English: We already have a very comprehensive adaptations programme in Wales. They do involve local government, local housing associations, and care and repair agencies across Wales. Together, our total annual spend is around £60 million. All providers are required to adhere to the housing adaptations service standards that we issued in 2019. These include target waiting times for different kinds of adaptations. We are also now reporting annually on the performance of providers, and we will shortly be issuing the report for 2019-20, which will include comparisons with previous years for the first time. I do want to say at this point that I do understand, of course, that the pandemic has slowed this down, as Nick said. But, just be clear, we have been encouraging people where at all possible to continue with care and repair adaptations right through the pandemic. There have, of course, been areas where somebody is self-isolating or the person hasn't been happy with the work going on in their home, but ,just to be clear, we have been encouraging the work to continue all the way through. We continue to refine and improve the data monitoring. I've met myself with Care & Repair a number of times around what data we capture, and, from next year, we will have sufficient data to move to a dashboard, which will clearly highlight key trends, including waiting times. Again, as Nick said, adaptations are mostly small. The most significant group of adaptations by value is medium-sized adaptations. These include the most common adaptations that were also mentioned - stairlifts, walk-in showers, downstairs wet rooms and large ramps, or combinations of those types of adaptation. On average, a median adaptation takes around four months to be complete. There are only a small number of very large adaptations each year. They involve substantial alterations to the property, including extensions that require planning permission. Not surprisingly, therefore, these take longer to complete due to the complexity, and the average is about 40 weeks. For many people, this is an acceptable timescale for major changes to their home, but I can fully understand, in the case of a person diagnosed with MND, 40 weeks can be a very long time indeed. Most medium and large adaptations are currently provided through the mandatory disabled facilities grant, which is administered, as Nick said, by local authorities from their capital funding settlement. In 2018-19, local authorities spent around £22 million on DFGs, providing improvements to just over 4,000 properties. In over 90 per cent of cases, the grant fully covered the cost of the works. DFGs in Wales are more generous than in the rest of the UK. In Wales, the upper limit that the local authority is required to fund is £36,000. This compares with £30,000 in other parts of the UK. If the adaptation costs more than £36,000, local authorities already have the discretion to provide a top-up from their own funds. In 2018-19, two thirds of them did so, spending over £2 million. Local authorities can also make top-ups from the Welsh Government Enable grant, which gives them an additional £4 million of flexibility each year. The most complex and costly cases can be the most pressing and urgent, such as building an extension to enable someone with MND to continue to live independently. However, due to the large sums of money involved and the financial pressures on families in need, this can also be difficult and time-consuming to resolve. As Nick rightly said, this is against what we're all trying to achieve. So, because of that, I amended the guidance for the integrated care fund capital programme for 2021-22, which I issued in January. The regional partnership boards are now able to use their discretion to meet the additional costs of adaptations that cost more than £36,000. I will be monitoring how much use is made of this flexibility as we go forward but, as we all know, DFGs don't always run as smoothly as they might, and this has been a matter of ongoing concern. For example, we know the means test can lead to delays, even though only 307 out of over 4,000 DFGs in 2018-19 led to the householder making any contribution. This begs the question whether there is justification for conducting a means test in the vast majority of cases. So, I have recently received the research that I commissioned on the means test and disabled facilities grant that Nick also mentioned. The research will be published very shortly, and I hope to make an announcement in the very near future about steps we can take as a result of that research to address that issue. Planning is also said to be another cause of delay, but planning permission is only required for the largest adaptations that are not covered by permitted development rights. For the majority of large adaptations, planning should normally be granted within eight weeks, but we know it can take longer and some councils perform better than others. So, if people who are suffering from NMD are currently experiencing particular problems with planning, I would really welcome further information on that. So, Nick, if you do have any information on cases of that sort, please do let me know immediately and we will see whether we can shift them for the specific cases in point. The guidance, you're right, to local authorities on DFGs has not been updated for some time, and I will consult on revised guidance shortly to ensure it deals with the issues that you've raised for the future, going forward. Can I just finish by saying that I am very grateful indeed to Nick for bringing, once again, this important subject to the floor of the Senedd? I would like to send my best wishes to all the people in Wales who have motor neurone disease and to their families, and to say that we are very grateful to have had this raised this evening, and we fully intend to make sure that people with MND can live out their lives in comfort and security with the best adaptation that we can manage. So, diolch yn fawr iawn.
Welsh: Mae gennym eisoes raglen addasiadau gynhwysfawr iawn yng Nghymru. Mae'n cynnwys llywodraeth leol, cymdeithasau tai lleol, ac asiantaethau gofal a thrwsio ledled Cymru. Gyda'i gilydd, cyfanswm ein gwariant blynyddol yw tua £60 miliwn. Mae'n ofynnol i bob darparwr gadw at safonau gwasanaeth addasiadau tai a gyhoeddwyd gennym yn 2019. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys amseroedd aros targed ar gyfer gwahanol fathau o addasiadau. Rydym bellach yn adrodd yn flynyddol ar berfformiad darparwyr hefyd, a chyn bo hir byddwn yn cyhoeddi'r adroddiad ar gyfer 2019-20, a fydd yn cynnwys cymariaethau â blynyddoedd blaenorol am y tro cyntaf. Rwyf am ddweud ar y pwynt hwn fy mod yn deall, wrth gwrs, fod y pandemig wedi arafu hyn, fel y dywedodd Nick. Ond i fod yn glir, rydym wedi bod yn annog pobl lle bo hynny'n bosibl o gwbl i barhau ag addasiadau gofal ac atgyweirio drwy gydol y pandemig. Wrth gwrs, cafwyd mannau lle mae rhywun yn hunanynysu neu os nad yw'r unigolyn wedi bod yn hapus i waith ddigwydd yn ei gartref, ond i fod yn glir, rydym wedi bod yn annog y gwaith i barhau yr holl ffordd drwodd. Rydym yn parhau i fireinio a gwella'r gwaith o fonitro data. Rwyf wedi cyfarfod â Gofal a Thrwsio yn bersonol nifer o weithiau i drafod pa ddata rydym yn ei gasglu, ac o'r flwyddyn nesaf ymlaen, bydd gennym ddigon o ddata i symud at ddangosfwrdd, a fydd yn amlygu tueddiadau allweddol yn glir, gan gynnwys amseroedd aros. Unwaith eto, fel y dywedodd Nick, mae addasiadau'n fach ar y cyfan. Y grŵp mwyaf sylweddol o addasiadau yn ôl eu gwerth yw addasiadau canolig eu maint. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys yr addasiadau mwyaf cyffredin a grybwyllwyd hefyd - lifftiau grisiau, cawodydd cerdded i mewn, ystafelloedd gwlyb ar y llawr isaf a rampiau mawr, neu gyfuniadau o'r mathau hynny o addasiadau. Ar gyfartaledd, mae addasiad canolig yn cymryd tua phedwar mis i'w gwblhau. Dim ond nifer fach o addasiadau mawr iawn a wneir bob blwyddyn. Maent yn cynnwys newidiadau sylweddol i'r eiddo, gan gynnwys estyniadau y mae angen caniatâd cynllunio ar eu cyfer. Nid yw'n syndod, felly, fod y rhain yn cymryd mwy o amser i'w cwblhau oherwydd y cymhlethdod, a'r cyfartaledd yw tua 40 wythnos. I lawer o bobl, mae hon yn amserlen dderbyniol ar gyfer newidiadau mawr i'w cartref, ond gallaf ddeall yn iawn, yn achos unigolyn sydd wedi cael diagnosis o MND, y gall 40 wythnos fod yn amser hir iawn wir. Darperir y rhan fwyaf o addasiadau canolig a mawr ar hyn o bryd drwy'r grant cyfleusterau i'r anabl gorfodol, a weinyddir, fel y dywedodd Nick, gan awdurdodau lleol o'u setliad cyllid cyfalaf. Yn 2018-19, gwariodd awdurdodau lleol tua £22 miliwn ar grantiau cyfleusterau i'r anabl, gan ddarparu gwelliannau i ychydig dros 4,000 eiddo. Mewn dros 90 y cant o'r achosion, roedd y grant yn talu cost y gwaith yn llawn. Mae grantiau cyfleusterau i'r anabl yng Nghymru yn fwy hael nag yng ngweddill y DU. Yng Nghymru, y terfyn uchaf y mae'n ofynnol i'r awdurdod lleol ei ariannu yw £36,000. Mae hyn yn cymharu â £30,000 mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU. Os yw'r addasiad yn costio mwy na £36,000, mae gan awdurdodau lleol ddisgresiwn eisoes i ddarparu arian ychwanegol o'u harian eu hunain. Yn 2018-19, gwnaeth dwy ran o dair ohonynt hynny, gan wario dros £2 filiwn. Gall awdurdodau lleol wneud taliadau ychwanegol hefyd o grant Hwyluso Llywodraeth Cymru, sy'n rhoi £4 miliwn ychwanegol o hyblygrwydd iddynt bob blwyddyn. Mae'n bosibl mai'r achosion mwyaf cymhleth a chostus fydd y rhai mwyaf dwys, lle ceir y brys mwyaf, megis adeiladu estyniad i alluogi rhywun ag MND i barhau i fyw'n annibynnol. Fodd bynnag, oherwydd y symiau mawr o arian sydd ynghlwm wrth hynny a'r pwysau ariannol ar deuluoedd mewn angen, gall yr achosion hyn fod yn anodd hefyd a chymryd llawer o amser i'w datrys. Fel y dywedodd Nick yn gywir, mae hyn yn erbyn yr hyn rydym i gyd yn ceisio'i gyflawni. Felly, oherwydd hynny, diwygiais ganllawiau rhaglen gyfalaf y gronfa gofal integredig ar gyfer 2021-22 a gyhoeddais ym mis Ionawr. Bellach, gall y byrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol ddefnyddio'u disgresiwn i dalu costau ychwanegol addasiadau sy'n costio mwy na £36,000. Byddaf yn monitro faint o ddefnydd a wneir o'r hyblygrwydd hwn wrth i ni symud ymlaen ond fel y gŵyr pawb ohonom, nid yw grantiau cyfleusterau i'r anabl bob amser yn rhedeg mor llyfn ag y gallent, ac mae hyn wedi bod yn destun pryder parhaus. Er enghraifft, gwyddom y gall y prawf modd arwain at oedi, er mai dim ond 307 o dros 4,000 o grantiau cyfleusterau i'r anabl yn 2018-19 a arweiniodd at ddeiliaid tai yn gwneud unrhyw gyfraniad. Mae hyn yn codi cwestiwn ynglŷn ag a oes cyfiawnhad dros gynnal prawf modd yn y mwyafrif llethol o achosion. Felly, mae'r ymchwil a gomisiynais wedi dod i law yn ddiweddar ar y prawf modd a'r grant cyfleusterau i'r anabl y soniodd Nick amdano. Bydd yr ymchwil yn cael ei chyhoeddi'n fuan iawn, ac rwy'n gobeithio gwneud cyhoeddiad yn y dyfodol agos iawn am y camau y gallwn eu cymryd o ganlyniad i'r ymchwil i fynd i'r afael â'r mater hwnnw. Dywedir bod cynllunio hefyd yn peri oedi, ond dim ond ar gyfer yr addasiadau mwyaf nad ydynt yn dod o dan hawliau datblygu a ganiateir y bydd angen caniatâd cynllunio. Ar gyfer y rhan fwyaf o addasiadau mawr, dylid rhoi caniatâd cynllunio fel arfer o fewn wyth wythnos, ond gwyddom y gall gymryd mwy o amser ac mae rhai cynghorau'n perfformio'n well nag eraill. Felly, os yw pobl sy'n dioddef o MND yn cael problemau penodol gyda chynllunio ar hyn o bryd, byddwn yn croesawu rhagor o wybodaeth am hynny. Felly, Nick, os oes gennych unrhyw wybodaeth am achosion o'r fath, rhowch wybod imi ar unwaith i ni gael gweld a allwn eu symud yn eu blaenau ar gyfer yr achosion penodol hynny. Rydych yn llygad eich lle, nid yw'r canllawiau i awdurdodau lleol ar grantiau cyfleusterau i'r anabl wedi'u diweddaru ers peth amser, a byddaf yn ymgynghori ar ganllawiau diwygiedig cyn bo hir i sicrhau eu bod yn ymdrin â'r materion rydych wedi'u codi ar gyfer y dyfodol. A gaf fi orffen drwy ddweud fy mod yn hynod ddiolchgar i Nick am ddod â'r pwnc pwysig hwn, unwaith eto, i lawr y Senedd? Hoffwn anfon fy nymuniadau gorau at yr holl bobl yng Nghymru sydd â chlefyd niwronau motor ac at eu teuluoedd, a dweud ein bod yn ddiolchgar iawn fod hyn wedi'i godi heno, ac rydym yn llawn fwriadu sicrhau bod pobl ag MND yn gallu byw gweddill eu bywydau mewn cysur a diogelwch gyda'r addasiad gorau y gallwn ei wneud. Felly, diolch yn fawr iawn.