English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement this afternoon? I believe it's important that animal welfare is a priority for any Welsh Government, and I'm also pleased that there are plenty of discussions taking place at Westminster around driving up animal standards. Indeed, it's good to see that Governments at both ends of the M4 are committing to this agenda. Of course, the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill 2017 would increase the maximum penalty for animal cruelty offences from six months to five years' imprisonment, and it would ensure that animals are defined in UK law as sentient beings. Of course, I'm pleased that today's statement confirms the Welsh Government support for this Bill, therefore perhaps the Cabinet Secretary could confirm whether it's still her intention to bring forward a legislative consent motion in the National Assembly to allow this obligation to extend to Welsh Government Ministers. And perhaps she could also provide an update on what discussions she's had with UK Government counterparts on this specific Bill, given its impact on Wales. The Cabinet Secretary will be aware of the UK Government's recent consultation to introduce a ban on third-party puppy sales, which would mean pet shops and pet dealers cannot sell puppies unless they have bred them themselves. I note that today's statement confirms that the potential banning of third-party sales is worthy of investigation, and that the Cabinet Secretary will be discussing options with officials. I'm sure the Welsh Government is also monitoring the outcomes of the UK Government's consultation, but perhaps she can tell us a bit more about the options she has so far discussed with her officials. Of course, a ban on third-party sales of puppies goes some way to tackling the puppy trade in the UK, but there's scope here to look at a range of measures to tackle this problem, such as perhaps tightening regulations around the breeding and selling of puppies. I note from today's statement that in 2017 a survey was carried out by local authorities in partnership with the Welsh Government, which served as an opportunity to assess the standards currently applied in Wales, and that further projects under that partnership will be progressed this year. Given that we are now roughly half way through this Assembly, perhaps the Cabinet Secretary could give an assessment of the effectiveness of the current dog breeding regulations and also expand on what type of partnership projects will be carried out this year. Now, this afternoon's statement tells us that the current microchipping regulations will be reviewed and perhaps extended to other species, such as cats, and I wonder if the Cabinet Secretary could tell us what initial discussions she's had with cat welfare organisations and the animal welfare sector more generally at this stage about this review, and the impact of extending the regulations to other species. One of the more difficult issues that I believe needs tackling is in relation to the scale of unlicensed activity and the rise in the online sale of pets in Wales, as the invisibility of this trading system has resulted in many online sellers being able to avoid pet breeding and vending legislation, and it crucially pays no regard to an animal's welfare. Therefore, whilst I'm pleased that today's statement looks at a series of measures around animal welfare, perhaps she could tell us a bit more about the specific action that her department intends to take in relation to the buying and selling of animals and, in particular, online trading. Now, another important animal welfare campaign that has gained significant attention recently is in relation to sanctuaries, and the Cabinet Secretary will be aware of the YouGov poll for RSPCA Cymru in 2017, which found that 83 per cent of the public in Wales believe the Welsh Government should make animal sanctuary owners obtain a licence and be inspected to set up or operate such premises. It's clear that there's an appetite for the Welsh Government to do something here. I accept that today's statement confirms the development of a new voluntary code of practice for sanctuaries. However, I'd be grateful if she could give us her initial thoughts on how animal welfare establishments should be monitored to ensure that they are meeting the highest possible welfare standards, and perhaps in the first instance she would consider providing a clear-cut definition of the phrase 'animal welfare establishment' so that there can be no ambiguity in talking about what sorts of establishments any new codes would apply to and to ensure that all sanctuaries are included within this definition. Of course, today's statement confirms that the Welsh Government has committed to looking at reviewing a range of codes of practice for companion animals, and I'm pleased that more work will be done in the autumn as it's crucial that all codes are kept up to date and extended where they need to be and that they are considered alongside other portfolio areas, as often animal welfare guidance can have an impact on other Government policies, such as health and housing. Therefore, in closing, Deputy Presiding Officer, can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement? I look forward to scrutinising the Welsh Government's progress on its animal welfare policies as they develop. Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch ichi, Dirprwy Lywydd, ac a gaf i ddiolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am ei datganiad y prynhawn yma? Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig bod lles anifeiliaid yn flaenoriaeth i unrhyw Lywodraeth Cymru, ac rwy'n falch hefyd bod digon o drafodaethau yn cael eu cynnal yn San Steffan ynghylch gwella safonau anifeiliaid. Yn wir, mae'n dda gweld bod y llywodraethau ar ddau ben yr M4 yn ymrwymo i'r agenda hon. Wrth gwrs, byddai drafft y Bil Lles Anifeiliaid (Dedfrydu a Chydnabyddiaeth o Ddedfryd) 2017 yn cynyddu uchafswm y gosb am droseddau creulondeb anifeiliaid o chwe mis i bum mlynedd o garchar, a byddai'n sicrhau bod anifeiliaid yn cael eu diffinio yng nghyfraith y DU fel bodau ymdeimladol. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n falch fod datganiad heddiw yn cadarnhau cefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i'r Bil hwn, felly efallai y gallai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gadarnhau a yw'n dal i fwriadu cyflwyno cynnig cydsyniad deddfwriaethol yn y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol i ganiatáu i'r rhwymedigaeth hon ymestyn i Weinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru. Ac efallai y gallai hi hefyd roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ynglŷn â pha drafodaethau y mae hi wedi eu cael gyda'i chymheiriaid yn Llywodraeth y DU ar y Bil penodol hwn, o ystyried ei effaith ar Gymru. Bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn ymwybodol o ymgynghoriad diweddar Llywodraeth y DU i gyflwyno gwaharddiad ar werthu cŵn bach drwy drydydd parti, a fyddai'n golygu na all siopau anifeiliaid anwes a delwyr anifeiliaid anwes werthu cŵn bach oni bai eu bod nhw wedi eu bridio eu hunain. Rwy'n sylwi bod y datganiad heddiw yn cadarnhau ei bod hi'n werth ystyried y posibilrwydd o wahardd gwerthu drwy drydydd parti, ac y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn trafod posibiliadau gyda swyddogion. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd yn monitro canlyniadau ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth y DU, ond efallai y gall hi ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni am y posibiliadau y mae hi wedi'u trafod hyd yma gyda'i swyddogion. Wrth gwrs, mae'r gwaharddiad ar werthu cŵn bach drwy drydydd parti yn rhannol fynd i'r afael â masnach cŵn bach yn y DU, ond mae cyfle yma i edrych ar ystod o fesurau i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem hon, megis efallai tynhau rheoliadau ynghylch bridio a gwerthu cŵn bach. Nodaf o'r datganiad heddiw y cynhaliwyd arolwg yn 2017 gan awdurdodau lleol ar y cyd â Llywodraeth Cymru, a oedd yn gyfle i asesu'r safonau sydd ar waith ar hyn o bryd yng Nghymru, ac y bydd prosiectau pellach dan y bartneriaeth honno yn cael eu datblygu eleni. Gan ein bod yn awr tua hanner ffordd drwy'r Cynulliad hwn, efallai y gallai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gynnal asesiad o effeithiolrwydd presennol rheoliadau bridio cŵn a hefyd ymhelaethu ar ba fath o brosiectau partneriaeth gaiff eu cynnal eleni. Nawr, mae datganiad y prynhawn yma yn dweud wrthym ni y bydd y rheoliadau microsglodynnu presennol yn cael eu hadolygu ac efallai eu hymestyn i rywogaethau eraill, megis cathod, ac rwy'n ystyried tybed a allai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddweud wrthym ni pa drafodaethau cychwynnol y mae hi wedi'u cael gyda sefydliadau lles cathod a'r sector lles anifeiliaid yn fwy cyffredinol ar y cam hwn am yr adolygiad hwn, a'r effaith o ymestyn y rheoliadau i rywogaethau eraill. Mae un o'r materion anoddaf y credaf sydd angen mynd i'r afael ag o yn gysylltiedig â maint y gweithgarwch didrwydded a'r cynnydd mewn gwerthu ar-lein ar anifeiliaid anwes yng Nghymru, gan fod natur anweledig y system fasnachu hon wedi arwain at nifer o werthwyr ar-lein yn gallu osgoi deddfwriaeth bridio a gwerthu anifeiliaid anwes, ac yn hollbwysig nid yw'n rhoi unrhyw sylw i les anifeiliaid. Felly, er fy mod yn falch bod y datganiad heddiw yn edrych ar gyfres o fesurau ynghylch lles anifeiliaid, efallai y gallai hi ddweud wrthym ni ychydig mwy ynglŷn â beth yn benodol mae ei hadran yn bwriadu ei wneud o ran prynu a gwerthu anifeiliaid ac, yn benodol, masnachu ar-lein. Nawr, mae ymgyrch lles anifeiliaid bwysig arall sydd wedi ennill cryn sylw yn ddiweddar yn ymwneud â gwarchodfeydd, a bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn ymwybodol o'r arolwg YouGov ar gyfer RSPCA Cymru yn 2017, a ganfu fod 83 y cant o'r cyhoedd yng Nghymru yn credu y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru wneud i berchnogion gwarchodfeydd anifeiliaid gael trwydded a chael eu harolygu i sefydlu neu weithredu safle o'r fath. Mae'n amlwg bod awydd i Lywodraeth Cymru wneud rhywbeth yma. Rwy'n derbyn bod y datganiad heddiw yn cadarnhau datblygu cod ymarfer gwirfoddol newydd ar gyfer gwarchodfeydd. Fodd bynnag, byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai hi roi ei syniadau cychwynnol ynglŷn â sut y dylai sefydliadau lles anifeiliaid gael eu monitro i sicrhau eu bod yn bodloni'r safonau lles uchaf, ac efallai yn y lle cyntaf y byddai hi'n ystyried rhoi diffiniad clir o'r ymadrodd 'sefydliad lles anifeiliaid' fel nad oes amwysedd wrth sôn am ba fath o sefydliadau y byddai unrhyw godau newydd yn berthnasol iddynt ac i sicrhau bod yr holl warchodfeydd wedi'u cynnwys o fewn y diffiniad hwn. Wrth gwrs, mae'r datganiad heddiw yn cadarnhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i edrych ar adolygu amrywiaeth o godau ymarfer ar gyfer anifeiliaid anwes, ac rwy'n falch y bydd mwy o waith yn cael ei wneud yn yr Hydref gan ei bod hi'n hanfodol bod yr holl godau yn cael eu cadw yn gyfredol a'u hymestyn lle mae angen, a'u bod yn cael eu hystyried ochr yn ochr â meysydd portffolio eraill, oherwydd gall canllawiau lles anifeiliaid yn aml gael effaith ar bolisïau eraill Llywodraeth, megis iechyd a thai. Felly, i gloi, Dirprwy Lywydd, a gaf i ddiolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am ei datganiad? Edrychaf ymlaen at graffu ar gynnydd Llywodraeth Cymru o ran eu polisïau lles anifeiliaid wrth i'r rheini ddatblygu. Diolch i chi.