English: Acting Deputy Presiding Officer, I'd like to thank Members for their contributions to this very important debate today, and I am pleased to have the chance to respond on behalf of the Welsh Government. I'm going to begin by setting out some of the very clear pressures on individuals and communities across the length and breadth of Wales, and the first pressure is very clear: nine years of austerity. I'm sorry to say that the financial policy of the UK Government over almost a decade has been to strip away many of the vital structures that have supported communities over several decades. Cuts to local authority budgets have meant the loss of local facilities, such as libraries, community buildings and public spaces, and it's resulted in the depletion of essential public services such as policing. This is simply not political rhetoric. The special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights reported recently on this following his visit to the UK. And his view is that 'Much of the glue that has held British society together since the Second World War has been deliberately removed and replaced with a harsh and uncaring ethos'. He reported that 'A booming economy, high employment and a budget surplus have not reversed austerity, a policy pursued more as an ideological than an economic agenda.' Let me put into context how different things might have been had this deeply damaging policy not been pursued. Our budgets would have grown by more than £4 billion between 2009 and 2019 had the economy and our budgets grown in line. Had our budgets followed the trend of growth in public expenditure since 1945, we would have had £6 billion of additional investment leveraged at our disposal in Wales. And I think it's inconceivable for any Member of this Chamber to suggest that, in this context, and with that level of cut to our budgets, austerity has not significantly contributed to poverty in Wales. Now, the second factor that has had a major impact on levels of poverty in Wales is the UK Government's programme of tax and welfare reforms. As a result of the reforms, it's predicted that there will be 50,000 more children living in poverty in Wales by the time they're fully rolled out. And I think it's outrageous that those who are most vulnerable in our communities are targeted in such a way by these damaging policies. What, then, can we do against this backdrop? Well, we know that we don't have the major levers needed to make a difference to the headline poverty figure. Of course, it's tax and the welfare system that influence this. However, in the absence of a change of direction by the UK Government, we continue to do all that we can to support the most vulnerable in our communities as they try to deal with the disproportionate impact of these destructive policies. The First Minister has, of course, included poverty as an additional priority area in the Welsh Government's budget planning process for 2021, and work is being taken forward by the Minister for Housing and Local Government to review Welsh Government funding programmes to ensure that they have maximum impact on the lives of children living in poverty. We have been crystal clear. A child's life chances should not be determined by the economic circumstances of their parents. We do not accept the inevitability of a life in poverty. Our objectives of the child poverty strategy focus as much on supporting parents to increase household income as they do on tackling the inequalities that poverty brings with it. We are taking action to reduce the number of children living in workless households, and to increase the skills of parents and young people. I think, also, it's vitally important to recognise that there are now 300,000 more people in work in Wales since 1999. And the proportion of working-age people with no qualifications has more than halved. Economic inactivity rates in Wales are now broadly comparable with the UK average for the first time ever. Mike Hedges made the point that he believes that too few high-value jobs are being created in the economy. I disagree with this assertion. I would say that, in the past, it was the case that, in many circumstances, low-value, poorly paid jobs were often created, but that was in direct and immediate response to the incredibly high levels of unemployment. Today, we are clearly - and we have articulated this through the economic action plan - focusing on raising the quality and value of employment in Wales, particularly through the skills system, with our focus on supporting skills training at level 3 and above. And we only need to look at some of those sectors that provide the highest levels of productivity and wages - financial and professional services, for example, with growth here in Cardiff and across Wales at an astonishing level compared to the rest of the UK. Aerospace is the most productive sector in the British economy, and here in Wales we have a disproportionately high number of people now in employment in that sector - more than 20,000 people in incredibly valued jobs. Since devolution, the number of workless households in Wales has fallen from almost 0.25 million to 173,000. This represents a decline of 22.4 per cent, again outperforming UK performance. Alongside this, we are taking steps to create a strong economy and labour market that generate sustainable employment opportunities that are truly accessible to all, and this is fundamental to our approach to tackling poverty. Our economic action plan has been designed to support the delivery of a strong, resilient and dynamic economy, and it's a plan to grow the economy inclusively and to reduce inequality. It's driving inclusive growth by maximising our impact on the foundational economy and through a new model of regional place-based economic development that is better attuned to tackling economic disparities in different parts of Wales. And the plan seeks to increase the availability of good-quality jobs and to empower communities with the skills and economic infrastructure that can support better jobs closer to home. A cornerstone of the plan is the economic contract, which is driving fairer, more responsible business practices that have the potential to support inclusive opportunities for work and progression and, of course, to address the rise in insecure, unreliable work, and we will go on working in partnership with those incredibly important social partners, including the trade union movement that Dawn Bowden has spoken about. We will continue to use all the levers available to us across Government to ensure that individuals, households and communities have the strength and the resilience needed to overcome these challenges. I'd like to thank both Members today for their contributions and reaffirm my commitment to working with them as we take forward this incredibly important work.
Welsh: Ddirprwy Lywydd dros dro, hoffwn ddiolch i'r Aelodau am eu cyfraniadau i'r ddadl bwysig hon heddiw, ac rwy'n falch o gael cyfle i ymateb ar ran Llywodraeth Cymru. Rwy'n mynd i ddechrau drwy amlinellu peth o'r pwysau amlwg iawn sydd ar unigolion a chymunedau ar hyd a lled Cymru, ac mae'r pwysau cyntaf yn glir iawn: naw mlynedd o gyni. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf ddweud mai polisi ariannol Llywodraeth y DU dros ddegawd bron fu cael gwared ar lawer o'r strwythurau hanfodol sydd wedi cefnogi cymunedau dros nifer o ddegawdau. Mae toriadau i gyllidebau awdurdodau lleol wedi golygu colli cyfleusterau lleol, megis llyfrgelloedd, adeiladau cymunedol a mannau cyhoeddus, ac mae wedi arwain at ddisbyddu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol fel plismona. Nid rhethreg wleidyddol yw hyn. Mae'r rapporteur arbennig ar dlodi eithafol a hawliau dynol wedi cyflwyno adroddiad ar hyn yn ddiweddar ar ôl ei ymweliad â'r DU. Ac mae o'r farn fod llawer o'r glud sydd wedi dal cymdeithas Prydain at ei gilydd ers yr Ail Ryfel Byd wedi cael ei dynnu'n fwriadol ac ethos llym ac angharedig wedi'i osod yn ei le. Dywedodd nad yw economi ffyniannus, cyflogaeth uchel a gwarged cyllideb wedi gwrthdroi cyni, polisi a ddilynir yn fwy fel agenda ideolegol nag un economaidd. Gadewch i mi roi mewn cyd-destun pa mor wahanol y gallai pethau fod wedi bod pe na bai'r polisi hynod niweidiol hwn wedi cael ei ddilyn. Byddai ein cyllidebau wedi tyfu mwy na £4 biliwn rhwng 2009 a 2019 pe bai'r economi a'n cyllidebau wedi tyfu'n unol â hynny. Pe bai ein cyllidebau wedi dilyn y tueddiad o dwf mewn gwariant cyhoeddus ers 1945, byddem wedi denu £6 biliwn o fuddsoddiad ychwanegol at ein defnydd yng Nghymru. A chredaf ei bod yn annirnadwy i unrhyw Aelod o'r Siambr hon awgrymu, yn y cyd-destun hwn, a chyda'r lefel honno o doriad yn ein cyllidebau, nad yw cyni wedi cyfrannu'n sylweddol at dlodi yng Nghymru. Nawr, yr ail ffactor sydd wedi cael effaith fawr ar lefelau tlodi yng Nghymru yw rhaglen ddiwygio trethi a lles Llywodraeth y DU. O ganlyniad i'r diwygiadau, rhagwelir y bydd 50,000 yn rhagor o blant yn byw mewn tlodi yng Nghymru erbyn iddynt gael eu cyflwyno'n llawn. Ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn warthus fod y rhai sy'n fwyaf agored i niwed yn ein cymunedau yn cael eu targedu yn y fath fodd gan y polisïau niweidiol hyn. Beth y gallwn ei wneud felly yn erbyn y cefndir hwn? Wel, gwyddom nad oes gennym y prif ddulliau sydd eu hangen i wneud gwahaniaeth i'r prif ffigur tlodi. Wrth gwrs, y dreth a'r system les sy'n dylanwadu ar hyn. Fodd bynnag, heb newid cyfeiriad gan Lywodraeth y DU, rydym yn parhau i wneud popeth a allwn i gefnogi'r bobl fwyaf agored i niwed yn ein cymunedau wrth iddynt geisio ymdopi ag effaith anghymesur y polisïau dinistriol hyn. Mae'r Prif Weinidog, wrth gwrs, wedi cynnwys tlodi fel maes blaenoriaeth ychwanegol ym mhroses gynllunio cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer 2021, ac mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo gan y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol ar adolygu rhaglenni cyllid Llywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau eu bod yn cael yr effaith fwyaf posibl ar fywydau plant sy'n byw mewn tlodi. Rydym wedi bod yn gwbl glir. Ni ddylai amgylchiadau economaidd ei rieni bennu cyfleoedd bywyd plentyn. Nid ydym yn derbyn bod bywyd mewn tlodi'n anochel. Mae amcanion ein strategaeth tlodi plant yn canolbwyntio cymaint ar gynorthwyo rhieni i gynyddu incwm eu cartrefi ag y maent ar fynd i'r afael â'r anghydraddoldebau a ddaw yn sgil tlodi. Rydym yn cymryd camau i leihau nifer y plant sy'n byw ar aelwydydd heb waith, ac i wella sgiliau rhieni a phobl ifanc. Rwy'n credu hefyd ei bod yn hanfodol bwysig cydnabod bod 300,000 yn fwy o bobl mewn gwaith yng Nghymru bellach ers 1999. Ac mae cyfran y bobl o oedran gweithio sydd heb unrhyw gymwysterau wedi mwy na haneru. Mae cyfraddau anweithgarwch economaidd yng Nghymru bellach yn gymharol debyg i gyfartaledd y DU am y tro cyntaf erioed. Gwnaeth Mike Hedges y pwynt ei fod yn credu nad oes digon o swyddi uchel eu gwerth yn cael eu creu yn yr economi. Rwy'n anghytuno â'r honiad hwn. Yn y gorffennol, buaswn yn dweud ei bod yn wir yn aml mewn llawer o amgylchiadau fod swyddi gwerth isel, sy'n talu'n wael, yn cael eu creu, ond roedd hynny mewn ymateb uniongyrchol i'r lefelau anhygoel o uchel o ddiweithdra. Heddiw, mae'n amlwg ein bod - ac rydym wedi mynegi hyn drwy'r cynllun gweithredu economaidd - yn canolbwyntio ar godi ansawdd a gwerth cyflogaeth yng Nghymru, yn enwedig drwy'r system sgiliau, gyda'n ffocws ar gefnogi hyfforddiant sgiliau lefel 3 ac uwch. Ac nid oes ond angen inni edrych ar rai o'r sectorau sy'n darparu'r lefelau uchaf o gynhyrchiant a chyflogau - gwasanaethau ariannol a phroffesiynol, er enghraifft, gyda thwf yma yng Nghaerdydd ac ar draws Cymru ar lefel syfrdanol o gymharu â gweddill y DU. Awyrofod yw'r sector mwyaf cynhyrchiol yn economi Prydain, ac yma yng Nghymru mae gennym nifer anghymesur o uchel o bobl yn gweithio yn y sector hwnnw erbyn hyn - mwy nag 20,000 o bobl mewn swyddi gwerthfawr iawn. Ers datganoli, mae nifer yr aelwydydd di-waith yng Nghymru wedi gostwng o bron 0.25 miliwn i 173,000. Dyna ostyngiad o 22.4 y cant, sydd unwaith eto'n well na pherfformiad y DU. Ynghyd â hyn, rydym yn cymryd camau i greu economi a marchnad lafur gref sy'n creu cyfleoedd cyflogaeth cynaliadwy gwirioneddol hygyrch i bawb, ac mae hyn yn greiddiol i'n hymagwedd tuag at drechu tlodi. Mae ein cynllun gweithredu economaidd wedi'i gynllunio i gefnogi'r gwaith o sicrhau economi gref, gwydn a deinamig, ac mae'n gynllun i dyfu'r economi yn gynhwysol a lleihau anghydraddoldeb. Mae'n sbarduno twf cynhwysol drwy sicrhau ein bod yn cael yr effaith fwyaf posibl ar yr economi sylfaenol a thrwy fodel newydd o ddatblygu economaidd rhanbarthol yn seiliedig ar le sy'n fwy addas ar gyfer goresgyn anghyfartaledd economaidd mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru. Ac mae'r cynllun yn ceisio sicrhau bod mwy o swyddi o ansawdd da ar gael a grymuso cymunedau gyda'r sgiliau a'r seilwaith economaidd a all gefnogi swyddi gwell yn nes at adref. Un o gonglfeini'r cynllun yw'r contract economaidd sy'n ysgogi arferion busnes tecach a mwy cyfrifol gyda photensial i gefnogi cyfleoedd cynhwysol ar gyfer gwaith a chamu ymlaen mewn gwaith ac wrth gwrs, i fynd i'r afael â'r cynnydd mewn gwaith anniogel, annibynadwy, a byddwn yn parhau i weithio mewn partneriaeth â'r partneriaid cymdeithasol hynod o bwysig hynny, gan gynnwys y mudiad undebau llafur y siaradodd Dawn Bowden amdano. Byddwn yn parhau i ddefnyddio'r holl ddulliau sydd ar gael i ni ar draws y Llywodraeth er mwyn sicrhau bod gan unigolion, cartrefi a chymunedau y cryfder a'r gwydnwch sydd ei angen i oresgyn yr heriau hyn. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r ddau Aelod heddiw am eu cyfraniadau ac ailddatgan fy ymrwymiad i weithio gyda hwy wrth i ni fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith hynod bwysig hwn.