English: May I thank Mike Hedges for his comments? He has reminded me of the irony here that Plaid Cymru has had to table a motion in order to try and persuade the Labour Government to commit themselves to their own policy. So, that tells us something about where this Government finds itself at the moment. And this is the party, of course, that claims to be 'for the many' - no. 'For the many, not the few', yes, I was right the first time. I have become confused today. But who are we talking about here? Who do they represent? Well, if we are talking about a group that needs representation and needs a voice to speak on their behalf, it's the 1,300 people who have been reliant on this independent living grant; that 1,300 people who have suffered anxiety and concern over the past two years as to the implications of losing that grant. And the u-turn that we've seen from the Government came 24 hours before this Plaid Cymru debate is news that is to be welcomed - of course it is. And I understand that the intention now is to do some more research to see what the options are in terms of developing an alternative proposal or varying the scheme. So, my plea is that you listen to the evidence of those who are in receipt of these funds, their families and carers, when you come to look at the options whilst making progress. Now, much of the discussion has focused, and has done over the past few years, on the funding element, but I think it's important to remind ourselves of the importance of the independent living element. The experiences of those in receipt of this grant do lead them to fear that life under local authority control would be far more prescriptive, and that it would risk removing independence from them. And the swingeing cuts that the local authorities have suffered do mean that it would be almost inevitable that the systems would be more prescriptive because of the need to prove value for money. But what is value for money if the value put on the life and the quality of life of these individuals decline as a result of that? How can you measure an individual's quality of life on a financial spreadsheet at the end of the financial year? The recipients of this grant are already suffering a lack of independence because of circumstances that are out of their control. They are taking medicines and are using wheelchairs and they are already restricted to their homes, and the last thing that they need is further restrictions because of the financial rules and bureaucracy of local authorities who have to count every penny to prove value for money.
Welsh: Gaf i ddiolch i Mike Hedges am ei sylwadau? Mae e wedi fy atgoffa i o'r eironi fan hyn bod Plaid Cymru yn gorfod gosod cynnig er mwyn trio perswadio Llywodraeth Lafur i ymrwymo eu hunain i'w polisi nhw eu hunain. Felly, mae hwnna'n dweud rhywbeth am ble mae'r Llywodraeth yma yn ffeindio ei hun ar hyn o bryd. A dyma'r blaid, wrth gwrs, sy'n honni eu bod nhw ' for the many ' - nage. ' For the many, not the few', ie, ie, dyna fe. Dwi wedi drysu heddiw. Ond pwy ydyn ni'n sôn amdanyn nhw? Pwy maen nhw'n ei gynrychioli? Wel, os ydyn ni'n sôn am grŵp sydd angen cynrychiolaeth ac angen llais i siarad drostyn nhw, yna'r 1,300 o bobl sydd wedi bod yn ddibynnol ar y grant byw yn annibynnol yma yw'r rheini. Y 1,300 o bobl sydd wedi dioddef, fel rŷn ni wedi clywed, gofid a phryder dros y ddwy flynedd diwethaf ynglŷn â goblygiadau colli'r grant yna. Ac mae'r tro pedol rŷn ni wedi gweld gan y Llywodraeth yn dod 24 awr cyn y ddadl yma gan Blaid Cymru'r prynhawn yma - newyddion i'w groesawu, wrth gwrs ei fod e i'w groesawu, a dwi'n deall mai'r bwriad nawr yw gwneud ychydig mwy o ymchwil i weld beth yw'r opsiynau o safbwynt datblygu cynllun amgen neu amrywio'r cynllun. Wel, fy mhle i, felly, yw ichi wrando ar dystiolaeth y rhai hynny sy'n derbyn yr arian, eu teuluoedd a'u gofalwyr, pan ŷch chi'n dod i edrych ar yr opsiynau wrth symud ymlaen. Nawr, mae llawer o'r drafodaeth yn amlwg yn ffocysu, ac wedi gwneud dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ar yr elfen ariannu, ond dwi yn meddwl ei bod hi'n bwysig inni atgoffa'n hunain, wrth gwrs, o bwysigrwydd yr elfen byw yn annibynnol. Mae profiadau'r rhai hynny sy'n derbyn y grant yn eu harwain i ofni y byddai bywyd o dan reolaeth cyngor sir yn llawer mwy rhagnodol, mwy prescriptive, a hynny yn risgio tynnu annibyniaeth i ffwrdd oddi wrthyn nhw. Mae'r toriadau llym mae awdurdodau lleol, wrth gwrs, wedi eu dioddef yn golygu ei bod hi bron yn anochel, efallai, y byddai'r systemau a'r cyfundrefnau yn fwy rhagnodol oherwydd yr angen i brofi gwerth am arian. Ond beth yw gwerth gwerth am arian os yw gwerth bywyd ac ansawdd bywyd yn dirywio o ganlyniad i hynny? Sut allwch chi fesur safon bywyd person ar daenlen cyllideb ar ddiwedd blwyddyn ariannol? Mae derbynwyr y grant yma eisoes yn gaeth oherwydd amgylchiadau tu hwnt i'w rheolaeth nhw. Maen nhw'n gaeth i'w cartrefi, yn gaeth i gadair olwyn, yn gaeth i feddyginiaeth, efallai. Mae hyn oll yn cyfyngu ar eu dewisiadau nhw mewn bywyd, a'r peth olaf maen nhw ei eisiau yw bod yn gaeth ymhellach i reolau ariannol a biwrocrataidd cynghorau sy'n gorfod, wrth gwrs, cyfrif pob ceiniog er mwyn profi gwerth am arian.