Sioned Williams
Constituency Member · Plaid Cymru · Wales
“Ie, jest yn gyflym iawn. Dwi jest eisiau mynd nôl at y pwynt ynglŷn â beth fyddech chi'n hoffi ei weld yn newid. Gwnaethom ni sôn am ddata ac efallai gallai Llywodraeth Cymru helpu awdurdodau lleol gyda hynny.”
“Diolch, Gadeirydd. Jest o ran y rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar hyn o bryd, ac maen nhw’n dweud dyma’u prif arf nhw wrth fynd i’r afael â thlodi tanwydd, ydych chi’n meddwl bod y fersiwn newydd o’r rhaglen, ddaeth i rym ym mis Ebrill, yn sicrhau’r cydbwysedd cywir rhwng trechi tlodi tanwydd a hyrwyddo datgarboneiddio?”
“Diolch. Ie, mae hwnna'n bwynt pwysig, onid yw e? Un cwestiwn bach i orffen. Rŷn ni wedi clywed tystiolaeth bod llawer llai o bobl wedi cael eu cyfeirio at, neu wedi cael cymorth gan y cynllun yn ei fersiwn newydd nag yr oedd o'r blaen.”
“Diolch, Gadeirydd, a phrynhawn da. Eisiau mynd ar ôl data ydw i mewn gwirionedd. Mae'n amlwg o'r sgyrsiau dŷn ni wedi eu cael hyd yn hyn, onid yw e, fod yr ystadegau sydd ar gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer tlodi tanwydd yn hen, a dyw e ddim yn ddigonol, ac rŷch chi wedi gorfod defnyddio ffyrdd eraill o edrych ar y broblem a phwy i darg…”
“Jest eisiau gofyn, efallai, i Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, ac i bawb a dweud y gwir, ac i'r comisiynydd, o ran y cwestiwn yna ynglŷn â sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n gweithio gyda Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol i fynd i'r afael â thlodi tanwydd, ydych chi'n ymwybodol o unrhyw sgyrsiau sydd wedi digwydd o ran pethau fel tariff cymdeithasol, neu gae…”
“I ddod yn ôl at y pwynt a ofynnwyd yn gynharach ynglŷn â beth allai Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i gefnogi awdurdodau lleol i weithredu yn y ffyrdd rŷch chi'n gweithredu, rŷn ni'n gwybod efallai nad yw pob un awdurdod lleol ddim yn gweithredu gyda'r math o ddata, ddim gyda’r gallu, neu ddim yn deall pam fod y data’n werthfawr, ac yn canoli'…”
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“The guidance addresses this issue, saying the parties should create guidance, but also you're working with UK Government on measures to address this. So, what exactly are those measures? Currently, Wales has the lowest proportion of women councillors of all UK nations, and there is a lack of data on the roles women and other under-represented groups hold within parties, such as officers of local committees et cetera, and these are part of the candidate pipelines, aren't they? So, why doesn't the guidance go further on this, and how will the suggestion to collect and publish data be monitored? How will the guidance work in collaboration and alignment with current projects to increase diversity, such as Disability Wales's access to politics grassroots network?”
“So, will the Government fund new schemes to mitigate this, in line with the duties in the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act? You talk about the Act paving the way to expand the elected office scheme, the Act's support scheme. It doesn't feel very urgent, so could you give us some more details on that? Do you agree with the recommendations of the Institute for Public Policy Research report, published on this matter in 2022, which suggested Government should legislate a right to run that ensures employers are legally obliged to allow people to take time off to run for elected office, not dissimilar to the model around jury service? I welcome the focus on harassment. We know that can come both from the public and within parties.”
“So, I agree with the under-represented groups identified in the guidance, and the emphasis on socioeconomic diversity is also crucial. The class ceiling, as it's called, is lowered in part by the fact that you need resources, time and money to become a candidate and to run a campaign. Those who can afford to take unpaid leave to campaign are at a distinct advantage to those potential candidates who could never afford to do so. The guidance proposes parties consider ways—consider ways—to support candidates who aren't able to fund parts of their campaign—childcare, transport—to get selected or elected, but there's not much detail there. These financial barriers that deter candidates from all under-represented backgrounds particularly affect women.”
“You've undermined not only your own stated policy aims in discarding those strongest measures, but also the chance that we will ever be able to achieve those aims, given the current progressive majority in this Senedd. That is for the first female First Minister of Wales to reflect upon. Failing to reflect our society properly not only makes the decisions made by our Senedd less effective, as you stated, it also makes them less legitimate and reinforces those barriers to elected office, compounding the perception that elected politics is the preserve of a certain type of person to the exclusion of others, which is leading to a dangerous and worrying mistrust in politics. That representation gap pervades our policies and our democracy.”
“This is all good stuff, but it has no teeth, and there's the rub. We can't know it'll make any change, and you even acknowledge that in your statement. And as Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on equalities, I want to take this opportunity to once again reiterate that, although any and all steps, of course, to try and ensure diversity in politics are always welcome, I am deeply disappointed at the rolling back by Welsh Government on the action that would have made the most significant and most immediate difference to the diversity and thus effectiveness of Welsh democracy, and that you're instead publishing this too little, too late guidance, which we know, those of us who are from underrepresented groups in politics, will not be as effective.”
“Just on that point that you made there about health charges, something else that came up in the report were the charges that are sometimes wrongly made on students also, that they're not being charged home fees, when actually they should be as a European citizen, and they're also having trouble about renting. So, it would be good to hear that the Welsh Government are going to do some work with, perhaps, Universities Wales and Medr around that as well, because equally it's stopping people from taking up opportunities, isn't it?”
“Felly, pa sicrwydd gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei roi na fydd yna gwtogi ar ariannu'r gwaith pwysig hwn o adnabod, annog, cefnogi a sicrhau bod y rhai sydd angen gwneud cais i aros neu drosi statws cyn-sefydlog yn parhau i'r dyfodol ac yn peidio â lleihau? Achos rhaid i ni wrando ar rybudd yr arbenigwyr, fel Migration Observatory, ac rwy’n dyfynnu nawr i orffen, Dirprwy Lywydd:”
“Ydy Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol nawr yn fodlon gwrando ar gais Llywodraeth Cymru i ehangu'r cynllun aduno teuluol, er enghraifft, sy'n cael ei amlinellu yn eich ymateb i argymhelliad 5, er mwyn sicrhau ei fod yn fwy hygyrch ar gyfer ceiswyr noddfa sydd ag aelodau teulu yn y Deyrnas Gyfunol, beth bynnag eu cenedligrwydd? Problem ddifrifol nad yw'n diflannu yw hon, problem gudd, i raddau, ond problem allai gael canlyniadau hynod o ddifrifol i filoedd o bobl sy'n byw yng Nghymru ac yn cyfrannu i ddyfodol ein cenedl. Mae'n hanfodol bod y gwaith o godi ymwybyddiaeth, o sicrhau cefnogaeth ac o wella'r broses yn cael ei gefnogi yn wleidyddol ac yn ariannol.”
“Hoffwn i glywed diweddariad i'r ymatebion i argymhelliad 1, er enghraifft—y mwyaf sylfaenol o'n hargymhellion ni fel pwyllgor—sut mae Llywodraethau Llafur Cymru a'r Deyrnas Gyfunol am gydweithio ar hyn? Ydy'r heriau sylweddol gyda'r Swyddfa Gartref—fel y cawson nhw eu disgrifio gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn eu hymateb—wedi eu datrys, ac os felly, sut? Ydy'r Llywodraeth wedi derbyn pwysigrwydd cyllido gwaith Settled a TGP Cymru yn unol â'ch ymateb i'n ail argymhelliad? Ac o ran eich ymateb i'n hail argymhelliad, bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i gefnogi dinasyddion Ewrop, gan gynnwys y rheini sy’n gwneud cais i’r EUSS, a yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi galw felly ar Lywodraeth newydd San Steffan i adolygu'r meini prawf cymhwysedd culach ac ailgyflwyno'r hawl i adolygiad gweinyddol, ill dau sydd wedi arwain at fwy o alw am gyngor a chymorth?”
“Achos mae arbenigwyr wedi pwysleisio wrth y pwyllgor mai plant, pobl hŷn a phobl incwm isel sydd fwyaf tebygol o ddioddef yn sgil y sefyllfa yma. Pobl sydd â salwch tymor hir, pobl â dementia, pobl mewn gofal, pobl sydd yn ddioddefwyr caethwasanaeth a chamdriniaeth ddomestig. Mae newid wedi bod yn y Llywodraeth yn San Steffan ers inni gyhoeddi'r adroddiad ac ers i Lywodraeth Cymru ymateb iddo. Felly, mae angen inni glywed gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet pa drafodaethau, pa newidiadau a pha gynlluniau sydd ar droed i fynd i'r afael â'r anghyfiawnderau posib presennol ac i'r dyfodol, a'r gofid a'r niwed tebygol y mae hynny'n peri i nifer sylweddol o bobl sy'n byw yng Nghymru.”
“Y peth cyntaf i'w nodi yn glir yw nad yw'r data sy'n cael ei gasglu a'i adrodd ar hyn yn ddigonol. Dyw'r niferoedd sy'n cael eu hadrodd ddim yn cynnwys gwybodaeth fyddai'n ysgogi ac yn cefnogi ymgyrch effeithiol i sicrhau nad oes yna bobl mewn perygl o golli eu cyfle i aros yma, nac addasu wedyn y prosesau yn unol â'r wybodaeth hynny. Mae'r setiau data ar nifer o gamau'r broses naill ai ddim ar gael i'w rhannu’n gyhoeddus, neu ddim yn cael eu casglu gan adrannau ac asiantaethau Llywodraeth San Steffan. Mae gwir angen datrys hyn ar fyrder. Ac fel y clywon ni gan Jenny Rathbone, y rhai mwyaf bregus sydd angen cefnogaeth fwyaf, sydd fwyaf tebygol o ddioddef yn andwyol yn sgil y cawlach cymhleth a dryslyd hwn—cawlach a achoswyd yn uniongyrchol gan Brexit.”
“Yn sgil ein gwaith craffu ar sut mae'r degau o filoedd o ddinasyddion yr Undeb Ewropeaidd sy'n byw ymhob rhan o Gymru yn ymwybodol o ac yn cael mynediad at y broses sydd angen ei dilyn nawr er mwyn cael yr hawl i aros yn ein cenedl yn sgil Brexit, mae'r adroddiad wedi canu sawl larwm pwysig sydd angen sylw brys a chadarn gan Lywodraethau Cymru a'r Deyrnas Gyfunol, achos os na fydd yna weithredu nawr, gallwn wynebu sefyllfa gwbl annerbyniol mewn rhai blynyddoedd a fyddai'n gweld degau ar filoedd o bobl a'u disgynyddion sydd yn byw ac yn gweithio yng Nghymru yn colli eu hawl i fyw a gweithio yma, yn colli eu hawl i ofal iechyd ac addysg, yn methu â rhentu cartref, ac yn wynebu'r posibilrwydd o gael eu gyrru o'r wlad. Nid ar chwarae bach mae arbenigwyr wedi dweud wrth y pwyllgor ein bod ni’n wynebu rhywbeth allai ymdebygu i sgandal Windrush.”
“Diolch, Llywydd dros dro. Chlywsom ni ddim sôn am effeithiau andwyol Brexit yn natganiad y Canghellor yr wythnos diwethaf. Yn wir, mae'r Blaid Lafur wedi bod yn ofalus iawn i beidio â rhoi unrhyw sylw i'r eliffant anferth sy'n eistedd yn ystafell wleidyddol ein gwlad—yr eliffant sy'n cael effaith mor fawr ar ein heconomi a'n diwylliant, ac ar hawliau dinasyddion Ewrop sy'n byw yng Nghymru.”
“It really was shocking to hear that software was classifying ethnicity based on names. Does the Cabinet Secretary accept that a Welsh-specific inquiry to analyse these failings is the best and most effective way for those crucial lessons to be learned?”
“And this is key, isn’t it, especially when it comes to getting to grips with entrenched health inequalities that cost the NHS £300 million a year, and lead to disproportionately poorer health outcomes for ethnic minority communities. So, any policy making to address this is doomed to fail if we are relying on information that is faulty, even if that’s only in part, and, critically in this context, understates the scale of the issue. So, can I ask what measures are being put in place to address the data gaps? How soon can we expect this missing data to be retrieved, if at all? And how is the refreshed 'Anti-racist Wales Action Plan', which the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice told us yesterday, in emphatic terms, is a cross-Government responsibility, going to address this?”
“Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. It was extremely concerning to hear that testimony from Professor Fu-Meng Khaw, the executive medical director of Public Health Wales, about those major data failings during the first wave of the pandemic. Around 17 per cent of the data on COVID deaths amongst health and social care workers is missing, while the extent of the impact of the pandemic on ethnic minority communities was significantly underreported, with missing data on more than 1,000 COVID death records. I can’t imagine how distressing this must have been for the loved ones of those affected, to hear these revelations. I hope the Cabinet Secretary will apologise on behalf of the Welsh Government, but apologies alone are worth little if lessons aren’t learnt.”
“The Welsh Government has refused to commit to funding childcare provision in Wales through the Barnett consequentials it received from the previous announcement on funding for England, and it has cut by millions the budget for early years during the last year. So, will the Welsh Government now need to provide the necessary funding for this critical sector to mitigate the new NIC costs and to ensure expansion of affordable childcare in Wales?”
“Even with some of the welcome steps made by the Chancellor on public spending, there are decisions made in the budget that will bake in inequality and will, inevitably, increase Welsh Government spending. It was very disappointing not to hear the first female Chancellor—so historic—mention childcare once in her speech, given its importance in tackling socioeconomic and gender inequality. The National Day Nurseries Association told the Senedd's Equality and Social Justice Committee that 88 per cent of Welsh childcare settings expect next year to either break even or make a loss. We have heard from these providers that they're already in a precarious financial position, so the increase to employers' national insurance contributions, they say, will further endanger the sector's viability.”
“So, as the Welsh Government rejected the Equality and Social Justice Committee's recommendation that it should commit to funding affordable childcare through the Barnett consequentials it will receive, and decided last year to redirect £16.1 million away from childcare, followed by an additional cut of £11.2 million in the last budget, I'd like assurances that the Welsh Government will provide the necessary funding for this critical sector, to both mitigate the new national insurance contribution costs and to ensure the expansion of affordable childcare in Wales. Only 60 per cent of two-year-olds will be eligible for the childcare element of Flying Start upon the completion of phase 2 in March 2025, so any decision to delay the implementation of phase 3 will have a significant effect on Welsh families.”
“I'd like to ask for a statement, please, by the Minister for Children and Social Care to update the Senedd on the roll-out of free childcare provision. It was extremely disappointing not to hear the first female UK Chancellor mention childcare once in her budget speech last week. The investment announced for England by the previous Government will continue, but providers, who are already in a precarious financial position, warn that the increase to employers' national insurance contributions will endanger the sector's viability.”
“—have, in their words, no buffer against this impact. So, what assessment have you made of the impact on these crucial services and their ability to retain and recruit staff? Will the Welsh Government be forced to step in to mitigate this damaging and seemingly unaccounted for effect of the UK Chancellor’s decision?”
“Given that staff costs make up 80 per cent of their budget, to now find that each member of staff is now going to cost around £800 more per annum is obviously going to impact their planned provision. Businesses have more scope to absorb some of this extra cost—they can cut profits, they can borrow. Commissioned services like Citizens Advice—”
“You say your Government’s going to look into this, but I can tell you we know already—because the UK Labour Chancellor’s decision is that employers are going to foot the bill to fill that black hole, rather than get billionaires to shoulder that burden—it is going to impact the services available to those people who need support in Wales and need the most support. Nineteen Citizens Advice organisations in Wales say that they are dismayed by this decision and are going to struggle to meet the increased cost from already stretched and often declining budgets. For the largest of their organisations, the new cost will be up to £180,000. They’ve told us they’re waiting to hear the outcome of their bids to the Welsh Government for the single advice fund that currently funds their services, and the bidding window for that closed two weeks ago.”