English: Can I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon? Now, I agree with the Minister that the UK is beginning 2023 on a very difficult footing, and there is a need for a real focus from him on the Welsh Government's economic policies. I had hoped that we'd hear more from the Government about some of the specific initiatives that the Welsh Government has for tackling some of the challenges facing businesses in Wales, but detail on that front is lacking in today's statement. Nevertheless, I'm pleased to see that today's statement refers to delivering a prosperous, green economic future for Wales, investing in the skills of the future. The Minister knows that I've been calling for a new net-zero skills action plan for a long time now, to make sure that we have the right people and skills available to benefit from green jobs in the future. So, perhaps the Minister could tell us more about how the Government is building a better understanding and evidence base of the future skills needs to support the transition to net zero, and also tell us how he's driving awareness amongst employers to support reskilling and upskilling their workforce. Today's statement refers to the continuing support for high energy costs that the UK Government announced last week, and I believe that there is room here for the Welsh Government to act to support businesses too. For example, we know that the Development Bank of Wales is developing a scheme that will allow businesses to take on borrowing to fund capital investment that delivers on decarbonisation. Therefore, perhaps there is flexibility here for this scheme to cover businesses needing acute support with energy costs, so that funding can get to businesses as quickly as possible. So, perhaps he could update us on his discussions with the development bank on the support that they can offer Welsh businesses, and tell us when the new green business loan scheme is likely to become operational. Dirprwy Lywydd, the Minister's statement focuses heavily on inter-governmental relations, and I want to reiterate that, where Governments work together, Wales benefits. Indeed, I want to remind the Minister that the people of Wales are served by both Governments, and it's in the interests of both to work together. Of course, he is right to say that the UK is a proud interwoven union of nations capable of being greater than the sum of its parts, and the partnership with the UK Government on areas like free ports, like city deals, and the future of borders policy, has shown that, when Governments work together, Wales benefits. There are, of course, genuine concerns over post-EU replacement funds, and I share some of those concerns, as the Minister well knows. But I really don't see how the Minister's statement today goes any way to tell us how he is going to build a more constructive relationship with Westminster, which is essential for the Welsh economy. Now, it's also essential that the Welsh Government prioritises investment in fields like research and innovation, which has huge potential to transform the Welsh economy and put us at the forefront of technological developments. But we are still waiting for an innovation strategy from the Welsh Government, despite repeated calls from the sector. Therefore, perhaps the Minister could take the opportunity to tell us when we will see an innovation strategy from this Government. Now, the Minister makes a fair point regarding the long-term future of steel. It is a foundational industry that is the backbone of our manufacturing sector and we need clarity on how a sustainable future will be secured. Therefore, perhaps the Minister could update us on the latest discussions he has had with UK Government Ministers regarding the future of the industry so that we can better understand the level of engagement on this matter. The Minister's statement highlights floating offshore wind as an area where dialogue needs to be strengthened, and I'm interested to know more about his views given that, in the discussions that I continue to have with developers, they make it clear that it's the Welsh Government and the resourcing of Natural Resources Wales that are holding up developments here in Wales, especially regarding planning consents. Therefore, perhaps he could take the opportunity to explain exactly what he means in his statement in relation to floating offshore wind, as stakeholders will be at the Senedd later today and next week and will be keen to better understand his views. In closing, Dirprwy Lywydd, I'd hoped that we'd hear more from the Minister today about the economic priorities of this Government, particularly in light of the report by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, which argued that, since devolution, Welsh economic policies have lacked coherence and consistency, and ambitions have not been matched by effective implementation. That report was, in fact, co-authored by a former Welsh Government Minister, and so, today's statement could, and in my opinion should, have been an opportunity to tell Members more about how it will support entrepreneurship and innovation, develop a robust skills pipeline and bring together industry and academia for the benefit of the Welsh economy. Members already know that stronger inter-governmental relations benefit the Welsh economy, and whilst the Minister is right to say that we need clarity from the UK Government in some areas, we also need to see greater clarity from the Welsh Government in many areas too.
Welsh: A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad y prynhawn yma? Nawr, rwy'n cytuno â'r Gweinidog fod y DU yn dechrau 2023 ar sail anodd iawn, ac mae angen pwyslais gwirioneddol ganddo ar bolisïau economaidd Llywodraeth Cymru. Roeddwn i wedi gobeithio y byddem ni'n clywed mwy gan y Llywodraeth ynglŷn â rhai o'r mentrau penodol sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â rhai o'r heriau y mae busnesau yng Nghymru yn eu hwynebu, ond mae diffyg manylion yn hyn o beth yn y datganiad heddiw. Serch hynny, rwy'n falch o weld bod y datganiad heddiw yn cyfeirio at sicrhau dyfodol economaidd ffyniannus, gwyrdd i Gymru, gan fuddsoddi yn sgiliau'r dyfodol. Mae'r Gweinidog yn gwybod fy mod i wedi bod yn galw am gynllun gweithredu sgiliau sero net newydd ers amser maith bellach, er mwyn sicrhau bod gennym y bobl a'r sgiliau cywir ar gael i elwa ar swyddi gwyrdd yn y dyfodol. Felly, efallai y gallai'r Gweinidog ddweud mwy wrthym am sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn meithrin gwell dealltwriaeth a sylfaen dystiolaeth o anghenion sgiliau yn y dyfodol i gefnogi'r newid i sero net, a hefyd dweud wrthym sut mae'n annog ymwybyddiaeth ymhlith cyflogwyr i gefnogi ailsgilio ac uwchsgilio eu gweithlu. Mae'r datganiad heddiw yn cyfeirio at y gefnogaeth barhaus i gostau ynni uchel a gyhoeddodd Llywodraeth y DU yr wythnos diwethaf, ac rwy'n credu bod lle yma i Lywodraeth Cymru weithredu i gefnogi busnesau hefyd. Er enghraifft, rydym yn gwybod bod Banc Datblygu Cymru yn datblygu cynllun a fydd yn caniatáu i fusnesau fenthyca er mwyn ariannu buddsoddiad cyfalaf sy'n cyflawni o ran datgarboneiddio. Felly, efallai fod hyblygrwydd yma i'r cynllun hwn gynnwys busnesau sydd angen cymorth acíwt gyda chostau ynni, fel y gall arian gyrraedd busnesau cyn gynted â phosib. Felly, efallai y gallai roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni am ei drafodaethau gyda'r banc datblygu ar y gefnogaeth y gallan nhw ei chynnig i fusnesau Cymreig, a dweud wrthym ni pryd fydd cynllun newydd y benthyciad busnes gwyrdd yn debygol o ddod yn weithredol. Dirprwy Lywydd, mae datganiad y Gweinidog yn canolbwyntio'n helaeth ar gysylltiadau rhynglywodraethol, ac rwyf am ailadrodd, pan fo Llywodraethau'n gweithio gyda'i gilydd, mae Cymru'n elwa. Yn wir, rwyf eisiau atgoffa'r Gweinidog fod pobl Cymru'n cael eu gwasanaethu gan y ddwy Lywodraeth, ac mae er budd y ddwy ein bod yn cydweithio. Wrth gwrs, mae'n iawn i ddweud bod y DU yn undeb balch o genhedloedd sy'n gallu bod yn fwy na chyfanswm eu rhannau, ac mae'r bartneriaeth gyda Llywodraeth y DU ar feysydd fel porthladdoedd rhydd, fel bargeinion dinesig, a dyfodol polisi ffiniau, wedi dangos, pan fydd Llywodraethau'n gweithio gyda'i gilydd, bod Cymru'n elwa. Mae yna bryderon gwirioneddol, wrth gwrs, ynghylch cyllido sy'n disodli cronfeydd yr EU, ac rwy'n rhannu rhai o'r pryderon hynny, fel y mae'r Gweinidog yn gwybod yn iawn. Ond nid wyf yn gweld sut mae datganiad y Gweinidog heddiw yn dweud wrthym ni mewn unrhyw ffordd sut mae'n mynd i greu perthynas fwy adeiladol gyda San Steffan, sy'n hanfodol i economi Cymru. Nawr, mae hefyd yn hanfodol bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn blaenoriaethu buddsoddi mewn meysydd fel ymchwil ac arloesedd, sydd â photensial enfawr i drawsnewid economi Cymru a'n rhoi ni ar flaen y gad yn natblygiadau technolegol. Ond rydym ni'n dal i aros am strategaeth arloesedd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, er gwaethaf galwadau cyson o'r sector. Felly, efallai y gallai'r Gweinidog gymryd y cyfle i ddweud wrthym pryd y byddwn yn gweld strategaeth arloesi gan y Llywodraeth hon. Nawr, mae'r Gweinidog yn gwneud pwynt teg ynghylch dyfodol hirdymor dur. Mae'n ddiwydiant sylfaenol sy'n asgwrn cefn i'n sector gweithgynhyrchu ac mae angen eglurder arnom ynghylch sut y bydd dyfodol cynaliadwy yn cael ei sicrhau. Felly, efallai y gallai'r Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni ynghylch y trafodaethau diweddaraf y mae wedi'u cael gyda Gweinidogion Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch dyfodol y diwydiant fel y gallwn ddeall yn well lefel yr ymgysylltu ar y mater hwn. Mae datganiad y Gweinidog yn amlygu gwynt arnofiol ar y môr fel maes lle mae angen cryfhau deialog, ac mae gennyf i ddiddordeb mewn gwybod mwy am ei farn o gofio, yn y trafodaethau yr ydw i'n parhau i'w cael gyda datblygwyr, maen nhw'n ei gwneud hi'n glir mai Llywodraeth Cymru a sicrhau adnoddau i Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru sy'n arafu datblygiadau yma yng Nghymru, yn enwedig o ran caniatâd cynllunio. Felly, efallai y gallai fanteisio ar y cyfle i esbonio beth yn union y mae'n ei olygu yn ei ddatganiad mewn cysylltiad â gwynt arnofiol ar y môr, gan y bydd rhanddeiliaid yn y Senedd yn ddiweddarach heddiw a'r wythnos nesaf a byddant yn awyddus i ddeall ei farn yn well. Wrth gloi, Dirprwy Lywydd, roeddwn i wedi gobeithio y byddem yn clywed mwy gan y Gweinidog heddiw am flaenoriaethau economaidd y Llywodraeth hon, yn enwedig yng ngoleuni'r adroddiad gan y Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ymchwil Economaidd a Chymdeithasol, a oedd yn dadlau nad oes digon o gydlyniant a chysondeb, ers datganoli, ac nad yw'r uchelgeisiau wedi cael eu gwireddu oherwydd gweithredu aneffeithiol. Roedd yr adroddiad hwnnw, mewn gwirionedd, wedi'i gyd-ysgrifennu gan gyn Weinidog Llywodraeth Cymru, ac felly, gallai'r datganiad heddiw, ac yn fy marn i, dylai'r datganiad heddiw fod wedi manteisio ar y cyfle i ddweud mwy wrth yr Aelodau am sut y bydd yn cefnogi entrepreneuriaeth ac arloesi, datblygu ffrwd sgiliau cadarn a dod â diwydiant a'r byd academaidd ynghyd er lles economi Cymru. Mae aelodau eisoes yn gwybod bod cysylltiadau rhynglywodraethol cryfach o fudd i economi Cymru, ac er bod y Gweinidog yn iawn i ddweud bod angen eglurder gan Lywodraeth y DU mewn rhai meysydd, mae angen i ni weld mwy o eglurder gan Lywodraeth Cymru mewn sawl maes hefyd.