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Yes, with pleasure. Our twenty-first century schools programme will see investment of £1.4 billion over the five-year period to 2019. All 22 authorities will benefit from this investment, which sees the rebuild and refurbishment of over 150 schools and colleges across Wales. To date, 105 projects have been approved within the programme. | Gwnaf, â phleser. Bydd ein rhaglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain yn arwain at fuddsoddiad o £1.4 biliwn dros y cyfnod o bum mlynedd hyd at 2019. Bydd pob un o'r 22 awdurdod yn elwa ar y buddsoddiad hwn, a fydd yn arwain at ailadeiladu ac ailwampio dros 150 o ysgolion a cholegau ledled Cymru. Hyd yma, cymeradwywyd 105 o brosiectau drwy'r rhaglen. |
Thank you, First Minister. You'll be aware that, for some, when mention of a new school is taken forward, there can be concerns, especially when children and parents are very happy with the school that they're actually attending. Now, under section 5.4 of the Welsh Government's statutory school organisation code, local authorities are obliged to consider all objections submitted conscientiously, and not to make decisions on amalgamation proposals with a closed mind to the stakeholders concerned. However, in Conwy recently, two recent amalgamation proposals affecting five of our primary schools are being taken forward by the council despite many objections. Many parents, teachers, governors and even the teachers unions are angry, frustrated and disappointed and consider the statutory consultation to be meaningless, particularly when relevant cabinet decision minutes recently were published before the meeting had even taken place - a fait accompli. In order to address the concerns raised, will you work with the new Cabinet Secretary for Education, obviously in the new school term, to look again at how the concerns and views of those most affected are considered within the twenty-first century schools decisions, so that these voices are heard and acted on appropriately? | Diolch yn fawr, Brif Weinidog. Byddwch yn ymwybodol, i rai, pan gaiff ysgol newydd ei chrybwyll, y gall fod pryderon, yn enwedig pan fo plant a rhieni yn hapus iawn â'r ysgol y maen nhw'n ei mynychu. Nawr, o dan adran 5.4 cod trefniadaeth ysgolion statudol Llywodraeth Cymru, mae'n rhaid i awdurdodau lleol ystyried yr holl wrthwynebiadau a gyflwynir yn gydwybodol, a pheidio â gwneud penderfyniadau ar gynigion uno gyda meddwl caeedig i'r rhanddeiliaid dan sylw. Fodd bynnag, yng Nghonwy yn ddiweddar, mae'r cyngor yn bwrw ymlaen â dau gynnig uno diweddar sy'n effeithio ar bump o'n hysgolion cynradd, er gwaethaf llawer o wrthwynebiadau. Mae llawer o rieni, athrawon, llywodraethwyr a hyd yn oed yr undebau athrawon yn flin, yn rhwystredig ac yn siomedig ac o'r farn bod yr ymgynghoriad statudol yn ddiystyr, yn enwedig pan gyhoeddwyd cofnodion penderfyniad cabinet perthnasol yn ddiweddar cyn i'r cyfarfod gael ei gynnal hyd yn oed - fait accompli. Er mwyn rhoi sylw i'r pryderon a godwyd, a wnewch chi weithio gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg newydd, yn y tymor ysgol newydd yn amlwg, i ystyried eto sut y mae pryderon a safbwyntiau'r rhai yr effeithir arnynt fwyaf yn cael eu hystyried o fewn y penderfyniadau ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, fel bod y lleisiau hyn yn cael eu clywed ac yn cael sylw priodol? |
The Member criticises Conwy council and the way they have conducted themselves. I know there have been concerns in Conwy, particularly with regard to a number of schools - I think in the Caerhun area and also I believe in Llandudno Junction. In terms of Llandudno Junction, my understanding is that there has been a re-consultation, which is open at the moment and will be until 27 July. With Caerhun, I understand that has already been approved. But it is correct to say that, where we set in place standards that we expect to be observed when school closures and mergers are proposed, we expect the process to be observed. There are legal pitfalls for local authorities unless they can demonstrate, of course, that they have followed the correct procedure, and we would expect all local authorities in Wales to do that. | Mae'r Aelod yn beirniadu Cyngor Conwy a'r ffordd y maen nhw wedi ymddwyn. Gwn y bu pryderon yng Nghonwy, yn enwedig o ran nifer o ysgolion - yn ardal Caerhun rwy'n meddwl, ac yng Nghyffordd Llandudno hefyd rwy'n credu. O ran Cyffordd Llandudno, deallaf y bu ailymgynghoriad, sydd ar agor ar hyn o bryd ac a fydd ar agor tan 27 Gorffennaf. O ran Caerhun, rwy'n deall bodd hynny wedi ei gymeradwyo eisoes. Ond mae'n gywir i ddweud, pan ein bod yn rhoi safonau ar waith rydym yn disgwyl cydymffurfiad â nhw wrth gynnig cau ac uno ysgolion, rydym ni'n disgwyl cydymffurfiad â'r broses. Ceir maglau cyfreithiol i awdurdodau lleol oni bai eu bod yn gallu dangos, wrth gwrs, eu bod wedi dilyn y weithdrefn gywir, a byddem yn disgwyl i bob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru wneud hynny. |
First Minister, as well as building new schools, it's also important that we continue to build new colleges for further education. Coleg Gwent have ambitious and important plans to relocate their Newport campus to the riverfront alongside the University of South Wales campus and, indeed, further buildings around and about. Would you agree with me that we must continue to improve our further education colleges in that way and support energy and ideas to bring about improvements to further education, and particularly, perhaps, strong links with higher education? | Brif Weinidog, yn ogystal ag adeiladu ysgolion newydd, mae hefyd yn bwysig ein bod yn parhau i adeiladu colegau newydd ar gyfer addysg bellach. Mae gan Goleg Gwent gynlluniau uchelgeisiol a phwysig i adleoli eu campws yng Nghasnewydd i lan yr afon ochr yn ochr â champws Prifysgol De Cymru ac, yn wir, rhagor o adeiladau yn y cyffiniau. A ydych chi'n cytuno â mi bod yn rhaid i ni barhau i wella ein colegau addysg bellach yn y modd hwnnw a chefnogi egni a syniadau i sicrhau gwelliannau i addysg bellach, ac yn enwedig, efallai, cysylltiadau cryf ag addysg uwch? |
Yes, I do. I know that there may be proposals coming forward with regard to the Newport campus, but it's entirely right to say that we should make sure that there is no hard and fast boundary between FE and HE for the student. I know that there are very many students who go on to complete degree courses who begin in an FE setting because that's appropriate for them. They don't perhaps have the confidence to go straight into HE and need to be encouraged to do so, and then of course they become successful over time. So, greater working between HE and FE is hugely important in order to create that seamless pathway for the student. | Ydw, mi ydwyf. Gwn y gallai fod llawer o gynigion yn cael eu gwneud o ran campws Casnewydd, ond mae'n gwbl gywir i ddweud y dylem ni wneud yn siŵr nad oes unrhyw ffin bendant rhwng AB ac AU i'r myfyriwr. Gwn fod llawer iawn o fyfyrwyr sy'n mynd ymlaen i gwblhau cyrsiau gradd yn dechrau mewn lleoliad AB oherwydd mai dyna sy'n briodol iddyn nhw. Nid yw'r hyder ganddyn nhw efallai i fynd yn syth i mewn i AU ac mae angen eu hannog i wneud hynny, ac yna wrth gwrs maen nhw'n dod yn llwyddiannus dros amser. Felly, mae mwy o weithio rhwng AU ac AB yn hynod bwysig er mwyn creu'r llwybr di-dor hwnnw i'r myfyriwr. |
In light of the duties now on the public sector, given the introduction of the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015, shouldn't there be a requirement on all buildings erected using public funding, and, in this case, twenty-first century schools, to be using all possible opportunities in terms of renewable energies? | Yng ngoleuni'r dyletswyddau sydd nawr, wrth gwrs, ar y sector cyhoeddus yn dilyn Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, oni ddylai fod gorfodaeth ar bob adeilad sy'n cael ei godi gydag arian cyhoeddus, ac, yn y cyd-destun yma, ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, i fod yn defnyddio pob cyfle posib o safbwynt ynni adnewyddadwy? |
Yes, I believe that's right. We've seen a number of examples of that, where buildings are 'excellent' in the BREEAM category. We've seen water being collected from the roofs being used in the school itself. So, we would expect local authorities to consider the good examples that I've seen across Wales in order to do the same themselves. | Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n iawn. Rwyf wedi gweld sawl enghraifft o hynny, lle mae adeiladau yn 'rhagorol' ynglŷn â BREEAM. Rwyf wedi gweld enghreifftiau lle mae dŵr yn cael ei gasglu o'r to ac yn cael ei ddefnyddio yn yr ysgol ei hun. Felly, byddwn yn erfyn ar awdurdodau lleol i ystyried yr enghreifftiau da rwyf wedi'u gweld ar draws Cymru er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn gwneud yr un peth. |
Yes. We will shortly be bringing forward proposals for a national and international campaign to market Wales and NHS Wales as an attractive place to work. That will include work to recruit, train and retain GPs and primary care professionals and to address the issues faced in Powys and across Wales. | Gwnawn. Byddwn yn cyflwyno cynigion yn fuan ar gyfer ymgyrch genedlaethol a rhyngwladol i farchnata Cymru a GIG Cymru fel lle deniadol i weithio ynddo. Bydd hynny'n cynnwys gwaith i recriwtio, hyfforddi a chadw meddygon teulu a gweithwyr gofal sylfaenol proffesiynol ac i fynd i'r afael â'r problemau a wynebir ym Mhowys a ledled Cymru. |
I thank you for that statement, First Minister, but on Friday I attended a public health meeting in Ystradgynlais and one of the big challenges that they were facing was GP recruitment, particularly in the Coelbren surgery. I welcome what you have just said in terms of your plans to train and recruit more GPs. I look forward, First Minister, to receiving an update on how those plans are going to produce more GPs into the areas, particularly in rural Wales, where they are currently finding this to be a huge challenge. | Diolchaf i chi am y datganiad yna, Brif Weinidog, ond roeddwn i mewn cyfarfod iechyd cyhoeddus yn Ystradgynlais ddydd Gwener ac un o'r heriau mawr yr oeddent yn eu hwynebu oedd recriwtio meddygon teulu, yn enwedig ym meddygfa Coelbren. Rwy'n croesawu'r hyn yr ydych chi newydd ei ddweud o ran eich cynlluniau i hyfforddi a recriwtio mwy o feddygon teulu. Edrychaf ymlaen, Brif Weinidog, at dderbyn diweddariad ar sut y mae'r cynlluniau hynny'n mynd i greu mwy o feddygon teulu i mewn i'r ardaloedd, yn enwedig yng Nghymru wledig, lle mae hyn yn her enfawr iddyn nhw ar hyn o bryd. |
Yes, we put in additional investment of over £40 million last year in primary care and £4.5 million of that funding was targeted at workforce diversification, including the creation of 300 posts in a range of primary care roles. The Member mentions Coelbren particularly; it's part of the Dulais Valley general practice in Seven Sisters. There have been recruitment problems, and the result of that has been that the number of GP sessions in Coelbren have been reduced. I know the practice is going through a sustainability support process with Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health Board, because, even though it's physically within the Powys Teaching Local Health Board, its area of operation is in ABMU, and the two health boards are working closely to agree a longer-term solution to ensure the ongoing provision of high-quality services. | Do, gwnaethom fuddsoddiad ychwanegol o dros £40 miliwn y llynedd mewn gofal sylfaenol ac roedd £4.5 miliwn o'r cyllid hwnnw wedi ei dargedu at arallgyfeirio'r gweithlu, gan gynnwys creu 300 o swyddi mewn amrywiaeth o swyddi gofal sylfaenol. Mae'r Aelod yn sôn am Goelbren yn benodol; mae'n rhan o feddygfa deulu Cwm Dulais ym Mlaendulais. Bu problemau recriwtio, a chanlyniad hynny fu lleihau nifer y sesiynau meddygon teulu yng Nghoelbren. Gwn fod y feddygfa yn mynd trwy broses cefnogi cynaliadwyedd gyda Bwrdd Iechyd Lleol Prifysgol Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, oherwydd, er ei fod yn rhan o Fwrdd Iechyd Lleol Addysgu Powys yn ffisegol, PABM yw ei hardal weithredu, ac mae'r ddau fwrdd iechyd yn gweithio'n agos i gytuno ar ateb tymor hwy i sicrhau'r ddarpariaeth barhaus o wasanaethau o ansawdd uchel. |
First Minister, I'm grateful to Joyce Watson for raising this question; it's a particular issue in my constituency, with many GPs reaching retirement age and struggling to recruit. Many surgeries, in that instance, are having to reconfigure how they operate. What GPs are saying to me is that there is the potential for the devaluation of their premises if their practices cease to operate, which is a barrier for recruiting GPs, especially in rural Wales. Could I ask if you are aware of that issue? What steps is the Welsh Government taking to offer more protection and security to GPs to incentivise them, especially to recruit them to rural Wales? | Brif Weinidog, rwy'n ddiolchgar i Joyce Watson am godi'r cwestiwn hwn; mae'n fater penodol yn fy etholaeth i, wrth i lawer o feddygon teulu gyrraedd oedran ymddeol a bod trafferth recriwtio. Mae llawer o feddygfeydd, yn yr achos hwnnw, yn gorfod ad-drefnu sut y maen nhw'n gweithredu. Yr hyn y mae meddygon teulu yn ei ddweud wrthyf yw bod potensial i'w safleoedd ostwng mewn gwerth os bydd eu meddygfeydd yn rhoi'r gorau i weithredu, sy'n rhwystr i recriwtio meddygon teulu, yn enwedig yng nghefn gwlad Cymru. A gaf i ofyn a ydych chi'n ymwybodol o'r mater hwnnw? Pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gynnig mwy o ddiogelwch a sicrwydd i feddygon teulu i'w cymell, ac yn enwedig i'w recriwtio i gefn gwlad Cymru? |
Well, if GPs wish to be seen as contractors and independent businesses, there is a risk involved in terms of the potential devaluation of buildings. But, I don't see why that should be the case necessarily. It is the case increasingly that many of those who wish to enter general practice don't want to buy into a practice - they wish to be salaried GPs. It's a trend that I'm sure many of us have seen across Wales. That is something that we and, indeed, the profession, will need to accommodate. In terms of Powys as a whole, I can say that there have been six new GP partners in Powys and 11 new salaried GPs who have commenced their work during the course of 2015-16. | Wel, os yw meddygon teulu yn dymuno cael eu hystyried fel contractwyr a busnesau annibynnol, mae risg yn gysylltiedig o ran y gostyngiad posibl i werth adeiladau. Ond, nid wyf yn gweld pam y dylai hynny fod yn wir o reidrwydd. Mae'n gynyddol wir bod llawer o'r rhai sy'n dymuno mynd i faes ymarfer cyffredinol nad ydynt eisiau prynu i mewn i feddygfa - maen nhw eisiau bod yn feddygon teulu cyflogedig. Mae'n duedd yr wyf yn siŵr bod llawer ohonom wedi ei gweld ledled Cymru. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth y bydd yn rhaid i ni ac, yn wir, y proffesiwn, ddarparu ar ei gyfer. O ran Powys yn ei chyfanrwydd, gallaf ddweud y bu chwech o feddygon teulu partner newydd ym Mhowys ac 11 o feddygon teulu cyflogedig a ddechreuodd ar eu gwaith yn ystod 2015-16. |
We know, of course, that this supports rural communities and the economy with a combination of Welsh Government and EU funding. Given the lack of assurances from the UK Government to date over replacing EU funding and programme continuity, I cannot predict its long-term future. | Rŷm ni'n gwybod, wrth gwrs, fod hwn yn cefnogi cymunedau gwledig a'r economi trwy gyfuniad o gyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru a gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Yn wyneb y diffyg sicrhad gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig hyd yma ynglŷn â chyllid yn lle cyllid yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a pharhad rhaglenni, ni allaf darogan dyfodol tymor hir y rhaglen. |
Well, thanks for that response. It was very interesting, if I may say so, because your skills Minister, in response to a question from me following a statement last week, made it clear that she is continuing to plan programmes on the basis that the funding will come to Wales. If it doesn't come from the EU, then she's expecting it to come, according to the pledges made, from the UK Government. But, the following day, the Cabinet Secretary for rural affairs announced that programmes such as Glastir, post 2018, were to be deferred because of uncertainty. That suggests to me that you don't have much of a strategy as a Government in terms of how you're responding to the decision following the referendum. Can you tell us if the left hand knows what the right hand is doing? | Wel, diolch ichi am eich ateb - ateb diddorol iawn, os caf i ddweud, oherwydd mi wnaeth eich Gweinidog sgiliau chi, mewn ymateb i gwestiwn gen i ar ôl ei datganiad yr wythnos diwethaf, ei gwneud yn glir ei bod hi yn parhau i ddatblygu cynlluniau ar y sail bod yr arian yn dod i Gymru. O na ddaw o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd, mae hi'n disgwyl i'r arian ddod, yn ôl yr addewidion, o Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig. Ond, y diwrnod wedyn, mi wnaeth yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet materion gwledig gyhoeddi bod rhaglenni megis Glastir, ar ôl 2018, yn cael eu gohirio oherwydd yr ansicrwydd. Mae hynny'n awgrymu i mi bod fawr o strategaeth gennych chi fel Llywodraeth ynglŷn â'r ffordd rydych chi'n ymateb i'r penderfyniad yn dilyn y refferendwm. A allwch chi ddweud wrthyf os ydy'r llaw dde yn gwybod beth y mae'r llaw chwith yn ei wneud? |
We know what we're doing. We are going to continue with the capital schemes, for instance, in order to progress with those. But as regards the revenue programmes and schemes, it's a much more complicated pictures But it's quite evident that, if we see a cut of £600 million in the Assembly's budget year on year over the ensuing years, there will be a very negative impact on some of the projects that we have. | Rydym yn gwybod beth rydym yn ei wneud. Rydym yn mynd i barhau gyda phrosiectau cyfalaf, er enghraifft, er mwyn symud ymlaen â'r rheini. Gyda'r prosiectau sy'n defnyddio refeniw, mae'r sefyllfa yn fwy cymhleth. Ond, mae'n hollol amlwg; os gwelwn ni doriad o £600 miliwn yng nghyllideb y Cynulliad, bob blwyddyn, dros y blynyddoedd nesaf, bydd effaith negatif iawn ar rai o'r prosiectau sydd gyda ni. |
First Minister, I appreciate that you have met with representatives of the agricultural industry last week to discuss concerns following the result of the referendum on the European Union and I support your calls for farming support payments and funding for rural communities to be safeguarded for the future. Now, bearing in mind that the European Union will still be a major trading partner for our farmers for the future, can you tell us what discussions your Government has had to date with the UK Government, and also with the EU Commissioner, to ensure that plans such as the rural development programme can continue? | Brif Weinidog, rwy'n gwerthfawrogi eich bod chi wedi cwrdd â chynrychiolwyr y diwydiant amaethyddol yr wythnos diwethaf i drafod pryderon yn dilyn canlyniad y refferendwm ar yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, ac rwy'n cefnogi eich galwadau ar gyfer cymorthdaliadau ffermio a chyllid ar gyfer cymunedau gwledig i gael eu diogelu yn y dyfodol. O gofio y bydd yr Undeb Ewropeaidd yn dal i fod yn bartner masnachu mawr i'n ffermwyr ar gyfer y dyfodol, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni pa drafodaethau mae eich Llywodraeth chi hyd yn hyn wedi eu cael gyda Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, a hefyd gyda Chomisiynydd yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, i sicrhau bod cynlluniau fel y rhaglen datblygu gwledig yn mynd i barhau? |
Well, there is no guarantee at all. We know that the Commission cannot play its part as regards European funding at present. There is no assurance from the UK Government, so there is no certainty at all for the people of Wales. It's important that we get this assurance as soon as possible in order to give our farmers some assurance. For example, we know that £260 million will be coming into Wales as regards payments to farmers, but at the moment there is no money left after we leave the European Union. So, assurance for farmers is crucially important. | Wel, nid oes sicrwydd o gwbl. Rydym yn gwybod nad yw'r Comisiwn, er enghraifft, yn chwarae rhan ynglŷn â phwyllgorau sydd yn delio â chyllido Ewropeaidd ar hyn o bryd. Nid oes sicrwydd gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, felly nid oes sicrwydd i bobl Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae'n bwysig dros ben fod y sicrwydd yna'n dod cyn gynted ag sy'n bosib er mwyn rhoi sicrwydd i'n ffermwyr ni. Er enghraifft, rydym yn gwybod bod £260 miliwn yn dod i mewn i Gymru ar gyfer taliadau i ffermwyr; ar hyn o bryd, nid oes arian ar ôl i ni adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd i dalu am hynny. Felly, mae sicrwydd i ffermwyr yn hollbwysig. |
On the same theme as the last two questions, I note that, within my own constituency and the constituency of the First Minister, we've just had the announcement as part of rural development of grants of up to £100,000 for individual regeneration schemes. It often surprises people that in a constituency like mine in Ogmore, a former mining and heavy industry constituency, that all but two of the wards in my constituency are rural. We have 40 per cent of upland hill farming, so we have pillar 1 and pillar 2 funding as well. But that pillar 2 funding has been crucial for rural regeneration, controversial as it is - the allocations. So, could I ask him, in his discussions with the UK Government, is he stressing to them the importance of making good any shortfall in the immediacy of programmes that are already committed to, but also in the longer term? Because we need to make sure that we have that backfill shortfall filled by the UK Government in order that we can keep those schemes progressing for many years to come. It's critical for the regeneration of my communities and his. | Ar yr un thema â'r ddau gwestiwn diwethaf, rwy'n nodi, yn fy etholaeth fy hun ac yn etholaeth y Prif Weinidog ein bod ni newydd gael hyd at £100,000 o grantiau wedi'u cyhoeddi ar gyfer cynlluniau adfywio unigol yn rhan o ddatblygiad gwledig. Mae'n aml yn synnu pobl, mewn etholaeth fel fy un i yn Ogwr, cyn-etholaeth fwyngloddio a diwydiant trwm, fod pob un ond dwy o'r wardiau yn fy etholaeth yn wledig. Mae gennym ni 40 y cant o ffermio mynydd yr ucheldir, felly mae gennym ni gyllid colofn 1 a cholofn 2 hefyd. Ond mae'r cyllid colofn 2 hwnnw wedi bod yn hanfodol ar gyfer adfywio gwledig, er ei fod yn ddadleuol - y dyraniadau. Felly, a gaf i ofyn iddo, yn ei drafodaethau â Llywodraeth y DU, a yw'n pwysleisio iddyn nhw bwysigrwydd gwneud iawn am unrhyw ddiffyg yn uniongyrchedd rhaglenni yr ymrwymwyd iddynt eisoes, ond hefyd yn y tymor hwy? Oherwydd mae angen i ni wneud yn siŵr bod Llywodraeth y DU yn llenwi'r diffyg ôl-lenwi hwnnw fel y gallwn gadw'r cynlluniau hynny yn symud ymlaen am flynyddoedd lawer i ddod. Mae'n hanfodol ar gyfer adfywio fy nghymunedau i a'i rai yntau. |
We have made that point. The issue for us is this: in future, agricultural policy will be wholly autonomous and wholly devolved. We're not going to brook interference from Westminster in that regard. It's a matter entirely for the people of Wales, the people of Scotland and indeed England to decide what sort of agricultural policy should be pursued. The difficulty is, of course, the money. How will the money be distributed? We need to make sure that there is a guarantee from the UK Government that Wales will secure at least its current share of funding. My great fear is that there will be an attempt to Barnettise funding for agriculture, which means a substantial reduction in funding for Welsh agriculture. The sooner that Welsh farmers get the certainty from the UK Government that they need, the better. | Rydym ni wedi gwneud y pwynt hwnnw. Y broblem i ni yw hon: yn y dyfodol, bydd polisi amaethyddol yn gwbl ymreolaethol ac wedi'i ddatganoli'n llwyr. Nid ydym ni'n mynd i dderbyn ymyrraeth gan San Steffan yn hynny o beth. Mae'n fater sydd yn gyfan gwbl i bobl Cymru, pobl yr Alban ac yn wir Lloegr benderfynu pa fath o bolisi amaethyddol y dylid ei ddilyn. Yr anhawster, wrth gwrs, yw'r arian. Sut bydd yr arian yn cael ei ddosbarthu? Mae angen i ni wneud yn siŵr bod gwarant gan Lywodraeth y DU y bydd Cymru yn derbyn o leiaf ei chyfran bresennol o gyllid. Fy ofn mawr yw y bydd ymgais i Farnetteiddio cyllid ar gyfer amaethyddiaeth, sy'n golygu gostyngiad sylweddol i gyllid ar gyfer amaethyddiaeth yng Nghymru. Gorau po gyntaf y bydd ffermwyr Cymru yn cael y sicrwydd sydd ei angen arnynt gan Lywodraeth y DU. |
The national transport finance plan, published in July of last year, sets out our investment for transport and infrastructure and services for 2015-20 across all of Wales. | Mae'r cynllun cyllid trafnidiaeth cenedlaethol, a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Gorffennaf y llynedd, yn nodi ein buddsoddiad ar gyfer trafnidiaeth a seilwaith a gwasanaethau ar gyfer 2015-20 ar draws Cymru gyfan. |
Thank you, First Minister. A solution to the M4 Brynglas tunnels congestion is a key priority for the Welsh Government and indeed for this Assembly as a whole. I'm sure that Professor Stuart Cole will be sleeping a little easier knowing that his M4 blue route is now part of the mix to be considered by the public inquiry announced recently. You'll be aware that Roadchef at Magor services have concerns about the effect of the black route on their businesses, as does the port of Newport, which may be bisected by at least one of the routes under consideration by the public inquiry. How have the concerns of important local businesses such as these that I've mentioned been taken into account, and how are they being taken into account by the public inquiry? | Diolch yn fawr, Brif Weinidog. Mae ateb i dagfeydd twneli Brynglas yr M4 yn flaenoriaeth allweddol i Lywodraeth Cymru ac yn wir i'r Cynulliad hwn yn ei gyfanrwydd. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yr Athro Stuart Cole yn cysgu ychydig yn dawelach o wybod bod ei lwybr glas M4 yn rhan o'r gymysgedd erbyn hyn i gael ei ystyried gan yr ymchwiliad cyhoeddus a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar. Byddwch yn ymwybodol bod gan Roadchef yng ngwasanaethau Magwyr bryderon am effaith y llwybr du ar eu busnesau, ac felly hefyd porthladd Casnewydd, a allai gael ei rannu'n ddwy gan o leiaf un o'r llwybrau sy'n cael eu hystyried gan yr ymchwiliad cyhoeddus. Sut y mae pryderon busnesau lleol pwysig fel y rhain yr wyf i wedi eu crybwyll wedi cael eu cymryd i ystyriaeth, a sut maen nhw'n cael eu cymryd i ystyriaeth gan yr ymchwiliad cyhoeddus? |
Well, I would expect the inquiry to take full account of the views of all those who express a view to the inquiry. We took a conscious decision to make sure that all the possibilities were examined by the inquiry in order that the public could see all the evidence and so that people would understand that we wanted to make sure that all the options were properly examined. The Member knows that I have stood here and said the blue route is hugely problematic in terms of its effect on so many people, but let's see what the public local inquiry actually says and see what recommendations are made from there. | Wel, byddwn yn disgwyl i'r ymchwiliad roi ystyriaeth lawn i safbwyntiau pawb sy'n mynegi barn i'r ymchwiliad. Gwnaethom benderfyniad ymwybodol i wneud yn siŵr bod yr holl bosibiliadau yn cael eu harchwilio gan yr ymchwiliad fel y gallai'r cyhoedd weld yr holl dystiolaeth ac fel y byddai pobl yn deall ein bod ni eisiau gwneud yn siŵr bod yr holl ddewisiadau yn cael eu harchwilio'n briodol. Mae'r Aelod yn gwybod fy mod i wedi sefyll yn y fan yma a dweud bod y llwybr glas yn peri problemau mawr o ran ei effaith ar gymaint o bobl, ond gadewch i ni weld beth fydd yr ymchwiliad lleol cyhoeddus yn ei ddweud a gweld pa argymhellion a wneir yn dilyn hynny. |
The key to ensuring success in the capital region is to pursue a multi-hub approach to infrastructure and economic development. Whilst the city deal and the city region model look to build on Cardiff's international brand, we must recognise the role of other population centres as well. Does the First Minister agree with me that, in moving forward, the distinct status of Newport as a regional capital in its own right, the capital of the former county of Gwent, should be upheld and does he agree that this distinct status for Newport should be enshrined in the capital region's planning and should be promoted at every opportunity? | Yr allwedd i sicrhau llwyddiant yn y brifddinas-ranbarth yw dilyn dull aml-ganolfan ar gyfer seilwaith a datblygu economaidd. Er mai nod y cytundeb dinas a'r model dinas-ranbarth yw adeiladu ar frand rhyngwladol Caerdydd, mae'n rhaid i ni gydnabod swyddogaeth y canolfannau poblogaeth eraill hefyd. A yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi, wrth symud ymlaen, y dylid cadarnhau statws amlwg Casnewydd fel prifddinas ranbarthol yn ei rhinwedd ei hun, prifddinas hen sir Gwent, ac a yw'n cytuno y dylai'r statws amlwg hwn gael ei ymgorffori wrth gynllunio'r prifddinas-ranbarth ac y dylid ei hyrwyddo ar bob cyfle? |
I don't agree with him on that. I think all the local authorities have an equal voice in terms of the development of the city region. Identity is important, I understand that, but the reality is that the economic region pays no heed at all to political boundaries. Newport is obviously an important city. It's our third biggest city. Together with Cardiff and indeed the valley areas to the north, they will all play an important role in developing the whole of the city region for the good of all those who live in it. | Nid wyf yn cytuno ag ef ar hynny. Rwy'n meddwl bod gan yr holl awdurdodau lleol lais cyfartal o ran datblygiad y ddinas-ranbarth. Mae hunaniaeth yn bwysig, rwy'n deall hynny, ond y gwir amdani yw nad yw'r rhanbarth economaidd yn rhoi unrhyw sylw o gwbl i ffiniau gwleidyddol. Mae Casnewydd yn amlwg yn ddinas bwysig. Dyma ein trydedd ddinas fwyaf. Ynghyd â Chaerdydd ac yn wir ardaloedd y cymoedd i'r gogledd, byddant i gyd yn chwarae rhan bwysig wrth ddatblygu'r brifddinas-ranbarth gyfan er lles pawb sy'n byw ynddi. |
I welcome the new allocation of money in the Welsh Government's supplementary budget to the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal and would like to ask the First Minister whether this fits into any wider economic development strategy for integrating our waterways into the infrastructure of south-east Wales. | Rwy'n croesawu'r dyraniad newydd o arian yng nghyllideb atodol Llywodraeth Cymru i gamlas Mynwy ac Aberhonddu a hoffwn ofyn i'r Prif Weinidog a yw hyn yn cyd-fynd ag unrhyw strategaeth datblygu economaidd ehangach ar gyfer integreiddio ein dyfrffyrdd i seilwaith y de-ddwyrain. |
With waterways, I think it's more a case of their potential for tourism. The waterways were fragmented many, many decades ago. The Glamorgan canal - it goes underneath the main railway line east of Cardiff but it isn't connected to the rest of its former network. What's important is that we have the potential for tourism through our canals, and in that way, of course, they can act as economic drivers, and we'll continue to work with the stakeholders involved to make sure that that potential is realised. | O ran dyfrffyrdd, rwy'n credu ei fod yn fwy o achos o'u potensial ar gyfer twristiaeth. Rhannwyd y dyfrffyrdd ddegawdau lawer iawn yn ôl. Mae camlas Morgannwg - mae'n mynd o dan y brif reilffordd i'r dwyrain o Gaerdydd ond nid yw wedi ei chysylltu â gweddill ei rhwydwaith blaenorol. Yr hyn sy'n bwysig yw bod y potensial gennym ni ar gyfer twristiaeth trwy ein camlesi, ac yn y modd hwnnw, wrth gwrs, gallant weithredu fel sbardunwyr economaidd, a byddwn yn parhau i weithio â'r rhanddeiliaid dan sylw i sicrhau bod y potensial hwnnw'n cael ei wireddu. |
Yes. In 2015-16, billing authorities collected 97.2 per cent of council tax billed. | Gwnaf. Casglodd awdurdodau bilio 97.2 y cant o dreth gyngor a filiwyd yn 2015-16. |
Thank you very much for the reply, Minister. Figures released by your Government reveal that Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil and Torfaen councils have the worst council tax collection rates in Wales. The citizens advice bureau has labelled council tax as Wales's biggest debt problem - 6,000 people are now struggling to pay their bills. Will the First Minister explain to those families in Wales's poorest areas why he decided not to use the funds provided by the UK Government to freeze council tax in Wales to the purpose for which they were actually intended? | Diolch yn fawr iawn am yr ateb, Weinidog. Mae ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd gan eich Llywodraeth yn datgelu mai cynghorau Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tudful a Thorfaen sydd â'r cyfraddau gwaethaf yng Nghymru o ran casglu'r dreth gyngor. Mae'r ganolfan cyngor ar bopeth wedi labelu treth gyngor fel problem ddyled fwyaf Cymru - mae 6,000 o bobl yn cael trafferth i dalu eu biliau erbyn hyn. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog esbonio i'r teuluoedd hynny yn ardaloedd tlotaf Cymru pam y penderfynodd beidio â defnyddio'r cyllid a ddarparwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU i rewi'r dreth gyngor yng Nghymru at y diben y'i bwriadwyd mewn gwirionedd? |
Well, devolution means it's not for a purpose intended, for a start; it's a matter for the Assembly to decide how it spends its money. Nevertheless, the majority of authorities in England turned down the council tax freeze grant this year and they chose to increase council tax instead. Despite that fact, council tax in Wales is lower on average than it is in England, and, indeed, he will remember, because he was in the Chamber when council tax benefits were devolved, only 90 per cent of the budget followed. I did not see him advocating strongly at that time that Wales should receive its full share of money in order to deal with council tax benefits. | Wel, mae datganoli'n golygu nad yw at ddiben a fwriadwyd, i ddechrau; mater i'r Cynulliad yw penderfynu sut y mae'n gwario ei arian. Serch hynny, gwrthodwyd y grant rhewi'r dreth gyngor gan fwyafrif yr awdurdodau yn Lloegr eleni, gan ddewis codi'r dreth gyngor yn hytrach. Er gwaethaf y ffaith honno, mae'r dreth gyngor yng Nghymru yn is ar gyfartaledd nag yw hi yn Lloegr, ac, yn wir, bydd ef yn cofio, gan ei fod yn y Siambr pan ddatganolwyd budd-daliadau treth gyngor, mai dim ond 90 y cant o'r gyllideb a ddilynodd. Welais i mohono yn annog yn gryf ar y pryd y dylai Cymru dderbyn ei chyfran lawn o arian er mwyn ymdrin â budd-daliadau'r dreth gyngor. |
Finally, Adam Price. | Ac yn olaf, Adam Price. |
Surely, the fact that the highest percentage of people who don't pay the tax live in our poorest areas reflects the fact that this tax is fundamentally unfair. The burden weighs most heavily on those people who are least able to pay. So, isn't it now time for us to reform this tax so that it is fairer, as Plaid Cymru argued, of course, during the election campaign back in May? | Mae'n rhaid bod y ffaith bod y ganran fwyaf o bobl sydd ddim yn talu'r dreth ymhlith rhai o'n hardaloedd tlotaf yn adlewyrchu'r ffaith bod y dreth yma'n sylfaenol annheg, yntefe? Mae'r baich yn pwyso'n drymach ar y bobl sy'n lleiaf abl i dalu. Felly, onid yw hi'n bryd, nawr, inni fwrw ati i ddiwygio'r dreth yma i'w gwneud yn decach, fel yr oedd Plaid Cymru wedi dadlau, wrth gwrs, yn yr etholiad yn ôl ym mis Mai? |
We are always open to consider new methods of funding local authorities and people are talking about a local income tax, but that would have to be collected locally so that the tax didn't go to where people work rather than where they live. It's true to say - well, this is not universally true, of course - the higher the price of the house, the greater the income of the resident. That is not always true, I understand that, but the system that we have at present is one that works because it's a tax that has been applied to a house. But, of course, in the years to come, there's always an argument about whether there might be a more effective method of funding local authorities. | Rŷm ni'n wastad yn agored i ystyried ffyrdd newydd o gyllido awdurdodau lleol. Mae rhai yn sôn, wrth gwrs, am dreth incwm lleol; bydd yn rhaid casglu hynny'n lleol yn lle bod yr arian i gyd yn mynd i'r llefydd y mae pobl yn gweithio, nid lle maen nhw'n byw. Mae'n wir i ddweud - wel, nid yw'n wir i bawb, wrth gwrs - y mwyaf yw pris y tŷ, y mwyaf yw incwm y person sydd yn byw yno. Nid yw hynny'n wastad yn wir, rwy'n deall hynny, ond mae'r system sydd gennym ni ar hyn o bryd yn system sydd yn gweithio achos y ffaith ei bod yn dreth sydd wedi cael ei rhoi ar ben tŷ sydd ffaelu symud. Ond, wrth gwrs, yn y blynyddoedd i ddod, mae yna'n wastad ddadl ynglŷn ag a oes yna ffordd fwy effeithiol i sicrhau cyllid awdurdodau lleol. |
I have accepted an urgent question under Standing Order 12.66. I call on David Rees to ask the urgent question. | Rwyf wedi derbyn cwestiwn brys o dan Reol Sefydlog 12.66. Rwy'n galw ar David Rees i ofyn y cwestiwn brys. |
Yes. Can I thank the Member for his question?We are continuing our extensive dialogue with Tata and are continuing to press the UK Government on a number of points including appropriate relief from high-energy costs, which is more critical than ever to ensure our industries are competitive, as well as the need for a solution on pensions. | Gwnaf. A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn? Rydym ni'n parhau â'n trafodaethau helaeth â Tata ac yn parhau i bwyso ar Lywodraeth y DU o ran nifer o bwyntiau gan gynnwys rhyddhad priodol o gostau ynni uchel, sy'n fwy hanfodol nag erioed i sicrhau bod ein diwydiannau yn gystadleuol, yn ogystal â'r angen am ddatrysiad ar bensiynau. |
Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that answer and for his assurances that the Welsh Government is actually continuing its pursuance of the various aspects? However, as we all know, the steel industry has been in a challenging situation for many years. In fact, this year, in January, Tata steel announced 1,000 job losses; in March, it announced the possible sales of its UK operations. My constituents - my steelworkers, their families - have all had to suffer a hellish period of time, whilst we're waiting for some certainty from Tata Steel. That certainty, last Friday, was thrown away because of that announcement last Friday that they will suspend the sale process and now go to a joint venture with a company that, apparently, according to analysts, they've been having discussions with for over a year on its Dutch operations, and they're saying, themselves - Thyssenkrupp are actually saying - that we need to consolidate steel making in Europe, puts the fear of - excuse the term - God into people's lives and they are worried about their future; they're worried about the town's future. We've had uncertainty hanging over us; we want certainty - we haven't got it. Will the Welsh Government now clearly immediately engage with the new Prime Minister to get that Prime Minister to actually agree (a) the pension scheme has to be reinitiated because after Brexit it seemed to be put on hold - it's disappeared from the scene; we need the energy prices, as you identified already; we need to start looking at, perhaps, innovative ways - I know the party opposite mentioned that we could have perhaps joint ventures with the UK Government and private partners, because if Tata aren't going to do something, we need to do it. I'm concerned because Koushik Chatterjee, who is the group executive director and Tata Steel's district director for Europe, has actually stated that the global steel industry is vulnerable and he cannot give guarantees of job security in Port Talbot. He can't even have guarantees of jobs in Port Talbot staying there, full stop. That, again, puts, in my view, a position that perhaps Tata are looking at an out. We want to know their actual environmental liabilities and their responsibilities according to those. I know that the Welsh Government has been pursuing the environment and protection scheme. What are the implications of Brexit on that? That needs to be clarified. The blast furnaces. It's all talk about the blast furnaces. We need those blast furnaces. One thing I want the Welsh Government to do is to look at every possible option to keep those blast furnaces lit and operational to ensure that we can continue to make steel in Wales and not simply recycle steel through our furnaces. Perhaps you want to look at innovation as well, encourage businesses that come in through innovation. It has been mentioned many times, the innovation hub in Swansea. Let's get on with it, and let's, perhaps, put that on the table. | A gaf i ddiolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am yr ateb yna ac am ei sicrwydd bod Llywodraeth Cymru wir yn parhau i ddilyn y gwahanol agweddau? Fodd bynnag, fel yr ydym ni i gyd yn gwybod, mae'r diwydiant dur wedi bod mewn sefyllfa anodd ers nifer o flynyddoedd. Yn wir, eleni, ym mis Ionawr, cyhoeddodd Tata Steel y byddai 1,000 o swyddi yn cael eu colli; ym mis Mawrth, cyhoeddodd werthiant posibl ei weithrediadau yn y DU. Mae fy etholwyr i - fy ngweithwyr dur i, eu teuluoedd - i gyd wedi gorfod dioddef cyfnod uffernol o amser, tra ein bod ni'n dal i aros am rywfaint o sicrwydd gan Tata Steel. Taflwyd y sicrwydd hwnnw i ffwrdd ddydd Gwener diwethaf, oherwydd y cyhoeddiad hwnnw ddydd Gwener diwethaf y byddant yn gohirio'r broses o werthu ac yn mynd i fenter ar y cyd bellach gyda chwmni y maen nhw, mae'n debyg, yn ôl dadansoddwyr, wedi bod yn cynnal trafodaethau ag ef ers dros flwyddyn ar ei weithrediadau yn yr Iseldiroedd, ac maen nhw'n dweud, eu hunain - mae Thyssenkrupp mewn gwirionedd yn dweud - bod angen i ni atgyfnerthu cynhyrchiant dur yn Ewrop, rhoi ofn - esgusodwch y term - Duw ym mywydau pobl ac maen nhw'n poeni am eu dyfodol; maen nhw'n poeni am ddyfodol y dref. Rydym ni wedi cael ansicrwydd yn hongian dros ein pennau; rydym ni eisiau sicrwydd - nid yw gennym ni. A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru ymgysylltu'n eglur ar unwaith nawr gyda Phrif Weinidog newydd y DU i gael y Prif Weinidog honno i gytuno (a) bod yn rhaid ailgyflwyno'r cynllun pensiwn oherwydd mae'n ymddangos iddo gael ei ohirio ar ôl Brexit - mae wedi diflannu; mae angen y prisiau ynni arnom, fel y nodwyd gennych eisoes; mae angen i ni ddechrau ystyried, efallai, ffyrdd arloesol - gwn fod y blaid gyferbyn wedi sôn y gallem ni gael mentrau ar y cyd â Llywodraeth y DU a phartneriaid preifat o bosibl, oherwydd os nad yw Tata yn mynd i wneud rhywbeth, mae angen i ni ei wneud. Rwy'n pryderu gan fod Koushik Chatterjee, sef cyfarwyddwr gweithredol y grŵp a chyfarwyddwr rhanbarthol Tata Steel ar gyfer Ewrop, wedi dweud bod y diwydiant dur byd-eang dan fygythiad ac na all warantu sicrwydd swyddi ym Mhort Talbot. Ni all hyd yn oed sicrhau y bydd swyddi ym Mhort Talbot yn parhau yno o gwbl. Mae hynny, unwaith eto, yn fy marn i, yn creu sefyllfa lle efallai y mae Tata yn chwilio am ffordd i adael. Rydym eisiau gwybod eu rhwymedigaethau amgylcheddol gwirioneddol a'u cyfrifoldebau yn unol â'r rheini. Gwn fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn dilyn y cynllun amgylchedd a diogelu. Beth yw goblygiadau Brexit ar hynny? Mae angen eglurhad. Y ffwrneisi chwyth. Mae'r cwbl yn ymwneud â'r ffwrneisi chwyth. Rydym ni angen y ffwrneisi chwyth hynny. Un peth yr wyf i eisiau i Lywodraeth Cymru ei wneud yw ystyried pob dewis posibl i gadw'r ffwrneisi chwyth hynny wedi'u cynnau ac yn weithredol er mwyn sicrhau y gallwn barhau i wneud dur yng Nghymru ac nid dim ond ailgylchu dur drwy ein ffwrneisi. Efallai yr hoffech chi ystyried arloesedd hefyd, gan annog busnesau sy'n dod i mewn drwy arloesi. Fe'i crybwyllwyd sawl gwaith, y ganolfan arloesedd yn Abertawe. Gadewch i ni fwrw ymlaen â hi, a gadewch i ni, efallai, roi hynny ar y bwrdd. |
This is a question, so if you can - | Cwestiwn yw hwn, felly pe gallech chi - |
I've got several questions. | Mae gen i nifer o gwestiynau. |
Yes, I know. You've asked several already. If you can come to your final one. | Oes, rwy'n gwybod. Rydych chi wedi gofyn sawl un yn barod. Os gallwch chi ddod at eich un olaf. |
I appreciate it, Llywydd, but I'm sure you'll appreciate that the constituency is dominated - | Rwy'n sylweddoli hynny, Lywydd, ond rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n gwerthfawrogi bod yr etholaeth yn llawn - |
I'll have your final question. And I understand the importance of the question. | Mi gymeraf eich cwestiwn olaf. Ac rwy'n deall pwysigrwydd y cwestiwn. |
Final question, then. The trade unions have actually expressed to me their views. They phoned me today. They don't want the sale process stopped. Will you negotiate with Tata and the UK Government to get the sale process back on line, if nothing else, in parallel with the other considerations they're having? | Y cwestiwn olaf, felly. Mae'r undebau llafur wedi mynegi eu barn i mi. Fe wnaethant fy ffonio i heddiw. Nid ydyn nhw eisiau i'r broses werthu gael ei hatal. A wnewch chi drafod â Tata a Llywodraeth y DU i gael y broses werthu yn ôl ar y trywydd cywir, os dim byd arall, ochr yn ochr â'r ystyriaethau eraill sydd ganddyn nhw? |
First of all, can I thank the Member for his continued passionate defence of the Welsh steel industry? I fully recognise the anxiety and uncertainty that many, many families are going through. I, myself, grew up in a family that relied on steel for employment back in the 1980s. I know full well how much anxiety and uncertainty and distress it can cause when you don't know whether you're going to have a job next week, next month or next year. First of all, we continue to work closely with the UK Government to ensure that there is a sustainable future for steel in Wales, but I can offer this assurance: there has been no announcement by Tata over a suspension of the steel sale process. That is ongoing in parallel already with the joint venture considerations. That's one of the reasons why (a) I am meeting with one of the parties this afternoon and (b) why we need to ensure the UK Government remains committed to supporting a possible sale by another party. Now, it's my firm belief that, tomorrow, we will have a new Prime Minister in Britain. My message, or our Government's message, to Theresa May would be simply: show your mettle in a way that Margaret Thatcher never did by supporting British streel. You can do that immediately, Prime Minister. You can do that immediately by resolving the crisis concerning energy costs that is affecting not just the steel industry but many other manufacturing sectors as well. | Yn gyntaf oll, a gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei amddiffyniad angerddol parhaus o'r diwydiant dur yng Nghymru? Rwy'n llwyr gydnabod y pryder a'r ansicrwydd y mae llawer iawn o deuluoedd yn eu dioddef. Cefais i, fy hun, fy magu mewn teulu a oedd yn dibynnu ar ddur am gyflogaeth yn ôl yn y 1980au. Rwy'n gwybod yn iawn faint o bryder ac ansicrwydd a gofid y gellir eu hachosi pan nad ydych chi'n gwybod a fydd gennych chi swydd yr wythnos nesaf, y mis nesaf neu'r flwyddyn nesaf. Yn gyntaf oll, rydym ni'n parhau i weithio'n agos gyda Llywodraeth y DU i sicrhau bod dyfodol cynaliadwy i ddur yng Nghymru, ond gallaf gynnig y sicrwydd hwn: ni chafwyd unrhyw gyhoeddiad gan Tata ar ohirio'r broses gwerthu dur. Mae hynny'n parhau ochr yn ochr eisoes â'r ystyriaethau menter ar y cyd. Dyna un o'r rhesymau pam (a) y byddaf yn cwrdd ag un o'r partïon y prynhawn yma a (b) pam mae angen i ni sicrhau bod Llywodraeth y DU yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i gefnogi gwerthiant posibl gan barti arall. Nawr, rwy'n credu'n bendant, yfory, y bydd gennym ni Brif Weinidog newydd ym Mhrydain. Yn syml, fy neges i, neu neges ein Llywodraeth, i Theresa May fyddai yn syml: dangoswch eich cryfder ddydd Sadwrn mewn ffordd na wnaeth Margaret Thatcher erioed trwy gefnogi dur Prydain. Gallwch wneud hynny ar unwaith, Brif Weinidog y DU. Gallwch wneud hynny ar unwaith trwy ddatrys yr argyfwng yn ymwneud â chostau ynni sy'n effeithio ar y diwydiant dur yn ogystal â llawer o sectorau gweithgynhyrchu eraill hefyd. |
I don't doubt the sincerity of the Cabinet Secretary, but I'm afraid that answer didn't give the clarity that the Member for Aberavon was looking for and, even more importantly, as he would also agree, the clarity that steelworkers and their families are looking for. We've had a situation now where the chief financial officer of Tata Steel last night refused to give a guarantee over the future of Port Talbot. The chief executive officer of their prospective partner, Thyssenkrupp, has been quoted to saying that this a great opportunity to take capacity out of the steel industry. What's driving this? What's the motivation here? Take out capacity: that means a loss of jobs. Where is that axe going to fall? It's not going to fall in Duisburg in Germany. It's not going to fall in IJmuiden in Netherlands. It's going to fall in Port Talbot and across the other Welsh and British sites. So, I want an unequivocal statement from the Minister that, actually, far from being this salvation of the Welsh steel industry, this merger could be the means to its demise. As it currently stands, we must oppose this merger. The First Minister earlier talked about conditions. The only guarantee that is worth anything is if the equity stake that the UK and Welsh Government have talked about taking in Port Talbot has to be a golden share, where there is a veto on any future decision of the job losses in the Welsh and the UK steel industries. Does the Cabinet Secretary agree? Finally, he has just announced to us that, actually - this is certainly breaking news - the sale process is not suspended. Well, if that is the case, is the financial support that the Welsh Government - and we supported on these benches - has given to the employee and management buy-out bid, which is, I think, a very, very strong and plausible bid, and it may be the real reason why Tata is walking away from the sale process, because they don't want a competitor - ? The Welsh Government has been providing financial support to that team hitherto. Will that support now continue along with the sale process? | Nid wyf yn amau didwylledd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ond mae gen i ofn na wnaeth yr ateb yna roi'r eglurder yr oedd yr Aelod dros Aberafan yn chwilio amdano ac, yn bwysicach fyth, fel y byddai hefyd yn cytuno, yr eglurder y mae'r gweithwyr dur a'u teuluoedd yn chwilio amdano. Rydym ni wedi cael sefyllfa nawr lle gwrthododd prif swyddog ariannol Tata Steel neithiwr roi sicrwydd ynghylch dyfodol Port Talbot. Dywedwyd bod prif swyddog gweithredol eu darpar bartner, Thyssenkrupp, wedi dweud bod hwn yn gyfle gwych i gymryd capasiti allan o'r diwydiant dur. Beth sy'n sbarduno hyn? Beth yw'r cymhelliad yma? Cymryd capasiti allan: mae hynny'n golygu colli swyddi. Ble mae'r fwyell yn mynd i ddisgyn? Nid yw'n mynd i ddisgyn yn Duisburg yn yr Almaen. Nid yw'n mynd i ddisgyn yn IJmuiden yn yr Iseldiroedd. Mae'n mynd i ddisgyn ym Mhort Talbot ac ar draws y safleoedd eraill yng Nghymru a Phrydain. Felly, rwyf eisiau datganiad diamwys gan y Gweinidog y gallai'r uno hwn, ymhell o fod yn achubiaeth i ddiwydiant dur Cymru, arwain at ei ddirywiad. Fel y mae hi ar hyn o bryd, mae'n rhaid i ni wrthwynebu'r uno hwn. Siaradodd y Prif Weinidog am amodau yn gynharach. Yr unig sicrwydd sydd werth unrhyw beth yw os oes rhaid i'r gyfran ecwiti y mae Llywodraethu y DU a Chymru wedi sôn am ei chymryd ym Mhort Talbot fod yn gyfran euraid, lle ceir feto ar unrhyw benderfyniad yn y dyfodol am golli swyddi yn niwydiannau dur Cymru a'r DU. A yw Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn cytuno? Yn olaf, mae newydd gyhoeddi i ni, mewn gwirionedd - mae hyn yn sicr yn newyddion newydd - nad yw'r broses werthu wedi ei gohirio. Wel, os yw hynny'n wir, a yw'r gefnogaeth ariannol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru - ac a gefnogwyd gennym ni ar y meinciau hyn - wedi ei rhoi i'r pryniant gan y gweithwyr a'r rheolwyr, sydd, rwy'n credu, yn gais cryf a chredadwy iawn, ac efallai mai dyma'r gwir reswm pam mae Tata yn cerdded oddi wrth y broses werthu, gan nad ydyn nhw eisiau cystadleuaeth - ? Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn darparu cymorth ariannol i'r tîm hwnnw hyd yn hyn. A fydd y cymorth hwnnw'n parhau nawr ynghyd â'r broses werthu? |
I'd like to thank the Member for his question, and I accept much of what he says, but I'm surprised that he hasn't seen from the Tata Steel news release from last week, actually, that they state in there, categorically, that they are also looking at a joint venture, not that they are looking at it instead of a potential sale. Now, we've said that we will work with anybody that offers steel in Wales a sustainable future. So, it would be neglectful of us to do as the Member wishes, which is to say, 'Do not have talks with Tata and TK over a joint venture; oppose it and only speak to one or two of the potential buyers.' That would be neglectful. We need to talk, from the outset, with anybody who is interested and willing to give a Welsh steel making a sustainable future. To do otherwise would be neglectful. | Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn, ac rwy'n derbyn llawer o'r hyn a ddywed, ond rwy'n synnu nad yw wedi gweld o ddatganiad newyddion Tata Steel o'r wythnos diwethaf, mewn gwirionedd, eu bod yn datgan yno, yn bendant, eu bod hwythau'n ystyried menter ar y cyd hefyd, nid eu bod yn ei ystyried yn hytrach na gwerthiant posibl. Nawr, rydym ni wedi dweud y byddwn ni'n gweithio gydag unrhyw un sy'n cynnig dyfodol cynaliadwy i ddur yng Nghymru. Felly, byddai'n esgeulus i ni wneud fel y mae'r Aelod yn dymuno, sef dweud, 'Peidiwch â chael trafodaethau â Tata a TK ar fenter ar y cyd; gwrthwynebwch hynny a siaradwch ag un neu ddau o'r prynwyr posibl yn unig.' Byddai hynny'n esgeulus. Mae angen i ni siarad, o'r cychwyn cyntaf, gydag unrhyw un sydd â diddordeb ac yn fodlon rhoi dyfodol cynaliadwy i gynhyrchu dur yng Nghymru. Byddai gwneud fel arall yn esgeulus. |
Cabinet Secretary, a few weeks ago, I asked the First Minister whether the support package that Welsh Government had put forward, including the possible acquisition of a share - that package put together, of course, to encourage credible buyers for the Port Talbot works - would still be available to Tata were it not to sell. So, I'd like you to give a clear commitment today on what your position is on that now. Has Tata asks Welsh Government for anything new by way of support since or immediately before the suggestion that it may change its mind about a sale in the near future? In particular, have you been asked for anything or encouraged to offer support if Tata's future is to be predicated on some sort of joint venture with Thyssenkrupp? What commitment have you had from Tata about how long this change of heart might last? Is it just breathing space for Tata to improve its bottom line with a view to improving its chances of a joint venture, or is it something more stable and, at least, medium term? Because you'll be aware, Cabinet Secretary, that there's, shall we say, serious concern about the disingenuousness of Tata and its behaviour in the last few months, and an even deeper concern about the role, potentially, of Thyssenkrupp in this, bearing in mind their statement within the last six months that they would seek to close certainly the Port Talbot end of any operations they were involved in were they to take on Tata's interests. | Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, gofynnais i'r Prif Weinidog a oedd y pecyn cymorth yr oedd y Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei gynnig, gan gynnwys caffael cyfranddaliad o bosibl - lluniwyd y pecyn hwnnw, wrth gwrs, i annog prynwyr credadwy ar gyfer gwaith Port Talbot - yn dal i fod ar gael i Tata pe na byddai'n gwerthu. Felly, hoffwn i chi roi ymrwymiad eglur heddiw o ran beth yw eich safbwynt ar hynny nawr. A yw Tata wedi gofyn i Lywodraeth Cymru am unrhyw beth newydd o ran cymorth ers neu'n union cyn yr awgrym y gallai newid ei feddwl am werthiant yn y dyfodol agos? Yn benodol, a ofynnwyd am unrhyw beth i chi neu a gawsoch eich annog i gynnig cymorth pe byddai dyfodol Tata yn dibynnu ar ryw fath o fenter ar y cyd gyda Thyssenkrupp? Pa ymrwymiad ydych chi wedi ei gael gan Tata ynghylch pa mor hir y gallai'r newid meddwl hwn bara? Ai dim ond tipyn o amser i Tata gael cyfle i wella ei waelodlin gyda golwg ar wella ei siawns o fenter ar y cyd yw hyn, neu a yw'n rhywbeth mwy sefydlog ac, o leiaf, ar gyfer y tymor canolig? Oherwydd byddwch yn ymwybodol, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, bod, gadewch i ni ddweud, bryder difrifol ynghylch annidwylledd Tata a'i ymddygiad yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf, a phryder dyfnach fyth am swyddogaeth Thyssenkrupp, o bosibl yn hyn, o gofio eu datganiad o fewn y chwe mis diwethaf y byddent yn ceisio cau yn sicr pen Port Talbot o unrhyw weithrediadau y byddent yn ymwneud â nhw pe byddent yn cymryd cyfrifoldeb am fuddiannau Tata. |
Can I thank Suzy Davies for her questioning and say that we have been clear throughout with Tata that any support offered would be conditional upon safeguarding of jobs and sustainable steel production here in Wales, not just for the short term, but for the longer term as well? That support is on the table, as I've said already. We are willing to work with anybody who is willing and determined to ensure that there is a long-term, sustainable future for steel in Wales. I have asked for, and it's been accepted, an urgent meeting with Tata. I expect to meet with them very soon. Insofar as any alternative potential purchase is concerned, we, again, would work with anybody that can guarantee a sustainable future for the Welsh steel industry. | Hoffwn ddiolch i Suzy Davies am ei chwestiynau a dweud ein bod wedi bod yn eglur o'r cychwyn gyda Tata y byddai unrhyw gymorth a gynigir yn amodol ar ddiogelu swyddi a chynhyrchu dur cynaliadwy yma yng Nghymru, nid yn unig ar gyfer y byrdymor, ond ar gyfer y tymor hwy hefyd? Mae'r cymorth hwnnw ar y bwrdd, fel yr wyf eisoes wedi'i ddweud. Rydym ni'n barod i weithio gydag unrhyw un sy'n fodlon ac yn benderfynol i sicrhau bod dyfodol hirdymor, cynaliadwy i ddur yng Nghymru. Rwyf wedi gofyn am gyfarfod brys gyda Tata ac mae hynny wedi ei dderbyn. Rwy'n disgwyl cael cyfarfod â nhw yn fuan iawn. Cyn belled ag y mae unrhyw bryniant arall posibl yn y cwestiwn, byddem, unwaith eto, yn gweithio gydag unrhyw un a all sicrhau dyfodol cynaliadwy i ddiwydiant dur Cymru. |
I'm sure that the Minister will join me in congratulating the Member for Aberavon on the eloquent, passionate and, indeed, moving defence of his constituents' interests today. I certainly was very moved by what he had to say, but I'm afraid that the certainty that he seeks is simply not available. Mr Chatterjee, who is Tata Steel's executive director for Europe, has made it perfectly clear that the fundamental problem here is volatility in the market, which is largely produced as a result of overcapacity in China. Unfortunately, the Welsh Government is paralysed by a lack of political will on the one hand, and legal constraints, whilst we remain members of the European Union, from doing anything practical to resolve the uncertainties that exist. But what we need to do - I hope he will agree with me in this respect - is to recover our ability to negotiate trade deals on behalf of this country in itself and also to use the powers that the World Trade Organization gives to its members to impose anti-dumping duties of sufficient gravity to prevent the undercutting of the prices of steel that is made in Britain. We do have a certain amount of latitude on energy prices, but, of course, the crazy energy price regime imposed by the last Labour Government, under the Climate Change Act 2008, makes it very difficult for us to do that. So, why doesn't the Cabinet Secretary come clean here and tell us that there is nothing he's actually willing to do that is of any practical use to Mr Rees's constituents in Aberavon? | Rwy'n siŵr y gwnaiff y Gweinidog ymuno â mi i longyfarch yr Aelod dros Aberafan ar ei amddiffyniad huawdl, angerddol ac, yn wir, emosiynol o fuddiannau ei etholwyr heddiw. Cefais i yn sicr fy effeithio gan yr hyn yr oedd ganddo i'w ddweud, ond rwy'n ofni nad yw'r sicrwydd y mae ei eisiau ar gael. Mae Mr Chatterjee, sef cyfarwyddwr gweithredol Tata Steel ar gyfer Ewrop, wedi ei gwneud yn gwbl eglur mai'r broblem sylfaenol yma yw anwadalrwydd yn y farchnad, a achoswyd yn bennaf o ganlyniad i or-gapasiti yn Tsieina. Yn anffodus, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei pharlysu gan ddiffyg ewyllys gwleidyddol ar y naill law, a chyfyngiadau cyfreithiol, tra ein bod yn parhau i fod yn aelodau o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd, rhag gwneud unrhyw beth ymarferol i ddatrys yr ansicrwydd sy'n bodoli. Ond yr hyn y mae angen i ni ei wneud - rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yn cytuno â mi yn hyn o beth - yw adennill ein gallu i negodi cytundebau masnach ar ran y wlad hon ei hun a hefyd i ddefnyddio'r pwerau y mae Sefydliad Masnach y Byd yn eu rhoi i'w haelodau i orfodi dyletswyddau gwrth-ddympio digon llym i atal codi prisiau is am ddur sy'n cael ei wneud ym Mhrydain. Mae gennym ni rywfaint o hyblygrwydd o ran prisiau ynni, ond, wrth gwrs, mae'r drefn prisiau ynni gwallgof a gyflwynwyd gan y Llywodraeth Lafur ddiwethaf, o dan Ddeddf Newid yn yr Hinsawdd 2008, yn ei gwneud yn anodd iawn i ni i wneud hynny. Felly, pam na wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet fod yn onest yn y fan yma a dweud wrthym nad oes unrhyw beth y mae'n barod i'w wneud sydd o unrhyw ddefnydd ymarferol i etholwyr Mr Rees yn Aberafan? |
I found the Member's contribution pretty appalling. At a time when we should be dropping the political opportunism, and ensuring that there is a long-term solution for Welsh steel, the Member always goes back to the default position of either blame everything on Europe or embrace the idea that the free market can solve everybody's worries. The fact of the matter is, in terms of duties, in 2016, provisional dumping duties were imposed on imports into the EU - this is before the vote - of cold-rolled sheet and coil from China and Russia and reinforcing bars from China, and these investigations continue. We will be outside of Europe soon and it's going to make it more difficult to impose tariffs of the sort that we wish to impose, by the whole of Europe, on China. And insofar as offering that reassurance and hope to the constituents of David Rees is concerned, this Government has done everything within its power, and will continue to do so, to ensure that there is a safe, sustainable future for his constituents, and for the steel industry right across this country - in the north, south and all over Wales. It's simply unacceptable for the Member to talk down the prospects of the steel industry in the way that he does, when the problem with energy prices can be resolved by the UK Government. | Rwy'n credu bod cyfraniad yr Aelod yn eithaf echrydus. Ar adeg pryd y dylem ni fod yn rhoi'r oportiwnistiaeth wleidyddol o'r neilltu, a sicrhau bod ateb hirdymor i ddur Cymru, mae'r Aelod bob amser yn mynd yn ôl at y sefyllfa ddiofyn o naill ai beio popeth ar Ewrop neu groesawu'r syniad y gall y farchnad rydd ddatrys pryderon pawb. Y ffaith amdani yw, o ran dyletswyddau, yn 2016, y gorfodwyd dyletswyddau dympio dros dro ar fewnforion i'r UE - mae hyn cyn y bleidlais - o ddur dalen a choil wedi'i rolio'n oer o Tsieina a Rwsia a bariau atgyfnerthu o Tsieina, ac mae'r ymchwiliadau hyn yn parhau. Byddwn y tu allan i Ewrop cyn bo hir ac mae hynny'n mynd i'w gwneud yn anoddach i osod tariffau o'r math yr ydym ni'n dymuno eu gosod, gan Ewrop gyfan, ar Tsieina. A chyn belled ag y mae cynnig y sicrwydd a'r gobaith hwnnw i etholwyr David Rees yn y cwestiwn, mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi gwneud popeth yn ei gallu, a bydd yn parhau i wneud hynny, er mwyn sicrhau bod dyfodol diogel, cynaliadwy i'w etholwyr, ac i'r diwydiant dur ar draws y wlad hon - yn y gogledd, y de a ledled Cymru. Mae'n gwbl annerbyniol i'r Aelod ddiystyru rhagolygon y diwydiant dur yn y ffordd y mae'n ei wneud, er y gall y broblem gyda phrisiau ynni gael ei datrys gan Lywodraeth y DU. |
Minister, I share the scepticism about the medium-term interests of Tata. They've been playing a game of hokey cokey with us. They've been in and they're out, and they're in again. Given that Gerry Holtham has estimated that the contribution of Port Talbot to the Welsh economy is the equivalent of 6 per cent of gross value added, it's important that Tata understands that this is not a cost-free option for either the Welsh economy or for them. And would he give us assurances that any future financial packages that they seek will be tied to future guarantees of investment, and that they've been made fully aware of the environmental and social costs that they will have to bear of any further game playing? I think it's time we showed some steel. | Weinidog, rwy'n rhannu'r amheuon ynghylch buddiannau tymor canolig Tata. Maen nhw wedi bod yn chwarae gêm o hoci coci â ni. Maen nhw wedi bod i mewn ac maen nhw allan, ac maen nhw i mewn eto. O gofio bod Gerry Holtham wedi amcangyfrif bod cyfraniad Port Talbot i economi Cymru yn gyfwerth â 6 y cant o werth ychwanegol crynswth, mae'n bwysig bod Tata yn deall nad yw hwn yn ddewis rhydd o gostau i economi Cymru nac iddynt hwythau. Ac a wnaiff ef roi sicrwydd i ni y bydd unrhyw becynnau ariannol y byddant yn ceisio eu sicrhau yn y dyfodol ynghlwm â sicrwydd o fuddsoddiad yn y dyfodol, ac y sicrhawyd eu bod yn gwbl ymwybodol o'r costau amgylcheddol a chymdeithasol y bydd yn rhaid iddynt eu derbyn os bydd mwy o chwarae gemau? Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bryd i ninnau fod mor galed â dur. |
Yes, I would agree with the Member. The support that's on the table is conditional on a number of factors. The support contains environmental improvement programmes, and we are absolutely and utterly committed to ensuring that the environment is improved. In terms of the support that we're offering, we would expect it to be, and that will be the case moving forward. | Ie, byddwn yn cytuno â'r Aelod. Mae'r cymorth sydd ar y bwrdd yn amodol ar nifer o ffactorau. Mae'r cymorth yn cynnwys rhaglenni gwella amgylcheddol, ac rydym ni'n gwbl, gwbl ymroddedig i sicrhau bod yr amgylchedd yn cael ei wella. O ran y cymorth yr ydym ni'n ei gynnig, byddem yn disgwyl i hynny ddigwydd, a bydd hynny'n wir yn y dyfodol. |
Cabinet Secretary, I heard what you said in response to Adam Price about the situation whereby the companies are currently still open to negotiating with Tata in relation to the buy-out. In another article online, it says that alternative and more sustainable solutions are being sought by Tata. Does this not then mean that they have decided that they are not compelled by the arguments being put forward by these companies that they are able to take the Port Talbot plant, and other plants in Wales, forward? We need to understand, if they are going to go back to the table to these alternatives, if they do not find success with Thyssenkrupp on a German level. If we do not get that guarantee, then we need to have an understanding as to where Tata go in the future. They have said to me that there is intent to make sure that Port Talbot jobs are retained, but that doesn't give enough of a guarantee to me that that is their final intention. So, I would want to join with Members to make sure there is a formalised deal in place to make sure that those Welsh plants are retained and sustained for the future before any future financial backing is given by your Government to Tata. And my other question was: in this climate whereby talks are continuing in a different way, how can you assure us that companies locally around Tata Steel are not going to suffer in this complex environment? I've heard, in the last week alone, that two companies have gone into liquidation, who work with Tata Steel. I've asked Tata for more information on this, because I can't get hold of the companies in question at the moment, probably due to the fact that they have gone into liquidation. But, we can't lose more jobs in the area at the moment, when jobs around Tata are so valuable to local people. So, I would want to hear what you have to say on that, as well as making sure that any talks with this new joint venture have formalised agreement from both you and the UK Government. | Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, clywais yr hyn a ddywedasoch wrth ymateb i Adam Price am y sefyllfa lle mae'r cwmnïau yn dal i fod yn agored i drafod â Tata ar hyn o bryd o ran prynu'r cwmni. Mewn erthygl arall ar-lein, mae'n dweud bod Tata yn chwilio am atebion gwahanol a mwy cynaliadwy. Onid yw hyn yn golygu felly eu bod wedi penderfynu nad ydynt wedi eu perswadio gan y dadleuon sy'n cael eu cynnig gan y cwmnïau hyn eu bod yn gallu symud gwaith Port Talbot, a gweithfeydd eraill yng Nghymru, yn eu blaenau? Mae angen i ni ddeall, os ydyn nhw'n mynd i fynd yn ôl at y bwrdd at y dewisiadau amgen hyn, os na chânt lwyddiant gyda Thyssenkrupp ar lefel yr Almaen. Os nad ydym yn cael y sicrwydd hwnnw, yna mae angen i ni gael dealltwriaeth ynghylch ble mae Tata yn mynd yn y dyfodol. Maen nhw wedi dweud wrthyf i bod bwriad i wneud yn siŵr bod swyddi Port Talbot yn cael eu cadw, ond nid yw hynny'n rhoi digon o sicrwydd i mi mai dyna eu bwriad terfynol. Felly, hoffwn ymuno â'r Aelodau i wneud yn siŵr bod cytundeb ffurfiol ar waith i sicrhau bod y gweithfeydd hynny yng Nghymru yn cael eu cadw a'u cynnal ar gyfer y dyfodol cyn i unrhyw gymorth ariannol gael ei roi i Tata gan eich Llywodraeth yn y dyfodol. A 'm cwestiwn arall oedd: yn yr hinsawdd hon lle mae sgyrsiau yn parhau mewn ffordd wahanol, sut gallwch chi ein sicrhau nad yw cwmnïau lleol sy'n ymwneud â Tata Steel yn mynd i ddioddef yn yr amgylchedd cymhleth hwn? Rwyf i wedi clywed, dim ond yn yr wythnos ddiwethaf, bod dau gwmni wedi sy'n gweithio gyda Tata Steel wedi eu diddymu. Rwyf wedi gofyn i Tata am fwy o wybodaeth am hyn, gan nad wyf yn gallu cael gafael ar y cwmnïau dan sylw ar hyn o bryd, yn ôl pob tebyg oherwydd y ffaith eu bod wedi eu diddymu. Ond, ni allwn golli mwy o swyddi yn yr ardal ar hyn o bryd, pan fo swyddi o gwmpas Tata mor werthfawr i bobl leol. Felly, hoffwn glywed yr hyn sydd gennych i'w ddweud am hynny, yn ogystal â gwneud yn siŵr bod unrhyw drafodaethau gyda'r fenter ar y cyd newydd hon wedi ffurfioli cytundeb oddi wrthych chi a Llywodraeth y DU. |
Can I thank the Member for her questions, and say that, with the alternative still on the table and under consideration, I wish to continue talking with some of those potential buyers? And that's why I'll be talking with one today, and why I wish to also speak urgently with Tata Steel themselves. Backing, any backing, will be conditional on long-term job security, and, insofar as the supply chain is concerned, the Member is right to identify unease and uncertainty in the supply chain, and that's why the business and supply chain has established a business and supply executive team, comprising of Industry Wales, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Welsh Government and Business Wales, who are all contacting and, where appropriate, exploring assistance to supply chain companies. There's no doubt that this is a very difficult time for many engaged in the supply chain. The team is continuing to contact companies and offer support, and the team is focused on those companies with the highest value orders with Tata, including also the work of the Tata Steel taskforce, which has been discussing the growing impact of the situation on the supply chain in general. | A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei chwestiynau, a dweud, gyda'r dewis arall yn dal ar y bwrdd ac yn cael ei ystyried, fy mod i'n dymuno parhau i siarad gyda rhai o'r darpar brynwyr hynny? A dyna pam y byddaf yn siarad ag un heddiw, a pham yr wyf yn dymuno siarad ar frys gyda Tata Steel eu hunain hefyd. Bydd cymorth, unrhyw gymorth, yn amodol ar sicrhau swyddi yn yr hirdymor, a, chyn belled ag y mae'r gadwyn gyflenwi yn y cwestiwn, mae'r Aelod yn iawn i nodi anesmwythyd ac ansicrwydd yn y gadwyn gyflenwi, a dyna pam mae'r gadwyn busnes a chyflenwi wedi sefydlu tîm gweithredol busnes a chyflenwi, yn cynnwys Diwydiant Cymru, Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Castell-nedd Port Talbot, Llywodraeth Cymru a Busnes Cymru, sydd i gyd yn cysylltu a, phan fo'n briodol, yn edrych ar ddarparu cymorth i gwmnïau'r gadwyn gyflenwi. Nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth bod hwn yn gyfnod anodd iawn i lawer sy'n rhan o'r gadwyn gyflenwi. Mae'r tîm yn parhau i gysylltu â chwmnïau a chynnig cymorth, ac mae'r tîm yn canolbwyntio ar y cwmnïau hynny â'r archebion gwerth uchaf â Tata, gan gynnwys hefyd gwaith tasglu Tata Steel, sydd wedi bod yn trafod effaith gynyddol y sefyllfa ar y gadwyn gyflenwi yn gyffredinol. |
Secretary, as well as Port Talbot and other sites in Wales, workers at the Llanwern and Orb works are very anxious regarding their future livelihoods, and the futures of their families, given the ongoing anxiety and threat. You will know that top-quality products are produced in Newport, such as the steel for the car industry at the Zodiac plant at Llanwern, and the electrical steels at the Orb works. Will you agree with me that, when considering the future of Tata's operations in Wales, those operations need to have their due place in the discussions, and that you will be considering all Tata Steel sites in Wales as part of an integrated approach, in taking part in discussions, and, indeed, in taking action? | Ysgrifennydd, yn ogystal â Phort Talbot a safleoedd eraill yng Nghymru, mae gweithwyr yng ngweithfeydd Llanwern ac Orb yn bryderus iawn ynghylch eu bywoliaeth yn y dyfodol, a dyfodol eu teuluoedd, o ystyried y pryder a'r bygythiad parhaus. Byddwch yn ymwybodol bod cynhyrchion o'r ansawdd uchaf yn cael eu cynhyrchu yng Nghasnewydd, fel y dur ar gyfer y diwydiant ceir yng ngwaith Zodiac yn Llanwern, a'r dur trydanol yng ngwaith yr Orb. A wnewch chi gytuno â mi, wrth ystyried dyfodol gweithrediadau Tata yng Nghymru, bod angen i'r gweithrediadau hynny gael eu lle priodol yn y trafodaethau, ac y byddwch yn ystyried holl safleoedd Tata Steel yng Nghymru yn rhan o ddull integredig, wrth gymryd rhan mewn trafodaethau, ac, yn wir, wrth gymryd camau gweithredu? |
Yes. And can I thank John Griffiths for his questions? The destiny of any one plant in Wales is conditional, if you like, on the destiny of the whole Welsh steel family. And it's my belief that Welsh steel right now is in a strong position; it has a bright future, provided it continues to get the support of Welsh Government and UK Government. The investment that the Member talks of, I think, should apply not just to one site, but to many sites, all of which employ a highly skilled workforce and people who are extremely loyal to Tata, and, in return, Tata should be loyal to them. | Gwnaf. Ac a gaf i ddiolch i John Griffiths am ei gwestiynau? Mae tynged unrhyw un gwaith yng Nghymru yn amodol, os mynnwch chi, ar dynged teulu dur cyfan Cymru. Ac rwy'n credu bod dur Cymru mewn sefyllfa gref ar hyn o bryd; mae ganddo ddyfodol disglair, cyn belled â'i fod yn parhau i gael cefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU. Mae'r buddsoddiad y mae'r Aelod yn sôn amdano, rwy'n credu, yn berthnasol nid yn unig i un safle, ond i lawer o safleoedd, a phob un ohonynt yn cyflogi gweithlu hynod fedrus a phobl sy'n hynod ffyddlon i Tata, ac, yn gyfnewid, dylai Tata fod yn ffyddlon iddynt hwythau. |
Cabinet Secretary, one of the ways in which the Welsh Government could support and assist the company, as it pauses for thought over the sale of the business, is through business rate relief. In April, I believe the Welsh Government said then that it could not apply for a temporary rate relief because it was, effectively, hamstrung by European Union rules at the time. Now, following Brexit, clearly we're in a different position. Can I ask what discussions that you've had - or your officials have had - with the UK Government, relevant bodies at EU level, and with Tata, to revisit the potential for rate relief? | Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, un o'r ffyrdd y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru gefnogi a chynorthwyo'r cwmni, wrth iddo gymryd saib i ystyried gwerthu'r busnes, yw trwy ryddhad ardrethi busnes. Ym mis Ebrill, rwy'n credu y dywedodd Llywodraeth Cymru bryd hynny na allai wneud cais am ryddhad ardrethi dros dro gan ei bod, i bob pwrpas, wedi ei llyffetheirio gan reolau'r Undeb Ewropeaidd ar y pryd. Nawr, yn dilyn Brexit, rydym ni'n amlwg mewn gwahanol sefyllfa. A gaf i ofyn pa drafodaethau yr ydych chi wedi eu cael - neu mae eich swyddogion wedi eu cael - gyda Llywodraeth y DU, cyrff perthnasol ar lefel yr UE, a chyda Tata, i ailystyried y potensial ar gyfer rhyddhad ardrethi? |
The Member, Russell George, makes a valuable contribution, and I can say that we are actively evaluating a number of measures to support the steel sector with business rates, and we're testing these against the current existing state aid law. But, of course, we take note of what happened in the EU referendum and we are also liaising, especially with the UK Government, on how business rates can be utilised to ensure that steel has a future. | Mae'r Aelod, Russell George, yn gwneud cyfraniad gwerthfawr, a gallaf ddweud ein bod yn mynd ati i werthuso nifer o fesurau i gynorthwyo'r sector dur gydag ardrethi busnes, ac rydym ni'n profi'r rhain yn erbyn cyfraith cymorth gwladwriaethol bresennol. Ond, wrth gwrs, rydym ni'n cymryd sylw o'r hyn a ddigwyddodd yn refferendwm yr UE ac rydym ni hefyd yn trafod, gyda Llywodraeth y DU yn arbennig, sut y gellir defnyddio ardrethi busnes i sicrhau bod dyfodol i ddur. |
The next item on the agenda is the business statement and announcement, and I call on Jane Hutt. | A'r eitem nesaf ar yr agenda yw'r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, ac rwy'n galw ar Jane Hutt. |
Diolch yn fawr. I've made several changes to this week's business. The First Minister will make a statement, shortly, on our priorities for Government. This will be followed by a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children on the child practice review on the death of Dylan Seabridge. The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport will then make a statement on the new treatment fund. And, to allow time for these statements to be made, the statement on Wales's compound semiconductor cluster will be issued as a written statement. Turning to tomorrow, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure will make a statement on the Circuit of Wales, immediately after oral Assembly questions. Business for the first three weeks of the autumn term is as shown on the business statement and announcement, found among the meeting papers available to Members electronically. | Diolch yn fawr. Rwyf wedi gwneud sawl newid i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Bydd y Prif Weinidog yn gwneud datganiad, cyn hir, ar ein blaenoriaethau ar gyfer Llywodraeth. Yna ceir datganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gymunedau a Phlant ynglŷn â'r adolygiad ymarfer plant i farwolaeth Dylan Seabridge. Bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd, Llesiant a Chwaraeon wedyn yn gwneud datganiad am y gronfa triniaethau newydd. Ac, er mwyn caniatáu amser i wneud y datganiadau hyn, bydd y datganiad ar glwstwr lled-ddargludyddion cyfansawdd Cymru yn cael ei gyhoeddi fel datganiad ysgrifenedig. Yfory, bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi a'r Seilwaith yn gwneud datganiad ar Gylchffordd Cymru, yn syth ar ôl cwestiynau llafar y Cynulliad. Mae'r busnes ar gyfer tair wythnos gyntaf tymor yr hydref fel y'i dangosir yn y datganiad a'r cyhoeddiad busnes, ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig. |
I thank the business manager for her statement of business. I'm particularly grateful for the changes to business today to allow an oral statement on the death of Dylan Seabridge, one of my constituents, and an issue on which I raised an urgent question some time ago, asking for such a statement. I'm glad that we have the review and are able to look at it later on. Can I ask the Minister to look at two recent events that I think deserve a response from the Welsh Government? The first is today's publication by the Committee on Climate Change - a risk assessment evidence report on adaptation for climate change. It shows very clearly that the United Kingdom as a whole, but Wales in particular, risks considerable economic damage due to the fact that we have poor quality infrastructure. Professor Krebs, who is the chairman of the Adaptation Sub-Committee, and is well known, of course, to us in Wales states that Wales is one part of the country with a lot of poor housing stock, and we need to look at how we make those homes more resilient. On the other hand, he also says that the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 gives us a good framework to work on this. But, taken together, I wonder if we could have a statement from the Government about how the Government intends to respond to the Committee on Climate Change's report as the Westminster Government is obliged to respond formally and to take it on board. I think it would be appropriate if the Welsh Government were to respond in a similar fashion to take it, if you like, as a statutory kind of report and to respond in those ways, and for that to be, perhaps, part of the work that the Government takes forward by means of statement, but then by means of committee work, as committees develop their work and their response in this Assembly. The second issue I'd like a further statement from the Government on is the issue of overspend by two of our health boards - Hywel Dda Local Health Board and Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board: some £50 million now in the past financial year. We've had a statement of fact by the Cabinet Secretary. That's fair enough, but I'd like a statement of what's going to be done. If I can remind the Government of what was said in the Finance Committee at the time of review of the National Health Service Finance (Wales) Act 2014, which I remember being taken through this Assembly, when the then Minister, Mark Drakeford, said in response to questioning from the Finance Committee: 'I am reluctant to open the Pandora's box of unplanned surpluses and deficits. Planned surpluses and deficits are what this regime is about. It's about agreeing with health boards when they need to overspend in year 1 to make sensible investment decisions that then release revenue in years 2 and 3 or, sometimes, underspend in year 1 because there's a big project that they want to be able to take forward in year 2. Planned deficits, I think, are firmly within the sight of three-year plans. I wouldn't want the idea to get around in the health service that you can rack up unplanned surpluses or deficits - '. Well, that idea is certainly well around the health service, certainly in two of the health boards, which I understand are still not fit enough to be put on the three-year finance framework, which the NHS finance Act foresaw. Now, considering that that Act was fast-tracked through the Assembly, without Stage 1 scrutiny, it is very remiss of the Government if it hasn't been able to deliver on the ambitions of that Act to ensure that all our health boards are now on three-year planning, and are delivering on that three-year planning, and are not overspending in the way that they are. So, as well as that statement of fact that we've already had, can we have a more thorough statement and perhaps a debate by the Government on the issues of these two health boards, and why the NHS finance Act is not working to put NHS finance in Wales on a more sustainable footing? | Diolch i'r rheolwr busnes am ei datganiad busnes. Rwyf yn arbennig o ddiolchgar am y newidiadau i fusnes heddiw er mwyn caniatáu datganiad llafar ar farwolaeth Dylan Seabridge, un o fy etholaeth, a mater y codais gwestiwn brys yn ei gylch beth amser yn ôl, yn gofyn am ddatganiad o'r fath. Rwyf yn falch fod gennym yr adolygiad a'n bod yn gallu edrych ar hyn yn nes ymlaen. A gaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog edrych ar ddau ddigwyddiad diweddar yr wyf yn credu eu bod yn haeddu ymateb gan Lywodraeth Cymru? Y cyntaf yw'r cyhoeddiad heddiw gan y Pwyllgor ar Newid Hinsawdd - adroddiad tystiolaeth asesu risg ar ymaddasu ar gyfer newid yn yr hinsawdd. Mae'n dangos yn glir iawn fod perygl i'r Deyrnas Unedig yn ei chyfanrwydd, ond i Gymru yn benodol, wynebu niwed economaidd sylweddol oherwydd ansawdd gwael ein seilwaith. Mae'r Athro Krebs, sef cadeirydd yr Is-bwyllgor Ymaddasu, sy'n adnabyddus, wrth gwrs, i ni yng Nghymru, yn datgan bod Cymru yn un rhan o'r wlad sydd â llawer o stoc tai gwael, ac mae angen inni edrych ar sut mae gwneud y cartrefi hynny'n fwy cydnerth. Ar y llaw arall, mae hefyd yn dweud bod Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 yn rhoi fframwaith da inni allu gweithio ar hyn. Ond, ac ystyried popeth, tybed a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth ynghylch sut y mae'r Llywodraeth yn bwriadu ymateb i adroddiad y Pwyllgor ar Newid Hinsawdd gan fod Llywodraeth San Steffan yn gorfod ymateb yn ffurfiol a'i ystyried? Credaf y byddai'n briodol pe byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymateb mewn modd cyffelyb ac yn ei ystyried, os mynnwch, yn adroddiad statudol ac yn ymateb yn y ffyrdd hynny, ac i hynny fod, efallai, yn rhan o'r gwaith a wneir gan y Llywodraeth drwy gyfrwng datganiad, ond wedyn trwy waith pwyllgor, wrth i bwyllgorau ddatblygu eu gwaith a'u hymateb yn y Cynulliad hwn. Yr ail fater yr hoffwn ddatganiad pellach gan y Llywodraeth arno yw mater gorwariant gan ddau o'n byrddau iechyd - Bwrdd Iechyd Lleol Hywel Dda a Bwrdd Iechyd Lleol Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr: tua £50 miliwn bellach yn y flwyddyn ariannol ddiwethaf. Rydym wedi cael datganiad o ffaith gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet. Mae hynny'n ddigon teg, ond hoffwn ddatganiad ynglŷn â'r hyn a fydd yn cael ei wneud. Os caf i atgoffa'r Llywodraeth am yr hyn a ddywedwyd yn y Pwyllgor Cyllid adeg adolygu Deddf Cyllid y Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol (Cymru) 2014, y cofiaf iddo ddod drwy'r Cynulliad hwn, pan ddywedodd y Gweinidog ar y pryd, Mark Drakeford, mewn ymateb i gwestiynau gan y Pwyllgor Cyllid: 'Rwyf yn gyndyn o agor y blwch Pandora o wargedion a diffygion heb eu cynllunio. Mae'r drefn hon yn ymwneud â gwargedion a diffygion sydd wedi'u cynllunio. Mae'n ymwneud â chytuno â'r byrddau iechyd pan fydd angen iddynt orwario ym mlwyddyn 1 er mwyn gwneud penderfyniadau buddsoddi synhwyrol sydd wedyn yn rhyddhau refeniw ym mlynyddoedd 2 a 3 neu, weithiau, danwario ym mlwyddyn 1 oherwydd bod prosiect mawr y maent am fwrw ymlaen ag ef ym mlwyddyn 2. Mae diffygion wedi'u cynllunio, yn fy marn i, yn rhan gadarn o gynlluniau tair blynedd. Ni hoffwn i'r syniad ledaenu drwy'r gwasanaeth iechyd eich bod yn gallu cronni gwargedion a diffygion heb eu cynllunio - '. Wel, mae'r syniad hwnnw yn sicr yn gyfredol o amgylch y gwasanaeth iechyd, yn enwedig mewn dau o'r byrddau iechyd, nad ydynt yn dal, fel yr wyf yn deall, yn ddigon cymwys i gael eu hystyried ar gyfer y fframwaith cyllid tair blynedd, a ragwelwyd yn Neddf Cyllid y GIG. Yn awr, ac ystyried bod y Ddeddf honno wedi mynd ar drywydd cyflym drwy'r Cynulliad, heb graffu Cyfnod 1, mae'n esgeulus iawn ar ran y Llywodraeth os nad yw wedi gallu cyflawni uchelgeisiau'r Ddeddf honno i sicrhau bod ein holl fyrddau iechyd yn awr yn dilyn cynllun tair blynedd, ac yn cyflawni'r cynllunio tair blynedd hwnnw, ac nad ydynt yn gorwario yn y ffordd y maent yn ei wneud. Felly, yn ogystal â'r datganiad o ffaith hwnnw a gawsom eisoes, a gawn ni ddatganiad mwy trylwyr ac efallai ddadl gan y Llywodraeth ar faterion y ddau fwrdd iechyd hyn, a pham nad yw Deddf Cyllid y GIG yn gweithio i roi sylfaen fwy cynaliadwy i gyllid y GIG yng Nghymru? |
Well, I thank Simon Thomas for his two questions on the business statement. I'm looking at the first question. The Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs will be very keen to respond to this all-important report that was published today on climate change. It's welcome that they recognise the position of Wales in that report. Of course, she will be responding to that. Of course, in terms of the adaptation and the way we've responded, for example, to flooding, which was a key message from that report, she will be able to provide a full response on the ways in which we're already meeting some of those recommendations. It is welcome that the well-being of future generations legislation is recognised in that report. So, she will issue a written statement at this stage, as we move into recess, and I'm sure it will become a matter for further consideration at committee and, in the future, in the autumn term Assembly. On your point about the two health boards that you alluded to in terms of their cash situation, again, whether I can build on the factual points that the Minister for health, well-being and sport has made - . But, again, just to clarify: cash assistance of £23.9 million was provided to Hywel Dda UHB in 2015-16 to enable them to meet ongoing cash commitments such as payroll and payments to HMRC. It's not additional funding. It will be repayable in the future. No additional cash assistance was provided to Betsi Cadwaladr in 2015-16. Of course, the Member will be aware that the overspend in the two health boards was managed by holding back on central Welsh Government expenditure so that the total Welsh Government health and social services budget was able to break even in 2015-16. | Wel, diolch i Simon Thomas am ei ddau gwestiwn am y datganiad busnes. Rwyf yn edrych ar y cwestiwn cyntaf. Bydd yr Ysgrifennydd dros yr Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig yn awyddus iawn i ymateb i'r adroddiad hollbwysig hwn a gyhoeddwyd heddiw ynglŷn â newid hinsawdd. Croesewir y ffaith eu bod yn cydnabod safle Cymru yn yr adroddiad hwnnw. Wrth gwrs, bydd hi'n ymateb i hynny. Wrth gwrs, o ran yr ymaddasu a'r ffordd yr ydym wedi ymateb, er enghraifft, i lifogydd, a oedd yn neges allweddol yn yr adroddiad hwnnw, bydd hi'n gallu rhoi ymateb llawn ynghylch y ffyrdd yr ydym eisoes yn cyflawni rhai o'r argymhellion hynny. Croesewir y ffaith fod deddfwriaeth llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol yn cael ei chydnabod yn yr adroddiad hwnnw. Felly, bydd hi'n cyhoeddi datganiad ysgrifenedig yn awr, wrth inni agosáu at y toriad, ac rwyf yn siŵr y bydd yn fater i'w ystyried ymhellach yn y pwyllgor ac, yn y dyfodol, yn y Cynulliad yn nhymor yr hydref. Ynglŷn â'ch pwynt am y ddau fwrdd iechyd y cyfeiriasoch atynt o ran eu sefyllfa ariannol, unwaith eto, a wnaf i ymhelaethu ar y pwyntiau ffeithiol a wnaed gan y Gweinidog dros iechyd, llesiant a chwaraeon - . Ond, unwaith eto, er mwyn egluro: darparwyd cymorth ariannol o £23.9 miliwn i Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda yn 2015-16 er mwyn iddo allu bodloni ymrwymiadau arian parod parhaus megis y gyflogres a thaliadau i Gyllid a Thollau EM. Nid yw'n gyllid ychwanegol. Bydd yn ad-daladwy yn y dyfodol. Ni ddarparwyd cymorth ariannol ychwanegol i Betsi Cadwaladr yn 2015-16. Wrth gwrs, bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod y rheolwyd y gorwariant yn y ddau fwrdd iechyd drwy ddal yn ôl ar wariant canolog gan Lywodraeth Cymru fel bod cyfanswm cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer iechyd a gwasanaethau cymdeithasol yn gallu cael ei fantoli yn 2015-16. |
Leader of the house, I was going to ask you if it was possible to have an update on Welsh language standards, but I see that the relevant Minister has had the power of telepathy and beaten me to it. However, I have read his written statement that was issued at lunchtime today, and it does not contain a timetable for bringing forward the necessary secondary legislation. I think that, as Members, we do need some decent notice of this. I'm sure the Welsh Government realises that we need time to scrutinise these essential regulations to avoid the situation we found ourselves in, I think, just before the Easter recess of the last Assembly. I note that, in the Minister's written statement, he hopes to bring those particular regulations back to the Assembly by the end of this year. Actually, I think we were expecting them before the end of this term. So, if a revised statement is possible, that would be very welcome. And, if such a revised statement would be forthcoming, perhaps it could include an explanation as to why those regulations weren't before us before recess. | Arweinydd y tŷ, roeddwn am ofyn ichi a fyddai modd cael diweddariad ar safonau'r Gymraeg, ond gwelaf fod y Gweinidog perthnasol wedi datblygu gallu telepathig ac wedi achub y blaen arnaf. Fodd bynnag, rwyf wedi darllen ei ddatganiad ysgrifenedig a gyhoeddwyd amser cinio heddiw, ac nid yw'n cynnwys amserlen ar gyfer cyflwyno'r is-ddeddfwriaeth angenrheidiol. Credaf fod angen i ni, yr Aelodau, gael rhybudd teg ynglŷn â hyn. Rwyf yn siŵr fod Llywodraeth Cymru'n sylweddoli bod angen amser arnom i graffu ar y rheoliadau hanfodol hyn er mwyn osgoi'r sefyllfa yr oeddem ynddi, rwyf yn credu, ychydig cyn toriad y Pasg yn ystod y Cynulliad diwethaf. Nodaf, yn natganiad ysgrifenedig y Gweinidog, ei fod yn gobeithio dod â'r rheoliadau penodol hynny yn ôl i'r Cynulliad erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn hon. A dweud y gwir, credaf ein bod yn eu disgwyl cyn diwedd y tymor hwn. Felly, pe byddai'n bosibl cael datganiad diwygiedig, byddai hynny'n dda o beth. A phe gwneid datganiad diwygiedig o'r fath, efallai y gallai gynnwys eglurhad ynglŷn â pham nad oedd y rheoliadau hynny ger ein bron cyn y toriad. |
Well, of course, you have got the opportunity this afternoon, Suzy Davies, to question Alun Davies on his statement on Welsh language policy priorities. | Wel, wrth gwrs, cewch gyfle y prynhawn yma, Suzy Davies, i holi Alun Davies am ei ddatganiad ar flaenoriaethau polisi'r Gymraeg. |
I'm sure you will join me in congratulating Professor Maria Hinfelaar on being installed as the vice-chancellor of Wrexham Glyndŵr University last Thursday, and on their achieving above the UK average for full-time first degree leavers achieving graduate-level employment. If call for two statements - first, on educational provision for young adults with autistic spectrum conditions and learning difficulties. I learned at the weekend that colleges making provision for vocational pathways in education for these young students had received a letter from the Welsh Government stating that funding for courses would be reduced from three years to two, unlike the referrals they receive from England, which are still three years, and despite concern among such colleges that this will severely impact on the outcomes for the students concerned. Secondly, and finally, I call for a statement on epilepsy. At lunchtime, I hosted an Epilepsy Aware event, celebrating the fact that the charity has been providing services for families and carers for 30 years. But we heard that, although potentially 70 per cent of people with epilepsy can have their seizures controlled with optimal treatment, advice and support, only 52 per cent currently have such control, with great costs, both human and financial; that over 40 per cent of deaths and 59 per cent of child deaths could be avoided with better management; that there are unequal opportunities in health, education, leisure and employment; that there is inequality of provision across Wales; and that there is a need for a public campaign on what to do if someone has a seizure, educating people on how simple actions can save lives. There is, as I know - or there has been in previous Assemblies - a Welsh Government epilepsy strategy. But these problems have been highlighted in 2016, and this community, I think, deserves a statement from the Welsh Government, accordingly. | Rwyf yn siŵr y byddwch yn ymuno â mi i longyfarch yr Athro Maria Hinfelaar ar gael ei phenodi'n is-ganghellor Prifysgol Glyndŵr Wrecsam ddydd Iau diwethaf, a'r ffaith fod nifer y myfyrwyr gradd gyntaf llawn amser yno a lwyddodd i gael gwaith ar lefel graddedigion ar ôl gadael yn uwch na chyfartaledd y DU. Galwaf am ddau ddatganiad - y cyntaf ynglŷn â darpariaeth addysgol ar gyfer oedolion ifanc â chyflyrau ar y sbectrwm awtistig ac anawsterau dysgu. Dysgais dros y penwythnos fod colegau sy'n darparu ar gyfer llwybrau galwedigaethol mewn addysg i'r myfyrwyr ifanc hyn wedi cael llythyr gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn datgan y bydd cyllid ar gyfer cyrsiau yn cael ei leihau o dair blynedd i ddwy flynedd, yn wahanol i'r atgyfeiriadau a gânt o Loegr, sy'n dal i fod yn dair blynedd, ac er gwaethaf pryder ymysg colegau y bydd hyn yn effeithio'n ddifrifol ar ddeilliannau'r myfyrwyr dan sylw. Yn ail, ac yn olaf, galwaf am ddatganiad ynglŷn ag epilepsi. Yn ystod amser cinio, cynhaliais ddigwyddiad Ymwybodol o Epilepsi, yn dathlu'r ffaith fod yr elusen wedi bod yn darparu gwasanaethau i deuluoedd a gofalwyr am 30 o flynyddoedd. Ond clywsom, er y gellid o bosibl reoli trawiadau 70 y cant o bobl ag epilepsi â thriniaeth, cyngor a chefnogaeth dda iawn, dim ond 52 y cant ar hyn o bryd sydd â rheolaeth o'r fath, gyda chostau mawr, yn rhai dynol ac ariannol; y gellid osgoi dros 40 y cant o farwolaethau a 59 y cant o farwolaethau plant gyda rheolaeth well; bod cyfleoedd anghyfartal mewn iechyd, addysg, hamdden a chyflogaeth; bod anghydraddoldeb o ran y ddarpariaeth ledled Cymru; a bod angen ymgyrch gyhoeddus yn egluro beth i'w wneud os bydd rhywun yn cael trawiad epileptig, ac addysgu pobl ynglŷn â sut y gall camau syml arbed bywydau. Gwn fod - neu y bu mewn Cynulliadau blaenorol - strategaeth epilepsi gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Ond mae'r problemau hyn wedi eu hamlygu yn 2016, ac mae'r gymuned hon, yn fy marn i, yn haeddu datganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru, yn unol â hynny. |
Well, Mark Isherwood, you do raise two important points. The first one, of course, we will be - . The Minister has issued a written statement on the additional learning needs Bill and, of course, has incorporated as well how we are going to take forward and handle issues relating to the all-important issue of education and young adults with additional learning needs, and also in particular in relation to autism. Now, on your second point, on epilepsy, of course, it is important, when we have events that Members attend, that we are updated on issues, but we have a strong, well-monitored epilepsy strategy, which of course the Minister for health, well-being and sport will be updating. | Wel, Mark Isherwood, rydych yn codi dau bwynt pwysig. Bydd y pwynt cyntaf, wrth gwrs, yn - . Mae'r Gweinidog wedi cyhoeddi datganiad ysgrifenedig ynglŷn â'r Bil anghenion dysgu ychwanegol ac, wrth gwrs, mae wedi ymgorffori hefyd sut y byddwn yn bwrw ymlaen â hyn ac yn ymdrin â materion sy'n ymwneud â mater hollbwysig addysg ac oedolion ifanc sydd ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, a hefyd yn arbennig ynglŷn ag awtistiaeth. Yn awr, ynglŷn â'ch ail bwynt, ynghylch epilepsi, wrth gwrs, mae'n bwysig, pan fo gennym ddigwyddiadau y mae aelodau yn bresennol ynddynt, ein bod yn cael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y materion, ond mae gennym strategaeth epilepsi gadarn, sy'n cael ei monitro'n dda, y bydd y Gweinidog dros iechyd, llesiant a chwaraeon wrth gwrs yn ei diweddaru. |
Business Minister, I would like to request a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs on the Welsh Government support for farmers under the Glastir agri-environment scheme. Now, over the past month, I've been alerted to a large number of businesses having received letters from Welsh Government demanding the repayment of thousands of pounds based upon accusations that they have failed to undertake work as part of the terms of their Glastir contracts. Now, I would say, even the very best-run businesses in the world - and I should say I do believe farmers are excellent business people - cannot operate to their full potential when the Government department responsible appears to want to attack, deride and fine businesses the maximum amount of money at every possible opportunity for making minor errors on highly complex forms. Errors are made when dealing with complex forms, as has been demonstrated perfectly by Welsh Government this year. Almost 90 per cent of appeals against Welsh Government mapping errors have been successful or partially successful. So, in other words, in these cases, the Welsh Government error rate was 90 per cent. So, I would be grateful if you could ask the Cabinet Secretary to bring forward a statement at the earliest opportunity on the Glastir scheme. I appreciate that next week we have the Royal Welsh Show, so this would be an opportunity to provide that statement, which will commit to supporting Welsh farm businesses by adopting a proportionate approach in which leniency is applied where minor errors are made, incorrectly. | Weinidog Busnes, hoffwn ofyn am ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig ynglŷn â chefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i ffermwyr o dan gynllun amaeth-amgylcheddol Glastir. Yn awr, dros y mis diwethaf, rwyf wedi cael gwybod am nifer fawr o fusnesau sydd wedi cael llythyrau gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn mynnu eu bod yn ad-dalu miloedd o bunnoedd yn seiliedig ar gyhuddiadau nad ydynt wedi cyflawni gwaith yn rhan o delerau eu contractau Glastir. Yn awr, byddwn i'n dweud na all hyd yn oed y busnesau hynny sy'n cael eu rhedeg orau - a dylwn ddweud fy mod o'r farn fod ffermwyr yn bobl fusnes ardderchog - weithredu i'w llawn botensial pan ymddengys fod adran y Llywodraeth sy'n gyfrifol am y maes am ymosod ar fusnesau, eu gwawdio a rhoi dirwyon iddynt am y swm uchaf posibl o arian ar bob cyfle posibl am wneud mân gamgymeriadau ar ffurflenni cymhleth iawn. Mae camgymeriadau'n cael eu gwneud wrth ymdrin â ffurflenni cymhleth, fel y dangoswyd yn berffaith gan Lywodraeth Cymru eleni. Mae bron i 90 y cant o apeliadau yn erbyn camgymeriadau mapio Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn llwyddiannus neu'n rhannol lwyddiannus. Felly, mewn geiriau eraill, yn yr achosion hyn, roedd cyfradd camgymeriadau Llywodraeth Cymru yn 90 y cant. Felly, byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallech ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gyflwyno datganiad ynglŷn â chynllun Glastir cyn gynted â phosibl. Gwn fod Sioe Frenhinol Cymru gennym yr wythnos nesaf, felly byddai hynny'n gyfle i ddarparu'r datganiad hwnnw, a fydd yn ymrwymo i gefnogi busnesau fferm yng Nghymru trwy fabwysiadu dull cymesur sy'n dangos trugaredd pan wneir mân gamgymeriadau, yn anghywir. |
I'm sure that Russell George will agree that all publicly funded schemes, such as Glastir, do require that rigorous monitoring before payment can be made. | Rwyf yn siŵr y bydd Russell George yn cytuno bod angen monitro'n drylwyr yr holl gynlluniau sy'n cael arian cyhoeddus, fel Glastir, cyn y gellir gwneud taliadau. |
We now move to the next item which is the statement by the First Minister around priorities for Government. I call on the First Minister, Carwyn Jones. | Rŷm ni nawr yn symud at yr eitem nesaf, sef y datganiad gan y Prif Weinidog ar flaenoriaethau ar gyfer Llywodraeth. Rwy'n galw ar y Prif Weinidog, Carwyn Jones. |
Diolch, Lywydd. I had hoped to be here today with a freshly pressed copy of the programme for government in my hand. However, it is not yet the time to do so because the Brexit referendum result has changed things fundamentally. There are many questions about the future to which we simply do not have the answers. The impact of Brexit on our own budgets and programmes will be very considerable. Our partners in the higher education and the private and third sectors will be greatly affected as they map out their futures. We all await a serious indication of the UK Government negotiating position towards Brexit and, crucially, confirmation from the UK Government that Wales will not lose out as a result of our EU exit. Nothing would further intensify that sense of dislocation between people and the Governments that are here to serve them than me making promises today that I know the Government may struggle to deliver. I am therefore delaying publication of our programme for government until September, by which time we hope we will have a firmer indication on which to base a realistic assessment of our financial situation. Llywydd, so much has changed since the May elections to this Assembly. For many of us, it has felt at times as if we are living in a parallel universe. The decision to leave the European Union is momentous and, as I have said, the real-world implications of the vote are still very far from clear - financially, socially, and for Wales's place in the world. As a Government, we are utterly determined to get the best deal possible for Wales from the process ahead. There is a huge amount of work already under way to set firm foundations for delivery over the next five years. I am proud of the way we have weathered austerity over recent years and sheltered as best we could the services that people really rely on from the worst of the financial storm that has engulfed us. But there are still choppy waters ahead for our finances. There are already worrying economic signs stemming from the EU vote that could have a serious knock-on effect on the public finances, and despite the cast-iron pledges of 'leave' campaigners, we still have no guarantees from the UK Government that the £600 million or so a year we receive in EU funding will continue to flow to Wales after the UK's exit takes place - and I must tell you very candidly that, without this assurance, we face a very large hole in our future budgets. So, I call on the UK Government once again today to give the guarantee we need on every penny of that funding, which would give us a far clearer picture of what we will have to deliver in terms of what the people of Wales voted for in May. It's time to make those promises a reality. Llywydd, since the vote last month, the Secretary for the economy and I have been working closely with Welsh business and inward investors to give them as much reassurance as we possibly can. We have been listening closely to their concerns. Our ask of them is clear: keep your nerve, keep investing, remember all the things that make Wales a great place to do business and keep talking to us. Despite the circumstances, we hear many positive messages, and we hope to be able to make some significant new announcements very soon. I want to send a similar positive message back today based on what we've heard from businesses in recent weeks. We know that infrastructure is critical when it comes to investment decisions, and so, despite the uncertainty over the significant element of EU funding, I'm confirming today that we will be pressing ahead with the development of the metro project, which has such transformational potential. It may not be in exactly the same form as before. We will have to look at alternative funding models and it may take longer to get to where we want to be, but I believe this is an important signal to employers that Wales is still open for business, eager to progress and that our offer to investors will only improve. My colleague the economy Secretary will say more later on this. So, yes, there is uncertainty, but we will continue to lead and we will refuse to be gloomy. Chris Coleman was a great example to us all when he talked about daring to dream and being unafraid of the future. There will be no stone left unturned by me and this Government - and this whole Chamber, I suspect - in our ambition to deliver for Wales. I want to look forward to the rest of this Assembly and set out the positive measures we are determined to implement over the next five years. The people of Wales elected this Government to make real improvements in their lives and we will deliver on this. We were elected on an ambitious programme with very clear priorities: to deliver more and better jobs through a stronger, fairer economy; to improve and reform our public services; and to build a united, connected and sustainable Wales. Wales in the twenty-first century is diverse and complex, but the expectations of people are simple: healthy lives, good education, good jobs, strong communities and infrastructure that meets our needs. As a small country, we have strengths and opportunities that many others do not have. We have the opportunity to build a strong team approach and join up our programmes to reinforce and build on what people and communities are doing for themselves. The future generations Act is a call to arms. It cannot make our decisions for us, but it can help us to work together to build the Wales that we want. I am clear that we don't drive improvement by publishing strategies. We drive improvement through action and through strong leadership. I will be working with my Ministers over the autumn to develop four cross-cutting policies that will set the framework for how we deliver our priorities: a secure and prosperous Wales; a healthy and active Wales; an ambitious and learning Wales; and a united and connected Wales. No single Minister can deliver on those priorities, and I am setting us and our partners the challenge of working together to find innovative ways to make a change in all of these areas for the people of Wales. We will be working throughout the autumn to consider how we can have the greatest impact and how we can wrap services around people at the times and places where they need them. Llywydd, as part of our compact to move Wales forward with Plaid Cymru, we have already set out our immediate priorities for the first 100 days in office. Although the 100 days falls at the end of August, we have hit the ground running and work is well advanced. We are developing plans in all of those areas I spelled out in May and also for those areas of common ground with Plaid Cymru. The Minister for Skills and Science has already made a statement on the immediate changes to apprenticeships to meet our commitment for 100,000 all-age apprenticeships. These will ensure that opportunities are not restricted by age and are widely available. We have made a statement on our legislative priorities, again focusing on those areas that enjoy broad support across this Chamber, and using legislation only when it is clearly the best way to bring about change. Discussions are progressing on the establishment of a review into the long-term future for the NHS in Wales. We have established three liaison committees for constitution, finance and legislation. All of these committees have met and already they are showing the truth of my commitment to work openly with others and in acknowledgement of the wishes of the people of Wales. Llywydd, this afternoon, the health Secretary will make further statements on the plans for a new treatment fund that will remove variability in access to innovative, new, high-cost drugs. The education Secretary will announce her plans for a self-improving education service this afternoon, which will encompass our commitment to increase investment in schools. These plans show how we will place health, jobs and schools at the heart of our plans for Government, and we will make announcements on the other commitments in due course. We are also, of course, pressing ahead with the programme agreed with the Liberal Democrats, under which Kirsty Williams became education Secretary. These will be reflected in the strategies that we will develop over the autumn. All of these priorities are a crystal clear indication that this is a Government open to the best ideas in Wales, wherever they come from, if they can make a real contribution to our goals. Llywydd, I made clear my desire for this Government, and this Assembly, to be different. The election of committee chairs was an immediate and welcome move to openness, and it is in this spirit that I wish us to continue. This is a Government committed to working collaboratively and innovatively as the only way of meeting the ambitions of the people of Wales. Together we can build a Wales that is more confident, more equal, better skilled and more resilient. As a country, we've punched above our weight and now we are ready to do more. I want to see a Wales that is prosperous and secure, healthy and active, ambitious and learning, united and connected. This is the Wales we are determined to build over the coming five years. | Diolch, Lywydd. Roeddwn i wedi gobeithio bod yma heddiw â chopi ffres o'r rhaglen lywodraethu yn fy llaw. Fodd bynnag, nid yw'n amser gwneud hynny eto gan fod canlyniad y refferendwm Brexit wedi newid pethau'n sylfaenol. Rydym yn wynebu llawer o gwestiynau am y dyfodol ac, yn syml, nid oes gennym yr atebion iddynt. Bydd Brexit yn cael effaith sylweddol iawn ar ein cyllidebau a'n rhaglenni ni. Bydd hyn yn effeithio'n fawr ar ein partneriaid yn y sector addysg uwch, y sector preifat a'r trydydd sector wrth iddynt fapio eu dyfodol. Rydym ni i gyd yn disgwyl am arwydd difrifol o safbwynt negodi Llywodraeth y DU tuag at Brexit ac, yn hollbwysig, am gadarnhad gan Lywodraeth y DU na fydd Cymru ar ei cholled o ganlyniad i'r ffaith ein bod yn gadael yr UE. Ni fyddai dim byd yn gwneud mwy i ddwysáu'r ymdeimlad hwnnw o bellter rhwng pobl a'r Llywodraethau sydd yma i'w gwasanaethu na fi'n gwneud addewidion heddiw yr wyf yn gwybod y gallai fod yn anodd i'r Llywodraeth eu cadw. Felly, rwy'n gohirio cyhoeddi ein rhaglen lywodraethu tan fis Medi; erbyn hynny, rydym yn gobeithio y bydd gennym syniad mwy pendant i seilio unrhyw asesiad realistig o'n sefyllfa ariannol arno. Lywydd, mae cymaint wedi newid ers etholiadau'r Cynulliad hwn ym mis Mai. I lawer ohonom, mae wedi teimlo ar adegau fel pe baem yn byw mewn bydysawd cyfochrog. Mae'r penderfyniad i adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd yn enfawr ac, fel yr wyf wedi'i ddweud, mae goblygiadau'r bleidlais i'r byd go iawn yn dal i fod yn bell iawn o fod yn glir - yn ariannol, yn gymdeithasol, ac o ran lle Cymru yn y byd. Fel Llywodraeth, rydym yn gwbl benderfynol i gael y fargen orau bosibl i Gymru o'r broses o'n blaen. Mae llawer iawn o waith eisoes ar y gweill i osod sylfeini cadarn ar gyfer cyflawni dros y pum mlynedd nesaf. Rwy'n falch o'r ffordd yr ydym wedi dod drwy lymder dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf ac wedi gwneud cymaint ag y gallem i ddiogelu'r gwasanaethau y mae pobl wir yn dibynnu arnynt rhag y gwaethaf o'r storm ariannol sydd wedi ein hamgylchynu. Ond mae dyfroedd garw o'n blaenau o hyd o ran ein cyllid. Eisoes mae rhai arwyddion economaidd sy'n peri pryder yn deillio o bleidlais yr UE a allai gael sgil effaith ddifrifol ar gyllid cyhoeddus, ac er gwaethaf addewidion cadarn ymgyrchwyr 'gadael', nid oes gennym ddim sicrwydd o hyd gan Lywodraeth y DU y bydd y £600 miliwn y flwyddyn a gawn mewn cyllid yr UE yn parhau i lifo i Gymru ar ôl i'r DU ymadael - a rhaid imi ddweud wrthych yn onest iawn, heb y sicrwydd hwn, rydym yn wynebu twll mawr iawn yn ein cyllidebau yn y dyfodol. Felly, rwy'n galw ar Lywodraeth y DU unwaith eto heddiw i roi'r sicrwydd sydd ei angen arnom ar gyfer pob ceiniog o'r cyllid hwnnw, a fyddai'n rhoi darlun llawer cliriach inni o'r hyn y bydd rhaid inni ei gyflawni o ran yr hyn y pleidleisiodd pobl Cymru drosto ym mis Mai. Mae'n amser gwireddu'r addewidion hynny. Lywydd, ers y bleidlais y mis diwethaf, mae Ysgrifennydd yr economi a mi wedi bod yn gweithio'n agos gyda busnesau Cymru a mewnfuddsoddwyr i roi cymaint o sicrwydd iddynt ag y gallwn. Rydym wedi bod yn gwrando'n astud ar eu pryderon. Mae'r hyn yr ydym yn ei ofyn iddynt yn glir: peidiwch â digalonni, daliwch i fuddsoddi, cofiwch yr holl bethau sy'n gwneud Cymru'n lle gwych i gynnal busnes a daliwch i siarad â ni. Er gwaethaf yr amgylchiadau, rydym yn clywed llawer o negeseuon cadarnhaol, ac rydym yn gobeithio gallu gwneud rhai cyhoeddiadau newydd sylweddol yn fuan iawn. Hoffwn anfon neges gadarnhaol debyg yn ôl heddiw yn seiliedig ar yr hyn yr ydym wedi'i glywed gan fusnesau yn yr wythnosau diwethaf. Rydym yn gwybod bod seilwaith yn hanfodol o ran penderfyniadau buddsoddi, ac felly, er gwaethaf yr ansicrwydd ynghylch yr elfen sylweddol o arian yr UE, rwy'n cadarnhau heddiw y byddwn yn bwrw ymlaen â datblygiad y prosiect metro, sydd â chymaint o botensial trawsnewidiol. Efallai na fydd ar yr un ffurf yn union ag o'r blaen. Bydd yn rhaid inni edrych ar fodelau cyllido amgen ac efallai y gwnaiff gymryd mwy o amser i gyrraedd y man lle hoffem ni fod, ond rwy'n credu bod hwn yn arwydd pwysig i gyflogwyr bod Cymru'n dal ar agor i fusnes, yn awyddus i symud ymlaen ac mai dim ond gwella a wnaiff ein cynnig i fuddsoddwyr. Bydd fy nghydweithiwr, Ysgrifennydd yr economi, yn dweud mwy am hyn yn nes ymlaen. Felly, oes, mae ansicrwydd, ond byddwn yn parhau i arwain ac yn gwrthod digalonni. Roedd Chris Coleman yn enghraifft wych i ni i gyd pan soniodd am feiddio breuddwydio a pheidio ag ofni'r dyfodol. Byddaf i a'r Llywodraeth hon - a phawb yn y Siambr hon, rwy'n yn amau - yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i wireddu ein huchelgais o gyflawni dros Gymru. Rwy'n dymuno edrych ymlaen at weddill y Cynulliad hwn a nodi'r mesurau cadarnhaol yr ydym yn benderfynol o'u rhoi ar waith dros y pum mlynedd nesaf. Mae pobl Cymru wedi ethol y Llywodraeth hon i wneud gwelliannau gwirioneddol i'w bywydau ac rydym yn mynd i gyflawni hynny. Cawsom ein hethol ar raglen uchelgeisiol â blaenoriaethau clir iawn: darparu mwy o swyddi gwell drwy economi gryfach a thecach; gwella a diwygio ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus; a chreu Cymru unedig, gysylltiedig a chynaliadwy. Mae Cymru yn yr unfed ganrif ar hugain yn lle amrywiol a chymhleth, ond mae disgwyliadau pobl yn syml: bywydau iach, addysg dda, swyddi da, cymunedau cryf a seilwaith sy'n diwallu ein hanghenion. Fel gwlad fechan, mae gennym gryfderau a chyfleoedd nad oes gan lawer o rai eraill. Mae gennym y cyfle i adeiladu ymagwedd tîm cryf ac uno ein rhaglenni i atgyfnerthu'r hyn y mae pobl a chymunedau'n ei wneud drostynt eu hunain, ac adeiladu ar hynny. Mae Deddf cenedlaethau'r dyfodol yn alwad i'r gad. Ni all wneud ein penderfyniadau drosom ni, ond gall ein helpu ni i gydweithio i adeiladu'r Gymru a garem. Rwy'n sicr nad ydym yn ysgogi gwelliant drwy gyhoeddi strategaethau. Rydym yn ysgogi gwelliant trwy weithredu a thrwy arweinyddiaeth gref. Byddaf yn gweithio gyda fy Ngweinidogion dros yr hydref i ddatblygu pedwar polisi trawsbynciol a fydd yn gosod y fframwaith ar gyfer sut yr ydym yn cyflawni ein blaenoriaethau: Cymru ddiogel a llewyrchus; Cymru iach a gweithgar; Cymru uchelgeisiol sy'n dysgu; a Chymru unedig a chysylltiedig. Ni all unrhyw un Gweinidog gyflawni'r blaenoriaethau hynny, ac rwy'n gosod her i ni a'n partneriaid o gydweithio i ddod o hyd i ffyrdd arloesol o sicrhau newid ym mhob un o'r meysydd hyn ar gyfer pobl Cymru. Byddwn yn gweithio drwy gydol yr hydref i ystyried sut y gallwn gael yr effaith fwyaf a sut y gallwn lapio gwasanaethau o gwmpas pobl ar yr adegau, ac yn y mannau, lle mae eu hangen arnynt. Lywydd, fel rhan o'n cytundeb i symud Cymru ymlaen gyda Phlaid Cymru, rydym eisoes wedi nodi ein blaenoriaethau uniongyrchol ar gyfer 100 diwrnod cyntaf y tymor. Er bod y canfed diwrnod yn dod ar ddiwedd mis Awst, rydym wedi bwrw ati ar unwaith ac mae llawer o waith wedi'i wneud. Rydym yn datblygu cynlluniau ym mhob un o'r meysydd hynny y soniais amdanynt ym mis Mai a hefyd ar gyfer y meysydd hynny lle ceir tir cyffredin gyda Phlaid Cymru. Mae'r Gweinidog Sgiliau a Gwyddoniaeth eisoes wedi gwneud datganiad am y newidiadau ar unwaith i brentisiaethau er mwyn cyflawni ein hymrwymiad i 100,000 o brentisiaethau i brentisiaid o bob oed. Bydd y rhain yn sicrhau nad yw oedran yn cyfyngu ar gyfleoedd a'u bod ar gael yn eang. Rydym wedi gwneud datganiad am ein blaenoriaethau deddfwriaethol, gan ganolbwyntio eto ar y meysydd hynny sy'n cael cefnogaeth eang ar draws y Siambr hon, a pheidio â defnyddio deddfwriaeth oni bai ei bod yn glir mai dyna'r ffordd orau o sicrhau newid. Mae trafodaethau'n mynd rhagddynt ynglŷn â sefydlu adolygiad i ddyfodol tymor hir y GIG yng Nghymru. Rydym wedi sefydlu tri phwyllgor cyswllt ar gyfer cyfansoddiad, cyllid a deddfwriaeth. Mae pob un o'r pwyllgorau hyn wedi cyfarfod ac eisoes maent yn dangos gwirionedd fy ymrwymiad i weithio'n agored gyda phobl eraill, gan gydnabod dymuniadau pobl Cymru. Lywydd, y prynhawn yma, bydd yr Ysgrifennydd iechyd yn gwneud datganiadau pellach am y cynlluniau ar gyfer cronfa driniaeth newydd a fydd yn cael gwared ar amrywiaeth o ran mynediad at gyffuriau arloesol, newydd, drud. Bydd yr Ysgrifennydd addysg yn cyhoeddi ei chynlluniau ar gyfer gwasanaeth addysg sy'n hunan-wella y prynhawn yma, a fydd yn cynnwys ein hymrwymiad i gynyddu buddsoddiad mewn ysgolion. Mae'r cynlluniau hyn yn dangos sut y byddwn yn sicrhau bod iechyd, swyddi ac ysgolion yn ganolog i'n cynlluniau ar gyfer y Llywodraeth, a byddwn yn gwneud cyhoeddiadau am yr ymrwymiadau eraill maes o law. Rydym hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn bwrw ymlaen â'r rhaglen y cytunwyd arni gyda'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol, a oedd yn cynnwys gwneud Kirsty Williams yn Ysgrifenydd addysg. Bydd y rhain yn cael eu hadlewyrchu yn y strategaethau y byddwn yn eu datblygu dros yr hydref. Mae pob un o'r blaenoriaethau hyn yn arwydd clir fel crisial bod hon yn Llywodraeth sy'n agored i'r syniadau gorau yng Nghymru, o ble bynnag y dônt, os gallant wneud cyfraniad go iawn at ein nodau. Lywydd, rwyf wedi ei gwneud yn glir fy mod yn dymuno i'r Llywodraeth hon, a'r Cynulliad hwn, fod yn wahanol. Roedd ethol cadeiryddion pwyllgorau'n symudiad cyflym a chalonogol at fod yn agored, a hoffwn inni barhau yn yr ysbryd hwn. Mae hon yn Llywodraeth sydd wedi ymrwymo i weithio ar y cyd a gweithio'n arloesol fel yr unig ffordd o fodloni dyheadau pobl Cymru. Gyda'n gilydd gallwn adeiladu Cymru sy'n fwy hyderus, yn fwy cyfartal, yn fwy medrus ac yn fwy cydnerth. Fel gwlad, rydym wedi anelu'n uchel ac yn awr rydym yn barod i wneud mwy. Hoffwn weld Cymru sy'n ffyniannus ac yn ddiogel, yn iach ac yn weithgar, yn uchelgeisiol ac yn dysgu, yn unedig ac yn gysylltiedig. Dyma'r Gymru yr ydym yn benderfynol o'i chreu dros y pum mlynedd nesaf. |
The need for decisive leadership for Wales is of paramount importance. Not only does this include the overseeing of the national response to Brexit, but the internal governance of our country itself. It includes the need to draw up a programme for government and also the need to reassess spending priorities in the light of EU funding programmes potentially coming to an end in just over two years' time. Plaid Cymru accepts the reasoning behind the delay of this programme for government. First Minister, we've already seen from last night and from last week that there's no clear line or chain of communication, let alone chain of command, between Labour's Welsh Government and Labour's Welsh MPs. So, my first question to you is: what are your Government's priorities for the constitution? Co-operation has always been possible here in the Assembly, and we've obvious common ground on immediate powers that could be transferred from Westminster to Wales, but the weak spot for Wales as a nation is the attitude and behaviour of Labour's Welsh MPs in Westminster. They are frustrating the Welsh Government's programme and priorities. Will you therefore include as a priority for Government the need to establish some kind of leadership over Labour MPs in Westminster? Will you at the very least advise them to turn up to votes on the Wales Bill and to vote in accordance with the Welsh national interest at all times? If you cannot lead those MPs, or if they are too busy fighting amongst themselves and their own party leader, what other plan do you have to influence the UK Government and the Westminster legislative process? I am more positive on the immediate priorities for Government resulting from the talks that followed my nomination for the post of First Minister and the subsequent vote. The agreement that we reached on reviewing the individual patient funding requests process was welcome and could genuinely improve people's lives. It followed, of course, a denial on your part during the election that this was the best way to proceed. I know that a statement is due this afternoon on this matter, and I welcome that the new treatments fund will now be a Government priority, so does the First Minister now accept that the concerns of patients in trying to access rare drugs and treatments were genuine concerns and that they can now be addressed? It goes without saying that the economy should also be a priority for Government. At this time of economic uncertainty, it's vital that the First Minister moves to set out the short-term and the longer-term climate for business and provides some certainty. The First Minister will know that infrastructure is a priority for my party and that we want a new approach to how decisions over infrastructure are made and informed. Will the First Minister expand on the national infrastructure commission that he's pledged to establish as part of the deal with my party? And will the First Minister confirm that he will commit to listening to the private sector as he and his Ministers develop plans to set up the national infrastructure commission? As expected, you've set out that the future generations Act will be used as a framework for delivering your policies, and I would hope that the Act, if it is to mean anything at all, will influence and underpin the policies themselves and, in particular, how and whether roads and motorways are built. It must enable us to prevent runaway climate change as well as mitigating its worst effects. Now, the First Minister mentions that four cross-cutting strategies will be developed to implement the Act, straight after mentioning that publishing strategies does not drive improvement. Can he state which of the four strategies will include climate change? Finally, given that we are in a time of disengagement with politics, will the First Minister commit to involving people in Wales in his Government's programme? | Mae'r angen am arweinyddiaeth gadarn i Gymru'n hollbwysig. Yn ogystal â goruchwylio'r ymateb cenedlaethol i Brexit, mae hyn yn cynnwys llywodraethu mewnol ein gwlad ei hun. Mae'n cynnwys yr angen i lunio rhaglen lywodraethu a hefyd yr angen i ailasesu blaenoriaethau gwario yng ngoleuni'r posibilrwydd y bydd rhaglenni ariannu'r UE yn dod i ben ymhen ychydig dros ddwy flynedd. Mae Plaid Cymru'n derbyn y rhesymeg y tu ôl i ohirio'r rhaglen lywodraethu hon. Brif Weinidog, rydym eisoes wedi gweld neithiwr a'r wythnos diwethaf nad oes llinell na chadwyn glir o gyfathrebu, heb sôn am gadwyn awdurdod, rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru Llafur ac Aelodau Seneddol Llafur yng Nghymru. Felly, fy nghwestiwn cyntaf i chi yw: beth yw blaenoriaethau eich Llywodraeth chi ar gyfer y cyfansoddiad? Mae cydweithredu wedi bod yn bosibl erioed yma yn y Cynulliad, ac mae gennym dir cyffredin amlwg ar bwerau uniongyrchol y gellid eu trosglwyddo o San Steffan i Gymru, ond man gwan Cymru fel cenedl yw agwedd ac ymddygiad ASau y Blaid Lafur o Gymru yn San Steffan. Maent yn rhwystro rhaglen a blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru. A wnewch chi, felly, gynnwys fel blaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth yr angen i sefydlu rhyw fath o arweinyddiaeth dros ASau Llafur yn San Steffan? A wnewch chi o leiaf eu cynghori i fod yn bresennol mewn pleidleisiau ar Fil Cymru a phleidleisio yn unol â budd cenedlaethol Cymru bob amser? Os na allwch chi arwain yr ASau hynny, neu os ydynt yn rhy brysur yn ymladd ymysg ei gilydd ac yn erbyn arweinydd eu plaid eu hunain, pa gynllun arall sydd gennych i ddylanwadu ar Lywodraeth y DU a'r broses ddeddfu yn San Steffan? Rwy'n fwy cadarnhaol o ran blaenoriaethau uniongyrchol y Llywodraeth yn deillio o'r trafodaethau a ddilynodd fy enwebu ar gyfer swydd y Prif Weinidog, a'r bleidlais ddilynol. Roedd y cytundeb a gawsom ar adolygu'r broses ceisiadau am gyllid i gleifion unigol i'w groesawu a gallai wir wella bywydau pobl. Roedd yn dilyn, wrth gwrs, gwadiad ar eich rhan chi yn ystod yr etholiad mai dyma oedd y ffordd orau o symud ymlaen. Rwy'n gwybod y bydd datganiad y prynhawn yma am y mater hwn, ac rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith y bydd y gronfa triniaethau newydd yn flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth yn awr, felly a yw'r Prif Weinidog nawr yn derbyn bod pryderon cleifion wrth geisio cael mynediad at gyffuriau a thriniaethau prin yn bryderon dilys ac y gellir ymdrin â hwy yn awr? Afraid dweud y dylai'r economi hefyd fod yn flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth. Ar yr adeg hon o ansicrwydd economaidd, mae'n hanfodol bod y Prif Weinidog yn symud i amlinellu'r hinsawdd ar gyfer busnes yn y tymor byr ac yn fwy hirdymor ac yn rhoi rhywfaint o sicrwydd. Bydd y Prif Weinidog yn gwybod bod seilwaith yn flaenoriaeth i fy mhlaid a bod arnom eisiau ymagwedd newydd at sut y gwneir penderfyniadau ynglŷn â seilwaith ac ar ba sail. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ymhelaethu ar y comisiwn seilwaith cenedlaethol y mae wedi ymrwymo i'w sefydlu fel rhan o'r fargen gyda fy mhlaid? Ac a wnaiff y Prif Weinidog gadarnhau y bydd yn ymrwymo i wrando ar y sector preifat wrth iddo ef a'i Weinidogion ddatblygu cynlluniau i sefydlu'r comisiwn seilwaith cenedlaethol? Yn ôl y disgwyl, rydych chi wedi nodi y caiff Ddeddf cenedlaethau'r dyfodol ei defnyddio fel fframwaith i gyflawni eich polisïau, a byddwn yn gobeithio y bydd y Ddeddf, os yw i olygu unrhyw beth o gwbl, yn dylanwadu ar y polisïau eu hunain ac yn sail iddynt ac, yn benodol, a gaiff ffyrdd a thraffyrdd eu hadeiladu a sut. Rhaid iddi ein galluogi i atal newid yn yr hinsawdd afreolus yn ogystal â lliniaru ei effeithiau gwaethaf. Nawr, mae'r Prif Weinidog yn dweud y bydd pedair strategaeth drawsbynciol yn cael eu datblygu i roi'r Ddeddf ar waith, yn syth ar ôl dweud nad yw cyhoeddi strategaethau'n ysgogi gwelliant. A all ddatgan pa un o'r pedair strategaeth fydd yn cynnwys newid yn yr hinsawdd? Yn olaf, ac ystyried ein bod mewn cyfnod o ymddieithrio â gwleidyddiaeth, a wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ymrwymo i gynnwys pobl Cymru yn rhaglen ei Lywodraeth? |
I'm not entirely sure what the last comment meant, because we've just come through an election. We put up our programme before the people of Wales, as did all parties. But there are other questions that the leader of the opposition asked. In terms of chain of command, I am not the leader of UK Labour - not something, I suppose, I would particularly welcome at this stage, if I'm being absolutely honest about it. I am the leader of Welsh Labour and our position is very, very clear. That is that there is no sustainable solution for Wales without the jurisdiction being addressed. There is no sustainable solution for Wales without policing being addressed. Labour MPs are not your problem; it's the UK Tory Government that's the problem, because they're the ones who are against any consideration of the jurisdiction and policing, and they are the ones in power, not Welsh Labour MPs at Westminster. They need to move their thinking in terms of both of those issues. Otherwise, as I said, we will have a system where policing will take place of Welsh criminal laws without any say by the people of Wales over how those laws are actually policed. That self-evidently does not make sense in the future. She will know, because I've said, probably ad nauseam - many, many times in this Chamber and outside - that the Wales Bill in itself could never be, in any event, a sustainable solution, given the fact that the UK constitution itself is in flux, and in two years' time we don't know necessarily what the UK will look like. So, there will need to be an approach that is more federalist, and there will need to be an approach that is more flexible than has been the case so far. She will have heard me say many times in this Chamber that the issue of pooled sovereignty is something that should be considered as a basis for the UK in the future, as it is in Canada. It works there; there is no reason why it can't work here. On the issue of the IPFR, her party was not in favour of the cancer drugs fund, then it seemed to be in favour in some way of the cancer drugs fund. We are both in a position where we want to make sure that the IPFR process is reviewed, that will happen, and we will obviously introduce our new treatment fund that will ensure that those treatments - for all life-threatening conditions, not just cancer - that are approved for use are actually rolled out across Wales as quickly as possible. On the issue of the economy, infrastructure is indeed important and I know that we have been working with her party on what a national infrastructure commission might look like - hugely important, of course, that there is democratic accountability as part of that. In terms of building roads and motorways, well, it's correct to say that you can't build your way out of trouble through simply building roads; that much is true. The M4 is not going to go away as a problem, it needs a resolution - in the same way as her party was very much in favour of the Porthmadog bypass, was very much in favour of the improvement of the road between Llandysul and Synod Inn; I understand the reasons why. The Llandysul bypass was another example of where her party was in favour of such - and indeed it was her own party leader that took those roads forward. So, I think it's important to point out that her party has supported road schemes in the past. But it's not a question of either/or, because the metro is hugely important. There is no way, for example, that a solution can be found to congestion on the A470 by widening the road. It's impossible, because of the way the road narrows towards Cardiff. So, it will be hugely important to see the metro established across the south of Wales, and, indeed, looking at the concept of Metro North, to make sure that that is taken forward as well, because we know that improving public transport is an important part of resolving the issues of traffic on the road. She asked, 'Where does climate change sit?' Climate change is cross-cutting. It's an issue that affects us all. Every single department within Government has the ability to contribute to reducing climate change and that is something that I expect all Ministers to adhere to. | Dydw i ddim yn hollol siŵr beth oedd ystyr y sylw olaf, oherwydd rydym newydd ddod drwy etholiad. Rydym wedi rhoi ein rhaglen gerbron pobl Cymru, fel y gwnaeth pob plaid. Ond gofynnodd arweinydd yr wrthblaid gwestiynau eraill. O ran cadwyn awdurdod, nid fi yw arweinydd Llafur y DU - nid yw'n rhywbeth, am wn i, y byddwn yn ei groesawu'n fawr iawn ar hyn o bryd, os wy'n gwbl onest am y peth. Arweinydd Llafur Cymru ydw i ac mae ein safbwynt ni'n glir iawn, iawn. Hynny yw, nad oes ateb cynaliadwy i Gymru heb roi sylw i'r awdurdodaeth. Nid oes ateb cynaliadwy i Gymru heb roi sylw i blismona. Nid ASau Llafur yw eich problem chi; Llywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU yw'r broblem, oherwydd nhw yw'r rhai sydd yn erbyn ystyried yr awdurdodaeth a phlismona o gwbl, a nhw yw'r rhai sydd mewn grym, nid ASau Llafur Cymru yn San Steffan. Mae angen iddynt newid y ffordd y maent yn meddwl o ran y ddau fater hynny. Fel arall, fel y dywedais, bydd gennym system lle bydd deddfau troseddol Cymru'n cael eu plismona heb ddim llais gan bobl Cymru dros sut y caiff y cyfreithiau hynny eu plismona mewn gwirionedd. Mae'n amlwg nad yw hynny'n gwneud synnwyr yn y dyfodol. Bydd hi'n gwybod, oherwydd rwyf wedi dweud, yn ôl pob tebyg ad nauseam - lawer, lawer gwaith yn y Siambr hon a thu allan - na allai Bil Cymru ynddo'i hun byth fod, beth bynnag, yn ateb cynaliadwy, ac ystyried y ffaith bod cyfansoddiad y Deyrnas Unedig ei hun yn y pair, ac ymhen dwy flynedd nid ydym yn gwybod o reidrwydd sut y bydd y DU yn edrych. Felly, bydd angen dull sy'n fwy ffederal, a bydd angen dull sy'n fwy hyblyg nag y bu hyd yn hyn. Bydd hi wedi fy nghlywed yn dweud droeon yn y Siambr hon bod mater cyfuno sofraniaeth yn rhywbeth y dylid ei ystyried fel sail ar gyfer y DU yn y dyfodol, fel y mae yng Nghanada. Mae'n gweithio yno; nid oes dim rheswm pam na all weithio yma. O ran yr IPFR, nid oedd ei phlaid hi o blaid y gronfa cyffuriau canser, yna roedd yn ymddangos eu bod mewn rhyw ffordd o blaid y gronfa cyffuriau canser. Rydym ill dau mewn sefyllfa lle hoffem wneud yn siŵr bod y broses IPFR yn cael ei hadolygu, a bydd hynny'n digwydd, a byddwn yn amlwg yn cyflwyno ein cronfa driniaeth newydd a fydd yn sicrhau bod y triniaethau hynny - ar gyfer pob cyflwr sy'n bygwth bywyd, nid dim ond canser - sydd wedi'u cymeradwyo i'w defnyddio'n cael eu cyflwyno mewn gwirionedd ledled Cymru cyn gynted â phosibl. O ran yr economi, mae seilwaith yn wir yn bwysig ac rwy'n gwybod ein bod wedi bod yn gweithio gyda'i phlaid ar sut y gallai comisiwn seilwaith cenedlaethol edrych - mae'n bwysig iawn, wrth gwrs, bod atebolrwydd democrataidd yn rhan o hynny. O ran adeiladu ffyrdd a thraffyrdd, wel, mae'n wir dweud na allwch adeiladu eich ffordd allan o drafferth drwy adeiladu ffyrdd yn unig; mae cymaint â hynny'n wir. Nid yw'r M4 yn mynd i fynd i ffwrdd fel problem, mae angen ei datrys - yn yr un ffordd ag yr oedd ei phlaid hi'n gadarn o blaid ffordd osgoi Porthmadog, yn gadarn o blaid gwella'r ffordd rhwng Llandysul a Synod Inn; rwy'n deall y rhesymau pam. Roedd ffordd osgoi Llandysul yn enghraifft arall o pan fu ei phlaid o blaid rhywbeth o'r fath - ac yn wir, arweinydd ei phlaid hi oedd yn gyfrifol am y ffyrdd hynny. Felly, rwy'n meddwl ei bod yn bwysig nodi bod ei phlaid hi wedi cefnogi cynlluniau ffyrdd yn y gorffennol. Ond nid yw'n fater o ddewis y naill neu'r llall, oherwydd mae'r metro'n hynod bwysig. Nid oes dim ffordd, er enghraifft, o ganfod ateb i dagfeydd ar yr A470 drwy ledu'r ffordd. Mae'n amhosibl, oherwydd y ffordd y mae'r ffordd yn culhau tuag at Gaerdydd. Felly, bydd yn hynod bwysig gweld y metro n cael ei sefydlu ar draws y de, ac, yn wir, edrych ar gysyniad Metro'r Gogledd, i wneud yn siŵr bod hwnnw'n cael ei ddatblygu hefyd, oherwydd rydym yn gwybod bod gwella trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn rhan bwysig o ddatrys problemau â thraffig ar y ffordd. Gofynnodd, 'Beth am newid yn yr hinsawdd?' Mae newid hinsawdd yn drawsbynciol. Mae'n fater sy'n effeithio ar bob un ohonom. Mae gan bob adran o fewn y Llywodraeth y gallu i gyfrannu at leihau newid yn yr hinsawdd ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth yr wyf yn disgwyl i bob Gweinidog gadw ato. |
Thank you, First Minister, for your statement this afternoon. I have to state my disappointment at such a lightweight statement, which talks in very flowery language but doesn't offer much substance, to be honest with you. I do believe that the smokescreen - [Interruption.] I do believe the smokescreen of the referendum result is most probably just mirroring an inability for the Government to reach agreement with its coalition partners over a programme for government and I do think that people do need to reflect on that, because there are many issues that could've been brought forward in this statement, and then we could've had the bigger document. I remember the last programme for government in the fourth Assembly - 666 pages with a sunflower on the front of it, and my colleague Nick Ramsay was very concerned about the future of that sunflower. It didn't make it to the end of the Assembly; the sunflower died and wilted, and I do think this Government is wilting only in its first couple of hundred days within office. But there is a lot of important stuff that the First Minister could've covered in his statement this afternoon, because it is 'Priorities for Government'. There is no mention of the steel crisis at all in this statement whatsoever. You wouldn't have known that the emergency question or the urgent question was going to be taken when this statement was being drafted, so I am surprised that there is no mention of the steel crisis, because surely that is a priority for the Government. I am surprised that there is no mention of how the Government proposes to tackle the NHS deficit in two of the NHS local health boards, which amounts to £50 million, which, again, could've been alluded to in this statement, accepting that the bigger document would come in the autumn. The First Minister could've elaborated on the commitment around business rates, which we've been trying to get an understanding of for the last eight weeks since the election, but no Minister has come forward to explain exactly what that commitment would mean for businesses. Again, that could've been incorporated in this statement. We could've had an understanding of the cost that the Lib Dems have extracted from the Government, because, as the Lib Dems have pointed out, there is a significant financial cost to the commitments the Government has made, and the First Minister could've been in a position to inform us, via this statement, exactly what those costs were - again, something that was within your gift and you could've brought forward. So, I would hope that, in response to me, you will give us some answers to those questions. What is the Government doing to address the NHS deficit here in Wales? What is the Government going to do on business rates - in particular, what new scheme will it bring forward? And what will it be doing to engage with the steel industry going forward, because it does seem to have been wrong-footed entirely by the announcements that were brought forward last week? And I have to say, First Minister, you weren't in here when the urgent question was taken, and some of those answers provided little or no comfort to Members, irrespective of political colour in this Chamber, I have to say. We want to work on a cross-party basis on this and I think the arrangements to date have been very constructive, but I have to say that the response that was received on the urgent question today does not give much comfort to Members of any political party in this Chamber. So, I'd hope that maybe you will respond in a fuller way, because you could've incorporated that in your statement. You did touch on the metro project and how that will be taken forward. I notice there's nothing about the north Wales growth deal in here at all and how you will work to promote north Wales in particular, because, in your manifesto, you did have proposals for a north Wales metro, but you've chosen not to mention anything around north Wales - [Interruption.] I've read the statement very clearly; you allude to the metro project here in south Wales, you have. So, First Minister, actually, instead of using this opportunity to map out what the Government's priorities are going forward, you have just chosen to fill it with flowery language that carried little substance and won't make any difference to people's lives across Wales. So, on the questions I've put to you, can you give us some substantive answers or will we just have to wait another nine weeks to come back here and get another flowery document of 666 pages with, what, a daffodil on it instead of a sunflower this time, First Minister? | Diolch, Brif Weinidog, am eich datganiad y prynhawn yma. Mae'n rhaid imi ddatgan fy siom ynghylch datganiad mor ysgafn, sy'n defnyddio iaith flodeuog iawn, ond nad yw'n cynnig llawer o sylwedd, i fod yn onest gyda chi. Yr wyf yn credu bod llen fwg - [Torri ar draws.] Yr wyf yn credu bod llen fwg canlyniad y refferendwm yn ôl pob tebyg yn adlewyrchu anallu'r Llywodraeth i ddod i gytundeb gyda'i phartneriaid yn y glymblaid ar raglen lywodraethu ac rwy'n meddwl bod angen i bobl fyfyrio ar hynny, oherwydd gallai'r datganiad hwn fod wedi cyflwyno llawer o faterion, ac yna gallem fod wedi cael y ddogfen fwy. Rwy'n cofio rhaglen lywodraethu olaf y pedwerydd Cynulliad - 666 o dudalennau a blodyn haul ar ei flaen, ac roedd fy nghydweithiwr Nick Ramsay yn bryderus iawn am ddyfodol y blodyn haul hwnnw. Ni chafodd fyw tan ddiwedd y Cynulliad; gwywodd y blodyn haul a bu farw, ac rwy'n meddwl bod y Llywodraeth hon yn gwywo, a hynny o fewn dim ond cwpl o gannoedd o ddiwrnodau'r tymor. Ond mae llawer o bethau pwysig y gallai'r Prif Weinidog fod wedi'u cynnwys yn ei ddatganiad y prynhawn yma, gan mai 'Blaenoriaethau ar gyfer y Llywodraeth' ydyw. Nid oes dim sôn am yr argyfwng dur yn y datganiad hwn o gwbl. Ni fyddech wedi gwybod bod y cwestiwn argyfwng na'r cwestiwn brys yn mynd i gael eu gofyn pan gafodd y datganiad ei ddrafftio, felly rwy'n synnu nad oes dim sôn am yr argyfwng dur, oherwydd yn sicr mae hwnnw'n flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth. Rwy'n synnu nad oes dim sôn am sut y mae'r Llywodraeth yn bwriadu ymdrin â diffyg ariannol y GIG mewn dau o fyrddau iechyd lleol y GIG, sy'n werth £50 miliwn, ac, unwaith eto, y gallai'r datganiad hwn fod wedi cyfeirio ato, gan dderbyn y byddai'r ddogfen fwy yn dod yn yr hydref. Gallai'r Prif Weinidog fod wedi ymhelaethu ar yr ymrwymiad o gwmpas ardrethi busnes, rhywbeth yr ydym wedi bod yn ceisio ei ddeall am yr wyth wythnos diwethaf ers yr etholiad, ond nid oes yr un Gweinidog wedi dod ymlaen i esbonio beth yn union fyddai'r ymrwymiad hwnnw'n ei olygu i fusnesau. Unwaith eto, gallai hynny fod wedi cael ei ymgorffori yn y datganiad hwn. Gallem fod wedi cael dealltwriaeth o'r gost y mae'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol wedi'i thynnu o'r Llywodraeth, oherwydd, fel y mae'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol wedi'i nodi, mae yna gost ariannol sylweddol i'r ymrwymiadau y mae'r Llywodraeth wedi eu gwneud, a gallai'r Prif Weinidog fod wedi bod mewn sefyllfa i roi gwybod inni, drwy gyfrwng y datganiad hwn, beth yn union oedd y costau hynny - eto, rhywbeth y gallech fod wedi'i wneud ac y gallech fod wedi'i gyflwyno. Felly, byddwn yn gobeithio, wrth fy ateb i, y byddwch yn rhoi rhai atebion i'r cwestiynau hynny. Beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i ymdrin â diffyg ariannol y GIG yma yng Nghymru? Beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn mynd i'w wneud am ardrethi busnes - yn benodol, pa gynllun newydd y byddant yn ei gyflwyno? A beth fyddant yn ei wneud i ymgysylltu â'r diwydiant dur yn y dyfodol, oherwydd mae'n ymddangos bod y cyhoeddiadau a gyflwynwyd yr wythnos diwethaf wedi eu synnu'n llwyr? Ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, Brif Weinidog, nad oeddech yma pan gafodd y cwestiwn brys ei ofyn, ac nid oedd rhai o'r atebion hynny'n darparu rhyw lawer o gysur i'r Aelodau, os o gwbl, beth bynnag fo'u lliw gwleidyddol yn y Siambr hon, rhaid imi ddweud. Hoffem weithio ar sail drawsbleidiol ar hyn ac rwy'n meddwl bod y trefniadau hyd yn hyn wedi bod yn adeiladol iawn, ond rhaid imi ddweud nad yw'r ymateb a gawsom i'r cwestiwn brys heddiw'n rhoi llawer o gysur i Aelodau o unrhyw blaid wleidyddol yn y Siambr hon. Felly, byddwn yn gobeithio efallai y gwnewch ymateb mewn ffordd lawnach, oherwydd gallech fod wedi ymgorffori hynny yn eich datganiad. Gwnaethoch sôn yn gryno am y prosiect metro a sut y bydd hwnnw'n cael ei ddatblygu. Rwy'n sylwi nad oes dim byd am fargen twf y gogledd yma o gwbl a sut y byddwch yn gweithio i hyrwyddo'r gogledd yn benodol, oherwydd, yn eich maniffesto, roedd gennych gynigion am fetro i'r gogledd, ond rydych wedi dewis peidio â sôn am ddim byd yn y gogledd - [Torri ar draws.] Rwyf wedi darllen y datganiad yn glir iawn; rydych yn cyfeirio at y prosiect metro yma yn y de, rydych wedi. Felly, Brif Weinidog, mewn gwirionedd, yn hytrach na defnyddio'r cyfle hwn i fapio beth fydd blaenoriaethau'r Llywodraeth yn y dyfodol, rydych wedi dewis ei lenwi â iaith flodeuog heb ryw lawer o sylwedd na fydd yn gwneud dim gwahaniaeth i fywydau pobl ledled Cymru. Felly, ar y cwestiynau yr wyf wedi'u gofyn ichi, a allwch chi roi rhai atebion o sylwedd inni, ynteu a fydd yn rhaid inni aros naw wythnos arall i ddod yn ôl yma a chael dogfen flodeuog arall o 666 o dudalennau gyda, beth, cennin Pedr arni yn lle blodyn haul y tro hwn, Brif Weinidog? |
Isn't there a sense of irony that the leader of the Conservatives stands up and talks about flowery language while talking about sunflowers without actually realising that? He didn't listen to what I said in response to the leader of the opposition about Metro North, as I've called it; he obviously missed that response. Of course, in time, we're working on our manifesto commitment over business rates and there will be announcements on that. On the steel crisis, the situation is this: we've been in constant contact with Tata. I had an official on - [Interruption.] Well, there's been an urgent question on this; I gave a response, indeed, in FMQs explaining the situation. We have a package on the table - a financial package - and we will expect to see conditionality attached to that package in terms of commitments to numbers of jobs and a period of time over which further investment will take place, but we also need to see action on pensions. It is not a matter that we can actually deal with as a devolved matter and we need to see the UK Government resolve the issue of pensions and the issue of energy prices, which every single energy-intensive industry in Wales tells us is a problem. I met with Celsa last week and again they said that energy prices in the UK are a problem. We can ignore it as much as he wants, but that's what businesses are saying to me and it would do him well to listen. I have to say, I've stood in this Chamber for weeks listening to him expound the benefits of Brexit. Not on any single occasion has he realised the problem of losing £600 million a year as part of our budget - not once has he recognised that that is a problem. Only today, when he was asked about it, he said there was a limit to how much money the Welsh Government could spend on computer rooms and community centres. That's what he thought the money went on - not ProAct, not ReAct, not Jobs Growth Wales, not the metro, not the metro in the north and all these things, not farming subsidies - not farming subsidies - because, without that commitment, we can't pay farming subsidies to our farmers. Yet, despite what other parties have done - Plaid Cymru, and UKIP for that matter, who have called for every single penny to be made up by the UK Government - he has failed to do so week after week after week in this Chamber. So, I cannot take lessons from him in terms of how we should govern when he fails to stand up for Wales. Can I advise him that, if he wants to be taken seriously as the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, he should join other parties in this Chamber and make sure that Wales doesn't lose out? Then he would look to gain more respect from the people of Wales. | Onid oes ymdeimlad o eironi bod arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr yn sefyll ac yn sôn am iaith flodeuog wrth sôn am flodau haul heb sylweddoli hynny? Ni wnaeth wrando ar yr hyn a ddywedais wrth ateb arweinydd yr wrthblaid am Fetro'r Gogledd, fel yr wyf wedi ei alw; yn amlwg, methodd yr ateb hwnnw. Wrth gwrs, mewn amser, rydym yn gweithio ar ein hymrwymiad maniffesto dros ardrethi busnes a byddwn yn gwneud cyhoeddiadau ar hynny. O ran yr argyfwng dur, dyma'r sefyllfa: rydym wedi bod mewn cysylltiad cyson â Tata. Roedd gennyf swyddog - [Torri ar draws.] Wel, mae cwestiwn brys wedi bod ar hyn; rhoddais ateb, yn wir, yn ystod cwestiynau i'r prif weinidog i egluro'r sefyllfa. Mae gennym becyn ar y bwrdd - pecyn ariannol - a byddwn yn disgwyl gweld amodau ynghlwm wrth y pecyn hwnnw o ran ymrwymiadau i niferoedd swyddi a'r cyfnod pan fydd buddsoddiad pellach yn digwydd, ond mae angen inni hefyd weld gweithredu ar bensiynau. Nid yw'n fater y gallwn mewn gwirionedd ymdrin ag ef fel mater datganoledig ac mae angen inni weld Llywodraeth y DU yn datrys mater pensiynau a mater prisiau ynni, sy'n rhywbeth y mae pob un diwydiant ynni-ddwys yng Nghymru'n dweud wrthym ei fod yn broblem. Cyfarfûm â Celsa yr wythnos diwethaf ac eto roeddent yn dweud bod prisiau ynni yn y DU yn broblem. Gallwn anwybyddu hynny gymaint ag yr hoffai ef wneud, ond dyna beth mae busnesau'n ei ddweud wrthyf i a byddai'n beth da iddo ef wrando. Rhaid imi ddweud, rwyf wedi sefyll yn y Siambr hon am wythnosau'n gwrando arno'n traethu am fanteision Brexit. Nid yw unwaith wedi sylweddoli bod problem wrth i ni golli £600 miliwn y flwyddyn fel rhan o'n cyllideb - nid yw unwaith wedi cydnabod bod hynny'n broblem. Dim ond heddiw, pan gafodd ei holi am y peth, dywedodd fod terfyn i faint o arian y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru ei wario ar ystafelloedd cyfrifiaduron a chanolfannau cymunedol. Dyna beth yr oedd ef yn meddwl bod yr arian yn cael ei wario arno - nid ProAct, nid ReAct, nid Twf Swyddi Cymru, nid y metro, nid y metro yn y gogledd a'r holl bethau hyn, nid cymorthdaliadau ffermio - nid cymorthdaliadau ffermio - oherwydd, heb yr ymrwymiad hwnnw, allwn ni ddim talu cymorthdaliadau ffermio i'n ffermwyr. Eto i gyd, er gwaethaf yr hyn y mae pleidiau eraill wedi'i wneud - Plaid Cymru, ac UKIP o ran hynny, sydd wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i dalu pob ceiniog - mae wedi methu â gwneud hynny wythnos ar ôl wythnos ar ôl wythnos yn y Siambr hon. Felly, ni allaf gymryd gwersi ganddo ef ynglŷn â sut y dylem lywodraethu, ac yntau'n methu â sefyll dros Gymru. A gaf ei gynghori, os hoffai gael ei gymryd o ddifrif fel arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, y dylai ymuno â phleidiau eraill yn y Siambr hon a gwneud yn siŵr nad yw Cymru ar ei cholled? Yna byddai ganddo siawns o ennill mwy o barch gan bobl Cymru. |
First Minister, I do agree with you that the impact of Brexit has to be very, very carefully considered, and that will take a lot of time and a lot of commitment. I am particularly concerned on environmental policy. I realise that it's early days, but there are some really massive issues to consider. For instance, on the future of the EU's energy efficiency directive, how are we going to see that apply to Wales? Are we going to hardwire it into our own policy development? Waste and the circular economy: these are central areas to our current strategy and areas where we've made excellent progress, actually, and have been leaders at least in the UK or even further afield. Again, this is going to take a lot of work, because, at the moment, we are plugged into that European network and have a lot of assistance from that. Climate change targets is another area where an awful lot of responsibility will come back from where it is at the moment in setting comprehensive cross-national targets - will it come back here or are we going to see them co-ordinated on a wider level across the UK? These are very intricate points. I know, in terms of the priority that these matters had in the last Assembly, that we do not want to lose any advances that we have made. They've got to be held as leading the way across the UK level and ensuring that the highest standards are adopted, and that we have a truly sustainable economy for the future, based on coherent, extensive ambition in our environmental policy. | Brif Weinidog, rwy'n cytuno â chi bod rhaid inni ystyried effaith Brexit yn ofalus iawn, iawn, a bydd hynny'n cymryd llawer o amser a llawer o ymroddiad. Rwy'n arbennig o bryderus ynghylch polisi amgylcheddol. Rwy'n sylweddoli ei bod yn ddyddiau cynnar, ond mae rhai materion gwirioneddol enfawr i'w hystyried. Er enghraifft, ar ddyfodol cyfarwyddeb effeithlonrwydd ynni'r UE, sut yr ydym yn mynd i weld honno'n bod yn berthnasol i Gymru? A ydym yn mynd i'w chynnwys yn ein datblygiadau polisi ni ein hunain? Gwastraff a'r economi gylchol: mae'r rhain yn feysydd canolog i'n strategaeth bresennol ac yn feysydd lle'r ydym wedi gwneud cynnydd rhagorol, a dweud y gwir, ac wedi arwain y ffordd o leiaf yn y DU neu hyd yn oed yn bellach i ffwrdd. Unwaith eto, mae hyn yn mynd i gymryd llawer o waith, oherwydd, ar hyn o bryd, rydym yn rhan o'r rhwydwaith Ewropeaidd ac yn cael llawer o gymorth gan hwnnw. Mae targedau newid yn yr hinsawdd yn faes arall lle bydd llawer iawn o gyfrifoldeb yn dod yn ôl o ble y mae ar hyn o bryd wrth osod targedau traws-genedlaethol cynhwysfawr - a fydd yn dod yn ôl yma ynteu a ydym ni'n mynd i'w gweld yn cael eu cydlynu ar lefel ehangach ar draws y DU? Mae'r rhain yn bwyntiau cymhleth iawn. Rwy'n gwybod, o ran y flaenoriaeth a oedd gan y materion hyn yn y Cynulliad diwethaf, nad ydym am golli unrhyw ddatblygiadau yr ydym wedi'u gwneud. Mae'n rhaid inni eu cadw ar flaen y gad ar lefel y DU a sicrhau bod y safonau uchaf yn cael eu mabwysiadu, a bod gennym economi wirioneddol gynaliadwy ar gyfer y dyfodol, yn seiliedig ar uchelgais cydlynol, helaeth yn ein polisi amgylcheddol. |
I agree entirely with what the Member has said. He recognises the challenges of Brexit. We know that it's impossible to operate effectively on an environmental scale, particularly when it comes to air pollution, simply by looking at Wales or simply by looking at the UK for that matter, or simply by looking at Europe. It's one thing to reduce air pollution in Europe, but if a particular industry relocates to a part of the world where controls are more lax, then it just means that the pollution is being exported to another part of the world and, actually, globally, things are made worse. So, it's hugely important that we influence those areas where we can and, of course, look to keep energy-intensive industry in Wales, while, at the same time, ensuring that they have proper environmental regulations that they follow. In a meeting that I had last week with representatives of the sector, I made it clear to them that was is already enshrined in Welsh law will remain. It will then be a matter for Government over the next few years to decide what it wishes to keep and what it wishes to discard. We're nowhere near the beginning of that process, but we have to understand that it isn't the case that, when the UK leaves the EU, everything falls that ever came from Europe. That clearly isn't the case. It's the same as when the Irish Free State left the UK. It's not as if all the laws fell and there was no law. The laws that were there remained until they were amended in the future by the Dáil at that time. But, it is right to say that we shouldn't lose sight of the good progress that we've made in terms of our environment and the excellent progress, particularly, that's been made in recycling. | Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r hyn y mae'r Aelod wedi'i ddweud. Mae'n cydnabod heriau Brexit. Rydym yn gwybod ei bod yn amhosibl gweithredu'n effeithiol ar raddfa amgylcheddol, yn enwedig ym maes llygredd aer, dim ond drwy edrych ar Gymru neu ddim ond drwy edrych ar y DU o ran hynny, neu ddim ond drwy edrych ar Ewrop. Mae'n un peth lleihau llygredd aer yn Ewrop, ond os yw diwydiant penodol yn adleoli i ran o'r byd lle mae'r rheolau'n fwy llac, mae hynny'n golygu bod y llygredd yn cael ei allforio i ran arall o'r byd ac, mewn gwirionedd, yn fyd-eang, mae pethau'n mynd yn waeth. Felly, mae'n hynod bwysig ein bod yn dylanwadu ar y meysydd hynny lle y gallwn ac, wrth gwrs, yn ceisio cadw diwydiant ynni-ddwys yng Nghymru, gan, ar yr un pryd, sicrhau eu bod yn dilyn rheoliadau amgylcheddol priodol. Mewn cyfarfod a gefais yr wythnos diwethaf gyda chynrychiolwyr y sector, fe'i gwnes yn glir iddynt y bydd yr hyn sydd eisoes wedi'i ymgorffori yng nghyfraith Cymru'n parhau. Yna, mater i Lywodraeth dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd nesaf fydd penderfynu beth maent yn dymuno ei gadw a beth maent y dymuno cael gwared arno. Nid ydym yn agos at ddechrau'r broses honno, ond rhaid inni ddeall nad yw'n wir, pan fydd y DU yn gadael yr UE, bod popeth sydd erioed wedi dod o Ewrop yn disgyn. Yn amlwg, nid yw hynny'n wir. Mae'r un fath â phan adawodd Gwladwriaeth Rydd Iwerddon y DU. Nid yw fel pe bai'r holl gyfreithiau wedi disgyn ac nad oedd cyfraith. Roedd y cyfreithiau a oedd yno'n aros hyd nes iddynt gael eu diwygio yn y dyfodol gan y Dáil ar y pryd. Ond, mae'n wir dweud na ddylem golli golwg ar y cynnydd da yr ydym wedi'i wneud o ran ein hamgylchedd a'r cynnydd rhagorol, yn arbennig, yr ydym wedi'i wneud o ran ailgylchu. |
I appreciate what you say in your statement, for which I thank you, First Minister. Even though you didn't have an awful lot of content to be able to give us today, there was an opportunity, which wasn't taken, to highlight the Welsh Government's mainstreaming of rights throughout the programme of government when we see it. I think a re-statement of that principle would have laid down a marker for those delivering public services that you expect equalities and the rights of Welsh speakers, children, older people, carers and a whole range of other groups, to be at the forefront of how those services are delivered now and as a result of your eventual programme for government. So, could you take this opportunity to re-commit, if you like, to the 'due regard' principle in terms of policy and legislation, but just as importantly in the monitoring and evaluation processes within Government? For example, there's very little point in carers having the right to an assessment of needs separate from that of the person for whom they're caring under the social services Act if it's not being offered in practice. That's just one example. I think this disconnect between the role of rights in policy and legislation and in the local delivery is going to be an issue that Welsh Government will continue to face over these next five years, and one that is capable of being resolved in a very straightforward way, I think. Thank you. | Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'r hyn a ddywedwch yn eich datganiad, ac rwy'n diolch ichi amdano, Brif Weinidog. Er nad oedd gennych lawer iawn o gynnwys i allu ei roi inni heddiw, roedd yno gyfle, na chafodd ei gymryd, i dynnu sylw at y ffordd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n prif ffrydio hawliau drwy'r rhaglen lywodraethu gyfan pan fyddwn yn ei gweld. Rwy'n meddwl y byddai ailddatgan yr egwyddor honno wedi nodi i'r rheini sy'n darparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus eich bod yn disgwyl i gydraddoldeb a hawliau siaradwyr Cymraeg, plant, pobl hŷn, gofalwyr ac ystod eang o grwpiau eraill, fod ar flaen y gad o ran sut y darperir y gwasanaethau hynny yn awr ac yn sgil eich rhaglen lywodraethu yn y pen draw. Felly, a allech fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i ailymrwymo, os hoffwch chi, i'r egwyddor 'sylw dyledus' o ran polisi a deddfwriaeth, ond yn llawn mor bwysig, o ran y prosesau monitro a gwerthuso o fewn y Llywodraeth? Er enghraifft, go brin bod unrhyw bwynt rhoi'r hawl i ofalwyr gael asesiad o anghenion ar wahân i un yr unigolyn y maent yn gofalu amdano o dan y Ddeddf gwasanaethau cymdeithasol os nad yw hynny'n cael ei gynnig yn ymarferol. Dim ond un enghraifft yw honno. Rwy'n meddwl bod y datgysylltiad hwn rhwng swyddogaeth hawliau mewn polisi a deddfwriaeth, a'r hyn sy'n digwydd yn y ddarpariaeth leol, yn mynd i fod yn fater y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru'n parhau i'w wynebu dros y pum mlynedd nesaf, ac yn un y gellid ei ddatrys mewn ffordd syml iawn, rwy'n meddwl. Diolch. |
Well, we expect what is legally required to be delivered, and if that is not delivered, then there is legal redress, of course, in terms of that. With regard to the mainstreaming of rights, the practices we've continued up until now will continue. The Member will know that there are a number of areas where due regard has to be made to the rights of others and, indeed, the effect of particular policies on particular groups. That process will continue in the future to make sure that policies do not have any unexpected consequences that are to the detriment of some groups in society. | Wel, rydym yn disgwyl i'r hyn sy'n ofynnol yn ôl y gyfraith gael ei ddarparu, ac os nad yw'n cael ei ddarparu, gellir cymryd camau cyfreithiol, wrth gwrs, i unioni hynny. O ran prif ffrydio hawliau, bydd yr ymarferion yr ydym wedi parhau â nhw hyd yn hyn yn parhau. Bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod bod yna nifer o feysydd lle mae'n rhaid rhoi sylw dyledus i hawliau pobl eraill ac, yn wir, i effaith polisïau penodol ar grwpiau penodol. Bydd y broses honno'n parhau yn y dyfodol i wneud yn siŵr nad yw polisïau'n cael unrhyw ganlyniadau annisgwyl sy'n creu anfantais i rai grwpiau mewn cymdeithas. |
Diolch, Lywydd. Of the number of priorities for government in here that I can't see specifically referred to, you have made some reference to the high costs of energy for the steel industry. Of course, negotiations with the EU that were begun by the UK coalition Government have only recently been concluded with agreement to help with those costs coming into force. Are you able to expand on what that agreement is and how that will assist, or, if not, establish that information and then perhaps brief this Assembly after the summer recess? You refer to your being clear that we don't drive improvements by publishing strategies. At lunchtime, I hosted an event for Epilepsy Wales. When I raised this in the business statement, the reply I got referred to the Welsh Government's epilepsy strategy and statements that might be made by the Minister in the future. Will you ensure that the concerns raised by Epilepsy Wales and, more importantly, service users are taken account of? You've also, on many occasions, responded to questions during the fifth Assembly on proposals for an autism Act, which we've been calling for, and which I had a debate on in January 2015. Initially, responses seemed to suggest it might be incorporated within an additional learning needs Bill. Subsequently, you've responded more generally that the Welsh Government is considering this further. Will you recognise that the autism community in Wales and the organisations working with it and supporting it are calling for a statutory underpinning to impose duties on service providers, particularly health and social care and education, so that the problems evidenced by the sector and, particularly, people on the spectrum and their carers and families are addressed and given a statutory identity? Finally, my colleague Andrew R.T. Davies did refer to north Wales. We know that the Cabinet Secretary for energy and infrastructure held a summit last Friday in north Wales to discuss economic development in north Wales in the context of the Northern Powerhouse, but we haven't heard reference to the actual growth deal announced by the Chancellor in March in the budget statement, when he said the UK Government will open the door to a growth deal for north Wales to strengthen the region's economy and make the most of its connection to the northern powerhouse - in other words, a partnership, which I understood actually involved, potentially, more UK money, above Barnett, being on the table, if the Welsh Government engages early with that. I welcome the fact that the Under-Secretary of State at UK Government was present on Friday, but could you respond specifically in the context of the growth deal - capital 'g' and 'd' - that was announced in the budget? | Diolch, Lywydd. O'r nifer o flaenoriaethau ar gyfer llywodraeth yn y fan hyn nad wyf yn gallu gweld cyfeiriad penodol atynt, rydych wedi gwneud rhai cyfeiriadau at gostau uchel ynni i'r diwydiant dur. Wrth gwrs, dim ond yn ddiweddar y mae trafodaethau gyda'r UE a ddechreuwyd gan Lywodraeth glymblaid y DU wedi eu cwblhau, ac mae cytundeb i helpu gyda'r costau hynny wedi dod i rym. A allwch ymhelaethu ar beth yw'r cytundeb hwnnw a sut y bydd hwnnw o gymorth, neu, os na allwch, sefydlu'r wybodaeth honno ac yna efallai briffio'r Cynulliad hwn ar ôl toriad yr haf? Rydych yn dweud eich bod yn sicr nad ydym yn gyrru gwelliannau drwy gyhoeddi strategaethau. Amser cinio, cynhaliais ddigwyddiad ar gyfer Epilepsi Cymru. Pan godais hyn yn y datganiad busnes, roedd yr ateb a gefais yn cyfeirio at strategaeth epilepsi Llywodraeth Cymru a datganiadau y gallai'r Gweinidog eu gwneud yn y dyfodol. A wnewch chi sicrhau bod y pryderon a godwyd gan Epilepsi Cymru ac, yn bwysicach fyth, gan ddefnyddwyr gwasanaethau yn cael eu hystyried? Rydych hefyd, ar sawl achlysur, wedi ymateb i gwestiynau yn ystod y pumed Cynulliad ynglŷn â chynigion am Ddeddf awtistiaeth, rhywbeth yr ydym wedi bod yn galw amdano, ac y cefais ddadl amdano ym mis Ionawr 2015. I ddechrau, roedd yn ymddangos bod ymatebion yn awgrymu y gellid ymgorffori hyn o fewn Bil anghenion dysgu ychwanegol. Wedi hynny, rydych wedi ymateb yn fwy cyffredinol bod Llywodraeth Cymru'n ystyried hyn ymhellach. A wnewch chi gydnabod bod y gymuned awtistiaeth yng Nghymru a'r sefydliadau sy'n gweithio gyda hwy ac yn eu cefnogi'n galw am sail statudol i osod dyletswyddau ar ddarparwyr gwasanaethau, yn enwedig iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ac addysg, fel bod y problemau sydd wedi'u cofnodi yn y sector ac, yn arbennig, gan bobl ar y sbectrwm a'u gofalwyr a'u teuluoedd, yn cael sylw ac yn cael statws statudol? Yn olaf, cyfeiriodd fy nghyd-Aelod, Andrew R.T. Davies, at y gogledd. Rydym yn gwybod bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ar gyfer yr economi a'r seilwaith wedi cynnal uwchgynhadledd ddydd Gwener diwethaf yn y gogledd i drafod datblygiad economaidd yn y gogledd yng nghyd-destun Pwerdy'r Gogledd, ond nid ydym wedi clywed cyfeirio at y fargen twf gwirioneddol a gyhoeddwyd gan y Canghellor ym mis Mawrth yn y datganiad cyllideb, pan ddywedodd y bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn agor y drws i fargen twf ar gyfer gogledd Cymru i gryfhau economi'r rhanbarth a gwneud y gorau o'i gysylltiad â phwerdy'r gogledd - mewn geiriau eraill, partneriaeth, a oedd yn cynnwys, o bosibl, fel y deallais i, mwy o arian gan y DU, uwchben Barnett, ar gael, pe bai Llywodraeth Cymru'n ymgysylltu'n gynnar â hynny. Rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith bod yr Is-ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig yn bresennol ddydd Gwener, ond a allech ymateb yn benodol yng nghyd-destun y fargen twf - 'b' a 't' yn briflythrennau - a gyhoeddwyd yn y gyllideb? |
Well, I can assure the Member we will work with UK Government with regard to the growth deal. What is not clear at the moment is whether there is an element of that deal that would have been European funded, and this is at the heart of the dilemma that we face. If, for example, there is a gap in that funding, it has to be made up in some way, and, certainly, it has to be provided for that. With regard to the epilepsy strategy, of course we want to listen to the concerns of service users, and they will be taken fully into account as we have regard to that strategy over the years to come. With autism, it's right to say that it didn't work as part of the ALN Bill. We are looking at what legislation might be necessary in the future in order to strengthen the rights of service users, and that process is still ongoing. With regard to energy, it's not to do with the EU; it's to do with the UK's energy market and the opaque way in which it operates. Now, I've had discussions with Celsa and, again, they said to me last week that they operate on the basis where, in Germany, energy costs are 20 per cent lower; in Spain 37 per cent lower. Now, there's no rhyme or reason why that should be, but it's to do, I suspect, with the fact that, in the UK, the energy market is not as transparent as it is elsewhere in Europe. Now, I've said it many, many times; what I'd say is that we need to make sure that the voice of businesses in Wales is heard in Treasury because they are all saying the same thing. They find it hugely difficult to compete because of energy prices. Tata have said the same thing, and this is an issue that the UK Government and the UK itself cannot run away from. Do we want to have energy-intensive industries? If that is the case we've got to make sure that there is a competitive package available in terms of energy prices; and we're not at that point yet. | Wel, gallaf sicrhau'r Aelod y byddwn yn gweithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU ar y fargen twf. Yr hyn nad yw'n glir ar hyn o bryd yw a oes elfen ar y fargen honno a fyddai wedi'i hariannu gan Ewrop, ac mae hyn wrth wraidd y broblem sy'n ein hwynebu. Os oes bwlch yn y cyllid hwnnw, er enghraifft, mae'n rhaid i rywun dalu amdano, ac, yn sicr, mae'n rhaid darparu ar gyfer hynny. O ran y strategaeth epilepsi, wrth gwrs ein bod ni am wrando ar bryderon defnyddwyr gwasanaethau, a byddwn yn eu hystyried yn llawn wrth inni ymwneud â'r strategaeth honno dros y blynyddoedd sydd i ddod. O ran awtistiaeth, mae'n deg dweud nad oedd yn gweithio fel rhan o'r Bil ADY. Rydym yn edrych ar ba ddeddfwriaeth y gallai fod ei hangen yn y dyfodol er mwyn cryfhau hawliau defnyddwyr gwasanaethau, ac mae'r broses honno'n parhau. O ran ynni, nid yw'n ymwneud â'r UE; mae'n ymwneud â marchnad ynni'r DU a'r ffordd annelwig y mae'n gweithredu. Nawr, rwyf wedi cael trafodaethau gyda Celsa ac, unwaith eto, maent wedi dweud wrthyf yr wythnos diwethaf eu bod yn gweithredu ar y sail lle mae costau ynni yn yr Almaen 20 y cant yn is; yn Sbaen maent 37 y cant yn is. Nawr, does dim rheol na rheswm am hynny, ond mae'n rhywbeth i'w wneud, rwy'n amau, â'r ffaith nad yw'r farchnad ynni, yn y DU, mor dryloyw ag y mae mewn mannau eraill yn Ewrop. Nawr, rwyf wedi ei ddweud lawer, lawer gwaith; yr hyn y byddwn i'n ei ddweud yw bod angen i ni wneud yn siŵr bod llais busnesau yng Nghymru'n cael ei glywed yn y Trysorlys, oherwydd maent i gyd yn dweud yr un peth. Maent yn ei chael hi'n hynod anodd cystadlu oherwydd prisiau ynni. Mae Tata wedi dweud yr un peth, ac mae hwn yn fater na all Llywodraeth y DU a'r DU ei hun ddianc oddi wrtho. A oes arnom eisiau diwydiannau ynni-ddwys yma? Os oes, mae'n rhaid i ni wneud yn siŵr bod pecyn cystadleuol ar gael o ran prisiau ynni; ac nid ydym wedi cyrraedd y pwynt hwnnw eto. |
We move on to the next item, which is a statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children on the child practice review into the death of Dylan Seabridge. I call on the Cabinet Secretary, Carl Sargeant, to make his statement. | Rydym yn symud ymlaen i'r eitem nesaf, sef datganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gymunedau a Phlant a'r adolygiad ymarfer plant i farwolaeth Dylan Seabridge. Rwy'n galw ar yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, Carl Sargeant, i wneud ei ddatganiad. |
Thank you, Presiding Officer. The publication last week of the child practice review into the death in 2011 of Dylan Seabridge once again brought to our attention the circumstances in which a young boy's life was cut needlessly short. Dylan was just eight years old and died of an avoidable and treatable vitamin deficiency. He died invisible to the services and professionals who could possibly have saved him. It is unacceptable that, in a modern society, a child should be invisible in this way. This case highlights the challenges faced when people individually, or as part of families, withdraw from traditional or common patterns of family life, and from the safeguarding and protection provided by and through our universal services. The purpose of the child practice review is to improve our services and help us learn what needs to change. This is exactly what we intend to do in the light of this report: learn lessons and improve services. The landscape has changed since 2011. The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act, in particular, strengthens the statutory and practice framework for safeguarding children and adults. It introduces a new duty on statutory partners to report to their local authority concerns that a child or adult is experiencing or is at risk of experiencing abuse, neglect or harm. The Act is supported by the revised statutory guidance that has been subject to significant cross-sector engagement. We have invested significantly, through dedicated training, to support practitioners to deliver the strengthened framework and have published those training resources on the care council website. Of course, while the Act provides a stronger base for greater confidence that a case like Dylan's could not happen again, it does not and cannot provide all of the answers. Much is made in the report of the issues of elective home education, and there is no doubt that this is part of the picture here, but it is far from the whole picture. Dylan died because he was invisible to the services and professionals who could have been able to help and protect him. There was a criminal investigation into Dylan's death, and the Crown Prosecution Service took a decision that the prosecution of the parents was not in the best public interest. What is clear to me from the CPR is that no single service or professional let down Dylan but that, as a society, as a system, he was let down and allowed to remain invisible and unreachable. I'm working closely with my colleagues the Cabinet Secretary for Education, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport and the Minister for Social Services and Public Health to consider the lessons from this case. Our response will be inclusive and seek to address the key issues of how services work together, how they pool their information and think family rather than individual in isolation, and about how we can prevent any child or young person from being so hidden from view that we cannot spot and address any risk of harm. 'Think family' is now more prevalent across professionals and agencies as part of approaches such as team around the family. We will now consider how we can encourage and support professionals to act on their professional curiosity and have greater confidence to work effectively with families and be confident to escalate issues when needed, such as where the evidence for cause for concern might be, in fact, the lack of evidence of well-being. And we will consider the guidance and regulation in place for all adult and children's services. Such consideration will, of course, include that around elective home education, but also in relation to the key milestones where parents and children would be anticipated to engage with health and other universal services, for example for vaccinations, the role of the health visitor, primary care teams, school nurses, GPs, and so on. Dylan was not seen by any health, education, social or children's services professionals between the age of 13 months and his death at the age of eight. In the final 18 months of Dylan's life, efforts were made to engage with the family, and with Dylan, but with little success. We'll never know how things may have turned out if those efforts had resulted in direct contact with Dylan. What we do know is that despite a level of concern, professionals were not able to gain access to a young and vulnerable child who died from a treatable condition. This is a highly complex case, and you would not expect me, or my Cabinet colleagues, to respond in anything other than a considered manner. That said, I can report that whilst it is not routine practice to report to CPRs, I and my Cabinet colleagues feel that the unique issues raised by this case warrant us writing immediately to all safeguarding boards in Wales, and the national independent safeguarding board, drawing their attention to the issues raised and the findings of this report. I will be working closely with my colleagues to get to the heart of the issues raised by this case, and the CPR, and I will update the Chamber in due course of our intended actions. | Diolch, Lywydd. Cyhoeddwyd yr adolygiad ymarfer plant i farwolaeth Dylan Seabridge yn 2011 yr wythnos diwethaf, gan dynnu ein sylw unwaith eto at yr amgylchiadau lle cafodd bywyd bachgen ifanc ei dorri'n fyr yn ddiangen. Dim ond wyth mlwydd oed oedd Dylan a bu farw o ddiffyg fitamin y gellir ei osgoi ac y gellir ei drin. Bu farw'n anweledig i'r gwasanaethau a'r gweithwyr proffesiynol a allai o bosibl fod wedi ei achub. Mae'n annerbyniol, mewn cymdeithas fodern, y dylai plentyn fod yn anweledig fel hyn. Mae'r achos hwn yn tynnu sylw at yr heriau a wynebir pan fydd pobl yn unigol, neu'n rhan o deuluoedd, yn tynnu'n ôl o batrymau bywyd teuluol traddodiadol neu gyffredin, ac o'r diogelwch a'r amddiffyniad a ddarperir gan a thrwy ein gwasanaethau cyffredinol. Diben yr adolygiad ymarfer plant yw gwella ein gwasanaethau a'n helpu i ddysgu beth sydd angen newid. Dyma'n union yr ydym ni'n bwriadu ei wneud yng ngoleuni'r adroddiad hwn: dysgu gwersi a gwella gwasanaethau. Mae'r dirwedd wedi newid ers 2011. Mae'r Ddeddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru), yn arbennig, yn cryfhau'r fframwaith statudol ac ymarfer ar gyfer diogelu plant ac oedolion. Mae'n cyflwyno dyletswydd newydd ar bartneriaid statudol i hysbysu eu hawdurdod lleol am bryderon bod plentyn neu oedolyn yn dioddef camdriniaeth, esgeulustod neu niwed, neu mewn perygl o ddioddef un o'r rhain. Ategir y Ddeddf gan y canllawiau statudol diwygiedig sydd wedi bod yn destun ymgysylltu sylweddol ar draws sectorau. Rydym wedi buddsoddi'n sylweddol, drwy hyfforddiant pwrpasol, i gynorthwyo ymarferwyr i gyflwyno'r fframwaith cryfach ac wedi cyhoeddi'r adnoddau hyfforddi hynny ar wefan y cyngor gofal. Wrth gwrs, er bod y Ddeddf yn darparu sylfaen gryfach i fwy o hyder na allai achos fel achos Dylan ddigwydd eto, nid yw rhoi'r holl atebion, ac ni all wneud hynny. Mae'r adroddiad yn sôn llawer am faterion addysg ddewisol yn y cartref, ac nid oes amheuaeth bod hyn yn rhan o'r darlun yma, ond mae'n bell o fod y darlun cyfan. Bu farw Dylan gan ei fod yn anweledig i'r gwasanaethau a'r gweithwyr proffesiynol a allai fod wedi gallu ei helpu a'i amddiffyn. Bu ymchwiliad troseddol i farwolaeth Dylan, a gwnaeth Gwasanaeth Erlyn y Goron y penderfyniad nad oedd erlyn y rhieni er pennaf fudd y cyhoedd. Yr hyn sy'n eglur i mi o'r adolygiad ymarfer plant yw nad oedd un gwasanaeth neu weithiwr proffesiynol ar fai am yr hyn ddigwyddodd i Dylan ond bod cymdeithas, a'r system, wedi methu trwy adael iddo aros yn anweledig ac yn anghyraeddadwy. Rwy'n gweithio'n agos gyda fy nghydweithwyr Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd, Lles a Chwaraeon a'r Gweinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ac Iechyd y Cyhoedd i ystyried y gwersi o'r achos hwn. Bydd ein hymateb yn gynhwysol ac yn ceisio ymdrin â materion allweddol sut y mae gwasanaethau'n gweithio gyda'i gilydd, sut y maent yn cyfuno eu gwybodaeth ac yn meddwl am deuluoedd yn hytrach nag unigolion, ac ynghylch sut y gallwn atal unrhyw blentyn neu berson ifanc rhag bod mor gudd nes na allwn weld unrhyw risg o niwed ac ymdrin ag ef. Mae 'meddwl am y teulu' yn fwy cyffredin nawr ar draws gweithwyr proffesiynol ac asiantaethau yn rhan o ddulliau fel tîm o amgylch y teulu. Byddwn yn ystyried nawr sut y gallwn annog a chynorthwyo gweithwyr proffesiynol i weithredu ar eu chwilfrydedd proffesiynol a bod â mwy o hyder i weithio'n effeithiol gyda theuluoedd a bod yn hyderus i uwchgyfeirio problemau pan fo angen, er enghraifft, os mai'r dystiolaeth o destun pryder yw, mewn gwirionedd, diffyg tystiolaeth o les. A byddwn yn ystyried y canllawiau a'r rheoliadau sydd ar waith ar gyfer ein holl wasanaethau i oedolion a phlant. Bydd ystyriaeth o'r fath, wrth gwrs, yn cynnwys ystyried addysg ddewisol yn y cartref, ond hefyd y cerrig milltir allweddol lle byddem yn rhagweld y byddai rhieni a phlant yn ymgysylltu â gwasanaethau iechyd a gwasanaethau cyffredinol eraill, er enghraifft ar gyfer brechiadau, swyddogaeth yr ymwelydd iechyd, timau gofal sylfaenol, nyrsys ysgol, meddygon teulu, ac ati. Ni chafodd Dylan ei weld gan unrhyw weithiwr proffesiynol gwasanaethau iechyd, addysg, cymdeithasol na phlant rhwng yr adeg yr oedd yn 13 mis oed a'i farwolaeth yn wyth oed. Yn 18 mis olaf bywyd Dylan, gwnaethpwyd ymdrechion i ymgysylltu â'r teulu, a chyda Dylan, ond heb fawr o lwyddiant. Ni fyddwn byth yn gwybod beth allai fod wedi digwydd pe bai'r ymdrechion hynny wedi arwain at gyswllt uniongyrchol gyda Dylan. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wybod yw bod gweithwyr proffesiynol wedi methu â chael mynediad at blentyn ifanc ac agored i niwed a fu farw o gyflwr y gellir ei drin, er gwaethaf rhywfaint o bryder. Mae hwn yn achos hynod gymhleth, ac ni fyddech yn disgwyl i mi, na'm cydweithwyr yn y Cabinet, ymateb mewn unrhyw fodd nad yw'n ystyriol. Wedi dweud hynny, gallaf ddweud, er nad yw adrodd i adolygiadau ymarfer plant yn fater o drefn, fy mod i a'm cydweithwyr yn y Cabinet yn teimlo bod y materion unigryw a godwyd gan yr achos hwn yn cyfiawnhau i ni ysgrifennu ar unwaith at bob bwrdd diogelu yng Nghymru, a'r bwrdd diogelu annibynnol cenedlaethol, i dynnu eu sylw at y materion a godwyd a chanfyddiadau'r adroddiad hwn. Byddaf yn gweithio'n agos gyda'm cydweithwyr i gael at wraidd y materion a godwyd gan yr achos hwn, a'r adolygiad ymarfer plant, a byddaf yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Siambr maes o law am y camau yr ydym ni'n bwriadu eu cymryd. |
I thank the Member for his questions this afternoon. It would be fair to say that, while the reviewers took quite a significant amount of time to make sure that we cover all ground, and the CPR is the final element of that reporting structure, it would also be fair to say that my team, and the Government previously, was already working on opportunities to improve the system. The social care and well-being programme has already improved that procedure, since this terrible event happened, so the duty to report, the training and guidance for authorities and individuals are rolling out. And, as I said in my statement, the importance of now looking at the family unit, as opposed to an individual who may be under some sort of scrutiny or reporting, is an important change in the way that we operate. This is always going to be challenging, in terms of the burden of proof, and I listened very carefully to the Member. I am minded, though, on the basis that I would rather protect an individual, to take some risk in that process, rather than erring on the very strong lobbies, on both sides, about the rights of the child or the rights of the parent. But, to me, the vulnerable person has to come out on top here, and maybe, as a Government, we have to be much more robust in our approach to that - giving powers to individuals who fear there is some risk, without evidence always, but there may be that gut feeling that there's something not quite right. We need to be able to support individuals in that process. The Member's right about the resourcing of that, and that's why it's really important, from this CPR, that I work with my colleagues across Cabinet, to fully understand - the home-education element is just one part of this particular case, but there are many other young people, I would suggest, who don't access a system around healthcare or education, so people who opt out of education until the age of three, and may be in a similar situation, where we just don't have a contact process. But I do think what we have to do as a Government is look collectively around an individual, think about how we're going to operate trigger points, what the opportunities are there for us to understand that somebody is safe. And that's what this question is about. There are many people, in many circumstances, in very, very good families. But, in this case, we have to question our failure as a system not to have the contact, and the ability to contact, individuals in this very process. In terms of home schooling, I've already met with the Minister responsible for that decision, and we are, again, looking at the whole principle of well-being, about how that will look, and I'll continue those discussions. I had a team meeting today, across the departments, to start looking about what we are going to do about this particular case, and what the lessons learnt will be, and how we will interpret them, in terms of legislation or otherwise, if we need to do that. The Member is quite right to recognise also the unregulated issues around health and seeking medicines that actually aren't regulated. That does concern me. But I think what I'd like to do is come back to the Chamber once we've had more of a collective discussion around our opportunities for success around the safeguarding. And, as I said, we have put many in place. There are still constant things that we can learn, and we should learn from these case reviews all the time, and it's something that I'm very keen to do. | Diolchaf i'r Aelod am ei gwestiynau y prynhawn yma. Byddai'n deg dweud, er bod yr adolygwyr wedi cymryd cryn dipyn o amser i sicrhau ein bod wedi ymdrin â phopeth, a'r adolygiad ymarfer plant yw'r elfen olaf o'r adeiledd adrodd hwnnw, byddai hefyd yn deg dweud bod fy nhîm, a'r Llywodraeth yn flaenorol, eisoes yn gweithio ar gyfleoedd i wella'r system. Mae'r rhaglen gofal cymdeithasol a lles eisoes wedi gwella'r weithdrefn honno, ers y digwyddiad ofnadwy hwn, felly mae'r ddyletswydd i hysbysu, yr hyfforddiant a'r canllawiau i awdurdodau ac unigolion yn cael eu cyflwyno. Ac, fel y dywedais yn fy natganiad, mae pwysigrwydd edrych ar yr uned deuluol, yn hytrach nag unigolyn a all fod yn destun rhyw fath o graffu neu adroddiad, yn newid pwysig i'r ffordd yr ydym ni'n gweithredu. Bydd hyn bob amser yn anodd, o ran baich y profi, a gwrandewais yn astud iawn ar yr Aelod. Rwy'n meddwl, fodd bynnag, ar y sail y byddai'n well gennyf amddiffyn unigolyn, y dylid cymryd rhywfaint o risg yn y broses honno, yn hytrach na dibynnu ar y lobïau cryf iawn, ar y ddwy ochr, ynghylch hawliau'r plentyn neu hawliau'r rhiant. Ond, i mi, mae'n rhaid i'r unigolyn agored i niwed fod bennaf yma, ac efallai, fel Llywodraeth, bod rhaid i ni fod yn llawer mwy cadarn yn ein hymagwedd at hynny - rhoi pwerau i unigolion sy'n ofni bod rhywfaint o risg, heb dystiolaeth bob amser, ond efallai y bydd eu greddf yn dweud bod rhywbeth o'i le. Mae angen i ni allu cefnogi unigolion yn y broses honno. Mae'r Aelod yn iawn am adnoddau ar gyfer hynny, a dyna pam mae'n bwysig iawn, o'r adolygiad ymarfer plant hwn, fy mod i'n gweithio gyda'm cydweithwyr ar draws y Cabinet, er mwyn deall yn llawn - dim ond un rhan o'r achos penodol hon yw'r elfen addysg gartref, ond ceir llawer o bobl ifanc eraill, byddwn yn awgrymu, nad ydynt yn cael mynediad at system o amgylch gofal iechyd neu addysg, felly pobl sy'n optio allan o addysg hyd at dair oed, ac a allai fod mewn sefyllfa debyg, lle nad oes gennym ni broses gyswllt. Ond rwy'n meddwl mai'r hyn y mae'n rhaid i ni ei wneud fel Llywodraeth yw edrych ar y cyd o gwmpas unigolyn, meddwl am sut yr ydym ni'n mynd i weithredu pwyntiau sbardun, pa gyfleoedd sydd yno i ni i ddeall bod rhywun yn ddiogel. A dyna yw diben y cwestiwn hwn. Ceir llawer o bobl, mewn llawer o amgylchiadau, mewn teuluoedd da iawn, iawn. Ond, yn yr achos hwn, mae'n rhaid i ni gwestiynu ein methiant fel system i beidio â chael y cyswllt, a'r gallu i gysylltu, ag unigolion yn yr union broses hon. O ran addysg gartref, rwyf eisoes wedi cyfarfod â'r Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am y penderfyniad hwnnw, ac rydym ni, unwaith eto, yn edrych ar holl egwyddor o les, o ran sut y bydd hynny'n edrych, a byddaf yn parhau â'r trafodaethau hynny. Cefais gyfarfod tîm heddiw, ar draws yr adrannau, i ddechrau ystyried yr hyn yr ydym ni'n mynd i'w wneud ynghylch yr achos penodol hwn, a pha wersi y byddwn yn eu dysgu, a sut y byddwn yn eu dehongli, o ran deddfwriaeth neu fel arall, os bydd angen i ni wneud hynny. Mae'r Aelod yn hollol iawn i gydnabod hefyd y materion heb eu rheoleiddio sy'n ymwneud ag iechyd a cheisio meddyginiaethau nad ydynt wedi'u rheoleiddio. Mae hynny'n peri pryder i mi. Ond rwy'n meddwl mai'r hyn yr hoffwn ei wneud yw dod yn ôl i'r Siambr ar ôl i ni gael mwy o gyd-drafodaeth ar ein cyfleoedd o sicrhau llwyddiant o ran diogelu. Ac, fel y dywedais, rydym ni wedi rhoi llawer o bethau ar waith. Ceir pethau cyson y gallwn eu dysgu o hyd, a dylem ddysgu o'r adolygiadau achos hyn drwy'r amser, ac mae'n rhywbeth yr wyf yn awyddus iawn i'w wneud. |
Minister, thank you for your statement. This was an absolutely appalling case, which has shocked everybody, I think, in this Chamber, and, indeed, across Wales. When people hear that, in modern-day Wales, a young boy, aged eight, died as a result of scurvy - a condition that everybody here hoped was consigned to the bin of history - I think we should all be ashamed of ourselves that this boy was allowed to get into such a shocking condition. When you think about how somebody dies from scurvy - the pain, the bleeding, the soft-tissue damage, the awful discomfort that this boy must have been in towards the end of his life - it really is absolutely appalling. I've read the report. It's a shocking report that does point to the fact that different agencies didn't have the opportunity to see Dylan at home because of the lack of co-operation from his parents, and the father in particular. I think it does merit wider consideration, really, in terms of a whole-Government response, and the response of Welsh local authorities and our education and health services as well. So, I am pleased, Minister, that you are taking time to get that right rather than rushing into decisions, and that you are doing so not independently of your other Cabinet colleagues, but in conjunction with them. I think it is fair to give the opportunity for the new guidance and statutory framework that has recently been introduced to bed down, because I think it does put a much greater emphasis on the need for a multi-agency approach in these sorts of situations in the future. Hopefully, that will close some of the holes in the net that young Dylan unfortunately fell through. I was pleased, Minister, to hear you refer to a 'think family' response so that, yes, when there are needs that are presented as a result of the mother's health in this particular case, the wider impact on the family - on the husband, on Dylan and, of course, his sibling, who has not been mentioned in the Chamber today - are actually considered in the round. Of course, had those things been more widely considered, it is perfectly possible that not just curiosity would have been aroused among those care professionals, but that they may well have taken action that could have led to Dylan being saved from this precarious situation that he found himself in. I have to say that I am appalled by the Crown Prosecution Service decision not to want to prosecute in this particular case. I have looked at the reasons that they cited, which were all about the health and well-being of the parents, it seems to me - not about the lack of evidence of criminal neglect, but all about the welfare of the parents. Frankly, given that those same individuals went on to take a court case with the former employer of the mother of Dylan and were able to contest that, I would have suggested that their health was in perfectly reasonable shape to be able to be taken though the courts. I think we need to make an example of this case. These are exactly the sorts of cases that should be pursued in the public interest, not dropped or sidelined. So, I would be grateful, Minister, if you could tell us what discussions you as a Minister, and the Government more widely, are having with the Crown Prosecution Service in order to see whether this case can be picked back up by them, given the additional evidence that of course has now been brought to everybody's attention as a result of the child practice review report. I wonder, Minister, as well, whether you can tell us whether you might consider giving some sort of statutory access to children for those vaccinations and for health visits, particularly in those early years and primary school years. Everybody knows that visits from the school nurse or community nurse are a regular feature of school life these days. But, quite clearly, had Dylan had access to a health practitioner, it is perfectly possible that his condition might have been identified, and he may well have been identified as a as a vulnerable individual. I have to say that I am not persuaded that we necessarily need a register for those children who are home-schooled. It's quite clear from the report that home schooling in itself is not a risk factor for individuals. But I do think that if additional access to those children is presented in other ways, perhaps through the health system, then that is a much more preferable route, I think, which safeguards the rights of the child that we have all legislated on in this National Assembly, including the right to health, a healthy lifestyle and health services. In addition, Minister, I wonder what support the Government might be putting in place for parents who might not have the capacity to be able to raise their children in a way that society feels is fit. There are positive parenting programmes that I know the Government has supported, but how do we secure the engagement of people who are on the fringes, perhaps, of society and communities that don't wish to engage? Is there any compulsion, perhaps, that can be used where there might be individuals like this in these sorts of situations? Just finally, when it comes to the UN rights of the child, we have all said in this Chamber that we want to ensure that those rights are central to the approach that is taken to public services here in Wales, and as you know, as a Cabinet Secretary, those duties are placed on you as a Cabinet Secretary to have regard to those rights in every action that you take. But, the due-regard principle is not applied to local authorities at present in Wales, and I wonder, Minister, whether you will be prepared to consider, in conjunction with your Cabinet colleagues, a review of the Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 that we passed during the third Assembly to see whether there is scope to extend those due-regard obligations to local authorities and, indeed, all public services across Wales. Because I think if those rights had been very clearly considered, and this is brought out from the report - the right to a health service, the right to a decent education - then it is perfectly possible once again that individuals may have had access to Dylan in a different way, and another route to access to Dylan in a different way, that could have identified his situation sooner and perhaps saved a very young life that was extinguished completely unnecessarily as a result of an entirely preventable disease. | Weinidog, diolch am eich datganiad. Roedd hwn yn achos hollol erchyll, sydd wedi peri sioc i bawb, rwy'n meddwl, yn y Siambr hon, ac, yn wir, ledled Cymru. Pan fydd pobl yn clywed, yng Nghymru gyfoes, bod bachgen ifanc, wyth oed, wedi marw o ganlyniad i'r sgyrfi - cyflwr yr oedd pawb yma'n gobeithio ei fod wedi'i daflu i fin sbwriel hanes - rwy'n meddwl y dylem ni i gyd deimlo cywilydd bod y bachgen hwn wedi gallu mynd i gyflwr mor frawychus. Pan fyddwch chi'n meddwl am sut y mae rhywun yn marw o'r sgyrfi - y boen, y gwaedu, y niwed i feinweoedd meddal, yr anghysur ofnadwy y mae'n rhaid bod y bachgen hwn wedi ei wynebu tua diwedd ei oes - mae wir yn gwbl warthus. Rwyf wedi darllen yr adroddiad. Mae'n adroddiad brawychus sy'n cyfeirio at y ffaith na chafodd gwahanol asiantaethau gyfle i weld Dylan gartref oherwydd diffyg cydweithrediad ei rieni, a'r tad yn arbennig. Rwy'n meddwl ei bod yn werth ystyried hyn yn ehangach, a dweud y gwir, o ran ymateb Llywodraeth gyfan, ac ymateb awdurdodau lleol Cymru a'n gwasanaethau addysg ac iechyd hefyd. Felly, rwy'n falch, Weinidog, eich bod yn cymryd amser i wneud hynny'n iawn yn hytrach na rhuthro i mewn i benderfyniadau, ac nad ydych chi'n gwneud hynny'n annibynnol ar eich cydweithwyr eraill yn y Cabinet, ond ar y cyd â nhw. Rwy'n meddwl ei bod yn deg rhoi cyfle i'r canllawiau a'r fframwaith statudol newydd a gyflwynwyd yn ddiweddar setlo, oherwydd rwy'n meddwl eu bod yn rhoi llawer mwy o bwyslais ar yr angen am ddull amlasiantaeth yn y mathau hyn o sefyllfaoedd yn y dyfodol. Gobeithio y bydd hynny'n cau rhai o'r tyllau yn y rhwyd y bu Dylan ifanc yn ddigon anffodus i syrthio drwyddynt. Roeddwn yn falch, Weinidog, o'ch clywed yn cyfeirio at ymateb 'meddwl am y teulu' fel os oes anghenion yn ymddangos o ganlyniad i iechyd y fam yn yr achos penodol hwn, bod yr effaith ehangach ar y teulu - ar y gŵr, ar Dylan ac, wrth gwrs, ar ei frawd neu chwaer, nad yw wedi cael ei grybwyll yn y Siambr heddiw - yn cael ei hystyried yn ei chyfanrwydd. Wrth gwrs, pe bai'r pethau hynny wedi cael eu hystyried yn ehangach, mae'n berffaith bosibl, nid yn unig y byddai chwilfrydedd wedi'i ennyn ymhlith y gweithwyr gofal proffesiynol hynny, ond y gallent fod wedi cymryd camau a allai fod wedi arwain at achub Dylan rhag y sefyllfa fregus hon yr aeth iddi. Rhaid i mi ddweud fy mod yn meddwl bod penderfyniad Gwasanaeth Erlyn y Goron i beidio ag eisiau erlyn yn yr achos penodol hwn yn warthus. Rwyf wedi edrych ar y rhesymau a roddwyd ganddynt, a oedd i gyd yn ymwneud ag iechyd a lles y rhieni, mae'n ymddangos i mi-nid â'r diffyg tystiolaeth o esgeulustod troseddol, ond i gyd â lles y rhieni. A dweud y gwir, o ystyried bod yr un unigolion hynny wedi mynd ymlaen i gychwyn achos llys yn erbyn cyn-gyflogwr mam Dylan ac wedi gallu herio hwnnw, byddwn wedi awgrymu bod eu hiechyd mewn cyflwr perffaith resymol i allu mynd â nhw drwy'r llysoedd. Rwy'n meddwl bod angen i ni wneud esiampl o'r achos hwn. Dyma'r union fathau o achosion y dylid eu dilyn er budd y cyhoedd, nid eu gollwng na'u gwthio o'r neilltu. Felly, byddwn yn ddiolchgar, Weinidog, pe gallech chi ddweud wrthym ba drafodaethau yr ydych chi fel Gweinidog, a'r Llywodraeth yn ehangach, yn eu cael gyda Gwasanaeth Erlyn y Goron er mwyn gweld a allant ailagor yr achos hwn, o ystyried y dystiolaeth ychwanegol sydd, wrth gwrs, wedi cael ei dwyn at sylw pawb erbyn hyn yn sgil adroddiad yr adolygiad ymarfer plant. Tybed hefyd, Weinidog, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym a allech chi ystyried caniatáu rhyw fath o fynediad statudol at blant i gael y brechiadau hynny ac ar gyfer ymweliadau iechyd, yn enwedig yn y blynyddoedd cynnar hynny a blynyddoedd ysgol gynradd. Mae pawb yn gwybod bod ymweliadau gan nyrs yr ysgol neu nyrs gymuned yn nodwedd reolaidd o fywyd ysgol y dyddiau yma. Ond, yn ddigon amlwg, pe bai Dylan wedi cael gweld ymarferydd iechyd, mae'n gwbl bosibl y gallai ei gyflwr fod wedi cael ei ganfod, ac mae'n ddigon posibl y byddai wedi cael ei nodi fel unigolyn agored i niwed. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud nad wyf wedi fy argyhoeddi ein bod ni wir angen cofrestr ar gyfer y plant hynny sy'n cael addysg gartref. Mae'n ddigon eglur o'r adroddiad nad yw addysg gartref ynddi ei hun yn ffactor risg i unigolion. Ond rwy'n meddwl, pe bai mynediad ychwanegol at y plant hynny yn cael ei gyflwyno mewn ffyrdd eraill, drwy'r system iechyd efallai, y byddai hwnnw'n llwybr llawer gwell, rwy'n meddwl, sy'n diogelu hawliau'r plentyn yr ydym ni i gyd wedi deddfu arnynt yn y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol hwn, gan gynnwys yr hawl i iechyd, ffordd iach o fyw a gwasanaethau iechyd. Hefyd, Weinidog, tybed pa gymorth y gallai'r Llywodraeth fod yn ei chynnig i rieni nad ydynt, efallai, yn gallu magu eu plant mewn ffordd y mae cymdeithas yn teimlo sy'n addas. Gwn fod y Llywodraeth wedi cefnogi rhaglenni magu plant cadarnhaol, ond sut allwn ni sicrhau eu bod yn cynnwys y bobl sydd, efallai, ar gyrion cymdeithas a chymunedau nad ydynt yn dymuno cymryd rhan? A oes unrhyw orfodaeth, efallai, y gellir ei defnyddio lle gallai fod unigolion fel hyn yn y mathau hyn o sefyllfaoedd? I gloi, o ran hawliau'r plentyn y Cenhedloedd Unedig, rydym ni oll wedi dweud yn y Siambr hon yr hoffem ni sicrhau bod yr hawliau hynny'n ganolog i'r ymagwedd a fabwysiadir at wasanaethau cyhoeddus yma yng Nghymru, ac fel y gwyddoch, fel Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, rhoddir y dyletswyddau hynny arnoch chi fel Ysgrifennydd Cabinet i ystyried yr hawliau hynny ym mhob cam yr ydych chi'n ei gymryd. Ond, nid yw'r egwyddor sylw dyledus yn cael ei chymhwyso i awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd, ac rwy'n meddwl tybed, Weinidog, a fyddwch chi'n barod i ystyried, ar y cyd â'ch cydweithwyr yn y Cabinet, adolygiad o Fesur Hawliau Plant a Phobl Ifanc (Cymru) 2011 a basiwyd gennym yn ystod y trydydd Cynulliad i weld a oes lle i ymestyn y rhwymedigaethau sylw dyledus hynny i awdurdodau lleol ac, yn wir, i'r holl wasanaethau cyhoeddus ledled Cymru. Oherwydd rwy'n meddwl, pe bai'r hawliau hynny wedi cael eu hystyried yn eglur iawn, ac mae hyn yn dod allan o'r adroddiad - yr hawl i wasanaeth iechyd, yr hawl i addysg briodol - mae'n berffaith bosibl unwaith eto byddai unigolion wedi cael mynediad at Dylan mewn ffordd wahanol, a dull arall o gael mynediad at Dylan mewn ffordd wahanol, a allai fod wedi canfod ei sefyllfa'n gynt ac efallai achub bywyd ifanc iawn a gafodd ei diffodd yn gwbl ddiangen o ganlyniad i glefyd sy'n ddigon hawdd ei atal. |
I thank the Member for his contribution. I think what we need to do in this Chamber on this particular case is, it's not partisan, it's about learning from opportunities and from all suggestions. His views will be noted by my team and we'll take forward those views. This is a very sad case, and it's vital everybody working with children and adults learns lessons from the review. We will consider carefully the findings of the child practice review and the areas highlighted for improvement. Dylan's invisibility to services and the need to recognise and follow up on potential prompts is an important one and the Member raised that particularly. Missing immunisations is a significant issue that needs to be explored on an inter-agency approach, and that's why it's important not just for - . I lead on this programme, but it's important that my team colleagues understand about their actions and interventions with young people at a very early age, and how we have that multi-agency approach, and it works. It wasn't that Dylan didn't have access to medical services; there was a choice not to have access to medical services, and I have to question that on the ability of my role as Minister with responsibility for the rights of children. So, it is always a difficult discussion to have about proportionality and intervention, but it's something that we shouldn't shy away from, where there is an issue of a young person's life at risk. I won't offer any view on the CPS, but the Member made his view very clear. I will ask my team to give me further briefing on that particularly. The Member also asked about interventions around parents who were less able, in terms of their ability or needing more support. We have many programmes in place: Families First, Flying Start, Communities First, Positive Parenting, and this is something that I've also asked my team to look at, again, across departments, about interventions - whether they come from social services, health, education or the communities division. What are we doing to support vulnerable families in communities? It is something that we have some great successes from, but it can be hugely challenging in the engagement process. We've got to get people over the doorstep in order for this to happen. But there are next steps. I touched on issues of what we intend to do internally, and I said about writing to the regional and national safeguarding boards. We will also be considering guidance and the availability of adult and children's services that are relevant. In changes as part this we'll look at the key milestones where parents and children would be anticipated to engage with health or other universal services - not exclusively, but things around pregnancy and midwifery services, child vaccinations at 2, 3, 4 and 12 months, and pre-school vaccinations at 40 months. These are all key triggers, and when people are out of the system, we should have some concerns about that. It may be a missed appointment, but it may be something more important that we should follow up on on a multi-agency, multidiscipline approach. | Diolch i'r Aelod am ei gyfraniad. Rwy'n meddwl mai'r hyn y mae angen i ni ei wneud yn y Siambr hon o ran yr achos penodol hwn yw, nid yw'n bleidiol, mae'n fater o ddysgu o gyfleoedd ac o bob awgrym. Bydd fy nhîm yn nodi ei safbwyntiau a byddwn yn symud ymlaen â'r safbwyntiau hynny. Mae hwn yn achos trist iawn, ac mae'n hanfodol bod pawb sy'n gweithio gyda phlant ac oedolion yn dysgu gwersi o'r adolygiad. Byddwn yn ystyried canfyddiadau'r adolygiad ymarfer plant yn ofalus, ynghyd â'r meysydd i'w gwella a amlygwyd. Mae'r ffaith nad oedd Dylan yn weledig i wasanaethau a'r angen i gydnabod awgrymiadau posibl a chymryd camau dilynol yn un pwysig, a chododd yr Aelod hynny'n benodol. Mae methu brechiadau'n fater arwyddocaol y mae angen ei archwilio trwy ddull rhyngasiantaeth, a dyna pam mae'n bwysig nid yn unig i-. Fi sy'n arwain y rhaglen hon, ond mae'n bwysig bod fy nghydweithwyr yn y tîm yn deall eu gweithredoedd a'u hymyriadau gyda phobl ifanc yn ifanc iawn, a sut y mae gennym ni'r dull amlasiantaeth hwnnw, a'i fod yn gweithio. Roedd gwasanaethau meddygol ar gael i Dylan; ond gwnaethpwyd dewis i beidio â manteisio ar wasanaethau meddygol, ac mae'n rhaid i mi gwestiynu hynny ar allu fy swyddogaeth fel Gweinidog â chyfrifoldeb dros hawliau plant. Felly, mae bob amser yn drafodaeth anodd ei chael am gymesuredd ac ymyrraeth, ond mae'n rhywbeth na ddylem ni ei osgoi, mewn achos lle mae bywyd person ifanc mewn perygl. Ni wnaf gynnig unrhyw farn am Wasanaeth Erlyn y Goron, ond gwnaeth yr Aelod ei farn yn eglur iawn. Byddaf yn gofyn i fy nhîm roi briff pellach i mi ar hynny'n benodol. Gofynnodd yr Aelod hefyd am ymyriadau o ran rhieni sy'n llai abl, o ran eu gallu neu sydd angen mwy o gefnogaeth. Mae gennym ni lawer o raglenni ar waith: Teuluoedd yn Gyntaf, Dechrau'n Deg, Cymunedau yn Gyntaf, Rhianta Cadarnhaol, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth yr wyf hefyd wedi gofyn i fy nhîm edrych arno, unwaith eto, ar draws adrannau, o ran ymyriadau-p'un a ydynt yn dod gan y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, iechyd, addysg neu'r isadran gymunedau. Beth ydym ni'n ei wneud i gynorthwyo teuluoedd agored i niwed mewn cymunedau? Mae'n rhywbeth y mae gennym ni rai llwyddiannau mawr ohono, ond gall fod yn anodd iawn yn y broses ymgysylltu. Mae'n rhaid i ni gael pobl i mewn drwy'r drws er mwyn i hyn ddigwydd. Ond mae camau nesaf. Soniais am faterion yn ymwneud â'r hyn yr ydym ni'n bwriadu ei wneud yn fewnol, a dywedais am ysgrifennu at y byrddau diogelu rhanbarthol a chenedlaethol. Byddwn hefyd yn ystyried canllawiau ac argaeledd gwasanaethau oedolion a phlant sy'n berthnasol. Wrth wneud newidiadau yn rhan o hyn, byddwn yn ystyried y cerrig milltir allweddol lle rhagwelir y byddai rhieni a phlant yn ymgysylltu â gwasanaethau iechyd neu wasanaethau cyffredinol eraill - nid dim ond y rhain, ond pethau'n ymwneud â gwasanaethau beichiogrwydd a bydwreigiaeth, brechiadau i blant yn 2, 3, 4 a 12 mis, a brechiadau cyn-ysgol yn 40 mis. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn sbardunau allweddol, a phan fo pobl allan o'r system, dylai fod gennym ni rai pryderon ynglŷn â hynny. Gallai fod yn fater o golli apwyntiad, ond gallai fod yn rhywbeth pwysicach y dylem ni ymateb iddo gan ddefnyddio dull amlasiantaeth, amlddisgyblaeth. |
Thank you. Can I just remind Members this is a statement, and therefore these are questions to the Cabinet Secretary? I am going to be very tight now. I've got a number of speakers who want to speak, and spokespeople have had their opportunity. Some of them took a little bit too long and I'll be speaking to them a bit later, but can we just ask questions of the Minister now? Jenny Rathbone, please. | Diolch. A gaf i atgoffa'r Aelodau mai datganiad yw hwn, ac felly cwestiynau i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yw'r rhain? Rwy'n mynd i fod yn dynn iawn nawr. Mae gen i nifer o siaradwyr sydd eisiau siarad, ac mae llefarwyr wedi cael eu cyfle. Cymerodd rhai ohonyn nhw ychydig bach yn rhy hir a byddaf yn siarad â nhw ychydig yn nes ymlaen, ond a gawn ni ofyn cwestiynau yn unig i'r Gweinidog nawr? Jenny Rathbone, os gwelwch yn dda. |
I think, just to say, that we all have a responsibility to all our children. Whether we have children or not, they are our future. And the best way in which society looks out for children, once they're of a school age, is in school. So, it seems to me that, while it doesn't mean to say that just because a child is being home educated that they are at risk, the fact that they are not in school means there needs to be extra special attention paid to ensure that somebody is seeing that child. This clearly didn't happen in this case. The Minister has already talked about the opportunities lost when vaccinations were due to occur. I'm not arguing and saying that the state has a right to insist that a vaccination occurs, but if the vaccination isn't going to take place, then the child needs to be seen anyway just to make sure that the well-being of the child isn't compromised. The child is entitled to nursery education aged three. So, the local authority - I wonder why they weren't wondering why this child wasn't putting their name down for a free nursery place. If not, why not? Because every local authority needs to be planning for that and, if the parent doesn't wish to take it up, that can be recorded. But, at least the question needs to be asked for those who maybe don't know about that entitlement. When a child doesn't present in a reception class when rising five that, surely, is another opportunity for the local authority to check that the child is either registered at school or is registered as being home educated. So, I'm concerned that there is not an express requirement in the 1996 education Act for LEAs to investigate whether parents are complying with the obligation for all children to be educated. I hope that that is one of the - | Rwy'n meddwl, dim ond i ddweud, bod gan bob un ohonom ni gyfrifoldeb i'n holl blant. P'un a oes gennym ni blant ai peidio, nhw yw ein dyfodol. A'r ffordd orau y mae cymdeithas yn gofalu am blant, cyn gynted â'u bod o oedran ysgol, yw yn yr ysgol. Felly, mae'n ymddangos i mi, er nad yw'n golygu dweud bod plentyn sy'n cael ei addysgu gartref o reidrwydd mewn perygl, mae'r ffaith nad yw yn yr ysgol yn golygu bod angen rhoi sylw arbennig ychwanegol i sicrhau bod rhywun yn gweld y plentyn hwnnw. Yn amlwg, ni ddigwyddodd hyn yn yr achos hwn. Mae'r Gweinidog eisoes wedi sôn am y cyfleoedd a gollwyd pan roedd brechiadau i fod i gael eu rhoi. Nid wyf yn dadlau ac yn dweud bod gan y wladwriaeth hawl i fynnu bod brechiad yn digwydd, ond os nad yw'r brechiad yn mynd i ddigwydd, mae angen gweld y plentyn beth bynnag, dim ond i wneud yn siŵr nad yw lles y plentyn yn cael ei beryglu. Mae gan y plentyn hawl i addysg feithrin yn dair oed. Felly, yr awdurdod lleol - tybed pam nad oedden nhw'n meddwl pam nad oedd enw'r plentyn hwn i lawr i gael lle meithrin am ddim. Os nad oeddent, pam ddim? Oherwydd mae angen i bob awdurdod lleol fod yn cynllunio ar gyfer hynny ac, os nad yw'r rhiant yn dymuno ei gymryd, gellir cofnodi hynny. Ond, mae angen gofyn y cwestiwn o leiaf, i'r rhai nad ydynt efallai'n gwybod am yr hawl hwnnw. Pan nad yw plentyn yn bresennol mewn dosbarth derbyn pan mae'n codi'n bum mlwydd oed, mae hwnnw, does bosib, yn gyfle arall i'r awdurdod lleol wirio bod y plentyn naill ai wedi ei gofrestru yn yr ysgol neu wedi ei gofrestru fel rhywun sy'n cael addysg gartref. Felly, rwy'n poeni nad oes gofyniad penodol yn Neddf Addysg 1996 i AALlau ymchwilio i weld a yw rhieni'n cydymffurfio â'r rhwymedigaeth i roi addysg i bob plentyn. Rwy'n gobeithio bod hwnnw'n un o'r - |
Are you coming to your final question, please? | A ydych chi'n dod at eich cwestiwn olaf, os gwelwch yn dda? |
My final question is: when, in June 2010, it was acknowledged that there were children involved and two officers actually visited the house and were then denied access, why were statutory powers then not used to actually ensure that the child was seen? | Fy nghwestiwn olaf yw: pan gydnabuwyd, ym mis Mehefin 2010, bod plant dan sylw ac yr ymwelodd dau swyddog â'r tŷ a chael gwrthod mynediad, pam na chafodd pwerau statudol eu defnyddio bryd hynny i sicrhau bod y plentyn yn cael ei weld? |
I thank the Member for her succinct questions. The Member raises some very important questions, which Cabinet colleagues are considering in their approach to resolving some of the evidence that's been presented with this CPR. With that being around elective home tuition is a question that we need to resolve too, about the inferred risk that this may increase. The Member presents a very logical approach to the solutions to this problem of what happened here. But it certainly didn't flow like that in that process. The Member will be knowledgeable around the express requirements in the Act. It is about registration for young people at school age; it's something that we have to address. We have to make sure that we understand trigger points and when or where these should be acted upon by individuals. There was a clear failure in the system and this young boy lost his life and we have to learn lessons from that. It's something, as I said earlier, that the four Cabinet colleagues are working on with me, to resolve some of these loopholes in the system. Most young people in these circumstances will be fine, but there will be one or two as we evidenced here. I cannot stand here today saying there are no more Dylans in our community, and that worries me. That's something where we have to make sure that, collectively, we try to close those loopholes. | Diolch i'r Aelod am ei chwestiynau cryno. Mae'r Aelod yn gofyn rhai cwestiynau pwysig iawn, ac mae fy nghydweithwyr yn y Cabinet yn eu hystyried yn eu dull o ddatrys rhywfaint o'r dystiolaeth a gyflwynwyd gyda'r adolygiad ymarfer plant hwn. Mae addysg gartref ddewisol yn fater y mae angen i ni ymdrin ag ef yn rhan o hynny hefyd, o ran y posibilrwydd bod hynny'n cynyddu risg. Mae'r Aelod yn cyflwyno ymagwedd resymegol iawn at yr atebion i'r broblem hon o'r hyn a ddigwyddodd yma. Ond mae'n sicr na wnaeth lifo fel hynny yn y broses honno. Bydd yr Aelod yn wybodus am y gofynion penodol yn y Ddeddf. Mae'n fater o gofrestru pobl ifanc pan fyddant yn cyrraedd oedran ysgol; mae'n rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid i ni roi sylw iddo. Mae'n rhaid i ni wneud yn siŵr ein bod yn deall pwyntiau sbardun a phryd neu ble y dylai unigolion weithredu ar y rhain. Roedd methiant eglur yn y system a chollodd y bachgen ifanc hwn ei fywyd ac mae'n rhaid i ni ddysgu gwersi o hynny. Mae'n rhywbeth, fel y dywedais yn gynharach, y mae'r pedwar cydweithiwr yn y Cabinet yn gweithio arno gyda mi, i ddatrys rhai o'r bylchau hyn yn y system. Bydd y rhan fwyaf o bobl ifanc o dan yr amgylchiadau hyn yn iawn, ond bydd un neu ddau fel yr ydym ni wedi gweld yma. Ni allaf sefyll yma heddiw a dweud nad oes mwy o blant fel Dylan yn ein cymuned, ac mae hynny'n fy mhoeni. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth lle mae'n rhaid i ni wneud yn siŵr, gyda'n gilydd, ên bod yn ceisio cau'r bylchau hynny. |
Basically, the case of Dylan Seabridge is absolutely heartbreaking. Those of us who have children feel that way about this, especially the fact that the people who were charged with protecting him are the ones who failed him. I know many live-in families who have home schooled their children with great success and those children have turned out well and well-rounded and have actually gone on to have good careers and gone to university. In contrast, we can look at the case of little Daniel Pelka, who died at the hands of his parents in 2012, who was going through the traditional system and was found rummaging in bins for food at school because he was being horribly mistreated at home. Now, despite this, and the fact that he'd missed 28 days of school, the abuse was not picked up by the teachers or by any of the people who were charged with looking after him. My plea is that, as you have said, you do not have a knee-jerk reaction to Dylan's case and that home-schooling is not made more difficult or challenging for those who choose this path. How is it that you can ensure that vulnerable children are seen regularly by those charged with their protection and that no more children slip through the safety net, and that parents who home-school are not going to be vilified? And also, will you ensure that there is a balance between the right of parents to raise their children in the way that they see fit and the right of the child to education and health? Just one last point: you've raised many times, now, vaccination; are you saying that people who don't vaccinate their children - ? Is it that this is a trigger by which you think that there may be abuse going on at home? What was the relationship to which you were raising vaccination? Could you just make that clear? | Yn y bôn, mae achos Dylan Seabridge yn gwbl dorcalonnus. Mae'r rheini ohonom sydd â phlant yn teimlo felly am hyn, yn enwedig y ffaith ei fod wedi cael ei adael i lawr gan y bobl a oedd yn gyfrifol am ofalu amdano. Rwy'n adnabod llawer o deuluoedd sy'n byw i mewn sydd wedi addysgu eu plant gartref gyda llwyddiant mawr ac mae'r plant hynny wedi tyfu'n bobl dda a chyflawn ac wedi mynd yn eu blaenau i gael gyrfaoedd da ac wedi mynd i'r brifysgol. Ar y llaw arall, gallwn edrych ar achos Daniel Pelka, a fu farw wrth law ei rieni yn 2012, a oedd yn mynd drwy'r system draddodiadol ac a gafodd ei ganfod yn chwilota mewn biniau am fwyd yn yr ysgol gan ei fod yn cael ei gam-drin yn ofnadwy gartref. Nawr, er gwaethaf hyn, a'r ffaith ei fod wedi colli 28 diwrnod o ysgol, ni chanfuwyd y cam-drin gan yr athrawon na chan unrhyw un o'r bobl a oedd yn gyfrifol am ofalu amdano. Fy mhle i, fel yr ydych chi wedi ei ddweud, yw nad ydych chi'n ymateb yn ddifeddwl i achos Dylan ac nad yw addysgu gartref yn anoddach neu'n fwy heriol i'r bobl hynny sy'n dewis y llwybr hwn. Sut y gallwch sicrhau bod plant agored i niwed yn cael eu gweld yn rheolaidd gan y rhai sy'n gyfrifol am eu diogelwch ac nad oes mwy o blant yn llithro drwy'r rhwyd ddiogelwch, ac nad yw rhieni sy'n addysgu gartref yn mynd i gael eu difrïo? A hefyd, a wnewch chi sicrhau bod yna gydbwysedd rhwng hawl rhieni i fagu eu plant yn y ffordd y maent yn ei gweld orau a hawl y plentyn i gael addysg ac iechyd? Dim ond un pwynt olaf: rydych wedi sôn sawl gwaith, nawr, am frechu; a ydych yn dweud bod pobl nad ydynt yn brechu eu plant-? A yw hyn yn sbardun sy'n gwneud i chi feddwl y gallai fod cam-drin yn digwydd yn y cartref? Beth oedd y berthynas yr oeddech yn sôn amdani â brechu? A allech wneud hynny'n glir? |
I thank the Member for his questions. This is an extremely sad case, as I said - a child invisible to universal services. I think what is important, and I stated this from the start of this discussion, is that I don't think elective home education is the only issue here. I think we've got a collection of problems that have come together with a very bad outcome of a young person losing his life, and we have to get underneath that. There will be some difficult discussions with all sectors about what we do about this. It's not about vilifying one or the other, but it is about making the right decision. The Member raises the issue of the balance of the right of the child and the right of a parent, and I understand that, but I must come down always for the rights of the vulnerable. If the young person is the vulnerable person here, I will, at all costs, protect that process. I'm quite happy to clarify the issue of vaccination. This wasn't about making all parents vaccinate their children; it is still about parental choice, and I am fully happy with that process. What I was suggesting was, at a point in time when vaccination is due for an individual, the health service should understand that as a trigger point - whether the parent makes a choice either for against, and that's completely reasonable - to make sure that the child in question is in a safe condition. I don't think that's unreasonable, to make sure we keep an eye on our young people, who sometimes find themselves in very vulnerable situations. The Member raised another, awful, case of a young boy in traditional circumstances, but found in a neglectful situation, and I accept and acknowledge that, too. The problems we have here are there are some individuals falling through the system, and we have to understand how that works better. The multi-agency approach is what we need to have, where actually, even in Dylan's case, if you stacked up some of the individual aspects of it, it may - . Well, it clearly wasn't picked up, but when you stack them together, this makes a real case where, actually, we should be making strong interventions. That's what we need to ensure happens in the future, and it's something that we've learned from the CPR and are continuing to learn. | Diolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiynau. Mae hwn yn achos trist dros ben, fel y dywedais - plentyn yn anweledig i wasanaethau cyffredinol. Rwy'n meddwl mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig, ac rwyf wedi dweud hyn ers dechrau'r drafodaeth hon, yw nad wyf yn meddwl mai addysg ddewisol yn y cartref yw'r unig fater yma. Rwy'n meddwl bod gennym gasgliad o broblemau sydd wedi dod at ei gilydd i roi canlyniad gwael iawn, gyda pherson ifanc yn colli ei fywyd, ac mae'n rhaid inni fynd at wraidd hynny. Bydd trafodaethau anodd â phob sector am yr hyn yr ydym yn ei wneud ynglŷn â hyn. Nid yw'n fater o ladd ar hwn neu'r llall; mae'n fater o wneud y penderfyniad cywir. Mae'r Aelod yn sôn am gydbwysedd rhwng hawl y plentyn a hawl y rhiant, ac rwy'n deall hynny, ond rhaid imi ochri bob amser â hawliau pobl agored i niwed. Os mai'r person ifanc yw'r un sy'n agored i niwed yma, byddaf, ar bob cyfrif, yn amddiffyn y broses honno. Rwy'n eithaf hapus i egluro'r mater brechu. Nid oedd hyn yn fater o orfodi pob rhiant i frechu eu plant; mae'n dal i fod yn ddewis y rhieni, ac rwy'n gwbl fodlon ar y broses honno. Yr hyn yr oeddwn yn ei awgrymu, ar adeg pan mae'n bryd brechu rhywun, y dylai'r gwasanaeth iechyd ddeall bod hwnnw'n bwynt sbardun-p'un a yw'r rhiant yn gwneud dewis naill ai o blaid neu yn erbyn brechu, ac mae hynny'n gwbl resymoli sicrhau bod y plentyn dan sylw mewn cyflwr diogel. Nid wyf yn meddwl bod hynny'n afresymol, i sicrhau ein bod yn cadw llygad ar ein pobl ifanc, sydd weithiau'n canfod eu hunain mewn sefyllfaoedd bregus iawn. Soniodd yr Aelod am achos arall, ofnadwy, lle'r oedd bachgen ifanc dan amgylchiadau traddodiadol, ond y cafodd ei hun mewn sefyllfa o esgeulustod, ac rwy'n derbyn ac yn cydnabod hynny, hefyd. Y problemau sydd gennym yma yw bod rhai unigolion yn disgyn drwy'r system, ac mae'n rhaid inni ddeall yn well sut y mae hynny'n digwydd. Yr ymagwedd amlasiantaethol sydd ei hangen arnom, lle mewn gwirionedd, hyd yn oed yn achos Dylan, pe baech yn pentyrru rhai agweddau unigol ohono, efallai - . Wel, yn amlwg ni sylwyd ar y peth, ond pan ydych yn eu pentyrru gyda'i gilydd, mae hyn yn gwneud achos go iawn lle, mewn gwirionedd, y dylem fod yn gwneud ymyriadau cryf. Dyna beth mae angen inni sicrhau ei fod yn digwydd yn y dyfodol, ac mae'n rhywbeth yr ydym wedi'i ddysgu o'r adolygiad ymarfer plant, a rhywbeth yr ydym yn parhau i'w ddysgu. |
I must say, I'm quite disappointed with this statement today, Minister. When I asked an urgent question back in January, I was told to wait for the child practice review; now the child practice review has been published, I'm told to wait some inordinate amount of time again, without any timetable or idea of what the Government is going to do. I don't share your confidence, Minister, regarding the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. Can you confirm to me that, although this Act introduces new duties and more training, it does not introduce new powers and therefore the situation could indeed arise again? With Dylan Seabridge, there were attempts to see him by education officials in the last year of his life; that was not a statutory right, to see a child that is home-educated, and that is what's been addressed in the child practice review in a clear recommendation for a register of home-schooled children - not an interference in home-schooling, but a register and a right to ensure that those children are being educated and are being looked after. This is a missing piece from your statement that you have not addressed. Are you kicking it, again, into the long grass, or are you going to actually face up to the need to ensure that all children in Wales, in whichever situation they're educated - including private schools in Wales - are properly accounted for for their education and their welfare? And the final point is that the child practice review says very clearly that the way that Dylan Seabridge was treated by the authorities was not in accord with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Is that castigating Welsh Government or is it castigating the authorities concerned, and what action have you taken? | Rhaid imi ddweud, rwy'n eithaf siomedig â'r datganiad hwn heddiw, Weinidog. Pan ofynnais gwestiwn brys ôl ym mis Ionawr, dywedwyd wrthyf am aros am yr adolygiad ymarfer plant; nawr bod yr adolygiad ymarfer plant wedi cael ei gyhoeddi, dywedir wrthyf am aros am lawer gormod o amser eto, heb ddim amserlen na syniad o'r hyn y mae'r Llywodraeth yn mynd i'w wneud. Nid wyf yn rhannu eich hyder, Weinidog, ynghylch Deddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014. A allwch gadarnhau wrthyf, er bod y Ddeddf hon yn cyflwyno dyletswyddau newydd a mwy o hyfforddiant, nad yw'n cyflwyno pwerau newydd, ac felly y gallai'r sefyllfa yn wir godi eto? Gyda Dylan Seabridge, ceisiodd swyddogion addysg ei weld yn ystod blwyddyn olaf ei fywyd; nid oedd hynny'n hawl statudol, i weld plentyn sy'n cael addysg gartref, a dyna beth sydd wedi cael sylw yn yr adolygiad ymarfer plant mewn argymhelliad clir i gofrestru plant sy'n cael addysg gartref - nid ymyrryd ag addysg gartref, ond cofrestr a hawl i sicrhau bod y plant hynny'n cael addysg a gofal. Mae hwn yn ddarn coll o'ch datganiad nad ydych wedi ymdrin ag ef. A ydych yn ei fwrw, unwaith eto, o'r neilltu, ynteu a ydych wir yn mynd i wynebu'r angen i sicrhau bod pob plentyn yng Nghymru, ym mha bynnag sefyllfa y mae'n cael ei addysgu - gan gynnwys ysgolion preifat yng Nghymru - yn cael ei gofnodi'n briodol o ran ei addysg a'i les? A'r pwynt olaf yw bod yr adolygiad ymarfer plant yn dweud yn glir iawn nad oedd y ffordd y cafodd Dylan Seabridge ei drin gan yr awdurdodau'n cyd-fynd â Chonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn. Ai cerydd i Lywodraeth Cymru yw hynny, ynteu ai cerydd i'r awdurdodau dan sylw, a pha gamau yr ydych wedi'u cymryd? |
I thank the Member for his contribution. He will acknowledge that I've been in post for just over six weeks and I've picked up this terrible file that he is very familiar with. I am confident that the social services and well-being Act is a very positive piece of work that does include the right to report by statutory bodies and individuals. The Member will also recognise that the issue around the CPR making recommendations in there - this shouldn't be the issue for laying blame at somebody, this should be about a learning opportunity for us all and making sure that this doesn't happen again. I wasn't shy about coming forward earlier on about saying that I cannot guarantee that there aren't any more Dylans in the system. What I can guarantee is that my team, working across Cabinet, will be looking to close those loopholes, whether that be on registers or not registers. Actually, my personal view is that I don't think a register will fix this problem. It may be part of a solution, but it's not the only fix here and that's what we've got to understand better to make sure that Dylan's scenario doesn't happen to any child again. | Diolch i'r Aelod am ei gyfraniad. Bydd yn cydnabod fy mod wedi bod yn y swydd ers ychydig dros chwe wythnos ac fy mod wedi codi'r ffeil ofnadwy hon y mae ef yn gyfarwydd iawn â hi. Rwy'n hyderus bod y Ddeddf gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a llesiant yn ddarn cadarnhaol iawn o waith sy'n cynnwys yr hawl i gyrff statudol ac unigolion adrodd. Bydd yr Aelod hefyd yn cydnabod bod y mater ynglŷn â'r argymhellion sydd wedi'u gwneud yn yr adolygiad ymarfer plant-ni ddylai hwn fod yn fater o feio rhywun, dylai fod yn gyfle i ni i gyd ddysgu a gwneud yn siŵr nad yw hyn yn digwydd eto. Doeddwn i ddim yn amharod i ddod ymlaen yn gynharach i ddweud na allaf warantu nad oes Dylan arall yn y system. Yr hyn y gallaf ei warantu yw y bydd fy nhîm, sy'n gweithio ar draws y Cabinet, yn ceisio cau'r bylchau hynny, boed hynny ar gofrestrau neu beidio. A dweud y gwir, fy marn bersonol yw nad wyf yn meddwl y bydd cofrestr yn datrys y broblem hon. Gallai fod yn rhan o ateb, ond nid dyna'r unig ffordd o drwsio hyn a dyna beth mae'n rhaid inni ei ddeall yn well i wneud yn siŵr nad yw senario Dylan yn digwydd i unrhyw blentyn eto. |
Minister, I'm going to make my statement short and sharp and to the point. As you know, I live in Pembrokeshire and I have read many case reviews, and some of them pretty tragic, from that authority. My question to you is this - it's sharp and it's pointed - have you looked at how they dealt with this case, have you looked at any learning that has come out of it? Because I can think that this is the third tragic case that has come out of Pembrokeshire, and I can also think that each time we're told something's going to happen and something's going to be learnt, and I'm sure that is the case. But what I really want to know here, and this is what really hurts, I think, in this whole case, is that one full year before this child died, somebody reported it and no action was able to be taken. That to me is what really hurts. Because, if that action had been taken at that time, the outcome could have been completely different. The other issue was that the person who reported it lived in Ceredigion and the child resided in Pembrokeshire. That's an artificial boundary of authorities. I'm sure that there isn't a single soul here that would agree that an artificial boundary allows people to put up a hand and say, 'Not my problem; I've done my bit. I've reported it but it's another authority that should deal with it'. I don't think any of us ever want to be back here again in a situation where you can say, 'I've reported it', but you don't follow it through, and that it is reported and you don't take any action because there's a bit of legislation that gets in the way of that happening. | Weinidog, rwy'n mynd i wneud fy natganiad yn fyr, yn finiog ac yn bwrpasol. Fel y gwyddoch, rwy'n byw yn Sir Benfro ac rwyf wedi darllen llawer o adolygiadau achos, ac mae rhai ohonynt yn eithaf trasig, o'r awdurdod hwnnw. Fy nghwestiwn i chi yw-mae'n un miniog a phwrpasol-a ydych chi wedi edrych ar sut y gwnaethant ymdrin â'r achos hwn, a ydych chi wedi edrych ar unrhyw beth y maent wedi'i ddysgu ohono? Oherwydd rwy'n gallu meddwl mai dyma'r trydydd achos trasig sydd wedi dod o Sir Benfro, a gallaf hefyd feddwl ein bod bob tro'n clywed bod rhywbeth yn mynd i ddigwydd a rhywbeth yn mynd i gael ei ddysgu, ac rwy'n siŵr bod hynny'n wir. Ond yr hyn yr wyf wir eisiau ei wybod yma, a dyma beth sydd wir yn brifo, rwy'n meddwl, yn yr achos hwn yn ei gyfanrwydd, yw bod rhywun wedi riportio'r peth flwyddyn lawn cyn i'r plentyn farw, ac na chafodd dim camau eu cymryd. Dyna i mi beth sydd wir yn brifo. Oherwydd, pe bai'r camau hynny wedi'u cymryd ar y pryd, gallai'r canlyniad wedi bod yn hollol wahanol. Y mater arall oedd bod yr unigolyn a dynnodd sylw at hyn yn byw yng Ngheredigion a'r plentyn yn byw yn Sir Benfro. Ffin artiffisial awdurdodau yw honno. Rwy'n siŵr nad oes un enaid yma a fyddai'n cytuno bod ffin artiffisial yn galluogi pobl i godi llaw a dweud, 'Nid fy mhroblem i; rydw i wedi gwneud fy rhan. Rydw i wedi riportio'r peth ond awdurdod arall ddylai ymdrin ag ef'. Dydw i ddim yn meddwl yr hoffai neb ohonom byth fod yn ôl yma eto mewn sefyllfa lle gallwch ddweud, 'Rydw i wedi ei riportio', ond nad ydych yn dilyn y mater, a'i fod yn cael ei riportio ac nad ydych yn cymryd camau oherwydd bod ychydig o ddeddfwriaeth yn rhwystro hynny rhag digwydd. |
I thank the Member for her comments and again I recognise the work she's done locally on this particular issue, and others, indeed. I will be asking the national board to follow up and share the further improvements the Mid and West Wales Safeguarding Board have identified for themselves to further develop multi-agency safeguarding arrangements that reflect on this particular case. Indeed, the issue of the cross-border issue shouldn't be an issue at all but clearly was in this process. The system recording failure is evident in this CPR. It's a very sad indictment that, actually, we have to learn the lessons from such a sad case, but it's important that we do. Pembrokeshire, as the Member will be aware, was in special measures. It's something that we have to take, that, in essence, there were identified failures. We have supported the authority to move into a better space, but the safeguarding board - it's the responsibility of all individuals, and, as Jenny said earlier on, we have to make sure, collectively, that we look after the future of our children. This is just one example where the system failed completely and we must make sure that we get this right for the future. | Diolch i'r Aelod am ei sylwadau ac eto rwy'n cydnabod y gwaith y mae hi wedi'i wneud yn lleol ar y mater penodol hwn, ac eraill, yn wir. Byddaf yn gofyn i'r bwrdd cenedlaethol ddilyn y mater a rhannu'r gwelliannau pellach y mae Bwrdd Diogelu Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru wedi'u nodi ar eu cyfer eu hunain i wneud mwy i ddatblygu trefniadau diogelu amlasiantaethol, sy'n myfyrio ar yr achos penodol hwn. Yn wir, ni ddylai'r mater trawsffiniol fod yn fater o gwbl, ond yn amlwg mi roedd yn y broses hon. Mae methiant cofnodi'r system yn amlwg yn yr adolygiad ymarfer plant hwn. Mae'n feirniadaeth drist iawn, a dweud y gwir, bod yn rhaid inni ddysgu gwersi o achos mor drist, ond mae'n bwysig ein bod yn gwneud hynny. Roedd Sir Benfro, fel y bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod, mewn mesurau arbennig. Mae'n rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid inni ei dderbyn, yn y bôn, y bu methiannau a nodwyd. Rydym wedi cefnogi'r awdurdod i symud i sefyllfa well, ond mae'r bwrdd diogelu - mae'n gyfrifoldeb i bawb, ac, fel y dywedodd Jenny yn gynharach, mae'n rhaid inni wneud yn siŵr, ar y cyd, ein bod yn gofalu am ddyfodol ein plant. Dyma un enghraifft lle methodd y system yn llwyr ac mae'n rhaid inni wneud yn siŵr ein bod yn gwneud hyn yn iawn yn y dyfodol. |
Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, I'm delighted to see this report today. I called for an independent review of this case and was excoriated - not by the Minister, who gently let me down in this Chamber, but by members of Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire county councils - for calling for an independent review. My reason for calling for an independent review was because of the very point that was raised here: multi-agency communication and working together. Joyce Watson has raised a part of it, but let's be really clear, Minister, there was a ministerial advisory group in place, Pembrokeshire County Council was in special measures, it had been crawled all over by Estyn, it had been crawled all over by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales, and none of those organisations thought, 'Oh gosh, there is the death of a child and no-one's conducting any review on it'. No-one thought that was out of the ordinary; no-one thought that was extraordinary. Finally, Dylan Seabridge is the saddest victim in this case, but there is another victim and that is the whistleblower, who should've been protected by all the whistleblowing policies and protocols that we have in place. A whistleblower who has been, again, excoriated themselves - and it's mainly one, but there is a second - who's had a terrible time of it in their job. I can't mention their name. They were treated quite badly as well by this very review body, which gave them a very limited amount of time - offered to meet, withdrew the offer to meet, and all this kind of nonsense. We're here to protect our whistleblowers; we need whistleblowers to operate in all large organisations, public and private, to tell us when we're doing wrong. Somebody tried to tell us we were doing wrong; we didn't listen. | Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Weinidog, rwyf wrth fy modd o weld yr adroddiad hwn heddiw. Gelwais am adolygiad annibynnol o'r achos hwn a chefais fy nghystwyo - nid gan y Gweinidog, a adawodd fi i lawr yn ysgafn yn y Siambr hon, ond gan aelodau cynghorau sir Ceredigion a Sir Benfro - am alw am adolygiad annibynnol. Fy rheswm dros alw am adolygiad annibynnol oedd yr union bwynt a godwyd yma: cyfathrebu amlasiantaethol a chydweithio. Mae Joyce Watson wedi sôn am ran ohono, ond dewch inni fod yn wirioneddol glir, Weinidog; roedd grŵp cynghori gweinidogol ar waith, roedd Cyngor Sir Benfro mewn mesurau arbennig, roedd Estyn wedi mynd drwyddo â chrib fân, roedd Arolygiaeth Gofal a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol Cymru wedi mynd drwyddo â chrib fân, ac ni wnaeth dim un o'r sefydliadau hynny feddwl, 'O diar, dyma farwolaeth plentyn ac nid oes neb yn cynnal adolygiad arno'. Ni wnaeth neb feddwl bod hynny'n anghyffredin; ni wnaeth neb feddwl bod hynny'n anhygoel. Yn olaf, Dylan Seabridge yw'r dioddefwr tristaf yn yr achos hwn, ond mae yna ddioddefwr arall, sef y sawl a chwythodd y chwiban, a ddylai fod wedi'i warchod gan yr holl bolisïau a phrotocolau chwythu'r chwiban sydd gennym ar waith. Chwythwr chwiban sydd, unwaith eto, wedi cael ei gystwyo ei hun - gan un yn bennaf, ond mae ail - sydd wedi cael amser ofnadwy yn ei swydd. Ni allaf enwi'r unigolyn. Cafodd yr unigolyn ei drin yn eithaf drwg hefyd gan yr union gorff adolygu hwn, a roddodd ychydig iawn o amser i'r unigolyn - cynnig cyfarfod, tynnu'r cynnig hwnnw'n ôl, a phob math o nonsens felly. Rydym yma i warchod ein chwythwyr chwiban; mae arnom angen chwythwyr chwiban ym mhob sefydliad mawr, cyhoeddus a phreifat, i ddweud wrthym pan fyddwn yn gwneud drwg. Ceisiodd rhywun ddweud wrthym ein bod yn gwneud drwg; wnaethom ni ddim gwrando. |
I listened to the Member's contribution; I can't offer any further points to that. But my final point, Deputy Presiding Officer: we cannot change what has happened to Dylan and the proposals that took us to this point, but what we can do in the legacy of Dylan is to learn what not to do or the right things to do for the future. The Member can offer much guidance to Government in terms of what she thinks may be able to improve our systems and I'd welcome having that discussion, as with all Members of the Chamber. We must learn to make sure we have systems in place that protect vulnerable individuals - children or adults - in all situations across Wales, and it's something my team and my ministerial colleagues take very seriously. | Gwrandewais ar gyfraniad yr Aelod; ni allaf gynnig unrhyw bwyntiau pellach i hynny. Ond fy mhwynt olaf, Ddirprwy Lywydd: ni allwn newid yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd i Dylan a'r cynigion a aeth a ni at y pwynt hwn, ond yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud yn sgil Dylan yw dysgu beth i beidio â'i wneud neu'r pethau iawn i'w gwneud ar gyfer y dyfodol. Gall yr Aelod gynnig llawer o arweiniad i'r Llywodraeth o ran yr hyn y mae hi'n meddwl y gallai wella ein systemau a byddwn yn croesawu cael y drafodaeth honno, fel gyda phob Aelod o'r Siambr. Rhaid inni ddysgu gwneud yn siŵr bod gennym systemau ar waith sy'n amddiffyn unigolion agored i niwed - plant neu oedolion - ym mhob sefyllfa ledled Cymru, ac mae'n rhywbeth y mae fy nhîm a fy nghydweithwyr gweinidogol yn ei gymryd yn ddifrifol iawn. |
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. In our manifesto, we made a commitment to improve the introduction of innovative treatments by establishing a new treatment fund in Wales. We also agreed with Plaid Cymru, as part of the compact to move Wales forward, to undertake an independent review of the individual patient funding request process, otherwise known as IPFR. In Wales, we are proud to take an evidence-based approach towards the introduction of new medicines in the NHS. New treatments are being discovered, licensed and approved for use in the NHS on an almost monthly basis, bringing with them the prospect of a cure or a better quality of life for people with lifelong or life-limiting conditions. Some of these new medicines come with a high price tag for the NHS, placing a responsibility on all of us to ensure our resources are invested where the proven benefits for patients are in balance with the cost. We will continue to take an evidence-based approach to determine which treatments should be routinely available in the Welsh NHS. We rely on the expert and authoritative advice from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, otherwise known as NICE, and the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group, otherwise known as AWMSG. Both these organisations undertake robust appraisals of new licensed medicines by assessing evidence of clinical effectiveness for patients against the cost to the NHS charged by the manufacturer. Over the course of the last five years, we've invested in our own medicines appraisal programme to ensure that Wales can determine which new medicines should be available in the NHS as quickly as possible, giving people access to the most clinically effective and cost-effective new medicines. Since the AWMSG was set up in 2002, it has provided advice on 286 new medicines, recommending 84 per cent for use in NHS Wales. In 2015-16, 45 of the 47 medicines appraised were approved for use in Wales. To improve the likelihood of a positive appraisal, we introduced the Wales patient access scheme in 2012 to encourage the pharmaceutical industry to offer prices for new medicines more in balance with their clinical benefits. This has created new opportunities for new medicines to be routinely available in Wales. To date, 21 new medicines have been made available through this scheme. The new treatment fund will support the early introduction of the newest and most innovative high-cost medicines that have been recommended by NICE or AWMSG. We'll make £80 million available over the life of this Government to ensure new medicines that address unmet clinical need, and represent a significant step forward for the treatment of life-limiting and life-threatening diseases, are available. This will be delivered consistently across Wales as soon as possible following a positive recommendation by either NICE or the AWMSG. The new treatment fund will meet the cost of these new medicines for a maximum of 12 months, giving health boards the time to plan and prioritise funding from within their budgets. The fund has developed from our experience of making new high-cost treatments for a range of life-changing conditions available to people in Wales. Last summer, for example, the Welsh Government provided significant funding from its central reserves to enable the NHS to fund four new treatments for hepatitis C and a new treatment for a rare genetic and progressive disease called aHUS. The medicines represented a major step forward in treatment and secured significant health and social benefits for patients. It is essential that the new treatment fund is operated transparently and is widely understood. During the summer, we will be refining the criteria and mechanisms needed to manage the fund effectively, and I anticipate the fund will be operational by December. Most importantly, it will ensure patients in Wales have faster access to life-changing and life-saving treatments wherever they live. Where a medicine or treatment has not been appraised or approved for use in NHS Wales, a clinician can apply, on their patient's behalf, for it to be made available via the individual patient funding request process, commonly known as IPFR. It is right that we have a process in Wales to enable access to treatments and devices that are not normally available via the NHS. Each health service in the UK has such a process, with clinical criteria to determine accessibility. The NHS Wales IPFR process has been improved following a review in 2013-14. A further review will now take place to ensure better consistency of decisions across Wales and to make recommendations about what clinical criteria should be applied when determining eligibility. I've discussed the scope for an independent review of the IPFR process with health spokespeople of each of the parties represented in the National Assembly, and I'd like to thank them for the constructive and mature manner in which those discussions were held. There is general agreement for the review panel to draw on expertise and experience of the system in Wales and to bring a fresh perspective from outside Wales. The patient perspective will also be an essential element of the review. The review will consider in particular the clinical exceptionality criteria and the possibility of a single national IPFR panel. I want the review to be short and sharply focused to address these issues, and I will provide a further update to Members in September. We will continue to place the appraisal process at the centre of our evidence-based approach to medicines in Wales, ensuring people have access to effective treatment for their illness or disease. The new treatment fund will support this approach by providing early access to high-cost, innovative medicines, which offer new treatment options to people with lifelong and life-limiting conditions. We are also committed to reviewing the IPFR process to ensure it is both fair and consistent across Wales. Taken together, these measures will help to ensure that patients in Wales have access to equitable treatment wherever they live. | Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Yn ein maniffesto, gwnaethom ymrwymiad i wella'r gwaith o gyflwyno triniaethau arloesol drwy sefydlu cronfa triniaethau newydd yng Nghymru. Roeddem hefyd yn cytuno â Phlaid Cymru, yn rhan o'r compact i symud Cymru ymlaen, y dylid cynnal adolygiad annibynnol o'r broses ceisiadau cyllido cleifion unigol, a adwaenir hefyd fel IPFR. Yng Nghymru, rydym yn falch o weithredu dull sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth o gyflwyno meddyginiaethau newydd yn y GIG. Mae triniaethau newydd yn cael eu darganfod, eu trwyddedu a'u cymeradwyo i'w defnyddio yn y GIG yn fisol bron, gan ddod â'r posibilrwydd o wellhad neu ansawdd bywyd gwell i bobl â chyflyrau gydol oes neu gyflyrau sy'n cyfyngu ar fywyd. Mae rhai o'r meddyginiaethau newydd hyn yn gostus iawn i'r GIG, gan roi cyfrifoldeb ar bob un ohonom i sicrhau bod ein hadnoddau yn cael eu buddsoddi lle mae prawf o'r manteision i gleifion yn cydbwyso â'r gost. Byddwn yn parhau i ddefnyddio dull sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth i benderfynu pa driniaethau ddylai fod ar gael fel mater o drefn yn GIG Cymru. Rydym yn dibynnu ar y cyngor arbenigol ac awdurdodol gan y Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal, a adwaenir hefyd fel NICE, a Grŵp Strategaeth Meddyginiaethau Cymru Gyfan, a adwaenir hefyd fel AWMSG. Mae'r ddau gorff hyn yn cynnal gwerthusiadau cadarn o feddyginiaethau trwyddedig newydd trwy asesu'r dystiolaeth o'r effeithiolrwydd clinigol i gleifion yn erbyn y gost a godir ar y GIG gan y gwneuthurwr. Dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf, rydym wedi buddsoddi yn ein rhaglen ein hunain o werthuso meddyginiaethau er mwyn sicrhau y gall Cymru benderfynu pa feddyginiaethau newydd ddylai fod ar gael yn y GIG cyn gynted â phosibl. Mae hyn yn sicrhau bod y cleifion yn cael y meddyginiaethau newydd mwyaf effeithiol yn glinigol a'r mwyaf cost effeithiol. Ers i'r AWMSG gael ei sefydlu yn 2002, mae wedi darparu cyngor ar 286 o feddyginiaethau newydd, gan argymell 84 y cant ar gyfer eu defnyddio yn GIG Cymru. Yn 2015-16, cafodd 45 o'r 47 meddyginiaeth a arfarnwyd eu cymeradwyo i'w defnyddio yng Nghymru. Er mwyn gwella'r tebygolrwydd o arfarniad cadarnhaol, cyflwynwyd cynllun mynediad cleifion Cymru yn 2012 i annog y diwydiant fferyllol i gynnig prisiau ar gyfer meddyginiaethau newydd sy'n cydbwyso'n well â'u manteision clinigol. Mae hyn wedi creu cyfleoedd newydd ar gyfer meddyginiaethau newydd i fod ar gael fel mater o drefn yng Nghymru. Hyd yma, sicrhawyd bod 21 o feddyginiaethau newydd ar gael gan ddefnyddio'r cynllun hwn. Bydd y gronfa triniaethau newydd yn cefnogi cyflwyniad cynnar y meddyginiaethau cost uchel mwyaf newydd a mwyaf arloesol sydd wedi eu hargymell gan NICE neu AWMSG. Bydd £80 miliwn ar gael yn ystod oes y Llywodraeth hon i sicrhau bod meddyginiaethau newydd ar gael sy'n mynd i'r afael ag anghenion clinigol sydd heb eu diwallu, ac sy'n gam sylweddol ymlaen ar gyfer trin clefydau sy'n bygwth bywyd a chlefydau sy'n cyfyngu ar fywyd. Bydd hyn yn cael ei ddarparu yn gyson ar draws Cymru cyn gynted ag y bo modd yn dilyn argymhelliad cadarnhaol gan naill ai NICE neu AWMSG. Bydd y gronfa triniaethau newydd yn talu cost y meddyginiaethau newydd hyn am uchafswm o 12 mis, gan roi amser i fyrddau iechyd gynllunio a blaenoriaethu cyllid o'u cyllidebau. Mae'r gronfa wedi datblygu o'n profiad ni o sicrhau bod triniaethau cost uchel newydd ar gael i bobl Cymru ar gyfer amrywiaeth o gyflyrau sy'n newid bywyd. Yr haf diwethaf, er enghraifft, darparodd Llywodraeth Cymru gyllid sylweddol o'i chronfeydd canolog i alluogi'r GIG i ariannu pedair triniaeth newydd ar gyfer hepatitis C a thriniaeth newydd ar gyfer clefyd genetig a phrin sy'n gwaethygu'n raddol o'r enw aHUS. Mae'r meddyginiaethau hyn yn gam mawr ymlaen o ran trin cleifion ac wedi sicrhau manteision iechyd a chymdeithasol sylweddol i gleifion. Mae'n hanfodol bod y gronfa triniaethau newydd yn cael ei gweithredu yn dryloyw ac yn cael ei deall yn eang. Yn ystod yr haf, byddwn yn mireinio'r meini prawf a'r mecanweithiau sydd eu hangen i reoli'r gronfa yn effeithiol, ac rwy'n rhagweld y bydd y gronfa yn weithredol erbyn mis Rhagfyr. Yn bwysicaf oll, bydd yn sicrhau bod cleifion yng Nghymru yn cael mynediad cyflymach at driniaethau sy'n newid ac yn achub bywyd lle bynnag y maent yn byw. Lle nad yw meddyginiaeth neu driniaeth wedi cael ei gwerthuso neu ei chymeradwyo i'w defnyddio yn GIG Cymru, gall clinigydd wneud cais, ar ran ei gleifion, iddi fod ar gael drwy'r broses ceisiadau cyllido cleifion unigol, a adwaenir yn gyffredin fel IPFR. Mae'n iawn bod gennym broses yng Nghymru i alluogi mynediad at driniaethau a dyfeisiau nad ydynt ar gael fel arfer drwy'r GIG. Mae gan bob gwasanaeth iechyd yn y DU broses o'r fath, gyda meini prawf clinigol i bennu pa una fyddant ar gael ai peidio. Mae proses IPFR GIG Cymru wedi ei gwella yn dilyn adolygiad yn 2013-14. Cynhelir adolygiad pellach yn awr i sicrhau gwell cysondeb o ran penderfyniadau ledled Cymru ac i wneud argymhellion ynghylch pa feini prawf clinigol y dylid eu cymhwyso wrth benderfynu pwy sy'n gymwys. Rwyf wedi trafod y cwmpas ar gyfer adolygiad annibynnol o'r broses IPFR gyda llefarwyr iechyd o bob un o'r pleidiau a gynrychiolir yn y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol, a hoffwn ddiolch iddynt am y ffordd adeiladol ac aeddfed y cynhaliwyd y trafodaethau hynny. Ceir cytundeb cyffredinol bod y panel adolygu i dynnu ar arbenigedd a phrofiad y system yng Nghymru ac i ddod â safbwynt newydd o'r tu allan i Gymru. Bydd safbwynt y claf hefyd yn elfen hanfodol o'r adolygiad. Bydd yr adolygiad yn ystyried yn benodol y meini prawf eithriadoldeb clinigol a'r posibilrwydd o un panel IPFR cenedlaethol. Rwyf yn dymuno gweld adolygiad byr sy'n canolbwyntio'n benodol ar fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn, a byddaf yn rhoi diweddariad pellach i'r Aelodau ym mis Medi. Byddwn yn parhau i wneud y broses werthuso yn rhan ganolog o'r dull ni o ymdrin â meddyginiaethau yng Nghymru, sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth, gan sicrhau bod pobl yn cael mynediad at driniaeth effeithiol ar gyfer eu salwch neu glefyd. Bydd y gronfa triniaethau newydd yn cefnogi'r dull hwn trwy ddarparu mynediad cynnar i feddyginiaethau cost uchel, arloesol, sy'n cynnig dewisiadau triniaeth newydd i bobl sydd â chyflyrau gydol oes a chyflyrau sy'n cyfyngu ar fywyd. Rydym hefyd wedi ymrwymo i adolygu'r broses IPFR er mwyn sicrhau ei bod yn deg ac yn gyson ledled Cymru. Gyda'i gilydd, bydd y mesurau hyn yn helpu i sicrhau bod cleifion yng Nghymru yn cael mynediad at driniaeth gyfartal lle bynnag y maent yn byw. |
First of all, can I say that I welcome the statement from the Cabinet Secretary today? Breaking it up into two parts, on IPFR, quite simply, we welcome the independent review of IPFR and, in particular, the examination of exceptionality. We, as I know the Cabinet Secretary is aware, think that this is core to this issue. This is, of course, a review that has been won by Plaid Cymru for the people of Wales as a result of the post-election compact, and we certainly look forward to the review getting under way. We would urge all people who have been affected by IPFR issues to feed into this review, and it would be interesting to know what plans the Minister has to publicise the review when it gets under way. On the independence of the review, yes, it's important that there is input from the Welsh NHS into the review, but I would welcome assurance from the Cabinet Secretary that the chair will be independent of the Welsh NHS. On the new treatment fund, I'm certainly - and we in Plaid Cymru are certainly glad that the Government now recognise that this is a problem that needs addressing. It is important, though, to recognise here that LHBs have been under a legal obligation to make NICE or All Wales Medicines Strategy Group-approved treatments available to eligible patients for several years, with ministerial directions to boards specifically stating this. Does the Minister, therefore, accept that the failure of LHBs in many cases to abide by these guidelines is a failure of health governance and a failure of delivery? Linked to this, I am aware of cases where patients have been wrongly told that a treatment has not been approved for general use when, actually, it has, including one case in particular where a patient had to present the actual NICE judgment and the ministerial direction on access to approved treatments to her consultant in order to get a change of heart. So, what steps are you going to take to ensure that clinicians are kept up to date on NICE guidelines as, quite clearly, not every patient is going to be able to be assertive and knowledgeable enough about the system, and people, perhaps, will not be getting treatments as a result of this? Finally, I move to funding. You say you will make £80 million available over the life of this Government to ensure new medicines are available. To break it into a five-year term, that's £16 million a year. We had been suggesting that money should be ring-fenced from the pharmaceutical price reduction scheme - £55 million a year - and, yes, that was perhaps more than was necessary, but £16 million appears small. How confident does the Minister feel that the budget allocated will allow the Government to meet its desired outcomes? You also said that a new treatment fund will meet the costs of these new medicines for a maximum of 12 months, giving health boards the time to plan and prioritise funding from within their budgets thereafter. How can we be sure that the cost of these new medicines will be brought within budgets within 12 months and what is the enforcement mechanism that you're proposing if they don't? We welcome these announcements, but they are only as good as budgets allocated and the process and the processes used to deliver the principle. | Yn gyntaf oll, a gaf i ddweud fy mod yn croesawu'r datganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet heddiw? Gan ei rannu yn ddwy ran, o ran IPFR, yn syml iawn, rydym yn croesawu'r adolygiad annibynnol o IPFR ac, yn benodol, yr archwiliad o eithriadoldeb. Rydym ni, fel y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn gwybod, yn meddwl fod hyn yn greiddiol i'r mater hwn. Mae hwn, wrth gwrs, yn adolygiad sydd wedi ei ennill gan Blaid Cymru i bobl Cymru o ganlyniad i'r compact ar ôl yr etholiad, ac rydym yn sicr yn edrych ymlaen at weld yr adolygiad yn mynd rhagddo. Byddem yn annog pawb y mae materion IPFR wedi effeithio arnynt i gyfrannu at yr adolygiad hwn, a byddai'n ddiddorol gwybod pa gynlluniau sydd gan y Gweinidog i roi cyhoeddusrwydd i'r adolygiad pan fydd yn mynd rhagddo. O ran annibyniaeth yr adolygiad, ydy, mae'n bwysig bod GIG Cymru yn rhoi mewnbwn i'r adolygiad, ond byddwn yn croesawu sicrwydd gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet y bydd y cadeirydd yn annibynnol ar GIG Cymru. O ran y gronfa triniaethau newydd, rwy'n sicr - ac rydym ni ym Mhlaid Cymru yn sicr yn falch bod y Llywodraeth bellach yn cydnabod bod hon yn broblem y mae angen mynd i'r afael â hi. Fodd bynnag, mae'n bwysig cydnabod yma fod BILlau wedi bod dan rwymedigaeth gyfreithiol i sicrhau bod triniaethau NICE neu driniaethau a gymeradwywyd gan Grŵp Strategaeth Meddyginiaethau Cymru ar gael i gleifion sy'n gymwys am nifer o flynyddoedd, gyda chyfarwyddiadau gweinidogol i fyrddau yn nodi hyn yn benodol. A yw'r Gweinidog, felly, yn derbyn bod methiant y BILlau, mewn llawer o achosion, i gadw at y canllawiau hyn yn fethiant o ran llywodraethu iechyd ac yn fethiant o ran cyflawni? Yn gysylltiedig â hyn, rwy'n ymwybodol o achosion lle mae cleifion wedi cael gwybod, yn anghywir, nad yw triniaeth wedi ei chymeradwyo at ddefnydd cyffredinol pan, mewn gwirionedd, mae wedi cael ei chymeradwyo, gan gynnwys un achos yn arbennig pan fu'n rhaid i glaf gyflwyno barn y NICE a'r cyfarwyddyd gweinidogol ar fynediad at driniaethau a gymeradwywyd i'w meddyg ymgynghorol er mwyn cael newid meddwl. Felly, pa gamau yr ydych chi'n mynd i'w cymryd i sicrhau bod clinigwyr yn cael yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ganllawiau NICE oherwydd, yn eithaf amlwg, nid yw pob claf yn mynd i fod yn gallu bod yn bendant ac yn ddigon gwybodus am y system, a bydd pobl, efallai, ddim yn cael triniaethau o ganlyniad i hyn? Yn olaf, rwy'n symud at arian. Rydych yn dweud y bydd £80 miliwn ar gael yn ystod oes y Llywodraeth hon i sicrhau bod meddyginiaethau newydd ar gael. I'w rannu i gyfnod o bum mlynedd, dyna £16 miliwn y flwyddyn. Rydym wedi bod yn awgrymu y dylai arian gael ei glustnodi o'r cynllun gostwng prisiau fferyllol - £55 miliwn y flwyddyn - ac, oedd, roedd hynny efallai yn fwy nag oedd yn angenrheidiol, ond mae £16 miliwn yn ymddangos yn fach. Pa mor hyderus y mae'r Gweinidog y bydd y gyllideb a ddyrannwyd yn caniatáu i'r Llywodraeth gyflawni ei deilliannau dymunol? Dywedasoch hefyd y bydd cronfa triniaethau newydd yn talu costau'r meddyginiaethau newydd hyn am uchafswm o 12 mis, gan roi amser i fyrddau iechyd gynllunio a blaenoriaethu cyllid o fewn eu cyllidebau wedi hynny. Sut allwn ni fod yn sicr y bydd costau'r meddyginiaethau newydd hyn yn cael eu dwyn o fewn y cyllidebau o fewn 12 mis, a beth yw'r mecanwaith gorfodi y byddwch yn ei gynnig os nad ydynt? Rydym yn croesawu'r cyhoeddiadau hyn, ond nid ydynt ond cystal â'r cyllidebau a ddyrannwyd a'r broses a'r prosesau a ddefnyddir i gyflwyno'r egwyddor. |
Can I thank you for that series of questions? I'll start with the new treatment fund. We expect the financial envelope that we have announced and placed upon it to be adequate to deal with the medications we would expect. That's based on our previous experience and some horizon scanning of likely treatments that can come on board and the high-cost medications we've dealt with in the past. In all of this, there is an element of forecast and there's always an element to look at what happens if the facts do change. So, if the facts change, we need to come back to the Chamber and we'll come back in terms of those budgetary discussions. That's just a point of being honest, but I do think it's adequate to deal with the expectations that we place upon the fund. In terms of the point you make about clinicians being up to date on what is available, well, clinicians can't contract out of their individual professional responsibility, and I don't think it's a matter for the Government to continually tell clinicians, 'This is what NICE is currently recommending or making available for treatment'. I know from my previous life, from having been a professional, that it was my individual responsibility to make sure that I was up to date and up to speed with what the law required me to do, previously. But I do think that the initial publicity that the new treatment fund is likely to get - . But the ongoing work of the new treatment fund, I would expect that clinicians would not be looking to say that there are excuses for not understanding what treatment is available or the support that is available within their health board and on a national level to ensure that new and innovative treatments that have been made available are there and are available for the patients whom they have responsibilities for directly. I think our clinicians are a pretty conscientious bunch at doing that, but if he wants me to take up the individual issue that he referred to then I'd be happy to do so and understand how that has happened, because that certainly isn't something that I would want to see repeated. On the funding for this, you mentioned the PPRS - the pharmaceutical price reduction scheme. Income is actually dropping on the PPRS because of a change in rules. So, it's a really significant challenge for all the devolved administrations and, indeed, for NHS England. They anticipate a significant hole in their budget as a result of the scheme dropping, and it is a matter where NHS England and Department of Health officials are looking again at the rules for the scheme to try and look again to make sure that people aren't avoiding their responsibility to pay into the scheme. So, that in itself isn't a stable amount of income to try and actually use to try and fund any particular commitments. So, that does bring for us extra pressure right across the health budget. So, it's a challenge for us to manage, and that's just honest. That goes back to the point about budget discipline as well, because our expectation is that, after 12 months, health boards should be able to properly plan what they're supposed to do for their population. Many of these medications are for a relatively small group of patients, and we expect the price for these treatments to be properly planned for and then delivered after 12 months of additional space to allow them to do so. Again, that goes into our previous experience of how the system has been run and managed. If any health board isn't able to live within its means, well we have an architecture around that for individual accountability; we have the escalation process and, of course, the potential to have health board accounts qualified if they aren't able to live within their means. They're doing all the different things that we asked them to do, that we expect them to do, and we empower them to do as well. So, there is a significant piece of work for each health board to do. Broadly, I think, our health boards discharge that responsibility seriously and sensibly. On the points you made about welcoming the IPFR review, I'm grateful to you for the comments made today but also the discussion that we have had prior to this time. The review will be genuinely independent. The review will be publicised through the summer. It will be open for people to submit evidence to it, and we will also expect to try and manage and empower some engagement from stakeholders around that too, in particular to ensure that the patient voice is made real, so that the review panel themselves can properly understand the patient voice and experience, having gone through the process as a patient. So, I am mindful of those points as we take this matter forward but I expect that, when I update Members in September, you will be able to have some confidence in the work of the panel, but also to see that the sort of concerns you wanted raised and addressed will generally have been dealt with in that way. Also, the report, of course, will be made available without any amendment from anyone in Government. | A gaf i ddiolch ichi am y gyfres honno o gwestiynau? Byddaf yn dechrau gyda'r gronfa triniaethau newydd. Rydym yn disgwyl i'r amlen ariannol yr ydym wedi'i chyhoeddi ac wedi ei gosod i fod yn ddigonol i ymdrin â'r meddyginiaethau y byddem yn eu disgwyl. Mae hynny'n seiliedig ar ein profiad blaenorol a rhywfaint o sganio'r gorwel o ran y triniaethau tebygol a all ddod i'r amlwg a'r meddyginiaethau cost uchel yr ydym wedi ymdrin â hwy yn y gorffennol. Yn hyn i gyd, mae elfen o ragolwg ac mae bob amser elfen o edrych ar yr hyn sy'n digwydd os yw'r ffeithiau yn newid. Felly, os yw'r ffeithiau yn newid, mae angen i ni ddod yn ôl i'r Siambr, a byddwn yn dod yn ôl o ran y trafodaethau cyllidebol hynny. Pwynt o fod yn onest yw hynny, ond rwy'n meddwl ei fod yn ddigon i ymdrin â'r disgwyliadau a roddwn ar y gronfa. O ran y pwynt a wnewch am glinigwyr yn cael yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am yr hyn sydd ar gael, wel, ni all clinigwyr gontractio allan o'u cyfrifoldeb proffesiynol unigol, ac nid wyf yn credu ei fod yn fater i'r Llywodraeth ddweud wrth glinigwyr yn barhaus, 'Dyma beth y mae NICE yn ei argymell ar hyn o bryd neu'n sicrhau sydd ar gael ar gyfer triniaeth'. Rwy'n gwybod o fy mywyd blaenorol, o fod yn weithiwr proffesiynol, mai fy nghyfrifoldeb unigol i oedd gwneud yn siŵr fod gen i'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf a fy mod yn gyfarwydd â'r hyn yr oedd y gyfraith yn gofyn imi ei wneud, yn flaenorol. Ond rwyf yn meddwl bod y cyhoeddusrwydd cychwynnol y mae'r gronfa triniaethau newydd yn debygol o'i gael - .Ond gwaith parhaus y gronfa triniaethau newydd, byddwn yn disgwyl na fyddai clinigwyr yn edrych am esgusodion dros beidio â deall pa driniaeth sydd ar gael, neu'r cymorth sydd ar gael o fewn eu bwrdd iechyd ac ar lefel genedlaethol i sicrhau bod triniaethau newydd ac arloesol sydd wedi'u rhoi ar gael yno, ac ar gael ar gyfer y cleifion y mae ganddynt gyfrifoldebau amdanynt yn uniongyrchol. Rwy'n meddwl bod ein clinigwyr yn griw eithaf cydwybodol wrth wneud hynny, ond os yw e'n dymuno i mi ymdrin â'r mater unigol y cyfeiriodd ato, yna byddwn yn hapus i wneud hynny a deall sut y mae hynny wedi digwydd, oherwydd yn sicr nid yw'n rhywbeth y byddwn am ei weld yn cael ei ailadrodd. O ran y cyllid ar gyfer hyn, soniasoch am y PPRS - y cynllun gostwng prisiau fferyllol. Mae incwm mewn gwirionedd yn gostwng ar y PPRS oherwydd newid yn y rheolau. Felly, mae'n her sylweddol ar gyfer yr holl weinyddiaethau datganoledig ac, yn wir, ar gyfer GIG Lloegr. Maent yn rhagweld twll sylweddol yn eu cyllideb o ganlyniad i'r cynllun yn gostwng, ac mae'n fater lle mae GIG Lloegr a swyddogion yr Adran Iechyd yn edrych eto ar y rheolau ar gyfer y cynllun i geisio edrych eto i wneud yn siŵr nad yw pobl yn osgoi eu cyfrifoldeb i dalu i mewn i'r cynllun. Felly, nid yw hynny ynddo'i hun yn swm sefydlog o incwm i geisio ei ddefnyddio mewn gwirionedd i ariannu unrhyw ymrwymiadau penodol. Felly, mae hynny'n dod â phwysau ychwanegol i ni ar draws y gyllideb iechyd. Felly, mae'n her i ni i'w reoli, a dim ond bod yn onest yw hynny. Mae hynny'n mynd yn ôl at y pwynt am ddisgyblaeth y gyllideb hefyd, oherwydd ein disgwyliad yw y dylai byrddau iechyd, ar ôl 12 mis, allu cynllunio yn iawn yr hyn y dylent ei wneud ar gyfer eu poblogaeth. Mae llawer o'r meddyginiaethau hyn ar gyfer grŵp cymharol fach o gleifion, ac rydym yn disgwyl gweld y pris ar gyfer y triniaethau hyn yn cael ei gynllunio'n iawn, ac yna eu cyflwyno ar ôl 12 mis o le ychwanegol i ganiatáu iddynt wneud hynny. Unwaith eto, mae hynny'n mynd â ni at ein profiad blaenorol o sut y mae'r system wedi ei rhedeg a'i rheoli. Os oes unrhyw fwrdd iechyd nad yw'n gallu byw o fewn ei fodd, wel mae gennym gynllun ar gyfer atebolrwydd unigol; mae gennym y broses uwchgyfeirio ac, wrth gwrs, y potensial i gymhwyso cyfrifon byrddau iechyd os nad ydynt yn gallu byw o fewn eu modd. Maen nhw'n gwneud yr holl wahanol bethau yr ydym wedi gofyn iddynt eu gwneud, yr ydym yn disgwyl iddynt ei wneud, ac yr ydym yn eu grymuso i'w gwneud hefyd. Felly, mae cryn dipyn o waith gan bob bwrdd iechyd i'w wneud. Ar y cyfan, rwy'n meddwl bod ein byrddau iechyd yn cyflawni'r cyfrifoldeb hwnnw mewn modd difrifol a synhwyrol. O ran y pwyntiau a wnaethoch am groesawu'r adolygiad IPFR, rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am y sylwadau a wnaed heddiw ond hefyd y drafodaeth a gawsom cyn yr amser hwn. Bydd yr adolygiad yn wirioneddol annibynnol. Bydd yr adolygiad yn cael ei hysbysebu drwy'r haf. Bydd yn agored i bobl gyflwyno tystiolaeth iddo, a byddwn hefyd yn disgwyl ceisio rheoli a grymuso rhywfaint o ymgysylltiad gan randdeiliaid o amgylch hynny hefyd, yn enwedig er mwyn sicrhau bod llais y claf yn cael ei wneud yn real, fel bod y panel adolygu ei hunan yn gallu deall llais a phrofiad y claf yn briodol, ar ôl mynd drwy'r broses fel claf. Felly, rwy'n ymwybodol o'r pwyntiau hynny wrth inni fynd ymlaen â'r mater hwn. Ond rwy'n disgwyl, pan fyddaf yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau ym mis Medi, y byddwch yn gallu cael rhywfaint o hyder yng ngwaith y panel, ond hefyd yn gweld bod y math o bryderon yr oeddech chi eisiau eu codi a rhoi sylw iddynt yn gyffredinol wedi cael eu trin yn y ffordd honno. Hefyd, bydd yr adroddiad, wrth gwrs, ar gael heb unrhyw ddiwygio arno gan unrhyw un yn y Llywodraeth. |
Minister, thank you for this statement. I'm very, very well aware that my colleague Darren Millar has called before for a review on both the independent patient fund and, of course, the Welsh Conservatives have been calling for some kind of treatment fund for many, many years. Going through your statement, I've just got a couple of questions. The first is that you referred to some of the new medicines that come with a very high price tag, which I think we're all absolutely aware of, and you talk about the resources invested where the proven benefit for patients is in balance with the cost. I wondered if you might be able to give us an indication if that proven benefit would be condition related or, in a more holistic sense, where the drug may actually prevent a side effect or a continuum - you know, something that would develop in time as a successor, if you like, to whatever the ailment is that the person has. I ask that because recently in England there was a court case where a judge was talking about how the exceptionality, the way that a drug might behave on a person, made it valid whether it behaved on the person because they were unique, or their condition was unique, or whether it was simply because the - I can't think of the word for it - continuing problems that might be associated with the condition were not unique and were coming along later but you could still bring forward the drug to prevent that from happening - a bit chicken and egg. So, I just wondered whether you were going to consider that in deciding what becomes an emergency treatment. So, therefore, that comes to my next question, which is on the stakeholders. Which stakeholders have you consulted to decide what will be? Is it just NICE; is it just the all-Wales medicines group; are you talking to consultants; are you talking to drug companies to decide what kind of drugs would be the best ones that would go into your treatment fund? I know that the Plaid Cymru spokesperson discussed with you the resources available - the £80 million that you're going to bring forward. It's not just that, though. I wondered if you could outline what strategic planning and modelling has been undertaken by the Welsh Government. I did listen to your answers to Rhun ap Iorwerth about what happens when health boards take on board the drugs, and what happens at the end of the 12 months, but if I could just cite a case in point, because you refer in your statement to treatment for hepatitis C. Incredibly successful; a 90 per cent cure rate once somebody gets it, and yet it's still a postcode lottery throughout Wales. Although the Welsh Government funded the roll-out, and that then went out to the health boards, not all health boards have picked it up because it is eye-wateringly expensive. They haven't incorporated it into their run rate, and people are not being given it when they need it. We have evidence that we can offer to you to prove this. I would hate to see in 12 months' time, with all of these other wonderful treatments that you are going to look at, the same kind of things happen because some of them will be extremely, extremely expensive. Therefore, I would like to understand what strategic planning and modelling you have applied to this. I would like to have greater clarity as to how some of the conditionality decisions have been arrived at, at present. I would like to understand where the money for this is coming from. I don't think I managed to pick that up from either your statement or your answer to the Plaid Cymru spokesperson. In regard to the independent patient funding request, there's no information on the individual patient funding request by health board. I put a written question in to you, and you came back and said that there was no central data. That kind of thing makes me very, very concerned that if we don't have the evidence, how can we evidence the success of IPFRs? How can we evidence the methodology? How can we stop postcode funding? How can we ensure that fairness and that parity that you discussed earlier? I really will work with you hard on trying to support a review of the IPFR. I think it is vital that we get this fairness across the board. But I have found that trying to get some of the evidence needed has been extremely difficult, and I would like to have a really clear understanding of how you see the group going forward and being able to extract the data that they will require from the health boards in order to ensure that this report is not just timely but that it is concise and, actually, that it is also really, really well evidenced. As I discussed with you when I had the good fortune to meet with you yesterday - and I am grateful to you for that meeting - I would also like to ensure, or ask, that you would ask the review panel that are going to look at the independent patient funding request to look at not just their overall strategic conclusions, but also how they think it could be delivered in an effective way. Conclusions are one thing; delivery is an entirely different thing. I think it would be really worth it if they could give some nod towards the level of resource - the level of financial resource and physical human resource - that you may have to commit to making this a uniform, consistent, fair practice across the entire country. Finally, Minister, I would like to again ask you to consider how best we get an advocate for the patient voice who can sit on this panel and really ensure that the patient voice is heard all through this. Sums are one thing, but when somebody is desperate for that little extra stretch of life because they have something very important they want to achieve - to see a wedding, to see a grandchild, or whatever it may be - or just because most of us don't want to die, then we've got to try to marry that desire for life with the money that you have in your pocket. By listening to the patients, perhaps they can help show a way that we can go. | Weinidog, diolch i chi am y datganiad hwn. Rwy'n ymwybodol iawn, iawn bod fy nghyd-Aelod, Darren Millar wedi galw o'r blaen am adolygiad ar y gronfa cleifion annibynnol ac, wrth gwrs, mae'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi bod yn galw am ryw fath o gronfa triniaethau ers llawer o flynyddoedd. Wrth fynd drwy eich datganiad, mae gen i un neu ddau o gwestiynau. Y cyntaf yw eich bod wedi cyfeirio at rai o'r meddyginiaethau newydd sy'n gostus iawn, a chredaf ein bod ni i gyd yn hollol ymwybodol ohonynt, ac rydych yn siarad am yr adnoddau a fuddsoddwyd lle mae prawf o'r manteision i gleifion yn cydbwyso â'r gost. Roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed efallai y gallech chi roi syniad i ni os byddai'r prawf hwnnw o'r manteision yn perthyn i gyflwr neu, mewn ystyr fwy cyfannol, lle gall y cyffur mewn gwirionedd atal sgîl-effaith neu gontinwwm - chi'n gwybod, rhywbeth a fyddai'n datblygu mewn amser fel olynydd, os mynnwch chi, i beth bynnag yw'r anhwylder sydd gan y person. Gofynnaf hynny oherwydd yn ddiweddar yn Lloegr roedd achos llys lle'r oedd barnwr yn siarad am sut mae'r eithriadoldeb, y ffordd y gallai cyffur ymddwyn ar berson, yn ei wneud yn ddilys p'un a yw'n ymddwyn ar y person oherwydd ei fod yn unigryw, neu fod ei gyflwr yn unigryw, neu a oedd yn syml oherwydd nad oedd y - ni allaf feddwl am y gair amdano - problemau parhaus a allai fod yn gysylltiedig â'r cyflwr yn unigryw ac yn dod yn nes ymlaen, ond gallech gyflwyno'r cyffur o hyd i atal hynny rhag digwydd - rhyw fath o sefyllfa nad oes modd ei hennill. Felly, roeddwn yn meddwl tybed a ydych yn mynd i ystyried hynny wrth benderfynu ar yr hyn sy'n driniaeth frys. Felly, mae hynny'n dod at fy nghwestiwn nesaf, sy'n ymwneud â'r rhanddeiliaid. Pa randdeiliaid ydych chi wedi ymgynghori â nhw i benderfynu beth a fydd? Ai dim ond NICE; ai dim ond grŵp meddyginiaethau Cymru gyfan; ydych chi'n siarad â meddygon ymgynghorol; ydych chi'n siarad â chwmnïau cyffuriau i benderfynu pa fath o gyffuriau fyddai'r rhai gorau i fynd i mewn i'ch cronfa triniaethau? Gwn fod llefarydd Plaid Cymru wedi trafod gyda chi yr adnoddau sydd ar gael - yr £80 miliwn yr ydych yn mynd i'w gyflwyno. Ond nid dyna'r unig beth. Roeddwn yn meddwl tybed a allech amlinellu pa gynllunio strategol a modelu sydd wedi'i wneud gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Fe wnes i wrando ar eich atebion i Rhun ap Iorwerth am yr hyn sy'n digwydd pan fydd byrddau iechyd yn ystyried y cyffuriau, a beth sy'n digwydd ar ddiwedd y 12 mis, ond pe gallwn ddyfynnu enghraifft o hyn, oherwydd rydych yn cyfeirio yn eich datganiad at driniaeth ar gyfer hepatitis C. Yn anhygoel o lwyddiannus; cyfradd gwellhad o 90 y cant unwaith y bydd rhywun yn ei gael, ac eto mae'n dal i fod yn loteri cod post ledled Cymru. Er bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ariannu'r broses o'i chyflwyno, a bod hynny wedyn wedi mynd allan at y byrddau iechyd, nid yw pob bwrdd iechyd wedi manteisio arni oherwydd ei fod yn eithriadol o ddrud. Nid ydynt wedi ei chynnwys yn eu hamcangyfrif, ac nid yw pobl yn ei chael pan fydd ei hangen arnynt. Mae gennym dystiolaeth y gallwn ei gynnig i chi i brofi hyn. Byddai'n gas gennyf weld ymhen 12 mis, gyda phob un o'r triniaethau gwych eraill hyn yr ydych yn mynd i edrych arnynt, yr un math o bethau yn digwydd oherwydd bydd rhai ohonynt yn ddrud iawn, iawn. Felly, hoffwn i ddeall pa gynllunio strategol a modelu yr ydych chi wedi eu cymhwyso i hyn. Hoffwn gael mwy o eglurder ynghylch sut y mae rhai o'r penderfyniadau amodoldeb wedi cael eu gwneud, ar hyn o bryd. Hoffwn ddeall o ble mae'r arian ar gyfer hyn yn dod. Dwi ddim yn meddwl fy mod wedi llwyddo i ddeall hynny o'ch datganiad nac o'ch ateb i lefarydd Plaid Cymru. O ran y cais am gyllid i gleifion annibynnol, does dim gwybodaeth am y cais am gyllid ar gyfer cleifion unigol gan y bwrdd iechyd. Cyflwynais gwestiwn ysgrifenedig ichi, a daethoch yn ôl a dweud nad oedd unrhyw ddata canolog. Mae'r math hwnnw o beth yn fy ngwneud yn bryderus iawn, iawn os nad oes gennym y dystiolaeth, sut y gallwn ddangos llwyddiant IPFR? Sut allwn ni ddangos y fethodoleg? Sut allwn ni roi'r gorau i ariannu cod post? Sut allwn ni sicrhau'r tegwch a'r cydraddoldeb a drafodwyd yn gynharach? Byddaf yn wir yn gweithio'n galed gyda chi i geisio cefnogi adolygiad o'r IPFR. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn hanfodol ein bod yn cael y tegwch hwn ar draws y bwrdd. Ond rwyf wedi canfod bod ceisio cael rhywfaint o'r dystiolaeth sydd ei hangen wedi bod yn eithriadol o anodd, a hoffwn i gael dealltwriaeth wirioneddol glir o sut yr ydych yn gweld y grŵp yn symud ymlaen ac yn gallu cael y data y bydd ei angen arno o'r byrddau iechyd er mwyn sicrhau bod yr adroddiad hwn nid yn unig yn amserol, ond ei fod yn gryno ac, mewn gwirionedd, ei fod hefyd yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth dda iawn. Fel y trafodais gyda chi pan oeddwn yn ddigon ffodus i gwrdd â chi ddoe - ac rwy'n ddiolchgar ichi am y cyfarfod hwnnw - byddwn hefyd yn hoffi sicrhau, neu ofyn, y byddech yn gofyn i'r panel adolygu sy'n mynd i edrych ar y cais cyllido cleifion annibynnol i edrych, nid yn unig ar eu casgliadau strategol cyffredinol, ond hefyd sut y maent yn meddwl y gellid ei gyflwyno mewn ffordd effeithiol. Mae casgliadau yn un peth; mae eu cyflwyno yn rhywbeth hollol wahanol. Rwy'n credu y byddai'n wir yn werth yr ymdrech pe gallent roi rhywfaint o arwydd o lefel yr adnoddau - lefel yr adnoddau ariannol a'r adnoddau dynol ffisegol - y bydd yn rhaid i chi ei hymrwymo i wneud hwn yn arfer unffurf, cyson a theg ar draws y wlad gyfan. Yn olaf, Weinidog, hoffwn ofyn eto i chi ystyried y ffordd orau i ni gael eiriolwr dros y claf sy'n gallu eistedd ar y panel hwn ac sy'n gallu sicrhau mewn gwirionedd bod llais y claf yn cael ei glywed drwy hyn i gyd. Mae symiau yn un peth, ond pan fydd rhywun yn daer i gael y mymryn ychwanegol hwnnw o fywyd oherwydd bod ganddynt rywbeth pwysig iawn y maent am ei gyflawni - gweld priodas, gweld ŵyr neu wyres, neu beth bynnag y bo - neu dim ond oherwydd nad yw'r rhan fwyaf ohonom yn dymuno marw, yna mae'n rhaid i ni geisio cyfuno'r awydd hwnnw am fywyd a'r arian sydd gennych yn eich poced. Drwy wrando ar y cleifion, efallai y gallan nhw helpu i ddangos y ffordd i ni. |