Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
15/09/2020Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu'r Senedd drwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda’r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Cyn i ni ddechrau, dwi eisiau nodi ychydig o bwyntiau. Mae'r Cyfarfod Llawn a gynhelir drwy gynhadledd fideo yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog Senedd Cymru yn gyfystyr â thrafodion y Senedd at ddibenion Deddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006. Bydd rhai o ddarpariaethau Rheol Sefydlog 34 yn gymwys ar gyfer y Cyfarfod Llawn heddiw, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. A dwi eisiau atgoffa Aelodau fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfodydd Llawn yn berthnasol i'r cyfarfod yma, ac yr un mor berthnasol i Aelodau sydd yn y Siambr â'r rhai sy'n ymuno drwy gyswllt fideo.
Welcome to this Plenary meeting. Before we begin, I want to make a few points. A Plenary meeting held using video-conference, in accordance with Standing Orders of the Welsh Parliament, constitutes Senedd proceedings for the purposes of the Government of Wales Act 2006. Some of the provisions of Standing Order 34 will apply for today's Plenary meeting. These are noted on your agenda. I would remind Members that Standing Orders relating to order in Plenary meetings apply to this meeting, and apply equally to Members in the Siambr and those joining virtually.
Felly, i gychwyn, dwi eisiau hysbysebu'r Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 26.75, fod Deddf Anifeiliaid Gwyllt a Syrcasau (Cymru) 2020 wedi cael y Cydsyniad Brenhinol ar 7 Medi.
So, to begin, I wish to inform the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 26.75, that the Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Act 2020 was given Royal Assent on 7 September.
Yr eitem gyntaf y prynhawn yma, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan John Griffiths.
The first item this afternoon is questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from John Griffiths.
1. Pa gamau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i amddiffyn y bobl fwyaf agored i niwed mewn cymdeithas yn ystod pandemig COVID-19? OQ55524
1. What action will the Welsh Government take to protect the most vulnerable in society during the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ55524
Llywydd, an enormous effort has been mobilised across Wales to protect our most vulnerable citizens during the pandemic. In addition to our public services and third sector organisations, countless volunteers, friends and neighbours have provided help to those most in need. Our winter protection plan, published today, sets out ways in which this huge collective effort can be continued.
Llywydd, rhoddwyd ymdrech enfawr ar waith ledled Cymru i amddiffyn ein dinasyddion mwyaf agored i niwed yn ystod y pandemig. Yn ogystal â'n gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a sefydliadau'r trydydd sector, mae gwirfoddolwyr, ffrindiau a chymdogion dirifedi wedi rhoi cymorth i'r rhai â'r angen mwyaf. Mae ein cynllun diogelu'r gaeaf, a gyhoeddwyd heddiw, yn nodi ffyrdd y gellir parhau â'r ymdrech gyfunol enfawr hon.
First Minister, COVID-19 has laid bare the indefensible unfairness in our society. Those on lower incomes, in insecure jobs, living in poor-quality housing and suffering health inequalities are particularly vulnerable to the virus, in terms of their health, economically and socially. Our more deprived communities, black and ethnic minorities, and disabled people are disproportionately affected. In Newport, we have experience of this, and we now have a worrying spike in COVID-19 cases. First Minister, will you set out the Welsh Government's response to this recent outbreak, and join me in urging local people and businesses to redouble their efforts to follow regulations and advice to keep the virus under control and avoid further lockdown?
Prif Weinidog, mae COVID-19 wedi dangos yn eglur yr annhegwch na ellir ei amddiffyn yn ein cymdeithas. Mae'r rhai sydd ar incwm is, mewn swyddi ansicr, yn byw mewn tai o ansawdd gwael ac yn dioddef anghydraddoldebau iechyd yn arbennig o agored i'r feirws, o ran eu hiechyd, yn economaidd ac yn gymdeithasol. Mae ein cymunedau mwy difreintiedig, lleiafrifoedd du ac ethnig, a phobl anabl yn cael eu heffeithio yn anghymesur. Yng Nghasnewydd, mae gennym ni brofiad o hyn, a nawr mae gennym ni gynnydd i nifer yr achosion COVID-19 sy'n peri pryder. Prif Weinidog, a wnewch chi nodi ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i'r achosion diweddar hyn, ac ymuno â mi i annog pobl a busnesau lleol i gynydddu eu hymdrechion i ddilyn rheoliadau a chyngor i gadw rheolaeth ar y feirws ac osgoi cyfyngiadau symud pellach?
Llywydd, can I thank John Griffiths for those very important points? He quite rightly draws attention to the recent spike in numbers of people suffering from coronavirus in the Newport area. A considerable effort is being mobilised through the local outbreak control team, working very closely with the local authority—I was speaking with the leader of Newport City Council, Councillor Jane Mudd, yesterday—and our test, trace, protect team have been absolutely assiduous in following up all those cases that have come to our attention, and then, in turn, getting in contact with the people who they have been in contact with. As a result, those efforts are helping to stabilise the position in Newport. And of course we hope that there will be no need for further action, but if there is a need, if those figures do not improve and local action has to be supplemented by national action, then that is exactly what will happen. And as John Griffiths said, Llywydd, that is even more important for those vulnerable groups in a city like Newport—black and minority ethnic communities, people with disabilities, and so on—for whom, were the virus to get out of control, the risks would be particularly serious.
Llywydd, a gaf i ddiolch i John Griffiths am y pwyntiau pwysig iawn yna? Mae'n tynnu sylw, a hynny'n gwbl briodol, at y cynnydd diweddar i nifer y bobl sy'n dioddef oherwydd coronafeirws yn ardal Casnewydd. Mae cryn ymdrech yn cael ei rhoi ar waith drwy'r tîm rheoli achosion lleol, yn gweithio yn agos iawn gyda'r awdurdod lleol—roeddwn i'n siarad ag arweinydd Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd, y Cynghorydd Jane Mudd, ddoe—ac mae ein tîm profi, olrhain, diogelu wedi bod yn gwbl ymroddedig wrth wneud gwaith dilynol ar yr holl achosion hynny sydd wedi dod i'n sylw, ac yna, yn eu tro, cysylltu â'r bobl y maen nhw wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â nhw. O ganlyniad, mae'r ymdrechion hynny yn helpu i sefydlogi'r sefyllfa yng Nghasnewydd. Ac rydym ni'n gobeithio, wrth gwrs, na fydd angen cymryd camau pellach, ond os bydd angen, os na fydd y ffigurau hynny yn gwella a bod yn rhaid i gamau lleol gael eu hategu gan gamau cenedlaethol, yna dyna yn union fydd yn digwydd. Ac fel y dywedodd John Griffiths, Llywydd, mae hynny hyd yn oed yn bwysicach i'r grwpiau agored i niwed hynny mewn dinas fel Casnewydd—cymunedau pobl dduon a lleiafrifoedd ethnig, pobl ag anableddau, ac yn y blaen—y byddai'r risgiau iddyn nhw yn arbennig o ddifrifol pe byddai'r feirws yn mynd allan o reolaeth.
Good afternoon, First Minister. I listened to your response to John Griffiths very carefully, because I agree that there's a lot of harm to be done if this virus gets out of control. There's also a significant harm that will happen to people who may be asked to shield again, to people who have such disabilities, to people who've got perhaps learning disabilities, do not understand clearly what is going on. So, for example, I've been approached by a disability advocacy group, where one mother's daughter, who's in a residential setting supported by social services, has been told that she probably will not be allowed to go home until June of next year—next year. We are asking some people to make absolutely extraordinary sacrifices. If we do have to go back into lockdown, those who have to shield will have to go back into it. First Minister, what assurances could you give us, or what can the Government do, to make sure that, this time around, if we are faced with that situation, there are ways we can be more compassionate and more kind about some of the things we're asking some of the very vulnerable people in our society to cope with, especially those who perhaps have more difficulty in understanding the necessity?
Prynhawn da, Prif Weinidog. Gwrandewais ar eich ymateb i John Griffiths yn ofalus iawn, gan fy mod i'n cytuno bod llawer o niwed i'w wneud os bydd y feirws hwn yn mynd y tu hwnt i reolaeth. Ceir niwed sylweddol a fydd yn digwydd hefyd i bobl y gellid gofyn iddyn nhw warchod eto, i bobl sydd ag anableddau o'r fath, i bobl sydd ag anableddau dysgu efallai, nad ydyn nhw'n deall yn iawn beth sy'n digwydd. Felly, er enghraifft, mae grŵp eiriolaeth anabledd wedi cysylltu â mi, lle y dywedwyd wrth merch un fam, sydd mewn lleoliad preswyl a gefnogir gan y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, ei bod yn debygol na fydd yn cael mynd adref tan fis Mehefin y flwyddyn nesaf—y flwyddyn nesaf. Rydym ni'n gofyn i rai pobl wneud aberth cwbl eithriadol. Os bydd yn rhaid i ni ddychwelyd i gyfyngiadau symud, bydd yn rhaid i'r rhai y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw gael eu gwarchod ddychwelyd i wneud hynny. Prif Weinidog, pa sicrwydd allech chi ei roi i ni, neu beth all y Llywodraeth ei wneud, i wneud yn siŵr, y tro hwn, os byddwn ni'n wynebu'r sefyllfa honno, bod ffyrdd y gallwn fod yn fwy tosturiol ac yn fwy caredig ynglŷn â rhai o'r pethau yr ydym ni'n gofyn i rai o'r bobl agored iawn i niwed yn ein cymdeithas ymdopi â nhw, yn enwedig y rhai sydd efallai'n cael mwy o anhawster i ddeall yr angenrheidrwydd?
Llywydd, I thank the Member for those points. I agree with very much of what she said—that the impact of responding to coronavirus falls especially hard on those people who have the least ability to be able to recognise what is happening around them and then to respond to it, whether that be very elderly people who have suffered from dementia, whether it be people with learning disabilities, and so on. And it is very important that we learn from the experience of the last six months. My colleague Jane Hutt has chaired five meetings of the disability equality forum over that period. It's been attended as well by the chief medical officer and by my colleague Julie James. And all that is about trying to learn from the lived experience of people who, as in Angela Burns's contact's case, have had to live with the astonishing burden that coronavirus has placed on some members of our society. So, I think the best assurance we can give those people is to listen carefully to them, and to hear from them about ways in which, were we to face a further period of the sort we faced back in March and April, we have learned from the ways in which they have coped with this experience. And where we can do more to support them and can design our public services in a way that is better able to respond to their needs, then that is exactly what we will try to do.
Llywydd, diolchaf i'r Aelod am y pwyntiau yna. Rwy'n cytuno â llawer iawn o'r hyn a ddywedodd—bod effaith ymateb i coronafeirws yn arbennig o anodd i'r bobl hynny sydd â'r lleiaf o allu i ddeall yr hyn sy'n digwydd o'u cwmpas ac yna ymateb iddo, boed hynny'n bobl oedrannus iawn sydd wedi dioddef o ddementia, boed nhw'n bobl ag anableddau dysgu, ac yn y blaen. Ac mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n dysgu o brofiad y chwe mis diwethaf. Mae fy nghyd-Weinidog Jane Hutt wedi cadeirio pum cyfarfod o'r fforwm cydraddoldeb i bobl anabl dros y cyfnod hwnnw. Mae'r prif swyddog meddygol a'm cyd-Weinidog Julie James wedi bod yn bresennol ynddynt hefyd. A diben hynny i gyd yw ceisio dysgu o brofiad byw pobl sydd, fel yn achos cyswllt Angela Burns, wedi gorfod byw gyda'r baich syfrdanol y mae coronafeirws wedi ei osod ar rai aelodau o'n cymdeithas. Felly, rwy'n credu mai'r sicrwydd gorau y gallwn ni ei roi i'r bobl hynny yw gwrando'n ofalus arnyn nhw, a chlywed ganddyn nhw am y modd, pe byddem ni'n wynebu cyfnod pellach o'r math i ni ei wynebu yn ôl ym mis Mawrth a mis Ebrill, yr ydym ni wedi dysgu o'r ffyrdd y maen nhw wedi ymdopi â'r profiad hwn. A phan allwn ni wneud mwy i'w cynorthwyo ac y gallwn ddylunio ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus mewn ffordd sy'n gallu ymateb yn well i'w hanghenion, yna dyna'n union y byddwn ni'n ceisio ei wneud.
2. Pa asesiad sydd wedi'i wneud o'r risgiau i gyllid cyhoeddus o ganlyniad i'r pandemig COVID-19? OQ55514
2. What assessment has been made of the risks to public finances as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ55514
Llywydd, the Office for Budget Responsibility's latest assessment shows a very large increase in the fiscal deficit for the UK as a whole during this financial year. The Welsh Government's fiscal framework protects the Welsh budget from the impact on devolved revenues of the UK-wide economic shock arising from the pandemic.
Llywydd, mae asesiad diweddaraf y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol yn dangos cynnydd mawr iawn i'r diffyg ariannol ar gyfer y DU gyfan yn ystod y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Mae fframwaith cyllidol Llywodraeth Cymru yn diogelu cyllideb Cymru rhag effaith y sioc economaidd ar draws y DU ar refeniw datganoledig sy'n deillio o'r pandemig.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. Your Government has encouraged local authorities to invest in commercial properties around the country. You've lent them taxpayers' money to do so, and the Development Bank of Wales lends money directly to private companies developing commercial properties. Last financial year, the bank lent £34.1 million of taxpayers' money to property developers, and this year the bank has two funds available to property developers, totalling £97 million. Most of it is in the commercial property fund, and all of the money is provided by the Welsh Government, i.e. the taxpayer. As a result of lockdown, property experts are predicting that commercial property could lose 50 per cent of its value and rent returns will go through the floor as businesses close and downsize offices because more staff are working from home or need rent holidays. Even the Office for Budget Responsibility admits to at least a 14 per cent drop in value over the next year. If the OBR are correct, the Development Bank of Wales could lose £7.7. million in one year if it invests all of its commercial property fund of £55 million. The bank may already have lost £4.7 million on last year's investments. The picture could be just as bad for local authorities. Flintshire County Council, for example, owns 13 business centres and industrial estates. So, how much taxpayers' money invested in commercial property could be lost due to lockdown? How much money have you set aside to bail out councils who lose money because of investments in commercial property reducing? And has the DBW changed its lending criteria towards commercial property developers since the coronavirus came along and changed the way people work and conduct business?
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Mae eich Llywodraeth wedi annog awdurdodau lleol i fuddsoddi mewn eiddo masnachol ledled y wlad. Rydych chi wedi rhoi benthyg arian trethdalwyr iddyn nhw wneud hynny, ac mae Banc Datblygu Cymru yn benthyca arian yn uniongyrchol i gwmnïau preifat sy'n datblygu eiddo masnachol. Yn ystod y flwyddyn ariannol ddiwethaf, rhoddodd y banc fenthyciadau gwerth £34.1 miliwn o arian trethdalwyr i ddatblygwyr eiddo, ac eleni mae gan y banc ddwy gronfa ar gael i ddatblygwyr eiddo, sy'n dod i gyfanswm o £97 miliwn. Mae'r rhan fwyaf ohono yn y gronfa eiddo masnachol, a darperir yr holl arian gan Lywodraeth Cymru, hynny yw, y trethdalwr. O ganlyniad i'r cyfyngiadau symud, mae arbenigwyr eiddo yn rhagweld y gallai eiddo masnachol golli 50 y cant o'i werth ac y bydd enillion rhent yn mynd ar chwâl wrth i fusnesau gau a lleihau maint swyddfeydd gan fod mwy o staff yn gweithio gartref neu eu bod angen gwyliau rhent. Mae hyd yn oed y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol yn cyfaddef i ostyngiad o 14 y cant o leiaf i werth yn ystod y flwyddyn nesaf. Os yw'r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol yn iawn, gallai Banc Datblygu Cymru golli £7.7. miliwn mewn un flwyddyn os bydd yn buddsoddi ei gronfa eiddo masnachol gyfan o £55 miliwn. Gallai'r banc eisoes fod wedi colli £4.7 miliwn ar fuddsoddiadau y llynedd. Gallai'r darlun fod yr un mor wael i awdurdodau lleol. Mae Cyngor Sir y Fflint, er enghraifft, yn berchen ar 13 o ganolfannau busnes ac ystadau diwydiannol. Felly, faint o arian trethdalwyr a fuddsoddwyd mewn eiddo masnachol y gellid ei golli oherwydd y cyfyngiadau symud? Faint o arian ydych chi wedi ei neilltuo i achub cynghorau sy'n colli arian oherwydd lleihad i fuddsoddiadau mewn eiddo masnachol? Ac a yw Banc Datblygu Cymru wedi newid ei feini prawf benthyca ar gyfer datblygwyr eiddo masnachol ers i'r coronafeirws ymddangos a newid y ffordd y mae pobl yn gweithio ac yn cyflawni busnes?
Well, Llywydd, I think the risk in the Member's question is to conflate short-term and long-term consequences of the pandemic. In the short run, there's absolutely no doubt at all that commercial property values have been affected by coronavirus and that they will continue to be affected as the economic shock of the pandemic unfolds across our economy. But I don't think that we should assume that those short-term impacts are guaranteed to be characteristic of the way the economy will recover. Nor do I think it is fair to criticise any organisation from having made lending decisions in one set of circumstances when something entirely unforeseeable then makes a difference to the way that those investments are now valued. What I expect to see is I expect lending decisions now to be calibrated to the current set of circumstances we see, and I expect us to take a long-term view of some of those investments and not to make decisions in haste that would respond to what we all surely hope is a temporary impact of a global set of circumstances on our economy and that the economy will recover in ways that will protect those investments in the longer term.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n credu mai'r risg yng nghwestiwn yr Aelod yw cyfuno canlyniadau byrdymor a hirdymor y pandemig. Yn y byrdymor, nid oes amheuaeth o gwbl bod coronafeirws wedi effeithio ar werthoedd eiddo masnachol ac y byddan nhw'n parhau i gael eu heffeithio wrth i sioc economaidd y pandemig ddatblygu ar draws ein heconomi. Ond nid wyf i'n credu y dylem ni gymryd yn ganiataol bod yr effeithiau byrdymor hynny yn sicr o fod yn nodweddiadol o'r ffordd y bydd yr economi yn gwella. Nid wyf i'n credu ychwaith ei bod hi'n deg i feirniadu unrhyw sefydliad am wneud penderfyniadau benthyca mewn un cyfres o amgylchiadau pan fydd rhywbeth cwbl anrhagweladwy yn gwneud gwahaniaeth wedyn i'r ffordd y caiff y buddsoddiadau hynny eu prisio erbyn hyn. Yr hyn yr wyf i'n disgwyl ei weld yw fy mod i'n disgwyl i benderfyniadau benthyca gael eu calibradu nawr i'r gyfres bresennol o amgylchiadau a welwn, ac rwy'n disgwyl ein gweld ni'n cymryd golwg hirdymor ar rai o'r buddsoddiadau hynny a pheidio â gwneud penderfyniadau byrbwyll a fyddai'n ymateb i'r hyn yr ydym ni i gyd yn sicr yn gobeithio sy'n effaith dros dro cyfres fyd-eang o amgylchiadau ar ein heconomi ac y bydd yr economi yn gwella mewn ffyrdd a fydd yn diogelu'r buddsoddiadau hynny yn y tymor hwy.
I think Michelle Brown just about covered everything there, didn't she, First Minister? But I'll ask you about the tax situation. Yesterday, in Finance Committee, we had an evidence session with the finance Minister, where she spoke about the impact of the pandemic on house sales and on land transaction tax. What assessment has been made of the ongoing pandemic on not just that tax but on all taxes, including the Welsh rate of income tax? And you just mentioned in response to Michelle Brown that the fiscal framework supports the Welsh budget against shocks such as a pandemic and UK and international shocks. Are you confident that the fiscal framework is operating properly and that it will fully defend the Welsh budget and Welsh tax revenues against the shock of the pandemic?
Rwy'n credu bod Michelle Brown wedi rhoi sylw i bopeth yn y fan yna, do, Prif Weinidog? Ond hoffwn eich holi am y sefyllfa o ran treth. Ddoe, yn y Pwyllgor Cyllid, cawsom sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda'r Gweinidog cyllid, pryd y siaradodd am effaith y pandemig ar werthu tai ac ar dreth trafodiadau tir. Pa asesiad sydd wedi ei wneud o'r pandemig parhaus nid yn unig ar y dreth honno ond ar bob treth, gan gynnwys cyfradd treth incwm Cymru? Ac rydych chi newydd sôn mewn ymateb i Michelle Brown bod y fframwaith cyllidol yn cefnogi cyllideb Cymru yn erbyn ergydion fel pandemig ac ergydion annisgwyl yn y DU ac yn rhyngwladol. A ydych chi'n ffyddiog bod y fframwaith cyllidol yn gweithredu yn briodol ac y bydd yn amddiffyn cyllideb Cymru a refeniw treth Cymru yn llwyr rhag sioc y pandemig?
Well, Llywydd, if I was to take Nick Ramsay's phrase literally, 'fully defend', then I don't suppose I could guarantee that, because the impact of coronavirus will be felt across the whole of the UK economy as well as the Welsh economy, and across UK Government revenues as well as our own. I am confident that the fiscal framework defends us against shocks that would be experienced in Wales where those shocks are experienced elsewhere. The block grant adjustment will take account of that and will mean that we are protected against those effects.
I'm also pleased to be able to say to the Member, because I know what a close interest he took in it at the time, that the 105 per cent consequential rule that we have as a result of the fiscal framework has already provided £360 million to Wales that would not have come to Wales were it not for the fiscal framework and that part of it that we negotiated at the time. So, we are defended by the fiscal framework. None of us are defended against the global impact that coronavirus has on the whole of the UK economy and more widely.
Wel, Llywydd, pe bawn i'n cymryd ymadrodd Nick Ramsay yn llythrennol, yn 'amddiffyn yn llwyr', yna nid wyf i'n tybio y gallwn i sicrhau hynny, gan y bydd effaith coronafeirws yn cael ei theimlo ar draws economi gyfan y DU yn ogystal ag economi Cymru, ac ar draws refeniw Llywodraeth y DU yn ogystal â'n refeniw ni. Rwy'n ffyddiog bod y fframwaith cyllidol yn ein hamddiffyn rhag ergydion a fyddai'n cael eu dioddef yng Nghymru pan fo'r ergydion hynny yn cael eu dioddef mewn mannau eraill. Bydd addasiad y grant bloc yn cymryd hynny i ystyriaeth a bydd yn golygu ein bod ni'n cael ein diogelu rhag yr effeithiau hynny.
Rwyf i hefyd yn falch o allu dweud wrth yr Aelod, gan fy mod i'n gwybod ei fod wedi cymryd diddordeb agos iawn yn y mater ar y pryd, bod y rheol cyllid canlyniadol o 105 y cant sydd gennym ni o ganlyniad i'r fframwaith cyllidol eisoes wedi darparu £360 miliwn i Gymru na fyddai wedi dod i Gymru oni bai am y fframwaith cyllidol a'r rhan honno ohono a negodwyd gennym ni ar y pryd. Felly, rydym ni'n cael ein hamddiffyn gan y fframwaith cyllidol. Nid oes yr un ohonom ni'n cael ein hamddiffyn rhag yr effaith fyd-eang y mae coronafeirws yn ei chael ar economi gyfan y DU ac yn ehangach.
First Minister, I am confident that you will agree with me when I say that an innovative use of tax competencies can have a positive effect on our public finances, as well as bringing other positive societal benefits. As you will know, I'm a keen supporter of the vacant land tax, which could not only boost public finances but, more importantly, also transform our communities. So, I was disappointed to read the written statement from the finance Minister last week about the foot dragging from UK Ministers on this. Will the Welsh Government continue to press UK Ministers to respect the devolution settlement so that these proposals can be developed and not let them use responding to the pandemic as an excuse for inaction or rowing back?
Prif Weinidog, rwy'n ffyddiog y byddwch chi'n cytuno â mi pan ddywedaf y gall defnydd arloesol o gymwyseddau treth gael effaith gadarnhaol ar ein cyllid cyhoeddus, yn ogystal â dod â manteision cymdeithasol cadarnhaol eraill. Fel y gwyddoch, rwy'n gefnogwr brwd o'r dreth ar dir gwag, a allai nid yn unig roi hwb i gyllid cyhoeddus ond, yn bwysicach, gweddnewid ein cymunedau hefyd. Felly, roeddwn i'n siomedig o ddarllen y datganiad ysgrifenedig gan y Gweinidog cyllid yr wythnos diwethaf am y llusgo traed gan Weinidogion y DU ar y mater hwn. A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru barhau i bwyso ar Weinidogion y DU i barchu'r setliad datganoli fel y gellir datblygu'r cynigion hyn a pheidio â gadael iddyn nhw ddefnyddio ymateb i'r pandemig fel esgus dros beidio â gweithredu neu fynd yn ôl ar eu gair?
Llywydd, I thank Vikki Howells for that, and I very much recognise the interest she has taken in the vacant land tax issue. I well remember the short debate that she held on this topic. Sadly, this is a much less positive aspect of our negotiations with the Treasury. While I was able to speak positively of the fiscal framework, this is a much less satisfactory story.
Let's remember for a moment, Llywydd, that what we have been trying to do is to use a power put into the Conservative Government of Wales Act 2017. This is a power that the then Government put on the statute book, and it allows the Welsh Government to propose new taxes for Wales. Some Members here will remember that we deliberately chose a narrow and specific tax, a vacant land tax, not a controversial tax, in many ways, in principle, in order to test that machinery. More than two and a half years have gone by since that proposal was first put to the Treasury. And, despite what have, at some points, been reasonably productive relationships, in August we received a very disappointing letter from the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, reopening a whole series of questions and debates that had already been answered in previous negotiations. I'm afraid what is becoming apparent is that the machinery that we set out to test is not satisfactory; that it is not competent to deal with the issue that the previous Conservative Government itself put on the statute book for Wales. We'll continue to work away at it, as Vikki Howells has said, but I'm afraid what we're learning is that the machinery itself is broken beyond repair.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Vikki Howells am hynna, ac rwy'n cydnabod yn llwyr y diddordeb y mae hi wedi ei gymryd yn y mater o dreth ar dir gwag. Rwy'n cofio'n dda y ddadl fer a gynhaliodd ar y pwnc hwn. Yn anffodus, mae hon yn agwedd llawer llai cadarnhaol ar ein trafodaethau gyda'r Trysorlys. Er i mi allu siarad yn gadarnhaol am y fframwaith cyllidol, mae hon yn stori llawer llai boddhaol.
Gadewch i ni gofio am eiliad, Llywydd, mai'r hyn yr ydym ni wedi bod yn ceisio ei wneud yw defnyddio pŵer a roddwyd yn Neddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2017 y Ceidwadwyr. Mae hwn yn bŵer a roddwyd ar y llyfr statud gan y Llywodraeth ar y pryd, ac mae'n caniatáu i Lywodraeth Cymru gynnig trethi newydd ar gyfer Cymru. Bydd rhai Aelodau yn y fan yma yn cofio i ni ddewis treth gul a phenodol yn fwriadol, treth ar dir wag, nad oedd yn dreth ddadleuol, mewn nifer o ffyrdd, mewn egwyddor, i roi prawf ar y peirianwaith hwnnw. Mae dros ddwy flynedd a hanner wedi mynd heibio ers i'r cynnig hwnnw gael ei gyflwyno am y tro cyntaf i'r Trysorlys. Ac, er gwaethaf yr hyn sydd, ar rai adegau, wedi bod yn berthynas weddol gynhyrchiol, cawsom lythyr siomedig iawn gan Ysgrifennydd Siecr y Trysorlys ym mis Awst, yn ailagor cyfres gyfan o gwestiynau a dadleuon a oedd eisoes wedi eu hateb mewn trafodaethau blaenorol. Mae arnaf ofn mai'r hyn sy'n dod i'r amlwg yw nad yw'r peirianwaith yr aethom ni ati i roi prawf arno yn foddhaol; nid yw'n gymwys i ymdrin â'r mater y rhoddodd y Llywodraeth Geidwadol flaenorol ei hun ar y llyfr statud i Gymru. Byddwn yn parhau i weithio yn ddyfal arno, fel y dywedodd Vikki Howells, ond mae arnaf ofn mai'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei ddysgu yw bod y peirianwaith ei hun wedi torri y tu hwnt i allu ei drwsio.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr, Paul Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. Leader of the Conservatives, Paul Davies.
Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, yesterday it came to light that Public Health Wales admitted a data breach that saw details of just over 18,000 people, who'd tested positive for COVID-19, posted on its website for almost a whole day. That figure included almost 2,000 people living in communal settings such as nursing homes and those living in supported housing, which went as far as to reveal their place of residence. First Minister, given that this is not the first time there has been a problem with public health data, it's deeply worrying that the health Minister didn't come forward with this immediately and with an explanation on what steps will now be taken to restore public confidence, because it's been suggested that the Government has known about this for weeks. So, First Minister, I hope you'll now take the opportunity today to apologise to the people affected by this latest data breach. Will you also take the opportunity to tell us how long the Welsh Government has known about this breach and what you're doing to restore public confidence in its data management?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, daeth i'r amlwg ddoe bod Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru wedi cyfaddef mynediad diawdurdod at ddata a arweiniodd at bostio manylion ychydig dros 18,000 o bobl, a oedd wedi profi'n bositif ar gyfer COVID-19, ar ei wefan am bron i ddiwrnod cyfan. Roedd y ffigur hwnnw yn cynnwys bron i 2,000 o bobl yn byw mewn lleoliadau cymunedol fel cartrefi nyrsio a'r rhai sy'n byw mewn tai â chymorth, a aeth mor bell â datgelu eu mannau preswylio. Prif Weinidog, o gofio nad dyma'r tro cyntaf y bu problem gyda data iechyd y cyhoedd, mae'n destun pryder mawr na ddatgelodd y Gweinidog iechyd hyn ar unwaith a chydag esboniad o ba gamau a fydd yn cael eu cymryd nawr i adennill ffydd y cyhoedd, oherwydd awgrymwyd bod y Llywodraeth wedi bod yn ymwybodol o hyn ers wythnosau. Felly, Prif Weinidog, rwy'n gobeithio y gwnewch chi achub ar y cyfle heddiw i ymddiheuro i'r bobl a gafodd eu heffeithio gan yr achos diweddaraf hwn o fynediad diawdurdod at ddata. A wnewch chi hefyd fanteisio ar y cyfle i ddweud wrthym ers pryd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn ymwybodol o'r mynediad diawdurdod hwn a'r hyn yr ydych chi'n ei wneud i adennill ffydd y cyhoedd o ran rheoli eu data?
Well, Llywydd, I learnt of this data breach yesterday, and I learnt of it as a result of Public Health Wales's statement, which, as Paul Davies has said, drew attention to the data breach. It is a serious matter when data regulations are not properly observed, and I think Public Health Wales was right to apologise to those people whose data was inadvertently put into the public domain in this way. Thankfully, as Paul Davies said, the breach lasted for less than a day and the initial inquiries suggest that no harm has been done as a result. But that is a matter of luck rather than anything else.
It's right, therefore, that Public Health Wales has instituted an inquiry into what went wrong, has informed the Information Commissioner, and we will look to both of those offices to make sure that the reasons that lie behind the data breach can be identified, and if there are any systems that need to be put right, that those steps are taken rapidly.
Wel, Llywydd, clywais am y mynediad diawdurdod at ddata hwn ddoe, a chlywais amdano o ganlyniad i ddatganiad Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, a dynnodd sylw, fel y dywedodd Paul Davies, at y mynediad diawdurdod at ddata. Mae'n fater difrifol pan nad yw rheoliadau data yn cael eu dilyn yn briodol, ac rwy'n credu bod Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn iawn i ymddiheuro i'r bobl hynny y cyhoeddwyd eu data yn anfwriadol fel hyn. Diolch byth, fel y dywedodd Paul Davies, parhaodd y mynediad diawdurdod at ddata am lai na diwrnod ac mae'r ymchwiliadau cychwynnol yn awgrymu na wnaed unrhyw niwed o ganlyniad. Ond mater o lwc yw hynny yn hytrach na dim byd arall.
Mae'n iawn, felly, bod Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru wedi sefydlu ymchwiliad i'r hyn a aeth o'i le, wedi hysbysu'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth, a byddwn yn disgwyl i'r ddwy swyddfa hynny wneud yn siŵr y gellir nodi'r rhesymau sydd y tu ôl i'r mynediad diawdurdod at ddata, ac os oes unrhyw systemau y mae angen eu trwsio, bod y camau hynny yn cael eu cymryd yn gyflym.
Well, I'm sure, First Minister, the people affected would appreciate an apology from you as First Minister, given that these circumstances have taken place. But, of course, this isn't the first personal data breach, following the incident where 13,000 shielding letters were sent to the wrong addresses earlier this year, not once, but of course twice. Let's also not forget that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, under your direct control, First Minister, failed to report daily coronavirus death figures because it used a different reporting system to one set up for the Welsh NHS. Therefore, let's hope that this is the last time people's personal data is mishandled during this pandemic, as this could very well damage public confidence, particularly as people are being asked to hand over personal details for the track and trace system.
First Minister, there's also understandable concern at plans to reduce COVID-19 testing from weekly to fortnightly at care homes in north Wales. Can you therefore confirm that the Welsh Government will not reduce the weekly testing of care home residents in Wales? And can you tell us what discussions the Welsh Government is having with those in the Welsh care sector about its testing programme?
Wel, rwy'n siŵr, Prif Weinidog, y byddai'r bobl sydd wedi cael eu heffeithio yn gwerthfawrogi ymddiheuriad gennych chi fel Prif Weinidog, o gofio bod yr amgylchiadau hyn wedi codi. Ond, wrth gwrs, nid dyma'r mynediad diawdurdod at ddata personol cyntaf, yn dilyn y digwyddiad pan anfonwyd 13,000 o lythyrau gwarchod i'r cyfeiriadau anghywir yn gynharach eleni, nid unwaith, ond dwywaith, wrth gwrs. Gadewch i ni gofio hefyd fod Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, o dan eich rheolaeth uniongyrchol chi, Prif Weinidog, wedi methu ag adrodd ffigurau marwolaethau coronafeirws dyddiol oherwydd ei fod wedi defnyddio gwahanol system adrodd i un a sefydlwyd ar gyfer GIG Cymru. Felly, gadewch i ni obeithio mai dyma'r tro olaf y bydd data personol pobl yn cael ei gamdrafod yn ystod y pandemig hwn, gan ei bod yn bosibl iawn y gallai hyn niweidio ffydd y cyhoedd, yn enwedig gan y gofynnir i bobl drosglwyddo manylion personol ar gyfer y system olrhain.
Prif Weinidog, ceir pryder dealladwy hefyd ynghylch cynlluniau i leihau profion COVID-19 o sail wythnosol i bob pythefnos mewn cartrefi gofal yn y gogledd. A allwch chi gadarnhau felly na fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn lleihau'r profion wythnosol ar breswylwyr cartrefi gofal yng Nghymru? Ac a allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni pa drafodaethau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cael gyda'r rhai yn sector gofal Cymru am eu rhaglen brofi?
Well, Llywydd, it's important to correct a number of points in that. Let's be clear that Betsi Cadwaladr's use of a different reporting system did not involve any breaches of personal data. The two things are entirely different and they're not connected in the way that the Member attempted to connect them in his follow-up question, nor are care home residents tested. It's care home staff who are tested on a weekly or a fortnightly basis, not residents. So, let's be clear about that too. It is quite important in this to be accurate in the way that we put these questions and discuss them.
So, we are in discussions, of course, with all local health bodies about the rate at which we test staff, and where there are symptomatic residents that residents are tested as well. The positivity rate of staff tested in Welsh care homes over this summer was 0.12 per cent. It was absolutely fractional, and it's important to be proportionate, as I believe your health Secretary Matt Hancock has been preaching all morning, about the way we use the scarce resource that tests represent.
The difficulties that we face in care home testing in Wales are because we switched care home testing to the lighthouse laboratories provided by the UK Government. I'm sorry that some care homes are losing confidence in that system and suggesting that they wouldn't be prepared to take part in it. We will look to see whether we need to switch capacity back into the Welsh system in what I hope will be a short period while those lighthouse labs return to the very good service that they were providing in Wales, as elsewhere, only three weeks ago. But the temporary difficulties in care home testing, such as they are, are as a result of the difficulties that that system, that UK system, is experiencing, not because of difficulties in the Welsh testing system.
Wel, Llywydd, mae'n bwysig cywiro nifer o bwyntiau yn hynny o beth. Gadewch i ni fod yn eglur nad oedd defnydd Betsi Cadwaladr o wahanol system adrodd yn cynnwys unrhyw achosion o fynediad diawdurdod at ddata personol. Mae'r ddau beth yn hollol wahanol ac nid ydyn nhw wedi'u cysylltu yn y ffordd y ceisiodd yr Aelod eu cysylltu nhw yn ei gwestiwn dilynol, ac nid yw preswylwyr cartrefi gofal yn cael eu profi ychwaith. Staff cartrefi gofal sy'n cael eu profi yn wythnosol neu bob pythefnos, nid preswylwyr. Felly, gadewch i ni fod yn eglur ynglŷn â hynny hefyd. Mae'n eithaf pwysig yn hyn o beth i fod yn fanwl gywir yn y ffordd yr ydym ni'n gofyn y cwestiynau hyn ac yn eu trafod.
Felly, rydym ni mewn trafodaethau, wrth gwrs, gyda'r holl gyrff iechyd lleol ynglŷn â'r gyfradd yr ydym ni'n profi staff, a phan fydd preswylwyr â symptomau bod preswylwyr yn cael eu profi hefyd. 0.12 y cant oedd cyfradd bositif staff a brofwyd yng nghartrefi gofal Cymru yn ystod yr haf hwn. Roedd yn fychan iawn, ac mae'n bwysig bod yn gymesur, fel yr wyf i'n credu bod eich Ysgrifennydd iechyd Matt Hancock wedi bod yn ei bregethu drwy'r bore, am y ffordd yr ydym ni'n defnyddio'r adnodd prin y mae profion yn ei gynrychioli.
Mae'r anawsterau sy'n ein hwynebu o ran profi cartrefi gofal yng Nghymru oherwydd i ni newid profion cartrefi gofal i'r labordai goleudy a ddarparwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU. Mae'n ddrwg gen i bod rhai cartrefi gofal yn colli ffydd yn y system honno ac yn awgrymu na fydden nhw'n barod i gymryd rhan ynddi. Byddwn ni'n edrych i weld a oes angen i ni newid capasiti yn ôl i system Cymru yn ystod cyfnod yr wyf i'n obeithio fydd yn fyr tra bydd y labordai goleudy hynny yn dychwelyd i'r gwasanaeth da iawn yr oedden nhw'n ei ddarparu yng Nghymru, fel mewn mannau eraill, dim ond tair wythnos yn ôl. Ond mae'r anawsterau dros dro o ran profi mewn cartrefi gofal, fel y maen nhw, o ganlyniad i'r anawsterau y mae'r system honno, y system DU honno, yn eu wynebu, nid oherwydd anawsterau yn system brofi Cymru.
The point I was making, First Minister, is that it is important that you as a Government consult with the care home sector, because it's absolutely critical that the sector is being fully consulted on your testing policy, and I hope that you will reflect on your comments.
Now, one aspect of testing policy that could make a real difference in identifying possible threats is airport testing. Testing all people returning home from abroad will surely keep people safe. Now, the shadow Home Secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, called for a robust testing regime in airports as a way to minimise the need for the two-week isolation period upon return to the UK, and in a letter to the Home Secretary, he made it clear that ramped-up testing is an important part of trying to respond to the pandemic and safely reopen society. He also said,
'Given the huge challenges being faced by the travel sector and the scale of job losses, it makes sense to look at this area as part of a wider package of improvements to the testing regime.'
The shadow Home Secretary is right; I agree with him. Do you agree with him?
Y pwynt yr oeddwn i'n ei wneud, Prif Weinidog, yw ei bod hi'n bwysig eich bod chi fel Llywodraeth yn ymgynghori â'r sector cartrefi gofal, gan ei bod hi'n gwbl hanfodol eich bod yn ymgynghori'n llawn â'r sector ar eich polisi profi, a gobeithiaf y byddwch chi'n myfyrio ar eich sylwadau.
Nawr, un agwedd ar bolisi profi a allai wneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol o ran nodi bygythiadau posibl yw profi mewn meysydd awyr. Siawns y bydd profi pawb sy'n dychwelyd adref o dramor yn cadw pobl yn ddiogel. Nawr, galwodd Ysgrifennydd Cartref yr wrthblaid, Nick Thomas-Symonds, am drefn brofi gadarn mewn meysydd awyr fel ffordd o sicrhau bod cyn lleied â phosibl o angen am y cyfnod ynysu o bythefnos ar ôl dychwelyd i'r DU, ac mewn llythyr at yr Ysgrifennydd Cartref, fe'i gwnaeth yn eglur bod cynyddu profion yn rhan bwysig o geisio ymateb i'r pandemig ac ailagor cymdeithas yn ddiogel. Dywedodd hefyd,
O gofio'r heriau enfawr sy'n wynebu'r sector teithio a maint y colledion swyddi, mae'n gwneud synnwyr i edrych ar y maes hwn yn rhan o becyn ehangach o welliannau i'r drefn brofi.
Mae Ysgrifennydd Cartref yr wrthblaid yn iawn; rwy'n cytuno ag ef. Ydych chi'n cytuno ag ef?
Well, Llywydd, we are in discussions with the airport in Cardiff to see if we can find a practical way in which airport testing itself could be carried out. There are some practical issues that have to be addressed in that, in terms of the length of time that people may have to wait at an airport, how long people would be prepared to wait at an airport—you can't require people to do these things; it's a matter of voluntary participation. Therefore, you have to spend a bit of time to make sure that, if you are able to provide tests at an airport, you can do it in a way that is effective, and those discussions with the airport authorities here in Cardiff are continuing.
Wel, Llywydd, rydym ni'n cynnal trafodaethau gyda'r maes awyr yng Nghaerdydd i weld a allwn ni ddod o hyd i ffordd ymarferol o gynnal profion yn y maes awyr ei hun. Ceir rhai materion ymarferol y mae'n rhaid mynd i'r afael â nhw yn hynny o beth, o ran yr amser y gallai fod yn rhaid i bobl aros mewn maes awyr, am ba hyd y byddai pobl yn barod i aros mewn maes awyr—ni allwch chi fynnu bod pobl yn gwneud y pethau hyn; mae'n fater o gymryd rhan yn wirfoddol. Felly, mae'n rhaid i chi dreulio ychydig o amser i wneud yn siŵr, os gallwch chi ddarparu profion mewn maes awyr, y gallwch chi wneud hynny mewn modd sy'n effeithiol, ac mae'r trafodaethau hynny gydag awdurdodau'r maes awyr yma yng Nghaerdydd yn parhau.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.
Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. BMA Cymru Wales has warned that a second COVID peak is highly likely this winter, and is the No. 1 concern among the medical profession, as it is, I'm sure, for all of us. Could I urge the First Minister to give serious consideration to adopting elements of the 10-point winter plan that we published today, which is designed to avoid both a second wave and a second national lockdown? In particular, could I ask that the First Minister examines the case for introducing, whenever possible, the targeted approach adopted by some countries based around smart lockdowns focused on high infection spikes at a community or neighbourhood level, rather than lockdowns across a whole local authority area?
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Mae BMA Cymru Wales wedi rhybuddio bod ail uchafbwynt COVID yn debygol iawn y gaeaf hwn, ac mai dyma'r prif bryder ymhlith y proffesiwn meddygol, fel sy'n wir, rwy'n siŵr, i bob un ohonom ni. A gaf i annog y Prif Weinidog i roi ystyriaeth ddifrifol i fabwysiadu elfennau o'r cynllun gaeaf 10 pwynt a gyhoeddwyd gennym ni heddiw, sydd â'r nod o osgoi ail don ac ail gyfnod o gyfyngiadau symud cenedlaethol? Yn benodol, a gaf i ofyn i'r Prif Weinidog archwilio'r achos dros gyflwyno, pryd bynnag y bo hynny'n bosibl, y dull wedi'i dargedu a fabwysiadwyd gan rai gwledydd yn seiliedig ar gyfyngiadau symud clyfar sy'n canolbwyntio ar niferoedd uchel o haint ar lefel gymunedol neu gymdogaeth, yn hytrach na chyfyngiadau symud ar draws ardal awdurdod lleol gyfan?
I thank Adam Price for that question, Llywydd, and I'm looking forward to having a chance to look properly at the 10-point plan. Any constructive contributions to ways in which we can better approach the winter are welcome. I know that he will have seen the winter protection plan that the Welsh Government has published today, and there's a lot of overlap between the ideas. So I'm very keen to look constructively at those ideas.
In many ways, the idea of a smart or targeted approach can be seen in the way in which our TTP system responded, for example, to the Rowan Foods outbreak in Wrexham, where we didn't need to have borough-wide restrictions on people's liberties: we were able to focus on the people who worked at that plant and their immediate contacts. The requirement to self-isolate, the advice that was given to that particular group in the population, could be, I think, fairly regarded as an example of a smart lockdown, as those people were in isolation for 14 days. The more we are able to target our interventions so that they respond to the nature of the problem we have in front of us, and don't restrict therefore the lives of people who are not directly caught up in that, the better I think we will command public confidence when those measures need to be taken.
Diolchaf i Adam Price am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at gael cyfle i edrych yn iawn ar y cynllun 10 pwynt. Mae croeso i unrhyw gyfraniadau adeiladol at ffyrdd y gallwn ni fynd i'r afael â'r gaeaf yn well. Gwn y bydd wedi gweld y cynllun diogelu'r gaeaf y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei gyhoeddi heddiw, a cheir llawer o orgyffwrdd rhwng y syniadau. Felly rwy'n awyddus iawn i edrych yn adeiladol ar y syniadau hynny.
Mewn sawl ffordd, gellir gweld y syniad o ddull gweithredu clyfar neu wedi'i dargedu yn y ffordd yr ymatebodd ein system profi, olrhain, diogelu, er enghraifft, i achosion Rowan Foods yn Wrecsam, pan nad oedd angen i ni gael cyfyngiadau ar ryddid pobl ar draws y fwrdeistref gyfan: roeddem ni'n gallu canolbwyntio ar y bobl a oedd yn gweithio yn y gwaith hwnnw a'u cysylltiadau uniongyrchol. Credaf y gellid ystyried y gofyniad i hunanynysu, y cyngor a roddwyd i'r grŵp penodol hwnnw yn y boblogaeth, fel enghraifft deg o gyfyngiadau symud clyfar, gan fod y bobl hynny wedi'u hynysu am 14 diwrnod. Y mwyaf y gallwn ni dargedu ein hymyraethau fel eu bod nhw'n ymateb i natur y broblem sydd gennym ni o'n blaenau, ac nad ydyn nhw'n cyfyngu felly ar fywydau pobl nad ydyn nhw'n rhan uniongyrchol o hynny, y gorau oll yr wyf i'n credu y byddwn ni'n ennyn hyder y cyhoedd pan fydd angen cymryd y mesurau hynny.
The forecasting team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are reporting currently their estimate, as of 11 September, of the R figure for Wales as being 1.43, which would put Wales as having the highest rate of growth currently in the UK and a doubling time of just over six days. Do you recognise those estimates, First Minister? If not, what are the Welsh Government's latest estimates? Given the growing urgency of the situation and the difficulties that you referred to earlier in terms of the UK lighthouse lab system, is it possible to bring that new network of hot lab facilities being planned in Wales on-stream earlier than November? As capacity grows, can we look at testing asymptomatic contacts as many countries, including the United States, have now begun to do?
Mae'r tîm rhagolygon yn Ysgol Hylendid a Meddygaeth Drofannol Llundain yn adrodd ar hyn o bryd mai 1.43 yw eu hamcangyfrif o ffigur R Cymru, ar 11 Medi, a fyddai'n golygu mai Cymru sydd â'r gyfradd uchaf o dwf yn y DU ar hyn o bryd ac amser dyblu o ychydig dros chwe diwrnod. A ydych chi'n cydnabod yr amcangyfrifon hynny, Prif Weinidog? Os nad ydych chi, beth yw amcangyfrifon diweddaraf Llywodraeth Cymru? O gofio brys cynyddol y sefyllfa a'r anawsterau y cyfeiriasoch chi atyn nhw'n gynharach o ran system labordy goleudy'r DU, a yw'n bosibl cyflwyno'r rhwydwaith newydd hwnnw o gyfleusterau labordy poeth sy'n cael eu cynllunio yng Nghymru yn gynharach na mis Tachwedd? Wrth i gapasiti dyfu, a allwn ni edrych ar brofi cysylltiadau asymptomatig fel y mae llawer o wledydd, gan gynnwys yr Unol Daleithiau, wedi dechrau ei wneud erbyn hyn?
Llywydd, I thank Adam Price again for those questions. The technical advisory cell summary published, I think, today, suggests that the R level in Wales is above 1. I don't think we would sign up to a figure as precise as 1.43. The problem with the R figure for the whole of Wales is that it is inevitably affected by the south-east corner of Wales, where we have seen such spikes in the last week or so. There are whole parts of Wales, Llywydd, where numbers are still very effectively suppressed, and an R level of 1.43 would not be a reflection of the circulation of the virus in those parts of Wales. So, a single figure for Wales at the moment is particularly affected by what we have seen in Caerphilly, in RCT and more latterly in Newport. Nevertheless, the TAC summary does suggest that the rate has crept back above 1 in Wales, and it's why we took the measures that we did on Friday of last week, to respond on a Wales-wide basis to that emerging picture.
The £32 million investment that my colleague Vaughan Gething announced on 18 August, Llywydd, will mean 24-hour working in labs in Swansea, in Cardiff and in Rhyl in October, and hot lab capacity more widely in Wales—at the moment in November. If we can, of course, draw it forward, we will want to do that. The investment is both a matter of capital investment but also employing more staff in those laboratories. We had 3,000 applications for the 160 jobs that will be recruited, and interviews for those posts began yesterday. So the sooner we are able to get those people in post, the sooner we will be able to get that lab capacity in active operation here in Wales. And when we have more capacity in that way, we will be able to think again about who we test, when we test them, including—I'm not suggesting that we've made that decision at all, but it will allow us to consider the issue of asymptomatic testing in a different way.
Llywydd, diolchaf eto i Adam Price am y cwestiynau yna. Mae'r crynodeb y gell cyngor technegol a gyhoeddwyd heddiw, rwy'n credu, yn awgrymu bod y lefel R yng Nghymru yn uwch nag 1. Nid wyf i'n credu y byddem ni'n ymrwymo i ffigur mor fanwl ag 1.43. Y broblem gyda'r ffigur R ar gyfer Cymru gyfan yw ei bod hi'n anochel bod cornel de-ddwyrain Cymru yn effeithio arno, lle'r ydym ni wedi gweld cymaint o gynnydd i achosion yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf. Mae rhannau cyfan o Gymru, Llywydd, lle mae'r niferoedd yn dal i gael eu cadw'n isel yn effeithiol iawn, ac ni fyddai lefel R o 1.43 yn adlewyrchiad o gylchrediad y feirws yn y rhannau hynny o Gymru. Felly, mae'r hyn yr ydym ni wedi ei weld yng Nghaerffili, yn Rhondda Cynon Taf ac yn fwy diweddar yng Nghasnewydd, yn effeithio'n arbennig ar y ffigur unigol ar gyfer Cymru ar hyn o bryd. Serch hynny, mae crynodeb y gell cyngor technegol yn awgrymu bod y gyfradd wedi codi yn ôl yn uwch nag 1 yng Nghymru, a dyna pam y cymerwyd y mesurau a gymerwyd gennym ni ddydd Gwener yr wythnos diwethaf, i ymateb ar sail Cymru gyfan i'r darlun hwnnw a oedd yn dod i'r amlwg.
Bydd y buddsoddiad o £32 miliwn a gyhoeddodd fy nghyd-Weinidog Vaughan Gething ar 18 Awst, Llywydd, yn golygu gweithio 24 awr mewn labordai yn Abertawe, yng Nghaerdydd ac yn y Rhyl ym mis Hydref, a chapasiti labordy poeth yn ehangach yng Nghymru—ar hyn o bryd ym mis Tachwedd. Os gallwn ni, wrth gwrs, ei gyflwyno yn gynharach, byddwn yn dymuno gwneud hynny. Mae'r buddsoddiad yn fater o fuddsoddiad cyfalaf ond hefyd yn fater o gyflogi mwy o staff yn y labordai hynny. Cawsom 3,000 o geisiadau am y 160 o swyddi a fydd yn cael eu recriwtio, a dechreuodd cyfweliadau ar gyfer y swyddi hynny ddoe. Felly, gorau po gyntaf y gallwn ni gael y bobl hynny yn y swyddi, gorau po gyntaf y byddwn ni'n gallu cael y capasiti labordy hwnnw ar waith yma yng Nghymru. A phan fydd gennym ni fwy o gapasiti yn y modd hwnnw, byddwn yn gallu ystyried eto pwy yr ydym ni'n eu profi, pryd y byddwn ni'n eu profi, gan gynnwys—nid wyf i'n awgrymu ein bod ni wedi gwneud y penderfyniad hwnnw o gwbl, ond bydd yn caniatáu i ni ystyried y mater o brofion asymptomatig mewn ffordd wahanol.
In six weeks' time, the UK Government's furlough scheme will end, and the looming cliff edge will leave thousands of workers facing the crippling uncertainty of unemployment. If a further rise in COVID cases means local lockdowns will have to be imposed in other areas over the coming months, and if the UK Government does not act, does the Welsh Government have a contingency plan to offer a local furlough, effectively, as well as financial support to businesses and local public services in the affected areas, as well as those unable to earn because they are self-isolating? I'm sure the First Minister would agree that it would be absolutely wrong to penalise people simply for being ill.
Ymhen chwe wythnos, bydd cynllun ffyrlo Llywodraeth y DU yn dod i ben, a bydd pen y dibyn sydd ar y gorwel yn gadael miloedd o weithwyr yn wynebu ansicrwydd andwyol diweithdra. Os bydd cynnydd pellach i achosion COVID yn golygu y bydd yn rhaid gorfodi cyfyngiadau symud lleol mewn ardaloedd eraill dros y misoedd nesaf, ac os na fydd Llywodraeth y DU yn gweithredu, a oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru gynllun wrth gefn i gynnig ffyrlo lleol, i bob pwrpas, yn ogystal â chymorth ariannol i fusnesau a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus lleol yn yr ardaloedd sy'n cael eu heffeithio, yn ogystal â'r rhai nad ydyn nhw yn gallu ennill gan eu bod nhw'n hunanynysu? Rwy'n siŵr y byddai'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno y byddai'n gwbl anghywir i gosbi pobl dim ond am eu bod yn sâl.
I entirely agree with that point, Llywydd, and it's been made repeatedly by me, by Vaughan Gething, by the First Minister of Scotland in a call where I joined with her, and, indeed, the First Minister of Northern Ireland in calling on the UK Government not to bring the furlough scheme to a blunt end—to recalibrate it, to recast it and to add to it an ability to support the wages of those people who we are asking to self-isolate for 14 days. At the moment, there is a perverse incentive for those people who work on very low wages to go into work when you're not feeling well, because otherwise you have to rely on £95-worth of sick pay every week. A simple scheme in which the UK Government itself guaranteed the normal wage level of those people, or indeed did it in partnership with employers, would eliminate that perverse incentive. I think it would increase compliance with the rules that keep us all safe and would be a sensible investment by the UK Government, because you will be, in the way we often talk about in this Chamber, acting preventatively rather than having to pick up the costs that follow when that person does go into work, infects other people, leads to greater demand on public services and firms having to stop production, and so on.
My colleague Ken Skates is at the moment working on the third phase of the economic resilience fund here in Wales. Part of that consideration is the help that we can give to firms who find themselves caught up in local lockdowns here in Wales in future. Will our budget stretch to the income maintenance of people who are affected by the end of the furlough scheme or who need to self-isolate? I'm afraid we're simply not resourced to do that. Income maintenance is not a devolved function to the Welsh Government. Funds don't flow to us from the UK Government to support that, and it's much harder to see how we would be able, in an affordable way, to devise a scheme of the sort that Adam Price rightly draws attention to but that is equally rightly the responsibility of the UK Government to put in place.
Rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â'r pwynt yna, Llywydd, ac mae wedi cael ei wneud dro ar ôl tro gennyf i, gan Vaughan Gething, gan Brif Weinidog yr Alban mewn galwad pan ymunais â hi, ac, yn wir, Prif Weinidog Gogledd Iwerddon yn galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i beidio â dod â'r cynllun ffyrlo i derfyn sydyn—i'w ail-grynhoi, ei ail-lunio a'i ychwanegu at allu i gefnogi cyflogau'r bobl hynny yr ydym ni'n gofyn iddyn nhw hunanynysu am 14 diwrnod. Ar hyn o bryd, ceir cymhelliad gwrthnysig i'r bobl hynny sy'n gweithio ar gyflogau isel iawn fynd i'r gwaith pan nad ydych chi'n teimlo'n dda, oherwydd fel arall mae'n rhaid i chi ddibynnu ar werth £95 o dâl salwch bob wythnos. Byddai cynllun syml lle byddai Llywodraeth y DU ei hun yn sicrhau lefel cyflog arferol y bobl hynny, neu'n ei wneud mewn partneriaeth â chyflogwyr yn wir, yn cael gwared ar y cymhelliad gwrthnysig hwnnw. Rwy'n credu y byddai'n cynyddu cydymffurfiad â'r rheolau sy'n ein cadw ni i gyd yn ddiogel ac yn fuddsoddiad doeth gan Lywodraeth y DU, oherwydd fe fyddwch, yn y modd yr ydym ni'n aml yn siarad amdano yn y Siambr hon, yn gweithredu'n ataliol yn hytrach na gorfod talu'r pris sy'n dilyn pan fydd y person hwnnw yn mynd i'r gwaith, yn heintio pobl eraill, yn arwain at fwy o alw am wasanaethau cyhoeddus a chwmnïau yn gorfod rhoi'r gorau i gynhyrchu, ac yn y blaen.
Mae fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates wrthi'n gweithio ar hyn o bryd ar drydydd cam y gronfa cadernid economaidd yma yng Nghymru. Rhan o'r ystyriaeth honno yw'r cymorth y gallwn ni ei roi i gwmnïau sy'n canfod eu hunain yn destun cyfyngiadau symud lleol yma yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol. A fydd ein cyllideb yn ymestyn i gynnal incwm pobl sy'n cael eu heffeithio gan ddiwedd y cynllun ffyrlo neu sydd angen hunanynysu? Rwy'n ofni nad yw'r adnoddau gennym ni i wneud hynny. Nid yw cynnal incwm yn swyddogaeth sydd wedi ei datganoli i Lywodraeth Cymru. Nid oes cyllid yn llifo i ni gan Lywodraeth y DU i gefnogi hynny, ac mae'n llawer anoddach gweld sut y byddem ni'n gallu llunio, mewn ffordd fforddiadwy, cynllun o'r math y mae Adam Price yn tynnu sylw ato'n briodol ond yn yr un modd, yn briodol, cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y DU yw rhoi hynny ar waith.
Arweinydd Plaid Brexit, Mark Reckless.
Leader of the Brexit Party, Mark Reckless.
First Minister, given the legal requirement to inform the Information Commissioner within 72 hours, and his guidance to inform those affected without undue delay, did you and/or Public Health Wales sit, I believe, for around two weeks on news of this major data leak?
Could I also ask you to clarify your version of the rule of six, which you insist must be different from England's? Why say that these six must be of the same extended household, formed of up to four households, not including children, but then that these four households, although forming an extended household, may not all meet at once if more than six?
Could I also remind you that you previously said that there was only a marginal public health case for non-medical face coverings? Your health Minister said that the Chief Medical Officer for Wales thinks that masks should be a matter of personal choice. What new evidence have you seen to remove that personal choice from people?
Prif Weinidog, o ystyried y gofyniad cyfreithiol i hysbysu'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth o fewn 72 awr, a'i ganllawiau i hysbysu'r rhai yr effeithir arnynt heb oedi diangen, a wnaethoch chi a/neu Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru eistedd, rwy'n credu, am oddeutu pythefnos ar newyddion am y datgeliad data mawr hwn?
A gaf i ofyn i chi hefyd egluro eich fersiwn chi o'r rheol chwech, yr ydych chi'n mynnu ei bod yn rhaid iddi fod yn wahanol i un Lloegr? Pam ydych chi'n dweud bod yn rhaid i'r chwech hyn fod o'r un aelwyd estynedig, wedi'i ffurfio o hyd at bedair aelwyd, heb gynnwys plant, ond yna efallai na fydd y pedair aelwyd hyn, er eu bod yn ffurfio aelwyd estynedig, yn cael cyfarfod ar yr un pryd os oes mwy na chwech?
A gaf i eich atgoffa hefyd eich bod chi wedi dweud yn y gorffennol mai dim ond dadl iechyd cyhoeddus ymylol oedd dros ddefnyddio gorchuddion wyneb anfeddygol? Dywedodd eich Gweinidog iechyd bod Prif Swyddog Meddygol Cymru yn credu y dylai masgiau fod yn fater o ddewis personol. Pa dystiolaeth newydd ydych chi wedi ei gweld i gymryd y dewis personol hwnnw oddi wrth bobl?
Llywydd, the rule of six I don't think is very difficult to follow. What we know is that coronavirus is being passed by people meeting inside each other's houses. That is what lies behind the transmission in Caerphilly. That is what lies behind the transmission in many parts of England. And in order to try to bring the position back under control, what we are proposing in Wales is that no more than six people should meet indoors at any one time; it limits the chain of transmission. It really is as simple as that. And when chains of transmission are driving up figures of people suffering from coronavirus in significant parts of Wales, and doing so quite alarmingly, then it is very important that the Government act to bring that back under control.
We have a more liberal regime here in Wales than elsewhere because four households are able to form a single extended household, and that itself provides an umbrella which helps to disrupt chains of transmission, but no more than six of those people should meet at any one time. We will allow primary school aged children to be part of that household beyond the six because of the evidence that those children don't suffer from coronavirus and don't transmit coronavirus in the way that adults do. It's a proportionate attempt to try not to interfere in people's freedoms more than the minimum necessary, but to do the minimum necessary in order to address the escalating numbers of coronavirus that we see in too many parts of Wales.
As far as face coverings are concerned, in our local lockdown plan, again published in the middle of August, Llywydd, we said that if the circulation of the virus in Wales moved beyond a certain threshold, we would revisit our advice on face coverings. At the end of last week, the rate in Wales went to 20 per 100,000 of the population, and has remained above 20 ever since. Twenty is the figure we use to identify foreign countries where if you've been abroad and you have to return to the United Kingdom, you have to self-isolate. It seemed to me to be again a proportionate way of marking that unfortunate threshold that we should ask people in Wales to do that marginal thing, because when you get to circulation of the virus at that level, marginal bits of help that assist us all in keeping it under control and driving it down become worthwhile.
Llywydd, nid wyf i'n credu ei bod hi'n anodd iawn dilyn y rheol chwech. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wybod yw bod coronafeirws yn cael ei drosglwyddo gan bobl sy'n cyfarfod y tu mewn i dai ei gilydd. Dyna sydd y tu ôl i'r trosglwyddiad yng Nghaerffili. Dyna sydd y tu ôl i'r trosglwyddiad mewn sawl rhan o Loegr. Ac er mwyn ceisio dod â'r sefyllfa yn ôl dan reolaeth, yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei gynnig yng Nghymru yw na ddylai mwy na chwech o bobl gyfarfod dan do ar unrhyw un adeg; mae'n cyfyngu ar y gadwyn drosglwyddo. Mae mor syml â hynny. A phan fo cadwyni trosglwyddo yn cynyddu ffigurau pobl sy'n dioddef o coronafeirws mewn rhannau helaeth o Gymru, ac yn gwneud hynny mewn ffordd eithaf brawychus, yna mae'n bwysig iawn bod y Llywodraeth yn gweithredu i ddod â hynny yn ôl dan reolaeth.
Mae gennym ni drefn fwy rhyddfrydol yma yng Nghymru nag mewn mannau eraill gan y gall pedair aelwyd ffurfio un aelwyd estynedig, ac mae hynny ynddo'i hun yn cynnig ymbarél sy'n helpu i darfu ar gadwyni trosglwyddo, ond ni ddylai mwy na chwech o'r bobl hynny gyfarfod ar unrhyw un adeg. Byddwn yn caniatáu i blant oedran ysgol gynradd fod yn rhan o'r aelwyd honno y tu hwnt i'r chwech oherwydd y dystiolaeth nad yw'r plant hynny yn dioddef o coronafeirws ac nad ydyn nhw'n trosglwyddo coronafeirws yn y ffordd y mae oedolion yn ei wneud. Mae'n ymgais gymesur i geisio peidio ag ymyrryd â rhyddid pobl yn fwy na'r hyn sy'n angenrheidiol, ond gwneud y lleiaf sy'n angenrheidiol i fynd i'r afael â'r cynnydd i'r coronafeirws yr ydym ni'n ei weld mewn gormod o rannau o Gymru.
O ran gorchuddion wyneb, yn ein cynllun cyfyngiadau symud lleol, a gyhoeddwyd hefyd yng nghanol mis Awst, Llywydd, dywedasom, pe byddai cylchrediad y feirws yng Nghymru yn symud y tu hwnt i drothwy penodol, y byddem ni'n ailystyried ein cyngor ar orchuddion wyneb. Ddiwedd yr wythnos diwethaf, aeth y gyfradd yng Nghymru i 20 o bob 100,000 o'r boblogaeth, ac mae wedi aros yn uwch nag 20 byth ers hynny. Ugain yw'r ffigur yr ydym ni'n ei ddefnyddio i nodi gwledydd tramor lle os ydych chi wedi bod dramor a bod yn rhaid i chi ddychwelyd i'r Deyrnas Unedig, mae'n rhaid i chi hunanynysu. Roedd hon yn ymddangos i mi unwaith eto yn ffordd gymesur o nodi'r trothwy anffodus hwnnw y dylem ni ofyn i bobl yng Nghymru wneud y peth ymylol hwnnw, oherwydd pan fyddwch chi'n cyrraedd cylchrediad y feirws ar y lefel honno, mae darnau ymylol o gymorth sy'n ein cynorthwyo ni i gyd i'w gadw dan reolaeth a'i yrru at i lawr yn dod yn werth chweil.
In Sweden, there was no lockdown, as we've discussed before, First Minister, and there has to date been no significant resurgence in the virus; indeed, we've just lifted travel restrictions on Sweden. Yet in Spain, where there was a very severe lockdown, we're seeing a large resurgence of the virus. What then is the reasoning behind the Welsh Government's strategy of keeping people locked down throughout summer when people's immune systems are at that strongest, and when NHS capacity is at its greatest, only to delay increasing infections until we are going into winter? You've locked down my constituents in the Caerphilly council area, and even talked about the possibility of curfews and restrictions on alcohol sales as potential measures you may consider. Having taken people's summer away only for cases to rise again, do you accept that lockdown fatigue has taken hold and that you cannot keep people locked down forever? How much longer do you expect to drag out this pandemic in Wales through your restrictions?
Yn Sweden, nid oedd unrhyw gyfyngiadau symud, fel yr ydym ni wedi ei drafod o'r blaen, Prif Weinidog, ac ni fu unrhyw atgyfodiad sylweddol yn y feirws hyd yma; yn wir, rydym ni newydd godi cyfyngiadau teithio ar Sweden. Ac eto, yn Sbaen, lle cafwyd cyfyngiadau symud difrifol iawn, rydym ni'n gweld atgyfodiad mawr o'r feirws. Beth felly yw'r rhesymeg sy'n sail i strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru o gadw pobl dan glo drwy'r haf pan fo systemau imiwnedd pobl ar eu cryfaf, a phan fo capasiti'r GIG ar ei fwyaf, dim ond i ohirio cynyddu heintiau tan i ni gyrraedd y gaeaf? Rydych chi wedi cyflwyno cyfyngiadau symud ar fy etholwyr i yn ardal cyngor Caerffili, a hyd yn oed wedi sôn am y posibilrwydd o gyrffyw a chyfyngiadau ar werthu alcohol fel mesurau posibl y gallech chi eu hystyried. Ar ôl cymryd haf pobl oddi arnynt dim ond i achosion gynyddu unwaith eto, a ydych chi'n derbyn bod blinder â chyfyngiadau symud wedi dod i'r amlwg ac na allwch chi gadw pobl dan glo am byth?Am faint yn hwy ydych chi'n disgwyl cadw'r pandemig hwn i fynd yng Nghymru drwy eich cyfyngiadau?
Well, Llywydd, the Member often appears to occupy a world that many of the rest of us don't occupy, but now he appears to have a different season in his clock as well. Wales was not locked down during the summer. Our tourism industry has resumed, our 'stay local' restrictions have been lifted, people have been able to meet in the outdoors, people have been able to meet indoors. It's absolutely nonsensical to say that the summer was lost here in Wales. What has really happened in Wales is that some people, a minority of people in Wales, have taken the summer as a sign that coronavirus was over, and the fact that they have been able to do so much more than they were previously has been read by them as a licence to do even more than was permitted, and we are seeing the results. We are seeing the results in the lives of people who are now suffering from this disease, and I'm afraid that we will see over the weeks to come the impact of that in people being admitted to hospital and calling on our intensive care unit beds again. So, very far from the Welsh Government denying people freedoms that they should have experienced, we have done our very best to restore freedoms whenever it has been safe to do so, and I am saddened by the fact that, at the moment, we are faced with a position where the Welsh experience of coronavirus, instead of improving, is worsening. We may all have to make those efforts again that we made earlier this year unless we are able to persuade all of those people—in the Member's constituency and otherwise—to act in a way that protects themselves, protects others and helps us all to keep Wales safe.
Wel, Llywydd, mae'n ymddangos bod yr Aelod yn aml yn byw mewn byd nad oes llawer o'r gweddill ohonom ni yn byw ynddo, ond mae'n ymddangos erbyn hyn bod ganddo wahanol dymhorau yn ei gloc hefyd. Nid oedd Cymru yn destun cyfyngiadau symud yn ystod yr haf. Mae ein diwydiant twristiaeth wedi ailddechrau, mae ein cyfyngiadau 'aros yn lleol' wedi eu codi, mae pobl wedi cael cyfarfod yn yr awyr agored, mae pobl wedi cael cyfarfod dan do. Mae'n gwbl hurt i ddweud y collwyd yr haf hwn yng Nghymru. Yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd yng Nghymru mewn gwirionedd yw bod rhai pobl, lleiafrif o bobl yng Nghymru, wedi cymryd yr haf fel arwydd bod coronafeirws ar ben, ac maen nhw wedi cymryd y ffaith eu bod nhw wedi gallu gwneud cymaint mwy nag yr oedden nhw yn flaenorol fel rhyddid i wneud hyd yn oed mwy na'r hyn a ganiatawyd, ac rydym ni'n gweld y canlyniadau. Rydym ni'n gweld y canlyniadau ym mywydau pobl sy'n dioddef o'r clefyd hwn erbyn hyn, ac mae arnaf i ofn y byddwn ni'n gweld, dros yr wythnosau i ddod, effaith hynny wrth i bobl gael eu derbyn i'r ysbyty ac yn galw ar welyau ein hunedau gofal dwys unwaith eto. Felly, ymhell iawn o Lywodraeth Cymru yn atal rhyddid y dylai pobl fod wedi ei fwynhau, rydym ni wedi gwneud ein gorau glas i adfer rhyddid pryd bynnag y bu'n ddiogel i wneud hynny, ac mae'r ffaith ein bod ni, ar hyn o bryd, yn wynebu sefyllfa lle mae profiad Cymru o coronafeirws, yn hytrach na gwella, yn gwaethygu yn fy nigalonni. Efallai y bydd yn rhaid i bob un ohonom ni unwaith eto wneud yr ymdrechion hynny a wnaed gennym ni yn gynharach eleni oni bai y gallwn ni berswadio'r holl bobl hynny—yn etholaeth yr Aelod ac fel arall—i ymddwyn mewn ffordd sy'n diogelu eu hunain, yn diogelu pobl eraill ac yn ein helpu ni i gyd i gadw Cymru yn ddiogel.
3. Pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i roi i bobl awtistig yn ystod y pandemig coronafeirws? OQ55500
3. What support has the Welsh Government provided to autistic people during the coronavirus pandemic? OQ55500
Llywydd, the coronavirus crisis has been especially challenging for autistic people. Working with others, the Welsh Government has focused on practical help and specific guidance for those affected. Last month, for example, and jointly with the National Autistic Society, we published advice on face coverings for autistic people on public transport.
Llywydd, mae argyfwng y coronafeirws wedi bod yn arbennig o anodd i bobl awtistig. Gan weithio gydag eraill, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi canolbwyntio ar gymorth ymarferol a chanllawiau penodol i'r rhai sy'n cael eu heffeithio. Y mis diwethaf, er enghraifft, ac ar y cyd â Chymdeithas Genedlaethol Awtistiaeth, cyhoeddwyd cyngor gennym ar orchuddion wyneb ar gyfer pobl awtistig ar gludiant cyhoeddus.
The 'Left stranded' report published last week by the National Autistic Society and its partners shows that as well as significantly exacerbating long-established challenges autistic people face getting suitable social care and educational support, the coronavirus pandemic has had a severely detrimental impact on the mental health of autistic people and their families. How, therefore, will you respond to the report's call for the Welsh Government to: create an action plan to protect autistic people and their families in case of a second wave; prioritise the development of the code of practice on the delivery of autism services; strengthen the legal rights of autistic people and their families in Wales accordingly; publish the additional learning needs code ahead of moving to the new support system next year; and implement the commitment that all teachers receive mandatory autism training as part of their initial teacher education, alongside rolling out a public awareness campaign on autism, as is happening elsewhere in the UK?
Mae'r adroddiad 'Left stranded', a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf gan y Gymdeithas Awtistiaeth Genedlaethol a'i phartneriaid, yn dangos bod pandemig y coronfeirws, yn ogystal â gwaethygu yn sylweddol heriau hirsefydlog sy'n wynebu pobl awtistig o ran cael gofal cymdeithasol a chymorth addysgol addas, wedi cael effaith niweidiol iawn ar iechyd meddwl pobl awtistig a'u teuluoedd. Sut, felly, y gwnewch chi ymateb i alwad yr adroddiad ar Lywodraeth Cymru i: greu cynllun gweithredu i amddiffyn pobl awtistig a'u teuluoedd os bydd ail don; blaenoriaethu datblygiad y cod ymarfer ar ddarparu gwasanaethau awtistiaeth; cryfhau hawliau cyfreithiol pobl awtistig a'u teuluoedd yng Nghymru yn unol â hynny; cyhoeddi'r cod anghenion dysgu ychwanegol cyn symud i'r system gymorth newydd y flwyddyn nesaf; a gweithredu'r ymrwymiad bod pob athro ac athrawes yn cael hyfforddiant awtistiaeth gorfodol yn rhan o'u haddysg gychwynnol i athrawon, ochr yn ochr â chyflwyno ymgyrch ymwybyddiaeth gyhoeddus ar awtistiaeth, fel sy'n digwydd mewn mannau eraill yn y DU?
Llywydd, can I thank Mark Isherwood for drawing attention to the 'Left stranded' report, an important report? I know that the Member wrote yesterday to both the health and education Ministers drawing their attention to it.
As Mark Isherwood has said, there are three specific recommendations in the report for the Welsh Government. The first is to develop a code of practice on the delivery of autism services, and the Minister for Health and Social Services will issue a written statement shortly, before the end of this month, setting out the timetables for consultation and publication of the code.
The second recommendation was for the publication of the additional learning needs code and the implementation of it in 2021, and on 3 September the Minister for Education announced that the code and the regulations will be laid before the Senedd in February of next year, and that that will, indeed, allow the commencement of the Act and the phased roll out of it from September 2021.
The third recommendation concerns the national awareness campaign to which the Member drew attention, and our national autistic team and others—including those working in the field of initial teacher training—are working together to raise public awareness of autism in the community as a key theme of our implementation plans.
Llywydd, a gaf i ddiolch i Mark Isherwood am dynnu sylw at yr adroddiad 'Left stranded', sy'n adroddiad pwysig? Gwn fod yr Aelod wedi ysgrifennu ddoe at y Gweinidogion iechyd ac addysg yn tynnu eu sylw ato.
Fel y mae Mark Isherwood wedi ei ddweud, ceir tri argymhelliad penodol yn yr adroddiad i Lywodraeth Cymru. Y cyntaf yw datblygu cod ymarfer ar ddarparu gwasanaethau awtistiaeth, a bydd y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn cyhoeddi datganiad ysgrifenedig yn fuan, cyn diwedd y mis hwn, yn nodi'r amserlenni ar gyfer ymgynghori a chyhoeddi'r cod.
Yr ail argymhelliad oedd cyhoeddi'r cod anghenion dysgu ychwanegol a'i roi ar waith yn 2021, ac ar 3 Medi cyhoeddodd y Gweinidog Addysg y bydd y cod a'r rheoliadau yn cael eu gosod gerbron y Senedd ym mis Chwefror y flwyddyn nesaf, ac y bydd hynny, yn wir, yn caniatáu cychwyn y Ddeddf a'i chyflwyno yn raddol o fis Medi 2021.
Mae'r trydydd argymhelliad yn ymwneud â'r ymgyrch ymwybyddiaeth genedlaethol y tynnodd yr Aelod sylw ati, ac mae ein tîm awtistiaeth cenedlaethol ac eraill—gan gynnwys y rhai sy'n gweithio ym maes hyfforddiant cychwynnol i athrawon—yn cydweithio i godi ymwybyddiaeth y cyhoedd o awtistiaeth yn y gymuned fel thema allweddol yn ein cynlluniau gweithredu.
First Minister, you mentioned in your response to Mark Isherwood the code of practice around face coverings for autistic people, and you'll be very aware, I know, that as well as autistic people finding it sometimes difficult to wear a face mask, they can also find it difficult to communicate with somebody who is wearing a face mask, and the same would be true, for example, of deaf people who may need to lip read. Can you confirm this afternoon, First Minister—and I'm asking you this question in the context of a constituent who had an issue with this—that if a member of the public, an autistic person or a person with deafness issues, requests a member of staff in a shop to remove their face covering so that that deaf person or autistic person can more effectively communicate with them, that it is acceptable for the member of staff to do that, providing it is possible to maintain the 2m social distancing? My constituent's experience suggests that there may be some confusion on the part of shop staff in this regard.
Prif Weinidog, soniasoch yn eich ymateb i Mark Isherwood am y cod ymarfer yn ymwneud â gorchuddion wyneb ar gyfer pobl awtistig, a byddwch yn ymwybodol iawn, mi wn, y gall pobl awtistig hefyd ei chael hi'n anodd cyfathrebu â rhywun sy'n gwisgo masg wyneb, yn ogystal â'i chael hi'n anodd weithiau gwisgo masg wyneb, a byddai'r un peth yn wir, er enghraifft, am bobl fyddar y gallai fod angen iddyn nhw ddarllen gwefusau. A allwch chi gadarnhau y prynhawn yma, Prif Weinidog—ac rwy'n gofyn y cwestiwn hwn i chi yng nghyd-destun etholwr a gafodd broblem gyda hyn—pe byddai aelod o'r cyhoedd, person awtistig neu berson â phroblemau byddardod, yn gofyn i aelod o staff mewn siop dynnu ei orchudd wyneb fel y gall y person byddar neu'r person awtistig hwnnw gyfathrebu yn fwy effeithiol ag ef, ei bod hi'n dderbyniol i'r aelod o staff wneud hynny, cyn belled â'i bod yn bosibl cynnal y pellter ymbellhau cymdeithasol o 2 fetr? Mae profiad fy etholwr yn awgrymu y gallai fod rhywfaint o ddryswch ar ran staff siopau yn hyn o beth.
Llywydd, I thank Helen Mary Jones for that. I confirm that in the circumstances she has described it would be acceptable, but we do know that there is quite a lot of learning that the system has to absorb. It was one of the hesitations that the chief medical officer has always expressed about compulsory use of face coverings, that there have to be exceptions and we have to be sensitive to those people who for different reasons do not find the wearing of a face covering themselves possible or who find it difficult when others wear them. We will use all the exceptions that we put into place when face coverings were made compulsory on public transport in the new areas that we have made them compulsory as from Monday of this week, and there will, I'm afraid, be a short period in which sensitivity to some of these issues will have to be developed amongst people who haven't had to operate in this way up until now.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Helen Mary Jones am hynna. Cadarnhaf y byddai'n dderbyniol o dan yr amgylchiadau y mae wedi eu disgrifio, ond rydym ni'n gwybod bod cryn dipyn o ddysgu y mae'n rhaid i'r system ei gymryd i mewn. Roedd yn un o'r pryderon y mae'r prif swyddog meddygol wedi eu mynegi erioed am ddefnydd gorfodol o orchuddion wyneb, bod yn rhaid cael eithriadau a bod yn rhaid i ni fod yn sensitif i'r bobl hynny nad ydyn nhw, am wahanol resymau, yn ei chael hi'n bosibl gwisgo gorchudd wyneb eu hunain neu sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd pan fydd pobl eraill yn eu gwisgo. Byddwn yn defnyddio'r holl eithriadau a roddwyd ar waith gennym ni pan wnaed gorchuddion wyneb yn orfodol ar gludiant cyhoeddus yn yr ardaloedd newydd yr ydym ni wedi eu gwneud nhw'n orfodol ynddynt o ddydd Llun yr wythnos hon, a bydd cyfnod byr, mae arnaf i ofn, pan fydd yn rhaid i sensitifrwydd i rai o'r materion hyn gael ei ddatblygu ymhlith pobl na fu'n rhaid iddyn nhw weithredu yn y modd hwn tan nawr.
4. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am y strategaeth profi, olrhain a diogelu ar gyfer coronafeirws? OQ55520
4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the test, trace and protect strategy for coronavirus? OQ55520
I thank Carwyn Jones for that question, Llywydd. The performance of our test, trace, protect service is a credit to our health boards and local authorities and has secured strong support from people across Wales. Since 21 June, 98 per cent of positive cases and 94 per cent of their close contacts have been successfully contacted and advised.
Diolchaf i Carwyn Jones am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Mae perfformiad ein gwasanaeth profi, olrhain, diogelu yn glod i'n byrddau iechyd ac i'n hawdurdodau lleol ac mae wedi cael cefnogaeth gref gan bobl o bob cwr o Gymru. Ers 21 Mehefin, cysylltwyd yn llwyddiannus â 98 y cant o achosion positif a 94 y cant o'u cysylltiadau agos, a rhoddwyd cyngor iddyn nhw.
I thank the First Minister for his answer. There have been some instances of people waiting for results, of course, where they've sought tests. Now, will the First Minister give an assurance that the Welsh Government is doing all that it can to make sure that, as it's done with test, trace and protect, it's working hard to ensure that results are made available in good time to those who need the results?
Diolchaf i'r Prif Weinidog am ei ateb. Cafwyd rhai enghreifftiau o bobl yn aros am ganlyniadau, wrth gwrs, pan eu bod nhw wedi gofyn am brofion. Nawr, a wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi sicrwydd bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud popeth yn ei gallu i wneud yn siŵr, fel y mae wedi ei wneud gyda phrofi, olrhain a diogelu, ei bod yn gweithio'n galed i sicrhau bod canlyniadau ar gael mewn da bryd i'r rhai sydd angen y canlyniadau?
Again, I thank the Member for that supplementary question and agree with him, of course, about the importance of timely responses to tests that have been conducted. As I said in an answer to an earlier question, Llywydd, the difficulties that are being experienced in Wales at the moment are the result of the well-identified difficulties in the lighthouse lab system, a system that was working very successfully only three weeks ago and which we very much want to see being successful again as rapidly as that is possible. The UK Minister responsible says to us that within three weeks that system will be properly back on track and providing timely results to people in Wales and beyond.
In the meantime, our own laboratories continue, I think, to provide timely results: 91 per cent, for example, of hospital tests done at Public Health Wales labs are returned within 24 hours. And what we are trying to do with our own capacity is to use the most rapid results where those results are needed in that fashion. So, I think I may have said already, Llywydd—apologies if I did—that around 99 per cent of tests carried out in the community in Caerphilly are being returned within 24 hours. We need the lighthouse labs to be back operating as they were a short number of weeks ago in order to provide the same service to those parts of the system in Wales who depend upon those laboratories as well as our own.
Unwaith eto, diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn atodol yna ac rwy'n cytuno ag ef, wrth gwrs, am bwysigrwydd ymatebion prydlon i brofion a gynhaliwyd. Fel y dywedais mewn ateb i gwestiwn cynharach, Llywydd, mae'r anawsterau sy'n cael eu dioddef yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd yn ganlyniad i'r anawsterau a nodwyd yn glir yn y system labordy goleudy, system a oedd yn gweithio yn llwyddiannus iawn dair wythnos yn unig yn ôl ac rydym ni'n awyddus iawn i'w gweld yn llwyddiannus unwaith eto cyn gynted ag y bydd hynny'n bosibl. Mae Gweinidog y DU sy'n gyfrifol yn dweud wrthym ni y bydd y system honno yn ôl ar y trywydd iawn o fewn tair wythnos ac yn darparu canlyniadau prydlon i bobl yng Nghymru a thu hwnt.
Yn y cyfamser, mae ein labordai ein hunain yn parhau, rwy'n credu, i ddarparu canlyniadau prydlon: dychwelir 91 y cant, er enghraifft, o brofion ysbyty a gynhelir yn labordai Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru o fewn 24 awr. A'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ceisio ei wneud gyda'n capasiti ein hunain yw defnyddio'r canlyniadau cyflymaf pan fo angen y canlyniadau hynny yn y modd hwnnw. Felly, rwy'n credu fy mod i wedi dweud eisoes, Llywydd—ymddiheuriadau os gwnes i—bod tua 99 y cant o'r profion a gynhelir yn y gymuned yng Nghaerffili yn cael eu dychwelyd o fewn 24 awr. Rydym ni angen i'r labordai goleudy fod yn ôl yn gweithredu fel yr oedden nhw dim ond ychydig wythnosau yn ôl er mwyn darparu'r un gwasanaeth i'r rhannau hynny o'r system yng Nghymru sy'n dibynnu ar y labordai hynny yn ogystal â'n rhai ein hunain.
First Minister, obviously any test and trace system requires confidence in the sharing of information. You've been asked twice this afternoon about the data breach that occurred in Public Health Wales—a substantial data breach. On the one question that was put to you, you were asked, 'When did the Government get alerted to the fact that this data had gone in to the public domain?' You failed to answer that question, so could you respond to my question, please, by providing an answer: when was the Welsh Government—not yourself, the Welsh Government—informed of this data breach and who in the Welsh Government was the first point of contact in the ministerial ranks to be alerted to the fact that 18,000 names had been put in the public domain?
Prif Weinidog, mae'n amlwg bod unrhyw system brofi ac olrhain angen ffydd wrth rannu gwybodaeth. Gofynnwyd i chi ddwywaith y prynhawn yma am y mynediad diawdurdod at ddata a ddigwyddodd yn Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru—mynediad diawdurdod sylweddol at ddata. O ran yr un cwestiwn a ofynnwyd i chi, gofynnwyd i chi, 'Pryd cafodd y Llywodraeth ei hysbysu am y ffaith bod y data hyn wedi cael eu cyhoeddi?' Fe wnaethoch chi fethu ag ateb y cwestiwn hwnnw, felly a allech chi ymateb i fy nghwestiwn i, os gwelwch yn dda, trwy roi ateb: pryd hysbyswyd Llywodraeth Cymru—nid chi, Llywodraeth Cymru—am y mynediad diawdurdod hwn at ddata a phwy yn Llywodraeth Cymru oedd y pwynt cyswllt cyntaf yn rhengoedd y Gweinidogion i gael gwybod am y ffaith bod 18,000 o enwau wedi eu cyhoeddi?
Well, Llywydd, I gave an answer that was within my knowledge. I know when I was informed. I don't know the answer to those other questions, nor would I expect to know them just standing up here in the Chamber. We will discover those answers, of course, and I'm very happy to communicate them to the Member.
Wel, Llywydd, rhoddais ateb a oedd o fewn fy ngwybodaeth. Rwy'n gwybod pryd y cefais i fy hysbysu. Nid wyf i'n gwybod yr ateb i'r cwestiynau eraill hynny, ac ni fyddwn ychwaith yn disgwyl eu gwybod yn sefyll yma yn y Siambr. Byddwn yn darganfod yr atebion hynny, wrth gwrs, ac rwy'n hapus iawn i'w mynegi i'r Aelod.
Mae'n amlwg i mi fod yna rywbeth catastroffig wedi mynd o'i le efo'r system brofi yn y pythefnos diwethaf; nid dim ond arafwch canlyniadau yn dod yn ôl ydy hyn. Mae etholwyr i fi ac mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru yn methu cael prawf cartref o gwbl, yn cael trafferth ffonio 119, yn methu cael slot yn eu canolfan drive-through leol—sy'n llawer rhy bell beth bynnag i lawer o bobl. Dwi'n cytuno'n llwyr efo gwyddonwyr independent SAGE sydd wedi dweud ers misoedd fod yna beryg go iawn yn Llywodraeth Cymru yn penderfynu rhoi ei ffydd mewn system oedd yn cael ei rhedeg gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, ac mai beth oedd ei angen oedd datblygu cyfundrefn Gymreig ar gyfer profi. Ydych chi'n gweld rŵan mai camgymeriad oedd rhoi ffydd yn y system Brydeinig, a beth sydd angen ar frys rŵan ydy cynyddu'r capasiti yma yng Nghymru, capasiti y mae gennych chi fel Llywodraeth reolaeth drosto fo?
It's clear to me that something catastrophic has gone wrong with the testing system in the past fortnight, not just sluggishness in getting results back. Constituents of mine and people in other parts of Wales simply can't access the home test at all. They're having difficulties phoning 911. They can't get a slot in the local drive-through centre, which is far too far away for many people in any case. I agree entirely with independent SAGE scientist who have said for months that there's a real risk in the Welsh Government deciding to put its faith in a system that was run by the UK Government, and that what was needed was to develop a specifically Welsh testing system. Do you see now that putting your faith in the UK system was a mistake, and what we need now as a matter of urgency is to increase capacity here in Wales, capacity that you as a Government have control over?
Dwi'n cytuno gyda'r Aelod. Mae'r problemau yn y lighthouse labs yn ddifrifol, ac mae'n bwysig i Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig i ddelio gyda'r problemau yna mor gyflym â phosib. Dwi ddim yn cytuno o gwbl ag ef pan ddywedodd, fel rhan o’r annibyniaeth mae Plaid Cymru bob tro yn trial ei awgrymu, mai'r ffordd orau oedd bod yn hollol annibynnol yn y maes yma a pheidio â defnyddio'r capasiti oedd yna i'w ddefnyddio ledled y Deyrnas Unedig. Dydy Llywodraeth yr Alban ddim wedi gwneud hynny o gwbl, a doedd hi ddim yn gwneud synnwyr i ni ei wneud chwaith. Ac â dweud y gwir, yma ar lawr y Senedd, dwi'n cofio pobl yn dweud wrthyf i, 'Pam ydych chi ddim yn defnyddio'r capasiti sydd i'w gael mewn systemau eraill?' So, rŷn ni wedi defnyddio'r capasiti yna, a than dair wythnos yn ôl, roedd y system yna'n gweithio yn dda. Y sialens nawr yw gwneud y gwaith ar lefel y Deyrnas Unedig i roi'r lighthouse labs yn ôl yn y lle roedden nhw ym mis Awst, a dyna beth rydyn ni eisiau ei gefnogi.
I agree with the Member that the problems in the lighthouse labs are serious and it's important that the UK Government addresses those problems as quickly as possible. I do not agree at all with him when he said, as part of the independence that Plaid Cymru are forever suggesting, that the best way would be to be totally independent in this field and not to use the capacity that already existed throughout the whole of the United Kingdom. The Scottish Executive hasn't done that at all, and it didn't make any sense for us to do it either. And to be honest, here on the floor of the Senedd, people were saying to me, 'Why aren't you using the capacity that's already available in other systems?' And so we have used that capacity, and until three weeks ago, that system worked well. The challenge now is to do the work on a UK level to put the lighthouse labs back to where they were in August, and that's what we want to support.
5. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am y cyfyngiadau symud lleol a gyflwynwyd yng Nghaerffili? OQ55522
5. Will the First Minister make a statement on the local lockdown introduced in Caerphilly? OQ55522
Llywydd, the start of last week saw a significant increase of coronavirus cases in the Caerphilly Borough County Council area, in absolute terms and as a proportion of people tested. On 8 September, following a request by public authorities, Ministers introduced measures to control the virus and to protect public health.
Llywydd, cafwyd cynnydd sylweddol i nifer yr achosion o coronafeirws yn ardal Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili ddechrau'r wythnos diwethaf, mewn termau absoliwt ac fel cyfran o'r bobl a brofwyd. Ar 8 Medi, yn dilyn cais gan awdurdodau cyhoeddus, cyflwynodd Gweinidogion fesurau i reoli'r feirws ac i ddiogelu iechyd y cyhoedd.
I thank the First Minister for his answer. When the lockdown was announced last week, it threw many residents in Caerphilly into confusion, and I was inundated with messages from people who are anxious to find out what effect it would have on their circumstances. It took nearly 24 hours before guidance was published clarifying where the parents who shared custody of their children and live on either side of the county border could see their children, whether bereaved family members could attend funerals and whether people who were shielding earlier in the year would be asked to do so again. That was 24 hours of unnecessary distress and angst that could have been avoided if the guidelines had been published at the same time as the announcement. Now that areas like Newport and Merthyr and also possibly facing lockdowns, would you, First Minister, please provide a guarantee that detailed guidelines will in future be published as soon as any lockdowns are announced, and that any changes to guidelines are communicated in advance of implementation, so that people are given time to prepare?
Diolchaf i'r Prif Weinidog am ei ateb. Pan gyhoeddwyd y cyfyngiadau symud yr wythnos diwethaf, fe greodd ddryswch ymhlith llawer o drigolion Caerffili, a chefais fy moddi mewn negeseuon gan bobl sy'n awyddus i gael gwybod pa effaith y byddai'n ei chael ar eu hamgylchiadau. Cymerodd bron i 24 awr cyn i ganllawiau gael eu cyhoeddi yn egluro ble y gallai'r rhai a oedd yn rhannu gwarchodaeth dros eu plant ac sy'n byw ar y naill ochr a'r llall i'r ffin sirol weld eu plant, pa un a fyddai aelodau teulu mewn profedigaeth yn cael mynd i angladdau, a pha un a fyddai gofyn i bobl a oedd yn gwarchod yn gynharach yn y flwyddyn wneud hynny unwaith eto. Roedd hynny yn 24 awr o bryder ac ing diangen y gellid bod wedi eu hosgoi pe byddai'r canllawiau wedi cael eu cyhoeddi ar yr un pryd â'r cyhoeddiad. Nawr bod ardaloedd fel Casnewydd a Merthyr hefyd yn wynebu cyfyngiadau symud erbyn hyn, a fyddech chi cystal, Prif Weinidog, â rhoi sicrwydd y bydd canllawiau manwl yn cael eu cyhoeddi cyn gynted ag y cyhoeddir unrhyw gyfyngiadau symud yn y dyfodol, a bod unrhyw newidiadau i ganllawiau yn cael eu mynegi cyn eu gweithredu, fel bod pobl yn cael amser i baratoi?
Llywydd, I think the question completely fails to understand the context in which such decisions are made. They are not made at a leisurely pace. They're not made with an opportunity to put every dot and comma in its place before they are announced. You are dealing with a public health emergency. You are dealing with a situation in which a day's delay can put more people's lives at risk. And I say to the Member that her constituents and those who I know have contacted the Member for Caerphilly, Hefin David, are a good deal more understanding than she appears to be of the fact that the Welsh Government took action immediately we were asked to do so by those public authorities, and, within 24 hours, every bit of guidance that was necessary to help people to deal with the changed circumstances was available to them. Now, we wish to get that guidance to people as fast as we possibly can, but the sequence of events cannot be to provide guidance and then to announce when you're faced with an emergency, and you are faced with advice from people on the ground that action needs to be taken as fast as possible in order to protect people's lives—you take the actions first and then as fast as you can you provide the guidance to go alongside it. That is what we did in Caerphilly, and that is what of course we will aim to do should any similar situations arise in any other parts of Wales. And the people of Caerphilly, who have co-operated fantastically with the restrictions that have been put in place since, I think show a great deal more sense than the Member gives them credit for.
Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod y cwestiwn yn methu'n llwyr â deall y cyd-destun y mae penderfyniadau o'r fath yn cael eu gwneud ynddo. Dydyn nhw ddim yn cael eu gwneud mewn modd hamddenol. Dydyn nhw ddim yn cael eu gwneud gyda chyfle i roi pob dot ac atalnod yn ei le cyn iddyn nhw gael eu cyhoeddi. Rydych chi'n ymdrin ag argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus. Rydych chi'n ymdrin â sefyllfa lle gall diwrnod o oedi beryglu bywydau mwy o bobl. A dywedaf wrth yr Aelod bod ei hetholwyr a'r rhai y gwn eu bod wedi cysylltu â'r Aelod dros Gaerffili, Hefin David, yn dangos llawer mwy o ddealltwriaeth nag y mae'n ymddangos sydd ganddi hi o'r ffaith bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithredu ar unwaith pan ofynnwyd i ni wneud hynny gan yr awdurdodau cyhoeddus hynny, ac o fewn 24 awr roedd pob darn o gyfarwyddyd a oedd yn angenrheidiol i helpu pobl i ymdopi â'r amgylchiadau newydd ar gael iddyn nhw. Nawr, rydym ni eisiau cael y canllawiau hynny i bobl mor gyflym ag y gallwn ni, ond ni ellir cael trefn digwyddiadau pryd y darperir canllawiau ac yna cyhoeddi pan eich bod chi'n wynebu argyfwng, a chithau yn wynebu cyngor gan bobl ar lawr gwlad bod angen cymryd camau cyn gynted â phosibl i ddiogelu bywydau pobl—rydych chi'n cymryd y camau yn gyntaf ac yna cyn gynted ag y gallwch chi, rydych chi'n darparu'r canllawiau i fynd law yn llaw â nhw. Dyna'r hyn a wnaethom ni yng Nghaerffili, a dyna, wrth gwrs, y byddwn ni'n bwriadu ei wneud os bydd unrhyw sefyllfaoedd tebyg yn codi mewn unrhyw rannau eraill o Gymru. Ac mae pobl Caerffili, sydd wedi cydweithredu yn wych â'r cyfyngiadau a roddwyd ar waith ers hynny, yn dangos llawer iawn mwy o synnwyr nag y mae'r Aelod yn ei gredu sydd gandddyn nhw, yn fy marn i.
As a resident of the Caerphilly constituency, I've seen at first hand the sacrifices that people are making in complying with the restrictions in which we're living under, which were very clear in the outset, but have led to some questions from residents with specific scenarios. One I've been dealing with are people who've been required to cancel holidays, pre-booked holidays, and I have to say the travel industry has not responded well, particularly with regard to refunds, although there has been some scope for rebooking. And I have to say EasyJet and Ryanair have been particular standout examples of companies that seem to care little for the health and well-being and, indeed, legal obligations of their passengers, and that has been very disappointing.
The Welsh Government has done the right thing by writing to the travel industry and the insurance industry with very clear instructions for them, and what they need to do to respond to people to meet their legal obligations. The UK Government too now needs to step up and provide support for people who are affected by these circumstances—for those affected passengers. So, can I ask the First Minister has he had a response from the travel industry and the insurance industry; when does he expect to get that response if he hasn't had it so far; and would he also call on the UK Government to take immediate action for those passengers affected?
Fel un o drigolion etholaeth Caerffili, rwyf i wedi gweld yn bersonol yr aberth y mae pobl yn ei wneud i gydymffurfio â'r cyfyngiadau yr ydym ni'n byw oddi tanynt, a oedd yn eglur iawn o'r cychwyn, ond sydd wedi arwain at rai cwestiynau gan drigolion mewn sefyllfaoedd penodol. Un yr wyf i wedi bod yn ymdrin ag ef yw pobl y bu'n ofynnol iddyn nhw ganslo gwyliau, gwyliau a drefnwyd ymlaen llaw, ac mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud nad yw'r diwydiant teithio wedi ymateb yn dda, yn enwedig o ran ad-daliadau, er bu rhywfaint o le i aildrefnu. Ac mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud bod EasyJet a Ryanair wedi bod yn enghreifftiau arbennig o amlwg o gwmnïau y mae'n ymddangos nad ydyn nhw'n poeni fawr ddim am iechyd a llesiant ac, yn wir, rhwymedigaethau cyfreithiol eu teithwyr, ac mae hynny wedi bod yn siomedig iawn.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud y peth iawn drwy ysgrifennu at y diwydiant teithio a'r diwydiant yswiriant gyda chyfarwyddiadau eglur iawn ar eu cyfer, a'r hyn y mae angen iddyn nhw ei wneud i ymateb i bobl i gyflawni eu rhwymedigaethau cyfreithiol. Mae angen i Lywodraeth y DU hefyd gamu ymlaen nawr a rhoi cymorth i bobl y mae'r amgylchiadau hyn wedi effeithio arnyn nhw—i'r teithwyr hynny sydd wedi eu heffeithio. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i'r Prif Weinidog a yw wedi cael ymateb gan y diwydiant teithio a'r diwydiant yswiriant; pryd y mae e'n disgwyl cael yr ymateb hwnnw os nad yw wedi ei gael hyd yma; ac a wnaiff ef hefyd alw ar Lywodraeth y DU i gymryd camau ar unwaith ar ran y teithwyr hynny sydd wedi eu heffeithio?
Llywydd, can I begin by thanking the Member and his staff for the enormous efforts I know they have made over the last week to respond to literally thousands of enquiries from Caerphilly residents, and for the way that he has taken up issues of this sort on their behalf? He's right, of course, that Vaughan Gething and Lee Waters wrote ministerially to the association of British travel agents and of British insurers back on 10 September; they said in the letter that it's incumbent on the travel and insurance industries to take the necessary steps to mitigate the financial impact of restrictions on members of the travelling public whose travel plans have been disrupted. We are yet to receive a reply to that letter. My colleague Ken Skates will chair a quadrilateral meeting of Ministers later this week who have responsibilities in these areas, and he will certainly be raising these matters with the UK Government as well, because these impacts are not confined to Wales, Llywydd. There are people in many other parts of the United Kingdom who find restrictions imposed locally that have an impact on their ability to fulfil travel plans, but it is not their fault at all that they're in that position, and the industry needs to respond accordingly.
Llywydd, a gaf i ddechrau drwy ddiolch i'r Aelod a'i staff am yr ymdrechion enfawr y gwn eu bod nhw wedi eu gwneud dros yr wythnos ddiwethaf i ymateb i filoedd o ymholiadau, yn llythrennol, gan drigolion Caerffili ac am y ffordd y mae ef wedi codi materion o'r math hwn ar eu rhan? Mae e'n iawn, wrth gwrs, bod Vaughan Gething a Lee Waters wedi ysgrifennu yn weinidogol at gymdeithas asiantau teithio Prydain ac yswirwyr Prydain yn ôl ar 10 Medi; dywedasant yn y llythyr ei bod yn ddyletswydd ar y diwydiannau teithio ac yswiriant i gymryd y camau angenrheidiol i liniaru effaith ariannol cyfyngiadau ar aelodau o'r cyhoedd sy'n teithio y tarfwyd ar eu cynlluniau teithio. Nid ydym ni wedi cael ateb i'r llythyr hwnnw eto. Bydd fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates yn cadeirio cyfarfod pedairochrog yn ddiweddarach yr wythnos hon rhwng Gweinidogion sydd â chyfrifoldebau yn y meysydd hyn, a bydd yn sicr yn codi'r materion hyn gyda Llywodraeth y DU hefyd, gan nad yw'r effeithiau hyn wedi eu cyfyngu i Gymru, Llywydd. Mae pobl mewn sawl rhan arall o'r Deyrnas Unedig sy'n gweld cyfyngiadau yn cael eu gorfodi yn lleol sy'n effeithio ar eu gallu i gyflawni cynlluniau teithio, ond nid eu bai nhw o gwbl yw eu bod nhw yn y sefyllfa honno, ac mae angen i'r diwydiant ymateb yn unol â hynny.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ailfandio'r dreth gyngor yng Nghymru? OQ55528
6. Will the First Minister make a statement on council tax rebanding in Wales? OQ55528
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dai Lloyd. Mae sylfaen y dreth gyngor ar gyfer Cymru yn fwy cyfredol a chywir nag yw yn Lloegr ac yn yr Alban. Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyhoeddi dogfen yn hwyrach yn yr hydref yn trafod ffyrdd eraill o weithredu yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys diwygiadau ac ailfandio.
Thank you very much, Dai Lloyd. The council tax base for Wales is more up-to-date and accurate than is the case in England and Scotland. The Welsh Government will publish a document discussing a range of alternative approaches to council taxation in Wales later in the autumn, including rebanding.
Diolch yn fawr am hwnna.
Thank you very much for that.
First Minister, you'll be aware that if a property has been improved or extended since it was placed in a council tax band, the Valuation Office Agency review the banding to take account of the alterations when it's sold. However, it is clear that there are problems with the system, with delays experienced in informing residents of changes. Now, constituents of mine last month found out that their council tax banding had jumped two bands, and are now being asked to pay the additional council tax—around £1,000—backdated to when the property was bought, in November 2018. Now, do you agree that this is unfair and will you agree to look into changing the guidance around the backdating of council tax payments in these circumstances?
Prif Weinidog, byddwch yn ymwybodol, os yw eiddo wedi ei wella neu ei ymestyn ers ei roi mewn band treth gyngor, bod Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio yn adolygu'r bandiau i gymryd y newidiadau i ystyriaeth pan gaiff ei werthu. Fodd bynnag, mae'n amlwg bod problemau gyda'r system, gydag oedi o ran hysbysu preswylwyr am newidiadau. Nawr, canfu rhai o'm hetholwyr i fis diwethaf bod eu band treth gyngor wedi neidio dau fand, a gofynnir nawr iddyn nhw dalu'r dreth gyngor ychwanegol—tua £1,000—wedi'i hôl-ddyddio i'r adeg y prynwyd yr eiddo, ym mis Tachwedd 2018. Nawr, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod hyn yn annheg ac a wnewch chi gytuno i ystyried newid y canllawiau ar ôl-ddyddio taliadau treth gyngor o dan yr amgylchiadau hyn?
Well, Llywydd, can I thank Dr Lloyd for raising this concerning issue? I've seen, as it happens, the letter that he wrote on 7 September to Julie James, and I've asked Welsh Government officials to contact him direct, if he's happy for that to happen, just to find out a few more details of the cases that lie behind the letter, so we can pursue them properly. The information I have is that there is less discretion than in other areas of council tax liability in the law in relation to the sort of rebanding to which Dr Lloyd's letter refers. There is a free appeals process for anybody who feels that the system has not been fairly implemented, and that is to the valuation tribunal. But the points that the Member raises are concerning ones, and, with his permission, we'll pursue them in more detail with him directly, so that we can see whether there is anything we can do to assist.
Wel, Llywydd, a gaf i ddiolch i Dr Lloyd am godi'r mater hwn sy'n peri pryder? Rwyf i wedi gweld, fel y mae'n digwydd, y llythyr a ysgrifennodd ar 7 Medi at Julie James, ac rwyf i wedi gofyn i swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru gysylltu ag ef yn uniongyrchol, os yw e'n hapus i hynny ddigwydd, dim ond i gael gwybod ychydig mwy o fanylion am yr achosion sy'n sail i'r llythyr, fel y gallwn ni fynd ar eu trywydd yn briodol. Yr wybodaeth sydd gen i yw bod llai o ddisgresiwn nag mewn meysydd eraill o atebolrwydd yn y gyfraith yn ymwneud â'r dreth gyngor o ran y math o ailfandio y mae llythyr Dr Lloyd yn cyfeirio ato. Mae proses apelio rhad ac am ddim i unrhyw un sy'n teimlo nad yw'r system wedi cael ei gweithredu'n deg, ac mae honno i'r tribiwnlys prisio. Ond mae'r pwyntiau y mae'r Aelod yn eu codi yn rhai sy'n peri pryder, a chyda'i ganiatâd, byddwn yn mynd ar eu trywydd yn fwy manwl gydag ef yn uniongyrchol, er mwyn i ni allu gweld a oes unrhyw beth y gallwn ni ei wneud i gynorthwyo.
Finally, Janet Finch-Saunders. Who I can't see—
Yn olaf, Janet Finch-Saunders. Nad wyf i'n gallu ei gweld—
Caroline Jones sydd nesaf.
Caroline Jones is next.
Yes. I was calling a supplementary—you stick to your job; I'll stick to mine. [Laughter.] That was very kindly meant, and that's your questions for this afternoon complete, First Minister. Sorry to tell you off right at the end.
Ie. Roeddwn i'n galw cwestiwn atodol—cadwch chi at eich swydd chi; mi wnaf innau gadw at fy un i. [Chwerthin.] Bwriadwyd i hynny fod yn garedig iawn, a dyna'ch cwestiynau ar gyfer y prynhawn yma wedi eu cwblhau, Prif Weinidog. Mae'n ddrwg gen i ddweud y drefn wrthych chi ar y diwedd.
Cwestiynau nesaf i'r Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Prif Chwip, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf yna gan Darren Millar.
Questions next to the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, and the first question is from Darren Millar.
1. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog ddatganiad am ryddid i addoli yng Nghymru? OQ55484
1. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on freedom to worship in Wales? OQ55484
I recognise and support the freedom to hold and practise belief in Wales. I'm pleased to have worked with the Wales faith communities forum and the reopening places of worship task and finish group to support the phased and safe reopening of places of worship.
Rwy'n cydnabod ac yn cefnogi'r rhyddid i fod â chred ac i'w harfer yng Nghymru. Rwy'n falch o fod wedi gweithio gyda fforwm cymunedau ffydd Cymru a'r grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen ar ailagor mannau addoli i gefnogi ailagor mannau addoli yn raddol ac yn ddiogel.
Thank you for that answer, Deputy Minister. One of the issues that has been raised with me by members of various faith communities, but particularly the Christian community, is the impact of the restrictions on the ability to worship through song in our churches at the moment, for congregational singing. I don't know whether you are familiar with recent research, which was published by the University of Bristol, which seems to suggest that singing doesn't produce substantially more respiratory particles than speaking at a similar volume. Therefore, will you look again at the current coronavirus restrictions in relation to worship in churches, and the ability of congregations to sing as part of their worship, and consider that piece of research in order to assist your decision?
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Dirprwy Weinidog. Un o'r materion a godwyd gyda mi gan aelodau o wahanol gymunedau ffydd, ond yn enwedig y gymuned Gristnogol, yw effaith y cyfyngiadau ar y gallu i addoli drwy gân yn ein heglwysi ar hyn o bryd, ar gyfer canu cynulleidfaol. Wn i ddim a ydych chi'n gyfarwydd a gwaith ymchwil diweddar, a gyhoeddwyd gan Brifysgol Bryste, y mae'n ymddangos ei fod yn awgrymu nad yw canu yn cynhyrchu llawer iawn mwy o ronynnau anadlol na siarad ar uchder tebyg. Felly, a wnewch chi edrych eto ar y cyfyngiadau coronafeirws presennol yng nghyswllt addoli mewn eglwysi, a gallu cynulleidfaoedd i ganu yn rhan o'u haddoliad, ac ystyried y darn hwnnw o waith ymchwil i gynorthwyo eich penderfyniad?
Thank you very much, Darren Millar, for that supplementary question. I would say at the outset that the Welsh Government is very grateful to our Wales faith communities forum, and you're well aware of the full and diverse membership of that, and their advice and guidance they've given us—they have a task and finish group—advice and guidance they've given us on reopening places of worship. And they have reopened on a safe basis, in terms of their advice, guidance and the science. But I am very well aware that music and singing are an important part of services and ceremonies. It's greatly missed, and we're actively looking at this, based on scientific advice again, and the guidance from the task and finish and ceremonies group. I hope we'll able to make further announcements.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Darren Millar, am y cwestiwn atodol yna. Byddwn i'n dweud i gychwyn bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn ddiolchgar iawn i'n fforwm cymunedau ffydd yng Nghymru, ac rydych chi'n ymwybodol iawn o aelodaeth lawn ac amrywiol hwnnw, a'r cyngor a'r cyfarwyddyd y maen nhw wedi eu rhoi i ni—mae ganddyn nhw grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen—cyngor a chyfarwyddyd y maen nhw wedi eu rhoi i ni ar ailagor mannau addoli. Ac maen nhw wedi ailagor yn ddiogel, ar sail eu cyngor, eu cyfarwyddyd a'r wyddoniaeth. Ond rwy'n ymwybodol iawn bod cerddoriaeth a chanu yn rhan bwysig o wasanaethau a seremonïau. Mae hiraeth mawr ar ei ôl, ac rydym ni wrthi'n edrych ar hyn, yn seiliedig ar gyngor gwyddonol unwaith eto, a'r cyfarwyddyd gan y grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen a seremonïau. Rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn ni'n gallu gwneud cyhoeddiadau pellach.
2. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n eu cymryd i atal caethwasiaeth fodern a masnachu mewn pobl? OQ55510
2. What action is the Welsh Government taking to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking? OQ55510
Through working with partner organisations across the UK, our delivery of awareness raising, accredited training, and through improved intelligence gathering to support criminal investigations and support for victims, the Welsh Government is at the forefront of the fight against these appalling crimes.
Trwy weithio gyda sefydliadau partner ledled y DU, ein gwaith o godi ymwybyddiaeth, hyfforddiant achrededig, a thrwy gasglu gwybodaeth yn well i gefnogi ymchwiliadau troseddol a chymorth i ddioddefwyr, mae Llywodraeth Cymru ar flaen y gad yn y frwydr yn erbyn y troseddau gwarthus hyn.
Thank you, Deputy Minister. The anti-slavery charity, Unseen UK, has warned that, due to the economic downturn due to the current crisis, we are likely to see an increase in human trafficking—the two things normally going hand in hand. Will the Deputy Minister assure me that she will take action to try and prevent this, to raise awareness of and recognition of the signs of modern slavery?
Diolch, Dirprwy Weinidog. Mae'r elusen gwrth-gaethwasiaeth, Unseen UK, wedi rhybuddio ein bod ni'n debygol, oherwydd y dirywiad economaidd oherwydd yr argyfwng presennol, o weld cynnydd i fasnachu pobl—gan fod y ddau beth yn mynd law yn llaw fel rheol. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog fy sicrhau y bydd hi'n cymryd camau i geisio atal hyn, i godi ymwybyddiaeth o arwyddion caethwasiaeth fodern ac adnabyddiaeth ohonyn nhw?
I would thank again the Member for that additional question, because it is vital that we recognise that this can be an issue in terms of the adverse impact of COVID-19, which could lead to an increase in trafficking. What's very important—. As I've said, it's about co-ordinated action. The response to slavery in Wales was bolstered, as, of course, we know, by the appointment of the Welsh Government anti-slavery co-ordinator, who's working actively with key agencies to determine scale, types and location of slavery in Wales, but also improving that intelligence and recording of incidents in Wales, very much working with the UK Government using the national referral mechanism and looking at that in terms of the impact of COVID-19.
Hoffwn ddiolch eto i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn ychwanegol yna, oherwydd mae'n hanfodol ein bod ni'n cydnabod y gall hyn fod yn broblem o ran effaith niweidiol COVID-19, a allai arwain at gynnydd mewn masnachu pobl. Yr hyn sy'n bwysig iawn—. Fel yr wyf i wedi ei ddweud, mae'n golygu gweithredu cydgysylltiedig. Atgyfnerthwyd yr ymateb i gaethwasiaeth yng Nghymru, fel y gwyddom, wrth gwrs, gan benodiad cydgysylltydd gwrth-gaethwasiaeth Llywodraeth Cymru, sy'n gweithio yn ymarferol gydag asiantaethau allweddol i bennu graddfa, mathau a lleoliad caethwasiaeth yng Nghymru, ond sydd hefyd yn gwella'r wybodaeth honno a'r broses o gofnodi digwyddiadau yng Nghymru, gan weithio yn helaeth iawn gyda Llywodraeth y DU gan ddefnyddio'r dull atgyfeirio cenedlaethol ac edrych ar hynny yng nghyd-destun effaith COVID-19.
Further to the previous question, we're seeing data published in June showing that, for the first time, Minister, since 2016, the reports of suspected modern slavery in the UK were down by 14 per cent, and this is raising the worry that it's actually that victims are being pushed further out of sight and away from seeking help. So, can I ask our Welsh Government to make formal representations to UK Ministers, to first of all give the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority the resources to do their job, as they are at full stretch already, and also to urge UK Ministers to speed up the national referral mechanisms for victims to access care from housing and healthcare to legal aid, because this is a process that can currently take from six weeks to, indeed, several years? Thank you, Minister.
Yn dilyn y cwestiwn blaenorol, rydym ni'n gweld data a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Mehefin sy'n dangos, am y tro cyntaf ers 2016, Gweinidog, bod yr adroddiadau o gaethwasiaeth fodern dybiedig yn y DU wedi gostwng gan 14 y cant, ac mae hyn yn codi'r pryder mai'r ffaith mewn gwirionedd yw bod dioddefwyr yn cael eu gwthio ymhellach allan o'r golwg ac oddi wrth gofyn am gymorth. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i'n Llywodraeth Cymru gyflwyno sylwadau ffurfiol i Weinidogion y DU, i roi'r adnoddau i'r Awdurod Meistri Gangiau a Cham-drin Llafur wneud eu gwaith yn gyntaf oll, gan eu bod wedi'u hymestyn i'r eithaf eisoes, a hefyd i annog Gweinidogion y DU i gyflymu'r dulliau atgyfeirio cenedlaethol i ddioddefwyr allu cael gofal yn amrywio o dai a gofal iechyd i gymorth cyfreithiol, oherwydd mae hon yn broses a all gymryd ar hyn o bryd o chwe wythnos i sawl blwyddyn, yn wir? Diolch, Gweinidog.
Thank you to Huw Irranca-Davies. Following on that important point about the impact of the pandemic, and just to add to the points that I made earlier on, we are continuing to work with our partners in the National Crime Agency, police, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, but also including all those non-governmental organisations and charities, such as BAWSO, New Pathways and Barnardo's in Wales, raising awareness of slavery, dealing with any incidents that are reported, rescuing and supporting victims where possible. And I think the interesting issue is that reports across Wales have remained consistent. We're in regular contact with the Home Office modern slavery unit, and they are actually now reviewing the national referral mechanism process. And I think your point about access to legal aid is crucial. And we have to recognise, of course, that modern slavery is a reserved matter, and the Home Office will be, obviously, crucially important to take these messages back in terms of the impact of the pandemic, so that we can be aware of and tackle trafficking.
Diolch i Huw Irranca-Davies. Yn dilyn y pwynt pwysig yna am effaith y pandemig, a dim ond i ychwanegu at y pwyntiau a wnes i yn gynharach, rydym ni'n parhau i weithio gyda'n partneriaid yn yr Asiantaeth Troseddu Cenedlaethol, yr heddlu, yr Awdurdod Meistri Gangiau a Cham-drin Llafur, ond hefyd yn cynnwys yr holl sefydliadau ac elusennau anllywodraethol hynny, fel BAWSO, Llwybrau Newydd a Barnardo's yng Nghymru, gan godi ymwybyddiaeth o gaethwasiaeth, ymdrin ag unrhyw ddigwyddiadau sy'n cael eu hadrodd, gan achub a chynorthwyo dioddefwyr pan fo hynny'n bosibl. A chredaf mai'r elfen ddiddorol yw bod adroddiadau ledled Cymru wedi aros yn gyson. Rydym ni mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd ag uned caethwasiaeth fodern y Swyddfa Gartref, ac maen nhw bellach yn adolygu proses y dull atgyfeirio cenedlaethol. Ac rwy'n credu bod eich pwynt am allu cael gafael ar gymorth cyfreithiol yn hollbwysig. Ac mae'n rhaid i ni gydnabod, wrth gwrs, bod caethwasiaeth fodern yn fater a gadwyd yn ôl, a bydd y Swyddfa Gartref, yn amlwg, yn hollbwysig i fynd â'r negeseuon hyn yn ôl o ran effaith y pandemig, fel y gallwn ni fod yn ymwybodol o fasnachu pobl a mynd i'r afael ag ef.
As the Chamber will know, I have raised these issues a number of times since being elected to the Senedd. Yet despite the many calls from across the Chamber to investigate the practices employed in particular in car washes, there appears to be absolutely no action taken with regard to these establishments. This is particularly disappointing given that a number of issues are present with regard to their operation—the long hours served by attendants, often 10 hours a day, seven days a week; the low pay, said to be around £3 per hour; the sub-standard accommodation for these workers; the propensity for money laundering, given that all transactions appear to be cash, often to many thousands of pounds per week; the low pay, said to be around—sorry, to the environmental issues, with the considerable volumes of effluent generated at these sites going directly into water drainage systems and hence the rivers; but, of course, worst of all, the clear exploitation of people working on these sites. One has to ask, Deputy Minister, why nothing has been done to investigate or even close these operations, although they have been in existence for over a decade.
Fel y bydd y Siambr yn gwybod, rwyf i wedi codi'r materion hyn droeon ers cael fy ethol i'r Senedd. Ac eto, er gwaethaf y galwadau niferus o bob rhan o'r Siambr i ymchwilio i'r arferion a ddefnyddir mewn busnesau golchi ceir yn arbennig, mae'n ymddangos nad oes unrhyw gamau yn cael eu cymryd o gwbl o ran y sefydliadau hyn. Mae hyn yn arbennig o siomedig o gofio bod nifer o broblemau yn bodoli o ran eu gweithrediad—yr oriau maith y mae gweithwyr yn eu gweithio, 10 awr y dydd, saith diwrnod yr wythnos yn aml; y cyflog isel, y dywedir ei fod tua £3 yr awr; y llety is-safonol ar gyfer y gweithwyr hyn; y duedd i wyngalchu arian, o gofio ei bod yn ymddangos bod yr holl drafodion yn rhai arian parod, yn aml hyd at filoedd lawer o bunnoedd yr wythnos; y cyflog isel, y dywedir ei fod tua—mae'n ddrwg gen i, i'r materion amgylcheddol, gyda'r cyfanswm sylweddol o elifion a gynhyrchir yn y safleoedd hyn yn mynd yn syth i systemau draenio dŵr ac felly i'r afonydd; ond, wrth gwrs, yn waeth na dim, y camfanteisio eglur ar bobl sy'n gweithio ar y safleoedd hyn. Mae'n rhaid gofyn, Dirprwy Weinidog, pam nad oes unrhyw beth wedi ei wneud i ymchwilio neu hyd yn oed gau'r busnesau hyn, er eu bod nhw wedi bodoli ers dros ddegawd.
Well, I will acknowledge that David Rowlands has mentioned this more than once in this Chamber. I'd just like to briefly, in terms of employment, refer to the ethical employment in supply chains code of practice, which was launched in 2017, aimed at making supply chains transparent, but also preventing exploitation of workers. And it was actually a first for Wales and the UK, and over 200 organisations have signed up to the code of practice, with the majority of Welsh public sector bodies signed up too. But I would also like to pay tribute to Joyce Watson with her cross-party group on human trafficking, if I don't get the opportunity again this afternoon.
Wel, rwy'n cydnabod bod David Rowlands wedi sôn am hyn fwy nag unwaith yn y Siambr hon. Hoffwn gyfeirio yn gryno, o ran cyflogaeth, at god ymarfer cyflogaeth foesegol mewn cadwyni cyflenwi, a lansiwyd yn 2017, gyda'r nod o wneud cadwyni cyflenwi yn dryloyw, ond hefyd atal camfanteisio ar weithwyr. Ac roedd yn rhywbeth newydd i Gymru a'r DU mewn gwirionedd, ac mae dros 200 o sefydliadau wedi ymrwymo i'r cod ymarfer, gyda'r rhan fwyaf o gyrff sector cyhoeddus Cymru wedi ymrwymo hefyd. Ond hoffwn dalu teyrnged hefyd i Joyce Watson â'i grŵp trawsbleidiol ar fasnachu pobl, os na chaf i'r cyfle i wneud hynny eto y prynhawn yma.
Minister, acts of modern slavery are becoming a scary reality for the many and this crime is often very difficult to spot. One simple question from me: the Home Office have got a real part to play in this, but what can the Welsh Government do to stop this being a hidden crime?
Gweinidog, mae gweithredoedd o gaethwasiaeth fodern yn dod yn realiti brawychus i lawer ac mae'r drosedd hon yn aml yn anodd iawn ei hadnabod. Un cwestiwn syml sydd gen i: mae gan y Swyddfa Gartref ran wirioneddol i'w chwarae yn hyn, ond beth all Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i atal hyn rhag bod yn drosedd gudd?
Well, until recently, I would say that slavery was a hidden crime. It's still under-reported and these questions and concerns have been raised this afternoon. And that's why we introduced new data collection systems in Wales and we continue to work with partners to develop that better evidence base—Huw Irranca-Davies referred to that as well—that more accurately reflects the level of slavery in Wales so that we can tackle it.
Wel, tan yn ddiweddar, byddwn i'n dweud bod caethwasiaeth yn drosedd gudd. Nid yw'n cael ei adrodd yn ddigonol o hyd a chodwyd y cwestiynau a'r pryderon hyn y prynhawn yma. A dyna pam y cyflwynwyd systemau casglu data newydd gennym ni yng Nghymru ac rydym ni'n parhau i weithio gyda phartneriaid i ddatblygu'r sail dystiolaeth well honno—cyfeiriodd Huw Irranca-Davies at hynny hefyd—sy'n adlewyrchu yn fwy cywir lefel caethwasiaeth yng Nghymru fel y gallwn ni fynd i'r afael ag ef.
3. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog ddatganiad am sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithredu Adran 1 o Ddeddf Cydraddoldeb 2010? OQ55519
3. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's implementation of Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010? OQ55519
The socioeconomic duty will come into force on 31 March 2021. We're working closely with public bodies to prepare for the duty and, earlier this year, we co-produced guidance, and further resources to guide public bodies will be published shortly.
Bydd y ddyletswydd economaidd-gymdeithasol yn dod i rym ar 31 Mawrth 2021. Rydym ni'n gweithio yn agos gyda chyrff cyhoeddus i baratoi ar gyfer y ddyletswydd ac, yn gynharach eleni, cyd-luniwyd canllawiau gennym, a bydd adnoddau pellach i roi arweiniad i gyrff cyhoeddus yn cael eu cyhoeddi yn fuan.
Deputy Minister, thank you very much for that answer and that very progressive step that's being taken. You'll know that, historically, girls and women have traditionally been less likely in schools and education institutions to take up the STEM subjects—the science, the technology, engineering and maths. And you yourself have very much been a staunch advocate of actually repairing that inequality gap that has existed. Now, during the COVID crisis, what we have seen is the incredible number of female scientists who have really been at the forefront of research and innovation. I'm wondering what ideas Welsh Government might have to use that as an example for actually motivating and promoting the increased take-up amongst girls, amongst women, of the STEM subjects for the future.
Dirprwy Weinidog, diolch yn fawr iawn am yr ateb yna a'r cam blaengar iawn hwnnw sy'n cael ei gymryd. Byddwch yn gwybod bod merched a menywod, yn hanesyddol, wedi bod yn llai tebygol yn draddodiadol mewn ysgolion a sefydliadau addysg o ymgymryd â'r pynciau STEM—y wyddoniaeth, y dechnoleg, peirianneg a mathemateg. Ac rydych chi eich hun wedi bod yn eiriolwr brwd dros gau'r bwlch anghydraddoldeb hwnnw sydd wedi bodoli. Nawr, yn ystod argyfwng COVID, yr hyn yr ydym ni wedi ei weld yw'r nifer anhygoel o wyddonwyr benywaidd sydd wir wedi bod ar flaen y gad o ran ymchwil ac arloesi. Rwy'n meddwl tybed pa syniadau y gallai fod yn rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru eu defnyddio fel enghraifft ar gyfer ysgogi a hyrwyddo'r nifer gynyddol o ferched a menywod sy'n astudio'r pynciau STEM yn y dyfodol.
Well, I thank Mick Antoniw for raising that and drawing our attention—because we've all seen it—to the incredible contribution made by those women scientists. Of course, the global pandemic has highlighted the vital role that STEM plays in the world today. We've never had more STEM professionals, scientists, in the public eye as we've had in recent months.
But I'm very pleased to chair the women in STEM board. We're meeting on 15 October. The effect of the pandemic will certainly be discussed and, in fact, we will look at that in terms of that increased profile of female scientists in terms of the appeal and relevance of STEM subjects. And that will be very important, I think, in terms of impact on our new Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill going through, now, the Welsh Parliament, but considering how that can reach more girls and students from disadvantaged backgrounds and, of course, seeing this as an intersectional issue as well as the diversity that we want to seek in the delivery of STEM science and delivery of STEM professionalism and expertise.
Wel, diolchaf i Mick Antoniw am godi hynna ac am dynnu ein sylw—oherwydd rydym ni i gyd wedi ei weld—at y cyfraniad anhygoel a wneir gan y gwyddonwyr benywaidd hynny. Wrth gwrs, mae'r pandemig byd-eang wedi tynnu sylw at y rhan hanfodol y mae STEM yn ei chwarae yn y byd heddiw. Ni fu gennym ni erioed fwy o weithwyr proffesiynol STEM, gwyddonwyr, yn amlwg i'r cyhoedd fel y bu gennym ni yn y misoedd diwethaf.
Ond rwy'n falch iawn o gadeirio'r bwrdd menywod mewn STEM. Rydym ni'n cyfarfod ar 15 Hydref. Bydd effaith y pandemig yn sicr yn cael ei thrafod ac, a dweud y gwir, byddwn yn edrych ar hynny o ran y proffil uwch gwyddonwyr benywaidd hwnnw o ran apêl a pherthnasedd pynciau STEM. A bydd hynny'n bwysig iawn, rwy'n credu, o ran effaith ein Bil Cwricwlwm ac Asesu (Cymru) newydd sy'n mynd drwy Senedd Cymru nawr, ond gan ystyried sut y gall hynny gyrraedd mwy o ferched a myfyrwyr o gefndiroedd difreintiedig ac, wrth gwrs, gweld hwn fel mater rhyngadrannol yn ogystal â'r amrywiaeth yr ydym ni eisiau ei sicrhau yn y ddarpariaeth o wyddoniaeth STEM a'r ddarpariaeth o broffesiynoldeb ac arbenigedd STEM.
4. Sut y bydd polisïau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer Cymru fwy cyfartal yn esblygu yn dilyn y profiad COVID-19? OQ55525
4. How will Welsh Government policies for a more equal Wales evolve following the experience of COVID-19? OQ55525
The First Minister has been clear that the Welsh Government will put equality and human rights considerations at the centre of the response to the pandemic and recovery in Wales. This will be the guiding principle as we take forward key policy developments over the coming months.
Mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi bod yn eglur y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud ystyriaethau cydraddoldeb a hawliau dynol yn ganolog i'r ymateb i'r pandemig a'r adferiad yng Nghymru. Dyma fydd yr egwyddor arweiniol wrth i ni fwrw ymlaen â datblygiadau polisi allweddol dros y misoedd nesaf.
Minister, those living in our more deprived communities have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic in terms of their health, economically and socially, and one aspect of this is higher rates of smoking in these communities—those are significant for vulnerability to the virus but also in terms of lower life expectancy generally. Thankfully, smoking is in decline, with restrictions in public places playing an important part in helping to achieve that. But, nonetheless, the terrible toll on health in Wales continues. So, Minister, would Welsh Government consider extending the existing restrictions, including outdoor areas of cafes and restaurants, which I think is particularly significant now during the pandemic, as those outdoor areas are expanding and growing, and also in relation to events, youth sport events, so that there may be restrictions on smoking at and around those?
Gweinidog, mae'r rhai sy'n byw yn ein cymunedau mwy difreintiedig wedi dioddef yn anghymesur yn ystod y pandemig o ran eu hiechyd, yn economaidd ac yn gymdeithasol, ac un agwedd ar hyn yw cyfraddau ysmygu uwch yn y cymunedau hyn—mae'r rheini yn arwyddocaol o ran bod yn agored i'r feirws ond hefyd o ran disgwyliad oes is yn gyffredinol. Diolch byth, mae ysmygu yn dirywio, gyda chyfyngiadau mewn mannau cyhoeddus yn chwarae rhan bwysig i helpu i gyflawni hynny. Ond, serch hynny, mae'r effaith ofnadwy ar iechyd yng Nghymru yn parhau. Felly, Gweinidog, a wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru ystyried ymestyn y cyfyngiadau presennol, gan gynnwys mannau awyr agored caffis a bwytai, sydd yn arbennig o arwyddocaol nawr yn ystod y pandemig rwy'n credu, gan fod y mannau awyr agored hynny yn ehangu ac yn tyfu, a hefyd o ran digwyddiadau, digwyddiadau chwaraeon ieuenctid, fel y gall fod cyfyngiadau ar ysmygu yn y rheini ac yn agos atyn nhw?
Well, thank you, John Griffiths, for drawing attention to the role of smoking in health inequalities. Just to say that ensuring that the health inequity caused by smoking is reduced—that is a priority for this Welsh Government. You've referred to areas where we could widen the ban on smoking. Clearly, our immediate plan is to introduce a ban on smoking, as all Members are aware, in public playgrounds, school grounds and in hospital grounds. But, we are committed to our long-term goal of making more of Wales's public spaces smoke free and helping people to make positive changes to their health and well-being, and we intend to progress work in the next Senedd term to extend the smoking ban to outdoor areas of cafes and restaurants and city and town centres.
Wel, diolch, John Griffiths, am dynnu sylw at ran ysmygu mewn anghydraddoldebau iechyd. Hoffwn ddweud bod sicrhau bod yr annhegwch iechyd a achosir gan ysmygu yn cael ei leihau—bod hynny'n flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth Cymru hon. Rydych chi wedi cyfeirio at feysydd lle gallem ni ehangu'r gwaharddiad ar ysmygu. Yn amlwg, ein bwriad uniongyrchol yw cyflwyno gwaharddiad ar ysmygu, fel y mae pob Aelod yn ei wybod, mewn meysydd chwarae cyhoeddus, tir ysgolion ac ar dir ysbytai. Ond, rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i'n nod hirdymor o wneud mwy o fannau cyhoeddus Cymru yn ddi-fwg a helpu pobl i wneud newidiadau cadarnhaol i'w hiechyd a'u llesiant, ac rydym ni'n bwriadu bwrw ymlaen â gwaith yn nhymor nesaf y Senedd i ymestyn y gwaharddiad ar ysmygu i fannau awyr agored caffis a bwytai a chanol dinasoedd a threfi.
Policies to create a more equal Wales should be implemented in consultation with local authorities and local communities, and this is especially the case in plans for Wales to play its part in global efforts to support refugees. However, reports that a military training camp in Pembrokeshire will be used to house 250 refugees, with little or no consultation with the local authority prior to the UK Home Office's decision becoming public, are clearly very concerning. Can the Minister tell us whether the Welsh Government was consulted, and does the Minister agree with me that people seeking asylum should be housed safely and supported in communities, and not detained on a military base?
Dylid gweithredu polisïau i greu Cymru fwy cyfartal mewn ymgynghoriad ag awdurdodau lleol a chymunedau lleol, ac mae hyn yn arbennig o wir mewn cynlluniau i Gymru chwarae ei rhan mewn ymdrechion byd-eang i gynorthwyo ffoaduriaid. Fodd bynnag, mae adroddiadau y bydd gwersyll hyfforddi milwrol yn Sir Benfro yn cael ei ddefnyddio i gartrefu 250 o ffoaduriaid, heb fawr ddim ymgynghori â'r awdurdod lleol, os o gwbl, cyn cyhoeddi penderfyniad Swyddfa Gartref y DU, yn amlwg yn peri pryder mawr. A all y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni pa un a ymgynghorwyd â Llywodraeth Cymru, ac a yw'r Gweinidog yn cytuno â mi y dylai pobl sy'n ceisio lloches gael eu cartrefu yn ddiogel a'u cynorthwyo mewn cymunedau, ac nid cael eu cadw mewn gwersyll milwrol?
Well, I thank Leanne Wood very much for raising that question this afternoon in the Senedd. We were only notified of the Home Office proposals on Friday. We are yet to receive the full explanation that we have requested. The Welsh Government is committed to being a nation of sanctuary. We are committed to that, but we need to ensure that the needs of asylum seekers who come to us—and that's, of course, through our refugee and asylum seeking coalition, which I chair—that those needs are met, and are fully met and understood in terms of opportunities for people to integrate and settle. We are working with all relevant partners now to ensure that these concerns are addressed, in terms of this proposal that came forward on Friday. That obviously has to include local authorities and the communities affected, but what's crucial is that public health issues are considered at the forefront in terms of the impact of the pandemic.
Wel, diolchaf yn fawr iawn i Leanne Wood am godi'r cwestiwn yna y prynhawn yma yn y Senedd. Dim ond ddydd Gwener y cawsom ni wybod am gynigion y Swyddfa Gartref. Nid ydym ni wedi cael yr esboniad llawn yr ydym ni wedi gofyn amdano eto. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i fod yn genedl o noddfa. Rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i hynny, ond mae angen i ni sicrhau bod anghenion ceiswyr lloches sy'n dod atom ni—ac mae hynny, wrth gwrs, drwy ein cynghrair ffoaduriaid a cheiswyr lloches, yr wyf i'n ei gadeirio—bod yr anghenion hynny yn cael eu diwallu, ac yn cael eu diwallu a'u deall yn llwyr o ran cyfleoedd i bobl integreiddio a setlo. Rydym ni'n gweithio gyda'r holl bartneriaid perthnasol nawr i sicrhau bod y pryderon hyn yn cael sylw, o ran y cynnig hwn a wnaed ddydd Gwener. Yn amlwg, mae'n rhaid i hynny gynnwys awdurdodau lleol a'r cymunedau sy'n cael eu heffeithio, ond yr hyn sy'n hollbwysig yw bod materion iechyd y cyhoedd yn cael ystyriaeth flaenllaw o ran effaith y pandemig.
Cwestiwn 5, Rhianon Passmore.
Question 5, Rhianon Passmore.
Can you unmute yourself, Rhianon Passmore?
Allwch chi ddad-dawelu eich hun, Rhianon Passmore?
That question has been withdrawn, Llywydd.
Tynnwyd y cwestiwn yna yn ôl, Llywydd.
Okay, you don't choose to ask the question that's on the order paper.
Iawn, dydych chi ddim yn dewis gofyn y cwestiwn sydd ar y papur trefn.
Ni ofynnwyd cwestiwn 5 [OQ55527].
Question 5 [OQ55527] not asked.
Cwestiwn 6, felly, Mike Hedges.
Question 6, therefore, Mike Hedges.
6. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau cymorth i grwpiau gwirfoddol sy'n gweithio gyda'r gymuned fyddar? OQ55482
6. How is the Welsh Government ensuring support for voluntary groups working with the deaf community? OQ55482
Volunteers across Wales continue to play a vital role in enabling people to stay safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to support voluntary groups, including those working with the deaf community, £11 million has been made available through our third sector resilience fund.
Mae gwirfoddolwyr ledled Cymru yn parhau i chwarae rhan hanfodol o ran galluogi pobl i gadw'n ddiogel trwy bandemig COVID-19. Er mwyn cynorthwyo grwpiau gwirfoddol, gan gynnwys y rhai sy'n gweithio gyda'r gymuned pobl fyddar, rhoddwyd £11 miliwn ar gael drwy ein cronfa cydnerthedd y trydydd sector.
I thank the Minister for that response. For the record, my sister is profoundly deaf, and I am also president of the Swansea Hard of Hearing Group. COVID has had a serious effect on the deaf community, as masks stop the ability of deaf people to lip-read, or even know that somebody is talking to them. What is being done to promote sign language and sign language interpreters to support the deaf community?
Diolchaf i'r Gweinidog am yr ymateb yna. Er mwyn ei roi ar y cofnod, mae fy chwaer yn hollol fyddar, ac rwyf i hefyd yn llywydd Grŵp Trwm eu Clyw Abertawe. Mae COVID wedi cael effaith ddifrifol ar y gymuned pobl fyddar, gan fod masgiau yn atal gallu pobl fyddar i ddarllen gwefusau, neu hyd yn oed gwybod bod rhywun yn siarad â nhw. Beth sy'n cael ei wneud i hyrwyddo iaith arwyddion a dehonglwyr iaith arwyddion i gynorthwyo'r gymuned pobl fyddar?
I thank Mike Hedges for that important question. Just to give examples of how we've targeted our funding: £1.1 million of support given to disability organisations, including the Cardiff Deaf Centre. The Welsh Government, of course, has ensured the presence of BSL interpretation at our COVID-19 news conferences, alongside a range of accessible formats on key correspondence through the pandemic, such as BSL videos for our Keep Wales Safe campaign.
But, we've also set up an accessible communications group, advising Welsh Government. The First Minister mentioned the fact we've had many meetings of the disability equality forum. We've also looked at the impact of face coverings, and, of course, that was mentioned earlier on in terms of the impact for autistic people.
So, it is crucial that we listen to the people who are impacted in terms of COVID-19 and ensure that we get that feedback, and then take action accordingly and raise awareness, as the First Minister said, because that's crucial for those who are encountering and engaging and supporting and enabling deaf people to participate fully in society, community and the workplace.
Diolchaf i Mike Hedges am y cwestiwn pwysig yna. Dim ond i roi enghreifftiau o sut yr ydym ni wedi targedu ein cyllid: rhoddwyd £1.1 miliwn o gymorth i sefydliadau anabledd, gan gynnwys Canolfan Pobl Fyddar Caerdydd. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru, wrth gwrs, wedi sicrhau presenoldeb dehongli Iaith Arwyddion Prydain yn ein cynadleddau newyddion COVID-19, ochr yn ochr ag amrywiaeth o fformatau hygyrch ar ohebiaeth allweddol drwy'r pandemig, fel fideos Iaith Arwyddion Prydain ar gyfer ein hymgyrch Cadwch Gymru'n Ddiogel.
Ond, rydym ni hefyd wedi sefydlu grŵp cyfathrebu hygyrch, sy'n cynghori Llywodraeth Cymru. Soniodd y Prif Weinidog am y ffaith ein bod ni wedi cael llawer o gyfarfodydd y fforwm cydraddoldeb i bobl anabl. Rydym ni hefyd wedi edrych ar effaith gorchuddion wyneb, ac, wrth gwrs, soniwyd am hynny yn gynharach o ran yr effaith ar bobl awtistig.
Felly, mae'n hanfodol ein bod ni'n gwrando ar y bobl sy'n cael eu heffeithio o ran COVID-19 a sicrhau ein bod ni'n cael yr adborth hwnnw, ac yna'n gweithredu yn unol â hynny ac yn codi ymwybyddiaeth, fel y dywedodd y Prif Weinidog, oherwydd mae hynny'n hollbwysig i'r rhai sydd mewn cysylltiad â phobl fyddar ac yn ymgysylltu ac yn cynorthwyo ac yn galluogi pobl fyddar i gymryd rhan lawn mewn cymdeithas, yn y gymuned ac yn y gweithle.
7. Faint o safleoedd Sipsiwn a Theithwyr yng Nghymru sydd â digon o fand eang er mwyn darparu modd o ddysgu yn y cartref i blant pe bai rhagor o gyfyngiadau symud yn cael eu cyflwyno yn y dyfodol? OQ55501
7. How many Gypsy and Traveller sites in Wales have sufficient broadband in order to provide children with adequate at-home learning in the event of further lockdowns? OQ55501
Almost half of local authority sites have at least some form of internet access. My officials are working with local authorities to identify sites without adequate broadband infrastructure and agree funding for projects that enable internet connectivity on sites, at up to 100 per cent of eligible costs.
Mae gan bron i hanner safleoedd awdurdodau lleol o leiaf ryw fath o fynediad i'r rhyngrwyd. Mae fy swyddogion yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i nodi safleoedd heb seilwaith band eang digonol a chytuno ar gyllid ar gyfer prosiectau sy'n galluogi cysylltedd rhyngrwyd ar safleoedd, hyd at 100 y cant o'r costau cymwys.
So, from what you're saying, Minister, I gather that half the Gypsy and Traveller sites have no broadband to enable pupils to be able to access the curriculum in the event that they're unable to attend school because of further lockdowns. What conversations have you had with the local government Minister, and indeed the education Minister, to ensure that this is a top priority for local authorities, given that your department has made money available specifically for this purpose? It's disappointing that this work hasn't been carried out over the summer once the lockdown restrictions were relaxed. So, I'd be very grateful if it would be possible to publish the sites that still do not have any broadband whatsoever.
Felly, o'r hyn rydych chi'n ei ddweud, Gweinidog, rwy'n deall nad oes gan hanner y safleoedd Sipsiwn a Theithwyr fand eang i alluogi disgyblion i fynd at y cwricwlwm os na allan nhw fynychu'r ysgol oherwydd cyfyngiadau symud pellach. Pa sgyrsiau ydych chi wedi'u cael â'r Gweinidog llywodraeth leol, ac yn wir y Gweinidog addysg, i sicrhau bod hyn yn brif flaenoriaeth i awdurdodau lleol, o gofio bod eich adran wedi sicrhau bod arian ar gael yn benodol at y diben hwn? Mae'n siomedig nad yw'r gwaith hwn wedi'i wneud yn ystod yr haf ar ôl i'r cyfyngiadau symud gael eu llacio. Felly, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar iawn os byddai'n bosibl cyhoeddi'r safleoedd nad oes ganddyn nhw fand eang o gwbl o hyd.
Thank you to Jenny Rathbone, and I also acknowledge that Jenny Rathbone chairs the Gypsy/Traveller/Roma cross-party group, which has an important influence on listening as well as working with those who are impacted. We do indeed meet with those who are supporting and representing Gypsy/Roma/Travellers at the Wales race forum and, following advice and guidance from them in terms of barriers to internet access, I did write to the Minister for Education to ensure that local authorities are challenged and supported as well financially to improve outcomes for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, particularly for the children and young people in terms of accessing that blended learning.
So, I think the issues now that we're working on—and I will report back, clearly, to the Senedd on this—is that we're asking local authorities—. They've got the money, 100 per cent funding. We're asking them to come forward. We want to know all forms of need in terms of internet access, including high-speed mobile data, site-wide Wi-Fi, and all those gaps that may exist, so that we can ensure those children and young people have access to learning, and indeed adults as well in terms of their life opportunities.
Diolch i Jenny Rathbone, ac rwy'n cydnabod hefyd fod Jenny Rathbone yn cadeirio grŵp trawsbleidiol Sipsiwn/Teithwyr/Roma, sydd â dylanwad pwysig ar wrando ar y rhai hynny yr effeithir arnyn nhw, yn ogystal â gweithio gyda nhw. Yn wir, rydym ni'n cyfarfod â'r rhai sy'n cefnogi ac yn cynrychioli Sipsiwn/Roma/Teithwyr yn fforwm hil Cymru ac, yn dilyn cyngor ac arweiniad ganddyn nhw o ran rhwystrau i ddefnyddio'r rhyngrwyd, ysgrifennais i at y Gweinidog Addysg i sicrhau bod awdurdodau lleol yn cael eu herio a'u cefnogi yn gyllidol hefyd i wella'r canlyniadau i Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr, yn enwedig i'r plant a'r bobl ifanc o ran gallu defnyddio'r dysgu cyfunol hwnnw.
Felly, rwy'n credu mai'r materion yr ydym ni'n gweithio arnyn nhw yn awr—a byddaf i'n adrodd yn ôl, yn amlwg, i'r Senedd ar hyn—yw ein bod ni'n gofyn i awdurdodau lleol—. Mae ganddyn nhw'r arian, 100 y cant o gyllid. Rydym ni'n gofyn iddyn nhw gamu ymlaen. Rydym ni eisiau gwybod am bob math o angen o ran mynediad i'r rhyngrwyd, gan gynnwys data symudol cyflym, Wi-Fi ar draws y safle, a'r holl fylchau hynny a all fodoli, fel y gallwn ni sicrhau bod dysgu ar gael i'r plant a'r bobl ifanc hynny, ac yn wir oedolion hefyd o ran eu cyfleoedd bywyd.
Diolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog.
Thank you, Deputy Minister.
Felly, y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes sydd nesaf. 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 that statement—Rebecca Evans.
Diolch, Llywydd. There is one change to today's agenda: the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition will make a statement on the UK Government Internal Market Bill. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae un newid i'r agenda heddiw: bydd y Cwnsler Cyffredinol a'r Gweinidog dros Bontio Ewropeaidd yn gwneud datganiad am Fil Marchnad Fewnol Llywodraeth y DU. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos nesaf wedi'i nodi ar y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig.
As we're embarking on the scrutiny of the curriculum Bill, I think it would be helpful if we could have some clarity on protecting the existence of Welsh-medium schools. I know the education Minister, in recent exchanges about the requirement to opt out of English, has said that this is not about the medium of teaching, it's about subjects, but I think that prompts the question then about how schools are currently categorised and what protections are currently in place. I wonder if the education Minister, or Minister for Welsh language—because I'm not quite sure which one it is—could update the Senedd via a statement about work that's being done on the language categorisations of schools in, say, I don't know, maybe the last two years, in view of the strategy for 1 million Welsh speakers and of course the curriculum Bill, to see if there are any possible conflicts in that. Thank you.
Gan ein bod yn dechrau craffu ar Fil y cwricwlwm, rwy'n credu y byddai'n ddefnyddiol os gallem ni gael rhywfaint o eglurder ynghylch diogelu bodolaeth ysgolion cyfrwng Cymraeg. Rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog addysg, mewn trafodaethau diweddar ynghylch y gofyniad i beidio a bod yn rhan o'r cyfrwng Saesneg, wedi dweud nad yw hyn yn ymwneud â chyfrwng addysgu, mae'n ymwneud â phynciau, ond credaf i fod hynny'n codi'r cwestiwn ynglŷn â sut mae ysgolion yn cael eu categoreiddio ar hyn o bryd a pha ddiogelu sydd ar waith ar hyn o bryd. Tybed a allai'r Gweinidog addysg, neu'r Gweinidog dros y Gymraeg—oherwydd nid wyf i'n hollol siŵr pa un ydyw—roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd drwy ddatganiad ynghylch y gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud ar gategoreiddio iaith ysgolion yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf, dyweder, efallai, o ystyried y strategaeth ar gyfer 1 miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg ac wrth gwrs y Bil cwricwlwm, i weld a oes unrhyw wrthdaro posibl yn hynny. Diolch.
Thank you to Suzy Davies for raising that this afternoon. In the first instance, I will have a conversation with both Ministers to better understand what might be the best way to update the Senedd on that particular issue. But, in any case, I'll ensure that you do get a written response to that.FootnoteLink
Diolch i Suzy Davies am godi hynny y prynhawn yma. Yn y lle cyntaf, byddaf i'n cael sgwrs gyda'r ddau Weinidog i ddeall yn well beth allai fod y ffordd orau o roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd ynghylch y mater penodol hwnnw. Ond, fodd bynnag, byddaf i'n sicrhau eich bod chi'n cael ymateb ysgrifenedig i hynny.FootnoteLink
Some people who are exempt from wearing face masks are being challenged or refused entry into shops, and many small business owners in particular are telling me of the difficulties that they are facing policing the wearing of face masks. So, will the Government look into providing some sort of official means of proof for people to show if they're exempt from wearing a face mask?
I also wanted to say 'thank you and well done' to all the staff who stepped in at the last minute in the Rhondda after the UK Government decided to reduce the number of tests per day to just 60. I'm still getting people who say they have symptoms of COVID-19 but cannot get a test. Now, how can this happen in the Rhondda when we've been told that we're on the verge of a local lockdown? This failure could put lives at risk, it could help a second wave. So, could we have a statement outlining what alternative plans the Government have so that we're not at the mercy of Westminster for this crucial testing operation?
Mae rhai pobl sydd wedi'u heithrio rhag gwisgo masgiau wyneb yn cael eu herio neu'n cael gwrthod mynediad i siopau, ac mae llawer o berchnogion busnesau bach yn arbennig yn dweud wrthyf i am yr anawsterau y maen nhw'n eu hwynebu yn plismona gwisgo masgiau wyneb. Felly, a wnaiff y Llywodraeth ystyried darparu rhyw fath o brawf swyddogol i bobl ei ddangos os ydyn nhw wedi'u heithrio rhag gwisgo masg wyneb?
Roeddwn i hefyd eisiau dweud 'diolch a da iawn' i'r holl staff a gamodd i mewn ar y funud olaf yn y Rhondda ar ôl i Lywodraeth y DU benderfynu lleihau nifer y profion y dydd i ddim ond 60. Rwy'n dal i gael pobl yn dweud bod ganddyn nhw symptomau COVID-19 ond nad ydyn nhw'n gallu cael prawf. Nawr, sut gall hyn ddigwydd yn y Rhondda pan ddywedwyd wrthym ni ein bod ni ar fin gweld cyfyngiadau symud lleol? Gallai'r methiant hwn beryglu bywydau, gallai helpu ail don. Felly, a allem ni gael datganiad yn amlinellu pa gynlluniau eraill sydd gan y Llywodraeth fel nad ydym ni ar drugaredd San Steffan ar gyfer y broses brofi hollbwysig hon?
Thank you to Leanne Wood for raising those issues. On the second, which relates to the availability of COVID-19 tests, I would respectfully refer the Member to the comments made by the First Minister during First Minister's question earlier on this afternoon, because I do think that he addressed that specific issue in some depth.
On the issue of face masks, I do agree that it's absolutely important that there is a greater level of understanding that not everybody will be able to wear a face mask for a multitude of reasons, and I will ensure that I have a conversation with the health Minister to explore what more we can do to ensure that we do engender that atmosphere where people feel comfortable not wearing a mask if they can't do so because of a mental or physical reason, and that people have more understanding that there are people out there who might have a very, very good reason not to be wearing a face mask.
Diolch i Leanne Wood am godi'r materion hynny. O ran yr ail, sy'n ymwneud â chael gafael ar brofion COVID-19, byddwn yn cyfeirio'r Aelod yn barchus at y sylwadau a wnaeth y Prif Weinidog yn ystod cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog yn gynharach y prynhawn yma, oherwydd rwy'n credu eu fod wedi rhoi sylw manwl i'r mater penodol hwnnw.
O ran masgiau wyneb, rwy'n cytuno ei bod yn sicr yn bwysig bod mwy o ddealltwriaeth o lawer na fydd pawb yn gallu gwisgo masg wyneb am nifer fawr o resymau, a byddaf yn sicrhau fy mod i'n cael sgwrs gyda'r Gweinidog iechyd i archwilio beth arall y gallwn ni ei wneud i sicrhau ein bod ni'n meithrin yr awyrgylch hwnnw lle mae pobl yn teimlo'n gyfforddus yn peidio â gwisgo masg os na allan nhw wneud hynny oherwydd rheswm meddyliol neu gorfforol, a bod gan bobl fwy o ddealltwriaeth bod pobl allan yno a allai fod â rheswm da iawn dros beidio â gwisgo masg wyneb.
Minister, you'll have heard the exchange earlier between Darren Millar and the Deputy Minister on the issue of singing and worship in churches and chapels and elsewhere. It is an issue that is causing some great distress amongst people within the community. You may also have seen BBC Wales Today last week, where Beaufort male voice choir was practising in Ebbw Vale rugby club to avoid some of the difficulties that are faced in practising indoors. It is important that, as we move through these very, very difficult months, there are points of normality in people's lives that enable them to accept and abide by all the other regulations that we need to impose at different times. Would it be possible for the Government to look hard again at some of the evidence that is being produced to enable choirs to practise and singing to take place in places of worship, and also the situation of brass bands and others as well, to enable people, during the long winter months, to ensure that there are elements of normality in their lives?
The second issue I'd like to seek the Government's time for, in terms of a statement or debate, is that about access to public transport. With schools and colleges going back over the last few weeks, we have recognised that there are some significant difficulties with public transport, particularly, perhaps, in areas such as Blaenau Gwent, where people have not been able to get to local colleges easily and where people are not able to access public services easily because of the difficulties with mainly bus services.
The Grange University Hospital will be opened in November and we all very much welcome this enormous investment in our local health service, but we need to ensure that there are public transport routes and public transport services enabling people to reach that hospital, whether it's for treatment or for visiting when that will be possible. So, access to services through public transport continues to be a very major issue and I'd be grateful if the Government could make a statement on that.
Gweinidog, byddwch chi wedi clywed y drafodaeth yn gynharach rhwng Darren Millar a'r Dirprwy Weinidog ar fater canu ac addoli mewn eglwysi a chapeli ac mewn mannau eraill. Mae'n fater sy'n achosi cryn ofid mawr ymhlith pobl yn y gymuned. Efallai eich bod chi hefyd wedi gweld BBC Wales Today yr wythnos diwethaf, pan roedd côr meibion Beaufort yn ymarfer yng nghlwb rygbi Glynebwy i osgoi rhai o'r anawsterau a wynebir o ymarfer dan do. Mae'n bwysig, wrth i ni symud drwy'r misoedd anodd dros ben hyn, bod pwyntiau o normalrwydd ym mywydau pobl sy'n caniatáu iddyn nhw dderbyn a chydymffurfio â'r holl reoliadau eraill y mae angen i ni eu gorfodi ar wahanol adegau. A fyddai'n bosibl i'r Llywodraeth edrych yn ofalus eto ar rywfaint o'r dystiolaeth sy'n cael ei chynhyrchu i alluogi corau i ymarfer ac i ganu ddigwydd mewn mannau addoli, a hefyd sefyllfa bandiau pres ac eraill hefyd, i ganiatáu i bobl sicrhau, yn ystod misoedd hir y gaeaf, bod elfennau o normalrwydd yn eu bywydau?
Yr ail fater yr hoffwn i ofyn am amser y Llywodraeth ar ei gyfer, o ran datganiad neu ddadl, yw hwnnw sy'n ymwneud â gallu defnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Ar ôl i ysgolion a cholegau ddychwelyd dros yr wythnosau diwethaf, rydym ni wedi cydnabod bod rhai anawsterau sylweddol gyda thrafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, yn enwedig, efallai, mewn ardaloedd fel Blaenau Gwent, lle nad yw pobl wedi gallu cyrraedd colegau lleol yn hawdd a lle nad yw pobl yn gallu cael gafael ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus yn hawdd oherwydd yr anawsterau gyda gwasanaethau bysiau yn bennaf.
Bydd Ysbyty Athrofaol y Faenor yn agor ym mis Tachwedd ac rydym ni i gyd yn croesawu'n fawr y buddsoddiad enfawr hwn yn ein gwasanaeth iechyd lleol, ond mae angen i ni sicrhau bod llwybrau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a gwasanaethau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn galluogi pobl i gyrraedd yr ysbyty hwnnw, boed hynny ar gyfer triniaeth neu i ymweld, pan fydd hynny'n bosibl. Felly, mae mynediad at wasanaethau trwy drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn parhau i fod yn fater pwysig iawn a byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Llywodraeth wneud datganiad ar hynny.
Thank you to Alun Davies for raising these issues. I know that he is a passionate supporter—even the president, maybe, I think—of Beaufort male voice choir. And I obviously declare an interest, as the Member for Gower, given the fact that we also have some of the best male voice choirs and brass bands in the world in that constituency too. So, yes, I do give that commitment that we will continue to keep that evidence under review, because we recognise the true value that being a member of a brass band or a choir has. And, of course, I see Mick Antoniw, the famous supporter of the Cory Band, also in the Chamber this afternoon. So, we've got lots of rivalry about our local brass bands and it just shows how passionate we are about them. So, yes, absolutely, we will continue to keep that advice under review as the evidence continues to develop.
And I do know that it is the intention of the Minister for the economy to bring forward a statement on buses very shortly, and you'll see that added to the business statement before too long.
Diolch i Alun Davies am godi'r materion hyn. Gwn ei fod yn gefnogwr brwd—llywydd hyd yn oed, efallai, rwy'n credu—o gôr meibion Beaufort. Ac rwy'n amlwg yn datgan buddiant, fel yr Aelod dros Benrhyn Gŵyr, o gofio bod gennym ninnau hefyd rai o'r corau meibion a'r bandiau pres gorau yn y byd yn yr etholaeth honno hefyd. Felly, ydw, rwy'n gwneud yr ymrwymiad hwnnw y byddwn ni'n parhau i adolygu'r dystiolaeth honno, oherwydd rydym ni'n cydnabod gwir werth bod yn aelod o fand pres neu gôr. Ac, wrth gwrs, rwy'n gweld Mick Antoniw, cefnogwr enwog Band Cory, yn y Siambr y prynhawn yma hefyd. Felly, mae gennym ni lawer o gystadleuaeth ymhlith ein bandiau pres lleol ac mae'n dangos pa mor angerddol ydym ni amdanyn nhw. Felly, yn sicr, byddwn yn parhau i adolygu'r cyngor hwnnw wrth i'r dystiolaeth barhau i ddatblygu.
A gwn fod Gweinidog yr economi yn bwriadu cyflwyno datganiad ar fysiau yn fuan iawn, a byddwch yn gweld hynny yn cael ei ychwanegu at y datganiad busnes cyn bo hir.
Unmute, right. I call for a Welsh Government statement on the approval and distribution of clear face masks in Wales. Action on Hearing Loss Cymru has highlighted the disproportionate effect on people who are deaf or have hearing loss of face mask use during the coronavirus pandemic, where inaccessible communication can also present a safety risk. Visual cues, such as facial expression and lip reading, are essential for communication, but personal protective equipment in health and social care settings is masking these visual cues.
Now the UK Government has announced the approval and dissemination of a clear mask for use in health and social care settings in the UK, Action on Hearing Loss is seeking clarification from the Welsh Government on: what the allocation of the first clear masks will be for Wales; will the allocation cover both health and social care settings, including care homes; how will applicable third sector organisations, such as themselves, access a supply; and how will the Welsh Government ensure ongoing supply to meet demand? I call for a statement accordingly.
Troi'r sain ymlaen, iawn. Galwaf am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gymeradwyo a dosbarthu masgiau wyneb clir yng Nghymru. Mae Action on Hearing Loss Cymru wedi tynnu sylw at yr effaith anghymesur ar bobl fyddar neu sydd â cholled clyw yn ystod pandemig y coronafeirws, lle gall cyfathrebu anhygyrch fod yn risg o ran diogelwch hefyd. Mae ciwiau gweledol, fel mynegiant yr wyneb a darllen gwefusau, yn hanfodol ar gyfer cyfathrebu, ond mae cyfarpar diogelu personol mewn lleoliadau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn cuddio'r ciwiau gweledol hyn.
Ar ôl i Lywodraeth y DU gyhoeddi cymeradwyaeth a dosbarthiad masg clir i'w ddefnyddio mewn lleoliadau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn y DU, mae Action on Hearing Loss yn gofyn am eglurhad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar: beth fydd y dyraniad cyntaf o fasgiau clir i Gymru; a fydd y dyraniad yn cynnwys lleoliadau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, gan gynnwys cartrefi gofal; sut bydd sefydliadau trydydd sector perthnasol, fel nhw eu hunain, yn gallu cael gafael ar gyflenwad; a sut bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau cyflenwad parhaus i fodloni'r galw? Galwaf am ddatganiad yn unol â hynny.
Thank you to Mark Isherwood for raising that, and I think this is the third time in this afternoon's session when we have explored the difficulties that people who are deaf, who have hearing loss are experiencing at the moment as a result of the usage of face masks. So, it is a really important issue and I will ensure that Action on Hearing Loss does have an answer to their particular questions about how those specially adapted masks will be distributed to ensure that they're distributed to people who most need them and who will most benefit from them.FootnoteLink
Diolch i Mark Isherwood am godi hynna, ac rwy'n credu mai dyma'r trydydd tro yn sesiwn y prynhawn yma yr ydym ni wedi archwilio'r anawsterau y mae pobl sy'n fyddar, sydd â cholled clyw, yn eu cael ar hyn o bryd o ganlyniad i'r defnydd o fasgiau wyneb. Felly, mae'n fater pwysig iawn a byddaf yn sicrhau bod Action on Hearing Loss yn cael ateb i'w cwestiynau penodol am sut y bydd y masgiau hynny sydd wedi'u haddasu yn arbennig yn cael eu dosbarthu i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n cael eu dosbarthu i bobl sydd eu hangen fwyaf ac a fydd yn elwa fwyaf ohonyn nhw.FootnoteLink
Gweinidog, gawn ni ddatganiad am y camau mae'r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i ymateb yn rhagweithiol i'r argyfwng tai dŷn ni'n ei weld mewn nifer o gymunedau ar draws Cymru? Mae yn argyfwng, wrth gwrs, sy'n cael ei yrru yn bennaf, ond nid yn unig, gan y ffaith bod nifer cynyddol o gartrefi nawr yn cael eu prynu fel ail gartrefi neu dai gwyliau. Mae'n cael ei ddwysáu hefyd, wrth gwrs, gan y ffaith bod mwy o bobl nawr yn symud o'r dinasoedd a'r ardaloedd poblog i gefn gwlad Cymru mewn ymateb, wrth gwrs, i'r pandemig.
Nawr, fe glywoch chi yn y Pwyllgor Cyllid ddoe fod nifer o Aelodau'n teimlo y dylai'r Llywodraeth fod yn gwneud gwell defnydd o'i phwerau trethiannol i geisio mynd i'r afael â'r mater yma. Byddwn i'n licio clywed pa gamau o'r newydd y mae'r Llywodraeth yn edrych arnyn nhw i'r perwyl hwnnw. Ond yn bennaf oll, wrth gwrs, mae angen edrych ar gamau pendant o fewn y gyfundrefn gynllunio, ac yn sicr mae angen rheoli y gallu i newid defnydd tŷ annedd o fod yn gartref cyntaf i fod yn ail gartref, man lleiaf. Mae yna enghreifftiau o gamau sydd wedi cael eu cymryd mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig, yng Nghernyw, yn benodol, o safbwynt ail gartrefi. Yn Guernsey, wrth gwrs, o safbwynt y farchnad dai, mae yna farchnad agored a marchnad gaeedig, ac mae yna enghreifftiau ar draws Ewrop a thu hwnt hefyd o'r mathau o bethau dylai'r Llywodraeth nawr fod yn eu hystyried.
Felly, dwi eisiau gwybod pa gynlluniau sydd ar droed gan y Llywodraeth i ymateb i'r argyfwng yma. Oherwydd rŷn ni i gyd yn gwybod, wrth gwrs, ac yn cofio beth ddigwyddodd yn y 1980au, ac roedd hynny'n uniongyrchol yn ganlyniad i fethiant gan wleidyddion i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem. Nawr, does neb eisiau gweld eu hunain nôl yn y sefyllfa yna, wrth gwrs, oherwydd petai hynny'n digwydd, yna mi fyddai hynny yn cynrychioli methiant difrifol o safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru, methiant difrifol o safbwynt y Senedd honno, ac mi fyddai hynny yn sen ar ddatganoli.
Minister, could we have a statement on the steps that the Government is taking to respond proactively to the housing crisis that we see in so many communities across Wales? It is a crisis, of course, driven mainly, but not only, by the fact that an increasing number of homes are now being bought as second homes or holiday accommodation. It's intensified also by the fact that more people are now moving out of cities and more populated areas to rural Wales in response to the pandemic.
Now, you heard in the Finance Committee yesterday that many Members felt that the Government should be making better use of its taxation powers in order to seek to address this issue. I would like to know what new steps the Government is considering to that end. But mainly, of course, we need to look at specific steps within the planning regime, and certainly we need to manage the ability to change the use from a residential property into a second home. There are examples of steps taken in other parts of the UK, in Cornwall specifically in terms of second homes. In Guernsey, in terms of the housing market, there is an open market and a closed market there, and there are examples across Europe and beyond of the kinds of things that the Government should now be considering.
So, I'd like to know what plans are in place by Government to respond to this crisis. Because we all know, of course, and we all recall what happened in the 1980s, and that was a direct result of the failure of politicians in addressing the problem. Now, nobody wants to see us back in that situation, of course, because if that were the case, then that would represent a grave failure from the point of view of the Welsh Government and a grave failure for the Senedd, and that would be an insult to devolution.
Well, of course, we've had excellent success over the course of this Senedd in terms of meeting our Welsh Government commitment to the people of Wales, that we would build 20,000 new affordable homes over the course of this Senedd. And I'm really pleased to be able to say that we are absolutely on course to have hit that target by the end of this Senedd term.
I recognise all of the issues that Llyr has described in terms of the pressures on the housing market, particularly in some parts of Wales, and I know that the Minister for housing is participating remotely this afternoon, but will have heard that request for a statement or a debate in order to explore those issues further. FootnoteLink
Wel, wrth gwrs, rydym ni wedi cael llwyddiant rhagorol yn ystod y Senedd hon o ran cyflawni ein hymrwymiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru i bobl Cymru, y byddem ni'n adeiladu 20,000 o dai fforddiadwy newydd yn ystod y Senedd hon. Ac rwy'n falch iawn o allu dweud ein bod ni'n sicr ar y trywydd iawn i gyrraedd y targed hwnnw erbyn diwedd tymor y Senedd.
Rwy'n cydnabod yr holl faterion y mae Llyr wedi'u disgrifio o ran y pwysau ar y farchnad dai, yn enwedig mewn rhai rhannau o Gymru, a gwn fod y Gweinidog tai yn cymryd rhan o bell y prynhawn yma, ond bydd wedi clywed y cais hwnnw am ddatganiad neu ddadl er mwyn ymchwilio ymhellach i'r materion hynny. FootnoteLink
Trefnydd, tourism has been one of the sectors that have been actually badly affected by the pandemic, but yet tourism can also be one of the sectors that can drive our regeneration of the economy as we move forward. Now, with that in mind, obviously, we want to try and promote tourism and promote projects that develop tourism as much as possible. To that end, the Rhondda tunnel has actually always been one of those projects that could deliver on the tourism idea. I have raised this before in this Chamber, that the ownership of the tunnel has been one of the big stumbling blocks to the progression of the work there. Can I have a statement from the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales as to what progress has been made on the transfer of ownership from Highways England to the Welsh Government or to governments within Wales so that we can get on with the project, so that by the time we look at a situation where we really want to regenerate our economy in our Valleys, the project could actually be going ahead and that tunnel could be one of the things that attract people here?
Trefnydd, mae twristiaeth wedi bod yn un o'r sectorau y mae'r pandemig wir wedi cael effaith wael arno, ond eto gall twristiaeth hefyd fod yn un o'r sectorau a all sbarduno ein hadfywiad o'r economi wrth i ni symud ymlaen. Nawr, gyda hynny mewn golwg, yn amlwg, rydym ni eisiau ceisio hyrwyddo twristiaeth a hyrwyddo prosiectau sy'n datblygu twristiaeth cymaint â phosibl. I'r perwyl hwnnw, mae twnnel y Rhondda wedi bod yn un o'r prosiectau hynny a allai wireddu'r syniad o dwristiaeth erioed. Rwyf i wedi codi hyn o'r blaen yn y Siambr hon, mai perchnogaeth y twnnel fu bod yn un o'r rhwystrau mawr i ddatblygiad y gwaith yno. A allaf i gael datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru ynghylch pa gynnydd a wnaed o ran trosglwyddo'r perchnogaeth o Highways England i Lywodraeth Cymru neu i lywodraethau yng Nghymru fel y gallwn ni fwrw ymlaen â'r prosiect, fel y gallai'r prosiect, erbyn yr adeg y byddwn ni'n edrych ar sefyllfa lle'r ydym ni wir eisiau adfywio ein heconomi yn ein Cymoedd, wir fod yn mynd rhagddo ac y gallai'r twnnel hwnnw fod yn un o'r pethau sy'n denu pobl yma?
Thank you to David Rees for raising that, and he knows that I share his enthusiasm for that particular project. Transport officials are currently in discussion with the Department for Transport on the terms of any potential transfer of the tunnel, as well as with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council on the development of a business case for its future use. I think, as I understand it, one of the outstanding big issues, of course, is in terms of taking on an asset and taking on risk and what funding should come alongside with that, but that is something that I understand is currently continuing to be discussed. The Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport did meet with the council and the Rhondda Tunnel Society at the beginning of this month, and I know that future meetings are again being arranged to discuss the future management and that issue of the ownership of the tunnel. So, there's certainly continued work going on in this space, even though we've been facing a pandemic.
Diolch i David Rees am godi hynna, ac mae'n gwybod fy mod i'n rhannu ei frwdfrydedd at y prosiect penodol hwnnw. Mae swyddogion trafnidiaeth wrthi'n trafod telerau unrhyw drosglwyddiad posibl o'r twnnel gyda'r Adran Drafnidiaeth, yn ogystal â Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf ar ddatblygu achos busnes dros ei ddefnydd yn y dyfodol. Rwy'n credu, yn ôl yr wyf i'n ei ddeall, bod un o'r problemau mawr sydd heb eu datrys, wrth gwrs, yn ymwneud â chymryd cyfrifoldeb am ased a chymryd cyfrifoldeb am risg a pha gyllid ddylai gyd-fynd â hynny, ond mae hynny yn rhywbeth sy'n parhau i gael ei drafod ar hyn o bryd, rwy'n deall. Cafodd Dirprwy Weinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth gyfarfod gyda'r cyngor a Chymdeithas Twnnel y Rhondda ddechrau'r mis hwn, a gwn fod cyfarfodydd yn cael eu trefnu eto ar gyfer y dyfodol i drafod rheolaeth y twnnel yn y dyfodol a'r mater hwnnw o berchnogaeth y twnnel. Felly, yn sicr mae gwaith parhaus yn cael ei wneud yn y gofod hwn, er ein bod ni wedi bod yn wynebu pandemig.
The residents of Victoria Wharf in Cardiff bought what they thought were their dream homes, but it turns out that they've bought into a nightmare. The properties are worthless now, they're unable to borrow off them, they're unable to sell them and there are real concerns about fire safety. These residents do not now sleep easily in their beds at night, and the blocks were signed off by Cardiff council and the developers. So, the statement that I would like off the Government is: what do they propose to do to help these residents in Cardiff, and not only in Cardiff, but all over Wales? There are people in awful predicaments, where it seems that these buildings are quite simply not safe. What will be done?
Prynodd trigolion Victoria Wharf yng Nghaerdydd yr hyn yr oedden nhw'n eu hystyried yn gartrefi eu breuddwydion, ond y gwir amdani yw mai prynu hunllef a wnaethon nhw. Mae'r eiddo yn ddiwerth erbyn hyn, dydyn nhw ddim yn gallu benthyg ar eu sail, dydyn nhw ddim yn gallu eu gwerthu a cheir pryderon gwirioneddol ynghylch diogelwch tân. Nid yw'r trigolion hyn yn cysgu'n dawel yn eu gwelyau liw nos erbyn hyn, a chadarnhawyd y blociau gan gyngor Caerdydd a'r datblygwyr. Felly, y datganiad yr hoffwn i ei gael gan y Llywodraeth yw: beth maen nhw'n bwriadu ei wneud i helpu'r trigolion hyn yng Nghaerdydd, ac nid yng Nghaerdydd yn unig, ond ym mhob cwr o Gymru? Mae pobl mewn sefyllfaoedd ofnadwy, lle mae'n ymddangos yn syml nad yw'r adeiladau hyn yn ddiogel. Beth fydd yn cael ei wneud?
The Minister for Housing and Local Government has made it clear repeatedly that building owners and developers should face up to what is, essentially, a very strong moral responsibility and put right these faults at their cost or they do risk their professional reputation, because it's absolutely critical that people do feel safe and secure in their homes and we are committed to improving building safety here in Wales. I do know, again, that it is the intention of the Minister to provide the Senedd with an update in the not-too-distant future on the work that we've been doing in terms of that building safety programme in order to address the concerns that came to light following the tragic Grenfell fire.
Mae'r Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol wedi ei gwneud hi'n eglur dro ar ôl tro y dylai perchnogion a datblygwyr adeiladau wynebu'r hyn sydd, yn ei hanfod, yn gyfrifoldeb moesol cryf iawn a chywiro'r diffygion hyn ar draul eu hunain, neu maen nhw'n peryglu eu henw da proffesiynol, oherwydd mae'n gwbl hanfodol bod pobl yn teimlo'n ddiogel yn eu cartrefi ac rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i wella diogelwch adeiladau yma yng Nghymru. Gwn, unwaith eto, mai bwriad y Gweinidog yw rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd yn y dyfodol agos ynghylch y gwaith yr ydym ni wedi bod yn ei wneud o ran y rhaglen diogelwch adeiladau honno er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r pryderon a ddaeth i'r amlwg yn dilyn tân trasig Grenfell.
Trefnydd, one of the consequences of COVID has been that many of us have been getting more exercise. We've been taking walks in some of the incredible and beautiful countryside that we have around us. I regularly now walk through the Coedely woods, through the Smaelog, and the reconnection with nature is really something that is perhaps one of the positives that have come out of this pandemic.
But alongside that is the appalling behaviour of a minority of people and the amount of fly-tipping, the amount of rubbish that is being dumped. I've been photographing this. At one stage, I couldn't walk more than a couple of metres without coming across fly-tipping. Rhondda Cynon Taf council has been tremendous at not only monitoring social media, but then going along and clearing this up, but, of course, at a cost to all those members of the public who don't engage in that sort of anti-social behaviour.
The point I make is this: Rhondda Cynon Taf have been very vigorous in prosecuting, there have been a number of prosecutions, but the fines are no deterrent. They're far less than the benefit the individual gets, and in no way reflect the cost to the council of having to clear up these sites. Now, I've written to the Counsel General on this point, but it seems to me it would be very helpful if there was a Government-time debate here where we talked about the legislation that exists, the penalties that exist, how the penalties have now got to relate to the cost of clearing up fly-tipping, and how we've got to campaign against this anti-social behaviour. Do you agree with me that now would be a good time to actually start talking about this, and to seriously look at the legislation to improve our ability to deter and to prosecute those who engage in this terrible anti-social behaviour?
Trefnydd, un o ganlyniadau COVID yw bod llawer ohonom ni wedi bod yn gwneud mwy o ymarfer corff. Rydym ni wedi bod yn mynd am dro yn rhai o'r ardaloedd cefn gwlad anhygoel a hardd sydd gennym ni o'n cwmpas. Rwy'n cerdded yn rheolaidd erbyn hyn trwy goedwig Coedelái, drwy'r Smaelog, ac mae'r ailgysylltu â natur wir yn rhywbeth sydd efallai yn un o'r agweddau cadarnhaol sydd wedi dod o'r pandemig hwn.
Ond ochr yn ochr â hynny y mae ymddygiad gwarthus lleiafrif o bobl a lefel y tipio anghyfreithlon, faint o sbwriel sy'n cael ei adael. Rwyf i wedi bod yn tynnu lluniau o hyn. Ar un adeg, nid oeddwn i'n gallu cerdded mwy nag ychydig fetrau heb weld tipio anghyfreithlon. Mae cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf wedi bod yn wych, nid yn unig o ran monitro cyfryngau cymdeithasol, ond yna mynd ati a chlirio hyn, ond yn arwain, wrth gwrs, at gost i'r holl aelodau hynny o'r cyhoedd nad ydyn nhw'n ymgymryd â'r math hwnnw o ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol.
Y pwynt yr wyf i'n ei wneud yw hwn: mae Rhondda Cynon Taf wedi bod yn egnïol iawn yn erlyn, cafwyd nifer o erlyniadau, ond nid yw'r dirwyon yn atal pobl. Maen nhw'n llai o lawer na'r budd y mae'r unigolyn yn ei gael, ac nid ydyn nhw'n adlewyrchu'r gost i'r cyngor o orfod clirio'r safleoedd hyn mewn unrhyw ffordd. Nawr, rwyf i wedi ysgrifennu at y Cwnsler Cyffredinol ynglŷn â'r pwynt hwn, ond mae'n ymddangos i mi y byddai'n ddefnyddiol iawn pe bai dadl yn amser y Llywodraeth yma pan fyddem ni'n trafod y ddeddfwriaeth sy'n bodoli, y cosbau sy'n bodoli, sut y mae'n rhaid i'r cosbau fod yn gysylltiedig â chost clirio tipio anghyfreithlon bellach, a sut y mae'n rhaid i ni ymgyrchu yn erbyn yr ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol hwn. A ydych chi'n cytuno â mi y byddai nawr yn amser da i ddechrau trafod hyn, ac i edrych o ddifrif ar y ddeddfwriaeth i wella ein gallu i atal ac erlyn y rhai sy'n ymgymryd â'r ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol ofnadwy hwn?
I'd like to join Mick Antoniw in congratulating RCT on the work that they've been doing on this particular issue, and being very proactive in their response to it, because fly-tipping is never justified in any circumstances, and obviously during the COVID-19 lockdown we worked particularly closely with local authorities and businesses to ensure that the public were aware of their responsibility to store their waste safely until the sites reopened. We know that not everybody did that, and we have seen the results of that.
We're currently exploring options on how best to further assist those local authorities and Natural Resources Wales in their enforcement work. Obviously, this area involves both items that are devolved to us here in Wales—so, those environmental issues, for example—but there are also some issues to do with the reserved justice system. I can confirm that we will be pursuing this with the UK Government in the first instance, and I'll be very pleased to provide an update on those discussions.
Hoffwn ymuno â Mick Antoniw i longyfarch Rhondda Cynon Taf ar y gwaith y maen nhw wedi bod yn ei wneud ar y mater penodol hwn, ac ar fod yn rhagweithiol iawn yn eu hymateb iddo, oherwydd nid ellir cyfiawnhau tipio anghyfreithlon byth o dan unrhyw amgylchiadau, ac yn amlwg yn ystod cyfyngiadau symud COVID-19 buom ni'n gweithio yn arbennig o agos gydag awdurdodau lleol a busnesau i sicrhau bod y cyhoedd yn ymwybodol o'u cyfrifoldeb i storio eu gwastraff yn ddiogel tan i'r safleoedd ailagor. Rydym ni'n gwybod na wnaeth pawb hynny, ac rydym ni wedi gweld canlyniadau hynny.
Rydym ni wrthi'n archwilio opsiynau ynghylch y ffordd orau o gynorthwyo'r awdurdodau lleol hynny a Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ymhellach yn eu gwaith gorfodi. Yn amlwg, mae'r maes hwn yn cynnwys y ddwy eitem sydd wedi'u datganoli i ni yma yng Nghymru—felly, y materion amgylcheddol hynny, er enghraifft—ond ceir rhai materion hefyd sy'n ymwneud â'r system cyfiawnder a gadwyd yn ôl. Gallaf gadarnhau y byddwn ni'n mynd ar drywydd hyn gyda Llywodraeth y DU yn y lle cyntaf, a byddaf yn falch iawn o roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y trafodaethau hynny.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
Byddwn ni nawr yn cynnal egwyl fer ac yn oedi'r darllediad dros dro.
I thank the Trefnydd.
We will now have a short break and will postpone broadcasting for the time being.
Ataliwyd y Cyfarfod Llawn am 15:12.
Plenary was suspended at 15:12.
Ailymgynullodd y Senedd am 15:25, gyda’r Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd reconvened at 15:25, with the Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) in the Chair.
[Inaudible.]—that short break, and with item 3 on our agenda this afternoon, which is a statement by the Minister for Education on schools reopening. I call on the Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams.
[Anghlywadwy.]—yr egwyl fer honno, a chydag eitem 3 ar ein hagenda ni'r prynhawn yma, sef datganiad gan y Gweinidog Addysg ar ailagor ysgolion. Rwy'n galw ar y Gweinidog Addysg, Kirsty Williams.
Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Colleagues, learners in Wales have been going back to nursery, schools and colleges over the last two weeks, and I want to thank them, teachers, tutors and all education staff for the way in which they have dealt with and, indeed, are still dealing with COVID-19. I want to thank them for their hard work, their resilience and their co-operation as we navigate our way through these most difficult of times.
Of course, I recognise that in any situation such as this, it is not without any risk. However, I continue to be guided by the latest medical and scientific advice in making any decision on the safe return of learners. My priorities throughout this pandemic have been the safety and well-being of staff and learners, whilst delivering maximum learning with minimal disruption to our young people.
I believe that going back to school is critical for children’s development and for their health and their well-being, especially those who are most vulnerable in our communities, and I'm grateful for the effort that schools, colleges, local authorities and trade unions have made to ensure that school and college environments are as safe as possible for all learners. These measures include increased cleaning, hygiene stations for staff and learners and reduced movement and contact between groups.
Wales’s technical advisory group were also clear that we must have a robust trace and protect strategy in place as a prerequisite for a wider reopening of schools. And as has been rehearsed earlier in the Chamber, this has been a real success story here in Wales, with not only a high number of contacts being traced within 24 hours, but also a clear approach to outbreak management, which will help support schools in moving forward.
Of course, our education and nursery settings may be fully open, but this is not going back to normal. For staff and learners alike it is a continuing challenge after so many months of distance learning, and the possibility of further spikes in cases and the disruption that that causes. This is a difficult time as education settings are still having to plan for different models of learning as well as managing contact and social distancing within their school environments. Therefore, along with the regions, we have provided guidance to ensure that learning and progression continues and remains safe.
It is very likely that time away from school has had a negative impact on many of our young people. They may need support to be ready to learn once again and to reintegrate into the school environment. We may see significant well-being challenges, over and above what we would normally expect at the start of a new academic year. Key areas of learning may have been lost during the time away from school and schools will need flexibility to address these issues. I want schools and other settings to be able to respond to this and invest time in supporting learners’ well-being. We cannot expect schools to execute all of their duties in respect of our curriculum for all learners in all circumstances, given circumstances we all face, and therefore I have decided to modify the basic curriculum and associated assessment requirements to a 'reasonable endeavours' basis for the first 30 days of September. In doing this I want to provide schools with flexibility to reintegrate students and to develop resilient and relevant learning plans. This is about helping schools as they return to full-time learning in their buildings.
But we know that many learners have not progressed as much as they would ordinarily have done so, and we need to address this. As teachers and heads continue to welcome pupils back, I know that they will be assessing learners’ needs and development, building on the check-in period for everyone before the summer break. My clear message to them is that funding is there in council and school budgets to recruit extra staff and teaching assistants for this academic year. Building on their understanding of where learners are in their learning, our investment of over £29 million is targeted to ensure that extra teachers and support is there for years 11, 12 and 13, as well as disadvantaged and vulnerable learners of all ages.
I know that teachers, as well as parents, share my concern about potential learning loss and the attainment gap. This month will help heads and teachers better understand how they can use the funding provided to support extra coaching, personalised learning programmes and additional time and resources for those pupils facing exams.
We have also been working with directors of education and education trade unions to develop guidance to support ongoing provision in schools, and this includes clear advice on social distancing. We have issued advice to schools and education workforce unions on COVID-19 more generally, and via Dysg, and we will continue to provide information and guidance as the needs arise.
We have also been working collectively across the Government to address issues around school transport, with £10 million additional funding allocated to assist local authorities. This money has helped them provide additional capacity to meet statutory requirements following the updated guidance issued recently by the traffic commissioner.
As we all understand, situations can change rapidly during a pandemic. I can assure you, however, that we will continue to work within and across Government, and with our other partners, to provide guidance and advice to ensure the safety of our staff and our young people. And together, even in these uncertain times, we will continue to focus on raising standards for all, reducing the attainment gap and ensuring that we have a system that is a source of pride and enjoys public confidence.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae cydweithwyr a dysgwyr yng Nghymru wedi dychwelyd i'r meithrinfeydd, ysgolion a cholegau dros y pythefnos diwethaf, ac rwy'n awyddus i ddiolch iddyn nhw, i'r athrawon, y tiwtoriaid a'r holl staff addysgol am y ffordd y maen nhw wedi ymdrin ac, yn wir, yn parhau i ymdrin â COVID-19. Fe hoffwn i ddiolch iddyn nhw am eu gwaith caled, eu cydnerthedd a'u cydweithrediad wrth inni ymlwybro drwy'r cyfnod mwyaf dyrys hwn.
Wrth gwrs, rwy'n cydnabod nad oes modd, mewn unrhyw sefyllfa fel hon, peidio â chael unrhyw risg o gwbl. Er hynny, y cyngor meddygol a gwyddonol diweddaraf sy'n fy nhywys i wrth wneud unrhyw benderfyniad am ddysgwyr yn dychwelyd i'w haddysg yn ddiogel. Fy mlaenoriaethau i drwy gydol y pandemig hwn fu diogelwch a lles staff a dysgwyr, gan ddarparu'r addysg orau bosibl gyda chyn lleied â phosibl o amharu yn digwydd i'n pobl ifanc ni.
Rwyf i o'r farn fod mynd yn ôl i'r ysgol yn hanfodol i ddatblygiad plant ac i'w hiechyd a'u lles nhw, yn enwedig y rhai sydd fwyaf agored i niwed yn ein cymunedau ni, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar am yr ymdrech a wnaeth ysgolion, colegau, awdurdodau lleol ac undebau llafur i sicrhau bod yr amgylchedd mewn ysgolion a cholegau mor ddiogel ag sy'n bosibl i bob dysgwr. Mae'r mesurau hyn yn cynnwys mwy o lanhau, gorsafoedd hylendid i staff a dysgwyr, a llai o symud a chyswllt rhwng grwpiau.
Roedd grŵp cynghori technegol Cymru yn eglur hefyd fod yn rhaid inni sefydlu strategaeth gadarn o olrhain a diogelu fel un o'r rhagofynion ar gyfer ailagor ysgolion yn ehangach. Ac fel y mynegwyd yn gynharach yn y Siambr, mae hyn wedi bod yn llwyddiant mawr yma yng Nghymru. Mae nifer fawr o gysylltiadau yn cael eu holrhain o fewn 24 awr, ond hefyd gwelwyd dull clir o reoli achosion, a fydd yn help i gefnogi ysgolion i symud ymlaen.
Wrth gwrs, efallai fod ein lleoliadau addysg a meithrin ar agor yn llawn, ond nid yw hyn yn golygu normalrwydd. I staff a dysgwyr fel ei gilydd mae'n her barhaus ar ôl misoedd lawer o ddysgu o bell, a'r posibilrwydd o achosion pellach a'r tarfu a achosir gan hynny. Cyfnod anodd iawn yw hwn gan fod lleoliadau addysg yn dal i orfod cynllunio ar gyfer gwahanol fodelau dysgu yn ogystal â rheoli cyswllt a chadw pellter cymdeithasol o fewn amgylchedd eu hysgolion. Felly, ynghyd â'r rhanbarthau, rydym wedi darparu canllawiau i sicrhau bod dysgu a dilyniant yn parhau ac yn aros yn ddiogel.
Mae'n debygol iawn bod amser i ffwrdd o'r ysgol wedi cael effaith negyddol ar lawer o'n pobl ifanc ni. Efallai y bydd angen cymorth arnyn nhw i fod yn barod i ddysgu unwaith eto ac ailintegreiddio i amgylchedd yr ysgol. Efallai y gwelwn ni heriau sylweddol o ran llesiant, yn ychwanegol at yr hyn y byddem ni'n ei ddisgwyl fel arfer ar ddechrau blwyddyn academaidd newydd. Efallai fod meysydd dysgu allweddol wedi mynd ar goll yn ystod yr amser i ffwrdd o'r ysgol a bydd angen hyblygrwydd ar ysgolion i fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn. Rwy'n awyddus i ysgolion a lleoliadau eraill allu ymateb i hynny a buddsoddi amser er mwyn cefnogi llesiant y dysgwyr. Ni allwn ddisgwyl i ysgolion gyflawni eu holl ddyletswyddau mewn cysylltiad â'r cwricwlwm i bob dysgwr mewn pob amgylchiad, o ystyried yr amgylchiadau yr ydym i gyd yn eu hwynebu. Felly, rwyf wedi penderfynu addasu'r cwricwlwm sylfaenol a'r gofynion asesu cysylltiedig ar sail 'ymdrech resymol' ar gyfer 30 diwrnod cyntaf mis Medi. Wrth wneud hyn rwy'n awyddus i roi hyblygrwydd i ysgolion wrth ailintegreiddio myfyrwyr a datblygu cynlluniau addysg sy'n gadarn ac yn berthnasol. Mae hyn yn golygu helpu ysgolion wrth iddyn nhw ailddechrau addysg amser llawn yn eu hadeiladau.
Ond fe wyddom fod yna lawer o ddysgwyr nad ydyn nhw wedi datblygu cymaint ag y byddent wedi ei wneud fel arfer, ac mae angen inni fynd i'r afael â hynny. Wrth i athrawon a phenaethiaid barhau i groesawu disgyblion yn ôl, gwn y byddant yn asesu anghenion a datblygiad dysgwyr, gan adeiladu ar y cyfnod ailgydio i bawb cyn toriad yr haf. Fy neges glir i iddyn nhw yw bod yr arian ar gael yng nghyllidebau'r cynghorau ac ysgolion i recriwtio staff a chynorthwywyr addysgu ychwanegol ar gyfer y flwyddyn academaidd hon. Gan adeiladu ar eu dealltwriaeth nhw o sefyllfa addysgol eu dysgwyr nhw, mae ein buddsoddiad ni o dros £29 miliwn wedi ei dargedu i sicrhau bod athrawon a chymorth ychwanegol yno ar gyfer blynyddoedd 11, 12 ac 13, yn ogystal â dysgwyr difreintiedig ac agored i niwed o bob oedran.
Gwn fod athrawon, yn ogystal â rhieni, yn pryderu fel minnau am y dysgu a gollwyd a'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad. Fe fydd y mis hwn yn helpu penaethiaid ac athrawon i ddeall yn well sut y gallan nhw ddefnyddio'r arian a ddarperir i gefnogi hyfforddiant ychwanegol, rhaglenni addysg bersonol ac amser ac adnoddau ychwanegol i'r disgyblion hynny sy'n wynebu arholiadau.
Rydym wedi bod yn gweithio hefyd gyda chyfarwyddwyr addysg ac undebau llafur addysg i ddatblygu canllawiau i gefnogi darpariaeth gyfredol mewn ysgolion, ac mae hyn yn cynnwys cyngor clir ar gadw pellter cymdeithasol. Rydym wedi darparu cyngor i ysgolion ac undebau'r gweithlu addysg ar COVID-19 yn fwy cyffredinol, a thrwy Dysg, ac fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i ddarparu gwybodaeth ac arweiniad wrth i'r anghenion godi.
Rydym wedi bod yn cydweithio hefyd ar draws y Llywodraeth i fynd i'r afael â materion sy'n ymwneud â chludiant i'r ysgol, a dyranwyd £10 miliwn o arian ychwanegol i gynorthwyo awdurdodau lleol. Mae'r arian hwn wedi eu helpu i ddarparu capasiti ychwanegol i fodloni gofynion statudol yn dilyn y canllawiau diweddaraf a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar gan y comisiynydd traffig.
Fel yr ydym ni i gyd yn deall, fe all sefyllfaoedd newid yn gyflym iawn mewn cyfnod o bandemig. Gallaf eich sicrhau chi, er hynny, y byddwn ni'n parhau i weithio o fewn ac ar draws y Llywodraeth, a chyda'n partneriaid eraill ni, i roi arweiniad a chyngor i sicrhau diogelwch i'n staff a'n pobl ifanc ni. A chyda'n gilydd, hyd yn oed yn y cyfnod ansicr hwn, fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i ganolbwyntio ar godi safonau i bawb, a lleihau'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad, ac yn sicrhau bod gennym system sy'n destun balchder ac y mae'r cyhoedd yn ymddiried ynddi.
Thank you, Minister. Can I just associate myself with your opening remarks regarding teachers and staff, and can I include governors in that? It's been a really difficult time for everybody, including yourselves, but most importantly our constituents.
Thank you very much for your statement. I think we have to start off with the top line of my position, which is that schools must stay open unless they absolutely—absolutely—have to close. And while, of course, the situation with exams is difficult, and perhaps for another day, I think we do need to look a little bit at the history of the opening and closing of schools because, obviously, back in March, we all understood the urgency of limiting contact of every kind. We had a dangerous enemy that we didn't really understand, but we did also understand that there would be an inevitable hit to our children's education, and while school leaders did turn themselves inside out trying to provide the best that they could for our learners, I think we know by now that there was a great inconsistency of pupil contact, of the accessibility of online content, the ability of families to really engage with that online content, and the willingness of children to stick with it, the willingness to stick with that learning. We've all had a bit of COVID fatigue, I guess.
And that's why we were very supportive, actually, of your plans to open schools over four weeks in the summer term to check in and catch up, as you said, so that teachers and learners could evaluate what they needed next. And I think that's perhaps where it started to unravel for Government. Letting the country think one thing, when, actually, you hadn't really nailed it down on the delivery of that fourth week, when you had powers that you could have used to stop councils saying 'no' to schools, is where I'm starting to take issue with what I thought was a good start, if I'm honest. Since then, there's been, certainly more latterly, more of a sense of 'whatever you want, schools' going on. Of course, there are operational decisions that only schools can make, and your guidance has been very helpful with that, but there are occasions when you need mandates; there are occasions when you need rules. Schools don't understand the science, whereas you, as you said today, have continued to be guided by the latest medical and scientific advice in making any decisions on the safe return of learners. You have that information; school leaders don't necessarily. And they are certainly are struggling to make ideas stick on the spot when they don't have that reassurance that behind them is a Minister who can say, 'Here's the law, that's what you can rely on.'
When you say fully open is not back to normal, obviously that's true of the physical layout in our schools, but I think we do need some reassurance that the level and standard of acquisition of learning does need to be nearer back to normal. I'm not encouraged by your statement that we cannot expect schools to execute all of their duties in respect of the curriculum for all learners in all circumstances during this time. And we know they have had time. We agreed with you that a fortnight was a good time to let schools get the hang of what their learners needed, and I'm curious to know whether this extension for the first 30 days of September is something that you consulted on, because I don't believe it is, and whether we are back in a situation where we are suspending the need to stick to the curriculum.
Have you been successful in persuading your colleagues of what I said in my opening statement, that schools must be the last to close down, particularly in the event of a lockdown? I see that you've expressed great confidence in the TTP strategy, so I'm hoping that that is the ammunition you've taken to Cabinet colleagues in making the argument that schools should stay open. But if you weren't successful in that, have you already decided what you will mandate in the event of a national lockdown, to make sure that learning wasn't impacted on in the way it was before? Are you thinking of mandating live-streaming of lessons, for example? Have you done an assessment of how much of the IT equipment that was distributed—something we supported—to make sure that students are making the best of them? Or in the more likely situation of localised lockdowns, which will hopefully mean students are out of face-to-face learning for a fortnight at a time at the most, are you going to be insisting that schools should require virtual attendance to lessons, which in the majority of cases should be provided virtually as timetabled?
I'd like a little bit of detail on the money that you found for new teachers and catch-up, how that's going to be used, and how it will be used in further education colleges. I'd be keen to learn how the belated monitoring and evaluation of what happened between March and July has affected decisions you're likely to make. And I'd be keen to hear what you can tell us now on how any further lockdowns would be likely to impact on that already pared down syllabus that you referred to earlier, particularly for those taking general qualifications later in—at the end of this academic year, sorry.
You didn't say very much about testing in schools. I wondered if you could tell us whether you or Public Health Wales have done anything on temperature testing in schools at all. If you have—that's an open question; genuinely curious to hear about that. And then I suppose I repeat my questions in the same context for further education, where the different age profiles make face-to-face teaching more difficult, because there are different regulations on social distancing relating to different age groups. I wonder if you could clarify for me how far you can mandate certain actions in a college as compared to a school, and do you have any particular powers through which you can satisfy yourself on that question of the quality of learning during a period of lockdown in FE institutions as well as schools? Thank you.
Diolch, Gweinidog. Fe hoffwn innau ategu eich sylwadau agoriadol chi ynglŷn ag athrawon a staff, ac a gaf i gynnwys llywodraethwyr gyda'r rhain? Mae wedi bod yn gyfnod anodd iawn i bawb, gan eich cynnwys chi, ond yn bwysicaf oll, i'n hetholwyr.
Diolch yn fawr ichi am eich datganiad. Rwy'n credu bod yn rhaid inni ddechrau gyda'r peth pwysicaf o ran fy safbwynt i, sef mae'n rhaid i ysgolion aros ar agor onid oes rheidrwydd gwirioneddol—gwirioneddol—iddyn nhw gau. Ac er bod y sefyllfa gydag arholiadau, wrth gwrs, yn anodd, ac efallai ar gyfer rhyw ddiwrnod eto, rwy'n credu bod angen inni edrych ychydig ar yr hanes o ran agor a chau ysgolion oherwydd, yn amlwg, yn ôl ym mis Mawrth, roedd pawb yn deall pwysigrwydd cyfyngu ar gyswllt o bob math ar fyrder. Roedd yna elyn peryglus nad oeddem ni'n deall fawr ddim amdano mewn gwirionedd, ond roeddem hefyd yn deall y byddai'n ergyd anochel i addysg ein plan. Ac er i arweinwyr ysgolion wneud eu gorau glas wrth geisio darparu'r cyfan y gallen nhw i'n dysgwyr ni, rwy'n credu y gwyddom bellach fod yna anghysondeb mawr wedi bod o ran cyswllt â disgyblion, o ran hygyrchedd cynnwys ar-lein, gallu teuluoedd i ymgysylltu'n wirioneddol â'r cynnwys hwnnw ar-lein, a pharodrwydd plant i ddal ati, i fod yn barod i ddal ati gyda'r addysg honno. Mae COVID wedi peri blinder mawr inni, fe gredaf.
A dyna pam y buom ni'n gefnogol iawn, mewn gwirionedd, i'ch cynlluniau chi i agor ysgolion am bedair wythnos yn nhymor yr haf er mwyn ailgydio a dal i fyny, fel yr oeddech chi'n dweud, fel y gallai athrawon a dysgwyr werthuso'r hyn yr oedd angen ei wneud nesaf. Ac rwy'n credu efallai mai dyna lle y dechreuodd pethau fynd ar chwâl i'r Llywodraeth. Gan adael i'r wlad feddwl un peth, pan nad oeddech chi, mewn gwirionedd, wedi llwyddo o ran darpariaeth y bedwaredd wythnos honno, pan roedd y pwerau gennych chi y gallech fod wedi eu defnyddio i atal y cynghorau rhag dweud Na wrth ysgolion, dyna lle roeddwn i'n dechrau anghytuno â'r hyn a oedd, yn fy marn i, yn ddechrau da, a bod yn onest. Ers hynny, yn sicr yn ddiweddar, mae rhyw deimlad o 'fel y mynnoch chi, ysgolion' wedi bod yn digwydd. Wrth gwrs, dim ond yr ysgolion a all wneud rhai o'r penderfyniadau gweithredol, ac mae eich canllawiau chi wedi bod o gymorth mawr gyda hynny, ond mae yna adegau pan fydd angen mandadau; mae yna adegau pan fydd angen rheolau. Nid yw ysgolion yn deall yr wyddoniaeth, ond rydych chi, fel yr oeddech chi'n dweud heddiw, wedi parhau i gael eich tywys gan y cyngor meddygol a gwyddonol diweddaraf wrth wneud unrhyw benderfyniadau ynglŷn â chael y dysgwyr yn ôl yn ddiogel. Mae'r wybodaeth honno gennych chi; ond nid yw gan arweinwyr ysgolion o reidrwydd. Ac maen nhw'n sicr yn ei chael hi'n anodd gweinyddu'r syniadau hyn pan nad oes yno'r sicrwydd a ddaw o gael Gweinidog yn dweud, 'Fel hyn y dywed y gyfraith, ac fe allwch chi ddibynnu ar hynny.'
Pan ddywedwch nad yw bod ar agor yn llawnamser yn golygu normalrwydd, yn amlwg mae hynny'n wir o ran cynllun adeiladau ein hysgolion ni, ond rwy'n credu bod angen rhywfaint o sicrwydd arnom fod angen i lefel a safon caffaeliad addysg fod yn nes at yr hyn sydd yn normal. Nid oes gennyf hyder yn eich datganiad sy'n dweud na allwn ddisgwyl i ysgolion gyflawni eu holl ddyletswyddau o ran y cwricwlwm ar gyfer pob dysgwr ym mhob amgylchiad yn ystod y cyfnod hwn. Ac rydym yn gwybod eu bod wedi cael yr amser. Roeddem ni wedi cytuno â chi fod pythefnos yn ddigon da i ganiatáu i ysgolion ddod o hyd i'r hyn oedd ei angen ar eu dysgwyr. Ac rwy'n awyddus i wybod a yw'r estyniad hwn i 30 diwrnod cyntaf mis Medi yn rhywbeth yr ydych chi wedi ymgynghori arno, oherwydd nid wyf i'n credu hynny. Ac a ydym ni mewn sefyllfa eto lle'r ydym ni'n gohirio'r angen i gadw at y cwricwlwm.
A ydych chi wedi llwyddo i berswadio eich cyd-Aelodau o'r hyn a ddywedais i yn fy natganiad agoriadol, mai ysgolion ddylai fod y rhai olaf i gau, yn enwedig os bydd yna gyfnod clo arall? Rwy'n nodi eich bod wedi mynegi hyder mawr yn y strategaeth Profi, Olrhain, Diogelu, felly rwy'n gobeithio mai dyna'r arf yr ydych wedi ei ddefnyddio i ddadlau â'ch cydweithwyr yn y Cabinet y dylai'r ysgolion aros ar agor. Ond os nad oeddech chi'n llwyddiannus yn hynny o beth, a ydych eisoes wedi penderfynu beth fyddwch chi'n ei fandadu os daw'n gyfnod clo cenedlaethol, i wneud yn siŵr nad yw dysgu'n cael ei lesteirio yn yr un modd â'r tro diwethaf? A ydych chi'n ystyried mandadu ffrydio gwersi'n fyw, er enghraifft? A ydych chi wedi cael asesiad o'r offer TG a ddosbarthwyd—rhywbeth yr oeddem ni'n ei gefnogi—i sicrhau bod myfyrwyr yn gwneud yn fawr ohono? Neu, mewn sefyllfa fwy tebygol o gyfnodau clo lleol, a fydd, gobeithio, yn golygu bod myfyrwyr yn colli dysgu wyneb yn wyneb am bythefnos ar y tro ar y mwyaf, a fyddwch chi'n mynnu y dylai ysgolion wneud presenoldeb yn orfodol ar gyfer gwersi rhithwir, y dylid eu darparu yn y mwyafrif o achosion bron yn union fel y'u hamserlennwyd?
Fe hoffwn i gael ychydig o fanylder am yr arian y daethoch o hyd iddo ar gyfer athrawon newydd ac ar gyfer dal i fyny, sut y bydd yn cael ei ddefnyddio, a sut y caiff ei ddefnyddio mewn colegau addysg bellach. Ac rwy'n awyddus i gael gwybod sut mae'r gwaith monitro a gwerthuso hwyr o'r hyn a ddigwyddodd rhwng mis Mawrth a mis Gorffennaf wedi effeithio ar benderfyniadau yr ydych chi'n debygol o'u gwneud. Ac rwy'n awyddus i glywed yr hyn yr ydych chi am ei ddweud wrthym ni'n awr ynghylch sut y byddai unrhyw gyfnod clo pellach yn debygol o effeithio ar y maes llafur a gwtogwyd yr ydych chi wedi sôn amdano eisoes, yn enwedig i'r rhai sy'n ymgeisio am gymwysterau cyffredinol yn ddiweddarach—ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn academaidd hon, mae'n ddrwg gennyf i.
Nid oedd gennych lawer i'w ddweud am brofion mewn ysgolion. Tybed a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym a ydych chi neu Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru wedi gwneud unrhyw beth ynglŷn â phrofion tymheredd mewn ysgolion o gwbl. Os felly—cwestiwn agored yw hwn; rwy'n wirioneddol awyddus i glywed rhywbeth am hynny. Ac yna mae'n debyg fy mod i am ailadrodd fy nghwestiynau i yn yr un cyd-destun o ran addysg bellach, lle mae'r proffiliau oedran amrywiol yn gwneud dysgu wyneb yn wyneb yn fwy heriol, oherwydd mae yna reoliadau ar gadw pellter cymdeithasol sy'n amrywio yn ôl gwahanol grwpiau oedran. Tybed a wnewch chi egluro i mi i ba raddau y gallwch chi orfodi rhai camau gweithredu mewn coleg o'u cymharu â rhai mewn ysgolion, ac a oes gennych chi unrhyw bwerau penodol y gallwch chi eu defnyddio i fodloni eich hun ynghylch y cwestiwn hwn o ansawdd y dysgu yn ystod cyfnod clo mewn sefydliadau addysg bellach yn ogystal ag ysgolion? Diolch.
It's quite a long list of questions—I'll try and rattle through them as quickly as possible. Can I begin, though, by thanking Suzy Davies for her recognition of the tremendous efforts that have gone on in the education workforce in its entirety during this time? I'm very grateful to her for recognising that.
Can I assure her that keeping education open is a priority across the Government, and we will take all necessary steps necessary as a Government to ensure that children's learning is disrupted as little as possible? Indeed, you will have already heard the First Minister and the health Minister speak about some of the issues around greater mixing of households, which we have not proceeded with, to give us the headroom to allow schools to open. So, difficult decisions have already been taken by this Government, which have allowed us to prioritise the opening of schools. And I should just say to the Member—she referred to children missing out on education because of a local lockdown. Well, obviously, we have our first local lockdown at the moment in Wales, in Caerphilly, and schools and colleges remain open. And we've been very clear that our expectation is that, in Caerphilly, schools and colleges should remain open, and those travelling in and out of Caerphilly because they are teachers and they work in those establishments—that is a reasonable excuse for travel. And even though the problems with Caerphilly, and cases in that community being very high—over 70 per cent of children in Caerphilly attended school yesterday. It's one of the lower figures in Wales at the moment, but given that they're subject to a lockdown, it's good to see that that continues to be the case.
With regard to the curriculum, let's be absolutely clear on what the new normal is like. Suzy Davies is right—schools look and feel somewhat different. But it is important, having liaised with the teaching profession, that we do have some flexibility for this first month of operations, to give them an opportunity to test their procedures, to check out how things are working, and, crucially, to allow them to have the extra time that they may need to attend to children's well-being, and to understand where they are in their learning. And actually, for some aspects of the curriculum, there are public health reasons why we would not want them carrying out some activities. We continue to have concerns about some music activities within schools, especially in a group circumstance; issues around field trips that require an overnight stay—we are not recommending those at the moment, where those would be a normal part of the school day. So, there are some constraints. But if you talk to most schools, most schools are getting on with, as I said, identifying the learning needs, reflecting on the child's experience of lockdown, and making a plan going forward.
With regard to digital exclusion, I would remind the Member that we handed out 10,848 MiFi devices before the summer holiday, and we also handed out almost 10,000 licences to local authorities for them to convert all pieces of kit and those have been distributed to children. We've had record amounts of login to Hwb, which is our digital learning platform. But the Member is absolutely right, Deputy Presiding Officer: there was too much variation in the ability of schools to deliver distance learning. We have learnt the lessons; we are learning the lessons of what worked well, what were the barriers to that.
And as I speak, even though some of the local authorities don't particularly like it, Estyn is visiting every single local authority to assure themselves that the local authority is working with schools to ensure that they do have robust plans that allow them to flex their provision, should individual classes or individual schools be affected by the virus. And as I said, the inspectors are out there at this moment, and they will be reporting back to me. We've asked them to do that. We think it's really important to be able to have that level of assurance.
With regard to synchronous and asynchronous learning, we've published advice back in April about how schools can do that safely and effectively. With regard to temperature checks, at this point, the CMO is not advising that temperatures are checked in schools, although some schools are doing that. Parents who suspect their child has a temperature should not be sending their child to school. A high temperature is a symptom of coronavirus. If you suspect that your child has a high temperature, that child needs to get a test and should not be attending school. We will continue throughout this period to provide additional information and opportunities to discuss with headteachers and their representatives about how we can make sure that there is clarity about what a school needs to do if a child becomes unwell. But what we have seen so far is that, where that has happened, schools have taken immediate action to protect children and staff.
With regard to FE, well, obviously our colleges are also subject to the powers of inspection by Estyn, and we would expect Estyn to continue to work alongside our FE colleges to satisfy ourselves that the provision at those colleges is as good as it could be. As you know, FE is a strong part of our education system in Wales that delivers, year on year, excellent results, and colleges have been working very hard with Government to ensure that their learners can return safely.
With regard to catch-up money, £29 million has been made available. Each local authority has been given an allocation for individual schools. There is also an amount of money that has been given to each regional partnership to be able to assist schools in making sure that that money is used in an evidence-way approach, so each school will have been given an allocation. That money is there, and I would expect that headteachers and the LEAs would be planning this term, on the basis of these first few weeks back in school, about how that money can be used to best effect. I myself was in Hay-on-Wye primary school just last week, and Mrs B, the formidable headteacher of that primary school, already had a firm plan in place of how she was going to use her allocation.
Mae hon yn rhestr faith iawn o gwestiynau—fe geisiaf i fwrw ymlaen drwyddyn nhw cyn gynted â phosibl. A gaf i ddechrau, serch hynny, drwy ddiolch i Suzy Davies am ei chydnabyddiaeth hi o'r ymdrechion enfawr sydd wedi cael eu gwneud yn y gweithlu addysg cyfan yn ystod y cyfnod hwn? Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn iddi am gydnabod hynny.
A gaf i ei sicrhau hi bod cadw addysg ar agor yn flaenoriaeth ledled y Llywodraeth, ac fe fyddwn ni'n cymryd yr holl gamau sy'n angenrheidiol yn y Llywodraeth i sicrhau bod cyn lleied â phosibl o amharu ar ddysgu i blant? Yn wir, rydych chi wedi clywed y Prif Weinidog a'r Gweinidog Iechyd yn siarad eisoes am rai o'r materion sy'n ymwneud â mwy o gymysgu rhwng aelwydydd, nad ydym ni wedi bwrw ymlaen â nhw, i roi'r hyblygrwydd i ni ganiatáu i ysgolion agor. Felly, mae penderfyniadau anodd wedi eu gwneud gan y Llywodraeth hon yn barod, sydd wedi ein galluogi ni i flaenoriaethu agor ysgolion. Ac fe ddylwn i ddweud wrth yr Aelod—roedd hi'n cyfeirio at blant yn colli allan ar addysg oherwydd cyfnod clo lleol. Wel, yn amlwg, mae gennym ni'r cyfnod clo lleol cyntaf yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd, yng Nghaerffili, ac mae ysgolion a cholegau yn parhau i fod ar agor. Ac rydym ni wedi bod yn eglur iawn mai ein disgwyliad ni yw y dylai ysgolion a cholegau, yng Nghaerffili, aros ar agor, ac o ran y rhai sy'n teithio i mewn ac allan o Gaerffili am eu bod nhw'n athrawon ac yn gweithio yn y sefydliadau hynny—mae hwnnw'n rheswm digonol ar gyfer teithio. Ac er bod yna broblemau gyda Chaerffili, ac mae'r achosion yn y gymuned honno'n uchel iawn—roedd dros 70 y cant o blant Caerffili wedi mynd i'r ysgol ddoe. Dyma un o'r ffigurau isaf yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd, ond o ystyried eu bod nhw'n cael cyfnod clo yno, mae'n dda gweld hyn.
O ran y cwricwlwm, gadewch inni fod yn gwbl glir am y normal newydd. Mae Suzy Davies yn iawn—mae golwg a naws yr ysgolion ychydig yn wahanol. Ond mae'n bwysig, ar ôl cysylltu â'r proffesiwn addysgu, fod rhywfaint o hyblygrwydd ar gael i ni am y mis cyntaf hwn o weithredu, er mwyn rhoi cyfle iddyn nhw gael profi eu gweithdrefnau, gweld sut mae pethau'n gweithio, ac, yn hollbwysig, ganiatáu iddyn nhw gael yr amser ychwanegol y gallai fod ei angen ar gyfer ymdrin â llesiant plant, a deall eu sefyllfa o ran eu dysgu. Ac yn wir, gyda rhai agweddau ar y cwricwlwm, mae yna resymau o ran iechyd y cyhoedd pam na fyddem ni'n dymuno iddynt gynnal rhai gweithgareddau. Rydym ni'n parhau i fod yn bryderus ynglŷn â rhai gweithgareddau cerddorol mewn ysgolion, yn enwedig mewn grwpiau; a materion sy'n ymwneud â gwibdeithiau sy'n golygu aros dros nos—nid ydym ni'n argymell y rhain ar hyn o bryd, lle byddent yn rhan arferol o ddiwrnod ysgol. Felly, mae yna rai cyfyngiadau arnom ni. Ond os siaradwch â'r rhan fwyaf o ysgolion, maent yn bwrw ymlaen, fel y dywedais i, gan nodi'r anghenion dysgu, rhoi ystyriaeth i brofiad y plentyn o'r cyfnod clo, a chynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol.
O ran allgáu digidol, fe hoffwn i atgoffa'r Aelod ein bod ni wedi dosbarthu 10,848 o ddyfeisiau MiFi cyn gwyliau'r haf, ac fe wnaethom ni ddosbarthu bron 10,000 o drwyddedau i awdurdodau lleol hefyd er mwyn iddynt addasu pob dyfais ac mae'r rhain wedi cael eu rhannu allan i'r plant. Rydym ni wedi gweld y niferoedd mwyaf erioed yn mewngofnodi i Hwb, sef ein llwyfan dysgu digidol ni. Ond mae'r Aelod yn llygad ei lle, Dirprwy Lywydd: roedd yna ormod o amrywiaeth yng ngallu'r ysgolion i ddarparu dysgu o bell. Rydym wedi dysgu gwersi; ac rydym yn dysgu'r gwersi o ran yr hyn a oedd yn gweithio'n dda, a'r hyn a oedd yn rhwystr i hynny.
Ac wrth imi siarad nawr, er nad yw rhai o'r awdurdodau lleol yn arbennig o hoff ohono, mae Estyn yn ymweld â phob awdurdod lleol unigol i'w sicrhau eu hunain bod yr awdurdod lleol yn gweithio gydag ysgolion i sicrhau bod cynlluniau cadarn ganddynt sy'n caniatáu iddynt ystwytho eu darpariaeth, pe byddai'r feirws yn effeithio ar ddosbarthiadau unigol neu ysgolion unigol. Ac fel y dywedais i, mae'r arolygwyr allan yno ar hyn o bryd, ac fe fyddan nhw'n adrodd yn ôl i mi. Rydym ni wedi gofyn iddyn nhw wneud hynny. Rydym ni o'r farn ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn cael y lefel honno o sicrwydd.
O ran dysgu cydamserol ac anghydamserol, cyhoeddwyd cyngor yn ôl ym mis Ebrill ynghylch sut y gall ysgolion wneud hynny'n ddiogel ac effeithiol. O ran profion tymheredd, ar hyn o bryd, nid yw'r Prif Swyddog Meddygol yn cynghori bod tymheredd yn cael ei wirio mewn ysgolion, er bod rhai ysgolion yn gwneud hynny. Ni ddylai rhieni sy'n amau bod gan eu plentyn dymheredd uchel fod yn anfon eu plentyn i'r ysgol. Mae tymheredd uchel yn symptom o goronafeirws. Os ydych chi'n amau bod tymheredd uchel gan eich plentyn, mae angen i'r plentyn hwnnw gael ei brofi ac ni ddylai'r plentyn hwnnw fod yn mynd i'r ysgol. Fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i ddarparu gwybodaeth a chyfleoedd ychwanegol drwy gydol y cyfnod hwn i drafod gyda phenaethiaid a'u cynrychiolwyr sut y gallwn sicrhau eglurder ynghylch yr hyn y mae angen i ysgol ei wneud pe byddai plentyn yn cael ei daro'n wael. Ond yr hyn a welsom ni hyd yma yw bod ysgolion, lle mae hynny wedi digwydd, wedi cymryd camau ar unwaith i amddiffyn plant a staff.
O ran Addysg Bellach, wel, mae'n amlwg bod ein colegau ni'n atebol hefyd i bwerau arolygu sydd gan Estyn, ac fe fyddem ni'n disgwyl i Estyn barhau i weithio law yn llaw â'n colegau addysg bellach i fodloni ein hunain bod y ddarpariaeth yn y colegau hynny cystal ag y gallai fod. Fel y gwyddoch, mae Addysg Bellach yn rhan gadarn o'n system addysg ni yng Nghymru sydd, flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, yn cyflawni canlyniadau rhagorol, ac mae colegau wedi bod yn gweithio'n galed iawn gyda'r Llywodraeth i sicrhau y gall eu dysgwyr nhw ddychwelyd yn ddiogel.
O ran arian ar gyfer dal i fyny, fe ddarparwyd £29 miliwn. Mae pob awdurdod lleol wedi cael dyraniad ar gyfer ysgolion unigol. Rhoddwyd swm o arian i bob partneriaeth ranbarthol hefyd i gynorthwyo ysgolion i sicrhau bod yr arian hwnnw'n cael ei ddefnyddio mewn dull sydd â sail tystiolaeth iddo, ac felly bydd pob ysgol wedi cael dyraniad. Mae'r arian hwnnw ar gael, ac fe fyddwn i'n disgwyl y bydd penaethiaid a'r awdurdodau addysg lleol yn cynllunio'r tymor hwn, ar sail yr wythnosau cyntaf hyn yn ôl yn yr ysgol, o amgylch sut y gellir defnyddio'r arian hwnnw yn y ffordd fwyaf effeithiol. Roeddwn i mewn ysgol gynradd yn y Gelli Gandryll yr wythnos diwethaf, ac roedd gan Mrs B, pennaeth gwydn yr ysgol gynradd honno, gynllun cadarn yn ei le eisoes ynglŷn â sut yr oedd yn bwriadu defnyddio'r dyraniad i'w hysgol hi.
Diolch am y datganiad. Hoffwn innau hefyd ddiolch yn fawr iawn i bawb sy'n ceisio sicrhau bod ein plant a'n pobl ifanc ni yn gallu dychwelyd at eu haddysg mewn ffordd ddiogel, sydd yn her enfawr, wrth gwrs, yn enwedig wrth inni weld achosion positif o'r COVID ar gynnydd ymhlith ein plant a'n pobl ifanc ni, efo dwsinau o ysgolion wedi cael eu heffeithio yn barod gan yr argyfwng coronafeirws.
Mae'n rhaid i fi ddweud, dwi'n methu credu eich bod chi'n meddwl bod y strategaeth olrhain, profi ac amddiffyn yn 'llwyddiannus'. Dyna'r gair rydych chi'n ei ddefnyddio. Hwn ydy'r gair lleiaf addas i ddisgrifio'r sefyllfa sy'n datblygu efo profion yn ein hysgolion ni. Ar hyn o bryd, mae yna wendid mawr efo rhan o'r strategaeth, sef y cam cyntaf: y profi. Ac mae gweithredu'r rhan honno o'r strategaeth yn simsan iawn ar hyn o bryd. Dwi yn gwybod mai mater i'r Gweinidog iechyd ydy'r profion COVID, ond mae o'n gyfrifoldeb arnoch chi fel Gweinidog Addysg pan fo'r diffyg profi a'r oedi gyda chael prawf yn golygu bod llawer gormod o ddisgyblion yn absennol o'r ysgol yn ddianghenraid ac felly'n colli allan ar eu haddysg unwaith eto. Yn anffodus, mae fy inbox i'n llawn o e-byst gan rieni o bob rhan o Gymru—nid Arfon yn unig, ond o bob cwr o Gymru—sydd yn dweud bod eu hysgol wedi anfon eu plentyn adref o'r ysgol efo symptomau, sef y peth iawn i'w wneud, fel rydych chi newydd sôn, ond wedyn bod disgwyl gan yr ysgol bod y plentyn yn cael prawf cyn dychwelyd i'r ysgol ond mae'r rhieni'n methu'n lân â chael prawf innau drwy'r post neu mewn canolfan dreifio drwodd.
Felly, byddwn i'n hoffi gwybod pa drafodaethau rydych chi'n eu cael ar ran plant a phobl ifanc Cymru sydd ddim eisiau colli mwy o'u haddysg am y sefyllfa gwbl annerbyniol yma efo profion a pham na all adran addysg Llywodraeth Cymru greu mecanwaith penodol ar gyfer rhieni, disgyblion a staff ysgolion fel bod modd i ysgolion gael mynediad rhwydd at brofion. Beth, er enghraifft, am greu un pwynt cyswllt i ysgolion ynglŷn â'r sefyllfa profion er mwyn iddyn nhw gael gafael arnyn nhw yn llawer iawn cynt na maen nhw ar hyn o bryd? Mae'n rhaid inni ddatrys hyn, a buaswn i'n leicio clywed beth rydych chi wedi bod yn ei wneud am y sefyllfa.
Mater arall sy'n peri pryder i rieni a disgyblion ydy'r sefyllfa efo mygydau ar fysiau ysgol. Dwi'n credu bod yna ddiffyg eglurder, felly hoffwn i wybod yn union pwy sydd efo'r cyfrifoldeb am orfodaeth ynglŷn â mygydau ar fysiau ysgol. Eto, mae fy inbox i'n llawn o bobl sydd yn poeni wrth weld problemau'n codi ar y daith ar y bws i'r ysgol. Rydych chi wedi rhoi mwy o arian tuag at drafnidiaeth ysgol, ond dydy hynny ar ben ei hun ddim yn mynd i wella sefyllfa lle nad oes yna ganllawiau clir ac eglurder i rieni a disgyblion ynglŷn â'r orfodaeth ar yr agwedd yma efo'r mygydau.
Ac i gloi, mae'r cwestiwn mawr yn parhau ynglŷn ag arholiadau a beth sydd i ddigwydd yr haf nesaf. Mae'r cynnydd mewn achosion a'r sefyllfa annerbyniol efo'r profion yn golygu bod addysg rhai o'n disgyblion ni'n cael ei amharu arno fo'n barod a dim ond newydd ddechrau ailgychwyn mae pethau. Pam na wnewch chi gyhoeddi na fydd arholiadau'n cael eu cynnal flwyddyn nesaf ac y byddwch chi'n canolbwyntio'n hytrach ar greu system gadarn o ddefnyddio asesiadau sydd ddim yn cynnwys gorfod bod yn yr ysgol yn gorfforol i eistedd arholiad? Does yna ddim sôn am hynny yn eich datganiad chi, ac mi fyddai cyhoeddiad cynnar am hynny'n cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr iawn.
Thank you for the statement. I too would like to thank everyone who is seeking to ensure that our children and young people are able to return to education in a safe manner, which is a huge challenge, of course, particularly as we see positive COVID cases on the rise among our children and young people, with dozens of schools now having been affected already by the coronavirus crisis.
I have to say, I can't believe that you think that the test, trace and protect system is 'successful'. I think that's the word you used. That's the least appropriate description of it in my view, given the situation developing with testing in our schools. There is a grave weakness with that part of the strategy, which is that first step: the testing. And implementing that part of the strategy is very weak at the moment. Now, I do know that the COVID testing is an issue for the health Minister, but there is a responsibility on you as education Minister when the lack of testing and the delays in getting tests does mean that far too many pupils are absent from our schools unnecessarily and are therefore missing out on their education once again. Unfortunately, my inbox is full of e-mails from parents from all parts of Wales—not just Arfon, but all corners of Wales—who tell me that their school had sent their child home because they were symptomatic, which, of course, is the right thing to do, as you've just mentioned, but then that the school expects that child to have a test before returning to school but the parents simply cannot access a test either through the mail or in a drive-through centre.
So, I would like to know what discussions you are having on behalf of our children and young people who don't want to miss out on more of their education on this utterly unacceptable situation with testing and why can't the Welsh Government education department develop a specific mechanism for parents, pupils and staff in schools so that schools can easily access testing. What about creating one point of contact for schools to deal with testing so that they can access them far more swiftly than they can at the moment? We must resolve this and I would like to hear what you've been doing about this particular situation.
Another issue that is a cause of concern for pupils and parents is the situation with face coverings on school buses. Now, I think there's a lack of clarity, and therefore I would like to know who exactly is responsible for enforcement in terms of the wearing of face coverings on school buses. Again, my inbox is full of messages from people who are concerned about seeing problems arising on that journey to school on the bus. You've provided more funding for school transport, but that alone isn't going to improve the situation where there isn't clear guidance in place and clarity for both pupils and parents on the enforcement of this aspect of face coverings.
And to conclude, the major question on examinations remains and what will happen next summer. The increase in cases and the unacceptable situation with testing does mean that the education of some of our pupils is already being affected and we've only just got back, so why don't you announce that examinations won't be held next year and that you will focus rather on creating a robust system of using assessments that doesn't include having to be physically at school to take an exam? There's no mention of that in your statement and an early announcement on that issue would be very much appreciated.
Could I make it absolutely clear that the information that I have to date regarding COVID-positive cases in school at this stage relates to the infection being acquired outside of the school premises? I think that's really important to state. Where we've had children testing positive for COVID, that is usually part of a family grouping and, where we have had adults testing positive for COVID at this stage, the data I have would suggest that, again, the virus has been acquired outside of school. And that's why it is really, really important—if we are to do what we all want to do in this Chamber, to keep our schools open, then all of us have a responsibility to do what we can to keep community transmission rates of the virus really low. Where we're seeing the biggest disruption to education at the moment, it mirrors where we're seeing the virus in the community, in Caerphilly, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, in Newport—not exclusively, of course, because there are schools in other parts of Wales that are affected, but we have to keep transmission rates down and it's really important.
A gaf i ei gwneud yn hollol glir bod yr wybodaeth sydd gennyf i am achosion cadarnhaol o COVID mewn ysgolion ar hyn o bryd yn ymwneud â heintio yn digwydd y tu allan i safle'r ysgol? Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn nodi hynny. Pan mae plant yn cael prawf cadarnhaol am COVID, mae hynny fel arfer yn rhan o grŵp teuluol, a phan mae oedolion yn cael prawf cadarnhaol am COVID ar hyn o bryd, mae'r data sydd gennyf i'n awgrymu bod y feirws, unwaith eto, wedi ei gael y tu allan i'r ysgol. A dyna pam mae hi'n wirioneddol bwysig—os ydym yn awyddus i wneud yr hyn yr ydym yn ei ddymuno yn y Siambr hon, sef cadw ein hysgolion ni ar agor, felly mae'n gyfrifoldeb ar bob un ohonom i wneud yr hyn a allwn i gadw cyfraddau trosglwyddo cymunedol y feirws yn isel iawn. Mae'r mannau lle'r ydym ni'n gweld yr amharu mwyaf ar addysg ar hyn o bryd yn adlewyrchu'r mannau hynny lle mae'r feirws yn y gymuned, yng Nghaerffili, yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, yng Nghasnewydd—nid yn unig y mannau hyn, wrth gwrs, oherwydd mae yna ysgolion wedi'u heffeithio mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru hefyd, ond mae'n rhaid inni gadw cyfraddau trosglwyddo i lawr ac mae hynny'n wirioneddol bwysig.
I've had reports, for instance, of parents gathering closely together without socially distancing at the school gate. That's a simple thing we can avoid doing—that we can avoid doing. It is particularly important that staff in our schools remember to socially distance themselves from other members of staff. We have an incident where the senior management of a school is currently self-isolating because of a COVID case and because that staff group had been meeting together in the staff room and had not done that in a socially distanced way—hence the other members of staff having to go home to isolate. So, it's really important that we remember these messages.
With regard to testing, issues around lighthouse lab capacity again have been well rehearsed here in the Chamber today, and the health Minister will speak next, but I can assure you, Siân, that I have more than daily conversations with the health Minister about the need to ensure that TTP is as good as it needs to be to allow for the smooth running of education, and the Welsh Government is taking steps to do just that, to ensure that capacity above and beyond that at the lighthouse labs is made available, focusing in particular on those communities where we know infection in the community is a challenge at the moment, and there are further plans to increase local walk-in facilities, which will be important as the autumn continues.
Can I say that testing kits have been distributed to all schools and colleges, which can be used in an emergency if there is really, truly, no other way for a child to be able to access a test? So, schools will have 10 kits delivered to them, and, as I said, they are there in absolutely emergency situations. Kits have also been supplied to further education colleges. But I recognise—and that's why the Government is working as hard as it can to make sure that tests are available in a timely fashion, because that does allow us to minimise disruption.
With regard to face coverings, the guidance is absolutely clear with regard to face coverings. Our expectations of schools and our operational guidance are that they will take steps within their school to limit contact between groups of students. And schools are doing this in a variety of ways: zoning, for instance; one-way systems; staggered starts; staggered break times, lunch times and end-of-school-day arrangements. Where, after all those other things have been done—because those things have to be done first—where those things have all been done and then it is impossible to keep bubbles of students apart in communal areas, that's when face coverings should be worn. And it is best that that is done on an individual risk-assessment basis within an individual school, because our schools come in all different shapes and sizes. There are high schools in my own constituency that would look like a small primary school in the context of Cardiff. We have some of our schools in wonderful twenty-first century schools buildings, and then some of our schools are still, if I'm honest, Victorian structures, so your ability to achieve these things within your school will vary from school to school. If you cannot keep groups of students in communal areas 2m apart, then they should wear a face covering, and I'm sure that figuring that out is well within the capability of our headteachers who run our schools. They are dealing with much more complex problems every single day of their lives than figuring out whether they can keep children 2m apart in a corridor.
With regard to buses and home-to-school transport, 17 of our 22 local authorities have already mandated or strongly recommended that face coverings be used on home-to-school transport. And again, the advice, Deputy Presiding Officer, is clear: if capacity on that bus precludes you from keeping children apart—and, let's be honest, that's the case on most buses—then, again, a face covering is appropriate. And, as to who is responsible for that, then parents and carers and children themselves have to have those conversations about what they can do to ensure that they are minimising the chances of disruption of their education by wearing a face covering. And I believe we are the only part of the United Kingdom where the Government has made financial resources available to allow local authorities to purchase, and schools to purchase, masks for their students, so that no child will be in a situation where they don't have the appropriate face covering if that's necessary. And, again, as I said, I think we're the only part of the United Kingdom to make that possible.
Rwyf wedi clywed adroddiadau, er enghraifft, am rieni'n ymgynnull yn agos at ei gilydd heb gadw pellter cymdeithasol wrth fynedfa'r ysgol. Mae hyn yn beth syml y gallwn ni ei osgoi—gallwn ni osgoi gwneud hynny. Mae'n arbennig o bwysig bod staff yn ein hysgolion yn cofio cadw pellter cymdeithasol oddi wrth aelodau eraill o staff. Mae achos gennym ni o uwch reolwyr ysgol yn hunan-ynysu ar hyn o bryd oherwydd achos o COVID ac oherwydd bod y grŵp hwnnw o staff wedi bod yn cyfarfod â'i gilydd mewn ystafell staff a heb wneud hynny gan gadw pellter cymdeithasol—ac felly roedd yn rhaid i aelodau eraill o'r staff fynd adref i ynysu. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n cadw'r negeseuon hyn mewn cof.
O ran profi, mae materion sy'n ymwneud â chapasiti labordy goleudy wedi cael eu trafod yn eang yma yn y Siambr eto heddiw, a'r Gweinidog Iechyd yw'r nesaf i siarad. Ond fe allaf eich sicrhau chi, Siân, fy mod i'n cael sgyrsiau gyda'r Gweinidog Iechyd fwy nag unwaith y dydd am yr angen i sicrhau bod Profi, Olrhain, Diogelu gystal ag y gall fod er mwyn gallu cynnal yr addysg yn rhwydd. Ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cymryd camau i wneud hynny, i sicrhau bod capasiti uwchlaw a thu hwnt i hynny ar gael yn y labordai goleudy, gan ganolbwyntio ar y cymunedau hynny'n benodol lle gwyddom fod haint yn y gymuned yn her ar hyn o bryd, ac mae cynlluniau pellach i gynyddu cyfleusterau galw i mewn lleol, a fydd yn bwysig wrth i'r hydref fynd yn ei flaen.
A gaf i ddweud fod yna becynnau profi wedi cael eu dosbarthu i bob ysgol a choleg, y gellid eu defnyddio nhw mewn argyfwng os nad oes ffordd arall i blentyn allu cael prawf? Felly, fe fydd 10 pecyn yn cael eu cyflwyno i ysgolion, ac, fel y dywedais i, maen nhw ar gael mewn sefyllfaoedd cwbl argyfyngus. Rhoddwyd pecynnau i golegau Addysg Bellach hefyd. Ond rwyf i yn cydnabod—a dyna pam mae'r Llywodraeth yn gweithio mor galed â phosibl i sicrhau bod profion ar gael mewn da bryd, oherwydd mae hynny'n ein galluogi ni i gyfyngu ar amhariadau.
O ran mygydau, mae'r canllawiau ar fygydau yn gwbl glir. Ein disgwyliadau ni o ran ysgolion, a'n canllawiau gweithredu ni yw, y byddan nhw'n cymryd camau i gyfyngu ar gyswllt rhwng grwpiau o ddisgyblion. Ac mae ysgolion yn gwneud hyn mewn ffyrdd amrywiol: er enghraifft, parthau; systemau un ffordd; dechrau'r diwrnod fesul cam; amseroedd egwyl fesul cam, amseroedd cinio a threfniadau ar ddiwedd diwrnod ysgol. Pan fydd yr holl bethau hyn wedi eu gwneud—oherwydd mae'n rhaid gwneud y pethau hynny'n gyntaf—pan fydd yr holl bethau hynny wedi eu gwneud a'i bod hi'n amhosibl wedyn gadw swigod o ddisgyblion ar wahân mewn mannau cymunedol, dyna pryd y dylid gwisgo mygydau. Ac mae'n well gwneud hynny ar sail asesu risg unigol mewn ysgol unigol, oherwydd mae ein hysgolion ni'n amrywio'n fawr o ran maint a chynllun. Mae yna ysgolion uwchradd yn fy etholaeth i a fyddai'n edrych fel ysgolion cynradd bach yng nghyd-destun Caerdydd. Mae rhai o'n hysgolion mewn adeiladau ysgol gwych yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, ac yna mae rhai o'n hysgolion yn dal i fod, pe byddwn i'n onest, mewn adeiladau o oes Fictoria, ac felly fe fydd eich gallu chi i gyflawni'r pethau hyn yn eich ysgol chi'n amrywio o ysgol i ysgol. Os na allwch gadw grwpiau o ddisgyblion 2m oddi wrth ei gilydd mewn mannau cymunedol, yna fe ddylen nhw wisgo mygydau, ac rwy'n siŵr fod trefnu hynny o fewn gallu'r penaethiaid sy'n rhedeg ein hysgolion ni. Maent yn ymdrin yn feunyddiol â phroblemau sy'n llawer mwy cymhleth na gweithio allan sut i gadw plant 2m ar wahân mewn coridor.
O ran bysiau a chludiant rhwng y cartref a'r ysgol, mae 17 o'n 22 awdurdod lleol ni wedi mandadu neu argymell yn gryf eisoes y dylid defnyddio mygydau ar gludiant o'r cartref i'r ysgol. Ac unwaith eto, Dirprwy Lywydd, mae'r cyngor yn glir: os nad oes digon o le ar y bws i gadw'r plant ar wahân—a gadwech inni fod yn onest, mae hynny'n wir am y rhan fwyaf o fysiau—yna, unwaith eto, mae mwgwd yn briodol. Ac o ran pwy sy'n gyfrifol am hynny, yna mae'n rhaid i rieni a gofalwyr a'r plant eu hunain gael y sgyrsiau hynny am yr hyn y gallan nhw ei wneud i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n lleihau'r perygl o amharu ar eu haddysg nhw drwy wisgo mwgwd. Ac rwy'n credu mai ni yw'r unig ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig lle mae'r Llywodraeth wedi darparu adnoddau ariannol i ganiatáu i awdurdodau lleol brynu, ac i ysgolion brynu, mygydau i'w disgyblion nhw, fel nad oes yna unrhyw blentyn mewn sefyllfa lle nad oes ganddo'r mwgwd priodol os oes ei angen. Ac, unwaith eto, fel y dywedais, rwy'n credu mai ni yw'r unig ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig i wneud hynny'n bosibl.
Thank you very much for your statement and the comments you've made to other Members.
I agree with you that emotional well-being has to be the top priority, because a child that is distressed is not going to be learning effectively. So, that absolutely has to be the top priority. And it is wonderful to hear the sounds in the playground of children playing, because we know, then, that they are back enjoying life.
I think that, just picking up on some of the comments you made about the use of masks when it's not possible to separate young people, and, obviously, that includes when they're getting on these buses to go back to wherever, it simply isn't possible to have school buses by year groups—that's just not going to happen; we haven't got that sort of level of buses. But I think—when parents express concern about this, I wondered if we could encourage them to think beyond that and think, 'Could my child not be bicycling to school, or walking?', depending on how far away they've got to travel. Because that transition in people's—parents'—heads has not yet been made, in my experience.
I want to pay tribute to the two schools where there were very limited outbreaks of coronavirus at the very beginning of term. Clearly, it must have been contracted in the community; they hadn't been in school long enough to have contracted it in school. So, I'm absolutely reinforcing the messages you say about how we all need to keep the whole community from spreading the disease so that we can keep our schools open.
However, I want to come back on this digital exclusion point, because you weren't in the Chamber when I had a dialogue with the Deputy Minister on the number of Gypsy and Traveller sites that are digitally connected, and she said half of them had some connection. Well, I know what that means from personal experience—1 Mbps won't get you any learning remotely, unfortunately. And I'm concerned about all the other sites where there clearly is no digital learning. So, it doesn't matter how many iPads and laptops we hand out, those children will not be able to access the curriculum unless we are providing the broadband to enable those things to function. So, I wondered if you could talk to the Minister for local government about how we can get local authorities to make this a top priority. Because the money is available for making these connections, but local authorities have simply not taken it up over the summer when there was this opportunity to do so. So, this seems to me a top priority, and thank you for all the work you're doing.
Diolch yn fawr am eich datganiad a'r sylwadau a wnaethoch chi i'r Aelodau eraill.
Rwy'n cytuno â chi mai llesiant emosiynol ddylai fod yn brif flaenoriaeth, oherwydd nid yw plentyn sy'n bryderus yn mynd i allu dysgu'n effeithiol. Felly, mae'n rhaid i hynny fod yn brif flaenoriaeth. A hyfryd o beth yw clywed sŵn plant yn chwarae ar yr iard, oherwydd yna rydym yn gwybod eu bod nhw'n ôl yn mwynhau bywyd.
Rwyf i o'r farn, gan nodi'n syml rai o'r sylwadau a wnaethoch chi am ddefnyddio mygydau pan nad oes modd cadw pobl ifanc ar wahân, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys pan fyddan nhw'n teithio ar y bysiau hyn i fynd yn ôl i ble bynnag, nad yw'n bosibl darparu bysiau ysgol yn ôl grwpiau blwyddyn—nid yw hynny'n mynd i ddigwydd; nid oes gennym y lefel honno o fysiau. Ond rwy'n credu—pan fydd rhieni'n mynegi pryder yn hyn o beth, tybed a allem ni eu hannog nhw i feddwl y tu hwnt i hynny a meddwl, 'A allai fy mhlentyn i fynd ar y beic i'r ysgol, neu gerdded?', gan ddibynnu ar ba mor bell i ffwrdd y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw deithio. Oherwydd, yn fy mhrofiad i, nid yw'r trawsnewid hwnnw wedi digwydd ym mhennau pobl—y rhieni—eto.
Fe hoffwn i dalu teyrnged i'r ddwy ysgol lle cafwyd achosion cyfyngedig iawn o'r coronafeirws ar ddechrau'r tymor. Yn amlwg, mae'n rhaid mai yn y gymuned y daliwyd y feirws; nid oeddent wedi bod yn yr ysgol yn ddigon hir i'w gael yno. Felly, rwy'n llwyr atgyfnerthu'r negeseuon yr ydych chi'n eu datgan ynglŷn â sut mae angen i bob un ohonom ni gadw'r gymuned gyfan rhag lledu'r clefyd fel y gallwn ni gadw ein hysgolion ar agor.
Fodd bynnag, fe hoffwn i ddod yn ôl at y pwynt am allgau digidol, oherwydd nid oeddech chi yn y Siambr pan gefais ddeialog â'r Dirprwy Weinidog ynglŷn â nifer y safleoedd Sipsiwn a Theithwyr sydd â chysylltiad digidol, ac fe ddywedodd hi fod gan eu hanner nhw rywfaint o gysylltiad. Wel, gwn o brofiad personol yr hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu—nid yw 1Mb yr eiliad yn caniatáu ichi gael unrhyw ddysgu o bell, yn anffodus. Ac rwy'n bryderus am yr holl safleoedd eraill lle mae'n amlwg nad oes unrhyw ddysgu digidol. Felly, waeth faint o lechi neu liniaduron sy'n cael eu dosbarthu, ni fydd y plant hynny'n gallu cael mynediad i'r cwricwlwm oni bai ein bod yn darparu'r band eang i allu gwneud defnydd ohonynt. Felly, roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a allech chi siarad â'r Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol am sut y gallwn ni gael yr awdurdodau lleol i wneud hyn yn brif flaenoriaeth. Mae'r arian ar gael ar gyfer gwneud y cysylltiadau hyn, ond nid yw awdurdodau lleol wedi manteisio ar hynny dros yr haf pan oedd cyfle i wneud hynny. Felly, mae hon yn ymddangos yn brif flaenoriaeth i mi, a diolch am yr holl waith yr ydych chi'n ei wneud.
Thank you very much. You're absolutely correct: well-being is key. Learning cannot stick in a child who is distressed, and what we know is that the period of lockdown will have had an impact on all of our children, but that impact will be as various as our children are. Lockdown will have been a very unhappy period for some of our children, and that will need to be addressed. We know that for some of our learners, actually—and there have been some recent surveys that have said that teenagers actually have been less stressed being outside of school, so that reintegration into school has to be managed appropriately. And, if nothing else, it reinforces the importance of the whole-school approach, doesn't it, about making school a happy place to be for all of our learners. And that's why we do need to take this time at the beginning of term to give schools space to be able to address that, so that the rest of the academic year can go as well as it possibly can. And that's why we've made additional resources available, between myself and the health Minister, to have additional counselling sessions for those children where counselling is appropriate, and children in primary school, where traditional counselling is not an appropriate method for intervening with children, but family work and group work, which is much more appropriate, is made available.
Deputy Presiding Officer, the Member is right: in our guidance, we say very clearly that active travel should be the first option for parents where it is practical to do so, if for no other reason than that is a perfect start to the day for a child—burning off a little bit of that excess energy, getting some fresh air and getting some exercise before the start of the school day. We will continue to work with colleagues in the transport department to get those messages across and to make sure that schools are well equipped for that. Across the way here, in Ysgol Hamadryad, we have our first active travel school, where cars are simply not allowed to travel to school. So, in certain circumstances, in certain communities, it can be done successfully and we need to keep working on creating the conditions—not just for now, but for the future—to encourage active travel.
With regard to digital exclusion, I will indeed raise the point with the Minister for local government about permanent connections to Gypsy and Traveller sites. But, as I said in answer to Suzy Davies, not only did we give out laptops and devices to children, we also actually distributed 10,848 MiFi devices. Sometimes, it's not just the lack of a device that's the problem; it's the connectivity. You may be in a Gypsy-Traveller site, or you may be in the countryside, where that connection is not available. Hence, we were able to assist, as I said, almost 11,000 children by providing them with connectivity during this time.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rydych chi yn llygad eich lle: mae llesiant yn allweddol. Nid yw dysgu'n gweddu i blentyn sy'n ofidus, a'r hyn a wyddom ni yw y bydd y cyfnod clo wedi cael effaith ar bob un o'n plant ni, ond fe fydd effaith hynny'n amrywio o blentyn i blentyn. Fe fu'r cyfnod clo yn gyfnod anhapus iawn i rai o'r plant, ac fe fydd angen mynd i'r afael â hynny. Gwyddom fod hyn yn wir am rai o'n dysgwyr, mewn gwirionedd—ac fe gafwyd rhai arolygon diweddar yn dangos bod pobl ifanc yn eu harddegau wedi teimlo llai o straen y tu allan i'r ysgol, felly rhaid rheoli ailintegreiddio i'r ysgol yn briodol. Ac, o leiaf, mae hyn yn atgyfnerthu pwysigrwydd y dull ysgol gyfan, onid yw e, am wneud yr ysgol yn lle hapus i'n dysgwyr ni i gyd. A dyna pam mae angen inni gymryd yr amser hwn ar ddechrau'r tymor i roi cyfle i ysgolion allu mynd i'r afael â hynny, fel y gall gweddill y flwyddyn academaidd fynd yn ei blaen gystal ag y gall. A dyna pam yr ydym ni, y Gweinidog Iechyd a minnau, wedi sicrhau bod adnoddau ychwanegol ar gael i gynnal sesiynau cwnsela ychwanegol i'r plant hynny lle mae cwnsela'n briodol. Ac o ran plant ysgol gynradd, lle nad yw cwnsela traddodiadol yn ddull priodol i gyfryngu â phlant, fe geir gwaith teuluol a gwaith grŵp, sy'n llawer mwy priodol.
Dirprwy Lywydd, mae'r Aelod yn iawn: yn ein canllawiau ni, rydym yn dweud yn eglur iawn mai teithio llesol ddylai fod y dewis cyntaf i rieni lle bo'n ymarferol gwneud felly, ac os nad am unrhyw reswm arall mae'n ddechrau perffaith i'r diwrnod i blentyn—gan losgi ychydig o'r egni hwnnw sydd dros ben, a chael rhywfaint o awyr iach ac ymarfer corff cyn dechrau'r diwrnod ysgol. Fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i weithio gyda chydweithwyr yn yr adran drafnidiaeth i gyfleu'r negeseuon hynny a sicrhau bod ysgolion mewn sefyllfa dda i wneud hynny. Ar draws y ffordd yn y fan hon, yn Ysgol Hamadryad, mae gennym ein hysgol teithio llesol gyntaf, lle ni chaniateir i geir deithio i'r ysgol. Felly, mewn rhai amgylchiadau, mewn rhai cymunedau, gellir gwneud hynny'n llwyddiannus ac mae angen inni barhau i weithio ar greu'r amodau—nid yn unig dros dro, ond i'r dyfodol—i annog teithio llesol.
O ran allgau digidol, fe fyddaf i'n sicr yn codi'r pwynt gyda'r Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol ynglŷn â chysylltiadau parhaol i safleoedd Sipsiwn a Theithwyr. Ond, fel y dywedais pan atebais Suzy Davies, nid yn unig fe wnaethom roi gliniaduron a dyfeisiau i blant, dosbarthwyd 10,848 o ddyfeisiau MiFi gennym hefyd. Weithiau, nid diffyg dyfais yn unig yw'r broblem, ond y cysylltedd. Efallai eich bod chi mewn safle Sipsiwn a Theithwyr, neu efallai eich bod chi yng nghefn gwlad, lle nad yw'r cysylltiad hwnnw ar gael. Felly, roeddem ni'n gallu cynorthwyo, fel y dywedais i, bron 11,000 o blant drwy ddarparu cysylltedd iddyn nhw yn ystod y cyfnod hwn.
How do you respond to concerns raised with me by school staff that social distancing is being ignored or is impossible for pupils whose school requires them to move between classrooms; that the breadth and standard of online teaching has been variable, asking whether Wales has invested in further development of online teaching and resources in preparation for a possible second wave; that a primary sector teacher was hauled over the coals for using up too much paper in her classroom during hand-washing sessions, and told to encourage pupils to air-dry their hands—we all know how dangerous that is; that in some authorities the teaching staff are having to clean their own classrooms, with cleaners only coming in to provide one weekly deep clean, creating additional health risks and increasing their stress levels; and that Kirsty Williams says that the headteacher is best placed to advise, but they are not medical practitioners or scientists, and even they have got it wrong, and that we need robust, enforceable all-Wales advice?
Beth yw eich ymateb chi i bryderon a godwyd gyda mi gan staff mewn ysgolion bod cadw pellter cymdeithasol yn cael ei anwybyddu neu ei fod yn amhosibl i ddisgyblion mewn ysgol lle mae gofyn iddyn nhw symud o un ystafell ddosbarth i'r llall; bod cysondeb a safon yr addysg ar-lein wedi amrywio'n fawr, gan holi a yw Cymru wedi buddsoddi ymhellach mewn datblygu addysg ac adnoddau ar-lein i baratoi ar gyfer ail don bosibl; bod athrawes sector cynradd wedi cael ei dwrdio am ddefnyddio gormod o bapur yn ei hystafell ddosbarth yn ystod sesiynau golchi dwylo, a dywedwyd wrthi am annog disgyblion i sychu eu dwylo nhw yn yr aer—ac fe wyddom ni i gyd pa mor beryglus yw hynny; bod y staff addysgu mewn rhai awdurdodau yn gorfod glanhau eu hystafelloedd dosbarth nhw eu hunain, gyda glanhawyr yn dod i mewn i lanhau'n ddwfn yn wythnosol yn unig, gan greu risgiau iechyd ychwanegol a chynyddu'r pwysau sydd arnynt; a bod Kirsty Williams yn dweud mai'r pennaeth sydd yn y sefyllfa orau i gynghori, ond nid ymarferwyr meddygol na gwyddonwyr mohonynt, ac mae'r rheini, hyd yn oed, wedi gwneud camgymeriadau, a bod angen cyngor cadarn arnom y gellir ei orfodi trwy Gymru gyfan?
First of all, with regard to digital learning, as I have said in answer to both Jenny Rathbone and Suzy Davies, we've invested heavily in ensuring that digitally excluded learners have devices and MiFi connections. Those devices that have been given out to children will be replaced with new devices in those schools that have given devices to children as part of our EdTech scheme.
With regard to what further investment, Wales is the only part of the United Kingdom that has a deal with Microsoft. So, every child and every teacher has access to a full suite of Microsoft for education tools—Office and all those things that a school and a child would need to engage in online learning. Our digital platform, Hwb, has been an absolute godsend during this period. During the lockdown, we were also able to make Adobe Spark software available to every single child and teacher. Again, these are unique resources that are simply not available on this scale, free of charge, anywhere else in the United Kingdom.
With regard to cleaning, operational guidance is very clear about cleaning. Ahead of the summer term, out of the education budget, we made over £1 million available, up front, for local authorities to buy additional cleaning material. My colleague the Minister for local government has made available, I believe it is £29 million, which local authorities can draw down for the additional costs of cleaning in their schools. That is a substantial sum of money that has been agreed with the Welsh Local Government Association, so there is no reason why cleaning should be being skimped on. The financial resources have been made available prior to September, and are available to local authorities as we move forward.
With regard to enforcement, HSE, the Health and Safety Executive—much to the annoyance, actually, of some unions—has been ringing schools during the first week back and last week back, checking that the schools are abiding by the legislation that we have put in place for safe workplaces. Because not only are they places of education, they are workplaces, and they need to comply with the legislation that has been put in place. The HSE has been actively involved in telephoning schools to double-check that they are taking all the necessary steps.
With regard to moving children around schools, many schools are choosing to limit movements around schools, Mark. So, for instance, children staying in a particular classroom for the majority of their day, including in secondary school, and only moving when they need to move to a lab to do, perhaps, lab work. Or, the preference many schools are using is actually moving staff around the schools. And if that teacher is saying that those provisions haven't been put in place in their school then that conversation needs to be had with the headteacher, doesn't it, about how that school is organising itself? Because in the schools that I have visited, and the discussions I've had with headteachers, they're looking at zones and they're looking at minimising the amount of movement around a school that the pupils are doing, choosing, where at all possible, to move staff instead.
Yn gyntaf oll, o ran dysgu digidol, fel y dywedais i wrth ateb Jenny Rathbone a Suzy Davies, rydym wedi buddsoddi llawer i sicrhau bod dysgwyr sydd wedi eu hallgau'n ddigidol yn cael dyfeisiau a chysylltiadau MiFi. Fe fydd dyfeisiau newydd yn cael eu rhoi i blant yn yr ysgolion hynny a roddodd dyfeisiau i blant yn rhan o'n cynllun Technoleg Addysg.
O ran pa fuddsoddiad pellach a roddwyd, Cymru yw'r unig ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig sydd â bargen gyda Microsoft. Felly, mae pob plentyn a phob athro yn cael defnyddio'r gyfres lawn o raglenni Microsoft ar gyfer addysg—Office a'r holl bethau hynny y byddai eu hangen ar ysgol ac ar blentyn i gymryd rhan mewn dysgu ar-lein. Mae ein platfform digidol ni, Hwb, wedi bod yn fendithiol tu hwnt yn ystod y cyfnod hwn. Yn ystod y cyfnod clo, roeddem ni'n gallu sicrhau bod meddalwedd Adobe Spark ar gael hefyd i bob plentyn ac athro unigol. Unwaith eto, mae'r rhain yn adnoddau unigryw nad ydyn nhw ar gael ar y raddfa hon, yn rhad ac am ddim, yn unman arall yn y Deyrnas Unedig.
O ran glanhau, mae'r canllawiau gweithredol yn eglur iawn ynghylch glanhau. Cyn tymor yr haf, o'r gyllideb addysg, rhoddwyd dros £1 miliwn, ymlaen llaw, i awdurdodau lleol brynu deunyddiau glanhau ychwanegol. Mae fy nghyd-Weinidog, y Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol, wedi darparu £29 miliwn, rwy'n credu, y gall awdurdodau lleol ei ddefnyddio i dalu am y costau ychwanegol o lanhau eu hysgolion. Mae hwnnw'n swm sylweddol o arian y cytunwyd arno gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, felly nid oes unrhyw reswm dros ddiffyg glanhau. Roedd yr adnoddau ariannol ar gael cyn mis Medi, ac maen nhw ar gael i awdurdodau lleol wrth inni symud ymlaen.
O ran gorfodi, mae'r HSE, yr Awdurdod Gweithredol Iechyd a Diogelwch—er dicter i rai undebau, yn wir—wedi bod yn ffonio ysgolion yn ystod yr wythnos gyntaf yn ôl a'r wythnos ddiwethaf yn ôl, gan sicrhau bod yr ysgolion yn cadw at y ddeddfwriaeth a roddwyd ar waith gennym ni ar gyfer gweithleoedd diogel. Nid yn unig maen nhw'n safleoedd addysg, maen nhw'n weithleoedd, ac mae angen iddyn nhw gydymffurfio â'r ddeddfwriaeth a roddwyd ar waith. Mae'r HSE wedi bod wrthi'n ffonio ysgolion i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n cymryd yr holl gamau angenrheidiol.
O ran symud plant o amgylch ysgolion, mae llawer o ysgolion yn dewis cyfyngu ar symudiadau o amgylch ysgolion, Mark. Felly, er enghraifft, fe fydd plant yn aros mewn ystafell ddosbarth benodol am y rhan fwyaf o'r diwrnod, gan gynnwys yn yr ysgol uwchradd, a dim ond yn symud pan fydd angen iddyn nhw symud i labordy i wneud gwaith labordy, efallai. Neu, mae llawer o ysgolion yn dewis symud y staff o amgylch yr ysgolion. Ac os yw'r athro hwnnw'n dweud na roddwyd y darpariaethau hynny ar waith yn ei ysgol ef, yna mae angen cael y sgwrs honno gyda'r pennaeth, onid oes, am y trefniadau yn yr ysgol benodol honno? Oherwydd yn yr ysgolion yr wyf i wedi ymweld â nhw, ac yn y trafodaethau a gefais i gyda phenaethiaid, maen nhw'n ystyried parthau ac yn ystyried lleihau'r symudiadau gan ddisgyblion o amgylch ysgol gan ddewis yn hytrach, os oes modd, symud y staff o gwmpas.
