English: However, there's now evidence that suppliers aren't following the basic rules to protect people in vulnerable circumstances. Again, Jack, you referred to the Citizen's Advice evidence. From September to December last year, more than three times the number of people were moved onto a prepayment meter for debt compared to the same period in 2019. Front-line advisers consistently see evidence of people in vulnerable circumstances being moved onto prepayment meters, in breach of energy supplier regulation. So, they are in breach. We need to look at those regulations, and that's what I'm going to do. These practices continued even after Ofgem wrote to suppliers in November to remind them of their obligations. Ofgem also published a report on Monday outlining its concerns about the sharp growth in households struggling to pay their bills being switched over to prepayment meters, sometimes without their even knowing about it, as we know, leaving them without heating. National Energy Action Cymru has highlighted the case of the magistrates' court that approved 496 warrants to install prepayment meters in just four minutes. Who are these magistrates? We must go to them. We must address this with them. Such practices risk vulnerable customers, including those with medical conditions, being forced onto prepayment meters when this could be unsafe. Approximately 200,000 households in Wales rely on prepayment meters for their mains gas and electricity. This represents about 15 per cent of all our households. Twenty-four per cent of tenants in the private rented sector use prepayment meters, and almost half of social housing tenants rely on prepayment meters. Welsh households were amongst the hardest hit by the increase in the standing charges being applied to household bills from last April. The highest increase in Britain was in north Wales, up 102 per cent, with south Wales witnessing standing charges up 94 per cent, the fourth highest in Britain. These additional costs to already rising fuel bills have had a disproportionate negative impact on low-income households and those on prepayment meters in particular. Citizen's Advice has highlighted record numbers of people who can no longer afford to top up their prepayment meters, including disproportionate demand from single-adult households, women and disabled households. There's no doubt that placing a customer on a more expensive tariff when they're already struggling to pay is disconnection by the back door. You know of the Welsh Government's range of initiatives that we've put forward and that we're implementing to keep homes warm this winter. The one I want to particularly just focus on is the Fuel Bank Foundation partnership, which has so far helped 14,377 people who are struggling to prepay for their fuel and were at risk of self-disconnection. The fuel voucher scheme has resulted in 5,500 vouchers being issued to help top up prepayment meters. People struggling to pay for their off-grid fuel have also received support. So, as I have done this afternoon, I'd take this opportunity to again urge Members to use their social media to encourage constituents who have a traditional prepayment meter to use their vouchers from the UK Government scheme. There is a 90-day expiry limit, and a worryingly large number are outstanding. But, I was also assured by energy suppliers on Monday that they would reissue those vouchers. I'm going to hold them to it, so they reissue those vouchers until people receive those vouchers. It's only 72 per cent at this time, for that £400, which is vital to the poorest in Wales. So, you know that we have our fuel support scheme already reaching 310,000 households with the £200 payment this year, increasing eligibility. I'd again urge eligible households, this financial year, to ensure they apply for this vital support, because this is crucial in terms of getting money into people's pockets. Our current funding allocation from the UK Government isn't sufficient for us to repeat the scheme in 2023-24, but we will lobby UK Ministers to provide further financial support for people during this difficult time. And we have also ensured that our discretionary assistance fund is there, with an increase, as you know, in the draft budget, to access emergency financial help in a crisis. We continue to call on the UK Government, which holds the key levers for tackling poverty, to put in place practical actions that have an immediate and positive impact on those affected by the rising cost of energy, particularly those on prepayment meters. And we have called - and I'm sure that you will join me today - in calling for the removal of standing charges for prepayment customers. That hopefully could be another statement of opinion. For two years, we've called on UK Ministers and Ofgem to introduce a social tariff to protect the most vulnerable households. They are now saying that they will look at this. I'm meeting Ofgem shortly. Most of the energy suppliers I met this week were moving towards being in support of this. We have got to call for that social tariff together. So, finally, thank you to Jack Sargeant, a tireless advocate and campaigner. I pay tribute to Jack for his determination. He's put this matter in the headlines not just here in Wales, but widespread across the UK. You've highlighted the detrimental impacts that the forced change to prepayment meters has had for vulnerable households. You've galvanised political and public support for proper checks to be undertaken in every case before switching a customer to prepayment. And you've repeated calls to Ofgem and the UK Government to ban the forced installation of prepayment meters, and I have backed all those calls, Jack, and it's so good to hear that our colleagues from Plaid Cymru and Welsh Liberal Democrats are backing the calls as well. So, you did make a difference last weekend - we've got to recognise that Jack Sargeant did have an influence. Grant Shapps wrote to UK energy suppliers this weekend, restating their duty under the regulations to protect vulnerable customers struggling to pay their bills. But that's not strong enough, that's not good enough. We've got to look at those regulations to see what we can do, and we have to ensure that we take these calls and this campaign forward together. Thank you very much. Diolch yn fawr, Jack.
Welsh: Er hynny, ceir tystiolaeth erbyn hyn nad yw cyflenwyr yn dilyn y rheolau sylfaenol i ddiogelu pobl mewn amgylchiadau bregus. Unwaith eto, Jack, fe gyfeirioch chi at dystiolaeth Cyngor ar Bopeth. Rhwng mis Medi a mis Rhagfyr y llynedd, cafodd dros dair gwaith y nifer o bobl eu newid i fesurydd rhagdalu oherwydd dyled o'i gymharu â'r un cyfnod yn 2019. Mae cynghorwyr rheng flaen yn gyson yn gweld tystiolaeth o bobl mewn amgylchiadau bregus yn cael eu newid i fesuryddion rhagdalu, yn groes i reoliadau ar gyfer cyflenwyr ynni. Felly, maent yn tramgwyddo. Mae angen inni edrych ar y rheoliadau hynny, a dyna rwy'n mynd i'w wneud. Parhaodd yr arferion hyn hyd yn oed ar ôl i Ofgem ysgrifennu at gyflenwyr ym mis Tachwedd i'w hatgoffa o'u rhwymedigaethau. Hefyd, ddydd Llun cyhoeddodd Ofgem adroddiad yn amlinellu eu pryderon am y twf sydyn yn nifer y cartrefi sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd talu eu biliau ac sy'n cael eu newid i fesuryddion rhagdalu, weithiau heb iddynt wybod hyd yn oed, fel y gwyddom, gan eu gadael heb wres. Mae National Energy Action Cymru wedi tynnu sylw at achos llys ynadon a gymeradwyodd 496 o warantau i osod mesuryddion rhagdalu mewn pedwar munud yn unig. Pwy yw'r ynadon hyn? Rhaid inni fynd atynt. Rhaid inni fynd i'r afael â hyn gyda hwy. Mae arferion o'r fath yn peryglu cwsmeriaid bregus, gan gynnwys y rhai sydd â chyflyrau meddygol, drwy eu gorfodi ar fesuryddion rhagdalu pan allai hynny fod yn beryglus. Mae tua 200,000 o gartrefi yng Nghymru'n dibynnu ar fesuryddion rhagdalu am eu prif gyflenwad nwy a thrydan. Mae hyn oddeutu 15 y cant o'n holl aelwydydd. Mae 24% o denantiaid yn y sector rhentu preifat yn defnyddio mesuryddion rhagdalu, ac mae bron i hanner y tenantiaid tai cymdeithasol yn dibynnu ar fesuryddion rhagdalu. Roedd aelwydydd Cymru ymhlith y rhai a gafodd eu taro waethaf gan y cynnydd yn y taliadau sefydlog ar filiau aelwydydd er mis Ebrill diwethaf. Roedd y cynnydd mwyaf ym Mhrydain yng ngogledd Cymru, i fyny 102 y cant, gyda de Cymru'n gweld taliadau sefydlog yn codi 94 y cant, y pedwerydd uchaf ym Mhrydain. Mae'r costau ychwanegol hyn ar filiau tanwydd sydd eisoes yn cynyddu wedi cael effaith negyddol anghymesur ar aelwydydd incwm isel a'r rhai ar fesuryddion rhagdalu yn fwyaf arbennig. Mae Cyngor ar Bopeth wedi tynnu sylw at y nifer uchaf erioed o bobl na all fforddio taliad atodol ar gyfer eu mesuryddion rhagdalu, gan gynnwys galw anghymesur gan aelwydydd un oedolyn, menywod ac aelwydydd anabl. Nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth fod gosod cwsmer ar dariff drytach a hwythau eisoes yn ei chael hi'n anodd talu yn fodd o ddatgysylltu drwy'r drws cefn. Fe wyddoch am ystod Llywodraeth Cymru o fentrau a gyflwynwyd gennym ac a weithredir gennym i gadw cartrefi'n gynnes y gaeaf hwn. Yr un yr hoffwn ganolbwyntio'n arbennig arno yw partneriaeth Sefydliad y Banc Tanwydd, sydd hyd yma wedi helpu 14,377 o bobl sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd rhagdalu am eu tanwydd ac a oedd yn wynebu risg o ddatgysylltu eu hunain. Mae'r cynllun talebau tanwydd wedi arwain at roi 5,500 o dalebau i helpu gyda thaliad atodol ar gyfer mesuryddion rhagdalu. Mae pobl sy'n cael trafferth talu am eu tanwydd oddi ar y grid hefyd wedi cael cymorth. Felly, fel y gwneuthum y prynhawn yma, hoffwn fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn eto i annog Aelodau i ddefnyddio eu cyfryngau cymdeithasol i annog etholwyr sydd â mesurydd rhagdalu traddodiadol i ddefnyddio eu talebau gan gynllun Llywodraeth y DU. Dônt i ben ar ôl 90 diwrnod, ac mae'r nifer sydd eto i'w defnyddio yn bryderus o uchel. Ond cefais sicrwydd gan gyflenwyr ynni ddydd Llun y byddent yn ailddarparu'r talebau hynny. Fe wnaf yn siŵr eu bod yn cadw at hynny, felly byddant yn ailddarparu'r talebau hynny hyd nes y bydd pobl yn cael y talebau hynny. Nid yw ond yn 72 y cant ar hyn o bryd, am y £400, sy'n hanfodol i'r bobl dlotaf yng Nghymru. Felly, fe wyddoch fod gennym ein cynllun cymorth tanwydd eisoes yn cyrraedd 310,000 o aelwydydd gyda'r taliad o £200 eleni, gan gynyddu cymhwysedd. Unwaith eto, byddwn yn annog aelwydydd cymwys, y flwyddyn ariannol hon, i sicrhau eu bod yn ymgeisio am y cymorth hanfodol hwn, oherwydd mae'n hanfodol er mwyn cael arian i bocedi pobl. Nid yw ein dyraniad cyllid presennol gan Lywodraeth y DU yn ddigonol inni ailadrodd y cynllun yn 2023-24, ond byddwn yn lobïo Gweinidogion y DU i ddarparu cymorth ariannol pellach i bobl yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn. Ac rydym hefyd wedi sicrhau bod ein cronfa cymorth dewisol yno, gyda chynnydd yn y gyllideb ddrafft, fel y gwyddoch, i allu cael cymorth ariannol brys mewn argyfwng. Rydym yn parhau i alw ar Lywodraeth y DU, sydd â'r prif ysgogiadau at ei defnydd ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â thlodi, i roi camau ymarferol ar waith sy'n effeithio'n uniongyrchol a chadarnhaol ar y rhai yr effeithir arnynt gan gost gynyddol ynni, yn enwedig y rhai ar fesuryddion rhagdalu. Ac rydym wedi galw - ac rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n ymuno â mi heddiw i wneud hynny hefyd - i alw am ddileu taliadau sefydlog ar gyfer cwsmeriaid rhagdalu. Fe allai hynny fod yn ddatganiad barn arall, gobeithio. Ers dwy flynedd, rydym wedi galw ar Weinidogion y DU ac Ofgem i gyflwyno tariff cymdeithasol i ddiogelu'r aelwydydd mwyaf agored i niwed. Maent bellach yn dweud y byddant yn edrych ar hyn. Rwy'n cyfarfod ag Ofgem yn fuan. Roedd y rhan fwyaf o'r cyflenwyr ynni y gwneuthum eu cyfarfod yr wythnos hon yn symud tuag at gefnogi hyn. Mae'n rhaid inni alw am y tariff cymdeithasol gyda'n gilydd. Felly, yn olaf, diolch i Jack Sargeant, dadleuwr ac ymgyrchydd diflino. Rwy'n talu teyrnged i Jack am ei natur benderfynol. Mae wedi rhoi'r mater hwn yn y penawdau nid yn unig yma yng Nghymru, ond yn eang ar draws y DU. Rydych chi wedi tynnu sylw at yr effeithiau niweidiol y mae'r newid gorfodol i fesuryddion rhagdalu wedi'u cael ar aelwydydd bregus. Rydych chi wedi ysgogi cefnogaeth wleidyddol a chyhoeddus i gynnal gwiriadau priodol ym mhob achos cyn newid cwsmer i fesurydd rhagdalu. Ac rydych chi wedi ailadrodd galwadau ar Ofgem a Llywodraeth y DU i wahardd gosod mesuryddion rhagdalu drwy orfodaeth, ac rwyf wedi cefnogi'r holl alwadau hynny, Jack, ac mae mor dda clywed bod ein cyd-Aelodau o Blaid Cymru a'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymreig yn cefnogi'r galwadau hefyd. Felly, fe wnaethoch chi wahaniaeth y penwythnos diwethaf - mae'n rhaid inni gydnabod bod gan Jack Sargeant ddylanwad. Ysgrifennodd Grant Shapps at gyflenwyr ynni'r DU y penwythnos hwn yn datgan eu dyletswydd o dan y rheoliadau i ddiogelu cwsmeriaid bregus sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd talu eu biliau. Ond nid yw hynny'n ddigon cryf, nid yw hynny'n ddigon da. Mae'n rhaid inni edrych ar y rheoliadau hynny i weld beth y gallwn ei wneud, ac mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau ein bod yn symud ymlaen gyda'r galwadau hyn a'r ymgyrch hon gyda'n gilydd. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Jack.