English: I am grateful for the opportunity this afternoon to speak on the Children, Young People and Education Committee's report of the inquiry into statutory advocacy provision. May I begin by saying that Welsh Conservatives fully support the findings and recommendations contained in this report? This Assembly has a proud record of supporting the rights of children. I believe our report marks another milestone on the road of taking the rights of children and young people seriously. This measure emphasises our resolve to take the rights of children and young people seriously. Our report intends to strengthen and enhance the advocacy rights of children and young people in Wales. This is in line with the statutory duty of local authorities to provide advocacy services. In the past, children's commissioners, together with this committee's predecessor, made a series of recommendations designed to strengthen statutory advocacy services in Wales. In response, the Welsh Government began work in 2013 to deliver a national approach to statutory advocacy services. Proposals for this national approach were due to be brought forward by the end of 2015. During the evidence sessions for this inquiry, some stakeholders expressed concerns about the lack of progress being made in delivering this national approach. No confirmation had been received that local authorities would implement this national approach in spite of work being done since 2013. Many stakeholders found this delay, some 16 years since the publications of the Waterhouse report, as unacceptable and frustrating. It is pleasing to note, therefore, that our committee's proceedings appear to provide some impetus as progress in delivering the national approach was made during our deliberations. The committee made eight recommendations, of which six have been accepted by the Welsh Government, with another accepted in principle. So, could I ask the Cabinet Secretary to confirm that the national approach is on track to be in place by June this year and that all local authorities are fully committed to its adaptation and implementation? It is essential that local authorities are monitored to ensure the national approach is fully implemented within timescales. Could the Cabinet Secretary provide more details on what monitoring arrangements will be in place to ensure local authorities comply with the requirements placed on them? How will progress on delivery be reported to local authorities, stakeholders and to the National Assembly? One point that did emerge during our proceedings was that there was a huge variation in the amount of money that local authorities were spending on their statutory advocacy duty. Could the Cabinet Secretary advise how he intends to tackle this variation and whether any new funding will be made available to meet the obligations of providing advocacy services? Finally, Deputy Presiding Officer, specific groups of children have particular needs when it comes to statutory advocacy - these include children with mental health issues and with additional learning needs, and the children of asylum seekers. Will the Cabinet Secretary confirm that the specific needs of children such as these will be addressed in the national approach? Deputy Presiding Officer, I welcome this report, which keeps Wales at the forefront of promoting and protecting the rights of children in Wales. Thank you.
Welsh: Rwy'n ddiolchgar am y cyfle y prynhawn yma i siarad am adroddiad y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg ar yr ymchwiliad i ddarparu eiriolaeth statudol. A gaf fi ddechrau drwy ddweud bod y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn llwyr gefnogi'r canfyddiadau a'r argymhellion yn yr adroddiad hwn? Mae gan y Cynulliad hanes balch o gefnogi hawliau plant. Rwy'n credu bod ein hadroddiad yn nodi carreg filltir arall ar y ffordd i fod o ddifrif ynglŷn â hawliau plant a phobl ifanc. Mae'r mesur hwn yn pwysleisio ein penderfyniad i fod o ddifrif ynglŷn â hawliau plant a phobl ifanc. Bwriad ein hadroddiad yw cryfhau a gwella hawliau eiriolaeth plant a phobl ifanc yng Nghymru. Mae hyn yn unol â dyletswydd statudol awdurdodau lleol i ddarparu gwasanaethau eiriolaeth. Yn y gorffennol, gwnaeth comisiynwyr plant, ynghyd â rhagflaenydd y pwyllgor hwn, gyfres o argymhellion a gynlluniwyd i gryfhau gwasanaethau eiriolaeth statudol yng Nghymru. Mewn ymateb, dechreuodd Llywodraeth Cymru waith yn 2013 i gyflwyno dull cenedlaethol o ddarparu gwasanaethau eiriolaeth statudol. Roedd cynigion ar gyfer y dull cenedlaethol hwn i fod i gael eu cyflwyno erbyn diwedd 2015. Yn ystod y sesiynau tystiolaeth ar gyfer yr ymchwiliad hwn, mynegodd rhai rhanddeiliaid bryderon am y diffyg cynnydd a wneir ar ddarparu'r dull gweithredu cenedlaethol hwn. Ni chafwyd unrhyw gadarnhad y byddai awdurdodau lleol yn gweithredu'r dull cenedlaethol er gwaethaf y gwaith a wnaed ers 2013. Roedd llawer o randdeiliaid yn gweld yr oedi hwn, tua 16 mlynedd ers cyhoeddi adroddiad Waterhouse, yn annerbyniol ac yn rhwystredig. Mae'n bleser nodi, felly, fod trafodion ein pwyllgor i'w gweld yn rhoi rhywfaint o ysgogiad wrth i gynnydd gael ei wneud ar gyflwyno'r dull cenedlaethol yn ystod ein trafodaethau. Gwnaeth y pwyllgor wyth argymhelliad, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn chwech ohonynt, gydag un arall wedi'i dderbyn mewn egwyddor. Felly, a gaf fi ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gadarnhau bod y dull cenedlaethol ar y trywydd cywir i fod yn weithredol erbyn mis Mehefin eleni, a bod pob awdurdod lleol yn gwbl ymrwymedig i'w addasu a'i weithredu? Mae'n hanfodol fod awdurdodau lleol yn cael eu monitro er mwyn sicrhau bod y dull cenedlaethol yn cael ei weithredu'n llawn o fewn yr amserlenni. A allai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddarparu mwy o fanylion ynglŷn â pha drefniadau monitro a fydd ar waith i sicrhau bod awdurdodau lleol yn cydymffurfio â'r gofynion a osodir arnynt? Sut y bydd cynnydd ar gyflawniad yn cael ei adrodd i awdurdodau lleol, rhanddeiliaid ac i'r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol? Un pwynt a ddaeth yn amlwg yn ystod ein trafodion oedd bod amrywio enfawr yn y swm o arian y mae awdurdodau lleol yn ei wario ar eu dyletswydd eiriolaeth statudol. A allai'r Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddweud sut y mae'n bwriadu mynd i'r afael ag amrywio o'r fath ac a fydd unrhyw gyllid newydd ar gael i gyflawni rhwymedigaethau darparu gwasanaethau eiriolaeth? Yn olaf, Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae gan grwpiau penodol o blant anghenion arbennig o ran eiriolaeth statudol - mae'r rhain yn cynnwys plant sydd â phroblemau iechyd meddwl ac sydd ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, a phlant ceiswyr lloches. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gadarnhau y bydd anghenion penodol plant fel y rhain yn cael sylw yn y dull cenedlaethol? Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n croesawu'r adroddiad hwn, sy'n yn cadw Cymru ar flaen y gad o ran hyrwyddo a diogelu hawliau plant yng Nghymru. Diolch.