English: Let me start by thanking our Chair, Jenny Rathbone, my fellow Members and the committee clerks and researchers. As a committee, we have set ourselves the objective of championing equality, social justice and the well-being of future generations across the Senedd, so scrutinising the implementation of the well-being of future generations Act is a crucial part of this. And as we come to seven years since the Act was passed, now is a particularly poignant time at the start of our sixth Senedd to reflect and present ideas for improvements in how it is enacted. Our committee report has four key recommendations, so it may be small, but it is also mighty to ensure that our first-of-its-kind legislation is as effective as possible for all. Let me start by saying that I am pleased that recommendation 2 has been accepted by Welsh Government - to carry out an evaluation looking at the scope of the commissioner's work and responsibilities, and look to support future expansion. As you've just said, Sioned, there are lots of reasons why this needs to be done. In particular, I believe exploring the possibility of the commissioner's office being able to take on casework could be hugely beneficial to the people of Wales. I know that in my own constituency, Bridgend, we recently had a campaign where the local community came out and wanted to protect Brackla fields, as we call it, and they wrote to the future generations commissioner, who wrote them a letter back, which really did give them a big boost in terms of doing their campaign. But I think that if they could have had more guidance in terms of how they could have fought for their campaign in line with the legislation, that would have made a huge difference. Furthermore, part of the recommendation is that an evaluation should be undertaken in time for the appointment of the new future generations commissioner in 2023. So, as we begin to look to the next era of the office, I would also just like to thank our first future generations commissioner, Sophie Howe, and her team for all that she continues to do in providing evidence and suggestions for how to strengthen the office going forward, and the goals. I am also pleased the Welsh Government has accepted recommendation 4, in particular committing to set out plans for how to monitor and evaluate progress in implementing the Act and making sure that it's fit for purpose across public bodies. Again, I draw on what is happening in my own constituency, where we have lots of wonderful projects and plans in the pipeline for regeneration. However, when I met with the future generations commissioner to have a chat about some of these and whether or not they were in line with the plans and the legislation, it's not something that they can look into at the time; it's something that will be assessed later on with these periodic reports that are done. Unfortunately, that means that even though it may be unintentional that it hasn't been in line, it is lacking, and decisions have already been made that cannot be undone. I'd like to thank the Permanent Secretary for responding to our recommendation 3, relating to providing training and professional development to ensure that Welsh Government employees fully understand and comply with the Act, and I welcome the update on the recently launched Welsh Government 2025 three-year programme for organisational development, and also a platform so that the workforce can feed back and talk about the changes and improvements that they would like to see. As we've already heard, the commissioner did make the point that she feels that the Welsh Government has relied quite heavily on their office to give them support, and to feed back on the work that it's doing and if it's in line with the goals and the legislation. And so, hopefully training will mean that that comes down and that the commissioner's office has time to do other work. I'll end by saying that although not accepted, I do think that the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, when it has capacity, should carry out a review of the resourcing arrangements of the Wales commissioners. We've heard from Jenny and Sioned about the reasons why this is very relevant, and I do think that possibly that could include sharing of some back-room functions and staff across the board. Overall, I am satisfied with the Welsh Government response - thank you, Minister - and I'm confident that they will be taken seriously. I really do look forward to seeing how our world-leading legislation will strengthen and improve outcomes for the well-being of our future generations.
Welsh: Gadewch imi ddechrau drwy ddiolch i'n Cadeirydd, Jenny Rathbone, fy nghyd-Aelodau a chlercod ac ymchwilwyr y pwyllgor. Fel pwyllgor, rydym wedi gosod yr amcan i'n hunain o hyrwyddo cydraddoldeb, cyfiawnder cymdeithasol a llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol ar draws y Senedd, felly mae craffu ar weithrediad Deddf llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol yn rhan hanfodol o hyn. Ac wrth inni agosáu at saith mlynedd ers i'r Ddeddf gael ei phasio, mae nawr yn amser arbennig o addas ar ddechrau ein chweched Senedd i fyfyrio a chyflwyno syniadau ar gyfer gwelliannau yn y ffordd y caiff ei deddfu. Mae gan adroddiad ein pwyllgor bedwar argymhelliad allweddol, felly efallai ei fod yn fach, ond mae hefyd yn gryf, er mwyn sicrhau bod ein deddfwriaeth, y gyntaf o'i bath, mor effeithiol â phosibl i bawb. Gadewch imi ddechrau drwy ddweud fy mod yn falch fod argymhelliad 2 wedi'i dderbyn gan Lywodraeth Cymru - cynnal gwerthusiad a fydd yn edrych ar gwmpas gwaith a chyfrifoldebau'r comisiynydd, gyda'r bwriad o gefnogi unrhyw ehangu yn y dyfodol. Fel rydych newydd ei ddweud, Sioned, mae llawer o resymau pam fod angen gwneud hyn. Yn fwyaf arbennig, credaf y gallai archwilio'r posibilrwydd y gallai swyddfa'r comisiynydd ymgymryd â gwaith achos fod o fudd aruthrol i bobl Cymru. Gwn ein bod, yn fy etholaeth i, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr, wedi cael ymgyrch yn ddiweddar lle roedd y gymuned leol yn awyddus i ddiogelu caeau Bracla, fel rydym yn eu galw, a gwnaethant ysgrifennu at gomisiynydd cenedlaethau'r dyfodol, a ysgrifennodd lythyr yn ôl yn rhoi hwb mawr iddynt gyda'u hymgyrch. Ond pe baent wedi cael mwy o arweiniad ar sut y gallent fod wedi ymladd dros eu hymgyrch yn unol â'r ddeddfwriaeth, credaf y byddai hynny wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr. Yn ychwanegol at hynny, rhan o'r argymhelliad yw y dylid cynnal gwerthusiad cyn penodi comisiynydd cenedlaethau'r dyfodol newydd yn 2023. Felly, wrth inni ddechrau edrych at gyfnod y comisiynydd nesaf yn y swydd, hoffwn ddiolch i'n comisiynydd cenedlaethau'r dyfodol cyntaf, Sophie Howe, a'i thîm am bopeth y maent yn parhau i'w wneud yn darparu tystiolaeth ac awgrymiadau ar sut i gryfhau'r swydd wrth symud ymlaen, a'r nodau. Rwyf hefyd yn falch fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn argymhelliad 4, ac yn benodol, ymrwymo i nodi cynlluniau ar gyfer sut i fonitro a gwerthuso cynnydd ar weithredu'r Ddeddf a sicrhau ei bod yn addas i'r diben ar draws cyrff cyhoeddus. Unwaith eto, cyfeiriaf at yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn fy etholaeth i, lle mae gennym lawer o brosiectau a chynlluniau gwych ar y gweill ar gyfer adfywio. Fodd bynnag, pan gyfarfûm â chomisiynydd cenedlaethau'r dyfodol i gael sgwrs am rai o'r rhain a ph'un a oeddent yn cyd-fynd â'r cynlluniau a'r ddeddfwriaeth ai peidio, nid yw'n rhywbeth y gallant ymchwilio iddo ar y pryd; mae'n rhywbeth a fydd yn cael ei asesu'n ddiweddarach gyda'r adroddiadau cyfnodol hyn a gynhyrchir. Yn anffodus, er ei bod efallai'n anfwriadol nad yw wedi cyd-fynd, golyga hynny ei bod yn ddiffygiol, a bod penderfyniadau eisoes wedi'u gwneud na ellir eu dadwneud. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol am ymateb i argymhelliad 3, sy'n ymwneud â darparu hyfforddiant a datblygiad proffesiynol i sicrhau bod cyflogeion Llywodraeth Cymru yn deall y Ddeddf yn llawn ac yn cydymffurfio â hi, a chroesawaf y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am raglen tair blynedd 2025 Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer datblygu sefydliadol a lansiwyd yn ddiweddar, yn ogystal â llwyfan i'r gweithlu allu rhoi adborth a sôn am y newidiadau a'r gwelliannau yr hoffent eu gweld. Fel rydym wedi'i glywed eisoes, gwnaeth y comisiynydd y pwynt ei bod yn teimlo bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dibynnu cryn dipyn ar eu swyddfa am gymorth, ac i roi adborth ar y gwaith y mae'n ei wneud a ph'un a yw'n cyd-fynd â'r nodau a'r ddeddfwriaeth. Ac felly, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hyfforddiant yn golygu bod hynny'n lleihau a bod gan swyddfa'r comisiynydd amser i wneud gwaith arall. Rwyf am gloi drwy ddweud, er nad yw wedi'i dderbyn, y credaf y dylai'r Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus a Gweinyddiaeth Gyhoeddus, pan fydd ganddo gapasiti, gynnal adolygiad o drefniadau ariannu comisiynwyr Cymru. Clywsom gan Jenny a Sioned ynglŷn â'r rhesymau pam fod hyn yn berthnasol iawn, a chredaf o bosibl y gallai hynny gynnwys rhannu rhai swyddogaethau cefn swyddfa a staff yn gyffredinol. Ar y cyfan, rwy'n fodlon ag ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru - diolch, Weinidog - ac rwy'n hyderus y cânt eu cymryd o ddifrif. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at weld sut y bydd ein deddfwriaeth, y gyntaf o'i bath yn y byd, yn cryfhau ac yn gwella canlyniadau ar gyfer llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol.