English: I met an Iraqi refugee last week who had lost every single member of his family as a result of the conflict in Iraq. Getting rid of Saddam Hussein seemed a good idea at the time to many, in 2003, but the words of caution were not heeded - that this would lead to a conflagration of sectarian conflict that most people in this country, quite rightly, had little understanding of the complexity of it. This turf war that has erupted - this sectarian strife - he could not have paid a higher price. Did we have a duty to offer asylum to this individual and others like him? Of course, we do. When asylum seekers are first dispersed to Wales, most of them arrive at Lynx House on Newport Road in my constituency. After three or four weeks in hostel accommodation, they are then placed in temporary accommodation - which may be in Cardiff, it may be in Newport, it may be in Swansea or maybe further afield. Most asylum-seeking families are destitute, arriving with little more than the clothes on their backs. Our inquiry highlights that children make up between 13 and 20 per cent of the local destitute population. It's a sad fact that asylum seeker benefits are too low to actually meet the basic needs of this community and one of the biggest problems faced by families is that they simply don't have the bus fare to get to services. So, they have to walk or go by bike. So, it's particularly important that services are available near to Lynx House, because obviously that is where there is a concentration of asylum seekers. I just want to pay tribute to members of the community who have risen to the challenge and who are providing services, mainly on a voluntary basis, picking up on the fact that Cardiff is a city of sanctuary for those seeking refuge from war and persecution and that that is a network of people who are prepared to promote mainly voluntary partnerships to support people seeking sanctuary here. For example, the Oasis refugee centre, which the committee visited, is based in a former Methodist church in Splott. Set up in 2008, Oasis Cardiff has helped hundreds who have fled war and political persecution from a huge range of countries that have been overcome by war and conflict - many of them our Government has helped, or failed to avoid. It's got nine part-time staff and literally dozens of volunteers, because at least 150 people walk through the door every single day. When we visited, there were at least 35 people in an upstairs room all being given English for speakers of other languages lessons from one individual volunteer - it was an incredible sight. Within my constituency, which is not that far away from Oasis, there is the Trinity Centre, which is based in another former Methodist church. For the last five years, they have provided a home for at least three voluntary organisations. Space4U operates a drop-in system offering information, English lessons, a food and clothing bank, craft sessions, as well as food and drink and friendship. There's a parent and toddler group linked to Space4U held twice a week, and that's open, not just to asylum seekers and refugees, but to members of the local community as well, and so it's a great opportunity for people to interact and to practice what little English they may have. There's also something called Home4U, working closely with Space4U, to offer temporary accommodation in empty properties that have been lent to the project. One of my constituents plays a strategic role in overseeing these services, undeterred by the fact that he's been struck down by Parkinson's, and I was deeply honoured to nominate him and his wife to attend the Queen's garden party in recognition of his contribution to the community, despite his disability. In light of the heinous terrorist attack allegedly committed by another of my constituents this week, I thought it was really important to put on record that most of my constituents in Cardiff Central are more than happy to offer the hand of friendship. I thank you for listening to my contribution.
Welsh: Cyfarfûm â ffoadur o Irac yr wythnos diwethaf a oedd wedi colli pob aelod o'i deulu yn sgil y gwrthdaro yn Irac. Roedd cael gwared ar Saddam Hussein yn ymddangos yn syniad da i lawer ar y pryd, yn 2003, ond ni wrandawyd ar y geiriau o rybudd - y byddai'n arwain at danio gwrthdaro sectyddol nad oedd gan y rhan fwyaf o bobl yn y wlad hon, yn gwbl deg, fawr iawn o ddealltwriaeth ynglŷn â'i gymhlethdod. Y rhyfel cartref sydd wedi ffrwydro - yr ymladd sectyddol - ni allai'r ffoadur hwn fod wedi talu pris uwch. A oedd gennym ddyletswydd i gynnig lloches i'r unigolyn hwn ac eraill tebyg iddo? Wrth gwrs bod. Pan fydd ceiswyr lloches yn cael eu dosbarthu gyntaf i Gymru, bydd y rhan fwyaf ohonynt yn cyrraedd Lynx House ar Heol Casnewydd yn fy etholaeth. Ar ôl tair neu bedair wythnos mewn llety hostel, cânt eu rhoi wedyn mewn llety dros dro - gallai hynny fod yng Nghaerdydd, gall fod yng Nghasnewydd, gall fod yn Abertawe neu ymhellach efallai. Mae'r rhan fwyaf o deuluoedd sy'n ceisio lloches yn amddifad, ac wedi cyrraedd heb fawr mwy na'r dillad sydd amdanynt. Mae ein hymchwiliad yn amlygu'r ffaith mai plant yw rhwng 13 a 20 y cant o'r boblogaeth amddifad leol. Mae'n ffaith drist fod budd-daliadau ceiswyr lloches yn rhy isel i ddiwallu anghenion sylfaenol y gymuned hon mewn gwirionedd ac un o'r problemau mwyaf sy'n wynebu teuluoedd yn syml iawn yw nad oes ganddynt arian i dalu am daith fws i gyrraedd gwasanaethau. Felly, mae'n rhaid iddynt gerdded neu fynd ar feic. Felly, mae'n arbennig o bwysig fod gwasanaethau ar gael yn agos at Lynx House, oherwydd yn amlwg, dyna ble y ceir crynodiad o geiswyr lloches. Roeddwn eisiau talu teyrnged i aelodau o'r gymuned sydd wedi ymateb i'r her ac sy'n darparu gwasanaethau, yn bennaf ar sail wirfoddol, gan nodi'r ffaith fod Caerdydd yn ddinas noddfa ar gyfer y rhai sy'n ceisio lloches rhag rhyfel ac erledigaeth a bod hynny'n golygu rhwydwaith o bobl sy'n barod i hyrwyddo partneriaethau gwirfoddol yn bennaf i gefnogi pobl sy'n chwilio am loches yma. Er enghraifft, mae canolfan ffoaduriaid Oasis, yr ymwelodd y pwyllgor â hi, wedi'i lleoli mewn hen gapel Methodistiaid yn Sblot. Sefydlwyd Oasis Caerdydd yn 2008, ac mae wedi helpu cannoedd o bobl sydd wedi ffoi rhag rhyfel ac erledigaeth wleidyddol o ystod eang o wledydd a lethwyd gan ryfel a gwrthdaro - ac mae ein Llywodraeth wedi helpu llawer ohonynt, neu wedi methu osgoi gwneud hynny. Mae'n meddu ar naw aelod o staff rhan-amser a dwsinau, yn llythrennol, o wirfoddolwyr, gan fod o leiaf 150 o bobl yn cerdded drwy'r drws bob dydd. Pan oeddem yno, roedd o leiaf 35 o bobl mewn ystafell i fyny'r grisiau i gyd yn cael gwers Saesneg i siaradwyr ieithoedd eraill gan un gwirfoddolwr - roedd yn olygfa anhygoel. Yn fy etholaeth, nad yw mor bell â hynny o Oasis, ceir Canolfan y Drindod, sydd wedi'i lleoli mewn hen gapel Methodistaidd arall. Dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf, maent wedi darparu cartref i o leiaf dri sefydliad gwirfoddol. Mae Space4U yn gweithredu system galw heibio sy'n cynnig gwybodaeth, gwersi Saesneg, banc bwyd a dillad, sesiynau crefft, yn ogystal â bwyd a diod a chyfeillgarwch. Mae yna grŵp rhieni a phlant bach sy'n gysylltiedig â Space4U yn cyfarfod ddwywaith yr wythnos, ac mae'n agored, nid yn unig i geiswyr lloches a ffoaduriaid, ond i aelodau o'r gymuned leol yn ogystal, ac felly mae'n gyfle gwych i bobl ryngweithio ac i ymarfer yr ychydig Saesneg a allai fod ganddynt. Hefyd, mae yna rywbeth o'r enw Home4U, sy'n gweithio'n agos gyda Space4U, i gynnig llety dros dro mewn adeiladau gwag a roddwyd ar fenthyg i'r prosiect. Mae un o fy etholwyr yn chwarae rôl strategol yn goruchwylio'r gwasanaethau hyn, heb ei rwystro gan y ffaith ei fod yn dioddef o glefyd Parkinson, a chefais yr anrhydedd o'i enwebu ef a'i wraig i fynychu garddwest y Frenhines i gydnabod ei gyfraniad i'r gymuned, er gwaethaf ei anabledd. Yn wyneb yr ymosodiad terfysgol erchyll yr honnir iddo gael ei gyflawni gan un arall o fy etholwyr yr wythnos hon, roeddwn yn meddwl ei bod yn bwysig iawn cofnodi bod y rhan fwyaf o fy etholwyr yng Nghanol Caerdydd yn fwy na pharod i estyn llaw cyfeillgarwch. Diolch i chi am wrando ar fy nghyfraniad.