Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
02/12/2020Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu'r Senedd yn y Siambr a thrwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Cyn 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, ble 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 Llawn heddiw, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. Hoffwn hefyd atgoffa'r Aelodau fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn berthnasol i'r cyfarfod, ac yr un mor berthnasol i'r Aelodau sydd yn y Siambr â'r rhai sydd yn ymuno drwy gyswllt fideo.
Welcome to this Plenary meeting. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points. This meeting will be held in 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 those are set out on your agenda. I would also like to 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.
Before I call on the Minister for Health and Social Services for questions, I wish to inform Members that I have received two requests for an urgent debate today on the new coronavirus restrictions due to come into force on Friday—one request from Andrew R.T. Davies, and another from Adam Price. The regulations governing those restrictions today remain unpublished. An urgent debate in accordance with Standing Order 12.69 does not proceed on the basis of a motion. As such, the Senedd would not have had the opportunity to vote on the matter today. I can inform the Senedd that the Government has tabled a motion for debate next Tuesday on the same matter. The motion will give the Senedd the opportunity to have a meaningful vote on the motion and any amendments tabled. I expect that vote to be influential on the continuation of the regulations or not. The deadline for tabling amendments will be extended until 4 p.m. this Friday. As the Senedd has the opportunity, therefore, to debate and vote on this matter during the next Plenary session, I do not propose to call either Member to move an urgent debate to be held today. However, I will invite them to make some comments on the record now. Andrew R.T. Davies.
Cyn i mi alw ar y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol am gwestiynau, hoffwn roi gwybod i’r Aelodau fy mod wedi derbyn dau gais am ddadl frys heddiw ar y cyfyngiadau coronafeirws newydd a fydd yn dod i rym ddydd Gwener—un cais gan Andrew R .T. Davies, ac un arall gan Adam Price. Mae'r rheoliadau sy'n llywodraethu'r cyfyngiadau hynny yn dal heb eu cyhoeddi heddiw. Nid yw dadl frys yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.69 yn mynd rhagddi ar sail cynnig. O'r herwydd, ni fyddai'r Senedd wedi cael cyfle i bleidleisio ar y mater heddiw. Gallaf roi gwybod i’r Senedd fod y Llywodraeth wedi cyflwyno cynnig i’w drafod ddydd Mawrth nesaf ar yr un mater. Bydd y cynnig yn rhoi cyfle i'r Senedd gynnal pleidlais ystyrlon ar y cynnig ac unrhyw welliannau a gyflwynir. Rwy'n disgwyl i'r bleidlais honno ddylanwadu ar barhad y rheoliadau ai peidio. Bydd y terfyn amser ar gyfer cyflwyno gwelliannau'n cael ei ymestyn tan 4 p.m. ddydd Gwener. Gan fod gan y Senedd gyfle, felly, i ddadlau a phleidleisio ar y mater hwn yn ystod y Cyfarfod Llawn nesaf, nid wyf yn bwriadu galw'r naill Aelod na'r llall i gynnig dadl frys i'w chynnal heddiw. Fodd bynnag, rwyf am eu gwahodd i wneud rhai sylwadau ar y cofnod nawr. Andrew R. T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I'm grateful for you offering consideration of the proposal for a motion to be taken today. I understand the balancing act that you as Presiding Officer have in deciding how to push these things forward. I do think it's a missed opportunity. I hear what you say about the Government bringing their motion next Tuesday for us to vote on, but this is a matter of considerable public opinion, and, certainly from my inbox, that opinion has been expressed very forcibly, I would suggest, in my electoral area. I look forward to seeing what the Government have to say next week and, as it's an amendable motion, look forward to amendments being put. But the First Minister did, in his statement yesterday, say that the opposition hadn't put any alternative proposals forward. Well, if we don't have the opportunity to debate, it's a little difficult to put those proposals forward, as a Government statement is for Ministers to be questioned on the statement they've put before this house. We are a Parliament, we are parliamentarians; if we're to be taken seriously, we should have the respect and we should have the opportunity to debate these issues and represent the people who put us here. But I am grateful for your consideration, Presiding Officer, and I do think it is the Government that has missed the opportunity here, and has, in this particular instance, in my opinion, shown disrespect to the Welsh Parliament.
Diolch, Lywydd, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am ystyried y cynnig a gyflwynwyd ar gyfer heddiw. Rwy'n deall bod yn rhaid i chi fel Llywydd bwyso a mesur wrth benderfynu sut i fwrw ymlaen â’r pethau hyn. Credaf ei fod yn gyfle a gollwyd. Clywaf yr hyn a ddywedwch am y Llywodraeth yn cyflwyno eu cynnig ddydd Mawrth nesaf i ni bleidleisio arno, ond mae hwn yn fater o gryn ddiddordeb i’r cyhoedd, ac yn sicr o fy mewnflwch, mae’r diddordeb hwnnw wedi’i fynegi’n rymus iawn, byddwn yn awgrymu, yn fy ardal etholiadol. Edrychaf ymlaen at weld yr hyn sydd gan y Llywodraeth i'w ddweud yr wythnos nesaf, a chan ei fod yn gynnig y gellir ei ddiwygio, edrychaf ymlaen at weld gwelliannau’n cael eu cynnig. Ond yn ei ddatganiad ddoe, dywedodd y Prif Weinidog nad oedd yr wrthblaid wedi cyflwyno unrhyw gynigion amgen. Wel, os nad ydym yn cael cyfle i ddadlau, mae braidd yn anodd cyflwyno'r cynigion hynny, gan mai diben datganiad Llywodraeth yw holi Gweinidogion ynghylch y datganiad y maent wedi'i roi gerbron y tŷ hwn. Rydym yn Senedd, rydym yn seneddwyr; os ydym am gael ein cymryd o ddifrif, dylem gael ein parchu a dylem gael cyfle i drafod y materion hyn a chynrychioli'r bobl sydd wedi ein rhoi yma. Ond rwy'n ddiolchgar am eich ystyriaeth, Lywydd, a chredaf mai'r Llywodraeth sydd wedi colli'r cyfle yma, ac yn yr achos arbennig hwn, wedi dangos amarch tuag at Senedd Cymru yn fy marn i.
A Siân Gwenllian, ar ran Adam Price.
And Siân Gwenllian, on behalf of Adam Price.
Diolch, Llywydd. Erbyn dydd Mawrth nesaf, wrth gwrs, fe fydd y rheoliadau newydd yma ar waith. Felly, pa bwysau pellach fedrwch chi fel Llywydd ei ddwyn ar y Llywodraeth i sicrhau ein bod ni yn cael pleidlais ar yr egwyddor o gyflwyno'r rheoliadau newydd yma cyn iddyn nhw ddod i rym ddydd Gwener? Fe osodwyd cynsail i hyn efo'r cyfnod clo byr—y firebreak—pan gafwyd cyfle i bleidleisio cyn i hynny ddod i rym. Mae'r newidiadau yma a ddaw i mewn ddydd Gwener yn rhai sylweddol, ac rydyn ni hefyd angen gweld y dystiolaeth sydd wedi arwain at eu cyflwyno nhw. Felly, fe fyddwn i'n gofyn i chi a oes yna unrhyw ffordd y gallwch chi ddwyn pwysau ar y Llywodraeth i ddod â'r ddadl yma ymlaen cyn dydd Gwener.
Thank you, Llywydd. By next Tuesday, of course, the new regulations will have been implemented. So, what further pressure can you as Llywydd put on the Government to ensure that we do have a vote on the principle of introducing these regulations before they come into force on Friday? A precedent was set with the firebreak lockdown, when there was an opportunity to vote prior to the introduction of those regulations. These changes to be introduced on Friday are substantial, and we also need to see the evidence that has led to their introduction. So, I would ask you whether there is any way in which you can put pressure on the Government to bring this debate forward before Friday.
I accept all the arguments that both Members have put. The reality is that there was no perfectly synchronised solution possible to me. On balance, therefore, I've considered that the Senedd is best served by having a meaningful vote at the earliest opportunity of next week, rather than a debate without a vote at the earlier opportunity of today.
Rwy'n derbyn yr holl ddadleuon a gafwyd gan y ddau Aelod. A’r gwir amdani yw nad oedd ateb cydamserol perffaith yn bosibl i mi. Ar ôl pwyso a mesur, felly, rwy'n ystyried mai'r hyn sydd orau i’r Senedd yw cael pleidlais ystyrlon ar y cyfle cyntaf yr wythnos nesaf, yn hytrach na chael dadl heb bleidlais ar gyfle cynharach heddiw.
We'll proceed now with the business as on the order paper. The first item is the questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services, and the first question is from Mark Isherwood.
Awn ymlaen yn awr gyda'r busnes fel y'i nodir ar y papur trefn. Yr eitem gyntaf yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, a daw’r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Mark Isherwood.
1. Pa ganllawiau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu rhoi i fyrddau iechyd lleol ar atal achosion o COVID-19 mewn ysbytai? OQ55951
1. What guidance does the Welsh Government give to local health boards on the prevention of COVID-19 outbreaks in hospital settings? OQ55951
Throughout the pandemic, the Welsh Government has issued a range of comprehensive guidance to support health boards in preventing COVID-19 outbreaks from occurring in hospital, and limiting the spread and severity of outbreaks when they do occur.
Drwy gydol y pandemig, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyhoeddi ystod o ganllawiau cynhwysfawr i gynorthwyo byrddau iechyd i atal achosion o COVID-19 rhag digwydd mewn ysbytai, a chyfyngu ar ledaeniad a difrifoldeb yr achosion pan fyddant yn digwydd.
In late July, I was contacted by a constituent whose husband with a non-COVID condition had been told by nurses that three COVID patients had been diagnosed on his ward at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. Only after my intervention was he moved to an adjacent, single-bed side ward. He did not catch COVID-19. Last month, I was contacted by a constituent stating that his father, who had a non-COVID condition, had been placed on the same ward for three and a half days, that, unknown to his father and family, some patients on the ward had COVID-19, and that is father was then transferred to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Gobowen, where he had a positive COVID-19 test result and had developed a worsening cough that was causing concern. How do you therefore respond to the son, who asked, 'Why would you place an elderly man with orthopaedic issues on a ward with known COVID-19 patients? Why didn't they isolate him to prevent the risk of exporting the virus to a neighbouring hospital in Shropshire, and why, despite the front-line staff performing miracles, the backroom of the health board still cannot control cross-contamination, health and hygiene, but also the safety and management of patients within their safekeeping?'
Ddiwedd mis Gorffennaf, cysylltodd etholwr â mi i ddweud bod ei gŵr, a oedd yn dioddef o gyflwr nad oedd yn COVID, wedi cael gwybod gan nyrsys fod tri chlaf wedi cael diagnosis o COVID ar ei ward yn Ysbyty Maelor Wrecsam. Dim ond ar ôl i mi ymyrryd y cafodd ei symud i ward ochr un gwely gyfagos. Ni ddaliodd COVID-19. Y mis diwethaf, cysylltodd etholwr â mi i nodi bod ei dad, a oedd yn dioddef o gyflwr nad oedd yn COVID, wedi cael ei roi yn yr un ward am dri diwrnod a hanner, a heb yn wybod i'w dad a'i deulu, fod gan rai cleifion ar y ward honno COVID-19, a bod ei dad wedi cael ei drosglwyddo wedyn i Ysbyty Orthopedig Robert Jones ac Agnes Hunt, Gobowen, lle cafodd ganlyniad positif i brawf COVID-19, ac roedd wedi datblygu peswch a oedd yn gwaethygu ac yn peri pryder. Sut felly rydych chi'n ymateb i'r mab a ofynnodd: ‘Pam fyddech chi'n rhoi dyn oedrannus â phroblemau orthopedig ar ward gyda chleifion y gwyddoch fod ganddynt COVID-19? Pam na wnaethant ei ynysu er mwyn atal y risg o drosglwyddo’r feirws i ysbyty cyfagos yn Swydd Amwythig, ac er bod staff y rheng flaen yn cyflawni gwyrthiau, pam na all ystafell gefn y bwrdd iechyd reoli croes-halogi, iechyd a hylendid, a hefyd diogelwch a rheolaeth y cleifion y maent yn gyfrifol am eu diogelu?’
Well, unfortunately, as the Member knows, I'm not familiar with the individual circumstances, or indeed, as I understand from what he said, as the constituent tested positive in the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt hospital, I'm not sure when the infection can be traced to. But there's a broader point here that the Member is trying to make, and that is about how successfully our hospitals are managing those patients who are positive, and it's why, when we publish information about COVID patients and COVID care, we have a confirmed recovery where they have tested positive, we have a suspected category, because even though we haven't got a confirmed test at that point in time, it matters how they're treated and managed to try to prevent the risk of infection to people who are COVID negative, and then we also have a category of people who are in recovery as well.
The reason why our nosocomial transmission group—and that's transmission between healthcare staff and others—has met and is led by our chief nursing officer and deputy chief medical officer is because we recognise the risks that exist. And if Members do have examples of where they're concerned that that hasn't been implemented properly, they should of course take that up with their local health board, and if they don't get a satisfactory answer, they should provide the details to me and I will happily investigate.
Wel, yn anffodus, fel y gŵyr yr Aelod, nid wyf yn gyfarwydd â'r amgylchiadau unigol, nac yn wir, fel y deallaf o'r hyn a ddywedodd, gan i’r etholwr brofi’n bositif yn ysbyty Robert Jones ac Agnes Hunt, nid wyf yn siŵr i ba adeg y gellir olrhain yr haint. Ond mae pwynt ehangach yma y mae'r Aelod yn ceisio ei wneud, ac mae’n ymwneud â pha mor llwyddiannus yw ein hysbytai yn rheoli'r cleifion sydd wedi profi’n bositif, a phan fyddwn yn cyhoeddi gwybodaeth am gleifion COVID a gofal COVID, dyna pam fod gennym adferiad wedi’i gadarnhau lle gwnaethant brofi'n bositif, mae gennym gategori ar gyfer achosion posibl, oherwydd er nad oes gennym brawf positif ar y pwynt hwnnw, mae’r ffordd y cânt eu trin a'u rheoli i geisio atal y risg o haint i bobl sydd wedi cael prawf negyddol ar gyfer COVID yn bwysig, ac mae gennym gategori o bobl sydd wrthi’n gwella hefyd.
Y rheswm pam fod ein grŵp trosglwyddiad nosocomiaidd—sef trosglwyddiad rhwng staff gofal iechyd ac eraill—wedi cyfarfod ac yn cael ei arwain gan ein prif swyddog nyrsio a’n dirprwy brif swyddog meddygol yw oherwydd ein bod yn cydnabod y risgiau sy'n bodoli. Ac os oes gan Aelodau enghreifftiau lle maent yn pryderu nad yw hynny wedi’i roi ar waith yn iawn, dylent godi hynny gyda'u bwrdd iechyd lleol wrth gwrs, ac os nad ydynt yn cael ateb boddhaol, dylent roi'r manylion i mi, ac rwy’n fwy na pharod i ymchwilio i’r mater.
I'm hearing some real concerns about some staffing difficulties in hospitals in my region, including Prince Philip Hospital and particular problems in Glangwili in Carmarthen. I'm told—and this is anecdotal, Minister, so I can't be sure that this is the case—that there are nurses and doctors becoming ill with coronavirus and members of the public concerned as to whether they're contracting that in the hospital, whether they're becoming ill in the hospital, or whether they're contracting that in the community. I'm sure that you'll agree with me that our staff are working incredibly hard; they've done such amazing work so far. Is there anything more that you feel needs to be done to ensure that staff are not exposed to infections in hospital settings—obviously, it's not within your or the health board's control as to whether they become infected in the community—and is there any further support or guidance that you can provide the health boards in that particular area of concern with regard to staff sickness?
Rwy'n clywed pryderon gwirioneddol am anawsterau staffio mewn ysbytai yn fy rhanbarth, gan gynnwys Ysbyty'r Tywysog Philip a phroblemau penodol yng Nglangwili yng Nghaerfyrddin. Dywedir wrthyf—ac mae hyn yn anecdotaidd, Weinidog, felly ni allaf fod yn siŵr a yw hyn yn wir—fod nyrsys a meddygon yn mynd yn sâl gyda’r coronafeirws, ac aelodau o'r cyhoedd yn pryderu p'un a ydynt yn ei ddal yn yr ysbyty, a ydynt mynd yn sâl yn yr ysbyty, neu a ydynt yn ei ddal yn y gymuned. Rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn cytuno bod ein staff yn gweithio'n anhygoel o galed; maent wedi gwneud gwaith ardderchog hyd yn hyn. A oes unrhyw beth arall y teimlwch fod angen ei wneud i sicrhau nad yw staff yn agored i heintiau mewn ysbytai—yn amlwg, nid yw o fewn eich rheolaeth chi na'r bwrdd iechyd p’un a ydynt yn cael eu heintio yn y gymuned—ac a oes unrhyw gefnogaeth neu ganllawiau pellach y gallwch eu darparu i'r byrddau iechyd yn hynny o beth mewn perthynas â salwch staff?
On the last point, there is further, specific guidance the Government needs to give to the Hywel Dda health board. They're aware of the quite detailed advice that's been provided on a number of occasions. The most recent guidance that came out from that nosocomial transmission group went out on 6 November. But these are really difficult challenges to manage. In the overall picture, about 3 per cent of confirmed coronavirus cases come from transmission within healthcare. The challenge, though, is that we know this is a vulnerable group of the population, where people are there for in-patient treatment. So, the numbers are low, but the impact is significant, and it's the same when we look at transmission in other closed settings like care homes and prisons in particular. Again, the prisoner population and residents in care homes are a less healthy group within the population overall. And this is part of our challenge—about the difference between community transmission and staff who live in those communities also potentially being subject to transmission in those communities and then bringing the virus in, potentially, as well as nosocomial transmission.
I am, though, hoping to confirm where we're going to be with further testing for staff, not just in the targeted testing we've done around outbreaks, which is still part of our approach, but whether we can have a more general approach to testing, and I'm hoping to be able to make that announcement within the next few days. And there's a meeting between my officials and leads from across health boards tomorrow, and I want to be in a position to update the public and the Senedd in the next few days after that.
Ar y pwynt olaf, mae canllawiau penodol pellach y mae'n rhaid i'r Llywodraeth eu rhoi i fwrdd iechyd Hywel Dda. Maent yn ymwybodol o'r cyngor eithaf manwl sydd wedi’i ddarparu ar sawl achlysur. Cyhoeddwyd y canllawiau diweddaraf a ddaeth gan y grŵp trosglwyddiad nosocomiaidd hwnnw ar 6 Tachwedd. Ond mae'r rhain yn heriau anodd iawn i'w rheoli. Yn gyffredinol, mae oddeutu 3 y cant o’r achosion o’r coronafeirws sydd wedi'u cadarnhau yn dod o drosglwyddiad o fewn gofal iechyd. Yr her, serch hynny, yw y gwyddom fod hwn yn grŵp o'r boblogaeth sy’n agored i niwed, lle mae pobl yno i gael triniaeth ar gyfer cleifion mewnol. Felly, mae'r niferoedd yn isel, ond mae'r effaith yn sylweddol, ac mae'r un peth yn wir wrth edrych ar drosglwyddiad mewn lleoliadau caeedig eraill fel cartrefi gofal a charchardai yn benodol. Unwaith eto, mae poblogaethau carcharorion a phreswylwyr cartrefi gofal yn grŵp llai iach o fewn y boblogaeth yn gyffredinol. Ac mae hyn yn rhan o'n her—y gwahaniaeth rhwng trosglwyddiad cymunedol a staff sy'n byw yn y cymunedau hynny a hefyd yn agored i drosglwyddiad o bosibl yn y cymunedau hynny ac yna'n cyflwyno’r feirws o bosibl, yn ogystal â throsglwyddiad nosocomiaidd.
Er hynny, rwy'n gobeithio cadarnhau beth fydd ein sefyllfa gyda phrofion pellach ar gyfer staff, nid yn unig gyda’r profion wedi'u targedu rydym wedi'u cynnal pan fydd achosion yn codi, sy'n dal i fod yn rhan o'n dull gweithredu, ond p’un a allwn gael dull mwy cyffredinol o brofi, ac rwy'n gobeithio gallu gwneud y cyhoeddiad hwnnw o fewn yr ychydig ddyddiau nesaf. A bydd fy swyddogion ac arweinwyr y gwahanol fyrddau iechyd yn cyfarfod yfory, a hoffwn fod mewn sefyllfa i roi diweddariad i’r cyhoedd ac i'r Senedd yn yr ychydig dyddiau wedyn.
Minister, the roll-out of a vaccine within days, as we're told, is obviously going to be very significant in terms of controlling the virus in the hospital environment. One of the aspects of this particular vaccine is that it has to be kept at -70 degrees centigrade, which means that managing it and containing the vaccine is going to be an extremely difficult technical task. Is it likely that vaccination in hospitals is going to be one of the high priorities when it is possible to roll-out the vaccine within Wales? Can you give us any more information on this?
Weinidog, mae'n amlwg y bydd cyflwyno brechlyn o fewn y dyddiau nesaf, fel y dywedir wrthym, yn bwysig iawn ar gyfer rheoli'r feirws yn amgylchedd yr ysbyty. Wrth gwrs, un agwedd ar y brechlyn penodol hwn yw bod rhaid ei gadw ar -70 gradd canradd, sy'n golygu y bydd ei reoli a storio’r brechlyn yn dasg dechnegol anodd dros ben. A yw'n debygol y bydd brechu mewn ysbytai yn un o'r blaenoriaethau mwyaf pan fydd modd cyflwyno’r brechlyn yng Nghymru? A allwch roi mwy o wybodaeth inni ynglŷn â hyn?
Yes. The vaccine roll-out will certainly help in preventing some forms of nosocomial transmission. It would also help with residents in care homes in terms of our ability to protect staff going to those care homes and those residents who are mobile. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has provided advice that all four chief medical officers have endorsed, and health Ministers met this morning in an early morning call, with colleagues from Scotland, Northern Ireland and England, and we've agreed, again, to follow the advice that the JCVI have provided on prioritisation. Within that, care home residents and really vulnerable people are at the top, the next group are people over the age of 80 and front-line staff in health and social care.
In the written statement that I have issued today, I have indicated that, because of the particular characteristics of the Pfizer vaccine, we don't think we're going to be able to safely take it to care homes. That means we're going to have a smaller number of vaccination centres we'll need to bring people to. Now, in practical terms, some care home residents therefore won't be within the first few weeks of delivery of that vaccine. We need to understand the safety data of moving that vaccine around in real time in more venues before we could potentially look at taking it elsewhere. Now, that is a challenge, and that means that care home residents, who are right at the top of the vulnerability list, we're not going to be able to deliver the vaccine to them. They'll get some protection though from us in our ability to prioritise staff who work in those environments, as well as our front-line healthcare staff. So, I'm still optimistic that this vaccine will make a real difference. But it's why I've been on the record and I say again that the Oxford vaccine gives us a much greater ability to take it out because that is a vaccine you can, essentially, store in a fridge, so with significantly fewer logistical challenges to deliver.
Gallaf. Bydd y broses o gyflwyno'r brechlyn yn sicr yn helpu i atal rhai mathau o drosglwyddiad nosocomiaidd. Byddai hefyd o gymorth gyda thrigolion mewn cartrefi gofal o ran ein gallu i amddiffyn staff sy'n mynd i'r cartrefi gofal hynny a'r preswylwyr sy'n symudol. Mae’r Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu wedi darparu cyngor y mae’r pedwar prif swyddog meddygol wedi’i gymeradwyo, a chyfarfu Gweinidogion iechyd mewn galwad gynnar ben bore heddiw gyda swyddogion cyfatebol o’r Alban, Gogledd Iwerddon a Lloegr, ac rydym wedi cytuno, unwaith eto, i ddilyn y cyngor y mae'r Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu wedi'i roi ar flaenoriaethu. Yn y cyngor hwnnw, mae preswylwyr cartrefi gofal a phobl wirioneddol agored i niwed ar frig y rhestr, a’r grŵp nesaf yw pobl dros 80 oed a staff rheng flaen ym maes iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol.
Yn y datganiad ysgrifenedig a gyhoeddais heddiw, rwyf wedi nodi, oherwydd priodoleddau penodol brechlyn Pfizer, nad ydym yn credu y bydd modd inni fynd ag ef yn ddiogel i gartrefi gofal. Golyga hynny y bydd gennym nifer lai o ganolfannau brechu y bydd angen inni fynd â phobl iddynt. Nawr, yn ymarferol, ni fydd rhai preswylwyr cartrefi gofal felly yn cael y brechlyn hwnnw yn ystod wythnosau cyntaf y broses o’i gyflwyno. Mae angen inni ddeall y data diogelwch mewn perthynas â symud y brechlyn hwnnw o gwmpas mewn amser real mewn mwy o leoliadau, cyn y gallwn edrych, o bosibl, ar fynd ag ef i rywle arall. Nawr, mae hynny'n her, a golyga na fydd modd inni fynd â'r brechlyn at breswylwyr cartrefi gofal, sydd ar frig y rhestr o bobl agored i niwed. Byddant yn cael rhywfaint o amddiffyniad gennym drwy ein gallu i flaenoriaethu staff sy'n gweithio yn yr amgylcheddau hynny, yn ogystal â'n staff gofal iechyd rheng flaen. Felly, rwy'n dal i fod yn obeithiol y bydd y brechlyn hwn yn gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol. Ond dyna pam rwyf wedi dweud ar goedd a dywedaf eto fod brechlyn Rhydychen yn rhoi llawer mwy o allu inni ei ddosbarthu gan ei fod yn frechlyn y gallwch ei storio mewn oergell yn y bôn, felly ceir llawer llai o heriau logistaidd wrth ei gyflwyno.
2. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gefnogi gwasanaethau diagnostig ledled Cymru? OQ55970
2. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support diagnostic services across Wales? OQ55970
Diagnostic services are a fundamental part of how we deliver health services. Our commitment to those services is outlined in the statements of intent for imaging and pathology, the endoscopy action plan for Wales and the national strategy for genomics. These are all supported by a number of national programmes.
Mae gwasanaethau diagnostig yn rhan sylfaenol o'r ffordd rydym yn darparu gwasanaethau iechyd. Amlinellir ein hymrwymiad i'r gwasanaethau hynny yn y datganiadau o fwriad ar gyfer delweddu a phatholeg, cynllun gweithredu Cymru ar endosgopi a'r strategaeth genedlaethol ar gyfer genomeg. Cefnogir y rhain oll gan nifer o raglenni cenedlaethol.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. As you're aware, a fortnight ago, the cross-party group on cancer published its report on the single cancer pathway and the impact of COVID-19 on cancer services, and one of the recommendations was clearly to invest in diagnostic services, in equipment, settings and in people—people who are desperately needed. Macmillan Cancer Support has also highlighted the need for diagnostic services to get back to pre-pandemic levels and, in fact, higher than pre-pandemic levels so that any bottlenecks that have been created as a consequence of COVID-19 can actually be addressed. Now, to do all this, the Welsh Government needs to commit resources to that delivery. Will you now give the Welsh Government's commitment to ensuring that funding will be available to increase both equipment and workforce resources for diagnostic services in Wales?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Fel y gwyddoch, bythefnos yn ôl, cyhoeddodd y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar ganser ei adroddiad ar y llwybr canser sengl ac effaith COVID-19 ar wasanaethau canser, ac un o'r argymhellion amlwg oedd buddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau diagnostig, mewn offer, mewn lleoliadau ac mewn pobl—pobl y mae eu hangen yn fawr. Mae Cymorth Canser Macmillan hefyd wedi tynnu sylw at yr angen i lefelau gwasanaethau diagnostig ddychwelyd i’r hyn oeddent cyn y pandemig, ac i lefelau uwch na chyn y pandemig mewn gwirionedd, fel y gellir mynd i’r afael ag unrhyw ôl-groniad sydd wedi'i greu o ganlyniad i COVID-19. Nawr, er mwyn gwneud hyn oll, mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ymrwymo adnoddau i'r gwaith o gyflawni hynny. A wnewch chi ymrwymo ar ran Llywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau y bydd cyllid ar gael i gynyddu adnoddau ar ffurf offer a gweithlu i wasanaethau diagnostig yng Nghymru?
Thank you for the Member's question. Of course, we rehearsed some of this last week in the short debate on the cross-party group on cancer's report. I do want to reiterate my thanks for not just the Member but Members across the Chamber who have highlighted this as an issue. It's a really important issue—to have the right equipment and, also, the right staff to be able to use that equipment to care for people in Wales. We've invested over £30 million in the last three years in large diagnostic equipment and about £15 million was invested over this year in diagnostics. Also, of course, I opened the National Imaging Academy Wales in Pencoed, and that is really helping us to have not just a new generation of people trained, but to keep them in Wales as well. In the coming days, I'll confirm training figures for a number of areas for staff across the health service, and that will include issues around diagnostics too. I also expect to be in a position in the coming days to confirm where we are with the further steps on the national endoscopy action plan as well. This isn't a matter of if we'll invest in the future of diagnostics; it's about how much we'll do. And I'll repeat the commitment I gave to the Member last week that we will respond properly and in writing to the cross-party group on cancer's report, including the sections on the diagnostic workforce.
Diolch i’r Aelod am ei gwestiwn. Wrth gwrs, trafodwyd rhywfaint o hyn gennym yr wythnos diwethaf yn y ddadl fer ar adroddiad y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar ganser. Hoffwn ddiolch unwaith eto, nid yn unig i’r Aelod, ond i Aelodau ar draws y Siambr sydd wedi tynnu sylw at y mater. Mae'n fater pwysig iawn—sicrhau bod gennym yr offer cywir, a hefyd, y staff cywir i allu defnyddio'r offer hwnnw i ofalu am bobl yng Nghymru. Rydym wedi buddsoddi dros £30 miliwn yn y tair blynedd diwethaf mewn offer diagnostig mawr a buddsoddwyd oddeutu £15 miliwn dros y flwyddyn hon mewn diagnosteg. Hefyd, wrth gwrs, agorais Academi Ddelweddu Genedlaethol Cymru ym Mhencoed, ac mae honno'n ein helpu'n fawr nid yn unig i hyfforddi cenhedlaeth newydd o bobl, ond i'w cadw yng Nghymru hefyd. Yn y dyddiau nesaf, byddaf yn cadarnhau ffigurau hyfforddi ar gyfer nifer o feysydd ar gyfer staff ar draws y gwasanaeth iechyd, a bydd hynny'n cynnwys materion yn ymwneud â diagnosteg hefyd. Rwyf hefyd yn disgwyl bod mewn sefyllfa yn y dyddiau nesaf i gadarnhau ble rydym arni gyda'r camau pellach ar y cynllun gweithredu cenedlaethol ar endosgopi hefyd. Nid yw'n fater o os byddwn yn buddsoddi yn nyfodol diagnosteg; mae'n ymwneud â faint y byddwn yn ei fuddsoddi. Ac rwyf am ailadrodd yr ymrwymiad a roddais i'r Aelod yr wythnos diwethaf y byddwn yn ymateb yn briodol ac yn ysgrifenedig i adroddiad y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar ganser, gan gynnwys yr adrannau ar y gweithlu diagnostig.
Minister, you'll have heard before of the early diagnostic potential that we've seen in Baglan hospital, for example, when we're talking about cancers. I'm hoping that the report that David is referring to will make sure that the work there continues at pace. But I particularly wanted to ask you today about the role of dentists, because their role in spotting possible mouth cancers in the course of routine treatment is well known. The current guidance to dentists is understandably restrictive, but do you know by how much the initial detection figures for oral cancers have been affected since March, and would you consider revising guidance if there's been a noticeable drop?
Weinidog, byddwch wedi clywed o'r blaen am y potensial am ddiagnosteg gynnar rydym wedi’i weld yn ysbyty Baglan, er enghraifft, pan ydym yn sôn am ganserau. Rwy’n gobeithio y bydd yr adroddiad y cyfeiria David ato yn sicrhau bod y gwaith yno'n parhau yn gyflym. Ond roeddwn am ofyn i chi’n benodol heddiw am rôl deintyddion, gan fod eu rôl yn sylwi ar ganserau posibl yn y geg yn ystod triniaethau arferol yn dra hysbys. Mae'n ddealladwy fod y canllawiau cyfredol i ddeintyddion yn gyfyngol, ond a ydych yn gwybod i ba raddau y mae'r ffigurau canfod cychwynnol ar gyfer canserau'r geg wedi cael eu heffeithio ers mis Mawrth, ac a fyddech yn ystyried adolygu'r canllawiau pe bai gostyngiad amlwg wedi bod?
No, I don't have the specific figure for the drop in detection of oral cancers, but I recognise that dentists are about a great deal more than checking how many teeth you have and giving fillings. They make a huge difference to oral hygiene in a range of areas, including helping early warnings with oral cancer. So, it is an area of concern. I think there's a really important point for all of us about what comes after COVID, because we know there's been significant harm done already. We know we need to take further measures to keep more of us alive for the future. But we also know that we're putting off and we'll have to deal with a significant amount of healthcare challenges once we're out the other side of the pandemic. So, this is one of those areas, and we don't yet understand the fall-back about what that will be, when we'll need to plan for it and then deliver against it. Whenever it is safe and appropriate to do so, we will, of course, enable and encourage further healthcare provision to be provided. I don't want to lose sight of the point you made about the vague symptoms work that's been done in Neath Port Talbot Hospital, and the same in the Royal Glamorgan. Again, that's part of what I do expect us to see developing and delivering in the future, together with advice from our clinicians in the cancer network.
Na, nid oes gennyf ffigur penodol ar gyfer y gostyngiad yn y nifer o ganserau'r geg a gaiff eu canfod, ond rwy'n cydnabod bod deintyddion yn gwneud mwy o lawer na chyfrif faint o ddannedd sydd gennych a rhoi llenwadau. Maent yn gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i hylendid y geg mewn ystod o feysydd, gan gynnwys helpu gyda rhybuddion cynnar o ganser y geg. Felly, mae'n faes sy'n peri pryder. Credaf fod pwynt pwysig iawn i bob un ohonom sy’n ymwneud â’r hyn a ddaw ar ôl COVID, gan y gwyddom fod niwed sylweddol wedi'i wneud eisoes. Gwyddom fod angen inni gymryd camau pellach i gadw mwy ohonom yn fyw ar gyfer y dyfodol. Ond gwyddom hefyd ein bod yn gohirio ac y bydd yn rhaid inni ymdrin â nifer sylweddol o heriau gofal iechyd ar ôl y pandemig. Felly, mae hwn yn un o'r meysydd hynny, ac nid ydym yn deall hyd a lled hynny eto, pryd y bydd angen inni gynllunio ar ei gyfer a chyflawni yn ei herbyn. Pryd bynnag y bydd yn ddiogel ac yn briodol i wneud hynny wrth gwrs, byddwn yn galluogi ac yn annog gofal iechyd pellach i gael ei ddarparu. Nid wyf am golli golwg ar y pwynt a wnaethoch am y gwaith a wnaed yn Ysbyty Castell-nedd Port Talbot ar symptomau amhenodol, a'r un peth yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg. Unwaith eto, mae hynny'n rhan o'r hyn rwy’n disgwyl inni ei ddatblygu a’i gyflawni yn y dyfodol, ynghyd â chyngor gan ein clinigwyr yn y rhwydwaith canser.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae heddiw yn ddiwrnod mor galonogol o ran y cyhoeddiad bod y brechlyn cyntaf wedi cael sêl bendith. Y ffordd dwi'n ei gweld hi ydy ein bod ni ar ddechrau—nid diwedd, ond dechrau—y bennod olaf yn y pandemig yma. Ond rŵan, wrth gwrs, wrth inni symud tuag at y golau ym mhen draw y twnnel, gobeithio, mae eisiau dosbarthu'r brechlyn yma. Rydyn ni wedi clywed yn barod gyfeiriad at y ffaith bod grŵp sydd ar frig y rhestr o flaenoriaethau, ynghyd â gweithwyr iechyd a gofal, sef pobl sydd yn byw mewn cartrefi gofal, yn methu â chael brechlyn oherwydd rhesymau ymarferol. Mae hynny yn fy mhryderu fi, mae'n rhaid dweud. Ydy'r Gweinidog yn rhannu fy mhryder i bod gosod blaenoriaeth a dweud, yn syth bin, bod dim modd gwireddu yr amcan o gyrraedd y grŵp blaenoriaeth yna yn syth yn tanseilio, braidd, yr hyder y gall pobl ei gael yn y broses ar gyfer dosbarthu'r brechlyn yma?
Thank you, Llywydd. Today is such an encouraging day in terms of the announcement that the first vaccine has been approved. The way I see it is that we are at the beginning of the final chapter of this pandemic. But, of course, as we move towards the light at the end of the tunnel, then we do need to distribute this vaccine. We've already heard mention of the fact that the group on top of the priority list, along with health and workers, namely those living in care homes, won't be able to be vaccinated for reasons of practicality. That's a matter of concern, I have to say. Does the Minister share my concern that setting priorities and then saying immediately that the objective of reaching that priority group cannot be met undermines the confidence that people will have in the process for the distribution of this vaccine?
No, I don't accept the Member's point at all; I think it's hugely important that we are following not just the professional advice but the advice on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. And it's important, again, to note that we're talking about this one vaccine, the Pfizer candidate vaccine that's been approved for supply today, which needs to be stored at -70 degrees centigrade. Then, to take that out, as you transfer it, if it's not in those conditions, it starts to thaw. And the problem there is that there are a limited number of storage facilities, and to transfer it from that storage facility to a centre for distribution and delivery means that it's thawing as you're moving it. If we're then trying to move it to more than 1,000 care homes across Wales, we can't be clear that it will still be effective for use in each of those homes, and it's not something that you can transfer in very small quantities. So, the challenge then is how do we safely deliver this and get it to as many people, in accordance with the priorities that exist. And that's exactly what we're doing.
It's also why I've been clear that the Oxford vaccine has lots of hope invested in it, because if that is approved for supply as well, that is something that you can deliver in a way that we're much more familiar with. So, when I have my flu vaccine, I go to a community pharmacy, I get a jab in the arm, and that's me done. There's not a complicated storage process; it's the same with general practice and others. The Oxford vaccine can be stored and moved in those circumstances, and so certainly that would make a much bigger difference, for not just care home residents, but other housebound groups of people, who will be right at the top of the vulnerability list. It's actually about protecting those people, which is why we've highlighted the practical challenge, and we'll continue to be honest and upfront with people about each of the choices we make.
Na, nid wyf yn derbyn pwynt yr Aelod o gwbl; credaf ei bod yn hynod bwysig ein bod yn dilyn nid yn unig y cyngor proffesiynol ond y cyngor ar ddiogelwch ac effeithiolrwydd y brechlyn. Ac mae'n bwysig nodi, unwaith eto, ein bod yn siarad am yr un brechlyn hwn, brechlyn Pfizer sydd wedi'i gymeradwyo i gael ei gyflenwi heddiw, brechlyn y mae angen ei storio ar -70 gradd canradd. Wedyn, wrth ei dynnu allan, ac wrth i chi ei drosglwyddo, os na chaiff ei gadw o dan yr amodau hynny, mae'n dechrau dadmer. A'r broblem yno yw mai nifer cyfyngedig o gyfleusterau storio sy'n bodoli, ac mae ei drosglwyddo o'r cyfleuster storio i ganolfan ddosbarthu a chyflenwi'n golygu ei fod yn dadmer wrth i chi ei symud. Os ydym wedyn yn ceisio’i symud i fwy na 1,000 o gartrefi gofal ledled Cymru, ni allwn fod yn sicr y bydd yn dal i fod yn effeithiol i'w ddefnyddio ym mhob un o'r cartrefi hynny, ac nid yw'n rhywbeth y gallwch drosglwyddo cyfeintiau bach ohono. Felly, yr her wedyn yw sut y gallwn ei ddanfon yn ddiogel i gymaint o bobl â phosibl, yn unol â'r blaenoriaethau sy'n bodoli. A dyna'n union rydym yn ei wneud.
Dyma hefyd pam rwyf wedi dweud yn glir fod cryn dipyn o obaith wedi'i fuddsoddi ym mrechlyn Rhydychen, oherwydd os caiff hwnnw ei gymeradwyo i gael ei gyflenwi hefyd, mae hwnnw’n rhywbeth y gallwch ei ddarparu mewn ffordd sy’n fwy cyfarwydd i ni. Felly pan fyddaf yn cael fy mrechlyn ffliw, rwy'n mynd i fferyllfa gymunedol, rwy'n cael pigiad yn fy mraich, a dyna ni. Nid oes proses storio gymhleth; mae’r un peth yn wir gyda meddygfeydd a mannau eraill. Gellir storio a symud brechlyn Rhydychen o dan yr amgylchiadau hynny, ac felly byddai hwnnw'n sicr yn gwneud gwahaniaeth mwy o lawer, nid yn unig i breswylwyr cartrefi gofal, ond i grwpiau eraill o bobl sy'n gaeth i'w cartrefi a fydd ar frig y rhestr o bobl agored i niwed. Mae'n ymwneud â diogelu'r bobl hynny, a dyna pam ein bod wedi tynnu sylw at yr her ymarferol, o byddwn yn parhau i fod yn onest ac yn agored gyda phobl ym mhob un o'r dewisiadau a wnawn.
Diolch am yr ateb yna. Does yna neb yn gwadu, wrth gwrs, yr heriau sy'n codi o'r amgylchiadau mae'n rhaid cadw'r brechiad ynddyn nhw. Mae fy ail gwestiwn i yn ymwneud â'r her ddosbarthu yna; mae o ynglŷn â sicrhau bod yna gyfle cyfartal i bobl, lle bynnag maen nhw yng Nghymru, i gael y brechiad. Mae hi wedi cael ei awgrymu i mi mewn briefings gan swyddogion efallai nad y brechlyn yma ydy'r un mwyaf addas i ardaloedd mwy anodd i'w cyrraedd—ardaloedd gwledig, er enghraifft. Ond, wrth gwrs, dim ond hwn sydd gennym ni wedi cael sêl bendith ar hyn o bryd. Felly, a gawn ni sicrwydd y bydd pobl yn cael eu trin yn yr un ffordd o ran eu gallu i gael y brechlyn, os ydyn nhw yn y grŵp targed penodol, p'un a ydyn nhw yn Wrecsam neu Risga neu Aberdaron neu Aberdâr?
Thank you for that response. No one, of course, would deny the challenges arising from the circumstances in which the vaccine has to be stored. My second question also refers to that distribution challenge; it's on ensuring that there is equal opportunity for people, wherever they are in Wales, to have the vaccination. It's been suggested to me in briefings from officials that this vaccine isn't the most appropriate, perhaps, for harder-to-reach areas—rural areas, for example. But, of course, we only have this one that's been approved at the moment. So, can we have an assurance that people will be treated equitably in terms of being able to access the vaccine, if they are in the particular target group, whether they're in Wrexham or Risca or Aberdaron or Aberdare?
Yes, I'm happy to give the Member the assurance that there'll be equity across the population, across geography, to make sure that there are opportunities for people to attend for vaccination. And I think that's another important point—to attend for vaccination. So, the NHS will contact people and invite them to come to a vaccination centre. So, people shouldn't ring pharmacies or GPs or their treating clinician asking when they'll get it; the NHS will contact you and will invite you to come forward and give you the opportunity. The first batch is 800,000 doses, so 400,000 people across the UK. We'll get our population share of that, and we then expect there to be further batches delivered within this year, with another set in the new year as well. Again, we had this reconfirmed in our conversation between the four nations this morning. So, we'll have equity within the UK about our supply. We've also agreed we want to start vaccinating at the same time as well, and we'll then be able to move on to make sure there's equity across the country, which is exactly what our plans in Wales will deliver, as you would expect.
Ydw, rwy'n fwy na pharod i roi sicrwydd i'r Aelod y bydd tegwch ar draws y boblogaeth, ar draws y ddaearyddiaeth, i sicrhau bod cyfleoedd i bobl ddod i gael eu brechu. A chredaf fod hwnnw'n bwynt pwysig arall—i ddod i gael eu brechu. Felly, bydd y GIG yn cysylltu â phobl ac yn eu gwahodd i ddod i ganolfan frechu. Felly, ni ddylai pobl ffonio fferyllfeydd na meddygon teulu na’r clinigydd sy'n eu trin i ofyn pryd y byddant yn ei gael; bydd y GIG yn cysylltu â chi ac yn eich gwahodd i ddod ac yn rhoi’r cyfle i chi. Mae’r swp cyntaf yn 800,000 dos, felly 400,000 o bobl ledled y DU. Byddwn yn cael ein cyfran o hynny ar sail poblogaeth, ac yna rydym yn disgwyl y bydd sypiau pellach yn cael eu cyflenwi cyn diwedd eleni, gyda set arall yn y flwyddyn newydd hefyd. Unwaith eto, cafodd hyn ei ategu yn ein sgwrs rhwng y pedair gwlad y bore yma. Felly, bydd tegwch o fewn y DU mewn perthynas â’n cyflenwad. Rydym hefyd wedi cytuno ein bod am ddechrau brechu ar yr un pryd, a gallwn symud ymlaen i sicrhau y ceir tegwch ar draws y wlad, a dyna'n union beth fydd ein cynlluniau yng Nghymru yn ei gyflawni, fel y byddech yn ei ddisgwyl.
Diolch am y sicrwydd ar y pwyntiau yna. Mae hynny'n bwysig—hynny ydy, sicrhau bod Cymru'n cael ei siâr o bob batsh, nid o'r holl archeb, a bod y gwahanol wledydd yn y Deyrnas Unedig yn gallu dechrau ar y broses yr un pryd.
Rydyn ni yn aros am sêl bendith o leiaf ddau frechlyn arall yn y tymor byr, rydyn ni'n gobeithio. Mi fydd y Gweinidog yn gwybod bod y cwestiwn o ddibynadwyedd brechlyn Rhydychen—AstraZeneca—wedi bod yn destun cryn ddadlau yn ddiweddar. Rydyn ni'n mawr obeithio, yn sicr, y bydd o yn ddigon effeithiol i gael ei gymeradwyo, ond efallai na fydd o'r un mor effeithiol â'r brechiadau eraill. Ond—ac mae hyn yn allweddol—efallai y bydd o'n rhatach. A gawn ni sicrwydd na fydd penderfyniad ar ba frechlyn sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio yn lle, o ran gwahanol lefydd daearyddol neu wahanol gyd-destunau, yn cael ei wneud ar sail cost?
Thank you for that assurance. It is important in order to ensure that Wales gets its share of every batch, not just the whole order, and that the various countries and the nations of the UK can start the process simultaneously.
We are awaiting approval of at least two further vaccines in the short term, hopefully. The Minister will be aware that the question of the reliability of the Oxford vaccine—AstraZeneca—has been the cause of some debate recently. We very much hope that it will be sufficiently effective for approval, but it may not be as effective as the other vaccinations. But—and this crucial—it may be cheaper. Can we have an assurance that decisions on which vaccines are to be used where, in terms of various geographical areas or various contexts, won't be made on the basis of cost?
The only choices we'll make about vaccine supplies that come to Wales will be on the basis of how they're effectively delivered to protect people across the population, and the order of priority against people's clinical needs and benefit, taking into account the practical challenges of delivery of that vaccine. As we've just run through, the Pfizer vaccine presents a particular challenge. We'll wait and see what the regulator has to say about other vaccine candidates. Whilst it's promising, we've been really cautious and really clear not to try to give people an impression that everything will be resolved and it's all inevitable. We have to make sure the regulatory process is done in a way that people believe in the safety and the effectiveness of the vaccine, and we'll be clear with the public about those. It's really important to be clear that politicians don't decide whether a vaccine is safe; an independent regulator does that. Politicians and our national health service then have the responsibility to deliver that vaccine equitably across the population to, hopefully, deliver the future that all of us want to have beyond this current pandemic.
Bydd yr unig ddewisiadau y byddwn yn eu gwneud ynglŷn â chyflenwadau’r brechlyn a ddaw i Gymru yn cael eu gwneud ar sail sut y cânt eu darparu'n effeithiol i ddiogelu pobl ar draws y boblogaeth, a threfn y flaenoriaeth yn erbyn anghenion a budd clinigol pobl, gan ystyried yr heriau ymarferol sydd ynghlwm wrth ddarparu’r brechlyn hwnnw. Fel rydym newydd sôn, mae brechlyn Pfizer yn creu her benodol. Byddwn yn aros i weld beth sydd gan y rheoleiddiwr i'w ddweud am y brechlynnau eraill. Er ei fod yn addawol, rydym wedi bod yn ofalus iawn ac yn glir iawn er mwyn peidio â cheisio rhoi'r argraff i bobl y bydd popeth yn cael ei ddatrys a bod yr holl beth yn anochel. Mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau bod y broses reoleiddio yn cael ei gwneud mewn ffordd sy’n golygu bod pobl yn credu yn niogelwch ac effeithiolrwydd y brechlyn, a byddwn yn eglur gyda'r cyhoedd ynglŷn â’r pethau hynny. Mae'n bwysig iawn bod yn eglur nad gwleidyddion sy’n penderfynu a yw brechlyn yn ddiogel; mae rheoleiddiwr annibynnol yn gwneud hynny. Gan wleidyddion a'n gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol wedyn y mae'r cyfrifoldeb am ddarparu'r brechlyn hwnnw'n deg ar draws y boblogaeth i sicrhau'r dyfodol y mae pob un ohonom am ei gael y tu hwnt i'r pandemig cyfredol hwn, gobeithio.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. Minister, today is a good news day, thankfully, after many dark days, to say the least. I commend everyone involved in the development of the vaccine, and vaccines plural, because hopefully there'll be others coming along in the not-too-distant future. Thank you for your statement this morning as well; it was a very detailed and thoughtful statement, I thought, which did add a lot of information that was beneficial, as elected Members, that we could go back to our constituents with. A point I'd like to raise with you is the terminology that you've used and, regrettably, the press are already starting to use, when you talk about this credit card-style card that will be given to you when you have your first appointment that will contain details of the type of vaccine that you've had and your recall date to have the second jab. As I say, I do note that already the press are starting to call that an ID card. Can you confirm that that is not an ID card, and it doesn't have any legal status, and it is merely an information card that will assist the person who is presented for vaccination to obviously have the follow-up, and once the follow-up vaccine has been administered, it will have no further status in law?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, mae heddiw’n ddiwrnod newyddion da, diolch byth, ar ôl llawer o ddyddiau tywyll, a dweud y lleiaf. Rwy'n canmol pawb sydd wedi bod yn rhan o’r gwaith o ddatblygu'r brechlyn, neu’r brechlynnau, gan y bydd rhai eraill, gobeithio, yn dod i’r amlwg yn y dyfodol heb fod yn rhy bell. Diolch am eich datganiad y bore yma hefyd; roedd yn ddatganiad manwl ac ystyriol iawn, yn fy marn i, ac fe ychwanegodd lawer o wybodaeth fuddiol y gallem, fel Aelodau etholedig, ei rhoi i’n hetholwyr. Pwynt yr hoffwn ei godi gyda chi yw'r derminoleg rydych wedi'i defnyddio, ac y mae'r wasg eisoes wedi dechrau ei defnyddio yn anffodus, pan fyddwch yn sôn am y math o gerdyn credyd a fydd yn cael ei roi i chi pan fyddwch yn cael eich apwyntiad cyntaf ac a fydd yn cynnwys manylion ynglŷn â’r math o frechlyn rydych wedi'i gael a'r dyddiad y byddwch yn cael eich adalw am ail bigiad. Fel rwy'n dweud, rwy'n nodi bod y wasg eisoes wedi dechrau ei alw’n gerdyn adnabod. A allwch gadarnhau nad cerdyn adnabod yw hwn, ac nad oes ganddo unrhyw statws cyfreithiol, ac mai cerdyn gwybodaeth yn unig ydyw a fydd yn cynorthwyo'r unigolyn sy’n cael eu brechu i gael y brechlyn dilynol, yn amlwg, a phan fydd y brechlyn dilynol wedi'i roi, ni fydd ganddo unrhyw statws cyfreithiol pellach?
This is not an ID card. It was never intended to be. It's not within our powers to do it. This is simply about reminding people when to return to have their next dose of the vaccine, to make sure they do receive proper coverage for themselves. And, of course, it'll make a difference to people they're in contact with. So, there's no other agenda here at all. This is just about making sure we make best use of the vaccine and the opportunity it provides for all of us.
Nid cerdyn adnabod mo hwn. Nid oedd unrhyw fwriad erioed iddo fod yn gerdyn adnabod. Nid yw gwneud hynny o fewn ein pwerau. Mae a wnelo'n syml ag atgoffa pobl pryd i ddychwelyd i gael eu dos nesaf o'r brechlyn, er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn cael eu diogelu’n briodol. Ac wrth gwrs, bydd yn gwneud gwahaniaeth i’r bobl y dônt i gysylltiad â hwy. Felly, nid oes agenda arall yma o gwbl. Mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau ein bod yn gwneud y defnydd gorau o'r brechlyn a'r cyfle y mae'n ei ddarparu i bob un ohonom.
I'm grateful for that clarification, because I certainly look at this as an appointment card, rather than an ID card. But, as I said, certain media outlets are already referring to it as an ID card, and I think that's regrettable. From your answer, I take it that it will have no legal status, this card.
If I could move on to allocation, you did address some of the points to the previous speaker about allocation, but this first batch that will come to us will have about 40,000 doses for Wales, which, cut in half, because it's a two-jab vaccine, obviously, is 20,000 individuals. That, obviously, is a very small starting point, but a welcome starting point. How will Government determine how that will be spread around Wales? I've heard about the priority groups, and I accept the logic of the priority groups, but with only 20,000 doses available, that's not even going to touch the sides when it comes to dealing with those priority groups, leave alone the geographical spread that needs to be taken into account as well. So, can you give us the train of thought that is behind the logic in arriving at how those first 20,000 doses will be allocated? Importantly, as we know that first tranche is 800,000 doses in total across the UK, of which, as I said, our allocation will be roughly 40,000, when will the next allocation be released for this particular vaccine? I'm assuming that's in the new year, but do we know the quantity and what we're dealing with?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar am eich eglurhad, oherwydd yn sicr, rwy’n ei ystyried yn gerdyn apwyntiad, yn hytrach na cherdyn adnabod. Ond fel y dywedais, mae rhai rhannau o’r cyfryngau eisoes yn cyfeirio ato fel cerdyn adnabod, a chredaf fod hynny'n destun gofid. O'ch ateb, rwy’n cymryd na fydd gan y cerdyn hwn unrhyw statws cyfreithiol.
Os caf symud ymlaen at ddyrannu, fe sonioch chi am rai o'r pwyntiau ynghylch dyrannu wrth y siaradwr blaenorol, ond bydd y swp cyntaf hwn a ddaw i ni yn cynnwys oddeutu 40,000 dos i Gymru, a fydd, o'i dorri yn ei hanner, gan ei fod yn frechlyn dau bigiad wrth gwrs, yn brechu 20,000 o unigolion. Man cychwyn bach iawn yw hwnnw, yn amlwg, ond mae’n fan cychwyn i'w groesawu. Sut y bydd y Llywodraeth yn penderfynu sut y bydd y nifer hwnnw’n cael ei wasgaru ledled Cymru? Rwyf wedi clywed am y grwpiau blaenoriaeth, ac rwy'n derbyn rhesymeg y grwpiau blaenoriaeth, ond gyda 20,000 dos yn unig ar gael, nid yw hynny hyd yn oed yn mynd i gyffwrdd â'r ochrau o ran ymdrin â'r grwpiau blaenoriaeth hynny, heb sôn am y gwasgariad daearyddol y mae angen ei ystyried hefyd. Felly, a allwch egluro’r syniadau y tu ôl i'r rhesymeg ar gyfer pennu sut y caiff yr 20,000 dos cyntaf eu dyrannu? Yn bwysig, gan y gwyddom y bydd y gyfran gyntaf yn gyfanswm o 800,000 dos ledled y DU, gyda’n dyraniad ninnau, fel y dywedais, oddeutu 40,000, pryd fydd y dyraniad nesaf yn cael ei ryddhau ar gyfer y brechlyn penodol hwn? Rwy'n cymryd y bydd hynny’n digwydd yn y flwyddyn newydd, ond a ydym yn gwybod faint, a beth rydym yn ymdrin ag ef?
On the 800,000, you're right that our population share will be a little under 40,000 doses, so a little under 20,000 people can be protected, as they need two shots. That'll be dealt with by population size across health boards. There's been agreement on that at the vaccination programme board within Wales. So, again, we won't be saying that, for example, north Wales will have all of the first set of the vaccine and the rest of the country can wait. So, every part of the country will get some coverage.
The UK Government are procuring the vaccine for the whole UK, and we've agreed, in terms of fair shares, the population share that goes into the Barnett formula for each UK country. So, we will get a guaranteed percentage share of any supply into the UK. The confirmation, again, today is that after the first batch of 800,000, we then expect there to be more vaccines being delivered in December. We haven't had exact figures yet, but the indication is that we can expect there to be several million within December. But, as you know, because you need two shots to get coverage, with a population of 60-odd million in the UK, even if we do get, say, 2 million, it won't provide effective population coverage, and that's why we need to be really clear that we need vaccines plural, and more vaccine delivery to come into the UK for us to get that population coverage.
It also relies, of course, on the manufacture of the vaccine in Belgium, and regardless of what happens at the end of the year affecting trading and other relationships, the UK Government have said that if there are any issues about transfer and ports, then they'll fly the vaccine in as well, and they'll take the cost for that. Now, that's important, too, because I think people will be concerned otherwise about the potential supply of the vaccine. We expect quite a lot of this to come into the country overall, and then we expect to understand where we might be with the Oxford vaccine, as well. So, yes, we're taking account of all of those different aspects about our share in Wales and how this can be distributed across Wales. Whenever any new supply comes in, we'll get a share of it, and as that comes in, I fully expect to be updating Members and the public on the amount of supply we're having coming in.
O ran yr 800,000, rydych yn llygad eich lle y bydd ein cyfran ar sail poblogaeth ychydig o dan 40,000 dos, felly gellir diogelu ychydig o dan 20,000 o bobl, gan fod angen dau bigiad arnynt. Bydd hynny’n digwydd yn unol â maint y boblogaeth ar draws y byrddau iechyd. Cytunwyd ar hynny gan fwrdd y rhaglen frechu yng Nghymru. Felly, unwaith eto, ni fyddwn yn dweud, er enghraifft, y bydd gogledd Cymru yn cael y gyfres gyntaf o'r brechlyn i gyd, ac y gall gweddill y wlad aros. Felly, bydd pob rhan o'r wlad yn cael rhywfaint o ddosau.
Mae Llywodraeth y DU yn caffael y brechlyn ar gyfer y DU gyfan, ac rydym wedi cytuno, mewn perthynas â chyfrannau teg, ar y gyfran ar sail poblogaeth sy'n mynd i fformiwla Barnett ar gyfer pob gwlad yn y DU. Felly, byddwn yn cael cyfran ganrannol warantedig o unrhyw gyflenwad i'r DU. Y cadarnhad heddiw, unwaith eto, ar ôl y swp cyntaf o 800,000, yw ein bod yn disgwyl wedyn y bydd mwy o frechlynnau yn cael eu darparu ym mis Rhagfyr. Nid ydym wedi cael yr union ffigurau eto, ond ceir arwyddion y gallwn ddisgwyl y bydd sawl miliwn yn cael eu darparu ym mis Rhagfyr. Ond fel y gwyddoch, gan fod angen dau bigiad arnoch i gael eich diogelu, gyda phoblogaeth o oddeutu 60 miliwn yn y DU, hyd yn oed os cawn 2 filiwn, dyweder, ni fydd hynny’n ddigon ar gyfer y boblogaeth gyfan, a dyna pam fod angen inni fod yn wirioneddol glir fod angen brechlynnau lluosog arnom, ac i fwy o frechlynnau gael eu darparu i'r DU er mwyn inni allu diogelu'r boblogaeth gyfan.
Mae hyn yn dibynnu hefyd, wrth gwrs, ar y gwaith o weithgynhyrchu’r brechlyn yng Ngwlad Belg, ac ni waeth beth sy’n digwydd ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn ac sy’n effeithio ar fasnachu a chysylltiadau eraill, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi dweud, os bydd unrhyw broblemau mewn perthynas â throsglwyddo a phorthladdoedd, y byddant yn hedfan y brechlyn yma hefyd, ac y byddant yn ysgwyddo’r gost am hynny. Nawr, mae hynny'n bwysig hefyd, gan y credaf y bydd pobl yn poeni fel arall am y cyflenwad posibl o'r brechlyn. Rydym yn disgwyl i gryn dipyn ohono ddod i'r wlad yn gyffredinol, ac yna rydym yn disgwyl deall ble rydym arni gyda brechlyn Rhydychen hefyd. Felly, rydym yn ystyried yr holl wahanol agweddau hynny ar ein cyfran yng Nghymru a sut y gellir ei dosbarthu ledled Cymru. Pryd bynnag y daw unrhyw gyflenwad newydd i mewn, byddwn yn cael cyfran ohono, ac wrth iddo ddod yma, rwy'n llwyr ddisgwyl gallu diweddaru'r Aelodau a'r cyhoedd ynglŷn â faint o gyflenwad rydym yn ei gael.
I'm grateful for that answer, health Minister, in particular your assurance that there'll be additional millions of doses coming in by the end of December to the United Kingdom. What I'd like to check with you as well is the resilience of the NHS to deal with the vaccination programme and its everyday work. Last week, we spent considerable time looking at waiting times, and we know the waiting-time backlog that's built up. Can you give us assurance that, obviously, the NHS has the capacity to deliver this ambitious vaccination programme and there will be no distraction from the everyday need that the NHS has to treat the people of Wales in their everyday requirements? It would be my belief that we should have a Minister for vaccination here in Wales. I appreciate that's for the First Minister to decide. I'm not putting that observation to you, and I make no judgment on your performance. It's not a point I'm trying to score against you in any shape or form, but I just think the magnitude of what we're talking about and the length of time that this programme will take to deliver requires that laser-like focus as well as a dedicated focus on the NHS and the position that our NHS finds itself in at the moment. So I'd be grateful to understand the resilience that the NHS has to deliver this vaccination programme and no distraction from the important task of bringing down those waiting lists here in Wales.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar am eich ateb, Weinidog iechyd, yn enwedig eich sicrwydd y bydd miliynau o ddosau ychwanegol yn dod i'r Deyrnas Unedig erbyn diwedd mis Rhagfyr. Yr hyn yr hoffwn ei archwilio gyda chi hefyd yw gwytnwch y GIG ar gyfer ymdrin â'r rhaglen frechu a'i waith bob dydd. Yr wythnos diwethaf, gwnaethom dreulio cryn dipyn o amser yn edrych ar amseroedd aros, ac rydym yn ymwybodol o’r ôl-groniad o ran amseroedd aros. A allwch roi sicrwydd inni, yn amlwg, fod gan y GIG gapasiti i gyflawni'r rhaglen frechu uchelgeisiol hon ac na fydd yn ymyrryd â’r angen i'r GIG drin pobl Cymru gyda’u anghenion bob dydd? Credaf y dylai fod gennym Weinidog brechu yma yng Nghymru. Rwy'n derbyn mai mater i'r Prif Weinidog ei benderfynu yw hynny. Nid wyf yn rhoi'r sylw hwnnw i chi, ac nid wyf yn beirniadu eich perfformiad. Nid yw'n bwynt rwy'n ceisio’i sgorio yn eich erbyn mewn unrhyw ffordd, ond credaf fod maint yr hyn rydym yn sôn amdano a faint o amser y bydd y rhaglen hon yn ei gymryd i’w chyflawni yn golygu y bydd angen ffocws manwl yn ogystal â ffocws pwrpasol ar y GIG a'r sefyllfa y mae ein GIG ynddi ar hyn o bryd. Felly, hoffwn ddeall pa wytnwch sydd gan y GIG i gyflawni'r rhaglen frechu hon heb iddi darfu ar y dasg bwysig o leihau'r rhestrau aros yma yng Nghymru.
I think there were several different points. Just on the call that I know you've made on social media for a vaccines Minister, unless the First Minister decides otherwise, it's me. This is a public health crisis, this is an immunisation programme, you'd expect it to be delivered through here. It's no surprise that the chief medical officer is the senior official, together with Gill Richardson, who is a senior professional adviser to the chief medical officer and a former public health director in Wales, and that they're taking the leadership from a civil servant point of view and gathering together people in health boards who will then deliver. And I'm very grateful—I should make this point again—for the way that military planners have been involved in assisting our national health service. Throughout the pandemic, the military have played an outstanding role in supporting the Welsh Government in achieving our objectives to help keep Wales safe, and they're very much part of the team Wales approach for the delivery of the vaccine.
With respect, I don't think it's a realistic expectation to say that, through winter, with all of the normal pressures it has, and with the still significant challenges of a rising infection rate from coronavirus, with all the harm that will bring, I'm afraid, that we could then also expect there to be a significant vaccination programme and to be able to eat into the waiting times backlog as well. We're in the very awful business of prioritisation, and if we can't regain control and turn back the tide of coronavirus, then even if we were not vaccinating people at the same time, we may be forced to make more choices about non-essential activity, and there's harm that comes with that, and I recognise that very well. So that's the position that we're currently in, with a vaccination programme on top. This is obviously a top priority, so we'll have to deal with those necessary priorities. I do hope, though, it reinforces for the public the need to see the vaccination programme that is going to start in the very near future as an opportunity to get to that future intact and not to let go of all the sacrifices that have been made, and not to act ahead of the vaccine as if there is no need to carry on with the unfortunate and unpleasant restrictions that we're living with, with the social distancing and the way that we can't have human contact in the way that is so precious to us all. But to hold our nerve and to keep going, follow the restrictions, and do what we should do for a period of months longer, and then we'll have a different future and we certainly will then have a significant backlog to address here in Wales and, indeed, in every country in the UK.
Credaf fod sawl pwynt gwahanol yno. O ran yr alwad y gwn i chi ei gwneud ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol am Weinidog brechu, oni bai fod y Prif Weinidog yn penderfynu fel arall, fi yw hwnnw. Mae hwn yn argyfwng iechyd y cyhoedd, mae hon yn rhaglen imiwneiddio, byddech yn disgwyl iddi gael ei darparu drwy’r lle hwn. Nid yw'n syndod mai'r prif swyddog meddygol yw'r uwch-swyddog, ynghyd â Gill Richardson, sy'n uwch-gynghorydd proffesiynol i'r prif swyddog meddygol ac yn gyn-gyfarwyddwr iechyd y cyhoedd yng Nghymru, a'u bod yn arwain o safbwynt gweision sifil ac yn dod â phobl ynghyd mewn byrddau iechyd a fydd wedyn yn cyflawni. Ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn—dylwn wneud y pwynt hwn eto—am y ffordd y mae cynllunwyr milwrol wedi ymroi i gynorthwyo ein gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol. Drwy gydol y pandemig, mae'r lluoedd arfog wedi chwarae rhan ragorol yn cynorthwyo Llywodraeth Cymru i gyflawni ein hamcanion i helpu i gadw Cymru'n ddiogel, ac maent yn rhan fawr o'r dull tîm Cymru o gyflenwi’r brechlyn.
Gyda phob parch, drwy'r gaeaf, gyda'r holl bwysau arferol, a chyda heriau cyfradd heintio gynyddol y coronafeirws yn dal i fod yn sylweddol, a’r holl niwed a ddaw yn sgil hynny, mae arnaf ofn nad wyf yn credu ei fod yn ddisgwyliad realistig i ddweud y gallem fod yn disgwyl rhaglen frechu sylweddol yn ogystal â gallu mynd i’r afael â'r ôl-groniad yn yr amseroedd aros. Rydym yn ymgymryd â’r gwaith ofnadwy o flaenoriaethu, ac os na allwn adfer rheolaeth a brwydro yn erbyn y coronafeirws, hyd yn oed os nad ydym yn brechu pobl ar yr un pryd, efallai y bydd yn rhaid inni wneud mwy o ddewisiadau ynghylch gweithgarwch dianghenraid, ac mae hynny hefyd yn arwain at niwed, ac rwy'n cydnabod hynny'n llwyr. Felly dyna'r sefyllfa rydym ynddi ar hyn o bryd, gyda rhaglen frechu ar ben hynny. Mae’n amlwg fod hon yn flaenoriaeth hollbwysig, felly bydd rhaid inni ymdrin â'r blaenoriaethau angenrheidiol hynny. Rwy'n gobeithio, serch hynny, ei fod yn cadarnhau i'r cyhoedd yr angen i ystyried y rhaglen frechu a fydd yn cychwyn yn y dyfodol agos iawn fel cyfle i gyrraedd y dyfodol hwnnw yn un darn, ac i beidio â gollwng gafael ar yr holl aberthau a wnaed hyd yn hyn, a pheidio â gweithredu cyn y daw’r brechlyn fel pe na bai angen parhau â'r cyfyngiadau anffodus ac annymunol rydym yn byw gyda hwy, gyda'r mesurau cadw pellter cymdeithasol a'r ffordd na allwn gael y cyswllt dynol sydd mor bwysig i bob un ohonom. Ond os gallwn ddal ati a dygnu arni, dilyn y cyfyngiadau, a gwneud yr hyn y dylem ei wneud am ychydig fisoedd yn rhagor, fe gawn ddyfodol gwahanol ac yn sicr bydd gennym ôl-groniad sylweddol i fynd i'r afael ag ef yma yng Nghymru, ac yn wir, ym mhob gwlad yn y DU.
Cwestiwn 3, Mike Hedges.
Question 3, Mike Hedges.
I don't see Mike Hedges there, so I'll move on to question 4.
Nid wyf yn gweld Mike Hedges, felly symudaf ymlaen at gwestiwn 4.
Ni ofynnwyd cwestiwn 3 [OQ55950].
Question 3 [OQ55950] not asked.
Cwestiwn 4, Mark Reckless.
Question 4, Mark Reckless.
4. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o effeithiolrwydd trafodaethau rhynglywodraethol ynghylch yr ymateb i COVID-19? OQ55979
4. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the effectiveness of intergovernmental discussions regarding the COVID-19 response? OQ55979
I have had regular meetings with my health ministerial colleagues, including one at 06.30 this morning, across the UK since the pandemic began. The First Minister has been clear that he would like a regular, reliable rhythm of four-nation meetings so we can learn more from each Government’s response to the pandemic.
Rwyf wedi cael cyfarfodydd rheolaidd gyda fy nghyd-Weinidogion iechyd, gan gynnwys un am 06.30 y bore yma, ledled y DU ers i'r pandemig ddechrau. Mae’r Prif Weinidog wedi dweud yn glir yr hoffai gael rythm rheolaidd, dibynadwy o gyfarfodydd rhwng y pedair gwlad fel y gallwn ddysgu mwy o ymateb pob Llywodraeth i’r pandemig.
It's good to hear of the Minister's early start today. Could I feed back to him that a number of my constituents have been in touch to say how pleased they are that there's a UK-wide four-Government approach to the Christmas period for COVID restrictions, and they just wonder why can't that UK-wide response happen more generally?
Mae'n dda clywed am ddechrau cynnar y Gweinidog heddiw. A gaf fi nodi wrtho fod nifer o fy etholwyr wedi bod mewn cysylltiad i ddweud pa mor falch ydynt fod y pedair Llywodraeth ledled y DU wedi rhannu’r un dull o fynd ati ar gyfer cyfnod y Nadolig mewn perthynas â’r cyfyngiadau COVID, a’u bod yn meddwl tybed pam na ellir cael ymateb o'r fath ar sail y DU gyfan yn fwy cyffredinol?
We've sought to have more UK-wide responses than not, and it's not in our gift to convene COBRA meetings, I'm afraid. I know Mr Reckless regularly tries to claim that the real problem with not having a more four-nation approach is somehow that the Welsh Government is deliberately running away from an agreement that is there if only we would take it. It's actually about the engagement across all four countries. So, health Ministers have met regularly, but the leadership meetings between First Minister and the Prime Minister: that is the choice that the Prime Minister has made, not to convene those meetings. Michael Gove has chaired most of the COBRA meetings that we've had in the recent past. I think it's for the Prime Minister to explain why he's chosen not to take part in that process, which I think is unusual, given the impact of the pandemic that we are all living through, but we look forward to a grown-up and continuing four-nation conversation, as we believe that there are many strengths in the union if we are prepared to learn from each other.
Rydym wedi ceisio cael mwy o ymatebion ar sail y DU gyfan na pheidio, ac nid oes modd inni alw cyfarfodydd COBRA, mae arnaf ofn. Gwn fod Mr Reckless yn ceisio honni’n rheolaidd mai'r broblem wirioneddol gyda pheidio â chael dull sy’n canolbwyntio i raddau mwy ar y pedair gwlad yw bod Llywodraeth Cymru’n rhedeg i ffwrdd yn fwriadol oddi wrth y cytundeb sydd yno pe byddem ond yn ei gymryd. Mae'n ymwneud, mewn gwirionedd, ag ymgysylltu ar draws y pedair gwlad. Felly, mae Gweinidogion iechyd wedi cyfarfod yn rheolaidd, ond y cyfarfodydd arweinyddiaeth rhwng y Prif Weinidog a Phrif Weinidog y DU: dyna'r dewis y mae Prif Weinidog y DU wedi'i wneud, peidio â galw'r cyfarfodydd hynny. Mae Michael Gove wedi cadeirio'r rhan fwyaf o'r cyfarfodydd COBRA rydym wedi'u cael yn ddiweddar. Credaf y dylai Prif Weinidog y DU egluro pam ei fod wedi dewis peidio â chymryd rhan yn y broses honno, sy'n anghyffredin yn fy marn i, o ystyried effaith y pandemig y mae pob un ohonom yn byw drwyddo, ond edrychwn ymlaen at sgwrs aeddfed a pharhaus rhwng y pedair gwlad, gan y credwn fod gan yr undeb lawer o gryfderau os ydym yn barod i ddysgu oddi wrth ein gilydd.
Minister, I agree that where we can take a four-nation approach, then of course, we should; but sometimes I'm glad we don't, because we were shocked to read the conclusions of the National Audit Office's report on the lack of transparency in the way the UK Government has procured PPE and other key contracts during the coronavirus, and then subsequent revelations about multi-million pound deals with few checks and balances that have led to COVID windfalls for friends of Government Ministers and friends of governing party MPs. So, I welcome your recent statement about how PPE has been procured here in Wales, and can I seek your assurance that we will not, in Wales, be drawn into any appearance of dodgy dealings or fast-track funding for friends, as we seem to have seen in Westminster?
Weinidog, rwy'n cytuno y dylem fabwysiadu ymagwedd pedair gwlad lle gallwn wneud hynny wrth gwrs, ond weithiau rwy'n falch nad ydym yn gwneud hynny, gan inni synnu wrth ddarllen casgliadau adroddiad y Swyddfa Archwilio Genedlaethol ar y diffyg tryloywder yn y ffordd y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi caffael cyfarpar diogelu personol a chontractau allweddol eraill yn ystod y coronafeirws, a’r datgeliadau wedi hynny ynglŷn â chytundebau gwerth miliynau o bunnoedd heb fawr ddim archwiliadau sydd wedi arwain at elw annisgwyl yn sgil COVID i gyfeillion Gweinidogion y Llywodraeth a chyfeillion ASau’r blaid sy'n llywodraethu. Felly, rwy'n croesawu eich datganiad yn ddiweddar ynglŷn â sut y mae cyfarpar diogelu personol wedi’i gaffael yma yng Nghymru, ac a gaf fi ofyn am eich sicrwydd na fyddwn ni, yng Nghymru, yn cael ein tynnu i mewn i unrhyw weithgarwch amheus na chyllid cyflym i ffrindiau, fel rydym wedi’i weld yn ôl pob tebyg yn San Steffan?
I issued a statement last week making very clear that we have procured PPE successfully and in accordance with the rules and with proper propriety. There are obvious questions—not from left-leaning publications, but from 'The Times' and others, and those will need to be answered. I fully expect that not just the National Audit Office report for England will have further attention paid to it, but more people, I think, will welcome the reassurance I can give that there are no dodgy deals when it comes to PPE in Wales, and I'm very, very proud of the way that team Wales—in particular our shared-services team—have gone about procuring successfully and in a completely transparent way PPE to service the needs of our front-line health and social care staff.
Cyhoeddais ddatganiad yr wythnos diwethaf yn nodi’n glir iawn ein bod wedi caffael cyfarpar diogelu personol yn llwyddiannus ac yn unol â'r rheolau a chyda’r uniondeb priodol. Mae cwestiynau amlwg wedi’u gofyn—nid gan gyhoeddiadau asgell chwith, ond gan 'The Times' ac eraill, a bydd yn rhaid ateb y rheini. Rwy’n llwyr ddisgwyl nid yn unig y bydd rhagor o sylw’n cael ei roi iddo gan adroddiad y Swyddfa Archwilio Genedlaethol ar gyfer Lloegr, ond credaf y bydd mwy o bobl yn croesawu’r sicrwydd y gallaf ei roi nad oes unrhyw weithgarwch amheus wedi bod o ran cyfarpar diogelu personol yng Nghymru, ac rwy'n falch iawn o'r ffordd y mae tîm Cymru—yn enwedig ein tîm cydwasanaethau—wedi mynd ati i gaffael cyfarpar diogelu personol yn llwyddiannus ac mewn ffordd gwbl dryloyw i wasanaethu anghenion ein staff iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ar y rheng flaen.
5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am driniaeth colli golwg yng ngogledd Cymru? OQ55966
5. Will the Minister make a statement on sight-loss treatment in north Wales? OQ55966
Throughout the pandemic, optometric practices and hospital eye care departments have been open for essential and urgent eye care. Services have been impacted by the pandemic, however. Health boards are working hard to ensure patients who are at risk from sight loss are treated in as timely a manner as possible.
Drwy gydol y pandemig, mae practisau optometreg ac adrannau gofal llygaid ysbytai wedi bod ar agor ar gyfer gofal llygaid hanfodol a brys. Fodd bynnag, mae'r pandemig wedi effeithio ar y gwasanaethau. Mae byrddau iechyd yn gweithio'n galed i sicrhau bod cleifion sydd mewn perygl o golli eu golwg yn cael eu trin mewn modd mor amserol â phosibl.
Thank you. Ten months have proceeded without monthly data on ophthalmology out-patients being published. Four days ago, BBC Wales disclosed that Mrs Helen Jeremy has been left blind after treatment delayed due to the pandemic. Mrs Jeremy lives in Bridgend, but many are facing a crisis in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. Now, RNIB have warned that thousands more people in Wales are at risk of irreversible sight loss because of these treatment delays. An FOI by BBC Wales to all health boards found more than 33,000 people at risk of sight loss were simply waiting too long for treatment. Forty per cent of hyper reflective foci patients were waiting beyond their clinically safe target date as of May 2020, and the number of people waiting more than nine months for cataract surgery has quadrupled. So will you, Minister, act on the calls of the director of RNIB Cymru and provide sufficient resources to make sure that these people are seen and their eyesight is saved?
Diolch. Mae deg mis wedi mynd heibio heb i ddata misol ar gleifion allanol offthalmoleg gael ei gyhoeddi. Bedwar diwrnod yn ôl, datgelodd BBC Wales fod Mrs Helen Jeremy wedi’i mynd yn ddall ar ôl i’w thriniaeth gael ei gohirio oherwydd y pandemig. Mae Mrs Jeremy yn byw ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr, ond mae llawer yn wynebu argyfwng ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr. Nawr, mae Sefydliad Cenedlaethol Brenhinol Pobl Ddall wedi rhybuddio bod miloedd yn rhagor o bobl yng Nghymru mewn perygl o golli eu golwg yn barhaol oherwydd yr oedi i driniaethau. Canfu cais rhyddid gwybodaeth gan BBC Wales i bob bwrdd iechyd fod mwy na 33,000 o bobl sydd mewn perygl o golli eu golwg yn aros yn rhy hir am driniaeth. Roedd 40 y cant o gleifion ffocysau goradlewyrchol yn aros y tu hwnt i'w dyddiad targed clinigol ddiogel ym mis Mai 2020, ac mae nifer y bobl sy'n aros dros naw mis am lawdriniaeth cataractau wedi cynyddu bedair gwaith. Felly, Weinidog, a wnewch chi weithredu yn unol â galwadau cyfarwyddwr RNIB Cymru a darparu digon o adnoddau i sicrhau bod y bobl hyn yn cael eu gweld a bod eu golwg yn cael ei achub?
I recognise that delayed treatment in eye care can lead to irreversible sight loss. So, this isn't about the ability to recover or needing more radical treatment to recover; it can be that the sight loss takes place and you can't reverse it. As you'll know, before the pandemic, we'd started on a reform process around not just the measures, but to then drive better clinical prioritisation and behaviour, and it's actually highlighted, I think, a more open understanding of what our lists show, because previously, you could have achieved a target without necessarily getting to the people in the greatest need, or at the greatest risk of suffering sight loss. So, our planned care board is already bringing people together, including the RNIB, and I think it's fair to say that the challenge they're making in public is one they're also making in the meetings they have with officials. It's really important we continue to work with them about improving sight loss services, and this will be a really significant challenge through the pandemic and then after it as well.
If nothing else, the pandemic has reiterated the need for reform with a purpose within our healthcare system. The reforms we've started, I think, are still the right ones, but it's about how we drive them forward with an even greater sense of pace and urgency, and the real can-do spirit that has highlighted and characterised the response by the national health service during the pandemic needs to carry into the recovery phase. So, I look forward to continuing to work with the RNIB and I'm sure they'll continue to challenge in both the private engagements they have as well as their public commentary, as you would expect.
Rwy'n cydnabod y gall oedi o ran triniaethau gofal llygaid arwain at golli golwg yn barhaol. Felly, nid yw hyn yn ymwneud â'r gallu i wella neu fod angen triniaeth fwy radical i wella; mae’n bosibl y gall rhywun golli eu golwg, ac ni allwch ei wrthdroi. Fel y gwyddoch, cyn y pandemig, roeddem wedi dechrau ar broses ddiwygio nid yn unig mewn perthynas â’r mesurau, ond wedyn i hybu gwell ymddygiad a blaenoriaethu clinigol, a chredaf fod hyn wedi tynnu sylw at ddealltwriaeth fwy agored o'r hyn y mae ein rhestrau’n ei ddangos, oherwydd o’r blaen, gallech fod wedi cyflawni targed heb gyrraedd y bobl â'r angen mwyaf o reidrwydd, neu’r bobl yn y perygl mwyaf o golli eu golwg. Felly, mae ein bwrdd gofal wedi'i gynllunio eisoes yn dod â phobl ynghyd, gan gynnwys yr RNIB, a chredaf ei bod yn deg dweud bod yr her a wnânt yn gyhoeddus yn un y maent yn ei gwneud hefyd yn y cyfarfodydd a gânt gyda swyddogion. Mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn parhau i weithio gyda hwy ar wella gwasanaethau colli golwg, a bydd hon yn her sylweddol iawn drwy gydol y pandemig ac ar ei ôl hefyd.
Yn anad dim, mae'r pandemig wedi pwysleisio'r angen i ddiwygio ein system gofal iechyd gyda bwriad pendant. Y diwygiadau rydym wedi'u cychwyn, rwy’n credu, yw'r rhai cywir o hyd, ond mae'n ymwneud â sut rydym yn eu gyrru ymlaen gydag ymdeimlad hyd yn oed yn fwy o gyflymder a brys, ac mae angen i’r ysbryd brwdfrydig sydd wedi amlygu ac wedi bod yn nodwedd o ymateb y gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol yn ystod y pandemig barhau yn y cyfnod adfer. Felly, edrychaf ymlaen at barhau i weithio gyda'r RNIB, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddant yn parhau i herio drwy eu hymrwymiadau preifat yn ogystal â'u sylwebaeth gyhoeddus, fel y byddech yn ei ddisgwyl.
6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddosbarthu brechlynnau COVID-19 ledled Cymru? OQ55958
6. Will the Minister make a statement on the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across Wales? OQ55958
7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog amlinellu sut y mae byrddau iechyd Cymru yn paratoi ar gyfer cyflwyno'r don gyntaf o frechlynnau COVID-19? OQ55972
7. Will the Minister outline how Welsh health boards are preparing for the roll-out of the first wave of COVID-19 vaccines? OQ55972
Presiding Officer, I understand you've given your permission for questions 6 and 7 to be grouped.
Health and social care sectors in Wales, with key stakeholders, have worked with the Welsh Government to plan the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccines since May. Priority groups identified by the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation will receive the vaccine now, but approval has been received from the regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Lywydd, deallaf eich bod wedi caniatáu i gwestiynau 6 a 7 gael eu grwpio.
Mae’r sectorau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yng Nghymru, gyda rhanddeiliaid allweddol, wedi gweithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru i gynllunio’r gwaith o ddarparu'r brechlynnau COVID-19 ers mis Mai. Bydd grwpiau blaenoriaeth a nodwyd gan y cyd-bwyllgor ar imiwneiddio a brechu yn derbyn y brechlyn nawr, ond derbyniwyd cymeradwyaeth gan y rheoleiddiwr, yr Asiantaeth Rheoleiddio Meddyginiaethau a Chynhyrchion Gofal Iechyd.
Thank you, Minister, for that answer. In your statement his morning, obviously you highlighted what will be critical to delivery of the vaccine programme, whichever vaccine it's going to be—which will be the staff and the individuals charged with undertaking the work on the ground. You said training exercises have been undertaken with various staff across Wales. Can you assure us that those exercises have taken account of the various differences between the vaccines? What is the initial feedback over the total workforce that might be required to do a national vaccination programme in the coming weeks and months ahead?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Yn eich datganiad y bore yma, yn amlwg, fe dynnoch chi sylw at yr hyn a fydd yn hanfodol ar gyfer cyflawni'r rhaglen frechu, pa frechlyn bynnag a fydd—sef y staff a'r unigolion sy'n gyfrifol am gyflawni'r gwaith ar lawr gwlad. Fe ddywedoch chi fod ymarferion hyfforddi wedi'u cynnal gyda staff amrywiol ledled Cymru. A allwch roi sicrwydd inni fod yr ymarferion hynny wedi ystyried y gwahaniaethau amrywiol rhwng y brechlynnau? Beth yw'r adborth cychwynnol ynghylch maint y gweithlu a allai fod yn ofynnol i gyflwyno rhaglen frechu genedlaethol yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf?
Well, I can't give you a figure, because that would mean plucking a figure out of the air for the total workforce, but what we do recognise is that we think that we'll be able to move to a position where we can actually train people who aren't healthcare staff to be able to deliver some of the vaccines, and yes, the training does take account of the characteristics of each vaccine, because as I've said, the vaccine characteristics are different, and the training will be both about the transfer and the storage as well as the delivery. So, I think you can take assurance from the level of detail that's in the statement that points out the work that's already been done by professionals across the sector, and that this is going to be a significant priority.
You'd expect that similar statements could going be made by the other Governments in the UK, because actually, there's been lots of sharing of information between all four NHSs, all four Governments, on what we're trying to achieve. So, I'm not just hopeful, but positive, I think, with good reason, about our ability to deliver a vaccine programme and to start within a matter of days in time with the rest of the UK, and to be able to deliver that successfully across the population. Our challenge will then be how we manage to get the vaccine into the country and then how quickly we can keep up with the pace of demand, because I think most people will be very keen to receive protection from the vaccine.
Wel, ni allaf roi ffigur i chi, gan y byddai hynny'n golygu tynnu ffigur allan o'r awyr ar gyfer maint y gweithlu cyfan, ond yr hyn rydym yn ei gydnabod yw y credwn y bydd modd inni gyrraedd sefyllfa lle gallwn hyfforddi pobl nad ydynt yn staff gofal iechyd i allu darparu rhai o'r brechlynnau, ac ydy, mae'r hyfforddiant yn ystyried priodoleddau pob brechlyn, oherwydd fel rwyf wedi’i ddweud, mae priodoleddau'r brechlynnau’n wahanol, a bydd yr hyfforddiant yn ymwneud â’u trosglwyddo a’u storio yn ogystal â’u darparu. Felly, credaf y gallwch gael sicrwydd drwy lefel y manylion yn y datganiad sy'n tynnu sylw at y gwaith sydd eisoes wedi'i wneud gan weithwyr proffesiynol ar draws y sector, ac y bydd hyn yn flaenoriaeth hollbwysig.
Byddech yn disgwyl y gallai datganiadau tebyg gael eu gwneud gan Lywodraethau eraill y DU, oherwydd mewn gwirionedd, mae’r pedwar GIG, y pedair Llywodraeth, wedi bod yn rhannu llawer o wybodaeth ynglŷn â’r hyn rydym yn ceisio'i gyflawni. Felly, nid yn unig fy mod yn obeithiol, ond rwy’n sicr, â chyda phob rheswm yn fy marn i, ynglŷn â'n gallu i gyflwyno rhaglen frechu ac i ddechrau o fewn dyddiau ar yr un pryd â gweddill y DU, ac i allu ei chyflwyno’n llwyddiannus ar draws y boblogaeth. Yr her i ni wedyn fydd sut rydym yn llwyddo i ddod â’r brechlyn i mewn i'r wlad ac yna pa mor gyflym y gallwn ymateb i gyflymder y galw, gan y credaf y bydd y rhan fwyaf o bobl yn awyddus iawn i gael eu diogelu gan y brechlyn.
Minister, first of all, thank you very much indeed for your statement this morning. It was really informative, one of the best statements, to be honest, that I've seen for a long time from the Government, and it's answered a huge number of the questions that I had. But I do have a couple of little points I just wanted to raise with you. The first was that, in your statement, you say that the time between the vaccines needs to be four weeks. On Friday, I was with a group of others who were assured that, actually, it was a three-week interval. So, can you just clarify that, please?
Could you also please just give us a little bit more detail about how Welsh Government will manage the recall system for the second dose? Because although I understand the Welsh immunisation service is progressing well, it is still, according to information I've been given, in bits; it's still not quite all there together. We then have to recruit an awful lot of staff and make sure that that information works really well and that we can persuade people to come back for that second vaccine.
And really finally, I understand that recent tests of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine have found that having a half dose followed by a full dose is actually far more efficient than having two full doses. This, of course, will increase the amount of vaccine available to Wales and to the UK, and I wondered if you had any update or had any thoughts you could add to that. Thank you very much.
Weinidog, yn gyntaf oll, diolch yn fawr iawn wir am eich datganiad y bore yma. Roedd yn addysgiadol iawn, un o'r datganiadau gorau i mi eu gweld ers amser maith gan y Llywodraeth a dweud y gwir, ac mae wedi ateb nifer enfawr o'r cwestiynau a oedd gennyf. Ond mae gennyf un neu ddau o bwyntiau bach roeddwn yn awyddus i’w codi gyda chi. Y cyntaf oedd eich bod, yn eich datganiad, yn dweud bod angen pedair wythnos rhwng y brechlynnau. Ddydd Gwener, roeddwn gyda grŵp o bobl eraill a oedd wedi cael sicrwydd mai cyfnod o dair wythnos ydoedd mewn gwirionedd. Felly, a allwch egluro hynny, os gwelwch yn dda?
A allech roi ychydig mwy o fanylion inni hefyd ynglŷn â sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn rheoli'r system adalw ar gyfer yr ail ddos? Oherwydd er fy mod yn deall bod gwasanaeth imiwneiddio Cymru yn dod yn ei flaen yn dda, mae'n dal i fod, yn ôl y wybodaeth a roddwyd i mi, yn dameidiog; nid yw’n barod yn ei gyfanrwydd eto. Yna, mae’n rhaid inni recriwtio llawer iawn o staff a sicrhau bod y wybodaeth honno'n gweithio'n dda iawn ac y gallwn berswadio pobl i ddod yn ôl am yr ail frechlyn.
Ac yn olaf, rwy'n deall bod profion diweddar brechlyn AstraZeneca Rhydychen wedi canfod bod cael hanner dos wedi'i ddilyn gan ddos llawn yn llawer mwy effeithlon na chael dau ddos llawn. Bydd hyn, wrth gwrs, yn cynyddu faint o’r brechlyn sydd ar gael i Gymru ac i'r DU, a tybed a oes gennych unrhyw ddiweddariad neu unrhyw sylwadau y gallech eu hychwanegu at hynny? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
I think there were three questions within that, the first about the time between doses. The advice I've had is four weeks. We'll continue to examine whether it can be shortened to enable us to have more rapid delivery of both the doses of the current Pfizer vaccine that has been given approval for supply.
On the Welsh immunisation service, as I said in the statement, that can automatically schedule second doses and send out appointment letters, and so we will be able to send people that reminder. And of course, they'll also, as was discussed with your colleague, have a physical reminder, with an appointment card as well. So, there will be opportunities to remind people. And again, because this is going to be such a significant exercise, I think it will be very difficult to avoid the wider public communication about the reality of the vaccine delivery, and I'm confident that, not just in the first few people who are having the vaccine, but then the first few people who are then coming back for their second dose, they'll be interested in those, and then, in the week following, when they should then have the fullest coverage and protection, to understand what that has meant for the services that they either work in, or how they're able to live their lives.
I'm sorry, I appear to have forgotten your third question, because you asked three in a row.
Credaf fod tri chwestiwn yno, y cyntaf ynglŷn â’r cyfnod rhwng dosau. Y cyngor rwyf wedi'i gael yw pedair wythnos. Byddwn yn parhau i archwilio a ellir ei fyrhau er mwyn ein galluogi i ddosbarthu dau ddos brechlyn cyfredol Pfizer, sydd wedi’i gymeradwyo i gael ei gyflenwi, yn gyflymach.
O ran gwasanaeth imiwneiddio Cymru, fel y dywedais yn y datganiad, gall hwnnw drefnu ail ddosau ac anfon llythyrau apwyntiad yn awtomatig, ac felly byddwn yn gallu anfon y nodyn atgoffa hwnnw at bobl. Ac wrth gwrs, bydd ganddynt rywbeth diriaethol i’w hatgoffa hefyd, fel y bûm yn ei drafod gyda'ch cyd-Aelod, gyda cherdyn apwyntiad. Felly, bydd yna gyfleoedd i atgoffa pobl. Ac unwaith eto, gan fod hwn yn mynd i fod yn ymarfer mor sylweddol, credaf y bydd yn anodd iawn osgoi'r cyfathrebu cyhoeddus ehangach ynghylch realiti cyflwyno'r brechlyn, ac rwy'n hyderus, nid yn unig yn yr ychydig bobl gyntaf a fydd yn cael y brechlyn, ond yn yr ychydig bobl gyntaf a fydd yn dod yn ôl wedyn am eu hail ddos, bydd ganddynt ddiddordeb yn y rheini, ac yna, yn yr wythnos ganlynol, pan ddylent fod wedi’u diogelu a’u hamddiffyn i’r graddau mwyaf posibl, i ddeall beth y mae hynny wedi’i olygu i'r gwasanaethau y maent naill ai'n gweithio ynddynt, neu sut y gallant fyw eu bywydau.
Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, ymddengys fy mod wedi anghofio'ch trydydd cwestiwn, gan i chi ofyn tri yn olynol.
The Oxford vaccine and it being a one and a half dose.
Brechlyn Rhydychen a’r ffaith ei fod yn un dos a hanner.
The Oxford vaccine, yes. The Oxford vaccine—well, again, you've seen the public news about this. It was delivered by accident. In one stage of the trial, they delivered a half shot by accident, but they found that that appears to have given a greater effectiveness level, a greater level of immunity, which is good news, and there are times where things happen that are fortunate as opposed to planned, and this would appear to be one of those. So, that's part of the safety data the MHRA will look at. And there will be a different challenge, though, because whilst the amount of supply means they should be able to create more vaccine, it may just change the nature in which they have to package and deliver things. But these are practical challenges that I'm sure we'll be able to get through with manufacturers across the UK as well. And again, that vaccine, if it is at the higher level of its potential in terms of its effectiveness, then it can be delivered in a way that makes it not just cheaper but much easier to deliver around the country. That is something that would really help in population coverage, but I'm very grateful for the fact that we have today's welcome news and, again, ask people to stick with the difficulties that we're all living through for a few more months, and then we can enjoy a much greater degree of normality in the future.
Brechlyn Rhydychen, ie. Mae brechlyn Rhydychen—wel, unwaith eto, rydych wedi gweld y newyddion cyhoeddus am hyn. Fe'i darparwyd ar ddamwain. Ar un cam o'r treial, fe wnaethant ddarparu hanner pigiad ar ddamwain, ond gwelsant fod hynny, yn ôl pob tebyg, wedi rhoi lefel uwch o effeithiolrwydd, lefel uwch o imiwnedd, sy'n newyddion da, ac weithiau, bydd pethau ffodus yn digwydd yn hytrach na'r hyn a gynlluniwyd, ac ymddengys bod hwn yn un o'r rheini. Felly, mae hynny'n rhan o'r data diogelwch y bydd yr Asiantaeth Rheoleiddio Meddyginiaethau a Chynhyrchion Gofal Iechyd yn edrych arno. A bydd her wahanol ynghlwm wrth hynny, serch hynny, oherwydd er bod maint y cyflenwad yn golygu y dylent allu creu mwy o’r brechlyn, efallai y bydd yn newid y ffordd y mae'n rhaid iddynt becynnu a darparu pethau. Ond mae'r rhain yn heriau ymarferol y gallwn eu datrys, rwy’n siŵr, gyda gweithgynhyrchwyr ledled y DU hefyd. Ac unwaith eto, y brechlyn hwnnw, os yw ar lefel uwch ei botensial o ran ei effeithiolrwydd, gellir ei gyflwyno mewn ffordd sy'n ei wneud nid yn unig yn rhatach ond yn llawer haws i'w gyflenwi ledled y wlad. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth a fyddai o gryn gymorth o ran diogelu cymaint o’r boblogaeth â phosibl, ond rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y ffaith bod gennym newyddion i'w groesawu heddiw, ac unwaith eto, gofynnaf i bobl aros gyda'r anawsterau y mae pob un ohonom yn byw drwyddynt am ychydig fisoedd yn rhagor, ac yna gallwn fwynhau llawer mwy o normalrwydd yn y dyfodol.
8. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am fesurau diogelu iechyd ym Mlaenau Gwent? OQ55955
8. Will the Minister make a statement on health protection measures in Blaenau Gwent? OQ55955
Further to the national guidelines introduced following the firebreak, the Gwent-wide incident management team has developed a comprehensive action plan for community intervention. All of our partners on the ground are working hard together to reduce rates of infection, and we all have a responsibility to support them in their efforts.
Yn ychwanegol at y canllawiau cenedlaethol a gyflwynwyd yn dilyn y cyfnod atal byr, mae'r tîm rheoli digwyddiadau ledled Gwent wedi datblygu cynllun gweithredu cynhwysfawr ar gyfer ymyrraeth gymunedol. Mae pob un o'n partneriaid ar lawr gwlad yn gweithio'n galed gyda'i gilydd i leihau cyfraddau heintio, ac mae gan bob un ohonom gyfrifoldeb i'w cefnogi gyda’u hymdrechion.
I'm grateful to you for that, Minister, and I join the tone of exchanges this afternoon, where we all welcome the news about the vaccine being made available, and we look forward to that radically changing the health situation in Blaenau Gwent and elsewhere. But in the meantime, of course, today we've seen numbers of the infection that demonstrate that Blaenau Gwent is again near the top of these rates in Wales. And I recognise what the Government is doing in terms of regulations, and we debated that yesterday; we'll debate it again next week. But the regulations alone I don't believe are going to be sufficient to deliver the sort of reduction in numbers that we require and we need in Blaenau Gwent to keep people safe.
And I'd like to ask the Minister what consideration he is giving to the sort of mass testing that we're seeing across our county borders in Cynon and in Merthyr, and also greater enforcement. I think one of the frustrations that's come through over recent days is that people are working really, really hard to stay within the regulations, to ensure that they're keeping people safe, but that enforcement isn't taking place in a sufficiently robust way to ensure that everybody does that. So, what can the Welsh Government do to ensure that we have a more holistic approach to policy in places like Blaenau Gwent?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am hynny, Weinidog, ac rwy'n ymuno â naws y trafodaethau y prynhawn yma, lle mae pob un ohonom yn croesawu'r newyddion y bydd y brechlyn ar gael, ac edrychwn ymlaen at weld hynny’n newid y sefyllfa iechyd ym Mlaenau Gwent a mannau eraill yn sylweddol. Ond yn y cyfamser, wrth gwrs, rydym wedi gweld niferoedd yr haint heddiw sy'n dangos bod Blaenau Gwent ar frig y cyfraddau hyn yng Nghymru unwaith eto. Ac rwy’n cydnabod yr hyn y mae’r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud gyda rheoliadau, a buom yn trafod hynny ddoe; byddwn yn ei drafod eto yr wythnos nesaf. Ond ni chredaf y bydd rheoliadau ynddynt eu hunain yn ddigon i gyflawni'r math o ostyngiad sydd ei angen arnom yn y niferoedd ym Mlaenau Gwent i gadw pobl yn ddiogel.
A hoffwn ofyn i'r Gweinidog pa ystyriaeth y mae'n ei rhoi i'r math o brofi torfol a welwn dros ein ffiniau sirol yng Nghynon ac ym Merthyr Tudful, a mwy o orfodaeth hefyd. Credaf mai un o'r rhwystredigaethau sydd wedi dod i’r amlwg dros y dyddiau diwethaf yw bod pobl yn gweithio'n galed iawn i gydymffurfio â'r rheoliadau, i sicrhau eu bod yn cadw pobl yn ddiogel, ond nid yw'r orfodaeth yn digwydd mewn modd digon trylwyr i sicrhau bod pawb yn gwneud hynny. Felly, beth y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i sicrhau bod gennym ymagwedd fwy cyfannol tuag at bolisi mewn lleoedd fel Blaenau Gwent?
We are certainly trying to take a holistic approach with all the tools and capacity that we have available to us, and the reality is that there are limits on that capacity in different places. So, I know—and I've said this before and I'll say it again—that environmental health officers, employees of local government, have been a huge part of keeping Wales safe. They've been at the front line of enforcement, but also engagement with businesses, to help support them to improve their practice. There is a limited number of environmental health officers and, if we could, we'd significantly expand the workforce, but there aren't lots of extra people.
What we did do—and there's credit to local government leaders and the Minister, Julie James—is we agreed to have a process where people agreed to recruit extra people together to try to make sure that 22 authorities weren't competing with each other to get the same people. But, even with that, those officers are exhausted—they really haven't stopped. So, I'm grateful to them, but I recognise that we can't simply demand more of them and tell them to keep going and to run faster because we need them to. So, there's a challenge here in what we're able to do, and I think you're right when you say that the rules and regulations are not enough on their own—they're certainly not, and that's why the choices we make are so important. So, the choices that you make in how you live your life, the choices that your constituents and my constituents make about who they see, how often they see them, what environment they see them in, will make a really big difference as to whether we can help to reduce those rates down, not just in Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Merthyr and the Cynon, but right across the country, because the overall rate for Wales is over 220 today, and that should give all of us real cause for concern. It's certainly a matter of great concern to me.
And I do think that we will positively learn from both Merthyr and Cynon. The chief medical officer has already asked for some reflective work to be done on the early experience, what we've learnt from both Liverpool and Sheffield. We already know that we're getting more people come through from the more advantaged populations—the wealthier groups of people are coming through in larger number and proportion—so, actually, we still need to do something about that to make sure that we're not seeing, if you like, the inverse care law taking place in front of us.
But also I'm really keen to learn from the testing around schools, because the three secondary schools in Merthyr have been really positive about wanting their students and their staff to get tested, so we'll get more of a whole-population segment with that testing, and the further education college too. People can, again, learn from that. I've talked with the health board and others about the possibility, if mass testing were to carry on, of whether Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen would be the next candidates, but we expect the vaccine to come within days. Our target date is that we want to be in a position to start that immunisation by Tuesday next week. So, we're going to see hope coming down towards us, but it does mean that we all need to do the right thing for a few months more, and, if we can do that, then we can look forward to a much better future, to learn more about the length of time that the vaccines will give us. But once we've had whole-population coverage once, we will have more confidence about doing it again, with the long, difficult road of recovery that faces all of us when the pandemic is finally over.
Rydym yn sicr yn ceisio mabwysiadu ymagwedd gyfannol gyda'r holl offer a chapasiti sydd ar gael i ni, a'r gwir amdani yw bod cyfyngiadau ar y capasiti hwnnw mewn gwahanol leoedd. Felly—ac rwyf wedi dweud hyn o'r blaen a byddaf yn ei ddweud eto—gwn fod swyddogion iechyd yr amgylchedd, gweithwyr llywodraeth leol, wedi bod yn rhan enfawr o’r gwaith o gadw Cymru’n ddiogel. Maent wedi bod ar y rheng flaen o ran gorfodi, ond maent hefyd wedi ymgysylltu â busnesau, i helpu i'w cefnogi i wella eu harferion. Nifer cyfyngedig o swyddogion iechyd yr amgylchedd sy'n bodoli, a phe gallem, byddem yn ehangu'r gweithlu’n sylweddol, ond nid oes llawer o bobl ychwanegol i'w cael.
Yr hyn a wnaethom—a phob clod i arweinwyr llywodraeth leol a'r Gweinidog, Julie James—oedd cytuno i gael proses lle roedd pobl yn cytuno i recriwtio pobl ychwanegol gyda'i gilydd i geisio sicrhau nad oedd 22 awdurdod yn cystadlu â'i gilydd i gael yr un bobl. Ond hyd yn oed gyda hynny, mae'r swyddogion hynny wedi ymlâdd—nid ydynt wedi stopio. Felly, rwy'n ddiolchgar iddynt, ond rwy'n cydnabod na allwn fynnu cael mwy ohonynt a dweud wrthynt am ddal ati ac i redeg yn gyflymach am fod arnom angen iddynt wneud hynny. Felly, mae her yno o ran yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud, a chredaf eich bod yn llygad eich lle pan ddywedwch nad yw'r rheolau a'r rheoliadau’n ddigon ar eu pen eu hunain—yn sicr, nid ydynt yn ddigon, a dyna pam fod y dewisiadau a wnawn mor bwysig. Felly, bydd y dewisiadau a wnewch o ran sut rydych yn byw eich bywyd, y dewisiadau y mae eich etholwyr chi a fy etholwyr innau’n eu gwneud ynglŷn â phwy y maent yn eu gweld, pa mor aml y maent yn eu gweld, ym mha amgylchedd y maent yn eu gweld, yn gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr iawn o ran ein gallu i helpu i ostwng y cyfraddau hynny, nid yn unig ym Mlaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Merthyr Tudful a Chynon, ond ledled y wlad, gan fod cyfradd gyffredinol Cymru dros 220 heddiw, a dylai hynny fod yn destun gwir bryder i bob un ohonom. Mae'n sicr yn destun cryn bryder i mi.
A chredaf y byddwn yn dysgu mewn modd cadarnhaol gan Ferthyr Tudful a Chynon. Mae'r prif swyddog meddygol eisoes wedi gofyn am rywfaint o waith myfyriol ar y profiad cynnar, beth a ddysgasom o Lerpwl a Sheffield. Gwyddom eisoes fod mwy o bobl yn dod o'r poblogaethau mwy breintiedig—mae'r grwpiau cyfoethocach o bobl yn dod mewn niferoedd a chyfrannau mwy—felly mae angen inni wneud rhywbeth am hynny o hyd i sicrhau nad ydym yn gweld, os mynnwch, y ddeddf gofal gwrthgyfartal yn digwydd o'n blaenau.
Ond rwyf hefyd yn wirioneddol awyddus i ddysgu o'r profi mewn perthynas ag ysgolion, gan fod y tair ysgol uwchradd ym Merthyr Tudful wedi bod yn awyddus iawn i'w myfyrwyr a'u staff gael eu profi, felly byddwn yn cael rhan fwy cyflawn o’r boblogaeth gyda’r profion hynny, a'r coleg addysg bellach hefyd. Unwaith eto, gall pobl ddysgu o hynny. Rwyf wedi siarad gyda'r bwrdd iechyd ac eraill ynglŷn â’r posibilrwydd, pe bai profi torfol yn parhau, y gallai Blaenau Gwent a Thorfaen gael eu profi nesaf, ond rydym yn disgwyl y brechlyn ymhen dyddiau. Ein dyddiad targed yw yr hoffem fod mewn sefyllfa i ddechrau'r imiwneiddio erbyn dydd Mawrth nesaf. Felly, rydym yn mynd i weld gobaith yn dod ar hyd y ffordd tuag atom, ond golyga hynny fod angen i bob un ohonom wneud y peth iawn am ychydig fisoedd yn rhagor, ac os gallwn wneud hynny, gallwn edrych ymlaen at ddyfodol llawer gwell, i ddysgu mwy am y cyfnod o amser y bydd y brechlynnau’n ei roi inni. Ond pan fyddwn wedi darparu ar gyfer y boblogaeth gyfan unwaith, bydd gennym fwy o hyder ynghylch ei wneud eto, gyda'r adferiad hir ac anodd sy'n wynebu pob un ohonom pan fydd y pandemig drosodd o'r diwedd.
Minister, pubs and restaurants have done an incredible job of adapting and introducing health protection measures into their businesses and at speed during this pandemic, such as hand sanitisers, social distancing and track and trace recording. Will you join me in thanking them for the hard work that they've put in to making us all safer? And do you agree that the banning of the sale of alcohol in these relatively safe environments will force people to buy alcohol in supermarkets, drink at home, possibly in numbers that exceed Welsh Government guidelines, with the risk of spreading the virus further?
Weinidog, mae tafarndai a bwytai wedi gwneud yn anhygoel wrth addasu a chyflwyno mesurau diogelu iechyd yn eu busnesau a gwneud hynny’n gyflym yn ystod y pandemig hwn, fel hylif diheintio dwylo, mesurau cadw pellter cymdeithasol a chofnodi gwybodaeth tracio ac olrhain. A wnewch chi ymuno â mi i ddiolch iddynt am y gwaith caled y maent wedi'i wneud i sicrhau bod pob un ohonom yn fwy diogel? Ac a ydych yn cytuno y bydd gwahardd gwerthu alcohol yn yr amgylcheddau cymharol ddiogel hyn yn gorfodi pobl i brynu alcohol mewn archfarchnadoedd, ac yfed gartref, mewn niferoedd mwy na chanllawiau Llywodraeth Cymru o bosibl, gyda’r risg o ledaenu'r feirws ymhellach?
Well, I am tremendously grateful to people right across the hospitality industry for the way they have changed and adapted. And I have real sympathy for the incredibly difficult time that they face. We wanted to leave the firebreak with a pattern that would get us through to the end of the year, but I said, as the First Minister said, that, if the rates change, we may need to act again. And as I've just said in response to Alun Davies's question, the rates in Wales today are over 220 per 100,000. So, the opportunity to go through to the end of the year without further intervention is not available to us, and we then had to decide what to do.
Look, I know that it isn't easy to turn a profit in the hospitality sector. I know that, often, these are small businesses, family businesses, and people have a very personal connection to their business. I also know that this is a sector that employs lots of younger people, who've had many of the ways in which they live their lives and enjoy their lives significantly affected by the pandemic, and it is not a choice that Ministers have gone into glibly or with a care-free attitude. Eluned Morgan, who's in the Chamber with us today, has had many of those conversations with the hospitality sector. She's been our lead Minister working with the sector, and it's difficult. And we all understand why they're so upset, and why wouldn't they be? We're having significant restrictions introduced into that sector, and we know that that will cause harm. And yet we also know that doing nothing isn't an option. The evidence we have is that tier 3-style restrictions in England and Scotland have the best prospect of controlling coronavirus. The significant difference in terms of where Wales is today and tier 3 in England or Scotland is hospitality. And you'll have heard the chief medical officer on the radio this morning talking about the fact that Wales, at present, is an outlier in having a much more generous approach when it comes to hospitality and alcohol, and it wasn't tenable to carry on in that way. And the evidence is there, from experience within the British isles—so, Governments and countries that we can compare ourselves much more easily with—where those restrictions have had an impact. We shared that information with them; I know Eluned Morgan spent time talking with them, not just through the last few weeks, but the last few days, in running through the evidence with them. There's reluctance, yes, and why wouldn't they be reluctant? But there is some understanding that we do need to act.
I don't enjoy standing up and advocating restrictions to the way people live their lives and the way businesses operate, but I'm afraid the evidence is there that, if we don't do this, if we don't adopt the evidence of what's worked in other parts of the UK, then we'll be having a different conversation in a few weeks about why the Government, despite that evidence, despite the evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies and the paper that we'll shortly publish from our own technical advisory cell—why we chose not to act. There'll be a different toll for us to look at then, and it's not one that I'm prepared to sign up to.
Wel, rwy'n hynod ddiolchgar i bobl ar draws y diwydiant lletygarwch am y ffordd y maent wedi newid ac addasu. Ac rwy’n cydymdeimlo'n fawr â hwy oherwydd yr amser ofnadwy o anodd y maent yn ei wynebu. Roeddem yn awyddus i adael y cyfnod atal byr gyda phatrwm a fyddai’n para hyd at ddiwedd y flwyddyn, ond fel y dywedodd y Prif Weinidog, dywedais efallai y byddai angen inni weithredu eto pe bai’r cyfraddau’n newid. Ac fel rwyf newydd ddweud mewn ymateb i gwestiwn Alun Davies, mae'r cyfraddau yng Nghymru heddiw dros 220 ym mhob 100,000. Felly, nid yw'r cyfle i gyrraedd diwedd y flwyddyn heb ymyrraeth bellach ar gael inni, a bu’n rhaid inni benderfynu beth i wneud.
Edrychwch, gwn nad yw'n hawdd gwneud elw yn y sector lletygarwch. Gwn fod y rhain yn aml yn fusnesau bach, busnesau teuluol, ac mae gan bobl gysylltiad personol iawn â'u busnes. Gwn hefyd fod hwn yn sector sy'n cyflogi llawer o bobl iau y mae’r pandemig wedi effeithio’n sylweddol ar lawer o'r ffyrdd y maent yn byw eu bywydau ac yn mwynhau eu bywydau, ac nid yw'n ddewis y mae Gweinidogion wedi’i wneud yn rhwydd neu’n ddiofal. Mae Eluned Morgan, sydd gyda ni yn y Siambr heddiw, wedi cael llawer o'r sgyrsiau hynny gyda'r sector lletygarwch. Hi yw ein Gweinidog arweiniol wrth weithio gyda'r sector, ac mae'n anodd. Ac mae pob un ohonom yn deall pam eu bod mor ofidus, a pham na fyddent? Mae cyfyngiadau sylweddol wedi’u cyflwyno yn y sector hwnnw, a gwyddom y bydd hynny'n peri niwed. Ac eto, gwyddom nad yw gwneud dim yn opsiwn. Y dystiolaeth sydd gennym yw mai cyfyngiadau tebyg i gyfyngiadau haen 3 yn Lloegr a'r Alban sydd â'r gobaith gorau o reoli’r coronafeirws. Y gwahaniaeth arwyddocaol o ran lle mae Cymru heddiw a haen 3 yn Lloegr neu'r Alban yw lletygarwch. A byddwch wedi clywed y prif swyddog meddygol ar y radio’r bore yma yn sôn am y ffaith bod Cymru, ar hyn o bryd, yn unigryw yn yr ystyr fod ganddi ymagwedd fwy hael o lawer o ran lletygarwch ac alcohol, ac nid oedd modd parhau yn y ffordd honno. Ac mae'r dystiolaeth yno, o brofiad o fewn ynysoedd Prydain—felly, Llywodraethau a gwledydd y gallwn gymharu ein hunain â hwy’n llawer haws—lle mae'r cyfyngiadau hynny wedi cael effaith. Gwnaethom rannu'r wybodaeth honno gyda hwy; gwn fod Eluned Morgan wedi treulio amser yn siarad â hwy, nid yn unig dros yr wythnosau diwethaf, ond dros yr ychydig ddyddiau diwethaf, wrth drafod y dystiolaeth gyda hwy. Mae amharodrwydd yno, oes, a pham na fyddent yn amharod? Ond mae rhywfaint o ddealltwriaeth yno hefyd fod angen inni weithredu.
Nid wyf yn mwynhau sefyll a dadlau dros gyfyngiadau ar y ffordd y mae pobl yn byw eu bywydau a'r ffordd y mae busnesau'n gweithredu, ond mae arnaf ofn fod y dystiolaeth yno, pe na baem yn gwneud hyn, pe na baem yn mabwysiadu tystiolaeth o'r hyn sydd wedi gweithio mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU, byddem yn cael sgwrs wahanol mewn ychydig wythnosau ynglŷn â pham fod y Llywodraeth, er gwaethaf y dystiolaeth honno, er gwaethaf y dystiolaeth gan y Grŵp Cynghori Gwyddonol ar Argyfyngau a'r papur y byddwn yn ei gyhoeddi cyn bo hir gan ein cell cyngor technegol ein hunain—pam y gwnaethom ddewis peidio â gweithredu. Bydd cost wahanol inni edrych arni bryd hynny, ac nid yw'n un rwy’n barod i’w thalu.
And, finally, question 9—Joyce Watson.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 9—Joyce Watson.
9. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda swyddogion iechyd lleol a chynghorwyr sir ynghylch cyfraddau achosion COVID-19 yng ngorllewin Cymru? OQ55982
9. What discussions has the Minister had with local health officials and county councillors regarding COVID-19 case rates in west Wales? OQ55982
My officials receive regular situation reports from the local incident management teams and are in regular contact with health protection professionals supporting this region. I and fellow Ministers receive regular updates through these channels. Ministers are engaged, where necessary, in local decisions. I, of course, also meet with, on a regular basis, people from across the health service, and I also have the opportunity to join the local government Minister in some of her regular conversations with local government leaders.
Mae fy swyddogion yn derbyn adroddiadau rheolaidd ar y sefyllfa gan y timau rheoli digwyddiadau lleol ac maent mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â’r gweithwyr proffesiynol diogelu iechyd sy'n cefnogi'r rhanbarth hwn. Rwyf fi a’m cyd-Weinidogion yn derbyn diweddariadau rheolaidd drwy'r sianeli hyn. Mae gweinidogion yn cymryd rhan mewn penderfyniadau lleol lle bo angen. Rwyf innau hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn cyfarfod â phobl o bob rhan o'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn rheolaidd, ac rwy'n cael cyfle hefyd i ymuno â'r Gweinidog llywodraeth leol yn rhai o'i sgyrsiau rheolaidd ag arweinwyr llywodraeth leol.
I thank you for that answer. There have been a number of incidents recently that illustrate just how precarious this situation is, how quickly local health services can be overtaken by events, and why firm action to control the virus is vital. More than a dozen schools, nurseries and a college campus had to close in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion after localised spikes, and a number of patients have tested positive for COVID-19 at Llandovery and Amman valley hospitals. On that situation, I understand that quite a few staff at both sites have also tested positive and are self-isolating, which has led to significant constraints on that workforce. Can you provide an update on that, please, and help to reassure my constituents that the two sites are continuing to provide safe care to their patients?
Diolch am eich ateb. Mae nifer o ddigwyddiadau diweddar wedi dangos pa mor ansefydlog yw'r sefyllfa hon, pa mor gyflym y gall digwyddiadau orlethu gwasanaethau iechyd lleol, a pham fod camau gweithredu cadarn i reoli'r feirws yn hanfodol. Bu’n rhaid i fwy na dwsin o ysgolion, meithrinfeydd a champws coleg gau yn Sir Benfro a Cheredigion ar ôl cynnydd lleol yn nifer yr achosion, ac mae nifer o gleifion wedi profi’n bositif am COVID-19 yn ysbytai dyffryn Aman a Llanymddyfri. Ar y sefyllfa honno, deallaf fod cryn dipyn o staff ar y ddau safle hefyd wedi profi’n bositif ac yn hunanynysu, ac mae hynny wedi arwain at gyfyngiadau sylweddol ar y gweithlu hwnnw. A allwch roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am hynny os gwelwch yn dda, a helpu i roi sicrwydd i fy etholwyr fod y ddau safle'n parhau i ddarparu gofal diogel i'w cleifion?
Yes. To be fair, the Member has raised this with me before, and I thank her for the opportunity to put something on the record today. Hywel Dda University Health Board has announced it will transfer patients who are currently being treated in Llandovery Community Hospital to the Amman Valley Hospital. They've approved the temporary measure after considering a number of options and working with stakeholders, local general practitioners, the community health council and elected officials. After that, there will be no in-patients in Llandovery. That will allow them to not just deep clean the site but also to then reopen it as a green site as well. So, they're actively considering how the hospitals can provide the best positive care for people with COVID-19 and those people who do not have COVID-19. I expect that the Member, in her capacity as a regional Member, will receive a direct update with more detail on those plans direct from the health board. If that doesn't happen, please do return to me and I'll make sure it will.
Gallaf. A bod yn deg, mae'r Aelod wedi codi hyn gyda mi o'r blaen, a diolch iddi am y cyfle i ddweud rhywbeth ar y cofnod heddiw. Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda wedi cyhoeddi y byddant yn trosglwyddo cleifion sy’n cael eu trin yn Ysbyty Cymunedol Llanymddyfri ar hyn o bryd i Ysbyty Dyffryn Aman. Maent wedi cymeradwyo'r mesur dros dro ar ôl ystyried nifer o opsiynau a gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid, meddygon teulu lleol, y cyngor iechyd cymuned a swyddogion etholedig. Ar ôl hynny, ni fydd unrhyw gleifion mewnol yn Llanymddyfri. Bydd hynny'n caniatáu iddynt nid yn unig lanhau'r safle’n drylwyr ond hefyd ei ailagor fel safle gwyrdd. Felly, maent yn mynd ati’n rhagweithiol i ystyried sut y gall yr ysbytai ddarparu'r gofal cadarnhaol gorau i bobl â COVID-19 a'r bobl nad oes ganddynt COVID-19. Rwy’n disgwyl y bydd yr Aelod, yn rhinwedd ei swydd fel Aelod rhanbarthol, yn cael diweddariad uniongyrchol gan y bwrdd iechyd gyda mwy o fanylion am y cynlluniau hynny. Os na fydd hynny'n digwydd, dewch yn ôl ataf ac fe wnaf yn siŵr ei fod yn digwydd.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am yr atebion hynny.
Thank you, Minister, for those answers.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Iechyd Meddwl, Llesiant a'r Gymraeg, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Nick Ramsay.
The next item is questions to the Minister for Mental Health, Well-being and the Welsh Language, and the first question is from Nick Ramsay.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog amlinellu strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i gefnogi iechyd meddwl a llesiant pobl ifanc yn ne Cymru? OQ55956
1. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's strategy to support the mental health and well-being of young people in south Wales? OQ55956
Diolch, Llywydd. Improving the mental health and well-being of children and young people requires a multi-agency and cross-Government approach. Our 'Together for Mental Health' delivery plan 2019-22, recently refreshed in the light of COVID-19, sets out how we will work on this with our partners.
Diolch, Lywydd. Mae angen ymagwedd amlasiantaethol a thrawslywodraethol er mwyn gwella iechyd meddwl a lles plant a phobl ifanc. Mae ein cynllun cyflawni 'Law yn Llaw at Iechyd Meddwl’ ar gyfer 2019-22, a gafodd ei adnewyddu yn ddiweddar yng ngoleuni COVID-19, yn nodi sut y byddwn yn gweithio ar hyn gyda'n partneriaid.
Diolch, Gweinidog. I'm pleased you mentioned that strategy and the need to keep policies updated with the ongoing pandemic. The lockdowns have clearly had an increasing impact on people's mental health, including young people. According to a recent report published by the Samaritans in England in October, people who self-harm face unreasonable barriers to accessing mental health services, and they are caught between being deemed too high risk for primary mental health services, while not ill enough to access secondary mental health services. We know that this is also the case in Wales, and this disproportionately affects the younger generation. What discussions have you had with groups like the Samaritans, and other stakeholders in this area, and what plans are you going to put in place to ensure that this growing problem is dealt with?
Diolch, Weinidog. Rwy'n falch i chi grybwyll y strategaeth honno a'r angen i ddiweddaru polisïau gyda'r pandemig parhaus. Mae'n amlwg fod y cyfyngiadau symud wedi cael effaith gynyddol ar iechyd meddwl pobl, gan gynnwys pobl ifanc. Yn ôl adroddiad diweddar a gyhoeddwyd gan y Samariaid yn Lloegr ym mis Hydref, mae pobl sy'n hunan-niweidio yn wynebu rhwystrau afresymol rhag cael mynediad at wasanaethau iechyd meddwl, ac maent yn cael eu dal rhwng cael eu hystyried yn risg rhy uchel ar gyfer gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl sylfaenol, er nad ydynt yn ddigon sâl i gael mynediad at wasanaethau iechyd meddwl eilaidd. Gwyddom fod hyn yn wir yng Nghymru hefyd, ac mae'n effeithio'n anghymesur ar y genhedlaeth iau. Pa drafodaethau a gawsoch gyda grwpiau fel y Samariaid, a rhanddeiliaid eraill yn y maes hwn, a pha gynlluniau rydych yn mynd i'w rhoi ar waith i sicrhau yr eir i’r afael â'r broblem gynyddol hon?
Diolch, Nick. Just to make it clear that we do have regular meetings with the Wales Alliance for Mental Health, who are the representatives of the third sector in relation to mental health, and of course, they do keep us updated as to what they see is the situation on the ground. And I'm very keen to make sure that I have a second view of what's going on; obviously, I get the information directly from our health boards, but I'm very keen to make sure that that is cross-referenced and cross-checked in terms of people's real-life experience.
In relation to the tier 4 support, one of the things that we're clear about is that we do need to see improvements in that area. And that's why I have made sure that our officials meet fortnightly to check what the information is, what the updated information is, in terms of numbers of people who are able to access, and those, more importantly, who are not able to access that support. I've been asking for a weekly update from my officials to make sure that that situation is something that we can keep abreast of. Just in terms of the tier 4 support, just this week, my understanding is there's only one person who's failed to access that tier 4 support.
Diolch, Nick. Hoffwn ei gwneud yn glir ein bod yn cael cyfarfodydd rheolaidd gyda Chynghrair Iechyd Meddwl Cymru, sy'n gynrychiolwyr y trydydd sector mewn perthynas ag iechyd meddwl, ac wrth gwrs, maent yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni am y sefyllfa ar lawr gwlad. Ac rwy'n awyddus iawn i wneud yn siŵr fod gennyf ail olwg ar yr hyn sy'n digwydd; yn amlwg, rwy'n cael y wybodaeth yn uniongyrchol gan ein byrddau iechyd, ond rwy'n awyddus iawn i sicrhau bod y wybodaeth honno'n cael ei chroesgyfeirio a'i chroeswirio mewn perthynas â phrofiad bywyd go iawn pobl.
O ran y cymorth haen 4, un o'r pethau rydym yn glir yn ei gylch yw bod angen inni weld gwelliannau yn y maes hwnnw. A dyna pam rwyf wedi sicrhau bod ein swyddogion yn cyfarfod bob pythefnos i wirio beth yw'r wybodaeth, beth yw'r wybodaeth sydd wedi'i diweddaru, o ran nifer y bobl sy'n gallu cael gafael ar y cymorth hwnnw, a'r rheini, yn bwysicach, nad ydynt yn gallu cael gafael arno. Rwyf wedi bod yn gofyn am ddiweddariad wythnosol gan fy swyddogion i sicrhau bod y sefyllfa honno'n rhywbeth y gallwn fod yn ymwybodol ohoni. O ran y cymorth haen 4, yr wythnos hon, deallaf mai un person yn unig sydd wedi methu cael gafael ar y cymorth haen 4.
Our young people have faced so many strains this year, uncertainty about exams, not being able to see friends, their normal routines just disappearing, and we know, as has been said, that the pandemic will have taken an inevitable toll on their mental health. But the most recent figures on NHS spending for 2018-19 show that less than 1 per cent of NHS funding was spent on children and young people's mental health. Per head of population, children and young people's mental health received just £18.17 per person that year, and this when we know from Mind that one in four people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. Clearly, our young people need far more investment in their well-being. So, will you assure me that the forthcoming Welsh budget commits resources that will meet the scale and the ambition needed to improve services and support?
Mae ein pobl ifanc wedi wynebu cymaint o straen eleni, gydag ansicrwydd ynghylch arholiadau, methu gweld ffrindiau, eu trefn arferol yn diflannu, a gwyddom, fel y dywedwyd, y bydd y pandemig wedi cael effaith anochel ar eu hiechyd meddwl. Ond mae'r ffigurau diweddaraf ar wariant y GIG ar gyfer 2018-19 yn dangos bod llai nag 1 y cant o gyllid y GIG wedi'i wario ar iechyd meddwl plant a phobl ifanc. Fesul y pen o'r boblogaeth, £18.17 yn unig a gafodd iechyd meddwl plant a phobl ifanc yn y flwyddyn honno, a hyn i gyd er bod Mind wedi dweud y bydd un o bob pedwar o bobl yn profi problem iechyd meddwl mewn unrhyw flwyddyn benodol. Yn amlwg, mae pobl ifanc angen llawer mwy o fuddsoddiad yn eu llesiant. Felly, a wnewch chi fy sicrhau bod cyllideb arfaethedig Cymru yn ymrwymo adnoddau a fydd yn bodloni'r graddau a'r uchelgais sydd eu hangen i wella gwasanaethau a chymorth?
Diolch yn fawr, Delyth. Just to make it clear that we already spend more on mental health than any other aspect of the health service—£700 million a year. And of course, in response to COVID we've topped that up by almost £10 million, to make sure that we are responding to the pressures that we know in particular are there amongst young people. We've heard the information that's come from the Children's Commissioner for Wales, but also the Youth Parliament has given us some very useful insights into the levels of anxiety that young people are facing. And that's why what we've done is to really focus attention in particular on, first of all, that whole-school approach, where we've given an additional £5 million this year, to make sure that we can give that really early intervention, to stop the problems from accumulating. And also now what we're doing is we're trying to make sure that that whole-school approach fits into a broader whole-systems approach, so that it can connect with the NHS. The key thing as far as I'm concerned, and certainly the information that we've got from the Wolfson centre, which is the expert centre in Cardiff University, which specialises in the mental health of young people, is that they are telling us that 80 per cent of the problems in relation to mental health start when people are young or when they're children. So, certainly, that is something that we're looking at, to make sure that we put that emphasis in the right place, with very early intervention, tier 0 and tier 1 support.
Diolch yn fawr, Delyth. Hoffwn ei gwneud yn glir ein bod eisoes yn gwario mwy ar iechyd meddwl nag unrhyw agwedd arall ar y gwasanaeth iechyd—£700 miliwn y flwyddyn. Ac wrth gwrs, mewn ymateb i COVID rydym wedi ychwanegu bron i £10 miliwn at hynny, er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn ymateb i'r pwysau y gwyddom ei fod yn bodoli ymhlith pobl ifanc yn benodol. Rydym wedi clywed y wybodaeth a gyhoeddwyd gan Gomisiynydd Plant Cymru, ond hefyd mae'r Senedd Ieuenctid wedi rhoi cipolwg defnyddiol iawn i ni ar lefelau'r gorbryder y mae pobl ifanc yn eu hwynebu. A dyna pam ein bod wedi canolbwyntio'n benodol ar y dull ysgol gyfan hwnnw yn gyntaf oll, lle rydym wedi rhoi £5 miliwn ychwanegol eleni i wneud yn siŵr y gallwn sicrhau'r ymyrraeth gynnar honno, er mwyn atal y problemau rhag cronni. Yn ogystal â hynny, rydym yn ceisio sicrhau nawr fod y dull ysgol gyfan yn cyd-fynd â dull systemau cyfan ehangach, fel y gall gysylltu â'r GIG. Y peth allweddol o'm rhan i, ac yn sicr mewn perthynas â'r wybodaeth a gawsom gan ganolfan Wolfson, sef y ganolfan arbenigol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd sy'n arbenigo ym maes iechyd meddwl pobl ifanc, yw eu bod yn dweud wrthym fod 80 y cant o'r problemau mewn perthynas ag iechyd meddwl yn dechrau pan fydd pobl yn ifanc neu pan fyddant yn blant. Felly, yn sicr, mae hynny'n rhywbeth rydym yn edrych arno, er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn rhoi'r pwyslais hwnnw yn y lle cywir, gyda chymorth ymyrraeth gynnar iawn haen 0 a haen 1.
Minister, I know that you will be aware of the huge pressure placed on CAMHS, the child and adolescent mental health services. It's been this way for several years, before the additional pressures placed on our young people by the pandemic. Much of this is due to young people being referred into the system when their mental health needs are mild or moderate, which is the most sensible and important time, of course, to seek referrals for support, but a problem for the CAMHS system because it's designed only to support those with serious mental health issues. So, could you please provide us with some more information about those early interventions that you referenced in your previous answer, to Delyth Jewell, and how those early interventions can ensure that our young people are supported in a timely and appropriate way to ensure that their mental health does not deteriorate further?
Weinidog, gwn y byddwch yn ymwybodol o'r pwysau enfawr sydd ar CAMHS, y gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl plant a'r glasoed. Mae wedi bod fel hyn ers sawl blwyddyn, cyn y pwysau ychwanegol a roddwyd ar ein pobl ifanc yn ystod y pandemig. Mae llawer o hyn oherwydd bod pobl ifanc yn cael eu hatgyfeirio at y system pan fo'u hanghenion iechyd meddwl yn ysgafn neu'n gymedrol, sef yr adeg fwyaf synhwyrol a phwysig wrth gwrs i geisio atgyfeiriadau am gymorth, ond mae'n broblem i'r system CAMHS oherwydd ei bod wedi'i chynllunio i gefnogi'r rhai sydd â phroblemau iechyd meddwl difrifol yn unig. Felly, a allech chi roi rhagor o wybodaeth inni am yr ymyriadau cynnar hynny y cyfeiriwyd atynt yn eich ateb blaenorol i Delyth Jewell, a sut y gall yr ymyriadau cynnar hynny sicrhau bod ein pobl ifanc yn cael eu cefnogi mewn ffordd amserol a phriodol i sicrhau nad yw eu hiechyd meddwl yn dirywio ymhellach?
Well, diolch, Vikki. I think we've got to be really clear that not all mental health issues are medical issues. There are many issues that are due to social problems, people suffering problems in relationships, and I think what we need to do is to make sure that we intervene very early, as you're suggesting, to make sure that young people have the capacity to deal with those difficult situations. And that doesn't necessarily mean a medical intervention, which is why that whole-school approach, I think, is the right way to go about this.
You'll be aware that the young person's mental health toolkit has now been published on Hwb, and that really gives support to young people to make sure that they can really focus in on the issues that matter to them—anxiety, low mood, bereavement, even coronavirus information. And I think it's really important also for us to make sure that they're aware of the helplines that are available, the C.A.L.L. helpline is something that of course is there, but also now, for those who are over 16, we have this SilverCloud, which is an online approach to cognitive behavioural therapy, and I do hope that people will use the opportunity. Maybe sometimes, they don't want people to know about their issues, and they can do that in a way that doesn't mean that they have to attract the attention of their teachers. They can do it quietly and privately, and that option is now available to them as well.
Wel, diolch, Vikki. Rwy'n credu bod yn rhaid i ni fod yn glir iawn nad yw pob mater iechyd meddwl yn fater meddygol. Mae llawer o faterion sy'n deillio o broblemau cymdeithasol, pobl yn dioddef problemau mewn perthynas, a chredaf mai'r hyn y mae angen inni ei wneud yw sicrhau ein bod yn ymyrryd yn gynnar iawn, fel rydych yn ei awgrymu, i sicrhau bod gan bobl ifanc allu i ymdrin â'r sefyllfaoedd anodd hynny. Ac nid yw hynny o reidrwydd yn golygu ymyrraeth feddygol, a dyna pam mai'r dull ysgol gyfan yw'r ffordd gywir o fynd ati i wneud hyn yn fy marn i.
Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fod pecyn cymorth iechyd meddwl pobl ifanc bellach wedi'i gyhoeddi ar Hwb, ac mae hwnnw'n rhoi cymorth gwirioneddol i bobl ifanc i sicrhau y gallant ganolbwyntio go iawn ar y materion sy'n bwysig iddynt—gorbryder, hwyliau isel, profedigaeth, a gwybodaeth am y coronafeirws hyd yn oed. Ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn hefyd ein bod yn sicrhau eu bod yn ymwybodol o'r llinellau cymorth sydd ar gael, mae llinell gymorth C.A.L.L. ar gael, wrth gwrs, ond mae gennym hefyd bellach, i'r rhai sydd dros 16 oed, SilverCloud, sef dull ar-lein o ddarparu therapi ymddygiad gwybyddol, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd pobl yn manteisio ar y cyfle. Weithiau, efallai nad ydynt eisiau i bobl wybod am eu problemau, a gallant wneud hynny mewn ffordd nad yw'n denu sylw eu hathrawon. Gallant wneud hynny'n dawel ac yn breifat, ac mae'r opsiwn hwnnw ar gael iddynt bellach hefyd.
2. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda'r diwydiant twristiaeth yng Nghymru ynghylch rheoliadau COVID-19? OQ55978
2. What discussions has the Minister had with the tourism industry in Wales regarding COVID-19 regulations? OQ55978
Bydd angen i'r Dirprwy Weinidog i 'unmute-o' ei hunan.
The Deputy Minister will need to unmute.
Can Dafydd Elis-Thomas be unmuted? Can anybody help us at this point?
A yw'n bosibl agor meicroffon Dafydd Elis-Thomas? A all unrhyw un ein helpu gyda hyn?
Iawn. Dirprwy Weinidog, chi'n gallu siarad nawr, diolch.
Deputy Minister, we can hear you now, thank you.
Diolch yn fawr. My ministerial colleague and I established a tourism taskforce at the outset of the pandemic, meeting weekly to discuss all items affecting the industries, including the impact of COVID regulations. We have a parallel series of meetings with hospitality, events and wedding stakeholders.
Diolch yn fawr. Sefydlodd fy nghyd-Weinidog a minnau dasglu twristiaeth ar ddechrau'r pandemig, gan gyfarfod yn wythnosol i drafod yr holl eitemau sy'n effeithio ar y diwydiannau, gan gynnwys effaith rheoliadau COVID. Mae gennym gyfres gyfochrog o gyfarfodydd gyda rhanddeiliaid lletygarwch, digwyddiadau a phriodasau.
Is there a danger that some of our measures—pubs that can't serve alcohol—and particularly enforcing a border to stop people from England coming to Wales, even when we may have had higher levels of incidence, may have an impact in future years of people who may be less willing or interested in visiting Wales in light of that? And what can we do to try and mitigate any such effect?
A oes perygl y gallai rhai o'n mesurau—tafarndai nad ydynt yn cael gweini alcohol—ac yn arbennig, gorfodi ffin i atal pobl o Loegr rhag dod i Gymru, hyd yn oed ar adegau pan oedd gennym lefelau uwch o achosion o bosibl, gael effaith dros flynyddoedd i ddod ar bobl a allai fod yn llai parod neu â llai o ddiddordeb mewn ymweld â Chymru yng ngoleuni hynny? A beth y gallwn ei wneud i geisio lliniaru unrhyw effaith o'r fath?
Well, I mitigate this on a weekly basis, because I meet with my UK colleagues in all the sectors for which I have responsibility. Visit Wales has worked very closely with UKHospitality, the Wales Tourism Alliance and the Welsh Independent Restaurant Collective. All these representative bodies of Welsh tourism are regularly in contact with the rest of the United Kingdom. Obviously, I take a very active interest in what Northern Ireland and Scotland and England are doing in these areas, but I also work within the devolved legislation and the responsibilities of Welsh Government, of which I am proud to be a Minister.
Wel, rwy'n lliniaru hyn yn wythnosol, oherwydd rwy'n cyfarfod â fy nghyd-Aelodau yn y DU ym mhob un o'r sectorau y mae gennyf gyfrifoldeb amdanynt. Mae Croeso Cymru wedi gweithio'n agos iawn gydag UKHospitality, Cynghrair Twristiaeth Cymru a Chydweithfa Bwytai Annibynnol Cymru. Mae'r holl gyrff cynrychiadol hyn yn y maes twristiaeth yng Nghymru mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â gweddill y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn amlwg, mae gennyf ddiddordeb brwd iawn yn yr hyn y mae Gogledd Iwerddon a'r Alban a Lloegr yn ei wneud yn y meysydd hyn, ond rwyf hefyd yn gweithio o fewn y ddeddfwriaeth ddatganoledig a chyfrifoldebau Llywodraeth Cymru rwy'n falch o fod yn Weinidog ynddi.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Siân Gwenllian.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Siân Gwenllian.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ynghylch y camau cyfreithiol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd, neu ddim yn eu cymryd, mewn ymateb i ddyfarniad y llys gweinyddol yn achos Driver v. Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf?
Thank you very much, Llywydd. Will the Minister provide an update on the legal steps that the Welsh Government is taking, or not taking, in response to the decision of the administrative court in the case of Driver v. Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council?
Diolch, Siân. Gallaf gadarnhau na fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cymryd safiad ar yr achos Driver sydd yn digwydd yn ardal Rhondda Cynon Taf. FootnoteLink
Thank you, Siân. I can confirm that the Welsh Government won't be taking a position on the Driver case that is happening in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area. FootnoteLink
Dwi'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r Gweinidog am roi ar y cofnod heddiw na fyddwch chi yn herio sail 2(g) y dyfarniad. Mi fydd o'n rhyddhad i ddisgyblion, athrawon a rhieni Rhondda Cynon Taf sydd wedi brwydro am yr hawl i barhau ar daith addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg o fewn pellter rhesymol i'w cartref. Dwi'n gobeithio bydd y cyngor hefyd yn ailystyried. Mae'r dyfarniad yma yn gam mawr ymlaen. Byddwn i'n goffi clywed gennych chi, felly, sut rydych chi'n mynd i fynd ati, rŵan bod hyn yn dod ar waith, i hysbysu cyrff cyhoeddus ac eraill am y cynseiliau sy'n codi o'r dyfarniad, fel bod cyrff yn gweithredu yn gyson â gweledigaeth y Llywodraeth yn y dyfodol.
Ac, os caf i jest aros yn y maes addysg, mae strategaeth 'Cymraeg 2050' yn glir bod angen gweddnewid sut mae'r Gymraeg yn cael ei haddysgu ym mhob ysgol er mwyn cyrraedd targedau'r strategaeth, gan gynnwys, wrth gwrs, mewn ysgolion cyfrwng Saesneg, ac mae hyn yn allweddol. Mae Comisiynydd y Gymraeg yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith nad oes yna ddim llawer o waith wedi bod yn digwydd ynglŷn â'r continwwm iaith Gymraeg, ac, fel datrysiad, mae o wedi argymell bod yna ofyniad yn cael ei gynnwys yn y Bil cwricwlwm sydd ar waith ar y funud i Weinidogion Cymru gyflwyno cod ymarfer ar addysgu'r Gymraeg. A ydych chi'n cefnogi'r argymhelliad yna?
I'm very grateful to the Minister for putting on the record today that you will not be challenging basis 2(g) of the decision. It will be a relief for pupils, parents and teachers in Rhondda Cynon Taf who have fought for the right to continue with the Welsh-medium education journey within a reasonable distance of their homes. I do very much hope that the council too will reconsider its position. This adjudication is a major step forward. I would like to hear from you, therefore, now that this is in place, how you are going to inform public bodies and others about the precedents arising from the adjudication, so that bodies do work consistently in accordance with the Government's vision for the future.
And, if I could remain with education, the 'Cymraeg 2050' strategy is clear that we need to transform the way in which the Welsh language is taught in all schools in order to reach the targets of the strategy, including in English-medium schools, and this is crucially important. The Welsh Language Commissioner highlights the fact that there hasn't been much work ongoing in terms of the Welsh language continuum, and, as a solution, he has recommended that there should be a requirement included in the curriculum Bill, which is currently going through our processes, for Welsh Ministers to introduce a code of practice on the teaching of Welsh. Would you support that recommendation?
Diolch yn fawr. Jest i'w gwneud hi'n glir bod gofyniad ar bob rhan o lywodraeth leol i sicrhau eu bod nhw yn cymryd ystyriaeth o'r angen i gryfhau beth sy'n cael ei gynnal ac yn cael ei gynnig o ran addysg Gymraeg yn eu hardaloedd, ac felly dwi'n gobeithio bydd yr holl lywodraethau lleol ar draws Cymru'n deall y cyfrifoldeb hwnnw. A jest i'w wneud hi'n glir, o ran dysgu mewn ysgolion sydd ddim yn dysgu Cymraeg fel iaith gyntaf, dwi yn derbyn bod angen lot o waith yn yr ardal yma, a dyna pam dwi'n cael cyfarfodydd wythnosol gyda fy nhîm i, ac mae hwn yn rhywbeth sydd ar yr agenda yn wythnosol, achos dwi yn meddwl bod angen i ni symud ar hwn.
Beth rydym ni wedi ei wneud yn ddiweddar, jest i fod yn glir, yw gweithio a chael trafodaethau gyda'r Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Genedlaethol. Dwi'n meddwl bod lot o brofiad gyda nhw, yn enwedig nawr gyda'r coronafeirws, o ran dysgu ar-lein, a dwi'n meddwl bod yna bethau gallwn ni ddysgu yn y fan yna, yn arbennig os na fydd y sgiliau rŷn ni'n gobeithio eu gweld yn yr ysgolion yna ar gael, a dwi yn meddwl bod yn rhaid i ni fanteisio ar y gallu yna sydd yn bodoli yn y ganolfan. A dyna pam mai beth rydym ni'n gobeithio ei wneud yw gweithio gyda nhw, a dwi wedi cael trafodaethau gyda'r Gweinidog Addysg ynglŷn â hyn hefyd.
Thank you. Just to make it clear that it is a requirement on all parts of local government to ensure that they do take into consideration the need to strengthen what's offered in terms of Welsh-medium education in their areas, so I do hope that all of the local authorities across Wales will understand that responsibility. And just to make it clear, in terms of teaching in schools that don't offer Welsh as a first language, I do accept that a lot of work needs to be done in this area, and that's why I have weekly meetings with my team, and this is something that is on the agenda on a weekly basis, because I do think that we need to move forward on this.
What we've done recently, just to be clear, is we've worked and we've had discussions with the National Centre for Leaning Welsh. I think that they have a lot of experience, particularly now with the coronavirus, in terms of online learning, and I think that there are things that we can learn there, particularly if the skills that we hope to see in the schools aren't available, and I do think that we do need to take advantage of that capability that exists in the centre. And that's why what we hope to do is work with them, and I've had discussions with the Minister for Education on that subject.
Dwi ddim yn meddwl fy mod i wedi eich clywed chi yn cadarnhau eich bod chi o blaid cyflwyno cod ymarfer yn sgil y Bil cwricwlwm, ond mi ddown ni yn ôl at y pwnc yma ar ryw adeg arall, dwi'n ffyddiog o hynny. Mi fyddai cyflwyno cod ymarfer ar addysgu'r Gymraeg yn y cwricwlwm yn gam pwysig ymlaen, dwi'n credu. A dwi'n meddwl bod yna gonsensws yn datblygu ar draws y pleidiau dros yr angen am god statudol, a gobeithio gallwn ni weithio efo'n gilydd i sicrhau hynny.
I gloi, buaswn i'n hoffi cyffwrdd ar sefyllfa fregus dau o'n sefydliadau cenedlaethol pwysig ni, sef yr Urdd a Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru. Mae'r Urdd wedi cyhoeddi ddoe y byddan nhw'n parhau i weithredu ac arloesi, gorau gallan nhw, o ran eisteddfod genedlaethol, ond na fydd yna un yn digwydd yn y ffordd arferol. Ac, yn y cyfamser, mae meysydd gwaith eraill yr Urdd, fel y gwersylloedd, yn amlwg yn parhau i fod ar stop ac yn achosi colli incwm. Yn ôl tystiolaeth yr Urdd i'r Pwyllgor Diwylliant, y Gymraeg a Chyfathrebu mae'r mudiad wedi colli hanner ei weithlu ac fe allai wynebu dyledion o hyd at £18 miliwn. Dwi yn gwybod bod eich Llywodraeth chi wedi rhoi £3.1 miliwn o gefnogaeth ariannol i'r Urdd, ond a ydy hynny yn ddigon, ydy fy nghwestiwn i.
Ac, yn achos y llyfrgell genedlaethol, mi dderbyniodd £0.25 miliwn o gymorth gan y Llywodraeth yn ddiweddar, ond hynny ar ôl i chi gymryd £200,000 oddi arno fo ar ddechrau'r pandemig. Pa asesiad ydych chi fel Gweinidog wedi'i wneud fod cefnogaeth ariannol y Llywodraeth yn ddigon i gynnal y mudiadau hollbwysig yma? Ac ydych chi'n cytuno na fedrwn ni ddim gadael i gyrff sydd wedi cyfrannu cymaint i fywyd cenedlaethol a ieithyddol Cymru fethu?
I don't think I heard you confirm that you were in favour of introducing a code of practice in relation to the curriculum Bill, but we will return to this issue at some future date, I'm confident of that. Introducing a code of practice on the teaching of Welsh in the curriculum would be an important step forward. And I do believe that there is a consensus developing across parties on the need for a statutory code, and hopefully we can work together to secure that.
To conclude, I would like to touch upon the vulnerable positions of two of our important organisations, namely the Urdd and the National Library of Wales. The Urdd announced yesterday that they will continue to operate and innovate, as best they can, in terms of a national eisteddfod, but there won't be one held in the traditional way. And, in the meantime, other work streams of the Urdd, such as the residential camps, remain closed and that leads to a loss of income. According to the Urdd's evidence to the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee the organisation has lost half its workforce and could face debts of up to £18 million. I do know that your Government has provided £3.1 million in financial support for the Urdd, but is that sufficient, that would be my question.
And, in the case of the national library, they received £0.25 million in support from Government recently, but that was after you clawed back £200,000 from the library at the beginning of the pandemic. So, what assessment have you, as Minister, made of whether the Government's financial support is adequate to support these crucial organisations? Would you agree that we can’t allow bodies that have contributed so much to the national and linguistic life of Wales to simply wither away?
Wel, diolch yn fawr. A gaf i jest ddweud yn glir, dwi'n ymwybodol iawn o'r trafferthion y mae'r Urdd ynddyn nhw? Beth sy'n drueni mawr, wrth gwrs, yw bod yr Urdd wedi gwneud popeth rŷn ni wedi gofyn iddyn nhw dros y blynyddoedd i stopio bod yn ddibynnol ar arian y Llywodraeth. Maen nhw wedi mynd ati, maen nhw'n gwybod sut i hel arian, ond jest ddim yng nghanol coronafeirws. A dyna pam rŷn ni eisoes, fel rŷch chi wedi crybwyll, wedi rhoi arian mawr iddyn nhw i'w helpu nhw drwy'r cyfnod anodd yma. Ond, wrth gwrs, mae cyfnod anodd i ddod, a dyna pam mae'n drueni eu bod nhw wedi, unwaith eto, gorfod canslo Eisteddfod yr Urdd. Ond, os dwi'n gwybod unrhyw beth am y ffordd y mae'r Urdd yn gweithio, mi wnân nhw greu rhywbeth hollol newydd a fydd yn codi ysbryd y genedl yn ystod y cyfnod y bydden nhw fel arfer wedi cynnal Eisteddfod yr Urdd. Ac, wrth gwrs, mi wnawn ni gadw ein meddyliau ar agor o ran beth sy'n bosibl o ran help ymarferol yn y dyfodol.
Mae'r un peth yn wir am y llyfrgell genedlaethol. Wrth gwrs fod hwn yn sefydliad sy'n hollbwysig i'r genedl. Dwi'n meddwl bod y llyfrgell yn ymwybodol bod gwaith ganddyn nhw i'w wneud o ran aildrefnu'r ffordd maen nhw'n gweithredu, ond rŷn ni'n cydnabod, yn arbennig ar ôl yr adroddiad yn ddiweddar, fod y sefyllfa gyllidebol yn un anodd dros ben ac, wrth gwrs, bydd y gyllideb yn dod allan cyn bo hir ac mi gawn ni weld beth sy'n digwydd yn y fan hynny. Diolch.
Thank you. Could I just state clearly that I’m very aware of the difficulties that the Urdd is facing? Of course, it’s a great shame as the Urdd have done everything that we’ve asked of them over the years to not be so reliant on Government funding. They know how to spend and raise money, but just not in this coronavirus period, and that’s why we have already, as you’ve mentioned, given them a great deal of funding to help them through this difficult period. But, of course, there is still a difficult period ahead and that’s why it’s a great shame that they’ve had to cancel the Urdd Eisteddfod. But if I know anything about the way in which the Urdd works, they will create something completely new that will raise the spirits of the nation during the period when they would normally have held the Urdd Eisteddfod. Of course, we’re keeping an open mind in terms of what’s possible in terms of practical support in the future.
The same is true of the national library of course. This, of course, is an institution of vital importance to the nation. I think that the library is aware that they have work to do in terms of reorganising the way in which they operate, but we do recognise, particularly after the recent report, that the budgetary position is a very difficult one. The budget will be announced before too long and we will see what happens in that regard. Thank you.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Laura Anne Jones.
The Conservative spokesperson, Laura Anne Jones.
Thank you. Minister, following on from a question to the health Minister just now, I was very encouraged to hear that you're going out and talking to small businesses in your capacity. I want to talk to you about mental health and well-being, particularly of our small-business owners at the moment, who have been put through so much during this pandemic, creating heightened anxiety and mental health worries. They've really stepped up to the plate and delivered in terms of adapting their businesses and making them coronavirus safe, yet we are now seeing them battered again by these latest regulations coming into effect this Friday. Judging from e-mails and conversations I've had with small-business owners, pubs, bars and restaurants across south-east Wales in my region, there is great anxiety and depression, and that's very clear and very apparent in those e-mails and the conversations I've had, which majorly concerns me and, I'm sure, you. Research is also suggesting that these people aren't reaching out for help. So, what action is this Government taking, and you, Minister, to reach out to these business owners during these particularly tough time to ensure that they get all the mental health support that they need? Thank you.
Diolch. Weinidog, yn dilyn cwestiwn i'r Gweinidog iechyd yn awr, roedd yn galonogol iawn clywed eich bod yn mynd allan i siarad â busnesau bach yn rhinwedd eich swydd. Hoffwn siarad â chi am iechyd meddwl a llesiant, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â'n perchnogion busnesau bach ar hyn o bryd sydd wedi bod drwy'r felin yn ystod y pandemig hwn, gan achosi gorbryder eithafol a phryderon iechyd meddwl. Maent wedi camu i'r adwy ac wedi addasu eu busnesau a'u gwneud yn ddiogel rhag y coronafeirws, ac eto rydym bellach yn eu gweld yn cael eu cosbi unwaith eto gan y rheoliadau diweddaraf hyn sy'n dod i rym ddydd Gwener yma. O edrych ar negeseuon e-bost a sgyrsiau rwyf wedi'u cael gyda pherchnogion busnesau bach, tafarndai, bariau a bwytai ar draws de-ddwyrain Cymru yn fy rhanbarth i, mae yna orbryder ac iselder mawr, ac mae hynny'n glir iawn ac yn amlwg iawn yn y negeseuon e-bost a'r sgyrsiau rwyf wedi'u cael, sy'n peri pryder mawr i mi, ac i chi rwy'n siŵr. Mae ymchwil hefyd yn awgrymu nad yw'r bobl hyn yn gofyn am gymorth. Felly, pa gamau y mae'r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd, a chithau, Weinidog, i estyn allan at y perchnogion busnes hyn yn ystod y cyfnod arbennig o anodd hwn i sicrhau eu bod yn cael yr holl gymorth iechyd meddwl y maent ei angen? Diolch.
Thanks very much. Of course, we are intensely aware of the mental health situation and we've put some significant support in, in particular to support employees. But you're absolutely right that we need to think about the business owners who've put money on the line, who've put their livelihoods on the line and are seeing those being threatened with the coronavirus.
We have discussed this in relation to the tourism industry and, as a consequence of that, I did discuss this with the economy Minister to see if we could put something specific in place. But, as you say, part of the problem here—and I'm afraid that, very often, it's men who don't come forward—is that we need to make sure that they're aware of the services that are available from the Welsh Government in these spaces. So, I will continue my discussions with the economy Minister to see how we can get this information out. But you'll be aware that a leaflet was sent recently to every household in Wales and there was some information in that leaflet on the support that was available in relation to mental health from the Welsh Government.
Diolch yn fawr. Wrth gwrs, rydym yn ymwybodol iawn o'r sefyllfa iechyd meddwl ac rydym wedi darparu cymorth sylweddol, yn enwedig i gefnogi gweithwyr. Ond rydych yn llygad eich lle fod angen inni feddwl am y perchnogion busnes sydd wedi rhoi eu harian yn y fantol, sydd wedi rhoi eu bywoliaeth yn y fantol ac maent yn eu gweld yn cael eu bygwth gan y coronafeirws.
Rydym wedi trafod hyn yng nghyswllt y diwydiant twristiaeth ac o ganlyniad i hynny, trafodais hyn gyda Gweinidog yr economi i weld a allem roi rhywbeth penodol ar waith. Ond fel y dywedwch, rhan o'r broblem yma—ac mae arnaf ofn, yn aml iawn, mai dynion sy'n gyndyn i ofyn am gymorth—yw bod angen inni sicrhau eu bod yn ymwybodol o'r gwasanaethau sydd ar gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn y mannau hyn. Felly, byddaf yn parhau â fy nhrafodaethau gyda Gweinidog yr economi i weld sut y gallwn ledaenu'r wybodaeth hon. Ond fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fod taflen wedi'i hanfon at bob cartref yng Nghymru yn ddiweddar ac roedd peth gwybodaeth ar y daflen honno am y cymorth iechyd meddwl a oedd ar gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru.
Thank you for that, Minister. I think the lack of money is one of the root causes of many mental health problems, as we know.
I'd like to talk to you about the mental health of children and young people. Schools act as a leveller, a level playing field, where, wherever possible, children are equal in that environment in terms of equipment, the clothes they wear, access to information. As you're already aware, young people have been going off in droves in whole year groups recently, especially across my region in certain council areas, so they're heavily reliant on home schooling. I'm concerned, following a conversation I had with one of the headteachers of a comprehensive school in my region, that she highlighted the fact that a number of children still couldn't access a device at home to enable them to do online learning and their lessons at home. This clearly is very worrying and has a mental health impact on those children. The Government, to be fair, has given lots of money to councils in order for them to get devices to children, but they're still, obviously, not getting to the right children, or to enough children, as the headteacher outlined to me yesterday, and this is a barrier to them getting the home-school learning that they need when they're off, obviously for health reasons and safety reasons. Please could you look into this, Minister, alongside the education Minister, as, clearly, pupils' mental health and anxiety will be affected because of this? Thank you.
Diolch i chi am hynny, Weinidog. Credaf mai'r diffyg arian yw un o achosion sylfaenol llawer o broblemau iechyd meddwl, fel y gwyddom.
Hoffwn siarad â chi am iechyd meddwl plant a phobl ifanc. Mae ysgolion yn gweithredu fel lefelwyr, maes chwarae gwastad, lle mae plant, lle bynnag y bo modd, yn gyfartal yn yr amgylchedd hwnnw o ran offer, y dillad y maent yn eu gwisgo a mynediad at wybodaeth. Fel y gwyddoch eisoes, mae pobl ifanc wedi bod cael eu hanfon adref mewn grwpiau blwyddyn cyfan yn ddiweddar, yn enwedig ar draws fy rhanbarth mewn rhai ardaloedd cyngor, felly maent yn dibynnu'n drwm ar addysg gartref. Rwy'n bryderus yn dilyn sgwrs a gefais gydag un o benaethiaid ysgol gyfun yn fy rhanbarth, pan dynnodd sylw at y ffaith bod nifer o blant yn dal i fethu cael mynediad at ddyfais gartref i'w galluogi i ddysgu ar-lein a chael eu gwersi gartref. Mae hyn yn amlwg yn peri pryder mawr ac mae'n cael effaith ar iechyd meddwl y plant hynny. Mae'r Llywodraeth, a bod yn deg, wedi rhoi llawer o arian i gynghorau er mwyn iddynt allu darparu dyfeisiau i blant, ond mae'n amlwg nad ydynt yn cyrraedd y plant iawn o hyd, neu nad ydynt yn cyrraedd digon o blant, fel yr amlinellodd y pennaeth wrthyf ddoe, ac mae hyn yn rhwystr iddynt allu dysgu gartref fel y bydd angen pan na allant fynd i'r ysgol, am resymau iechyd a rhesymau diogelwch wrth gwrs. A allech chi edrych ar hyn, Weinidog, ochr yn ochr â'r Gweinidog Addysg, oherwydd, yn amlwg, bydd iechyd meddwl a gorbryder disgyblion yn cael eu heffeithio yn sgil hyn? Diolch.
Thank you. I think it's been a really anxious time for any young person, in particular when it comes to schoolwork and, in particular, those who were planning to sit exams. Of course, we have given substantial support as a Government to local authorities and, through them, to schools, to those people who haven't been able to access education online. Part of the additional problem, of course, is that you can give them the hardware but, actually, you need to make sure that the broadband coverage is in place and that they are able to access support in that way. So, I know that the Minister for Education is very aware of the situation, and if you've got examples of areas where it's not possible for people to gain access, I think it would be useful to send those on to the education Minister.
Diolch. Rwy'n credu ei fod wedi bod yn gyfnod pryderus iawn i unrhyw berson ifanc, yn enwedig o ran gwaith ysgol ac yn benodol, y rhai a oedd yn bwriadu sefyll arholiadau. Wrth gwrs, rydym wedi rhoi cefnogaeth sylweddol fel Llywodraeth i awdurdodau lleol, a thrwyddynt hwy, i ysgolion, a'r bobl nad ydynt wedi gallu cael mynediad at addysg ar-lein. Rhan o'r broblem ychwanegol, wrth gwrs, yw y gallwch ddarparu caledwedd i bobl ond mewn gwirionedd, mae angen i chi sicrhau bod y ddarpariaeth band eang ar gael a'u bod yn gallu cael mynediad at gymorth yn y ffordd honno. Felly, rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog Addysg yn ymwybodol iawn o'r sefyllfa, ac os oes gennych enghreifftiau o fannau lle nad yw'n bosibl i bobl gael mynediad ato, rwy'n credu y byddai'n ddefnyddiol anfon y rheini ymlaen at y Gweinidog Addysg.
Okay, thank you, Minister. Just a really quick one, before I ask my last question, is that, in a school in south-east Wales, they sent regular questionnaires to see what the biggest barrier was to home-school learning, and it came back that actual devices, not broadband et cetera, were the biggest problem, because when there's a parent at home, or a brother or sister at home, using devices as well, they are deviceless, so to speak. So, it's about getting devices to those people particularly, but I'm happy to send you further information.
Talking about getting help, I want to talk to you about getting help to those who really need it. There's a peer mentorship programme—I'm not sure whether you're aware of it—which now has evidenced benefits. There's such a programme in the Aneurin Bevan health board that has many successes. It's so reassuring for people across the board with all sorts of mental health issues to be able to talk to someone who's been through similar experiences, as they have. And that's what this programme is all about. Also, I saw, when talking to the nurses and patients, that the families benefited hugely from talking to people who had been through similar experiences as well and found it very reassuring to see that those patients came out the other side. A drop-in rehabilitation centre with these sorts of services and an online facility, especially during these times when it's most needed and we can't reach people like we normally do, is very much needed in Wales. There's more work going on with this in England, but I think we need to look at it more in Wales because it's evidenced now that it's having great success. The main source of money is coming from lottery funding at the moment, Minister, and I'm just wondering if you could look into this as something that you'd be willing to take forward and maybe work with the Government on. Thank you.
Iawn, diolch, Weinidog. Un peth cyflym iawn, cyn i mi ofyn fy nghwestiwn olaf: mewn ysgol yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru, roeddent yn anfon holiaduron rheolaidd i weld beth oedd y rhwystr mwyaf i ddysgu gartref, a darganfuwyd mai dyfeisiau, nid band eang ac yn y blaen, oedd y broblem fwyaf mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd pan fydd rhiant gartref, neu frawd neu chwaer gartref, yn defnyddio dyfeisiau hefyd, maent heb ddyfais fel petai. Felly, mae'n ymwneud â darparu dyfeisiau i'r bobl hynny yn enwedig, ond rwy'n hapus i anfon rhagor o wybodaeth atoch.
Wrth sôn am ddarparu cymorth, hoffwn siarad â chi am ddarparu cymorth i'r rhai sydd ei angen yn fawr. Ceir rhaglen mentora cymheiriaid—nid wyf yn siŵr a ydych yn ymwybodol ohoni—sydd bellach wedi profi y gall sicrhau manteision. Mae rhaglen o'r fath ym mwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan ac mae hi wedi cael llawer o lwyddiannau. Mae mor galonogol i bobl o bob math sydd â phob math o broblemau iechyd meddwl allu siarad â rhywun sydd wedi mynd drwy brofiadau tebyg, fel y maent hwy wedi'i wneud. A dyna yw hanfod y rhaglen hon. Hefyd, wrth siarad â'r nyrsys a'r cleifion, gwelais fod y teuluoedd wedi elwa'n fawr o siarad â phobl a oedd wedi cael profiadau tebyg ac roedd yn galonogol iawn gweld bod y cleifion hynny wedi dod allan yr ochr draw. Mae angen mawr iawn am ganolfan adsefydlu galw heibio yng Nghymru gyda'r mathau hyn o wasanaethau a chyfleuster ar-lein, yn enwedig ar adegau fel hyn pan fo fwyaf o'i hangen a phan na allwn gyrraedd pobl fel y gwnawn fel arfer. Mae mwy o waith yn mynd rhagddo ar hyn yn Lloegr, ond rwy'n credu bod angen inni edrych arno ymhellach yng Nghymru oherwydd ceir tystiolaeth yn awr ei fod yn llwyddiannus iawn. Arian y loteri yw'r prif ffynhonnell cyllid ar hyn o bryd, Weinidog, ac rwy'n meddwl tybed a allech chi ymchwilio i hyn fel rhywbeth y byddech yn fodlon bwrw ymlaen ag ef a gweithio gyda'r Llywodraeth arno efallai. Diolch.
I don't think peer mentorship programmes are new; I think there are examples of that going on, in various different guises, in lots of different sectors. I'm very much of the view that this is something where people can support each other and that experience can be transformational—just knowing you're not alone when you're in a dark place is in itself something that is very helpful. I think the mentoring support that is there for parents as well as young people, for parents to understand what their children are going through, is also something that I think we can and do encourage. And there are examples, as you say, of best practice that we can pick up, and certainly the iceberg model that we've seen in Gwent, being led to a large extent by Liz Gregory, is something that we do hope that we can roll out to other parts of Wales.
Nid wyf yn credu bod rhaglenni mentora cymheiriaid yn newydd; credaf fod enghreifftiau o hynny'n digwydd, mewn gwahanol ffyrdd, mewn llawer o wahanol sectorau. Rwy'n credu'n gryf fod hyn yn rhywbeth lle gall pobl gefnogi ei gilydd ac y gall y profiad hwnnw fod yn drawsnewidiol—mae gwybod nad ydych ar eich pen eich hun pan fyddwch mewn lle tywyll yn rhywbeth defnyddiol iawn ynddo'i hun. Credaf fod y cymorth mentora sydd ar gael i rieni yn ogystal â phobl ifanc, fel bod rhieni'n deall yr hyn y mae eu plant yn mynd drwyddo, hefyd yn rhywbeth y credaf y gallwn ei annog, ac yn rhywbeth rydym eisoes yn ei annog. A cheir enghreifftiau, fel y dywedwch, o arferion gorau y gallwn eu dysgu, ac yn sicr mae'r model mynydd iâ a welsom yng Ngwent, sy'n cael ei arwain i raddau helaeth gan Liz Gregory, yn rhywbeth rydym yn gobeithio y gallwn ei gyflwyno i rannau eraill o Gymru.
3. Pa effaith y mae COVID-19 yn ei chael ar bobl sy'n byw gydag awtistiaeth yng Nghymru? OQ55961
3. What impact is COVID-19 having on people living with autism in Wales? OQ55961
COVID-19 has been a really difficult time for autistic people in Wales, and we're working with partners, including the National Autistic Society, to support autistic people throughout this pandemic. We'll continue this joint work to minimise the longer term impact of the virus on autistic people's lives.
Mae COVID-19 wedi bod yn amser anodd iawn i bobl awtistig yng Nghymru, ac rydym yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid, gan gynnwys y Gymdeithas Awtistiaeth Genedlaethol, i gefnogi pobl awtistig drwy gydol y pandemig hwn. Byddwn yn parhau â'r gwaith ar y cyd i leihau effaith mwy hirdymor y feirws ar fywydau pobl awtistig.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. I've been listening to the voices of some of my constituents, who are concerned about the profile of people living with autism and other learning disabilities throughout this pandemic. In our Senedd debates, we're familiar with questions about vulnerable groups and, as often seen in the media, the attention most immediately turns to our older citizens and to care homes. But there are other groups who also need our attention, not least those living in both residential and supported accommodation. Their families need to both hear and then see that their needs are being recognised as a priority as the Welsh Government makes plans to deliver a vaccination programme. I hear about people in care settings who've been withdrawing from contact with families, as they don't fully understand the relevance or the benefit of technologies like Zoom. So, can you assure me, Minister, that people living with autism, and other learning disabilities, and their families, are receiving the rightful consideration in your plans?
Diolch i chi am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Rwyf wedi bod yn gwrando ar leisiau rhai o fy etholwyr, sy'n pryderu am broffil pobl sy'n byw gydag awtistiaeth ac anableddau dysgu eraill drwy gydol y pandemig hwn. Yn ein dadleuon yn y Senedd, rydym yn gyfarwydd â chwestiynau am grwpiau sy'n agored i niwed ac fel y gwelir yn aml yn y cyfryngau, mae'r sylw'n troi'n syth at ein dinasyddion hŷn ac at gartrefi gofal. Ond mae grwpiau eraill angen ein sylw hefyd, yn enwedig y rhai sy'n byw mewn llety preswyl a llety â chymorth. Mae angen i'w teuluoedd glywed ac yna gweld bod eu hanghenion yn cael eu cydnabod fel blaenoriaeth wrth i Lywodraeth Cymru wneud cynlluniau i ddarparu rhaglen frechu. Rwy'n clywed am bobl mewn lleoliadau gofal sydd wedi bod yn colli cysylltiad â theuluoedd, gan nad ydynt yn deall perthnasedd na budd technolegau fel Zoom yn llawn. Felly, a allwch chi fy sicrhau, Weinidog, fod pobl sy'n byw gydag awtistiaeth, ac anableddau dysgu eraill, a'u teuluoedd, yn cael ystyriaeth briodol yn eich cynlluniau?
Well, I can give you that assurance, Dawn. Just to make it clear, right from the beginning of the pandemic, when we were requesting people not to leave their homes, we did, right at the beginning, give exemptions to those people with autism because we understood that they needed to follow certain patterns, that they needed to get out on a regular basis. So, right from the beginning, we have been sensitive to those needs and, of course, as we now look forward to the vaccination roll-out, that's an example of where we need to just be aware that there's an area there that we need to think about, as to how people with autism are likely to respond. Guidance is being developed in preparation for the roll-out of that vaccine, and that information will be available on Autism Wales's website.
The other thing to be clear about on this is that we are very keen to make sure that people living with autism do receive that support, not just when it comes to vaccine roll-out, but also when it comes to more general interaction with the NHS.
Wel, gallaf roi'r sicrwydd hwnnw i chi, Dawn. Hoffwn ei gwneud yn glir, o ddechrau'r pandemig, pan oeddem yn gofyn i bobl beidio â gadael eu cartrefi, fe wnaethom, ar y dechrau un, roi eithriadau i bobl ag awtistiaeth oherwydd ein bod yn deall bod angen iddynt ddilyn patrymau penodol a bod angen iddynt fynd allan yn rheolaidd. Felly, o'r dechrau un, rydym wedi bod yn sensitif i'r anghenion hynny ac wrth gwrs, wrth i ni edrych ymlaen yn awr at gyflwyno'r brechlyn, mae honno'n enghraifft o faes y mae angen i ni feddwl amdano, o ran sut y mae pobl ag awtistiaeth yn debygol o ymateb. Mae canllawiau'n cael eu datblygu i baratoi ar gyfer cyflwyno'r brechlyn hwnnw, a bydd y wybodaeth honno ar gael ar wefan Awtistiaeth Cymru.
Y peth arall i fod yn glir yn ei gylch ar hyn yw ein bod yn awyddus iawn i sicrhau bod pobl sy'n byw gydag awtistiaeth yn cael y cymorth hwnnw, nid yn unig wrth gyflwyno'r brechlyn, ond hefyd o ran rhyngweithio mwy cyffredinol â'r GIG.
The 'Left stranded' report, published by the National Autistic Society and partners, shows that as well as significantly exacerbating the long-established challenges that autistic people face, the coronavirus pandemic has had a severely detrimental impact on the mental health of autistic people and their families. The already long waits for assessment and diagnosis services have been exacerbated even further, with only one in four children and young people in north Wales receiving an autism assessment from local neurodevelopmental teams within six months of referral, with many waiting much longer.
The pandemic has also laid bare the lack of understanding of autism within our education system, also severely impacting the mental health of autistic pupils. What additional help can the Welsh Government therefore give these services now to bring down these long waits, to provide people with the support they need as quickly as possible? And, given the Welsh Government's previous commitment to ensuring that all teachers receive mandatory training in autism as part of their initial teacher training, which is needed now more than ever, can the Minister provide an update on plans to deliver this?
Mae'r adroddiad 'Left Stranded', a gyhoeddwyd gan y Gymdeithas Awtistiaeth Genedlaethol a phartneriaid, yn dangos bod pandemig y coronafeirws, yn ogystal â gwaethygu'r heriau hirsefydlog y mae pobl awtistig yn eu hwynebu yn sylweddol, wedi cael effaith andwyol iawn ar iechyd meddwl pobl awtistig a'u teuluoedd. Mae'r amseroedd aros am wasanaethau asesu a diagnosis a oedd eisoes yn hir yn waeth byth gyda dim ond un o bob pedwar plentyn a pherson ifanc yng ngogledd Cymru'n cael asesiad awtistiaeth gan dimau niwroddatblygiadol lleol o fewn chwe mis i gael eu hatgyfeirio, a nifer yn aros yn hwy o lawer.
Mae'r pandemig hefyd wedi amlygu'r diffyg dealltwriaeth o awtistiaeth yn ein system addysg, sydd hefyd yn effeithio'n ddifrifol ar iechyd meddwl disgyblion awtistig. Pa gymorth ychwanegol y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei roi felly i'r gwasanaethau hyn nawr i leihau'r amseroedd aros hir hyn, er mwyn rhoi'r cymorth y mae pobl ei angen cyn gynted â phosibl? Ac o ystyried ymrwymiad blaenorol Llywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau bod pob athro'n cael hyfforddiant gorfodol mewn awtistiaeth fel rhan o hyfforddiant cychwynnol i athrawon, rhywbeth sydd ei angen nawr yn fwy nag erioed, a all y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am gynlluniau i gyflawni hyn?
Thank you very much, Mark. I have read the 'Left stranded' report, and I think it does make some very interesting reading, and I'll be looking forward to discussing that with the chief executive of the National Autistic Society when I meet her next week.
Just in terms of access to services during COVID-19, services are coming together to exchange good practice and support is being offered virtually, of course, whenever that is possible. The other thing that we're doing is making sure that an online assessment tool is being developed, which will meet the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence compliance guidelines. You'll be aware that the public consultation on the code of practice is currently happening—it's ongoing right now—and we're expecting that to be closed on 14 December.
You talk also about the training needed in relation to additional learning needs, and you'll be aware that the new training programme will include an effort to make sure that there is an understanding of the additional learning needs system. That is going to have a complete overhaul, as you're aware, and the hope is that the code and the regulations in relation to additional learning needs will be laid before the Senedd in February.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Mark. Rwyf wedi darllen yr adroddiad 'Left Stranded', ac rwy'n credu ei fod yn ddiddorol iawn, a byddaf yn edrych ymlaen at drafod hwnnw gyda phrif weithredwr y Gymdeithas Awtistiaeth Genedlaethol pan fyddaf yn cyfarfod â hi yr wythnos nesaf.
O ran mynediad at wasanaethau yn ystod COVID-19, mae gwasanaethau'n dod at ei gilydd i gyfnewid arferion da ac mae cymorth yn cael ei gynnig yn rhithwir, wrth gwrs, lle bynnag y bo modd. Y peth arall rydym yn ei wneud yw sicrhau bod offeryn asesu ar-lein yn cael ei ddatblygu, a fydd yn bodloni canllawiau cydymffurfio'r Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fod yr ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus ar y cod ymarfer yn digwydd ar hyn o bryd—mae'n mynd rhagddo yn awr—ac rydym yn disgwyl i hwnnw ddod i ben ar 14 Rhagfyr.
Rydych hefyd yn siarad am yr hyfforddiant sydd ei angen mewn perthynas ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, ac fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol y bydd y rhaglen hyfforddi newydd yn cynnwys ymdrech i sicrhau bod yna ddealltwriaeth o'r system anghenion dysgu ychwanegol. Bydd hwnnw'n cael ei ailwampio'n llwyr, fel y gwyddoch, a'r gobaith yw y bydd y cod a'r rheoliadau mewn perthynas ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn cael eu gosod gerbron y Senedd ym mis Chwefror.
4. Pa strategaethau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau fod modd cadw siaradwyr Cymraeg ifanc yn y gymuned leol, yn enwedig mewn cymunedau gwledig? OQ55976
4. What strategies does the Welsh Government have in place to ensure that young Welsh speakers can stay in the local community, especially in rural communities? OQ55976
Diolch, Adam. Dwi wedi sefydlu bwrdd crwn ar yr economi a'r iaith y llynedd a dwi wedi sicrhau ein bod ni'n trafod fanna yr heriau sy’n wynebu cymunedau Cymraeg a gwledig. Un o'r themâu ŷn ni'n edrych arnynt fanna yw allfudo pobl ifanc, ac mae rhaglen Arfor hefyd wedi peilota prosiectau sydd wedi’u targedu ar gyfer cefnogi pobl ifanc i aros yn eu cymunedau nhw.
Thank you, Adam. I established an economy and Welsh language round-table last year, and I've ensured that we do discuss there the challenges facing Welsh-speaking and rural communities. One of the themes that we're looking at there is the outward migration of young people, and the Arfor programme has also piloted projects targeted specifically in supporting young people to remain in their communities.
Dywedodd Jeremy Miles wrth un o bwyllgorau'r Senedd fod y Llywodraeth wedi gwneud dadansoddiad o effaith deuol COVID a Brexit ar y Gymraeg a chymunedau gwledig, a'ch bod chithau fel Llywodraeth ar sail yr asesiad hwnnw yn derbyn bod yna le i bryderu, yn arbennig oherwydd yr argyfwng tai a'r cynnydd mewn niferoedd o bobl sy'n prynu tai o'r tu allan i'r ardal. A wnewch chi gyhoeddi'r asesiad yna? Ydych chi'n gallu rhoi yr amserlen ar gyfer camau nesaf gwaith Simon Brooks ar ail gartrefi? Gan fod yr argyfwng tai yn digwydd nawr a bod Cyngor Sir Gâr, er enghraifft, wedi amlinellu mesurau y gellir eu cymryd nawr, allwch chi ddweud beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn mynd i wneud o ran cynllun brys yr ochr yma i'r etholiad?
Jeremy Miles told a Senedd committee that the Government had carried out an analysis of the dual effect of COVID and Brexit on the Welsh language and rural communities, and that you, as the Government, on the basis of that assessment, have accepted that there was room for concern, particularly because of the housing crisis and the increase in the number of people from outside the areas who are buying homes. Will you publish that assessment? Can you provide a timetable for the next steps on the work done by Simon Brooks on second homes? As the housing crisis is happening now, and Carmarthenshire council, for example, has outlined some steps that could be taken immediately, can you tell us what the Government is going to do in terms of an urgent plan this side of the election?
Wrth gwrs, rŷn ni hefyd fel adran wedi sicrhau ein bod ni wedi cario mas arolwg ar effaith COVID ar y Gymraeg yn ein cymunedau, a bydd hwnna yn cael ei gyhoeddi yn ystod y pythefnos nesaf. Ar ben hynny, bydd Simon Brooks yn cyhoeddi ei bapur e ar ail gartrefi yn ystod y pythefnos nesaf. Felly, mae'r data yna yn dod at ei gilydd, a bydd hwnna'n help inni ddadansoddi ble mae angen inni dargedu'r gwaith hwnnw.
O ran beth ŷn ni yn ceisio ei wneud yn ymarferol, un o'r pethau ŷn ni wedi bod yn eu trafod yn arbennig wrth weithio gyda llywodraeth leol yn y bwrdd crwn yr wythnos diwethaf oedd ein bod ni'n edrych ar, er enghraifft, brosesau caffael, sut allwn ni wneud mwy i ddefnyddio caffael yn yr adran gyhoeddus i sicrhau ein bod ni'n cynyddu y defnydd yn ein cymunedau ni. Rŷn ni eisiau prif-ffrydio'r Gymraeg a materion cefn gwlad i raglenni Llywodraeth Cymru, felly rwyf fi wedi dod â'r swyddogion sydd â'r cyfrifoldeb dros yr economi i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n deall ble mae eu cyfrifoldeb nhw yn y maes yma hefyd. Ac rŷn ni hefyd yn edrych ac yn gobeithio dilyn ethos Llwybro a chanolbwyntio ar y themâu neu'r sectorau penodol. Peth arall sydd werth inni danlinellu yw'r ffaith bod mwy o bobl nawr yn gweithio o gartref, ac efallai bod yna gyfle yn fanna i drio denu mwy o bobl i fyw gartref yn ein cymunedau cefn gwlad ni.
Thank you. Of course, we, as a department, have ensured that we have undertaken a review of the impact of COVID on the Welsh language in our communities, and that will be published in the next fortnight. On top of that, Simon Brooks will be publishing his paper on second homes in the next fortnight. So, the data is there and it’s coming together and it will help us to analyse where we need to target that work.
In terms of what we’re trying to do in practice, one of the things that we’ve been discussing, in particular in working with local government in the round-table last week, is that we’re looking at, for example, procurement processes and how we can do more to use procurement in the public sector to ensure that we do increase the use of that in our communities. We want to mainstream the Welsh language and rural affairs into Welsh Government programmes, so I’ve brought in officials who have responsibility for the economy to ensure that they understand where their responsibilities are in this area. We’re also looking and we’re hoping to follow this ethos of Llwybro and focusing on the themes or specific sectors. I think that another thing that we need to emphasise is the fact that more people are now working from home, and there may be an opportunity there to try and attract more people to live in their home rural communities.
Rwy'n falch i glywed am y ford gron. Y cwestiwn hanfodol yw pam nad yw polisi economaidd Llywodraeth Cymru wedi arwain at swyddi â chyflog gwell mewn ardaloedd gwledig i helpu cadw pobl ifanc ac i'w helpu i fforddio tai. Ond o ran cadw twf y Gymraeg yn y gymuned, pa asesiad ydych chi wedi ei wneud o ddefnyddio'r gofyniad sylw dyledus ar awdurdodau cynllunio i ystyried effaith eu penderfyniadau ar yr iaith? Pa mor aml y defnyddir hynny i gefnogi twf, nid yn unig amddiffyn y sylfaen gyfredol? Er enghraifft, faint o awdurdodau sydd wedi defnyddio amodau deiliadaeth leol diffiniedig a arferai redeg ochr yn ochr â thargedau tai fforddiadwy neu weithiau a oedd yn gydgysylltiedig â nhw? A hefyd, wrth gwrs, mae yna syniad o Help to Buy ar gyfer tai gwag yn lle tai newydd.
I’m pleased to hear about the round-table meetings. The crucial question is why hasn’t the Welsh Government’s economic policy led to better jobs and better paid employment in rural areas to help to keep those young people in their localities and to ensure that they can afford to purchase homes. But in order to maintain the growth of the Welsh language in the community, what assessment have you made of the use of the due regard principle on planning authorities to consider the impact of their decisions on the language? How often is that used to support growth, not only to safeguard the current foundations? For example, how many authorities have used defined local tenure conditions, which used to go alongside affordable housing targets, or sometimes were linked to them? And, also, there is this concept of Help to Buy being used for vacant properties rather than new properties.
Diolch. Dwi'n meddwl bod yna lot o bethau mae'n rhaid inni eu hystyried fan hyn, pan mae'n dod at dai a chadw pobl yn ein cymunedau ni. Mae'n broblem ddyrys ac mae'n gymhleth. Rydyn ni'n edrych ar bob sefyllfa ac rydyn ni'n gobeithio gweld beth mwy y gallwn ni ei wneud, achos rydyn ni wedi gwneud mwy yma yng Nghymru nag yn unrhyw ardal arall yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Un o'r pethau rydyn ni wedi ei wneud, wrth gwrs, yw sicrhau ein bod ni wedi adeiladu 20,000 o dai yn ystod y cyfnod yma—tai fforddiadwy, fydd yn helpu cadw pobl yn eu cymunedau nhw. A phan mae'n dod i gynllunio, mae angen i bobl ystyried yr effaith ar y Gymraeg. Un o'r problemau sydd wedi bod oedd bod y tŵl i wneud hynny, i fesur hynny, ddim yn ddigonol, a dyna pam mae fy adran i wedi sicrhau eu bod nhw wedi gwneud lot fwy i wella'r tŵl yna i sicrhau ein bod ni'n gallu mesur yr effaith yn well.
Thank you. I think there are many things we need to consider here when it comes to housing and keeping people in our communities. It is a serious problem and it's complex. We're looking at every situation and we're hoping to see what more we can do, because we have done more here in Wales than in any other area of the UK. One of the things that we've done is to ensure that we have built 20,000 homes during this period—affordable homes that will help to keep people in their communities. And when it comes to planning, people do need to consider the impact on the Welsh language. One of the problems that there has been is that the tool to do that, to measure that, hasn't been adequate, and that's why my department has ensured that they have done a lot of work to improve that tool to ensure that we can measure that impact better.
5. Pa fesurau sydd ar waith i hyrwyddo gwydnwch gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl yng Nghymru yn ystod y pandemig COVID-19? OQ55968
5. What measures are in place to promote the resilience of mental health services in Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ55968
We have invested almost £10 million of additional funding this year to support mental health, and this includes investment in tier 0 support to help reduce the need to access NHS services. We are also taking a cross-Government and multi-agency approach to reduce the wider impact of the pandemic on mental health.
Rydym wedi buddsoddi bron i £10 miliwn o gyllid ychwanegol eleni i gefnogi iechyd meddwl, ac mae hyn yn cynnwys buddsoddiad mewn cymorth haen 0 i helpu i leihau'r angen i gael mynediad at wasanaethau'r GIG. Rydym hefyd yn mabwysiadu dull trawslywodraethol ac amlasiantaethol o leihau effaith ehangach y pandemig ar iechyd meddwl.
I thank the Minister for that answer. Will she join me in commending the research carried out between Cardiff and Swansea universities, published last month in the much-respected journal Frontiers in Psychiatry? It's a single-nation study, reflecting on an earlier survey conducted in 2018-19, then comparing how people were feeling during the pandemic. It showed a three or fourfold increase in the prevalence of mental distress, with 50 per cent of the population reporting clinically significant levels of distress and around 20 per cent showing severe effects. The impact was particularly apparent in younger people, and we were talking earlier about the plight of younger people and their psychological distress. Quite clearly, there is huge pressure on mental health services now, and there will be one heck of a hangover, and we really must ensure that the appropriate level of resources and time here in terms of policy development is spent so that we have the best possible mental health services, both in the community and, unfortunately, those that are needed in the acute sector also.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb hwnnw. A wnaiff hi ategu fy nghanmoliaeth i'r ymchwil a wnaed gan brifysgolion Caerdydd ac Abertawe, ac a gyhoeddwyd fis diwethaf yn y cyfnodolyn uchel ei barch Frontiers in Psychiatry? Mae'n astudiaeth un wlad, sy'n myfyrio ar arolwg cynharach a gynhaliwyd yn 2018-19, ac yna'n cymharu sut roedd pobl yn teimlo yn ystod y pandemig. Dangosodd gynnydd o deirgwaith neu bedair gwaith y nifer o achosion o drallod meddyliol, gyda 50 y cant o'r boblogaeth yn adrodd lefelau trallod clinigol arwyddocaol a thua 20 y cant yn dangos effeithiau difrifol. Roedd yr effaith yn arbennig o amlwg mewn pobl iau, ac roeddem yn sôn yn gynharach am drafferthion pobl iau a'u trallod seicolegol. Yn gwbl amlwg, mae pwysau enfawr ar wasanaethau iechyd meddwl nawr, a byddwn yn sicr yn dioddef ar ôl y cyfnod hwn, ac mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau bod y lefel briodol o adnoddau yn cael eu defnyddio a'r amser priodol yn cael ei dreulio yn datblygu polisi fel bod gennym y gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl gorau posibl, yn y gymuned, ac yn y sector acíwt hefyd, yn anffodus.
I think you're absolutely right, David. All the evidence that we've seen suggests that there's going to be a real problem down the road, unless we address it very early. And that's exactly what we're trying to do. We've put in £2.7 million of additional funding to provide immediate access to a really broad range of low-level mental health support. And it's clear that anxiety comes in lots of different shapes, and it's caused by lots of different things. One of those things is the economic situation, and that's not going to get any better any time soon. We know that there's a direct correlation between an economic problem and the incidence of mental health, and so we can almost map out what's likely to happen in future, which is why really addressing the issue before it becomes a big problem is, I think, the way to do this.
Mental health issues, right from the beginning of the pandemic, we've said are essential services so there shouldn't have been any reduction in terms of support there. We're trying our best to reduce the socioeconomic impacts, most recently in relation to hospitality. There are a lot of young people who work in this sector, many of whom, perhaps, are on zero-hours contracts who won't have a great Christmas now as a result of the fact that we, unfortunately, have had to take quite drastic measures. But the least we can do then is to stand by them and to make sure that there is support for them when it comes to mental health. And then the other thing is to make sure that we are projecting and looking at what is likely to be needed in the future, and we are supporting health boards to make sure that they can start preparing for a very different approach in future.
Rwy'n credu eich bod yn llygad eich lle, David. Mae'r holl dystiolaeth a welsom yn awgrymu y bydd problem wirioneddol yn ein haros oni bai ein bod yn mynd i'r afael â hyn yn gynnar iawn. A dyna'n union beth rydym yn ceisio'i wneud. Rydym wedi darparu £2.7 miliwn o gyllid ychwanegol i ddarparu mynediad ar unwaith i ystod eang iawn o gymorth iechyd meddwl lefel isel. Ac mae'n amlwg fod sawl math gwahanol o orbryder, a'i fod yn cael ei achosi gan lawer o wahanol bethau. Un o'r pethau hynny yw'r sefyllfa economaidd, ac ni fydd honno'n gwella'n fuan. Gwyddom fod cydberthynas uniongyrchol rhwng problem economaidd a nifer yr achosion o salwch meddwl, ac felly bron y gallwn fapio'r hyn sy'n debygol o ddigwydd yn y dyfodol, a dyna pam rwy'n credu mai mynd i'r afael â'r mater cyn iddo dyfu'n broblem fawr mewn gwirionedd yw'r ffordd o wneud hyn.
Rydym wedi dweud, o ddechrau'r pandemig, fod gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl yn wasanaethau hanfodol felly ni ddylai fod unrhyw leihad yn y cymorth yno. Rydym yn gwneud ein gorau i leihau'r effeithiau economaidd-gymdeithasol, yn fwyaf diweddar mewn perthynas â lletygarwch. Mae llawer o bobl ifanc yn gweithio yn y sector hwn, ac mae'n bosibl fod llawer o'r rheini ar gontractau dim oriau ac felly ni fyddant yn cael Nadolig gwych yn awr o ganlyniad i'r ffaith ein bod ni, yn anffodus, wedi gorfod rhoi camau eithaf llym ar waith. Ond y peth lleiaf y gallwn ei wneud yw sefyll gyda hwy a sicrhau bod cymorth iddynt mewn perthynas ag iechyd meddwl. A'r peth arall yw sicrhau ein bod yn rhagweld ac yn edrych ar yr hyn sy'n debygol o fod ei angen yn y dyfodol, a'n bod yn cefnogi byrddau iechyd i sicrhau y gallant ddechrau paratoi ar gyfer dull gweithredu gwahanol iawn yn y dyfodol.
Minister, you will know I've recently written to you asking about the mental health impact assessments that have surely been carried out in advance of such momentous and long-term decisions to remove our civil liberties. I have long been of the opinion that the impact on our collective mental health will be huge. I'm particularly concerned about our young people, so what discussions are you actually having with the education sector about prevention of mental health issues in our schools? Thank you.
Weinidog, fe fyddwch yn gwybod fy mod wedi ysgrifennu atoch yn ddiweddar i ofyn am yr asesiadau effaith ar iechyd meddwl a gynhaliwyd, does bosibl, cyn gwneud penderfyniadau mor aruthrol a hirdymor i ddileu ein hawliau sifil. Rwyf wedi bod o'r farn ers tro y bydd yr effaith ar ein hiechyd meddwl cyfunol yn enfawr. Rwy'n pryderu'n benodol am ein pobl ifanc, felly pa drafodaethau rydych yn eu cael mewn gwirionedd gyda'r sector addysg ynglŷn ag atal problemau iechyd meddwl yn ein hysgolion? Diolch.
Thank you. I'm not sure if there's anyone who hasn't suffered some degree of anxiety during this pandemic, but it is, as you say, a particular problem when it comes to young people. And that's why we have had a very radical new approach to supporting young people and children in schools with mental health issues. There's been a £5 million programme that's been supported between my budget and the education Minister's budget, really looking at improving access to things like school support, giving the nurses in those schools access, giving that provision, really training the teachers. So, there's a whole host of work that has been going on within schools, and as I said earlier, we are now broadening that out to make sure that that fits in with a broader societal approach as well, where we'll be having early intervention to make sure that that support is given not just in school, but also more broadly in the community.
Diolch. Nid wyf yn siŵr a oes unrhyw un nad yw wedi dioddef rhywfaint o orbryder yn ystod y pandemig hwn, ond fel y dywedwch, mae'n broblem arbennig yng nghyd-destun pobl ifanc. A dyna pam rydym wedi mabwysiadu dull newydd radical iawn o gefnogi pobl ifanc a phlant mewn ysgolion sydd â phroblemau iechyd meddwl. Mae rhaglen gwerth £5 miliwn yn cael ei chefnogi gan fy nghyllideb i a chyllideb y Gweinidog Addysg, ac mae'n edrych ar wella mynediad at bethau fel cymorth i ysgolion, gan roi mynediad i'r nyrsys yn yr ysgolion hynny, rhoi'r ddarpariaeth honno, a hyfforddi'r athrawon yn iawn. Felly, mae llawer o waith wedi bod yn mynd rhagddo mewn ysgolion, ac fel y dywedais yn gynharach, rydym bellach yn ehangu hynny er mwyn sicrhau ei fod yn cyd-fynd â darpariaeth gymdeithasol ehangach hefyd, lle byddwn yn darparu ymyrraeth gynnar i sicrhau bod y cymorth hwnnw'n cael ei roi yn yr ysgol yn ogystal ag yn fwy eang yn y gymuned.
6. Pa asesiad y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'i wneud o ddarparu gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl y tu allan i oriau arferol? OQ55980
6. What assessment has the Minister made of the provision of out-of-hours mental health services? OQ55980
We have commissioned two separate reviews to support improvements to our out-of-hours crisis care services. We continue to work with partners to improve the multi-agency response that is required to support people who present in crisis.
Rydym wedi comisiynu dau adolygiad ar wahân i gefnogi gwelliannau i'n gwasanaethau gofal argyfwng y tu allan i oriau arferol. Rydym yn parhau i weithio gyda phartneriaid i wella'r ymateb amlasiantaethol sydd ei angen i gefnogi pobl mewn argyfwng.
Diolch, Gweinidog. I'm so pleased that the Twilight Sanctuary service is now up and running in Pembrokeshire. For the next few months, it will provide a safe refuge for adults experiencing mental distress in those crucial hours when other support services are closed. It follows the success of that project in Llanelli. As a preventative service, it provides early access to help, and that goes a long way to reducing dependence on core mental health services, thereby easing the strain in the system at this very difficult time for people. So, will you be monitoring this scheme to see whether the three-month pilot can be extended and replicated and rolled out across the country?
Diolch, Weinidog. Rwyf mor falch fod gwasanaeth Noddfa Gyda'r Hwyr bellach ar waith yn Sir Benfro. Dros yr ychydig fisoedd nesaf, bydd yn darparu lloches ddiogel i oedolion sy'n profi trallod meddwl yn yr oriau tyngedfennol pan fydd gwasanaethau cymorth eraill ar gau. Mae'n dilyn llwyddiant y prosiect hwnnw yn Llanelli. Fel gwasanaeth ataliol, mae'n darparu mynediad cynnar at gymorth, ac mae hynny'n gwneud llawer i leihau dibyniaeth ar wasanaethau iechyd meddwl craidd, a thrwy hynny'n lleddfu'r straen ar y system yn ystod y cyfnod anodd iawn hwn i bobl. Felly, a fyddwch yn monitro'r cynllun i weld a ellir ymestyn a chyflwyno'r cynllun peilot tri mis ledled y wlad?
Diolch yn fawr, Joyce. Of course, this is a programme that has been rolled out as a result of the pilot that happened in Llanelli, so it is good to see that that has worked well, and I think we've got to recognise that people don't just have mental health crises between nine and five, which is why we have to make sure that that 24-hour service is available. What's been great is that the mental health crisis concordat group have really brought together a whole range of groups. Social and welfare issues are being addressed there, but of course, the police and local authorities are integral to making sure that we address this in the right way. The NHS delivery unit is undertaking a detailed review of crisis and liaison services and the sub-group will now be set up to make sure that we look at the conclusions of that concordat group and that we put those into practice over the next year.
Diolch yn fawr, Joyce. Wrth gwrs, mae hon yn rhaglen sydd wedi'i chyflwyno o ganlyniad i'r peilot a ddigwyddodd yn Llanelli, felly mae'n dda gweld bod hwnnw wedi gweithio'n dda, a chredaf fod rhaid i ni gydnabod nad yw pobl ond yn cael argyfyngau iechyd meddwl rhwng naw a phump, a dyna pam y mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau bod y gwasanaeth 24 awr hwnnw ar gael. Yr hyn sydd wedi bod yn wych yw bod y grŵp concordat gofal mewn argyfwng iechyd meddwl wedi dod ag ystod eang o grwpiau at ei gilydd. Eir i'r afael â materion cymdeithasol a lles yno, ond wrth gwrs, mae'r heddlu a'r awdurdodau lleol yn rhan annatod o sicrhau ein bod yn mynd i'r afael â hyn yn y ffordd gywir. Mae uned gyflenwi'r GIG yn cynnal adolygiad manwl o wasanaethau argyfwng a chyswllt a bydd yr is-grŵp yn cael ei sefydlu nawr i sicrhau ein bod yn edrych ar gasgliadau'r grŵp concordat hwnnw a'n bod yn rhoi'r rheini ar waith dros y flwyddyn nesaf.
7. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o'r ddarpariaeth iechyd meddwl yn Llanelli? OQ55977
7. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of mental health provision in Llanelli? OQ55977
Hywel Dda health board is responsible for ensuring that service provision meets the needs of the local community, including for mental health. We continue to provide more funding for the provision of mental health services than for any other part of the NHS.
Bwrdd iechyd Hywel Dda sy'n gyfrifol am sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau a ddarperir yn diwallu anghenion y gymuned leol, gan gynnwys iechyd meddwl. Rydym yn parhau i ddarparu mwy o gyllid ar gyfer darparu gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl nag ar gyfer unrhyw ran arall o'r GIG.
I'm grateful to the Minister for her answer. Dyfed-Powys police and crime commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn recently held a very successful community safety participatory budgeting event, inviting people from the community to prioritise funding for community projects to promote community safety. I'm very pleased to say that Mind Cymru—who happen to be my next-door neighbours, next to my office in Thomas Street in Llanelli—was one of those successful groups. I'm sure the Minister would agree with me that third sector and community organisations have an absolutely vital role to play in addressing mental health issues. They can often be easier to access, they can often be less intimidating, people will be less fearful of stigma; but I'm sure the Minister will also be very aware that many of those organisations are not on a very sound footing financially. So, what further work can the Welsh Government do to ensure that such vital voluntary and community groups are funded sustainably and securely into the future?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am ei hateb. Yn ddiweddar, cynhaliodd comisiynydd heddlu a throseddu Dyfed-Powys, Dafydd Llywelyn, ddigwyddiad cyllidebu cyfranogol diogelwch cymunedol llwyddiannus iawn, gan wahodd pobl o'r gymuned i flaenoriaethu cyllid ar gyfer prosiectau cymunedol i hyrwyddo diogelwch cymunedol. Rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud bod Mind Cymru—sy'n digwydd bod yn gymdogion i mi, drws nesaf i fy swyddfa yn Stryd Thomas yn Llanelli—yn un o'r grwpiau llwyddiannus hynny. Rwy'n siŵr y byddai'r Gweinidog yn cytuno â mi fod gan sefydliadau trydydd sector a chymunedol rôl gwbl hanfodol i'w chwarae wrth fynd i'r afael â materion iechyd meddwl. Yn aml, gall fod yn haws cael mynediad atynt, gallant fod yn llai brawychus yn aml, bydd pobl yn llai ofnus o stigma; ond rwy'n siŵr y bydd y Gweinidog hefyd yn ymwybodol iawn nad yw llawer o'r sefydliadau hynny ar sylfaen gadarn iawn yn ariannol. Felly, pa waith pellach y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i sicrhau bod grwpiau gwirfoddol a chymunedol mor hanfodol yn cael eu hariannu'n gynaliadwy ac yn ddiogel ar gyfer y dyfodol?
Well, I think that is a fair question, because if you look at examples like the twilight fund programme, that has been paid for by the transformation fund, so what we need to do is look at what works and then try and mainstream it. So, that's certainly a message that I've been giving very clearly to my officials, that we really need to embed this tier 0, tier 1 support, which is often much better given and distributed and serviced by the third sector. Certainly, I know that Mind mental health in Llanelli is doing terrific work. I met with somebody last week from Mind who was really talking about the massive pressures that they are facing now in relation to mental health issues because of the downturn in the economy in that area. So, yes, absolutely, certainly that is my intention—to make sure that we can look at a more long-term framework where they can understand that the money will be there for the longer term. Because we need to keep the skills that people develop in those communities as well.
Wel, credaf fod hwnnw'n gwestiwn teg, oherwydd os edrychwch ar enghreifftiau fel Noddfa Gyda'r Hwyr, talwyd am y rhaglen honno gan y gronfa drawsnewid, felly yr hyn y mae angen inni ei wneud yw edrych ar yr hyn sy'n gweithio a cheisio ei brif ffrydio wedyn. Felly, mae honno'n sicr yn neges rwyf wedi bod yn ei mynegi'n glir iawn i fy swyddogion, fod gwir angen inni ymgorffori'r cymorth haen 0 a haen 1 hwn, sy'n aml yn cael ei roi a'i ddosbarthu a'i wasanaethu'n well o lawer gan y trydydd sector. Yn sicr, gwn fod iechyd meddwl Mind yn Llanelli yn gwneud gwaith gwych. Cyfarfûm â rhywun o Mind yr wythnos diwethaf a oedd yn sôn am y pwysau enfawr y maent yn ei wynebu nawr mewn perthynas â materion iechyd meddwl oherwydd y dirywiad yn yr economi yn yr ardal honno. Felly, yn sicr, dyna yw fy mwriad—sicrhau y gallwn edrych ar fframwaith mwy hirdymor lle gallant ddeall y bydd yr arian yno ar gyfer y tymor hwy. Oherwydd mae angen i ni gadw'r sgiliau y mae pobl yn eu datblygu yn y cymunedau hynny hefyd.
8. Pa gymorth y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei roi i glybiau rygbi a phêl-droed cymunedol sydd wedi cael eu gorfodi i gau eu cyfleusterau oherwydd COVID-19? OQ55960
8. What support can the Welsh Government provide to community rugby and football clubs who have been forced to close their facilities due to COVID-19? OQ55960
Diolch yn fawr, Huw. Rydyn ni’n darparu cymorth ariannol sylweddol i glybiau a sefydliadau chwaraeon cymunedol ar draws Cymru, yn arbennig drwy gyfrwng y prif asiantaeth yn y maes yma, y corff cyhoeddus Chwaraeon Cymru.
Thank you very much, Huw. We are providing significant financial support to community sport clubs and organisations across Wales, especially via the main agency in this field, the public body Sport Wales.
Diolch, Gweinidog. I know there's a lot of support been put forward already. I've probably stood on the touch lines and been in the clubhouse of every club from Gilfach to Caerau to Pontyclun inside and outside my constituency over the years, and I know that they're not just sporting clubs, but of course the bedrock of the community as well. They do so much in terms of community support, including, some of them, during the COVID crisis. But despite that support, and particularly with the restrictions in place at the moment, they're really struggling not only to actually do activities on the pitch, but their ancillary accommodation as well, their meetings, their bars and so on. Do you think there's a role for Welsh Government going forward in recovery from the crisis in pulling together the governing bodies, the Sports Council for Wales and others, to see what more will be needed to do to make sure these clubs with a great long heritage are able to survive and thrive in the future?
Diolch, Weinidog. Rwy'n gwybod bod llawer o gefnogaeth wedi'i roi yn barod. Mae'n debyg fy mod wedi bod ym mhob clwb, ac wedi sefyll ar linellau ystlys pob clwb, o Gilfach i Gaerau i Bont-y-clun y tu mewn a'r tu allan i fy etholaeth dros y blynyddoedd, a gwn nad clybiau chwaraeon yn unig ydynt, ond maent wrth gwrs yn garreg sylfaen i'r gymuned hefyd. Maent yn gwneud cymaint o ran cymorth cymunedol, gan gynnwys, rai ohonynt, yn ystod argyfwng COVID. Ond er gwaethaf y gefnogaeth honno, ac yn enwedig gyda'r cyfyngiadau sydd ar waith ar hyn o bryd, maent yn ei chael yn anodd iawn nid yn unig i gynnal gweithgareddau ar y cae, ond yn eu darpariaeth ategol hefyd, eu cyfarfodydd, eu bariau ac yn y blaen. Wrth symud ymlaen i adfer o'r argyfwng, a ydych yn credu bod rôl i Lywodraeth Cymru ddod a'r cyrff llywodraethu, Cyngor Chwaraeon Cymru ac eraill at ei gilydd i weld beth arall fydd angen ei wneud i sicrhau bod y clybiau hyn sydd â threftadaeth hir iawn yn gallu goroesi a ffynnu yn y dyfodol?
Diolch, Huw. You've given me a challenge to which I can't say 'no', because one of my main missions throughout this crisis is to ensure that we look for points of recovery, points of creative response, and if we can have that in the area of sport, that would be so important.
The current figures are very good. The community rugby union clubs receive over £188,000, community football clubs receive over £500,000, and the Be Active Wales fund is still open, where Sport Wales is processing applications as quickly as they can. But I do accept your challenge, and I would be grateful if you would assist me in ensuring that we achieve this before the end of this Welsh Parliament.
Diolch, Huw. Rydych wedi rhoi her i mi ac ni allaf ddweud 'na' wrthi, oherwydd un o fy mhrif genadaethau drwy gydol yr argyfwng hwn yw sicrhau ein bod yn chwilio am bwyntiau adfer, pwyntiau ymateb creadigol, ac os gallwn gael hynny ym maes chwaraeon, byddai hynny mor bwysig.
Mae'r ffigurau presennol yn dda iawn. Mae clybiau rygbi'r undeb cymunedol yn cael dros £188,000, mae clybiau pêl-droed cymunedol yn cael dros £500,000, ac mae cronfa Cymru Actif yn dal i fod ar agor, lle mae Chwaraeon Cymru yn prosesu ceisiadau cyn gynted ag y gallant. Ond rwy'n derbyn eich her, a byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe baech yn fy helpu i sicrhau ein bod yn cyflawni hyn cyn diwedd y Senedd hon.
Diolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Gweinidog.
Thank you to the Deputy Minister and Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau amserol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf i'w ateb gan Weinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig, ac i'w ofyn gan Llyr Gruffydd.
The next item, therefore, is topical questions, and the first question is to be answered by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, and to be asked by Llyr Gruffydd.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am oblygiadau'r toriadau i gyllid amaethyddol Cymru a gyhoeddwyd yn adolygiad o wariant Llywodraeth y DU ar 25 Tachwedd 2020? TQ512
1. Will the Minister make a statement on the implications of the cuts to Welsh agricultural funding announced in the UK Government’s spending review on 25 November 2020? TQ512
Diolch. The UK Government has left Wales £137 million short of the funding expected next year. They are using EU funding to subsidise their manifesto commitment, and despite their vocal claims, this funding will be lost. This would not have happened were we remaining in Europe, and amounts to a betrayal of rural communities.
Diolch. Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi gadael Cymru £137 miliwn yn brin o'r arian a ddisgwylir y flwyddyn nesaf. Maent yn defnyddio cyllid yr UE i sybsideiddio eu hymrwymiad maniffesto, ac er gwaethaf eu honiadau croch, bydd yr arian hwn yn cael ei golli. Ni fyddai hyn wedi digwydd pe baem wedi aros yn Ewrop, ac mae'n bradychu cymunedau gwledig.
The Conservative election manifesto, of course, said it would guarantee the current annual common agricultural policy budget to farmers in every year of this Parliament, yet less than 12 months later, of course, Boris Johnson has broken his promise with a whopping cut, as you've explained, in agricultural funding support to Wales. Now, farmers I've spoken with feel lied to, they feel hoodwinked, and that it's an absolute betrayal—not my words, but the words of the farming unions, of course—and if the Conservatives break their promise on this, then what hope for all the other EU replacement funds that the UK Government once promised would be paid in full to Wales?
This has happened, of course, partly because of the underspend in the rural development plan in Wales. The N+3 rule means, of course, that you're perfectly entitled to spend that money up to 2023, but many of us have warned you that the Welsh Government needed to get that money out in a more timely manner, and now, of course, you've burnt your fingers. So, would you agree that this underlines, once again, the need for an independent inquiry into the Government's handling of the RDP in Wales? And where does this leave your proposals for a sustainable farming scheme, because many of us have been warning as well for a long time that you've been developing your plans for the new support scheme without knowing what funding you would have? This Tory cut certainly doesn't augur well for rural Wales, so can you explain to us maybe how this reduction in funding might affect your plans for the sustainable farming scheme?
And finally, mindful of the fact that you previously confirmed that the basic payment scheme would be maintained for 2021, can you today confirm that the BPS will be maintained, but maintained at its current funding levels?
Dywedodd maniffesto etholiad y Ceidwadwyr, wrth gwrs, y byddai'n gwarantu cyllideb flynyddol bresennol y polisi amaethyddol cyffredin i ffermwyr ym mhob blwyddyn yn y Senedd hon, ac eto lai na 12 mis yn ddiweddarach, wrth gwrs, mae Boris Johnson wedi torri ei addewid gyda thoriad anferthol, fel rydych wedi'i egluro, mewn cymorth cyllid amaethyddol i Gymru. Nawr, mae ffermwyr rwyf wedi siarad â hwy yn teimlo eu bod wedi cael eu camarwain, maent yn teimlo eu bod wedi cael eu twyllo, a'i fod yn frad llwyr—nid fy ngeiriau i, ond geiriau undebau'r ffermwyr, wrth gwrs—ac os bydd y Ceidwadwyr yn torri eu haddewid ar hyn, pa obaith sydd yna y bydd yr holl gyllid newydd yn lle cyllid yr UE a addawyd gan Lywodraeth y DU ar un adeg yn cael eu talu'n llawn i Gymru?
Wrth gwrs, mae hyn wedi digwydd yn rhannol oherwydd y tanwariant yn y cynllun datblygu gwledig yng Nghymru. Mae'r rheol N+3 yn golygu, wrth gwrs, fod gennych berffaith hawl i wario'r arian hwnnw hyd at 2023, ond mae llawer ohonom wedi eich rhybuddio bod angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ddarparu'r arian hwnnw mewn modd mwy amserol, ac yn awr, wrth gwrs, rydych wedi llosgi eich bysedd. Felly, a fyddech yn cytuno bod hyn yn tanlinellu, unwaith eto, yr angen am ymchwiliad annibynnol i'r ffordd y mae'r Llywodraeth wedi ymdrin â'r cynllun datblygu gwledig yng Nghymru? A lle mae hyn yn gadael eich argymhellion ar gyfer cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy, oherwydd mae llawer ohonom wedi bod yn rhybuddio ers amser maith hefyd eich bod wedi bod yn datblygu eich cynlluniau ar gyfer y cynllun cymorth newydd heb wybod faint o gyllid fyddai ar gael i chi? Yn sicr, nid yw'r toriad hwn gan y Torïaid yn argoeli'n dda i gefn gwlad Cymru, felly a allwch chi egluro i ni efallai sut y gallai'r gostyngiad hwn yn y cyllid effeithio ar eich cynlluniau ar gyfer y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy?
Ac yn olaf, gan gofio eich bod wedi cadarnhau yn flaenorol y byddai cynllun y taliad sylfaenol yn cael ei gynnal ar gyfer 2021, a allwch chi gadarnhau heddiw y bydd cynllun y taliad sylfaenol yn cael ei gynnal ar ei lefelau cyllido presennol?
Thank you. In relation to your questions around the RDP, I do not accept that historical pillar transfers are responsible for a delayed spend through the EU RDP, and our spend profile is absolutely where we would expect it to be. We took legitimate decisions about how to profile our RDP spending that suited Wales, and the delivery of our programme objectives. We should not be penalised for these decisions. We would never have envisaged the UK Government would take such a flawed approach to replacement funding. Our RDP is absolutely on track. The level of spend, the level of commitment through the programme, is in line with the European average. The European Commission have repeatedly confirmed they're very satisfied with our programme, and I understand this was expressed as recently as just two weeks ago at the latest programme monitoring committee meeting. So, I absolutely do not accept what you are saying.
In relation to the BPS budget decision, in light of the funding settlement, I am currently considering the level of BPS available in 2021. I appreciate the urgency of this decision for farmers and will obviously set out my intentions this month; this is something that I will obviously mention. I met both the farming unions over the last week in relation to this.
You asked about 'Sustainable Farming and our Land'. As you know, I will be publishing a White Paper this month, and we will obviously take everything into consideration.
Diolch. O ran eich cwestiynau am y cynllun datblygu gwledig, nid wyf yn derbyn bod trosglwyddiadau hanesyddol o golofn i golofn yn gyfrifol am oedi gwariant drwy gynllun datblygu gwledig yr UE, ac mae ein proffil gwariant yn union lle byddem yn disgwyl iddo fod. Gwnaethom benderfyniadau dilys ynghylch sut i broffilio ein gwariant cynllun datblygu gwledig mewn ffordd a oedd yn gweddu i Gymru, a chyflawni amcanion ein rhaglen. Ni ddylem gael ein cosbi am y penderfyniadau hyn. Ni fyddem byth wedi gallu rhagweld y byddai Llywodraeth y DU yn arddel agwedd mor wallus tuag at gyllid newydd. Mae ein cynllun datblygu gwledig ar y trywydd cywir. Mae lefel y gwariant, lefel yr ymrwymiad drwy'r rhaglen, yn cyd-fynd â'r cyfartaledd Ewropeaidd. Mae'r Comisiwn Ewropeaidd wedi cadarnhau dro ar ôl tro eu bod yn fodlon iawn gyda'n rhaglen, a deallaf fod hyn wedi'i fynegi mor ddiweddar â phythefnos yn ôl yng nghyfarfod diweddaraf y pwyllgor monitro rhaglenni. Felly, nid wyf yn derbyn yr hyn rydych yn ei ddweud o gwbl.
O ran y penderfyniad cyllideb ar gynllun y taliad sylfaenol, yng ngoleuni'r setliad ariannu, rwyf wrthi'n ystyried lefel y taliad sylfaenol a fydd ar gael yn 2021. Rwy'n derbyn y brys am y penderfyniad hwn i ffermwyr ac yn amlwg byddaf yn nodi fy mwriadau y mis hwn; mae'n rhywbeth y byddaf yn sôn amdano wrth gwrs. Cyfarfûm â'r ddau undeb ffermio dros yr wythnos ddiwethaf mewn perthynas â hyn.
Roeddech yn gofyn am 'Ffermio Cynaliadwy a'n Tir'. Fel y gwyddoch, byddaf yn cyhoeddi Papur Gwyn y mis hwn, ac yn amlwg byddwn yn ystyried popeth.
Prior to this spending review, I wrote an urgent letter to the Secretary of State for Wales, making clear my belief that the UK Government should adhere to the manifesto commitment to guarantee the current annual budget to farmers in every year of the next Parliament. The response from the Secretary of State provided me with much clarity, and let's be clear: this manifesto commitment has not been broken. The overall annual envelope is £337 million for Wales. The UK Government, however, has provided certainty on future funding in two ways. First, the withdrawal agreement states that the UK will continue to participate in all EU programmes financed by the multi-annual financial framework 2014-2020, until their closure. This ensures that there is continued access to EU funding for several rural programmes, including CAP, pillar 2, the European maritime and fisheries fund and the European regional development fund until their completion. The UK Government stands by its commitment to guarantee to fund the tail of CAP pillar 2 commitments that fall outside of the scope of the withdrawal agreement.
Secondly, Her Majesty's Treasury have adopted a consistent approach, topping up EU receipts with exchequer funding to the level of the manifesto commitment. The real scandal is here. The Welsh Government has around £160 million left unspent of RDP 2014 to 2020. Now, my question, Minister, is: whilst I appreciate the plus 3 flexibility, will you state why the RDP budget was not spent between 2014 and 2020? What do you have to say to our farmers who, since 2014, have found the application windows to have been sporadic, under-resourced, resorted to paying advisers and consultants to assist and even those who have been turned away from support, because you were simply hoarding this funding?
Up to the end of August 2019, RDP spend stood at just 41 per cent. Little surprise, then, that the Auditor General for Wales found that the Welsh Government awarded £53 million of rural development funds without even ensuring that the grants would deliver value for money. You have failed to manage the budget effectively, and as such, will you now agree to an urgent independent review of the RDP? I'm very pleased that Plaid Cymru, and in particular Llyr Gruffydd, is echoing the Welsh Conservative calls for an independent review of the RDP. Thank you. Diolch, Llywydd.
Cyn yr adolygiad hwn o wariant, ysgrifennais lythyr brys at Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru, yn egluro fy marn y dylai Llywodraeth y DU gadw at yr ymrwymiad maniffesto i warantu'r gyllideb flynyddol bresennol i ffermwyr ar gyfer pob blwyddyn o'r Senedd nesaf. Rhoddodd ymateb yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol lawer o eglurder i mi, a gadewch inni fod yn glir: nid yw'r ymrwymiad maniffesto hwn wedi cael ei dorri. Yr amlen flynyddol gyffredinol yw £337 miliwn i Gymru. Fodd bynnag, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi rhoi sicrwydd ynghylch ariannu yn y dyfodol mewn dwy ffordd. Yn gyntaf, mae'r cytundeb ymadael yn nodi y bydd y DU yn parhau i gymryd rhan ym mhob un o raglenni'r UE a ariennir gan fframwaith ariannol amlflwydd 2014-2020 hyd nes eu bod yn cau. Mae hyn yn sicrhau mynediad parhaus at gyllid yr UE i sawl rhaglen wledig, gan gynnwys y polisi amaethyddol cyffredin, colofn 2, cronfa'r môr a physgodfeydd Ewrop a chronfa datblygu rhanbarthol Ewrop hyd nes iddynt gael eu cwblhau. Mae Llywodraeth y DU yn cadw at ei hymrwymiad i ariannu gweddill ymrwymiadau colofn 2 y polisi amaethyddol cyffredin sydd y tu hwnt i gwmpas y cytundeb ymadael.
Yn ail, mae Trysorlys Ei Mawrhydi wedi mabwysiadu dull cyson, gan ychwanegu cyllid trysorlys at dderbyniadau'r UE hyd at lefel yr ymrwymiad maniffesto. Mae'r sgandal go iawn yma. Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru oddeutu £160 miliwn heb ei wario o gynlluniau datblygu gwledig 2014 i 2020. Nawr, fy nghwestiwn i, Weinidog, yw: er fy mod yn derbyn yr hyblygrwydd +3, a wnewch chi ddatgan pam na wariwyd cyllideb y cynllun datblygu gwledig rhwng 2014 a 2020? Beth sydd gennych i'w ddweud wrth ein ffermwyr sydd, ers 2014, wedi canfod bod y cyfnodau ymgeisio wedi bod yn ysbeidiol a heb ddigon o adnoddau, ac sydd wedi gorfod troi at dalu cynghorwyr ac ymgynghorwyr i gynorthwyo, a hyd yn oed y rhai hynny y mae eu ceisiadau am gymorth wedi'u gwrthod, oherwydd eich bod, yn syml, yn cronni'r cyllid hwn?
Hyd at ddiwedd mis Awst 2019, 41 y cant yn unig o gyllid y cynllun datblygu gwledig a wariwyd. Roedd yn rhywfaint o syndod, felly, i Archwilydd Cyffredinol Cymru pan ganfu fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dyfarnu £53 miliwn o gronfeydd datblygu gwledig heb sicrhau y byddai'r grantiau'n sicrhau gwerth am arian hyd yn oed. Rydych wedi methu rheoli'r gyllideb yn effeithiol, ac o'r herwydd, a wnewch chi gytuno yn awr i adolygiad annibynnol brys o'r cynllun datblygu gwledig? Rwy'n falch iawn fod Plaid Cymru, a Llyr Gruffydd yn arbennig, yn adleisio galwadau'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig am adolygiad annibynnol o'r cynllun datblygu gwledig. Diolch, Lywydd.
If Janet Finch-Saunders writes to the Secretary of State for Wales and absolutely takes what he says at face value and tells me that she understands the RDP 2014 to 2020 N+3, then it just explains that she really doesn't understand it because of all the reasons I've explained in my answer to Llyr Huws Gruffydd.
I stated that our RDP is on track. The level of spend and commitment is in line with the European average. The European Commission are content and have repeatedly confirmed that they're satisfied with our programme, and that was up to two weeks ago. So, what you're saying is completely incorrect. I do not accept that historic pillar transfers are responsible for the delayed spend through the EU RDP. The Welsh Government has a responsibility to all those who live in rural communities. Support for farmers is absolutely critical, but it's also important we support wider rural development also, and that delivers our priorities, including protecting the environment and enabling communities to thrive, and that's exactly what the RDP does.
The UK Government have gone back on their manifesto commitment. They told us we would not lose a penny—not lose a penny—and we are now losing so many millions for all the reasons I've explained. And I have to say, if you look at some of the comments from your colleagues, Janet Finch-Saunders, and certainly, in September, Andrew R.T. Davies asked me to confirm that I would protect the rural development budget with 100 per cent of the budget committed and spent. Angela Burns welcomed the announcement of our rural development funding allocation. So, are they saying they didn't understand the Conservative manifesto pledge? They're saying now, 'It should be obvious.' Well, it doesn't marry up at all. So, I suggest that you go back to the Secretary of State for Wales, clarifying what I am saying to you now.
Os yw Janet Finch-Saunders yn ysgrifennu at Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru ac yn derbyn yr hyn y mae'n ei ddweud yn ddi-gwestiwn ac yn dweud wrthyf ei bod yn deall cynllun datblygu gwledig 2014 i 2020 N+3, mae hynny'n egluro nad yw'n ei ddeall mewn gwirionedd oherwydd yr holl resymau rwyf wedi'u hegluro yn fy ateb i Llyr Huws Gruffydd.
Dywedais fod ein cynllun datblygu gwledig ar y trywydd cywir. Mae lefel y gwariant a'r ymrwymiad yn unol â'r cyfartaledd Ewropeaidd. Mae'r Comisiwn Ewropeaidd yn fodlon ac wedi cadarnhau dro ar ôl tro eu bod yn fodlon ar ein rhaglen, ac roedd hynny hyd at bythefnos yn ôl. Felly, mae'r hyn rydych yn ei ddweud yn gwbl anghywir. Nid wyf yn derbyn mai trosglwyddiadau hanesyddol o golofn i golofn sy'n gyfrifol am oedi gwariant drwy gynllun datblygu gwledig yr UE. Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru gyfrifoldeb i bawb sy'n byw mewn cymunedau gwledig. Mae cymorth i ffermwyr yn gwbl hanfodol, ond mae hefyd yn bwysig ein bod yn cefnogi datblygu gwledig ehangach, ac mae hynny'n cyflawni ein blaenoriaethau, gan gynnwys diogelu'r amgylchedd a galluogi cymunedau i ffynnu, a dyna'n union y mae'r cynllun datblygu gwledig yn ei wneud.
Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi torri ei hymrwymiad maniffesto. Dywedasant wrthym na fyddem yn colli ceiniog—yr un geiniog—ac rydym yn awr yn colli cynifer o filiynau am yr holl resymau rwyf wedi'u hegluro. Ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, os edrychwch ar rai o sylwadau eich cyd-Aelodau, Janet Finch-Saunders, ac yn sicr, ym mis Medi, gofynnodd Andrew R.T. Davies i mi gadarnhau y byddwn yn diogelu'r gyllideb datblygu gwledig gyda 100 y cant o'r gyllideb yn cael ei hymrwymo a'i gwario. Croesawodd Angela Burns y cyhoeddiad am ddyraniad ein cyllid datblygu gwledig. Felly, a ydynt yn dweud nad oeddent yn deall addewid maniffesto'r Ceidwadwyr? Maent yn dweud nawr, 'Dylai fod yn amlwg.' Wel, nid yw'n gwneud synnwyr o gwbl. Felly, awgrymaf eich bod yn mynd yn ôl at Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru ac yn egluro'r hyn rwy'n ei ddweud wrthych nawr.
We haven't got a Secretary of State for Wales, we've got a Secretary of State for the Tory Party, because as far as I'm concerned, he's never stood up for Wales, and his predecessor played the same game. So, that's the first thing I would ask the Conservatives here today to do is to ask for a Secretary of State for Wales, one who looks after the interests of Wales.
As the Minister has said, we've been asked here by first of all, Andrew R.T. Davies, to protect that budget with 100 per cent committed to its spend, and again by Angela Burns in May 2020, welcoming the announcement. So, there is real confusion in your camp that you need to sort out, because either you didn't understand what was happening, or you were completely unable to understand what was happening, and I think you need to answer those questions within your group. And I think it would be a really good idea here to stand up for Wales, not the Conservative Party, and actually put forward a real claim and not just accept the letter, because I've had a few from him too, but actually fight the corner for Wales. Because the farmers here have made it perfectly clear that this is going to be detrimental to them in the way that they can survive, going forward. That would be something I hope, Minister, and I'm sure that you will do, and that is to ask the Secretary of State for the Tory Party to revert to becoming the Secretary of State for Wales.
Nid oes gennym y fath beth ag Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru, mae gennym Ysgrifennydd Gwladol y Blaid Dorïaidd, oherwydd o'm rhan i, nid yw erioed wedi sefyll dros Gymru, a chwaraeodd ei ragflaenydd yr un gêm. Felly, y peth cyntaf y byddwn yn gofyn i'r Ceidwadwyr yma heddiw ei wneud yw gofyn am Ysgrifennydd Gwladol i Gymru, un sy'n edrych ar ôl buddiannau Cymru.
Fel y dywedodd y Gweinidog, gofynnwyd i ni yma, gan Andrew R.T. Davies yn gyntaf oll, i ddiogelu'r gyllideb honno gydag ymrwymiad i wario 100 y cant ohoni, ac eto gan Angela Burns ym mis Mai 2020, wrth groesawu'r cyhoeddiad. Felly, mae dryswch gwirioneddol yn eich plaid ac mae angen i chi ei ddatrys, oherwydd naill ai nid oeddech yn deall beth oedd yn digwydd, neu nid oeddech yn gallu deall o gwbl beth oedd yn digwydd, a chredaf fod angen i chi ateb y cwestiynau hynny o fewn eich grŵp. Ac rwy'n credu y byddai'n syniad da iawn yma i sefyll dros Gymru, nid y Blaid Geidwadol, a chyflwyno hawliad go iawn yn hytrach na dim ond derbyn y llythyr, oherwydd rwyf wedi cael ambell un ganddo ef hefyd, a brwydro dros Gymru mewn gwirionedd. Oherwydd mae'r ffermwyr yma wedi dweud yn berffaith glir y bydd hyn yn niweidiol iddynt o ran eu gallu i oroesi yn y dyfodol. Rwy'n gobeithio y gwnewch chi, Weinidog, ac rwy'n siŵr y gwnewch chi, ofyn i Ysgrifennydd Gwladol y Blaid Dorïaidd droi'n ôl i fod yn Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru.
Thank you, Joyce Watson. I think one of the things that really concerns me is the lack of engagement both from the Treasury in London, where I have tried to have meetings, and certainly, along with my Scottish and Northern Ireland counterparts, as soon as we realised the issue that this was going to bring, and they refused to engage with us; we've just been met with silence. And so, I then tried to get a meeting with the Secretary of State for Wales and his junior Minister. I managed to get that—after much persuasion on my part—the day before the comprehensive spending review. And I believed that the Secretary of State for Wales actually understood my concerns, and he did say he would go straight to the Treasury to discuss that for me. Unfortunately, the next day, we saw the CSR, a week ago, and the level of underfunding that we now have. But I will continue to pursue it. I am going to carry on fighting this, for our farmers and for our rural communities. My colleague Rebecca Evans, the Minister for Finance, has written to the Treasury on this subject; I have a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs inter-ministerial group meeting on Monday, where I will continue to pursue it.
Diolch, Joyce Watson. Credaf mai un o'r pethau sy'n peri pryder gwirioneddol i mi yw'r diffyg ymgysylltu gan y Trysorlys yn Llundain, lle rwyf wedi ceisio cael cyfarfodydd, ac yn sicr, gyda fy nghymheiriaid yn yr Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon, cyn gynted ag y gwnaethom sylweddoli'r broblem y byddai hyn yn ei chreu, ac fe wnaethant wrthod ymgysylltu â ni; nid ydym wedi cael dim ond tawelwch. Ac felly, ceisiais gael cyfarfod gydag Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru a'i is-Weinidog. Llwyddais i gael hwnnw—ar ôl llawer o berswadio ar fy rhan i—y diwrnod cyn yr adolygiad cynhwysfawr o wariant. Ac roeddwn yn credu bod Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru wedi deall fy mhryderon mewn gwirionedd, a dywedodd y byddai'n mynd yn syth at y Trysorlys i drafod hynny ar fy rhan. Yn anffodus, y diwrnod wedyn, gwelsom yr adolygiad cynhwysfawr o wariant, wythnos yn ôl, a lefel y tanariannu sydd gennym nawr. Ond byddaf yn parhau i fynd ar ei drywydd. Byddaf yn parhau i frwydro yn erbyn hyn, dros ein ffermwyr a'n cymunedau gwledig. Mae fy nghyd-Aelod, Rebecca Evans, y Gweinidog Cyllid, wedi ysgrifennu at y Trysorlys ar y mater hwn; mae gennyf gyfarfod grŵp rhyngweinidogol Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig ddydd Llun, lle byddaf yn parhau i fynd ar ei drywydd.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r datganiadau 90 eiliad. Ac mae'r datganiad cyntaf heddiw gan Mike Hedges.
The next item is the 90-second statements. And the first statement today is from Mike Hedges.
Mike Hedges.
Mike Hedges.
Sorry, I've been having computer problems all afternoon. Thank you, Presiding Officer.
Local area co-ordinators in Swansea are the unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic, their mission to help anyone who needs support in the community they cover. Local area co-ordinators have responded to over 20,000 enquiries during the pandemic. When Swansea went into lockdown, the local area co-ordinator team was quickly expanded to cover every area of the city, with some council staff being temporarily re-deployed. Since then, they have helped co-ordinate the response in Swansea, with neighbours supporting neighbours to access food or shopping, pick up medication, or make a friendly phone call when they need it most. They have also helped connect older people with local gardeners, helped to get pets to the vets, helped to deal with incidents of fly-tipping, delivered free school meals, supported families in need of clothing and other essentials, and reached out to asylum-seeking families, offering support.
Much of the response would not have been possible without the 2,500 people who came forward to offer neighbour-to-neighbour support, and many of these networks remain in place, including newly established community groups on Facebook and other social media. Throughout the pandemic, Swansea council have also worked side by side with Swansea Council for Voluntary Service and other partners, as well as community groups, and 9,000 people who were told to shield were provided with information about how they could continue to access help.
I'm very proud to come from Swansea, and I would like to thank the local area co-ordinators and their army of local volunteers for what they've done to help our community.
Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, rwyf wedi bod yn cael problemau cyfrifiadurol drwy'r prynhawn. Diolch i chi, Lywydd.
Cydlynwyr ardal leol yn Abertawe yw arwyr di-glod pandemig COVID-19, a'u cenhadaeth yw helpu unrhyw un sydd angen cymorth yn y gymuned y maent yn ei gwasanaethu. Mae cydlynwyr ardal leol wedi ymateb i dros 20,000 o ymholiadau yn ystod y pandemig. Pan ddechreuodd y cyfyngiadau lleol yn Abertawe, ehangwyd tîm y cydlynwyr ardal leol yn gyflym i gynnwys pob rhan o'r ddinas, gyda rhai o staff y cyngor yn cael eu hadleoli dros dro. Ers hynny, maent wedi helpu i gydlynu'r ymateb yn Abertawe, gyda chymdogion yn cynorthwyo cymdogion i gael bwyd neu siopa, casglu meddyginiaeth, neu wneud galwad ffôn gyfeillgar pan fydd ei hangen fwyaf. Maent hefyd wedi helpu i gysylltu pobl hŷn â garddwyr lleol, wedi helpu i gludo anifeiliaid anwes at filfeddygon, wedi helpu i ymdrin ag achosion o dipio anghyfreithlon, dosbarthu prydau ysgol am ddim, cynorthwyo teuluoedd sydd angen dillad a hanfodion eraill, ac wedi estyn allan at deuluoedd sy'n ceisio lloches, gan gynnig cymorth.
Ni fyddai llawer o'r ymateb wedi bod yn bosibl heb y 2,500 o bobl a wirfoddolodd i gynnig cymorth i gymdogion, ac mae llawer o'r rhwydweithiau hyn yn parhau i fod ar waith, gan gynnwys grwpiau cymunedol sydd newydd eu sefydlu ar Facebook a chyfryngau cymdeithasol eraill. Drwy gydol y pandemig, mae cyngor Abertawe hefyd wedi gweithio ochr yn ochr â Chyngor Gwasanaethau Gwirfoddol Abertawe a phartneriaid eraill, yn ogystal â grwpiau cymunedol, a darparwyd gwybodaeth i 9,000 o bobl y dywedwyd wrthynt am warchod ynglŷn â sut y gallent barhau i gael cymorth.
Rwy'n falch iawn fy mod yn dod o Abertawe, a hoffwn ddiolch i'r cydlynwyr ardal leol a'u byddin o wirfoddolwyr lleol am yr hyn y maent wedi'i wneud i helpu ein cymuned.
Y datganiad nesaf gan Ann Jones.
The next statement is from Ann Jones.
Diolch, Llywydd. Tomorrow, we celebrate International Day of People with Disabilities, and the theme this year is 'Not all disabilities are visual'. And this theme, especially in this unprecedented year, should alert us all to be more aware of the many hidden disabilities there are, and how we should be more open to helping everyone through these most difficult times. So, as a politician with a disability, I have sought to speak out on issues that affect many, but for whom a simple solution could be adopted—it doesn't always need legislation. For example—and it's my classic example—handrails on both sides of a flight of stairs or ramps can make such a difference to a person with a mobility issue, to allow them to become more independent.
I've recently been elected as one of the nine regional champions to help lead the work of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and I will do my best to highlight the work that we have done here within our Senedd. There is still much more to do on this front, of course. And so, as we celebrate this important day, we need to redouble our efforts to see a far more equal society. And this is the plug—I'm chairing the Senedd's virtual panel discussion tomorrow evening on the theme of 'A vision for a more equal Wales'. So, I hope you will all join me in this very exciting event. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch, Lywydd. Yfory, rydym yn dathlu Diwrnod Rhyngwladol Pobl ag Anableddau, a'r thema eleni yw 'Nid yw pob anabledd yn weladwy'. Ac yn enwedig mewn blwyddyn na welsom ei thebyg o'r blaen, dylai'r thema hon ein rhybuddio i fod yn fwy ymwybodol o'r anableddau cudd niferus sy'n bodoli, a sut y dylem fod yn fwy agored i helpu pawb drwy'r cyfnod anodd hwn. Felly, fel gwleidydd ag anabledd, rwyf wedi ceisio siarad ar faterion sy'n effeithio ar lawer o bobl, ond y gellid mabwysiadu ateb syml ar eu cyfer—nid oes angen deddfwriaeth bob amser. Er enghraifft—a dyma fy enghraifft glasurol—gall canllaw ar ddwy ochr grisiau neu rampiau wneud cymaint o wahaniaeth i berson sydd â phroblem symudedd er mwyn caniatáu iddynt ddod yn fwy annibynnol.
Yn ddiweddar, cefais fy ethol yn un o'r naw hyrwyddwr rhanbarthol i helpu i arwain gwaith Cymdeithas Seneddol y Gymanwlad, a gwnaf fy ngorau i dynnu sylw at y gwaith a wnaed gennym yma yn ein Senedd. Mae llawer mwy i'w wneud o hyd ar hyn, wrth gwrs. Ac felly, wrth inni ddathlu'r diwrnod pwysig hwn, mae angen inni gryfhau ein hymdrechion i weld cymdeithas lawer mwy cyfartal. A dyma'r hyrwyddiad—rwy'n cadeirio trafodaeth panel rhithwir y Senedd nos yfory ar y thema 'Gweledigaeth ar gyfer Cymru fwy cyfartal'. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch i gyd yn ymuno â mi yn y digwyddiad cyffrous hwnnw. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch yn fawr, Ann Jones.
Thank you very much, Ann Jones.
Reit. Felly, yr eitem nesaf yw'r ddadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad. A dwi'n galw ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig— Jayne Bryant.
The next item is the debate on the Standards of Conduct Committee report. And I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion—Jayne Bryant.
Cynnig NDM7493 Jayne Bryant
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn ystyried Adroddiad y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad, Adroddiad 02-20, a osodwyd gerbron y Senedd ar 25 Tachwedd 2020 yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 22.9.
2. Yn cymeradwyo'r argymhelliad yn yr adroddiad.
Motion NDM7493 Jayne Bryant
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Considers the report of the Standards of Conduct Committee, Report 02-20, laid before the Senedd on 25 November 2020 in accordance with Standing Order 22.9.
2. Endorses the recommendation in the report.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Lywydd. As the Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee, I formally move the motion. The committee considered the report from the Acting Commissioner for Standards in relation to a complaint made against Dai Lloyd MS, regarding the improper use of the Senedd estate. The Standards of Conduct Committee gave the commissioner's report careful consideration, and our report sets out the committee's judgment as to the sanction that is appropriate in this case.
The facts relating to the complaint, and the committee's reasons for the recommendation, are set out in full in the committee's report. The motion tabled invites the Senedd to endorse the committee's recommendation.
Diolch, Lywydd. Fel Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad, rwy'n gwneud y cynnig yn ffurfiol. Ystyriodd y pwyllgor yr adroddiad gan y Comisiynydd Safonau Dros Dro mewn perthynas â chŵyn a wnaed yn erbyn Dai Lloyd AS, ynghylch defnydd amhriodol o ystâd y Senedd. Rhoddodd y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad ystyriaeth ofalus i adroddiad y comisiynydd, ac mae ein hadroddiad yn nodi barn y pwyllgor ynglŷn â'r sancsiwn sy'n briodol yn yr achos hwn.
Mae'r ffeithiau sy'n ymwneud â'r gŵyn, a rhesymau'r pwyllgor dros yr argymhelliad, wedi'u nodi'n llawn yn adroddiad y pwyllgor. Mae'r cynnig a gyflwynwyd yn gwahodd y Senedd i gymeradwyo argymhelliad y pwyllgor.