English: It is a lifeline for many. We cannot underestimate how important it is. One of the things that I'm really pleased that you've emphasised today is in terms of the eligibility criteria, because one of the things that has been brought up with me, from those whose young people within families are completely reliant on the EMA, has been the eligibility criteria when that young person is a carer. At present, they have to have 100 percent attendance in order to receive that EMA. And one of the things also that we see time and time again is in terms of the increase in public transport costs maybe impacting them from being able to get to that college et cetera to have 100 percent attendance. So, I think we do need to look now. We saw, during the pandemic, more colleges using Teams and so on, that people could join remotely, whereas that now is being pulled back again by colleges, and this emphasis on being present physically is actually providing a barrier. I think we need to embrace what happened during the pandemic in terms of people being able to join remotely, because, if the amount of money received via EMA cannot be increased at this point in time, then at least we can make it easier for students to be able to be present and they're not then losing out on these essential payments, which then means that they're dropping out of education, because their families can't afford to not have even that £30 per week. So, I very much hope that the Minister can work with colleges to ensure that the eligibility is there and that people aren't then punished if they can't have that 100 per cent attendance because of a whole array of things that are outside of their own control, including the cost-of-living crisis.
Welsh: Mae'n rhaff achub i lawer. Ni allwn orbwysleisio ei bwysigrwydd. Un o'r pethau rwy'n falch iawn eich bod wedi'u pwysleisio heddiw yw'r meini prawf cymhwysedd, oherwydd un o'r pethau sydd wedi cael eu dwyn i fy sylw, gan rai y mae'r bobl ifanc yn eu teuluoedd yn dibynnu'n llwyr ar y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, yw'r meini prawf cymhwysedd pan fo'r person ifanc yn ofalwr. Ar hyn o bryd, rhaid i'w lefel presenoldeb fod yn 100 y cant er mwyn cael y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Ac un o'r pethau a welwn dro ar ôl tro hefyd yw cynnydd mewn costau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn effeithio arnynt rhag gallu cyrraedd y coleg ac ati i sicrhau presenoldeb 100 y cant. Felly, rwy'n credu bod angen inni edrych arno yn awr. Yn ystod y pandemig, gwelsom fwy o golegau'n defnyddio Teams ac yn y blaen, a gallai pobl ymuno o bell, ond mae hynny'n cael ei dynnu'n ôl eto yn awr gan golegau, ac mae'r pwyslais ar fod yn bresennol yn gorfforol yn creu rhwystr mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n credu bod angen inni gofleidio'r hyn a ddigwyddodd yn ystod y pandemig gyda phobl yn gallu ymuno o bell, oherwydd os na ellir cynyddu'r swm o arian a roddir drwy'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ar hyn o bryd, gallwn o leiaf ei gwneud yn haws i fyfyrwyr allu bod yn bresennol a sicrhau nad ydynt yn colli'r taliadau hanfodol hyn, sy'n golygu eu bod yn rhoi'r gorau i addysg am nad yw eu teuluoedd yn gallu fforddio peidio â chael y £30 yr wythnos. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y gall y Gweinidog weithio gyda cholegau i sicrhau bod y cymhwysedd yno ac nad yw pobl wedyn yn cael eu cosbi os na allant sicrhau eu bod yn bresennol 100 y cant o'r amser oherwydd llu o bethau sydd y tu hwnt i'w rheolaeth, gan gynnwys yr argyfwng costau byw.