English: Can I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon? And I'm absolutely certain that we are all in agreement that reform of taxi and private hire vehicles is long overdue. The main point I wish to make is that there should be a uniform system across the 22 local authorities of Wales. This would ensure that passengers would have a better understanding of the charges and the rules governing taxis if they were uniform across Wales. Could the Minister confirm this is also uppermost in his thinking? I'm convinced that moving to a single-tier system would be of benefit to both passengers and local authorities alike. Each vehicle should be fitted with a meter with correct and uniform tariffs, and it needs to be clear that the meter can only operate from pick-up to drop-off. This should prevent over-charging. At present, companies and individuals running private hire charge what they see fit, as long as the customer accepts, but I'm sure the Minister knows that, in reality, it's a fait accompli as far as the passenger is concerned, in that he or she is committed as soon as they enter the taxi. The new rules should include that all journeys should be recorded. Keeping a record of journeys has, in the past, been a benefit for bona fide drivers, local authorities and the police. It's also important, Minister, that companies who handle details of passengers should be subject to some form of scrutiny on how they take, give and store information. This would mean that there would be a much reduced risk of such data being misused. Will you make this part of your legislation? The fit-and-proper test should be more strictly adhered to and, possibly, all convictions should be disclosed, even moving outside the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. It is our duty to ensure that all passengers who get into a taxi can feel that they will arrive at their destination safely. Those who choose to travel by taxi must be able to travel without fear of being at risk from any individual who provides that service. In addition to the nationwide tariff system, there should also be a nationwide vehicle quality test. You mentioned this earlier on, Minister. It is good to read in the statement that the Minister has all these aspects in mind, and I look forward to the time when the new regulations are implemented by legislation. So, can I thank the Minister for his work on this important transport matter? And I wish to add that much of the content of my comments come from within the industry itself.
Welsh: A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad y prynhawn yma? Ac rwy'n gwbl sicr ein bod i gyd yn cytuno ei bod yn hen bryd diwygio tacsis a cherbydau hurio preifat. Y prif bwynt yr hoffwn i ei wneud yw y dylid cael system unffurf ar draws y 22 o awdurdodau lleol Cymru. Byddai hyn yn sicrhau y byddai gan deithwyr well dealltwriaeth o'r taliadau a'r rheolau sy'n rheoli tacsis pe baen nhw'n unffurf ledled Cymru. A wnaiff y Gweinidog gadarnhau mai hyn hefyd sydd bwysicaf yn ei feddwl? Rwy'n argyhoeddedig y byddai symud i system un haen o fudd i deithwyr ac awdurdodau lleol fel ei gilydd. Dylid gosod mesurydd gyda thariffau cywir ac unffurf ar bob cerbyd, ac mae angen iddi fod yn glir mai dim ond o'r man codi i'r man gollwng y caiff y mesurydd weithredu. Dylai hyn atal gordaliadau. Ar hyn o bryd, mae cwmnïau ac unigolion sy'n rhedeg busnesau hurio preifat yn codi'r hyn a fynnant, cyn belled â bod y cwsmer yn derbyn hynny, ond rwy'n siŵr bod y Gweinidog yn gwybod, mewn gwirionedd, ei fod yn 'fait accompli' o ran y teithiwr, gan ei fod ef neu hi wedi ymrwymo cyn gynted ag y mae'n mynd i mewn i'r tacsi. Dylai'r rheolau newydd gynnwys y rheol y dylid cofnodi pob taith. Mae cadw cofnod o deithiau, yn y gorffennol, wedi bod o fudd i yrwyr dilys, awdurdodau lleol a'r heddlu. Mae hefyd yn bwysig, Gweinidog, y dylai cwmnïau sy'n ymdrin â manylion teithwyr fod yn destun rhyw fath o graffu o ran sut maen nhw'n casglu, rhoi a chadw gwybodaeth. Byddai hyn yn golygu y byddai llawer llai o berygl y cai data o'r fath ei gamddefnyddio. A wnewch chi gynnwys hyn yn y rhan hon o'ch deddfwriaeth? Dylid glynu'n llymach wrth y prawf cymwys a phriodol ac, o bosibl, dylid datgelu pob euogfarn, gan hyd yn oed symud y tu allan i Ddeddf Adsefydlu Troseddwyr 1974. Ein dyletswydd ni yw sicrhau bod pob teithiwr sy'n mynd i dacsi yn teimlo y bydd yn cyrraedd ei gyrchfan yn ddiogel. Rhaid i'r rhai sy'n dewis teithio mewn tacsi allu teithio heb ofni y byddant mewn perygl oherwydd unrhyw unigolyn sy'n darparu'r gwasanaeth hwnnw. Yn ogystal â'r system tariff genedlaethol, dylid cael prawf ansawdd cerbydau cenedlaethol hefyd. Fe wnaethoch chi sôn am hyn yn gynharach, Gweinidog. Mae'n dda darllen yn y datganiad fod gan y Gweinidog yr holl agweddau hyn mewn golwg, ac edrychaf ymlaen at yr adeg pan weithredir y rheoliadau newydd drwy ddeddfwriaeth. Felly, a gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei waith ar y mater trafnidiaeth pwysig hwn? A hoffwn ychwanegu bod llawer o gynnwys fy sylwadau yn dod o'r diwydiant ei hun.