English: I'd like to take the opportunity today just to raise a few concerns regarding the regulations laid before us. As the Minister explained, the fee that can be charged for the appointment of an independent arbitrator has not been updated since 1996, so it's proposed that it will rise from £115 to £195. While we're not talking about big bucks here, it's still a huge percentage increase, especially at a time of high input costs and inflation. So, I'd question if the timing is right. Tenant farmers are suffering because of rent increases as well as input costs for their businesses. Should this therefore not be delayed until after the current economic crisis, or indeed taper the increase? The Welsh Government have stated that they have consulted with members of the tenancy reform industry group, but is that consultation representative of the body of tenant farmers in Wales and, therefore, does it actually reflect the views of tenant farmers here? On another note, the explanatory memorandum indicates that a regulatory impact assessment has not been prepared for this instrument as it increases the statutory fee in line with consumer price inflation. But we know that the incomes of many tenant farmers have not risen in line with inflation. I'd be interested therefore to hear whether we know how often professional arbitrators are used to resolve any disputes that may arise in relation to tenancy agreements in these instances in Wales. If so, what impact will the fee rise have on tenant farmers who require the services of an arbitrator? Although produced in the context of England, the recent Rock review report from the tenancy working group expresses concern about the way in which agents operate in general and how arbitration is in need of some oversight and reform. The report highlights the need for a commissioner or an ombudsman to oversee the operation of arbitration, and our view, therefore, would be that this should have been done before this announcement today, and I'd urge the Minister to look at establishing something along these lines as soon as possible. Finally, in any decision to lay new regulations, we would want to be assured that the Welsh Government had taken into consideration the recommendations of the Bichard review on the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' royal charter, and in particular recommendation 3, to ensure that there is a separation between the RICS portfolio of commercial activities and its other, wider activities. Given these issues I have raised and the concerns expressed by some in the sector with regard to the fee increase and associated issues, we will be abstaining in the vote today. We'll be willing, however, to lend support to Government regulations once the concerns expressed have been adequately addressed. Diolch.
Welsh: Hoffwn i gymryd y cyfle heddiw dim ond i godi ychydig o bryderon ynghylch y rheoliadau sydd wedi'u gosod ger ein bron. Fel yr eglurodd y Gweinidog, nid yw'r ffi y ceir ei chodi ar gyfer penodi cymrodeddwr annibynnol wedi'i diweddaru ers 1996, felly cynigir ei chodi o £115 i £195. Er nad ydym ni'n sôn am lawer iawn o arian yma, mae'n dal i fod yn gynnydd o ganran enfawr, yn enwedig ar adeg o gostau mewnbwn uchel a chwyddiant. Felly, byddwn i'n cwestiynu os yw'r amseru'n iawn. Mae ffermwyr sy'n denantiaid yn dioddef oherwydd cynnydd mewn rhent yn ogystal â chostau mewnbwn i'w busnesau. Oni ddylai hyn gael ei oedi felly tan ar ôl yr argyfwng economaidd presennol, neu yn wir cyflwyno'r cynnydd bob yn dipyn? Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dweud eu bod wedi ymgynghori ag aelodau grŵp diwygio tenantiaeth y diwydiant, ond a yw'r ymgynghoriad hwnnw'n gynrychioliadol o'r corff o ffermwyr sy'n denantiaid yng Nghymru ac, felly, a yw'n adlewyrchu barn y ffermwyr hyn sy'n denantiaid yma, mewn gwirionedd? Ar nodyn arall, mae'r memorandwm esboniadol yn dangos nad yw asesiad effaith rheoleiddio wedi'i baratoi ar gyfer yr offeryn hwn gan ei fod yn cynyddu'r ffi statudol yn unol â chwyddiant prisiau defnyddwyr. Ond gwyddom ni nad yw incwm nifer o ffermwyr sy'n denantiaid wedi codi yn unol â chwyddiant. Byddai gennyf i ddiddordeb felly i glywed a ydym ni'n gwybod pa mor aml y defnyddir cymrodeddwyr proffesiynol i ddatrys unrhyw anghydfod a allai godi o ran cytundebau tenantiaeth yn yr achosion hyn yng Nghymru. Os felly, pa effaith fydd y cynnydd yn y ffioedd yn ei gael ar ffermwyr sy'n denantiaid sydd angen gwasanaethau cymrodeddwr? Er ei fod wedi'i gynhyrchu yng nghyd-destun Lloegr, mae adroddiad diweddar yr adolygiad Rock gan y gweithgor tenantiaeth yn mynegi pryder am y ffordd y mae asiantau'n gweithredu'n gyffredinol a sut mae angen rhywfaint o oruchwyliaeth a diwygio ar gymrodeddu. Mae'r adroddiad yn tynnu sylw at yr angen am gomisiynydd neu ombwdsmon i oruchwylio'r gwaith o gymrodeddu, a'n barn ni, felly, fyddai y dylai hyn fod wedi'i wneud cyn y cyhoeddiad hwn heddiw, a byddwn i'n annog y Gweinidog i ystyried sefydlu rhywbeth o'r fath cyn gynted â phosibl. Yn olaf, mewn unrhyw benderfyniad i osod rheoliadau newydd, byddem ni eisiau cael sicrwydd bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ystyried argymhellion adolygiad Bichard ar siarter frenhinol Sefydliad Brenhinol y Syrfewyr Siartredig, ac yn arbennig argymhelliad 3, er mwyn sicrhau bod gwahanu rhwng portffolio Sefydliad Brenhinol y Syrfewyr Siartredig o weithgareddau masnachol, â'i gweithgareddau ehangach eraill. O ystyried y materion hyn yr wyf i wedi'u codi a'r pryderon y cafodd eu mynegi gan rai yn y sector o ran y cynnydd mewn ffioedd a'r materion cysylltiedig, byddwn i'n ymatal yn y bleidlais heddiw. Fodd bynnag, byddwn i'n barod i roi cymorth i reoliadau'r Llywodraeth pan fydd y pryderon sydd wedi cael eu mynegi wedi cael sylw digonol. Diolch.