English: I thank the Minister for the statement. Of course, I agree with the intention here, namely the need to look for innovative ways to boost investment in our infrastructure: infrastructure that shows the clear evidence of under-investment historically - and that under-investment, I remind you, has come from Labour and Conservative Governments over the years. Although I do agree that the age of austerity has deepened this problem. So, yes, we need to look at the range of models that are available or that can be developed. I look forward to seeing the development of the principle of raising money through Government bonds. Could I also say that I'm pleased to hear a reference in the statement to our relationship with the EIB? It's a great concern that there's a lack of attention or certainty, in terms of the Brexit debate, in terms of safeguarding the investment that's available through the EIB at present, and I do agree that we should ensure that that relationship between the EIB should continue in the future. I have been to the headquarters of the EIB in Luxembourg, along with a number of other members of the Enterprise and Business Committee of the last Assembly, and realised the appetite there is and the ability there is within the EIB to look for projects that they can support for the benefit of long-term investment in strengthening our infrastructure, and I fear for what will happen if that is lost. But, turning to the mutual investment model, our party has given a careful welcome to the statements by the Welsh Government on the model so far. One frustration that we have voiced is the lack of ambition, possibly, in terms of how much we can look to raise or invest using this model. But, of course, we need to be careful and note how important it is to get the right model. We are, naturally, going to be having comparisons with PFI, and the Minister has made those comparisons in order to try to ease our concerns. Some people are going to look at the definition of this model and the definition of PFI and they're going to find them quite similar, but I think that what we're looking for is assurance that risk does reside in the right place, because, clearly, to be plain, far too many PFI projects showed that there was very little risk that was undertaken by private investors while they were making great profits. So, could I ask the Minister, following a series of commitments that this is different, what steps are going to be taken to evaluate the contracts as they proceed to ensure that that balance of risk has been struck appropriately and that there are not excessive profits? Because this is a mutual investment model and we always need to be evaluating this to ensure that that's what we have, because while investors, quite fairly, need to see a return in the long term from an investment, we need certainty that there is value for money for the public purse. And, secondly, possibly referring back to our frustration about a lack of ambition at present, could you give us an idea of the next steps for looking for further investments using this new model and give us some explanation about how prioritisation is going to happen? Because, before the last election, we in Plaid Cymru were talking about giving the power to prioritise in the area of infrastructure to an arm's-length body, and I would have a great interest in knowing to what extent the Government is going to be looking for advice and leadership and a civic discussion on setting the priorities for using this new model in the most effective way.
Welsh: Diolch i'r Gweinidog am y datganiad. Wrth gwrs, dwi'n cytuno efo'r bwriad yn fan hyn, sef yr angen i chwilio am ffyrdd arloesol o hybu buddsoddiad yn ein hisadeiledd ni: isadeiledd sydd yn dangos ôl clir o danfuddsoddi yn hanesyddol - a'r tanfuddsoddiad yna, dwi'n eich atgoffa chi, yn dod gan Lywodraethau Llafur a Cheidwadol dros y blynyddoedd. Er, wrth gwrs, dwi'n cytuno bod oes llymder wedi dyfnhau'r broblem. Felly, oes, mae eisiau edrych ar ystod o fodelau sydd ar gael neu a all gael eu datblygu. Dwi'n edrych ymlaen i weld datblygiad yr egwyddor o godi arian drwy fondiau Llywodraeth. Gaf i hefyd ddweud fy mod i'n falch o glywed cyfeiriad yn y datganiad at ein perthynas ni efo Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop, yr EIB? Mae'n bryderus iawn bod diffyg sylw na sicrwydd yng nghanol llanast Brexit i sut i ddiogelu'r math o fuddsoddiad sydd ar gael drwy'r EIB ar hyn o bryd, a dwi'n cytuno y dylid sicrhau bod y berthynas efo'r EIB yn parhau yn y dyfodol. Dwi wedi bod i bencadlys yr EIB yn Lwcsembwrg, ynghyd â nifer o aelodau'r Pwyllgor Menter a Busnes yn y Cynulliad diwethaf, a sylweddoli'r awch sydd yna a'r gallu sydd yna o fewn y Banc Buddsoddi Ewropeaidd i chwilio am brosiectau y gallen nhw eu cefnogi er budd buddsoddiad hirdymor yn cryfhau ein hisadeiledd ni, a dwi'n ofni beth sy'n digwydd os ydy hynny'n cael ei golli. Ond, i droi at y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol, mae fy mhlaid i wedi rhoi croeso gofalus i ddatganiadau Llywodraeth Cymru ar y model hyd yma. Yn wir, un rhwystredigaeth dŷn ni wedi ei leisio ydy diffyg uchelgais, o bosib, o ran faint y gallwn ni edrych i'w godi neu ei fuddsoddi yn defnyddio'r model yma. Ond, wrth gwrs, mae eisiau bod yn ofalus iawn a nodi mor, mor bwysig ydy cael y model yn iawn. Dŷn ni yn, yn annatod, mae'n siŵr, yn mynd i fod yn dwyn cymariaethau efo PFI, ac mae'r Gweinidog wedi dwyn cymariaethau heddiw er mwyn ceisio tawelu rhai ofnau. Mae rhai pobl yn mynd i edrych ar beth ydy diffiniad y model yma a beth ydy diffiniad PFI a'u gweld nhw yn eithaf tebyg, ond dwi'n meddwl mai'r hyn dŷn ni'n chwilio amdano fo ydy sicrwydd bod risg yn gorwedd yn y lle iawn, achos, a bod yn blaen, mi oedd llawer gormod o gynlluniau PFI yn dangos mai bach iawn oedd y risg oedd yn cael ei chymryd gan fuddsoddwyr preifat, a hynny tra yn eu gweld nhw'n gwneud elw mawr. Felly, allaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog, yn dilyn cyfres o addewidion bod hwn yn wahanol, pa gamau sydd yn mynd i fod yn cael eu cymryd i werthuso'r cytundebau wrth iddyn nhw fynd yn eu blaenau i sicrhau bod y cydbwysedd risg wedi cael ei daro yn iawn ac nad oes yna or-elwa? Achos partneriaeth, cydfuddsoddiad a system gydfuddiannol ydy hon i fod, ac mi ydyn ni drwy'r amser angen bod yn gwerthuso i sicrhau mai dyna sydd gennym ni, achos tra bod buddsoddwyr, yn deg iawn, angen gweld bod yna return hirdymor teg i ddod o wneud buddsoddiad, dŷn ni angen sicrwydd bod yna werth am arian i'r pwrs cyhoeddus. Ac, yn ail, o bosib yn cyfeirio yn ôl at ein rhwystredigaeth ni ynglŷn â diffyg uchelgais ar hyn o bryd, allwch chi roi awgrym i ni o'r camau nesaf ar gyfer chwilio am fuddsoddiadau pellach yn defnyddio'r model newydd yma a rhoi gair o eglurhad ynglŷn â sut mae blaenoriaethu'n mynd i ddigwydd? Oherwydd, cyn yr etholiad diwethaf, mi oeddem ni ym Mhlaid yn sôn am roi'r pŵer i flaenoriaethu ym maes isadeiledd i gorff hyd braich o'r Llywodraeth. Mi fyddai gen i ddiddordeb mewn gwybod i ba raddau mae'r Llywodraeth yn mynd i fod yn edrych am gyngor ac arweiniad a thrafodaeth civic ynglŷn â gosod y blaenoriaethau ar gyfer defnyddio'r model newydd yma yn y ffordd mwyaf effeithiol.