Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
10/12/2019Cynnwys
Contents
Cyfarfu’r Cynulliad am 13:30 gyda’r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Assembly met at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Galw'r Cynulliad i drefn.
I call the Assembly to order.
Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Caroline Jones.
The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Caroline Jones.
1. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i ddiogelu a gwella bioamrywiaeth yng Ngorllewin De Cymru? OAQ54847
1. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to protect and enhance biodiversity in South Wales West? OAQ54847
I thank the Member for that question. The Welsh Government supports a wide range of measures to protect and enhance biodiversity in South Wales West. To provide just one example, at Kenfig burrows, we are investing £428,000 to restore complex sand-dune ecosystems, supporting scarce and specialised species, such as orchids and song birds.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi amrywiaeth eang o fesurau i ddiogelu a gwella bioamrywiaeth yng Ngorllewin De Cymru. I roi un enghraifft yn unig, yn nhyllau turio Cynffig, rydym ni'n buddsoddi £428,000 i adfer ecosystemau cymhleth o dwyni tywod, gan gynnal rhywogaethau prin ac arbenigol, fel tegeirian ac adar cân.
Thank you, First Minister. With my region home to one of the last remaining colonies of the fen raft spider, and as the species champion for this rarest of British spiders, I take a keen interest in preserving the biodiversity of South Wales West. My region is also home to one of the greatest example of sand-dune habitat in Europe—the Kenfig national nature reserve, as you've just mentioned. First Minister, in just a few short months, these 1,300 acres of managed coastal sand-dunes and wetlands will be potentially left without any management. Bridgend council walks away from running the nature reserve on New Year's Eve and a lease for its future management is yet to be signed. It is vital that the Kenfig national nature reserve is properly managed going forward in order to protect this vital part of our natural heritage and an important part of the nation's biodiversity. First Minister, please can you update us on progress being made by Natural Resources Wales to take on the long-term lease for the nature reserve and the steps they will take to protect the many rare species of plants and animals that call it home?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Gan fod fy rhanbarth i yn gartref i un o'r cytrefi olaf sy'n weddill o'r pryf cop fen raft, ac fel yr hyrwyddwr rhywogaeth dros y pryf cop prinnaf hwn ym Mhrydain, mae gen i ddiddordeb brwd mewn cynnal bioamrywiaeth Gorllewin De Cymru. Mae fy rhanbarth i hefyd yn gartref i un o'r enghreifftiau gorau o gynefin twyni tywod yn Ewrop—gwarchodfa natur genedlaethol Cynffig, fel yr ydych chi newydd grybwyll. Prif Weinidog, mewn dim ond ychydig fisoedd, bydd y 1,300 erw hyn o dwyni tywod a gwlyptiroedd arfordirol a reolir o bosibl yn cael eu gadael heb unrhyw reolaeth. Mae cyngor Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr yn rhoi'r gorau i redeg y warchodfa natur ar Nos Calan ac nid oes prydles ar gyfer ei rheoli yn y dyfodol wedi ei llofnodi eto. Mae'n hanfodol bod gwarchodfa natur genedlaethol Cynffig yn cael ei rheoli'n briodol yn y dyfodol er mwyn diogelu'r rhan hanfodol hon o'n treftadaeth naturiol a rhan bwysig o fioamrywiaeth y genedl. Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni am y cynnydd sy'n cael ei wneud gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru i ymgymryd â'r brydles hirdymor ar gyfer y warchodfa natur a'r camau y byddan nhw yn eu cymryd i ddiogelu'r nifer fawr o rywogaethau prin o blanhigion ac anifeiliaid sy'n ei galw'n gartref?
I thank the Member for that supplementary question and for the work that she does as the species champion for the fen raft spider. As she says, there are only a tiny cluster of sites in south Wales now that support that spider, and it's a good example of why urgent action is needed to reverse the decline in species and in biodiversity across Wales. Of course, Caroline Jones is right as well to point to the importance of the dunes and the ecosystem that it supports in the Kenfig burrows area. Llywydd, I pointed to investment that the Welsh Government is making—nearly £0.5 million there—but that's only part of what we are doing with others in that part of Wales. There is the sustainable management scheme, the Dunes 2 Dunes project—another £312,000, focusing on the landscape between Kenfig burrows and Merthyr Mawr warren, again a place where we are managing dunes habitat to improve biodiversity and to provide benefits to the local community.
I know that NRW and Bridgend County Borough Council are working together to make sure that there is a long-term plan to create a resilient ecological network in that part of Wales, just as we are in so many other parts of our very beautiful nation.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn atodol yna ac am y gwaith y mae'n ei wneud fel yr hyrwyddwr rhywogaethau dros y pryf cop 'fen raft'. Fel y mae hi'n dweud, dim ond clwstwr bach iawn o safleoedd sydd yn ne Cymru erbyn hyn sy'n cynnal y pryf cop hwnnw, ac mae'n enghraifft dda o pam mae angen gweithredu ar frys i wrthdroi'r dirywiad o ran rhywogaethau a bioamrywiaeth ledled Cymru. Wrth gwrs, mae Caroline Jones yn iawn hefyd i gyfeirio at bwysigrwydd y twyni a'r ecosystem y maen nhw'n ei chynnal yn ardal tyllau turio Cynffig. Llywydd, cyfeiriais at y buddsoddiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud—bron i £0.5 miliwn yn y fan honno—ond dim ond rhan o'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud gydag eraill yn y rhan honno o Gymru yw hynny. Ceir y cynllun rheoli cynaliadwy, y prosiect O Dwyn i Dwyn—£312,000 arall, sy'n canolbwyntio ar y dirwedd rhwng tyllau turio Cynffig a chwningar Merthyr Mawr, sydd unwaith eto yn fan lle'r ydym ni'n rheoli cynefinoedd twyni tywod i wella bioamrywiaeth ac i gynnig buddion i'r gymuned leol.
Gwn fod Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd i wneud yn siŵr bod cynllun hirdymor i greu rhwydwaith ecolegol cydnerth yn y rhan honno o Gymru, yn union fel yr ydym ni'n ei wneud mewn cynifer o rannau eraill o'n gwlad brydferth iawn.
I'm sure you'll join me in thanking the many volunteers who love the Kenfig reserve and who have contributed countless hours of their time to it, and, of course, they've challenged the trust that owns the site about its future. Could I also just to take this chance, as it's Christmas, to thank the environment Minister and NRW for their correspondence and engagement on this over recent months? However, I've got to say that it seems unlikely to me that NRW will have themselves the capacity to deal with the daily operational control of this site, and they will probably need partners in the future. Can you tell me what your expectations of NRW during this period are likely to be, whether you'll be offering them any one-off funding, or supporting additional human resource for this important task, and do you have any advice for the trust that actually owns this site about permitting income generation there that can contribute towards the cost of conservation?
Rwy'n siŵr y gwnewch chi ymuno â mi i ddiolch i'r llu o wirfoddolwyr sydd wrth eu boddau â gwarchodfa Cynffig ac sydd wedi cyfrannu oriau dirifedi o'u hamser iddi, ac, wrth gwrs, maen nhw wedi herio'r ymddiriedolaeth sy'n berchen ar y safle ynglŷn â'i ddyfodol. A gaf i hefyd fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn, gan ei bod hi'n Nadolig, i ddiolch i Weinidog yr amgylchedd a Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru am eu gohebiaeth a'u hymgysylltiad ynglŷn â hyn yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf? Fodd bynnag, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud ei bod hi'n ymddangos yn annhebygol i mi y bydd gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ei hun y gallu i ymdrin â rheolaeth weithredol ddyddiol y safle hwn, ac mae'n debyg y bydd angen partneriaid arno yn y dyfodol. A allwch chi ddweud wrthyf beth fydd eich disgwyliadau o ran Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yn debygol o fod yn ystod y cyfnod hwn, pa un a fyddwch chi'n cynnig unrhyw gyllid untro iddyn nhw, neu'n cefnogi adnoddau dynol ychwanegol ar gyfer y dasg bwysig hon, ac a oes gennych chi unrhyw gyngor i'r ymddiriedolaeth sy'n berchen ar y safle hwn mewn gwirionedd ynghylch caniatáu i incwm gael ei gynhyrchu yno a all gyfrannu tuag at gost cadwraeth?
I thank the Member for that. My expectation of NRW is that it will proceed in the way that we expect things to be done in Wales, and that is in close conversation and partnership with both other public bodies and, as Suzy Davies has said, with those voluntary organisations and the many volunteers who provide their time to them in that part of Wales. We want NRW to engage with those organisations, with the other public authorities, to come up with a plan that will deal with the management of this very important ecosystem well into the future. And that is the way that NRW are used to doing things—whether it is the large-scale investment, of the sort that we've already described at Kenfig burrows, or whether it's in the work that they do supporting very local community groups, through the landfill disposal community scheme, in the Member's own area; £8,000, right at the other end of the scale, to save Priors meadow, one of Gower's last remaining historic hay meadows. The approach that we take, right across the spectrum, is, as Suzy Davies said, to recognise the contribution that those local groups and those local volunteers make, and then to work with public authorities to maximise the contribution that we can make in that sort of partnership.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am hynna. Fy nisgwyliad i o ran Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yw y bydd yn bwrw ymlaen yn y ffordd yr ydym ni'n disgwyl i bethau gael eu gwneud yng Nghymru, a hynny mewn sgwrs a phartneriaeth agos gyda chyrff cyhoeddus eraill ac, fel y mae Suzy Davies wedi dweud, gyda'r mudiadau gwirfoddol hynny a'r llu o wirfoddolwyr sy'n rhoi eu hamser iddyn nhw yn y rhan honno o Gymru. Rydym ni eisiau i Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ymgysylltu â'r sefydliadau hynny, gyda'r awdurdodau cyhoeddus eraill, i lunio cynllun a fydd yn ymdrin â'r gwaith o reoli'r ecosystem hynod bwysig hon ymhell i'r dyfodol. A dyna'r ffordd y mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wedi arfer â gwneud pethau—pa un a yw'n fuddsoddiad ar raddfa fawr, o'r math yr ydym ni eisoes wedi ei ddisgrifio yn nhyllau turio Cynffig, neu pa un a yw yn y gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud yn cynorthwyo grwpiau cymunedol lleol iawn, drwy'r cynllun cymunedol gwaredu safleoedd tirlenwi, yn ardal yr Aelod ei hun; £8,000, ar ben arall y raddfa yn llwyr, i achub Dôl Prior, un o'r dolydd gwair hanesyddol olaf sy'n dal i fodoli yng Ngŵyr. Y dull yr ydym ni'n ei ddilyn, ar draws y sbectrwm, yw, fel y dywedodd Suzy Davies, cydnabod y cyfraniad y mae'r grwpiau lleol hynny a'r gwirfoddolwyr lleol hynny yn ei wneud, ac yna gweithio gydag awdurdodau cyhoeddus i sicrhau'r cyfraniad mwyaf y gallwn ni ei wneud yn y math yna o bartneriaeth.
First Minister, obviously the dunes are one ecosystem, but another variety of the ecosystem is forestry, and particularly in the Afan valley, where we've seen many trees being felled by NRW because of various circumstances. But do you agree with me that, when harvesters come in, and are contracted to fell those trees, they should remove all of the trees? Because there are many tree stumps, tree logs, left in the Afan valley—left on the ground, just simply rotting—when they could have been used for biomass, for example, and we could then replant more safely, because, whilst logs are on the ground, you can't replant properly. And when are we replanting the whole of the system, because it is crucial that, if we're going to fell trees, we replant trees, so we can keep on building the ecosystem up?
Prif Weinidog, mae'n amlwg mai un ecosystem yw'r twyni, ond amrywiaeth arall o'r ecosystem yw coedwigaeth, ac yn arbennig yng nghwm Afan, lle'r ydym ni wedi gweld llawer o goed yn cael eu cwympo gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru oherwydd gwahanol amgylchiadau. Ond a ydych chi'n cytuno â mi, pan fydd cynaeafwyr yn dod i mewn, ac yn cael eu contractio i gwympo'r coed hynny, y dylen nhw gael gwared ar yr holl goed? Oherwydd mae llawer o dwmpathau coed, boncyffion coed, wedi eu gadael yng nghwm Afan—wedi eu gadael ar y ddaear, i wneud dim ond pydru—pan y gellid bod wedi eu defnyddio ar gyfer biomas, er enghraifft, a gallem ninnau eu hailblannu'n fwy diogel wedyn, oherwydd ni allwch chi ailblannu'n iawn tra bod boncyffion ar y ddaear. A phryd byddwn ni'n ailblannu'r system gyfan, oherwydd mae'n hanfodol, os ydym ni'n mynd i gwympo coed, ein bod ni'n ailblannu coed, fel y gallwn ni barhau i ddatblygu'r ecosystem?
I thank David Rees for that. He's right, of course, to point to the real impact in the Afan valley of larch disease, and that has resulted in the need for felling of trees in that forest. We know that leaving some trees to rot, to provide habitats for insects and others, is important, but that's a minority, of course. And, as he says, other trees that have been felled need to be removed and dealt with in other ways. I think it's very important, Llywydd, that, in the Afan valley, the replanting, the restocking of that area provides a resilient forest for the future, and that's why NRW has taken the opportunity in the Afan valley to restock the area with a diverse range of trees. We understand that monoplanting of just single species leaves those areas vulnerable when disease strikes. To provide resilience, you need a wide range of different species, and that will make sure that we won't have a repetition of some of the species attacks that we've seen in parts of our woodland, not just with larch, but with ash and other species across Wales.
Diolchaf i David Rees am hynna. Mae e'n iawn, wrth gwrs, i gyfeirio at effaith wirioneddol clefyd llarwydd yng nghwm Afan, ac mae hynny wedi arwain at yr angen i gwympo coed yn y goedwig honno. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod gadael rhai coed i bydru, i ddarparu cynefinoedd i bryfed ac eraill, yn bwysig, ond lleiafrif yw hynny, wrth gwrs. Ac, fel y dywed, mae angen symud coed eraill sydd wedi eu cwympo ac ymdrin â nhw mewn ffyrdd eraill. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn, Llywydd, yng nghwm Afan, bod y gwaith o ailblannu, o ailstocio'r ardal honno yn darparu coedwig gydnerth ar gyfer y dyfodol, a dyna pam mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wedi achub ar y cyfle yng nghwm Afan i ailstocio'r ardal gydag amrywiaeth eang o goed. Rydym ni'n deall bod plannu un rhywogaeth yn unig yn gadael yr ardaloedd hynny'n agored i niwed pan fo clefyd yn taro. Er mwyn bod yn gydnerth, mae angen amrywiaeth eang o wahanol rywogaethau arnoch, a bydd hynny'n gwneud yn siŵr na fyddwn ni'n gweld achos arall o rai o'r ymosodiadau ar rywogaethau yr ydym ni wedi eu gweld mewn rhannau o'n coetiroedd, nid yn unig gyda llarwydd, ond gyda choed ynn a rhywogaethau eraill ledled Cymru.
Tynnwyd cwestiwn 2 [OAQ54850] yn ôl. Cwestiwn 3, Hefin David.
Question 2 [OAQ54850] has been withdrawn. Question 3, Hefin David.
3. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ymdrechion i wella gwasanaethau bysiau yng Nghymru? OAQ54848
3. Will the First Minister make a statement on efforts to improve bus services in Wales? OAQ54848
I thank the Member for that, Llywydd. Once again this year, despite continued cuts to our budget, the Welsh Government has provided £25 million in bus services support grant to assist local authorities in sustaining and improving bus services across Wales.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am hynna, Llywydd. Unwaith eto eleni, er gwaethaf toriadau parhaus i'n cyllideb, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi darparu £25 miliwn mewn grant cynnal gwasanaethau bysiau i gynorthwyo awdurdodau lleol i gynnal a gwella gwasanaethau bysiau ledled Cymru.
This summer, we had the news from Stagecoach that they plan to discontinue the number 25 service, which runs from Caerphilly to the Heath hospital, via Thornhill crematorium. After working with more than 300 residents, and Wayne David, we managed to persuade Stagecoach to reinstate the service on an hourly basis, from January, as a six-month trial. The outcome was the result of pressure from residents and from my office. We want to see that service continued indefinitely. We've also managed to get Stagecoach to provide a service to the Heath hospital from the Caerphilly constituency. But I've also had contact from residents in Senghenydd, in Bedwas and in Nelson about services connecting cross-valley and connecting to rail stations. So, my question to you, First Minister, is: what are your longer term plans in the year ahead for bus services that will enhance public service in the Caerphilly constituency?
Cawsom y newyddion yr haf yma gan Stagecoach eu bod nhw'n bwriadu terfynu'r gwasanaeth rhif 25, sy'n rhedeg o Gaerffili i ysbyty'r Mynydd Bychan, heibio i amlosgfa Thornhill. Ar ôl gweithio gyda mwy na 300 o drigolion, a Wayne David, llwyddasom i berswadio Stagecoach i ailgyflwyno'r gwasanaeth bob awr, o fis Ionawr, fel treial am chwe mis. Roedd hyn o ganlyniad i bwysau gan drigolion a chan fy swyddfa innau. Rydym ni eisiau gweld y gwasanaeth hwnnw'n parhau am gyfnod amhenodol. Rydym ni hefyd wedi llwyddo i gael Stagecoach i ddarparu gwasanaeth i ysbyty'r Mynydd Bychan o etholaeth Caerffili. Ond cysylltwyd â mi hefyd gan drigolion yn Senghennydd, ym Medwas ac yn Nelson am wasanaethau sy'n cysylltu ar draws y cwm ac yn cysylltu â gorsafoedd rheilffordd. Felly, fy nghwestiwn i chi, Prif Weinidog, yw: beth yw eich cynlluniau tymor hwy yn y flwyddyn nesaf ar gyfer gwasanaethau bysiau a fydd yn gwella gwasanaeth cyhoeddus yn etholaeth Caerffili?
I thank Hefin David for that, and I want to congratulate him for the campaign that he helped to lead in Caerphilly that has resulted in the restoration of the 25 bus service, connecting Caerphilly on an hourly basis with the University Hospital of Wales. It's not a surprise to learn of his effectiveness there, working with Wayne David. I see, Llywydd, this week that an independent assessment of the availability of public representatives to their local communities right across the United Kingdom put Wayne David at the very top of that list—the Member of Parliament that provided the most available and accessible service to his constituents. Six Labour MPs from Wales in the top 20 across the United Kingdom—no surprise there either. And it's no wonder to me that the Member here, working with Wayne David, has had the success that he has had. He, I know, will want to congratulate Stagecoach as well on the recent award of funding that it has had for 16 electric buses, and those will all be stationed at their Caerphilly depot.
Our plans for the future, Llywydd, recognise the change in the way that bus travel will be organised in the future. Bus travel, we believe, will become a demand-responsive service in many parts of Wales. Pembrokeshire have already begun their pilot service from September of this year. We will have our first urban responsive transport pilot in Blaenau Gwent, beginning in the middle of 2020. That's all funded from the Welsh Government's £24 million local transport fund, and we will bring forward a bus Bill to the floor of this Assembly during the remainder of this Assembly term. It will provide local authorities and Transport for Wales with powers to intervene in the provision of local bus services, reversing the negative impacts of Tory deregulation and allowing our public authorities to make sure that the very significant public investment that is made in bus services in Wales is used to make sure that those bus services are provided in the public interest.
Diolchaf i Hefin David am hynna, a hoffwn ei longyfarch ar yr ymgyrch y helpodd ef i'w harwain yng Nghaerffili sydd wedi arwain at ailgyflwyno'r gwasanaeth bws 25, sy'n cysylltu Caerffili bob awr ag Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru. Nid yw'n syndod clywed am ei effeithiolrwydd yn y fan honno, gan weithio gyda Wayne David. Gwelaf, Llywydd, yr wythnos hon bod asesiad annibynnol o faint y mae cynrychiolwyr cyhoeddus ar gael i'w cymunedau lleol ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan yn rhoi Wayne David ar frig y rhestr honno—yr Aelod Seneddol a ddarparodd y gwasanaeth sydd fwyaf ar gael a hygyrch i'w etholwyr. Chwe AS Llafur o Gymru yn yr 20 uchaf ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig—dim syndod yn hynny ychwaith. Ac nid yw'n syndod i mi bod yr Aelod yma, yn gweithio gyda Wayne David, wedi cael y llwyddiant y mae wedi ei gael. Gwn y bydd yn dymuno llongyfarch Stagecoach hefyd ar y dyfarniad diweddar o gyllid a gafodd ar gyfer 16 o fysiau trydan, a bydd y rheini i gyd wedi eu lleoli yn eu depo yng Nghaerffili.
Mae ein cynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol, Llywydd, yn cydnabod y newid i'r ffordd y bydd teithio ar fysiau yn cael ei drefnu yn y dyfodol. Rydym ni o'r farn y bydd teithio ar fysiau yn dod yn wasanaeth sy'n ymateb i'r galw mewn sawl rhan o Gymru. Mae Sir Benfro eisoes wedi cychwyn eu gwasanaeth arbrofol o fis Medi eleni. Byddwn ninnau yn cynnal ein cynllun arbrofol trafnidiaeth ymatebol trefol cyntaf ym Mlaenau Gwent, yn cychwyn yng nghanol 2020. Mae hynny i gyd yn cael ei ariannu o gronfa trafnidiaeth leol £24 miliwn Llywodraeth Cymru, a byddwn yn cyflwyno Bil bysiau i lawr y Cynulliad hwn yn ystod gweddill tymor y Cynulliad hwn. Bydd yn rhoi pwerau i awdurdodau lleol a Trafnidiaeth Cymru ymyrryd yn y ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau bysiau lleol, gan wrthdroi effeithiau negyddol dadreoleiddio'r Torïaid a chaniatáu i'n hawdurdodau cyhoeddus wneud yn siŵr bod y buddsoddiad cyhoeddus sylweddol iawn sy'n cael ei wneud mewn gwasanaethau bysiau yng Nghymru yn cael ei ddefnyddio i sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau bysiau hynny'n cael eu darparu er lles y cyhoedd.
First Minister, Powys County Council has had to reduce public transport networks considerably in recent years. With the continued strain on social care and the well-being agenda, I wonder if you recognise the importance of public transport especially in rural Wales. Can I ask what your Government is doing to support local authorities to ensure that all people in rural communities across mid Wales have access to key services to allow them to have fulfilled lives?
Prif Weinidog, bu'n rhaid i Gyngor Sir Powys leihau rhwydweithiau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn sylweddol dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Gyda'r straen parhaus ar ofal cymdeithasol a'r agenda lles, tybed a ydych chi'n cydnabod pwysigrwydd trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, yn enwedig yn y Gymru wledig. A gaf i ofyn beth mae eich Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i gynorthwyo awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod gan yr holl bobl mewn cymunedau gwledig ledled y canolbarth fynediad at wasanaethau allweddol i ganiatáu iddyn nhw fyw bywydau bodlon?
Well, Llywydd, of course, we recognise the importance of bus services in rural areas. Powys County Council has chosen to reduce the support that it provides for bus services under the strain of austerity, which means that our local authorities have to make invidious choices in every part of Wales, because if there is less money from his Government to invest in public services in Wales, then, of course, local authorities end up making those decisions. [Interruption.] It's not a poor answer, it is a poor service that Wales has from his party and his Government, and his residents in Powys find themselves on the receiving end of it.
Wel, Llywydd, rydym ni'n cydnabod, wrth gwrs, pwysigrwydd gwasanaethau bysiau mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Mae Cyngor Sir Powys wedi dewis lleihau'r cymorth y mae'n ei roi i wasanaethau bysiau o dan straen cyni cyllidol, sy'n golygu bod yn rhaid i'n hawdurdodau lleol wneud dewisiadau annymunol ym mhob rhan o Gymru, oherwydd os oes llai o arian oddi wrth ei Lywodraeth ef i fuddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru, yna, wrth gwrs, mae'n rhaid i awdurdodau lleol wneud y penderfyniadau hynny yn y pen draw. [Torri ar draws.] Nid yw'n ateb gwael, gwasanaeth gwael y mae Cymru'n ei gael gan ei blaid ef a'i Lywodraeth ef, ac mae ei drigolion ym Mhowys yn canfod eu hunain yn dioddef o'i herwydd.
Efo arian mor brin ar gyfer gwella gwasanaethau bysiau, doedd yna ddim syndod bod yna siom fawr a beirniadaeth lem wedi bod pan ddaeth i'r amlwg bod y Gweinidog trafnidiaeth wedi ymyrryd yn bersonol i sicrhau arian ar gyfer y gwasanaeth bws yn ei etholaeth o. Dwi'n deall bellach fod y Gweinidog wedi cyfeirio ei hun at y Prif Weinidog i ymchwilio i'r cyhuddiad ei fod o wedi torri'r cod gweinidogol. Ydy'r Prif Weinidog yn gallu dweud wrthym ni ydy o wedi cwblhau yr ymchwiliad i hynny a beth ddaeth yn gasgliad o hynny? Os nad yw, pa bryd fydd y gwaith yn cael ei wneud, oherwydd mae pobl angen gwybod bod yna dryloywder llwyr yn y ffordd mae arian yn cael ei wario ar wasanaethau bysiau a bod yr arian yn cael ei wario mewn ffordd gwbl deg a chyfartal ym mhob rhan o Gymru?
With funds so scarce for improving bus services, it was no surprise that there was huge disappointment and harsh criticism when it became clear that the transport Minister had personally intervened to ensure funding for bus services in his own constituency. I now understand that the Minister has referred himself to the First Minister to inquire into the suggestion that he has broken the ministerial code. Can the First Minister tell us whether he has completed that inquiry and what his conclusions were? If not, when will that work be done, because people need to know that there is full transparency in the way that funds are spent on bus services, and that those funds are spent in an entirely fair and equitable way in all parts of Wales?
Well, the Member is right to say that this has been referred to me under the ministerial code. I will conclude my investigations in the normal way and the Member will be better off waiting to see the results of that.
Wel, mae'r Aelod yn iawn i ddweud y cyfeiriwyd hyn ataf o dan god y gweinidogion. Byddaf yn cwblhau fy ymchwiliadau yn y ffordd arferol a byddai'n well i'r Aelod aros i weld canlyniadau hynny.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd yr wrthblaid, Paul Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. The leader of the opposition, Paul Davies.
Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, in the very first meeting of the National Assembly for Wales, the then First Minister, or First Secretary, Alun Michael, said that we must deliver three things for Wales. First, we must deliver a better life for the people of Wales. Secondly, we must deliver a sense of unity and purpose, and, thirdly, we have to deliver a new confidence in ourselves in Wales and in political life. First Minister, Welsh Labour have run the Welsh Government for over 20 years. On reflection, can you honestly say that the challenge set by Alun Michael has been met?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, yng nghyfarfod cyntaf un Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, dywedodd y Prif Weinidog ar y pryd, neu'r Prif Ysgrifennydd, Alun Michael, bod yn rhaid i ni gyflawni tri pheth dros Gymru. Yn gyntaf, mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau gwell bywyd i bobl Cymru. Yn ail, mae'n rhaid i ni greu ymdeimlad o undod a phwrpas, ac, yn drydydd, mae angen i ni sicrhau hyder newydd ynom ni ein hunain yng Nghymru ac mewn bywyd gwleidyddol. Prif Weinidog, mae Llafur Cymru wedi rhedeg Llywodraeth Cymru ers dros 20 mlynedd. O ystyried, a allwch chi ddweud yn onest bod yr her a gyflwynwyd gan Alun Michael wedi ei bodloni?
Well, Llywydd, I can say very confidently, despite having to deal with a decade of his party's austerity, with everything that that has done to undermine the prospects of a better life here in Wales, despite the disunity that his party have spread with their policies of inequality, and despite their attempts to run down Wales at every opportunity that they have, that, of course, a Welsh Labour Government has invested in a better life for people here in Wales, better economic prospects, better public services—a country that faces the future with a greater degree of self-confidence and sense of purpose, quite certainly, than we did back in 1999. And all of that is a tribute to what successive Welsh Labour-led Governments have achieved here in Wales.
Wel, Llywydd, gallaf ddweud yn hyderus iawn, er gwaethaf gorfod ymdopi â degawd o gyni cyllidol ei blaid ef, gyda phopeth y mae hynny wedi ei wneud i danseilio'r rhagolygon o fywyd gwell yma yng Nghymru, er gwaethaf y diffyg undod y mae ei blaid ef wedi ei ledaenu gyda'u polisïau o anghydraddoldeb, ac er gwaethaf eu hymdrechion i ddirywio Cymru ar bob cyfle sydd ganddynt, bod Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru, wrth gwrs, wedi buddsoddi mewn bywyd gwell i bobl yma yng Nghymru, gwell rhagolygon economaidd, gwell gwasanaethau cyhoeddus—gwlad sy'n wynebu'r dyfodol gyda mwy o hunanhyder a synnwyr o bwrpas, yn hollol sicr, nag yr oeddem ni yn ôl ym 1999. Ac mae hynny i gyd yn deyrnged i'r hyn y mae Llywodraethau olynol o dan arweiniad Llafur Cymru wedi ei gyflawni yma yng Nghymru.
Well, First Minister, you might think things have improved under your party's stewardship, but the people of Wales certainly don't think so. In fact, the outcomes point to nothing but failures when you look at our NHS, our education system and our economy. First Minister, under your party, accident and emergency waiting times are the worst on record, the Welsh NHS has been the only part of the UK to see its budget cut. This year's Programme for International Student Assessment results confirm that Wales is, yet again, the lowest performing country within the UK for all subjects. We're still at the bottom of the list of UK for gross value added per head. You've failed to get a grip of the housing crisis and actually build enough houses here in Wales. You've failed to meet any of your targets to eradicate fuel poverty. Welsh farmers are facing over-regulation and a lack of action on bovine tuberculosis. And our cash-strapped local authorities are struggling to make ends meet.
What a record of delivery, First Minister. If Wales continues under your party's leadership, you'll still be dithering on the M4, and you'll still probably be working on the Heads of the Valleys road when the Assembly has its thirtieth anniversary. First Minister, like your health Minister has bragged in the past, are you proud of your record of delivery, and will you now accept that you've failed to deliver a better life for the people of Wales?
Wel, Prif Weinidog, efallai eich bod chi'n meddwl bod pethau wedi gwella o dan stiwardiaeth eich plaid, ond mae'n sicr nad yw pobl Cymru yn meddwl hynny. Yn wir, nid yw'r canlyniadau'n dangos dim ond methiannau pan fyddwch chi'n edrych ar ein GIG, ein system addysg a'n heconomi. Prif Weinidog, o dan eich plaid chi, mae amseroedd aros adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys ar eu lefel gwaethaf erioed, GIG Cymru fu'r unig ran o'r DU lle bu toriad i'w gyllideb. Mae canlyniadau'r Rhaglen Ryngwladol Asesu Myfyrwyr eleni yn cadarnhau mai Cymru, unwaith eto, yw'r wlad sy'n perfformio waethaf yn y DU ym mhob pwnc. Rydym ni'n dal ar waelod rhestr y DU ar gyfer gwerth ychwanegol crynswth fesul pen. Rydych chi wedi methu â chael gafael ar yr argyfwng tai ac adeiladu digon o dai yma yng Nghymru. Rydych chi wedi methu â chyrraedd unrhyw un o'ch targedau i ddileu tlodi tanwydd. Mae ffermwyr Cymru yn wynebu gor-reoleiddio a diffyg gweithredu ar dwbercwlosis mewn gwartheg. Ac mae ein hawdurdodau lleol sy'n brin o arian yn ei chael hi'n anodd cael dau ben llinyn ynghyd.
Dyna i chi hanes o gyflawni, Prif Weinidog. Os bydd Cymru'n parhau o dan arweiniad eich plaid chi, byddwch yn dal i din-droi ar yr M4, ac mae'n debyg y byddwch chi'n gweithio ar ffordd Blaenau'r Cymoedd pan fydd y Cynulliad yn cael ei ben-blwydd yn ddeg ar hugain oed. Prif Weinidog, fel y mae eich Gweinidog iechyd wedi brolio yn y gorffennol, a ydych chi'n falch o'ch hanes o gyflawni, ac a wnewch chi dderbyn erbyn hyn eich bod chi wedi methu â sicrhau gwell bywyd i bobl Cymru?
Llywydd, I think the Member will need to practice his stump speech a few more times in order to get it completely fluent. Look, he was right, wasn't he? We are cash starved here in Wales. Why are we cash starved? Because of the policies that his Government has pursued—a decade of destruction by his party here in Wales. And despite all of that, despite the cancellation of electrification of the main line, despite his party's failure to invest in the Swansea bay tidal lagoon, despite the fact that our budget is lower a decade later than it was when his party came into power, our NHS treats more patients more quickly, more successfully than at any time in its history. I know they don't like it when we say—but those are just the facts of the matter—more patients—
Llywydd, rwy'n credu y bydd angen i'r Aelod ymarfer ei araith pen stryd ychydig mwy o weithiau er mwyn ei chael hi'n gwbl rugl. Edrychwch, roedd e'n iawn, onid oedd? Nid oes gennym ni ddigon o arian yma yng Nghymru. Pam nad oes gennym ni ddigon o arian? Oherwydd y polisïau y mae ei Lywodraeth ef wedi eu dilyn—degawd o ddinistr gan ei blaid ef yma yng Nghymru. Ac er gwaethaf hynny i gyd, er gwaethaf canslo trydaneiddio'r brif reilffordd, er gwaethaf methiant ei blaid i fuddsoddi ym morlyn llanw bae Abertawe, er gwaethaf y ffaith bod ein cyllideb yn is ddegawd yn ddiweddarach nag yr oedd pan ddaeth ei blaid i rym, mae ein GIG yn trin mwy o gleifion yn gyflymach, yn fwy llwyddiannus nag ar unrhyw adeg yn ei hanes. Gwn nad ydyn nhw'n ei hoffi pan fyddwn ni'n dweud—ond dyma ffeithiau'r mater—mwy o gleifion—
Those are my constituents.
Fy etholwyr i yw'r rheini.
—more quickly, more successfully than at any time in its history, including the Member's constituents. Yes, she doesn't like it, but it's true.
Our education service—we saw it last week. He didn't have a good word to say for the children of Wales last week, or their teachers, or all those people who have succeeded in making our PISA results the only part of the United Kingdom where results have gone up in all three domains in our PISA tests. That's an achievement of our young people and our teachers here in Wales.
And he mentioned the economy. Has he not seen the figures published today of what his party is achieving at the UK level? Not a scintilla of growth in the UK economy in the last month or in the last quarter. Contraction in construction, contraction in manufacturing. At the end of a decade of his party's stewardship of the UK economy, we find ourselves at the bottom of every league there is going.
—yn gyflymach, yn fwy llwyddiannus nag ar unrhyw adeg yn ei hanes, gan gynnwys etholwyr yr Aelod. Ie, nid yw hi'n ei hoffi, ond mae e'n wir.
Ein gwasanaeth addysg—fe'i gwelsom yr wythnos diwethaf. Nid oedd ganddo air da i'w ddweud am blant Cymru yr wythnos diwethaf, na'u hathrawon, na'r holl bobl hynny sydd wedi llwyddo i wneud ein canlyniadau PISA yr unig ran yn y Deyrnas Unedig lle mae canlyniadau wedi gwella ym mhob un o'r tri maes yn ein profion PISA. Dyna lwyddiant ein pobl ifanc a'n hathrawon yma yng Nghymru.
A chrybwyllodd yr economi. Onid yw wedi gweld y ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd heddiw o'r hyn y mae ei blaid ef yn ei gyflawni ar lefel y DU? Dim hyd yn oed mymryn bach o dwf yn economi'r DU yn y mis diwethaf nac yn y chwarter diwethaf. Crebachu ym maes adeiladu, crebachu ym maes gweithgynhyrchu. Ar ddiwedd degawd o stiwardiaeth ei blaid ef o economi'r DU, rydym ni'n canfod ein hunain ar waelod pob cynghrair sy'n bodoli.
Let me remind the First Minister why the UK Government in 2010 had to reduce spending: because your party colleagues destroyed our economy and left us—[Interruption.]—and left us with a black hole of £150 billion. I know the Labour Party don't like the truth, but that is the truth. Because let me remind the—[Interruption.] Let me remind the—
Gadewch i mi atgoffa'r Prif Weinidog pam y bu'n rhaid i Lywodraeth y DU leihau gwariant yn 2010: oherwydd bod eich cydweithwyr yn eich plaid wedi dinistrio ein heconomi a'n gadael ni—[Torri ar draws.]—a'n gadael ni gyda thwll du o £150 biliwn. Rwy'n gwybod nad yw'r Blaid Lafur yn hoffi'r gwir, ond dyna'r gwir. Oherwydd gadewch i mi atgoffa'r—[Torri ar draws.] Gadewch i mi atgoffa'r—
I do know it's two days before a UK general election, and I was expecting quite a bit of noise this afternoon, but this is taking it a bit too far now. Can we hear the leader of the opposition in a bit of silence?
Rwy'n gwybod ei bod hi'n ddeuddydd cyn bod etholiad cyffredinol yn y DU, ac roeddwn i'n disgwyl cryn dipyn o sŵn y prynhawn yma, ond mae hyn yn mynd â phethau ychydig bach yn rhy bell nawr. A gawn ni glywed arweinydd yr wrthblaid mewn ychydig o dawelwch?
And let me remind the First Minister, it was Liam Byrne, the former Labour chief financial Secretary to the Treasury, who left that note and said that there was no money left—his words, not my words. I have to say to you, First Minister: your lack of humility when it comes to genuine scrutiny of your Government's record is absolutely frightening, and it gives us a real snapshot of life if the UK Labour Party came to power under Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell.
Of course, in less than 48 hours, the people of Wales will take to the polling stations to vote for the next UK Government. Now, your party calls its manifesto 'Standing Up for Wales', but the reality couldn't be further from the truth, could it? You're completely at odds with the people of Wales when it comes to Brexit. We're facing the prospect of an unaffordable four-day week. And you yourself have confirmed that tax rises would come under a UK Labour Government. First Minister, in your last First Minister's questions of 2019, just over 20 years after the first FMQs were asked and answered, will you now commit to genuinely standing up for the people of Wales and representing their wishes, and start delivering a new confidence in Wales and in politics?
A gadewch i mi atgoffa'r Prif Weinidog, Liam Byrne, cyn brif ysgrifennydd ariannol Llafur y Trysorlys, a adawodd y nodyn hwnnw yn dweud nad oedd dim arian ar ôl—ei eiriau ef, nid fy ngeiriau i. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud wrthych chi, Prif Weinidog: mae eich diffyg gostyngeiddrwydd pan ddaw'n fater o graffu gwirioneddol ar hanes eich Llywodraeth yn frawychus, ac mae'n rhoi cipolwg gwirioneddol i ni ar fywyd pe byddai Plaid Lafur y DU yn dod i rym o dan Jeremy Corbyn a John McDonnell.
Wrth gwrs, mewn llai na 48 awr, bydd pobl Cymru'n mynd i'r gorsafoedd pleidleisio i bleidleisio dros Lywodraeth nesaf y Deyrnas Unedig. Nawr, mae eich plaid chi yn galw ei maniffesto yn 'Sefyll Cornel Cymru', ond ni allai'r realiti fod ymhellach o'r gwir, na allai? Rydych chi'n hollol groes i bobl Cymru pan ddaw hi'n fater o Brexit. Rydym ni'n wynebu'r posibilrwydd o wythnos pedwar diwrnod anfforddiadwy. Ac rydych chi eich hun wedi cadarnhau y byddai codiadau treth yn cael eu cyflwyno o dan Lywodraeth Lafur y DU. Prif Weinidog, yn eich cwestiynau olaf i'r Prif Weinidog yn 2019, ychydig dros 20 mlynedd ar ôl i'r cwestiynau cyntaf i'r Prif Weinidog gael ei gofyn a'u hateb, a wnewch chi ymrwymo nawr i sefyll cornel pobl Cymru a chynrychioli eu dymuniadau, a dechrau sicrhau hyder newydd yng Nghymru ac mewn gwleidyddiaeth?
Llywydd, the Member refers to a lack of humility. Did he see his Prime Minister yesterday? Did he see him, asked to look at the picture of a child lying on the floor of an NHS hospital in England, where he refused to look at it, where he refused to say anything about the plight of that child? Don't talk to us here about humility. Talk about humanity, just for a moment, and the utter lack of humanity that his leader showed at that moment, demonstrating absolutely why he does not have the trust of people in Wales or people across the whole of the United Kingdom.
This party stands up for Wales. This party stands up for Wales in the face of every onslaught that his party performs. We stand up for people faced with the fear and the horror of universal credit. We stand up for the people of Wales where they have to deal with the consequences, the deliberate consequences, of his party's policies, which will create 50,000 more children in poverty here in Wales. We stand up for those people who go in every day to our public services—starved, to quote the leader of the opposition; cash starved by his party—to try and make those services as good as they can possibly be. We stand up for the people of Wales, and that's why, in 20 years of devolution, the people of Wales, in every election that they have been asked the question, have chosen to put the future of this country in the hands of the Labour Party. And that's what they'll be doing again on Thursday of this week.
Llywydd, mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio at ddiffyg gostyngeiddrwydd. A welodd ef ei Brif Weinidog ddoe? A welodd ef, pan ofynnwyd iddo edrych ar y llun o blentyn yn gorwedd ar lawr un o ysbytai'r GIG yn Lloegr, pan wrthododd edrych arno, pan wrthododd ddweud dim am drafferthion y plentyn hwnnw? Peidiwch â siarad â ni yn y fan yma am ostyngeiddrwydd. Siaradwch am ddynoliaeth, dim ond am ennyd, a'r diffyg dynoliaeth llwyr a ddangosodd ei arweinydd ef ar y foment honno, gan ddangos yn hollol pam nad oes ganddo ymddiriedaeth pobl yng Nghymru na phobl ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan.
Mae'r blaid hon yn sefyll cornel Cymru. Mae'r blaid hon yn sefyll cornel Cymru yn wyneb pob ymosodiad y mae ei blaid ef yn ei wneud. Rydym ni'n sefyll cornel pobl sy'n wynebu ofn ac arswyd credyd cynhwysol. Rydym ni'n sefyll cornel pobl Cymru pan fo'n rhaid iddyn nhw ymdrin â chanlyniadau, canlyniadau bwriadol, polisïau ei blaid ef, a fydd yn creu 50,000 yn fwy o blant mewn tlodi yma yng Nghymru. Rydym ni'n sefyll cornel y bobl hynny sy'n mynd i mewn i'n gwasanaethau cyhoeddus bob dydd—heb arian, i ddyfynnu geiriau arweinydd yr wrthblaid; wedi eu hamddifadu o arian parod gan ei blaid ef—i geisio gwneud y gwasanaethau hynny cystal ag y gallan nhw fod. Rydym ni'n sefyll cornel pobl Cymru, a dyna pam, yn ystod 20 mlynedd o ddatganoli, y mae pobl Cymru, ym mhob etholiad y gofynnwyd y cwestiwn iddyn nhw, wedi dewis rhoi dyfodol y wlad hon yn nwylo'r Blaid Lafur. A dyna'r hyn y byddan nhw'n yn ei wneud eto ddydd Iau yr wythnos hon.
Arweindd Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.
The Leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.
First Minister, how much money is being handed over to private sector management consultants to try and fix the Welsh NHS?
Prif Weinidog, faint o arian sy'n cael ei roi i ymgynghorwyr rheoli yn y sector preifat i geisio trwsio GIG Cymru?
Llywydd, no money is handed over to private consultants. When we take the advice, for example, of the Public Accounts Committee here, urgently to employ additional assistance for our health boards, we take that advice. The money that we spend in securing that advice is a fraction, an absolute fraction, of what is used elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
Llywydd, nid oes dim arian yn cael ei roi i ymgynghorwyr preifat. Pan fyddwn ni'n cymryd cyngor y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus yn y fan yma, er enghraifft, i gyflogi cymorth ychwanegol ar frys i'n byrddau iechyd, rydym ni'n cymryd y cyngor hwnnw. Mae'r arian yr ydym ni'n ei wario i sicrhau'r cyngor hwnnw'n ffracsiwn, yn ffracsiwn lwyr, o'r hyn a ddefnyddir mewn mannau eraill yn y Deyrnas Unedig.
First Minister, we both agree that creeping privatisation is a threat to the NHS. The surprising thing, perhaps, is that that threat, in part, comes from you. You're funding a management consultancy gravy train at a time when front-line staff and services like A&E are stretched to breaking point. Perhaps I can help you out with some of the figures, First Minister. Freedom of information requests have revealed that the big four consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers was paid £335,000 for 12 weeks' work to deal with winter pressures in Betsi Cadwaladr. Don't you think that that money would have been better spent on more doctors, nurses and social carers to manage the winter crisis, rather than pen pushers with PowerPoint presentations?
Prif Weinidog, mae'r ddau ohonom ni'n cytuno bod preifateiddio graddol yn fygythiad i'r GIG. Y'r hyn sy'n syndod, efallai, yw bod y bygythiad hwnnw, yn rhannol, yn dod gennych chi. Rydych chi'n ariannu trên grefi ymgynghorwyr rheoli ar adeg pan fo staff rheng flaen a gwasanaethau fel adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yn cael eu hymestyn i'r eithaf. Efallai y gallaf i eich helpu gyda rhai o'r ffigurau, Prif Weinidog. Mae ceisiadau rhyddid gwybodaeth wedi datgelu y talwyd £335,000 am 12 wythnos o waith i un o'r pedwar cwmni ymgynghori mawr, PricewaterhouseCoopers, i ymdrin â phwysau'r gaeaf ym mwrdd Betsi Cadwaladr. Onid ydych chi'n credu y byddai wedi bod yn well gwario'r arian hwnnw ar fwy o feddygon, nyrsys a gofalwyr cymdeithasol i reoli argyfwng y gaeaf, yn hytrach na gweinyddwyr gyda chyflwyniadau PowerPoint?
As we see, Llywydd, the Member works hard overnight to produce his spontaneous additional questions on a Tuesday. This Government needs no lessons in keeping the private sector out of the health service here in Wales. Under the Labour Party, the NHS in Wales goes on being publicly funded, publicly provided—provided with the essence of the public service ethos which is what brings people in to work in our NHS every single day. Where we need to reinforce the efforts of those people by getting assistants to make sure that our systems are as good as they can be, that the support is there for them, we do that. I make no apology at all for doing that, because it allows us to make sure that our NHS goes on being what the British Medical Association said in the British Medical Journal recently—the Welsh NHS remains the closest to the founding spirit of Aneurin Bevan of any NHS in the United Kingdom.
Fel y gwelwn, Llywydd, mae'r Aelod yn gweithio'n galed dros nos i lunio ei gwestiynau ychwanegol digymell ar ddydd Mawrth. Nid oes angen unrhyw wersi ar y Llywodraeth hon ar sut i gadw'r sector preifat allan o'r gwasanaeth iechyd yma yng Nghymru. O dan y Blaid Lafur, mae'r GIG yng Nghymru yn parhau i gael ei ariannu'n gyhoeddus, ei ddarparu'n gyhoeddus—wedi ei ddarparu gyda hanfod yr ethos gwasanaeth cyhoeddus, sef yr hyn sy'n dod â phobl i mewn i weithio yn ein GIG bob dydd. Pan fo angen i ni atgyfnerthu ymdrechion y bobl hynny trwy gael cynorthwywyr i wneud yn siŵr bod ein systemau cystal ag y gallan nhw fod, bod y cymorth hwnnw ar gael iddynt, rydym ni'n gwneud hynny. Ni wnaf i ymddiheuro o gwbl am wneud hynny, oherwydd mae'n caniatáu i ni wneud yn siŵr bod ein GIG yn parhau i fod yr hyn a ddywedodd Cymdeithas Feddygol Prydain yn y British Medical Journal yn ddiweddar—GIG Cymru yw'r agosaf o hyd at ysbryd sefydlu Aneurin Bevan o unrhyw GIG yn y Deyrnas Unedig.
First Minister, that same freedom of information disclosure also revealed that some of these management consultants in north Wales are being paid up to £1,000 a day, which is more than most nurses earn in a week. Now, let me present one more sobering statistic that points to your mismanagement of the NHS in north Wales: PwC are being engaged by you to cut costs—or, as it's euphemistically known, to find efficiency savings. You put them on a pay-as-you-cut contract that will see 11 per cent of any so-called saving paid back to them in a bonus. Now, don't you agree with Unison, which said over the identical practice in England, that instead of filling the pockets of management consultants, this money could have been better spent improving services for patients? When are you going to stop doing in Wales what your party is promising to stop in this election in the country next door?
Prif Weinidog, datgelodd yr un datgeliad rhyddid gwybodaeth hwnnw hefyd bod rhai o'r ymgynghorwyr rheoli hyn yn y gogledd yn cael eu talu hyd at £1,000 y dydd, sy'n fwy nag y mae'r rhan fwyaf o nyrsys yn ei ennill mewn wythnos. Nawr, gadewch i mi gyflwyno un ystadegyn difrifol arall sy'n tynnu sylw at eich camreolaeth o'r GIG yn y gogledd: Mae PwC yn cael eu cyflogi gennych chi i dorri costau—neu, fel y'i hadnabyddir yn llednais, i ddod o hyd i arbedion effeithlonrwydd. Rydych chi'n eu rhoi nhw ar gontract talu wrth dorri a fydd yn golygu bod 11 y cant o unrhyw arbediad honedig yn cael ei dalu'n ôl iddyn nhw mewn bonws. Nawr, onid ydych chi'n cytuno ag Unsain, a ddywedodd am yr un arfer yn Lloegr, yn hytrach na llenwi pocedi ymgynghorwyr rheoli, y gellid bod wedi gwario'r arian hwn yn well ar wella gwasanaethau i gleifion? Pryd ydych chi'n mynd i roi'r gorau i wneud yng Nghymru yr hyn y mae eich plaid yn addo rhoi terfyn arno yn yr etholiad hwn yn y wlad drws nesaf?
Llywydd, this Government invests record amounts of money in our health services. The rise in investment in the health service in Wales last year was faster than in any other part of the United Kingdom. In return, we expect our health boards to manage that money with the best possible result, because that is the result that Welsh patients expect. And while the NHS in Wales is in our hands, then patients in Wales know that, here, they go on having free prescriptions, here, we have nurse bursaries. We don't need, as his party does—they put in their manifesto that they're going to restore something that they were responsible for cutting. Here, we never cut it at all. Here, patients have free parking in their hospitals. We don't need to put it in our manifesto here, because Welsh patients already have that.
Welsh patients understand, Llywydd. Welsh patients in north Wales understand—Welsh patients in north Wales understand that this Labour Government invests in providing them with a service of the sort that they recognise. Satisfaction rates in the north Wales NHS went up last year in both primary and secondary care. The leader of Plaid Cymru thinks that he's clever to shout at me about his question. What his question does is what he does as he trails around the television studios, which is to run down Wales. His party, the party of parts of Wales, those parts that they think it's worth putting up candidates to vote for them—his partial response in that area is typical of his response altogether. The Welsh NHS is safe in the hands of the Labour Party, recognised by patients across Wales, in north Wales, and in every part of Wales.
Llywydd, mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn buddsoddi'r symiau mwyaf erioed o arian yn ein gwasanaethau iechyd. Roedd y cynnydd i fuddsoddiad yn y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru y llynedd yn gyflymach nag mewn unrhyw ran arall o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Yn gyfnewid am hynny, rydym ni'n disgwyl i'n byrddau iechyd reoli'r arian hwnnw gyda'r canlyniad gorau posibl, oherwydd dyna'r canlyniad y mae cleifion Cymru yn ei ddisgwyl. A thra bo'r GIG yng Nghymru yn ein dwylo ni, yna bydd cleifion yng Nghymru yn gwybod, yma, y byddant yn parhau i gael presgripsiynau am ddim, yma, bod gennym ni fwrsariaethau nyrsys. Nid oes arnom ni angen, fel y mae ei blaid ef—maen nhw'n dweud yn eu maniffesto nhw eu bod nhw'n mynd i ailgyflwyno rhywbeth yr oedden nhw'n gyfrifol am ei dorri. Yma, nid ydym byth yn torri o gwbl. Yma, caiff cleifion barcio am ddim yn eu hysbytai. Nid oes angen i ni ei roi yn ein maniffesto yma, oherwydd mae hynny gan gleifion Cymru eisoes.
Mae cleifion Cymru yn deall, Llywydd. Mae cleifion Cymru yn y gogledd yn deall—mae cleifion Cymru yn y gogledd yn deall bod y Llywodraeth Lafur hon yn buddsoddi er mwyn darparu gwasanaeth iddyn nhw o'r math y maen nhw'n ei gydnabod. Cynyddodd cyfraddau bodlonrwydd yn GIG y gogledd y llynedd ym meysydd gofal sylfaenol ac eilaidd. Mae arweinydd Plaid Cymru yn meddwl ei fod yn glyfar yn gweiddi arnaf i am ei gwestiwn. Yr hyn y mae ei gwestiwn yn ei wneud yw'r hyn y mae ef yn ei wneud wrth iddo fynd o amgylch y stiwdios teledu, sef bychanu Cymru. Mae ei blaid, plaid rhannau o Gymru, y rhannau hynny y maen nhw'n credu ei bod hi'n werth cyflwyno ymgeiswyr i bleidleisio drostynt—mae ei ymateb rhannol yn y maes hwnnw yn nodweddiadol o'i ymateb yn gyffredinol. Mae GIG Cymru yn ddiogel yn nwylo'r Blaid Lafur, a gydnabyddir gan gleifion ledled Cymru, yn y gogledd, ac ym mhob rhan o Gymru.
Arweinydd Plaid Brexit, Mark Reckless.
Leader of the Brexit Party, Mark Reckless.
First Minister, you and the Welsh Government have been influential as your party's policy on the EU referendum has evolved from saying you would respect it to doing the reverse. You claim the second referendum you want, because you don't like the result of the first, would be between a credible 'leave' option and 'remain'. Can you confirm that what you call a credible 'leave' option would be remaining in the EU customs union, remaining part of the EU's single market and remaining subject to the EU's freedom of movement? Wouldn't that be a rigged referendum between 'remain' and 'remain'?
Prif Weinidog, rydych chi a Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn ddylanwadol gan fod polisi eich plaid ar refferendwm yr UE wedi esblygu o ddweud y byddech chi'n ei barchu i wneud y gwrthwyneb. Rydych chi'n honni y byddai'r ail refferendwm yr ydych chi ei eisiau, gan nad ydych chi'n hoffi canlyniad y cyntaf, rhwng y dewis o 'adael' credadwy ac 'aros'. A allwch chi gadarnhau y byddai'r hyn yr ydych chi'n ei alw'n ddewis o 'adael' credadwy yn golygu aros yn undeb tollau'r UE, aros yn rhan o farchnad sengl yr UE ac yn parhau i fod yn destun rhyddid i symud yr UE? Oni fyddai hwnnw'n refferendwm caeth rhwng 'aros' ac 'aros'?
I thank the Member for his question. He is a guide to us on the evolution of political positions, having evolved his way around this Chamber a number of times. Of course, he believes that nobody else should be allowed to change their mind, while he changes his mind with significant regularity.
In a referendum, and the only way, Llywydd, that people in Wales will ever get to have a second referendum is by voting Labour on Thursday—in that second referendum, there will be a viable 'leave' option offered to people, in which we will—to the regret of many of us. If we were to do that, we would have left the political institutions of the European Union, we would no longer be members of the European Union, but we would not do it in a way that guarantees damage to our economy, to jobs, to our future prospects.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn. Mae'n dywysydd i ni ar esblygiad swyddi gwleidyddol, gan ei fod wedi esblygu ei ffordd o gwmpas y Siambr hon nifer o weithiau. Wrth gwrs, mae'n credu na ddylid caniatáu i neb arall newid eu meddwl, er ei fod ef yn newid ei feddwl gyda rheoleidd-dra sylweddol.
Mewn refferendwm, a'r unig ffordd, Llywydd, y bydd pobl yng Nghymru byth yn cael ail refferendwm yw drwy bleidleisio dros y Blaid Lafur ddydd Iau—yn yr ail refferendwm hwnnw, bydd dewis 'gadael' ymarferol yn cael ei gynnig i bobl, pryd y byddwn yn gwneud hynny—er y bydd llawer ohonom yn ei resynu. Pe byddem ni'n gwneud hynny, byddem ni wedi gadael sefydliadau gwleidyddol yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, ni fyddem yn aelodau o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd mwyach, ond ni fyddem yn ei wneud mewn ffordd sy'n sicrhau niwed i'n heconomi, i swyddi, i'n rhagolygon ar gyfer y dyfodol.
First Minister, I've always backed Brexit, as you try to block Brexit as well as looking to rig the question for a second referendum. Has Welsh Government led the way for your party to rig the franchise? You lost your majority at the last Assembly election and you continue to lose traditional support. Rather than listening, learning and changing your policies, you've instead decided to follow East Germany's Bertolt Brecht by changing the electorate. Can you confirm that UK Labour—[Interruption.] Can you confirm that UK Labour is following the Welsh Government here too? As you lost on the current franchise, would your rigged referendum give the vote to 16-year-olds, EU nationals and prisoners?
Prif Weinidog, rwyf i wedi cefnogi Brexit erioed, wrth i chi geisio atal Brexit yn ogystal â cheisio rigio'r cwestiwn ar gyfer ail refferendwm. A yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi arwain y ffordd i'ch plaid rigio'r etholfraint? Fe wnaethoch chi golli eich mwyafrif yn etholiad diwethaf y Cynulliad ac rydych chi'n parhau i golli cefnogaeth draddodiadol. Yn hytrach na gwrando, dysgu a newid eich polisïau, rydych chi wedi penderfynu yn hytrach dilyn Bertolt Brecht o Ddwyrain yr Almaen drwy newid yr etholaeth. A allwch chi gadarnhau bod Llafur y DU—[Torri ar draws.] A allwch chi gadarnhau bod Llafur y DU yn dilyn Llywodraeth Cymru yn hyn o beth hefyd? Oherwydd i chi golli ar sail yr etholfraint bresennol, a fyddai eich refferendwm gaeth yn rhoi'r bleidlais i bobl 16 oed, gwladolion yr UE a charcharorion?
Llywydd, I tried to listen hard to the question because I really wasn't following it at all. Where is the Member correct? He's correct in this: only a vote for the Labour Party will put this deeply divisive decision back in the hands of the people, where we believe it belongs. In that referendum, the party and the Government that I lead will campaign to remain, as we're entitled to do. Just as he will campaign to persuade people to leave, we will campaign to persuade people that our future is better off in the European Union. Do I think that 16-year-olds should have a vote in that election? I certainly do, because it is their future and the future of young people and the future of generations to come that would be at stake in such a referendum. Those young people deserve a chance to make their voice heard, to be persuaded by him or by me, because it is their future that will be at stake in any such choice.
Llywydd, ceisiais wrando'n astud ar y cwestiwn gan nad oeddwn i'n ei ddeall o gwbl mewn gwirionedd. Ble mae'r Aelod yn gywir? Mae'n gywir yn hyn o beth: dim ond pleidlais dros y Blaid Lafur fydd yn rhoi'r penderfyniad hynod rwygol hwn yn ôl yn nwylo'r bobl, lle'r ydym ni'n credu y dylai fod. Yn y refferendwm hwnnw, bydd y blaid a'r Llywodraeth yr wyf i'n eu harwain yn ymgyrchu i aros, fel y mae gennym ni'r hawl i'w wneud. Yn union fel y bydd ef yn ymgyrchu i berswadio pobl i adael, byddwn ni'n ymgyrchu i berswadio pobl bod ein dyfodol yn well yn yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. A wyf i'n credu y dylai pobl ifanc 16 oed gael pleidlais yn yr etholiad hwnnw? Ydw'n sicr, oherwydd eu dyfodol nhw a dyfodol pobl ifanc a chenedlaethau'r dyfodol i ddod a fyddai yn y fantol mewn refferendwm o'r fath. Mae'r bobl ifanc hynny'n haeddu cyfle i leisio eu barn, i gael eu perswadio ganddo ef neu gennyf i, oherwydd eu dyfodol nhw fydd yn y fantol mewn unrhyw ddewis o'r fath.
4. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi staff yn y GIG yng Nghymru? OAQ54812
4. How is the Welsh Government supporting staff in the Welsh NHS? OAQ54812
Llywydd, the Welsh Government supports NHS staff through increased professional education and training, prioritising recruitment and retention and taking action to ensure that health and well-being is valued and protected in the workplace.
Llywydd, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi staff y GIG trwy fwy o addysg a hyfforddiant proffesiynol, blaenoriaethu recriwtio a chadw a chymryd camau i sicrhau bod iechyd a llesiant yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi a'u diogelu yn y gweithle.
Thank you. Well, last week, nearly four years after the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016 received Royal Assent, your health Minister issued a short statement stating only that the all-Wales nurse staffing programme is driving the exploratory work of extending the 2016 Act. At the end of last month, the Royal College of Nursing in Wales launched its progress and challenge report on the implementation of the Act, which said that the nursing workforce in Wales is facing a national crisis: the high number of vacancies, estimated by them at around 1,600 minimum, are compounded by greater shortages in the care home sector and the prospect of significant losses to retirement over the next five to 10 years. How, therefore, does the Welsh Government—do you—respond to the questions they posed for the Welsh Government in the context of north Wales? How are the special measures arrangements for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board monitoring and supporting the board to be compliant with the Act? Will you increase student nursing numbers, as the health board has requested, and will you support the placement of non-commissioned student nurses from Glyndŵr University, as the health board has requested?
Diolch. Wel, yr wythnos diwethaf, bron i bedair blynedd ar ôl i Ddeddf Lefelau Staff Nyrsio (Cymru) 2016 gael Cydsyniad Brenhinol, cyhoeddodd eich Gweinidog iechyd ddatganiad cryno yn datgan mai dim ond rhaglen staff nyrsio Cymru gyfan sy'n sbarduno'r gwaith archwiliadol o ymestyn Deddf 2016. Ddiwedd y mis diwethaf, lansiodd Coleg Brenhinol y Nyrsys yng Nghymru ei adroddiad cynnydd a her ar weithredu'r Ddeddf, a ddywedodd bod y gweithlu nyrsio yng Nghymru yn wynebu argyfwng cenedlaethol: gwaethygir nifer uchel y swyddi gwag, yr amcangyfrifwyd ganddyn nhw i fod o leiaf 1,600, gan fwy o brinder yn y sector cartrefi gofal a'r posibilrwydd o golledion sylweddol i ymddeoliad yn ystod y pum i 10 mlynedd nesaf. Sut, felly, mae Llywodraeth Cymru—ydych chi—yn ymateb i'r cwestiynau a ofynnwyd ganddyn nhw i Lywodraeth Cymru yng nghyd-destun y gogledd? Sut mae'r trefniadau mesurau arbennig ar gyfer Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr yn monitro ac yn cynorthwyo'r bwrdd i gydymffurfio â'r Ddeddf? A wnewch chi gynyddu nifer y myfyrwyr dan hyfforddiant, fel y mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi gofyn i chi ei wneud, ac a wnewch chi gefnogi lleoli nyrsys dan hyfforddiant nad ydynt wedi'u comisiynu o Brifysgol Glyndŵr, fel y mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi gofyn i chi ei wneud?
I thank the Member for the question. I attended the RCN event to celebrate the passing onto the statute book of the safe nurse staffing Act here in Wales and everything that has been done since to make sure that there are the right number of nurses in the right set of circumstances on every ward. They welcomed the fact that the Minister is progressing to make the impact of that Act felt in new settings. I spoke with many nurses that evening, Llywydd. I spoke particularly to a group of nurses from north Wales, who told me how much more difficult their lives are made by the persistent criticisms of that board, particularly from members of the party opposite—how that does make it more difficult to recruit and retain people in that health board. [Interruption.] Those are the words of nurses talking to me. I'm just telling you what they said about your party and its impact on their daily working lives.
Here, in the Welsh Government, we have increased nurse training places by 89 per cent since we began our six-year journey of increasing every single year the amount of investment that we make in the training of medical and professions allied to medicine here in Wales. We deal every day with the impact that Brexit is having— another party policy of his party—particularly an impact in north Wales, where staff that were recruited to come and work here in Wales from the Republic of Ireland and Spain have felt the chill of his party's Brexit rhetoric and have decided to make their futures elsewhere rather than here in Wales. And that is particularly the case, Llywydd, in the care home sector to which the Member made reference in his question. The impact of Brexit in our care home sector, whether that is in nurses who are qualified, whether it's in care home staff, will be real and felt in the lives of people here in Wales.
We go on doing everything we can through our 'Train. Work. Live.' programme and everything else to make sure that we have the staff we need here in the Welsh health service. It's not helped by many of the things that we get told on the floor of this Assembly by him and his party.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn. Roeddwn i yn bresennol mewn digwyddiad Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol i ddathlu pasio'r Ddeddf staff nyrsio diogel i'r llyfr statud yma yng Nghymru a phopeth a wnaed ers hynny i wneud yn siŵr bod y nifer briodol o nyrsys o dan yr amgylchiadau priodol ar bob ward. Croesawyd ganddynt y ffaith fod y Gweinidog yn symud ymlaen i sicrhau bod effaith y Ddeddf honno'n cael ei theimlo mewn lleoliadau newydd. Siaradais â llawer o nyrsys ar y noson honno, Llywydd. Siaradais yn arbennig â grŵp o nyrsys o'r gogledd, a ddywedodd wrthyf gymaint yn anoddach y mae eu bywydau'n cael eu gwneud gan y beirniadu parhaus o'r bwrdd hwnnw, yn enwedig gan aelodau'r blaid gyferbyn—sut y mae hynny'n ei gwneud yn fwy anodd recriwtio a chadw pobl yn y bwrdd iechyd hwnnw. [Torri ar draws.] Dyna eiriau nyrsys yn siarad â mi. Y cwbl yr wyf i'n ei wneud yw dweud wrthych chi yr hyn a ddywedasant am eich plaid chi a'i heffaith ar eu bywydau gwaith beunyddiol.
Yma, yn Llywodraeth Cymru, rydym ni wedi cynyddu nifer y lleoedd hyfforddi nyrsys gan 89 y cant ers i ni ddechrau ein taith chwe blynedd o gynyddu pob un flwyddyn faint o fuddsoddiad yr ydym ni'n ei wneud mewn hyfforddi meddygon a phroffesiynau perthynol i feddygaeth yma yng Nghymru. Rydym ni'n ymdrin bob dydd â'r effaith y mae Brexit yn ei chael—un o bolisïau eraill ei blaid ef—ac effaith ar y gogledd yn arbennig, lle mae staff a recriwtiwyd i weithio yma yng Nghymru o Weriniaeth Iwerddon a Sbaen wedi teimlo oerfel rhethreg Brexit ei blaid ac wedi penderfynu gwneud eu dyfodol mewn mannau eraill yn hytrach nag yma yng Nghymru. Ac mae hynny'n arbennig o wir, Llywydd, yn y sector cartrefi gofal y cyfeiriodd yr Aelod ato yn ei gwestiwn. Bydd effaith Brexit yn ein sector cartrefi gofal, boed hynny'n nyrsys cymwysedig, boed yn staff cartrefi gofal, yn wirioneddol ac yn cael ei theimlo ym mywydau pobl yma yng Nghymru.
Rydym ni'n mynd ati i wneud popeth y gallwn drwy ein rhaglen 'Hyfforddi. Gweithio. Byw.' a phopeth arall i wneud yn siŵr bod gennym ni'r staff sydd eu hangen arnom ni yma yng ngwasanaeth iechyd Cymru. Nid yw'n cael ei helpu gan lawer o'r pethau a ddywedir wrthym ni ar lawr y Cynulliad hwn ganddo ef a'i blaid.
I'm sure the First Minister will agree with me that one of the key factors for any workforce to feel safe and supported is if they feel that there are proper systems in place to enable them to effectively raise concerns if they see something that they feel is wrong, if they see practices that they don't feel are safe, if they see that there are practices that they don't feel are respectful and effective. I'm sure the First Minister will be aware that there are concerns that our current practices here in Wales are not sufficiently independent, and those concerns are raised by both parents and families and also by professional organisations. Can the First Minister say whether or not he is convinced that we are putting the right steps in place here in Wales to ensure that staff can be supported when they raise concerns, and will he undertake to have a further discussions with the Minister for Health and Social Services to reassure himself that there is no more that we can do to ensure that concerns are raised safely—more that we can do and are not currently doing?
Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi mai un o'r ffactorau allweddol i unrhyw weithlu deimlo'n ddiogel a'u bod yn cael cefnogaeth yw os byddan nhw'n teimlo bod systemau priodol ar waith i ganiatáu iddyn nhw godi pryderon yn effeithiol os byddan nhw'n gweld rhywbeth y maen nhw'n teimlo sy'n anghywir, os byddan nhw'n gweld arferion nad ydyn nhw'n teimlo sy'n ddiogel, os byddan nhw'n gweld bod arferion nad ydyn nhw'n teimlo sy'n dangos parch ac yn effeithiol. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y Prif Weinidog yn ymwybodol bod pryderon nad yw ein harferion presennol yma yng Nghymru yn ddigon annibynnol, a chaiff y pryderon hynny eu codi gan rieni a theuluoedd a hefyd gan sefydliadau proffesiynol. A all y Prif Weinidog ddweud pa un a yw wedi ei argyhoeddi ai peidio ein bod ni'n rhoi'r camau cywir ar waith yma yng Nghymru i sicrhau y gellir cynorthwyo staff pan eu bod yn codi pryderon, ac a wnaiff ef ymrwymo i gael trafodaethau pellach gyda'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol i dawelu ei feddwl ei hun nad oes mwy y gallwn ni ei wneud i sicrhau bod pryderon yn cael eu codi'n ddiogel—mwy y gallwn ni ei wneud ac nad ydym ni'n ei wneud ar hyn o bryd?
Well, I entirely agree, Llywydd, with what Helen Mary Jones has said about the importance of a culture in our public services and in the health service that people who have concerns know that, when those concerns are raised, they will be listened to respectfully; they will be regarded as having the expertise that people who work in the services at the front line have, when they see things that they believe are going wrong or could be done in a better way. When I was the health Minister working with Vaughan Gething, we jointly commissioned Keith Evans to produce the 'Using the Gift of Complaints' report. Keith Evans, as you know, was a very senior executive in Panasonic and he brought to the NHS that sense of how, if someone has taken the trouble—whether it's a member of staff or a patient, if they have taken the trouble to let you know about their experience and how they think things should be put right, you should regard that not as a complaint to be worried about, but as a gift that that person is making to you, because it is their contribution. As people tell you time after time in Wales, if they take such an action, it's in order to make sure that somebody else doesn't experience something that they have seen or they themselves have gone through. And of course we keep that under review. We're going to be reviewing the 'Putting Things Right' policy over the coming months, and the health Minister and I regularly discuss ways in which we can do what we can to create the sort of culture to which Helen Mary Jones referred.
Wel, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr, Llywydd, â'r hyn y mae Helen Mary Jones wedi ei ddweud am bwysigrwydd diwylliant yn ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac yn y gwasanaeth iechyd bod pobl sydd â phryderon yn gwybod, pan fydd y pryderon hynny'n cael eu codi, y byddan nhw'n cael gwrandawiad parchus; byddan nhw'n cael eu hystyried fel rhai sydd â'r arbenigedd sydd gan bobl sy'n gweithio yn y gwasanaethau rheng flaen, pan eu bod nhw'n gweld pethau y maen nhw'n credu sy'n mynd o chwith neu y gellid eu gwneud mewn ffordd well. Pan oeddwn i'n Weinidog iechyd yn gweithio gyda Vaughan Gething, comisiynwyd Keith Evans ar y cyd gennym i lunio'r adroddiad 'Defnyddio Cwynion yn Rhodd'. Roedd Keith Evans, fel y gwyddoch, yn weithredwr uchel iawn yn Panasonic a daeth gydag ef i'r GIG y synnwyr hwnnw o sut, os oes rhywun wedi mynd i'r drafferth—boed yn aelod o staff neu'n glaf, os yw wedi mynd i'r drafferth i roi gwybod i chi am ei brofiad a sut y mae'n meddwl y dylai pethau gael eu cywiro, na ddylech ystyried hynny fel cwyn i boeni amdani, ond fel rhodd y mae'r person hwnnw'n ei wneud i chi, oherwydd dyna yw ei gyfraniad ef. Fel y mae pobl yn dweud wrthych chi dro ar ôl tro yng Nghymru, os ydyn nhw yn cymryd camau o'r fath, mae er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr nad oes rhywun arall yn dioddef rhywbeth y maen nhw wedi ei weld neu y maen nhw eu hunain wedi cael profiad ohono. Ac wrth gwrs rydym ni'n parhau i adolygu hynny. Byddwn yn adolygu'r polisi 'Gweithio i Wella' yn ystod y misoedd nesaf, ac mae'r Gweinidog iechyd a minnau yn trafod yn rheolaidd ffyrdd y gallwn ni wneud yr hyn a allwn ni i greu'r math o ddiwylliant y cyfeiriodd Helen Mary Jones ato.
First Minister, we all know the pressure the NHS staff are under, especially at this time of year. Another Christmas and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board remains still under special measures. Will the north Wales health board still be under your Government's control and supervision next Christmas?
Prif Weinidog, rydym ni i gyd yn ymwybodol o'r pwysau sydd ar staff y GIG, yn enwedig ar yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn. Mae'n Nadolig eto ac mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr yn dal i fod yn destun mesurau arbennig. A fydd bwrdd iechyd gogledd Cymru yn dal i fod o dan reolaeth a goruchwyliaeth eich Llywodraeth chi y Nadolig nesaf?
Well, I'll answer that question this time next year, Llywydd.
Wel, fe atebaf y cwestiwn hwnnw yr adeg yma y flwyddyn nesaf, Llywydd.
5. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'u cael gyda'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ynghylch lleihau amseroedd aros am lawdriniaeth i drin canser y pancreas? OAQ54849
5. What discussions has the First Minister had with the Minister for Health and Social Services about reducing waiting times for surgery to treat pancreatic cancer? OAQ54849
Llywydd, I thank the Member for that. The Minister for Health and Social Services has made a commitment to consider the introduction of a rapid access model to treat pancreatic cancer. Discussion of these matters has already been held with the Wales Cancer Network.
Llywydd, diolchaf i'r Aelod am hynna. Mae'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol wedi gwneud ymrwymiad i ystyried cyflwyno model mynediad cyflym i drin canser pancreatig. Cynhaliwyd trafodaeth ar y materion hyn eisoes gyda Rhwydwaith Canser Cymru.
Thank you, First Minister. Following our very well-supported cross-party debate on this, I was contacted last week by a lady who'd just had a diagnosis last week of pancreatic cancer, but had been told she would have to wait two months for surgery. She was upset and shocked by that. Her husband was understandably very angry and I really felt for both of them, because we know that pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers and really needs to be treated within 21 days. I'm very grateful for the update that you've just provided and that you are already taking action following the debate that we held here, but what assurances can you give that, in the interim, while we look at that rapid access issue, we also look at urgently commissioning operations across the border in England for patients who are well enough to be able to make that journey to have their operation in a timely way?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Yn dilyn ein dadl drawsbleidiol ar hyn, a gefnogwyd yn dda, cysylltodd menyw â mi yr wythnos diwethaf a oedd newydd gael diagnosis yr wythnos diwethaf o ganser pancreatig, ond dywedwyd wrthi y byddai'n rhaid iddi aros dau fis am lawdriniaeth. Fe wnaeth hynny beri gofid a syndod mawr iddi. Yn ddealladwy, roedd ei gŵr yn ddig iawn ac roeddwn i'n cydymdeimlo â'r ddau ohonyn nhw, gan ein bod ni'n gwybod bod canser pancreatig yn un o'r canserau mwyaf angheuol a bod angen ei drin o fewn 21 diwrnod mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y diweddariad yr ydych chi newydd ei roi a'ch bod chi eisoes yn cymryd camau yn dilyn y ddadl a gynhaliwyd gennym yn y fan yma, ond pa sicrwydd allwch chi ei roi, yn y cyfamser, tra ein bod ni'n edrych ar y mater mynediad cyflym hwnnw, ein bod ni hefyd yn edrych ar frys ar gomisiynu llawdriniaethau dros y ffin yn Lloegr i gleifion sy'n ddigon iach i allu cyflawni'r daith honno i gael eu llawdriniaeth yn brydlon?
I thank Lynne Neagle for that supplementary question. Of course, she is right that pancreatic cancer is one of the cruellest of cancers, that early diagnosis of it is particularly difficult because of the vague symptoms, as they call it in the clinical world, that it tends to present with. She will know as well that, even when early diagnosis is possible, a significant proportion of patients who are suitable for surgery also have jaundice at that point in the illness' path, which has to be treated before the surgery can take place. So, there are some real clinical challenges in dealing with pancreatic cancer through surgery.
So, we've got two issues to deal with here in Wales, Llywydd. There is the current pathway to which Lynne Neagle referred—and she'll be pleased, I know, that Swansea Bay University Local Health Board is aiming to recruit a fourth pancreatic surgeon to increase operating theatre capacity from two all-day sessions at present to three all-day sessions in the future, that they're expanding their clinical nurse specialist workforce at the same time. While that is happening, they are already referring patients across our border to capacity elsewhere, and patients from Wales who have been offered surgery, for example, at King's College Hospital in London—patients have already accepted this offer and undergone surgery there. So, there is work to do and more work to do in making sure that the current pathway works to the maximum extent and then there is—as I know the Member discussed during the debate that we held here just a week or so ago—the latest advice from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, producing an evidence appraisal earlier this year so that surgery can be offered more quickly to patients whose cancer is detected at the earliest stage. That is the discussion that has already been held with the Wales Cancer Network since that debate took place. The Minister is meeting next week with the Wales Cancer Alliance and the UK pancreatic cancer charity is part of that alliance. They have been very supportive of the single cancer pathway that we've developed in Wales and we will now we be looking to see ways in which that latest NICE advice can be incorporated into the way that that single cancer pathway is being developed.
Diolchaf i Lynne Neagle am y cwestiwn atodol yna. Wrth gwrs, mae ni'n iawn bodi canser pancreatig yn un o'r canserau mwyaf creulon, bod diagnosis cynnar yn arbennig o anodd oherwydd y symptomau amwys, fel y maen nhw'n eu galw yn y byd clinigol, y mae'n tueddu i'w cyflwyno. Bydd yn gwybod hefyd, hyd yn oed pan fydd diagnosis cynnar yn bosibl, bod cyfran sylweddol o gleifion sy'n addas ar gyfer llawdriniaeth hefyd wedi cael clwyf melyn ar y pwynt hwnnw ar lwybr y salwch, y mae'n rhaid ei drin cyn y gellir cynnal y llawdriniaeth. Felly, ceir rhai heriau clinigol gwirioneddol wrth ymdrin â chanser pancreatig drwy lawdriniaeth.
Felly, mae gennym ni ddau fater i ymdrin â nhw yma yng Nghymru, Llywydd. Ceir y llwybr presennol y cyfeiriodd Lynne Neagle ato—a bydd yn falch, rwy'n gwybod, bod Bwrdd Iechyd Lleol Prifysgol Bae Abertawe yn bwriadu recriwtio pedwerydd llawfeddyg pancreatig i gynyddu capasiti theatr llawdriniaeth o ddwy sesiwn drwy'r dydd ar hyn o bryd i dair sesiwn drwy'r dydd yn y dyfodol, a'u bod nhw'n ehangu eu gweithlu nyrsio arbenigol clinigol ar yr un pryd. Tra bod hynny'n digwydd, maen nhw eisoes yn atgyfeirio cleifion ar draws ein ffin i gapasiti mewn mannau eraill, ac mae cleifion o Gymru sydd wedi cael cynnig llawdriniaeth, er enghraifft, yn ysbyty King's College yn Llundain—mae cleifion eisoes wedi derbyn y cynnig hwn ac wedi cael llawdriniaeth yno. Felly, mae gwaith i'w wneud a mwy o waith i'w wneud i sicrhau bod y llwybr presennol yn gweithio i'r eithaf ac yna ceir—fel y gwn y trafododd yr Aelod yn ystod y ddadl a gynhaliwyd gennym ni yn y fan yma dim ond rhyw wythnos yn ôl—y cyngor diweddaraf gan y Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal, a luniodd werthusiad tystiolaeth yn gynharach eleni fel y gellir cynnig llawdriniaeth yn gyflymach i gleifion y canfyddir eu canser ar y cam cynharaf. Dyna'r drafodaeth a gynhaliwyd eisoes gyda Rhwydwaith Canser Cymru ers i'r ddadl honno gael ei chynnal. Mae'r Gweinidog yn cyfarfod yr wythnos nesaf gyda Chynghrair Canser Cymru ac mae elusen canser pancreatig y DU yn rhan o'r gynghrair honno. Maen nhw wedi bod yn gefnogol iawn o'r llwybr canser sengl yr ydym ni wedi ei ddatblygu yng Nghymru a byddwn ni'n chwilio am ffyrdd nawr y gellir ymgorffori'r cyngor diweddaraf hwnnw gan NICE yn y ffordd y mae'r llwybr canser sengl hwnnw'n cael ei ddatblygu.
First Minister, Pancreatic Cancer UK has said it's
'disappointing to see the Welsh Government refusing to acknowledge the fact that pancreatic cancer is a cancer emergency when other UK Governments have accepted the need to act faster when there is a clinical need'.
Now, I do welcome what you've just said, because it does seem quite a change in emphasis in terms of rapid access to surgery, but it's a general approach that we need, because this is a relatively common cancer and the prognosis remains really very disappointing, whereas, in the last 40 years, many other common cancers have increased the survival time and the chance, indeed, of going into permanent remission. That's what we need, and I do hope that this is the first step you're making to really focus on pancreatic cancer so that it is brought to the same sort of level that we have, in fairness, achieved for other common cancers.
Prif Weinidog, mae Pancreatic Cancer UK wedi dweud ei fod yn
siomedig o weld Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwrthod cydnabod y ffaith bod canser pancreatig yn argyfwng canser pan fo Llywodraethau eraill y DU wedi derbyn yr angen i weithredu'n gyflymach pan fo angen clinigol.
Nawr, rwyf yn croesawu'r hyn yr ydych chi newydd ei ddweud, gan ei fod yn ymddangos yn newid pwyslais sylweddol o ran mynediad cyflym at lawdriniaeth, ond dull cyffredinol sydd ei angen arnom ni, gan fod hwn yn ganser cymharol gyffredin ac mae'r prognosis yn parhau i fod yn siomedig iawn, tra, yn ystod y 40 mlynedd diwethaf, bod llawer o ganserau cyffredin eraill wedi cynyddu'r amser a'r siawns o oroesi, yn wir, o ollyngdod parhaol. Dyna sydd ei angen arnom ni, ac rwy'n gobeithio mai dyma'r cam cyntaf yr ydych chi'n ei wneud i ganolbwyntio'n wirioneddol ar ganser pancreatig fel ei fod yn cael ei dynnu i'r un math o lefel ag yr ydym ni, a bod yn deg, wedi ei gyflawni ar gyfer canserau cyffredin eraill.
I thank the Member for that. The Welsh Government absolutely does recognise the significance of pancreatic cancer and the challenge that is faced in providing successful treatment for it. In the middle of the first decade of devolution, survival rates at one year for pancreatic cancer in Wales were 18 per cent. In the middle of this decade, they were 28 per cent. Now, 28 per cent is still at the bottom end of what other cancers are able to achieve, but it's nonetheless a 10 per cent increase in one-year survival rates within a decade. And if you are able to detect pancreatic cancer at stage 1, then the one-year survival rates are higher than 60 per cent. So, we do know that where we are able to get an early response to pancreatic cancer, there are successful things that can be done. The challenge lies, as I said in my answer to Lynne Neagle, as we know, in making that early diagnosis, because the symptoms aren't easy to detect and they are masked because they look like they might be a different condition.
We've done enormous things in Wales over the last five years to increase the early diagnosis of cancer. Llywydd, of 100 patients who are referred by a GP as having suspected cancer, 93 of them turn out not to have cancer at all. But the reason that that is a good thing is that it demonstrates that we have widened the number of people coming in to the system in order to get that maximum chance of the earliest possible diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer is not the easiest cancer by any means to make that work and we now know that where you can make it work, surgical interventions have a more important part to play. We go on being determined to work with our cancer network here in Wales to improve early detection and diagnosis and then to put in place the services that respond to that with the maximum clinical effectiveness.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am hynna. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn llwyr gydnabod arwyddocâd canser pancreatig a'r her a wynebir o ran darparu triniaeth lwyddiannus ar ei gyfer. Yng nghanol degawd cyntaf datganoli, roedd cyfraddau goroesi ar ôl blwyddyn ar gyfer canser pancreatig yng Nghymru yn 18 y cant. Yng nghanol y degawd hwn, roedden nhw'n 28 y cant. Nawr, mae 28 y cant yn dal i fod ar ben isaf yr hyn y gall canserau eraill ei gyflawni, ond serch hynny mae'n gynnydd o 10 y cant i gyfraddau goroesi am flwyddyn o fewn degawd. Ac os gallwch chi ganfod canser pancreatig yng nghyfnod 1, yna mae'r cyfraddau goroesi am flwyddyn yn uwch na 60 y cant. Felly, rydym ni'n gwybod, lle'r ydym ni'n gallu cael ymateb cynnar i ganser pancreatig, bod pethau llwyddiannus y gellir eu gwneud. Yr her, fel y dywedais yn fy ateb i Lynne Neagle, fel y gwyddom, yw gwneud diagnosis cynnar, oherwydd nid yw'r symptomau'n hawdd eu canfod ac maen nhw wedi eu cuddio gan eu bod nhw'n edrych fel y gallen nhw fod yn gyflwr gwahanol.
Rydym ni wedi gwneud pethau anferthol yng Nghymru dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf i gynyddu'r diagnosis cynnar o ganser. Llywydd, o 100 o gleifion sy'n cael eu hatgyfeirio gan feddyg teulu gyda chanser tybiedig, canfyddir yn y pen draw nad oes gan 93 ohonyn nhw ganser o gwbl. Ond y rheswm y mae hynny'n beth da yw ei fod yn dangos ein bod ni wedi cynyddu nifer y bobl sy'n dod i mewn i'r system i gael y siawns mwyaf posibl hwnnw o'r diagnosis cynharaf posibl. Nid canser pancreatig yw'r canser rhwyddaf o bell ffordd i wneud i hynny weithio ac rydym ni'n gwybod erbyn hyn, lle gallwch wneud iddo weithio, bod gan ymyraethau llawfeddygol ran bwysicach i'w chwarae. Rydym ni'n parhau i fod yn benderfynol o weithio gyda'n rhwydwaith canser yma yng Nghymru i wella canfyddiad a diagnosis cynnar ac yna i roi'r gwasanaethau ar waith sy'n ymateb i hynny gyda'r effeithiolrwydd clinigol mwyaf posibl.
I accept what the First Minister said in the sober and serious answers that he has given to earlier questions, and in contrast very effectively with the pantomime that we had at the beginning of questions today. The fact remains that Wales does have one of the lowest cancer survival rates in the world amongst countries of comparable data. For surviving five years we're thirty fourth out of 36 in the latest figures that I've seen from Pancreatic Cancer UK, whose ribbon I'm wearing today.
I'm sure the First Minister will accept from me that if we look back 10 or 15 years, we looked at prostate cancer in much the same dim light, but tremendous advances have been made in the treatment of prostate cancer in that time and the same could be true with greater priority for pancreatic cancer sufferers as well. I know the Government has been swift to declare a climate emergency; I can't understand therefore why it's feeling in any way inhibited from doing the same thing for pancreatic cancer because this is going to make a tremendous difference potentially to the lives of a large number of people given the incredibly distressing news that this brings to people who suddenly find that they are sufferers. The survival rate for a month is only about 25 per cent, or whatever it is—for a year it's only 25 per cent or so. So, the greater the degree of priority the Government can give to this the better it will be.
Rwy'n derbyn yr hyn a ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog yn yr atebion sobr a difrifol y mae wedi eu rhoi i gwestiynau cynharach, ac yn wahanol iawn i'r pantomeim a gawsom ni ar ddechrau'r cwestiynau heddiw. Erys y ffaith fod gan Gymru un o'r cyfraddau goroesi canser isaf yn y byd ymhlith gwledydd sydd â data cymaradwy. Rydym ni'n bedwerydd ar ddeg ar hugain o 36 yn y ffigurau diweddaraf yr wyf i wedi eu gweld gan Pancreatic Cancer UK, yr wyf i'n gwisgo eu rhuban heddiw, o ran goroesi am bum mlynedd.
Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y Prif Weinidog yn derbyn gennyf, os edrychwn ni yn ôl 10 neu 15 mlynedd, ein bod ni'n edrych ar ganser y prostad yn yr un modd negyddol, ond bu datblygiadau aruthrol o ran trin canser y prostad yn y cyfnod hwnnw a gallai'r un peth fod yn wir gyda mwy o flaenoriaeth i ddioddefwyr canser pancreatig hefyd. Gwn fod y Llywodraeth wedi bod yn gyflym i ddatgan argyfwng hinsawdd; ni allaf ddeall felly pam y mae'n teimlo mewn unrhyw ffordd ei bod wedi ei llesteirio rhag gwneud yr un peth ar gyfer canser pancreatig oherwydd mae hyn yn mynd i wneud gwahaniaeth aruthrol o bosibl i fywydau nifer fawr o bobl o gofio'r newyddion hynod ofidus y mae hyn yn ei gyfleu i bobl sy'n darganfod yn sydyn eu bod yn ddioddefwyr. Tua 25 y cant yn unig yw'r gyfradd oroesi am fis, neu beth bynnag yw ef—dim ond tua 25 y cant yw ef am flwyddyn. Felly, po fwyaf o flaenoriaeth y gall y Llywodraeth ei rhoi i hyn, y gorau fydd pethau.
I thank the Member for that serious question and I'll try to continue to give him a serious answer. The reason why I think we are reluctant to pick a particular form of cancer and to declare that an emergency is that, for every patient who has a diagnosis of any form of cancer that is an emergency in their lives. We have been reluctant, I think, for very good reasons to go down a route in which we have a hierarchy of different conditions, in which we try and pick out a particular condition and try to say that it is somehow more important and more significant than another condition.
That's not to say that I don't understand the case that is made because of the very particular impact that this cancer and the difficulties of early diagnosis have. So, I'm not for a minute dismissing the case that is made, but in a serious answer that's the reason why we've been reluctant to go down that route. Pancreatic cancer for anybody who is suffering from it is an emergency, but so is it for somebody who has a liver cancer or a lung cancer or a breast cancer. And I'm reluctant to say that one form of cancer is somehow more urgent or more of an emergency than another because, from the patient's point of view, I really don't think it looks like that.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn difrifol yna ac fe geisiaf barhau i roi ateb difrifol iddo. Y rheswm pam rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n gyndyn o ddewis math arbennig o ganser a datgan bod hwnnw'n argyfwng yw ar gyfer pob claf sy'n cael diagnosis o unrhyw fath o ganser mae hwnnw'n argyfwng yn eu bywydau. Rydym ni wedi bod yn amharod, rwy'n credu, am resymau da iawn i ddilyn trywydd lle mae gennym ni hierarchaeth o wahanol gyflyrau, lle'r ydym ni'n ceisio tynnu sylw at gyflwr penodol ac yn ceisio dweud ei fod rywsut yn bwysicach ac yn fwy arwyddocaol na chyflwr arall.
Nid yw hynny'n golygu nad wyf i'n deall y ddadl sy'n cael ei gwneud oherwydd yr effaith benodol iawn y mae'r canser hwn ac anawsterau diagnosis cynnar yn ei chael. Felly, nid wyf i am funud yn wfftio'r ddadl sy'n cael ei gwneud, ond mewn ateb difrifol dyna'r rheswm pam yr ydym ni wedi bod yn gyndyn i ddilyn y trywydd hwnnw. Mae canser pancreatig i unrhyw un sy'n dioddef ohono yn argyfwng, ond mae hynny hefyd yn wir i rywun sydd â chanser yr afu neu ganser yr ysgyfaint neu ganser y fron. Ac rwy'n gyndyn i ddweud bod un math o ganser yn achos mwy brys neu'n fwy o argyfwng rywsut nag un arall oherwydd, o safbwynt y claf, nid wyf i wir yn meddwl ei fod yn edrych felly.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am waith Tasglu'r Cymoedd ym Mlaenau Gwent? OAQ54832
6. Will the First Minister make a statement on the work of the Valleys Taskforce in Blaenau Gwent? OAQ54832
I thank the Member for that question. The Blaenau Gwent Valleys taskforce initiatives include £500,000 to establish Parc Bryn Bach as a gateway site for the Valleys regional park. At the same time, the areas will benefit from the foundational economy challenge fund, the empty homes grant and, in the new year, the integrated responsive bus pilot planned for Blaenau Gwent.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna. Mae mentrau tasglu Cymoedd Blaenau Gwent yn cynnwys £500,000 i sefydlu Parc Bryn Bach fel safle porth i barc rhanbarthol y Cymoedd. Ar yr un pryd, bydd yr ardaloedd yn elwa ar gronfa her yr economi sylfaenol, y grant cartrefi gwag ac, yn y flwyddyn newydd, y cynllun arbrofol bysiau ymatebol integredig y bwriedir ei gynnal ym Mlaenau Gwent.
I'm grateful to you, First Minister, for that response, and also to the economy Deputy Minister, who's been leading on many of those initiatives. I'm also grateful to the economy Minister for his words and meetings in this last week about developments with Thales and with TVR. The Welsh Government has committed significant resources and made a number of statements on supporting the investment in TVR and supporting the growth of the Thales presence in Ebbw Vale, and we're all very pleased to see those investments taking place within the borough. But we're also looking at the overall framework of Tech Valleys, and it's important that the commitment that was made by this Government to £100 million investment over the coming decade to change completely the economic future, not just of Blaenau Gwent but of the whole of the Heads of the Valleys region, is delivered and that we can see those elements of delivery falling into place over the coming period. First Minister, can you outline to us how you expect Tech Valleys to be developing over the coming 12 months and the investments that you anticipate seeing being delivered in that time frame?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi, Prif Weinidog, am yr ymateb yna, a hefyd i Ddirprwy Weinidog yr economi, sydd wedi bod yn arwain ar lawer o'r mentrau hynny. Rwyf i hefyd yn ddiolchgar i Weinidog yr economi am ei eiriau a'i gyfarfodydd yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf am y datblygiadau gyda Thales ac chyda TVR. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo adnoddau sylweddol ac wedi gwneud nifer o ddatganiadau ar gefnogi'r buddsoddiad yn TVR a chefnogi twf presenoldeb Thales yng Nglynebwy, ac rydym ni i gyd yn falch iawn o weld y buddsoddiadau hynny'n cael eu gwneud yn y fwrdeistref. Ond rydym ni hefyd yn edrych ar fframwaith cyffredinol y Cymoedd Technoleg, ac mae'n bwysig bod yr ymrwymiad a wnaed gan y Llywodraeth hon i fuddsoddiad o £100 miliwn dros y degawd nesaf i newid yn llwyr dyfodol economaidd, nid yn unig Blaenau Gwent ond holl ranbarth Blaenau'r Cymoedd, yn cael ei gyflawni ac y gallwn ni weld yr elfennau hynny o ddarpariaeth yn dod i rym dros y cyfnod sydd i ddod. Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni sut yr ydych chi'n disgwyl i'r Cymoedd Technoleg fod yn datblygu dros y 12 mis nesaf a'r buddsoddiadau yr ydych chi'n rhagweld y byddan nhw'n cael eu gwneud yn ystod y cyfnod amser hwn?
Llywydd, I thank Alun Davies for that and for the continued interest, of course, that he takes in these matters. He will know that I, together with Ken Skates, met with senior figures from Thales on Monday of last week, including the chief executive officer of Thales UK, and they were very keen to talk about what they have already achieved through their presence in Ebbw Vale.
It was very encouraging indeed to hear of the work that they are doing with young women in particular in schools in that area and the very deliberate efforts that they make as a company to make sure that the jobs of the future that they will create are genuinely gender agnostic, and are as equally available to young women as they are to young men. They've taken, as the Member will know, some very practical actions to make sure that that can happen. They did talk to me about further investments that they hope that we will be able to make alongside them to go on making the national cyber security centre a vibrant part of that local economy, remembering that south-east Wales has the greatest concentration of cyber security companies anywhere in the United Kingdom, attracting very real interest from international investors in that as well.
As for TVR, we continue to work closely with that company. I was very pleased to see that they took part in the automotive forum, the major meeting of the forum that we held last week as part of the Aston Martin formal opening. There is money available from the Welsh Government to invest alongside TVR in premises in the Blaenau Gwent area. We need the company to be in a strong position to guarantee that they are also able to put on the table the private investment that is necessary to make a success of the infrastructure investment that we would make as a Government. Those discussions are being led, as Alun Davies said, by the Deputy Minister, I know that he is happy to meet and give you a more detailed briefing on where the discussions with TVR have currently reached.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Alun Davies am hynna ac am y diddordeb parhaus, wrth gwrs, y mae'n ei gymryd yn y materion hyn. Bydd yn gwybod fy mod i, ynghyd â Ken Skates, wedi cyfarfod ag uwch swyddogion o Thales ddydd Llun yr wythnos diwethaf, gan gynnwys prif swyddog gweithredol Thales UK, ac roedden nhw'n awyddus iawn i siarad am yr hyn y maen nhw eisoes wedi ei gyflawni drwy eu presenoldeb yng Nglynebwy.
Roedd hi'n galonogol iawn yn wir i glywed am y gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud gyda menywod ifanc yn enwedig mewn ysgolion yn yr ardal honno a'r ymdrechion bwriadol iawn y maen nhw'n eu gwneud fel cwmni i wneud yn siŵr bod swyddi'r dyfodol y byddan nhw'n eu creu yn wirioneddol agnostig o ran rhyw, a'u bod ar gael i'r un lefelau i fenywod ifanc ag y maen nhw i ddynion ifanc. Maen nhw wedi cymryd rhai camau ymarferol iawn, fel y bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod, i wneud yn siŵr y gall hynny ddigwydd. Fe wnaethon nhw siarad â mi am fuddsoddiadau pellach y maen nhw'n gobeithio y byddwn ni'n gallu eu gwneud ochr yn ochr â nhw i barhau i wneud y ganolfan seiberddiogelwch genedlaethol yn rhan fywiog o'r economi leol honno, gan gofio mai'r de-ddwyrain sydd â'r crynodiad mwyaf o gwmnïau seiberddiogelwch yn unrhyw le yn y Deyrnas Unedig, gan ddenu diddordeb gwirioneddol gan fuddsoddwyr rhyngwladol yn hynny hefyd.
O ran TVR, rydym ni'n parhau i weithio'n agos gyda'r cwmni hwnnw. Roeddwn i'n falch iawn o weld eu bod nhw wedi cymryd rhan yn y fforwm modurol, sef cyfarfod mawr y fforwm a gynhaliwyd gennym yr wythnos diwethaf yn rhan o agoriad ffurfiol Aston Martin. Mae arian ar gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru i'w fuddsoddi ar y cyd â TVR mewn safleoedd yn ardal Blaenau Gwent. Rydym ni angen i'r cwmni fod mewn sefyllfa gref i sicrhau eu bod hwythau hefyd yn gallu cyflwyno'r buddsoddiad preifat sy'n angenrheidiol i sicrhau llwyddiant y buddsoddiad mewn seilwaith y byddem ni'n ei wneud fel Llywodraeth. Mae'r trafodaethau hynny'n cael eu harwain, fel y dywedodd Alun Davies, gan y Dirprwy Weinidog, gwn ei fod yn hapus i gyfarfod a rhoi gwybodaeth fanylach i chi ynghylch sefyllfa bresennol y trafodaethau gyda TVR.
7. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â'r anghydraddoldeb o ran cyflymder band eang yng ngorllewin Cymru? OAQ54837
7. What action is the Welsh Government taking to tackle the inequality in broadband speeds in west Wales? OAQ54837
I thank the Member. Although provision of broadband is not a devolved matter, the Welsh Government has stepped in to protect Welsh citizens from market failure. Over £32 million has been invested, for example, in providing over 111,000 premises across west Wales with average broadband speeds of 82 Mbps.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod. Er nad yw darparu band eang yn fater sydd wedi ei ddatganoli, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi camu i'r adwy i ddiogelu dinasyddion Cymru rhag methiant y farchnad. Buddsoddwyd dros £32 miliwn, er enghraifft, mewn darparu cyflymder band eang cyfartalog o 82 Mbps i dros 111,000 o safleoedd ar draws y gorllewin.
Thank you for that, although I have to say that your efforts to protect broadband speeds haven't been altogether successful. A report released by consumer group uSwitch last week reinforced the discrepancy between broadband speeds. For example, in Penffordd, the slowest average download speeds were recorded, which meant a two-hour Netflix HD film would take more than 11 hours to download. However, in Clare Walk in Pembroke, that same film could be downloaded in a mere 11 minutes. My concern about this is because, as we know, broadband speeds are vital for health, for education, for communications and for entertainment. You have had serious sums of money, and I note that in the Labour manifesto, you are offering free broadband to all in your Christmas festive getaway. But, what can you do to ensure that the money that you've been given by Westminster for these projects already [Interruption.]—I'm going to ignore the squeaks in the background—actually ensure that we have broadband fit for purpose? You've had loads of money.
Diolch am hynna, er mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud nad yw eich ymdrechion i ddiogelu cyflymderau band eang wedi bod yn gwbl lwyddiannus. Ail-bwysleisiodd adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd gan y grŵp defnyddwyr uSwitch yr wythnos diwethaf yr anghysondeb rhwng cyflymderau band eang. Er enghraifft, ym Mhenffordd, cofnodwyd y cyflymderau lawrlwytho cyfartalog arafaf, a oedd yn golygu y byddai ffilm Netflix HD dwy awr o hyd yn cymryd mwy nag 11 awr i'w lawrlwytho. Fodd bynnag, yn Clare Walk ym Mhenfro, gellid lawrlwytho'r un ffilm honno mewn 11 munud yn unig. Fy mhryder ynglŷn â hyn yw oherwydd, fel y gwyddom, mae cyflymderau band eang yn hanfodol ar gyfer iechyd, ar gyfer addysg, ar gyfer cyfathrebu ac ar gyfer adloniant. Rydych chi wedi cael symiau sylweddol o arian, a sylwaf ym maniffesto'r Blaid Lafur eich bod chi'n cynnig band eang am ddim i bawb yn rhan o'ch anrhegion Nadolig. Ond, beth allwch chi ei wneud i sicrhau bod yr arian a roddwyd i chi gan San Steffan ar gyfer y prosiectau hyn eisoes [Torri ar draws.]—rwy'n mynd i anwybyddu'r gwichian yn y cefndir—yn sicrhau mewn gwirionedd bod gennym ni fand eang sy'n addas i'w ddiben? Rydych chi wedi cael llwyth o arian.
Llywydd, the Welsh Government is not given money by the UK Government for this purpose because this is a non-devolved responsibility. So, the Member's questions would be much better directed to those who are responsible for this matter. What the Welsh Government has done is to use money provided to us for other purposes, and money that we get from the European Union, to make good the failure of the Conservative Government to address the matters—the real, very proper matters—that the Member has raised.
She is quite right to say that the Labour Party, in our manifesto, makes proposals that would address the difficulties that the Member has identified. Under the current universal service obligation. We have a position in Wales that is not universal. It is certainly not an obligation. In some parts of Wales, it's barely a service. The Labour Party and our manifesto recognises that, in the future, broadband will not be a nice-to-have service or an accessory; it will be an important utility, and ought to be treated as a universal service.
We will invest to make sure that those communities right across Wales who rely on broadband for their businesses and for their homes will have it under a Labour Government. People in Wales who are interested in that and who have heard what the Member says will know who they have to vote for in order to get it.
Llywydd, nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael arian gan Lywodraeth y DU at y diben hwn gan fod hwn yn gyfrifoldeb nad yw wedi ei ddatganoli. Felly, byddai'n llawer gwell i'r Aelod gyfeirio ei gwestiynau at y rhai sy'n gyfrifol am y mater hwn. Yr hyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei wneud yw defnyddio arian a ddarparwyd i ni at ddibenion eraill, ac arian yr ydym yn ei gael gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, i unioni methiant y Llywodraeth Geidwadol i fynd i'r afael â'r problemau—y problemau gwirioneddol, go iawn—y mae'r Aelod wedi eu codi.
Mae hi'n hollol iawn i ddweud bod y Blaid Lafur, yn ein maniffesto, yn gwneud cynigion a fyddai'n mynd i'r afael â'r anawsterau y mae'r Aelod wedi eu nodi. O dan rwymedigaeth gyfredol y gwasanaeth cyffredinol. Mae gennym ni sefyllfa yng Nghymru nad yw'n gyffredinol. Yn sicr, nid yw'n rhwymedigaeth. Mewn rhai rhannau o Gymru, prin iawn ei fod yn wasanaeth. Mae'r Blaid Lafur a'n maniffesto yn cydnabod na fydd band eang yn wasanaeth braf i'w gael neu'n ategol yn y dyfodol; bydd yn gyfleustod pwysig, a dylid ei drin fel gwasanaeth cyffredinol.
Byddwn yn buddsoddi i sicrhau y bydd y cymunedau hynny ledled Cymru sy'n dibynnu ar fand eang ar gyfer eu busnesau ac ar gyfer eu cartrefi yn ei gael o dan Lywodraeth Lafur. Mae pobl yng Nghymru sydd â diddordeb yn hynny ac sydd wedi clywed yr hyn y mae'r Aelod yn ei ddweud yn gwybod pwy y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw bleidleisio drosto er mwyn ei gael.
8. Pa gamau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wella cyfraddau goroesi canser yn 2020? OAQ54818
8. What action will the Welsh Government take to improve cancer survival rates in 2020? OAQ54818
Llywydd, these actions are set out in the cancer delivery plan for Wales. They include a focus on early detection and the introduction of a single cancer pathway. In that way, we can continue to improve cancer survival rates in Wales.
Llywydd, nodir y camau gweithredu hyn yn y cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer canser yng Nghymru. Maen nhw'n cynnwys pwyslais ar ganfod yn gynnar a chyflwyno un llwybr canser. Drwy wneud hynny, gallwn barhau i wella cyfraddau goroesi canser yng Nghymru.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. The fact is that diagnosing people at the earliest stage is critical to giving patients the best chance of surviving cancer. However, all but one health board in Wales are struggling to recruit and retain radiographers. Approximately one in 10 nurse endoscopy posts are vacant, with some boards having to bring in teams from England to clear backlogs. First Minister, what action are you taking to increase the clinical training places in line with present and future patient need in Wales, please?
Diolch i chi am yr ateb yna, Gweinidog. Y ffaith yw bod rhoi diagnosis i bobl ar y cam cynharaf yn hanfodol er mwyn rhoi'r cyfle gorau i gleifion oroesi canser. Fodd bynnag, mae pob bwrdd iechyd heblaw am un yng Nghymru yn ei chael hi'n anodd recriwtio a chadw radiograffwyr. Mae oddeutu un o bob 10 o swyddi nyrs endosgopi yn wag, ac mae rhai byrddau'n gorfod dod â thimau o Loegr i mewn i glirio ôl-groniadau. Prif Weinidog, pa gamau ydych chi'n eu cymryd i gynyddu'r lleoedd hyfforddi clinigol yn unol ag anghenion cleifion Cymru yn y presennol ac yn y dyfodol, os gwelwch yn dda?
Llywydd, I said earlier, in answer to another question, that the Welsh Government has now, for six years in a row, invested every year more money in the training of our clinical and professions allied to medicine, so that we have the workforce that we need here in Wales. That certainly includes an increase in the number of radiographers in training.
But, as well as having more people coming into training, you also have to create the conditions in which those people are able to exercise and to develop their skills, so that they are able to do the very skilled and necessary work in the health service. That's why we have created a digital academy here in Wales, in the Cwm Taf area. It provides a place where radiography can be not simply improved in terms of the numbers of people going into it, but where we are able to create the conditions in which that very specialist skill, which is developing over time, will be done differently in the future, where the workforce of the future can be created.
Llywydd, dywedais yn gynharach, wrth ateb cwestiwn arall, fod Llywodraeth Cymru erbyn hyn, am chwe blynedd yn olynol, wedi buddsoddi mwy o arian bob blwyddyn yn hyfforddiant ein gweithwyr clinigol ac yn y proffesiynau sy'n gysylltiedig â meddygaeth, fel bod gennym ni'r gweithlu y mae ei angen arnom ni yma yng Nghymru. Mae hynny'n sicr yn cynnwys cynnydd yn nifer y radiograffwyr sy'n cael eu hyfforddi.
Ond, yn ogystal â bod â mwy o bobl yn cael hyfforddiant, mae'n rhaid i chi hefyd greu'r amodau lle gall y bobl hynny ymarfer a datblygu eu sgiliau, fel eu bod yn gallu gwneud y gwaith angenrheidiol sy'n galw am sgiliau penodol yn y gwasanaeth iechyd. Dyna pam yr ydym ni wedi creu academi ddigidol yma yng Nghymru, yn ardal Cwm Taf. Mae'n darparu man lle gellir gwella radiograffeg o ran nifer y bobl sy'n mynd i mewn i'r proffesiwn, ond lle gallwn ni hefyd greu'r amodau lle y bydd y sgìl arbenigol iawn hwnnw, sy'n datblygu dros amser, yn cael ei wneud yn wahanol yn y dyfodol, lle y gellir creu gweithlu'r dyfodol.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r cwestiynau i'r Dirprwy Weinidog, Jane Hutt, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan David Melding.
The next item is questions to the Deputy Minister, Jane Hutt, and the first question is from David Melding.
1. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog ddatganiad am weithredu Deddf Trais yn erbyn Menywod, Cam-drin Domestig a Thrais Rhywiol (Cymru) 2015? OAQ54824
1. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on the implementation of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015? OAQ54824
The Wales Audit Office report and the 2019 White Ribbon campaign have highlighted the need to implement the Violence Against Women Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 rigorously across the public sector in Wales, in partnership with specialist services.
Mae adroddiad Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru ac ymgyrch Rhuban Gwyn 2019 wedi tynnu sylw at yr angen i weithredu Deddf Trais yn Erbyn Menywod, Cam-drin Domestig a Thrais Rhywiol (Cymru) 2015 yn llym ar draws y sector cyhoeddus yng Nghymru, mewn partneriaeth â gwasanaethau arbenigol.
Minister, as you know, the auditor general has said that victims and survivors face a fragmented system that is inconsistent, complex and short term. And he says that progress on delivering on the key aspects of the Act is poor and has not had the desired impact. And he calls for effective collaboration and joint working in key areas, and that we must redouble our efforts to ensure that there is this sort of co-ordinated approach. Now, I think it's very important the Government reacts to this very considered criticism because there is cross-party support to improve services in this vital area. And as we make so many gains in how the public reject any talk of accepting domestic violence as in any way a norm—and we've seen our emergency services respond, police magnificently as well, in changing their systems on how they deal with these issues—we've got to ensure that the services that we then provide the survivors and victims are the best they can possibly be. Now, I know we can't get there overnight, but it is important that we look at this very, very carefully to ensure that we do get better services.
Gweinidog, fel y gwyddoch chi, mae'r archwilydd cyffredinol wedi dweud bod dioddefwyr a goroeswyr yn wynebu system dameidiog sy'n anghyson, yn gymhleth ac yn fyrdymor. Ac mae'n dweud bod y cynnydd o ran cyflawni agweddau allweddol ar y Ddeddf yn wael ac nad yw wedi cael yr effaith ddymunol. Ac mae'n galw am gydweithio effeithiol a gweithio ar y cyd mewn meysydd allweddol, a bod yn rhaid i ni ymdrechu yn galetach i sicrhau bod gennym ni y math hwn o ddull gweithredu cydlynol. Nawr, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn bod y Llywodraeth yn ymateb i'r feirniadaeth hynod ystyriol hon gan fod cefnogaeth drawsbleidiol i wella gwasanaethau yn y maes hollbwysig hwn. Ac wrth i ni wneud cymaint o gynnydd o ran sut mae'r cyhoedd yn gwrthod unrhyw sôn am dderbyn trais domestig fel norm mewn unrhyw ffordd—ac rydym ni wedi gweld ein gwasanaethau brys yn ymateb, yr heddlu yn wych hefyd, wrth newid eu systemau o ran sut maen nhw'n ymdrin â'r materion hyn—mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau yr ydym ni wedyn yn eu darparu i'r goroeswyr a'r dioddefwyr y gorau y gallan nhw fod. Nawr, rwy'n gwybod na allwn ni gyflawni hyn dros nos, ond mae'n bwysig ein bod ni'n edrych ar hyn yn ofalus iawn, iawn i sicrhau ein bod ni yn cael gwell gwasanaethau.
And I thank David Melding for raising this question today. You will be aware of my written statement on 25 November, where the report did show that—. The Wales Audit Office published its report and it did show that the Act is improving services across Wales, but clearly there is more to do. I think it's important that the WAO report says that the Act is helping to drive the transformation of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence services, and that it's been critical in driving change. But, of course, this actually involves not just Welsh Government in the lead, but local authorities, local health boards, setting their clear strategies for awareness raising, prevention and regionalisation, and also making sure that they do focus on addressing underperformance and setting strategic equality objectives. So, this groundbreaking piece of made-in-Wales legislation is helping to drive the transformation of services, but, clearly, we have to address the recommendations.
A diolchaf i David Melding am godi'r cwestiwn hwn heddiw. Byddwch chi'n ymwybodol o'm datganiad ysgrifenedig ar 25 Tachwedd, lle'r oedd yr adroddiad yn dangos bod—. Cyhoeddodd Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru ei hadroddiad ac roedd yn dangos bod y Ddeddf yn gwella gwasanaethau ledled Cymru, ond mae'n amlwg bod mwy i'w wneud. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig bod adroddiad Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru yn dweud bod y Ddeddf yn helpu i ysgogi'r gwaith o weddnewid gwasanaethau trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol, a'i bod wedi bod yn hollbwysig o ran ysgogi newid. Ond, wrth gwrs, mae hyn mewn gwirionedd yn cynnwys, nid yn unig Llywodraeth Cymru yn arwain, ond awdurdodau lleol, byrddau iechyd lleol, yn pennu eu strategaethau clir ar gyfer codi ymwybyddiaeth, atal a rhanbartholi, a hefyd gwneud yn siŵr eu bod yn canolbwyntio ar fynd i'r afael â thanberfformio a gosod amcanion cydraddoldeb strategol. Felly, mae'r darn arloesol hwn o ddeddfwriaeth a wnaed yng Nghymru yn helpu i ysgogi'r gwaith o weddnewid gwasanaethau, ond, yn amlwg, mae'n rhaid i ni roi sylw i'r argymhellion.
I want to raise with you a case concerning a 14-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted. The perpetrator pleaded guilty and, in September, received a sentence of 24 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years. A sexual harm prevention order was made for 10 years and he was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years. The suspended sentence has resulted in this convicted paedophile being allowed to return to his home less than 300 ft away from the family home of the victim. His continued presence is making the whole family, but particularly the vulnerable teenaged girl, feel intimidated, unsafe and unable to move on. The whole family are undertaking counselling and mental health support to come to terms with what has happened, but the ongoing, daily traumatic reminders of what happened means recovery is nigh on impossible.
This is not justice. This is an outrage. It's because of cases like this that I want to see the criminal justice system devolved. Surely, we would put victim protection, child safeguarding and public safety at the heart of a Welsh-run criminal justice system. We have legislation in Wales that should offer protection to the child victim in this case, and others in a similar situation. The Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 should be one option to provide protection. Furthermore, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 makes it clear that well-being includes the right to be free from abuse and being in control of your day-to-day life. The convicted perpetrator in this case needs to be moved before any more harm can be done. This girl should not have to face her abuser every single day.
Deputy Minister, what hope can you offer to the family that I met this week?
Rwyf eisiau sôn wrthych chi am achos sy'n ymwneud â merch 14 oed yr ymosodwyd arni yn rhywiol. Plediodd y cyflawnwr yn euog ac, ym mis Medi, cafodd ddedfryd o 24 mis o garchar, wedi ei ohirio am ddwy flynedd. Gwnaed gorchymyn atal niwed rhywiol am 10 mlynedd a chafodd ei orchymyn hefyd i gofrestru fel troseddwr rhyw am 10 mlynedd. Mae'r ddedfryd ohiriedig wedi arwain at ganiatáu i'r pedoffilydd hwn sydd wedi ei euogfarnu ddychwelyd i'w gartref sy'n llai na 300 troedfedd i ffwrdd o gartref teuluol y dioddefwr. Mae ei bresenoldeb parhaus yn gwneud i'r teulu cyfan, ond yn enwedig y ferch yn ei harddegau sy'n agored i niwed, deimlo'n ofnus, yn anniogel ac i fethu â symud ymlaen. Mae'r teulu cyfan yn cael gwasanaeth cwnsela a chymorth iechyd meddwl i ddod i delerau â'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd, ond mae'r atgofion trawmatig parhaus a dyddiol am yr hyn a ddigwyddodd yn golygu bod adferiad mwy neu lai yn amhosibl.
Nid cyfiawnder yw hyn. Gwarth yw hyn. Oherwydd achosion fel hyn rwyf eisiau gweld y system cyfiawnder troseddol yn cael ei datganoli. Siawns y byddem ni'n rhoi diogelu'r dioddefwr, diogelu plant a diogelwch y cyhoedd wrth wraidd system cyfiawnder troseddol sy'n cael ei gweithredu yng Nghymru. Mae gennym ni ddeddfwriaeth yng Nghymru a ddylai gynnig amddiffyniad i'r plentyn sy'n dioddef yn yr achos hwn, ac eraill sydd mewn sefyllfa debyg. Dylai Deddf Trais yn Erbyn Menywod, Cam-drin Domestig a Thrais Rhywiol (Cymru) 2015 fod yn un dewis i ddarparu amddiffyniad. Hefyd, mae Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 yn ei gwneud yn glir bod llesiant yn cynnwys yr hawl i fod yn rhydd rhag cam-drin a chael rheolaeth ar eich bywyd o ddydd i ddydd. Mae angen symud y troseddwr a euogfarnwyd yn yr achos hwn cyn y gellir gwneud mwy o niwed. Ni ddylai'r ferch hon orfod wynebu'r sawl a wnaeth ei cham-drin bob un dydd.
Dirprwy Weinidog, pa obaith y gallwch chi ei gynnig i'r teulu y cyfarfûm i â nhw yr wythnos hon?
Well, again, I thank Leanne Wood for bringing this to our attention in this Chamber today. Clearly, we have responsibilities in terms of safeguarding our children from child sexual abuse and exploitation, and, indeed, we are developing and consulting on the statutory guidance. But it is also a responsibility of the justice system, and I will also make sure that this case is raised at the highest level in terms of our police and police and crime commissioners.
Wel, unwaith eto, diolchaf i Leanne Wood am ddod â hyn i'n sylw yn y Siambr hon heddiw. Yn amlwg, mae gennym ni gyfrifoldebau o ran diogelu ein plant rhag cam-drin rhywiol a chamfanteisio, ac, yn wir, rydym yn datblygu ac yn ymgynghori ar y canllawiau statudol. Ond mae hefyd yn gyfrifoldeb i'r system gyfiawnder, a byddaf hefyd yn gwneud yn siŵr bod yr achos hwn yn cael ei godi ar y lefel uchaf o ran ein heddlu a'n comisiynwyr heddlu a throseddu.
2. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog ddatganiad am y camau a gymerir gan Lywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â safleoedd anghyfreithlon i deithwyr yng Nghymru? OAQ54813
2. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on action taken by the Welsh Government to tackle illegal traveller sites in Wales? OAQ54813
The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 makes clear that local authorities need to provide adequate authorised Gypsy and Traveller residential and transit sites. In 2013, we published guidance on managing unauthorised camping on roles, responsibilities and rights, to ensure a fair and consistent approach to dealing with unauthorised encampments.
Mae Deddf Tai (Cymru) 2014 yn ei gwneud yn glir bod angen i awdurdodau lleol ddarparu digon o safleoedd preswyl a thramwy awdurdodedig i Sipsiwn a Theithwyr. Yn 2013, fe wnaethom ni gyhoeddi canllawiau ar reoli gwersylloedd diawdurdod o ran swyddogaethau, cyfrifoldebau a hawliau, i sicrhau dull teg a chyson o ymdrin â gwersylloedd diawdurdod.
Thank you, Minister, for that answer. In the Republic of Ireland, they've put in place measures that, obviously, assist local authorities and the enforcement agencies in moving on illegal sites. Have you given any consideration to the effectiveness of such provision here in Wales? And, secondly, very often when illegal sites do develop, there's a huge clean-up bill that local ratepayers have to pick up on. What measures have the Welsh Government taken to consider the strengthening of local powers to retrieve some of the costs back from the illegal travellers who've set up sites, and yet it's local ratepayers who end up picking up the tab for the mess?
Diolch, Gweinidog, am yr ateb yna. Yng Ngweriniaeth Iwerddon, maen nhw wedi sefydlu mesurau sydd, yn amlwg, yn cynorthwyo awdurdodau lleol a'r asiantaethau gorfodi i symud ar safleoedd anghyfreithlon. A ydych chi wedi rhoi unrhyw ystyriaeth i effeithiolrwydd darpariaeth o'r fath yma yng Nghymru? Ac, yn ail, yn aml iawn pan fydd safleoedd anghyfreithlon yn datblygu, mae bil glanhau enfawr y mae'n rhaid i drethdalwyr lleol ei ysgwyddo. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cymryd i ystyried cryfhau pwerau lleol i adennill rhai o'r costau gan y teithwyr anghyfreithlon sydd wedi sefydlu safleoedd, ac eto trethdalwyr lleol sy'n talu'r bil am y llanastr yn y pen draw?
As I said, we have published, of course, the managing unauthorised camping guidance, in 2013, and it does set out our clear expectations of how public authorities will resolve such encampments. Also, it is important that we consider the proportionality of any actions in resolving encampments, weighing the rights and obligations of all involved. I have to say that the Welsh Government supports consistent, humane and effective resolution of unauthorised camping, respecting the rights to a nomadic lifestyle of Gypsies and Travellers, and the rights of the wider community. And certainly we're very concerned—I was very concerned—about the recent consultation that was published by the UK Government. It is something where we will be responding to that consultation, urging the UK Government to think again and to adopt our approach.
Fel y dywedais i, rydym ni wedi cyhoeddi, wrth gwrs, y canllawiau ar reoli gwersylloedd diawdurdod, yn 2013, ac mae'n nodi ein disgwyliadau clir o ran sut y bydd awdurdodau cyhoeddus yn datrys gwersylloedd o'r fath. Hefyd, mae'n bwysig ein bod ni'n ystyried cymesuredd unrhyw gamau i ddatrys gwersylloedd, gan bwyso a mesur hawliau a rhwymedigaethau pawb dan sylw. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi datrysiad cyson, dyngarol ac effeithiol ar gyfer gwersylloedd diawdurdod, gan barchu hawliau Sipsiwn a Theithwyr i fyw bywyd nomadig, a hawliau'r gymuned ehangach. Ac yn sicr, rydym ni'n bryderus iawn—roeddwn i'n bryderus iawn—am yr ymgynghoriad diweddar a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU. Mae'n rhywbeth lle y byddwn ni'n ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad hwnnw, gan bwyso ar Lywodraeth y DU i ailfeddwl a mabwysiadu ein dull gweithredu ni.
3. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog ddatganiad am wella diogelwch cymunedol yn Abertawe? OAQ54828
3. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on improving community safety in Swansea? OAQ54828
Mae’r rhaglen Cymunedau Mwy Diogel yn mabwysiadu’r argymhellion sy’n deillio o adroddiad ar ddiogelwch cymunedau yng Nghymru gan Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru. Mae’n gwneud hyn drwy ddefnyddio dull aml-asiantaeth gyda phartneriaid allweddol.
Our Safer Communities programme is taking forward recommendations arising from the 'Community safety in Wales' report produced by the Wales Audit Office. It does so via a multi-agency approach with key partners.
Diolch yn fawr am yr ateb bendigedig yna, Weinidog.
Thank you very much for that wonderful response, Minister.
You will be aware that Swansea's high street has struggled over recent times with regard to crime in the area, in terms of drug use, prostitution, theft, and violence. The problem has been there for months—years, really—and 75 crimes were recorded in the months of September and October alone. Now, given that you as Welsh Government have a key role to play both in terms of community safety and regeneration, and supporting initiatives like treating drug and alcohol misuse, homelessness, rough-sleeping and victim protection, what more are you planning to do, in conjunction with South Wales Police and Swansea Council, to tackle this problem on one of Swansea's key gateways?
Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol bod stryd fawr Abertawe wedi cael trafferthion yn ddiweddar o ran troseddu yn yr ardal, o ran defnyddio cyffuriau, puteindra, dwyn, a thrais. Mae'r broblem wedi bod yno ers misoedd—blynyddoedd, mewn gwirionedd—a chofnodwyd 75 o droseddau ym mis Medi a mis Hydref yn unig. Nawr, o ystyried bod gennych chi fel Llywodraeth Cymru swyddogaeth allweddol o ran diogelwch cymunedol ac o ran adfywio, a chefnogi mentrau fel trin camddefnyddio cyffuriau ac alcohol, digartrefedd, cysgu ar y stryd ac amddiffyn dioddefwyr, beth arall ydych chi'n bwriadu ei wneud, ar y cyd â Heddlu De Cymru a Chyngor Abertawe, i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem hon ar un o byrth allweddol Abertawe?
Well, the Welsh Government is committed to making our communities safer, and it has to be joint action that is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour and crime—not directly devolved matters, but we have responsibilities to make sure that we can do everything in our power to make the people of Wales safer and feel safer. We are, of course, embedding a public health approach at the heart of our programme. I chaired the latest meeting of the Policing Partnership Board for Wales. For example, we focused last week on substance misuse, which, of course, is an issue, as you have raised. And I think Operation Sceptre, during the period of 1 July to 30 September this year, including a Swansea taskforce, in terms of dealing with substance misuse—. But this is—. Clearly, Swansea Bay critical incident group, which is also looking at these issues, is crucially important. But we are taking forward the recommendations arising from the Wales Audit Office report on community safety, as I said, via this multi-agency approach.
Wel, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i wneud ein cymunedau yn fwy diogel, ac mae'n rhaid i hynny fod yn gamau ar y cyd a gymerir i leihau ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol a throseddu—nid yw'r rhain yn faterion sydd wedi eu datganoli yn uniongyrchol, ond mae gennym ni gyfrifoldebau i sicrhau y gallwn ni wneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i wneud pobl Cymru yn fwy diogel a theimlo'n fwy diogel. Rydym ni, wrth gwrs, yn ymgorffori dull iechyd cyhoeddus wrth wraidd ein rhaglen. Cadeiriais gyfarfod diweddaraf Bwrdd Partneriaeth Plismona Cymru. Er enghraifft, fe wnaethom ni ganolbwyntio yr wythnos diwethaf ar gamddefnyddio sylweddau, sydd, wrth gwrs, yn broblem, fel yr ydych chi wedi'i godi. Ac rwy'n meddwl bod Ymgyrch Sceptre, yn ystod y cyfnod rhwng 1 Gorffennaf a 30 Medi eleni, gan gynnwys tasglu yn Abertawe, o ran mynd i'r afael â chamddefnyddio sylweddau—. Ond mae hwn yn—. Yn amlwg, mae grŵp digwyddiadau critigol Bae Abertawe, sydd hefyd yn edrych ar y materion hyn, yn hanfodol bwysig. Ond rydym ni'n bwrw ymlaen â'r argymhellion sy'n codi o adroddiad Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru ar ddiogelwch cymunedol, fel y dywedais i, drwy'r dull amlasiantaethol hwn.
I wonder, Deputy Minister, if I can just push you a little bit further on that. Because, as you know, fairly recently, South Wales Police, in order to try and combat street prostitution in particular on Swansea's High Street, have introduced, with some controversy, the public protection orders. The result of this, perhaps predictably, is that both the women and those who exploit them have simply moved elsewhere. I wonder if you can give us further information about what the taskforce has recommended, because I think it should be of concern to us all that the police have told us that the best way or the only way to get the greatest intervention to support these women against exploitation is actually to arrest them, which I think is probably a hammer to crack a nut there. What can you tell us about the devolved services you have access to that can help the women and, of course, some men as well, out of this trap without the prerequisite of an arrest?
Tybed, Dirprwy Weinidog, os caf i bwyso ychydig mwy arnoch chi ar hynny. Oherwydd, fel y gwyddoch, yn gymharol ddiweddar, mae Heddlu De Cymru, er mwyn ceisio mynd i'r afael â phuteindra ar y stryd, yn arbennig ar Stryd Fawr Abertawe, wedi cyflwyno gorchmynion diogelu'r cyhoedd, ac mae hynny wedi achosi cryn ddadlau. Canlyniad hyn, a oedd i'w ddisgwyl efallai, yw bod y menywod a'r rhai hynny sy'n manteisio arnyn nhw wedi symud i rywle arall. Tybed a allwch chi roi mwy o wybodaeth i ni am yr hyn y mae'r tasglu wedi ei argymell, oherwydd rwy'n credu y dylai fod yn destun pryder i bob un ohonom ni fod yr heddlu wedi dweud wrthym ni mai'r ffordd orau neu'r unig ffordd o weithredu'r ymyrraeth fwyaf er mwyn cynorthwyo'r menywod hyn yn erbyn camfanteisio yw eu harestio mewn gwirionedd, sydd yn ôl pob tebyg yn gam rhy llym i ymdrin â'r broblem yn fy marn i. Beth allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni am y gwasanaethau datganoledig sydd ar gael i chi sy'n gallu helpu'r menywod ac, wrth gwrs, rhai dynion hefyd, i ddod allan o'r trap hwn heb fod yn rhaid eu harestio?
Well, I'm also very grateful, Suzy Davies, that you've raised that issue about vulnerabilities as well, particularly of women in this situation, and clearly there is a balance to be struck here about addressing issues, such as substance misuse and the impact of that, that I've outlined in Operation Sceptre. But it is clearly the responsibility not just of the local authority and health board, but also—. I have to say this takes me to the female offending blueprint in terms of how we can intervene and seek to support women in this situation, and look at the Safer Wales approach to ensuring that safety on the streets is for those who are most vulnerable and that the Swansea bay issues are being dealt with on a multi-agency basis.
Wel, rwyf innau hefyd yn ddiolchgar iawn, Suzy Davies, eich bod chi wedi codi'r mater yna am agweddau ar fod yn agored i niwed hefyd, yn enwedig menywod yn y sefyllfa hon, ac yn amlwg mae angen taro cydbwysedd yn y fan yma ynghylch mynd i'r afael â materion, fel camddefnyddio sylweddau ac effaith hynny, yr wyf i wedi eu hamlinellu yn Ymgyrch Sceptre. Ond mae'n amlwg yn gyfrifoldeb, nid yn unig i'r awdurdod lleol a'r bwrdd iechyd, ond hefyd—. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud bod hyn yn mynd â mi at y glasbrint troseddwyr benywaidd o ran sut y gallwn ni ymyrryd a cheisio cefnogi menywod yn y sefyllfa hon, ac ystyried y dull Cymru Ddiogelach o sicrhau bod diogelwch ar y strydoedd ar gyfer y rhai hynny sydd fwyaf agored i niwed a bod problemau Bae Abertawe yn cael eu trin ar sail amlasiantaethol.
4. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog ddatganiad am wasanaethau cynghori yng Nghaerdydd? OAQ54846
4. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on advice services in Cardiff? OAQ54846
The Welsh Government has a long-standing commitment to supporting the provision of advice services. Our grant funding ensures that some of the most vulnerable people in Cardiff, and throughout Wales, access the advice and support they need to resolve problems with their housing, debts or welfare benefits.
Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru ymrwymiad hirsefydlog i gefnogi'r ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau cynghori. Mae ein cyllid grant yn sicrhau bod rhai o'r bobl fwyaf agored i niwed yng Nghaerdydd, a ledled Cymru, yn cael y cyngor a'r cymorth sydd eu hangen arnyn nhw i ddatrys problemau gyda'u tai, eu dyledion neu eu budd-daliadau lles.
Debt is obviously a rising concern in the current situation. We know from the 'Wales in the red: Assessing the impact of problem debt in Wales' report earlier this year that Cardiff, as our biggest city, has also got the highest concentration of debt. Nearly 200,000 people across Wales are grappling with severe debts and another 200,000 already showing signs of financial distress. And unfortunately this is the time of year when people are being encouraged to spend money they haven't got.
But, nevertheless, the main causes of people getting into serious debt are reduced income as a result of the gig economy we now have to grapple with, as well as illness or injury and unemployment, which are very difficult to mitigate, as people normally have no idea that this is coming. Terrifyingly, I read that this means many are using credit cards to cover gaps in their daily living costs, and we also know that cuts to in-work and out-of-work benefits over the last nine years under this Tory austerity Government are a major factor.
People in severe debt in my constituency often find the problem so overwhelming they are slow to come forward to get advice. How is the Welsh Government ensuring that people can get easy access to debt advice services when they get into such difficulties?
Mae dyled yn amlwg yn bryder cynyddol yn y sefyllfa bresennol. Gwyddom o'r adroddiad 'Cymru yn y coch': a oedd yn asesu effaith dyledion problemus yng Nghymru yn gynharach eleni mai Caerdydd, ein dinas fwyaf, sydd hefyd â'r dwysedd uchaf o ddyled. Mae bron i 200,000 o bobl ledled Cymru yn ymgodymu â dyledion difrifol ac mae 200,000 arall eisoes yn dangos arwyddion o drallod ariannol. Ac yn anffodus, dyma'r adeg o'r flwyddyn pan fydd pobl yn cael eu hannog i wario arian nad yw ganddyn nhw.
Ond, er hynny, y prif resymau y mae pobl yn mynd i ddyled ddifrifol yw incwm sy'n gostwng o ganlyniad i'r economi gìg y mae'n rhaid i ni fynd i'r afael â hi erbyn hyn, yn ogystal â salwch neu anaf a diweithdra, sy'n anodd iawn eu lliniaru, gan nad oes gan bobl syniad bod hynny ar ddod, fel arfer. Yn frawychus, rwy'n darllen bod hyn yn golygu bod llawer yn defnyddio cardiau credyd i lenwi bylchau yn eu costau byw bob dydd, ac rydym ni hefyd yn gwybod bod toriadau i fudd-daliadau mewn gwaith ac allan o waith yn ystod y naw mlynedd diwethaf o dan gamau cyni y Llywodraeth Dorïaidd hon yn ffactor pwysig.
Mae pobl sydd mewn dyled ddifrifol yn fy etholaeth i yn aml yn cael eu llorio gan y broblem i'r fath raddau fel eu bod nhw'n araf i ddod i gael cyngor. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau y gall pobl gael gafael ar wasanaethau cyngor ar ddyledion yn rhwydd pan eu bod nhw'n mynd i'r fath drafferthion?
I thank Jenny Rathbone for that important question. It's an issue that I've been raising locally in Cardiff and Vale in terms of the role of the credit unions as well as advice services in providing affordable loans leading up to Christmas, and that can indeed avert and prevent the rise of debt at this particular time of year.
But I think advice services are crucial in terms of delivering not just access in terms of the offices available by Cardiff and Vale Citizens Advice, but also locating within the heart of communities when people do struggle to access advice particularly around debt services. They have to be delivered at the heart of their communities to reach the people who need them. But I would say that, last year alone, the service in Cardiff and Vale particularly helped over 3,500 people resolve problems relating specifically to social welfare issues. And what is crucial in terms of preventing debt is that, actually, that included generating income gains of more than £4.5 million.
Diolch i Jenny Rathbone am y cwestiwn pwysig yna. Mae'n fater yr wyf i wedi bod yn ei godi'n lleol yng Nghaerdydd a'r Fro o ran swyddogaeth yr undebau credyd yn ogystal â gwasanaethau cynghori wrth ddarparu benthyciadau fforddiadwy yn y cyfnod cyn y Nadolig, ac yn wir gall hynny osgoi ac atal y cynnydd mewn dyledion ar yr adeg arbennig hon o'r flwyddyn.
Ond rwy'n credu bod gwasanaethau cynghori yn hollbwysig o ran darparu nid yn unig mynediad o ran y swyddfeydd sydd ar gael gan Cyngor ar Bopeth Caerdydd a'r Fro, ond hefyd eu bod wedi eu lleoli yng nghanol cymunedau pan fydd pobl yn ei chael hi'n anodd cael gafael ar gyngor yn enwedig ynghylch gwasanaethau dyledion. Mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw gael eu darparu yng nghanol eu cymunedau i gyrraedd y bobl sydd eu hangen. Ond byddwn i'n dweud bod y gwasanaeth yng Nghaerdydd a'r Fro, yn ystod y llynedd yn unig, wedi helpu dros 3,500 o bobl i ddatrys problemau yn ymwneud yn benodol â materion lles cymdeithasol. A'r hyn sy'n hollbwysig o ran atal dyled, mewn gwirionedd, yw bod hynny wedi cynnwys cynhyrchu enillion incwm o fwy na £4.5 miliwn.
Minister, I think it's very important that we value the role of the voluntary sector in particular in advice giving, because, as you said, they are at the heart of communities, they are accessed by people more readily very often, and it's very important, I think, that we continue to support organisations that have this function and that the city as well realises how important giving help to voluntary organisations is, through an element of core funding or funding them for advice services, and that it's money well spent.
Gweinidog, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n gwerthfawrogi swyddogaeth y sector gwirfoddol yn enwedig wrth roi cyngor, oherwydd, fel y gwnaethoch chi ei ddweud, maen nhw yng nghanol eu cymunedau, mae pobl yn fwy parod i'w defnyddio yn aml iawn, ac mae'n bwysig iawn, rwy'n credu, ein bod ni'n parhau i gefnogi sefydliadau sydd â'r swyddogaeth hon a bod y ddinas hefyd yn sylweddoli pa mor bwysig yw rhoi cymorth i fudiadau gwirfoddol, drwy elfen o gyllid craidd neu drwy eu hariannu ar gyfer gwasanaethau cynghori, a bod gwerth mewn gwario arian yn y modd hwnnw.
I thank David Melding for that question. What's important in terms of the single advice fund arrangements, the single advice grant funding that I've awarded to providers, is that although there are lead providers—like, in this circumstance, Cardiff and Vale Citizens Advice, in answer to this question—they also have advice partners and access partners, as well as other partners in the voluntary sector.
Diolch i David Melding am y cwestiwn hwnnw. Yr hyn sy'n bwysig o ran trefniadau'r gronfa cyngor sengl, yr arian grant cyngor sengl yr wyf wedi'i ddyfarnu i ddarparwyr yw, er bod darparwyr arweiniol—yn yr achos hwn, Cyngor ar Bopeth Caerdydd a'r Fro, mewn ymateb i'r cwestiwn hwn—mae ganddyn nhw hefyd bartneriaid cynghori a phartneriaid mynediad, yn ogystal â phartneriaid eraill yn y sector gwirfoddol.
Diolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog.
Thank you, Deputy Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes. Dwi'n galw ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hynny—Rebecca Evans.
The next item is the business statement and announcement. I call on the Trefnydd to make the statement—Rebecca Evans.
Diolch, Llywydd. There is one change to this week's business. Tomorrow's debate on the motion to annual the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Specified Information) (Wales) Regulations 2019 has been withdrawn. Draft business for the next three sitting weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae un newid i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Mae'r ddadl yfory ar y cynnig i ddirymu Rheoliadau Rhentu Cartrefi (Ffioedd etc.) (Gwybodaeth Benodedig) (Cymru) 2019 wedi'i thynnu yn ôl. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos eistedd nesaf wedi'i nodi yn y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfodydd sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig.
Minister, may I ask for a statement from the Minister for Education about her approach to relationship and sexuality education in Wales? Constituents have contacted me to express their concerns that the Welsh Government advisors have called for lessons to be made compulsory in Welsh schools. In England, headteachers are expected to talk to parents who wish to exclude their children from these lessons to explain the benefit of receiving this important education. However, parents will still have the right to withdraw their child up to the age of 15. Minister, may we have a statement on whether the Minister will follow the constructive approach of engaging with parents, as in England, or does she support removing the rights of parents to have a say in this aspect of their children's education altogether?
Gweinidog, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Addysg am ei hagwedd at addysg cydberthynas a rhywioldeb yng Nghymru? Mae etholwyr wedi cysylltu â mi i fynegi eu pryderon bod cynghorwyr Llywodraeth Cymru wedi galw am wneud gwersi'n orfodol yn ysgolion Cymru. Yn Lloegr, mae disgwyl i benaethiaid siarad â rhieni sy'n dymuno eithrio eu plant o'r gwersi hyn i esbonio mantais derbyn yr addysg bwysig hon. Fodd bynnag, bydd gan rieni yr hawl o hyd i dynnu eu plentyn yn ôl hyd at 15 oed. Gweinidog, a gawn ni ddatganiad ynghylch a fydd y Gweinidog yn dilyn y dull adeiladol o ymgysylltu â rhieni, fel yn Lloegr, neu a yw hi'n cefnogi dileu hawliau rhieni i leisio barn ar yr agwedd hon ar addysg eu plant yn gyfan gwbl?
Well, Llywydd, the Welsh Government has recently closed a consultation on exactly this specific issue. And I know that the education Minister will be keen to update the Senedd on the outcome of her deliberations, when she's had the opportunity to fully consider all of the responses to that consultation.
Wel, Llywydd, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cau ymgynghoriad ar yr union fater penodol hwn yn ddiweddar. Gwn y bydd y Gweinidog addysg yn awyddus i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd am ganlyniad ei hystyriaethau, pan fydd hi wedi cael y cyfle i roi ystyriaeth lawn i'r holl ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad hwnnw.
Given the Government's commitment for there to be 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050, can we have a statement outlining whether the Government regrets the comments of a Labour MP who described a Plaid Cymru candidate as being obsessed with the Welsh language? Does the Government consider that everyone who speaks Welsh or who is learning Welsh is obsessed with the Welsh language? Will you agree to have a word with the MP concerned to explain that these slurs against the Welsh language from Labour cause divisions and are wrong? And will you agree with me that using the Welsh language as a weapon in this way should not be tolerated, that this sort of dog whistling is unacceptable, and will you commit to us this afternoon to putting a stop to it?
I want to mention a problem concerning the funding for end-on courses. This was brought to my attention by a constituent who's been left in poverty because she is being denied the financial assistance that she was entitled to as a student with dyslexia. The Student Loans Company are withholding the funding because they're waiting for a policy decision from the Welsh Government regarding these end-on courses. Student Finance Wales say they cannot release any money until they hear from the Welsh Government. A spokesperson for the Student Loans Company has said that they warned the Welsh Government of this issue when it first arose and made it clear that they would not make any payment to students on these end-on courses until either the legislation or letter of authority is issued to them.
My constituent is one of the fortunate ones. After quitting her course because she could no longer afford the bus fare, she was persuaded to change her mind by the college that she attends because they offered her a bursary to tide her over until Christmas. In correspondence with the education Minister, I have been assured that she will be bringing forward amending regulations to rectify this position imminently, and that, of course, is to be welcomed. Can the Government now give an undertaking that this matter will be finalised before Christmas to bring assurances to my constituent and others who find themselves in the same position? Also, will efforts be made to contact all of those students who may well have quite their courses as a result of this bureaucratic blunder to let them know that financial support will be reinstated, giving them the option to continue with their studies?
O gofio ymrwymiad y Llywodraeth i gael miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050, a gawn ni ddatganiad yn amlinellu a yw'r Llywodraeth yn gresynu at sylwadau'r AS Llafur a ddisgrifiodd ymgeisydd Plaid Cymru fel un sydd ag obsesiwn â'r iaith Gymraeg? A yw'r Llywodraeth o'r farn bod gan bawb sy'n siarad Cymraeg neu sy'n dysgu Cymraeg obsesiwn â'r Gymraeg? A wnewch chi gytuno i gael gair â'r AS dan sylw i egluro bod y sarhad hwn ar y Gymraeg gan y blaid Lafur yn achosi rhaniadau ac yn anghywir? Ac a wnewch chi gytuno â mi na ddylid goddef defnyddio'r Gymraeg yn arf fel hyn, fod y math hwn o chwibanu ar gŵn yn annerbyniol, ac a wnewch chi ymrwymo inni y prynhawn yma i roi terfyn arno?
Hoffwn i sôn am broblem ynghylch y cyllid ar gyfer cyrsiau penben. Tynnwyd fy sylw at hyn gan etholwr sydd wedi cael ei gadael mewn tlodi oherwydd nad yw'n cael y cymorth ariannol yr oedd ganddi'r hawl iddo fel myfyrwraig â dyslecsia. Mae'r cwmni benthyciadau myfyrwyr yn atal yr arian gan eu bod yn aros am benderfyniad polisi gan Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch y cyrsiau penben hyn. Mae Cyllid Myfyrwyr Cymru yn dweud na allan nhw ryddhau unrhyw arian hyd nes iddyn nhw glywed gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae'r Cwmni Benthyciadau i Fyfyrwyr yn dweud iddyn nhw rybuddio Llywodraeth Cymru am y mater hwn pan gododd, gan wneud yn glir na fydden nhw'n gwneud unrhyw daliad i fyfyrwyr ar y cyrsiau penben hyd nes y rhoddir naill ai'r ddeddfwriaeth neu lythyr awdurdod iddyn nhw.
Mae fy etholwr yn un o'r rhai ffodus. Ar ôl rhoi'r gorau i'w chwrs gan na allai fforddio'r tocyn bws, fe'i darbwyllwyd i newid ei meddwl gan y coleg y mae'n ei fynychu am eu bod wedi cynnig bwrsariaeth iddi fel y gall ymdopi tan y Nadolig. Mewn gohebiaeth â'r Gweinidog Addysg, rwyf wedi cael sicrwydd y bydd yn cyflwyno rheoliadau i ddiwygio'r sefyllfa hon yn fuan, ac mae hynny, wrth gwrs, i'w groesawu. A wnaiff y Llywodraeth roi addewid nawr y caiff y mater hwn ei gwblhau cyn y Nadolig i ddod â sicrwydd i fy etholwr ac eraill sy'n eu cael eu hunain yn yr un sefyllfa? Hefyd, a fydd yna ymdrech i gysylltu â phob un o'r myfyrwyr hynny a all fod wedi gadael eu cyrsiau'n o ganlyniad i'r camgymeriad biwrocrataidd hwn er mwyn rhoi gwybod iddyn nhw y bydd cymorth ariannol yn cael ei adfer, gan roi'r dewis iddyn nhw barhau â'u hastudiaethau?
Llywydd, there's been no party that has done more for the Welsh language than the Labour Party. The Welsh Government and the Welsh Labour Party has a long and proud history of supporting the Welsh language and being enthusiastic about the Welsh language, and ambitious for the Welsh language. And that's why Cymraeg 2050 is central to all Welsh Government policies, and we're committed to ensuring that we work together to reach that 1 million Welsh speakers and to double the use of Welsh. And the Welsh Government is passionate about this agenda.
In terms of the second issue, I'm pleased that you had the reassurances that you were seeking from the education Minister, that she will be bringing forward the appropriate regulations, and I'm pleased that the college was able to offer your particular constituent the support that she needs to be able to keep attending her course through until Christmas. Obviously, I will speak to the education Minister about the timeline for bringing forward those important regulations and the amendments.
Llywydd, nid oes yr un blaid sydd wedi gwneud mwy dros y Gymraeg na'r Blaid Lafur. Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Phlaid Lafur Cymru hanes hir a balch o gefnogi'r Gymraeg a bod yn frwdfrydig dros y Gymraeg, ac yn uchelgeisiol dros y Gymraeg. A dyna pam mae Cymraeg 2050 yn ganolog i holl bolisïau Llywodraeth Cymru, ac rydym wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau ein bod ni'n gweithio gyda'n gilydd i gyrraedd y miliwn hynny o siaradwyr Cymraeg ac i ddyblu'r defnydd o'r Gymraeg. Ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn angerddol am yr agenda hon.
O ran yr ail fater, rwy'n falch eich bod wedi cael y sicrwydd yr oeddech chi yn ei geisio gan y Gweinidog Addysg, y bydd yn cyflwyno'r rheoliadau priodol, ac rwy'n falch bod y Coleg wedi gallu cynnig i'ch etholwr y cymorth sydd ei angen arni i allu parhau i fynychu ei chwrs tan y Nadolig. Yn amlwg, siaradaf â'r Gweinidog Addysg am yr amserlen ar gyfer cyflwyno'r rheoliadau pwysig hynny a'r gwelliannau.
Last Tuesday, the Minister for Economy and Transport reported on employment and people with disabilities. Can I ask for a Government statement on what action is being undertaken by the Welsh Government, and more importantly Welsh Government's financially supported bodies, to increase the number of people with disabilities employed?
Secondly, my opposition to incineration is well known and well documented. I would like to ask for a statement on the carbon dioxide emissions from biomass incinerators and an explanation of why the Welsh Government will not impose a moratorium on new incinerators, excluding those for medical waste disposal, and also on new biomass plants. We know that burning and other changes to matter does not destroy them. The mass of mater is always the same before and after the changes occur. The law on conservation of mass states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only changed from one form to the other. So, what we actually end up with with incineration is turning carbon and other elements into dioxins and carbon dioxide.
Ddydd Mawrth diwethaf, cyflwynodd Gweinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth adroddiad ar gyflogaeth a phobl anabl. A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth ynghylch pa gamau sy'n cael eu cymryd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ac yn bwysicach, gan gyrff sy'n cael eu cefnogi'n ariannol gan Lywodraeth Cymru, i gynyddu nifer y bobl anabl sy'n cael eu cyflogi?
Yn ail, mae fy ngwrthwynebiad i losgi yn hysbys ac wedi'i gofnodi'n helaeth. Hoffwn i ofyn am ddatganiad ynglŷn â'r allyriadau carbon deuocsid o losgyddion biomas ac esboniad pam na fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gosod moratoriwm ar losgyddion newydd, ac eithrio'r rhai ar gyfer gwaredu gwastraff meddygol, a hefyd ar weithfeydd biomas newydd. Gwyddom nad yw llosgi a newidiadau eraill i ddeunydd yn ei ddinistrio. Mae'r gyfraith ar gadwraeth cyflyrau màs yn nodi bod màs deunydd bob amser yr un peth cyn ac ar ôl i newidiadau ddigwydd. Nid yw'n bosibl creu na dinistrio'r deunydd hwnnw, dim ond ei newid o un ffurf i'r llall. Felly, yr hyn sydd gennym ni yn y pen draw, mewn gwirionedd, yw troi carbon ac elfennau eraill yn ddeuocsinau a charbon deuocsid.
Thank you to Mike Hedges for raising these two issues. The first related to Welsh Government's work in terms of supporting and enabling disabled people into the workplace within the Welsh Government context. As a disability confident leader level 3 organisation, we are committed to increasing the number of disabled people working within this organisation. So, using the social model of disability to remove barriers, positive action and targeting disabled people through outreach and encouraging applicants to ask for adjustments during the recruitment process have seen the number of disabled people joining the Welsh Government rise over the past few years. But we're certainly not complacent, which is why we have our diversity and inclusion action plan 2020-4 currently in development, and that will set out the next steps for us in terms of ensuring that those interventions continue and continue to be effective in terms of supporting disabled people to enter this organisation.
We have responsibility for board appointments to Government-sponsored bodies only. We don't have responsibility for the staff employed by those bodies, but certainly we would want to encourage them to look to Welsh Government for the leadership and the work that we can do there. But, as I say, I think there's much more for us to be doing on this particular agenda.
Mike Hedges's views on incineration are well known and I will ask the Minister with responsibility for waste to provide an answer to what were some quite detailed questions.
Diolch i Mike Hedges am godi'r ddau fater hyn. Roedd y cyntaf yn ymwneud â gwaith Llywodraeth Cymru o ran cefnogi a galluogi pobl anabl i fynd i'r gweithle o fewn cyd-destun Llywodraeth Cymru. A ninnau'n sefydliad arweinydd hyderus o ran anabledd lefel 3, rydym wedi ymrwymo i gynyddu nifer y bobl anabl sy'n gweithio yn y sefydliad hwn. Felly, drwy ddefnyddio'r model cymdeithasol o anabledd i ddileu rhwystrau, gweithredu'n gadarnhaol a thargedu pobl anabl drwy allgymorth ac annog ymgeiswyr i ofyn am addasiadau yn ystod y broses recriwtio, mae nifer y bobl anabl sy'n ymuno â Llywodraeth Cymru wedi codi yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Ond yn sicr nid ydym yn hunanfodlon, a dyna pam mae gennym ein cynllun gweithredu amrywiaeth a chynhwysiant 2020-4 wrthi'n cael ei ddatblygu, a bydd hwnnw'n nodi'r camau nesaf i ni o ran sicrhau bod yr ymyriadau hynny'n parhau ac yn parhau i fod yn effeithiol o ran cefnogi pobl anabl i ymuno â'r sefydliad hwn.
Rydym yn gyfrifol am benodiadau bwrdd i gyrff a noddir gan y Llywodraeth yn unig. Nid oes gennym gyfrifoldeb dros y staff a gyflogir gan y cyrff hynny, ond yn sicr byddem eisiau eu hannog i edrych tuag at Lywodraeth Cymru am yr arweinyddiaeth a'r gwaith y gallwn ni ei wneud yno. Ond, fel y dywedais, rwy'n credu bod llawer mwy i ni ei wneud ar yr agenda arbennig hon.
Mae barn Mike Hedges ar losgi yn hysbys iawn a byddaf yn gofyn i'r Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am wastraff ddarparu ateb i'r hyn a oedd yn gwestiynau eithaf manwl.
Could the Minister make a statement on Government initiatives to stimulate the economy of Pontypool and its immediate Valleys communities, including Blaenavon? Pontypool was once a thriving industrial community, with companies such as ICI, formally British Nylon Spinners, which at one time employed some 6,000 people; Panteg Steel Works with around 3,000; Pilkington Glass, 700; and Warner-Lambert around 600. All have been lost in the past 20 years or so, with no substantial companies being established in that time. Surely it is time the Welsh Government did something to attract industries that would replace them. Could the Minister make a statement on whether there are any large employers in the pipeline, because it is notable that there appears to have been little major investment in the area for more than 20 years?
And finally, could the Minister make a statement on any initiatives brought about by the Valleys taskforce that might halt the decline in this once thriving community?
A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am fentrau'r Llywodraeth i roi hwb i economi Pont-y-pŵl a'i chymunedau agos yn y Cymoedd, gan gynnwys Blaenafon? Roedd Pont-y-pŵl yn gymuned ddiwydiannol lewyrchus ar un adeg, gyda chwmnïau fel ICI, yr hen British Nylon Spinners, a oedd yn cyflogi tua 6,000 o bobl ar y tro; Gwaith Dur Panteg gydag oddeutu 3,000; Pilkington Glass, 700; a Warner-Lambert tua 600. Collwyd pob un yn yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf, heb fod unrhyw gwmnïau sylweddol wedi'u sefydlu yn y cyfnod hwnnw. Mae'n rhaid ei fod yn bryd i Lywodraeth Cymru wneud rhywbeth i ddenu diwydiannau a fyddai'n eu disodli. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad ynghylch a oes unrhyw gyflogwyr mawr ar y gweill, oherwydd mae'n nodedig yr ymddengys mai ychydig o fuddsoddiad mawr a fu yn yr ardal am dros 20 mlynedd?
Ac yn olaf, a wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am unrhyw fentrau a gyflwynwyd gan dasglu'r Cymoedd a allai atal y dirywiad yn y gymuned hon a arferai ffynnu?
Well, I'll certainly ask the Minister with responsibility for the economy, and the Deputy Minister, who leads on the Valleys taskforce work, to write to you with an update on the work that has been going on in the Pontypool area and the work that is planned for the Pontypool area, in terms of supporting industry, innovation and employment and investment in the area.FootnoteLink
Wel, yn sicr, byddaf i'n gofyn i'r Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am yr economi, a'r Dirprwy Weinidog, sy'n arwain ar waith tasglu'r Cymoedd, ysgrifennu atoch chi gyda'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ynghylch y gwaith sydd wedi bod yn mynd rhagddo yn ardal Pont-y-pŵl a'r gwaith sydd wedi'i gynllunio ar gyfer ardal Pont-y-pŵl, o ran cefnogi diwydiant, arloesi a chyflogaeth a buddsoddi yn yr ardal.FootnoteLink
Can I concur with Mike Hedges's previous comments and requests on two issues? Firstly, on the request for a statement and update on what the Welsh Government is doing to help disabled people into work or back into work. Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of visiting Legacy International Group Ltd, based in Merthyr but serving the whole of south Wales. They have got a number of projects going forward to help disability-confident projects to try and achieve their goals. I thought there was a worthwhile number of projects going on there, so I think I'd like to hear what support is going on to help those.
Secondly, Mike Hedges raised the issue of incineration, which I know a number of Members have raised over the last few weeks and months. I've had an issue in my own constituency just outside Usk with a plan for a new incinerator. As Mike will know, when those proposals come on, they cause great controversy locally and people do look for reassurance. Perhaps we could have a statement from the Minister with regard to how people can be reassured, and perhaps that these projects shouldn't go ahead until and unless there is a confirmation of their safety.
And finally, last week I raised with you the issue of Small Business Saturday and asked what Welsh Government was doing to look again at the business rates regime and support available for small businesses across Wales. On Saturday I visited a small business in my area, N. S. James of Raglan. I'm pleased to see that that small business is doing well, but, of course, across Wales, in all our constituencies, they are the backbone of our local economies. I asked you last week and I will ask again if we could perhaps have a statement from the Welsh Government on what support is available to support small businesses in Wales.
A gaf i gytuno â sylwadau a cheisiadau blaenorol Mike Hedges ar ddau fater? Yn gyntaf, y cais am ddatganiad a diweddariad ar yr hyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i helpu pobl anabl i gael gwaith neu i ddychwelyd i'r gwaith. Ddydd Iau diwethaf, cefais y pleser o ymweld â'r Legacy International Group Ltd, sydd wedi'i leoli ym Merthyr ond sy'n gwasanaethu De Cymru gyfan. Mae ganddyn nhw nifer o brosiectau ar y gweill i helpu prosiectau sy'n hyderus o ran anabledd i geisio cyflawni eu nodau. Roeddwn i'n credu bod nifer gwerth chweil o brosiectau yn digwydd yno, felly rwy'n credu y byddwn i'n hoffi clywed pa gymorth sy'n cael ei roi i helpu'r rheini.
Yn ail, cododd Mike Hedges fater llosgi, a gwn fod nifer o'r Aelodau wedi codi'r mater hwnnw yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd diwethaf. Mae gen i broblem yn fy etholaeth i ar gyrion Brynbuga gyda chynllun ar gyfer llosgydd newydd. Fel y gŵyr Mike, pan fydd y cynigion hynny'n cael eu cyflwyno, maen nhw'n peri dadlau mawr yn lleol ac mae pobl yn chwilio am sicrwydd. Efallai y byddai modd inni gael datganiad gan y Gweinidog ynglŷn â sut y gellir tawelu meddyliau pobl, ac efallai na ddylai'r prosiectau hyn fynd yn eu blaenau hyd nes y ceir cadarnhad eu bod yn ddiogel.
Ac yn olaf, yr wythnos diwethaf, codais fater Dydd Sadwrn y Busnesau Bach â chi, a gofynnais beth yr oedd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i ailystyried y drefn ardrethi busnes a'r cymorth sydd ar gael i fusnesau bach ledled Cymru. Ddydd Sadwrn ymwelais â busnes bach yn fy ardal i, N. S. James o Raglan. Rwy'n falch o weld bod y busnes bach hwnnw'n gwneud yn dda, ond, wrth gwrs, ledled Cymru, ym mhob un o'n hetholaethau, nhw yw asgwrn cefn ein heconomïau lleol. Gofynnais ichi yr wythnos diwethaf a byddaf i'n gofyn eto a gawn ni ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru efallai ynghylch pa gymorth sydd ar gael i gefnogi busnesau bach yng Nghymru.
I thank Nick Ramsay for raising those issues. We did have a statement from the Minister for Economy and Transport just last week in terms of disability and disabled people's employment, so perhaps it's a little too soon to have a further discussion on that. But I know that he will be keen to update Members on the progress of the work that he was discussing in his statement last week, and, obviously, I'm very interested to hear, as I know the Minister will be, about those particular local projects that you described as well.
Again, the request for a statement on incineration: I'll make sure that the Minister with responsibility for waste is aware of the interest in a statement from Members.
And I was delighted to support Small Business Saturday. So, on the Friday ahead of it, I spent quite some time in Pontarddulais talking to small-business owners in that village, and they were very keen to talk to me about business rates. Many of the businesses I spoke to benefited from Welsh Government's rate relief, to the point at which they were paying nothing at all for their business rates, which I thought was excellent. And I'm very pleased this afternoon to be moving regulations with regard to the multiplier rate for the Non-Domestic Rating (Multiplier) (Wales) Order 2019, and that will mean that we are moving this year to using the consumer prices index rather than the retail prices index, and, of course, that's a benefit, then, to Welsh businesses of around £10 million, and that's on top of the support that we already provide.
Diolch i Nick Ramsay am godi'r materion hynny. Cawsom ddatganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth dim ond yr wythnos diwethaf ynglŷn ag anabledd a chyflogaeth pobl anabl, felly efallai ei bod ychydig yn rhy fuan i gael trafodaeth bellach ar hynny. Ond rwy'n gwybod y bydd yn awyddus i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau ar gynnydd y gwaith yr oedd ef yn ei drafod yn ei ddatganiad yr wythnos diwethaf, ac, yn amlwg, bydd o ddiddordeb mawr i mi glywed, fel y gwn y bydd i'r Gweinidog, am y prosiectau lleol penodol hynny a ddisgrifiwyd gennych chi hefyd.
Unwaith eto, mae'r cais am ddatganiad ar losgi: byddaf i'n sicrhau bod y Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am wastraff yn ymwybodol o'r diddordeb gan yr Aelodau mewn datganiad.
Ac roeddwn i wrth fy modd yn cefnogi Dydd Sadwrn Busnesau Bach. Felly, ar y dydd Gwener cyn hynny, treuliais gryn amser ym Mhontarddulais yn siarad â pherchnogion busnesau bach yn y pentref hwnnw, ac roedden nhw'n awyddus iawn i siarad â mi am ardrethi busnes. Roedd llawer o'r busnesau y siaradais i â nhw wedi elwa ar ryddhad ardrethi Llywodraeth Cymru, i'r pwynt lle nad oedden nhw'n talu dim o gwbl am eu hardrethi busnes, a oedd yn rhagorol yn fy marn i. Ac rwy'n falch iawn y prynhawn yma o fod yn symud rheoliadau o ran cyfradd y lluosydd ar gyfer Gorchymyn Ardrethu Annomestig (Lluosydd) (Cymru) 2019. Bydd hynny'n golygu ein bod yn symud eleni at ddefnyddio'r mynegai prisiau defnyddwyr, ac mae hynny ar ben y gefnogaeth yr ydym eisoes yn ei darparu.
We all know in this room that the bus pass replacement deadline comes up on 31 December. I know we've seen reports and I've also had constituents come to my office about how difficult it has been to get that replacement. Many people, especially from the elderly generation, have been pushed online, but then I'm being told by some of the office staff who are administrating the process that they can't cope with doing that because they didn't anticipate people going and doing it online. So, it seemed to be a bit of a mishmash of what happened in that regard. I know that improvements are sought to be made, but can you assure us that you are going to do that and that you're going to encourage everybody who can have a replacement bus pass to be able to do that before 31 December?
My second question, and you may think I'm being premature but I don't think I am, because the tickets are already out for the Euro 2020 championships, and it's a really bad time, I think, because everybody is thinking of Christmas, but, anyway, people are planning their visits to Rome, to Baku, and Baku and back next year, but many won't be able to afford to go, or they may not be able to for various other reasons because of their work commitments. So, what discussions are you having with the Football Association of Wales, with councils across the country, to set up fan zones yet again, and to improve and expand on the fan zone concept, because I know that many were overrun last time, many were very popular, so that we have planning well ahead of June so that we can be assured that the fans who can't get to the games, wherever they may be, can see Wales and they can support Wales from home, and do so in style.
Mae pawb yn yr ystafell hon yn gwybod bod y terfyn amser ar gyfer y pàs bws newydd yn dod i ben ar 31 Rhagfyr. Rwy'n gwybod ein bod wedi gweld adroddiadau ac rwyf i hefyd wedi cael etholwyr yn dod i'r swyddfa yn dweud pa mor anodd y mae wedi bod i gael y pàs newydd hwnnw. Mae llawer o bobl, yn enwedig o'r genhedlaeth hŷn, wedi cael eu gwthio i fynd ar-lein. Ond yna rwy'n cael gwybod gan rai o'r staff swyddfa sy'n gweinyddu'r broses nad ydynt yn gallu ymdopi â hynny oherwydd nad oedden nhw wedi rhagweld pobl yn mynd ar-lein. Felly, roedd yn ymddangos yn dipyn o gybolfa o'r hyn a ddigwyddodd yn hynny o beth. Gwn mai'r bwriad yw gwneud gwelliannau, ond a allwch chi ein sicrhau ni eich bod yn mynd i wneud hynny a'ch bod yn mynd i annog pawb a all gael tocyn bws arall i allu gwneud hynny cyn 31 Rhagfyr?
Fy ail gwestiwn i, ac efallai eich bod chi'n credu fy mod yn gynamserol, ond nid wyf yn credu fy mod i, oherwydd mae'r tocynnau eisoes ar gael ar gyfer Pencampwriaethau Ewro 2020, ac mae'n amser gwirioneddol wael, yn fy marn i, oherwydd mae pawb yn meddwl am y Nadolig. Fodd bynnag, mae pobl yn cynllunio eu hymweliadau â Rhufain, â Baku, a Baku ac yn ôl y flwyddyn nesaf, ond ni fydd llawer yn gallu fforddio mynd, neu efallai na fyddan nhw'n gallu am wahanol resymau eraill oherwydd eu hymrwymiadau gwaith. Felly, pa drafodaethau yr ydych chi'n eu cael gyda Chymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru, gyda chynghorau ledled y wlad, i sefydlu parth cefnogwyr unwaith eto, ac i wella ac ehangu'r cysyniad o barth cefnogwyr? Gwn fod llawer ohonyn nhw wedi bod yn orlawn y tro diwethaf, ac roeddent yn boblogaidd iawn, ac mae angen cynllunio ymhell cyn mis Mehefin fel y gallwn ni fod yn dawel ein meddwl y gall y cefnogwyr na allan nhw gyrraedd y gemau, ble bynnag y bônt, weld Cymru ac y gallan nhw gefnogi Cymru o'u cartrefi, a gwneud hynny mewn steil.
Thank you. On the issue of the bus passes, I know Transport for Wales are working really hard to ensure that people do have their bus passes with them in good time for the end of this year. There are particular issues—for example, people who have been waiting for their bus pass and then applied a second time, and, of course, that flags up the particular case then as potential fraud. So, that actually delays the printing of those bus passes. So, we would encourage people, if they haven't yet received their bus pass but they have applied, not to apply a second time, because that would potentially slow down their application. But I will ask the Minister for Economy and Transport to explore if there is a further and current update that he can provide on what is an issue of huge importance to all of us as Assembly Members and in terms of the constituents we represent.
Never too early to talk about Euro 2020—I know that the Minister for sport and the Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language will be having, or are already having, important discussions with the Football Association of Wales and local authorities and other partners to ensure that as many people as possible get to enjoy watching those games and feel the atmosphere around them. So, again, I'm sure that there will be a statement coming forward in due course.
Diolch. O ran y pasys bws, gwn fod Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn gweithio'n galed iawn i sicrhau bod pobl yn cael eu pasys bws mewn da bryd erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn. Mae yna faterion penodol—er enghraifft, pobl sydd wedi bod yn aros am eu pàs bws ac yna wedi ymgeisio am yr eildro, ac, wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n codi'r achos penodol hwnnw fel twyll posibl. Felly, mae hynny'n golygu oedi wrth argraffu'r tocynnau bws hynny. Felly, byddem ni'n annog pobl, os nad ydyn nhw wedi cael eu pàs bws eto, ond eu bod wedi gwneud cais, i beidio â gwneud cais am yr eildro, oherwydd gallai hynny arafu eu cais. Ond byddaf i'n gofyn i Weinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth ymchwilio a oes diweddariad pellach a chyfredol y gall ei ddarparu ar fater sy'n bwysig iawn i bob un ohonom ni fel Aelodau'r Cynulliad ac o ran yr etholwyr yr ydym ni'n eu cynrychioli.
Nid yw byth yn rhy gynnar i sôn am Ewro 2020—gwn y bydd y Gweinidog Chwaraeon a Gweinidog y Gymraeg a Chysylltiadau Rhyngwladol yn cael, neu eisoes yn cael, trafodaethau pwysig â Chymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid eraill i sicrhau bod cymaint o bobl â phosibl yn cael mwynhau gwylio'r gemau hynny a theimlo'r awyrgylch o'u hamgylch. Felly, unwaith eto, rwy'n siŵr y bydd datganiad yn dod gerbron maes o law.
Un cais am ddatganiad, un am ddadl sydd gen i—y ddau ym maes iechyd. Mi glywoch chi, dwi'n siŵr, yn y wasg yr wythnos diwethaf am achos torcalonnus fy etholwr i, Thomas Griffith Jones, sydd â dementia ond sy'n wynebu cael ei symud i Stafford oherwydd ei anghenion gofal dwys. Mae'r Llywodraeth yn dweud—mi ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog mewn ateb i gwestiwn llafar ond atebwyd yn ysgrifenedig yn ddiweddar—mai nod y Llywodraeth ydy bod disgwyliad y bydd pob siaradwr Cymraeg â dementia'n cael gofal yn ei ddewis iaith, a bod hynny am resymau clinigol. Mae hynny'n amlwg yn mynd yn groes i realiti'r hyn sydd yn digwydd. Rydym ni'n gwybod mor allweddol ydy derbyn gofal mewn iaith gyntaf ar gyfer cleifion dementia. Cymraeg ydy iaith gyntaf Twm. Cymraeg ydy unig iaith Twm, mewn gwirionedd. Dwi wedi siarad efo'r awdurdod lleol. Maen nhw'n barod i gydweithio fel rhan o'r bartneriaeth ranbarthol, ond cyfrifoldeb y bwrdd iechyd ydy hyn, a Llywodraeth Cymru sydd yn gyfrifol am fwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr. Mae'r Gweinidog iechyd wedi dweud wrthyf i y bydd o'n cysylltu efo cadeirydd y bwrdd iechyd. Mae angen gweithredu ar frys i gael gofal i Twm ac mewn achosion tebyg iddo fo. Rydym ni angen datganiad i ddweud beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n mynd i wneud rŵan ar fyrder i gynyddu capasiti, achos nid achos unigol ydy hwn.
Just one request for a statement and one for a debate, both involving health. You will have heard, I'm sure, in the press and media last week the heartbreaking case of my constituent Thomas Griffith Jones, who has dementia but is facing being moved to Stafford because of his intensive care needs. The Government has said—the First Minister said in response to an oral question that had a written response recently—that the Government's aim is that there is an expectation that every Welsh speaker with dementia will receive care in his or her language of choice, for clinical reasons. That clearly contradicts the reality of the situation. We know how crucial it is that one receives care in one's first language when dementia is a problem. Welsh is Twm's first language—his only language, if truth be told. I have spoken to the local authority. They are willing to co-operate as part of the regional partnership, but it's the responsibility of the health board ultimately, and the Welsh Government is responsible for Betsi Cadwaladr health board. The health Minister has told me that he will contact the chair of the health board. We need urgent action to secure care for Twm and similar cases. We need a statement to tell us what the Government is going to do now as a matter of urgency to increase capacity, because this isn't a unique case.
The second issue is on dental care. I'm in contact with many constituents who are struggling to find an NHS dentist. On Ynys Môn last week, I passed the latest concerns on to the health Minister. I'm also in contact with dentists, as it happens, who are keen to come to Ynys Môn to work and are being faced with barriers, including being told to go and work for some of the big multinational companies rather than through local surgeries, but I'm pursuing that elsewhere.
One case in particular involves a diabetic constituent. As a side effect of being prescribed Metformin, her teeth have all become loose. Her GP referred her to Ysbyty Gwynedd's oral department back in March. She was told she needed a dentist's referral. Ultimately, she had to go private, having also been refused a referral through the NHS emergency dentist unit in Llanfairpwll. Now, the private remedial work is estimated to cost around £5,000. She feels penalised for the side effect of her diabetes and the lack of access to NHS dental provision and is really not in a position to afford the necessary work. I've been banging on about this, as have other Members, since I have been elected here. We're still not seeing signs of improvement in dental provision in the north of Wales. We need a debate, we need it in Government time, and we need it soon.
Mae'r ail fater yn ymwneud â gofal deintyddol. Rwyf mewn cysylltiad â llawer o etholwyr sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd dod o hyd i ddeintydd GIG. Ar Ynys Môn yr wythnos diwethaf, trosglwyddwyd y pryderon diweddaraf ymlaen i'r Gweinidog iechyd. Rwyf hefyd mewn cysylltiad â deintyddion, fel mae'n digwydd, sy'n awyddus i ddod i Ynys Môn i weithio ac sy'n wynebu rhwystrau, gan gynnwys cael eu cyfarwyddo i fynd i weithio i rai o'r cwmnïau rhyngwladol mawr yn hytrach na thrwy feddygfeydd lleol, ond rwy'n mynd ar drywydd hynny mewn rhywle eraill.
Mae un achos yn benodol yn ymwneud ag etholwr diabetig. Fel sgil-effaith o gael Metformin ar bresgripsiwn, mae ei dannedd i gyd wedi dod yn rhydd. Atgyfeiriodd ei meddyg teulu hi at adran y geg yn Ysbyty Gwynedd yn ôl ym mis Mawrth. Dywedwyd wrthi fod angen atgyfeiriad deintydd arni. Yn y pen draw, bu'n rhaid iddi fynd yn breifat, ar ôl cael ei gwrthod hefyd gan uned ddeintyddol frys y GIG yn Llanfairpwll. Nawr, amcangyfrifir bod y gwaith adferol preifat yn costio tua £5,000. Mae'n teimlo ei bod yn cael ei chosbi am sgil-effaith ei diabetes a'r diffyg cyfle i fanteisio ar ddarpariaeth ddeintyddol y GIG ac nid yw mewn gwirionedd mewn sefyllfa i allu fforddio'r gwaith angenrheidiol. Rwyf wedi bod yn rhygnu ymlaen am hyn, fel y bu'r Aelodau eraill, ers imi gael fy ethol yma. Rydym yn dal i fod heb weld unrhyw arwydd o welliant mewn darpariaeth ddeintyddol yng Ngogledd Cymru. Mae angen dadl arnom ni, mae ei hangen yn amser y Llywodraeth, ac mae ei hangen arnom yn fuan.
Well, I'm familiar with the first issue you raise, which is that of the case of your constituent, Twm, and I can understand how deeply unsettling and upsetting this is for Twm and for his family as well because of course it's the expectation that people should be treated as close to home as possible and that they should have access to that expert service that they require. Clearly, we understand the importance of receiving services through the medium of Welsh, especially if that's your first language, because people tend to lose their second languages first when they do have dementia. I'm pleased that you've raised the case with the health Minister and that he has undertaken to discuss it with the chair of the health board. I know that he will give you the response or the result of those discussions as soon as possible. I'll also make him aware of your request for a debate on dentistry provision in north Wales specifically, especially given the circumstances that you've just described.
Wel, rwy'n gyfarwydd â'r mater cyntaf yr ydych chi'n ei godi, sef achos eich etholwr, Twm, a gallaf ddeall pa mor gythryblus a gofidus yw hyn i Twm ac i'w deulu hefyd oherwydd y disgwyl yw, wrth gwrs, y dylai pobl gael eu trin mor agos i'w cartref ag y bo modd ac y dylen nhw gael manteisio ar y gwasanaeth arbenigol hwnnw y mae arnynt ei angen. Yn amlwg, rydym yn deall pwysigrwydd cael gwasanaethau drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg, yn enwedig os mai dyna yw eich iaith gyntaf, gan fod pobl yn tueddu i golli eu hail iaith yn gyntaf pan fod ganddyn nhw ddementia. Rwy'n falch eich bod wedi codi'r achos gyda'r Gweinidog Iechyd a'i fod wedi ymrwymo i'w drafod gyda Chadeirydd y bwrdd iechyd. Gwn y bydd yn rhoi ymateb neu ganlyniad y trafodaethau hynny i chi cyn gynted ag y bo modd. Byddaf hefyd yn ei hysbysu o'ch cais am ddadl ar ddarpariaeth deintyddiaeth yng Ngogledd Cymru yn benodol, yn enwedig o ystyried yr amgylchiadau yr ydych chi newydd eu disgrifio.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
Thank you, Trefnydd.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r datganiad gan Weinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig ar y cynllun aer glân. Rwy'n galw ar y Gweinidog i wneud ei datganiad. Lesley Griffiths.
The next item is a statement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs on the clean air plan. I call the Minister to make the statement. Lesley Griffiths.
Diolch, Llywydd. I'm pleased to launch a 12-week public consultation on our ambitious, cross-Government plans to improve air quality across Wales. I know all in this Assembly agree that the people of Wales have the right to breathe healthy air. Although our current overall air quality is good and compares well with the rest of the UK and the EU, we can do better and there is clear scope for further action.
'The Clean Air Plan for Wales: Healthy Air, Healthy Wales' sets out a national framework that will enable all of us, across Wales, to work together to secure further, sustainable improvement in a way that reinforces our work on climate change, decarbonisation and environmental growth. It is an important milestone in our efforts to further improve air quality in Wales, and brings together work across many Government departments and public sector organisations through four central themes, which are: protecting the health and well-being of current and future generations; supporting the environment, ecosystems and biodiversity; supporting a prosperous Wales; and supporting sustainable places.
It is vital that our approach protects the health and well-being of current and future generations. Our first theme highlights current and planned actions to reduce air pollution, risks and inequalities, including committing to new evidence-based, health-focused targets for particulate matter in Wales that take account of stringent World Health Organization guideline values.
The second theme recognises the importance of protecting our natural environment, ecosystems and biodiversity and promoting environmental growth for future generations. One of the greatest challenges we face is to find a way to secure a healthy, resilient and productive environment for the future while continuing to create jobs, housing and infrastructure. We will measure progress through new indicators for biodiversity.
The third theme supports a prosperous Wales. We want to be an innovative, productive and low-carbon society that recognises the limits of the global environment and uses resources efficiently and proportionately. Thriving businesses are important to a successful Welsh economy and we need to deliver our ambitions for economic growth alongside our commitments to clean air and healthy environmental growth. Driven by a combination of regulation, investment and technical advances, significant progress has already been made to reduce air pollution from industry. To achieve further improvements we will continue to work with stakeholders, targeting particular industrial air quality challenges.
The fourth and final theme recognises the importance of reducing airborne pollution in public places. 'Planning Policy Wales' recognises the importance of air quality and appropriate soundscapes to the health and well-being of people and the environment. We are producing further guidance for local planning authorities and developers to support the detailed consideration of air quality and soundscapes in the planning process. A joined-up approach between national transport and planning policy supports an increase in public transport use and active travel, reducing emissions and public exposure. We will work with stakeholders to encourage a modal shift from private vehicle dependency to sustainable forms of transport.
Whilst we can take the lead and set an example through Government actions, we cannot deliver the plan on our own. Successfully addressing air pollution means Welsh Government, its agencies, local authorities, business and industry, non-governmental organisations and of course the general public all working together. We will empower everyone to reduce their impacts and exposures to local air quality through better education and awareness raising, and develop targeted and integrated communications to inform and enable behavioural change.
Our new clean air Act for Wales will play a key role in helping us achieve all of this by delivering the First Minister's manifesto commitment and reduce the burden of poor air quality on human health, our economy, biodiversity and the natural environment. I will be consulting on more detailed proposals for the Act by the end of the current Assembly term, taking into account the responses to this consultation.
Over the next 12 weeks, I am hoping for a constructive discussion on the proposals in the plan, and encourage you and your constituents to respond. Together, we have an opportunity to improve air quality throughout the country, for us, our children and future generations. Diolch.
Diolch, Llywydd. Pleser yw cael lansio ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus 12 wythnos ar ein cynlluniau uchelgeisiol ledled y Llywodraeth i wella ansawdd aer ar draws Cymru. Gwn fod pawb yn y Cynulliad hwn yn cytuno bod gan bobl yng Nghymru yr hawl i anadlu aer sy'n iach. Er bod ansawdd cyffredinol dda i'n haer ni ar hyn o bryd a bod hyn yn cymharu'n dda â gweddill y DU a'r UE, fe allwn ni wneud yn well ac mae cyfle amlwg i weithredu ymhellach.
Mae'r 'Cynllun Aer Glân i Gymru: Awyr Iach, Cymru Iach' yn nodi fframwaith cenedlaethol a fydd yn galluogi pob un ohonom ni, ledled Cymru, i weithio gyda'n gilydd i sicrhau gwelliannau pellach a chynaliadwy mewn modd sy'n atgyfnerthu ein gwaith ni ar newid hinsawdd, datgarboneiddio a thwf amgylcheddol. Mae hon yn garreg filltir bwysig yn ein hymdrechion ni i wella ansawdd yr aer ymhellach eto yng Nghymru, ac mae'n dwyn gwaith ynghyd ar draws llawer o adrannau'r Llywodraeth a sefydliadau'r sector cyhoeddus drwy bedair thema ganolog, sef: diogelu iechyd a lles cenedlaethau'r presennol a'r dyfodol; cefnogi'r amgylchedd, ecosystemau a bioamrywiaeth; cefnogi Cymru lewyrchus; a chefnogi mannau cynaliadwy.
Mae'n hanfodol bod ein dull ni o weithredu yn diogelu iechyd a lles cenedlaethau'r presennol a'r dyfodol. Mae ein thema gyntaf yn pwysleisio'r camau gweithredu cyfredol ac arfaethedig i leihau llygredd aer, y risgiau ac anghydraddoldebau. Mae hyn yn cynnwys ymrwymo i dargedau newydd o ran deunydd gronynnol yng Nghymru, sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth ac yn canolbwyntio ar iechyd, gan ystyried gwerthoedd canllawiau caeth Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd.
Mae'r ail thema yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd diogelu ein hamgylchedd naturiol, ein hecosystemau a'n bioamrywiaeth a hyrwyddo twf amgylcheddol ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Un o'r heriau mwyaf yr ydym ni'n eu hwynebu yw dod o hyd i ffordd o sicrhau amgylchedd sy'n iach, yn gydnerth ac yn gynhyrchiol i'r dyfodol gan barhau i greu swyddi, tai a seilwaith. Byddwn yn mesur cynnydd drwy ddangosyddion newydd ar gyfer bioamrywiaeth.
Mae'r drydedd thema yn cefnogi Cymru lewyrchus. Rydym yn awyddus i fod yn gymdeithas arloesol, gynhyrchiol a charbon isel sy'n cydnabod terfynau'r amgylchedd byd-eang ac yn defnyddio adnoddau yn effeithlon ac yn gymesur â'n hangen. Mae busnesau ffyniannus yn bwysig i economi lwyddiannus yng Nghymru ac mae angen inni gyflawni ein huchelgeisiau ar gyfer twf economaidd ochr yn ochr â'n hymrwymiadau i gael aer glân a thwf amgylcheddol iach. Drwy gyfuniad o reoleiddio, buddsoddi a datblygiadau technegol, llwyddwyd i wneud cynnydd sylweddol eisoes i leihau llygredd aer oherwydd diwydiant. I gyflawni gwelliannau pellach, fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i weithio gyda rhanddeiliaid, gan dargedu heriau penodol o ran ansawdd aer mewn ardaloedd diwydiannol.
Mae'r bedwaredd thema, a'r olaf, yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd lleihau llygredd yn yr aer mewn mannau cyhoeddus. Mae 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd ansawdd aer a seinweddau priodol i iechyd a lles pobl a'r amgylchedd. Rydym yn cynhyrchu canllawiau pellach ar gyfer awdurdodau cynllunio lleol a datblygwyr i gefnogi ystyriaeth fanwl o ansawdd aer a seinweddau yn y broses gynllunio. Mae dull cydgysylltiedig rhwng polisi trafnidiaeth cenedlaethol a pholisi cynllunio yn cefnogi cynnydd yn y defnydd o drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a theithio llesol, gan leihau allyriadau a'u heffaith ar y cyhoedd. Byddwn yn gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid i annog newid moddol oddi wrth ddibyniaeth ar gerbydau preifat a thuag at fathau cynaliadwy o drafnidiaeth.
Er y gallwn arwain a gosod esiampl drwy weithredu gan y Llywodraeth, ni allwn gyflawni'r cynllun ar ein pennau ein hunain. Mae mynd i'r afael â llygredd aer yn llwyddiannus yn golygu bod Llywodraeth Cymru, ei hasiantaethau, awdurdodau lleol, busnes a diwydiant, sefydliadau anllywodraethol ac, wrth gwrs, y cyhoedd yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd. Fe fyddwn yn rhoi'r grym i bawb leihau'r effeithiau a'u cysylltiad ag ansawdd aer lleol drwy addysg well a chodi ymwybyddiaeth, a datblygu dulliau cyfathrebu integredig a dargedwyd i hysbysu a galluogi newid mewn ymddygiad.
Bydd gan ein Deddf Aer Glân newydd ni i Gymru ran allweddol i'w chwarae i'n helpu ni i sicrhau hyn drwy gyflawni'r ymrwymiad ym maniffesto'r Prif Weinidog a lleihau'r baich y mae ansawdd aer gwael yn ei roi ar iechyd pobl, ein heconomi, bioamrywiaeth a'r amgylchedd naturiol. Byddaf yn ymgynghori ar gynigion mwy manwl ar gyfer y Ddeddf erbyn diwedd tymor presennol y Cynulliad, gan ystyried yr ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad hwn.
Dros y 12 wythnos nesaf, rwy'n gobeithio cael trafodaeth adeiladol ar y cynigion yn y cynllun, ac rwy'n eich annog chi a'ch etholwyr i ymateb iddyn nhw. Gyda'n gilydd, mae gennym gyfle i wella ansawdd aer ledled y wlad, er ein mwyn ni, er mwyn ein plant ac er mwyn cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Diolch.
Thank you, Minister, for your statement this afternoon. The clean air agenda policy area is vitally important for Government and for politicians of all shades of colour. If I could just read this statement—I think, in itself, this would focus minds—
'Preventable deaths due to respiratory disease in the most deprived areas of Wales run at over 60 per cent in men and 66 per cent in women, compared to only 11 per cent in both the sexes if you happen to live in a nice leafy suburb or out in the country.'
That truly is a shocking statistic, to say the least, and something in a policy area that we do have many of the levers over, where we can make a difference.
It is also worth reflecting on Wales's position over the last couple of years, which has shown that emissions in Wales between 2015 and 2016 went up by 5 per cent, and, between 2009 and 2016, went up by nearly 1.5 per cent, as opposed to a 5 per cent reduction across the UK. So, the levers that Welsh Labour have been pulling in this particular area clearly haven't been working, although I do believe in the sincerity of the Minister's statement this afternoon to try and change the narrative on this particular subject. That's why it is with regret that I stand here and do lambast the Welsh Government for not bringing forward a clean air Act and actually legislating in this particular area. I can remember first calling for the then First Minister Carwyn Jones to pull partners together and actually get a discussion going where we could get a piece of legislation on the statute book by the end of this Assembly.
Regrettably, now, despite the current First Minister's leadership commitment, we will not see that Act come into this Assembly. I hear the Minister will point to Brexit as maybe one of the problems, because of the pressures in her department, but there is a consensus in this particular policy area across this Chamber to make those improvements. And, unless these improvements are enshrined in law, many public partners and private sector partners will not be able to deliver on the improvements that they're meant to make. And so I would again urge the Minister to reflect on this particular area. Time has not completely run out—there is still nearly another 18 months to go before the Assembly election, and, as I said, with goodwill, we could make progress on this matter.
However, if you do still continue to decide not to bring forward legislation in this area—as I understand in this statement, we're just talking of a White Paper—will you commit to creating time in the Assembly calendar before the Assembly goes into dissolution to debate this particular subject and vote on any recommendations that might come from the White Paper and the consultations that you hold? Because I do think that's an important area to understand how exactly you will take this particular item forward.
Also, as we heard in the business statement, there's a big issue around incineration in Wales, and the particulate matter that does come around. Whether it be my colleagues from the constituency of Monmouthshire, the Member for Swansea, or in Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan in my own region, there does seem to be a cross-party consensus on this particular issue. Can you highlight today how the clean air strategy, or plan, as you've brought forward, will take forward and address some of the concerns in this particular area around incineration?
Biodiversity you've touched on and the importance of creating a biodiversity culture here in Wales. We know, regrettably, that the Welsh Government's tree-planting targets have been missed by a country mile. How can we have confidence that this particular plan, when it talks about increasing biodiversity across Wales, will actually be able to deliver on the improvements that you talk about making in this particular area?
Also, you touch on an expert group—an expert panel has been set up to look at interventions in the domestic setting, and, in fact, it does talk about eradicating all emissions from domestic sources. Could you enlighten us as to exactly what those interventions might look like, because that's quite a bold statement, and what interventions Government will be looking to make, because I presume you're in possession of that information, as you've had an expert panel, obviously, advise you on that particular area?
It is disappointing, as I understand it, that Welsh Government still does not subscribe to making improvements to World Health Organization standards on air quality, merely the EU standards, although you do touch on it in your statement—that you'll be guided, rather than actually saying you will want to hit those targets. Can I understand why you will not set yourself that very stretching target that the World Health Organization has, as opposed to, obviously, the EU targets that you've set yourself against?
We are all supportive of greater access to public transport, but there is a very clear divide between the country and the town. In many instances, in country locations, regrettably, there isn't a public transport option. So, I would be most interested to know how you will create the policy area that will make those improvements where public transport exists so that they are a valuable alternative to using private cars, without penalising people in rural locations, where, very often, the only mode of transport that they do have is via a private motor car that's parked on their drive.
I think that it's important now, obviously, as you said, that people do engage with this consultation and, ultimately, that we do see a response form the Government that does map out the future of this particular area. We cannot carry on having statistics from Public Health Wales that highlight that between 1,400 and 2,000 premature deaths a year are linked to poor air quality. I do refer back to that opening statement that I made in this statement, about how the inequalities—. If you live in a poor area, there is a 60-66 per cent chance of you dying of respiratory failure, as opposed to an 11 per cent chance if you live in a leafy suburb. That is an inequality that we cannot stand by and allow to continue.
My colleague David Melding, in his urban renewal paper that he brought forward some 18 months ago, did highlight how ambitious the Welsh Conservatives are in this particular policy area, and how we would willingly work with the Welsh Government to create those clean air zones in urban settings and safe spaces around schools, so that come 2021, we are still not talking about this, we do have action, and we can point to areas in Wales that can be beacons of excellence, rather than those statistics that I used in my opening remarks, which show that, actually, air quality has deteriorated in Wales by 5 per cent in recent times, as opposed to other parts of the UK, where it's improved by 5 per cent.
Diolch, Gweinidog, am eich datganiad chi'r prynhawn yma. Mae maes polisi'r agenda aer glân yn hanfodol bwysig i'r Llywodraeth ac i wleidyddion o bob lliw a llun. Rwy'n mynd i ddarllen y datganiad hwn—rwy'n credu y bydd hynny ynddo'i hun yn fodd inni ganolbwyntio ar yr hyn sydd dan sylw—
Mae marwolaethau y gellir eu hosgoi oherwydd clefyd anadlol yn ardaloedd mwyaf difreintiedig Cymru yn fwy na 60 y cant ar gyfer dynion a 66 y cant ar gyfer menywod, o'u cymharu ag 11 y cant yn unig ar gyfer y ddau ryw pe byddech chi'n digwydd byw mewn maestref goediog braf neu yng nghefn gwlad.
Mae hwn yn ystadegyn brawychus yn wir, a dweud y lleiaf, ac yn fater mewn maes polisi y mae'r ysgogiadau i ymdrin ag ef yn ein dwylo ni, lle y gallwn ni wneud gwahaniaeth.
Mae'n werth myfyrio hefyd ar sefyllfa Cymru dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf, sydd wedi dangos bod allyriadau yng Nghymru rhwng 2015 a 2016 wedi codi 5 y cant, a, rhwng 2009 a 2016, wedi codi bron 1.5 y cant, o'i gymharu â gostyngiad o 5 y cant ledled y DU. Felly, mae'n amlwg nad yw'r dulliau y mae Llafur Cymru wedi bod yn eu defnyddio yn y maes penodol hwn wedi bod yn gweithio, er fy mod i'n credu bod datganiad y Gweinidog yn ddiffuant y prynhawn yma o ran ceisio newid y naratif ar y pwnc penodol hwn. Dyna pam ei bod yn destun gofid i mi fy mod i'n sefyll yn y fan hon ac yn dweud y drefn wrth Lywodraeth Cymru am fethu â chyflwyno Deddf aer glân a deddfu'n wirioneddol yn y maes penodol hwn. Gallaf gofio'r tro cyntaf y gwnes i alw ar y Prif Weinidog ar y pryd, Carwyn Jones, i dynnu'r partneriaid ynghyd a chael trafodaeth wirioneddol i roi darn o ddeddfwriaeth ar y llyfr statud erbyn diwedd y Cynulliad hwn.
Yn anffodus, erbyn hyn, er gwaethaf ymrwymiad y Prif Weinidog presennol fel arweinydd, ni fyddwn yn gweld y Ddeddf hon gerbron y Cynulliad hwn. Rwy'n clywed y Gweinidog yn cyfeirio at Brexit fel un o'r problemau efallai, oherwydd y pwysau sydd ar ei hadran hi, ond ceir cytundeb ar y maes polisi penodol hwn ar draws y Siambr hon i gyflawni'r gwelliannau hyn. Ac, oni bai fod y gwelliannau hyn yn cael eu hymgorffori mewn cyfraith, ni fydd llawer o bartneriaid cyhoeddus a phartneriaid sector preifat yn gallu cyflawni'r gwelliannau sy'n ddyledus. Ac felly fe fyddwn ni'n annog y Gweinidog i fyfyrio unwaith eto ar y maes penodol hwn. Nid yw'r amser wedi dod i ben yn gyfan gwbl—mae bron 18 mis arall eto cyn yr etholiadau i'r Cynulliad, ac, fel y dywedais i, gydag ewyllys da, mae modd inni wneud cynnydd ar y mater hwn.
Fodd bynnag, os ydych chi'n parhau i benderfynu peidio â chyflwyno deddfwriaeth yn y maes hwn—yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf yn y datganiad hwn, dim ond sôn am Bapur Gwyn yr ydym yma—a wnewch chi ymrwymo i neilltuo amser yng nghalendr y Cynulliad cyn i'r Cynulliad gael ei ddiddymu er mwyn trafod y pwnc penodol hwn a phleidleisio ar unrhyw argymhellion a allai ddeillio o'r Papur Gwyn a'r ymgynghoriadau a gynhelir? Oherwydd credaf fod hwn yn faes pwysig, sef deall sut yn union y byddwch chi'n ymdrin â'r eitem benodol hon.
Yn ogystal â hynny, fel y clywsom yn y datganiad busnes, ceir problem fawr ynghylch llosgi yng Nghymru, a'r deunydd gronynnol sy'n deillio o hynny. Mae'n ymddangos bod cytundeb trawsbleidiol ar y mater penodol hwn ymhlith fy nghyd-Aelodau o etholaeth Sir Fynwy, yr Aelod dros Abertawe, neu'r Barri ym Mro Morgannwg yn fy rhanbarth i. A wnewch chi dynnu sylw heddiw at sut y bydd y strategaeth aer glân, neu'r cynllun, fel yr ydych chi wedi ei gyflwyno ef, yn ymdrin ac yn mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r pryderon yn y maes penodol hwn ynghylch llosgi?
Rydych wedi crybwyll bioamrywiaeth a phwysigrwydd creu diwylliant bioamrywiaeth yma yng Nghymru. Rydym yn gwybod, ysywaeth, bod ymdrechion Llywodraeth Cymru o ran plannu coed wedi taro ymhell iawn oddi wrth y nod. Sut y gallwn ni fod yn hyderus y bydd y cynllun penodol hwn, wrth iddo sôn am gynyddu bioamrywiaeth ledled Cymru, mewn gwirionedd yn gallu cyflawni'r gwelliannau y soniwch amdanynt yn y maes penodol hwn?
Hefyd, rydych chi'n sôn am grŵp arbenigol—cafodd panel arbenigol ei sefydlu i edrych ar ymyriadau mewn lleoliadau domestig, ac, mewn gwirionedd, mae'n sôn am ddiddymu allyriadau o ffynonellau domestig yn gyfan gwbl. A wnewch chi ein goleuo ni ynglŷn ag union natur yr ymyriadau hynny, oherwydd mae'n ddatganiad beiddgar iawn? A pha ymyriadau fydd y Llywodraeth yn ceisio eu cyflawni, oherwydd rwy'n tybio bod yr wybodaeth honno gennych chi, gan fod gennych banel o arbenigwyr, yn amlwg, yn rhoi cyngor ichi yn y maes penodol hwnnw?
Siomedig iawn, yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf i, yw nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi gwneud gwelliannau i safonau Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd o ran ansawdd aer, dim ond i safonau'r UE yn unig, er eich bod yn cyfeirio'n fyr at hynny yn eich datganiad—y byddwch yn cael eich arwain, yn hytrach na dweud y byddwch chi'n dymuno gwireddu'r targedau hynny mewn gwirionedd. A wnewch chi egluro imi pam na wnewch chi osod y targed ymestynnol iawn hwnnw sydd gan Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd i chi eich hun, yn hytrach na thargedau'r UE, yr ydych chi'n anelu atyn nhw?
Rydym i gyd yn gefnogol i ragor o drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, ond ceir rhaniad eglur iawn rhwng cefn gwlad a'r trefi. Mewn nifer o achosion, mewn mannau gwledig, yn anffodus, nid oes trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ar gael o gwbl. Felly, fe fyddai'n dda iawn cael gwybod sut y byddwch chi'n llunio'r maes polisi a fydd yn galluogi'r gwelliannau hynny lle mae trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn bodoli fel bod hwnnw'n ddewis gwerth chweil yn hytrach na defnyddio ceir preifat, heb gosbi pobl mewn mannau gwledig, lle, yn aml iawn, yr unig ddull o drafnidiaeth sydd ganddyn nhw yw defnyddio'r cerbyd modur preifat sydd wedi ei barcio wrth y tŷ.
Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig nawr, yn amlwg, fel yr oeddech chi'n dweud, fod pobl yn cymryd rhan yn yr ymgynghoriad hwn ac, yn y pen draw, ein bod ni'n gweld ymateb gan y Llywodraeth sy'n mapio dyfodol y maes arbennig hwn. Ni allwn barhau i gael ystadegau gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru sy'n tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod rhwng 1,400 a 2,000 o farwolaethau cynamserol y flwyddyn yn gysylltiedig ag ansawdd aer gwael. Rwy'n cyfeirio'n ôl at y datganiad agoriadol a wnes i yn y datganiad hwn ynglŷn â sut mae'r anghydraddoldebau—. Os ydych yn byw mewn ardal dlawd, mae yna siawns o 60-66 y cant y byddwch chi'n marw o anhwylderau anadlol, o'i gyferbynnu â siawns o 11 y cant os ydych chi'n byw mewn maestref goediog. Mae hwnnw'n anghydraddoldeb na allwn ni ei oddef na chaniatáu iddo barhau.
Yn ei bapur ar adnewyddu trefol, a gyflwynodd ryw 18 mis yn ôl, nododd fy nghyd-Aelod David Melding pa mor uchelgeisiol yw Ceidwadwyr Cymru yn y maes polisi penodol hwn, a sut y byddem ni'n barod i weithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru i greu parthau aer glân mewn lleoliadau trefol a mannau diogel o amgylch ysgolion. Felly erbyn 2021, ni fyddwn ni'n trafod hyn o hyd, bydd gennym gamau gweithredu, a gallwn gyfeirio at ardaloedd yng Nghymru a all fod yn batrymau o ragoriaeth, yn hytrach na'r ystadegau hynny a ddefnyddiais yn fy sylwadau agoriadol, sy'n dangos, mewn gwirionedd, fod ansawdd yr aer wedi dirywio yng Nghymru 5 y cant yn ddiweddar, o'i gymharu â rhannau eraill o'r DU, lle mae wedi gwella 5 y cant.
Thank you, Andrew R.T. Davies, for that very long list of comments around the consultation that I have launched today. I will try my best to answer all your questions. I have to take task with him about his lambasting of the Welsh Government. It's good to see the British Lung Foundation here in Wales recognising the good work that we have been doing. I'm very pleased about the plan, whereas the Tories' plans in England were described by the British Lung Foundation as a missed opportunity with risks of going backwards. So, I'll just put that out there straight away. However, it is nearly Christmas, so I'm very pleased that you are happy to work with us around that.
Certainly, I do remember David Melding's paper, and I'm very happy to work with you. We don't have all of the answers. Certainly, this consultation, I hope, will bring forward some really good responses that we can take forward. We've had the programme, I'm launching the planned consultation today, and then we will have the clean air Act. I heard what Andrew R.T. Davies said about the Act, and the fact that we are not proposing it during this Assembly term. I have committed to producing a White Paper before the end of term. I know that you said that we will blame Brexit. Well, Brexit is a massive issue for my department. You know that my department is absolutely, completely embraced in European legislation and funding and regulation, et cetera. So, it has taken a focus away from things like this. I would love to bring a clean air Act forward this term, but I am committed to a White Paper.
I have to say, legislation isn't the answer to everything. We do have levers that we can use, and I think that we have made significant progress over the last couple of years. One of the things that we've been doing as a Welsh Government in relation to air quality and improving air quality is building an evidence base that we didn't have before. A lot of the time, we looked to the UK Government because they were the ones with all of the evidence. But, I think that we now have the climate emergency, we have the biodiversity issues that you referred to, and the air quality. While there is overlap, they are three very separate things that we have to bring together.
Some of the things that we have been doing—. You'll be aware that local authorities currently have powers to introduce low-emission zones, for instance, and clean air zones, so that is already available; they don't need further legislation to be able to do that.
You referred to incineration. Obviously, waste doesn't sit with me, but I've had several discussions with Hannah Blythyn, the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government around incineration and what we can do. And, of course, we are a responsible nation. We have to deal effectively with our non-recyclable waste in a way that prevents it from polluting the environment or sees the problem being exported. I think that it's very important that we take that responsibility. So, while the incineration of waste material for heat and power is higher up the statutory waste hierarchy, if you like—it's above landfill—I think it is a transitionary step. We need to find a solution to move away from single-use plastics, for instance, and I know the Minister is looking at banning or restricting certain single-use plastic products.
You raise a very important point about woodland. We haven't been planting the number of trees that we would have liked to have done, but again, you will see an increase in that, because I'm ensuring that that does occur.
In relation to domestic combustion, this is a really interesting area, because obviously that's indoors, that's where people are, and unfortunately the air can be polluted. So, I've been asked the question, 'Are you going to ban wood-burning stoves?' No, we're not. But, what we need to look at is the fuel that's used. So, for instance, we are looking to ban wet wood because we know that the fire obviously has to work even harder to produce the heat, so to look at people using dry wood. If people use wood with varnish or paint on, for instance, that can obviously increase the chemicals. So, I'm going to consult on proposals shortly to ban or restrict the sale of wet wood and traditional coal also, because we know some of the Welsh anthracite smokeless coal, for instance, is actually considered to be a clean product.
In relation to the World Health Organization guidelines, I know that you have raised this with me before and I think I answered that we don't know yet whether it's possible to achieve the WHO guidelines absolutely everywhere across Wales, or how it could be achieved at all, really. So, we are looking at that. We do comply with current legislative limits for particulate matter in Wales, but if you look at the guidelines, I think that's about 50 per cent more that we need to look at. So, it's something that we will look at very, very closely. Again, we'll consult on new targets for particulate matter in Wales, and that will take account of the WHO guidelines as part of the development of a clean air Act for Wales.
Your last question around transport—you'll be aware that the Minister for Economy and Transport will be brining forward a transport strategy that will have a focus on rural areas. He's also got the buses Bill coming forward. I absolutely agree, we want to see behavioural change with people from that mode, from the car to public transport, but for that to happen, the public transport has to be there. So, again, I've been having discussions with the Minister about all aspects, also around taxis, for instance, and using more low-carbon cars. So, once the strategy is published, you'll be able to see the link between those.
Diolch i chi, Andrew R.T. Davies, am y rhestr hir iawn yna o sylwadau ynglŷn â'r ymgynghoriad yr wyf i wedi ei lansio heddiw. Fe wnaf i fy ngorau i ateb eich holl gwestiynau. Mae'n rhaid imi ei alw ef i gyfrif am ddweud y drefn wrth Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae'n dda gweld Sefydliad Prydeinig yr Ysgyfaint yma yng Nghymru yn cydnabod y gwaith da yr ydym ni wedi bod yn ei wneud. Rwy'n falch iawn o'r cynllun, ond fe gafodd cynlluniau'r Torïaid yn Lloegr eu disgrifio gan Sefydliad Prydeinig yr Ysgyfaint fel cyfle a gollwyd gyda risg o golli tir. Felly, rwy'n dweud hynny ar fy union. Fodd bynnag, mae bron yn Nadolig, felly rwy'n falch iawn eich bod chi'n hapus i weithio gyda ni ynglŷn â hyn.
Yn sicr, rwy'n cofio papur David Melding, ac rwy'n hapus iawn i weithio gyda chi. Nid oes gennym yr holl atebion. Yn sicr, fe fydd yr ymgynghoriad hwn, rwy'n gobeithio, yn cyflwyno rhai ymatebion da iawn y gallwn ni fwrw ymlaen â nhw. Rydym wedi cael y rhaglen, rwy'n lansio'r ymgynghoriad arfaethedig heddiw, ac yna fe fydd gennym ni'r Ddeddf aer glân. Fe glywais i'r hyn a ddywedodd Andrew R.T. Davies am y Ddeddf, a'r ffaith nad ydym yn ei chynnig yn ystod y tymor Cynulliad hwn. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i gynhyrchu Papur Gwyn cyn diwedd y tymor. Gwn ichi ddweud y byddwn ni'n rhoi'r bai ar Brexit. Wel, mae Brexit yn broblem enfawr i'm hadran i. Fe wyddoch fod fy adran i wedi mynd i'r afael yn llwyr â deddfwriaeth Ewropeaidd a chyllid a rheoleiddio, ac ati. Felly, mae wedi tynnu'r ffocws oddi ar bethau fel hyn. Hoffwn i'n fawr ddod â Deddf aer glân gerbron y tymor hwn, ond rwyf wedi ymrwymo i Bapur Gwyn.
Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud nad deddfwriaeth yw'r ateb i bopeth. Mae gennym ddulliau y gallwn eu defnyddio, ac rwy'n credaf ein bod wedi gwneud cynnydd sylweddol yn ystod yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf. Un o'r pethau yr ydym ni wedi bod yn eu gwneud yn Llywodraeth Cymru, o ran ansawdd aer a gwella ansawdd aer, yw adeiladu sylfaen o dystiolaeth nad oedd gennym o'r blaen. Yn aml iawn, buom yn edrych tuag at Lywodraeth y DU am mai gan y rheini oedd y dystiolaeth i gyd. Ond, erbyn hyn rwy'n credu bod gennym yr argyfwng hinsawdd, mae gennym y materion bioamrywiaeth yr oeddech chi'n cyfeirio atyn nhw, ac ansawdd yr aer. Er bod yna orgyffwrdd, tri pheth gwahanol iawn yw'r rhain ac mae'n rhaid inni ddod â nhw at ei gilydd.
Rhai o'r pethau yr ydym ni wedi bod yn eu gwneud—. Fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol bod gan awdurdodau lleol bwerau ar hyn o bryd i gyflwyno parthau allyriadau isel, er enghraifft, a pharthau aer glân, felly mae hynny eisoes ar waith; nid oes angen mwy o ddeddfwriaeth arnyn nhw i allu gwneud hynny.
Roeddech chi'n cyfeirio at losgi gwastraff. Yn amlwg, nid fy nghyfrifoldeb i yw gwastraff, ond rwyf wedi cael sawl trafodaeth gyda Hannah Blythyn, y Dirprwy Weinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol, ynglŷn â llosgi a'r hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud. Ac, wrth gwrs, rydym ni'n genedl gyfrifol. Mae'n rhaid ymdrin yn effeithiol â'r gwastraff na ellir ei ailgylchu mewn ffordd na fydd yn llygru'r amgylchedd nac yn allforio'r broblem honno. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn cymryd y cyfrifoldeb hwnnw. Felly, er bod llosgi deunydd gwastraff ar gyfer gwres a phŵer yn uchel iawn o ran hierarchaeth gwastraff statudol, os mynnwch chi—mae'n uwch na thirlenwi—rwyf i o'r farn ei fod yn gam trosiannol. Mae angen inni ddod o hyd i ddatrysiad ar gyfer symud oddi wrth blastigau untro, er enghraifft, a gwn fod y Gweinidog yn ystyried gwahardd neu gyfyngu ar rai cynhyrchion plastig untro.
Rydych chi'n codi pwynt pwysig iawn ynglŷn â choetir. Nid ydym wedi bod yn plannu'r niferoedd o goed y byddem wedi hoffi gwneud, ond unwaith eto, fe welwch chi gynnydd yn hyn, oherwydd rwy'n sicrhau bod hynny yn digwydd.
O ran hylosgi domestig, mae hwn yn faes diddorol iawn, oherwydd yn amlwg mae hynny'n digwydd dan do, dyna lle mae pobl yn byw, ac yn anffodus fe all yr aer gael ei lygru. Felly, fe ofynnwyd y cwestiwn imi, 'A ydych chi'n mynd i wahardd stofiau sy'n llosgi pren?' Nac ydym. Ond, yr hyn y mae angen ei ystyried yw'r tanwydd a ddefnyddir. Felly, er enghraifft, rydym yn ceisio gwahardd coed gwlyb oherwydd gwyddom yn amlwg fod yn rhaid i'r tân weithio hyd yn oed yn galetach i gynhyrchu'r gwres, felly mae angen i bobl ddefnyddio coed sych. Os yw pobl yn defnyddio pren gyda farnais neu baent arno, er enghraifft, fe all hynny'n amlwg gynyddu'r cemegau. Felly, rwy'n mynd i ymgynghori ar gynigion cyn bo hir i wahardd neu gyfyngu ar werthu coed gwlyb a glo traddodiadol hefyd, oherwydd gwyddom fod peth o'r glo carreg di-fwg o Gymru, er enghraifft, yn cael ei ystyried yn gynnyrch glân.
O ran canllawiau Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd (WHO), rwy'n gwybod eich bod chi wedi codi hyn gyda mi o'r blaen ac rwy'n credu imi ateb nad ydym yn gwybod eto a yw'n bosibl cyflawni canllawiau'r WHO ym mhobman ledled Cymru, na sut y gellid ei gyflawni o gwbl, mewn gwirionedd. Felly, rydym yn ystyried hynny. Rydym yn cydymffurfio â'r terfynau deddfwriaethol presennol ar gyfer deunydd gronynnol yng Nghymru, ond os edrychwch chi ar y canllawiau, rwy'n credu bod hynny tua 50 y cant yn fwy y mae angen inni edrych arno. Felly, mae hyn yn rhywbeth y byddwn ni'n ei ystyried yn ofalus iawn. Unwaith eto, fe fyddwn ni'n ymgynghori ar dargedau newydd ar gyfer deunydd gronynnol yng Nghymru, a bydd hynny'n rhoi ystyriaeth i ganllawiau'r WHO fel rhan o'r broses o ddatblygu Deddf aer glân i Gymru.
Eich cwestiwn olaf ynghylch trafnidiaeth—fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol y bydd Gweinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth yn bwrw ymlaen â strategaeth drafnidiaeth a fydd yn canolbwyntio ar ardaloedd gwledig. Bydd hefyd yn cyflwyno'r Bil bysiau. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr, rydym eisiau gweld pobl yn newid eu hymddygiad, i ffwrdd o ddefnyddio'r car tuag at drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, ond er mwyn i hynny ddigwydd, mae'n rhaid i'r drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus fod ar gael. Felly, unwaith eto, rwyf wedi bod yn cael trafodaethau gyda'r Gweinidog ynglŷn â phob agwedd ar hynny, o ran tacsis hefyd, er enghraifft, a defnyddio mwy o geir carbon isel. Felly, ar ôl i'r strategaeth gael ei chyhoeddi, byddwch chi'n gallu gweld y cysylltiad rhwng y rhain.
Can I thank the Minister for her statement on the clean air plans? Obviously, as chair of the cross-party group on a clean air Act for Wales, I want to see an Act, basically. I commend what the Minister says as far as it goes, but I think we need urgent action now. The time has come for urgent action, because this rim of air that we breathe is only 10 miles deep. We have to look after it, you know. When we talk of space travel and distance to planets and stuff, we're talking billions of miles and light years and stuff, but the air we breathe is only 10 miles deep. We have to look after it.
Now, of course, we've had, going back in history, original clean air Acts that reflected the suffocating fatal smogs and pea soupers in London in 1952 and other large cities in the 1940s and 1965s, Manchester and Liverpool. Legislation to produce smokeless fuels then arrived. Obviously, the air cleaned, but there's still pollution there, it's just that the difference now is we can't see it. But our foot has literally gone off the pedal because we're no longer being blinded by those pea soupers. And obviously, the other anomaly was that producing the smokeless fuels for London meant that we managed the transfer of that solid particulate air pollution that was in London, we transferred it to Abercwmboi in the Cynon Valley, that was tasked with producing the smokeless coke fuels instead—a bit of irony.
But anyway, that, along with the legacy of heavy industry and their pollution, and we still see it with open-cast coal and the steel industry and heavy metals like nickel, they're still swooning around the lower Swansea Valley—. So, it's not just the history of pollution that is still very much alive. Obviously, as has been said, we're still producing it as well, actively, with rogue road traffic accidents and road traffic distributions of all sorts. We have huge delays on the M4 at the best of times.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei datganiad ar y cynlluniau aer glân? Yn amlwg, rwyf fi, yn gadeirydd i'r grŵp trawsbleidiol ar gyfer Deddf aer glân i Gymru, yn awyddus i weld Deddf, yn y bôn. Rwy'n cymeradwyo'r hyn y mae'r Gweinidog yn ei ddweud cyn belled ag yr aiff hynny, ond credaf fod angen gweithredu ar fyrder nawr. Fe ddaeth hi'n amser i weithredu ar fyrder, oherwydd mae'r gromen hon o aer yr ydym yn ei anadlu yn ddim ond 10 milltir o ddyfnder. Mae'n rhaid inni ofalu am hyn, wyddoch chi. Pan soniwn am deithio yn y gofod a'r pellter i'r planedau ac ati, rydym yn sôn am filiynau o filltiroedd a blynyddoedd goleuni ac ati, ond dim ond 10 milltir yw dyfnder yr aer yr ydym ni'n ei anadlu. Mae'n rhaid inni ofalu am hyn.
Nawr, wrth gwrs, gan fynd yn ôl mewn hanes, cawsom y Deddfau aer glân gwreiddiol a oedd yn ymateb i'r mwrllwch angheuol a'r tawch yn Llundain ym 1952 ac mewn dinasoedd mawr eraill, Manceinion a Lerpwl, yn yr 1940au a'r 1960au. Yna fe gyflwynwyd deddfwriaeth i gynhyrchu tanwyddau di-fwg. Yn amlwg, glanhawyd yr aer, ond ceir llygredd yn yr aer o hyd, ond y gwahaniaeth nawr yw nad ydym yn ei weld. Ond rydym wedi codi ein troed oddi ar y sbardun yn llythrennol gan nad ydym yn cael ein dallu gan y tawch hwnnw erbyn hyn. Ac yn amlwg, yr anghysonder arall oedd bod cynhyrchu'r tanwyddau di-fwg i Lundain yn golygu ein bod ni wedi rheoli'r broses o drosglwyddo'r llygredd aer gronynnol solet hwnnw yn Llundain, a'i drosglwyddo, yn lle hynny, i Abercwmboi yng Nghwm Cynon, a gafodd y gwaith o gynhyrchu'r tanwyddau golosg di-fwg—dyna ychydig o eironi.
Ond beth bynnag, hynny, ynghyd ag etifeddiaeth diwydiant trwm a'r llygredd a ddaw yn ei sgil, ac rydym yn dal i weld hynny gyda glo brig a'r diwydiant dur a metelau trwm fel nicel, mae'r llewygfa yno o hyd ar waelodion Cwm Tawe—. Felly, nid dim ond llygredd hanesyddol sy'n fyw iawn o hyd. Yn amlwg, fel y dywedwyd, rydym ni'n dal i'w gynhyrchu hefyd, yn weithredol, gyda phob math o ddamweiniau traffig a dosbarthiad y traffig ar y ffyrdd. Mae oedi anferthol ar yr M4 ar y gorau.
Now, we have declared a climate emergency, we have the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and we have serious levels of air pollution damaging health and killing people now, today. That's 2,000 deaths per year in Wales. We have increasing asthma levels, we have increasing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease levels, we have a legacy of pneumoconiosis from the miners, silicosis from our quarry workers, asbestosis still lingers around, and we have increasing rates of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis—idiopathic is Latin for 'We don't know the cause', but I suspect one of these days we'll find the cause to be air pollution, largely caused by our cavalier attitude to air pollution over the generations. Inhaled particulate matter 2.5 particles are killers, nitrogen dioxide also is a killer, nanoparticles of plastics can get absorbed into our blood system, into our circulatory system and heart. So, we have the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013, which needs a serious step-change in action. So my first question is: what is the Minister doing to help realise that step-change in legislation we already have?
In addition, as we've heard—. Over the years, I've been involved in at least two campaigns to halt incinerator developments—in Crymlyn Burrows near Swansea and also now in Llansamlet in Swansea. Will the Minister agree—? She's heard the other comments about proposed incinerators in other areas, in Usk and in Barry, not just the Llansamlet one; will you agree on a moratorium on building incinerators, at least in residential areas and near schools? Because, if there's a climate change emergency and if we're talking about all these deaths from air pollution, surely we can do something about it.
And, as I've said, I personally favour legislation. There's nothing like the back-up of the law to make sure that people act rather than plans, however well-meaning. A clean air Act to enshrine in law World Health Organization air quality guidelines; a clean air Act to mandate Welsh Government to produce a statutory air quality strategy every five years; a clean air Act to provide a legal statutory duty on local authorities to monitor air pollution, to assess air pollution, to take air pollution seriously, and to take action against it, to take seriously air pollution concerns in planning applications; and we need a clean air Act to introduce a right to breathe, whereby local councils have to tell vulnerable groups when certain levels are breached. Can I invite the Minister to agree to that last point?
And so, finally, as everybody bleats that the health service costs increasing amounts of money year on year, nobody believes in investing in changing behaviour to stop people getting ill in the first place. No, we just slag off the NHS for hoovering up money, when the health service has to tackle the problems that Governments should stop happening in the first place. So, we have an obesity agenda that causes increasing diabetes and increasing cancers, well, legislate in schools for 120 minutes of physical activity per week, then. Ban advertising and junk food. Channel a Welsh sugar tax to this education agenda. Don't slag off health for having to deal with the consequences. And, as regards air pollution, yes, legislate to form a clean air Act, to tackle those increasing asthma rates, to tackle the suffering from COPD, those increasing levels of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the damage to growing children's lungs. We no longer tolerate dirty water, we should no longer tolerate dirty air.
The Welsh Government has been tasked with reducing emissions in the quickest way possible after being found in breach of EU regulations nearly two years ago—23 months ago, to be precise. Let me not be accused of exaggerating the issue. Nearly two years ago, it was found guilty of breaching EU regulations on air pollution. Why hasn't Welsh Government proposed for this Chamber to sit an extra day in order to bring forward policies and frameworks set in this plan to address the public health crisis that air pollution presents today? Two thousand deaths per year in Wales. If that was a drug, if that was a tablet, we'd be jumping up and down to ban it and sort it out within a matter of days or weeks. There's a plan and a White Paper, and perhaps legislation in 18 months. The challenge is dire. The time is now. Diolch yn fawr.
Nawr, rydym wedi datgan argyfwng hinsawdd, mae gennym ni Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, ac mae gennym ni lefelau difrifol o lygredd aer yn niweidio iechyd ac yn lladd pobl nawr, heddiw. Dyna 2,000 o farwolaethau bob blwyddyn yng Nghymru. Mae gennym ni lefelau cynyddol o asthma, mae gennym ni lefelau cynyddol o glefyd rhwystrol cronig yr ysgyfaint, rydym wedi etifeddu niwmoconiosis i'r glowyr, silicosis i'r chwarelwyr, ceir asbestosis mewn mannau o hyd, ac mae gennym ni gyfraddau cynyddol o ffibrosis codennog idiopathig—ystyr idiopathig yn Lladin yw 'Nid ydym yn gwybod beth sy'n ei achosi'. Ond rwy'n amau y byddwn ni, un o'r dyddiau hyn, yn canfod mai llygredd aer sy'n ei achosi, yn bennaf oherwydd ein hagwedd ddi-hid at lygredd aer dros y cenedlaethau. Mae anadlu deunydd gronynnol 2.5 yn lladd pobl, mae nitrogen deuocsid yn lladd pobl hefyd, gall nanogronynnau plastig gael eu hamsugno i'r system waed, i system cylchrediad y gwaed a'r galon. Felly, mae gennym ni Ddeddf Teithio Llesol (Cymru) 2013, sydd angen newid sylweddol a difrifol o ran ei gweithredu. Felly fy nghwestiwn cyntaf i yw: beth mae'r Gweinidog yn ei wneud i helpu i wireddu newid sylweddol yn y ddeddfwriaeth sydd gennym eisoes?
Yn ogystal â hynny, fel y clywsom—. Dros y blynyddoedd, rwyf wedi bod yn gysylltiedig â dwy ymgyrch o leiaf i atal datblygiadau ar gyfer llosgydd—yn Nhywyn Crymlyn ar bwys Abertawe ac yn Llansamlet yn Abertawe hefyd bellach. A wnaiff y Gweinidog gytuno—? Mae hi wedi clywed y sylwadau eraill am losgyddion arfaethedig mewn ardaloedd eraill, ym Mrynbuga ac yn y Barri, nid yr un yn Llansamlet yn unig; a wnewch chi gytuno ar foratoriwm ar adeiladu llosgyddion, o leiaf mewn ardaloedd preswyl ac yn agos at ysgolion? Oherwydd, os oes argyfwng newid hinsawdd ac os ydym ni'n sôn am yr holl farwolaethau hyn oherwydd llygredd aer, 'does bosib y gallwn ni wneud rhywbeth yn ei gylch.
Ac, fel y dywedais, rwyf i'n bersonol yn ffafrio deddfwriaeth. Nid oes dim byd tebyg i gefnogaeth gyfreithiol i wneud yn siŵr bod pobl yn gweithredu yn hytrach na gwneud cynlluniau, ni waeth pa mor ddiffuant ydyn nhw. Deddf aer glân i ymgorffori canllawiau ansawdd aer Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd yn y gyfraith; Deddf aer glân i orchymyn Llywodraeth Cymru i lunio strategaeth ansawdd aer statudol bob pum mlynedd; Deddf aer glân i roi dyletswydd statudol gyfreithiol ar awdurdodau lleol i fonitro llygredd aer, i asesu llygredd aer, i gymryd llygredd aer o ddifrif a chymryd camau i'w rwystro, i ystyried y pryderon o ddifrif oherwydd llygredd aer mewn ceisiadau cynllunio; ac mae angen Deddf aer glân arnom ni i gyflwyno'r hawl i anadlu, lle mae'n rhaid i gynghorau lleol ddweud wrth grwpiau sy'n agored i niwed pan gaiff lefelau penodol eu torri. A gaf i wahodd y Gweinidog i gytuno ar y pwynt olaf hwn?
Ac felly, yn olaf, gan fod pawb yn cwyno bod y gwasanaeth iechyd yn costio mwy o arian o flwyddyn i flwyddyn, nid oes unrhyw un yn credu ym muddsoddi mewn newid ymddygiad i atal pobl rhag mynd yn sâl yn y lle cyntaf. Na, rydym yn lladd ar y GIG am amsugno arian, pan fo'n rhaid i'r gwasanaethau iechyd fynd i'r afael â'r problemau y dylai Llywodraethau fod yn ei datrys yn y lle cyntaf. Felly, mae gennym ni agenda gordewdra sy'n achosi cynnydd mewn diabetes a chynnydd mewn canser, wel, deddfwch am 120 munud o weithgarwch corfforol bob wythnos mewn ysgolion, felly. Gwaherddwch hysbysebu gwael a bwyd sothach. Defnyddiwch arian o dreth siwgr yng Nghymru ar gyfer yr agenda addysg hon. Peidiwch â rhoi'r bai ar iechyd am orfod ymdrin â'r canlyniadau. Ac, o ran llygredd aer, ie, deddfwriaeth i lunio Deddf aer glân, i fynd i'r afael â'r cyfraddau cynyddol hynny o asthma, i fynd i'r afael â COPD, y lefelau cynyddol o rai sy'n dioddef o ffibrosis idiopathig ysgyfeiniol, y niwed i ysgyfaint plant sy'n tyfu. Nid ydym mwyach yn goddef dŵr budr, ni ddylem oddef aer budr mwyach.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cael y gwaith o leihau allyriadau yn y ffordd gyflymaf bosibl ar ôl cael ei gweld yn torri rheoliadau'r UE bron dwy flynedd yn ôl—23 mis yn ôl, i fod yn fanwl gywir. Peidied neb â'm cyhuddo i o orliwio'r mater. Bron dwy flynedd yn ôl, fe'i cafwyd yn euog o dorri rheoliadau'r UE ar lygredd aer. Pam nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cynnig y dylai'r Siambr hon eistedd am ddiwrnod ychwanegol er mwyn cyflwyno polisïau a fframweithiau a nodir yn y cynllun hwn i fynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus y mae llygredd aer yn ei gyflwyno heddiw? Dwy fil o farwolaethau'r flwyddyn yng Nghymru. Pe byddai hwn yn gyffur, pe byddai hwn yn dabled, fe fyddem ni'n neidio lan a lawr er mwyn ei wahardd a'i ddatrys mewn mater o ddyddiau neu wythnosau. Mae yna gynllun a Phapur Gwyn, ac efallai y bydd yna ddeddfwriaeth ymhen 18 mis. Mae'r her yn ddifrifol. Nawr yw'r amser. Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you, Dai Lloyd, for that contribution. I think we have made significant progress over the previous two years, and you will have heard my answer to Andrew R.T. Davies about the non-legislative options that we have and that we've implemented. I have committed to bringing a White Paper forward, and I also set out in my oral statement the actions that we'll be taking forward.
I think you make a very important point about behavioural changes. And I've just been at Conference of the Parties 25 in Madrid for a couple of days, and it was really interesting talking to my counterparts from all over the world about behavioural change. I think it's really important that we learn from each other, and we see what happens if you don't take the public with you. And I think, in Wales, we've got a good record to tell about behavioural change. If you think about recycling, we were next to bottom in the recycling league table 20 years ago when devolution began. We're now third in the world. And that is because of leadership, I think, from Welsh Government and funding, our local authorities engaging, and, most importantly, the public also doing so. If you think of organ donation—again, we really lead the way on behavioural change, so I think it's really important that we make people aware of the dangers of poor air quality, and that they understand the actions that we can all take, and it is sometimes difficult to think about what changes you can make in your own life to improve it. So, I set out in my oral statement the work we will be doing around behavioural change. I think people are getting to the stage now where they don't want be told what they can't do; they want to be told what they can do. So, I think it's really important that we enable them to do so.
You refer to our heavy industrial heritage and around coal, and you'll be aware that, now, coal extraction has reduced to a level where there are relatively few active opencast coal sites operating in Wales. But we do recognise that our industrial heritage was built on coal, and it still plays a very important part in Welsh life. So, what we need to do is find low carbon alternatives to coal, both for energy and other industrial usage. So, we do need that rapid transition to clean energy industries. But I think we need to do it in a way that it preserves and protects the places where people live and work.
You referred to the M4. You'll be aware that the Burns commission is currently undertaking a piece of work for the First Minister. I'm sure air quality will be part of—. We need to look at part of the solution for the M4, and, obviously, air quality, and improving air quality needs to be done.
You'll be aware of the five nitrogen dioxide—we've put 50 mph in five zones to reduce nitrogen dioxide, and, certainly, the interim data that the Minister for Economy and Transport received showed improvements now that those 50 mph zones have been put in place, and I do hope that continues.
Around active travel, we are putting in record amounts of funding into active travel, and you'll be aware the First Minister launched the low carbon delivery plan back in March, and I asked all Ministers to look at those plans and proposals in there to see if they needed to be updated in light of the climate emergency, but air quality absolutely sits there as well, and active travel is somewhere where I know the Minister for Economy and Transport and the deputy Minister put increased funding.
Around incineration, that sits with the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, and I know she has been asked to look at a moratorium, and I'm sure she will update us in due course.
Planning clearly has a massive role to play. And, again, air quality and soundscape was addressed in the new 'Planning Policy Wales' that was issued last December. It's a key component of the natural and the built environment, and it places the issues on an equal footing with other objectives, such as housing, transport and economic development.
Diolch i chi, Dai Lloyd, am y cyfraniad hwnnw. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni wedi gwneud cynnydd sylweddol dros y ddwy flynedd a fu, ac fe glywsoch fy ateb i Andrew R.T. Davies ynglŷn â'r dewisiadau anneddfwriaethol sydd gennym ni a'r rhai yr ydym wedi eu rhoi ar waith. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i gyflwyno Papur Gwyn, ac rwyf wedi nodi hefyd yn fy natganiad llafar y camau gweithredu y byddwn ni'n eu rhoi ar waith.
Rydych chi'n gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn, rwy'n credu, am newidiadau o ran ymddygiad. Ac rwyf newydd fod yng Nghynhadledd y Partïon 25 ym Madrid am ychydig ddyddiau, ac roedd yn ddiddorol iawn siarad â'm cymheiriaid o bob cwr o'r byd am newid ymddygiad. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n dysgu oddi wrth ein gilydd, ac rydym yn gweld beth sy'n digwydd os nad ydych yn sicrhau cefnogaeth y cyhoedd. Ac rwy'n credu, yng Nghymru, bod gennym ni hanes da o ran newid mewn ymddygiad. Os ydych chi'n ystyried ailgylchu, roeddem ar waelod y tabl cynghrair ailgylchu 20 mlynedd yn ôl ar ddechrau datganoli. Rydym ni'n drydydd yn y byd erbyn hyn. Ac mae hynny, yn fy marn i, oherwydd arweiniad gan Lywodraeth Cymru a chyllid, ymgysylltiad ein hawdurdodau lleol ac, yn bwysicaf oll, y cyhoedd yn gwneud felly hefyd. Os ydych chi'n meddwl am roi organau—unwaith eto, rydym ni'n arwain y ffordd o ran newid ymddygiad. Felly rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn sicrhau bod pobl yn ymwybodol o beryglon ansawdd aer drwg, a'u bod nhw'n deall y camau y gall pob un ohonom ni eu cymryd, ac weithiau mae'n anodd gwybod pa newidiadau y gallwch chi eu gwneud yn eich bywyd chi eich hun er mwyn gwella'r sefyllfa. Felly, rwy'n nodi yn fy natganiad llafar y gwaith y byddwn ni'n ei wneud ynglŷn â newid ymddygiad. Rwy'n credu bod pobl wedi cyrraedd y fan nawr lle nad ydyn nhw eisiau i rywun ddweud wrthynt beth na chânt ei wneud; maen nhw'n awyddus i gael gwybod beth y gallan nhw ei wneud. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n eu galluogi nhw i wneud hynny.
Rydych chi'n cyfeirio at ein treftadaeth ni o ran diwydiant trwm ac ynghylch glo, ac fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol, nawr, fod cloddio am lo wedi gostwng i lefel lle nad oes ond nifer gymharol fach o safleoedd glo brig yn weithredol o hyd yng Nghymru. Ond rydym yn cydnabod bod ein treftadaeth ddiwydiannol yn seiliedig ar lo, ac mae gan hynny ran bwysig iawn ym mywyd y Cymry o hyd. Felly, yr hyn y mae angen inni ei wneud yw dod o hyd i ddewisiadau carbon isel yn hytrach na glo, ar gyfer ynni a defnydd diwydiannol arall. Felly, mae angen y newid cyflym hwnnw tuag at ddiwydiannau ynni glân. Ond rwy'n credu bod angen gwneud hynny mewn ffordd sy'n gwarchod ac yn diogelu'r mannau hynny lle mae pobl yn byw ac yn gweithio.
Roeddech chi'n cyfeirio at yr M4. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol bod comisiwn Burns yn gwneud darn o waith i'r Prif Weinidog ar hyn o bryd. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd ansawdd yr aer yn rhan o—. Mae angen inni edrych ar ran o'r datrysiad ar gyfer yr M4 ac, yn amlwg, ansawdd yr aer, a gwella ansawdd yr aer.
Fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol o'r pum nitrogen deuocsid—rydym ni wedi rhoi cyfyngiadau 50 mya mewn pum parth i leihau nitrogen deuocsid ac, yn sicr, mae'r data dros dro a gafodd y Gweinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth wedi dangos y gwelliannau yn sgil y parthau 50 mya hynny, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny'n parhau.
O ran teithio llesol, rydym yn rhoi'r symiau mwyaf erioed o arian tuag at deithio llesol. Fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol bod y Prif Weinidog wedi lansio'r cynllun cyflawni carbon isel yn ôl ym mis Mawrth, ac fe ofynnais i bob Gweinidog edrych ar y cynlluniau a'r cynigion yn y rhain i weld a oedd angen iddyn nhw gael eu diweddaru yng ngoleuni'r argyfwng hinsawdd, ond mae ansawdd yr aer yn rhan o hynny hefyd, ac mae teithio llesol yn faes y gwn fod Gweinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth a'r Dirprwy Weinidog wedi rhoi mwy o arian tuag ato.
Ynghylch llosgi gwastraff, mae hynny yn nwylo'r Dirprwy Weinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol, a gwn y gofynnwyd iddi hi ystyried moratoriwm, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni maes o law.
Mae'n amlwg bod gan gynllunio swyddogaeth aruthrol. Ac, unwaith eto, rhoddwyd sylw i ansawdd yr aer a seinwedd yn y 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' newydd a gyhoeddwyd fis Rhagfyr diwethaf. Mae honno'n elfen allweddol o'r amgylchedd naturiol ac adeiledig, ac mae'n gosod y materion ar sail gyfartal ag amcanion eraill fel tai, trafnidiaeth a datblygu economaidd.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.
I welcome this statement by the Minister this afternoon. Air pollution is one of the biggest issues of our time, and a significant public health issue. Throughout the world, we're not only warming the atmosphere as a result of greenhouse gas emissions, but we're also damaging our most-needed lifeline: the air that we breathe.
In Newport West, areas like Caerleon, which, from its historic significance, has narrow roads, an increasing population and poor public transport options—that creates a perfect storm of air pollution. In Newport, we also have the M4 running through the heart, which is in close proximity to houses and schools, and where idling traffic regularly sits. And I'm glad that you've already mentioned that this will be on the agenda of the Burns commission. Newport City Council have worked hard to bring forward proposals to improve air quality in our city, but there is still much more that can be done.
Action to reduce traffic near our schools is a must. Last week, pupils from Maesglas Primary School in my constituency held a climate change protest along a busy road near their school, calling for change. And it's our duty to listen and to respond to these calls.
Small measures can help. For example, idling traffic is often the biggest contributor of air pollution outside schools. Just a minute of an idling engine can fill 150 balloons with exhaust fumes. So, for those who absolutely have to drive at that moment, encouraging them to switch off their engines when they're parked up will help reduce air pollution.
Another relatively simple measure that can make a huge difference is tree planting. Urban trees are particularly effective at absorbing carbon dioxide, with one study showing that urban green zones absorb as much carbon dioxide as rainforests. We know the ambition of the Welsh Government on planting trees, but more can and must be done, quicker and faster. For many schools, there are no trees or hedges as a barrier to the road. Measures like that could help with pollution levels, and help to disperse fumes. Could the Minister outline what plans the Welsh Government has to work with schools and community groups to encourage them to plant more appropriate trees within their grounds?
And I’m also very pleased to see that this consultation will review the powers local authorities have to tackle emissions from indoor burning of fossil fuels, such as wood and coal. Indoor pollution is a significant issue, and something that's very often overlooked. And I'd also like to welcome the inclusion in the consultation of bonfires and fireworks, and the contribution they make to levels of harmful emissions.
Finally, the 2019 Welsh index of multiple deprivation has shown that areas of poor deprivation also have poor levels of air quality. There are pockets in my constituency that are amongst the most deprived in Wales. How will the Minister be working with her colleagues across Welsh Government to address this inequality?
Rwy'n croesawu'r datganiad hwn gan y Gweinidog y prynhawn yma. Llygredd aer yw un o broblemau mwyaf ein hoes ni, ac mae'n fater pwysig o ran iechyd y cyhoedd. Drwy'r byd, rydym nid yn unig yn cynhesu'r atmosffer o ganlyniad i allyriadau nwyon tŷ gwydr, ond rydym hefyd yn difrodi'r gynhaliaeth bwysicaf sydd gennym ni: yr aer a anadlwn ni.
Yng Ngorllewin Casnewydd, mae gan ardaloedd fel Caerllion, sydd, oherwydd ei harwyddocâd hanesyddol, â ffyrdd cul, poblogaeth sy'n tyfu a dewisiadau gwael o ran trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus—mae hynny'n creu storm berffaith o lygredd aer. Yng Nghasnewydd, mae gennym ni'r M4 hefyd yn ymestyn drwy galon y ddinas, yn agos at dai ac ysgolion, a lle mae traffig yn aml yn aros yn yr unfan heb symud. Ac rwy'n falch eich bod chi wedi crybwyll eisoes y bydd hyn ar agenda comisiwn Burns. Mae Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd wedi gweithio'n galed i gyflwyno cynigion i wella ansawdd aer yn ein dinas ni, ond mae llawer mwy y gellir ei wneud eto.
Mae'n rhaid inni gael camau i leihau traffig ar bwys ein hysgolion ni. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cynhaliodd disgyblion o ysgol gynradd Maesglas yn fy etholaeth i brotest newid hinsawdd ar hyd ffordd brysur ger eu hysgol nhw, yn galw am newid. A'n ddyletswydd ni yw gwrando ac ymateb i'r galwadau hyn.
Fe all y pethau bychain helpu. Er enghraifft, traffig sy'n aros yn yr unfan yn aml iawn sy'n cyfrannu fwyaf at lygredd aer y tu allan i ysgolion. Gall un funud yn unig o injan car yn troi lenwi 150 o falwnau gyda mwg ecsôst. Felly, i'r rheini y mae'n rhaid iddynt yrru car ar yr adeg honno o'r dydd, byddai eu hannog nhw i ddiffodd eu hinjans pan fyddan nhw wedi parcio yn helpu i leihau llygredd yn yr aer.
Rhywbeth arall sy'n gymharol syml a all wneud gwahaniaeth enfawr yw plannu coed. Mae coed trefol yn arbennig o effeithiol yn amsugno carbon deuocsid, gydag un astudiaeth yn dangos bod parthau gwyrdd trefol yn amsugno cymaint o garbon deuocsid â fforestydd glaw. Gwyddom am uchelgais Llywodraeth Cymru o ran plannu coed, ond mae modd gwneud mwy, a hynny gyda chyflymder ac yn ddi-oed. I lawer o ysgolion, nid oes unrhyw goed na gwrychoedd wrth ymyl y ffordd. Fe allai mesurau o'r fath helpu gyda lefelau llygredd, a helpu i wasgaru mygdarth. A wnaiff y Gweinidog amlinellu pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i weithio gydag ysgolion a grwpiau cymunedol i'w hannog nhw i blannu mwy o goed a fyddai'n addas ar eu tir nhw?
Ac rwyf innau'n falch iawn hefyd o weld y bydd yr ymgynghoriad hwn yn adolygu'r pwerau sydd gan awdurdodau lleol i fynd i'r afael ag allyriadau yn sgil llosgi tanwyddau ffosil dan do, fel coed a glo. Mae llygredd dan do yn fater o bwys, ac yn rhywbeth sy'n cael ei anwybyddu yn aml iawn. Hoffwn i hefyd groesawu'r ffaith y caiff coelcerthi a thân gwyllt eu cynnwys yn yr ymgynghoriad, a'r cyfraniad y maen nhw'n ei wneud i lefelau allyriadau niweidiol.
Yn olaf, mae mynegai o amddifadedd lluosog Cymru 2019 wedi dangos bod lefelau uchel o aer o ansawdd gwael i'w cael mewn ardaloedd o amddifadedd mawr. Mae ambell i ardal yn fy etholaeth i ymhlith y rhai mwyaf difreintiedig yng Nghymru. Sut mae'r Gweinidog yn bwriadu gweithio gyda'i chydweithwyr ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â'r anghydraddoldeb hwn?
Thank you, Jayne Bryant. You will have heard my answer to previous colleagues around the M4, but I do think it is important that the commission will consider all problems and opportunities and challenges and objectives for tackling congestion around the M4. And I understand there will be an interim report—I think it's before the end of this year, which, obviously, I will watch with interest.
Around air quality and schools, again, it's a very important point. And if you look where we spend our time, we spend our time indoors—and I'll come back to what you were saying about domestic combustion—and also in the workplace, and, of course, outside—places like schools. So, you'll be aware of our statutory guidance to local authorities—we published that back in 2017—which recognised schools and active travel routes, amongst others, as sensitive receptor locations. And we know that we've—. We've given guidance so that local authorities have to take a risk-based approach in siting their monitors. They need to be informed by where the evidence indicates people are likely to be exposed to the highest levels of air pollution, and, clearly, schools is an area where this needs to be done. I mentioned that we've already got levers, and local authorities have powers—particularly around engine idling; I think that's a very important point that you raised.
Tree planting—again, other Members have raised the issue that we're not planting enough trees, as we should be, but, as I say, we are making progress here. You'll be aware of the First Minister's manifesto commitment to a national forest. And within that national forest, we are looking at a concept called tiny forests, where you have an area the size of, perhaps, a tennis court, which can be used to plant trees to make that tiny forest. So, we're looking at, for instance, hospitals; schools would be an area where we perhaps could work, to see if that can be done.
Indoor pollution—I mentioned that we will be looking to ban wet wood, because we know that wet wood uses more—there needs to be more energy from the fire to burn it. So, we will be looking to do that. And in relation to some forms of coal being more polluting than others, we will be taking further advice on that, and consulting on proposals to restrict the use of bituminous coal going forward.
Around bonfire and fireworks, this is something that's raised with me quite often in relation to noise pollution. But, as you say, it can also obviously have an impact on air quality. So, again, I look forward to consultation responses around that. Across Government there are many—probably the majority of my Cabinet colleagues that I'm dealing with—. I mentioned before that 'Planning Policy Wales' had been changed at the end of last year to ensure it was looked at, and, clearly, with Ken Skates, around the transport strategy—I've had significant discussions with him around that, and I know he's launching the strategy in the very near future as to how we can address air pollution caused by transport.
But I go back to behavioural change. I think it's really important that we hear what people think they can do. And I think, looking at the consultation that I've launched today, and why I'm urging Members to encourage their constituents to put forward—perhaps individual constituents wouldn't think to put forward this sort of consultation. So, I think it's really important that we use existing organisations such as Healthy Air Cymru and the British Lung Foundation to help us with this plan.
Diolch i chi, Jayne Bryant. Fe fyddwch chi wedi clywed fy ateb i gyd-Aelodau ynglŷn â'r M4 yn flaenorol, ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig i'r comisiwn ystyried yr holl broblemau a'r cyfleoedd a'r heriau a'r amcanion ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â thagfeydd o amgylch yr M4. Ac rwy'n deall y bydd yna adroddiad interim—rwy'n credu y bydd hynny cyn diwedd eleni, y byddaf i, wrth gwrs, â diddordeb mawr ynddo.
Ynglŷn ag ansawdd aer ac ysgolion, unwaith eto, mae hwnnw'n bwynt pwysig iawn. Ac os edrychwch chi ymhle yr ydym ni'n treulio ein hamser, rydym yn treulio ein hamser dan do—ac rwy'n dychwelyd at yr hyn yr oeddech chi'n ei ddweud am hylosgiad domestig—ac yn y gweithle hefyd, ac, wrth gwrs, y tu allan—mannau fel ysgolion. Felly, fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol o'n canllawiau statudol ni i awdurdodau lleol—fe wnaethom ni gyhoeddi'r rhain yn 2017—a oedd yn cydnabod ysgolion a llwybrau teithio llesol, ymysg eraill, fel lleoliadau sensitif ar gyfer derbynyddion. Ac fe wyddom ein bod ni wedi—. Rydym wedi rhoi canllawiau i orfodi awdurdodau lleol i gymryd dull sy'n seiliedig ar risg wrth leoli eu monitorau. Mae angen iddyn nhw gael eu llywio gan y mannau y mae'r dystiolaeth yn dangos bod pobl yn debygol o fod yn agored i'r lefelau uchaf o lygredd aer, ac, yn amlwg, mae ysgolion yn faes lle mae angen gwneud hyn. Soniais eisoes fod gennym ni ddulliau, ac mae gan awdurdodau lleol bwerau—yn arbennig o ran injans yn aros yn yr unfan; rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n bwynt pwysig iawn.
Plannu coed—unwaith eto, mae Aelodau eraill wedi codi'r mater nad ydym ni'n plannu digon o goed, fel y dylem ni fod yn ei wneud, ond, fel y dywedais rydym yn gwneud cynnydd yn hyn o beth. Fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol o'r ymrwymiad ym maniffesto'r Prif Weinidog i goedwig genedlaethol. Ac o fewn y goedwig genedlaethol honno, rydym ni'n edrych ar gysyniad a elwir yn goedwigoedd bychain, lle mae gennych chi lecyn o faint cwrt tenis, efallai, y gellir ei ddefnyddio i blannu coed i sefydlu'r goedwig fechan honno. Felly, rydym yn edrych ar ysbytai, er enghraifft; a byddai ysgolion yn faes arall lle y gallem ni weithio efallai, i weld a oes modd gwneud hynny.
Llygredd dan do—soniais y byddwn yn ceisio gwahardd coed gwlyb, oherwydd gwyddom fod coed gwlyb yn defnyddio mwy—mae angen mwy o ynni o'r tân i'w losgi. Felly, byddwn yn ceisio gwneud hynny. Ac o ran rhai mathau o lo sy'n llygru mwy nag eraill, byddwn yn cymryd cyngor pellach ar hynny, ac yn ymgynghori ar gynigion i gyfyngu ar y defnydd o lo bitwminaidd wrth symud ymlaen.
Ynglŷn â choelcerthi a thân gwyllt, mae hyn yn rhywbeth a godir yn aml iawn o ran llygredd sŵn. Ond, fel y dywedwch, gall gael effaith ar ansawdd aer hefyd, yn amlwg. Felly, unwaith eto, rwy'n edrych ymlaen at glywed ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad ynglŷn â hynny. Ar draws y Llywodraeth, mae llawer—yn ôl pob tebyg, y rhan fwyaf o'm cyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet yr wyf i'n ymwneud â nhw—. Soniais i o'r blaen fod 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' wedi cael ei newid ddiwedd y llynedd i sicrhau bod hyn yn cael ei ystyried ac yn amlwg, gyda Ken Skates, o ran y strategaeth drafnidiaeth—rwyf wedi cael trafodaethau sylweddol gydag ef ynghylch hynny, ac rwy'n gwybod ei fod eisiau lansio'r strategaeth yn y dyfodol agos iawn o ran sut y gallwn ni fynd i'r afael â llygredd aer a achosir gan drafnidiaeth.
Ond rwy'n dychwelyd at newid ymddygiad. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n clywed yr hyn y mae pobl yn credu y gallan nhw ei wneud. Ac rwy'n credu, o edrych ar yr ymgynghoriad a lansiais heddiw, ac rwy'n ymbil ar yr Aelodau i annog eu hetholwyr i gyflwyno—efallai na fyddai etholwyr unigol yn meddwl am gyflwyno'r math hwn o ymgynghoriad. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn inni ddefnyddio sefydliadau sy'n bodoli eisoes fel Awyr Iach Cymru a Sefydliad Prydeinig yr Ysgyfaint i'n helpu ni gyda'r cynllun hwn.
Minister, can I commend the work of Healthy Air Cymru, which is the umbrella group campaigning for a clean air Act? And I think if you look at their literature and the campaign material you'll see clearly why we do need an Act to embed the World Health Organization air quality guidelines, to ensure that we mandate a strategy on air quality every five years, and also ensure there are statutory duties on local authorities. It's a very coherent approach and there's a cross-party consensus here that this is what we should have. So, I think many people are disappointed that we're not going to see this in this Assembly term. It was raised in the very early days of the Assembly, because you may recall clean air was not mentioned in the Government programme at all, and the Government, rightly, got a lot of criticism across the sector because of that.
Can I just say now more positively that, in our 'Liveable Cities' document, we also looked at the situation around schools in particular, because we think we can move here very quickly? Jayne Bryant mentioned idling cars—the whole issue of dropping off children immediately at the school, creating a huge level of pollution. And we don't have great data, so one thing we could have is all schools having to monitor the quality of the air, particularly around the drop-off points and any busy road. I think it's very important that we raise the bar here and ensure that our younger citizens have the right to the best possible quality air, and that's something you could do tomorrow, or at least start the process tomorrow.
Gweinidog, a gaf i ganmol gwaith Awyr Iach Cymru, sef y grŵp ymbarél sy'n ymgyrchu dros Ddeddf aer glân? Ac rwy'n credu os edrychwch chi ar eu llenyddiaeth nhw a'r deunydd ymgyrchu fe welwch chi'n glir pam mae angen Deddf arnom i wreiddio canllawiau ansawdd aer Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd, i sicrhau ein bod ni'n gorchymyn strategaeth ar ansawdd aer bob pum mlynedd, ac yn sicrhau hefyd fod yna ddyletswyddau statudol ar awdurdodau lleol. Mae hwn yn ddull cydlynol iawn ac mae cytundeb trawsbleidiol yn y fan hon mai dyma'r hyn sydd ei angen. Felly, rwy'n credu bod llawer o bobl yn siomedig nad ydym yn mynd i weld hynny yn ystod y tymor Cynulliad hwn. Fe gafodd hyn ei godi yn nyddiau cynnar iawn y Cynulliad, oherwydd efallai y cofiwch nad oedd sôn am aer glân yn rhaglen y Llywodraeth o gwbl, ac fe gafodd y Llywodraeth, yn gwbl briodol, ei beirniadu'n hallt ledled y sector oherwydd hynny.
A gaf i ddweud yn fwy cadarnhaol nawr ein bod ni, yn ein dogfen 'Dinasoedd Byw', wedi edrych hefyd ar y sefyllfa o ran ysgolion yn benodol, oherwydd ein bod yn credu y gallwn ni symud yn gyflym iawn yn hyn o beth? Fe soniodd Jayne Bryant am geir yn aros yn eu hunfan a'u hinjans yn troi—yr holl fater o ollwng plant o geir wrth yr ysgol, gan greu cyfradd enfawr o lygredd. Nid oes gennym ddata gwych iawn, felly un peth y gallem ei wneud yw bod pob ysgol yn gorfod monitro ansawdd yr aer, yn enwedig o gwmpas y mannau gollwng plant ac unrhyw ffordd brysur. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n codi'r safon yn hyn o beth ac yn sicrhau bod gan ein dinasyddion iau yr hawl i anadlu aer o'r ansawdd gorau posibl, ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth y gallech chi ei wneud yfory nesaf, neu o leiaf ddechrau ar y broses yfory nesaf.
Thank you, David Melding, and, obviously, my officials particularly have worked very closely with Healthy Air Cymru, and I was very pleased they welcomed the plan this morning and I'll certainly continue to work with them. I just mentioned, in my answer to Jayne Bryant, I think it's really important that we work with our stakeholders going forward.
The First Minister's manifesto commitment was to improve air quality through the development of a clean air Act for Wales. It would absolutely provide a formal mechanism, and I am committed to bringing forward a White Paper before the end of this term. But, as I say, we do have access to a wide range of levers to take forward action now to improve air quality, and local authorities currently have powers, for instance, to introduce low emission zones and clean air zones, either charging or non-charging. They do, again, have the powers to introduce fines for engine idling that you referred to as being an issue. But I do think we need to consider how we can enhance these powers through a clean air Act, and that is absolutely the intention of this Government.
Talking about schools, when I mentioned to Andrew R.T. Davies that I'd recently been in Madrid for COP25, which is still ongoing, one of the things I saw in Madrid was living walls. So, incredible, really high walls just covered in greenery and with irrigation in them, and you just wonder why we don't have more of those in this country, and that's certainly something I'd be very keen to take forward.
And you talked about the schools monitoring their air quality. I think I mentioned to Jayne Bryant that they need to take a risk-based approach in siting their monitors. They know the local population and the local area the best and they need to make sure they look at the guidance that we've given around schools and active travel routes.
Diolch, David Melding ac, yn amlwg, mae fy swyddogion i, yn arbennig, wedi bod yn gweithio'n agos iawn gydag Awyr Iach Cymru. Roeddwn i'n falch iawn eu bod nhw'n croesawu'r cynllun y bore yma a byddaf i'n sicr o barhau i weithio gyda nhw. Rwyf newydd ddweud, yn fy ateb i Jayne Bryant, fy mod i'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n gweithio gyda'n rhanddeiliaid wrth symud ymlaen.
Yr ymrwymiad ym maniffesto'r Prif Weinidog oedd gwella ansawdd aer drwy ddatblygu Deddf aer glân i Gymru. Fe fyddai hynny'n sicr yn darparu mecanwaith ffurfiol, ac rwyf wedi ymrwymo i gyflwyno Papur Gwyn cyn diwedd y tymor hwn. Ond fel y dywedais, mae ystod eang o ddulliau ar gael inni ar gyfer gweithredu nawr i wella ansawdd aer, ac ar hyn o bryd mae gan awdurdodau lleol bwerau, er enghraifft, i gyflwyno parthau allyriadau isel a pharthau aer glân, naill ai drwy godi tâl neu heb godi tâl. Mae ganddyn nhw, hefyd, y pwerau i gyflwyno dirwyon ar gyfer injans ceir yn troi'n ddiangen, y cyfeiriasoch ato fel problem. Ond rwy'n credu bod angen inni ystyried sut y gallwn ni rymuso'r pwerau hyn drwy Ddeddf aer glân, a dyna fwriad y Llywodraeth hon yn bendant.
Wrth sôn am ysgolion, pan soniais wrth Andrew R.T. Davies fy mod i wedi bod ym Madrid ar gyfer y cyfarfod COP25 yn ddiweddar, sy'n dal i fynd rhagddo, un o'r pethau a welais i ym Madrid oedd waliau byw. Felly, mae yna waliau gwirioneddol uchel anhygoel wedi cael eu gorchuddio â gwyrddni ac yn cael eu dyfrhau o'r tu mewn. Tybed pam nad oes gennym ni fwy o waliau o'r fath yn y wlad hon, ac mae hynny'n sicr yn rhywbeth y byddwn i'n awyddus iawn i'w ddatblygu.
Ac roeddech chi'n siarad am ysgolion yn monitro ansawdd eu haer nhw. Rwy'n credu imi sôn wrth Jayne Bryant fod angen iddyn nhw ddilyn dull sy'n seiliedig ar risg wrth leoli eu monitorau. Y nhw sy'n adnabod y boblogaeth leol a'r ardal leol orau ac mae angen iddyn nhw wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn edrych ar ein canllawiau ni ynglŷn ag ysgolion a llwybrau teithio llesol.
Minister, can I welcome the statement you've made today, and can I welcome the decision of the Welsh Government to actually produce an action plan, because it is critical? I do note that it refers quite a few times to Port Talbot. As you fully understand, the implications for Port Talbot are huge. We have a motorway going through that. We have the steelworks and other industries within there. We have a combination of everything your plan says, in reality, and therefore I've got a few questions, and I'll try and keep to my two questions because I know the Deputy Presiding Officer would like a focus on questions at this point.
On the issues about 'Planning Policy Wales', you talked earlier in a response to that. It is important that we again get support on that, because it has to address how the local development plans will look at this question of air quality and air quality management, particularly in planning proposals that will include either incinerators or some form of aspect that will increase air pollution in that area, whether it be in a residential area or an industrial area. And, therefore, will you be looking at local authorities and asking them to review their LDPs to ensure that they're up to date to meet this plan?
Regarding motorways, as you've highlighted, the section on M4, junctions 41 to 42 in my area, is one of the roads that had to limit itself to 50 mph. Again, will you assure me, give me reassurances, that you're talking to the Minister to look at how you address that matter, because putting them off the M4 onto local roads is going to make air quality in the areas worse for the residents of those local roads, particularly children, as they're going to be walking along those roads to their schools? Therefore, it's not a solution; we have to find alternative solutions, rather than simply either closing junctions or taking traffic off the M4 and putting them on local roads.
Andrew R.T. Davies highlighted the issue about public transport and, again, that's crucial. The Minister for Economy and Transport is going to be bringing forward a public transport Bill. Could you ask him to ensure that it meets this plan, because there are many areas where people don't have cars and the bus is the only option? If we're going to make sure that they can actually use the bus, they have to have a bus to use. Therefore, that Bill must ensure that it puts an onus upon areas that have no other alternative to cars other than a bus, and to ensure those buses are available.
I do welcome the review of the action plan for Port Talbot—it is time we had that—but can you also ensure that it looks at nuisance dust as well as the PM10s, PM2.5s and nitrogen dioxide? Because, whilst people might think that's not necessarily a health issue in one aspect, it's the well-being of people as well we need to address, and it does impact upon my constituents heavily in that area.
I welcome the indoor pollution reference in the statement and we need to publicise that more, because I was up the attic only last week, getting Christmas decorations down. When you look at the plan and what areas actually affect indoor properties, you start to realise how we can all be affected by something simple, but people might not know that. I was unaware of some of the points in that plan.
Behavioural change is important, but we need alternatives if you want behavioural change, and that's the problem. Sometimes, we do not have those alternatives available for behavioural change to occur. I think I'll end there.
Gweinidog, a gaf i groesawu'r datganiad a wnaethoch chi heddiw, ac a gaf i groesawu penderfyniad Llywodraeth Cymru i gynhyrchu cynllun gweithredu gwirioneddol, oherwydd mae hynny'n hanfodol? Rwy'n sylwi bod sawl cyfeiriad at Bort Talbot. Fel y gallwch ddeall yn llwyr, mae'r goblygiadau i Bort Talbot yn aruthrol. Mae gennym draffordd yn mynd drwy'r ardal. Mae gennym y gwaith dur a diwydiannau eraill yma hefyd. Yn wir, mae gennym gyfuniad o bopeth y mae eich cynllun chi'n sôn amdano. Felly mae gennyf ychydig o gwestiynau, a byddaf yn ceisio cadw at fy nau gwestiwn oherwydd gwn y byddai'r Dirprwy Lywydd yn hoffi canolbwyntio ar gwestiynau ar yr adeg hon.
O ran y materion ynghylch 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru', fe wnaethoch chi siarad yn gynharach mewn ymateb i hyn. Mae'n bwysig inni gael cefnogaeth i hynny unwaith eto, oherwydd mae'n rhaid rhoi sylw i'r modd y bydd y cynlluniau datblygu lleol yn ystyried y mater hwn o ansawdd aer a rheoli ansawdd aer. Mae hyn yn arbennig o wir yn y cynigion cynllunio a fydd yn cynnwys naill ai losgyddion neu ryw fath o elfen a fydd yn cynyddu llygredd aer yn yr ardal dan sylw, boed honno'n ardal breswyl neu'n ardal ddiwydiannol. Felly, a fyddwch chi'n edrych ar awdurdodau lleol ac yn gofyn iddyn nhw adolygu eu CDLlau i sicrhau eu bod yn gyfredol ar gyfer bodloni'r cynllun hwn?
O ran traffyrdd, fel y dywedasoch, mae'r darn o'r M4, rhwng cyffyrdd 41 i 42 yn fy ardal i, yn un o'r parthau y bu'n rhaid ei gyfyngu i 50 mya. Unwaith eto, a wnewch chi fy sicrhau i, rhoi sicrwydd imi, eich bod chi'n trafod â'r Gweinidog i ystyried sut yr ydych chi am ymdrin â'r mater hwnnw, oherwydd bydd dargyfeirio traffig yr M4 ar ffyrdd lleol yn dirywio ansawdd yr aer i'r trigolion yn yr ardaloedd ger y ffyrdd lleol hynny, yn enwedig i'r plant, gan eu bod nhw'n cerdded ar hyd y ffyrdd hynny i'w hysgolion? Felly, nid yw hwn yn ddatrysiad; mae'n rhaid inni ddod o hyd i atebion eraill, yn hytrach na chau cyffyrdd yn unig neu ddargyfeirio traffig oddi ar yr M4 ar ffyrdd lleol.
Fe dynnodd Andrew R.T. Davies sylw at fater trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ac, unwaith eto, mae hynny'n hollbwysig. Bydd Gweinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth yn cyflwyno Bil trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. A wnewch chi ofyn iddo ef sicrhau y bydd hwnnw'n bodloni'r cynllun hwn, oherwydd ceir llawer o ardaloedd lle nad oes gan bobl gar a'r bws yw eu hunig ddewis nhw? Os ydym eisiau gwneud yn siŵr eu bod nhw'n gallu defnyddio'r bws, yna mae'n rhaid bod bws yno i'w ddefnyddio. Felly, mae'n rhaid i'r Bil hwnnw sicrhau ei fod yn rhoi'r baich ar ardaloedd lle nad oes unrhyw ddewis amgen na cheir ar wahân i fws, a sicrhau bod y bysiau hynny ar gael.
Rwy'n croesawu'r adolygiad o'r cynllun gweithredu ar gyfer Port Talbot—mae'n amser inni gael hwnnw—ond a wnewch chi sicrhau ei fod yn ystyried llwch niwsans yn ogystal â'r gronynnau PM10, PM 2.5 a nitrogen deuocsid? Oherwydd, er y gallai pobl feddwl nad yw hynny o reidrwydd yn fater sy'n ymwneud ag iechyd mewn un ffordd, rydym yn awyddus i ymdrin â lles pobl hefyd, ac mae'r rhain yn effeithio'n fawr iawn ar fy etholwyr i yn hyn o beth.
Rwy'n croesawu'r cyfeiriad at lygredd dan do yn y datganiad ac mae angen rhoi mwy o gyhoeddusrwydd i hynny, oherwydd fe es i lan i'r atig yr wythnos diwethaf, i ddod ag addurniadau'r Nadolig i lawr. Pan edrychwch chi ar y cynllun a pha faterion sy'n effeithio ar eiddo dan do, rydych chi'n dechrau sylweddoli sut y gall rhywbeth syml effeithio ar bawb ohonom, ond efallai nad yw pobl yn gwybod hynny. Nid oeddwn i'n ymwybodol o rai o'r pwyntiau yn y cynllun hwn.
Mae newid ymddygiad yn bwysig, ond mae angen dewisiadau amgen arnom os ydych chi'n dymuno newid ymddygiad, a dyna'r broblem. Weithiau, nid yw'r dewisiadau amgen hynny ar gael ar gyfer achosi newid ymddygiad. Gadawaf bethau yn y fan honno, rwy'n credu.
Thank you. [Laughter.]
Diolch. [Chwerthin.]
Thank you, Dai Rees, for those points. I'll just refer to Port Talbot and Tata Steel and, obviously, the Member never misses an opportunity to speak to me about air quality in Port Talbot. As you know, the short-term action plan was put in place to specifically prevent exceedances to legal limits and safeguard residents' health. We've never exceeded European legal limits for particulate matter in Port Talbot; I think it's very important to make that point. However, like many of these things, it's about perception, and I know that you've had concerns that your constituents have had a lot of dust. I think Dai Lloyd made a very important before that it's the stuff that we can't see that causes the most problems, not that we can see. However, the perception is that that is really damaging.
I think you're right about the 50 mph zone; you don't want to get perverse results. As the transport strategy comes forward—I think the Minister is bringing that forward next week—we can certainly ensure that this plan fits into that strategy. I think it's very important that that is the case, and also the public transport Bill, because you're right: we can't expect behavioural change if that form of travel is not there for that person. I mentioned in an earlier answer to Andrew R.T. Davies about the rural areas of Wales that, if you haven't got the public transport infrastructure in place, then people are not going to make that modal shift from the car.
There's also the economic impact, I think, to consider around public transport because, if people look at the cost and it's so much cheaper to go in the car, again, that will definitely affect people, and also, if you're sitting on a bus and you're sitting in a bus behind 200 cars, you're going to think it's not worth it. However, if there's a bus lane and you're able to go in the bus lane and be much quicker—. I think it's just simple things because, as I said, I think Wales has really led the way on behavioural change in relation to recycling and organ donation, so I think we can do it here as well.
Oh, sorry, you asked me about planning as well, and I mentioned that 'Planning Policy Wales' had been changed, but it is important that local authorities look at this clean air plan going forward to ensure that it fits in.
Diolch i chi, Dai Rees, am y pwyntiau yna. Rwyf am gyfeirio at Bort Talbot a Tata Steel ac, yn amlwg, nid yw'r Aelod byth yn colli cyfle i drafod ansawdd aer ym Mhort Talbot gyda mi. Fel y gwyddoch, rhoddwyd y cynllun gweithredu tymor byr ar waith i atal gormodiant o ran terfynau cyfreithiol a diogelu iechyd trigolion yn benodol. Nid ydym erioed wedi mynd uwchlaw'r terfynau cyfreithiol Ewropeaidd ar gyfer deunydd gronynnol ym Mhort Talbot; rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn gwneud y pwynt hwnnw. Serch hynny, fel gyda llawer o'r pethau hyn, mae'n ymwneud ag amgyffrediad, a gwn eich bod chi wedi gofidio bod eich etholwyr wedi byw gyda llawer o lwch. Rwy'n credu bod Dai Lloyd wedi gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn yn gynharach mai pethau anweledig sy'n achosi'r problemau mwyaf, nid yr hyn a welwn ni. Eto i gyd, yr amgyffrediad yw mai hynny sy'n niweidiol iawn.
Rwy'n credu eich bod chi'n iawn am y par