English: Diolch, Llywydd, and I'm grateful to those Members who have participated in today's debate. I'll just begin by responding to the points made on behalf of the LJC committee, and it is of course the case that the report identified two merits scrutiny points under Standing Order 21.3, and namely that is of political or legal importance, or gives rise to issues of public policy likely to be of interest to the Senedd. And, of course, in our response, we did state that we were satisfied the regulations are compatible with convention rights, and provided an explanation as to why option 2 of the RIA was pursued rather than option 1, and the committee did then go on to accept the Welsh Government's response, following advice from the Senedd lawyer, and confirmed that they were satisfied with the response. But I will give some reflection to the points raised on behalf of the LJC committee, both by Rhys ab Owen and also by Peter Fox this afternoon. These regulations will give more flexibility to local authorities, and they can provide more support to local communities in addressing what are genuine negative impacts that second homes and long-term equity properties can have, and this is one of the levers that we have available to us to create a fairer system. And, as Llyr Gruffydd was saying, this is one tool amongst many. And, of course, it's imperative that we do use the tools that are available to us, and I think that Llyr Gruffydd and Mabon ap Gwynfor really set out why this is important that we do address this issue. One of the other tools that we will have available to us is the matter of the thresholds for holiday lets. However, that's not what we are debating this afternoon. So, James Evans and Mark Isherwood will have their opportunity to contribute on those regulations in due course. There's currently a technical consultation open for response, so I'm sure that they'll take the opportunity to respond to that technical consultation, which is ongoing currently. We will obviously continue to make every effort to increase the supply and the affordability of homes, and we've shown that commitment in the £1 billion of funding to build 20,000 low-carbon social homes, which was included in our final budget, approved on 8 March. And we're also taking important action to address the issue of empty homes, because we do recognise, of course, that empty dwellings, and particularly those that have been empty for long periods, can present real problems for local communities. We've taken a whole-system approach, backed by significant investment, to tackle these issues. In this financial year alone, we've made £11 million available to local authorities whose communities are affected by second home ownership and holiday lets, so that they can buy and renovate those empty homes for social housing. That's a really important intervention. And, in addition, we're recently received funding applications from Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire local authorities, seeking assistance with empty home purchases and renovations, and those applications are totalling more than £13.5 million. Of course, local authorities can use the revenues raised from premiums to tackle issues affecting the local supply of affordable housing, including bringing empty homes back into use. A number of local authorities have already used the premium - to date, 11 of them have - to address the issues of long-term empty homes or second homes or both. Gwynedd and Swansea have set the premium at the current maximum, which is 100 per cent on homes, and that was from 1 April 2021. Pembrokeshire will do so from 1 April 2022, and the Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire and Swansea have also set a 100 per cent premium on long-term empty dwellings. So, there's clearly an appetite here on the part of local authorities to engage with the new tool that we're providing them with, and they'll do so having consulted locally and having taken that decision within their councils at the time that is right for them, and set the level at the point that is right for them, and that's what these regulations today will enable them to do. So, finally, as I outlined in my statement on council tax reform in December, it is our ambition that reforms to council tax are designed to ensure contributions from households are made as fairly as possible - dare I say, Llywydd, the socialist way - whilst also maintaining its role as a significant revenue stream, which, of course, helps to fund vital public services across Wales. Of course, I will continue to keep Members informed of developments. Diolch.
Welsh: Diolch, Llywydd, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Aelodau hynny sydd wedi cymryd rhan yn y ddadl heddiw. Rwyf am ddechrau drwy ymateb i'r pwyntiau a wnaed ar ran y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a'r Cyfansoddiad, ac wrth gwrs mae'n wir bod yr adroddiad wedi nodi dau bwynt craffu rhinweddau o dan Reol Sefydlog 21.3, sydd o bwysigrwydd gwleidyddol neu gyfreithiol, neu'n codi materion polisi cyhoeddus sy'n debygol o fod o ddiddordeb i'r Senedd. Ac, wrth gwrs, yn ein hymateb, gwnaethom ddatgan ein bod yn fodlon bod y rheoliadau'n gydnaws â hawliau'r confensiwn, a gwnaethom egluro pam yr aethpwyd ar drywydd opsiwn 2 o'r Asesiad Effaith Rheoleiddiol yn hytrach nag opsiwn 1, ac yna aeth y pwyllgor ymlaen i gael ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru, yn dilyn cyngor gan gyfreithiwr y Senedd, a chadarnhaodd eu bod yn fodlon â'r ymateb. Ond fe wnaf fyfyrio rhywfaint ar y pwyntiau a godwyd ar ran y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a'r Cyfansoddiad, gan Rhys ab Owen a hefyd gan Peter Fox y prynhawn yma. Bydd y rheoliadau hyn yn rhoi mwy o hyblygrwydd i awdurdodau lleol, a gallant roi mwy o gymorth i gymunedau lleol wrth fynd i'r afael â'r effeithiau negyddol gwirioneddol y gall ail gartrefi ac eiddo ecwiti hirdymor eu cael, a dyma un o'r dulliau sydd ar gael i ni i greu system decach. Ac, fel yr oedd Llyr Gruffydd yn ei ddweud, dyma un offeryn ymysg llawer. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn defnyddio'r offerynnau sydd ar gael i ni, a chredaf fod Llyr Gruffydd a Mabon ap Gwynfor wedi nodi'n glir pam y mae'n bwysig ein bod yn mynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn. Un o'r offerynnau eraill a fydd ar gael i ni yw mater y trothwyon ar gyfer llety gwyliau. Fodd bynnag, nid dyna'r hyn yr ydym yn ei drafod y prynhawn yma. Felly, caiff James Evans a Mark Isherwood gyfle i gyfrannu ynghylch y rheoliadau hynny maes o law. Mae ymgynghoriad technegol ar agor ar hyn o bryd ar gyfer ymateb, felly rwy'n siŵr y byddan nhw'n manteisio ar y cyfle i ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad technegol hwnnw, sy'n mynd rhagddo ar hyn o bryd. Byddwn yn amlwg yn parhau i wneud pob ymdrech i gynyddu cyflenwad a fforddiadwyedd cartrefi, ac rydym wedi dangos yr ymrwymiad hwnnw yn y £1 biliwn o gyllid i adeiladu 20,000 o gartrefi cymdeithasol carbon isel, a gynhwyswyd yn ein cyllideb derfynol, a gymeradwywyd ar 8 Mawrth. Ac rydym hefyd yn cymryd camau pwysig i fynd i'r afael â mater cartrefi gwag, oherwydd rydym yn cydnabod, wrth gwrs, y gall anheddau gwag, ac yn enwedig y rheini sydd wedi bod yn wag am gyfnodau hir, achosi problemau gwirioneddol i gymunedau lleol. Rydym wedi mabwysiadu dull system gyfan, wedi'i ategu gan fuddsoddiad sylweddol, i fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn. Yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon yn unig, rydym wedi sicrhau bod £11 miliwn ar gael i awdurdodau lleol yr effeithir ar eu cymunedau gan berchenogaeth ail gartrefi a llety gwyliau, fel y gallan nhw brynu ac adnewyddu'r cartrefi gwag hynny ar gyfer tai cymdeithasol. Mae hwnnw'n ymyriad pwysig iawn. A hefyd, rydym wedi cael ceisiadau am gyllid yn ddiweddar gan awdurdodau lleol sir Gaerfyrddin a sir Benfro, yn ceisio cymorth gyda phrynu ac adnewyddu cartrefi gwag, ac mae'r ceisiadau hynny'n dod i gyfanswm o dros £13.5 miliwn. Wrth gwrs, gall awdurdodau lleol ddefnyddio'r refeniw a godir o bremiymau i fynd i'r afael â materion sy'n effeithio ar y cyflenwad lleol o dai fforddiadwy, gan gynnwys defnyddio tai gwag unwaith eto. Mae nifer o awdurdodau lleol eisoes wedi defnyddio'r premiwm - hyd yma, 11 ohonyn nhw - i fynd i'r afael â materion cartrefi gwag hirdymor neu ail gartrefi neu'r ddau. Mae Gwynedd ac Abertawe wedi gosod y premiwm ar yr uchafswm presennol, sef 100 y cant ar gartrefi, ac roedd hynny o 1 Ebrill 2021. Bydd sir Benfro yn gwneud hynny o 1 Ebrill 2022, ac mae Ynys Môn, Gwynedd, sir Benfro ac Abertawe hefyd wedi gosod premiwm o 100 y cant ar anheddau gwag hirdymor. Felly, mae'n amlwg bod awydd yma ar ran awdurdodau lleol i ymgysylltu â'r offeryn newydd yr ydym yn ei ddarparu iddyn nhw, a byddan nhw'n gwneud hynny ar ôl ymgynghori'n lleol ac ar ôl gwneud y penderfyniad hwnnw o fewn eu cynghorau ar yr adeg sy'n iawn iddyn nhw, a phennu'r lefel ar y pwynt sy'n iawn iddyn nhw, a dyna beth fydd y rheoliadau hyn heddiw yn eu galluogi nhw i'w wneud. Felly, yn olaf, fel yr amlinellais yn fy natganiad ar ddiwygio'r dreth gyngor ym mis Rhagfyr, ein huchelgais yw bod diwygiadau i'r dreth gyngor wedi'u cynllunio i sicrhau bod cyfraniadau gan aelwydydd yn cael eu gwneud mor deg â phosibl - meiddiaf ddweud, Llywydd, y ffordd sosialaidd - gan hefyd ar yr un pryd, gynnal ei swyddogaeth fel ffrwd refeniw sylweddol, sydd, wrth gwrs, yn helpu i ariannu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol ledled Cymru. Wrth gwrs, byddaf yn parhau i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau am ddatblygiadau. Diolch.