Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd

Plenary - Fifth Senedd

18/03/2020

Cyfarfu’r Cynulliad am 13:30 gyda’r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair. 

The Assembly met at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.

1. Cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Addysg
1. Questions to the Minister for Education

Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni'r y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Addysg, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Dai Lloyd.

The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the Minister for Education, and the first question is from Dai Lloyd.

Pobl Ifanc Byddar mewn Addysg
Deaf Young People in Education

1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y gefnogaeth a roddir i bobl ifanc byddar mewn addysg er mwyn gwella eu siawns o gyflogaeth? OAQ55258

1. Will the Minister make a statement on the support provided to deaf young people in education in order to improve their chances of employment? OAQ55258

Our educational reforms are designed to ensure that all learners with additional learning needs receive the support that they need to access the curriculum, and I believe that this will help equip deaf young people with the skills that they need to reach their full potential.

Mae ein diwygiadau addysg wedi’u cynllunio i sicrhau bod pob dysgwr ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn cael y gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen arnynt i gael mynediad at y cwricwlwm, a chredaf y bydd hyn yn helpu i roi’r sgiliau sydd eu hangen ar bobl ifanc byddar i gyflawni eu potensial llawn.

Thank you for that reply, Minister. You will no doubt be aware of the publication of the National Deaf Children's Society's report, 'Deaf Works Everywhere', which seeks to get more deaf young people into work and jobs that inspire them. Unfortunately, many deaf young people believe their career options are limited. With the right support, however, we know that deaf people can work everywhere, yet they are twice as likely to be unemployed as their hearing peers. 

In response to the Deaf Works Everywhere campaign, what further action are you prepared to take to ensure better careers support, more work experience and volunteering opportunities, and challenging the expectations of what deaf young people can achieve?

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Heb os, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o adroddiad y Gymdeithas Genedlaethol i Blant Byddar, 'Byddar yn Gweithio ym Mhobman', sy'n ceisio sicrhau bod mwy o bobl ifanc byddar yn gwneud gwaith a swyddi sy'n eu hysbrydoli. Yn anffodus, mae llawer o bobl ifanc byddar yn credu bod eu hopsiynau o ran gyrfaoedd yn gyfyngedig. Gyda'r gefnogaeth gywir, fodd bynnag, gwyddom y gall pobl fyddar weithio ym mhobman, serch hynny, maent ddwywaith yn fwy tebygol o fod yn ddi-waith na'u cyfoedion sy’n gallu clywed.

Mewn ymateb i'r ymgyrch Byddar yn Gweithio ym Mhobman, pa gamau pellach rydych yn barod i'w cymryd i sicrhau gwell cymorth gyrfaoedd, mwy o brofiad gwaith a chyfleoedd gwirfoddoli, a herio’r disgwyliadau o ran yr hyn y gall pobl ifanc byddar ei gyflawni?

Well, you're absolutely right, Dai, in that we should never put any limitations on any of our children and young people because we have a misconception about what they can achieve. Obviously, that is at the heart of our additional learning needs reform programme, to ensure that all children with an additional learning need leave our education system with the qualifications, skills and experience that they will need to go on into further education, or into the world of employment. 

I am aware of NDCS's youth advisory board's recent report on young people's experiences of the careers advice across the UK. Here in Wales, we know, and we're actively engaged in a process to reform our careers support assistance, and I will be very keen to work with NDCS Cymru to be a part of that. Our current careers and the world of work framework highlights the need for learning providers to reduce environmental and social barriers to inclusion, and we continue that as part of our reform of our careers and information and advice. Clearly, apprenticeships should not be closed off to any young person who could benefit from that, and, as a result of your question, I'll undertake to work with Ken Skates's department to oversee our apprenticeship programme, to see what more action the Government can take to address these issues. 

Wel, rydych yn llygad eich lle, Dai, yn yr ystyr na ddylem fyth roi unrhyw gyfyngiadau ar unrhyw un o'n plant a'n pobl ifanc am fod gennym syniadau anghywir ynghylch yr hyn y gallant ei gyflawni. Yn amlwg, dyna sydd wrth wraidd ein rhaglen anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, er mwyn sicrhau bod pob plentyn ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn gadael ein system addysg gyda'r cymwysterau, y sgiliau a'r profiad y bydd eu hangen arnynt i fwrw ati gydag addysg bellach, neu i'r byd gwaith.

Rwy'n ymwybodol o adroddiad diweddar bwrdd cynghori ieuenctid y Gymdeithas Genedlaethol i Blant Byddar ar brofiadau pobl ifanc o gyngor gyrfaoedd ledled y DU. Yma yng Nghymru, rydym yn cymryd rhan weithredol mewn proses i ddiwygio ein cymorth gyrfaoedd, ac rwy’n awyddus iawn i weithio gyda’r Gymdeithas Genedlaethol i Blant Byddar Cymru er mwyn bod yn rhan o hynny. Mae ein fframwaith gyrfaoedd a’r byd gwaith cyfredol yn nodi’r angen i ddarparwyr dysgu leihau rhwystrau amgylcheddol a chymdeithasol i gynhwysiant, ac rydym yn parhau â hynny fel rhan o'n gwaith yn diwygio ein gwybodaeth a’n cyngor gyrfaoedd. Yn amlwg, ni ddylid atal unrhyw unigolyn ifanc rhag ymgymryd â phrentisiaethau y gallent elwa ohonynt, ac o ganlyniad i'ch cwestiwn, byddaf yn ymrwymo i weithio gydag adran Ken Skates i oruchwylio ein rhaglen brentisiaethau, i weld pa gamau eraill y gall y Llywodraeth eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn.

Can I start off by saying that my sister is profoundly deaf? So, I have an interest in this. But, if you are deaf, you are less likely to be in paid employment; if you are in paid employment, you're likely to be low paid, and you're likely to have few, if any, qualifications. The one thing that would improve this is improving the situation of British Sign Language, treating it and making it a GCSE subject comparable to Welsh and English, because, for the deaf community, British Sign Language is their first language. And we need to ensure that other children know the rudiments of British Sign Language as well in order to communicate with them. 

We've had a petition in from Swansea, promoting British Sign Language, and there's a lot of correspondence taking place about British Sign Language. But the reality is that unless we support British Sign Language, and support its teaching, and support children with it, children are still going to be less well off. 

A gaf fi gychwyn drwy ddweud bod fy chwaer yn fyddar iawn? Felly, rwy’n datgan buddiant. Ond os ydych yn fyddar, rydych yn llai tebygol o fod mewn gwaith cyflogedig; os ydych mewn gwaith cyflogedig, rydych yn debygol o fod ar gyflog isel, ac mae'n debygol na fydd gennych lawer o gymwysterau, os o gwbl. Yr un peth a fyddai’n gwella hyn yw gwella sefyllfa Iaith Arwyddion Prydain, gan ei thrin a’i gwneud yn bwnc TGAU fel y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg, oherwydd i’r gymuned fyddar, Iaith Arwyddion Prydain yw eu hiaith gyntaf. Ac mae angen inni sicrhau bod plant eraill yn ymwybodol o hanfodion Iaith Arwyddion Prydain hefyd er mwyn cyfathrebu â hwy.

Rydym wedi cael deiseb o Abertawe sy’n hyrwyddo Iaith Arwyddion Prydain, ac mae llawer o ohebiaeth yn digwydd ynghylch Iaith Arwyddion Prydain. Ond y gwir amdani yw, oni bai ein bod yn cefnogi Iaith Arwyddion Prydain, ac yn cefnogi’r gwaith o’i haddysgu, ac yn cefnogi plant â hi, bydd plant yn waeth eu byd o hyd.

Thank you, Mike, first of all, for your questions, but for your continued advocacy on behalf of the BSL-speaking community. We are working with BSL teachers, and other stakeholders with experience and expertise in BSL, to develop curriculum guidance for BSL for children who use BSL as a medium of education, and/or as their first language, and guidance for those schools introducing BSL as a third or subsequent language, in addition to Welsh and English. This guidance will be available before schools begin implementing the new curriculum, and I know that there is interest in schools to ensure that they can provide BSL within their new curriculum. 

We recognise the need to do more to develop a co-ordinated approach to the promotion and support for BSL, and are giving consideration to a national charter for delivery of services and resources for deaf children, young people and their families. 

Diolch, Mike, yn gyntaf oll, am eich cwestiynau, ond am eich eiriolaeth barhaus ar ran y gymuned sy'n siarad Iaith Arwyddion Prydain. Rydym yn gweithio gydag athrawon Iaith Arwyddion Prydain, a rhanddeiliaid eraill sydd â phrofiad ac arbenigedd mewn Iaith Arwyddion Prydain, i ddatblygu canllawiau cwricwlwm ar gyfer Iaith Arwyddion Prydain i blant sy'n ei defnyddio fel cyfrwng addysg, a/neu fel eu hiaith gyntaf, a chanllawiau i'r ysgolion sy'n ei chyflwyno fel trydedd iaith neu iaith ddilynol, yn ychwanegol at y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg. Bydd y canllawiau hyn ar gael cyn i ysgolion ddechrau rhoi’r cwricwlwm newydd ar waith, a gwn fod diddordeb mewn ysgolion i sicrhau y gallant ddarparu Iaith Arwyddion Prydain yn eu cwricwlwm newydd.

Rydym yn cydnabod yr angen i wneud mwy i ddatblygu dull cydgysylltiedig o hyrwyddo a chefnogi Iaith Arwyddion Prydain, ac rydym yn ystyried siarter genedlaethol ar gyfer darparu gwasanaethau ac adnoddau ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc byddar a'u teuluoedd.

Addysgu Hanes Cymru
Teaching Welsh History

2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y deunyddiau a'r adnoddau sydd ar gael i addysgu hanes Cymru mewn ysgolion? OAQ55267

2. Will the Minister make a statement on the materials and resources available to teach Welsh history in schools? OAQ55267

Thank you, David. Hundreds of teaching resources, specifically relating to Welsh history, are available for teachers to utilise on our online platform, Hwb. Cadw, National Museums Wales, the National Library for Wales and local history associations have all produced resources, which have been captured by the Learned Society of Wales's recent review of such resources.

Diolch, David. Mae cannoedd o adnoddau addysgu, sy'n ymwneud yn benodol â hanes Cymru, ar gael i athrawon eu defnyddio ar ein platfform ar-lein, Hwb. Mae Cadw, Amgueddfa Cymru, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru a chymdeithasau hanes lleol wedi cynhyrchu adnoddau, a chawsant eu cynnwys yn adolygiad diweddar Cymdeithas Ddysgedig Cymru o adnoddau o'r fath.

13:35

Minister, that's an encouraging answer. And, at the moment, when we're dealing with the coronavirus, I think it's important to realise that there are historical events that can be instructive, like the Spanish flu epidemic, called 'Spanish' because Spain wasn't under reporting restrictions, as it didn't participate in the first world war. And I heard Professor Sir Deian Hopkin say on Sunday Supplement that David Lloyd George was very seriously ill during that flu pandemic. And that's something I didn't know. I have seen the many graves of servicemen around various places in Wales, which say that private so-and-so, sergeant-whatever, died in 1919. And a lot of those were, of course, caused by the flu pandemic. And people will want to study our current period at some point as well, which is why record keeping, and resources, and all these things are so important.

Weinidog, mae hwnnw'n ateb calonogol. Ac ar hyn o bryd, pan fyddwn yn ymdrin â'r coronafeirws, credaf ei bod yn bwysig sylweddoli y gall digwyddiadau hanesyddol fod yn addysgiadol, fel epidemig ffliw Sbaen, a elwid yn 'Ffliw Sbaen' am nad oedd Sbaen o dan gyfyngiadau newyddiadurol, gan nad oeddent yn cymryd rhan yn y rhyfel byd cyntaf. A chlywais yr Athro Syr Deian Hopkin yn dweud ar raglen Sunday Supplement fod David Lloyd George yn ddifrifol wael yn ystod y ffliw pandemig hwnnw. Ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth nad oeddwn yn ymwybodol ohono. Rwyf wedi gweld beddau llawer o filwyr mewn gwahanol leoedd yng Nghymru, sy'n dweud bod rhyw filwr neu sarsiant wedi marw yn 1919. A chafodd llawer o'r rheini, wrth gwrs, eu hachosi gan y ffliw pandemig. A bydd pobl yn awyddus i astudio ein cyfnod presennol rhyw ddydd hefyd, a dyna pam fod cadw cofnodion, ac adnoddau, a'r holl bethau hyn mor bwysig.

Indeed. It's interesting that you raise this interesting supplementary to this question. I have advised all three of my daughters to keep a diary of this time, so that, in years to come, when this country is back to normal, which we will be—which we will be—then they can reflect on their experiences as a young person, and their reflections on how we, as adults and grown-ups, are reacting. So it is an interesting suggestion, and may be a primary resource for Hwb of the future.

But on the wider issue of the new curriculum, as everyone knows, the new curriculum is moving away from specifying lists and topics of content to be taught. But of course, good-quality resources are essential to that process, and that's why we did commission the Learned Society of Wales to map the available existing resources that can be used to support the Welsh dimension and the international perspective of our new curriculum. Dr Sarah Morse, of the Learned Society of Wales, has stated that there is not a shortage of resources. There is an extensive list already available, but where we have identified gaps, we will be working with stakeholders to address those gaps.

Yn wir. Mae'n ddiddorol eich bod yn codi'r cwestiwn atodol hwn. Rwyf wedi cynghori fy nhair merch i gadw dyddiadur o'r cyfnod hwn, fel y gallant, mewn blynyddoedd i ddod, pan fydd popeth yn normal eto yn y wlad hon, fel y byd—fel y bydd—gallant fyfyrio ar eu profiadau fel pobl ifanc, a'u meddyliau ynglŷn â sut rydym ni, fel oedolion, yn ymateb. Felly mae'n awgrym diddorol, ac efallai y bydd yn adnodd pwysig i Hwb yn y dyfodol.

Ond o ran mater ehangach y cwricwlwm newydd, fel y gŵyr pawb, mae'r cwricwlwm newydd yn ymbellhau oddi wrth nodi rhestrau o gynnwys a phynciau i'w haddysgu. Ond wrth gwrs, mae adnoddau o ansawdd da yn hanfodol i'r broses honno, a dyna pam y gwnaethom gomisiynu Cymdeithas Ddysgedig Cymru i fapio'r adnoddau presennol sydd ar gael y gellir eu defnyddio i gefnogi'r dimensiwn Cymreig a'r persbectif rhyngwladol yn ein cwricwlwm newydd. Mae Dr Sarah Morse, o Gymdeithas Ddysgedig Cymru, wedi nodi nad oes prinder adnoddau. Mae rhestr hirfaith ar gael eisoes, ond lle rydym wedi nodi bylchau, byddwn yn gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid i fynd i'r afael â'r bylchau hynny.

I think that David Melding raised a really important point, because far too much of current events, which will be looked at in history in the future, are ephemeral—they're being held digitally, and they will disappear. I think that's something that we need to all worry about.

But two things I would like to raise. Two parts of Welsh history are often ignored. Firstly, the working class struggles of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. And, secondly, Wales was rarely one kingdom following the departure of the Romans in the fifth century—it evolved into a series of kingdoms. Will the Minister support the teaching of, and the provision of resources about, the history of working-class Welsh history, and of the great kingdoms that existed within the boundaries of what is now Wales?

Credaf fod David Melding wedi codi pwynt pwysig iawn, gan fod llawer gormod o ddigwyddiadau cyfoes, a fydd yn cael sylw fel hanes yn y dyfodol, yn fyrhoedlog—maent yn cael eu cofnodi'n ddigidol, a byddant yn diflannu. Credaf fod hynny'n rhywbeth y mae angen i bob un ohonom bryderu yn ei gylch.

Ond hoffwn godi dau beth. Yn aml, mae dwy ran o hanes Cymru yn cael eu hanwybyddu. Yn gyntaf, ymdrechion y dosbarth gweithiol yn y ddeunawfed ganrif, y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg a'r ugeinfed ganrif. Ac yn ail, anaml iawn y bu Cymru yn un deyrnas yn dilyn ymadawiad y Rhufeiniaid yn y bumed ganrif—esblygodd i fod yn gyfres o deyrnasoedd. A wnaiff y Gweinidog gefnogi addysgu, a darparu adnoddau ar hanes y dosbarth gweithiol yng Nghymru, a'r teyrnasoedd gwych a fu'n bodoli o fewn ffiniau'r hyn a elwir bellach yn Gymru?

As I said in my answer to David Melding, the Learned Society have not identified a lack of resources as a challenge to delivering our new curriculum. But where there are gaps in resources, we'll be looking to work with interested parties, of all kinds—maybe even you, Mike—to be able to develop resources to fill those gaps.

Fel y dywedais yn fy ateb i David Melding, nid yw'r Gymdeithas Ddysgedig wedi nodi bod diffyg adnoddau yn her i ddarparu ein cwricwlwm newydd. Ond lle ceir bylchau mewn adnoddau, byddwn yn ceisio gweithio gyda phartïon â buddiant, o bob math—hyd yn oed chi, efallai, Mike—i allu datblygu adnoddau i lenwi'r bylchau hynny.

Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Lefarwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Suzy Davies.

Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Suzy Davies.

Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. First of all, Minister, can I just thank you for the statement you released just before we came to Plenary today? I'm sure you will be getting questions on school closures, but I'm actually going to focus my questions on post-16 education.

It does, however, inevitably mean beginning with a question about those studying for those key exams at ages 16, 17 and 18, as well as PGCE students, who have to complete their school placements in order to qualify. And your answer may also be relevant for childcare students, who are in placements perhaps, if not in a school, at least on a site that's shared with a school. If schools are going to close, or partly close, I think this timetable for getting students ready for their final exams and assessments is going to be significantly affected. We're hitting a time of year when, particularly at GCSE, controlled assessments for GCSEs are about to be conducted. It's got direct implications for pupils and teachers—whether they're absent or not absent. And even with supply teachers, there's a possibility, I suppose, of seconding qualified teachers back into the classrooms from other locations. It also has implications for exam boards and Qualifications Wales when it comes to marking and moderating results. So, what options are you considering now about exams due to be taken next term? Who are you talking to about this? And when can we realistically expect a decision on what might happen about either postponement or predicted grades, or any other alternatives? 

Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Yn gyntaf, Weinidog, a gaf fi ddiolch i chi am y datganiad a wnaethoch cyn inni ddod i'r Cyfarfod Llawn heddiw? Rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn cael cwestiynau ynglŷn â chau ysgolion, ond bydd fy nghwestiynau'n canolbwyntio ar addysg ôl-16.

Fodd bynnag, mae'n anochel fod hynny'n golygu dechrau gyda chwestiwn am y rheini sy'n astudio ar gyfer arholiadau allweddol yn 16, 17 a 18 oed, yn ogystal â myfyrwyr TAR, sy'n gorfod cwblhau eu lleoliadau mewn ysgolion er mwyn cymhwyso. Ac efallai y bydd eich ateb hefyd yn berthnasol i fyfyrwyr gofal plant, sydd ar leoliadau efallai, os nad mewn ysgol, yna o leiaf ar safle sy'n cael ei rannu ag ysgol. Os yw'r ysgolion yn mynd i gau, neu gau'n rhannol, credaf y bydd yr amserlen hon ar gyfer paratoi myfyrwyr ar gyfer eu hasesiadau a'u harholiadau terfynol yn cael ei heffeithio'n sylweddol. Rydym yn cyrraedd adeg o'r flwyddyn, yn enwedig ar gyfer TGAU, pan fo asesiadau dan reolaeth ar gyfer TGAU ar fin cael eu cynnal. Mae i hyn oblygiadau uniongyrchol i ddisgyblion ac athrawon—p'un a ydynt yn absennol ai peidio. A hyd yn oed gydag athrawon cyflenwi, am wn i ei bod hi'n bosibl secondio athrawon cymwys yn ôl i'r ystafelloedd dosbarth o leoliadau eraill. Mae gan hyn oblygiadau hefyd i fyrddau arholi a Cymwysterau Cymru o ran marcio a chymedroli canlyniadau. Felly, pa opsiynau rydych yn eu hystyried ar hyn o bryd ar gyfer arholiadau sydd i gael eu sefyll y tymor nesaf? Gyda phwy rydych chi'n siarad am hyn? A phryd, yn realistig, y gallwn ddisgwyl penderfyniad ynglŷn â'r hyn a allai ddigwydd naill ai ynghylch gohirio neu raddau a ragwelir, neu unrhyw ddewisiadau amgen eraill?

13:40

Can I thank Suzy Davies for that question? I very much appreciate that this is a source of stress and anxiety, primarily to those young people, who have been working so hard in preparation for external exams, as well as those teachers who've been working alongside them.

This morning, I met with Qualifications Wales and the WJEC to take advice on this matter. I am also in close contact with Gavin Williamson. I spoke to him yesterday, and I have spoken to him again this morning around the considerations that he is taking with regard to examinations and, yesterday evening, I spoke to John Swinney, the education Minister in Scotland. All three of us are grappling with the same issues, and I hope to make an announcement with regard to the examinations in the very near future. 

A gaf fi ddiolch i Suzy Davies am ei chwestiwn? Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'n fawr fod hyn yn peri straen a phryder, yn enwedig i'r bobl ifanc sydd wedi bod yn gweithio mor galed i baratoi ar gyfer arholiadau allanol, yn ogystal â'r athrawon a fu'n gweithio ochr yn ochr â hwy.

Y bore yma, cyfarfûm â Cymwysterau Cymru a CBAC i gael cyngor ar y mater hwn. Rwyf hefyd mewn cysylltiad agos â Gavin Williamson. Siaradais ag ef ddoe, ac rwyf wedi siarad ag ef eto y bore yma ynglŷn â’i ystyriaethau mewn perthynas ag arholiadau, a neithiwr, siaradais â John Swinney, y Gweinidog addysg yn yr Alban. Mae'r tri ohonom yn ymrafael â'r un problemau, ac rwy'n gobeithio wneud cyhoeddiad mewn perthynas â'r arholiadau yn y dyfodol agos iawn.

Well, thank you for that and for confirming that all the nations are working together on this. I think that absolutely does make sense, particularly when we're talking about exams taken in—it'll be year 13, won't it—for going on to further or higher education where there is greater competition, as we're not talking just about Wales.

On that subject though, I'm quite interested in what conversations you've had with further education and higher education and some work-based learning settings, but in particular higher education—what sort of steer you've had from both vice-principals and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales about how they're going to be approaching entry requirements for this autumn in a way that's equitable with cohorts in previous years, as regards standards for those entry requirements.

I'm wondering also if you could tell us a little bit about whether you've spoken to vice-principals and the Student Loans Company about their attitude to the finances of students who are going to be deprived of supervised study—and I mean, supervised study—by individual universities' decisions to close. 

Wel, diolch am hynny, ac am gadarnhau bod yr holl wledydd yn cydweithio ar hyn. Credaf fod hynny'n sicr yn gwneud synnwyr, yn enwedig wrth inni sôn am arholiadau sy’n cael eu sefyll—ym mlwyddyn 13, ynte—er mwyn camu ymlaen i addysg bellach neu addysg uwch lle mae mwy o gystadleuaeth, gan nad am Gymru'n unig rydym yn siarad.

Fodd bynnag, ar y pwnc hwnnw, mae gennyf gryn ddiddordeb ym mha sgyrsiau rydych wedi'u cael gydag addysg bellach ac addysg uwch a rhai lleoliadau dysgu seiliedig ar waith, ond yn enwedig gydag addysg uwch—pa fath o arweiniad rydych wedi'i gael gan y dirprwy brifathrawon a Chyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru ynglŷn â sut y byddant yn ymdrin â gofynion mynediad ar gyfer tymor yr hydref mewn ffordd sy'n deg â charfannau mewn blynyddoedd blaenorol, o ran y safonau ar gyfer y gofynion mynediad hynny.

Tybed hefyd a allech ddweud ychydig wrthym ynglŷn ag a ydych wedi siarad â dirprwy brifathrawon a'r Cwmni Benthyciadau i Fyfyrwyr am eu hagwedd tuag at gyllid myfyrwyr sy'n mynd i gael eu hamddifadu o gyfle i astudio dan oruchwyliaeth—ac rwy'n golygu astudio dan oruchwyliaeth—yn sgil penderfyniadau prifysgolion unigol i gau.

First of all, can I say that any decision that I take with regard to the examinations will have at its heart the principle of fairness and equity to young people? It is not their fault that they find themselves in this situation. Their efforts should not be constrained or affected negatively by the situation and we want to make sure that we deal with them fairly and equitably, but also in a robust way as well, so that they can have confidence in the system, going forward. 

Discussions have taken place between, I understand, all of the UK versions of Qualifications Wales and close discussions with UCAS, as well as Universities UK, about how we can manage this situation together. Obviously, this has potentially an impact on universities and their recruitment to programmes starting in the autumn. So, there is a joined-up, co-ordinated approach between individual exam bodies, the regulators, Ministers, as well as universities and UCAS itself.  

Yn gyntaf oll, a gaf fi ddweud y bydd unrhyw benderfyniad a wnaf o ran yr arholiadau yn seiliedig ar egwyddor tegwch a chwarae teg i bobl ifanc? Nid eu bai hwy yw eu bod yn y sefyllfa hon. Ni ddylai’r sefyllfa gyfyngu nac effeithio'n negyddol ar eu hymdrechion, ac rydym am sicrhau ein bod yn eu trin yn deg ac yn gyfiawn, ond mewn ffordd drylwyr hefyd, fel y gallant fod â hyder yn y system yn y dyfodol.

Mae trafodaethau wedi’u cynnal, yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, rhwng pob un o fersiynau’r DU o Cymwysterau Cymru, a thrafodaethau agos gydag UCAS, yn ogystal ag Universities UK, ynglŷn â sut y gallwn reoli'r sefyllfa hon gyda'n gilydd. Yn amlwg, gallai hyn effeithio ar brifysgolion a’u gwaith recriwtio i raglenni sy'n dechrau yn yr hydref. Felly, mae dull cydgysylltiedig ar waith rhwng y cyrff arholi unigol, y cyrff rheoleiddio, Gweinidogion, yn ogystal â phrifysgolion ac UCAS eu hunain.

Well, thank you for that answer. I, along with other spokespeople here, I think, will also be contacting members of the higher education sector to look a little bit further than that again, particularly on this issue of how student loans are going to be affected by the fact that some students are basically having at least one term taken out of their programme of study, and I think there's a question of equitability there as well. 

Just to close though, and it's in the same space really, it's just about a year until this Assembly dissolves, and you have two major pieces of legislation slated for your portfolio, and if we're going to be working on the precedent from this Government, I'm anticipating that both of those will be pretty much framework Bills, which will require full scrutiny, both on the thoroughness of policy development and on the quality detail of likely content of any regulations that will be used subsequently to the passing of the primary legislation to complete it. And I'll be upfront at this stage, I can't see myself supporting any truncating or reduction of time required for this legislature to carry out its primary purpose of thorough scrutiny of legislation.

Now, we're all at the mercy of reduced capacity, as a result of the coronavirus. Legislation to activate the new curriculum is time-sensitive and already delayed for reasons we understand, but it still needs our full attention and maximum support in terms of tested evidence to command confidence. And I really doubt that we can give it that attention if we're also being asked to give equal attention to the very complicated legislation, which fundamentally changes the regulation of FE and HE, with all its implications for standards. So, it's not that post compulsory education and training is unimportant, but it's not as time sensitive.  

And on the basis that I suspect that you're not minded to postpone that Bill until the next Welsh Parliament, can you guarantee, firstly, that you will not be asking to reduce the timetables for scrutiny of both Bills regardless of coronavirus and, secondly, should this Parliament decide that it cannot accommodate proper scrutiny because of coronavirus, that you will consider dropping the post-compulsory education and training Bill in the fifth Assembly?

Wel, diolch am eich ateb. Byddaf i, ynghyd â llefarwyr eraill yma, rwy’n credu, yn cysylltu ag aelodau o'r sector addysg uwch i edrych ychydig ymhellach na hynny eto, yn enwedig ar sut y bydd rhai benthyciadau i fyfyrwyr yn cael eu heffeithio gan y ffaith y bydd rhai myfyrwyr yn colli o leiaf un tymor o'u rhaglen astudio yn y bôn, a chredaf fod cwestiwn o degwch yno hefyd.

Ond i gloi, ac mae yn yr un gofod mewn gwirionedd, mae bron i flwyddyn hyd nes y daw’r Cynulliad hwn i ben, ac mae dau ddarn o ddeddfwriaeth bwysig ar y gweill gennych yn eich portffolio, ac os ydym am weithio ar y cynsail gan y Llywodraeth hon, rwy'n rhagweld mai Biliau fframwaith fydd y ddau ohonynt i raddau helaeth, a bydd angen craffu’n llawn arnynt, ar drylwyredd datblygiad polisi ac ar fanylion ansawdd cynnwys tebygol unrhyw reoliadau a ddefnyddir wedi i’r ddeddfwriaeth sylfaenol gael ei chyflwyno er mwyn ei chwblhau. Ac rwyf am fod yn onest, ni allaf weld fy hun yn cefnogi unrhyw gwtogi neu gyfyngu ar yr amser sydd ei angen i'r ddeddfwrfa hon gyflawni ei phrif bwrpas, sef craffu’n drylwyr ar ddeddfwriaeth.

Nawr, mae pawb ohonom ar drugaredd llai o gapasiti, o ganlyniad i'r coronafeirws. Mae deddfwriaeth i roi’r cwricwlwm newydd ar waith yn ddibynnol ar amser, ac mae eisoes wedi'i gohirio am resymau rydym yn eu deall, ond mae angen inni roi ein sylw a’n cefnogaeth lawn iddi o hyd o ran tystiolaeth brofedig er mwyn ennyn hyder. Ac rwy'n amau'n fawr y gallwn roi'r sylw hwnnw iddi os bydd gofyn inni roi sylw cyfartal hefyd i'r ddeddfwriaeth gymhleth iawn, sy'n newid y broses o reoleiddio addysg bellach ac addysg uwch yn sylfaenol, gyda holl oblygiadau hynny o ran safonau. Felly, nid yw addysg a hyfforddiant ôl-orfodol yn ddibwys, ond nid ydynt mor ddibynnol ar amser.

Ac ar y sail fy mod yn amau nad ydych yn bwriadu gohirio’r Bil hwnnw tan Senedd nesaf Cymru, a allwch warantu, yn gyntaf, na fyddwch yn gofyn am gyfyngu ar yr amserlenni ar gyfer craffu ar y ddau Fil er gwaethaf y coronafeirws, ac yn ail, pe bai’r Senedd hon yn penderfynu na all ddarparu ar gyfer craffu priodol oherwydd y coronafeirws, y byddwch yn ystyried peidio â bwrw ymlaen â'r Bil addysg a hyfforddiant ôl-orfodol yn y pumed Cynulliad?

13:45

It was remiss of me, Presiding Officer, not to address Suzy Davies's questions with regard to the student loan company. We are working closely with the student loan company to ensure that advisers are available to respond to students and universities, seeking assurances in relation to their studies and finances.

I should also make it clear that universities are doing the very best they can to move to a system where they can continue to provide education to their students, looking at remote lectures and matters of that kind. So, they're working very hard across the sector to be able to provide as much continuity to students as possible.

With regard to the timetabling, in some ways, I am at the mercy of the Standing Orders within this Chamber. My—it's not mine, is it, but the—[Inaudible.]—legislation is with the Presiding Officer at the moment, going through the usual processes that we do before formal introduction here in this Chamber. And I'm sure we would all want to work together, if we can, to deliver what is a very important and significantly—actually, a radical piece of legislation, which I think will bring greater coherence to our post-compulsory education and training sector, which I think is much needed, and I would hope that we can all work together to make sure that that happens.

Roeddwn ar fai, Lywydd, am beidio â rhoi sylw i gwestiynau Suzy Davies mewn perthynas â’r cwmni benthyciadau i fyfyrwyr. Rydym yn gweithio'n agos gyda'r cwmni benthyciadau i fyfyrwyr i sicrhau bod cynghorwyr ar gael i ymateb i fyfyrwyr a phrifysgolion sy'n awyddus i gael sicrwydd mewn perthynas â'u hastudiaethau a'u cyllid.

Dylwn ddweud yn glir hefyd fod prifysgolion yn gwneud eu gorau glas i newid i system lle gallant barhau i ddarparu addysg i'w myfyrwyr, gan ystyried darlithoedd o bell a materion felly. Felly, maent yn gweithio'n galed iawn ym mhob rhan o'r sector i allu darparu cymaint o barhad â phosibl i fyfyrwyr.

O ran yr amserlen, mewn rhai ffyrdd, rwyf ar drugaredd y Rheolau Sefydlog yn y Siambr hon. Mae fy neddfwriaeth—nid fy neddfwriaeth i, ond y—[Anghlywadwy.]—mae'r ddeddfwriaeth gyda'r Llywydd ar hyn o bryd, yn mynd drwy'r prosesau arferol a gyflawnir gennym cyn ei chyflwyno'n ffurfiol yma yn y Siambr hon. Ac rwy'n siŵr fod pob un ohonom yn awyddus i weithio gyda'n gilydd, os gallwn, i gyflawni'r hyn sy'n bwysig iawn ac yn arwyddocaol—deddfwriaeth radical iawn, mewn gwirionedd, a fydd, rwy'n credu, yn darparu mwy o gydlyniant, mawr ei angen yn fy marn i, i'n sector addysg a hyfforddiant ôl-orfodol, ac rwy'n gobeithio y gall pob un ohonom weithio gyda'n gilydd i sicrhau bod hynny'n digwydd.

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Siân Gwenllian.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Siân Gwenllian.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Gaf innau hefyd groesawu'r cyhoeddiad rydych chi wedi'i wneud am 1 o'r gloch heddiw y bydd ysgolion rŵan yn cau ar gyfer darpariaeth statudol? Ond rydyn ni wrth gwrs angen eglurder ar fyrder a chanllawiau clir gennych chi ar gyfer yr ysgolion ynglŷn â beth fydd y diffiniad rŵan o ysgol—beth fydd rôl ein hysgolion ni wrth inni symud ymlaen? Bydd dim angen iddyn nhw wneud y ddarpariaeth statudol ond mae ganddyn nhw rôl allweddol i sicrhau bod ein gweithwyr allweddol ni yn y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, yn cynnwys y gwasanaeth iechyd, wrth gwrs, yn medru parhau i gael cefnogaeth ar gyfer eu plant a hefyd y plant mwyaf bregus a'r plant sydd yn cael cinio am ddim. Mae angen y canllawiau clir yna.

Gair am yr arholiadau; mae Suzy wedi cyfeirio at hyn: dwi'n credu rŵan fod yr amser wedi dod i ddweud yn hollol, hollol glir: cewch wared ar yr arholidadau—gohiriwch nhw, o ran y GCSE a lefel-A, efo'r bwriad o'u cynnal nhw eto neu addasu'r anghenion. Rydych chi wedi sôn am hynny—er enghraifft, defnyddio amcan graddau ar gyfer mynediad i brifysgol. Mae'r amser wedi dod rŵan, dwi'n credu, i symud y pwysau sydd ynghlwm â hynny a'r gwaith mae'r athrawon yn teimlo maen nhw'n gorfod gwneud ynghlwm ag arholiadau. Os ydy'r pwysau yna'n symud oddi wrthyn nhw, mae hi wedyn yn bosib i'r ysgolion fedru rhoi'r gefnogaeth i'r lle mae o angen bod—y ffocws lle mae o angen bod a lle rydych chi a fi yn cytuno y dylai fod.

Felly, hoffwn ni jest ofyn ychydig o gwestiynau ynglŷn â hynny. Beth fydd diffiniad newydd 'ysgol'? Sut mae'r ysgolion yn mynd i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n cyrraedd at y plant mwyaf bregus er mwyn rhoi'r gefnogaeth yma iddyn nhw? Beth ydy'r canllawiau i'r ysgolion sydd wedi cau yn barod? Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod yna nifer fawr wedi cau yn barod—oes disgwyl iddyn nhw ailagor yn eu rôl newydd? Ac, wrth gwrs, materion diogelwch plant—sut mae hynny'n mynd i ddod i mewn rŵan i'r diffiniad newydd o ysgol?

Thank you very much. Could I also welcome the announcement that you made at 1 o’clock today that schools will close for statutory provision? But, of course, we need clarity urgently and clear guidelines from you for the schools about what the definition will be now of a school—what the role of our schools will be as we move forward. They won't need to do the statutory provision, but they have a key role in ensuring that our key workers in public services, including the health service of course, can continue to have support for their children and also the most vulnerable children and those on free school meals. We need those clear guidelines.

A word about the examinations, which Suzy has referred to: I think that the time has come now to say very clearly that we need to get rid of the exams—to postpone them in terms of the GCSEs and A-levels, with the intention of holding them at another time or to adjust the needs. You've mentioned previously, for example, using predicted grades for access to universities. I think the time has come now to move the pressure that's involved with that and the work that teachers feel that they have to do in relation to exams. If that pressure is lifted from them, then it's possible for the schools to be able to give the focus where it's needed and where we agree it should be.

So, I'd just like to ask a few questions about that. What will be the new definition of a 'school'? How are the schools going to ensure that they reach the most vulnerable children in order to give them that support? What are the guidelines for the schools that have already closed? We know that many schools have already closed—will they be expected to be reopen in their new role? And, of course, child safety issues—how is that going to come into or be included in the new definition of a school?

Presiding Officer, as the Member rightly identified, at 1 o'clock this afternoon, I announced that we are bringing forward the Easter break for schools in Wales, which means that schools will close for statutory provision this Friday, 20 March. From next week, schools indeed will have a new purpose—a purpose that is not dissimilar to the one that Siân Gwenllian described. A purpose to ensure that our most vulnerable children are supported during this difficult time, with a particular emphasis on those children who usually would access free school meals and also our children with additional learning needs, for whom attendance at school is an important part of keeping their well-being as good as it can be.

We also have to address the needs of those parents who are at the front line of tackling this public health emergency and that, it's true, does include doctors and nurses, but that list of people who are at the front line of keeping this country going goes well beyond those dedicated medical professionals who are working in our hospitals. So, for instance, social care and domiciliary care workers, as well as others who are ensuring that there is food in our supermarkets and basic local services continue to be maintained. We are already working—I, the First Minister and Cabinet colleagues met with the leader of the Welsh Local Government Association again this morning to explore with him what provisions we will be taking.

Of course, this is not something that is completely new to us. We will be building on the strong foundations and the very, very positive experiences of some of our Food and Fun schemes, which local authorities are well used to running, and we will be identifying with our colleagues in local government key sites and key personnel that can help us ensure that meeting the needs of the most vulnerable children and the needs of those workers that we want out there on the front line can be addressed in the coming weeks. 

Lywydd, fel y nododd yr Aelod, yn gwbl gywir, am 1 o’r gloch y prynhawn yma, cyhoeddais ein bod yn cael gwyliau’r Pasg yn gynt i ysgolion yng Nghymru, sy’n golygu y bydd ysgolion yn cau o ran darpariaeth statudol ddydd Gwener, 20 Mawrth. O'r wythnos nesaf ymlaen, bydd gan ysgolion bwrpas newydd, yn wir—pwrpas nad yw'n annhebyg i'r un a ddisgrifiodd Siân Gwenllian. Pwrpas i sicrhau bod ein plant mwyaf agored i niwed yn cael eu cefnogi yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn, gyda phwyslais arbennig ar y plant a fyddai fel arfer yn cael prydau ysgol am ddim yn ogystal â'n plant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, gan fod mynychu'r ysgol yn rhan bwysig o'r gwaith o gadw eu lles cystal ag y gall fod.

Mae'n rhaid inni hefyd gofio anghenion y rhieni sydd ar y rheng flaen yn y frwydr yn erbyn yr argyfwng iechyd cyhoeddus hwn, ac yn wir, mae hynny'n cynnwys meddygon a nyrsys, ond mae'r rhestr honno o bobl ar y rheng flaen yn y frwydr i gynnal y wlad yn mynd ymhell y tu hwnt i'r gweithwyr meddygol proffesiynol ymroddedig sy'n gweithio yn ein hysbytai. Felly, er enghraifft, gweithwyr gofal cymdeithasol a gweithwyr gofal cartref, yn ogystal â gweithwyr eraill sy'n sicrhau bod bwyd yn ein harchfarchnadoedd a bod ein gwasanaethau lleol sylfaenol yn parhau i gael eu cynnal. Rydym eisoes yn gweithio—cyfarfu'r Prif Weinidog, cyd-Aelodau o'r Cabinet a minnau ag arweinydd Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru eto y bore yma i archwilio gydag ef pa ddarpariaethau y byddwn yn eu rhoi ar waith.

Wrth gwrs, nid yw hyn yn rhywbeth sy'n hollol newydd i ni. Byddwn yn adeiladu ar sylfeini cryf a phrofiadau cadarnhaol iawn rhai o'n cynlluniau Bwyd a Hwyl, y mae awdurdodau lleol wedi hen arfer eu cynnal, a byddwn yn nodi, gyda'n cydweithwyr mewn llywodraeth leol, safleoedd a phersonél allweddol a all ein helpu i sicrhau y gellir mynd i'r afael ag anghenion y plant mwyaf agored i niwed ac anghenion y gweithwyr rydym am iddynt fod yno ar y rheng flaen dros yr wythnosau nesaf.

13:50

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rydym ni, wrth gwrs yn ddiolchgar—hynod ddiolchgar—i'r athrawon a'r staff ategol yn ein hysgolion ni yn y cyfnod yma. Maen nhw hefyd yn weithwyr allweddol, onid ydynt, ac o ran eu rôl nhw, mae disgwyl iddyn nhw newid wrth symud ymlaen, os ydyn nhw'n gallu, ac mae rhywun yn gwerthfawrogi'r hyblygrwydd yna sydd yn mynd i fod ei angen rŵan.

Felly, a fedraf i ofyn ichi, ynglŷn â'r athrawon a'r cymorthyddion dysgu? Beth fydd eu rôl nhw yn y trefniadau newydd yma rŵan? Os ydy'r diffiniad o ysgol yn newid ond rydych chi'n dal i ddisgwyl iddyn nhw fod ar agor gymaint ag y maen nhw'n medru, beth fydd rôl yr athrawon? A oes yna rôl i athrawon llanw yn y trefniadau newydd yma? Mi fyddwch chi'n gwybod y byddan nhw'n awyddus iawn, rhai ohonyn nhw, i barhau i weithio oherwydd eu bod nhw'n gweithio i asiantaethau ac efallai yn mynd i fod heb bres beth bynnag. Felly, mae yna rôl benodol yn fanna. Beth hefyd am bobl sydd â chymwysterau dysgu ond sydd, ar hyn o bryd, ddim yn yr ysgolion? Efallai eu bod nhw'n gweithio yn y consortia neu mewn mannau eraill. Rydych chi wedi sôn yn fras am hynny. Felly, a fedrwch chi ymhelaethu ychydig bach ar hynny, os gwelwch yn dda? 

Thank you very much. We are very grateful, of course, to the teachers and the other staff in our schools in this period. They are also key workers and their role is expected to change as they move forward, and we appreciate that great flexibility that is going to be needed now.

So, could I ask you about the teachers and the assistant teachers? What will be their role in the new arrangements if the definition of schools changes, or are you still expecting them to be open as much as they can be? What will be the role of the teachers? Will there be a role for supply teachers in this new system? You will know that some of them will be very eager to continue to work because they work for agencies, and perhaps they are going to be short of money. So, there is a specific role there. And what about the people who have teaching qualifications but who are not involved in the schools at present? Maybe they work in the consortia or in other areas, and you mentioned that briefly. So, could you expand a little on that, please?

Educational professionals have indeed been on the front line and holding the line as this country faces this epidemic, and I want to take this opportunity to thank them, each and every one of them, for what they have been doing, often in very difficult and stressful circumstances. Even when they have been worried about, perhaps, their own loved ones, they have had their pupils front and centre in their minds and have been absolutely dedicated in trying to provide as normal as possible an experience for our children and young people at this very worrying time. And as I said, they've been doing that under great, great pressure, for which I am very grateful. 

Of course, there will be a continuing role for teachers and teaching assistants, and we are in daily contact—my department is—with the teaching unions to discuss how best to take things forward. I met yesterday with the Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services to talk about the role of youth workers in this scenario. As I said, I earlier met with the leader of the WLGA to look at the plethora of professional staff that we have within our local authorities with the skills and the aptitude to be able to assist us as we move forward. I will update Members as those plans develop, but there is a role for everybody who has the appropriate qualifications, skills and knowledge to be working with our children at this time. 

Yn wir, mae gweithwyr addysg proffesiynol wedi bod ar y rheng flaen ac yn ein hamddiffyn wrth i'r wlad hon wynebu'r epidemig hwn, a hoffwn achub ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch iddynt, pob un ohonynt, am yr hyn y maent wedi bod yn ei wneud, yn aml mewn amgylchiadau anodd iawn. Hyd yn oed pan fyddant wedi bod yn poeni, efallai, am eu hanwyliaid eu hunain, mae eu disgyblion wedi bod yn hollbwysig iddynt ac maent wedi bod yn gwbl ymroddedig wrth geisio darparu profiad mor normal â phosibl i'n plant a'n pobl ifanc yn y cyfnod cythryblus hwn. Ac fel y dywedais, maent wedi bod yn gwneud hynny o dan bwysau enfawr, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn iddynt am hynny.

Wrth gwrs, bydd rôl barhaus i'n hathrawon a'n cynorthwywyr addysgu ei chwarae, ac rydym mewn cysylltiad dyddiol—fy adran i—gydag undebau'r athrawon i drafod y ffordd orau o fwrw ymlaen â phethau. Cyfarfûm ddoe â Chyngor Cymreig y Gwasanaethau Ieuenctid Gwirfoddol i drafod rôl gweithwyr ieuenctid yn y senario hon. Fel y dywedais, cyfarfûm yn gynharach ag arweinydd CLlLC i edrych ar y llu o staff proffesiynol sydd gennym yn ein hawdurdodau lleol sydd â'r sgiliau a'r ddawn i allu ein cynorthwyo wrth inni symud ymlaen. Byddaf yn rhoi diweddariad i'r Aelodau wrth i'r cynlluniau hynny ddatblygu, ond mae rôl i bawb sydd â'r cymwysterau, y sgiliau a'r wybodaeth briodol i weithio gyda'n plant ar yr adeg hon.

13:55

Diolch. Dwi jest yn mynd i fynd yn ôl at gwpwl o bethau sydd ddim wedi cael eu hateb—dwi wedi'u gofyn nhw'n barod, ac mae'n ddrwg gen i, dwi wedi gofyn lot o gwestiynau, dwi'n gwybod. Felly, dwi'n meddwl bod hwn yn bwysig: beth ydy'r canllawiau i'r ysgolion sydd wedi cau yn barod? Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod yna restr o ysgolion sydd wedi anfon at y rhieni yn dweud, 'Rydyn ni wedi cau' yr wythnos yma. A oes disgwyl iddyn nhw ailagor yn eu rôl newydd nhw? Ac wedyn, o ran rôl newydd yr ysgol, beth fydd—? Sut byddwch chi'n delio efo materion cymhleth diogelwch plant, i wneud yn siŵr bod y plant fydd yn dal yn mynd i'r ysgol yn parhau i fod yn ddiogel os nad ydy'r ysgolion yma'n cael eu diffinio fel 'sefydliadau addysgol' ar hyn o bryd? 

Thank you. I just want to return to a couple of things that haven’t been answered. I've asked them already—I’m sorry, I’ve asked you a lot of questions, I know—but I think this is important. What are the guidelines for the schools that have already closed? We know that there is a list of schools that have told parents that they’ve already closed this week. Will they be expected to reopen in their new role? And then, in terms of the new role of the school, how will you be dealing with complex safety issues for children, to ensure that the children who still go to school will still be secure within the education settings at present?

I have to be absolutely clear to Members, I do not anticipate that, at the end of this extended Easter recess, we will be in a position to go back to schools as normal. I cannot give any guarantees and that should be nobody's expectation. So, we will not be expecting, nor do I envisage, that every school will be open. We will be working with local government partners to identify certain sites where these services can be organised and offered, but it is not my expectation that every single school will be opening and functioning as normal at the end of this Easter recess. Clearly, we will be keeping that situation under constant review, but we will be looking to work with local authorities to have the most pragmatic management of our resources as possible as we face this unprecedented pressure. 

Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud yn gwbl glir wrth yr Aelodau nad wyf yn rhagweld, ar ddiwedd y toriad estynedig hwn dros y Pasg, y byddwn mewn sefyllfa i fynd yn ôl i'r ysgol fel arfer. Ni allaf roi unrhyw warantau ac ni ddylai unrhyw un ddisgwyl hynny. Felly, ni fyddwn yn disgwyl, ac nid wyf yn rhagweld, y bydd pob ysgol ar agor. Byddwn yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid llywodraeth leol i nodi rhai safleoedd lle gellir trefnu a chynnig y gwasanaethau hyn, ond nid wyf yn disgwyl y bydd pob ysgol yn agor ac yn gweithredu fel arfer ar ôl toriad y Pasg. Yn amlwg, byddwn yn adolygu'r sefyllfa honno'n gyson, ond byddwn yn ceisio gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i reoli ein hadnoddau yn y ffordd fwyaf pragmatig wrth inni wynebu'r pwysau digynsail hwn.

Coronafeirws
Coronavirus

3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y cyngor a roddir i athrawon am coronafeirws? OAQ55254

3. Will the Minister make a statement on the advice given to teachers about coronavirus? OAQ55254

7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y canllawiau diweddaraf ar gyfer ysgolion yng Nghanol De Cymru yng ngoleuni'r achosion o coronafeirws? OAQ55248

7. Will the Minister make a statement on the latest guidance for schools in South Wales Central in light of the coronavirus outbreak? OAQ55248

Presiding Officer, I understand that you have given your permission for question 3 and 7 to be grouped.

The Welsh Government and Public Health Wales have issued guidance to schools over education and other educational settings on the coronavirus, and the Member will be aware of my statement that I issued at 1 o'clock this afternoon.

Lywydd, deallaf eich bod wedi caniatáu i gwestiynau 3 a 7 gael eu grwpio.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru ac Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru wedi cyhoeddi canllawiau i ysgolion ynghylch addysg a lleoliadau addysgol eraill ar y coronafeirws, a bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol o'r datganiad a wneuthum am 1 o’r gloch y prynhawn yma.

Thank you. And, again I'd like to put on record my thanks to everybody involved with the schools and teachers. As you quite rightly point out, it's a very anxious time for everyone.

In the short time—. My questions were completely different but as things are changing by the minute and by the hour, already I've been asked—. Some teachers are expressing concerns regarding coursework deadlines, because these, of course, were intended to be in by Easter, and some pupils have 30 per cent of work left to complete, particularly so concerns around exam group years 11 and 13, so what are your instructions and guidance there? Will the WJEC and the Joint Council for Qualifications be putting a statement out at all? And another concern is online teaching—some now, with learning from home, believe that a lot of this will be carried out online. Well, as you're aware, in many rural communities they just don't have the broadband facilities, so what measures will you take to ensure that there is some kind of parity of expectation in terms of where—? Certainly my own constituents, some of them their broadband is—well, they haven't got superfast broadband, so there will be complications there. Thank you. 

Diolch. Ac unwaith eto, hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch i bawb sy'n ymwneud â'r ysgolion a'r athrawon. Fel y nodwch, yn gwbl gywir, mae'n gyfnod pryderus iawn i bawb.

Yn yr amser byr—. Roedd fy nghwestiynau'n hollol wahanol, ond gan fod pethau'n newid bob munud a bob awr, gofynnwyd i mi eisoes—. Mae rhai athrawon yn mynegi pryderon ynghylch terfynau amser ar gyfer gwaith cwrs, gan mai'r bwriad oedd iddo gael ei gyflwyno erbyn y Pasg, ac mae gan rai disgyblion 30 y cant o'r gwaith ar ôl i'w gwblhau, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â grwpiau arholiadau blynyddoedd 11 a 13, felly beth yw eich cyfarwyddiadau a'ch arweiniad yn hynny o beth? A fydd CBAC a'r Cyd-Gyngor Cymwysterau yn cyhoeddi datganiad o gwbl? A phryder arall yw addysgu ar-lein—mae rhai pobl bellach, gyda dysgu gartref, yn credu y bydd llawer o hyn yn digwydd ar-lein. Wel, fel y gwyddoch, mewn llawer o gymunedau gwledig, nid oes ganddynt gyfleusterau band eang, felly pa fesurau y byddwch yn eu rhoi ar waith i sicrhau bod rhyw fath o gydraddoldeb yn y disgwyliadau o ran ble—? Yn sicr, o ran fy etholwyr fy hun, mae band eang rhai ohonynt—wel, nid oes ganddynt fand eang cyflym iawn, felly bydd cymhlethdodau ynghlwm wrth hynny. Diolch.

Can I sympathise with the Member? She's absolutely right when she says that this is a fast-moving situation—actually, minutes feel long at the moment, let alone hours and days, so I sympathise with the Member. She is right, issues around assessment—formal assessments and examinations will be at the forefront of our secondary school practitioners, which is why, as I said in answer to your colleague Suzy Davies, I will be looking to make an announcement as soon as possible following my meeting with Qualifications Wales and the WJEC this morning.

With regard to online learning, she's absolutely right. Actually, this Government's investment in Hwb and the development of the Hwb has put us at the absolute forefront of our ability to deliver online learning, as is the fact that every single child in Wales, via Hwb, has access to Microsoft Office and such software, as do all our teaching professionals. So, they can access that—they can use that software free of charge from home. But she is right, we do have to be mindful of equity in this situation, although I hope that she will agree with me that we're not going to get it perfect because we are dealing with such extraordinary circumstances. But she will be aware that we've been working closely with schools in the run-up to this decision, and schools where I know—where they know—that internet access could be problematic for their children have produced home learning packs in hard copy and are sending those home with children. So, those teachers who know that this could be an issue have already been anticipating and looking at different ways in which they can support children's education going forward. 

A gaf fi gydymdeimlo â'r Aelod? Mae'n llygad ei lle wrth ddweud bod hon yn sefyllfa sy'n newid yn gyflym—mewn gwirionedd, mae munudau'n teimlo'n hir ar hyn o bryd, heb sôn am oriau a dyddiau, felly rwy'n cydymdeimlo â'r Aelod. Mae'n llygad ei lle, bydd materion sy'n ymwneud ag asesu—asesiadau ffurfiol ac arholiadau yn hollbwysig i'n haddysgwyr uwchradd, a dyna pam, fel y dywedais wrth ateb eich cyd-Aelod, Suzy Davies, y byddaf yn ceisio gwneud cyhoeddiad cyn gynted â phosibl yn dilyn fy nghyfarfod â Cymwysterau Cymru a CBAC y bore yma.

O ran dysgu ar-lein, mae hi'n gwbl gywir. Mewn gwirionedd, mae buddsoddiad y Llywodraeth hon yn Hwb a datblygiad yr Hwb wedi sicrhau ein bod yn gallu darparu cymaint ag sy'n bosibl o ddysgu ar-lein, yn ogystal â'r ffaith bod gan bob plentyn yng Nghymru, drwy Hwb, fynediad at Microsoft Office a meddalwedd o'r fath, fel ein holl weithwyr addysg proffesiynol. Felly, gallant gael hwnnw—gallant ddefnyddio'r feddalwedd honno yn rhad ac am ddim gartref. Ond mae hi'n gwbl gywir, mae'n rhaid inni gofio tegwch yn y sefyllfa hon, er fy mod yn gobeithio y bydd yn cytuno â mi nad ydym yn mynd i wneud popeth yn berffaith gan ein bod yn wynebu amgylchiadau mor eithriadol. Ond fe fydd yn ymwybodol ein bod wedi bod yn gweithio'n agos gydag ysgolion cyn gwneud y penderfyniad hwn, ac mae ysgolion lle rwy'n gwybod—lle maent hwy'n gwybod—y gallai mynediad at y rhyngrwyd fod yn anodd i'w plant wedi cynhyrchu pecynnau dysgu gartref ar ffurf copïau caled, ac maent yn eu hanfon adref gyda'r plant. Felly, mae'r athrawon sy'n gwybod y gallai hyn fod yn broblem eisoes wedi bod yn rhagweld ac yn edrych ar wahanol ffyrdd y gallant gefnogi addysg plant yn y dyfodol.

14:00

I appreciate the answers you've given to date, Minister, and it is a very fast-moving situation. One of the questions that would have been asked many times today would have been about the opening of schools. You've already answered that question with your announcement before question time. I appreciate you've given timelines to, say, in the near future, and I'm not looking for a day, I'm not looking for a week, because I appreciate that's difficult at this time, but are we likely to get any more information around examinations by the end of the week or should we expect next week to get more information on that? Because I don't think it's an unreasonable assumption that many constituents are going to come to us—as I said, not looking for exact days, hours or minutes when the statement might come, but I think if we can give broad narratives of when this information might be available, that would be at least helpful at this stage. So, should we anticipate more information next week or might we get something by the end of the week?

Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'r atebion rydych chi wedi'u rhoi hyd yma, Weinidog, ac mae'n sefyllfa sy'n newid yn gyflym iawn. Un cwestiwn a fydd wedi'i ofyn sawl gwaith heddiw yw'r un am agor ysgolion. Rydych eisoes wedi ateb y cwestiwn hwnnw gyda'ch cyhoeddiad cyn y cwestiynau. Rwy'n sylweddoli eich bod wedi rhoi amserlenni hyd at bwynt, dyweder, yn y dyfodol agos, ac nid wyf yn edrych am ddiwrnod, nid wyf yn edrych am wythnos, gan fy mod yn derbyn bod hynny'n anodd ar hyn o bryd, ond a ydym yn debygol o gael unrhyw wybodaeth bellach ynghylch arholiadau erbyn diwedd yr wythnos, neu a ddylem ddisgwyl tan yr wythnos nesaf i gael mwy o wybodaeth am hynny? Oherwydd ni chredaf ei bod yn rhagdybiaeth afresymol y bydd llawer o etholwyr yn dod atom—fel y dywedais, nid wyf yn edrych am yr union ddyddiau, oriau neu funudau pan ddaw'r datganiad, ond os gallwn roi naratifau eang ynglŷn â pha bryd y gallai'r wybodaeth hon fod ar gael, credaf y byddai hynny o gymorth, o leiaf, ar hyn o bryd. Felly, a ddylem ddisgwyl mwy o wybodaeth yr wythnos nesaf, neu a allem gael rhywbeth erbyn diwedd yr wythnos?

Andrew, I appreciate how challenging the announcements on bringing forward the Easter recess will be to students, to teachers and parents, and I say that as a parent of a child that is in year 13 and is in year 11. So, I know how crucial and anxious children are. I would be very disappointed if we cannot make a further decision before the end of this week, because we will need to operationalise the processes around that decision.

Andrew, rwy’n sylweddoli pa mor heriol fydd y cyhoeddiadau ar gael toriad y Pasg yn gynt i fyfyrwyr, i athrawon ac i rieni, a dywedaf hynny fel rhiant i blant sydd ym mlwyddyn 13 ac ym mlwyddyn 11. Felly, gwn pa mor hollbwysig yw hyn a pha mor bryderus yw plant. Buaswn yn siomedig iawn pe na allem wneud penderfyniad pellach cyn diwedd yr wythnos, gan y bydd angen inni roi'r prosesau sydd ynghlwm wrth y penderfyniad hwnnw ar waith.

Tynnwyd cwestiwn 4 [OAQ55262] yn ôl. Felly, cwestiwn 5, Hefin David.

Question 4 [OAQ55262] has been withdrawn. Therefore, question 5, Hefin David.

Safonau Ysgolion
School Standards

5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am safonau ysgolion yng Nghymru? OAQ55257

5. Will the Minister make a statement on school standards in Wales? OAQ55257

Our national mission in Wales is to raise standards for all of our children. I was pleased to read in Estyn's 2018-19 annual report that standards are good or better in the majority of Welsh schools. However, it is very clear to me that improvements need to be made, especially in our secondary sector.

Cenhadaeth ein cenedl yng Nghymru yw codi safonau ar gyfer pob un o'n plant. Roeddwn yn falch o ddarllen yn adroddiad blynyddol Estyn 2018-19 fod safonau'n dda neu'n well yn y rhan fwyaf o ysgolion Cymru. Fodd bynnag, mae'n amlwg iawn i mi fod angen gwneud gwelliannau, yn enwedig yn ein sector uwchradd.

When I tabled the question last week, my intention was to celebrate those improvements in standards, particularly in Hendre Infants School, Trinity Fields School, Nant Y Parc Primary School, St Cenydd Community School, and, most recently, Cylch Meithrin Tonyfelin. These improvements are very welcome, but things are changing with schools as we've seen with the discussion we've had today and the announcement you've made. Therefore, can I ask how will the Welsh Government consider the impact on the Welsh Government's own school categorisation system, and in future inspections, of what has happened in the last few weeks, particularly with parents who've kept their children out of school, although they've not been advised to do so, and teachers who may have been self-isolating and unable to attend? How can we be sure that that won't have a long-term effect on the school categorisation and the standards in schools across Wales? 

Pan gyflwynais y cwestiwn yr wythnos diwethaf, fy mwriad oedd dathlu'r gwelliannau yn y safonau, yn enwedig yn Ysgol Babanod Hendre, Ysgol Cae'r Drindod, Ysgol Gynradd Nant-y-Parc, Ysgol Gymunedol Sant Cenydd, ac yn fwyaf diweddar, Cylch Meithrin Tonyfelin. Mae croeso mawr i'r gwelliannau hyn, ond mae pethau'n newid gydag ysgolion, fel y gwelsom gyda'r drafodaeth a gawsom heddiw a'r cyhoeddiad a wnaethoch. Felly, a gaf fi ofyn sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ystyried effaith yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd dros yr wythnosau diwethaf ar system gategoreiddio ysgolion Llywodraeth Cymru, ac unrhyw arolygiadau yn y dyfodol, yn enwedig gyda rhieni sydd wedi cadw eu plant o'r ysgol, er na chawsant eu cynghori i wneud hynny, ac athrawon sydd efallai wedi bod yn hunanynysu ac yn methu mynychu? Sut y gallwn fod yn sicr na fydd hynny'n cael effaith hirdymor ar gategoreiddio ysgolion ac ar safonau mewn ysgolion ledled Cymru?

Well, first of all, I'd like to join you in celebrating the successes of the schools that you've mentioned. As you know, I have a particular soft spot for Trinity Fields especially, which is one of our outstanding special schools, not just in your area, but actually across Wales.

I want to make it absolutely clear to our teaching professionals that we're not operating in normal times. You will be aware, after discussions over the weekend with Estyn, that all inspections have been suspended. We have also stood down all our challenge adviser work from the regional consortia at the beginning of this week to take that pressure off schools. I want to make it absolutely clear, whilst we have been continuing to record attendance data, we have done that to ensure that we have live information about what is actually happening on the ground, and that data will not be used for any kind of performance or accountability measures. We are not operating in normal times, and it would not be fair to our schools if we were to continue to operate our usual accountability regimes at this moment. I want to reassure the profession that I understand that, Estyn understands that, and the regional consortia and the local education authorities understand that. All rules are off. Should we be able to be in a position of bringing schools back, for instance, we would not expect schools to undertake testing—the assessments that are still done on paper, for instance. But I think that is probably a moot point now. But I want to reassure schools that we will not be using our usual methods at this time, because we are in extraordinary circumstances.

Wel, yn gyntaf, hoffwn ymuno â chi i ddathlu llwyddiannau'r ysgolion y sonioch chi amdanynt. Fel y gwyddoch, mae gennyf feddwl mawr o Ysgol Cae'r Drindod yn enwedig, sy'n un o'n hysgolion arbennig rhagorol, nid yn unig yn eich ardal chi, ond ledled Cymru.

Hoffwn ddweud yn gwbl glir wrth ein gweithwyr addysg proffesiynol nad ydym yn gweithredu mewn cyfnod arferol. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod, ar ôl trafodaethau dros y penwythnos gydag Estyn, fod pob arolwg wedi’i ohirio. Rydym hefyd wedi gohirio holl waith ein cynghorwyr herio o'r consortia rhanbarthol ar ddechrau'r wythnos hon i gael gwared ar y pwysau hwnnw ar ysgolion. Hoffwn ddweud yn gwbl glir, er ein bod wedi parhau i gofnodi data presenoldeb, rydym wedi gwneud hynny i sicrhau bod gennym wybodaeth fyw am yr hyn sy'n digwydd ar lawr gwlad, ac ni fydd y data hwnnw'n cael ei ddefnyddio ar gyfer unrhyw fath o fesurau atebolrwydd neu berfformiad. Nid ydym yn gweithredu mewn cyfnod arferol, ac ni fyddai’n deg i’n hysgolion pe baem yn parhau i weithredu ein cyfundrefnau atebolrwydd arferol ar hyn o bryd. Hoffwn roi sicrwydd i'r proffesiwn fy mod i'n deall hynny, mae Estyn yn deall hynny, ac mae'r consortia rhanbarthol a'r awdurdodau addysg lleol yn deall hynny. Mae'r holl reolau'n amherthnasol. Os gallwn fod mewn sefyllfa i ailagor ysgolion, er enghraifft, ni fyddem yn disgwyl iddynt gynnal profion—yr asesiadau sy'n dal i gael eu cynnal ar bapur, er enghraifft. Ond mae'n debyg nad yw hynny'n berthnasol bellach. Ond hoffwn roi sicrwydd i ysgolion na fyddwn yn defnyddio ein dulliau arferol ar yr adeg hon, gan ein bod mewn amgylchiadau eithriadol.

14:05
Hyfforddiant Parhaus i Athrawon
Ongoing Training for Teachers

6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ddarparu hyfforddiant parhaus i athrawon sy'n gweithio yng Nghymru? OAQ55270

6. Will the Minister provide an update on the provision of ongoing training for teachers working in Wales? OAQ55270

Professional learning is crucial to ensuring that all staff—school staff—have the skills to deliver on our education reforms in Wales. We're expecting a profound transformation in the way that our practitioners think about professional learning in the light of the new curriculum, especially. As you can imagine, earlier this week, we had to stand down our professional learning offer. It was not appropriate at that time, when we needed all personnel to be in the classroom and not attending professional learning events.

Mae dysgu proffesiynol yn hanfodol i sicrhau bod gan bob aelod o staff—staff ysgolion—sgiliau i gyflawni ein diwygiadau addysg yng Nghymru. Rydym yn disgwyl trawsnewidiad llwyr yn y ffordd y mae ein haddysgwyr yn meddwl am ddysgu proffesiynol yng ngoleuni'r cwricwlwm newydd, yn enwedig. Fel y gallwch ddychmygu, yn gynharach yr wythnos hon, bu'n rhaid inni dynnu ein cynnig dysgu proffesiynol yn ôl. Nid oedd yn briodol ar y pryd, pan oeddem angen i'r holl bersonél fod yn yr ystafell ddosbarth a pheidio â mynychu digwyddiadau dysgu proffesiynol.

No, and I totally understand that. In fact, I thought about withdrawing this question; I've withdrawn other ones today because I think that the most important thing we've got going on at the moment is, obviously, coronavirus. But I kept this one on because I know that, as the recess develops and we go into the summer, you will be looking at the development of teachers September onwards, and the question, actually, is, really, about supporting our teachers and giving them the ability to handle difficult children, children with behaviour management. I just wonder—not now, but going forward—. I've had a lot of concern from headteachers and teachers in my constituency where the teachers have not really been trained how to handle very disruptive, very aggressive primary schoolchildren. They don't want to ban them from school—that doesn't help anyone—but the teachers themselves need more resilience, more coping skills, more training, and I wondered if you would address that.

And please will you forgive me—or give me some indulgence—but, when you make your statement next week, could I ask you to consider giving us an update on, if the schools are going to be closed for a longer period of time than perhaps just Easter, whether we'd be able to use school facilities for the children of very important front-line healthcare, social care workers, or what we might be able to do? Because if we take them out of our health and social care workforce, our pharmacists, our police, we're really stuck. Thank you.

Na, ac rwy'n deall hynny'n iawn. Mewn gwirionedd, bûm yn meddwl tynnu'r cwestiwn hwn yn ôl; rwyf wedi tynnu rhai eraill yn ôl heddiw gan y credaf mai'r peth pwysicaf sy'n digwydd ar hyn o bryd, yn amlwg, yw'r coronafeirws. Ond cedwais yr un hwn gan y gwn, wrth i'r toriad barhau ac wrth inni ddod at yr haf, y byddwch yn edrych ar ddatblygiad athrawon o fis Medi ymlaen, ac mae'r cwestiwn, mewn gwirionedd, yn ymwneud â chefnogi ein hathrawon a rhoi'r gallu iddynt drin plant anodd, plant â phroblemau ymddygiad. Tybed—nid nawr, ond yn y dyfodol—. Mae penaethiaid ac athrawon yn fy etholaeth wedi mynegi llawer o bryderon am nad yw'r athrawon wedi cael eu hyfforddi sut i drin plant aflonyddgar ac ymosodol iawn mewn ysgolion cynradd. Nid ydynt am eu gwahardd o'r ysgol—nid yw hynny'n helpu unrhyw un—ond mae angen mwy o gadernid, mwy o sgiliau ymdopi, mwy o hyfforddiant ar yr athrawon eu hunain, a tybed a wnewch chi roi sylw i hynny?

Ac a wnewch chi faddau i mi—neu fod yn amyneddgar â mi—ond pan fyddwch yn gwneud eich datganiad yr wythnos nesaf, a gaf fi ofyn ichi ystyried rhoi diweddariad inni, os yw'r ysgolion yn mynd i fod ar gau am gyfnod hwy o amser na'r Pasg yn unig efallai, p'un a fyddem yn gallu defnyddio cyfleusterau ysgolion ar gyfer plant gweithwyr gofal iechyd pwysig iawn ar y rheng flaen, gweithwyr gofal cymdeithasol, neu beth y gallem ei wneud? Oherwydd os ydym yn eu tynnu allan o'n gweithlu iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, ein fferyllwyr, ein heddlu, rydym mewn trafferth mawr. Diolch.

Well, the Member is right; we need to identify and support teachers in all their professional development needs. If I can be slightly breaking the rules as well this afternoon, as we all seem to be doing, Siân Gwenllian did raise the issue of initial teacher education and those students who will be on placement. Members here will know that ITE students need to complete a certain number of hours to gain their qualification. I have confirmed with all our ITE providers that those usual rules have been suspended. The vast majority of hours have already been completed, and I am not prepared to miss out on those talented students getting into our workforce for the sake of a few extra hours in our schools. So, I want to reassure them that they will not be disbenefited because they cannot complete their work placements in schools. We need them in our teaching workforce and we will not jeopardise that position.

The Member is absolutely right—I'm sorry if I haven't made it clear previously—when we think about the repurposing of our school estate, we will absolutely be looking at providing opportunities for those people who we need to continue to work, in its widest possible sense, to be able to avail themselves of opportunities to have their children attend meaningful, purposeful activity, probably out of a school building. We'll be working very closely with the local authorities to identify where are the best places to do that. We will be calling on all our professional resources—teachers, youth workers, sports development workers, arts practitioners—to ensure that that time is fun, it's meaningful and it's useful and can give parents real confidence so that they can do what they need to do and, my goodness me, do we need them to carry on doing what they are doing and not to be distracted about who is looking after their children and what their children are doing.

That is absolutely—. That's one of the reasons why we've kept schools going as long as we have, because they have been playing that vital role. We cannot say it too often, can we? We're ever so grateful. We know our healthcare workers are on the front line, but our teachers have been doing their bit as well to support this national effort.

Wel, mae'r Aelod yn llygad ei lle; mae angen inni nodi a chefnogi athrawon gyda'u holl anghenion datblygu proffesiynol. Os caf dorri'r rheolau ychydig y prynhawn yma hefyd, fel yr ymddengys bod pob un ohonom yn ei wneud, cododd Siân Gwenllian fater addysg gychwynnol i athrawon a'r myfyrwyr a fydd ar leoliad. Bydd yr Aelodau yma'n ymwybodol fod angen i fyfyrwyr AGA gwblhau nifer penodol o oriau i ennill eu cymhwyster. Rwyf wedi cadarnhau gyda'n holl ddarparwyr AGA fod y rheolau arferol hynny wedi'u hatal. Mae'r mwyafrif helaeth o oriau eisoes wedi'u cwblhau, ac nid wyf yn barod i golli'r myfyrwyr talentog hynny sy'n dod yn rhan o'n gweithlu ar gorn ychydig oriau ychwanegol yn ein hysgolion. Felly, rwyf am roi sicrwydd iddynt na fyddant ar eu colled am na allant gwblhau eu lleoliadau gwaith mewn ysgolion. Mae arnom eu hangen yn ein gweithlu addysgu ac ni fyddwn yn peryglu'r sefyllfa honno.

Mae'r Aelod yn llygad ei lle—mae'n ddrwg gennyf os nad wyf wedi dweud hynny'n glir eisoes—pan fyddwn yn meddwl am ail-bwrpasu ein hystâd ysgolion, byddwn yn sicr yn ystyried darparu cyfleoedd i'r bobl hynny rydym angen iddynt barhau i weithio, yn yr ystyr ehangaf posibl, i allu manteisio ar gyfleoedd i'w plant fynychu gweithgareddau ystyrlon, pwrpasol, mewn adeilad ysgol yn ôl pob tebyg. Byddwn yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda'r awdurdodau lleol i nodi'r lleoedd gorau i wneud hynny. Byddwn yn pwyso ar ein holl adnoddau proffesiynol—athrawon, gweithwyr ieuenctid, gweithwyr datblygu chwaraeon, ymarferwyr celfyddydol—i sicrhau bod yr amser hwnnw'n hwyl, yn ystyrlon ac yn ddefnyddiol ac y gall roi gwir hyder i rieni fel y gallant wneud yr hyn sydd angen iddynt ei wneud, a bobl bach, rydym angen iddynt barhau i wneud yr hyn y maent yn ei wneud a pheidio â gorfod meddwl am bwy sy'n gofalu am eu plant a beth y mae eu plant yn ei wneud.

Mae hynny'n gwbl—. Dyna un o'r rhesymau pam ein bod wedi cadw ysgolion ar agor cyhyd ag y gwnaethom, gan eu wedi bod yn chwarae'r rôl hanfodol honno. Ni allwn ddweud hyn yn rhy aml. Rydym mor ddiolchgar. Gwyddom fod ein gweithwyr gofal iechyd ar y rheng flaen, ond mae ein hathrawon wedi bod yn chwarae eu rhan hefyd i gefnogi'r ymdrech genedlaethol hon.

Pwysigrwydd Perthnasau Iach
The Importance of Healthy Relationships

8. A wnaiff y Gweinidog amlinellu'r ffordd y caiff disgyblion o oedran ysgol gorfodol yng Nghwm Cynon eu haddysgu ynghylch pwysigrwydd perthnasau iach? OAQ55240

8. Will the Minister outline the way in which compulsory school age pupils within the Cynon Valley are taught the importance of healthy relationships? OAQ55240

High-quality relationship and sexuality education has an important role to play in supporting learners in recognising healthy, safe relationships and understanding that. That's why relationship and sexuality education will be a mandatory part of our new curriculum.

Mae gan addysg cydberthynas a rhywioldeb o ansawdd uchel ran bwysig i'w chwarae yn cynorthwyo dysgwyr i nodi ac i ddeall beth yw perthynas iach a diogel. Dyna pam y bydd addysg cydberthynas a rhywioldeb yn rhan orfodol o'n cwricwlwm newydd.

Thank you for your answer, Minister, and I do applaud you for making that a mandatory part of the curriculum.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Hafan Cymru to discuss the Welsh Government-funded Spectrum project. I was very impressed by that, with the age-appropriate content around healthy relationships and domestic abuse that they offer to Welsh schools, and, crucially, free of charge as well, which is quite a rarity these days. When our schools do reconvene after the coronavirus epidemic is over, I’m sure that our pupils will need support in these areas more than ever. So, how is the Welsh Government encouraging schools in Wales to take up the sessions that Spectrum offers?

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog, ac rwy'n eich canmol am wneud hynny'n rhan orfodol o'r cwricwlwm.

Yn ddiweddar, cefais y pleser o gyfarfod â Hafan Cymru i drafod prosiect Sbectrwm a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Gwnaeth argraff fawr arnaf, gyda’r cynnwys sy’n briodol i oedran ar berthnasoedd iach a cham-drin domestig y maent yn ei gynnig i ysgolion Cymru, ac yn hollbwysig, yn rhad ac am ddim hefyd, sy’n beth prin y dyddiau hyn. Pan fydd ein hysgolion yn ailymgynnull ar ôl i epidemig y coronafeirws ddod i ben, rwy'n siŵr y bydd angen mwy o gefnogaeth nag erioed ar ein disgyblion yn y meysydd hyn. Felly, sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn annog ysgolion yng Nghymru i fanteisio ar y sesiynau y mae Sbectrwm yn eu cynnig?

14:10

Can I, alongside Vikki, commend the work and the Spectrum project? Quite often in this Chamber we debate the issue of domestic violence and our response to domestic violence. One of the most effective things that we can do is to ensure that all of our children, no matter who they are, where they're from, understand what a healthy relationship looks like, understand their responsibilities in a relationship, but also understand their rights within a relationship and how to challenge behaviours and how to seek help if that is appropriate. That's how, eventually, I hope that we can tackle the scourge of domestic violence—by better educating all of our children and young people.

You're right; there are a variety of ways in which we can promote the project and the fact that these resources and this training are free, and I would be happy to share some of those with Vikki once we're back in business, back to normal, and we can get our schools and our children back to normal as soon as we can.

A gaf fi, ynghyd â Vikki, gymeradwyo'r gwaith hwn a phrosiect Sbectrwm? Yn eithaf aml yn y Siambr hon, rydym yn trafod mater trais domestig a'n hymateb i drais domestig. Un o'r pethau mwyaf effeithiol y gallwn eu gwneud yw sicrhau bod pob un o'n plant, ni waeth pwy ydynt, o ble maent yn dod, yn deall sut beth yw perthynas iach, yn deall eu cyfrifoldebau mewn perthynas, ond hefyd yn deall eu hawliau mewn perthynas a sut i herio ymddygiad a sut i geisio cymorth os yw hynny'n briodol. Yn y pen draw, dyna sut y gobeithiaf y gallwn fynd i'r afael â malltod trais domestig—drwy addysgu pob un o'n plant a'n pobl ifanc yn well.

Rydych yn llygad eich lle; mae nifer o ffyrdd y gallwn hyrwyddo'r prosiect a'r ffaith bod yr adnoddau hyn a'r hyfforddiant hwn yn rhad ac am ddim, ac rwy'n fwy na pharod i rannu rhai o'r rheini â Vikki pan fyddwn yn ôl wrthi, ar waith fel arfer, a gallwn sicrhau bod ein hysgolion a'n plant yn ôl i'r arfer cyn gynted ag y gallwn.

Rhwystrau rhag Mynediad i Ddisgyblion Anabl mewn Ysgolion
Barriers to Access for Disabled Pupils in School

9. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn dileu rhwystrau rhag mynediad i ddisgyblion anabl mewn ysgolion? OAQ55247

9. How is the Welsh Government removing barriers to access for disabled pupils in school? OAQ55247

Thank you, Mark. I am committed to ensuring an inclusive education system, in which all of our learners are effectively supported to overcome barriers to learning. Our ambitious additional learning needs reforms will drive improvements and raise awareness of ALN to ensure that all of our learners can achieve their full potential.

Diolch, Mark. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau system addysg gynhwysol, lle mae pob un o'n dysgwyr yn cael eu cefnogi'n effeithiol i oresgyn rhwystrau rhag dysgu. Bydd ein diwygiadau uchelgeisiol i anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn llywio gwelliannau ac yn codi ymwybyddiaeth o ADY i sicrhau y gall pob un o'n dysgwyr gyflawni eu potensial llawn.

It's now, I think, two years since the children's commissioner produced her follow-up report on wheelchair accessibility in schools in Wales, 'Full Lives: Equal Access', which identified a number of areas for improvement, some of which were strict duties under the Equality Act 2010, some of which were not. It found, for example,

'over-reliance on individual schools to plan for the needs of pupils with physical disabilities'

and that only one of Wales's 22 councils had sought the views of young people when drafting their accessibility strategy. Amongst the things it said that needed to happen was consultation with children and young people and their families, which is a duty under the Equality Act 2010 and has to form part of the accessibility strategies and plans to make these meaningful and uphold the rights of children across Wales. All local authorities and schools should therefore be consulting with children, young people and their families in preparing their strategy or plan.

How, therefore, do you respond to a situation of which I've been made aware where a local education authority, having accessed a school site, told the parents of a young wheelchair user that they were not prepared to pay for the adaptations needed for the site and that the pupil was going to be moved to another school before discussing the child's needs with the parents. Fortunately, the parents understood the law, their rights, both devolved and non-devolved, and they're now in engagement, but only because they battled to become so, and they're now discussing proposed alternative adaptations. So, how, two years after that key report, can you or will you re-engage with local education authorities, some of whom are still pursuing these archaic and discriminatory practices?

Mae dwy flynedd bellach, rwy'n credu, ers i'r comisiynydd plant gynhyrchu ei hadroddiad dilynol ar hygyrchedd i ddefnyddwyr cadair olwyn mewn ysgolion yng Nghymru, 'Bywydau Llawn: Mynediad Cyfartal', a nodai nifer o feysydd i'w gwella, gyda rhai ohonynt yn ddyletswyddau llym o dan Deddf Cydraddoldeb 2010, a rhai nad oeddent. Daeth i'r casgliad, er enghraifft, fod

'gor-ddibyniaeth... ar ysgolion unigol i gynllunio ar gyfer anghenion disgyblion ag anableddau corfforol'

ac mai un yn unig o'r 22 cyngor yng Nghymru a ofynnodd am farn pobl ifanc wrth ddrafftio eu strategaeth hygyrchedd. Ymhlith y pethau y dywedodd fod angen iddynt ddigwydd oedd ymgynghori â phlant a phobl ifanc a'u teuluoedd, sy'n ddyletswydd o dan Ddeddf Cydraddoldeb 2010, ac mae'n rhaid i hynny ffurfio rhan o'r strategaethau a chynlluniau hygyrchedd i wneud y rhain yn ystyrlon ac i gynnal hawliau plant ledled Cymru. Felly, dylai pob awdurdod lleol ac ysgol ymgynghori â phlant, pobl ifanc a'u teuluoedd wrth baratoi eu strategaeth neu gynllun.

Sut rydych chi'n ymateb felly i sefyllfa y tynnwyd fy sylw ati, lle dywedodd awdurdod addysg lleol, ar ôl mynychu safle ysgol, wrth rieni defnyddiwr cadair olwyn ifanc nad oeddent yn barod i dalu am yr addasiadau angenrheidiol ar gyfer y safle, a bod y disgybl yn mynd i gael ei symud i ysgol arall cyn trafod anghenion y plentyn gyda'r rhieni? Yn ffodus, roedd y rhieni'n deall y gyfraith, eu hawliau datganoledig a heb eu datganoli, ac maent bellach yn ymgysylltu, ond dim ond am eu bod wedi brwydro i wneud hynny, ac maent yn trafod addasiadau amgen arfaethedig. Sut, felly, ddwy flynedd ar ôl yr adroddiad allweddol hwnnw, y gallwch neu y byddwch yn ail-ymgysylltu ag awdurdodau addysg lleol, gan fod rhai ohonynt yn dal i weithredu'r arferion hynafol a gwahaniaethol hyn?

Well, Mark, quite rightly, as you said, local authorities have a statutory responsibility for the preparation of an accessibility strategy for their entire educational estate, and schools themselves have a similar statutory responsibility. These strategies and plans must be prepared, implemented, reviewed and renewed every three years, and it's very—I'm appalled by the situation that you've just explained. It's simply not acceptable in my eyes.

Of course, one of the ways in which we are addressing this as a Welsh Government is our twenty-first century schools and colleges building programme, where we take these issues over accessibility as front and centre in what we want to achieve in our educational estate. But schools have existing legal responsibilities, LEAs have existing legal responsibilities, and I'm always happy to investigate those cases that you've just highlighted and challenge the behaviour of local authorities if that's not being adhered to.

Wel, Mark, fel y dywedoch chi, mae'n gwbl deg fod gan awdurdodau lleol gyfrifoldeb statudol am baratoi strategaeth hygyrchedd ar gyfer eu hystâd addysg gyfan, ac mae gan ysgolion eu hunain gyfrifoldeb statudol tebyg. Mae'n rhaid i'r strategaethau a'r cynlluniau hyn gael eu paratoi, eu gweithredu, eu hadolygu a'u hadnewyddu bob tair blynedd, ac mae'n hynod—mae'r sefyllfa rydych newydd ei disgrifio wedi fy mrawychu. Nid yw'n dderbyniol o gwbl yn fy marn i.

Wrth gwrs, un o'r ffyrdd rydym yn mynd i'r afael â hyn fel Llywodraeth Cymru yw drwy ein rhaglen adeiladu ysgolion a cholegau yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, lle rydym yn rhoi ystyriaeth hollbwysig i hygyrchedd mewn perthynas â'r hyn rydym am ei gyflawni yn ein hystâd addysg. Ond mae gan ysgolion gyfrifoldebau cyfreithiol eisoes, mae gan awdurdodau addysg lleol gyfrifoldebau cyfreithiol eisoes, ac rwyf bob amser yn fwy na pharod i ymchwilio i'r achosion rydych newydd dynnu sylw atynt ac i herio ymddygiad awdurdodau lleol os nad ydynt yn glynu at y cyfrifoldebau hynny.

14:15
2. Cwestiynau i Weinidog y Gymraeg a Chysylltiadau Rhyngwladol
2. Questions to the Minister for International Relations and Welsh Language

Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i Weinidog y Gymraeg a Chysylltiadau Rhyngwladol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Caroline Jones. 

The next item, therefore, is the questions to the Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, and the first question is from Caroline Jones. 

Cefnogaeth i'r Diwydiant Twristiaeth
Support for the Tourism Industry

1. Pa gefnogaeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei darparu i'r diwydiant twristiaeth i liniaru'r effaith y gallai coronafeirws ei chael yng Nghymru? OAQ55252

1. What support is the Welsh Government providing to the tourism industry to mitigate the impact that coronavirus may have in Wales? OAQ55252

This is a developing situation. I want to reassure the sector that we're continually monitoring the impact of coronavirus on tourism and working with colleagues across the Welsh Government and the UK Government to take appropriate measures in response to the unfolding situation.

Mae hon yn sefyllfa sy'n datblygu. Hoffwn roi sicrwydd i'r sector ein bod yn monitro effaith y coronafeirws ar dwristiaeth yn barhaus ac yn gweithio gyda chyd-Aelodau ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU i roi camau priodol ar waith mewn ymateb i'r sefyllfa sy'n datblygu.

Diolch, Minister. When I tabled this question last week, who could have imagined that we'd be seeing the effective cancellation of the tourist season before it even began? Minister, hopefully the measures we are taking to halt the spread of coronavirus will mean that life can return to some sense of normality in a month or two.

In the meantime, the impact this pandemic is having on tourism businesses and those who work in tourism is profound. We need to ensure that all businesses, large and small, survive this crisis. Bans on international travel will mean more staycations once the UK relaxes the current restrictions. However, unless the sector gets the help that it needs in the short term, we won't have a sector come the summer.

Minister, what other measures have you discussed with colleagues across the UK? Have you given any consideration to Government agencies using holiday lets, hotels and B&Bs to provide shelter for the homeless or as temporary accommodation for key workers? This is an unprecedented situation for which we need to seek unprecedented solutions.

Diolch, Weinidog. Pan gyflwynais y cwestiwn hwn yr wythnos diwethaf, pwy allai fod wedi dychmygu y byddai'r tymor twristiaeth yn cael ei ganslo i bob pwrpas cyn iddo ddechrau hyd yn oed? Weinidog, gobeithio y bydd y mesurau rydym yn eu cymryd i atal lledaeniad y coronafeirws yn golygu y gall bywyd ddychwelyd i ryw fath o normalrwydd ymhen mis neu ddau.

Yn y cyfamser, mae'r effaith y mae'r pandemig hwn yn ei chael ar fusnesau twristiaeth a'r rheini sy'n gweithio ym maes twristiaeth yn ddwys. Mae angen i ni sicrhau bod pob busnes, mawr a bach, yn goroesi'r argyfwng hwn. Bydd gwaharddiadau ar deithio rhyngwladol yn golygu mwy o wyliau gartref ar ôl i'r DU lacio'r cyfyngiadau presennol. Fodd bynnag, oni bai fod y sector yn cael yr help sydd ei angen arno yn y tymor byr, ni fydd gennym sector erbyn yr haf.

Weinidog, pa fesurau eraill rydych wedi'u trafod gyda swyddogion cyfatebol ledled y DU? A ydych wedi rhoi unrhyw ystyriaeth i'r syniad o asiantaethau Llywodraeth yn defnyddio llety gwyliau ar osod, gwestai a llety gwely a brecwast i ddarparu llochesi i bobl ddigartref, neu fel llety dros dro i weithwyr allweddol? Mae hon yn sefyllfa ddigynsail ac mae angen inni geisio dod o hyd i atebion digynsail ar ei chyfer.

Thank you, Caroline Jones. I think you're absolutely right to underline the seriousness of the situation for this particular sector. We know that there are about 11,700 tourism enterprises in Wales, and they employ about 135,000 people. So, this is huge, and we are taking it very, very seriously. Certainly, we hope that some of the measures that we've already put in place will help some of them. We're putting £200 million on the table to make sure that those who have a rateable value of £51,000 or less will receive that 100 per cent business rate relief. But there will be an extra £100 million on the table, and that is something that is currently being discussed, and certainly there's a real awareness and an understanding that this is a sector that needs immediate help. 

Diolch, Caroline Jones. Credaf eich bod yn llygad eich lle yn tanlinellu difrifoldeb y sefyllfa i'r sector penodol hwn. Gwyddom fod oddeutu 11,700 o fentrau twristiaeth yng Nghymru, a'u bod yn cyflogi oddeutu 135,000 o bobl. Felly, mae'n enfawr, ac rydym yn llwyr o ddifrif yn ei gylch. Yn sicr, rydym yn gobeithio y bydd rhai o'r mesurau rydym eisoes wedi'u rhoi ar waith yn helpu rhai ohonynt. Rydym yn darparu £200 miliwn i sicrhau y bydd y rheini sydd â gwerth ardrethol o £51,000 neu lai yn cael rhyddhad ardrethi busnes o 100 y cant. Ond bydd £100 miliwn yn ychwanegol yn cael ei ddarparu, ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod ar hyn o bryd, ac yn sicr, ceir gwir ymwybyddiaeth a dealltwriaeth fod hwn yn sector sydd angen help ar unwaith.

Can I just begin by asking you to say thank you to the officials of the Deputy Minister on my behalf and behalf of the cross-party group on tourism because they've now put some guidance up on the website?

Just on that last point, though, I appreciate that the Chancellor only gave additional details of the finance being made available to Wales yesterday, but even before that Scotland had announced a 75 per cent rates relief for retail hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value of £69,000 and less from 1 April. That is a little bit more helpful for those businesses that are over the £51,000 threshold, as we would see here in Wales.

I appreciate there's a £5,000 reduction on business rates for those businesses over £51,000, but actually the 75 per cent reduction is probably better for them. If you consider that some of these are genuinely local businesses and not big national chains, and also employ more people, I'd be grateful if you or the Deputy Minister would be willing to take that argument to the table on Thursday, when the use of the £100 million you refer to is being discussed. 

My question is this, though: we're right at the beginning of the main tourism season when these businesses, large or small, are considering taking on their seasonal staff. If we want to avoid an explosion of zero-hours contracts, I wonder if you could share your current thoughts on supporting seasonal payroll as well as perhaps giving an indication of how quickly tourism operators know how the rate relief that you've already referred to is going to operate in terms of speed, because that's obviously very pressing for them at the moment. Thank you. 

A gaf fi ddechrau drwy ofyn i chi ddiolch i swyddogion y Dirprwy Weinidog ar fy rhan ac ar ran y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar dwristiaeth, gan eu bod bellach wedi rhoi rhywfaint o ganllawiau ar y wefan?

Ar y pwynt diwethaf, serch hynny, rwy’n derbyn mai ddoe yn unig y rhoddodd y Canghellor fanylion ychwanegol ynglŷn â'r cyllid a oedd ar gael i Gymru, ond hyd yn oed cyn hynny, roedd yr Alban wedi cyhoeddi rhyddhad ardrethi busnes o 75 y cant ar gyfer busnesau manwerthu, lletygarwch a hamdden sydd â gwerth ardrethol o £69,000 neu lai o 1 Ebrill ymlaen. Mae hynny ychydig yn fwy o gymorth i'r busnesau sydd dros y trothwy o £51,000, fel y byddem yn ei weld yma yng Nghymru.

Rwy'n derbyn bod gostyngiad o £5,000 yn yr ardrethi busnes ar gyfer busnesau sy'n werth dros £51,000, ond mewn gwirionedd, mae'n debyg fod y gostyngiad o 75 y cant yn well iddynt. Os ystyriwch fod rhai o'r rhain yn fusnesau gwirioneddol leol yn hytrach na chadwyni cenedlaethol mawr, ac yn cyflogi mwy o bobl hefyd, buaswn yn ddiolchgar pe baech chi neu'r Dirprwy Weinidog yn barod i ddefnyddio'r ddadl honno ddydd Iau, pan fydd y defnydd o'r £100 miliwn y cyfeiriwch ato yn cael ei drafod.

Ond dyma fy nghwestiwn: rydym ar ddechrau'r prif dymor twristiaeth pan fo'r busnesau hyn, mawr neu fach, yn ystyried cyflogi eu staff tymhorol. Os ydym am osgoi ffrwydrad o gontractau dim oriau, tybed a allech rannu eich syniadau cyfredol ynghylch cefnogi'r gyflogres dymhorol, yn ogystal â rhoi syniad, efallai, o ba mor fuan y bydd gweithredwyr twristiaeth yn gwybod sut y mae'r rhyddhad ardrethi y cyfeirioch chi ato eisoes yn mynd i weithredu o ran cyflymder, gan fod hynny'n amlwg yn bwysig iawn iddynt ar hyn o bryd. Diolch.

Thank you. Certainly, we are extremely aware that the people who are significantly under threat here are the SMEs, and they may be averse to borrowing. There are opportunities for them to borrow through the Development Bank of Wales, but obviously some of those are averse to taking that out. So, what we do know now is that we will have consequential funding as a result of the Chancellor's announcement of £1.16 billion, and we are hoping that some of that will specifically be directed towards the retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism sector.

We feel like the Chancellor perhaps should have gone a little bit further than he did do in terms of underwriting the wages of employees who are laid off. So, some of them have already been contracted. I understand your point that some of them would have perhaps just been about to be taken on, but I think, at the moment, we do feel like the Chancellor has got to go a lot further in terms of protecting and underwriting those wages of the employees who are likely to be laid off unless something changes significantly.  

Diolch. Yn sicr, rydym yn hynod o ymwybodol mai'r busnesau bach a chanolig sydd dan fygythiad sylweddol yma, ac efallai eu bod yn amharod i fenthyca. Mae cyfleoedd ar gael iddynt fenthyca drwy Fanc Datblygu Cymru, ond yn amlwg, mae rhai ohonynt yn gyndyn o wneud hynny. Felly, yr hyn a wyddom yn awr yw y byddwn yn cael cyllid canlyniadol yn sgil cyhoeddiad y Canghellor o £1.16 biliwn, ac rydym yn gobeithio y bydd rhywfaint ohono'n cael ei gyfeirio'n benodol tuag at y sector manwerthu, lletygarwch, hamdden a thwristiaeth.

Rydym yn teimlo y dylai'r Canghellor fod wedi mynd ychydig ymhellach nag y gwnaeth o bosibl o ran tanysgrifennu cyflogau gweithwyr sy'n cael eu diswyddo. Felly, mae rhai ohonynt eisoes wedi cael eu contractio. Rwy'n deall eich pwynt y byddai rhai ohonynt wedi bod ar fin cael eu cyflogi, ond ar hyn o bryd, rwy'n credu ein bod yn teimlo bod yn rhaid i'r Canghellor wneud mwy o lawer o ran diogelu a thanysgrifennu cyflogau'r gweithwyr sy'n debygol o gael eu diswyddo oni bai fod rhywbeth yn newid yn sylweddol.

14:20

Tynnwyd cwestiwn 2 [OAQ55267] yn ôl. Cwestiwn 3, Nick Ramsay.

Question 2 [OAQ55267] has been withdrawn. Question 3, Nick Ramsay.

Mentrau Gefeillio Trefi Rhyngwladol
International Town-twinning Initiatives

3. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi mentrau gefeillio trefi rhyngwladol ledled Cymru? OAQ55268

3. How is the Welsh Government supporting international town-twinning initiatives across Wales? OAQ55268

Welsh Government has no formal role in the process for twinning towns, cities and regions, but we do recognise the benefit of town-twinning arrangements and what they can bring. I've written to the Welsh Local Government Association requesting an update on twinning arrangements, but given the current situation, I'm not expecting an imminent response on this matter.

Nid oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru rôl ffurfiol yn y broses ar gyfer gefeillio trefi, dinasoedd a rhanbarthau, ond rydym yn cydnabod budd trefniadau gefeillio trefi a'r hyn y gallant ei gynnig. Rwyf wedi ysgrifennu at Gymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru i ofyn am y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am drefniadau gefeillio, ond o ystyried y sefyllfa bresennol, nid wyf yn disgwyl ymateb ar y mater yn fuan.

Diolch, Gweinidog, for that answer. Clearly, this question was tabled before the seriousness of the current situation developed. You'll probably be aware that the dream of twinning Abergavenny in my constituency with Chinamhora town in Zimbabwe has moved from a dream to a fast-developing reality, with several meetings recently. This is great for Wales-Africa relations. You were involved from the start, with myself and the mayor of Abergavenny and also Dave and Martha Holman from the Love Zimbabwe, so you're aware of what was happening there.

How are you supporting twinning association relationships across Wales, and specifically between towns in Wales and towns in other parts of the world outside of the EU? And, at this time where we see the fast-developing situation with the coronavirus and where that's taking us, how do you see in future the development of twin towns as being a valuable way for towns across the world to communicate and share best practice at times of global crisis?

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Yn amlwg, cyflwynwyd y cwestiwn hwn cyn i ddifrifoldeb y sefyllfa bresennol ddatblygu. Mae'n debyg y byddwch yn ymwybodol fod y freuddwyd o efeillio'r Fenni yn fy etholaeth â thref Chinamhora yn Zimbabwe wedi newid o fod yn freuddwyd i fod yn realiti sy'n datblygu'n gyflym, wrth i sawl cyfarfod gael eu cynnal yn ddiweddar. Mae hyn yn wych ar gyfer cysylltiadau Cymru-Affrica. Rydych wedi bod yn rhan o'r broses o'r dechrau, gyda maer y Fenni a minnau, a hefyd Dave a Martha Holman o Love Zimbabwe, felly rydych yn ymwybodol o'r hyn sydd wedi bod yn digwydd yno.

Sut rydych yn cefnogi cysylltiadau cymdeithasau gefeillio ledled Cymru, ac yn benodol rhwng trefi yng Nghymru a threfi mewn rhannau eraill o'r byd y tu allan i'r UE? Ac ar yr adeg hon, pan welwn sefyllfa sy'n datblygu'n gyflym gyda'r coronafeirws, ac i ble yr aiff hynny â ni, sut y gwelwch y bydd datblygu gefeilldrefi yn ffordd werthfawr yn y dyfodol i drefi ledled y byd gyfathrebu a rhannu arferion gorau ar adegau o argyfwng byd-eang?

Thank you very much. Can I just say how delighted I was to see that link between Abergavenny town and Chinamhora in Zimbabwe? Certainly, the inspirational leadership of Martha and David has been something to behold. I do think that it is something that we'd like to encourage from a Welsh Government point of view, but as I say, this is something very much that should be led at the local government level.

What we have been doing in relation to Wales and Africa is there have been projects that were set up several years ago, when the UN world poverty day delivering the millennium development goals was set out. That's when we first had the flagship programme, Wales for Africa community links, and that was when the initiatives started in places like Pontypridd with Mbale. If you look at how that project has developed over the years, it is really something that the community has taken up themselves. That's the kind of model, I think, that we'd like to see in future.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. A gaf fi ddweud pa mor falch yr oeddwn wrth weld y cysylltiad hwnnw rhwng y Fenni a Chinamhora yn Zimbabwe? Yn sicr, mae arweinyddiaeth ysbrydoledig Martha a David wedi bod yn anhygoel. Credaf ei fod yn rhywbeth yr hoffem ei annog o safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru, ond fel y dywedaf, mae hyn yn rhywbeth y dylid ei arwain ar lefel llywodraeth leol i raddau helaeth.

Yr hyn rydym wedi bod yn ei wneud mewn perthynas â Chymru ac Affrica yw bod prosiectau wedi'u sefydlu sawl blwyddyn yn ôl, pan sefydlwyd diwrnod tlodi'r byd y Cenhedloedd Unedig i gyflawni nodau datblygu'r mileniwm. Dyna pryd y cawsom y rhaglen flaenllaw, cysylltiadau cymunedol Cymru o Blaid Affrica, a dyna pryd y cychwynnodd y mentrau mewn lleoedd fel Pontypridd gyda Mbale. Os edrychwch ar sut y mae'r prosiect hwnnw wedi datblygu dros y blynyddoedd, mae'n rhywbeth y mae'r gymuned wedi mynd i'r afael ag ef eu hunain. Rwy'n credu mai dyna'r math o fodel yr hoffem ei weld yn y dyfodol.

Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Lefarwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr yn gyntaf—Darren Millar.

Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson first—Darren Millar.

Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, can I ask you how many people from Wales are currently stranded overseas as a result of the coronavirus crisis?

Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, a gaf fi ofyn i chi faint o bobl o Gymru sy'n methu dod adre o dramor ar hyn o bryd o ganlyniad i argyfwng y coronafeirws?

So, we don't have the exact figures of the number of people who are stranded overseas at the moment. Obviously, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is taking a lead on that, but we obviously are encouraging people to come home, if it is possible for them, now. That is the advice that has come from the FCO.

Nid oes gennym yr union ffigurau o ran nifer y bobl sy'n methu dod adre o dramor ar hyn o bryd. Yn amlwg, mae'r Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad yn arwain ar hynny, ond yn amlwg, rydym yn annog pobl i ddod adref ar unwaith os yw'n bosibl iddynt wneud hynny. Dyna'r cyngor a gafwyd gan y Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad.

Obviously, this is a very worrying time for some of those people who are currently stranded overseas, and in particular their families who will be very concerned about their welfare. So, can I urge you to continue to work with the UK Government in order to support those individuals who may need assistance in order to get home?

One of the other groups of people for which the Welsh Government, of course, will be directly responsible are those Welsh Government employees currently overseas—many of them in countries that have felt the strongest effects of the COVID-19 problem. I just wonder whether you could provide some information on what action you're taking as a Welsh Government to safeguard those employees, what engagement you've had with their families, and whether there are arrangements for them to be repatriated to Wales in the near future.

Yn amlwg, mae hwn yn gyfnod pryderus iawn i rai o'r bobl sy'n methu dod adre o dramor ar hyn o bryd, ac yn arbennig i'w teuluoedd a fydd yn poeni'n fawr am eu lles. Felly, a gaf fi eich annog i barhau i weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU er mwyn cefnogi'r unigolion hynny a allai fod angen cymorth i gyrraedd adref?

Un o'r grwpiau eraill o bobl y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru, wrth gwrs, yn uniongyrchol gyfrifol amdanynt yw gweithwyr Llywodraeth Cymru sydd dramor ar hyn o bryd—a llawer ohonynt mewn gwledydd sydd wedi teimlo effeithiau cryfaf problem COVID-19. Tybed a allech ddarparu rhywfaint o wybodaeth ynglŷn â pha gamau rydych yn eu cymryd fel Llywodraeth Cymru i ddiogelu'r gweithwyr hynny, pa ymgysylltiad a gawsoch â'u teuluoedd, ac a oes trefniadau iddynt gael eu dychwelyd i Gymru yn y dyfodol agos?

We're in constant touch, obviously, with the 21 offices that the Welsh Government has around the world. The representatives based in the three cities in China have been working from home for an extensive period of time now. Most of our offices are situated within the FCO departments, so, along with the UK Government, obviously, they are following the advice that is coming from them, but there is constant communication with them. In fact, a group of them were supposed to be coming back last week to have a kind of annual debriefing; obviously, that was cancelled, But that communication is something that is ongoing and continuous, and obviously the welfare of our own staff is something we take very seriously. 

Rydym mewn cysylltiad cyson, yn amlwg, â'r 21 swyddfa sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ym mhob rhan o'r byd. Mae'r cynrychiolwyr sydd wedi'u lleoli yn y tair dinas yn Tsieina wedi bod yn gweithio gartref ers amser hir bellach. Mae'r rhan fwyaf o'n swyddfeydd wedi'u lleoli yn adrannau'r Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad, felly, ynghyd â Llywodraeth y DU, yn amlwg, maent yn dilyn eu cyngor hwy, ond rydym yn cyfathrebu'n gyson â hwy. Mewn gwirionedd, roedd grŵp ohonynt i fod i ddod yn ôl yr wythnos diwethaf i gael math o ôl-drafodaeth flynyddol; yn amlwg, cafodd honno ei chanslo. Ond mae'r cyfathrebu hwnnw'n rhywbeth sy'n mynd rhagddo'n barhaus, ac yn amlwg, mae lles ein staff ein hunain yn rhywbeth sy'n bwysig iawn i ni.

14:25

Obviously, Minister, our hearts go out to them at the moment in what may be very challenging circumstances in those local areas to which they've been assigned.

Minister, in the international strategy, you obviously identified that there are many important relationships, trade wise, that Wales has with many different nations and regions around the world, including, obviously, our most important partners on our doorsteps in the European Union, North America and indeed in Asia—including east Asia, which of course has felt the brunt of the coronavirus. I think it's fair to say that we're in very uncertain times economically, and it's quite possible that those relationships will become more strained, given the impact of many of the restrictions that are now bearing down upon businesses around the globe.

Now, those businesses that rely heavily on export and import trade are likely to be perhaps more greatly affected than many others in Wales. I wonder what discussions you may have had with your colleagues in the Cabinet and directly with those import-export businesses to determine what support they might need going forward. Because I do think that, given that you have some flexibility now as a result of some additional resource from the UK Government to support businesses, there does need to be a better understanding of the impact on those importers and exporters because of the nature of their work on a global basis.

Yn amlwg, Weinidog, rydym yn cydymdeimlo â hwy ar hyn o bryd mewn amgylchiadau a allai fod yn heriol iawn yn yr ardaloedd lleol y maent wedi'u haseinio iddynt.

Weinidog, yn y strategaeth ryngwladol, yn amlwg, fe nodoch fod gan Gymru lawer o gysylltiadau pwysig, o ran masnach, â llawer o wahanol genhedloedd a rhanbarthau ledled y byd, gan gynnwys ein partneriaid pwysicaf ar garreg ein drws yn yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, Gogledd America, ac yn wir, yn Asia—gan gynnwys dwyrain Asia, sydd wrth gwrs wedi dioddef baich y coronafeirws. Credaf ei bod yn deg dweud ein bod mewn cyfnod ansicr iawn yn economaidd, ac mae'n ddigon posibl y bydd y cysylltiadau hynny'n dod dan fwy o straen o gofio effaith llawer o'r cyfyngiadau sydd bellach yn effeithio ar fusnesau ym mhob rhan o'r byd.

Nawr, mae'r busnesau sy'n dibynnu'n fawr ar fasnach allforio a mewnforio yn debygol o gael eu heffeithio'n fwy o lawer na llawer o fusnesau eraill yng Nghymru. Tybed pa drafodaethau y gallech fod wedi'u cael gyda'ch cyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet ac yn uniongyrchol gyda'r busnesau mewnforio-allforio hynny i benderfynu pa gefnogaeth y gallai fod ei hangen arnynt wrth symud ymlaen? Oherwydd o gofio bod gennych rywfaint o hyblygrwydd yn awr o ganlyniad i adnoddau ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth y DU i gefnogi busnesau, credaf fod angen gwell dealltwriaeth o'r effaith ar y mewnforwyr a'r allforwyr hynny oherwydd natur eu gwaith ar sail fyd-eang.

Thank you. You're absolutely right in identifying the importance of trade. Trade contributes about 22 per cent of the GDP to the economy of Wales, so it is something that we have to take very, very seriously. Obviously, we are particularly concerned about the trade negotiations that should be ongoing with the European Union in relation to Brexit, knowing that that deadline is coming up. We of course would advocate that that should probably be pushed back now, under the circumstances.

There is another trade negotiation that was due to start next week with the United States, and obviously it's impossible for those trade negotiators now to actually get to the States in order to start those negotiations. So, I do think we have to be a bit more creative in the way that we approach these things. Certainly, in relation to import and export, supply chains for the Welsh economy are absolutely crucial, and certainly this is an area that we are keeping an eye on. Because, obviously, if people can't bring in the components that they need, then that will cause great problems and ultimately could force factories to close.

Diolch. Rydych yn llygad eich lle yn nodi pwysigrwydd masnach. Mae masnach yn cyfrannu oddeutu 22 y cant o'r cynnyrch domestig gros i economi Cymru, felly mae'n rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid inni fod yn gyfan gwbl o ddifrif yn ei gylch. Yn amlwg, rydym yn arbennig o bryderus am y negodiadau masnach a ddylai fod ar y gweill gyda'r Undeb Ewropeaidd mewn perthynas â Brexit, gan wybod bod y terfyn amser hwnnw ar y ffordd. Wrth gwrs, byddem yn dadlau y dylid ei ohirio, yn ôl pob tebyg, o dan yr amgylchiadau.

Roedd negodiadau masnach i fod i gychwyn yr wythnos nesaf gyda’r Unol Daleithiau, ac yn amlwg, mae bellach yn amhosibl i’r negodwyr masnach hynny gyrraedd yr Unol Daleithiau er mwyn cychwyn y negodiadau hynny. Felly, credaf fod yn rhaid inni fod ychydig yn fwy creadigol yn y ffordd rydym yn mynd ati i wneud y pethau hyn. Yn sicr, mewn perthynas â mewnforio ac allforio, mae cadwyni cyflenwi ar gyfer economi Cymru yn gwbl hanfodol, ac yn sicr, mae hwn yn faes rydym yn cadw llygad arno. Oherwydd yn amlwg, os na all pobl ddod â'r cydrannau sydd eu hangen arnynt i mewn, bydd hynny'n peri problemau mawr, ac yn y pen draw, gallai hynny orfodi ffatrïoedd i gau.

Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Wrth gwrs, gyda chwmwl du enfawr coronavirus, yn naturiol, mae'r rheolau yn newid i gyd. Ac wrth basio—yn dilyn cwestiwn Nick Ramsay, wrth gwrs—mae dinas Abertawe wedi'i gefeillio efo dinas yn China ers rhai blynyddoedd, dinas o'r enw Wuhan. Rôn i'n arfer cael her yn trio esbonio i bobl lle'r oedd Wuhan, ond ddim rhagor.

Ond wrth gwrs, mae'r her hon o'r coronafeirws yn ymestyn ar draws holl adrannau'r Llywodraeth—wrth gwrs, mae yna adrannau allweddol, yn naturiol—gan gynnwys yn benodol eich adran chi, felly. Yn enwedig o ddilyn y cwestiynau ar fasnach ac arbenigedd eich adran chi ar fasnach, allaf i ofyn pa drafodaethau rydych chi'n eu cael ar argaeledd rhyngwladol masnach feddygol? Hynny yw, cyfarpar meddygol yn yr argyfwng meddygol yma sydd gyda ni rŵan. Hynny yw, dwi'n sôn am anadlyddion peiriannol—ventilators—ac ati, a chyfarpar arbenigol rhyngwladol eraill sydd eu hangen ar y wlad yma yn y sefyllfa argyfyngus sydd ohoni.

Thank you very much, Llywydd. Of course, with this huge black cloud of coronavirus, naturally, all the rules change. And in passing—following on from Nick Ramsay's question—Swansea city has been twinned with a city in China for many years, a city called Wuhan. It used to be a challenge trying to explain to people where Wuhan was, but no more.

This challenge of coronavirus stretches across all of the Government departments—of course, there are key departments—including specifically your department. Following the questions on trade and the expertise of your department on trade, may I ask what negotiations are you having on the international availability of medical trade? That is, the medical equipment for the medical crisis that we're having. I'm talking about ventilators and so on, and also other specialist international equipment that this country needs in this dire situation.

Diolch yn fawr. Wrth gwrs, mae'n ddiddorol iawn i glywed bod Abertawe wedi'i gefeillio gyda Wuhan. Dyna un o'r rhesymau pam dwi wedi ysgrifennu at y llywodraethau lleol i ffeindio mas yn union pwy sydd wedi gefeillio gyda phwy.

O ran masnach, chi'n eithaf iawn i danlinellu pwysigrwydd trio gweld lle gallwn ni gael y cyfarpar yma. Beth mae'n rhaid i ni nodi, wrth gwrs, yw bod y gwledydd yma i gyd yn awyddus i gadw eu ventilators eu hunain; dyna pam mae'r Llywodraeth ym Mhrydain, a ni yma yng Nghymru hefyd, yn ceisio annog busnesau, yn arbennig y rheini sy'n beirianwyr, i weld os allan nhw addasu beth maen nhw'n ei gynhyrchu fel eu bod nhw yn creu ventilators ar gyfer y drychineb yma sydd o'n blaenau ni. 

Thank you very much. Of course, it's very interesting to hear that Swansea is twinned with Wuhan. That's one of the reasons why I've written to local government exactly to find out who is twinned with who.

In terms of trade, you’re right to emphasise the importance of trying to see where we can have this equipment. What we have to note is that all of these countries are eager to keep their own ventilators, and that’s why the Government in the UK, and the Government in Wales as well, are trying to encourage businesses, particularly those that are engineering firms, to see whether they can adapt what they manufacture so that they can build ventilators for this crisis.

14:30

Diolch yn fawr am hynna. Ac, wrth gwrs, yn dilyn o hynny, ie, dŷn ni mewn sefyllfa argyfyngus ar hyn o bryd, ond mae'r sefyllfa argyfyngus yma yn beryg o bara am rai wythnosau, os nad misoedd. Ac, wrth gwrs, fel y cyfeiriodd Darren Millar, mae gyda ni bobl o Gymru sydd mewn gwahanol wledydd ar draws y byd rŵan yn dilyn eu gwahanol fusnesau, hyd yn oed yn cynrychioli'r wlad yma. Felly, a allaf ofyn i chi pa drafodaethau ydych chi'n eu cael fel Gweinidog, ac fel adran, ynglŷn â chefnogi'r bobl yma, yn ychwanegol i'r gefnogaeth arferol felly, achos, wrth gwrs, byddan nhw'n teimlo'n ynysig nawr achos mae cyfyngiadau ar deithiau rhyngwladol ac ati? Felly, sut ydych chi'n cynnal—? Ar ben y gwaith sy'n mynd ymlaen yn arferol, ond mewn sefyllfa o argyfwng rŵan, pan fo'r cysylltiadau arferol wedi mynd, pa waith cynnal ychwanegol sydd gyda chi yn edrych ar ôl pobl o Gymru sydd allan o Gymru ar hyn o bryd?

Thank you very much for that. And, of course, following on from that, we’re in an emergency and a critical situation at the moment, but this situation is likely to last for weeks, if not months. And, as Darren Millar said, we have people from Wales who are in various countries all over the world, pursuing their own businesses or even representing our country. So, may I ask you what negotiations are you having as a Minister, and as a department, with regard to supporting these people, in addition to the normal support, because of course, they will feel isolated by now because of all the restrictions on international travel, and so on? So, how do you maintain—? In addition to the business as usual, now that we’re in a crisis situation where all the rules do not appertain, what kind of additional support are you putting in place to look at those stranded overseas?

Un o'r pethau rŷn ni wedi gwneud, wrth gwrs, yw i sicrhau bod y bobl yna sydd yn gweithio drostyn ni dramor, eu bod nhw ddim yn mynd mewn i gysylltiad gyda gormod o bobl. Mae lot o weithgareddau oedd ar y gweill wedi cael eu canslo; lot o export missions, mae'r rheini i gyd, wrth gwrs, wedi'u canslo; pobl oedd i fod i ddod mewn i Gymru, y rheini hefyd wedi'u canslo. Ac, felly, rŷn ni yn ceisio sicrhau eu bod nhw yn cadw'n saff. Wrth gwrs, maen nhw yn gyffredinol yn cydweithredu gyda'r tîm Prydeinig sydd yna. Felly, dŷn nhw ddim yn gweithredu fel unigolion fel y cyfryw, felly maen nhw yn dilyn y cyfarwyddyd, nid yn unig sy'n dod gennym ni, ond y cyfarwyddyd sy'n dod gan Lywodraeth Prydain. Ond dwi yn meddwl—. Dwi'n cael cyfarfod y prynhawn yma gyda'r person sydd â chyfrifoldeb dros gydweithredu ac edrych ar sut rŷn ni'n gweithredu dramor. 

One of the things that we’ve done is to ensure that those people who do work for us overseas are not having too much contact with too many people. There are lots of activities that were in the pipeline that have been cancelled; a lot of export missions have been cancelled; people who were supposed to come to Wales, those have cancelled their trips as well. And, so, we’re trying to ensure that they are keeping safe. Of course, generally, they do collaborate with the UK teams that are there. So, they’re not operating in isolation on the whole, so they are following the guidance not only from us, but also the guidance coming from the UK Government. But I do think—. I’m having a meeting this afternoon with a person who is responsible for collaborating and looking at how we operate overseas.

Diolch am hynna, Weinidog. Ac, wrth gwrs, dŷn ni wedi clywed cyhoeddiad Canghellor y Trysorlys yn Llundain yr wythnos yma ynglŷn â'r arian ychwanegol sydd ar gael. Ac, wrth gwrs, yn amlwg, mae yna effaith enfawr yn mynd i fod o achos yr holl gyfyngu ar gysylltiadau, yr holl gyfyngu ar gyfarfodydd, cyfyngu ar deithio, yn ogystal â chyfyngu ar deithio rhyngwladol—yr holl effaith enbydus yna ar fywyd celfyddydol Cymru yn benodol. Dŷn ni wedi gweld beth sydd wedi digwydd i'r Urdd, a chanslo Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr Urdd tan y flwyddyn nesaf, a chau'r gwersylloedd, ac ati. Felly, yn nhermau ariannol rŵan, achos, ar ddiwedd y dydd, mae'n rhaid i ni siarad am bethau fel yna hefyd, yn sgil cyhoeddiad Canghellor y Trysorlys, pa drafodaethau ydych chi wedi'u cael i drefnu mesurau lliniarol gogyfer y sector gelfyddydol yma yng Nghymru?

Thank you for that, Minister. And, of course, we’ve heard the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s statement from London this week about the additional funding available. Of course, there is going to be a massive impact because of all the restrictions on meetings, travel and the restrictions on international travel, and a huge impact on the cultural and artistic life of Wales specifically. We’ve heard what’s happened to the Urdd and the cancellation of the Urdd eisteddfod until next year, and the closure of all the Urdd camps, and so on. In financial terms, because at the end of the day, we have to look at the financial side of it, following the statement of the Chancellor, what discussions have you had in looking at some kind of measures to help the arts sector in Wales?

Wel, rŷn ni wedi bod mewn trafodaethau gyda'r sector gelfyddydol, ac, wrth gwrs, y sector sy'n gyfrifol am major events. Ac mae lot fawr o arian yn dod mewn i'r wlad oherwydd major events. Wrth gwrs, dwi wedi bod yn cael trafodaethau eithaf manwl gyda chynrychiolwyr yr Urdd dros y penwythnos, ond mae pob math o weithgareddau eraill a mudiadau eraill sydd yn yr un sefyllfa â nhw. Yn sicr, rŷn ni wedi gweld bod y Big Retreat wedi cael ei ganslo, bod y Machynlleth Comedy Festival wedi'i ganslo, Tafwyl hefyd, ac mae bwrdd Llangollen yn cwrdd heno. Felly, mae yna lot fawr o fudiadau sydd yn mynd i gael eu heffeithio gan hyn, ac felly, rŷn ni mewn trafodaethau gyda nhw i weld os oes rhywbeth gallwn ni ei wneud, ond, wrth gwrs, mae hi'n amser argyfyngus i bawb, a beth mae'n rhaid i ni ei wneud yw gweld beth yw'n blaenoriaethau ni, wrth gwrs. 

We’ve been in discussions with the arts sector and, of course, the sector that’s in charge of major events. A lot of money comes into the country because of major events. I have been having detailed discussions with representatives from the Urdd over the weekend, but all kinds of other activities and other organisations are in the same situation as them. Certainly, we’ve seen that Big Retreat has been cancelled, and the Machynlleth Comedy Festival have been cancelled, and also Tafwyl, and the Llangollen board is meeting tonight. So, there are many organisations who are going to be affected by this, so we’re having discussions with them to see whether there’s anything that we can do but, of course, it’s a critical time for everyone, and what we have to do is see what our priorities are, of course.

Cymru a'r Byd
Wales and the World

4. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gryfhau'r cysylltiadau a'r berthynas rhwng Cymru a'r byd? OAQ55260

4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to strengthen links and relations between Wales and the world? OAQ55260

14:35

In January, I published the Welsh Government's international strategy, which clearly sets out the actions we will take over the next five years, not only to strengthen our international relationships, but to raise our profile, grow the economy, and establish Wales as a globally responsible nation.

Ym mis Ionawr, cyhoeddais strategaeth ryngwladol Llywodraeth Cymru, sy'n nodi'n glir y camau y byddwn yn eu cymryd yn ystod y pum mlynedd nesaf, nid yn unig i gryfhau ein cysylltiadau rhyngwladol, ond i godi ein proffil, tyfu'r economi, a sefydlu Cymru fel cenedl gyfrifol yn fyd-eang.

Minister, I think the current coronavirus crisis illustrates yet again how inter-connected the modern world is in terms of communications, in terms of trade, in terms of the way we all work together, and I would say, to a great extent, how we either thrive or suffer together. And in that context, I think international development is very, very important and worth while, as indeed it is morally, as well as in practical terms. And I think the Wales for Africa programme is a good example of Wales and Welsh Government understanding that, and acting on those imperatives. And I know when I went to Mbale in Uganda, for example, I saw the activities of PONT there, supporting the local health sector, building health clinics, helping them to develop, and linking with local government and the voluntary sector in that part of Uganda to very good effect. So, I think, when we look at the lessons to be learned in due course, in terms of the current crisis around coronavirus, I would hope, Minister, that it would strengthen our work and our co-operation with sub-Saharan Africa, recognising our inter-connectedness and the mutual benefit that we gain from those strong relations.

Weinidog, rwy'n meddwl bod yr argyfwng coronafeirws presennol yn dangos unwaith eto pa mor gydgysylltiedig yw'r byd modern o ran cyfathrebu, o ran masnach, o ran y ffordd y mae pawb ohonom yn cydweithio, ac i raddau helaeth buaswn yn dweud, sut rydym naill ai'n ffynnu neu'n dioddef gyda'n gilydd. Ac yn y cyd-destun hwnnw, rwy'n meddwl bod datblygu rhyngwladol yn bwysig iawn ac yn werth chweil, a hynny mewn termau moesol yn wir, yn ogystal ag ymarferol. Ac rwy'n credu bod y rhaglen Cymru o Blaid Affrica yn enghraifft dda o Gymru a Llywodraeth Cymru yn deall hynny, ac yn gweithredu yn unol â'r gofynion hynny. A gwn pan euthum i Mbale yn Uganda, er enghraifft, gwelais weithgareddau PONT yno, yn cefnogi'r sector iechyd lleol, yn adeiladu clinigau iechyd, yn eu helpu i ddatblygu, a chysylltu â llywodraeth leol a'r sector gwirfoddol yn y rhan honno o Uganda yn effeithiol iawn. Felly, rwy'n credu, pan fyddwn yn edrych ar y gwersi sydd i'w dysgu maes o law, o ran yr argyfwng coronafeirws presennol, buaswn yn gobeithio, Weinidog, y byddai'n cryfhau ein gwaith a'n cydweithrediad ag Affrica is-Sahara, gan gydnabod ein cydgysylltiad a'r budd i bawb a gawn o'r cysylltiadau cryf hynny.

Thank you very much. And I think you're absolutely right: if ever there was evidence that we are an inter-connected world, then this is it. And I think that anybody who thinks that they can isolate themselves in this global society is clearly mistaken now. Just in terms of Uganda, and the situation with Africa, we are of course extremely concerned about when and how this coronavirus is going to impact that part of the world, because obviously they have much weaker health provisions in those countries. We happen to have had somebody who was going to go out to Mbale, and they, as a matter of course, self-isolated for 14 days, just in case, because that was not something that we wanted to be responsible for. So we are taking some very concrete measures to make sure that any relationships that we have—. Of course we've stopped all travel on behalf of the organisations going from Wales to Africa at this point in time.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Ac rwy'n meddwl eich bod yn llygad eich lle: os bu erioed dystiolaeth ein bod yn fyd cydgysylltiedig, dyma hi. A chredaf fod unrhyw un sy'n credu y gallant ynysu eu hunain yn y gymdeithas fyd-eang hon yn amlwg yn camgymryd yn awr. O ran Uganda'n unig, a'r sefyllfa gydag Affrica, rydym wrth gwrs yn bryderus iawn ynglŷn â phryd a sut y mae'r coronafeirws yn mynd i effeithio ar y rhan honno o'r byd, oherwydd yn amlwg mae eu darpariaethau iechyd yn llawer gwannach yn y gwledydd hynny. Mae'n digwydd bod gennym rywun a oedd yn mynd i fynd allan i Mbale, ac fel mater o drefn, fe wnaethant hunanynysu am 14 diwrnod rhag ofn wrth gwrs gan fod hynny'n rhywbeth nad oeddent am fod yn gyfrifol amdano. Felly, rydym yn rhoi camau pendant iawn ar waith i sicrhau bod unrhyw gysylltiadau sydd gennym—. Wrth gwrs, rydym wedi rhoi'r gorau i'r holl deithio ar ran y sefydliadau sy'n mynd o Gymru i Affrica ar hyn o bryd.

Minister, obviously I fully accept that international relations are a non-devolved issue, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office take the lead on these particular matters, but what is really important for Welsh people abroad is to understand can we in any way play our role in conducting information that might come to us from our constituents. And I declare an interest: I have a son abroad, who's due back at the end of this month, along with my nephew. That is a particularly challenging thought at the moment, that is, especially as the airline are refusing to rebook. So, are we better off just directing constituents to our Members of Parliament in the locality, or does the Welsh Government have any conduits into the FCO that we, as Assembly Members, can play our role in passing that information on? The last thing we need to do is confuse what is already a very confusing and trying situation.

Weinidog, yn amlwg rwy'n derbyn yn llwyr nad yw cysylltiadau rhyngwladol yn fater sydd wedi'i ddatganoli, ac mai'r Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad sy'n arwain ar y materion penodol hyn, ond yr hyn sy'n wirioneddol bwysig i Gymry dramor yw deall a allwn ni mewn unrhyw ffordd chwarae ein rôl yn rheoli gwybodaeth y gallem ei chael gan ein hetholwyr. Ac rwy'n datgan buddiant: mae gennyf fab dramor, sydd i fod i ddychwelyd ddiwedd y mis hwn, ynghyd â fy nai. Mae hynny'n ystyriaeth arbennig o heriol ar hyn o bryd, hynny yw, yn enwedig gan fod y cwmni hedfan yn gwrthod aildrefnu. Felly, a yw'n well inni gyfeirio etholwyr at ein Haelodau Seneddol yn y gymdogaeth, neu a oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru unrhyw gyfryngau yn y Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad y gallwn ni, fel Aelodau Cynulliad, chwarae ein rhan i drosglwyddo'r wybodaeth honno iddynt? Y peth olaf y dylem ei wneud yw drysu sefyllfa sydd eisoes yn ddryslyd a dyrys iawn.

I think in relation to this, because the FCO is absolutely taking a lead in terms of bringing people home, I would suggest that they should go directly to the FCO.

Rwy'n credu mewn perthynas â hyn, gan mai'r Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad sy'n arwain o ran dod â phobl adref, buaswn yn awgrymu y dylent fynd yn uniongyrchol i'r Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad.

Tynnwyd cwestiwn 5 [OAQ55259] yn ôl. Cwestiwn 6, Helen Mary Jones.

Question 5 [OAQ55259] has been withdrawn. Question 6, Helen Mary Jones.

Effaith Coronafeirws ar Ddigwyddiadau Diwylliannol
The Impact of Coronavirus on Cultural Events

6. Pa asesiad sydd wedi'i wneud o effaith coronafeirws ar ddigwyddiadau diwylliannol, yn enwedig digwyddiadau Cymraeg fel Eisteddfod yr Urdd? OAQ55272

6. What assessment has been made of the impact of coronavirus on cultural events, particularly Welsh language events such as Eisteddfod yr Urdd? OAQ55272

Rydyn ni'n monitro effaith y feirws corona ar y sector digwyddiadau yn agos iawn, ac yn gweithio gyda chydweithwyr ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig i gymryd camau priodol mewn ymateb i sefyllfa sy'n dal i ddatblygu. Rydyn ni hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn cadw mewn cysylltiad agos â mudiadau fel yr Urdd.

We are closely monitoring the impact of coronavirus on the events sector, and we are working with colleagues across Welsh Government and UK Government to take appropriate measures in response to the unfolding situation. We're also keeping in close contact with organisations such as the Urdd.

I'm grateful to the Minister for her reply, and obviously it's early days yet. But I'd be grateful if she can provide some further reassurance that she fully understands the financial impact on the Urdd—hopefully not, but possibly looking forward to the National Eisteddfod in the summer too—and we know that the margins on which these organisations operate are pretty slim anyway, and to lose the capacity to make some profit from running the centres and from the eisteddfod is a big blow for the Urdd. So, will the Minister guarantee to us that she will keep this under very close advisement, and that she will not rule out offering direct financial support, if that's the only way that we can ensure that this very important—? I think we can all be very proud that we have the biggest membership youth organisation in Europe in the Urdd. It's precious, it's priceless, not only because of the language, but because of all the opportunities it gives young people and it would be an absolute tragedy if this dreadful situation was allowed to bring to an end that amazing tradition. 

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am ei hateb, ac mae'n amlwg ei bod yn ddyddiau cynnar eto. Ond buaswn yn ddiolchgar pe bai'n gallu rhoi rhywfaint o sicrwydd pellach ei bod hi'n deall yn llawn yr effaith ariannol ar yr Urdd—a chan edrych ymlaen o bosibl at yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yn yr haf hefyd, er na fydd raid, gobethio—a gwyddom fod maint yr elw y mae'r sefydliadau yn gweithredu arno'n eithaf cul beth bynnag, ac mae colli'r gallu i wneud rhywfaint o elw o redeg y canolfannau ac o'r eisteddfod yn ergyd fawr i'r Urdd. Felly, a wnaiff y Gweinidog ein sicrhau y bydd yn cadw'r mater dan ystyriaeth agos iawn, ac na fydd yn diystyru cynnig cymorth ariannol uniongyrchol, os mai dyna'r unig ffordd y gallwn sicrhau bod y sefydliad pwysig hwn—? Rwy'n credu y gallwn i gyd fod yn falch iawn mai gennym ni y mae'r sefydliad ieuenctid mwyaf o ran aelodaeth yn Ewrop, sef yr Urdd. Mae'n amhrisiadwy, nid yn unig oherwydd yr iaith, ond oherwydd yr holl gyfleoedd y mae'n eu rhoi i bobl ifanc a byddai'n drasiedi lwyr pe caniateid i'r sefyllfa ofnadwy hon ddod â'r traddodiad rhyfeddol hwnnw i ben.

14:40

Wel, dwi yn cytuno bod yn rhaid inni edrych, nid yn unig ar y tymor byr, ond beth sy'n mynd i ddod allan yn y pen draw. Ac mae'r Urdd, wrth gwrs, yn un o gyflogwyr mwyaf y trydydd sector yng Nghymru. Mae'n cyflogi tua 320 o bobl; yn cyfrannu tua £31 miliwn i'r economi yng Nghymru; ac, wrth gwrs, yn un o gyflogwyr mwyaf cefn gwlad ac mae hwnna hefyd yn bwysig. Mae 10,000 o wirfoddolwyr ac mae'n bosibl efallai i ni weld sut gallwn ni ddefnyddio y rheini i'n helpu ni. 

Rŷch chi'n ymwybodol, wrth gwrs, fod Llangrannog eisoes wedi cau; bod Glan-llyn a Chaerdydd hefyd wedi cau neu yn mynd i gau erbyn diwedd yr wythnos yma. Maen nhw'n mynd i ganslo'r eisteddfodau lleol a rhanbarthol; maen nhw'n mynd i ohirio eisteddfod yr Urdd yn Ninbych am flwyddyn; maen nhw wedi canslo y cystadlaethau chwaraeon a hefyd y gweithgareddau cymunedol. Felly, wrth gwrs, mae'n gyfnod pryderus iawn. Dwi wedi cael sgyrsiau eithaf dwfn gyda'r Urdd ynglŷn ag a oes yna fodd inni helpu y rheini ac, wrth gwrs, dwi yn trafod hynny gyda Gweinidogion eraill.

Mae'r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, wrth gwrs. Mae llawer iawn o fudiadau yn yr un math o sefyllfa. Mae'r trafodaethau yna yn parhau. Ond, wrth gwrs, fe fydd hi ddim yn bosibl i helpu pob un, ac felly, mae'n rhaid inni edrych ar beth fydd y ffordd orau i ni helpu ac efallai ceisio rhoi y rhain mewn suspension am damaid bach, a dyna beth efallai yw'r ffordd orau. Ond rydyn ni yn cael trafodaethau dwys gyda'r cwmniau yma. 

I do agree that we need to look not only at the short term, but also what’s going to happen ultimately. The Urdd, of course, is one of the biggest employers in the third sector in Wales. It employs about 320 people; it contributes £31 million to the Welsh economy; and, of course, it’s one of the biggest employers in rural Wales and that’s very important. There are 10,000 volunteers and it may be possible for us to see how we can use those to help us.

You will be aware that Llangrannog has closed and Glanllyn and Cardiff have also closed, or are going to close by the end of the week. They’re going to cancel the local and regional eisteddfods; they’re going to postpone the Urdd eisteddfod in Denbigh for a year; and they’ve cancelled the sports competitions and the community activities. So, of course, it is a very concerning period, and I have had quite detailed conversations with the Urdd about whether we can help them, and we’re discussing that with other Ministers.

There's the National Eisteddfod, of course. There are lots of organisations in that situation, and those discussions are ongoing. But it won’t be possible to help everyone, so we have to look at the best way for us to help and try to put these in a state of suspension for a while, and that might be the best solution. But we’re having very detailed discussions with these organisations.

Thank you for your response, Minister. I think it is very important to support organisations like the Urdd. My own constituency would have been a beneficiary of the fact that this particular Urdd eisteddfod was planned to be held in Denbigh, which is just outside of Clwyd West, but nevertheless has a significant impact on local tourism businesses in particular.

I just wonder what support package you might be able to build around those communities that were looking forward to being able to welcome in people from across Wales, and indeed internationally, to events like the Urdd eisteddfod, because, clearly, they're going to be significantly disadvantaged as a result. Many of them will have had bookings, which they're now going to have to have cancelled, in spite of actually having some outlay, which they may need to pay.

So, when you have a significant event like this that has been cancelled, is there specific support that you might be able to offer in order to compensate those who've already paid out significant sums in order to prepare for them? 

Diolch am eich ymateb, Weinidog. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn cefnogi sefydliadau fel yr Urdd. Byddai fy etholaeth i wedi elwa o'r ffaith y bwriedid cynnal yr eisteddfod yr Urdd benodol hon yn Ninbych, sydd ychydig y tu allan i Orllewin Clwyd, ond sydd, er hynny, yn effeithio'n sylweddol ar fusnesau twristiaeth lleol yn benodol.

Tybed pa becyn cymorth y gallech ei adeiladu o amgylch y cymunedau a oedd yn edrych ymlaen at allu croesawu pobl o bob cwr o Gymru, ac yn rhyngwladol yn wir, i ddigwyddiadau fel eisteddfod yr Urdd, oherwydd, yn amlwg, maent yn mynd i fod dan anfantais sylweddol o ganlyniad. Bydd llawer ohonynt wedi cael archebion, ac mae'n rhaid iddynt eu canslo yn awr, er y byddant wedi gorfod talu am rai pethau eisoes.

Felly, pan fydd gennych ddigwyddiad arwyddocaol fel hwn wedi'i ganslo, a oes cymorth penodol y gallech ei gynnig er mwyn digolledu'r rhai sydd eisoes wedi talu symiau sylweddol er mwyn paratoi ar eu cyfer?

Well, I think, under normal circumstances, the answer would probably be, 'Yes, we'd be looking to create a package.' These are extreme circumstances and, therefore, we are responding day by day to the situation. I think the priority is to see how we can support those people who are working for the Urdd at the moment. Is there any way of protecting their jobs and looking to the future?

The key thing, as I say, is for us to see how we can preserve these great organisations to make sure that they can flourish in future. I know that the Presiding Officer will be also interested in knowing what is likely to happen with the Eisteddfod genedlaethol. These are all discussions that are being undertaken at the moment. 

The scope of this is huge. You think about all of the other organisations—the Hay festival, Llangollen festival. There are huge numbers of events, and obviously most of those events now have been cancelled. So, there are profound implications. I don't think, at this point, we can offer an extended package to those communities that were expecting that to happen, I'm afraid.  

Wel, rwy'n meddwl, o dan amgylchiadau arferol, mae'n debyg mai'r ateb fyddai, 'Ydym, byddem yn ystyried creu pecyn.' Mae'r rhain yn amgylchiadau eithafol ac felly, rydym yn ymateb o ddydd i ddydd i'r sefyllfa. Rwy'n credu mai'r flaenoriaeth yw gweld sut y gallwn gefnogi'r bobl sy'n gweithio i'r Urdd ar hyn o bryd. A oes unrhyw ffordd o ddiogelu eu swyddi ac edrych tua'r dyfodol?

Y peth allweddol, fel rwy'n dweud, yw inni weld sut y gallwn gadw'r sefydliadau gwych hyn i sicrhau y gallant ffynnu yn y dyfodol. Gwn y bydd gan y Llywydd ddiddordeb hefyd mewn gwybod beth sy'n debygol o ddigwydd gyda'r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn drafodaethau sydd ar y gweill ar hyn o bryd.

Mae cwmpas hyn yn enfawr. Rydych yn meddwl am yr holl sefydliadau eraill—gŵyl y Gelli, gŵyl Llangollen. Mae yna nifer enfawr o ddigwyddiadau, ac yn amlwg mae'r rhan fwyaf o'r digwyddiadau hynny bellach wedi'u canslo. Felly, mae yna oblygiadau difrifol. Nid wyf yn credu, ar hyn o bryd, y gallwn gynnig pecyn estynedig i'r cymunedau a oedd yn disgwyl i hynny ddigwydd, mae arnaf ofn.

Tynnwyd cwestiwn 7 [OAQ55263], 8 [OAQ55271] a 9 yn ôl. Felly, cwestiwn 10, Vikki Howells. 

Questions 7 [OAQ55263], 8 [OAQ55271] and 9 have been withdrawn. So, question 10, Vikki Howells. 

Ni ofynnwyd cwestiwn 9 [OAQ55249].

Question 9 [OAQ55249] not asked.

Hyrwyddo'r Amgylchedd Hanesyddol
Promoting the Historic Environment

10. A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ei gwaith i ddiogelu a hyrwyddo'r amgylchedd hanesyddol yng Nghymru? OAQ55241

10. Will the Welsh Government provide an update on its work to protect and promote the historic environment in Wales? OAQ55241

The Welsh Government promotes the unique character and value of our historic environment to the people of Wales and the world. Cadw identifies nationally important historic assets, accords them legal protection and works with public bodies and private owners to secure their sustainable management. Clearly, the priorities of this sector are being reviewed in the light of the coronavirus outbreak.  

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn hyrwyddo cymeriad a gwerth unigryw ein hamgylchedd hanesyddol i bobl Cymru a'r byd. Mae Cadw yn nodi asedau hanesyddol o bwys cenedlaethol, yn rhoi amddiffyniad cyfreithiol iddynt ac yn gweithio gyda chyrff cyhoeddus a pherchnogion preifat i sicrhau eu bod yn cael eu rheoli'n gynaliadwy. Yn amlwg, mae blaenoriaethau'r sector hwn yn cael eu hadolygu yng ngoleuni coronafeirws.

Thank you for your answer, Minister. It's my very firm belief that we have one of the best heritage sectors in the world here in Wales, both in terms of its cultural significance and the benefits that it brings to the Welsh economy as well. So, could you outline for me, please, a little further the kind of guidance that you've been giving to that sector to guide them through the coronavirus outbreak?

Diolch ichi am eich ateb, Weinidog. Rwy'n credu'n gryf fod gennym un o'r sectorau treftadaeth gorau yn y byd yma yng Nghymru, o ran ei arwyddocâd diwylliannol a'i fanteision i economi Cymru hefyd. Felly, a allech amlinellu ychydig ymhellach imi, os gwelwch yn dda, y math o arweiniad rydych chi wedi bod yn ei roi i'r sector hwnnw i'w tywys drwy'r argyfwng coronafeirws?

14:45

Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.

Thank you. Well, I can report that all Cadw sites—all 24 of them—have now been closed. The museums that fall under the responsibility of the Welsh Government are also closed. The National Library of Wales has also closed its doors and we are, of course, in regular contact with them.

We're also in regular contact with the Welsh Museums Federation and associations. And, of course, those have to make decisions for themselves, but if they were following the UK guidance, which has been set out—that there shouldn't be people congregating in big numbers—then, obviously, they need to take that into consideration as well.

Diolch. Wel, gallaf ddweud bod pob safle Cadw—y 24 ohonynt—wedi cau erbyn hyn. Mae'r amgueddfeydd sy'n gyfrifoldeb i Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd ar gau. Mae Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru hefyd wedi cau ei drysau ac wrth gwrs, rydym mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â hwy.

Rydym hefyd mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â Ffederasiwn Amgueddfeydd Cymru a chymdeithasau. Ac wrth gwrs, mae'n rhaid i'r rheini wneud penderfyniadau drostynt eu hunain, ond os ydynt yn dilyn canllawiau'r DU, sydd wedi'u gosod—na ddylai pobl ymgasglu mewn niferoedd mawr—yna, yn amlwg, mae angen iddynt ystyried hynny hefyd.

Twristiaeth yng Ngogledd Cymru
Tourism in North Wales

11. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi twristiaeth yng Ngogledd Cymru? OAQ55246

11. How is the Welsh Government supporting tourism in North Wales? OAQ55246

Given the current circumstances, our tourism is facing really difficult times. This is a developing situation and I want to assure the sector that we're continually monitoring the impact of coronavirus on tourism and working with colleagues across the Government on what support we can offer. 

O ystyried yr amgylchiadau presennol, mae ein twristiaeth yn wynebu cyfnod anodd iawn. Mae hon yn sefyllfa sy'n datblygu ac rwyf am sicrhau'r sector ein bod yn monitro effaith coronafeirws ar dwristiaeth yn barhaus ac yn gweithio gyda chyd-Aelodau ar draws y Llywodraeth ar ba gymorth y gallwn ei gynnig.

I recently had the pleasure of revisiting Llangollen Railway's major engineering project at Corwen central station, which will have a massive impact on boosting tourism in the region, to see first-hand the progress they had made. I'm always amazed and massively impressed by what a group of volunteers with an average age of 68, working on a part-time basis, are able to achieve. 

A year ago, speaking here, I called for a Welsh Government statement on support for our standard-gauge heritage railways. We know and applaud the fact that the Welsh Government support narrow-gauge heritage railways, but wanted to see how this massive volunteering effort could be taken forward, not only delivering heritage projects, but offering much for tourism and broader economies in areas, often, that need much stimulus. How, therefore, do you respond to the question or point raised with me during my recent visit that we need the Welsh Government to move on from looking at this in terms of separate narrow and standard-gauge heritage railways and join up the heritage railways sector both in north Wales and across Wales as a win-win for tourism and local economies? And, of course, given your opening comments, this is even more critical in the current environment.

Yn ddiweddar, cefais y pleser o ailedrych ar brosiect peirianneg mawr Rheilffordd Llangollen yng ngorsaf ganolog Corwen, a gaiff effaith aruthrol ar hybu twristiaeth yn y rhanbarth, er mwyn gweld drosof fy hun y cynnydd y maent wedi'i wneud. Rwyf bob amser yn rhyfeddu at yr hyn y mae grŵp o wirfoddolwyr ag oedran cyfartalog o 68, sy'n gweithio ar sail ran-amser, yn gallu ei gyflawni.

Flwyddyn yn ôl, wrth siarad yma, gelwais am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru am gefnogaeth i'n rheilffyrdd treftadaeth safonol. Rydym yn gwybod ac yn cymeradwyo'r ffaith bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi rheilffyrdd treftadaeth cul, ond roeddem am weld sut y gellid bwrw ymlaen â'r ymdrech wirfoddol fawr hon, a darparu prosiectau treftadaeth, a chynnig llawer i dwristiaeth ac economïau ehangach hefyd mewn ardaloedd sy'n aml angen llawer o symbyliad. Felly, sut yr ymatebwch i'r cwestiwn neu'r pwynt a godwyd gyda mi yn ystod fy ymweliad diweddar fod angen i Lywodraeth Cymru symud ymlaen o edrych ar hyn mewn perthynas â rheilffyrdd treftadaeth cul a safonol ar wahân ac uno'r sector rheilffyrdd treftadaeth yng ngogledd Cymru ac ar draws Cymru er budd twristiaeth ac economïau lleol fel ei gilydd? Ac wrth gwrs, o ystyried eich sylwadau agoriadol, mae hyn hyd yn oed yn fwy allweddol yn yr amgylchedd presennol.

Thank you very much. I'm sure you'd be interested to hear that the economy Minister's father used to work at the place that you were talking about, so that's of great interest.

I know that the amount of tourism and the number of tourists who are attracted by our narrow-gauge and, as you say, our standard-gauge railway, bring in significant finance into the economy of Wales. So, that is something that we hold dear. The enthusiasm for this sector is really something to behold, in particular the number of volunteers who give their time. So, I can't tell you whether that—. It sounds like a good idea to put the narrow-gauge and the standard-gauge railways together in a promotional package. There may be some sensitivities around that, but that is something that we can perhaps look at once this emergency has quietened down.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rwy'n siŵr y byddai gennych ddiddordeb mewn clywed bod tad Gweinidog yr economi yn arfer gweithio yn y lle roeddech yn sôn amdano, felly mae hynny'n ddiddorol iawn.

Gwn fod y dwristiaeth a nifer y twristiaid sy'n cael eu denu gan ein rheilffyrdd cul, ac fel y dywedwch, ein rheilffyrdd safonol, yn dod â chyllid sylweddol i economi Cymru. Felly, mae hynny'n rhywbeth rydym yn ei drysori. Mae'r brwdfrydedd dros y sector hwn yn werth ei weld mewn gwirionedd, yn enwedig nifer y gwirfoddolwyr sy'n rhoi o'u hamser. Felly, ni allaf ddweud wrthych a yw hynny—. Mae'n ymddangos yn syniad da rhoi'r rheilffyrdd cul a'r rhai safonol at ei gilydd mewn pecyn hyrwyddo. Efallai fod rhywfaint o sensitifrwydd ynglŷn â hynny, ond mae hynny'n rhywbeth y gallwn ei ystyried efallai ar ôl i'r argyfwng hwn dawelu.

3. Cwestiynau Amserol
3. Topical Questions

Item 3 on the agenda this afternoon is topical questions and the topical question this afternoon is to be asked by Alun Davies and answered by the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales. Alun Davies.

Eitem 3 ar yr agenda y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau amserol ac mae'r cwestiwn amserol y prynhawn yma i'w ofyn gan Alun Davies a'i ateb gan Weinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru. Alun Davies.

Cefnogaeth i Fusnes
Support for Business

1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad mewn ymateb i gyhoeddiad Llywodraeth y DU ar gymorth i fusnesau a'r economi a wnaed ar 17 Mawrth 2020? 408

1. Will the Minister make a statement in response to the UK Government’s announcement on support for business and the economy made on 17 March 2020? 408

Yes, of course. I welcomed the Chancellor's announcement, but clearly more needs to be done in the coming days, particularly to support businesses with wage costs and financial support for employees who've been laid off. Now, the Welsh Government will be making an announcement later this afternoon regarding matching in full the grants to small businesses in England as well as providing business rate relief for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses. However, Dirprwy Lywydd, there is a significant shortfall of hundreds of millions of pounds between the Barnett consequential we have received and the cost of matching all aspects of the Chancellor's package for English businesses, and we expect the UK Government to fill this gap.

Gwnaf wrth gwrs. Roeddwn yn croesawu cyhoeddiad y Canghellor, ond mae'n amlwg fod angen gwneud mwy yn y dyddiau nesaf, yn enwedig i gefnogi busnesau gyda chostau cyflogau a chymorth ariannol i weithwyr sydd wedi cael eu diswyddo. Nawr, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud cyhoeddiad yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma ynglŷn â rhoi grantiau i fusnesau bach sy'n cyfateb i'r hyn a roddir yn Lloegr yn ogystal â darparu rhyddhad ardrethi busnes i fusnesau manwerthu, hamdden a lletygarwch. Fodd bynnag, Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae diffyg sylweddol o gannoedd o filiynau o bunnoedd rhwng y swm canlyniadol Barnett a gawsom a'r gost o roi arian sy'n cyfateb i bob agwedd ar becyn y Canghellor i fusnesau yn Lloegr, a disgwyliwn i Lywodraeth y DU lenwi'r bwlch hwn.

I'm grateful to the Minister for that answer, and I think all of us welcomed the fact that the United Kingdom Government has woken up to the crisis facing many people across the country. Members will be aware that it's over a decade now since we bailed out the banks—now it's time to support our people. Many of us feel that the Chancellor, in his statement yesterday, failed in three ways. First of all, the Chancellor's statement did not look at the impact that this is having on people and families. I've been contacted by many people who are self-employed and running small businesses, all of whom are frightened because of the virus circulating in our community, but also frightened because they may well be losing their jobs and losing their businesses. It is incumbent upon any Government to respond fully to the crisis facing people in our communities today, and the Government in the United Kingdom has not recognised this impact on small businesses and the self-employed. 

It has also, Deputy Presiding Officer, failed to recognise the importance of small businesses to the economy of Wales. It has failed to recognise the importance of these businesses to our wider economy and to our communities. The Minister has already stated in his answer that Barnett will not work. It has to be time now for Barnett to be put away and for a new needs-based formula to provide the full support that Wales needs and deserves. 

Finally, Minister, can I ask you about the way in which the United Kingdom Government is working at the moment? This is a crisis across the United Kingdom and across the world, but the United Kingdom seems interested only in one nation in the United Kingdom and not in the four nations of the United Kingdom. The Welsh Ministers, I am aware, have offered the United Kingdom Government private meetings and opportunities to work together to deliver the support that all businesses across the UK need. Isn't it time that the UK governed for the whole of the United Kingdom and ensured that the whole of the United Kingdom gets the support that businesses, the self-employed and our communities require, need and deserve?

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb hwnnw, ac rwy'n meddwl bod pob un ohonom yn croesawu'r ffaith bod Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig wedi deffro i'r argyfwng sy'n wynebu llawer o bobl ledled y wlad. Bydd yr Aelodau'n ymwybodol fod dros ddegawd yn awr ers inni achub crwyn y banciau—nawr mae'n bryd cefnogi ein pobl. Mae llawer ohonom yn teimlo bod y Canghellor, yn ei ddatganiad ddoe, wedi methu mewn tair ffordd. Yn gyntaf, nid oedd datganiad y Canghellor yn edrych ar yr effaith y mae hyn yn ei chael ar bobl a theuluoedd. Mae llawer o bobl sy'n hunangyflogedig ac sy'n rhedeg busnesau bach wedi cysylltu â mi, ac mae pob un ohonynt yn ofni oherwydd y feirws sy'n cylchredeg yn ein cymuned, ond hefyd yn ofnus oherwydd mae'n bosibl iawn y byddant yn colli eu swyddi ac yn colli eu busnesau. Mae'n ddyletswydd ar unrhyw Lywodraeth i ymateb yn llawn i'r argyfwng sy'n wynebu pobl yn ein cymunedau heddiw, ac nid yw'r Llywodraeth yn y Deyrnas Unedig wedi cydnabod yr effaith hon ar fusnesau bach a phobl hunangyflogedig.  

Hefyd, Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae wedi methu cydnabod pwysigrwydd busnesau bach i economi Cymru. Mae wedi methu cydnabod pwysigrwydd y busnesau hyn i'n heconomi ehangach ac i'n cymunedau. Mae'r Gweinidog eisoes wedi dweud yn ei ateb na fydd Barnett yn gweithio. Rhaid ei bod yn bryd rhoi Barnett o'r neilltu yn awr a chael fformiwla newydd sy'n seiliedig ar anghenion i ddarparu'r gefnogaeth lawn y mae Cymru ei hangen ac yn ei haeddu.  

Yn olaf, Weinidog, a gaf fi ofyn i chi am y ffordd y mae Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig yn gweithio ar hyn o bryd? Mae hwn yn argyfwng ledled y Deyrnas Unedig ac ar draws y byd, ond mae'n ymddangos mai un wlad yn unig yn y Deyrnas Unedig sydd o ddiddordeb i'r Deyrnas Unedig ac nid y pedair gwlad. Rwy'n ymwybodol fod Gweinidogion Cymru wedi cynnig cyfarfodydd preifat i Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig a chyfleoedd i weithio gyda'n gilydd i ddarparu'r cymorth sydd ei angen ar bob busnes ledled y DU. Onid yw'n bryd i'r DU lywodraethu dros y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan a sicrhau bod y DU gyfan yn cael y gefnogaeth y mae busnesau, yr hunangyflogedig a'n cymunedau ei hangen ac yn ei haeddu?

14:50

Can I thank Alun Davies for his questions? This institution was set up to address Welsh problems, but, of course, we live in exceptional times. Coronavirus is a global problem and requires both a global response but also a very strong UK response. It requires a response in which all four nations are contributing to the solutions, and I was pleased this morning to take part in what I hope will be a weekly round of quadrilateral discussions with my counterparts across the UK, including with Ministers at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

I have to say a number of things about the announcement that was made yesterday. Far more does need to be done. We were informed this morning that further statements will be made. I know that the Prime Minister has made a statement this afternoon concerning people who rent properties who, up until today, were extraordinarily anxious about the position that they would find themselves in. I hope that further support will be forthcoming for people who face much reduced wages or, indeed, the loss of wages entirely. In this regard, I spoke with the Secretary of State yesterday in BEIS and, as part of the quadrilateral discussions today, we raised the prospect of a wage subsidy scheme being rolled out by the UK Government. This would not be without precedent. We've seen this adopted in many other countries around the world, and I was told that that very proposal would be considered. I hope that an announcement will be made by the UK Government in the coming days.

It will have to be matched, of course, with a huge fiscal package of support. The Office for Budget Responsibility, in the last 24 hours, have said that a blunderbuss approach must be taken by the Government, and that means that rather than spend about 1.5 per cent of GDP in bolstering the economy, more like 5 per cent should be invested in it, and that's precisely what I hope the UK Government will reflect on as it does devise—as I am hoping it will do—a strong interventionist policy in terms of wage support. In terms of the £330 billion that was announced, that was largely focused on businesses that could afford to borrow, but we know that there are many businesses that are simply not in that position right now and need help immediately. 

Now, I've asked for clarity as to what the gap in the proposals for England may be. Twenty billion pounds has been allocated to that set of proposals, but we are not entirely sure whether the proposals can be afforded in full with the £20 billion that has been allocated to it. My understanding is that grants in England will not be available until April. They will be administered by local authorities. We are looking here in Wales at how we can get money out of the door sooner, because there is an urgent need to support small and medium-sized enterprises and indeed larger businesses as well right now.

A gaf fi ddiolch i Alun Davies am ei gwestiynau? Ffurfiwyd y sefydliad hwn i fynd i'r afael â phroblemau Cymreig, ond wrth gwrs, rydym yn byw mewn cyfnod eithriadol. Mae coronafeirws yn broblem fyd-eang ac mae'n galw am ymateb byd-eang ac am ymateb cryf iawn gan y DU hefyd. Mae'n galw am ymateb lle mae'r pedair gwlad yn cyfrannu at yr atebion, ac roeddwn yn falch y bore yma o gymryd rhan yn yr hyn y gobeithiaf y bydd yn gylch wythnosol o drafodaethau pedairochrog â'm cymheiriaid ledled y DU, gan gynnwys Gweinidogion yr Adran Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol.

Rhaid imi ddweud nifer o bethau am y cyhoeddiad a wnaethpwyd ddoe. Mae angen gwneud llawer mwy. Dywedwyd wrthym y bore yma y bydd datganiadau pellach yn cael eu gwneud. Gwn fod y Prif Weinidog wedi gwneud datganiad y prynhawn yma ynglŷn â phobl sy'n rhentu eiddo a oedd, tan heddiw, yn eithriadol o bryderus am y sefyllfa y byddent yn ei hwynebu. Rwy'n gobeithio y rhoddir mwy o gefnogaeth i bobl sy'n wynebu cyflogau is o lawer neu a fydd yn colli eu cyflogau'n gyfan gwbl. I'r perwyl hwn, siaradais â'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol ddoe yn yr Adran Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol, ac fel rhan o'r trafodaethau pedairochrog heddiw, codasom y posibilrwydd y byddai Llywodraeth y DU yn cyflwyno cynllun cymhorthdal cyflog. Ni fyddai hyn yn ddigynsail. Rydym wedi ei weld yn cael ei fabwysiadu mewn llawer o wledydd eraill ledled y byd, a dywedwyd wrthyf y byddai'r union gynnig hwnnw'n cael ei ystyried. Rwy'n gobeithio y gwneir cyhoeddiad gan Lywodraeth y DU yn y dyddiau nesaf.

Bydd yn rhaid cynnig pecyn ariannol enfawr o gymorth ochr yn ochr ag ef wrth gwrs. Mae'r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol, yn y 24 awr ddiwethaf, wedi dweud bod yn rhaid i'r Llywodraeth weithredu mewn modd diamwys, ac mae hynny'n golygu, yn hytrach na gwario tua 1.5 y cant o'r cynnyrch domestig gros i gryfhau'r economi, y dylid buddsoddi rhywbeth tebycach i 5 y cant ynddi, a dyna'n union rwy'n gobeithio y bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn ei ystyried wrth iddi ddyfeisio—fel rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yn ei wneud—polisi ymyraethol cryf mewn perthynas â chymorth cyflogau. O ran y £330 biliwn a gyhoeddwyd, roedd hwnnw'n canolbwyntio i raddau helaeth ar fusnesau a allai fforddio benthyca, ond gwyddom fod yna lawer o fusnesau nad ydynt yn y sefyllfa honno ar hyn o bryd ac mae angen cymorth arnynt ar unwaith.  

Nawr, rwyf wedi gofyn am eglurder ynglŷn â beth y gallai'r bwlch yn y cynigion ar gyfer Lloegr fod. Mae £20 biliwn wedi'i ddyrannu i'r set honno o gynigion, ond nid ydym yn hollol siŵr a ellir fforddio'r cynigion yn llawn gyda'r £20 biliwn a ddyrannwyd ar eu cyfer. Fy nealltwriaeth i yw na fydd grantiau yn Lloegr ar gael tan fis Ebrill. Awdurdodau lleol fydd yn eu gweinyddu. Rydym yn edrych yma yng Nghymru ar sut y gallwn gael arian drwy'r drws yn gynt, oherwydd mae taer angen cefnogi busnesau bach a chanolig eu maint, a busnesau mwy o faint hefyd yn wir, a hynny ar unwaith.

14:55

Can I thank you for your balanced answer, I think, to Alun Davies? And Alun Davies's question—I'm really disappointed by the tone of his approach because, as I said yesterday, Minister, I want to work with you and the Government, with scrutiny but also in a balanced way and with co-operation, at this unprecedented time. We had the Chancellor yesterday, on top of last week's budget, announcing £330 billion, an unprecedented amount, with a Barnett consequential of £1.1 billion, with more money—more money—coming as needed as well. So, let's keep that in the context that it's meant to be. [Interruption.] Please—

A gaf fi ddiolch i chi am eich ateb cytbwys, rwy'n meddwl, i Alun Davies? A chwestiwn Alun Davies—rwy'n siomedig iawn gyda thôn ei ymagwedd oherwydd, fel y dywedais ddoe, Weinidog, rwyf am weithio gyda chi a'r Llywodraeth, gan graffu ond hefyd mewn ffordd gytbwys a chyda chydweithrediad, ar yr adeg hon nas gwelwyd ei thebyg o'r blaen. Cawsom y Canghellor ddoe, yn ychwanegol at gyllideb yr wythnos diwethaf, yn cyhoeddi £330 biliwn, swm digynsail, gydag arian canlyniadol Barnett o £1.1 biliwn, gyda mwy o arian—mwy o arian—yn dod yn ôl yr angen hefyd. Felly, gadewch i ni gadw hynny yn y cyd-destun a fwriadwyd. [Torri ar draws.] Os gwelwch yn dda—

But I'm just so frustrated that we're not working on a consensual basis, Deputy Presiding Officer. Come on, let's pull together at this particular time. I'm going to try now and go through my questions in a measured way. 

Yesterday, Minister, the Government obviously announced additional measures for business support. You said you will, I think, make an announcement later today, which I very, very much welcome because I do think that needs to be as quick as possible. I appreciate officials have got to work through those consequentials and details, but certainly the UK Government for England announced, regardless of the rateable value, that all businesses—whether they're pubs, whether they're music venues or theatres or restaurants—will have rate relief from 1 April completely. And I would hope, of course, that the Welsh Government can do the same here in Wales as soon as possible, and I think that it is important that that happens quickly because if that doesn't happen, then our inboxes fill up, and extra pressure is put on Business Wales with businesses asking the questions. So, it's really important that that happens as soon as possible. Of course, there's also the grant that's available that the UK Government announced—not a loan but a grant available to businesses, up from £3,000 to £10,000, and there will obviously be an area there for the Welsh Government to come forward with its own scheme. Again, I very much welcome the fact that you're able to do that, and if you're able to do that sooner than the UK Government is doing that in England for Welsh businesses, then that's great and you'll have my full support in that as well.

In regard to Business Wales, you mentioned yesterday that that is the one-stop shop, and I very much welcome that, and you mentioned that it has got capacity, or has indicated that. I have to say that I've been pointing businesses to that line and they've been getting back to me to say that they've been for two days trying to get through. I've tried myself to contact Business Wales—I was in a queue for 30 minutes and at that point I gave up. That's not a criticism, that's to let you know what's going on in these unprecedented times, and also, the options available weren't relevant, I don't think, for the current crisis that we're in. There was no mention of the current position. Option 1 is, you know, 'Do you want to start a new business? Press 1.' I pressed the fifth option, which is 'other', so I do think that that needs to be looked at to make sure that businesses get through to speak to someone as soon as possible, as much as that can possibly be. 

There's also the issue, when it does come to business rates, of whether local authorities have sent out demands or not yet. But, of course, if that can be stopped or if businesses can universally be told, 'You will not be paying business rates', that will again take off pressure. There's an admin issue here for local authorities, where a lot of resource and time could be saved if we can work through some of these issues as quickly as possible before the beginning of the new financial year. 

And finally, the British Business Bank also provides funds, and I would just like some clarity, if possible—if not now then through a statement, perhaps, for Members—that the British development bank, for example, is providing funding to the whole of the UK for business support, and how does that correlate with the Development Bank of Wales? Can Welsh businesses go through both banks? And with that consequential, how does that work in terms of some areas of business support not coming through the Welsh Government, but coming through other means as well? It would be useful to understand that so that we can correctly give the right information to businesses as well. I remain committed to working with you on a non-partisan basis to help businesses across Wales, Minister. 

Ond rwyf mor rhwystredig nad ydym yn gweithio ar sail consensws, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Dewch, gadewch inni ddod at ein gilydd ar yr adeg hon. Rwy'n mynd i geisio mynd drwy fy nghwestiynau mewn ffordd bwyllog.  

Ddoe, Weinidog, cyhoeddodd y Llywodraeth fesurau ychwanegol ar gyfer cymorth i fusnesau. Fe ddywedoch chi y byddwch yn gwneud cyhoeddiad yn ddiweddarach heddiw, rwy'n credu, ac rwy'n croesawu hynny'n fawr iawn gan fy mod yn credu bod angen i hynny fod mor gyflym ag sy'n bosibl. Rwy'n sylweddoli bod swyddogion yn mynd i orfod gweithio drwy'r symiau canlyniadol a'r manylion hynny, ond yn sicr cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth y DU ar gyfer Lloegr, ni waeth beth yw'r gwerth ardrethol, fod pob busnes—boed yn dafarndai, yn lleoliadau cerddoriaeth neu'n theatrau neu'n fwytai—yn cael rhyddhad ardrethi o 1 Ebrill yn gyfan gwbl. A buaswn yn gobeithio, wrth gwrs, y gall Llywodraeth Cymru wneud yr un peth yma yng Nghymru cyn gynted â phosibl, a chredaf ei bod yn bwysig fod hynny'n digwydd yn gyflym oherwydd os na fydd yn digwydd, bydd ein mewnflychau'n llenwi, a bydd pwysau ychwanegol yn cael ei roi ar Busnes Cymru gyda busnesau'n gofyn y cwestiynau. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn fod hynny'n digwydd cyn gynted ag y bo modd. Wrth gwrs, mae'r grant a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU ar gael—nid benthyciad ond grant sydd ar gael i fusnesau, i fyny o £3,000 i £10,000, ac mae'n amlwg y bydd lle yno i Lywodraeth Cymru gyflwyno ei chynllun ei hun. Unwaith eto, rwy'n croesawu'n fawr y ffaith eich bod yn gallu gwneud hynny, ac os ydych chi'n gallu gwneud hynny'n gynt nag y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn ei wneud yn Lloegr ar gyfer busnesau Cymru, mae hynny'n wych ac fe gewch fy nghefnogaeth lwyr yn hynny hefyd.

O ran Busnes Cymru, fe sonioch chi ddoe mai dyna yw'r siop un stop, ac rwy'n croesawu hynny'n fawr, ac fe ddywedoch chi fod ganddo gapasiti, neu ei fod   wedi dynodi hynny. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud fy mod wedi bod yn cyfeirio busnesau at y llinell honno ac maent wedi dod yn ôl ataf i ddweud eu bod wedi bod yn ceisio mynd trwodd ers dau ddiwrnod. Rwyf wedi ceisio cysylltu â Busnes Cymru fy hun—roeddwn mewn ciw am 30 munud ac ar y pwynt hwnnw rhoddais y gorau iddi. Nid beirniadaeth yw hynny, dim ond rhoi gwybod i chi beth sy'n digwydd yn y cyfnod digyffelyb hwn, a hefyd, nid wyf yn credu bod yr opsiynau a oedd ar gael yn berthnasol i'r argyfwng presennol a wynebwn. Nid oedd unrhyw sôn am y sefyllfa bresennol. Opsiwn 1, wyddoch chi, yw 'A ydych chi eisiau dechrau busnes newydd? Pwyswch 1.' Pwysais y pumed opsiwn, sef 'arall', felly credaf fod angen edrych ar hynny er mwyn sicrhau bod busnesau'n mynd drwodd i siarad â rhywun cyn gynted â phosibl, gymaint ag y gellir.   

O ran ardrethi busnes, mae'n gwestiwn hefyd a yw awdurdodau lleol wedi anfon biliau allan ai peidio. Ond wrth gwrs, os gellir atal hynny neu os gellir dweud wrth fusnesau yn gyffredinol, 'Ni fyddwch yn talu ardrethi busnes', bydd hynny eto'n lleihau'r pwysau. Mater gweinyddol yw hwn i awdurdodau lleol, lle gellid arbed llawer o adnoddau ac amser os gallwn weithio drwy rai o'r problemau hyn cyn gynted â phosibl cyn dechrau'r flwyddyn ariannol newydd.  

Ac yn olaf, mae Banc Busnes Prydain hefyd yn darparu cyllid, a hoffwn gael rhywfaint o eglurder, os oes modd—os nad yn awr, drwy ddatganiad, efallai, i'r Aelodau—fod banc datblygu Prydain, er enghraifft, yn darparu cyllid i'r DU gyfan ar gyfer cymorth i fusnesau, a sut y mae hynny'n cydgysylltu â Banc Datblygu Cymru? A all busnesau Cymru fynd drwy'r ddau fanc? A chyda'r swm canlyniadol hwnnw, sut y mae hynny'n gweithio o ran y ffaith nad yw rhai agweddau ar gymorth busnes yn dod drwy Lywodraeth Cymru, ond eu bod yn dod drwy ddulliau eraill hefyd? Byddai'n ddefnyddiol deall hynny er mwyn inni allu rhoi'r wybodaeth gywir i fusnesau. Rwy'n dal i fod yn ymrwymedig i weithio gyda chi ar sail amhleidiol i helpu busnesau ledled Cymru, Weinidog.  

Can I thank Russell George for his questions? There were a number of areas and subjects that he's raised this afternoon.

First of all, can I say with regard to Business Wales—Business Wales are obviously being inundated with calls right now? I was informed just this morning that additional staff have been moved away from their regular jobs, their regular functions, in order to answer the huge number of calls that are being made to that particular service. I also raised the issue of the voice messaging and the referral of people through the voicemail system. That is being addressed as we speak. I would suggest to businesses as a first port of call to visit the website and the information that's provided on it. There is also the possibility to log a call back if businesses are not able to wait more than five, 10, or, indeed, 30 minutes, and I do recognise—I do recognise—that there is enormous pressure there with Business Wales. We're looking at every opportunity to further bolster the number of people that are advising businesses within Business Wales.

In terms of notices for business rates, if they can be stopped, obviously they will be, but if they can't be and they've already been issued, then further notices will be going out to inform businesses that they will have zero to pay. In terms of the £330 billion that was announced, it is purely in loans at the moment and we require an additional sum of money—a very, very significant sum indeed—to be made available to cover the fixed costs of businesses as they try to struggle through this period or if they decide to hibernate as they cease operation for a temporary period of time. That money should be used to ensure that there is an income for people who are affected by coronavirus and who are in work but also to retain those valuable workers on the books of those businesses that are affected. It's absolutely vital that action is taken in that regard.

I know that the Finance Minister is speaking this afternoon with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and Rebecca Evans will be making a very powerful case for that gap that I mentioned to be filled. It's absolutely essential if we are to roll out precisely the same level of support in terms of NDR for the sectors that were announced yesterday by the Chancellor. There are enormous costs, obviously, associated with supporting chain supermarkets, chain superstores and chain hotels, but, in the very least, we look to the opportunity of making discretionary support available to councils, recognising that in many parts of Wales independent large businesses, such as those hotels in many of our communities, can provide invaluable support to the supply chain.

A gaf fi ddiolch i Russell George am ei gwestiynau? Mae wedi crybwyll nifer o feysydd a phynciau y prynhawn yma.

Yn gyntaf oll, a gaf fi ddweud ynglŷn â Busnes Cymru—mae'n amlwg fod Busnes Cymru yn cael eu llethu gan alwadau ar hyn o bryd? Cefais wybod y bore yma fod staff ychwanegol wedi'u symud o'u swyddi arferol, eu swyddogaethau arferol, er mwyn ateb y nifer enfawr o alwadau a wneir i'r gwasanaeth penodol hwnnw. Crybwyllais y negeseuon llais a chyfeirio pobl drwy'r system negeseuon llais. Mae hynny'n cael sylw wrth inni siarad. Buaswn yn awgrymu y dylai busnesau, fel cam cyntaf, ymweld â'r wefan a'r wybodaeth a ddarperir arni. Hefyd, mae modd logio galwad yn ôl os na all busnesau aros mwy na phump, 10 neu'n wir, 30 munud, ac rwy'n cydnabod—rwy'n cydnabod—fod pwysau aruthrol yno gyda Busnes Cymru. Rydym yn edrych ar bob cyfle i gryfhau ymhellach nifer y bobl sy'n cynghori busnesau o fewn Busnes Cymru.

O ran hysbysiadau ardrethi busnes, os gellir eu hatal, mae'n amlwg y bydd hynny'n digwydd, ond os na ellir eu hatal a'u bod eisoes wedi cael eu hanfon, bydd hysbysiadau pellach yn mynd allan i roi gwybod i fusnesau na fydd ganddynt ddim i'w dalu. O ran y £330 biliwn a gyhoeddwyd, benthyciadau'n unig ydyw ar hyn o bryd ac rydym angen swm ychwanegol o arian—swm sylweddol iawn yn wir—i fod ar gael i dalu am gostau sefydlog busnesau wrth iddynt geisio brwydro drwy'r cyfnod hwn neu os byddant yn penderfynu gaeafgysgu wrth iddynt roi'r gorau i weithredu am gyfnod dros dro. Dylid defnyddio'r arian hwnnw i sicrhau bod incwm ar gael i bobl y mae coronafeirws yn effeithio arnynt ac sydd mewn gwaith ond hefyd i gadw'r gweithwyr gwerthfawr hynny ar lyfrau'r busnesau yr effeithir arnynt. Mae'n gwbl hanfodol fod camau'n cael eu cymryd yn hynny o beth.

Gwn fod y Gweinidog Cyllid yn siarad y prynhawn yma â Phrif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys, a bydd Rebecca Evans yn cyflwyno achos grymus iawn dros y bwlch y soniais fod angen ei lenwi. Mae'n gwbl hanfodol os ydym am gyflwyno'n union yr un lefel o gymorth o ran ardrethi annomestig ar gyfer y sectorau a gyhoeddwyd gan y Canghellor ddoe. Mae costau enfawr yn gysylltiedig â chefnogi archfarchnadoedd cadwyn, siopau cadwyn a gwestai cadwyn, ond o leiaf, rydym yn edrych ar y cyfle i ddarparu cymorth yn ôl disgresiwn i gynghorau, gan gydnabod mewn sawl rhan o Gymru fod busnesau mawr annibynnol, fel y gwestai hynny a geir mewn llawer o'n cymunedau, yn gallu rhoi cefnogaeth amhrisiadwy i'r gadwyn gyflenwi.

15:00

I thank the Minister for his response to Alun Davies's question. I think it is undoubtedly true that because of the structure of our economy we will need a higher level of support for business, potentially, and I'm encouraged by what the Minister says that he's getting some positive response from the UK Government to acknowledge that. I'm sure that we can have every faith in the finance Minister that she'll be making that case really, really powerfully, because we do have a very different structure. We're more dependent on tourism, for example, in some communities. We have still—thank goodness—more manufacturing capacity than many other parts of the UK, but, again, those businesses may be under threat. And we also have—and this is my first question to the Minister—an awful lot of micro businesses, as my colleague, Leanne Wood, was mentioning yesterday, an awful lot of people who are one-person organisations or one-or-two-people organisations. I think it's very important, as we move forward, that any package of business support can be really easily and effectively passed on to them. The fact that there'll be earlier access to sick pay is not going to solve the problem for people who are self-isolating not because they're ill but because somebody else is, and it certainly isn't going to solve the problem for somebody who's not self-isolating but is just not having any business, if, for example, they're a builder and they would normally go into people's homes and they're just not getting any business coming through.

So, I'd like to hear a bit more from the Minister today about what his proposals are to ensure that that support can get to those micro businesses. I was going to raise the points about the access to the helpline that Russell George has already raised, but there's no need to repeat that. But I think it's particularly—. For those businesses it's particularly important that access to support is easy and that information is easy to get hold of, because they don't have big admin departments to back them up in those particular regards. 

I was encouraged to hear what the Minister said about rate relief for some of our bigger tourism businesses. I'm thinking of organisations like the Harbourmaster Hotel in my region and the Llywydd's constituency, which is an independent Welsh-owned business, but, as the Minister's said, absolutely crucial in the supply chain in that area. It's a destination business that people come to that town to visit, to stay in, to use the excellent restaurant, and we know we've got hundreds of those all over Wales. So, if I can ask the Minister to keep that business rate relief under advisement and to look again at whether we can make a difference, potentially, between those locally owned businesses who we would want to be subsidising, if you like, and the big chains that we may or may not want to support. Because I certainly don't think that there would be any intention on the Minister's part for those businesses not to be supported.

And finally, Dirprwy Lywydd—I take it that this goes without saying—I hope that, in this very fast moving picture, the Minister will be able to keep us all informed about what's going on about the response from the Westminster Government. I hope that colleagues on the benches opposite will also support any representations that are being made to Ministers at the other end of the M4, because I'm sure that they do understand the different structure of our business. But the more that we are all informed about what's going on, the more we can share that information with concerned constituents, and the more that we can, as far as we can, operate as Team Wales. The Minister knows that he'll always get rigorous scrutiny from these benches and from the rest of the opposition, but, in these circumstances, where we can, we will want to work together.

Diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ateb i gwestiwn Alun Davies. Credaf ei bod yn sicr yn wir, oherwydd strwythur ein heconomi, y bydd arnom angen lefel uwch o gymorth i fusnesau o bosibl, ac fe'm calonogir gan yr hyn a ddywed y Gweinidog, ei fod yn cael peth ymateb cadarnhaol gan Lywodraeth y DU i gydnabod hynny. Rwy'n siŵr y gallwn gael pob ffydd yn y Gweinidog cyllid y bydd yn cyflwyno'r achos hwnnw'n rymus tu hwnt, oherwydd mae gennym strwythur gwahanol iawn. Rydym yn dibynnu mwy ar dwristiaeth, er enghraifft, mewn rhai cymunedau. Mae'n dal i fod gennym—diolch byth—fwy o gapasiti gweithgynhyrchu na llawer o rannau eraill o'r DU, ond unwaith eto, mae'n bosibl fod y busnesau hynny dan fygythiad. Ac mae gennym hefyd—a dyma fy nghwestiwn cyntaf i'r Gweinidog—lawer iawn o ficrofusnesau, fel roedd fy nghyd-Aelod, Leanne Wood, yn sôn ddoe, llawer iawn o bobl sy'n sefydliadau un person neu'n sefydliadau un neu ddau o bobl. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn, wrth inni symud ymlaen, fod yna fodd o drosglwyddo unrhyw becyn cymorth busnes iddynt yn rhwydd ac yn effeithiol iawn. Nid yw'r ffaith y gellir cael tâl salwch yn gynharach yn mynd i ddatrys y broblem i bobl sy'n hunanynysu nid oherwydd eu bod hwy'n sâl ond oherwydd bod rhywun arall yn sâl, ac yn sicr nid yw'n mynd i ddatrys y broblem i rywun nad yw'n hunanynysu ond nad ydynt yn cael unrhyw fusnes, er enghraifft, os ydynt yn adeiladwyr ac y byddent fel arfer yn mynd i mewn i gartrefi pobl ac nid ydynt yn cael unrhyw fusnes.

Felly, hoffwn glywed ychydig mwy gan y Gweinidog heddiw ynglŷn â beth yw ei argymhellion i sicrhau y gall y microfusnesau hynny gael cymorth. Roeddwn yn mynd i nodi'r pwyntiau ynglŷn â mynediad at y llinell gymorth y mae Russell George eisoes wedi'u crybwyll, ond nid oes angen ailadrodd hynny. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn arbennig—. I'r busnesau hynny mae'n arbennig o bwysig fod mynediad at gymorth yn hawdd a bod gwybodaeth yn hawdd ei chael, oherwydd nid oes ganddynt adrannau gweinyddol mawr i'w cefnogi gyda hynny.  

Fe'm calonogwyd wrth glywed yr hyn a ddywedodd y Gweinidog am ryddhad ardrethi i rai o'n busnesau twristiaeth mwy o faint. Rwy'n meddwl am sefydliadau fel Gwesty'r Harbourmaster yn fy rhanbarth i ac etholaeth y Llywydd, sy'n fusnes annibynnol Cymreig, ond fel y dywedodd y Gweinidog, mae'n gwbl hanfodol yn y gadwyn gyflenwi yn yr ardal honno. Mae'n fusnes cyrchfan y daw pobl i'r dref honno i ymweld ag ef, i aros ynddo, i ddefnyddio'r bwyty ardderchog, a gwyddom fod gennym gannoedd o'r rheini ar hyd a lled Cymru. Felly, os caf ofyn i'r Gweinidog gadw'r rhyddhad ardrethi busnes dan ystyriaeth ac edrych eto i weld a oes modd inni wahaniaethu, o bosibl, rhwng y busnesau sydd mewn perchnogaeth leol y byddem am roi cymhorthdal iddynt, os mynnwch, a'r cadwyni mawr y byddem neu na fyddem eisiau eu cefnogi. Oherwydd yn sicr nid wyf yn credu y byddai unrhyw fwriad ar ran y Gweinidog i'r busnesau hynny beidio â chael eu cefnogi.

Ac yn olaf, Ddirprwy Lywydd—rwy'n cymryd nad oes angen dweud hyn—yn y darlun hwn sy'n symud yn gyflym iawn, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y Gweinidog yn gallu rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i bawb ohonom am yr hyn sy'n digwydd ynghylch yr ymateb gan Lywodraeth San Steffan. Gobeithio y bydd cyd-Aelodau ar y meinciau gyferbyn hefyd yn cefnogi unrhyw sylwadau sy'n cael eu cyflwyno i Weinidogion ar ben arall yr M4, oherwydd rwy'n siŵr eu bod yn deall strwythur gwahanol ein busnes. Ond po fwyaf y caiff pawb ohonom ei wybod ynglŷn â beth sy'n digwydd, y mwyaf y gallwn rannu'r wybodaeth honno gydag etholwyr pryderus, a'r mwyaf y gallwn weithredu fel Tîm Cymru cyn belled ag y bo modd. Gŵyr y Gweinidog y byddwn ni ar y meinciau hyn a gweddill y gwrthbleidiau bob amser yn craffu'n drwyadl ar ei waith, ond yn yr amgylchiadau hyn, byddwn am weithio gyda'n gilydd lle gallwn wneud hynny.

15:05

Well, can I thank Helen Mary Jones? Just as she was incredibly constructive and helpful yesterday, so too she is today. At risk of adding to the burden of my officials, I think it would be helpful, in light of what Helen Mary Jones has suggested, if I provide a weekly written statement concerning our engagement with the UK Government and other devolved nations, and the very latest in terms of interventions concerning the economy, and I'll endeavour to do just that.

In terms of the points raised concerning sole traders and microbusinesses, as I've said, later today we expect to be able to announce that we'll be matching the UK Government's offer of grants of £10,000 to all small businesses. That will include sole traders. Where sole traders and microbusinesses don't have premises, then they will need to rely on a wage subsidy scheme. That's why I think it's so important that as soon as possible the UK Government can develop a fair wage subsidy scheme for businesses of all sizes in order to ensure that businesses can either hibernate or fight through this particular crisis.

And then, thirdly, Helen Mary Jones raised the important point of just how significant independent hoteliers can be to many of our communities—independent large shops, as well, in many parts of Wales. I would say that discretionary rate relief could be available to support many, but if we really wish to match what the UK Government has offered to England, and if we wish to ensure that as many businesses as possible benefit from this, we need the UK Government to fill that huge gap of hundreds of millions of pounds.

Wel, a gaf fi ddiolch i Helen Mary Jones? Roedd hi'n anhygoel o adeiladol a chymwynasgar ddoe, ac mae hi felly heddiw hefyd. Er nad wyf am ychwanegu at faich fy swyddogion, yng ngoleuni'r hyn a awgrymodd Helen Mary Jones, credaf y byddai'n ddefnyddiol i mi ddarparu datganiad ysgrifenedig wythnosol ynghylch ein hymwneud â Llywodraeth y DU a'r gwledydd datganoledig eraill, a'r diweddaraf ynghylch ymyriadau'n ymwneud â'r economi, a byddaf yn ceisio gwneud hynny.

O ran y pwyntiau a godwyd ynghylch unig fasnachwyr a microfusnesau, fel y dywedais, yn ddiweddarach heddiw, rydym yn disgwyl gallu cyhoeddi y byddwn yn cynnig grantiau o £10,000 i bob busnes bach. Bydd hynny'n cynnwys unig fasnachwyr. Os nad oes gan unig fasnachwyr a microfusnesau safleoedd, bydd angen iddynt ddibynnu ar gynllun cymhorthdal cyflog. Dyna pam rwy'n credu ei bod mor bwysig, cyn gynted ag y bo modd, i Lywodraeth y DU allu datblygu cynllun cymhorthdal cyflog teg ar gyfer busnesau o bob maint er mwyn sicrhau y gall busnesau naill ai aeafgysgu neu ymladd drwy'r argyfwng penodol hwn.

Ac yna, yn drydydd, cododd Helen Mary Jones y pwynt pwysig ynglŷn â pha mor arwyddocaol y gall gwestai annibynnol fod i lawer o'n cymunedau—siopau mawr annibynnol hefyd mewn sawl rhan o Gymru. Buaswn yn dweud y gallai rhyddhad ardrethi yn ôl disgresiwn fod ar gael i gefnogi nifer ohonynt, ond os ydym o ddifrif yn dymuno rhoi'r hyn y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi ei gynnig i Loegr, ac os ydym am sicrhau bod cynifer o fusnesau ag y bo modd yn elwa o hyn, mae angen i Lywodraeth y DU lenwi'r bwlch enfawr o gannoedd o filiynau o bunnau.

Minister, I'm really pleased that this question has been put forward—and I thank Alun Davies for doing that—to give us an opportunity, and you an opportunity, to represent our areas. The Mid and West Wales economy does rely heavily on tourism and small businesses, but that, in turn, has a high percentage of part-time and zero-hours workforce to support it. I do welcome the announcement of the UK Government support in as far as it's gone, but I am concerned, and you've reiterated it here several times, that it is aimed at the bigger businesses and not necessarily going to support the multitude of small and medium enterprises that we have in Mid and West Wales.

But what I want to really focus on today is the workforce, and particularly statutory sick pay. Can you please tell me what discussions you've had with your counterpart in the UK to ensure that the part-time and zero-hours workers who don't currently qualify for SSP receive it? And will you urge the UK Government's Department for Work and Pensions to pay that quickly to those who are on sick or who are into forced self-isolation at a rate that matches the real living wage? That, in turn, will help the families and the individuals survive this crisis, because it is, indeed, a crisis that they find themselves in, and not of their own making.

And I hope that you will urge the UK Government to remove the five-week wait for universal credit. I'm really assured to hear from the Tory benches here that they want to work with us and support us, and I hope that they will start writing to the Ministers in their Government, asking them for that statutory sick pay, and I look forward to copies of those letters.

Easter, we know, is coming. We know that, unfortunately, it isn't going to necessarily be the happy celebrations that we were all hoping for, but, nonetheless, I'm sure that everybody here will join me in hoping that everybody does have as peaceful and as good an Easter as they possibly can have.

Weinidog, rwy'n falch iawn fod y cwestiwn hwn wedi'i gyflwyno—a diolch i Alun Davies am wneud hynny—i roi cyfle i ni, a chyfle i chi, gynrychioli ein hardaloedd. Mae economi Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru yn dibynnu'n helaeth ar dwristiaeth a busnesau bach, ond mae gan hynny, yn ei dro, ganran uchel o weithlu rhan-amser a dim oriau i'w gefnogi. Rwy'n croesawu'r cyhoeddiad am gymorth Llywodraeth y DU i'r graddau y mae wedi mynd, ond rwy'n bryderus, ac rydych wedi'i ailadrodd yma sawl gwaith, ei fod wedi'i anelu at y busnesau mwy o faint ac nad yw o anghenraid yn mynd i gefnogi'r llu o fusnesau bach a chanolig sydd gennym yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru.

Ond yr hyn rwyf am ganolbwyntio arno go iawn heddiw yw'r gweithlu, ac yn enwedig tâl salwch statudol. A fyddech cystal â dweud wrthyf pa drafodaethau a gawsoch gyda'ch swyddog cyfatebol yn y DU i sicrhau bod y gweithwyr rhan-amser a dim oriau nad ydynt yn gymwys ar hyn o bryd ar gyfer tâl salwch statudol yn cael y cymorth hwnnw? Ac a wnewch chi bwyso ar Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau Llywodraeth y DU i'w dalu'n gyflym i'r rhai sy'n sâl neu sy'n gorfod hunanynysu ar gyfradd sy'n cyfateb i'r cyflog byw go iawn? Bydd hynny, yn ei dro, yn helpu'r teuluoedd a'r unigolion i oroesi'r argyfwng hwn, oherwydd mae'n sicr yn argyfwng iddynt, ac nid hwy a'i creodd.

Ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch yn annog Llywodraeth y DU i gael gwared ar yr angen i aros am bum wythnos i gael credyd cynhwysol. Cefais fy nghalonogi wrth glywed o feinciau'r Torïaid yma eu bod am weithio gyda ni a'n cefnogi, a gobeithio y byddant yn dechrau ysgrifennu at y Gweinidogion yn eu Llywodraeth i ofyn iddynt am y tâl salwch statudol hwnnw, ac edrychaf ymlaen at gael copïau o'r llythyrau hynny.

Fe wyddom fod y Pasg yn dod. Fe wyddom, yn anffodus, na fydd o anghenraid yn ddathliad hapus fel roeddem i gyd yn ei obeithio, ond serch hynny, rwy'n siŵr y gwnaiff pawb yma ymuno â mi i obeithio y caiff pawb Basg mor ddigynnwrf ac mor dda ag y gallant ei gael.

15:10

Can I thank Joyce Watson for her questions, and for championing the need to support people and businesses in Mid and West Wales, and, indeed, across the country? The question of statutory sick pay was raised today in a quadrilateral. It's been raised by the First Minister as well in his letter to the Chancellor dated 17 March, which I know has been circulated to Members. We hope that the Government will take action in the way that the Member has outlined.

I think it's important, Dirprwy Lywydd, that I just reflect on some other difficulties that individuals and small businesses are facing at the moment, particularly in the region that the Member represents. Those include those fixed costs that can amount to huge sums, including utility costs. I'm calling on utility companies to roll out a significant offer to individuals and businesses in terms of payment holidays, reflecting what banks have responsibly done in terms of offering mortgage repayment holidays. I think it's absolutely essential that everybody contributes to the effort to see people and businesses through this incredibly difficult period. And that includes utility companies doing what they can do as well.

Just one final point, Dirprwy Lywydd, and it's in regard to a question asked by Russell George. I was due to meet with the British development bank earlier this week. Unfortunately, due to the crisis, they were unable to meet. A discussion with them is being put into my diary, and I will report back to Members as soon as I can.

A gaf fi ddiolch i Joyce Watson am ei chwestiynau, ac am hyrwyddo'r angen i gefnogi pobl a busnesau yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru, ac yn wir, ledled y wlad? Codwyd cwestiwn tâl salwch statudol heddiw mewn cyfarfod pedairochrog. Fe'i codwyd gan y Prif Weinidog hefyd yn ei lythyr at y Canghellor dyddiedig 17 Mawrth, a gwn ei fod wedi'i ddosbarthu i'r Aelodau. Gobeithiwn y bydd y Llywodraeth yn cymryd camau yn y modd y mae'r Aelod wedi'i amlinellu.

Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig, Ddirprwy Lywydd, fy mod yn rhoi sylw i anawsterau eraill y mae unigolion a busnesau bach yn eu hwynebu ar hyn o bryd, yn enwedig yn y rhanbarth y mae'r Aelod yn ei gynrychioli. Mae'r rheini'n cynnwys y costau sefydlog a all fod yn symiau enfawr, gan gynnwys costau cyfleustodau. Rwy'n galw ar gwmnïau cyfleustodau i gyflwyno cynnig sylweddol i unigolion a busnesau o ran gwyliau talu, gan adlewyrchu'r hyn y mae banciau wedi'i wneud yn gyfrifol o ran cynnig gwyliau ad-dalu morgais. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn gwbl hanfodol i bawb gyfrannu at yr ymdrech i weld pobl a busnesau yn dod drwy'r cyfnod hynod anodd hwn. Ac mae hynny'n cynnwys cwmnïau cyfleustodau yn gwneud yr hyn y gallant ei wneud hefyd.

Un pwynt olaf, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ac mae'n ymwneud â chwestiwn a ofynnwyd gan Russell George. Roeddwn i fod i gyfarfod â banc datblygu Prydain yn gynharach yr wythnos hon. Yn anffodus, oherwydd yr argyfwng, ni fu modd iddynt gyfarfod. Mae trafodaeth gyda hwy yn cael ei rhoi yn fy nyddiadur, a byddaf yn adrodd yn ôl i'r Aelodau cyn gynted ag y gallaf.

I fail to see, Minister, how the Welsh Government could have described the financial package that has been put in place to date as 'wholly inadequate'. Across this Chamber yesterday, Members stood shoulder to shoulder in the face of this virus that is going on. Four hundred and thirty billion pounds has been injected into the economy and will be injected into the economy—15 per cent of gross domestic product, that is. Not 1.5 per cent, not 5 per cent, but 15 per cent of GDP, that is.

And only—[Interruption.] Only yesterday, I pointed two things out to you, Minister: (1), in your statement, you didn't highlight the £100 billion of extra borrowing that the Chancellor had injected at the budget last week, and the Government was standing by 80 per cent of the loans that were underwritten by that £100 billion. Secondly, I asked you specifically around the resources of Business Wales—whether they'd be able to deal with queries. That wasn't a criticism; that was trying to seek reassurance, given the tidal wave of queries—and rightly so—that will be coming forward from business.

Only today, we have heard from my own spokesman here saying that messaging on the system is still failing to address these concerns, and people are frustrated, to say the least, and angry at worst. Can you give us reassurance that the resources are being made available? You have alluded to that fact, but can you give us an idea of how much more resource has been released to Business Wales in the number of operators that will be available and the type of information they will be able to give to businesses who are questioning, and legitimately questioning, where they need to go to seek this help? I appreciate it is a crisis we are in, but, if you are pointing people in a direction, we need to point them in the right direction to seek the support they can get.

I would implore you, when you do put the press releases out, you put press releases out that are accurate. The press release that went out about the UK Government's financial aid last night was completely inaccurate from the Welsh Government.

Ni allaf weld, Weinidog, sut y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru fod wedi disgrifio'r pecyn ariannol a roddwyd yn ei le hyd yn hyn fel un 'hollol annigonol'. Ar draws y Siambr hon ddoe, safodd Aelodau ysgwydd wrth ysgwydd yn wyneb y feirws sy'n ein hwynebu. Mae £430 biliwn wedi'i chwistrellu i mewn i'r economi ac yn mynd i gael ei chwistrellu i'r economi—15 y cant o'r cynnyrch domestig gros, dyna ydyw. Nid 1.5 y cant, nid 5 y cant, ond 15 y cant o'r cynnyrch domestig gros.

A dim ond—[Torri ar draws.] Ddoe ddiwethaf, nodais ddau beth i chi, Weinidog: (1), yn eich datganiad, ni wnaethoch dynnu sylw at y £100 biliwn o fenthyca ychwanegol roedd y Canghellor wedi'i chwistrellu i'r gyllideb yr wythnos diwethaf, ac roedd y Llywodraeth yn sefyll wrth 80 y cant o'r benthyciadau a gafodd eu tanysgrifennu gan y £100 biliwn hwnnw. Yn ail, gofynnais i chi'n benodol ynglŷn ag adnoddau Busnes Cymru—a fyddent yn gallu ymdrin ag ymholiadau. Nid beirniadaeth oedd hynny ond ymgais i gael sicrwydd o ystyried y don o ymholiadau—a hynny'n briodol—a fydd yn dod o'r byd busnes.

Heddiw, rydym wedi clywed gan fy llefarydd yma a ddywedodd fod negeseuon ar y system yn dal i fethu mynd i'r afael â'r pryderon hyn, ac mae pobl yn rhwystredig, a dweud y lleiaf, ac yn ddig ar y gwaethaf. A allwch roi sicrwydd inni fod yr adnoddau'n cael eu darparu? Rydych wedi cyfeirio at y ffaith honno, ond a allwch roi syniad inni faint yn fwy o adnoddau a ryddhawyd i Busnes Cymru o ran nifer y gweithredwyr a fydd ar gael a'r math o wybodaeth y byddant yn gallu ei rhoi i fusnesau sy'n holi, a hynny'n gyfiawn, lle mae angen iddynt fynd i ofyn am yr help hwn? Rwy'n sylweddoli ein bod mewn argyfwng, ond os ydych yn cyfeirio pobl i rywle, mae angen inni eu cyfeirio i'r cyfeiriad iawn er mwyn iddynt gael y cymorth y gallant ei gael.

Pan fyddwch yn rhyddhau'r datganiadau i'r wasg, rwy'n erfyn arnoch i sicrhau bod y datganiadau'n gywir. Roedd y datganiad i'r wasg a aeth allan am gymorth ariannol Llywodraeth y DU neithiwr yn gwbl anghywir gan Lywodraeth Cymru.

The reason that I believe it was described as 'wholly inadequate' is because there is a gap of hundreds of millions of pounds. It's an inescapable fact. And I don't mean this as a criticism; it may well be down to the UK Government not engaging with us in terms of the planning of the intervention. That, I hope, will be addressed as we work through this crisis, because I want to work alongside the UK Government as well, as I think I have done over many years.

But the reason that it is inadequate is because the shape of the Welsh economy is different to that of England, and it hasn't been recognised within the Barnett formula, as Alun Davies has already highlighted. That needs to be addressed urgently, because what we can't have—. Look, drop the politics aside—what we can't have is an announcement being made in England regarding schemes that can be afforded within a certain declared envelope, and then us being asked to do exactly the same here in the absence of the money to actually do it. That is the challenge that we face if the difference in the Welsh and English economies is not recognised. And indeed, it's not just us, Scotland faces problems too, Northern Ireland as well. This was the point of the discussion today, and I have to say that that discussion was very collegiate. I think that the challenge was recognised by colleagues in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Now, what we need to do is ensure that that challenge is addressed, and that the adequate resource that we're calling for comes to Wales so that we can support Welsh businesses equally. Because what I've been saying to businesses, and what businesses have been saying to me, is if we can at all avoid divergence, then let's avoid divergence. Whether you're based in London or Llandaff, you wish to know in the clearest terms what support is available, and it should be consistent in my view. That's why I'm determined to make sure, as is the Finance Minister and others, that the UK Government works with us to address the shortcomings in the current financial arrangements. 

I do take the point as well in terms of the availability of human resource within Business Wales. These are exceptional times and we are trying to steer as many members of staff as possible to front-line services. I will be providing further updates to Members in regard to the Business Wales service, because it's my view that we will have to pull in now additional human resources from other agencies to support Business Wales, and that is because of the exceptional demand for support. I'm also determined to ensure that local government assists Business Wales by offering a seamless and consistent advisory service that steers businesses and signposts businesses if necessary to UK Government agencies and support services as well. Because what a business wants more than anything is clear, simple, consistent messaging and information that can be accessed through one point of contact, and that's precisely what we are striving to achieve with Business Wales.

Y rheswm pam rwy'n credu ei fod wedi'i ddisgrifio fel cymorth 'hollol annigonol' yw oherwydd bod bwlch o gannoedd o filiynau o bunnau. Mae'n ffaith na ellir ei gwadu. Ac nid wyf yn golygu hyn fel beirniadaeth; mae'n ddigon posibl mai'r rheswm oedd na wnaeth Llywodraeth y DU ymgysylltu â ni i gynllunio'r ymyrraeth. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny'n cael sylw wrth inni weithio drwy'r argyfwng, oherwydd rwy'n awyddus i gydweithio â Llywodraeth y DU hefyd, fel y credaf fy mod wedi gwneud dros flynyddoedd lawer.

Ond y rheswm pam y mae'n annigonol yw oherwydd bod siâp economi Cymru'n wahanol i un Lloegr, ac ni chafodd hynny ei gydnabod yn fformiwla Barnett, fel y mae Alun Davies eisoes wedi nodi. Mae angen mynd i'r afael â hynny ar frys, oherwydd yr hyn na allwn ei gael—. Edrychwch, rhowch y wleidyddiaeth o'r neilltu—yr hyn na allwn ei gael yw cyhoeddiad yn Lloegr ynglŷn â chynlluniau na ellir eu fforddio o fewn cwmpas penodol, a bod gofyn inni wneud yn union yr un peth yma heb yr arian i'w wneud mewn gwirionedd. Dyna'r her a wynebwn os na chydnabyddir y gwahaniaeth rhwng economïau Cymru a Lloegr. Ac yn wir, mae'r Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon yn wynebu problemau hefyd, nid ni'n unig. Dyma oedd diben y drafodaeth heddiw, a rhaid imi ddweud bod y drafodaeth honno'n golegaidd iawn. Credaf i'r her gael ei chydnabod gan gydweithwyr yn yr Adran Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol.

Nawr, yr hyn y mae angen inni ei wneud yw sicrhau bod yr her honno'n cael sylw, a bod yr adnodd digonol y galwn amdano'n dod i Gymru fel y gallwn gefnogi busnesau Cymru yn yr un modd. Oherwydd yr hyn rwyf wedi bod yn ei ddweud wrth fusnesau, a'r hyn y mae busnesau wedi bod yn ei ddweud wrthyf fi yw, os gallwn osgoi ymwahanu o gwbl, yna gadewch i ni osgoi ymwahanu. P'un a ydych wedi'ch lleoli yn Llundain neu Landaf, rydych am wybod yn y termau cliriaf pa gefnogaeth sydd ar gael, a dylai fod yn gyson yn fy marn i. Dyna pam rwy'n benderfynol o wneud yn siŵr, fel y Gweinidog Cyllid ac eraill, fod Llywodraeth y DU yn gweithio gyda ni i fynd i'r afael â'r diffygion yn y trefniadau ariannol presennol.  

Rwy'n derbyn y pwynt hefyd am argaeledd adnoddau dynol o fewn Busnes Cymru. Mae'r rhain yn adegau eithriadol ac rydym yn ceisio llywio cynifer o aelodau staff â phosibl at wasanaethau rheng flaen. Byddaf yn rhoi diweddariadau pellach i'r Aelodau mewn perthynas â gwasanaeth Busnes Cymru, oherwydd yn fy marn i, bydd yn rhaid inni dynnu adnoddau dynol ychwanegol i mewn yn awr o asiantaethau eraill i gefnogi Busnes Cymru, a hynny oherwydd y galw eithriadol am gymorth. Rwyf hefyd yn benderfynol o sicrhau bod llywodraeth leol yn cynorthwyo Busnes Cymru drwy gynnig gwasanaeth cynghori di-dor a chyson sy'n llywio busnesau ac yn cyfeirio busnesau os oes angen at asiantaethau a gwasanaethau cymorth Llywodraeth y DU hefyd. Oherwydd yr hyn y mae busnes ei eisiau yn fwy nag unrhyw beth arall yw gwybodaeth a negeseuon clir, syml a chyson y gellir cael gafael arnynt drwy un pwynt cyswllt, a dyna'n union y ceisiwn ei gyflawni gyda Busnes Cymru.

15:15

It is undoubtedly the case that these are times that are really worrying for families, such as none of us have ever seen in our lifetime. I very much look forward to hearing the detail of the statement that you said you'll be issuing later.

I wanted to ask specifically, though, about the automotive sector. As you'll be aware, I've got a lot of people employed in the automotive sector in Torfaen. Quite a number of companies across the world in automotive have basically stopped working, and that is a huge concern for the large employers in Torfaen. Can I ask what discussions you've had with the automotive sector and whether you can look very specifically at their needs?

Obviously, these are not people who can work from home. They are hugely competitive industries, and if we lose them then there's a very significant risk that there will be no bringing that back from the brink. So, can I ask you what specific measures you're looking at to address the concerns of all the members of staff working in the automotive sector in Torfaen?

Mae'n sicr yn wir fod y rhain yn adegau sy'n peri pryder gwirioneddol i deuluoedd nad oes yr un ohonom wedi gweld ei debyg erioed yn ystod ein hoes. Edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr at glywed manylion y datganiad y dywedoch chi y byddwch yn ei gyhoeddi yn ddiweddarach.

Roeddwn am ofyn yn benodol, fodd bynnag, am y sector modurol. Fel y gwyddoch, mae gennyf lawer o bobl wedi'u cyflogi yn y sector modurol yn Nhorfaen. Mae cryn nifer o gwmnïau ar draws y byd modurol wedi rhoi'r gorau i weithio yn y bôn, ac mae hynny'n bryder enfawr i'r cyflogwyr mawr yn Nhorfaen. A gaf fi ofyn pa drafodaethau a gawsoch gyda'r sector modurol ac a wnewch chi edrych yn benodol iawn ar eu hanghenion?

Yn amlwg, nid pobl sy'n gallu gweithio o gartref yw'r rhain. Maent yn ddiwydiannau cystadleuol iawn, ac os ydym yn eu colli mae risg sylweddol iawn na fydd modd dod â hynny'n ôl o ymyl y dibyn. Felly, a gaf fi ofyn i chi pa fesurau penodol rydych yn edrych arnynt i roi sylw i bryderon yr holl aelodau o staff sy'n gweithio yn y sector modurol yn Nhorfaen?

Can I thank Lynne Neagle for her question? I'd agree entirely with her. I've never, ever experienced an episode of such intense anxiety and uncertainty for families and businesses across our country, and indeed around the world. It demonstrates why, at every opportunity, we need to work as closely as possible as Governments, as political parties as well, to overcome the challenges that we face.

Lynne Neagle points to one specific part of the economy that is facing very grave difficulties right now: the automotive sector. It was already facing challenges as a consequence of the accelerated shift towards zero emissions and the advent of self-drive vehicles. This now, and of course on top of the uncertainty of Brexit, poses an incredible challenge that will be difficult to overcome, but I am of the belief that the sector is strong and robust and will overcome it, but it will require assistance.

Many Members will have seen news just in the last 24 hours of the decision taken by Toyota, very similar to those that Lynne Neagle highlighted in her question. This follows on the back of the decision made over Vauxhall's operations in the UK, and there are 400 or so people who live in Wales who are employed at the Ellesmere Port site. So, a vast number of people in the Welsh workforce will be affected by decisions taken within the automotive sector.

We are in daily dialogue with the Welsh automotive forum, which is the representative body of the automotive sector, and the message that we are receiving from them is that the automotive sector, like many business sectors in the Welsh economy, simply cannot continue if they require a huge degree of people to work from home. You have to actually be on site, making things, and therefore hibernation may be the only option.

In order to ensure that businesses come out of hibernation as soon as possible and get people back to work, rather than fall over during this period, a wage-subsidy scheme is required. And it's not just required for the businesses themselves, it's also required for individuals to guarantee their welfare throughout this period.

A gaf fi ddiolch i Lynne Neagle am ei chwestiwn? Buaswn yn cytuno'n llwyr â hi. Nid wyf erioed wedi profi cyfnod mor ddifrifol ac ansicr i deuluoedd a busnesau ym mhob cwr o'n gwlad, ac ym mhob cwr o'r byd yn wir. Mae'n dangos pam fod angen inni fachu ar bob cyfle i weithio mor agos â phosibl fel Llywodraethau, fel pleidiau gwleidyddol hefyd, i oresgyn yr heriau sy'n ein hwynebu.

Mae Lynne Neagle yn nodi un rhan benodol o'r economi sy'n wynebu anawsterau difrifol iawn ar hyn o bryd: y sector modurol. Roedd eisoes yn wynebu heriau o ganlyniad i'r newid cyflymach tuag at allyriadau sero a dyfodiad cerbydau hunan-yrru. Mae hyn yn awr, ac ar ben ansicrwydd Brexit wrth gwrs, yn her aruthrol y bydd yn anodd ei goresgyn, ond rwy'n credu bod y sector yn gryf ac yn gadarn ac y bydd yn ei oresgyn, ond bydd arno angen cymorth.

Bydd llawer o'r Aelodau wedi gweld y newyddion yn ystod y 24 awr diwethaf ynglŷn â'r penderfyniad a wnaed gan Toyota, sy'n debyg iawn i'r rhai a nodwyd gan Lynne Neagle yn ei chwestiwn. Daw hyn yn sgil y penderfyniad a wnaed ynghylch gweithgarwch Vauxhall yn y DU, ac mae 400 neu fwy o bobl yn byw yng Nghymru sy'n cael eu cyflogi ar safle Ellesmere Port. Felly, bydd nifer helaeth o bobl yng ngweithlu Cymru yn cael eu heffeithio gan benderfyniadau a wneir yn y sector modurol.

Rydym yn trafod yn feunyddiol â fforwm modurol Cymru, sef corff cynrychioliadol y sector modurol, a'r neges a gawn ganddynt yw na all y sector modurol, fel llawer o'r sectorau busnes yn economi Cymru, barhau os oes angen iddynt gael llawer iawn o bobl yn gweithio o adref. Rhaid i chi fod ar y safle yn gwneud pethau, ac felly efallai mai gaeafgysgu yw'r unig ddewis.

Er mwyn sicrhau bod busnesau'n dod allan o gyfnod o aeafgysgu cyn gynted â phosibl a chael pobl yn ôl i'r gwaith, yn hytrach na methu yn ystod y cyfnod hwn, mae angen cynllun cymhorthdal cyflog. Ac nid ar gyfer y busnesau eu hunain yn unig y mae ei angen, mae ei angen hefyd ar unigolion i allu gwarantu eu lles drwy'r cyfnod hwn.

15:20
4. Cynnig i atal Reolau Sefydlog
4. Motion to suspend Standing Orders

The next item is a motion to suspend Standing Orders 11.16 and 12.20 to allow the next items of business to be debated. I call on a member of Business Committee to move the motion—Llywydd.

Yr eitem nesaf yw cynnig i atal Rheolau Sefydlog 11.16 a 12.20 er mwyn caniatáu i'r eitemau busnes nesaf gael eu trafod. Galwaf ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i wneud y cynnig—Lywydd.

Cynnig NNDM7309 Elin Jones

Cynnig bod Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog 33.6 a 33.8:

Yn atal Rheol Sefydlog 12.20(i) a’r rhan honno o Reol Sefydlog 11.16 sy’n ei gwneud yn ofynnol bod y cyhoeddiad wythnosol o dan Reol Sefydlog 11.11 yn darparu’r amserlen ar gyfer busnes yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yr wythnos ganlynol, er mwyn caniatáu i NNDM7310, NNDM7311, NNDM7312 and NNDM7313 gael eu hystyried yn y Cyfarfod Llawn ar ddydd Mercher, 18 Mawrth 2020.

Motion NNDM7309 Elin Jones

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Orders 33.6 and 33.8:

Suspends Standing Order 12.20(i) and that part of Standing Order 11.16 that requires the weekly announcement under Standing Order 11.11 to constitute the timetable for business in Plenary for the following week, to allow NNDM7310, NNDM7311, NNDM7312 and NNDM7313 to be considered in Plenary on Wednesday, 18 March 2020.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

The proposal is to suspend the Standing Orders. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, that motion is agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Y cynnig yw atal y Rheolau Sefydlog. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na. Felly, derbyniwyd y cynnig hwnnw yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

5. Cynnig i ddiwygio Rheolau Sefydlog
5. Motion to amend Standing Orders

Item 5 on the agenda is the motion to amend Standing Orders: changes resulting from the change of the name of the institution. I call again on a member of Business Committee to move the motion—Llywydd.

Eitem 5 ar yr agenda yw'r cynnig i ddiwygio Rheolau Sefydlog: newidiadau sy'n deillio o newid enw'r sefydliad. Galwaf eto ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i wneud y cynnig—Lywydd.

Cynnig NNDM7310 Elin Jones

Cynnig bod y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 33.2: 

1. Yn ystyried Adroddiad y Pwyllgor Busnes ‘Diwygio Rheolau Sefydlog: Newidiadau sy’n deillio o newid enw’r sefydliad’ a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 18 Mawrth 2020.

2. Yn cymeradwyo’r cynnig i diwygiadau i’r  Rheolau Sefydlog, fel y nodir yn Atodiad A i Adroddiad y Pwyllgor Busnes.

3. Yn nodi y bydd y newidiadau yn dod i rym ar 6 Mai 2020.

Motion NNDM7310 Elin Jones

To propose that the National Assembly, in accordance with Standing Order 33.2:

1. Considers the Report of the Business Committee ‘Amending Standing Orders: Changes resulting from the change of the name of the institution’ laid in the Table Office on 18 March 2020.

2. Approves the proposal to amend Standing Orders, as set out in Annex A of the Report of the Business Committee.

3. Notes that these changes will come into effect on 6 May 2020.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Thank you. The proposal is to agree to amend the Standing Orders. Does any Member object? Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Diolch. Y cwestiwn yw a ddylid derbyn y cynnig i ddiwygio'r Rheolau Sefydlog. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Felly, derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

6. Cynnig i newid enw y Pwyllgor ar Ddiwygio Etholiadol y cynulliad i y Pwyllgor ar Ddiwygio Etholiadol y Senedd
6. Motion to alter the name of the Committee on Assembly Electoral Reform to the Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform

Item 6 is the motion to alter the name of the Committee on Assembly Electoral Reform to the Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform. Again, I call on a member of Business Committee to move the motion—Llywydd.

Eitem 6 yw'r cynnig i newid enw y Pwyllgor ar Ddiwygio Etholiadol y Cynulliad i y Pwyllgor ar Ddiwygio Etholiadol y Senedd. Unwaith eto, galwaf ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i wneud y cynnig—Lywydd.

Cynnig NNDM7311 Elin Jones

Cynnig bod Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 16.3:

1. Yn cytuno i newid enw a chylch gwaith Y Pwyllgor ar Ddiwygio Etholiadol y Cynulliad i y Pwyllgor ar Ddiwygio Etholiadol y Senedd.

2. Yn nodi y bydd y newidiad yn dod i rym ar 6 Mai 2020.

Motion NNDM7311 Elin Jones

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 16.3:

1. Agrees to alter the name of the Committee on Assembly Electoral Reform to the Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform.

2. Notes that this change will come into effect on 6 May 2020.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Thank you. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, the motion is agreed, again in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Diolch. Y cwestiwn yw a ddylid derbyn y cynnig. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na. Felly, derbyniwyd y cynnig, eto yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

7. Cynnig i ddiwygio Rheolau Sefydlog
7. Motion to amend Standing Orders

Item 7 is motion to amend Standing Orders: changes related to Assembly business in extraordinary circumstances. I call on a member of Business Committee to move the motion—Llywydd. 

Eitem 7 yw cynnig i ddiwygio'r Rheolau Sefydlog: newidiadau sy'n ymwneud â busnes y Cynulliad mewn amgylchiadau eithriadol. Galwaf ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i wneud y cynnig—Lywydd.

Cynnig NNDM7312 Elin Jones

Cynnig bod Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 33.2:

1. Yn ystyried adroddiad y Pwyllgor Busnes 'Diwygio’r Rheolau Sefydlog: Rheolau Sefydlog Dros Dro mewn ymateb i Coronafeirws (Covid-19)' a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 18 Mawrth 2020.

2. Yn cymeradwyo'r cynnig i ddiwygio’r Rheolau Sefydlog, fel y nodir yn Atodiad A o adroddiad y Pwyllgor Busnes.

3. Yn nodi bod y newidiadau hyn yn rhai dros dro, ac y byddant yn peidio â chael effaith pan gaiff y Cynulliad hwn ei ddiddymu.

Motion NNDM7312 Elin Jones

To propose that the National Assembly, in accordance with Standing Order 33.2:

1. Considers the report of the Business Committee ‘Amending Standing Orders: Temporary Standing Orders in response to Coronavirus (Covid-19)’ laid in the Table Office on 18 March 2020.

2. Approves the proposal to revise Standing Orders, as set out in Annex A of the report of the Business Committee.

3. Notes that these changes are temporary, and will cease to have effect on the dissolution of this Assembly.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Yn ffurfiol, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n cynnig yr hyn sydd o'n blaenau ni nawr. Mae'r newidiadau hyn i'r Rheolau Sefydlog yn angenrheidiol er mwyn galluogi'r Cynulliad i barhau â'n gwaith hyd gorau ein gallu mewn amgylchiadau digynsail.

Yn gyntaf, felly, y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â chyfarfod yn gyhoeddus. Byddwn yn parhau i ddarlledu'r Cyfarfod Llawn i'r cyhoedd yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.1, ond mae'r newid i'r Rheol sydd o'n blaenau ni yn golygu nad oes angen i'r galeri aros ar agor am resymau iechyd a diogelwch cyhoeddus. Pe bai'r sefyllfa eithriadol yn codi lle nad oedd modd darlledu hefyd, byddai'r Cyfarfod Llawn yn medru mynd yn ei flaen heb hynny.

Yn ail, mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes hefyd wedi cytuno i newid y Rheolau Sefydlog er mwyn galluogi Cadeirydd dros dro i gadeirio Cyfarfod Llawn gyda holl bwerau'r Llywydd pan na all y Llywydd na'r Dirprwy ddod i'r Cynulliad. Mae yma hefyd ddarpariaeth i ethol Llywydd dros dro dynodedig i weithredu pe na bai'r Llywydd na'r Dirprwy Lywydd mewn lle i weithredu o gwbl. Os bydd y Rheolau Sefydlog yma'n cael eu cymeradwyo mewn munud, yna mi fydda i'n gofyn i'r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol ethol David Melding i'r ddwy rôl yma.

Er gwybodaeth hefyd, leiciwn i ddiweddaru ac ychwanegu ambell i fater o ddiddordeb i'r Aelodau sy'n deillio allan o gyfarfod brys o'r Pwyllgor Busnes y bore yma. Cytunwyd y bydd y Cyfarfod Llawn yn cwrdd ar un diwrnod yn unig yr wythnos nesaf, sef dydd Mercher, gyda sesiwn lawn yn y bore a sesiwn yn y prynhawn. Bydd hyn yn galluogi i gwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog fynd yn eu blaen fel arfer, ac i Weinidogion gael gwneud datganiadau er mwyn ein diweddaru ar effeithiau diweddaraf y coronafeirws yn eu meysydd polisi, a hefyd unrhyw faterion deddfu. Bydd hyn hefyd yn cyfyngu ar yr amser y bydd yn rhaid i Aelodau a staff ei dreulio yn y Senedd yma.

Yn olaf, mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes yn trafod ffyrdd i alluogi'r Cynulliad i gwrdd ac i barhau â'n gwaith dros gyfnod y toriad a thu hwnt, er mwyn sicrhau bod y Llywodraeth yn gallu diweddaru'r Aelodau ar faterion coronafeirws, a bod y gwrthbleidiau'n cael y cyfle i graffu mewn modd amserol a phriodol, ac wrth gwrs Aelodau'r meinciau cefn yn yr un modd.

Mae'r rhain yn faterion ac yn gyfnod eithriadol, a dwi'n gobeithio y bydd y Cynulliad yn cefnogi'r newidiadau i'r Rheolau Sefydlog yma, sy'n mynd i adlewyrchu hynny a'n galluogi ni i gario ymlaen â'n gwaith yn y modd mwyaf priodol ar yr amser yma. [Torri ar draws.] Ie, wrth gwrs.

Formally, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move what's before us now. These changes to the Standing Orders are necessary in order to allow the Assembly to continue with its work as best it can in unprecedented circumstances.

First of all, the Standing Orders relating to publicly meeting. We'll continue to broadcast the Plenary to the public in accordance with Standing Order 12.1, but the change to the Standing Order before us means that the gallery doesn't need to stay open for reasons of public health and safety. If the extraordinary circumstance did arise where it wasn't possible to broadcast as well, the Plenary would be able to proceed without that.

Secondly, the Business Committee has also agreed to change the Standing Orders in order to allow a temporary Chair to chair a Plenary with all the powers of the Presiding Officer when the Llywydd or the Deputy Presiding Officer can't come to the Assembly. There is also a provision to elect a designated temporary Presiding Officer if the Llywydd and the Deputy Presiding Officer aren't in a position to operate at all. If these Standing Orders are approved, then the Assembly will be asked to elect David Melding to those two roles.

For information, I would like to update and add a few issues of interest to the Members that stem from an urgent meeting of the Business Committee this morning. It was agreed that Plenary will meet on one day only next week, namely Wednesday, with a full session in the morning and the afternoon. This will allow questions to the First Minister to go on as usual, and for the Ministers to make statements in order to update us on the latest impact of the coronavirus on their policy areas, and also any other legislative issues. That will restrict the time that Members and staff will have to spend in the Senedd.

Finally, the Business Committee is discussing ways to allow the Assembly to meet and to continue with our work over the recess period and beyond, in order to ensure that the Government can update Members on coronavirus issues, and that the opposition parties can have an opportunity to scrutinise in a timely and appropriate fashion, and allow backbench Members in the same way.

These are extreme circumstances, and I hope that the Assembly will support these changes to the Standing Orders, which are going to reflect that and allow us to continue with our work in the most appropriate fashion at this time. [Interruption.] Yes, of course.

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I fully understand the logic and argument you're putting forward, but in business questions yesterday I did press the leader of the house about seeking a statement from the environment Minister on agricultural matters and restrictions in the agricultural sector. Now we're cut down to one day—I appreciate that statement might come through on Wednesday, but I heard the Minister for the economy say that he would be prepared to make written statements available to Members, constantly updating them. Could I, through you, seek the support that Members could be updated by each Minister covering their portfolios regularly on a rapidly changing situation that has dramatic implications for areas of concern for our constituents?

Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Rwy'n deall yn iawn y rhesymeg a'r ddadl rydych yn eu cyflwyno, ond mewn cwestiynau busnes ddoe, fe wneuthum bwyso ar arweinydd y tŷ ynglŷn â gofyn am ddatganiad gan Weinidog yr amgylchedd ar faterion amaethyddol a chyfyngiadau yn y sector amaethyddol. Nawr ein bod ni wedi cael ein cyfyngu i un diwrnod—rwy'n deall y gallai'r datganiad hwnnw gael ei gyflwyno ddydd Mercher, ond clywais Weinidog yr economi'n dweud y byddai'n barod i ddarparu datganiadau ysgrifenedig i'r Aelodau, gan eu diweddaru'n gyson. A gaf fi, drwoch chi, ofyn am gefnogaeth i sicrhau bod yr Aelodau'n cael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf gan bob Gweinidog yn eu portffolios yn rheolaidd ar sefyllfa sy'n newid yn gyflym ac sydd â goblygiadau dramatig i'r meysydd sy'n peri pryder i'n hetholwyr?

15:25

The business that was tabled for next Tuesday—that includes a range of statements and, if I recall correctly, a statement by the environment Minister is one of those in the context of coronavirus—all of those statements will be held and take place on the Wednesday. So, nothing will have changed from the business statement that you've referred to. You've had the opportunity to raise some additional issues there; they are not directly issues for me as a Llywydd, but fortunately the business manager of the Government and the Trefnydd has heard the point.

Y busnes a gyflwynwyd ar gyfer dydd Mawrth nesaf—mae'n cynnwys amryw o ddatganiadau ac os cofiaf yn iawn, mae datganiad gan Weinidog yr amgylchedd yn un o'r rheini yng nghyd-destun coronafeirws—caiff yr holl ddatganiadau hynny eu cynnal a byddant yn digwydd ar y dydd Mercher. Felly, ni fydd dim wedi newid o'r datganiad busnes rydych wedi cyfeirio ato. Rydych wedi cael cyfle i godi rhai materion ychwanegol yno; nid ydynt yn faterion uniongyrchol i mi fel Llywydd, ond yn ffodus, mae rheolwr busnes y Llywodraeth a'r Trefnydd wedi clywed y pwynt.

Felly, rwy'n annog Aelodau i gefnogi y cynigion yma, y newidiadau i'n Rheolau Sefydlog.

So, I encourage Members to support these motions, these amendments to our Standing Orders.

Will you take an intervention before you sit down?

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad cyn ichi eistedd?

You caught me just in time, in exceptional circumstances. I won't sit down quickly.

Fe ddalioch chi fi mewn pryd, mewn amgylchiadau eithriadol. Nid wyf ar frys i eistedd.

You know the rules better than I do. Just with regard to committees, we've got a Children, Young People and Education Committee tomorrow where the education Minister is giving evidence, which I find very useful. What are the longer terms plans for committees? I don't think you mentioned committees in your statement.

Rydych yn gwybod y rheolau'n well na fi. O ran y pwyllgorau, mae gennym Bwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yfory lle mae'r Gweinidog addysg yn rhoi tystiolaeth, ac rwy'n ystyried hynny'n ddefnyddiol iawn. Beth yw'r cynlluniau mwy hirdymor ar gyfer pwyllgorau? Nid wyf yn credu eich bod wedi sôn am bwyllgorau yn eich datganiad.

The Business Committee is looking at a variety of options that we will consider over the next few days in order to ensure that that ongoing scrutiny of Government and ongoing Government business is able to continue in the context of coronavirus. The Business Committee has already taken the decision that it is matters relating to coronavirus that now become the imperative of both the Government and the Assembly in our scrutiny of Government actions.

Mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes yn edrych ar amrywiaeth o opsiynau y byddwn yn eu hystyried dros y dyddiau nesaf er mwyn sicrhau bod gwaith craffu parhaus ar y Llywodraeth a busnes parhaus y Llywodraeth yn gallu parhau yng nghyd-destun coronafeirws. Mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes eisoes wedi penderfynu mai materion yn ymwneud â coronafeirws sy'n allweddol bellach i'r Llywodraeth ac i'r Cynulliad wrth inni graffu ar weithredoedd y Llywodraeth.

Will you take an intervention on that subject?

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad ar y mater hwnnw?

Presiding Officer, I'm grateful to you, and I know I'm testing everybody in this. The matter we discussed under the topical question is a matter of grave public significance, because it is about the resources and how the resources are allocated both to the Welsh Government and how the Welsh Government manages those resources at a time of crisis. It is essential that our committees are able to meet wherever possible to ensure that there is scrutiny of these matters, even in an emergency situation, so that we're able to guarantee and to say to the people of this country that we are ensuring and doing all that we can to ensure that they and my constituents are treated in the same way as the Chancellor of the Exchequer's constituents. So, the point that my colleague has made about committees is a very important point, and one where I think there might be broad support across the Chamber.

Lywydd, rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi, ac rwy'n gwybod fy mod yn profi amynedd pawb yn hyn o beth. Mae'r mater a drafodwyd gennym o dan y cwestiwn amserol yn fater sydd o bwys mawr i'r cyhoedd, gan ei fod yn ymwneud â'r adnoddau a sut y caiff yr adnoddau eu dyrannu i Lywodraeth Cymru a sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rheoli'r adnoddau hynny ar adeg o argyfwng. Mae'n hanfodol sicrhau bod ein pwyllgorau'n gallu cyfarfod lle bynnag y bo modd er mwyn sicrhau y ceir craffu ar y materion hyn, hyd yn oed mewn sefyllfa o argyfwng, fel y gallwn warantu a dweud wrth bobl y wlad hon ein bod yn sicrhau ac yn gwneud popeth a allwn i sicrhau eu bod hwy a fy etholwyr i'n cael eu trin yn yr un ffordd ag etholwyr Canghellor y Trysorlys. Felly, mae'r pwynt y mae fy nghyd-Aelod wedi'i wneud am bwyllgorau yn un pwysig iawn, ac yn un y credaf y gallai fod cefnogaeth eang iddo ar draws y Siambr.

I think we have to strike the right balance here. There are a number of committee Chairs here at this point. The decision was that matters relating to coronavirus are the matters for our immediate concern over the next few weeks and months. We will give some further thought, reflecting on the two contributions here in terms of committee work. The Business Committee will look at what is the right mechanism for next week's business, but in particular through the recess period and beyond, to enable Government to be held to account and backbenchers and opposition parties to be able to scrutinise the decisions of the Government. I've had discussions with the Government; the Government wants to be scrutinised on its decisions and is keen for the democratic process to enable that to happen. So, thank you for the points you've made. I haven't yet quite sat down, but I will do so now, and hope that you support the changes to Standing Orders.

Rwy'n credu bod yn rhaid i ni daro'r cydbwysedd cywir yma. Mae nifer o Gadeiryddion pwyllgor yma ar hyn o bryd. Y penderfyniad oedd mai materion yn ymwneud â'r coronafeirws yw'r materion a ddylai gael ein sylw cyntaf dros yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf. Byddwn yn meddwl ymhellach, gan ystyried y ddau gyfraniad yma ar waith pwyllgorau. Bydd y Pwyllgor Busnes yn edrych ar y mecanwaith cywir ar gyfer busnes yr wythnos nesaf, ond yn arbennig drwy gyfnod y gwyliau a thu hwnt, er mwyn galluogi'r Llywodraeth i gael ei dwyn i gyfrif ac i aelodau'r meinciau cefn a'r gwrthbleidiau allu craffu ar benderfyniadau'r Llywodraeth. Rwyf wedi cael trafodaethau gyda'r Llywodraeth; mae'r Llywodraeth am inni graffu ar ei phenderfyniadau ac mae'n awyddus i'r broses ddemocrataidd alluogi hynny i ddigwydd. Felly, diolch am y pwyntiau a wnaethoch. Nid wyf wedi eistedd eto, ond gwnaf hynny yn awr, a gobeithio eich bod yn cefnogi'r newidiadau i'r Rheolau Sefydlog.

Thank you. I have no speakers in the debate. Therefore, the proposal is to amend Standing Orders. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Diolch. Nid oes gennyf unrhyw siaradwyr yn y ddadl. Felly, y cynnig yw diwygio'r Rheolau Sefydlog. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na. Felly, derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.


 

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
 

8. Cynnig i ethol Gadeirydd Dros Dro a Llywydd Dros Dro dynodedig
8. Motion to Elect an Acting Chair and a designated Temporary Presiding Officer

Item 8 on the agenda is the motion to elect an acting Chair and designated temporary Presiding Officer, and I call on a member of the Business Committee to move the motion to elect David Melding to those roles—Llywydd.

Eitem 8 ar yr agenda yw'r cynnig i ethol Cadeirydd dros dro a Llywydd dros dro dynodedig, a galwaf ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i wneud y cynnig i ethol David Melding i'r rolau hynny—Lywydd.

Cynnig NNDM7313 Elin Jones

Cynnig bod Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru:

1. Yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 6.24D, yn ethol David Melding yn Gadeirydd Dros Dro o dan y telerau a bennir o dan Reol Sefydlog 6.24E.

2. Yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 6.24A, yn ethol David Melding yn Llywydd Dros Dro dynodedig.

Motion NNDM7313 Elin Jones

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. In accordance with Standing Order 6.24D, elects David Melding as Acting Chair under the terms specified under Standing Order 6.24E.

2. In accordance with Standing Order 6.24A, elects David Melding as the designated Temporary Presiding Officer.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

The proposal is to elect an acting Chair and designated temporary Presiding Officer: David Melding. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, that motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Y cynnig yw ethol Cadeirydd dros dro a Llywydd dros dro dynodedig: David Melding. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na. Felly, derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

15:30

All other business has been postponed or suspended. Therefore, that brings today's proceedings to a close. 

Mae pob busnes arall wedi cael ei ohirio neu ei atal. Felly, daw hynny â thrafodion heddiw i ben.

Daeth y cyfarfod i ben am 15:30.

The meeting ended at 15:30.