English: Diolch, Llywydd, and I move the motion tabled in the name of my colleague Darren Millar. Our motion is clear: we're calling for an independent, Welsh Parliament-appointed, judge-led inquiry into the Welsh Government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The people of Wales will continue to have many questions about what happened throughout this pandemic, how prepared Wales has been for it, and the Welsh Government's decisions and actions in response to the pandemic. As the Welsh Government has now started easing lockdown restrictions in Wales, it's time to start considering the way in which those questions should be asked and answered. Even more importantly, it's absolutely critical that lessons are learned from the COVID-19 pandemic should this Government or future Governments be faced with a pandemic like this in the future. Therefore, given restrictions are now starting to be eased, it's appropriate for us now to consider how that public inquiry must look and how it must operate. Now, I appreciate that Senedd committees are already considering their own inquiries into COVID-19 and the impact it has had on their committee subject areas, and Welsh Government Ministers have been called to answer questions on their portfolio areas. However, given the sheer impact that COVID-19 has had on families and communities across Wales, I believe it's only appropriate that a full public inquiry is launched, led by an independent judge appointed by the Senedd, not the Welsh Government. We must make it crystal clear to the people of Wales that this inquiry will be open and transparent and that actions will be accounted for. The appointment of an independent judge will send a statement that this institution is committed to accountability, and this inquiry quite simply deserves the authority that a senior judge would command. Indeed, when the process gets to the stage where hearings are under way, a Queen's Counsel and their team would have the most appropriate skills to conduct questioning in a fair, inquisitorial manner. For that reason, we will be opposing amendment 1, which simply deletes the point that a public inquiry should be judge-led, because it should be judge-led, and appointed by the Senedd rather than the Welsh Government. I believe that the people of Wales deserve for this inquiry to be conducted with the highest level of transparency and authority that it can. We cannot afford to allow the Welsh Government to dictate direction or agenda, and therefore I fail to see anything unreasonable and untoward in calling for the inquiry to be led by a judge that has been appointed independent of the Government that it would be examining. Now, I appreciate that there will be expectations that a public inquiry must be done rapidly, and that's why we need to start seeing some of the groundwork starting to take place. Members may be aware of the recent letter in the Financial Times written by a group of Lords, which called for cross-party dialogue and consensus on the terms of reference of the UK's inquiry into COVID-19. Well, I'm calling for those discussions to start taking place here in Wales, and I hope that, in a spirit of openness and accountability, all political parties will wish to be part of this dialogue. The First Minister has said in principle that he's happy to confirm the Welsh Government's support for a public inquiry at the right time, and that's a welcome step forward. We can now build on that consensus and start to think about how that inquiry can come about. So, I hope, in responding to this debate, the Welsh Government will tell us a bit more about their thinking about when this inquiry can start to take place. I don't think it's entirely unreasonable that we consider some of the timescales for when the people of Wales can expect to hear some answers to the questions they have over the handling of matters relating to COVID-19 in Wales. Llywydd, we are calling for findings to be made available before the next Welsh parliamentary elections next year. Ultimately, the people of Wales should have the opportunity to listen to the evidence and draw their own conclusions from the inquiry - and they can have their say - and, more importantly, to be able to hold current Government Ministers to account at next year's election. For that very reason, we cannot support amendment 2, which simply aims to remove the need for findings to be made available before the next Welsh parliamentary elections. We must show the world that, here in Wales, we will not shy away from asking tough questions and getting tough answers. The people of Wales have the right to be as informed as possible at the next election, and we must at least attempt to give them the answers they are looking for, so that they can go to the ballot box as informed as possible. Now, amendment 4 calls for the inquiry to be commenced in parallel with the UK Government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm happy to see that take place, and therefore we will be supporting this amendment, but we mustn't lose sight of that, here in Wales, we also have an opportunity to take the lead on this, and we should take it. Members will all, rightly, have their views on the systemic issues that may be considered in the terms of reference of the inquiry. I believe this inquiry should be wide ranging and look at all Welsh Government COVID-19 policy decisions throughout this time. For example, it's absolutely critical that the public inquiry considers the Welsh Government's strategy for handling the care home sector in Wales. We know that, despite repeated pleas from Care Forum Wales and the Older People's Commissioner for Wales, the Welsh Government was slow in testing care home residents and staff here in Wales. Now it's thought that a quarter of coronavirus deaths in Wales have been related to care home residents, and yet it wasn't until 22 April that the health Minister decided to test symptomatic care home residents and those returning from hospital to care homes as well as symptomatic care home workers. Following that, on 2 May, the Welsh Government then announced that all staff and residents of care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus would be tested following the latest scientific evidence, which showed that testing should be extended in care homes to manage any outbreaks. That then changed again and, by 6 May, Welsh Government confirmed that it would start the blanket testing of care homes, but this time only to those care homes where there were over 50 beds. With an average of 33 beds per care home in Wales, this announcement meant that much smaller care homes were left without blanket testing until nearly two weeks later, when Welsh Government eventually rolled out testing to all care home residents and staff. So, that's just one example, and I'm sure that, throughout the course of today's debate, Members will contribute their own ideas, based on the correspondence and feedback that they've received from their own constituents. The important point that I do want to make is that the inquiry should be a wide-ranging exercise that looks at all issues and evidence. Members will have received correspondence from constituents on a range of COVID-19 policies, with serious questions on how Welsh Government programmes and decisions have affected their lives, and the inquiry must scrutinise all areas of policy in order for those answers to be given. Concerns around issues such as testing and the supply and distribution of personal protective equipment are all very valid areas of inquiry that must be addressed. We know from the Royal College of Nursing Cymru that there is a lack of consistency and guidance for PPE use and delivery at a local health board level. Indeed, a recent RCN survey showed that, during this pandemic, 74 per cent of nursing staff raised concerns about PPE and over half of nursing staff have felt pressured to care for a patient without adequate protection as outlined in the current PPE guidance. It's these systemic issues that must be brought to light and fully examined by a public inquiry. Therefore, in closing, Llywydd, I hope that Members will support our motion today and that we can start to move forward and set the groundwork for that inquiry. The people of Wales need and deserve answers, and we must commit to a process that gives them just that. Diolch.
Welsh: Diolch, Llywydd, ac rwy'n cynnig y cynnig sydd wedi'i gyflwyno yn enw fy nghydweithiwr, Darren Millar. Mae ein cynnig yn glir: rydym ni'n galw am ymchwiliad annibynnol, dan arweiniad barnwr ac wedi'i benodi gan Senedd Cymru, i'r ffordd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymdrin â phandemig COVID-19. Bydd cwestiynau niferus gan bobl Cymru yn parhau ynghylch yr hyn a ddigwyddodd yn ystod y pandemig hwn, pa mor barod y bu Cymru amdano, a phenderfyniadau a chamau gweithredu Llywodraeth Cymru mewn ymateb i'r pandemig. Gan fod Llywodraeth Cymru bellach wedi dechrau llacio cyfyngiadau symud yng Nghymru, mae'n bryd i ddechrau ystyried sut y dylid holi ac ateb y cwestiynau hynny. Yn bwysicach byth, mae'n gwbl hanfodol bod gwersi'n cael eu dysgu o bandemig COVID-19 pe bai'r Llywodraeth hon neu Lywodraethau'r dyfodol yn wynebu pandemig fel hwn yn y dyfodol. Felly, gan fod cyfyngiadau'n dechrau cael eu llacio erbyn hyn, mae'n briodol inni ystyried yn awr sut i fwrw ymlaen a gweithredu'r ymchwiliad cyhoeddus hwnnw. Nawr, rwy'n gwerthfawrogi bod pwyllgorau'r Senedd eisoes yn ystyried eu hymchwiliadau eu hunain i COVID-19 a'r effaith a gafodd ar feysydd pwnc eu pwyllgorau, ac mae Gweinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u galw i ateb cwestiynau ar feysydd eu portffolio. Fodd bynnag, o ystyried yr effaith aruthrol y mae COVID-19 wedi'i chael ar deuluoedd a chymunedau ledled Cymru, credaf ei bod yn briodol lansio ymchwiliad cyhoeddus llawn, o dan arweiniad barnwr annibynnol wedi'i benodi gan y Senedd, nid Llywodraeth Cymru. Rhaid inni ei gwneud yn hollol glir i bobl Cymru y bydd yr ymchwiliad hwn yn agored ac yn dryloyw a bod modd rhoi cyfrif am y camau gweithredu. Bydd penodi barnwr annibynnol yn datgan bod y sefydliad hwn wedi'i ymrwymo i atebolrwydd, a bod yr ymchwiliad hwn, yn syml iawn, yn haeddu'r awdurdod y byddai gan uwch farnwr. Yn wir, pan fydd y broses yn cyrraedd y cam lle mae gwrandawiadau ar y gweill, byddai gan Gwnsler y Frenhines a'i dîm y sgiliau mwyaf priodol i holi'r cwestiynu mewn modd teg a chwilfrydig. Am y rheswm hwnnw, byddwn ni'n gwrthwynebu gwelliant 1, sy'n dileu'r pwynt y dylai ymchwiliad cyhoeddus gael ei arwain gan farnwr, oherwydd fe ddylai gael ei arwain gan farnwr, a'i benodi gan y Senedd yn hytrach na Llywodraeth Cymru. Rwyf i o'r farn bod pobl Cymru yn haeddu gweld yr ymchwiliad hwn yn cael ei gynnal gan ddefnyddio'r lefel uchaf bosibl o dryloywder ac awdurdod. Ni allwn fforddio gadael i Lywodraeth Cymru bennu cyfeiriad nac agenda, ac felly ni allaf weld unrhyw beth afresymol nac anffafriol wrth alw i'r ymchwiliad gael ei arwain gan farnwr sydd wedi'i benodi'n annibynnol ar y Llywodraeth y byddai'n ei harchwilio. Nawr, rwy'n sylweddoli y bydd disgwyl i ymchwiliad cyhoeddus gael ei gynnal yn gyflym, a dyna pan mae angen inni ddechrau gweld rhywfaint o'r gwaith paratoi yn dechrau. Efallai fod yr Aelodau'n ymwybodol o'r llythyr diweddar yn y Financial Times wedi'i ysgrifennu gan grŵp o Arglwyddi, a alwodd am ddeialog a chonsensws trawsbleidiol ar gylch gorchwyl ymchwiliad y DU i COVID-19. Wel, rwy'n galw ar y trafodaethau hynny i ddechrau yma yng Nghymru, ac rwy'n gobeithio, mewn ysbryd agored ac atebol, y bydd pob plaid wleidyddol yn dymuno bod yn rhan o'r ddeialog hon. Mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi dweud, mewn egwyddor, ei fod yn hapus i gadarnhau cefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i ymchwiliad cyhoeddus ar yr adeg gywir, ac mae hwnnw'n gam ymlaen i'w groesawu. Gallwn ni yn awr ddatblygu'r consensws hwnnw a dechrau meddwl sut y gall yr ymchwiliad hwnnw ddigwydd. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio, wrth ymateb i'r ddadl hon, y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn dweud ychydig mwy wrthym am eu syniadau o ran pryd y gall yr ymchwiliad hwn ddechrau. Ni chredaf ei bod yn afresymol inni ystyried rhai o'r amserlenni y gall pobl Cymru ddisgwyl cael clywed atebion i'w cwestiynau am y modd yr ymdriniwyd â materion sy'n ymwneud â COVID-19 yng Nghymru. Llywydd, rydym ni'n gofyn bod y canfyddiadau ar gael cyn etholiadau seneddol Cymru y flwyddyn nesaf. Yn y pen draw, dylai pobl Cymru gael y cyfle i wrando ar y dystiolaeth a dod i'w casgliadau eu hunain o ran yr ymchwiliad - a gallan nhw ddweud eu dweud - ac, yn bwysicach, allu dwyn Gweinidogion presennol y Llywodraeth i gyfrif yn yr etholiad y flwyddyn nesaf. Am yr union reswm hwnnw, ni allwn gefnogi gwelliant 2, sy'n ceisio dileu'r angen bod y canfyddiadau ar gael cyn etholiadau Seneddol nesaf Cymru. Rhaid dangos i'r byd na fyddwn ni, yma yng Nghymru, yn petruso rhag gofyn cwestiynau anodd a chael atebion anodd. Mae gan bobl Cymru yr hawl i fod mor wybodus â phosibl yn yr etholiad nesaf, a rhaid inni o leiaf geisio darparu ar eu cyfer yr atebion y maen nhw'n eu ceisio, fel y gallan nhw fynd i'r blwch pleidleisio mor wybodus â phosibl. Nawr, mae gwelliant 4 yn galw bod yr ymchwiliad yn cael ei gychwyn ochr yn ochr â'r modd y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi ymdrin â phandemig COVID-19. Rwy'n hapus i weld hynny'n digwydd, ac felly byddwn ni'n cefnogi'r gwelliant hwn. Ond ni ddylem golli golwg ar hynny, ac yma yng Nghymru mae cyfle hefyd i arwain ar hyn, a dylem gymryd y cyfle hwnnw. Yn briodol, bydd gan bob Aelod ei farn ynghylch y materion systemig y bydd modd eu hystyried yng nghylch gorchwyl yr ymchwiliad. Rwy'n credu y dylai cwmpas yr ymchwiliad hwn fod yn eang a dylai edrych ar holl benderfyniadau polisi COVID-19 Llywodraeth Cymru drwy gydol y cyfnod hwn. Er enghraifft, mae'n gwbl hanfodol bod yr ymchwiliad cyhoeddus yn ystyried strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer ymdrin â'r sector cartrefi gofal yng Nghymru. Fe wyddom, er gwaethaf apeliadau gan Fforwm Gofal Cymru a Chomisiynydd Pobl Hŷn Cymru, fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn araf yn cynnal profion ar breswylwyr a staff cartrefi gofal yma yng Nghymru. Nawr, y gred yw bod chwarter y marwolaethau oherwydd coronafeirws yng Nghymru wedi bod yn gysylltiedig â phreswylwyr cartrefi gofal. Ac eto i gyd bu'n rhaid aros tan 22 Ebrill cyn bod y Gweinidog Iechyd yn penderfynu profi preswylwyr cartrefi gofal oedd â symptomau a'r rhai a oedd yn dychwelyd o'r ysbyty i gartrefi gofal, yn ogystal â gweithwyr cartref gofal oedd â symptomau. Yn dilyn hynny, ar 2 Mai, cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru y byddai holl staff a phreswylwyr cartrefi gofal oedd ag achosion coronafeirws yn cael eu profi gan ddilyn y dystiolaeth wyddonol ddiweddaraf, a oedd yn dangos y dylai'r profion mewn cartrefi gofal gael eu hymestyn i reoli unrhyw achosion. Newidiodd hynny eto wedyn, ac erbyn 6 Mai, cadarnhaodd Llywodraeth Cymru y byddai'n dechrau cynnal profion yn gyffredinol mewn cartrefi gofal, ond y tro hwn dim ond i'r cartrefi gofal hynny lle'r oedd dros 50 o welyau. Gyda chyfartaledd o 33 gwely yng nghartrefi gofal Cymru, roedd y cyhoeddiad hwn yn golygu bod y cartrefi gofal llai o faint wedi cael eu gadael heb brofion tan bythefnos yn ddiweddarach, pan gyflwynodd Llywodraeth Cymru yn y pen draw brofion i holl breswylwyr a staff cartrefi gofal. Felly, dim ond un enghraifft yw honno, ac rwy'n siŵr, yn ystod y ddadl heddiw, y bydd yr Aelodau'n cyfrannu eu syniadau eu hunain, yn seiliedig ar yr ohebiaeth a'r adborth y maen nhw wedi'u cael gan eu hetholwyr eu hunain. Y pwynt pwysig yr wyf i'n dymuno ei wneud yw y dylai'r ymchwiliad fod yn ymarfer eang ei gwmpas sy'n edrych ar bob mater a thystiolaeth. Bydd yr Aelodau wedi cael gohebiaeth gan etholwyr ar amrywiaeth o bolisïau COVID-19, gyda chwestiynau difrifol o ran y ffordd y mae rhaglenni a phenderfyniadau Llywodraeth Cymru wedi effeithio ar eu bywydau, ac mae'n rhaid i'r ymchwiliad graffu ar bob maes polisi er mwyn darparu'r atebion hynny. Mae pryderon ynghylch materion fel profi a chyflenwi a dosbarthu cyfarpar diogelu personol yn feysydd ymchwil dilys iawn y mae'n rhaid mynd i'r afael â nhw. Dywedwyd wrthym gan Goleg Brenhinol Nyrsys Cymru fod diffyg cysondeb ac arweiniad o ran defnyddio a darparu cyfarpar diogelu personol ar lefel byrddau iechyd lleol. Yn wir, dangosodd arolwg diweddar gan Goleg Brenhinol y Nyrsys, fod 74 y cant o'r staff nyrsio, yn ystod y pandemig hwn, wedi codi pryderon ynghylch cyfarpar diogelu personol a bod dros hanner y staff nyrsio wedi teimlo dan bwysau i ofalu am glaf heb y diogelwch digonol a amlinellwyd yn y canllawiau cyfarpar diogelu personol presennol. Y materion systemig hyn yw'r rhai y mae'n rhaid eu hamlygu a'u harchwilio'n llawn gan ymchwiliad cyhoeddus. Felly, i gloi, Llywydd, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr Aelodau'n cefnogi ein cynnig heddiw ac y gallwn ni ddechrau symud ymlaen a gosod y sylfeini ar gyfer yr ymchwiliad hwnnw. Mae angen atebion ar bobl Cymru ac maen nhw'n eu haeddu, ac mae'n rhaid i ni ymrwymo i broses sy'n rhoi'r union beth hwnnw iddyn nhw. Diolch.