English: Every now and then, an idea comes along, an imaginative and innovative idea, and I think we have a duty, particularly in this Senedd, to embrace those ideas and the opportunities that they can present to us. The idea of a basic income has been around a long time. Economists, philosophers and politicians have long debated how to abolish poverty. The 1945 Labour Government began this journey in earnest by establishing the welfare state, and it worked for many decades. It took the unemployed, it took those unable to work and those in low-paid work out of poverty. And it worked reasonably well in a society where there was near full employment, strong trade unionism and a public commitment to the common good. Now, during the 1980s and subsequent decades, those three prerequisites, which underpin the welfare state, have been increasingly whittled away and undermined, which culminated in the disgraceful Tory Welfare Reform Act 2012. The attempt to create a new universal credit started off on the right track, with cross-party support, but alongside the bedroom tax, became discredited by a Tory Government fix with austerity. Since the days of Margaret Thatcher, political attitudes towards those on benefits have also become increasingly hostile. Consistent headlines about 'benefit cheats', 'welfare scroungers' and the latest Tory mantra, 'the deserving poor', have, I think, increasingly masked the poverty and inequality that has increasingly destabilised our society. So, now is the time for new thinking and new ideas. The emergence of the idea of a universal basic income is timely and welcome. The underlying principle for a UBI is that all adults should be paid an amount of money sufficient to have a reasonable basic standard of living. Now, there is the nub. What is reasonable? What is basic? What is sufficient? Added to that are many other challenges. We have already had some universal benefits, such as free prescriptions and child benefits, until recent changes, which go to everyone and are paid for by everyone. Universal basic income would be the same. It is in some ways no different to the concept of a basic tax-free allowance, except that it goes further and becomes a non-means-tested payment to every adult. Now, there can, of course, be special top-ups for special needs and that is one of the concepts. But there are many variations. So, making it work, winning support is the real challenge. Will society accept it? Will those who work be prepared to accept this concept? How will it impact on wages and those in work? What obligations will it place on society to ensure that socially useful and proper work is available and that people take up that work? What are the responsibilities of the recipients? How do you enforce those responsibilities? And there are many other questions. Now, if the idea of a UBI has the potential to eliminate poverty, we must consider it and discuss it and debate it and then come to a conclusion. Jack Sargeant has got the ball rolling with this individual Member's debate. It is an exciting debate. Let's continue this debate with an open mind, because we have much to gain and little to lose. Thank you, acting Llywydd.
Welsh: Bob hyn a hyn, daw syniad, syniad dychmygus ac arloesol, a chredaf fod gennym ddyletswydd, yn enwedig yn y Senedd hon, i groesawu'r syniadau hynny a'r cyfleoedd y gallant eu cynnig i ni. Mae'r syniad o incwm sylfaenol wedi bod o gwmpas am amser hir. Bu economegwyr, athronwyr a gwleidyddion yn trafod ers tro byd sut i drechu tlodi. Cychwynnodd Llywodraeth Lafur 1945 ar y daith hon o ddifrif drwy sefydlu'r wladwriaeth les, ac fe weithiodd am ddegawdau lawer. Cododd y di-waith, y rheini nad oeddent yn gallu gweithio a'r rhai mewn gwaith ar gyflogau isel allan o dlodi. Ac roedd yn gweithio'n eithaf da mewn cymdeithas lle roedd cyflogaeth lawn bron iawn, undebaeth lafur gref ac ymrwymiad cyhoeddus i'r lles cyffredin. Nawr, yn ystod y 1980au a'r degawdau dilynol, mae'r tri rhagofyniad hwnnw, sy'n sail i'r wladwriaeth les, wedi cael eu herydu a'u tanseilio fwyfwy gan arwain yn y pen draw at ddeddf warthus y Torïaid, Deddf Diwygio Lles 2012. Dechreuodd yr ymgais i greu credyd cynhwysol newydd ar y trywydd cywir, gyda chefnogaeth drawsbleidiol, ond ochr yn ochr â'r dreth ystafell wely, bwriwyd amheuaeth ar y syniad yn sgil obsesiwn y Llywodraeth Dorïaidd â chyni. Ers dyddiau Margaret Thatcher hefyd, mae agweddau gwleidyddol tuag at bobl ar fudd-daliadau wedi tyfu'n fwyfwy gelyniaethus. Credaf fod penawdau cyson am dwyllwyr budd-daliadau, lloffwyr taliadau lles, a mantra diweddaraf y Torïaid, y tlawd haeddiannol, wedi cuddio'r tlodi a'r anghydraddoldeb sydd wedi ansefydlogi ein cymdeithas fwyfwy. Felly, mae'n bryd cael meddylfryd newydd a syniadau newydd. Mae ymddangosiad y syniad o incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol yn amserol ac yn rhywbeth i'w groesawu. Yr egwyddor sylfaenol ar gyfer incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol yw y dylid talu swm o arian i bob oedolyn sy'n ddigonol i gael safon byw sylfaenol rhesymol. Nawr, dyna'r pwynt. Beth a olygir wrth rhesymol? Beth a olygir wrth sylfaenol? Beth sy'n ddigonol? Yn ychwanegol at hynny ceir llawer o heriau eraill. Rydym eisoes wedi cael rhai budd-daliadau cyffredinol, megis presgripsiynau am ddim a budd-daliadau plant, a oedd tan y newidiadau diweddar yn mynd i bawb ac mae pawb yn talu amdanynt. Byddai incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol yr un fath. Nid yw'n wahanol mewn rhai ffyrdd i'r cysyniad o lwfans sylfaenol di-dreth, ar wahân i'r ffaith ei fod yn mynd gam ymhellach ac yn dod yn daliad heb brawf modd i bob oedolyn. Nawr, wrth gwrs, gall fod taliadau ychwanegol arbennig ar gyfer anghenion arbennig a dyna un o'r cysyniadau. Ond mae yna lawer o amrywiadau. Felly, gwneud iddo weithio ac ennill cefnogaeth yw'r her wirioneddol. A fydd cymdeithas yn ei dderbyn? A fydd y rhai sy'n gweithio yn barod i dderbyn y cysyniad hwn? Sut y bydd yn effeithio ar gyflogau a'r rheini sydd mewn gwaith? Pa rwymedigaethau y bydd yn eu rhoi ar gymdeithas i sicrhau bod gwaith cymdeithasol defnyddiol a phriodol ar gael a bod pobl yn cyflawni'r gwaith hwnnw? Beth yw cyfrifoldebau'r derbynwyr? Sut rydych yn gorfodi'r cyfrifoldebau hynny? Ac mae llawer o gwestiynau eraill. Nawr, os oes gan y syniad o incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol botensial i ddileu tlodi, mae'n rhaid inni ei ystyried a'i drafod a dod i gasgliad yn ei gylch. Mae Jack Sargeant wedi dechrau'r broses gyda'r ddadl Aelod unigol hon. Mae'n ddadl gyffrous. Gadewch inni barhau â'r ddadl gyda meddwl agored, oherwydd mae gennym lawer i'w ennill a fawr ddim i'w golli. Diolch, Lywydd dros dro.