English: The Development Bank of Wales offers support to its customers through a number of organisations, including Business Wales. Business Wales offers a range of free services to Welsh companies and sole traders. Nearly a year ago now, there were discussions in committee and Plenary over funding concerns for Business Wales, much of which goes to supporting those businesses. On 11 December 2021, you, Minister, noted that over a third of Business Wales funding comes from European sources. A year on, how has this impacted the Development Bank of Wales and Business Wales, and has an impact assessment been done? Around the same time, I also asked the Minister about the courses on offer from Business Wales, and I was grateful for the follow-up meeting we had on this topic. Since then, has there been any growth in the number and availability of courses provided? Now, co-operatives and social partnerships allow the Welsh economy to grow in a more sustainable way, and will play a huge role in tackling the cost-of-living crisis. And I'll take this opportunity to plug the cross-party group on co-operatives and mutuals tomorrow, where we'll be looking at exactly this issue. In June 2021, the Welsh Government committed to doubling the number of employee-owned businesses in Wales. Earlier this year, I asked the Minister about funding available for co-operatives, to help reach the Welsh Government's target of doubling the number of employee-owned businesses in Wales. I'd be keen to know what progress has been made to reach that target. I did note that, in his statement, there was talk of supporting management buy-outs. Is that rather than worker buy-outs in that particular context? There is an important distinction to make between manager and worker buy-outs. Both groups will have different priorities and intentions going forward. Finally, the net-zero business incentive next year. The initiative hopes to incentivise businesses to lower their carbon footprint based on an invest-to-save principle that should reduce energy consumption and lower businesses' bills in the long term. That, of course, is to be welcomed. Businesses looking at investing in renewables or energy-efficiency measures will be offered more favourable terms. Businesses can take on borrowing to fund capital investment that delivers on decarbonisation through more flexible repayment terms, attractive interest rates and wider support, such as help towards consultancy costs. The Minister is also tasking the bank with pursuing an ambitious equity investment target of £100 million over the next five to seven years. While this announcement to help towards net-zero targets in Wales is welcome, it's something I recently questioned you and the First Minister on, and it has been called for by many in this Chamber. How does this increased investment fit in with the principle of the just transition? In my line of questioning, I referred to businesses, specifically small independent breweries, that have stretched their finances further than they thought possible during the pandemic, and now, during the cost-of-living crisis, they may be reluctant to take on more debt. What would you say to them as well as those who would not be potentially eligible for this scheme? Also, would the Development Bank of Wales, within this initiative, be able to operate a fabric-first approach to energy efficiency, with the most favourable terms prioritising it? The fabric-first approach to building energy efficiency looks at maximising the performance of components and materials that make up a building itself, before the use of mechanical or electrical systems. Diolch yn fawr.
Welsh: Mae Banc Datblygu Cymru yn estyn cymorth i'w gwsmeriaid trwy nifer o sefydliadau, gan gynnwys Busnes Cymru. Mae Busnes Cymru yn cynnig amrywiaeth o wasanaethau yn rhad ac am ddim i gwmnïau ac unig fasnachwyr o Gymru. Bron i flwyddyn yn ôl bellach, cafwyd trafodaethau mewn pwyllgorau a'r Cyfarfod Llawn hefyd am bryderon ynglŷn â chyllid i Fusnes Cymru, y mae llawer ohono'n mynd at gefnogi'r busnesau hynny. Ar 11 o fis Rhagfyr 2021, fe wnaethoch chi, Gweinidog, nodi bod dros draean o arian Busnes Cymru yn dod o ffynonellau Ewropeaidd. Flwyddyn yn ddiweddarach, sut mae hyn wedi effeithio ar Fanc Datblygu Cymru a Busnes Cymru, ac a oes asesiad effaith wedi cael ei wneud? Tua'r un pryd, fe ofynnais i'r Gweinidog hefyd am y cyrsiau a gynigir gan Fusnes Cymru, ac roeddwn i'n ddiolchgar am y cyfarfod dilynol a gawsom ni ynglŷn â'r pwnc hwnnw. Ers hynny, a oes unrhyw ehangu wedi bod o ran niferoedd y cyrsiau a faint sydd ar gael? Nawr, mae cwmnïau cydweithredol a phartneriaethau cymdeithasol yn caniatáu i economi Cymru dyfu mewn ffordd fwy cynaliadwy, ac fe fydd rhan enfawr ganddyn nhw wrth fynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng costau byw. Ac rwyf i am achub ar y cyfle hwn i roi cyhoeddusrwydd i'r grŵp trawsbleidiol ar gwmnïau cydweithredol a chydfuddiannol sy'n cael ei gynnal yfory, pryd byddwn ni'n edrych ar yr union fater hwn. Ym mis Mehefin 2021, ymrwymodd Llywodraeth Cymru i ddyblu nifer y busnesau sy'n perthyn i'w gweithwyr yng Nghymru. Yn gynharach eleni, fe ofynnais i'r Gweinidog am y cyllid sydd ar gael ar gyfer cwmnïau cydweithredol, ar gyfer helpu i gyrraedd nod Llywodraeth Cymru o ddyblu nifer y busnesau sy'n eiddo i'w gweithwyr yng Nghymru. Fe fyddwn i'n awyddus i wybod pa gynnydd sydd wedi bod o ran cyrraedd y nod hwnnw. Fe wnes i nodi, yn ei ddatganiad ef, ei fod wedi sôn am gefnogi rheolwyr sy'n prynu busnesau. Ai hynny felly yn hytrach na gweithwyr yn prynu busnesau yn y cyd-destun penodol hwnnw? Mae gwahaniaeth pwysig i'w nodi rhwng rheolwyr yn prynu a gweithwyr yn prynu. Fe fydd gan y ddau grŵp flaenoriaethau a bwriadau gwahanol wrth symud ymlaen. Yn olaf, cymhelliant sero net busnesau'r flwyddyn nesaf. Mae'r fenter honno'n gobeithio cymell busnesau i ostwng eu hôl troed carbon ar sail yr egwyddor o fuddsoddi i arbed ac fe ddylai hynny leihau'r defnydd o ynni a biliau busnesau is yn yr hirdymor. Mae hynny, wrth gwrs, i'w groesawu. Fe fydd busnesau sy'n ystyried buddsoddi mewn ynni adnewyddadwy neu fesurau effeithlonrwydd ynni yn cael cynnig o delerau mwy ffafriol. Fe all busnesau fenthyca i ariannu buddsoddiad cyfalaf sy'n cyflawni datgarboneiddio drwy delerau ad-dalu mwy hyblyg, cyfraddau llog deniadol a chefnogaeth yn fwy eang, fel cymorth tuag at gostau ymgynghoriaeth. Mae'r Gweinidog yn rhoi'r gorchwyl i'r banc hefyd i anelu at nod uchelgeisiol o fuddsoddi ecwiti o £100 miliwn dros y pump i saith mlynedd nesaf. Er bod y cyhoeddiad hwn i helpu anelu at nodau sero net yng Nghymru i'w groesawu, mae hwn yn rhywbeth y gwnes i eich holi chi a'r Prif Weinidog ynglŷn ag ef yn ddiweddar, ac fe alwyd amdano gan lawer yn y Siambr hon. Sut mae'r cynnydd hwn mewn buddsoddi yn cyd-fynd ag egwyddor pontio teg? Wrth i mi holi, roeddwn i'n cyfeirio at fusnesau, bragdai annibynnol bychain yn benodol, sydd wedi ymestyn eu cyllid ymhellach nag yr oedden nhw'n credu ei bod hi'n bosibl yn ystod y pandemig, a nawr, yn ystod yr argyfwng costau byw, efallai eu bod nhw'n amharod i ysgwyddo mwy o ddyled. Beth fyddech chi'n ei ddweud wrthyn nhw yn ogystal â'r rhai na fydden nhw o bosibl yn gymwys ar gyfer y cynllun hwn? Hefyd, a fyddai Banc Datblygu Cymru, yn sgil y fenter hon, yn gallu rhedeg dull gweithredu sy'n rhoi blaenoriaeth i ddeunyddiau adeiladu effeithlon o ran ynni, gyda'r telerau mwyaf ffafriol yn cael eu rhoi ar gyfer adeiladu â'r deunyddiau hynny? Mae'r dull o sicrhau effeithlonrwydd ynni sy'n rhoi blaenoriaeth i ddeunyddiau yn ceisio gwella perfformiad y darnau a'r deunyddiau yn lluniad yr adeilad ei hun, cyn defnyddio unrhyw systemau mecanyddol neu drydanol. Diolch yn fawr.