Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
On 16 March, the Home Office announced that it would not submit a planning application to extend the use of the Penally camp to house asylum seekers. The Welsh Government welcomes this decision, which is one of both moral imperative and common sense. We have frequently raised our concerns about the safety and suitability of utilising a military camp site for those who have fled war and persecution, as well as the inadequacy of placing the site in a rural location without vital specialised services of support. We also expressed our concern that the camp was not a Covid\-19 compliant environment – despite Home Office claims to the contrary – which posed an inherent risk to the occupants and wider local community. It appears that the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration has largely vindicated our claims following his inspection which took place in February. 


Wales is a Nation of Sanctuary. We believe asylum seekers should be welcomed and supported to integrate in their new country. The Penally camp did not provide the best start for those camp residents, nor did it help to maintain a cohesive community. The manner in which the camp was opened is a case study in the opposite of how community cohesion and integration can be achieved. I am pleased to say that the men from the camp have been relocated to existing asylum areas in Wales and we continue to ensure the Home Office provides them with appropriate support.


On 18 November 2021, the Senedd debated and agreed a motion that the Home Office’s decision to accommodate asylum seekers at the Penally army camp should be reconsidered because it is an unsuitable place without access to appropriate support networks.


I want to put on record my thanks for the phenomenal professionalism and competence of our public services in the Penally area who have exceeded any expectations in dealing with such a challenging situation – especially during a pandemic.


Hywel Dda University Health Board stood up quality services in a remarkably short space of time, without prior notice or expertise in supporting asylum seekers. Pembrokeshire County Council has managed community tensions, planning processes, and many unexpected issues despite never consenting to be an asylum dispersal area.


Dyfed\-Powys Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner have demonstrated restraint and balance in the way protests have been policed and how resource issues and tensions have been raised with the UK Government. 


As always, the third sector and volunteers rose to the challenge of providing support to the residents – both for their practical and spiritual needs.  Two new third sector organisations have set up in West Wales with an aim of doing more to support people seeking sanctuary. Donations from the local community were overwhelming at times. Charities from as far afield as Newport and Cardiff offered support to those in the camp and this compassion reflects well on us as a society.


Our collective mitigating actions would not have been effective without the partnership approach undertaken by the Penally Strategic Engagement Group and Multi Agency Group, all of whom came together quickly to step up to the challenge with little experience of the asylum system. The actions of these groups helped to ensure the measures put in place at the camp were achieved at pace. The Wales Strategic Migration Partnership has played a crucial role in building and maintaining this partnership over the last 6 months.


Although the site was unsuitable, we have learned a great deal about how Welsh public services can come together to respond to urgent situations like this. Despite this, we will do everything we can to prevent another Penally\-type development opening in Wales. 


Although the provision of asylum accommodation is the responsibility of the UK Government we are working closely with Welsh local authorities to widen the asylum dispersal system to new areas. Conversations with local government have taken place throughout February in the hope that new opportunities for asylum dispersal can be found. We must do this at a pace that ensures inclusion and cohesion within communities is managed effectively and local authorities are not placed under unnecessary pressure at a financial and operational level. 


We will need the Home Office to be far more flexible in their approach to ensure local authority concerns around safeguarding, data sharing, partnership working and funding can be adequately addressed. Nevertheless, we are committed to providing support to this endeavour.







Translation:


 
Ar 16 Mawrth, cyhoeddodd Swyddfa Gartref y DU na fyddai’n cyflwyno cais cynllunio i ymestyn y defnydd o wersyll Penalun ar gyfer ceiswyr lloches. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn croesawu’r penderfyniad hwn ar sail foesol a synnwyr cyffredin. Rydym wedi codi sawl pryder ynghylch diogelwch ac addasrwydd safle gwersyll milwrol ar gyfer pobl sydd wedi ffoi rhag rhyfel ac erledigaeth, yn ogystal ag annigonolrwydd trefniant sy’n eu gosod mewn ardal wledig heb wasanaethau cymorth arbenigol hanfodol. Fe wnaethom fynegi ein pryder hefyd nad oedd y gwersyll yn amgylchedd oedd yn cydymffurfio â gofynion cyfyngiadau Covid\-19 – er gwaethaf honiadau’r Swyddfa Gartref fel arall – a oedd yn risg i’r ceiswyr lloches eu hunain a’r gymuned leol ehangach. Ymddengys fod Prif Arolygydd Annibynnol Ffiniau a Mewnfudo wedi cadarnhau ein honiadau i raddau helaeth yn dilyn ei arolygiad ym mis Chwefror.


Mae Cymru yn Genedl Noddfa. Rydym yn grediniol y dylid croesawu ceiswyr lloches a’u cefnogi i integreiddio i’w gwlad newydd. Nid oedd gwersyll Penalun yn darparu’r dechrau gorau i’r rhai a osodwyd yno, ac nid oedd y lleoliad yn gydnaws â’r elfen o gydlyniant cymunedol. Roedd y ffordd yr aethpwyd ati i agor y gwersyll yn astudiaeth achos ar gyfer sut i beidio â hybu cydlyniant ac integreiddio cymunedol. Mae'n dda gennyf gyhoeddi bod y dynion o’r gwersyll wedi cael eu hadleoli i ardaloedd lloches sydd eisoes yn bodoli yng Nghymru ac rydym yn parhau i ofalu bod y Swyddfa Gartref yn darparu cymorth priodol iddynt


Ar 18 Tachwedd 2020, trafodwyd cynnig yn y Senedd i ailystyried penderfyniad y Swyddfa Gartref i osod ceiswyr lloches yng ngwersyll lluoedd arfog Penalun am ei fod yn lle anaddas heb fynediad at y rhwydweithiau cymorth priodol, a chytunwyd ar y cynnig. 


Rwyf am gofnodi fy niolch i broffesiynoldeb a medrusrwydd aruthrol ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn ardal Penalun sydd wedi rhagori ar bob disgwyliad o ran sut y maent wedi ymdrin â sefyllfa mor heriol – yn enwedig yn ystod pandemig.


Darparodd Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda wasanaethau o ansawdd o fewn cyfnod hynod fyr, heb rybudd nac arbenigedd o ran cefnogi ceiswyr lloches. Mae Cyngor Sir Penfro wedi rheoli tensiynau cymunedol, prosesau cynllunio a llawer o faterion annisgwyl, heb gytuno erioed i fod yn ardal lleoli ceiswyr lloches.


Mae Heddlu Dyfed\-Powys a’r Comisiynydd Heddlu a Throseddu wedi arddangos hunanreolaeth a chydbwysedd wrth blismona protestiadau ac wrth drafod cwestiwn adnoddau a thensiynau gyda Llywodraeth y DU. 


Fel bob amser, ymatebodd y trydydd sector a gwirfoddolwyr i’r her o ddarparu cymorth i’r trigolion – yn ymarferol ac yn ysbrydol. Mae dau sefydliad trydydd sector newydd wedi’u sefydlu yn y Gorllewin sydd am wneud mwy i gefnogi pobl sy’n ceisio noddfa. Roedd y cyfraniadau gan y gymuned leol yn anhygoel ar adegau. Cynigiwyd cymorth i’r rheini a oedd yn y gwersyll gan elusennau o lefydd mor bell â Chasnewydd a Chaerdydd, ac mae’r empathi hwn yn adlewyrchiad da iawn ohonom fel cymdeithas. 


Ni fyddai’r camau a gymerwyd wedi bod yn effeithiol heb waith partneriaeth Grŵp Ymgysylltu Strategol a Grŵp Amlasiantaethol Penalun, a ddaeth ynghyd yn fuan i ymateb i’r her heb fawr ddim profiad o’r system loches. Fe wnaeth y grwpiau hyn helpu i sicrhau bod mesurau yn cael eu sefydlu’n gyflym yn y gwersyll. Mae Partneriaeth Ymfudo Strategol Cymru wedi chwarae rôl hollbwysig o ran adeiladu a chynnal y bartneriaeth hon dros y 6 mis diwethaf.


Er bod y safle yn anaddas, rydym wedi dysgu llawer iawn am y ffordd y gall gwasanaethau cyhoeddus Cymru ddod at ei gilydd i ymateb i sefyllfaoedd brys fel hyn. Fodd bynnag, byddwn yn gwneud ein gorau glas i atal datblygiad arall tebyg i’r un ym Mhenalun rhag agor yng Nghymru. 


Er mai cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y DU yw darparu llety lloches, rydym wrthi’n cydweithio’n agos ag awdurdodau lleol Cymru i ehangu’r system lleoli ceiswyr lloches i ardaloedd newydd. Cynhaliwyd sgyrsiau â llywodraeth leol drwy gydol mis Chwefror yn y gobaith y gellir dod o hyd i gyfleoedd newydd i leoli ceiswyr lloches. Rhaid i hyn ddigwydd mewn ffordd sy’n sicrhau bod cynhwysiant a chydlyniant o fewn cymunedau yn cael ei reoli’n effeithiol, ac na roddir awdurdodau lleol o dan bwysau diangen ar lefel ariannol a gweithredol. 


Bydd angen i’r Swyddfa Gartref fod yn llawer mwy hyblyg i sicrhau bod modd mynd i’r afael yn briodol â phryderon awdurdodau lleol ynghylch cwestiynau diogelwch, rhannu data, gwaith partneriaeth a chyllid. Serch hynny, rydym wedi ymrwymo i gefnogi’r ymdrech hon.