English: Diolch, Llywydd. I just think perhaps a fuller explanation of the circumstances would help the Senedd, and I'm not necessarily opposing Heledd Fychan's point of order in terms of getting some clarity around this and the way that the committee scrutiny takes place, but, just to put on record what actually happened, the weather, as you know, was very, very bad this morning and I nearly never made it from Merthyr Tydfil. So, had that happened, I would have had to have joined remotely in any case, but I did come in to Tŷ Hywel. It took me somewhere in the region of an hour and a half or more to get from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff, so I only arrived in Tŷ Hywel literally just before the meeting was due to start, and it wasn't until I arrived, just before 9:30, that I was advised by my private office that none of my officials would be attending committee in person; they would all be joining online. I'd been completely unaware of that until that point, and, in those circumstances, I didn't feel it was reasonable for me to attend committee in person on my own, when I would be unable to have direct access to officials, as I'd be able to do if they were there in person. However, if I joined remotely, I would be able to communicate with them electronically if I needed to, and, on that basis, I advised the committee that I would join online to give my evidence. It took the committee some 45 minutes of discussion to conclude that they were prepared to allow me to do that, so the only issue I would take on that is that the delay of 45 minutes was not of my making; I was ready to give evidence online at 9:30 as scheduled. I would have preferred to give my evidence in person, and I think the point that Alun Davies has made is a point well-made; I do believe that evidence sessions are better in person. The last time I gave evidence to the committee was in person, and I had officials with me in person as well. I'm unaware of what discussions took place between committee clerks and my officials before the meeting that agreed to their online participation, but I was unaware of that, as I thought that the entire meeting was being held in person. So, it was about ensuring that I had the appropriate official support in the appropriate way to be able to present my evidence effectively.
Welsh: Diolch, Lywydd. Credaf efallai y byddai esboniad llawnach o'r amgylchiadau o gymorth i'r Senedd, ac nid wyf o reidrwydd yn gwrthwynebu pwynt o drefn Heledd Fychan o ran cael rhywfaint o eglurder ynghylch hyn a'r ffordd y mae gwaith craffu'r pwyllgor yn digwydd, ond er mwyn cofnodi'r hyn a ddigwyddodd mewn gwirionedd, roedd y tywydd, fel y gwyddoch, yn wael iawn y bore yma, a bu bron imi fethu cwblhau'r daith o Ferthyr Tudful. Felly, pe bai hynny wedi digwydd, byddwn wedi gorfod ymuno o bell beth bynnag, ond deuthum i Dŷ Hywel. Cymerodd dros awr a hanner imi ddod o Ferthyr Tudful i Gaerdydd, felly cyrhaeddais Dŷ Hywel pan oedd y cyfarfod yn llythrennol ar fin dechrau, ac ni chefais wybod gan fy swyddfa breifat tan imi gyrraedd, ychydig cyn 9:30, na fyddai unrhyw un o fy swyddogion yn mynychu'r pwyllgor yn y cnawd; byddai pob un ohonynt yn ymuno ar-lein. Nid oeddwn yn gwybod hynny tan y pwynt hwnnw, ac o dan yr amgylchiadau hynny, nid oeddwn yn teimlo ei bod yn rhesymol i mi fynychu'r pwyllgor yn y cnawd ar fy mhen fy hun, heb fynediad uniongyrchol at swyddogion, fel y gallwn ei wneud pe byddent yno yn y cnawd. Fodd bynnag, pe bawn yn ymuno o bell, byddwn yn gallu cyfathrebu â hwy'n electronig pe bai angen, ac ar y sail honno, dywedais wrth y pwyllgor y byddwn yn ymuno ar-lein i roi fy nhystiolaeth. Cymerodd oddeutu 45 munud o drafod i'r pwyllgor benderfynu eu bod yn barod i ganiatáu imi wneud hynny, felly'r unig sylw a fyddai gennyf yw nad fi oedd yn gyfrifol am y 45 munud o oedi; roeddwn yn barod i roi tystiolaeth ar-lein am 9:30 fel y trefnwyd. Byddai wedi bod yn well gennyf roi fy nhystiolaeth yn y cnawd, a chredaf fod y pwynt y mae Alun Davies wedi'i wneud yn bwynt da; credaf fod sesiynau tystiolaeth yn well yn y cnawd. Y tro diwethaf imi roi tystiolaeth i'r pwyllgor, fe wneuthum hynny yn y cnawd, ac roedd swyddogion gyda mi yn y cnawd hefyd. Nid wyf yn ymwybodol o ba drafodaethau a gafwyd rhwng clercod y pwyllgor a fy swyddogion cyn y cyfarfod lle cytunwyd y gallent fynychu ar-lein, ond nid oeddwn yn ymwybodol o hynny, gan fy mod o dan yr argraff fod y cyfarfod cyfan yn cael ei gynnal yn y cnawd. Felly, roedd yn ymwneud â sicrhau fy mod yn cael cymorth priodol gan swyddogion yn y ffordd briodol i allu cyflwyno fy nhystiolaeth yn effeithiol.