English: I'd like to thank the Member for bringing this forward again today and, certainly, as a member of the committee, I will be supporting it, and we will be supporting it, passing Stage 1 in this Chamber. Calls to increase powers to the ombudsman have been made since 2013, and we feel that it is imperative that there is transformation within the ombudsman's role. No-one receiving any of our public services should feel ashamed to have to go down a complaints route if they feel they need to. And, when things go wrong, we must all be able to scrutinise the errors and put things right. We have seen that Welsh public bodies are facing an increase in complaints: health, 38 per cent; social services, 9 per cent. A few cases that I have brought to the ombudsman myself as an Assembly Member have highlighted the real need for effective investigation and scrutiny where things have gone awry, or where people have fallen through the net, particularly within the health service - I have to say, where such omissions really can be a matter of life and death. In such cases, where the clock simply can't be turned back, an assurance that no other family will have to go through the same ordeal is often something of a comfort in itself. And the number of families that I've talked to - really, the ombudsman process actually does put some checks and balances in when things have gone wrong. The overall actual policy intentions of the Bill in terms of protecting our most vulnerable and improving social justice are ones that I think we would all support in this Siambr. The removal of the requirement to make a complaint in writing, for example, will enable those unable to write to have their concerns heard. And it was quite worrying, really, when we were talking about the percentage of people with very poor numeracy and literacy skills in Wales - they are the forgotten sector here, and this will envelop those within this support. To this end, we support the strengthening of the ombudsman's powers as proposed. We welcome the long overdue proposals within the Bill for the ombudsman to be able to undertake own-initiative investigations where thematic issues present. The ombudsmen of only five members of the Council of Europe are without this power, so it is about time that Wales was brought in line with the rest of the UK and Europe. The Cabinet Secretary has noted the reserved position of the Welsh Government with regard to the power, but I think that, within the right parameters, such a power is essential to improve the safeguarding and the protections of other more vulnerable members of society and has the potential to play a considerable preventative role also. In giving evidence to the committee, stakeholders were generally supportive of these powers and of taking the positive part forward, hearing that own-initiative powers are commonplace across Europe. So, there will be a body of good practice from which this Bill will develop in later stages. We also welcome proposed powers to investigate matters relating to the private health sector, which will also make a significant difference to the outcomes the ombudsman is able to obtain. But, obviously, I do need to explain that that's the private sector within the line of care when it involves the health service as well. There's the appalling story of a member of the public who had to wait five and a half years for a response in relation to a complaint about private treatment received by her late husband. Finally, proposed powers to establish a uniform complaints handling procedure across the public sector and to work jointly with other commissioners, statutory advisers, regulators and the Auditor General for Wales to aim to drive improvements in public services complaints handling and responses to the citizen are also welcome. But I have to say there were concerns within the committee about 'Putting Things Right' and the statutory complaints or guidance in terms of complaints procedures at the moment, because I think it is felt across the piste that there does need to be a consistent and a very robust complaints procedure in place here in Wales in the first instance. Because after all, the ombudsman has a tendency to only get involved after people have tried going down the complaints process, and I have to tell you from my own experience working on a number of cases for my own constituents that 'Putting Things Right' hasn't always put things right. The committee has made several recommendations in relation to various revisions to the RIA ahead of this being considered at Stage 2. Of course, our support in taking the Bill forward is qualified in terms of this. I'm pleased to note the acceptance of 18 of our 19 recommendations, but unlike the vast majority of legislation considered in this Siambr, the motion to approve the financial resolution for this Bill has not yet been brought forward, despite the response to the committee's report by the Member in charge yesterday. I would be grateful for clarification from the Cabinet Secretary today as to the reason for this delay, and for his confirmation of the Welsh Government's intention to bring forward the financial resolution within the required time. There's a lot of work that's gone on on this, and we don't want this to fall because of this.
Welsh: Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Aelod am gyflwyno'r mater hwn eto heddiw ac yn sicr, fel aelod o'r pwyllgor, byddaf yn ei gefnogi, a byddwn yn ei gefnogi, wrth iddo basio Cyfnod 1 yn y Siambr hon. Mae galwadau wedi bod i gynyddu pwerau'r ombwdsmon ers 2013, ac rydym yn teimlo ei bod yn hollbwysig fod rôl yr ombwdsmon yn cael ei thrawsnewid. Ni ddylai neb sy'n defnyddio unrhyw un o'n gwasanaethau cyhoeddus deimlo cywilydd eu bod wedi gorfod gwneud cwyn os ydynt yn teimlo bod angen iddynt wneud hynny. A phan aiff pethau o chwith, mae'n rhaid i bawb ohonom allu craffu ar y camgymeriadau ac unioni pethau. Rydym wedi gweld bod cyrff cyhoeddus Cymru yn wynebu cynnydd yn nifer y cwynion: iechyd, 38 y cant; gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, 9 y cant. Mae ychydig o achosion rwyf wedi eu cyflwyno i'r ombwdsmon fy hun fel Aelod Cynulliad wedi tynnu sylw at yr angen gwirioneddol am ymchwilio a chraffu effeithiol pan fo pethau wedi mynd o chwith, neu lle mae pobl wedi disgyn drwy'r rhwyd, yn enwedig o fewn y gwasanaeth iechyd - mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, lle y gall esgeulustod o'r fath fod yn fater o fywyd neu farwolaeth mewn gwirionedd. Mewn achosion o'r fath, lle nad yw'n bosibl troi'r cloc yn ôl, mae sicrwydd na fydd unrhyw deulu arall yn gorfod mynd drwy'r un dioddefaint yn aml yn rhywfaint o gysur ynddo'i hun. Ac mae nifer y teuluoedd rwyf wedi siarad â hwy - yn wir, mae proses yr ombwdsmon yn helpu i gadw cydbwysedd, mewn gwirionedd, pan fydd pethau wedi mynd o chwith. Mae bwriadau polisi cyffredinol y Bil o ran diogelu'r bobl fwyaf agored i niwed a gwella cyfiawnder cymdeithasol yn rhai y credaf y byddai pob un ohonom yn eu cefnogi yn y Siambr hon. Byddai cael gwared ar y gofyniad i wneud cwyn yn ysgrifenedig, er enghraifft, yn galluogi'r rheini nad ydynt yn gallu ysgrifennu i leisio eu pryderon. Ac roedd yn peri cryn ofid, mewn gwirionedd, pan oeddem yn sôn am ganran y bobl sydd â sgiliau llythrennedd a rhifedd gwael iawn yng Nghymru - hwy yw'r sector anghofiedig yma, a bydd y cymorth hwn yn cynnwys y rheini. I'r perwyl hwn, rydym yn cefnogi'r cynnig i gryfhau pwerau'r ombwdsmon. Rydym yn croesawu'r cynigion hir ddisgwyliedig o fewn y Bil i alluogi'r ombwdsmon i ymgymryd ag ymchwiliadau ar ei liwt ei hun lle y ceir materion thematig. Ombwdsmyn pump o aelodau Cyngor Ewrop yn unig sydd heb y pŵer hwn, felly mae'n hen bryd i Gymru ddal i fyny â gweddill y DU ac Ewrop. Mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi nodi safbwynt llugoer Llywodraeth Cymru mewn perthynas â'r pŵer hwnnw, ond o fewn y paramedrau cywir, credaf fod pŵer o'r fath yn hanfodol er mwyn gwella'r broses o ddiogelu ac amddiffyn aelodau mwy agored i niwed yn ein cymdeithas ac mae ganddo'r potensial i chwarae rôl ataliol sylweddol hefyd. Wrth gyflwyno tystiolaeth i'r pwyllgor, roedd rhanddeiliaid, yn gyffredinol, yn cefnogi'r pwerau hyn ac yn gefnogol i fwrw ymlaen â'r rhannau cadarnhaol, ar ôl clywed bod pwerau ymchwilio ar eu liwt eu hunain yn gyffredin ledled Ewrop. Felly, mae yna gorff o arferion da y bydd y Bil hwn yn datblygu ohono mewn cyfnodau diweddarach. Rydym hefyd yn croesawu'r pwerau arfaethedig i ymchwilio i faterion sy'n ymwneud â'r sector iechyd preifat, a fydd hefyd yn gwneud gwahaniaeth sylweddol i'r canlyniadau y bydd yr ombwdsmon yn gallu eu sicrhau. Ond yn amlwg, mae angen i mi egluro mai'r sector preifat o fewn y llinell ofal yw hwnnw pan fo'n ymwneud â'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn ogystal. Mae yna stori ofnadwy am aelod o'r cyhoedd a oedd yn gorfod aros pum mlynedd a hanner am ymateb i gŵyn am driniaeth breifat a gafodd ei diweddar ŵr. Yn olaf hefyd, croesewir pwerau arfaethedig i sefydlu gweithdrefn unffurf i ymdrin â chwynion ar draws y sector cyhoeddus ac i weithio ar y cyd â chomisiynwyr eraill, cynghorwyr statudol, rheoleiddwyr ac Archwilydd Cyffredinol Cymru i geisio ysgogi gwelliannau yn y modd yr ymdrinnir â chwynion gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac ymatebion i'r dinesydd. Ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud bod pryderon o fewn y pwyllgor mewn perthynas â 'Gweithio i Wella' a'r canllawiau cwyno statudol o ran gweithdrefnau cwyno ar hyn o bryd, oherwydd credaf fod yna deimlad ar draws y sector bod angen gweithdrefn gwyno gyson a chadarn iawn yma yng Nghymru yn y lle cyntaf. Wedi'r cyfan, mae gan yr ombwdsmon dueddiad i beidio â chymryd rhan tan y bydd bobl wedi ceisio gwneud cwyn drwy'r broses gwyno, ac mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud wrthych, yn fy mhrofiad fy hun o weithio ar nifer o achosion ar ran fy etholwyr, nid yw 'Gweithio i Wella' yn gwella pethau bob amser. Mae'r pwyllgor wedi gwneud nifer o argymhellion mewn perthynas â diwygiadau amrywiol i'r asesiad effaith rheoleiddiol cyn i hwn gael ei ystyried yng Nghyfnod 2. Wrth gwrs, mae ein cefnogaeth i fwrw ymlaen â'r Bil yn amodol ar hyn. Rwy'n falch o nodi bod 18 o'n 19 argymhelliad wedi cael eu derbyn, ond yn wahanol i'r rhan fwyaf o'r ddeddfwriaeth sy'n cael ei hystyried yn y Siambr hon, nid yw'r cynnig i gymeradwyo'r penderfyniad ariannol ar gyfer y Bil hwn wedi cael ei gyflwyno eto, er gwaethaf ymateb yr Aelod sy'n gyfrifol i adroddiad y pwyllgor ddoe. Buaswn yn ddiolchgar pe bai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn egluro heddiw beth yw'r rheswm am yr oedi, ac yn cadarnhau bwriad Llywodraeth Cymru i gyflwyno'r penderfyniad ariannol o fewn yr amser gofynnol. Mae llawer o waith wedi'i wneud ar hyn, ac nid ydym eisiau iddo fethu oherwydd hyn.