English: This isn't an issue on which I get countless constituents contacting me, but, for those that do, I know the difference it makes, the difference it makes to their families and to those individuals. In terms of other measures, of course it's not just a responsibility for the Minister for education, as you outlined, rightly so; it is a cross-Government, cross-portfolio responsibility, certainly social justice. We've had a debate about buses in terms of the importance of making public transport affordable. There wouldn't be as much of a need for the EMA and for the rise if public transport costs were free for young people, for instance. So, there are a number of measures that we could look at, so that it's not just about the EMA. My concern, as well as the value, currently - . I of course welcome the fact that we've continued it here in Wales. I dread to think of the situation for those young people were we not in this situation. But, obviously, that £30 doesn't go very far compared to where it used to go. We need to really think about how we ensure that this is no longer a barrier to those young people pursuing education, if we are able to increase, as should happen, in terms of an inflation-linked uplift, which is in this proposal. The issue I also want to focus on, which Luke referenced as well, is access to the EMA for those who are eligible. It is concerning that casework that has come in to me has been linked to not giving the money to students for a particular reason. In the guidance, it says: 'as long as you meet your school or college's attendance, performance and behaviour requirements.' Well, that can be interpreted in a number of different ways. Also, a number of these young people are vulnerable - they have very complex family situations at times, they may be required to care for a parent or care for another family member, which means that they may miss some sessions, which makes them then ineligible for the grant as a whole, meaning that that has a knock-on effect on attendance the following week. I do really think we need to be working with colleges and so on to ensure that these aren't barriers, that if you miss one particular session you're not then penalised, because there should be that compassion and understanding. In the same way, if we miss a session here in the Senedd because of whatever reason, be it because of a family emergency, we don't miss out in terms of our salaries, so why are we penalising the most vulnerable young people? Also, in terms of behaviour requirements, we've had a lot of evidence come through in terms of the impact of COVID on mental health, the lack of access to services and the delays in accessing services. That also has an impact on attendance at times. We've seen some colleges maintain virtual options to join, meaning that that can count towards attendance, and others not. So, it's quite a complex situation, I think. The key thing is ensuring that those that need the EMA receive it, that there isn't a delay in receiving it, and also that we don't put in bureaucratic steps. The truth of the matter is we should be supporting people through the cost-of-living crisis, so that child poverty rates aren't at the levels they are currently. We need to make public transport affordable. But whilst there needs to be solutions that go across Government, this is a key element, and I fully support Luke's proposal. Not having the EMA would penalise those that desperately need it, and not increasing it will just provide a further barrier to those that need it.
Welsh: Nid yw hon yn broblem y byddaf yn cael etholwyr dirifedi'n cysylltu â mi yn ei chylch, ond i'r rhai sy'n gwneud hynny, rwy'n gwybod am y gwahaniaeth mae'n ei wneud, y gwahaniaeth mae'n ei wneud i'w teuluoedd ac i'r unigolion hynny. O ran mesurau eraill, wrth gwrs nid cyfrifoldeb y Gweinidog addysg yn unig mohono, fel y dywedoch chi, yn gwbl briodol; mae'n gyfrifoldeb trawslywodraethol, traws-bortffolio, a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol yn sicr. Rydym wedi cael dadl ar fysiau a phwysigrwydd gwneud trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn fforddiadwy. Ni fyddai cymaint o angen am y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ac am y cynnydd pe bai costau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn rhad ac am ddim i bobl ifanc, er enghraifft. Felly, ceir nifer o fesurau y gallem edrych arnynt, ac nid yw'n ymwneud â'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn unig. Fy mhryder i, yn ogystal â'r gwerth, ar hyn o bryd - . Wrth gwrs, rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith ein bod ni wedi ei barhau yma yng Nghymru. Rwy'n arswydo meddwl am y sefyllfa i'r bobl ifanc hynny pe na baem yn y sefyllfa hon. Ond yn amlwg, nid yw £30 yn mynd yn bell iawn o'i gymharu ag o'r blaen. Mae angen inni feddwl o ddifrif ynglŷn â sut y sicrhawn nad yw hyn bellach yn rhwystr i bobl ifanc sydd am gael addysg, os gallwn ei gynyddu yn gysylltiedig â chwyddiant, fel y dylid ei wneud, a dyna sydd yn y cynnig hwn. Mater rwyf am ganolbwyntio arno hefyd, fel y nododd Luke, yw mynediad at y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ar gyfer y rhai sy'n gymwys. Mae'n ofidus fy mod wedi gweld gwaith achos yn gysylltiedig â pheidio â rhoi'r arian i fyfyrwyr am reswm penodol. Yn y canllawiau, mae'n dweud: 'cyn belled â'ch bod yn bodloni gofynion presenoldeb, perfformiad ac ymddygiad eich ysgol neu'ch coleg.' Wel, gellir dehongli hynny mewn nifer o wahanol ffyrdd. Hefyd, mae nifer o'r bobl ifanc hyn yn agored i niwed - mae ganddynt sefyllfaoedd teuluol cymhleth iawn ar adegau, efallai y bydd gofyn iddynt ofalu am riant neu ofalu am aelod arall o'r teulu, sy'n golygu y gallant golli rhai sesiynau, sy'n eu gwneud yn anghymwys wedyn ar gyfer y grant yn ei gyfanrwydd, sy'n golygu bod hynny'n cael sgil-effaith ar bresenoldeb yr wythnos ganlynol. Rwy'n meddwl o ddifrif fod angen inni weithio gyda cholegau ac yn y blaen i sicrhau nad yw'r rhain yn rhwystrau, ac os ydych chi'n colli un sesiwn benodol, na chewch eich cosbi wedyn, oherwydd dylai'r system ddangos tosturi a chydymdeimlad. Yn yr un ffordd, os ydym yn methu sesiwn yma yn y Senedd am ba reswm bynnag, boed yn argyfwng teuluol, nid ydym yn colli cyflog, felly pam ein bod yn cosbi'r bobl ifanc mwyaf bregus? Hefyd, ar ofynion ymddygiad, rydym wedi gweld llawer o dystiolaeth am effaith COVID ar iechyd meddwl, diffyg mynediad at wasanaethau ac oedi cyn cael mynediad at wasanaethau. Mae hynny hefyd yn cael effaith ar bresenoldeb ar adegau. Gwelsom rai colegau'n cynnig opsiynau rhithwir i ymuno, sy'n golygu y gall hynny gyfrif tuag at bresenoldeb, er nad yw colegau eraill yn gwneud hynny. Felly, mae'n sefyllfa eithaf cymhleth, rwy'n credu. Y peth allweddol yw sicrhau bod y rhai sydd angen y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn ei gael, nad oes oedi cyn ei gael, a hefyd nad ydym yn cynnwys camau biwrocrataidd. Y gwir amdani yw y dylem fod yn cefnogi pobl drwy'r argyfwng costau byw, fel nad yw cyfraddau tlodi plant ar y lefelau y maent ar hyn o bryd. Mae angen inni wneud trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn fforddiadwy. Ond er bod angen atebion trawslywodraethol, mae hon yn elfen allweddol, ac rwy'n cefnogi cynnig Luke yn llawn. Byddai peidio â chael y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn cosbi'r rhai sydd ei angen yn ddybryd, a bydd peidio â'i gynyddu ond yn rhwystr pellach i'r rhai sydd ei angen.