English: What I am very pleased to say, though, is that when the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have looked at our Creative Learning through the Arts programme, they have described it as 'world-leading' and have used it as an example of good practice to other nations that want to do exactly, Lee, what you talked about: introduce elements of creativity within their curriculum, because they recognise that those are some of the skills that their young people will need in the future, and the OECD recognise that we do this well through our Creative Learning through the Arts programme. I'd like to thank the committee for the report. As I've stated previously, I share the committee's ambition for the provision of high-quality universal access to music education for all learners in Wales. I also recognise the need to ensure that appropriate routes exist for those learners who wish to develop and enhance their experiences and musical expertise in order to reach their full potential. I'd like to thank Bethan for acknowledging in the report the numerous steps that we have taken to try and make progress in this area. Now, the recommendations are significant, with far-reaching organisational and financial implications for the music education sector, and as such they do require time and appropriate resources to explore and consider in depth. I would like to point to some of the issues and recommendations raised within the report, therefore. Recommendation 1, as we have heard from numerous speakers this afternoon, refers to transferring responsibility for the delivery of music services to an arm's-length national body to ensure equitable opportunities to be core funded by the Welsh Government. It is vital that access to music and music education are available for all learners irrespective of their location, their social background and their ability to pay. We are doing all that we can to ensure that barriers to participation are removed. However, to do what is recommended is not that easy, particularly during this period of austerity where budgets are restricted. As we've also heard, the provision of music services is currently the responsibility of local authorities and not of the Welsh Government. So, it's not particularly simple simply to transfer those responsibilities to another body. We have to consider the impact and implications very carefully before we do so. Consequently, I have suggested that we carry out a feasibility study to explore suitable options for the future delivery of music services. As the Chair acknowledged herself, the actual structure, roles and responsibilities of that body need still to be worked through. As a first step, my officials are in the process of setting up a stakeholder consultation meeting with key partners to discuss the scope and terms of reference of that study, and I will of course update the committee as soon as possible on the progress made. The report also recommends that I take ownership of music services in order to prepare a national action plan for music. However, I personally believe that it's not appropriate for me to take sole strategic responsibility for music services, as these areas are far wider than my portfolio responsibilities for schools alone. As we've just heard from Dai Lloyd, there are many opportunities for young people to pursue music outside compulsory schooling, and of course there are cross-cutting responsibilities with the department of culture here within the Welsh Government. But I do believe that it should be part of the feasibility study, and that feasibility study will look into the consideration of a national plan for music education. Perhaps I should be flattered that the Chair wants me to take over it all. And she says it's because I've done certain things since taking office; well, that will teach me, won't it - [ Laughter.] - to stick my head above the parapet and try and get things done? It just means that you'll be asked to do more things. I will also widen the feasibility study to consider the viability of alternative models of music service delivery. I am aware that there are a number of local authorities that have developed different models, and there is a need to understand demand and the effectiveness of those models. I saw first-hand recently on a trip to Denbighshire the co-operative arrangement that has been put in place there, and received feedback from teachers of schools in that area that actually tell me more children are having access to music and it's actually costing them less. So, these are interesting things that we need to understand and we need to look into further. I am pleased that many of the recommendations from Huw Lewis's task and finish group on local authority music services have been completed, although I share your frustrations. We have tried to reuse these issues with the Welsh Local Government Association in the meetings I have with them. But I will be providing a full update on the progress from the task and finish group report by the end of this year. Turning to the comments made in the report regarding the funding of music services, I will be blunt: I also fully accept and acknowledge that there are significant funding challenges, but, believe me, Lee, when you say that you understand the difficulties faced by local authorities when making decisions about where to prioritise those budgets, those are exactly the same conversations that go on here at a Welsh Government level. There are no easy funding solutions to this issue for us as a Government either. In response, though, despite those challenges, I am pleased that we've been able to increase the funding made available to local authorities for the purchase of musical instruments. We have made £1 million funding available per annum for 2018-19 and 2019-20 for music provision, and I'm currently considering proposals on how the money should be allocated. This includes an option of making, perhaps, more funding available to each local authority to purchase yet more instruments. I'm delighted and grateful to the Members in this Chamber who handed over their instruments that were lurking in their cupboards, whether that be Lee Waters's daughter's guitar, my daughter's violin, and I think Lynne Neagle's son was glad to see shot of the instruments that Lynne was able to bring in. But we've also been able to support the purchase of instruments. When I was visiting Denbighshire, I got to see the new piano that has been bought for that particular co-operative as a result of that funding. Working with Bethan, I will determine the best way to allocate this money to ensure that it is used to best effect and that, crucially, it is sustainable, and I hope to make an announcement before the end of this autumn term. Several of the report's recommendations fall to organisations that operate outside the direct control of the Government, such as National Youth Arts Wales. I cannot respond on behalf of those organisations, but I can confirm that Welsh Government officials are working closely with the Arts Council for Wales and National Youth Arts Wales to ensure that these recommendations are fully explored. If I move to Anthem, Music Fund Wales, which has been established, a new chair has been appointed, and the appointment will be publicly announced in November. While Anthem will be a stand-alone charitable organisation with no direct links to Government, we, together with other stakeholder organisations, will be working in close partnership with that new body as it develops in the years ahead. So, I can assure you, Lee - we're not going to leave it to drift off on its own. Anthem faces the twin challenges of establishing its own identity and brand while embarking on an ambitious fundraising strategy of raising the capital necessary to enable it to start making a real impact for young musicians by 2021. It's vitally important that this is done, I recognise, without adversely affecting funds that currently support other arts and education provision, but I am confident that this can be achieved. We should stress that music isn't necessarily for everyone, and what we want to ensure is that there are creative and artistic opportunities of all sorts available to our children, depending on what their passion is.
Welsh: Fodd bynnag, rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud, pan fo'r Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd wedi edrych ar ein rhaglen Dysgu Creadigol drwy'r Celfyddydau, maent wedi'i disgrifio fel un 'sy'n arwain y byd' ac maent wedi'i defnyddio fel enghraifft o arfer da i wledydd eraill sydd am wneud yn union yr hyn y siaradoch chi amdano, Lee: cyflwyno elfennau o greadigrwydd yn eu cwricwlwm, oherwydd maent yn cydnabod mai dyna rai o'r sgiliau y bydd eu pobl ifanc eu hangen yn y dyfodol, ac mae'r OECD yn cydnabod ein bod yn gwneud hyn yn dda drwy ein rhaglen Dysgu Creadigol drwy'r Celfyddydau. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r pwyllgor am yr adroddiad. Fel y dywedais o'r blaen, rwy'n rhannu uchelgais y pwyllgor ar gyfer darparu mynediad o safon i bawb at addysg cerddoriaeth ar gyfer pob dysgwr yng Nghymru. Rwy'n cydnabod yr angen hefyd i sicrhau bod llwybrau priodol yn bodoli ar gyfer dysgwyr sy'n awyddus i ddatblygu a gwella eu profiadau a'u harbenigedd cerddorol er mwyn cyrraedd eu potensial llawn. Hoffwn ddiolch i Bethan am gydnabod yn yr adroddiad y camau niferus rydym wedi'u cymryd i geisio gwneud cynnydd yn y maes hwn. Nawr, mae'r argymhellion yn sylweddol, gyda goblygiadau sefydliadol ac ariannol pellgyrhaeddol i'r sector addysg cerddoriaeth, ac fel y cyfryw maent yn galw am amser ac adnoddau priodol i'w harchwilio a'u hystyried yn fanwl. Hoffwn dynnu sylw at rai o'r materion sy'n codi a'r argymhellion a nodwyd yn yr adroddiad, felly. Fel y clywsom gan amryw o siaradwyr y prynhawn yma, mae argymhelliad 1 yn cyfeirio at drosglwyddo cyfrifoldeb am ddarparu gwasanaethau cerddoriaeth i gorff cenedlaethol hyd braich er mwyn sicrhau bod cyfleoedd teg yn cael arian craidd gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae'n hanfodol fod mynediad at gerddoriaeth ac addysg cerddoriaeth ar gael ar gyfer pob dysgwr, ni waeth beth fo'u lleoliad, eu cefndir cymdeithasol a'u gallu i dalu. Rydym yn gwneud popeth a allwn i sicrhau bod rhwystrau i gyfranogiad yn cael eu dileu. Fodd bynnag, nid yw gwneud yr hyn a argymhellir mor hawdd â hynny, yn enwedig yn ystod y cyfnod hwn o gyni economaidd pan fo cyllidebau'n dynn. Fel y clywsom hefyd, ar hyn o bryd cyfrifoldeb awdurdodau lleol ac nid Llywodraeth Cymru yw darparu gwasanaethau cerddoriaeth. Felly, nid yw trosglwyddo'r cyfrifoldebau hynny i gorff arall yn arbennig o syml i'w wneud. Rhaid inni ystyried yr effaith a'r goblygiadau'n ofalus iawn cyn gwneud hynny. O ganlyniad, rwyf wedi awgrymu ein bod yn cynnal astudiaeth ddichonoldeb er mwyn ymchwilio i opsiynau addas ar gyfer darparu gwasanaethau cerddoriaeth yn y dyfodol. Fel y cydnabu'r Cadeirydd ei hun, mae'n dal i fod angen gweithio drwy union strwythur, rolau a chyfrifoldebau'r corff hwnnw. Fel cam cyntaf, mae fy swyddogion wrthi'n trefnu cyfarfod ymgynghori â rhanddeiliaid gyda phartneriaid allweddol i drafod cwmpas a chylch gorchwyl yr astudiaeth honno, a byddaf yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r pwyllgor cyn gynted â phosibl ar y cynnydd a wneir wrth gwrs. Mae'r adroddiad hefyd yn argymell fy mod yn perchnogi gwasanaethau cerddoriaeth er mwyn paratoi cynllun gweithredu cenedlaethol ar gyfer cerddoriaeth. Fodd bynnag, yn bersonol rwy'n credu nad yw'n briodol i mi gymryd cyfrifoldeb strategol fy hun am wasanaethau cerddoriaeth, gan fod y meysydd hyn yn llawer ehangach na fy nghyfrifoldebau portffolio ar gyfer ysgolion yn unig. Fel rydym newydd ei glywed gan Dai Lloyd, ceir llawer o gyfleoedd i bobl ifanc fynd ar drywydd cerddoriaeth y tu hwnt i addysg orfodol, ac wrth gwrs ceir cyfrifoldebau trawsbynciol gyda'r adran ddiwylliant yma o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru. Ond rwy'n credu y dylai fod yn rhan o astudiaeth ddichonoldeb, a bydd yr astudiaeth honno'n edrych ar ystyried cynllun cenedlaethol ar gyfer addysg cerddoriaeth. Efallai y dylwn ymfalchïo yn y ffaith bod y Cadeirydd am imi ysgwyddo cyfrifoldeb dros y cyfan. Ac mae'n dweud mai oherwydd fy mod wedi gwneud rhai pethau penodol ers dechrau yn fy swydd y mae'n dweud hynny; wel, bydd hynny'n wers imi, oni fydd - [ C hwerthin.] - am gadw fy mhen uwchben y parapet a cheisio cael pethau wedi'u gwneud? Mae'n golygu y bydd gofyn ichi wneud rhagor o bethau. Byddaf hefyd yn ehangu'r astudiaeth ddichonoldeb i ystyried hyfywedd modelau amgen o ddarparu gwasanaethau cerddoriaeth. Rwy'n ymwybodol fod nifer o awdurdodau lleol wedi datblygu modelau gwahanol, ac mae angen deall effeithiolrwydd a'r galw am y modelau hynny. Ar daith i sir Ddinbych yn ddiweddar, gwelais y trefniant cydweithredol a roddwyd ar waith yno, a chefais adborth gan athrawon ysgolion yn yr ardal sy'n dweud wrthyf fod mwy o blant yn cael mynediad at gerddoriaeth ac mae'n costio llai iddynt mewn gwirionedd. Felly, mae'r rhain yn bethau diddorol sydd angen inni eu deall ac mae angen inni edrych ymhellach arnynt. Rwy'n falch fod llawer o'r argymhellion gan grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen Huw Lewis ar wasanaethau cerddoriaeth awdurdodau lleol wedi'i gwblhau, er fy mod yn rhannu eich rhwystredigaeth. Rydym wedi ceisio ailedrych ar y materion hyn gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru yn y cyfarfodydd rwy'n eu cael gyda hwy. Ond byddaf yn darparu diweddariad llawn ar y cynnydd o adroddiad y grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn hon. Gan droi at y sylwadau a wnaed yn yr adroddiad ynglŷn ag ariannu gwasanaethau cerddoriaeth, nid wyf am falu awyr: rwy'n derbyn yn llawn ac yn cydnabod bod yna heriau sylweddol o ran cyllid, ond credwch fi, Lee, pan ddywedwch eich bod yn deall yr anawsterau a wynebir gan awdurdodau lleol wrth wneud penderfyniadau ynglŷn â ble i flaenoriaethu'r cyllidebau hynny, dyna'r un sgyrsiau'n union sy'n digwydd yma ar lefel Llywodraeth Cymru. Nid oes unrhyw atebion cyllido hawdd i'r broblem hon i ni fel Llywodraeth ychwaith. Mewn ymateb, fodd bynnag, er gwaethaf yr heriau hynny, rwy'n falch ein bod wedi gallu cynyddu'r arian sydd ar gael i awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer prynu offerynnau cerdd. Rydym wedi rhyddhau £1 filiwn y flwyddyn ar gyfer 2018-19 a 2019-20 ar gyfer y ddarpariaeth gerddoriaeth, ac ar hyn o bryd rwy'n ystyried argymhellion ar sut y dylid dyrannu'r arian. Mae hyn yn cynnwys opsiwn i sicrhau o bosibl fod mwy o arian ar gael i bob awdurdod lleol allu prynu rhagor o offerynnau eto. Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Aelodau yn y Siambr sydd wedi cyfrannu eu hofferynnau a oedd yn llechu yn eu cypyrddau, boed yn gitâr merch Lee Waters, ffidil fy merch, ac rwy'n credu bod mab Lynne Neagle yn falch o weld cefn yr offerynnau y gallodd Lynne eu cyfrannu. Ond rydym hefyd wedi gallu cefnogi prynu offerynnau. Wrth ymweld â sir Ddinbych, cefais weld y piano newydd a brynwyd ar gyfer y trefniant cydweithredol yno o ganlyniad i'r arian. Gan weithio gyda Bethan, byddaf yn penderfynu ar y ffordd orau o ddyrannu'r arian hwn i sicrhau ei fod yn cael ei ddefnyddio yn y modd mwyaf effeithiol ac yn hollbwysig, ei fod yn gynaliadwy, ac rwy'n gobeithio gwneud cyhoeddiad cyn diwedd tymor yr hydref. Mae sawl un o argymhellion yr adroddiad yn rhai ar gyfer sefydliadau sy'n gweithredu y tu allan i reolaeth uniongyrchol y Llywodraeth, megis Celfyddydau Cenedlaethol Ieuenctid Cymru. Ni allaf ymateb ar ran y sefydliadau hynny, ond gallaf gadarnhau bod swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio'n agos gyda Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru a Chelfyddydau Cenedlaethol Ieuenctid Cymru er mwyn sicrhau bod yr argymhellion hyn yn cael eu harchwilio'n llawn. Os trof at Anthem, Cronfa Gerdd Cymru, sydd wedi'i sefydlu, penodwyd cadeirydd newydd, a bydd y penodiad yn cael ei gyhoeddi i'r cyhoedd ym mis Tachwedd. Er mai sefydliad elusennol annibynnol fydd Anthem heb unrhyw gysylltiadau uniongyrchol â'r Llywodraeth, fe fyddwn ni, ynghyd â sefydliadau rhanddeiliaid eraill, yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth agos gyda'r corff newydd wrth iddo ddatblygu yn y blynyddoedd i ddod. Felly, gallaf ddweud wrthych, Lee - nid ydym yn mynd i'w adael i grwydro ymaith ar ei ben ei hun. Mae Anthem yn wynebu'r her o sefydlu brand a hunaniaeth ei hun tra'i fod yn dechrau ar strategaeth godi arian uchelgeisiol ar gyfer denu'r cyfalaf sy'n angenrheidiol i'w alluogi i ddechrau cael effaith go iawn ar gyfer cerddorion ifanc erbyn 2021. Rwy'n cydnabod ei bod hi'n hanfodol bwysig fod hyn yn cael ei wneud heb niweidio'r arian sydd ar hyn o bryd yn cefnogi'r celfyddydau eraill a'r ddarpariaeth addysg, ond rwy'n hyderus y gellir cyflawni hyn. Dylem bwysleisio nad yw pawb yn hoffi cerddoriaeth o reidrwydd, a'r hyn rydym yn awyddus i sicrhau yw bod cyfleoedd creadigol ac artistig o bob math ar gael i'n plant, yn dibynnu ar beth sy'n tanio'u brwdfrydedd.