Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd

Plenary - Fifth Senedd

25/11/2020

Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.

In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.

Cyfarfu'r Senedd yn y Siambr a thrwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:29 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair. 

The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:29 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.

Datganiad gan y Llywydd
Statement by the Llywydd

Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. A chyn i ni ddechrau, dwi eisiau nodi ychydig o bwyntiau. Cynhelir y cyfarfod hwn ar ffurf hybrid, gyda rhai Aelodau yn Siambr y Senedd ac eraill yn ymuno drwy gyswllt fideo. Bydd yr holl Aelodau sy'n cymryd rhan yn nhrafodion y Senedd, lle bynnag y bônt, yn cael eu trin yn gyfartal. Mae 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 yma heddiw, ac fe nodir y rhain yn eich agenda chi. Hoffwn atgoffa'r Aelodau fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn berthnasol i'r cyfarfod yma, ac yr un mor berthnasol i Aelodau yn y Siambr ag ydyn nhw i'r Aelodau sy'n ymuno drwy gyswllt fideo.

Welcome to this Plenary session. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points. This meeting will be held in a hybrid format, with some Members in the Senedd Chamber and others joining by video-conference. All Members participating in proceedings of the Senedd, wherever they may be, will be treated equally. A Plenary meeting held using video-conference, in accordance with the 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, and these are set out 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 Chamber as to those joining virtually.

13:30
1. Cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Cyllid a'r Trefnydd
1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd

Yr eitem gyntaf y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Cyllid a'r Trefnydd, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Russell George.

The first item this afternoon is questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd, and the first question is from Russell George.

Dyrannu Cyllid
The Allocation of Funding

1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddyrannu cyllid ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru yn sgil cyhoeddiad y Canghellor ynghylch £600 miliwn o symiau canlyniadol ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth y DU? OQ55901

1. Will the Minister make a statement on the allocation of funding across the Welsh Government in light of the Chancellor's announcement of £600 million of additional budget consequentials from the UK Government? OQ55901

So far this financial year, I have allocated more than £4 billion as part of our response to COVID-19. I'll continue to make further prudent funding decisions and allocate further resources when they are needed to support vital public services, the economy and individuals.

Hyd yn hyn yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon, rwyf wedi dyrannu mwy na £4 biliwn fel rhan o'n hymateb i COVID-19. Byddaf yn parhau i wneud penderfyniadau cyllido darbodus pellach ac yn dyrannu adnoddau pellach pan fydd eu hangen i gefnogi gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol, yr economi ac unigolion.

Thank you for your answer, Minister. A couple of weeks ago, I asked the question of your colleague the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, and he very helpfully suggested that you were best placed to answer the question. I'm sure you would, of course, welcome the £600 million that was allocated by the Chancellor last month in guaranteed consequentials to the Welsh Government, and that's on top, of course, of the £1.1 billion guaranteed from the UK Government earlier this year. That brings a total amount of additional funding by the UK Government to £5 billion to fight the pandemic here in Wales. There has been some concern over the timely distribution of these funds to businesses. Can you tell me how much of this funding is still in the Welsh Government's coffers, rather than providing that vital support to businesses and organisations across Wales during this pandemic? You've mentioned you've allocated £4 billion to date, so I calculate that's another £1 billion yet to spend. Do you agree with that analysis, and when is that going to get to businesses on the front line?

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, gofynnais y cwestiwn i’ch cyd-Aelod, Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru, ac awgrymodd, yn ddefnyddiol iawn, mai chi sydd yn y sefyllfa orau i ateb y cwestiwn. Rwy'n siŵr y byddech, wrth gwrs, yn croesawu'r £600 miliwn a ddyrannwyd gan y Canghellor y mis diwethaf mewn cyllid canlyniadol gwarantedig i Lywodraeth Cymru, ac mae hynny’n ychwanegol, wrth gwrs, at yr £1.1 biliwn a warantwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU yn gynharach eleni. Daw hynny â chyfanswm y cyllid ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth y DU i £5 biliwn i ymladd y pandemig yma yng Nghymru. Mae rhywfaint o bryder wedi bod ynghylch dosbarthiad amserol y cyllid hwn i fusnesau. A allwch ddweud wrthyf faint o'r cyllid hwn sy'n dal i fod yng nghoffrau Llywodraeth Cymru, yn hytrach na’n darparu'r gefnogaeth hanfodol honno i fusnesau a sefydliadau ledled Cymru yn ystod y pandemig hwn? Fe ddywedoch chi eich bod wedi dyrannu £4 biliwn hyd yn hyn, felly rwy'n cyfrif bod £1 biliwn arall eto i’w wario. A ydych yn cytuno â'r dadansoddiad hwnnw, a phryd y bydd yr arian hwnnw'n cyrraedd busnesau ar y rheng flaen?

I was very pleased to be able to negotiate that guarantee with the UK Government in respect of additional funding for COVID-19. But what we have yet to receive from the UK Government is that reconciliation exercise, which will help us understand exactly what that guarantee relates to. Because, let's remember, all of this funding is just in relation to spend on tackling COVID-19 across the border in England—this isn't any special treatment or any special favours for Wales. But I have to say that, just last week, we voted and passed our second supplementary budget, to give maximum transparency to the decisions and the allocations that we're making in Wales. And Wales is the only part of the UK that has published a second supplementary budget thus far, to demonstrate the funding that is being provided to individuals, to businesses, and to communities, the NHS and local government as well.

In the second supplementary budget, that increased the overall Welsh resources by £2.5 billion. There is further funding to be allocated, but of course we are only two thirds of the way through the financial year. We have the prospect of a 'no deal' Brexit hanging on the horizon, and we don't yet know the full path of the pandemic through to the spring. So, there will be further allocations to be made, but they will be timely and in response to the specific conditions in which we find ourselves.

Roeddwn yn falch iawn o allu negodi’r warant honno gyda Llywodraeth y DU mewn perthynas â chyllid ychwanegol ar gyfer COVID-19. Ond yr hyn nad ydym wedi'i dderbyn eto gan Lywodraeth y DU yw'r ymarfer cysoni hwnnw, a fydd yn ein cynorthwyo i ddeall beth yn union y mae'r warant honno ar ei gyfer. Oherwydd gadewch inni gofio, mae'r holl arian hwn yn cyfateb i’r gwariant ar fynd i'r afael â COVID-19 dros y ffin yn Lloegr—nid yw'n driniaeth arbennig na’n ffafr arbennig i Gymru. Ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud ein bod wedi pleidleisio a derbyn ein hail gyllideb atodol yr wythnos diwethaf er mwyn sicrhau cymaint o dryloywder â phosibl mewn perthynas â’r penderfyniadau a'r dyraniadau a wnawn yng Nghymru. A Chymru yw'r unig ran o'r DU sydd wedi cyhoeddi ail gyllideb atodol hyd yn hyn, i ddangos y cyllid sy'n cael ei ddarparu i unigolion, i fusnesau, ac i gymunedau, y GIG ac i lywodraeth leol hefyd.

Yn yr ail gyllideb atodol, cafwyd cynnydd o £2.5 biliwn i adnoddau cyffredinol Cymru. Mae cyllid pellach i'w ddyrannu, ond wrth gwrs, nid ydym ond dwy ran o dair o'r ffordd drwy'r flwyddyn ariannol. Mae’r posibilrwydd o Brexit 'dim cytundeb' ar y gorwel, ac nid ydym yn gwybod eto beth fydd llwybr y pandemig rhwng nawr a'r gwanwyn. Felly, bydd dyraniadau pellach i'w gwneud, ond byddant yn amserol ac yn ymateb i'r amgylchiadau penodol y byddwn yn eu hwynebu.

Minister, only a few short months ago, we saw Conservative Cabinet members of the UK Government and, indeed, the Prime Minister clapping and thanking key workers every Thursday at 8 p.m. on the doorstep—indeed, outside No. 10. Fast-forward to today, we now know that the Chancellor is planning to freeze the pay for some of those key workers. Thank goodness it's not our NHS workers, and some others, but many, many public sector workers who've been on the front line will have their pay frozen next year. Does the Minister agree with me that if the UK Tory Government can find the money to give, indeed, friends hundreds of millions of pounds in contracts for unsuitable personal protective equipment, then surely to goodness they can find the money to give our public sector workers—all of them—who they thanked every week, the pay rise they deserve, in recognition of how they've kept this country going during the pandemic?

Weinidog, ychydig fisoedd yn ôl yn unig, gwelsom aelodau Cabinet Ceidwadol Llywodraeth y DU, a Phrif Weinidog y DU yn wir yn curo dwylo ac yn diolch i weithwyr allweddol bob dydd Iau am 8 p.m. ar garreg y drws—y tu allan i Rif 10 yn wir. Erbyn heddiw, gwyddom bellach fod y Canghellor yn bwriadu rhewi cyflogau rhai o'r gweithwyr allweddol hynny. Diolch byth na fydd hynny’n digwydd i weithwyr y GIG, a rhai gweithwyr eraill, ond bydd cyflogau llawer iawn o weithwyr y sector cyhoeddus sydd wedi bod ar y rheng flaen yn cael eu rhewi y flwyddyn nesaf. A yw'r Gweinidog yn cytuno â mi, os gall Llywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU ddod o hyd i'r arian i roi cannoedd o filiynau o bunnoedd mewn contractau i’w ffrindiau am gyfarpar diogelu personol anaddas, does bosibl na allant ddod o hyd i arian i roi'r codiad cyflog y maent yn ei haeddu i weithwyr ein sector cyhoeddus—pob un ohonynt—y buont yn diolch iddynt bob wythnos, i gydnabod y ffordd y maent wedi cadw'r wlad i fynd yn ystod y pandemig?

Huw Irranca-Davies is absolutely right, in the sense that the allocations and the decisions made by the UK Government are very much a reflection of the values of the UK Government and the things that it holds most dear. For my part, ahead of the Chancellor's spending review today, I wrote to the Chancellor urging him to rule out the public sector pay freeze and to deliver the funding that we need here in Wales in order to protect health, jobs and support a fair recovery. And the Treasury really does need to use all of the levers at its disposal to stand by those front-line workers who have done so much for us in Wales and across the UK through the course of this pandemic. And the decision today simply pits different parts of the public sector against each other, which is really, really concerning, but clearly it's deeply disappointing and unnecessary. 

Mae Huw Irranca-Davies yn llygad ei le, yn yr ystyr fod y dyraniadau a’r penderfyniadau a wneir gan Lywodraeth y DU yn adlewyrchiad o werthoedd Llywodraeth y DU i raddau helaeth, a’r pethau sydd bwysicaf iddynt. O'm rhan i, cyn adolygiad o wariant y Canghellor heddiw, ysgrifennais at y Canghellor yn ei annog i gadw rhag rhewi cyflogau'r sector cyhoeddus, ac i ddarparu’r cyllid sydd ei angen arnom yma yng Nghymru er mwyn diogelu iechyd, swyddi a chefnogi adferiad teg. Ac mae gwir angen i'r Trysorlys ddefnyddio'r holl ysgogiadau sydd ar gael iddo i gefnogi’r gweithwyr ar y rheng flaen sydd wedi gwneud cymaint drosom ni yng Nghymru a ledled y DU drwy gydol y pandemig hwn. Ac mae'r penderfyniad heddiw yn gosod gwahanol rannau o'r sector cyhoeddus yn erbyn ei gilydd, sy'n peri cryn bryder, ond yn amlwg, mae’n siomedig iawn ac yn ddiangen.

13:35

Minister, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer is now announcing the UK Tory Government's spending plans for the coming year, with the very delayed comprehensive spending review. It is disappointing, when we are seeking security and longer term planning across inter-governmental agencies and local government during this time, that this is still a one-year plan. And, of course, the Welsh Government will look, naturally, as part of the union, to receiving money proportionate to any funding to England, thanks to the Barnett formula, and I look forward to those consequentials coming to Wales, although I do remain perplexed and at a loss that Wales still, at this point, has nothing from HS2.

Minister, it is important that the Welsh cultural and musical offering is protected and sustained during this harsh COVID winter, and although the cultural recovery fund has been welcomed and oversubscribed, it still leaves out broad categories, which Welsh Government has attempted to breach. So, Minister, what representations, then, will the Welsh Government make to the Treasury for much needed extra income for Wales? And how does the Welsh Government intend to further financially support live Welsh musical performance? 

Weinidog, mae Canghellor Trysorlys y DU nawr yn cyhoeddi cynlluniau gwariant Llywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU ar gyfer y flwyddyn i ddod, gyda'r adolygiad cynhwysfawr o wariant a ohiriwyd cyhyd. A ninnau'n ceisio sicrwydd a chynllunio ar gyfer tymor hwy ar draws asiantaethau rhynglywodraethol a llywodraeth leol yn ystod y cyfnod hwn, mae'n siomedig mai cynllun blwyddyn yw hwn o hyd. Ac wrth gwrs, yn naturiol, fel rhan o'r undeb, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn disgwyl cael arian sy'n gymesur ag unrhyw arian i Loegr, diolch i fformiwla Barnett, ac edrychaf ymlaen at weld y cyllid canlyniadol hwnnw’n dod i Gymru, er fy mod yn parhau i fod mewn penbleth ac yn methu deall pam nad yw Cymru ar hyn o bryd yn cael unrhyw beth o HS2.

Weinidog, mae'n bwysig fod cynnig diwylliannol a cherddorol Cymru yn cael ei ddiogelu a'i gynnal dros y gaeaf COVID anodd hwn, ac er bod y gronfa adferiad diwylliannol wedi'i chroesawu ac wedi’i dihysbyddu, mae'n dal i hepgor categorïau eang, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ceisio llenwi’r bylchau hynny. Felly, Weinidog, pa sylwadau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu gwneud i'r Trysorlys ynglŷn ag incwm ychwanegol mawr ei angen i Gymru? A sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu rhoi rhagor o gefnogaeth ariannol i berfformio cerddoriaeth fyw yng Nghymru?

It's really important, as I was saying to Russell George, that the Welsh Government has the results of that reconciliation exercise, so that we can understand exactly what the consequentials that we have received thus far pertain to, and then we can get a better understanding as to whether there'll be further funding coming forward before the end of the financial year. I know that there are some discussions going on at the moment in terms of further support for the culture sector, and certainly that will be something I would seek to have some further discussions with Eluned Morgan and Dafydd Elis-Thomas regarding. 

Mae'n bwysig iawn, fel y dywedais wrth Russell George, fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael canlyniadau'r ymarfer cysoni hwnnw, fel y gallwn ddeall ar gyfer beth yn union y mae'r cyllid canlyniadol rydym wedi’i dderbyn hyd yma, ac yna gallwn ddeall yn well p’un a fydd cyllid pellach yn cael ei ddarparu cyn diwedd y flwyddyn ariannol. Gwn fod rhai trafodaethau yn mynd rhagddynt ar hyn o bryd ynglŷn â chefnogaeth bellach i'r sector diwylliannol, ac yn sicr, bydd hynny'n rhywbeth y byddwn yn awyddus i gael trafodaethau pellach yn ei gylch gydag Eluned Morgan a Dafydd Elis-Thomas.

Dyw'r ail gwestiwn [OQ55934] ddim yn gallu cael ei ofyn am resymau technegol.

The second question [OQ55934] cannot be asked for technical reasons. 

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

Felly, fe symudwn ni nawr i gwestiynau'r llefarwyr. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr yn gyntaf—Nick Ramsay 

Therefore, we will move to questions from party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson first—Nick Ramsay. 

Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, as we know, the Auditor General for Wales has qualified his opinion on the Welsh Government accounts for the first time ever, because £739 million of expenditure was omitted relating to the Welsh Government's coronavirus response. This was something that was discussed with officials in the Public Accounts Committee on Monday. Had the cost of the business support schemes been included in the Welsh Government accounts, this would effectively had turned the underspend of £436 million into an overspend of £303 million. There are, clearly, a number of accounting issues that need to be tidied up here. What steps are being taken to avoid this kind of thing happening in future? 

Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, fel y gwyddom, mae Archwilydd Cyffredinol Cymru wedi rhoi barn amodol ar gyfrifon Llywodraeth Cymru am y tro cyntaf erioed, gan i wariant o £739 miliwn gael ei hepgor mewn perthynas ag ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i’r coronafeirws. Roedd hyn yn rhywbeth a drafodwyd gyda swyddogion yn y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus ddydd Llun. Pe bai cost y cynlluniau cymorth i fusnesau wedi'i chynnwys yng nghyfrifon Llywodraeth Cymru, byddai hyn, i bob pwrpas, wedi troi'r tanwariant o £436 miliwn yn orwariant o £303 miliwn. Mae'n amlwg fod yma nifer o faterion cyfrifyddu sydd angen eu tacluso. Pa gamau sy'n cael eu cymryd i osgoi'r math hwn o beth rhag digwydd yn y dyfodol?

Well, as Nick Ramsay will know, through the briefing he's had as part of the Public Accounts Committee's work, this is a technical disagreement between the Welsh Government and the auditor in terms of how funding should be classified for this year, in the sense that funding was announced and when it went out the door was potentially across years. So, it is a disagreement in terms of how things should be coded. But, I have to say, we're not the only ones in this position. I think all four Governments across the UK are facing the same decision. And, absolutely, we don't regret making that early announcement of support for businesses, so that they could plan and prepare as we entered the original lockdown back in March. 

Wel, fel y gŵyr Nick Ramsay, drwy'r briff y mae wedi'i gael fel rhan o waith y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus, anghytundeb technegol yw hwn rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a'r archwilydd o ran sut y dylid dosbarthu cyllid ar gyfer eleni, yn yr ystyr fod y cyllid wedi’i gyhoeddi a’i ddosbarthu mewn gwahanol flynyddoedd o bosibl. Felly, mae'n anghytundeb o ran sut y dylid codio pethau. Ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, nid ni yw'r unig rai yn y sefyllfa hon. Credaf fod pob un o'r pedair Llywodraeth ledled y DU yn wynebu'r un penderfyniad. Ac yn sicr, nid ydym yn difaru gwneud y cyhoeddiad cynnar hwnnw ynghylch cymorth i fusnesau, fel y gallent gynllunio a pharatoi wrth i'r cyfyngiadau symud cyntaf ddod i rym yn ôl ym mis Mawrth.

Diolch, Gweinidog. As you say, and I agree, there's no question at all that the Welsh Government were right to commit that funding to support businesses across Wales during the pandemic. But I'm sure you'd agree that it is important that money that is spent by Government is accounted for properly. I also appreciate, as you said, this is a technical issue, and a very technical issue for those of us who got into the details of it on Monday, but it is, nonetheless, unprecedented, and certainly within the context of the UK devolved administrations, although, as you said there might be others that are involved in this too. So, there is, as I said before, a need to tidy this up and to have a firm agreement with the audit office. I wonder if you could update us with any discussions you've had with Audit Wales about how we could proceed in future to make sure that these sorts of disputes don't arise again, or to have a mechanism, indeed, where those disputes can be easily dealt with?

Diolch, Weinidog. Fel y dywedwch, ac rwy’n cytuno, nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud y peth iawn yn ymrwymo’r cyllid hwnnw i gefnogi busnesau ledled Cymru yn ystod y pandemig. Ond rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn cytuno ei bod yn bwysig rhoi cyfrif priodol o'r arian sy'n cael ei wario gan y Llywodraeth. Rwyf hefyd yn derbyn bod hwn yn fater technegol fel y dywedoch chi, ac yn fater technegol iawn i'r rhai ohonom a fu’n trafod ei fanylion ddydd Llun, ond serch hynny, mae’n fater digynsail, ac yn sicr yng nghyd-destun gweinyddiaethau datganoledig y DU, er, fel y dywedoch chi, efallai y bydd eraill yn wynebu hyn hefyd. Felly, fel rwyf wedi’i ddweud eisoes, mae angen tacluso hyn a sicrhau cytundeb cadarn gyda'r swyddfa archwilio. Tybed a allech roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni ynglŷn ag unrhyw drafodaethau a gawsoch gydag Archwilio Cymru ynglŷn â sut y gallem fynd ati yn y dyfodol i sicrhau nad yw'r mathau hyn o anghydfodau'n codi eto, neu i sicrhau bod gennym fecanwaith, yn wir, lle gall yr anghydfodau hynny gael eu datrys yn hawdd?

13:40

I haven't personally had discussions with Audit Wales on this issue. As you say, it is a technical matter and, I think, most appropriately dealt with, in this instance, through officials. But I know officials have had some significant and lengthy discussions on this matter, and obviously we'd be keen to avoid it happening again in future. 

Yn bersonol, nid wyf wedi cael trafodaethau gydag Archwilio Cymru ynglŷn â’r mater hwn. Fel y dywedwch, mae'n fater technegol, a chredaf mai’r ffordd fwyaf addas o ymdrin ag ef yn yr achos hwn yw drwy swyddogion. Ond gwn fod swyddogion wedi cael trafodaethau sylweddol a hirfaith ynglŷn â’r mater, ac yn amlwg, byddem yn awyddus i osgoi ei weld yn digwydd eto yn y dyfodol.

Thank you, Minister. I know that officials have been working hard, as we found out on Monday, to try and sort this out. I think that this is a technical issue, but, for the good of the Welsh Government's accounting reputation and, indeed, for the good of other devolved administrations' reputations, if there is indeed an issue with their accounts as well, we do need to have an undertaking on an agreement to go forward so that this doesn't happen again. 

Also, and finally, given that this year's £739 million will appear extensively in next year's accounts, given that it wasn't in this year's accounts, is there a strong likelihood that next year's accounts will be qualified too, and have there been discussions with the auditor general about what could be done about this?

Diolch, Weinidog. Gwn fod swyddogion wedi bod yn gweithio'n galed, fel y gwnaethom ddarganfod ddydd Llun, i geisio mynd i’r afael â hyn. Credaf fod hwn yn fater technegol, ond er lles enw da Llywodraeth Cymru yng nghyswllt cyfrifyddu, ac yn wir, er lles enw da’r gweinyddiaethau datganoledig eraill, os oes problem gyda'u cyfrifon hwythau hefyd, mae angen inni ymrwymo i gytundeb er mwyn sicrhau nad yw hyn yn digwydd eto.

Hefyd, ac yn olaf, o gofio y bydd y £739 miliwn eleni yn ymddangos yn helaeth yng nghyfrifon y flwyddyn nesaf o ystyried nad oedd yn y cyfrifon eleni, a oes tebygolrwydd cryf y bydd cyfrifon y flwyddyn nesaf yn rhai amodol hefyd, ac a gafwyd trafodaethau gyda'r archwilydd cyffredinol ynglŷn â beth y gellid ei wneud am hyn?

It's my understanding that that won't be the case next year, and a line has been drawn, if you like, under this particular episode. But I agree that some good discussions between officials and Audit Wales need to take place, and have taken place, in order to clarify the situation and ensure that we both have the same understanding of the rules and the technicalities within which we operate. 

Rwy'n deall na fydd hynny'n digwydd y flwyddyn nesaf, a bod llinell wedi'i thynnu, os mynnwch, o dan y bennod hon. Ond cytunaf fod angen trafodaethau da rhwng swyddogion ac Archwilio Cymru, a bod rhai wedi’u cynnal eisoes, er mwyn egluro'r sefyllfa a sicrhau bod gan y ddwy ochr yr un ddealltwriaeth o'r rheolau a'r elfennau technegol rydym yn gweithredu oddi mewn iddynt.

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth. 

The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Rhun ap Iorwerth. 

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Mi fydd y Gweinidog yn cytuno efo fi pa mor annigonol ydy pwerau fiscal Llywodraeth Cymru, a bod hynny wedi cael ei amlygu yn y pandemig presennol. A all y Gweinidog amlinellu pa opsiynau mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u hystyried i gynyddu'r cyllid refeniw a chyllid cyfalaf sydd ar gael iddyn nhw i ddelio efo materion presennol yn ymwneud â'r pandemig, ac i adeiladu yn ôl yn well, fel rydyn ni i gyd yn dymuno ei weld yn digwydd?

Thank you very much, Llywydd. The Minister would agree with me in terms of how inadequate the Welsh Government's fiscal powers are, and that has been highlighted during the current pandemic. Can the Minister outline what options the Welsh Government has considered to increase revenue and capital available to them to deal with current issues related to the pandemic, but also to build back better, as we all want to see happening?

Well, as Rhun ap Iorwerth knows, our journey into tax raising in Wales is very much in its infancy. However, we have been able to use the tools at our disposal during the pandemic, and an example would be the way in which we treated the recent announcement on the part of the Chancellor regarding land transaction tax, or stamp duty land tax as it's referred to across the border. By taking a different set of decisions here in Wales, we were able to free up an additional £30 million of funding in order to target that at homelessness, which is a particular concern during the pandemic. So, there have been some things that we've been able to do. We deliberately took the decision not to raise Welsh rates of income tax. If we had done so by 1p, then that would have raised around £200 million. We took the decision not to do that because we made a commitment to the people of Wales at the start of this Senedd that we wouldn't be raising Welsh rates of income tax during that time.  

Wel, fel y gŵyr Rhun ap Iorwerth, nid yw ein taith tuag at godi trethi yng Nghymru ond megis dechrau i raddau helaeth. Fodd bynnag, rydym wedi gallu defnyddio'r offer sydd ar gael inni yn ystod y pandemig, ac un enghraifft fyddai'r ffordd y gwnaethom drin cyhoeddiad diweddar y Canghellor ynghylch y dreth trafodiadau tir, neu dreth dir y dreth stamp fel y'i gelwir dros y ffin. Drwy wneud set wahanol o benderfyniadau yma yng Nghymru, bu modd inni ryddhau £30 miliwn o gyllid ychwanegol i’w dargedu at ddigartrefedd, sy'n bryder penodol yn ystod y pandemig. Felly, mae rhai pethau rydym wedi gallu eu gwneud. Gwnaethom benderfyniad bwriadol i beidio â chodi cyfraddau treth incwm Cymru. Pe byddem wedi eu codi un geiniog, byddai hynny wedi codi oddeutu £200 miliwn. Gwnaethom y penderfyniad i beidio â gwneud hynny gan inni wneud ymrwymiad i bobl Cymru ar ddechrau tymor y Senedd hon na fyddem yn codi cyfraddau treth incwm Cymru yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw.

 ninnau heb yr hyblygrwydd y byddwn i yn dymuno ei gael fel Cymru, fel gwlad annibynnol, hynny ydy, mi fydd angen i ni fod yn ddyfeisgar ynglŷn â sut i gynyddu ein capasiti ni i fuddsoddi yn nyfodol Cymru. 

Os gallaf i fynd â'r Gweinidog yn ôl i'w datganiad hi ar MIM yr wythnos diwethaf, dwi'n meddwl bod yna ambell gwestiwn heb ei ateb o bryd hynny. Mae trylowder yn gwbl, gwbl allweddol mewn perthynas â MIM. Mae o yn ymrwymiad hirdymor, mae yna gostau uwch yn ymwneud â nhw, a dydy cuddio tu ôl i bethau fel sensitifrwydd masnachol, commercial sensitivity, ddim yn ffordd i stopio sgrwtini o gontractau ac ati. Felly, mi fyddwn i'n licio gofyn, yn enw trylowyder, beth ydy'r cap elw, er enghraifft, sydd ar y cytundeb ysgolion efo Meridiam? Ac o gofio bod MIM yn esblygiad o PFI—mae'n dal i fod yn ffordd ddrud o wario; y Scottish Futures Trust yn sôn am ryw 23 y cant yn fwy na chyllido prosiectau drwy fenthyg yn y sector gyhoeddus—pa sicrwydd all y Gweinidog ei roi bod MIM yn esblygiad digon effeithiol o PFI, lle roedd yna lawer gormod o elw yn cael ei wneud am rhy ychydig o risg? Sut ydych chi'n gallu rhoi y sicrwydd nad ydyn ni'n talu dros yr odds am y cytundebau y mae'r Llywodraeth yn mynd i'w harwyddo ar ffurf MIM hefyd?

Given that we don't have the flexibility that I would like to see us having in Wales as an independent nation, we will have to be innovative in how we increase our capacity to invest in the future of Wales. 

So, if I can take the Minister back to her statement on MIM last week, I think there were a few questions that remain unanswered from that statement. Transparency is crucial in relation to MIM. It is a long-term commitment, there are higher costs related to it, and hiding behind things like commercial sensitivity isn't a way of stopping scrutiny of contracts and so on. So, in the name of transparency, I would ask what the profit cap is on the schools contract with Meridiam. And given that MIM evolved from PFI—it's still an expensive way of spending, with the Scottish Futures Trust saying it costs around 23 per cent more than funding projects through public sector borrowing—what assurance can the Minister give that MIM is an effective enough evolution from PFI, where there was far too much profit made for too little risk? So, how can you give us an assurance that we are not paying over the odds for the MIM contracts that the Government will sign?

As I said to Rhun ap Iorwerth last week, I'm afraid, as the contract contains commercially sensitive information, we wouldn't be looking to publish it. But, there is always an element of profit when we procure infrastructure. In this case, however, the precise amount of that profit will be determined by the performance of the company over the life of the contract, and that's one of the benefits of the MIM scheme, in the sense that the pay is very much performance related.

The procurement exercise tested each of the three shortlisted bidders on quality and price in their submissions, and Meridiam submitted the most economically advantageous tender in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, so I can certainly provide those assurances and, as Rhun ap Iorwerth knows, Welsh Government is taking a stake in this exercise as well, which means that we will be the beneficiaries of any profits made alongside those other partners.

Fel y dywedais wrth Rhun ap Iorwerth yr wythnos diwethaf, gan fod y contract yn cynnwys gwybodaeth fasnachol sensitif, mae arnaf ofn nad ydym yn bwriadu ei gyhoeddi. Ond mae elfen o elw bob tro pan fyddwn yn caffael seilwaith. Yn yr achos hwn, fodd bynnag, bydd union swm yr elw hwnnw'n cael ei bennu gan berfformiad y cwmni dros oes y contract, a dyna un o fanteision cynllun y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol, yn yr ystyr fod y tâl yn gysylltiedig i raddau helaeth â pherfformiad.

Cafodd ansawdd a phris cyflwyniadau pob un o’r tri chynigydd ar y rhestr fer eu profi drwy’r ymarfer caffael, a chyflwynodd Meridiam y tendr mwyaf buddiol yn economaidd yn unol â Rheoliadau Contractau Cyhoeddus 2015, felly gallaf yn sicr ddarparu’r sicrwydd hwnnw, ac fel y gŵyr Rhun ap Iorwerth, mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru ran yn yr ymarfer hwn hefyd, sy'n golygu y byddwn yn elwa ar unrhyw elw a wneir ynghyd â'r partneriaid eraill hynny.

13:45

If I could turn, finally, to another form of borrowing, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced plans on 9 November for the UK to issue its first green bonds next year, as part of an effort to shore up the city of London's status as a global financial hub and to fund decarbonisation efforts. I accept that if Welsh Government were to issue its own bonds, that would count towards its borrowing cap, which we'd like to increase, of course; I've made my representations to the Minister on that. They also accept the evidence given by Gerry Holtham to the Finance Committee's review on Welsh Government capital funding sources around Welsh Government-issued bonds. But I think there's an important point to make here about nation building and Welsh Government signalling its commitment, and not just to tackling the climate crisis but also its ambition to put Wales in a position to be a part of what is a multibillion pound global market in these bonds, and growing. Has Welsh Government explored the use and application of green bonds, and the potential role of the Wales development bank in this? We can see Germany's KfW as an example—a publicly owned development bank, one of the largest players in the green bonds market at the moment.

Os caf droi, i gloi, at fath arall o fenthyca, cyhoeddodd Canghellor y Trysorlys gynlluniau ar 9 Tachwedd i'r DU gyhoeddi ei bondiau gwyrdd cyntaf y flwyddyn nesaf, fel rhan o ymdrech i hyrwyddo statws dinas Llundain fel canolbwynt ariannol byd-eang ac i ariannu ymdrechion i ddatgarboneiddio. Pe bai Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyhoeddi ei bondiau ei hun, rwy'n derbyn y byddai hynny’n cyfrif tuag at ei chap ar fenthyca, sy’n rhywbeth yr hoffem ei gynyddu, wrth gwrs; rwyf wedi gwneud fy sylwadau i'r Gweinidog ynglŷn â hynny. Maent hefyd yn derbyn y dystiolaeth a roddwyd gan Gerry Holtham i adolygiad y Pwyllgor Cyllid o ffynonellau cyllid cyfalaf Llywodraeth Cymru yng nghyswllt bondiau a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Ond credaf fod pwynt pwysig i'w wneud yma ynglŷn ag adeiladu cenedl a Llywodraeth Cymru yn dynodi ei hymrwymiad nid yn unig i fynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng hinsawdd ond hefyd ei huchelgais i sicrhau bod Cymru mewn sefyllfa i fod yn rhan o farchnad fyd-eang y bondiau hyn, sy’n werth biliynau o bunnoedd ac sy’n tyfu. A yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi archwilio’r defnydd o fondiau gwyrdd, a rôl bosibl banc datblygu Cymru yn hyn? Gallwn weld KfW yr Almaen fel enghraifft—banc datblygu dan berchnogaeth gyhoeddus sy’n un o'r gweithredwyr pwysicaf yn y farchnad bondiau gwyrdd ar hyn o bryd.

Well, as Rhun ap Iorwerth says, any bonds would count towards our Welsh Government borrowing, and of course we have that aggregate limit of £1 billion and a maximum borrowing of £150 million in any one year, which is a relatively small amount of money in the greater scheme of things. He'll also be aware of the discussions that we've had previously, that Welsh Government will always look to use the cheapest forms of borrowing first, and of course bonds come at the more expensive end, which is why it's not something that we've pursued thus far. But I do share his keenness to have greater flexibility in terms of borrowing, so increasing the amount that we could borrow on an annual basis, but then also increasing that overall aggregate figure as well.

Wel, fel y dywed Rhun ap Iorwerth, byddai unrhyw fondiau’n cyfrif tuag at ein benthyca fel Llywodraeth Cymru, ac wrth gwrs mae gennym y terfyn cyfanredol hwnnw o £1 biliwn ac uchafswm benthyca o £150 miliwn mewn unrhyw flwyddyn, sy’n swm cymharol fach o arian rhwng popeth. Bydd hefyd yn ymwybodol o'r trafodaethau rydym eisoes wedi’u cael, y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru bob amser yn ceisio defnyddio'r mathau rhataf o fenthyca yn gyntaf, ac wrth gwrs, mae bondiau ar y pen drutach, a dyna pam nad yw'n rhywbeth rydym wedi mynd ar ei drywydd hyd yn hyn. Ond rwy'n rhannu ei awydd i gael mwy o hyblygrwydd o ran benthyca, a chynyddu'r swm y gallem ei fenthyca bob blwyddyn, ond gan gynyddu'r ffigur cyfanredol cyffredinol hwnnw hefyd.

Trethi Newydd
New Taxes

3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi diweddariad am gynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru i greu trethi newydd cyn diwedd y Senedd hon? OQ55933

3. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's plans to create new taxes before the end of this Senedd? OQ55933

Yes. There are no plans to create new taxes before the end of this Senedd.

Gwnaf. Nid oes unrhyw gynlluniau i greu trethi newydd cyn diwedd tymor y Senedd hon.

Roeddwn i'n amau efallai fyddai yna ddim amser, ond mae yna un dreth newydd, gweddol newydd, yn cael ei gweithredu yng Nghymru ers tua thair blynedd erbyn hyn, sef y dreth trafodiadau tir. Y bore yma, fe glywodd y Prif Weinidog a finnau gyflwyniadau dirdynnol a phwerus iawn gan drigolion o Ben Llŷn sydd yn cael eu prisio allan o'u cymunedau oherwydd cynnydd anferth mewn pryniant ail gartrefi. Fe allai cynyddu’r raddfa uwch o'r dreth trafodion tir gael ei ddefnyddio fel ffordd fechan o geisio lliniaru'r argyfwng ail gartrefi. Fedrwch chi esbonio pa gamau fyddai angen i'r Llywodraeth a chithau fel Gweinidog eu cymryd er mwyn cynyddu'r raddfa uwch yma—proses eithaf syml y gellid ei rhoi ar waith yn syth?

I thought that there might not be time, but there is one new tax, or relatively new tax, being operated in Wales for around three years ago, namely the land transaction tax. This morning, the First Minister and I heard powerful presentations by residents from the Llŷn peninsula who are being priced out of their communities because of the huge increase in the purchase of second homes. Increasing the higher rate of the land transaction tax could be used as a small way of trying to mitigate the second homes crisis. Could you explain what steps would need to be taken by the Government and yourself as Minister to increase the higher rate—a relatively simple process that could be implemented straight away?

I thank Siân Gwenllian for the question, and also for having the meeting with the First Minister earlier on today, and I look forward to catching up with him later this afternoon on that particular meeting as well. In theory, of course, we can make changes in-year to our land transaction tax. I'm very keen that—. We have the land transaction tax rates and thresholds that were announced just a couple of months ago now, and I do think that, in terms of the housing market, giving some kind of certainty, at least to 31 March, is important. So, I don't think I would be looking to make immediate changes in-year. I'm also very much aware of the behavioural impact of announcing changes that would then come in at a later date. The changes at the moment, which make it advantageous for people to buy houses at the moment, mean that, hopefully, we're bringing forward land transactions from next year into this financial year, which will give us a boost and give the housing market a boost and give all of those businesses that rely on house moving a boost as well. So, I wouldn't intend to give a long lead-in time for any changes in land transaction tax for that particular reason. 

Diolch i Siân Gwenllian am ei chwestiwn, a hefyd am gael y cyfarfod gyda’r Prif Weinidog yn gynharach heddiw, ac edrychaf ymlaen at gael clywed ganddo yn nes ymlaen y prynhawn yma ynglŷn â’r cyfarfod penodol hwnnw hefyd. Mewn egwyddor, wrth gwrs, gallwn wneud newidiadau yn ystod y flwyddyn i'n treth trafodiadau tir. Rwy'n awyddus iawn—. Mae gennym drothwyon a chyfraddau’r dreth trafodiadau tir a gyhoeddwyd ychydig fisoedd yn ôl bellach, ac mewn perthynas â'r farchnad dai, credaf ei bod yn bwysig rhoi rhyw fath o sicrwydd, hyd at 31 Mawrth o leiaf. Felly, ni chredaf y byddwn am wneud newidiadau ar unwaith yn ystod y flwyddyn. Rwyf hefyd yn ymwybodol iawn o effaith ymddygiadol cyhoeddi newidiadau a fyddai’n cael eu cyflwyno yn nes ymlaen. Mae'r newidiadau ar hyn o bryd, sy'n ei gwneud yn fanteisiol i bobl brynu tai ar hyn o bryd, yn golygu, gobeithio, ein bod yn dod â thrafodiadau tir ymlaen o'r flwyddyn nesaf i'r flwyddyn ariannol hon, a fydd yn rhoi hwb i ni ac yn rhoi hwb i'r farchnad dai ac yn rhoi hwb i'r holl fusnesau sy'n dibynnu ar symud tŷ hefyd. Felly, ni fyddwn yn bwriadu rhoi cyfnod arweiniol hir ar gyfer unrhyw newidiadau yn y dreth trafodiadau tir am y rheswm penodol hwnnw.

13:50

Minister, Members, of course, have raised support for tourism more than any other sector since March, and, in fairness, Welsh Government has recognised those challenges and has tried to respond to a fair few of them. But any argument that a tourism tax would raise money to put back into the sector now clearly just falls apart. If we have businesses closing and potential visitors not coming—obviously, they'll be worried about their own finances anyway—well, there's obviously no-one going to be here to pay that tax. So, please don't give them another reason not to come. I don't think you'll get far with taxes in this term, as you've said, but will your bid to return to Government include a commitment to no tourism tax?

Weinidog, mae Aelodau, wrth gwrs, wedi codi cymorth i dwristiaeth yn amlach nag unrhyw sector arall ers mis Mawrth, ac a bod yn deg, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cydnabod yr heriau hynny ac wedi ceisio ymateb i sawl un ohonynt. Ond mae'n amlwg fod unrhyw ddadl y byddai treth dwristiaeth yn codi arian i'w roi yn ôl yn y sector yn chwalu nawr. Os oes gennym fusnesau’n cau a darpar ymwelwyr yn peidio â dod—yn amlwg, byddant yn poeni am eu harian eu hunain beth bynnag—wel, mae'n amlwg na fydd unrhyw un yma i dalu'r dreth honno. Felly, os gwelwch yn dda, peidiwch â rhoi rheswm arall iddynt beidio â dod. Ni chredaf y byddwch yn mynd yn bell iawn gyda threthi yn ystod y tymor hwn, fel y dywedoch chi, ond a fydd eich cais i ddychwelyd i'r Llywodraeth yn cynnwys ymrwymiad i beidio â chodi treth dwristiaeth?

Well, Llywydd, I won't be making any manifesto announcements in the Chamber this afternoon, but I think that there is a great deal to consider in terms of the tourism tax. It's certainly something that is very popular with local authorities, especially in tourist areas, who want to improve their offer in terms of tourism. And although the policy hasn't yet been fully developed, it hasn't been fully consulted on, it's something that we are considering in terms of those four areas of taxation that the First Minister announced some time ago. So, there are no immediate plans. However, I think it is an area that does warrant some further consideration. I'm very aware of the situation in terms of the tourist sector at the moment and the difficulties they've had. So, clearly, it wouldn't be something to consider immediately, but I don't think that that means that we shouldn't have those conversations in terms of what might be appropriate at a future date, when the situation is recovered.

Wel, Lywydd, ni fyddaf yn gwneud unrhyw gyhoeddiadau maniffesto yn y Siambr y prynhawn yma, ond credaf fod cryn dipyn i'w ystyried mewn perthynas â’r dreth dwristiaeth. Mae'n sicr yn rhywbeth sy'n boblogaidd iawn gydag awdurdodau lleol, yn enwedig mewn ardaloedd twristaidd, sydd am wella eu cynnig twristiaeth. Ac er nad yw'r polisi wedi'i ddatblygu'n llawn eto, nid ydym wedi cynnal ymgynghoriad llawn arno, mae'n rhywbeth rydym yn ei ystyried mewn perthynas â'r pedwar maes trethiant a gyhoeddwyd gan y Prif Weinidog beth amser yn ôl. Felly, nid oes unrhyw gynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol agos. Fodd bynnag, credaf ei fod yn faes sy'n haeddu rhywfaint o ystyriaeth bellach. Rwy'n ymwybodol iawn o sefyllfa'r sector twristiaeth ar hyn o bryd a'r anawsterau y maent wedi'u hwynebu. Felly, yn amlwg, ni fyddai’n rhywbeth i’w ystyried ar unwaith, ond ni chredaf fod hynny’n golygu na ddylem gael y sgyrsiau hynny ynglŷn â beth allai fod yn briodol yn y dyfodol, pan fydd y sefyllfa'n well.

Minister, it seems to me that the economy of the UK needs to recover, and, more to the point, grow. The approach going forward must be more about encouraging spending and growth and confidence, and not discouraging all of these by imposing any higher tax burdens for Wales. Do you agree with that statement?

Weinidog, ymddengys i mi fod angen i economi'r DU ymadfer, ac yn bwysicach, mae angen iddi dyfu. Mae’n rhaid i'r ymagwedd yn y dyfodol ymwneud i raddau mwy ag annog gwariant a thwf a hyder, a pheidio â rhwystro pob un o'r rhain drwy orfodi unrhyw feichiau treth uwch yng Nghymru. A ydych yn cytuno â'r datganiad hwnnw?

I would love to encourage spending and growth and confidence, but I think that the Chancellor has poured a bit of cold water on that today in terms of announcing a freeze on the pay of public sector workers—public sector workers who spend their money in the local economy and now will be even more concerned about their future finances as well. So, I think that this will put the brakes on any spending that they might have thought of bringing forward as well.

But my approach to taxation is one that is entirely transparent and inclusive. And you know that the Welsh Government has published its tax principles, and that's about creating taxes within the context of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, creating taxes that are fair, and creating taxes that are simple to administer and so on. So, our approach is very clear and I don't think that there's anything that people should be fearful of, because we're very focused on creating a progressive agenda.

Byddwn wrth fy modd yn annog gwariant a thwf a hyder, ond credaf fod y Canghellor wedi tywallt ychydig o ddŵr oer ar hynny heddiw drwy gyhoeddi y bydd cyflogau gweithwyr y sector cyhoeddus yn cael eu rhewi—gweithwyr yn y sector cyhoeddus sy'n gwario eu harian yn yr economi leol ac a fydd yn poeni mwy fyth yn awr am eu harian yn y dyfodol hefyd. Felly, credaf y bydd hyn yn atal unrhyw wario y gallent fod wedi bwriadu’i wneud.

Ond mae fy ymagwedd at drethiant yn un gwbl dryloyw a chynhwysol. Ac fe wyddoch fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyhoeddi ei hegwyddorion treth, ac mae’r rheini’n ymwneud â chreu trethi yng nghyd-destun Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, creu trethi sy'n deg, a chreu trethi sy'n syml i'w gweinyddu ac ati. Felly, mae ein hymagwedd yn glir iawn ac ni chredaf fod unrhyw beth i bobl ei ofni, gan ein bod yn canolbwyntio'n bendant ar greu agenda flaengar.

I accept that it would be very difficult to bring in new taxes before the end of this Senedd term, which is only four or five months away, but the Welsh Government can make changes to existing taxes. Will you consider adding more, higher bands to council tax? It seems to me ridiculous that somebody paying £400,000 for a house, or has a house in the £400,000 bracket, is paying the same council tax as somebody with a £2.5 million or £3 million house. Also, something that is a recurring theme—stopping properties built as residential properties from being registered as small businesses and getting small business rate relief.

Rwy’n derbyn y byddai’n anodd iawn cyflwyno trethi newydd cyn diwedd tymor y Senedd hon, sydd bedwar neu bum mis i ffwrdd yn unig, ond gall Llywodraeth Cymru wneud newidiadau i drethi presennol. A wnewch chi ystyried ychwanegu mwy o fandiau uwch at y dreth gyngor? Credaf ei bod yn warthus fod rhywun sy'n talu £400,000 am dŷ, neu rywun sydd â thŷ gwerth oddeutu £400,000, yn talu'r un dreth gyngor â rhywun sydd â thŷ sy’n werth £2.5 miliwn neu £3 miliwn. Hefyd, thema sy'n codi dro ar ôl tro—atal eiddo a adeiladir fel eiddo preswyl rhag cael eu cofrestru fel busnesau bach a chael rhyddhad ardrethi busnesau bach.

I thank Mike Hedges for raising that. Both of these issues are ones that he has raised with me in the past as well. I did explore the first suggestion about adding additional council tax bands, but I'm advised that that couldn't be done properly without a full revaluation exercise of all of our domestic dwellings here in Wales, and that couldn't be achieved before the next Senedd term, so it's not something we could do immediately. And obviously, those changes to council tax bands couldn't really be proposed without some full and substantive consultation with council tax payers, local authorities and others who would be affected.

Revaluation exercises are really significant undertakings and they cost tens of millions of pounds, and I understand that they take around three years to complete, using the current methodology. But, that said, we did commission the independent research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which was published earlier this year, and that does look at what the impact would be of a council tax revaluation, and it could definitely make a more progressive system. So, we'll be drawing together the findings of the research that we've commissioned for both council tax and, actually, non-domestic rates in the new year, and I think it would then be for the next Government to determine the way forward. But it is a very interesting proposal. And, similarly, the suggestion in terms of increasing—I think what's behind Mike's question is suggesting increasing—the number of nights that a property must be let for and advertised for if it's to be classified as a holiday let would also require legislation as well. So, we're going to find it difficult, I think, to undertake any further action that requires legislation, given the pressure on our legislative timetable across the next few months.

Diolch i Mike Hedges am godi hynny. Mae'r ddau fater hyn yn rhai y mae wedi'u codi gyda mi yn y gorffennol hefyd. Archwiliais yr awgrym cyntaf ynghylch ychwanegu bandiau ychwanegol i’r dreth gyngor, ond fe'm cynghorir na ellid gwneud hynny'n iawn heb gynnal ymarfer ailbrisio llawn ar ein holl anheddau domestig yma yng Nghymru, ac ni ellid cyflawni hynny cyn tymor nesaf y Senedd, felly nid yw'n rhywbeth y gallem ei wneud ar unwaith. Ac yn amlwg, ni ellid cynnig y newidiadau hynny i fandiau’r dreth gyngor heb ymgynghoriad llawn a sylweddol â thalwyr y dreth gyngor, awdurdodau lleol ac eraill a fyddai’n cael eu heffeithio.

Mae ymarferion ailbrisio’n galw am waith sylweddol iawn ac maent yn costio degau o filiynau o bunnoedd, a deallaf eu bod yn cymryd oddeutu tair blynedd i'w cwblhau, gan ddefnyddio'r fethodoleg gyfredol. Ond wedi dweud hynny, gwnaethom gomisiynu'r ymchwil annibynnol gan y Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid a gyhoeddwyd yn gynharach eleni, ac mae honno’n edrych ar beth fyddai effaith ailbrisio’r dreth gyngor, ac yn sicr, gallai sicrhau system fwy blaengar. Felly, byddwn yn edrych ar ganfyddiadau'r ymchwil a gomisiynwyd gennym ar gyfer y dreth gyngor ac ardrethi annomestig gyda'i gilydd yn y flwyddyn newydd, a chredaf mai mater i'r Llywodraeth nesaf fyddai penderfynu ar y ffordd ymlaen. Ond mae'n gynnig diddorol iawn. Ac yn yr un modd, byddai'r awgrym am gynyddu—credaf mai awgrym am gynyddu sydd y tu ôl i gwestiwn Mike—nifer y nosweithiau y mae'n rhaid gosod eiddo a’i hysbysebu os yw'n mynd i gael ei ddosbarthu’n eiddo gwyliau ar osod yn galw am ddeddfwriaeth hefyd. Felly, credaf y bydd yn anodd inni gymryd unrhyw gamau pellach sy'n galw am ddeddfwriaeth, o ystyried y pwysau ar ein hamserlen ddeddfwriaethol dros yr ychydig fisoedd nesaf.

13:55
Cefnogi Ardal Pontypridd
Supporting the Pontypridd Area

4. Pa gyllid ychwanegol y bydd y Gweinidog yn ei ddyrannu yn y gyllideb i gefnogi ardal Pontypridd yn sgil COVID-19? OQ55926

4. What additional funding will the Minister allocate in the budget to support the Pontypridd area in light of COVID-19? OQ55926

We'll continue to respond to the challenges of the pandemic and build on the funding we've already made available this year, including £70 million for businesses in Rhondda Cynon Taf, £50 million for the local authority, and funding provided to the third sector and art organisations in Pontypridd.

Byddwn yn parhau i ymateb i heriau'r pandemig ac yn adeiladu ar y cyllid rydym eisoes wedi'i ddarparu eleni, gan gynnwys £70 miliwn i fusnesau yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, £50 miliwn i'r awdurdod lleol, a chyllid a ddarparwyd i'r trydydd sector a sefydliadau celfyddydol ym Mhontypridd.

Thank you for that answer, Minister. I've just been listening to the Chancellor's financial statement, and the first part of it is, basically, a broken promise over replacing EU money, and we remember the promise, wasn't it, 'Wales won't lose a penny.' Well, it's true—we haven't lost a penny, we've lost hundreds of millions of pounds. The second part of it is obviously a kick in the teeth for many public sector workers by imposing a pay freeze on them. But, thirdly, the Prime Minister promised to passport funding to us for the flood infrastructure damage. Minister, can you tell us, have we received the promised funding or is it yet another broken Tory promise?

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Rwyf newydd fod yn gwrando ar ddatganiad ariannol y Canghellor, ac yn y bôn, mae’r rhan gyntaf yn torri addewid ynglŷn â darparu arian yn lle arian yr UE, ac rydym yn cofio'r addewid, sef 'ni fydd Cymru'n colli ceiniog.’ Wel, mae'n wir—nid ydym wedi colli ceiniog, rydym wedi colli cannoedd o filiynau o bunnoedd. Yr ail ran yn amlwg yw'r sarhad ar lawer o weithwyr y sector cyhoeddus, gan fod eu cyflogau’n cael eu rhewi. Ond yn drydydd, gwnaeth Prif Weinidog y DU addewid i basio cyllid i ni ar gyfer difrod llifogydd i'r seilwaith. Weinidog, a allwch ddweud wrthym, a ydym wedi cael y cyllid a addawyd, neu a yw hwnnw’n addewid arall y mae’r Torïaid wedi’i dorri?

I'm afraid to let Mick Antoniw know that we have not received the funding that has been promised on the floor of Parliament by the Prime Minister to address the impact of the flooding that we had earlier this year in Wales, which affected us disproportionately to anywhere else in the UK. Ahead of the spending review today, I did write to the Chancellor, setting out that this was an excellent opportunity for him to set out, within his plans for infrastructure investment over the coming years, his response to those floods and to enable us to have that certainty of funding over the coming years. But, unfortunately, that clearly fell on deaf ears. I do have a meeting planned with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in December to discuss exactly this issue, but I think it was a missed opportunity today. 

Mae arnaf ofn fod yn rhaid imi roi gwybod i Mick Antoniw nad ydym wedi cael yr arian a addawyd ar lawr Senedd y DU gan Brif Weinidog y DU i fynd i’r afael ag effaith y llifogydd a gawsom yn gynharach eleni yng Nghymru, llifogydd a effeithiodd arnom yn anghymesur o gymharu ag unrhyw le arall yn y DU. Cyn yr adolygiad o wariant heddiw, ysgrifennais at y Canghellor i ddweud bod hwn yn gyfle gwych iddo nodi ei ymateb i'r llifogydd yn ei gynlluniau ar gyfer buddsoddi mewn seilwaith dros y blynyddoedd i ddod, a'n galluogi i gael sicrwydd o gyllid dros y blynyddoedd i ddod. Ond yn anffodus, syrthiodd hynny ar glustiau byddar. Mae gennyf gyfarfod wedi'i drefnu gyda Phrif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys ym mis Rhagfyr i drafod yr union fater hwn, ond credaf ei fod yn gyfle a gollwyd heddiw.

Obviously a missed opportunity for many businesses in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and in particular the Pontypridd area, was the ability to access Welsh Government funding, which shut after 24 hours. The Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales has said he's hopeful that a new round of funding will be made available. When he closed the funding after 24 hours, he said that pot of money was fully subscribed, finance Minister. Have you had a bid from the economy Minister to release additional moneys to his department so that many businesses that lost out on this support would be able to bid in the future to acquire that support to carry their businesses forward?

Yn amlwg, cyfle a gollwyd i lawer o fusnesau yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, ac yn enwedig ardal Pontypridd, oedd y gallu i gael mynediad at gyllid Llywodraeth Cymru, a gaeodd ar ôl 24 awr. Mae Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru wedi dweud ei fod yn obeithiol y bydd rownd gyllido newydd ar gael. Pan gaeodd y cyllid ar ôl 24 awr, dywedodd fod y pot hwnnw o arian wedi’i ddihysbyddu’n llwyr, Weinidog cyllid. A ydych wedi cael cais gan Weinidog yr economi i ryddhau arian ychwanegol i'w adran fel y gallai’r nifer o fusnesau a fethodd gael y cymorth hwn wneud cynnig yn y dyfodol i gael y gefnogaeth honno i gynnal eu busnesau?

Well, I do have to tell the Member that 2,379 payments worth over £7 million have been made from the lockdown business fund, covering over 22,000 jobs. A total of 750 micro and small and medium-sized enterprise businesses have been awarded funding through the economic resilience fund, totalling £11.6 million, and 707 payments worth over £1.9 million so far have been made from the ERF phase 3 lockdown business fund. And these are all relating to businesses in RCT. And through the COVID-19 non-domestic business rates grant, a total of 3,767 awards have been processed to businesses, totalling £43.8 million. And, of course, the Development Bank of Wales has been busy lending to businesses in RCT and has provided over £6 million to 66 businesses, safeguarding 900 jobs. So, Welsh Government has been very effective and busy in supporting businesses in RCT, as you'll see from the figures there. Clearly, we want to do more, and we want to better understand the particular challenges relating to the ERF phase 3, and I have constant discussions with the Minister for economy and transport regarding future funding and future support for business.

Wel, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud wrth yr Aelod fod 2,379 o daliadau gwerth dros £7 miliwn wedi'u gwneud o'r gronfa i fusnesau dan gyfyngiadau, gan gefnogi dros 22,000 o swyddi. Dyfarnwyd cyllid i gyfanswm o 750 o ficrofusnesau a mentrau bach a chanolig drwy'r gronfa cadernid economaidd, sef cyfanswm o £11.6 miliwn, ac mae 707 o daliadau gwerth cyfanswm o dros £1.9 miliwn wedi’i gwneud hyd yn hyn o gronfa cam 3 y gronfa cadernid economaidd i fusnesau dan gyfyngiadau. Ac mae pob un o’r rhain yn berthnasol i fusnesau yn RhCT. A thrwy grant ardrethi busnes annomestig COVID-19, mae cyfanswm o 3,767 o ddyfarniadau wedi'u prosesu i fusnesau, sef cyfanswm o £43.8 miliwn. Ac wrth gwrs, mae Banc Datblygu Cymru wedi bod yn brysur yn benthyca i fusnesau yn RhCT ac wedi darparu dros £6 miliwn i 66 o fusnesau, gan ddiogelu 900 o swyddi. Felly, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn effeithiol ac yn brysur iawn yn cefnogi busnesau yn RhCT, fel y gwelwch o'r ffigurau yno. Yn amlwg, rydym am wneud mwy, ac rydym am ddeall yr heriau penodol sy'n ymwneud â cham 3 y gronfa cadernid economaidd yn well, ac rwy'n cael trafodaethau cyson gyda Gweinidog yr economi a thrafnidiaeth ynghylch cyllid yn y dyfodol a chymorth i fusnesau yn y dyfodol.

14:00
Trafnidiaeth Cymru
Transport for Wales

5. Pa ddyraniadau cyllidebol ychwanegol y bydd y Gweinidog yn eu darparu i gefnogi Trafnidiaeth Cymru gan ei bod bellach wedi cymryd rheolaeth dros fasnachfraint rheilffyrdd Cymru a'r gororau? OQ55928

5. What additional budgetary allocations will the Minister provide to support Transport for Wales now that it has taken control of the Wales and borders rail franchise? OQ55928

We have made available an extra £113 million, approved by the Senedd for rail services last week in the second supplementary budget. We are continuing to closely monitor what further funding may be needed for the operation of services until the end of the year.

Rydym wedi sicrhau bod £113 miliwn yn ychwanegol, a gymeradwywyd gan y Senedd yr wythnos diwethaf yn yr ail gyllideb atodol, ar gael ar gyfer gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd. Rydym yn parhau i fonitro pa gyllid pellach y gallai fod ei angen ar gyfer gweithredu gwasanaethau tan ddiwedd y flwyddyn.

So, Welsh Government is now directly, or at least through its 100 per cent owned Transport for Wales, paying really quite substantial amounts to subsidise services within England, including for stations that, perhaps, a handful of passengers only are using. In addition, Transport for Wales is the station facility owner for quite large stations in England, such as Hereford, Shrewsbury and Chester. The UK Department for Transport is considering transferring responsibility for those stations away from Transport for Wales. Is that something the finance Minister would support, and shouldn't the UK Government be doing more in this area now?

Felly, mae Llywodraeth Cymru bellach, yn uniongyrchol, neu o leiaf drwy Trafnidiaeth Cymru, sy’n eiddo 100 y cant i Lywodraeth Cymru, yn talu arian eithaf sylweddol i sybsideiddio gwasanaethau yn Lloegr, gan gynnwys gorsafoedd nad oes mwy na llond llaw o deithwyr yn eu defnyddio o bosibl. Yn ogystal, Trafnidiaeth Cymru yw perchennog cyfleuster yr orsaf mewn gorsafoedd eithaf mawr yn Lloegr, fel Henffordd, Amwythig a Chaer. Mae Adran Drafnidiaeth y DU yn ystyried trosglwyddo’r cyfrifoldeb am y gorsafoedd hynny oddi wrth Trafnidiaeth Cymru. A yw hynny'n rhywbeth y byddai'r Gweinidog cyllid yn ei gefnogi, ac oni ddylai Llywodraeth y DU fod yn gwneud mwy yn y maes hwn nawr?

The UK Government should be doing a huge amount more in this area. We're very aware that, for too long, Wales has been at the back of the queue when the UK Government has been investing in rail infrastructure, and the rolling stock that we're currently using, much of it is nearly 40 years old. Based on known commitments for the period from 2019 to 2029, we estimate shortfalls of up to £5.1 billion over this period.

I have to say I'm even more concerned than ever now about rail funding in Wales as a result of the spending review today. The Member will know that the Barnett formula works on what are compatibility factors between UK Government departments and Welsh Government, in terms of where the responsibilities lie, and my understanding is, although we've yet to look at the spreadsheets following the Chancellor's statements, that the factor for the Department for Transport is going to be slashed as a result of HS2. So, that is a real concern. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the spreadsheets that are always shared after the Chancellor makes his statement, because I've been here this afternoon, but as soon as we have the opportunity after answering questions, we'll have a better understanding of what the real implications for us will be.

Dylai Llywodraeth y DU fod yn gwneud mwy o lawer yn y maes hwn. Rydym yn ymwybodol iawn fod Cymru, ers gormod o amser, wedi bod yng nghefn y ciw pan oedd Llywodraeth y DU yn buddsoddi yn y seilwaith rheilffyrdd, ac mae llawer o’r cerbydau rydym yn eu defnyddio ar hyn o bryd bron yn 40 oed. Ar sail yr ymrwymiadau sy'n hysbys ar gyfer y cyfnod rhwng 2019 a 2029, rydym yn amcangyfrif diffygion o hyd at £5.1 biliwn dros y cyfnod hwn.

Mae’n rhaid imi ddweud fy mod hyd yn oed yn fwy pryderus nag erioed bellach am gyllid rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru o ganlyniad i'r adolygiad o wariant heddiw. Bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod bod fformiwla Barnett yn gweithio ar yr hyn a elwir yn ffactorau cydweddoldeb rhwng adrannau Llywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru mewn perthynas â phwy sy'n gyfrifol am beth, a fy nealltwriaeth i, er nad ydym wedi edrych eto ar y taenlenni yn dilyn datganiadau'r Canghellor, yw y bydd y ffactor ar gyfer yr Adran Drafnidiaeth yn cael ei dorri'n helaeth o ganlyniad i HS2. Felly, mae hynny'n peri cryn bryder. Yn anffodus, nid wyf wedi gweld y taenlenni sydd bob amser yn cael eu rhannu ar ôl i'r Canghellor wneud ei ddatganiad, gan fy mod wedi bod yma y prynhawn yma, ond cyn gynted ag y cawn gyfle ar ôl ateb cwestiynau, bydd gennym well dealltwriaeth o beth fydd y goblygiadau real i ni.

Minister, Transport for Wales, of course, will be taking on quite a bit of additional responsibilities over the coming years. I note that Transport for Wales continues to employ a significant number of outside, external consultants rather than using resource from within Transport for Wales. When asked about this last week, what James Price, the chief executive officer of Transport for Wales, said was that if they had a longer term remit letter, then they would effectively be able to resource additional skills within Transport for Wales, reducing the need for external consultants. The implication there is that a huge saving could be made, I think. Is this something that you have discussed with your colleague the Minister for the economy and transport?

Weinidog, bydd Trafnidiaeth Cymru, wrth gwrs, yn ysgwyddo cryn dipyn o gyfrifoldebau ychwanegol dros y blynyddoedd i ddod. Nodaf fod Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn parhau i gyflogi nifer sylweddol o ymgynghorwyr allanol yn hytrach na defnyddio adnoddau mewnol Trafnidiaeth Cymru. Pan ofynnwyd iddo ynglŷn â hyn yr wythnos diwethaf, yr hyn a ddywedodd James Price, prif swyddog gweithredol Trafnidiaeth Cymru, oedd pe bai ganddynt lythyr cylch gwaith ar gyfer y tymor hwy, gallent i bob pwrpas ariannu sgiliau mewnol ychwanegol yn Trafnidiaeth Cymru, gan leihau’r angen am ymgynghorwyr allanol. Credaf mai’r awgrym yno yw y gellid arbed cryn dipyn o arian. A yw hyn yn rhywbeth rydych wedi'i drafod â'ch cyd-Aelod, Gweinidog yr economi a thrafnidiaeth?

We would always love to give partners longer term certainty for their funding, and, certainly, it's something that the Chancellor has been able to offer schools and the NHS across the border in England, and also infrastructure projects, but hasn't been able to offer us that same kind of certainty. So, a one-year spending review, following another one-year spending round, which we had last year, just means the situation is very difficult in terms of providing any level of certainty.

So, yes, I do have discussions about the future funding arrangements with my colleague Ken Skates, and, obviously, he will be keen to have greater sight of funding across future years, and we are considering a model, actually, that might provide that, but I'm very aware that there would have to be a great deal of flexibility in that to allow us to respond to unforeseen situations. For example, earlier this year, we had to use maximum flexibility with Welsh Government budgets to reallocate funding in terms of responding to COVID-19. So, it's a discussion we're having in that context, and also, I have to say, in the context of the future of regional funding, but again, much depends on the outcome of the spending review today in terms of how much we'll be able to allocate to that.

Byddem bob amser wrth ein boddau’n rhoi sicrwydd mwy hirdymor i bartneriaid ynglŷn â’u cyllid, ac yn sicr, mae'n rhywbeth y mae'r Canghellor wedi gallu ei gynnig i ysgolion a'r GIG dros y ffin yn Lloegr, yn ogystal â phrosiectau seilwaith, ond nid yw wedi gallu cynnig yr un math o sicrwydd i ninnau. Felly, mae adolygiad o wariant un flwyddyn, yn dilyn rownd wariant un flwyddyn arall a gawsom y llynedd, yn golygu bod y sefyllfa'n anodd iawn o ran darparu unrhyw lefel o sicrwydd.

Felly, ydw, rwy'n cael trafodaethau am drefniadau cyllido’r dyfodol gyda fy nghyd-Aelod Ken Skates, ac yn amlwg, bydd yn awyddus i gael mwy o syniad ynglŷn â chyllid ar gyfer y blynyddoedd i ddod, ac rydym yn ystyried model a allai ddarparu hynny, ond rwy'n ymwybodol iawn y byddai'n rhaid cael llawer iawn o hyblygrwydd yn hwnnw i ganiatáu inni ymateb i sefyllfaoedd annisgwyl. Er enghraifft, yn gynharach eleni, bu’n rhaid inni ddefnyddio'r hyblygrwydd mwyaf posibl gyda chyllidebau Llywodraeth Cymru i ailddyrannu cyllid er mwyn ymateb i COVID-19. Felly, mae'n drafodaeth rydym yn ei chael yn y cyd-destun hwnnw, a hefyd, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, yng nghyd-destun dyfodol cyllido rhanbarthol, ond unwaith eto, mae llawer yn dibynnu ar ganlyniad yr adolygiad o wariant heddiw o ran faint y byddwn yn gallu ei ddyrannu ar gyfer hynny.

14:05
Y Gwyliau Treth Trafodion Tir
The Land Transaction Tax Holiday

6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y gwyliau treth trafodion tir sydd ar waith yng Nghymru tan 31 Mawrth 2021? OQ55938

6. Will the Minister provide an update on the land transaction tax holiday that is in place in Wales until 31 March 2021? OQ55938

The intended effect of the temporary changes to land transaction tax was to encourage transactions in the housing market during the remainder of this financial year. The latest LTT data show positive trends in transactions and tax revenue compared to the early months of this financial year.

Yr effaith y bwriedir i’r newidiadau dros dro i’r dreth trafodiadau tir ei chael oedd annog trafodiadau yn y farchnad dai yn ystod gweddill y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Mae'r data diweddaraf ar gyfer y dreth trafodiadau tir yn dangos tueddiadau cadarnhaol mewn trafodiadau a refeniw trethi o gymharu â misoedd cynnar y flwyddyn ariannol hon.

A report earlier this month by Halifax revealed that the average UK house price is now £250,000. This came on top of a report last month by Nationwide that found that UK house prices were rising at their fastest rate for five years, and this has been partly attributed to a rush to buy ahead of the end of England's stamp duty holiday next spring, whereas in Wales we've adopted a much fairer and more progressive approach through the land transaction tax, which better reflects the nature of our housing market. Can the Minister confirm today, with that in mind, as we approach the end of the LTT holiday here in Wales, that the Welsh Government will set out its plans to engage with key stakeholders throughout the process to avoid an increase in prices that would put pressure on affordable housing in the northern areas of the constituency that I represent?

Datgelodd adroddiad yn gynharach y mis hwn gan Halifax fod cyfartaledd prisiau tai yn y DU bellach yn £250,000. Daeth hyn ar ôl adroddiad y mis diwethaf gan Nationwide a ganfu fod prisiau tai’r DU yn codi ar eu cyfradd gyflymaf ers pum mlynedd, ac mae hyn wedi’i briodoli’n rhannol i ruthr i brynu cyn diwedd y seibiant rhag talu'r dreth stamp yn Lloegr y gwanwyn nesaf, tra'n bod ni yng Nghymru wedi mabwysiadu dull llawer tecach a mwy blaengar drwy'r dreth trafodiadau tir, sy'n adlewyrchu natur ein marchnad dai yn well. Gyda hynny mewn golwg, wrth inni agosáu at ddiwedd y seibiant rhag talu'r dreth trafodiadau tir yma yng Nghymru, a all y Gweinidog gadarnhau heddiw y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn nodi ei chynlluniau i ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid allweddol drwy gydol y broses er mwyn osgoi cynnydd mewn prisiau a fyddai’n rhoi pwysau ar dai fforddiadwy yn ardaloedd gogleddol yr etholaeth rwy’n ei chynrychioli?

Thank you to Hefin David for raising that particular issue. As we move towards the end of the year, obviously I'll be keen to hear views from colleagues in the Chamber, and also engaging with stakeholders as well about the potential future of land transaction tax. Obviously, I'm keen not to make announcements too far in advance, because then you end up with situations where there's forestalling and people changing the timing of their purchase in order to get the most advantageous deal, which is completely an understandable thing to do, but if you're using tax to try and drive a certain behaviour, then it obviously has some issues there.

So, obviously we're completely committed to transparency on our tax policy, and I'd been keen to have some further discussions with Hefin David about the particular implications and effects of tax changes within his own constituency, particularly in the north of the Caerphilly area.

Diolch i Hefin David am godi'r mater penodol hwnnw. Wrth inni agosáu at ddiwedd y flwyddyn, yn amlwg, byddaf yn awyddus i glywed barn fy nghyd-Aelodau yn y Siambr, ac i ymgysylltu hefyd â rhanddeiliaid ynghylch dyfodol posibl y dreth trafodiadau tir. Yn amlwg, rwy'n awyddus i beidio â gwneud cyhoeddiadau yn rhy bell ymlaen llaw, gan fod hynny'n arwain at sefyllfaoedd lle mae pobl yn ceisio rhagbrynu a newid amseriad eu pryniant er mwyn cael y fargen orau, sy'n beth cwbl ddealladwy i'w wneud, ond os ydych yn defnyddio trethi i geisio hybu ymddygiad penodol, mae'n amlwg fod rhai problemau ynghlwm wrth hynny.

Felly, yn amlwg, rydym wedi ymrwymo'n llwyr i dryloywder mewn perthynas â'n polisi trethi, ac rwy’n awyddus i gael trafodaethau pellach gyda Hefin David ynghylch goblygiadau ac effeithiau penodol newidiadau i drethi yn ei etholaeth ef, yn enwedig yng ngogledd ardal Caerffili.

Minister, we've welcomed the land transaction tax cut, albeit temporary and less generous than is the case in England. It's been our long-standing policy, of course, to raise the land transaction tax threshold to £250,000 for first-time buyers on a permanent basis, not just on a temporary basis. What consideration have you given to making this a permanent change in land transaction tax duty?

Weinidog, rydym wedi croesawu'r toriad i’r dreth trafodiadau tir, er ei fod yn doriad dros dro ac yn llai hael na’r hyn sy'n digwydd yn Lloegr. Ein polisi ers peth amser, wrth gwrs, yw codi trothwy’r dreth trafodiadau tir i £250,000 ar gyfer prynwyr tro cyntaf yn barhaol, yn hytrach na dros dro yn unig. Pa ystyriaeth rydych wedi'i rhoi i sicrhau bod hwn yn newid parhaol yn y dreth trafodiadau tir?

There are very good reasons for having different thresholds in Wales as compared to England, and those are most notably around the fact that average house prices are very different here in Wales. So, the average house price in England is currently £262,000, and in Wales it is well below that, around £165,000. So, they are clearly very different housing markets and I think it's entirely appropriate to have different thresholds for land transaction tax to reflect that.

Mae rhesymau da iawn dros gael trothwyon gwahanol yng Nghymru o gymharu â Lloegr, ac maent yn ymwneud, yn fwyaf nodedig, â’r ffaith bod prisiau tai ar gyfartaledd yn wahanol iawn yma yng Nghymru. Felly, mae cyfartaledd prisiau tai yn Lloegr ar hyn o bryd yn £262,000, ac yng Nghymru, mae’n llawer llai na hynny, oddeutu £165,000. Felly, maent yn amlwg yn farchnadoedd tai gwahanol iawn, a chredaf ei bod yn gwbl briodol cael trothwyon gwahanol ar gyfer y dreth trafodiadau tir i adlewyrchu hynny.

Datblygu Economaidd ym Mlaenau'r Cymoedd
Heads of the Valleys Economic Development

7. Pa ystyriaeth y bydd y Gweinidog yn ei rhoi i hyrwyddo datblygiad economaidd trefi ym Mlaenau'r Cymoedd wrth ddyrannu cyllid i bortffolio'r economi, trafnidiaeth a gogledd Cymru? OQ55929

7. What consideration will the Minister give to promoting the economic development of towns in the Heads of the Valleys when allocating funding to the economy, transport and north Wales portfolio? OQ55929

Transforming towns, backing the foundational economy, upgrading major infrastructure and targeting new investment for the Heads of the Valleys are important priorities for the Welsh Government. During the pandemic we have provided over £150 million in business support to protect jobs and businesses across the Heads of the Valleys.

Mae trawsnewid trefi, cefnogi'r economi sylfaenol, uwchraddio seilwaith mawr a thargedu buddsoddiad newydd ar gyfer Blaenau’r Cymoedd yn flaenoriaethau pwysig i Lywodraeth Cymru. Yn ystod y pandemig, rydym wedi darparu dros £150 miliwn mewn cymorth i fusnesau i ddiogelu swyddi a busnesau ar draws Blaenau’r Cymoedd.

I'm grateful to the Minister for that answer. One area where I do agree with the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, speaking today in the House of Commons, is when he said that the economic crisis that we're facing as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic is only just beginning. One of the lessons we've learnt in the Heads of the Valleys is that, whenever there is an economic crisis, we bear the brunt of that crisis. We saw that in the 1980s with the destruction of heavy industry by the Thatcher Governments, we saw it again as a consequence of the global financial crisis, and we've suffered 10 years of Tory austerity that has ripped the hearts out of our communities.

I think people across the Heads of the Valleys are grateful to the Welsh Government for the support that has been provided by the Welsh Government, at a far higher level than in any other part of the United Kingdom. But in recovering from this crisis, can we ensure that the future of towns is at the heart of how the Government moves forward, that there's a focus on towns such as Tredegar or Ebbw Vale, Abertillery or Brynmawr, which are at the heart of not just our local communities, but our local economies as well, and in driving forward economic growth as a consequence of this crisis, that we can ensure that there's a strong focus on the future of towns?

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am ei hateb. Un maes lle rwy'n cytuno â Changhellor Trysorlys y DU, wrth iddo siarad heddiw yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin, yw pan ddywedodd mai megis dechrau y mae'r argyfwng economaidd rydym yn ei wynebu o ganlyniad i'r pandemig coronafeirws. Pryd bynnag y ceir argyfwng economaidd, un o'r gwersi rydym wedi'u dysgu ym Mlaenau’r Cymoedd yw mai ni sy'n dwyn baich yr argyfwng hwnnw. Gwelsom hynny yn y 1980au wrth i Lywodraethau Thatcher ddinistrio’r diwydiannau trwm, fe’i gwelsom eto o ganlyniad i'r argyfwng ariannol byd-eang, ac rydym wedi dioddef 10 mlynedd o gyni Torïaidd sydd wedi rhwygo'r galon allan o'n cymunedau.

Credaf fod pobl ar draws Blaenau’r Cymoedd yn ddiolchgar i Lywodraeth Cymru am y gefnogaeth a ddarparwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ar lefel uwch o lawer nag unrhyw ran arall o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Ond wrth ymadfer wedi'r argyfwng hwn, a allwn sicrhau bod dyfodol trefi wrth wraidd y ffordd y mae'r Llywodraeth yn symud ymlaen, a sicrhau y ceir ffocws ar drefi fel Tredegar neu Lynebwy, Abertyleri neu Fryn-mawr, sydd wrth wraidd nid yn unig ein cymunedau lleol, ond ein heconomïau lleol hefyd, ac wrth hybu twf economaidd o ganlyniad i'r argyfwng hwn, y gallwn sicrhau ffocws cryf ar ddyfodol trefi?

14:10

I absolutely agree that, in the future, we'll need to build on the Transforming Towns programme and have a really strong focus on towns. Town centres will look different in future, but I want them to look like vibrant places nonetheless. And we need to be considering more heritage-led regeneration, and there are some great examples across the Valleys of that. Housing-led regeneration, I think, is also really important.

Some of the work we've already been doing that relates specifically, I think, to the recovery picture is funding towards a £1.3 million scheme to create flexible working space at the Works site in Ebbw Vale. I think flexible working will be more important than ever now. And we're providing funding towards a £5.1 million scheme that will bring new businesses into Brynmawr. And also there's some further funding to support new projects in Tredegar, Brynmawr and Nantyglo. I think all of these things will be important as we seek to recover from the pandemic. 

Cytunaf yn llwyr y bydd angen inni adeiladu, yn y dyfodol, ar raglen Trawsnewid Trefi a sicrhau bod gennym ffocws cryf iawn ar drefi. Bydd canol trefi’n edrych yn wahanol yn y dyfodol, ond rwyf am iddynt edrych fel lleoedd bywiog serch hynny. Ac mae angen inni ystyried mwy o adfywio a arweinir gan dreftadaeth, ac mae rhai enghreifftiau gwych o hynny ar draws y Cymoedd. Mae adfywio a arweinir gan dai, yn fy marn i, hefyd yn bwysig iawn.

Mae peth o'r gwaith y buom yn ei wneud eisoes sy'n ymwneud yn benodol â'r darlun adfer yn cynnwys darparu cyllid tuag at gynllun gwerth £1.3 miliwn i greu lleoliad gweithio hyblyg ar safle’r Gweithfeydd yng Nglynebwy. Credaf y bydd gweithio hyblyg yn bwysicach nag erioed yn awr. Ac rydym yn darparu cyllid tuag at gynllun gwerth £5.1 miliwn a fydd yn dod â busnesau newydd i Fryn-mawr. Ac mae rhywfaint o gyllid pellach hefyd i gefnogi prosiectau newydd yn Nhredegar, Bryn-mawr a Nant-y-glo. Credaf y bydd yr holl bethau hyn yn bwysig wrth inni geisio ymadfer wedi'r pandemig.

Buddsoddi Strategol ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro
Strategic Investment in Preseli Pembrokeshire

8. Beth yw blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer buddsoddi strategol ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ55914

8. What are the Welsh Government's priorities for strategic investment in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ55914

We are investing in all parts of Wales to support our public services, businesses and communities. Investments in Pembrokeshire include £48.7 million for a new secondary school in Haverfordwest and £40 million for improvements to the A40. Pembrokeshire County Council has also been awarded an allocation of £6.9 million of targeted regeneration investment funding. 

Rydym yn buddsoddi ym mhob rhan o Gymru i gefnogi ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, ein busnesau a'n cymunedau. Ymhlith y buddsoddiadau yn Sir Benfro mae £48.7 miliwn ar gyfer ysgol uwchradd newydd yn Hwlffordd a £40 miliwn ar gyfer gwelliannau i'r A40. Mae Cyngor Sir Penfro hefyd wedi derbyn dyraniad o £6.9 miliwn o gyllid targedu buddsoddiad mewn adfywio.

Minister, I'm grateful to you for that answer. Now, I continue to receive representations from residents in Lower Town, Fishguard in my constituency regarding road safety in their local community. And despite positive commitments from previous Ministers on this matter, improvements to the A487 in this specific area are still yet to be taken forward. Minister, what assurances can you give the people of Lower Town, Fishguard that improvements to the trunk road will actually be delivered, and will you commit to working with Pembrokeshire County Council and local residents to deliver a lasting solution for the local area, so that this part of Wales gets the strategic investment that it actually deserves?

Weinidog, rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am eich ateb. Nawr, rwy'n parhau i dderbyn sylwadau gan drigolion yng Nghwm Abergwaun yn fy etholaeth ynglŷn â diogelwch ar y ffyrdd yn eu cymuned leol. Ac er gwaethaf ymrwymiadau cadarnhaol gan Weinidogion blaenorol ar y mater hwn, nid yw’r gwelliannau i'r A487 yn yr ardal benodol hon wedi’u rhoi ar waith o hyd. Weinidog, pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi i bobl Cwm Abergwaun y bydd gwelliannau i'r gefnffordd yn cael eu cyflawni, ac a wnewch chi ymrwymo i weithio gyda Chyngor Sir Penfro a thrigolion lleol i sicrhau ateb parhaol i'r ardal leol, fel bod y rhan hon o Gymru'n cael y buddsoddiad strategol y mae'n ei haeddu?

I thank Paul Davies for that question. In the first instance, I think I should commit to having a discussion with the Minister for economy and transport, so that I can better understand the issues that have held up that particular scheme relating to Lower Town, Fishguard and the A487. 

Diolch i Paul Davies am ei gwestiwn. I gychwyn, credaf y dylwn ymrwymo i gael trafodaeth gyda Gweinidog yr economi a thrafnidiaeth, fel y gallaf gael gwell dealltwriaeth o’r materion sydd wedi rhwystro’r cynllun penodol hwnnw ar gyfer Cwm Abergwaun a'r A487 rhag mynd yn ei flaen.

Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 9, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Finally, question 9, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Portffolio'r Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig
The Environment, Energy, and Rural Affairs Portfolio

9. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y gostyngiad yng nghyfanswm y dyraniad refeniw a chyfalaf ar gyfer portffolio'r amgylchedd, ynni a materion gwledig yn yr ail gyllideb atodol ar gyfer 2020-21? OQ55909

9. Will the Minister make a statement on the reduction in the total revenue and capital allocation for the environment, energy, and rural affairs portfolio in the second supplementary budget for 2020-21? OQ55909

In the second supplementary budget, the environment, energy, and rural affairs portfolio’s capital budget reduced by £10.8 million as a result of the exercise to identify those capital budgets that were likely to underspend this year due to the coronavirus crisis and could, in the first instance, be repurposed.

Yn yr ail gyllideb atodol, gostyngodd cyllideb cyfalaf y portffolio amgylchedd, ynni a materion gwledig £10.8 miliwn o ganlyniad i'r ymarfer i nodi'r cyllidebau cyfalaf a oedd yn debygol o danwario eleni oherwydd yr argyfwng coronafeirws ac y gellid, yn y lle cyntaf, eu haddasu at ddibenion gwahanol.

Minister, I'm sorry, but I consider it to be quite appalling and very disappointing that you have seen fit to reduce the revenue and capital allocation for environment and rural affairs by nearly £11 million. I would like to refer to an even greater situation that is causing me and the agricultural sector some alarm. As you will know, environment, energy and rural affairs has accruing resources of £97 million. This includes income from the EU to support farmers and rural communities in Wales. Your Welsh Government's historic handling of funds for farm support is a serious failure. In fact, you may recall that the budget for the rural development plan in Wales 2014-20 was £828 million. Now, whilst I acknowledge that expenditure can be made during the three years after the programme period, the funding was purely for 2014-20. Why, then, does around £160 million still remain unspent and what steps will the Welsh Government urgently take to address this budget mismanagement and failed monitoring, to ensure that all the money is made available, and now, to all our desperate farmers? Thank you.

Weinidog, mae'n ddrwg gennyf, ond credaf ei bod yn echrydus ac yn siomedig iawn eich bod wedi cytuno i ostyngiad o bron i £11 miliwn yn y dyraniad refeniw a chyfalaf ar gyfer yr amgylchedd a materion gwledig. Hoffwn gyfeirio at sefyllfa hyd yn oed yn waeth sy'n peri cryn bryder i mi a'r sector amaethyddol. Fel y gwyddoch, mae gan yr amgylchedd, ynni a materion gwledig adnoddau cronnus o £97 miliwn. Mae hyn yn cynnwys incwm o'r UE i gefnogi ffermwyr a chymunedau gwledig yng Nghymru. Mae ymdriniaeth hanesyddol Llywodraeth Cymru o arian ar gyfer cymorth i ffermwyr yn fethiant difrifol. Mewn gwirionedd, efallai eich bod yn cofio mai £828 miliwn oedd y gyllideb ar gyfer y cynllun datblygu gwledig yng Nghymru ar gyfer 2014-20. Nawr, er fy mod yn cydnabod y gellir gwario yn ystod y tair blynedd ar ôl cyfnod y rhaglen, roedd y cyllid hwnnw ar gyfer 2014-20 yn unig. Pam, felly, fod oddeutu £160 miliwn heb ei wario o hyd, a pha gamau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd ar frys i fynd i’r afael â’r camreoli cyllidebol hwn a’r methiant i fonitro, er mwyn sicrhau bod yr holl arian ar gael, ac ar gael yn awr, i’n holl ffermwyr sydd cymaint o angen cefnogaeth? Diolch.

Well, two important things here. The first relates to the £10.8 million funding that was identified to be repurposed. That is only capital funding—that wasn't revenue—and £9.5 million of that relates to radioactivity and pollution prevention. It does relate to slippage this year regarding Cardiff council's clean air quality plan to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide under the ambient air quality directions given to Cardiff council and Caerphilly council. It's estimated that the slippages from those councils were in the region of £9.5 million, and this is simply because of the result of the pandemic, meaning work couldn't be taken forward at the same pace.

The other £1.3 million related to enabling natural resources in Wales, and that was a grant focused on co-operative action and activities to provide environmental enhancement and resilience. Again, due to the coronavirus pandemic, those projects had to be suspended during the lockdown. So, these are very much results of the impact of the pandemic rather than deliberate choices to pause work within that important portfolio. I think that we do have to recognise that the pandemic has had an effect on our ability to deliver in a number of areas, and we have been able then to repurpose funding. You'll be familiar with the £320 million package that I announced very recently in terms of a focus on trying to start our recovery.

But if we want to talk serious failings on farm funding, the Chancellor confirmed today that Wales will receive only £242 million in replacement funding for the common agricultural policy, and this leaves Wales £137 million short of the funding that we expected to receive, and amounts to a betrayal of rural Wales. Of course, in their manifesto for the 2019 general election, the UK Government committed to provide full replacement funding for farmers following our exit from the EU, and Wales would normally receive around £337 million per year through the common agricultural policy. So, if you're looking for a serious failure of management of funding and if you're looking for a betrayal of the farming industry, I think that you can find it right there.

Wel, dau beth pwysig yma. Mae'r cyntaf yn ymwneud â'r cyllid o £10.8 miliwn y nodwyd y gellid ei addasu at ddibenion gwahanol. Cyllid cyfalaf yn unig yw hwnnw—nid oedd yn refeniw—ac mae £9.5 miliwn ohono'n ymwneud ag atal ymbelydredd a llygredd. Mae'n ymwneud â llithriant eleni mewn perthynas â chynllun ansawdd aer glân cyngor Caerdydd i gadw at derfynau cyfreithiol ar gyfer nitrogen deuocsid o dan y cyfarwyddiadau ansawdd aer yr amgylchedd a roddwyd i gyngor Caerdydd a chyngor Caerffili. Amcangyfrifir fod llithriannau'r cynghorau hynny oddeutu £9.5 miliwn, ac mae hynny o ganlyniad i’r pandemig, a olygodd na fu modd bwrw ymlaen â gwaith ar yr un cyflymder.

Roedd yr £1.3 miliwn arall tuag at alluogi adnoddau naturiol yng Nghymru, sef grant a ganolbwyntiai ar weithgareddau a chamau gweithredu cydweithredol i ddarparu gwelliant a gwytnwch amgylcheddol. Unwaith eto, oherwydd y pandemig coronafeirws, bu’n rhaid atal y prosiectau hynny yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud. Felly, mae'r rhain i raddau helaeth yn ganlyniadau effaith y pandemig yn hytrach na dewisiadau bwriadol i oedi gwaith o fewn y portffolio pwysig hwnnw. Credaf fod yn rhaid inni gydnabod bod y pandemig wedi effeithio ar ein gallu i gyflawni mewn sawl maes, ac rydym wedi gallu addasu cyllid at ddibenion gwahanol. Fe fyddwch yn gyfarwydd â'r pecyn £320 miliwn a gyhoeddais yn ddiweddar iawn ar gyfer canolbwyntio ar geisio cychwyn ein hadferiad.

Ond os ydym am sôn am fethiannau difrifol mewn perthynas â chyllid i ffermydd, cadarnhaodd y Canghellor heddiw mai £242 miliwn yn unig y bydd Cymru yn ei gael o gyllid yn lle’r polisi amaethyddol cyffredin, a golyga hyn fod Cymru £137 miliwn yn brin o'r cyllid roeddem yn disgwyl ei gael, sy'n dangos eu bod yn bradychu cefn gwlad Cymru. Wrth gwrs, yn eu maniffesto ar gyfer etholiad cyffredinol 2019, ymrwymodd Llywodraeth y DU i ddarparu cyllid llawn i ffermwyr wedi inni adael yr UE, a byddai Cymru fel arfer yn derbyn oddeutu £337 miliwn y flwyddyn drwy’r polisi amaethyddol cyffredin. Felly, os ydych yn chwilio am fethiant difrifol i reoli cyllid ac os ydych yn chwilio am enghraifft o fradychu’r diwydiant ffermio, rwy'n credu y gallwch ei weld yn yr union fan honno.

14:15
2. Cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Addysg
2. Questions to the Minister for Education

Yr eitem nesaf yw cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Addysg, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Andrew R.T. Davies.

The next item is questions to the Minister for Education, and the first question is from Andrew R.T. Davies.

Prifysgolion
Universities

1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y cynlluniau ar gyfer myfyrwyr yn dychwelyd i brifysgolion Cymru yn y flwyddyn newydd? OQ55924

1. Will the Minister make a statement on the plans for the return of students to Welsh universities in the new year? OQ55924

Thank you, Andrew. The Welsh Government is reviewing the regulations and guidance in relation to travel around the Christmas period and beyond as we continue to monitor transmission rates within Wales. It is too early to confirm any arrangements that will apply in respect of universities in the new year.  

Diolch, Andrew. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n adolygu'r rheoliadau a'r canllawiau mewn perthynas â theithio yn ystod cyfnod y Nadolig a thu hwnt wrth inni barhau i fonitro cyfraddau trosglwyddiad yng Nghymru. Mae'n rhy gynnar i gadarnhau unrhyw drefniadau a fydd ar waith mewn perthynas â phrifysgolion yn y flwyddyn newydd.

Thank you, Minister, for that reply. I appreciate universities are independent institutions, but, obviously, there was a big movement of students at the start of the academic year in September, and this will be the second opportunity for such a movement of students to be replicated, not just in Wales, but from across the United Kingdom and, indeed, international students. I heard what you said—you believe it's too early to come out with anything concrete at the moment—but can you identify any emerging themes that might need to be put in place to welcome students back in January, in particular around pastoral care? Obviously, we know that the January return does tend to have pressure points of students returning back in normal circumstances, but with the exceptionality that students face at the moment, the pastoral care of students is going to be of critical importance, and the work that Government can do to support universities, via public health et cetera, will be of critical importance, I would suggest.

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Rwy'n derbyn bod prifysgolion yn sefydliadau annibynnol, ond yn amlwg, bu cryn dipyn o symud ymhlith fyfyrwyr ar ddechrau'r flwyddyn academaidd ym mis Medi, a hwn fydd yr ail gyfle i ailadrodd symud myfyrwyr yn y fath fodd, nid yn unig yng Nghymru, ond ym mhob rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig, ac yn wir, myfyrwyr rhyngwladol. Clywais yr hyn a ddywedoch—rydych o’r farn ei bod yn rhy gynnar i gyhoeddi unrhyw beth pendant ar hyn o bryd—ond a allwch nodi unrhyw themâu sy'n dod i'r amlwg y gallai fod angen eu rhoi ar waith i groesawu myfyrwyr yn ôl ym mis Ionawr, yn enwedig o ran gofal bugeiliol? Yn amlwg, gwyddom fod mis Ionawr yn tueddu i arwain at bwysau wrth i fyfyrwyr ddychwelyd o dan amgylchiadau arferol, ond gyda'r sefyllfa eithriadol y mae myfyrwyr yn ei hwynebu ar hyn o bryd, bydd gofal bugeiliol i fyfyrwyr yn hollbwysig, a bydd y gwaith y gall y Llywodraeth ei wneud i gefnogi prifysgolion, drwy iechyd y cyhoedd ac ati, yn hanfodol bwysig yn fy marn i.

Thank you, Andrew. You asked about emerging themes; clearly, I'm determined to minimise disruption to students' education, but, obviously, we need to monitor that as part of the overall Government public health response to the pandemic. We’re working very closely with our universities and our student union bodies, and many of the elements that will allow students to return home for Christmas are important elements of our planning for a return in the new year, such as staggered leaving dates for students leaving campus. Obviously, a staggered return is something that we're looking at, and the crucial role of lateral flow testing. All universities in Wales are talking part in the pilot for lateral flow testing. Clearly, we want to learn the lessons from that pilot. That testing will continue to operate into the new year, and will, therefore, aid with any plans to return students safely to campus.

Diolch, Andrew. Fe ofynnoch chi am themâu sy'n dod i'r amlwg; rwy'n benderfynol o sicrhau cyn lleied â phosibl o darfu ar addysg myfyrwyr wrth gwrs, ond yn amlwg, mae angen inni fonitro hynny fel rhan o ymateb cyffredinol y Llywodraeth i'r pandemig yng nghyswllt iechyd y cyhoedd. Rydym yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda'n prifysgolion ac undebau myfyrwyr, ac mae llawer o'r elfennau a fydd yn caniatáu i fyfyrwyr ddychwelyd adref ar gyfer y Nadolig yn elfennau pwysig yn ein cynlluniau ar gyfer dychwelyd yn y flwyddyn newydd, fel trefnu dyddiadau gwahanol i fyfyrwyr adael y campws. Yn amlwg, mae trefnu dyddiadau gwahanol ar gyfer dychwelyd yn rhywbeth rydym yn ei ystyried, yn ogystal â rôl hanfodol profion llif unffordd. Mae pob prifysgol yng Nghymru yn cymryd rhan yn y cynllun peilot ar gyfer profion llif unffordd. Yn amlwg, rydym am ddysgu'r gwersi o'r cynllun peilot hwnnw. Bydd y profion hynny'n parhau i gael eu cynnal yn y flwyddyn newydd, ac felly byddant yn cynorthwyo gydag unrhyw gynlluniau i sicrhau bod myfyrwyr yn dychwelyd yn ddiogel i'r campws.

Minister, can I commend the work that's been done in the University of South Wales, not only in terms of the innovation of the development of testing equipment that may well have commercial viability in the early new year and make a difference, but also the way in which the university has developed pastoral support for the students, certainly in the town of Pontypridd, and in Treforest, where the university is based? Following on from the last question, obviously, there have been major challenges in terms of the testing of students as they return home, and one of the concerns and one of the issues is, as students do return, and with lots of part-time students and lots of foreign students, the ability to test and to maintain control to contain the COVID pandemic, which will still be with us, is still there. What sort of measures will be in place, what conversations are taking place with, for example, the University of South Wales and other universities, and are there any funding implications that would actually assist universities to enable this to happen for the benefit of all?

Weinidog, a gaf fi ganmol y gwaith a wnaed ym Mhrifysgol De Cymru, nid yn unig ar arloesi gyda datblygiad offer profi a allai fod yn fasnachol hyfyw yn gynnar yn y flwyddyn newydd ac a allai wneud gwahaniaeth, ond hefyd y ffordd y mae'r brifysgol wedi datblygu cefnogaeth fugeiliol i'r myfyrwyr, yn sicr yn nhref Pontypridd, ac yn Nhrefforest, lle mae'r brifysgol wedi'i lleoli? Yn dilyn y cwestiwn diwethaf, yn amlwg, wynebwyd heriau mawr o ran cynnal profion ar fyfyrwyr wrth iddynt ddychwelyd adref, ac un o'r pryderon ac un o'r materion sy'n codi wrth i fyfyrwyr ddychwelyd, a chyda llawer o fyfyrwyr rhan-amser a myfyrwyr tramor, yw a fydd y gallu i brofi a chadw rheolaeth ar y pandemig COVID yn dal i fod yno. Pa fath o fesurau fydd ar waith, pa sgyrsiau sy'n mynd rhagddynt gyda Phrifysgol De Cymru er enghraifft, a phrifysgolion eraill, ac a oes unrhyw oblygiadau cyllidol a fyddai’n cynorthwyo prifysgolion i alluogi hyn i ddigwydd er lles pawb?

14:20

Thank you, Mick. I would like, indeed, to put on record my thanks to universities—the University of South Wales and, indeed, all our institutions of higher education—that have worked incredibly hard over the start of this academic year to maintain quality educational experiences, to look after the welfare of their students, and to play their part in managing public health risk in the middle of a global pandemic. And I'd like to thank the students themselves, who are doing their bit to follow the rules, keeping themselves and their friends safe. We are seeing the virus incidence rates decline in most of our universities, which is very welcome and we hope that that trend will continue. We're working very closely with our vice-chancellors; indeed, I met with them all at the beginning of this week to reflect on the experiences to date and to make sure that measures are in place to see a successful end to this term and to begin to plan for a safe return in January. And clearly, we're also working with colleagues in other parts of United Kingdom, given the fact that many of our students travel in and out of Wales to England, to Scotland and to Northern Ireland. Where at all possible, we are seeking to have a common approach to managing that process.

Diolch, Mick. Yn wir, hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch i'r prifysgolion—Prifysgol De Cymru, ac yn wir, ein holl sefydliadau addysg uwch—sydd wedi gweithio'n anhygoel o galed dros ddechrau'r flwyddyn academaidd hon i gynnal profiadau addysgol o safon, i ofalu am les eu myfyrwyr, ac i chwarae eu rhan yn rheoli’r perygl i iechyd y cyhoedd ynghanol pandemig byd-eang. A hoffwn ddiolch i'r myfyrwyr eu hunain, sy'n chwarae eu rhan drwy ddilyn y rheolau, gan gadw eu hunain a'u ffrindiau'n ddiogel. Rydym yn gweld cyfraddau'r achosion o'r feirws yn gostwng yn y rhan fwyaf o'n prifysgolion, ac mae hynny i’w groesawu’n fawr, a gobeithiwn y bydd y duedd honno'n parhau. Rydym yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda'n his-gangellorion; yn wir, cyfarfûm â phob un ohonynt ddechrau’r wythnos hon i ystyried y profiadau hyd yn hyn ac i wneud yn siŵr fod mesurau ar waith i sicrhau diwedd llwyddiannus i’r tymor hwn ac i ddechrau cynllunio ar gyfer dychwelyd yn ddiogel ym mis Ionawr. Ac yn amlwg, rydym hefyd yn gweithio gyda’n cymheiriaid mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig, o gofio bod llawer o'n myfyrwyr yn teithio i mewn ac allan o Gymru i Loegr, i'r Alban ac i Ogledd Iwerddon. Lle bo modd, rydym yn ceisio sicrhau bod gennym ddull cyffredin o reoli'r broses honno.

Athrawon Cyflenwi
Supply Teachers

2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer athrawon cyflenwi? OQ55916

2. Will the Minister make a statement on Welsh Government support for supply teachers? OQ55916

The Welsh Government continues to work with stakeholders to ensure that support is available for supply teachers. This includes financial support, employment opportunities through the Recruit, Recover, Raise Standards programme, and funding a service to promote mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i weithio gyda rhanddeiliaid i sicrhau bod cefnogaeth ar gael i athrawon cyflenwi. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cymorth ariannol, cyfleoedd cyflogaeth drwy raglen Recriwtio, Adfer a Chodi Safonau, ac ariannu gwasanaeth i hyrwyddo iechyd meddwl a lles yn ystod pandemig COVID-19.

I'm grateful to you, Minister, for that. I'm aware that the Welsh Government has worked hard to ensure that there is a framework of support available for supply teachers throughout the whole country and throughout the year. But the Minister will also be aware that supply teachers have had a very difficult period throughout the last year with the pandemic and the impact it's had on their ability to gain work. But this reinforces a more fundamental problem with the system of supply teachers. We know that the fragmented system of private agencies means that there is no system for supply teachers to gain adequate work through the year. It may be that the most straightforward way of ensuring that we are able to support and sustain a workforce of supply teachers is to ensure that all local authorities have a local register of supply teachers to ensure that teachers are able to find work and that schools are able to find teachers, and to do so in a more coherent and structured way.

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am hynny, Weinidog. Rwy'n ymwybodol fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio'n galed i sicrhau bod fframwaith o gymorth ar gael i athrawon cyflenwi ledled y wlad a thrwy gydol y flwyddyn. Ond bydd y Gweinidog hefyd yn ymwybodol fod athrawon cyflenwi wedi cael cyfnod anodd iawn drwy gydol y flwyddyn ddiwethaf gyda'r pandemig a'r effaith y mae wedi'i chael ar eu gallu i gael gwaith. Ond mae hyn yn atgyfnerthu problem fwy sylfaenol gyda’r system athrawon cyflenwi. Gwyddom fod system dameidiog o asiantaethau preifat yn golygu nad oes system i athrawon cyflenwi gael gwaith digonol drwy gydol y flwyddyn. Efallai mai'r ffordd symlaf o sicrhau ein bod yn gallu cefnogi a chynnal gweithlu o athrawon cyflenwi yw sicrhau bod gan bob awdurdod lleol gofrestr leol o athrawon cyflenwi i sicrhau bod athrawon yn gallu dod o hyd i waith a bod ysgolion yn gallu dod o hyd i athrawon, a gwneud hynny mewn ffordd fwy cydlynol a strwythuredig.

Thank you, Alun. Can I say that supply teachers form a very important part of the education workforce in Wales? But under local management of schools, governing bodies have the flexibility to appoint and deploy supply teachers as they see fit. There is nothing, nothing at all, to prevent local authorities and schools, as the employers of teachers, working together with other key stakeholders—including perhaps regional consortia—to support a co-operative or collaborative model. The decision to operate any local authority list would rest with individual local authorities as the employers of school staff, and as I said, there is nothing to stop them from doing that now. We continue to have discussions with all of our local education authorities to ensure that they—or their individual schools, if they are using agencies—ensure that they do not undercut the framework arrangements we have in place with those agencies to pay the proper wages. I'm grateful for an undertaking by all the directors of education, via the Association of Directors of Education in Wales, that they will be taking action to ensure that schools are made aware of this responsibility and should not be looking to undercut the framework that we have put in place.

Diolch, Alun. A gaf fi ddweud bod athrawon cyflenwi yn rhan bwysig iawn o'r gweithlu addysg yng Nghymru? Ond o dan reolaeth leol ar ysgolion, mae gan gyrff llywodraethu hyblygrwydd i benodi a defnyddio athrawon cyflenwi fel y gwelant orau. Nid oes unrhyw beth o gwbl i atal awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion, fel cyflogwyr athrawon, rhag gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid allweddol eraill—gan gynnwys consortia rhanbarthol, o bosibl—i gefnogi model cydweithredol. Penderfyniad i’r awdurdodau lleol unigol fel cyflogwyr staff ysgolion fyddai gweithredu unrhyw restr awdurdod lleol, ac fel y dywedais, nid oes unrhyw beth i'w hatal rhag gwneud hynny nawr. Rydym yn parhau i gael trafodaethau gyda'n holl awdurdodau addysg lleol—neu eu hysgolion unigol, os ydynt yn defnyddio asiantaethau—i sicrhau nad ydynt yn tanseilio'r trefniadau fframwaith sydd gennym ar waith gyda'r asiantaethau hynny i dalu'r cyflogau cywir. Rwy'n ddiolchgar am ymrwymiad gan yr holl gyfarwyddwyr addysg, drwy Gymdeithas Cyfarwyddwyr Addysg Cymru, y byddant yn cymryd camau i sicrhau bod ysgolion yn ymwybodol o'r cyfrifoldeb hwn ac na ddylent geisio tanseilio'r fframwaith rydym wedi’i roi ar waith.

14:25

Minister, I heard your opening comment about the financial support that you're affording to supply teachers. Could you just give us a little bit more detail about it? Because I've had a couple come to me raising concerns about the fact that if they've been to one school—they may have done a short-term project for a couple of weeks—they've yet to go to the new school, and then they've had to self-isolate, not because they had COVID, but because they've been in contact with somebody who is suspected of having COVID, so they had to go through the self-isolation process—they were really struggling to get any form of financial support, and were worried about what was going to happen to their income. So, if you could either outline that to us now or point me in the direction—because I have looked, and I can't find how we support the people who fall between the gaps there. Then I'd like to go and have a look at it and be able to give it to these constituents of mine. 

Weinidog, clywais eich sylw agoriadol am y cymorth ariannol rydych yn ei roi i athrawon cyflenwi. A allech roi ychydig mwy o fanylion i ni yn ei gylch? Oherwydd mae un neu ddau wedi mynegi pryderon wrthyf ynglŷn â’r ffaith, os ydynt wedi bod mewn un ysgol—efallai eu bod wedi gwneud prosiect tymor byr am wythnos neu ddwy—nid ydynt wedi dechrau yn yr ysgol newydd eto, a'u bod wedi gorfod hunanynysu, nid oherwydd eu bod wedi cael COVID, ond oherwydd eu bod wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â rhywun yr amheuir eu bod wedi cael COVID, felly bu’n rhaid iddynt fynd drwy'r broses o hunanynysu—roeddent yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn cael unrhyw fath o gymorth ariannol, ac roeddent yn poeni am yr hyn a fyddai’n digwydd i'w hincwm. Felly, pe gallech naill ai amlinellu hynny i ni nawr neu fy nghyfeirio at y lle iawn—oherwydd rwyf wedi edrych, ac ni allaf ddeall sut rydym yn cefnogi'r bobl sy'n cwympo drwy'r rhwyd yn y ffordd honno. Hoffwn gael golwg ar hynny a rhoi'r ateb i fy etholwyr.

Absolutely. The Welsh Government and the National Procurement Service worked with agencies at the beginning of this pandemic to ensure that they were all able to furlough their staff under the job retention scheme. All agencies on the framework confirmed that they were able to access the scheme for eligible staff, and we understand that they did so until the end of the summer. We continue to work alongside our agencies to understand difficulties that supply teachers may be experiencing at the moment, and I will write to the Member with additional details of support that may be available in the current situation.FootnoteLink I should say that we are encouraging those who are willing to work supply to take up opportunities. Some of the enforced closures that we've seen in some of our schools have been because of an inability to find agency staff to keep schools going. I understand that people may be reluctant to take up a position in an area where they feel that COVID transmission rates are high, but we really do need supply staff to work with us and to understand the reasons they may not feel able, at this point, to take up assignments if they are available.

Yn sicr. Gweithiodd Llywodraeth Cymru a'r Gwasanaeth Caffael Cenedlaethol gydag asiantaethau ar ddechrau'r pandemig hwn i sicrhau y gallai pob un ohonynt roi eu staff ar ffyrlo o dan y cynllun cadw swyddi. Cadarnhaodd pob asiantaeth ar y fframwaith eu bod yn gallu cael mynediad at y cynllun ar gyfer staff cymwys, ac rydym yn deall eu bod wedi gwneud hynny tan ddiwedd yr haf. Rydym yn parhau i weithio ochr yn ochr â'n hasiantaethau i ddeall yr anawsterau y gallai athrawon cyflenwi fod yn eu hwynebu ar hyn o bryd, a byddaf yn ysgrifennu at yr Aelod gyda manylion ychwanegol am gymorth a allai fod ar gael yn y sefyllfa bresennol.FootnoteLink Dylwn ddweud ein bod yn annog y rheini sy'n barod i weithio fel athrawon cyflenwi i achub ar gyfleoedd. Mae rhai o'r ysgolion sydd wedi cael eu gorfodi i gau wedi gorfod gwneud hynny oherwydd anallu i ddod o hyd i staff asiantaeth i gadw’r ysgolion ar agor. Rwy'n deall y gallai pobl fod yn amharod i gael gwaith mewn ardal lle maent yn teimlo bod cyfraddau trosglwyddiad COVID yn uchel, ond mae gwir angen staff cyflenwi arnom i weithio gyda ni ac i ddeall y rhesymau pam nad ydynt, o bosibl, yn teimlo y gallant, ar y pwynt hwn, ymgymryd ag aseiniadau os ydynt ar gael.

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

Cwestiynau nawr gan lefaryddion y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Suzy Davies.

Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Suzy Davies.

Diolch, Llywydd. Afternoon, Minister. We heard yesterday evening that Qualifications Wales have scrapped January's unit exams in ICT, English literature and Welsh literature, although other exams—not just resits—will still go ahead. I wonder if you can say why the learning of those students sitting level 2 and 3 units in health and social care is deemed less affected by school and college closures than those sitting literature and ICT.

Diolch, Lywydd. Prynhawn da, Weinidog. Clywsom neithiwr fod Cymwysterau Cymru wedi cael gwared ar arholiadau uned mis Ionawr mewn TGCh, llenyddiaeth Saesneg a llenyddiaeth Gymraeg, er y bydd arholiadau eraill—nid arholiadau sy’n cael eu hailsefyll yn unig—yn dal i gael eu cynnal. Tybed a allwch ddweud pam yr ystyrir bod cau ysgolion a cholegau yn cael llai o effaith ar ddysgu'r myfyrwyr sy'n sefyll arholiadau uned lefel 2 a 3 mewn iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol na'r rheini sy'n sefyll arholiadau llenyddiaeth a TGCh.

Qualifications Wales has made a distinction between what are legacy qualifications—it's the last time that those papers were ever going to be sat; they will not be offered any longer—and those papers that will have a different opportunity to be assessed in a different way.

Mae Cymwysterau Cymru wedi gwahaniaethu rhwng cymwysterau etifeddol—dyma'r tro olaf i'r papurau hynny gael eu sefyll; ni fyddant yn cael eu cynnig mwyach—a'r papurau hynny y bydd cyfle gwahanol iddynt gael eu hasesu mewn ffordd wahanol.

Thank you for that answer. My understanding is that some of the legacy GCSEs would be sat, but never mind.

I want to move on now to school closures, and I can see that all but one year group in my old alma mater in Aberdare were sent home to self-isolate the other day. Schools in Ceredigion, of course, are closing for two weeks, including primary schools, which surprised me, I have to say, when we are told repeatedly that in these settings the risks of transmission are low. You've told me that you don't collect data on whether positive cases in schools are there as a result of coming in from the community, or whether they're the result of in-school transmission, which doesn't help school heads assess the risk of the latter. The updated guidance that you issued—it must have been about three weeks ago now—to help schools has clearly had no affect in reducing the numbers sent home either way, and neither has the test and trace programme. So, I understand, then, why you have gone for the new guidance on face coverings in communal areas in schools, but why have you taken the advice from the technical advisory group document that you received to mean that pupils should wear them in the outdoor areas of school premises?

Diolch am eich ateb. Fy nealltwriaeth i yw y byddai rhai o'r TGAU etifeddol yn cael eu sefyll, ond dim ots.

Hoffwn symud ymlaen yn awr at gau ysgolion, a gallaf weld bod pob grŵp blwyddyn ond un yn fy hen ysgol yn Aberdâr wedi’u hanfon adref i hunanynysu y diwrnod o'r blaen. Mae ysgolion yng Ngheredigion, wrth gwrs, yn cau am bythefnos, gan gynnwys ysgolion cynradd, a chefais fy synnu gan hynny, rhaid i mi ddweud, pan ddywedir wrthym dro ar ôl tro fod y risg o drosglwyddiad yn isel yn y lleoliadau hyn. Rydych wedi dweud wrthyf nad ydych yn casglu data ynglŷn ag a yw achosion positif mewn ysgolion wedi dod yno o'r gymuned, neu a ydynt o ganlyniad i drosglwyddiad yn yr ysgol, ac nid yw hynny'n helpu penaethiaid ysgolion i asesu’r perygl o drosglwyddiad yn yr ysgol. Mae'n amlwg nad yw’r diweddariad a gyhoeddwyd gennych i’r canllawiau—tua thair wythnos yn ôl bellach mae'n rhaid—i helpu ysgolion wedi cael unrhyw effaith ar leihau'r niferoedd sy’n cael eu hanfon adref y naill ffordd neu'r llall, ac nid yw'r rhaglen brofi ac olrhain wedi cael unrhyw effaith ychwaith. Felly, rwy’n deall pam eich bod wedi rhoi’r canllawiau newydd ar waith ar orchuddion wyneb mewn mannau cymunedol mewn ysgolion, ond pam eich bod wedi cymryd bod y cyngor yn y ddogfen a gawsoch gan y grŵp cyngor technegol yn golygu y dylai disgyblion eu gwisgo yn yr awyr agored ar dir yr ysgol?

Thank you for that, Suzy. As you have quite rightly identified, we are continuing to see a considerable period of disruption, because of the pandemic, on our education. We are working with schools to minimise that disruption as much as we can. I'm delighted that Pembrokeshire schools that were closed at the beginning of this week are now in a position to reopen. I met yesterday with the chief education officer and the chief executive of Ceredigion to understand the decision-making process that has led to the closure of schools in that particular area.

It's incredibly disappointing, isn't it, and it demonstrates very, very visibly that the choices and the actions of individuals in the community, and making poor choices, can have a devastating effect, in this case, on the sustainability of education in that particular area, and, I understand, Presiding Officer, and you would know this very well, in terms of the fire and rescue service available in that area. We all have a responsibility—each and every one of us—if we want to see schools continuing and education continuing, to do the right thing.

Now, with regards to face masks for secondary school pupils outside of the classroom area, we know that a critical element of the successful implementation of any mitigating measure is clear communication and messaging. And with this in mind, we want to do more to support our headteachers, to ensure that the messages are clear, and to minimise the taking on and taking off of masks. Therefore, the message is very clear: when you're in a classroom, you are not required to wear a face mask; if you're out of the classroom, wear a face mask.

Diolch, Suzy. Fel rydych wedi nodi’n gwbl gywir, rydym yn parhau i weld cyfnod o darfu sylweddol ar ein haddysg oherwydd y pandemig. Rydym yn gweithio gydag ysgolion i leihau'r tarfu hwnnw gymaint ag y gallwn. Rwy'n falch iawn fod ysgolion Sir Benfro a oedd ar gau ddechrau'r wythnos hon bellach mewn sefyllfa i ailagor. Cyfarfûm ddoe gyda’r prif swyddog addysg a phrif weithredwr Ceredigion i ddeall y broses o wneud penderfyniadau sydd wedi arwain at gau ysgolion yn yr ardal benodol honno.

Mae'n hynod siomedig, onid ydyw, ac mae'n dangos yn amlwg iawn sut y gall dewisiadau a gweithredoedd unigolion yn y gymuned, a dewisiadau gwael, gael effaith ddinistriol, yn yr achos hwn, ar gynaliadwyedd addysg yn yr ardal benodol honno, ac yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, Lywydd, ac fe fyddech yn ymwybodol iawn o hyn, ar y gwasanaeth tân ac achub sydd ar gael yn yr ardal honno. Mae gan bob un ohonom gyfrifoldeb—pob un ohonom—os ydym yn dymuno gweld ysgolion yn parhau ac addysg yn parhau, i wneud y peth iawn.

Nawr, o ran masgiau wyneb ar gyfer disgyblion ysgolion uwchradd y tu allan i’r ystafell ddosbarth, gwyddom fod cyfathrebu a negeseuon clir yn elfen hanfodol o roi unrhyw fesurau lliniaru ar waith yn llwyddiannus. A chyda hyn mewn golwg, rydym yn awyddus i wneud mwy i gefnogi ein penaethiaid, i sicrhau bod y negeseuon yn glir, ac i sicrhau bod masgiau’n cael eu gwisgo a’u diosg mor anaml â phosibl. Felly, mae'r neges yn glir iawn: pan fyddwch mewn ystafell ddosbarth, nid oes raid i chi wisgo masg wyneb; os ydych y tu allan i'r ystafell ddosbarth, gwisgwch fasg wyneb.

14:30

Well, thank you for the response, but it didn't really answer my questions about why, when you're out in the fresh air, you should wear a mask. If you'd turned around to me and said that there is a lot of evidence of pupils huddling up in the schoolyard and not behaving, then maybe I would have been prepared to hear your evidence for that. But yesterday, for example, I had communication from somebody—a parent—complaining that there were 30 children outside in, well, she called it a yard, the size of a hockey pitch, and they were all being told to wear face coverings. Now that, clearly, is not a great idea. So, I was hoping to hear something about the difficulties, perhaps, that teachers were experiencing in enforcing distancing in the yard, and why they're having difficulty doing that, because I don't see why they should.

The suggestion now, of course, is that lateral flow testing is the way forward. I don't want to talk about testing in general, but one specific case has come to me. I've had sight of one school's parental consent form, asking for their child to be tested. It doesn't say whether that child would still be permitted to attend the school if consent were not to be given. So I don't want to talk about testing in general, but in terms of parental refusal to give consent, will you be leaving this decision to schools, or will you be showing the leadership on this, and making the position plain about what schools should do in those circumstances?

Wel, diolch am yr ymateb, ond nid oedd yn ateb fy nghwestiynau mewn gwirionedd ynghylch pam y dylech wisgo masg yn yr awyr agored. Pe baech wedi dweud wrthyf fod llawer o dystiolaeth fod disgyblion yn hel at ei gilydd ar iard yr ysgol ac yn camymddwyn, efallai y byddwn wedi bod yn barod i glywed eich tystiolaeth ynglŷn â hynny. Ond ddoe, er enghraifft, cysylltodd rhywun â mi—rhiant—i gwyno bod 30 o blant y tu allan ar iard, fel y'i galwodd, iard maint cae hoci, a dywedwyd wrthynt i gyd am wisgo gorchuddion wyneb. Nawr, yn amlwg, nid yw hynny'n syniad gwych. Felly, roeddwn yn gobeithio clywed rhywbeth am yr anawsterau, efallai, roedd athrawon yn eu profi wrth orfodi disgyblion i gadw pellter ar yr iard, a pham eu bod yn cael trafferth gwneud hynny, oherwydd nid wyf yn gweld pam y dylent.

Yr awgrym yn awr, wrth gwrs, yw mai profion llif unffordd yw'r ffordd ymlaen. Nid wyf eisiau siarad am brofion yn gyffredinol, ond rwyf wedi cael gwybod am un achos penodol. Cefais weld ffurflen caniatâd rhieni un ysgol, yn gofyn i'w plentyn gael ei brofi. Nid yw'n dweud a fyddai'r plentyn hwnnw'n dal i gael mynychu'r ysgol pe na bai'r rhieni'n rhoi eu caniatâd. Felly nid wyf eisiau siarad am brofion yn gyffredinol, ond mewn perthynas â rhieni'n gwrthod rhoi caniatâd, a fyddwch yn gadael y penderfyniad hwn i ysgolion, neu a fyddwch chi'n dangos arweiniad ar hyn, ac yn gwneud y sefyllfa'n glir ynglŷn â'r hyn y dylai ysgolion ei wneud o dan yr amgylchiadau hynny?

Certainly. And can I say to the Member, she talks about huddling—we've got a lot of huddling going on in schools. As you can imagine, we've received numerous reports from our local authorities about adults huddling together at school gates. And indeed, within the playground setting, the idea that all children are running around and keeping 2m apart, that's a lovely idea, it's a beautiful thought, but let's face it, that's not exactly what is happening. Pupils do indeed huddle together in playground or field situations. Each of our schools is different. Some are able to have enough outdoor space to keep their bubbles in unique parts of their outdoor part of their school; other schools are having to bring bubbles together in outdoor spaces. And this is another mitigating measure that we are introducing to try and minimise disruption and keep children in schools for as long as possible. All of us, even when we're outside, should look to socially distance, and if we can't socially distance, or choose not to—we all need to be wearing masks. And unfortunately, we're in a position now where we are seeing this disruption that we feel this is the appropriate test.

Lateral flow testing is an important development. We are looking to roll out lateral flow testing in our schools as a result of the Merthyr Tydfil pilot. And in that circumstance, we are not compelling anyone to take a test. They are purely voluntary, and we wouldn't force a child, or an adult, to take a lateral flow test if they did not wish to do so. But clearly, as we go through the pilot and learn the lessons for that, we will be in a better position to make policy statements when we see a greater roll-out, I hope, of that technology.

Yn sicr. Ac a gaf fi ddweud wrth yr Aelod, mae'n sôn am ddisgyblion yn hel at ei gilydd—mae gennym lawer o ddisgyblion yn hel at ei gilydd mewn ysgolion. Fel y gallwch ddychmygu, rydym wedi derbyn nifer o adroddiadau gan ein hawdurdodau lleol am oedolion yn hel at ei gilydd wrth gatiau ysgol. Ac yn wir, ar yr iard chwarae, mae'r syniad fod pob plentyn yn rhedeg o gwmpas ac yn cadw 2 fetr oddi wrth ei gilydd, mae hwnnw'n syniad hyfryd, mae'n syniad hardd, ond gadewch i ni wynebu'r peth, nid dyna'n union sy'n digwydd. Mae disgyblion yn hel at ei gilydd mewn meysydd chwarae neu ar gaeau. Mae pob un o'n hysgolion yn wahanol. Mae gan rai ddigon o le yn yr awyr agored i gadw eu swigod mewn rhannau penodol y tu allan i'w hysgol; mae ysgolion eraill yn gorfod dod â swigod at ei gilydd yn yr awyr agored. Ac mae hwn yn fesur lliniarol arall rydym yn ei gyflwyno i geisio lleihau'r tarfu a chadw plant mewn ysgolion cyhyd ag y bo modd. Dylai pob un ohonom, hyd yn oed pan fyddwn y tu allan, geisio cadw pellter cymdeithasol, ac os na allwn gadw pellter cymdeithasol, neu os ydym yn dewis peidio—mae angen i bob un ohonom wisgo masgiau. Ac yn anffodus, rydym mewn sefyllfa nawr, lle rydym yn gweld y tarfu, ac rydym yn teimlo mai dyma'r prawf priodol.

Mae profion llif unffordd yn ddatblygiad pwysig. Rydym yn bwriadu cyflwyno profion llif unffordd yn ein hysgolion o ganlyniad i gynllun peilot Merthyr Tudful. Ac o dan yr amgylchiadau hynny, nid ydym yn gorfodi neb i gael prawf. Maent yn gwbl wirfoddol, ac ni fyddem yn gorfodi plentyn, nac oedolyn, i gael prawf llif unffordd os nad ydynt yn dymuno gwneud hynny. Ond yn amlwg, wrth inni fynd drwy'r peilot a dysgu'r gwersi ar gyfer hynny, byddwn mewn gwell sefyllfa i wneud datganiadau polisi pan fyddwn yn gweld y dechnoleg honno, gobeithio, yn cael ei chyflwyno'n ehangach.

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Siân Gwenllian.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Siân Gwenllian.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi am ddechrau lle roeddech chi'n gorffen yn fanna, sef efo'r profion ar raddfa eang. Dwi'n ymwybodol eich bod chi'n gwneud gwaith ac yn ystyried cyflwyno rhaglen ar raddfa eang mewn ysgolion a cholegau, i ddisgyblion ac athrawon, ac yn cytuno'n llwyr bod angen rhaglen gynlluniedig o brofion i fynd rhagddi. Mae yna brofion mewn ysgolion yn ardal Lerpwl, a rydych chi newydd sôn am y cynllun peilot ym Merthyr. Mae'r undebau athrawon, yn gyffredinol, o blaid, dwi'n credu, a rhannau eraill o'r byd yn cynnal profion eang ar ddisgyblion a staff—Efrog Newydd, Vienna, Berlin, Nashville, Montreal. Oes yna rwystrau penodol i atal profi asymptomatig mewn ysgolion yng Nghymru? Hynny yw, pam fod o'n cymryd bach gormod o amser cyn bod hwn yn cael ei rowlio allan? A fyddwch chi'n targedu ardaloedd arbennig? Beth fydd eich meini prawf chi wrth rowlio'r rhaglen brofi eang yma allan? A beth yn union ydy'r amserlen? 

Thank you very much. I want to start where you finished there, namely with the tests on a wide scale. I'm aware that you are doing work and considering introducing a programme on a wider scale in schools and colleges, for pupils and teachers, and I agree entirely that we do need a planned programme of tests going forward. There are tests going on in schools in the Liverpool area, and you've just talked about the pilot programme in Merthyr. Teachers' unions are, generally, in favour, I believe, and other parts of the world are holding wide-ranging tests on pupils and staff—New York, Vienna, Berlin, Nashville, Montreal. Are there any specific barriers preventing asymptomatic testing in schools in Wales? Why is it taking a little bit too much time before this is being rolled out? Will you be targeting specific areas? What will your criteria be in rolling this programme out? And what exactly is the timetable? 

14:35

Well, we're rolling out lateral flow testing in the education community as quickly as they are being made available more widely to Wales. So, all of our universities are taking part in the pilot programme, ahead of the end of the academic year, and we have now the Merthyr Tydfil programme, where we are looking to deliver lateral flow testing at school, in our high schools and in the local college, and communicating to parents who live in the Merthyr Tydfil area, but whose children attend school outside of Merthyr Tydfil, encouraging them to come forward and take part in the lateral flow testing community programme. We are looking at extending that into areas of Rhondda Cynon Taf, given that, again, that is an area of high incidence, and we are learning the lessons and the potential barriers and the difficulties of delivering this programme within the school setting. 

Can I say, having met last week with the headteachers of the high schools in Merthyr, the principal of the college and the chief education officer in Merthyr, they are all very committed to making this technology available in their schools? It's not only potentially an important part of understanding what the disease is doing in the community, but it could also help us, with the situation that Suzy Davies just referred to, in allowing children to get back to school more quickly, rather than a 14-day period of isolation, if they were deemed a contact. A daily test may allow them to keep being in school or a teacher to keep being in school, as opposed to a 14-day isolation period. So, we're looking at it in terms of not just a wider community benefit, but actually as a way of limiting disruption going forward. 

Wel, rydym yn cyflwyno profion llif unffordd yn y gymuned addysg cyn gynted ag y byddant ar gael yn ehangach i Gymru. Felly, mae pob un o'n prifysgolion yn cymryd rhan yn y rhaglen beilot, cyn diwedd y flwyddyn academaidd, ac erbyn hyn mae gennym raglen Merthyr Tudful, lle rydym yn ceisio cynnal profion llif unffordd yn yr ysgol, yn ein hysgolion uwchradd ac yn y coleg lleol, a chyfathrebu â rhieni sy'n byw yn ardal Merthyr Tudful, ond y mae eu plant yn mynychu'r ysgol y tu allan i Ferthyr Tudful, i'w hannog i gymryd rhan yn rhaglen gymunedol y profion llif unffordd. Rydym yn ystyried ymestyn honno i gynnwys ardaloedd yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, o gofio bod honno, unwaith eto, yn ardal lle ceir nifer fawr o achosion, ac rydym yn dysgu'r gwersi a'r rhwystrau posibl a'r anawsterau o ran cyflwyno'r rhaglen hon yn yr ysgol.

Ar ôl cyfarfod yr wythnos diwethaf â phenaethiaid yr ysgolion uwchradd ym Merthyr Tudful, pennaeth y coleg a'r prif swyddog addysg ym Merthyr Tudful, a gaf fi ddweud eu bod i gyd wedi ymrwymo'n llwyr i sicrhau bod y dechnoleg hon ar gael yn eu hysgolion? Mae'n rhan bwysig o ddeall yr hyn y mae'r clefyd yn ei wneud yn y gymuned, a gallai ein helpu hefyd, gyda'r sefyllfa y cyfeiriodd Suzy Davies ati, i ganiatáu i blant ddychwelyd i'r ysgol yn gynt, yn hytrach na chyfnod ynysu o 14 diwrnod os ystyrir eu bod wedi dod i gysylltiad â'r haint. Gall prawf dyddiol ganiatáu iddynt barhau i fod yn yr ysgol neu ganiatáu i athro barhau i fod yn yr ysgol, yn hytrach na chyfnod ynysu o 14 diwrnod. Felly, rydym yn edrych arno, nid yn unig o ran budd cymunedol ehangach, ond fel ffordd o gyfyngu ar darfu wrth symud ymlaen.

Diolch yn fawr, a dwi'n siŵr eich bod chi'n cytuno gorau po gyntaf mae'r rhaglen yma'n cael ei rhowlio allan, yn enwedig o gofio bod yna lacio rhywfaint yn mynd i ddigwydd dros y Nadolig, ac mi fydd yr agwedd yma—y profi yma—yn hollbwysig ym mis Ionawr, wrth i ni symud ymlaen. 

Yn ogystal â'r profion ar raddfa eang, a'r gwisgo mygydau yr oeddem ni'n ei drafod yn gynharach, pa fesurau pellach ydych chi'n ystyried er mwyn cadw'r ysgolion ar agor, ond hynny mewn ffordd ddiogel? Er enghraifft, awyru adeiladau'n well. A oes yna ganllawiau manwl ynglŷn â hynny? Ac a fedrwch chi sôn am unrhyw fesurau arbennig i ddiogelu staff ysgolion sy'n fregus—y clinically vulnerable employees—? Mae'r ddau faes yma—mae'r undebau'n gofyn am eglurder yn eu cylch nhw.

Ac wedyn, mae yna alw hefyd am ddosbarthiadau llai a rhoi system rota ddysgu ar waith, os bydd yr achosion yn cynyddu, wrth gwrs. Beth ydy eich barn chi am hynny? Ac, os ydy hwnnw'n mynd i ddod i mewn, yn amlwg, mi fydd angen cymorth ychwanegol ar gyfer dysgu o bell efo mwy o ddisgyblion adref. 

Thank you very much, and I'm sure that you'll agree the sooner the better that this programme is rolled out, especially remembering that there is some slackening going to be over the Christmas period, and that this testing will be vital in January, as we move forward. 

As well as the large-scale tests, and the wearing of masks that we discussed earlier, what further measures are you considering to keep schools open, but in a safe way? For example, better ventilation of buildings. Is there detailed guidance for that? And, can you talk about other special measures to safeguard vulnerable school staff members—the clinically vulnerable employees? Those two areas—the unions are asking for clarity on. 

And, then, there have been demands for smaller classes and a rota system in place, if cases were to increase, of course. What is your opinion on that? And, if that is going to be introduced, then, clearly, there will be a need for additional support for remote learning with more pupils at home. 

Operational guidance is available to all schools and all local education authorities, that includes reference to ventilating buildings. Each member of staff should be subject to a risk assessment. So, any vulnerabilities pertaining to that individual should be taken account of by that individual risk assessment and by the employers.

With regards to the rota system that the Member has suggested, clearly, we have asked schools and local authorities to have a number of scenarios in place that potentially could include a rota system, if that was felt to be the necessary step that was needed to take to maintain the pandemic. So, that is kept under guidance and kept under review, should it become necessary. 

Mae canllawiau gweithredol ar gael i bob ysgol a phob awdurdod addysg lleol, sy'n cynnwys cyfeiriad at awyru adeiladau. Dylai pob aelod o staff fod yn destun asesiad risg. Felly, dylai unrhyw wendidau sy'n gysylltiedig â'r unigolyn gael eu hystyried gan yr asesiad risg unigol a chan y cyflogwyr.

O ran y system rota y mae'r Aelod wedi'i hawgrymu, yn amlwg, rydym wedi gofyn i ysgolion ac awdurdodau lleol baratoi ar gyfer nifer o senarios a allai gynnwys system rota, pe teimlid mai dyna'r cam angenrheidiol sydd ei angen i gadw rheolaeth ar y pandemig. Felly, mae'n cael ei adolygu'n barhaus, rhag ofn y bydd angen gwneud hynny.

Diolch yn fawr. Ac, yn olaf, a gaf i droi at y COVID catch-up scheme? Mae yna amheuon ynglŷn â'r cynllun yma. Dydy o ddim yn glir iawn sut mae'r help yn cael ei dargedu, sut mae anghenion yn cael eu mesur, pa fonitro sydd yn digwydd. Yn amlwg, mae angen sicrhau bod yr arian yn cael ei ddefnyddio yn bwrpasol i ddelio efo'r colli addysgol sydd yn rhwym o fod yn digwydd ar hyn o bryd, ac sydd yn mynd i bara am rai misoedd. Felly, mi wnes i ofyn, y tro diwethaf yr oedd y sesiwn yma ymlaen, am ddiweddariad, a dydw i ddim wedi cael hwnna. Dwi'n meddwl ei bod hi'n bwysig i ni gael gwybod yn union sut mae'r cynllun yma'n gweithredu, ac os oes yna unrhyw rwystrau efo fo, bod ni'n cael gwybod hynny hefyd.

Thank you very much. And, finally, may I turn to the COVID catch-up scheme? There are doubts with regard to this particular scheme. It's not very clear how the assistance is targeted, how the needs are measured, what monitoring is taking place. Now, clearly, we need to ensure that the funding is used in a purposeful way to deal with the loss of education that is certain to be happening at the moment, and is going to continue for some months. So, I asked last time that this session was held about an update on that, and I haven't received that. I think it's important for us to know exactly how this scheme is operating, and if there are any barriers, that we should know that too. 

14:40

Well, I certainly agree with the Member that the resources are spent in a purposeful way, and I have every confidence that the headteachers who are making decisions on how to spend this money, because it is for them to decide how best to use the money that has been made available to them, will also have been making decisions to ensure that the resources are spent in a purposeful way. 

With regard to data collection, we are awaiting the final returns from some individual schools, and some individual local education authorities, but I'm delighted to say to the Member that I'm very satisfied indeed that our initial targets of approximately 900 full-time equivalents has been reached. 

Wel, rwy'n sicr yn cytuno â'r Aelod fod yr adnoddau'n cael eu gwario mewn ffordd bwrpasol, ac mae gennyf bob ffydd y bydd y penaethiaid sy'n gwneud penderfyniadau ar sut i wario'r arian hwn, oherwydd mater iddynt hwy yw penderfynu ar y ffordd orau o ddefnyddio'r arian sydd ar gael iddynt, hefyd wedi bod yn gwneud penderfyniadau i sicrhau bod yr adnoddau'n cael eu gwario mewn ffordd bwrpasol.

O ran casglu data, rydym yn aros am y ffurflenni terfynol gan rai ysgolion unigol, a rhai awdurdodau addysg lleol unigol, ond rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud wrth yr Aelod fy mod yn fodlon iawn ein bod wedi cyrraedd ein targedau cychwynnol o tua 900 cyfwerth ag amser llawn.

Ysgolion Arbennig
Special Schools

3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am lefelau presenoldeb mewn ysgolion arbennig yn ystod argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus COVID-19? OQ55920

3. Will the Minister make a statement on attendance levels in special schools during the COVID-19 public health emergency? OQ55920

David, the uncertainties arising from the coronavirus pandemic are particularly challenging for children and young people with additional learning needs and their families, and those who support and care for them. I'm committed to doing everything possible to support these learners, parents and carers during this difficult time.

David, mae'r ansicrwydd sy'n deillio o'r pandemig coronafeirws yn arbennig o heriol i blant a phobl ifanc ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol a'u teuluoedd, a'r rhai sy'n eu cefnogi ac yn gofalu amdanynt. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i wneud popeth posibl i gefnogi'r dysgwyr, y rhieni a'r gofalwyr hyn yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn.

Thank you, Minister, for that answer. I wonder if you've had the chance to reflect on Professor Sally Holland, the children's commissioner's remarks to the Children, Young People and Education Committee earlier this month, that certainly, during lockdown, there was a huge variety of service, running from those schools offering full-time attendance or active outreach, to hubs that barely existed, and the frequency of travel arrangements breaking down so that these students were unable to get either to the school or to the hub, and that we don't see a repeat of this in any future disturbance, and that we place a high emphasis on attendance levels in special schools, because there is a lot of ground to catch up. 

Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Tybed a ydych wedi cael cyfle i ystyried sylwadau'r Athro Sally Holland, y comisiynydd plant, i'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yn gynharach y mis hwn, a ddywedodd fod y gwasanaethau a gâi eu darparu o'r ysgolion a oedd yn cynnig presenoldeb amser llawn neu allgymorth gweithredol i hybiau nad oeddent prin yn bodoli, yn amrywio'n enfawr, yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud yn sicr, a bod trefniadau teithio'n chwalu'n fynych fel nad oedd y myfyrwyr hyn yn gallu cyrraedd yr ysgol na'r hyb, a bod yn rhaid i ni sicrhau nad ydym yn gweld hyn yn digwydd eto mewn unrhyw aflonyddwch yn y dyfodol, a'n bod yn rhoi pwyslais mawr ar lefelau presenoldeb mewn ysgolion arbennig, oherwydd mae angen adennill llawer o dir.

Thank you, David. I think it's important to note that, unlike other jurisdictions, we did not amend any of our existing regulations and laws pertaining to services for children with additional learning needs. But I agree with you, the situation on the ground was patchy in terms of different levels of support. I'm aware of excellent practice, schools that never closed and had their students attending on a daily basis. It is exactly because of that reflection on the experiences in the first period of lockdown that, during the firebreak, all of our special schools remained open. 

Diolch, David. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig nodi, yn wahanol i awdurdodaethau eraill, na wnaethom ddiwygio unrhyw un o'n rheoliadau na'n cyfreithiau presennol sy'n ymwneud â gwasanaethau i blant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol. Ond rwy'n cytuno â chi, roedd y sefyllfa ar lawr gwlad yn dameidiog o ran gwahanol lefelau o gefnogaeth. Rwy'n ymwybodol o arferion rhagorol, ysgolion na wnaeth gau ac roedd y myfyrwyr yn eu mynychu bob dydd. Oherwydd yr union ystyriaethau hynny o'r profiadau yn y cyfnod cyntaf o gyfyngiadau symud yr arhosodd pob un o'n hysgolion arbennig ar agor yn ystod y cyfnod atal byr.

Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.

Anhwylder Diffyg Canolbwyntio a Gorfywiogrwydd
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

4. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod ysgolion yn cefnogi disgyblion ag anhwylder diffyg canolbwyntio a gorfywiogrwydd? OQ55908

4. How is the Welsh Government ensuring that schools support pupils with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? OQ55908

Thank you, Jack. The creation of strong and inclusive schools that are committed to excellence, equity and well-being is a key objective of the national mission. Our additional learning needs reforms will ensure all learners will be able to access a high standard of education to ensure that they reach their full potential.

Diolch, Jack. Mae creu ysgolion cryf a chynhwysol sydd wedi ymrwymo i ragoriaeth, tegwch a llesiant yn un o amcanion allweddol y genhadaeth genedlaethol. Bydd ein diwygiadau i anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn sicrhau y bydd pob dysgwr yn gallu cael mynediad at addysg o safon uchel er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn cyrraedd eu potensial llawn.

Can I thank the Minister for that answer? Last week, I visited Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon in my constituency to congratulate them on becoming the first school in Wales to be awarded the 'ADHD friendly school' award from the ADHD Foundation, a really fantastic achievement. Minister, will you take this opportunity to congratulate the school, and advise on how schools across Wales can follow Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon's lead?

A gaf fi ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb hwnnw? Yr wythnos diwethaf, ymwelais ag Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon yn fy etholaeth i'w llongyfarch ar ddod yn ysgol gyntaf Cymru i ennill y wobr 'ysgol gyfeillgar i ADHD' gan y Sefydliad ADHD, sy'n gyflawniad gwych iawn. Weinidog, a wnewch chi fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i longyfarch yr ysgol, a dweud sut y gall ysgolion ledled Cymru ddilyn arweiniad Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon?

Thank you, Jack, for giving me the opportunity to put on record my sincere congratulations to all of those involved at Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon in Flintshire, which is indeed the very first school in Wales to receive this accolade. It is a testament to the hard work and the dedication of the team of that school to become the living embodiment of that promise of the national mission of fully inclusive schools that look to meet the needs of all of their children. 

Diolch, Jack, am roi'r cyfle i mi gofnodi fy llongyfarchiadau diffuant i bawb sy'n ymwneud ag Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon yn Sir y Fflint, sef yr ysgol gyntaf un yng Nghymru i gael y wobr hon. Mae'n dyst i waith caled ac ymroddiad tîm yr ysgol honno i ddod yn ymgorfforiad byw o'r addewid yng nghenhadaeth ein cenedl i sicrhau ysgolion cwbl gynhwysol sy'n ymdrechu i ddiwallu anghenion eu holl blant.

I was also hugely impressed when I visited that school myself. It's an exemplar that others need to follow, because attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, can be masked in an education environment. ADHD, or other related conditions, are not as a result of environmental issues or bad parenting. How do you therefore respond to the Flintshire constituents with children at other schools, whose e-mails in the last month alone include, 'My son was not afforded decision-making that afforded for his behaviours to be fully investigated and to be put on to our waiting list for an assessment. Instead, once again, it was determined to be a parenting issue, and not ADHD, autism or spectrum-related conditions'; and, 'I'm caring for a teenage boy with ASD and ADHD. The school have labelled us as parenting problems and reported us to social services, and CAMHS in my experience fail to provide an adequate assessment outlining the needs of the children, and openly admit they won't consider ADHD until at least seven years old. The issue I have with this is the strong genetic history of both ASD and ADHD in our family, and that the two combined present very differently to just one or the other condition on their own'?  

Gwnaeth argraff fawr arnaf hefyd pan ymwelais â'r ysgol honno fy hun. Mae'n esiampl y mae angen i eraill ei dilyn, oherwydd mae anhwylder diffyg canolbwyntio a gorfywiogrwydd, ADHD, yn gallu cuddio mewn amgylchedd addysg. Nid yw ADHD, neu gyflyrau cysylltiedig eraill, yn deillio o ganlyniad i faterion amgylcheddol na rhianta gwael. Sut felly rydych yn ymateb i etholwyr yn Sir y Fflint sydd â phlant mewn ysgolion eraill, y mae eu negeseuon e-bost yn ystod y mis diwethaf yn unig yn cynnwys hyn: 'Ni roddwyd cyfle i fy mab wneud penderfyniadau a oedd yn ei gwneud hi'n bosibl i'w ymddygiad gael ei archwilio'n llawn a chael ei roi ar restr aros am asesiad. Yn hytrach, unwaith eto, penderfynwyd mai mater rhianta ydoedd, ac nid ADHD, awtistiaeth na chyflyrau sy'n gysylltiedig â'r sbectrwm'; ac, 'Rwy'n gofalu am fachgen yn ei arddegau gydag anhwylderau yn y sbectrwm awtistig (ASD) ac ADHD. Mae'r ysgol wedi ein labelu fel rhai sydd â phroblemau rhianta ac wedi rhoi gwybod i'r gwasanaethau cymdeithasol amdanom, ac yn fy mhrofiad i, nid yw CAMHS yn darparu asesiad digonol yn amlinellu anghenion y plant, ac maent yn cyfaddef yn agored na fyddant yn ystyried ADHD tan o leiaf saith mlwydd oed. Y broblem sydd gennyf gyda hyn yw hanes genetig cryf o ASD ac ADHD yn ein teulu, a bod y ddau gyda'i gilydd i'w gweld yn wahanol iawn i'r naill gyflwr neu'r llall ar eu pen eu hunain'?

14:45

Well, Mark, as we've heard from Jack Sargeant, excellence in this area is achievable, and I'm very pleased to hear that you yourself have taken the opportunity to go and see that excellence for yourself. Training for professionals with regard to a range of additional learning needs is an important part of our £20 million transformation programme for ALN, and we have also commissioned an independent capacity review for neurodevelopmental services. It has already been commissioned and that will help us inform the development of further services, both inside and outside educational settings, and that review will commence early in 2021.

Wel, Mark, fel y clywsom gan Jack Sargeant, mae rhagoriaeth yn y maes hwn yn gyraeddadwy, ac rwy'n falch iawn o glywed eich bod chi eich hun wedi manteisio ar y cyfle i fynd i weld y rhagoriaeth honno drosoch eich hun. Mae hyfforddiant i weithwyr proffesiynol mewn perthynas ag amrywiaeth o anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn rhan bwysig o'n rhaglen drawsnewid gwerth £20 miliwn ar gyfer ADY, ac rydym hefyd wedi comisiynu adolygiad capasiti annibynnol ar gyfer gwasanaethau niwroddatblygiadol. Mae eisoes wedi'i gomisiynu a bydd hwnnw'n ein helpu i lywio'r gwaith o ddatblygu gwasanaethau pellach, mewn lleoliadau addysgol, a'r tu allan iddynt, a bydd yr adolygiad hwnnw'n dechrau yn gynnar yn 2021.

Y Cwricwlwm Newydd
The New Curriculum

5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am weithredu'r cwricwlwm newydd? OQ55941

5. Will the Minister provide an update on the implementation of the new curriculum? OQ55941

Thank you, David. I published 'The journey to 2022' document just last month to help schools prepare for designing and implementing the new curriculum. I intend to publish a curriculum implementation plan in early 2021 to set out the wider steps that we will take to support schools.   

Diolch, David. Cyhoeddais ddogfen 'Y daith i 2022' fis diwethaf i helpu ysgolion i baratoi ar gyfer cynllunio a gweithredu'r cwricwlwm newydd. Bwriadaf gyhoeddi cynllun gweithredu'r cwricwlwm yn gynnar yn 2021 i nodi'r camau ehangach y byddwn yn eu cymryd i gefnogi ysgolion.

I thank the Minister for that answer, but I'm sure that she will agree with me that the role of teachers is critical in the implementation of this curriculum. So, is it true, Minister, that only 30 per cent of the teachers who implemented the new curriculum trial supported it? Most of the teachers that I have spoken to say that if the curriculum is entirely driven by the four purposes, much of the content associated with traditional school subjects in the areas of learning and experience become largely redundant. If, on the other hand, teachers prioritise the areas of learning and experience, then the four purposes are unlikely to be met. So, can the Minister comment on the apparent conundrum in that matter? And, could the Minister tell me whether she is going to consult the general public with regard to the sex education element within the new curriculum?

Diolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb hwnnw, ond rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn cytuno â mi fod rôl athrawon yn hollbwysig wrth weithredu'r cwricwlwm hwn. Felly, a yw'n wir, Weinidog, mai 30 y cant yn unig o'r athrawon a weithredodd y treial cwricwlwm newydd a'i cefnogai? Mae'r rhan fwyaf o'r athrawon rwyf wedi siarad â hwy'n dweud, os yw'r cwricwlwm yn cael ei lywio'n gyfan gwbl gan y pedwar diben, fod llawer o'r cynnwys sy'n gysylltiedig â phynciau traddodiadol yr ysgol yn y meysydd dysgu a phrofiad yn ddiangen i raddau helaeth. Os bydd athrawon, ar y llaw arall, yn blaenoriaethu'r meysydd dysgu a phrofiad, mae'r pedwar diben yn annhebygol o gael eu hateb. Felly, a all y Gweinidog roi sylwadau ar y broblem ymddangosiadol honno? Ac a allai'r Gweinidog ddweud wrthyf a yw'n bwriadu ymgynghori â'r cyhoedd ynglŷn â'r elfen addysg rhyw o fewn y cwricwlwm newydd?

First of all, can I suggest to the Member, if he has not done so already, to read the draft curriculum and assessment Bill? There is no conundrum at all. Teachers cannot, and schools will not be able to, prioritise individual areas of learning and experience because they have equal status within the law. With regard to consultation, I have to say again to the Member that there have been ample opportunities to comment on the White Paper that has led to the Bill, and there have been specific consultations with regard to RSE—a number of them, actually, and probably more than I would like. So, there have been plenty of opportunities for people to feed into this process.

I acknowledge that, for some teachers—especially those who have only ever taught under the principles of a national curriculum, where they have been dictated to on what they must teach, regardless of whether they feel that that is in the best interests of the children in front of them—this new curriculum could be a challenge. That's why this Government is investing record amounts in the professional development of our teachers to get them ready for the changes of the curriculum. I don't know which teachers he is meeting with, but I speak to headteachers every single week when I do this job, and I have to tell him that there is immense excitement at the prospect of the delivery of this new curriculum.

Yn gyntaf oll, a gaf fi awgrymu bod yr Aelod yn darllen y Bil cwricwlwm ac asesu drafft os nad yw eisoes wedi gwneud hynny? Nid oes unrhyw broblem o gwbl. Ni all athrawon flaenoriaethu meysydd dysgu a phrofiad unigol, ac ni fydd ysgolion yn gallu gwneud hynny, oherwydd bod iddynt statws cyfartal o fewn y gyfraith. O ran ymgynghori, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud eto wrth yr Aelod fod digon o gyfleoedd wedi bod i wneud sylwadau ar y Papur Gwyn sydd wedi arwain at y Bil, ac mae ymgynghoriadau penodol wedi bod mewn perthynas  ag addysg rhyw a chydberthynas—nifer ohonynt, mewn gwirionedd, a mwy nag y byddwn yn ei hoffi, mae'n debyg. Felly, mae digon o gyfleoedd wedi bod i bobl gyfrannu at y broses hon.

Rwy'n cydnabod, i rai athrawon—yn enwedig y rheini sydd dim ond wedi dysgu o dan egwyddorion cwricwlwm cenedlaethol, lle mae'r hyn sy'n rhaid iddynt ei addysgu wedi'i bennu ar eu cyfer, p'un a ydynt yn teimlo bod hynny er budd gorau'r plant sydd o'u blaenau neu beidio—gallai'r cwricwlwm newydd hwn fod yn her. Dyna pam fod y Llywodraeth hon yn buddsoddi'r symiau mwyaf erioed yn natblygiad proffesiynol ein hathrawon i'w paratoi ar gyfer newidiadau'r cwricwlwm. Nid wyf yn gwybod pa athrawon y mae'n cyfarfod â hwy, ond rwy'n siarad â phenaethiaid bob wythnos pan fyddaf yn gwneud y gwaith hwn, ac mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud wrtho fod cyffro mawr ynglŷn â chyflwyno'r cwricwlwm newydd hwn.

Minister, the success of the new curriculum will be heavily dependent on how well teachers and other school staff have been able to prepare for its introduction. Given that almost half an academic year was missed earlier this year, and we are now seeing whole year groups being taken out of school on a large scale—. For example, 1,000 pupils in Caerleon Comprehensive School are currently being taken out of school in whole year groups—7, 8, 9, 12 and 13—arguably unnecessarily, when other councils are using track and trace more effectively, and this is not uncommon in other parts of the south-east Wales region. What assessment have you made of missed school time on preparations for the roll-out for the new curriculum, and are you concerned about reports that some teaching unions and councils are now discussing shutting schools a week early to enable a two-week isolation period before Christmas when this Government's priority, obviously, is to keep children in school as much as possible?

Weinidog, bydd llwyddiant y cwricwlwm newydd yn dibynnu'n helaeth ar ba mor dda y mae athrawon ac aelodau eraill o staff ysgolion wedi gallu paratoi ar gyfer ei gyflwyno. O gofio bod bron i hanner blwyddyn academaidd wedi'i cholli yn gynharach eleni, a'n bod bellach yn gweld grwpiau blwyddyn cyfan yn cael eu tynnu o'r ysgol ar raddfa fawr—. Er enghraifft, gellid dadlau bod tynnu 1,000 o ddisgyblion o Ysgol Gyfun Caerllion ar hyn o bryd mewn grwpiau blwyddyn cyfan—7, 8, 9, 12 a 13—yn ddiangen, pan fo cynghorau eraill yn defnyddio systemau olrhain yn fwy effeithiol, ac nid yw hyn yn anghyffredin mewn rhannau eraill o ranbarth de-ddwyrain Cymru. Pa asesiad rydych wedi'i wneud o golli amser ysgol ar baratoadau ar gyfer cyflwyno'r cwricwlwm newydd, ac a ydych yn pryderu ynglŷn ag adroddiadau fod rhai undebau athrawon a chynghorau bellach yn trafod cau ysgolion wythnos yn gynnar i alluogi cyfnod ynysu o bythefnos cyn y Nadolig o gofio mai blaenoriaeth y Llywodraeth hon, yn amlwg, yw cadw plant yn yr ysgol gymaint â phosibl?

14:50

Well, Laura, you are absolutely right—it is the priority of this Government to minimise the interruption to children's education in the light of this pandemic. Undoubtedly, there has been a significant impact on schools at this time, but, as Estyn has confirmed, there remains a great deal of enthusiasm and support for curriculum reform, and they also advise that important gains have been made by schools in their planning and provision of learning. Now, clearly, you're also correct to say that a lot of this depends on the skills of our teachers, and certainly the professional development programme has had to be delivered in a different way than perhaps we had initially expected. But, as I said, those days when professional learning was delivered by everybody trekking to Cardiff to sit in a lecture theatre, to listen to the sage on the stage, and then they promptly went back to the schools and ignored everything that they'd heard that day—. We have to do things differently, and we are doing things differently, and actually, again, speaking to headteachers, the fact that we've had to move all of our meetings online means that they are now able to collaborate in a way that keeps them in their schools and allows them to connect more readily, and because we've taken some of the paperwork off schools at this time, it is giving them an opportunity to really engage in the new curriculum.

Wel, Laura, rydych yn llygad eich lle—blaenoriaeth y Llywodraeth hon yw lleihau'r ymyrraeth i addysg plant yn sgil y pandemig hwn. Yn ddiau, bu'r effaith ar ysgolion yn sylweddol yn ystod y cyfnod hwn, ond fel y mae Estyn wedi'i gadarnhau, mae llawer iawn o frwdfrydedd a chefnogaeth i ddiwygio'r cwricwlwm o hyd, ac maent hefyd yn dweud bod ysgolion wedi gwneud enillion pwysig wrth gynllunio a darparu dysg. Nawr, yn amlwg, rydych hefyd yn gywir yn dweud bod llawer o hyn yn dibynnu ar sgiliau ein hathrawon, ac yn sicr bu'n rhaid cyflwyno'r rhaglen datblygiad proffesiynol mewn ffordd wahanol i'r hyn roeddem wedi'i ddisgwyl yn wreiddiol. Ond fel y dywedais, mae'r dyddiau pan oedd pawb yn teithio i Gaerdydd i gael datblygiad proffesiynol drwy eistedd mewn darlithfa i wrando ar arbenigwr ar lwyfan, cyn mynd yn ôl i'r ysgolion yn brydlon ac anwybyddu popeth roeddent wedi'i glywed y diwrnod hwnnw—. Mae'n rhaid inni wneud pethau'n wahanol, ac rydym yn gwneud pethau'n wahanol, ac unwaith eto, o siarad â phenaethiaid, mae'r ffaith ein bod wedi gorfod cynnal ein holl gyfarfodydd ar-lein yn golygu eu bod bellach yn gallu cydweithio mewn ffordd sy'n eu cadw yn eu hysgolion ac yn caniatáu iddynt gysylltu'n haws, ac oherwydd ein bod wedi cael gwared ar rywfaint o faich gwaith papur i ysgolion ar hyn o bryd, mae'n rhoi cyfle iddynt ymgysylltu o ddifrif â'r cwricwlwm newydd.

Minister, I believe that the plans for every child in Wales to have a mandatory right to developmentally appropriate RSE is one of the great strengths of the new curriculum. Will you take this opportunity to agree with me that having that provision is not just fundamental for children's rights, but is absolutely crucial in order to ensure that children and young people can keep themselves safe, no matter how old they are?

Weinidog, credaf fod y cynlluniau i bob plentyn yng Nghymru gael hawl orfodol i addysg rhyw a chydberthynas sy'n briodol i'w datblygiad yn un o gryfderau mawr y cwricwlwm newydd. A wnewch chi fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i gytuno â mi fod cael y ddarpariaeth honno'n hanfodol o safbwynt hawliau plant, a hefyd ei bod yn allweddol er mwyn sicrhau y gall plant a phobl ifanc gadw eu hunain yn ddiogel, ni waeth beth yw eu hoed?

Lynne, I'm so glad that you've raised that question today of all days, White Ribbon Day, where hopefully everyone in this Chamber unites in their determination to defeat violence against women. I'm sure all of us today would want to remember those women whose lives have been lost to horrendous, horrendous violence and those women who continue to live with the consequences of that violence day in, day out. And that is precisely, precisely why we need to ensure that every child—every child—has the right to relationship education within our curriculum. It is an integral part of how we can ensure that those purposes of the curriculum, including healthy confident individuals who are ready to be active citizens and to live happy and successful lives, will be achieved. Eating into that and saying that that provision should only be available to some children, I think, is an abdication of our duty.

Lynne, rwyf mor falch eich bod wedi gofyn y cwestiwn hwnnw heddiw o bob diwrnod, Diwrnod y Rhuban Gwyn, lle mae pawb yn y Siambr, gobeithio, yn uno yn eu penderfyniad i drechu trais yn erbyn menywod. Rwy'n siŵr y byddai pob un ohonom heddiw eisiau cofio'r menywod a gollodd eu bywydau yn sgil trais erchyll a'r menywod sy'n parhau i fyw gyda chanlyniadau'r trais hwnnw o ddydd i ddydd. A dyna'n union pam y mae angen inni sicrhau bod gan bob plentyn—pob plentyn—hawl i addysg cydberthynas yn ein cwricwlwm. Mae'n rhan annatod o'r ffordd y gallwn sicrhau y cyflawnir y dibenion hynny yn y cwricwlwm, gan gynnwys unigolion iach a hyderus sy'n barod i fod yn ddinasyddion gweithgar ac i fyw bywydau hapus a llwyddiannus. Mae cyfyngu ar hynny a dweud mai i rai plant yn unig y dylai'r ddarpariaeth honno fod ar gael yn esgeuluso ein dyletswydd yn fy marn i.

Lledaeniad Coronafeirws yn Asymptomatig
The Asymptomatic Spread of Coronavirus

6. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i atal y coronafeirws rhag lledaenu mewn ysgolion yn asymptomatig er mwyn amddiffyn athrawon a disgyblion? OQ55940

6. What is the Welsh Government doing to prevent the asymptomatic spread of coronavirus in schools to protect teachers and pupils? OQ55940

Thank you, Leanne. I continue to be guided by the latest scientific and medical advice. We have recently agreed with higher education institutions across Wales the opportunity of piloting asymptomatic testing of students and staff, and we also intend to offer testing to students and staff in secondary schools, as well as the local college, as part of the mass testing programme in Merthyr Tydfil.

Diolch, Leanne. Rwy'n parhau i gael fy arwain gan y cyngor gwyddonol a meddygol diweddaraf. Rydym wedi cytuno'n ddiweddar â sefydliadau addysg uwch ledled Cymru y byddwn yn manteisio ar y cyfle i dreialu profion asymptomatig ar fyfyrwyr a staff, ac rydym hefyd yn bwriadu cynnig profion i fyfyrwyr a staff mewn ysgolion uwchradd, yn ogystal â'r coleg lleol, fel rhan o'r rhaglen profi torfol ym Merthyr Tudful.

I welcome the recommendation that all schoolchildren, college students, teachers and staff should be tested for coronavirus given the high numbers of people that are asymptomatic, especially in the younger age groups. This should have been a key priority when the schools reopened before the summer. Now, the current situation is not sustainable. As one teacher told me, just last week, 'We are expected to adhere to COVID guidelines, which is absolutely fine, but we have not been offered any tests and I'm still waiting for the magic antibody test that we were promised. I've been teaching for 12 years and never have I felt so pissed off, so exhausted, so physically and emotionally drained. I'm trying to hold it all together for my kids, but I honestly can't go on much longer. I'm at breaking point.' So many teachers are fearful and anxious for their own safety. Now, I heard what you said earlier about Merthyr and the hopes that you had for rolling out mass testing in Cynon, but will you give teachers and parents in my area concrete answers and reassurances about when mass testing and regular testing in schools is likely to be available in Rhondda Cynon Taf and in other high-incidence areas?

Rwy'n croesawu'r argymhelliad y dylai pob disgybl ysgol, myfyriwr coleg, athro ac aelod o staff gael prawf coronafeirws o ystyried y niferoedd uchel o bobl sy'n asymptomatig, yn enwedig yn y grwpiau oedran iau. Dylai hyn fod wedi bod yn flaenoriaeth allweddol pan ailagorodd yr ysgolion cyn yr haf. Nawr, nid yw'r sefyllfa bresennol yn gynaliadwy. Fel y dywedodd un athro wrthyf, yr wythnos diwethaf, 'Mae disgwyl i ni gadw at ganllawiau COVID, sy'n hollol iawn, ond nid ydym wedi cael cynnig unrhyw brofion ac rwy'n dal i aros am y prawf gwrthgyrff hud a addawyd i ni. Rwyf wedi bod yn addysgu ers 12 mlynedd ac nid wyf erioed wedi teimlo mor syrffedus, mor flinedig ac wedi ymlâdd yn gorfforol ac yn emosiynol i'r fath raddau. Rwy'n ceisio dal y cyfan at ei gilydd er mwyn fy mhlant, ond ni allaf oddef llawer mwy. Rwyf ar fin torri.' Mae cymaint o athrawon yn ofnus ac yn bryderus am eu diogelwch eu hunain. Nawr, clywais yr hyn a ddywedoch chi'n gynharach am Ferthyr Tudful a'r gobeithion a oedd gennych ynglŷn â chyflwyno profi torfol yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, ond a wnewch chi roi atebion pendant a sicrwydd i athrawon a rhieni yn fy ardal ynglŷn â pha bryd y bydd profi torfol a phrofion rheolaidd yn debygol o fod ar gael mewn ysgolion yn Rhondda Cynon Taf ac mewn ardaloedd lle ceir nifer fawr o achosion?

14:55

Thank you, Leanne. I recognise the immense strain that teachers have been under since schools returned to full opening in September, just like the immense strain that all of our public sector workers have faced. I want to say that evidence to date from the latest Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies paper and the technical advisory cell paper says that, when looking at the teaching population as part of the wider population, teaching is regarded by the Office for National Statistics to be a low-risk profession. Although we have got incidents of transmission within a school setting, especially from staff to staff, that is a concern, and that's why it is really, really important that senior management teams and the school governors in particular schools ensure that all steps are taken to adequately follow the operational guidance that has been made available.

With regard to antibody testing, antibody testing was carried out amongst a significantly appropriate sample of teachers, especially those who had been working in hub scenarios, remembering, of course, that 500 schools in Wales never closed. So, that was done and those individuals have been followed up with further antibody testing to help us understand the epidemiology behind the disease.

It is early days for lateral flow testing. We need to ensure that the pilot in Merthyr Tydfil in the schools and colleges goes well there. There are active discussions going on at the moment to move that pilot into areas of the RCT area, and as soon as we're in a position to be able to work with our schools' local education authorities to carry out further lateral flow testing as a way of protecting and providing reassurance and minimising disruption, then I will come back to the Chamber and give full details of that. We're not in a position to do that as of today.

Diolch, Leanne. Rwy'n cydnabod y straen aruthrol sydd wedi bod ar athrawon ers i ysgolion ailagor yn llawn ym mis Medi, yn union fel y straen aruthrol y mae pob un o'n gweithwyr sector cyhoeddus wedi'i wynebu. Hoffwn ddweud bod y dystiolaeth hyd yma o bapur diweddaraf y Grŵp Cynghori Gwyddonol ar Argyfyngau a phapur y gell cyngor technegol yn dweud, wrth edrych ar y boblogaeth addysgu fel rhan o'r boblogaeth ehangach, fod addysgu'n cael ei ystyried gan y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol yn broffesiwn risg isel. Wedi dweud hynny, mae gennym achosion o drosglwyddo mewn ysgolion, yn enwedig rhwng aelodau staff, ac mae hynny'n peri pryder, a dyna pam ei bod yn wirioneddol bwysig fod uwch dimau rheoli a llywodraethwyr yr ysgol mewn ysgolion penodol yn sicrhau bod yr holl gamau'n cael eu cymryd yn ddigonol i ddilyn y canllawiau gweithredu sydd ar gael.

O ran profion gwrthgyrff, cynhaliwyd profion gwrthgyrff ymhlith sampl sylweddol briodol o athrawon, yn enwedig y rhai a oedd wedi bod yn gweithio mewn hybiau, gan gofio, wrth gwrs, na chafodd 500 o ysgolion yng Nghymru eu cau o gwbl. Felly, gwnaed hynny a chynhaliwyd profion gwrthgyrff dilynol ar yr unigolion hynny i'n helpu i ddeall yr epidemioleg y tu ôl i'r clefyd.

Mae'n ddyddiau cynnar ar gyfer profion llif unffordd. Mae angen inni sicrhau bod y peilot yn ysgolion a cholegau Merthyr Tudful yn mynd yn dda. Mae trafodaethau gweithredol ar y gweill i symud y peilot hwnnw i ardaloedd yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, a chyn gynted ag y byddwn mewn sefyllfa i allu gweithio gydag awdurdodau addysg lleol ein hysgolion i gynnal profion llif unffordd pellach fel ffordd o ddiogelu a rhoi sicrwydd a chyfyngu ar aflonyddwch, byddaf yn dychwelyd i'r Siambr i roi manylion llawn ar hynny. Nid ydym mewn sefyllfa i wneud hynny heddiw.

Thank you, Minister. I fully appreciate the measures that have been taken to suppress the spread of COVID in schools and how difficult it is for headteachers and staff to keep bubbles even as small as whole year groups. However, in the last few weeks, we are starting to see this problem across larger secondary schools in particular, and in my constituency there have been a number of schools where one positive case is leading to hundreds of children having to self-isolate for two weeks. In one case, a year group returned for two days only for another case to be identified and isolation having to start again. I've had an increasing amount of parents getting in touch who are understandably concerned about the impact that rolling isolation periods are having on their children's welfare and education. I completely understand the risk posed by transmission across year group bubbles, and the hopes for lateral flow testing, which would help. However, the current situation is very worrying when the cases are at current levels and disruption is increasing. What plans does the Welsh Government have to address this as quickly as possible?

Diolch i chi, Weinidog. Rwy'n llwyr werthfawrogi'r mesurau sydd wedi'u cymryd i atal lledaeniad COVID mewn ysgolion a pha mor anodd yw hi i benaethiaid a staff gadw swigod mor fach â grwpiau blwyddyn gyfan hyd yn oed. Fodd bynnag, yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf, rydym yn dechrau gweld y broblem hon ar draws ysgolion uwchradd mwy o faint yn enwedig, ac yn fy etholaeth i ceir nifer o ysgolion lle mae un achos positif yn golygu bod cannoedd o blant yn gorfod hunanynysu am bythefnos. Mewn un achos, dychwelodd grŵp blwyddyn am ddau ddiwrnod yn unig cyn i achos arall gael ei nodi a bu'n rhaid iddynt ddechrau hunanynysu eto. Rwyf wedi cael nifer cynyddol o rieni'n cysylltu sy'n poeni'n ddealladwy am yr effaith y mae cyfnodau ynysu dilynol yn ei chael ar les ac addysg eu plant. Rwy'n llwyr ddeall y risg o drosglwyddiad ar draws swigod grwpiau blwyddyn, a'r gobeithion am brofion llif unffordd, a fyddai'n helpu. Fodd bynnag, mae'r sefyllfa bresennol yn peri pryder mawr gyda nifer yr achosion ar y lefelau presennol ac aflonyddwch yn cynyddu. Pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â hyn cyn gynted â phosibl?

Well, Jayne, the best thing we can do to minimise disruption to education is to get community transmission levels down in all of our communities, because it is community transmission that is leading to cases in our schools and the disruption that you discussed. We are working and providing best advice and examples of good practice to all schools with regard to bubbling and what constitutes a close contact, and therefore to try and reduce the number of children who are asked to self-isolate for these periods. Sometimes it is dependent on the advice that individual local TTP teams are giving to headteachers, and sometimes it is down to the way in which schools have operated their bubbles. We are, as I said, providing ongoing advice to schools and to local TTP teams to minimise the numbers of children who are asked to stay at home.

Lateral flow testing does indeed offer us that hope of minimising that disruption, especially to those who are regarded as contacts and do not have symptoms themselves, as a possible way of administering a daily test over a number of days that then would allow them to go into school. But as I said, the TAC paper asks us to explore the viability of offering an asymptomatic testing programme. It's not simple, and, as I said, we're keen to learn the lessons from both our universities and our schools before we can roll that out further.

Wel, Jayne, y peth gorau y gallwn ei wneud i leihau'r tarfu ar addysg yw gostwng lefelau trosglwyddo cymunedol ym mhob un o'n cymunedau, oherwydd trosglwyddo cymunedol sy'n arwain at achosion yn ein hysgolion a'r aflonyddwch rydych yn cyfeirio ato. Rydym yn gweithio ac yn darparu'r cyngor a'r enghreifftiau gorau o arferion da i bob ysgol mewn perthynas â swigod a'r hyn a olygir wrth gysylltiad agos er mwyn ceisio lleihau nifer y plant y gofynnir iddynt hunanynysu am y cyfnodau hyn. Weithiau, mae'n dibynnu ar y cyngor y mae timau profi, olrhain, diogelu lleol unigol yn ei roi i benaethiaid, ac weithiau mae'n dibynnu ar y ffordd y mae ysgolion wedi gweithredu eu swigod. Fel y dywedais, rydym yn rhoi cyngor parhaus i ysgolion ac i dimau profi, olrhain, diogelu lleol i leihau nifer y plant y gofynnir iddynt aros gartref.

Yn wir, mae profion llif unffordd yn cynnig gobaith inni leihau'r aflonyddwch hwnnw, yn enwedig i'r rhai sy'n cael eu hystyried yn gysylltiadau ac nad oes ganddynt symptomau eu hunain, fel ffordd bosibl o weinyddu prawf dyddiol dros nifer o ddyddiau a fyddai wedyn yn caniatáu iddynt fynd i'r ysgol. Ond fel y dywedais, mae papur y Gell Cyngor Technegol yn gofyn i ni archwilio pa mor ymarferol fyddai cynnig rhaglen brofi asymptomatig. Nid yw'n syml, ac fel y dywedais, rydym yn awyddus i ddysgu'r gwersi gan ein prifysgolion a'n hysgolion cyn y gallwn gyflwyno hynny ymhellach.

Gweithredu'r Cwricwlwm Newydd
The Implementation of the New Curriculum

7. Pa asesiad y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'i wneud o effaith y pandemig ar weithredu'r cwricwlwm newydd yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? OQ55923

7. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of the pandemic on the implementation of the new curriculum in Mid and West Wales? OQ55923

Thank you, Helen Mary. All our schools have faced, as I said, unprecedented challenges this year, and many in mid and west Wales, though, are making good use of the new curriculum guide and thinking about their future curriculum developments. I understand schools' access to support and professional learning is increasing in the region as we move towards 2022.

Diolch, Helen Mary. Eleni, fel y dywedais, mae pob un o'n hysgolion wedi wynebu heriau na welwyd eu tebyg o'r blaen, ond mae llawer yng nghanolbarth a gorllewin Cymru'n gwneud defnydd da o'r canllaw cwricwlwm newydd ac yn meddwl am eu datblygiadau cwricwlwm yn y dyfodol. Rwy'n deall bod mynediad ysgolion at gymorth a dysgu proffesiynol yn cynyddu yn y rhanbarth wrth i ni symud tuag at 2022.

15:00

I'm grateful to you, Minister, for your answer. I've been contacted by a young teacher from Llanelli, in my region, who's actually really enthusiastic about the new curriculum. The phrase she used is, 'I can't wait.' But she is very concerned about not being properly prepared, and, at the same time, concerned about being—'distracted' is the wrong word, but having to work so much harder with pupils, especially when you're having to deal with blended learning, young people who are having to catch up. She's really worried that, if we proceed on the timetable as it stands, she won't be ready to deliver the new curriculum in the way that she wants to at the same time as preparing and providing support for her young people, many of whom—. There are emotional issues; she's a form teacher, so she's very involved in that support. She's asked me to raise this with you directly, Minister, not because she wants in any way to undermine the new curriculum process, but because she really, really wants to get it right, and she's not sure, as a relatively young professional, that she can do both at once. What would you like me to tell her?

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am eich ateb, Weinidog. Mae athrawes ifanc o Lanelli wedi cysylltu â mi, yn fy rhanbarth, yn frwdfrydig iawn am y cwricwlwm newydd mewn gwirionedd. Yr hyn a ddywedodd oedd 'Ni allaf aros.' Ond mae'n bryderus iawn na fydd hi wedi paratoi'n briodol, ac ar yr un pryd, yn poeni y bydd pethau eraill yn mynnu ei sylw, drwy orfod gweithio gymaint yn galetach gyda disgyblion, yn enwedig pan fyddwch yn gorfod ymdopi â dysgu cyfunol a phobl ifanc sydd angen dal i fyny. Os byddwn yn dilyn yr amserlen fel y mae, mae'n poeni'n fawr na fydd yn barod i gyflwyno'r cwricwlwm newydd yn y ffordd y mae eisiau ei wneud ar yr un pryd â pharatoi a darparu cymorth i'w phobl ifanc, gyda llawer ohonynt—. Mae yna broblemau emosiynol; mae'n athrawes ddosbarth, felly mae'n ymwneud yn helaeth â'r gefnogaeth honno. Mae wedi gofyn i mi godi hyn gyda chi'n uniongyrchol, Weinidog, nid oherwydd ei bod eisiau tanseilio proses y cwricwlwm newydd mewn unrhyw ffordd, ond oherwydd ei bod mor awyddus i wneud pethau'n iawn, ac nid yw'n siŵr, fel gweithiwr proffesiynol cymharol ifanc, y bydd yn gallu gwneud y ddau beth ar unwaith. Beth hoffech chi i mi ei ddweud wrthi?

Well, first of all, can I ask you to tell her 'thank you' for what she is doing at the moment? Our NHS and social care staff have done tremendous work for us during this pandemic, and people often forget that our teaching and educational professionals and our youth workers are also on the front line. So, please tell her 'thank you' for me and 'thank you' for her enthusiasm and the promise that the new curriculum brings. And her worry is, I think, characteristic of the professionalism we have within the education workforce in Wales. They want to get it right and they are frightened of the consequences if they don't, because they do not want to let their pupils down. As I said, there is financial support for professional development available. We have provided additional guidance just last month to schools to begin to think about how they can plan their programme going forward. There will be further advice and support available in the new year, and we will continue to keep the timescale of the curriculum implementation under review. Because the last thing any of us want, including myself, alongside this dedicated professional, is not to get it right. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, the first time ever our nation will have its own curriculum, and we all, collectively, want to get it right.

Wel, yn gyntaf oll, a gaf fi ofyn i chi ddweud 'diolch' wrthi am yr hyn y mae'n ei wneud ar hyn o bryd? Mae ein GIG a'n staff gofal cymdeithasol wedi gwneud gwaith aruthrol ar ein rhan yn ystod y pandemig hwn, ac mae pobl yn aml yn anghofio bod ein haddysgwyr a gweithwyr addysg proffesiynol a'n gweithwyr ieuenctid hefyd ar y rheng flaen. Felly, dywedwch 'diolch' wrthi gennyf fi a 'diolch' am ei brwdfrydedd a'r addewid a ddaw yn sgil y cwricwlwm newydd. Ac rwy'n credu bod ei phryder yn nodweddiadol o'r proffesiynoldeb sydd gennym o fewn y gweithlu addysg yng Nghymru. Maent eisiau gwneud pethau'n iawn ac maent yn ofni'r canlyniadau os na fyddant yn llwyddo, oherwydd nid ydynt am wneud cam â'u disgyblion. Fel y dywedais, mae cymorth ariannol ar gael ar gyfer datblygiad proffesiynol. Rydym wedi darparu canllawiau ychwanegol fis diwethaf i ysgolion ddechrau meddwl sut y gallant gynllunio eu rhaglen wrth symud ymlaen. Bydd cyngor a chymorth pellach ar gael yn y flwyddyn newydd, a byddwn yn parhau i adolygu amserlen gweithredu'r cwricwlwm. Oherwydd y peth olaf y mae unrhyw un ohonom ei eisiau, gan fy nghynnwys i, a'r gweithiwr proffesiynol ymroddedig dan sylw, yw methu cael pethau'n iawn. Dyma gyfle unwaith mewn oes, y tro cyntaf erioed i'n cenedl gael ei chwricwlwm ei hun, ac rydym i gyd, gyda'n gilydd, eisiau cael pethau'n iawn.

Minister, in evidence to the Children, Young People and Education Committee on the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill, Mind Cymru rightly said that the new curriculum provides a unique opportunity to place the mental health of all our young people at the heart of their learning and school experience. Given that the pandemic has also had such an impact on children's mental health, can you tell us how the Welsh Government will now be prioritising mental health and well-being in the new curriculum?

Weinidog, mewn tystiolaeth i'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg ar Fil Cwricwlwm ac Asesu (Cymru), dywedodd Mind Cymru yn gywir fod y cwricwlwm newydd yn gyfle unigryw i osod iechyd meddwl ein holl bobl ifanc ynghanol eu profiad dysgu a'u profiad ysgol. O gofio bod y pandemig hefyd wedi cael cymaint o effaith ar iechyd meddwl plant, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn blaenoriaethu iechyd meddwl a llesiant yn y cwricwlwm newydd yn awr?

Absolutely, Paul, and, indeed, this precise point that you made, that, now more than ever, attention to children's well-being, both their physical and their mental well-being, is at the forefront, and that's why many schools are anxious to continue to pursue the new curriculum, because, under our area of learning and experience entitled 'health and well-being', and the 'what matters' statements that lie beneath, that gives us a huge amount of scope to deliver a curriculum to support children's mental health and well-being, for an understanding of what impacts upon their mental health and well-being, and to develop a culture of help-seeking behaviour if people are struggling and to break down some of the stigma and barriers that in the past, perhaps, have stopped children and young people coming forward. But, of course, lessons themselves are not enough, and that's why we have a whole-school approach to mental health and well-being, where the mental health and well-being of everybody in that school environment, including the staff who work there, needs to be a key consideration. Getting well-being right is the crucial first building block to making learning stick and to having a really successful school. So, it's about the curriculum, but it's also about the environment that we surround our children and our workforce with that promotes well-being and supports people if they begin to struggle.

Yn sicr, Paul, ac yn wir, mae'r union bwynt a wnaethoch, fod rhoi sylw i lesiant plant, eu llesiant corfforol a'u llesiant meddyliol, yn awr yn fwy nag erioed, yn flaenoriaeth, a dyna pam fod llawer o ysgolion yn awyddus i barhau i ddilyn y cwricwlwm newydd, oherwydd o dan y maes dysgu a phrofiad 'iechyd a llesiant', a'r datganiadau 'yr hyn sy'n bwysig' sy'n sail iddo, mae hynny'n rhoi llawer iawn o le inni allu cyflwyno cwricwlwm i gefnogi iechyd meddwl a llesiant plant, er mwyn deall beth sy'n effeithio ar eu hiechyd meddwl a'u llesiant, a datblygu diwylliant o ymddygiad sy'n ceisio cymorth os yw pobl yn cael trafferth ac i chwalu rhywfaint o'r stigma a'r rhwystrau sydd, yn y gorffennol efallai, wedi atal plant a phobl ifanc rhag gofyn am gymorth. Ond wrth gwrs, nid yw gwersi eu hunain yn ddigon, a dyna pam y mae gennym agwedd ysgol gyfan tuag at iechyd meddwl a llesiant, lle mae angen i iechyd meddwl a llesiant pawb yn yr amgylchedd ysgol, gan gynnwys y staff sy'n gweithio yno, fod yn ystyriaeth allweddol. Sicrhau ein bod yn cael llesiant yn iawn yw'r bloc adeiladu allweddol cyntaf i wneud i ddysgu weithio ac i gael ysgol wirioneddol lwyddiannus. Felly, mae'n ymwneud â'r cwricwlwm, ond mae hefyd yn ymwneud â'r amgylchedd sy'n amgylchynu ein plant a'n gweithlu sy'n hybu llesiant ac yn cefnogi pobl os ydynt yn dechrau cael trafferth.

3. Cwestiynau i Gomisiwn y Senedd
3. Questions to the Senedd Commission

The next item on the agenda are questions to the Senedd Commission, and the first question this afternoon will be answered by Commissioner Suzy Davies. Andrew R.T. Davies.

Yr eitem nesaf ar yr agenda yw cwestiynau i Gomisiwn y Senedd, a bydd y cwestiwn cyntaf y prynhawn yma yn cael ei ateb gan y Comisiynydd Suzy Davies. Andrew R.T. Davies.

Gwyliau Blynyddol
Annual Leave

1. A wnaiff y Comisiwn ddatganiad am faint o wyliau blynyddol a gronnwyd gan staff a'r effaith a gaiff hyn ar ei gyllid? OQ55925

1. Will the Commission make a statement on the amount of annual leave accrued by staff and the impact this will have on its finances? OQ55925

Thank you very much, Andrew. Annual leave is actively managed to ensure that staff take as much leave as possible for their own well-being and for the resilience of continuity of business at the Senedd. However, as you might imagine, since March this year, the impact of the pandemic has significantly increased demand on staff, including through recess, and the opportunity for many of those to take leave has been greatly reduced.

An international accounting standard requires the Commission to account for the cost of unused leave entitlement accrued by Commission staff as of 31 March, and this is an accounting requirement, not an additional cash requirement on the Welsh consolidated fund. And so, in short, while the Commission is considering the requirement for a supplementary budget for 2020-21 to cover this increase as of 7 December, it has no cash impact.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Andrew. Rheolir gwyliau blynyddol yn weithredol er mwyn sicrhau bod staff yn cymryd cymaint o wyliau â phosibl er mwyn eu llesiant eu hunain ac er mwyn sicrhau bod busnes y Senedd yn parhau i fod yn gadarn. Fodd bynnag, fel y gallech ei ddychmygu, ers mis Mawrth eleni, mae effaith y pandemig wedi cynyddu'r galw ar staff yn sylweddol, gan gynnwys drwy'r toriadau, ac mae'r cyfleoedd i lawer o'r rheini gymryd gwyliau wedi lleihau'n sylweddol.

Mae safon gyfrifyddu ryngwladol yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i'r Comisiwn roi cyfrif am gost gwyliau blynyddol nas defnyddiwyd ac a gronnwyd gan staff y Comisiwn ar 31 Mawrth, a gofyniad cyfrifyddu yw hwn, nid gofyniad am arian ychwanegol o gronfa gyfunol Cymru. Ac felly, yn fyr, er bod y Comisiwn yn ystyried y gofyniad am gyllideb atodol ar gyfer 2020-21 i dalu am y cynnydd hwn ar ôl 7 Rhagfyr, ni fydd iddo unrhyw effaith ariannol.

15:05

Thank you for that answer, Commissioner, and I'd endorse the comments that you've put on record—how important it is for the welfare of staff to take their leave, and, importantly, the hard work and dedication that all the staff across the Commission have put in to supporting Members in these very difficult and trying times. I was just taken by the statements you made at the time of the budget, when it was laid, that this was an issue that the Commission were having to deal with, and I'd be grateful if you could give an indication whether you'd be able, as Commissioner, to make Members aware of the scale of the amount of accrued holiday time that has to be worked through, because, obviously, that will, ultimately, at some point, have an impact on the ability to support Members in their role, but, importantly, for Members to understand the pressures that staff are facing when they haven't been able to take the time that they've built up over the pandemic.

Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Gomisiynydd, a byddwn yn ategu'r sylwadau rydych wedi'u cofnodi—pa mor bwysig yw hi i les staff eu bod yn cymryd eu gwyliau, ac yn bwysig, yr ymroddiad a'r gwaith caled y mae'r holl staff ar draws y Comisiwn wedi'i wneud i gefnogi Aelodau yn y cyfnod anodd hwn. Fe'm trawyd gan y datganiadau a wnaethoch adeg y gyllideb, pan gafodd ei gosod, fod hwn yn fater roedd y Comisiwn yn gorfod ymdrin ag ef, a byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallech roi syniad a fyddech chi, fel Comisiynydd, yn gallu dweud wrth yr Aelodau faint o amser gwyliau cronedig y mae'n rhaid gweithio drwyddo, oherwydd, yn amlwg, bydd hynny, yn y pen draw, ar ryw bwynt, yn cael effaith ar y gallu i gefnogi Aelodau yn eu rôl, ond yn bwysig, i Aelodau ddeall y pwysau y mae staff yn eu hwynebu pan nad ydynt wedi gallu cymryd y gwyliau y maent wedi'i gronni dros y pandemig.

Thank you, Andrew. Yes, and we can give that commitment. In laying a supplementary budget, obviously, we'd have to explain the reason for doing so, and that would explain the level of accrued leave and the value that's been attached to that. But can I just thank you for taking this opportunity for sharing your congratulations, if you like, with members of the Commission and their staff, who have, indeed, gone over and above, as indeed we have as Members, during a very difficult time to make sure that we serve the people of Wales well? Thank you.

Diolch, Andrew. Ie, a gallwn roi'r ymrwymiad hwnnw. Wrth osod cyllideb atodol, yn amlwg, byddai'n rhaid inni egluro'r rheswm dros wneud hynny, a byddai hynny'n esbonio lefel y gwyliau cronedig a'r gwerth sydd ynghlwm wrth hynny. Ond a gaf fi ddiolch i chi am fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i longyfarch, os hoffech, aelodau'r Comisiwn a'u staff, sydd, yn wir, wedi mynd y tu hwnt i'r galw, fel rydym ni fel Aelodau wedi'i wneud mewn gwirionedd, yn ystod cyfnod anodd iawn i sicrhau ein bod yn gwasanaethu pobl Cymru'n dda? Diolch.

Thank you. Question 2 will be answered by the Commissioner David Rowlands. Mike Hedges.

Diolch. Bydd cwestiwn 2 yn cael ei ateb gan y Comisiynydd David Rowlands. Mike Hedges.

Cylchrediad Aer
Air Circulation

2. A wnaiff y Comisiwn ddatganiad am gylchrediad aer yn y Senedd ac adeiladau Tŷ Hywel? OQ55936

2. Will the Commission make a statement on air circulation within the Senedd and Tŷ Hywel buildings? OQ55936

The Senedd is a naturally ventilated building, using automated opening windows for the open spaces and a ducted fresh air system for the Siambr, committee rooms and other enclosed spaces. Tŷ Hywel has a ventilation system that brings in fresh air to internal areas and a separate system that extracts internal air to the outside. Tŷ Hywel also has opening windows for ventilation.

Mae'r Senedd yn adeilad sy'n cael ei awyru'n naturiol, gan ddefnyddio ffenestri sy'n agor yn awtomatig ar gyfer y mannau agored a system bibellau awyr iach ar gyfer y Siambr, ystafelloedd pwyllgora a mannau caeedig eraill. Mae gan Dŷ Hywel system awyru sy'n dod ag aer ffres i fannau mewnol a system ar wahân sy'n echdynnu aer mewnol i'r tu allan. Mae gan Dŷ Hywel ffenestri y gellir eu hagor ar gyfer awyru hefyd.

I'm sure Tŷ Hywel has got opening windows somewhere; I'm not convinced that it's in every room that Tŷ Hywel has those opening windows. What I would like to suggest is that the Commission ensured that all windows open so that people could open windows and we could not have the situation that used to be called sick building syndrome, where somebody sneezes on one floor and that is circulated around the building, but we actually ensure that the windows open and people can get fresh air coming in and stale air going out.

Rwy'n siŵr fod gan Dŷ Hywel ffenestri y gellir eu hagor mewn rhai mannau; nid wyf wedi fy argyhoeddi fod hynny'n wir am bob ystafell yn Nhŷ Hywel. Yr hyn yr hoffwn ei awgrymu yw bod y Comisiwn yn sicrhau bod pob ffenest yn agor fel y gall pobl agor ffenestri ac fel y gallwn osgoi'r sefyllfa a oedd yn arfer cael ei alw'n syndrom adeilad sâl, lle mae rhywun yn tisian ar un llawr a hwnnw'n cael ei gylchdroi o amgylch yr adeilad, a'n bod yn sicrhau bod y ffenestri'n agor a bod aer ffres yn dod i mewn a hen aer yn mynd allan.

Well, actually, we have commissioned some things with regard to replacing the windows in the Senedd throughout Tŷ Hywel, and I'm sure that that matter will be taken into account when that actually happens. But I think it's important to note, at this particular time, that, since we've come back in September, estate occupancy has remained low during the pandemic, with just approximately 15 per cent of people being here on business days. This has ensured that we are able to effectively comply with social distancing regulations and other systems in place to prevent the transmission of COVID in the line of best practice and guidance.

Wel, mewn gwirionedd, rydym wedi comisiynu rhai pethau o ran gosod ffenestri newydd yn y Senedd ym mhob rhan o Dŷ Hywel, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd hynny'n cael ei ystyried pan fydd yn digwydd. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig nodi, ar yr adeg hon, ers inni ddod yn ôl ym mis Medi, fod defnydd o'r ystâd wedi aros yn isel yn ystod y pandemig, gydag oddeutu 15 y cant o bobl yma ar ddiwrnodau gwaith. Mae hyn wedi sicrhau ein bod yn gallu cydymffurfio'n effeithiol â rheoliadau cadw pellter cymdeithasol a systemau eraill sydd ar waith i atal trosglwyddiad COVID yn unol â chanllawiau ac arferion gorau.

Thank you. The following questions will be answered by the Llywydd. Question 3, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Diolch. Bydd y cwestiynau canlynol yn cael eu hateb gan y Llywydd. Cwestiwn 3, Janet Finch-Saunders. 

Ymgysylltiad â Phlant a Phobl Ifanc
Engagement with Children and Young People

3. A wnaiff y Comisiwn ddatganiad am ei ymgysylltiad presennol â phlant a phobl ifanc yng Nghymru? OQ55913

3. Will the Commission make a statement on its current engagement with children and young people in Wales? OQ55913

Diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae'r pandemig wedi ei gwneud hi'n heriol i ymgysylltu â phlant a phobl ifanc, yn enwedig trwy ysgolion a grwpiau ieuenctid. Mae rheoliadau yn ei gwneud hi'n amhosib inni groesawu ysgolion i'r Senedd neu i ymweld â nhw. Am ran o'r flwyddyn, felly, bu'r tîm yn canolbwyntio ar greu adnoddau y gall gweithwyr addysg proffesiynol eu defnyddio eu hunain. Fodd bynnag, ers mis Hydref, rydym wedi profi galw cynyddol am sesiynau rhithwir i ysgolion, a byddwn ni'n cynnig mwy o'r rheini yn yr wythnosau sydd i ddod. Rydym wedi cefnogi Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru i symud ei gweithgareddau ar-lein. Fe wnaethon nhw gyhoeddi adroddiadau ar wastraff sbwriel a phlastig, a chymorth iechyd emosiynol a meddyliol, ac fe wnes i gadeirio eu Cyfarfod Llawn diwethaf ar Zoom ar 14 Tachwedd. Fel rhan o'n cyfres o ddigwyddiadau GWLAD, fe wnaethom ni gynnal cyfarfod rhithwir yn edrych ar y dyfodol i bobl ifanc yng Nghymru a'u profiadau nhw o'r pandemig. Mae staff y Comisiwn wedi gweithio gyda phobl ifanc a gweithwyr addysg proffesiynol hefyd i gyd-gynhyrchu ystod o ddeunyddiau i hyrwyddo pleidleisio ar 16 ar gyfer etholiad fis Mai nesaf.

Thank you for that question. The pandemic has made it challenging to engage with children and young people, particularly through schools and youth groups. Regulations make it impossible for us to host schools in the Senedd or to visit those schools. So, for part of the year, the team focused on creating resources that education professionals can use themselves. However, since October, we have seen an increasing demand for virtual schools sessions, and we will be providing more of those over the coming weeks. We have supported the Welsh Youth Parliament in moving its activities online. They published reports on litter and plastic waste, and emotional and mental health support, and I chaired their latest Plenary Zoom meeting on 14 November. As part of our GWLAD series of events, we've held a virtual meeting looking at the future for young people in Wales and their experiences of the pandemic. Commission staff have worked with young people and education professionals to co-produce a range of materials to promote votes at 16 ahead of the Senedd elections in May.

15:10

Diolch, Llywydd. You'll be aware that I have raised concerns before about external engagement with our constituents, and indeed our younger members of our community, without the participation and indeed involvement of us as elected Members, and that has continued. However, in light of the pandemic, I do welcome the fact that the Senedd is offering online sessions to help young people to better understand how our democracy works, and some of the sessions sound excellent, such as 'Introduction to your Senedd', 'How to be an active citizen', and 'Our Senedd'. The 'My first vote' sessions, focusing on the upcoming Senedd elections in May, where 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote for the first time in Wales, sound really good sessions, and whilst I acknowledge there is a need for education ahead of this—I think it's overdue, really—I struggle to see how this can be achieved effectively without reference to and inclusion of all our political parties in Wales, and I would like to see Members involved. So, could you clarify to me whether the education officers informing these students participating in the 'My first vote' session—? How are they going to be educated on the different political parties and indeed the political system? Also, what intentions are there of the Senedd to assist already-elected Members to be involved in some of these sessions? Diolch.

Diolch, Lywydd. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fy mod wedi codi pryderon o'r blaen ynghylch ymgysylltiad allanol â'n hetholwyr, ac yn wir aelodau iau o'n cymuned, heb ein cynnwys ni fel Aelodau etholedig yn wir, a heb ein cyfranogiad, ac mae hynny wedi parhau. Fodd bynnag, yng ngoleuni'r pandemig, rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith bod y Senedd yn cynnig sesiynau ar-lein i helpu pobl ifanc i ddeall yn well sut y mae ein democratiaeth yn gweithio, ac mae rhai o'r sesiynau'n swnio'n rhagorol, megis 'Cyflwyniad i'ch Senedd', 'Sut i fod yn ddinesydd gweithredol', ac 'Ein Senedd'. Mae sesiynau 'Fy mhleidlais gyntaf', sy'n canolbwyntio ar etholiadau'r Senedd a fydd yn digwydd ym mis Mai, lle bydd pobl ifanc 16 ac 17 oed yn gallu pleidleisio am y tro cyntaf yng Nghymru, yn swnio'n sesiynau da iawn, ac er fy mod yn cydnabod bod angen addysg cyn hyn—rwy'n credu ei bod yn hen bryd, mewn gwirionedd—rwy'n ei chael yn anodd gweld sut y gellir cyflawni hyn yn effeithiol heb gyfeirio at, a chynnwys ein holl bleidiau gwleidyddol yng Nghymru, a hoffwn weld Aelodau'n cymryd rhan. Felly, a allech chi egluro a yw'r swyddogion addysg sy'n cynghori'r myfyrwyr hyn yn y sesiwn 'Fy mhleidlais gyntaf'—? Sut y cânt eu haddysgu ynglŷn â'r gwahanol bleidiau gwleidyddol a'r system wleidyddol yn wir? Hefyd, pa fwriadau sydd gan y Senedd i gynorthwyo Aelodau sydd eisoes wedi'u hethol i fod yn rhan o rai o'r sesiynau hyn? Diolch.

Well, I'm sure you'd agree with me, Janet Finch-Saunders, that, in the run-up to the election, a period now after Christmas that we all face, it's important that the sessions that the Commission holds, and that schools and others hold in schools, are politically balanced and include all political representation for that purpose. That's why the Senedd, in designing our and the Welsh Government resources available to young people, working with the Electoral Commission as well, ensure that there is a fair political balance in the debate leading up to elections. We all know as individual Members, leading up to elections, that we're very often invited into schools to hold political hustings, and we hope that that possibility will happen at a local level as well. That's a matter for the schools to initiate their own discussion on, but I do hope that schools will be in a position to do that. That may well be in a virtual context, still, by May of next year, but ensuring that our young people have all the information that they need to be able to be inspired to and practically to cast their vote in May of next year is something I think that unites us all as elected Members, present and future.

Wel, rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn cytuno, Janet Finch-Saunders, cyn yr etholiad, cyfnod rydym i gyd yn ei wynebu ar ôl y Nadolig, ei bod yn bwysig fod y sesiynau y mae'r Comisiwn yn eu cynnal, ac y mae ysgolion ac eraill yn eu cynnal mewn ysgolion, yn wleidyddol gytbwys ac yn cynnwys yr holl gynrychiolaeth wleidyddol at y diben hwnnw. Dyna pam fod y Senedd, wrth gynllunio ein hadnoddau ac adnoddau Llywodraeth Cymru sydd ar gael i bobl ifanc, gan weithio gyda'r Comisiwn Etholiadol hefyd, yn sicrhau bod cydbwysedd gwleidyddol teg yn y ddadl sy'n arwain at etholiadau. Rydym i gyd yn gwybod, fel Aelodau unigol, ein bod yn aml iawn yn cael ein gwahodd i ysgolion i gynnal hustyngau gwleidyddol yn y cyfnod sy'n arwain at etholiadau, a gobeithiwn y bydd y posibilrwydd hwnnw'n digwydd ar lefel leol hefyd. Mater i'r ysgolion yw cychwyn eu trafodaeth eu hunain, ond rwy'n gobeithio y bydd ysgolion mewn sefyllfa i wneud hynny. Mae'n ddigon posibl y bydd hynny'n digwydd mewn cyd-destun rhithwir o hyd erbyn mis Mai y flwyddyn nesaf, ond mae sicrhau bod gan ein pobl ifanc yr holl wybodaeth y maent ei hangen i'w hysbrydoli, ac yn ymarferol i fwrw eu pleidlais ym mis Mai y flwyddyn nesaf yn rhywbeth sy'n ein huno ni i gyd fel Aelodau etholedig, rwy'n credu, nawr ac yn y dyfodol.

Trafodion y Senedd
Senedd Proceedings

4. Pa fesurau sydd ar waith i hyrwyddo rhith-fynediad at drafodion y Senedd gan y cyhoedd? OQ55921

4. What measures are in place to promote virtual access to Senedd proceedings by the general public? OQ55921

Er nad yw'n bosib i'r cyhoedd yn gyffredinol gael mynediad i gyfarfodydd ar hyn o bryd, rydym wedi gwneud pob ymdrech i sicrhau bod gwaith y Senedd yn fwy hygyrch nag erioed drwy ddulliau eraill. Mae trafodion y Senedd sy'n cael eu dangos ar y teledu yn cael eu hyrwyddo ar draws ystod o sianeli. Rydym yn darparu llif darlledu i allfeydd newyddion, a bydd cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog yn aml yn cael eu darlledu ar BBC 2 Cymru ac ar BBC Parliament. Rydym hefyd yn ffrydio cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog ar gyfrifon Twitter y Senedd, ac yn trefnu bod modd gwylio cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog gydag iaith arwyddion ar y diwrnod canlynol hefyd. Mae Gwasanaeth Ymchwil yr Aelodau yn parhau i ddarparu blogiau o safon uchel i egluro materion allweddol o ran dadleuon sydd ar ddod yn y Senedd er mwyn gwneud y dadleuon yn fwy hygyrch, ac mae staff y Comisiwn wedi bod yn datblygu ffyrdd newydd o ymgysylltu yn rhithwir â'r cyhoedd. Mae hyn yn cynnwys rhith-deithiau newydd o amgylch yr adeilad, arddangosfeydd rhithwir a sesiynau cyflwyniad i'r Senedd ar-lein a gawsant eu lansio yn gynharach yn y mis yma.

Whilst the public can't access meetings at the moment, we've made every effort to ensure the work of the Senedd is more accessible than ever via other means. Senedd proceedings are televised and are promoted across a range of channels. We provide a stream to news outlets, and First Minister's questions is often broadcast on BBC2 Wales and BBC Parliament. We also stream FMQs live on the Senedd's Twitter accounts, and ensure that footage of FMQs can be watched with signing on the following day. The Members' Research Service continues to provide high-quality blogs to explain key issues in upcoming Senedd debates, in order to make the debates more accessible, and Commission staff have been developing new ways to engage virtually with the public. This includes new virtual tours of the building, virtual exhibitions, and online introduction to the Senedd sessions, which were launched earlier this month.

15:15

I thank the Llywydd for that answer, and I commend the innovation, which I think it's fair to say we've had throughout the period of Welsh devolution, and certainly in this fifth Senedd. And I do urge that we build on this success, because we all want, as we've heard in previous answers, active citizenship. And it seems to me that, as well as watching our proceedings, there are more opportunities by virtual means to allow citizens to take part to some extent in a manner that is not, perhaps, as intimidating as turning up and giving evidence in front, formally, of a committee, for instance. And there's a lot we've done, but in the sixth Senedd, there's probably a lot more we could do, and I would commend whoever is in charge then to look at this very carefully. 

Diolch i'r Llywydd am yr ateb hwnnw, ac rwy'n cymeradwyo'r arloesedd a welsom, rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud, drwy gydol y cyfnod datganoli yng Nghymru, ac yn sicr yn ystod y pumed Senedd hon. Ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn yn adeiladu ar y llwyddiant hwn, oherwydd mae pob un ohonom eisiau dinasyddiaeth weithredol, fel y clywsom mewn atebion blaenorol. Ac mae'n ymddangos i mi, yn ogystal â gwylio ein trafodion, fod mwy o gyfleoedd drwy ddulliau rhithwir i ganiatáu i ddinasyddion gymryd rhan, i ryw raddau, mewn modd nad yw, efallai, mor fygythiol â rhoi tystiolaeth o flaen pwyllgor yn ffurfiol er enghraifft. Ac mae llawer rydym wedi'i wneud, ond yn y chweched Senedd, mae'n debyg bod llawer mwy y gallem ei wneud, a byddwn yn annog pwy bynnag a fydd wrth y llyw bryd hynny i edrych ar hyn yn ofalus iawn.

Well, most definitely, I think that the experience of the last six months, both in terms of how we've undertaken our sessions here as a Chamber, Senedd proceedings, but most importantly in the work of our committees, has enabled the use of a virtual setting to enable a wider, more diverse array, a more geographically dispersed array, of witnesses and evidence sessions, and has possibly broken down some of those both physical and other kind of barriers that people have to giving evidence or taking part in our committee proceedings. So I very much hope, and in my discussions with the Chairs' Forum, we've all been very aware of the very many positive experiences that we've had in a more virtual setting over the past six months, and we must not lose sight of those as we think about how we construct the business for the next Senedd.

Wel, yn bendant iawn, rwy'n credu bod profiad y chwe mis diwethaf, o ran sut rydym wedi cynnal ein sesiynau yma fel Siambr, trafodion y Senedd, ond yn bwysicaf oll yng ngwaith ein pwyllgorau, a'n defnydd o'r dull rhithwir o weithredu wedi galluogi ystod ehangach, mwy amrywiol, a mwy gwasgaredig yn ddaearyddol, o dystion a sesiynau tystiolaeth, ac mae'n bosibl ei fod wedi chwalu rhai o'r rhwystrau ffisegol a mathau eraill o rwystrau sy'n atal pobl rhag rhoi tystiolaeth neu gymryd rhan yn nhrafodion ein pwyllgorau. Felly rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr, ac yn fy nhrafodaethau gyda'r Fforwm Cadeiryddion, rydym i gyd wedi bod yn ymwybodol iawn o'r profiadau cadarnhaol niferus iawn a gawsom drwy ddefnyddio dull mwy rhithwir o weithredu dros y chwe mis diwethaf, ac mae'n rhaid i ni beidio â cholli golwg ar y rheini wrth i ni feddwl sut rydym yn llunio busnes ar gyfer y Senedd nesaf.

Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru
The Welsh Youth Parliament

5. A wnaiff y Comisiwn roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ei gefnogaeth ar gyfer gwaith Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru? OQ55904

5. Will the Commission provide an update on its support for the work of the Welsh Youth Parliament? OQ55904

Diolch. Mae Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru wedi cael hydref prysur, wrth i Aelodau nesáu at ddiwedd eu tymor yn y swydd. Cefnogodd y Comisiwn Aelodau o'r Senedd Ieuenctid i gynhyrchu a chyhoeddi dau adroddiad yn seiliedig ar waith eu pwyllgorau. Roedd un yn edrych ar gymorth iechyd emosiynol a meddwl a'r llall ar wastraff sbwriel a phlastig.

Roedd cyfarfod olaf y Senedd Ieuenctid ar 14 Tachwedd, a fi gadeiriodd y sesiwn hynny. Roedd hefyd yn cynnwys cyfraniadau gan Weinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru, Cadeiryddion pwyllgorau'r Senedd a chomisiynwyr cenedlaethau'r dyfodol a phobl ifanc. Yn ychwanegol at hynny, mae Aelodau o'r Senedd ieuenctid wedi cael cefnogaeth i gynnal sesiynau craffu gydag ystod o Weinidogion, gan gynnwys y Prif Weinidog a'r Gweinidog iechyd i rannu eu profiad o'r coronafeirws yn ystod yr haf. Ac yn fwy diweddar, cynhaliodd rhai Aelodau sesiwn gyda'r Gweinidog Addysg i rannu eu barn, a barn pobl ifanc eraill, cyn cyhoeddiad y Gweinidog ar arholiadau. Ac fe fydd yna sesiwn bellach gyda rhai o'r seneddwyr ieuenctid yn cwrdd â'r Prif Weinidog nos Lun nesaf.

Rwy'n gwybod y bydd y Senedd Ieuenctid yn parhau am ychydig fisoedd eto, ond hoffwn dalu teyrnged i waith caled yr Aelodau ifanc hynny ac i ddiolch am waith rhieni, ysgolion, sefydliadau partner a'n staff ni ein hunain wrth helpu i ddod â thri llinyn eu gwaith i gasgliad llwyddiannus. 

Thank you. The Welsh Youth Parliament has had a busy autumn, as Members near the end of their term of office. The Commission supported Welsh Youth Parliament Members to produce and publish two reports based on the work of their committees. One looked at emotional and mental health support, and the other at litter and plastic waste.

The final meeting of the Welsh Youth Parliament was held on 14 November, and I chaired that session. And it also included contributions from Welsh Government Ministers, Senedd committee Chairs and the commissioners for future generations and young people. In addition to that, Members of the Youth Parliament have been supported to hold scrutiny sessions with a range of Ministers, including the First Minister and the health Minister to share their experiences of coronavirus during the summer. And more recently, some Members held a session with the Minister for Education to share their views, and the views of other young people, prior to the Minister’s announcement on exams. And there will be a further session where some youth parliamentarians will meet with the First Minister next Monday evening. 

I know that the Welsh Youth Parliament will continue for a few months yet, but I'd like to pay tribute to the hard work of the young Members and to thank parents, schools, partner organisations and our own staff for helping to bring the three strands of their work to a successful conclusion.

Dwi'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r Llywydd am yr ateb.

I'm very grateful to the Llywydd for that response. 

Thank you so much for that answer. I think we must all be very proud of the young people and what they've achieved in these very difficult circumstances, and I think we'd all want to thank the staff very much who've been able to enable them to continue their work in exactly the same way, of course, that the staff of the Senedd have enabled us to continue our work. 

I have had some concerns, though, about the emotional well-being of the young Members. Their experience of being young Members of the Senedd won't have been what they expected. So can you confirm, Llywydd, that members of staff here have been in touch with those professionals—youth workers and others—supporting those young people just to make sure that they're okay? And further to that, as you said, the first term has come to an end, it's been incredibly productive, they've done a huge amount of work and I'm sure we'd all like to thank them. Can you tell us a bit more about what steps are in place to prepare for the next elections for our next young parliamentarians? That may potentially be done, of course, in a challenging time where schools and youth groups have got an awful lot on their plate that they wouldn't normally be having to deal with. So, I'm hoping that there is thought and planning going into how we can ensure that our next Youth Parliament is as effective as this one has been.

Diolch yn fawr am yr ateb hwnnw. Rwy'n credu bod yn rhaid i ni i gyd fod yn falch iawn o'r bobl ifanc a'r hyn y maent wedi'i gyflawni yn yr amgylchiadau anodd hyn, ac rwy'n credu y byddem i gyd eisiau diolch yn fawr iawn i'r staff sydd wedi eu galluogi i barhau â'u gwaith yn yr un ffordd, wrth gwrs, ag y mae staff y Senedd wedi ein galluogi i barhau â'n gwaith ninnau.

Rwyf wedi bod yn bryderus, er hynny, am lesiant emosiynol yr Aelodau ifanc. Ni fydd eu profiad o fod yn Aelodau ifanc o'r Senedd fel roeddent wedi'i ddisgwyl. Felly, a allwch chi gadarnhau, Lywydd, fod aelodau o staff yma wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â'r gweithwyr proffesiynol—gweithwyr ieuenctid ac eraill—sy'n cefnogi'r bobl ifanc i wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn iawn? Yn ogystal â hynny, fel y dywedoch chi, mae'r tymor cyntaf wedi dod i ben, mae wedi bod yn hynod gynhyrchiol, maent wedi gwneud llawer iawn o waith ac rwy'n siŵr yr hoffem i gyd ddiolch iddynt. A allwch chi ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym am y camau sydd ar waith i baratoi ar gyfer yr etholiadau nesaf ar gyfer ein seneddwyr ifanc nesaf? Mae'n bosibl y bydd hynny'n cael ei wneud, wrth gwrs, mewn cyfnod heriol lle mae gan ysgolion a grwpiau ieuenctid lawer o gyfrifoldebau na fyddent fel arfer yn gorfod ymdopi â hwy. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio bod ystyriaeth a chynllunio'n digwydd mewn perthynas â'r ffordd y gallwn sicrhau bod ein Senedd Ieuenctid nesaf mor effeithiol ag y mae hon wedi bod.

Well, it's been one of the highlights of my time as Llywydd to chair the events and the meetings of the Welsh Youth Parliament. They are inspiring young people who have wanted to represent their fellow young people and to make sure that the views of young people in Wales have an influence on us as a Senedd, and it's been an inspiring journey for them and, most definitely, for me as well. So, in planning for the future of that, we learn from the experience of the first Senedd, and we will put together a legacy report, as we do for many aspects of the work of the Senedd, to take forward into the next Senedd and into preparing to elect the next Youth Parliament in the autumn of next year.

As you say, the young people who are 60 Members of our Youth Parliament have experienced the pandemic, as all have, and they've had their own individual experiences of that. Our Commission staff, who have worked with them on the committees and in the Senedd in the Welsh Youth Parliament itself, have been very conscious of the fact that they come from different circumstances—each and every one of them—and they have been supported, as much as we can, in enabling them to carry on their work in whatever way they could as youth parliamentarians. Therefore, it's been an incredibly positive experience, and I hope it has been for the 60 Members who were elected. They were trailblazers and pioneers, and we will soon be electing our second Youth Parliament, and I think we've done a good job as a Senedd in supporting our young people in allowing them to have a voice, but in particular, as well, in listening to what they had to say.  

Wel, mae wedi bod yn un o uchafbwyntiau fy nghyfnod fel Llywydd i gadeirio digwyddiadau a chyfarfodydd Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru. Maent yn bobl ifanc ysbrydoledig sydd wedi bod eisiau cynrychioli pobl ifanc eraill a gwneud yn siŵr fod barn pobl ifanc yng Nghymru yn cael dylanwad arnom ni fel Senedd, ac mae wedi bod yn daith ysbrydoledig iddynt hwy ac i minnau hefyd, yn bendant. Felly, wrth gynllunio ar gyfer dyfodol hynny, dysgwn o brofiad y Senedd gyntaf, a byddwn yn llunio adroddiad etifeddiaeth, fel rydym yn ei wneud ar gyfer sawl agwedd ar waith y Senedd, i symud ymlaen i'r Senedd nesaf ac i baratoi i ethol y Senedd Ieuenctid nesaf yn ystod yr hydref y flwyddyn nesaf.

Fel y dywedwch, mae'r 60 Aelod ifanc o'n Senedd Ieuenctid wedi profi'r pandemig, fel y gwnaeth pawb ohonom, ac maent wedi cael eu profiadau eu hunain o hynny. Mae staff ein Comisiwn, sydd wedi gweithio gyda hwy ar y pwyllgorau ac yn y Senedd yn Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru ei hun, wedi bod yn ymwybodol iawn o'r ffaith eu bod yn dod o wahanol amgylchiadau—pob un ohonynt—ac maent wedi cael cymorth, cymaint ag y gallwn, i'w galluogi i barhau â'u gwaith ym mha ffordd bynnag y gallent fel seneddwyr ieuenctid. Felly, mae wedi bod yn brofiad hynod gadarnhaol, ac rwy'n gobeithio bod hynny'n wir i'r 60 Aelod a gafodd eu hethol. Roeddent yn arloeswyr, a byddwn yn ethol ein hail Senedd Ieuenctid cyn bo hir, a chredaf ein bod wedi gwneud gwaith da fel Senedd yn cefnogi ein pobl ifanc a chaniatáu iddynt gael llais, ond yn arbennig hefyd, drwy wrando ar yr hyn roedd ganddynt i'w ddweud.

15:20

And the final question of this session is question 6, Alun Davies.

A chwestiwn olaf y sesiwn hon yw cwestiwn 6, Alun Davies.

Cylch Etholiadol y Senedd
The Senedd's Electoral Cycle

6. A wnaiff y Comisiwn ddatganiad am unrhyw gynlluniau i newid cylch etholiadol y Senedd? OQ55942

6. Will the Commission make a statement on any plans to change the Senedd's electoral cycle? OQ55942

Does dim cynlluniau o'r fath gan Gomisiwn y Senedd i newid hyn ar hyn o bryd. Heblaw bod darpariaeth yn cael ei gwneud i'r gwrthwyneb, mae adran 3 o Ddeddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006 yn rhagnodi bod yn rhaid cynnal etholiadau cyffredinol arferol i'r Senedd ar y dydd Iau cyntaf ym mis Mai, bum mlynedd yn dilyn yr etholiadau diwethaf i'r Senedd. O ganlyniad, dylid cynnal yr etholiad nesaf i'r Senedd ym mis Mai 2021.

The Senedd Commission has no such plans at the moment. Unless provision is made to the contrary, section 3 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 prescribes that ordinary general elections of the Senedd must be held on the first Thursday in May, five years following the last Senedd elections. As such, the next Senedd election is due in May 2021.

I'm grateful to the Presiding Officer for that answer. I think she will agree with me that we need more democracy and not less democracy in Wales, and the root of the change to our electoral cycle, of course, lies in the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, and that dreadful piece of legislation has now been on the statute book for a decade. In that decade, of course, we've had three UK general elections, which renders it utterly meaningless, and the one part of the Conservative manifesto that I welcomed last year was its commitment to repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. That removes, of course, the justification for changing our electoral cycles, and it removes the need to do so.

Many of us here feel that this place has sat for too long. We need an election here, and we need an electoral cycle that provides for regular elections every four years, as was envisaged by the framers of the Welsh constitution. It is important, therefore, that those people seeking election next May understand that that Parliament should only sit for four and not five years. I would be grateful if a commission would work with Members on all sides of the Chamber—I can see particularly noisy support from the Conservative benches, which I welcome by the way—and ensure that we're able to frame legislation to ensure that we return to a four-year cycle for this Parliament, for all Welsh elections, as soon as the Fixed-term Parliaments Act is rightly thrown in the bin of history.

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Llywydd am yr ateb hwnnw. Credaf y bydd yn cytuno â mi ein bod angen mwy o ddemocratiaeth ac nid llai o ddemocratiaeth yng Nghymru, ac mae gwraidd y newid i'n cylch etholiadol, wrth gwrs, yn Neddf Seneddau Tymor Penodol 2011, ac mae'r ddeddfwriaeth ofnadwy honno wedi bod ar y llyfr statud ers degawd bellach. Yn y degawd hwnnw, wrth gwrs, rydym wedi cael tri etholiad cyffredinol yn y DU, sy'n ei gwneud yn gwbl ddiystyr, a'r unig ran o faniffesto'r Ceidwadwyr roeddwn yn ei groesawu y llynedd oedd ei ymrwymiad i ddiddymu'r Ddeddf Seneddau Tymor Penodol. Mae hynny'n dileu'r cyfiawnhad dros newid ein cylchoedd etholiadol wrth gwrs, ac mae'n dileu'r angen i wneud hynny.

Mae llawer ohonom yma'n teimlo bod y lle hwn wedi eistedd yn rhy hir. Rydym angen etholiad yma, ac rydym angen cylch etholiadol sy'n darparu ar gyfer etholiadau rheolaidd bob pedair blynedd, fel y rhagwelwyd gan y rhai a luniodd gyfansoddiad Cymru. Mae'n bwysig, felly, fod y bobl sy'n sefyll etholiad l fis Mai nesaf yn deall mai am bedair blynedd yn unig ac nid pum mlynedd y dylai'r Senedd honno eistedd. Byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe bai comisiwn yn gweithio gydag Aelodau ar bob ochr i'r Siambrau—gallaf weld cefnogaeth arbennig o swnllyd oddi ar feinciau'r Ceidwadwyr, ac rwy'n croesawu hynny gyda llaw—a sicrhau ein bod yn gallu llunio deddfwriaeth i sicrhau ein bod yn dychwelyd at gylch pedair blynedd ar gyfer y Senedd hon, ar gyfer holl etholiadau Cymru, cyn gynted ag y caiff y Ddeddf Seneddau Tymor Penodol ei lluchio, yn briodol iawn, i fin hanes.

Thank you for the supplementary question. I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief that this Senedd wasn't a four-year term, otherwise we would have had to plan an election for May of 2020, and I'm not sure whether we would have been able to do that at that time, or it would have diverted our energies at that time from something else that was equally as important, if not more important, to do.

In terms of going forward, as I said in my response, it requires legislative change to change to a four-year-period term. I hear this afternoon, and I've seen many references made by Members to the fact that some would prefer a four-year term rather than a five-year term, and I've heard you, Alun Davies, say it before. Equally, I'm open to that idea, certainly, myself. But, it will be for the political process within this Senedd and within the next Senedd to undertake that piece of legislation if seen necessary. I look forward, then, to reading the manifestos of all political parties to see if any are putting it in their manifestos for Government and for the Senedd election next May.

Diolch am y cwestiwn atodol. Rwy'n credu y gallwn i gyd anadlu ochenaid o ryddhad nad oedd y Senedd hon yn eistedd am dymor pedair blynedd, neu fel arall byddem wedi gorfod cynllunio etholiad ar gyfer mis Mai 2020, ac nid wyf yn siŵr y byddem wedi gallu gwneud hynny ar y pryd, neu fe fyddai wedi dargyfeirio ein hegni y pryd hwnnw oddi wrth rywbeth arall a oedd yr un mor bwysig os nad yn bwysicach.

O ran y dyfodol, fel y dywedais yn fy ymateb, mae angen newid deddfwriaethol i newid i dymor pedair blynedd. Clywaf y prynhawn yma, ac rwyf wedi gweld llawer o gyfeiriadau gan Aelodau at y ffaith y byddai'n well gan rai gael tymor pedair blynedd yn hytrach na thymor pum mlynedd, ac rwyf wedi eich clywed chi, Alun Davies, yn ei ddweud o'r blaen. Yn yr un ffordd, rwy'n agored i'r syniad hwnnw, yn bersonol yn sicr. Ond mater i'r broses wleidyddol yn y Senedd hon ac yn y Senedd nesaf fydd ymgymryd â'r ddeddfwriaeth honno os gwelir bod angen. Edrychaf ymlaen, felly, at ddarllen maniffestos pob plaid wleidyddol i weld a oes rhai ohonynt yn ei roi yn eu maniffestos ar gyfer Llywodraeth ac ar gyfer etholiad y Senedd fis Mai nesaf.

15:25
4. Cwestiynau Amserol
4. Topical Questions

Item 4 was topical questions, and no topical questions have been accepted.

Cwestiynau amserol oedd eitem 4, ac nid oes unrhyw gwestiynau amserol wedi'u derbyn.

5. 90 Second Statements
5. 90-second Statements

Therefore, we move to item 5, which is the 90-second statements. The first this week is Vikki Howells.

Felly, symudwn at eitem 5, sef y datganiadau 90 eiliad. Daw'r datganiad cyntaf yr wythnos hon gan Vikki Howells.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. November 2020 marks the centenary of the birth of Elaine Morgan. Elaine, born into a mining family, achieved the truly remarkable during a long, varied and glittering career. She won a scholarship to Oxford University, a phenomenal achievement for a miner's daughter in the 1930s. After graduation, Elaine worked for the WEA, and then married Morien, who had fought against the fascists in Spain. Three sons were raised from the family home in Mountain Ash, as Elaine embarked on a career as a writer for the BBC. She wrote acclaimed adaptations of—amongst others—How Green was my Valley, The Life and Times of Lloyd George, and Testament of Youth. For the latter, she won a Writer of the Year award, to go with numerous BAFTAs, Writers' Guild Awards, and even the odd international trophy. Elaine also developed and promoted the revolutionary aquatic ape theory, publishing many books on the subject and winning prizes for her contribution to scientific knowledge. In her 80s, Elaine took on a new challenge as an award-winning columnist for the Western Mail.

Elaine died in 2013. Seven years on, there is a new biography of Elaine, recently written by local historian Dr Daryl Leeworthy, and plans to erect a statue in her honour in Mountain Ash, in the heart of the Valleys whose communities she captured so vividly. As journalist Carolyn Hitt observed, Elaine changed the world from her desk in Mountain Ash.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Tachwedd 2020 yw canmlwyddiant geni Elaine Morgan. Cyflawnodd Elaine, a aned i deulu glofaol, ryfeddodau yn ystod gyrfa hir, amrywiol a disglair. Enillodd ysgoloriaeth i Brifysgol Rhydychen, llwyddiant aruthrol i ferch glöwr yn y 1930au. Ar ôl graddio, gweithiodd Elaine i Gymdeithas Addysg y Gweithwyr, ac yna priododd â Morien, a oedd wedi ymladd yn erbyn y ffasgwyr yn Sbaen. Cafodd tri mab eu magu yng nghartref y teulu yn Aberpennar, wrth i Elaine gychwyn ar yrfa fel awdur i'r BBC. Ysgrifennodd addasiadau clodwiw o How Green was my Valley, The Life and Times of Lloyd George, a Testament of Youth ymhlith pethau eraill. Enillodd wobr Awdur y Flwyddyn am yr olaf, i fynd gyda sawl BAFTA, sawl Gwobr Urdd Awduron Prydain Fawr, ac ambell dlws rhyngwladol hyd yn oed. Hefyd, datblygodd a hyrwyddodd Elaine y ddamcaniaeth chwyldroadol ynghylch epa'r dŵr, gan gyhoeddi llawer o lyfrau ar y pwnc ac ennill gwobrau am ei chyfraniad at wybodaeth wyddonol. Yn ei 80au, ymgymerodd Elaine â her newydd fel colofnydd arobryn i'r Western Mail.

Bu farw Elaine yn 2013. Saith mlynedd yn ddiweddarach, ceir bywgraffiad newydd o Elaine, a ysgrifennwyd yn ddiweddar gan yr hanesydd lleol Dr Daryl Leeworthy, a bwriad i godi cerflun i'w hanrhydeddu yn Aberpennar, yng nghanol y Cymoedd a'r cymunedau y llwyddodd i'w disgrifio mor fyw. Fel y nododd y newyddiadurwr Carolyn Hitt, newidiodd Elaine y byd o'i desg yn Aberpennar.

Eisiau dathlu gwirfoddolwyr ydw i. Fel Aelod Ynys Môn ac un o Gomisiynwyr y Senedd, dwi’n falch iawn bod y Senedd yn trefnu oriel o arwyr COVID sydd wedi gweithio’n ddiflino dros eu cymunedau. Mae pob Aelod wedi cael dewis pwy ddylai fod yn yr oriel, a beth wnes i oedd gofyn i bobl Ynys Môn ddewis, ac efo dros 40 o enwebiadau, mae’n amlwg faint o waith da sydd wedi cael ei wneud.

Llongyfarchiadau i’r tri ddaeth i’r brig: y Gwalchmai Hotel, grŵp Caru Amlwch a Chippy Chippy yng Nghaergybi. Ond dwi’r un mor falch o waith Stayce Weeder a Matthew Southgate am helpu i ddarparu PPE; Gwyneth Parry a gwirfoddolwyr Rhosneigr; Eirian Huws a grwp cymunedol Bryngwran; Steve MacVicar a’r Seiriol Good Turn Scheme. Llinos Wyn yn Amlwch; Lisa Hall a gwirfoddolwyr Llangaffo; Roy Fyles a banc bwyd Môn; Julie Parkinson, Vaughan a Louise Evans, Pam Gannon a Delyth Jones-Williams o Sgowtiaid Llanfairpwll; a Sophie Mae Roe, saith oed, am ei gwaith codi arian.

Roedd yna weithwyr iechyd a gofal: parafeddygon Amlwch; cartref Plas Garnedd; Dr Nia Allen, Llanfairpwll; Dr Claire Kilduff o Ysbyty Gwynedd. Mudiadau Neges, Medrwn Môn, Menter Môn, cyngor sir Môn, Môn CF, Cyngor ar Bopeth, Gwasanaeth Ieuenctid Môn a COVID-19 Mutual Aid Môn.

Busnesau: Dylan’s; Mojo’s; Catch 22; The Codmother, Niwbwrch; yr Holland Hotel, Llanfachraeth; y cigydd Raymond Jones; Blas Mwy y Black Lion; yr Oyster Catcher; Siop Elis a Spar Beaumaris; ac Anglesey Outdoors am roi llety i weithwyr allweddol. I Môn FM; grwp Facebook Côr-ona; clwb gymnasteg Môn; ac ysgol ddawns Helen Barton, mae’ch gwaith chi wedi’i werthfawrogi. A’n olaf, i’r postmon Ben Williams a fu’n codi calonnau yn ei wisg ffansi. Diolch.

Diolch, bawb ym Môn. Ond, ar ran y Senedd gyfan, diolch i bawb ledled Cymru am ddangos ein bod yn genedl o gymwynaswyr.

I rise to celebrate volunteers. As the Member for Ynys Môn and as a Senedd Commissioner, I am very pleased that the Senedd is creating a gallery of COVID heroes who have worked tirelessly for their communities this year. Every Member has been able to select who should be represented in the gallery, and I asked the people of Môn to help choose. With over 40 nominations, it’s clear how much good work has been done.

Congratulations to the three nominees who came to the fore: the Gwalchmai Hotel, the Love Amlwch group and Chippy Chippy in Holyhead. But, I am just as proud of the work done by Stayce Weeder and Matthew Southgate in helping to distribute PPE; Gwyneth Parry and the Rhosneigr volunteers; Eirian Huws and Bryngwran community group; and Steve MacVicar and the Seiriol Good Turn Scheme. Llinos Wyn in Amlwch; Lisa Hall and the Llangaffo volunteers; Roy Fyles and Môn food bank; Julie Parkinson, Vaughan and Louise Evans, Pam Gannon and Delyth Jones-Williams from Llanfairpwll Scouts; and Sophie Mae Roe, seven years of age, for her fundraising.

There were health and care workers: paramedics in Amlwch; Plas Garnedd home; Dr Nia Allen from Llanfairpwll; Dr Claire Kilduff from Ysbyty Gwynedd. The organisations Neges, Medrwn Môn, Menter Môn, the county council, Môn CF, Citizens Advice, Môn Youth Services and COVID-19 Mutual Aid Môn.

Businesses: Dylan’s; Mojo’s; Catch 22; The Codmother, Niwbwrch; the Holland Hotel in Llanfachraeth; Raymond Jones the butcher’s; Blas Mwy at the Black Lion; the Oyster Catcher; Siop Elis and Beaumaris Spar; as well as Anglesey Outdoors for providing accommodation to key workers. To Môn FM; the Côr-ona Facebook group; Môn gymnastics club; and Helen Barton school of dance, your work is appreciated. And, finally, to postman Ben Williams, who gladdened hearts with his fancy dress. Thank you.

Thank you to everyone in Môn. But, on behalf of everyone at the Senedd, thank you to everyone across Wales for showing that we are a nation of allies.

From 30 November to 6 December, we celebrate Electrical Safety Week Wales. The Electrical Safety First charity are the only charity working in Wales who are dedicated to reducing the number of injuries and deaths caused by electricity. They use Electrical Safety Week to promote electrical fire safety in the home, raising awareness that over half of all accidental house fires are caused by electricity.

This year, COVID-19 presents new challenges for electrical safety. There is evidence that COVID concerns are pushing Welsh consumers away from the high street and onto online marketplaces, risking dangerous gifts. New research from Electrical Safety First suggests that 57 per cent of Welsh residents will be shopping online this year, and the majority of these people said they were planning to shop online because they believed these websites are safer than going to the high street during the pandemic. However, Electrical Safety First is concerned that consumers are simply replacing one risk with another, as multiple investigations for the charity have unearthed dangerous electrical products for sale via third parties on these sites, with Electrical Safety First investigations repeatedly finding unsafe electricals for sale on sites including Amazon Marketplace, eBay, Wish.com and others. Repeated calls for online marketplaces to take responsibility for the products sold has not yet yielded significant action. So, the charity is urging consumers to reduce their chances of buying dangerous items by sticking to the stores and websites of well-known and trusted manufacturers and retailers, such as those on our high streets. So, in Electrical Safety Week, ask Santa to bring you safe electrical gifts this year—ho, ho, ho!

Rhwng 30 Tachwedd a 6 Rhagfyr, rydym yn dathlu Wythnos Diogelwch Trydanol Cymru. Elusen Diogelwch Trydanol yn Gyntaf yw'r unig elusen yng Nghymru sy'n ymroddedig i leihau nifer yr anafiadau a'r marwolaethau a achosir gan drydan. Maent yn defnyddio Wythnos Diogelwch Trydanol i hyrwyddo diogelwch tân trydanol yn y cartref, gan godi ymwybyddiaeth o'r ffaith bod dros hanner yr holl danau damweiniol mewn tai yn cael eu hachosi gan drydan.

Eleni, mae COVID-19 yn cyflwyno heriau newydd o ran diogelwch trydanol. Mae tystiolaeth fod pryderon COVID yn gwthio defnyddwyr Cymru o'r stryd fawr ac i farchnadoedd ar-lein, a gall hynny olygu eu bod yn prynu rhoddion peryglus. Mae ymchwil newydd gan Diogelwch Trydanol yn Gyntaf yn awgrymu y bydd 57 y cant o drigolion Cymru yn siopa ar-lein eleni, a dywedodd y rhan fwyaf o'r bobl hyn eu bod yn bwriadu siopa ar-lein oherwydd eu bod yn credu bod y gwefannau hyn yn fwy diogel na mynd i'r stryd fawr yn ystod y pandemig. Fodd bynnag, mae Diogelwch Trydanol yn Gyntaf yn pryderu bod defnyddwyr yn cyfnewid un risg am un arall, gan fod nifer o ymchwiliadau ar ran yr elusen wedi datgelu bod cynhyrchion trydanol peryglus ar werth ar y safleoedd hyn drwy drydydd partïon, a daeth ymchwiliadau Diogelwch Trydanol yn Gyntaf o hyd i eitemau trydanol anniogel ar werth dro ar ôl tro ar safleoedd yn cynnwys Amazon Marketplace, eBay, Wish.com ac eraill. Nid yw galwadau mynych ar farchnadoedd ar-lein i gymryd cyfrifoldeb am y cynhyrchion a werthir wedi arwain at gamau gweithredu sylweddol eto. Felly, mae'r elusen yn annog defnyddwyr i leihau eu perygl o brynu eitemau peryglus drwy gadw at siopau a gwefannau gweithgynhyrchwyr a manwerthwyr cyfarwydd y gellir ymddiried ynddynt, fel y rhai ar ein strydoedd mawr. Felly, yn ystod Wythnos Diogelwch Trydanol Cymru, gofynnwch i Siôn Corn ddod ag anrhegion trydanol diogel i chi eleni—ho, ho, ho!

15:30

Jan Morris led an extraordinary life—an explorer who opened windows onto other worlds with her writing, a pioneer who traversed new terrain and opened doors of possibility. So many of us will be familiar with her evocative books about Venice and Trieste, but it is her magnificent work The Matter of Wales that led readers to discover the hidden treasures of our own nation, her despairs and defiances. Writing when this Senedd was first founded, Jan invites us to capture a glimpse of this country on the brink of her new fulfilment, with place and people joined together.

Cafodd Jan Morris fywyd eithriadol, yn chwilota ac agor ffenestri ar fydoedd eraill gyda'i hysgrifennu, yn arloesi a chroesi tiroedd newydd ac agor drysau ar bosibiliadau. Bydd cynifer ohonom yn gyfarwydd â'i llyfrau atgofus am Fenis a Trieste, ond ei gwaith gwych The Matter of Wales a arweiniodd ddarllenwyr i ddarganfod trysorau cudd ein gwlad ein hunain, ei hanobaith a'i herfeiddiwch. Gan ysgrifennu pan sefydlwyd y Senedd hon am y tro cyntaf, mae Jan yn ein gwahodd i fwrw cipolwg ar y wlad hon ar drothwy ei chyflawniad newydd, gyda lle a phobl yn dod at ei gilydd.

Cymuned oedd Cymru i Jan—cymuned a unwyd gan drasiedi a gobaith. Mewn erthygl a ysgrifennwyd yn 2011 i alarnadu dros y bywydau a gollwyd yng nglofa'r Gleision, dywedodd bod ei llygaid yn llawn dagrau wrth iddi estyn ei chariad o un pen o Gymru i'r llall—o Lanystumdwy ger afon Dwyfor i gyfeillion dieithr a oedd yn galaru yng nghwm Tawe. Teimlir y galar am golled Jan Morris ar draws Cymru—y fenyw anhygoel hon wnaeth dorri'r newyddion i'r byd bod Edmund Hillary wedi cyrraedd gwersyll cychwyn Everest. Nawr, yng ngeiriau ei mab Twm, mae hi wedi cychwyn ar ei siwrnai fwyaf. Hedd, perffaith hedd i chi, Jan, o un pen o Gymru i'r llall—o'r gwersyll cychwyn i gopa'r mynydd.

Wales was a community for Jan—a community brought together by tragedy and by hope. In an article written in 2011 to mourn the lives lost in the Gleision colliery, she said that her eyes were full of tears, as she extended her love from one end of Wales to the other—from Llanystumdwy near the Dwyfor river to unknown friends who were mourning in the Swansea valley. That mourning for Jan Morris is felt across Wales—this incredible woman, who broke the news to the world that Edmund Hillary had reached Everest base camp. Now, in the words of her son Twm, she has started her greatest journey. May you rest in peace, Jan, from one end of Wales to the other—from base camp to the top of the mountain.

Thank you. We'll now suspend proceedings to allow changeovers in the Chamber. If you're leaving the Chamber, please do so promptly. The bell will be rung two minutes before we restart our proceedings. Thank you.

Diolch. Rydym yn atal y trafodion nawr i ganiatáu newidiadau yn y Siambr. Os ydych yn gadael y Siambr, gwnewch hynny'n gyflym. Bydd y gloch yn cael ei chanu ddwy funud cyn inni ailgychwyn ein trafodion. Diolch.

Ataliwyd y Cyfarfod Llawn am 15:33.

Plenary was suspended at 15:33.

15:40

Ailymgynullodd y Senedd am 15:42, gyda'r Llywydd yn y Gadair.

The Senedd reconvened at 15:42, with the Llywydd in the Chair.

6. Cynnig Deddfwriaethol gan Aelod: Bil cynllun dychwelyd ernes a lleihau gwastraff
6. Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal: A deposit-return scheme and waste reduction Bill

Dyma ni yn ailgychwyn, a'r eitem nesaf yw'r ddadl ar gynnig deddfwriaethol gan Aelod. Bil cynllun dychwelyd ernes a lleihau gwastraff yw hwnnw, a dwi'n galw ar Janet Finch-Saunders i wneud y cynnig.

That bring us to our next item, a debate on a Member's legislative proposal, a deposit-return scheme and waste reduction Bill. I call on Janet Finch-Saunders to move the motion. 

Cynnig NDM7481 Janet Finch-Saunders

Cefnogwyd gan Llyr Gruffydd

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn nodi cynnig ar gyfer Bil a fyddai'n gwneud darpariaethau i gyflwyno cynllun dychwelyd ernes a lleihau gwastraff yng Nghymru.

2. Yn nodi mai diben y Bil hwn fyddai:

a) sefydlu cynllun dychwelyd ernes ar gyfer cynwysyddion diodydd yng Nghymru, a fyddai'n golygu bod defnyddwyr yn talu ernes, yn ad-daladwy ar ôl dychwelyd y cynhwysydd;

b) lleihau nifer y poteli plastig a gwydr untro, yn ogystal â caniau dur ac alwminiwm;

c) ymateb i wastraff ailgylchadwy cynyddol, fel cyfarpar diogelu personol sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio yn y frwydr yn erbyn COVID-19, lle mae nifer cynyddol o eitemau'n cael eu taflu ac yn effeithio ar ein bywyd gwyllt a morol; a

d) cynyddu atebolrwydd drwy sefydlu dyletswydd ar Lywodraeth Cymru i osod adroddiad blynyddol gerbron Senedd Cymru yn manylu ar bolisïau penodol yr ymgymerwyd â hwy i leihau'r gwastraff ailgylchadwy a gaiff ei daflu i ffwrdd a'r effaith y mae'r rhain wedi'i chael o ran gwella amgylchedd naturiol Cymru.

Motion NDM7481 Janet Finch-Saunders

Supported by Llyr Gruffydd

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill that would make provisions to introduce a deposit return scheme and to reduce waste in Wales.

2. Notes that the purpose of this Bill would be to:

a) establish the creation of a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in Wales, which would see consumers pay a deposit, repayable on return of the container;

b) reduce the number of single-use plastic and glass bottles, as well as steel and aluminium cans;

c) respond to increased amounts of recyclable waste, such as personal protective equipment being used to fight COVID-19, where a growing number of items are being discarded and affecting our wild and marine life; and

d) increase accountability by establishing a duty on the Welsh Government to lay an annual report to the Welsh Parliament detailing specific policies undertaken to reduce the discarding of recyclable waste and the impact these have had to improve Wales’s natural environment.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Diolch, Llywydd. In moving this legislative proposal, I would like to thank my north Wales colleague Llyr Gruffydd for supporting this.

Last year, Sir David Attenborough described plastic pollution as an unfolding catastrophe. He, of course, is quite right, as we can and should be doing more to avert the problem facing us. It is estimated that, currently, only 77 per cent of glass bottles, 66 per cent of aluminium cans and 65 per cent of plastic drink bottles are recycled. In fact, littering is a Wales-wide menace. Between July 2019 and June 2020, there were 1,034 instances of fly-tipping across Monmouthshire, 2,281 across Caerphilly and 2,816 across Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Plastic is the major material in our pollution problem. Bottle caps and lids are now within the top five items found on Welsh beaches, and analysis of the litter pick I held quite recently with the Marine Conservation Society found that 55.9 per cent of the items picked were made of either plastic or polystyrene. The vast majority, of course, were bottles and on-the-go food items. We can tackle this by introducing a deposit-return scheme. Many of the Members here have discussed this and said they've wanted this along the way, but here we are now still talking about it and still wanting it.

In fact, Scotland is leading the way, as a DRS will be introduced there from 1 July 2022. And I know that Welsh Labour are interested, because a DRS formed part of the consultation on 'Beyond Recycling', which did highlight some concerns such as alleged ineffective applicability in Wales, the potential carbon footprint from establishing a DRS, and impacts on our local authorities reaching recycling targets. But they do not justify any further delay.

This DRS could actually support local authorities in tackling fly-tipping. Scotland's Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee found that the benefits from collection efficiency and reduced costs for disposal of materials outweigh the costs of a DRS on local authorities. And in South Australia, DRS made kerbside recycling more profitable. So, there would be major benefits to our environment. Zero Waste Scotland stated that Scotland's scheme will cut emissions by the equivalent of around 4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next 25 years. Making aluminium cans from old ones uses one twelfth of the energy utilised in production from raw material, 315 kg of carbon dioxide is saved per tonne of glass recycled, and even a Welsh Government survey highlighted that three quarters of adults support the idea of a DRS, and they are right to do so. The scheme could reduce the total amount of litter in Wales by up to a third.

Now, I appreciate the Welsh Government is working on a joint basis with England and Northern Ireland, and that preparations are being made for a second consultation. But do we need another one just to take this DRS forward in Wales, which we've all agreed on previously? Members will know that this item has been a recurring point since 2016—in fact, before—and should note the success of the schemes elsewhere, such as Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Croatia. Iceland had a 90 per cent return rate in 2014; Germany 98 per cent in 2016; and Lithuania, 92 per cent in 2017.

So, my proposal aims to reflect another challenge of our time: personal protective equipment. We needed it, but we've certainly not needed the waste from it. Latex gloves take up to 100 years to biodegrade, yet worldwide, over 80 million gloves are needed by the COVID health response teams each month. There is room for innovation, and Meditech Gloves and Cranfield University have developed a natural latex, which would only take a couple of weeks to biodegrade. TerraCycle regulated waste have created a recycling programme to keep the environment PPE-free, and a Swansea-led team are developing a novel process called photoreforming, which uses sunlight to convert non-recyclable waste into clean hydrogen fuel. 

Now, I do know that the Welsh Government are supportive of the Swansea scheme, but we need to do more to harness such innovation, especially now that we are seeing more gloves, masks and sanitiser bottles decorating our environment. I also share Dŵr Cymru's concerns about the disposal of single use, plastic wet wipes, which contribute to around 2,000 sewer blockages every month. Yes, 2,000 every month. Welsh Government should include wipes in the list of items to be banned. We need decisive action to ensure Wales is zero waste by 2050, and we need legislation that shows that this Parliament responds promptly to public demands and the evolving climate crisis, hence my proposal to establish a duty on the Welsh Government to lay an annual report. 

Llywydd, Senedd Members, I opened by referring to Sir David Attenborough, and will close with his remarks that he said only last year:

'It is high time we turn our attention fully to one of the most pressing problems of today'—

and that is—

'averting the plastic pollution crisis, not only for the health of our planet, but for the well-being of people around the world.'

We all now need to act on his calls. And I have shown today that there is more we can and should be doing now in Wales to help avert the current crisis. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr. 

Diolch, Lywydd. Wrth wneud y cynnig deddfwriaethol hwn, hoffwn ddiolch i fy nghyd-Aelod yng ngogledd Cymru, Llyr Gruffydd, am gefnogi hyn.

Y llynedd, disgrifiodd Syr David Attenborough lygredd plastig fel trychineb sy'n datblygu. Mae ef, wrth gwrs, yn llygad ei le, gan y gallwn ac y dylem wneud mwy i osgoi'r broblem sy'n ein hwynebu. Amcangyfrifir ar hyn o bryd mai dim ond 77 y cant o boteli gwydr, 66 y cant o ganiau alwminiwm a 65 y cant o boteli diod plastig sy'n cael eu hailgylchu. Yn wir, mae taflu sbwriel yn bla ar Gymru gyfan. Rhwng mis Gorffennaf 2019 a mis Mehefin 2020, roedd 1,034 o achosion o dipio anghyfreithlon ar draws Sir Fynwy, 2,281 ar draws Caerffili a 2,816 ar draws Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Plastig yw'r prif ddeunydd yn ein problem lygredd. Mae capiau poteli a chaeadau bellach o fewn y pum eitem a welir amlaf ar draethau Cymru, a chanfu dadansoddiad o'r ymgyrch casglu sbwriel a gynhaliais yn eithaf diweddar gyda'r Gymdeithas Cadwraeth Forol fod 55.9 y cant o'r eitemau a gasglwyd wedi'u gwneud o blastig neu bolystyren. Poteli ac eitemau cludfwyd oedd y mwyafrif llethol wrth gwrs. Gallwn fynd i'r afael â hyn drwy gyflwyno cynllun dychwelyd ernes. Mae llawer o'r Aelodau yma wedi trafod hyn ac wedi dweud eu bod wedi bod eisiau hyn ar hyd y ffordd, ond dyma ni yn dal i siarad am y peth ac yn dal i fod yn awyddus i'w weld.

Yn wir, mae'r Alban yn arwain y ffordd, gan y bydd cynllun dychwelyd ernes yn cael ei gyflwyno yno o 1 Gorffennaf 2022. A gwn fod gan Lafur Cymru ddiddordeb, oherwydd roedd cynllun dychwelyd ernes yn rhan o'r ymgynghoriad ar 'Mwy nag Ailgylchu', a dynnodd sylw at bryderon megis yr honiad na ellid cymhwyso'r cynllun yn effeithlon yng Nghymru, yr ôl troed carbon posibl o sefydlu cynllun dychwelyd ernes, ac effeithiau ar ein awdurdodau lleol yn cyrraedd targedau ailgylchu. Ond nid ydynt yn cyfiawnhau unrhyw oedi pellach.

Gallai'r cynllun dychwelyd ernes gynorthwyo awdurdodau lleol i fynd i'r afael â thipio anghyfreithlon. Canfu Pwyllgor Amgylchedd, Newid Hinsawdd a Diwygio Tir yr Alban fod manteision effeithlonrwydd casglu a chostau is am waredu deunyddiau yn gorbwyso costau cynllun dychwelyd ernes i awdurdodau lleol. Ac yn Ne Awstralia, golygodd y cynllun dychwelyd ernes fod ailgylchu ymyl y ffordd yn fwy proffidiol. Felly, byddai manteision mawr i'n hamgylchedd. Dywedodd Zero Waste Scotland y bydd cynllun yr Alban yn lleihau allyriadau cyfwerth â thua 4 miliwn tunnell o garbon deuocsid dros y 25 mlynedd nesaf. Mae gwneud caniau alwminiwm o hen rai yn defnyddio un rhan o ddeuddeg o'r ynni a ddefnyddir i gynhyrchu o ddeunydd crai, caiff 315 kg o garbon deuocsid ei arbed am bob tunnell o wydr a ailgylchir, a dangosodd arolwg gan Lywodraeth Cymru hyd yn oed fod tri chwarter yr oedolion yn cefnogi'r syniad o gynllun dychwelyd ernes, ac maent yn iawn i wneud hynny. Gallai'r cynllun dorri hyd at draean oddi ar gyfanswm sbwriel yng Nghymru.

Nawr, rwy'n sylweddoli bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio ar y cyd â Lloegr a Gogledd Iwerddon, a bod paratoadau'n cael eu gwneud ar gyfer ail ymgynghoriad. Ond a oes angen un arall arnom i ddatblygu'r cynllun dychwelyd ernes yng Nghymru, cynllun rydym i gyd wedi cytuno arno o'r blaen? Bydd yr Aelodau'n gwybod bod yr eitem hon wedi bod yn bwnc sy'n codi'n gyson ers 2016—cyn hynny mewn gwirionedd—a dylent nodi llwyddiant y cynlluniau mewn mannau eraill, megis y Ffindir, yr Iseldiroedd, Norwy, Sweden, Denmarc a Croatia. Gwelodd Gwlad yr Iâ gyfradd ddychwelyd o 90 y cant yn 2014; yr Almaen 98 y cant yn 2016; a Lithwania, 92 y cant yn 2017.

Felly, nod fy nghynnig yw adlewyrchu her arall sy'n perthyn i'n cyfnod ni: cyfarpar diogelu personol. Roedd ei angen arnom, ond yn sicr nid ydym wedi bod angen y gwastraff ohono. Mae menig Latex yn cymryd hyd at 100 mlynedd i fioddiraddio, ac eto ledled y byd, mae timau ymateb COVID angen dros 80 miliwn o fenig bob mis. Mae lle i arloesi, ac mae Meditech Gloves a Phrifysgol Cranfield wedi datblygu latecs naturiol, a fyddai ond yn cymryd ychydig wythnosau i fioddiraddio. Mae cwmni rheoleiddio gwastraff TerraCycle wedi creu rhaglen ailgylchu i gadw'r amgylchedd yn rhydd o gyfarpar diogelu personol, ac mae tîm o dan arweiniad Abertawe yn datblygu proses newydd o'r enw ffotoailffurfio, sy'n defnyddio golau'r haul i droi gwastraff na ellir ei ailgylchu yn danwydd hydrogen glân. 

Nawr, rwy'n gwybod bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi cynllun Abertawe, ond mae angen inni wneud mwy i harneisio arloesedd o'r fath, yn enwedig gan ein bod bellach yn gweld mwy o fenig, masgiau a photeli diheintio yn addurno ein hamgylchedd. Rwyf hefyd yn rhannu pryderon Dŵr Cymru ynghylch gwaredu cadachau gwlyb plastig untro, sy'n cyfrannu at flocio tua 2,000 o carthffosydd bob mis. Ie, 2,000 bob mis. Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru gynnwys cadachau gwlyb yn y rhestr o eitemau sydd i'w gwahardd. Mae arnom angen camau pendant i sicrhau bod Cymru'n ddiwastraff erbyn 2050, ac mae arnom angen deddfwriaeth sy'n dangos bod y Senedd hon yn ymateb yn brydlon i alwadau gan y cyhoedd a'r argyfwng hinsawdd sy'n esblygu, a dyna'r rheswm dros fy nghynnig i sefydlu dyletswydd ar Lywodraeth Cymru i gyflwyno adroddiad blynyddol. 

Lywydd, Aelodau o'r Senedd, agorais drwy gyfeirio at Syr David Attenborough, ac rwyf am gloi gyda'r sylwadau a wnaeth y llynedd:

Mae'n hen bryd i ni droi ein sylw'n llawn at un o'r problemau mwyaf dybryd sy'n ein hwynebu heddiw—

sef—

osgoi'r argyfwng llygredd plastig, nid yn unig er lles iechyd ein planed, ond er lles pobl ledled y byd.

Mae angen i bob un ohonom weithredu ar ei alwadau yn awr. Ac rwyf wedi dangos heddiw fod mwy y gallwn ac y dylem ei wneud yn awr yng Nghymru i helpu i osgoi'r argyfwng presennol. Diolch yn fawr. 

15:45

I've supported this legislation proposal for two reasons. Firstly, I agree there's been an unacceptable delay in introducing action on this agenda, but also, I want Wales to go further than what is being proposed. It has been a big frustration, really. The Welsh Government has talked the talk for a number of years but, really, it isn't walking the walk. The Government has been talking about this for over a decade. I was elected in 2011, and at that time there was talk of action on a deposit-return scheme. Nearly a decade later, we're still waiting for those interventions to materialise.

Now, I understand the Government's wish to work in tandem with the UK Government, but, of course, it has meant severe delays and procrastination. I hold both the Welsh and the UK Governments equally culpable for the failure to act sooner. Now, we know from recent experiences, of course, that when Wales goes its own way, we very often can do much better. Scotland, as we've heard, has ploughed its own furrow on this, and it already has detailed plans in place for 2022, with set targets for 2025. So, why wait for Westminster, I say.

A deposit-return scheme, among other things, was a clear commitment in Plaid Cymru's manifesto in the 2016 election, and had we formed the Government, I'm convinced that we would already have a scheme in place. But, Labour's decision to hitch its wagon to the Tories in Westminster on this has clearly held us back. Now, Plaid Cymru has been consistently clear on our commitment to reducing waste. We want to place Wales at the forefront of the circular economy, and we want to ensure a zero-waste Wales by 2026, through a combination of legislation, policy initiatives such as the deposit-return scheme, of course, extended producer responsibility, which we're still talking about in the Senedd, and the use of planning laws, levies, and tax-making powers, et cetera, et cetera.

We know that the benefits of a deposit-return scheme are clear, as we've already heard. Drinks bottles, cans and lids contribute to around 10 per cent of all rubbish, and evidence shows that a deposit-return scheme is the best way of reducing that kind of waste and, of course, to increase levels of quality recycling. Now, last year, 45 countries around the world had already adopted this system. Norway and Australia have been doing it for many, many years, with the proven results becoming apparent very soon after rolling it out to the public.

Research from WRAP Cymru estimates that 400,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated in Wales every year, of which around two-thirds is packaging waste. As we've heard, you can add to that now the new, emerging epidemic of PPE waste, especially face masks and gloves. I also joined the Marine Conservation Society recently for a beach clean, where it became immediately evident that this is now a huge problem that is going to haunt our environment for many, many years to come.

So, we all know what needs to be done. It's just a case of getting on and doing it. Instead of spending another decade talking about reducing waste, and merely aspiring to a waste-free Wales, we need concrete action on recycling and waste reduction. The Welsh Government should, at the very least, in responding to this debate, recognise that the measures that have been talked about for so long should already be in place. And, of course, in that respect, this Government has certainly failed our environment.

Rwyf wedi cefnogi'r cynnig deddfwriaethol hwn am ddau reswm. Yn gyntaf, rwy'n cytuno y bu oedi annerbyniol cyn cyflwyno camau gweithredu ar yr agenda hon, ond hefyd, rwyf am i Gymru fynd ymhellach na'r hyn sy'n cael ei gynnig. Mae wedi bod yn rhwystredig iawn, mewn gwirionedd. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi siarad llawer ers nifer o flynyddoedd ond nid yw wedi gweithredu. Mae'r Llywodraeth wedi bod yn siarad am hyn ers dros ddegawd. Cefais fy ethol yn 2011, a bryd hynny roedd sôn am weithredu ar gynllun dychwelyd ernes. Bron i ddegawd yn ddiweddarach, rydym yn dal i aros i'r ymyriadau hynny gael eu gwireddu.

Nawr, rwy'n deall dymuniad y Llywodraeth i weithio ar y cyd â Llywodraeth y DU, ond wrth gwrs, mae wedi golygu oedi a gohirio difrifol. Rwy'n ystyried bod Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU yr un mor euog o fethiant i weithredu'n gynt. Nawr, gwyddom o brofiadau diweddar wrth gwrs, pan fydd Cymru'n mynd ei ffordd ei hun, yn aml iawn gallwn wneud yn llawer gwell. Mae'r Alban, fel y clywsom, wedi mynd ei ffordd ei hun ar hyn, ac mae ganddi gynlluniau manwl eisoes ar waith ar gyfer 2022, gyda thargedau wedi'u pennu ar gyfer 2025. Felly, pam aros am San Steffan, dyna rwy'n ei ddweud.

Roedd cynllun dychwelyd ernes, ymhlith pethau eraill, yn ymrwymiad clir ym maniffesto Plaid Cymru yn etholiad 2016, a phe baem ni wedi ffurfio Llywodraeth, rwy'n argyhoeddedig y byddai gennym gynllun ar waith eisoes. Ond mae penderfyniad Llafur i ddilyn y Torïaid yn San Steffan ar hyn yn amlwg wedi ein dal yn ôl. Nawr, mae Plaid Cymru wedi bod yn gyson glir ynglŷn â'n hymrwymiad i leihau gwastraff. Rydym am roi Cymru ar flaen yr economi gylchol, ac rydym am sicrhau Cymru ddiwastraff erbyn 2026, drwy gyfuniad o ddeddfwriaeth, mentrau polisi megis y cynllun dychwelyd ernes wrth gwrs, cyfrifoldeb estynedig cynhyrchwyr, rhywbeth rydym yn dal i siarad amdano yn y Senedd, a'r defnydd o gyfreithiau cynllunio, ardollau a phwerau i godi trethi, ac ati ac ati.

Gwyddom fod manteision cynllun dychwelyd ernes yn glir, fel y clywsom eisoes. Mae poteli, caniau a chaeadau diodydd yn cyfrannu at tua 10 y cant o'r holl sbwriel, ac mae tystiolaeth yn dangos mai cynllun dychwelyd ernes yw'r ffordd orau o leihau'r math hwnnw o wastraff ac wrth gwrs, i godi lefelau ailgylchu o safon. Nawr, y llynedd, roedd 45 o wledydd o gwmpas y byd eisoes wedi mabwysiadu'r system hon. Bu Norwy ac Awstralia yn ei wneud ers blynyddoedd lawer, gyda'r canlyniadau profedig yn dod i'r amlwg yn fuan iawn ar ôl ei gyflwyno i'r cyhoedd.

Mae ymchwil gan WRAP Cymru yn amcangyfrif bod 400,000 tunnell o wastraff plastig yn cael ei gynhyrchu yng Nghymru bob blwyddyn, ac mae tua dwy ran o dair ohono'n wastraff deunydd pacio. Fel y clywsom, gallwch ychwanegu at hynny bellach yr epidemig newydd sy'n datblygu, sef gwastraff cyfarpar diogelu personol, yn enwedig masgiau wyneb a menig. Ymunais innau hefyd â'r Gymdeithas Cadwraeth Forol yn ddiweddar i lanhau traethau, lle daeth yn amlwg ar unwaith fod hon bellach yn broblem enfawr sy'n mynd i blagio ein hamgylchedd am flynyddoedd lawer.

Felly, gwyddom i gyd beth sydd angen ei wneud. Mae'n fater o fwrw iddi i'w wneud. Yn hytrach na threulio degawd arall yn sôn am leihau gwastraff, a dim ond anelu at Gymru ddiwastraff, mae angen gweithredu pendant ar ailgylchu a lleihau gwastraff. Wrth ymateb i'r ddadl hon, dylai Llywodraeth Cymru o leiaf gydnabod y dylai'r camau y soniwyd amdanynt cyhyd fod ar waith eisoes. Ac wrth gwrs, yn hynny o beth, mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn sicr wedi gwneud cam â'n hamgylchedd.

15:50

Can I say how much I welcome this proposal from Janet Finch-Saunders? I agreed with every element of the contribution that she made in introducing this debate this afternoon. I won't seek to repeat her comments and observations. I also agreed with the contribution from Llyr as well. He's absolutely right. If there's anything we've learnt over the last few years, it's: why wait for Westminster? We know they will let us down. We learnt that earlier today yet again.

The management of our waste is absolutely critical if we are to deliver on our ambitions for future generations, but also deliver on the vision that we have for our communities, our towns, our villages, our country and our planet. We have all witnessed the heartbreaking scenes of pollution, from the depths of the ocean to—as we've learnt in the last week—the very heights of Everest, where plastics are polluting the planet and polluting and destroying our wildlife.

We have to accept responsibility for it. We can't simply say, 'We'll wait for the Tories to do something', although, in this case, I'm glad that a Conservative is doing so. And, we can't simply say that this isn't our responsibility. We have to act ourselves. But, I want us to go further than what is being proposed this afternoon. I want to see a clean Wales Bill introduced in the next Parliament that does include—and rooted in the deposit-return scheme that is being proposed this afternoon—legislation on producer responsibility, which has to be at the heart of what we want to see, not only in cleaning up our own country, but also delivering a circular economy.

But there are other wider issues as well. We need to ensure that we outlaw the export of municipal waste from the United Kingdom and that no Welsh municipal waste finds its way into the oceans of this planet. It isn't good enough for us to pat ourselves on the back, here in this Chamber and elsewhere, saying that we have high recycling rates, saying that we're very good at managing waste, knowing all the time that we are exporting too much of that waste to other parts of the world. We must outlaw that completely.

Finally, the point that Janet Finch-Saunders and Llyr Gruffydd ended on is that of fly-tipping. This is something that affects my constituency, my community, and affects every constituency and community in this country. It is heartbreaking to walk on some of the most beautiful countryside in this country and to see the impact of fly-tipping. I have spoken to farmers in my own constituency who are heartbroken at what they're seeing. I talk to people who walk the hills around Blaenau Gwent every week of the year clearing the rubbish from there. It is clear to me that the current statutory frameworks that we have in place to outlaw fly-tipping are ineffective and not delivering the response that we require. So, we do need to look again at the statutory framework around fly-tipping. We need to increase the fines, and we need to ensure that we are able to deliver the sort of country to future generations that we all want to see. So, I very much agree and commend and will support the legislative proposal this afternoon.

A gaf fi ddweud cymaint rwy'n croesawu'r cynnig hwn gan Janet Finch-Saunders? Roeddwn yn cytuno â phob elfen o'r cyfraniad a wnaeth wrth gyflwyno'r ddadl hon y prynhawn yma. Nid wyf am geisio ailadrodd ei sylwadau a'i harsylwadau. Roeddwn yn cytuno â chyfraniad Llyr hefyd. Mae e'n hollol gywir. Mae yna un peth yn bendant rydym wedi'i ddysgu dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, sef: pam aros am San Steffan? Gwyddom y byddant yn ein siomi. Dysgasom hynny'n gynharach heddiw, ac nid am y tro cyntaf.

Mae rheoli ein gwastraff yn gwbl hanfodol os ydym am gyflawni ein huchelgeisiau ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol, a chyflawni'r weledigaeth sydd gennym ar gyfer ein cymunedau, ein trefi, ein pentrefi, ein gwlad a'n planed. Rydym i gyd wedi gweld y golygfeydd torcalonnus o lygredd, o ddyfnderoedd y cefnfor i uchelfannau Everest—fel y clywsom yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf—lle mae plastigau'n llygru'r blaned ac yn llygru ac yn dinistrio ein bywyd gwyllt.

Rhaid inni dderbyn cyfrifoldeb am hyn. Ni allwn ddweud, 'Fe arhoswn i'r Torïaid wneud rhywbeth', er fy mod, yn yr achos hwn, yn falch fod Ceidwadwr yn gwneud rhywbeth. Ac ni allwn ddweud nad ein cyfrifoldeb ni yw hyn. Rhaid inni weithredu ein hunain. Ond rwyf am i ni fynd ymhellach na'r hyn sy'n cael ei gynnig y prynhawn yma. Rwyf am weld Bil Cymru lân yn cael ei gyflwyno yn y Senedd nesaf i gynnwys deddfwriaeth—ac wedi'i wreiddio yn y cynllun dychwelyd ernes sy'n cael ei gynnig y prynhawn yma—ar gyfrifoldeb cynhyrchwyr, a ddylai fod wrth wraidd yr hyn rydym am ei weld, nid yn unig o ran glanhau ein gwlad ein hunain, ond hefyd yn y gwaith o ddarparu economi gylchol.

Ond ceir problemau ehangach eraill hefyd. Mae angen inni sicrhau ein bod yn gwahardd allforio gwastraff trefol o'r Deyrnas Unedig ac nad oes unrhyw wastraff trefol yng Nghymru yn mynd i gefnforoedd y blaned hon. Nid yw'n ddigon da i ni ganmol ein hunain yma yn y Siambr hon ac mewn mannau eraill, a dweud bod gennym gyfraddau ailgylchu uchel, dweud ein bod yn dda iawn am reoli gwastraff, a gwybod drwy'r amser ein bod yn allforio gormod o'r gwastraff hwnnw i rannau eraill o'r byd. Rhaid inni wahardd hynny'n llwyr.

Yn olaf, y pwynt y daeth Janet Finch-Saunders a Llyr Gruffydd i ben arno yw tipio anghyfreithlon. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth sy'n effeithio ar fy etholaeth, fy nghymuned, ac ar bob etholaeth a chymuned yn y wlad hon. Mae'n dorcalonnus cerdded drwy rai o'r ardaloedd gwledig harddaf yn y wlad hon a gweld effaith tipio anghyfreithlon. Rwyf wedi siarad â ffermwyr yn fy etholaeth fy hun sy'n anobeithio am yr hyn y maent yn ei weld. Siaradaf â phobl sy'n cerdded y bryniau o amgylch Blaenau Gwent bob wythnos o'r flwyddyn yn clirio'r sbwriel oddi yno. Mae'n amlwg i mi fod y fframweithiau statudol presennol sydd gennym ar waith i wahardd tipio anghyfreithlon yn aneffeithiol ac nad ydynt yn rhoi'r ateb rydym ei angen. Felly, mae angen inni edrych eto ar y fframwaith statudol sy'n ymwneud â thipio anghyfreithlon. Mae angen inni godi'r dirwyon, ac mae angen inni sicrhau ein bod yn gallu darparu'r math o wlad rydym i gyd am ei gweld i genedlaethau'r dyfodol. Felly, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr ac yn cymeradwyo a byddaf yn cefnogi'r cynnig deddfwriaethol y prynhawn yma.

15:55

I will be supporting Janet Finch-Saunders and Llyr's proposals this afternoon. There is no doubt that we are all aware of the scourge of discarded plastic bottles and cans that litter our streets and are all too often found in some of our most beautiful, rural and seaside settings. I believe that the amount of such litter would be drastically reduced by the introduction of a deposit-return scheme, particularly with regard to plastic bottles and cans. However, the amount of deposit paid is critical to its success. People, particularly the young, will not bother to return these items for, say, 5p. The deposit return must be in the region of 25p for the scheme to be successful. Those of us who remember a deposit being put on a bottle of lemonade will point out to you, you could buy a full bottle for around 11p—old money, that is—with a thruppence deposit return, which represents a value of around 25 per cent. I hope the younger ones can stay with me on this old money concept. So, I would urge whoever brings in legislation on return schemes to take these figures into account. With something like 25p per item, even if a number of people continued to discharge their cans and bottles, there would be many who would be willing to collect such items for the financial rewards this would bring. If the Welsh Government is to bring forward any legislation in the sixth term, let it be the deposit-return scheme. We know how successful the plastic bag charge was, so let's bring forward this legislation with utmost urgency. Thank you.

Byddaf yn cefnogi cynigion Janet Finch-Saunders a Llyr y prynhawn yma. Nid oes amheuaeth nad ydym i gyd yn ymwybodol o bla poteli a chaniau plastig sy'n sbwriel ar ein strydoedd ac a welir yn rhy aml o lawer yn rhai o'n lleoliadau harddaf, a mannau gwledig a glan môr. Credaf y byddai sbwriel o'r fath yn cael ei leihau'n sylweddol drwy gyflwyno cynllun dychwelyd ernes, yn enwedig ar gyfer poteli a chaniau plastig. Fodd bynnag, mae swm y blaendal a delir yn hanfodol i'w lwyddiant. Ni fydd pobl, yn enwedig yr ifanc, yn trafferthu dychwelyd yr eitemau hyn am 5c, dyweder. Rhaid i'r ernes a ddychwelir fod oddeutu 25c er mwyn i'r cynllun lwyddo. Bydd y rheini ohonom sy'n cofio ernes yn cael ei rhoi ar botel o lemonêd yn nodi y gallech brynu potel lawn am tua 11c—hen arian, hynny yw—a chael ernes o dair ceiniog yn ôl sef tua 25 y cant. Gobeithio na fyddaf yn colli'r rhai iau ohonoch gyda'r cysyniad hwn o hen arian. Felly, byddwn yn annog pwy bynnag sy'n cyflwyno deddfwriaeth ar gynlluniau dychwelyd ernes i ystyried y ffigurau hyn. Gyda rhywbeth fel 25c yr eitem, hyd yn oed pe bai nifer o bobl yn parhau i daflu eu caniau a'u poteli, byddai nifer yn fodlon casglu eitemau o'r fath am y gwobrau ariannol a fyddai'n dod yn sgil hyn. Os yw Llywodraeth Cymru am gyflwyno unrhyw ddeddfwriaeth yn y chweched tymor, gadewch iddo fod yn gynllun dychwelyd ernes. Gwyddom pa mor llwyddiannus oedd y tâl am fagiau plastig, felly gadewch i ni gyflwyno'r ddeddfwriaeth hon gyda'r brys mwyaf. Diolch.

Most of my constituents feel extremely strongly about the litter disfiguring our communities, and I want to pay tribute to all the volunteers who take part in regular litter picks to clear up the mess created by the thoughtless few. I was out in Llanedeyrn last week with staff from the Cyncoed campus of Cardiff Metropolitan University, and I thank them for turning out in the rain. You won't be surprised to know how we picked up lots and lots of bottles and cans. A deposit-return scheme would, I hope, encourage people not to chuck items they can get money back on, and in particular, would, I hope, whet the entrepreneurial appetite of our young people. That is certainly how I increased the size of my pocket money in the long, distant past. My question to the proposer is this. The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill 2019-21, we know, would prevent this Senedd from being able to meaningfully eliminate single-use plastic, as we could only apply any measure to Welsh-based companies, which would, at a stroke, leave out the ubiquitous global brands of fizzy drinks that litter our landscape as well as advertising billboards.

So, how would the internal markets Bill fetter the Member's proposal? Please convince me that it wouldn't have the perverse consequence of causing drinks currently bottled in Wales to be relocated to the other side of the border to evade having to take part in a deposit-return scheme. How would your proposed legislation get around the iniquitous internal markets Bill in the form that the UK Conservative Government has framed it?

Mae'r rhan fwyaf o fy etholwyr yn teimlo'n gryf iawn am y sbwriel sy'n anharddu ein cymunedau, ac rwyf am dalu teyrnged i'r holl wirfoddolwyr sy'n cymryd rhan mewn ymgyrchoedd casglu sbwriel yn rheolaidd i glirio'r llanast a grëwyd gan ychydig o bobl ddifeddwl. Roeddwn allan yn Llanedeyrn yr wythnos diwethaf gyda staff o gampws Cyncoed Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd, a diolch iddynt am ddod allan yn y glaw. Ni fyddwch yn synnu clywed ein bod wedi codi llawer iawn o boteli a chaniau. Gobeithio y byddai cynllun dychwelyd ernes yn annog pobl i beidio â thaflu eitemau y gallant gael arian yn ôl amdanynt, ac yn benodol, byddai'n ennyn archwaeth entrepreneuraidd ein pobl ifanc, gobeithio. Dyna'n sicr sut yr ychwanegwn i at fy arian poced yn y gorffennol pell yn ôl. Fy nghwestiwn i'r sawl a wnaeth y cynnig yw hwn: gwyddom y byddai Bil Marchnad Fewnol y Deyrnas Unedig 2019-21 yn atal y Senedd hon rhag gallu dileu plastig untro yn ystyrlon, gan na allem gymhwyso unrhyw fesur ar gyfer cwmnïau y tu allan i Gymru, a byddai hynny ar unwaith yn hepgor y brandiau diodydd swigod byd-eang hollbresennol sydd i'w gweld yn sbwriel ar ein tirwedd yn ogystal ag ar hysbysfyrddau.

Felly, sut y byddai'r Bil marchnad fewnol yn llyffetheirio cynnig yr Aelod? A fyddech cystal â fy hargyhoeddi na fyddai'n arwain at ganlyniad gwrthgynhyrchiol a fyddai'n golygu bod diodydd sy'n cael eu potelu yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd yn cael eu hadleoli dros y ffin er mwyn osgoi gorfod cymryd rhan mewn cynllun dychwelyd ernes. Sut y byddai eich deddfwriaeth arfaethedig yn goresgyn y Bil marchnad fewnol anghyfiawn ar y ffurf y mae Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU wedi'i lunio?

16:00

I'd just like to register my support for these proposals as well. I echo what Llyr said about similar commitments appearing in manifestos and policy documents since 2016, and before that. So, I don't think it's unfair to draw attention to the fact that no decision has been made by Welsh Government in these intervening years. And while other contributors may want to blame this all on the UK Government and how long they're taking, that doesn't get away from the fact that it's Welsh Government that's behind them all. So, I'm hoping that Members will support the thrust of these proposals and send a strong signal to our constituents that we will seek primary legislation on this in the sixth Senedd, and I hope that that primary legislation is Janet's.

I have my own views on how well Welsh Government has prioritised its legislative programme over this in the last five years. We have had time for a Bill on this. But, in the meantime, I am grateful to the Deputy Minister for her virtual visit to RPC Tedeco-Gizeh, a factory in my region that produces single-use plastic cups for the NHS across the UK—these are not the cups that appear in the litter that Jenny Rathbone was talking about. It was an important visit, because it illustrated that there's existing legislation that limits the recycling of certain types of plastic that has been in contact with food and drink. And so I think we need to be clear that this scheme accommodates only that that's currently recyclable, whilst, at the same time, encouraging research into different types of plastic that could be used for food and drink. Certainly, the consultations were on two different types of plastic in particular.

The proposal refers to the wider aim of reducing waste as well, and the new challenge of how we handle all the disposable PPE. I think that the discarded face mask has become the new street litter and, of course, they contain plastic. I especially noticed Janet's reference to marine life, and hope that the UK's £0.5 billion blue planet fund will include consideration of this new type of litter.

But it's Welsh Government that needs to get cracking as well on its own first steps to achieve anything under the zero waste strategy. So, like I think it was Alun Davies mentioned, I'm happy to welcome Wales's good score and high recycling collection rate, but that is just collection; we don't hear about what happens to the recyclate and we have a responsibility there, perhaps even more than for the collection of the recycling in the first place.

Finally, a deposit scheme encourages personal responsibility and I think it would work well alongside other incentives that drinks providers currently offer—so, taking your own cup for use for takeaway drinks, for example. Just a quick shout out to the wonderful Hideout cafe at Kenfig nature reserve, who knock money off their coffee if you do just that, and it runs alongside a sort of refill culture that's starting to take off, with milk container refills looking particularly popular at the moment.

And finally, of course, the Senedd Commission has to publish an annual report on its policy action taken to meet sustainability targets, because there's more to it than getting rid of just single-use plastic, and, if we can do it, I don't see why Welsh Government can't do it for policies designed for the whole nation. Thank you.

Hoffwn gofnodi fy nghefnogaeth i'r cynigion hyn hefyd. Ategaf yr hyn a ddywedodd Llyr am ymrwymiadau tebyg sy'n ymddangos mewn maniffestos a dogfennau polisi ers 2016, a chyn hynny. Felly, nid wyf yn credu ei bod yn annheg i mi dynnu sylw at y ffaith nad oes penderfyniad wedi'i wneud gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn y blynyddoedd a fu yn y cyfamser. Ac er y gallai cyfranwyr eraill fod eisiau beio hyn i gyd ar Lywodraeth y DU a chymaint o amser y maent yn ei gymryd, nid yw hynny'n osgoi'r ffaith mai Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n llusgo ar ôl pob un ohonynt. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr Aelodau'n cefnogi byrdwn y cynigion hyn ac yn anfon neges gref i'n hetholwyr y byddwn yn ceisio deddfwriaeth sylfaenol ar hyn yn y chweched Senedd, a gobeithio mai Janet fydd â'r ddeddfwriaeth sylfaenol honno.

Mae gennyf fy marn fy hun ar ba mor dda y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi blaenoriaethu ei rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol dros hyn yn ystod y pum mlynedd diwethaf. Cawsom amser ar gyfer Bil ar hyn. Ond yn y cyfamser, rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Dirprwy Weinidog am ei hymweliad rhithwir â RPC Tedeco-Gizeh, ffatri yn fy rhanbarth sy'n cynhyrchu cwpanau plastig untro i'r GIG ledled y DU—nid dyma'r cwpanau sy'n ymddangos yn y sbwriel roedd Jenny Rathbone yn sôn amdano. Roedd yn ymweliad pwysig, oherwydd dangosodd fod deddfwriaeth yn bodoli'n barod sy'n cyfyngu ar ailgylchu mathau penodol o blastig sydd wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â bwyd a diod. Ac felly rwy'n credu bod angen i ni fod yn glir mai dim ond sicrhau bod modd ailgylchu hwnnw ar hyn o bryd y mae'r cynllun hwn gan annog ymchwil ar yr un pryd i wahanol fathau o blastig y gellid eu defnyddio ar gyfer bwyd a diod. Yn sicr, roedd yr ymgynghoriadau'n ymwneud yn benodol â dau fath gwahanol o blastig.

Mae'r cynnig yn cyfeirio at y nod ehangach o leihau gwastraff hefyd, a'r her newydd ynglŷn â sut rydym yn ymdrin â'r holl gyfarpar diogelu personol tafladwy. Credaf mai masgiau wyneb wedi'u taflu yw'r sbwriel stryd newydd ac wrth gwrs, maent yn cynnwys plastig. Sylwais yn arbennig ar gyfeiriad Janet at fywyd morol, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd cronfa planed las £0.5 biliwn y DU yn cynnwys ystyriaeth o'r math newydd hwn o sbwriel.

Ond mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru hefyd fwrw iddi ar ei chamau cyntaf ei hun i gyflawni unrhyw beth o dan y strategaeth ddiwastraff. Felly, fel y dywedodd Alun Davies rwy'n credu, rwy'n hapus i groesawu sgôr dda a chyfradd casgliadau ailgylchu uchel Cymru, ond dim ond casglu yw hynny; nid ydym yn clywed am yr hyn sy'n digwydd i'r deunydd ailgylchu ac mae gennym gyfrifoldeb yn hynny o beth, mwy hyd yn oed nag am gasglu'r deunydd ailgylchu yn y lle cyntaf.

Yn olaf, mae cynllun ernes yn annog cyfrifoldeb personol a chredaf y byddai'n gweithio'n dda ochr yn ochr â chymhellion eraill y mae darparwyr diodydd yn eu cynnig ar hyn o bryd—felly, mynd â'ch cwpan eich hun i'w ddefnyddio ar gyfer diodydd tecawê, er enghraifft. Gair bach sydyn am gaffi gwych Hideout yng ngwarchodfa natur Cynffig, sy'n gwerthu coffi am bris rhatach os gwnewch hynny, ac mae'n cyd-fynd â rhyw fath o ddiwylliant ail-lenwi sy'n dechrau magu stêm, gydag ail-lenwi cynwysyddion llaeth yn edrych yn arbennig o boblogaidd ar hyn o bryd.

Ac yn olaf, wrth gwrs, mae'n rhaid i Gomisiwn y Senedd gyhoeddi adroddiad blynyddol ar ei gamau polisi a weithredwyd i gyrraedd targedau cynaliadwyedd, oherwydd mae mwy iddo na chael gwared ar blastig untro yn unig, ac os gallwn wneud hynny, ni welaf pam na all Llywodraeth Cymru wneud hynny ar gyfer polisïau wedi'u cynllunio ar gyfer y wlad gyfan. Diolch.

Minister, I welcome this motion and the proposal. It's a debate we've had on several occasions with regard to deposit-return schemes, which I fully endorse and support. I've commented numerous times myself on my childhood, where we were, effectively, the 1960s equivalent to barcoding—that is, we collected the bottles, we returned them and we got the money, which went into our pockets. It's very interesting to see how, in countries like Germany, they've introduced barcoding machines, whereby, when you purchase a bottle, you return the bottle, you barcode it as you deposit it and it automatically refunds your bank account with the deposit equivalent. So, there are ways of doing it and I do very much support that. 

Can I also comment on the fly-tipping issue, because I made the point, I think, in this Senedd some while back that the fines are not sufficient? You have councils that are doing good work in prosecuting those who are caught fly-tipping and tracing those caught fly-tipping, but the fines are derisory, to be honest. The fines, in my view, should be substantially increased and there should be also a mechanism for recovering the cost of actually clearing the site where the fly-tipping takes place.

But I do want to come on to the point that Jenny Rathbone raised, and I think it's a very serious one. Effectively, a deposit-return scheme is not one that we can now implement if the internal market Bill goes through, and I think Janet Finch-Saunders has to confirm that she and the Conservative group will oppose the internal market Bill, and those provisions in it that would actually prevent us from introducing this. Because it's all very well us talking about introducing something that we all support and want to see happen, whilst, at the same time in Westminster, we have a Government that's introducing capricious legislation that would actually prevent us from doing what we know we all want to do and have a mandate to do within Wales. Thank you, Llywydd.

Weinidog, rwy'n croesawu'r cynnig hwn. Mae'n ddadl rydym wedi'i chael droeon ar gynlluniau dychwelyd ernes, cynlluniau rwy'n eu cymeradwyo a'u cefnogi'n llwyr. Gwneuthum sylwadau droeon am fy mhlentyndod, lle roeddem, i bob pwrpas, yn cyfateb yn y 1960au i'r cod bar—hynny yw, roeddem yn casglu'r poteli, yn eu dychwelwyd a byddem yn cael yr arian, a byddai hwnnw'n mynd i'n pocedi. Mae'n ddiddorol iawn gweld sut y maent wedi cyflwyno peiriannau cod bar mewn gwledydd fel yr Almaen, lle byddwch yn dychwelyd y botel ar ôl ei phrynu a'i defnyddio, yn cael cod bar wrth i chi ei dychwelyd ac mae'n ad-dalu i'ch cyfrif banc yn syth gyda'r swm cyfatebol o ernes. Felly, ceir ffyrdd o'i wneud ac rwy'n cefnogi hynny'n fawr. 

A gaf fi hefyd wneud sylw ar dipio anghyfreithlon, oherwydd gwneuthum y pwynt yn y Senedd hon beth amser yn ôl, rwy'n credu, nad yw'r dirwyon yn ddigonol? Mae gennych gynghorau sy'n gwneud gwaith da yn erlyn y rhai sy'n cael eu dal yn tipio'n anghyfreithlon ac yn olrhain y rhai sy'n cael eu dal yn tipio'n anghyfreithlon, ond mae'r dirwyon yn chwerthinllyd a dweud y gwir. Yn fy marn i, dylid cynyddu'r dirwyon yn sylweddol a dylid cael mecanwaith hefyd ar gyfer adfer y gost o glirio'r safle lle mae'r tipio anghyfreithlon yn digwydd.

Ond rwyf am ddod at y pwynt a gododd Jenny Rathbone, a chredaf ei fod yn un difrifol iawn. I bob pwrpas, nid yw cynllun dychwelyd ernes yn un y gallwn ei weithredu nawr os aiff y Bil marchnad fewnol drwodd, a chredaf fod yn rhaid i Janet Finch-Saunders gadarnhau y bydd hi a'r grŵp Ceidwadol yn gwrthwynebu'r Bil marchnad fewnol, a'r darpariaethau ynddo a fyddai mewn gwirionedd yn ein hatal rhag cyflwyno hyn. Oherwydd mae'n ddigon hawdd i ni sôn am gyflwyno rhywbeth y mae pawb ohonom yn ei gefnogi ac am ei weld yn digwydd, ac ar yr un pryd yn San Steffan, fod gennym Lywodraeth sy'n cyflwyno deddfwriaeth gaethiwus a fyddai'n ein hatal rhag gwneud yr hyn y mae pawb ohonom yn gwybod ein bod i gyd am ei wneud a bod gennym fandad i'w wneud yng Nghymru. Diolch, Lywydd.

16:05

First of all, can I thank Janet Finch-Saunders for bringing this before us? I am a long-term advocate of a deposit-return scheme. I remember the 5p and 10p deposit on a glass bottle of Corona pop, which was then taken away, washed and reused. That would be a wonderful way of going forward. It worked. People dumped them; we as children would collect them and get the money. We are suffering from cheap plastic, which has led to a throwaway society, and the world is suffering from it. Plastic is cheap to manufacture and has been used for more and more containers. Only a few years ago, sauce and vinegar came in glass bottles. Something needs to be done to stop plastic being a cheap product. I remember the first time I picked up a plastic vinegar bottle; I was absolutely bemused when I squeezed it and it moved. One way of stopping it being so cheap is a plastic tax, and I know we're not talking about that today, but I think it's something else that needs to be looked at.

We've seen the behaviour change from 5p per single-use plastic bag, which is over a 70 per cent reduction in the provision of single-use plastic bags. I support the introduction of a deposit-return scheme, initially for plastic drink bottles, but then you could expand it to all bottles and plastic containers, and then to all containers. Cheap plastic that you just throw away cannot be allowed to continue. We all have a duty to act now to support the planet and future generations. While I support a deposit-return scheme, I would much prefer a UK-wide scheme. People buying bottles in England and claiming back a deposit in Wales is obviously a cause for concern—and I see the Minister there—people in Chester bringing large numbers of bottles over to Wrexham, which may be just, in some cases, crossing the road. The simple solution of marking bottles as English or Welsh is unlikely to occur. There's no benefit in it for the producer of either the bottle or the product. I will support this today, but what I really hope is that it will motivate the Westminster Government to act. We've got to do something.

Yn gyntaf oll, a gaf fi ddiolch i Janet Finch-Saunders am ddod â hyn ger ein bron? Rwy'n gefnogwr i gynllun dychwelyd ernes ers tro byd. Cofiaf y blaendal 5c a 10c ar botel wydr o bop Corona, a gâi ei golchi a'i hailddefnyddio wedyn. Byddai honno'n ffordd wych o symud ymlaen. Roedd yn gweithio. Roedd pobl yn eu gadael; byddem ni fel plant yn eu casglu ac yn cael yr arian. Rydym yn dioddef o blastig rhad, sydd wedi arwain at gymdeithas sy'n taflu pethau, ac mae'r byd yn dioddef yn sgil hynny. Mae plastig yn rhad i'w weithgynhyrchu ac mae wedi cael ei ddefnyddio ar gyfer mwy a mwy o gynwysyddion. Ychydig flynyddoedd yn ôl yn unig, deuai saws a finegr mewn poteli gwydr. Mae angen gwneud rhywbeth i atal plastig rhag bod yn gynnyrch rhad. Rwy'n cofio'r tro cyntaf i mi godi potel finegr blastig; roedd yn rhyfedd ei weld yn symud pan fyddwn yn ei gwasgu. Un ffordd o'i atal rhag bod mor rhad yw treth ar blastig, a gwn nad ydym yn sôn am hynny heddiw, ond rwy'n credu ei fod yn rhywbeth arall y mae angen edrych arno.

Rydym wedi gweld yr ymddygiad yn newid yn sgil codi 5c am fag plastig untro, gan arwain at ostyngiad o dros 70 y cant yn nifer y bagiau plastig untro a ddarperir. Rwy'n cefnogi cyflwyno cynllun dychwelyd ernes, ar gyfer poteli diod plastig i ddechrau, ond wedyn gallech ei ehangu i gynnwys pob potel a chynhwysydd plastig, ac yna i bob cynhwysydd. Ni ellir caniatáu i blastig rhad tafladwy barhau. Mae gan bob un ohonom ddyletswydd i weithredu nawr i gefnogi'r blaned a chenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Er fy mod yn cefnogi cynllun dychwelyd ernes, byddai'n llawer gwell gennyf gael cynllun ledled y DU. Mae pobl sy'n prynu poteli yn Lloegr ac yn hawlio blaendal yng Nghymru yn amlwg yn destun pryder—ac rwy'n gweld y Gweinidog yno—pobl yng Nghaer yn dod â nifer fawr o boteli i Wrecsam, a allai olygu dim ond croesi'r ffordd mewn rhai achosion. Mae'r ateb syml o nodi poteli fel rhai Cymru neu Loegr yn annhebygol o ddigwydd. Nid oes unrhyw fudd i gynhyrchydd y botel na'r cynnyrch wneud hynny. Rwy'n cefnogi hyn heddiw, ond rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y bydd yn cymell Llywodraeth San Steffan i weithredu. Mae'n rhaid inni wneud rhywbeth.

Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig i siarad—Lesley Griffiths.

The Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to contribute—Lesley Griffiths.

Diolch, Llywydd. The issues of waste reduction, recycling, littering and single-use plastics are of great importance to our citizens and to all of us in this Senedd. Recycling has become part of who we are as a nation, and the fact that we've risen to third in the world in our recycling rates is due to the partnership working between Government, local government and the people of Wales. As a Government, we have ambitious plans to do more, so I therefore welcome the objectives and sentiment behind this motion.

Twenty years ago, Wales had a recycling rate of just 7 per cent, and, through our actions as a nation collectively, we've achieved a rate that is now more than 60 per cent, on our way to that 100 per cent recycling that we want to see by 2050. To do so, we have wide-ranging plans in place that will deliver many changes. We've just completed a consultation on banning nine single-use plastic items, going further than similar proposals in England, and the summary of responses to the consultation will be published shortly, and our aim is to bring the ban into force next year. We're also progressing work on a deposit-return scheme for drinks containers, and, again, we'll be publishing proposals early next year. And we also intend to publish proposals on how we tackle packaging waste, through an extended producer-responsibility scheme.

Powers for Welsh Ministers, alongside those of other devolved nations, to introduce both schemes have been included in the UK Environment Bill, which is currently at Committee Stage in the UK Parliament. The powers also include the ability to introduce charges for single-use plastic items, where appropriate, to reduce their use. Furthermore, to increase recycling for businesses and other organisations, we've already committed to introducing legislation that will require the separation of their waste by autumn 2021. And this will make it not only easier to recycle, but also ban recyclable material from going to landfill and incineration.

Like others, I'm very concerned about the littering of single-use items, the use of which has increased as a consequence of the COVID pandemic. Evidence from the annual British beach litter survey shows single-use face coverings and gloves on our beautiful beaches. To tackle this issue, we will be launching a social media campaign to encourage people to wear reusable face coverings where possible, or they should dispose of single-use ones responsibly.

Janet Finch-Saunders mentioned the work that's ongoing with Welsh Water at the current time in relation to wipes, and I have asked officials to discuss this to see what we can do, because it's clearly becoming a massive issue and something that we must deal with, I think, as a matter of urgency.

In terms of mandatory reporting, we've published recycling rates for Wales every year since devolution, and will continue to do so. The new deposit-return and extended producer-responsibility schemes will also include mandatory reporting, so that everyone can judge the success of these policies.

In relation to fly-tipping, this is an aspect that's just come back into my portfolio, and I've asked officials again to continue to look at fly-tipping, because it is certainly a blight on our communities, and the framework that Members referred to. I'm not quite sure why there was a link between bottles, because fly-tipping, generally, seems to be bigger items, but, again, it's something that we must continue to do more on.

So, although I agree with the objectives behind this motion, I don't think a separate Bill is required, as the relevant powers are included in the UK Environment Bill, as I've referred to. Unfortunately, though, the positive inclusion of these powers for Wales is tempered by the provisions in the UK internal market Bill, and this means, without amendment, our ability to act in the interests of Wales will be limited, and it does risk tying us to the lowest common standard within the UK. We've got a really successful history in this area, which has seen us progress faster than any other UK nation, and it's now a matter of pride, not just amongst ourselves, but amongst our citizens. So, I do not believe Wales's ability to continue to act in this area should be reduced in any way.

So, I do welcome today's debate, Llywydd, and we will continue to listen to the views from Members of the Senedd as the proposals I've outlined are developed further and implemented. Diolch.

Diolch, Lywydd. Mae lleihau gwastraff, ailgylchu, taflu sbwriel a phlastig untro yn bwysig iawn i'n dinasyddion ac i bob un ohonom yn y Senedd hon. Mae ailgylchu wedi dod yn rhan o bwy ydym ni fel cenedl, ac mae'r ffaith ein bod wedi codi i'r trydydd safle yn y byd o ran ein cyfraddau ailgylchu yn deillio o'r gwaith partneriaeth rhwng y Llywodraeth, llywodraeth leol a phobl Cymru. Fel Llywodraeth, mae gennym gynlluniau uchelgeisiol i wneud mwy, felly rwy'n croesawu'r amcanion a'r teimladau sy'n sail i'r cynnig hwn.

Ugain mlynedd yn ôl, dim ond 7 y cant oedd cyfradd ailgylchu Cymru, a thrwy ein gweithredoedd fel cenedl gyda'n gilydd, rydym wedi cyflawni cyfradd sydd bellach yn fwy na 60 y cant, ar ein ffordd tuag at y 100 y cant o ailgylchu rydym am ei weld erbyn 2050. I wneud hynny, mae gennym gynlluniau eang ar waith a fydd yn cyflawni llawer o newidiadau. Rydym newydd gwblhau ymgynghoriad ar wahardd naw eitem blastig untro, gan fynd ymhellach na chynigion tebyg yn Lloegr, a chyhoeddir y crynodeb o'r ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad cyn bo hir, a'n nod yw dod â'r gwaharddiad i rym y flwyddyn nesaf. Rydym hefyd yn datblygu gwaith ar gynllun dychwelyd ernes ar gynwysyddion diodydd, ac unwaith eto, byddwn yn cyhoeddi cynigion yn gynnar y flwyddyn nesaf. Ac rydym hefyd yn bwriadu cyhoeddi cynigion ar sut rydym yn mynd i'r afael â gwastraff deunydd pacio, drwy gynllun cyfrifoldeb cynhyrchwyr estynedig.

Mae pwerau i Weinidogion Cymru gyflwyno'r ddau gynllun ochr yn ochr â rhai gwledydd datganoledig eraill wedi'u cynnwys ym Mil Amgylchedd y DU, sydd ar hyn o bryd yn y Cyfnod Pwyllgor yn Senedd y DU. Mae'r pwerau hefyd yn cynnwys y gallu i gyflwyno taliadau am eitemau plastig untro, lle bo'n briodol, er mwyn lleihau'r defnydd ohonynt. At hynny, er mwyn cynyddu lefelau ailgylchu ymhlith busnesau a sefydliadau eraill, rydym eisoes wedi ymrwymo i gyflwyno deddfwriaeth a fydd yn galw am wahanu eu gwastraff erbyn hydref 2021. A bydd hyn nid yn unig yn ei wneud yn haws ei ailgylchu, ond hefyd yn gwahardd deunydd ailgylchadwy rhag mynd i safleoedd tirlenwi ac i'w losgi.

Fel eraill, rwy'n bryderus iawn ynglŷn â sbwriel eitemau defnydd sengl, ac mae'r defnydd ohonynt wedi cynyddu o ganlyniad i bandemig COVID. Mae tystiolaeth o arolwg sbwriel traeth blynyddol Prydain yn dangos gorchuddion wyneb a menig untro ar ein traethau hardd. Er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn, byddwn yn lansio ymgyrch ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol i annog pobl i wisgo gorchuddion wyneb y gellir eu hailddefnyddio lle bo'n bosibl, neu dylent gael gwared ar rai untro mewn modd cyfrifol.

Soniodd Janet Finch-Saunders am y gwaith sy'n mynd rhagddo gyda Dŵr Cymru ar hyn o bryd yng nghyswllt cadachau gwlyb, ac rwyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion drafod hyn i weld beth y gallwn ei wneud, oherwydd mae'n amlwg yn dod yn broblem enfawr ac yn rhywbeth y credaf fod yn rhaid inni ymdrin ag ef fel mater o frys.

Mewn perthynas ag adroddiadau gorfodol, rydym wedi cyhoeddi cyfraddau ailgylchu ar gyfer Cymru bob blwyddyn ers datganoli, a byddwn yn parhau i wneud hynny. Bydd y cynlluniau newydd ar gyfer dychwelyd ernes a chyfrifoldeb cynhyrchwyr estynedig hefyd yn cynnwys adroddiadau gorfodol, fel y gall pawb farnu llwyddiant y polisïau hyn.

Ar dipio anghyfreithlon, mae hon yn agwedd sydd newydd ddod yn ôl yn rhan o fy mhortffolio, ac rwyf wedi gofyn eto i swyddogion barhau i edrych ar dipio anghyfreithlon, oherwydd mae'n sicr yn falltod ar ein cymunedau, a'r fframwaith y cyfeiriodd yr Aelodau ato. Nid wyf yn hollol siŵr pam fod cysylltiad rhwng hyn a photeli, oherwydd yn gyffredinol, mae tipio anghyfreithlon i'w weld yn ymwneud ag eitemau mwy o faint, ond unwaith eto, mae'n rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid inni barhau i wneud mwy yn ei gylch.

Felly, er fy mod yn cytuno â'r amcanion sy'n sail i'r cynnig hwn, nid wyf yn credu bod angen Bil ar wahân, gan fod y pwerau perthnasol wedi'u cynnwys ym Mil Amgylchedd y DU, fel y dywedais. Yn anffodus, fodd bynnag, mae effaith gadarnhaol cynnwys y pwerau hyn ar gyfer Cymru yn cael ei leihau gan y darpariaethau ym Mil marchnad fewnol y DU, ac mae hyn yn golygu, heb ei ddiwygio, y bydd ein gallu i weithredu er budd Cymru yn gyfyngedig, ac mae perygl y bydd yn ein clymu wrth y safon gyffredin isaf yn y DU. Mae gennym hanes llwyddiannus iawn yn y maes hwn, sydd wedi golygu ein bod wedi symud ymlaen yn gyflymach nag unrhyw wlad arall yn y DU, ac mae bellach yn destun balchder, nid yn unig ymysg ein gilydd, ond ymhlith ein dinasyddion hefyd. Felly, nid wyf yn credu y dylid lleihau gallu Cymru i barhau i weithredu yn y maes hwn mewn unrhyw ffordd.

Felly, rwy'n croesawu'r ddadl heddiw, Lywydd, a byddwn yn parhau i wrando ar farn yr Aelodau o'r Senedd wrth i'r cynigion a amlinellais gael eu datblygu ymhellach a'u gweithredu. Diolch.

16:10

Janet Finch-Saunders nawr i ymateb i'r ddadl.

Janet Finch-Saunders to reply to the debate.

Diolch, Llywydd, and thank you to the Member for responding to the debate—and I think we welcome the consultation responses that are forthcoming—and to all Members for their excellent contributions, whereby everyone was in agreement, really, that this is something that's been badly needed for quite some time. Some of the soundbites that came from some of those contributions, such as personal responsibility, the entrepreneurial skills of young people, raised by Jenny Rathbone—the point about the internal market Bill I think was a red herring, because, at the end of the day, this is about a devolved Government and the powers that we have here in Wales. I do think that we can't hide—or Welsh Government here shouldn't be hiding—behind the internal market Bill.

The points that Alun Davies raised about fly-tipping are excellent points. The statutory framework isn't strong enough, and we need to really go that bit further.

Llyr Gruffydd saying about the talking the talk, now we need to walk the walk—and I would like to put on record my immense thanks for the work that Sir David Attenborough does, his passion, his compassion, and his ability to convey across to the world what a ticking timebomb we have in terms of plastic pollution. I would just ask, and there are Members in this Senedd here today—David Rowlands—I would just ask all Members to get behind this legislative proposal today, give it your support, and let's go forward positively. As we end what has been an awful year, let's go forward positively, collectively, as one Senedd, and let's bring in this deposit-return scheme. Diolch yn fawr iawn. Thank you.

Diolch, Lywydd, a diolch i'r Aelod am ymateb i'r ddadl—a chredaf ein bod yn croesawu'r ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad sydd ar y ffordd—ac i'r holl Aelodau am eu cyfraniadau rhagorol, lle roedd pawb yn cytuno, mewn gwirionedd, fod hyn yn rhywbeth y mae mawr ei angen ers cryn amser. Roedd rhai o'r sylwadau bachog a ddaeth o rai o'r cyfraniadau hynny, megis cyfrifoldeb personol, sgiliau entrepreneuraidd pobl ifanc, a nodwyd gan Jenny Rathbone—sgwarnog oedd y pwynt am y Bil marchnad fewnol yn fy marn i oherwydd, yn y pen draw, mae hyn yn ymwneud â Llywodraeth ddatganoledig a'r pwerau sydd gennym yma yng Nghymru. Rwy'n credu na allwn guddio—neu ni ddylai Llywodraeth Cymru yma fod yn cuddio—y tu ôl i'r Bil marchnad fewnol.

Mae'r pwyntiau a gododd Alun Davies am dipio anghyfreithlon yn bwyntiau rhagorol. Nid yw'r fframwaith statudol yn ddigon cryf, ac mae angen i ni fynd ychydig pellach.

Llyr Gruffydd yn dweud am y siarad, a nawr mae angen gweithredu—a hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch aruthrol am y gwaith y mae Syr David Attenborough yn ei wneud, ei angerdd, ei dosturi, a'i allu i gyfleu i'r byd pa mor bwysig yw gweithredu ar frys mewn perthynas â llygredd plastig. Hoffwn ofyn, ac mae Aelodau yn y Senedd hon yma heddiw—David Rowlands—hoffwn ofyn i'r holl Aelodau gefnogi'r cynnig deddfwriaethol hwn heddiw, rhowch eich cefnogaeth iddo, a gadewch inni symud ymlaen yn gadarnhaol. Wrth inni ddod i ddiwedd blwyddyn ofnadwy, gadewch inni gamu ymlaen yn gadarnhaol, gyda'n gilydd, fel un Senedd, a gadewch inni gyflwyno'r cynllun dychwelyd ernes hwn. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid nodi'r cynnig? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes, ac felly derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

The proposal is to note the proposal. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

7. Dadl y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig ar y Fframwaith Datblygu Cenedlaethol
7. Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee Debate on the National Development Framework

Detholwyd y gwelliannau canlynol: gwelliannau 1 a 2 yn enw Siân Gwenllian. 

The following amendments have been selected: amendments 1 and 2 in the name of Siân Gwenllian.

Y ddadl nesaf yw dadl y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gweledig ar y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol. Dwi'n galw ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig—Mike Hedges.

The next debate is the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee debate on the national development framework, and I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion—Mike Hedges.

Cynnig NDM7487 Mike Hedges

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn nodi'r Fframwaith Datblygu Cenedlaethol drafft, a osodwyd ar 21 Medi 2020.  

2. Yn nodi, yn unol ag Adran 3 o Ddeddf Cynllunio (Cymru) 2015, fod cyfnod ystyried 60 diwrnod y Senedd wedi dechrau ar y diwrnod y gosodwyd drafft y Fframwaith yn y Senedd. 

3. Yn nodi, yn unol ag Adran 3 o Ddeddf Cynllunio (Cymru) 2015, fod yn rhaid i Weinidogion Cymru roi sylw i unrhyw benderfyniad a basiwyd gan y Senedd ac unrhyw argymhelliad a wnaed gan un o bwyllgorau'r Senedd mewn perthynas â'r drafft yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw o 60 diwrnod.

Motion NDM7487 Mike Hedges

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes the draft National Development Framework, laid on 21 September 2020.

2. Notes that, in accordance with Section 3 of the Planning (Wales) Act 2015, the 60-day Senedd consideration period began on the day on which the draft of the Framework was laid in the Senedd.

3. Notes that, in accordance with Section 3 of the Planning (Wales) Act 2015, the Welsh Ministers must have regard to any resolution passed by the Senedd and any recommendation made by a committee of the Senedd with regard to the draft during that 60-day period.                                                                                                

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Diolch, Llywydd. I'm pleased to be able to speak in this committee-led debate on the draft national development framework, which is now called 'Future Wales: the national plan 2040'. Members of the Senedd will be aware that the Planning (Wales) Act 2015 set out scrutiny procedures for the draft NDF. The Act refers to a Senedd consideration period that lasts for 60 days after the draft NDF is laid. Welsh Ministers must have regard to any resolution passed by the Senedd and any recommendation made by a Senedd committee during that time.

Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy'n falch o allu siarad yn y ddadl hon dan arweiniad pwyllgor ar y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol drafft, a elwir bellach yn 'Cymru'r Dyfodol: y cynllun cenedlaethol 2040'. Bydd Aelodau o'r Senedd yn ymwybodol fod Deddf Cynllunio (Cymru) 2015 yn nodi gweithdrefnau craffu ar gyfer y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol drafft. Mae'r Ddeddf yn cyfeirio at gyfnod ystyried yn y Senedd sy'n para am 60 diwrnod ar ôl gosod y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol drafft. Rhaid i Weinidogion Cymru roi sylw i unrhyw benderfyniad a gaiff ei basio gan y Senedd ac unrhyw argymhelliad a wneir gan bwyllgor Senedd yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw.

The 60-day period comes to an end tomorrow. This debate is the second we will have had on the draft NDF, following a Welsh Government debate very early in the 60-day period. The purpose of today’s debate is to give the Senedd and Members a final opportunity to consider the draft NDF. This is not a debate on the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee's report, although I hope it will be informed by our recommendations. As Chair of the Committee, I will not be addressing the amendments tabled by Members. It is more appropriate for the Minister to do so.

The committee published our report on Monday. In it, we made 26 recommendations across several policy areas. Before I go any further, I would like to thank everyone who gave their time to contribute to the committee’s work, either through written submissions or appearing before us virtually. I would also like to thank the committee’s expert adviser, Graeme Purves, for his assistance during the scrutiny process.

'Future Wales' is an important document; it sets out a 20-year framework for planning and development in Wales. If done right, it has the potential to articulate a bold, long-term vision for this country. As a committee, we are generally content with 'Future Wales'. All members of the committee can point to elements that they would wish to strengthen, or even remove, but overall, we were content. However, one Member of the committee expressed opposition to some policies in 'Future Wales' and, as a consequence, to aspects of the committee's conclusions and recommendations. I'm sure the Member will explain his reasons in full shortly.   

The overarching challenge the Welsh Government faces is to ensure that this 40-year planning framework is resilient enough to be able to respond to the three biggest challenges we currently face: COVID and any future viruses, Brexit, and the effects of climate change. The Minister has assured the committee that 'Future Wales' is sufficiently flexible and resilient to respond to societal changes arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

But we believe it is too early to judge the medium and long-term impacts of decisions that are being made in light of the pandemic. For example, Welsh Ministers have talked about up to 30 per cent of Welsh workers working from home. This has the potential to fundamentally change the way areas such as town and city centres operate. And this will affect infrastructure, housing and connectivity, and very much those businesses that are based on providing services to those working in offices within city centres. 'Future Wales' needs to be able to reflect all of these changes. We've recommended that 'Future Wales' should include a clear statement to reflect the lessons learned from COVID-19 and explain how it will support post-COVID-19 recovery.  

One of our key concerns was around strategic development plans. 'Future Wales' will be the highest level of strategic plan, providing a national planning framework. Strategic development plans will fit between the national development plan and the local development plan. In terms of a hierarchy of strategic planning documents, this makes sense. But the approach is hamstrung by the absence of the middle tier of strategic development plans. Frankly, local authorities haven't shown much of an interest in developing these plans as yet. But for the Welsh Government's approach to work, they need to come on-stream as soon as possible. 

There is an added complication. Local authorities will need to come together to develop these plans under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill, which was passed by this Senedd last week. The Bill provides for corporate joint committees to be established, which will consist of representatives of more than one local authority to develop SDPs. Of course, more co-operation between local authorities is a good thing in principle, but what we don’t want is an unintended reduction in accountability to local communities. One criticism we heard about 'Future Wales' was that, in places, it seems to extend into territory you would expect to be covered by strategic development plans. We hope this will be rebalanced over time, as SDPs come forward.

I will now turn briefly to some of the other key areas we have covered in our report. Energy: we have made several detailed recommendations in our report, but the main point I want to make is a strategic one. We believe that the shortcomings of the grid are impeding strategic development in Wales. We know that if you want to build a windfarm or you want to put in a solar farm, then you need to do it where there used to be a power station, so that you get access to the grid. That causes huge problems in lots of areas.

The Minister has said that 'Future Wales' will provide a basis for further discussions with National Grid and distribution companies. These discussions must happen as a matter of urgency, otherwise 'Future Wales' is hamstrung from the start when it comes to energy. There needs to be a strategy to improve electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure, including any new infrastructure required in mid Wales. We have recommended that the Welsh Government should work with National Grid, electricity distribution companies and the renewable energy industry to take this forward with urgency.

On housing, we were generally content with the policies set out in 'Future Wales', but we want to place on record our disappointment that amendments to Part L of building regulations have been delayed yet again. These amendments are necessary, but continuing to delay the inevitable changes is a cause of concern. We have recommended that the Welsh Government should progress the development of an amended Part L of building regulations so that the next Welsh Government, whoever it is, can introduce subordinate legislation as soon as possible following the 2021 election.

'Future Wales' talks a lot about connectivity. In our report published in November 2019, we said that 'Future Wales' needed to address the poor connectivity between north and south Wales. Despite being accepted by the Welsh Government, it doesn't go far enough. We also have concerns about connectivity to west Wales, which quite often gets forgotten, except by those who have to travel from Pembrokeshire towards the south-east of Wales. We believe that transport connectivity is an ongoing strategic problem across parts of Wales. 'Future Wales' places too much of the onus for promoting improved inter-regional linkages on the regions themselves. This must be addressed by the new national transport strategy that the Welsh Government is currently consulting on.

Finally, we made several detailed recommendations about biodiversity and green infrastructure, the national forest and the national parks. On the subject of green belts, contributors told us that local authorities should have more discretion than is set out in 'Future Wales' when it comes to determining the location and extent of green belts in their regions. As a committee, I’m afraid we could not agree. We believe that green belts are an essential tool in constraining urban sprawl. We have recommended that their function should be strengthened, and their benefits should be emphasised in 'Future Wales'.

In conclusion, I would like to end by thanking the Minister for the constructive way that she and her officials have engaged with the committee and the helpful way that the many documents related to 'Future Wales' have been presented and explained. When the committee published its report on 'Future Wales' in November 2019, we set out 50 conclusions with the aim of improving the NDF. Most of our recommendations were accepted. In this report, we have made a further 26 recommendations. I look forward to hearing the Minister's response. Thank you.

Daw'r cyfnod o 60 diwrnod i ben yfory. Y ddadl hon yw'r ail y byddwn wedi'i chael ar y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol drafft, yn dilyn dadl gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn gynnar iawn yn y cyfnod o 60 diwrnod. Diben y ddadl heddiw yw rhoi cyfle olaf i'r Senedd a'r Aelodau ystyried y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol drafft. Nid dadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig yw hon, er fy mod yn gobeithio y caiff ei llywio gan ein hargymhellion. Fel Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor, ni fyddaf yn mynd i'r afael â'r gwelliannau a gyflwynwyd gan yr Aelodau. Mae'n fwy priodol i'r Gweinidog wneud hynny.

Cyhoeddodd y pwyllgor ein hadroddiad ddydd Llun. Ynddo, gwnaethom 26 o argymhellion ar draws sawl maes polisi. Cyn i mi fynd ymhellach, hoffwn ddiolch i bawb a roddodd o'u hamser i gyfrannu at waith y pwyllgor, naill ai drwy gyflwyniadau ysgrifenedig neu drwy ymddangos ger ein bron yn rhithwir. Hoffwn ddiolch hefyd i gynghorydd arbenigol y pwyllgor, Graeme Purves, am ei gymorth yn ystod y broses graffu.

Mae 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn ddogfen bwysig; mae'n nodi fframwaith 20 mlynedd ar gyfer cynllunio a datblygu yng Nghymru. Os caiff ei wneud yn iawn, mae ganddo botensial i fynegi gweledigaeth feiddgar, hirdymor ar gyfer y wlad hon. Fel pwyllgor, rydym yn fodlon â 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' at ei gilydd. Gall pob aelod o'r pwyllgor dynnu sylw at elfennau y byddent am eu cryfhau, neu hyd yn oed eu dileu, ond yn gyffredinol, roeddem yn fodlon. Fodd bynnag, mynegodd un Aelod o'r pwyllgor ei wrthwynebiad i rai o'r polisïau yn 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' ac o ganlyniad, i agweddau ar gasgliadau ac argymhellion y pwyllgor. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yr Aelod yn egluro ei resymau'n llawn cyn bo hir.

Yr her gyffredinol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei hwynebu ar hyn o bryd yw sicrhau bod y fframwaith cynllunio 40 mlynedd hwn yn ddigon gwydn i allu ymateb i'r tair her fwyaf sy'n ein hwynebu ar hyn o bryd: COVID ac unrhyw feirysau yn y dyfodol, Brexit, ac effeithiau newid hinsawdd. Mae'r Gweinidog wedi sicrhau'r pwyllgor bod 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn ddigon hyblyg a gwydn i ymateb i newidiadau cymdeithasol sy'n deillio o bandemig COVID-19.

Ond credwn ei bod yn rhy gynnar i farnu effeithiau tymor canolig a hirdymor penderfyniadau sy'n cael eu gwneud yng ngoleuni'r pandemig. Er enghraifft, mae Gweinidogion Cymru wedi sôn am hyd at 30 y cant o weithwyr Cymru'n gweithio gartref. Gallai hyn newid yn sylfaenol y ffordd y mae ardaloedd fel canol trefi a chanol dinasoedd yn gweithredu. A bydd hyn yn effeithio ar seilwaith, tai a chysylltedd, ac yn sicr, y busnesau sy'n seiliedig ar ddarparu gwasanaethau i'r rhai sy'n gweithio mewn swyddfeydd yng nghanol dinasoedd. Mae angen i 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' allu adlewyrchu'r holl newidiadau hyn. Rydym wedi argymell y dylai 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' gynnwys datganiad clir i adlewyrchu'r gwersi a ddysgwyd o COVID-19 ac egluro sut y bydd yn cefnogi adferiad ôl-COVID-19.

Roedd un o'n prif bryderon yn ymwneud â chynlluniau datblygu strategol. 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' fydd y lefel uchaf o gynllun strategol, i ddarparu fframwaith cynllunio cenedlaethol. Bydd cynlluniau datblygu strategol yn mynd rhwng y cynllun datblygu cenedlaethol a'r cynllun datblygu lleol. O ran hierarchaeth dogfennau cynllunio strategol, mae hyn yn gwneud synnwyr. Ond mae'r dull o weithredu'n cael ei lesteirio gan absenoldeb yr haen ganol o gynlluniau datblygu strategol. A dweud y gwir, nid yw awdurdodau lleol wedi dangos llawer o ddiddordeb mewn datblygu'r cynlluniau hyn hyd yma. Ond er mwyn i ddull Llywodraeth Cymru weithio, mae angen iddynt ddod yn weithredol cyn gynted â phosibl. 

Ceir un cymhlethdod ychwanegol. Bydd angen i awdurdodau lleol ddod at ei gilydd i ddatblygu'r cynlluniau hyn o dan Fil Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru), a basiwyd gan y Senedd hon yr wythnos diwethaf. Mae'r Bil yn darparu ar gyfer sefydlu cydbwyllgorau corfforaethol a fydd yn cynnwys cynrychiolwyr o fwy nag un awdurdod lleol i ddatblygu cynlluniau datblygu strategol. Wrth gwrs, mae mwy o gydweithredu rhwng awdurdodau lleol yn beth da mewn egwyddor, ond yr hyn nad ydym am ei gael yw cyfyngu anfwriadol ar atebolrwydd tuag at gymunedau lleol. Un feirniadaeth a glywsom am 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' oedd ei bod yn ymddangos, mewn mannau, fel pe bai'n ymestyn i dir y byddech yn disgwyl iddo gael ei gynnwys mewn cynlluniau datblygu strategol. Gobeithiwn y bydd hyn yn cael ei ailgydbwyso dros amser, wrth i gynlluniau datblygu strategol gael eu cyflwyno.

Rwyf am droi yn fyr yn awr at rai o'r meysydd allweddol eraill rydym wedi ymdrin â hwy yn ein hadroddiad. Ynni: rydym wedi gwneud nifer o argymhellion manwl yn ein hadroddiad, ond mae'r prif bwynt rwyf am ei wneud yn un strategol. Credwn fod diffygion y grid yn rhwystro datblygiad strategol yng Nghymru. Os ydych am adeiladu fferm wynt neu os ydych am gael fferm solar, gwyddom fod angen i chi wneud hynny lle roedd gorsaf bŵer yn arfer bod, fel bod gennych fynediad at y grid. Mae hynny'n achosi problemau enfawr mewn llawer o ardaloedd.

Mae'r Gweinidog wedi dweud y bydd 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn darparu sail ar gyfer trafodaethau pellach gyda'r Grid Cenedlaethol a chwmnïau dosbarthu. Rhaid i'r trafodaethau hyn ddigwydd fel mater o frys, neu fel arall mae 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn cael ei lesteirio o'r dechrau mewn perthynas ag ynni. Mae angen strategaeth i wella'r seilwaith trosglwyddo a dosbarthu trydan, gan gynnwys unrhyw seilwaith newydd sydd ei angen yng nghanolbarth Cymru. Rydym wedi argymell y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru weithio gyda'r Grid Cenedlaethol, cwmnïau dosbarthu trydan a'r diwydiant ynni adnewyddadwy i ddatblygu hyn ar fyrder.

Ar dai, roeddem yn fodlon ar y cyfan â'r polisïau a nodir yn 'Cymru'r Dyfodol', ond rydym am gofnodi ein siom fod gwelliannau i Ran L y rheoliadau adeiladu wedi'u gohirio unwaith eto. Mae angen y gwelliannau hyn, ond mae parhau i ohirio'r newidiadau anochel yn destun pryder. Rydym wedi argymell y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ddatblygu Rhan L ddiwygiedig y rheoliadau adeiladu fel y gall Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru, pwy bynnag y bydd, gyflwyno is-ddeddfwriaeth cyn gynted â phosibl yn dilyn etholiad 2021.

Mae 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn sôn llawer am gysylltedd. Yn ein hadroddiad a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Tachwedd 2019, dywedasom fod angen i 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' fynd i'r afael â'r cysylltedd gwael rhwng gogledd a de Cymru. Er iddo gael ei dderbyn gan Lywodraeth Cymru, nid yw'n mynd yn ddigon pell. Mae gennym bryderon hefyd ynghylch cysylltedd â gorllewin Cymru, sy'n aml yn cael ei anghofio, ac eithrio gan y rhai sy'n gorfod teithio o sir Benfro i dde-ddwyrain Cymru. Credwn fod cysylltedd trafnidiaeth yn broblem strategol barhaus ar draws rhannau o Gymru. Mae 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn rhoi gormod o'r cyfrifoldeb am hyrwyddo gwell cysylltiadau rhyngranbarthol ar y rhanbarthau eu hunain. Rhaid i'r strategaeth drafnidiaeth genedlaethol newydd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymgynghori arni ar hyn o bryd fynd i'r afael â hyn.

Yn olaf, gwnaethom nifer o argymhellion manwl am fioamrywiaeth a seilwaith gwyrdd, y goedwig genedlaethol a'r parciau cenedlaethol. Ar fater lleiniau glas, dywedodd cyfranwyr wrthym y dylai fod gan awdurdodau lleol fwy o ddisgresiwn na'r hyn a nodwyd yn 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' o ran pennu lleoliad a maint y lleiniau glas yn eu rhanbarthau. Fel pwyllgor, mae arnaf ofn na allem gytuno. Credwn fod lleiniau glas yn arf hanfodol i gyfyngu ar flerdwf trefol. Rydym wedi argymell y dylid cryfhau eu swyddogaeth, ac y dylid pwysleisio eu manteision yn 'Cymru'n Dyfodol'.

I gloi, hoffwn orffen drwy ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am y ffordd adeiladol y mae hi a'i swyddogion wedi ymgysylltu â'r pwyllgor a'r ffordd ddefnyddiol y mae'r dogfennau niferus sy'n ymwneud â 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' wedi cael eu cyflwyno a'u hegluro. Pan gyhoeddodd y pwyllgor ei adroddiad ar 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' ym mis Tachwedd 2019, gwnaethom nodi 50 o gasgliadau gyda'r nod o wella'r fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol. Derbyniwyd y rhan fwyaf o'n hargymhellion. Yn yr adroddiad hwn, rydym wedi gwneud 26 o argymhellion pellach. Edrychaf ymlaen at glywed ymateb y Gweinidog. Diolch.

16:20

Rwyf wedi dethol y ddau welliant i'r cynnig. Dwi'n galw ar Llyr Gruffydd i gynnig gwelliannau 1 a 2, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Siân Gwenllian. Llyr Gruffydd.

I have selected the two amendments to the motion and I call on Llyr Gruffydd to move amendments 1 and 2, tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian. Llyr Gruffydd.

Gwelliant 1—Siân Gwenllian

Ychwanegu pwyntiau newydd ar ddiwedd y cynnig:

Yn credu o ran y model pedair rhanbarth diwygiedig yn Cymru'r Dyfodol: y cynllun cenedlaethol 2040:

a) ei fod wedi cael ei ysbrydoli gan agenda Geidwadol, unoliaethol sy'n seiliedig ar gytundebau dinas a thwf Llywodraeth y DU;

b) y byddai'n gyrru hollt drwy Gymru, gan rannu gogledd ein gwlad o'r de ac ni fyddai'n gwneud fawr ddim yn rhagweithiol i wella cysylltedd rhwng y gogledd a'r de; ac

c) y byddai'n esgeuluso rhai o'r rhannau hynny o Gymru y mae angen eu hadfywio a'u datblygu fwyaf, sef yr arfordir gorllewinol a chymoedd y de.

Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddisodli'r model pedwar rhanbarth a gynigir yn Cymru'r Dyfodol: cynllun cenedlaethol 2040 gan, yn lle hynny, gael map rhanbarthol amgen o Gymru sy'n canolbwyntio ar wneud Cymru'n genedl gysylltiedig, cynaliadwy, ffyniannus a hunangynhaliol ym mhob ystyr.

Amendment 1—Siân Gwenllian

Add as new points at end of motion:

Believes that the revised four-region model in Future Wales: the national plan 2040:

a) has been inspired by a Conservative, unionist agenda based on the UK Government’s city and growth deals;

b) would drive a wedge into Wales, splitting the north of our country from the south and would do little to proactively improve north-south connectivity; and

c) would neglect some of those parts of Wales most in need of regeneration and development, namely the western seaboard and the valleys of the south.

Calls on the Welsh Government to replace the four-region model proposed in Future Wales: the national plan 2040 with an alternative regional map of Wales focused on making Wales a connected, sustainable, prosperous and self-sufficient nation in every sense.

Gwelliant 2—Siân Gwenllian

Ychwanegu pwyntiau newydd ar ddiwedd y cynnig:

Yn nodi bod Dr Neil Harris o Brifysgol Caerdydd, mewn tystiolaeth i Bwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig y Senedd, wedi crynhoi'r dull sy'n sail i Cymru’r Dyfodol: y cynllun cenedlaethol 2040 fel un sy'n seiliedig ar dwf sy'n canolbwyntio ar ardaloedd trefol a sefydlogrwydd mewn mannau eraill. 

Yn credu o ran y dull sy'n sail i Cymru'r Dyfodol: y cynllun cenedlaethol 2040:

a) ei fod mewn perygl o sefydlu'r methiant i ddosbarthu cyfoeth, twf a datblygiad mewn modd cyfartal ledled Cymru fel nodwedd barhaol o lywodraethu Cymru yn y cynllun hirdymor hwn; a

b) y bydd yn arwain at orddatblygu yn yr ardaloedd sydd eisoes wedi'u blaenoriaethu fel lleoliadau a ffefrir ar gyfer datblygiadau preswyl sylweddol a datblygiadau sylweddol eraill, heb wneud fawr ddim i fynd i'r afael â'r angen am ddatblygu cynaliadwy mewn meysydd eraill gan gynnwys yr angen am dai cymdeithasol a fforddiadwy i gwrdd â'r argyfwng tai.

Yn credu bod yn rhaid i'r system gynllunio yng Nghymru adlewyrchu'r angen am ddatblygiad addas yn y mannau cywir yn ôl angen lleol; rhoi mwy o lais i gymunedau mewn datblygiadau yn eu hardaloedd a bod yn rhaid i'r system gynllunio ganiatáu cynllunio cyfannol ar y lefel briodol, ond yn credu ei bod yn debygol y bydd trosglwyddo pŵer ac atebolrwydd dros gynllunio o awdurdodau lleol i gyd-bwyllgorau corfforaethol drwy gynlluniau datblygu strategol yn cyfyngu ymhellach ar y llais lleol mewn prosesau cynllunio.

Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddisodli'r dull sy'n sail i Cymru'r Dyfodol: y cynllun cenedlaethol 2040 ar hyn o bryd gan sefydlu dull amgen sy'n canolbwyntio ar ddosbarthu cyfoeth, pŵer a buddsoddiad yn gyfartal ledled Cymru drwy dargedu ymyrraeth a thwf yn yr ardaloedd mwyaf anghenus.

Amendment 2—Siân Gwenllian

Add as new points at end of motion:

Notes that Dr Neil Harris of Cardiff University, in evidence to the Senedd’s Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, summarised the approach underpinning Future Wales: the national plan 2040 as one which is based on urban-focused growth and stability elsewhere.

Believes that the approach underpinning Future Wales: the national plan 2040:

a) threatens to entrench the failure to distribute wealth, growth and development equally across Wales as a permanent feature of Wales’s governance in this long-term plan; and

b) will lead to overdevelopment in the areas already prioritised as preferred locations for substantial residential and other development, whilst doing little to address the need for sustainable development in other areas including the need for social and affordable housing to meet the housing crisis.

Believes that the planning system in Wales must reflect the need for suitable development in the right places according to local need; give communities a greater say in developments in their areas and that the planning system must permit holistic planning at the appropriate level, but believes that the transfer of power and accountability over planning from local authorities to corporate joint committees through strategic development plans is likely to further limit the local voice in planning.

Calls on the Welsh Government to replace the approach which currently underpins Future Wales: the national plan 2040 with an alternative approach focused on distributing wealth, power and investment equitably across the whole of Wales by targeting intervention and growth to the areas in most need.

Cynigiwyd gwelliannau 1 a 2.

Amendments 1 and 2 moved.

Wel, diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Mi allem ni dreulio, wrth gwrs, llawer o amser yn mynd drwy argymhellion unigol yn adroddiad y pwyllgor—llawer ohonyn nhw dwi'n cytuno â nhw—ond mae gen i broblemau mwy sylfaenol am gynsail y fframwaith datblygu, sydd, wrth gwrs, wedi eu hamlygu yn y gwelliannau y mae Plaid Cymru wedi eu cyflwyno, ac yn y ffaith bod adroddiad y pwyllgor, wrth gwrs, yn y pen draw, yn adroddiad lleiafrifol.

Un o'r problemau sydd gyda fi, wrth gwrs, yw bod ôl-troed gofodol y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol yn wallus. Mae'n rhoi ar waith, yn fy marn i, weledigaeth Llywodraeth Geidwadol y Deyrnas Unedig, y weledigaeth unoliaethol honno sy'n ymwreiddio neu'n 'entrench-io' dibyniaeth Cymru ar economi Lloegr. Mae yna bedair rhanbarth, wrth gwrs, wedi eu modelu ar ardaloedd bargeinion twf Boris Johnson, ac mae'n siom fod map Cymru'r dyfodol yn seiliedig, wrth gwrs, ar wasanaethu'r Northern Powerhouse, y Bristol and Western Gateway a'r Midlands Engine—yr acsis gorllewin-dwyrain yma sy'n golygu, wrth gwrs, fod dyfodol economaidd Cymru yn mynd i fod yn seiliedig ar friwsion o fwrdd rhywun arall. Oes, mae angen cydweithio yn drawsffiniol i ddenu budd i Gymru o'r endidau hyn, wrth gwrs bod e, ond nid seilio holl weledigaeth 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' ar hynny. Ac mae'r methiant i flaenoriaethu adeiladu economi Cymru ynddo'i hun—in its own right—yn creu, wrth gwrs, mwy o ddibyniaeth ar benderfyniadau'r Ceidwadwyr yn Llundain a llai o debygolrwydd y bydd Cymru, wrth gwrs, yn gallu tyfu'n gryfach a sefyll ar ei thraed ei hun. 

Nawr, yn lle cynnig gweledigaeth sy'n dod â Chymru ynghyd, felly, mae Llafur, drwy wneud hyn, yn risgio gwthio de, canolbarth a gogledd Cymru ymhellach oddi wrth ei gilydd. Mae'n esgeuluso'r angen, yn fy marn i—yr angen dybryd—am well cysylltedd de a gogledd. Mi ddywedodd y Gweinidog yn ei thystiolaeth fod y fframwaith yn ddigon hyblyg i ymateb i bolisïau trafnidiaeth de-gogledd. Wel, nid ymateb i bolisïau sydd angen, ond gyrru'r weledigaeth a'r polisïau uchelgeisiol yna sydd eu hangen arnon ni i uno Cymru. Ac mae hynny, wrth gwrs, yn cael ei adlewyrchu yn un o argymhellion y pwyllgor sy'n cyfeirio at y diffyg ffocws ar gysylltedd oddi fewn i Gymru.

Yr ail broblem sylfaenol sydd gen i, wrth gwrs, yw'r modd y mae'r fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol yma yn canoli twf mewn rhai ardaloedd penodol, a hynny'n anochel, wrth gwrs, wedyn, ar draul ardaloedd eraill. Ac mi dynnodd Dr Neil Harris, arbenigwr o Brifysgol Caerdydd, ein sylw ni yn y pwyllgor, yn ei dystiolaeth, at y ffaith bod y cynllun yn seiliedig ar dwf sy'n canolbwyntio twf ar ardaloedd trefol, ond wedyn dim ond yn sôn am sefydlogrwydd mewn mannau eraill. Nawr, nid dyna'r weledigaeth o rannu cyfoeth a chyfleodd yn gyfartal ar draws Cymru fyddem ni am ei weld. A'r methiant hwnnw i ddosbarthu cyfoeth, twf a datblygiad mewn modd cyfartal ledled Cymru yw un o'r nodweddion dwi am ei weld yn cael ei wyrdroi. Gallech chi ddadlau mai dyna yw un o fethiannau datganoli yn yr 20 mlynedd ddiwethaf. Ond yr hyn sy'n digwydd nawr, wrth gwrs, yw bod hynny'n cael ei wreiddio fel nodwedd barhaol o weledigaeth Llywodraeth Cymru hyd 2040.

Does dim digon o bwyslais ar Arfor a'r angen am dwf yn y gorllewin, fel dwi wedi'i godi'n flaenorol gyda'r Gweinidog, na chwaith ar y Cymoedd fel endid penodol sydd angen ffocws cryfach arni, yn fy marn i. A'r risg hefyd yw, wrth gwrs, y bydd yr ardaloedd twf yma, yn y pen draw, yn wynebu gorddatblygiad. Rydym ni'n ei weld e'n digwydd mewn rhai rhannau o Gymru yn barod. Pan rydych chi'n edrych ar yr ardaloedd sydd wedi eu blaenoriaethu fel lleoliadau a ffefrir ar gyfer datblygiadau preswyl sylweddol, wel, wrth gwrs fod yna risg o orddatblygiad yn fanna, tra bod yna'n fawr ddim wedyn, wrth gwrs, ar y llaw arall, i fynd i'r afael â'r angen am ddatblygiad cynaliadwy mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru, yn enwedig pan mae'n dod, wrth gwrs, i'r angen am dai cymdeithasol a thai fforddiadwy i gwrdd â'r argyfwng tai.

Mae yna broblemau hefyd, wrth gwrs, ynglŷn â'r natur o'r top i lawr pan mae'n dod i'r gyfundrefn gynllunio. Fe gawsom ni'r drafodaeth hynny adeg pasio Deddf Cynllunio (Cymru) 2015 rai blynyddoedd yn ôl. Ond, wrth gwrs, mae hwn yn mynd â'r broblem i'r lefel nesaf drwy'r cynlluniau datblygu rhanbarthol, drwy ddibyniaeth ar y cydbwyllgorau corfforaethol yma sydd yn mynd â'r penderfyniadau allweddol yma yn bellach i ffwrdd o'r cymunedau fydd yn cael eu heffeithio gan y penderfyniadau.

Felly, i gloi, gall Plaid Cymru ddim cefnogi y cynllun yma sy'n chwarae i ddwylo yr agenda unoliaethol ac i ddwylo agenda'r Ceidwadwyr yn Llundain, ac a fydd, wrth gwrs, yn gwanhau yn lle cryfhau Cymru fel endid economaidd, cymdeithasol, diwylliannol a gwleidyddol, ac yn sgil hynny, rŷn ni'n teimlo'n gryf fod yn rhaid cyflwyno newidiadau sylweddol i fframwaith cynllunio cenedlaethol Cymru.

Thank you very much, Llywydd. We could spend a great deal of time going through the individual recommendations made in the committee’s report, many of which I agree with, but I have more fundamental issues with the foundations of the development framework, which are, of course, highlighted in the amendments tabled by Plaid Cymru, and by the fact that the committee’s report, ultimately, is a minority report.

One of the problems I have is that the spatial footprint of the NDF is flawed. It, in my view, puts in place the United Kingdom Conservative Government's vision, a unionist vision, which is entrenching Wales’s reliance on the English economy. There are four regions, of course, modelled on Boris Johnson’s growth deal areas, and it’s disappointing that the Wales map for the future is based on serving the Northern Powerhouse, the Bristol and Western Gateway, and the Midlands Engine—the east-west axis that means, of course, that the economic future of Wales will be based on crumbs from someone else’s table. Yes, we need cross-border collaboration to bring benefits to Wales from these entities, of course we do, but we shouldn’t base the whole vision of 'Future Wales' on that model. And the failure to prioritise building the Welsh economy in its own right does create, of course, more reliance on decisions taken by Conservatives in London and less likelihood that Wales, of course, will grow stronger and stand on its own two feet.

Now, rather than providing a vision that unites Wales, Labour, in doing this, are risking pushing south, mid and north Wales further apart. It does neglect the need—the great need—for better connectivity between north and south Wales, in my view. The Minister has said in her evidence that the framework was flexible enough to respond to north-south transport policies. But we shouldn’t be responding, we should be driving the vision and the ambitious policies that we need in order to bring Wales together. And that, of course, is reflected in one of the committee’s recommendations, which refers to the lack of focus on connectivity within Wales.

The second fundamental problem I have, of course, is the way in which the NDF does centralise growth in certain specific areas, and that inevitably will be at the expense of other areas. And Dr Neil Harris, an expert from Cardiff University, drew our attention as a committee, in his evidence, to the fact that the plan is based on growth that is focused on urban areas, but only mentions stability in other areas. Now, that isn’t the vision of sharing prosperity across Wales that we would want to see. It’s that failure to distribute wealth, growth and development in an equal way throughout Wales that is one of the features that I want to see overturned. You could say that that is one of the failings of devolution over the past 20 years. But what’s happening now, of course, is that that is being entrenched as a permanent feature of the Welsh Government vision until 2040.

There isn’t sufficient emphasis on Arfor and the need for growth in the west of Wales, as I’ve previously raised with the Minister, or on the Valleys as a specific entity that needs a stronger focus, in my view. There’s also a risk, of course, that these growth areas will ultimately face overdevelopment. We’ve seen it happening in certain parts of Wales already. When you look at those areas that are prioritised as favoured locations for significant residential developments, well, of course there’s risk of overdevelopment there, when there’s virtually nothing, on the other hand, to tackle the need for sustainable developments in other parts of Wales, particularly when it comes to the need for social housing and affordable housing to meet the housing crisis.

There are also problems, of course, with the top-down nature when it comes to the planning system. We had that debate at the time of the passing of the Planning (Wales) Act 2015, some years ago, but this takes the problem to the next level, through the regional development plans and through the reliance on the corporate joint committees, which take those key decisions further away from the communities affected by those decisions.

So, to conclude, Plaid Cymru cannot support this plan, which plays into the hands of the unionist agenda and the agenda of the Conservatives in London, which will weaken rather than strengthen Wales as an economic entity, a social and cultural and political entity. In light of that, we feel strongly that we must make fundamental changes to the national development framework for Wales.

16:25

This is the second time I've spoken on the NDF, and during the last debate I clearly outlined a number of weaknesses in the NDF. During committee, my resolve that these need addressing has strengthened.

As I have said previously, the current regional approach is flawed, especially when looking at north and mid Wales. I recommended that policy 20 should be amended, so that the whole of north Wales benefits, and that the main focus should be shared between Wrexham and Deeside and Caernarfon, Bangor and the Menai strait area. So, I implore you to ensure that north-west Wales has a national growth area. Plaid Cymru are wrong to call on the regional model to be replaced—the problem is actually with where the national growth areas are to be. So, I must express my frustration again that policy 25 has not been amended to introduce Aberystwyth as a main focus for investment.

'Future Wales' continues to fail to drive investment to the west of the whole of Wales, and this brings me to my support of recommendation 10, that a clear statement is needed now as to how the strategy will help to further post-COVID recovery. Yes, there is a statement on this pandemic in there, but you actually need to show how the document has evolved because of this horrendous pandemic. For example, should you amend policy 20 and see more drive for investment in north-west Wales, it could be said that you are responding to the need for boosting economic growth in the region following the 114 per cent jump in universal credit claims in Conwy, 117 per cent in Ynys Môn and 147 per cent in Gwynedd.

Similarly, in response to COVID-19, considerable emphasis is being placed on the opportunity for a green recovery. Now, the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, has given a brilliant boost to fostering a green revolution in the UK. This strategy does not reflect any such ambition. Now, I agree with the committee recommendation 11 that the Welsh Government should work with National Grid, electrical distribution companies and the renewable energy industry to develop a shared understanding of the strategic improvements that need to be made to electric transmission and distribution infrastructure. I would even go further, and ask that you include a commitment in policy 17 that if new grid infrastructure is to be built across mid Wales, that this will be placed below ground. Attention should also be given to the oral evidence of Hedd Roberts, who highlighted the need to protect the limited number of sites suitable for cable landfalls. That would help align 'Future Wales' with the national marine plan. As the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales's Montgomery branch have highlighted, there needs to be a greater emphasis on a range of renewables, including marine energy.

Policy 22 refers to the need for a green belt around Wrexham and Deeside, and you will be aware that our committee have recommended that their function should be strengthened. I agree, but I am still concerned that by stipulating strong policy protection for the green belt in one corner of Wales, it could have a negative impact elsewhere. For example, if you wish to be direct, why not amend policy 22 so that it protects the green area around Llanrhos in Aberconwy? Again, there seems to be only two references to brownfield sites in this whole document. We should have a policy that gives priority to development in those areas.

It has been made clear to us that national parks are facing major challenges, so I do agree with recommendation 25 that there should be a specific policy on the matter, and this is what the Snowdonia Society themselves have advocated. I agree that policy 12 should include an additional priority: support for measures to reduce car dependency and to facilitate greener modes of access to our anchor visitor destinations in designated landscapes that are currently experiencing such chronic road congestion, proving more so during the times of the release of lockdown during the COVID pandemic. Despite you accepting the committee recommendation that the framework should address the poor connectivity between north and south Wales, it isn't there yet, as a lot of responsibility is being placed with the regions themselves.

Finally, I want to note my disappointment that 'Future Wales' in policies 4 and 5 leaves the future of rural areas to strategic and local development plans. Issues affecting rural Wales are of national significance, and as such, I reiterate calls for those policies to be amended so that they champion the saving of our rural schools and facilities, improvement of our B roads, diversification on our farms, and the Welsh Government working with digital communication providers to address the needs of rural areas. I urge you to act on these constructive calls, and to go back to the drawing board on this NDF. Thank you. Diolch.

Dyma'r ail dro i mi siarad am y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol, ac yn ystod y ddadl ddiwethaf amlinellais yn glir nifer o wendidau yn y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol. Yn ystod y pwyllgor, mae fy mhenderfyniad fod angen mynd i'r afael â'r rhain wedi cryfhau.

Fel y dywedais o'r blaen, mae'r dull rhanbarthol presennol yn ddiffygiol, yn enwedig wrth edrych ar ogledd a chanolbarth Cymru. Argymhellais y dylid diwygio polisi 20, fel bod gogledd Cymru i gyd yn elwa, ac y dylid rhannu'r prif ffocws rhwng Wrecsam a Glannau Dyfrdwy a Chaernarfon, Bangor ac ardal y Fenai. Felly, erfyniaf arnoch i sicrhau bod gan ogledd-orllewin Cymru ardal dwf genedlaethol. Mae Plaid Cymru yn anghywir i alw am rywbeth yn lle'r model rhanbarthol—y broblem mewn gwirionedd yw lle mae'r ardaloedd twf cenedlaethol i fod. Felly, rhaid i mi fynegi fy rhwystredigaeth eto nad yw polisi 25 wedi'i ddiwygio i gyflwyno Aberystwyth fel prif ffocws ar gyfer buddsoddi.

Mae 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn parhau i fethu sbarduno buddsoddiad i orllewin Cymru yn gyfan, a daw hyn â mi at fy nghefnogaeth i argymhelliad 10, fod angen datganiad clir yn awr ynglŷn â sut y bydd y strategaeth yn helpu i wella adferiad ôl-COVID. Oes, mae datganiad am y pandemig ynddo, ond mae gwir angen i chi ddangos sut y mae'r ddogfen wedi esblygu oherwydd y pandemig erchyll hwn. Er enghraifft, pe baech yn diwygio polisi 20 ac yn gweld mwy o ymdrech i fuddsoddi yng ngogledd-orllewin Cymru, gellid dweud eich bod yn ymateb i'r angen i hybu twf economaidd yn y rhanbarth yn dilyn y cynnydd o 114 y cant yn nifer yr hawliadau credyd cynhwysol yng Nghonwy, 117 y cant yn Ynys Môn a 147 y cant yng Ngwynedd.

Yn yr un modd, mewn ymateb i COVID-19, rhoddir cryn bwyslais ar y cyfle i sicrhau adferiad gwyrdd. Nawr, mae'r Prif Weinidog, y Gwir Anrhydeddus Boris Johnson AS, wedi rhoi hwb gwych i feithrin chwyldro gwyrdd yn y DU. Nid yw'r strategaeth hon yn adlewyrchu unrhyw uchelgais o'r fath. Nawr, rwy'n cytuno ag argymhelliad 11 y pwyllgor y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru weithio gyda'r Grid Cenedlaethol, cwmnïau dosbarthu trydanol a'r diwydiant ynni adnewyddadwy i ddatblygu dealltwriaeth gyffredin o'r gwelliannau strategol y mae angen eu gwneud i seilwaith trosglwyddo a dosbarthu trydan. Byddwn yn mynd ymhellach hyd yn oed, ac yn gofyn i chi gynnwys ymrwymiad ym mholisi 17, os oes seilwaith grid newydd i gael ei adeiladu ar draws canolbarth Cymru, y bydd hwnnw'n cael ei osod o dan y ddaear. Dylid rhoi sylw hefyd i dystiolaeth lafar Hedd Roberts, a dynnodd sylw at yr angen i ddiogelu'r nifer gyfyngedig o safleoedd sy'n addas ar gyfer glanfeydd cebl. Byddai hynny'n helpu i sicrhau bod 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn gyson â'r cynllun morol cenedlaethol. Fel y mae cangen Trefaldwyn o Ymgyrch Diogelu Cymru Wledig wedi nodi, mae angen rhoi mwy o bwyslais ar amrywiaeth o ynni adnewyddadwy, gan gynnwys ynni morol.

Mae polisi 22 yn cyfeirio at yr angen am lain las o amgylch Wrecsam a Glannau Dyfrdwy, ac fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fod ein pwyllgor wedi argymell y dylid cryfhau eu swyddogaeth. Rwy'n cytuno, ond rwy'n dal yn bryderus, y gallai nodi diogelwch polisi cryf ar gyfer y llain las mewn un gornel o Gymru gael effaith negyddol mewn mannau eraill. Er enghraifft, os ydych yn dymuno bod yn uniongyrchol, beth am ddiwygio polisi 22 fel ei fod yn diogelu'r ardal werdd o amgylch Llan-rhos yn Aberconwy? Unwaith eto, ymddengys mai dim ond dau gyfeiriad a geir at safleoedd tir llwyd yn y ddogfen gyfan. Dylem gael polisi sy'n rhoi blaenoriaeth i ddatblygu yn y mannau hynny.

Dywedwyd wrthym yn glir fod parciau cenedlaethol yn wynebu heriau mawr, felly rwy'n cytuno ag argymhelliad 25 y dylid cael polisi penodol ar y mater, a dyma mae Cymdeithas Eryri eu hunain wedi'i argymell. Rwy'n cytuno y dylai polisi 12 gynnwys blaenoriaeth ychwanegol: cymorth ar gyfer mesurau i leihau dibyniaeth ar geir a hwyluso dulliau mwy gwyrdd o gael mynediad i'n cyrchfannau angori ar gyfer ymwelwyr mewn tirweddau dynodedig sy'n profi tagfeydd cronig ar y ffyrdd ar hyn o bryd, gan brofi'n fwy felly yn ystod cyfnod codi'r cyfyngiadau symud yn y pandemig COVID. Er eich bod yn derbyn argymhelliad y pwyllgor y dylai'r fframwaith fynd i'r afael â'r cysylltedd gwael rhwng gogledd a de Cymru, nid yw yno eto, gan fod llawer o gyfrifoldeb yn cael ei roi i'r rhanbarthau eu hunain.

Yn olaf, hoffwn nodi fy siom fod 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' ym mholisïau 4 a 5 yn gadael dyfodol ardaloedd gwledig i gynlluniau datblygu strategol a lleol. Mae arwyddocâd cenedlaethol i faterion sy'n effeithio ar y Gymru wledig, ac fel y cyfryw, rwyf am ailadrodd galwadau i ddiwygio'r polisïau hynny fel eu bod yn hyrwyddo achub ein hysgolion a'n cyfleusterau gwledig, gwella ein ffyrdd B, arallgyfeirio ein ffermydd, a Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda darparwyr cyfathrebu digidol i fynd i'r afael ag anghenion ardaloedd gwledig. Rwy'n eich annog i weithredu ar y galwadau adeiladol hyn, ac i fynd yn ôl i'r dechrau ar y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol hwn. Diolch.

16:30

There are lots of good things in the revised version of 'Future Wales'. A picture tells a thousand words, so the maps of proposed zones for different activities are very welcome, and much easier for citizens to understand how 'Future Wales' is relevant to their vision for the well-being of future generations. So, I think there's been a considerable improvement on the first iteration. Thank you very much, Minister, for that.

There are two points I'd like to make. First of all, it's imperative that 'Future Wales' has a strong and clear message that we have to have green belts to stop the urban sprawl that joins up different communities. For example, we must have a green belt between Cardiff and Caerphilly, because otherwise, developers will always want to build on the edge of Cardiff, because they can make more money out of it than building in Caerphilly, and if we don't have that sort of arrangement, then it makes a mockery of our strategy for developing our Valleys communities and ensuring that Cardiff doesn't just become a monstrous overcrowded city with no green spaces to easily access. Equally, I think it's really important that we protect the floodplains between Cardiff and Newport, to safeguard them against the appetite of developers to build wherever they can, so long as it's on a greenfield site, even if it's on a floodplain. And the uncertainty over our future food supplies imported from the European continent make it even more important that we are able to safeguard this floodplain as a place where we can produce food for both Newport and Cardiff, and therefore improve our food security.

I'd also like the Minister to clarify the extent of the protection given to sites of special scientific interest. Wildlife Trusts Wales told the committee that SSSIs must be sacrosanct or, at least, granted the same protection as they are in continental Europe. Could we give Welsh SSSIs the same assessment steps as Natura 2000 sites, so that SSIs are afforded the necessary protections against development? This seems particularly important, given the disturbing loss of species across Wales from a multitude of activities by human beings. So, can we specify in 'Future Wales' that a habitat regulation assessment is de rigueur to test the impact of any proposed development and probe the conservation objectives of any particular proposal? If they're judged to have a significant impact, this could, then, be followed up with an appropriate assessment to determine whether the integrity of the site would be damaged. If this assessment, then, says such an impact would be unavoidable, despite mitigation efforts, then it seems to me that the only way development could proceed is if there are no alternative solutions and there are imperative reasons to override the public interest.

Most recently, we saw a proposal to build a relief road to the M4 going across the Gwent levels, which would have, of course, meant the invasion of this environmentally protected site by vehicles, which would have destroyed the virtues of the site. I hope that if the Welsh Government implements revised and more rigorous standards they can ensure that we never see such a proposal having traction again. It is, of course, brilliant that the First Minister decided the impact on the environment in that proposal was, indeed, far too great to allow it to go ahead and many other alternative proposals are now being drawn up. Thank you.  

Mae llawer o bethau da yn y fersiwn ddiwygiedig o 'Cymru'r Dyfodol'. Mae llun yn dweud cymaint ag y gall mil o eiriau ei wneud, felly mae'r mapiau o barthau arfaethedig ar gyfer gwahanol weithgareddau i'w croesawu'n fawr, ac yn llawer haws i ddinasyddion ddeall sut y mae 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn berthnasol i'w gweledigaeth hwy ar gyfer llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Felly, rwy'n credu bod gwelliant sylweddol wedi bod ers yr iteriad cyntaf. Diolch yn fawr iawn am hynny, Weinidog.

Hoffwn wneud dau bwynt. Yn gyntaf oll, mae'n hanfodol fod gan 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' neges gref a chlir fod yn rhaid inni gael lleiniau glas i atal y blerdwf trefol sy'n uno gwahanol gymunedau. Er enghraifft, rhaid inni gael llain las rhwng Caerdydd a Chaerffili, oherwydd fel arall, bydd datblygwyr bob amser am adeiladu ar gyrion Caerdydd, oherwydd gallant wneud mwy o arian drwy wneud hynny na thrwy adeiladu yng Nghaerffili, ac os nad oes gennym y math hwnnw o drefniant, mae'n tanseilio ein strategaeth ar gyfer datblygu cymunedau'r Cymoedd a sicrhau nad yw Caerdydd yn dod yn anghenfil o ddinas orlawn heb unrhyw fannau gwyrdd hygyrch. Yn yr un modd, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn diogelu'r gorlifdiroedd rhwng Caerdydd a Chasnewydd, i'w diogelu rhag archwaeth datblygwyr i adeiladu lle bynnag y gallant, cyhyd â'i fod ar safle maes glas, hyd yn oed os yw ar orlifdir. Ac mae'r ansicrwydd ynghylch ein cyflenwadau bwyd yn y dyfodol a fewnforir o gyfandir Ewrop yn ei gwneud yn bwysicach fyth ein bod yn gallu diogelu'r gorlifdir hwn fel man lle gallwn gynhyrchu bwyd ar gyfer Casnewydd a Chaerdydd, a gwella diogelwch ein cyflenwad bwyd drwy wneud hynny.

Hoffwn hefyd i'r Gweinidog egluro graddau'r diogelwch a roddir i safleoedd o ddiddordeb gwyddonol arbennig. Dywedodd Ymddiriedolaethau Natur Cymru wrth y pwyllgor fod yn rhaid i SoDdGA fod yn gysegredig neu o leiaf gael yr un amddiffyniad ag y maent yn ei gael ar gyfandir Ewrop. A allem roi'r un camau asesu i SoDdGA Cymru â safleoedd Natura 2000, fel bod SoDdGA yn cael yr amddiffyniadau angenrheidiol rhag datblygu? Mae hyn yn ymddangos yn arbennig o bwysig, o ystyried y rhywogaethau a gollir ledled Cymru yn sgil llu o weithgareddau gan fodau dynol. Felly, a gawn ni nodi yn 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' fod asesiad rheoleiddio cynefinoedd yn ffordd reolaidd o brofi effaith unrhyw ddatblygiad arfaethedig ac ymchwilio i amcanion cadwraeth unrhyw gynnig penodol? Os barnir eu bod yn cael effaith sylweddol, gellid dilyn hyn drwy gynnal asesiad priodol i benderfynu a fyddai integriti'r safle yn cael ei niweidio. Os yw'r asesiad hwn, felly, yn dweud na fyddai modd osgoi effaith o'r fath, er gwaethaf ymdrechion lliniaru, mae'n ymddangos i mi mai'r unig ffordd y gallai datblygiad fynd rhagddo yw os nad oes atebion amgen i'w cael a bod rhesymau cymhellol dros ddiystyru budd y cyhoedd.

Yn fwyaf diweddar, gwelsom gynnig i adeiladu ffordd liniaru i'r M4 yn mynd ar draws lefelau Gwent, a fyddai, wrth gwrs, wedi golygu bod y safle hwn a warchodir yn amgylcheddol yn cael ei oresgyn gan gerbydau, a fyddai wedi dinistrio rhinweddau'r safle. Os bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithredu safonau diwygiedig a mwy trwyadl, rwy'n gobeithio y gallant sicrhau nad ydym byth yn gweld cynnig o'r fath yn cael ei ystyried eto. Mae'n wych, wrth gwrs, fod y Prif Weinidog wedi penderfynu bod yr effaith ar yr amgylchedd yn y cynnig hwnnw yn llawer rhy fawr i ganiatáu iddo allu digwydd ac mae llawer o gynigion amgen eraill yn cael eu llunio nawr. Diolch.  

16:35

I rise to contribute to this debate as the Chair of the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee. We felt it was incumbent upon us to take evidence with regard to the possible effects of the national development framework on the Welsh language and on the Government's own target to reach a million speakers of Welsh. We took evidence on 15 November and we have written to the Minister. Of course, we await her formal response in due course. It is true, at a national strategic level, that the framework does make a number of references to the Welsh language, but at a regional and spatial level, the references are much more general, and overall our committee believes, and the evidence that was presented to us showed, that this risks being a missed opportunity in terms of using our spatial planning as a nation to protect and ensure the future of our national language. 

Witnesses raised a number of concerns and I'll touch on a few of them briefly. One concern was around the issue of accountability at a regional level. The framework makes a great play of the need to operate at a regional level, and there is some reason for that, though I have personal concerns about the regions as set out in the framework. But, for example, the Welsh Language Commissioner's office noted that its oversight of statutory duties relates to legal entities and individual bodies, and it's very far from clear to the Welsh Language Commissioner how his legal responsibilities for ensuring that those bodies operate properly in the Welsh language legislation—how is that going to be carried out when they're co-operating at a regional level. Where is the responsibility? If he has to make representations about a failure, where and to whom does he make that representation? It isn't clear how the regional approach, as set out in the framework, will support and promote the Welsh language, and the committee would like the Welsh Government to show much more clearly how it intends to ensure greater transparency of the work of the regional bodies and how they can be accountable. 

Another area where we took extensive evidence was the issue of housing and the Welsh language. We know that for the language to have a future it needs to have live communities in which it is spoken regularly on a day-to-day basis. And we know that, in those communities in the north and the west, access to housing is a huge issue. Members will remember the story from last year of a headteacher of a primary school who could not afford, in Gwynedd, to buy a house that was within 40 miles of the school where she lived—for somebody in that senior professional position not to be able to afford a home in her community. Now, we don't feel that this is adequately addressed as an issue in the framework, and the impact of not having access to affordable and, crucially, social housing will really get in the way of those communities being able to survive as living communities and, therefore, the future of the language. We recommend that the link between social housing and affordable housing in Welsh-speaking areas, and the impact on the Welsh language, should be set out much more thoroughly in the framework document.

We are concerned about the way in which rural communities are referred to in the framework as a hinterland for towns and cities. It is in those rural communities where the Welsh language is often at its strongest, and to see rural communities as something that just exists in the context of the town that they surround is really an error, in our view. We would like the Government to take a more balanced approach to helping urban and rural centres to prosper, rather than one that focuses on urban centres with their hinterland, as if, somehow, the rural area belongs to the city or town. The framework we'd like to see updated to take account of the greater need for fast and reliable access to broadband—that, again, is crucial to enable people to work in those communities. And more information from the Government on what they're thinking on local hubs.

And finally, Llywydd, to touch on the issues of mainstreaming the language, there needs to be a recognition of the impact of these policies on the Welsh language at all levels of the document, not just at a national strategic level. We also think there's a need to see stronger links with other strategies. Where, for example, are the links with the Welsh in education plans? How will the framework contribute to the 'Cymraeg 2050' strategy? All this this needs to be spelt out, and then it needs to be monitored. We've asked the Government to specify how the contribution to the outcomes of 2050 will be measured and monitored if the framework is rolled out, and we've asked for the regional level of spatial planning in the framework to be flexible enough to allow the growth of partnerships that address specific issues. For example, those counties where Welsh is a community language should be able to work together beyond the framework as set out here.

We look forward as a committee to the Minister's formal response. There is still time to address our concerns. If they are not addressed, this will be a missed opportunity for the Government to put real meat on the bones of their commitment to 'Cymraeg 2050', and it will be necessary for an incoming Government to substantially reform the framework if this is not addressed. 

Rwy'n codi i gyfrannu at y ddadl hon fel Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Diwylliant, y Gymraeg a Chyfathrebu. Roeddem yn teimlo ei bod yn ddyletswydd arnom i gymryd tystiolaeth ar effeithiau posibl y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol ar y Gymraeg ac ar darged y Llywodraeth ei hun i gyrraedd miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg. Cawsom dystiolaeth ar 15 Tachwedd ac rydym wedi ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog. Wrth gwrs, rydym yn aros am ei hymateb ffurfiol maes o law. Mae'n wir, ar lefel strategol genedlaethol, fod y fframwaith yn gwneud nifer o gyfeiriadau at y Gymraeg, ond ar lefel ranbarthol a gofodol, mae'r cyfeiriadau'n llawer mwy cyffredinol, ac at ei gilydd mae ein pwyllgor yn credu, a dangosodd y dystiolaeth a gyflwynwyd inni, fod perygl i hwn fod yn gyfle a gollwyd mewn perthynas â defnyddio ein cynlluniau gofodol fel gwlad i ddiogelu a sicrhau dyfodol ein hiaith genedlaethol. 

Mynegodd tystion nifer o bryderon ac rwyf am gyffwrdd â rhai ohonynt yn fyr. Roedd un pryder yn ymwneud ag atebolrwydd ar lefel ranbarthol. Mae'r fframwaith yn gwneud llawer iawn o'r angen i weithredu ar lefel ranbarthol, ac mae rhywfaint o reswm dros hynny, er bod gennyf fi'n bersonol bryderon am y rhanbarthau fel y'u nodir yn y fframwaith. Ond er enghraifft, nododd swyddfa Comisiynydd y Gymraeg fod ei goruchwyliaeth o ddyletswyddau statudol yn ymwneud ag endidau cyfreithiol a chyrff unigol, ac mae ymhell o fod yn glir i Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg sut y mae ei gyfrifoldebau cyfreithiol dros sicrhau bod y cyrff hynny'n gweithredu'n briodol yn y ddeddfwriaeth iaith Gymraeg—sut y bydd hynny'n cael ei gyflawni pan fyddant yn cydweithredu ar lefel ranbarthol. Ble mae'r cyfrifoldeb? Os oes rhaid iddo gyflwyno sylwadau am fethiant, ymhle ac i bwy y mae'n gwneud y sylwadau hynny? Nid yw'n glir sut y bydd y dull rhanbarthol, fel y'i nodir yn y fframwaith, yn cefnogi ac yn hyrwyddo'r Gymraeg, a hoffai'r pwyllgor i Lywodraeth Cymru ddangos yn llawer mwy eglur sut y mae'n bwriadu sicrhau mwy o dryloywder yng ngwaith y cyrff rhanbarthol a sut y gallant fod yn atebol. 

Maes arall lle cawsom dystiolaeth helaeth oedd tai a'r Gymraeg. Er mwyn i'r iaith gael dyfodol, gwyddom fod angen iddi gael cymunedau byw lle caiff ei siarad yn rheolaidd o ddydd i ddydd. Ac yn y cymunedau yn y gogledd a'r gorllewin, gwyddom fod mynediad at dai yn broblem enfawr. Bydd yr Aelodau'n cofio stori pennaeth ysgol gynradd y llynedd na allai fforddio prynu tŷ yng Ngwynedd a oedd o fewn 40 milltir i'r ysgol lle roedd yn byw—fod rhywun yn y swydd broffesiynol uwch honno'n methu fforddio cartref yn ei chymuned. Nawr, nid ydym yn teimlo bod hyn yn cael sylw digonol fel problem yn y fframwaith, a bydd effaith methu cael mynediad at dai fforddiadwy, ac yn hollbwysig, at dai cymdeithasol, yn rhwystro'r cymunedau hynny rhag gallu goroesi fel cymunedau byw, a'r effaith ar ddyfodol yr iaith. Rydym yn argymell y dylai'r cysylltiad rhwng tai cymdeithasol a thai fforddiadwy mewn ardaloedd Cymraeg, a'r effaith ar y Gymraeg, gael ei nodi'n llawer mwy trylwyr yn y ddogfen fframwaith.

Rydym yn pryderu am y ffordd y cyfeirir at gymunedau gwledig yn y fframwaith fel cefnwlad i drefi a dinasoedd. Yn y cymunedau gwledig hynny y mae'r Gymraeg yn aml ar ei chryfaf, ac mae gweld cymunedau gwledig fel rhywbeth sy'n bodoli'n unig yng nghyd-destun y dref y maent yn ei hamgylchynu yn gamgymeriad go iawn yn ein barn ni. Hoffem i'r Llywodraeth fabwysiadu agwedd fwy cytbwys tuag at helpu canol trefi a chanolfannau gwledig i ffynnu, yn hytrach nag un sy'n canolbwyntio ar ganolfannau trefol gyda'u cefnwlad, fel pe bai'r ardal wledig, rywsut, yn perthyn i'r ddinas neu'r dref. Hoffem weld y fframwaith yn cael ei ddiweddaru i ystyried yr angen mwy am fynediad cyflym a dibynadwy at fand eang—unwaith eto, mae hwnnw'n hanfodol i alluogi pobl i weithio yn y cymunedau hynny. A mwy o wybodaeth gan y Llywodraeth am eu syniadau ynghylch hybiau lleol.

Ac yn olaf, Lywydd, os caf sôn am faterion prif ffrydio'r iaith, mae angen cydnabod effaith y polisïau hyn ar y Gymraeg ar bob lefel o'r ddogfen, nid ar lefel strategol genedlaethol yn unig. Credwn hefyd fod angen gweld cysylltiadau cryfach â strategaethau eraill. Er enghraifft, ble mae'r cysylltiadau â'r cynlluniau Cymraeg mewn addysg? Sut y bydd y fframwaith yn cyfrannu at strategaeth 'Cymraeg 2050'? Mae angen nodi hyn i gyd, ac yna mae angen ei fonitro. Rydym wedi gofyn i'r Llywodraeth nodi sut y caiff y cyfraniad tuag at ganlyniadau 2050 ei fesur a'i fonitro os caiff y fframwaith ei gyflwyno, ac rydym wedi gofyn i lefel ranbarthol cynllunio gofodol yn y fframwaith fod yn ddigon hyblyg i ganiatáu twf partneriaethau sy'n mynd i'r afael â materion penodol. Er enghraifft, dylai'r siroedd lle mae'r Gymraeg yn iaith gymunedol allu cydweithio y tu hwnt i'r fframwaith fel y mae.

Edrychwn ymlaen fel pwyllgor at ymateb ffurfiol y Gweinidog. Mae amser o hyd i fynd i'r afael â'n pryderon. Os na chânt sylw, bydd hwn yn gyfle a gollwyd i'r Llywodraeth roi cig go iawn ar esgyrn eu hymrwymiad i 'Cymraeg 2050', a bydd angen i Lywodraeth newydd ddiwygio'r fframwaith yn sylweddol os nad eir i'r afael â hyn. 

16:40

As a Member of the committee that scrutinised this Bill, I stand here to make some comments. There is no doubt that we need a national development plan, and underneath that, there's no doubt that we probably need a strategic development plan. But I'm going to raise my voice in support of communities that might feel somewhat removed from that process.

I note that the local government and elections Bill does have a mechanism for the development and establishment of a strategic development plan, and would be delivered by corporate joint committees, and that's made up of representatives from more than one local authority. Whilst I do support that, I think it's absolutely critical that we put in a system and a process to ensure that those representatives are, indeed, reflecting the views and the principles of the local communities that they serve. And I think that it is absolutely important that the frustrations of the current planning Act are not repeated. Over and over again we've seen development not able to go forward because there was no local development plan, and that, clearly, is not a good place to be in terms of trying to get any investment into that area.

I do want to welcome the fact that the neighbouring local authorities are considered when strategic plans are drawn up. The Minister, when she gave evidence, gave the example of Ystradgynlais, which is, of course, in mid and west Wales, as an area where connectivity into the Swansea city bay area is as good as its connectivity back into that area. Particularly when we talk about Powys and Ceredigion joining together in an economic development area, which, again, I support, it's about those peripheral areas that are joining other areas. Powys is a particular example where, along its very long periphery, it will abut many other areas, including some parts of England. So, it is really important that that is taken note of.

The biggest challenge, of course, is outlined in building back green and blue into the economy. When we look at the alternative energies that are writ large in this, if we particularly look at the offshore energy developments, there will have to be, in all cases, access back to the land. I know that the Minister has made it quite clear that this has to be read alongside the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009). Nonetheless, the two have to work together. Otherwise, we cannot have the energy that we all hope to have—the new green energy—without that joining up together.

I do have to say that I support what Jenny Rathbone, and, I think, others have said here today, that we have to absolutely ensure the integrity of Natura 2000 sites. We must absolutely avoid, as a result of any implementation of policies within 'Future Wales', the degradation of biodiversity. It is never going to be good enough that we maintain things as they are, because to maintain things as they are, in terms of biodiversity, is only to keep us behind the loop, when, actually, what we need to do is restore what we've got to a pre-existing state, before it was degraded in the very first place. Thank you. 

Fel Aelod o'r pwyllgor a fu'n craffu ar y Bil hwn, rwyf yma i wneud rhai sylwadau. Nid oes amheuaeth fod arnom angen cynllun datblygu cenedlaethol, ac o dan hynny, nid oes amheuaeth fod arnom angen cynllun datblygu strategol, mae'n debyg. Ond rwy'n mynd i godi fy llais i gefnogi cymunedau a allai deimlo eu bod wedi'u heithrio i ryw raddau o'r broses honno.

Sylwaf fod gan y Bil llywodraeth leol ac etholiadau fecanwaith ar gyfer datblygu a sefydlu cynllun datblygu strategol, ac y byddai'n cael ei ddarparu gan gydbwyllgorau corfforaethol wedi'u cyfansoddi o gynrychiolwyr o fwy nag un awdurdod lleol. Er fy mod yn cefnogi hynny, rwy'n credu ei bod yn gwbl hanfodol ein bod yn rhoi system a phroses ar waith i sicrhau bod y cynrychiolwyr hynny yn adlewyrchu barn ac egwyddorion y cymunedau lleol y maent yn eu gwasanaethu. A chredaf ei bod yn eithriadol o bwysig nad yw rhwystredigaethau'r Ddeddf gynllunio bresennol yn cael eu hailadrodd. Dro ar ôl tro gwelsom ddatblygiad yn methu mynd rhagddo am nad oedd cynllun datblygu lleol yn bodoli, ac mae'n amlwg nad yw hwnnw'n lle da i fod wrth geisio cael unrhyw fuddsoddiad i'r ardal honno.

Rwyf am groesawu'r ffaith bod yr awdurdodau lleol cyfagos yn cael eu hystyried pan gaiff cynlluniau strategol eu llunio. Pan roddodd y Gweinidog dystiolaeth, nododd Ystradgynlais fel enghraifft yng nghanolbarth a gorllewin Cymru o ardal lle mae cysylltedd ag ardal bae dinas Abertawe cystal â'i chysylltedd yn ôl i'r ardal honno. Yn enwedig pan soniwn am Bowys a Cheredigion yn ymuno â'i gilydd mewn ardal datblygu economaidd, sydd, unwaith eto, yn rhywbeth rwy'n ei gefnogi, mae'n ymwneud â'r ardaloedd ymylol hynny sy'n ymuno ag ardaloedd eraill. Mae Powys yn enghraifft arbennig lle bydd, ar hyd ei hymylon hir iawn, yn ffinio â llawer o ardaloedd eraill, gan gynnwys rhannau o Loegr. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn fod hynny'n cael ei nodi.

Mae'r her fwyaf, wrth gwrs, wedi'i hamlinellu gydag adeiladu gwyrdd a glas yn ôl yn rhan o'r economi. Pan edrychwn ar yr ynni amgen sy'n rhan fawr o hyn, os edrychwn yn benodol ar y datblygiadau ynni ar y môr, bydd yn rhaid cael mynediad yn ôl i'r tir ym mhob achos. Gwn fod y Gweinidog wedi dweud yn gwbl glir fod yn rhaid darllen hyn ochr yn ochr â Deddf y Môr a Mynediad i'r Arfordir (2009). Er hynny, mae'n rhaid i'r ddau weithio gyda'i gilydd. Fel arall, ni allwn gael yr ynni rydym i gyd yn gobeithio ei gael—yr ynni gwyrdd newydd—heb y cydgysylltiad hwnnw.

Rhaid i mi ddweud fy mod yn cefnogi'r hyn y mae Jenny Rathbone, ac eraill, rwy'n credu, wedi'i ddweud yma heddiw, fod yn rhaid inni sicrhau integriti safleoedd Natura 2000 yn llwyr. Rhaid inni osgoi dirywiad bioamrywiaeth o ganlyniad i weithredu polisïau yn 'Cymru'r Dyfodol'. Nid yw byth yn mynd i fod yn ddigon da ein bod yn cynnal pethau fel y maent, oherwydd er mwyn cynnal pethau fel y maent, o ran bioamrywiaeth, dim ond ein cadw ar y droed ôl fydd hynny'n ei wneud, pan fo angen inni adfer yr hyn sydd gennym i gyflwr a arferai fodoli mewn gwirionedd, cyn iddo gael ei ddiraddio yn y lle cyntaf. Diolch. 

16:45

Can I thank, first of all, the climate change and rural affairs committee for their work on the NDF? I have some observations of my own to make, and I'm also going to reference the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee, which also scrutinised relevant aspects of the NDF that were relevant to that committee. But, I should add that I'm not speaking in my capacity as Chair of that committee today.

There have been a number of rounds of consultations, and I broadly welcome a number of very significant changes and improvements that have been made up to this point. There is a big 'however' coming later in my contribution. In regard to the EIS committee, we did feel strongly that, for the purpose of the NDF, Wales should be best broken down into four regions, not three. So, I was very pleased that the Government took note of that and introduced a four-region model. That was very positive indeed.

I note that in the Government's consultation process response, they strongly refuted the committee's view that the NDF lacked ambition. I think this is disheartening. I think a key national planning document like this needs to set an agenda, and it needs to make clear the route that we can take to tackle national challenges like economic an social inequality. I'm pleased as well to see that the updated NDF included a reference to the foundational economy. Earlier drafts did not include any reference to the foundational economy, and later documents did, so another positive change as well.

I'm coming on now to the bit that I mentioned—the 'however' bit. I, like many people across mid Wales, am deeply, deeply disappointed that the representations from across rural mid Wales seem to have been ignored, and that the renewable energy section has only been strengthened in what seems to be a drive to increase onshore wind. I will remind the Minister of the June 2011 protests that took place outside this Senedd a month after I was elected. Thousands of people came to protest, in dozens of buses that came from mid Wales. This is a signal that, yet again, the Welsh Government considers the huge damage to our landscapes to be acceptable, but it is not acceptable. It is not acceptable to me and it's not acceptable to the people of mid Wales, and it's clear that the Welsh Government give far more credence to the lobbying from onshore windfarm developers than the population of rural mid Wales, who they are supposed to represent.

I listened very carefully to the comments of Jenny Rathbone when she talked about the Welsh Government's scrapping of the M4 relief road due to environmental factors. Isn't it interesting that that's important to the First Minister when it comes to that particular project, but when it comes to mid Wales, it's a different story? In the NDF, no evidence or objective or rationale in regard to the designated area is outlined, and landscape is not an expendable commodity, and once spoiled, it is lost for future generations. Once again, the Welsh Government has opted to place far too much emphasis on onshore wind.

I know that the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales made strong representations in this regard. I'm just going to highlight a few of them in the time I've got left, but tourism is critical to the rural economy. In Powys, it is the second highest producer of GDP, at around 11 per cent. Rural Wales's unique selling point as a fabulous landscape cannot be ignored, and this isn't just a case of being about national parks or areas of outstanding natural beauty, but the whole wonderful variety of tranquility and extensive unspoilt panoramic views. Rural Wales attracts tourism all year around.

And there are, of course, negative opinions regarding turbines and transmission lines, which are all very well documented. Then there is the flood risk, which CPRW point out in more detail as well, and the scale of what is proposed, how that would change water flows and have wider damage. Then there is the transport of turbines, also to remote rural areas, and that creates huge logistical issues in terms of narrow roads and steep winding roads and low bridges. Then, of course, there is the issue of remote locations that require extensive transmission infrastructure across considerable areas of beautiful countryside. The landscape implications of this are simply ignored within the NDF.

So, I would urge you, Minister, to consider very carefully again what I've outlined today and the views of CPRW. We need to have greater emphasis on a much wider basket of renewables, including offshore wind in that. Ten years ago, the people of my constituency called for 'Technical Advice Note (Wales) 8: Planning for Renewable Energy' to be scrapped, and the Welsh Government said 'no'. Now they are scrapping TAN 8, but they're effectively putting in place something that is worse in regard to this particular section of the NDF.

A gaf fi ddiolch, yn gyntaf oll, i'r pwyllgor newid hinsawdd a materion gwledig am eu gwaith ar y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol? Mae gennyf rai sylwadau fy hun i'w gwneud, ac rwyf hefyd yn mynd i gyfeirio at Bwyllgor yr Economi, Seilwaith a Sgiliau, a fu'n craffu ar agweddau perthnasol ar y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol a oedd yn berthnasol i'r pwyllgor hwnnw. Ond dylwn ychwanegu nad wyf yn siarad yn rhinwedd fy swydd fel Cadeirydd y pwyllgor hwnnw heddiw.

Cafwyd nifer o rowndiau o ymgynghoriadau, ac yn gyffredinol rwy'n croesawu nifer o newidiadau a gwelliannau sylweddol iawn a wnaed hyd at y pwynt hwn. Mae 'fodd bynnag' mawr yn dod yn ddiweddarach yn fy nghyfraniad. O ran Pwyllgor yr Economi, Seilwaith a Sgiliau, at ddibenion y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol, teimlem yn gryf mai'r ffordd orau o rannu Cymru yw'n bedwar rhanbarth, nid tri. Felly, roeddwn yn falch iawn fod y Llywodraeth wedi nodi hynny ac wedi cyflwyno model pedwar rhanbarth. Roedd hynny'n wirioneddol gadarnhaol.

Yn ymateb y Llywodraeth i'r broses ymgynghori, sylwaf eu bod wedi gwrthod yn gryf farn y pwyllgor nad oedd uchelgais i'w weld yn y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol. Rwy'n credu bod hyn yn ddigalon. Credaf fod angen i ddogfen gynllunio genedlaethol allweddol fel hon osod agenda, ac mae angen iddi egluro'r llwybr y gallwn ei ddilyn i fynd i'r afael â heriau cenedlaethol fel anghydraddoldeb cymdeithasol ac economaidd. Rwy'n falch hefyd o weld bod y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol a ddiweddarwyd yn cynnwys cyfeiriad at yr economi sylfaenol. Nid oedd drafftiau cynharach yn cynnwys unrhyw gyfeiriad at yr economi sylfaenol, ac fe wnaeth dogfennau diweddarach hynny, felly newid cadarnhaol arall.

Rwy'n dod nawr at y rhan a grybwyllais—y darn 'fodd bynnag'. Rwyf fi, fel llawer o bobl ledled canolbarth Cymru, yn siomedig tu hwnt ei bod yn ymddangos bod y sylwadau o bob rhan o gefn gwlad canolbarth Cymru wedi'u hanwybyddu, ac mai mewn ymgyrch ymddangosiadol i gynyddu gwynt ar y tir yn unig y cryfhawyd yr adran ynni adnewyddadwy. Rwy'n atgoffa'r Gweinidog am y protestiadau ym mis Mehefin 2011 a gynhaliwyd y tu allan i'r Senedd hon fis ar ôl i mi gael fy ethol. Daeth miloedd o bobl i brotestio, mewn dwsinau o fysiau a deithiodd o ganolbarth Cymru. Mae hyn yn arwydd fod Llywodraeth Cymru, unwaith eto, o'r farn fod y niwed enfawr i'n tirweddau yn dderbyniol, ond nid yw'n dderbyniol. Nid yw'n dderbyniol i mi ac nid yw'n dderbyniol i bobl canolbarth Cymru, ac mae'n amlwg fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi llawer mwy o goel ar lobïo gan ddatblygwyr ffermydd gwynt ar y tir na phoblogaeth cefn gwlad canolbarth Cymru, y bobl y maent i fod i'w cynrychioli.

Gwrandewais yn astud iawn ar sylwadau Jenny Rathbone pan soniodd am y ffordd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael gwared ar ffordd liniaru'r M4 oherwydd ffactorau amgylcheddol. Onid yw'n ddiddorol fod hynny'n bwysig i'r Prif Weinidog mewn perthynas â'r prosiect penodol hwnnw, ond mae canolbarth Cymru'n stori wahanol? Yn y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol, ni chaiff unrhyw dystiolaeth nac amcan na rhesymeg ei hamlinellu ynglŷn â'r ardal ddynodedig, ac nid yw tirwedd yn nwydd y gellir ei wario, a phan gaiff ei difetha, caiff ei golli ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Unwaith eto, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dewis rhoi llawer gormod o bwyslais ar wynt ar y tir.

Gwn fod Ymgyrch Diogelu Cymru Wledig wedi cyflwyno sylwadau cryf yn hyn o beth. Rwy'n mynd i dynnu sylw at rai ohonynt yn yr amser sydd gennyf ar ôl, ond mae twristiaeth yn hanfodol i'r economi wledig. Ym Mhowys, dyma'r cynhyrchydd cynnyrch domestig gros uchaf ond un, ar tua 11 y cant. Ni ellir anwybyddu pwynt gwerthu unigryw'r Gymru wledig fel tirwedd wych, ac nid mater o barciau cenedlaethol neu ardaloedd o harddwch naturiol eithriadol yn unig yw hyn, ond yr amrywiaeth wych o dawelwch a golygfeydd panoramig helaeth heb eu difetha. Mae'r Gymru wledig yn denu twristiaeth drwy'r flwyddyn.

Ac wrth gwrs, ceir barn negyddol am dyrbinau a llinellau trosglwyddo, sydd wedi'i dogfennu'n dda iawn. Yna ceir perygl llifogydd, sydd hefyd wedi'i nodi'n fanylach gan Ymgyrch Diogelu Cymru Wledig, a maint yr hyn a gynigir, sut y byddai hynny'n newid llif dŵr ac yn arwain at ddifrod ehangach. Yna ceir cludiant tyrbinau, hefyd i ardaloedd gwledig anghysbell, ac mae hynny'n creu problemau logistaidd enfawr gyda ffyrdd cul a ffyrdd troellog serth a phontydd isel. Wedyn, wrth gwrs, ceir mater lleoliadau anghysbell sy'n galw am seilwaith trosglwyddo helaeth ar draws ardaloedd sylweddol o gefn gwlad hardd. Anwybyddir goblygiadau hyn i'r dirwedd yn y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol.

Felly, rwy'n eich annog, Weinidog, i ystyried yn ofalus iawn eto yr hyn rwyf wedi'i amlinellu heddiw a safbwyntiau Ymgyrch Diogelu Cymru Wledig. Mae angen inni gael mwy o bwyslais ar amrywiaeth lawer ehangach o ynni adnewyddadwy, gan gynnwys gwynt ar y môr yn hynny. Ddeng mlynedd yn ôl, galwodd pobl fy etholaeth am ddileu 'Nodyn Cyngor Technegol (Cymru) 8: Cynllunio ar gyfer Ynni Adnewyddadwy', a dywedodd Llywodraeth Cymru 'na'. Nawr maent yn cael gwared ar TAN 8, ond maent i bob pwrpas yn mabwysiadu rhywbeth sy'n waeth mewn perthynas â'r adran benodol hon o'r fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol.

16:50

Like Russell George, I am deeply concerned about the potential impact—indeed, the likely impact—of the national development framework upon the landscapes of mid and west Wales. I'm an enthusiastic member of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, and I see in this document the fundamental aim of the Welsh Government, which is to wreck the landscapes of mid and west Wales in order to conduct a virtue-signalling exercise in relation to renewable energy.

Huge blocks of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Powys are designated for solar and wind, and big areas of Pembrokeshire for solar farms. We've just spent some time this afternoon debating the effects of plastic pollution. Well, at least with plastic you can pick it up and remove it, but when the hills of Wales are covered with windfarms and solar panel parks, then they are going to be there for a generation or more, and as Russell George has just pointed out, mid and west Wales relies on its landscape to generate a huge quantity of the economic activity within the region. Tourism is fundamental to the Welsh economy in these areas. I think it's monstrous that the Welsh Government, which is overwhelmingly urban in its representation and its interests, will be now riding roughshod over the interests and opinions of the people of mid and west Wales.

What we're seeing here is a strategic centralisation of planning and planning decision making. The national development framework and 'Planning Policy Wales Edition 10' will override any strategic development plan that might be developed and the local development plans that are currently in existence. We've seen this already in a number of controversial instances. The Welsh Government has ridden roughshod over local opinion in relation to the Hendy windfarm, for example, near Llandrindod Wells, where the local authority rejected the proposal, the planning inspector appointed by the Minister rejected the proposal and the Minister just approved it nevertheless.

The developments of national significance that are at the heart of all this, which are identified in the national development framework, will mean that decision taking in these areas is taken away altogether from local people and their representatives at a local level, and will be ultimately harboured in Cardiff. You know, when devolution was introduced, it was supposed to bring Government closer to the people, but I don't think that the people of mid and west Wales, and less still people in north Wales, feel closer to Cardiff than they feel close to Westminster. And so, the result of this national development framework, I believe, will further undermine the support for devolution, which has been draining away in any event in recent years.

Developments of national significance are windfarm developments, for example, of over 10 MW. Compared with England, that's very, very small, because the threshold figure in England is 50 MW. What does this mean? It means that there's a presumption in favour of development for these kinds of schemes, and associated acceptance of landscape change. Well, that's a fine phrase, isn't it—'landscape change'. Well, it is a change, isn't it, from glorious countryside to massive wind turbine developments that could be up to 250m in height. You can't avoid seeing these things and it completely wrecks any enjoyment of the countryside and I think will be a dagger aimed at the heart of the tourism industry in mid and west Wales.

It overrides the importance of landscape, amenity, heritage, nature conservation and, indeed, the tourist industry itself. And, as the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales Brecon and Radnor branch, of which I'm a member, has pointed out, recent flagship legislation has committed Welsh public bodies to sustainable management of natural resources, sustainable development and the enhancement of resilient ecosystems, and also to work towards the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 goals, seven of them. Well, the promotion of industrial-scale renewable development, including wind turbines of up to 250m in height across much of rural Wales, coupled with a permissive policy that will reduce the weight to be given to local concerns isn't compatible with the objectives of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 or indeed the well-being of future generations Act itself, or indeed the nature recovery plan. 

So, I believe that here, we've got a disaster in the making of a really colossal kind. And we've seen a gross abuse of the system already. There's another windfarm near Llangurig called Bryn Blaen, which Members, I'm sure, will be well familiar with. Planning permission for that was given in 2016 and it hasn't generated a watt of electricity, but the accounts of U and I Group PLC, the company that ultimately owns it, for 2019 show that they have generated £4.7 million-worth of cash—that's taxpayers' money, basically, that's gone into their pockets, out of Wales and into England, for no benefit in terms of saving the planet, either. It's pure rent-seeking abuse. And that's what disturbs me about this whole—

Fel Russell George, rwy'n pryderu'n fawr am effaith bosibl—effaith debygol yn wir—y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol ar dirweddau canolbarth a gorllewin Cymru. Rwy'n aelod brwdfrydig o Ymgyrch Diogelu Cymru Wledig, a gwelaf yn y ddogfen hon nod sylfaenol Llywodraeth Cymru, sef dinistrio tirweddau canolbarth a gorllewin Cymru er mwyn cynnal ymarfer ymffrostio mewn rhinweddau mewn perthynas ag ynni adnewyddadwy.

Mae darnau enfawr o Geredigion, Sir Gaerfyrddin a Phowys wedi'u dynodi ar gyfer solar a gwynt, ac ardaloedd mawr o Sir Benfro ar gyfer ffermydd solar. Rydym newydd dreulio peth amser y prynhawn yma yn trafod effeithiau llygredd plastig. Wel, gyda phlastig gallwch o leiaf ei godi a chael ei wared, ond pan fydd bryniau Cymru wedi'u gorchuddio â ffermydd gwynt a pharciau paneli solar, byddant yno am genhedlaeth neu fwy, ac fel y mae Russell George newydd ddweud, mae canolbarth a gorllewin Cymru yn dibynnu ar ei thirwedd i greu llawer iawn o'r gweithgarwch economaidd yn y rhanbarth. Mae twristiaeth yn hanfodol i economi Cymru yn yr ardaloedd hyn. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn erchyll y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru, sy'n bennaf drefol o ran ei chynrychiolaeth a'i buddiannau, yn diystyru buddiannau a barn pobl canolbarth a gorllewin Cymru.

Yr hyn rydym yn ei weld yma yw canoli cynlluniau a phenderfyniadau cynllunio yn strategol. Bydd y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol a 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru Argraffiad 10' yn diystyru unrhyw gynllun datblygu strategol y gellid ei ddatblygu a'r cynlluniau datblygu lleol sy'n bodoli ar hyn o bryd. Rydym eisoes wedi gweld hyn mewn nifer o achosion dadleuol. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi diystyru'r farn leol mewn perthynas â fferm wynt yr Hendy ger Llandrindod, er enghraifft, lle gwrthododd yr awdurdod lleol y cynnig, gwrthododd yr arolygydd cynllunio a benodwyd gan y Gweinidog y cynnig ac mae'r Gweinidog newydd ei gymeradwyo serch hynny.

Bydd y datblygiadau o arwyddocâd cenedlaethol sydd wrth wraidd hyn oll a nodir yn y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol yn golygu na fydd y bobl leol a'u cynrychiolwyr yn yr ardaloedd hyn yn cael gwneud unrhyw benderfyniadau ar lefel leol, a byddant yn cael eu gwneud yng Nghaerdydd yn y pen draw. Wyddoch chi, pan gyflwynwyd datganoli, roedd i fod i ddod â'r Llywodraeth yn nes at y bobl, ond nid wyf yn credu bod pobl canolbarth a gorllewin Cymru, a llai fyth o bobl gogledd Cymru, yn teimlo'n agosach at Gaerdydd nag at San Steffan. Ac felly, credaf y bydd canlyniad y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol hwn yn tanseilio ymhellach y gefnogaeth i ddatganoli, sydd wedi bod yn gwanhau beth bynnag yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf.

Datblygiadau o arwyddocâd cenedlaethol yw datblygiadau ffermydd gwynt o dros 10 MW, er enghraifft. O'i gymharu â Lloegr, mae hynny'n eithriadol o fach, oherwydd y ffigur trothwy yn Lloegr yw 50 MW. Beth y mae hyn yn ei olygu? Mae'n golygu bod rhagdybiaeth o blaid datblygu ar gyfer y mathau hyn o gynlluniau, a derbyn newid i'r dirwedd yn gysylltiedig â hynny. Wel, dyna ymadrodd da, onid e—'newid i'r dirwedd'. Wel, mae'n newid, onid yw, o gefn gwlad gogoneddus i ddatblygiadau tyrbinau gwynt enfawr a allai fod hyd at 250m o uchder. Ni allwch osgoi gweld y pethau hyn ac mae'n dinistrio unrhyw fwynhad o gefn gwlad yn llwyr ac rwy'n credu y bydd yn gyllell wedi'i hanelu at galon y diwydiant twristiaeth yng nghanolbarth a gorllewin Cymru.

Mae'n drech na phwysigrwydd tirwedd, amwynder, treftadaeth, cadwraeth natur ac yn wir, y diwydiant twristiaeth ei hun. Ac fel y mae cangen Brycheiniog a Maesyfed o Ymgyrch Diogelu Cymru Wledig, cangen rwy'n aelod ohoni, wedi nodi, mae deddfwriaeth flaenllaw ddiweddar wedi ymrwymo cyrff cyhoeddus Cymru i reoli adnoddau naturiol yn gynaliadwy, datblygu cynaliadwy a gwella ecosystemau gwydn, a hefyd i weithio tuag at nodau Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, saith ohonynt. Wel, nid yw hyrwyddo datblygiadau ynni adnewyddadwy ar raddfa ddiwydiannol, gan gynnwys tyrbinau gwynt o hyd at 250m o uchder ar draws llawer o'r Gymru wledig, ynghyd â pholisi caniataol a fydd yn lleihau'r pwysau a roddir ar bryderon lleol, yn gydnaws ag amcanion Deddf yr Amgylchedd (Cymru) 2016 na Deddf llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol ei hun, na'r cynllun adfer natur yn wir. 

Felly, rwy'n credu bod gennym hadau trychineb gwirioneddol enfawr yma. Ac rydym wedi gweld cam-drin difrifol ar y system yn barod. Mae yna fferm wynt arall ger Llangurig o'r enw Bryn Blaen, y bydd yr Aelodau'n gyfarwydd iawn â hi rwy'n siŵr. Rhoddwyd caniatâd cynllunio ar ei chyfer yn 2016 ac nid yw wedi cynhyrchu un watt o drydan, ond mae cyfrifon U and I Group PLC, y cwmni sy'n berchen arni yn y pen draw, ar gyfer 2019 yn dangos eu bod wedi cynhyrchu gwerth £4.7 miliwn o arian—arian trethdalwyr yw hwnnw yn y bôn, arian sydd wedi mynd i'w pocedi, allan o Gymru ac i Loegr, heb greu unrhyw fudd o safbwynt achub y blaned ychwaith. Camdriniaeth bur o'r farchnad ydyw. A dyna sy'n fy mhoeni am y cyfan—

16:55

You will need to bring your comments to a close, now, Neil Hamilton.

Bydd angen i chi ddod â'ch sylwadau i ben nawr, Neil Hamilton.

Right, Llywydd. Thank you very much. 

And that's what disturbs me about this policy; there's no proportionality in it at all. You can believe that you're saving the planet by renewable energy, but you're not going to do it, I think, in an acceptable way, at the expense of many other desirable objectives—first and foremost, preserving and protecting the landscapes of wild Wales.

Iawn, Lywydd. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

A dyna sy'n fy mhoeni am y polisi hwn; nid oes cymesuredd ynddo o gwbl. Gallwch gredu eich bod yn achub y blaned drwy ynni adnewyddadwy, ond nid ydych yn mynd i wneud hynny mewn ffordd dderbyniol yn fy marn i, ar draul llawer o amcanion dymunol eraill—yn bennaf oll, cadw a diogelu tirweddau Cymru wyllt.

This motion has three parts. The first noting the national development framework being laid on 21 September 2020. The second notes that section 3 of the Planning (Wales) Act 2015 gives a 60-day period for Senedd consideration. So, today being 25 November, we're presumably outside that statutory period, or that's saying we don't note, or, if haven't wholly understood the situation, I hope Mike will inform us later what the situation is on this. And the third point about Welsh Ministers having to consider any resolution passed—I think, as this is only a 'take note' motion, I trust the Minister will listen to the debate and give proper consideration to what's been said.

Mae tair rhan i'r cynnig hwn. Mae'r gyntaf yn nodi'r fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol a osodwyd ar 21 Medi 2020. Mae'r ail yn nodi bod adran 3 o Ddeddf Cynllunio (Cymru) 2015 yn rhoi cyfnod o 60 diwrnod i'r Senedd ei ystyried. Felly, mae heddiw'n 25 Tachwedd, mae'n debyg ein bod y tu allan i'r cyfnod statudol hwnnw, neu fod hynny'n dweud nad ydym yn nodi, neu, os nad ydym wedi deall y sefyllfa'n iawn, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd Mike yn rhoi gwybod i ni'n ddiweddarach beth yw'r sefyllfa ar hyn. A'r trydydd pwynt am Weinidogion Cymru yn gorfod ystyried unrhyw benderfyniad a basiwyd—gan mai dim ond cynnig 'i nodi' yw hwn, hyderaf y bydd y Gweinidog yn gwrando ar y ddadl ac yn rhoi ystyriaeth briodol i'r hyn a ddywedir.

Looking through this framework, I quite enjoy the quality of the document and some of the maps; it's quite interesting to read. But a few things struck me. One thing I'd quote. It says:

'Clear decisions should be made on the scale and location of growth through the preparation of a Strategic Development Plan'.

It's a very statist statement. It assumes that what we do, through this plan, is going to drive growth and determine where it is, whereas, actually, much, if not most, of that is going to reflect decisions made within the private sector. And I think a greater degree of humility in writing this and an understanding of how important private actors and their pursuit of profit are, compared to what we might like to put in a document such as this—ideally, the two should work together.

Within the section on south-east Wales, including the south central region for this purpose, we've got statements like:

'Cardiff will remain the primary settlement in the region, its future strategic growth shaped by its strong housing and employment markets and it will retain its capital city role'.

I'm not sure where that takes us. The next section, though, says:

'Strategic and Local Development Plans will need to consider the interdependence of Cardiff and the wider region.'

And that certainly is right. And what I was particularly struck with was with the local development plan, initially, at least, with Caerphilly and all that housing that was put up towards the boundary with Cardiff, and only road transport being available to take those people likely into jobs in Cardiff, and that wasn't joined up. We then have a statement:

'Cardiff relies on people from across the full region and ensuring communities around the Capital are vibrant, prosperous and connected helps to support Cardiff.'

Well, yes, perhaps, and, to the extent those areas are connected with Cardiff and we reinforce that further, clearly that will support Cardiff. But if those connections are elsewhere within the regions, they may not, and, if they're outside the region, not to Cardiff, then they may well not support Cardiff, or even take growth away. So, one example of that would be the Ebbw Vale line, and whether services on that should only come into Cardiff or we should also have at least one an hour to Newport. And if that then goes on to Cardiff, clearly, that—if you make one decision, it supports Cardiff growth more than another, where you may help in having more growth in Newport that might otherwise have been in Cardiff.

Similarly, the connections within the region outside the region also matter, and, to take Newport as an example, improving those connections to Bristol could have a really big benefit for Newport. But it's unlikely to support Cardiff to the same degree if it leads to a greater focus of the Newport economy towards Bristol rather than Cardiff, although, of course, we would prefer them to be complementary. We go on to say that investment should be

'located in the most accessible and sustainable locations within the context of the whole region',

but what about the other regions, what about areas across our border in England? I heard Siân Gwenllian complain earlier about how this was far too much focused on east-west links and cross-border agglomerations, and, actually, I don't see that much of that. And, certainly, in the south-east Wales section, it doesn't appear to be mentioned. For instance, we say,

'Cardiff is currently experiencing a period of growth in population and employment, but the city cannot continue to expand indefinitely without major consequences for the environment. It is a compact city nearing its physical limits',

and it's in that context that we then go on to say about Newport—or the Government does—in this document:

'The Welsh Government is determined to see development and growth in Newport, allowing the city to fulfil its potential as a second focal point for the region'.

So, of course, one reason Newport might grow is because of constraints on growth in Cardiff, but surely we need also to consider what are those constraints on growth in Bristol. And you see a much tighter green belt around Bristol, you see much higher levels of house prices and very significant constraints on development. So, at least for Newport and other areas near the border with England, we need to be focusing on how do we attract business from there in order to increase wealth and prosperity within the south-east region, and I don't think we are doing that sufficiently at the moment. However, I do give credit to the Welsh Government in the areas where—so, Help to Buy, about a quarter of the spend, at least, I think, has been on properties around Newport, many of which are being occupied by people who are then commuting to Bristol, albeit supporting the Welsh income tax base. Similarly, I think Ken Skates has worked very strongly on lobbying to improve services from Cardiff through Newport to Bristol, and, again, that would benefit the whole region.

So, although I think there are things Welsh Government are doing that are working cross border in supporting that growth, this document itself doesn't seem to do that to the same degree, and it seems very regionally focused within the sub bits, rather than looking for those opportunities to work across the border and drive prosperity for Wales. Thank you.

Wrth edrych drwy'r fframwaith hwn, rwy'n mwynhau ansawdd y ddogfen a rhai o'r mapiau; mae'n eithaf diddorol i'w ddarllen. Ond fe wnaeth ambell beth fy nharo. Un peth yr hoffwn ei ddyfynnu. Mae'n dweud:

'Dylid gwneud penderfyniadau clir ynghylch maint a lleoliad twf drwy lunio Cynllun Datblygu Strategol'.

Mae'n ddatganiad gwladoliaethol iawn. Mae'n tybio mai'r hyn a wnawn, drwy'r cynllun hwn, yw sbarduno twf a phenderfynu ble y mae, ond mewn gwirionedd, mae llawer, os nad y rhan fwyaf, o hynny'n mynd i adlewyrchu penderfyniadau a wneir yn y sector preifat. A chredaf y byddai mwy o ostyngeiddrwydd wrth ysgrifennu hyn a dealltwriaeth o ba mor bwysig yw gweithredwyr preifat a'u hymdrechion i wneud elw, o'u cymharu â'r hyn yr hoffem ei roi mewn dogfen fel hon—yn ddelfrydol, dylai'r ddau weithio gyda'i gilydd.

Yn yr adran ar dde-ddwyrain Cymru, gan gynnwys rhanbarth canol y de at y diben hwn, mae gennym ddatganiadau fel:

'Caerdydd fydd y prif anheddiad yn y rhanbarth o hyd, gyda’i thwf strategol yn y dyfodol yn cael ei lywio gan ei marchnadoedd tai a chyflogaeth cryf a bydd yn parhau â’i rôl fel prifddinas'.

Nid wyf yn siŵr i ble mae hynny'n mynd â ni. Mae'r adran nesaf, serch hynny, yn dweud:

'Bydd angen i Gynlluniau Datblygu Strategol a Lleol ystyried y rhyngddibyniaeth rhwng Caerdydd a’r rhanbarth ehangach.'

Ac mae hynny'n sicr yn iawn. A'r hyn a'm trawodd yn bennaf oedd y cynllun datblygu lleol, i ddechrau o leiaf, gyda Chaerffili a'r holl dai a godwyd tuag at y ffin â Chaerdydd, a dim ond trafnidiaeth ffyrdd ar gael i fynd â'r bobl hynny i swyddi yng Nghaerdydd, ac nid oedd hynny'n gydgysylltiedig. Yna cawn ddatganiad:

'Mae Caerdydd yn dibynnu ar bobl o bob rhan o’r rhanbarth ac mae sicrhau bod cymunedau o amgylch y Brifddinas yn fywiog, yn ffyniannus ac yn gysylltiedig yn helpu i gefnogi Caerdydd.'

Wel ie, efallai, ac mae'n amlwg y bydd hynny'n cefnogi Caerdydd i'r graddau y mae'r ardaloedd hynny'n gysylltiedig â Chaerdydd a'n bod yn atgyfnerthu hynny ymhellach. Ond os yw'r cysylltiadau hynny mewn mannau eraill yn y rhanbarthau, efallai na fyddant yn gwneud hynny, ac os ydynt y tu allan i'r rhanbarth, ac nid i Gaerdydd, mae'n ddigon posibl na fyddant yn cefnogi Caerdydd, neu hyd yn oed yn mynd â thwf oddi wrthi. Felly, un enghraifft o hynny fyddai rheilffordd Glynebwy, ac a ddylai gwasanaethau arni ddod i Gaerdydd yn unig neu a ddylem hefyd gael o leiaf un yr awr i Gasnewydd. Ac os aiff hwnnw ymlaen wedyn i Gaerdydd, yn amlwg—os gwnewch un penderfyniad, mae'n cefnogi twf Caerdydd yn fwy nag un arall, lle gallech helpu i gael mwy o dwf yng Nghasnewydd a allai fod wedi bod yng Nghaerdydd fel arall.

Yn yr un modd, mae'r cysylltiadau yn y rhanbarth y tu allan i'r rhanbarth hefyd yn bwysig, ac os cymerwn Gasnewydd fel enghraifft, gallai gwella'r cysylltiadau â Bryste fod o fudd mawr iawn i Gasnewydd. Ond mae'n annhebygol o gefnogi Caerdydd i'r un graddau os yw'n arwain at fwy o ffocws ar economi Casnewydd tuag at Fryste yn hytrach na Chaerdydd, er y byddai'n well gennym iddynt ategu ei gilydd wrth gwrs. Awn ymlaen i ddweud y dylai buddsoddiadau fod wedi'u

'lleoli yn y lleoedd mwyaf hygyrch a chynaliadwy yng nghyd-destun y rhanbarth cyfan',

ond beth am y rhanbarthau eraill, beth am ardaloedd dros y ffin yn Lloegr? Clywais Siân Gwenllian yn cwyno yn gynharach am y ffordd roedd hyn yn canolbwyntio llawer gormod ar gysylltiadau rhwng y dwyrain a'r gorllewin a chrynoadau trawsffiniol, ac mewn gwirionedd, nid wyf yn gweld cymaint o hynny. Ac yn sicr, yn y rhan ar dde-ddwyrain Cymru, nid yw'n ymddangos ei fod yn cael ei grybwyll. Er enghraifft, dywedwn,

'Ar hyn o bryd mae Caerdydd yn mynd drwy gyfnod o dwf sylweddol o ran ei phoblogaeth a chyflogaeth, ond ni all y ddinas barhau i ehangu’n ddiderfyn heb effeithio’n sylweddol ar yr amgylchedd. Mae’n ddinas gryno sy’n agosáu at ei therfynau ffisegol',

ac yn y cyd-destun hwnnw awn ymlaen wedyn i ddweud am Gasnewydd—neu mae'r Llywodraeth yn dweud—yn y ddogfen hon:

'Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn benderfynol o weld datblygu a thwf yng Nghasnewydd, a fydd yn galluogi’r ddinas i gyflawni ei photensial fel yr ail ganolbwynt i’r rhanbarth.'

Felly, wrth gwrs, un rheswm y gallai Casnewydd dyfu yw oherwydd cyfyngiadau ar dwf yng Nghaerdydd, ond mae'n siŵr fod angen inni hefyd ystyried beth yw'r cyfyngiadau ar dwf ym Mryste. Ac fe welwch lain las lawer tynnach o amgylch Bryste, fe welwch lefelau llawer uwch o brisiau tai a chyfyngiadau sylweddol iawn ar ddatblygu. Felly, o leiaf ar gyfer Casnewydd ac ardaloedd eraill ger y ffin â Lloegr, mae angen inni ganolbwyntio ar sut rydym yn denu busnes oddi yno er mwyn cynyddu cyfoeth a ffyniant yn rhanbarth y de-ddwyrain, ac nid wyf yn credu ein bod yn gwneud digon o hynny ar hyn o bryd. Fodd bynnag, rwy'n canmol Llywodraeth Cymru yn yr ardaloedd lle—felly, Cymorth i Brynu, mae tua chwarter y gwariant, o leiaf hynny rwy'n credu, wedi bod ar eiddo o amgylch Casnewydd, gyda llawer ohono'n cartrefu pobl sydd wedyn yn cymudo i Fryste, er eu bod yn cefnogi sylfaen treth incwm Cymru. Yn yr un modd, credaf fod Ken Skates wedi gweithio'n galed iawn ar lobïo i wella gwasanaethau o Gaerdydd drwy Gasnewydd i Fryste, ac unwaith eto, byddai hynny o fudd i'r rhanbarth cyfan.

Felly, er fy mod yn credu bod pethau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu gwneud sy'n gweithio'n drawsffiniol i gefnogi'r twf hwnnw, nid yw'n ymddangos bod y ddogfen hon ei hun yn gwneud hynny i'r un graddau, ac mae'n ymddangos ei bod yn canolbwyntio'n rhanbarthol iawn o fewn yr is-rannau, yn hytrach na chwilio am y cyfleoedd i weithio'n drawsffiniol ac ysgogi ffyniant i Gymru. Diolch.

17:05

Galwaf ar y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol nawr—Julie James.

I call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James.

Diolch, Llywydd. I very much welcome this debate and the contributions made by Members today. This is not the first time we have debated 'Future Wales' or the national development framework, so Members will know that I consider this plan to be vital in making our planning system focused on the big issues we face. This debate again proves that we all have ideas on how the planning system should operate, what its priorities should be and whether 'Future Wales' will achieve our ambitions.

Members have highlighted a breadth of issues addressed in 'Future Wales', including the climate emergency, social and affordable housing, transport, the economy, green infrastructure, the Welsh language, digital infrastructure and our energy supply. I will, of course, be spending the next couple of months reflecting in detail on the Senedd's recommendations, and, due to time constraints, I cannot cover them all here, but I will address just a few of the points raised so far.

Mike Hedges and a number of others raised concerns about the ability of the plan to respond to COVID, and whilst, of course, it's important not to be complacent, this is a plan committed to improving health and well-being throughout the planning system. The policies on green infrastructure, active travel and town centre first will be crucial to aiding the recovery. In terms of a number of contributions, it's also important to remember that 'Future Wales' is not the whole of Government policy. It does not replace our other major strategies, rather it works with them.

And, Llywydd, the Bill we passed only last week establishes CJCs as corporate bodies, so I can reassure Members that they are covered by all Welsh Government policies, including the Welsh language.

It's great to see the committee and Jenny Rathbone recognise the value of introducing the green belt, both in the south-east and the north-east. The green belts will, of course, help to achieve place-making objectives in places like Newport, Chepstow and Cwmbran, in Wrexham and Deeside, and they will ensure we avoid irresponsible, sprawling development on productive agricultural land. And, of course, 'Future Wales' has affordable and social housing provision at its core. Indeed, we commissioned new needs data specifically to support that element.

Llywydd, I will be opposing the Plaid Cymru amendments today. They seem not to have noticed that changes have been made following consultation on the draft plan, nor recognise the role of cross-party committees and their own Members in arguing for those changes. I agreed from the outset that any regional planning footprint should reflect an existing footprint, rather than creating a new one. My initial view was to use the economic action plan three-region footprint, but I agreed to change to the four-region footprint more favoured by Senedd committees and local authorities. If I may, Llywydd, I would like to draw attention to two consultation responses to the draft NDF. The Plaid Cymru-led Ceredigion council said, and I quote, 'The NDF must recognise mid Wales as a discrete region, drawing on the development of four growth deals across Wales'. Meanwhile, the Growing Mid Wales Partnership, which is, of course, a joint undertaking between Ceredigion council and Powys council, said, 'Strategic planning issues across mid Wales would be best addressed by collaborative work between Ceredigion and Powys local planning authorities.' So, Llywydd, we have listened closely to what the regions have told us. I fear that Plaid Cymru's amendments would contradict the views of the regions, and we will be opposing them for that reason.

Llywydd, this is likely to be the last debate on the plan before it is published, so it seems a good opportunity to reflect a little on my experience of developing 'Future Wales' and bringing it to this stage. I have found the process has been a blend of working within existing structures and of being able to introduce fresh ideas and new ambition. This plan does not set overarching Government policy, but rather it sets out how the planning system can help achieve it. For example, we want a healthy population and environment, so the plan will deliver more green spaces and places that get us out of our cars. We need to decarbonise, and therefore the plan focuses the biggest developments on the areas where public transport and active travel are or can be made most resilient. We want a fair and prosperous economy, so we have big growth areas and we are seeking to spread the development of jobs right across them, rather than concentrating on the biggest city centres.

Writing a national plan is a balancing act between taking action on every possible subject and remembering that local planning is often the best place to address the challenges. It is also a balance between repeating another document and not ignoring a topic. I've also found that people welcome the 20-year time frame for the plan, but expect immediate solutions as soon as the plan is published. Many people want a plan that is flexible, but are uncomfortable when outcomes are uncertain. Our energy policies are a great example of this. We have developed evidence-based policies that will help achieve national targets for electricity from clean sources that protect our designated landscapes. We have done this while working with communities and the development sector. We have considered our geography, thought about what will be needed in 20 years' time, and how society might be different by then. We looked at where existing infrastructure is, and where there is a skilled workforce ready to take advantage of new opportunities. We looked at where it is windy or sunny and we thought about what electric vehicles would mean for demand. We recognised that the planning system and its duty to act in the public interest raises unforeseen issues, so we've made sure that there are more options available to developers than will be needed. And yet I'm told that this plan should be more specific on where new wind turbines will go, more focused on offshore wind, on local and micro generation, and that projects will take too long to come to fruition.

Llywydd, the great potential of this plan is in the fact that the planning system looks at all our big issues—health, the economy, Welsh language, the environment, the climate emergency—and thinks it can do something to improve the situation in a holistic way. Whether or not you agree with the content of 'Future Wales', every decision we have taken has been tested through formal consultation in stakeholder engagement events and using impact assessments. We also have a monitoring framework that will help us to reflect and refine the plan over time. The public involvement in stakeholder engagement work has helped us to deliver a plan that we are confident will have a great and positive influence over our planning system.

I welcome the scrutiny this plan has received, and I'm looking forward to considering the Senedd's recommendations. In February I will publish a report setting out how I've responded to all the recommendations, as well as the final version of 'Future Wales'. Diolch yn fawr.

Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy'n croesawu'r ddadl hon yn fawr a'r cyfraniadau a wnaethpwyd gan yr Aelodau heddiw. Nid dyma'r tro cyntaf inni drafod 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' na'r fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol, felly bydd yr Aelodau'n gwybod fy mod o'r farn fod y cynllun hwn yn hanfodol i sicrhau bod ein system gynllunio'n canolbwyntio ar y materion mawr sy'n ein hwynebu. Mae'r ddadl hon unwaith eto'n profi bod gan bob un ohonom syniadau ynglŷn â sut y dylai'r system gynllunio weithredu, beth ddylai ei blaenoriaethau fod ac a fydd 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yn cyflawni ein huchelgeisiau.

Mae Aelodau wedi tynnu sylw at amrywiaeth o faterion yr eir i'r afael â hwy yn 'Cymru'r Dyfodol', gan gynnwys yr argyfwng hinsawdd, tai cymdeithasol a fforddiadwy, trafnidiaeth, yr economi, seilwaith gwyrdd, yr iaith Gymraeg, seilwaith digidol a'n cyflenwad ynni. Byddaf yn treulio'r ychydig fisoedd nesaf wrth gwrs yn myfyrio'n fanwl ar argymhellion y Senedd, ac oherwydd cyfyngiadau amser, ni allaf ymdrin â hwy i gyd yma, ond rwyf am roi sylw i ychydig o'r pwyntiau a godwyd hyd yma.

Mynegodd Mike Hedges a nifer o rai eraill bryderon am allu'r cynllun i ymateb i COVID, ac er ei bod yn bwysig peidio â bod yn hunanfodlon wrth gwrs, mae hwn yn gynllun sydd wedi ymrwymo i wella iechyd a lles drwy'r system gynllunio gyfan. Bydd y polisïau ar seilwaith gwyrdd, teithio llesol a chanol y dref yn gyntaf yn hanfodol i helpu'r adferiad. Mewn perthynas â nifer o'r cyfraniadau, mae hefyd yn bwysig cofio nad 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' yw holl bolisi'r Llywodraeth. Nid yw'n disodli ein strategaethau mawr eraill, ond yn hytrach mae'n gweithio gyda hwy.

Hefyd, Lywydd, mae'r Bil a basiwyd gennym yr wythnos diwethaf yn sefydlu cyd-bwyllgorau corfforedig fel cyrff corfforaethol, felly gallaf sicrhau'r Aelodau eu bod yn dod o dan holl bolisïau Llywodraeth Cymru, gan gynnwys y Gymraeg.

Mae'n wych gweld y pwyllgor a Jenny Rathbone yn cydnabod gwerth cyflwyno'r llain las, yn y de-ddwyrain a'r gogledd-ddwyrain. Bydd y lleiniau glas, wrth gwrs, yn helpu i gyflawni amcanion creu lleoedd mewn lleoedd fel Casnewydd, Cas-gwent a Chwmbrân, yn Wrecsam a Glannau Dyfrdwy, a byddant yn sicrhau ein bod yn osgoi datblygu blerdwf anghyfrifol ar dir amaethyddol cynhyrchiol. Ac wrth gwrs, mae darparu tai fforddiadwy a thai cymdeithasol yn greiddiol i 'Cymru'r Dyfodol'. Yn wir, comisiynwyd data anghenion newydd gennym yn benodol ar gyfer cefnogi'r elfen honno.

Lywydd, byddaf yn gwrthwynebu gwelliannau Plaid Cymru heddiw. Ymddengys nad ydynt wedi sylwi bod newidiadau wedi'u gwneud ar ôl ymgynghori ar y cynllun drafft, nac yn cydnabod rôl pwyllgorau trawsbleidiol a'u Haelodau eu hunain wrth iddynt ddadlau dros y newidiadau hynny. Cytunais o'r cychwyn cyntaf y dylai unrhyw ôl troed cynllunio rhanbarthol adlewyrchu ôl troed sy'n bodoli eisoes, yn hytrach na chreu un newydd. Fy marn yn wreiddiol oedd defnyddio ôl troed tri rhanbarth y cynllun gweithredu economaidd, ond cytunais i newid i'r ôl troed pedwar rhanbarth a ffafriai pwyllgorau'r Senedd ac awdurdodau lleol. Os caf, Lywydd, hoffwn dynnu sylw at ddau ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad ar y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol drafft. Dywedodd cyngor Ceredigion o dan arweiniad Plaid Cymru, ac rwy'n dyfynnu, 'Rhaid i'r fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol gydnabod canolbarth Cymru fel rhanbarth ar wahân, gan ddefnyddio datblygiad pedwar bargen twf ar draws Cymru'. Yn y cyfamser, dywedodd Partneriaeth Twf Canolbarth Cymru, sydd, wrth gwrs, yn ymdrech ar y cyd rhwng cyngor Ceredigion a chyngor Powys, 'Y ffordd orau o fynd i'r afael â materion cynllunio strategol ledled canolbarth Cymru yw drwy gydweithio rhwng awdurdodau cynllunio lleol Ceredigion a Phowys.' Felly, Lywydd, rydym wedi gwrando'n astud ar yr hyn y mae'r rhanbarthau wedi'i ddweud wrthym. Ofnaf y byddai gwelliannau Plaid Cymru yn gwrth-ddweud barn y rhanbarthau, a byddwn yn eu gwrthwynebu am y rheswm hwnnw.

Lywydd, mae'n debygol mai hon fydd y ddadl olaf ar y cynllun cyn ei gyhoeddi, felly mae'n ymddangos yn gyfle da i fyfyrio ychydig ar fy mhrofiad o ddatblygu 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' a dod ag ef i'r cam hwn. Teimlaf fod y broses wedi bod yn gyfuniad o weithio o fewn strwythurau presennol ac o allu cyflwyno syniadau newydd ac uchelgais newydd. Nid yw'r cynllun yn gosod polisi trosfwaol y Llywodraeth, ond yn hytrach mae'n nodi sut y gall y system gynllunio helpu i'w gyflawni. Er enghraifft, mae arnom eisiau poblogaeth ac amgylchedd iach, felly bydd y cynllun yn darparu mwy o fannau gwyrdd a lleoedd sy'n ein denu allan o'n ceir. Mae angen inni ddatgarboneiddio, ac felly mae'r cynllun yn canolbwyntio'r datblygiadau mwyaf ar yr ardaloedd lle ceir, neu lle gellir gwneud trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a theithio llesol yn fwyaf gwydn. Rydym eisiau economi deg a ffyniannus, felly mae gennym ardaloedd twf mawr ac rydym yn ceisio lledaenu datblygiad swyddi ar eu traws, yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio ar ganol y dinasoedd mwyaf.

Mae ysgrifennu cynllun cenedlaethol yn weithred o gydbwyso rhwng gweithredu ar bob pwnc posibl a chofio mai cynllunio lleol yn aml yw'r lle gorau i fynd i'r afael â'r heriau. Mae hefyd yn gydbwysedd rhwng ailadrodd dogfen arall a pheidio ag anwybyddu pwnc. Rwyf hefyd wedi canfod bod pobl yn croesawu'r amserlen 20 mlynedd ar gyfer y cynllun, ond yn disgwyl atebion ar unwaith cyn gynted ag y cyhoeddir y cynllun. Mae llawer o bobl am gael cynllun sy'n hyblyg, ond yn anghyfforddus pan fydd canlyniadau'n ansicr. Mae ein polisïau ynni yn enghraifft wych o hyn. Rydym wedi datblygu polisïau sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth a fydd yn helpu i gyflawni targedau cenedlaethol ar gyfer trydan o ffynonellau glân sy'n diogelu ein tirweddau dynodedig. Rydym wedi gwneud hyn tra'n gweithio gyda chymunedau a'r sector datblygu. Rydym wedi ystyried ein daearyddiaeth, wedi meddwl am yr hyn y bydd ei angen ymhen 20 mlynedd, a sut y gallai cymdeithas fod yn wahanol erbyn hynny. Edrychwyd ar ble mae'r seilwaith presennol, a lle ceir gweithlu medrus yn barod i fanteisio ar gyfleoedd newydd. Buom yn edrych ar ble y mae'n wyntog neu'n heulog ac yn meddwl am yr hyn y byddai cerbydau trydan yn ei olygu i'r galw. Roeddem yn cydnabod bod y system gynllunio a'i dyletswydd i weithredu er budd y cyhoedd yn codi materion nas rhagwelwyd, felly rydym wedi sicrhau bod mwy o opsiynau ar gael i ddatblygwyr nag y bydd eu hangen. Ac eto, dywedir wrthyf y dylai'r cynllun hwn fod yn fwy penodol o ran ble y bydd tyrbinau gwynt newydd yn mynd, canolbwyntio mwy ar wynt ar y môr, ar gynhyrchiant lleol a microgynhyrchu, ac y bydd prosiectau'n cymryd gormod o amser i ddwyn ffrwyth.

Lywydd, potensial mawr y cynllun hwn yw'r ffaith bod y system gynllunio'n edrych ar ein holl faterion mawr—iechyd, yr economi, yr iaith Gymraeg, yr amgylchedd, yr argyfwng hinsawdd—ac yn credu y gall wneud rhywbeth i wella'r sefyllfa mewn ffordd gyfannol. Boed eich bod yn cytuno â chynnwys 'Cymru'r Dyfodol' neu beidio, mae pob penderfyniad a wnaed gennym wedi'i brofi drwy ymgynghori ffurfiol mewn digwyddiadau ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid a defnydd o asesiadau effaith. Mae gennym hefyd fframwaith monitro a fydd yn ein helpu i ystyried a mireinio'r cynllun dros amser. Mae cynnwys y cyhoedd mewn gwaith ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid wedi ein helpu i gyflawni cynllun yr ydym yn hyderus y bydd yn cael dylanwad mawr a chadarnhaol ar ein system gynllunio.

Rwy'n croesawu'r craffu a wnaethpwyd ar y cynllun hwn, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at ystyried argymhellion y Senedd. Ym mis Chwefror byddaf yn cyhoeddi adroddiad yn nodi sut yr ymatebais i'r holl argymhellion, yn ogystal â fersiwn derfynol 'Cymru'r Dyfodol'. Diolch yn fawr.

17:10

Galwaf ar Mike Hedges, Cadeirydd y pwyllgor, i ymateb i'r ddadl. Mike Hedges.

I call on Mike Hedges, the Chair of the committee, to respond to the debate. Mike Hedges.

Diolch, Llywydd. Can I thank Members who've taken part in the debate? And I'd also like to again thank the Minister.

I don't think anybody agrees with 100 per cent of it, but lots of us like bits of it, and I think that's what you end up with with a document this size. This is important to everyone in Wales.

To reply to Mark Reckless, we have one day left, because, when we're on recess, it doesn't count against the 60 days.

The vision of four regions in Wales is driven by the local authorities in Wales, not by Westminster. This includes, as Julie James said, Plaid Cymru-controlled Ceredigion. They see a community of interest in terms of their local development. The city deals and regional deals are aimed at improving the local economy and the strategic development plan has to support them. We want this to work. It's the jobs of our children and our grandchildren we're talking about.

Post-war Wales has seen growth in the north and south Wales coast. That has been driven by the private sector. The likelihood is that the private sector is going to drive any growth in the future. I'm disappointed that people who I would describe as Welsh unionists do not accept the regions of Wales—hugely disappointed in that, because I really believe in the importance of the south-west Wales region, which is not dissimilar to one of the ancient kingdoms. Green belts are hugely important, but I was going to say that green wedges, stopping communities merging, are more important in lots of areas where you don't want the different villages to merge together, or, within urban areas, you don't want the different communities to merge together.

The SSI protected against development; I think that's something that there is general agreement on. We need all plans to cover the same areas. We've had a history in Wales of every Minister developing their own footprint, and that has not necessarily worked for the benefit of anybody. I used to describe Swansea and Neath Port Talbot as Janus-like, because sometimes we looked to the east and sometimes we looked to the west.

I think Helen Mary Jones made some very good points on the Welsh language, and all these plans should fit together. We shouldn't have this plan here and that plan there, and, 'Well, they're nothing to do with each other because they come from different silos within Welsh Government.' They should all fit together.

We need the national development plan and strategic development plans to fit together as well, but there's something else that to me is really important—that we actually realise that the sea and the land meet. I know we've talked about that in our committee quite a lot, but it really is important that the marine plan fits in with the national development plan rather than being seen as something entirely different.

Energy is always controversial: onshore wind or offshore wind, nuclear or gas power—all have supporters and opponents, often in the same party. We need an energy debate, and I think sometimes parties could do with their own energy debates, but I think we need to see where we're going with energy. I think, generally, this is a good document and the four regions work, and I think it's going to work for the economic benefit of Wales. They might not fit into everybody's idea of how they would like things to be, but they fit into my view of how it's going to be. Thank you. 

Diolch, Lywydd. A gaf fi ddiolch i'r Aelodau sydd wedi cymryd rhan yn y ddadl? A hoffwn ddiolch eto i'r Gweinidog.

Nid wyf yn credu bod neb yn cytuno â 100 y cant ohono, ond mae llawer ohonom yn hoffi darnau ohono, a chredaf mai dyna'r hyn y byddwch yn ei gael yn y pen draw gyda dogfen o'r maint hwn. Mae'n bwysig i bawb yng Nghymru.

I ymateb i Mark Reckless, mae gennym un diwrnod ar ôl, oherwydd, nid yw'r cyfnod yn ystod toriad yn cyfrif yn erbyn y 60 diwrnod.

Mae'r weledigaeth o bedwar rhanbarth yng Nghymru yn cael ei llywio gan yr awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru, nid gan San Steffan. Fel y dywedodd Julie James, mae hyn yn cynnwys Ceredigion a reolir gan Blaid Cymru. Maent yn gweld cymuned fuddiant o ran eu datblygiad lleol. Nod y bargeinion dinesig a'r bargeinion rhanbarthol yw gwella'r economi leol ac mae'n rhaid i'r cynllun datblygu strategol eu cefnogi. Rydym am i hyn weithio. Rydym yn sôn am swyddi ein plant a'n hwyrion.

Mae Cymru wedi'r rhyfel wedi gweld twf ar arfordir gogledd a de Cymru. Mae hynny wedi'i ysgogi gan y sector preifat. Y tebygolrwydd yw mai'r sector preifat fydd yn ysgogi unrhyw dwf yn y dyfodol. Rwy'n siomedig nad yw pobl y byddwn yn eu disgrifio fel unoliaethwyr Cymreig yn derbyn rhanbarthau Cymru—rwy'n siomedig iawn am hynny, oherwydd rwy'n credu'n gryf ym mhwysigrwydd rhanbarth de-orllewin Cymru, nad yw'n annhebyg i un o'r teyrnasoedd hynafol. Mae lleiniau glas yn eithriadol o bwysig, ond roeddwn yn mynd i ddweud bod lletemau gwyrdd, sy'n atal cymunedau rhag uno, yn bwysicach mewn llawer o ardaloedd lle nad ydych am i'r gwahanol bentrefi uno, neu mewn ardaloedd trefol, lle nad ydych am i'r gwahanol gymunedau uno gyda'i gilydd.

Roedd y dynodiad safle o ddiddordeb gwyddonol yn diogelu rhag datblygu; rwy'n credu bod hynny'n rhywbeth y ceir cytundeb cyffredinol yn ei gylch. Mae arnom angen i bob cynllun gwmpasu'r un ardaloedd. Mae gennym hanes yng Nghymru o bob Gweinidog yn datblygu eu hôl troed eu hunain, ac nid yw hynny o reidrwydd wedi gweithio er budd neb. Arferwn ddisgrifio Abertawe a Chastell-nedd Port Talbot fel mannau Ianwsaidd, oherwydd weithiau byddem yn edrych tua'r dwyrain ac weithiau byddem yn edrych tua'r gorllewin.

Credaf fod Helen Mary Jones wedi gwneud rhai pwyntiau da iawn am y Gymraeg, a dylai'r holl gynlluniau hyn gyd-fynd â'i gilydd. Ni ddylem gael y cynllun hwn mewn un man a chynllun arall mewn man arall, a 'Wel, nid oes a wnelont ddim â'i gilydd am eu bod yn dod o wahanol seilos o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru.' Dylent i gyd gyd-fynd â'i gilydd.

Mae angen i'r cynllun datblygu cenedlaethol a'r cynlluniau datblygu strategol gyd-fynd â'i gilydd hefyd, ond mae rhywbeth arall sy'n bwysig iawn i mi—ein bod yn sylweddoli mewn gwirionedd fod y môr a'r tir yn cyffwrdd â'i gilydd. Rwy'n gwybod ein bod wedi siarad cryn dipyn am hynny yn ein pwyllgor, ond mae'n bwysig iawn fod y cynllun morol yn cyd-fynd â'r cynllun datblygu cenedlaethol yn hytrach na chael ei ystyried yn rhywbeth cwbl ar wahân.

Mae ynni bob amser yn ddadleuol: gwynt ar y tir neu wynt ar y môr, pŵer niwclear neu nwy—mae gan bob un gefnogwyr a gwrthwynebwyr, o fewn yr un blaid yn aml. Mae angen inni gael dadl ar ynni, a chredaf weithiau y gallai pleidiau wneud gyda'u dadleuon ynni eu hunain, ond credaf fod angen inni weld i ble rydym yn mynd gydag ynni. Yn gyffredinol, rwy'n credu bod hon yn ddogfen dda ac mae'r pedwar rhanbarth yn gweithio, ac rwy'n credu y bydd yn gweithio er budd economaidd Cymru. Efallai na fyddant yn cyd-fynd â syniad pawb o sut yr hoffent i bethau fod, ond maent yn cyd-fynd â fy marn i ar sut y bydd pethau. Diolch. 

17:15

Diolch. Y cwestiwn, felly, yw: a ddylid derbyn gwelliant 1? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Oes, mae yna wrthwynebiad i hynny. Felly, dwi'n gohirio'r pleidleisio ar yr eitem yma tan y cyfnod pleidleisio. 

Thank you. The proposal therefore is to agree amendment 1. Does any Member object? [Objection.] There is an objection. So I defer all further voting under this item until voting time. 

Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.

Voting deferred until voting time.

Before we break for a break, can I just inform Members that it's been drawn to my attention that there were Members seeking to object in the previous debate on item 6, the legislative proposal? Given that there were many Members seeking to object, but I failed to see them all on Zoom, I will now be allowing a vote on item 6 during voting time. But, for now, we'll take a short break. 

Cyn inni dorri am seibiant, a gaf fi hysbysu'r Aelodau fy mod wedi cael deall fod Aelodau wedi ceisio gwrthwynebu yn y ddadl flaenorol ar eitem 6, y cynnig deddfwriaethol? O ystyried bod llawer o'r Aelodau'n ceisio gwrthwynebu, ond fy mod wedi methu eu gweld i gyd ar Zoom, byddaf yn caniatáu pleidlais yn awr ar eitem 6 yn ystod y cyfnod pleidleisio. Ond am y tro, fe gawn seibiant byr.

Ataliwyd y Cyfarfod Llawn am 17:16.

Plenary was suspended at 17:16.

17:20

Ailymgynullodd y Senedd am 17:23, gyda'r Dirprwy Lywydd yn y Gadair.

The Senedd reconvened at 17:23, with the Deputy Presiding Officer in the Chair.

8. Dadl y Ceidwadwyr: Effaith COVID-19 ar Wasanaethau Iechyd
8. Welsh Conservatives Debate: The impact of COVID-19 on health services

Detholwyd y gwelliannau canlynol: gwelliannau 1, 2, 3, 4 a 5 yn enw Rebecca Evans, a gwelliant 6 yn enw Siân Gwenllian.

The following amendments have been selected: amendments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the name of Rebecca Evans, and amendment 6 in the name of Siân Gwenllian.

Okay. So, we reconvene with item 8 on our agenda, which is the Welsh Conservatives' debate: the impact of COVID-19 on health services. And I call on Andrew R.T. Davies to move the motion.

O'r gorau. Felly, rydym yn ailymgynnull gydag eitem 8 ar ein hagenda, sef dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig: effaith COVID-19 ar wasanaethau iechyd. A galwaf ar Andrew R.T. Davies i gyflwyno'r cynnig.

Cynnig NDM7489 Darren Millar

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn nodi adroddiad BBC Wales Investigates a ddangosodd bod 10 gwaith yn fwy o gleifion yn aros am bob triniaeth yn GIG Cymru o gymharu â mis Medi 2019.

2. Yn nodi ymhellach y rhybudd gan arbenigwyr ac elusennau canser blaenllaw y gallai 2,000 o bobl farw oherwydd oedi sy'n gysylltiedig â COVID-19 yn GIG Cymru.

3. Yn cydnabod gwaith caled, ymroddiad ac ymrwymiad staff yn y sector gofal iechyd sy'n cefnogi cleifion nid yn unig â'r coronafeirws ond ag amrywiaeth o gyflyrau.

4. Yn gresynu at y ffaith bod y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol wedi amcangyfrif y byddai'n cymryd tymor seneddol llawn i ailddechrau gwasanaethau arferol ac y byddai'n ffôl cael cynllun ar waith i fynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniad mewn rhestrau aros.

5. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i:

a) rhoi hwb i'r defnydd o ysbytai sy’n rhydd o COVID-19 ar unwaith, fel yr argymhellwyd gan Goleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon a'r  Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys;

b) cynnal adolygiad brys o sut mae cleifion ysbyty yng Nghymru yn cael eu rhyddhau yn ystod y pandemig a gweithredu'r canfyddiadau hynny i fynd i'r afael â thagfeydd mewn ysbytai, fel yr argymhellwyd gan Goleg Brenhinol y Ffisigwyr;

c) gwella ei threfn brofi'n sylweddol er mwyn cynyddu capasiti a sicrhau bod COVID-19 yn cael ei ynysu a'i gadw allan o ysbytai Cymru;

d) cyflwyno cynllun adfer canser, fel y gwelir mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU, a chynyddu'r buddsoddiad yn y gwaith o gyflwyno canolfannau diagnostig cyflym ledled Cymru;

e) gweithredu ymgyrch genedlaethol i sicrhau bod pobl sy'n amau bod ganddynt ganser, neu y mae angen iddynt fynd i'r ysbyty mewn argyfwng, yn parhau i wneud hynny.

Motion NDM7489 Darren Millar

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the BBC Wales Investigates report that showed a ten-fold increase in patients waiting for all treatments in the Welsh NHS compared to September 2019.

2. Further notes the warning from leading cancer experts and charities that 2,000 people could die because of COVID-related delays in the Welsh NHS.

3. Recognises the hard work, dedication and commitment of staff in the healthcare sector supporting patients not just with coronavirus but with a variety of conditions.

4. Regrets that the Minister for Health and Social Services has estimated that it would take a full parliamentary term to resume normal services and that it would be foolish to have a plan in place to tackle the waiting list backlog.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) immediately boost the use of COVID-free hospitals, as recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine;

b) conduct an urgent review into how hospital patients in Wales are being discharged during the pandemic and implement those findings to tackle bottlenecks in hospitals, as recommended by the Royal College of Physicians;

c) significantly improve its testing regime to ramp up capacity and ensure that COVID-19 is isolated and kept out of Welsh hospitals;

d) introduce a cancer recovery plan, as seen elsewhere across the UK, and increase investment in the roll-out of rapid diagnostic centres across Wales; and

e) implement a nationwide campaign to ensure that people who suspect they have cancer, or need to go to hospital in an emergency, continue to do so.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I welcome the opportunity to move the motion in the name of Darren Millar on the order paper this afternoon. For those who are not aware of the tabling arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales, or the Welsh Parliament as I should call it now, those people might wonder why we haven't put the waiting times that were published last Thursday in the motion. But, as people who know the tabling arrangements would know, they have to be in on the Wednesday afternoon.

So, I do think it is worth us reflecting on what those figures did tell us last Thursday. And these are figures across the UK as well—we do accept the point that all NHSs across the UK have seen a massive increase in the waiting times—but here, in Wales, the 36-week-plus waiting times went up by 597 per cent to 168,000 people, and 26 to 36 weeks went up by 250 per cent, from 54,000 people to 116,000. That's the scale of the challenge that we face here in Wales, irrespective of whatever Government forms after May next year. That's in excess of 0.5 million people who are on a waiting list here in Wales: 517,000 people are now on a waiting list. And, of course, that's for treatment.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ac rwy'n croesawu'r cyfle i gyflwyno'r cynnig yn enw Darren Millar ar y papur trefn y prynhawn yma. I'r rheini nad ydynt yn ymwybodol o drefniadau cyflwyno Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, neu Senedd Cymru fel y dylwn ei galw bellach, efallai y bydd y bobl hynny'n meddwl tybed pam nad ydym wedi rhoi'r amseroedd aros a gyhoeddwyd ddydd Iau diwethaf yn y cynnig. Ond fel y byddai pobl sy'n gwybod am y trefniadau cyflwyno'n gwybod, mae'n rhaid iddynt fod i mewn ar y prynhawn dydd Mercher.

Felly, credaf ei bod yn werth inni ystyried yr hyn a ddywedodd y ffigurau hynny wrthym ddydd Iau diwethaf. Ac mae'r rhain yn ffigurau ledled y DU hefyd—rydym yn derbyn y pwynt fod pob GIG ledled y DU wedi gweld cynnydd enfawr yn yr amseroedd aros—ond yma, yng Nghymru, cynyddodd yr amseroedd aros 36 wythnos a mwy 597 y cant i 168,000 o bobl, a chynyddodd 26 i 36 wythnos 250 y cant, o 54,000 o bobl i 116,000. Dyna faint yr her sy'n ein hwynebu yma yng Nghymru, ni waeth pa Lywodraeth a ffurfir ar ôl mis Mai y flwyddyn nesaf. Mae hynny'n fwy na 0.5 miliwn o bobl ar restr aros yma yng Nghymru: mae 517,000 o bobl bellach ar restr aros. Ac wrth gwrs, ar gyfer triniaeth y mae hynny.

When you look at the diagnostic and therapies waiting times as well, there's been a substantial jump in those waiting times, which have seen a spike of between 30,000 and 35,000 people between March and October. There are now 143,000 people waiting for diagnostic and therapy appointments in the Welsh NHS. And interestingly, on those sort of numbers, those numbers have grown significantly since June and July of this year. There was an actual decline in some of those numbers in the early part of the pandemic, because people weren't progressing through the health service to get those initial appointments.

So, that's the scale of the challenge we face, and that's why we've tabled the motion this afternoon, so that hopefully we can have a debate, discussion, and a sense of what the current Welsh Government are proposing to do to tackle these waiting times. It would be easy to spend the whole debate talking about numbers and percentage increases and actually just getting lost in those numbers, but it is important when we focus on the numbers that each and every one of those percentage points that I was talking about is an individual, an individual sitting on a waiting list that regrettably hasn't managed to progress through the system.

It is vital that we don't end up with a health service that ultimately just becomes a COVID service. It has to be the national health service that we treasure and love so much. And at this point, I think it is worthy for us all to pay tribute to the dedication and commitment and professionalism of the staff within our health service here in Wales, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty through the pandemic, and who themselves want to get back to the day job of treating people in the health discipline that they've trained for for so long, to achieve a community sense that the health service is delivering for every man, woman and child within the country of Wales, and that we are making progress in the waiting times.

It would be also wrong of me not to deal with the amendments that were tabled to the motion, because I had hoped that we could have got broader support for the motion that's before us, but I do welcome the point that there haven't been any 'delete all' amendments tabled this afternoon to the motion. But regrettably, we won't be able to accept amendment 1, tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans, because we do believe that point 1, which talks about the waiting times and the tenfold increase that BBC Wales highlighted, is a fact. It is a fact that there's been a tenfold increase in those waiting times, and we believe that needs to be at the front and centre of the motion.

Amendment 2, which again is tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans, seeks to delete point 4, and it is a fact that, regrettably, the health Minister did say that it would be foolish to have a plan in place to tackle the waiting list backlog. Well, as I've highlighted in the statistics that I've put in before us today, there is a desperate need for a plan to deal with the waiting times. I accept the point that we are still in the middle of the pandemic and the pandemic has many months, regrettably—even maybe years—for it to pan out, but we do need to plan and we do need to make sure that the NHS has the confidence, along with the care sector, that the centre is supporting the NHS in any part of Wales to make sure that services are turned back on and we can start to get on top of these waiting times.

It is important that we get COVID-lite hospitals up and running, and in a secure and safe environment, surgeries can ultimately progress within the Welsh NHS, and that's why we are unable to support amendment 3 that seeks to delete that point from the motion this afternoon.

And above all, then, we do believe that there does need to be a cancer recovery plan, which other parts of the United Kingdom have made available to their NHS, so that there can be a clear route for cancer services here in Wales to progress and get back on that even keel. Because one thing we do know about cancer is that timely intervention is critical—is critical—to making a successful outcome for that cancer patient, to have the right result from the treatment they received. Macmillan's own evidence and news reports, recently, have highlighted that there's been about 2,900 people walking around with cancer today because they've gone undiagnosed, and up to 2,000 people regrettably will die prematurely because they haven't been able to get the treatment and get into the system to get that diagnosis and get on top of the condition that they might be facing. That in itself requires urgent action from the health Minister, and so that's why we will not be supporting amendment 4 in the name of the Government that seeks to delete point (d) of our motion.

We will be supporting the Plaid amendment, because we do think it adds to the motion and we do welcome that analysis of 10-year waiting times and the ability to understand what we need to do going forward to enhance the capability of the NHS to get on top of the waiting times that I've highlighted in my opening remarks. But it is about commissioning more capacity; it is about looking at new ways of working; it is about getting COVID-lite hospitals into place; and it is about making greater use of community services, rather than moving people into the acute sector, where we can address the issue at the earliest possible stage by increasing the community spend of health resources here in Wales.

Pan edrychwch ar amseroedd aros diagnostig a therapïau hefyd, bu naid sylweddol yn yr amseroedd aros hynny, a gwelwyd cynnydd mawr o rhwng 30,000 a 35,000 o bobl rhwng mis Mawrth a mis Hydref. Erbyn hyn mae 143,000 o bobl yn aros am apwyntiadau diagnostig a therapi yn GIG Cymru. Ac yn ddiddorol, ar y mathau hynny o rifau, mae'r niferoedd wedi tyfu'n sylweddol ers mis Mehefin a mis Gorffennaf eleni. Bu gostyngiad gwirioneddol yn rhai o'r ffigurau hynny ar ddechrau'r pandemig, gan nad oedd pobl yn symud ymlaen drwy'r gwasanaeth iechyd i gael yr apwyntiadau cychwynnol hynny.

Felly, dyna faint yr her sy'n ein hwynebu, a dyna pam ein bod wedi cyflwyno'r cynnig y prynhawn yma, fel y gallwn, gobeithio, gael dadl, trafodaeth, ac ymdeimlad o'r hyn y mae Llywodraeth bresennol Cymru yn bwriadu ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â'r amseroedd aros hyn. Byddai'n hawdd treulio'r holl ddadl yn sôn am niferoedd a chynnydd canrannol a mynd ar goll yn y ffigurau hynny, ond mae'n bwysig pan fyddwn yn canolbwyntio ar y niferoedd fod pob un o'r pwyntiau canran roeddwn yn sôn amdanynt yn unigolyn, unigolyn yn eistedd ar restr aros nad yw, yn anffodus, wedi llwyddo i symud ymlaen drwy'r system.

Mae'n hanfodol nad yw ein gwasanaeth iechyd yn dod yn wasanaeth COVID yn unig yn y pen draw. Rhaid iddo barhau i fod y gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol rydym yn ei drysori ac yn ei garu gymaint. Ac ar y pwynt hwn, rwy'n credu ei bod yn werth i bawb ohonom dalu teyrnged i ymroddiad ac ymrwymiad a phroffesiynoldeb y staff yn ein gwasanaeth iechyd yma yng Nghymru sydd wedi mynd y tu hwnt i alw dyletswydd drwy gydol y pandemig, ac sydd eu hunain eisiau dychwelyd at y gwaith arferol o drin pobl yn y ddisgyblaeth iechyd y maent wedi'i hyfforddi ar ei chyfer ers cyhyd, er mwyn sicrhau ymdeimlad cymunedol fod y gwasanaeth iechyd yn cyflawni ar gyfer pob dyn, dynes a phlentyn yng Nghymru, a'n bod yn gwneud cynnydd gyda'r amseroedd aros.

Byddai'n anghywir hefyd i mi beidio ag ymdrin â'r gwelliannau a gyflwynwyd i'r cynnig, oherwydd roeddwn wedi gobeithio y gallem fod wedi cael cefnogaeth ehangach i'r cynnig sydd ger ein bron, ond rwy'n croesawu'r pwynt na chyflwynwyd unrhyw welliannau 'dileu popeth' i'r cynnig y prynhawn yma. Ond yn anffodus, ni fyddwn yn gallu derbyn gwelliant 1, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans, oherwydd credwn fod pwynt 1, sy'n sôn am yr amseroedd aros a'r cynnydd ddengwaith cymaint a amlygwyd gan BBC Wales, yn ffaith. Mae'n ffaith y bu cynnydd ddengwaith cymaint yn yr amseroedd aros hynny, a chredwn fod angen i hynny fod ar flaen y cynnig ac yn ganolog iddo.

Mae gwelliant 2, a gyflwynir eto yn enw Rebecca Evans, yn ceisio dileu pwynt 4, ac mae'n ffaith bod y Gweinidog iechyd, yn anffodus, wedi dweud y byddai'n ffôl cael cynllun ar waith i fynd i'r afael ag ôl-groniad y rhestrau aros. Wel, fel rwyf wedi nodi yn yr ystadegau a gyflwynais heddiw, mae taer angen cynllun i ymdrin â'r amseroedd aros. Rwy'n derbyn y pwynt ein bod yn dal ynghanol y pandemig a bod misoedd lawer, yn anffodus—blynyddoedd efallai hyd yn oed—cyn y daw i ben, ond mae angen inni gynllunio ac mae angen inni sicrhau bod hyder gan y GIG, ynghyd â'r sector gofal, fod y canol yn cynnal y GIG mewn unrhyw ran o Gymru er mwyn sicrhau bod gwasanaethau'n cael eu cychwyn eto a'n bod yn gallu dechrau mynd i'r afael â'r amseroedd aros hyn.

Mae'n bwysig ein bod yn cael ysbytai COVID-ysgafn ar waith, ac mewn amgylchedd diogel, fod llawdriniaethau'n gallu mynd rhagddynt yn y pen draw o fewn GIG Cymru, a dyna pam na allwn gefnogi gwelliant 3 sy'n ceisio dileu'r pwynt hwnnw o'r cynnig y prynhawn yma.

Ac yn anad dim felly, credwn fod angen cynllun adfer canser, fel y mae rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig wedi'i ddarparu ar gyfer eu GIG, er mwyn cael llwybr clir i wasanaethau canser yma yng Nghymru allu symud ymlaen a dychwelyd at y trywydd iawn. Oherwydd un peth y gwyddom am ganser yw bod ymyrraeth amserol yn hollbwysig—yn hollbwysig—i sicrhau canlyniad llwyddiannus i'r claf canser, i gael y canlyniad cywir o'r driniaeth a gawsant. Mae tystiolaeth ac adroddiadau newyddion Macmillan ei hun wedi tynnu sylw yn ddiweddar at y ffaith bod tua 2,900 o bobl yn cerdded o gwmpas gyda chanser heddiw am eu bod heb gael diagnosis, ac yn anffodus bydd hyd at 2,000 o bobl yn marw'n gynamserol am nad ydynt wedi gallu cael y driniaeth a mynd i mewn i'r system i gael diagnosis a mynd i'r afael â'r cyflwr y gallent fod yn ei wynebu. Mae hynny ynddo'i hun yn galw am weithredu ar frys gan y Gweinidog iechyd, ac felly dyna pam na fyddwn yn cefnogi gwelliant 4 yn enw'r Llywodraeth sy'n galw am ddileu pwynt (d) ein cynnig.

Byddwn yn cefnogi gwelliant Plaid Cymru, oherwydd credwn ei fod yn ychwanegu at y cynnig ac rydym yn croesawu'r dadansoddiad o amseroedd aros 10 mlynedd a'r gallu i ddeall yr hyn y mae angen inni ei wneud wrth symud ymlaen i wella gallu'r GIG i fynd i'r afael ag amseroedd aros fel y disgrifiais yn fy sylwadau agoriadol. Ond mae'n ymwneud â chomisiynu mwy o gapasiti; mae'n ymwneud ag edrych ar ffyrdd newydd o weithio; mae'n ymwneud â sefydlu ysbytai COVID-ysgafn; ac mae'n ymwneud â gwneud mwy o ddefnydd o wasanaethau cymunedol, yn hytrach na symud pobl i mewn i'r sector acíwt, lle gallwn fynd i'r afael â'r mater cyn gynted ag y bo modd drwy gynyddu gwariant ar adnoddau iechyd yn y gymuned yma yng Nghymru.

There is always a debate and discussion to be had about what money is available for the NHS, and we do know that considerable consequentials—. And I accept those consequentials have come not because we're a special case and we're deserving, but because of spend that has gone on in other parts of the United Kingdom that has activated the Barnett formula. There's £1.6 billion worth of money sitting in the Welsh budget already, unspent and unallocated. And today, with the comprehensive spending review, additional moneys will be arriving in the finance Minister's hands, which, I hope, will be passed to the health Minister, so that extra capacity can be commissioned and can be created, and these new ways of working can be ingrained in the NHS to start addressing the terrible wait that many people across Wales face—the 0.5 million people across Wales that are on an NHS waiting list today. It is important that where that allocation is made, sufficient support staff support is put in place to make sure that the staff, whatever level they are within the NHS, whether they're the porters, the cleaners or the consultants and the neurologists, are there and thought of, because without the staff, you will not have an NHS that delivers. And what we want to see is an NHS that hasn't just been turned into a COVID recovery NHS and is an NHS for us all, whatever part of Wales we live in.

It is a fact that the recent Royal College of Nursing staff survey highlighted that 34 per cent of staff—nurses in particular—felt undervalued by the Welsh Government. That was the highest figure of any Government in the United Kingdom, I might add. And 75 per cent of staff believed that they'd seen an increase in the stress levels. So, a staff strategy to make sure that the retention of staff is at the heart of what our health boards do will be critical to making sure that we deliver a staffing structure that can respond to the COVID crisis, as well as the reopening and re-engineering of services across the whole of the Wales NHS. And building on that staff support, we need to make sure that we have the testing resources in place to make sure that where hospital infections—. Sadly, my own regional area, where the Cwm Taf health board covers, has seen a massive spike in hospital-acquired infections. We need a greater energy behind the testing regimes within our hospitals and with our care settings, so that we can get back to a functioning environment within those hospitals and within the care homes. And with the rapid testing that is now available, this really does seem to be a game changer in what we can be doing. I would urge the Minister to make sure that those tests are made available to the Welsh NHS.

But, above all, the central leadership that the Welsh Government can provide, with the civil service here in Cardiff, and the access to resource, has to be driven and engineered to make sure that the health boards are driven in their planning to make sure that the services are re-engineered and reopened. And it is only that central resource—that capacity of that central resource—that will allow this to happen. We need to make sure we have a strong public health messaging campaign so that people know that the NHS is open and ready for you should you need it. Because with the messaging and what we've gone through in the last six to seven months, it is a fact that many people are—to put it bluntly—frightened to engage with services, and that shouldn't be the case. We need to be constantly repeating the message that the NHS is there for you, to get that diagnosis, get that treatment and, ultimately, get back to a normal way of life. Regrettably, Macmillan have pointed out that, on cancer services, for example, other than a brief campaign in June, there hasn't been a joined-up and co-ordinated campaign here in Wales, unlike in other parts of the United Kingdom, when it comes to cancer services. So, there is work to be done in that particular area. Above all, what I'd also like to see is a cancer delivery plan delivered by the Welsh Government, which, regrettably, they've declined to do, according to a written answer to me. We do know that the current cancer plan is coming to an end at the end of December this year, and the answer that I received yesterday indicated that there's still not the formatting of its successor plan to be put in place.

So, when we're looking at developing a more central model to, ultimately, support the NHS here in Wales to deliver on waiting times, deliver on support staff support, deliver on resources, and then we look at one critical part of the health service—the cancer departments within our hospitals—their own delivery plan will be coming to an end in December, and there is no successor plan in place at the moment from the Welsh Government. The Government do need to step up to the plate and get on top of this, because, as I said, when it comes to cancer services, we know for a fact that time is of the essence. And that is why I call for support this afternoon for the motion as tabled. It is a fact that all parts of the NHS, in any part of the United Kingdom, are facing long waiting times. We are not disputing that, and we don't blame the Government for a moment for suspending those services back in March. But, reactivating those services has been slower here in Wales than in other parts of the United Kingdom, and it is that slowness that has exacerbated the waiting times, which the figures that I mentioned at the beginning of this debate have highlighted graphically—first of all last week, when they were first published, and again by repeating them here in the debate this afternoon. I hope that Members will be able to support the motion as tabled, unamended, so that it has the most potency and ultimately drives home the seriousness of the challenge that we face. Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer.

Mae dadl a thrafodaeth i'w cael bob amser ynglŷn â pha arian sydd ar gael i'r GIG, a gwyddom fod symiau canlyniadol sylweddol—. Ac rwy'n derbyn bod y symiau canlyniadol hynny wedi dod, nid oherwydd ein bod yn achos arbennig a'n bod yn eu haeddu, ond oherwydd gwariant a ddigwyddodd mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig sydd wedi ysgogi fformiwla Barnett. Mae gwerth £1.6 biliwn o arian yn gorwedd yng nghyllideb Cymru eisoes, heb ei wario a heb ei ddyrannu. A heddiw, gyda'r adolygiad cynhwysfawr o wariant, bydd arian ychwanegol yn cyrraedd dwylo'r Gweinidog cyllid, a fydd, gobeithio, yn cael ei drosglwyddo i'r Gweinidog iechyd, fel y gellir comisiynu a chreu capasiti ychwanegol, a bod modd cynnwys y ffyrdd newydd hyn o weithio yn y GIG i ddechrau mynd i'r afael â'r amseroedd aros ofnadwy y mae llawer o bobl ledled Cymru yn eu hwynebu—y 0.5 miliwn o bobl ledled Cymru sydd ar restr aros y GIG heddiw. Pan wneir y dyraniad hwnnw, mae'n bwysig fod digon o gymorth staff cymorth yn cael ei roi ar waith i sicrhau bod y staff, ar ba lefel bynnag y maent o fewn y GIG, boed yn borthorion, yn lanhawyr neu'n feddygon ymgynghorol a niwrolegwyr, yno ac yn cael eu hystyried, oherwydd heb y staff, ni fydd gennych GIG sy'n cyflawni. A'r hyn rydym eisiau ei weld yw GIG sydd heb gael ei droi'n GIG adfer COVID yn unig ac sy'n GIG i ni i gyd, ym mha bynnag ran o Gymru rydym yn byw.

Mae'n ffaith bod arolwg staff diweddar y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol wedi nodi bod 34 y cant o'r staff—nyrsys yn enwedig—yn teimlo nad oedd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu gwerthfawrogi'n ddigonol. Dylwn ychwanegu mai dyna oedd y ffigur uchaf o dan unrhyw Lywodraeth yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Ac roedd 75 y cant o'r staff yn credu eu bod wedi gweld cynnydd yn y lefelau straen. Felly, bydd strategaeth staff i sicrhau bod cadw staff yn ganolog i'r hyn y mae ein byrddau iechyd yn ei wneud yn hanfodol i sicrhau ein bod yn darparu strwythur staffio a all ymateb i argyfwng COVID, yn ogystal ag ailagor ac ail-beiriannu gwasanaethau ar draws GIG Cymru yn ei gyfanrwydd. A chan adeiladu ar y cymorth hwnnw i staff, mae angen inni sicrhau bod gennym adnoddau profi ar waith i wneud yn siŵr, lle mae heintiau mewn ysbytai—. Yn anffodus, mae fy ardal ranbarthol i, ardal sy'n dod o dan fwrdd iechyd Cwm Taf, wedi gweld cynnydd enfawr yn nifer yr achosion a ddaliodd COVID yn yr ysbyty. Mae angen mwy o egni y tu ôl i'r cyfundrefnau profi yn ein hysbytai a chyda'n lleoliadau gofal, fel y gallwn ddychwelyd at amgylchedd gweithredol yn yr ysbytai hynny ac yn y cartrefi gofal. A chyda'r profion cyflym sydd bellach ar gael, mae'n ymddangos bod hyn yn newid sylfaenol o ran beth y gallwn ei wneud. Hoffwn annog y Gweinidog i sicrhau bod y profion hynny ar gael i GIG Cymru.

Ond yn anad dim, rhaid i'r arweinyddiaeth ganolog y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei darparu, gyda'r gwasanaeth sifil yma yng Nghaerdydd, a'r mynediad at adnoddau, gael ei sbarduno a'i pheiriannu i sicrhau bod y byrddau iechyd yn mynd ati'n weithredol i gynllunio er mwyn sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau'n cael eu hail-beiriannu a'u hailagor. A dim ond yr adnodd canolog hwnnw—capasiti'r adnodd canolog hwnnw—fydd yn caniatáu i hyn ddigwydd. Mae angen inni sicrhau bod gennym ymgyrch negeseuon iechyd cyhoeddus gref fel bod pobl yn gwybod bod y GIG yn agored ac yn barod ar eich cyfer os bydd ei angen arnoch. Oherwydd gyda'r negeseuon a'r hyn rydym wedi mynd drwyddo yn y chwech i saith mis diwethaf, mae'n ffaith bod llawer o bobl—o'i roi'n blwmp ac yn blaen—yn ofni ymgysylltu â gwasanaethau, ac ni ddylai hynny ddigwydd. Mae angen inni ailadrodd yn gyson y neges fod y GIG yno ar eich cyfer, i chi gael y diagnosis hwnnw, i gael y driniaeth honno ac yn y pen draw, i ddychwelyd at ffordd arferol o fyw. Yn anffodus, mewn perthynas â gwasanaethau canser, mae Macmillan wedi nodi, er enghraifft, na fu ymgyrch gydgysylltiedig yma yng Nghymru ar wahân i ymgyrch fer ym mis Mehefin, yn wahanol i rannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Felly, mae gwaith i'w wneud yn y maes penodol hwnnw. Yn anad dim, yr hyn yr hoffwn ei weld hefyd yw cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer canser wedi'i ddarparu gan Lywodraeth Cymru, rhywbeth y maent wedi gwrthod ei wneud yn anffodus, yn ôl ateb ysgrifenedig ataf. Gwyddom fod y cynllun canser presennol yn dod i ben ddiwedd mis Rhagfyr eleni, a nododd yr ateb a gefais ddoe nad oes gwaith wedi'i wneud ar fformat ei gynllun olynol o hyd.

Felly, pan fyddwn yn ystyried datblygu model mwy canolog yn y pen draw i gynorthwyo'r GIG yma yng Nghymru i gyflawni ar amseroedd aros, darparu cymorth i staff cymorth, darparu adnoddau, a'n bod yn edrych wedyn ar un rhan allweddol o'r gwasanaeth iechyd—yr adrannau canser yn ein hysbytai—bydd eu cynllun cyflawni eu hunain yn dod i ben ym mis Rhagfyr, ac nid oes cynllun olynol ar waith ar hyn o bryd gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae angen i'r Llywodraeth ysgwyddo ei chyfrifoldeb, oherwydd, fel y dywedais, o ran gwasanaethau canser, gwyddom fod amser yn allweddol. A dyna pam rwy'n galw am gefnogaeth y prynhawn yma i'r cynnig fel y'i cyflwynwyd. Mae'n ffaith bod pob rhan o'r GIG, mewn unrhyw ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig, yn wynebu amseroedd aros hir. Nid ydym yn anghytuno â hynny, ac nid ydym yn beio'r Llywodraeth am eiliad am atal y gwasanaethau hynny yn ôl ym mis Mawrth. Ond mae ailweithredu'r gwasanaethau hynny wedi bod yn arafach yma yng Nghymru nag mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig, a'r arafwch hwnnw sydd wedi gwaethygu'r amseroedd aros a amlygwyd y glir gan y niferoedd y soniais amdanynt ar ddechrau'r ddadl hon—yn gyntaf oll yr wythnos diwethaf, pan gawsant eu cyhoeddi gyntaf, ac eto drwy eu hailadrodd yma yn y ddadl y prynhawn yma. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr Aelodau'n gallu cefnogi'r cynnig fel y'i cyflwynwyd, heb ei ddiwygio, fel ei fod mor gryf ag y gall fod ac yn y pen draw yn crisialu difrifoldeb yr her sy'n ein hwynebu. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd.

17:35

I have selected six amendments to the motion. Can I call on Vaughan Gething to move formally amendments 1 to 5, tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans?

Rwyf wedi dethol chwe gwelliant i'r cynnig. A gaf fi alw ar Vaughan Gething i gynnig gwelliannau 1 i 5, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans, yn ffurfiol?

Gwelliant 1—Rebecca Evans

Dileu pwynt 1 a rhoi yn ei le:

Yn nodi bod yr ystadegau ar gyfer Cymru a gyhoeddwyd ar 19 Tachwedd yn dangos cynnydd o 11 y cant yng nghyfanswm y niferoedd sy’n aros am driniaeth rhwng mis Medi 2019 a mis Medi 2020, ac mai nifer yr arosiadau dros y targed cenedlaethol o 36 wythnos sydd naw gwaith yn fwy, tuedd sydd i’w gweld ym mhob rhan o’r DU.

Amendment 1—Rebecca Evans

Delete point 1 and replace with:

Notes that the Welsh statistics published on 19 November show an 11 per cent increase in the total numbers waiting for treatment from September 2019 to September 2020, and it is the growth of waits over the national target 36 weeks that have increased ninefold, a trend which has been seen in all areas of the UK.

Gwelliant 2—Rebecca Evans

Dileu pwynt 4 a rhoi yn ei le:

Yn gresynu y bydd Cymru, y DU, a’r byd yn byw gydag effeithiau COVID-19 am flynyddoedd lawer.

Yn nodi bod cynlluniau’r GIG, tra mae COVID yn dal i fod yn ein cymuned, yn canolbwyntio ar gydbwyso darparu gwasanaethau COVID a gwasanaethau eraill yn ddiogel.

Amendment 2—Rebecca Evans

Delete point 4 and replace with:

Regrets that Wales, the UK, and the world will be living with the effects of COVID-19 for many years.

Notes that whilst COVID remains in our community, NHS plans are focussed on balancing the safe delivery of COVID and non-COVID services.

Gwelliant 3—Rebecca Evans

Dileu is-bwynt 5(a) a rhoi yn ei le: 

gweithio gyda chlinigwyr lleol i ddarparu modelau cyflawni sy’n gwneud y mwyaf o’r holl adnoddau i ddarparu gofal diogel o safon ar gyfer llwybrau COVID a llwybrau eraill ar gyfer cymunedau lleol.

Amendment 3—Rebecca Evans

Delete sub-point 5(a) and replace with:

Work with local clinicians to develop models of delivery which maximise all resources to deliver safe, quality care for both COVID and non-COVID pathways to local communities.

Gwelliant 4—Rebecca Evans

Dileu is-bwynt 5(d) a rhoi yn ei le:

parhau i weithio gyda’r rhwydwaith canser a’r GIG i sicrhau y gall gwasanaethau canser ateb galwadau newydd a’r galw presennol, a chytuno sut i fuddsoddi yn y dyfodol i wireddu’r ymrwymiad y cytunwyd arno ar gyfer profion diagnostig cyflym.

Amendment 4—Rebecca Evans

Delete sub-point 5(d) and replace with:

Continue to work with the cancer network and NHS to ensure cancer services are able to meet new and current demand, and agree how to deploy future investment to deliver on the agreed commitment for rapid diagnostic testing.

Gwelliant 5—Rebecca Evans

Yn is-bwynt 5(e) dileu 'gweithredu ymgyrch' a rhoi yn ei le 'parhau â’n hymgyrch'.

Amendment 5—Rebecca Evans

In sub-point 5(e), delete 'implement a' and replace with 'continue our'.

Cynigiwyd gwelliannau 1, 2, 3, 4 a 5.

Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 moved.

Formally moved, Deputy Presiding Officer.

Cynigiwyd yn ffurfiol, Ddirprwy Lywydd.

I call on Rhun ap Iorwerth to move amendment 6, tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian—Rhun.

Galwaf ar Rhun ap Iorwerth i gynnig gwelliant 6, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Siân Gwenllian—Rhun.

Gwelliant 6—Siân Gwenllian

Ychwanegu is-bwyntiau newydd ar ddiwedd pwynt 5:

'cynnal adolygiad o berfformiad yn erbyn targedau amseroedd aros dros y degawd diwethaf i sicrhau bod gwersi'n cael eu dysgu am reoli rhestrau aros;

ystyried defnyddio'r ysbytai Nightingale lle y bo'n bosibl i ddarparu capasiti ychwanegol i gleifion sy'n gwella yn dilyn llawdriniaeth er mwyn helpu i gynyddu llif drwy'r system.'

Amendment 6—Siân Gwenllian

Add as new sub-points at end of point 5:

'conduct a review of performance against waiting time targets over the past decade to ensure that lessons are learned about management of waiting lists;

consider using the Nightingale hospitals where possible to provide extra capacity for patients recovering from surgery to help increase flow through the system.'

Cynigiwyd gwelliant 6.

Amendment 6 moved.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Dwi'n falch o gael y cyfle i ymateb i'r cynnig yma. Mae o'n gynnig rydyn ni ym Mhlaid Cymru yn cyd-fynd â fo yn gyffredinol. Dwi'n anghytuno efo'r geiriad mewn ambell i le—ardaloedd COVID-lite, er enghraifft, yn hytrach na COVID-free y mae Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon yn galw amdanyn nhw, sy'n fater eithaf pwysig. Ond, rydyn ni'n sicr yn cytuno efo'r bwriad yn y cynnig yma yn gyffredinol. Wrth gwrs, mi fyddwn ni'n pleidleisio yn erbyn y cynnig gwreiddiol er mwyn caniatáu pleidlais ar ein gwelliant ninnau.

Ymhell cyn y pandemig, roeddem ni'n poeni am restrau aros hir. Fel llefarydd iechyd, mae o wedi bod yn un o destunau trafod mwyaf y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Fel cynrychiolydd etholaeth, dwi'n gwybod am wn i ddim faint o etholwyr sydd wedi cael gwybod bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw aros ymhell dros flwyddyn am driniaeth frys, hyd yn oed. Mi fydd o'n brofiad sy'n gyffredin i bawb ohonom ni yn y Senedd yma, dwi'n siŵr.

Mae'r effaith ar gleifion yn fawr—nid yn unig yr effaith uniongyrchol o orfod byw efo salwch, yn aml iawn mewn poen, neu'n anghyfforddus, â'r pryder bod yr amser hir heb driniaeth yn creu difrod mwy, gan wneud y driniaeth yn y pen draw yn debyg o fod yn llai llwyddiannus—ond hefyd achos bod yr aros ei hun yn arwain at broblemau eraill. Mi gawsom ni adroddiad gwerthfawr gan y cynghorau iechyd yn ôl yn 2018, 'Ein bywydau ar stop', yn edrych ar effaith amseroedd aros ar ansawdd bywydau cleifion. Mae teitl yr adroddiad yn dweud y cyfan, mewn difrif. Rydyn ni'n sôn am effaith yr aros, nid yn unig ar iechyd corfforol, ond ar iechyd meddwl, ar unigrwydd, ar symudedd, y teimlad o golli urddas, yr effaith ar fywyd teulu, lle mae pobl hŷn a chyfrifoldebau gofal plant, er enghraifft, ac yn methu â gwneud hynny.

Yn hynny o beth, dwi'n meddwl bod y Llywodraeth braidd yn annidwyll yn eu gwelliannau nhw. Mae angen i'r Llywodraeth gydnabod bod rhestrau aros yng Nghymru yn llawer rhy hir cyn yr argyfwng yma. Mae angen iddyn nhw beidio, mewn unrhyw ffordd, drio osgoi'r realiti bod perfformiad yn erbyn y mesurau am amseroedd aros wedi bod yn broblem ers amser maith. Ond, mae'r pandemig, wrth gwrs, wedi gwaethygu pethau. I lawer o bobl a oedd wedi bod yn aros yn barod cyn dechrau'r flwyddyn gythryblus yma, mi ddaeth pethau i stop. Pan wnaeth rhai triniaethau elective ailddechrau, mi glywsom bryderon bod yna anghysondeb ar draws Cymru yn nhermau mynediad at wasanaethau llawfeddygol.

Ond, cofiwch nad dim ond aros am driniaethau am salwch neu anhwylder sydd wedi cael ei adnabod yn barod ydy'r broblem. Rydyn ni hefyd, yn allweddol, wedi gweld oedi mawr—ac atal yn llwyr ar adegau—yn y gwasanaeth diagnosis, sydd mor, mor bwysig. Ar ben hynny, wrth gwrs, mae llawer o bobl wedi dewis peidio â chwilio am gymorth meddygol oherwydd nerfusrwydd am ddal y feirws, neu am nad ydyn nhw eisiau bod yn fwrn ar y gwasanaeth iechyd mewn amser o argyfwng.

Y canlyniad? Rydyn ni wedi clywed mudiadau canser fel Macmillan yn dweud wrthym ni eu bod nhw'n meddwl y gallai fod yn agos at 3,000 o bobl yng Nghymru yn debyg o fod yn byw efo canser heb ddiagnosis oherwydd effaith y coronafeirws. Felly, mae'n hanfodol bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn edrych ar sut i ddelio efo'r backlog yn y system, a delio efo'r ffaith bod llawer o bobl yn teimlo eu bod nhw wedi cael eu hanghofio. Mae o'n bwysig nid yn unig er mwyn y cleifion, ond er mwyn ein staff ymroddedig, yr ydym ni'n cael cyfle unwaith eto heddiw i ddiolch iddyn nhw.

Mae angen safleoedd COVID-lite pwrpasol ar frys, efo profion rheolaidd ar staff a chleifion a stoc ddigonol o PPE i gadw capasiti elective i fynd drwy'r misoedd tyngedfennol nesaf. Eto, dwi'n defnyddio'r term 'COVID-lite' yn hytrach na 'rhydd o COVID', fel mae Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon yn ei ddweud, achos mewn difri does dim modd rhoi gwarant y gallwch chi gael gwared ar y feirws yn gyfan gwbl. Mae profion aml yn hanfodol er mwyn cynnal gwasanaethau llawfeddygol dewisol, cynllunio'r gweithlu, a diogelu safleoedd COVID-lite. Rhaid i staff gael eu profi'n rheolaidd hyd yn oed pan fyddan nhw'n asymptomatic.

Rydyn ni wedi cyflwyno ein gwelliant ni mewn ysbryd o symud ymlaen, ac o basio hwnnw mi fyddwn ni, fel dwi wedi awgrymu, yn cefnogi'r cynnig ei hun. Rydyn ni yn meddwl bod angen adolygu'r targedau—

Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm pleased to have an opportunity to respond to this motion. It's a motion that we in Plaid Cymru agree with in general terms. I disagree with the wording in certain areas—COVID-lite areas rather than COVID-free are what the Royal College of Surgeons is calling for, and it's an important issue. We certainly agree with the underlying intention of the motion in general terms. We will be voting against the original motion to allow a vote on our own amendment, of course.

Long before the pandemic, we were concerned about lengthy waiting lists. As health spokesperson, it has been one of the hot topics of the past few years. As a constituency representative, I know of I don't know how many constituents who have been told that they will have to wait for way over 12 months for urgent treatment. It will be an experience common to each and every one of us in this Senedd, I'm sure.

The impact on patients is great—not only the direct impact of having to live with illness, often in pain or in discomfort, with the anxiety that the long waiting time is actually making things worse and that the treatment will ultimately be less successful—but also because the waiting itself leads to problems. We had a valuable report from the health councils back in 2018, 'Our lives on hold', looking at the impact of waiting times on quality of life. The title said it all, if truth be told. We are talking about the impact of the waiting, not only on physical health, but also on mental health, on isolation, on mobility, on the loss of dignity and the impact on family life, where older people have childcare responsibilities and can't undertake those responsibilities.

In that respect, I think that the Government has been a little disingenuous in its amendments. The Government needs to recognise that waiting times in Wales were far too long before this crisis. They shouldn't, in any way, try to avoid the reality of the situation—that performance against waiting time targets has been a long-term problem. But, the pandemic, of course, has exacerbated the situation. For many people who had been waiting before the beginning of this troubled year, things came to a stop. When some elective treatments restarted, we heard concerns of inconsistencies across Wales in terms of access to surgical services.

But, do bear in mind that it's not just waiting times for treatment that have been recognised as a problem. We have also seen great delays—and the complete suspension at times—in the diagnostic services that are so crucially important. In addition to that, of course, many people have chosen not to seek medical assistance because of nervousness about catching the virus or because they don't want to be a burden on our health service at a time of crisis.

The upshot of all of this? We have heard cancer organisations such as Macmillan tell us that they think that up to 3,000 people in Wales could be living with undiagnosed cancer because of the impact of coronavirus. So, it is crucial that the Welsh Government does look at how they deal with the backlogs in the system, and deal with the fact that many people feel that they have been forgotten. It's important not only for the sake of the patients, but also for our committed staff, and we once again have an opportunity to thank them for their service.

We need the COVID-lite sites as a matter of urgency, with regular testing for staff and patients and sufficient stocks of PPE to keep the elective capacity going through the crucial next few months. I use the term 'COVID-lite' deliberately, rather than 'COVID-free', as the Royal College of Surgeons does, because in reality you can give no guarantee that you can eradicate the virus entirely from sites. Regular testing is crucial in order to maintain surgical services, workforce planning, and safeguarding the COVID-lite sites is important. Staff must be tested regularly, even when they are asymptomatic.

We have tabled our amendment in the spirit of making progress, and in passing that, as I've suggested, we will be supporting the motion itself. We do think that we need a review of performance targets—

17:40

We appear to have lost Rhun. We've not got the Member back, and as he was running out of time anyway, I think I'll draw his conclusions to a close for him and I'll call Janet Finch-Saunders.

Ymddengys ein bod wedi colli Rhun. Nid ydym wedi cael yr Aelod yn ôl, a chan ei fod yn brin o amser beth bynnag, rwy'n meddwl y dof â'i gasgliadau i ben ar ei ran a galw ar Janet Finch-Saunders.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Just in starting this debate, I'd like to put on record again, myself, and on behalf of us as Welsh Conservatives, the immense thanks to all staff in the healthcare sector for the hard work, dedication and commitment that they continue to show to Welsh patients. Now, let's be honest, the health service here in Wales under this Welsh Labour Government did not enter the pandemic on its best footing. The 95 per cent target for patients spending less than four hours in A&E had never been met. Cancer waiting times had not been met for 10 years. Forty-two per cent of people in Wales had an unmet need for physiotherapy compared to 30 per cent in England, and Betsi Cadwaladr, my own health board, had some horrendous waiting times in February: 508 patient pathways waiting over 36 weeks to start ENT treatment, 903 for urology, and 3,192 for trauma and orthopaedic treatment. As Andrew R.T. Davies has quite correctly said, these are individuals. Their lives are being impacted daily. Sadly, despite these tireless efforts of our front-line workers, the impact of the pandemic on these individuals is devastating. Waiting times for those waiting more than 36 weeks have increased by eight times; 168,944 people have been waiting more than 36 weeks for treatment. In fact, the overall number of patient pathways waiting to start treatment by the end of September 2020 had topped 0.5 million people.

Now, as the Minister knows, I have written to him on several occasions with constituents who are now on record as having waited years for some orthopaedic surgery, and we must note the BBC Wales report, which shows a tenfold increase in patients waiting for all treatments in the Welsh NHS compared to September 2019. Now, these are not new findings, and we're not dismissing the impact of COVID-19, but in fact, warnings of backlogs were made during the first lockdown. The Royal College of General Practitioners commented that in 2009, during the flu epidemic in the UK, there was a significant increase in deaths from strokes. So, there is a risk that the obvious emphasis on COVID patients will result in treatment for other health conditions being delayed if patients are not allowed to present in primary care. Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation highlighted severe concerns about people with chronic lung disease being at greater risk of preventable exacerbation and worsening of health.

The British Heart Foundation indicated that the drop of 20 per cent in the number of people seen in hospitals across Wales with a suspected heart attack since lockdown may partly explain the increase in deaths that are not currently attributable to COVID-19. Now, while I agree that many treatments were closed at the start of lockdown, obviously, to ensure the safety of patients, urgent action is needed now to resume some of these services. Unlike the Minister, I think it would be sensible to put a plan in place to tackle the waiting list backlog. You should immediately boost the use of COVID-free hospitals. As recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, across the UK, setting up COVID-19-free hospital areas could prevent 6,000 unnecessary COVID-19-related deaths—this is after cancer surgery—over the next year.

On 31 July, NHS England published the third phase of its COVID-19 response, which had a particular focus on the capacity available to ensure the return of near normal levels of non-COVID health services. But in comparison here, we've seen the Welsh Government struggle to act quickly. So, by 28 August, no general and acute beds were available in field hospitals. This was the case for nearly two months until 15 October, when 115 beds had been made available. That's less than half of the capacity seen at the peak of the pandemic. That failure to not use the independent and field hospital capacity consistently, before the second wave, has driven pressure on to our existing hospitals during the second wave. The seriousness of this situation is clear, when considering that 2,000 people could die because of COVID-related delays in the Welsh NHS. Scotland and England have had cancer recovery plans in place for several months, yet not here. So, I wholeheartedly support the calls for a plan and a nationwide campaign to ensure that people who suspect that they have cancer and need to go to hospital do so. Even Macmillan Cancer Support recommended last month that you must commit a clear plan and resources to support the delivery of surge capacity.

I will close by noting that the urgent action that we are requesting is feasible. This is constructive opposition. Not only is it supported by health organisations, but we can feasibly boost the use of COVID-free hospitals across Wales by ensuring that health boards have clear policies on addressing testing requirements and frequency for staff and patients; adequate PPE and surgical supplies and clear policies on when and how to use them; local co-ordination to ensure that patients' care pathways are appropriately managed; the use of hospitals from the independent sector to boost capacity; and Nightingale hospitals to remain in operation. Please, Minister, let us all work together now across the board and deal with the situation that faces us now with COVID, but let normal hospital treatments that are required by the Welsh public continue and let them have their much-needed treatment. Thank you. Diolch.

Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Wrth ddechrau'r ddadl hon, hoffwn gofnodi eto'n bersonol, ac ar ein rhan ni fel Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, y diolch enfawr i holl staff y sector gofal iechyd am y gwaith caled, yr ymroddiad a'r ymrwymiad y maent yn parhau i'w dangos i gleifion Cymru. Nawr, gadewch inni fod yn onest, ni wnaeth y gwasanaeth iechyd yma yng Nghymru o dan y Llywodraeth Lafur hon yng Nghymru ddechrau'r pandemig ar y droed flaen. Ni chyrhaeddwyd y targed o 95 y cant o gleifion yn treulio llai na phedair awr mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys erioed. Nid oedd amseroedd aros canser wedi'u cyrraedd ers 10 mlynedd. Roedd gan 42 y cant o bobl yng Nghymru angen nas diwallwyd am ffisiotherapi o'i gymharu â 30 y cant yn Lloegr, ac roedd gan Betsi Cadwaladr, fy mwrdd iechyd fy hun, amseroedd aros erchyll ym mis Chwefror: 508 o lwybrau cleifion yn aros dros 36 wythnos i ddechrau triniaeth clustiau, trwyn a gwddw, 903 ar gyfer wroleg, a 3,192 ar gyfer triniaeth trawma ac orthopedeg. Fel y dywedodd Andrew R.T. Davies yn hollol gywir, unigolion yw'r rhain. Mae eu bywydau'n cael eu effeithio'n ddyddiol. Yn anffodus, er gwaethaf ymdrechion diflino ein gweithwyr rheng flaen, mae effaith y pandemig ar yr unigolion hyn yn ddinistriol. Mae amseroedd aros i'r rhai sy'n aros mwy na 36 wythnos wedi cynyddu wyth gwaith; mae 168,944 o bobl wedi bod yn aros mwy na 36 wythnos am driniaeth. Yn wir, roedd cyfanswm y cleifion a oedd yn aros i ddechrau triniaeth erbyn diwedd Medi 2020 dros 0.5 miliwn.

Nawr, fel y gŵyr y Gweinidog, rwyf wedi ysgrifennu ato droeon gydag etholwyr y cofnodwyd eu bod bellach wedi aros blynyddoedd am lawdriniaeth orthopedig, a rhaid inni nodi adroddiad BBC Wales, sy'n dangos cynnydd ddengwaith cymaint yn nifer y cleifion sy'n aros am driniaeth o unrhyw fath yn GIG Cymru o'i gymharu â mis Medi 2019. Nawr, nid canfyddiadau newydd yw'r rhain, ac nid ydym yn diystyru effaith COVID-19, ond mewn gwirionedd, cafwyd rhybuddion ynglŷn ag ôl-groniadau yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud cyntaf. Dywedodd Coleg Brenhinol yr Ymarferwyr Cyffredinol fod cynnydd sylweddol yn nifer y marwolaethau o ganlyniad i strôc yn ystod yr epidemig ffliw yn y DU yn 2009. Felly, mae perygl y bydd y pwyslais amlwg ar gleifion COVID yn arwain at oedi triniaeth ar gyfer cyflyrau iechyd eraill os na chaniateir i gleifion droi at ofal sylfaenol. Tynnodd Asthma UK a Sefydliad Prydeinig yr Ysgyfaint sylw at bryderon difrifol fod pobl â chlefyd cronig yr ysgyfaint mewn mwy o berygl o waethygiad y gellid ei atal yn eu hiechyd.

Nododd Sefydliad Prydeinig y Galon y gallai'r gostyngiad o 20 y cant yn nifer y bobl a welir mewn ysbytai ledled Cymru yr amheuir eu bod wedi cael trawiad ar y galon ers y cyfyngiadau symud egluro'n rhannol y cynnydd yn nifer y marwolaethau na ellir eu priodoli i COVID-19 ar hyn o bryd. Nawr, er fy mod yn cytuno bod llawer o driniaethau wedi'u cau ar ddechrau'r cyfyngiadau symud, yn amlwg, er mwyn sicrhau diogelwch cleifion, mae angen gweithredu ar frys yn awr i ailddechrau rhai o'r gwasanaethau hyn. Yn wahanol i'r Gweinidog, credaf y byddai'n synhwyrol rhoi cynllun ar waith i fynd i'r afael ag ôl-groniad y rhestrau aros. Dylech roi hwb ar unwaith i'r defnydd o ysbytai sy'n rhydd o COVID. Fel yr argymhellwyd gan Goleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon a Choleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys ledled y DU, gallai sefydlu ardaloedd ysbytai sy'n rhydd o COVID-19 atal 6,000 o farwolaethau diangen yn gysylltiedig â COVID-19—hyn ar ôl llawdriniaeth canser—dros y flwyddyn nesaf.

Ar 31 Gorffennaf, cyhoeddodd GIG Lloegr drydydd cam ei ymateb i COVID-19, a oedd yn canolbwyntio'n benodol ar y capasiti sydd ar gael i sicrhau bod lefelau agos i'r arfer o wasanaethau iechyd nad ydynt yn rhai COVID yn dychwelyd. Ond o'i gymharu â hyn, rydym wedi gweld Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei chael hi'n anodd gweithredu'n gyflym. Felly, erbyn 28 Awst, nid oedd gwelyau cyffredinol ac acíwt ar gael mewn ysbytai maes. Roedd hyn yn wir am bron i ddau fis tan 15 Hydref, pan ddaeth 115 o welyau ar gael. Mae hynny'n llai na hanner y capasiti a welwyd ar anterth y pandemig. Mae'r methiant hwnnw i beidio â defnyddio capasiti ysbytai annibynnol a maes yn gyson, cyn yr ail don, wedi rhoi pwysau ar ein hysbytai presennol yn ystod yr ail don. Mae difrifoldeb y sefyllfa hon yn glir wrth inni ystyried y gallai 2,000 o bobl farw oherwydd oedi sy'n gysylltiedig â COVID yn GIG Cymru. Mae gan yr Alban a Lloegr gynlluniau adfer canser ar waith ers sawl mis, ond nid yma. Felly, rwy'n llwyr gefnogi'r galwadau am gynllun ac ymgyrch genedlaethol i sicrhau bod pobl sy'n amau bod ganddynt ganser a bod angen iddynt fynd i'r ysbyty yn gwneud hynny. Argymhellodd hyd yn oed Cymorth Canser Macmillan y mis diwethaf fod yn rhaid i chi ymrwymo i gynllun clir ac adnoddau i gefnogi'r gwaith o ddarparu capasiti ymchwydd.

Hoffwn gloi drwy nodi bod y camau brys rydym yn gofyn amdanynt yn rhai ymarferol. Gwrthwynebiad adeiladol yw hwn. Caiff ei gefnogi gan sefydliadau iechyd, a gallwn roi hwb ymarferol hefyd i'r defnydd o ysbytai sy'n rhydd o COVID ledled Cymru drwy sicrhau bod gan fyrddau iechyd bolisïau clir ar fynd i'r afael â gofynion profi a'u hamlder ar gyfer staff a chleifion; cyflenwadau o gyfarpar diogelu personol a chyflenwadau llawfeddygol digonol a pholisïau clir ar ba bryd a sut i'w defnyddio; cydgysylltu lleol i sicrhau bod llwybrau gofal cleifion yn cael eu rheoli'n briodol; defnyddio ysbytai y sector annibynnol i hybu capasiti; ac ysbytai Nightingale i barhau'n weithredol. Os gwelwch yn dda, Weinidog, gadewch i bawb ohonom weithio gyda'n gilydd ym mhob man yn awr i ymdrin â'r sefyllfa sy'n ein hwynebu gyda COVID, ond gadewch i driniaethau arferol ysbytai y mae'r cyhoedd yng Nghymru eu hangen barhau a gadewch iddynt gael triniaethau mawr eu hangen. Diolch.

17:45

I welcome, Dirprwy Lywydd, the constructive and serious way in which the Conservatives have approached this debate today. I'll say to those Members on the opposition benches that when a debate is approached in this way, it puts the pressure on the backbench Members of the Government benches to justify, then, supporting the Government amendments. And it's that much more important that we put forward a strong argument when a debate is conducted in this way, and it's a good way to conduct scrutiny.

But I have to say that at the very heart of this debate is the need to control the virus and to prevent the spread of the virus into hospital settings, which, clearly, the SAGE advice given to UK Government and devolved Governments prior to the firebreak lockdown that took place at the beginning of November, was for that purpose. Looking at point No. 4 in the motion, mentioning the health Minister's very clear and honest answer about the problem facing waiting lists as a result of COVID, the purpose of that advice from SAGE to introduce a firebreak lockdown was to tackle exactly that problem. And I think the Conservatives would recognise that now, with hindsight, they were mistaken not to support that firebreak lockdown at the time, because, as we saw in England, a longer and harsher lockdown was introduced in order to tackle that problem. And this is at the heart of this debate—taking those measures and taking those strategies that will allow the control of the virus. And I'm sorry to Andrew R.T. Davies, if I was allowed to let you intervene, I would—you know I would—but the rules aren't allowing it at the moment.

So, in looking at the situation, what has the Welsh Government done? Well, just last week, we had a written statement from the health Minister about the single cancer pathway that was introduced in November 2018. And what it does is make sure that all patients, regardless of the degree of suspicion, all patients who are presenting with potential cancer cases are dealt with on a single cancer pathway. It's therefore, as the health Minister said in his statement,

'a much more accurate way of measuring the times to treatment our patients are experiencing in the health system.'

But one of the things he said in his statement was that,

'The Single Cancer Pathway will enable us to tackle variation, improve outcomes and deliver better experience for patients.'

I think it's the duty now on the health Minister to elaborate on that and to provide us with more information on how those things are being achieved, and that's a key point that I'd like the health Minister to address.

And with regard to cancer support and treatment, I have to say, in 2016, when I was first elected, I met with the chief executive of the Aneurin Bevan health board, and her ambition was to introduce a breast cancer centre of excellence at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr. I'm very pleased to say now that we are going to see that open next year, and that in itself—this centre of excellence—will provide evidence-based services, providing the best clinical outcomes, comprising of dedicated diagnostic treatment and counselling rooms that will enable faster diagnosis. And, indeed, the business case put together by Aneurin Bevan health board says the new centre will increase the range of breast surgery that can be performed as day cases from 30 per cent to 70 per cent. That's happening in Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr—they're having to extend the hospital to do it. That's Welsh Government funding that's supporting those patients with breast cancer. And, I think, therefore, I'd like to dedicate my contribution today to a constituent, Dawn Wilson.

Dawn Wilson lived in Ystrad Mynach and was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer in 2017. Dawn passed away at the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month on 1 October this year, and she spent the years in which she was diagnosed as terminal campaigning for others to avoid them getting in her position. In support, I'm wearing my pink tie today. She took the Know Your Lemons campaign, which originated from the work of Corrine Beaumont in America—she took that campaign as an awareness campaign and brought it to Wales. The idea is, there's a poster with a series of lemons and you can look at the lemons and they show the kind of breast cancer that may be diagnosed from looking at the shape of the lemon. And it's a very clear visual guide. Dawn got the Welsh NHS to pick that up. It was Dawn's campaigning in the last years of her life that got the Welsh NHS to pick up that campaign, and it was the Welsh Government that launched that campaign because of Dawn Wilson. Therefore, to close my remarks, I'd like us to recognise that contribution she made, and what selfless contribution too, in the last years of her life. I met her here in the Senedd two years ago, and I went to her house in Ystrad Mynach to talk to her about that campaign. So, it's a pleasure to dedicate this contribution to her today.

Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n croesawu'r ffordd adeiladol a difrifol y mae'r Ceidwadwyr wedi cyflwyno'r ddadl hon heddiw. Pan gaiff dadl ei chyflwyno yn y ffordd hon, dywedaf wrth yr Aelodau ar feinciau'r gwrthbleidiau fod hynny'n rhoi pwysau ar Aelodau meinciau cefn y Llywodraeth i gyfiawnhau pam y byddent yn cefnogi gwelliannau'r Llywodraeth. Ac mae cymaint â hynny'n bwysicach ein bod yn cyflwyno dadl gref pan gynhelir dadl yn y ffordd hon, ac mae'n ffordd dda o graffu.

Ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, wrth wraidd y ddadl hon mae angen i reoli'r feirws ac atal lledaeniad y feirws i leoliadau ysbytai, a dyna wrth gwrs oedd diben y cyngor SAGE a roddwyd i Lywodraeth y DU a Llywodraethau datganoledig cyn cyfyngiadau'r cyfnod atal byr a ddigwyddodd ddechrau mis Tachwedd. O edrych ar bwynt Rhif 4 yn y cynnig, sy'n sôn am ateb clir a gonest iawn y Gweinidog iechyd am y broblem sy'n wynebu rhestrau aros o ganlyniad i COVID, diben y cyngor hwnnw gan SAGE i gyflwyno cyfyngiadau cyfnod atal byr oedd mynd i'r afael â'r union broblem honno. A chredaf y byddai'r Ceidwadwyr yn cydnabod bellach wrth edrych yn ôl eu bod wedi gwneud camgymeriad yn peidio â chefnogi'r cyfnod atal byr ar y pryd, oherwydd, fel y gwelsom yn Lloegr, cyflwynwyd cyfyngiadau symud hirach a llymach er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r broblem honno. A dyna sydd wrth wraidd y ddadl hon—cymryd y mesurau a chymryd y strategaethau a fydd yn caniatáu i'r feirws gael ei reoli. Ac mae'n ddrwg gennyf ddweud wrth Andrew R.T. Davies, pe caniateid i mi adael i chi ymyrryd, fe fyddwn yn gwneud hynny—fe wyddoch y byddwn—ond nid yw'r rheolau'n caniatáu hynny ar hyn o bryd.

Felly, wrth edrych ar y sefyllfa, beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud? Wel, yr wythnos diwethaf, cawsom ddatganiad ysgrifenedig gan y Gweinidog iechyd am y llwybr canser sengl a gyflwynwyd ym mis Tachwedd 2018. A'r hyn y mae'n ei wneud yw sicrhau bod pob claf, ni waeth beth fo graddau'r amheuaeth, pob claf sy'n cael eu gweld fel achosion canser posibl, yn cael eu trin ar lwybr canser sengl. Felly, fel y dywedodd y Gweinidog iechyd yn ei ddatganiad, mae

'yn ffordd lawer cywirach o fesur yr amser y mae cleifion yn aros i gael triniaeth yn ein system iechyd.'

Ond un o'r pethau a ddywedodd yn ei ddatganiad oedd,

'Bydd y Llwybr Canser Sengl yn ein galluogi i fynd i’r afael ag amrywiadau, a gwella canlyniadau a phrofiad y claf.'

Rwy'n credu mai dyletswydd y Gweinidog iechyd nawr yw ymhelaethu ar hynny a rhoi mwy o wybodaeth i ni ynglŷn â sut y mae'r pethau hynny'n cael eu cyflawni, ac mae hwnnw'n bwynt allweddol yr hoffwn i'r Gweinidog iechyd fynd i'r afael ag ef.

Ac o ran cymorth a thriniaeth canser, rhaid i mi ddweud, yn 2016, pan gefais fy ethol gyntaf, cyfarfûm â phrif weithredwr bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan, a'i huchelgais oedd cyflwyno canolfan ragoriaeth canser y fron yn Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr. Rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud bellach y byddwn yn gweld honno'n agor y flwyddyn nesaf, a bydd honno ynddi'i hun—y ganolfan ragoriaeth—yn darparu gwasanaethau sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth, gan sicrhau'r canlyniadau clinigol gorau, yn cynnwys triniaeth ddiagnostig bwrpasol ac ystafelloedd cwnsela a fydd yn gwneud diagnosis cyflymach yn bosibl. Ac yn wir, mae'r achos busnes a gyflwynwyd gan fwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan yn dweud y bydd y ganolfan newydd yn cynyddu'r ystod o lawdriniaeth y fron y gellir ei chyflawni fel achosion dydd o 30 y cant i 70 y cant. Mae hynny'n digwydd yn Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr—maent yn gorfod ymestyn yr ysbyty i'w wneud. Dyna gyllid Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n cefnogi cleifion sydd â chanser y fron. Ac rwy'n meddwl, felly, yr hoffwn gyflwyno fy nghyfraniad heddiw i etholwr, Dawn Wilson.

Roedd Dawn Wilson yn byw yn Ystrad Mynach a chafodd ddiagnosis o ganser y fron yn 2017. Bu farw Dawn ar ddechrau Mis Ymwybyddiaeth Canser y Fron ar 1 Hydref eleni, a threuliodd y blynyddoedd ers iddi gael y diagnosis terfynol yn ymgyrchu dros eraill i'w hatal rhag gorfod wynebu'r sefyllfa roedd hi ynddi. I gefnogi'r ymgyrch, rwy'n gwisgo fy nhei binc heddiw. Fe gymerodd yr ymgyrch Know Your Lemons, a ddeilliodd o waith Corrine Beaumont yn America—cymerodd yr ymgyrch honno fel ymgyrch godi ymwybyddiaeth a'i chyflwyno i Gymru. Y syniad yw bod yna boster gyda chyfres o lemonau a gallwch edrych ar y lemonau ac maent yn dangos y math o ganser y fron y gellid gwneud diagnosis ohono o edrych ar siâp y lemwn. Ac mae'n ganllaw gweledol clir iawn. Llwyddodd Dawn i gael GIG Cymru i fabwysiadu hynny. Ymgyrch Dawn ym mlynyddoedd olaf ei bywyd a lwyddodd i gael GIG Cymru i fabwysiadu'r ymgyrch honno, a lansiodd Llywodraeth Cymru yr ymgyrch oherwydd Dawn Wilson. Felly, i gloi fy sylwadau, hoffwn inni gydnabod y cyfraniad a wnaeth, ei chyfraniad anhunanol ym mlynyddoedd olaf ei bywyd. Cyfarfûm â hi yma yn y Senedd ddwy flynedd yn ôl, ac euthum i'w thŷ yn Ystrad Mynach i siarad â hi am yr ymgyrch. Felly, mae'n bleser cyflwyno'r cyfraniad hwn iddi hi heddiw.

17:50

The pandemic has highlighted many things about our NHS—the resilience of our staff, their commitment to patients in the many additional hours that they have worked, and the flexibility that so many staff have demonstrated to help put in place the response to the pandemic. The pandemic has also highlighted some weaknesses of a system that has been creaking for some time. In her contribution, Janet Finch-Saunders said that waiting lists were on the rise before this public health crisis started, and we know that the backlog is now so big that it will take action for years to get it back to normal. In fact, the chief executive of NHS Wales admitted that point last week.

I'm concerned that, as we approach winter, waiting lists will inexorably grow longer, as they always do at this time of year, particularly as the NHS focuses on COVID-19 and winter pressures. Nowhere is this more stark than in my area in south-east Wales. The people will now need to know when they can expect treatment for not just routine matters but also access to life-saving treatments. In September this year, there were 26,974 people waiting for more than 36 weeks to start their treatment in south-east Wales, when the target is zero, compared to only 1,313 a year ago. This is clearly a colossal increase. The Royal College of Surgeons, in their recent evidence to the inquiry undertaken by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, outlined that a significant elective surgery backlog existed in Wales, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that this will only have increased. In January 2020, the last waiting-time statistics before the pandemic showed nearly half a million people waiting to start treatment, with 76,862 waiting more than 26 weeks. The risk is that many patients will require complex surgery if their treatment doesn't occur in a timely fashion, resulting, as we know, too often in worsening symptoms and deterioration in their condition.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I have, on several occasions in this Chamber, welcomed the building and the recent opening of the new Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran. We should all be ambitious about reforming the delivery of services to better suit patient needs, with new facilities, a focus on innovative models of care and the latest in technology and equipment. That project has been in development now for well over 10 years—I think, before I was elected to this place, I remember taking part in the Gwent clinical futures meetings then—and we finally have that excellent facility. But if new facilities are to be effective, they have to be properly resourced with the right level of staff. Any risk of shortages needs to be avoided, and people need to know that the hospital is accessible by both car and public transport, because these issues have been raised with me in recent weeks. The problem is, welcoming new capacity is too rare, and the problem of waiting times and growing waiting lists is the opposite—it's not rare, and something that the Welsh Government have had to respond to in the past.

In the second Assembly, the then health Minister introduced the second-offer scheme to bring the waiting list and waiting times down by offering treatment elsewhere in the NHS and outside Wales in the independent sector. At that point, many people were then treated more quickly. In fact, between April and September 2005, a total of 495 people from Gwent were offered alternative hospitals in the private sector to get their operations done. In all fairness to the Government at that time, it demonstrated a willingness to look beyond narrow political standpoints about treating people outside of Wales and outside the NHS, and secured a workable solution for patients at that time. In light of the fact that theatre capacity across Wales has been below optimal for some time, has the Welsh Government explored the option of increasing short-term capacity, perhaps working with providers outside Wales who might have capacity to address this?

Whilst all NHS bodies across the UK will be managing the response to the pandemic, I would ask that the Minister sets out whether capacity exists elsewhere and, if it is possible, to perhaps scope out some kind of second second-offer scheme—a phase 2, if you like—to address this important crisis. If not, then what else can be done to examine the flexing up of the previous surge capacity that was introduced during the UK-wide lockdown to protect the NHS in case the COVID-19 numbers start to really undermine the NHS capacity? Additional capacity is now needed to address the consequences of the pandemic for thousands of people whose need of NHS care is equally important as it has been in the past.

Mae'r pandemig wedi tynnu sylw at lawer o bethau am ein GIG—gwydnwch ein staff, eu hymrwymiad i gleifion yn yr oriau ychwanegol niferus y maent wedi gweithio, a'r hyblygrwydd y mae cynifer o staff wedi'i ddangos i helpu i roi'r ymateb i'r pandemig ar waith. Mae'r pandemig hefyd wedi tynnu sylw at rai o'r gwendidau mewn system sydd wedi bod yn gwegian ers peth amser. Yn ei chyfraniad, dywedodd Janet Finch-Saunders fod rhestrau aros ar gynnydd cyn i'r argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus hwn ddechrau, a gwyddom fod yr ôl-groniad mor fawr erbyn hyn fel y bydd angen gweithredu am flynyddoedd i'w gael yn ôl i'r hyn ydyw'n arferol. Yn wir, cyfaddefodd prif weithredwr GIG Cymru y pwynt hwnnw yr wythnos diwethaf.

Wrth i ni nesáu at y gaeaf, rwy'n pryderu y bydd rhestrau aros yn tyfu'n hirach, fel y maent bob amser yn ei wneud ar yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn, yn enwedig wrth i'r GIG ganolbwyntio ar bwysau COVID-19 a phwysau'r gaeaf. Mae hyn ar ei fwyaf amlwg yn fy ardal i yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru. Bydd angen i'r bobl wybod nawr pryd y gallant ddisgwyl triniaeth nid yn unig ar gyfer materion arferol ond mynediad at driniaethau sy'n achub bywydau hefyd. Ym mis Medi eleni, roedd 26,974 o bobl yn aros am fwy na 36 wythnos i ddechrau eu triniaeth yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru, pan fo'r targed yn sero, o'i gymharu â dim ond 1,313 flwyddyn yn ôl. Mae'n amlwg yn gynnydd aruthrol. Amlinellodd Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon, yn eu tystiolaeth ddiweddar i'r ymchwiliad a gynhaliwyd gan y Pwyllgor Iechyd, Gofal Cymdeithasol a Chwaraeon, fod ôl-groniad sylweddol o lawdriniaethau dewisol yn bodoli yng Nghymru cyn y pandemig COVID-19, ac y byddai wedi cynyddu'n anochel. Ym mis Ionawr 2020, dangosodd yr ystadegau diwethaf ar amseroedd aros cyn y pandemig fod bron i hanner miliwn o bobl yn aros i ddechrau triniaeth, gyda 76,862 yn aros mwy na 26 wythnos. Y perygl yw y bydd angen llawdriniaethau cymhleth ar lawer o gleifion os nad yw eu triniaeth yn digwydd yn amserol, gan arwain yn rhy aml, fel y gwyddom, at symptomau sy'n gwaethygu a dirywiad yn eu cyflwr.

Ddirprwy Lywydd, ar sawl achlysur yn y Siambr hon, rwyf wedi croesawu'r gwaith o adeiladu ac agoriad ysbyty newydd yn ddiweddar, Ysbyty Prifysgol Grange yng Nghwmbrân. Dylem i gyd fod yn uchelgeisiol ynglŷn â diwygio'r modd y darperir gwasanaethau er mwyn diwallu anghenion cleifion yn well, gyda chyfleusterau newydd, ffocws ar fodelau gofal arloesol a'r diweddaraf mewn technoleg ac offer. Mae'r prosiect hwnnw wedi bod yn cael ei ddatblygu bellach ers ymhell dros 10 mlynedd—cyn i mi gael fy ethol i'r lle hwn rwy'n credu, cofiaf gymryd rhan yng nghyfarfodydd dyfodol clinigol Gwent ar y pryd—ac o'r diwedd mae gennym y cyfleuster rhagorol hwn. Ond os yw cyfleusterau newydd yn mynd i fod yn effeithiol, rhaid iddynt gael adnoddau priodol gyda'r lefel gywir o staff. Mae angen osgoi unrhyw risg o brinder, ac mae angen i bobl wybod bod modd cyrraedd yr ysbyty mewn car ac ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, oherwydd mae'r materion hyn wedi'u dwyn i fy sylw yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf. Y broblem yw, mae croesawu capasiti newydd yn ddigwyddiad rhy anghyffredin, ac mae'r gwrthwyneb yn wir am broblem amseroedd aros a rhestrau aros cynyddol—nid ydynt yn anghyffredin, ac maent yn  rhywbeth y bu'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru ymateb iddynt yn y gorffennol.

Yn yr ail Gynulliad, cyflwynodd y Gweinidog iechyd ar y pryd gynllun yr ail gynnig i leihau'r rhestrau aros a'r amseroedd aros drwy gynnig triniaeth mewn mannau eraill yn y GIG a thu allan i Gymru yn y sector annibynnol. Bryd hynny, cafodd llawer o bobl eu trin yn gyflymach. Yn wir, rhwng mis Ebrill a mis Medi 2005, cynigiwyd ysbytai amgen yn y sector preifat i gyfanswm o 495 o bobl o Went gael eu llawdriniaethau. A bod yn deg â'r Llywodraeth ar y pryd, dangosodd barodrwydd i edrych y tu hwnt i safbwyntiau gwleidyddol cul ynglŷn â thrin pobl y tu allan i Gymru a thu allan i'r GIG, a sicrhau ateb ymarferol i gleifion bryd hynny. Yng ngoleuni'r ffaith bod capasiti theatr ledled Cymru heb fod cystal ag y gallai fod ers peth amser, a yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi archwilio'r opsiwn o gynyddu capasiti tymor byr, gan weithio efallai gyda darparwyr y tu allan i Gymru a allai fod â chapasiti i fynd i'r afael â hyn?

Er y bydd holl gyrff y GIG ledled y DU yn rheoli'r ymateb i'r pandemig, byddwn yn gofyn i'r Gweinidog nodi a oes capasiti'n bodoli mewn mannau eraill ac os yw'n bosibl, i gwmpasu rhyw fath o gynllun ail gynnig efallai—cam 2, os hoffech—i fynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng pwysig hwn. Os na, beth arall y gellir ei wneud i archwilio'r gallu i gynyddu'r capasiti ymchwydd blaenorol a gyflwynwyd yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud ledled y DU i ddiogelu'r GIG rhag ofn y bydd niferoedd COVID-19 yn dechrau tanseilio capasiti'r GIG o ddifrif? Mae angen capasiti ychwanegol nawr i fynd i'r afael â chanlyniadau'r pandemig i filoedd o bobl y mae eu hangen am ofal y GIG yr un mor bwysig ag y bu yn y gorffennol.

17:55

The COVID pandemic has had an absolutely cataclysmic effect on very many people. Lives have been lost from COVID and for non-COVID reasons, and other lives have been changed forever, touched by grief, loss and tragedy. Others continue to suffer the debilitating effect of long COVID, and all this applies, yes, to patients and people everywhere, but also to NHS and care staff. Some staff have lost their lives by going to work.

The motion recognises the hard work, dedication and commitment of staff in the healthcare sector, but, sometimes, these words just slip out without pausing. The reality that is COVID: the terror on the wards in the early days with inadequate PPE and inadequate testing and just not knowing, fear stalked wards, staff felt exposed and in danger. We had an already overstretched health service going above and beyond, an exhausted workforce trying to catch up on routine demand during the so-called quiet summer months, before being stretched again now as the case numbers rise, hospital occupancy rises and beds in intensive care become full again. This time, both COVID and non-COVID cases are being dealt with, but the capacity is not there. Asymptomatic viral transfer means striving for COVID-free wards, but COVID-free wards are a huge ask and currently probably unachievable. COVID-lite is as good as it gets. Courtesy of changing all the PPE kit all the time, between every patient, the throughput of patients has taken a huge hit now.

So, there is a long list of things to do, and the various royal colleges are telling us what to do. We still need to get on top of COVID, and many doctors still have huge concerns about the UK Government's privatised test and trace service, with some doctors calling it a lethal mistake. Creating a testing and tracing system from scratch using private companies, none with any public health experience, in the middle of a pandemic, separate from the existing public health NHS testing and tracing system—I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

A highly efficient contact system is vital, and supported isolation is key. Paying people £800 to isolate, contacting people in isolation regularly every day, arranging hotel accommodation where appropriate—it works in other countries. This isolation has to be supported and enabled for the good of us all. Local NHS and public health testing and contact tracing works brilliantly well. We need to strive to only do that, and phase out the private UK system dogged by delays, inaccuracies and failure, resulting in only around 20 to 30 per cent of people that are contacts, that should be isolating, actually isolating. The rest are merrily spreading the virus around without knowing. We need to redirect resources to our public health NHS and GPs, testing and contact tracing as we've always done for any other notifiable infectious disease down the years—TB, malaria, salmonella, measles and so on and so on. Involve GPs in testing and tracing, supply pulse oximeters to people and primary care. Community COVID can be tackled safely outside hospitals, testing and tracing is here for the long term, so let's plan properly long term.

Finally, the calamitous effect of COVID is common to all health services. We know the lengthening waiting times here in Wales. Over the border, the situation in Conservative-run England is no better—worse, if anything. The number of people in England waiting more than 52 weeks for elective treatment reached 139,545 in September 2020. That is not 10 times more than the previous year, not 20 times more than the previous year, not 50 times more than the previous year, but 107 times more than the number in September 2019.

Vaccines are a superb discovery, absolutely game changing, but not here yet. We still have a winter illness season and a rampant COVID pandemic to tackle first, with exhausted overstretched staff everywhere. We can all do our bit. Welsh Government needs to sort out testing and tracing contacts now, and get supported isolation up and running as soon as possible.

Mae'r pandemig COVID wedi effeithio'n gwbl drychinebus ar lawer iawn o bobl. Collwyd bywydau o COVID ac am resymau heb gysylltiad â COVID, ac mae bywydau eraill wedi cael eu newid am byth, wedi'u cyffwrdd gan alar, colled a thrychineb. Mae eraill yn parhau i ddioddef effaith wanychol COVID hir, ac mae hyn i gyd yn berthnasol i gleifion a phobl ym mhobman, ond hefyd i staff y GIG a staff gofal. Mae rhai staff wedi colli eu bywydau drwy fynd i'r gwaith.

Mae'r cynnig yn cydnabod gwaith caled, ymroddiad ac ymrwymiad staff yn y sector gofal iechyd, ond weithiau, mae'r geiriau hyn yn llithro allan heb oedi. Realiti COVID: yr arswyd ar y wardiau yn y dyddiau cynnar heb gyfarpar diogelu personol digonol a phrofion annigonol a pheidio â gwybod, wardiau'n llawn ofn, staff yn teimlo'n agored i niwed ac mewn perygl. Gwelsom wasanaeth iechyd a oedd eisoes dan bwysau yn mynd y tu hwnt i ddyletswydd, gweithlu blinedig yn ceisio dal i fyny gyda galw rheolaidd yn ystod misoedd tawel yr haf fel y'u gelwir, cyn cael eu hymestyn eto nawr wrth i nifer yr achosion godi, wrth i ddefnydd gwelyau mewn ysbytai godi ac wrth i welyau mewn unedau gofal dwys lenwi eto. Y tro hwn, ymdrinnir ag achosion COVID ac achosion nad ydynt yn rhai COVID, ond nid yw'r capasiti yno. Mae trosglwyddiad feirysol asymptomatig yn golygu ymdrechu i gael wardiau sy'n rhydd o COVID, ond mae wardiau sy'n rhydd o COVID yn her enfawr ac mae'n debyg na ellir cyflawni hynny ar hyn o bryd. COVID-ysgafn yw'r gorau y gellir ei gael. Oherwydd yr angen i newid yr holl gyfarpar diogelu personol drwy'r amser, rhwng pob claf, mae'r ergyd i lif cleifion wedi bod yn enfawr.

Felly, mae yna restr hir o bethau i'w gwneud, ac mae'r gwahanol golegau brenhinol yn dweud wrthym beth i'w wneud. Mae 'n dal i fod angen i ni gael rheolaeth ar COVID, ac mae gan lawer o feddygon bryderon enfawr o hyd am wasanaeth profi ac olrhain a breifateiddiwyd Llywodraeth y DU, gyda rhai meddygon yn ei alw'n gamgymeriad angheuol. Creu system brofi ac olrhain o'r dechrau gan ddefnyddio cwmnïau preifat, heb fod unrhyw brofiad ym maes iechyd y cyhoedd gan yr un ohonynt, ynghanol pandemig, ar wahân i system brofi ac olrhain iechyd y cyhoedd y GIG a oedd yn bodoli eisoes—hynny yw, beth allai fynd o'i le?

Mae system gysylltu hynod effeithlon yn hanfodol, ac mae ynysu â chymorth yn allweddol. Talu £800 i bobl hunanynysu, cysylltu â phobl sy'n hunanynysu yn rheolaidd bob dydd, trefnu llety mewn gwesty lle bo'n briodol—mae'n gweithio mewn gwledydd eraill. Rhaid cefnogi a galluogi'r hunanynysu er lles pob un ohonom. Mae profion ac olrhain cysylltiadau iechyd y cyhoedd a GIG lleol yn gweithio'n hynod o dda. Mae angen inni ymdrechu nid yn unig i wneud hynny, a diddymu system breifat y DU sydd wedi'i llesteirio gan oedi, camgymeriadau a methiant, gan arwain at olrhain oddeutu 20 i 30 y cant yn unig o bobl sy'n gysylltiadau, pobl a ddylai fod yn hunanynysu, hunanynysu go iawn. Mae'r gweddill yn lledaenu'r feirws o gwmpas heb wybod. Mae angen i ni ailgyfeirio adnoddau i iechyd y cyhoedd y GIG a meddygon teulu, gan brofi ac olrhain cysylltiadau fel rydym bob amser wedi'i wneud ar gyfer unrhyw glefyd heintus hysbysadwy arall dros y blynyddoedd—TB, malaria, salmonela, y frech goch ac yn y blaen ac yn y blaen. Cynnwys meddygon teulu yn y drefn brofi ac olrhain, cyflenwi ocsifesuryddion pwls i bobl a gofal sylfaenol. Gellir mynd i'r afael â COVID yn y gymuned yn ddiogel y tu allan i ysbytai, mae profi ac olrhain yma ar gyfer y tymor hir, felly gadewch i ni gynllunio'n iawn ar gyfer y tymor hir.

Yn olaf, mae effaith drychinebus COVID yn gyffredin i'r holl wasanaethau iechyd. Gwyddom am yr amseroedd aros hirach yma yng Nghymru. Dros y ffin, nid yw'r sefyllfa yn Lloegr dan arweiniad y Ceidwadwyr yn well—mae'n waeth, os rhywbeth. Cyrhaeddodd nifer y bobl yn Lloegr a oedd yn aros mwy na 52 wythnos am driniaeth ddewisol 139,545 ym mis Medi 2020. Nid yw hynny'n 10 gwaith yn fwy na'r flwyddyn flaenorol, nid yw'n 20 gwaith yn fwy na'r flwyddyn flaenorol, nid yw'n 50 gwaith yn fwy na'r flwyddyn flaenorol, mae'n 107 gwaith yn fwy na'r nifer ym mis Medi 2019.

Mae brechlynnau'n ddarganfyddiad gwych, yn newid pethau'n llwyr, ond nid yw hynny'n digwydd eto. Mae gennym dymor salwch y gaeaf o hyd a phandemig COVID rhemp i fynd i'r afael ag ef yn gyntaf, gyda staff blinedig o dan bwysau ym mhobman. Gallwn i gyd wneud ein rhan. Mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru roi trefn ar brofi ac olrhain cysylltiadau nawr, a chael hunanynysu â chymorth yn weithredol cyn gynted â phosibl.

18:00

Although I'm receiving a high volume of e-mails regarding COVID-related delays in the Welsh NHS, all recognise the hard work, dedication and commitment of staff in the healthcare sector. The Labour Welsh Government describes the increase in patients waiting for all treatments in the Welsh NHS compared to September 2019 as a trend that has been seen in all areas of the UK. This is of course both true and inevitable. However, despite the magnificent job done by the Welsh NHS in caring for people who have contracted COVID-19, the pandemic has shone a spotlight on issues within our Welsh NHS resulting from over two decades of Labour Welsh Government policies.

Neurology was already chronically underfunded in Wales before the pandemic, with large gaps in service provision resulting in delays to diagnosis of months and sometimes years, lack of follow-up and community support, as well as low levels of access to specialist and end-of-life care. In terms of access to services and treatments, an MS Society survey in 2019 showed that Wales was already lagging behind the rest of the UK before the pandemic, with 42 per cent of people in Wales having unmet need for physiotherapy compared to 30 per cent in England, and 70 per cent of people in Wales living with MS not having received any emotional or psychological support, compared to 13 per cent across the UK. The Wales Neurological Alliance survey on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic revealed that it had had major ramifications on the provision of health and social care services for people living with neurological conditions, with services and treatment delayed or stopped. After I asked the First Minister when essential surgery will resume for highly vulnerable children or adults with epilepsy earlier this month he wrote stating that epilepsy surgery has not stopped. However, hospital episode statistics show far lower numbers and longer waits for both respective surgery and vagus nerve stimulation surgery in Wales, compared to England. I am advised that there have been no adult VNS surgeries, either new implantations or battery replacements, since the pandemic started in March, resulting in people not getting the essential surgery and therapy they need.

In August, I met campaigners from Macmillan Cancer Support online to discuss their lived experience of the worrying impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on cancer services in Wales. Macmillan Cancer Support has noted that England's backlog of cancer patients will take less time to get through than in Wales, where the median waiting time for patients waiting to start treatment at the end of September in England was less than half that of Wales. By 29 April, 21 COVID-free cancer hubs were set up in England, run by cancer alliances. The Scottish and Northern Irish NHS have also used independent hospital capacity to set up COVID-free cancer hubs. However, as Macmillan Cancer Support stated, Wales is lagging behind England when it comes to setting up COVID-19-free hubs to treat cancer patients in Wales. 

Both Scotland and England have had plans in place for several months to ensure that cancer patients are seen and operated on swiftly. However, as Macmillan Cancer Support stated, we need the Welsh Government to put in place a fully fledged COVID-19 recovery plan for cancer services and to tackle a cancer care backlog that will only continue to grow with every disruption in Wales to cancer services caused by this pandemic. Their research shows an estimated 2,900 people in Wales could be living with undiagnosed cancer because of the pandemic. As they said, it is a wholly inappropriate for the Welsh Government to suggest that a plan for clearing the already substantial cancer backlog would be, quote, 'foolish'. Cancer, they said, cannot wait for the pandemic to end, and Macmillan wants to make sure cancer is not the forgotten 'c' of the pandemic. 

Cancer Research Wales has warned that many of the people who did not receive their invitation due to the pause in cancer screening services, who put off seeing their GP for fear of COVID-19 or concern about adding to NHS pressures, could have cancer. They said that, unless it is addressed quickly, the outcomes for patients in Wales will be less positive, that Wales already had a low reputation for cancer outcomes, and this will experience significant damage in the coming years and that it is through a COVID-19 recovery plan for cancer services that Wales will be able to understand the scale of the challenge and be able to coherently draw all approaches from across Wales together. As our motion, therefore, states, Wales needs a cancer recovery plan, as seen elsewhere across the UK. 

Er fy mod yn derbyn nifer fawr o negeseuon e-bost ynglŷn ag oedi sy'n gysylltiedig â COVID yn GIG Cymru, mae pob un ohonynt yn cydnabod gwaith caled, ymroddiad ac ymrwymiad staff yn y sector gofal iechyd. Mae Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru yn disgrifio'r cynnydd yn nifer y cleifion sy'n aros am bob triniaeth yn GIG Cymru o'i gymharu â mis Medi 2019 fel tuedd a welwyd ym mhob rhan o'r DU. Mae hyn yn wir wrth gwrs ac yn anochel. Fodd bynnag, er gwaethaf y gwaith gwych a wnaethpwyd gan GIG Cymru yn gofalu am bobl sydd wedi dal COVID-19, mae'r pandemig wedi tynnu sylw at broblemau yn ein GIG yng Nghymru o ganlyniad i dros ddau ddegawd o bolisïau Llafur Llywodraeth Cymru.

Roedd niwroleg eisoes yn cael ei danariannu'n helaeth yng Nghymru cyn y pandemig, gyda bylchau mawr yn y gwasanaethau a ddarperir yn arwain at oedi o fisoedd, a blynyddoedd weithiau cyn cael diagnosis, diffyg gofal dilynol a chymorth cymunedol, yn ogystal â lefelau isel o fynediad at ofal arbenigol a gofal diwedd oes. O ran mynediad at wasanaethau a thriniaethau, dangosodd arolwg gan y Gymdeithas MS yn 2019 fod Cymru eisoes ar ei hôl hi o gymharu â gweddill y DU cyn y pandemig, gyda 42 y cant o bobl yng Nghymru ag angen nas diwallwyd am ffisiotherapi o'i gymharu â 30 y cant yn Lloegr, a bod 70 y cant o'r bobl yng Nghymru sy'n byw gydag MS heb gael unrhyw gymorth emosiynol na seicolegol , o'i gymharu â 13 y cant ledled y DU. Datgelodd arolwg Cynghrair Niwrolegol Cymru ar effaith y pandemig coronafeirws fod iddo oblygiadau mawr o ran darparu gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol i bobl sy'n byw gyda chyflyrau niwrolegol, gyda gwasanaethau a thriniaethau wedi eu gohirio neu eu hatal. Ar ôl i mi ofyn i'r Prif Weinidog yn gynharach y mis hwn pryd y bydd llawdriniaethau hanfodol yn ailddechrau ar gyfer plant neu oedolion ag epilepsi sy'n agored iawn i niwed, ysgrifennodd i ddweud nad yw llawdriniaethau epilepsi wedi dod i ben. Fodd bynnag, mae ystadegau episodau ysbyty yn dangos niferoedd llawer is ac amseroedd aros hwy ar gyfer llawdriniaethau a llawfeddygaeth i ysgogi'r nerf fagws yng Nghymru o'i gymharu â Lloegr. Dywedwyd wrthyf na fu unrhyw feddygfeydd ysgogi'r nerf fagws i oedolion, naill ai mewnblaniadau newydd neu ailosod batri, ers i'r pandemig ddechrau ym mis Mawrth, gan arwain at amddifadu pobl o'r llawdriniaeth a'r therapi hanfodol sydd eu hangen arnynt.

Ym mis Awst, cyfarfûm ag ymgyrchwyr Cymorth Canser Macmillan ar-lein i drafod eu profiad o'r effaith ofidus y mae'r pandemig coronafeirws yn ei chael ar wasanaethau canser yng Nghymru. Mae Cymorth Canser Macmillan wedi nodi y bydd ôl-groniad Lloegr o gleifion canser yn cymryd llai o amser i fynd drwyddo nag yng Nghymru, lle roedd yr amser aros canolrifol i gleifion sy'n aros i ddechrau triniaeth ddiwedd mis Medi yn Lloegr yn llai na hanner yr hyn ydoedd yng Nghymru. Erbyn 29 Ebrill, sefydlwyd 21 o hybiau canser rhydd o COVID yn Lloegr, sy'n cael eu rhedeg gan gynghreiriau canser. Mae GIG yr Alban a GIG Gogledd Iwerddon hefyd wedi defnyddio capasiti ysbytai annibynnol i sefydlu hybiau canser rhydd o COVID. Fodd bynnag, fel y dywedodd Cymorth Canser Macmillan, mae Cymru ar ei hôl hi o gymharu â Lloegr mewn perthynas â sefydlu hybiau rhydd o COVID-19 i drin cleifion canser yng Nghymru. 

Mae gan yr Alban a Lloegr gynlluniau ar waith ers sawl mis i sicrhau bod cleifion canser yn cael eu gweld ac yn cael llawdriniaeth yn gyflym. Fodd bynnag, fel y dywedodd Cymorth Canser Macmillan, mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru sefydlu cynllun adfer COVID-19 llawn ar gyfer gwasanaethau canser a mynd i'r afael ag ôl-groniad gofal canser na fydd ond yn parhau i dyfu bob tro y bydd tarfu ar wasanaethau canser yng Nghymru yn sgil y pandemig hwn. Mae eu hymchwil yn dangos y gallai tua 2,900 o bobl yng Nghymru fod yn byw gyda chanser heb gael diagnosis oherwydd y pandemig. Fel y dywedasant, mae'n gwbl amhriodol i Lywodraeth Cymru awgrymu y byddai cynllun ar gyfer clirio'r ôl-groniad canser sydd eisoes yn sylweddol yn 'ffôl'. Ni all canser aros i'r pandemig ddod i ben, meddant, ac mae Macmillan am sicrhau nad canser yw'r 'c' a anghofiwyd yn sgil y pandemig. 

Mae Ymchwil Canser Cymru wedi rhybuddio y gallai fod canser ar lawer o'r bobl na chafodd wahoddiad oherwydd yr oedi i wasanaethau sgrinio am ganser, pobl sy'n gohirio gweld eu meddyg teulu oherwydd eu bod ofn COVID-19 neu bobl sy'n pryderu ynglŷn ag ychwanegu at bwysau'r GIG. Oni chaiff hyn sylw'n gyflym, roeddent yn dweud y bydd y canlyniadau i gleifion yng Nghymru yn llai cadarnhaol, fod gan Gymru enw gwael eisoes mewn perthynas â chanlyniadau canser ac y bydd yn cael ei niweidio'n sylweddol yn y blynyddoedd i ddod, ac mai drwy gynllun adfer COVID-19 ar gyfer gwasanaethau canser y bydd Cymru'n gallu deall maint yr her ac yn gallu dwyn ynghyd y dulliau o bob rhan o Gymru. Fel y dywed ein cynnig felly, mae angen cynllun adfer canser ar Gymru, fel y gwelir mewn mannau eraill ledled y DU. 

18:05

Thank you. Can I now call the Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething?

Diolch. A gaf fi alw yn awr ar Vaughan Gething, y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol?

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd like to thank Members for their contributions to today's debate and deal with the Government amendments and comments made during the debate. It's a fact that, before the COVID pandemic, we had made four years of continuous improvement in waiting times across Wales. The last year, the pace of improvement scaled as a direct result of the tax and pension issues across the UK. Like all countries, the pandemic has impacted and continues to impact upon our ability to treat all patients as efficiently as we would like—points that were well recognised and noted in the contribution by Dai Lloyd. 

As the September statistics show, many patients are now waiting much longer. Those statistics show that the over-36-week waits have increased sixfold from February to September within this year. Like other parts of the UK, we will see further increases as we respond to coronavirus during this public health emergency. I should, perhaps, at this point address some of the comments about capacity in England or the independent sector. We already have arrangements in place with the independent sector through the pandemic. We already make use, from time to time, of independent sector activity to deal with waiting list initiatives. There's nothing new in that. However, the capacity that is regularly made use of in the English system is unlikely to be available to us because of the significant scale of the backlog that they will have to deal with. 

Sadly, as was recently highlighted in the community health council report yesterday, the condition of some patients will worsen whilst they are waiting. This reinforces the need to control the spread of coronavirus and to increase the number of planned operations as safely and as quickly as possible. Coronavirus has affected almost every aspect of healthcare, from learning how to treat and care for people who are seriously ill with COVID, the long COVID treatment—we're still learning more about the condition—to making physical changes to clinics, surgeries and operating theatres to both protect staff and patients from the risk of contracting this highly infectious virus. And I remain incredibly grateful to our dedicated NHS and social care staff for their commitment and their compassion during these unprecedented times. 

Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Aelodau am eu cyfraniadau i'r ddadl heddiw ac ymdrin â gwelliannau a sylwadau'r Llywodraeth a wnaethpwyd yn ystod y ddadl. Mae'n ffaith ein bod, cyn y pandemig COVID, wedi gweld pedair blynedd o welliant parhaus mewn amseroedd aros ledled Cymru. Yn y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, dilynodd cyflymder y gwelliant o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i'r materion treth a phensiwn ledled y DU. Fel pob gwlad, mae'r pandemig wedi effeithio ac yn parhau i effeithio ar ein gallu i drin pob claf mor effeithlon ag yr hoffem—pwyntiau a gafodd eu cydnabod a'u nodi'n dda yng nghyfraniad Dai Lloyd. 

Fel y dengys ystadegau mis Medi, mae llawer o gleifion bellach yn aros yn hwy o lawer. Mae'r ystadegau hynny'n dangos bod yr amseroedd aros dros 36 wythnos wedi cynyddu chwe gwaith rhwng mis Chwefror a mis Medi eleni. Fel rhannau eraill o'r DU, byddwn yn gweld cynnydd pellach wrth i ni ymateb i'r coronafeirws yn ystod yr argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus hwn. Efallai y dylwn fynd i'r afael ar y pwynt hwn â rhai o'r sylwadau am y capasiti yn Lloegr neu'r sector annibynnol. Mae gennym eisoes drefniadau ar waith gyda'r sector annibynnol drwy gydol y pandemig. Rydym eisoes yn defnyddio gweithgarwch y sector annibynnol o bryd i'w gilydd i ymdrin â chynlluniau rhestrau aros. Nid oes dim yn newydd yn hynny. Fodd bynnag, mae'n annhebygol y bydd y capasiti a ddefnyddir yn rheolaidd yn system Lloegr ar gael i ni oherwydd maint sylweddol yr ôl-groniad y bydd yn rhaid iddynt ymdrin ag ef. 

Yn anffodus, fel yr amlygwyd yn ddiweddar yn adroddiad y cyngor iechyd cymuned ddoe, bydd cyflwr rhai cleifion yn gwaethygu tra byddant yn aros. Mae hyn yn atgyfnerthu'r angen i reoli lledaeniad y coronafeirws ac i gynyddu nifer y llawdriniaethau a gynlluniwyd mor ddiogel a chyflym â phosibl. Mae'r coronafeirws wedi effeithio ar bron bob agwedd ar ofal iechyd, o ddysgu sut i drin a gofalu am bobl sy'n ddifrifol wael gyda COVID, trin COVID hir—rydym yn dal i ddysgu mwy am y cyflwr—i wneud newidiadau ffisegol i glinigau, meddygfeydd a theatrau llawdriniaethau er mwyn diogelu staff a chleifion rhag y risg o ddal y feirws hynod heintus hwn. Ac rwy'n parhau i fod yn hynod ddiolchgar i'n GIG ymroddedig a'n staff gofal cymdeithasol am eu hymrwymiad a'u tosturi yn ystod y cyfnod digynsail hwn. 

In the recent BBC Wales Investigates interview, I clearly described why our priority must be to respond to the pandemic in a structured and measured way. This involves developing approaches to support patients most in need of planned treatment, and I also indicated that we are already looking at broader steps to plan for the future. We do have an agreed way forward at health board level to treat COVID-19 and maintain essential services such as cancer, which is certainly not the forgotten 'c' during this pandemic. Those expectations are set out in the quarterly planning framework that we discussed again in the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee today. There's detailed guidance within that on cancer and other related services, such as endoscopy. So, health boards have plans in place in response to this, and we continue to work closely with them as we understand and monitor delivery. 

The pandemic has, though, had a heartbreaking impact on services that care for people with cancer and other life-affecting treatments, and our chief medical officer has been very clear that there are several ways that the pandemic will cause harm, both directly and indirectly. And I should at this point note Hefin David's comments about his constituent, Dawn Wilson. I met Dawn before endorsing and supporting the Know Your Lemons campaign, and I recognise the impact that she had, and it was an entirely selfless act on her part to take up the end of her life to campaign for others. A key message in our forthcoming national communication will be to continue to highlight and to reinforce the need for patients to contact our NHS with any signs or symptoms of cancer. This will continue in the new campaign, Help us, Help You. We're working with a range of partners, such as the Football Association of Wales and the Wales Rugby Union to support our messages, with focus videos, including some from football figures and real NHS staff. 

Health boards are having to deal with an unprecedented situation, and there are no simple operational or ethical answers to this. Everything that can be done is being done. Everything that can be provided is being provided. And we're still learning and needing to adapt as our evidence base changes, as our knowledge changes. So, the Government does remain focused on addressing this important area. My officials continue to work with clinicians on identifying options for how additional moneys recently announced by the UK Government can help us to address the significant challenges that delayed treatment will present, not just for the next few months, but for an entire Welsh Parliament term. Our priority will be to reduce risk from delay and to support clinical prioritisation. As the chief executive of NHS Wales highlighted last week, additional safety measures are necessary to protect patients and staff, and they remain a priority as the number of patients presenting with COVID remains high in all of our healthcare settings in primary and secondary care. This affects both the type and the volume of services available to treat other patients. So, we continue to explore ways to maximise the flow of patients in and out of treatment. That includes reviewing safe discharge arrangements and how best to use our hospital and primary care estate, including field hospitals.

I want to deal with the option of green hospitals, or, as the motion says—a different phrase—COVID-free hospitals. It sounds an attractive idea, but it's not easy to do, and I agree with Dai Lloyd that I don't think it's actually a practical answer. For example, we need to know what impact this would have on local access to emergency services, including minor injury services, travel times and strain on ambulance resources during winter. The so-called COVID-free hospitals that the Tories advocate—. And if they're serious about doing so, we need to be clear about what that means: so, which hospital in north Wales would no longer have an A&E department? Would Withybush or Glangwili no longer have A&E or minor injuries, or emergency surgery, and how would maternity access be organised? Because, in all of these areas, they're not compatible with a COVID-free hospital. I'm afraid that the slogan of 'COVID free' isn't actually a serious and practical answer for NHS Wales now, and, actually, the Royal College of Surgeons in Wales have made clear that they're interested in COVID-lite zones within our estate as a practical answer, as Richard Johnson recently set out. And I should make it clear of course that, in terms of Dr Lloyd's comments about contact tracing, TTP in Wales is public and is delivering to a high standard.

Our field hospitals have a role to play in supporting capacity and flow, but it's not possible to deliver elective pathways in a field hospital. And I think remarks on this area from Janet Finch-Saunders didn't perhaps take in and fully understand the role that they can play and will play in this phase of the pandemic. For example, many treatments require post-surgical care and additional back-up facilities, including intensive care. Operating theatres are, of course, not available in field hospital environments.

The NHS has responded magnificently to this major and unprecedented public health emergency. Our staff have shown tremendous adaptability to deliver services, to both COVID and non-COVID patients. And I believe that our NHS staff and their colleagues across the public sector deserve a proper pay rise to reflect this. That means teachers, teaching assistants, cleaners, cooks, environmental health officers, and their colleagues across local government, the police, and the armed forces, who have helped so much in our COVID response here in Wales and across the UK. All of these public servants, and their colleagues, deserve so much better than the kick in the teeth they got today from the Chancellor. We here in Wales will continue to work with and to value our NHS and their partners, as we continue to face the unprecedented challenges of this pandemic, in the months ahead, and in the years ahead, and the recovery that will take place once the pandemic is finally over.

Yn y cyfweliad diweddar ar BBC Wales Investigates, disgrifiais yn glir pam mai ein blaenoriaeth o reidrwydd yw ymateb i'r pandemig mewn ffordd strwythuredig a phwyllog. Mae hyn yn golygu datblygu dulliau i gefnogi'r cleifion sydd â'r angen mwyaf am driniaeth wedi'i chynllunio, a nodais hefyd ein bod eisoes yn edrych ar gamau ehangach i gynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol. Mae gennym ffordd ymlaen wedi'i chytuno ar lefel bwrdd iechyd ar gyfer trin COVID-19 a chynnal gwasanaethau hanfodol fel canser, ac yn sicr nid dyna'r 'c' a anghofiwyd yn ystod y pandemig hwn. Nodir y disgwyliadau hynny yn y fframwaith cynllunio chwarterol a drafodwyd gennym eto yn y Pwyllgor Iechyd, Gofal Cymdeithasol a Chwaraeon heddiw. Mae canllawiau manwl o fewn hynny ar ganser a gwasanaethau cysylltiedig eraill, megis endosgopi. Felly, mae gan y byrddau iechyd gynlluniau ar waith i ymateb i hyn, ac rydym yn parhau i weithio'n agos gyda hwy wrth inni ddeall a monitro'r ddarpariaeth.

Er hynny, mae'r pandemig wedi cael effaith dorcalonnus ar wasanaethau sy'n gofalu am bobl â chanser a thriniaethau eraill sy'n effeithio ar fywyd, ac mae ein prif swyddog meddygol wedi bod yn glir iawn fod sawl ffordd y bydd y pandemig yn achosi niwed, yn uniongyrchol ac yn anuniongyrchol. A dylwn nodi sylwadau Hefin David am ei etholwr, Dawn Wilson, ar y pwynt hwn. Cyfarfûm â Dawn cyn cymeradwyo a chefnogi ymgyrch Know Your Lemons, ac rwy'n cydnabod yr effaith a gafodd, ac roedd yn weithred gwbl anhunanol ar ei rhan i dreulio gweddill ei hoes yn ymgyrchu dros eraill. Un neges allweddol yn ein cyfathrebiad cenedlaethol sydd ar y ffordd fydd parhau i amlygu ac atgyfnerthu'r angen i gleifion gysylltu â'n GIG gydag unrhyw arwyddion neu symptomau canser. Bydd hyn yn parhau yn yr ymgyrch newydd, Helpwch Ni i'ch Helpu Chi. Rydym yn gweithio gydag amrywiaeth o bartneriaid, fel Cymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru ac Undeb Rygbi Cymru i gefnogi ein negeseuon, gyda fideos ffocws, gan gynnwys rhai gan ffigyrau o'r byd pêl-droed a staff go iawn y GIG. 

Mae byrddau iechyd yn gorfod ymdrin â sefyllfa na welwyd ei thebyg o'r blaen, ac nid oes atebion gweithredol na moesegol syml i hyn. Mae popeth y gellir ei wneud yn cael ei wneud. Mae popeth y gellir ei ddarparu yn cael ei ddarparu. Ac rydym yn dal i ddysgu ac mae angen i ni addasu wrth i'n sylfaen dystiolaeth newid, wrth i'n gwybodaeth newid. Felly, mae'r Llywodraeth yn parhau i ganolbwyntio ar fynd i'r afael â'r maes pwysig hwn. Mae fy swyddogion yn parhau i weithio gyda chlinigwyr i nodi opsiynau ar gyfer sut y gall arian ychwanegol a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar gan Lywodraeth y DU ein helpu i fynd i'r afael â'r heriau sylweddol a ddaw yn sgil oedi cyn cael triniaeth, nid yn unig dros y misoedd nesaf, ond dros dymor Senedd Cymru cyfan. Ein blaenoriaeth fydd lleihau'r risg o oedi a chefnogi blaenoriaethu clinigol. Fel y nododd prif weithredwr GIG Cymru yr wythnos diwethaf, mae angen mesurau diogelwch ychwanegol i ddiogelu cleifion a staff, ac maent yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth gan fod nifer y cleifion sydd â COVID yn parhau i fod yn uchel ym mhob un o'n lleoliadau gofal iechyd mewn gofal sylfaenol ac eilaidd. Mae hyn yn effeithio ar y math o wasanaethau sydd ar gael i drin cleifion eraill yn ogystal â'u maint. Felly, rydym yn parhau i archwilio ffyrdd o sicrhau'r llif mwyaf posibl o gleifion i mewn ac allan o driniaeth. Mae hynny'n cynnwys adolygu trefniadau rhyddhau diogel o'r ysbyty a'r ffordd orau o ddefnyddio ein hystâd ysbytai a gofal sylfaenol, gan gynnwys ysbytai maes.

Rwyf am ymdrin â'r opsiwn o ysbytai gwyrdd, neu fel y dywed y cynnig—ymadrodd gwahanol—ysbytai  sy'n rhydd o COVID. Mae'n swnio'n syniad deniadol, ond nid yw'n hawdd ei wneud, ac rwy'n cytuno â Dai Lloyd nad wyf yn credu ei fod yn ateb ymarferol mewn gwirionedd. Er enghraifft, mae angen inni wybod pa effaith y byddai hyn yn ei chael ar fynediad lleol at wasanaethau brys, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau mân anafiadau, amseroedd teithio a straen ar adnoddau ambiwlans yn ystod y gaeaf. Yr ysbytai sy'n rhydd o COVID, fel y'u gelwir, a gefnogir gan y Torïaid—. Ac os ydynt o ddifrif am wneud hynny, mae angen inni fod yn glir ynglŷn â'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu: felly, pa ysbyty yng ngogledd Cymru na fyddai ag adran damweiniau ac achosion brys mwyach? Ai Llwynhelyg neu Glangwili fyddai'n colli eu hadran damweiniau ac achosion brys neu fân anafiadau, neu lawdriniaeth frys, a sut y byddai mynediad mamolaeth yn cael ei drefnu? Oherwydd ym mhob un o'r pethau hyn, nid ydynt yn gydwedd ag ysbyty sy'n rhydd o COVID. Mae arnaf ofn nad yw'r slogan 'rhydd o COVID' yn ateb difrifol ac ymarferol i GIG Cymru nawr, ac mewn gwirionedd, mae Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon yng Nghymru wedi dweud yn glir fod ganddynt ddiddordeb mewn parthau COVID-ysgafn o fewn ein hystâd fel ateb ymarferol, fel y nododd Richard Johnson yn ddiweddar. A dylwn ei gwneud yn glir wrth gwrs, mewn perthynas â sylwadau Dr Lloyd am olrhain cysylltiadau, mae profi, olrhain, diogelu yng Nghymru yn gyhoeddus ac mae'n cyflawni i safon uchel.

Mae gan ein hysbytai maes rôl i'w chwarae yn cefnogi capasiti a llif, ond nid yw'n bosibl darparu llwybrau dewisol mewn ysbyty maes. Ac rwy'n credu o bosibl nad oedd sylwadau ar y mater gan Janet Finch-Saunders yn ystyried nac yn deall yn llawn y rôl y gallant ei chwarae ac y byddant yn ei chwarae ar y cam hwn o'r pandemig. Er enghraifft, mae llawer o driniaethau'n galw am ofal ôl-lawfeddygol a chyfleusterau ychwanegol wrth gefn, gan gynnwys gofal dwys. Wrth gwrs, nid oes theatrau llawdriniaethau ar gael mewn ysbytai maes.

Mae'r GIG wedi ymateb yn wych i'r argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus mawr a digynsail hwn. Mae ein staff wedi dangos hyblygrwydd aruthrol i ddarparu gwasanaethau, i gleifion COVID a chleifion nad ydynt yn rhai COVID. A chredaf fod ein staff GIG a'u cydweithwyr ar draws y sector cyhoeddus yn haeddu codiad cyflog priodol i adlewyrchu hyn. Mae hynny'n golygu athrawon, cynorthwywyr addysgu, glanhawyr, cogyddion, swyddogion iechyd yr amgylchedd, a'u cydweithwyr ar draws llywodraeth leol, yr heddlu, a'r lluoedd arfog, sydd wedi helpu cymaint yn ein hymateb i COVID yma yng Nghymru a ledled y DU. Mae'r holl weision cyhoeddus hyn, a'u cydweithwyr, yn haeddu cymaint gwell na'r gic a gawsant heddiw gan y Canghellor. Byddwn ni yma yng Nghymru yn dal ati i weithio gyda'n GIG a'u partneriaid ac yn parhau i'w gwerthfawrogi, wrth inni barhau i wynebu heriau digynsail y pandemig hwn yn y misoedd nesaf, ac yn y blynyddoedd nesaf, a'r adferiad a fydd yn digwydd pan fydd y pandemig ar ben o'r diwedd.

18:15

Thank you. I now intend to call those Members who have requested to make an intervention. Rhun ap Iorwerth, I notice that you're back with us now; do you want to do a minute's worth of your intervention?

Diolch. Bwriadaf alw yn awr ar yr Aelodau sydd wedi gofyn am gael ymyriad. Rhun ap Iorwerth, sylwaf eich bod yn ôl gyda ni bellach; a ydych chi eisiau gwneud gwerth munud o ymyriad?

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Mae'n rhyfeddol ei bod hi wedi cymryd cymaint â saith neu wyth mis i golli trydan yn y tŷ ar ryw bwynt yn ystod sesiwn yn y Senedd, ond dwi'n falch o allu dod yn ôl.

Yr oll oedd gen i ar ôl i'w wneud yn fy nghyfraniad i oedd cyfeirio at yr hyn roeddem ni'n trio ei wneud drwy'n gwelliant ni. Rydyn ni'n meddwl bod angen adolygu y targedau sy'n cael eu defnyddio i ystyried sut maen nhw'n annog ymddygiad yn y byrddau iechyd, ac os ydyn nhw'n mesur y pethau iawn. Roeddwn i hefyd am ddweud ein bod ni hefyd yn meddwl, am bod yr ysbytai enfys gennym ni i ddarparu capasiti, y dylem ni ddefnyddio hynny i hybu llif drwy'r system. Ac i wneud y pwynt i gloi, mae COVID yn argyfwng ynddo fo'i hun, ond mae o wedi creu argyfwng arall, wrth gwrs, allan o'r pwysau oedd eisoes yn y system. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid i ni weld mwy o frys a gweithredu mwy pwrpasol i ymateb iddo fo. Ond, Dirprwy Lywydd, diolch am y cyfle i gau pen y mwdwl yn y ffordd yna.

Thank you very much. It's incredible that it's taken seven or eight months to lose electricity in the house at some point during a Senedd session, but I'm pleased to be able to return.

All I had left as my contribution was to refer to what we were seeking to achieve through our amendment. We do think that we need to review the targets used to see how they encourage behavioural change in the health boards, and whether they are measuring the right things. I also wanted to say that we also believe that, as we do have the Nightingale hospitals to provide capacity, we should use that to increase flow through the system. And just to make the point in conclusion that COVID is a crisis in and of itself, but it's created another crisis from the pressures that already existed in the system. And that's something that we need to see more urgency on and a more meaningful response to. But, Deputy Presiding Officer, thank you for the opportunity to conclude my contribution in that way.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I just wanted to reiterate that I think the Conservative position on the firebreak lockdown was a consistent position, and if that vote came today, we would stand by that vote and vote the same way. Because SAGE's advice at the end of September also pointed to the fact that the effectiveness and outcomes of such a firebreak, or lockdown—call it what you will—were unknown, and actually those harms are far greater. We do support restrictions to suppress the virus—we're not saying there shouldn't be restrictions; we do support that. And we support the localised restrictions, which would have a greater effect than some of the measures the Welsh Government have brought to date. So I just wanted to put that on the record, because sadly our terms of engagement don't allow the intervention. [Interruption.]

Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Roeddwn am ailadrodd fy mod yn credu bod safbwynt y Ceidwadwyr ar gyfyngiadau'r cyfnod atal byr yn safbwynt cyson, a phe bai'r bleidlais honno'n dod heddiw, byddem yn sefyll wrth y bleidlais honno ac yn pleidleisio yr un ffordd. Oherwydd roedd cyngor SAGE ddiwedd mis Medi hefyd yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith nad oedd effeithiolrwydd a chanlyniadau cyfnod atal byr o'r fath, neu'r cyfyngiadau symud—beth bynnag y dymunwch ei alw—yn wybyddus, ac mewn gwirionedd mae'r niwed hwnnw'n llawer mwy. Rydym yn cefnogi cyfyngiadau i atal y feirws—nid ydym yn dweud na ddylid cael cyfyngiadau; rydym yn cefnogi hynny. Ac rydym yn cefnogi'r cyfyngiadau lleol, a fyddai wedi cael mwy o effaith na rhai o'r mesurau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cyflwyno hyd yma. Felly roeddwn eisiau cofnodi hynny, oherwydd yn anffodus nid yw'r amodau gweithredu'n caniatáu'r ymyriad. [Torri ar draws.]

No, you cannot, I'm afraid; nobody can respond to any intervention, I'm afraid. I'm going to call Angela Burns to reply to the debate. Angela.

Na, ni allwch wneud hynny, mae arnaf ofn; ni all neb ymateb i unrhyw ymyriad, mae arnaf ofn. Rwy'n mynd i alw ar Angela Burns i ymateb i'r ddadl. Angela.

Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. I do not have very much time, so I'm not going to be able to touch on everybody's individual contributions. I would just like to say that I'm very grateful for the tone in which most of this debate was mostly conducted—sadly not all of it.

This isn't about having a knock at the NHS and the people who work so incredibly hard in it, or the doctors and the nurses. In fact, it's not even particularly a knock at the Government, because, let's be clear, this pandemic was something that none of us ever saw coming, and many people in many organisations, both public and private, have stepped up to the plate in a way that is unprecedented. And to each and every one of them, I say an enormous 'thank you'.

But the real concern behind all of this is we don't just have COVID in our lives, we have many other illnesses, many other diseases. And we don't seem to have a plan, and that's what we're calling for, and we've called for very clearly in our amendment today. Different health boards have different ways of dealing with their bit. Patients aren't clear. So, I just want to, very quickly, run through why I think we need a plan.

We need a plan to give hope to patients. Too many people are writing to too many of us, too often, to say they can't get access to treatment, they're really worried, they can't get the diagnoses they need, they've been told that they could conceivably have cancer, their heart's not in great shape, they had a bowel test a year ago and they're supposed to have a follow-up. People are frightened, they need to know that the Government has got a clear plan.

We need to have a plan to support the dedicated and, frankly, exhausted staff. They need to know that there's a way forward, that it's not just going to be COVID, COVID, COVID. We need to have a plan to ensure that all the health boards are in the right place at the right time—that we don't have a postcode lottery. Some health boards have performed extremely well during this pandemic, others have done less so. A clear plan on how we're going to catch up with these waiting times, with this backlog, will really help to bring everybody up and level that playing field. We need a plan to maximise the skills and the commitment of the specialist teams, to give confidence to the professionals.

We need a plan to answer the concerns and the fears of the many organisations. I can't run through them all, but we've got the Wales Cancer Alliance, we've got the Royal College of General Practitioners, Asthma UK, the British Lung Foundation, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, the British Heart Foundation, the Royal College of Surgeons, the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. These guys know their business, and they are raising concerns about the lack of plan.

We need to have a plan to keep pace with other home nations. And we need a plan to ensure that the regional collaboration really works effectively—that if you can't get your treatment in Hywel Dda, you can go just up the road. If you can't get your treatment in Betsi Cadwaladr, you can go to another health board. And even more importantly, Minister, if you can't get your treatment in Wales, your gatekeepers will stand down and will allow you to go to other nations where some of this specialist treatment may still be available.

I've run out of time, Minister, as my timer—which you can probably all hear, and I can't work out how to switch off—is saying. I just want to say, this is not about saying to the NHS, 'You aren't doing it well.' You've been phenomenal. But it is about saying, 'It is now our duty to not just keep our eyes on the big fire that is COVID', because if we don't look at all the other small fires that are continuing to burn, then they will be the ones that will eventually burn down our building, and we cannot afford that, and our citizens do not deserve that. So, I ask you, please support the motion today.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Nid oes gennyf lawer o amser, felly nid wyf yn mynd i allu crybwyll cyfraniadau unigol pawb. Hoffwn ddweud fy mod yn ddiolchgar iawn am y cywair y cynhaliwyd y rhan fwyaf o'r ddadl hon ynddo—yn anffodus nid y cyfan.

Nid yw hyn yn ymwneud ag anelu cic at y GIG a'r bobl sy'n gweithio mor eithriadol o galed ynddo, na'r meddygon a'r nyrsys. Yn wir, nid yw hyd yn oed yn gic wedi'i hanelu at y Llywodraeth fel y cyfryw, oherwydd, gadewch inni fod yn glir, roedd y pandemig hwn yn rhywbeth na welodd yr un ohonom erioed mohono'n dod, ac mae llawer o bobl mewn llawer o sefydliadau, cyhoeddus a phreifat, wedi camu i'r adwy mewn ffordd na welwyd ei thebyg o'r blaen. Ac i bob un ohonynt, mae fy niolch yn enfawr.

Ond y gwir bryder y tu ôl i hyn i gyd yw bod gennym fwy na COVID yn ein bywydau, mae gennym lawer o afiechydon eraill, llawer o glefydau eraill. Ac nid yw'n ymddangos bod gennym gynllun, a dyna'r hyn rydym yn galw amdano, ac rydym wedi galw amdano'n glir iawn yn ein gwelliant heddiw. Mae gan wahanol fyrddau iechyd ffyrdd gwahanol o ymdrin â'u rhan hwy ohono. Nid yw'n glir i gleifion. Felly, rwyf am nodi'n gyflym iawn pam y credaf fod angen cynllun arnom.

Mae arnom angen cynllun i roi gobaith i gleifion. Mae gormod o bobl yn ysgrifennu at ormod ohonom yn rhy aml i ddweud na allant gael mynediad at driniaeth, maent yn poeni'n fawr, ni allant gael y diagnosis sydd ei angen arnynt, dywedwyd wrthynt y gallai fod canser arnynt, nad yw eu calon mewn cyflwr gwych, cawsant brawf coluddyn flwyddyn yn ôl ac maent i fod i gael prawf dilynol. Mae'r bobl yn ofnus, maent angen gwybod bod gan y Llywodraeth gynllun clir.

Mae angen inni gael cynllun i gefnogi'r staff ymroddedig, a blinedig a dweud y gwir. Mae angen iddynt wybod bod yna ffordd ymlaen, nad COVID, COVID, COVID yn unig fydd hi. Mae angen inni gael cynllun i sicrhau bod yr holl fyrddau iechyd yn y lle iawn ar yr adeg iawn—nad oes gennym loteri cod post. Mae rhai byrddau iechyd wedi cyflawni'n eithriadol o dda yn ystod y pandemig hwn, ac eraill yn llai felly. Bydd cynllun clir ar sut rydym yn mynd i ddal i fyny gyda'r amseroedd aros hyn, gyda'r ôl-groniad hwn, yn helpu i godi pawb i'r un lefel a sicrhau tegwch. Mae arnom angen cynllun i fanteisio i'r eithaf ar sgiliau ac ymrwymiad y timau arbenigol, er mwyn rhoi hyder i'r gweithwyr proffesiynol.

Rhaid inni gael cynllun i ateb pryderon ac ofnau'r sefydliadau niferus. Ni allaf eu rhestru i gyd, ond mae gennym Gynghrair Canser Cymru, mae gennym Goleg Brenhinol yr Ymarferwyr Cyffredinol, Asthma UK, Sefydliad Prydeinig yr Ysgyfaint, Cymdeithas Siartredig Ffisiotherapi, Sefydliad Prydeinig y Galon, Coleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon, y Gymdeithas Sglerosis Ymledol a Choleg Brenhinol y Seiciatryddion. Mae'r bobl hyn yn gwybod eu gwaith, ac maent yn codi pryderon am y diffyg cynllun.

Mae angen inni gael cynllun i sicrhau ein bod yn gwneud cystal â'r gwledydd cartref eraill. Ac mae angen cynllun arnom i sicrhau bod y cydweithio rhanbarthol yn gweithio'n effeithiol iawn—os na allwch gael eich triniaeth yn Hywel Dda, fod modd i chi fynd i fyny'r ffordd. Os na allwch gael eich triniaeth yn Betsi Cadwaladr, gallwch fynd i fwrdd iechyd arall. A hyd yn oed yn bwysicach, Weinidog, os na allwch gael eich triniaeth yng Nghymru, y bydd eich porthgeidwaid yn camu lawr ac yn caniatáu i chi fynd i wledydd eraill lle gallai peth o'r driniaeth arbenigol hon fod ar gael o hyd.

Mae fy amser ar ben, Weinidog, fel y mae fy amserydd—gall pawb ohonoch ei glywed mae'n debyg, ac nid wyf yn gwybod sut i'w ddiffodd—yn dweud. Hoffwn ddweud, nid yw'n fater o ddweud wrth y GIG, 'Nid ydych yn ei wneud yn dda.' Rydych chi wedi bod yn rhyfeddol. Ond mae'n ymwneud â dweud, 'Nid dim ond cadw ein llygaid ar dân mawr COVID yw ein dyletswydd ni nawr', oherwydd os nad edrychwn ar yr holl danau bach eraill sy'n parhau i losgi, hwy fydd y rhai a fydd yn llosgi ein hadeilad i'r llawr yn y pen draw, ac ni allwn fforddio hynny, ac nid yw ein dinasyddion yn haeddu hynny. Felly, gofynnaf i chi gefnogi'r cynnig heddiw.

18:20

Thank you very much. The proposal is to agree the motion without amendment. Does any Member object? [Objection.] Thank you. I heard that, thank you. I defer voting under this item until voting time. And in accordance with Standing Order 12.18, I will suspend the meeting for five minutes before proceeding to voting time, during which time IT support will be on hand to help with any issues.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Y cwestiwn yw a ddylid derbyn y cynnig heb ei ddiwygio. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Diolch. Clywais hynny, diolch. Rwy'n gohirio'r pleidleisio o dan yr eitem hon tan y cyfnod pleidleisio. Ac yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.18, rwy'n atal y cyfarfod am bum munud cyn symud ymlaen at y cyfnod pleidleisio, ac yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw bydd cymorth TG wrth law i helpu gydag unrhyw broblemau.

Ataliwyd y Cyfarfod Llawn am 18:23.

Plenary was suspended at 18:23.

18:25

Ailymgynullodd y Senedd am 18:29, gyda'r Dirprwy Lywydd yn y Gadair.

The Senedd reconvened at 18:29, with the Deputy Presiding Officer in the Chair.

9. Cyfnod Pleidleisio
9. Voting Time

We are now at voting time, and the first vote this evening is on the debate on the Member's legislative proposal, a deposit-return scheme and a waste reduction Bill. I call for a vote on the motion tabled in the name of Janet Finch-Saunders. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the motion 34, 18 abstentions, one against. Therefore the motion is agreed.

Rydym yn awr wedi cyrraedd y cyfnod pleidleisio, ac mae'r bleidlais gyntaf heno ar y ddadl ar gynnig deddfwriaethol gan Aelod, Bil cynllun dychwelyd ernes a lleihau gwastraff. Galwaf am bleidlais ar y cynnig a gyflwynwyd yn enw Janet Finch-Saunders. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y cynnig 34, mae 18 yn ymatal, un yn erbyn. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig.

18:30

Dadl ar Gynnig Deddfwriaethol gan Aelod - Bil Cynllun Dychwelyd Ernes a Lleihau Gwastraff: O blaid: 34, Yn erbyn: 1, Ymatal: 18

Derbyniwyd y cynnig

Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal - A Deposit Return Scheme and Waste Reduction Bill: For: 34, Against: 1, Abstain: 18

Motion has been agreed

We now move to vote on the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee debate on the national development framework. I call for a vote on amendment 1, tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the amendment nine, one abstention, 43 against. Therefore amendment 1 is not agreed.

Symudwn yn awr at bleidlais ar ddadl y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig ar y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol. Galwaf am bleidlais ar welliant 1 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Siân Gwenllian. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y gwelliant naw, un yn ymatal, 43 yn erbyn. Gan hynny, gwrthodir gwelliant 1.

Dadl y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig - Gwelliant 1 (cyflwynwyd yn enw Sian Gwenllian): O blaid: 9, Yn erbyn: 43, Ymatal: 1

Gwrthodwyd y gwelliant

Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee Debate - Amendment 1 (tabled in the name of Sian Gwenllian): For: 9, Against: 43, Abstain: 1

Amendment has been rejected

I now call for a vote on amendment 2, tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the amendment nine, 10 abstentions, 34 against. Therefore amendment 2 is not agreed.

Galwaf yn awr am bleidlais ar welliant 2 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Siân Gwenllian. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y gwelliant naw, 10 yn ymatal, 34 yn erbyn. Gan hynny, gwrthodir gwelliant 2.

Dadl y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig - Gwelliant 2 (cyflwynwyd yn enw Sian Gwenllian): O blaid: 9, Yn erbyn: 34, Ymatal: 10

Gwrthodwyd y gwelliant

Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee Debate - Amendment 2 (tabled in the name of Sian Gwenllian) : For: 9, Against: 34, Abstain: 10

Amendment has been rejected

I now call for a vote on the motion. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the motion 41, three abstentions, nine against. So, therefore the motion is agreed.

Galwaf yn awr am bleidlais ar y cynnig. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y cynnig 41, tri yn ymatal, naw yn erbyn. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig.

Dadl y Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig - Cynnig heb ei ddiwygio: O blaid: 41, Yn erbyn: 9, Ymatal: 3

Derbyniwyd y cynnig

Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee Debate - Motion without amendment: For: 41, Against: 9, Abstain: 3

Motion has been agreed

We now turn to vote on the Welsh Conservative debate on the impact of COVID-19 on health services, and I call for a vote on the motion tabled in the name of Darren Millar. If the proposal is not agreed to, we vote on the amendments tabled to the motion. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the motion 13, no abstentions, 40 against. Therefore the motion is not agreed.

Trown yn awr at bleidlais ar ddadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ar effaith COVID-19 ar wasanaethau iechyd, a galwaf am bleidlais ar y cynnig a gyflwynwyd yn enw Darren Millar. Os gwrthodir y cynnig, pleidleisiwn ar y gwelliannau a gyflwynwyd i'r cynnig. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y cynnig 13, neb yn ymatal, 40 yn erbyn. Felly, gwrthodir y cynnig.

Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Effaith Covid-19 ar Wasanaethau Iechyd - Cynnig heb ei ddiwygio: O blaid: 13, Yn erbyn: 40, Ymatal: 0

Gwrthodwyd y cynnig

Welsh Conservatives Debate - The Impact of Covid-19 on Health Services - Motion without amendment: For: 13, Against: 40, Abstain: 0

Motion has been rejected

We vote on the amendments and I call for a vote on amendment 1, tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the amendment 29, three abstentions, 21 against. Therefore amendment 1 is agreed.

Pleidleisiwn ar y gwelliannau a galwaf am bleidlais ar welliant 1 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y gwelliant 29, tri yn ymatal, 21 yn erbyn. Gan hynny, derbynnir gwelliant 1.

Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Gwelliant 1 (Cyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans): O blaid: 29, Yn erbyn: 21, Ymatal: 3

Derbyniwyd y gwelliant

Welsh Conservatives Debate - Amendment 1 (tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans): For: 29, Against: 21, Abstain: 3

Amendment has been agreed

I call for a vote on amendment 2, tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the amendment 29, two abstentions, 22 against. Therefore amendment 2 is agreed.

Galwaf am bleidlais ar welliant 2 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y gwelliant 29, dau yn ymatal, 22 yn erbyn. Gan hynny, derbynnir gwelliant 2.

Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Gwelliant 2 (Cyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans): O blaid: 29, Yn erbyn: 22, Ymatal: 2

Derbyniwyd y gwelliant

Welsh Conservatives Debate - Amendment 2 (tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans) : For: 29, Against: 22, Abstain: 2

Amendment has been agreed

I call for a vote on amendment 3, tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the amendment 29, three abstentions, 21 against. Therefore, amendment 3 is agreed.

Galwaf am bleidlais ar welliant 3 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y gwelliant 29, tri yn ymatal, 21 yn erbyn. Felly, derbynnir gwelliant 3.

18:35

Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Gwelliant 3 (Cyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans): O blaid: 29, Yn erbyn: 21, Ymatal: 3

Derbyniwyd y gwelliant

Welsh Conservatives Debate - Amendment 3 (tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans) : For: 29, Against: 21, Abstain: 3

Amendment has been agreed

I call for a vote on amendment 4, tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the amendment 28, one abstention, 24 against. Therefore, amendment 4 is agreed.

Galwaf am bleidlais ar welliant 4 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y gwelliant 28, un yn ymatal, 24 yn erbyn. Felly, derbynnir gwelliant 4.

Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Gwelliant 4 (Cyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans): O blaid: 28, Yn erbyn: 24, Ymatal: 1

Derbyniwyd y gwelliant

Welsh Conservatives Debate - Amendment 4 (tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans) : For: 28, Against: 24, Abstain: 1

Amendment has been agreed

I call for a vote on amendment 5, tabled in the name Rebecca Evans. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the amendment 29, three abstentions, 21 against. Therefore, amendment 5 is agreed.

Galwaf am bleidlais ar welliant 5, a gyflwynwyd yn yr enw Rebecca Evans. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y gwelliant 29, tri yn ymatal, 21 yn erbyn. Felly, derbynnir gwelliant 5.

Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Gwelliant 5 (Cyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans): O blaid: 29, Yn erbyn: 21, Ymatal: 3

Derbyniwyd y gwelliant

Welsh Conservatives Debate - Amendment 5 (tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans) : For: 29, Against: 21, Abstain: 3

Amendment has been agreed

I now call for a vote on amendment 6, tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian. Open the vote. Close the vote. For the amendment 19, four abstentions, 30 against. Therefore, amendment 6 is not agreed.

Galwaf yn awr am bleidlais ar welliant 6 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Siân Gwenllian. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y gwelliant 19, pedwar yn ymatal, 30 yn erbyn. Felly, gwrthodir gwelliant 6.

Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Gwelliant 6 (Cyflwynwyd yn enw Sian Gwenllian): O blaid: 19, Yn erbyn: 30, Ymatal: 4

Gwrthodwyd y gwelliant

Welsh Conservatives Debate - Amendment 6 (tabled in the name of Sian Gwenllian) : For: 19, Against: 30, Abstain: 4

Amendment has been rejected

I now call for a vote on the motion as amended.

Galwaf yn awr am bleidlais ar y cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd.

Cynnig NDM7489 fel y'i diwygiwyd:

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn nodi bod yr ystadegau ar gyfer Cymru a gyhoeddwyd ar 19 Tachwedd yn dangos cynnydd o 11 y cant yng nghyfanswm y niferoedd sy’n aros am driniaeth rhwng mis Medi 2019 a mis Medi 2020, ac mai nifer yr arosiadau dros y targed cenedlaethol o 36 wythnos sydd naw gwaith yn fwy, tuedd sydd i’w gweld ym mhob rhan o’r DU.

2. Yn nodi ymhellach y rhybudd gan arbenigwyr ac elusennau canser blaenllaw y gallai 2,000 o bobl farw oherwydd oedi sy'n gysylltiedig â COVID-19 yn GIG Cymru.

3. Yn cydnabod gwaith caled, ymroddiad ac ymrwymiad staff yn y sector gofal iechyd sy'n cefnogi cleifion nid yn unig â'r coronafeirws ond ag amrywiaeth o gyflyrau.

4. Yn gresynu y bydd Cymru, y DU, a’r byd yn byw gydag effeithiau COVID-19 am flynyddoedd lawer.

Yn nodi bod cynlluniau’r GIG, tra mae COVID yn dal i fod yn ein cymuned, yn canolbwyntio ar gydbwyso darparu gwasanaethau COVID a gwasanaethau eraill yn ddiogel.

5. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i:

a) gweithio gyda chlinigwyr lleol i ddarparu modelau cyflawni sy’n gwneud y mwyaf o’r holl adnoddau i ddarparu gofal diogel o safon ar gyfer llwybrau COVID a llwybrau eraill ar gyfer cymunedau lleol;

b) cynnal adolygiad brys o sut mae cleifion ysbyty yng Nghymru yn cael eu rhyddhau yn ystod y pandemig a gweithredu'r canfyddiadau hynny i fynd i'r afael â thagfeydd mewn ysbytai, fel yr argymhellwyd gan Goleg Brenhinol y Ffisigwyr;

c) gwella ei threfn brofi'n sylweddol er mwyn cynyddu capasiti a sicrhau bod COVID-19 yn cael ei ynysu a'i gadw allan o ysbytai Cymru;

d) parhau i weithio gyda’r rhwydwaith canser a’r GIG i sicrhau y gall gwasanaethau canser ateb galwadau newydd a’r galw presennol, a chytuno sut i fuddsoddi yn y dyfodol i wireddu’r ymrwymiad y cytunwyd arno ar gyfer profion diagnostig cyflym;

e) parhau â’n hymgyrch genedlaethol i sicrhau bod pobl sy'n amau bod ganddynt ganser, neu y mae angen iddynt fynd i'r ysbyty mewn argyfwng, yn parhau i wneud hynny.

Motion NDM7489 as amended:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that the Welsh statistics published on 19 November show an 11 per cent increase in the total numbers waiting for treatment from September 2019 to September 2020, and it is the growth of waits over the national target 36 weeks that have increased ninefold, a trend which has been seen in all areas of the UK.

2. Further notes the warning from leading cancer experts and charities that 2,000 people could die because of COVID-related delays in the Welsh NHS.

3. Recognises the hard work, dedication and commitment of staff in the healthcare sector supporting patients not just with coronavirus but with a variety of conditions.

4. Regrets that Wales, the UK, and the world will be living with the effects of COVID-19 for many years.

Notes that whilst COVID remains in our community, NHS plans are focussed on balancing the safe delivery of COVID and non-COVID services

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) work with local clinicians to develop models of delivery which maximise all resources to deliver safe, quality care for both COVID and non-COVID pathways to local communities;

b) conduct an urgent review into how hospital patients in Wales are being discharged during the pandemic and implement those findings to tackle bottlenecks in hospitals, as recommended by the Royal College of Physicians;

c) significantly improve its testing regime to ramp up capacity and ensure that COVID-19 is isolated and kept out of Welsh hospitals;

d) continue to work with the cancer network and NHS to ensure cancer services are able to meet new and current demand, and agree how to deploy future investment to deliver on the agreed commitment for rapid diagnostic testing; and

e) continue our nationwide campaign to ensure that people who suspect they have cancer, or need to go to hospital in an emergency, continue to do so.

Open the vote. Close the vote. For the amended motion 29, two abstentions, 22 against. Therefore, the amended motion is agreed.

Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid y cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd 29, dau yn ymatal, 22 yn erbyn. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd.

Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd: O blaid: 29, Yn erbyn: 22, Ymatal: 2

Derbyniwyd y cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd

Welsh Conservatives debate - Motion as amended: For: 29, Against: 22, Abstain: 2

Motion as amended has been agreed

10. Dadl Fer: Gwasanaethau canser: Cynllun adfer ar ôl COVID-19
10. Short Debate: Cancer services: A post-COVID-19 recovery plan

We now move to the short debate. I call on David Rees to speak to the topic he has chosen. David.

Symudwn yn awr at y ddadl fer. Galwaf ar David Rees i siarad am y pwnc y mae wedi'i ddewis. David.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you for that. Clearly, this debate comes at a time when we've just finished a debate talking on a very similar topic, but I do not apologise for that. I did hear the Minister and I'm sure I'll hear some of the same answers again, but I think it's important we address this particular issue.

Every single one of us has been touched by cancer in some way, either ourselves or a loved one. It's hardly surprising when you consider that one in two of us is likely to develop cancer at some point in our lives. Every year around 19,300 people are diagnosed with cancer in Wales, and sadly there are around 8,800 cancer deaths. It's Wales's biggest killer, and continues to have a tremendous impact upon many people. However—. Sorry. When I spoke to the Minister—. My apologies, Dirprwy Lywydd. There is reason for optimism, however, because cancer survival has doubled since the 1970s, so that today, around half of us survive our cancer for 10 years or more, but we know that we can, and must, do better. International studies like the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership continue to see Wales perform poorly in comparison to similar nations. If we could catch up with the best countries, many more lives could be saved.

When I spoke last in the Senedd about cancer, the world was very different. I spoke in person, rather than via technology; I was able to sit in close proximity to friends and colleagues when having a meal. Now, in a post-pandemic world, we have seen many changes to our daily lives to that we would have been doing only months ago; now no longer a responsible action to take. However, cancer hasn't gone into hiding during this pandemic. Just like the virus, it remains a threat to our health. Likewise, the approaches we take to treat cancer haven't changed, and the importance of early diagnosis hasn't changed either. The impact of COVID-19 has had a very serious, very real impact on thousands of people's cancer, and they may not even know it. Last month, Macmillan Cancer Support released a very stark report on the impact of COVID-19 on cancer care. It highlighted that during the peak of the pandemic, there were 31 per cent fewer patients than usual entering the single cancer pathway. Data from Cancer Research UK shows that for March 2020 to August 2020, there were around 18,200 fewer urgent referrals for suspected cancer from GPs in Wales, with the biggest fall in urgent referrals occurring in April—the height of the lockdown—when the number of referrals was 63 per cent lower than in April 2019. 

The latest cancer waiting times released from 19 November show that around 7,100 people diagnosed with cancer started treatment between April and September in Wales—a figure showing approximately 1,500 fewer people than in the same period the previous year. The same data identified that only 74 per cent of patients with an urgent referral for suspicion of cancer received a test and started treatment within 62 days in September, the target being 95 per cent. This compares to 80 per cent of patients with an urgent referral for suspected cancer starting the treatment at the same time last year. And lung cancer has been the slowest to recover, with regard to the number of urgent suspected cancer referrals—an almost 72 per cent drop in April, still down to a 26 per cent drop in August. Between March and August, the pausing of cancer screening programmes across the UK meant that 3 million people weren't invited to one of the three cancer screening programmes—bowel, breast, cervical. Modelling by Cancer Research UK suggests that every month, 55,600 people would normally be invited to take part in one of these three cancer screening programmes in Wales, leading to the diagnosis of at least 80 cancers, plus additional pre-cancerous changes detected and treated. Now, 40 per cent of Welsh respondents reported that cancer testing they would usually expect was delayed, cancelled or altered. About 27 per cent said that their cancer treatment was affected.

Like other Members, I have heard many experiences of people whose cancer tests and treatments were in some way affected by COVID-19. It has caused considerable anxiety and, most worryingly, concerns that cancer survival could be negatively affected. During the first wave of the pandemic, the number of people waiting for a diagnostic endoscopy increased from around 11,900 by the end of March to around 15,700 at the end of July. As we all know, early diagnosis is critical to improving cancer survival in Wales. For example, when bowel cancer is diagnosed at stage 1, over nine in 10 patients survive, but this drops to fewer than one in 10 if it is diagnosed at stage 4. It is estimated that this will lead to a backlog of approximately 2,900 missing diagnoses over this six-month period. It is vital that we increase cancer diagnostic capacity to at least the level it was pre-pandemic, in order to avoid too many patients entering the pathway but having to wait for diagnostics, which will—[Inaudible.]

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Diolch i chi am hynny. Yn amlwg, daw'r ddadl hon ar adeg pan ydym newydd orffen dadl yn sôn am bwnc tebyg iawn, ond nid wyf yn ymddiheuro am hynny. Clywais y Gweinidog ac rwy'n siŵr y byddaf yn clywed rhagor o'r un atebion eto, ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig inni fynd i'r afael â'r mater penodol hwn.

Mae canser wedi cyffwrdd â phob un ohonom mewn rhyw ffordd, naill ai ni ein hunain neu rywun annwyl. Nid yw'n syndod pan ystyriwch fod un o bob dau ohonom yn debygol o ddatblygu canser ar ryw adeg yn ein bywydau. Bob blwyddyn mae tua 19,300 o bobl yn cael diagnosis o ganser yng Nghymru, ac yn anffodus mae tua 8,800 o farwolaethau canser. Dyma'r lladdwr mwyaf yng Nghymru, ac mae'n parhau i gael effaith aruthrol ar lawer o bobl. Fodd bynnag—. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf. Pan siaradais â'r Gweinidog—. Ymddiheuriadau, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Mae rheswm dros optimistiaeth, fodd bynnag, oherwydd mae cyfraddau goroesi canser wedi dyblu ers y 1970au, fel bod oddeutu ein hanner heddiw yn goroesi ein canser am 10 mlynedd neu fwy, ond gwyddom y gallwn, a bod rhaid inni, wneud yn well. Mae astudiaethau rhyngwladol fel y Bartneriaeth Ryngwladol Meincnodi Canser yn parhau i weld Cymru'n tangyflawni o gymharu â gwledydd tebyg. Pe gallem ddal i fyny â'r gwledydd gorau, gellid achub llawer mwy o fywydau.

Pan siaradais ddiwethaf yn y Senedd am ganser, roedd y byd yn wahanol iawn. Roeddwn yno'n siarad yn y cnawd, yn hytrach na thrwy dechnoleg; gallwn eistedd yn agos at ffrindiau a chydweithwyr i gael pryd o fwyd. Nawr, mewn byd ôl-bandemig, rydym wedi gweld llawer o newidiadau i'n bywydau bob dydd o gymharu â'r hyn y byddem wedi bod yn ei wneud fisoedd yn unig yn ôl; bellach nid yw'n gyfrifol i wneud hynny. Fodd bynnag, nid yw canser wedi mynd i guddio yn ystod y pandemig hwn. Yn union fel y feirws, mae'n parhau i fod yn fygythiad i'n hiechyd. Yn yr un modd, nid yw'r dulliau a ddefnyddiwn i drin canser wedi newid, ac nid yw pwysigrwydd diagnosis cynnar wedi newid ychwaith. Mae effaith COVID-19 wedi bod yn wirioneddol ddifrifol ar ganser miloedd o bobl, ac efallai nad ydynt hyd yn oed yn gwybod hynny. Fis diwethaf, rhyddhaodd Cymorth Canser Macmillan adroddiad llwm iawn ar effaith COVID-19 ar ofal canser. Tynnodd sylw at y ffaith bod 31 y cant yn llai o gleifion nag arfer wedi mynd ar y llwybr canser sengl pan oedd y pandemig ar ei anterth. Dengys data gan Cancer Research UK fod tua 18,200 yn llai o atgyfeiriadau brys gan feddygon teulu yng Nghymru rhwng mis Mawrth a mis Awst 2020 ar gyfer achosion lle ceir amheuaeth o ganser, gyda'r gostyngiad mwyaf mewn atgyfeiriadau brys yn digwydd ym mis Ebrill—ar anterth y cyfyngiadau symud—pan oedd nifer yr atgyfeiriadau 63 y cant yn is nag ym mis Ebrill 2019.

Mae'r amseroedd aros diweddaraf ar gyfer canser a ryddhawyd ar 19 Tachwedd yn dangos bod tua 7,100 o bobl a oedd wedi cael diagnosis o ganser wedi dechrau triniaeth rhwng mis Ebrill a mis Medi yng Nghymru—ffigur sydd tua 1,500 yn llai o bobl nag yn yr un cyfnod y flwyddyn flaenorol. Nododd yr un data mai dim ond 74 y cant o gleifion ag atgyfeiriad brys yn sgil amheuaeth o ganser a gafodd brawf a dechrau triniaeth o fewn 62 diwrnod ym mis Medi, a'r targed oedd 95 y cant. Mae hyn yn cymharu â'r 80 y cant o gleifion ag atgyfeiriad brys lle ceir amheuaeth o ganser a ddechreuodd y driniaeth ar yr un adeg y llynedd. A chanser yr ysgyfaint oedd yr arafaf i wella, o ran nifer yr atgyfeiriadau brys lle roedd amheuaeth o ganser—gostyngiad o bron 72 y cant ym mis Ebrill, a oedd yn dal i fod yn ostyngiad o 26 y cant ym mis Awst. Rhwng mis Mawrth a mis Awst, golygodd oedi rhaglenni sgrinio am ganser ledled y DU na wahoddwyd 3 miliwn o bobl i un o'r tair rhaglen sgrinio am ganser—y coluddyn, y fron, serfigol. Mae modelu gan Cancer Research UK yn awgrymu y byddai 55,600 o bobl fel arfer yn cael eu gwahodd bob mis i gymryd rhan yn un o'r tair rhaglen sgrinio ar gyfer canser yng Nghymru, gan arwain at ddiagnosis o 80 o ganserau fan lleiaf, ynghyd â newidiadau ychwanegol cyn-ganseraidd a gaiff eu canfod a'u trin. Nawr, dywedodd 40 y cant o ymatebwyr o Gymru fod profion canser y byddent fel arfer yn eu disgwyl wedi cael eu gohirio, eu canslo neu eu newid. Dywedodd tua 27 y cant fod eu triniaeth ar gyfer canser wedi'i heffeithio.

Fel Aelodau eraill, rwyf wedi clywed llawer o brofiadau pobl yr effeithiwyd ar eu profion a'u triniaethau canser mewn rhyw ffordd gan COVID-19. Mae wedi achosi cryn bryder ac yn fwyaf gofidus, mae wedi achosi pryderon y gallai fod wedi effeithio'n negyddol ar y gobaith o oroesi canser. Yn ystod ton gyntaf y pandemig, cynyddodd nifer y bobl a oedd yn aros am endosgopi diagnostig o tua 11,900 erbyn diwedd mis Mawrth i tua 15,700 ddiwedd mis Gorffennaf. Fel y gwyddom i gyd, mae diagnosis cynnar yn hanfodol i wella cyfraddau goroesi canser yng Nghymru. Er enghraifft, pan wneir diagnosis o ganser y coluddyn cam 1, mae dros naw o bob 10 claf yn goroesi, ond mae'n gostwng i lai nag un o bob 10 os gwneir diagnosis ohono yng ngham 4. Amcangyfrifir y bydd hyn yn arwain at ôl-groniad o tua 2,900 o bobl heb gael diagnosis dros y cyfnod hwn o chwe mis. Mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn cynyddu capasiti diagnostig canser i o leiaf y lefel cyn y pandemig, rhag i ormod o gleifion fynd ar y llwybr ond gorfod aros am ddiagnosteg, a fydd—[Anghlywadwy.]

18:40

I think we're having some problems with your connection.

Rwy'n credu ein bod yn cael problemau gyda'ch cysylltiad.

[Inaudible.]—will still have those symptoms, which could be cancer. The worry is that when they do present, if identified as cancer, their diagnosis would be for a later stage, and a less treatable cancer. Reducing this backlog as quickly and safely as possible will add further strain to the diagnostic services. Additional capacity and plugging the workforce gaps is urgently needed.

Dirprwy Llywydd, last week the cross-party group on cancer here at the Senedd published a report on cancer waiting times that it initiated prior to the pandemic. Following the first pandemic peak, the initial inquiry terms of reference were expanded to include an understanding of the impact of the pandemic on cancer diagnosis and treatment. The report initially sought an assessment on the single cancer pathway, and it is still important to keep sight of the single cancer pathway as an intrinsically positive measure. Resuming the single cancer pathway reporting would present an opportunity to restart and reset, particularly for those conversations on where improvements for diagnostic pathways can and should be made.

I very much welcome last week's announcement by the Minister to reintroduce the single cancer pathway, along with a target figure that health boards must achieve. This is clearly a positive step in the right direction. However, I am calling for the Welsh Government to accept all the recommendations from the report, and in particular prioritise cancer care and treatment by providing additional resources to cope with the backlog. The report calls for a COVID-19 cancer recovery plan to be published, detailing how the Welsh Government will support improved delivery of cancer services, and, in particular, how diagnostic services would be supported to reduce the cancer backlog that does exist. This could require COVID-secure green sites to shore up capacity and maintain services, although I do recognise the comments that the Minister made in the previous debate that there is no guarantee of COVID-free sites due to the nature of this virus.

Adequate COVID testing for staff and patients is necessary to sustain such sites and keep them as COVID lite as possible, and to give confidence to patients. Alongside this, a wide-ranging mass media communications campaign is needed to encourage people with concerning symptoms to seek help from a GP. And I know, again, that the Minister has indicated that they'll do that and they've agreed on it. It is needed to encourage people with those symptoms to continue seeking help from their GPs, as well as to provide reassurance that people can be seen and treated safely. A post-COVID recovery plan for cancer services is essential to tackle the short-term situation, but it is also critical that this acts as a forerunner for the longer term transformation that is required for cancer diagnostics.

The cancer delivery plan for 2016 was meant to end this year, and while Welsh Government have announced their intention to develop a successor to this plan, no further detail has yet been forthcoming. Now, I do appreciate that the pandemic has taken priority for officials and that a new delivery plan must now also consider how it would build upon both the existing delivery plan and the recovery plan. However, we urgently need a new comprehensive cancer strategy, with the single cancer pathway as a central component, which will be essential to drive the transformation agenda forward at a time when it's been recognised by the Minister that we are unlikely to see waiting times for many services return to pre-COVID levels for many years. 

I do not hide from the fact that the challenge facing cancer services is immense. There was a clear need to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment and cases before the pandemic hit. No-one will dispute that COVID-19 has set us back further. Therefore, a new cancer strategy needs to be bold and ambitious in tackling these challenges. Minister, like all my colleagues, I want to ensure that the NHS and local health boards are supported by the Welsh Government in meeting these challenges. The coronavirus has gripped the country and caused strain on our front-line health workers, but unfortunately, diseases like cancer continue to appear through a wide variety of symptoms.

We must all remember that patients suffering from cancer or the possibility of a cancer diagnosis require emotional support also, as treatment of the disease. We need to support our local health boards to take steps to ensure that these personalised principles remain at the heart of cancer care. All cancer care, both of the physical and mental health agendas, needs to be ring-fenced and remain untouched when considering workflow and staffing arrangements.

Finding cancer early means treating cancer early. To everyone across Wales, do not ignore your symptoms, please; do not fear visiting your GP; do not hesitate in seeking help. I wish to remind you that there are many resources, both online through the NHS website and others, to aid you in your decision to go to the doctor. You will not be wasting the NHS's time by having your symptoms diagnosed. The NHS is there to support you through diagnosis, right through to treatment. If your new symptoms do not go away, you do need to see your doctor, and write down changes that have occurred or questions you might have so that you are clear in the position.

I'll conclude my contribution today by expressing my everlasting gratitude to those staff across the NHS in Wales whose tremendous efforts have sought to maintain cancer services as much as possible in the most difficult of circumstances that they've probably ever faced. The past eight months have been like no other for them, and without their hard work, their dedication to their patients and their continued commitment to delivering positive outcomes for those patients, the adverse impact on cancer patients would have been even greater. So, together, let's ensure that our NHS is supported; let's ensure that our cancer support services are supported; and let's ensure that we support each other in getting that early diagnosis. Diolch.

[Anghlywadwy.]—yn dal i fod â'r symptomau hynny, a allai fod yn ganser. Pan fyddant yn mynd i weld rhywun, y pryder yw os yw'n ganser, y byddai eu diagnosis yn canfod canser ar gam diweddarach, pan fydd llai o allu i'w drin. Bydd lleihau'r ôl-groniad hwn cyn gynted ac mor ddiogel â phosibl yn ychwanegu mwy o straen ar y gwasanaethau diagnostig. Mae angen capasiti ychwanegol a llenwi bylchau yn y gweithlu ar frys.

Ddirprwy Lywydd, yr wythnos diwethaf cyhoeddodd y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar ganser yma yn y Senedd adroddiad ar amseroedd aros canser a gychwynnwyd ganddo cyn y pandemig. Yn dilyn uchafbwynt cyntaf y pandemig, ehangwyd cylch gorchwyl cychwynnol yr ymchwiliad i gynnwys dealltwriaeth o effaith y pandemig ar ddiagnosis a thriniaeth canser. I ddechrau, ceisiodd yr adroddiad asesu'r llwybr canser sengl, ac mae'n dal yn bwysig cadw golwg ar y llwybr canser sengl fel mesur sy'n gynhenid gadarnhaol. Byddai ailddechrau adrodd ar y llwybr canser sengl yn gyfle i ailgychwyn ac aildrefnu, yn enwedig ar gyfer y sgyrsiau ynglŷn â lle gellir a lle dylid gwneud gwelliannau ar gyfer llwybrau diagnostig.

Rwy'n croesawu'n fawr y cyhoeddiad yr wythnos diwethaf gan y Gweinidog ar ailgyflwyno'r llwybr canser sengl, ynghyd â ffigur targed y mae'n rhaid i fyrddau iechyd ei gyflawni. Mae hwn yn amlwg yn gam cadarnhaol i'r cyfeiriad cywir. Fodd bynnag, rwy'n galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i dderbyn holl argymhellion yr adroddiad, ac yn arbennig i flaenoriaethu gofal a thriniaeth canser drwy ddarparu adnoddau ychwanegol i ymdopi â'r ôl-groniad. Mae'r adroddiad yn galw am gyhoeddi cynllun adfer canser COVID-19, yn nodi sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi darparu gwasanaethau canser yn well, ac yn benodol, sut y byddai gwasanaethau diagnostig yn cael eu cefnogi i leihau'r ôl-groniad canser sy'n bodoli. Gallai hyn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i safleoedd gwyrdd sy'n ddiogel rhag COVID hybu capasiti a chynnal gwasanaethau, er fy mod yn cydnabod y sylwadau a wnaeth y Gweinidog yn y ddadl flaenorol nad oes sicrwydd o safleoedd rhydd o COVID oherwydd natur y feirws hwn.

Mae angen profion COVID digonol ar gyfer staff a chleifion er mwyn cynnal safleoedd o'r fath a'u cadw mor rhydd o COVID â phosibl, a rhoi hyder i gleifion. Ochr yn ochr â hyn, mae angen ymgyrch gyfathrebu eang ar y cyfryngau torfol i annog pobl sydd â symptomau sy'n peri gofid i geisio cymorth gan feddyg teulu. Ac unwaith eto, gwn fod y Gweinidog wedi dweud y byddant yn gwneud hynny ac maent wedi cytuno ar hynny. Mae ei angen i annog pobl sydd â'r symptomau i barhau i geisio cymorth gan eu meddygon teulu, yn ogystal â rhoi sicrwydd y gellir gweld a thrin pobl yn ddiogel. Mae cynllun adfer ar ôl COVID ar gyfer gwasanaethau canser yn hanfodol er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r sefyllfa yn y tymor byr, ond mae hefyd yn hanfodol fod hyn yn gweithredu fel rhagflaenydd i'r newid tymor hwy sydd ei angen ar gyfer diagnosteg canser.

Bwriadwyd i'r cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer canser ar gyfer 2016 ddod i ben eleni, ac er bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyhoeddi ei bwriad i ddatblygu olynydd i'r cynllun hwn, ni chafwyd rhagor o fanylion eto. Nawr, rwy'n sylweddoli bod y pandemig wedi cael blaenoriaeth gan swyddogion a bod yn rhaid i gynllun cyflawni newydd ystyried yn awr sut y byddai'n adeiladu ar y cynllun cyflawni presennol a'r cynllun adfer. Fodd bynnag, mae arnom angen strategaeth ganser newydd gynhwysfawr ar frys, gyda'r llwybr canser sengl yn elfen ganolog, strategaeth a fydd yn hanfodol i yrru'r agenda drawsnewid yn ei blaen ar adeg pan fo'r Gweinidog wedi cydnabod ein bod yn annhebygol o weld amseroedd aros ar gyfer llawer o wasanaethau'n dychwelyd i lefelau cyn COVID am flynyddoedd lawer. 

Nid wyf yn cuddio rhag y ffaith bod yr her sy'n wynebu gwasanaethau canser yn aruthrol. Roedd hi'n amlwg fod angen gwella diagnosis, triniaeth ac achosion canser cyn i'r pandemig daro. Ni fydd neb yn anghytuno bod COVID-19 wedi ein gwthio'n ôl ymhellach. Felly, mae angen i strategaeth ganser newydd fod yn feiddgar ac yn uchelgeisiol wrth fynd i'r afael â'r heriau hyn. Weinidog, fel fy nghyd-Aelodau i gyd, rwyf am sicrhau bod y GIG a byrddau iechyd lleol yn cael eu cefnogi gan Lywodraeth Cymru i ymateb i'r heriau hyn. Mae'r coronafeirws wedi gafael yn y wlad ac wedi rhoi pwysau ar ein gweithwyr iechyd rheng flaen, ond yn anffodus, mae clefydau fel canser yn parhau i ymddangos drwy amrywiaeth eang o symptomau.

Rhaid i bawb ohonom gofio bod angen cymorth emosiynol ar gleifion sy'n dioddef o ganser neu sy'n wynebu'r posibilrwydd o ddiagnosis o ganser hefyd, yn ogystal â thriniaeth ar gyfer y clefyd. Mae angen inni gynorthwyo ein byrddau iechyd lleol i gymryd camau i sicrhau bod yr egwyddorion personol hyn yn parhau i fod wrth wraidd gofal canser. Mae angen clustnodi arian ar gyfer yr holl ofal canser, yr agendâu iechyd corfforol a meddyliol, a sicrhau nad yw'n cael ei gyffwrdd wrth ystyried llif gwaith a threfniadau staffio.

Mae canfod canser yn gynnar yn golygu trin canser yn gynnar. I bawb ledled Cymru, peidiwch ag anwybyddu eich symptomau; peidiwch ag ofni mynd i weld eich meddyg teulu; peidiwch ag oedi cyn ceisio cymorth. Hoffwn eich atgoffa bod llawer o adnoddau, ar-lein drwy wefan y GIG ac eraill, i'ch helpu yn eich penderfyniad i fynd at y meddyg. Ni fyddwch yn gwastraffu amser y GIG drwy gael diagnosis o'ch symptomau. Mae'r GIG yno i'ch cefnogi drwy ddiagnosis, hyd at driniaeth. Os nad yw eich symptomau newydd yn diflannu, mae angen i chi weld eich meddyg, a nodi unrhyw newidiadau sydd wedi digwydd neu gwestiynau a allai fod gennych ar bapur fel eich bod yn deall y sefyllfa'n glir.

Rwyf am gloi fy nghyfraniad heddiw drwy fynegi fy niolch parhaus i'r staff ar draws y GIG yng Nghymru y mae eu hymdrechion aruthrol wedi anelu i gynnal gwasanaethau canser gymaint â phosibl yn yr amgylchiadau anoddaf y maent wedi'u hwynebu erioed mae'n debyg. Mae'r wyth mis diwethaf wedi bod yn annhebyg i unrhyw gyfnod arall iddynt hwy, a heb eu gwaith caled, eu hymroddiad i'w cleifion a'u hymrwymiad parhaus i sicrhau canlyniadau cadarnhaol ar gyfer y cleifion hynny, byddai'r effaith andwyol ar gleifion canser wedi bod hyd yn oed yn waeth. Felly, gyda'n gilydd, gadewch inni sicrhau bod ein GIG yn cael ei gefnogi; gadewch inni sicrhau bod ein gwasanaethau cymorth canser yn cael eu cefnogi; a gadewch inni sicrhau ein bod yn cynorthwyo ein gilydd i gael y diagnosis cynnar hwnnw. Diolch.

18:45

Thank you. Can I call on the Minister for Health and Social Services to reply to the debate? Vaughan Gething.

Diolch. A gaf fi alw ar y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol i ymateb i'r ddadl? Vaughan Gething.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you to David Rees for tabling this short debate.

I welcome the work of the cross-party group and its report that was published last week. The report sets out the challenges facing cancer care and outcomes in the context of the pandemic. I'm pleased to see that there's much commonality between the recommendations of the report and our own intentions for cancer services. For instance, last week, we resumed reporting of the single cancer pathway, as called for in the report and as mentioned by David Rees in his debate introduction.

The commitments that we set out in 2013 and 2017 in our cancer delivery plans to improve cancer services and outcomes still stand today. We are not stepping back from that commitment. Our new approach will be published by March, given the impact of the pandemic. A significant amount of progress has been made in recent years, and I'd like to highlight the steady improvement in outcomes. Again, David Rees acknowledged that there has been an improvement in outcomes here in Wales. There are very high levels of positive patient experience. We have the introduction of the UK's first single cancer pathway and the emergence of rapid diagnostic centres. But there remains much more to do. The scale of the challenge and complexity of the changes that we need are significant.

In normal years, we diagnose around 19,000 new cases in Wales, more than 450,000 people are screened, and we investigate more than 120,000 suspected cancer referrals. We rely on our primary care providers to identify symptoms; our radiology, endoscopy and pathology services to diagnose; our surgical, radiotherapy and chemotherapy teams to treat the disease; and our specialist nurse palliative care teams and third sector partners to support and care for people during the most difficult time in their lives.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, a diolch i David Rees am gyflwyno'r ddadl fer hon.

Rwy'n croesawu gwaith y grŵp trawsbleidiol a'i adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf. Mae'r adroddiad yn nodi'r heriau sy'n wynebu gofal a chanlyniadau canser yng nghyd-destun y pandemig. Rwy'n falch o weld bod llawer yn gyffredin rhwng argymhellion yr adroddiad a'n bwriadau ein hunain ar gyfer gwasanaethau canser. Er enghraifft, yr wythnos diwethaf, gwnaethom ailddechrau adrodd ar y llwybr canser sengl, fel roedd yr adroddiad yn galw amdano ac fel y crybwyllwyd gan David Rees yn ei gyflwyniad i'r ddadl.

Mae'r ymrwymiadau a osodwyd gennym yn 2013 a 2017 yn ein cynlluniau cyflawni ar gyfer canser i wella gwasanaethau a chanlyniadau canser yn dal i sefyll heddiw. Nid ydym yn camu'n ôl o'r ymrwymiad hwnnw. Bydd ein dull newydd wedi'i gyhoeddi erbyn mis Mawrth, o ystyried effaith y pandemig. Mae cryn dipyn o gynnydd wedi'i wneud yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, a hoffwn dynnu sylw at y gwelliant cyson yn y canlyniadau. Unwaith eto, cydnabu David Rees y bu gwelliant yn y canlyniadau yma yng Nghymru. Ceir lefelau uchel iawn o brofiad cadarnhaol i gleifion. Rydym wedi cyflwyno llwybr canser sengl cyntaf y DU ac wedi gweld canolfannau diagnosteg cyflym yn datblygu. Ond mae llawer mwy i'w wneud o hyd. Mae maint her a chymhlethdod y newidiadau sydd eu hangen arnom yn sylweddol.

Mewn blynyddoedd arferol, rydym yn gwneud diagnosis ar oddeutu 19,000 o achosion newydd yng Nghymru, caiff dros 450,000 o bobl eu sgrinio, ac rydym yn archwilio dros 120,000 o atgyfeiriadau lle ceir amheuaeth o ganser. Rydym yn dibynnu ar ein darparwyr gofal sylfaenol i nodi symptomau; ein gwasanaethau radioleg, endosgopi a phatholeg i wneud diagnosis; ein timau llawfeddygol, radiotherapi a chemotherapi i drin y clefyd; a'n timau nyrsio arbenigol gofal lliniarol a phartneriaid yn y trydydd sector i gefnogi a gofalu am bobl yn ystod y cyfnod anoddaf yn eu bywydau.

Delivering cancer services involves multiple specialities and interventions, with patient pathways across and recross organisational boundaries. This requires close working relationships, integrated pathways of care and particular attention to maintaining person-centred care. It's important that we have a shared understanding of how to improve cancer services and outcomes. We know that we need to drive down the rates of smoking and obesity to detect cancer at an earlier and more treatable stage, to consistently provide the latest evidence-based interventions and therapies, and to support people properly throughout the treatment pathway. These are fundamental aspects of our approach. They're supported or enabled by changing service models, developing a sustainable workforce and, of course, the best use of digital systems and data.

There's been genuine and close work around this agenda from stakeholders for many years in Wales, and there is much consensus about the best way forward. The challenge now is to capitalise on that in the years ahead and to make the significant improvement in outcomes that we all want to see. There is, though—and again, to be fair, David Rees acknowledges—no escaping the impact of the pandemic. The chief medical officer has been clear that the pandemic causes harm in several ways. Access to normal healthcare, including in this instance cancer care, is one of those ways where indirect harm is caused. From the very beginning, our approach has been to try to protect as much cancer care as possible. NHS Wales worked incredibly hard to do so and provide as many people as possible with the urgent care that they need. However, we have seen capacity and productivity in cancer diagnostics and treatment significantly reduced. This has meant that the number of people waiting for treatment is rising and there is likely to be an impact in terms of outcomes in the years ahead.

Among the recommendations in the report is the development of a cancer recovery plan for the rest of the pandemic. I understand the desire for clarity on a national level, setting out how many procedures need to be done, how many will be done, and how long it will take to treat those who are waiting. The reality is, though, that as soon we put those figures to paper, the pandemic changes what is possible. The difference between a well-controlled and a poorly controlled pandemic in terms of how many people it's possible to treat is a significant one. It goes to highlight where effective control of the pandemic is just as important to cancer and other urgent life-threatening conditions.

I know some have called for ring-fenced capacity for cancer care, and I do understand that, but, as we all know, and I certainly recognise, I'm the Minister for Health and Social Services and not exclusively the Minister for cancer care. I do not wish to oversee or live in a health system where the Government says, 'If your life-threatening illness is cancer, then you will be treated, but if your life-threatening illness is heart disease or something else, then your life is of less value.' That's exactly the same ethical dilemma that meant that we rejected the previous attempts to have a specific cancer guarantee that would have trumped other conditions. I do not believe that this is what cancer clinicians themselves would want to see either. So, I do want to be clear, health boards have detailed plans for the winter on how they'll balance the competing needs that they have to manage. They'll prioritise patients according to their clinical need, whether that is COVID or non COVID, cancer or non cancer. We must and will remain fair and equitable in how we use the available capacity we have to care for people right across Wales.

This Government committed, in March of this year, to replace the cancer delivery plan, as well as the heart and stroke plans, with a successor approach by December. Now, clearly, the pandemic has made that impossible. Whilst it has not been possible to develop such a detailed approach as set out in our existing cancer plan, we have continued to work with stakeholders to set out our aspirations for the next phase of service development and improvements.

I'm keen that we learn the lessons of the delivery plan approach and the pace of implementation in particular. We need to continue to evolve and build on our previous approach, rather than necessarily stick to exactly the same model. The commitment made in 'A Healthier Wales' to a national clinical framework and to quality statements presents us with new opportunities that can push the cancer agenda further and faster, and an approach embedded in these commitments would allow cancer services to benefit from wider developments and improve relative performance of disease pathways in NHS planning.

This is not a step back in approach, but, in my view, a leap forward in ambition. This would include exciting new developments around the cancer workforce and the planning of cancer services, to be underpinned by the development of the new cancer information system and the continued embedding of the single cancer pathway.

We want to double down on our work with primary care, and, more broadly, on earlier detection. There is vital work to be done through our endoscopy and imaging programmes. I want to bring forward our approach to cancer research, and realise our ambitions around holistic support, and these are all, of course, consistent with the recommendations in the cross-party report.

But it did take nine months to refresh the previous cancer delivery plan last time, and we can't afford to wait a similar length of time now before we give direction and to continue the pace of improvement. It's vital that we set out these ambitions and move quickly into determining how they'll be delivered. The scale of the challenge facing us before the pandemic was significant enough, and the case for greater pace and focus on implementation is where we now need to focus our attention.

So, once again, I want to thank those who worked so hard on the report, and, as ever, my thanks to all those people who are working right across our health and care system, in our NHS, in social care and in our third sector partners too, for all that they continue to do to meet the needs of people affected by cancer. I will give careful consideration to the recommendations in the report, and I will be happy to write and provide a full response to the cross-party group regarding its recommendations. Thank you very much for the opportunity to respond tonight, and thank you for your time tonight, Deputy Llywydd.

Mae darparu gwasanaethau canser yn cynnwys nifer o arbenigeddau ac ymyriadau, gyda llwybrau cleifion ar draws ffiniau sefydliadol. Mae hyn yn galw am berthynas waith agos, llwybrau gofal integredig a sylw arbennig i gynnal gofal sy'n canolbwyntio ar yr unigolyn. Mae'n bwysig fod gennym ddealltwriaeth gyffredin o sut i wella gwasanaethau a chanlyniadau canser. Gwyddom fod angen inni leihau cyfraddau ysmygu a gordewdra er mwyn canfod canser yn gynharach ac ar gam lle gellir ei drin yn haws, er mwyn darparu'r ymyriadau a'r therapïau diweddaraf sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth yn gyson, a chefnogi pobl yn iawn ar hyd y llwybr triniaeth. Mae'r rhain yn agweddau sylfaenol ar ein dull o weithredu. Cânt eu cefnogi neu eu galluogi gan fodelau gwasanaeth sy'n newid, datblygu gweithlu cynaliadwy ac wrth gwrs, y defnydd gorau o systemau digidol a data.

Gwnaed gwaith pwysig a manwl ar yr agenda hon gan randdeiliaid ers blynyddoedd lawer yng Nghymru, ac mae llawer o gonsensws ynglŷn â'r ffordd orau ymlaen. Yr her yn awr yw manteisio ar hynny yn y blynyddoedd i ddod a gwneud y gwelliant sylweddol rydym i gyd am ei weld yn y canlyniadau. Er hynny—ac unwaith eto, mae David Rees yn cydnabod hyn a bod yn deg—nid oes dianc rhag effaith y pandemig. Mae'r prif swyddog meddygol wedi bod yn glir fod y pandemig yn achosi niwed mewn sawl ffordd. Mae mynediad at ofal iechyd arferol, gan gynnwys gofal canser yn yr achos hwn, yn un o'r ffyrdd lle mae niwed anuniongyrchol yn cael ei achosi. O'r cychwyn cyntaf, ein dull o weithredu fu ceisio diogelu cymaint o ofal canser â phosibl. Gweithiodd GIG Cymru yn eithriadol o galed i wneud hynny a darparu'r gofal brys sydd ei angen ar gynifer o bobl â phosibl. Fodd bynnag, rydym wedi gweld capasiti a chynhyrchiant mewn diagnosteg a thriniaeth canser yn lleihau'n sylweddol. Mae hyn wedi golygu bod nifer y bobl sy'n aros am driniaeth yn cynyddu ac mae'n debygol y bydd yna effaith ar ganlyniadau yn y blynyddoedd i ddod.

Ymhlith yr argymhellion yn yr adroddiad mae datblygu cynllun adfer canser ar gyfer gweddill y pandemig. Rwy'n deall yr awydd am eglurder ar lefel genedlaethol, gan nodi faint o lawdriniaethau y mae angen eu gwneud, faint fydd yn cael eu gwneud, a pha mor hir y bydd yn ei gymryd i drin y rhai sy'n aros. Serch hynny, cyn gynted ag y byddwn yn rhoi'r ffigurau hynny ar bapur, y realiti yw bod y pandemig yn newid yr hyn sy'n bosibl. Mae'r gwahaniaeth rhwng pandemig wedi'i reoli'n dda a phandemig a reolir yn wael o ran faint o bobl y mae'n bosibl eu trin yn un arwyddocaol. Mae'n amlygu lle mae rheolaeth effeithiol ar y pandemig yr un mor bwysig i ganser a chyflyrau difrifol eraill sy'n bygwth bywyd.

Rwy'n gwybod bod rhai wedi galw am glustnodi capasiti ar gyfer gofal canser, ac rwy'n deall hynny, ond fel y gwyddom i gyd, ac rwyf fi'n sicr yn deall mai Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol wyf fi ac nid y Gweinidog gofal canser yn unig. Nid wyf am oruchwylio na byw mewn system iechyd lle mae'r Llywodraeth yn dweud, 'Os mai canser yw eich salwch sy'n bygwth bywyd, yna fe gewch eich trin, ond os mai'r salwch sy'n bygwth eich bywyd yw clefyd y galon neu rywbeth arall, mae llai o werth i'ch bywyd.' Dyna'r union gyfyng-gyngor moesegol a olygai ein bod wedi gwrthod yr ymdrechion blaenorol i gael gwarant canser benodol a fyddai wedi rhoi blaenoriaeth i ganser ar draul cyflyrau eraill. Ni chredaf mai dyna fyddai clinigwyr canser eu hunain am ei weld ychwaith. Felly, rwyf am fod yn glir, mae gan fyrddau iechyd gynlluniau manwl ar gyfer y gaeaf ynglŷn â sut y byddant yn cydbwyso'r anghenion sy'n cystadlu y bydd rhaid iddynt eu rheoli. Byddant yn blaenoriaethu cleifion yn ôl eu hanghenion clinigol, boed yn COVID neu'n rhywbeth heblaw COVID, canser neu rywbeth heblaw canser. Rhaid inni, ac fe fyddwn, yn parhau i edrych yn deg ac yn gyfartal i weld sut y defnyddiwn y capasiti sydd ar gael gennym i ofalu am bobl ledled Cymru.

Ymrwymodd y Llywodraeth hon, ym mis Mawrth eleni, i gael cynllun cyflawni newydd ar gyfer canser, yn ogystal â chynlluniau ar gyfer y galon a strôc, gyda darpariaeth olynol erbyn mis Rhagfyr. Nawr, yn amlwg, mae'r pandemig wedi gwneud hynny'n amhosibl. Er na fu'n bosibl datblygu dull mor fanwl ag a nodir yn ein cynllun canser presennol, rydym wedi parhau i weithio gyda rhanddeiliaid i nodi ein dyheadau ar gyfer cam nesaf y gwaith o ddatblygu a gwella gwasanaethau.

Rwy'n awyddus inni ddysgu gwersi dull y cynllun cyflawni o fynd ati a chyflymder gweithredu yn enwedig. Rhaid inni barhau i esblygu ac adeiladu ar ein dull blaenorol, yn hytrach na chadw at yr un model yn union o reidrwydd. Mae'r ymrwymiad a wnaed yn 'Cymru Iachach' i fframwaith clinigol cenedlaethol ac i ddatganiadau ansawdd yn rhoi cyfleoedd newydd inni a all wthio agenda canser ymhellach ac yn gyflymach, a byddai ymgorffori dull yn yr ymrwymiadau hyn yn caniatáu i wasanaethau canser elwa o ddatblygiadau ehangach a gwella perfformiad cymharol llwybrau clefyd mewn cynlluniau ar gyfer y GIG.

Nid yw hyn yn gam yn ôl o ran dull gweithredu, ond yn hytrach, yn fy marn i, mae'n naid ymlaen yn ein huchelgais. Byddai'n cynnwys datblygiadau newydd cyffrous o amgylch y gweithlu canser a chynllunio gwasanaethau canser, i'w hategu gan ddatblygiad y system gwybodaeth canser newydd a pharhau i wreiddio'r llwybr canser sengl.

Rydym am gryfhau ein gwaith gyda gofal sylfaenol, ac yn fwy cyffredinol, ar ganfod canser yn gynharach. Mae gwaith hanfodol i'w wneud drwy ein rhaglenni endosgopi a delweddu. Rwyf am gyflwyno ein dull o gyflawni ymchwil canser, a gwireddu ein huchelgais ar gymorth cyfannol, ac mae'r rhain i gyd, wrth gwrs, yn gyson â'r argymhellion yn yr adroddiad trawsbleidiol.

Ond fe gymerodd naw mis i adnewyddu'r cynllun cyflawni canser blaenorol y tro diwethaf, ac ni allwn fforddio aros am gyfnod tebyg yn awr cyn i ni roi cyfeiriad a pharhau i wella ar yr un cyflymder. Mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn nodi'r uchelgeisiau hyn ac yn symud yn gyflym i benderfynu sut y cânt eu cyflawni. Roedd maint yr her a'n hwynebai cyn y pandemig yn ddigon sylweddol, a rhaid inni ganolbwyntio ein sylw yn awr ar yr achos dros gyflymu a ffocws ar weithredu.

Felly, unwaith eto, hoffwn ddiolch i'r rhai a weithiodd mor galed ar yr adroddiad, ac fel arfer, diolch i'r holl bobl sy'n gweithio ar draws ein system iechyd a gofal, yn ein GIG, ym maes gofal cymdeithasol a'n partneriaid yn y trydydd sector hefyd, am y cyfan y maent yn parhau i'w wneud i ddiwallu anghenion pobl y mae canser yn effeithio arnynt. Byddaf yn rhoi ystyriaeth ofalus i'r argymhellion yn yr adroddiad, ac rwy'n hapus i ysgrifennu at y grŵp trawsbleidiol i roi ymateb llawn i'w argymhellion. Diolch yn fawr am y cyfle i ymateb heno, a diolch am eich amser heno, Ddirprwy Lywydd.

18:55

Thank you very much, and that brings today's proceedings to a close. Thank you.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, a daw hynny â thrafodion heddiw i ben. Diolch.

Daeth y cyfarfod i ben am 18:57.

The meeting ended at 18:57.