English: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Could I begin by thanking both Vikki and Mick for their contributions this afternoon? Many of the issues facing our Valleys communities are deep-seated and longstanding, as outlined by Vikki in her speech. They are the result of generational changes and will take time to reverse, and part of the challenge is to think about how we can futureproof our economy for the challenges of tomorrow. This Government signified the importance of the old coalfield communities when, in 2016, it established the ministerial taskforce for the south Wales Valleys under the leadership of my good friend Alun Davies, the Member for Blaenau Gwent. I remember many conversations at that time with Alun about the role of education, lifelong learning and skills, and I will touch upon aspects of my portfolio later on in my remarks. The broad aim of the taskforce was to lead a long-term piece of work to deliver real change by creating good quality jobs closer to people's homes, improving people's skills and bringing prosperity to all, with local communities and local people at the heart of that work, finding solutions for themselves rather than having solutions imposed upon them. It wanted to build on the strengths of the Valleys, including its unique and breathtaking natural surroundings - and of course, Deputy Presiding Officer, I see that every day as I travel down from Brecon to the Senedd. What many people perhaps will fail to realise is that, even in my own constituency, which many people would regard as a rural constituency, actually, I have ex-coal-mining communities in Brecon and Radnorshire in the upper reaches of the Swansea valley, in places like Ystradgynlais and Coelbren and Abercrave. But we are aware that, within that beauty, there is still the challenge of renewal, of economy, of culture, of democracy and debate. I know that the current Deputy Minister is adamant that we also include the environment, the culture and green spaces in this work, as they have the potential to boost community well-being in the widest possible sense. If I can now turn to specifics of investment, the Deputy Minister has announced funding worth £650,000 in Caerphilly. Williams Medical Supplies, for instance, will see 91 new jobs created in Rhymney. This funding has secured and created really good employment opportunities, and the company has shown its commitment to our economic contract and invested in improving its green credentials. William Hare Ltd, an international company that engineers steel solutions for innovative construction projects worldwide, are putting in over £10 million for the acquisition and the development of their Risca site, with the Welsh Government providing £350,000 to support the company's plans. This will result in the creation of 100 new jobs over the next two years, alongside the expansion of facilities, improved manufacturing capabilities, more apprenticeships and using local suppliers, which will be a real boost to the foundational economy, which, as Vikki rightly said, is hugely important. And a key part of our approach to enabling long-term change is the Tech Valleys programme. Our aim was to encourage the adoption of digital technologies and developing high-value advanced technologies that support cutting-edge industries. Now, it's true to say that the global slow down in the automotive industry in particular has meant that progress has not been as extensive as we would have hoped. Two key strands for the future delivery of the Tech Valleys programme have been identified: (1) to continue to attract and develop cutting-edge global technology organisations and (2) to assist existing local businesses to improve their processes, apply technology, and to develop higher-value products and diversify their customer base so that they are futureproofed.
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A gaf fi ddechrau drwy ddiolch i Vikki a Mick am eu cyfraniadau y prynhawn yma? Mae llawer o'r materion sy'n wynebu ein cymunedau yn y Cymoedd wedi'u gwreiddio'n ddwfn ac yn hirsefydledig, fel yr amlinellodd Vikki yn ei haraith. Maent yn deillio o newidiadau o un genhedlaeth i'r llall a byddant yn cymryd amser i'w gwrthdroi, a rhan o'r her yw meddwl sut y gallwn ddiogelu ein heconomi at y dyfodol ar gyfer heriau yfory. Dynododd y Llywodraeth hon bwysigrwydd yr hen gymunedau glofaol pan sefydlodd y tasglu gweinidogol ar gyfer Cymoedd y de yn 2016, o dan arweiniad fy nghyfaill, Alun Davies, yr Aelod dros Flaenau Gwent. Cofiaf lawer o sgyrsiau bryd hynny gydag Alun am rôl addysg, dysgu gydol oes a sgiliau, ac fe soniaf am agweddau ar fy mhortffolio yn nes ymlaen yn fy sylwadau. Nod cyffredinol y tasglu oedd arwain gwaith hirdymor i sicrhau newid gwirioneddol drwy greu swyddi o ansawdd da yn agosach at gartrefi pobl, gwella sgiliau pobl a dod â ffyniant i bawb, gyda chymunedau lleol a phobl leol yn ganolog i'r gwaith hwnnw, dod o hyd i atebion iddynt hwy eu hunain yn hytrach na gorfodi atebion arnynt. Roedd am adeiladu ar gryfderau'r Cymoedd, gan gynnwys ei hamgylchedd naturiol unigryw ac ysblennydd - ac wrth gwrs, Ddirprwy Lywydd, gwelaf hynny bob dydd wrth imi deithio o Aberhonddu i'r Senedd. Yr hyn y bydd llawer o bobl heb sylweddoli o bosibl yw bod gennyf, hyd yn oed yn fy etholaeth i, y byddai llawer o bobl yn ei hystyried yn etholaeth wledig, hen gymunedau glofaol ym Mrycheiniog a Maesyfed yn rhannau uchaf Cwm Tawe, mewn lleoedd fel Ystradgynlais a'r Coelbren ac Aber-craf. Ond rydym yn ymwybodol, o fewn y prydferthwch hwnnw, fod yna her o hyd o ran adfer, economi, diwylliant, democratiaeth a thrafodaeth. Gwn fod y Dirprwy Weinidog presennol yn benderfynol ein bod hefyd yn cynnwys yr amgylchedd, y diwylliant a mannau gwyrdd yn y gwaith hwn, gan fod ganddynt botensial i hybu lles cymunedol yn yr ystyr ehangaf posibl. Os caf droi yn awr at fanylion buddsoddi, mae'r Dirprwy Weinidog wedi cyhoeddi cyllid gwerth £650,000 yng Nghaerffili. Bydd 91 o swyddi newydd yn cael eu creu yn Rhymni gan Williams Medical Supplies. Mae'r cyllid hwn wedi sicrhau a chreu cyfleoedd cyflogaeth gwirioneddol dda, ac mae'r cwmni wedi dangos ei ymrwymiad i'n contract economaidd ac wedi buddsoddi i wella ei gymwysterau gwyrdd. Mae William Hare Ltd, cwmni rhyngwladol sy'n cynllunio datrysiadau dur ar gyfer prosiectau adeiladu arloesol ledled y byd, yn rhoi dros £10 miliwn ar gyfer caffael a datblygu eu safle yn Rhisga, gyda Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu £350,000 i gefnogi cynlluniau'r cwmni. Bydd hyn yn arwain at greu 100 o swyddi newydd dros y ddwy flynedd nesaf, ynghyd ag ehangu cyfleusterau, gwella galluoedd gweithgynhyrchu, mwy o brentisiaethau a defnyddio cyflenwyr lleol, a fydd yn hwb gwirioneddol i'r economi sylfaenol, rhywbeth sydd, fel y mae Vikki yn gywir i ddweud, yn hynod bwysig. Ac un rhan allweddol o'n dull o alluogi newid hirdymor yw'r rhaglen Cymoedd Technoleg. Ein nod oedd annog mabwysiadu technolegau digidol a datblygu technolegau uwch o werth uchel sy'n cefnogi diwydiannau sydd ar flaen y gad. Nawr, mae'n wir i ddweud bod yr arafu byd-eang yn y diwydiant modurol yn arbennig wedi golygu na fu'r cynnydd mor helaeth ag y byddem wedi gobeithio. Nodwyd dwy elfen allweddol ar gyfer darparu'r rhaglen Cymoedd Technoleg yn y dyfodol: (1) parhau i ddenu a datblygu sefydliadau technoleg byd-eang arloesol a (2) cynorthwyo busnesau lleol sy'n bodoli eisoes i wella eu prosesau, cymhwyso technoleg, a datblygu cynhyrchion gwerth uwch ac arallgyfeirio eu sylfaen gwsmeriaid fel eu bod wedi'u diogelu ar gyfer y dyfodol.