English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. It has been clear to me since I was appointed to this portfolio that we have a shared desire right across this Chamber to see an increase in the delivery of affordable housing. And, Dirprwy Llywydd, I've been equally clear that social housing in particular is my priority. The positive impact good-quality social housing has on someone's life cannot be overstated. This is why my predecessor Rebecca Evans commissioned an independent review of our affordable housing arrangements last year to look closely at the approach we are taking and suggest changes that would help us deliver more. On 1 May, I received the final report from the affordable housing supply review. The review made a number of recommendations about how we can ensure we are maximising the number of affordable homes we deliver in Wales whilst not compromising on energy efficiency, quality or affordability for tenants. The independent panel, chaired by Lynn Pamment, spent a significant amount of time looking at all aspects of affordable housing supply and today I'm very pleased to share the Government's initial response to the recommendations with you. This is the first of what will be a series of responses to reviews and consultations that are due to report over the coming months. I will have more to say in due course on decarbonisation, planning matters and building regulations. I'm acutely aware of the need for the policies in all of these areas to be closely aligned. I want to, once again, thank the independent panel for their work. They engaged right across the housing sector and with Assembly Members. The time they invested in this review, regularly taking them away from their day jobs over the course of a year, is hugely appreciated. They have made a real and lasting contribution to Welsh housing, which I believe will have an enduring positive implication for years to come. It was very important to me that this was not a report that gathered dust on a shelf. I've been anxious, therefore, to respond quickly and decisively. I want you all to be aware of the Government's intentions, which is why I supplied you with a written response to all recommendations earlier today. I'm pleased to say that we've accepted or accepted in principle every recommendation, with one exception in respect of the future of Help to Buy. We're not in a position to respond until the autumn, when we are aware of the consequential funding we will receive from the UK Government. It is not my intention to go through each and every recommendation today. I do, however, want to offer my comments on some of the key findings. The panel highlighted the importance of understanding housing need and some of the challenges local authorities face in this area. They highlighted the strong role Welsh Government could and should play, and the importance of strengthening the links between housing need and the planning process. I accept this critique and welcome their support for the work we have done on assessing need at a national and regional level. Their suggestion that this work should now be extended to a local level is one I support and intend to pursue. I know that the setting of rent policy was one of the most challenging and contentious aspects of the review, with strong and conflicting views expressed from different parts of the sector. I agree with the review panel that there is a continuing need for a rent policy to provide certainty for tenants and landlords and that landlords should be considering value for money and efficiencies to justify rent increases. As a result, prior to the summer recess, I will be announcing what the five-year rent policy will be once I have received all of the necessary data. I will ensure my decision balances the need for landlords to have certainty about the rental income they can expect, together with affordability secured for tenants. Another area of the review that I know provoked robust debate was around the nature of grant funding available to partners and the way in which this is distributed. The panel have recommended a new approach, moving away from our standardised approach to grant allocation to one of longer term funding certainty and a more robust assessment of value for money. Whilst I do not agree with all aspects of the approach the panel have advocated in their report, I accept the recommendation for change and greater flexibility. Some schemes do not require the amount of subsidy they currently receive, while others may not currently come forward because the level of subsidy is insufficient to make them viable. A team that will work with local authorities and housing associations has already been established to develop a new approach. This will ultimately allow us to ensure our significant investment in affordable housing is used as effectively as possible in the places it is needed most.
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae hi wedi bod yn glir i mi ers imi gael fy mhenodi i'r portffolio hwn fod gennym ni awydd cyffredin ar draws y Siambr hon i weld cynnydd yn y ddarpariaeth o dai fforddiadwy. A, Dirprwy Lywydd, rwyf wedi bod yr un mor glir mai tai cymdeithasol yn benodol yw fy mlaenoriaeth i. Ni ellir gorbwysleisio'r effaith gadarnhaol y mae tai cymdeithasol o ansawdd da yn ei chael ar fywyd rhywun. Dyma pam y comisiynodd fy rhagflaenydd, Rebecca Evans, adolygiad annibynnol o'n trefniadau tai fforddiadwy y llynedd i edrych yn fanwl ar ein dull o weithredu ac awgrymu newidiadau a fyddai'n ein helpu i gyflawni mwy. Ar 1 Mai, cefais yr adroddiad terfynol o'r adolygiad o'r cyflenwad tai fforddiadwy. Gwnaeth yr adolygiad nifer o argymhellion ynghylch sut y gallwn ni sicrhau ein bod yn cynyddu nifer y tai fforddiadwy yr ydym yn eu darparu yng Nghymru heb gyfaddawdu o ran effeithlonrwydd ynni, ansawdd na fforddiadwyedd i denantiaid. Treuliodd y panel annibynnol, o dan gadeiryddiaeth Lynn Pamment, gryn dipyn o amser yn edrych ar bob agwedd ar gyflenwad tai fforddiadwy a heddiw rwy'n falch iawn o rannu ymateb cychwynnol y Llywodraeth i'r argymhellion â chi. Dyma'r cyntaf o gyfres o ymatebion i adolygiadau ac ymgynghoriadau sydd i fod i gael eu cyflwyno yn ystod y misoedd nesaf. Bydd gennyf fwy i'w ddweud maes o law am ddatgarboneiddio, materion cynllunio a rheoliadau adeiladu. Rwy'n ymwybodol iawn o'r angen i gysoni'r polisïau ym mhob un o'r meysydd hyn. Rwyf eisiau diolch, unwaith eto, i'r panel annibynnol am eu gwaith. Fe wnaeth y rhain ymgysylltu â'r sector tai drwyddo draw ac ag Aelodau'r Cynulliad. Gwerthfawrogir yn fawr yr amser a fuddsoddwyd ganddyn nhw yn yr adolygiad hwn, gan eu tynnu'n rheolaidd o'u swyddi dyddiol yn ystod y flwyddyn. Maen nhw wedi gwneud cyfraniad gwirioneddol a pharhaol i dai yng Nghymru, a chredaf y bydd hynny'n golygu goblygiadau cadarnhaol parhaus am flynyddoedd i ddod. Roedd hi'n bwysig iawn i mi nad oedd hwn yn adroddiad a oedd yn casglu llwch ar silff. Rwyf wedi bod yn awyddus, felly, i ymateb yn gyflym ac yn bendant. Rwyf eisiau i bob un ohonoch chi fod yn ymwybodol o fwriadau'r Llywodraeth, a dyna pam yr anfonais ymateb ysgrifenedig i bob argymhelliad atoch yn gynharach heddiw. Rwy'n falch o ddweud ein bod wedi derbyn, neu dderbyn mewn egwyddor, pob argymhelliad, gydag un eithriad o ran dyfodol Cymorth i Brynu. Nid ydym ni mewn sefyllfa i ymateb tan yr hydref, pan fyddwn ni'n ymwybodol o'r arian canlyniadol y byddwn yn ei gael gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig. Nid wyf yn bwriadu mynd drwy bob un o'r argymhellion heddiw. Rwyf eisiau, fodd bynnag, cynnig fy sylwadau ar rai o'r prif ganfyddiadau. Tynnodd y panel sylw at bwysigrwydd deall yr angen am dai a rhai o'r heriau y mae awdurdodau lleol yn eu hwynebu yn y maes hwn. Pwysleisiwyd y rhan gref y gallai ac y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ei chwarae, a phwysigrwydd cryfhau'r cysylltiadau rhwng yr angen am dai a'r broses gynllunio. Rwy'n derbyn y feirniadaeth hon ac yn croesawu eu cefnogaeth i'r gwaith yr ydym ni wedi'i wneud ar asesu angen ar lefel genedlaethol a rhanbarthol. Mae eu hawgrym y dylid ymestyn y gwaith hwn i lefel leol nawr yn un yr wyf yn ei gefnogi ac yn bwriadu rhoi sylw iddo. Rwy'n gwybod mai pennu polisi rhenti oedd un o agweddau mwyaf heriol a dadleuol yr adolygiad, gyda safbwyntiau cryf a gwrthgyferbyniol yn cael eu mynegi o wahanol rannau o'r sector. Cytunaf â'r panel adolygu fod angen parhaus am bolisi rhent i roi sicrwydd i denantiaid a landlordiaid ac y dylai landlordiaid fod yn ystyried gwerth am arian ac arbedion effeithlonrwydd i gyfiawnhau codiadau rhent. O ganlyniad, cyn toriad yr haf, byddaf yn cyhoeddi beth fydd y polisi rhent pum mlynedd ar ôl imi gael yr holl ddata angenrheidiol. Byddaf yn sicrhau bod fy mhenderfyniad yn cydbwyso'r angen i landlordiaid gael sicrwydd ynghylch yr incwm rhentu y gallan nhw ei ddisgwyl, gyda sicrhau fforddiadwyedd i denantiaid. Maes arall o'r adolygiad rwy'n gwybod iddo ysgogi trafodaeth gref oedd natur yr arian grant sydd ar gael i bartneriaid a'r modd y dosberthir hyn. Mae'r panel wedi argymell dull newydd o weithredu, gan gefnu ar ein dull safonedig o ddyrannu grantiau i un o sicrwydd cyllid tymor hwy ac asesiad mwy cadarn o werth am arian. Er nad wyf yn cytuno â phob agwedd ar y dull gweithredu y mae'r panel wedi'i argymell yn ei adroddiad, rwy'n derbyn yr argymhelliad ar gyfer newid a mwy o hyblygrwydd. Nid oes angen swm y cymhorthdal a dderbyniant ar hyn o bryd ar rai cynlluniau, ac mae'n bosib nad yw eraill yn dod ymlaen am nad yw lefel y cymhorthdal yn ddigon i'w gwneud hi'n ymarferol. Mae tîm a fydd yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol a chymdeithasau tai eisoes wedi'i sefydlu i ddatblygu dull gweithredu newydd. Yn y pen draw, bydd hyn yn ein galluogi ni i sicrhau bod ein buddsoddiad sylweddol mewn tai fforddiadwy yn cael ei ddefnyddio mor effeithiol â phosib yn y mannau lle mae ei angen fwyaf.