud wrthym beth a drafodwyd yn y cyfarfodydd hynny a beth y gofynnoch chi iddynt ei wneud? Ac yn olaf, rwyf am bwysleisio hefyd y cymorth sy'n cael ei roi i'r carcharorion, i'r staff yn y carchar, ond hefyd i'r teuluoedd, oherwydd rhwng popeth sydd wedi digwydd nawr, mae'n siŵr fod hyn yn cael effaith ddifrifol ar eu hiechyd meddwl.

Absolutely. I mentioned I'd had meetings with the senior leadership team, so obviously the officials in the probation service, the representatives for Wales, and I met with the deputy directors—that was on one occasion—from Parc prison. And we did discuss just that point that you've made around the impact on families—well, so many people, communities and families. They are undertaking work, but that work needs to continue at pace. But as I say, the operational running of the prison is a matter for the UK Government. I think it's really important that I do meet again with the Minister for probation, policing and prisons. I appreciate we're in the middle of an election period, but nobody's eye can be taken off the ball in relation to this, because as I say, the frequency of issues that really raise concern with me is alarming.

Yn hollol. Soniais fy mod wedi cael cyfarfodydd gyda'r uwch dîm arweinyddiaeth, felly, yn amlwg, y swyddogion yn y gwasanaeth prawf, cynrychiolwyr Cymru, a chyfarfûm â'r dirprwy gyfarwyddwyr—gwnes hynny ar un achlysur—o garchar y Parc. Ac fe wnaethom drafod y pwynt a wnaethoch ynghylch yr effaith ar deuluoedd—wel, cymaint o bobl, cymunedau a theuluoedd. Maent yn gwneud gwaith, ond mae angen i'r gwaith hwnnw barhau ar frys. Ond fel y dywedais, mater i Lywodraeth y DU yw rhedeg y carchar yn weithredol. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn fy mod yn cyfarfod eto â'r Gweinidog prawf, plismona a charchardai. Rwy'n sylweddoli ein bod yng nghanol cyfnod etholiad, ond ni ellir tynnu llygad neb oddi ar y bêl mewn perthynas â hyn, oherwydd fel y dywedais, mae amlder y problemau sy'n destun pryder i mi yn frawychus.

4. Datganiadau 90 Eiliad
4. 90-second Statements

Eitem 4 heddiw yw'r datganiadau 90 eiliad, ac yn gyntaf, Peter Fox.

Item 4 today is the 90-second statements, and first, Peter Fox.

I caught you by surprise, Peter.

Fe wnes i eich dychryn, Peter.

You did. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Today, I want to pay tribute to the rugby league legend Rob Burrow CBE, an incredible man who sadly passed away earlier this week at the young age of 41. He was a selfless man who dedicated the final years of his life to raising awareness of motor neurone disease, a cruel and devastating condition that sadly took his life. Rob Burrow was diagnosed in 2019, just two years after he retired from his 17-year career playing with the Rhinos and Great Britain.

While his incredible sporting achievements will be long talked about, I want to thank him and pay tribute to his drive and determination in advocating for people with MND and the search for a cure. He was an inspiration for all of us, and certainly for the many people suffering with MND, many across Wales. Following his diagnosis, Rob Burrow was involved in raising an astonishing £15 million in just five years towards tackling the condition.

This man who lived life to the full with passion, drive and unmeasurable fortitude—I just want to end with a powerful message from the man:

'My final message to you is whatever your personal battle be brave and face it. Every single day is precious. Don’t waste a moment.'

Wise and powerful words from an inspirational and strong man. We thank him for all he did. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Do. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Heddiw, hoffwn dalu teyrnged i'r arwr rygbi'r gynghrair Rob Burrow CBE, dyn anhygoel a fu farw yn gynharach yr wythnos hon yn 41 oed. Roedd yn ddyn anhunanol a roddodd flynyddoedd olaf ei fywyd i godi ymwybyddiaeth o glefyd niwronau motor, cyflwr creulon a dinistriol a gymerodd ei fywyd. Cafodd Rob Burrow ddiagnosis yn 2019, ddwy flynedd yn unig ar ôl iddo ymddeol o'i yrfa 17 mlynedd yn chwarae gyda'r Rhinos a Phrydain.

Er y bydd ei gyflawniadau anhygoel mewn chwaraeon yn cael sylw am amser maith, hoffwn ddiolch iddo a thalu teyrnged i'w ysgogiad a'i benderfyniad wrth eirioli dros bobl â chlefyd niwronau motor a'r gwaith o chwilio am iachâd. Roedd yn ysbrydoliaeth i bob un ohonom, ac yn sicr i'r nifer fawr o bobl sy'n dioddef o glefyd niwronau motor, lawer ohonynt ar draws Cymru. Yn dilyn ei ddiagnosis, bu Rob Burrow yn rhan o'r ymdrech i godi'r swm rhyfeddol o £15 miliwn mewn pum mlynedd yn unig tuag at fynd i'r afael â'r cyflwr.

Y dyn hwn a wnaeth fyw bywyd i'r eithaf gydag angerdd, ysgogiad a dewrder anfesuradwy—rwyf am orffen gyda neges bwerus gan y dyn ei hun:

'Fy neges olaf i chi yw beth bynnag fydd eich brwydr bersonol, byddwch yn ddewr a'i hwynebu. Mae pob diwrnod yn werthfawr. Peidiwch â gwastraffu eiliad.'

Geiriau doeth a phwerus gan ddyn ysbrydoledig a chryf. Rydym yn diolch iddo am bopeth a wnaeth. Mae ein meddyliau a'n gweddïau gyda'i deulu.

Eighty years ago, on 6 June 1944, during D-day, the largest amphibious invasion in military history took place. Welsh servicemen and women played a critical role in the liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny. Over 150,000 troops, including countless Welsh servicemen, landed on the beaches of Normandy in operations codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. These brave soldiers faced heavily fortified German positions, and tragically over 10,000 Allied casualties were sustained on D-day alone.

The bravery of Welsh soldiers on the Normandy beaches, like the 2nd Battalion, the Welsh Borderers, was absolutely remarkable. Wales itself became a training ground for the Allies. Locations like Mumbles served as a rehearsal site for US troops, simulating everything from unloading ships under fire, treating casualties and handling prisoners. Mock hospitals were even constructed, like the one near Carmarthen, on today's site of the Glangwili General Hospital. Wales's dedication to the war effort was profound. The unwavering spirit and sacrifice both on the beaches and in the factories that supplied the invasion stand as a testament to their critical role in securing victory on D-Day and the ultimate liberation of Europe and the freedom that we all enjoy today. Diolch, Deputy Llywydd.

Wyth deg mlynedd yn ôl, ar 6 Mehefin 1944, yn ystod D-day, digwyddodd yr ymosodiad mwyaf o'r môr a welwyd erioed mewn hanes milwrol. Chwaraeodd milwyr o Gymru ran hanfodol yn y gwaith o ryddhau Ewrop rhag gormes y Natsïaid. Glaniodd dros 150,000 o filwyr, gan gynnwys milwyr dirifedi o Gymru, ar draethau Normandi mewn ymgyrchoedd o'r enw Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno a Sword. Roedd y milwyr dewr hyn yn wynebu safleoedd Almaenig cadarn iawn, ac yn drychinebus, cafodd dros 10,000 o filwyr y Cynghreiriaid eu lladd ar D-Day yn unig.

Roedd dewrder milwyr Cymru ar draethau Normandi, fel 2il Fataliwn y Cyffinwyr Cymreig, yn gwbl ryfeddol. Daeth Cymru ei hun yn faes hyfforddi i'r Cynghreiriaid. Roedd lleoliadau fel y Mwmbwls yn safle ymarfer i filwyr yr Unol Daleithiau, gan efelychu popeth o ddadlwytho llongau wrth i'r gelyn saethu atynt, trin anafusion ac ymdrin â charcharorion. Cafodd ysbytai ffug eu hadeiladu hyd yn oed, fel yr un ger Caerfyrddin, ar safle Ysbyty Cyffredinol Glangwili heddiw. Roedd ymroddiad Cymru i ymdrech y rhyfel yn ddwfn. Mae'r ysbryd a'r aberth diwyro ar y traethau ac yn y ffatrïoedd a gyflenwodd yr ymosodiad yn dyst i'w rôl hanfodol yn sicrhau buddugoliaeth ar D-Day a rhyddhau Ewrop yn y pen draw, a'r rhyddid yr ydym i gyd yn ei fwynhau heddiw. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd.

15:15
5. Dadl ar Adroddiad y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, yr Amgylchedd a Seilwaith, 'Gwaith craffu blynyddol ar Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru: 2023'
5. Debate on the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee Report, 'Annual scrutiny of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales: 2023'

Eitem 5 yw dadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, yr Amgylchedd a Seilwaith, 'Gwaith craffu blynyddol ar Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru: 2023', a galwaf ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig—Llyr Gruffydd. 

Item 5 is a debate on the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee Report, 'Annual scrutiny of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales: 2023', and I call on the committee Chair to move the motion—Llyr Gruffydd. 

Cynnig NDM8592 Llyr Gruffydd

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

Yn nodi adroddiad y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, yr Amgylchedd a Seilwaith, 'Gwaith craffu blynyddol ar Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru: 2023', a osodwyd ar 16 Ebrill 2024.

Motion NDM8592 Llyr Gruffydd

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee report, 'Annual scrutiny of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales: 2023', laid on 16 April 2024.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae’n bleser gen i allu cyfrannu at y ddadl yma heddiw ar adroddiad blynyddol y pwyllgor ar Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru. Mae ein hadroddiad ni, a gafodd ei gyhoeddi ym mis Ebrill, yn edrych yn ôl ar waith y comisiwn yn 2022-23 ac yn ystyried cynnydd tuag at ei raglen waith ehangach. Nawr, mae hefyd yn ystyried, wrth gwrs, dyfodol y comisiwn yng nghyd-destun ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i adolygu statws, cylch gwaith ac amcanion y corff. Rŷn ni wedi gwneud naw argymhelliad fel pwyllgor. Mae tri ohonyn nhw yn argymhellion i'r comisiwn, sydd wedi ymateb yn gadarnhaol i bob un, ac mae chwech o'r argymhellion i Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae'r Llywodraeth wedi derbyn pedwar o'r rheini yn llawn ac wedi derbyn dau arall mewn egwyddor.

2022-23 oedd yr ail flwyddyn yn nhymor tair blynedd y comisiwn. Pan gafodd cylch gwaith newydd y comisiwn ei osod yn 2022, ei dasg oedd ymchwilio a gwneud argymhellion i Lywodraeth Cymru ar bolisi ynni adnewyddadwy ar gyfer y dyfodol. Fe wnaeth y comisiwn ddechrau gweithio ar ynni adnewyddadwy yn gynnar yn 2022, ac fe gyhoeddodd ei adroddiad i Lywodraeth Cymru ym mis Hydref 2023. Ac roedd hi'n galonogol gweld bod nifer o argymhellion y comisiwn yn cyd-fynd, a dweud y gwir, â'r rhai yr oedd y pwyllgor eisoes wedi'u gwneud yn ein hadroddiadau ni ar bolisïau ynni adnewyddadwy a rheoli morol.

Nawr, ar adeg ysgrifennu ein hadroddiad ar waith y comisiwn, roedd ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i’r adroddiad ynni adnewyddadwy gan y comisiwn yn hwyr, ar ôl cael ei addo erbyn diwedd mis Ionawr. Fe wnaethom ni argymell bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi blaenoriaeth i ymateb i’r comisiwn, ac o’r diwedd fe gafodd ymateb hwyr ei gyhoeddi y mis diwethaf. Er bod y pwyllgor heb gael cyfle i fynd ati ar y cyd i drafod ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru, dwi yn gobeithio na fydd ots gan aelodau'r pwyllgor fy mod i efallai yn manteisio ar y cyfle, os caf i, i wneud rhai sylwadau cyffredinol sy'n berthnasol i'n rôl ni o graffu ar y comisiwn.  

Fel pwyllgor, rŷn ni’n awyddus i ddeall effaith gwaith y comisiwn, gan edrych ar sut y mae'n dylanwadu ar syniadau a phenderfyniadau Llywodraeth Cymru. Y ffordd amlwg o wneud hyn, wrth gwrs, yw drwy ystyried faint o argymhellion y comisiwn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi’u mabwysiadu ac yna eu gweithredu. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae cylch gorchwyl y comisiwn yn ymrwymo Llywodraeth Cymru i, a dwi'n dyfynnu, nodi'n glir a yw'n derbyn neu'n gwrthod argymhellion y comisiwn. Mae arnaf ofn eich bod wedi methu â chyflawni'r ymrwymiad hwnnw yn yr ymateb i adroddiad y comisiwn ar ynni adnewyddadwy. A dweud y gwir, mae'n anodd gweld o'r ymateb pa rai o'r argymhellion y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwrw ymlaen â nhw, os yn wir y byddan nhw yn bwrw ymlaen ag unrhyw un ohonyn nhw o gwbl. Hoffwn i felly ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet a’i chyd-aelodau o’r cabinet, a dweud y gwir, feddwl am hyn wrth ymateb i adroddiadau’r comisiwn yn y dyfodol. 

Ar y cyfan, mae’r ymateb yn nodi’r camau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes yn eu cymryd i gyflymu’r broses o ddefnyddio ynni adnewyddadwy. Does dim synnwyr ynghylch a fydd argymhellion y comisiwn yn helpu i gyflawni newid, na sut y bydd yn gwneud hynny. Mae hynny yn gwneud i ni wedyn gwestiynu pa effaith mae adroddiad y comisiwn wedi'i chael, te, neu a yw wedi cael unrhyw effaith o gwbl. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n siŵr y bydd gan y comisiwn ei farn ei hun am hyn hefyd, ac rwy’n gwybod y bydd y pwyllgor yn awyddus i archwilio'r safbwyntiau hynny yn ystod ein sesiwn graffu nesaf ni gyda'r comisiynwyr. 

Cyn symud ymlaen, mae'n werth sôn bod yr ad-drefnu diweddar ar bortffolios y cabinet yn golygu, wrth gwrs, er bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn gyfrifol am y comisiwn, ei chyd-aelodau hi yn y cabinet fydd yn gyfrifol am ymateb i wahanol argymhellion sy’n cael eu gwneud gan y comisiwn ar faterion penodol i bolisi fel ynni adnewyddadwy, llifogydd, gwrthsefyll newid hinsawdd ac yn y blaen. Ac efallai y gall Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wrth ymateb ddweud ychydig eiriau wrthym ni ynglŷn â sut y bydd hi’n gweithio gyda’ch cyd-aelodau o’r cabinet i sicrhau bod gwaith y comisiwn yn cael blaenoriaeth briodol. 

Gan droi at y mater ehangach o'r hyn sy’n dod nesaf i'r comisiwn, mae'r comisiwn yn cyflawni swyddogaeth bwysig, wrth gwrs, gan roi persbectif allanol i Lywodraeth Cymru ar anghenion seilwaith Cymru. Mae'r comisiwn presennol yn cynnwys arbenigwyr sy'n dangos ymroddiad i’w gwaith, ac angerdd am y gwaith hwnnw hefyd. Fodd bynnag, mae'r comisiwn yn fach o ran maint, ac mae ei adnoddau yn gyfyngedig, yn enwedig o'i gymharu, efallai, â chyrff â swyddogaethau tebyg, fel Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol y Deyrnas Unedig.

Fe sefydlwyd y comisiwn bron i chwe blynedd yn ôl, felly, yn enwedig wrth edrych ar y cyfnod mwy diweddar yma, bydden ni'n gallu dadlau ei fod e mewn cyfnod eginol yn dal i fod. Wedi dweud hynny, mae'r pwyllgor yn credu bod hwn yn amser da i bwyso a mesur ac ystyried a yw'n cyflawni disgwyliadau. Dwi eisiau dweud yn glir nid beirniadaeth o'r comisiynwyr yw hyn; yn hytrach, mae’n fater o sicrhau bydd y model presennol yn galluogi'r comisiwn i gyflawni ei botensial llawn dros y blynyddoedd sydd i ddod.

Mae argymhelliad 1 yn ein hadroddiad ni wedi gwneud yr hyn efallai yr oeddem ni'n bwriadu iddo fe ei wneud, sef rhoi hergwd bach i sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyflawni ei hymrwymiad i gynnal adolygiad cynhwysfawr o’r comisiwn cyn diwedd y flwyddyn hon. Ac rŷn ni'n falch o glywed gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet fod gwaith cwmpasu ar gyfer yr adolygiad yna wedi dechrau. Hoffwn i ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet rannu'r cylch gorchwyl, yr amserlen, ac, yn wir, unrhyw fanylion pellach am y broses adolygu yna, gyda'r pwyllgor cyn gynted ag y byddan nhw ar gael. 

Mae’r argymhellion eraill yn yr adroddiad yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ystyried materion amrywiol yn yr adolygiad, wrth gwrs. Yn gyntaf, mae cyfnod penodi comisiynwyr. Tair blynedd yw’r cyfnod ar hyn o bryd, sydd yn fyr o ystyried rôl a chylch gorchwyl y comisiwn ac o'i gymharu hefyd, wrth gwrs, â rhai aelodau eraill sy’n cael eu penodi’n gyhoeddus, fel Comisiynydd Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol Cymru, er enghraifft. Yn ail, yw'r amserlen i Lywodraeth Cymru ymateb i adroddiadau'r comisiwn. Mae'r amserlen bresennol o chwe i 12 mis, yn ein barn ni, yn ormodol. Rŷn ni wedi argymell amserlen ar gyfer ymateb rhwng chwe wythnos a thri mis, yn unol, wrth gwrs, â'r amserlen ar gyfer adroddiadau gan bwyllgorau'r Senedd a gan, gyda llaw, Asesydd Interim Diogelu'r Amgylchedd Cymru.

Yn olaf, rŷn ni wedi argymell, fel rhan o’r adolygiad, y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ystyried a yw o werth gofyn i'r comisiwn gynnal asesiad seilwaith cenedlaethol sy’n debyg i'r asesiadau pum mlynedd y mae Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol y Deyrnas Unedig yn eu cynnal. O ystyried y cyfyngiadau, wrth gwrs, y mae'r comisiwn presennol yn gweithredu ynddyn nhw, mi fyddai’n afresymol disgwyl iddo wneud hyn, ond, wrth i'r comisiwn esblygu, mae'n sicr yn rhywbeth rŷn ni fel pwyllgor yn credu y gallai fod yn ymarfer gwerth chweil.

Dwi'n falch bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi cytuno i ystyried yr holl faterion dwi i wedi cyfeirio atyn nhw fel rhan o'r adolygiad. Hoffwn i ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet adrodd yn ôl i’r pwyllgor ar ganlyniad yr adolygiad, wrth gwrs, cyn gynted ag y bydd hynny ar gael. Dwi’n gweld dadl heddiw fel ymarfer gwrando, efallai, o ryw fath, a fydd yn helpu i lywio gwaith craffu’r pwyllgor ar y comisiwn yn y dyfodol. Ond, heb amheuaeth, mi fydd hefyd yn rhoi rhywbeth i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gnoi cil yn ei gylch wrth fwrw ymlaen â'r adolygiad, a dwi'n edrych ymlaen at glywed cyfraniadau gan yr holl Aelodau. Diolch.

Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. I’m pleased to be able to contribute to today’s debate on the committee’s annual report on the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales. Our report, which was published in April, looks back at the commission’s work in 2022-23 and considers progress towards its wider work programme. It also considers, of course, the commission's future in the context of the Welsh Government’s commitment to reviewing the status, remit and objectives of the body. We have made nine recommendations as a committee. Three of these are to the commission, to which it has responded positively, and six are to the Welsh Government. The Welsh Government has accepted four of our recommendations fully and it has accepted the other two in principle. 

2022-23 was the second year of the commission’s three-year term. When the commission’s new remit was set in 2022, it was tasked with investigating and making recommendations to the Welsh Government on renewable energy policy for the future. The commission began work on renewable energy in early 2022, and it published its report to the Welsh Government in October 2023. We were encouraged to see that several of the commission’s recommendations accorded with those the committee had already made in its reports on renewable energy and marine management policies.

Now, at the time of writing our report on the commission’s work, the Welsh Government’s response to the commission’s renewable energy report was overdue, having been promised by the end of January. We recommended that the Welsh Government prioritise its response to the commission, and at long last a response was issued last month. Although the committee hasn’t had an opportunity to collectively consider the Welsh Government’s response, I do hope that committee members won’t mind me taking this opportunity, if I may, to make a few general observations that are relevant to our role of scrutinising the commission.   

As a committee, we’re keen to understand the impact of the commission’s work, looking at how it’s influencing Welsh Government thinking and decision making. The obvious way of doing this, of course, is by considering how many of the commission’s recommendations the Welsh Government has adopted and then subsequently implemented. Cabinet Secretary, the commission’s terms of reference commit the Welsh Government to, and I quote, stating clearly whether it accepts or rejects the commission’s recommendations. I’m afraid that you have failed to meet that commitment in the response to the commission’s report on renewable energy. In fact, it’s difficult to determine from the response which of the recommendations the Welsh Government will be taking forward, if any at all. I would therefore like to ask the Cabinet Secretary and her cabinet colleagues to reflect on this when responding to reports by the commission in the future.  

By and large, the response sets out the steps that the Welsh Government is already taking to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy. There is no sense of whether the commission’s recommendations will help deliver change, or how they will do so. This leaves us questioning what impact the commission’s report has had, or whether it has had any impact at all. Of course, I’m sure the commission will have its own views on this, and I know that the committee will be keen to explore those views during our next scrutiny session with the commissioners.  

Before moving on, it’s worth mentioning that the recent reconfiguration of cabinet portfolios means that, although the Cabinet Secretary has responsibility for the commission, it is her cabinet colleagues who will be responsible for responding to recommendations made by the commission on policy-specific matters such as renewable energy, flooding and climate resilience and so forth. So, perhaps the Cabinet Secretary could, in responding, say a few words about how she’ll work with her cabinet colleagues to ensure that the commission’s work is afforded appropriate priority.

Turning to the wider matter of what comes next for the commission, the commission performs an important function, providing the Welsh Government with an outside perspective on Wales’s infrastructure needs. The current commission comprises experts who demonstrate dedication to their work, and a passion for that work as well. However, the commission is small and has limited resources, particularly compared to bodies with similar functions, such as the UK National Infrastructure Commission.

The commission was established almost six years ago, so, particularly in looking at this recent period, you could argue that it's still in a nascent phase. That said, the committee does believe that now is a good time to take stock and consider whether it is delivering on expectations. I want to state clearly that this isn’t a criticism of the commissioners; rather, it’s a matter of ensuring that the current model will allow the commission to achieve its full potential over the coming years.

Recommendation 1 in our report has done what we intended it to do, namely to provide a nudge to ensure that the Welsh Government delivers on its commitment to undertake a comprehensive review of the commission before the end of this year. We’re pleased to hear from the Cabinet Secretary that scoping work for that review has started. I’d like to ask the Cabinet Secretary to share the terms of reference, the time frame, and any further details of that review's process with the committee as soon as they’re available.  

Our other recommendations in the report call on the Welsh Government to consider various matters in the review. First, there is the term of appointment for commissioners. Currently, it is three years, which is short given the commission’s role and remit and compared with those of other public appointees, such as the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, for example. Secondly, there is the time frame for the Welsh Government to respond to the commission’s reports. The current time frame of between six to 12 months is excessive, in our view. We have recommended a response time of between six weeks and three months, in line, of course, with that for reports by Senedd committees and, by the way, the Interim Environmental Protection Assessor for Wales.

Finally, we’ve recommended that, as part of the review, the Welsh Government should consider whether there is merit in asking the commission to undertake a national infrastructure assessment, comparable to the five-year assessments undertaken by the UK National Infrastructure Commission. Given the constraints that the current commission operates within, it would be unreasonable to expect it to do this, but, as the commission evolves, it’s certainly something that we think, as a committee, could be a worthwhile exercise.

I’m pleased that the Cabinet Secretary has agreed to consider all the matters that I’ve referred to as part of the review. I’d like to ask the Cabinet Secretary to report back to the committee on the outcome of the review as soon as it’s available. I see today’s debate as something of a listening exercise, which will help inform the committee’s scrutiny of the commission in future. But, without doubt, it will also give the Cabinet Secretary food for thought in taking forward the review, and I look forward to hearing Members’ contributions. Thank you.

15:20

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, a diolch hefyd i’r tîm pwyllgor a’n Cadeirydd am eu gwaith gyda hyn. Hoffwn ddechrau trwy gydnabod y gwaith pwysig, wrth gwrs, mae’r comisiwn isadeiledd wedi’i wneud yng Nghymru. Wrth asesu’r anghenion isadeiledd o safbwynt amgylcheddol ac economaidd, mae’n waith fydd o fudd i’n cenedl am flynyddoedd i ddod, ac mae eu ffocws nhw ar ynni adnewyddol a gwytnwch ein gwlad yn erbyn llifogydd mor eithriadol o bwysig, ac mae hynny'n bwysig ar gyfer, ie, ymateb i’r argyfwng hinsawdd, ond hefyd ar gyfer ein dyfodol ni.

Rhaid, wrth gwrs, cydnabod yr anesmwythder sydd wedi codi o ran cysylltiad comisiynydd gydag asiantaeth materion cyhoeddus sydd yn cyfrif ymysg eu cleientiaid datblygwyr ynni adnewyddol. Mae tryloywder yn hollbwysig er mwyn cadw ymddiriedaeth cyhoeddus, ac rydyn ni fel pwyllgor wedi galw am fesurau i reoli unrhyw wrthdaro buddiannau tu mewn i’r comisiwn. Nawr, rhaid i’r comisiwn, wrth gwrs, fod yn cael ei weld hefyd yn hollol annibynnol. Mae hwnna'n rhywbeth mae Dr David Clubb wedi’i ddweud, a dŷn ni'n gwybod bod hwnna yn rhywbeth mai'r comisiwn yn ymwybodol iawn ohono fe.

Hoffwn bwysleisio bod Plaid Cymru wedi chwarae rôl bwysig wrth mynnu bod NICW yn cael ei sefydlu. Cytunwyd i’r sefydliad trwy negodi cyllidol. Nawr, mae rhai problemau wedi bod gyda sut neu ym mha ffyrdd y mae e wedi’i sefydlu, trwy roi cap ar yr adnoddau a’r annibyniaeth sydd ar gael i'r sefydliad. Saif hwn mewn cyferbyniad llwyr â’r comisiwn isadeiledd yn Denmarc, sy’n cael ymddiriedaeth trawsbleidiol ac sy’n cael cymaint o ddylanwad ar bolisi. Nid unrhyw adlewyrchiad ydy hwn ar aelodau NICW na'r cadeirydd; maen nhw'n gwneud gwaith eithriadol o bwysig dan amgylchiadau anodd. Erys y broblem gyda'r ffaith bod diffyg adnoddau ar gael a diffyg pwerau. 

Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you also to the committee team and our Chair for their work on this issue. I'd like to start by acknowledging the important work that the infrastructure commission has done in Wales. In assessing our infrastructure needs from an environmental and economic point of view, it is work that will benefit our nation for years to come, and their focus on renewable energy and the flood resilience of our nation is so vitally important, and that is true, yes, in response to the climate emergency, but also for our future.

We must, of course, acknowledge the unease that has arisen regarding a commissioner's links with a public affairs agency that counts renewable energy developers among its clients. Transparency is central to maintaining public trust, and we as a committee have called for measures to manage any conflict of interests within the commission. Now, the commission must, of course, be seen to be entirely independent. That's something that Dr David Clubb has said, and we know that that is something the commission is very much aware of.

I would like to emphasise that Plaid Cymru played an important role in demanding that the national infrastructure commission be established. Its establishment was agreed through a fiscal negotiation. Now, there have been some problems with how it was set up, with a cap imposed on its resources and independence. This stands in stark contrast to the infrastructure commission in Denmark, which enjoys cross-party trust and has such an influence on policy. This is no reflection on the members of the commission or the chair; they do extremely important work in difficult circumstances. The problem remains the lack of resources available to the commission and the lack of powers.

Now, what Plaid Cymru had envisaged would be a body that would prove a focal point for nationwide engagement, ensuring debates on controversial decisions occur early in the process. It would also ensure long-term stability beyond electoral cycles, across different Governments.

Now, it's no secret that Plaid Cymru have always championed the cause of devolution. We believe that full devolution of powers over infrastructure and our natural resources to Wales would allow far more localised and effective decision making. So, we're glad that the commission has backed our calls for the full devolution of the Crown Estate, and that the body's aim should be the reinvestment of all funds in Wales for the long-term benefit of the people of Wales in a sovereign wealth fund. That would enable us to address the unique challenges and opportunities that Wales presents and ensure that our infrastructure development is tailored to our specific needs, while of course reaping the financial benefits of our own natural resources.

Nawr, yr hyn a ragwelodd Plaid Cymru fyddai corff a fyddai'n ganolbwynt ar gyfer ymgysylltu ledled y wlad, gan sicrhau bod dadleuon ar benderfyniadau dadleuol yn digwydd yn gynnar yn y broses. Byddai hefyd yn sicrhau sefydlogrwydd hirdymor y tu hwnt i gylchoedd etholiadol, ar draws gwahanol Lywodraethau.

Nawr, nid yw'n gyfrinach fod Plaid Cymru bob amser wedi hyrwyddo achos datganoli. Credwn y byddai datganoli pwerau dros seilwaith a'n hadnoddau naturiol i Gymru'n llawn yn caniatáu i benderfyniadau gael eu gwneud yn llawer mwy lleol ac effeithiol. Felly, rydym yn falch fod y comisiwn wedi cefnogi ein galwadau am ddatganoli Ystad y Goron yn llawn, ac y dylai fod yn nod i'r corff ailfuddsoddi pob cronfa yng Nghymru er budd hirdymor pobl Cymru mewn cronfa gyfoeth sofran. Byddai hynny'n ein galluogi i fynd i'r afael â heriau a chyfleoedd unigryw Cymru a sicrhau bod datblygiad ein seilwaith wedi'i deilwra i'n hanghenion penodol, gan elwa ar fanteision ariannol ein hadnoddau naturiol ein hunain ar yr un pryd wrth gwrs.

Nawr, rwy'n cydnabod bod yna waith, yn sicr, i'w wneud, ac, fel mae'r Cadeirydd wedi dweud yn barod, efallai ei fod e'n dal yn rhy gynnar i ni ddweud popeth byddwn ni ei eisiau. Dwi'n siŵr bydd ein pwyllgor ni'n cadw ymlaen i edrych ar fel mae NICW yn gweithio. Mae gen i fy ngobeithion y bydd mwy o adnoddau'n gallu bod ar gael, yn sicr, er mwyn galluogi NICW i wneud cymaint mwy o waith byth.

Now, I recognise that there is work to be done, and, as the Chair has already said, perhaps it's too early for us to set out exactly what we would expect. Certainly, our committee will continue to look at how the infrastructure commission works. I have my own hopes that further resources could be available to it in order to enable it to do so much more work. 

So, we welcome the 2023 report and the work of the commission. We call for transparency, for robust conflict of interest management and further devolution of powers, and we reaffirm our commitment to investing in infrastructure and working towards a sustainable future for Wales. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Felly, rydym yn croesawu adroddiad 2023 a gwaith y comisiwn. Rydym yn galw am dryloywder, am reoli gwrthdaro buddiannau cadarn a datganoli pwerau ymhellach, ac rydym yn ailddatgan ein hymrwymiad i fuddsoddi mewn seilwaith a gweithio tuag at ddyfodol cynaliadwy i Gymru. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

15:25

Galwaf ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol, Tai a Chynllunio, Julie James.

I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning, Julie James.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you very much for the opportunity to reply on behalf of the Welsh Government to this debate today to highlight the really important work of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales. I really would like to thank the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee for their report on the commission and their ongoing scrutiny of the projects that it undertakes. The commission has, as both speakers have said, firmly established itself as an authoritative voice in the sector that is respected and whose opinions are actively sought out by stakeholders, and I do believe this is a sign of maturity for the organisation and we are seeing a real difference from its work. 

The commission's latest annual report highlights the range of activity that NICW, as we call it, has undertaken in its first full year of work, and they are to be congratulated on the breadth of issues that this relatively small team has covered. The commission's year 1 resulted in an in-depth report on renewable energy, which was published last year. This covered a variety of aspects relating to energy strategy, grid, planning, community benefits and the Crown Estate. Dirprwy Lywydd, I expected the recommendations to be bold, innovative and to help Wales progress towards meeting our renewable energy and wider carbon reduction targets, and I think it's fair to say that they've certainly lived up to that expectation. 

While, in our response, we could not agree to all of the sometimes radical suggestions put forward, they are absolutely helping shape our future work programmes in this area. My colleague—. As the Chair of the committee pointed out, my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language is now responsible for renewable energy in the Welsh Government, and he will be meeting with NICW to discuss how we can integrate their recommendations into our future work programmes. It's also a subject of discussion in the regular meetings between him and me as part of our ongoing work.

I'm really pleased to say that the infrastructure commission's work on flooding is also reaching its conclusion. The research phase on the project is to look at minimising the risk of flooding by 2050, and that is now complete. The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs and I are looking forward to receiving the report from NICW towards the end of this year, and we expect that their recommendations will provide food for thought on new ways for us to think about our response to flood management—

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, a diolch yn fawr iawn am y cyfle i ymateb ar ran Llywodraeth Cymru i'r ddadl hon heddiw i dynnu sylw at waith pwysig Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru. Hoffwn ddiolch yn fawr i'r Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, yr Amgylchedd a Seilwaith am eu hadroddiad ar y comisiwn a'u gwaith craffu parhaus ar y prosiectau y mae'n eu cyflawni. Mae'r comisiwn, fel y dywedodd y ddau siaradwr, wedi sefydlu ei hun yn gadarn fel llais awdurdodol yn y sector sy'n cael ei barchu ac y mae rhanddeiliaid yn mynd ati'n weithredol i geisio ei farn, ac rwy'n credu bod hyn yn arwydd o aeddfedrwydd i'r sefydliad ac rydym yn gweld gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol yn sgil ei waith. 

Mae adroddiad blynyddol diweddaraf y comisiwn yn tynnu sylw at yr amrywiaeth o weithgareddau y mae Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru wedi'i chyflawni yn ei flwyddyn lawn gyntaf o waith, ac maent i'w llongyfarch ar ehangder y materion y mae'r tîm cymharol fach hwn wedi ymdrin â nhw. Arweiniodd blwyddyn gyntaf y comisiwn at adroddiad manwl ar ynni adnewyddadwy, a gyhoeddwyd y llynedd. Roedd hwn yn ymdrin ag amrywiaeth o agweddau'n ymwneud â strategaeth ynni, y grid, cynllunio, buddion cymunedol ac Ystad y Goron. Ddirprwy Lywydd, roeddwn yn disgwyl i'r argymhellion fod yn feiddgar, yn arloesol ac i helpu Cymru i symud ymlaen tuag at gyrraedd ein targedau ynni adnewyddadwy a thargedau lleihau carbon ehangach, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud eu bod yn sicr wedi gwireddu'r disgwyliad hwnnw. 

Yn ein hymateb, er na allem gytuno â'r holl awgrymiadau a gyflwynwyd, a'r rheini'n awgrymiadau radical weithiau, maent yn helpu i roi siâp i'n rhaglenni gwaith yn y dyfodol yn y maes hwn. Mae fy nghyd-Aelod—. Fel y nododd Cadeirydd y pwyllgor, mae fy nghyd-Aelod, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a'r Gymraeg bellach yn gyfrifol am ynni adnewyddadwy yn Llywodraeth Cymru, a bydd yn cyfarfod â Chomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru i drafod sut y gallwn integreiddio eu hargymhellion yn ein rhaglenni gwaith yn y dyfodol. Mae hefyd yn destun trafod yn y cyfarfodydd rheolaidd rhyngddo ef a minnau fel rhan o'n gwaith parhaus.

Rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud bod gwaith y comisiwn seilwaith ar lifogydd hefyd yn dod i derfyn. Cam ymchwil y prosiect yw edrych ar leihau'r risg o lifogydd erbyn 2050, ac mae hwnnw bellach wedi'i gwblhau. Mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig a minnau'n edrych ymlaen at gael yr adroddiad gan Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru tuag at ddiwedd y flwyddyn hon, ac rydym yn disgwyl y bydd eu hargymhellion yn gwneud inni gnoi cil ar ffyrdd newydd o feddwl am ein hymateb i reoli llifogydd—

Can I—? Sorry, Cabinet Secretary, but there's a little bit of noise in the Chamber and the Chair can't hear what you're saying, so can you perhaps repeat the last sentence, and can Members in the Chamber please ensure that they're quiet so that the response can be heard?

A gaf i—? Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ond mae ychydig o sŵn yn y Siambr ac ni all y Cadeirydd glywed yr hyn rydych chi'n ei ddweud, felly, a wnewch chi ailadrodd y frawddeg ddiwethaf efallai, ac a all Aelodau yn y Siambr sicrhau eu bod yn dawel fel y gellir clywed yr ymateb?

Yes. Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. I was simply saying that the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs and I are looking forward to receiving the report from NICW on flooding towards the end of this year, and we expect that their recommendations will provide much food for thought on new ways for us to think about our response to flood management across Wales. And whilst those significant reports are very important, and they will assist us to map out ways forward on big policy issues, I do think that one of the big strengths of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales is to generate debate and discussion on very complex issues. For example, late last year, in conjunction with the Royal Town Planning Institute, the commission held an event on the Infrastructure (Wales) Bill, which generated significant discussions on the contents of the draft legislation. This in turn helped to inform evidence to the committee for their scrutiny of the Bill.

And another example of the new ways in which the infrastructure commission generates debate is through social media linked to blog posts of thought pieces that they're doing. A growing number of these are appearing on the commission's website, and I really would encourage Members to have a read of these thought-provoking articles. And again, I think this is real proof that the infrastructure commission is not afraid to ask difficult questions and to promote active discussion and debate.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I'm really pleased to say that the commission is not just sitting in Cardiff, but has also been up to mid and west Wales to look at our ports infrastructure and our rural economy, talking to local stakeholders and getting a variety of opinions on these issues. We really need these helpful contributions to cut through all of the complexity and to allow sensible and pragmatic recommendations and suggestions to the Welsh Government on some of the most difficult environmental issues affecting us today.

The committee report and the debate today have been helpful in assessing the new commission's progress to date. The committee's recommendations refer frequently to the review of NICW, which is to take place this year, and indeed the chair just specifically asked me about it, so I'm pleased to be able to say that my officials are working with the Welsh Government's internal audit service to carry out that review, which will be completed by the end of 2024.

The review will consist of an assessment of the robustness of the Government's arrangements, the evaluation of internal reflections undertaken by the commissioners, external engagement with stakeholders and a benchmarking exercise across similar organisations. The review will also look at NICW's remit, form and function and will be commensurate in scale to the size of the commission, seeking a diverse range of opinions and views before raising observations. The commission will, of course, be fully involved throughout this process. And I just want to be very explicit in saying that that will of course include the term of office for the commissioners, as both Members who contributed mentioned.

When the infrastructure commission received its new remit in 2022, it included giving it an 80-year horizon, incorporating the climate and nature emergencies into infrastructure thinking and making the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 goals a driving principle of the work. We wanted it to be bold, to take the debate into innovative and creative thinking, and to ask awkward questions of the Government and other stakeholders. I think it's fair to say, Dirprwy Lywydd, that the commission has embraced this remit with enthusiasm. They have been energetic in pursuing it and innovative in their thinking. And I look forward to working with the committee in its role to scrutinise the work of the commission and very much welcome the committee's report that we've debated here today. Diolch. 

Gallaf. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Roeddwn yn dweud bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig a minnau'n edrych ymlaen at gael yr adroddiad gan Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru ar lifogydd tuag at ddiwedd y flwyddyn hon, ac rydym yn disgwyl y bydd eu hargymhellion yn gwneud inni gnoi cil ar ffyrdd newydd o feddwl am ein hymateb i reoli llifogydd ledled Cymru. Ac er bod yr adroddiadau arwyddocaol hynny'n bwysig iawn, ac y byddant yn ein cynorthwyo i fapio ffyrdd ymlaen ar faterion polisi mawr, rwy'n credu mai un o gryfderau mawr Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru yw creu dadl a thrafodaeth ar faterion cymhleth iawn. Er enghraifft, ddiwedd y llynedd, ar y cyd â'r Sefydliad Cynllunio Trefol Brenhinol, cynhaliodd y comisiwn ddigwyddiad ar y Bil Seilwaith (Cymru), a arweiniodd at drafodaethau sylweddol ar gynnwys y ddeddfwriaeth ddrafft. Yn ei dro, fe wnaeth hyn helpu i lywio tystiolaeth i'r pwyllgor ar gyfer eu gwaith craffu ar y Bil.

Ac enghraifft arall o'r ffyrdd newydd y mae'r comisiwn seilwaith yn creu dadl yw trwy'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn gysylltiedig â blogiau i ysgogi'r meddwl y maent yn eu gwneud. Mae nifer cynyddol o'r rhain yn ymddangos ar wefan y comisiwn, a byddwn yn annog yr Aelodau i ddarllen yr erthyglau hyn sy'n ysgogi'r meddwl. Ac unwaith eto, rwy'n credu bod hyn yn brawf go iawn nad yw'r comisiwn seilwaith yn ofni gofyn cwestiynau anodd a hyrwyddo trafodaeth a dadl weithredol.

Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud nad yng Nghaerdydd yn unig y mae'r comisiwn yn cyfarfod, mae wedi bod i fyny yng nghanolbarth a gorllewin Cymru hefyd i edrych ar seilwaith ein porthladdoedd a'n heconomi wledig, gan siarad â rhanddeiliaid lleol a chael barn amrywiol ar y materion hyn. Mae gwir angen y cyfraniadau defnyddiol hyn arnom i dorri drwy'r holl gymhlethdod ac i ganiatáu argymhellion ac awgrymiadau synhwyrol a phragmataidd i Lywodraeth Cymru ar rai o'r materion amgylcheddol anoddaf sy'n effeithio arnom heddiw.

Mae adroddiad y pwyllgor a'r ddadl heddiw wedi bod o gymorth wrth asesu cynnydd y comisiwn newydd hyd yma. Mae argymhellion y pwyllgor yn cyfeirio'n aml at adolygiad Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru, sydd i'w gynnal eleni, ac yn wir, mae'r cadeirydd newydd ofyn i mi'n benodol amdano, felly rwy'n falch o allu dweud bod fy swyddogion yn gweithio gyda gwasanaeth archwilio mewnol Llywodraeth Cymru i gynnal yr adolygiad hwnnw, a fydd wedi ei gwblhau erbyn diwedd 2024.

Bydd yr adolygiad yn cynnwys asesiad o gadernid trefniadau'r Llywodraeth, gwerthusiad o ystyriaethau mewnol a wneir gan y comisiynwyr, ymgysylltiad allanol â rhanddeiliaid ac ymarfer meincnodi ar draws sefydliadau tebyg. Bydd yr adolygiad hefyd yn edrych ar gylch gwaith, ffurf a swyddogaeth Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru, a bydd yn gymesur o ran maint i faint y comisiwn, gan geisio amrywiaeth o safbwyntiau cyn gwneud sylwadau. Bydd y comisiwn, wrth gwrs, yn cymryd rhan lawn trwy gydol y broses hon. Ac rwyf am fod yn eglur iawn wrth ddweud y bydd hynny, wrth gwrs, yn cynnwys tymor y swydd i'r comisiynwyr, fel y soniodd y ddau Aelod a gyfrannodd.

Pan dderbyniodd y comisiwn seilwaith ei gylch gwaith newydd yn 2022, roedd yn cynnwys rhoi gorwel 80 mlynedd iddo, ymgorffori'r argyfyngau hinsawdd a natur o fewn ystyriaethau seilwaith a gwneud nodau Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 yn egwyddor ysgogol i'r gwaith. Roeddem am iddo fod yn feiddgar, i fynd â'r ddadl yn rhan o feddwl arloesol a chreadigol, a gofyn cwestiynau lletchwith i'r Llywodraeth a rhanddeiliaid eraill. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud, Ddirprwy Lywydd, fod y comisiwn wedi cofleidio'r cylch gwaith hwn gyda brwdfrydedd. Maent wedi mynd ar ei drywydd yn egnïol ac yn arloesol yn eu syniadau. Ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda'r pwyllgor yn ei rôl o graffu ar waith y comisiwn ac yn rhoi croeso cynnes i adroddiad y pwyllgor y buom yn ei drafod yma heddiw. Diolch. 

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