English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Last month, with coronavirus rising and spreading rapidly in every part of Wales, and acting on the clear advice of our medical and scientific advisers, the Welsh Government introduced a 17-day firebreak to help bring coronavirus under control, prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed and, ultimately, save lives. The consensus was, in order to regain control of the virus, the best way for this to be achieved was by people staying home as much as possible. The aim of the restrictions was to reduce the numbers of people going out, the amount of unnecessary travel, and the time that people spent when they were shopping. It was necessary to close all leisure and non-essential retail, and Members will be aware that similar policies have been pursued in other parts of the UK and other countries, as we've just heard from several contributions. Because the Welsh Government acted quickly and decisively, we've been able to limit the firebreak to 17 days, which is considerably shorter than that of our neighbour. Shops were allowed to remain open - that included supermarkets and other food retailers, pharmacies, banks and post offices - and the approach required large multiple retailers to stop selling non-essential items. The regulations and guidance enabled items essential for a person's welfare or the welfare of a vulnerable person - and that did include children - to be sold, including necessities such as children's clothing. It is a matter of regret that there was some initial confusion, and Members have referred to the fact that we do need to learn lessons, and I absolutely agree with that, and the feedback I've had from the retail sector was that it's really important to engage earlier around these regulations. But protecting public health has to be done quickly at times, and we don't always have the luxury of time to do that. I also think matters weren't helped by images that were circulated on social media that caused distress when it appeared that certain products were not available. So, I really want to be clear that many of these problems occurred due to uncontrollable factors. One of them was that there had been a robbery that forced closure of a supermarket aisle, and then people maliciously were moving in-shop signage to deliberately cause confusion, and I think it's a real shame that a thoughtless minority sought entertainment through causing alarm and distress to others. But I am grateful that the overwhelming majority of the public were calm, they were understanding, and they continued to show concern for others. In the days immediately before the firebreak, and throughout it, the Welsh Government engaged extensively with trade organisations and with a wide range of individual retailers to explain the regulations and the action that they were required to take. We published guidance for retailers and we answered queries from them. This enabled them to take a pragmatic approach to managing their shops, and I was very pleased to be able to agree a joint statement with them that stressed the critical issue of staff safety. One of the worst features, I think, of COVID-19 has been an increase in anti-social behaviour by retail customers towards each other and, especially, towards retail staff. I have previously written to the Home Office about this subject, and I've also written to all Wales's police forces, seeking their strong support for retailers in addressing this problem. I'd like to put again on record the Welsh Government's thanks to the retail sector and their many employees across Wales for managing a difficult situation very well. They faced significant challenges, and they worked hard to make those changes quickly. Now the firebreak is over, it's really important that we sustain the gains that we've made in fighting COVID-19. The public are being urged to continue to avoid unnecessary travel and crowded spaces, and in most circumstances, the absolute maximum number of people who can gather together is four. That is a maximum, it's not a target, and the smaller the number of people who gather, obviously, the lower the risk. Through taking these commonsense steps, everyone can help keep Wales safe, protect our NHS, and, of course, protect ourselves and our loved ones. The firebreak has been a tough experience for many, many people, and we do have to learn lessons. I also accept that this petition was the biggest one ever accepted, but I think that's because COVID-19 is the biggest challenge that we've faced for many, many years. Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Fis diwethaf, gyda'r coronafeirws ar gynnydd ac yn lledaenu'n gyflym ym mhob rhan o Gymru, a chan weithredu ar gyngor clir ein cynghorwyr meddygol a gwyddonol, cyflwynodd Llywodraeth Cymru gyfnod atal byr 17 diwrnod o hyd i helpu i reoli'r coronafeirws, i atal y GIG rhag cael ei lethu ac yn y pen draw, i achub bywydau. Er mwyn adfer rheolaeth ar y feirws, y consensws oedd mai'r ffordd orau o gyflawni hyn oedd i bobl aros adref gymaint â phosibl. Nod y cyfyngiadau oedd lleihau nifer y bobl a oedd yn mynd allan, faint o deithio diangen a wnaed, a'r amser a dreuliai pobl yn siopa. Roedd angen cau'r holl fannau hamdden a manwerthu nad yw'n hanfodol, ac fe fydd yr Aelodau'n gwybod bod polisïau tebyg wedi'u dilyn mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU a gwledydd eraill, fel rydym newydd glywed mewn sawl cyfraniad. Gan fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithredu'n gyflym ac yn bendant, rydym wedi gallu cyfyngu'r cyfnod atal byr i 17 diwrnod, sydd gryn dipyn yn fyrrach na chyfnod atal byr ein cymydog. Caniatawyd i siopau aros ar agor - roedd hynny'n cynnwys archfarchnadoedd a manwerthwyr bwyd eraill, fferyllfeydd, banciau a swyddfeydd post - ac roedd y dull o weithredu'n ei gwneud hi'n ofynnol i fanwerthwyr lluosog mawr roi'r gorau i werthu eitemau nad ydynt yn hanfodol. Roedd y rheoliadau a'r canllawiau'n ei gwneud hi'n bosibl gwerthu eitemau sy'n hanfodol er lles unigolyn neu les person agored i niwed - ac roedd hynny'n cynnwys plant - gan gynnwys eitemau angenrheidiol fel dillad plant. Mae'n destun gofid fod yna beth dryswch cychwynnol, ac mae'r Aelodau wedi cyfeirio at y ffaith bod angen inni ddysgu gwersi, ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â hynny, a'r adborth rwyf wedi'i gael gan y sector manwerthu oedd ei bod yn bwysig iawn ymgysylltu'n gynharach ynglŷn â'r rheoliadau hyn. Ond mae'n rhaid diogelu iechyd y cyhoedd yn gyflym ar adegau, ac nid oes gennym foethusrwydd amser i wneud hynny bob amser. Credaf hefyd nad oedd delweddau a ddosbarthwyd ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol wedi helpu pethau gan iddynt achosi gofid pan oedd hi'n ymddangos nad oedd rhai cynhyrchion ar gael. Felly, rwyf am fod yn glir iawn fod llawer o'r problemau hyn wedi digwydd oherwydd ffactorau na ellid eu rheoli. Un ohonynt oedd bod lladrad wedi arwain at gau eil mewn archfarchnad, ac roedd pobl yn symud arwyddion yn y siop gyda bwriad maleisus i achosi dryswch, a chredaf ei bod yn drueni mawr fod lleiafrif difeddwl wedi ceisio difyrru eu hunain drwy achosi braw a gofid i eraill. Ond rwy'n ddiolchgar fod y mwyafrif llethol o'r cyhoedd heb gynhyrfu, roeddent yn deall, ac wedi parhau i ddangos gofal am eraill. Yn y dyddiau yn union cyn y cyfnod atal byr, a thrwy gydol y cyfnod, ymgysylltodd Llywodraeth Cymru yn helaeth â sefydliadau masnach a chydag ystod eang o fanwerthwyr unigol i esbonio'r rheoliadau a'r camau gweithredu roedd gofyn iddynt eu cymryd. Cyhoeddwyd canllawiau gennym i fanwerthwyr ac atebwyd ymholiadau ganddynt. Galluogodd hyn iddynt fod yn bragmatig wrth reoli eu siopau, ac roeddwn yn falch iawn o allu cytuno ar ddatganiad ar y cyd â hwy a bwysleisiai fater hollbwysig diogelwch staff. Un o nodweddion gwaethaf COVID-19 yn fy marn i yw'r cynnydd mewn ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol gan gwsmeriaid manwerthu tuag at ei gilydd ac yn enwedig tuag at staff manwerthu. Rwyf wedi ysgrifennu at y Swyddfa Gartref ar y mater hwn o'r blaen, ac rwyf hefyd wedi ysgrifennu at holl heddluoedd Cymru, i ofyn am eu cefnogaeth gadarn i fanwerthwyr wrth fynd i'r afael â'r broblem hon. Hoffwn gofnodi diolch Llywodraeth Cymru unwaith eto i'r sector manwerthu a'u gweithwyr niferus ledled Cymru am reoli sefyllfa anodd yn dda iawn. Roeddent yn wynebu heriau sylweddol, ac fe wnaethant weithio'n galed i wneud y newidiadau hynny'n gyflym. Gan fod y cyfnod atal byr bellach ar ben, mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn cynnal y cynnydd a wnaethom yn ymladd COVID-19. Anogir y cyhoedd i barhau i osgoi teithio diangen a mannau gorlawn, ac yn y rhan fwyaf o amgylchiadau, y nifer uchaf o bobl sy'n cael ymgynnull yw pedwar. Uchafswm yw hwnnw, nid targed, a pho leiaf y nifer o bobl a ddaw at ei gilydd, y lleiaf yw'r risg wrth gwrs. Drwy gymryd y camau synnwyr cyffredin hyn, gall pawb helpu i gadw Cymru'n ddiogel, diogelu ein GIG, ac wrth gwrs, amddiffyn ein hunain a'n hanwyliaid. Mae'r cyfnod atal byr wedi bod yn brofiad anodd i lawer iawn o bobl, ac mae'n rhaid inni ddysgu gwersi. Rwy'n derbyn hefyd mai'r ddeiseb hon oedd yr un fwyaf a gyflwynwyd erioed, ond rwy'n credu mai'r rheswm am hynny yw mai COVID-19 yw'r her fwyaf rydym wedi'i hwynebu ers blynyddoedd lawer. Diolch.