English: I'd like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for his detailed statement today. In 2014, the Law Commission outlined that there was a case to allow local authorities to have flexibility in deciding whether there should be a one-tier system, but I do understand it's overall recommendation was that the two-tier system, which currently exists in England and Wales, should be retained within a single legal framework for the regulation of taxi and private hire services, because it promotes, of course, consumer choice and provision of a wide range of services. As I understand it, the Welsh Government are minded towards a single-tier system, stating that the difference between taxis and private hire vehicles were meaningless to consumers. Your statement today seems to suggest that you still have a preference for proposals, which seek to implement national standards, which will not distinguish between taxis and private hire companies. With this in mind, can I ask what considerations you have made within the consultation to allow Welsh councils to respond to a localised one- or two-tier option, and, in light of your recent comments about the national standards to the Petitions Committee, what difficulties do you see - what difficulties do you foresee, I suppose - with the UK Government's standards should they differ from Wales? The Law Commission has also said that different ways in which taxis and private hire vehicles are engaged make different levels of regulations appropriate. So, perhaps you can state how you will guard against the unintended consequences if a single system is introduced, which could lead to over- or under-regulation. Secondly, I understand from speaking to officers at Powys County Council, and from others as well, that there is the potential for cross-border issues with different licensing regimes in England and Wales. So, for example, once licensed, will providers be able to work across England and Wales and be subject to enforcement action by officers of any licensing authority? In its report, the Law Commission outlined significant concerns about the ability of taxis and private hire vehicles to accept bookings outside their local authority boundaries, which have been responded to in part by provisions in the Deregulation Act 2015. How will the Welsh Government be able to reconcile potentially a different operating system over what is a soft border between England and Wales? I'm sure, like me, Cabinet Secretary, you'll understand the difficulties of working across border, representing a constituency on the border with England. Thirdly, and finally, disabled passengers continue to suffer severe difficulties in obtaining and using taxis and PHV services. I think we can all agree with the overarching aim of seeing an improvement in terms of training for drivers of buses, trains, taxis and private hire vehicles, as well as an end to disabled people being disadvantaged in terms of PHV services. So, I would be grateful for confirmation as to whether the proposed reforms to licensing will include national standards in relation to driver training and vehicle specification.
Welsh: Hoffwn ddiolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am ei ddatganiad manwl heddiw. Yn 2014, amlinellodd Comisiwn y Gyfraith fod rheswm dros ganiatáu i awdurdodau lleol gael hyblygrwydd wrth benderfynu a ddylid cael system un haen. Ond deallaf mai ei argymhelliad cyffredinol oedd y dylai'r system ddwy haen, sy'n bodoli ar hyn o bryd yng Nghymru a Lloegr, gael ei chadw o fewn un fframwaith cyfreithiol ar gyfer rheoleiddio tacsis a gwasanaethau hurio preifat. Mae hyn, wrth gwrs, yn hyrwyddo dewis y defnyddwyr ac yn darparu ystod eang o wasanaethau. Yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, mae Llywodraeth Cymru â'i bryd ar system un haen, gan nodi bod y gwahaniaeth rhwng tacsis a cherbydau hurio preifat yn ddiystyr i ddefnyddwyr. Ymddengys bod eich datganiad heddiw yn awgrymu eich bod yn dal i ffafrio cynigion sy'n ceisio gweithredu safonau cenedlaethol, na fydd yn gwahaniaethu rhwng tacsis a chwmnïau hurio preifat. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, a gaf i ofyn pa ystyriaethau yr ydych wedi'u gwneud yn yr ymgynghoriad i ganiatáu i gynghorau Cymru ymateb i ddewis lleol un neu ddwy haen ac, yng ngoleuni eich sylwadau diweddar am y safonau cenedlaethol i'r Pwyllgor Deisebau, pa anawsterau yn eich barn chi yr ydych chi'n eu gweld - pa anawsterau yr ydych chi'n eu rhagweld, am wn i - o ran safonau Llywodraeth y DU pe digwydd iddynt fod yn wahanol i Gymru? Mae Comisiwn y Gyfraith hefyd wedi dweud bod y gwahanol ffyrdd y mae tacsis a cherbydau hurio preifat yn cael eu llogi yn gwneud y gwahanol lefelau o reoliadau yn briodol. Felly, efallai y gallwch ddweud sut y byddwch yn gwarchod rhag y canlyniadau anfwriadol os cyflwynir un system, a allai arwain at or- neu dan-reoleiddio. Yn ail, rwy'n deall o siarad â swyddogion yng Nghyngor Sir Powys, a chan eraill hefyd, fod potensial i broblemau trawsffiniol gyda threfn drwyddedu wahanol yng Nghymru a Lloegr. Felly, er enghraifft, unwaith y byddant wedi'u trwyddedu, a fydd darparwyr yn gallu gweithio yng Nghymru ac yn Lloegr a bod yn destun camau gorfodi gan swyddogion unrhyw awdurdod trwyddedu? Yn ei adroddiad, amlinellodd Comisiwn y Gyfraith bryderon sylweddol am allu tacsis a cherbydau hurio preifat i dderbyn archebion y tu allan i ffiniau eu hawdurdodau lleol. Atebwyd y pryderon hyn, yn rhannol, gan ddarpariaethau yn Neddf Dadreoleiddio 2015. Sut fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gallu cysoni system weithredu wahanol o bosibl dros yr hyn sy'n ffin feddal rhwng Cymru a Lloegr? Rwy'n siŵr, fel fi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, y byddwch yn deall yr anawsterau sy'n codi o weithio ar draws y ffin, a chithau'n cynrychioli etholaeth ar y ffin â Lloegr. Yn drydydd, ac yn olaf, mae teithwyr anabl yn parhau i ddioddef anawsterau difrifol o ran gallu cael a defnyddio tacsis a gwasanaethau cerbydau hurio preifat. Rwy'n credu y gallwn ni i gyd gytuno â'r nod cyffredinol o weld gwelliant i hyfforddiant gyrwyr bysiau, trenau, tacsis a cherbydau hurio preifat, yn ogystal â gweld diwedd i'r anfantais i bobl anabl wrth ddefnyddio gwasanaethau cerbydau hurio preifat. Felly, byddwn yn ddiolchgar am gadarnhad ynghylch a fydd y diwygiadau arfaethedig i drwyddedu yn cynnwys safonau cenedlaethol mewn perthynas â hyfforddiant gyrwyr a manylebau cerbydau.