English: Diolch, Llywydd. The aim of this Bill is to deliver a safe and fair election for the people of Wales in the face of a public health crisis the like of which we have not previously seen in our lifetimes. The objective in these exceptional times must be to ensure the election can be run in a COVID-safe manner and protecting the fundamental right to vote. It is concerning, therefore, that the Member continues to promote an amendment that would at best narrow the criteria for proxy vote applications and at worst disenfranchise those who, because they are following law and guidance to stay at home, find that they cannot vote in person. The Member would like to add an amendment that requires an NHS isolation note as a necessary requirement for a person seeking a proxy vote. These isolation notes are provided by the NHS to people who are unable to work for more than seven days because of coronavirus, and are obtained using the NHS website. It is important to understand that these notes are only available to patients who are advised to self-isolate by the online symptom checker and who are employed. The Member's amendment, therefore, would prevent those who have been advised to shield, those who do not currently display symptoms, and those who are not in employment from being able to apply for an emergency proxy vote. Finally, we have been advised that the speed at which these isolation notes are received can vary depending on the application. The concern here is the note may not be returned in time for voters who find they cannot vote in person to arrange the proxy. With all these concerns I ask: why does the Member want to disenfranchise these people? We must also acknowledge the considerable pressure having to administer these notes would put on an NHS already dealing with a pandemic. The Member has previously mentioned the potential for fraud, which is a valid concern in all elections. However, I would like to put his mind at rest. In 2019, a year that saw a general election, European election and local elections, only 142 allegations of voter fraud were recorded. From this already small number of allegations, only two cases were prosecuted, both of which related to impersonation at a polling station, and not postal or proxy votes. Although the Member's continued protestations of fraud sound alarming, they appear to be baseless. Given our concerns that this amendment would narrow the criteria for proxy voting, potentially disenfranchise voters and put further and unnecessary pressure on the NHS, we are opposing this amendment. The reasons that you would give for having a proxy vote in these emergency circumstances are for a coronavirus reason only, and therefore I urge Members to vote against this amendment. Diolch.
Welsh: Diolch, Lywydd. Nod y Bil hwn yw sicrhau etholiad diogel a theg i bobl Cymru yn wyneb argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus nad ydym wedi gweld ei debyg o'r blaen yn ystod ein hoes ni. Yr amcan yn y cyfnod eithriadol hwn yw sicrhau y gellir cynnal yr etholiad mewn modd sy'n ddiogel rhag COVID ac amddiffyn yr hawl sylfaenol i bleidleisio. Mae'n destun pryder, felly, fod yr Aelod yn parhau i hyrwyddo gwelliant a fyddai ar y gorau'n culhau'r meini prawf ar gyfer ceisiadau pleidleisio drwy ddirprwy ac ar y gwaethaf yn difreinio'r rheini sydd, oherwydd eu bod yn dilyn y gyfraith a chanllawiau i aros gartref, yn canfod na allant bleidleisio'n bersonol. Hoffai'r Aelod ychwanegu gwelliant sy'n ei gwneud yn ofynnol i unigolyn sy'n gofyn am bleidlais drwy ddirprwy gael nodyn hunanynysu'r GIG fel gofyniad angenrheidiol. Darperir y nodiadau hunanynysu hyn gan y GIG i bobl nad ydynt yn gallu gweithio am fwy na saith diwrnod oherwydd coronafeirws, a gellir gofyn amdanynt drwy ddefnyddio gwefan y GIG. Mae'n bwysig deall nad yw'r nodiadau ond ar gael i gleifion sy'n cael eu cynghori i hunanynysu gan y gwiriwr symptomau ar-lein ac sy'n gyflogedig. Byddai gwelliant yr Aelod, felly, yn atal y rhai sydd wedi cael eu cynghori i warchod, y rhai nad ydynt yn arddangos symptomau ar hyn o bryd, a'r rhai nad ydynt mewn cyflogaeth rhag gallu gwneud cais am bleidlais frys drwy ddirprwy. Yn olaf, fe'n cynghorwyd y gallai pa mor gyflym y caiff y nodiadau hunanynysu hyn eu derbyn amrywio yn dibynnu ar y cais. Y pryder yma yw'r perygl na fyddai'r nodyn yn cael ei ddychwelyd mewn pryd i bleidleiswyr sy'n canfod na allant bleidleisio'n bersonol allu trefnu'r bleidlais drwy ddirprwy. Gyda'r holl bryderon hyn, rwy'n gofyn: pam y mae'r Aelod am ddifreinio'r bobl hyn? Rhaid inni hefyd gydnabod y pwysau sylweddol y byddai gorfod gweinyddu'r nodiadau hyn yn ei roi ar GIG sydd eisoes yn ymdrin â phandemig. Mae'r Aelod eisoes wedi sôn am y perygl o dwyll, sy'n bryder dilys ym mhob etholiad. Fodd bynnag, hoffwn dawelu ei feddwl. Yn 2019, blwyddyn a welodd etholiad cyffredinol, etholiad Ewropeaidd ac etholiadau lleol, dim ond 142 o honiadau o dwyll pleidleisio a gofnodwyd. O'r nifer fach hon o honiadau, dim ond dau achos a arweiniodd at erlyniad, y ddau ohonynt yn ymwneud â phersonadu mewn gorsaf bleidleisio, nid pleidleisiau post na phleidleisio drwy ddirprwy. Er bod protestiadau parhaus yr Aelod o dwyll yn swnio'n frawychus, mae'n ymddangos eu bod yn ddi-sail. O ystyried ein pryderon y byddai'r gwelliant hwn yn culhau'r meini prawf ar gyfer pleidleisio drwy ddirprwy, gyda'r perygl o ddifreinio pleidleiswyr a rhoi pwysau pellach a diangen ar y GIG, rydym yn gwrthwynebu'r gwelliant hwn. Mae'r rhesymau y byddech yn eu rhoi dros gael pleidlais drwy ddirprwy yn yr amgylchiadau brys hyn yn ymwneud yn unig â'r coronafeirws, ac felly rwy'n annog yr Aelodau i bleidleisio yn erbyn y gwelliant hwn. Diolch.