English: For my contribution, I just want to really make some general observations on the issues around isolation and loneliness, rather than focusing on any of the specific recommendations, because it's a huge irony, isn't it, in the days of the internet, of knowing that people can FaceTime each other from four corners of the globe, that on our very doorsteps, here in our communities, we find the problems of loneliness and isolation. I think this partly reflects the stresses placed on the social fabric of our communities. Too much of the public realm, too many of those things that we all hold for the common good, are being sacrificed in these times of austerity, and surely it's for all of us to place a far higher premium on retaining those shared spaces that allow people to make connections with each other. And by shared spaces, I don't just mean the physical buildings, important as they are, but also those networks that bring people together. After all, it is the social networks that provide the foundations of so much care and resilience. So, while the inquiry established that the problems of loneliness and isolation are most commonly associated with older people, and that was very much what we concentrated on, the issues outlined in this report do affect a wide range of other groups, and Angela Burns touched on that, as did Lynne Neagle. I'm pleased that the committee will be doing some further work on this as well, but it would be good if the Minister can confirm that the Welsh Government will secure a cross-departmental approach in the forthcoming strategy that will address the wider issues of isolation and loneliness across other groups in society, including ex-service personnel, single parents, young people, as we've already heard from, to name but a few, because the report shows why investing in measures to prevent isolation and loneliness makes good economic sense for all parts of Government. We've already heard about invest-to-save - that's been mentioned by a number of speakers today - and this is an invest-to-save activity. If we can help to provide people with stronger networks, then we're less likely to have to tackle the acute deterioration of physical and mental health conditions associated with this problem, conditions that in the most extreme circumstances, as Lynne Neagle has already said, can lead to the tragedy of suicide and other forms of self-harm. Now, as Dai Lloyd mentioned in his opening remarks, one of the most enlightening areas of our inquiry for me was the importance - it was evidenced - of inter-generational contact as a simple cost-effective, and I'll use the word 'therapy', for want of a better word. That allows me, I think, to briefly mention a project that I had some personal involvement with that showed the value of that inter-generational activity. Shortly before Christmas, Merthyr and Tredegar Only Boys Aloud choir visited care homes in the area to sing Christmas songs and carols with residents as part of their Home for Christmas initiative, linking young and older people together through music and song. And I had the great pleasure of joining those young boys to sing a song or two at the Greenhill Manor Care Home in Merthyr Tydfil. The main point of that was to give me the chance to witness the mutual pleasure of older and younger people joined together in the simple joy of music and song. And what I saw there was joy and healing in progress, and for a few short hours people enjoying social connections, irrespective of their age. It was an absolute pleasure to witness it, and it was a pleasure to be part of it. In 2016, Llywydd, I was very proud to campaign on a manifesto that committed to addressing the issues of isolation and loneliness, so I am pleased that the Government has responded positively to our report as they bring forward their strategy. And in closing, Llywydd, I also believe that in bringing forward a clear plan of action for Wales, we will pay our rightful respects to the former MP Jo Cox, and the invaluable work of the foundation established in her name, which is continuing the work of the loneliness commission that Jo established to bring about a step change in the public policy response to the UK's loneliness crisis - a crisis that all of us, and not just Government, have a duty to address.
Welsh: Ar gyfer fy nghyfraniad, hoffwn wneud rhai sylwadau cyffredinol mewn gwirionedd ar y materion sy'n ymwneud ag unigedd ac unigrwydd, yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio ar unrhyw rai o'r argymhellion penodol, oherwydd mae'n eironi mawr, onid yw, yn nyddiau'r rhyngrwyd, o wybod y gall pobl fynd ar FaceTime o bedwar ban byd, ein bod yn canfod problemau unigrwydd ac unigedd ar garreg ein drws, yma yn ein cymunedau. Credaf fod hyn yn adlewyrchu'n rhannol y straen a osodir ar y wead cymdeithasol ein cymunedau. Mae gormod o'r byd cyhoeddus, gormod o'r pethau hynny y mae pawb ohonom yn ystyried eu bod er lles pawb, yn cael eu haberthu yn y cyfnod hwn o gyni, a dylai pawb ohonom osod premiwm uwch o lawer ar gadw'r gofodau a rennir sy'n caniatáu i bobl ffurfio cysylltiadau â'i gilydd. Ac wrth ddweud gofodau a rennir, nid adeiladau ffisegol yn unig a olygaf, er mor bwysig ydynt, ond hefyd y rhwydweithiau hynny sy'n dod â phobl at ei gilydd. Wedi'r cyfan, y rhwydweithiau cymdeithasol sy'n darparu'r sylfeini ar gyfer cymaint o ofal a gwytnwch. Felly, er bod yr ymchwiliad wedi sefydlu bod problemau unigrwydd ac unigedd yn fwyaf cysylltiedig yn gyffredinol â phobl hŷn, ac ar hynny y canolbwyntiwyd yn bennaf o bell ffordd, mae'r materion a amlinellir yn yr adroddiad hwn yn effeithio ar ystod eang o grwpiau eraill, a chyfeiriodd Angela Burns at hynny, fel y gwnaeth Lynne Neagle. Rwy'n falch fod y pwyllgor yn mynd i wneud gwaith pellach ar hyn yn ogystal, ond byddai'n dda pe gallai'r Gweinidog gadarnhau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau ymagwedd drawsadrannol yn y strategaeth sydd ar y gweill a fydd yn ymdrin â materion ehangach unigedd ac unigrwydd ar draws grwpiau eraill yn y gymdeithas, gan gynnwys aelodau'r lluoedd arfog, rhieni sengl, pobl ifanc, fel y clywsom eisoes, i enwi ond ychydig, gan fod yr adroddiad yn dangos pam y mae buddsoddi mewn mesurau i atal unigedd ac unigrwydd yn gwneud synnwyr yn economaidd i bob rhan o'r Llywodraeth. Eisoes clywsom am fuddsoddi i arbed - cafodd hynny ei grybwyll gan nifer o siaradwyr heddiw - ac mae hwn yn weithgaredd buddsoddi i arbed. Os gallwn helpu i ddarparu rhwydweithiau cryfach i bobl, rydym yn llai tebygol o orfod mynd i'r afael â dirywiad acíwt cyflyrau iechyd corfforol a meddyliol sy'n gysylltiedig â'r broblem hon, cyflyrau sydd, yn yr amgylchiadau mwyaf eithafol, fel y dywedodd Lynne Neagle eisoes, yn gallu arwain at drasiedi hunanladdiad a mathau eraill o hunan-niwed. Nawr, fel y soniodd Dai Lloyd yn ei sylwadau agoriadol, un o'r meysydd mwyaf addysgiadol o'n hymchwiliad i mi oedd pwysigrwydd - cafwyd tystiolaeth o hyn - cyswllt sy'n pontio'r cenedlaethau fel therapi, yn niffyg gair gwell, sy'n syml ac yn gosteffeithiol. Mae hynny'n caniatáu i mi gyfeirio'n fyr, rwy'n credu, at brosiect y bûm yn ymwneud rhywfaint ag ef a oedd yn dangos gwerth y gweithgarwch hwnnw sy'n pontio'r cenedlaethau. Ychydig cyn y Nadolig, ymwelodd côr Only Boys Aloud Merthyr a Thredegar â chartrefi gofal yn yr ardal i ganu caneuon a charolau Nadolig gyda thrigolion fel rhan o'u menter Home for Christmas i gysylltu pobl ifanc a phobl hŷn drwy gerddoriaeth a chân. A chefais y pleser mawr o ymuno â'r bechgyn ifanc hyn i ganu cân neu ddwy yng Nghartref Gofal Greenhill Manor ym Merthyr Tudful. Prif bwynt hynny oedd rhoi cyfle i mi dystio i'r pleser a rannai pobl hŷn a phobl iau wrth ymuno yn llawenydd syml cerdd a chân. A'r hyn a welais yno oedd llawenydd a gwellhad ar waith, ac am ychydig oriau byr, pobl yn mwynhau cysylltiadau cymdeithasol, beth bynnag fo'u hoed. Roedd yn bleser pur ei weld, ac roedd yn bleser gennyf fod yn rhan ohono. Yn 2016, Lywydd, roeddwn yn falch iawn o ymgyrchu ar sail maniffesto a oedd wedi ymrwymo i fynd i'r afael â phroblemau unigedd ac unigrwydd, felly rwy'n falch fod y Llywodraeth wedi ymateb yn gadarnhaol i'n hadroddiad wrth iddynt gyflwyno eu strategaeth. Ac i gloi, Lywydd, credaf hefyd y byddwn, wrth gyflwyno cynllun gweithredu clir ar gyfer Cymru, yn talu ein teyrnged haeddiannol i Jo Cox, y cyn AS, a gwaith amhrisiadwy y sefydliad a ffurfiwyd yn ei henw, sy'n parhau â gwaith y comisiwn ar unigrwydd a sefydlwyd gan Jo i sicrhau newid sylfaenol mewn ymateb polisi cyhoeddus i argyfwng unigrwydd y DU - argyfwng y mae'n ddyletswydd ar bawb ohonom, ac nid y Llywodraeth yn unig, i fynd i'r afael ag ef.