English: So, last Friday, we opened the application process for the fund. The rate of applications in the days since has been unprecedented. More than 6,000 grant applications were received within just 24 hours of the launch. And as of 6 a.m. this morning, the economic resilience fund has received 5,842 microbusiness applications, totalling £56.7 million, and 2,267 SME applications that have totalled £127.3 million. So, overall, the total is 8,109 applications, totalling £184 million. I think that that demand speaks to the scale of the crisis that we now find ourselves in, and that's why I was pleased on Monday of this week to have responded with pace to release a further £100 million into this current phase of the economic resilience fund. It's worth saying that this work builds on the more than £440 million-worth of business rates grants that have now reached nearly 35,000 businesses across Wales. Local authorities, Dirprwy Lywydd, have worked with urgency and with skill to process payments and are doing a fantastic job getting funding to businesses as quickly as possible. So, I'd like to thank every single local authority who has played a part in this work. I'd also like to pay further tribute to the staff at both Business Wales and the Development Bank of Wales, and to my officials, who've worked tirelessly, often in difficult personal circumstances, to develop the most comprehensive package of support for businesses anywhere in the UK. We've sought to strike the balance between supporting as many enterprises as possible and making a meaningful contribution to each one's survival. But in doing so, we are not losing sight of our longer term ambitions: the need to decarbonise the Welsh economy, the need to increase the incidence of fair work and the need to raise the skills levels of individuals across Wales. And that is why we have asked each recipient of our support to sign up to the principles of the economic contract. The fund and criteria will be reviewed before the next phase is released. And I'd like to welcome, in addition, the action of the UK Government in terms of the job retention scheme that is now opened, and I welcome the extension of the scheme as well until at least the end of June. On Monday, the UK Government announced a package of support to innovative new companies that are not eligible for existing coronavirus rescue schemes. To qualify, a company must have raised £0.25 million or more privately in the last five years. It's important, I think, that the UK Government monitors progress of the scheme to ensure that this threshold does not deter vibrant and viable businesses from accessing support. In Wales, start-ups that were established prior to 1 March of this year will be able to apply for the economic resilience fund if they meet, of course, the eligibility criteria. This sits alongside the already well-established and high-quality package of pre-COVID support for small businesses that is available through the Development Bank of Wales and, of course, Business Wales's start-up loans and comprehensive advice. So, while a lot has been done, I also should say that there is still a lot to be done. There is an urgent need to see more of the promised lending guaranteed by the UK Government, getting to the front line. The UK Government must continue to support and press the high-street banks to be far more responsive to the needs of our businesses at this incredibly difficult time. I believe that there is a lot that high-street banks could learn from our very own Development Bank of Wales in the way that it has adapted to the current period that we're in - making sure that it has adapted its own policies and processes to get funding and support to businesses without delay. So, Dirprwy Lywydd, we are all incredibly proud of businesses all over Wales - businesses that are stepping up to support the fight against COVID and to assist our NHS. There has been an overwhelmingly positive response from the business community to our call to action on PPE. Through it, we are now seeing innovative ways of working as businesses switch to making devices and products that will make a huge difference to our health and social care staff. Those currently furloughed or out of work, though, need support too. And that's why, on Monday, I launched our new e-learning provision aimed at improving skills and supporting mental well-being by helping individuals to prepare positively for the future, whatever that may bring. Through our new offer we have made available a range of high-quality and free online learning resources from trusted providers like the Open University. This provision is supported by online careers advice and guidance available for use by individuals across Wales via the Working Wales website. I now look forward to taking colleagues' questions.
Welsh: Felly, ddydd Gwener diwethaf, agorasom y broses ymgeisio ar gyfer y gronfa. Mae cyfradd y ceisiadau yn y dyddiau ers hynny wedi bod yn ddigynsail. Daeth mwy na 6,000 o geisiadau am grant i law o fewn 24 awr i'r lansiad. Erbyn 6 o'r gloch fore heddiw, roedd y gronfa cadernid economaidd wedi cael 5,842 o geisiadau gan ficrofusnesau, cyfanswm o £56.7 miliwn, a 2,267 o geisiadau gan fusnesau bach a chanolig eu maint, cyfanswm o £127.3 miliwn. Mae hynny gyda'i gilydd yn 8,109 o geisiadau, a chyfanswm o £184 miliwn. Credaf fod y galw hwnnw'n dyst i raddfa'r argyfwng rydym yn ei ganol ar hyn o bryd, a dyna pam roeddwn yn falch ddydd Llun yr wythnos hon i fod wedi ymateb yn gyflym i ryddhau £100 miliwn ychwanegol i gymal cyfredol y gronfa cadernid economaidd. Mae'n werth dweud bod y gwaith hwn yn adeiladu ar y gwerth mwy na £440 miliwn o grantiau ardrethi busnes sydd bellach wedi cyrraedd bron i 35,000 o fusnesau ledled Cymru. Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae awdurdodau lleol wedi gweithio'n gyflym ac yn ddeheuig i brosesu taliadau ac maent yn gwneud gwaith gwych i drosglwyddo cyllid i fusnesau cyn gynted ag sy'n bosibl. Felly, hoffwn ddiolch i bob un awdurdod lleol sydd wedi chwarae rhan yn y gwaith hwn. Hoffwn roi teyrnged unwaith eto hefyd i staff Busnes Cymru a Banc Datblygu Cymru, a fy swyddogion, sydd wedi gweithio'n ddiflino, yn aml mewn amgylchiadau personol anodd, i ddatblygu'r pecyn cymorth mwyaf cynhwysfawr i fusnesau yn unrhyw ran o'r DU. Rydym wedi ceisio sicrhau cydbwysedd rhwng cefnogi cymaint o fentrau â phosibl a gwneud cyfraniad ystyrlon i oroesiad pob un. Ond wrth wneud hynny, nid ydym yn colli golwg ar ein huchelgeisiau mwy hirdymor: yr angen i ddatgarboneiddio economi Cymru, yr angen i gynyddu gwaith teg a'r angen i godi lefelau sgiliau unigolion ledled Cymru. A dyna pam rydym wedi gofyn i bob un sy'n derbyn ein cymorth ymrwymo i egwyddorion y contract economaidd. Bydd y gronfa a'r meini prawf yn cael eu hadolygu cyn rhyddhau'r cymal nesaf. Yn ogystal, hoffwn groesawu'r camau y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn eu cymryd gyda'r cynllun cadw swyddi sydd bellach ar agor, ac rwyf hefyd yn croesawu'r ffaith bod y cynllun wedi'i ymestyn tan ddiwedd mis Mehefin fan lleiaf. Ddydd Llun, cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth y DU becyn cymorth i gwmnïau arloesol newydd nad ydynt yn gymwys ar gyfer cynlluniau achub coronafeirws sy'n bodoli eisoes. I fod yn gymwys, mae'n rhaid bod cwmni wedi codi £0.25 miliwn neu fwy yn breifat yn ystod y pum mlynedd diwethaf. Mae'n bwysig, rwy'n credu, fod Llywodraeth y DU yn monitro cynnydd y cynllun i sicrhau nad yw'r trothwy hwn yn atal busnesau bywiog a hyfyw rhag cael cymorth. Yng Nghymru, bydd busnesau newydd a sefydlwyd cyn 1 Mawrth eleni yn gallu gwneud cais i'r gronfa cadernid economaidd os ydynt yn bodloni'r meini prawf cymhwysedd, wrth gwrs. Mae'r pecyn hwn yn cyd-fynd â'r pecyn cymorth hirsefydlog a safonol ar gyfer busnesau bach o'r cyfnod cyn COVID sydd ar gael trwy Fanc Datblygu Cymru ac wrth gwrs, benthyciadau dechrau busnes a chyngor cynhwysfawr Busnes Cymru. Felly, er bod llawer wedi'i wneud, dylwn ddweud hefyd fod llawer i'w wneud eto. Mae angen taer i weld mwy o'r benthyca a addawyd ac a warentir gan Lywodraeth y DU yn cyrraedd y rheng flaen. Rhaid i Lywodraeth y DU barhau i gefnogi a phwyso ar fanciau'r stryd fawr i fod yn llawer mwy ymatebol i anghenion ein busnesau ar yr adeg hynod anodd hon. Credaf fod llawer y gallai banciau'r stryd fawr ei ddysgu gan ein Banc Datblygu Cymru ein hunain yn y ffordd y mae wedi addasu i'r cyfnod rydym yn ei ganol ar hyn o bryd - sicrhau ei fod wedi addasu ei bolisïau a'i brosesau ei hun i gael cyllid a chymorth i fusnesau yn ddi-oed. Felly, Ddirprwy Lywydd, rydym i gyd yn hynod o falch o fusnesau ar hyd a lled Cymru - busnesau sy'n camu i'r adwy i gefnogi'r frwydr yn erbyn COVID ac i gynorthwyo ein GIG. Cafwyd ymateb hynod gadarnhaol gan y gymuned fusnes i'n galwad i weithredu ar gyfarpar diogelu personol. Yn sil hynny, rydym yn awr yn gweld ffyrdd arloesol o weithio wrth i fusnesau newid i greu dyfeisiau a chynnyrch a fydd yn gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i'n staff iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Serch hynny, mae angen cymorth ar y gweithwyr sydd ar hyn o bryd ar ffyrlo neu'n ddi-waith. Dyna pam y gwneuthum lansio ein darpariaeth e-ddysgu newydd ddydd Llun gyda'r nod o wella sgiliau a chefnogi llesiant meddyliol trwy helpu unigolion i baratoi'n gadarnhaol ar gyfer y dyfodol, beth bynnag a ddaw. Drwy ein cynnig newydd, rydym wedi darparu ystod o adnoddau dysgu ar-lein o ansawdd uchel am ddim gan ddarparwyr dibynadwy fel y Brifysgol Agored. Cefnogir y ddarpariaeth hon gan gyngor a chanllawiau gyrfaoedd ar-lein sydd ar gael i'w defnyddio gan unigolion ledled Cymru trwy wefan Cymru'n Gweithio. Edrychaf ymlaen yn awr at ateb cwestiynau gan fy nghyd-Aelodau.