Jane Dodds
Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd · Welsh Liberal Democrats · Wales
“Roeddwn i jest eisiau gofyn—mae'r tîmau sydd gennych chi yn eich cynghorau yn ddiddorol iawn, ac yn canolbwyntio ar y pwnc yma. Ydych chi'n ymwybodol o dimau eraill mewn cynghorau eraill ar draws Cymru? Ac oes gennych chi—?”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi eisiau jest dilyn i fyny, os gwelwch chi'n dda. Dwi eisiau cymryd tipyn bach o ddull gwahanol. A gaf i ofyn i chi, os yw'n iawn: ydych chi wedi cael trafodaethau efo'r Llywodraeth yma yng Nghymru, ac wedyn hefyd efo'r Llywodraeth yn Llundain, i adfer y taliad tanwydd gaeaf?”
“Jest cwestiwn olaf, os gwelwch chi’n dda, i’r tri ohonoch chi. Gwnes i ofyn hyn i’r panel oedd o’ch blaen chi, hefyd. Fel yr arbenigwyr yn y maes yma, yn gweithio efo pobl sy’n byw mewn tlodi tanwydd, rydyn ni’n bwriadu gwneud argymhellion fel pwyllgor.”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Roeddwn i jest eisiau dilyn hynny i fyny, os gwelwch yn dda. Gaf i jest ofyn i chi un cwestiwn cyffredinol? Beth yn eich barn chi fyddai'r peth mwyaf effeithiol i helpu pobl, yn enwedig pobl hŷn, i roi'r gwres ymlaen neu i feddwl yn hollol wahanol ynglŷn â chynhesu eu cartrefi nhw?”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi eisiau gofyn i chi, os gwelwch yn dda, am effaith y rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd, hynny yw, yr un yn y gorffennol, a’r un yn edrych ymlaen. A allaf ofyn i chi, yn gyntaf, beth ydych chi’n meddwl am yr effaith, os gwelwch yn dda—ydy e’n effeithiol, er enghraifft—a hefyd y meini prawf sy’n dod i mewn?”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi eisiau jest canolbwyntio ar y rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd a jest gofyn i chi am eich profiadau. Mae gennym ni’r un yn y gorffennol, ond mae yna raglen newydd efo meini prawf newydd hefyd. Gaf i ofyn i chi beth ydy’ch barn chi ar y rhaglen yn y gorffennol ac yn symud ymlaen hefyd, os gwelwch chi’n dda?”
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“Jest cwestiwn olaf, os gwelwch chi’n dda, i’r tri ohonoch chi. Gwnes i ofyn hyn i’r panel oedd o’ch blaen chi, hefyd. Fel yr arbenigwyr yn y maes yma, yn gweithio efo pobl sy’n byw mewn tlodi tanwydd, rydyn ni’n bwriadu gwneud argymhellion fel pwyllgor. Oes gennych chi ryw un peth fuasech chi’n licio gweld yn newid, naill ai gan y Llywodraeth yma yng Nghymru neu yn Llundain, fyddai’n helpu’r bobl rydych chi’n gweithio efo nhw ddydd ar ôl dydd, os gwelwch chi’n dda? Meilyr, rydych chi’n barod i fynd.”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi eisiau jest canolbwyntio ar y rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd a jest gofyn i chi am eich profiadau. Mae gennym ni’r un yn y gorffennol, ond mae yna raglen newydd efo meini prawf newydd hefyd. Gaf i ofyn i chi beth ydy’ch barn chi ar y rhaglen yn y gorffennol ac yn symud ymlaen hefyd, os gwelwch chi’n dda? Diolch yn fawr iawn. David, wyt ti eisiau mynd yn gyntaf? Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“Roeddwn i jest eisiau gofyn—mae'r tîmau sydd gennych chi yn eich cynghorau yn ddiddorol iawn, ac yn canolbwyntio ar y pwnc yma. Ydych chi'n ymwybodol o dimau eraill mewn cynghorau eraill ar draws Cymru? Ac oes gennych chi—? Dwi'n gwybod bod cynghorau o dan bwysau mawr rŵan, ac roeddwn i jest eisiau gofyn i chi pa mor effeithiol yw'ch timau chi a sut maen nhw'n cael yr arian. Ydych chi'n cael yr arian flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, neu ydy o'n sicr bod eich timau chi yn eu lle dros dair blynedd neu bum mlynedd? Mae'n ddiddorol iawn clywed amdanyn nhw. Felly, roeddwn i jest eisiau gwybod yn union sut maen nhw'n cael eu cefnogi yn y cynghorau. Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi ddim yn gwybod pwy sydd eisiau mynd yn gyntaf.”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Roeddwn i jest eisiau dilyn hynny i fyny, os gwelwch yn dda. Gaf i jest ofyn i chi un cwestiwn cyffredinol? Beth yn eich barn chi fyddai'r peth mwyaf effeithiol i helpu pobl, yn enwedig pobl hŷn, i roi'r gwres ymlaen neu i feddwl yn hollol wahanol ynglŷn â chynhesu eu cartrefi nhw? Beth fyddai'r un peth y dylem ni fel pwyllgor feddwl amdano ynglŷn â'r adroddiad yma, os gwelwch yn dda?”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rwyf jest eisiau gofyn cwestiynau cyffredinol, os yw hynny'n iawn, hefyd. Gaf i ofyn i chi beth ydy eich barn ar y targedau yng nghynllun Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer trechu tlodi tanwydd? A hefyd, oes gennych chi farn ar y diffyg targedau interim, os gwelwch chi'n dda? Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“Dwi eisiau gweld os oes gan rywun arall rywbeth i'w ddweud. Dwi ddim yn siŵr os oes rhywun eisiau ymateb hefyd. A dwi'n gwybod bod Sioned—.”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi eisiau gofyn i chi, os gwelwch yn dda, am effaith y rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd, hynny yw, yr un yn y gorffennol, a’r un yn edrych ymlaen. A allaf ofyn i chi, yn gyntaf, beth ydych chi’n meddwl am yr effaith, os gwelwch yn dda—ydy e’n effeithiol, er enghraifft—a hefyd y meini prawf sy’n dod i mewn? Dwi ddim yn gwybod pwy sydd eisiau mynd yn gyntaf, pwy sydd eisiau ymateb yn gyntaf.”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi eisiau jest dilyn i fyny, os gwelwch chi'n dda. Dwi eisiau cymryd tipyn bach o ddull gwahanol. A gaf i ofyn i chi, os yw'n iawn: ydych chi wedi cael trafodaethau efo'r Llywodraeth yma yng Nghymru, ac wedyn hefyd efo'r Llywodraeth yn Llundain, i adfer y taliad tanwydd gaeaf? Ydych chi'n cytuno mai hynny yw'r dull mwyaf syml? Rydych chi wedi sôn am beth rydych chi'n meddwl dylai ddigwydd, ond ydych chi wedi cael trafodaethau ynglŷn â rhoi o nôl—hynny yw, fel bod yna ddim toriad? Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“3. Pa asesiad y mae’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i wneud o'r gwelliannau i ddiogelwch cyffyrdd sydd eu hangen yng nghanolbarth Cymru? OQ61891”
“So, I’m hoping that you’d consider how you can increase the budgets to local authorities to ensure that they have good and robust funding to support and increase the social care throughput for those hospitals where we know that they have a direct impact on the waiting lists. Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“Thank you for the statement today on this critical issue, which we know is worrying so many people and Members here across the Siambr. In your statement, you do focus, quite rightly, on the NHS waiting lists, but there’s very little there on social care, and we know that they’re very, very connected, because the care system supports people moving in and out of hospital really quickly. So, it’s really difficult to see how we can manage NHS waiting times without an adequately resourced social care system. We know that you’ve increased provision and support through the social care workforce grant, but I hope you’ll agree that social care provides, really, the support to help lessen the number of people who are going through the front door, and support the people to leave through the back door as quickly as possible.”
“Good afternoon, Trefnydd. Could I request a statement, please, from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales regarding road safety, particularly regarding the A470 at Libanus? Many people here, I'm sure, have travelled across Bannau Brycheiniog down into Brecon, along the A470 and through the tiny village of Libanus, which has no pedestrian road crossing. Unfortunately, last week, there was a three-car crash at Libanus, highlighting the ongoing danger there. The firefighters, actually, needed to free a casualty, and local councillors have expressed severe concern about the daily risks faced by Libanus residents due to the speed restriction, which is 50 mph. So, could I ask the Cabinet Secretary, particularly as it's Road Safety Week this week, to detail interim safety measures and risk assessments for the A470 at Libanus?”
“So, I just wondered whether we could know when we could have an announcement on the key findings from that animal welfare plan. Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“Good afternoon, First Minister. Our pet rescue centres do an amazing job, as you've heard, but one of the key issues is that they get overwhelmed, sadly, with greyhounds that can no longer race. The average age of a greyhound that is put out after it's been racing is three years. They live until they're 10 or 12 years old, and therefore pet rescue centres can be helped by not being overwhelmed by those greyhounds that are there, having raced. One of the issues is whether we're able to get a timescale, please, for the animal welfare plan, which contains, as you know, a key element of a consultation on a phased ban on greyhound racing. We have been promised this before Christmas; I think there are only three more weeks to go before Christmas, and I know that people across all political parties want to see a ban on greyhound racing.”
“It also boasts the Josef Herman Art Foundation Cymru, which is dedicated to promoting an appreciation of the life and work of Josef Herman, who has exhibited at the Tate Britain. Indeed, the welfare hall is proud of the fact that it is one of the few welfare halls throughout the whole of the country that has retained its original purpose of being a place of culture and education. This hall is by and for the whole community of Ystradgynlais. Diolch to all of the staff and volunteers who have been there over the past 90 years, and we wish them well for the next 90 years. Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“I have 90 seconds to mark the ninetieth anniversary since the miners' welfare hall was opened in Ystradgynlais. This wonderful hall was built from the miners’ pennies and cost them at the time £9,000. The opening ceremony was followed by a week of celebrations, including a grand production of 'The Bells of Beaulieu' by the Ystradgynlais Juvenile Operatic Society, produced by Mr Cynlais Davies. Since 1934, the hall has gone through various transformations, and, today, is a vibrant arts centre and community hub. Sometimes, it’s also a radio station, sometimes it’s a tv studio. It has a cinema, showing all the latest films, and it hosts events like—wait for it—an Abba live tribute band, and has a variety of workshops and activities.”
“This change could see benefit-in-kind charges soar, with some farms facing an elevenfold increase annually. The introduction of the carbon border adjustment mechanism in 2027 will further add pressures on our farms. So, again, following through on some of the issues raised this afternoon, what assessment have you made of the impact on Welsh farms of these changes in the UK budget? Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Just to follow through on some of the issues that have been raised this afternoon, it really is very interesting to hear you say that very few farms will be affected, because we do need those numbers, if that's your view. We need that backed up with evidence. I just want to say that while a £1 million threshold may seem substantial, Welsh family farms are often asset rich but cash poor. These families live modestly and work tirelessly on the same land, year after year, yet they are now facing an onslaught of financial pressures, two of which I learned about further in terms of the effect of the UK Government budget. From next April, work vehicles such as double-cab pick-up trucks, which our farmers depend on daily for transporting materials and equipment, will be reclassified for tax purposes.”
“7. Pa asesiad y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i wneud o effaith economaidd bosibl Llywodraeth y DU yn newid treth etifeddiant ar Gymru wledig? OQ61842”
“So, as we honour the sacrifices of those who have fallen, let us also resolve to say, 'No more.' Though we cannot change the past, we must strive for a future where peace is not just a prayer, but a promise that we keep. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: 'It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.' Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“More than a century since the first Remembrance Day, the painful truth of war remains ever present in places like Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Lebanon and too many other corners of our world: those with no part in conflict still suffer its heaviest costs. According to Action on Armed Violence, civilian casualties from air strikes, bombings and artillery in 2023 reached levels not seen in over a decade, and this year is already set to exceed that. Across the world, war continues to uproot families, fracture communities and dismantle what generations have built. As we remember those losses, we must reflect on these deeper meanings. Our remembrance must be more than silence, it must call us to action. Here in the Senedd, we have a responsibility to champion diplomacy, foster understanding and support every effort to prevent conflict.”
“Over the weekend, yesterday and today, we have gathered and are gathering here with poppies close to our hearts, a familiar symbol that represents a profound, often unspoken, truth: these flowers honour the members of the armed services who have fallen. But these poppies also serve as witnesses to countless civilians whose lives have been irrevocably scarred by war. In Wales we know this truth well. During the second world war, our communities opened their doors to more than 110,000 evacuated children fleeing conflict. Bombing raids over Cardiff and Swansea demonstrated first-hand how far war reaches beyond the battlefield, invading ordinary lives and blurring the line between soldier and civilian.”
“Can you tell us what your plans are in meeting with them again, what your plan is for communication with all of those affected, going ahead, for them to know exactly what the situation is and how the Welsh Government is going to continue to support them in ensuring that this happens as quickly as it can? We will be, as Janet has said, eight years since 72 people died at Grenfell, and it really isn't acceptable that it's taken this long in Wales. Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“Good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary. Grenfell happened seven years ago. The Grenfell phase 2 report was released in September. You can understand the level of frustration that there is amongst those who are suffering right now that this is taking so long. The mental health and the trauma experienced right now by the people in those buildings—and this is going back many, many years, as you've heard from Janet, and I'm sure you'll hear from others as well—are significant. One of the issues that they raise is about communication, that they don't know what's happening, they don't know how it's going to happen or what the timescales are. I know you've met with the Welsh Cladiators once.”
“Without quotas, Wales is left with a voting system that curtails choice, reduces accountability, and fails to guarantee that fair representation. My question to you, Cabinet Secretary—and I do welcome your commitment to this area; I know that you personally are committed, but nevertheless your Government is not—is: what is your response? When in 2026 you talk about measurable outcomes and reviewing what political parties have done, can I ask you, is that going to be statutory or is it going to be voluntary, because if it's the latter, then it will hold no water whatsoever? Thank you.”
“There is a sizeable risk that the next Senedd will be the least gender balanced in history. That's not me saying that, that's the director of the Electoral Reform Society. So, in fact, your hope, Cabinet Secretary, that it will be more gender balanced may not be borne out. There is one political party that is not in the Senedd at the moment where there are considerable risks that we may not have women coming forward. The evidence is clear: legislative gender quotas are the only way to achieve gender-balanced Senedds and parliaments. Back in September, I expressed my intense bitterness, sadness and upset that political expediency and party interests were prioritised over women's representation and democratic reform when it came to introducing gender quotas.”
“Good afternoon, Trefnydd. Could I request a statement, please, from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales regarding the proposed cuts to the Heart of Wales line? The Heart of Wales line, for those of you who don't know, is a 120-mile rural railway line. It goes from Swansea to Shrewsbury and stops at 29 stations. Last week, over 100 residents and community leaders gathered in Knighton, speaking out against Transport for Wales plans to slash the services from five trains to four. Many people think that the Heart of Wales line is just for tourists, but it is an essential lifeline for rural communities. So, I would like to ask the Cabinet Secretary if he would rethink the plan to cut the fifth service and to go out and to listen to residents, all of whom spoke about how important this train service is to their lives.”
“3. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog nodi nifer y cleifion a arhosodd am fwy na 24 awr am wely ar ôl cyrraedd yr ysbyty mewn ambiwlans? OQ61857”
“Their well-being, physical, mental and emotional, is crucial if we are to ensure that they work to the best of their abilities. This is impossible without adequate financing of GP practices. Six months ago, I visited the GPs in Brecon and Radnorshire and heard from them all about the significant challenges in recruiting and retaining GPs in rural areas. I have called, and I call again, for a GP rural premium to recognise the significant and additional challenges for GPs in our rural areas. But I finish with a very specific question for the Cabinet Secretary: will you continue to fund and recruit GPs through the innovative practice and programme that there was previously? It was a really innovative programme that allowed GPs in rural areas to both be recruited and to be retained. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd dros dro.”
“I would like to begin by thanking BMA Cymru for their Save our Surgeries campaign. I was there at the Senedd reception back in July that Russell has just referred to, and it was incredibly sad to hear the stories of GPs who face incredible challenges in 2024 and beyond. GPs are the first point of contact in the life of a patient, and are often now intervening more, given the longer waiting lists. Thank you, diolch yn fawr iawn, to all of those who work in surgeries as GPs, practice managers, nurses and additional staff. It is hard going, and we are grateful to you. The statistics, in their most recent report, paint a sad picture of the state of GPs and their practices here in Wales. But GPs are not statistics, they're our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues, and their well-being should not be an afterthought.”
“So, finally, and to finish, I call on the Welsh Government to press Westminster to ensure that EU citizens and their families in the UK are given physical proof of their right to remain. This is a simple yet essential step to prevent vulnerable residents from being unjustly penalised by a flawed system. Please show us that your role here in Cardiff as a Labour Minister has an influence on a Labour UK Government. Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“This shift has created a system that many say is unfit for purpose and already harming vulnerable people. Our evidence sessions revealed how the digital-only status of the settlement scheme continues to exclude many with limited digital literacy or English proficiency. As Fiona Costello highlighted, within communities like the Roma in Wales, many applicants struggle, often relying on children or family members to manage and verify their status. Soon, the stakes will rise. Starting 1 January 2025, as many as 4 million to 5 million people living in the UK may find themselves, effectively, undocumented. These individuals haven't lost their right to be here—they're lawful residents—but they're trapped by a digital system that was supposed to protect them.”
“I, therefore, firstly urge the Cabinet Secretary to commit to sustainable long-term funding for support services beyond 2025. Another key factor in maintaining support is improving data sharing, as we've already heard from Sioned Williams. Organisations like Settled stress that, without data, we can't identify who needs the support or where they are, diminishing the effectiveness of any efforts. So, will a new UK Labour Government now in office be persuaded and influenced by this Welsh Labour Government to take advantage of renewed collaboration and use all of the available influence to secure access to this vital data? Finally, I'd like to address the impact of the rapid digitisation of the UK's immigration system, accelerated by the previous Conservative Governments.”
“So, there are some things that we have done in Wales well. I'm glad to see reflected in the report progress in supporting these communities. Notably, I commend all 22 Welsh local authorities that have achieved green status from the independent monitoring authority for assisting looked-after children and care leavers. Yet the Welsh Government's response to our report's recommendations is really concerning. The commitment to support services like Settled only until March 2025 betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of what witnesses have clearly told us—that this is a generation-long issue that won't simply fade away. Future funding tied solely to annual demand reviews fails to provide the stability needed to avoid, as we've heard many times today, a possible repeat of the Windrush scandal.”
“In 2016, Vote Leave promised that EU citizens would automatically be granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK, and assured that there would be no significant changes for those lawfully residing here. A shameful requirement for those people who have given so much to this country. And those assurances and rights quickly unravelled. What should have been a straightforward process has instead become a complex, frustrating ordeal. Through no fault of their own, thousands of EU citizens in Wales are now caught up in a confusing system that jeopardises their right to stay here. It is the vulnerable who are especially at risk: long-term elderly EU residents often unaware that they need to apply, even; members of the Roma community, as we've heard, who are sometimes unable to access a system that operates entirely online.”