English: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. May I begin by thanking Plaid Cymru for putting forward this motion today? The steps that have been outlined are ones that we as a Government are already taking. So, we are happy to support the motion moved by Sioned Williams as well as the amendment moved by Laura Jones. We know that poverty can undermine the ability of children to learn, it can limit their opportunities in life, can prevent them from fully benefiting from education. As a Government, we are entirely committed to do our level best to get to grips with the impact of poverty on educational attainment. Our commitment in the co-operation agreement to extend the cohort receiving free school meals to include all primary school pupils is an important contribution in this regard. Our record in terms of providing free school meals to pupils in Wales is something that we are very proud of as a Government, and we've seen this as a vital component of ensuring high standards for everyone. As part of the wider package of support to assist pupils who are struggling to cope with the cost-of-living crisis, we want to ensure that nutritious, healthy food is available to children and young people. An additional £21.4 million has been allocated in 2022-23 to help with the cost of school meals for eligible pupils during the Easter holiday, the summer half term and summer break this year. This is a measure in response to the pandemic and to the cost-of-living crisis. As being eligible for free school meals is the basis for a number of rights and to support offered nationally and locally, we are taking a number of steps to respond to the impact on these pupils as a result of the changes to the free school meal provision. But I want to be clear, Dirprwy Lywydd, that every child and young person who is eligible to receive other benefits at the moment, for example the PDG access, will continue to be eligible as they were under the previous arrangements, and this will be explained clearly to families so that they continue to receive the support that they have the right to receive to ensure that starting to provide free school meals to everyone will not have a negative impact on the pupils who'd have received additional support. We acknowledge that the costs related to the school day, such as a school uniform, can, of course, be a financial burden. We are clear that school uniforms should be something that families should be able to afford.
Welsh: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A gaf i agor drwy ddiolch i Blaid Cymru am gyflwyno'r cynnig heddiw? Mae'r camau sydd wedi cael eu nodi yn rhai rydyn ni fel Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd. Felly, rydyn ni'n hapus i gefnogi'r cynnig a symudwyd gan Sioned Williams yn ogystal â'r gwelliant a symudwyd gan Laura Jones. Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod tlodi yn gallu tanseilio gallu plant i ddysgu, yn gallu cyfyngu ar eu cyfleoedd nhw mewn bywyd, yn gallu eu rhwystro rhag manteisio yn llawn ar addysg. Fel Llywodraeth rŷn ni'n gwbl ymroddedig i wneud ein gorau glas i fynd i'r afael ag effaith tlodi ar gyrhaeddiad addysgol. Mae ein hymrwymiad ni yn y cytundeb cydweithio i ymestyn y garfan sy'n cael prydau ysgol am ddim i gynnwys holl ddisgyblion ysgol gynradd yn gyfraniad pwysig yn hyn o beth. Mae ein record ni o ran darparu prydau ysgol am ddim i ddisgyblion yng Nghymru yn destun rŷn ni'n falch ohono fel Llywodraeth, ac rydyn ni wedi gweld hyn fel rhywbeth hollbwysig er mwyn sicrhau safonau uchel i bawb. Fel rhan o'r pecyn cymorth ehangach i helpu teuluoedd sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd ymdopi â'r argyfwng costau byw, rŷn ni am ofalu bod bwyd iach a maethlon ar gael i blant a phobl ifainc. Mae £21.4 miliwn ychwanegol wedi cael ei ddarparu yn 2022-23 i helpu gyda chost prydau bwyd i ddisgyblion cymwys yn ystod gwyliau'r Pasg, hanner tymor yr haf a'r gwyliau haf eleni. Mesur yw hwn mewn ymateb i'r pandemig ac i'r argyfwng costau byw. Gan mai bod yn gymwys am brydau ysgol am ddim yw'r sail i nifer o hawliau a chynigion cymorth lleol a chenedlaethol, rŷn ni'n cymryd nifer o gamau i ymateb i'r impact ar y rhain yn sgil y newidiadau yn y ddarpariaeth prydau ysgol am ddim. Ond dwi eisiau bod yn glir, Ddirprwy Lywydd, y bydd pob plentyn a pherson ifanc sy'n gymwys i gael budd-daliadau eraill ar hyn o bryd, er enghraifft y grant datblygu disgyblion mynediad, yn dal i fod yn gymwys fel yr oedden nhw o dan y trefniadau blaenorol. Fe fydd hyn yn cael ei esbonio'n glir i deuluoedd, fel y gallan nhw barhau i gael y cymorth y mae gyda nhw hawl i'w gael er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr nad yw dechrau cynnig prydau ysgol am ddim i bawb yn effeithio'n negyddol ar y plant a fyddai wedi cael arian neu help ychwanegol. Rŷn ni'n cydnabod bod y costau sydd ynghlwm wrth y diwrnod ysgol, er enghraifft gwisg ysgol, yn gallu bod yn faich ariannol. Rŷn ni'n glir y dylai gwisg ysgol fod yn rhywbeth y mae teuluoedd yn gallu ei fforddio.