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Rydym yn cyhoeddi’r datganiad hwn yn ystod y toriad er mwyn i chithau’r aelodau gael gwybod y diweddaraf am y mater hwn.  Os carai aelodau imi wneud datganiad arall neu ateb cwestiynau ar ôl i’r Cynulliad ailymgynnull, byddaf yn fwy na pharod i wneud hynny. 

Pan ddechreuais ar fy swydd llynedd, gofynnodd Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig imi am fy nghaniatâd i ddileu’r Bwrdd Cyflogau Amaethyddol (AWB) o dan ddarpariaethau’r Ddeddf Cyrff Cyhoeddus.  Rwyf eisoes wedi cyhoeddi datganiadau ynghylch pwysigrwydd swyddogaethau’r Bwrdd ac nid wyf am ailadrodd y manylion yn y datganiad hwn.   Mae cynrychiolwyr y byd ffermio yng Nghymru yn cydnabod y Bwrdd fel cyfrwng syml a theg i ddatrys anghydfodau ynghylch cyflogau ac amodau gwaith ac i wella sgiliau o fewn y sector amaethyddol.  Mae ffigurau DEFRA ei hun yn awgrymu y byddai dileu’r Bwrdd yn effeithio ar 12,500 o weithwyr yng Nghymru. 

Dywedais felly wrth lywodraeth y DU ein bod am weld cadw swyddogaethau’r AWB yng Nghymru.  Dywedais fod ffordd hawdd o wneud hynny a fyddai’n bodloni agendâu polisi Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU, sef trwy wneud gorchymyn o dan y Ddeddf Cyrff Cyhoeddus a fyddai’n dileu’r Bwrdd yn Lloegr ac yn ein galluogi i wneud trefniadau gwahanol ar gyfer Cymru.

Rwyf wedi dadlau fy achos mewn sawl cyfarfod â Gweinidogion y DU ers hynny ond mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi gwrthod fy nghais bob tro ac i goroni’r mater, maent wedi mynd ati yn awr i gynnal ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus yng Nghymru a Lloegr ynghylch ei bwriad i ddileu’r Bwrdd, hynny heb roi gwybod i Lywodraeth Cymru a heb ddefnyddio’r Gymraeg yn unrhyw un o’i dogfennau ymgynghori. 

Yr wythnos hon, er i Lywodraeth Cymru barhau i wasgu ar y mater, mae Llywodraeth y DU, er mwyn rhoi darpariaethau ger bron i ddileu’r WAB yng Nghymru a Lloegr, wedi cyflwyno gwelliant i’r Bil Menter a Diwygio Rheoleiddio.  Dyma gynnig digywilydd i osgoir gofynion ynghylch gofyn caniatâd y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol a Gweinidogion.  I’w ddileu o dan Adran 9 y Ddeddf Cyrff Cyhoeddus, byddai wedi gorfod gofyn am y caniatâd hwnnw.  Mae Llywodraeth y DU, trwy gymryd y camau hyn, wedi mynd yn groes i Agenda Parchu Llywodraeth Cymru y mae’n honni ei bod yn cadw ati. 

Byddaf yn awr yn ystyried y sefyllfa ac yn penderfynu beth i’w wneud nesaf yn fuan yn y Flwyddyn Newydd. 







Translation:


 
This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep members informed.  Should members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Assembly returns I would be happy to do so.


When I came into office last year I was asked by the UK Government for my consent to the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) under the provisions of the Public Bodies Act.  I have previously issued statements about the importance I place upon the functions of the AWB and do not intend to go over these in detail in this statement.  The AWB’s role in offering a simple and fair resolution of salary and working conditions and to promote upskilling within the agricultural sector is widely recognised by farming representatives in Wales. DEFRA’s own figures suggest that 12,500 workers in Wales would be affected by its abolition.  


Therefore I expressed to the UK government my wish to retain the functions of the AWB in Wales and requested that this should be done in a simple way that met both the Welsh and UK governments’ policy agendas by making provision under a Public Bodies Act order which could both abolish the AWB in relation to England and enable different arrangements to be made for Wales.  The UK Government continued to turn down this request and furthermore launched a public consultation across England and Wales on its intention to abolish the Board without proper prior notification to the Welsh Government and without using the Welsh language in any of its consultation documentation.  


The UK Government has not been willing to enter serious negotiations. Over the past 18 months I have met no fewer than  eight UK Ministers in an effort to find a resolution to this matter. This is highly unsatisfactory.  At my most recent meetings, in the last two months, the UK Government agreed to further discussions. It was therefore extremely disappointing to discover  late on December 19 that, without any further notification or correspondence, amendments had been laid in the House of Lords to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill to bring forward provisions to abolish the AWB in England and Wales.  This circumvents the provisions requiring National Assembly consent in Section 9 of the Public Bodies Act and undermines confidence that the UK Government is serious about its respect agenda towards the Welsh Government.  In turn, it deprives the Welsh Government of the opportunity to consult the National Assembly as we would have wished to do.


I have asked by officials to work urgently on this matter and I will make a further statement following the Christmas recess.