techiaith/cofnodycynulliad_en-cy huggingface dataset:
English: Thank you very much. I'm familiar with the situation in New Zealand, and Welsh Government officials have been working closely with officials from New Zealand to better understand each other's approaches, because, actually, many of the things in the New Zealand budget setting approach are incorporated in our approach to the legislation of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. So, there are lots of mirrors there, I think. And in terms of Scotland and their approach to measuring well-being, well we, of course, have our national indicators, which sit underneath the well-being of future generations Act. So, again, I think there's lots of synergy, and, of course, we're open to learning from other nations and sharing our best practice too. In terms of the particular organisation and the network to which you referred, I'm not personally aware of an invitation, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't been extended. I will certainly look into that, because, as I say, we're keen to learn from others.
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rwy'n gyfarwydd â'r sefyllfa yn Seland Newydd, ac mae swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn gweithio'n agos gyda swyddogion o Seland Newydd i ddeall eu dulliau ei gilydd yn well, oherwydd, mewn gwirionedd, mae llawer o'r pethau yn null Seland Newydd o bennu cyllidebau wedi'u hymgorffori yn ein hymagwedd at ddeddfwriaeth Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015. Felly, credaf fod llawer o ddrychau yn hynny o beth. Ac o ran yr Alban a'u dull o fesur llesiant, wel, mae gennym ni, wrth gwrs, ein dangosyddion cenedlaethol, sy'n deillio o Ddeddf llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Felly, unwaith eto, credaf fod llawer o synergedd yma, ac wrth gwrs, rydym yn agored i ddysgu gan wledydd eraill a rhannu ein harferion gorau hefyd. O ran y rhwydwaith a'r sefydliad penodol y cyfeirioch chi atynt, nid wyf yn ymwybodol o unrhyw wahoddiad, ond nid yw hynny'n golygu nad oes un wedi'i roi. Byddaf yn sicr yn edrych ar hynny, oherwydd, fel rwy'n dweud, rydym yn awyddus i ddysgu gan eraill.
English: Thank you. I understand that an invitation has been made and that the Welsh Government turned down the invitation to join this well-being alliance. I'll write to you as a Minister to share more information about that. And if that is indeed true, I think it's a matter of regret. We do have the well-being of future generations Act, but we cannot rely on that. I think a few weeks ago, in the Finance Committee, you said that budget adjustments are always made in the context of the well-being of future generations Act. I think the response that came from one former Minister, Alun Daives, was that he was involved in conversations about some of those adjustments and he doesn't remember any conversations about either the future generations Act or 'Prosperity for All' in any of those conversations. So, there are real questions about what is actually happening on the ground. Would you agree with me that, as we have said in Plaid Cymru that we would, as a Government, very much want to join the kind of alliance of well-being budget Governments that I mentioned, Welsh Government would be missing an opportunity if it were not to take every chance to learn from others in implementing the kind of budgets that actually work towards improving the well-being of the people of Wales?
Welsh: Diolch. Deallaf fod gwahoddiad wedi'i roi a bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwrthod y gwahoddiad i ymuno â'r gynghrair llesiant hon. Rwyf am ysgrifennu atoch fel Gweinidog i rannu mwy o wybodaeth am hynny. Ac os yw'n wir, credaf fod hynny'n siomedig. Mae gennym Ddeddf llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol, ond ni allwn ddibynnu ar honno. Credaf i chi ddweud ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, yn y Pwyllgor Cyllid, fod addasiadau cyllidebol bob amser yn cael eu gwneud yng nghyd-destun Deddf llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Credaf mai'r ymateb a gafwyd gan un cyn-Weinidog, Alun Davies, oedd ei fod wedi cymryd rhan mewn sgyrsiau ynglŷn â rhai o'r addasiadau hynny ac nad yw'n cofio unrhyw sgyrsiau am Ddeddf cenedlaethau'r dyfodol na 'Ffyniant i Bawb' yn unrhyw un o'r sgyrsiau hynny. Felly, mae cwestiynau gwirioneddol i'w gofyn ynglŷn â'r hyn sy'n digwydd ar lawr gwlad mewn gwirionedd. Gan ein bod ni ym Mhlaid Cymru wedi dweud y byddem, fel Llywodraeth, yn awyddus i ymuno â'r math o gynghrair o Lywodraethau cyllideb llesiant y soniais amdani, a fyddech yn cytuno y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn colli cyfle pe na bai'n manteisio ar bob cyfle i ddysgu gan eraill wrth roi'r math o gyllidebau ar waith sydd mewn gwirionedd yn gweithio tuag at wella llesiant pobl Cymru?
English: Well, as I say, I'll look into that particular case of the network to which you refer. FootnoteLink As I say, it's not something that has come across my desk, but Welsh Government is particularly keen to engage in networks and learn from others, especially now in the context of Brexit, of course, because our international relationships are as important as they've ever been now in terms of being able to demonstrate what we are doing in Wales and the values that we have here in Wales, which I think are shared by many across the world, and in terms of also learning from others, because we certainly don't have the monopoly on good ideas.
Welsh: Wel, fel y dywedaf, fe edrychaf ar yr achos penodol hwnnw ynglŷn â'r rhwydwaith y cyfeiriwch ato. FootnoteLink Fel y dywedaf, nid yw'n rhywbeth a gafodd ei ddwyn i fy sylw, ond mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn arbennig o awyddus i gymryd rhan mewn rhwydweithiau a dysgu gan eraill, yn enwedig ar hyn o bryd yng nghyd-destun Brexit, wrth gwrs, gan fod ein cysylltiadau rhyngwladol mor bwysig ag erioed o ran gallu dangos beth a wnawn yng Nghymru a'r gwerthoedd sydd gennym yma yng Nghymru, gwerthoedd a rennir gan lawer ledled y byd yn fy marn i, ac o ran dysgu gan eraill hefyd, oherwydd yn sicr, nid oes monopoli gennym ar syniadau da.
English: Diolch, Llywydd. Finance Minister, you describe the increase in the Public Works Loan Board interest rates as a retrograde move. In doing that, were you reflecting the Treasury's press release, saying that, by increasing the margin that applies to new loans by 100 basis points, it was restoring interest rates to levels available in 2018? And would you agree with my assessment that the Treasury is looking to rein in quite a large number of local councils? Some I'm aware of on the English side of the border, who've been building very substantial commercial property portfolios, sometimes beyond their council areas, sometimes paying really very substantial sums for retail properties that have been out of favour in the commercial market. And one example: Spelthorne Borough Council borrowed £405 million from the Public Works Loan Board, which was to buy BP's global research centre. And may this reflect the greater degree of austerity that English local authorities have generally seen? For instance, in Spelthorne, its overall budget is only £22 million, yet this £405 million is a vast multiple of that, and they're expecting, I think, this year, to get £10 million of their £22 million budget from net profits on their property portfolio. Is that something that the Treasury have taken action against and have we in Wales been caught up in that?
Welsh: Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog Cyllid, rydych yn disgrifio'r cynnydd yng nghyfraddau llog y Bwrdd Benthyciadau Gwaith Cyhoeddus fel cam yn ôl. Wrth wneud hynny, a oeddech yn adlewyrchu'r datganiad i'r wasg gan y Trysorlys, a ddywedai, drwy gynyddu'r gorswm ar fenthyciadau newydd 100 pwynt sylfaen, ei fod yn adfer cyfraddau llog i'r lefelau a oedd ar gael yn 2018? Ac a fyddech yn cytuno â fy asesiad fod y Trysorlys yn awyddus i ffrwyno nifer go helaeth o gynghorau lleol? Rwy'n ymwybodol o rai ohonynt dros y ffin yn Lloegr sydd wedi bod yn adeiladu portffolios sylweddol iawn o eiddo masnachol, weithiau y tu hwnt i ffiniau eu hardaloedd cyngor, ac weithiau'n talu symiau sylweddol iawn am eiddo manwerthu sydd wedi bod yn amhoblogaidd ar y farchnad fasnachol. Ac un enghraifft: benthycodd Cyngor Bwrdeistref Spelthorne £405 miliwn gan y Bwrdd Benthyciadau Gwaith Cyhoeddus er mwyn prynu canolfan ymchwil fyd-eang BP. Ac a yw hyn yn adlewyrchu'r raddfa fwy o gyni y mae awdurdodau lleol Lloegr wedi'i gweld yn gyffredinol? Er enghraifft, yn Spelthorne, £22 miliwn yn unig yw eu cyllideb gyffredinol, ac eto mae'r £405 miliwn hwn sawl gwaith yn fwy na hynny, a chredaf eu bod yn disgwyl, eleni, cael £10 miliwn o'u cyllideb o £22 miliwn o'r elw net ar eu portffolio eiddo. A yw hynny'n rhywbeth y mae'r Trysorlys wedi cymryd camau gweithredu yn ei erbyn ac a ydym ni yng Nghymru wedi cael ein llyncu i mewn i hynny?
English: Well, as you say, the interest rate changed without notice from 1.8 to 2.8 per cent with immediate effect last week. And that does cause difficulty for local authorities in Wales, of course, because they will have to reassess all of their borrowing plans and the plans that they have for strategic investment in social housing particularly, but also in schools and other capital projects particularly in Wales. I think it's important to note as well that Welsh Government, over a long period of time, campaigned for the removal of the cap on borrowing for local authorities and to allow local authorities to be borrowing to a limit that was sensible for them. You certainly didn't give any examples in Wales where we've seen borrowing to an extent that is irresponsible in any way. So, I think that it is a big problem for local authorities in Wales, because of course it does mean reassessing their plans.
Welsh: Wel, fel y dywedwch, newidiodd y gyfradd llog yn ddirybudd o 1.8 i 2.8 y cant ar unwaith yr wythnos diwethaf. Ac mae hynny'n peri anhawster i awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru, wrth gwrs, gan y bydd yn rhaid iddynt ailasesu eu holl gynlluniau benthyca a'r cynlluniau sydd ganddynt ar gyfer buddsoddiad strategol mewn tai cymdeithasol yn arbennig, ond hefyd mewn ysgolion a phrosiectau cyfalaf eraill, yn enwedig yng Nghymru. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig nodi hefyd fod Llywodraeth Cymru, dros gyfnod hir, wedi ymgyrchu i gael gwared ar y cap ar fenthyca ar gyfer awdurdodau lleol ac i ganiatáu i awdurdodau lleol fenthyca hyd at derfyn a oedd yn synhwyrol iddynt. Yn sicr, ni roesoch unrhyw enghreifftiau yng Nghymru o ble rydym wedi gweld benthyca i raddau sy'n anghyfrifol mewn unrhyw ffordd. Felly, credaf ei bod yn broblem fawr i awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru, oherwydd wrth gwrs, mae'n golygu ailasesu eu cynlluniau.
English: Minister, you referred to regeneration activities and social housing as positive examples where local government in Wales might be borrowing money, but there are also - there's some evidence, at least, of local government borrowing in Wales motivated by the commercial property portfolio investment. One example is Monmouthshire, and we've heard in this Chamber quite frequently how tough Monmouthshire has found the budget in terms of the far, far lesser amount it gets from Welsh Government than many other councils. And I just wonder whether this is their response to it in the way we've seen from these English councils. It was quite a significant commercial property portfolio that Monmouthshire already had, but there have been two deals this year where they've added to it, funded from the Public Works Loan Board. There was a £7 million purchase of Castlegate Business Park in Caldicot, and then in March, a larger £21 million purchase of the Newport Leisure Park, which is outside the Monmouthshire council area - £21 million spent on that, and they're hoping that there'll be £1.4 million of rent coming in. So, if we have got councils borrowing at 1.8 per cent, now at 2.8 per cent, and potentially getting yields of 6 or 7 per cent, isn't this something that's potentially going to continue and get larger, and what is Welsh Government doing to ensure that such borrowing is appropriate and that the local councils involved have the necessary expertise and aren't taking excessive risks for which they might, at some future date, look for assistance from Welsh Government?
Welsh: Weinidog, fe gyfeirioch chi at weithgareddau adfywio a thai cymdeithasol fel enghreifftiau cadarnhaol o ble y gallai llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru fod yn benthyca arian, ond ceir hefyd - ceir rhywfaint o dystiolaeth, o leiaf, o fenthyca llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru sydd wedi'i ysgogi gan fuddsoddiad y portffolio eiddo masnachol. Un enghraifft yw Sir Fynwy, ac rydym wedi clywed sawl tro yn y Siambr hon pa mor anodd yw'r gyllideb i Sir Fynwy o ran y swm llawer iawn llai y mae'n ei gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru na llawer o gynghorau eraill. A tybed ai dyma eu hymateb i hynny yn y ffordd a welsom gan y cynghorau hyn yn Lloegr. Roedd gan Sir Fynwy bortffolio eithaf sylweddol o eiddo masnachol eisoes, ond cafwyd dau gytundeb eleni lle maent wedi ychwanegu ato, a hynny drwy gyllid y Bwrdd Benthyciadau Gwaith Cyhoeddus. Prynwyd Parc Busnes Castlegate yng Nghil-y-coed am £7 miliwn, ac yna ym mis Mawrth, am bris uwch o £21 miliwn prynwyd Parc Hamdden Casnewydd, sydd y tu allan i ardal cyngor Sir Fynwy - gwariwyd £21 miliwn ar hynny, ac maent yn gobeithio cael £1.4 miliwn mewn rhent. Felly, os oes gennym gynghorau yn benthyca ar 1.8 y cant, bellach ar 2.8 y cant, ac o bosibl yn cael arenillion o 6 neu 7 y cant, onid yw hyn yn rhywbeth sy'n mynd i barhau a thyfu o bosibl, a beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod benthyca o'r fath yn briodol a bod gan y cynghorau lleol dan sylw yr arbenigedd angenrheidiol ac nad ydynt yn cymryd risgiau gormodol a allai arwain at ofyn am gymorth gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn y dyfodol?
English: Local authorities, in terms of their own spending decisions, will have to justify those to their local electorate. So, for the examples you gave from Monmouthshire, it would be for the local electorate to explore, or to decide, really, if they're comfortable with the decisions that local authorities are making. But in terms of the overall impact of this decision on local authorities in Wales, of course, the Minister for Housing and Local Government and I will be meeting again with the finance sub-group, as we regularly do, so this will be an item that we can explore with them. And I'd be happy to send you some more information in terms of the guidance that we, through the local government Minister, give to local authorities in terms of borrowing.
Welsh: Bydd yn rhaid i awdurdodau lleol gyfiawnhau eu penderfyniadau gwario eu hunain i'w hetholwyr lleol. Felly, ar gyfer yr enghreifftiau a roesoch yn Sir Fynwy, mater i'r etholwyr lleol fyddai archwilio, neu benderfynu mewn gwirionedd a ydynt yn gyfforddus â'r penderfyniadau y mae awdurdodau lleol yn eu gwneud. Ond o ran effaith gyffredinol y penderfyniad hwn ar awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru, wrth gwrs, bydd y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol a minnau'n cyfarfod eto gyda'r is-grŵp cyllid, fel y gwnawn yn rheolaidd, felly bydd hon yn eitem y gallwn ei harchwilio gyda hwy. Ac rwy'n fwy na pharod i anfon mwy o wybodaeth atoch am y canllawiau rydym ni, drwy'r Gweinidog llywodraeth leol, yn eu rhoi i awdurdodau lleol ar fenthyca.
English: There are robust collection and enforcement arrangements in place to ensure all householders pay the council tax for which they are liable. We work closely with local government to improve these processes, wherever possible.
Welsh: Mae trefniadau casglu a gorfodi cadarn ar waith i sicrhau bod pob deiliad tŷ yn talu'r dreth gyngor y maent yn atebol amdani. Rydym yn gweithio'n agos gyda llywodraeth leol i wella'r prosesau hyn, lle bynnag y bo modd.
English: There is an issue of fundamental unfairness here. There are many second homes in Wales. These are domestic homes that are used as second homes while the main home is elsewhere, so I'm not talking about business units, commercial caterers or holiday businesses here. But there is a loophole in the law, and I think your Government is aware of this. There is a loophole that means that an increasing number of owners of second homes have found a means of not paying council tax or business rates. Do you agree that we need to find an urgent solution to this problem, and do you agree that reforming section 66 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 would be one way of doing away with this unfairness?
Welsh: Mae yna fater o annhegwch sylfaenol yn digwydd yn fan hyn. Mae nifer fawr o ail gartrefi yng Nghymru, sef tai domestig sy'n cael eu defnyddio fel ail gartrefi tra bo'r prif annedd yn rhywle arall, felly dwi ddim yn sôn am unedau busnes, arlwyo masnachol na busnesau gwyliau fan hyn. Ond mae yna fwlch yn y gyfraith, ac dwi'n credu bod eich Llywodraeth chi yn ymwybodol o hyn. Mae yna fwlch sy'n golygu bod nifer gynyddol o berchnogion ail gartrefi wedi canfod ffordd o beidio â thalu treth cyngor na threth busnes. Ydych chi'n cytuno bod angen canfod ateb buan i'r broblem yma? Ydych chi'n cytuno y byddai diwygio adran 66 o Ddeddf Cyllid Llywodraeth Leol 1988 yn un ffordd o gael gwared ar yr annhegwch hwn?
English: Well, I'm not sure that I would agree that there's a loophole in the law, because the law is very clear in terms of whether a property is a dwelling for the purposes of council tax or whether it is a business for the purposes of non-domestic rates. I appreciate that some of those will be classified as small businesses and then will be eligible for rates relief. But I did meet with the Valuation Office Agency recently to discuss these specific concerns, and they showed me the forms that businesses have to fill in to demonstrate that they are genuinely meeting the conditions of a business - so, the 70 nights' occupancy and then 140 nights' availability for that property. But I know as well that we've invited local authorities to give examples of where it's not happening. So, Gwynedd, I know, gave a number of examples to the Valuation Office Agency and they investigated each of those, and they found that in none of those cases were the owners of those properties operating outside of the law.
Welsh: Wel, nid wyf yn siŵr y buaswn yn cytuno bod bwlch yn y gyfraith, gan fod y gyfraith yn glir iawn ynglŷn ag a yw eiddo yn annedd at ddibenion y dreth gyngor neu a yw'n fusnes at ddibenion ardrethi annomestig. Rwy'n sylweddoli y bydd rhai ohonynt wedi'u categoreiddio'n fusnesau bach ac yna'n gymwys i gael rhyddhad ardrethi. Ond cyfarfûm ag Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio yn ddiweddar i drafod y pryderon penodol hyn, a chefais weld y ffurflenni y mae'n rhaid i fusnesau eu llenwi i ddangos eu bod yn bodloni amodau busnes go iawn - felly, fod yr eiddo hwnnw wedi'i osod am 70 noson ac ar gael i'w osod am 140 noson. Ond gwn hefyd ein bod wedi gwahodd awdurdodau lleol i roi enghreifftiau o ble nad yw hynny'n digwydd. Felly, gwn fod Gwynedd wedi rhoi nifer o enghreifftiau i Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio ac fe wnaethant ymchwilio i bob un o'r achosion hynny, a chanfuwyd nad oedd perchnogion yr eiddo'n torri'r gyfraith mewn unrhyw un o'r achosion hynny.
English: It's legal. It's a legal loophole.
Welsh: Mae'n gyfreithiol. Mae'n fwlch yn y gyfraith.
English: Because there's a loophole. They're able to do it. That's where the loophole is.
Welsh: Am fod bwlch yn y gyfraith. Gallant ei wneud. Dyna ble mae'r bwlch yn y gyfraith.
English: That's the whole point.
Welsh: Dyna'r holl bwynt.
English: There's not a loophole.
Welsh: Nid oes bwlch yn y gyfraith.
English: As you know, the non-domestic rating Order specifies the terms you've just described - 140 days' availability, 70 days' occupancy - in order to qualify as a self-catering business. And you referred to the gate-keeping role played by the Valuation Office Agency and the documentation they require, and that they'd investigated a few cases referred by Gwynedd. But what tripwire is in place within the system to ensure that the valuation office is routinely investigating and checking at least a sample of claimed self-catering properties to ensure that they are what they claim to be, whilst also recognising that the terms the Welsh Government implemented were a compromise with the industry to protect legitimate businesses?
Welsh: Fel y gwyddoch, mae'r Gorchymyn ardrethu annomestig yn nodi'r telerau rydych newydd eu disgrifio - ar gael i'w osod am 140 diwrnod, wedi'i osod am 70 diwrnod - er mwyn bod yn fusnes hunanddarpar. Ac fe gyfeirioch chi at y rôl y mae Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio yn ei chwarae fel ceidwad y porth a'r ddogfennaeth sy'n ofynnol ganddynt, a'u bod wedi ymchwilio i ychydig o achosion a gyfeiriwyd atynt gan Gwynedd. Ond pa larymau sydd ar waith o fewn y system i sicrhau bod y swyddfa brisio yn ymchwilio ac yn gwirio sampl, o leiaf, o eiddo hunanddarpar honedig fel mater o drefn er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn rhai dilys, gan gydnabod hefyd fod y telerau a roddwyd ar waith gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn gyfaddawd gyda'r diwydiant i amddiffyn busnesau cyfreithlon?
English: If local authorities particularly have any concerns about any property at all, they should draw it to the attention of the Valuation Office Agency and they will assess it in detail. I think that we need to reflect as well that, actually, it's very serious if an owner of a property seeks to evade and avoid tax by claiming that their property is a holiday let as opposed to a domestic residence, because, of course, if they are found to have been doing that, then they can face a very large backdated bill for council tax. Actually, any attempt to mislead an authority or the VOA, or knowingly provide false or inaccurate information, could lead to prosecution for fraud. So, seeking to avoid or evade paying tax in that way is extremely serious.
Welsh: Os oes gan awdurdodau lleol unrhyw bryderon penodol am unrhyw eiddo o gwbl, dylent dynnu sylw Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio atynt a byddant yn eu hasesu'n fanwl. Credaf fod angen i ni ystyried hefyd ei fod yn fater difrifol iawn mewn gwirionedd os yw perchennog eiddo yn ceisio efadu ac osgoi trethi drwy honni bod eu heiddo yn eiddo gwyliau i'w osod yn hytrach na phreswylfa ddomestig, oherwydd, wrth gwrs, os cânt eu dal yn gwneud hynny, gallant wynebu bil ôl-ddyddiedig mawr iawn am y dreth gyngor. Mewn gwirionedd, gallai unrhyw ymgais i gamarwain awdurdod neu Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio, neu i ddarparu gwybodaeth anwir neu anghywir yn fwriadol, arwain at erlyniad am dwyll. Felly, mae ceisio efadu neu osgoi talu trethi yn y ffordd honno'n hynod o ddifrifol.
English: The Welsh Government's package of rates relief is providing over £230 million of support to businesses and other ratepayers with their bills this year. Half of all businesses in Wales pay no rates at all.
Welsh: Mae pecyn rhyddhad ardrethi Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu dros £230 miliwn o gymorth i fusnesau a threthdalwyr eraill gyda'u biliau eleni. Nid yw hanner yr holl fusnesau yng Nghymru yn talu unrhyw ardrethi o gwbl.