English: Can I thank all those who took part in the Conservative debate today? Can I also declare an interest as an owner of a small business myself who, unfortunately for me, has to pay business rates? But I would like to say that I listened carefully to Adam Price's comments today, and I agree with all he said. Many small businesses are under severe pressure, and it takes no pleasure at all in knowing that Welsh businesses are more disadvantaged than other businesses across the UK. One way that the Welsh Government can help reduce this burden is, of course, to support small businesses, especially for those affected by the non-domestic rates revaluation. I have to say, the Welsh Government has failed to plan properly for the revaluation process, and has been slow to react. Now, Nick Ramsay outlined in his contribution in the opening some examples of how businesses are being affected in his own constituency. I remember, in a previous debate, Nick highlighting a letter he received from one constituent inviting him to attend a closing down party, which illustrates, of course, the bleak picture that many businesses face. I thank David Rowlands for his contribution. Much of what David said was actually provided to us in evidence in the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee. Andrew R.T. Davies, of course, pointed out in his contribution the petition that was handed in today by Sally Stephenson, who handed in a petition of over 1,600 signatures. Sally owns that award-winning shop in Cowbridge, The Pencil Case, which is of course severely affected by the revaluation. It was good to speak to Sally and her colleagues today. In my own constituency, Members may remember Megan Lawley of Jazz Clothing, who contributed in the video footage on the screens of the Chamber, who said, basically, if she moved her business a few miles across the border into Shropshire, she'd be paying no business rates at all. Because that's the reality. In England, if you've got a business with a rateable value of under £12,000, you pay nothing at all. In Wales, that limit is only £6,000 and that's the reality for many businesses across Wales. Of course, also, during the Assembly election campaigns, I remember reading a press release from Labour, from Eluned Morgan, trumpeting the Labour Party pledge, when she visited The Hours coffee shop and bookshop - [Interruption.] We'll see if Carl Sargeant is still cheering when I read this out: what the Labour Party promised was - and this is a quote from the press release - that Powys businesses will breathe a sigh of relief if Labour is returned on May 5' because a Welsh Labour Government would cut the amount of business rates paid by small businesses in Powys. Well, nothing, of course, could be further from the truth. It was a phoney pledge, and, as the FSB has said - and I quote them here as well - an extension of the temporary small business rates relief scheme cannot be described as a tax cut, but it's blatantly misleading and the worst form of spin-doctoring'. Those are not my words; those are the words of the FSB. That puts into some perspective as well why we're not supporting the Government's amendment b) today. I'm grateful, of course, to the Cabinet Secretary for the scheme that he's brought forward - the extension of an extra £10 million. That's welcome, very welcome indeed, and, again, that's come about as a result of pressure from businesses themselves and Welsh Conservatives. But I would say our motion today has asked for more details - [Interruption.] And Plaid Cymru as well. Our motion today asked for details of the scheme and that's not been brought about today. Now, I note that the Cabinet Secretary says he needs a few more weeks, but the revaluation was known about a long time ago. There was plenty of time to work up this in advance. But that's not come forward, and that's a result of lack of planning and a lack of interest in small businesses from the Welsh Government. So, I do hope today that the Welsh Government will bring forward quickly, as soon as possible - because, as Nick Ramsay said, businesses need that information in order to take forward their own planning, leases and so forth, as well. So, I'd urge the Welsh Government to bring that forward as soon as possible.
Welsh: A gaf fi ddiolch i bawb a gymerodd ran yn nadl y Ceidwadwyr heddiw? A gaf fi hefyd ddatgan buddiant fel perchennog busnes bach fy hun sydd, yn anffodus i mi, yn gorfod talu ardrethi busnes? Ond hoffwn ddweud fy mod wedi gwrando'n ofalus ar sylwadau Adam Price heddiw, ac rwy'n cytuno â phob dim a ddywedodd. Mae llawer o fusnesau bach o dan bwysau difrifol, ac nid oes pleser o gwbl mewn gwybod bod busnesau Cymru dan fwy o anfantais na busnesau eraill ledled y DU. Un ffordd y gall Llywodraeth Cymru helpu i leihau'r baich, wrth gwrs, yw cynorthwyo busnesau bach, yn enwedig y rhai yr effeithir arnynt gan ailbrisio ardrethi annomestig. Rhaid i mi ddweud, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi methu â chynllunio'n briodol ar gyfer y broses ailbrisio, ac wedi bod yn araf i ymateb. Nawr, amlinellodd Nick Ramsay yn ei gyfraniad agoriadol rai enghreifftiau o sut yr effeithir ar fusnesau yn ei etholaeth ef. Rwy'n cofio Nick, mewn dadl flaenorol, yn tynnu sylw at lythyr a gafodd gan un etholwr yn ei wahodd i fynychu parti cau, sy'n dangos, wrth gwrs, y darlun llwm y mae llawer o fusnesau yn ei wynebu. Diolch i David Rowlands am ei gyfraniad. Cafodd llawer o'r hyn a ddywedodd David ei ddarparu ar ein cyfer mewn tystiolaeth ym Mhwyllgor yr Economi, Seilwaith a Sgiliau mewn gwirionedd. Yn ei gyfraniad, nododd Andrew R.T. Davies, wrth gwrs, y ddeiseb a gafodd ei chyflwyno heddiw gan Sally Stephenson, a gyflwynodd ddeiseb â thros 1,600 o lofnodion. Sally yw perchennog siop The Pencil Case yn y Bont-faen sydd wedi ennill gwobrau, siop yr effeithir arni'n ddifrifol gan yr ailbrisio wrth gwrs. Roedd yn dda cael siarad gyda Sally a'i chydweithwyr heddiw. Yn fy etholaeth fy hun, efallai y bydd yr Aelodau'n cofio Megan Lawley o Jazz Clothing, a gyfrannodd yn y fideo ar sgriniau'r Siambr, ac a ddywedodd, yn y bôn, na fuasai'n talu unrhyw ardrethi busnes o gwbl pe bai'n symud ei busnes ychydig filltiroedd ar draws y ffin i Swydd Amwythig. Oherwydd dyna'r realiti. Yn Lloegr, os oes gennych fusnes gyda gwerth ardrethol o dan £12,000, ni fyddwch yn talu unrhyw beth o gwbl. Yng Nghymru, £6,000 yn unig yw'r terfyn hwnnw a dyna'r realiti i lawer o fusnesau ledled Cymru. Wrth gwrs, hefyd, yn ystod ymgyrchoedd etholiadol y Cynulliad, rwy'n cofio darllen datganiad i'r wasg gan y Blaid Lafur, gan Eluned Morgan, yn cyhoeddi addewid y Blaid Lafur, pan ymwelodd â siop goffi a llyfrau The Hours - [Torri ar draws.] Cawn weld a fydd Carl Sargeant yn dal i weiddi hwrê pan ddarllenaf hyn: yr hyn a addawodd y Blaid Lafur - a dyma ddyfyniad o'r datganiad i'r wasg - oedd y bydd busnesau Powys yn anadlu ochenaid o ryddhad os aiff Llafur yn ôl i mewn ar 5 Mai gan y byddai Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru yn torri'r ardrethi busnes a delid gan fusnesau bach ym Mhowys. Wel, ni allai dim fod ymhellach o'r gwir wrth gwrs. Roedd yn addewid ffug, ac fel y mae'r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach wedi dweud - ac rwy'n eu dyfynnu hwy yma hefyd - ni ellir disgrifio estyniad o'r cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi dros dro i fusnesau bach fel toriad treth, ond mae'n gwbl gamarweiniol a dyma'r ffurf waethaf ar sbinddoctora. Nid fy ngeiriau i; dyna eiriau'r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach. Mae hynny'n rhoi'r rheswm pam nad ydym yn cefnogi gwelliant b) y Llywodraeth heddiw mewn rhywfaint o bersbectif. Rwy'n ddiolchgar, wrth gwrs, i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am y cynllun y mae wedi'i gyflwyno - yr estyniad o £10 miliwn ychwanegol. Mae hwnnw i'w groesawu, i'w groesawu'n fawr iawn yn wir, ac unwaith eto, digwyddodd hynny o ganlyniad i bwysau gan fusnesau eu hunain a'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig. Ond hoffwn ddweud bod ein cynnig heddiw wedi gofyn am ragor o fanylion - [Torri ar draws.] A Phlaid Cymru yn ogystal. Roedd ein cynnig heddiw yn gofyn am fanylion y cynllun ac nid yw hynny wedi digwydd heddiw. Nawr, rwy'n sylwi bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn dweud ei fod angen ychydig mwy o wythnosau, ond roeddem yn gwybod am yr ailbrisio amser maith yn ôl. Roedd digon o amser i weithio ar hyn ymlaen llaw. Ond nid yw wedi digwydd, ac mae hynny'n deillio o ddiffyg cynllunio a diffyg diddordeb mewn busnesau bach ar ran Llywodraeth Cymru. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio heddiw y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud hynny'n gyflym, cyn gynted ag y bo modd - oherwydd, fel y dywedodd Nick Ramsay, mae busnesau angen y wybodaeth er mwyn bwrw ymlaen â'u cynlluniau eu hunain, lesoedd ac yn y blaen, yn ogystal. Felly, hoffwn annog Llywodraeth Cymru i wneud hynny cyn gynted ag y bo modd.