English: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to thank the members of the Children, Young People and Education Committee for this important report. What's clear to me in considering the recommendations is the importance of considering attendance along with other influences and factors, as we've already heard, such as socioeconomic status, well-being and broader systemic issues. Tackling the impact of poverty on educational attainment is at the heart of our national mission in getting high standards and ambitious targets for everyone. Only through taking action in all parts of the system can this agenda work, starting with preschool education and extending through to post-16 and lifelong education. I was pleased to appoint new attainment champions recently who will assist schools in tackling the impacts of poverty on attainment. We know that the cost of transport is a barrier for some children attending schools. We've heard more about that today. The situation has been exacerbated for many as a result of the current cost-of-living crisis. The Welsh Government has published a White Paper, 'One network, one timetable, one ticket', which sets an ambitious target to transform the bus service in Wales. The proposals will be an opportunity to look anew at the way that bus services are provided across the country, including school transportation. In response to Jayne Bryant's point in her contribution, I think everyone is agreed on the scale of the issue and how important it is to take action, but we must also look at this in the broader context in considering the financial impact as well as looking at this in the context of wider bus reform. It's important to understand how other pressures could impact on children's ability to attend schools. So, we have funded research to look at the reasons for school absences, and the research will also note the best ways of assisting children to attend school, particularly those children from low-income families across Wales.
Welsh: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn i ddiolch i aelodau'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg am yr adroddiad pwysig hwn. Yr hyn sy'n glir i mi wrth feddwl am yr argymhellion ydy pwysigrwydd ystyried presenoldeb ochr yn ochr â dylanwadau a ffactorau eraill, fel rŷn ni wedi clywed heddiw, fel statws economaidd-gymdeithasol, llesiant a materion systemig ehangach. Mae taclo effaith tlodi ar gyrhaeddiad addysgol wrth wraidd cenhadaeth ein cenedl ni, sef sicrhau safonau uchel a dyheadau uchelgeisiol i bawb. Dim ond drwy weithredu ym mhob rhan o'r system y gall yr agenda hwn lwyddo, yn dechrau gydag addysg cyn ysgol ac yn ymestyn hyd at addysg ôl-16 ac addysg gydol oes. Roeddwn i'n falch o benodi pencampwyr cyrhaeddiad newydd yn ddiweddar. Byddan nhw'n helpu ysgolion i daclo effaith tlodi ar gyrhaeddiad. Rŷn ni'n gwybod bod costau cludiant yn rhwystro rhai plant rhag mynychu'r ysgol. Rŷn ni wedi clywed mwy am hynny heddiw. Mae'r sefyllfa wedi gwaethygu i lawer o ganlyniad i'r argyfwng costau byw. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyhoeddi Papur Gwyn, 'Un rhwydwaith, un amserlen, un tocyn'. Mae'n gosod gweledigaeth uchelgeisiol i drawsnewid y gwasanaeth bysiau yng Nghymru. Bydd y cynigion yn gyfle i ni edrych o'r newydd ar y ffordd mae'r gwasanaeth bysiau'n cael ei ddarparu ar hyd a lled y wlad, yn cynnwys cludiant i'r ysgol. Mewn ateb i'r hyn wnaeth Jayne Bryant godi yn ei chyfraniad hi, mae pawb yn cytuno gyda maint yr isiw a pha mor bwysig yw e i allu gweithredu, ond mae'n rhaid hefyd edrych ar hyn yn y cyd-destun ehangach o ystyried yr impact ariannol, ac edrych ar hyn yng nghyd-destun diwygiadau bysus ehangach. Mae'n bwysig deall sut y gallai pwysau eraill effeithio ar allu plant i fynychu'r ysgol. Felly, rŷn ni wedi ariannu ymchwil i ystyried y rhesymau dros absenoldebau. Bydd yr ymchwil hefyd yn nodi'r ffyrdd gorau o helpu plant i fynychu'r ysgol, yn enwedig y plant hynny o deuluoedd ar incwm isel ar draws Cymru.