English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank Members for their contributions, especially the Member for Caerphilly for bringing this important debate forward today? We know that microbusinesses and SMEs are the lifeblood of the economy here in Wales. They support more than 62 per cent of people in employment across the country, and they account for more than 90 per cent of enterprises across Wales. They provide a vital role in creating jobs, in increasing productivity and, of course, in driving growth across Wales, in rural and urban areas. This debate, I think, is timely, given that this is Global Entrepreneurship Week, with thousands of events and activities taking place across the UK to celebrate entrepreneurship and to inspire our new and future entrepreneurs. And last year, of all of the events that took place across the UK, 18 per cent were here in Wales. That was a great success story, and I'm hopeful that, this year, as many events have been hosted on Welsh soil. As part of the celebrations, I attended the Institute of Directors' south Wales business leaders' breakfast just this morning to say a few words about the Welsh Government's commitment to encouraging and supporting entrepreneurs. This morning, I also attended a round-table discussion with a group of young business leaders and entrepreneurs, arranged by the Federation of Small Businesses, to hear their views on the role of business and entrepreneurship. To me, the role of Welsh Government is in supporting businesses and entrepreneurs. It is very clear that we need to make Wales the very best environment it can be in which to start, to run, and to grow a business. That means that we need to be there to give the right support at the right times to business. One of our key initiatives for supporting business is through our Business Wales service. The latest phase of the service was launched in January of this year, with the aim of creating 10,000 new businesses and more than 28,000 new jobs by the end of this decade. The latest figures show that, between January and September, Business Wales had helped to create over 2,100 jobs, it's safeguarded 350 jobs, supported over 2,200 people seeking advice, and provided information and direction to more than 5,000 customers. Business Wales also supports smaller employers to explore new markets, which could be international trade or public sector supply chains for the many infrastructure projects that are being put in place across Wales. Examples include rail electrification, the Newtown bypass, which I was pleased to cut the sod of with the Member, Russell George, just on Monday, and, of course, the £12 billion Wylfa Newydd project, which will be the largest energy infrastructure project in Wales over the next 10 years, and bigger than the 2012 London Olympic Games. We also continue to support indigenous business and have seen a record number of active enterprises headquartered in Wales. In fact, the latest figures show that Wales has the highest number of new businesses in over a decade. Another key issue for Welsh Government is in supporting businesses to access finance. Work continues on the establishment of the development bank for Wales, which will improve the ability of SMEs to access finance, building on the experience and expertise of Finance Wales. Its objective will be to provide greater levels of funding to SMEs, whilst also improving the integration of the provision of advice and support to businesses by working more closely with Business Wales. As a Government, we don't pretend to have all the answers, which is why I have also been engaging with business to seek views on the economic priorities that will inform the development of four cross-cutting strategies that will underpin 'Taking Wales Forward', our programme for government. I've done this because I want our Government to be a pro-business Government that makes it a priority to talk to businesses large and small about their views on developing the right approach to grow prosperity and deliver greater financial security for businesses and individuals across our country. More than ever, we need to ensure that the resources we have at our disposal are used to secure maximum impact and the best outcomes for Wales. And our focus remains on delivering programmes and ensuring stability and confidence for businesses large and small.
Welsh: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Aelodau am eu cyfraniadau, yn enwedig yr Aelod dros Gaerffili am gyflwyno'r ddadl bwysig hon heddiw? Gwyddom fod microfusnesau a busnesau bach a chanolig yn asgwrn cefn i'r economi yma yng Nghymru. Maent yn cynnal mwy na 62 y cant o bobl mewn gwaith ar draws y wlad, a busnesau bach a chanolig yw dros 90 y cant o fentrau ar draws Cymru. Maent yn darparu rôl hanfodol o ran creu swyddi, cynyddu cynhyrchiant ac ysgogi twf ledled Cymru wrth gwrs, mewn ardaloedd gwledig a threfol. Rwy'n meddwl bod y ddadl hon yn amserol o ystyried mai hon yw Wythnos Entrepreneuriaeth y Byd, gyda miloedd o ddigwyddiadau a gweithgareddau'n digwydd ar draws y DU i ddathlu mentergarwch ac i ysbrydoli ein hentrepreneuriaid newydd ac yn y dyfodol. A'r llynedd, o bob un o'r digwyddiadau a gynhaliwyd ar draws y DU, roedd 18 y cant ohonynt yma yng Nghymru. Roedd hynny'n llwyddiant mawr, ac rwy'n obeithiol, y flwyddyn hon, y bydd yr un faint o ddigwyddiadau wedi cael eu cynnal ar dir Cymru. Fel rhan o'r dathliadau, mynychais frecwast arweinwyr busnes de Cymru Sefydliad y Cyfarwyddwyr y bore yma i ddweud ychydig eiriau am ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i annog a chefnogi entrepreneuriaid. Y bore yma hefyd, mynychais drafodaeth o amgylch y bwrdd gyda grŵp o arweinwyr busnes ac entrepreneuriaid ifanc, a drefnwyd gan y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach, i glywed eu barn ar rôl busnes ac entrepreneuriaeth. I mi, rôl Llywodraeth Cymru yw cefnogi busnesau ac entrepreneuriaid. Mae'n glir iawn fod angen i ni i sicrhau'r amgylchedd gorau posibl yng Nghymru fel man ar gyfer dechrau, rhedeg, a thyfu busnes. Mae hynny'n golygu bod angen i ni fod yno i roi'r cymorth cywir ar yr adegau cywir i fusnesau. Un o'n cynlluniau allweddol ar gyfer cefnogi busnes yw drwy ein gwasanaeth Busnes Cymru. Lansiwyd cam diweddaraf y gwasanaeth ym mis Ionawr eleni, gyda'r nod o greu 10,000 o fusnesau newydd a mwy na 28,000 o swyddi newydd erbyn diwedd y degawd hwn. Mae'r ffigurau diweddaraf yn dangos bod Busnes Cymru, rhwng mis Ionawr a mis Medi, wedi helpu i greu dros 2,100 o swyddi, mae wedi diogelu 350 o swyddi, wedi cynorthwyo dros 2,200 o bobl a oedd yn chwilio am gyngor, ac wedi darparu gwybodaeth a chyfarwyddyd i fwy na 5,000 o gwsmeriaid. Mae Busnes Cymru hefyd yn cynorthwyo cyflogwyr llai i archwilio marchnadoedd newydd, a allai fod yn fasnach ryngwladol neu'n gadwyni cyflenwi'r sector cyhoeddus ar gyfer y nifer o brosiectau seilwaith sy'n cael eu rhoi ar waith ledled Cymru. Mae enghreifftiau'n cynnwys trydaneiddio'r rheilffyrdd, ffordd osgoi y Drenewydd, ac roeddwn yn falch o dorri tywarchen gyntaf y ffordd honno gyda'r Aelod, Russell George, ddydd Llun, ac wrth gwrs, prosiect £12 biliwn Wylfa Newydd, sef y prosiect seilwaith ynni mwyaf yng Nghymru dros y 10 mlynedd nesaf, ac yn fwy na Gemau Olympaidd Llundain 2012. Rydym hefyd yn parhau i gefnogi busnesau cynhenid ac wedi gweld y nifer uchaf erioed o fentrau gweithredol â'u pencadlys yng Nghymru. Yn wir, mae'r ffigurau diweddaraf yn dangos fod gan Gymru y nifer uchaf o fusnesau newydd ers dros ddegawd. Mater allweddol arall i Lywodraeth Cymru yw cynorthwyo busnesau i gael gafael ar gyllid. Mae gwaith yn parhau ar sefydlu banc datblygu ar gyfer Cymru, a fydd yn gwella gallu busnesau bach a chanolig i gael mynediad at gyllid, gan adeiladu ar brofiad ac arbenigedd Cyllid Cymru. Ei amcan fydd darparu lefelau uwch o gyllid i fusnesau bach a chanolig, gan wella'r broses o integreiddio darparu cyngor a chymorth i fusnesau drwy weithio'n agosach gyda Busnes Cymru. Fel Llywodraeth, nid ydym yn honni bod yr holl atebion gennym, a dyna pam rwyf hefyd wedi bod yn ymgysylltu â busnesau i ofyn am eu safbwyntiau ar y blaenoriaethau economaidd a fydd yn llywio'r gwaith o ddatblygu pedair strategaeth drawsbynciol a fydd yn sail i 'Symud Cymru Ymlaen', ein rhaglen lywodraethu. Rwyf wedi gwneud hyn oherwydd fy mod am i'n Llywodraeth fod yn Llywodraeth sydd o blaid busnes ac sy'n ei gwneud yn flaenoriaeth i siarad â busnesau mawr a bach am eu barn ar ddatblygu'r dull cywir o dyfu ffyniant a sicrhau mwy o ddiogelwch ariannol i fusnesau ac unigolion ar draws ein gwlad. Yn fwy nag erioed, mae angen i ni wneud yn siŵr fod yr adnoddau sydd ar gael i ni yn cael eu defnyddio i sicrhau'r effaith fwyaf a'r canlyniadau gorau i Gymru. Ac mae ein ffocws yn parhau ar gyflwyno rhaglenni a sicrhau sefydlogrwydd a hyder i fusnesau bach a mawr.