English: I would like to contribute as Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee. And like other committees, we are currently undertaking an inquiry in terms of the impact of COVID-19 on our areas of responsibility. And it is clear that responding is placing significant financial pressures on those organisations operating in the areas within our remit, and the ability of those organisations to respond in the most effective way to the ongoing challenges. Of course, local authorities are in the front line in responding to this emergency and it has come at a time when those critical services they provide are already under significant financial pressure and budgetary constraints. I note that this supplementary budget has made £180 million hardship fund available to local authorities, including £78 million to cover loss of income due to this emergency. And those local authorities have had early access to their May and June settlement payments to help with their response, and those initial actions are very welcome. However, it will be crucial to ensure that our councils continue to have access to such support over the coming months, and indeed years, in order to sustain existing services and resume those that are currently on hold. Indeed, as the Minister for Housing and Local Government emphasised to us in committee, it's the long-term financial impact that's concerning, so it will be crucial that future financial settlements are fair and recognise this impact. Moving on to other matters, the rising instances of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence during the course of COVID-19 is of significant concern to our committee. The evidence from Welsh Women's Aid highlighted the importance of funding for support services reaching the front line. I note that the supplementary budget includes £200,000 capital funding for the grant for refuge providers, and that is to be welcomed, but I would like to emphasise the importance of moneys reaching front-line support services. It's crucial that sufficient funding gets to that front line to enable providers to use it in the best way to change and support service delivery. Yes, capital funding is important, but it doesn't help address issues of lost income or cost of using agency staff to cover for substantive staff absence. Welsh Women's Aid told us that the results of a survey conducted shows that 90 per cent of services are facing increased costs as a direct result of the pandemic, including PPE costs and staff shortages. So, it is vital that there is financial support available for these, as well as capital funding. Welsh Women's Aid has called for a ring-fenced pot of money for specialist services at least equivalent to funding being invested elsewhere in the UK. It would like to see a clear plan to replace the funding that has been repurposed to meet the impact of COVID-19 and funding that can be flexibly utilised for revenue and support costs. We support these calls, and I would ask the Minister to consider making such funding available as a matter of priority. Diolch yn fawr.
Welsh: Hoffwn gyfrannu fel Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau. Ac fel pwyllgorau eraill, ar hyn o bryd rydym yn cynnal ymchwiliad i effaith COVID-19 ar ein meysydd cyfrifoldeb. Ac mae'n amlwg fod ymateb yn rhoi pwysau ariannol sylweddol ar y sefydliadau sy'n gweithredu yn y meysydd o fewn ein cylch gwaith, a gallu'r sefydliadau hynny i ymateb yn y ffordd fwyaf effeithiol i'r heriau parhaus. Wrth gwrs, mae awdurdodau lleol yn y rheng flaen wrth ymateb i'r argyfwng hwn ac mae wedi dod ar adeg pan yw'r gwasanaethau hanfodol hynny y maent yn eu darparu eisoes o dan bwysau ariannol sylweddol a chyfyngiadau cyllidebol. Sylwaf fod y gyllideb atodol hon wedi sicrhau bod £180 miliwn o arian caledi ar gael i awdurdodau lleol, gan gynnwys £78 miliwn ar gyfer colledion incwm oherwydd yr argyfwng hwn. Ac mae'r awdurdodau lleol wedi cael mynediad cynnar at eu taliadau setliad mis Mai a mis Mehefin i'w helpu gyda'u hymateb, ac mae'r camau cychwynnol hynny i'w croesawu'n fawr. Fodd bynnag, bydd yn hanfodol sicrhau bod ein cynghorau'n parhau i gael cymorth o'r fath dros y misoedd nesaf, a blynyddoedd yn wir, er mwyn cynnal gwasanaethau presennol ac ailddechrau'r rheini sydd ar stop ar hyn o bryd. Yn wir, fel y pwysleisiodd y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol wrthym yn y pwyllgor, yr effaith ariannol hirdymor sy'n peri pryder, felly bydd yn hollbwysig sicrhau bod setliadau ariannol yn y dyfodol yn deg ac yn cydnabod yr effaith hon. Gan symud ymlaen at faterion eraill, mae'r achosion cynyddol o drais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yng nghyfnod COVID-19 yn peri cryn dipyn o bryder i'n pwyllgor. Roedd y dystiolaeth gan Cymorth i Fenywod Cymru yn tynnu sylw at ba mor bwysig yw sicrhau bod cyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau cymorth yn cyrraedd y rheng flaen. Sylwaf fod y gyllideb atodol yn cynnwys £200,000 o arian cyfalaf ar gyfer y grant i ddarparwyr llochesi, ac mae hynny i'w groesawu, ond hoffwn bwysleisio pa mor bwysig yw sicrhau bod arian yn cyrraedd gwasanaethau cymorth rheng flaen. Mae'n hanfodol fod digon o arian yn cyrraedd y rheng flaen er mwyn galluogi darparwyr i'w ddefnyddio yn y ffordd orau i newid a chefnogi'r gwaith o ddarparu gwasanaethau. Ydy, mae cyllid cyfalaf yn bwysig, ond nid yw'n helpu i fynd i'r afael â phroblemau incwm a gollir neu gost defnyddio staff asiantaeth i lenwi pan fo staff parhaol yn absennol. Dywedodd Cymorth i Fenywod Cymru wrthym fod canlyniadau arolwg a gynhaliwyd yn dangos bod 90 y cant o wasanaethau yn wynebu costau uwch o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i'r pandemig, yn cynnwys costau cyfarpar diogelu personol a phrinder staff. Felly, mae'n hanfodol fod cymorth ariannol ar gael ar gyfer y rhain, yn ogystal â chyllid cyfalaf. Mae Cymorth i Fenywod Cymru wedi galw am arian wedi'i glustnodi ar gyfer gwasanaethau arbenigol sydd o leiaf yr un faint â'r cyllid sy'n cael ei fuddsoddi mewn mannau eraill yn y DU. Hoffai weld cynllun clir i sicrhau arian yn lle'r cyllid sydd wedi ei ailgyfeirio tuag at liniaru effaith COVID-19 a chyllid y gellir ei ddefnyddio'n hyblyg ar gyfer costau refeniw a chymorth. Cefnogwn y galwadau hyn, a hoffwn ofyn i'r Gweinidog ystyried sicrhau bod cyllid o'r fath ar gael fel mater o flaenoriaeth. Diolch yn fawr.