Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd

Plenary - Fifth Senedd

10/03/2021

Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.

In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.

Cyfarfu'r Senedd drwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair. 

The Senedd met by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.

Datganiad gan y Llywydd
Statement by the Llywydd

Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Cyn i ni ddechrau, dwi eisiau nodi ychydig o bwyntiau. Mae Cyfarfod Llawn a gynhelir drwy gynhadledd fideo, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog Senedd Cymru, yn gyfystyr â thrafodion y Senedd at ddibenion Deddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006. Bydd rhai o ddarpariaethau Rheol Sefydlog 34 yn gymwys ar gyfer y cyfarfod yma, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. Dwi eisiau atgoffa Aelodau hefyd o'r Rheolau Sefydlog sydd yn ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn, ac mae'r rheini'n berthnasol ar gyfer ein cyfarfod ni heddiw.

Welcome to this Plenary session. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points. A Plenary meeting held by video-conference, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Welsh Parliament, constitutes Senedd proceedings for the purposes of the Government of Wales Act 2006. Some of the provisions of Standing Order 34 will apply for today's Plenary meeting, and these are noted on your agenda. I would remind Members that Standing Orders relating to order in Plenary meetings apply to this meeting today.

1. Cwestiynau i Weinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig
1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs

Felly, yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni'r prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i Weinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Jayne Bryant.

So, the first item on our agenda is questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, and the first question is from Jayne Bryant.

Tipio Anghyfreithlon
Fly-tipping

1. Pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â thipio anghyfreithlon yng Ngorllewin Casnewydd? OQ56410

1. What plans does the Welsh Government have to combat fly-tipping in Newport West? OQ56410

Thank you. Welsh Government funds the Fly-tipping Action Wales programme, led by Natural Resources Wales. The programme continues to support Newport City Council in tackling fly-tipping. This includes supporting them with investigating and prosecuting fly-tippers. Work is ongoing to identify solutions to stop fly-tipping at particular locations within the Newport area.

Diolch. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ariannu rhaglen Taclo Tipio Cymru, dan arweiniad Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru. Mae'r rhaglen yn parhau i gynorthwyo Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd i fynd i'r afael â thipio anghyfreithlon. Mae hyn yn cynnwys eu cefnogi i ymchwilio i dipwyr anghyfreithlon a’u herlyn. Mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo i nodi atebion i atal tipio anghyfreithlon mewn lleoliadau penodol yn ardal Casnewydd.

Thank you for that answer, Minister. I know you will be aware that I've raised the serious situation with fly-tipping in the Marshfield and Duffryn areas of my constituency on many occasions. The infamous 'road to nowhere' is a hotspot for it on an industrial scale—hundreds of tonnes of rubbish stretches as far as the eye can see, and it recently featured on the BBC's Panorama programme 'Rubbish Dump Britain'. These scenes are a national embarrassment, and the proximity to the M4 means this spot is used by those firms who claim to get rid of rubbish legally but instead dump it illegally. The criminality is shocking. Local groups who are intent on cleaning the area have found evidence of waste from areas such as Bristol, the midlands, other parts of Wales, and much further afield. Dedicated local residents have formed a group to try and tackle the problem, and it features interested parties. However, progress is painfully slow and the scale of what's happening means that local government is stretched. The pollution caused and the sheer amount of dumped rubbish means that the clear-up costs will be high, and they need Welsh Government support. I'd urge the Minister to please look again at what intervention the Welsh Government can do at the 'road to nowhere' to clean up the area, and I'd urge the Welsh Government to work with Newport City Council and residents to find a purpose for the land, which is the best way of protecting the environment and preventing this from happening in the future.

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Gwn y byddwch yn ymwybodol fy mod wedi codi'r sefyllfa ddifrifol mewn perthynas â thipio anghyfreithlon yn ardaloedd Maerun a Dyffryn yn fy etholaeth ar sawl achlysur. Mae'r 'ffordd i unman' enwog yn fan problemus o ran tipio anghyfreithlon ar raddfa ddiwydiannol—mae cannoedd o dunelli o sbwriel yn ymestyn mor bell ag y gallwch weld, ac yn ddiweddar, cafodd sylw ar raglen Panorama y BBC, 'Rubbish Dump Britain'. Mae'r golygfeydd hyn yn destun cywilydd cenedlaethol, ac mae'r agosrwydd at yr M4 yn golygu bod y safle hwn yn cael ei ddefnyddio gan y cwmnïau hynny sy'n honni eu bod yn cael gwared ar sbwriel yn gyfreithlon, ond sydd yn hytrach yn ei ddympio'n anghyfreithlon. Mae'r troseddoldeb yn syfrdanol. Mae grwpiau lleol sy’n benderfynol o lanhau’r ardal wedi dod o hyd i dystiolaeth o wastraff o ardaloedd fel Bryste, canolbarth Lloegr, rhannau eraill o Gymru, a llawer pellach. Mae trigolion lleol ymroddedig wedi ffurfio grŵp i geisio mynd i'r afael â'r broblem, ac mae'n cynnwys partïon sydd â diddordeb. Fodd bynnag, mae'r cynnydd yn boenus o araf, ac mae graddfa'r hyn sy'n digwydd yn golygu bod llywodraeth leol yn ei chael hi’n anodd ymdopi. Mae'r llygredd a achosir a faint o sbwriel sy’n cael ei ddympio’n golygu y bydd costau clirio'n uchel, ac mae angen cymorth Llywodraeth Cymru arnynt. Byddwn yn annog y Gweinidog, os gwêl yn dda, i ailystyried pa gamau ymyrraeth y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu rhoi ar waith ar y 'ffordd i unman', i lanhau'r ardal, a byddwn yn annog Llywodraeth Cymru i weithio gyda Chyngor Dinas Casnewydd a thrigolion i ddod o hyd i ddefnydd ar gyfer y tir, sef y ffordd orau o ddiogelu'r amgylchedd ac atal hyn rhag digwydd yn y dyfodol.

Thank you, Jayne Bryant, for those comments around Newport City Council and the unfortunate level of fly-tipping. You'll be aware we did meet last year in relation to this. My officials have spoken again with Newport City Council regarding the 'road to nowhere' site. I think the last site partnership meeting that was held was in January. And it was very clear from that meeting that Newport City Council had made some good progress in identifying some of the criminals who are involved with tipping waste at the site, and they were undertaking various enforcement actions, such as vehicle seizures, and they were issuing fixed-penalty notices also for small-scale tipping. They were also preparing prosecution cases for court. But I appreciate that the site does remain vulnerable to further tipping. The council are the owners of the land, so I would urge them to take further steps to ensure further tipping doesn't take place there.

As I mentioned in my opening answer to you, the Welsh Government funds Fly-tipping Action Wales, and I know that they've offered Newport council the use of surveillance equipment, and also to have some training on legislation and investigative techniques, at no cost, to try and help prevent further fly-tipping at this site and others in Newport. So, I would encourage Newport council, and all other local authorities, to fully utilise the tools and support that are available to them. You mentioned a local group was also working with the local authority, and I think it is absolutely essential that we all work together, so that we can protect our environment and our communities from these terrible crimes.

Diolch, Jayne Bryant, am eich sylwadau ynghylch Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd a'r lefel anffodus o dipio anghyfreithlon. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol ein bod wedi cyfarfod y llynedd mewn perthynas â hyn. Mae fy swyddogion wedi siarad eto â Chyngor Dinas Casnewydd ynglŷn â safle’r 'ffordd i unman’. Credaf i gyfarfod diwethaf partneriaeth y safle gael ei gynnal ym mis Ionawr. Ac roedd yn amlwg iawn o'r cyfarfod hwnnw fod Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd wedi gwneud cynnydd da o ran nodi rhai o'r troseddwyr sy'n tipio gwastraff ar y safle, ac roeddent yn rhoi camau gorfodi amrywiol ar waith, megis atafael cerbydau, ac yn cyhoeddi hysbysiadau cosb benodedig hefyd ar gyfer tipio ar raddfa fach. Roeddent hefyd yn paratoi achosion erlyn ar gyfer y llys. Ond rwy'n derbyn bod y safle’n parhau i fod yn agored i dipio pellach. Y cyngor sy’n berchen ar y tir, felly byddwn yn eu hannog i gymryd camau pellach i sicrhau na cheir rhagor o dipio yno.

Fel y soniais yn fy ateb agoriadol i chi, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ariannu Taclo Tipio Cymru, a gwn eu bod wedi cynnig offer gwyliadwriaeth i gyngor Casnewydd ei ddefnyddio, a hefyd i gael rhywfaint o hyfforddiant ar ddeddfwriaeth a thechnegau ymchwilio, heb unrhyw gost, i geisio helpu i atal achosion pellach o dipio anghyfreithlon ar y safle hwn, ac eraill yng Nghasnewydd. Felly, byddwn yn annog cyngor Casnewydd, a phob awdurdod lleol arall, i fanteisio’n llawn ar yr offer a'r cymorth sydd ar gael iddynt. Roeddech chi'n dweud bod grŵp lleol hefyd yn gweithio gyda’r awdurdod lleol, a chredaf ei bod yn gwbl hanfodol fod pawb ohonom yn gweithio gyda’n gilydd, fel y gallwn ddiogelu ein hamgylchedd a’n cymunedau rhag y troseddau ofnadwy hyn.

I'd 100 per cent back what Jayne Bryant has just said, actually. Local campaigner, Michael Enea, has also raised the issue recently, about this particular site—the 'road to nowhere' near the Celtic lakes. The 100 tonnes of rubbish is a sight for sore eyes—it's an appalling state of affairs, and it really needs—. I was just wondering when it's actually going to be cleared, and how you're working with the local council to ensure that's done soon, because, at the moment, it's not safe.

There are also hotspots coming up all over South Wales East at the moment of fly-tipping, which has been made worse during the pandemic. So, I was just wondering also how this Government is going to make sure that it works with councils, and maybe a future Government, to make sure robust measures are in place and a framework is in place to ensure this sort of thing doesn't happen again, and also to clear it up as soon as possible if it does happen. Thank you. 

Diolch. Byddwn yn cytuno 100 y cant â’r hyn a ddywedodd Jayne Bryant. Mae'r ymgyrchydd lleol, Michael Enea, hefyd wedi codi'r mater yn ddiweddar, ynglŷn â'r safle penodol hwn—y 'ffordd i unman' ger y llynnoedd Celtaidd. Mae'r 100 tunnell o sbwriel yn hyll ofnadwy—mae'n sefyllfa warthus, ac mae gwir angen—. Tybed pryd y bydd yn cael ei glirio, a sut rydych yn gweithio gyda'r cyngor lleol i sicrhau bod hynny'n digwydd cyn bo hir, oherwydd, ar hyn o bryd, nid yw'n ddiogel?

Mae mannau problemus i'w gweld ledled Dwyrain De Cymru ar hyn o bryd o ran tipio anghyfreithlon, sydd wedi gwaethygu yn ystod y pandemig. Felly, tybed hefyd sut y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn mynd i sicrhau eu bod yn gweithio gyda chynghorau, a Llywodraeth yn y dyfodol efallai, i sicrhau bod mesurau cadarn ar waith a bod fframwaith yn ei le i sicrhau nad yw'r math hwn o beth yn digwydd eto, a hefyd i'w glirio cyn gynted â phosibl os bydd yn digwydd? Diolch.

13:35

Thank you. I mentioned various ways that we have worked with the council in my earlier answer to Jayne Bryant, but I would really encourage, as I say, all local authorities to fully utilise the tools and support that are available to them from Fly-tipping Action Wales, or make sure that they fully utilise the legislative tools that we've recently provided, such as the fixed-penalty notices that I mentioned that Newport council had brought forward—several of these—for small-scale fly tipping. 

I think it is disappointing that the national fly-tipping statistics that we recently published still show that there's a significant number of local authorities in Wales, and that does include Newport, that have not prosecuted any fly-tipper in their areas. You referred to increased fly-tipping during the COVID-19 pandemic, and obviously the last figures that we published were for 2019-20, so that didn't include, obviously, or didn't reflect any potential impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. The fly-tipping figures from April 2020, when we first went into lockdown, are still being gathered from local authorities, but it will be very interesting to see if there has been an increase. But, as I say, I would just urge all local authorities to use everything that we've provided in support and legislative tools in the first instance. 

Diolch. Soniais am yr amryw o ffyrdd y buom yn gweithio gyda’r cyngor yn fy ateb cynharach i Jayne Bryant, ond fel y dywedaf, byddwn o ddifrif yn annog pob awdurdod lleol i fanteisio’n llawn ar yr offer a’r cymorth sydd ar gael iddynt drwy Taclo Tipio Cymru, neu sicrhau eu bod yn gwneud defnydd llawn o'r offerynnau deddfwriaethol rydym wedi eu darparu'n ddiweddar, fel yr hysbysiadau cosb benodedig y soniais fod cyngor Casnewydd wedi eu cyflwyno—sawl un ohonynt—ar gyfer tipio anghyfreithlon ar raddfa fach.

Credaf ei bod yn siomedig fod yr ystadegau cenedlaethol ar gyfer tipio anghyfreithlon a gyhoeddwyd gennym yn ddiweddar yn dal i ddangos bod nifer sylweddol o awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys Casnewydd, heb erlyn unrhyw dipiwr anghyfreithlon yn eu hardaloedd. Roeddech yn cyfeirio at y cynnydd mewn tipio anghyfreithlon yn ystod y pandemig COVID-19, ac yn amlwg, roedd y ffigurau diwethaf a gyhoeddwyd gennym ar gyfer 2019-20, felly nid oeddent yn cynnwys, yn amlwg, neu nid oeddent yn adlewyrchu unrhyw effaith bosibl yn sgil y pandemig COVID-19. Mae'r ffigurau tipio anghyfreithlon o fis Ebrill 2020, pan gawsom y cyfyngiadau symud cyntaf, yn dal i gael eu casglu gan awdurdodau lleol, ond bydd yn ddiddorol iawn gweld a fu cynnydd. Ond fel y dywedaf, byddwn yn annog pob awdurdod lleol yn y lle cyntaf i ddefnyddio popeth rydym wedi'i ddarparu o ran offerynnau deddfwriaethol a chymorth.

Rheoliadau Adnoddau Dŵr (Rheoli Llygredd Amaethyddol) (Cymru) 2021
The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021

2. Pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei gynnig i ffermwyr y mae Rheoliadau Adnoddau Dŵr (Rheoli Llygredd Amaethyddol) (Cymru) 2021 yn debygol o effeithio arnynt? OQ56386

2. What support is the Welsh Government offering to farmers who are likely to be affected by the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021? OQ56386

Thank you. A range of support will be provided, including guidance, nutrient management planning and record-keeping templates, Farming Connect services and a dedicated helpline, operated by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service. This is in addition to the £44.5 million of capital funding that has so far been committed through the rural development programme to support farmers in Wales.

Diolch. Bydd ystod o gymorth yn cael ei roi, gan gynnwys arweiniad, cynlluniau rheoli maethynnau a thempledi cadw cofnodion, gwasanaethau Cyswllt Ffermio a llinell gymorth bwrpasol, a weithredir gan y Gwasanaeth Datblygu a Chynghori Amaethyddol (ADAS). Mae hyn yn ychwanegol at y £44.5 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf sydd wedi'i ymrwymo hyd yma drwy'r rhaglen datblygu gwledig i gefnogi ffermwyr yng Nghymru.

As you know, and as I said in the debate last week, Minister, I've had conversations with the National Farmers Union, with the Farmers Union of Wales, and with farmers in my constituency, and there are, undoubtedly, regardless of merits of the regulations, concerns that they have—very deep concerns that they have—about the impact, and particularly in those small farms. And I raised in my speech last week the issue of a farm, for example, with 75 dairy cows, who would then have to build technology to contain slurry that might not otherwise have been used. I did have some reassurance from the Welsh Government, and I was hoping you'd put it on the record in your speech last week, but perhaps now is the opportunity. What reassurance can you give to those farmers with regard to nutrient management plans? What reassurance can you give to those farmers who are concerned about having to bring in consultants to deal with complex forms? And with all that in mind, how will the Welsh Government wish to—and obviously there's an election coming up—review the regulations in the period in which they are phased in? How are you going to introduce that review and ensure that those farmers, like the small ones in my constituency, are not unduly affected?

Fel y gwyddoch, ac fel y dywedais yn y ddadl yr wythnos diwethaf, Weinidog, rwyf wedi cael sgyrsiau gydag Undeb Cenedlaethol yr Amaethwyr, gydag Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru, a chyda ffermwyr yn fy etholaeth, a heb os, ni waeth beth fo rhinweddau'r rheoliadau, mae ganddynt bryderon—pryderon dwys iawn—ynglŷn â’r effaith, ac yn enwedig yn y ffermydd bach hynny. Ac yn fy araith yr wythnos diwethaf, soniais am fferm, er enghraifft, a chanddi 75 o fuchod godro, a fyddai wedyn yn gorfod adeiladu technoleg i storio slyri na fyddai wedi cael ei defnyddio fel arall o bosibl. Cefais beth sicrwydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ac roeddwn yn gobeithio y byddech wedi’i nodi yn eich araith yr wythnos diwethaf, ond efallai mai nawr yw'r cyfle. Pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi i'r ffermwyr hynny mewn perthynas â chynlluniau rheoli maethynnau? Pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi i'r ffermwyr sy'n poeni am orfod dibynnu ar ymgynghorwyr i ymdrin â ffurflenni cymhleth? A chyda hynny oll mewn golwg, sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn dymuno—ac yn amlwg, mae yna etholiad ar y ffordd—adolygu'r rheoliadau yn ystod y cyfnod y cânt eu cyflwyno'n raddol? Sut y bwriadwch gyflwyno'r adolygiad hwnnw a sicrhau nad yw ffermwyr fel y rhai bach yn fy etholaeth i yn cael eu heffeithio'n ormodol?

Thank you. As I say, in addition to Farming Connect services, we've got a dedicated helpline now operated by ADAS, and significant capital funding. So, this is all done and there to support farmers. We will be issuing guidance documents shortly, and that will take farmers step by step through the requirements of the regulations. And I think, once people have access to that guidance, hopefully that will reassure them and certainly allay many of the concerns that you referred to. 

There will be simple templates that can be used for nutrient management planning. I think the difference between existing slurry storage requirements and the new requirements, for most people, will be minimal. So, there are a number of actions you can take to reduce the rainfall that goes into the stores. That again may help address storage shortfalls. And many of these schemes have already been supported by Welsh Government over the past couple of years, through grant schemes, such as the sustainable production, and obviously our farm business grant schemes too. 

The closed periods do not apply to manure with low readily available nitrogen, and that includes farmyard manure, which, again, is much more common in smaller farms, such as the one you referred to, and the regulations also allow farmyard manure to be stored in field heaps. 

I've mentioned in the couple of debates that we've had in the Chamber that there will, obviously, be a transitional period and financial support will increase there. As a result of introducing these new regulations with those transitional periods, I'll be able to support farmers to achieve compliance with the new standards, whereas previously I could only support investment above to the regulatory requirement, and the ability to do that will go on until July 2025. There is a review of the regulations in four years. It was really important, I thought, we had that in. But, obviously, as we go through the next four years up until 2025, the monitoring will be undertaken. 

Diolch. Fel y dywedaf, yn ogystal â gwasanaethau Cyswllt Ffermio, mae gennym linell gymorth bwrpasol sydd bellach yn cael ei gweithredu gan ADAS, a chyllid cyfalaf sylweddol. Felly, mae hyn oll wedi’i wneud ac yn ei le i gefnogi ffermwyr. Byddwn yn cyhoeddi canllawiau'n fuan, a byddant yn arwain ffermwyr gam wrth gam drwy ofynion y rheoliadau. A  phan fydd gan bobl y canllawiau hynny, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny'n tawelu eu meddyliau ac yn sicr yn lleddfu llawer o'r pryderon y cyfeirioch chi atynt.

Bydd yna dempledi syml y gellir eu defnyddio ar gyfer cynlluniau rheoli maethynnau. Credaf y bydd y gwahaniaeth rhwng y gofynion storio slyri presennol a'r gofynion newydd yn fach iawn i'r rhan fwyaf o bobl. Felly, mae nifer o gamau y gallwch eu cymryd i leihau'r glawiad sy'n mynd i mewn i'r storfeydd. Efallai y bydd hynny, unwaith eto, yn helpu i fynd i'r afael â diffygion o ran storio. Ac mae llawer o'r cynlluniau hyn eisoes wedi cael cymorth gan Lywodraeth Cymru dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf, drwy gynlluniau grant, fel y grant cynhyrchu cynaliadwy, ac yn amlwg, ein cynlluniau grant busnes i ffermydd hefyd.

Nid yw'r cyfnodau gwaharddedig yn berthnasol i dail sydd â chyfran isel o nitrogen ar gael yn rhwydd, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys tail buarth, sydd, unwaith eto, yn llawer mwy cyffredin ar ffermydd llai, fel yr un y cyfeirioch chi ati, ac mae'r rheoliadau hefyd yn caniatáu storio tail buarth mewn tasau mewn caeau.

Rwyf wedi crybwyll yn yr ychydig ddadleuon rydym wedi’u cael yn y Siambr y bydd cyfnod pontio, yn amlwg, a bydd cymorth ariannol yn cynyddu. O ganlyniad i gyflwyno'r rheoliadau newydd hyn gyda'r cyfnodau pontio hynny, byddaf yn gallu cynorthwyo ffermwyr i gydymffurfio â'r safonau newydd, lle na allwn wneud mwy na chefnogi buddsoddiad uwchlaw'r gofyniad rheoliadol yn flaenorol, a bydd y gallu i wneud hynny yn parhau hyd at fis Gorffennaf 2025. Bydd y rheoliadau’n cael eu hadolygu mewn pedair blynedd. Roedd yn bwysig iawn, yn fy marn i, ein bod yn cynnwys hynny. Ond yn amlwg, wrth inni fynd drwy'r pedair blynedd nesaf hyd at 2025, bydd y gwaith monitro'n mynd rhagddo.

13:40

The truth is, of course, that the amount set aside by the Welsh Government to implement these measures has been identified by farmers, farmers unions and the whole of the farming industry as totally inadequate. Now, whilst I have great respect for the AM for Caerphilly, his reason for not voting against the Government last Wednesday does not cut ice when he says there are two large polluters in his constituency—he lays bare the Minister's arguments for punishing the whole industry. Intervention should have been targeted. So, Minister, why did you go against all the agricultural sector's advice and implement such a potentially disastrous blanket strategy?

Y gwir amdani, wrth gwrs, yw bod ffermwyr, undebau’r ffermwyr a'r diwydiant ffermio yn gyffredinol wedi galw'r swm a neilltuwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i roi’r mesurau hyn ar waith yn un cwbl annigonol. Nawr, er bod gennyf gryn dipyn o barch tuag at yr AC dros Gaerffili, nid yw ei reswm dros beidio â phleidleisio yn erbyn y Llywodraeth ddydd Mercher diwethaf yn gwneud unrhyw synnwyr pan ddywed fod dau lygrwr mawr yn ei etholaeth—mae'n datgelu dadleuon y Gweinidog dros gosbi'r diwydiant cyfan. Dylai ymyrraeth fod yn un sydd wedi'i thargedu. Felly, Weinidog, pam yr aethoch yn erbyn holl gyngor y sector amaethyddol a rhoi strategaeth a allai fod mor drychinebus ar waith yn gyffredinol?

Well, the truth is, David Rowlands, that, as I say, there's £44.5 million of capital already been assigned to this, plus further funding for the next financial year, which obviously we can only do on a one-year basis because the Welsh Government only has a one-year budget from the UK Government. But I've always made it very clear that support would be available to the farming sector in relation to these. 

What you don't seem to understand is the regulations are targeted. We can't do it on specific areas because the number of agricultural pollution incidents we're seeing are all over Wales. But the regulations will be targeted, and the majority of farms are already coming up to that baseline requirement. This is about having that baseline requirement to improve and reduce the number of incidents, which I'm sure you will agree are an embarrassment to the agricultural sector. 

Wel, y gwir amdani, David Rowlands, fel y dywedaf, yw bod £44.5 miliwn o gyfalaf wedi'i neilltuo i hyn eisoes, ynghyd â chyllid pellach ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, ac yn amlwg, dim ond ar sail un flwyddyn y gallwn wneud hynny gan mai dim ond cyllideb blwyddyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru’n ei chael gan Lywodraeth y DU. Ond rwyf bob amser wedi dweud yn glir iawn y byddai cymorth ar gael i'r sector ffermio mewn perthynas â'r rhain.

Yr hyn nad ydych yn ei ddeall yn ôl pob golwg yw bod y rheoliadau wedi'u targedu. Ni allwn wneud hyn mewn ardaloedd penodol oherwydd nifer y digwyddiadau llygredd amaethyddol rydym yn eu gweld ledled Cymru. Ond bydd y rheoliadau wedi’u targedu, ac mae’r rhan fwyaf o ffermydd eisoes yn bodloni’r gofyniad sylfaenol hwnnw. Mae hyn yn ymwneud â sicrhau bod gennym y gofyniad sylfaenol i wella a lleihau nifer yr achosion sydd, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn cytuno, yn destun cywilydd i’r sector amaethyddol.

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

Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Llyr Gruffydd. 

Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Llyr Gruffydd. 

Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, do you regret the fact that the rate of installation of new renewable energy capacity has fallen every year under Labour in Wales since 2015?

Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, a ydych yn difaru’r ffaith bod cyfraddau gosod capasiti ynni adnewyddadwy newydd wedi gostwng bob blwyddyn o dan Lafur yng Nghymru ers 2015?

I think we've done a huge amount of work to support the installation of renewable energy schemes. I've worked very closely with anyone who is happy to bring forward the schemes. Tomorrow, I'll be meeting with developers and looking at new schemes. You must appreciate that we have put significant funding in also, but we really need developers and we need to work with the UK Government to make sure all levers are used in relation to new installations. 

Credaf ein bod wedi gwneud llawer iawn i gefnogi’r gwaith o osod cynlluniau ynni adnewyddadwy. Rwyf wedi gweithio'n agos iawn gydag unrhyw un sy'n fodlon cyflwyno'r cynlluniau. Yfory, byddaf yn cyfarfod â datblygwyr ac yn edrych ar gynlluniau newydd. Mae’n rhaid ichi ddeall ein bod wedi darparu cryn dipyn o gyllid hefyd, ond mae gwir angen datblygwyr arnom ac mae angen inni weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i sicrhau bod yr holl ysgogiadau'n cael eu defnyddio mewn perthynas â gosod cynlluniau newydd.

But that doesn't change the fact that renewable energy development in Wales is slowing down under Labour's watch. Declaring a climate emergency should mean a ramping up and an acceleration in the rate of development, but you haven't delivered that. Now, maybe we shouldn't be surprised, given that you cut support from the hydropower sector, for example, in Wales, leaving many of those schemes facing financial ruin, and your decision probably has zapped the confidence of others as well who were considering developing similar new energy schemes.

And that slowing down of renewable energy development in Wales under your watch isn't the only matter, of course, that you should regret. Plastic waste is another one. It's a scourge that we all want to see tackled with a huge ramping up of interventions to get to grips with the problem. I was elected to this Senedd in 2011 and, at that time, there was talk of action on a deposit-return scheme. Ten years and two Labour Governments later, we're still waiting for those interventions to materialise. Are you not embarrassed that we still don't have a deposit-return scheme in Wales? 

Ond nid yw hynny'n newid y ffaith bod y gwaith o ddatblygu ynni adnewyddadwy yng Nghymru yn arafu o dan wyliadwriaeth Llafur. Dylai datgan argyfwng hinsawdd olygu cynyddu gwaith datblygu a'i gyflymu, ond nid ydych wedi cyflawni hynny. Nawr, efallai na ddylem synnu, o ystyried eich bod yn torri cymorth i’r sector ynni dŵr, er enghraifft, yng Nghymru, gan adael llawer o'r cynlluniau hynny'n wynebu trafferthion ariannol, ac mae'n debyg fod eich penderfyniad wedi lleihau hyder eraill hefyd a oedd yn ystyried datblygu cynlluniau ynni newydd tebyg.

Ac nid yr arafu o ran datblygu ynni adnewyddadwy yng Nghymru o dan eich gwyliadwriaeth yw'r unig beth y dylech ei fod yn edifar yn ei gylch wrth gwrs. Mae gwastraff plastig yn un arall. Mae'n bla y mae pob un ohonom am ei gweld yn cael ei threchu gyda chynnydd enfawr mewn ymyriadau i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem. Cefais fy ethol i'r Senedd hon yn 2011, a bryd hynny, roedd sôn am weithredu ar gynllun dychwelyd ernes. Ddeng mlynedd a dwy Lywodraeth Lafur yn ddiweddarach, rydym yn dal i aros am yr ymyriadau hynny. Onid oes cywilydd arnoch nad oes gennym gynllun dychwelyd ernes yng Nghymru o hyd?

This is something, as you know, that has recently come back into my portfolio, and I have had several discussions around a DRS. I think the most important thing for me is to make sure there are no perverse outcomes from a DRS, because, as you know, we have made fantastic strides in relation to our recycling. We've hit the target of 65 per cent recycling. I think it's a year ahead of the target that we had, and that is down to three things: it's down to leadership from Welsh Government, it's down to leadership from local authorities, and it's down to the people of Wales, who have embraced recycling. Now, we need to move to the next stage, and that's why I've recently launched the circular economy strategy. 

Mae hyn yn rhywbeth, fel y gwyddoch, sydd wedi dod yn ôl i fy mhortffolio yn ddiweddar, ac rwyf wedi cael sawl trafodaeth ynghylch cynllun dychwelyd ernes. Credaf mai'r peth pwysicaf i mi yw sicrhau nad yw cynllun dychwelyd ernes yn arwain at unrhyw ganlyniadau gwrthnysig, oherwydd fel y gwyddoch, rydym wedi gwneud cryn dipyn o gynnydd mewn perthynas â'n hailgylchu. Rydym wedi cyrraedd y targed ailgylchu o 65 y cant. Credaf ein bod flwyddyn o flaen y targed a oedd gennym, ac mae hynny oherwydd tri pheth: arweinyddiaeth Llywodraeth Cymru, arweinyddiaeth awdurdodau lleol, a phobl Cymru sydd wedi croesawu ailgylchu. Nawr, mae angen inni symud i'r cam nesaf, a dyna pam y lansiais strategaeth yr economi gylchol yn ddiweddar.

If leadership is having 'several discussions', to quote what you just told me in answer, I mean, crikey, you've had 10 years' worth of several discussions, Minister, as a Government, and you've gone from leading the UK on this agenda to playing catch-up. Those aren't the actions of a Government that's taking the plastics crisis seriously. And you can ask your own constituents, because I know of a group—the Wrexham Litter Pickers—who recently collected over 1,000 bags of rubbish and plastic waste, underlining again the need for more urgency on this matter.

Now, I could point to other areas of your responsibility where you've not produced the goods. We know about the clean air Act. That's something Plaid Cymru has been advocating for many, many years—something you eventually agreed with us is necessary, but still a painfully slow response from the Government means, once again, that you haven't delivered, and it's going to take a new Government and a new Senedd to finally get this life-saving legislation in place.

But I have to say, maybe the biggest disappointment for me is your failure to ensure the highest standards of energy efficiency in new homes. I remember, six or seven years ago, Labour passed new standards to be incorporated in the Part L building regulations. Now, Plaid Cymru called at the time for higher energy efficiency standards. You voted that down, insisting on more modest standards, but you did so—Labour did so—saying that you'd address that in this Senedd. And now, of course, we know that, six years later, you failed to do so, and with that failure, of course, you've locked in the higher level of energy inefficiency in new Welsh homes that a future Government will have to address through retrofitting and other costly interventions in years to come. So, why is it that this Labour Government has broken its word on so many of these issues? And, frankly, why should the people of Wales believe anything you say in future, given your failure to deliver on your promises?

Os mai cael 'sawl trafodaeth’ yn unig yw arweinyddiaeth, i ddyfynnu'r hyn rydych newydd ei ddweud wrthyf yn eich ateb, nefoedd, rydych wedi cael gwerth 10 mlynedd o sawl trafodaeth, Weinidog, fel Llywodraeth, ac rydych wedi mynd o arwain y DU ar yr agenda hon i geisio dal i fyny. Nid dyma weithredoedd Llywodraeth sydd o ddifrif ynglŷn ag argyfwng plastigau. A gallwch ofyn i'ch etholwyr eich hun, oherwydd gwn am grŵp—y Wrexham Litter Pickers—a gasglodd dros 1,000 o fagiau o sbwriel a gwastraff plastig yn ddiweddar, gan bwysleisio unwaith eto yr angen am fwy o frys ar y mater hwn.

Nawr, gallwn dynnu sylw at feysydd eraill rydych yn gyfrifol amdanynt lle nad ydych wedi gwneud yn ddigon da. Gwyddom am y Ddeddf aer glân. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth y mae Plaid Cymru wedi bod yn dadlau o’i phlaid ers blynyddoedd lawer—rhywbeth y gwnaethoch gytuno â ni yn y pen draw ei bod yn angenrheidiol, ond serch hynny, mae’r ymateb poenus o araf gan y Llywodraeth yn golygu, unwaith eto, nad ydych wedi ei chyflwyno, a bydd angen i Lywodraeth a Senedd newydd roi’r ddeddfwriaeth hon, a fydd yn achub bywydau, ar waith o'r diwedd.

Ond mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, efallai mai'r siom fwyaf i mi yw eich methiant i sicrhau'r safonau effeithlonrwydd ynni uchaf mewn cartrefi newydd. Chwech neu saith mlynedd yn ôl, rwy'n cofio Llafur yn cyflwyno safonau newydd i'w hymgorffori yn rheoliadau adeiladu Rhan L. Nawr, galwodd Plaid Cymru ar y pryd am safonau effeithlonrwydd ynni uwch. Gwnaethoch bleidleisio yn erbyn hynny, gan fynnu cael safonau mwy cymedrol, ond fe wnaethoch hynny—gwnaeth Llafur hynny—gan ddweud y byddech yn mynd i’r afael â hynny yn y Senedd hon. A bellach, wrth gwrs, chwe blynedd yn ddiweddarach, gwyddom eich bod wedi methu gwneud hynny, a chyda'r methiant hwnnw, wrth gwrs, rydych wedi sicrhau lefel uwch o aneffeithlonrwydd ynni mewn cartrefi newydd yng Nghymru y bydd yn rhaid i Lywodraeth yn y dyfodol fynd i'r afael â hwy drwy ôl-osod a gwneud ymyriadau costus eraill mewn blynyddoedd i ddod. Felly, pam fod y Llywodraeth Lafur hon wedi torri ei haddewidion ar gynifer o'r materion hyn? Ac a dweud y gwir, pam y dylai pobl Cymru gredu unrhyw beth a ddywedwch yn y dyfodol, o gofio eich methiant i gyflawni eich addewidion?

13:45

I should declare that I am a member of the Wrexham Litter Pickers that Llyr Gruffydd referred to—we must remember that it's not Government that litters; it's people who litter—and I would really like to praise the work that they've done. And you'll be aware of the new litter and fly-tipping plan that I mentioned in an earlier answer to Jayne Bryant.

This Government has done a huge amount in relation to energy efficiency and many millions of pounds have been spent on homes. We have a very old housing stock here in Wales and I think my colleague Julie James has done some fantastic work in ensuring that we're not building homes now that will need further retrofitting in years to come. And I think what we're seeing here is not you showing the failures of this Government, because I don't recognise the ones you are, but just the Plaid Cymru manifesto.

Dylwn ddatgan fy mod yn aelod o'r Wrexham Litter Pickers y cyfeiriodd Llyr Gruffydd atynt—mae'n rhaid inni gofio nid y Llywodraeth sy'n taflu sbwriel; pobl sy'n taflu sbwriel—a hoffwn ganmol y gwaith y maent wedi'i wneud. Ac fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o'r cynllun atal sbwriel a thipio anghyfreithlon y soniais amdano mewn ateb cynharach i Jayne Bryant.

Mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi gwneud llawer iawn mewn perthynas ag effeithlonrwydd ynni ac wedi gwario miliynau o bunnoedd ar gartrefi. Mae gennym stoc dai hen iawn yma yng Nghymru a chredaf fod fy nghyd-Weinidog Julie James wedi gwneud gwaith gwych yn sicrhau nad ydym yn adeiladu cartrefi yn awr y bydd angen eu hôl-osod ymhellach ymhen blynyddoedd i ddod. A chredaf mai’r hyn rydym yn ei weld yma yw nid chi’n dangos methiannau'r Llywodraeth hon, gan nad wyf yn cydnabod y rhai y soniwch amdanynt, ond maniffesto Plaid Cymru.

Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr nawr, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Now the Conservative spokesperson, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Diolch, Llywydd. Firstly, Minister, as this is the last spokespersons' questions of this term, I just wanted to thank you. We've had some lively and robust scrutiny and challenge and just to thank you for your answers along the way. Thank you, Lesley.

Now, according to the White Paper on the clean air (Wales) Bill, we may not see regulations set until spring 2024—that would be a quarter of a century into the life of this Welsh Parliament, despite the First Minister telling this Chamber in May 2019 that the debate had been ongoing for a decade, that he had already at that point had discussions with you and that at that time, preparation inside the Welsh Government had begun about how a clean air Act might be developed. Almost two years on, this Welsh Government has failed to deliver on the First Minister's leadership promise—and I quote—to

'Develop a new Clean Air Act to ensure that our children can go to school, be active and play outside safely without fear of respiratory problems, such as asthma, because of pollution levels in some of our towns and cities.'

In September 2019, you told this Chamber that you were continuing to make progress towards the introduction of a clean air Act for Wales. Do you now regret some of the Welsh Government's failure during this Senedd to deliver this Act or even a draft Bill and full regulatory impact assessment? Thank you.

Diolch, Lywydd. Yn gyntaf, Weinidog, gan mai rhain yw cwestiynau olaf y llefarwyr ar gyfer y tymor hwn, roeddwn am ddiolch i chi. Rydym wedi cael craffu a herio bywiog a chadarn, a hoffwn ddiolch i chi am eich atebion ar hyd y daith. Diolch, Lesley.

Nawr, yn ôl y Papur Gwyn ar Fil aer glân (Cymru), efallai na fydd rheoliadau’n cael eu gosod tan wanwyn 2024—byddai hynny chwarter canrif i mewn i fywyd Senedd Cymru, er i'r Prif Weinidog ddweud wrth y Siambr hon ym mis Mai 2019 fod y ddadl wedi bod yn mynd rhagddi ers degawd, ei fod eisoes wedi cael trafodaethau gyda chi, ac ar yr adeg honno, fod y gwaith paratoi mewnol yn Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dechrau ynghylch sut y gallai Deddf aer glân gael ei datblygu. Bron i ddwy flynedd yn ddiweddarach, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi methu cyflawni’r addewid yng nghais arweinyddiaeth y Prif Weinidog—ac rwy'n dyfynnu—i

'ddatblygu Deddf Aer Glân newydd i sicrhau y gall ein plant fynd i'r ysgol, bod yn egnïol a chwarae y tu allan yn ddiogel heb ofn problemau anadlu, megis asthma, oherwydd y lefelau llygredd yn rhai o'n trefi a'n dinasoedd.'

Ym mis Medi 2019, fe ddywedoch chi wrth y Siambr hon eich bod yn parhau i wneud cynnydd tuag at gyflwyno Deddf aer glân i Gymru. A ydych bellach yn difaru methiant Llywodraeth Cymru yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon i gyflwyno’r Ddeddf hon neu hyd yn oed i gyflwyno Bil drafft ac asesiad effaith reoleiddiol llawn? Diolch.

Thank you. I would have very much liked to have brought a clean air Act through this Government. As you say, it was part of the First Minister's leadership bid back in December 2018, so just over two years ago. And what has happened in those two years? I think you can recognise why there has been so much pressure on the legislative programme for this Welsh Government and, unfortunately, we didn't have the capacity to bring forward a clean air Bill and then an Act during this term of Government, which I do regret and I know the First Minister regrets. However, I don't think there's any Member in this Senedd who can't understand the absolute use of our legislative programme in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and, of course, leaving the European Union and the pressures that's put on our legal capacity and, as I say, our legislative programme.

However, what we have done is launch the clean air plan for Wales, which I published back in August of last year. That sets out a range of actions to deliver those improvements in air quality across Wales that we all want to see.

You don't necessarily need legislation for everything, so I think that clean air plan has brought forward some of the improvements we want to see. I also published the consultation on the White Paper on a clean air (Wales) Bill on 13 January. As you're aware, that will close on 7 April, so that in the next term of Government, the Government can then be in a place to take forward the Act, as it wishes. 

Diolch. Byddwn wedi bod wrth fy modd yn cyflwyno Deddf aer glân drwy'r Llywodraeth hon. Fel y dywedwch, roedd yn rhan o gais arweinyddiaeth y Prif Weinidog yn ôl ym mis Rhagfyr 2018, felly ychydig dros ddwy flynedd yn ôl. A beth sydd wedi digwydd yn ystod y ddwy flynedd honno? Credaf y gallwch gydnabod pam fod cymaint o bwysau wedi bod ar y rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru ac, yn anffodus, nid oedd gennym y capasiti i gyflwyno Bil aer glân a Deddf wedyn yn ystod tymor y Llywodraeth hon, ac rwy’n gresynu at hynny a gwn fod y Prif Weinidog yn gresynu at hynny. Fodd bynnag, ni chredaf fod unrhyw Aelod yn y Senedd hon nad ydynt yn gallu deall bod ein rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol wedi ymwneud yn gyfan gwbl â phandemig COVID-19, ac, wrth gwrs, gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a'r pwysau y mae hynny wedi’i roi ar ein capasiti cyfreithiol, ac fel y dywedaf, ar ein rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol.

Fodd bynnag, yr hyn rydym wedi'i wneud yw lansio'r cynllun aer glân ar gyfer Cymru, a gyhoeddais yn ôl ym mis Awst y llynedd. Mae hwnnw’n nodi ystod o gamau i gyflawni'r gwelliannau y mae pob un ohonom yn dymuno’u gweld yn ansawdd yr aer ledled Cymru.

Nid oes angen deddfwriaeth arnoch ar gyfer popeth o reidrwydd, felly credaf fod y cynllun aer glân hwnnw wedi sicrhau rhai o'r gwelliannau rydym am eu gweld. Cyhoeddais hefyd yr ymgynghoriad ar y Papur Gwyn ar Fil aer glân (Cymru) ar 13 Ionawr. Fel y gwyddoch, bydd hwnnw’n cau ar 7 Ebrill, fel y gall y Llywodraeth, yn nhymor y Llywodraeth nesaf, fod mewn sefyllfa i fwrw ymlaen â'r Ddeddf, fel y dymuna.

13:50

Thank you. Whilst you rightly admitted to the Senedd in January that you would have liked to have brought the White Paper on the clean air Bill forward sooner, there is no escaping the fact that quick legislative action would have benefited public health. The long-term mortality burden attributable to air pollution exposure is between 1,000 and 1,400 deaths in Wales each year. More than 57 health centres, 54 GP practices and three hospitals are above the latest World Health Organization limit for PM2.5.

Even you stated that, like COVID, air pollution disproportionately impacts the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in our society. Despite air pollution being acknowledged as the world's largest single environmental health risk, and your existing RIA estimating that the monetised health impact is £950 million per year, you have chosen to prioritise legislation on agricultural pollution, which, according to your own explanatory memorandum, will have a negative impact on mental health and well-being.

During a health and climate emergency, do you acknowledge that you should have focused the mechanics of Government on assisting people's health through legislation on air pollution, rather than negatively impacting public health with the Wales-wide nitrate vulnerable zone? You rightly pointed out the pressures that the Government have been under with legal and other advice to take forward legislation. You failed on the clean air Act, but yet were prepared to betray the farmers with the NVZ. How do you reason with that, Minister?    

Diolch. Er ichi yr oeddech chi'n iawn wrth gyfaddef i’r Senedd ym mis Ionawr y byddech wedi dymuno cyflwyno’r Papur Gwyn ar y Bil aer glân yn gynt, ni ellir gwadu’r ffaith y byddai camau deddfwriaethol cyflym wedi bod o fudd i iechyd y cyhoedd. Mae'r baich marwolaethau hirdymor y gellir ei briodoli i gysylltiad â llygredd aer rhwng 1,000 a 1,400 o farwolaethau yng Nghymru bob blwyddyn. Mae mwy na 57 o ganolfannau iechyd, 54 o bractisau meddygon teulu a thri ysbyty ar lefelau uwch na therfyn diweddaraf Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd ar gyfer PM2.5.

Fe wnaethoch chi hyd yn oed nodi bod llygredd aer, fel COVID, yn effeithio'n anghymesur ar y rhai mwyaf difreintiedig ac agored i niwed yn ein cymdeithas. Er bod llygredd aer yn cael ei gydnabod fel perygl mwyaf y byd o ran iechyd yr amgylchedd, a’r ffaith bod eich asesiad effaith rheoleiddiol presennol yn amcangyfrif bod yr effaith iechyd ariannol yn £950 miliwn y flwyddyn, rydych wedi dewis blaenoriaethu deddfwriaeth ar lygredd amaethyddol, a fydd, yn ôl eich memorandwm esboniadol eich hun, yn effeithio'n negyddol ar iechyd meddwl a llesiant.

Mewn argyfwng iechyd ac argyfwng hinsawdd, a ydych yn cydnabod y dylech fod wedi canolbwyntio mecaneg y Llywodraeth ar gynorthwyo iechyd pobl drwy ddeddfu ar lygredd aer, yn hytrach nag effeithio'n negyddol ar iechyd y cyhoedd drwy ddynodi Cymru gyfan yn barth perygl nitradau? Fe wnaethoch dynnu sylw, yn gwbl gywir, at y pwysau sydd wedi bod ar y Llywodraeth gyda chyngor cyfreithiol a chyngor arall i gyflwyno deddfwriaeth. Fe wnaethoch fethu gyda'r Ddeddf aer glân, ond serch hynny, roeddech yn barod i fradychu'r ffermwyr gyda'r parth perygl nitradau. Beth yw'r rhesymeg wrth wraidd hynny, Weinidog?

Well, I am not betraying the farmers. What I am trying to do is reduce the number of agricultural pollution incidents that are having a massive negative impact on our air quality, as well as our water quality. So, I'm afraid the argument that you put forward doesn't stack up at all. And let's just be clear: this is not just NVZs. It's not just nitrates. This is around phosphates. This is around ammonia pollution incidents as well. So, it's not just this NVZ that I keep on hearing about.

In relation to mental health, of course, you don't want anything that would be detrimental to anybody's mental health. I put significant funding into mental health support services for our agriculture sector, because I do understand that it is a difficult time. But, the one thing that's caused, I think, the most angst to farmers in this term of Government and my time in this portfolio is leaving the European Union, and the uncertainty around that. 

Wel, nid wyf yn bradychu’r ffermwyr. Yr hyn rwy’n ceisio’i wneud yw lleihau nifer yr achosion o lygredd amaethyddol sy'n cael effaith negyddol enfawr ar ansawdd ein haer, yn ogystal ag ansawdd ein dŵr. Felly, mae arnaf ofn nad yw'r ddadl a wnaed gennych yn gwneud unrhyw synnwyr. A gadewch imi ddweud yn glir: nid oes a wnelo hyn â’r parthau perygl nitradau yn unig. Nid oes a wnelo â nitradau yn unig. Mae hyn yn ymwneud â ffosffadau. Mae hyn yn ymwneud ag achosion o lygredd amonia hefyd. Felly, mae'n fwy na’r parth perygl nitradau y clywaf amdano o hyd.

Mewn perthynas ag iechyd meddwl wrth gwrs, nid oes arnoch eisiau unrhyw beth a fyddai'n niweidiol i iechyd meddwl unrhyw un. Rwyf wedi rhoi cryn dipyn o arian i wasanaethau cymorth iechyd meddwl ar gyfer ein sector amaethyddol, gan fy mod yn deall ei fod yn gyfnod anodd. Ond yr un peth sydd wedi achosi’r trallod mwyaf i ffermwyr yn nhymor y Llywodraeth hon ac yn ystod fy nghyfnod yn y portffolio hwn yw gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, a'r ansicrwydd ynghylch hynny.

Now, further evidence of the lack of prioritisation that you have given to air pollution is the budget for 2021-22. You admitted to our Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee that there is still no detailed cost estimate of the clean air plan that was published seven months ago. The £3.4 million revenue funding and £17 million capital funding allocated for air quality action actually remains unchanged from the previous year, and therefore represents a real-terms cut.

In fact, I know that this is not the first time that this has been raised with you, as you were scrutinised on the matter during committee in January, blowing the concerns about funding to one side by informing us again that you have competing priorities in the budget and, of course, the impact of COVID-19. As you know, I acknowledge that challenge, but I still need you to explain why there is no detailed cost estimate for this plan, and what led you to make a political decision to deprioritise the health crisis caused by air pollution by delivering a real-terms cut in funding.

Nawr, mae’r gyllideb ar gyfer 2021-22 yn dystiolaeth bellach o’ch diffyg blaenoriaeth i lygredd aer. Fe wnaethoch chi gyfaddef i’n Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig nad oes amcangyfrif cost manwl i’w gael o hyd ar gyfer y cynllun aer glân a gyhoeddwyd saith mis yn ôl. Mae'r £3.4 miliwn o gyllid refeniw a'r £17 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf a ddyrannwyd ar gyfer gweithredu ar ansawdd aer yr un fath â'r flwyddyn flaenorol, ac felly mae'n cynrychioli toriad mewn termau real.

Mewn gwirionedd, gwn nad dyma’r tro cyntaf i hyn gael ei godi gyda chi, gan y gwnaed gwaith craffu arnoch mewn perthynas â’r mater yn ystod y pwyllgor ym mis Ionawr, pan wthioch chi'r pryderon ynghylch cyllid i un ochr drwy ddweud wrthym unwaith eto fod gennych flaenoriaethau sy’n cystadlu yn erbyn ei gilydd yn y gyllideb, ac wrth gwrs, effaith COVID-19. Fel y gwyddoch, rwy'n cydnabod yr her honno, ond mae'n dal i fod angen i chi egluro pam nad oes amcangyfrif cost manwl i’w gael ar gyfer y cynllun hwn, a pham y gwnaethoch benderfyniad gwleidyddol i ddadflaenoriaethu'r argyfwng iechyd a achoswyd gan lygredd aer drwy wneud toriad mewn termau real i’r cyllid.

Well, you know, you do have to make decisions around your budget. There is only a certain pot of money and, of course, you do. There are lots of calls on that budget, and it's about making sure that there is ample funding for everything. But, clearly, it's not always the case that you are able to increase funding in places where you would wish to. It's about making sure that you cover as much as you can. What the clean air plan did was, as I say, set out the range of actions to deliver improvements for the benefit of public health, as you referred to, and biodiversity, and, of course, help us with the climate emergency. And I'm trying to ensure that there is enough funding. We're coming to the end of this year's budget and, believe me, trying to manage the underspend and the overspend is quite a difficult feat that, fortunately, officials are there to advise me on. So, I don't think we did deprioritise this. And, obviously, as we take the Bill forward for a clean air Act, there will be significant evidence around the budget that can be scrutinised. But I do hope it's recognised that we have very difficult decisions to make—every government does—and we do our best to ensure, and certainly when I look back at this year, I think everybody within different parts of my portfolio has had the funding that's been necessary.

Wel, fel y gwyddoch, mae'n rhaid ichi wneud penderfyniadau ynglŷn â’ch cyllideb. Pot cyfyngedig o arian yn unig sydd ar gael, ac wrth gwrs, rydych yn gwneud hynny. Mae llawer o alw am y gyllideb honno, ac mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau bod digon o arian ar gyfer popeth. Ond yn amlwg, nid yw bob amser yn wir eich bod yn gallu cynyddu cyllid yn y meysydd y dymunwch. Mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau eich bod yn darparu ar gyfer cymaint ag y gallwch. Yr hyn a wnaeth y cynllun aer glân, fel y dywedaf, oedd nodi'r ystod o gamau gweithredu i gyflawni gwelliannau er budd iechyd y cyhoedd, fel y nodoch chi, a bioamrywiaeth, ac wrth gwrs, ein helpu gyda'r argyfwng hinsawdd. Ac rwy'n ceisio sicrhau bod digon o gyllid. Rydym yn agosáu at ddiwedd cyllideb eleni, a chredwch fi, mae ceisio rheoli'r tanwariant a'r gorwariant yn gamp eithaf anodd y mae swyddogion, diolch byth, yno i fy nghynghori arni. Felly, ni chredaf ein bod wedi dadflaenoriaethu hyn. Ac yn amlwg, wrth inni fwrw ymlaen â’r Bil ar gyfer Deddf aer glân, bydd cryn dipyn o dystiolaeth y gellir craffu arni mewn perthynas â'r gyllideb. Ond rwy'n gobeithio y ceir cydnabyddiaeth fod gennym benderfyniadau anodd iawn i'w gwneud—mae gan bob llywodraeth—a’n bod yn gwneud ein gorau i sicrhau, ac yn sicr pan edrychaf yn ôl ar eleni, credaf fod pawb mewn gwahanol rannau o fy mhortffolio wedi cael y cyllid oedd ei angen.

13:55
Y Diwydiant Ffermio
The Farming Industry

3. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gefnogi'r diwydiant ffermio yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ56390

3. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support the farming industry in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ56390

Farmers within Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire have received basic payment scheme payments in 2020 totalling over £27 million. Our Farming Connect service has continued to support farmers, providing advice and online training, whilst also having the ability for support on the phone during the COVID-19 crisis.

Mae ffermwyr yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro wedi derbyn taliadau drwy gynllun y taliad sylfaenol yn 2020, gwerth cyfanswm o dros £27 miliwn. Mae ein gwasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio wedi parhau i gefnogi ffermwyr, gan ddarparu cyngor a hyfforddiant ar-lein, ynghyd â'r gallu i gael cymorth dros y ffôn yn ystod argyfwng COVID-19.

Minister, we all know that we do need to tackle the polluting of our countryside by outdated farming practices, and the best way of doing this is to ensure that the farming industry is on board with any regulations and changes that you introduce. And in my view, the NVZ regulations passed last week have managed to achieve the opposite, and they've been roundly condemned by farming unions, farmers and many in rural communities. The First Minister last week claimed, in voting against the regulations, that we would be voting in favour of continued pollution, which, to be honest with you, just shows how out of touch, I think, he is with the farming community.

Farmers are the backbone of our nation, many farm incredibly responsibly, and you and I have had much correspondence over the years about, in particular, one really bad super farm in my area who constantly pollutes, pays the fine, and then carries on doing exactly the same. So, it's been this 'punish all for the sins of a few'. So, what can you say to the Welsh young farmers' clubs who've highlighted this issue over recent years? Because it's vital to ensure that the young people in my area feel that they're entering a profession that is valued and respected. What can you do to reassure young people looking to get into agriculture, that they will be valued by the Government and not used to deepen the political gulf between rural and urban Wales?

Weinidog, gŵyr pob un ohonom fod angen inni fynd i’r afael â’r llygredd yn ein cefn gwlad sy'n deillio o arferion ffermio sydd wedi dyddio, a’r ffordd orau o wneud hyn yw sicrhau bod y diwydiant ffermio yn cefnogi unrhyw reoliadau a newidiadau a gyflwynwch. Ac yn fy marn i, mae rheoliadau’r parth perygl nitradau a gyflwynwyd yr wythnos diwethaf wedi llwyddo i gyflawni'r gwrthwyneb, ac maent wedi cael eu condemnio'n llwyr gan undebau’r ffermwyr, ffermwyr a nifer o bobl mewn cymunedau gwledig. Honnodd y Prif Weinidog yr wythnos diwethaf y byddem, wrth bleidleisio yn erbyn y rheoliadau, yn pleidleisio o blaid parhau'r llygredd, sydd, a dweud y gwir, yn dangos ei fod wedi colli cysylltiad, yn fy marn i, â’r gymuned ffermio.

Ffermwyr yw asgwrn cefn ein gwlad, mae llawer yn ffermio'n anhygoel o gyfrifol, ac rydych chithau a minnau wedi derbyn llawer o ohebiaeth dros y blynyddoedd ynghylch un fferm fawr wael iawn yn fy ardal sy'n llygru'n gyson, yn talu'r ddirwy, ac yna'n parhau i wneud yn union yr un peth. Felly, mae pawb yn cael eu cosbi am bechodau ambell un. Felly, beth y gallwch ei ddweud wrth glybiau ffermwyr ifanc Cymru sydd wedi tynnu sylw at y mater hwn dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf? Oherwydd mae'n hanfodol sicrhau bod pobl ifanc fy ardal yn teimlo eu bod yn mynd i weithio mewn proffesiwn sy'n cael ei werthfawrogi a'i barchu. Beth y gallwch ei wneud i dawelu meddyliau pobl ifanc sy'n ystyried mynd i weithio yn y byd amaeth y byddant yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi gan y Llywodraeth ac nid yn cael eu defnyddio i ddyfnhau'r gagendor gwleidyddol rhwng y Gymru wledig a’r Gymru drefol?

Well, I would say to the young farmers' clubs, as I would say to anybody in the farming sector or anybody with an interest in our farming sector, that these agricultural pollution regulations are there for their benefit. They are there to stop the number of agricultural pollution incidents that we have seen year after year after year. I don't think the First Minister's out of touch with the sector. I don't think I'm out of touch with the sector. And whilst I appreciate there's been a huge amount of media focus and noise from the farming unions, I wish I could share the number and pieces of correspondence I've had from farmers who absolutely are in agreement with these regulations, because we only hear one side, really. We don't see and hear the other side. They don't make the noise, perhaps, that some others do.

But what I think is really important is this Government is absolutely on side with the sector. I've had a very good relationship with the farming unions. We've disagreed on this, and we've disagreed on other things, but it's always been very robust. But the one thing that I know they recognise, because they tell me this, is that Welsh Government is absolutely on their side, and we've done everything we can to support them through the very difficult and uncertain times we've had leaving the European Union, which by their own admission—. I remember my first Royal Welsh Show where everybody wanted to tell me that they voted to leave the European Union and how good it would be when we did. I'm afraid that view changed over the ensuing years, because we saw the mess the UK Government made of it.

Wel, byddwn yn dweud wrth y clybiau ffermwyr ifanc, fel y byddwn yn dweud wrth unrhyw un yn y sector ffermio neu unrhyw un a chanddynt ddiddordeb yn ein sector ffermio, fod y rheoliadau llygredd amaethyddol ar waith er eu budd hwy. Maent yno i atal nifer yr achosion o lygredd amaethyddol rydym wedi’u gweld flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn. Ni chredaf fod y Prif Weinidog wedi colli cysylltiad â'r sector. Ni chredaf fy mod innau wedi colli cysylltiad â'r sector. Ac er fy mod yn derbyn bod undebau’r ffermwyr wedi gwneud cryn dipyn o sŵn ac wedi cael cryn dipyn o sylw gan y cyfryngau, hoffwn allu rhannu'r ohebiaeth helaeth rwyf wedi’i chael gan ffermwyr sy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r rheoliadau hyn, gan mai un ochr yn unig a glywn, a dweud y gwir. Nid ydym yn gweld nac yn clywed yr ochr arall. Nid ydynt yn gwneud cymaint o sŵn, efallai, ag y mae eraill yn ei wneud.

Ond yr hyn sy'n bwysig iawn yn fy marn i yw bod y Llywodraeth hon yn gwbl gytûn â'r sector. Rwyf wedi cael perthynas dda iawn gydag undebau’r ffermwyr. Rydym wedi anghytuno ar hyn, ac rydym wedi anghytuno ar bethau eraill, ond mae bob amser wedi bod yn gadarn iawn. Ond yr un peth y gwn eu bod yn ei gydnabod, gan eu bod yn dweud hyn wrthyf, yw bod Llywodraeth Cymru ar eu hochr yn gyfan gwbl, a'n bod wedi gwneud popeth a allwn i'w cefnogi drwy'r cyfnod anodd ac ansicr iawn a gawsom wrth adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, sydd yn ôl eu cyfaddefiad eu hunain—. Rwy'n cofio fy Sioe Frenhinol Cymru gyntaf lle roedd pawb yn dymuno dweud wrthyf eu bod wedi pleidleisio i adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a pha mor dda fyddai pethau pan fyddem yn gadael. Mae arnaf ofn i'r farn honno newid dros y blynyddoedd canlynol, gan inni weld y llanast a wnaeth Llywodraeth y DU ohoni.

Llunio Polisïau ar Sail Tystiolaeth
Evidence-informed Policy Making

4. Sut mae'r Gweinidog yn defnyddio tystiolaeth i lywio penderfyniadau polisi Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n ymwneud â'r amgylchedd? OQ56392

4. How does the Minister use evidence to inform the Welsh Government's policy decisions relating to the environment? OQ56392

The Welsh Government is committed to evidence-based policy. To enable this, I have commissioned a range of evidence programmes, including the environment and rural affairs monitoring and modelling programme, and my officials engage with research partners across the UK, including actively influencing our shared research and development budget with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i bolisi sy’n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth. Er mwyn galluogi hyn, rwyf wedi comisiynu ystod o raglenni tystiolaeth, gan gynnwys rhaglen monitro a modelu’r amgylchedd a materion gwledig, ac mae fy swyddogion yn ymgysylltu â phartneriaid ymchwil ledled y DU, gan gynnwys mynd ati’n weithredol i ddylanwadu ar ein cyllideb ymchwil a datblygu a rennir gydag Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig.

14:00

Thank you. Minister, I'm truly surprised to hear that answer, and I refer in particular—apart from the fact that I'm repeating so many other people—here to your mystifying decision on NVZs. I had meetings, as many others did, with the farmers unions a few weeks ago, and they reported that evidence and recommendations were provided in a report to you by the NRW Wales land management sub-group in April 2018, and a weighty 102 pages of evidence was presented to you in late 2019. It's not often that I agree with NRW, as they have made some bad decisions in the past, since they were formed, but, on this occasion, their report should have been listened to. So, if, as you say, your decisions are based on evidence, what was the evidence that you found so compelling, and why was the NRW evidence effectively thrown in the bin? Thank you.

Diolch. Weinidog, rwy'n synnu'n fawr o glywed yr ateb hwnnw, a chyfeiriaf yn benodol—ar wahân i'r ffaith fy mod yn ailadrodd cynifer o bobl eraill—at eich penderfyniad annealladwy ar barthau perygl nitradau. Cefais gyfarfodydd, fel y cafodd llawer o rai eraill, gydag undebau'r ffermwyr ychydig wythnosau'n ôl, a nodwyd ganddynt fod tystiolaeth ac argymhellion wedi'u darparu mewn adroddiad i chi gan is-grŵp rheoli tir CNC Cymru ym mis Ebrill 2018, a bod cymaint â 102 tudalen o dystiolaeth wedi'u cyflwyno i chi ar ddiwedd 2019. Nid wyf yn cytuno â CNC yn aml, gan eu bod wedi gwneud rhai penderfyniadau gwael yn y gorffennol, ers iddynt gael eu ffurfio, ond y tro hwn, dylid bod wedi gwrando ar eu hadroddiad. Felly, os yw eich penderfyniadau, fel y dywedwch, yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth, beth oedd y dystiolaeth a oedd mor argyhoeddiadol i chi, a pham y cafodd tystiolaeth CNC ei thaflu i'r bin i bob pwrpas? Diolch.

Well, certainly, the evidence wasn't thrown in the bin, as you state. Any evidence that we take, we look at, and that forms part of the decision. The report that you referred to, I think, if I remember rightly, it had about 45 recommendations. And, again, if I'm remembering it correctly, every single recommendation was for the Welsh Government; none of them were for the agricultural sector. So, I think you can see why we needed the agricultural sector on board and why I went to great lengths to try and work with them, when they said that voluntary methods would help. And, unfortunately, we did not see a decrease in the number of incidents.

So, where did I get my evidence from? Well, as I say, we did obviously use the evidence there, but it's also the Climate Change Committee, which, I think, again, every Member in this Senedd—or maybe one or two sceptics perhaps not—would appreciate that the independent advice we get from them is something that we take very seriously and helps us with our policy.

Wel, yn sicr, ni chafodd y dystiolaeth ei thaflu i'r bin, fel y dywedwch. Rydym yn edrych ar unrhyw dystiolaeth a gymerwn ac mae'n ffurfio rhan o'r penderfyniad. Os cofiaf yn iawn, credaf fod gan yr adroddiad y cyfeirioch chi ato tua 45 o argymhellion. Ac unwaith eto, os cofiaf yn iawn, roedd pob un argymhelliad ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru; nid oedd yr un ohonynt ar gyfer y sector amaethyddol. Felly, credaf y gallwch weld pam ein bod angen cefnogaeth y sector amaethyddol a pham y gwneuthum ymdrech fawr i geisio gweithio gyda hwy, pan ddywedasant y byddai dulliau gwirfoddol yn helpu. Ac yn anffodus, ni welsom ostyngiad yn nifer y digwyddiadau.

Felly, o ble y cefais fy nhystiolaeth? Wel, fel y dywedais, roeddem yn amlwg yn defnyddio'r dystiolaeth honno, ond cawsom dystiolaeth gan y Pwyllgor ar Newid Hinsawdd hefyd, ac rwy'n credu, unwaith eto, y byddai pob Aelod yn y Senedd hon—ar wahân i un neu ddau o amheuwyr efallai—yn deall ein bod o ddifrif ynghylch y cyngor annibynnol a gawn ganddynt a'i fod yn ein helpu gyda'n polisi.

Minister, can I widen out this question as to the way in which you use evidence in policy decision making? You'll know that the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales has called on the Welsh Government to be more transparent in showing the carbon impact of all Government policies and spending decisions. How have you responded to that? Do you keep accurate figures in terms of the carbon footprinting of policy decisions and of budgeting, for instance? And do you think there's a way that you could be even more transparent in making those public and allowing the public to see exactly what that carbon footprint of the Welsh Government is?

Weinidog, a gaf fi ehangu'r cwestiwn hwn ynghylch y ffordd rydych yn defnyddio tystiolaeth wrth wneud penderfyniadau polisi? Fe fyddwch yn gwybod bod Comisiynydd Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol Cymru wedi galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i fod yn fwy tryloyw wrth ddangos effaith carbon holl bolisïau a phenderfyniadau gwariant y Llywodraeth. Sut rydych wedi ymateb i hynny? A ydych yn cadw ffigurau cywir ynglŷn ag ôl troed carbon penderfyniadau polisi a chyllidebu, er enghraifft? Ac a ydych yn credu bod yna ffordd y gallech fod hyd yn oed yn fwy tryloyw drwy gyhoeddi'r rheini a chaniatáu i'r cyhoedd weld beth yn union yw ôl troed carbon Llywodraeth Cymru?

Well, obviously, we work very closely with the future generations commissioner's office, and I've certainly attended meetings with her and her staff, and with the First Minister—I can think of one specific one—particularly around aligning our carbon budget with our fiscal budget, because I think it's very important that we are able to demonstrate it. I personally think we are very transparent, but anything we can do to improve that transparency I'm sure will be taken on board.

Wel, yn amlwg, rydym yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda swyddfa comisiynydd cenedlaethau'r dyfodol, ac rwy'n sicr wedi mynychu cyfarfodydd gyda hi a'i staff, a chyda'r Prif Weinidog—gallaf feddwl am un penodol—yn ymwneud yn arbennig ag alinio ein cyllideb garbon â'n cyllideb ariannol, oherwydd rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn gallu dangos hynny. Rwy'n credu'n bersonol ein bod yn dryloyw iawn, ond bydd unrhyw beth y gallwn ei wneud i wella'r tryloywder hwnnw'n cael ei ystyried, rwy'n siŵr.

Tanwyddau Gwyrddach
Greener Fuels

5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y defnydd o danwyddau gwyrddach yng Nghymru? OQ56391

5. Will the Minister make a statement on the use of greener fuels in Wales? OQ56391

Thank you. We have committed Wales to ambitious net-zero emissions targets. This requires transforming how we fuel our cars, heat our homes and generate our electricity. Hydrogen has great potential to be an important part of the decarbonised energy mix, and we are working to understand and demonstrate its potential. 

Diolch. Rydym wedi ymrwymo Cymru i dargedau allyriadau sero-net uchelgeisiol. Mae hyn yn golygu bod angen inni drawsnewid y modd rydym yn rhedeg ein ceir, yn cynhesu ein cartrefi ac yn cynhyrchu ein trydan. Mae gan hydrogen botensial mawr i fod yn rhan bwysig o'r gymysgedd ynni wedi'i ddatgarboneiddio, ac rydym yn gweithio i ddeall a dangos ei botensial.

Thank you. Well, in last week's UK budget, the Chancellor announced more than £93 million of investment to turbo-charge a green recovery in Wales and accelerate the creation of nearly 13,000 jobs here. This includes accelerated funding for the north Wales growth deal, which includes the Morlais tidal demonstration zone off the coast of Anglesey, and extra funding for a new hydrogen hub at the port of Holyhead, being managed and developed by Menter Môn, the social enterprise behind the tidal demonstration project, whose managing director said:

'This is excellent news and a huge boost to the project in Holyhead.... With the increasing focus on decarbonisation the aim will be to create green hydrogen from renewables including from Morlais, our own tidal stream energy project off the coast of Holy Island.'

The UK budget also included millions for the development of both energy storage technologies and new technologies and products that will feed into the establishment and roll-out of the floating offshore wind industry. How is, or will, Welsh Government engage with these projects to maximise the opportunity for Wales that they represent?

Diolch. Wel, yng nghyllideb y DU yr wythnos ddiwethaf, cyhoeddodd y Canghellor fuddsoddiad o dros £93 miliwn i sbarduno adferiad gwyrdd yng Nghymru a chyflymu'r broses o greu bron i 13,000 o swyddi yma. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cyllid cyflym ar gyfer bargen twf gogledd Cymru, sy'n cynnwys parth arddangos llanw Morlais oddi ar arfordir Ynys Môn, a chyllid ychwanegol ar gyfer hyb hydrogen newydd ym mhorthladd Caergybi, sy'n cael ei reoli a'i ddatblygu gan Fenter Môn, y fenter gymdeithasol y tu ôl i'r prosiect arddangos llanw, a dywedodd ei rheolwr gyfarwyddwr:

Mae hyn yn newyddion gwych ac yn hwb enfawr i'r prosiect yng Nghaergybi... Gyda'r ffocws cynyddol ar ddatgarboneiddio, y nod fydd creu hydrogen gwyrdd o ynni adnewyddadwy gan gynnwys o Morlais, ein prosiect ynni ffrwd lanw ein hunain oddi ar arfordir Ynys Cybi.

Roedd cyllideb y DU hefyd yn cynnwys miliynau ar gyfer datblygu technolegau storio ynni a thechnolegau a chynhyrchion newydd a fydd yn bwydo i mewn i'r gwaith o sefydlu a chyflwyno'r diwydiant gwynt ar y môr arnofiol. Sut, neu a fydd, Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymgysylltu â'r prosiectau hyn i fanteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfle y maent yn ei gynrychioli i Gymru?

Thank you. Well, we were certainly very pleased to see funding directed towards the Holyhead hydrogen project that Welsh Government has been supporting in the UK Government's budget on 3 March, and I certainly look forward to continuing to work with Menter Môn to maximise the opportunities for hydrogen in Holyhead, and building on, I think, the exemplary work that has already been carried out there. 

Welsh Government published a hydrogen pathway for Wales on 18 January for consultation, and again we are seeking responses to strategic questions relating to any future proposals for hydrogen development in Wales, and I would encourage Members to forward responses by 9 April and to encourage anyone they think would be interested in this. Obviously, then, the new Government can publish a summary of responses. That will then inform the proposed hydrogen pathway, along with an integrated impact assessment. I have to say, I think offshore wind is really exciting, and, over the last couple of years, we have seen a great deal of interest, particularly in north-west Wales, from developers. And tomorrow I am—. This is a meeting I'm having tomorrow with my colleague Ken Skates, again, meeting with people who are very interested in bringing this technology to Wales following the Crown Estate's recent announcement.

Diolch. Wel, roeddem yn sicr yn falch iawn o weld cyllid yn cael ei roi i brosiect hydrogen Caergybi a gefnogwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru yng nghyllideb Llywodraeth y DU ar 3 Mawrth, ac rwy'n sicr yn edrych ymlaen at barhau i weithio gyda Menter Môn i fanteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfleoedd ar gyfer hydrogen yng Nghaergybi, ac adeiladu ar y gwaith rhagorol sydd eisoes wedi'i wneud yno.

Cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru lwybr hydrogen i Gymru ar 18 Ionawr ar gyfer ymgynghori, ac unwaith eto rydym yn ceisio ymatebion i gwestiynau strategol sy'n ymwneud ag unrhyw gynigion ar gyfer datblygu hydrogen yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol, a byddwn yn annog yr Aelodau i anfon ymatebion erbyn 9 Ebrill ac i annog unrhyw un y credant y byddai ganddynt ddiddordeb yn hyn i wneud yr un peth. Yn amlwg, felly, gall y Llywodraeth newydd gyhoeddi crynodeb o'r ymatebion. Bydd hwnnw wedyn yn llywio'r llwybr hydrogen arfaethedig, ynghyd ag asesiad effaith integredig. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, rwy'n credu bod gwynt ar y môr yn gyffrous iawn, a dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld llawer iawn o ddiddordeb gan ddatblygwyr, yn enwedig yng ngogledd-orllewin Cymru. Ac yfory rwyf—. Yfory, gyda fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates, unwaith eto, byddaf yn cyfarfod â phobl sydd â diddordeb mawr mewn dod â'r dechnoleg hon i Gymru yn dilyn cyhoeddiad diweddar Ystâd y Goron.

14:05

Minister, while it's vital that we decarbonise our energy and transport infrastructure as quickly as possible, it's also equally important that we don't create other problems in our bid to cut carbon emissions. While biomass is carbon neutral, it can also create problems with air quality due to increased release of particulates. The move to electric transport will both tackle rising carbon dioxide and air quality, but will lead to an increase in e-waste and demand for metals, which are mined at a huge cost to our fragile ecology. Minister, what steps are your Government taking to ensure that decarbonisation does not lead to ecological damage elsewhere? Diolch.

Weinidog, er ei bod yn hanfodol ein bod yn datgarboneiddio ein seilwaith ynni a thrafnidiaeth cyn gynted â phosibl, mae hefyd yr un mor bwysig nad ydym yn creu problemau eraill yn ein hymdrech i leihau allyriadau carbon. Er bod biomas yn garbon niwtral, gall hefyd greu problemau gydag ansawdd aer oherwydd bod mwy o ronynnau'n cael eu rhyddhau. Bydd symud i drafnidiaeth drydan yn mynd i'r afael ag ansawdd aer a charbon deuocsid cynyddol, ond bydd yn arwain at gynnydd mewn e-wastraff a'r galw am fetelau sy'n cael eu cloddio ar gost enfawr i'n hecoleg fregus. Weinidog, pa gamau y mae eich Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i sicrhau nad yw datgarboneiddio'n arwain at niwed ecolegol mewn mannau eraill? Diolch.

Thank you. Caroline Jones makes a very important point. It is always really important that, when you look at how we decarbonise, not just our energy or our homes—. It's completely a cross-Government issue, and I meet regularly with my ministerial colleagues to ensure that whatever is in their portfolio that can help us reach our net-zero carbon targets is the correct way to go. You'll be aware that we have recently received advice from the Climate Change Committee on how we can reach net zero by 2050, and last month I laid regulations in the Senedd to formally commit Wales, for the first time, to legally binding targets that deliver the goal of our net-zero emissions. So, we have to reduce our emissions across all sectors, and, again, the Climate Change Committee, in its advice to me, highlighted the importance of improvements to fuel efficiency, for instance, in their scenarios, through cost-effective technologies and design improvements.

Diolch. Mae Caroline Jones yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn. Mae bob amser yn bwysig iawn, pan edrychwch ar sut rydym yn datgarboneiddio, nid yn unig ein hynni a'n cartrefi—. Mae'n fater cwbl draws-Lywodraethol, ac rwy'n cyfarfod yn rheolaidd â fy nghyd-Weinidogion i sicrhau mai'r ffordd iawn i fynd yw gwneud popeth a allant o fewn eu portffolio a all ein helpu i gyrraedd ein targedau carbon sero-net. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol ein bod wedi cael cyngor yn ddiweddar gan y Pwyllgor ar Newid Hinsawdd ar sut y gallwn gyrraedd sero net erbyn 2050, a'r mis diwethaf gosodais reoliadau yn y Senedd i ymrwymo Cymru'n ffurfiol, am y tro cyntaf, i dargedau sy'n rhwymo mewn cyfraith ac sy'n cyflawni nod ein hallyriadau sero-net. Felly, mae'n rhaid inni leihau ein hallyriadau ar draws pob sector, ac unwaith eto, yn ei gyngor imi, tynnodd y Pwyllgor ar Newid Hinsawdd sylw at bwysigrwydd gwelliannau i effeithlonrwydd tanwydd, er enghraifft, yn eu senarios, drwy dechnolegau costeffeithiol a gwelliannau dylunio.

Lles Anifeiliaid
Animal Welfare

6. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wella lles anifeiliaid? OQ56379

6. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve animal welfare? OQ56379

Animal welfare and the responsible ownership of animals are priorities for the Welsh Government, and we are committed to ensuring high standards of welfare are maintained. We are proactively involved in a number of different initiatives to further support and reinforce these standards in the short and long-term future.

Mae lles anifeiliaid a pherchnogaeth gyfrifol anifeiliaid yn flaenoriaethau i Lywodraeth Cymru, ac rydym wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod safonau lles uchel yn cael eu cynnal. Rydym yn cymryd rhan ragweithiol mewn nifer o wahanol fentrau i gefnogi ac atgyfnerthu'r safonau hyn ymhellach yn y tymor byr a'r dyfodol hirdymor.

Can I thank the Minister for that response? How we treat animals is an indication of the type of society we are. Whilst the Welsh Government has made substantial progress in ensuring an improved version of Lucy's law is brought in this month, what proposals does the Welsh Government have to ban the owning of primates, bringing CCTV in for abattoirs, and improving the welfare of rabbits and horses?

A gaf fi ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ymateb hwnnw? Mae'r ffordd rydym yn trin anifeiliaid yn arwydd o'r math o gymdeithas ydym ni. Er bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud cynnydd sylweddol yn sicrhau bod fersiwn well o gyfraith Lucy yn cael ei chyflwyno y mis hwn, pa gynigion sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i wahardd pobl rhag bod yn berchen ar brimatiaid, cyflwyno teledu cylch cyfyng mewn lladd-dai, a gwella lles cwningod a cheffylau?

I'm pleased Mike Hedges referred to Lucy's law, although I do keep saying that we are going beyond Lucy's law; it's the third-party sales of puppies and kittens, and we will be debating that in the Senedd in the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, many of the policy development work streams within my portfolio in relation to animal health and welfare have had to take a lower priority over the past 12 months, for obvious reasons, with the COVID-19 pandemic and leaving the European Union, but my officials are working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a number of areas where it may be beneficial to have a UK approach. So, you mentioned CCTV in abattoirs, for instance. My stance on that is the same: I recognise the potential benefits, and it's not been ruled out. I am confident that we'll be able to bring forward new regulations on licensing of animal activities in Wales, and that's been the right priority focus at the time. We do have statutory codes of practice for many species of animals in Wales, both farm and domestic, and they are regularly reviewed and updated. 

Rwy'n falch bod Mike Hedges wedi cyfeirio at gyfraith Lucy, er rwy'n dal i ddweud ein bod yn mynd y tu hwnt i gyfraith Lucy; mae'n ymwneud â gwerthu cŵn a chathod bach gan drydydd parti, a byddwn yn trafod hynny yn y Senedd yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Yn anffodus, mae llawer o'r ffrydiau gwaith datblygu polisi yn fy mhortffolio mewn perthynas ag iechyd a lles anifeiliaid wedi gorfod cael blaenoriaeth is dros y 12 mis diwethaf, am resymau amlwg, gyda phandemig COVID-19 a gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, ond mae fy swyddogion yn gweithio'n agos gydag Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig ar nifer o feysydd lle gallai fod yn fuddiol cael dull gweithredu ar draws y DU. Felly, fe sonioch chi am deledu cylch cyfyng mewn lladd-dai, er enghraifft. Mae fy safbwynt ar hynny yr un peth: rwy'n cydnabod y manteision posibl, ac nid yw wedi'i ddiystyru. Rwy'n hyderus y byddwn yn gallu cyflwyno rheoliadau newydd ar drwyddedu gweithgareddau anifeiliaid yng Nghymru, a dyna fu'r ffocws blaenoriaeth cywir ar y pryd. Mae gennym godau ymarfer statudol ar gyfer llawer o rywogaethau anifeiliaid yng Nghymru, anifeiliaid fferm ac anifeiliaid domestig, ac maent yn cael eu hadolygu a'u diweddaru'n rheolaidd.

14:10

Minister, in your response to Mike Hedges there, you didn't mention the welfare of animals in zoos and animal attractions around Wales. You'll be familiar with the fact that I've been calling for some time now for a zoos support fund in Wales. They've got them in other parts of the United Kingdom and, indeed, elsewhere in Europe, but Wales is yet to establish a zoos support fund in order to ensure that animals in our zoos during this lockdown period can get the high-quality welfare that they deserve without those organisations having to raid their reserves or their savings, which they put aside for investment in their businesses. Can you tell us what your latest thinking is on whether to establish a Welsh zoos support fund, particularly given that the fund would also ensure the important work that zoos and animal attractions do with regard to conservation and breeding, which is also now being affected as a result of the lack of a fund here in Wales?

Weinidog, yn eich ymateb i Mike Hedges, ni sonioch chi am les anifeiliaid mewn sŵau ac atyniadau anifeiliaid ledled Cymru. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod fy mod wedi bod yn galw ers peth amser bellach am gronfa gymorth i sŵau yng Nghymru. Maent yn bodoli mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig ac yn wir, mewn mannau eraill yn Ewrop, ond nid yw Cymru eto wedi sefydlu cronfa gymorth i sŵau er mwyn sicrhau y gall anifeiliaid yn ein sŵau, yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud hyn, gael y lles o ansawdd uchel y maent yn ei haeddu heb i'r sefydliadau hynny orfod defnyddio eu cronfeydd wrth gefn neu eu cynilion a roddwyd o'r neilltu ganddynt ar gyfer buddsoddi yn eu busnesau. A allwch chi ddweud wrthym beth yw eich barn ddiweddaraf ynglŷn ag a ddylid sefydlu cronfa gymorth i sŵau yng Nghymru, yn enwedig o gofio y byddai'r gronfa hefyd yn sicrhau'r gwaith pwysig y mae sŵau ac atyniadau anifeiliaid yn ei wneud o ran cadwraeth a bridio, sydd hefyd yn cael ei effeithio'n awr o ganlyniad i ddiffyg cronfa yma yng Nghymru?

Well, we don't need a specific zoo support scheme in Wales, because our zoos were able to access funding from the economic resilience fund, which, obviously, was unique to Wales. So, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the zoos applied for funding from the ERF and were obviously successful. So, whilst I appreciate other countries in the UK had a specific zoo support scheme, I think, if you actually look, our zoos probably—some of them, certainly—had more funding than they would have got if it had been a support scheme in another country.

Wel, nid oes arnom angen cynllun cymorth penodol ar gyfer sŵau yng Nghymru, oherwydd roedd ein sŵau'n gallu cael cyllid o'r gronfa cadernid economaidd, a oedd, yn amlwg, yn unigryw i Gymru. Felly, yn ystod y pandemig COVID-19, gwnaeth llawer o'r sŵau gais am gyllid o'r gronfa cadernid economaidd ac roeddent yn amlwg yn llwyddiannus. Felly, er fy mod yn deall bod gan wledydd eraill yn y DU gynllun cymorth penodol ar gyfer sŵau, rwy'n credu, os edrychwch, fod gan ein sŵau, mae'n debyg—rai ohonynt, yn sicr—fwy o arian nag y byddent wedi'i gael gan gynllun cymorth mewn gwlad arall.

Mae cwestiwn 7 [OQ56402] wedi ei dynnu nôl, felly cwestiwn 8—Alun Davies.

Question 7 [OQ56402] is withdrawn. Question 8—Alun Davies.

Cyfraith Lucy
Lucy's Law

8. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am reoliadau Llywodraeth Cymru i wahardd gwerthu cŵn bach trydydd parti, a elwir fel arall yn gyfraith Lucy? OQ56407

8. Will the Minister make a statement on Welsh Government regulations to outlaw third-party puppy sales, otherwise known as Lucy's law? OQ56407

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021 will be debated on 23 March. I will not be making a statement prior to the debate.

Trafodir Rheoliadau Lles Anifeiliaid (Trwyddedu Gweithgareddau sy’n Ymwneud ag Anifeiliaid) (Cymru) 2021 ar 23 Mawrth. Ni fyddaf yn gwneud datganiad cyn y ddadl.

I'm grateful to the Minister for that, and I think many of us in this Chamber will welcome seeing this on the order paper, albeit in our last week of this Senedd. In terms of taking forward the agenda that Lucy's law symbolises, there needs to be a holistic approach to policy, and we need to certainly put in place the regulations that are on the order paper, but we also need to ensure that we take a more comprehensive approach to not only banning the third-party sale of puppies and kittens, but also that we ensure that there are far better and far higher welfare standards for those animals. I would be grateful if the Minister could outline how she sees a comprehensive approach building on the basis of Lucy's law, which would include, but not be limited to, public information, new regulations in planning law to ensure that breeders are licensed, that include rescue and rehoming centres, and to ensure that there is a regulation of sanctuaries as well, where there is considerable public concern about some of the conditions in which animals are kept.

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am hynny, a chredaf y bydd llawer ohonom yn y Siambr hon yn croesawu gweld hyn ar y papur trefn, er mai yn ystod wythnos olaf y Senedd hon y bydd hynny. O ran bwrw ymlaen â'r agenda y mae cyfraith Lucy yn ei symboleiddio, mae angen dull cyfannol o ymdrin â pholisi, ac yn sicr mae angen inni roi'r rheoliadau sydd ar y papur trefn ar waith, ond mae angen inni hefyd sicrhau ein bod yn mabwysiadu dull mwy cynhwysfawr nid yn unig o wahardd gwerthu cŵn a chathod bach gan drydydd parti, ond hefyd ein bod yn sicrhau bod safonau lles llawer gwell a llawer uwch ar gyfer yr anifeiliaid hynny. Byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Gweinidog amlinellu sut y mae'n gweld dull gweithredu cynhwysfawr yn adeiladu ar sail cyfraith Lucy, a fyddai'n cynnwys, ond heb fod yn gyfyngedig i wybodaeth gyhoeddus, rheoliadau newydd mewn cyfraith gynllunio i sicrhau bod bridwyr yn cael eu trwyddedu, gan gynnwys canolfannau achub ac ailgartrefu, ac i sicrhau bod llochesau'n cael eu rheoleiddio hefyd, lle ceir cryn dipyn o bryder cyhoeddus ynghylch rhai o'r amodau y cedwir anifeiliaid ynddynt.

I mentioned in my earlier answer to Mike Hedges that the regulations we'll be bringing forward in two weeks' time go beyond Lucy's law. I am really desperately trying to get away from that phrase, because we've done a huge amount of work with the local authorities. We've had the local authority dog enforcement project, which was a three-year Welsh Government-funded project covering all local authorities in Wales, which began last year, and that will be the vehicle where we take forward these regulations, because I thought it was really important—. Because when we started looking—. When Lucy's law was first mentioned to me, probably about three years ago, it was really important to use the powers that we already had, because I think, when we looked, local authorities weren't using the powers that they already had. So, rather than rush to bring forward regulations, it was really important to look at what barriers were there that had been barriers to enforcement, if you like, that local authorities weren't using. They required enhanced training, and we provided that. They needed better guidance, and we provided that, and we needed to improve the use of resources within local authorities. Unfortunately, with reduced budgets to local authorities, sometimes it was this part of their portfolio that didn't have the attention it had, so I think it's really important. How I see it playing out over the next three years is that we work with local authorities to ensure they have the tools that are needed.

I think the point you raise around sanctuaries is really important, and I would have liked to have done further work in relation to sanctuaries in this term of Government. But, as I said, the capacity, unfortunately, hasn't been there to do everything and all the work streams and strands of work I would have liked to have done, but I do think that is something that a future Government, certainly if I was part of it or the Labour Party, would want to look at.

Soniais yn fy ateb cynharach i Mike Hedges fod y rheoliadau y byddwn yn eu cyflwyno ymhen pythefnos yn mynd y tu hwnt i gyfraith Lucy. Rwy'n ymdrechu'n daer i ddianc rhag yr ymadrodd hwnnw, oherwydd rydym wedi gwneud llawer iawn o waith gyda'r awdurdodau lleol. Rydym wedi cael y prosiect gorfodaeth cŵn i awdurdodau lleol, sef prosiect tair blynedd a ariannwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer pob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru a ddechreuodd y llynedd, a dyna fydd ein cyfrwng ar gyfer bwrw ymlaen â'r rheoliadau hyn, oherwydd roeddwn yn credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn—. Oherwydd pan ddechreuasom edrych—. Pan grybwyllwyd cyfraith Lucy wrthyf am y tro cyntaf, tua thair blynedd yn ôl mae'n debyg, roedd yn bwysig iawn defnyddio'r pwerau a oedd gennym eisoes, oherwydd pan aethom i edrych, nid wyf yn credu yr oedd awdurdodau lleol yn defnyddio'r pwerau a oedd ganddynt eisoes. Felly, yn hytrach na rhuthro i gyflwyno rheoliadau, roedd yn bwysig iawn edrych ar ba rwystrau oedd yno a oedd wedi bod yn rhwystrau i orfodaeth, os hoffech, nad oedd awdurdodau lleol yn ei defnyddio. Roedd angen hyfforddiant gwell ar eu cyfer, ac fe wnaethom ddarparu hynny. Roedd arnynt angen gwell arweiniad, ac fe wnaethom ddarparu hynny, ac roedd angen inni wella'r defnydd o adnoddau o fewn awdurdodau lleol. Yn anffodus, gyda chyllidebau llai i awdurdodau lleol, y rhan hon o'u portffolio a gâi lai o sylw weithiau, felly rwy'n credu ei fod yn bwysig iawn. Dros y tair blynedd nesaf, rwy'n rhagweld y byddwn yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod ganddynt yr arfau sydd eu hangen arnynt.

Credaf fod y pwynt a godwch ynglŷn â llochesau'n bwysig iawn, a byddwn wedi hoffi gwneud rhagor o waith mewn perthynas â llochesau yn nhymor y Llywodraeth hon. Ond fel y dywedais, nid yw'r capasiti wedi bod yno i wneud popeth, yn anffodus, a'r holl waith y byddwn wedi hoffi'i wneud, ond rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n rhywbeth y byddai Llywodraeth yn y dyfodol eisiau edrych arno, yn sicr pe bawn i neu'r Blaid Lafur yn rhan ohoni.

14:15

Mae cwestiwn 9 [OQ56404] wedi ei dynnu yn ôl. Cwestiwn 10, Siân Gwenllian.

Question 9 [OQ56404] has been withdrawn. Question 10, Siân Gwenllian.

Cynllun Arbed yn Arfon
The Arbed Scheme in Arfon

10. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi diweddariad am y cynllun Arbed yn Arfon? OQ56387

10. Will the Minister provide an update on the Arbed scheme in Arfon? OQ56387

Thank you. A meeting with Fortem Energy Services is scheduled for 15 March to finalise details for contacting 393 households fitted with external wall insulation under the Arbed scheme in Arfon. I set out the process for householders to resolve claims in my letter to you of 8 March.

Diolch. Mae cyfarfod gyda Fortem Energy Services wedi'i drefnu ar gyfer 15 Mawrth i gwblhau'r manylion ar gyfer cysylltu â 393 o aelwydydd sydd ag inswleiddiad waliau allanol wedi'i osod o dan gynllun Arbed yn Arfon. Nodais y broses ddatrys hawliadau i ddeiliaid tai yn fy llythyr atoch ar 8 Mawrth.

Diolch am hynna. Mi fyddwn i'n ddiolchgar petaech chi'n medru cadarnhau heddiw mai cyfrifoldeb y cwmni Fortem ydy gweithio i unioni'r broblem, neu'r problemau, a dweud y gwir. Dylai perchnogion tai ddim ond defnyddio'r warant fel y cam olaf yn unig, petai Fortem a Llywodraeth Cymru yn methu â datrys y problemau mewn ffordd foddhaol ac o fewn amserlen resymol. Fedrwch chi jest gadarnhau hynny, er tawelwch meddwl, os gwelwch yn dda?

Dwi'n falch eich bod chi wedi sôn a rhoi dyddiad penodol i ni yn fynna. Mae yna bryder ymysg etholwyr y gallai oedi pellach ac effaith yr etholiadau ym mis Mai weld y mater yma yn parhau i fod heb ei ddatrys, a dydy hynny ddim yn deg o gwbl arnyn nhw.

Mae'r broblem yn un llawer mwy na'r paent ar y waliau allanol, ac mae fy etholwyr i yn Neiniolen, Dinorwig, Carmel a'r Fron yn gresynu bod ffocws eich llythyrau diweddar chi i mi yn canolbwyntio ar hynny. Mae yna lu o broblemau yn codi o safon ddiffygiol o waith drwyddi draw, ac mae'r rheini i gyd angen cael sylw.  

Thank you for that. I would be grateful if you could confirm today that it's the responsibility of Fortem Energy Services to work to resolve this problem, or these problems, truth be told. The owners of homes should only use the guarantee as a final step if Fortem and the Welsh Government can't resolve these problems in a satisfactory manner and within a reasonable timetable. Will you just confirm that, in order to provide peace of mind to people, please? 

I am pleased that you've provided a specific date to us there. There is concern among constituents that further delays and the impacts of the May elections could see this issue continuing to be unresolved, and that isn't fair in any way whatsoever.

The problem is far more than just the paint on the external walls, and my constituents in Deiniolen, Dinorwig, Carmel and Y Fron regret that the focus of your recent letters to me focus only on that. There are a whole host of problems arising from the deficient standards of work undertaken, and all of those need to be addressed.

Thank you, and I absolutely agree with you that everything needs to be addressed. Fortem Energy Services Ltd will work with my officials to contact each home that benefited from EWI under the Arbed scheme in the places that you just referred to. A home maintenance information leaflet will be reissued and, where necessary, the company will provide copies of the guarantee that covers the external wall insulation system and the render coatings at no cost to the household. It is really important that this work continues, despite the election, and obviously it can because my officials will continue to work with the energy company. I do appreciate it is very time consuming, but it is really important, I think, that appropriate steps are taken to determine the root cause of the issues that are experienced by your constituents to make sure that we can get the corrective work done and get to those desired standards that we all want to see. 

Diolch ichi, a chytunaf yn llwyr â chi fod angen mynd i'r afael â phopeth. Bydd Fortem Energy Services Ltd yn gweithio gyda fy swyddogion i gysylltu â phob cartref a elwodd o inswleiddiad waliau allanol o dan gynllun Arbed yn y lleoedd rydych newydd gyfeirio atynt. Bydd taflen wybodaeth cynnal a chadw cartrefi yn cael ei hailgyhoeddi a lle bo angen, bydd y cwmni'n darparu copïau o'r warant ar gyfer y system inswleiddio waliau allanol a'r haenau rendro heb unrhyw gost i'r aelwyd. Mae'n bwysig iawn fod y gwaith hwn yn parhau, er gwaethaf yr etholiad, ac mae'n amlwg y gall wneud hynny oherwydd bydd fy swyddogion yn parhau i weithio gyda'r cwmni ynni. Rwy'n sylweddoli ei fod yn cymryd llawer o amser, ond mae'n bwysig iawn, rwy'n credu, fod camau priodol yn cael eu cymryd i bennu achos sylfaenol y problemau y mae eich etholwyr yn eu profi i sicrhau y gallwn wneud y gwaith unioni a chyrraedd y safonau dymunol hynny y mae pawb ohonom eisiau eu gweld.

2. Cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol
2. Questions to the Minister for Housing and Local Government

Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Rhun ap Iorwerth. 

The next item is questions to the Minister for Housing and Local Government, and the first question is from Rhun ap Iorwerth.

Addasiadau i'r Cartref i Bobl Hŷn
Home Adaptations for Older People

1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am bwysigrwydd addasiadau i'r cartref fel ffordd i alluogi pobl hŷn i fyw yn iachach ac yn fwy annibynnol? OQ56408

1. Will the Minister make a statement on the importance of home adaptations as a way of helping older people to live more healthily and independently? OQ56408

Diolch, Llywydd. Forgive me, I missed the question there. I wonder if Rhun would mind repeating it. My internet cut out.

Diolch, Lywydd. Maddeuwch imi, methais y cwestiwn. Tybed a fyddai Rhun yn gallu ei ailadrodd. Collais y rhyngrwyd.

It is the question on the order paper, but Rhun—

Y cwestiwn ar y papur trefn ydyw, ond Rhun—

Okay. Apologies, my internet completely cut out as you called my name, so I didn't quite catch it. 

Iawn. Ymddiheuriadau, collais y rhyngrwyd yn llwyr wrth i chi alw fy enw, felly ni chlywais y cwestiwn.

Okay. Are you able to take it from the order paper, or do you want Rhun to—?

Iawn. A allwch chi ei gymryd o'r papur trefn, neu a ydych chi eisiau i Rhun—?

Absolutely, as long as I didn't miss anything else I'm more than happy to do that. 

Yn sicr, os na fethais unrhyw beth arall, rwy'n fwy na pharod i wneud hynny.

No, he didn't stray away from the order paper. I wouldn't have allowed him to do that. 

Na, ni chrwydrodd oddi ar y papur trefn. Ni fyddwn wedi caniatáu iddo wneud hynny.

Diolch, Llywydd. Yes, indeed, then, the pandemic has served to highlight the vital role that home adaptations, large and small, play in helping people to maintain their dignity and independence and live safely in their own home. Despite the challenges, these services have continued throughout the pandemic.

Diolch, Lywydd. Yn wir, felly, mae'r pandemig wedi amlygu'r rôl hanfodol y mae addasiadau i'r cartref, yn fawr a bach, yn ei chwarae yn helpu pobl i gadw eu hurddas a'u hannibyniaeth a byw'n ddiogel yn eu cartrefi eu hunain. Er gwaethaf yr heriau, mae'r gwasanaethau hyn wedi parhau drwy gydol y pandemig.

Diolch yn fawr iawn am yr ateb yna. Fe wnaf i wneud y pwynt a dweud y gwir nad dim ond pobl hŷn sy'n gallu elwa o addasiadau i'r catref. Dwi'n cymeradwyo'r Motor Neurone Disease Association am yr ymgyrch maen nhw'n ei rhedeg ar hyn o bryd yn gwthio am fwy o addasiadau i'r cartref i bobl sy'n byw efo'r afiechyd hwnnw. Ond at bobl hŷn yn benodol, rydyn ni'n gwybod bod pobl hŷn yn syrthio yn costio yn ddrud iawn i'r NHS—dros £2 biliwn i'r NHS drwy Brydain. Rydyn ni'n gwybod y gall addasiadau i'r cartref leihau anafiadau o gymaint â 26 y cant. Rŵan, o ystyried bod pobl wedi bod yn treulio mwy o amser yn eu cartrefi yn ystod y pandemig yma, a all y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni beth ydy'r sefyllfa o ran backlog o addasiadau tai sydd wedi cael ei greu gan y pandemig, a beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn bwriadu ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â hyn, oherwydd yr help mae addasiadau yn gallu eu darparu o ran byw'n iach ac yn annibynnol?

Thank you very much for that response. I will make the point that it's not only older people who can benefit from home adaptations. I applaud the Motor Neurone Disease Association for the campaign that they're running at the moment pushing for more home adaptations for people living with that condition. But looking at older people particularly, we know that older people falling is very expensive to the NHS—it costs over £2 billion to the NHS across the UK. We know that home adaptations can reduce injuries by as much as 26 per cent. Now, given that people have been spending more time at home during the pandemic, can the Minister tell us what the situation is in terms of a backlog in terms of home adaptations as a result of the pandemic, and what does the Government intend to do to tackle this, because of the help that adaptations can provide in terms of living independently and healthily?

14:20

Yes, thank you very much, Rhun. You're absolutely right, adaptations absolutely do facilitate stopping hospital admissions in the first place and they also facilitate hospital discharge and support the discharge to recover and access pathways, freeing up hospital beds and avoiding the need for step-down placements in residential care. They obviously just help people have a happier and healthier life in their own home, so we're very keen to continue the good work that's been going on. The rapid response adaptations take around nine days, on average, to deliver. 

You're right, though, that in the beginning part of the pandemic, we did have a fall-off in the rate of adaptations. Even though we were clear that adaptations could continue throughout the pandemic as one of the essential works that have always been allowed, people were understandably more reluctant to let people into their homes and so on, particularly in the first stages of the pandemic. But I'm really delighted to be able to say that work has picked up significantly in the second half of the year, and current levels of activity are similar to previous years, so there isn't much of a backlog and the average response times are pretty much back to normal now. And as I say, for the rapid response ones, they are an average of nine days to deliver; medium adaptations like stairlifts and so on are an average of four months; and the largest adaptations like extensions and so on are an average of nine months.

Ie, diolch yn fawr iawn, Rhun. Rydych yn llygad eich lle, mae addasiadau'n hwyluso pethau i atal pobl rhag gorfod mynd i'r ysbyty yn y lle cyntaf ac maent hefyd yn hwyluso ac yn cefnogi'r broses o ryddhau cleifion o'r ysbyty i wella a chael mynediad at lwybrau gofal, gan ryddhau gwelyau ysbyty ac osgoi'r angen am leoliadau cam-i-lawr mewn gofal preswyl. Maent yn amlwg yn helpu pobl i gael bywyd hapusach ac iachach yn eu cartrefi eu hunain, felly rydym yn awyddus iawn i barhau â'r gwaith da sydd wedi bod yn mynd rhagddo. Mae'r addasiadau ymateb cyflym yn cymryd tua naw diwrnod ar gyfartaledd i'w cyflawni.

Rydych chi'n gywir, serch hynny, ein bod wedi cael gostyngiad yng nghyfradd yr addasiadau yn rhan gyntaf y pandemig. Er ein bod yn glir y gallai addasiadau barhau drwy gydol y pandemig fel gwaith hanfodol sydd wedi cael ei ganiatáu drwy'r amser hwnnw, roedd pobl, yn ddealladwy, yn fwy amharod i adael pobl i mewn i'w cartrefi ac yn y blaen, yn enwedig yn ystod camau cyntaf y pandemig. Ond rwy'n falch iawn o allu dweud bod y gwaith wedi cynyddu'n sylweddol yn ystod ail hanner y flwyddyn, ac mae'r lefelau gweithgarwch presennol yn debyg i flynyddoedd blaenorol, felly nid oes llawer o ôl-groniad ac mae'r amseroedd ymateb cyfartalog yn ôl i'r arfer fwy neu lai erbyn hyn. Ac fel y dywedais, ar gyfer y rhai ymateb cyflym, maent yn cymryd naw diwrnod ar gyfartaledd i'w cyflawni; mae addasiadau canolig fel lifftiau grisiau ac yn y blaen yn cymryd pedwar mis ar gyfartaledd; ac mae'r addasiadau mwyaf fel estyniadau ac yn y blaen yn cymryd naw mis ar gyfartaledd.

Minister, thank you for that response. In my colleague Nick Ramsay's short debate on motor neurone disease last week, you were talking about the 40 weeks for large-scale home adaptations, and of course, it's not just for people with MND. With COVID, having listened to Long Covid Wales's evidence this morning in the health and social care committee, it's pretty obvious that there are going to be some cases there; people who've had road traffic accidents, survived sepsis, been in intensive care; very often there are serious things that require their homes to be adapted. Forty weeks is an incredibly long time. I had one particular farmer who broke his back on the farm and because he lived in a listed house, they just simply weren't even allowed to put a steel rod in to be able to have a hoist that would have allowed him to live at home. And you talked earlier just now about just allowing people to live healthier, happier lives at home; well, actually, for some people, that's where they want to be and we're all about giving choice.

So, will you look at seeing how we might be able to liaise with the planning department in these very rare instances where people need those adaptations to be able to have a way through the entire planning system? Because the alternative if you cannot get those plans through, if you cannot build that extension, if you cannot put that hoist in and the structure that's needed for it, is that those people will have to leave their home and either go into state care or the whole family have to sell up and try and find somewhere else to live. That's a shocking disruption, and I would have thought in our society we could have said, 'Actually, occasionally people are allowed an exception to the normal rules and regulations.' I just think we should be able to put a plan in place and I'd like your thoughts on that.

Weinidog, diolch ichi am yr ymateb hwnnw. Yn nadl fer fy nghyd-Aelod Nick Ramsay ar glefyd niwronau motor yr wythnos diwethaf, roeddech yn sôn am y 40 wythnos ar gyfer addasiadau mawr i'r cartref, ac wrth gwrs, nid mater i bobl â chlefyd niwronau motor yn unig yw hwn. Gyda COVID, ar ôl gwrando ar dystiolaeth Covid Hir Cymru y bore yma yn y pwyllgor iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, mae'n eithaf amlwg y bydd rhai achosion yno; pobl sydd wedi cael damweiniau traffig ar y ffyrdd, pobl sydd wedi goroesi sepsis, pobl sydd wedi bod mewn gofal dwys; yn aml iawn, mae yna bethau difrifol sy'n galw am addasiadau i'r cartref. Mae 40 wythnos yn amser eithriadol o hir. Roedd gennyf un ffermwr penodol a dorrodd ei gefn ar y fferm ac oherwydd ei fod yn byw mewn tŷ rhestredig, nid oeddent yn cael gosod ffon ddur hyd yn oed i allu cael teclyn codi a fyddai wedi caniatáu iddo fyw gartref. Ac fe sonioch chi nawr am ganiatáu i bobl fyw bywydau iachach a hapusach gartref; wel, mewn gwirionedd, i rai pobl, dyna lle maent eisiau bod ac rydym ni eisiau gallu rhoi'r dewis iddynt.

Felly, a wnewch chi ystyried sut y gallem gysylltu â'r adran gynllunio yn yr achosion prin iawn hyn lle mae pobl angen yr addasiadau hynny i allu dod o hyd i ffordd drwy'r system gynllunio gyfan? Oherwydd os na allwch gael y cynlluniau hynny drwodd, os na allwch adeiladu'r estyniad hwnnw, os na allwch osod y teclyn codi hwnnw a'r strwythur sydd ei angen ar ei gyfer, bydd yn rhaid i'r bobl hynny adael eu cartref a mynd i ofal y wladwriaeth neu bydd yn rhaid i'r teulu cyfan werthu a cheisio dod o hyd i rywle arall i fyw. Mae hwnnw'n amhariad brawychus, a byddwn wedi meddwl, yn ein cymdeithas ni, y gallem fod wedi dweud, 'Mewn gwirionedd, weithiau, mae modd eithrio rhai pobl rhag y rheolau a'r rheoliadau arferol.' Rwy'n credu y dylem allu rhoi cynllun ar waith a hoffwn gael eich barn ar hynny.

Yes, thank you, Angela Burns. I wasn't aware of that particular instance, but I'm more than happy to have a look at the procedures, particular for houses that are listed; there's obviously an added complexity there. In terms of the bigger adaptations and planning in general, we do have a pathway for that, and care and repair agencies are very familiar with working with planning departments. But I'm very happy to look at any individual instances you've got where that isn't working. It may be that there's a particular planning department, or there are particular instances. I'm happy to look at that if you want to let me know specifics.

But in general, we do work with planning departments to make sure that the average times are around nine months. And 40 weeks is a very long time, you're absolutely right, but obviously, sometimes they're building a whole extension and so on, so they're very, very big adaptations. The smaller adaptations—as I say, stairlifts and so on—are around four months and the rapid response ones are around nine days. I'm happy to say at this point that, just today, I've issued a written statement because we've been able to agree the removal of the means test, which I did mention during my response to Nick Ramsay on motor neurone disease. So, I'm happy to say that we've done that as well, and that will speed up some of the adaptation response times as well.

Ie, diolch, Angela Burns. Nid oeddwn yn ymwybodol o'r enghraifft benodol honno, ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i edrych ar y gweithdrefnau, yn enwedig ar gyfer tai rhestredig; mae'n amlwg bod cymhlethdod ychwanegol yno. O ran yr addasiadau mwy a chynllunio yn gyffredinol, mae gennym lwybr ar gyfer hynny, ac mae asiantaethau gofal a thrwsio yn gyfarwydd iawn â gweithio gydag adrannau cynllunio. Ond rwy'n hapus iawn i edrych ar unrhyw achosion unigol sydd gennych lle nad yw hynny'n gweithio. Efallai fod adran gynllunio benodol, neu fod achosion penodol. Rwy'n hapus i edrych ar hynny os ydych eisiau rhannu'r manylion â mi.

Ond yn gyffredinol, rydym yn gweithio gydag adrannau cynllunio i sicrhau bod yr amseroedd cyfartalog oddeutu naw mis. Ac mae 40 wythnos yn amser hir iawn, rydych yn hollol gywir, ond yn amlwg, weithiau maent yn adeiladu estyniad cyfan ac yn y blaen, felly maent yn addasiadau mawr iawn. Mae'r addasiadau llai—fel y dywedais, lifftiau grisiau ac yn y blaen—yn cymryd tua pedwar mis ac mae'r rhai ymateb cyflym yn cymryd tua naw diwrnod. Rwy'n hapus i ddweud ar y pwynt hwn fy mod i heddiw wedi cyhoeddi datganiad ysgrifenedig oherwydd rydym wedi gallu cytuno i ddileu'r prawf modd, y soniais amdano yn fy ymateb i Nick Ramsay ar glefyd niwronau motor. Felly, rwy'n hapus i ddweud ein bod wedi gwneud hynny hefyd, a bydd hynny'n cyflymu rhai o'r amseroedd ymateb i wneud addasiadau hefyd.

14:25

Minister, I wonder if you'd join me in paying tribute to the work that's been done through the pandemic with some brilliant local organisations like Bridgend County Care and Repair. Despite the constraints and restrictions of the pandemic, they carried on trying to do those adaptations throughout my area. But, also, would she agree with me that this is more than that, as well? It's about things like the Cwm Taf Stay Well at Home service that we funded several years ago through the integrated care fund, bringing together Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr and Cwm Taf University Health Board with a service that brings together social workers, therapists, physiotherapists, therapy technicians, in order that people, rather than going into hospital and staying in hospital, can be rapidly discharged and then live at home and recuperate at home, where they want to be. So, I just ask, Minister, will you recognise the amazing work that's gone on through this pandemic, even with the additional constraints that they've faced, and just join me in thanking them for what they've been doing?

Weinidog, tybed a fyddech yn ymuno â mi i dalu teyrnged i'r gwaith sydd wedi'i wneud drwy'r pandemig gyda sefydliadau lleol gwych fel Gofal a Thrwsio Sir Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr. Er gwaethaf cyfyngiadau'r pandemig, fe wnaethant barhau i geisio gwneud yr addasiadau hynny ledled fy ardal. Ond, hefyd, a fyddai'n cytuno â mi fod hyn yn ymwneud â mwy na hynny hefyd? Mae'n ymwneud â phethau fel gwasanaeth Cadw'n Iach Gartref Cwm Taf a ariannwyd gennym sawl blwyddyn yn ôl drwy'r gronfa gofal integredig, gan gysylltu Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr a bwrdd iechyd Cwm Taf â gwasanaeth sy'n cynnwys gweithwyr cymdeithasol, therapyddion, ffisiotherapyddion, technegwyr therapi, fel bod modd rhyddhau pobl yn gyflym i fyw gartref a gwella gartref lle maent eisiau bod, yn hytrach na'u bod yn mynd i'r ysbyty ac yn aros yn yr ysbyty. Felly, rwy'n gofyn, Weinidog, a wnewch chi gydnabod y gwaith anhygoel sydd wedi mynd rhagddo yn ystod y pandemig hwn, hyd yn oed gyda'r cyfyngiadau ychwanegol y maent wedi'u hwynebu, ac ategu fy niolch iddynt am yr hyn y maent wedi bod yn ei wneud?

Absolutely, Huw Irranca-Davies, I would very much like to join with you in thanking everyone who, despite all the challenges you've outlined, have worked to ensure that those who need them continue to get the adaptations they need to live safely, avoid hospital admission and make a timely return home. You know as well as I do that the Princess of Wales, Royal Glamorgan and Prince Charles hospitals all participate in the Hospital to a Healthier Home scheme, in partnership with Bridgend and Cwm Taf care and repair agencies. I'd just like to tell you that, in the 10 months to the end of January, 739 patients received an adaptation that assisted their safe discharge, saving over 4,500 bed days. Eighty-six of those patients were helped to access additional benefits as well, with an annual value of around £420,000, so you're absolutely right, the working together of the various agencies has resulted not only in safer, quicker discharges, but additional income and support for people who need that support to be able to live a happy, healthy life at home.

Yn sicr, Huw Irranca-Davies, hoffwn ategu eich diolch i bawb sydd, er gwaethaf yr holl heriau rydych wedi'u hamlinellu, wedi gweithio i sicrhau bod y bobl sydd eu hangen yn parhau i gael yr addasiadau y maent eu hangen i fyw'n ddiogel, osgoi gorfod mynd i'r ysbyty a dychwelyd adref mewn da bryd. Fe wyddoch gystal â mi fod Ysbyty Tywysoges Cymru, Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg ac Ysbyty'r Tywysog Siarl i gyd yn rhan o'r cynllun Ysbyty i Gartref Iachach, mewn partneriaeth ag asiantaethau gofal a thrwsio Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr a Chwm Taf. Hoffwn ddweud wrthych fod 739 o gleifion, yn y 10 mis hyd at ddiwedd mis Ionawr, wedi cael addasiad a'u cynorthwyodd i adael yr ysbyty'n ddiogel, gan arbed dros 4,500 o ddiwrnodau gwely. Cafodd 86 o'r cleifion hynny gymorth i gael budd-daliadau ychwanegol hefyd, gyda gwerth blynyddol o tua £420,000, felly rydych yn llygad eich lle, mae cydweithrediad y gwahanol asiantaethau wedi arwain nid yn unig at ryddhau pobl yn fwy diogel ac yn gyflymach o'r ysbyty, ond at incwm a chymorth ychwanegol i bobl sydd angen y cymorth hwnnw i allu byw bywyd hapus ac iach gartref.

Addasiadau i'r Cartref i Bobl ag Anableddau
Home Adaptations for People with Disabilities

2. Pa gynnydd sydd wedi'i wneud o ran darparu addasiadau i'r cartref i bobl ag anableddau? OQ56399

2. What progress has been made in delivering home adaptations for people with disabilities? OQ56399

Thank you, Nick. Even in the face of the pandemic we have continued to prioritise home adaptations where it was safe to do so. We are progressing with work to address recommended improvements to the process. Today I announced the removal of means testing for small and medium-sized adaptations.

Diolch, Nick. Hyd yn oed yn wyneb y pandemig rydym wedi parhau i flaenoriaethu addasiadau i'r cartref lle'r oedd yn ddiogel gwneud hynny. Rydym yn symud ymlaen gyda gwaith i fynd i'r afael â gwelliannau a argymhellir i'r broses. Heddiw, cyhoeddais y byddai profion modd yn cael eu dileu ar gyfer addasiadau bach a chanolig.

Thank you, Minister. I don't think there's much I can add, really, to the previous questions by Rhun ap Iorwerth and Angela Burns, but I'm pleased that the debate that I brought forward to the Chamber last week has kicked the ball rolling, or raised the profile of this issue. As you know, last week I led that debate in the Senedd Chamber, and you answered very comprehensively. Something I didn't mention during the debate was a case study that I became aware of, a gentleman in the Vale of Glamorgan who, due to his MND impairment, hadn't been able to lock his front door since January. That work was delayed and the Motor Neurone Disease Association got involved and sorted it. Sadly, he's recently passed away, and I'm sure you'd agree with me that this illustrates in the case of this cruel condition, which sometimes can lead to death very swiftly, there's a really urgent need to make sure that these housing adaptations are provided as swiftly as possible. I hear what you're saying about some of the larger ones being more difficult to accomplish, but will you pledge that you will look at ways that certainly some of the smaller and medium-sized improvements and home adaptations can be rolled out as quickly as possible, so that people can get that end-of-life support that they really need?

Diolch, Weinidog. Nid wyf yn credu bod llawer y gallaf ei ychwanegu, mewn gwirionedd, at y cwestiynau blaenorol gan Rhun ap Iorwerth ac Angela Burns, ond rwy'n falch bod y ddadl a gyflwynais i'r Siambr yr wythnos diwethaf wedi rhoi cychwyn ar beth, neu wedi codi proffil y mater hwn. Fel y gwyddoch, yr wythnos diwethaf arweiniais y ddadl honno yn Siambr y Senedd, ac fe ateboch chi'n gynhwysfawr iawn. Rhywbeth na soniais amdano yn ystod y ddadl oedd astudiaeth achos y deuthum yn ymwybodol ohoni, gŵr bonheddig ym Mro Morgannwg nad oedd, oherwydd nam MND, wedi gallu cloi ei ddrws ffrynt ers mis Ionawr. Gohiriwyd y gwaith a daeth y Gymdeithas Clefyd Niwronau Motor yn rhan o bethau a datrys y broblem. Yn anffodus, bu farw'n ddiweddar, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn cytuno â mi fod hyn yn dangos yn achos y cyflwr creulon hwn, a all arwain at farwolaeth yn gyflym iawn weithiau, fod gwir angen gwneud yn siŵr bod yr addasiadau tai hyn yn cael eu darparu cyn gynted â phosibl. Clywaf yr hyn a ddywedwch am rai o'r rhai mwy yn anos eu cyflawni, ond a wnewch chi addo y byddwch yn edrych ar ffyrdd y gellir cyflwyno rhai o'r gwelliannau llai a chanolig eu maint yn sicr ac addasiadau yn y cartref cyn gynted â phosibl, fel y gall pobl gael y cymorth diwedd oes y maent ei angen yn fawr?

Yes, absolutely, Nick Ramsay. I was really pleased to respond positively to your short debate, which was a really important debate for exactly the reasons that you've just set out. So, we've continued to issue COVID guidance to all providers of adaptations, advising that work can continue and that urgent cases should be prioritised for there to be no doubt at all that this work is continuing regardless of whatever the lockdown arrangements are in Wales. We've also got funding from the Welsh Government to local authorities, housing associations and care and repair agencies that has enabled them to do over 30,000 adaptations annually. As I just mentioned, today I've taken steps to ensure that the means test is no longer applied to small and medium-sized disabled facilities grants. This will benefit disabled people from across Wales, including, of course, the people you were championing in your short debate with motor neurone disease, and includes everyone, home owners, people in the private rented sector—tenure is no barrier to it. And we're increasing the Enable grant to local authorities by £400,000 to fund the change, and we'll be monitoring the impact on demand closely over the next few years as we roll it out. That is exactly for trying to accomplish the thing that you've most highlighted, and have just done so again, Nick, which is to make sure that people with life-limiting disease, such as motor neurone disease, can receive adaptations much more quickly, and at no cost, so that they can live out their lives as happily as is possible. 

Yn hollol, Nick Ramsay. Roeddwn yn falch iawn o ymateb yn gadarnhaol i'ch dadl fer, a oedd yn ddadl bwysig iawn am yr union resymau rydych newydd eu nodi. Felly, rydym wedi parhau i gyhoeddi canllawiau COVID i bob darparwr addasiadau, gan ddweud y gall gwaith barhau ac y dylid blaenoriaethu achosion brys er mwyn sicrhau nad oes amheuaeth o gwbl fod y gwaith hwn yn parhau ni waeth beth fo'r cyfyngiadau symud yng Nghymru. Mae gennym hefyd gyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru i awdurdodau lleol, cymdeithasau tai ac asiantaethau gofal a thrwsio sydd wedi eu galluogi i wneud dros 30,000 o addasiadau bob blwyddyn. Fel rwyf newydd ei grybwyll, heddiw rwyf wedi rhoi camau ar waith i sicrhau na ddefnyddir prawf modd ar gyfer grantiau cyfleusterau bach a chanolig i'r anabl. Bydd hyn o fudd i bobl anabl ym mhob rhan o Gymru, gan gynnwys, wrth gwrs, y bobl roeddech yn dadlau drostynt yn eich dadl fer sydd â chlefyd niwronau motor, ac mae'n cynnwys pawb, perchnogion cartrefi, pobl yn y sector rhentu preifat—nid yw deiliadaeth yn rhwystr iddo. Ac rydym yn darparu cynnydd o £400,000 ar gyfer y grant Enable i awdurdodau lleol i ariannu'r newid, a byddwn yn monitro'r effaith ar alw yn agos dros y blynyddoedd nesaf wrth i ni ei gyflwyno. Mae hynny er mwyn ceisio cyflawni'r union beth rydych wedi tynnu sylw ato fwyaf, ac rydych newydd wneud hynny eto, Nick, sef sicrhau bod pobl sydd â chlefyd sy'n cyfyngu ar fywyd, megis clefyd niwronau motor, yn gallu cael addasiadau'n gyflymach o lawer, a hynny am ddim, fel y gallant fyw bywydau mor hapus â phosibl.

14:30
Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Lefarwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

[Inaudible.]—somebody else is in charge of the mute, obviously, and had muted me.

[Anghlywadwy.]—mae rhywun arall yn gyfrifol am y mudydd, yn amlwg, ac wedi fy mudo.

Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Laura Jones.

Conservative spokesperson, Laura Jones.

Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I first start by saying 'thank you'? Although short, it's been a pleasure holding the shadow portfolio opposite you, Minister, and I appreciate—and I'm sure Mark does—all your constructive responses.

Minister, can you tell me how this Government is working with local authorities to ensure that, when considering sites for local development plans, they do not choose sites that score negatively in all areas after impact and sustainability assessments have been done in areas such as biodiversity, health, well-being, transport, historic development, air quality, flood risk, et cetera, and where there are no specific schools or doctors that would be able to cope with large-scale developments, specifically when those developments are on greenfield sites? It makes no sense, and it flies in the face of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. The environmental impact of building on such sites just shouldn't happen. Why has local campaigner Gruffudd Parry, and a very strong local group, had to highlight to me what Torfaen council are trying to get away with proposing in their latest LDP? Surely, your Government should have checks in place. What checks are in place, Minister, to ensure that local authorities are not going against everything that you're trying to achieve here in this Senedd?

Diolch, Lywydd. A gaf fi ddechrau'n gyntaf drwy ddweud 'diolch'? Er mai am gyfnod byr y gwneuthum hynny, mae wedi bod yn bleser bod yn llefarydd yr wrthblaid gyferbyn â chi, Weinidog, ac rwy'n gwerthfawrogi—ac rwy'n siŵr bod Mark yn gwerthfawrogi—eich holl ymatebion adeiladol.

Weinidog, a allwch ddweud wrthyf sut y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau, wrth ystyried safleoedd ar gyfer cynlluniau datblygu lleol, nad ydynt yn dewis safleoedd sy'n sgorio'n negyddol ym mhob maes ar ôl i asesiadau effaith a chynaliadwyedd gael eu gwneud mewn meysydd fel bioamrywiaeth, iechyd, lles, trafnidiaeth, datblygiad hanesyddol, ansawdd aer, perygl llifogydd, ac yn y blaen, a lle nad oes ysgolion neu feddygfeydd penodol a fyddai'n gallu ymdopi â datblygiadau ar raddfa fawr, yn enwedig pan fydd y datblygiadau hynny ar safleoedd tir glas? Nid yw'n gwneud synnwyr, ac mae'n mynd yn groes i Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 a Deddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014. Ni ddylai fod effaith amgylcheddol yn sgil adeiladu ar safleoedd o'r fath. Pam y bu'n rhaid i'r ymgyrchydd lleol Gruffudd Parry, a grŵp lleol cryf iawn, dynnu fy sylw at yr hyn y mae cyngor Torfaen yn ceisio ei basio yn eu CDLl diweddaraf? Does bosibl na ddylai eich Llywodraeth gael archwiliadau ar waith. Pa archwiliadau sydd ar waith, Weinidog, i sicrhau nad yw awdurdodau lleol yn mynd yn groes i bopeth y ceisiwch ei gyflawni yma yn y Senedd hon?

I'm very happy to reassure Laura Jones on the LDP position. We have, as she will know, just issued 'Future Wales', the national development framework, and the reissued 'Planning Policy Wales' to go alongside it. That means that, actually, all local authorities need to review their LDP in the light of those documents—those going through the process of setting their LDP, and those who have got an existing LDP in place. I've written out to local authorities to highlight the need to do this, and they need to factor that now into their planning process. Those documents, of course, reference all of the things that she just mentioned. It's very much the centre of our placemaking approach to planning that those things are taken into account.

Of course, the planning process itself, as she has just mentioned, takes you through an examination in public, which is there precisely for the reason that she outlined—in order to enable the public to be able to probe or question or make sure that the evidence is available, to make the plan as robust as it can be. That's the whole point of a plan-led process—to democratise the process, to allow local people to have their say about it, and for others to make sure that the council is indeed doing what it should do, which is to take into account all of the various things that make a place the community that we want it to be. So, the very fact that you know about it, and that people are able to challenge it, shows me that the position is working. Of course, that's the whole purpose of the entire process of the plan, which can be frustrating, of course, because it takes quite a long time to go through, and people get frustrated the other way. But I think it's worth it in the end, because you do get a plan that the local community owns, and we don't get a one-size-fits-all approach everywhere in Wales.

Can I also say, Laura, that it's been a pleasure to work with you, and with Mark as well? I know we have our spats in public, but we've had many opportunities to work constructively as well, behind the scenes, and I'm grateful for it.

Rwy'n hapus iawn i dawelu meddwl Laura Jones ar y sefyllfa mewn perthynas â'r CDLl. Fel y gŵyr, rydym newydd gyhoeddi 'Cymru'r Dyfodol', y fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol, a 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' sydd wedi'i ailgyhoeddi i gyd-fynd ag ef. Mae hynny'n golygu, mewn gwirionedd, fod angen i bob awdurdod lleol adolygu ei CDLl yng ngoleuni'r dogfennau hynny—yr awdurdodau sy'n mynd drwy'r broses o lunio eu CDLl, a'r rhai sydd â CDLl ar waith ar hyn o bryd. Rwyf wedi ysgrifennu at awdurdodau lleol i dynnu sylw at yr angen i wneud hyn, ac mae angen iddynt gynnwys hynny yn eu proses gynllunio yn awr. Mae'r dogfennau hynny, wrth gwrs, yn cyfeirio at yr holl bethau y mae newydd eu crybwyll. Mae'n ganolog iawn i'n dull creu lleoedd o gynllunio fod y pethau hynny'n cael eu hystyried.

Wrth gwrs, mae'r broses gynllunio ei hun, fel y mae newydd ddweud, yn mynd â chi drwy archwiliad yn gyhoeddus, ac mae yno am yr union rheswm a amlinellodd—er mwyn galluogi'r cyhoedd i allu holi neu gwestiynu neu sicrhau bod y dystiolaeth ar gael, i sicrhau bod y cynllun mor gadarn ag y gall fod. Dyna holl bwynt proses a arweinir gan gynllun—democrateiddio'r broses, i ganiatáu i bobl leol ddweud eu barn amdano, ac i eraill sicrhau bod y cyngor yn gwneud yr hyn y dylai ei wneud, sef ystyried yr holl bethau amrywiol sy'n creu'r gymuned yr ydym am iddi fod. Felly, mae'r union ffaith eich bod yn gwybod amdani, a bod pobl yn gallu ei herio, yn dangos imi fod y sefyllfa'n gweithio. Wrth gwrs, dyna holl bwrpas holl broses y cynllun, a all fod yn rhwystredig, wrth gwrs, oherwydd mae'n cymryd cryn dipyn o amser i fynd drwodd, ac mae pobl yn teimlo'n rhwystredig y ffordd arall. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn werth chweil yn y pen draw, oherwydd bydd gennych gynllun y mae'r gymuned leol yn berchen arno, ac nid dull gweithredu un maint i bawb ym mhobman yng Nghymru.

A gaf fi ddweud hefyd, Laura, ei bod wedi bod yn bleser gweithio gyda chi, a chyda Mark hefyd? Rwy'n gwybod ein bod yn anghydweld weithiau yn gyhoeddus, ond rydym wedi cael llawer o gyfleoedd i weithio'n adeiladol hefyd, y tu ôl i'r llenni, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar amdanynt.

Thank you, Minister. I'm very pleased with your response just now, and I'm sure the local campaign group will be too. Because these sorts of sites shouldn't come around in the first place, in my opinion. We shouldn't have to go through all the cost of having to make checks on things that everybody knows are not suitable.

However, the coronavirus has had a major impact on individuals and families across the UK, as we know. But when it comes to children and young people in care, as we've discussed in the past, or children that have been previously looked after, these issues are obviously significantly amplified. What discussions have you had, and what consideration have you given, to long-term support for exactly the people that I've just outlined, to make sure that they are adequately supported going forward? Thank you. 

Diolch, Weinidog. Rwy'n hapus iawn gyda'ch ymateb yn awr, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd y grŵp ymgyrchu lleol yn falch hefyd. Oherwydd ni ddylai'r mathau hyn o safleoedd ddod i fodolaeth yn y lle cyntaf yn fy marn i. Ni ddylem orfod mynd drwy'r holl gost o orfod gwneud archwiliadau o bethau y mae pawb yn gwybod nad ydynt yn addas.

Fodd bynnag, mae'r coronafeirws wedi cael effaith fawr ar unigolion a theuluoedd ledled y DU, fel y gwyddom. Ond o ran plant a phobl ifanc mewn gofal, fel y trafodwyd gennym yn y gorffennol, neu blant sydd wedi bod yn derbyn gofal o'r blaen, mae'r materion hyn yn amlwg yn llawer iawn pwysicach. Pa drafodaethau a gawsoch, a pha ystyriaeth a roddwyd gennych, i gymorth hirdymor i'r union bobl rwyf newydd eu disgrifio, i sicrhau eu bod yn cael eu cefnogi'n ddigonol wrth symud ymlaen? Diolch.

14:35

Obviously, children coming out of care are not in my portfolio, but I work very closely with Julie Morgan, with Vaughan Gething and with my colleague Kirsty Williams to make sure that we have a cross-Government plan for people coming out of care, looked-after children and so on. We work very closely with the Welsh Local Government Association to make sure that we have a joined-up approach. So, it depends on which particular aspect you're looking at. 

In terms of housing, for example, we've been making sure that we have a plan to make sure that we have a pathway for people coming out of care, that we have the right kind of housing and the right kind, more importantly, of support around that housing to make sure that where young people do go into a tenancy alone, or with a number of others, that they have the right support arrangements in place to ensure that they can sustain that tenancy. And, of course, you'll know that my colleague Ken Skates, right at the beginning of his career as a Member of the Senedd, introduced a law that allowed people to stay with foster parents and so on much longer than they had previously been able to so that they can continue to source the sort of support that people who grow up in their birth family often have well into their lives, and, in fact, if my children are anything to go by, well into their 30s. 

Yn amlwg, nid yw plant sy'n gadael gofal yn fy mhortffolio i, ond rwy'n gweithio'n agos iawn gyda Julie Morgan, gyda Vaughan Gething a chyda fy nghyd-Weinidog Kirsty Williams i sicrhau bod gennym gynllun traws-Lywodraethol ar gyfer pobl sy'n gadael gofal, plant sy'n derbyn gofal ac yn y blaen. Rydym yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru i sicrhau bod gennym ddull gweithredu cydgysylltiedig. Felly, mae'n dibynnu ar ba agwedd benodol rydych chi'n edrych arni.

O ran tai, er enghraifft, rydym wedi bod yn sicrhau bod gennym gynllun i wneud yn siŵr bod gennym lwybr i bobl sy'n gadael gofal, fod gennym y math iawn o dai ac yn bwysicach, y math cywir o gymorth o amgylch y tai hynny i sicrhau, lle mae pobl ifanc yn dechrau ar denantiaeth ar eu pen eu hunain, neu gyda nifer o rai eraill, fod ganddynt drefniadau cymorth cywir ar waith i sicrhau y gallant gynnal y denantiaeth honno. Ac wrth gwrs, fe fyddwch yn gwybod bod fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates, ar ddechrau ei yrfa fel Aelod o'r Senedd, wedi cyflwyno deddfwriaeth a oedd yn caniatáu i bobl aros gyda rhieni maeth ac yn y blaen yn llawer hirach nag y byddent wedi gallu ei wneud o'r blaen fel y gallant barhau i gael y math o gymorth y mae pobl sy'n tyfu i fyny yn eu teulu biolegol yn aml yn ei gael yn hwyrach yn eu bywydau, ac mewn gwirionedd, yn achos fy mhlant i, ymhell i mewn i'w 30au.

Thank you, Minister. Recently, Newport City Council approved a motion formally calling on the Welsh Government to carefully consider calls for a regional referendum on the M4 relief road. A poll conducted by WalesOnline found that double the amount of people supported the road than those who voted against. After restrictions were eased following the end of the first lockdown, during the summer of last year, it was alarming to see how fast traffic levels returned to the M4 motorway around Newport. Minister, what are your thoughts on the suggestion of the need for a local referendum by the council? Does the Minister agree with me that the strength of feeling in Newport council amongst councillors, and in the city, can't be overlooked, and that the next Government needs to seriously relook at the need for the M4 relief road and/or commit, like the Welsh Conservatives, to building the road, which will be beneficial not only for the city but for the whole of Wales?

Diolch i chi, Weinidog. Yn ddiweddar, cymeradwyodd Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd gynnig yn galw'n ffurfiol ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ystyried galwadau am refferendwm rhanbarthol ar ffordd liniaru'r M4. Canfu arolwg barn a gynhaliwyd gan WalesOnline fod dwbl y nifer o bobl wedi cefnogi'r ffordd na'r rhai a bleidleisiodd yn ei herbyn. Ar ôl i gyfyngiadau gael eu llacio wedi'r cyfyngiadau symud cyntaf, yn ystod haf y llynedd, roedd yn frawychus gweld pa mor gyflym y dychwelodd lefelau traffig i draffordd yr M4 o amgylch Casnewydd. Weinidog, beth yw eich barn ar yr awgrym fod angen am refferendwm lleol gan y cyngor? A yw'r Gweinidog yn cytuno â mi na ellir anwybyddu cryfder y teimladau yng nghyngor Casnewydd ymysg cynghorwyr, ac yn y ddinas, a bod angen i'r Llywodraeth nesaf ailedrych o ddifrif ar yr angen am ffordd liniaru'r M4 a/neu ymrwymo, fel y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, i adeiladu'r ffordd, a fydd o fudd nid yn unig i'r ddinas ond i Gymru gyfan?

Thank you, Laura Jones. Again, the M4 relief road is primarily in the portfolio of my colleague Ken Skates, but again, we work across the Government on a number of issues. If there is a call for a local referendum, then we're certainly happy to work with Newport council to see how that might be accomplished. I'm all in favour of local people having a large say in what happens in their region or area.

You'll know that we've put a regional arrangement for a strategic planning process in place via our Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, and that puts the corporate joint committees in place. The south-east corporate joint committee is actually much more advanced than anywhere else. They are very well advanced in looking at their strategic development plan. That strategic development plan will, of course, be considering arterial routes for traffic as well as everything else, alongside the commission put in place by the First Minister and my colleague Ken Skates in order to look at alternatives to building what would be a very ecologically damaging set of concrete across protected Gwent levels. These things are never straightforward, and there is a range of opinions on all sides. I'm very aware that some people in Newport want to build the M4, but I'm also very aware that a lot of people don't want to build the M4 and wish to protect the natural environment. That's why the commission was put in place. 

Anyway, there is now a mechanism for the strategic plan to come forward for the south-east region, and I'm sure that once that process is under way, there will be ample opportunity for people to make their feelings known around the strategic transport arrangements. The CJC will also be the body that has the power to put the strategic plan in place. That will be the regional transport plan, and, of course, that will have to interact well with the strategic planning arrangements for infrastructure. That, of course, is the reason that we put that into the local government and elections Act, in order to give that regional flavour. Because it's not just the people who live in Newport county, but all the people who live around it, and, indeed, further on in Wales, that are impacted by that, hence the need for the strategic approach to it. 

Diolch, Laura Jones. Unwaith eto, mae ffordd liniaru'r M4 ym mhortffolio fy nghyd-Aelod Ken Skates yn bennaf, ond unwaith eto, rydym yn gweithio ar draws y Llywodraeth ar nifer o faterion. Os oes galw am refferendwm lleol, rydym yn sicr yn hapus i weithio gyda chyngor Casnewydd i weld sut y gellid cyflawni hynny. Rwy'n llwyr o blaid gweld pobl leol yn cael llais mawr yn yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn eu rhanbarth neu eu hardal.

Fe fyddwch yn gwybod ein bod wedi rhoi trefniant rhanbarthol ar waith ar gyfer proses gynllunio strategol drwy ein Deddf Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2021, ac mae hwnnw'n sefydlu'r cydbwyllgorau corfforaethol. Mae cydbwyllgor corfforaethol y de-ddwyrain yn llawer mwy datblygedig nag yn unman arall mewn gwirionedd. Maent wedi datblygu'n dda iawn i edrych ar eu cynllun datblygu strategol. Bydd y cynllun datblygu strategol hwnnw, wrth gwrs, yn ystyried prif lwybrau ar gyfer traffig yn ogystal â phopeth arall, ochr yn ochr â'r comisiwn a roddwyd ar waith gan y Prif Weinidog a fy nghyd-Weinidog Ken Skates er mwyn edrych ar ddewisiadau eraill yn lle adeiladu llain goncrit niweidiol iawn yn ecolegol ar draws gwastadeddau Gwent, sydd wedi'u gwarchod. Nid yw'r pethau hyn byth yn syml, ac mae amrywiaeth o opsiynau ar bob ochr. Rwy'n ymwybodol iawn fod rhai pobl yng Nghasnewydd eisiau adeiladu'r M4, ond rwyf hefyd yn ymwybodol iawn fod llawer o bobl nad ydynt eisiau adeiladu'r M4 ac eisiau diogelu'r amgylchedd naturiol. Dyna pam y sefydlwyd y comisiwn.

Beth bynnag, mae mecanwaith yn ei le yn awr i'r cynllun strategol gael ei gyflwyno ar gyfer rhanbarth y de-ddwyrain, a phan fydd y broses honno wedi cychwyn, rwy'n siŵr y bydd digon o gyfle i bobl fynegi eu teimladau am y trefniadau trafnidiaeth strategol. Y cyd-bwyllgor corfforedig hefyd fydd y corff sydd â'r pŵer i roi'r cynllun strategol ar waith. Y cynllun trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol fydd hwnnw, ac wrth gwrs, bydd yn rhaid iddo ryngweithio'n dda â'r trefniadau cynllunio strategol ar gyfer seilwaith. Wrth gwrs, dyna yw'r rheswm pam y gwnaethom gynnwys hynny yn y Ddeddf llywodraeth leol ac etholiadau, er mwyn rhoi'r blas rhanbarthol hwnnw. Oherwydd nid dim ond y bobl sy'n byw yn sir Casnewydd sy'n cael eu heffeithio gan hynny, ond yr holl bobl sy'n byw o'i hamgylch, ac yn wir, ymhellach na hynny yng Nghymru, a dyna pam fod angen ymagwedd strategol tuag ato. 

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Delyth Jewell. 

Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Delyth Jewell. 

Diolch, Llywydd. In opening, Minister, I'd actually like to echo what Laura has said. It's been a pleasure to shadow you in this post and to find many areas, I think, of accord. Obviously, we won't have agreed on everything, but I do extend my thanks as well. 

Turning to the questions I have, the additional protections for tenants during COVID—the ban on evictions and bailiffs going into people's homes—are due to end at the end of this month, and the next review point when you could extend those protections further falls tomorrow. There are so many aspects of life that haven't yet opened up, and the threat of homelessness still hangs so heavily over tenants' heads. All of the incremental postponements of eviction have, in fact, I think, prolonged anxiety for many tenants, because they don't have an extended period of being able to feel secure. I know you've said in a letter to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee that you weren't minded to review this until closer to the end of the month, but I would ask whether you would consider, tomorrow, committing to extending those protections for tenants, so that we don't see mass evictions happening when we're still in the midst of a pandemic, but mainly to put their minds at ease. 

Diolch, Lywydd. Wrth agor, Weinidog, hoffwn adleisio'r hyn y mae Laura wedi'i ddweud. Mae wedi bod yn bleser eich cysgodi yn y swydd hon a dod o hyd i lawer o fannau lle ceir cydsyniad, rwy'n credu. Yn amlwg, ni fyddwn wedi cytuno ar bopeth, ond rwyf eisiau diolch i chi hefyd.

Gan droi at y cwestiynau sydd gennyf, mae'r amddiffyniadau ychwanegol i denantiaid yn ystod COVID—y gwaharddiad ar droi allan a beilïaid yn mynd i gartrefi pobl—i fod i ddod i ben ddiwedd y mis hwn, ac yfory yw'r pwynt adolygu nesaf pan allech ymestyn yr amddiffyniadau hynny ymhellach. Mae cymaint o agweddau ar fywyd nad ydynt wedi agor eto, ac mae tenantiaid yn dal i wynebu bygythiad o ddigartrefedd. Mae pob un o'r gohiriadau cyfnodol rhag troi allan wedi ymestyn y pryder i lawer o denantiaid mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd nid ydynt wedi cael cyfnod estynedig i allu teimlo'n ddiogel. Rwy'n gwybod eich bod wedi dweud mewn llythyr at y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau nad oeddech yn bwriadu adolygu hyn tan yn nes at ddiwedd y mis, ond hoffwn ofyn i chi ystyried ymrwymo yfory i ymestyn yr amddiffyniadau hynny i denantiaid, fel na welwn droi allan torfol yn digwydd pan ydym yn dal i fod yng nghanol pandemig, ond yn bennaf er mwyn tawelu eu meddyliau.

14:40

Thank you, Delyth. Again, I reiterate what I said to Laura and to Mark. It's been good to work with you. We've found a lot of things in common as well as things where we can disagree, and where we've disagreed we've been able to discuss that disagreement in a civilised way and with the evidence on both sides. So, I'm very grateful to you. It's been a real pleasure to work alongside you as well throughout this Assembly, and, now, Senedd term, which appears to me to have gone extremely quickly in the last few months as well. I can hardly believe we're here at the end of it. 

In terms of evictions, yes, absolutely, I agree entirely that we cannot have people being evicted, especially into homelessness, potentially, in the middle of a pandemic. You'll be aware that we've already housed over 6,000 people in the course of the pandemic, which shows you the real extent of the difficulty. The pandemic is making the system creak at its edges, and we certainly don't want to add an enormous number of people from the private rented sector to that in circumstances where they would be unlikely to find anywhere to go, and especially, actually, where they're in a circumstance where they could not go to stay with a friend at the moment inside the COVID rules and so on—not that that's ideal by way of housing people. 

Of course, we keep the evictions ban under review in every three-week cycle as always. I'm not in a position yet to say what the First Minister will be announcing on Friday, but, of course, it's one of the things that we consider at each three-week cycle. We continue to do that. We are very aware that the current end is at the end of March, and that is under review. I have constant meetings with my officials about what we can do to make sure that tenants are protected and kept safe during the pandemic, and, also, frankly, what plans we have in place for when the ban is eventually lifted, and what we do with the potential numbers of people who might be presenting as unable to carry on in their present accommodation at that time. So, I can assure you that we are taking it very seriously indeed. I absolutely understand the imperative to do it and it's very much part of the review process. 

Diolch, Delyth. Unwaith eto, ailadroddaf yr hyn a ddywedais wrth Laura ac wrth Mark. Mae wedi bod yn dda gweithio gyda chi. Rydym wedi canfod llawer o bethau sy'n gyffredin rhyngom yn ogystal â phethau lle gallwn anghytuno, a lle rydym wedi anghytuno rydym wedi gallu trafod yr anghytundeb hwnnw mewn ffordd wâr a chyda'r dystiolaeth ar y ddwy ochr. Felly, rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i chi. Mae wedi bod yn bleser mawr gweithio ochr yn ochr â chi hefyd drwy gydol y Cynulliad hwn, a thymor y Senedd erbyn hyn, sydd i'w weld wedi mynd yn eithriadol o gyflym yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf hefyd. Prin y gallaf gredu ein bod yma ar ei ddiwedd. 

Ar droi allan, yn hollol, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr na allwn gael pobl yn cael eu troi allan, yn enwedig i ddigartrefedd posibl ynghanol pandemig. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol ein bod eisoes wedi cartrefu dros 6,000 o bobl yn ystod y pandemig, sy'n dangos i chi wir faint yr anhawster. Mae'r pandemig yn gwneud i'r system wegian ar ei hymylon, ac yn sicr nid ydym am ychwanegu nifer enfawr o bobl o'r sector rhentu preifat at hynny mewn amgylchiadau lle byddent yn annhebygol o ddod o hyd i unrhyw le i fynd, ac yn enwedig, mewn gwirionedd, lle maent mewn sefyllfa lle na allent fynd i aros gyda ffrind ar hyn o bryd yn sgil y rheolau COVID ac yn y blaen—nid bod hynny'n ddelfrydol o ran cartrefu pobl.  

Wrth gwrs, rydym yn parhau i adolygu'r gwaharddiad ar droi allan ym mhob cylch tair wythnos fel bob amser. Nid wyf mewn sefyllfa eto i ddweud beth fydd y Prif Weinidog yn ei gyhoeddi ddydd Gwener, ond wrth gwrs, mae'n un o'r pethau a ystyriwn ym mhob cylch tair wythnos. Rydym yn dal i wneud hynny. Rydym yn ymwybodol iawn fod y diwedd presennol ar ddiwedd mis Mawrth, ac mae hynny'n cael ei adolygu. Rwy'n cael cyfarfodydd cyson gyda fy swyddogion ynglŷn â'r hyn y gallwn ei wneud i sicrhau bod tenantiaid yn cael eu hamddiffyn a'u cadw'n ddiogel yn ystod y pandemig, a hefyd, a dweud y gwir, pa gynlluniau sydd gennym ar waith ar gyfer yr adeg pan fydd y gwaharddiad yn cael ei godi yn y pen draw, a'r hyn a wnawn gyda'r niferoedd posibl o bobl na fydd yn gallu parhau yn eu llety presennol bryd hynny. Felly, gallaf eich sicrhau ein bod o ddifrif ynglŷn â hyn. Rwy'n deall yn iawn y rheidrwydd i'w wneud ac mae'n rhan bwysig o'r broses adolygu. 

Okay. Thank you for that, Minister. I'll await eagerly what the announcement will be on Friday. 

Turning to another area, the pandemic I think has brought home to all of us—not meaning for it to be a pun—how vital it is to feel safe in our homes. Too many people in Wales feel unsafe in the buildings where they live, often because cladding that the developer has refused to remove is causing them tremendous anxiety. These people are in many ways figuratively trapped in their homes, because they can't sell them, but they also don't feel safe and they face these huge costs in service charges, in bills, that they, frankly, shouldn't have to pay.

Plaid Cymru—I know that you'll know this—has, for years, espoused the need for a windfall tax on the profits of large developers to pay for correcting the problems that they caused, and I know from our previous exchanges that you're interested in this idea too. But, at present, it is probably outside the Senedd's powers to bring that in. So, until we have that power, Minister, do you think the next Welsh Government should finance the repair work with a view to getting the money back, perhaps, from a windfall tax or from other means? After all, these tenants surely can't be just abandoned to their plight. 

O'r gorau. Diolch ichi am hynny, Weinidog. Byddaf yn aros yn eiddgar i weld beth fydd y cyhoeddiad ddydd Gwener.

Gan droi at faes arall, rwy'n credu bod y pandemig wedi dangos i bawb ohonom pa mor hanfodol yw teimlo'n ddiogel yn ein cartrefi. Mae gormod o bobl yng Nghymru yn teimlo'n anniogel yn yr adeiladau lle maent yn byw, yn aml oherwydd bod cladin y mae'r datblygwr wedi gwrthod cael gwared arno'n peri pryder aruthrol iddynt. Mae'r bobl hyn mewn sawl ffordd wedi'u caethiwo yn eu cartrefi, oherwydd ni allant eu gwerthu, ond nid ydynt ychwaith yn teimlo'n ddiogel ac maent yn wynebu costau enfawr mewn taliadau gwasanaeth, mewn biliau, na ddylai fod yn rhaid iddynt eu talu a bod yn onest.

Ers blynyddoedd, mae Plaid Cymru—gwn y byddwch yn gwybod hyn—wedi datgan yr angen am dreth ffawdelw ar elw datblygwyr mawr i dalu am unioni'r problemau a achoswyd ganddynt, a gwn o'n trafodaethau blaenorol fod gennych ddiddordeb yn y syniad hwn hefyd. Ond ar hyn o bryd, mae'n debyg ei fod y tu hwnt i bwerau'r Senedd i gyflwyno hynny. Felly, hyd nes y cawn y pŵer hwnnw, Weinidog, a ydych yn credu y dylai Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru ariannu'r gwaith atgyweirio gyda golwg ar gael yr arian yn ôl, efallai, o dreth ffawdelw neu o ddulliau eraill? Wedi'r cyfan, ni ellir troi cefn ar y tenantiaid hyn a'u gadael i wynebu eu trafferthion.

Indeed, Delyth. You'll know, as we've been working on this for some time, that it's fiendishly complicated. I know that it's terribly tempting for people to think it's easy, and I am often told on social media—[Inaudible.]

Yn wir, Delyth. Gan ein bod wedi bod yn gweithio ar hyn ers peth amser, fe fyddwch yn gwybod ei fod yn gymhleth iawn. Rwy'n gwybod ei bod yn demtasiwn ofnadwy i bobl feddwl ei fod yn hawdd, ac rwy'n aml yn cael gwybod ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol—[Anghlywadwy.]

I think we may be losing the connection with the Minister. We'll just pause a second to see if it's re-established.

Rwy'n credu efallai ein bod yn colli'r cysylltiad â'r Gweinidog. Fe wnawn oedi eiliad i weld a ellir ei adfer.

[Inaudible.]—others wouldn't necessarily give you the amount of money that you require to fix the entire building. Often there are complex ownership patterns in the building. There are complex freeholder versus leaseholder issues and so on.

I've been meeting with a series of developers. I met with another one of the big developers only this morning to understand from them what they saw as their responsibility. Many of the builders are now coming forward and saying that they will fix the inherited defects of the building. There is an issue about building owners taking some responsibility rather than the leaseholders themselves. We cannot put a windfall tax on, here in Wales. I have called on the UK Government to do so. I'm happy to do so again on the floor of the Senedd. We are looking ourselves to see whether we could make any kind of levy work in Wales. The difficulty is that not very many people build high-rise buildings in Wales already, and the difficulty is that if you did put a levy on, you'd probably just accomplish stopping them building them rather than actually generating any money from them. So, we need to find a way that actually practically works for people.

I have a set of legal advisers beavering away on a range of options that we've put forward—some that have been suggested to me by you and other Members of the Senedd. Others have been suggested to me by the groups of residents who I've met with. I'm in constant dialogue with the residents as well as with the builders. So, we are trying really hard to find a way through this, and I'll say once again: we are not the repository of all good ideas here. If anybody can find a way through it, then we'd be delighted to hear from them. And I'm very pleased with the conversations that I've been having with the builders, the building industry, the Home Builders Federation and others, about the way forward and what could be done to be able to do this. And we have put some money in the budget to look at the preliminary work for this, and then I'm sure that whatever Government's in power after the election will want to do something to help the leaseholders who are in the most dreadful of plights as we stand.

[Anghlywadwy.]—ni fyddai eraill o reidrwydd yn rhoi'r swm o arian sydd ei angen arnoch i drwsio'r adeilad cyfan. Yn aml mae patrymau perchnogaeth cymhleth yn yr adeilad. Ceir materion cymhleth rhwng rhydd-ddeiliad a lesddeiliaid ac yn y blaen.

Rwyf wedi bod yn cyfarfod â chyfres o ddatblygwyr. Cyfarfûm ag un arall o'r datblygwyr mawr y bore yma i ddeall ganddynt beth a ystyriant yn gyfrifoldeb iddynt hwy. Mae llawer o'r adeiladwyr bellach yn dweud y byddant yn trwsio diffygion etifeddol yr adeilad. Mae problem ynghylch perchnogion adeiladau'n ysgwyddo rhywfaint o gyfrifoldeb yn hytrach na'r lesddeiliaid eu hunain. Ni allwn godi treth ffawdelw yma yng Nghymru. Rwyf wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i wneud hynny. Rwy'n hapus i wneud hynny eto ar lawr y Senedd. Rydym yn edrych i weld a allem wneud i unrhyw fath o ardoll weithio yng Nghymru. Yr anhawster yw nad oes llawer iawn o bobl yn adeiladu adeiladau uchel yng Nghymru eisoes, a phe baech yn rhoi ardoll arnynt, mae'n debyg mai'r cyfan y byddech yn ei gyflawni fyddai eu hatal rhag eu hadeiladu yn hytrach na chynhyrchu unrhyw arian ganddynt. Felly, mae angen inni ddod o hyd i ffordd sy'n gweithio'n ymarferol i bobl.

Mae gennyf gyfres o gynghorwyr cyfreithiol yn gweithio'n galed ar amrywiaeth o opsiynau rydym wedi'u cyflwyno—fe wnaethoch chi ac Aelodau eraill o'r Senedd awgrymu rhai ohonynt. Cafodd eraill eu hawgrymu wrthyf gan y grwpiau o breswylwyr y cyfarfûm â hwy. Rwy'n trafod yn gyson gyda'r trigolion yn ogystal â chyda'r adeiladwyr. Felly, rydym yn ymdrechu'n galed iawn i ddod o hyd i ffordd drwy hyn, a dywedaf unwaith eto: nid oes gennym fonopoli ar syniadau da yma. Os gall unrhyw un ddod o hyd i ffordd drwy hyn, byddem wrth ein bodd yn clywed ganddynt. Ac rwy'n falch iawn o'r sgyrsiau a gefais gyda'r adeiladwyr, y diwydiant adeiladu, y Ffederasiwn Adeiladwyr Cartrefi ac eraill, am y ffordd ymlaen a beth y gellid ei wneud i allu gwneud hyn. Ac rydym wedi rhoi arian yn y gyllideb i edrych ar y gwaith rhagarweiniol ar ei gyfer, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd pa Lywodraeth bynnag sydd mewn grym ar ôl yr etholiad am wneud rhywbeth i helpu'r lesddeiliaid sy'n wynebu'r trafferthion mwyaf ofnadwy ar hyn o bryd.

14:45

Okay, thank you for that, Minister. My final question: I'd like to ask you about some of the more far-reaching changes to the planning system that our society surely needs. I do realise that planning does span different portfolios, but evidently there's a link with the welfare of residents, and the quality of housing and the communities that those houses support. Because, at present, large developers have if not all the power, then an awful lot of it and are therefore able to avoid section 106 responsibilities. Not enough residents and people living in communities understand how the planning system works. So, do you agree that the past performance of a developer should be a material consideration in whether they get awarded new jobs? Shouldn't planning laws stipulate that a development can only go ahead when the initial phases of the development have actually been completed—for example, those bits that the developers often see as the nice-to-have, easy-to-get-out-of, like playing parks for children? And do you agree with me that all new developments—all new homes, that is—should have easy access to green and, if possible, blue space as well, so that everyone can have the benefit, and the welfare benefits, that come about as a result of being able to live near natural life?

Iawn, diolch ichi am hynny, Weinidog. Fy nghwestiwn olaf: hoffwn eich holi am rai o'r newidiadau mwy pellgyrhaeddol i'r system gynllunio sy'n sicr o fod eu hangen ar ein cymdeithas. Rwy'n sylweddoli bod cynllunio'n rhychwantu gwahanol bortffolios, ond mae'n amlwg fod cysylltiad â lles trigolion, ac ansawdd tai a'r cymunedau y mae'r tai hynny'n eu cynnal. Oherwydd ar hyn o bryd, yn nwylo'r datblygwyr mawr y mae llawer iawn o'r pŵer, os nad i gyd ac felly gallant osgoi cyfrifoldebau adran 106. Nid oes digon o breswylwyr a phobl sy'n byw mewn cymunedau yn deall sut y mae'r system gynllunio'n gweithio. Felly, a ydych yn cytuno y dylai perfformiad datblygwr yn y gorffennol fod yn ystyriaeth berthnasol wrth farnu a ddylent gael gwaith newydd? Oni ddylai cyfreithiau cynllunio nodi mai dim ond pan fydd camau cychwynnol y datblygiad wedi'u cwblhau mewn gwirionedd y gall datblygiad fynd yn ei flaen—er enghraifft, y rhannau hynny y mae datblygwyr yn aml yn eu gweld fel pethau sy'n braf eu cael, ond yn hawdd dod allan ohonynt, fel parciau chwarae i blant? Ac a ydych yn cytuno â mi y dylai pob datblygiad newydd—pob cartref newydd, hynny yw—gael mynediad hawdd at fannau gwyrdd ac os yn bosibl, at fannau glas hefyd, fel y gall pawb gael y budd, a'r manteision lles, sy'n digwydd o ganlyniad i allu byw'n agos at fyd natur?

Yes, I certainly agree with some of those propositions and I agree with the thrust of them certainly. So, there are some real issues with the past performance points. I understand entirely what you're trying to achieve with that, but, of course, there's absolutely nothing to stop people setting up individual single-vehicle companies to build particular buildings and so on. You get a real problem of exactly who it is you think has the past performance problems. These things have been tried in various parts and there are difficulties with them, but I understand the point you're making and it is something we want to be able to explore.

The better way of doing it, of course, is to make the planning system work properly and to encourage people to come forward in the right democratic way and to enable them to do so—so, assisting organisations such as Planning Aid to make sure that local populations are able to engage in the planning process at an early stage and not just when they realise a development they don't like is about to, you know, have the signs go up and the notices on telegraph poles all around, but to actually get them to engage in the planning process. I'm really keen on doing that and there are ways and means of doing that through organisations, such as Planning Aid and others, which do help various communities to come forward with particular things that they'd like to see in their areas. So, I'm very pleased to do that.

There are a whole range of things that we wanted to do and weren't able to do, because of the pandemic, around building regulations, which enforce things like space standards, green infrastructure, parks, outside space and so on, which I'm sure any Government that is in power after the upcoming elections will want to take forward. The vast majority of the work has been done already by officials, but we just couldn't, because of the pandemic, bring it to fruition this side of the elections. So, I'm very keen that whoever is in power afterwards is able to take advantage of that. And that would solve some of the issues that you're talking about—about making sure that the houses are decent, quality houses for life, with outdoor space, or decent balconies and so on if they're flats. So, I'm very keen on doing that.

The last bit of that jigsaw, which is much more complex, is the issue of what you do about extant planning consents that have not yet been developed out, but are now subject to old rules. So, the example I'd like to give you is the one of the building sprinklers. My colleague Ann Jones put that groundbreaking legislation through. It was pilloried at the time; it's been proved in hindsight to have been absolutely right, but we still have new houses being built in Wales that don't have sprinklers in them because people had a planning consent that had been started and they were allowed to build it out. So, I would like very much to have the space and time to look again at the planning legislation to see if we can't do something about making sure that people build to the current building regulations and not the ones in existence at the time that planning consents started. So, absolutely, we'd like to be working on that after the election. There is a large number of people across Wales who are interested in looking to see what can be done in that space. If we're all back after the election, I'm sure we'll be able to put together a quick working group to be able to do that.  

Ydw, yn sicr rwy'n cytuno â rhai o'r cynigion hynny a chytunaf â'u byrdwn yn sicr. Felly, mae rhai problemau gwirioneddol gyda'r pwyntiau ynglŷn â pherfformiad yn y gorffennol. Rwy'n deall yn iawn beth rydych chi'n ceisio'i gyflawni gyda hynny, ond wrth gwrs, nid oes unrhyw beth o gwbl i atal pobl rhag sefydlu cwmnïau un cerbyd i adeiladu adeiladau penodol ac yn y blaen. Rydych yn wynebu problem wirioneddol o ran pwy'n union rydych chi'n credu sydd â'r problemau perfformiad yn y gorffennol. Rhoddwyd cynnig ar y pethau hyn mewn gwahanol fannau ac mae anawsterau'n codi gyda hwy, ond rwy'n deall y pwynt rydych chi'n ei wneud ac mae'n rhywbeth rydym eisiau gallu ei archwilio.

Y ffordd well o'i wneud, wrth gwrs, yw gwneud i'r system gynllunio weithio'n iawn ac annog pobl i ddod ymlaen yn y ffordd ddemocrataidd gywir a'u galluogi i wneud hynny—felly, cynorthwyo sefydliadau fel Cymorth Cynllunio i sicrhau bod poblogaethau lleol yn gallu cymryd rhan yn y broses gynllunio yn gynnar ac nid dim ond pan fyddant yn sylweddoli bod datblygiad nad ydynt yn ei hoffi ar fin cael ei godi, wyddoch chi, pan fydd yr arwyddion wedi'u codi a'r hysbysiadau ar byst telegraff ym mhobman, ond eu cael i gymryd rhan yn y broses gynllunio mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n awyddus iawn i wneud hynny ac mae ffyrdd o wneud hynny drwy sefydliadau, megis Cymorth Cynllunio ac eraill, sy'n helpu gwahanol gymunedau i gyflwyno pethau penodol yr hoffent eu gweld yn eu hardaloedd. Felly, rwy'n falch iawn o wneud hynny.

Ceir ystod eang o bethau roeddem am eu gwneud ac nad oeddem yn gallu eu gwneud oherwydd y pandemig, yn ymwneud â rheoliadau adeiladu, sy'n gorfodi pethau fel safonau gofod, seilwaith gwyrdd, parciau, gofod awyr agored ac yn y blaen, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd unrhyw Lywodraeth sydd mewn grym ar ôl yr etholiadau sydd ar y ffordd eisiau eu datblygu. Mae'r rhan helaethaf o'r gwaith wedi'i wneud eisoes gan swyddogion, ond oherwydd y pandemig, ni allem ei orffen cyn yr etholiadau. Felly, rwy'n awyddus iawn i bwy bynnag sydd mewn grym wedyn allu manteisio ar hynny. A byddai hynny'n datrys rhai o'r materion rydych yn sôn amdanynt—ynglŷn â sicrhau bod y tai yn dai o ansawdd da am oes, gyda gofod awyr agored, neu falconïau addas ac yn y blaen os mai fflatiau ydynt. Felly, rwy'n awyddus iawn i wneud hynny.

Y darn olaf o'r jig-so hwnnw, sy'n llawer mwy cymhleth, yw'r hyn a wnewch am ganiatâd cynllunio sydd eisoes wedi'i roi ond nad yw wedi'i ddatblygu eto, ac sy'n ddarostyngedig i hen reolau erbyn hyn. Felly, yr enghraifft yr hoffwn ei rhoi i chi yw un y systemau chwistrellu mewn adeiladau. Sicrhaodd fy nghyd-Aelod Ann Jones fod y ddeddfwriaeth arloesol honno'n mynd drwodd. Cafodd ei gwawdio ar y pryd; profwyd wrth edrych yn ôl ei bod yn hollol gywir, ond mae gennym dai newydd yn dal i gael eu hadeiladu yng Nghymru heb systemau chwistrellu ynddynt oherwydd bod gan bobl ganiatâd cynllunio a oedd wedi'i ddechrau ac roedd ganddynt hawl i orffen y gwaith adeiladu. Felly, hoffwn gael lle ac amser i edrych eto ar y ddeddfwriaeth gynllunio i weld a allwn wneud rhywbeth ynglŷn â sicrhau bod pobl yn adeiladu yn ôl y rheoliadau adeiladu presennol ac nid y rhai a oedd yn bodoli ar yr adeg y dechreuodd y caniatâd cynllunio. Felly, yn sicr, hoffem weithio ar hynny ar ôl yr etholiad. Mae gan nifer fawr o bobl ledled Cymru ddiddordeb mewn edrych i weld beth y gellir ei wneud ynglŷn â hynny. Os ydym i gyd yn ôl ar ôl yr etholiad, rwy'n siŵr y gallwn lunio gweithgor cyflym i allu gwneud hynny.  

14:50
Cymorth Ariannol i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent
Financial Support for Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council

3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y cymorth ariannol a ddarperir gan Lywodraeth Cymru i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent? OQ56406

3. Will the Minister make a statement on the financial support provided by the Welsh Government to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council? OQ56406

Yes. Welsh Government provides financial support to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council through core unhypothecated funding, as well as by specific grants to the authority for a range of shared priorities.  

Gwnaf. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi cymorth ariannol i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent drwy gyllid craidd heb ei neilltuo, yn ogystal â thrwy grantiau penodol i'r awdurdod ar gyfer amrywiaeth o flaenoriaethau a rennir.

I'm grateful to the Minister for that. We are aware that the current local government settlement is an extremely generous settlement, and it's one that builds upon considerable additional expenditure through the pandemic to support local authorities who haven't been able to exercise their usual funding sources in the usual way, and they've had to deal with significant additional pressures. So, this builds on a policy that has been pursued by successive Welsh Governments that protects local government, that protects local services and protects local jobs, and this is done in a way that demonstrates a real commitment to local democracy in Wales as compared with the situation across our borders.

The £6.3 billion in capital and revenue expenditure being provided to local government in the budget we agreed yesterday is something that will enable councils not only in Blaenau Gwent, but across Wales to invest in their people, in their services and in their communities. I hope, Minister, you will agree with me that this is the way in which we exercise our values as Welsh Labour—investing in local people, local councils and local democracy—and there's a very, very real comparison with the way that local government is being torn to pieces across the border in England. 

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am hynny. Rydym yn ymwybodol fod y setliad llywodraeth leol presennol yn setliad hael iawn, ac mae'n un sy'n adeiladu ar wariant ychwanegol sylweddol drwy'r pandemig i gefnogi awdurdodau lleol nad ydynt wedi gallu defnyddio eu ffynonellau ariannu arferol yn y ffordd arferol, ac maent wedi gorfod ymdopi â phwysau ychwanegol sylweddol. Felly, mae hyn yn adeiladu ar bolisi a ddilynwyd gan Lywodraethau olynol yng Nghymru sy'n diogelu llywodraeth leol, yn diogelu gwasanaethau lleol ac yn diogelu swyddi lleol, a gwneir hyn mewn ffordd sy'n dangos ymrwymiad gwirioneddol i ddemocratiaeth leol yng Nghymru o'i chymharu â'r sefyllfa ar draws ein ffin.

Mae'r £6.3 biliwn mewn gwariant cyfalaf a refeniw sy'n cael ei ddarparu i lywodraeth leol yn y gyllideb y cytunwyd arni ddoe yn rhywbeth a fydd yn galluogi cynghorau nid yn unig ym Mlaenau Gwent, ond ledled Cymru i fuddsoddi yn eu pobl, yn eu gwasanaethau ac yn eu cymunedau. Weinidog, rwy'n gobeithio eich bod yn cytuno mai dyma'r ffordd y mynegwn ein gwerthoedd fel Llafur Cymru—buddsoddi mewn pobl leol, cynghorau lleol a democratiaeth leol—ac mae cymhariaeth real iawn â'r ffordd y mae llywodraeth leol yn cael ei thynnu'n ddarnau dros y ffin yn Lloegr.

I do indeed agree with Alun Davies on that point. I was very pleased in the settlement yesterday to have prioritised funding for front-line public services. The budget overall that my colleague Rebecca Evans presented just before I presented the local government settlement prioritised funding for health and local government very much in that budget, and local government in Wales indeed has had a very good settlement. 

In terms of Blaenau Gwent, the core unhypothecated funding for Blaenau Gwent council increased to over £120 million for 2021-22, which is an increase of 3.7 per cent, after adjusting for various transfers, overall. This comes, of course, after the excellent settlement in this current financial year for Blaenau Gwent, which increased by £4.3 million, an increase of 3.9 per cent after adjusting for transfers. Within the hardship fund, indeed, we've provided Blaenau Gwent with an additional £4.57 million for additional costs, and a further £1.7 million for lost income as at the end of February, which is a total of £6.27 million in addition to its normal funding, in order to take account of the hardships that that council, like many others, has experienced due to the pandemic. 

We take the view in Welsh Government—again, unlike colleagues across the border—that local democracy is a good thing and that local people elect their council and their council should be allowed to set the council tax that it requires. Blaenau Gwent, I understand, is increasing its council tax by 3.3 per cent, which is on the high side for Wales given the generosity of the settlement, but, again, we chose not to cap the council on the basis that we think local people elect the council that they want to have and they do the good job of deciding what the council tax should be. We have, however, asked councils to look very carefully at what's affordable in their area and, of course, I'm delighted to say that we have maintained full entitlement under the council tax reduction scheme for 2021-22, and we're providing £244 million under the council tax reduction scheme in the settlement in recognition of that. So, where there is hardship and the council tax is rising, people will be entitled to claim under the council tax reduction scheme. Again, no such scheme exists over the border, as it was abolished, as you know. I believe you might have been the Minister at the time of the abolition, actually, Alun. We decided to maintain that scheme, even though it wasn't fully funded when that happened. So, I'm delighted to be able to say that, but I do believe in local democracy and we have therefore allowed each council to have the freedom to set its own council tax. They have commended the very good settlement they have had for the second year running from the Welsh Government to them.

Rwy'n sicr yn cytuno ag Alun Davies ar y pwynt hwnnw. Roeddwn yn falch iawn yn y setliad ddoe fy mod wedi blaenoriaethu cyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus rheng flaen. Roedd y gyllideb gyffredinol a gyflwynodd fy nghyd-Weinidog Rebecca Evans ychydig cyn imi gyflwyno'r setliad llywodraeth leol yn blaenoriaethu cyllid ar gyfer iechyd a llywodraeth leol yn y gyllideb honno i raddau mawr iawn, ac yn wir mae llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru wedi cael setliad da iawn. 

O safbwynt Blaenau Gwent, cynyddodd y cyllid craidd heb ei neilltuo ar gyfer cyngor Blaenau Gwent i dros £120 miliwn ar gyfer 2021-22, sy'n gynnydd o 3.7 y cant i gyd, ar ôl addasu ar gyfer trosglwyddiadau amrywiol. Daw hyn, wrth gwrs, ar ôl y setliad rhagorol yn y flwyddyn ariannol gyfredol hon i Flaenau Gwent, a gynyddodd £4.3 miliwn, cynnydd o 3.9 y cant ar ôl addasu ar gyfer trosglwyddiadau. O fewn y gronfa caledi yn wir, rydym wedi darparu £4.57 miliwn ychwanegol i Flaenau Gwent ar gyfer costau ychwanegol, ac £1.7 miliwn arall ar gyfer incwm a gollwyd hyd at ddiwedd mis Chwefror, sef cyfanswm o £6.27 miliwn yn ychwanegol at ei gyllid arferol, er mwyn ystyried y caledi y mae'r cyngor hwnnw, fel llawer o rai eraill, wedi'i brofi oherwydd y pandemig. 

Rydym ni yn Llywodraeth Cymru—unwaith eto, yn wahanol i gymheiriaid dros y ffin—o'r farn fod democratiaeth leol yn beth da ac y dylid caniatáu i bobl leol ethol eu cyngor a dylid caniatáu i'w cyngor osod y dreth gyngor y mae ei hangen. Rwy'n deall bod Blaenau Gwent yn cynyddu ei dreth gyngor 3.3 y cant, sydd ar yr ochr uchel i Gymru o gofio haelioni'r setliad, ond unwaith eto, fe wnaethom ddewis peidio â chapio'r cyngor ar y sail ein bod yn credu bod pobl leol yn ethol y cyngor y maent am ei gael a hwy sy'n gwneud y gwaith da o benderfynu beth ddylai'r dreth gyngor fod. Fodd bynnag, rydym wedi gofyn i gynghorau edrych yn ofalus iawn ar yr hyn sy'n fforddiadwy yn eu hardal ac wrth gwrs, mae'n bleser gennyf ddweud ein bod wedi cynnal hawl lawn o dan gynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor ar gyfer 2021-22, ac rydym yn darparu £244 miliwn o dan gynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor yn y setliad i gydnabod hynny. Felly, lle ceir caledi a lle mae'r dreth gyngor yn codi, bydd gan bobl hawl i wneud cais o dan gynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor. Unwaith eto, nid oes cynllun o'r fath yn bodoli dros y ffin, gan iddo gael ei ddiddymu, fel y gwyddoch. Credaf efallai mai chi oedd y Gweinidog ar adeg y diddymu, mewn gwirionedd, Alun. Penderfynwyd cadw'r cynllun hwnnw, er nad oedd wedi ei ariannu'n llawn pan ddigwyddodd hynny. Felly, rwy'n falch iawn o allu dweud hynny, ond rwy'n credu mewn democratiaeth leol ac felly rydym wedi caniatáu i bob cyngor gael rhyddid i bennu ei dreth gyngor ei hun. Maent wedi cymeradwyo'r setliad da iawn a gawsant am yr ail flwyddyn yn olynol gan Lywodraeth Cymru.

14:55
Tai Cymdeithasol
Social Housing

4. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gynyddu'r cyflenwad o dai cymdeithasol yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon? OQ56395

4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to increase the supply of social housing during this Senedd term? OQ56395

Thank you, Vikki. We have made a record investment in affordable housing this Senedd term. The 2019-20 statistics have confirmed that, as a direct result of our investment, we will exceed our ambitious target of 20,000 affordable homes this Government term.

Diolch, Vikki. Rydym wedi buddsoddi mwy nag erioed mewn tai fforddiadwy yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon. Mae ystadegau 2019-20 wedi cadarnhau y byddwn, o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i'n buddsoddiad, yn rhagori ar ein targed uchelgeisiol o 20,000 o dai fforddiadwy yn nhymor y Llywodraeth hon.

Thank you, Minister. As well as giving vulnerable people homes that are fit for purpose, the social housing grant has also helped regenerate key derelict, disused or empty sites, often in very prominent places in our communities. One example in my own constituency is the disused building on Oxford Street in the town centre in Mountain Ash, which Cynon Taf Housing is turning into much-needed one-bedroomed flats through the grant. Minister, I know you put on record before your commitment to continue providing social homes for rent in the next Senedd term, but do you agree with me that such schemes can also prove to be key drivers in transforming and improving our communities for all residents?

Diolch, Weinidog. Yn ogystal â rhoi cartrefi addas i'r diben i bobl sy'n agored i niwed, mae'r grant tai cymdeithasol hefyd wedi helpu i adfywio safleoedd allweddol sy'n ddiffaith a segur, sydd i'w gweld yn aml mewn mannau amlwg iawn yn ein cymunedau. Un enghraifft yn fy etholaeth i yw'r adeilad segur ar Stryd Rhydychen yng nghanol y dref yn Aberpennar, safle y mae Tai Cynon Taf yn ei droi'n fflatiau un ystafell wely mawr eu hangen drwy'r grant. Weinidog, gwn eich bod wedi cofnodi cyn hyn eich ymrwymiad i barhau i ddarparu cartrefi cymdeithasol i'w rhentu yn nhymor nesaf y Senedd, ond a ydych yn cytuno â mi y gall cynlluniau o'r fath hefyd fod yn ysgogiad allweddol i drawsnewid a gwella ein cymunedau i'r holl drigolion?

Thank you, Vikki. Yes, we're very proud of the juxtaposition of various Government policies. So, our Transforming Towns agenda goes alongside, of course, our social housing policy agenda, and we're very keen to make sure that we have good social housing, good, affordable housing, built close to, adjacent to, our town centres, and preferably, as you say, in derelict buildings or on derelict land that has hitherto been an eyesore and a detriment to the society. What it does, of course, is it brings vibrancy, new hope and optimism and footfall to the city centre, so it's a lovely combination of the ability to give people really lovely homes, which will be easy to afford and they'll be proud to live in, and which will also increases the footfall in the city centre and takes away a building that would otherwise have been a detriment. So, I'm very pleased at the way the Transforming Towns agenda and the social house building agenda have combined together to be able to have that effect in places such as Mountain Ash. I know you've been a big champion of the need to rejuvenate local towns in your area. I well remember the video presentation you did, when we were all back in the Chamber, of the various places in your constituency that required that kind of regeneration, and I'm delighted that one of them is coming to fruition, and really pleased to see that it's single-bedroom flats, which are one of the most sought-after things that we need in the social housing sector. As a result of the pandemic, you'll know that we've already housed over 6,000 people. We are very clearly driving now to build the permanent homes that people need in order to prevent them experiencing that kind of homelessness again.

Diolch, Vikki. Ydym, rydym yn falch iawn o'r modd y caiff gwahanol bolisïau'r Llywodraeth eu cyfosod. Felly, mae ein hagenda Trawsnewid Trefi yn cyd-fynd, wrth gwrs, â'n hagenda polisi tai cymdeithasol, ac rydym yn awyddus iawn i sicrhau bod gennym dai cymdeithasol da, tai fforddiadwy da, wedi'u hadeiladu'n agos at ganol ein trefi, ac yn ddelfrydol, fel y dywedwch, mewn adeiladau diffaith neu ar dir diffaith sydd wedi bod yn ddolur llygad hyd yma ac yn niweidiol i'r gymdeithas. Yr hyn y mae'n ei wneud, wrth gwrs, yw dod â bywiogrwydd, gobaith newydd ac optimistiaeth ac ymwelwyr i ganol y ddinas, felly mae'n gyfuniad hyfryd o'r gallu i roi cartrefi hyfryd iawn i bobl, a fydd yn hawdd eu fforddio, cartrefi y byddant yn falch o fyw ynddynt, ac a fydd hefyd yn cynyddu nifer yr ymwelwyr â chanol y ddinas ac yn cael gwared ar adeilad a fyddai wedi bod yn niweidiol fel arall. Felly, rwy'n falch iawn o'r ffordd y mae'r agenda Trawsnewid Trefi a'r agenda adeiladu tai cymdeithasol wedi cyfuno i allu cael yr effaith honno mewn lleoedd fel Aberpennar. Rwy'n gwybod eich bod wedi bod yn dadlau'n gryf dros yr angen i adfywio trefi lleol yn eich ardal. Cofiaf yn dda y cyflwyniad fideo a wnaethoch, pan oeddem i gyd yn y Siambr, o'r gwahanol leoedd yn eich etholaeth a oedd angen y math hwnnw o adfywio, ac rwy'n falch iawn fod un ohonynt yn dwyn ffrwyth, ac yn falch iawn o weld mai fflatiau un ystafell wely ydynt, sef un o'r pethau y mae fwyaf o'u hangen yn y sector tai cymdeithasol. O ganlyniad i'r pandemig, fe fyddwch yn gwybod ein bod eisoes wedi cartrefu dros 6,000 o bobl. Rydym yn amlwg iawn yn gwthio yn awr i adeiladu'r cartrefi parhaol y mae ar bobl eu hangen er mwyn eu hatal rhag profi digartrefedd o'r fath eto.

Minister, do you agree with me that we need to see in the 2020s a social housing renaissance, building at, or preferably above, historical trends? And are you, like me, particularly concerned with that new group: people in their 30s and 40s on good incomes but having no family wealth and that cannot access the market to purchase family homes, to the great detriment of their children?

Weinidog, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod angen inni weld aileni tai cymdeithasol yn y 2020au, gan adeiladu yn ôl tueddiadau hanesyddol, neu'n uwch na hynny os oes modd? Ac a ydych chi, fel fi, yn pryderu'n benodol am y grŵp newydd hwnnw: pobl yn eu 30au a'u 40au ar incwm da ond heb gyfoeth teuluol na allant gael mynediad at y farchnad i brynu cartrefi teuluol, er anfantais fawr i'w plant?

Yes. I absolutely agree with that, David Melding. We have been very keen to extend, for example, the Help to Buy schemes. We're very keen not only to help younger people, from my perspective, who are in their 30s and so on, just with their families, to access good-quality homes, but we're very keen to help our building industry build them in circumstances where they occasionally need Government help to do so. I'm also very keen, though, to use the leverage that that Government funding brings to build the right kind of homes in the right kind of places and to the right kind of standard. I've been very straightforward with the house building industry here in Wales that we want to see the houses built for the future that people continue to be proud to live in, they don't experience fuel poverty in, they are carbon-passive or carbon-neutral where at all possible, they have the space standards necessary for people to be able to adapt to the changing conditions of their life in those houses. I know you agree with that agenda as well. I'm working very hard to ensure that we will have a continued Help to Buy system in Wales, that we continue to have a rent-to-own scheme in Wales, which has been very successful in very large parts of Wales and which allows people who perhaps don't have a deposit nevertheless to get a foot on the housing ladder, and to have a range of shared equity, shared ownership, co-operative ownership and community land trust-type schemes around Wales, as well as, of course, building the necessary amount of social housing so that people can access social housing should they need to and not be driven into perhaps sub-standard private rented sector accommodation.

Ydw. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â hynny, David Melding. Rydym wedi bod yn awyddus iawn i ymestyn, er enghraifft, y cynlluniau Cymorth i Brynu. Rydym yn awyddus iawn nid yn unig i helpu pobl iau, o'm safbwynt i, sydd yn eu 30au ac yn y blaen, gyda'u teuluoedd, i gael mynediad at gartrefi o ansawdd da, ond rydym yn awyddus iawn i helpu ein diwydiant adeiladu i'w hadeiladu mewn amgylchiadau lle mae angen help gan y Llywodraeth arnynt weithiau i wneud hynny. Rwyf hefyd yn awyddus iawn, serch hynny, i ddefnyddio'r ysgogiad a ddaw yn sgil cyllid y Llywodraeth i adeiladu'r math cywir o gartrefi yn y math cywir o leoedd ac i'r math cywir o safon. Rwyf wedi dweud yn bendant iawn wrth y diwydiant adeiladu tai yma yng Nghymru ein bod am weld tai'n cael eu hadeiladu ar gyfer y dyfodol y mae pobl yn parhau i fod yn falch o fyw ynddynt, nad ydynt yn wynebu tlodi tanwydd, eu bod yn oddefol o ran eu defnydd o garbon neu'n garbon niwtral lle bo'n bosibl, fod ganddynt y safonau gofod sy'n angenrheidiol er mwyn i bobl allu addasu i amodau newidiol eu bywydau yn y tai hynny. Gwn eich bod yn cytuno â'r agenda honno hefyd. Rwy'n gweithio'n galed iawn i sicrhau y bydd gennym system Cymorth i Brynu barhaus yng Nghymru, ein bod yn parhau i fod â chynllun rhentu i brynu yng Nghymru, sydd wedi bod yn llwyddiannus iawn mewn rhannau helaeth iawn o Gymru ac sy'n caniatáu i bobl nad oes ganddynt flaendal i gael troed ar yr ysgol dai er hynny, ac i gael amrywiaeth o gynlluniau rhannu ecwiti, rhanberchnogaeth, perchnogaeth mentrau cydweithredol a chynlluniau tebyg i ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol ledled Cymru, yn ogystal ag adeiladu'r nifer angenrheidiol o dai cymdeithasol wrth gwrs fel y gall pobl gael gafael ar dai cymdeithasol os bydd angen a pheidio â chael eu gwthio i gartrefi sector rhentu preifat o safon isel.

15:00

Minister, while your Government is on track to meet its affordable homes target for this Senedd term, do you accept that this target was woefully inadequate? I congratulate you for doing more than previous Welsh Governments, but I'm disappointed that you have failed to address the real need that exists for social housing. The new homes that have been built had been snapped up before the first brick was even laid. Families are still waiting years to get a home; far too many children are living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation; and far too many people are still sleeping rough or sofa surfing. Do you accept that your target was not ambitious enough, and should you be returned to this Parliament and be part of the next Welsh Government, will you please pledge to do more? Because in the twenty-first century, it is morally reprehensible that people are still homeless and that they're still living in unsuitable accommodation for their needs. Diolch yn fawr.

Weinidog, er bod eich Llywodraeth ar y trywydd iawn i gyrraedd ei tharged tai fforddiadwy ar gyfer tymor y Senedd hon, a ydych yn derbyn bod y targed hwn yn druenus o annigonol? Rwy’n eich llongyfarch am wneud mwy na Llywodraethau Cymru yn y gorffennol, ond rwy’n siomedig eich bod wedi methu mynd i’r afael â’r gwir angen sy’n bodoli am dai cymdeithasol. Cafodd y cartrefi newydd a adeiladwyd eu bachu cyn i'r fricsen gyntaf gael ei gosod hyd yn oed. Mae teuluoedd yn dal i aros blynyddoedd i gael cartref; mae gormod o lawer o blant yn byw mewn llety gwely a brecwast; ac mae gormod o lawer o bobl yn dal i gysgu ar y stryd neu ar soffas. A ydych yn derbyn nad oedd eich targed yn ddigon uchelgeisiol, ac os byddwch yn dychwelyd i'r Senedd hon ac yn rhan o Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru, a wnewch chi addo gwneud mwy os gwelwch yn dda? Oherwydd yn yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, mae'n resynus yn foesol fod pobl yn dal yn ddigartref a'u bod yn dal i fyw mewn llety sy'n anaddas i'w hanghenion. Diolch yn fawr.

Well, Caroline, I'm a little bit astonished that you can make such a dismal fist of something that we're really proud of here in Wales, and I have to say that I don't agree with virtually anything you said, apart from the two sentences right there at the end.

We're incredibly proud of our record of having made our 20,000 affordable homes. Of course, we were only able to up our council house building in the last two years, once the Conservative Government finally saw sense and took the caps off the housing revenue accounts so that, two years ago, we were able to start ramping up our council house building. We've done incredibly well over that. Our latest provisional statistics show that, in 2019-20, a total of 2,940 additional affordable housing units were delivered across Wales, and I'm delighted that that not only builds on our previous success, but sets a new record. There's an increase of 13 per cent on the previous year and the highest annual total to date since records began.

Of course, because of the impacts of COVID-19, we haven't exceeded the target at the levels we would've liked to have done. I have to say, we're not working towards the 20,000 affordable homes; the official statistics show that we have met that target now. I'm disappointed that, because of the pandemic, it slowed down and we weren't able to go as fast as we would've liked to, but we've also got an incredibly proud record of how we've managed homelessness throughout Wales. I'm incredibly proud of the people in local authorities and third sector organisations, housing support services right across Wales who have absolutely gone the extra mile—5 miles—in making sure that people are housed throughout this pandemic, in stark contrast to the Conservatives across our border. We have not had a pandemic of people sleeping rough on our streets during the crisis, and we are very, very proud indeed of the fact that we have housed over 6,000 people. We've invested over £137 million in social housing grants in 2019-20, and over £25 million in housing finance grants to support the provision of social housing in Wales. And we're investing £71.5 million in revenue funding under the affordable housing grant programme to assist local housing authorities to build new council homes. So, I just do not accept at all the premise that she based her question on. Llywydd, we are very proud indeed of this Government's achievements in the social housing sector, and I very much hope that we will be able to continue that for the next five years.

Wel, Caroline, rwyf wedi synnu braidd eich bod yn gallu wfftio rhywbeth rydym yn wirioneddol falch ohono yma yng Nghymru i’r fath raddau, ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud nad wyf yn cytuno ag unrhyw beth a ddywedasoch, bron â bod, ar wahân i’r ddwy frawddeg olaf honno.

Rydym yn hynod falch o'n cyflawniad o fod wedi cyrraedd ein 20,000 o dai fforddiadwy. Wrth gwrs, dim ond yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf y bu modd inni gynyddu faint o dai cyngor a oedd yn cael eu hadeiladu, ar ôl i'r Llywodraeth Geidwadol wneud y peth iawn o'r diwedd a chael gwared ar y capiau ar y cyfrifon refeniw tai fel ein bod, ddwy flynedd yn ôl, wedi gallu dechrau cynyddu faint o dai cyngor yr oeddem yn eu hadeiladu. Rydym wedi gwneud yn anhygoel o dda yn hynny o beth. Mae ein hystadegau dros dro diweddaraf yn dangos, yn 2019-20, fod cyfanswm o 2,940 o unedau tai fforddiadwy ychwanegol wedi’u cyflenwi ledled Cymru, ac rwy'n falch iawn fod hynny nid yn unig yn adeiladu ar ein llwyddiant blaenorol, ond yn gosod record newydd. Mae’n gynnydd o 13 y cant o'i gymharu â'r flwyddyn flaenorol, a dyma’r cyfanswm blynyddol uchaf ers dechrau cadw cofnodion.

Wrth gwrs, oherwydd effeithiau COVID-19, nid ydym wedi rhagori ar y targed ar y lefelau y byddem wedi hoffi. Mae’n rhaid imi ddweud nad ydym yn gweithio tuag at yr 20,000 o dai fforddiadwy; mae'r ystadegau swyddogol yn dangos ein bod wedi cyrraedd y targed hwnnw bellach. Rwy'n siomedig, oherwydd y pandemig, fod y gwaith wedi arafu ac nad oeddem yn gallu mynd mor gyflym ag y byddem wedi’i hoffi, ond rydym yn hynod o falch hefyd o'n cyflawniad yn rheoli digartrefedd ledled Cymru. Rwy'n hynod falch o'r bobl yn yr awdurdodau lleol a sefydliadau'r trydydd sector, gwasanaethau cymorth tai ledled Cymru sydd wedi gwneud mwy na’r disgwyl—llawer mwy na’r disgwyl—i gartrefu pobl drwy gydol y pandemig, mewn cyferbyniad llwyr â'r Ceidwadwyr dros y ffin. Nid ydym wedi cael pandemig o bobl yn cysgu allan ar ein strydoedd yn ystod yr argyfwng, ac rydym yn falch dros ben o'r ffaith ein bod wedi cartrefu dros 6,000 o bobl. Rydym wedi buddsoddi dros £137 miliwn mewn grantiau tai cymdeithasol yn 2019-20, a dros £25 miliwn mewn grantiau cyllid tai i gefnogi’r gwaith o ddarparu tai cymdeithasol yng Nghymru. Ac rydym yn buddsoddi £71.5 miliwn mewn cyllid refeniw o dan raglen y grant tai fforddiadwy i gynorthwyo awdurdodau tai lleol i adeiladu tai cyngor newydd. Felly, nid wyf yn derbyn y rhagosodiad a oedd yn sail i’w chwestiwn o gwbl. Lywydd, rydym yn falch iawn wir o gyflawniadau'r Llywodraeth hon yn y sector tai cymdeithasol, ac rwy'n mawr obeithio y byddwn yn gallu parhau â hynny am y pum mlynedd nesaf.

Y Broses Gynllunio
The Planning Process

5. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud y broses gynllunio yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru yn fwy ymatebol i breswylwyr? OQ56389

5. How is the Welsh Government making the planning process in north-east Wales more responsive to residents? OQ56389

Thank you, Jack. National planning policy, 'Future Wales' and local development plans collectively create a framework to ensure that communities are able to effectively and meaningfully engage in proposals that impact on their areas. LDPs have several statutory and informal stages where communities can directly shape and influence the future of their locality.  

Diolch, Jack. Gyda'i gilydd, mae polisi cynllunio cenedlaethol, ‘Cymru’r Dyfodol' a chynlluniau datblygu lleol yn creu fframwaith i sicrhau y gall cymunedau ymwneud â chynigion sy'n effeithio ar eu hardaloedd mewn modd effeithiol ac ystyrlon. Mae gan y cynlluniau datblygu lleol sawl cam statudol ac anffurfiol lle gall cymunedau lunio a dylanwadu ar ddyfodol eu hardal yn uniongyrchol.

Minister, thank you for that answer. Can I thank you and your Deputy Minister for meeting with myself and Penyffordd Community Council at the beginning of the year? I think what is clear is that the council and the community—the residents within the community of Penyffordd—and with justification, I might say, feel let down by the Planning Inspectorate for Wales. Despite significant projects being passed by the inspectorate, local politicians and residents in the community don't even get the courtesy of a reply. So, with that in mind, Minister, what consideration have you given to reforming how the Planning Inspectorate operates, to ensure that the voices of communities like Penyffordd are listened to?

Weinidog, diolch am eich ateb. A gaf fi ddiolch i chi a'ch Dirprwy Weinidog am gyfarfod â Chyngor Cymuned Pen-y-ffordd a minnau ar ddechrau'r flwyddyn? Credaf mai'r hyn sy'n amlwg yw bod y cyngor a'r gymuned—trigolion cymuned Pen-y-ffordd—ac yn ddigon teg, dylwn ddweud, yn teimlo bod Arolygiaeth Gynllunio Cymru wedi gwneud tro gwael â hwy. Er i brosiectau sylweddol gael eu derbyn gan yr arolygiaeth, nid yw gwleidyddion lleol a thrigolion y gymuned wedi cael ateb hyd yn oed. Felly, gyda hynny mewn golwg, Weinidog, pa ystyriaeth rydych wedi'i rhoi i ddiwygio'r ffordd y mae'r Arolygiaeth Gynllunio’n gweithredu, er mwyn sicrhau bod pobl yn gwrando ar leisiau cymunedau fel Pen-y-ffordd?

15:05

Thank you, Jack. It was a pleasure to meet with you and the community council alongside Hannah Blythyn. It was a very useful and lively conversation, I'm sure you remember, about how local people—and community councils in particular—can have their voices effectively heard in the planning process. So, I was delighted to take on board much of what they said, and I'm also very pleased to say that Flintshire local development plan, which we were discussing on that occasion, has now resolved to submit their plan for examination. The hearing sessions are due to commence in April. I know that the community council will be taking the opportunity to make their voice heard once more in that process, which of course is the entire point.

In terms of the inspectorate, you will know that we wanted to sever the Welsh element of the inspectorate away from the England and Wales inspectorate overall, for a variety of reasons—not least that we would like them to be able to look more carefully at the policies that we would like to see implemented in Wales. Unfortunately, the pandemic has got in the way of us being able to do that, but I am very much looking forward to getting that plan back on track when we have a Welsh Government immediately after the election. I know that you are working towards that aim as well.

Diolch yn fawr, Jack. Roedd yn bleser cyfarfod â chi a'r cyngor cymuned gyda Hannah Blythyn. Roedd yn sgwrs ddefnyddiol a bywiog iawn, rwy'n siŵr eich bod yn cofio, ynglŷn â sut y gall pobl leol—a chynghorau cymuned yn benodol—sicrhau bod eu lleisiau’n cael eu clywed yn effeithiol yn y broses gynllunio. Felly, roeddwn yn falch iawn o ystyried llawer o'r hyn a ddywedwyd ganddynt, ac rwy'n falch iawn hefyd o ddweud bod cynllun datblygu lleol sir y Fflint, y buom yn ei drafod ar yr achlysur hwnnw, bellach wedi penderfynu cyflwyno eu cynllun i'w archwilio. Disgwylir i'r sesiynau gwrandawiad ddechrau ym mis Ebrill. Gwn y bydd y cyngor cymuned yn bachu ar y cyfle i leisio eu barn unwaith eto yn y broses honno, gan mai dyna'r holl bwynt, wrth gwrs.

O ran yr arolygiaeth, fe fyddwch yn gwybod ein bod am ddatgysylltu elfen Gymreig yr arolygiaeth oddi wrth arolygiaeth gyffredinol Cymru a Lloegr, am amryw resymau—yn anad dim am yr hoffem iddynt allu edrych yn fwy gofalus ar y polisïau yr hoffem eu gweld yn cael eu gweithredu yng Nghymru. Yn anffodus, mae'r pandemig wedi ein rhwystro rhag gallu gwneud hynny, ond rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at sicrhau bod y cynllun hwnnw yn ôl ar y trywydd iawn pan fydd gennym Lywodraeth Cymru yn syth ar ôl yr etholiad. Gwn eich bod chithau’n gweithio tuag at y nod hwnnw hefyd.

Blaenoriaethau ar gyfer y Sector Tai
Priorities for the Housing Sector

6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am flaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y sector tai ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ56383

6. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s priorities for the housing sector in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ56383

Yes. Thank you very much, Paul. Affordable housing—and, more specifically, social housing—remains mine and this Government’s top priority for the whole of Wales. Our aim is to build them better, build more of them, and build them more quickly. This is recognised by our record £2 billion-worth of investment in affordable housing in this Senedd term.

Gwnaf. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Paul. Mae tai fforddiadwy—ac yn fwy penodol, tai cymdeithasol—yn parhau i fod yn brif flaenoriaeth i mi a’r Llywodraeth hon ar gyfer Cymru gyfan. Ein nod yw eu hadeiladu'n well, adeiladu mwy ohonynt, a'u hadeiladu'n gyflymach. Cydnabyddir hyn gan ein buddsoddiad mwy nag erioed o £2 biliwn mewn tai fforddiadwy yn nhymor y Senedd hon.

Thank you for that response, Minister. I have received representations from local residents who have set up a community land trust, who want to create desirable, affordable housing for local people in Roch in my constituency. I'm sure that you would agree with me that it's important that community land trusts get the right support to deliver affordable housing in their communities, and that it's therefore crucial that they receive the right grant funding, and that they are able to work in partnership with housing associations and local authorities. Otherwise, it is sometimes difficult for these community land trusts to deliver much-needed homes in their communities.

Community land trusts can play a key role in delivering new affordable homes as they are set up on behalf of communities to deliver for local communities. Therefore, can you tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to support community land trusts in Wales? And, can you also tell us what discussions you and your officials are having with local authorities and housing authorities about the role that community land trusts can play in developing affordable homes across Wales?

Diolch am eich ymateb, Weinidog. Rwyf wedi derbyn sylwadau gan drigolion lleol sydd wedi sefydlu ymddiriedolaeth tir cymunedol, ac sy’n dymuno creu tai dymunol, fforddiadwy i bobl leol yn y Garn yn fy etholaeth. Rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn cytuno â mi ei bod yn bwysig fod ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yn cael y cymorth cywir i ddarparu tai fforddiadwy yn eu cymunedau, a'i bod felly'n hanfodol eu bod yn cael y cyllid grant cywir, a'u bod yn gallu gweithio mewn partneriaeth â chymdeithasau tai ac awdurdodau lleol. Fel arall, mae weithiau’n anodd i'r ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol hyn ddarparu cartrefi mawr eu hangen yn eu cymunedau.

Gall ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol chwarae rôl allweddol yn darparu tai fforddiadwy newydd wrth iddynt gael eu sefydlu ar ran cymunedau i ddarparu ar gyfer cymunedau lleol. Felly, a allwch ddweud wrthym beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gefnogi ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yng Nghymru? Ac a allwch ddweud wrthym hefyd pa drafodaethau rydych chi a'ch swyddogion yn eu cael gydag awdurdodau lleol ac awdurdodau tai am y rôl y gall ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol ei chwarae wrth ddatblygu tai fforddiadwy ledled Cymru?

Yes. Thank you, Paul. I entirely agree with that. I think community land trusts are a very important part of the landscape of development of community-led housing solutions in Wales. Co-operative housing and community land trusts are pivotal in that. I really welcome the creative use by some local authorities of powers to stimulate the better use of stock in areas and utilise additional funding to underpin housing plans and the development of affordable housing.

I'm really pleased that Pembrokeshire County Council is utilising gains from the second homes tax to support its community land trusts. I would really encourage all local authorities to think creatively about their support to all types of affordable homes in the way that Pembrokeshire has. We do want to see more community-led housing in Pembrokeshire and beyond, and I would welcome more proposals from local authorities, housing associations and community groups.

We are very happy to support the further development of community-led or co-operative housing where there is a registered social landlord partner, through our social housing grant. It is something that we have done in the past, and we are really keen to do it again in the future. I agree with you entirely that co-operative community-led housing empowers Welsh citizens and provides locally driven housing solutions for local communities.

I have met personally with a number of community land trust groups in Pembrokeshire, and I know that the officials are in constant touch with a number of them. Pembrokeshire has a really good record, as you and I discussed in my last oral questions—another good record in Pembrokeshire, in Solva, there, that you drew to our attention. So, Pembrokeshire has a really good record in this regard, and I'm really pleased that they are looking again at community land trusts.

Paul, if there are any particular issues that you want to draw to our attention that you think we could unlock to help that go forward, I'm more than happy to look at them specifically. My understanding is that the officials are engaged with the councils and are looking very proactively at assisting community land trusts to come forward, as we do support those and a large number of other co-operative and people-led housing options.  

Gallaf. Diolch, Paul. Rwy’n cytuno’n llwyr â hynny. Credaf fod ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yn rhan bwysig iawn o’r dirwedd wrth ddatblygu atebion tai a arweinir gan y gymuned yng Nghymru. Mae tai cydweithredol ac ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yn hanfodol yn hynny o beth. Rwy'n croesawu'r defnydd creadigol gan rai awdurdodau lleol o bwerau i ysgogi gwell defnydd o’r stoc dai mewn ardaloedd ac i ddefnyddio cyllid ychwanegol i ategu cynlluniau tai a’r gwaith o ddatblygu tai fforddiadwy.

Rwy'n falch iawn fod Cyngor Sir Penfro yn defnyddio enillion o'r dreth ar ail gartrefi i gefnogi ei ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol. Byddwn o ddifrif yn annog pob awdurdod lleol i feddwl yn greadigol am eu cymorth i bob math o dai fforddiadwy yn y ffordd y mae sir Benfro wedi’i wneud. Hoffem weld mwy o dai a arweinir gan y gymuned yn sir Benfro a thu hwnt, a byddwn yn croesawu mwy o gynigion gan awdurdodau lleol, cymdeithasau tai a grwpiau cymunedol.

Rydym yn fwy na pharod i gefnogi datblygiad pellach tai a arweinir gan y gymuned neu dai cydweithredol lle ceir partner sy’n landlord cymdeithasol cofrestredig, drwy ein grant tai cymdeithasol. Mae'n rhywbeth rydym wedi'i wneud yn y gorffennol, ac rydym yn wirioneddol awyddus i'w wneud eto yn y dyfodol. Rwy’n cytuno’n llwyr â chi fod tai cydweithredol a arweinir gan y gymuned yn grymuso dinasyddion Cymru ac yn darparu atebion tai wedi eu hysgogi’n lleol ar gyfer cymunedau lleol.

Rwyf wedi cyfarfod yn bersonol â nifer o grwpiau ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol yn sir Benfro, a gwn fod y swyddogion mewn cysylltiad cyson â sawl un ohonynt. Mae gan sir Benfro hanes da iawn, fel y buom yn ei drafod yn fy nghwestiynau llafar diwethaf—cyflawniad da arall yn sir Benfro, yn Solfach, yno, y gwnaethoch dynnu ein sylw ato. Felly, mae gan sir Benfro hanes da iawn yn hyn o beth, ac rwy'n falch iawn eu bod yn edrych unwaith eto ar ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol.

Paul, os oes unrhyw faterion penodol yr hoffech dynnu ein sylw atynt, ac y credwch y gallem eu datrys er mwyn helpu i fwrw ymlaen â hynny, rwy'n fwy na pharod i edrych arnynt. Yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, mae’r swyddogion yn ymgysylltu â'r cynghorau ac yn edrych yn rhagweithiol iawn ar gynorthwyo ymddiriedolaethau tir cymunedol i geisio cymorth, gan ein bod yn cefnogi'r rheini a nifer fawr o opsiynau tai cydweithredol eraill a arweinir gan bobl.

Polisi Cynllunio
Planning Policy

7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am fwriad Llywodraeth Cymru i ddiwygio polisi cynllunio yng Nghymru? OQ56384

7. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's intention to revise planning policy in Wales? OQ56384

Yes. Thank you, Russell George. On 24 February, I published a new edition of 'Planning Policy Wales' and our first national development framework, 'Future Wales: the national plan 2040'. Taken together, they provide a comprehensive suite of up-to-date national land use planning policies for Wales.

Gwnaf. Diolch, Russell George. Ar 24 Chwefror, cyhoeddais fersiwn newydd o 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' a'n fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol cyntaf, 'Cymru’r Dyfodol: y cynllun cenedlaethol 2040'. Gyda'i gilydd, maent yn darparu cyfres gynhwysfawr o bolisïau cynllunio cenedlaethol wedi’u diweddaru ar ddefnydd tir yng Nghymru.

15:10

Thank you for your answer, Minister. Last week, the Minister for the environment published the Welsh Government's 'Beyond Recycling' strategy to make the circular economy in Wales a reality. Now, within that strategy, the Welsh Government says it will place a moratorium on any future large-scale energy-from-waste developments. Now, I very much welcome this. This is something, as you know, I myself and Welsh Conservative colleagues have been calling for for a long time, in the Chamber and in writing. Can you confirm, Minister, that this moratorium will come into effect immediately and that planning policy will be revised accordingly? There are large-scale developments from waste incinerator developments in the pipeline, such as the one in my constituency in Buttington. An application for that was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 26 February. So, can you confirm, Minister, that this moratorium will mean that this planning application will not proceed any further?

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddodd Gweinidog yr amgylchedd strategaeth 'Mwy nag ailgylchu' Llywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau bod yr economi gylchol yng Nghymru yn cael ei gwireddu. Nawr, yn y strategaeth honno, dywed Llywodraeth Cymru y bydd yn rhoi moratoriwm ar unrhyw ddatblygiadau troi gwastraff yn ynni ar raddfa fawr yn y dyfodol. Nawr, rwy'n croesawu hyn yn fawr. Fel y gwyddoch, mae hyn yn rhywbeth rwyf fi a fy nghyd-Aelodau yn y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi bod yn galw amdano ers amser maith, yn y Siambr ac yn ysgrifenedig. A allwch gadarnhau, Weinidog, y bydd y moratoriwm hwn yn dod i rym ar unwaith ac y bydd y polisi cynllunio yn cael ei adolygu yn unol â hynny? Mae datblygiadau ar raddfa fawr o ddatblygiadau llosgi gwastraff ar y gweill, fel yr un yn fy etholaeth i yn Nhal-y-bont. Cyflwynwyd cais ar ei gyfer i'r Arolygiaeth Gynllunio ar 26 Chwefror. Felly, a allwch gadarnhau, Weinidog, y bydd y moratoriwm hwn yn golygu na fydd y cais cynllunio hwn yn mynd ymhellach?

Thank you for that, Russell. I'm aware that my colleague, the environment Minister, has announced a moratorium on future energy-from-waste plants, or incinerators as they're colloquially known. I'm afraid, because it's not in my portfolio, I'm not aware of whether it's immediate or not. If you want to write to me asking what the status of the planning application is in the face of that moratorium, I'll make sure that my officials treat that as a matter of urgency. I'm afraid I don't have that information to hand.

Diolch, Russell. Rwy'n ymwybodol fod fy nghyd-Weinidog, Gweinidog yr amgylchedd, wedi cyhoeddi moratoriwm yn y dyfodol ar safleoedd troi gwastraff yn ynni, neu losgyddion fel y'u gelwir. Gan nad yw hyn yn fy mhortffolio, mae arnaf ofn nad wyf yn ymwybodol a fydd yn weithredol ar unwaith ai peidio. Os hoffech ysgrifennu ataf i ofyn beth yw statws y cais cynllunio yn sgil y moratoriwm hwnnw, fe wnaf yn siŵr bod fy swyddogion yn ei drin fel mater brys. Mae arnaf ofn nad yw’r wybodaeth honno gennyf wrth law.

Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, i'w ateb gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol, ac i'w ofyn gan Janet Finch-Saunders.

Finally, question 8, to be answered by the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, and to be asked by Janet Finch-Saunders.

Cefnogi Economïau Lleol
Supporting Local Economies

8. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru ynghylch ymdrechion i annog awdurdodau lleol i gefnogi economïau lleol yng ngogledd Cymru? OQ56412

8. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales on efforts to encourage local authorities to support local economies in north Wales? OQ56412

I regularly discuss the role and work of local authorities in supporting local economies and their communities with the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales and colleagues across Government. 

Rwy’n rheolaidd yn trafod rôl a gwaith awdurdodau lleol yn yn cefnogi economïau lleol a’u cymunedau gyda Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru a chyd-Weinidogion ar draws y Llywodraeth.

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Tourism, of course, as you will know, is usually worth around £900 million to the economy of Conwy county annually. That resource has been almost completely wiped out, and Conwy county has seen one of the highest furlough take-up rates in Wales. On the ground, the economic situation is even worse, with hospitality businesses now heavily in debt, and extremely concerned as to the amount of time it will take to make bank repayments. My point is that even when Conwy county opens up its tourism sector to the UK and the world again, those hospitality businesses, which are essential to the local economy, could require years of financial incentives and rate relief. Bearing in mind the economic reality in Conwy county, and the knock-on effect this will have on local authority revenue, could you explain why you've only given the Conservative-led county local authority a 3.6 per cent settlement increase, instead of other examples of 5.6 per cent, such as the Labour-led Newport authority? Diolch.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Mae twristiaeth, wrth gwrs, fel y gwyddoch, fel arfer yn werth oddeutu £900 miliwn y flwyddyn i economi sir Conwy. Mae'r adnodd hwnnw wedi'i ddileu bron yn llwyr, ac mae gan sir Conwy un o'r cyfraddau uchaf o weithwyr ar ffyrlo yng Nghymru. Ar lawr gwlad, mae'r sefyllfa economaidd hyd yn oed yn waeth, gyda busnesau lletygarwch bellach mewn dyled sylweddol, ac yn bryderus iawn ynghylch faint o amser y bydd yn ei gymryd i ad-dalu’r arian i’r banc. Fy mhwynt yw, hyd yn oed pan fydd sir Conwy yn agor ei sector twristiaeth i'r DU a'r byd unwaith eto, gallai fod angen blynyddoedd o gymhellion ariannol a rhyddhad ardrethi ar y busnesau lletygarwch hynny, sy'n hanfodol i'r economi leol. O gofio'r realiti economaidd yn sir Conwy, a'r effaith ganlyniadol y bydd hyn yn ei chael ar refeniw awdurdodau lleol, a allwch egluro pam nad ydych ond wedi rhoi cynnydd o 3.6 y cant yn y setliad i'r awdurdod lleol sirol sy’n cael ei arwain gan y Ceidwadwyr, yn wahanol i’r enghreifftiau eraill o 5.6 y cant, fel awdurdod Casnewydd, sy’n cael ei arwain gan Lafur? Diolch.

Diolch. There's no question whatsoever that the tourism, hospitality and events sector is continuing to be significantly impacted by the pandemic and the necessary restrictions that are still in place to keep us all safe. We all recognise, I think, how difficult it is for these sectors and how difficult it will continue to be. Various financial support packages will have helped, but I know it continues to be a worrying situation, so I'm really pleased we've been able to extend things like the business rates holiday for another 12 months, and also that we've now got the range of ERF support specifically for leisure, tourism and hospitality sectors open.

I know that this is an area that the Member feels incredibly passionate about, particularly supporting the tourism sector, and talked a lot about the need to support and sustain coastal communities. I'm sure she'll be pleased to know that the Welsh Government will be continuing to support our coastal communities fund, and I'm sure she'll also be as disappointed as we were when we discovered that the UK Government has decided not to continue with the coastal communities fund in England. That means, as a consequence, that the funding that we would have got from the UK Government for the best part of the decade to support our previous round of the coastal communities programme—we won't be having it. But I'm really pleased, despite that, we're able to step up and put in additional funding to support and sustain our towns and coastal communities in north Wales and right across Wales, and I look forward to being in a position next week to announce the details of this additional funding to help those towns and communities to not just come back better, but to build back better post pandemic.

Diolch. Nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth o gwbl fod y pandemig a'r cyfyngiadau angenrheidiol sy'n dal i fod ar waith i gadw pob un ohonom yn ddiogel yn parhau i effeithio'n sylweddol ar y sector twristiaeth, lletygarwch a digwyddiadau. Credaf fod pob un ohonom yn cydnabod pa mor anodd yw hi ar y sectorau hyn a pha mor anodd y mae'n mynd i barhau i fod. Bydd yr amryw becynnau cymorth ariannol wedi helpu, ond gwn ei bod yn parhau i fod yn sefyllfa bryderus, felly rwy'n falch iawn ein bod wedi gallu ymestyn pethau fel y seibiant ardrethi busnes am 12 mis arall, a hefyd fod gennym yr ystod o gymorth y gronfa cadernid economaidd ar agor yn benodol ar gyfer y sectorau hamdden, twristiaeth a lletygarwch.

Gwn fod hwn yn faes y mae'r Aelod yn teimlo'n hynod o angerddol yn ei gylch, yn enwedig cefnogi'r sector twristiaeth, ac mae hi wedi sôn cryn dipyn am yr angen i gefnogi a chynnal cymunedau’r arfordir. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn falch o wybod y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i gefnogi cronfa cymunedau’r arfordir, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd hi lawn mor siomedig â ninnau o ddarganfod bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi penderfynu peidio â pharhau cronfa cymunedau’r arfordir yn Lloegr. Golyga hynny, o ganlyniad, na fyddai'r cyllid y byddem wedi'i gael gan Lywodraeth y DU am y rhan fwyaf o’r degawd i gefnogi rownd flaenorol ein rhaglen cymunedau’r arfordir—ni fyddwn yn ei gael. Ond rwy'n falch iawn, er hynny, ein bod yn gallu camu i’r adwy a rhoi cyllid ychwanegol i gefnogi a chynnal trefi a chymunedau ein harfordir yng ngogledd Cymru a ledled Cymru, ac edrychaf ymlaen at fod mewn sefyllfa yr wythnos nesaf i gyhoeddi manylion yr arian ychwanegol hwn i helpu'r trefi a'r cymunedau hynny nid yn unig i ddod yn ôl yn well, ond i adeiladu'n ôl yn well ar ôl y pandemig.

Diolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog ac i'r Gweinidog am yr eitem yna.

I thank the Deputy Minister and the Minister.

3. Cwestiynau Amserol
3. Topical Questions

Cwestiynau amserol sydd nesaf, ond does dim cwestiynau amserol wedi'u dewis.

Topical questions next, but no topical questions were accepted.

15:15
4. Datganiadau 90 eiliad
4. 90-second Statements

Felly, y datganiadau 90 eiliad, ac mae'r datganiad cyntaf heddiw gan Huw Irranca-Davies.

So, we now move to 90-second statements, and the first of those is from Huw Irranca-Davies.

Diolch, Llywydd. This year marks the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the birth of the pioneer and social reformer Robert Owen. From humble beginnings in Newtown in Wales, he became a champion for the rights of the working classes, child labour laws, and he promoted a humane standard of living for all. To this day, the groundwork he laid helps us to construct a more equitable society, in which we are all stakeholders.

A founding father of the co-operative movement, he provided an alternative vision to the harsh realities of industrial Britain, and his tireless work in many areas led to the development of a new view of society, one in which a self-sufficient co-operative nation is held together by the pillars of universal education, free-access healthcare and the enshrinement of workers' rights. His actions set in motion a chain of events through which many progressive legislative changes and progressive institutions can be traced right back to.

Here in Wales, our nation building is characterised by the principles of co-operation and collectivism, with shared aims and values, social partnerships between business and workers, the promotion of social enterprises and worker co-operatives and so much more. So, as we note and celebrate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Robert Owen, a son of Newtown and of Wales and the world, we note that his legacy endures, lives on amongst us and helps us fashion the Wales and the world that we see today. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Diolch, Lywydd. Eleni mae’n ddwy ganrif a hanner ers geni'r arloeswr a’r diwygiwr cymdeithasol Robert Owen. O dras werinol yn y Drenewydd yng Nghymru, daeth yn hyrwyddwr hawliau'r dosbarthiadau gweithiol, deddfau llafur plant, a hyrwyddodd safonau byw gwâr i bawb. Hyd heddiw, mae'r gwaith sylfaenol a wnaeth yn ein helpu i adeiladu cymdeithas decach y mae pob un ohonom yn rhanddeiliaid ynddi.

Ac yntau’n un o sefydlwyr y mudiad cydweithredol, darparodd weledigaeth amgen yn lle realiti llwm y Brydain ddiwydiannol, ac arweiniodd ei waith diflino mewn sawl maes at ddatblygu golwg newydd ar gymdeithas, un lle caiff cenedl gydweithredol hunangynhaliol ei dal at ei gilydd gan bileri addysg i bawb, gofal iechyd am ddim ac ymgorffori hawliau gweithwyr. Arweiniodd ei weithredoedd at gadwyn o ddigwyddiadau y gellir olrhain llawer o newidiadau deddfwriaethol blaengar a sefydliadau blaengar yn ôl atynt.

Yma yng Nghymru, nodweddir ein gwaith yn adeiladu’r genedl gan egwyddorion cydweithredu a chyfunoliaeth, gyda nodau a gwerthoedd a rennir, partneriaethau cymdeithasol rhwng busnesau a gweithwyr, hyrwyddo mentrau cymdeithasol a chwmnïau cydweithredol gweithwyr a chymaint mwy eto. Felly, wrth inni nodi a dathlu dwy ganrif a hanner ers geni Robert Owen, brodor o'r Drenewydd a Chymru a'r byd, rydym yn nodi bod ei waddol yn parhau, yn dal i fyw yn ein plith ac yn ein helpu i lunio'r Gymru a'r byd a welwn heddiw. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Diolch yn fawr. I would like to congratulate the Wales Air Ambulance on its twentieth anniversary, which took place on 1 March. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this life-saving service over the years for their commitment, enthusiasm and their dedication to the people of Wales.

The charity's founder and first chair of trustees was the late Robert Palmer, and, from his vision, the Wales Air Ambulance has grown from one helicopter based at Swansea to what is now the largest ambulance operation in the UK, with four helicopters, including one in Welshpool, in my own constituency. Over the past two decades, it has evolved from a paramedic-led service to a consultant-led service, which takes the emergency department to the patient. Wales Air Ambulance has attended over 38,000 missions and needs £8 million every year. So, thanks to the people of Wales, our country now has the largest air ambulance operation in the UK and is one of the most medically advanced in Europe, operating 24/7.

So, to mark their anniversary, the charity is currently running a fundraising event called My20, which I hope will be well supported by the residents across Wales. So, join me in wishing air ambulance all the best for the future. Diolch yn fawr to all those who have been involved with the charity, past and present.

Diolch yn fawr. Hoffwn longyfarch Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru ar eu hugeinfed pen-blwydd ar 1 Mawrth. Diolch i bawb sydd wedi cyfrannu at y gwasanaeth achub bywyd hwn dros y blynyddoedd am eu hymrwymiad, eu brwdfrydedd a'u hymroddiad i bobl Cymru.

Sylfaenydd yr elusen a chadeirydd cyntaf yr ymddiriedolwyr oedd y diweddar Robert Palmer, ac o'i weledigaeth ef, mae Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru bellach wedi tyfu o un hofrennydd wedi’i leoli yn Abertawe i fod yn weithgarwch ambiwlans mwyaf y DU, gyda phedwar hofrennydd, gan gynnwys un yn y Trallwng, yn fy etholaeth i. Dros y ddau ddegawd diwethaf, mae wedi esblygu o fod yn wasanaeth a arweinir gan barafeddygon i wasanaeth a arweinir gan feddygon ymgynghorol, sy'n mynd â'r adran achosion brys at y claf. Mae Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru wedi cyflawni dros 38,000 o deithiau, ac mae angen £8 miliwn arnynt bob blwyddyn. Felly, diolch i bobl Cymru, erbyn hyn mae gan ein gwlad y gweithgarwch ambiwlans awyr mwyaf yn y DU ac un o'r rhai mwyaf datblygedig yn feddygol yn Ewrop, ac yn gweithredu bob awr o bob dydd.

Felly, i nodi eu pen-blwydd, mae'r elusen ar hyn o bryd yn cynnal digwyddiad codi arian o'r enw My20, a fydd, rwy'n gobeithio, yn cael cefnogaeth dda gan drigolion ledled Cymru. Felly, ymunwch â mi i ddymuno'r gorau i’r ambiwlans awyr ar gyfer y dyfodol. Diolch yn fawr i bawb sydd wedi ymwneud â'r elusen, ddoe a heddiw.

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

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

5. Dadl Aelodau o dan Reol Sefydlog 11.21(iv): Diabetes Math 2
5. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Type 2 Diabetes

[Inaudible.]—which is the Member debate under Standing Order 11.21, and it's on type 2 diabetes, and I call on Jenny Rathbone to move the motion.

[Anghlywadwy.]—sef y ddadl Aelodau o dan Reol Sefydlog 11.21, ac mae ar ddiabetes math 2, a galwaf ar Jenny Rathbone i wneud y cynnig.

Cynnig NDM7552 Jenny Rathbone, Dai Lloyd, Jack Sargeant

Cefnogwyd gan Andrew R.T. Davies, Darren Millar, Helen Mary Jones, Jayne Bryant

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn nodi:

a) mai Cymru yw'r lle gyda'r cyfraddau uchaf o ddiabetes math 2 o unrhyw le yng ngorllewin Ewrop, lle mae dros 200,000 wedi cael diagnosis, lle yr amgangyfrifir bod 65,000 gyda math 2 heb ddiagnosis, a lle mae 500,000 arall mewn perygl o gael diabetes;

b) bod gofalu am bobl â diabetes eisoes yn defnyddio 10 y cant o gyllideb y GIG;

c) y risgiau cynyddol o ddal COVID-19 ar gyfer dinasyddion sydd â diabetes fel cyflwr sy'n bodoli eisoes; a

d) llwyddiant a chost-effeithiolrwydd y rhaglen Sgiliau Maeth am Oes, sydd wedi ennill sawl gwobr, a dreialwyd yng Nghwm Afan.

2. Yn annog Llywodraeth Cymru i brif ffrydio'r rhaglen Sgiliau Maeth am Oes ledled Cymru fel elfen ganolog o gynllun atal diabetes i Gymru.

Motion NDM7552 Jenny Rathbone, Dai Lloyd, Jack Sargeant

Supported by Andrew R.T. Davies, Darren Millar, Helen Mary Jones, Jayne Bryant

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that Wales has the highest rates of type 2 diabetes anywhere in western Europe, with over 200,000 diagnosed, an estimated 65,000 with undiagnosed type 2, and a further 500,000 at risk of contracting diabetes;

b) that caring for people with diabetes already consumes 10 per cent of the NHS budget;

c) the heightened risks of catching COVID-19 for citizens who have diabetes as a pre-existing condition; and

d) the success and cost effectiveness of the award-winning Nutrition Skills for Life programme piloted in the Afan Valley.

2. Urges the Welsh Government to mainstream the Nutrition Skills for Life programme throughout Wales as a central element of a Welsh diabetes prevention plan.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. As the motion highlights, Wales has the highest prevalence of diabetes in western Europe. It currently gobbles up 10 per cent of our NHS budget—that's £950 million of next year's health budget.

This debate isn't about type 1 diabetes, a complex medical condition that normally hits young people in adolescence, the triggers for which are complex and not linked to diet. The rates of type 1 diabetes remain largely unchanged from year to year. Type 2 diabetes is another matter. This debate is about the veritable epidemic of type 2 diabetes: over 200,000 people already diagnosed, many more undiagnosed, and even those diagnosed predicted to rise to over 300,000 people by 2030, unless we do something about it.

Wales has over 0.5 million people who are overweight or obese, who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And let's face it, that problem can only have got worse as a result of the lockdown, as we've all eaten more than we should. But the most sobering fact is that one third of all the people who have died of COVID have also had diabetes. So, what can we do about this, and what can we do to prevent people getting diabetes in the first place?

Wales is the only country in Britain not to have a national diabetes prevention programme. England has one, Scotland has one, but not Wales. And as the most obese nation in Europe, that seems to me careless, imprudent, and urgently needs to change, particularly when we have a cost-effective, award-winning, made-in-Wales solution on our doorstep. A brief intervention piloted in the Afan valley by a cluster of nine GP practices, in collaboration with nutritionists at Swansea Bay University Health Board and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, has been run for over three years and has been trawled all over by Swansea University's Swansea Centre for Health Economics to make sure that the numbers stack up.

It's cost effective because the patients are identified by their GP practice who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and they never need to go anywhere near a hospital in order to get this intervention, and, in the context of all the problems we're going to have with waiting lists for people who need hospital treatment, that's a very important fact. It's also very effective, because it's delivered by non-medical practice staff who've been specially trained by dieticians in nutrition skills, and that makes it easy to roll out across the country. It's cost effective because the brief intervention consists of exercise, dietary advice and information sheets, and costs a mere £44 per patient. If you compare that to the English intervention, run by specialist experts, that costs £240 to £290 per patient. It's also entirely cost effective because nearly two thirds of the people taking part in this programme did not go on to get diabetes. So, Swansea University has calculated that rolling out this programme nationally would save each health board over £6 million per year, and that's not counting the personal benefits to the patient of not getting diabetes and not running the risk of loss of sight, loss of limbs and early death. 

Little wonder, then, that the Afan valley brief intervention programme won the UK-wide Quality In Care diabetes award last year. This really is prudent healthcare in action. What is stopping us rolling it out? It has the multidisciplinary approach to a chronic disease where, unfortunately, we're top of the league tables for the whole of Europe. How can we afford not to be doing this? I hope therefore to hear that this is a very high priority for the Minister, given the very high numbers of people who are at risk of type 2 diabetes, and the serious implications arising from this disease.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Fel y mae'r cynnig yn ei nodi, Cymru sydd â'r nifer uchaf o bobl yn dioddef o ddiabetes yng ngorllewin Ewrop. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'n llowcio 10 y cant o gyllideb ein GIG—mae hynny’n £950 miliwn o gyllideb iechyd y flwyddyn nesaf.

Nid yw'r ddadl hon yn ymwneud â diabetes math 1, cyflwr meddygol cymhleth sydd fel arfer yn taro pobl ifanc yn eu glasoed, ac mae’r hyn sy’n ei achosi’n gymhleth a heb fod yn gysylltiedig â deiet. Mae cyfraddau diabetes math 1 yn aros yr un fath i raddau helaeth o flwyddyn i flwyddyn. Mae diabetes math 2 yn fater gwahanol. Mae'r ddadl hon yn ymwneud â'r epidemig go iawn o ddiabetes math 2: mae dros 200,000 o bobl eisoes wedi cael diagnosis ohono, a llawer mwy heb gael diagnosis, a rhagwelir y bydd hyd yn oed nifer y rheini sydd wedi cael diagnosis yn codi i dros 300,000 o bobl erbyn 2030, oni bai ein bod yn gwneud rhywbeth yn ei gylch.

Mae gan Gymru dros 0.5 miliwn o bobl sydd dros bwysau neu'n ordew, ac sydd mewn perygl o ddatblygu diabetes math 2. A gadewch inni wynebu’r peth, ni all y broblem honno fod ond wedi gwaethygu o ganlyniad i'r cyfyngiadau symud, gan fod pob un ohonom wedi bod yn bwyta mwy nag y dylem. Ond y ffaith fwyaf sobreiddiol yw bod traean o'r holl bobl sydd wedi marw o COVID hefyd yn dioddef o ddiabetes. Felly, beth y gallwn ei wneud ynglŷn â hyn, a beth y gallwn ei wneud i atal pobl rhag cael diabetes yn y lle cyntaf?

Cymru yw'r unig wlad ym Mhrydain heb raglen atal diabetes genedlaethol. Mae gan Loegr un, mae gan yr Alban un, ond nid Cymru. Ac fel y wlad fwyaf gordew yn Ewrop, ymddengys i mi fod hynny’n ddiofal, yn annoeth, ac mae angen i hynny newid ar frys, yn enwedig gan fod gennym ateb costeffeithiol, sydd wedi ennill sawl gwobr, a wnaed yng Nghymru ar garreg ein drws. Mae ymyrraeth fer a dreialwyd yng nghwm Afan gan glwstwr o naw practis meddyg teulu, mewn cydweithrediad â maethegwyr ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe a Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro, wedi bod ar waith ers mwy na thair blynedd ac wedi cael ei dadansoddi’n drylwyr gan Ganolfan Economeg Iechyd Abertawe ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe i sicrhau bod y ffigurau’n gwneud synnwyr.

Mae'n gosteffeithiol am fod y practisau meddygon teulu yn nodi pa gleifion sydd mewn perygl o ddatblygu diabetes math 2, ac nid oes angen iddynt fynd yn agos at ysbyty er mwyn cael yr ymyrraeth hon, ac yng nghyd-destun yr holl broblemau y byddwn yn eu cael gyda rhestrau aros i bobl sydd angen triniaeth mewn ysbyty, mae honno'n ffaith bwysig iawn. Mae hefyd yn effeithiol iawn, gan ei bod yn cael ei darparu gan staff anfeddygol practisau sydd wedi'u hyfforddi'n arbennig gan ddeietegwyr mewn sgiliau maetheg, ac mae hynny'n ei gwneud yn hawdd i’w chyflwyno ledled y wlad. Mae'n gosteffeithiol am fod yr ymyrraeth fer yn cynnwys ymarfer corff, cyngor deietegol a thaflenni gwybodaeth, ac yn costio £44 y claf yn unig. Os cymharwch hynny ag ymyrraeth yn Lloegr, sy'n cael ei gyflawni gan arbenigwyr, mae honno'n costio rhwng £240 a £290 y claf. Mae hefyd yn gwbl gosteffeithiol am nad aeth bron i ddwy ran o dair o'r bobl a gymerodd ran yn y rhaglen hon ymlaen i gael diabetes yn ddiweddarach. Felly, mae Prifysgol Abertawe wedi cyfrifo y byddai cyflwyno'r rhaglen yn genedlaethol yn arbed dros £6 miliwn y flwyddyn i bob bwrdd iechyd, ac nid yw hynny'n cynnwys y buddion personol i'r claf yn sgil peidio â chael diabetes a pheidio â bod mewn perygl o golli eu golwg, colli eu coesau a marw'n gynamserol

Nid oes fawr o ryfedd, felly, fod rhaglen ymyrraeth fer cwm Afan wedi ennill gwobr Ansawdd mewn Gofal diabetes y DU gyfan y llynedd. Mae hon yn enghraifft wirioneddol o ofal iechyd darbodus ar waith. Beth sy'n ein rhwystro rhag ei ​​chyflwyno'n ehangach? Mae’n defnyddio'r dull amlddisgyblaethol o ymdrin â chlefyd cronig lle rydym ar frig y tablau cynghrair yn Ewrop gyfan yn anffodus. Sut y gallwn fforddio peidio â gwneud hyn? Rwy'n gobeithio clywed felly fod hon yn flaenoriaeth bwysig iawn i'r Gweinidog, o gofio’r niferoedd uchel iawn o bobl sydd mewn perygl o gael diabetes math 2, a'r goblygiadau difrifol sy'n deillio o'r clefyd.

15:20

Can I thank my colleague Jenny Rathbone for bringing this issue to the Senedd today? I think it clearly shows the importance of the issue and reaffirms that type 2 diabetes is a very serious problem across Wales. We know that type 2 diabetes impacts a startling number of families here in Wales. According to data published in 2019 by Diabetes UK, over 8 per cent of people aged 17 and over live with diabetes in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which serves my constituency. The vast majority of these cases are type 2. In real terms, this means that almost 40,000 families are directly affected, and the true number is likely to be even higher.

Diabetes has a life-changing impact on people's lives, and we know, as Jenny Rathbone has made clear, that treating type 2 diabetes places an extraordinary strain on the NHS in Wales, not least at the present time. Not only are those suffering from type 2 diabetes more at risk from serious illness if infected with COVID, they're also placed at risk of suffering from other major health issues, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and sight loss. The difficulty of dealing with these complex problems for patients and practitioners alike cannot be understated.

But we also know that there are things we can do to ease the burden. In the majority of cases, type 2 diabetes is preventable. Encouraging people to make healthier choices is the obvious first step, but more can and must be done. I'm proud to be the chair of the cross-party group on diabetes and of the work the cross-party group has achieved throughout the Senedd term. We'll be conducting our final meeting on how mental health is impacted by diabetes next week. In this role, I've been pleased to hear about the success of the Afan valley pilot, and I'll be waiting with interest to see how these successes can be replicated across Wales. Anything we can do to ensure fewer people are left suffering from this illness for the rest of their lives is crucial. Encouraging people to understand their personal risk is one step we can all take right now. In 2018, I was proud to hold an event at the Senedd for people to understand their risk of contracting type 2 diabetes. Sadly, it's not been possible to hold a similar event in the last year, but I would encourage anyone who wants to know more about their risk level to visit the Diabetes UK website, which has a selection of tools and resources available.

I'd like to finish by quoting one of my constituents, Sarah Gibbs, who is living with type 2 diabetes. She has described the disease as 'relentless. It can affect all aspects of your life. I wish I'd had the chance and the support to prevent it.' Deputy Llywydd, we need to do more to offer this chance to people in Wales. Diolch. 

A gaf fi ddiolch i fy nghyd-Aelod Jenny Rathbone am ddod â'r mater hwn i'r Senedd heddiw? Credaf ei fod yn dangos pwysigrwydd y mater yn glir ac yn ailddatgan bod diabetes math 2 yn broblem ddifrifol iawn ledled Cymru. Gwyddom fod diabetes math 2 yn effeithio ar nifer syfrdanol o deuluoedd yma yng Nghymru. Yn ôl data a gyhoeddwyd yn 2019 gan Diabetes UK, mae dros 8 y cant o bobl 17 oed a hŷn yn byw gyda diabetes ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan, sy'n gwasanaethu fy etholaeth. Mae’r rhan helaethaf o’r achosion hyn yn ddiabetes math 2. Mewn termau real, golyga hyn fod bron i 40,000 o deuluoedd yn cael eu heffeithio'n uniongyrchol, ac mae'r nifer wirioneddol yn debygol o fod hyd yn oed yn uwch.

Mae diabetes yn cael effaith sy'n newid bywydau pobl, ac fel y mae Jenny Rathbone wedi’i nodi'n glir, gwyddom fod trin diabetes math 2 yn rhoi straen aruthrol ar y GIG yng Nghymru, yn enwedig ar hyn o bryd. Nid yn unig fod y rheini sy'n dioddef o ddiabetes math 2 mewn mwy o berygl o salwch difrifol os ydynt yn cael eu heintio â COVID, maent hefyd mewn perygl o ddioddef yn sgil problemau iechyd difrifol eraill, gan gynnwys clefyd y galon, strôc, clefyd yr arennau a cholli eu golwg. Ni ellir gorbwysleisio pa mor anodd yw ymdrin â'r problemau cymhleth hyn i gleifion ac ymarferwyr fel ei gilydd.

Ond gwyddom hefyd fod pethau y gallwn eu gwneud i leddfu'r baich. Yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion, gellir atal diabetes math 2. Annog pobl i wneud dewisiadau iachach yw'r cam cyntaf amlwg, ond gellir gwneud mwy ac mae'n rhaid gwneud mwy. Rwy'n falch o fod yn gadeirydd y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar ddiabetes a'r gwaith y mae'r grŵp trawsbleidiol wedi'i gyflawni drwy gydol tymor y Senedd hon. Byddwn yn cynnal ein cyfarfod olaf ar sut y mae diabetes yn effeithio ar iechyd meddwl yr wythnos nesaf. Yn y rôl hon, rwyf wedi bod yn falch o glywed am lwyddiant cynllun peilot cwm Afan, ac rwy’n awyddus i weld sut y gellir ailadrodd y llwyddiannau hyn ledled Cymru. Mae unrhyw beth y gallwn ei wneud i sicrhau bod llai o bobl yn dioddef o'r salwch hwn am weddill eu hoes yn allweddol. Mae annog pobl i ddeall eu risg bersonol yn un cam y gall pob un ohonom ei gymryd yn awr. Yn 2018, roeddwn yn falch o gynnal digwyddiad yn y Senedd i bobl ddeall eu risg o ddal diabetes math 2. Yn anffodus, ni fu modd cynnal digwyddiad tebyg yn y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, ond byddwn yn annog unrhyw un sy’n dymuno gwybod mwy am eu lefel risg i ymweld â gwefan Diabetes UK, lle mae amryw o adnoddau ar gael.

Hoffwn orffen drwy ddyfynnu un o fy etholwyr, Sarah Gibbs, sy'n byw gyda diabetes math 2. Mae wedi disgrifio'r afiechyd fel un ‘didrugaredd. Gall effeithio ar bob agwedd ar eich bywyd. Hoffwn pe bawn wedi cael cyfle a chymorth i'w atal.’ Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae angen inni wneud mwy i gynnig y cyfle hwn i bobl yng Nghymru. Diolch.

15:25

Thank you. Can I now call the Minister for Mental Health, Well-being and Welsh Language, Eluned Morgan?

Diolch. A gaf fi alw yn awr ar y Gweinidog Iechyd Meddwl, Llesiant a'r Gymraeg, Eluned Morgan?

Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn i ddechrau trwy ddiolch i Jenny Rathbone, Dai Lloyd a Jack Sargeant hefyd am ddod â'r ddadl bwysig yma ar atal diabetes gerbron y Senedd heddiw. Diolch hefyd i Jayne Bryant am y gwaith mae hi wedi bod yn ei wneud gyda'r grŵp trawsbleidiol.

Mae hwn yn gynnig pwysig, a dwi'n gwybod bod diabetes yn broblem sylweddol sy'n tyfu drwy'r byd, ac mae'n tyfu yng Nghymru hefyd. Mae'n rhaid inni fynd i'r afael â'r sefyllfa ddifrifol yma, sydd yn effeithio ar gymaint o fywydau ac ar unigolion yn ein gwlad ni. Yn 2019-20, roedd tua 192,000 o bobl yng Nghymru gyda diabetes, fel gwnaeth Jenny gyfeirio ato, sef tua 7 y cant o'n poblogaeth sy'n oedolion. Mae'n bwysig hefyd, fel mae Jenny wedi'i ddweud, i wahaniaethu rhwng y ddau fath gwahanol o diabetes: math 1, sy'n rhywbeth na ellir ei atal, a diabetes math 2, lle mae lot allwn ni ei wneud i atal y cyflwr rhag datblygu.

Nawr, yn y ffigurau diweddaraf sydd gyda ni, mae'r gost o drin diabetes i'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn cyrraedd tua £126 miliwn neu 1.9 y cant o gyllideb yr NHS. Os ydyn ni'n ystyried hefyd y cleifion sy'n cael eu trin ar gyfer clefyd cardiofasgiwlar a chymhlethdodau eraill sy'n deilio o diabetes, wedyn rydym ni yn cyrraedd y ffigur yna o 10 y cant oedd Jenny wedi cyfeirio ati. Felly, rydych chi'n iawn i nodi'r ffigur yna yn eich cynnig chi. Mae hyn yn tanlinellu pwysigrwydd atal eilaidd, sef atal cymhlethdodau diabetes rhag datblygu trwy reoli'r clefyd yn dda. Nid dim ond atal diabetes yn y lle cyntaf sy'n bwysig, ond hefyd buddsoddi yn y gwasanaethau sy'n rhwystro'r cymhlethdodau rhag digwydd.

Nawr, mae maint yr her sy'n ein wynebu ni wedi cael ei danlinellu gan y pandemig. Rydym ni wedi gweld sut mae pobl sy'n dioddef o diabetes wedi eu gorgynrychioli ymhlith y marwolaethau sy'n gysylltiedig â COVID. Er nad yw pobl sydd â diabetes o reidrwydd mewn mwy o berygl o ddal COVID, mae'n ymddangos fel bod ffactorau risg diabetes a'i gymhlethdodau yn golygu bod canlyniadau yn debygol o fod yn waeth os ydyn nhw'n dal y feirws. Rŷn ni'n gwybod bod gordewdra neu bwysau gwaed uwch, ethnigrwydd neu fod yn ddifreintiedig yn rhai o'r ffactorau lluosog sy'n cyfrannu at ddatblygiad salwch COVID yn fwy difrifol.

Mae ein dull cenedlaethol o ymdrin â diabetes wedi ei amlinellu yn y cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer diabetes yng Nghymru, ac mae hwn wedi ei ymestyn am flwyddyn arall er mwyn cael cyfle i ddatblygu'r rhaglen olynol. Nawr, beth rŷn ni'n gwybod yw bod yna gysylltiad clir ac arwyddocaol rhwng diabetes 2 a gordewdra. Ac mae astudiaethau'n awgrymu bod tua 90 y cant o oedolion sydd â diabetes math 2 yn pwyso mwy nag y dylen nhw i fod yn iach, neu'n ordew. Dŷn ni'n gwybod hefyd fod gordewdra'n gysylltiedig ag amrywiaeth o gyflyrau iechyd difrifol eraill, fel canser, clefyd y galon a strôc.

Nawr, yn ogystal ag effeithio'n sylweddol ar ansawdd bywyd, mae'n cael effaith sylweddol ar iechyd meddwl hefyd. A dyna pam mae'n hanfodol i ddal ati i ganolbwyntio ar atal a lleihau cyfraddau gordewdra. Mae dros 60 y cant o oedolion, ac un o bob pedwar o blant ysgol gynradd, dros eu pwysau neu'n ordew yma yng Nghymru. Felly, dyna pam heddiw dwi'n cyhoeddi buddsoddiad o fwy na £6.5 miliwn i helpu i daclo gordewdra a diabetes yng Nghymru. A bydd yr arian yn cael ei dargedu at blant a phobl hŷn, i'w helpu i gyrraedd a chynnal pwysau iach. A bydd hwn yn helpu i ddelifro'r hyn a fydd yn cael ei gyhoeddi ar 18 Mawrth, sef ein cynllun cyflawni, 'Pwysau Iach, Cymru Iach', ar gyfer 2021-22.

Nawr, bydd £5.5 miliwn o'r cyllid yn mynd tuag at raglenni penodol, o dan 'Pwysau Iach, Cymru Iach'. Bydd yr arian yn helpu i hyrwyddo datblygiadau allweddol ar draws gwasanaethau atal gordewdra a rheoli pwysau. Ac mae'n cynnwys bron i £3 miliwn o gyllid pellach ar gyfer gwasanaethau gordewdra ar draws ein byrddau iechyd. Ac mae'r cyllid hwn hefyd—ac mae hwn yn bwysig i'w danlinellu—yn cynnwys £1 miliwn o arian ychwanegol y flwyddyn dros y ddwy flynedd nesaf. A bydd hyn yn ein galluogi ni i gymryd camau cynnar i atal salwch a lleihau effaith iechyd gwael ac anghydraddoldeb, drwy gefnogi'r gwaith o ddatblygu treialon llwybr atal cyn-diabetes, sy'n seiliedig ar y model yna roeddech chi'n siarad amdano yn nyffryn Afan. Mae'n cynnwys llwybr addysg cyn-diabetes, sy'n cael ei ddarparu gan weithwyr cymorth gofal iechyd wedi eu hyfforddi, ar gyfer pobl sydd wedi cael darlleniadau glwcos gwaed uwch yn y gorffennol, neu sydd â risg o ddatblygu cyn-diabetes yn y dyfodol.

So, mae rhaglen dyffryn Afan yn cael ei gwerthuso gan uned ymchwil Diabetes Cymru. Rŷn ni'n gwybod bod rhai o'r canlyniadau'n addawol dros ben—fel roeddech chi wedi cyfeirio atyn nhw. A dwi'n siŵr y bydd gan y rheini sydd wedi cynnig y ddadl ddiddordeb mewn gwybod bod gwerthusiad o effeithlonrwydd a chost economaidd wedi ei gynnal gan Brifysgol Abertawe. A beth rŷn ni'n ei wybod yw ei fod e'n gweithio, a dyna pam rŷn ni'n rhoi'r arian ychwanegol yma, i sicrhau ein bod ni'n gallu gweld y peilot yna yn cael ei ddatblygu ar draws Cymru. Felly, mae'r peilot wedi rhoi tystiolaeth i ni; gallwn ni weld yr ymyrryd ataliol ledled Cymru. Bydd hyn yn ein helpu ni i ymateb i'r her, y cynnydd mewn diabetes math 2, i wella iechyd y rhai sydd wedi eu heffeithio, ac i ddarparu gofal iechyd sydd wedi ei seilio ar werth, fel roeddech chi wedi ei nodi, Jenny.

Y disgwyl yw y bydd o leiaf un clwstwr gofal iechyd—

Thank you very much, Deputy Llywydd. I'd like to start by thanking Jenny Rathbone, Dai Lloyd and Jack Sargeant for bringing this important debate on diabetes prevention before the Senedd today, and I'd also like to thank Jayne Bryant for the work that she's been doing with the cross-party group.

This is an important motion, and I know that diabetes is a significant problem that is growing globally, and also in Wales. We must tackle this very serious situation that has an impact on so many lives and so many individuals in our nation. In 2019-20, around 192,000 people in Wales had diabetes, as Jenny mentioned, and that's around 7 per cent of our adult population. It's also important, as Jenny said, to differentiate between the two types of diabetes: type 1, which is not preventable, and type 2 diabetes, where there is a great deal we can do to prevent the condition from developing.

Now, in the latest figures that we have, the cost of treating diabetes for the health service is topping around £126 million or 1.9 per cent of the NHS budget. If we also bear in mind those patients that are treated for cardiovascular disease and other complications arising from diabetes, then we do reach that figure of 10 per cent that Jenny referred to. So, you're quite right in noting that figure in your motion, and this highlights the importance of secondary prevention, namely preventing the complications from arising by managing the condition well—not just prevention, but also investment in those services that prevent those complications from arising.

Now, the scale of the challenge facing us has been highlighted by the pandemic. We've seen how people suffering from diabetes are over-represented in the deaths related to COVID. Although people with diabetes aren't necessarily at greater risk of catching COVID, it does appear that diabetes risk factors and complications mean that the outcomes are likely to be worse if they do contract the virus. We know that obesity or high blood pressure, ethnicity or deprivation are some of the multiple factors that contribute to the development of serious COVID conditions.

Our national approach to diabetes is outlined in the delivery plan for diabetes in Wales, and this has been extended for a further year so that we can develop a follow-on programme. What we know is that there is a clear and significant link between type 2 diabetes and obesity. And studies suggest that around 90 per cent of adults with type 2 diabetes weigh more than they should in order to be healthy, or are obese. And we also know that obesity is linked to a range of other serious health conditions, like cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Now, in addition to the significant impacts on quality of life, it has a significant impact on mental health too. And that's why it's crucial that we continue to focus on prevention and reducing the rates of obesity. Over 60 per cent of adults, and one in four primary school children, are overweight or are obese here in Wales. So, that's why today I am announcing investment of over £6.5 million to help to tackle obesity and diabetes in Wales. And the funding will be targeted at children and older people, in order to help them to maintain a healthy weight. And this will help to deliver what will be announced on 18 March, namely our 'Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales' delivery programme for 2021-22.

Now, £5.5 million of the funding will be provided for specific programmes, under 'Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales'. And that will help to promote key developments across services, in order to prevent obesity and manage weight. And it includes almost £3 million additional funding for obesity services across our health boards. And this funding—and this is important to highlight—does include £1 million of additional funding per year over the next two years. And this will enable us to take early steps to prevent illness and to prevent the impact of ill health and inequalities, by supporting the work of developing prevention pathways, which is based on that model that you mentioned in the Afan valley. A pre-diabetes education pathway, provided by trained healthcare support workers, is provided for people who have had a higher glucose reading in the past, or who are at risk of developing pre-diabetes in the future.

So, the Afan valley programme is being evaluated by the Diabetes Wales research institute. And we know that some of the outcomes are very promising indeed—as you mentioned. And I'm sure that those who proposed the debate will be interested in knowing that an evaluation of efficiency and economic cost has been undertaken by Swansea University. And what we know is that it works, and that is why we are providing this additional funding, to ensure that we do see that pilot being developed across Wales. So, the pilot provided us with evidence; we can see that preventative intervention the length and breadth of Wales. This will allow us to meet the challenge, the increase in type 2 diabetes, to improve the health of those who are affected, and to provide healthcare that is based on value, as you noted, Jenny.

The expectation is that at least one healthcare cluster—

15:30

The Minister does need to wind up, please.

Mae angen i'r Gweinidog ddirwyn i ben, os gwêl yn dda.

—ym mhob bwrdd iechyd lleol. Felly, dwi'n falch ein bod ni yn gallu ymateb yn adeiladol dros ben i'r cynnig sydd wedi dod wrthych chi, Jenny. Diolch am ddod â'r ddadl ger ein bron ni heddiw.

—will exist within each and every health board. So, I'm pleased that we are able to respond constructively to the motion tabled by you, Jenny. And thank you for bringing this debate forward.