English: I'm pleased to take part in this debate as a member of the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee, and, given the unpredictability of outcomes in the Brexit negotiations, there are areas, of course, where committee recommendations and views have already been overtaken. It was helpful to have confirmation of a transition period in March, as this was uncertain at the time of the committee inquiry. We can see, I believe, that the committee has already had an influence on Welsh Government, but I agree with the Cabinet Secretary's statement in his response to our report, when he says that his response to the committee's recommendations demonstrates 'that we have intensified our Brexit preparedness work'. But I'm particularly interested in the Welsh Government's response on the proposed shared prosperity fund. This has been mentioned more than once this afternoon. This does have a direct impact on many organisations who gave evidence to the committee, raising their concerns about the financial implications of Brexit, with Wales currently benefiting from £680 million European funding annually, and also looking at stakeholders such as Cytûn and the Welsh Local Government Association, drawing attention to the need for any future fund to be administered by the Welsh Government rather than the UK Government, and to be on the basis of need rather than population share. So, it would be helpful if the Cabinet Secretary could clarify how this evidence from this committee is being used in the case that the Welsh Government's making for future funding arrangements, which are very clearly outlined in your 'Regional Investment in Wales after Brexit' report, and if he can confirm that the Welsh Government is seeking assurances that Wales will not be any worse off in terms of equivalent funding as a consequence of leaving the EU. Now, Mick Antoniw has already given the feedback from the Secretary of State on the concerns that are arising as a result of evidence given and comments by the UK Government regarding the shared prosperity fund. It is worrying, and we do need to mobilise Welsh voices and represent Welsh interests here in this Chamber to ensure that the proposals for a Welsh Government partnership approach for the administration of funding is adopted. It is relevant to draw attention to the committee views in the report on the need to address equality issues and preparedness for Brexit. Stakeholders raised their concerns in this inquiry about the implications for equalities, saying that the EU served as a safety net, and concerns were raised about the absence of provisions in the withdrawal Bill to transpose the EU charter on fundamental rights into domestic law after Brexit. The committees addressed these concerns further and I hope you will welcome the joint letter to the First Minister from David Rees and John Griffiths, Chairs of the relevant committees, on the equality and human rights implications of Brexit. In the letter to the First Minister our committee Chairs refer to the shared prosperity fund and state that the fund should be administered by the Welsh Government in relation to Wales to ensure that it is sensitive to local needs and inequalities. They also state that the funds should be targeted at tackling inequality and socioeconomic disadvantage. Finally, Deputy Llywydd, yesterday I raised the question with the leader of the house regarding our new power to commence the Equality Act 2010 socioeconomic duty. I would ask again that the Welsh Government consider this as a matter of priority, and acknowledge that this would be a way in which the Welsh Government could help in the preparedness for Brexit in terms of tackling the inequalities that have been addressed by the investment through European programmes. These programmes have helped to reverse the structural inequalities that have blighted communities and disadvantaged groups in Wales and the deepening inequalities as a result of austerity, low pay and aggressive UK Government tax and benefit policies that will only be exacerbated unless we use all the powers at our disposal to address this. This is part of, I'm sure, how Welsh Government should prepare for Brexit.
Welsh: Rwy'n falch o gymryd rhan yn y ddadl hon fel aelod o'r Pwyllgor Materion Allanol a Deddfwriaeth Ychwanegol, ac o gofio natur anrhagweladwy'r canlyniadau yn y negodiadau Brexit, ceir meysydd, wrth gwrs, lle mae argymhellion a safbwyntiau'r pwyllgor eisoes wedi cael eu goddiweddyd. Roedd hi'n ddefnyddiol cael cadarnhad ynghylch cyfnod pontio ym mis Mawrth, gan fod hyn yn ansicr ar yr adeg y cynhaliodd y pwyllgor ei ymchwiliad. Rwy'n credu y gallwn weld bod y pwyllgor eisoes wedi dylanwadu ar Lywodraeth Cymru, ond rwy'n cytuno â datganiad Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn ei ymateb i'n hadroddiad, pan ddywed fod ei ymateb i argymhellion y pwyllgor yn dangos 'ein bod wedi dwysáu ein gwaith o baratoi ar gyfer Brexit'. Ond mae gennyf ddiddordeb arbennig yn ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin arfaethedig. Mae hyn wedi'i grybwyll fwy nag unwaith y prynhawn yma. Mae hyn yn effeithio'n uniongyrchol ar nifer o sefydliadau a roddodd dystiolaeth i'r pwyllgor, gan nodi eu pryderon ynghylch goblygiadau ariannol Brexit, gyda Chymru ar hyn o bryd yn elwa ar £680 miliwn o gyllid Ewropeaidd bob blwyddyn, a hefyd gan edrych ar randdeiliaid megis Cytûn a Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, a thynnu sylw at yr angen i unrhyw gronfa yn y dyfodol gael ei gweinyddu gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn hytrach na Llywodraeth y DU, ac i fod yn seiliedig ar angen yn hytrach na chyfran o'r boblogaeth. Felly, byddai o gymorth pe gallai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet egluro sut y defnyddir y dystiolaeth gan y pwyllgor yn yr achos y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud dros drefniadau ariannu yn y dyfodol, sydd wedi eu hamlinellu'n glir iawn yn eich adroddiad 'Buddsoddi Rhanbarthol yng Nghymru ar ôl Brexit', ac a all gadarnhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn ceisio sicrwydd na fydd Cymru yn waeth ei byd o ran arian cyfatebol o ganlyniad i adael yr UE. Nawr, mae Mick Antoniw eisoes wedi rhoi adborth oddi wrth yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol ar y pryderon sy'n codi o ganlyniad i'r dystiolaeth a roddwyd a sylwadau gan Lywodraeth y DU ynghylch y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin. Mae'n peri pryder, ac mae angen inni ddod â'r lleisiau at ei gilydd yng Nghymru a chynrychioli buddiannau Cymru yma yn y Siambr hon er mwyn sicrhau y mabwysiedir y cynigion ar ddull partneriaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer gweinyddu cyllid. Mae'n berthnasol i dynnu sylw at safbwyntiau'r pwyllgor yn yr adroddiad ar yr angen i ymdrin â materion cydraddoldeb a pharodrwydd ar gyfer Brexit. Nododd rhanddeiliaid eu pryderon yn yr ymchwiliad hwn am y goblygiadau i gydraddoldeb, gan ddweud bod yr UE wedi gwasanaethu fel rhwyd ddiogelwch, a mynegwyd pryderon ynghylch diffyg darpariaethau yn y Bil ymadael i drosi siarter yr UE ar hawliau sylfaenol i gyfraith ddomestig ar ôl Brexit. Rhoddodd y pwyllgorau sylw pellach i'r pryderon hyn, ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch yn croesawu'r llythyr ar y cyd at y Prif Weinidog gan David Rees a John Griffiths, Cadeiryddion y pwyllgorau perthnasol, ar oblygiadau Brexit i gydraddoldeb a hawliau dynol. Yn y llythyr at y Prif Weinidog mae Cadeiryddion ein pwyllgorau'n cyfeirio at y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin ac yn nodi mai Llywodraeth Cymru a ddylai weinyddu'r gronfa mewn perthynas â Chymru er mwyn sicrhau ei bod yn sensitif i anghenion anghydraddoldebau lleol. Maent hefyd yn dweud y dylid targedu arian tuag at fynd i'r afael ag anghydraddoldeb ac anfantais economaidd-gymdeithasol. Yn olaf, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ddoe gofynnais gwestiwn i arweinydd y tŷ ynglŷn â'n pŵer newydd i gychwyn dyletswydd economaidd-gymdeithasol Deddf Cydraddoldeb 2010. Gofynnaf unwaith eto i Lywodraeth Cymru ystyried hyn fel mater o flaenoriaeth, a chydnabod y byddai hon yn ffordd y gallai Lywodraeth helpu i sicrhau parodrwydd ar gyfer Brexit o ran mynd i'r afael â'r anghydraddoldebau sydd wedi cael sylw gan fuddsoddiad drwy'r rhaglenni Ewropeaidd. Mae'r rhaglenni hyn wedi helpu i wrthdroi'r anghydraddoldebau strwythurol sydd wedi difetha cymunedau a rhoi grwpiau yng Nghymru dan anfantais a'r anghydraddoldebau cynyddol o ganlyniad i gyni ariannol, cyflogau isel a pholisïau treth a budd-daliadau ymosodol Llywodraeth y DU sydd ond yn mynd i waethygu oni bai ein bod yn defnyddio'r holl bwerau sydd gennym at ein defnydd i fynd i'r afael â hyn. Rwy'n siŵr fod hyn yn rhan o'r modd y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru baratoi ar gyfer Brexit.