English: I'd like to start by congratulating WASPI for their very powerful campaign drawing attention to this unfairness that we're discussing today. In my area, there are a number of women who have come to Hywel Williams, the MP for Arfon, Liz Saville-Roberts, the MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, and me, and we've worked together with those women to establish local WASPI groups. By now, we have a WASPI group for Arfon and Anglesey and a Dwyfor Meirionnydd WASPI group. We're continuing to support their efforts and highlighting the unfairness that has been created by the changes to the state pension Act. I know that there are other WASPI groups across Wales, and I do congratulate you on your work. The changes are a concern for millions of people across the UK and there are more and more becoming aware of the impact. Not everyone still is aware of the far-reaching impact that this can have on the lives of women and their families. It's important to note that Plaid Cymru does support the principle of creating equality in terms of the state pension age. There is no reason why it's expected that a woman would retire at a younger age than a man would. That's not appropriate or relevant in an age of equality. There is no opposition to the principle, therefore, but I do object strongly to the process that has been adopted to drive this change forward. What we need is a transitional period that is fair for every woman who was born in the 1950s and who has been affected by these changes. The timetable as it stands doesn't give time for women who are affected to plan for their retirement, for the reduction in the pension, which is unlike what they were planning for, and that is the message I hear time and again from the women that I work with in our local group in Arfon. Could we dwell a moment on the situation of women generally? Women in Arfon and, indeed, in Wales will be struck particularly hard by these changes. People live longer in England than they do in Wales, income per capita is lower than it is in other parts of the UK, and, on top of that, women in Wales earn less, on average, than the men of Wales - nearly £5,000 less. Twenty-five thousand pounds is the average salary for men, and £20,000 for women, which is a great inequality. So, while we do welcome the equal treatment of women in terms of the state pension age, we need to treat women equally in all areas - in the workplace, in terms of salaries, and in terms of life chances. It's interesting to see that the Westminster Government is quite willing to drive forward the equality agenda when that suits them and when it does mean cutting the welfare budget, but what are they doing about equality generally in terms of the general deficiencies, and what are they doing in terms of developing other aspects of equality and getting rid of inequality? And, with all due respect, could I ask UKIP what kind of emphasis do they place on equality generally for women? It's easy bringing this kind of issue before us, which suits them, but how about this issue generally? Therefore, we agree with WASPI. We need to introduce equality in terms of the state pension age, but we need to do that over a longer time frame and give an opportunity to women to prepare properly for their future. These women deserve to be treated fairly. I will close with this: I have a case in my constituency of a women who was born 24 hours too late, and now she has to work two years and three months longer. That wasn't her wish, but that's what she has to do. That's not fair, and Plaid Cymru has called consistently for transitional arrangements, and a bridging pension and compensation would go a long way to ameliorate that situation and to make a much more acceptable situation. But, remember, Plaid Cymru is also determined to ensure genuine equality for women across Wales, in every area. Thank you very much.
Welsh: Hoffwn i, i ddechrau, longyfarch WASPI am eu hymgyrch rymus yn dwyn sylw at yr annhegwch rydym ni'n ei drafod heddiw. Yn fy ardal i, mae nifer o ferched wedi dod at Hywel Williams, Aelod Seneddol Arfon, Liz Saville-Roberts, Aelod Seneddol Dwyfor Meirionnydd, a minnau, ac rydym ni wedi bod yn gweithio efo'r merched yna i sefydlu grwpiau WASPI lleol. Erbyn hyn, mae gennym ni grŵp WASPI Arfon a Môn a grŵp WASPI Dwyfor Meirionnydd. Rydym ni'n parhau i gefnogi eu hymdrechion nhw ac yn parhau i dynnu sylw at yr annhegwch sydd wedi cael ei greu gan y newidiadau i'r Ddeddf pensiynau gwladol. Rydw i'n gwybod bod yna grwpiau WASPI eraill hefyd ar draws Cymru, ac rydw i'n eich llongyfarch chi ar eich gwaith. Mae'r newidiadau yn bryder i filiynau o bobl ar draws y Deyrnas Gyfunol, ac mae yna fwy a mwy yn dod yn ymwybodol o'r effaith. Nid ydy pawb, hyd heddiw, yn ymwybodol o'r effaith pellgyrhaeddol y gall hyn ei gael ar fywydau nifer fawr o fenywod a'u teuluoedd nhw hefyd. Mae'n bwysig nodi bod Plaid Cymru yn cefnogi'r egwyddor o greu cydraddoldeb ynglŷn ag oedran derbyn y pensiwn gwladol. Nid oes yna reswm pam fod disgwyl i fenyw ymddeol yn gynharach na dyn. Nid ydy hynny yn briodol nac yn berthnasol mewn oes o gydraddoldeb cyfoes. Nid oes gwrthwynebiad i'r egwyddor, felly, ond rwyf yn gwrthwynebu'n gryf y broses sydd wedi cael ei mabwysiadu i yrru'r newid yma ymlaen. Beth sydd ei angen ydy cyfnod trosiannol teg ar gyfer pob menyw sydd wedi cael ei geni yn y 1950au ac sy'n cael ei heffeithio gan y newidiadau yma. Nid ydy'r amserlen fel y mae hi ar hyn o bryd yn rhoi amser i ferched sy'n cael eu heffeithio i gynllunio ar gyfer eu hymddeoliad, ar gyfer y gostyngiad yn y pensiwn, yn wahanol i'r hyn oedden nhw'n cynllunio ar ei gyfer o, a dyna ydy'r neges rydw i'n ei glywed tro ar ôl tro gan y menywod yr wyf i'n gweithio efo nhw yn ein grŵp lleol ni yn Arfon. A gawn ni oedi am funud hefyd ar sefyllfa merched yn gyffredinol? Fe fydd merched yn Arfon, ac, yn wir, merched yng Nghymru, yn cael eu taro yn arbennig o galed gan y newidiadau yma. Mae pobl yn byw yn hirach yn Lloegr nac ydyn nhw yng Nghymru. Mae incwm y pen yng Nghymru yn is nac ydy o yng nghenhedloedd eraill y Deyrnas Gyfunol, ac, ar ben hynny, mae merched Cymru yn ennill llai ar gyfartaledd na dynion Cymru - bron i £5,000 y flwyddyn yn llai. Pum mil ar hugain o bunnoedd ydy'r cyfartaledd cyflog i ddynion, £20,000 i ferched - anghydraddoldeb mawr yn fanna. Felly, tra ydym ni'n croesawu trin menywod yn gydradd o ran oed derbyn pensiwn, mae angen trin menywod yn gydradd ym mhob maes, yn y gweithle, o ran cyflogau, ac o ran cyfleon bywyd. Mae'n ddiddorol gweld, onid ydy, fod Llywodraeth San Steffan yn ddigon bodlon gwthio ymlaen yr agenda cydraddoldeb pan fo hynny yn eu siwtio nhw, pan fo'n golygu torri'r gyllideb lles, ond beth maen nhw'n ei wneud ynglŷn â chydraddoldeb yn gyffredinol, ynglŷn â'r diffygion cyffredinol? Beth maen nhw'n ei wneud ynglŷn â datblygu agweddau eraill o gydraddoldeb a dileu anghydraddoldeb? Ac, efo pob parch, os caf i ofyn i UKIP: faint o bwyslais maen nhw'n ei roi ar gydraddoldeb yn gyffredinol i ferched? Mae'n hawdd dod â mater fel hwn gerbron, sydd yn eu siwtio nhw, ond beth am yn gyffredinol? Rydym ni felly yn cytuno â WASPI. Mae angen cyflwyno creu cydraddoldeb ynglŷn ag oedran pensiwn, ond gwneud hynny dros amser hirach - rhoi amser i ferched baratoi yn iawn ar gyfer eu dyfodol. Mae'r merched yma yn haeddu cael eu trin yn deg. Gwnaf i gloi efo hyn: mae gen i achos yn fy etholaeth i o ddynes a gafodd ei geni 24 awr yn rhy hwyr, a rŵan, mae'n rhaid iddi weithio dwy flynedd a thri mis yn ychwanegol. Nid dyna oedd ei dymuniad hi, ond dyna mae hi'n gorfod ei wneud. Nid ydy hynny'n deg, ac mae Plaid Cymru wedi galw yn gyson am drefniadau trosiannol, a byddai pensiwn pontio ac iawndal yn mynd yn bell iawn i leddfu'r newid ac i greu sefyllfa lawer iawn mwy derbyniol. Ond cofiwch fod Plaid Cymru hefyd yn benderfynol o sicrhau gwir gydraddoldeb i fenywod Cymru ym mhob maes. Diolch.