English: Plaid Cymru, of course, believes that Welsh students should be able to study in the world's best universities and have every opportunity to live and work abroad. We also recognise that we need to tackle the problem that Wales, at the moment, is suffering a net loss of graduates, while simultaneously we do have skills gaps in crucial sectors such as medicine and the other STEM subjects. We heard reference to those yesterday and today in the Chamber. According to a report published by the Resolution Foundation in August of last year, Wales attracted almost 24,000 graduates between 2013 and 2016, but over 44,000 left. That's a deficit of 20,000. Now, the only area where that difference was greater was Yorkshire and Humberside and the northeast of England. The Diamond review has recognised, as we've already heard, quite clearly the need to attract graduates to live and work in Wales. Diamond recommended that the Welsh Government should encourage students to bring their skills back or to retain their skills here for the benefit of Wales, and he insisted that the Welsh Government should consider how this could be achieved by, for example, allowing the cancellation of student loans or cancellation in part of the loans of those working in posts in Wales where there was a need for a loan repayment. Now, we're still awaiting the Government's response to that recommendation to all intents and purposes. Now, Plaid Cymru favours a move from supporting students through the student support programme to maintenance grants, because we are aware that living costs are a barrier to many in accessing university education, and, in the long term, like everyone else would agree, I'm sure, we should ensure that there is education available free of charge for all. But the reality is that the situation persists where we have failed to tackle this brain drain as a nation. We are losing this crucial information from our economy as young people leave to study elsewhere and, far too often, they don't return.
Welsh: Mae Plaid Cymru, wrth gwrs, yn credu y dylai myfyrwyr o Gymru allu astudio ym mhrifysgolion gorau'r byd a chael pob cyfle i fyw a gweithio dramor. Rŷm ni hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn cydnabod bod angen inni fynd i'r afael â'r broblem bod Cymru ar hyn o bryd yn dioddef colled net o raddedigion, tra ar yr un pryd, wrth gwrs, rŷm ni yn dioddef bylchau mewn sgiliau mewn sectorau hanfodol megis meddygaeth a'r pynciau STEM eraill. Wrth gwrs, rŷm ni wedi clywed cyfeirio at y rheini ddoe a heddiw yn y Siambr yma. Nawr, yn ôl adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd gan y Resolution Foundation ym mis Awst y llynedd, fe ddenodd Cymru bron i 24,000 o raddedigion rhwng 2013 a 2016, ond fe adawodd dros 44,000 - gwahaniaeth o 20,000. Nawr yr unig ardaloedd lle'r oedd y gwahaniaeth hwnnw yn fwy oedd swydd Efrog a Humber a gogledd-ddwyrain Lloegr, ac mae adolygiad Diamond, wrth gwrs, wedi cydnabod, fel yr ŷm ni wedi ei glywed eisoes, yn gwbl glir yr angen i ddenu graddedigion i fyw a gweithio yng Nghymru. Argymhellodd Diamond y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru annog myfyrwyr i ddod nôl â'u sgiliau neu i gadw'u sgiliau yma er budd Cymru, ac mi fynnodd e y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ystyried sut y gellid gwneud hyn drwy, er enghraifft, ganiatáu canslo benthyciadau, neu ganslo yn rhannol benthyciadau'r rhai sy'n gweithio mewn swyddi yng Nghymru a oedd yn gofyn am ad-daliad benthyciad. Wrth gwrs, rŷm ni'n dal i ddisgwyl am ymateb y Llywodraeth i'r argymhelliad hwnnw i bob pwrpas. Nawr, mae Plaid Cymru yn ffafrio symud o gefnogi myfyrwyr trwy'r grant ffioedd dysgu i grantiau cynnal a chadw, gan ein bod ni'n ymwybodol o bwysau'r costau byw yna sydd yn rhwystr i lawer rhag cael addysg brifysgol ac, yn yr hirdymor, wrth gwrs, fel pawb arall, rydw i'n siŵr, credu y dylai'r nod fod sicrhau addysg am ddim i bawb. Ond y realiti yw bod y sefyllfa'n dal i fod lle'r ydym ni wedi methu â mynd i'r afael fel gwlad â cholli'r sgiliau yma, colli'r gallu, colli'r wybodaeth hanfodol yma o'n heconomi ni wrth i bobl ifainc adael i astudio mewn mannau eraill ac, yn rhy aml o lawer, wrth gwrs, peidio â dychwelyd.