English: The Welsh Conservatives warned that the introduction of COVID passports in Wales would set a dangerous precedent, and it gives me no pleasure today to say that we were right. It's just a few short weeks since the introduction of COVID passports here in Wales, and yet, in spite of no clear or credible evidence that they have an ability to stop the spread of coronavirus, we find ourselves today debating yet another proposal to extend their use beyond the large events and night-time economy, now to cinemas, theatres and concert halls, and this is in spite of the fact that there's no evidence to suggest that these venues are the hotbed of virus infection. Llywydd, as you are well aware, the Welsh Conservatives have been opposed to the introduction of vaccine passports from the outset. The mandatory use of domestic vaccination passports has wide-ranging ethical, equality, privacy, legal and operational ramifications. We, like other Members of this Senedd, are absolutely committed to protecting lives and livelihoods. We understand that the final stages of unlocking society and the economy have to be done carefully. But, with the vaccination rate in Wales being so high and the link between cases and hospitalisations being severely weakened, we do not believe that the introduction of barriers that impact on people's freedoms and privacy is the right thing to do. Vaccine passports are not a route out of restrictions, they are restrictions. They should not be expanded into other premises when they should never have been introduced or put on the table in the first place. Vaccine passports are coercive, ineffective and anti-business; they limit our freedoms but they do not limit the spread of COVID-19. Now, we're often told by Labour Ministers that they are listening to the experts, so let's consider what the experts have been saying. The Welsh Government's technical advisory cell on coronavirus said that COVID passes will have a minimal impact on the spread of the virus. And Dr Frank Atherton, the Welsh Government's own chief medical officer, said just last week that the actual direct impact of COVID passes is probably quite small. And he went further than that, he actually said that the evidence is still building around COVID passes, and that the bigger impact was over messaging and using COVID passes alongside other restrictions such as face coverings. Now, if the Welsh Government's own chief medical officer is not convinced that they make a real difference, then how on earth can you expect Members of this Senedd today, along with the public and businesses the length and breadth of this country, to be convinced that they are? The idea of a COVID pass was outlined and implemented in Wales at very short notice, and these latest proposals are similar, with very little consideration of how it will actually impact those businesses and organisations that will be affected. The entertainment industry has already been ravaged by COVID-19 restrictions, and the extension of COVID passports to cinemas, theatres and concert halls will only punish them further. The chief executive officer of the UK Cinema Association has warned that this move could lead to the closure of many smaller venues, stating that, and I quote, 'where similar schemes have been introduced inEuropean territories, we have seen admissions drop by as much as 50%.' This is people's jobs and livelihoods on the line.
Welsh: Rhybuddiodd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig y byddai cyflwyno pasbortau COVID yng Nghymru yn gosod cynsail beryglus, ac nid yw'n bleser gen i heddiw ddweud ein bod yn iawn. Dim ond ychydig wythnosau sydd ers cyflwyno pasbortau COVID yma yng Nghymru, ac eto, er gwaethaf dim tystiolaeth glir na chredadwy eu bod yn gallu atal lledaeniad y coronafeirws, rydym heddiw yn trafod cynnig arall i ymestyn eu defnydd y tu hwnt i'r digwyddiadau mawr a'r economi nos, i sinemâu, theatrau a neuaddau cyngerdd bellach ac mae hyn er gwaethaf y ffaith nad oes tystiolaeth i awgrymu mai'r lleoliadau hyn yw lle mae haint y feirws yn rhemp. Llywydd, fel y gwyddoch yn iawn, mae'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi gwrthwynebu cyflwyno pasbortau brechlyn o'r cychwyn cyntaf. Mae gan y defnydd gorfodol o basbortau brechu domestig oblygiadau eang yn foesegol, o ran cydraddoldeb a phreifatrwydd, yn gyfreithiol ac yn weithredol. Rydym ni, fel Aelodau eraill o'r Senedd hon, wedi ymrwymo'n llwyr i ddiogelu bywydau a bywoliaethau. Rydym yn deall bod yn rhaid bod yn ofalus wrth gymryd y camau olaf at ddatgloi cymdeithas a'r economi. Ond, gan fod y gyfradd frechu yng Nghymru mor uchel, ac mae'r cysylltiad rhwng achosion a derbyniadau i'r ysbyty wedi ei wanhau'n ddifrifol, nid ydym yn credu mai cyflwyno rhwystrau sy'n effeithio ar ryddid a phreifatrwydd pobl yw'r peth iawn i'w wneud. Nid yw pasbortau brechu yn llwybr allan o gyfyngiadau, maen nhw'n gyfyngiadau. Ni ddylid eu hehangu i safleoedd eraill pan na ddylen nhw byth fod wedi eu cyflwyno na'u rhoi ar y bwrdd yn y lle cyntaf. Mae pasbortau brechu yn gymhellol, yn aneffeithiol ac yn wrth-fusnes; maen nhw'n cyfyngu ar ein rhyddid ond nid ydyn nhw'n cyfyngu ar ledaeniad COVID-19. Nawr, mae Gweinidogion Llafur yn dweud wrthym yn aml eu bod yn gwrando ar yr arbenigwyr, felly gadewch i ni ystyried yr hyn y mae'r arbenigwyr wedi bod yn ei ddweud. Dywedodd cell ymgynghorol technegol Llywodraeth Cymru ar y coronafeirws y bydd pasys COVID yn cael effaith fach iawn ar ledaeniad y feirws. A dywedodd Dr Frank Atherton, prif swyddog meddygol Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun, yr wythnos diwethaf fod effaith uniongyrchol gwirioneddol pasys COVID yn eithaf bach, mae'n debyg. Ac aeth ymhellach na hynny, dywedodd mewn gwirionedd fod y dystiolaeth yn dal i ddatblygu o amgylch pasys COVID, ac mai'r effaith fwy gormod o negeseuon a defnyddio pasys COVID ochr yn ochr â chyfyngiadau eraill fel gorchuddion wyneb. Nawr, os nad yw prif swyddog meddygol Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun wedi ei argyhoeddi eu bod yn gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol, yna sut ar y ddaear y gallwch chi ddisgwyl i Aelodau'r Senedd hon heddiw, ynghyd â'r cyhoedd a busnesau ar hyd a lled y wlad hon, fod wedi eu hargyhoeddi eu bod nhw? Amlinellwyd a gweithredwyd y syniad o bàs COVID yng Nghymru ar fyr rybudd, ac mae'r cynigion diweddaraf hyn yn debyg, gydag ychydig iawn o ystyriaeth i sut y bydd yn effeithio mewn gwirionedd ar y busnesau a'r sefydliadau hynny y maen nhw'n ymwneud â nhw. Mae'r diwydiant adloniant eisoes wedi ei chwalu gan gyfyngiadau COVID-19, a'r cyfan y bydd ymestyn pasbortau COVID i sinemâu, theatrau a neuaddau cyngerdd yn ei wneud yw eu cosbi ymhellach. Mae prif swyddog gweithredol Cymdeithas Sinema'r DU wedi rhybuddio y gallai'r cam hwn arwain at gau llawer o leoliadau llai, gan ddweud, ac rwy'n dyfynnu, 'lle mae cynlluniau tebyg wedi'u cyflwyno mewntiriogaethau Ewropeaidd, rydym ni wedi gweld nifer yr ymwelwyr yn gostwng cymaint â 50%.' Dyma swyddi a bywoliaeth pobl yn y fantol.