English: Can I thank Russell George for his questions and very constructive and positive response to the statement today? Can I put on record my thanks to Russell George and all opposition spokespeople for the regular opportunity to discuss the economic crisis that we face? I find their contributions, their ideas and their critique very welcome indeed. There were a number of important questions that Russell George posed, but can I just say that he was absolutely right in identifying the Welsh Government's role as being a supportive role in terms of the work that we do with the UK Government in trying to save jobs? We are all in the business of trying to rescue businesses and save jobs right now. We are working closely together. I have very regular calls with UK Government Ministers, and I have to say that, on occasions, the UK Government has responded to the Welsh Government's critique and to the Welsh Government's calls for changes to systems, and they've done so in a positive way. I can identify one specific case where that's happened, and this is important in regard to the jobs support scheme. With regard to the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme, we called for a number of changes to be made and those changes were made, and, as a consequence of that, more Welsh businesses were able to secure support through that particular scheme. I welcome the jobs support scheme, very much so. It's absolutely vital that we avoided a cliff edge at the end of October. However, in our immediate assessment of the jobs support scheme, it has become apparent that a number of sectors and a significant number of businesses may not be able to draw down the support required in order to avoid job losses - that the intervention rate may not be significant enough. Therefore, whilst I welcome the jobs support scheme, I'd also urge UK Government Ministers to keep an open mind, to be very vigilant as to whether the scheme is operating as intended, and, if not, to make the necessary adjustments to ensure that as many businesses and as many workers as possible benefit. As I say, that happened with CBILS, and I hope that it will happen, if necessary, with the jobs support scheme. We always intended to deploy the economic resilience fund in phases. We simply couldn't have spent the £500 million in a single phase and expected businesses to weather a storm that could, and is likely to, last beyond the autumn of this year. It was always our intention, therefore, to retain funding for further rounds of support for business. I believe that is the right thing to do. We've allocated to date £480 million of the £500 million of the economic resilience fund. That, of course, is in addition to the £768 million that has been invested in businesses across Wales through the rates-related grant scheme. That means that we have £20 million in reserve, and that is important for a potential further round of local restrictions-linked support in the winter. I recognise that there's great urgency required in terms of how we deploy our funding, and Business Wales, as I said in my statement, will be going live with their eligibility checker next week. By the end of October, applications will have been made by businesses and I think, as we've shown in previous rounds of support, we'll be getting money out of the door into business accounts in no time at all once those applications have been processed. I can confirm as well that we're operating pretty much the same scheme as has been utilised in parts of England in terms of the grants that are being made available. And I should just say that no business is - as Russell George rightly said, no business is forced to close by the regulations, but it may well be that business owners feel that there is no option but to close, because of a loss of footfall and custom, and therefore there is the likelihood of a serious loss of income, of turnover, and therefore, in turn, it's vitally important that we step in and support those businesses on a rolling basis. We've modelled how many businesses we can support with the £60 million of the local lockdown fund. We believe that, based on the current scenario across Wales, the current landscape, we'd be able to provide two rounds of funding to businesses through local lockdown interventions. That's a very significant period of support, because each period would likely last three weeks, and therefore this takes us through to the new year, when I say - . And I've already said, we've got £20 million in our reserve to deploy potentially a further round. That £20 million could also be utilised for not so much sector-specific support, but any particular sub-regional activity that needs to take place, if there is a significant loss of jobs in a particular area. And we're working with local stakeholders, with local government leaders, to ensure that, where there is a particular challenge, we're able to deploy funds in that area, working closely together with local authority officials. But there are other sectors that require urgent support - aerospace is perhaps the most obvious one. We've regularly called for a sector deal for aerospace, in light of the challenges that businesses are facing because of coronavirus. A taskforce has been established, led by Tom Williams, a superb expert in aerospace and aviation, and it's absolutely vital that we as a Welsh Government and the other devolved administrations play a full role in any activity concerning the response to the challenges that aerospace and aviation businesses face. Can I just also touch on another important point that was raised? It's not true that union recognition is an absolute requirement of funding, because it's not always viable for union recognition in every instance, but what we have said is that, as a consequence of receiving economic resilience funds, it's absolutely vital that a business has signed up to the principles of the economic contract and then develops a firm economic contract. And, as part of the process of developing that firm economic contract, we have invited trade unions to engage with businesses that have benefited from the public purse. And I think that's absolutely right as we strive to build back better, as we strive to ensure that the recovery is just and fair. We make no apologies for doing all we can to support not just businesses but employees as well.
Welsh: A gaf i ddiolch i Russell George am ei gwestiynau a'i ymateb adeiladol a chadarnhaol iawn i'r datganiad heddiw? A gaf i ddiolch ar goedd i Russell George a holl lefarwyr y gwrthbleidiau am y cyfle sy'n dod yn rheolaidd i drafod yr argyfwng economaidd sy'n ein hwynebu ni? Rwy'n croesawu eu cyfraniadau nhw, eu syniadau nhw a'u beirniadaethau nhw'n fawr iawn. Fe ofynnodd Russell George nifer o gwestiynau pwysig, ond a gaf i ddweud ei fod yn llygad ei le wrth nodi mai swyddogaeth gefnogol sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru o ran y gwaith a wnawn ni gyda Llywodraeth y DU wrth geisio diogelu swyddi? Ein gwaith ni i gyd yw ceisio achub busnesau ac amddiffyn swyddi ar hyn o bryd. Rydym yn gweithio'n agos â'n gilydd. Rwy'n cael galwadau rheolaidd iawn gan Weinidogion Llywodraeth y DU, ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud bod Llywodraeth y DU, ar adegau, wedi ymateb i feirniadaeth Llywodraeth Cymru a galwadau Llywodraeth Cymru am newidiadau i systemau, ac maen nhw wedi gwneud hynny mewn ffordd gadarnhaol. Fe allaf i nodi un achos penodol lle mae hynny wedi digwydd, ac mae hyn yn bwysig o ran y cynllun cymorth swyddi. O ran y cynllun benthyciadau amharu ar fusnes oherwydd coronafeirws, roeddem ni'n galw am wneud nifer o newidiadau ac fe ddigwyddodd y newidiadau hynny, ac, o ganlyniad i hynny, roedd modd i fwy o fusnesau yng Nghymru gael eu cefnogi drwy'r cynllun arbennig hwnnw. Rwy'n croesawu'r cynllun i gefnogi swyddi, ydw wir. Mae'n gwbl hanfodol ein bod ni wedi osgoi dod â hwnnw i ben yn ddisymwth ar ddiwedd mis Hydref. Er hynny, yn ein hasesiad uniongyrchol ni o'r cynllun cymorth swyddi, fe ddaeth yn amlwg na fydd nifer o sectorau na nifer sylweddol o fusnesau, efallai, yn gallu cael y cymorth sydd ei angen i osgoi colli swyddi - efallai na fydd y gyfradd ymyrraeth yn ddigon mawr. Felly, er fy mod i'n croesawu'r cynllun cymorth swyddi, fe fyddwn i'n annog Gweinidogion Llywodraeth y DU i gadw meddwl agored hefyd, a bod yn wyliadwrus iawn fod y cynllun yn gweithredu fel y'i bwriadwyd, ac, os nad na, i wneud yr addasiadau angenrheidiol i sicrhau bod cynifer o fusnesau a chymaint o weithwyr â phosibl yn elwa arno. Fel y dywedais, fe ddigwyddodd hynny gyda'r Cynllun Benthyciadau Amharu ar Fusnesau oherwydd Coronafeirws, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny'n digwydd, pe byddai angen, gyda'r cynllun cymorth swyddi. Roeddem bob amser wedi bwriadu defnyddio'r gronfa cadernid economaidd cam wrth gam. Ni allem fod wedi gwario'r £500 miliwn ar un cam a disgwyl i fusnesau ddod trwy'r gwaethaf a allai barhau y tu hwnt i'r hydref eleni, ac sy'n debygol o wneud hynny. Ein bwriad ni bob amser, felly, oedd cadw cyllid ar gyfer cylchoedd pellach o gymorth i fusnesau. Rwy'n credu mai dyna'r peth iawn i'w wneud. Rydym wedi dyrannu £480 miliwn hyd yn hyn o'r £500 miliwn o'r gronfa cadernid economaidd. Mae hynny, wrth gwrs, dros ben y £768 miliwn a fuddsoddwyd mewn busnesau ledled Cymru drwy'r cynllun grant sy'n gysylltiedig ag ardrethi. Mae hynny'n golygu bod gennym £20 miliwn wrth gefn, ac mae hynny'n bwysig ar gyfer cylch arall bosibl o gymorth lleol sy'n gysylltiedig â chyfyngiadau yn y gaeaf. Rwy'n cydnabod bod angen brys i benderfynu ar sut i ddefnyddio ein cyllid, ac fe fydd Busnes Cymru, fel y dywedais i yn fy natganiad, yn rhoi eu gwirydd cymhwysedd nhw ar waith yr wythnos nesaf. Erbyn diwedd mis Hydref, fe fydd ceisiadau wedi cael eu gwneud gan fusnesau ac rwy'n credu, fel yr ydym ni wedi dangos mewn cylchoedd o gymorth yn flaenorol, y byddwn ni'n gweld yr arian yng nghyfrifon busnesau mewn dim o amser wedi i'r ceisiadau hynny gael eu prosesu. Gallaf gadarnhau hefyd ein bod ni'n gweithredu fwy neu lai yr un cynllun ag a ddefnyddir mewn rhannau o Loegr o ran y grantiau sydd ar gael. Ac fe ddylwn i ddweud nad oes unrhyw fusnes - fel y dywedodd Russell George yn gywir, nad oes unrhyw fusnes yn cael ei orfodi i gau gan y rheoliadau, ond mae'n ddigon posibl bod perchnogion busnes yn teimlo nad oes dewis ganddyn nhw ond cau, oherwydd diffyg ymwelwyr a chwsmeriaid, ac felly mae'n debygol y caiff incwm sylweddol iawn ei golli, o ddiffyg gwerthiant, ac felly, yn ei dro, mae'n hanfodol bwysig ein bod ni'n dod i'r adwy ac yn cefnogi'r busnesau hynny ar sail dreigl. Rydym wedi modelu faint o fusnesau y gallwn ni eu cefnogi gyda'r £60 miliwn o'r gronfa cyfnodau clo lleol. Rydym o'r farn, yn seiliedig ar y sefyllfa bresennol ledled Cymru, y darlun presennol, y byddem yn gallu darparu dau gylch o gyllid i fusnesau drwy ymyriadau cyfnodau clo lleol. Mae hwnnw'n gyfnod sylweddol iawn o gefnogaeth, oherwydd fe fyddai pob cyfnod yn debygol o bara am dair wythnos, ac felly mae hyn yn mynd â ni drwodd i'r flwyddyn newydd, pan ddywedaf i - . Ac rwyf wedi dweud eisoes, mae gennym £20 miliwn yn ein cronfa wrth gefn i ddefnyddio un cylch arall o bosibl. Fe ellid defnyddio'r £20 miliwn hwnnw hefyd ar gyfer nid yn gymaint gymorth sy'n benodol i'r sector, ond unrhyw weithgarwch is-ranbarthol penodol y mae angen ei gynnal, os collir llawer o swyddi mewn ardal benodol. Ac rydym yn gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid lleol, gydag arweinwyr llywodraeth leol, i sicrhau, lle ceir her benodol, ein bod ni'n gallu defnyddio arian yn y maes hwnnw, gan gydweithio'n agos â swyddogion yr awdurdodau lleol. Ond fe geir sectorau eraill y mae angen cymorth brys arnynt - y sector awyrofod yw'r un amlycaf efallai. Rydym wedi galw am fargen sector ar gyfer awyrofod yn gyson iawn, yng ngoleuni'r heriau a wynebir gan fusnesau oherwydd coronafeirws. Cafodd tasglu ei sefydlu, dan arweiniad Tom Williams, arbenigwr gwych ym maes awyrofod ac awyrennau, ac mae'n gwbl hanfodol ein bod ni, fel Llywodraeth Cymru, a'r gweinyddiaethau datganoledig eraill, â rhan lawn i'w chwarae mewn unrhyw weithgaredd sy'n ymwneud ag ymateb i'r heriau y mae'r busnesau awyrofod ac awyrennau yn eu hwynebu. A gaf i hefyd gyfeirio at bwynt pwysig arall a gafodd ei godi? Nid yw'n wir fod cydnabod undeb llafur yn un o'r gofynion pendant ar gyfer cael cyllid, oherwydd nid yw bob amser yn ymarferol cydnabod undeb llafur ym mhob achos. Ond yr hyn y gwnaethom ni ei ddweud yw, o ganlyniad i dderbyn arian o gronfeydd cadernid economaidd, mae'n gwbl hanfodol bod busnes wedi ymrwymo i egwyddorion y contract economaidd ac yna ddatblygu contract economaidd cadarn. Ac, yn rhan o'r broses o ddatblygu'r contract economaidd cadarn hwnnw, rydym wedi gwahodd undebau llafur i ymgysylltu â busnesau sydd wedi elwa ar bwrs y wlad. Ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n hollol iawn wrth inni ymdrechu i ddod 'nôl yn gryfach, wrth i ni ymdrechu i sicrhau bod yr adferiad yn un teg. Nid ydym yn ymddiheuro am wneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i gefnogi nid yn unig y busnesau ond y gweithwyr hefyd.