English: Thank you, Llywydd. The majority of specialist disability assessments for university students who are eligible for the devolved disabled student allowance are currently held in specialist assessment centres in Wales, who understand the needs of university students in Wales, and the devolved landscape of higher education in Wales. These experts are in assessment centres that are located in the disability services of universities in Wales, and they're experienced staff who understand the Welsh disability support systems and the courses and the educational environments that the Welsh students are part of. And so, the allowance is being targeted in a personal way to the need of every individual student - something that the Welsh Government has recommended as best practice. The DSA in Wales is provided by the Student Loans Company through Student Finance Wales, and they are in the process of tendering DSA services, including assessments, currently. Although the DSA has been devolved, it appears that Wales has been thrown into a zone with the west of England and the east midlands for the tendering process, which will, to all intents and purposes, mean that the DSA assessment services could be taken out of the hands of these Welsh experts, perhaps leading to disadvantage for our students. So, I'd like to know why the Welsh Government has allowed Wales to be treated like this in the tendering process, and what part the Minister has had in the process, in order to ensure that the opportunities for students with disabilities in Wales aren't endangered, and specialist businesses in Wales aren't under a disadvantage. I'd also like to know how the Welsh-medium requirements of disabled students will be assessed correctly with regard to their disabilities if an organisation outside Wales, without any specialist information about the educational landscape in Wales, and no knowledge of language commitments and practice, wins the tender.
Welsh: Diolch, Llywydd. Mae mwyafrif asesiadau anabledd arbenigol ar gyfer myfyrwyr prifysgol sy'n gymwys ar gyfer y lwfans myfyrwyr anabl datganoledig yn cael eu cynnal ar hyn o bryd gan ganolfannau asesu arbenigol yng Nghymru, sy'n deall anghenion myfyrwyr prifysgol Cymru, a thirwedd datganoledig addysg uwch Cymru. Mae'r arbenigwyr hyn mewn canolfannau asesu sydd wedi eu lleoli yng ngwasanaethau anabledd prifysgolion Cymru yn staff profiadol, sy'n deall systemau cefnogaeth anabledd Cymreig a'r cyrsiau a'r amgylchedd addysgol y mae'r myfyrwyr Cymreig yn rhan ohonynt. Ac felly, mae'r lwfans yn cael ei dargedu'n bersonol at anghenion pob myfyriwr unigol - rhywbeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei argymell fel arfer gorau. Darperir DSA yng Nghymru gan y Cwmni Benthyciadau Myfyrwyr drwy Cyllid Myfyrwyr Cymru, ac maent yn y broses o dendro gwasanaethau DSA, gan gynnwys asesiadau, ar hyn o bryd. Er bod DSA wedi ei ddatganoli, mae'n ymddangos bod Cymru wedi ei thwlu mewn i barth gyda gorllewin a dwyrain canolbarth Lloegr ar gyfer y broses dendro, a fydd, i bob pwrpas, yn golygu y gallai gwasanaethau asesu DSA yng Nghymru gael eu cymryd mas o ddwylo'r arbenigwyr Cymraeg hyn, gan efallai anfanteisio'n myfyrwyr ni. Felly, hoffwn wybod pam y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi caniatáu i Gymru gael ei thrin fel hyn yn y broses dendro a chaffael, a pha ran y mae'r Gweinidog wedi ei chael yn y broses, er mwyn sicrhau nad yw cyfleon myfyrwyr anabl o Gymru'n cael eu peryglu, a busnesau arbenigol yng Nghymru o dan anfantais. A hoffwn wybod hefyd sut y bydd gofynion iaith Gymraeg myfyrwyr anabl yn cael eu hasesu'n gywir yn erbyn eu hanabledd os bydd sefydliad o'r tu fas i Gymru, heb unrhyw wybodaeth arbenigol am y dirwedd addysg Gymraeg, dim gwybodaeth o ymrwymiadau ac arferion ieithyddol, yn ennill y tendr.