English: Last December we marked the international day of disabled people's rights, and I made a statement then, highlighting how the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on disabled people, which has exasperated existing inequalities. This debate goes beyond that, and before the pandemic, in terms of policy actions that we want to take together. I will say, in terms of the pandemic, there's no doubt that deaf people have been adversely affected by the pandemic, having to face COVID-19-related restrictions that have limited everyday use of BSL, and this has been acknowledged tonight, hasn't it, Mark, in terms of not being able to use BSL for this particular debate? But I'm really glad that it's going to be used following the debate. In terms of our disability equality forum, which I chair: meeting very frequently during the course of the pandemic; trying to respond appropriately to the matters affecting disabled people as well; and meeting with the representatives from organisations that support deaf people. Deaf people themselves, crucially, are part of that forum. Some are also members of the steering group, which you brought forward in your questions to me this afternoon, Mark, which developed the report 'Locked Out: Liberating disabled people's lives and rights in Wales beyond Covid-19', which we commissioned as part of the forum's work, and it does focus, that report, on the stark inequities that disabled people face, but also highlights the barriers that affect deaf people and the use of BSL. We've got to acknowledge, alongside the use of BSL, of course, the impact this would have in relation to lip speakers and lip readers. It's a very sobering report. I'm glad you also brought it to the attention of other Senedd Members today and in this debate. We have the disability rights taskforce, and they will - . Obviously, this debate, I'm sure, will be important evidence to feed into that, because it's going to take forward the recommendations of the report - the taskforce - and it does contain findings and recommendations in relation to the experiences of deaf people through the course of the pandemic. Last year we did, as a Welsh Government, commission the British Deaf Association to undertake a BSL audit report. This has been acknowledged tonight. The report's findings and recommendations, which, clearly, I'll be sharing with you, will also provide a very useful framework in terms of responding as well to the 'Locked out' report, the specific support we need for deaf people, which we can build into the work programme of the disability rights taskforce. I've mentioned it's had its inaugural meeting. It's made up of people and organisations with lived experience, expertise and capacity to leave a long-lasting change from across Wales. We would look to translate research reports into practical and sustainable actions, improving outcomes, changing things for the better for disabled and deaf people across Wales. Of course, this is all based and underpinned by the social model of disability, recognising that society's values, behaviours, structures, social and economic policies and built environments - they disable people, and the 'Locked out' report has laid this work bare in terms of the need to ensure long-term change. BSL is an essential means of communication with deaf people that enables effective social inclusion and access to services. In 2004 the Welsh Government formally recognised BSL as a language in its own right. We recognise the importance of accessible communications. We're the first Government in the UK to ensure our COVID-19 press conferences include the presence of a BSL interpreter. The accessible communications group was also established to overcome barriers and improve access to information, and that's been invaluable. We need much more to be done to co-ordinate an approach to promotion of support for BSL. We're committed to doing this, we're committed to the development of a BSL charter, and once the audit process is finalised, we anticipate signing up to the British Deaf Association's BSL charter. This would allow us to lead by example, and hopefully the Commission can come alongside Welsh Government in terms of signing up to this. I want to just also say that we do recognise the mental health delivery, the all-Wales deaf mental health and well-being group, and recognise the report that Mark Isherwood has highlighted tonight, entitled 'Deaf People Wales: Hidden Inequality'. I have asked officials to consider the findings as part of the work towards the implementation of 'Together for Mental Health', and the framework of action for Wales, the integrated framework of care and support for people who are deaf or living with hearing loss. We have to mainstream this clearly into health and social care, and not just health and social care but across Welsh Government in terms of access to housing, transport, education - across the board. There is a lot more that I could say tonight in terms of how we're moving this forward, but I would say the framework of action for 2017-20, the integrated framework of care and support for people who are deaf or living with hearing loss, has been extended to 2023. This is going to steer - not just guide but steer - the outcomes of provision in terms of care and support across Wales. And we work closely, particularly with health boards, to ensure communication of information on health needs for people with a sensory loss are being met in line with the Equality Act 2010, as set out in the all-Wales standards. So, can I just finally say we're committed as a Welsh Government to the advancement and strengthening of equality and human rights for people in Wales? I welcome the opportunity to debate today the inequalities faced by deaf people. We've heard what is under way to address these and how we can build on what's working, what more needs to be done to remove barriers that society puts in place, and we're also pleased that there's evidently a strong commitment here cross-party to tackle disability discrimination. As there is with all inequalities, it takes collective commitment and the energy of all leaders and communities across Wales to ensure sustained improvements and better outcomes for all the citizens of Wales. Diolch yn fawr i chi i gyd. Thank you to you all.
Welsh: Fis Rhagfyr diwethaf, gwnaethom nodi diwrnod rhyngwladol hawliau pobl anabl, a gwneuthum ddatganiad bryd hynny, yn tynnu sylw at y ffordd y mae'r pandemig COVID-19 wedi cael effaith ddinistriol ar bobl anabl, gan waethygu anghydraddoldebau a oedd eisoes yn bodoli. Mae'r ddadl hon yn mynd y tu hwnt i hynny, a chyn y pandemig, o ran camau polisi rydym am eu cymryd gyda'n gilydd. O ran y pandemig, nid oes amheuaeth nad yw wedi effeithio'n andwyol ar bobl fyddar, wrth iddynt orfod wynebu cyfyngiadau'n gysylltiedig â COVID-19 sydd wedi cyfyngu ar y defnydd o ddydd i ddydd o BSL, ac mae hyn wedi'i gydnabod heno, onid yw, Mark, yn y ffordd y methwyd defnyddio BSL ar gyfer y ddadl hon? Ond rwy'n falch iawn y bydd yn cael ei defnyddio yn dilyn y ddadl. O ran ein fforwm cydraddoldeb i bobl anabl, a gadeirir gennyf: cyfarfod yn aml iawn yn ystod y pandemig; ceisio ymateb yn briodol i'r materion sy'n effeithio ar bobl anabl hefyd; a chyfarfod â chynrychiolwyr sefydliadau sy'n cefnogi pobl fyddar. Mae pobl fyddar eu hunain, yn hollbwysig, yn rhan o'r fforwm hwnnw. Mae rhai hefyd yn aelodau o'r grŵp llywio, y sonioch chi amdano yn eich cwestiynau i mi y prynhawn yma, Mark, y grŵp llywio a ddatblygodd yr adroddiad 'Drws ar Glo: Datgloi bywydau a hawliau pobl anabl yng Nghymru ar ôl COVID-19', a gomisiynwyd gennym fel rhan o waith y fforwm, ac mae'r adroddiad hwnnw'n canolbwyntio ar yr annhegwch amlwg y mae pobl anabl yn ei wynebu, ond mae hefyd yn tynnu sylw at y rhwystrau sy'n effeithio ar bobl fyddar a'r defnydd o BSL. Mae'n rhaid inni gydnabod, ochr yn ochr â'r defnydd o BSL, wrth gwrs, yr effaith y byddai hyn yn ei chael mewn perthynas â siaradwyr gwefusau a darllenwyr gwefusau. Mae'n adroddiad sobreiddiol iawn. Rwy'n falch eich bod wedi tynnu sylw Aelodau eraill o'r Senedd ato heddiw ac yn y ddadl hon. Mae gennym y tasglu hawliau anabledd, a byddant - . Yn amlwg, bydd y ddadl hon, rwy'n siŵr, yn dystiolaeth bwysig i fwydo i mewn i hynny, oherwydd mae'n mynd i fwrw ymlaen ag argymhellion yr adroddiad - y tasglu - ac mae'n cynnwys canfyddiadau ac argymhellion mewn perthynas â phrofiadau pobl fyddar yn ystod y pandemig. Y llynedd, fel Llywodraeth Cymru, fe wnaethom gomisiynu Cymdeithas Pobl Fyddar Prydain i gynnal adroddiad archwilio ar BSL. Cafodd hynny ei gydnabod heno. Hefyd, bydd canfyddiadau ac argymhellion yr adroddiad, y byddaf yn eu rhannu gyda chi wrth gwrs, yn darparu fframwaith defnyddiol iawn ar gyfer ymateb i'r adroddiad 'Drws ar Glo', y cymorth penodol rydym ei angen ar gyfer pobl fyddar, y gallwn ei gynnwys yn rhaglen waith y tasglu hawliau anabledd. Rwyf wedi sôn ei fod wedi cael ei gyfarfod cyntaf. Mae'n cynnwys pobl a sefydliadau o bob rhan o Gymru sydd â phrofiad bywyd, arbenigedd a gallu i greu newid hirhoedlog. Byddem yn ceisio trosi adroddiadau ymchwil yn gamau gweithredu ymarferol a chynaliadwy, gan wella canlyniadau a newid pethau er gwell i bobl anabl a phobl fyddar ledled Cymru. Wrth gwrs, mae hyn i gyd wedi'i seilio ar y model cymdeithasol o anabledd, i gydnabod bod gwerthoedd, ymddygiadau a strwythurau cymdeithas, polisïau cymdeithasol ac economaidd ac amgylcheddau adeiledig - maent yn analluogi pobl, ac mae'r adroddiad 'Drws ar Glo' wedi datgelu'r gwaith sydd ei angen i sicrhau newid hirdymor. Mae BSL yn ffordd allweddol o gyfathrebu â phobl fyddar sy'n galluogi cynhwysiant cymdeithasol effeithiol a mynediad at wasanaethau. Yn 2004, fe wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru gydnabod BSL yn ffurfiol fel iaith yn ei hawl ei hun. Rydym yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd cyfathrebu hygyrch. Ni yw'r Llywodraeth gyntaf yn y DU i sicrhau bod ein cynadleddau i'r wasg ar COVID-19 yn cynnwys dehonglwr BSL. Sefydlwyd y grŵp cyfathrebu hygyrch hefyd i oresgyn rhwystrau a gwella mynediad at wybodaeth, ac mae hynny wedi bod yn amhrisiadwy. Mae angen gwneud llawer mwy i gydlynu dull o hyrwyddo cefnogaeth i BSL. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i wneud hyn, rydym wedi ymrwymo i ddatblygu siarter BSL, a phan fydd y broses archwilio wedi'i chwblhau, rydym yn rhagweld y byddwn yn ymrwymo i siarter BSL Cymdeithas Pobl Fyddar Prydain. Byddai hyn yn ein galluogi i arwain drwy esiampl, a gobeithio y gall y Comisiwn ymrwymo i hyn ochr yn ochr â Llywodraeth Cymru. Hoffwn ddweud hefyd ein bod yn cydnabod y ddarpariaeth iechyd meddwl, grŵp iechyd meddwl a lles pobl fyddar Cymru, ac yn cydnabod yr adroddiad y mae Mark Isherwood wedi tynnu sylw ato heno, o'r enw 'Pobl Fyddar Cymru: Anghydraddoldeb Cudd'. Rwyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion ystyried y canfyddiadau fel rhan o'r gwaith tuag at weithredu 'Law yn Llaw at Iechyd Meddwl', a'r fframwaith gweithredu ar gyfer Cymru, y fframwaith gofal a chymorth integredig i bobl sy'n fyddar neu sy'n byw â cholled clyw. Rhaid inni brif ffrydio hyn yn glir ym maes iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, ac nid iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn unig ond ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru o ran mynediad at dai, trafnidiaeth, addysg - pob dim. Mae llawer mwy y gallwn ei ddweud heno ynglŷn â sut rydym yn symud hyn yn ei flaen, ond hoffwn ddweud bod y fframwaith gweithredu ar gyfer 2017-20, y fframwaith gofal a chymorth integredig ar gyfer pobl fyddar neu sy'n byw â cholled clyw, wedi'i ymestyn i 2023. Bydd hwn yn llywio - nid arwain yn unig ond llywio - canlyniadau'r ddarpariaeth o ran gofal a chymorth ledled Cymru. Ac rydym yn gweithio'n agos, yn enwedig gyda byrddau iechyd, i sicrhau bod gwybodaeth am anghenion iechyd pobl â nam ar y synhwyrau yn cael ei chyfleu yn unol â Deddf Cydraddoldeb 2010, fel y nodwyd yn y safonau ar gyfer Cymru. Felly, a gaf fi ddweud i orffen ein bod wedi ymrwymo fel Llywodraeth Cymru i hyrwyddo a chryfhau cydraddoldeb a hawliau dynol i bobl yng Nghymru? Rwy'n croesawu'r cyfle heddiw i drafod yr anghydraddoldebau a wynebir gan bobl fyddar. Rydym wedi clywed beth sydd ar y gweill i fynd i'r afael â'r rhain a sut y gallwn adeiladu ar yr hyn sy'n gweithio, beth arall sydd angen ei wneud i ddileu'r rhwystrau y mae cymdeithas yn eu codi, ac rydym yn falch hefyd fod ymrwymiad cryf i'w weld yma yn drawsbleidiol i fynd i'r afael â gwahaniaethu ar sail anabledd. Fel gyda phob anghydraddoldeb, mae'n cymryd ymrwymiad cyfunol ac egni pob arweinydd a chymuned ledled Cymru i sicrhau gwelliannau parhaus a gwell canlyniadau i holl ddinasyddion Cymru. Diolch yn fawr i chi i gyd.