techiaith/cofnodycynulliad_en-cy huggingface dataset:
English: The Welsh Government takes its obligations under human rights legislation very seriously. It's clear that there are positive obligations to act, as well as an obligation not to interfere with human rights without clear justification. European Convention on Human Rights implications continue to form part of the Government's considerations in the context of our response to COVID-19.
Welsh: Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cymryd ei rhwymedigaethau o dan ddeddfwriaeth hawliau dynol o ddifrif. Mae'n amlwg bod rhwymedigaethau cadarnhaol i weithredu, yn ogystal â rhwymedigaeth i beidio ag ymyrryd â hawliau dynol heb gyfiawnhad clir. Mae goblygiadau'r Confensiwn Ewropeaidd ar Hawliau Dynol yn parhau i ffurfio rhan o ystyriaethau'r Llywodraeth yng nghyd-destun ein hymateb i COVID-19.
English: Thank you. Now, despite the right to respect for private and family life, many individuals, friends and families are being kept apart here in Wales by the 5-mile rule. Despite the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, places of worship were closed, even for private prayer. The Older People's Commissioner for Wales has raised concerns that older people's rights may not have been sufficiently protected, and the Children's Commissioner for Wales has written about how children and young people have seen changes to their ability to access human rights. Do you agree with me that an independent inquiry should be established urgently, so as to start considering the impact of Welsh Government decisions on adherence to human rights legislation in Wales during this COVID-19 pandemic? Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch. Nawr, er gwaethaf yr hawl i barch at fywyd preifat a theuluol, mae llawer o unigolion, ffrindiau a theuluoedd yn cael eu cadw ar wahân yma yng Nghymru gan y rheol 5 milltir. Er yr hawl i ryddid meddwl, cydwybod a chrefydd, cafodd addoldai eu cau hyd yn oed ar gyfer gweddi breifat. Mae Comisiynydd Pobl Hŷn Cymru wedi mynegi pryderon na chafodd hawliau pobl hŷn eu diogelu'n ddigonol o bosibl, ac mae Comisiynydd Plant Cymru wedi ysgrifennu ynghylch sut mae plant a phobl ifanc wedi gweld newidiadau i'w gallu i fanteisio ar hawliau dynol. A ydych chi'n cytuno â mi y dylai ymchwiliad annibynnol gael ei sefydlu ar frys, er mwyn dechrau ystyried effaith penderfyniadau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gydymffurfio â deddfwriaeth hawliau dynol yng Nghymru yn ystod y pandemig hwn o COVID-19? Diolch.
English: The Welsh Government has repeatedly expressed concerns to the UK Government about women who've had their state pension age raised without effective or without sufficient notification. The matter will be considered by the Court of Appeal in July, and I'll carefully consider the judgment of the Court of Appeal when it's handed down.
Welsh: Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi mynegi pryderon dro ar ôl tro wrth Lywodraeth y DU ynghylch y cynnydd yn oedran pensiwn y wladwriaeth i fenywod, a hynny heb hysbysiad effeithiol na digon o rybudd. Bydd y mater yn cael ei ystyried gan y llys apêl ym mis Gorffennaf, a byddaf yn ystyried dyfarniad y llys apêl yn ofalus pan gaiff ei drosglwyddo.
English: I'm grateful to the Counsel General for his reply, and also for the Welsh Government's consistent and constructive approach to this very important matter. He refers to the ongoing legal action. Does he agree with me that the UK Government should now address this injustice and come forward with an appropriate redress scheme before further legal steps are taken? They have shown themselves willing to make very substantial investments in protecting our economy, and that is incredibly welcome. In the context of that ability and willingness to make that incredible investment, does he agree with me that it's time that they make a similar investment in addressing the injustice that the women born in the 1950s have faced, and does he also agree with me that, of course, there would be potentially an additional benefit to doing so, because it would enable some of those women to retire as they had planned to do, potentially releasing some roles in the workforce for workers who are not yet ready to retire?
Welsh: Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol am ei ateb, a hefyd am agwedd gyson ac adeiladol Llywodraeth Cymru at y mater pwysig iawn hwn. Mae'n cyfeirio at y camau cyfreithiol parhaus. A yw ef yn cytuno â mi y dylai Llywodraeth y DU fynd i'r afael â'r anghyfiawnder hwn yn awr a chyflwyno cynllun iawndal priodol cyn cymryd camau cyfreithiol pellach? Maen nhw wedi dangos eu bod yn barod i wneud buddsoddiadau sylweddol iawn i ddiogelu ein heconomi, ac mae hynny i'w groesawu'n fawr iawn. Yng nghyd-destun y gallu a'r parodrwydd hwnnw i wneud y buddsoddiad anhygoel hwnnw, a yw ef yn cytuno â mi ei bod yn bryd iddyn nhw wneud buddsoddiad tebyg i fynd i'r afael â'r anghyfiawnder a wynebwyd gan fenywod a anwyd yn y 1950au? Ac a yw ef hefyd yn cytuno â mi y byddai budd ychwanegol, wrth gwrs, i wneud hynny, gan y byddai'n galluogi rhai o'r menywod hynny i ymddeol fel yr oedden nhw wedi bwriadu ei wneud, gan ryddhau swyddi yn y gweithlu o bosibl ar gyfer gweithwyr nad ydyn nhw eto'n barod i ymddeol?
English: Well, I thank Helen Mary Jones for that further question, and, if I may say, for the constructive way in which she's engaged throughout on this question, as have other Members as well, of course. The case that she invites me to make is the case that we have been making as a Government to UK Government Ministers. I think I'm right in saying that the last letter that we wrote advocating this position didn't even get a reply, as it happens, but the contents of it will not have been new to the UK Government; we have consistently made the case for intervention on the grounds of equity in this question. She links, I think, in a very important way the experience of the women who are affected with the experience of the last few months and the impact of coronavirus, which has been disproportionate on many of those women. Women are overrepresented in sectors that have been subject to lockdown, for example, and there will be women who are not able to work, but also not getting access to their pensions, who will feel a particular financial burden as a consequence of the confluence of those two things. And I do think that that puts a special obligation on the UK Government to act in these particular circumstances, and, along with her, I very much hope that they will do so.
Welsh: Wel, hoffwn i ddiolch i Helen Mary Jones am y cwestiwn pellach hwnnw, ac, os caf ddweud, am y ffordd adeiladol y mae hi wedi ymgysylltu ar y cwestiwn hwn bob amser, fel y gwnaeth Aelodau eraill hefyd, wrth gwrs. Mae'r achos y mae hi'n fy ngwahodd i i'w wneud yn achos yr ydym wedi bod yn ei wneud fel Llywodraeth i Weinidogion Llywodraeth y DU. Rwy'n credu fy mod i'n iawn i ddweud na chafwyd ateb i'r llythyr olaf a ysgrifennwyd gennym yn argymell y safbwynt hwn, ond ni fydd ei gynnwys wedi bod yn newydd i Lywodraeth y DU; rydym wedi dadlau'n gyson dros ymyrryd ar sail tegwch yn y cwestiwn hwn. Mae hi'n cysylltu, mewn ffordd bwysig iawn yn fy marn i, brofiad y menywod yr effeithiwyd arnynt â phrofiad y misoedd diwethaf ac effaith y coronafeirws, sydd wedi bod yn anghymesur ar nifer o'r menywod hynny. Mae menywod yn fwy amlwg na'r cyffredin mewn sectorau sydd wedi bod yn destun cyfyngiadau symud er enghraifft, ac fe fydd menywod nad ydyn nhw'n gallu gweithio, ac nad ydyn nhw ychwaith yn cael mynediad i'w pensiynau, yn teimlo baich ariannol arbennig o ganlyniad i gyfuniad o'r ddau beth hynny. Ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n gosod rhwymedigaeth arbennig ar Lywodraeth y DU i weithredu o dan yr amgylchiadau penodol hyn, ac, rwyf i, fel hi, yn gobeithio'n fawr y byddan nhw'n gwneud hynny.
English: Well, responding to the coronavirus pandemic has, I'm afraid, inevitably affected the pace of work to implement the Thomas commission recommendations. We nevertheless continue to make progress, pursuing those recommendations within our areas of responsibility and continuing to make the case for change to the UK Government, which has committed to discussions both at ministerial and official level.
Welsh: Wel, mae ymateb i'r pandemig coronafeirws, rwy'n ofni, wedi effeithio'n anochel ar gyflymder y gwaith i weithredu argymhellion Comisiwn Thomas. Er hynny, rydym yn parhau i wneud cynnydd, gan ddilyn yr argymhellion hynny o fewn meysydd ein cyfrifoldeb ni ac yn parhau i gyflwyno'r achos dros newid i Lywodraeth y DU, sydd wedi ymrwymo i drafodaethau ar lefelau gweinidogol a swyddogol fel ei gilydd.
English: Presiding Officer, I'm very pleased to hear that from the Counsel General, and to hear that the Welsh Government are at least seeking to make progress on this matter, in the most difficult of circumstances. But, of course, it is these most difficult of circumstances that demonstrate the necessity of moving quickly on this agenda. We have seen how the Welsh prison population has been the worst affected across these islands by COVID-19, that the current structures - although some people may believe this is an academic conversation - have real-life impacts on people, and people are suffering today, both within the current prison population, but also the wider population who've been through the criminal justice system, because of the failures of the system. The Thomas commission couldn't have been clearer that we require urgent change to this system to make it fit for purpose to serve the interests of people across the whole of this country. I hope that the Minister will be able to continue making this case, and I hope he and other Ministers will also be able to demonstrate the impact of the failure of the UK Government to recognise these matters on people in the middle of this pandemic crisis.
Welsh: Llywydd, rwy'n falch iawn o glywed hynny gan y Cwnsler Cyffredinol, a chlywed bod Llywodraeth Cymru o leiaf yn ceisio gwneud cynnydd ar y mater hwn, dan yr amgylchiadau mwyaf dyrys. Ond, wrth gwrs, yr amgylchiadau mwyaf dyrys hyn sy'n amlygu'r angen i symud yn gyflym ar yr agenda hon. Rydym wedi gweld sut yr effeithiwyd ar boblogaeth carchardai Cymru gan COVID-19 yn fwy nag yn unman arall ledled yr ynysoedd hyn, a bod y strwythurau presennol - er y gall rhai pobl dybio mai trafodaeth academaidd yw hon - yn effeithio yn wirioneddol ar bobl, a bod pobl yn dioddef heddiw, o fewn poblogaeth carchardai ar hyn o bryd, ac yn y boblogaeth ehangach sydd wedi bod drwy'r system cyfiawnder troseddol hefyd, oherwydd ffaeleddau'r system. Mae Comisiwn Thomas wedi dangos yn eglur iawn fod eisiau newid ar frys i'r system hon er mwyn ei gwneud yn addas i'r diben, sef gwarchod buddiannau pobl ledled y wlad hon Gobeithio y gall y Gweinidog barhau i ddadlau'r achos hwn, a gobeithio y bydd ef a Gweinidogion eraill hefyd yn gallu amlygu effaith methiant Llywodraeth y DU i gydnabod y materion hyn yng nghanol argyfwng y pandemig hwn.
English: The next item is questions to the Minister for Finance, and the first question is from Caroline Jones.
Welsh: Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Cyllid, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Caroline Jones.
English: We're working closely with local authorities to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on the income from local taxes. Our package of rates relief is providing £580 million of support to ratepayers during 2020-21, and our council tax reduction scheme provides guaranteed support to low-income households.
Welsh: Rydym yn cydweithio'n agos iawn ag awdurdodau lleol i fonitro effaith COVID-19 ar yr incwm a ddaw o drethiant lleol. Mae ein pecyn rhyddhad ardrethi'n rhoi £580 miliwn o gymorth i dalwyr ardrethi yn ystod 2020-21, ac mae ein cynllun ni o ostyngiadau yn y dreth gyngor yn estyn cymorth gwarantedig i aelwydydd ar incwm isel.
English: Thank you, Minister. Local authorities were already struggling financially pre-pandemic. Services were being cut, yet our constituents found their council tax bills skyrocketing. The coronavirus outbreak has placed an enormous strain on local authorities as they form the front line in the public defence against the pandemic. Councils across Wales have risen to the challenge of supplying food to the shielded, housing the homeless and tracing the sick. Council services will cost more than they did pre-pandemic, as the cost of mitigation measures have to be factored in. Minister, can you assure the people of Wales that the Welsh Government will fund the additional expense, that council taxes will not go up as a result, and that my constituents - many of whom are already struggling financially - will not have to foot the bill? Diolch.
Welsh: Diolch, Gweinidog. Roedd awdurdodau lleol eisoes yn cael trafferthion ariannol cyn y pandemig. Roedd gwasanaethau'n cael eu torri, ac eto roedd ein hetholwyr ni'n gweld eu biliau treth gyngor yn cynyddu ar raddfa eithriadol. Mae'r coronafeirws wedi rhoi straen enfawr ar awdurdodau lleol gan mai y nhw sydd ar y rheng flaen o ran amddiffyn y cyhoedd rhag y pandemig. Mae cynghorau ledled Cymru wedi sefyll yn y bwlch o ran cyflenwi bwyd i'r rhai sy'n cysgodi, o ran cartrefu'r digartref ac olrhain y bobl sy'n sâl. Fe fydd gwasanaethau cyngor yn costio mwy nag yr oedden nhw cyn y pandemig, gan fod yn rhaid rhoi ystyriaeth i gost y mesurau lliniaru. Gweinidog, a wnewch chi roi sicrwydd i bobl Cymru y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ariannu'r gost ychwanegol, na fydd y dreth gyngor yn codi o ganlyniad i hyn, ac na fydd yn rhaid i'm hetholwyr i - y mae llawer ohonyn nhw'n cael trafferthion ariannol eisoes - dalu'r bil? Diolch.
English: I thank Caroline Jones for raising this issue. Local government finance is particularly important during the COVID-19 crisis because they are very much, alongside their colleagues in health, on the front line in terms of supporting people and our communities. And that's one of the reasons why I've been able to recognise that pressure by providing over £180 million thus far to the local government hardship fund. That fund allows local authorities across Wales to draw down funding to support them, for example, in meeting the additional costs of providing social care, in terms of providing additional accommodation to help people who are rough-sleeping off the streets, and also to help them in their desire to support low-income families who are now eligible for free school meals. Alongside that, we recognise that local authorities have also experienced a significant amount of lost income. In normal times, local authorities would be getting income from the leisure centres, the catering services they provide and from parking and so on. So, a significant amount of that £180 million is there to support local authorities with the income that they have lost this year as well. I'm pleased that we've been able to ensure that local authorities haven't had the kind of 10 years that local authorities across the border in England have had, which means they are better placed to face this crisis, but I absolutely recognise that they need to do it with Welsh Government as their partners.
Welsh: Rwy'n diolch i Caroline Jones am godi'r mater hwn. Mae cyllid Llywodraeth Leol yn arbennig o bwysig yn ystod argyfwng COVID-19, gan mai Llywodraeth Leol, ochr yn ochr â'u cydweithwyr ym maes iechyd, sydd ar y rheng flaen o ran cefnogi ein pobl a'n cymunedau ni. A dyna un o'r rhesymau pam rwyf wedi gallu cydnabod y pwysau hwnnw drwy roi dros £180 miliwn hyd yn hyn i gronfa caledi llywodraeth leol. Mae'r gronfa honno'n caniatáu i awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru ddefnyddio cyllid i'w cefnogi nhw, er enghraifft, wrth dalu'r costau ychwanegol wrth ddarparu gofal cymdeithasol, wrth ddarparu llety ychwanegol i helpu pobl sy'n cysgu ar y stryd, ac i'w helpu hefyd yn eu dyhead i gefnogi teuluoedd ar incwm isel sydd bellach yn gymwys i gael prydau ysgol am ddim. Yn ogystal â hynny, rydym yn cydnabod bod awdurdodau lleol wedi gweld colli cryn dipyn o incwm hefyd. Mewn amseroedd cyffredin, fe fyddai awdurdodau lleol yn cael incwm o'r canolfannau hamdden, y gwasanaethau arlwyo y maen nhw'n ei ddarparu ac o barcio ac ati. Felly, mae swm sylweddol o'r £180 miliwn hwnnw yno hefyd i gefnogi awdurdodau lleol gyda'r incwm y maen nhw wedi ei golli eleni. Rwy'n falch ein bod ni wedi gallu sicrhau nad yw awdurdodau lleol wedi gweld 10 mlynedd tebyg i'r rhai a welodd awdurdodau lleol dros y ffin yn Lloegr, sy'n golygu eu bod nhw mewn sefyllfa well i wynebu'r argyfwng hwn, ond rwy'n cydnabod yn llwyr fod angen iddyn nhw wneud hynny gyda Llywodraeth Cymru yn bartneriaid iddyn nhw.
English: Caroline Jones has focused on the council tax aspect of the local taxation issue. If I can focus on the business rates side of things, the Welsh Conservatives have long called for a whole look at the structure of business rates in Wales and business rates support, and the possibility of taking businesses with a rateable value of less than £15,000 out of paying altogether. Minister, I appreciate that at the moment it's a very careful balancing act that you've got to do, between making sure that local authorities have the right level of taxation and that businesses are supported. Can I ask, as we come out of the pandemic and come out of the lockdown, that you do look again at the way that business rates work in Wales, so that those businesses that need as much money as possible at the moment to invest in the future and to employ people will be able to do so? And I think that a look at the whole business rate regime and easing the burden on businesses is one way that you can do that.
Welsh: Mae Caroline Jones wedi canolbwyntio ar y dreth gyngor o ran y mater o drethiant lleol. Os caf i ganolbwyntio ar ochr ardrethi busnes, mae'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi galw ers tro byd am edrych ar strwythur ardrethi busnes yng Nghymru a chymorth ardrethi busnes yn ei gyfanrwydd, gyda'r posibilrwydd o ryddhau busnesau sydd â gwerth ardrethol o lai na £15,000 yn gyfan gwbl rhag gorfod ei dalu. Gweinidog, rwy'n sylweddoli bod angen ichi gadw'r cydbwysedd yn ofalus iawn ar hyn o bryd, rhwng sicrhau bod gan awdurdodau lleol y gyfradd gywir o drethiant a bod busnesau yn cael eu cefnogi. A gaf i ofyn, wrth inni ddod allan o'r pandemig a'r cyfyngiadau symud, eich bod chi'n edrych eto ar y ffordd y mae ardrethi busnes yn gweithio yng Nghymru, fel y bydd y busnesau hynny sydd ag angen cymaint o arian ag sy'n bosibl ar hyn o bryd i fuddsoddi yn y dyfodol a chyflogi pobl yn gallu gwneud hynny? Ac rwy'n credu bod edrych ar y drefn ardrethi busnes yn ei chyfanrwydd ac ysgafnu'r baich ar fusnesau yn un ffordd o wneud hynny.
English: I'm really keen to explore what more we could do or what we could do differently, in fact, in the field of local government finance, and particularly of course non-domestic rates, but also council tax, because they are two pillars that support local government. That's one of the reasons why I commissioned a range of research that will help us understand what the options are for the future. So, we have Bangor University looking at the potential of a local land value tax and we published that report in March of this year. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has undertaken some research on council tax revaluation and reform, and that was published in April of this year. And then Policy in Practice has been doing work, looking at the council tax reduction scheme. There was an interim report published in January and we expect the final report to be published very shortly. And then another piece of work that we expect in September looks at local taxes based on income, so that would be quite a radical approach there. So, I'm really keen that all of these pieces of research are there in the public domain - there for all parties and all interested parties to be considering ahead of the next Senedd elections, so that we consider what the way forward might be. I'm not interested in change for the sake of it, but I do recognise that there are significant improvements that we can continue to make to non-domestic rates and council tax.
Welsh: Rwy'n awyddus iawn i archwilio beth arall y gallem ni ei wneud neu ei wneud yn wahanol, mewn gwirionedd, ym maes cyllid llywodraeth leol, ac yn benodol wrth gwrs ardrethi annomestig, ond hefyd y dreth gyngor, oherwydd dyna'r ddau biler sy'n cynnal llywodraeth leol. Dyna un o'r rhesymau i mi gomisiynu amrywiaeth o waith ymchwil a fydd yn ein helpu ni i ddeall beth yw'r dewisiadau i'r dyfodol. Felly, mae gennym ni Brifysgol Bangor yn edrych ar botensial treth gwerth tir lleol ac fe wnaethom ni gyhoeddi'r adroddiad hwnnw ym mis Mawrth eleni. Mae'r Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid wedi gwneud rhyw gymaint o ymchwil i ailbrisio a diwygio'r dreth gyngor, ac fe gyhoeddwyd hwnnw ym mis Ebrill eleni. Ac yna mae Polisi ar Waith wedi bod yn gweithio, gan edrych ar gynllun gostyngiadau yn y dreth gyngor. Cyhoeddwyd adroddiad interim ym mis Ionawr ac rydym ni'n disgwyl i'r adroddiad terfynol gael ei gyhoeddi yn fuan iawn. Ac yna mae darn arall o waith yr ydym ni'n ei ddisgwyl ym mis Medi sy'n ystyried trethi lleol yn seiliedig ar incwm, felly fe fyddai hwnnw'n ddull radical iawn yn hynny o beth. Rwy'n awyddus iawn i'r holl ddarnau hyn o ymchwil fod ar gael i'r cyhoedd - yno er mwyn i bob plaid a phawb sydd â diddordeb fod yn eu hystyried nhw cyn yr etholiadau nesaf i'r Senedd, fel y gallwn ystyried y ffordd ymlaen. Nid oes gennyf i ddiddordeb mewn newid o ran newid, ond rwy'n cydnabod bod yna welliannau sylweddol y gallwn ni barhau i'w gwneud i drethi annomestig a'r dreth gyngor.
English: The Minister for Housing and Local Government is currently working with the Welsh Local Government Association to determine the most appropriate basis for support. But it will be through a claims process.
Welsh: Mae'r Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol yn gweithio gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru ar hyn o bryd i benderfynu ar y sail fwyaf addas ar gyfer cymorth. Ond fe fydd hyn yn digwydd drwy broses o wneud ceisiadau.
English: Well, thank you very much for that answer, because I think I'm right in saying that, speaking generally, councils are reclaiming their COVID-related expenditure from you monthly in arrears. Can you say whether you've refused to cover any of the expenditure presented to you, even with that evidence? And have you got any steer yet about what kind of evidence you'll be seeking from councils to support claims of lost income as, presumably, it's not just extrapolations from previous years?
Welsh: Wel, diolch yn fawr i chi am yr ateb hwnnw, oherwydd rwy'n credu fy mod i'n iawn i ddweud, a siarad yn gyffredinol, bod cynghorau'n adhawlio eu gwariant sy'n gysylltiedig â COVID oddi wrthych chi'n fisol fel ôl-daliad. A wnewch chi ddweud a ydych chi wedi gwrthod talu am unrhyw wariant a gyflwynwyd ger eich bron, hyd yn oed gyda'r dystiolaeth? Ac a oes gennych unrhyw awgrym eto ynghylch pa fath o dystiolaeth y byddwch chi'n awyddus i'w chael gan gynghorau i gefnogi ceisiadau am incwm a gollwyd, gan fy mod yn cymryd nad rhagdybiaethau o flynyddoedd blaenorol fyddai hynny?