English: Thank you very much. I really do welcome the opportunity to respond to this important debate and I'm very grateful to the committee for their examination of rough-sleeping. As I set out in my evidence to the committee, I do recognise that homelessness takes many forms and the majority of people who are homeless are not on the streets - they're staying with friends, family or in other temporary accommodation following the end of a tenancy or a relationship or as a result of a family dispute. But, I really do welcome the real focus that the committee has put on homelessness in what is its most severe form. Talking to the people who I meet who are rough-sleepers or have had experience of rough-sleeping, I've heard harrowing accounts, as I know the committee has, in terms of family breakdown, domestic violence, mental ill health, financial problems, substance misuse and bereavement. These are all issues that can lead to the loss of a home and spiral, creating a vicious circle of rough-sleeping, which as we know is the most acute form of homelessness. As the committee report recognises, the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 has made a significant difference in preventing homelessness across Wales and has been widely acclaimed for its preventative approach. In the last two years, since it began its implementation, we've prevented more than 14,000 households from becoming homeless, but we do recognise still that much more does need to be done. As we've set out in 'Prosperity for All', it's not acceptable that anyone should be forced to sleep on the streets in a prosperous society. As I set out earlier this year, my concerns are regarding the rise in numbers of people who are sleeping rough. I also set out the commitment of this Government to do all that we can to reverse that trend. I announced in February our action plan to tackle rough-sleeping, together with our housing-first guidance and principles document. The committee's report therefore is an extremely timely document in terms of helping us build the evidence base to inform the evolution and the implementation of that plan. My written response to the committee sets out our detailed reply to the 29 recommendations in the report. Whilst there are some differences around the preparatory work required before determining specific actions, the Government has accepted the majority of the committee's recommendations. I've previously set out to this Chamber my willingness to review the approach needed for priority need. As the committee acknowledges, it is important that any change to the current approach is only taken when all the implications of such a change are fully understood. So, I can confirm that we're already in the process of commissioning an independent assessment of the potential impact and unintended consequences of changing the current approach to priority need in order to inform the way forward. This also has implications for local connection. Consideration will also be given to that as part of the independent assessment.
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rwy'n croesawu'n fawr y cyfle i ymateb i'r ddadl bwysig hon ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i'r pwyllgor am eu harchwiliad o gysgu ar y stryd. Fel y dywedais yn fy nhystiolaeth i'r pwyllgor, rwy'n cydnabod bod digartrefedd yn digwydd ar sawl ffurf ac nid yw'r rhan fwyaf o bobl sy'n ddigartref ar y strydoedd - maent yn aros gyda ffrindiau, teulu neu mewn llety dros dro arall wedi i denantiaeth neu berthynas ddod i ben neu o ganlyniad i anghydfod teuluol. Ond rwy'n croesawu'n fawr y ffocws go iawn a roddodd y pwyllgor ar ddigartrefedd ar ei ffurf fwyaf difrifol. Wrth siarad gyda'r bobl y cyfarfûm â hwy sy'n cysgu ar y stryd neu sydd wedi cael profiad o gysgu ar y stryd, clywais hanesion dirdynnol, fel y gwn y clywodd y pwyllgor, am deuluoedd yn chwalu, trais domestig, afiechyd meddwl, problemau ariannol, camddefnyddio sylweddau a phrofedigaeth. Mae'r rhain oll yn broblemau a all arwain at golli cartref a throelli ar i lawr, gan greu cylch dieflig o gysgu ar y stryd, sef y ffurf fwyaf difrifol ar ddigartrefedd fel y gwyddom. Fel y mae adroddiad y pwyllgor yn cydnabod, mae Deddf Tai (Cymru) 2014 wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth arwyddocaol i atal digartrefedd ledled Cymru ac mae wedi'i chanmol yn eang am ei dull ataliol o weithredu. Yn y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf, ers iddi ddod yn weithredol, rydym wedi atal mwy na 14,000 o aelwydydd rhag mynd yn ddigartref, ond rydym yn cydnabod o hyd fod llawer mwy i'w wneud. Fel y nodwyd gennym yn 'Ffyniant i Bawb', nid yw'n dderbyniol y dylai unrhyw un gael ei orfodi i gysgu ar y strydoedd mewn cymdeithas ffyniannus. Fel y nodais yn gynharach eleni, rwy'n pryderu ynglŷn â'r cynnydd yn nifer y bobl sy'n cysgu ar y stryd. Hefyd, nodais ymrwymiad y Llywodraeth hon i wneud popeth a allwn i wrthdroi'r duedd honno. Ym mis Chwefror, cyhoeddais ein cynllun gweithredu i fynd i'r afael â chysgu ar y stryd, ynghyd â'n dogfen arweiniad ac egwyddorion tai yn gyntaf. Mae adroddiad y pwyllgor, felly, yn ddogfen hynod o amserol sy'n ein helpu i adeiladu'r sylfaen dystiolaeth i lywio esblygiad a gweithrediad y cynllun hwnnw. Mae fy ymateb ysgrifenedig i'r pwyllgor yn nodi ein hymateb manwl i'r 29 o argymhellion yn yr adroddiad. Er bod rhai gwahaniaethau ynghylch y gwaith paratoi sy'n angenrheidiol cyn penderfynu ar gamau gweithredu penodol, mae'r Llywodraeth wedi derbyn y rhan fwyaf o argymhellion y pwyllgor. Amlinellais i'r Siambr hon o'r blaen fy mharodrwydd i adolygu'r dull o weithredu angen blaenoriaethol. Fel y mae'r pwyllgor yn cydnabod, mae'n bwysig na wneir unrhyw newid i'r dull presennol oni bai lle y deellir holl oblygiadau newid o'r fath yn llawn. Felly, gallaf gadarnhau ein bod eisoes wrthi'n comisiynu asesiad annibynnol o effaith bosibl a chanlyniadau anfwriadol newid y dull cyfredol o weithredu angen blaenoriaethol er mwyn llywio'r ffordd ymlaen. Mae gan hyn oblygiadau o ran cysylltiad lleol. Rhoddir ystyriaeth i hynny hefyd fel rhan o'r asesiad annibynnol.