techiaith/cofnodycynulliad_en-cy huggingface dataset:
English: I understand that there is a very rigorous process in place, as you'd expect, in terms of looking at those claims that are coming through from local government. The Minister for Housing and Local Government and her officials are leading on that, although my understanding is that some claims are rejected on the basis that they potentially are not directly COVID pressure related, or they are potentially lost income now, but income that could be recovered later in the year. So, we have to test all of these things really robustly, because we only have a very, very finite pot of money to be tackling the COVID crisis with and it's really important that we're able to do so in a really robust way and to evidence our decisions as well. Because I'm always really aware that, although we're taking decisions very quickly at the moment, we will need to, in time, account for all of those decisions, in terms of getting the best value for the public purse.
Welsh: Rwy'n deall bod proses drwyadl iawn ar waith, fel y byddech chi'n ei ddisgwyl, o ran edrych ar yr hawliadau sy'n dod trwyddo o lywodraeth leol. Mae'r Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol a'i swyddogion yn arwain ar hynny, er fy mod i'n deall bod rhai hawliadau yn cael eu gwrthod ar y sail nad ydyn nhw o bosibl yn ymwneud â phwysau COVID yn uniongyrchol, neu eu bod nhw'n incwm coll o bosibl ar hyn o bryd, ond yn incwm y gellid ei adennill yn ddiweddarach yn y flwyddyn. Felly, mae'n rhaid i ni brofi'r holl bethau hyn mewn ffordd gadarn iawn, gan mai dim ond swm cyfyngedig iawn o arian sydd gennym i fynd i'r afael ag argyfwng COVID ac mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn gallu gwneud hynny mewn ffordd sy'n wirioneddol gadarn a chyflwyno tystiolaeth o'n penderfyniadau hefyd. Oherwydd rwyf bob amser yn ymwybodol iawn, er ein bod ni'n gwneud penderfyniadau'n gyflym iawn ar hyn o bryd, y bydd angen rhoi cyfrif, ymhen amser, am yr holl benderfyniadau hynny, o ran cael y gwerth gorau i bwrs y wlad.
English: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Now, David Phillips, at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, has argued that the story of the fiscal response by devolved Governments during this pandemic will be one where the said Governments are hampered by limited reserves, constrained borrowing powers, as well as the funding coming to them from UK Government. Now, the Minister has indicated that she has been in discussions with UK Treasury regarding the relaxation of fiscal powers. Could she give us an update about when Welsh Government can expect to see some of that flexibility being introduced?
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Nawr, mae David Phillips, yn y Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid, wedi dadlau y bydd hanes yr ymateb cyllidol gan Lywodraethau datganoledig yn ystod y pandemig hwn yn un o Lywodraethau sy'n cael eu llesteirio gan gronfeydd cyfyngedig, pwerau cyfyngedig i fenthyca, yn ogystal â'r cyllid sy'n dod iddynt o Lywodraeth y DU. Nawr, mae'r Gweinidog wedi nodi ei bod hi wedi cynnal trafodaethau â Thrysorlys y DU am lacio pwerau cyllidol. A wnaiff hi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni o ran pryd y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ddisgwyl gweld cyflwyno rhywfaint o'r hyblygrwydd hwnnw?
English: Yes, I'd be happy to. I last discussed these specific issues with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on Friday of last week. And he indicated that the summer economic statement will be forthcoming, and then we'll have a further conversation after that in terms of the fiscal flexibilities that we've requested. And just to recap, for people who aren't familiar with those flexibilities, we're seeking an ability to draw down more from the Wales reserve, to borrow more, to remove the borrowing cap, and also to be able to switch capital to revenue. Some of that and how far we want to take things will depend, in large part, on the statement that the Chancellor makes next week, and we will have a better understanding of the funding that we can expect to take us through the rest of this financial year.
Welsh: Fe fyddwn i'n hapus i wneud hynny. Y tro diwethaf imi drafod y materion arbennig hyn gyda Phrif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys oedd dydd Gwener diwethaf. Ac fe ddywedodd ef y bydd datganiad economaidd yr haf yn cael ei gyhoeddi yn fuan, ac fe gawn ni drafodaeth bellach ar ôl hynny o ran yr hyblygrwydd cyllidol yr ydym ni wedi gofyn amdano. Ac i grynhoi, ar gyfer pobl nad ydynt yn gyfarwydd â'r hyblygrwydd hwnnw, rydym yn chwilio am y gallu i dynnu mwy o arian o gronfa wrth gefn Cymru, i fenthyca mwy, i dynnu'r terfyn ar fenthyca, a hefyd i allu newid cyfalaf yn refeniw Fe fydd rhywfaint o hyn, a pha mor bell yr ydym ni'n dymuno mynd â phethau, yn dibynnu, i raddau helaeth, ar y datganiad a wna'r Canghellor yr wythnos nesaf, ac fe fydd gennym ddealltwriaeth well o'r arian y gallwn ni ei ddisgwyl i'n cadw ni am weddill y flwyddyn ariannol hon.
English: Okay. Thank you for that response. To much fanfare yesterday, of course, the Prime Minister announced his build back better plan, an investment of £5 billion to be brought forward. Apart from that seeming an almost ridiculously small amount, given the scale of the challenge that we face, not just in Wales, but across the UK, it seems that not a single penny of that investment could be identified as coming to Wales. Now, as well as raising our collective voice, as a nation, to demand that that is changed, I think we have to be prepared also to say, 'If they won't do it for us, we'll do what we can ourselves.' And we need a rethink, I think, on so many levels: on the scale of investment we need in Wales and how to deliver it and how to prioritise it; on the fiscal flexibility we need; on reforming taxation even. So, is Government ready to begin or join us in that reform discussion right now, because the quicker we start looking for those innovative ways forward, the quicker we're surely more likely to find them?
Welsh: Iawn. Diolch i chi am yr ateb. I lawer o ffanffer ddoe, wrth gwrs, fe gyhoeddodd Prif Weinidog y DU ei gynllun ef i ailadeiladu yn well, sef cyflwyno buddsoddiad o £5 biliwn. Ar wahân i'r swm hwnnw sy'n ymddangos bron yn chwerthinllyd o bitw, o ystyried maint yr her a wynebwn, nid yn unig yng Nghymru, ond ledled y DU, mae'n ymddangos na ellir nodi y daw'r un geiniog o'r buddsoddiad hwnnw i Gymru. Nawr, yn ogystal â chodi ein llais torfol ni, fel cenedl, i fynnu bod hynny'n cael ei newid, rwy'n credu bod yn rhaid inni fod yn barod hefyd i ddweud, 'Os na wnân nhw hyn er ein mwyn ni, fe wnawn ni'r hyn a allwn ni er ein mwyn ni ein hunain.' Ac mae angen inni ailfeddwl, rwy'n credu, ar sawl lefel: am faint y buddsoddiad sydd ei angen arnom ni yng Nghymru a sut i'w gyflwyno a sut i'w flaenoriaethu; am yr hyblygrwydd cyllidol sydd ei angen arnom ni; am ddiwygio trethiant hyd yn oed. Felly, a yw'r Llywodraeth yn barod i ddechrau neu ymuno â ni yn y drafodaeth honno i ddiwygio nawr, oherwydd po gyflymaf yn y byd y dechreuwn ni ddod o hyd i'r ffyrdd arloesol hynny o fynd yn ein blaenau, cyflymaf yn y byd y byddwn yn fwy tebygol o'u canfod nhw?
English: Rhun ap Iorwerth is entirely correct that yesterday's announcement from the Prime Minister was a complete non-event, in the sense that there's not a single additional penny coming to Wales as a result of the statement yesterday, certainly not this year, and all that's happening is that funding is being reprofiled for future projects. So, there was nothing of interest or significance to us here in Wales. That said, we recognise how important capital spend is going to be in the recovery, which is why we're pulling together the programmes that we think will be, and which are really shovel ready in terms of being able to hit the ground as soon as we're able to now, as we move into that recovery phase. Local government is also working really hard to identify shovel-ready projects right across Wales, so that we are able to get that geographical spread of investment, bearing in mind that some communities are going to be hit particularly hard by the economic fallout of the coronavirus as well. And, of course, we have our Wales infrastructure investment plan, which contains billions of pounds of potential investment as well, so that will be really important. And finally, I should mention, of course, our plans for twenty-first century schools continue. Our plans in Wales would spend £2 billion over the next five years, and I think that that level of ambition just dwarfs what the Prime Minister announced yesterday for England.
Welsh: Mae Rhun ap Iorwerth yn hollol gywir o ran llwyr ddiffyg sylwedd y cyhoeddiad gan y Prif Weinidog ddoe, yn yr ystyr nad oes yr un geiniog ychwanegol i ddod i Gymru o ganlyniad i'r datganiad ddoe, yn bendant nid eleni, a'r cwbl sydd am ddigwydd yw bod cyllid yn cael ei ailbroffilio ar gyfer prosiectau i'r dyfodol. Felly, nid oedd unrhyw beth o ddiddordeb nac o unrhyw arwyddocâd i ni yma yng Nghymru. Wedi dweud hynny, rydym yn cydnabod pa mor bwysig yw gwariant cyfalaf yn yr adferiad, a dyna pam rydym yn dwyn ynghyd y rhaglenni a fydd, yn ein tyb ni, yn barod i'w cyflwyno, ac yn wirioneddol ystwyth o ran gallu eu gweithredu cyn gynted ag y bo modd nawr, wrth inni symud i'r cyfnod hwnnw o adferiad. Mae Llywodraeth Leol yn gweithio'n galed iawn hefyd i nodi prosiectau sy'n barod i'w gweithredu ledled Cymru, fel y gallwn sicrhau'r lledaeniad daearyddol hwnnw o ran buddsoddi, gan gofio y bydd rhai cymunedau yn cael eu taro'n arbennig o galed hefyd gan ganlyniadau economaidd coronafeirws. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae gennym ein cynllun buddsoddi yn seilwaith Cymru, sy'n cynnwys biliynau o bunnoedd o fuddsoddiad posibl hefyd, ac fe fydd hwnnw'n bwysig iawn. Yn olaf, fe ddylwn i grybwyll, wrth gwrs, fod ein cynlluniau ni'n parhau ar gyfer ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain. Fe fyddai ein cynlluniau ni yng Nghymru yn gwario £2 biliwn dros y pum mlynedd nesaf, ac rwyf i o'r farn fod y lefel honno o uchelgais yn anferthol o'i chymharu â'r hyn a gyhoeddodd y Prif Weinidog ddoe i Loegr.
English: Again, thank you for that response. The one thing I would say: with previous infrastructure development plans that were in place, they really need to be consigned to history, given now the scale of our understanding of the challenge that we have, which is at a different level to what we had previously. It needs to be rebuilt. I'd like to finally just look at, as businesses are gradually reopening, not all of them are able to move at the same pace as others. One support package that was a lifeline, of course, was the non-domestic rates grants. Will there be another round of NDR grants available for those businesses who are unable to reopen? And also, on tourism and hospitality in particular - facing a full year of little profit, even if some of them are able to open now - what discussions have you had with the economy Minister to make a financial support package available to those sectors and for the longer term as a matter of urgency?
Welsh: Unwaith eto, diolch i chi am yr ateb hwnnw. Un peth y byddwn i'n ei ddweud: gyda'r cynlluniau blaenorol i ddatblygu seilwaith a oedd ar waith, mae angen eu bwrw nhw i ebargofiant, o gofio maint ein dealltwriaeth ni nawr o'r her sydd o'n blaenau, sydd ar lefel wahanol i'r hyn a welsom ni o'r blaen. Mae angen adeiladu o'r newydd. Yn olaf, fe hoffwn i roi ystyriaeth i'r ffaith, wrth i fusnesau ailagor yn raddol, nad yw pob un ohonyn nhw'n gallu symud ar yr un cyflymder ag eraill. Un pecyn cymorth a fu'n achubiaeth, wrth gwrs, oedd y grantiau ardrethi annomestig. A fydd yna gylch arall o grantiau ardrethi annomestig ar gael i'r busnesau hynny nad ydyn nhw'n gallu ailagor? A hefyd, o ran twristiaeth a lletygarwch yn benodol - sy'n wynebu blwyddyn gyfan o elw bach iawn, hyd yn oed os yw rhai ohonyn nhw'n gallu agor nawr - pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi gyda Gweinidog yr Economi i sicrhau bod pecyn cymorth ariannol ar gael i'r sectorau hyn ac ar gyfer y tymor hwy, a hynny ar fyrder?
English: I'll be completely honest, and the level of what we are able to provide in terms of cash straight into the pockets of businesses here in Wales will depend, I think, in large part, on what our financial package looks like in Wales for the rest of the year. So, next Wednesday, we'll have a statement from the Chancellor, which will set out what we would expect to receive from the UK Government in revenue terms for the rest of the year, and I think that we will need to look at that, in terms of the recovery, but also alongside the ongoing pressures that we know we have in terms of dealing with the coronavirus crisis, which still hasn't left us, despite the loosening of lockdown. So, I can't give any commitment to further grants today. However, what I will say is that we recognise how important the coronavirus job retention scheme has been for particular sectors. Ken Skates and I wrote jointly to the Chancellor on that specific point, highlighting the need for continued support for specific sectors - so, giving tourism as an example - and also for those businesses who still can't open as a result of the lockdown or the restrictions that remain on particular kinds of businesses, and we'll continue to make those arguments.
Welsh: Rwy'n mynd i fod yn hollol onest. Fe fydd y lefel o arian y gallwn ni ei roi yn syth ym mhocedi busnesau yma yng Nghymru yn dibynnu, rwy'n credu, i raddau helaeth, ar sut olwg fydd ar ein pecyn ariannol ni yng Nghymru am weddill y flwyddyn. Felly, ddydd Mercher nesaf, fe fyddwn ni'n cael datganiad gan y Canghellor. Fe fydd hwnnw'n nodi'r hyn y gallwn ei ddisgwyl oddi wrth Lywodraeth y DU o ran refeniw ar gyfer gweddill y flwyddyn, ac rwy'n credu y bydd angen inni edrych ar hynny, o ran yr adferiad, ond hefyd ar y pwysau parhaus y gwyddom ni sydd arnom o ran ymdrin ag argyfwng coronafeirws, nad yw wedi dod i ben eto, er gwaethaf llacio'r cyfyngiadau symud. Felly, ni allaf roi unrhyw ymrwymiad i grantiau pellach heddiw. Fodd bynnag, yr hyn y gallaf i ei ddweud yw ein bod yn cydnabod pa mor bwysig y mae'r cynllun cadw swyddi coronafeirws wedi bod ar gyfer sectorau penodol. Fe ysgrifennodd Ken Skates a minnau ar y cyd at y Canghellor ynglŷn â'r pwynt penodol hwn, gan bwysleisio'r angen am gefnogaeth barhaus i sectorau penodol - gan roi twristiaeth yn enghraifft - a hefyd i'r busnesau hynny sy'n parhau i fod yn methu ag agor o ganlyniad i'r cloi neu'r cyfyngiadau sy'n aros ar fathau penodol o fusnesau, ac fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i gyflwyno'r dadleuon hynny.
English: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, the recent news about job losses at Airbus has demonstrated the need for support for Welsh businesses at this very difficult time, and that includes the UK Government's furloughing scheme and, of course, Welsh Government support. Now, out of the £500 million pledge for the economic resilience fund, it seems that less than half of that has been used so far. Could you tell us a little bit more about how these allocations are being made, exactly how much of that money has been spent, and how are you as finance Minister ensuring that allocations are building effective resilience in communities affected by closures and job losses?
Welsh: Diolch, Llywydd. Gweinidog, mae'r newyddion diweddar am golli swyddi yn Airbus wedi dangos yr angen am gymorth i fusnesau Cymru yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys cynllun ffyrlo Llywodraeth y DU ac, wrth gwrs, gefnogaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Nawr, o'r addewid o £500 miliwn i'r gronfa cydnerthedd economaidd, mae'n ymddangos mai llai na hanner hynny a ddefnyddiwyd hyd yn hyn. A wnewch chi ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni am y modd y mae'r dyraniadau hyn yn gweithio, faint yn union o'r arian hwnnw a gafodd ei wario, a sut ydych chi, fel Gweinidog Cyllid, yn sicrhau bod y dyraniadau yn magu cydnerthedd effeithiol yn y cymunedau yr effeithir arnynt oherwydd cau i lawr a diswyddiadau?
English: Thank you, Minister. I think you're exactly right to say that this is a two-pronged approach. It is important that, along with the UK Government efforts, we do see that support from the Welsh Government, such as from the economic resilience fund. So, if you can keep us updated on those allocations, that would be helpful. You mentioned, as we move out of lockdown and rebuilding the economy, that that won't just involve protecting existing jobs in their entirety - I think we have to recognise that that's not going to be possible - and it won't involve simply returning to the old ways of working. It will also involve allocations of funding for upskilling our workforce so that it's fully prepared to meet the global challenges ahead. According to an Open University report published last November, skills shortages are costing Welsh businesses £350 million a year, with many trapped in low-skill traps, and I imagine that those figures are even worse now with the pandemic having taken its duration. How are you ensuring that the allocations made in the recent supplementary budget will be properly focused on rebuilding the economy, particularly a greener, more modern economy, so that we are not just trying to meet the challenges of the past, but we're making sure that Wales is at the forefront of meeting the challenges ahead?
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr, Gweinidog. Rwy'n credu eich bod chi yn llygad eich lle wrth ddweud mai dull deublyg yw hwn. Mae'n bwysig ein bod ni, ynghyd ag ymdrechion Llywodraeth y DU, yn gweld y gefnogaeth honno gan Lywodraeth Cymru, fel o'r gronfa cydnerthedd economaidd. Felly, pe byddech chi'n rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni am y dyraniadau hynny, fe fyddai hynny o gymorth mawr. Roeddech chi'n sôn, wrth inni symud oddi wrth y cyfnod clo tuag at ailadeiladu'r economi, na fydd hynny'n ymwneud â gwarchod swyddi sy'n bodoli eisoes yn eu cyfanrwydd - rhaid inni gydnabod na fydd hynny'n bosibl - nac yn ymwneud â dychwelyd yn syml i'r hen ddulliau o weithio. Fe fydd yn cynnwys dyraniadau cyllid hefyd ar gyfer uwchsgilio ein gweithlu fel y bydd yn gwbl barod i ymateb i'r heriau byd-eang sydd o'n blaenau. Yn ôl adroddiad gan y Brifysgol Agored a gyhoeddwyd fis Tachwedd diwethaf, mae cost prinder sgiliau yn £350 miliwn y flwyddyn i fusnesau Cymru, gyda llawer wedi eu dal mewn maglau sgiliau isel, ac fe fyddwn i'n tybio bod y ffigurau hynny'n waeth byth erbyn hyn gyda'r pandemig wedi para fel y mae. Sut ydych chi'n sicrhau y bydd y dyraniadau a wnaeth y gyllideb atodol ddiweddar yn canolbwyntio'n gywir ar ailadeiladu'r economi, economi fwy gwyrdd a mwy modern yn arbennig felly, fel nad ydym ond yn ymgeisio'n unig am atebion i heriau'r gorffennol ond yn sicrhau y bydd Cymru ar flaen y gad o ran ymateb i'r heriau sydd o'n blaenau ni?
English: The supplementary budget was more of a response to the immediate pandemic, so it was responding to the acute issues that we were facing, particularly in health and social care and in local authorities, but also on the business side of things. So, I think that, moving forward, as Nick Ramsay says, the focus is very much on employability and skills. A piece of work has gone on across Welsh Government exploring what different departments can bring to the table in terms a new and reinvigorated approach to skills and employability - so, from education to health, and obviously I have a role in that in finance. But what we do want to see next week from the Chancellor is the UK Government's approach to skills, because, again, we want to augment what's happening. So, if the UK Government takes an approach to support skills and employability through the skills agenda, through BEIS, then we'll receive a consequential and we can do some of our own things here, but if it's the case that the UK Government decides that undertaking this work is better done through the DWP, then we won't receive a consequential. So, we're holding back on our skills and employability plan in terms of saying more about it until we know whether or not the funding will be here for us to take all of the decisions or if we need to work with what the UK Government decides to do potentially through the DWP. But I'm really hoping that the economic statement next Wednesday will provide us with that level of clarity.
Welsh: Ymateb uniongyrchol i argyfwng y pandemig oedd y gyllideb atodol yn anad dim. Felly roedd yn ymateb i'r problemau difrifol yr oeddem yn eu hwynebu, ym maes iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn arbennig ac yn yr awdurdodau lleol, ond ar yr ochr fusnes i bethau hefyd. Felly, rwy'n credu, wrth symud ymlaen, fel y dywed Nick Ramsay, fe fydd y pwyslais ar gyflogadwyedd a sgiliau i raddau helaeth. Mae darn o waith wedi ei wneud ledled Llywodraeth Cymru i archwilio'r hyn y gall gwahanol adrannau ei gynnig o ran agwedd newydd a gweithredol tuag at sgiliau a chyflogadwyedd - felly, o addysg hyd at iechyd, ac yn amlwg mae gennyf innau swyddogaeth ym maes cyllid yn hyn o beth. Ond yr hyn yr ydym yn awyddus i'w weld yr wythnos nesaf gan y Canghellor yw dull Llywodraeth y DU o ymdrin â sgiliau, oherwydd, unwaith eto, rydym yn dymuno ategu'r hyn a fydd yn digwydd. Felly, os bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn mynd ati i gefnogi sgiliau a chyflogadwyedd drwy'r agenda sgiliau, drwy BEIS, yna fe fyddwn ni'n cael swm canlyniadol o hynny a gallwn wneud rhai o'n pethau ni ein hunain yma. Ond pe byddai Llywodraeth y DU yn penderfynu ei bod yn well gwneud y gwaith hwn drwy'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau, ni fyddem ni'n cael unrhyw swm canlyniadol wedyn. Felly, rydym yn dal yn ôl o ran ein cynllun sgiliau a chyflogadwyedd ac yn ymatal rhag dweud mwy am hwnnw nes y byddwn ni'n gwybod a fydd yr arian ar gael inni wneud y penderfyniadau hyn neu beidio, neu a fydd angen inni weithio gyda'r hyn y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn penderfynu ei wneud drwy'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau. Ond rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y bydd y datganiad economaidd ddydd Mercher nesaf yn rhoi digon o eglurder i ni.