English: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Today, I have published the final report from the review of higher education and student finance in Wales, chaired by Professor Sir Ian Diamond. I am very grateful to Professor Diamond and to all the panel members from across the political parties, the sector and industry for the time and effort that they have dedicated to the review since it began in April 2014. The panel has considered a huge amount of evidence in the course of its work. This is reflected in the range and complexity of the issues that the panel has presented in its final report and in the level of detail involved in its recommendations. The panel's work was guided by the long-standing Robbins principle that entry into higher education should be on the basis of ability alone and not on the ability to afford it. Staying true to this principle, the report's overarching recommendation is that the focus of grant finance shifts towards maintenance support across levels and modes of study, overcoming the real financial challenges associated with a period of higher education study. It proposes that maintenance support is improved for all Welsh-domiciled students, with the highest level of grant support directed towards those who are most in need, but that a non-means-tested universal maintenance grant of £1,000 should be available for all students. The report also proposes the implementation of a unique and innovative approach for part-time and postgraduate support, which will encourage a flexible approach to higher education. The report recognises that, given the context of austerity in the UK, these recommended improvements can only be achieved by releasing funds currently used to provide tuition fee grants for full-time undergraduates. Cabinet colleagues and I endorsed the principles contained in the report. These proposals represent a radical overhaul of how we support those who want to go to higher education, as well as outlining a fairer, sustainable system of student support and higher education funding. The proposals would mean that Wales would be the only country in the UK to implement a system that is consistent, progressive and fair in its support for undergraduate full-time, part-time and postgraduate students. The fear of not being able to meet the cost of living on a daily basis puts many off - not the prospect of paying back loans after they are in work. The report refers to the strong consensus amongst students, student representative bodies and widening participation professionals that the current maintenance support is inadequate and that this is a bigger issue for students than the level of fees and fee support. This system addresses that issue head on, but will also mean making tough decisions to ensure that the system is sustainable in the long term. Having endorsed the underlying principles contained in the report, I now need to consider the practical implications of implementing its recommendations. The Welsh Government will therefore discuss our approach with Her Majesty's Treasury and the Student Loans Company before finalising our formal response. I can confirm that the response will build on the following key principles: maintaining the principle of universalism within a progressive system will, for the first time anywhere in the UK, ensure a fair and consistent approach across levels and modes of study; will ensure shared investment between Government and those who directly benefit, enhancing accessibility and reducing barriers to study such as living costs - and that student support should be portable for Welsh students anywhere in the United Kingdom. In my agreement with the First Minister, we recognised that high-quality education is the driving force for social mobility, national prosperity and an engaged democracy. To enable this, Wales needs a sustainable and progressive higher education funding settlement that supports students when they need it most and enables our universities to compete internationally. Colleagues, I started by referring to the famous principle of the Robbins report. It is often overlooked that, in setting out the aims of a higher education system, the report also said, and I quote, 'The system as a whole must be judged deficient unless it provides adequately for all.' Sir Ian and his panel have today brought forward a report that recommends a fundamental shift so that Wales can indeed develop a higher education funding and student finance system that really does provide for all. Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch i chi, Lywydd. Heddiw, rwyf wedi cyhoeddi adroddiad terfynol o'r adolygiad o addysg uwch a chyllid myfyrwyr yng Nghymru, dan gadeiryddiaeth yr Athro Syr Ian Diamond. Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r Athro Diamond ac i holl aelodau'r panel ar draws y pleidiau gwleidyddol, y sector a'r diwydiant am yr amser a'r ymdrech y maent wedi'i neilltuo ar gyfer yr adolygiad ers iddo ddechrau ym mis Ebrill 2014. Mae'r panel wedi ystyried llawer iawn o dystiolaeth yn rhan o'i waith. Adlewyrchir hyn yn amrywiaeth a chymhlethdod y materion y mae'r panel wedi'u cyflwyno yn ei adroddiad terfynol ac yn lefel manylder ei argymhellion. Cafodd gwaith y panel ei lywio gan yr egwyddor Robbins hirsefydlog, sef y dylai mynediad at addysg uwch fod yn seiliedig ar allu yn unig, ac nid ar allu pobl i'w fforddio. Gan lynu wrth yr egwyddor hon, argymhelliad cyffredinol yr adroddiad yw y dylai'r cyllid grant ganolbwyntio mwy ar gymorth cynnal a chadw ar draws lefelau a dulliau o astudio, gan oresgyn y gwir heriau ariannol sy'n gysylltiedig â chyfnod o astudio addysg uwch. Mae'n cynnig y dylid gwella cymorth cynhaliaeth ar gyfer yr holl fyfyrwyr sy'n hanu o Gymru, ac y dylai'r lefel uchaf o gymorth grant gael ei chyfeirio tuag at y rhai sydd fwyaf anghenus, ond y dylai grant cynhaliaeth cyffredinol o £1,000 nad yw'n seiliedig ar brawf modd fod ar gael i'r holl fyfyrwyr. Mae'r adroddiad hefyd yn cynnig gweithredu dull unigryw ac arloesol ar gyfer cymorth i fyfyrwyr rhan-amser a myfyrwyr ôl-raddedig, a fydd yn annog dull hyblyg tuag at addysg uwch. Mae'r adroddiad yn cydnabod, o ystyried cyd-destun y cyni yn y DU, na ellir cyflawni'r gwelliannau hyn a argymhellir ac eithrio drwy ryddhau cyllid a ddefnyddir ar hyn o bryd i ddarparu grantiau ffioedd dysgu i israddedigion llawn amser. Cymeradwywyd yr egwyddorion a gynhwysir yn yr adroddiad gennyf i a'm cydweithwyr yn y Cabinet. Mae'r cynigion hyn yn cynrychioli newid trawiadol o ran sut yr ydym ni'n cefnogi'r rhai sy'n dymuno mynd i addysg uwch, yn ogystal ag amlinellu system cymorth i fyfyrwyr a chyllid addysg uwch sy'n decach ac yn gynaliadwy. Byddai'r cynigion yn golygu mai Cymru fyddai'r unig wlad yn y DU i weithredu system sy'n gyson, blaengar a theg o ran ei chefnogaeth i fyfyrwyr israddedig llawn amser, myfyrwyr israddedig rhan amser a myfyrwyr ôl-raddedig. Mae'r ofn o fethu â bodloni costau byw o ddydd i ddydd yn atal llawer o bobl - nid y ffaith bod disgwyl iddynt ad-dalu benthyciadau ar ôl iddynt gychwyn gweithio. Mae'r adroddiad yn cyfeirio at y consensws cryf ymysg myfyrwyr, cyrff sy'n cynrychioli myfyrwyr a gweithwyr proffesiynol yn y maes ehangu cyfranogiad, fod y cymorth presennol ar gyfer cynhaliaeth yn annigonol a bod hyn yn fwy o fater i fyfyrwyr na lefel y ffioedd a chymorth ffioedd. Mae'r system hon yn mynd i'r afael â'r mater hwnnw yn uniongyrchol, ond bydd hefyd yn golygu gwneud penderfyniadau anodd er mwyn sicrhau bod y system yn gynaliadwy yn y tymor hir. Ar ôl cymeradwyo'r egwyddorion sylfaenol a geir yn yr adroddiad, nawr mae angen i mi ystyried goblygiadau ymarferol gweithredu ei argymhellion. Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru felly yn trafod ein dull gweithredu â Thrysorlys Ei Mawrhydi a'r Cwmni Benthyciadau i Fyfyrwyr cyn cwblhau ein hymateb ffurfiol. Gallaf gadarnhau y bydd yr ymateb yn ategu'r egwyddorion allweddol canlynol: bydd cadw at yr egwyddor o gyffredinoliaeth o fewn system flaengar yn sicrhau dull teg a chyson ar draws lefelau a dulliau astudio, am y tro cyntaf yn unrhyw le yn y DU; bydd yn sicrhau buddsoddiad ar y cyd rhwng y Llywodraeth a'r rhai hynny sy'n cael budd uniongyrchol, gan wella pa mor hawdd ydyw i astudio a lleihau'r rhwystrau, megis costau byw - ac y dylai cymorth i fyfyrwyr fod ar gael i fyfyrwyr Cymraeg unrhyw le yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn fy nghytundeb gyda'r Prif Weinidog, gwnaethom gydnabod mai addysg o safon uchel sy'n sbarduno symudedd cymdeithasol, ffyniant cenedlaethol a democratiaeth weithredol. Er mwyn galluogi hyn, mae Cymru angen setliad ariannu addysg uwch sy'n gynaliadwy ac yn flaengar ac sy'n cefnogi myfyrwyr pan fyddant ei angen fwyaf ac yn galluogi ein prifysgolion i gystadlu'n rhyngwladol. Gydweithwyr, dechreuais drwy gyfeirio at egwyddor enwog yr adroddiad Robbins. Caiff hyn ei ddiystyru'n aml, wrth nodi amcanion system addysg uwch, fod yr adroddiad hefyd yn dweud, ac rwy'n dyfynnu, 'The system as a whole must be judged deficient unless it provides adequately for all.' Mae Syr Ian a'i banel wedi cyflwyno adroddiad heddiw sy'n argymell newid sylfaenol fel y gall Cymru ddatblygu system ariannu addysg uwch a chyllid myfyrwyr sydd wir yn darparu ar gyfer pawb. Diolch.