English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd like to thank my colleague Paul Davies for bringing this important debate to the Senedd today. It's been refreshing to hear all of your love and respect for small businesses, and finding out where you have your hair cut, Luke Fletcher, and where you buy your baps, Huw Irranca-Davies, as well as where you go for a pint, Gareth Davies. I'd like to echo my colleague Gareth Davies's sentiments that he mentioned earlier: there is absolutely no doubt in my mind, and I'm sure all of yours as well, that small and medium-sized businesses are the lifeblood of the Welsh economy, providing jobs to many and driving growth. It's a fact that 99.4 per cent of businesses in Wales are small and medium enterprises. Embedded in the communities that they serve, they contribute to a sense of community, identity, providing vital goods and services and contributing to local resilience, which has been invaluable during the pandemic. As my colleague Laura Anne Jones mentioned, they have adapted to all situations presented to them during the pandemic, and they genuinely deserve credit for that. Small businesses in Wales are rebuilding and recovering at present from the effects of the coronavirus - it's no secret. But, in doing so, they do face a number of challenges. Problems in the supply chain are causing shortages, which I know from my discussions with representatives from the logistics industry, who are working tirelessly and very, very hard to address them one by one. The UK Government has announced a package of measures to ease these supply chain pressures, with up to 4,000 people being able to take advantage of training courses to become HGV drivers. I also welcome the recent announcement by the Welsh Government - yes, I did say something positive there - that £10 million is being made available to help train people in jobs in Wales hit by labour shortages, including HGV drivers and hospitality workers. Essential to the recovery of small businesses is the need to keep costs down and address the growing skills gap. It is a matter of concern that the Federation of Small Businesses reports that 76 per cent of SMEs in Wales are facing rising operating costs. Thirty-eight per cent report that the lack of availability of the right staff is holding them back, and nearly a quarter of employers state difficulty in finding individuals with the right skills for the job is a struggle that's real. To sum up, Deputy Presiding Officer, it's vital that the Welsh Government does all it can to create the conditions in Wales that will enable small businesses to grow and to thrive. I was happy to hear that the Minister is going to be promoting Small Business Saturday via social media, and that's great to hear. As my colleagues Paul Davies mentioned, the Welsh Government has made positive moves, but more needs to be done and can be done. James Evans and Luke Fletcher mentioned that they were the lifelines during the pandemic, for which I and I know every single person here will certainly thank every single person who's worked in these small and medium business, because, without them, many of us would have struggled throughout the pandemic. What Huw Irranca-Davies said when he was speaking was that we should celebrate them everyday, and I echo that and certainly believe that credit is due where credit is earned. Providing economic support, helping to reduce the burden of business rates and ensuring the supply of staff with the right skills will demonstrate it's our commitment to the development of smaller businesses, supporting our economy and building the strong and resilient communities we all ultimately want to see flourish and thrive all across Wales, and that is why I hope that you will all support our motion here today. Thank you very much.
Welsh: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn ddiolch i fy nghyd-Aelod, Paul Davies, am ddod â'r ddadl bwysig hon i'r Senedd heddiw. Mae wedi bod yn braf clywed eich holl gariad a pharch at fusnesau bach, a darganfod lle mae eich gwallt yn cael ei dorri, Luke Fletcher, a lle rydych chi'n prynu eich torthenni, Huw Irranca-Davies, yn ogystal â lle rydych chi'n mynd am beint, Gareth Davies. Hoffwn adleisio'r teimladau a grybwyllodd fy nghyd-Aelod, Gareth Davies, yn gynharach: nid oes amheuaeth o gwbl yn fy meddwl, nac yn eich meddyliau chi ychwaith, mai busnesau bach a chanolig eu maint yw anadl einioes economi Cymru, gan ddarparu swyddi i lawer a sbarduno twf. Mae'n ffaith bod 99.4 y cant o fusnesau yng Nghymru yn fentrau bach a chanolig. Wedi'u gwreiddio yn y cymunedau y maent yn eu gwasanaethu, maent yn cyfrannu at ymdeimlad o gymuned, hunaniaeth, yn darparu nwyddau a gwasanaethau hanfodol ac yn cyfrannu at gadernid lleol, sydd wedi bod yn amhrisiadwy yn ystod y pandemig. Fel y soniodd fy nghyd-Aelod, Laura Anne Jones, maent wedi addasu i bob sefyllfa a wynebwyd ganddynt yn ystod y pandemig, ac maent yn haeddu clod gwirioneddol am hynny. Mae busnesau bach yng Nghymru yn ailadeiladu ac yn ymadfer ar hyn o bryd o effeithiau'r coronafeirws - nid yw'n gyfrinach. Ond wrth wneud hynny, maent yn wynebu nifer o heriau. Mae problemau yn y gadwyn gyflenwi yn achosi prinder, y gwn amdano o fy nhrafodaethau gyda chynrychiolwyr o'r diwydiant logisteg, sy'n gweithio'n ddiflino ac yn galed iawn i fynd i'r afael â hwy fesul un. Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi cyhoeddi pecyn o fesurau i leddfu'r pwysau yn y gadwyn gyflenwi, gyda hyd at 4,000 o bobl yn gallu manteisio ar gyrsiau hyfforddi i ddod yn yrwyr cerbydau nwyddau trwm. Rwyf hefyd yn croesawu'r cyhoeddiad diweddar gan Lywodraeth Cymru - do, fe ddywedais rywbeth cadarnhaol yno - fod £10 miliwn yn cael ei ddarparu ar gyfer helpu i hyfforddi pobl mewn swyddi yng Nghymru sydd wedi eu taro gan brinder llafur, gan gynnwys gyrwyr cerbydau nwyddau trwm a gweithwyr lletygarwch. Mae'r angen i gadw costau i lawr a mynd i'r afael â'r bwlch sgiliau cynyddol yn allweddol i adferiad busnesau bach. Mae'n destun pryder fod y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach yn nodi bod 76 y cant o fusnesau bach a chanolig yng Nghymru yn wynebu costau gweithredu cynyddol. Dywed 38 y cant fod diffyg argaeledd staff priodol yn eu dal yn ôl, ac mae bron i chwarter y cyflogwyr yn dweud bod anhawster i ddod o hyd i unigolion sydd â'r sgiliau cywir ar gyfer y swydd yn frwydr real. I grynhoi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae'n hanfodol fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud popeth yn ei gallu i greu'r amodau yng Nghymru a fydd yn galluogi busnesau bach i dyfu ac i ffynnu. Roeddwn yn hapus i glywed y bydd y Gweinidog yn hyrwyddo Dydd Sadwrn Busnesau Bach drwy'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol, ac mae hynny'n wych i'w glywed. Fel y soniodd fy nghyd-Aelod, Paul Davies, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud camau cadarnhaol, ond mae angen gwneud mwy ac fe ellir gwneud mwy. Soniodd James Evans a Luke Fletcher fod busnesau bach yn achubiaeth yn ystod y pandemig, ac rwyf fi a phawb yma, rwy'n gwybod, yn sicr yn diolch i bob un sydd wedi gweithio yn y busnesau bach a chanolig hyn, oherwydd, hebddynt hwy, byddai llawer ohonom wedi ei chael hi'n anodd iawn drwy gydol y pandemig. Dywedodd Huw Irranca-Davies pan oedd yn siarad y dylem eu dathlu bob dydd, ac ategaf hynny ac yn sicr credaf fod angen rhoi clod pan fo clod yn ddyledus. Bydd darparu cymorth economaidd, helpu i leihau baich ardrethi busnes a sicrhau cyflenwad o staff gyda'r sgiliau cywir yn dangos ein hymrwymiad i ddatblygu busnesau llai, cefnogi ein heconomi ac adeiladu'r cymunedau cryf a gwydn rydym i gyd yn y pen draw am eu gweld yn llwyddo ac yn ffynnu ledled Cymru, a dyna pam rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch i gyd yn cefnogi ein cynnig yma heddiw. Diolch yn fawr iawn.