English: We debate a very important subject this afternoon, and I was pleased to have the opportunity to co-table this motion, and I commend Mick Antoniw for his initiative in raising this issue. I do want to say that cavity wall insulation does remain an important tool in fighting fuel poverty, but of course it has to be done where appropriate, and it has to be done effectively. I would like just to say a few words about the latest estimates on fuel poverty from the Welsh Government, that 291,000 households, 23 per cent, are living in fuel poverty. There is some encouragement that these stats are an improvement on 2010 data, but obviously it remains a huge challenge for us. We may be better off in comparison, say, to Scotland, where they have even higher rates of fuel poverty, but there's a huge job of work to be done, and cavity wall insulation is part of the suite of measures that we do need to have. I think it is also important to put this into the wider perspective of other measures that are taken by both the Welsh Government and the UK Government to improve access to efficient fuel and heating systems. I think, when you come to the actual facts of cavity wall insulation, we need to remember that it's been calculated that, where it is appropriate, it can save up to £150 a year in heating bills, just from the insulation effects. That's obviously the driver for using it where it is effective. Additionally, external walls account for 35 per cent of domestic heat loss, and studies have suggested that, for every square metre of cavity wall insulation, you save a tonne of carbon dioxide over the average life of the building. So, with a typical semi-detached house, that's 80 tonnes or more during the life of that home. So, this is a major contributor, when done well, to reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, as well as, obviously, keeping homes warmer for less. But, as point 2 of this motion recognises, there is a significant minority - it's not a small number, I concede that - of installations in unsuitable properties, and not complying with the standards of good workmanship. I won't repeat all the points that Mick has made; I think he illustrated the points with great force. There is growing evidence that demonstrates that the industry has much work to do to improve the quality of on-site workmanship. The Building Research Establishment report 'Post Installation Performance of Cavity Wall & External Wall Insulation', a key report in this area, found that not only were some installations completed to a poor standard, there was strong evidence indicating that appropriate maintenance was not being undertaken following the installation of the insulation. So, it really is a concern. Ultimately, what is the point of promoting and encouraging homes to take up cavity wall insulation if the insulation itself is causing more problems than it's worth? And clearly some people have been led in that direction, and the public purse has been denied efficient use of much-needed resources to tackle fuel poverty. Just to mention some of the problems that have been caused by poor insulation practices: dampness and mould, causing unpleasant smells, crumbling plaster, stained walls and, in some cases, properties have fallen considerably in value. So, I do agree with much of the analysis that Mick has made of this problem of what he says is misselling of cavity wall insulation. I think that it's important that we see an effective joint approach from the Welsh Government and the UK Government. It is easy to place all the blame on the UK Government. I mean, this has been a long-running policy getting on for 25 years, and obviously, there was a Labour Government for much of that time. But it is fair to say that the hard edge of all this now does cut across the work of the Welsh Government, and I do think it's important that we do have an effective survey of those homes that are having a problem, and this was one of the central recommendations of the BRE report that I just referred to. I think that is an appropriate way forward. There's a lot more I could've said. I think Mick, in fairness, did capture the real concern that the people who have suffered poor practice feel, and I don't think any of us can gainsay that, because it's a fundamental issue. Really bad insulation is completely unacceptable and leads to great, great suffering on the part of those who are affected.
Welsh: Rydym yn dadlau am bwnc pwysig iawn y prynhawn yma, ac roeddwn yn falch o gael cyfle i gydgyflwyno'r cynnig hwn, ac rwy'n cymeradwyo Mick Antoniw am ei flaengarwch yn codi'r mater hwn. Hoffwn ddweud bod inswleiddio waliau ceudod yn parhau i fod yn offeryn pwysig yn y frwydr yn erbyn tlodi tanwydd, ond wrth gwrs, mae'n rhaid ei wneud lle bo hynny'n briodol, ac mae'n rhaid iddo gael ei wneud yn effeithiol. Hoffwn ddweud ychydig eiriau am yr amcangyfrifon diweddaraf ynglŷn â thlodi tanwydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, fod 291,000 o aelwydydd, 23 y cant, yn byw mewn tlodi tanwydd. Mae'r ffaith fod yr ystadegau hyn yn welliant ar ddata 2010 yn rhoi peth calondid, ond yn amlwg mae'n dal i fod yn her enfawr i ni. Efallai ei bod yn well arnom mewn cymhariaeth â'r Alban, dyweder, lle mae ganddynt gyfraddau hyd yn oed yn uwch o dlodi tanwydd, ond mae gwaith enfawr i'w wneud, ac mae inswleiddio waliau ceudod yn rhan o gyfres o fesurau y mae angen i ni eu cael. Credaf hefyd ei bod hi'n bwysig rhoi hyn ym mhersbectif ehangach y mesurau eraill a roddir ar waith gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU i wella mynediad at systemau tanwydd a gwresogi effeithlon. Pan edrychwch ar ffeithiau gwirioneddol inswleiddio waliau ceudod, credaf fod angen i ni gofio'r cyfrif a wnaed y gallai, lle y bo'n briodol, arbed hyd at £150 y flwyddyn mewn biliau gwresogi, o effeithiau inswleiddio yn unig. Yn amlwg, dyna yw'r sbardun ar gyfer ei ddefnyddio lle mae'n effeithiol. Yn ogystal, drwy waliau allanol y collir 35 y cant o wres domestig, ac mae astudiaethau wedi awgrymu eich bod yn arbed tunnell o garbon deuocsid ar gyfartaledd am bob metr sgwâr o waliau ceudod a inswleiddir dros oes yr adeilad. Felly, yn achos tŷ pâr cyffredin, mae hynny'n 80 tunnell neu fwy dros oes y cartref. Felly, mae hyn yn cyfrannu'n sylweddol, o'i wneud yn dda, at leihau allyriadau carbon deuocsid, yn ogystal â chadw cartrefi'n gynhesach am lai o arian wrth gwrs. Ond fel y mae pwynt 2 y cynnig hwn yn cydnabod, ceir lleiafrif sylweddol - nid yw'n nifer fach, rwy'n cyfaddef hynny - o osodiadau mewn eiddo anaddas a gwaith nad yw'n cydymffurfio â safonau crefftwaith da. Nid af i ailadrodd y pwyntiau a wnaeth Mick; credaf ei fod wedi darlunio'r pwyntiau'n rymus. Ceir tystiolaeth gynyddol sy'n dangos bod gan y diwydiant lawer o waith i'w wneud i wella ansawdd crefftwaith ar safleoedd. Gwelodd adroddiad Sefydliad Ymchwil Adeiladu 'Post Installation Performance of Cavity Wall & External Wal Insulation', adroddiad allweddol yn y maes hwn, fod safon peth o'r gwaith a gwblhawyd yn wael, a bod tystiolaeth gref i ddangos nad oedd gwaith cynnal a chadw priodol yn cael ei wneud ar ôl inswleiddio. Felly, mae'n destun pryder go iawn. Yn y pen draw, beth yw'r pwynt hyrwyddo ac annog cartrefi i fanteisio ar gynlluniau inswleiddio waliau ceudod os yw'r gwaith inswleiddio ei hun yn achosi mwy o broblemau na'i werth? Ac mae'n amlwg fod rhai pobl wedi cael eu harwain i'r cyfeiriad hwnnw, ac ni wnaed defnydd effeithlon o adnoddau mawr eu hangen o'r pwrs cyhoeddus i fynd i'r afael â thlodi tanwydd. Os caf sôn am rai o'r problemau a achoswyd gan arferion inswleiddio gwael: lleithder a llwydni, sy'n achosi arogleuon annymunol, plastr yn briwsioni, staenio waliau ac mewn rhai achosion, mae gwerth eiddo wedi gostwng yn sylweddol. Felly, rwy'n cytuno â llawer o ddadansoddiad Mick o'r broblem hon y mae'n ei galw'n gamwerthu gwaith inswleiddio waliau ceudod. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig ein bod yn gweld dull effeithiol ar y cyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU. Mae'n hawdd gosod y bai i gyd ar Lywodraeth y DU. Hynny yw, mae hwn wedi bod yn bolisi hirsefydlog ers bron i 25 mlynedd, ac yn amlwg, cafwyd Llywodraeth Lafur am lawer o'r amser hwnnw. Ond mae'n deg dweud bod ymyl galed hyn bellach yn torri ar draws gwaith Llywodraeth Cymru, a chredaf ei bod hi'n bwysig i ni gael arolwg effeithiol o'r cartrefi sy'n wynebu problemau, a dyma oedd un o argymhellion canolog adroddiad y Sefydliad Ymchwil Adeiladu rwyf newydd gyfeirio ato. Credaf fod honno'n ffordd briodol ymlaen. Mae llawer mwy y gallwn fod wedi ei ddweud. A bod yn deg, rwy'n credu bod Mick wedi mynegi'r pryder gwirioneddol y mae'r bobl sydd wedi dioddef yn sgil ymarfer gwael yn ei deimlo, ac ni chredaf y gall unrhyw un ohonom wadu hynny, oherwydd mae'n fater sylfaenol. Mae inswleiddio gwael iawn yn gwbl annerbyniol ac yn arwain at ddioddefaint mawr iawn i'r rhai yr effeithir arnynt.