English: I welcome today's debate on the two reports from the Welsh Language Commissioner, and I'd like to declare an interest. This is the first opportunity that I have had to comment on the work of the commissioner, and I would like to pay tribute to the hard work that both he and his team have put into fulfilling their roles, not only over the past 18 months, but before that. As I and many of us in this Chamber have said, as have you, Minister, the Welsh language belongs to everyone, from all walks of life. The work that the Welsh Language Commissioner undertakes is there to help not only promote the use of the Welsh language, but to safeguard it and expand it for future generations. Looking at the five-year report, I note the commissioner's concern that 'Although the ambition to reach a million Welsh speakers was warmly welcomed at the time of its publication in 2017, there is some doubt as to whether the efforts to date are sufficient to achieve this.' Bearing in mind that you've only been Minister for the Welsh language since May, I have a great deal of interest in hearing whether we are still on the right path to meet this target by 2050 and what actions you have taken to ensure that we do reach this target. The report highlights that there is a perception amongst Welsh speakers that Welsh language services are improving to a level where they are happy to conduct their business with public organisations in the Welsh language. But, I share the commissioner's concern regarding the lack of reliable data to measure how much the Welsh language is being used when dealing with public organisations, and it is problematic that there is no requirement for the organisations that are governed by the Welsh language standards to monitor use of the language. What are your plans, Minister, to address these calls? The report touches on the need for businesses and charities to promote the fact that they offer a Welsh language option. In not promoting this, many Welsh speakers are not going to enquire about the service's availability, and they won't then conduct their business in Welsh. Minister, I'd like to hear more about what role your Government can play in helping to demonstrate that services can be provided bilingually. During this debate last year, Suzy Davies drew attention to the decline in demand for A-level Welsh, which could impact on plans to recruit and train more teachers with Welsh language skills. The challenge with regard to recruitment of teachers - particularly at secondary level - is a matter that I have raised with you before in the Siambr. I'd like to hear what progress has been made in this area. Finally, Minister, may I ask about future schemes following on from the Arfor scheme which ran between 2016 and 2020 and allocated £2 million across four predominantly Welsh-speaking counties to create more and better jobs to support the language's growth? The commissioner states that there is currently little evidence of the success of this project, and a one-off injection of funding without a very specific purpose may not be sufficient to create an evidence base for the link between work and language. How is the Welsh Government planning to address this criticism, and what changes can be made to future schemes to ensure that they more fully deliver on their aims? Minister, the reports from the commissioner are supportive, but they do set out a challenge for your Government to demonstrate that it has ideas to help it fulfil its commitments and reach its goals. I would be happy to support you in your efforts to encourage more people to take up and use the Welsh language, but I await responses to some of the commissioner's concerns that I have highlighted today to ensure that the future of the Welsh language is safeguarded for generations to come. Thank you.
Welsh: Hoffwn i groesawu'r ddadl heddiw ar y ddau adroddiad gan Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg, a hoffwn ddatgan buddiant. Dyma'r cyfle cyntaf i mi wneud sylwadau ar waith y comisiynydd a hoffwn dalu teyrnged i'r gwaith caled y mae ef a'i dîm wedi'i wneud i gyflawni eu rolau, nid yn unig dros y 18 mis diwethaf, ond cyn hynny hefyd. Fel rydw i a llawer ohonom ni yn y Siambr hon wedi dweud, a chi hefyd, Weinidog, mae'r iaith Gymraeg yn perthyn i bawb, o bob cefndir. Mae'r gwaith y mae Comisiynydd y Gymraeg yn ei wneud yn helpu nid yn unig i hyrwyddo'r defnydd o'r Gymraeg, ond i ddiogelu a chynyddu'r defnydd hwn ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Gan edrych ar yr adroddiad pum mlynedd, rwy'n nodi pryder y comisiynydd: 'Er i'r uchelgais i gyrraedd miliwn o siaradwyr gael ei chroesawu'n fawr adeg ei chyhoeddi yn 2017, mae peth amheuaeth ynghylch a yw'r ymdrechion hyd yma'n ddigonol i'w gwireddu.' O gofio mai dim ond ers mis Mai yr ydych chi wedi bod yn Weinidog dros y Gymraeg, mae gennyf ddiddordeb mewn clywed a ydyn ni'n dal i fod ar y trywydd cywir i gyrraedd y targed hwn erbyn 2050 a pha gamau yr ydych chi wedi eu cymryd i sicrhau ein bod ni'n cyrraedd y targed. Mae'r adroddiad yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod yna ganfyddiad ymhlith siaradwyr Cymraeg fod gwasanaethau Cymraeg yn gwella i lefel lle maent yn hapus i drafod eu busnes gyda sefydliadau cyhoeddus yn y Gymraeg. Ond, rwy'n rhannu pryder y comisiynwyr am y diffyg data i fesur faint mae'r Gymraeg yn cael ei defnyddio wrth ddelio â sefydliadau cyhoeddus, ac mae'n broblemus nad os unrhyw ofyniad i'r sefydliadau sy'n cael eu llywodraethu gan safonau'r Gymraeg fonitro'r defnydd o'r iaith. Beth yw eich cynlluniau, Weinidog, i fynd i'r afael â'r galwadau hyn? Mae'r adroddiad yn cyffwrdd â'r angen i fusnesau ac i elusennau hyrwyddo'r ffaith eu bod yn cynnig opsiwn cyfrwng Cymraeg. Wrth beidio â hyrwyddo hyn, nid yw llawer o siaradwyr Cymraeg yn mynd i ofyn am y gwasanaeth, ac i ofyn a yw'r gwasanaeth ar gael, ac ni fyddant wedyn yn trafod eu busnes yn Gymraeg. Weinidog, hoffwn glywed mwy am ba rôl y gall eich Llywodraeth chi chwarae wrth helpu i ddangos y gellir cynnig gwasanaethau yn ddwyieithog. Yn ystod y ddadl hon y llynedd, tynnodd Suzy Davies sylw at y cwymp yn y galw am Gymraeg Safon Uwch, a allai effeithio ar gynlluniau i recriwtio a hyfforddi mwy o athrawon sydd â sgiliau Cymraeg. Mae'r her o ran recriwtio athrawon, yn enwedig ar lefel uwchradd, yn fater dwi wedi'i godi gyda chi o'r blaen yn y Siambr. Hoffwn glywed pa gynnydd sydd wedi ei wneud yn y maes hyn. Yn olaf, Weinidog, a gaf i ofyn am gynlluniau yn y dyfodol yn dilyn ymlaen o gynllun Arfor, a redodd rhwng 2016 a 2020, gan wario £2 filiwn ar draws pedair sir Gymraeg, yn naturiol, yn bennaf i greu mwy o swyddi a gwell swyddi i gefnogi'r iaith? Mae'r comisiynydd yn nodi mai prin yw'r dystiolaeth ar hyn o bryd o lwyddiant y prosiect, ac mae'n bosibl nad yw chwistrelliad untro o arian heb fod iddo ddiben penodol iawn yn ddigon i greu sail tystiolaeth ynghylch y cysylltiad rhwng gwaith ac iaith. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu mynd i'r afael â'r feirniadaeth hon, a pha newidiadau y gellir eu gwneud i gynlluniau yn y dyfodol i sicrhau eu bod yn cyflawni eu nodau yn llawnach? Weinidog, mae'r adroddiadau gan y comisiynydd yn gefnogol, ond maent yn gosod her i'ch Llywodraeth i ddangos bod ganddi syniadau newydd i'w helpu i gyflawni ei hymrwymiadau a'i nodau. Byddaf yn hapus i gefnogi eich ymdrechion i annog mwy o bobl i ddysgu a defnyddio'r Gymraeg, ond rwy'n aros am ymatebion i rai o bryderon y comisiynydd yr wyf wedi eu hamlygu heddiw i sicrhau bod dyfodol y Gymraeg yn ddiogel am genedlaethau i ddod. Diolch.