English: I will be guided by Luke's expertise in this issue, and I'm sure we'd all want the work to be a comprehensive piece of work, but I would be hopeful that that work would be completed before the summer recess of 2020, and therefore is an opportunity to influence the next set of budget discussions. In turn, I'd like to focus on recommendation 4, asking us to consider how the allocation of resources for local authorities can be determined by a needs-based approach, and what this approach should consider in relation to the education element of a local authority's funding. I welcome that the education part of the local government distribution sub-group is already considering the potential for developing an alternative approach to the education formula within the local government settlement model. The work on the education element of the formula is essentially a pilot that will need to be tested really thoroughly before this methodology is considered for further roll-out, and I will consider how this work aligns with the work being taken forward under recommendation 1. And I'm very grateful to the Minister for Local Government and Housing for agreeing to work in partnership with me on this particular recommendation. And of course, we'll be very happy to keep colleagues updates on that work. I recognise that to continue raising standards, our schools need support through core funding. However, as we have discussed at length this afternoon, as the local government settlement is unhypothecated, it is for local authorities to determine their priorities. And I would say to both Suzy Davies and indeed to Alun Davies: you may have a view over the direct funding of schools, but I have to say there is a different view from Labour leaders of local authorities in Wales, and indeed those in the Conservative Party who have positions of responsibility for local authorities in Wales, who feel very, very differently. Perhaps you should have conversations with them. And, Darren, as regard to this false premise of a north versus south divide, I recently took the time and trouble to go to the distribution sub-group. I specifically asked the leaders of the councils that were represented there that afternoon whether they would undertake a review of the data and the funding formula. And I have to say, both the leader of Wrexham, which I believe is in north Wales, and the leader of Gwynedd, which I also believe is in north Wales, absolutely refused to enter into a debate about changing the funding formula. So, if I can get back to my script, and I'm conscious of the time, Presiding Officer, I would like to recognise that I continue, within the education department, to provide significant grants above and beyond the allocations in the RSG to fund local schools, local authorities and regional education consortia. As I'm sure Members will recognise, we have a hugely ambitious reform agenda set out in our national mission action plan, and despite continued strains on our budgets, I was pleased last year to be able to announce the single biggest investment in the professional learning of the teaching profession since devolution started. And in setting teachers' pay for the first time this year in Wales, we have diverged from the proposals in England by ensuring that the starting salary for teachers starting to work in Wales is higher than it is across the border. This will help to promote teaching as a profession of choice for graduates and career changers. To conclude, to all Members who are making the case for school funding, I say, 'Of course, I support increasing education funding', and I think my record even before I came into the Government was proof of that. But I am yet to see a genuine, thought through, comprehensive spending calculation from anyone in the opposition that demonstrates where they will cut funding to put more money into my budget. There is no proof of any opposition party here that makes school funding a priority. But, as ever, I'm very happy to discuss proposals and suggestions as they come through. And I'd like to reiterate once again that I welcome the committee's report and that I hope that there is cross-Chamber support for the recommendations that that report contains.
Welsh: Caf fy arwain gan arbenigedd Luke yn y mater hwn, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddem i gyd eisiau i'r gwaith fod yn gynhwysfawr, ond buaswn yn gobeithio y byddai wedi'i gwblhau cyn toriad haf 2020, a felly mae'n gyfle i ddylanwadu ar y set nesaf o drafodaethau'r cyllideb. Yn ei dro, hoffwn ganolbwyntio ar argymhelliad 4, sy'n gofyn i ni ystyried sut y gellir pennu dyraniad adnoddau i awdurdodau lleol trwy ddull sy'n seiliedig ar anghenion, a beth y dylai'r dull hwn ei ystyried mewn perthynas â'r elfen addysg o gyllid awdurdod lleol. Rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith bod y rhan addysg o'r is-grŵp dosbarthu llywodraeth leol eisoes yn ystyried y potensial ar gyfer datblygu dull amgen yn lle'r fformiwla addysg o fewn y model setliad llywodraeth leol. Yn ei hanfod, mae'r gwaith ar elfen addysg y fformiwla yn beilot y bydd angen ei brofi'n drylwyr iawn cyn y gellir ystyried cyflwyno'r fethodoleg hon ymhellach, a byddaf yn ystyried sut y mae'r gwaith hwn yn cyd-fynd â'r gwaith a ddatblygir o dan argymhelliad 1. Ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol a Thai am gytuno i weithio mewn partneriaeth â mi ar yr argymhelliad penodol hwn. Ac wrth gwrs, byddwn yn hapus iawn i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i gyd-Aelodau am y gwaith hwnnw. Er mwyn parhau i godi safonau, rwy'n cydnabod bod angen cefnogaeth ar ein hysgolion trwy gyllid craidd. Fodd bynnag, fel rydym wedi trafod yn helaeth y prynhawn yma, gan fod y setliad llywodraeth leol heb ei neilltuo, mater i awdurdodau lleol yw penderfynu ar eu blaenoriaethau. A hoffwn ddweud wrth Suzy Davies ac wrth Alun Davies yn wir: efallai fod gennych farn ynghylch ariannu ysgolion yn uniongyrchol, ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud bod barn wahanol gan arweinwyr Llafur awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru, ac yn wir y rheini yn y Blaid Geidwadol sydd mewn swyddi â chyfrifoldeb mewn awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru, sy'n teimlo'n wahanol iawn. Efallai y dylech gael sgyrsiau gyda hwy. A Darren, o ran y rhagosodiad ffug hwn o raniad rhwng gogledd a de, rhoddais amser yn ddiweddar i fynd i'r is-grŵp dosbarthu. Gofynnais yn benodol i arweinwyr y cynghorau a gynrychiolwyd yno y prynhawn hwnnw a fyddent yn cynnal adolygiad o'r data a'r fformiwla ariannu. Ac mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, fe wnaeth arweinydd Wrecsam, y credaf ei fod yng ngogledd Cymru, ac arweinydd Gwynedd y credaf ei fod yng ngogledd Cymru hefyd, wrthod yn bendant y cynnig i drafod newid y fformiwla ariannu. Felly, os caf fynd yn ôl at fy sgript, ac rwy'n ymwybodol o'r amser, Lywydd, hoffwn gydnabod fy mod yn parhau, o fewn yr adran addysg, i ddarparu grantiau sylweddol, yn ychwanegol at y dyraniadau yn y grant cynnal refeniw i ariannu ysgolion lleol, awdurdodau lleol a chonsortia addysg rhanbarthol. Fel rwy'n siŵr y bydd yr Aelodau'n cydnabod, mae gennym agenda ddiwygio hynod uchelgeisiol wedi'i nodi yng nghynllun gweithredu cenhadaeth ein cenedl, ac er y pwysau parhaus ar ein cyllidebau, roeddwn yn falch y llynedd o allu cyhoeddi'r buddsoddiad unigol mwyaf yn addysg broffesiynol y proffesiwn addysgu ers dechrau datganoli. Ac wrth bennu cyflogau athrawon am y tro cyntaf yng Nghymru eleni, rydym wedi gwyro oddi wrth yr argymhellion yn Lloegr trwy sicrhau bod y cyflog cychwynnol i athrawon sy'n dechrau gweithio yng Nghymru yn uwch nag y mae dros y ffin. Bydd hyn yn helpu i hyrwyddo addysgu fel proffesiwn dewisol ar gyfer graddedigion a rhai sy'n newid gyrfa. I gloi, i'r holl Aelodau sy'n gwneud yr achos dros ariannu ysgolion, rwy'n dweud, 'Wrth gwrs fy mod yn cefnogi cynyddu cyllid i addysg', a chredaf fod fy record hyd yn oed cyn i mi ddod yn rhan o'r Llywodraeth yn brawf o hynny. Ond nid wyf eto wedi gweld cyfrifiad gwariant dilys a chynhwysfawr wedi'i ystyried yn dda gan unrhyw un yn yr wrthblaid sy'n dangos lle byddant yn torri cyllid er mwyn rhoi mwy o arian i fy nghyllideb. Nid oes prawf fod unrhyw wrthblaid yma'n gwneud cyllid i ysgolion yn flaenoriaeth. Ond fel erioed, rwy'n hapus iawn i drafod argymhellion ac awgrymiadau wrth iddynt ddod drwodd. A hoffwn ailadrodd unwaith eto fy mod yn croesawu adroddiad y pwyllgor ac rwy'n gobeithio bod cefnogaeth ar draws y Siambr i'r argymhellion y mae'n eu cynnwys.