English: I'd like to thank Rhys ab Owen for bringing this debate forward this afternoon, giving us an opportunity, at last, to have a proper discussion on the LCM process, not that the words 'legislative consent motion' have been foreign to this Chamber. As other speakers have mentioned, the Welsh Government has tabled LCMs for 17 UK Bills within the first seven months of the sixth Senedd, which is more than any other year, with the exception of 2020. And, if we believe in devolution, and the idea that decisions about Wales should be made in Wales, and believe in this Parliament, then this should be a cause of concern for us, because it limits our powers, as a Senedd, and is, therefore, an attack on democracy. As we're all aware, committees, as we've heard from Huw Irranca-Davies and Llyr Gruffydd, have raised numerous and broad-ranging concerns about all of these issues, including the lack of background and the development of the legislation, the lack of clarity in drafting, that the proof on the requirements for LCMs are unclear, and reasons provided by Welsh Government are unclear as to provide consent or not, the views of the Welsh Government on particular clauses, the extent to which the Welsh Government has sought to amend UK Bills, and the nature of amendments sought, as well as the impact of the Bill on legislation or other key frameworks. This clearly shows, therefore, that there are a number of unresolved issues in terms of these LCMs. However, although these concerns have been raised, the Senedd hasn't had an opportunity to meaningfully scrutinise the process until today. And I would like to take the opportunity therefore to clearly express that I'm very dissatisfied with the way in which the Welsh Government has dealt with the LCM process to date. After all, we must ask why the Welsh Government chooses, time and again, to make amendments within a UK Bill, rather than bringing forward its own legislation. Is it because of lack of time, a shortage of Members or a lack of desire on the Government's part? Or are there other reasons? And what impact does this then have on scrutiny, as Members and stakeholders can't contribute and add to this legislation under this process? Where is the voice of this Senedd and the people of Wales in that process? Every time an LCM is brought forward it strengthens the dangerous precedent of providing powers to the Secretary of State, rather than to Welsh Ministers, and this isn't why people from across parties campaigned for an expansion in the powers of this Senedd. LCMs confuse a system that is already complex, and make it difficult for the people of Wales to influence the legislative process, here in Wales. I would, therefore, like to encourage my fellow Members to vote in favour of the motion today, and to take a stand against this clear threat to our democracy. The people of Wales have placed their trust in us to pass legislation in devolved areas for over 20 years, rather than the UK Government. We should therefore ensure that we deliver on their behalf, rather than handing powers back to the UK Government, which, time and time again, has shown that it cares nothing for the interests of the people of Wales.
Welsh: Hoffwn ddiolch i Rhys ab Owen am gynnig y ddadl hon heddiw, a chyfle, o'r diwedd, i ni gael trafodaeth iawn ar y broses cynigion cydsyniad deddfwriaethol, neu'r LCMs, nid bod y geiriau 'LCMs' wedi bod yn ddieithr i'r Siambr hon. Fel mae'r siaradwyr eraill wedi sôn, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gosod cynigion cydsyniad deddfwriaethol ar gyfer 17 o Filiau'r Deyrnas Unedig o fewn saith mis cyntaf y chweched Senedd, sydd yn fwy nag unrhyw flwyddyn arall, gan eithrio 2020. Ac, os ydym ni'n credu mewn datganoli, a'r syniad y dylai penderfyniadau am Gymru gael eu gwneud yng Nghymru, ac yn credu yn y Senedd hon, dylai hyn fod yn destun pryder i ni, gan ei fod yn cwtogi ar ein pwerau ni, fel Senedd, ac, felly, yn ymosodiad ar ddemocratiaeth. Fel yr ydym ni oll yn ymwybodol, mae pwyllgorau, fel rydym wedi ei glywed gan Huw Irranca-Davies a Llyr Gruffydd, wedi codi pryderon niferus ac eang ynghylch hyn oll, gan gynnwys y diffyg cefndir ac esblygiad y ddeddfwriaeth, strwythur aneglur y drafftio, bod y prawf cymhwyso ynglŷn â'r angen am gydsyniad y Senedd yn aneglur, rhesymau aneglur gan Lywodraeth Cymru dros argymell cydsyniad ai peidio, barn Llywodraeth Cymru ar gymalau penodol, y graddau mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ceisio diwygio Biliau'r Deyrnas Unedig, a natur y gwelliannau a geisir, ynghyd ag effaith y Bil ar ddeddfwriaeth neu fframweithiau allweddol eraill sy'n rhyngweithio â hwy. Dengys hyn yn glir, felly, bod amrywiaeth o faterion heb eu datrys o ran y memoranda cydsyniad deddfwriaethol. Ac eto, er bod y pryderon hyn wedi eu codi, nid yw'r Senedd wedi cael cyfle i graffu'n ystyrlon ar y broses tan heddiw. A hoffwn gymryd y cyfle felly i fynegi yn glir fy mod yn anfodlon iawn â'r ffordd mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymdrin â'r broses cynigion cydsyniad deddfwriaethol hyd yma. Wedi'r cyfan, rhaid gofyn pam bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn dewis, dro ar ôl tro, i wneud diwygiadau o fewn Bil yn y Deyrnas Unedig, yn hytrach na chyflwyno ei Bil ei hun. Ydy o oherwydd diffyg amser, diffyg Aelodau neu ddiffyg awydd? Neu a oes rhesymau amgen? A pha effaith mae hyn wedyn yn ei chael ar graffu, gan nad yw Aelodau a rhanddeiliaid yn medru cydweithio a chyfrannu i'r ddeddfwriaeth yn ôl y broses hon? Lle mae llais y Senedd hon a phobl Cymru yn y broses? Bob tro mae LCM yn cael ei gyflwyno mae'n cryfhau'r gynsail beryglus o roi pwerau i'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol, yn lle Gweinidogion Cymru, ac nid dyma pam gwnaeth pobl ar draws y pleidiau ymgyrchu am ehangu pwerau'r Senedd hon. Mae LCMs yn cymhlethu system sy'n barod yn hynod o gymhleth, ac yn ei gwneud hi'n anos i bobl Cymru ddylanwadu ar y broses ddeddfwriaethol, yma yng Nghymru. Hoffwn, felly, annog fy nghyd-Aelodau i bleidleisio o blaid cynnig y ddadl heddiw, a gwneud safiad yn erbyn y bygythiad amlwg i'n democratiaeth. Mae pobl Cymru wedi ymddiried ynom ni i basio Deddfau yn y meysydd sydd wedi eu datganoli ers dros 20 mlynedd, yn hytrach na Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig. Dylem felly sicrhau ein bod yn cyflawni ar eu rhan, yn hytrach na rhoddi grym yn ôl i Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig sydd dro ar ôl tro wedi dangos nad ydy hi'n malio dim am fuddiannau pobl Cymru.