English: This debate is very timely, especially given some of the difficulties now presenting on broadband matters across Wales, and not least of all within Aberconwy. Rather than cultivating connectivity, the Welsh Government now has on their hands a major digital divide, with many caught up in a postcode lottery to access and download speed. Just 60 per cent of properties in rural Wales have access to a fixed speed of 10 Mbps, compared with 95 per cent in urban areas. I have many constituents who cannot even obtain speeds of even 1 Mbps, and similarly, Wales has the worst 3G coverage out of the devolved nations. A particular issue for my constituency is that a lot of the premises in the rural areas of Aberconwy are connected to cabinets that are simply miles away from their properties. Consequently, even when the cabinets have been upgraded with fibre to the cabinet, premises cannot take advantage of the digital development. The phone line connectivity and the basic infrastructure simply isn't there, and it will come as no surprise that Conwy and Denbighshire have the lowest rate of internet usage, with 18 per cent of people not using this vital resource, now seen as an essential fourth utility. For our Welsh farmers, the Welsh Government has moved farming applications and registrations online, such as Rural Payments Wales and EID Cymru. However, without a reliable connection, many farmers now have to outsource this work, at cost, or potentially face serious penalties. In 2014, nearly £0.5 million was accrued in penalties by our hard-working farmers: it simply isn't fair. The failure to provide superfast broadband to many remote areas has actually served to increase the isolation of our rural communities, creating a massive digital divide between the haves and the have-nots. With banks closing on a weekly basis, it is assumed by city banks that business owners will simply go online, but if only they could. It is now, therefore, a given that all communities must have access to next generation broadband and the taste of connectivity that other parts of the UK simply take for granted. Ninety per cent of small businesses in Wales have cited that a reliable interconnection is crucial to their operations, and seen equally as important as any other basic utility. So why, therefore, is it that only 58 per cent of homes and businesses have access to superfast broadband that works effectively? But I would, in speaking, like to thank the Minister Julie James AM for her advice and assistance with some of the tricky issues I've raised with her department recently. I actually do believe that you are doing your best to fulfil the targets promised and those aims. But, I have to say, there needs to be a corporate approach by this Welsh Government with all Cabinet Secretaries and the First Minister himself, to provide more resources and to provide you with the support to carry out your work and the task ahead of you. North Wales has just recently been named in 'Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2017' as one of the top regions in the world - fantastic. But if those in the hospitality industry and our rural businesses are only offering a third-class internet service, this is going to impact negatively. It is estimated that an increase in digital capabilities of SMEs across the UK could unlock economic returns of £18.8 million. These must be supported to capitalise on such opportunity. Digital growth is key to driving forward innovation in our economy, with 12 per cent of GDP being generated through the internet. However, in Wales, we have an outdated infrastructure to support a faster broadband provision. Issues raised locally at surgeries of mine are that BT Openreach and superfast broadband simply don't talk to one another - silo working. There isn't a joined-up approach when difficulties arise, and a lot of buck passing takes place. So, it does follow that, on behalf of the people and businesses in Aberconwy, I want to place on record my extreme disappointment that the previous Welsh Government failed to deliver on its own ambition in the 2011 programme for government that all residential premises and businesses in Wales would have access to next-generation broadband. The recent statement by the Minister makes clear that £12.9 million of funding generated through predicted take-up levels can, hopefully, be used to provide superfast broadband access ahead of the end of the current contract on 27 December. However, I agree that this extra funding will only go part of the way to addressing the remaining unconnected premises and more focus must be placed on BT's overall performance as regards their infrastructure. Again, I would reiterate, I am asking the Welsh Government to support and act on the calls of the Minister Julie James AM to look to extend deployment to 2018 and beyond, to take up the mantle and to ensure that this fourth utility is delivered universally.
Welsh: Mae'r ddadl hon yn amserol iawn, yn enwedig o ystyried rhai o'r anawsterau sydd i'w gweld bellach mewn perthynas â materion band eang ledled Cymru, ac nid yn lleiaf yn Aberconwy. Yn hytrach na meithrin cysylltedd, mae Llywodraeth Cymru bellach â rhaniad digidol mawr ar ei dwylo, gyda llawer wedi'u dal mewn loteri cod post o ran mynediad a chyflymder lawrlwytho. Nid oes ond 60 y cant o eiddo yng nghefn gwlad Cymru â mynediad at gyflymder sefydlog o 10 Mbps, o'i gymharu â 95 y cant mewn ardaloedd trefol. Mae gennyf lawer o etholwyr nad ydynt yn gallu cael cyflymder o 1 Mbps hyd yn oed, ac yn yr un modd, gan Gymru y mae'r gwasanaeth 3G gwaethaf o blith y gwledydd datganoledig. Problem benodol yn fy etholaeth yw bod llawer o'r eiddo yn ardaloedd gwledig Aberconwy wedi'u cysylltu â chabinetau sydd filltiroedd i ffwrdd o'u heiddo. O ganlyniad, hyd yn oed pan fydd y cabinetau wedi'u huwchraddio â ffeibr i'r cabinet, ni all safleoedd fanteisio ar y datblygiad digidol. Yn syml iawn, nid yw'r cysylltedd llinell ffôn a'r seilwaith sylfaenol yno, ac ni fydd yn syndod mai Conwy a Sir Ddinbych sydd â'r gyfradd isaf o ddefnydd o'r rhyngrwyd, gyda 18 y cant o bobl nad ydynt yn defnyddio'r adnodd hanfodol hwn sy'n cael ei ystyried bellach yn bedwerydd cyfleustod hanfodol. Ar gyfer ein ffermwyr yng Nghymru, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi symud ceisiadau ffermio a chofrestriadau ar-lein, megis Taliadau Gwledig Cymru ac EID Cymru. Fodd bynnag, heb gysylltiad dibynadwy, mae llawer o ffermwyr bellach yn gorfod talu i rywun arall wneud y gwaith hwn neu wynebu cosbau difrifol o bosibl. Yn 2014, casglwyd bron i £0.5 miliwn o gosbau gan ein ffermwyr gweithgar: nid yw'n deg o gwbl. Mae'r methiant i ddarparu band eang cyflym iawn i lawer o ardaloedd anghysbell wedi ynysu ein cymunedau gwledig fwyfwy, gan greu bwlch digidol enfawr rhwng y rhai mwy ffodus a'r tlodion. Gyda banciau'n cau yn wythnosol, mae banciau'r ddinas yn tybio y bydd perchnogion busnesau'n mynd ar-lein, pe baent ond yn gallu gwneud hynny. Cymerir yn ganiataol bellach, felly, fod yn rhaid i bob cymuned gael mynediad at fand eang y genhedlaeth nesaf a blas o'r cysylltedd y mae rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig yn ei gymryd yn ganiataol. Mae 90 y cant o fusnesau bach yng Nghymru wedi dweud bod rhyng-gysylltiad dibynadwy yn hanfodol i'w gweithgarwch, ac fe'i hystyrir yr un mor bwysig ag unrhyw gyfleustod sylfaenol arall. Felly pam mai dim ond 58 y cant o gartrefi a busnesau sydd â mynediad at fand eang cyflym iawn sy'n gweithio'n effeithiol? Ond wrth siarad, hoffwn ddiolch i'r Gweinidog Julie James AC am ei chyngor a'i chymorth gyda rhai o'r materion anodd rwyf wedi eu dwyn i sylw ei hadran yn ddiweddar. Rwy'n credu'n wir eich bod yn gwneud eich gorau i gyflawni'r targedau a addawyd a'r amcanion hynny. Ond rhaid i mi ddweud, mae angen ymagwedd gorfforaethol gan y Llywodraeth hon yng Nghymru, gan yr holl Ysgrifenyddion Cabinet a'r Prif Weinidog ei hun, er mwyn darparu mwy o adnoddau ac i'ch cynorthwyo i wneud eich gwaith a'r dasg o'ch blaen. Yn ddiweddar iawn, cafodd gogledd Cymru ei enwi yn 'Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2017' fel un o'r ardaloedd gorau yn y byd - gwych. Ond os yw'r rhai yn y diwydiant lletygarwch a'n busnesau gwledig ond yn cynnig gwasanaeth rhyngrwyd trydydd dosbarth, mae hyn yn mynd i gael effaith negyddol. Amcangyfrifir y gallai cynnydd yng ngalluoedd digidol busnesau bach a chanolig ar draws y DU ryddhau adenillion economaidd o £18.8 miliwn. Mae'n rhaid cefnogi'r rhain er mwyn manteisio ar gyfle o'r fath. Mae twf digidol yn allweddol i ysgogi arloesedd yn ein heconomi, gyda 12 y cant o gynnyrch domestig gros yn cael ei gynhyrchu drwy'r rhyngrwyd. Fodd bynnag, yng Nghymru, mae gennym seilwaith sydd wedi dyddio ar gyfer cynnal darpariaeth band eang cyflymach. Materion a grybwyllwyd yn lleol yn fy nghymorthfeydd yw nad yw BT Openreach a phrosiect y band eang cyflym iawn yn siarad â'i gilydd - gan weithio mewn seilos. Nid oes ymagwedd gydgysylltiedig pan fo anawsterau'n digwydd, ac mae llawer o daflu baich yn digwydd. Felly, mae'n dilyn, ar ran pobl a busnesau yn Aberconwy, fy mod am gofnodi fy siom eithafol fod Llywodraeth flaenorol Cymru wedi methu cyflawni ei huchelgais ei hun yn rhaglen lywodraethu 2011 i sicrhau y byddai pob eiddo preswyl a phob busnes yng Nghymru yn gallu cael band eang y genhedlaeth nesaf. Mae'r datganiad diweddar gan y Gweinidog yn ei gwneud yn glir y gellid defnyddio £12.9 miliwn o gyllid a gynhyrchir drwy'r lefelau manteisio a ragwelir, gobeithio, i ddarparu mynediad band eang cyflym iawn cyn diwedd y contract presennol ar 27 o Ragfyr. Fodd bynnag, cytunaf na fydd yr arian ychwanegol hwn ond yn mynd ran o'r ffordd i fynd i'r afael â'r safleoedd sy'n weddill heb gysylltedd a rhaid rhoi mwy o ffocws ar berfformiad cyffredinol BT mewn perthynas â'u seilwaith. Unwaith eto, rwyf am ailadrodd fy mod yn gofyn i Lywodraeth Cymru gefnogi a gweithredu ar alwadau'r Gweinidog Julie James AC i geisio ymestyn y gwaith i 2018 a thu hwnt, i wynebu'r her a sicrhau bod y pedwerydd cyfleustod hwn yn cael ei ddarparu i bawb.