English: Diolch, Llywydd. I'm pleased to open this debate on the general principles of the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill. This Bill, if passed, will ensure children in Wales have the same level of protection from physical punishment as adults. I want to start by thanking the three committees who have worked so hard to scrutinise this Bill. Your input will be invaluable in shaping this important legislation. I also want to put on record my thanks to the many people and organisations who have given evidence to the Children, Young People and Education Committee. This Government believes that children and young people's voices matter. The Assembly has supported the establishment of the Welsh Youth Parliament, which has in its turn given its own majority support to this Bill - 70 per cent of its Members voted to support this legislation. So that is the voice of the young people. Many of us in this Chamber have campaigned for many years for this legislation. I've actually campaigned for 20 years, and I am very proud that it is a key commitment for this Government. I want to thank Huw Irranca-Davies for his enthusiastic introduction of the Bill, and to pay tribute to Carl Sargeant, and for the role they both played in the Bill's development. Llywydd, I want Members to know that I've carefully considered and intend to accept the majority of the recommendations made by each of the three scrutiny committees. This Bill is about helping to protect children's rights. We can take pride in this country that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is central to our approach to give children the best start in life, and to help them achieve their potential. The overarching aim of the Bill is to help protect children's rights, in accordance with article 19 of the UNCRC - the right to protection from all forms of violence. We need to recognise that terms such as 'a light smack', or 'a loving smack' make light of physical punishment. There are different interpretations about what a light or loving smack involves, and how often they are used, often by parents who believe they are doing the right thing for their child. And as the committee heard during Stage 1 scrutiny of the Bill, the term 'reasonable punishment' itself can blur boundaries too, making it difficult for professionals to give clear and unequivocal advice to parents. And that is why there is so much support from virtually all the professional bodies, and all the professionals who work with children. And, whatever it's called, physical punishment is a human rights issue, which the majority of researchers say has the potential to cause harm to children. However mild it may seem, the UNCRC recognises that any physical punishment of children is incompatible with their human rights. There are many alternative and more positive ways to discipline a child that don't involve physical punishment. I can never accept that it is acceptable for a big person to hit a little person. This Bill brings Wales fully in line with the UNCRC; it also accords with the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, and with UN sustainable development goal 16. I was very pleased that, with the exception of two of its members, the Children, Young People and Education Committee recommended support for the general principles of the Bill. Both that committee and the Finance Committee were clear that, to be really effective, this Bill must be accompanied by a well-planned information campaign. We must make sure that parents are aware and know what we're doing. And I wholeheartedly agree with Members on this point, and I've given an undertaking that we will raise awareness about the removal of the defence of reasonable punishment, and I've approved a high-level awareness campaign. I will bring forward Government amendments to add a duty to raise awareness on the face of the Bill. Another area of focus has been on the importance of supporting parents to adopt positive parenting styles. We already provide information, advice and support for parents through a range of programmes and campaigns, but we plan to carry out a mapping exercise to identify the gaps or opportunities to do more. And I have agreed to provide information about the outcome of this review following analysis and discussions with the parenting expert group.
Welsh: Diolch, Llywydd. Mae'n bleser gen i agor y ddadl hon ar egwyddorion cyffredinol Bil Plant (Diddymu Amddiffyniad Cosb Resymol) (Cymru). Bydd y Bil hwn, os caiff ei basio, yn sicrhau bod plant yng Nghymru yn cael yr un lefel o ddiogelwch rhag cosb gorfforol ag oedolion. Hoffwn i ddechrau drwy ddiolch i'r tri phwyllgor sydd wedi gweithio mor galed i graffu ar y Bil hwn. Bydd eich cyfraniad yn amhrisiadwy wrth lunio'r ddeddfwriaeth bwysig hon. Rwyf i hefyd eisiau cofnodi fy niolch i'r bobl a'r sefydliadau niferus sydd wedi rhoi tystiolaeth i'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg. Mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn credu bod lleisiau plant a phobl ifanc yn bwysig. Mae'r Cynulliad wedi cefnogi sefydlu Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru, sydd yn ei thro wedi rhoi mwyafrif ei chefnogaeth i'r Bil hwn - pleidleisiodd 70 y cant o'i Haelodau i gefnogi'r ddeddfwriaeth hon. Felly dyna lais y bobl ifanc. Mae llawer ohonom ni yn y Siambr hon wedi ymgyrchu ers blynyddoedd lawer dros y ddeddfwriaeth hon. Rwyf i wedi ymgyrchu mewn gwirionedd ers 20 mlynedd, ac rwy'n falch iawn ei fod yn ymrwymiad allweddol i'r Llywodraeth hon. Hoffwn ddiolch i Huw Irranca-Davies am gyflwyno'r Bil yn frwd, ac rwyf eisiau talu teyrnged i Carl Sargeant, ac am swyddogaeth y ddau wrth ddatblygu'r Bil. Llywydd, rwyf eisiau i'r Aelodau wybod fy mod wedi ystyried yn ofalus ac rwy'n bwriadu derbyn y rhan fwyaf o'r argymhellion a wnaed gan bob un o'r tri phwyllgor craffu. Mae'r Bil hwn yn ymwneud â helpu i ddiogelu hawliau plant. Yn y wlad hon, gallwn ni ymfalchïo bod Confensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn yn ganolog i'n hymagwedd ni i roi'r dechrau gorau mewn bywyd i blant, ac i'w helpu i gyflawni eu potensial. Nod cyffredinol y Bil yw helpu i ddiogelu hawliau plant, yn unol ag erthygl 19 y Confensiwn - yr hawl i gael amddiffyniad rhag pob math o drais. Mae angen i ni gydnabod bod termau fel 'smac ysgafn', neu 'smac gariadus' yn trin cosb gorfforol yn ysgafn. Mae gwahanol ddehongliadau ynglŷn â'r hyn y mae smacio ysgafn neu gariadus yn eu golygu, a pha mor aml y cânt eu defnyddio, yn aml gan rieni sy'n credu eu bod yn gwneud y peth iawn ar gyfer eu plentyn. Ac fel y clywodd y Pwyllgor yn ystod Cyfnod 1 y gwaith craffu ar y Bil, gall y term 'cosb resymol' ei hun gymylu ffiniau hefyd, gan ei gwneud yn anodd i weithwyr proffesiynol roi cyngor clir a diamwys i rieni. A dyna pam y mae cymaint o gefnogaeth gan bron pob un o'r cyrff proffesiynol, a'r holl weithwyr proffesiynol sy'n gweithio gyda phlant. A pha bynnag enw sy'n cael ei roi iddi, mae cosb gorfforol yn fater hawliau dynol, sydd, yn ôl y mwyafrif o ymchwilwyr, â'r potensial i achosi niwed i blant. Waeth pa mor ysgafn y gallai ymddangos, mae CCUHP yn cydnabod bod unrhyw gosb gorfforol i blant yn anghydnaws â'u hawliau dynol. Mae llawer o ffyrdd amgen a mwy cadarnhaol o ddisgyblu plentyn nad ydynt yn cynnwys cosb gorfforol. Ni allaf fyth dderbyn ei bod yn dderbyniol i unigolyn mawr daro unigolyn bach. Mae'r Bil hwn yn dod â Chymru yn gwbl unol â CCUHP; mae hefyd yn cyd-fynd ag argymhellion Cyngor Hawliau Dynol y Cenhedloedd Unedig, Pwyllgor y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Ddileu Gwahaniaethu yn Erbyn Menywod, ac â nod datblygu cynaliadwy 16 y Cenhedloedd Unedig. Roeddwn i'n falch iawn bod y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, ar wahân i ddau o'i aelodau, wedi argymell cefnogi egwyddorion cyffredinol y Bil. Roedd y pwyllgor hwnnw a'r Pwyllgor Cyllid yn glir, er mwyn bod yn wirioneddol effeithiol, mae'n rhaid cael ymgyrch wybodaeth wedi'i chynllunio'n dda i gyd-fynd â'r Bil hwn. Rhaid i ni wneud yn siŵr bod rhieni yn ymwybodol o ac yn gwybod am hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud. Ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r Aelodau ar y pwynt hwn, ac rwyf wedi addo y byddwn ni'n codi ymwybyddiaeth ynghylch dileu'r amddiffyniad cosb resymol, ac rwyf wedi cymeradwyo ymgyrch ymwybyddiaeth lefel uchel. Byddaf yn cyflwyno gwelliannau'r Llywodraeth i ychwanegu dyletswydd i godi ymwybyddiaeth ar wyneb y Bil. Maes arall y canolbwyntiwyd arno yw pwysigrwydd cefnogi rhieni i fabwysiadu dulliau rhianta cadarnhaol. Rydym ni eisoes yn darparu gwybodaeth, cyngor a chymorth i rieni drwy amrywiaeth o raglenni ac ymgyrchoedd, ond bwriadwn gynnal ymarfer mapio i nodi'r bylchau neu'r cyfleoedd i wneud mwy. Ac rwyf wedi cytuno i ddarparu gwybodaeth am ganlyniad yr adolygiad hwn yn dilyn dadansoddiad a thrafodaethau â'r grŵp arbenigwyr rhianta.