Adam Price
Constituency Member · Plaid Cymru · Wales
“But it does raise broader questions, which I think are relevant to the governance of the public sector and all arm’s-length bodies, and I do want to talk about those in a second. The picture that has just been painted for us—it's a pretty dire one, isn't it, really?”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We had delayed financial reporting. The fact that we're discussing here, in November 2024, the accounts from 2021-22 in itself, I think, captures that.”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Remember the leadership crisis in 2017 in Sport Wales and the dysfunctionality that was shown there; the financial mismanagement and the repeated audit qualifications that led to the resignation of the chair of NRW in 2018; the issues in terms of the forced resignation of Betsi Cadwaladr's board; the auditor general's review of the fire a…”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Clearly, the national museum, Amgueddfa Cymru, is one of our most important national institutions. It's the institution that helps us tell our national story, and I think it clearly is the case in any nation, that the way that we preserve our past and the way we structure and support the institutions that help us do so, if we get that wro…”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I'm not wishing to litigate the issues of substance that were at the heart of the disagreement, but in terms of public reputation, was it right to appoint the former president to a role leading a task and finish group in the heritage sector, following this dispute, and then, as the Chair has just said, to draw the conclusion, in public po…”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“You've been very generous this afternoon. You are urging the Welsh Government to be as innovative as possible in regard to the policy levers that it has available. You referenced business rates, and indeed they were referenced at the outset as well. The origin of the business rates goes back to 1601.”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
The complete record
Every one of 46 lines we hold for Adam Price, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account.
This is not an official version of UK Parliament proceedings. It reproduces the published record and links to it; the official version is the one UK Parliament publishes.
“You've been very generous this afternoon. You are urging the Welsh Government to be as innovative as possible in regard to the policy levers that it has available. You referenced business rates, and indeed they were referenced at the outset as well. The origin of the business rates goes back to 1601. The tax is that old—the Elizabethan poor law, which generated relief for the poor based on the rental value of commercial buildings. Surely, it's high time that we actually replaced it, because it's not fit for purpose and there are far fairer ways in which business can make a proper contribution, absolutely, but do so in a way that is helpful, rather than hindering the businesses.”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“There is a theorem in public sector governance, 'diversity trumps talent'. I'm not sure about the middle word in that, but there is strong evidence that if you have a diverse board, you get a better functioning board. You need skill-based appointments as well, so you're not just choosing from a small reservoir, a small group of talent, but you're actually seeking to have the widest and most diverse group, because those are the most effective boards, and if we do that then I think we might be in a position to avoid some of the problems that I've just described.”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Remember the leadership crisis in 2017 in Sport Wales and the dysfunctionality that was shown there; the financial mismanagement and the repeated audit qualifications that led to the resignation of the chair of NRW in 2018; the issues in terms of the forced resignation of Betsi Cadwaladr's board; the auditor general's review of the fire authorities in Wales, showing the weak accountability structures there. We have a general problem, I think, in terms of governance in the public sector, and that is eroding public trust, which means that public services cannot be delivered in the way that they should be, and so we need to strengthen the governance frameworks. We need not a system of self-assessment, but we need more rigorous audit from the Welsh Government's public bodies unit. We need to look at more diverse boards.”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I'm not wishing to litigate the issues of substance that were at the heart of the disagreement, but in terms of public reputation, was it right to appoint the former president to a role leading a task and finish group in the heritage sector, following this dispute, and then, as the Chair has just said, to draw the conclusion, in public policy terms, that the thing to do after this sorry tale is then to move to a light-touch system of regulation of arm's-length bodies, to move to self-assessment? Surely we should be going in the opposite direction. What we need to have is more rigorous auditing, overview and oversight of public sector bodies. Because it's not just the problems here in Museum Wales.”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We had delayed financial reporting. The fact that we're discussing here, in November 2024, the accounts from 2021-22 in itself, I think, captures that. We had obviously weak systems for dealing with internal grievances and whistleblowing, which reflect a wider problem in terms of organisational dysfunction at the heart of the institution. But the Welsh Government has to also accept its responsibilities here. Despite their awareness of serious failures of governance since, I believe, 2020, the Welsh Government's intervention lacked timeliness, lacked transparency, and allowed it to fester, and that was the wrong approach. Then, afterwards, I think there are legitimate questions raised by the committee in terms of was it the right thing, in terms of public perception, to then appoint the former president of Amgueddfa Cymru—.”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“But it does raise broader questions, which I think are relevant to the governance of the public sector and all arm’s-length bodies, and I do want to talk about those in a second. The picture that has just been painted for us—it's a pretty dire one, isn't it, really? We had here, essentially, a prolonged internal dispute, persistent conflict, serious disagreement between senior management and trustees, which resulted in the paralysis, over many years, of decision-making processes. We had the delegation of critical decisions such as financial settlements to a limited subset of trustees. We had the use of e-mail only for decision making, board meetings without minutes, et cetera. This had a pretty negative impact. We've heard the £750,000 it actually cost directly, but think of the thousands of hours, probably, that went into this situation.”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Clearly, the national museum, Amgueddfa Cymru, is one of our most important national institutions. It's the institution that helps us tell our national story, and I think it clearly is the case in any nation, that the way that we preserve our past and the way we structure and support the institutions that help us do so, if we get that wrong, then how can we shape our future? So, culture is the key, often, and when something goes wrong with our cultural institutions, then that should be a core concern for our politics. And it has to be said that what we've just heard from the chair of the PAPA committee, I think, is a great cause for concern because it raises some serious questions about systemic failure, both within the national museums, but also, I think, in terms of the Welsh Government's wider responsibilities.”
Senedd Cymru27 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“First Minister, the situation in terms of waiting times for ambulances in Carmarthenshire has reached a critical point. I heard just this month from a constituent whose mother was in her nineties and had fallen and been injured at 6 o'clock in the morning, the ambulance couldn't get to her until 2 o'clock in the afternoon and she was in serious pain. In getting to A&E then, she had to wait overnight in that ambulance until she was taken to another hospital at 3 o'clock in the morning. In another case at the beginning of the month, a rugby player in Nantgaredig was injured, and he and the physios caring for him had to stay on the pitch, on a cold, wintry night, for six hours, to wait for an ambulance to arrive from a hospital five miles away. 'Say less, do more' is what you said earlier. Can you give me an assurance that my constituents won't have to face these unacceptable situations any longer?”
Original: “Brif Weinidog, mae'r sefyllfa o ran amseroedd aros ar gyfer ambiwlansys yn sir Gaerfyrddin wedi cyrraedd sefyllfa hollol argyfyngus. Clywais i ddim ond mis yma gan etholwr, a'i mam yn ei nawdegau wedi cwympo ac anafu am 6 o'r gloch y bore, yr ambiwlans wedyn yn methu â chyrraedd tan 2 o'r gloch yn y prynhawn, a hithau mewn poen difrifol trwy'r amser. Wrth gyrraedd yr adran frys wedyn, bu'n rhaid iddi aros dros nos yn yr ambiwlans hwnnw nes iddi gael ei chludo i ysbyty arall am 3 o'r gloch y bore. Mewn achos arall ar ddechrau'r mis, mi gafodd chwaraewr rygbi yn Nantgaredig ei anafu, a gorfu ef a'r ffisios oedd yn gofalu amdano fe aros ar y cae, ar noson oer, aeafol, am chwe awr, i ambiwlans gyrraedd o ysbyty pum milltir i ffwrdd. 'Dywedwch llai, gwnewch fwy' yw'r hyn a ddywedoch chi gynnau.”
Senedd Cymru26 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“8. How is the Welsh Government planning to reduce waiting times for ambulances in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr? OQ61958”
Original: “8. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu lleihau'r amseroedd aros ar gyfer ambiwlans yn Nwyrain Caerfyrddin a Dinefwr? OQ61958”
Senedd Cymru26 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Thank you, Chair. I just wanted to put on record that I have worked with Jennifer Nadel and Sam Fowles in different contexts on this subject. Sam Fowles provided pro bono support to me in drafting section 64 of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill. That is on the register of interests. I was part of the working group that fed into the original White Paper. And I have worked with Jennifer Nadel as part of the Compassion in Politics campaign, and I have had several conversations with her over the past year.”
Original: “Diolch, Cadeirydd. Rydw i jest eisiau rhoi ar y record y ffaith fy mod i wedi gweithio gyda Jennifer Nadel a Sam Fowles mewn gwahanol gyd-destunau ar y pwnc yma. Mae Sam Fowles wedi rhoi cefnogaeth pro bono i mi wrth ddrafftio adran 64 o’r Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru). Mae hynny ar y gofrestr fuddiannau. Mi oeddwn i’n rhan o’r gweithgor oedd wedi bwydo i mewn i’r Papur Gwyn gwreiddiol. Ac rydw i wedi gweithio gyda Jennifer Nadel fel rhan o ymgyrch Compassion in Politics ac wedi cael sawl sgwrs dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf gyda hi.”
Senedd Cymru25 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Just one additional point—'m sorry, Chair, I forgot to mention this. I think, in the letter, they refer to the fact that they have gathered data from bodies that are regulated. But, you will be aware that there is another category of public bodies that follow the code on public appointments voluntarily, so would it be possible, as they gather this data, to do that not only for the boards that are regulated, but also that category of bodies that follow the code voluntarily?”
Original: “Jest un pwynt ychwanegol—mae'n flin gen i, Cadeirydd, roeddwn i wedi anghofio. Dwi'n credu, yn y llythyr, maen nhw'n cyfeirio at y ffaith eu bod nhw wedi casglu data gan gyrff sydd yn rheoleiddiedig. Ond, fe gofiwch chi fod yna gategori arall o gyrff cyhoeddus sydd yn dilyn y cod apwyntiadau cyhoeddus yn wirfoddol, ac a fyddai modd, wrth iddyn nhw gasglu'r data, felly, wneud hynny nid yn unig ar gyfer byrddau sydd yn rheoleiddiedig, y cyrff sydd yn rheoleiddiedig, ond hefyd y categori yna o gyrff sydd yn dilyn y cod yn wirfoddol?”
Senedd Cymru21 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Ynglŷn â chymhwysedd y Senedd i gyflwyno system apwyntiadau cyhoeddus ein hunain, gan nad yw'r Llywodraeth wedi cymryd cyngor ynglŷn â hyn, a fyddem ni fel pwyllgor yn gallu cael cyngor gan gyfreithwyr y Senedd fel ein bod ni'n deall beth yw'r sefyllfa o ran cymhwysedd, cyn ein bod ni'n cyflwyno ein hargymhellion yn yr adroddiad terfynol?”
Senedd Cymru21 November 2024Welsh verbatim · official translation covers the whole contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Yes, I agree with Mike in that sense, and I also welcome the fact that the Government is going to gather that data on current boards regarding the Welsh language. However, they should extend that to geographical location as well. And I don't understand why they had left those things out in the second survey, because we have to remember that they did commit to do this—whenever it was—four years ago, I think. So, we're now, at least, hearing a commitment to deliver what they'd originally committed to doing. So, yes, could they gather the additional data on language skills, but also extend that to the socioeconomic groups and to geographic location, as they committed to doing originally? Regarding the Senedd's competence to introduce a public appointments system of our own, given that the Government hasn't taken advice on this, could we as a committee receive legal advice from the Senedd lawyers so that we understand what the situation is in terms of competence, before we introduce our recommendations in the final report?”
Original: “Ie, dwi'n cytuno gyda Mike yn hynny o beth, a dwi hefyd yn croesawu'r ffaith nawr fod y Llywodraeth yn mynd i gasglu'r data ar fyrddau presennol ynglŷn â'r Gymraeg, ond mi ddylen nhw ymestyn hynny i leoliad daearyddol hefyd. A dwi ddim yn deall pam roedden nhw wedi gadael y pethau yma mas yn yr ail arolwg, achos mae'n rhaid cofio y gwnaethon nhw ymrwymo i wneud hyn—pryd bynnag oedd hi—bedair blynedd yn ôl. Felly, dŷn ni'n cyrraedd nawr, o leiaf, ymrwymiad i gyflawni'r hyn roedden nhw wedi ei ymrwymo i wneud yn wreiddiol. Felly, oes modd iddyn nhw, ie, plîs, gasglu'r data ychwanegol ynglŷn â sgiliau iaith, ond hefyd ymestyn e i grŵp sosio-economaidd ac i leoliad daearyddol, fel y gwnaethon nhw ymrwymo i wneud yn wreiddiol?”
Senedd Cymru21 November 2024Official translation from Welsh of the full contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In fact, we had other questions on this when you were last in this ministerial role. Can you reassure us that there will be no further delay to this project and that the original dates that I’ve just shared with you will be kept to?”
Senedd Cymru20 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Minister for climate change, who was then responsible for this project, did make a statement—in fact, it was actually earlier this year, in February 2024—about an accelerated timetable. Following that, I was informed that the employment agent was to be appointed in August of this year. You just said that they’re going to be appointed in January. That is a five-month delay. Will that have a knock-on effect on the later stages in the project development? I was informed that the early contractor involvement award was going to be made in December 2025 and that the draft orders were going to be published in May 2027. Any further delay would be a matter of grave concern, because this is already a project that is eight years now in the making since the original decision.”
Senedd Cymru20 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“1. Will the Cabinet Secretary explain why the timetable which was drawn up in 2023 for appointing an employer's agent for the Llandeilo bypass has been delayed by five months? OQ61873”
Original: “1. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifenydd Cabinet esbonio pam mae'r amserlen a luniwyd yn 2023 ar gyfer penodi asiant cyflogaeth ar gyfer ffordd osgoi Llandeilo wedi ei gohirio am bum mis? OQ61873”
Senedd Cymru20 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It's using 240 artillery tubes a month, where it can only produce 20. It's losing 144 infantry vehicles a month; it can only produce 17 a month. It will run out during 2025. If we provide Ukraine, if we provide the Ukrainian people, with the support that they deserve as Europeans—because we cannot rely on the US administration—they can still win, but they do not have much time left, and, if they don't have much time left, and if they lose, then so will we.”
Senedd Cymru19 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In the last—what is it—24 hours, two cables have been cut—what is it—between Finland and Germany and between Sweden and Lithuania. Incendiary devices have been sent through the air and have exploded in DHL warehouses in the UK and in Germany as preparation for what's coming next. The Russian state is getting ready, and it sees its advantage now with, of course, the new Trump administration. This is the moment of our maximum danger, both in Ukraine, the front line of the coming European war. That is not dramatic language; that is actually a statement of what we are facing, and we must not make the same mistake that we made then. There is still an opportunity for the war to be won, but we have to now provide the maximum support that has not been given hitherto. Actually, Russia is burning through its weapons.”
Senedd Cymru19 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“If the White House was to force it to sign a peace treaty that ceded some of its territory and forced neutrality on it, forced it to give up its hope of NATO membership, which is its only realistic prospect of avoiding being extinguished in the future, then what would happen is Russia would re-arm. Russia would use the time to re-arm and then it would invade again, or it would engineer the political circumstances on the ground where it could actually topple the political leadership class, and you're then in the sort of Georgian territory, effectively, of oligarchs coming into power and you having Ukraine as a kind of vassal state of Russia. And that's a very, very dangerous circumstance, not just for Ukraine—you know, we're next. The hybrid war has already begun.”
Senedd Cymru19 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“And that's what happened at Czechoslovakia in 1938, when you had a combination of American isolation, through the neutrality Acts that were passed in the 1930s, and European appeasement, which meant that a country was basically dismembered, ostensibly through a peace treaty, and we can see that's the kind of emerging narrative, abetted, of course, by the disinformation machines of the Russian state. But this would not be a peace, of course. What happened to Czechoslovakia is that, yes, there was a peace agreement that lasted six months, before that country's existence was extinguished, and that's effectively what would happen to Ukraine.”
Senedd Cymru19 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is a tragedy, isn't it, a double tragedy, not just the original tragedy of the Holodomor, but the fact that, as humanity, we haven't learnt the essential element, as Mick Antoniw described, of using hunger as a weapon of war. I mean, that's present today, isn't it? It's in the conflicts in Sudan, in Yemen, in Ethiopia. It's certainly a central element that has led many international authorities and observers to say that the actions of Israel has now met the threshold of genocide in Gaza. So, we haven't learnt, unfortunately. We haven't learnt from history. But I'd like to focus my comments tonight on the very perilous situation that Ukraine faces today and the very real danger that another shameful episode in twentieth-century European history is about to be repeated.”
Senedd Cymru19 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Could I turn very briefly to the theme of community cohesion? How did the Welsh Government work with the Vale of Glamorgan Council, because this had been brought up specifically in the Senedd, to develop housing for Ukrainians on the former primary school site in Llantwit Major? And how did you tackle any risks in terms of community cohesion in that context?”
Original: “Gaf i droi jest yn gyflym iawn at thema cydlyniant cymunedol, community cohesion ? Sut oedd Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio gyda Chyngor Bro Morgannwg, am fod hyn yn benodol wedi cael ei godi yn y Senedd, i ddatblygu tai ar gyfer Wcrainiaid ar hen safle’r ysgol gynradd yn Llanilltud Fawr? A sut oeddech chi wedi mynd i’r afael gydag unrhyw risgiau o ran cydlyniant cymunedol yn y cyd-destun hwnnw?”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Rent Smart Wales landlords, some of them—. The training for those landlords under Rent Smart Wales had been rated red in the progress update regarding the nation of sanctuary policy. What was the impact of the delivery delay in terms of providing this training?”
Original: “Mi oedd landlordiaid Rhentu Doeth Cymru, rhai ohonyn nhw—. Mi oedd hyfforddiant ar gyfer landlordiaid o dan Rhentu Doeth Cymru wedi’i sgorio'n goch yn yr adroddiad cynnydd o ran y polisi cenedl noddfa. Beth oedd effaith yr oedi wrth gyflwyno'r hyfforddiant yma?”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“What is the latest position regarding the travel scheme and why was there a hiatus between the scheme being brought to an end and a new scheme being put in its place?”
Original: “Beth yw'r sefyllfa gyfredol o ran y cynllun teithio a pham oedd yna saib rhwng dod â'r cynllun i ben a rhoi rhywbeth newydd yn ei le?”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Because of a lack of time, maybe could we have some brief answers. I know that this is a broad-ranging area. In the context of this review of the nation of sanctuary policy, how have lessons from the response to the situation in Ukraine informed that review?”
Original: “Oherwydd amser, efallai os gallwn ni gael atebion mor gryno ag sy'n bosib. Dwi'n gwybod bod hwn yn faes eang. Yng nghyd-destun yr adolygiad yma o'r genedl noddfa, sut mae gwersi o'r ymateb i'r sefyllfa yn Wcráin wedi llywio'r adolygiad?”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Thank you, Chair. I'd like to turn now to the broader policy of the nation of sanctuary, which you've referred to already. I just would like to ask how the Welsh Government has built on the progress update that was published in early 2024. That is, given that progress update, how will you be assessing the overall progress in implementing the nation of sanctuary plan?”
Original: “Diolch, Gadeirydd. Dwi eisiau troi at y polisi ehangach o genedl noddfa rydych chi wedi cyfeirio ato yn barod. Dwi jest eisiau gofyn sut mae'r Llywodraeth wedi adeiladu ar y diweddariad cynnydd a gyhoeddwyd yn gynnar eleni. Hynny yw, sut, o ystyried y diweddariad cynnydd hwnnw, y byddwch chi'n asesu'r cynnydd cyffredinol wrth weithredu'r cynllun cenedl noddfa?”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“A'r perygl mor belled ag y mae cyfrifoldebau’r pwyllgor yma yn y cwestiwn yw bod enw da y gwasanaeth sifil hefyd yn mynd i gael ei erydu oherwydd, wrth gwrs, eu bod nhw ynghlwm wrth weithredu y cod gweinidogol ar hyn o bryd, fel mae llythyr David Richards yn dangos, ac mae yna berygl nid yn unig, felly, fod ymddiriedaeth y cyhoedd yn y Llywodraeth, o ran y Gweinidogion, yn dioddef, ond hefyd bod eu ffydd ac ymddiriedaeth yn y gwasanaeth sifil a’i annibyniaeth a’i didueddrwydd— impartiality, hynny yw—yn dioddef hefyd, ac mae hynny â goblygiadau pellgyrhaeddol. Felly, dwi'n meddwl bod yn rhaid i ni gael proses o adolygu sut mae'r cod gweinidogol yma'n cael ei weithredu a chael awgrymiadau ynglŷn â system newydd.”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Welsh verbatim · official translation covers the whole contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I’d like to just put on public record, in the wake of the response from David Richards, that it’s obvious to me that the ministerial code, in its current form, is not fit for purpose, and it is necessary to have a new framework. Even compared with the code in Westminster, which has major weaknesses—there is an intention in the Government there to strengthen it—in terms of transparency and clarity and objectivity, to an extent, but even so it is stronger than the one that we have in Wales. So, there is a problem in terms of how the ministerial code operates, or doesn't operate or doesn't work, rather, at present. If the intent is to boost public trust, I don't think that the ministerial code delivers that purpose at present. And the risk as far as the responsibilities of this committee are concerned is that the reputation of the civil service is also going to be eroded because they are tied into implementing the ministerial code, as David Richards's letter shows, and there is a risk not only that the public trust in the Government, in terms of Ministers, will suffer, but also that their trust in the civil service and its independence and impartiality will suffer as well, and that will have far-reaching implications. So, I do think that we need a process of review regarding how the ministerial code operates, and we need some suggestions as regards a new system.”
Original: “Hoffwn i jest roi ar y record gyhoeddus, yn sgil yr ymateb gan David Richards, ei bod hi'n amlwg i fi nad yw'r cod gweinidogol presennol yn ffit i bwrpas a bod yn rhaid cael fframwaith newydd. Hyd yn oed o gymharu gyda'r un sy'n bodoli yn San Steffan, ac mae yna wendidau mawr gyda hynny—ac mae yna fwriad gyda'r Llywodraeth lawr fanna i’w gryfhau e—o ran tryloywder ac eglurder a gwrthrychedd, i raddau, hyd yn oed nawr mae'n gryfach na'r un sydd gennym ni yng Nghymru. Felly, mae yna broblem, dwi'n credu, o ran sut mae'r cod gweinidogol yn gweithio, neu ddim yn gweithio, yn hytrach, ar hyn o bryd. Os taw’r bwriad yw cynyddu ymddiriedaeth y cyhoedd, dwi ddim yn credu bod y cod gweinidogol yn cyflawni’r pwrpas hynny ar hyn o bryd.”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from Welsh of the full contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Thank you for that. If I could come back, just to ask would—looking forward, of course, to reading the work that the auditor was referring to. I wonder if there was a way of looking at the work that the National Audit Office had undertaken about 15 years ago in relation to funding formulas for local public services. They conducted a geographic review in this area that didn't just look at local government, but also looked at similar formulas in the NHS, for example. So, they coped with the question with regard to where that border is between the responsibilities of the auditors and the policy decisions. But perhaps that report is a basis for us to have a discussion about whether there is scope for us to have a similar review by Audit Wales?”
Original: “Diolch am hwnna. Os caf fi ddod nôl, jest i ofyn a fyddai—yn edrych ymlaen, wrth gwrs, i ddarllen y gwaith roedd yr archwilydd wedi cyfeirio ato—modd edrych ar y gwaith roedd y National Audit Office wedi'i wneud amboutu 15 mlynedd yn ôl ar fformiwlâu ariannu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus lleol. Fe wnaethon nhw adolygiad tirweddol yn y maes yma nad oedd ddim ond yn edrych ar lywodraeth leol, ond hefyd yn edrych ar fformiwlâu cyfatebol o fewn y gwasanaeth iechyd, er enghraifft. Felly, mi oedden nhw wedi medru dygymod â'r cwestiwn ynglŷn â ble mae'r ffin rhwng cyfrifoldebau yr archwilwyr a'r penderfyniadau polisi. Ond efallai fod yr adroddiad hynny yn sail inni gael trafodaeth a oes yna le ar gyfer adolygiad tebyg gan y swyddfa archwilio yng Nghymru.”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Dwi'n deall efallai y byddai rhai'n ei ddehongli fe fel yna, ond wrth gwrs mae e'n cael cymaint o effaith ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus yng nghyd-destun awdurdodau lleol, ond hefyd mewn cyd-destunau eraill. Hynny yw, a fyddai modd gweld a oes cyfle i gael rhywun yn annibynnol o'r Llywodraeth efallai i edrych ar y mater yma? Wrth gwrs, fel roedd Mike yn ei ddweud, efallai ei bod hi'n anodd disgwyl i Gymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru ddod i un farn achos mi fydd pob awdurdod â dehongliad gwahanol o'r angen am newid. Ond pe bai modd i'r swyddfa archwilio edrych i mewn i'r cwestiwn yma o sut mae'r fformiwla ariannu'n cael ei gweithredu, o leiaf, byddai hwnna hefyd yn gam i'r cyfeiriad iawn, dwi'n meddwl.”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Welsh verbatim · official translation covers the whole contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Thank you, Chair. I agree basically with the point that Mike Hedges made about the need for transparency. I think that that would be a great help to us as Members of the Senedd and as committees in terms of scrutiny, but also help with the broader public discussion, as was suggested. So, would it be possible for the clerks to raise that point in discussion with other committees, to see who should make that suggestion, if everyone does agree that that is a sensible step? But, more broadly, I'd like to ask what work has been done around this question of the funding formula. The Government of course has reviewed, as any Government does from time to time, but is this a suitable area for the Wales Audit Office, or does the audit office believe that it's an issue of policy rather than an operational financial area for them to consider? I understand that some people would interpret it that way, but it does have such an impact on public services in the context of local authorities, but also in other contexts. That is, would it be possible to see whether there is an opportunity to have somebody independent of Government to look at this issue? Of course, as Mike said, perhaps it's difficult to expect the Welsh Local Government Association to come to a single view because all authorities will have a different interpretation of the need for change. But if it would be possible for the audit office to look at this question of how the funding formula is implemented, at least, that would be a step in the right direction, I feel.”
Original: “Diolch, Gadeirydd. Dwi'n cytuno'n sylfaenol â'r pwynt roedd Mike Hedges yn ei wneud ynglŷn â'r angen am dryloywder. Dwi'n credu y byddai hynny'n ein helpu ni fel Aelodau o'r Senedd ac fel pwyllgorau i graffu, ond hefyd helpu â'r drafodaeth gyhoeddus ehangach, fel yr awgrymwyd. Felly, oes modd i'r clercod godi'r pwynt hwnnw wrth drafod gyda'r pwyllgorau eraill, i weld pwy ddylai wneud yr awgrym hwnnw, os ydy pawb yn cytuno bod hynny'n synhwyrol? Ond, yn fwy eang, hoffwn i ofyn pa waith sydd wedi cael ei wneud ynglŷn â'r cwestiwn yma o'r fformiwla ariannu. Mae'r Llywodraeth wrth gwrs wedi adolygu, fel unrhyw Lywodraeth o bryd i'w gilydd, ond ydy hwn yn faes cymwys ar gyfer Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru, neu ydy'r swyddfa archwilio'n credu ei fod e'n fater o bolisi yn hytrach nag yn faes gweithredol ariannol iddyn nhw ei ystyried?”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from Welsh of the full contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As you're aware, Chair, I won't be taking part in the part of the meeting and our deliberations on the Commission. So, I just wanted to put that on the record, and that that will be reflected in the Record of Proceedings.”
Original: “Fel rŷch chi'n ymwybodol, Gadeirydd, fyddaf i ddim yn cymryd rhan yn y rhan honno o'n trafodaethau nes ymlaen ynglŷn â'r Comisiwn. Felly, jest eisiau rhoi hwnna ar y record, a bydd yn cael ei adlewyrchu yn y Cofnod.”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from WelshContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Pa gymorth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gallu cynnig er mwyn hwyluso hyn a’i droi e'n gynllun efallai y gellir wedyn ei efelychu mewn cymunedau eraill ar draws Cymru?”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Welsh verbatim · official translation covers the whole contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I'm grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for her response. There is a dire need in terms of homelessness and social housing in the Ammanford and the Amman Valley area. For example, there are around 400 people on the council’s housing waiting list in Ammanford alone, with most of them on the highest level in terms of need, namely band A. Many of them need one-person accommodation, which is very scarce, of course. In discussing with the food bank locally and with the council in terms of how we can be innovative in responding to this need, we have been having discussions with Habitat for Humanity, a charity that is currently developing pilots in England in order to turn empty buildings into social housing. They're interested in doing something in Wales. There are empty buildings in Ammanford, and the council is interested in being part of such a pilot scheme. So, what support can the Welsh Government provide in order to facilitate that and to make it a plan that can be emulated in other communities across Wales?”
Original: “Rwy’n ddiolchgar i’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet am ei hateb. Mae yna angen dybryd o ran digartrefedd a thai cymdeithasol yn ardal Rhydaman a Dyffryn Aman. Er enghraifft, mae yna tua 400 o bobl ar restr aros tai'r cyngor yn Rhydaman yn unig, gyda’r rhan fwyaf ohonyn nhw ar y lefel uchaf o ran angen, felly band A. Mae llawer ohonyn nhw angen tai un person, sydd yn brin iawn, wrth gwrs. Wrth drafod gyda’r banc bwyd yn lleol a’r cyngor sut ŷn ni’n gallu bod yn ddyfeisgar wrth ymateb i’r angen yma, rŷn ni wedi bod yn trafod gyda Habitat for Humanity, yr elusen sydd ar hyn o bryd yn datblygu cynlluniau peilot yn Lloegr i droi adeiladau gwag yn dai cymdeithasol. Mae diddordeb gyda nhw i wneud rhywbeth yng Nghymru. Mae yna adeiladau gwag gyda ni yn Rhydaman, ac mae diddordeb gyda’r cyngor i fod yn rhan o gynllun peilot o’r fath.”
Senedd Cymru6 November 2024Official translation from Welsh of the full contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Can I ask what specific changes are you going to be introducing now to make school communities safer for everyone? And can I suggest one specific one? In England, guidelines allow teachers to search pupils without their consent where necessary, where they have reasonable belief that they have prohibited items—weapons, knives, it could be alcohol, drugs et cetera. Teachers don't have that power currently in Wales. You could change the guidance now. That could potentially save lives. Why aren't you making that change?”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I welcome the tacit admission in your statement of a situation where increasingly teachers are fearful for their physical safety and indeed their mental health, facing a torrent of abuse and violence in many situations. But what you're suggesting so far I don't think is sufficient in terms of urgency or seriousness. You say that you haven't ruled out holding a behaviour summit. Surely in a situation where many schools now have seen strikes because teachers are fearful for their safety, and we've had serious life-threatening incidents in schools throughout Wales, you should be holding that summit as an urgent priority, because a deep-dive and a behavioural toolkit, which we've been waiting for all year, simply is not sufficient.”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“So, yes, let’s get the ownership structure right, let’s get the legislative framework right, but we cannot ignore, when we’re talking of a public sector infrastructure, that unless we have the funding framework and the context, then we are not going to be able to maximise any benefits in legislative changes and we’re not going to be able to achieve our aspirations as a Senedd and the expectations of the people who send us here.”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“So, while recognising and acknowledging this important step in this Bill, we will not be able to achieve the full aspirations that we share in our party, and that indeed are shared more generally, until we have movement in terms of the funding context as well. So, we recognise and support this legislative change, but we reiterate that, while improvements in the ownership structure of public transport and in the legislative framework are a step in the right direction, we can only achieve our ultimate goal if we have the funding platform, no pun intended, that is absolutely vital.”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“However, reducing private sector control in the rail network alone, in that context, will not address the ongoing and historic underinvestment in Wales's railways, nor will it ensure that fair funding for Wales is secured. Therefore, we cannot fail to recognise the ongoing importance of the fight for funding justice for Wales in the context of our railways and the millions that have been denied to Wales as a result of the failure to recognise what is owed to us through the HS2 programme, and of course we’ll continue to miss out until that is rectified. Until rail infrastructure is devolved fully, this will remain a constant driver of underinvestment in our public transport infrastructure.”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Plaid Cymru welcomes the principles behind the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill, which seeks to transition franchised passenger railway services, as we've heard, from private to public ownership, which is a long-standing policy goal for us. Our public transport system, we believe, should serve the interests of the public and not the profit motive of private companies. This Bill, therefore, represents an important step in that direction. We recognise the benefits this transition will bring as we work towards more generally an integrated public transport system, of course, including the proposals for reregulating bus services, which are also a long-standing policy goal that we share.”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Contains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Os ydy'r gwelliant hwnnw yn cael ei basio, ydy'r Llywodraeth yn fodlon gwneud ymrwymiad fan hyn y byddwch chi yn ymgynghori gyda'r Senedd cyn gwneud unrhyw benderfyniad ynglŷn â'r comisiynydd hwnnw?”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Welsh verbatim · official translation covers the whole contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The question is, of course: whatever the process, consultation or not, have they been relieved of the responsibility to pay Welsh taxes in relation to their holdings and properties in Wales? If you don't know the answer now, perhaps you could write to me and share that with the Senedd. Turning to the Crown Estate, and I ask you in relation to your responsibility to keep an oversight of UK legislation, the Crown Estate Bill is currently being discussed in the House of Lords this afternoon. There is one amendment tabled to devolve the Crown Estate to Wales. There is another that would at least create a commissioner for Wales and also states that that individual would only be appointed following consultation with Welsh Government Ministers. If that amendment is passed, is the Government willing to make a commitment here that you will consult with the Senedd before making any decision on the appointment of that commissioner?”
Original: “Y cwestiwn yw, wrth gwrs: beth bynnag yw’r broses, ymgynghori neu beidio, ydyn nhw wedi cael eu rhyddhau o’r cyfrifoldeb i dalu trethi Cymreig o ran eu daliadau nhw a’u heiddo nhw yng Nghymru? Os nad ydych chi’n gwybod nawr, efallai y gallwch chi ysgrifennu ataf i a’i rannu gyda’r Senedd. I droi at Ystad y Goron, a dwi’n gofyn hyn yn rhinwedd eich cyfrifoldeb i gadw gorolwg ar ddeddfwriaeth Brydeinig, mae Mesur Ystad y Goron yn cael ei drafod yn Nhŷ’r Arglwyddi y prynhawn yma. Mae yna un gwelliant i lawr i ddatganoli Ystad y Goron i Gymru. Mae yna welliant arall sydd o leiaf yn creu comisiynydd ar gyfer Cymru a hefyd yn dweud y bydd y person hwnnw ond yn cael ei apwyntio ar ôl ymgynghori gyda Gweinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru.”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Official translation from Welsh of the full contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Felly, gaf i ofyn i chi, Gwnsler Cyffredinol, gadarnhau a ydy cydsyniad y Brenin wedi’i roi o ran unrhyw un o’r daliadau yma, sy’n golygu nad ydyn nhw â chyfrifoldeb i dalu trethi wedi’u datganoli yng Nghymru?”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Welsh verbatim · official translation covers the whole contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Welsh Government currently is paying rent to the Crown Estate, so I would urge you to take the same moral stance that Gwynedd and hopefully Carmarthenshire will do. In terms of The Sunday Times and Dispatches report, it did demonstrate that the duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster have a number of holdings in Wales. I didn't know this, but they apparently own Ogmore castle and 4,000 acres around it and they have a number of mining rights in Wales. Your predecessor as Counsel General had been transparent on the process of having to have Crown consent for legislation that touched upon the interests of the Crown. Channel 4 and The Sunday Times have demonstrated that many of these holdings are tax free. So, can I ask you, Counsel General, to confirm whether Crown consent has been given in terms of any of these holdings, which would mean that they don’t have a responsibility to pay devolved taxes here in Wales?”
Original: “Mae Llywodraeth Cymru ar hyn o bryd yn talu rhent i Ystad y Goron, felly a gaf i ymbil arnoch chi i gymryd yr un safiad moesol ac y mae Gwynedd a sir Gaerfyrddin, gobeithio, ar fin gwneud? O ran yr adroddiad gan The Sunday Times a Dispatches , mi oedden nhw’n dangos bod dugiaethau Cernyw a Chaerhirfryn â nifer fawr o ddaliadau yng Nghymru. Hynny yw—doeddwn i ddim yn gwybod hyn—maen nhw’n berchen ar gastell Ogwr a 4,000 o erwau o’i gwmpas a nifer fawr o hawliadau mwyngloddio yng Nghymru. Mi oedd eich rhagflaenydd chi fel Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi bod yn dryloyw ynglŷn â’r broses o orfod cael cydsyniad y Brenin i ddeddfwriaeth oedd yn cyffwrdd â buddiannau y Brenin. Mi oedd Channel 4 a The Sunday Times wedi dangos bod llawer iawn o’r daliadau yma yn ddi-dreth.”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Official translation from Welsh of the full contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Oes yna unrhyw reswm cyfreithiol pam na all Llywodraeth Cymru efelychu’r hyn mae’r awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru wedi gwneud a gofyn i Ystad y Goron ryddhau ein hunain o’r gofyniad i dalu rhent er mwyn cael mynediad at ein tir a’n gwlad ein hunain?”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Welsh verbatim · official translation covers the whole contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Counsel General, you will be aware of the reports of the past few days that show the significant money being made by the royal family through the duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster from the public sector, and also, of course, the significant money being generated in Wales through the Crown Estate, which goes to the Treasury, unfortunately, at the moment. Because of that, many authorities in Wales either have or are in the process of deciding—Gwynedd, Carmarthenshire, for example—to open negotiations with the Crown Estate to release themselves from the obligations to pay taxes so that the people of Wales can access their own lands. The Welsh Government pays rent through Cadw to the Crown Estate at the moment. Is there any legal reason why the Welsh Government couldn’t emulate what some local authorities in Wales have done to ask the Crown Estate to release us from the requirement to pay that rent to access our own land and our own country?”
Original: “Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mi fyddwch chi, Gwnsler Cyffredinol, yn ymwybodol o'r adroddiadau yn ystod y dyddiau diwethaf sy'n dangos yr arian sylweddol sy'n cael ei wneud gan y teulu brenhinol trwy ddugiaethau Cernyw a Chaerhirfryn o'r sector cyhoeddus, a hefyd, wrth gwrs, yr arian sylweddol sy'n cael ei wneud yng Nghymru drwy Ystad y Goron ond sydd yn mynd i'r Trysorlys, gwaetha'r modd, ar hyn o bryd. Oherwydd hynny, mae nifer o awdurdodau yng Nghymru un ai wedi, neu yn y broses o benderfynu—Gwynedd, er enghraifft, sir Gaerfyrddin—i agor trafodaethau gydag Ystad y Goron i ryddhau eu hunain o’r cyfrifoldebau i dalu treth er mwyn i bobl Cymru gael mynediad at ein tir ni ein hunain. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn talu rhent trwy Cadw at Ystad y Goron ar hyn o bryd.”
Senedd Cymru5 November 2024Official translation from Welsh of the full contributionContains information from the Record of Proceedings of Senedd Cymru, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0Source ↗