English: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I'm pleased that the Minister has brought forward a statement on how the Welsh Government is supporting the foundational economy today. Of course, the foundational economy is so vitally important to how we live; as has been said, it covers everything from the social care that's available in our communities to the food we eat, and so it's really encouraging to see the Welsh Government embedding the language of the foundational economy and its principles into its economic policies. Today's statement has highlighted some of the projects funded via the foundational economy challenge fund, and I know that the impact of that funding has led to some really innovative projects being developed. The statement makes it clear that a £1 million backing local firms fund will build on the success of the challenge fund, which is really positive. Perhaps now is the time, therefore, to review the challenge fund to ensure that there is genuine value for money and that local economies are being transformed as a result of that investment. Therefore, can the Minister tell us how the Welsh Government is monitoring the effectiveness of spend via the foundational economy challenge fund and can he also confirm that he will be publishing an assessment of those projects that have received funding? And can he also clarify whether the backing local firms fund will now replace the challenge fund or, indeed, work alongside it? Today's statement talks about progressive procurement, and that's something that the Minister knows I'm keen to see delivered right across Wales. We need to see improvements to our procurement practices to ensure small businesses are able to fairly compete for contracts. The Minister says he's determined to push forward initiatives that ensure that our public money is spent here and to champion a wider recognition of the role that the foundational economy plays in helping to sustain and strengthen our unique ways of life, and I'm pleased to hear that. Perhaps he can tell us a little bit more about the NHS Wales foundational economy procurement programme, and given that social value is now a mandatory criterion in many NHS contracts, can he tell us how he'll be monitoring this to ensure that contracts are awarded to the right businesses? Of course, in order to identify opportunities to localise spend, it's crucial that business support is indeed reviewed. The previous Minister believed that there should be a review of business support, including Business Wales, to ensure that Welsh companies could fulfil public contracts and supply voids. Therefore, can the Minister confirm that that review is taking place, and if so, can he also share with us the outcomes of that review? The Minister will be aware of the Federation of Small Businesses calls for a foundational economy lens to guide policy making, and I believe there's merit to this idea. One aspect of their lens is to encourage larger businesses to support small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors that are dominated by large firms that have disproportionate influence. The example they use is, of course, in the food industry, and today's statement also considers the importance of the food sector. For example, I'm pleased to see that Hywel Dda University Health Board has been funded to explore development of a freeze-cook facility targeted at local food producers. It's so important that we help local producers in the region and also retain more of the added value from local production. The Minister will, no doubt, be aware of the Pembrokeshire food park in Haverfordwest, which is a great example of a way of providing opportunities for producers to acquire plots to develop food production and processing facilities that will create added value, and, indeed, create new jobs in the region. Can the Minister tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to develop a foundational economy lens? And can he also tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to support projects like the Pembrokeshire food park and to ensure that good practice like this is being rolled out in other areas? The Minister may be aware of the report published by the Bevan Foundation last year, which focused on the capacity and potential of businesses in three communities in the south Wales Valleys: Treharris in Merthyr Tydfil, Treherbert in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Cwmafan in Neath Port Talbot. That report found that support needs to be targeted to microfirms with much more effective communications and networks between businesses themselves and between business, local government and indeed Welsh Government. And so I hope the Minister will take the opportunity today to tell us more about how the Welsh Government is strengthening its communication and networks with businesses, particularly in those areas where local economies are weak. The Minister will be aware of the work done by Preston City Council in building community wealth, which has successfully promoted inclusive growth of the local economy since 2012, and we can learn lessons from the way in which others are developing the foundational economy. As the Welsh Government is also a significant owner of land and property, it's vital that it's using those assets to deliver social and environmental benefits. Therefore, can the Minister tell us what work has been done to examine how the Welsh Government can use its own assets to develop the foundational economy in Wales? And, as the Minister has reminded us today, the foundational economy accounts for four in 10 jobs and £1 in every £3 that we spend, so we're not talking about small amounts of money here. Of course, the COVID pandemic has impacted resilience in some communities, and it's vital that we understand just how much of an impact it's had on the foundational economy. So, perhaps the Minister will agree to publish an assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the foundational economy. Therefore, finally, Dirprwy Lywydd, can I thank the Minister for his statement and say that I look forward to hearing more about how the Welsh Government is developing and scaling up the foundational economy here in Wales? Diolch.
Welsh: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, ac rwy'n falch bod y Gweinidog wedi cyflwyno datganiad ar y modd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi'r economi sylfaenol heddiw. Wrth gwrs, mae'r economi sylfaenol mor hanfodol bwysig i'r ffordd yr ydym ni'n byw; fel y dywedwyd, mae'n cwmpasu popeth o'r gofal cymdeithasol sydd ar gael yn ein cymunedau ni i'r bwyd yr ydym ni'n ei fwyta, ac felly mae hi'n galonogol iawn i ni gael gweld Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymgorffori iaith yr economi sylfaenol a'i hegwyddorion yn ei pholisïau economaidd. Mae datganiad heddiw wedi tynnu sylw at rai o'r prosiectau a ariannwyd drwy gronfa her yr economi sylfaenol, ac fe wn i fod effaith y cyllid hwnnw wedi arwain at ddatblygu rhai prosiectau sy'n wirioneddol arloesol. Mae'r datganiad yn ei gwneud hi'n glir y bydd cronfa cwmnïau lleol gwerth £1 miliwn yn adeiladu ar lwyddiant y gronfa her, sy'n gadarnhaol iawn. Efallai mai dyma'r amser, felly, i adolygu'r gronfa her i sicrhau bod yna wir werth am arian a bod economïau lleol yn cael eu trawsnewid o ganlyniad i'r buddsoddiad hwnnw. Felly, a all y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru am fonitro effeithiolrwydd y gwariant drwy gronfa her yr economi sylfaenol ac a wnaiff ef gadarnhau hefyd y bydd yn cyhoeddi asesiad o'r prosiectau hynny sydd wedi cael cyllid? Ac a wnaiff ef egluro hefyd a fydd y gronfa sy'n cefnogi cwmnïau lleol ar hyn o bryd yn disodli'r gronfa her neu, yn wir, yn gweithio ochr yn ochr â hi? Mae datganiad heddiw yn sôn am gaffael blaengar, ac mae hwnnw'n rhywbeth y mae'r Gweinidog yn gwybod fy mod i'n awyddus i'w weld yn digwydd ledled Cymru. Mae angen i ni weld gwelliannau i'n harferion o ran caffael i sicrhau bod busnesau bach yn gallu cystadlu'n deg am gytundebau. Mae'r Gweinidog yn dweud ei fod ef yn benderfynol o fwrw ymlaen â mentrau sy'n sicrhau bod ein harian cyhoeddus ni'n cael ei wario yma a hyrwyddo cydnabyddiaeth ehangach o swyddogaeth yr economi sylfaenol wrth helpu i gynnal a chryfhau ein ffyrdd unigryw o fyw, ac rwy'n falch o glywed hynny. Efallai y gwnaiff ef ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni am raglen gaffael economi sylfaenol GIG Cymru, ac o gofio bod gwerth cymdeithasol yn faen prawf gorfodol erbyn hyn yn llawer o gytundebau'r GIG, a wnaiff ef ddweud wrthym ni sut y bydd yn monitro hyn i sicrhau bod contractau yn cael eu dyfarnu i'r busnesau priodol? Wrth gwrs, er mwyn nodi cyfleoedd i leoleiddio gwariant, mae'n hanfodol bod cymorth busnes yn cael ei adolygu mewn gwirionedd. Roedd y Gweinidog blaenorol o'r farn y dylid cynnal adolygiad o gymorth busnes, gan gynnwys Busnes Cymru, i sicrhau y gallai cwmnïau o Gymru gyflenwi cytundebau cyhoeddus a bylchau cyflenwad. Felly, a wnaiff y Gweinidog gadarnhau bod yr adolygiad hwnnw'n cael ei gynnal, ac os felly, a wnaiff ef hefyd rannu canlyniadau'r adolygiad hwnnw gyda ni? Bydd y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol o alwad y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach am safbwynt economi sylfaenol i lywio'r gwaith o lunio polisïau, ac rwy'n credu bod budd i'r syniad hwn. Un agwedd ar eu safbwynt yw annog busnesau mwy i gefnogi busnesau bach a chanolig eu maint mewn sectorau sy'n cael eu dominyddu gan gwmnïau mawr sydd â dylanwad anghymesur. Yr enghraifft a gaiff ei defnyddio ganddyn nhw, wrth gwrs, yw'r diwydiant bwyd, ac mae datganiad heddiw hefyd yn rhoi ystyriaeth i bwysigrwydd y sector bwyd. Er enghraifft, rwy'n falch o weld bod Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda wedi cael ei ariannu i archwilio'r gwaith o ddatblygu cyfleuster rhewi a anelir at gynhyrchwyr bwyd lleol. Mae hi mor bwysig ein bod ni'n helpu cynhyrchwyr lleol yn y rhanbarth ac yn cadw mwy o'r gwerth ychwanegol a ddaw yn sgil cynhyrchu yn lleol hefyd. Mae'n siŵr bod y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol o barc bwyd sir Benfro yn Hwlffordd, sy'n enghraifft wych o ffordd o estyn cyfleoedd i gynhyrchwyr gaffael rhandiroedd i ddatblygu cyfleusterau cynhyrchu a phrosesu bwyd a fydd yn creu gwerth ychwanegol, ac, yn wir, yn creu swyddi newydd yn y rhanbarth. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i ddatblygu safbwynt yr economi sylfaenol? Ac a wnaiff ef ddweud wrthym ni hefyd beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gefnogi prosiectau fel parc bwyd sir Benfro a sicrhau bod ymarfer da fel hyn yn cael ei gyflwyno mewn ardaloedd eraill? Efallai fod y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol o'r adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd gan Sefydliad Bevan y llynedd, a oedd yn canolbwyntio ar allu a photensial busnesau mewn tair cymuned yng Nghymoedd y de: Treharris ym Merthyr Tudful, Treherbert yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, a Chwmafan yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot. Roedd yr adroddiad hwnnw'n canfod bod angen anelu cymorth at ficrofusnesau gyda chyfathrebu a rhwydweithiau llawer mwy effeithiol rhwng y busnesau eu hunain a rhwng y busnesau, llywodraeth leol, a Llywodraeth Cymru, mewn gwirionedd. Ac felly rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y Gweinidog yn manteisio ar y cyfle heddiw i ddweud mwy wrthym ni am sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru am rymuso ei chyfathrebu a'i rhwydweithiau gyda busnesau, yn arbennig yn yr ardaloedd hynny lle mae'r economïau lleol yn eiddil. Bydd y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol o'r gwaith a wnaeth Cyngor Dinas Preston i ddatblygu cyfoeth cymunedol, sydd wedi llwyddo i hybu twf cynhwysol yr economi leol ers 2012, ac fe allwn ni ddysgu gwersi o'r ffordd y mae eraill yn datblygu'r economi sylfaenol. A chan fod Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd yn berchen ar dir ac eiddo sylweddol, mae'n hanfodol ei bod yn defnyddio'r asedau hynny i sicrhau manteision cymdeithasol ac amgylcheddol. Felly, a wnaiff y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni pa waith a wnaethpwyd i archwilio sut y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ddefnyddio ei hasedau ei hun i ddatblygu'r economi sylfaenol yng Nghymru? Ac, fel y mae'r Gweinidog wedi ein hatgoffa ni heddiw, mae'r economi sylfaenol yn gyfrifol am greu pedair o bob 10 swydd a £1 ym mhob £3 a wariwn ni, felly nid ydym ni'n sôn am symiau bach o arian yn y fan hon. Wrth gwrs, mae pandemig COVID wedi effeithio ar gadernid rhai cymunedau, ac mae hi'n hanfodol ein bod ni'n deall pa mor fawr yw'r effaith a fu ar yr economi sylfaenol. Felly, efallai y bydd y Gweinidog yn cytuno i gyhoeddi asesiad o effaith COVID-19 ar yr economi sylfaenol. Felly, yn olaf, Dirprwy Lywydd, a gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad a dweud fy mod i'n edrych ymlaen at glywed mwy am sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn datblygu ac yn cyflwyno'r economi sylfaenol ar raddfa fwy yma yng Nghymru? Diolch.